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Ricky Ponting has become Australia’s leading Test run-scorer after passing Allan Border’s mark of 11,174 during the third Test at Edgbaston

Peter English at Edgbaston31-Jul-2009Even if Ricky Ponting didn’t lug around so many records they wouldn’t mean much to him. Wins and runs in an innings are what he counts, not career tallies or averages or his place on the latest ICC rankings. Following a couple of Test captains who spoke often about the game’s history, Ponting lives more in the now. Now, he is Australia’s most prolific batsman, having passed Allan Border’s tally of 11,174 early on the second day at Edgbaston.Border’s record was one of sweaty accumulation, a haul achieved over 16 years, most of which was spent dragging his side out of desperate situations. Ponting’s mark has been one of style, often as a supporting batsman to some of the game’s greats, and lately as a man who has been asked to set the tone for a team that no longer glistens at every spot in the order.This is his 134th Test, 22 fewer than Border managed, and he was unable to stroke them far ahead on the second morning. On 38 he tried to hook Graham Onions and was caught behind, ruining his hopes of lifting Australia after their double loss from the opening two deliveries. Walking off with 11,188 runs, he might have considered how life has changed over the past two-and-a-half years.In 23 matches since the 2006-07 Ashes, a whitewash which farewelled Warne, McGrath, Langer and Martyn, Ponting has 1820 runs at 44.39, almost 12 runs down on his career mark. His days became even harder with the retirements of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, leaving him as the last relic of a bygone era when the Australians had basically won before they took the field. He says he is enjoying moulding a new side, a unit which is undeniably his. Everything, including the mix of results, is unfamiliar.Unless this Ashes series turns particularly bad and Ponting can’t cope with joining Billy Murdoch, the 1800s leader, in losing two series in England, expect him to stand down after the 2011 World Cup. He will be 36 when it is held in the subcontinent and he has not lost a match in the global tournament as captain, a role he accepted in the lead-up to the 2003 success.While he is not as tactically astute as his predecessors, there is never any question over the incredible standard of his batting. Australia have been fortunate to have him since he eased 96 on debut and was stopped only by a horrible lbw decision. The fiery attitude which shocked those in the dressing room on his return that day has driven his quest to No. 3 on the Test run-scoring table.

He countered Vidarbha’s bowlers with a 37-ball half-century, and then struck with the new ball along with Dhawal Kulkarni

