أوضح نونو سانتو المدير الفني لفريق وست هام يونايتد الإنجليزي، أن لاعبه لوكاس باكيتا، يعاني ويمر بحالة سيئة، بسبب أحداث المباراة أمام ليفربول.
والتقى ليفربول ووست هام قبل أيام، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة عشر للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”، وتعرض باكيتا للطرد وشهدت المباراة هزيمة فريقه بهدفين دون رد.
وقال نونو سانتو في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ذا أثليتك”: “تحدثت مع لوكاس واعتذر لزملائه في الفريق”.
وأضاف: “إنه يدرك أخطائه، لكننا كنادٍ نحمي أنفسنا، حلّينا المشاكل فيما بيننا، ومن الواضح أن الجميع يدرك أن الأخطاء واردة في ملاعب كرة القدم، أحيانًا لا يمكنك التحكم في مشاعرك، والجميع يستحق فرصة”.
وأكد: “إنه ليس بخير، ويعاني، يشعر بخيبة أمل وحزن، لكنه يُدرك الخطأ الذي ارتكبه، ويريد المضي قدمًا، أحيانًا لا يدرك الناس جميع المشاكل التي يواجهها لاعبو كرة القدم، لكن لوكاس سيتجاوز هذا الوضع”.
اقرأ أيضًا | فرديناند يرشح نجم ليفربول السابق لخلافة سلوت.. ويؤكد: مناسب لقيادة الفريق في الفترة الحالية
وتطرق نونو سانتو للحديث عن مستقبل باكيتا الذي كان على وشك الانضمام لمانشستر سيتي، لكن بسبب تحقيق الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم في قضية تلاعب بالنتائج في أغسطس 2023، لم تتم الصفقة، وقد بُرّئ في يوليو بعد تحقيق استمر عامين.
وأفاد المدرب: “أعتقد أن (محنة التحقيق) تؤثر عليه، لكنه مستعد للمضي قدمًا، ولعب كرة القدم كما هو، ووضع كل ذلك جانبًا، هنا في النادي، نقدم ونقدم كل الدعم الذي يحتاجه اللاعبون، لقد أجرينا محادثة جيدة، والفريق يدعم لوكاس، بالتأكيد، أعتقد أنه سعيد هنا”.
Manchester United’s main priority during the summer transfer window was to bolster the club’s frontline – something which was achieved as seen by their £200m investment in such an area.
Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all made the move to Old Trafford, forming a new deadly trio for Ruben Amorim to work with during his tenure at the helm.
However, after completing such deals, the hierarchy turned their attention to a new number six to help bolster the strength and quality within the midfield department.
Carlos Baleba was identified as the Red Devils’ primary target during the summer, but they were unable to strike a deal, with Brighton & Hove Albion demanding over £100m for his signature.
No doubt, Amorim’s men will still hold a keen interest in his signature this January, but another Premier League option has since emerged on their radar over the last few weeks.
How Anderson compares to Man Utd’s CMs in 2025/26 so far
In an attempt to bolster the midfield ranks, United have been hugely touted with a move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson in the upcoming January window.
It’s been reported that Amorim’s side have already made contact with Sean Dyche’s men over a deal for his signature this winter, but it could cost a fee in the region of £100m.
Such a deal would be a mammoth backing from the board, but how does the 23-year-old compare to current starters Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro?
Both the current Red Devils are experienced options, with both now over 30, but it hasn’t stopped Anderson from massively dominating the pair in such key areas.
The Englishman has topped 13 separate metrics in the Premier League this campaign, with many showcasing his talents with and without the ball at his feet.
He’s completed 113 passes into the final third, with his tally of 706 passes completed, the most of any player in the division – subsequently showcasing his fantastic ability in possession.
Elliot Anderson for Nottingham Forest
Without the ball, the youngster has also dominated, with such a skillset potentially putting an end to Casemiro’s career at Old Trafford at the end of the campaign.
Anderson has entered the most defensive duels of any player in the division, whilst also winning the most duels – potentially making him the perfect deep-lying option for Amorim’s side.
At just 23, the Forest star has all the tools to transform into an elite-level talent, but it remains to be seen if the hierarchy would be prepared to fork out £100m for his signature.
The United star who’s their homegrown version of Anderson
Given the rumoured price tag for Anderson’s signature, it shows the importance of being able to identify talent at a young age, or even produce your own versions from the academy setup.
