A fase de grupos da Copa do Nordeste chegou ao fim neste sábado com diversos jogos, que definiram seus classificados para o mata-mata.
Campinense x Ceará
No Amigão, o Ceará confirmou o seu favoritismo e bateu o Campinense por 1 a 0 e encerrou na liderança da chave B, com 18 pontos. O Campinense encerra na 6ª posição, com 6 pontos.
Sergipe x Bahia
No Batistão, o Bahia venceu o Sergipe por 3 a 1. O placar foi positivo para o clube, mas a combinação aconteceu e o Tricolor está eliminado. O Esquadrão termina como 5º da chave B, com 13 pontos. O Sergipe ficou na lanterna da chave A, com 1 ponto.
Fortaleza x CRB
Na Arena Castelão, o Fortaleza recebeu o CRB e venceu por 2 a 0. Os gols foram marcados por Tinga e Zé Welison. Com o placar, o Leão ficou na liderança da chave A, com 16 pontos. O Galo encerrou na 4ª posição da chave B.
Sport x Floresta EC
Na Ilha do Retiro, o Sport recebeu o Floresta e venceu por 3 a 0. O placar colocou o Leão nas quartas do torneio. O time encerrou na 3ª posição da chave A, com 13 pontos. O Floresta encerrou na lanterna do B, com 7 pontos.
Confira os demais resultados
Sampaio Corrêa 0 x 2 Botafogo-PB
Globo-RN 0 x 2 Náutico
Atlético-BA 0 x 0 Sousa
CSA 3 x 0 Altos
Veja os classificados:
Grupo A
Fortaleza
CSA
Sport
Atlético-BA
Grupo B
Ceará
Botafogo-PB
Náutico
CRB
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Former England opener offers latest reminder of what the Test team is currently missing
Andrew Miller07-Apr-2022There’s a cutting on the press box wall at Chelmsford with a certain timeless quality. “Cook for England” states the back page of the Essex Chronicle from November 10, 2005, after the most promising opener in the country received the first of his international call-ups – as injury cover for Michael Vaughan on that winter’s tour of Pakistan.Seventeen years, 64 first-class centuries, and one knighthood later, those words could now be framed as a question (“Cook for England?”), a demand (“Cook for England!”), or a plea (“Cook for England, pretty please? With sugar on top?”). For here, at the start of his 20th season of first-class cricket, was 266 balls-worth of further evidence – stretched over six hours of unflappable application – that the man who stepped down from Test duty as a national record-breaker remains as dryly addicted to run-making as ever.Nick Browne also made a century, it should be noted – at a quicker lick, and with the more eye-catching flourishes too, particularly when leaning through a series of compact straight drives. But while he and Alastair Cook were in harness, ticking along at 2.7 an over in a 220-run opening stand, there was little for Kent’s fielders to do but chase leather in exchange for warmth on a bitingly blustery day, and rue the early optimism that had persuaded their skipper, Ollie Robinson, to bowl first after winning the toss.For this was April … the alternative narrative. The one in which county cricket’s livid green seamers are lifeless with permafrost, and where icy cross-winds buffet the bowlers to such an extent that an extra five overs could have been factored in through aborted run-ups. In fact, those watching on the ECB’s (somewhat bouncy) live stream might have thought they had tuned back into Big Jet TV by mistake, and when Matt Quinn bailed out three times in an over, some might have figured that watching Jumbo Jets cock up their approach would be rather more fun in this weather.Related
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“Me and Cooky batting isn’t going to bring the crowds to county cricket,” Browne joked afterwards. “It was a good day for concentration.”And yet, the first part of that statement wasn’t strictly true. Despite the disconcerting rattle of the floodlights on their wobbly gantries, and the prospect of the sponsor’s tarpaulin breaking its moorings on the roof of the midwicket pavilion, a very healthy crowd – upwards of 1200 of county cricket’s hardiest – braved the chill and embraced the intermittent shafts of spring sunshine to welcome home a long-lost format.For Essex haven’t had much of a chance to cement their red-ball mastery in recent seasons. The Bob Willis Trophy was more than just a consolation prize when Covid struck in 2020, but last year’s Division Two “title” was greeted with the disdain of a Champions League runner-up flinging their medal into the crowd. This, however, is more like it. Essex are back to the top flight that has been in suspended animation since their 2019 title was won, and notwithstanding Kent’s four-wicket rally with the new ball, they’ve opened their account with a statement of intent.And yet, the pandemic did have one significant side effect. It is almost certainly the reason why Cook is still here at all, rather than tending to his new-born lambs or further sharpening those incisors as a media pundit, as he begins to discover that his wisdom is more likely to be heard when it is delivered with conviction.”It’s been a bit of a stop-start three years, hasn’t it?” Cook said earlier