Category Uncategorized

MatériaMais Notícias

Um técnico tarimbado e com aceitação do elenco. Esse foi o principal motivo da escolha da diretoria do Corinthians por Mano Menezes, contratado nesta quinta-feira (28) para assumir o lugar deixado por Vanderlei Luxemburgo, demitido na quarta-feira (27). Mas para que o negócio com o novo treinador fosse fechado, algumas arestas precisaram ser aparadas. 

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansMano do Mano? Entenda ação que motivou o treinador a seguir no Corinthians durante sua primeira passagemCorinthians29/09/2023CorinthiansSaiba como pode jogar o Corinthians de Mano MenezesCorinthians29/09/2023São PauloSão Paulo e Corinthians se reencontram com papéis invertidos após semifinal da Copa do BrasilSão Paulo29/09/2023

No início da gestão, o presidente Duílio Monteiro Alves deu mais de uma declaração pública afirmando que Mano não trabalharia no clube enquanto estivesse à frente. O assunto foi levantado no contato inicial entre as partes e rapidamente resolvido.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

A mudança de ideia por parte de Duílio tem a ver principalmente com a saída de Roberto de Andrade da direção de futebol, que aconteceu em março. Roberto, que também já foi presidente corintiano, não possui boa relação com Mano desde a época em que era diretor e o técnico estava na primeira passagem pelo Timão, entre 2007 e 2010.

continua após a publicidade

Em 2014, um mês após Mano Menezes acertar o seu primeiro retorno ao Corinthians, Roberto de Andrade pediu desligamento da diretoria. Duílio Monteiro Alves, que era diretor-adjunto, também pediu demissão na época. No fim daquele ano, Roberto venceu a eleição para ser presidente do clube alvinegro e como um dos primeiros atos da sua gestão demitiu Mano e promoveu a troca de Mano, trazendo Tite de volta.

+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Ainda que as diferenças maiores tenham sido, desde o princípio, entre Roberto e Mano, Duílio embarcava na ‘confusão’ pela proximidade com o ex-presidente e diretor corintiano.

continua após a publicidade

Menezes, inclusive, não é o profissional que mais agrada o atual mandatário do Timão, mas o cartola entende que ele seja uma ‘bola de segurança’ no momento, onde há os objetivos de distanciar cada vez mais o Corinthians da zona do rebaixamento do Campeonato Brasileiro e, sobretudo, conquistar o único título da gestão, que é a Conmebol Sul-Americana, em que a equipe está na semifinal.

O grande sonho de Duílio era o retorno de Tite, mas, novamente, o técnico não sinalizou positivamente para voltar ao Parque São Jorge. Ainda analisando se voltará a trabalhar no Brasil nesta temporada, o profissional está em um momento diferente do que a equipe alvinegra, que tinha pressa para contratar um novo comandante a tempo do segundo jogo da semifinal da Sula, contra o Fortaleza, que acontece na terça-feira (3). O confronto de ida, realizado nesta semana, na Neo Química Arena, empatou em 1 a 1. O duelo decisivo será realizado na Arena Castelão, na capital cearense.

+ Próximos jogos do Corinthians: onde assistir ao vivo, datas, horários e calendário

A situação atual não é a primeira em que Duílio Monteiro Alves recorreu a Mano Menezes como alternativa para assumir o clube. Em abril, após a saída de Cuca, o treinador gaúcho foi procurado, mas estava empregado no Internacional e preferiu permanecer em Porto Alegre. Ele foi demitido do Colorado em junho e, depois disso, ficou disponível no mercado.

No entanto, o enfoque das procuras do Corinthians nesses dois momentos são diferentes. Na primeira, o objetivo era, também, conduzir uma espécie de ‘limpa’ no elenco que possui alguns atletas históricos, mas que já estão com idade avançada e longe dos grandes momentos. Agora, a ideia é ter um profissional cascudo e experiente para conduzir o time, pelo menos, até o fim do ano – ainda que o contrato tenha validade até dezembro de 2025, mas com eleição prevista para o dia 25 de novembro. 