Deivarayan Muthu10-Mar-2024
Shardul Thakur rescued Mumbai with the bat for the second game in a row after their middle order had collapsed either side of lunch on the first day of the Ranji Trophy final at the Wankhede Stadium. Fast bowler Yash Thakur and rookie left-arm fingerspinner Harsh Dubey had set Mumbai up for that collapse by sharing six wickets on a grassy surface.Captain Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer fell for 7 each, but Mumbai waded past that passage of play and finished with a respectable 224, thanks to Shardul’s 37-ball half-century. When Shardul was lining up Vidarbha’s spinners, just like he had done against Tamil Nadu’s in the semi-final, Mumbai were in with a chance of posting a 250-plus total. But Umesh Yadav eventually had him holing out for 75 off 69 balls to restrict them as Shardul was the last Mumbai batter out.Shardul then struck with the new ball, as did Dhawal Kulkarni, who was playing his farewell game for Mumbai in place of the injured Mohit Avasthi, to leave the final dangling on a razor’s edge. Vidarbha were 31 for 3 at stumps, with Atharva Taide unbeaten on 21 and nightwatcher Aditya Thakare unbeaten on 0. Kulkarni, in fact, had struck twice to dismiss Aman Mokhade (8) and Karun Nair (0). Taide could have also been dismissed on 8 had Shardul latched onto a difficult one-handed return catch in the seventh over.Kulkarni, 35, pushed the ball too wide of off in the early exchanges against the left-hander Taide, but had both right-handers Mokhade and Nair nicking behind with perfectly-pitched deliveries.Earlier, after having opted to bowl, Vidarbha didn’t glean as much movement with the new ball. Umesh and Thakare offered Prithvi Shaw and Bhupen Lalwani freebies, allowing them to settle in. Shaw was particularly severe on anything that was remotely full from the quicks, while Lalwani was more circumspect was the other end.Mumbai were 75 for 0 at the first drinks break, but Yash struck soon after the resumption, having Lalwani tickling one behind, with Akshay Wadkar pulling off a spectacular one-handed grab inches from the turf. Shaw then tried to slog-sweep Dubey against the turn and ended up seeing his off stump knocked back for 46 off 63 balls. Dubey had got it to drift in, dip, and then break away past the bat-swing of Shaw.Umesh Yadav got two wickets, including that of Shreyas Iyer•PTI In his next over, Dubey pinned Musheer Khan lbw for 6 with an arm ball from wide of the crease. Dubey also had Rahane slicing a catch to mid-off to vindicate his selection, ahead of veteran offspinner Akshay Wakhare, against a right-hander heavy Mumbai line-up. Dubey, 21, is playing only his eighth first-class game, but has been a consistent performer for Vidarbha in age-group cricket. He also has exposure outside of Nagpur, having worked with India spinner R Ashwin in club cricket in Chennai.”I enjoyed dismissing Rahane,” Dubey said after the first day’s play. “I had thought before the game that I would dismiss him. I was determined to do it and it was one of my best dismissals in Ranji Trophy. I tried to get him to drive since the ball was coming off slower at that length and I was successful in what I had planned.”Soon after, Umesh bested Iyer with a brute of a delivery – a length ball that reared up and seamed away to hit the outside edge near the shoulder of the bat. A crease-bound Iyer simply hung his bat out to give Nair slip-catching practice. Thakare also probed away outside off and was rewarded with the wicket of Hardik Tamore (5).When Shardul walked out to bat, Mumbai had lost six wickets for a mere 30 runs, but that didn’t stop him from stepping out to his third ball and pumping Dubey to the left of Dhruv Shorey at wide long-off. Shardul then crashed Dubey to the square-leg boundary, and Aditya Sarwate over long-on for six. Shardul had similarly dismantled R Sai Kishore and S Ajith Ram with vicious slog-sweeps and down-the-track lofts in the semi-final.Yash, though, tested Shardul more with hard lengths and extra bounce outside off, but Shardul kept slashing him through or over gully. Yash even drew a leading edge from Shardul in the 50th over, but it eluded the reach of Dubey at mid-off. Yash worked his way around Shardul and got rid of Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian.Umesh, the leader of the pack, then returned to apply the finishing touches. He stuck out his right boot in his follow-through, and deflected the ball on to the non-striker’s end to catch Tushar Deshpande short in the 63rd over. In his next over, Umesh banged the ball into the pitch and had Shardul splicing a pull.But Shardul wasn’t done yet. He trapped Shorey lbw for a duck with an inducker, and saved the day for Mumbai once again, along with Kulkarni.

Victoria comfortable at 2 for 71 in reply, with Harris unbeaten on 48

Tristan Lavalette14-Mar-2023

Stumps Test quick Scott Boland tore through league leaders Western Australia with four wickets on his Sheffield Shield return as a desperate Victoria dominated the opening day of their must-win match at the WACA.With their final’s hopes on the line, Victoria routed WA for 122 before reaching stumps at 2 for 71.Former Test opener Marcus Harris was in sparkling touch to thwart a weakened WA attack missing quicks Joel Paris and Matt Kelly. He hit several sweet drives and counterattacked short bowling with cavalier cut shots over the slips.Veteran Travis Dean and emerging batter Ashley Chandrasinghe fell cheaply, but Harris was unperturbed to finish unbeaten on 48 and consolidate Victoria’s early grip on the contest.Released from his touring duties in India, having only played in the first Test, Boland made an instant impact with 4 for 29 from 15 overs in a typically miserly performance.He was well supported in Victoria’s strong attack by skipper Will Sutherland and left-arm spinner Jon Holland, who both finished with three wickets.Having already secured a home final starting on March 23, and just six days after their triumph in the 50-over Marsh Cup, WA were relatively subdued in what is effectively a dead rubber for them.But third-placed Victoria are locked in a fierce battle with Queensland, who they narrowly trail on the ladder, as the Bushrangers eye redemption having fallen short against WA in last season’s final.In sunny conditions, Sutherland elected to bowl and it proved a masterstroke with Boland showing no signs of fatigue having scrambled back from India with Victoria’s season in the balance.He conceded just nine runs in his first six-over spell to tie down WA’s prolific openers Cameron Bancroft and Sam Whiteman.It was a stalemate of a start amid a smattering of fans in a contrast to the festive atmosphere of last week’s Marsh Cup final.But Sutherland sparked the contest with his towering frame conjuring awkward bounce to remove Whiteman for a painstaking nine off 63 deliveries.Victoria’s terrific first session was capped by Boland having Bancroft, the Shield’s leading run scorer, caught behind for 24 on the stroke of lunch.WA staggered into the long break at 3 for 45 from 28 overs and spiralled further after the resumption when allrounder Aaron Hardie was brilliantly caught by a diving Mitchell Perry at forward square-leg.Playing his first Shield match since October 2020, Ashton Turner attempted to perform a rescue job like he has done countless times as skipper for BBL champions Perth Scorchers.Turner mixed firm defence with the occasional flourish to combine with Hilton Cartwright in a steadying 41-run partnership.But they both fell for 27 as WA fell away and were bowled out in 61 overs to record their second lowest total of the season.