in the week at Essex’s media day. “I never planned to do three years. But then Covid came along and it didn’t feel right, and then last year was a conference system and again it didn’t feel right. It’s a big commitment to do it with what goes on in the other parts of my life, but I genuinely enjoy turning up, and when you feel you can be competitive you might as well carry on.”And so here he was, to the fore once more – that familiar angular stance, like a sculpture made of coathangers, pressing forward, rocking back, chopping hard and nudging off his hip like … well, like a county opener nudging the England selectors, ideally, but, beyond any equivocation, that ship has sailed.Nick Browne brings up his half-century for Essex•Andrew MillerAnd alongside him for 82 overs, his friend and acolyte Browne – and who’s to say that he can’t do some nudging of his own, given the Test team’s open-book status, and the clear run of opportunities between now and the New Zealand series in June.Browne’s approach – tall, left-handed, risk-averse – is not dissimilar to Cook’s, albeit rather more smoothed at the corners, and between them they gave Kent’s toiling attack not a sniff until two loose drives at the Aussie import Jackson Bird – a bowler who must be sick of the sight of Cook in particular. The last time they met, on a Melbourne featherbed in December 2017, Cook walked away with 244, and Bird never played Test cricket again.Up until that point, both men had produced chanceless knocks – although the look on Darren Stevens’ face after a lively lbw shout against Cook maybe begged to differ. County cricket’s elder statesman toiled to no avail for 14 typically economical overs, albeit eight of his 28 runs were served up in the space of his first four balls, as he twice offered Browne too much width for his favoured cut. Thereafter he knuckled down like the old pro that he literally is, confirming – much like Cook, in fact – that hunger remains the defining factor when gearing up for the season-long grind.Cook found fewer freebies to help kickstart his innings – he made just seven runs in the first hour, but then more than doubled his output in two balls as Quinn strayed onto the leg side, and that rapacious ability to pounce on mistakes surged back into view. By lunch, he had made 34, with Browne already past a 109-ball fifty, but Cook picked up his tempo as Kent’s optimism waned in the mid-afternoon, and as he fairly sprinted into the 80s it seemed for a moment he would win the race to the century. But another of Browne’s compact punches down the ground soon settled that score.A penny for Dan Lawrence’s thoughts as he watched this attritional masterclass playing out for the bulk of the day’s three sessions. His own England endeavours haven’t warranted any press-box cuttings just yet, but he’s the man in possession as the Test season approaches, and on the season’s eve, he had made it clear he planned to pick Cook’s brain in particular, to a bid to unlock the mental side of his burgeoning career.Alas for Lawrence, Cook denied him the chance for some on-field tutelage, by settling instead for a “do as I say not as I do” moment of practical demonstration, as he lost his shape and his concentration, four balls after knocking his landmark single off his hip, and snicked an edge through to Robinson. Lawrence had time in his 21-ball stay to flick Matt Milnes through fine leg for four, but had reached just 7 when he shouldered arms to an inducker from Quinn, and was sent on his way lbw. It was a very similar demise to his final-day duck in Grenada, in fact – and quite conceivably betrayed a surfeit of risk-aversion, as he over-thinks the transition required to make his starts count in red-ball cricket. But then again, blaming the white-ball game for such matters is a “big cop-out that a lot of journalists use”, so what would I know?Essex’s day was not without blemish, off the field either. The day began with a well-meaning but amorphous “moment of reflection”, with both teams lined up on the boundary’s edge to contemplate everything from Shane Warne’s death, to the war in Ukraine … to the contents of an Essex racism report that is rumoured to be close to seeing the light of day, but also seems to be at the centre of a row every bit as divisive as the one that has beset Yorkshire all winter long. Among the first-day attendees was Essex’s ex-chairman, John Faragher, who declined the club’s request that he lie low following his resignation for allegedly using racial language in a board meeting. However this one ends, it’s unlikely to end quietly.Ultimately, all such matters belong on a spectrum of incidents that inform English cricket’s ongoing cultural revolution. The ground announcer’s amusingly self-conscious attempts to say “batter” instead of “batsman” was another reminder that habits, once ingrained, are hard to amend overnight. For better and very much for worse, the County Championship remains a bastion for doing things the old-fashioned way.