+ Tem promoção exclusiva de boas-vindas pra você! Aposte a partir de R$10 e receba até R$200 de bônus na Lance!

Mano sabe que no caso da situação, que tem André Luiz de Oliveira, o André Negão, como candidato à presidência, uma vitória nas urnas significaria a manutenção do treinador, ao menos que o retrospecto não esteja agradando. Já no caso de triunfo de Augusto Melo, representante da oposição, a sequência do técnico seria repensada.

A four-wicket haul for fledgling seamer Phoebe Turner was followed by a brilliant a unbeaten 93 for New Zealander Suzie Bates as dominant Durham brushed aside Essex by nine wickets at the Banks Homes Riverside in their Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition opener.Turner, 21, was the standout bowler with 4 for 33 from eight overs as Essex, inserted, were bowled out for 177 inside 48 overs. Fellow seamer Grace Thompson also impressed with two wickets on her professional debut, while experienced leg-spinner Katie Levick struck three times.Essex recovered from 65 for 5 in the 20th over, with Jodie Grewcock contributing 31 and Sophia Smale 40. They shared a sixth-wicket 53, but it wasn’t enough in front of a 600-strong crowd at the start of the professional era of women’s cricket in the North East.Related

• Suzie Bates joins Durham as maiden women's overseas professional

• Rebooted women's county game seeks the pros of progress

• Tough choices and taking chances, Katie Levick relishes Durham debut

Opener Bates is Durham’s first ever professional women’s overseas signing, and she led a composed chase with 14 fours in 103 balls. She shared a superb unbroken 173 with second-wicket partner and captain Hollie Armitage, who scored 64 off 87 balls. A five-point victory was sealed in the 33rd over.Turner was the leading wicket-taker in last season’s 50-over regional competition, striking 23 times for Northern Diamonds. She and Thompson – a tall 17-year-old rookie – set the tone as the Eagles slipped into early trouble.Thompson struck with the new ball when she trapped Jo Gardner lbw before Turner angled one across visiting captain Grace Scrivens and had the left-hander caught behind for 19, making it 46 for 2 in the 12th over.Turner then had Cordelia Griffith caught behind by England squad wicketkeeper Bess Heath, who claimed two catches and two stumpings. The same bowler had Lissy Macleod caught and bowled off a skied top-edge.In between, Abi Glen took a superb catch diving to her left at first slip to help Thompson remove Flo Miller as Essex slipped to five down.The half-century stand between Grewcock and Smale, under the Riverside floodlights, was accumulative.Levick removed both Grewcock and Smale stumped, leaving the Eagles 145 for 7 in the 42nd over.Levick then ousted Amara Carr for 21 and, courtesy of a catch at short third, helped Turner get Eva Gray as the tail was mopped up with 2.3 overs remaining.Levick and Thompson finished with 3 for 28 and 2 for 34 from their respective 10-over spells.Run-scoring on this pitch wasn’t completely trouble-free, and Kate Coppack’s seam trapped Emma Marlow lbw in the second over of Durham’s chase.But in 37-year-old Bates, a veteran of 348 all-format international appearances, and Armitage, Durham had the perfect combination to steer their ship.They calmed any early nerves early in their near 31-over alliance before becoming more expansive to extinguish Essex’s hopes.Durham reached 100 for 1 after 22 overs, by which stage a home victory was almost certain.Bates was strong on both sides of the wicket and reached her fifty off 68 balls moments later. Armitage then followed her to the same milestone off 75 to cap off the bonus-point success.

The Lewis family are making big plans behind-the-scenes at Tottenham, as ENIC prepare for life beyond chairman Daniel Levy.

Levy has been the face of Spurs’ day-to-day running for the last 24 years, and often the subject of real criticism, before Tottenham’s shocking announcement on Thursday last week that the 63-year-old resigned from his post as executive chairman.

