Tag Futebol

After picking up one point from a possible six from their opening two Premier League games of the new campaign, Crystal Palace head to Vicarage Road this evening to take on Watford in the Carabao Cup.

The Eagles were held to a goalless draw by newly-promoted Brentford last time out, a performance which offered a marked improvement on their opening-day defeat at the hands of Chelsea.

However, Patrick Vieira’s men have failed to score in their 180 minutes of top-flight action so far this season, something that will be a great concern for the new manager.

Vieira has openly admitted he’s looking to bolster his options in the final third of the pitch following the departures of Andros Townsend and Michy Batshuayi this summer, leading to several stars being linked with a move to the capital club.

But part of the solution could already be within south London. French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta arrived at Palace last January from Bundesliga outfit Mainz with a sizeable reputation following his impressive exploits at the MEWA Arena.

He bagged 27 goals and provided five assists in 71 appearances for Die Nullfünfer, earning several plaudits in the process.

“For a player with such impressive athletic potential, Jean-Philippe has a rare ability to get in behind opposition defences and beat players one-on-one,” summarised France U21 coach Sylvain Ripoll (as relayed by Bundesliga.com), who called Mateta up for the first time in October 2018. “And there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”

The 24-year-old struggled to break into the starting XI under former Eagles boss Roy Hodgson, though, scoring just one goal in his seven outings during the final months of the experienced tactician’s reign.

Mateta would have been hoping for a fresh start under Vieira then, and his compatriot selected him in his first competitive starting lineup at Stamford Bridge just over a week ago.

Nevertheless, Mateta lasted just 57 minutes before being substituted and failed to come off the bench against Brentford, despite Palace struggling to create chances as they went in search of a winning goal.

Therefore, Vieira must unleash the £11.7m-rated gem in this evening’s cup encounter. Away from the spotlight of the Premier League, the pacey frontman could thrive and showcase his potential to be the striker Palace have craved over the last few years.

Adding a proven goalscorer to the club’s ranks is a priority for Vieira, but if he entrusts Mateta tonight, then he may discover one already at his disposal and if the striker can grab a goal, it will do his confidence the world of good.

And, in other news…David Ornstein drops exciting Palace transfer update that’ll leave fans delighted

Former professional footballer Steve Howey believes that Jack Grealish will be amazing at Manchester City.

Grealish completed his move from Aston Villa to Manchester City for a British record £100m, signing a six-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.

The midfielder, who Transfermarkt actually value at £58.5m, can operate either as a left-winger or attacking midfielder and scored seven goals and provided a further 12 last season for Aston Villa in all competitions. Grealish was part of Gareth Southgate’s England team at Euro 2020, where he got two assists and helped the Three Lions make the final.

After making the switch to Manchester, Grealish told City’s club media: “City are the best team in the country with a manager considered to be the best in the world – it’s a dream come true to part of this club.”

Former Blues player Steve Howey believes that Grealish will be amazing for the Cityzens, exclusively telling Football FanCast: “I think he will be amazing there. I think it was kind of done in the right way as well the transfer, I think he was always just sort of like, listen if I move on, I move on, you know we all know how he feels about Aston Villa. 

“But he’s got a massive opportunity to win lots of trophies and to help Manchester City win the trophies, we all know how good he is.”

Grealish made his Villa debut against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium coming on as an 88th minute substitute, with his departure from Aston Villa was emotional as he said: “Everyone has seen the way Messi was at his final press conference. That is the exact way I felt myself. Before I left at the hotel I spoke to the team, the staff and the players and I teared up a bit myself.” [BBC Sport].

Grealish has already featured for City, as he came on as a second-half substitute in the Community Shield against Leicester City and started their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham on the opening day of the Premier League season.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians disputou apenas cinco partidas em maio, mês em que garantiu o título do Campeonato Paulista, se classificou para a segunda fase da Copa Sul-Americana e largou entre os primeiros colocados do Brasileirão. Junho começa nesta quinta-feira e será um pouco mais corrido para o time do técnico Fábio Carille, que volta a ter compromissos em meio e fim de semana e sete partidas pela frente, a começar do duelo deste sábado, contra o Santos. O maior número de jogos também aumentará o rodízio de jogadores do elenco, até agora utilizado em boa quantidade na temporada.