Eye-catching batting displays from IPL debutants Ayush Badoni and Abhinav Manohar also lit up a tense match at the Wankhede
Deivarayan Muthu28-Mar-2022
Rahul Tewatia hit five fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 40 off 24 balls•Ron Gaunt/BCCI
Lucknow Super Giants threatened to become the first team to defend a target in IPL 2022, but late blows from David Miller, Rahul Tewatia and Abhinav Manohar ensured it was Gujarat Titans who won the battle of the new teams.After Dushmantha Chameera and Avesh Khan bowled with rapid pace in the powerplay to begin Super Giants’ defence of 158, their spinners brought them control, despite the dew setting in at the Wankhede Stadium. Krunal Pandya, who bowled to Hardik Pandya (33 off 28 balls) for the first time in an official match, bested his younger brother. In the next over, Deepak Hooda bowled Matthew Wade for 30 off 29 balls.It left Titans needing 81 off 49 balls, with Abhinav, who had played all of four T20s before Monday, listed at No.7. With the left-handed pair of Miller and Tewatia in the middle, Rahul gave the offspinner Hooda another over, but the move worked against Super Giants as Tewatia and Miller walloped him for a four and a six each, narrowing the equation to 46 off 24 balls. As a result, Chameera, Super Giants’ most penetrative bowler on the day, bowled just three overs.Tewatia then laid into Ravi Bishnoi, before Avesh removed Miller in the 18th over to tighten the chase. Chameera tightened it even further with a nine-run penultimate over.Avesh was left to defend ten off the last over, but Abhinav and Tewatia coolly sealed the deal for Titans, with five wickets and two balls to spare.Shami scythes through top order Mohammed Shami landed the very first ball of the match on a Test-match length with a bolt-upright seam. It veered in with the angle and then seamed away to scratch KL Rahul’s outside edge. The ball continued to nip around in the early exchanges, and Shami made two more incisions in the powerplay, storming through the defences of Quinton de Kock and Manish Pandey to leave Super Giants 29 for 4 in the fifth over. Varun Aaron, also struck in the powerplay, having Evin Lewis caught brilliantly by Shubman Gill off an uppish pull.Mohammed Shami picked up three wickets in three powerplay overs•BCCI
The Hooda-Badoni rescue act Hooda was slow off the blocks and was on 7 off 15 balls at one point. He then lined up the seemingly weaker links in the Titans’ attack, taking Hardik and Aaron for 36 off 20 balls. In his first bowling shift in the IPL since the 2019 final for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings, Hardik went wicketless while giving up 37 runs in his four overs overall.When Rashid Khan pitched one in his slot, Hooda confidently slog-swept him for six, and moments later brought up his half-century off 36 balls. Ayush Badoni made a half-century of his own, on IPL debut, reaching the landmark with an audacious pulled six off Lockie Ferguson in the 19th over. From 47 for 4 at the halfway mark, Super Giants racked up 111 runs in their last ten overs, with Krunal also contributing an unbeaten 21 off 13.Chameera’s double-strike Chameera might not even started the tournament had Mark Wood been fit. Having got his chance, he showed why he probably should be a regular in Super Giants’ XI by getting rid of both the Titans openers. In his first over, the Sri Lanka quick had Gill toe-ending a catch to point for a duck. Then, in his second, he yorked No.3 Vijay Shankar for 4 off 6 balls after having pushed him back with hard lengths.Tewatia and Abhinav finish it off Wade and Hardik played themselves in and put on 57 in eight overs before falling within ten balls of each other. Titans needed a strong finishing kick, and it came from Tewatia, for whom they had forked out INR 9 crore at the auction earlier this year.He dominated a 60-run fifth-wicket stand with Miller, punishing the spinners in particular. All up, Tewatia struck 30 off 15 balls from Hooda and Bishnoi. After slog-sweeping Hooda for six, he reverse-swept Bishnoi for six, messing with the legspinner’s line and forcing him out of his comfort zone.Abhinav also stepped up under pressure, cracking the first two balls of the last over, bowled by Avesh, for fours. Fittingly, it was Tewatia who hit the winning runs, sparking big celebrations in Titans’ camp.