While it was a technically a resignation of his own accord, the consensus is that ENIC pushed Levy out of the door, and it is even believed that the ex-chair didn’t find out he was going to resign until just hours before Tottenham made it official (The Times).

Levy was a polarising figure among the Lilywhites fanbase, often finding himself at the centre of mass ENIC protests towards the end of his tenure in particular, but it cannot be understated that he helped to transform Spurs into a financial powerhouse.

Real Madrid

£1.2 billion

Man City

£727 million

PSG

£700 million

Man United

£668 million

Bayern Munich

£664 million

FC Barcelona

£659.5 million

Arsenal

£621.5 million

Liverpool

£620 million

Tottenham Hotspur

£533 million

Chelsea

£474 million

Levy oversaw Tottenham’s move to their state-of-the-art new stadium and training facilities, which has gifted the club a far greater commercial appeal off the field, and you could even argue that they were more successful on the pitch in comparison to Sir Alan Sugar’s era leading Spurs.

However, the departure of Levy has now ushered in a new era for the north Londoners, with the Lewis Family’s restructuring of the board attracting serious investment interest from parties in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the USA (TEAMtalk).

ENIC’s owners are also determined to bring more success after Tottenham won their first major trophy in 17 years back in May.

Now, Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol has shared how they could be planning to do just that.

ENIC plot transfer statement in boost for Tottenham post-Daniel Levy

Speaking on Sky, Solhekol states that ENIC are plotting a cash injection into Tottenham, and this could be used on transfers to help them compete for silverware.

Thomas Frank could be set for an almighty boost by this message, as the Dane seeks to eventually transform Spurs into eventual Premier League challengers.

Newcastle United’s search for attacking reinforcements has defined their summer window, with Eddie Howe desperate to reshape his forward line before the transfer deadline.

The long-running uncertainty surrounding Alexander Isak has complicated matters, while Callum Wilson’s departure to West Ham has also forced the club into action.

The Magpies have already secured one marquee addition up front, with German striker Nick Woltemade set to arrive from Stuttgart in a club-record £69m deal.

The 23-year-old, who impressed at the U21 Euros, is viewed internally as the direct replacement for wantaway forward Isak.

The Swedish international has refused to reintegrate into Howe’s squad after Liverpool made an approach earlier in the summer.

Woltemade’s arrival marks a significant step forward for Newcastle’s recruitment drive, but the club are not finished yet.

Howe and his staff want a second new attacker before the window closes – and another target continues to make headlines as he pushes for a move to Tyneside.

Newcastle ready for next striker swoop

According to Ben Jacobs, Brentford forward Yoane Wissa has made his desire to move to St James’ Park clear and is actively “pushing to join Newcastle” after the Magpies had their most recent bid – £35m plus £5m in add-ons – rejected.

The lure of playing Champions League football is said to play a central role in the forward’s thinking.

Brentford are holding firm on their reported £50m valuation, but Newcastle are expected to return with an improved offer.

At 28 years old, Wissa does not fit the usual recruitment profile favoured by the club’s hierarchy, who typically target players aged 24 or under.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, his Premier League track record makes him an attractive option.

Last season he scored 19 goals and registered five assists in just 35 appearances.

Newcastle view Woltemade as the long-term successor to Isak, but Wissa is seen as the ideal replacement for Wilson, who has struggled with injuries over the past two campaigns.

The prospect of pairing the Bundesliga forward with the Brentford star excites Howe’s staff, who may feel the duo would represent a clear upgrade on Wilson and Isak.

Newcastle could be set to upgrade on Wilson & Isak

From a tactical standpoint, the potential combination of Woltemade and Wissa offers Newcastle something they lacked last season – consistency and availability.

Injuries to Isak and Wilson meant the pair missed 38 games between them in 2024/25, leaving Howe short of reliable attacking options.