United have no doubt shifted their recruitment focus over the last couple of months, as seen by their deals to land Diego Leon and Senne Lammens – with both talented youngsters with huge potential.
However, the academy ranks have also proven fruitful in recent years, as seen by the emergence of the Class of 92, with the graduates playing a huge role in Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure.
The likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have all operated at the heart of the side throughout their respective careers – helping the club win 13 separate Premier League titles.
The fans will no doubt be hoping that Anderson can add himself to such a list in the near future, but Amorim could save himself and the club millions by unleashing Kobbie Mainoo.
Like the aforementioned academy stars, the 20-year-old burst on the scene as a teenager, making an immediate impact and becoming a key member of the United squad.
His major breakthrough came in 2023/24, where the youngster racked up 32 appearances across all competitions, scoring on five separate occasions – many of which proved to be crucial efforts.
Mainoo scored a last-minute victory in a close clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst also scoring against bitter rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final triumph.
However, he’s been unable to reach such heights over the last 12 months, with current boss Amorim preferring the likes of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte ahead of him.
Such a decision may come as a surprise to the fanbase, especially given his stats from last season, which saw him outperform Anderson in numerous key areas – that’s despite making just 25 league appearances.
Mainoo completed more of the passes he attempted, whilst also completing more of the crosses he attempted – leading to Alex Turk dubbing him a “future £100m+ footballer”.
How Mainoo & Anderson compared in the PL (24/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Mainoo
Anderson
Games played
25
37
Goals & assists
0
8
Pass accuracy
87%
82%
Crosses completed
29%
26%
Dribbles completed
1.3
1.1
Dispossessed
1.9
2.6
Dribbled past
0.8
2.1
Interceptions made
1.1
0.9
Stats via FotMob
He also completed more of the dribbles he attempted, whilst also being dispossessed on fewer occasions, subsequently showcasing his incredible ability in possession.
However, without the ball, Mainoo was dribbled past on fewer occasions, along with more interceptions made – highlighting he’s able to beat the £100m star when given the chance.
It’s evident that Mainoo is still a player with bags of talent, but the manager desperately needs to swallow his pride and hand the 20-year-old the chance to stake his claim as a first-team regular.
He’s for so often had to settle for minutes off the substitutes’ bench, which has no doubt hindered his chances of continuing his progression and building on his incredible start to his career in 2023/24.
Upon his return from injury in the near future, the 40-year-old needs to hand the youngster the opportunity to have a consistent run as a regular starter to allow him to reach his full potential at the Theatre of Dreams.
Such a decision would save the club millions of pounds, with the academy graduate having the chance to lead the Red Devils to new heights in the years ahead.
Forget Sesko: Man Utd's "anxious" dud is now becoming INEOS' worst signing
Manchester United have one player who has massively struggled to meet expectations at Old Trafford.
Blue Jays star outfielder George Springer exited Toronto's loss in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series after getting hit on his right kneecap by a 95-mph sinker from Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo. Springer, clearly in immense pain, laid on the ground for a few minutes as the Blue Jays trainer and manager John Schneider emerged from the dugout.
With Schneider and the trainer by his side, Springer limped his way up the first base line in an apparent attempt to remain in the game before ultimately exiting the contest, where he was helped down the dugout steps into the clubhouse. Springer was replaced at first base by pinch runner Joey Loperfido.
After the game, Schneider spoke to reporters and provided an update on Springer while also getting something off his chest. The Blue Jays manager took exception to what he believed to be an inappropriate reaction to the Springer injury by the crowd at T-Mobile Park.
"He's got a right knee contusion. He had X-rays, which were negative, which is a good thing," Schneider said. "George is about as tough as they come. I think he'll have to really, really be hurting to not be in the lineup on Sunday. So we'll see how he is.
"On that note, I know this is an awesome atmosphere to play in. And it's really, really cool to play here. And I think the fans that were booing him should take a look in the mirror and understand what kind of player he is. And—I'll stop there because when a guy gets hit in the knee and is in obvious pain and you have 40,000 people cheering, not the right thing to do."
Schneider is referring to the reactions to the crowd, in which there were some seeming boos when Springer slowly made his way up the first-base line.
One of the game's great postseason performers, Springer has continued his October excellence against the Mariners—he has seven hits, two home runs and four RBI in five ALCS games—to the chagrin of Seattle's fans, who have taken to booing him heavily during the three contests played at T-Mobile Park.