Chelsea are now ready to sell a “sensational” £30m player, with Aston Villa expected to push to sign him, according to a report.
Chelsea transfer news
The Blues are on the lookout for a new striker, with the board now prepared to green-light an £83m bid for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, while Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap is also believed to be on the shortlist.
However, it is not just the attack Enzo Maresca is looking to strengthen, having conducted a recent scouting mission to assess Bournemouth centre-back Illia Zabarnyi during the Cherries’ 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur.
The west London club have become well-known as big spenders, particularly under the stewardship of owner Todd Boehly, so it is no surprise they are looking at bringing in additional reinforcements.
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Back in the summer, Chelsea spent around £220m in another wild spending spree, but it is paying dividends given that they are currently sitting second in the Premier League table.
Dewsbury-Hall transfer listed
However, not every signing has worked out the way Maresca would have hoped, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall failing to make the desired impact at Stamford Bridge, appearing for just 55 minutes across five appearances in the Premier League.
As such, the Blues are now ready to cut their losses and sell Dewsbury-Hall this January, with Football Insider reporting the midfielder has now been put up for sale.
Despite making a £30m move to Stamford Bridge in the summer, the west London club are now willing to listen to offers for the 26-year-old, and there will seemingly be no shortage of interest.
Rangers have already expressed an initial interest in the Englishman, but they are unlikely to have the financial muscle to get a deal over the line this January.
As such, Aston Villa are leading the race for the Chelsea outcast, and they are expected to push forward with their interest when the January transfer window opens in just a few weeks’ time.
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It is no wonder that Dewsbury-Hall has been unable to establish himself in the first team this season given the vast array of attacking talent available to Maresca, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a top-class player.
During his time with Leicester City, the Shepshed-born midfielder was very impressive, notching 26 goal contributions in the league last season, albeit in the Championship.
Two of those goals were of key importance, bagging a brace in a comeback victory against rivals Coventry City:
Former manager Brendan Rodgers once dubbed the Chelsea ace “sensational”, so there is no reason why he cannot go on to be a success at a different club, and a move to Villa Park could be a very attractive proposition.
However, it makes total sense that the Blues are looking to cash in this January considering the extremely limited impact Dewsbury-Hall has made at Stamford Bridge so far this season.
After a month of Australia making Pakistan work for every run, wicket and win, here was the exception to the rule. In a rare lacklustre performance, Australia found themselves blown away by a dominant performance as they were crushed by nine wickets to seal a 2-1 series win.It came courtesy of a fiery fast bowling performance, and an unbeaten 190-run partnership between Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq. Pakistan had put Australia in to bat, skittling them out inside 42 overs for 210 before making light work of that target on a featherbed of a surface, with Imam and Babar making an unexperienced Australian bowling attack look particularly toothless. An undefeated 105 by Babar, his second consecutive hundred, and an unbeaten 89 from Imam helped Pakistan canter to a nine-wicket win with 73 balls to spare.Australia knew it was coming, and yet there seemed no way to stop it. A sensational – and yet by now, almost predictable – first over from Shaheen Shah Afridi got rid of Travis Head, dealing Australia a blow that left them groggy throughout the innings, and Haris Rauf removed Aaron Finch before Australia were off the mark.Magicians tend not to perform their tricks too often, but repetition doesn’t make Afridi any less inscrutable. It was a full toss that did for Head first up, but with the moving in the air, there was little the batter could do to prevent it crashing into off stump.Finch has struggled this series, and it showed in the way he tried to tackle Rauf, playing listlessly across the line and finding himself trapped plumb in front. Australia were yet to put a run on the board, and the discipline of Pakistan’s pace bowlers meant they couldn’t get off to the brisk start that characterised their first two innings. Rauf coaxed an edge out of Marnus Labuschagne early, and the normally fluid Ben McDermott got bogged down, managing just 14 in his first 34 balls.Australia looked to be rebuilding with a 53-run stand, but Zahid Mahmood drew a leading edge from Marcus Stoinis as Imam took a sharp catch, before Mohammad Wasim ended McDermott’s innings of attrition. A handy rearguard from Alex Carey and Cameron Green followed, with the batters capitalising on a drop in intensity from the hosts. The field spread out and easy singles are available, and with the frontline fast bowlers out of the attack, Australia were steadily rebuilding as they pushed towards a competitive total. Carey brought up a 55-ball half century two balls after a glorious six over cover drive off Wasim, and for the first time, Pakistan were on the back foot.Babar Azam punches down the ground•PCB