By contrast, Woltemade and Wissa missed only seven matches combined, underlining their durability across demanding domestic campaigns.

The German striker brings physical presence at 1.98m, aerial dominance, and the ability to link play with intelligent hold-up work.

His Bundesliga return of 12 goals in 28 appearances last season demonstrates his effectiveness, but his underlying numbers point to even greater potential.

According to FBref, Woltemade averages 4.38 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes – more than double Wissa’s 2.13 – and completed 26.1 carries per 90, highlighting his tendency to drop deeper and progress the ball.

Wissa, by contrast, offers ruthless penalty-box instincts and movement in behind. He contributed 23 goal involvements in 25 league appearances last season, placing him among the most efficient forwards in the division.

While his shot-on-target percentage of 45.6% was slightly lower than Woltemade’s 50%, his ability to get into scoring positions consistently is a key asset.

His 1.27 shots on target per 90 closely matches the German’s 1.28.

In terms of progressive metrics, Woltemade edges it again, with 2.89 progressive passes per 90 compared to Wissa’s 2.07 and a passing distance of 58.8 metres against 49.9.

But Wissa makes up ground defensively, averaging more tackles (0.68 per 90) and matching the younger striker’s pressing intensity.

For Howe, the blend of attributes is what makes the partnership appealing.

Woltemade can act as the focal point – a target man capable of holding defenders and bringing teammates into play – while Wissa thrives as a secondary striker or inside forward, exploiting space with his acceleration and sharp finishing.

Together, they could provide Newcastle with a frontline as effective as any in the Premier League.

Stats – 2024/25
Stat	Yoane Wissa	Nick Woltemade
Matches Played	35	28
Goals	19	12
Assists	4	2
Progressive Carries	60	31
Progressive Passes	67	52
Source: FBref

The only concern is Wissa’s age profile and potential absence due to the Africa Cup of Nations in early 2026.

At 28, he does not represent a long-term investment in the same way as Woltemade, and his participation in AFCON could leave Newcastle short during a critical period of the season.

That said, the contrast in availability compared to Wilson and Isak last season suggests he would still significantly boost squad reliability.

Newcastle have already strengthened across other positions – adding Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw and Aaron Ramsdale – but the club’s ability to truly challenge on all fronts depends on securing the necessary firepower.

Without a recognised striker, they struggled to convert chances in their opening fixtures against Aston Villa and Liverpool, with makeshift options failing to deliver in front of goal.

The pursuit of Wissa, therefore, is about more than depth. It represents Newcastle’s determination to build a balanced and reliable forward line for both domestic and European campaigns.

With Woltemade already in the building and the Brentford forward still pushing to make the switch, Howe could soon have the attacking options he needs to move on from the uncertainty of the Isak era.

Not Woltemade: Big-money Wilson upgrade has said yes to joining Newcastle

Newcastle could be closing in on the signing of a new striker at St James’ Park.

By
Will Miller

Aug 28, 2025

Aston Villa are on the verge of signing their first major signing of the transfer window with OGC Nice’s Evann Guessand. The deal is expected to be worth around £26m, plus more than £4m in add-ons.

Guessand has been with Ligue 1 side Nice since 2014 and rose through their academy to become a first-team player and earn himself a place in the Ivorian national team. Manager Unai Emery will be hoping that the goals and assists Guessand brings to the team will ensure they don’t have an end-of-season drop-off this time around, after the sale of Jhon Duran depleted their depth in the number nine position last term.

It won’t take long from Guessand’s debut for his versatility to be on full display for Villa fans. Last season, under Franck Haise, Guessand was utilised both as a centre forward and a winger. This fluidity in attack is similar to what Emery implemented in the latter half of last season with loan players Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.

However, with the previously mentioned loanees returning to their respective parent clubs, Villa are still somewhat shorthanded up front. Due to this, Emery has identified a new striker target to help rectify the situation.

