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MatériaMais Notícias

O meia Edenílson, do Internacional, manteve a versão de que o lateral-direito do Corinthians Rafael Ramos teria o chamado de macaco durante o duelo entre os times em que atuam, no último dia 14 de maio, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. O meia da equipe gaúcha prestou depoimento no Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva de São Paulo (TJD-SP), na manhã desta segunda-feira (6).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansDestaque da base ganha moral e é relacionado pelo segundo jogo seguido no CorinthiansCorinthians06/06/2022VídeoGIGANTE DAY! Relembre grandes momentos de Cássio com a camisa do CorinthiansVídeo06/06/2022CorinthiansCorinthians abre venda de ingressos para jogo contra o JuventudeCorinthians06/06/2022

+ GALERIA – Retrospecto do Timão contra possíveis adversários na Copa do Brasil

+ TABELA – Confira e simule os jogos do Corinthians no Brasileirão

A informação foi publicada inicialmente pelo ‘UOL Esporte’ e confirmada pelo LANCE!.

Ramos apresenta uma outa versão do fato, dizendo que o que foi dito ao atleta do Inter foi a frase “foda-se, caralho” e não “macaco”, como alega Edenílson. O jogador do Timão, inclusive, contratou duas perícias particulares que confirmam a versão do lateral português, que foram apresentadas durante depoimento ao TJD prestado por Rafael na semana passada. Antes,

O caso está sendo investigado tanto pela Justiça Desportiva, quanto pela comum, através da Polícia Civil do Rio Grande do Sul, que, inclusive, encomendou uma perícia oficial, algo que também deve ser feito pelo TJD-SP.

No dia da acusação, Rafael Ramos foi detido e precisou pagar R$ 10 mil para ser liberado.

A detenção foi justificada pela súmula da partida, assinada pelo árbitro Bráulio da Silva Machado. O jurídico do Corinthians contestou a ação, já que no documento Bráulio afirma não ter escutado o diálogo entre os jogadores do Timão e Inter, relatando somente a acusação de Edenílson.

No âmbito desportivo, Rafael pode ser enquadrado no artigo 243-G do Código Brasileiro de Justiça Desportiva, que trata sobre atos discriminatórios. A pena é de R$ 100 mil mais suspensão que vai de cinco a dez partidas.

Já em relação a justiça comum, a pena para crimes de injúria racial, no qual o lateral corintiano pode ser enquadrado, vai de um a três anos, além de pagamento de multa, que não tem valor especificado no artigo 20 da Lei 7.716/89, que atenta sobre o tema.

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Brighton are now expected to progress in a deal to sign a new defender for Fabian Hurzeler as they look to bolster their ranks ahead of rivals Crystal Palace.

Brighton planning for the future

After their heavy summer spending, it is little surprise to see Hurzeler’s side having a quiet January despite their inconsistent Premier League form.

The Seagulls fell to a 1-0 defeat to Everton in their most recent outing, their fifth defeat of the campaign. However, they have also drawn 10 games, which leaves them 9th in the Premier League as things stand and six points outside a European place.

Wins over Manchester United and Ipswich suggested a revival was imminent after a run of eight games without a win, but their most recent defeat has seen that hope evaporate.

Nottingham Forest (Away)

Chelsea (Home)

Southampton (Away)

Bournemouth (Home)

Fulham (Home)

However, their transfer business so far this month has been firmly with eyes on the future rather than players capable of an instant impact. So far, they have only confirmed the addition of 21-year-old midfielder Diego Gomez from MLS side Inter Miami, and they are also keen to complete a deal to sign Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra with the club having reportedly already made a verbal offer to sign him ahead of rivals.

Instead, outgoings have been the focus with Julio Enciso joining Ipswich Town on loan, while Evan Ferguson could also depart before the end of the transfer window.

Now, it seems that Brighton have one more deal to try and complete in the next week.

Brighton could complete £15m+ signing ahead of Crystal Palace

That comes as the agent of defender El Hadji Malick Diouf has reportedly explained that Brighton could seal a deal to land his client in what would be a record sale for Slavia Prague.