Antonio Rudiger has opened up on his Copa del Rey outburst, admitting he crossed the line but insisting his passion defines him as a defender.

Rudiger admits 'huge mistake' after throwing tape at refereeSays emotions are key to his defensive styleGerman eager to prove himself in World Cup qualifiersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rudiger has looked back on the dramatic scenes from the Copa del Rey final, when he completely lost his temper after Real Madrid’s 3-2 defeat to Barcelona. The German international threw tape towards referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, hurled insults and had to be physically restrained by his team-mates and staff. The incident earned him a six-match suspension, a sanction that also gave him time to undergo long-delayed surgery on his meniscus. The 32-year-old returned to the pitch in Madrid’s 3-0 win over Oviedo, where he once again crossed paths with De Burgos, though this time their interaction was limited to an unimpressed look after a penalty appeal was waved away.

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Rudiger’s suspension has raised questions about his temperament, with national team coach Julian Nagelsmann warning that there can be “no second or third attempt” if he crosses the line again. Regardless, Nagelsmann called him up for the World Cup qualifiers, highlighting his importance to Germany’s defence. Aware of the scrutiny he is now under, Rudiger admits he must prove he can channel his passion in a positive way. 

WHAT ANTONIO RUDIGER SAID

“There’s no question that my behaviour was wrong and absolutely excessive there are no excuses for that. It was truly stupid to throw my tape onto the pitch and then lose my nerve like that. I’m aware that I’m now being watched particularly closely,” he told the newspaper. 

He added: "My playing style thrives on these emotions; they've made me the centre-back I am today. But in the context of this final—the disappointment of the defeat, the discussions about the referee, and my own serious injury – I clearly overstepped my bounds. That was a huge mistake, and one that annoyed me the most." 

Rudiger also opened up about his recovery process, stressing how important the summer was for regaining full fitness after undergoing surgery in April: “I just got reasonably fit during the Club World Cup, but I wasn’t 100 percent yet. On vacation, I was able to recharge my batteries and give it my all in preseason. My goal is to get back to my best performances now that I’m finally completely pain-free.”

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR RUDIGER?

The former Chelsea defender will join up with the German national team as they prepare for World Cup qualifiers, including a tricky game away to Slovakia. With his fitness restored and suspension served, Rudiger aims to prove he can combine passion with discipline as Los Blancos chase more silverware and Germany eye qualification.

Match details

Lucknow Super Giants (3rd; W6 L4) vs Kolkata Knight Riders (2nd; W7 L3)Lucknow, 19.30 IST (14.00 GMT)

Big picture

Fifty-plus games in, no team has qualified for the playoffs yet. Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants, sitting at No. 2 and No. 3 on the table at the moment, can still miss out on qualification. Neither team will want to get caught up in the mid-table muddle, and two points here could go a long way in sparing them that.Related

• Injured Mayank all but out of IPL 2024

KKR’s big-hitters, who are coming into this game on the back of two wins, will be heading into unfamiliar territory. They’ve never played an IPL game in Lucknow. The pitches at the venue have also not been too predictable. But spin has played an important role in most games here, which KKR will be pleased with given how well their spin pair of Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine have performed thus far. During their previous meeting this season at Eden Gardens, the LSG batters were stifled by the duo in the middle.LSG have also not cracked the pitches at Ekana so far. They put up 196 on what looked like a good batting pitch against Rajasthan Royals and went down by seven wickets, while they chased down 145 on a sluggish pitch with four balls to spare in the match against MI. So it will once again come down to what pitch they will serve up on Sunday – red, black, or mixed soils. LSG have been hurt by injuries all season: their X-factor bowler Mayank Yadav is now all but ruled out of the tournament, while their opener Quinton de Kock had missed the last game after hurting his hand. In an attempt to qualify for the playoffs, the hosts will be trying to add some consistency to their starting line-up and their results.