That ended soon after, though, when a bit of reverse swing did for Green as he heaved wildly across the line. It opened the floodgates, and four wickets fell for 18 runs as Rauf and Afridi returned to chip in. But in an entertaining six-over passage of play, Sean Abbott threw caution to the wind, swinging for the fences just about every delivery, riding his luck and further antagonising an increasingly irate Afridi. He managed the strike expertly; Adam Zampa never even got off the mark through the partnership, and by the time he chipped one to short third off Rauf, he’d scored a 40-ball 49. With the target set at 211, Abbott had given himself and his fellow bowlers something to work with.But two days out from a match that saw 348 prove inadequate, any hope Australia harboured of a series win hinged on early wickets, and several of them. It was in that department where Australia’s absences were really felt tonight. Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Ellis and Abbott simply don’t possess the qualities of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and especially Mitchell Starc to blast out an opposition, not least a top order as settled as Pakistan’s is right now.Fakhar Zaman fell for a brisk 17, but with the asking rate hovering around four, the match situation was primed for the more sedate and assured Babar and Imam. Babar being put down at short midwicket on 1 felt like a significant moment in the game, but Australia’s sloppiness in the early overs meant it didn’t come as much of a surprise. A couple of boundaries in the ninth over composed the Pakistan captain, and once that partnership established a foothold, any Australian optimism quickly fizzled out.What followed was a cavalcade of class from the two highest runscorers this series. They appeared to rotate the strike and find the boundaries at will against spin and seam alike. Imam skipped down the wicket to smash Zampa to cow corner, before Babar caressed boundaries off Green off the next two balls either side of the wicket as the target and asking rate shrunk by the over. At last, it looked like a contest between a full-strength home side and a depleted touring party stretched particularly thin.Babar was the more proactive partner, and got a 16th ODI hundred before the game was won, as the two old friends performed a little jig mid-run to celebrate. Imam, meanwhile, would be denied the chance for a third successive hundred simply because Pakistan ran out of runs to chase, and capped a sensational series by knocking off the winning runs, skipping down the wicket to send Labuschagne down the ground.On a tour where Australia have been blown away by Pakistan’s hospitality, tonight was the night the generosity finally ran out.
Following a frustrating yet resilient draw against Fulham, Liverpool are reportedly in contact over a potential deal to sign an in-form La Liga winger who could replace Mohamed Salah in the summer.
Liverpool transfer news
Down to 10 for the majority of the game against Fulham following Andrew Robertson’s misplaced touch and then misplaced challenge on former Liverpool man Harry Wilson, the Reds did well to climb from behind twice to earn a point against the impressive Cottagers. Most notably, it was Diogo Jota who made his return from injury to do what the likes of Darwin Nunez haven’t been doing by clinically equalising deep into the second-half.
Whilst their title charge continues to rumble on in front of the Anfield crowd, however, concerns are still growing over the futures of Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
As things stand, all three are set to depart as free agents at the end of the season and whilst reports have been positive regarding Van Dijk and Salah in recent weeks, both stars are yet to put pen to paper on extensions. Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, is seemingly holding his cards close to his chest.
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Losing any of the three stars would be a disaster for those at Anfield, but they’re at least preparing for the worst. According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Liverpool are in contact with intermediaries over a potential move to sign Barcelona star Raphinha. The Brazilian has been in the form of his career this season and has attracted the interest of the Reds alongside Arsenal and Manchester City.
At this point, Barcelona have reportedly dismissed any idea of selling their star even among their consistent financial difficulties, but whether Liverpool change their minds if Salah leaves in the summer remains to be seen.
"Amazing" Raphinha one of few who could replace Salah
One of the best Premier League players of all time, replacing Salah will be mission impossible for Liverpool whether it’s this summer or in a couple of years. The Egyptian can do it all at what is a rare consistent rate. To find another player capable of leading the goalscoring charts and assist charts whilst avoiding injury issues seems merely a fantasy for Michael Edwards and Liverpool. But Raphinha, recently valued at £52m, certainly ticks a few boxes on that front.
Barcelona winger Raphinha.