Diouf has been the subject of intense interest this winter, and Crystal Palace made an offer to sign the fullback earlier in the window, only for it to be rejected. Now though, it is Palace’s rivals who seem to have managed to seal a deal, which will come as a delight to the Seagulls faithful.

According to Africa Foot, the Senegalese defender may well be on his way to the Amex, and his agent has disclosed the details of a potential deal. It is claimed that Brighton are ready to offer “€16m plus €2m in bonuses” (£15.1m), while “a five-year contract worth €4m net per year”, roughly £63,000 per week after tax is waiting for Diouf.

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ByBen Browning Dec 23, 2024

Left-back has been a problem position for the Seagulls, with Valentino Barco having failed to impress either at the Amex or on loan with Sevilla this season, leaving no natural alternative to Pervis Estupinan in Hurzeler’s ranks.

Diouf may well fix that issue, while the 20-year-old could also prove the long-term successor to the Ecuadorian on the south coast.

كشف حازم إمام عضو لجنة التخطيط بنادي الزمالك عن دور اللجنة وأسلوب عملها من أجل تطوير منظومة الكرة داخل القلعة البيضاء، موضحًا أن هناك نية لتطبيق أسلوب برشلونة في تطوير قطاع الناشئين.

وقال حازم إمام في تصريحات إذاعية عبر آثير “أون سبورت إف إم”: “ميدو ظهر أمس مع الزميل إبراهيم عبد الجواد، وهناك من فسر حديثه على أنه يشير إلى وجود شخص داخل النادي لا يُساعد، وأود أن أوضح أن ميدو يكن كل الاحترام والتقدير لأعضاء مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك كافة”.

وتابع: “على العكس اللجنة جاءت لتساند وتدعم، لا لخلق الخلافات، وهو يحترمهم جميعًا، والهدف واحد، ولا توجد أي مشكلات إطلاقًا، لكن كما تعلمون، عند حدوث هزيمة أو إخفاق، تظهر بعض الخلافات أو وجهات النظر المختلفة ويتم تضخيمها”.

وأردف: “الهدف الأساسي للجنة التخطيط هو وضع هيكل متكامل لقطاع كرة القدم، سواء من خلال تعيين مدير رياضي أو مدير للتعاقدات، بحيث يكون تحت إشرافهم كشافون وفريق لتحليل الأداء والإحصائيات”.

طالع | “محترفي الفتن”.. ميدو يفسر تصريحاته بشأن مجلس الزمالك ومحاربة لجنة التخطيط

وواصل: “الهدف هو بناء منظومة تشمل الفريق الأول وقطاع الناشئين، بحيث يكون المدير الرياضي مسؤولًا، بالتعاون مع المدرب، عن وضع الاستراتيجية وتحديد الأهداف، وتحديد من يصعد للفريق الأول أو من يُعرض للبيع”.

واستطرد: “هدف اللجنة هو بناء هذا النظام، ثم نرحل، ونحن لم نأتِ لنزاحم أحدًا أو للظهور الإعلامي، وعملنا ينتهي ببناء المنظومة، وبعد ذلك تصبح الإدارة سهلة دون الحاجة إلينا، سواء استمر المجلس الحالي أو جاء مجلس جديد”.

وأكمل: “النموذج الذي تسعى اللجنة إلى تطبيقه يشبه تجربة برشلونة، وهناك نظام واضح هناك، حيث إن 90% من لاعبي الفريق الأول من أبناء النادي، نحن لا نقلدهم بالكامل، فبرشلونة يمتلك أفضل أكاديمية في العالم، لكن الفكرة هي وجود نظام مستدام”.

وأتم: “لجنة التخطيط لا تسعى إلى مناصب دائمة أو إلى البقاء في المشهد، ونحن جئنا لمساندة مجلس الإدارة المحترم برئاسة حسين لبيب، ومعنا رؤية واضحة، ونسعى إلى وضع نظام يستمر ويخدم النادي دون الاعتماد على أشخاص بعينهم”.

Ipswich Town confidently brushed Bristol Rovers aside 3-0 in the FA Cup on Sunday courtesy of a first-half demolition job.

All three of the Tractor Boys’ goals came in that eventful opening 45 minutes, with the second half an equal walk in the park from the perspective of Kieran McKenna’s men, who gave up only three shots on their mainly untested goal across the straightforward 90 minutes.