Form guide

LSG WLWWL (last five matches, most recent first)
KKR WWLWL

Previous meeting

Phil Salt (47-ball 89) and Mitchell Starc (3 for 28) helped the hosts thump LSG by eight wickets. LSG could post only 161 for 7 after they were put in, which was then chased down by the hosts in 15.4 overs.

Team news and Impact Player strategy

Lucknow Super GiantsLSG had middle-order batter Ashton Turner in their side in the last match in de Kock’s absence, and Arshin Kulkarni was brought in as the Impact Player to open with KL Rahul. LSG coach Justin Langer said that de Kock “should be ready to play the next game or so”. With Mayank out, LSG are likely to bring back Yash Thakur or Amit Mishra.Probable XII: 1 KL Rahul, 2 , 3 Marcus Stoinis, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Ashton Turner, 7 Ayush Badoni, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Mohsin Khan 12 Kolkata Knight RidersHarshit Rana will be back having served his one-match disciplinary ban. Manish Pandey was brought in as the Impact Player for Angkrish Raghuvanshi in the first innings during their match against MI after a batting collapse. He played a crucial knock of 42 to rebuild the innings along with Venkatesh Iyer. KKR will likely go the same route in case they need an extra batting hand.Probable XII: 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 , 8 Andre Russell, 9 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Vaibhav Arora, 11 Harshit Rana, 12

In the spotlight

Marcus Stoinis has returned to form at the right time for LSG. After a brilliant solo effort against Chennai Super Kings, he bagged a duck against RR – a match which LSG lost – and then came back with another match-winning effort of 62 against MI on a slow wicket. LSG have also finally found the right position for him at No. 3, where he’s made those big scores. His good form has also taken the pressure off Nicholas Pooran to make up for the lack of runs from the top order. His medium pace has also come in handy – he’s dismissed the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Suryakumar Yadav in the last two games.A fifty against RCB aside, captain Shreyas Iyer is yet to make a significant impact with the bat in KKR’s good run this season. He has 257 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 137.43 and comes into the games with scores of 6, 33* and 28 in the last three games. He has got a few good starts but hasn’t been able to convert, and that’s not hurt KKR much only because of the contributions from the rest of the line-up. In the reverse fixture, he hit a run-a-ball 38 when Salt at the other end was hitting at a strike rate of nearly 190.

Pitch and conditions

While the pitch during LSG’s fixture against RR was batting-friendly, the one laid out against MI was on the slower side. Given KKR have a strong spin attack, the home side will not want to give away any advantage in that department. The average first-innings score at the venue since IPL 2023 has been 160.

Stats that matter

• KL Rahul’s strike rate in the powerplay has improved from 119 in the last season to 140 this season. This season, he has also batted through the powerplay 70% of the time.
• KKR bowlers’ economy rate in the powerplay is 9.8, which is the worst among all teams this season. LSG bowlers, meanwhile, have conceded only at 8.2 in this phase.
• How do you stop Stoinis? Call Varun or Russell. Stoinis has been dismissed by Varun and Russell two times each in four meetings respectively. Stoinis also strikes only at 60 against Varun.

Quotes

“I think he’s really enjoying the elevation to No. 3 where he can take responsibility. When he opened the bowling the other day, he takes responsibility and I think that’s what happens with all the best players. They want to stand up and take responsibility under pressure and he’s doing that very well. He helps lead that energy, that warrior energy where you walk out in the middle and you’re just ready for the contest.”

Marcus Rashford's journey to Barcelona was "disrupted" by the Gallagher brothers, as Oasis booked out private travel from Manchester airport.