Emery "eager" to reunite with Jackson

Caught Offside have reported that Aston Villa have identified Chelsea and Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson as an ideal target. Jackson previously worked with the Villa boss while the pair were at Villarreal.

With the departure of Duran and an exit for Ollie Watkins still on the cards this window, Villa need to strengthen their attack, and Jackson is seen as a possible solution. Caught Offside’s source stated that “Villa are among the clubs most keen on Jackson. Unai Emery is eager to work with him again after their time together at Villarreal”.

Aston Villa don’t have a clear run at Jackson presently, with Newcastle United having held “informal talks” with Jackson’s representatives and Juventus monitoring the situation in the event they sell Dusan Vlahovic.

An even bigger hurdle for Villa will be finances, with owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens potentially needing to sell to buy, according to the same report. If Villa can navigate the PSR hurdles and retain Watkins however, they could have a very dangerous attack on their hands.

2024/25 Stats

Watkins

Jackson

Guessand

Games Played

38

30

33

Goals

16

10

12

Assists

8

5

8

Xg per 90

0.53

0.5

0.32

Goals Per 90

0.55

0.41

0.42

Stats via: FBREF

All three players are averaging close to a goal every other game. Watkins is the best in this regard, but he is the oldest and most developed player; there is still plenty of time for Jackson and Guessand to match him.

While it may look like Jackson is massively underperforming against his Xg compared to the others, there is an explanation for this. When evaluating Jackson as a Manchester United target, The Athletic’s JJ Bull explained how Jackson’s Xg underperformance has been misinterpreted as him missing a lot of goals he should score, when in reality it’s distorted by him taking a lot of shots he shouldn’t take and often shooting too early.

These three players, alongside the other attacking options they have in the squad, could see Villa push for Champions League football once again and help the club away from its financial issues.

The left-arm spinner had a recurrence of knee soreness after the India series

AAP14-Dec-2024

Sophie Molineux will miss the three ODIs across the Tasman•Getty Images

Australia have a fresh injury concern ahead of the Ashes with Sophie Molineux ruled out of the women’s ODI tour of New Zealand with a knee injury.Already sweating on the fitness of captain Alyssa Healy and her sore knee, Australia suffered more bad news on Saturday in the form of Molineux’s injury.Related

Inspired by Dooley, Melbourne Renegades 'don't f*** it up'

Mooney: Voll has taken to international cricket 'like a duck to water'

The finger-spinner has battled knee issues this summer, missing some WBBL games with the Melbourne Renegades to manage pain in the joint.She played in the last two of Australia’s 3-0 series sweep over India, but pulled up sore following the last victory in Perth on Wednesday.It means she will now skip all three ODIs against New Zealand this month, with bowling-allrounder Heather Graham to take her spot four weeks out from the Ashes.The games double as the team’s last before next month’s multi-format Ashes series, where Australia will aim to retain the trophy for a fifth straight time.”Sophie Molineux has been withdrawn from the NZ Series due to knee soreness,” Cricket Australia said in a statement. “Heather Graham will join the squad in New Zealand on Tuesday, following Tasmania’s Women’s National Cricket League matches against New South Wales in Hobart.”Georgia Wareham would be the most likely player to come into Australia’s XI for the first ODI against New Zealand on Thursday, after she was left out of the final two games against India.In better news for Australia, Healy is at least a confirmed attendee on the New Zealand trip. Australia’s captain missed the three ODIs against India through her own knee injury, after also missing the end of the T20 World Cup with a foot issue.Healy’s return will create a potential headache for selectors given Georgia Voll’s impressive start to her international career against India.Voll made scores of 46 not out, 101 and 26 while deputising for Healy at the top of the order, after a breakthrough WBBL with the Sydney Thunder.But Voll is at risk of being squeezed out of the ODI side in New Zealand, with Healy expected to slot back into opening alongside Phoebe Litchfield.It means the only way Voll would remain in the first-choice XI is if selectors opt to bat her down the order and make the bold call of leaving out a more established player.