Segundo levantamento do LANCE!, o elenco atual do Corinthians conta com 36 jogadores (Cristian, afastado, não faz parte da soma). Destes, apenas oito não foram utilizados nenhuma vez por Carille, nem sequer na pré-temporada: Walter (goleiro), Matheus (goleiro), Ameixa (volante), Mantuan (volante), Danilo (meia), Rodrigo Figueiredo (meia), Mendoza (atacante) e Carlinhos (atacante). Em resumo: apenas 22% do elenco alvinegro não jogou neste ano.

O último a estrear entre os 28 utilizados por Carille foi Clayson, que entrou na vitória diante do Atlético-GO e segue como opção para o clássico de sábado – ele treinou como titular em parte da atividade desta quarta-feira no CT. Além destes 28 que seguem no elenco, há mais quatro nomes que jogaram na temporada e já estão fora do clube: Marlone, Yago, Cristian e Guilherme.

Agora, com sete partidas em disputa no mês de junho, é provável que outros jogadores tenham mais chances no Brasileirão. Isto também será incentivado pela proximidade das perdas de quatro jogadores: Romero e Balbuena, convocados para a seleção do Paraguai, e Fagner e Rodriguinho, que defenderão o Brasil. Os quatro jogam contra o Santos no sábado e já não entram em campo no meio de semana, diante do Vasco. Depois, os paraguaios voltam e os brasileiros continuam como baixas em mais dois jogos, diante de São Paulo e Cruzeiro.

Apesar do temor pelos desfalques, a chance é ideal para testar as opções do elenco.

CONFIRA A AGENDA DE JOGOS DO CORINTHIANS EM JUNHO:

03/06 (sábado), às 19h – Corinthians x Santos, na Arena Corinthians

07/06 (quarta-feira), às 21h45 – Vasco x Corinthians, em São Januário

11/06 (domingo), às 16h – Corinthians x São Paulo, na Arena Corinthians

14/06 (quarta-feira), às 21h45 – Corinthians x Cruzeiro, na Arena Corinthians

18/06 (domingo), às 11h – Coritiba x Corinthians, no Couto Pereira

22/06 (quinta-feira), às 21h – Corinthians x Bahia, na Arena Corinthians

25/06 (domingo), às 16h – Grêmio x Corinthians, na Arena Grêmio

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCorinthiansFabio Carille

With the Premier League season set to get underway this month, Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa will no doubt be contemplating what his starting line-up will be for the first game of the campaign.

While Adam Forshaw may be a forgotten man at Elland Road given his recent injury history, he’s someone who the Whites manager should be finally looking to unleash.

Speaking towards the end of last season, Bielsa himself said of the 29-year-old: “He has basically been not playing for two seasons and to be able to play 90 minutes at a high competition after being healthy – there is still a while to go before you’re ready for that.

“He’s healthy, and has two months left of the season to prove that he is finally over his issues. We all hope it will be like this, because he is a very important player and he has made a massive effort to overcome the situation that he’s been through.”

The midfielder has endured a difficult spell at Leeds for well over a year now, with injuries seeing him miss the entire Premier League season – in fact, his only appearance of 2020/21 came at Premier League 2 level when he was given a runout against Aston Villa’s under-23s back in mid-April.

With Leeds lacking natural cover for Kalvin Phillips, and a new central midfielder still having yet to be signed, Forshaw’s comeback from injury is a timely one.

Given the long road that the £20k-a-week ace has travelled to getting to this point, Bielsa will be intent not to rush him back anytime soon.

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell recently said: “What I want him to do is get the first three months in without getting an injury, then he can hopefully start to play a few games and go from there.

“When you’re on that slippery slope of an injury it’s not good. The world seems like the sky is falling in. He could save them money but availability is everything. He’s a decent midfielder.”

Writing for The Athletic, Phil Hay backed Forshaw to enjoy a redemption season, saying: “Can his body hold up? Could he adapt quickly to the pace of the Premier League? The thing about Forshaw is that he is one of Bielsa’s favourite players at Leeds; someone who Bielsa has genuinely been heard to describe privately as having the right attributes for a Champions League side.”

Bielsa could save millions in the transfer market by giving Forshaw the chance to impress in midfield, and hopefully we will soon see the 29-year-old back in action at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Leeds United have opened talks to sign this ace…

Many Wolves fans have been left reacting to a transfer update involving Ruben Neves, which emerged this week.

Speaking on his Twitch channel, Italian football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed (via Talking Wolves) that a development will come on his future in the next few days, and added that it could be with regards to a potential move to either Manchester United or Arsenal.