Forward en route to complete medicalOasis' homecoming shows finished on SundayRashford forced to depart from East Midlands airportFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

reports that the departing Rashford had hoped to travel from Manchester airport by private jet, ahead of his medical in Barcelona. He was unable to book a slot, as Liam Gallagher had a jet on standby, to whisk him back to his home in the south of France. The Gallaghers played the last of their Oasis homecoming gigs in Heaton Park on Sunday night.

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Rashford and his advisors had to drive 80 miles to East Midlands airport. The 27-year-old was eventually able to depart, and arrived in Barcelona shortly after 8 pm on Sunday evening. He is due to undergo a medical on Monday ahead of a season-long loan move from Manchester United, with an option-to-buy clause worth €30m (£26m/$35m).

WHAT SOURCE SAID

A source told : "Marcus’ travel plans were disrupted so it was all a bit stressful but he would have walked to Barcelona to sign for them.

“Noel and Liam can have a laugh that they accidentally put a spanner in the works.”

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Despite the disruption, Rashford remains on course to sign for La Blaugrana. He will likely be unveiled on Tuesday, pending the result of his medical, and could join Hansi Flick's squad for the club's pre-season tour of Asia.

Big picture: SA look to avoid another home series defeat

You can fight conditions only to a certain extent in cricket. Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan went into the first ODI of the series with just seven wickets between them but bowled South Africa out for 116 in conditions that had swing, seam and uneven bounce.As action moves to Gqeberha, and to a day-night match, you’d hope for more even conditions that don’t change dramatically during the match. Gqeberha has not hosted an ODI in more than four years, but it has not been a high-scoring venue. It has gone 12 years and eight ODIs without a score of 300. As it is generally the slowest and lowest of the surfaces among mainstream South African venues, India will hope to close out the series there. For South Africa, the next two are must-win matches to avoid a fourth home series defeat in ODIs since April 2021, certainly not a proud record to have.Related

• Battle-hardened Arshdeep Singh arrives as an ODI force

• South Africa's biggest defeat in a home ODI

• Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan demolish South Africa

There is more to look forward to from the new talent that has emerged during the limited-overs leg of the tour. Nandre Burger has impressed with his sustained pace and movement, and Sai Sudharsan made an eye-catching fifty on debut.

Form guide

South Africa LLWLW
India WLWWWReeza Hendricks has gone two matches without laying bat on ball in the first over•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Sai Sudharsan and Reeza Hendricks

Reeza Hendricks has gone two matches without laying bat on ball in the first over. To be fair to him, Hendricks found himself in against the moving ball and some incisive seam bowling both in the final T20I and the first ODI in Johannesburg. After playing and missing so often, both his innings ended in loose shots. He will want to give a better account of himself.In a brief chase, Sai Sudharsan displayed on debut why his senior colleagues have been going gaga over him. The bowlers will now come back with their homework done, and will hop to present him a more challenging match situation.

Team news

If the Gqeberha track stays true to nature, South Africa could be expected to play both the spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi. Shreyas Iyer is leaving to join the Test team, and so Rajat Patidar is the favourite to take his place.South Africa (probable): 1 Reeza Hendricks, 2 Tony de Zorzi, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram (capt.), 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Wiaan Mulder, 9 Nandre Burger, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiIndia (probable): 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Rajat Patidar, 4 Tilak Varma, 5 KL Rahul (capt. & wk), 6 Sanju Samson, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Arshdeep Singh, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mukesh Kumar

Pitch and conditions

The weather is set fair, and the pitch is usually not the quickest. Don’t expect record-breaking scores.

Stats and trivia

MatériaMais Notícias

O ex-gerente executivo de futebol do São Paulo, Alexandre Pássaro, falou da saída polêmica de Daniel Alves da equipe e opinou sobre o posicionamento adotado pelo jogador ao tratar do Tricolor paulista.

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>Com Sul-Americana, São Paulo amplia recorde de time brasileiro finalista em torneios continentais

Tabela
> Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro e simule os próximos jogos

Pássaro deixou o posto no clube no final de 2020, não estando nos planos de gestão do atual presidente Julio Casares, que assumiu o cargo no começo do último ano. Já Daniel Alves teve sua rescisão de contrato anunciada em setembro de 2021, motivada por uma dívida milionária do clube com o atleta, de aproximadamente R$ 16 milhões. Ao que tudo indica, as pendências do Tricolor com o jogador serão quitadas em um prazo de cinco anos.