Paul Collingwood says England have not given up hope of pulling off successful chase

Matt Roller17-Oct-2024

Salman Agha made a vital contribution as Pakistan’s lead grew•Getty Images

Salman Agha pledged that Pakistan will put every effort into securing a first home Test win in “God knows how many years” after England lost two late wickets on the third evening in Multan. England need 261 more runs on a worn, re-used pitch to take a 2-0 series lead, while Pakistan require eight wickets to set up a decider in Rawalpindi.Pakistan ripped up their long-term plans after their innings loss in the first Test, making four changes and packing their side with spin options after opting to re-use the same strip for the second week in a row. Salman admitted that he was anticipating a difficult week after so much upheaval, but said he was impressed by his team-mates’ response.”To be honest, I was thinking, ‘It is going to be hard,'” Salman told Sky Sports. “There was a lot of changes – and big changes. But the way the team has gelled, and the way the new guys have come in and we’ve welcomed them [has been great]. They come in and they are chipping in.Related

Shoaib Bashir's raw returns turn spotlight on England's spin gamble

Brendon McCullum plays down England spin concerns as Pindi decider looms

Jordan Cox in line for Test debut in New Zealand as Jamie Smith's paternity cover

Pakistan savour the sweet, sweet taste of victory … as the sugar-crash can wait

Pakistan's pitch-perfect gamble exposes England's familiar batting flaw

“Look at Sajid [Khan]. He took seven wickets and scored important runs. And then you will see Noman Ali. He came and took wickets, and scored important runs. I think it’s very good for Pakistan cricket, the way they came and gelled in and contributed. That’s amazing.”England, meanwhile, face a tough chase in challenging conditions, and their assistant coach Paul Collingwood said that pulling off a win in pursuit of 297 would be an even greater achievement than their victory last week. “I think it would, under the circumstances and the conditions that we’ve been given,” he said.”The amazing thing is now there’s still hope, and there’s only hope because of the amazing things that these guys have done in the past… You look at that first Test in India [in Hyderabad], I don’t think anybody had given us any hope of going on to win that one, but someone like Ollie Pope goes out and makes a double [196]. They are capable of doing amazing things.”We’ve got to be realistic. It’s effectively the ninth day that wicket’s being played on tomorrow, and as we can see, it’s doing plenty for the spinners. There’s lots of cracks there… [But] we all know if you get on a roll and get a partnership going, anything can happen. It’d be one hell of a chase. It’s something that we’ll obviously relish and try to go for.”Pakistan have not won a home Test match since they beat South Africa in February 2021, with four draws and seven defeats since then, and have lost all six of their Tests in the last 12 months. Salman said that ending those streaks would be “very important” and that Pakistan would give everything on the fourth day.”It’s going to be massive, because we haven’t won a Test match at home for… I don’t know, God knows how many years now,” he said. “It’s going to be a very, very big thing for us. We will make sure we will put all the efforts there and make sure we win this game, because that’s very important for us.”

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and his plans for the summer window have taken another turn, with the Spurs chief attempting to back new manager Thomas Frank ahead of his debut season in the dugout.

Tottenham in talks for £38m attacker who Levy thinks could be the next Mbeumo

Spurs are “advanced” in their pursuit.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 1, 2025

Spurs kickstarted their recruitment drive with a £30 million permanent deal for Mathys Tel, and followed that up by agreeing a J League record £5 million deal for promising Kawasaki Frontale defender Kota Takai.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

The plan for Takai, according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold, is for him to compete for a place in the senior matchday squad, and Tottenham are apparently hopeful that he can replicate the likes of Destiny Udogie, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr as young players who’ve staked their claim in the starting eleven.

Frontale have now confirmed the 20-year-old’s exit, with Takai looking set to become a new Spurs player after July 5, even if they didn’t explicitly mention Tottenham.