While most of the boos could be seen as a sign of respect for Springer's greatness, Schneider clearly felt that Mariners fans took it a step too far on Friday night.
Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber made history on Thursday night against the Braves, becoming just the 21st player to ever hit four home runs in a single game.
Schwarber started the party early with a lead-off homer in the bottom of the first, then added dingers in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings.
With the Phillies holding an 18–4 lead heading into the eighth, it was pretty clear that the home team would not be batting in the bottom of the ninth, and thus, Schwarber would need some help to get one last at-bat where he could go for a record-setting fifth dinger.
The Phils got him to the plate, but Schwarber couldn’t connect on a slow pitch from Vidal Brujan, who started the game at shortstop for Atlanta.
After the game, the Phillies broadcast team rightfully celebrated Schwarber’s awesome night, but the slugger himself was stuck thinking about one moment he wished he could have taken back.
“It’s crazy. I wish I didn’t ask the question in the cage—how many guys have hit five homers,” he said laughing.
Schwarber had a shot at becoming the first to ever hit five home runs in a game, but apparently, got a bit in his head about it before his final at-bat of the night.
While he came up short on that mark, in his defense, literally every major league baseball player in the history of the sport has also come up short of hitting five home runs in a game before him.
Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has declared his ambition to win "everything," including the World Cup, Champions League, and Ballon d'Or, after receiving the Di Stéfano Award for the best player of the 2024-25 season by Marca. The 18-year-old star, who recently returned to partial training after a pubalgia issue, also expressed his excitement for Barcelona's historic return to Camp Nou against Athletic Club.
Yamal eyes historic treble and Ballon d'Or
Despite being only 18, the Barcelona winger has already begun amassing individual accolades, surpassing established stars like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr., as well as teammates Pedri and Raphinha, for the award.
When asked about his goals for the upcoming 2026 season, which includes challenges with Barcelona in La Liga and the Champions League, and with the Spanish national team at the World Cup, Yamal did not mince words. "I want it all. I hope I achieve it all, and as long as we can play, it's possible," he stated to , confirming his target to win the league, Champions League, World Cup, and the Ballon d'Or.
Reflecting on his individual success, Yamal emphasised the importance of collective effort, adding: “All the individual titles indicate that it has been a great season for the team. For me, it brings me happiness and pride. Accumulating awards at my age is very positive. I'm going to keep working and fighting to achieve things like this."
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Camp Nou return: 'History will be written'
Yamal also expressed his excitement about Barcelona's imminent return to the iconic Camp Nou stadium after more than 900 days away. The club's temporary move to the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Montjuic is about to end, with their match against Athletic Club marking the first fixture in the partially renovated Camp Nou, which has been cleared to host 45,401 fans.
Yamal has been actively building anticipation for the return on social media. He changed his Instagram profile picture to an image of himself clutching the Barca badge and added the caption: “Montjuic was the beginning. Camp Nou is where history will be written.”
He highlighted the significance of the return for the team. “The fans mean a lot. We've been playing in a stadium that wasn't ours. Montjuic was fine, but it wasn't what we wanted. Camp Nou will be a huge support for everyone and will be a big boost for the rest of the season.”
For many players in the current squad, including Fermin Lopez, Marc Casado, Dani Olmo, and Pau Cubarsi, the match against Athletic Club will be their first-team debut at the historic venue.
Injury update: Yamal targets Chelsea return
Despite his ambitions and the excitement surrounding the Camp Nou return, Yamal is currently navigating a tricky recovery from pubalgia, a chronic groin injury that forced him to withdraw from Spain’s recent World Cup qualifiers. Barcelona have implemented a detailed two-phase treatment plan, involving invasive radiofrequency therapy and a meticulous rehabilitation schedule.
According to , the club's priority is to have Yamal fully fit for the crucial Champions League clash against Chelsea. While a cameo appearance against Athletic Club has not been ruled out, his involvement will likely be minimal. Yamal returned to partial group training on Wednesday, marking a significant step in his recovery.
Club doctors have warned that mishandling the injury could lead to months on the sidelines, describing it as "tricky." Yamal has reportedly responded with full commitment to his rehabilitation, reducing media appearances and focusing exclusively on his recovery. Barcelona brought in a renowned Belgian specialist for evaluation, and surgery was ruled out in favour of the conservative treatment plan.