The Portugal international has been such a key player at Molineux, averaging more tackles (2.4), interceptions (1.8), shots (1.9), passes (54.9) and long balls (5.3) a match in the Premier League than both Leander Dendoncker and Joao Moutinho in the 2020/21 term (WhoScored).

Thus, it would be such a shame to see him go, especially to another team in the top flight.

Wolves fans on Neves transfer update

These supporters of the Midlands club gave their reactions as the transfer update on Neves was shared on Twitter, and it is safe to say that they do not want to see him leave:

“Pain”

Credit: @wwfcjoe_

“Whyyyyyyyyyyy?”

Credit: @LukasWard12

“Will not begrudge Neves leaving to a top side, he’s good enough to do it. But if he goes to Arsenal then I will do. He’s better than that.”

Credit: @ahyden95

“Yuk!”

Credit: @ACrowe87

“Son’s crying”

Credit: @Harry_Mansell

“If Wolves have any real AMBITION then you keep Neves. The new so called style will rely on a ‘Neves’ to defend deep and spray passes. Let’s see what we get if he goes….”

Credit: @shewardjon1

In other news, find out what training footage has Wanderers gushing here!

The first Test in Jamaica uncovered more issues than it dealt with and it is unlikely many of them will be solved definitively during the second game in Antigua from Friday. Will West Indies be back as a mid-table force or will their batting inconsistencies prevent them from climbing above No. 8? At what point are Australia in their drop from untouchables to mortals, and when will the performances of the world champions level out?Was the destruction caused by Fidel Edwards and Daren Powell in the second innings at Sabina Park something that can scare opposition teams regularly? Is Stuart MacGill the two-year answer to the tourists’ spin bowling problems? Will Twenty20’s Dwayne Bravo ever feel comfortable defending for more than a couple of overs? And what difference will the return of key players make?Immediate answers are impossible, but the range of questions confirms the new levels of interest in the series. The relatively tight opening contest has given life to an affair that was expected to be one-sided. Matthew Hayden’s absence for the rest of the series and the possibility of Chris Gayle and Jerome Taylor regaining fitness could bring the two teams’ standards further together over the next two games.Stuart Clark’s fine second-innings bowling on Monday managed to cover up Australia’s batting frailties, but the hope that Hayden would provide some cement at the top has gone. Simon Katich will sneak ahead of Brad Hodge, who is squeezed out despite comfortably out-performing Katich in pressure situations during the opening game. However, further twisting to an already unsettled order was considered unnecessary. Michael Clarke, who is back from compassionate leave, will re-enter at No. 5 and will be vice-captain for the first time in a Test.”There’s no doubt [Clarke] is jumping out of his skin,” Ponting told AAP. “He did what he had to do back in Australia and it’s been a tough time … He really loves playing cricket for Australia and with a bit more responsibility now and a leadership role in the group he is blossoming every day.”Strength in Australia’s middle order is important because the sight of the fallible opening pairing of Katich and Phil Jaques will provide a lift for Edwards, Powell and Taylor. The West Indies fast men looked like world beaters at Sabina Park and Australia will need to find better ways of coping during the inaugural Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.During the World Cup last year Australia played three games on the new arena, which still had a sandy outfield, and the conditions offer another unpredictable element to the Test. So far both sides have trained at the smaller, older Recreation Ground and the players will get their first look at the North Sound pitch the day before the game.After their strong comeback on the final day in Jamaica, and with the rust shaken from their break between Test series, Australia’s position is comfortable and a draw would retain them the Frank Worrell Trophy. It is hard to gauge whether West Indies are under pressure or happily playing above themselves. While there was disappointment at their final-day collapse, there was pleasure at home and overseas in the way they stood up to Australia for much of the contest.

People in the Caribbean are talking cricket again and the local players will be expected to continue their harassment of the world champions. If they can cope with the increased demands then there will be opportunities to create further holes in Australia’s redeveloping outfit.Gayle’s entrance would provide some much needed stability, especially after Brenton Parchment’s unconvincing contributions in Jamaica, and his leadership will also allow Ramnaresh Sarwan to concentrate solely on batting. The side desperately needs to support Shivnarine Chanderpaul and an uncluttered mind would be the best thing for Sarwan, who failed twice last week as the stand-in leader. A groin injury has meant Gayle has not been able to play since the Sri Lanka series, but the problem is improving and the side will be more formidable if Taylor overcomes a back complaint.John Dyson, the West Indies coach, said during the week his players realised at Sabina Park that the Australians were not superhuman. It is an important step for any side that wants to move from also-rans to contenders, and the view worked for Australia in the 1990s when they were trying to steal the trophy.In the other camp Tim Nielsen was so impressed by West Indies that he believed they were capable of improving to No. 3 or 4 in the rankings. The evolving Australia were surprised by the initial fight of West Indies and now realise that even if their batting clicks and their bowlers are on song, the series is not likely to be one where the world champions beat up on the easy beats. When they were last in Antigua a year ago that scenario would have been unthinkable.