“We would like to inform you that Kota Takai will be leaving the team at the end of the activity on Saturday, July 5, in order to complete the necessary procedures and preparations for a transfer to an overseas club,” read a club statement.

“We will notify you further regarding future plans as soon as they are officially decided.

“After the match against Kashima Antlers in the 23rd round of the J1 League on Saturday, July 5, Kota Takai will be giving a speech to the supporters. In addition, Takai will not be participating in the Fan Appreciation Day on Sunday, July 6.”

According to recent reports, Takai could well be followed by West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus, if all goes to plan.

Fabrizio Romano says that talks are underway between all parties for the Ghana international, and he’s apparently open to making the switch across London.

Now, GiveMeSport have shared an intriguing update on the matter.

Daniel Levy holds talks with David Sullivan over signing Mohammed Kudus

GMS report that Levy has personally held talks with West Ham chairman David Sullivan over the signing of Kudus.

Levy apparently contacted his Hammers counterpart to discuss a deal for the ex-Ajax sensation, with Tottenham starting negotiations at £50 million for Kudus as they attempt to seal a quick deal ahead of rival suitors.

Spurs are wary of the competition for Kudus and have decided to move early for him. The 24-year-old, meanwhile, is actively seeking an exit from the London Stadium, but as things stand, West Ham are insistent that any offer made up to this point is unacceptable.

The Lilywhites will need to meet their capital rivals in the middle, even if West Ham are under some pressure to sell so they can begin their own summer transfer plans.

Kudus endured a mixed 2024/2025 when compared to his electric debut campaign in east London, but teammate Aaron Cresswell has perhaps already explained exactly why Tottenham are very keen.

“I’ve just trained with him and you don’t want to go anywhere near him,” Cresswell told the Iron Cast.

“I’m up against him all the time and I’m like: ‘Mo, go on over to the left!’

“He’s a top, top talent and I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet. I won’t go near him in training because I know if I’m going to try to knock him off the ball, I had better make sure he’s not looking and doesn’t see me coming.

“You just can’t get near him. He’s so strong, so quick, so sharp.”

Celtic supporters are starting to get very excited about next season.

On Tuesday afternoon, in one of the worst-kept secrets in the history of Scottish football, Kieran Tierney’s return to the club was confirmed, six years after he was sold to Arsenal for £25m, still to this day a joint-club record.

So, with a true club icon and fans’ favourite on his way back to Paradise, Brendan Rodgers and his recruitment staff can turn their attention to other targets, but are the Premiership champions set to miss out on their dream centre-forward?

Latest on Celtic's pursuit of Mathias Kvistgaarden

According to a report by Michael Gannon of the Daily Record, Celtic’s interest in Mathias Kvistgaarden has cooled, with the 22-year-old, who is valued at £12m, set to join either West Ham United, Eintracht Frankfurt or Lazio instead.

The striker scored 23 goals this season for Brøndby, who finished third in the Danish Superligaen, and his performances have earned widespread praise.

Farzam Abolhosseini of Tipsbladet labels him “magical”, scout António Mango believes that he is “absolutely sensational” and Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout forecasts that Kvistgaarden will only continue to improve.

However, his £12m price-tag was always likely to prove prohibitive, considering Celtic’s record signing remains the £11m paid to sign Arne Engels last August.

So, with the Hoops now focusing on other targets, one in particular stands out.

Celtic's search for a new number nine

As has been previously reported, Celtic are one of many clubs interested in securing the services of Youssef El Kachati.

The 25-year-old is available as a free transfer, having left Telstar following the expiration of his contract.

Despite that, he departs Sportpark Schoonenberg a bona fide club legend, having scored 25 goals this season, firing the White Lions back into the Eredivisie for the first time in 47 years, netting five times in six play-off matches, on target home and away as Telstar defeated Willem II in the final.