O ex-dirigente falou sobre toda a polêmica que envolveu a passagem do lateral-direito – que atualmente joga pelo Pumas – com o São Paulo. Pássaro partiu em defesa a Daniel Alves, destacando que mesmo que tenha causado estes problemas, soube separar seu lado profissional do lado torcedor.

-O São Paulo foi campeão uma vez nos últimos 10 anos e o Dani estava ali. Ele jogou. As pessoas que olham de fora pensam que ele deve ter raiva do São Paulo… eu conversando com ele, chamou a esposa e os amigos, e no horário de jogo do São Paulo ninguém pode mexer com ele. Tem outro jogador são-paulino no Pumas… ele não acreditou que tinha perdido: ‘Eu sou são-paulino’. Você vê que ainda é autêntico, mas ele separou o que era função como jogador e o que era o sentimento como torcedor – disse.

Daniel Alves retornou para a equipe em 2019, estando presente no título do Campeonato Paulista de 2021. O contrato do jogador com a equipe ia até o final deste ano. Pássaro destacou que, mesmo com a relação conturbada, o atleta nunca deixou de torcer pela equipe, citando que o problema maior foi com o departamento do clube. Também falou sobre a relação com Fernando Diniz – técnico que estava no comando do time quando ainda atuava no Brasil.

-Daniel continua com muito carinho. Eu estive lá e vi, ninguém me contou. Ele torce, assiste jogo do Fluminense para torcer pelo Diniz… o que aconteceu foi com o Daniel Alves profissional com o departamento de futebol do São Paulo. Ele segue torcendo pela instituição – completou.

Para oex-gerente executivo, Daniel Alves não foi ‘vilão’ nesta história. A atitude do jogador gerou uma reação negativa por parte da torcida, muito pela dívida que o São Paulo enfrenta – estimada em cerca de R$ 700 milhões. Ainda em entrevista, revelou que o lateral chegou a descumprir ordens médicas para voltar a jogar e não prejudicar o restante da equipe.

-Não (foi vilão). Ele seria vilão se fizesse corpo mole, não treinasse, ficasse fora de jogo, forçasse cartão amarelo, se fingisse lesão… O Dani nunca tirou o pé de uma dividida, que é o mínimo, é pago para fazer isso. Ele teve uma lesão de braço que foi três meses (pra voltar), ele voltou em 28 dias contra ordem médica. Ele falou que assumia (a responsabilidade) – concluiu.

No São Paulo, Daniel Alves somou95 partidas, com dez gols e cinco assistências. Recentemente, em julho deste ano, foi anunciado pelo Pumas, do México.

Leeds United potentially have a huge summer on their hands under Daniel Farke, especially if they were to complete the job and secure promotion from the Championship.

The Whites are in pole position to end their two-year top-flight exile, sitting top of the table with just eight games remaining – whilst also having the best run-in of any side in the title race.

Should they replicate their form from the last few months, there’s no denying Farke will add a third promotion to his CV, but he would face his biggest task in management should he achieve the feat.

Staying in the Premier League after promotion now looks a huge ask given the failures of other clubs in recent years, looking almost certain that all three sides who went up last time around are to drop back down.

Recruitment is vital for any chance of maintaining their top division status, with the hierarchy needing to back the manager, leading to one name already being touted with a move to Elland Road.

Leeds targeting summer move for £20m talent

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of multiple sides plotting a summer move for Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin should they be a Premier League outfit in 2025/26.

The 24-year-old also has admirers from Aston Villa and Brentford, with the Whites potentially facing a battle for his signature in the summer should they want to complete a deal for his services.

The report claims the Scottish side value the Belgian international at around £20m, a figure undoubtedly bolstered by his national team debut during the current international break.

Raskin has made 39 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25, registering two goals and six assists from his central midfield role, whilst also posting solid defensive numbers – winning 4.3 tackles per 90 this campaign.

Whilst it may appear like a hefty fee for a player in a non-top five league, but he possesses some serious talent, potentially being a better option than another player touted with a move to Yorkshire.

Why Raskin would be better than Phillips for Leeds

Kalvin Phillips has been touted with a fairytale return to Leeds this summer, three years after leaving his boyhood side in a £45m deal to join Manchester City to further his career.