Kalvin Phillips would have been overjoyed to score his team’s opener after a turbulent loan stay to date, with the number eight sticking out all match long against his side’s lowly opponents.

Phillips' performance in numbers vs Bristol Rovers

Making only his second start for the Suffolk side since the back-end of November, the former Leeds United midfielder would have been relieved that his confidence was given a necessary boost against the League One outfit.

Indeed, even if it is against a team two leagues below Ipswich, there’s still plenty the 29-year-old can gain from his performance, away from just his strike being thumped home past a helpless Joshua Griffiths in the Gas goal.

Glancing at his individual numbers, the Ipswich captain for the day dictated play from the middle with 88 touches and 64 accurate passes tallied up, on top of making three interceptions when the away side threatened on occasion.

Moreover, the Tractor Boys loanee also carved out one big chance in an attempt to build on his first-half strike, with the 5 foot 10 star lasting the full 90 minutes to now give McKenna a conundrum on who he starts centrally moving forward in the bread and butter of the Premier League.

Phillips isn’t the only on-the-fringes presence that will be hoping he gets increased first-team minutes now, with Jack Clarke also standing out throughout as a thorn in the side of Inigo Calderon’s men.

Performance in Numbers

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Expand Collapse Jack Clarke's performance in numbers vs Bristol Rovers

Much like his midfield teammate, the ex-Sunderland man has found his time at Portman Road to date choppy, to say the least, with only four starts coming his way in top-flight action.

He will hope, even though it is just against a third-tier opponent, that his impressive showing today means more starts will be afforded to him in the league, having picked up Ipswich’s second goal on the day among other standout moments.

Clarke’s numbers vs Bristol Rovers

Stat

Clarke

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

Touches

61

Accurate passes

39/45 (87%)

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

2/2

Total duels won

5/11

Stats by Sofascore

Away from finding himself in the right place at the right time to tap home his side’s second, Clarke also managed to set up Jack Taylor’s third to put the tie beyond any reasonable doubt, with calls from the away side for offside falling on deaf ears.

Away from that slight controversy, the silky winger also confidently completed 100% of his dribbles, whilst also managing to get stuck in as an energetic figure down the left with five total duels won.

As a result, East Anglian Daily Times journalist Alex Jones would hand out a high 7/10 rating to Clarke post-match, with the 24-year-old attacker now hopeful he’s done enough to put together a compelling argument for more chances in the Premier League.

After all, Clarke did clatter the post away at Fulham from off the bench with his only effort on the Cottagers net, alongside also assisting Taylor’s dramatic winner away at Wolverhampton Wanderers back in December from just 15 minutes of action, meaning he can deliver on the big stage away from just starring against the perceived easier sides in the FA Cup.

McKenna will hope his team are rewarded with a tougher test in the next round of the long-standing competition, with the focus now switching straight back to the league with Ipswich up against Brighton and Hove Albion this coming Thursday.

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Chelsea have been handed a damning response to their first January offer for Crystal Palace stalwart Marc Guehi, with Enzo Maresca’s side believed to be seriously keen on re-signing the England international before February 3.

Chelsea register interest in January deal for Marc Guehi

Injuries to Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile have intensified the need for another world-class centre-back, and one who could be a fixture in Maresca’s backline for years to come.

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The west Londoners are considering a Camp Nou raid.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jan 7, 2025

Chelsea have been scouring the market for another central defender for months, even before Fofana and Badiashile were confined to the treatment table, and it is believed bringing one in is their top transfer priority for the winter (Simon Phillips).

There are believed to be a few interesting names on their shortlist, from both abroad and in the Premier League.

Chelsea’s next Premier League fixtures

Date

Bournemouth (home)

January 14

Wolverhampton Wanderers (home)

January 20

Man City (away)

January 25

West Ham (away)

February 3

Brighton (away)

February 14

Benfica’s Antonio Silva and Tomas Araujo are under consideration at Stamford Bridge, as are Bournemouth’s Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen (Simon Phillips), with other reports suggesting that Chelsea are also monitoring Barcelona’s Jules Koundé and Ronald Araujo.