So now, Martin McMillan of the Glasgow Times claims that El Kachati has turned down the chance to join German second-tier outfit Hannover, with Anthony Evans of the Daily Record reporting that Celtic are ‘supremely confident’ of making this deal happen.

The Dutch-born, Moroccan youth international’s performances in the Eerste Divisie have yielded plenty of praise, including from writer Martin Bjerke, who notes that El Kachati “combines physical presence with dynamic movement”, adding that he is “technically gifted”.

So, let’s assess how he compares to Kvistgaarden.

Youssef El Kachati vs Mathias Kvistgaarden 2024/25 comparison
Statistics	El Kachati	Kvistgaarden
Appearances	45	38
Minutes	3,517	2,542
Goals	25	23
Assists	6	7
Shots on target %	40.5%	48.8%
Shots per 90	3.86	3.58
Shots on target per 90	1.56	1.75
Goals per shot	0.14	0.21
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and FBref.com

First and foremost, worth stating up front that, according to Global Football Rankings, the Superligaen is the 13th strongest league in the world, with the Dutch second division down in 70th, which is obviously worth considering.

That caveat aside, the pair do have similar statistics this season, with El Kachati scoring two more goals, albeit in around 1000 more minutes, while registering slightly more shots per 90.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Thus, it goes without saying that Kvistgaarden is a massive talent, and it is a blow that Celtic are seemingly set to miss out on him, but El Kachati certainly offers a low-cost, low-risk and potentially high-reward alternative.

Sinclair 2.0: £4.6m star who "wins games on his own" is Celtic's top target

Celtic are eyeing up a deal for a winger who could be their next Scott Sinclair.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 10, 2025

Newcastle United are believed to have turned their attention to signing a “world-class” attacking player after missing out on Bryan Mbeumo.

Newcastle suffer Mbeumo transfer blow

Mbeumo has been one of the Magpies’ leading transfer targets in recent months, with the Brentford forward considered arguably the strongest option to upgrade the right-sided attacking role.

Unfortunately, it now looks like the Cameroonian is on his way to Manchester United this summer, with the reliable David Ornstein revealing the news on Monday evening.

It is a significant setback for Eddie Howe, with Mbeumo enjoying a fantastic season for Brentford, scoring 20 goals in the Premier League and standing out as one of the best attacking players in the division.

It’s now time for Newcastle to find an alternative option to the winger and a new update suggests they are targeting a world-renowned player who looks set to be available ahead of next season.

Newcastle turn attention to Champions League winner

According to journalist Christian Falk on his website, cfbayerninsider.com, Newcastle are “interested” in signing Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman.

Barcelona are also keen on snapping up the former Paris Saint-Germain wide man, and “could move for him” if they fail to sign either Liverpool’s Luis Diaz or United’s Marcus Rashford this summer.

This comes after Fabrizio Romano took to X on Monday to claim that Coman will depart Bayern in the summer, having fallen out of favour at the Bundesliga champions.

Coman would be a signing of real intent by Newcastle, given his stature as an elite footballer, winning the Champions League in 2020 and scoring the only goal in the final victory over his old club PSG.

Move over Delap: Newcastle teen is one of the "best prospects in the world"

Newcastle may find a new teenage superstar burst onto the scene next season.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 3, 2025

Meanwhile, Germany legend Oliver Kahn has heaped praise on the Frenchman, saying: “I’m happy that King continuously developed in the past years. He’s absolutely world class and an attraction for the fans, one of the best players in the world technically in fast pace, one of the best dribblers and always a threat.”

Coman does admittedly turn 29 later this month, though, so there is a risk that Newcastle would be signing a slightly ageing player on big wages, meaning a younger alternative could be more sensible.

Bayern Munich

335

70

69

Juventus

22

1

2

Paris Saint-Germain

4

0

0

But if Howe believes the Bayern man is the best Mbeumo alternative, he needs to be trusted, having taken control of more transfer activity after the exit of sporting director Paul Mitchell.