The former Leeds United star is enjoying the season of his career, scoring 17 goals and assisting a further 10 in just 23 games in all competitions. Any notion that Barcelona should sign Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams to replace him is almost laughable these days. Instead, the ball is in Raphinha’s court and if Liverpool come calling, it will be interesting to see whether he shoots for the stars.
Dubbed “amazing” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Raphinha’s recent rise has been coming since his Elland Road days and the Premier League could yet get the chance to see his best form up close and in-person.
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.
Arsenal keen on £40m Premier League star who's open to leaving in January
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.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has hailed captain Bruno Fernandes and claimed that he 'deserves' to win titles.
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Fernandes scores hat-trick against SociedadAmorim claims he deserves titlesUrges Red Devils to help him win silverwareFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Fernandes has been one of the best players in the Premier League over the last decade, with the Manchester United star consistently delivering the goods for the Red Devils since his move to Old Trafford from Sporting CP. The Portuguese has scored 94 goals and provided 79 assists in 276 appearances, but with the team struggling for form, major titles have been a distant dream.
AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Fernandes has been in superb form this season as well, despite United's abysmal results. He scored a hat-trick in their 4-1 thrashing of Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday, after which Amorim claimed Fernandes 'deserves' to win titles and urged the Red Devils to help him lift silverware.
(C)Getty ImagesWHAT AMORIM SAID
Speaking to the media, Amorim said: "We know that sometimes he is frustrated. We know he wants to win so bad so when things are not going well, he is changing position going after the ball.
"Sometimes he needs to trust his teammate but when we need it, he is always there. He can bring the ball forward, he can score goals, he can defend. It is a perfect captain for our team and we need to help him win titles because he deserves all that."
WHAT NEXT FOR FERNANDES?
The United captain won his second trophy with the Red Devils last season in the form of the FA Cup, though his only hope of adding a winners' medal to his collection this term comes in the form of the Europa League. United have been pitted against Lyon in the quarter-finals.
How much does Frenkie de Jong make per week playing for Catalan giants Barcelona?
Frenkie de Jong has been a regular presence in Barcelona's midfield ever since his arrival from Ajax in 2019.
Despite struggling with injuries at times, de Jong has eventually won over each manager he's worked with at the Catalan club so far.
Thanks to his dedication, performances, and seniority within the squad, De Jong has been rewarded with a high salary, making him one of the top earners at the club.
Let's take a look at exactly how much the Dutchman earns playing for Barcelona.
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
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Frenkie de Jong's wages at Barcelona in numbers
Under his current contract at Barcelona, De Jong earns £308,130 ($398,203) every week while, his annual salary exceeds £18.5 million ($20m).
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Frenkie de Jong
Dutch
£308,130
$398,203
£18,546,242
$20,706,538
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Getty Images Sport
Top earners at Barcelona
Robert Lewandowski and De Jong acquire the top spots in the wage bill.
They are followed by a surprise entrant at number three in Ansu Fati. The youngster had a promising start to his career at Barca, however, it has only spiralled downhill since then.
Meanwhile, making an appearance in fourth place is former Sevilla defender Jules Koundé, who has been highly impressive in recent times.
Finally, rounding off the list at number five is Brazilian winger Raphinha.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Robert Lewandowski
Polish
£542,525
$698,341
£28,107,307
$36,323,627
Frenkie de Jong
Dutch
£308,130
$398,203
£18,546,242
$20,706,538
Ansu Fati
Spanish
$292,365
£292,365
£11,764,084
$15,202,958
Jules Kounde
French
£219,745
$283,981
£11,426,763
$14,767,031
Raphinha
Brazilian
£202,717
$261,975
£ 10,541,294
$13,622,722
Top earners in La Liga
Lewandowski is not only the highest earner at Barcelona, but also across all of LaLiga.
Meanwhile, three Real Madrid players in Kylian Mbappe, David Alaba and Jude Bellingham also make the top five.
The only Atlético Madrid player to make the cut is Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages GBP
Weekly wages USD
Annual wages GBP
Annual wages USD
Robert Lewandowski
Polish
£528,330
$ 674,908
£27,473,166
$35,095,197
Kylian Mbappe
French
£498,248
$629,355
£25,908,917
$32,726,459
David Alaba
Austrian
£356,659
£455,608
£18,546,242
$23,691,627
Jan Oblak
Slovenian
£330,187
$421,792
£17,169,698
$21,933,182
Jude Bellingham
English
£330,187
$421,792
£17,169,698
$21,933,182
Getty Images
Highest paid players in the world
Although it may seem like players in La Liga earn incredible wages, their salaries don't even come close when compared to the top earners worldwide.