However, as of now, it is Guehi who appears to be grabbing all the headlines as a top centre-back target. The 24-year-old’s stellar 2024 saw him perform impressively at the Euros with England, filling in for the injured Harry Maguire to great effect, and he stood out as one of Palace’s star players at club level.

Eagles chairman Steve Parish rejected a plethora of summer bids from Newcastle United to keep hold of their influential defender, and Guehi has rewarded Palace with an array of accomplished performances this campaign.

The former Chelsea man has started 19 out of 20 league games for Palace this season as a mainstay of Oliver Glasner’s back three, prompting serious interest from his old club.

Now, according to a report from The Sun, that interest has materialised into a formal winter bid.

Chelsea receive reply to opening Marc Guehi bid

As per the newspaper on their live blog [January 7, 03:00], Chelsea have tabled a “cheeky” opening January bid for Guehi, but Palace are far from impressed with their first approach.

The Three Lions ace is valued at around £55 million, with a Selhurst Park source telling The Sun that Chelsea’s offer is far below his asking price and deemed “silly”. As a result, Palace are set to snub their latest advances.

“Their offer was a long way off being a fair price,” said the source. “It was silly really, and they need to offer more to even have a hope of getting a deal done.”

Guehi has just 18 months left on his contract, perhaps explaining Chelsea’s decision to make a lower financial proposal than expected, but the player’s quality and pedigree highlights why Parish is still demanding a hefty sum to sell mid-season.

“When he plays for England he probably goes up another level as well,” said ex-interim England boss Lee Carsley.

“I still think there is a lot more to come from Marc. Physically, he’s fast and he’s aggressive. On the ball, he is excellent as well so he just needs to keep improving.”

As many as ten clubs are now showing interest in signing a member of Mikel Arteta’s squad in the months ahead, it has been reported, with the Gunners facing a fight to keep him at the club.

Arsenal thrash West Ham to move second

Arsenal have recovered from their Premier League blip against Newcastle and Chelsea in emphatic fashion, following up a 3-0 win against a good Nottingham Forest side with a 5-2 thrashing against West Ham in the London Stadium.

The Gunners were 4-0 up inside 36 minutes as goals from Gabriel, Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz put them on course for a rout of Julen Lopetegui’s side.

However, the Hammers hit back with goals through fullbacks Emerson Palmeiri and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, only for a Bukayo Saka goal on the stroke of half time to restore some breathing room for the Gunners and cap off a crazy seven-goal half.

Arteta’s side didn’t look troubled in the second half as they saw out the win in a professional fashion to move second in the Premier League, though Liverpool’s win over Manchester City means that they remain nine points behind Arne Slot’s side after a quarter of the campaign, having been one of just two sides to take points off the Reds this season.

The Gunners will be hoping that they can narrow that gap in the games between now and the January transfer window, when they may have to step into the market for reinforcements in a bid to catch the Reds in the second half of the season.

Manchester United (Home)

Fulham (Away)

Everton (Home)

Crystal Palace (Away)

Ipswich Town (Home)

But there could be exits from north London too.

Ten clubs want to sign Arsenal defender

That comes as a fresh report claims that as many as ten clubs are keen to sign Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior this winter. The defender came on at half time in the win over West Ham, replacing the injured Gabriel, and helped the Gunners keep a clean sheet in the second half.

But he has not seen much action this season, with his only starts coming in the Carabao Cup and the defender managing just 374 minutes of action across all competitions.

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The Gunners have set their sights on a new defender…

ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2024

The Polish defender has been labeled “extraordinary” by international teammate Robert Lewandowski, but has had few opportunitites to showcase his ability in north London.

And according to CaughtOffside, that has caught the attention of a whole host of clubs, with a report claiming that all of “Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli, Atalanta, Fiorentina, Bologna, Sevilla, Villarreal and Marseille” are keeping tabs on the Pole.

It is added that “the three clubs to ask Arsenal about Kiwior are Milan, Napoli and Sevilla”, and that while Arsenal’s preference would be for a sale, both Napoli and Sevilla have explicitly asked about a potential loan move for the young defender.

The Gunners are certainly unlikely to receive the “€40-45m” that they want for the defender in January, but with the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori they have yet more cover for Gabriel if needed.