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What next for Lamine Yamal and Barcelona?
Barcelona face a critical period with their return to the Camp Nou against Athletic Club in La Liga on Saturday. Yamal's participation in this historic match remains uncertain and will likely be limited if he features at all. The main objective is his full availability for the high-stakes Champions League encounter against Chelsea, a match vital for Barcelona's hopes of securing a top-eight finish in the league phase. The club will continue to monitor his progress closely over the coming days, alternating between individual work and controlled group sessions to ensure his recovery continues without setbacks.
Jogador do DC United, da MLS, a liga dos Estados Unidos, Gabriel Pirani concedeu entrevista exclusiva ao Lance! e falou sobre a importância de Fernando Diniz na carreira. O atacante brasileiro foi comandado pelo treinador em duas oportunidades, em 2021, no Santos, e em 2023, no Fluminense.
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Revelado pelo clube paulista, Pirani teve uma maior presença com Diniz em São Paulo, mas a parte mais vitoriosa fica no Rio de Janeiro. No último ano, o jogador conquistou a Libertadores, Campeonato Carioca e Taça Guanabara, e marcou dois gols em 24 partidas.
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– O professor Diniz me tirou da zona de conforto, me fez aprender mais sobre futebol e entender o campo de outra forma. Ele busca ajudar o atleta em todos os aspectos para chegar em alto nível – disse.
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– O diferencial dele (Diniz) é tratar o atleta como um ser humano… Para ele, a evolução do jogador é como um título e isso, querendo ou não, ganha o jogador – destacou.
A relação entre Fernando Diniz e jogadores, principalmente do Fluminense por conta da maior duração pela atual passagem, fez com que Pirani colocasse o treinador como um dos pontos mais importantes de sua carreira em termos de evolução.
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➡️Juventus demite Allegri e já está próxima de acordo com treinador brasileiro; entenda
Em meio às críticas da torcida, o técnico do Fluminense insistiu na presença do atacante em alguns jogos da temporada. Como resultado, Pirani marcou um gol importante, no clássico contra o Flamengo, em que garantiu a vitória por 2 a 1 e o título da Taça Guanabara.
– Sou muito grato por tudo que vivi e aprendi trabalhando com ele. Sem dúvidas, sou um atleta diferente após conhecê-lo – afirmou.
Em janeiro deste ano, o Santos oficializou a venda de Gabriel Pirani para o DC United, da MLS, por 1,3 milhão de dólares (cerca de R$6,3 milhões na cotação da época). Pelo clube norte-americano, o atacante soma 2 gols em 23 jogos.
➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!
The final day of Major League Baseball's regular season has a lot at stake. In the AL East, the Blue Jays and Yankees are playing for the division in their final games.
Toronto holds the tiebreaker, so they simply need a win in their game against the Rays or a New York loss in their finale against the Orioles. The team who comes out on top gets the AL's No. 1 seed, which means home-field advantage and a bye to the AL Division Series. The loser will become the league's top wild-card team and will have to play a best-of-three series against whichever team lands at No. 5.
The Blue Jays control their own destiny, and they came out hungry at Rogers Centre Sunday afternoon. Tampa Bay scored a run in the top of the first, but Toronto's offense made up for it and then some in the bottom half of the inning. They started the inning with an RBI single from Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Center fielder Daulton Varsho loaded the bases two batters later for catcher Alejandro Kirk, who provided a heck of a moment for the home fans. Kirk hit a no-doubter to left field on an 83-mph changeup that made the stadium rock.
Just listen to this crowd pop once he made contact for the grand slam:
The huge moment gave the Blue Jays an early four-run cushion. Tampa Bay trimmed the lead in the third with three runs to make things interesting. The AL East hangs in the balance, but the fans at Rogers Centre are certainly ready for October baseball.
Pela quinta temporada consecutiva na final do Paulistão, o Palmeiras de Abel Ferreira terá apenas um treino antes de enfrentar o Santos pelo primeiro jogo da final do Paulista 2024.
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O sábado será especial na Academia de Futebol muito por conta da apresentação do meia Rômulo, que já se despediu do Novorizontino e vai fazer os primeiros trabalhos no alviverde imponente neste sábado.
A informação foi dada pelo portal ‘Nosso Palestra’, e agora o Verdão corre contra o tempo para tentar inscrever o ex-camisa 10 do Novorizontino na Libertadores. Rômulo deve ter a sua situação regularizada até às 15h (horário de Brasília) desta segunda-feira (1), para ser relacioanado para a estreia do Palmeiras na Libertadores, diante do San Lorenzo, na Argentina.