Manchester United could be set to launch an ambitious player-plus-cash deal to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.

What’s the story?

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the hugely talented 21-year-old in the past, but their interest appeared to die down as they concentrated on securing the signature of Haaland’s former teammate Jadon Sancho.

After completing the £73m signing of the Englishman, United no longer have the funds to sign the Norway international this summer and are thinking of creative ways to bring him to Old Trafford, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.

As outlined in the report, one possible option which is being considered by the United hierarchy is to offer Anthony Martial as part of the deal in order to reduce Dortmund’s asking price.

However, the German side have already made it clear to Chelsea that they would not accept any players as part of the deal to offload Haaland, so United may need to move on to other targets.

Imagine him and Jadon Sancho

Haaland has established himself as one of football’s brightest young talents since arriving at Signal Iduna Park back in January 2020, scoring an incredible 57 goals in 59 appearances for BVB.

His outstanding displays have caught the eye of the continent’s top clubs and earned praise from several plaudits, including former Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who said when appearing as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football (via Daily Mail): “He doesn’t care about anything other than the goal.

“Other players will go on the wing – he wants to stay within the frame of the net. Between the two posts, he knows he is lethal. He’s so powerful, by the way. He just wants to run in behind, and the way he finishes is ridiculous. The ability that he has: he believes so much in himself, and I like that.”

The Norway international is expected to cost any potential suitor around £150m in the current window and is contracted to Dortmund until 2024.

Having said that, there is set to be a scramble for his services in 12 months’ time when a £68m release clause comes into play, meaning that Haaland will be available in a cut-price deal.

The bargain price is likely to spark a bidding war for the Scandinavian beast next summer, so departing chief executive Ed Woodward must swoop for the clinical goalscorer before it becomes active.

Reuniting Haaland and Sancho at Old Trafford would provide United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a forward line capable of rivaling any in world football and would surely propel the club towards winning major trophies once again.

It remains to be seen whether Dortmund would be enticed by the prospect of receiving Martial in part-exchange, but the France international is a top-class player on his day and a proven Premier League goalscorer, and his inclusion could convince the Bundesliga outfit to do business.

In other news… Get it done: Woodward must complete Man Utd swoop for “special” £54m-rated gem 

Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for Parma winger Yann Karamoh as the club’s new era under Patrick Vieira starts to take shape.

What’s the story?

According to French outlet Foot Mercato, the Eagles have placed the 23-year-old on their shortlist this summer, although they’re reportedly set to face competition from Ligue 1 champions Lille.

The report claims that Parma are willing to let Karamoh depart the club over the coming months following their relation to Serie B despite the £5.4m-rated gem having two years remaining on his current contract.

Steve Parish must swoop

Vieria has already begun to make his mark on Palace’s first-team squad following the acquisitions of Marc Guehi and Michael Olise, but several fresh faces will be required ahead of the upcoming campaign.

The Eagles released multiple ageing stars following the expiration of their contracts last month, meaning further additions are expected this summer.

And bringing in Karamoh would be seen as a significant coup for the south London side. After struggling to make an impact at Inter, the pacey wide man has resurrected his career at Bordeaux and Parma.

His impressive performances at the Ligue 1 outfit earned several plaudits, including former manager Eric Bedouet.

“Yann has qualities that are not ordinary. He has a great intensity,” stated Bedouet.

“He can make the difference when you need it most, which is not a common trait amongst most players. He is a fantastic dribbler and is still growing. He is a very interesting prospect.”

With Andros Townsend joining fellow Premier League side Everton and Eberechi Eze sidelined through injury until the new year, Vieira is thought to be in the market for a new forward in the current window.

Therefore, Karamoh could be the ideal solution to Palace’s attacking issues, and chairman Steve Parish must sanction a swoop for the highly-rated forward.

Lining up alongside the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Olise and Eze would make for an exciting forward line, and provide Vieira with the tools he needs to guide the capital club to a tenth successive top-flight campaign.