Arsenal are now prepared to swoop for an alternative to star playmaker and club captain Martin Odegaard, with manager Mikel Arteta and the club’s hierarchy said to be in pursuit of back-up options for key stars.

Arsenal target new attacking midfielder as Arteta scours for strength in depth

The Gunners were without Odegaard for nearly two months earlier this campaign, after the £240,000-a-week midfielder suffered ankle ligament damage on international duty, and it’s safe to say he was a sore miss.

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1 ByEmilio Galantini Dec 5, 2024

While Arsenal managed to cope well at times in Odegaard’s absence, the Premier League title hopefuls dropped points in four out of their seven league matches minus the 25-year-old, which was a stark reminder of just how crucial he is to the cause.

Fulham (away)

December 8

Everton (home)

December 14

Crystal Palace (away)

December 21

Ipswich Town (home)

December 27

Brentford (away)

January 1

Since his return to the starting eleven, Arsenal have rediscovered their goalscoring mojo, with Odegaard putting in a truly exceptional display against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, being the “driving force” behind their 5-1 victory.

It is little surprise that, in the event Odegaard is forced to sit out through injury again, Arteta wishes to acquire a quality stand-in for the ex-Real Madrid man.

Reports have suggested that Arteta believes Arda Guler could complement Odegaard at Arsenal, with the Real playmaker starring at Euro 2024 for Turkey but finding his chances limited at the Bernabeu right now. Guler could leave Real on loan in January, so this may well be one to watch in the build up to next month.

Meanwhile, other reports believe that Arsenal could mimic Odegaard’s signing by capturing Guler in the winter, with the 19-year-old finding himself in a very similar situation to the Scandinavian when he was stuck on the fringes of Real’s first team.

While the ex-Fenerbahce sensation comes as a very prudent option for Arteta, there are other La Liga stars who are viewed by Emirates Stadium chiefs in a similar light.

Arsenal prepared to bid for Las Palmas "standout" Alberto Moleiro

Indeed, Spanish media now claim that Las Palmas attacking midfielder Alberto Moleiro is on their radar ahead of 2025.

The 21-year-old, who’s racked up four goals in 15 La Liga outings so far, primarily plays on the left-wing but can also slot into Odegaard’s position – as he’s done on three occasions this term.

Arsenal are apparently prepared to bid for Moleiro, who is rumoured to command a price tag of just £17 million, has been a “standout” performer for the Canary Islanders as Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal also take an interest in the Spanish Under-21 international.

Moleiro’s potential signing is seen as a “strategic” move to ease their dependence on Odegaard, with the starlet lauded for possessing pace, vision, creativity, football IQ and a silky touch to his all-round game (Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig).

At below £20 million, there is every reason to believe he could be an ideal alternative to Odegaard, but the competition from Saudi Arabia will be a major obstacle in the way.

MatériaMais Notícias

Juazeirense e Vasco jogam, nesta quarta-feira (08), pela segunda fase da Copa do Brasil. Em 2019, os times se enfrentaram e o Gigante arrancou um empate no final da partida, que foi suficiente para garantir a classificação. O zagueiro Emílio, da equipe de Juazeiro, esteve presente no confronto e, dessa vez, projeta um desfecho diferente.

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> Confira a tabela da Copa do Brasil

-Em 2019 eles tinham a vantagem do empate, agora o jogo não terá nenhum tipo de vantagem para ninguém. Buscaremos impor o nosso jogo e fazer valer o nosso mando de campo para poder conseguir a classificação – projeta o atleta.

Na última temporada, o time baiano fez a sua melhor campanha na história da Copa do Brasil. Conseguiram chegar até às oitavas de final, deixando pelo caminho Sport e Cruzeiro. E o xerife da Juazeirense quer repetir o feito.

– Na temporada passada, a Juazeirense conseguiu fazer a sua melhor campanha na história da Copa do Brasil. Lógico que o nosso pensamento é jogo após jogo, mas entramos com esse objetivo de fazermos uma boa campanha como foi na temporada passada – declarou.