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Fã de Raphael Veiga, Rômulo é o quinto reforço do Palmeiras para esta temporada e chega com contrato de cinco anos, válido até o final de 2028.
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Abel Ferreira deve confirmar o time titular que entra em campo neste domingo (31), na Vila Belmiro e o Verdão não deve ter mudanças dos últimos dois jogos, diante da Ponte Preta e Novorizontino.
Liverpool splashed the big bucks and then some over the summer, hopeful of retaining their Premier League title in style.
However, the majority of the whopping £415m spent now looks as if it has gone down the drain, with both Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak remaining goalless, despite costing a combined £225m to bring to Anfield.
Arne Slot thankfully has the January transfer window coming into view now to try and turn around his side’s lacklustre campaign, with Liverpool all the way down in eighth position at the moment, as Manchester United are even ahead of the Reds on goal difference.
Liverpool planning to spend big again
You would think that the Merseyside giants might be more cautious in the transfer department after such a wild summer spending spree.
However, reports suggest that the underwhelming reigning champions could go all out to try and win Michael Olise from Bayern Munich for an astronomical £177m fee.
Moreover, one of the best players in the top-flight this term in the shape of Antoine Semenyo is reportedly also on their radar as they try to upgrade on an attack that looks short on confidence, even with Mohamed Salah starting week in, week out.
On top of flashy recruits being rumoured to join the Anfield ranks in attack, an update from Liverpool-based writer DaveOCKOP has also revealed that the Reds are holding initial talks with Crystal Palace over midfield star Adam Wharton.
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It is stated that the move is more likely for the summer of 2026 than the upcoming January window, but never say never when it comes to Liverpool’s ambition in this department, with it also being revealed back in September that the English international’s preference – if he were to leave the Eagles behind – was a switch to Slot and Co.
Having just made his first start for the Three Lions during this international break, the sky really does appear to be the limit for Wharton currently, with a mammoth £100m price tag also above his head.
How Wharton can become Slot's own Gerrard
As Slot looks to reshape his midfield in 2026, he could find a new beating heart at the centre of his team in the form of Wharton, much like a certain Steven Gerrard was back in the day.
By the close of his distinguished career at the very top, Gerrard was showered with some immense praise, with Gabriel Agbonlahor notably once describing him as the best midfielder in Premier League history, even ahead of Kevin De Bruyne.
Indeed, away from bagging a stunning 186 goals and picking up 155 assists for his boyhood club, the well-rounded servant also closed out his long-standing career on Merseyside with a Champions League title.
As Liverpool’s website affectionately put it when Gerrard hung up his boots, the Englishman was a revered “gladiator” for his boyhood side.
Of course, it would be crazy to expect Wharton to be as impactful from minute one of his own Anfield journey, but in time, he could be Gerrard 2.0, displaying a similar level of composure and ball manipulation from midfield.
Games played
16
20
9
Goals scored
0
0
0
Assists
3
2
0
Touches*
49.6
45.7
43.9
Accurate passes*
28.5 (81%)
26.7 (79%)
25.2 (78%)
Key passes*
1.3
1.3
1.6
Big chances created
5
5
5
Tackles*
3.0
1.7
1.3
Ball recoveries*
4.8
5.1
4.0
Total duels won*
4.9
3.2
3.2
The data above displays Wharton’s similar well-roundedness from the middle of the park, which is very much like the Liverpool great, with the 21-year-old only getting better with time, as he becomes more and more used to the demands of the Premier League.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t quite uncovered a goalscoring mojo in the top-flight yet, like Gerrard, but with the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai next to him if he takes on this huge Anfield opportunity, there is a possibility that he enhances his varied game to that next level.
Hailed as a “genius” at a very early age at Blackburn Rovers by ex-boss Tony Mowbray, and now an “incredible” star by former Selhurst Park teammate Eberechi Eze, it does feel as if a big move soon awaits Wharton.
If all clicks into place for the 21-year-old at Liverpool, he might well be the second coming of Gerrard; a powerful English midfield technician who has all of the tools to be a Three Lions mainstay for years to come.
It will take some big bucks to land his services, but if Slot can win a new legend in the process, it’s a bold investment that’s definitely worth making.
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