Currently, all the players in the top-five highest earners globally play in the Saudi Pro League.
Ranking first and second on the list are former Real Madrid attackers Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, respectively, while Riyad Mahrez takes the third spot. Finally, rounding off the top five are Senegalese internationals Sadio Mané and Kalidou Koulibaly
Leeds United will be hoping to return to the Premier League at the second time of asking this campaign after failing to secure an immediate top-flight return last season.
Daniel Farke’s side missed out on the automatic spots, before suffering play-off final heartbreak against Southampton at Wembley – confining them to another year in the Championship.
Star talents Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville subsequently departed Elland Road in the summer, joining Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham United, respectively – bringing in funds of around £65m in the process.
The aforementioned pair combined for 49 goals in the Championship last campaign, undoubtedly a huge miss for Farke, but his side have started the 2024/25 season in the right way – sitting in third and just a couple of points off the summit.
Subsequent transfers have allowed other players to step up and take responsibility in the final third, to try and make the current year one to remember for the Whites.
Leeds United’s attackers in 2024/25
Striker Joel Piroe has often left the fanbase wanting more after his £10m transfer from Swansea City last summer.
The Dutchman arrived having scored 20 goals or more in each of his two seasons in Wales, but despite registering 13 goals, it wasn’t enough for some supporters.
However, he’s already started 2024/25 with a bang, scoring six times, currently sitting as Farke’s top scorer and being the go-to man in front of goal.
Brenden Aaronson has integrated himself back into the first team after spending last season on loan at Bundesliga side Union Berlin following the relegation back to England’s second tier.
The American international has made 16 appearances in all competitions since his return to Elland Road, scoring four and registering one assist as he looks to finally start to repay the board’s trust in forking out £25m for his signature in 2022.
Largie Ramazani was one of the new additions brought in over the summer, looking to soften the blow following the sales of Rutter and Summerville.
The Belgian joined from Spanish side Almeria for a fee in the region of £10m, already making an immediate impact for Farke’s side in the Championship.
He’s notched three goals and one assist in his opening eight matches, looking to hold the key to success during his opening campaign in Yorkshire.
Despite the trio’s early season form, the hierarchy are targeting reinforcements in attacking areas to bolster their chances of promotion back to the Premier League come May.
Leeds United transfer news
As relayed by CaughtOffside this week, Leeds are said to be plotting an ambitious January move to sign Manchester City talent James McAtee, but face huge competition from various top-flight sides for his services.
Manchester City midfielder James McAtee.
Nottingham Forest, West Ham United, Leicester City and Southampton have all been credited with interest and undoubtedly hold an edge given their status.
However, Farke could offer more game time to the 22-year-old and potentially allow the talent, who’s previously been dubbed “special” by boss Pep Guardiola, to progress his development.
McAtee at Sheffield United in the PL (2023/24)
Statistics
Tally
Games played
31
Goals & assists
6
Pass accuracy
72%
Chances created
28
Successful dribbles
33
Duels won
104
Touches in opposition box
73
Stats via FotMob
The Englishman could be the Whites’ new version of fan-favourite Raphinha, who made 67 appearances for the club before departing for Barcelona during the summer of 2022 for £55m.
The Brazilian captured the hearts of the fanbase with his creative talent in the final third, with his deadly left foot causing chaos in central and wide areas.
Former Leeds forward Raphinha.
McAtee, who earns £15k-per-week at the Etihad, possesses very similar qualities to the 27-year-old as a versatile left-footer himself, having notably showcased his talents with Sheffield United during his first loan spell with the Blades during the 2022/23 season.
That campaign saw the young playmaker score nine times and register three assists in 37 Championship outings, as the Bramall Lane outfit secured promotion.
Raphinha-Leeds-Stats
His solo run against Blackpool a couple of years ago is just a glimpse of what he is capable of, potentially allowing the fans to fall in love with him as they did with Raphinha.
Given his stature, it would undoubtedly be a huge deal for Leeds should they be able to complete it, massively supercharging their own promotion ambitions with a player – who like Raphinha – can dazzle either in a right-wing berth, or in a central role.
The competition will be fierce, but the Elland Road hierarchy must pull out all of the stops if they are to secure either a temporary or permanent deal for the talented youngster in January.
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