Arne Slot's Reds could end the week anywhere between four and 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League with some huge games on the horizon

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Article continues below

This season hasn't quite been one from hell for Arsenal – they only need to glance over at the atrocities of rivals Manchester United and Tottenham to understand what that really looks like – but, to paraphrase a bitter 'Come Dine With Me' contestant, they have stumbled through it with the grace and decorum of a reversing dump truck.

Whenever it seems as if the Gunners can join together spurts of momentum, they are unceremoniously tripped up and out of that stride. Injuries have mainly been their Achilles heel, though underwhelming summer and winter transfer windows have contributed, be that directly or indirectly, to the malaise as well. That for the second season running a new midfielder, first Kai Havertz and now Mikel Merino, will end the year as the starting striker is emblematic to such carelessness in recruitment.

Mikel Arteta's side are out of both domestic cups and are not in the driving seat for either the Premier League or the Champions League. If they are to be crowned kings of England for the first time in 21 years, they need to not only up their own game, but hope and pray for an inexplicable collapse from leaders Liverpool – only 1995-96 Newcastle have not finished first after leading by seven points or more at this stage of a Premier League season.

Up on Merseyside, Arne Slot's men have emerged from a gruelling double gameweek with four points. That number could have been six as easily as it could have been two. Sunday's 2-1 victory at home to Wolves was particularly jangling for the Anfield nerves.

Arsenal require some help from a few old enemies over the next fortnight to chase down Liverpool, who continue their charge with a trip to Aston Villa on Wednesday. Awaiting them at Villa Park is the new-age duo of Ollie Watkins and Marcus Rashford, desperate for goals, desperate to secure another season of Champions League football.

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportBringers of Arsenal pain

Arsenal's recent tapestry has been trodden across by a series of pantomime villains; Watkins and Rashford are among the top tormentors.

For two seasons running, Villa have rocked up to the Emirates Stadium and rained on the hosts' parade. A few weeks ago, Watkins, a boyhood Gunner, provided the equaliser in a 2-2 draw, while he led the way in last year's 2-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts the title to Manchester City.

Rashford's Premier League career with Manchester United began with an unexpected brace in a 3-2 win at home to Arsenal, another occasion which trashed their title credentials. In more recent times, he came up with a double that ended their unbeaten start to the 2022-23 campaign.

It will be refreshing for Gunners fans to be on the other side of the fence on Wednesday, rooting for two of their nemeses as opposed to fearing them.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDerisory bid

Yet the present and futures of Watkins, Rashford and Arsenal could have been oh so different. At the tail end of the January window, the north Londoners launched a bid for Villa's No.11, though one well below asking price at a relatively measly £45 million ($57m).

It was never going to be enough for Villa to accept, particularly so late in the month and with Jhon Duran already halfway out the door to Al-Nassr for an even more extravagant fee. All it showed was Arsenal were indeed in the market for a striker having kept their powder dry to that point in the window, but weren't serious enough about such an endeavour to succeed.

Since news of that offer broke, Watkins has contributed two goals and two assists in three games for Villa. His head may have been temporarily turned – and who would blame him? – but he has got back down to business. There hasn't been as much fanfare about his season, yet he's still chugging along and putting up numbers.

Getty Images SportRedemption project too far?

Arsenal were also touted as a potential landing spot for Rashford after he revealed his desire to leave United early in the winter. Alas, any lingering interest in the forward never advanced.

There was a pretty solid case for Arteta to take a troubled Rashford under his wing having already salvaged the careers of some of their rivals' other distressed assets, namely Havertz and Jorginho from Chelsea. The need for a versatile forward with pace and dynamism added further fuel to that fire of wonder and intrigue.

Nevertheless, Arsenal probably felt vindicated by a lack of other serious suitors for Rashford. AC Milan quickly came off the table when they prioritised Kyle Walker for the final non-EU spot in their squad, while Barcelona were never going to be able to afford a deal having struggled for weeks to even register their own players already on the books.

Villa took a punt because they have nothing much left to lose in a season threatening to run out of steam. It would have gone against Arsenal's keep calm and carry on memo to take such a risk.

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Watkins and Rashford have shared a Villa pitch for only 45 minutes, and already they appear to have an unspoken connection usually reserved for the best of attackers. The United loanee came off the bench for the second half of Saturday's 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town and was the game's protagonist, creating four chances, winning seven duels and rattling the post from a free-kick leading to Watkins' equaliser.