However, his move to the Etihad has been nothing short of a disaster, making just 31 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s men, subsequently being sent out on separate spells to West Ham and Ipswich Town.

He’s currently spending the campaign on loan at the latter, but has once again struggled to make an impact, with a move back to Yorkshire potentially getting his career back on track.

However, City are also demanding £20m for his signature, a figure that may be too high given his lack of impact in recent years, with the club needing to put their focus in Raskin as a result.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats from 2024/25, the Belgian has outperformed Phillips in various key areas, further adding to the argument as to why they should steer clear of any reunion.

Raskin, who’s previously been dubbed “superb” by Sky Sports’ Michael Bridge, has registered more progressive carries per 90, whilst also completing more of the passes he’s attempted – highlighting his impressive ability in possession.

He’s also managed to win more tackles per 90, whilst posting more interceptions made per game, showcasing his excellent ball-winning capabilities, making him the perfect box-to-box midfielder in Farke’s system.

Whilst it would be another pricey addition for the 49ers this summer, it’s one that needs to be made to hand the club the best possible chance of survival should they achieve promotion.

Phillips will remain a modern-day club icon after his previous stint in Yorkshire, but his lack of form since his move is a cause for concern, with the hierarchy needing to act with their head instead of their heart this summer – subsequently targeting Raskin over the former fan-favourite.

Not just Bamford: 49ers must sell Leeds dud who's rinsed them of £20m

Leeds United need to brutally offload Patrick Bamford and one other star this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 26, 2025

He might have scored a goal in the Champions League last week, but it seems fair to say that starting Mikel Merino up top has not worked for Arsenal.

The Spanish midfielder saved the day against Leicester City last month, and while he’s done certain parts of the job well, he’s not someone who can be relied on to step into the role amid an injury crisis.

Fortunately, Gabriel Martinelli returned to the team yesterday afternoon and can hopefully start down the middle until the end of the season.

However, with Gabriel Jesus out until next year and Kai Havertz not coming back until preseason at the earliest, Mikel Arteta and Co need to sign a new number nine as soon as possible, and the good news is that recent reports suggest that they may have found the perfect option, a player who’d be a colossal upgrade on Merino.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have drawn up a list of seven striker targets for the summer, with Lautaro Martínez near the very top.

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In fact, the report claims that there is currently speculation that the North Londoners are planning to make an offer for the Argentine superstar of around €120m, which comes out to £101m.

However, as things stand, it’s unclear if that will be enough to tempt Inter Milan into selling their prized centre-forward, who was their top scorer last season and is second on that list this year.

It will almost certainly be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line this summer, but given Martínez’s immense ability, it is one well worth pursuing, especially as he’d be a massive upgrade on all of Arsenal’s choices, including Merino.

Why Martínez would be a game-changer for Arsenal

Now, while there are several reasons Martínez would be a game-changing signing for Arsenal, from his track record of winning major trophies to his slick, free-flowing style of play, the most important is that he is a reliable scorer of goals and provider of assists.

For example, in just 44 appearances for Inter last season, the World Cup winner scored 27 goals and provided three assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.46 games.

In comparison, Jesus produced 16 goal involvements in 36 games, while Havertz hit 21 in 51, equating to a goal involvement every 2.25 and 2.42 games, respectively.

Interestingly, even though the Argentine, who renowned football podcaster Angelo Valdes described as “the best 9 in the world,” has been a little less effective this term, he’s still comfortably ahead, with a tally of 17 goals and six assists in 38 appearances.

In contrast, the Gunners’ Brazilian forward has nine goal involvements in 27 games, and the German has hit 15 goals and five assists in 34 games.

For his part, Merino actually has the best goal involvement-to-game ratio of the lot, as he’s found the back of the net three times and provided one assist in five appearances up top.

However, two of those goals came against Leicester, while the other and his assist arrived in the 7-1 thrashing of PSV Eindhoven.

In the other games, against West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, he looked entirely out of his depth with football.london’s Tom Canton awarding him match ratings of just 5/10 for each encounter.

Ultimately, Arsenal have a number of talented forwards, but none can be described as prolific, and while Arteta couldn’t rely on Merino to step up when he needed him to, Martínez’s incredible trophy haul suggests he very much could be relied upon.

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