And, in other news…Parish must avoid Palace nightmare over £65k-p/w monster, Vieira will be fuming 

يعمل نادي برشلونة الإسباني ليكون قادرًا على الحصول على خيار التعاقد مع لاعبين أقوياء في هذا السوق، وهو أمر يحدث حتمًا من خلال توفير مساحة رواتب لهم، وهو أمر غير موجود في الوقت الحالي.

لذلك، فإن النتيجة المنطقية الأولى هي أن نادي برشلونة اليوم ليس لديه القدرة الاقتصادية لمواجهة توقيع مثل روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، بحسب ما أفادت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية.

وأشار التقرير إلى أن الأمر لا يتعلق بأداء ليفاندوفسكي نفسه، على العكس سيسعد الجهاز الفني بالتعاقد معه، بدءًا من تشافي.

المشكلة هي أنه إذا واجه برشلونة في الموسم الحالي مشاكل في التوفيق بين دمج كل من سوق الصيف والشتاء، فإن الوضع يزداد سوءًا في الموسم التالي.

وتمثل الأزمة في أن لاعبي كرة القدم الذين وافقوا على تعديل رواتبهم بما يمكن أن يدفعه لهم برشلونة هذا العام، سوف يشهدون زيادة في الرواتب اعتبارًا من 1 يوليو.

اقرأ أيضًا | برشلونة يعلن خضوع إريك جارسيا لعملية جراحية ناجحة

هذا هو الحال، على سبيل المثال، بالنسبة لممفيس ديباي وإريك جارسيا وأوباميانج وفيران توريس، هناك أيضًا قدامى اللاعبين الذين سيشهدون زيادة رواتبهم مثل بوسكيتس وبيكيه.

بهذا المعنى، يحتاج برشلونة إلى تفعيل “الروافع الاقتصادية”، كما أسماها الرئيس لابورتا، من أجل توليد دخل يزيد من قدرة النادي على دفع الرواتب، والتي أصبحت الآن سلبية.

يمكن أن تكون هذه الرافعات راعيًا لأكمام قميص الفريق، أو اتفاقية مع صندوق CVC (يعمل برشلونة على ذلك ولكن لا يريد أن يتم احتساب الدخل كدين) أو مبيعات BLM (ترخيص وتجارة برشلونة) أو من استوديوهات برشلونة، معاملات ذات طبيعة معقدة.

الحل الواضح الآخر هو بيع اللاعبين، وهو أمر يمكن أن يدر ربحًا مباشرًا من خلال مكاسب رأس المال ومدخرات الرواتب.

ومع ذلك، لا تزال حالة ليفاندوفسكي معقدة، على الرغم من أن البولندي يوافق على خفض مطالبه للعب لبرشلونة، إلا أنه يكسب الآن 22 مليونًا إجمالي ثابت في بايرن ميونخ، والتي، مع المتغيرات، يمكن أن تصل إلى 25 مليون يورو.

وعلى الرغم من أن البولندي يبذل جهدًا، إلا أنه لا يبدو سهلاً أنه في عمر 33 عامًا، سيقبل فرض رسوم أقل بكثير في عقده الأخير.

According to Takvim, Glasgow Rangers have fallen short in their first attempt to sign Bright Osayi-Samuel from Turkish outfit Fenerbahce.

The Lowdown: Gers eye Osayi-Samuel

The Gers have been heavily linked with a move for Osayi-Samuel (Fotospor), who made the switch to the Super Lig from Queens Park Rangers earlier this year.

The Gers were also linked with him prior to that move (Football Insider), but the 23-year-old decided to switch to Fenerbahce instead.

The Latest: Osayi-Samuel bid to fall short

It is now being reported that Rangers will fall short in their bid to sign the winger.

They are said to be ready to offer €3m (£2.6m) for his services, but Fenerbahce are looking for €4m (£3.4m).

The Verdict: Big decision

Osayi-Samuel’s move to Turkey has not gone as he would have liked – he has managed just one goal and one assist in 18 league matches (Transfermarkt). However, during the 2019/20 campaign at QPR, he registered five assists and nine goals in the Championship (he has 19 goals throughout his career), while was hailed as “outstanding” by Mark Warburton, who also used to manage Rangers (via Brent & Kilburn Times).

The Gers could find themselves with deep pockets if they manage to reach the group stages of the Champions League, and even if they fail to make it that far, paying €4m (£3.4m) would not be out of the question.

Still, given the club’s transfer expenditure in recent years, it is not an inconsiderable fee, and it remains to be seen just how badly Ross Wilson and co want to sign Osayi-Samuel this summer.

In other news, Rangers have rejected several bids for this controversial man.