Rashford was criticised for an 18-month slump following his 30-goal exploits of 2022-23, though one Premier League appearance in claret and blue saw him roll back those years. There was, most notably, a spring and bounce about him that had disappeared entirely down the final stretch of his United career.

There have been fair question marks placed over Rashford and whether he can really hit the heights expected of him again, but you always know what you're getting with Watkins – a proven, top-level striker who leads by example with both ethic and output. He could click with any type of forward, and that quality could be Rashford's saving grace in his quest for rejuvenation and redemption.

Glenton Stuurman and Prenelan Subrayen are back in the mix too, while Sisanda Magala and Ryan Rickelton have earned maiden call-ups

Firdose Moonda07-Dec-2021Duanne Olivier could make a Test comeback after an absence of almost three years after being named in a 21-player squad for the upcoming three-Test series against India. The squad includes two new faces – seamer Sisanda Magala and top-order batter Ryan Rickelton, who were both part of the ODI line-up that played in the series against Netherlands, which had to be postponed because of the latest Covid-19 outbreak – and recalls for offspin-bowling allrounder Prenelan Subrayen and quick bowler Glenton Stuurman, who have been part of previous Test squads but haven’t been capped.The rest of the group is largely the same as the one that toured West Indies in June, which is when South Africa last played Test cricket. That series, which South Africa won 2-0, was Dean Elgar’s first as the regular captain. The upcoming one against India will be his first in charge at home. His vice-captain, Temba Bavuma, who was on tour in the Caribbean but missed the Tests because of injury, is also in the squad.Related

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South Africa have given themselves several options in all departments, especially in the bowling attack. Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are expected to lead the pack, with Lungi Ngidi included after recovering from Covid-19, two left-armers in Marco Jansen and Beuran Hendricks, and two right-arm options in Stuurman and Magala.A lot of the focus, though, will be on Olivier, who has been in exceptional form for the Lions and leads the first-class wickets chart this season with 28 strikes at 11.14, including two five-wicket hauls.Olivier spoke to ESPNcricinfo after the last round of fixtures and confirmed that he had been in discussion with selection convener Victor Mpitsang and was available for South Africa again after his Kolpak-enforced absence. He is the second Kolpak-returnee to be selected for a national squad after Wayne Parnell, who played against Netherlands.Conditions, on the whole, are expected to favour quicks, especially at SuperSport Park and Wanderers, where the first two Tests are scheduled to be played, but Newlands could offer something for spinners and South Africa have three of them too. Keshav Maharaj remains the first pick, and will have back-up in allrounders George Linde and Subrayen. Tabraiz Shamsi, who was part of the Test squad in West Indies, has not been selected while there was also no room for the second-highest wicket-taker – behind Olivier – in the first-class competition, Simon Harmer. But South Africa have included one seam-bowling allrounder in Wiaan Mulder.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe batting line-up has a more familiar look to it, with Sarel Erwee providing back-up to Elgar and Aiden Markram at the top of the order, and Rassie van der Dussen, Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne and de Kock expected to make up the top six.Rickelton, the other back-up batter who is in tenth place on the first-class run chart, has been preferred over Tony de Zorzi and Pieter Malan, who are leading run-scorers in the ongoing series between South Africa A and India A.This is South Africa’s first series in the 2021-2023 cycle of the World Test Championship, and first series at home since they hosted Sri Lanka over the festive period last summer. They finished fifth in the previous edition of the ICC tournament, winning two series – against Sri Lanka and West Indies – and losing three – to England, India and Pakistan. It also marks the start of a busy summer for South Africa in which they host India, travel to New Zealand, and host Bangladesh, before a winter tour in England, and it was all very nearly derailed after the discovery of Omicron, the new Covid-19 variant last month.The series has been pushed out by a week – it was initially scheduled to be played from December 17, and the first Test will now start on Boxing Day. The players will be in a biosecure bubble for the duration of the series, although they can expect to see some fans. As things stand in South Africa, 2,000 fully-vaccinated fans are permitted at sporting venues but this may change if further restrictions come into place in the next few weeks.