Tag Futebol

MatériaMais Notícias

Autor dos três gols da vitória do Novorizontino sobre o Corinthians por 3 a 1, na Neo Química Arena, Jenison comemorou o fato de voltar a marcar após um ano de jejum e comentou a situação de Yuri Alberto, atacante do Timão que foi barrado por Mano Menezes e começou o duelo no banco de reservas.

continua após a publicidade

– Passar muito tempo sem marcar é muito complicado, a gente vê o Yuri Alberto aí, que conseguiu marcar um gol depois de um longo tempo, mas é isso, todo camisa 9 vai passar por um período assim, mas a gente tem que continuar trabalhando e não desacreditar – disse Jenison.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

➡️ Novorizontino passeia em Itaquera, e Corinthians amarga quarta derrota seguida no Paulistão

Em má fase neste início da temporada, o camisa 9 corintiano perdeu a vaga entre os titulares após a chegada de Pedro Raul, contratado junto ao Toluca, do México, por 5 milhões de dólares (R$ 25 milhões).

continua após a publicidade

No entanto, ele foi o responsável por anotar o único gol da equipe do Parque São Jorge no duelo, depois de permanecer quatro rodadas sem balançar as redes.

O próximo compromisso do Corinthians é na quarta-feira (7), contra o Santos, às 19h (de Brasília), na Vila Belmiro, pela sexta rodada do Paulistão. 

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

Campeonato PaulistaCorinthiansFutebol Nacional

Uncapped batter Pavan Rathnayake is in line to make his debut for Sri Lanka after being named in their 16-member squad for the limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe.Sri Lanka also recalled Nuwanidu Fernando, who has been knocking on the national team’s door for a while. The 25-year-old made his ODI debut in January 2023, but has played only five ODIs and a solitary T20I so far.Nuwanidu’s recent performances, though, have made him hard to ignore. He struck 122 runs, including a match-winning 82, across two List A games against Australia A in Darwin last month, to go with a first-class century on the same tour. In the recent SLC T20 League, a three-team invitational tournament designed to help selectors finalise squads ahead of the Asia Cup and this Zimbabwe tour, Nuwanidu hit two half-centuries in four innings.Meanwhile, Pavan, who will turn 23 in three days, is another batter who has made waves domestically. He, too, struck a hundred in the second first-class fixture against Australia A, and continued that form back home. Playing for Colombo Cricket Club in the Major Clubs Limited Overs Tournament, Rathnayake scored 63 in the semi-final, and a career-best 158* in the final.Both Pavan and Nuwanidu are also comfortable clearing the boundary, and could inject some power into Sri Lanka’s middle order. With the ODI World Cup still two years away, both will be looking to stake a permanent claim in the side. Sadeera Samarawickrama was also brought back into the fold having last played ODIs in November 2024 and T20Is in June 2024.Sri Lanka’s tour of Zimbabwe begins with two ODIs on August 29 and 31, before the three-match T20I series starts on September 3. All matches will be played in Harare. Those who missed out on getting selected were Avishka Fernando, Eshan Malinga and the injured Wanindu Hasaranga.Hasaranga is still recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered during Sri Lanka’s last series, which was against Bangladesh last month. Jeffrey Vandersay and Maheesh Theekshana provide the frontline spin-bowling options in his absence. Allrounders Dunith Wellalage, Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka round off the spin contingent.The seam-bowling group includes Asitha Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka and allrounder Milan Rathnayake.

Sri Lanka’s ODI squad

Charith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Pavan Rathnayake, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milan Rathnayake, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera

Brendan Rodgers could return to the Premier League after two years, as the ex-Liverpool manager is being deemed the front-runner to become Wolves' new head coach, replacing Vitor Pereira at the helm. The Portuguese coach was relieved of his duties following the club's humiliating 3-0 defeat against Fulham this weekend, which left them winless after their first 10 league matches.

• Pereira shown the door

  After weeks of speculation over Pereira, the Wolves boss was finally shown the door on Sunday after they suffered a 3-0 defeat against Fulham and remained winless in their first 10 matches of the 2025-26 campaign. The club are currently languishing at the bottom of the table with just two points. Pereira helped Wolves avoid relegation last season and had even penned a new three-year contract with the club in September, only to be sacked just under two months later. 

  After the loss at Fulham, Pereira had said: "I’m disappointed today. I’m not proud of my work, of our work, because I don’t know why. I don’t know if it’s because mentally, we put a lot of energy in the last game against Chelsea until the last minute. But what I realised today was a very difficult game for us, tactically, technically, physically. We played maybe one of the worst games that we’ve played. Even with 11 against 11, since the first minute the energy to move, the offensive dynamic, and the energy to press was not there.

  "After five minutes, I started to realise that something is missing today. But the game was balanced, because even then, they were not playing in a high level. But after the goal, we tried to do something, but not in our level. After the red card, it was very difficult for us."

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Rodgers set for Premier League return

  According to multiple media reports, former Liverpool and Leicester City manager Rodgers is poised to make a comeback to the Premier League after three years, as Wolves are considering appointing the Irish manager as their next permanent head coach. Earlier this week, Scottish Premiership giants Celtic announced that Rodgers had tendered his resignation, news which raised eyebrows across Scottish football. After suffering a surprise 2-0 loss at the hands of Dundee on 19 October, the Bhoys were consigned to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since 2023 following the reverse against Hearts on Sunday.

  In their statement, Celtic said: "Celtic Football Club can confirm that football manager Brendan Rodgers has today tendered his resignation. It has been accepted by the Club and Brendan will leave his role with immediate effect. The Club appreciates Brendan’s contribution to Celtic during his two very successful periods at the Club. Brendan leaves Celtic with our thanks for the role he has played during a period of continued success for the Club and we wish him further success in the future. The process to appoint a new permanent manager is underway and the Club will update supporters further on this as soon as possible."

• Pereira angrily confronted fans after Burnley loss

  After last weekend's 3-2 defeat against Burnley, an angry confrontation took place between Pereira and the Wolves supporters, with the head coach needing to be pulled away. 

  Following the ugly scene at Molineux, Pereira defended his action by saying: "We understand the frustration of the people and supporters but what I must say, if we fight united with them, we can win games and compete and achieve our targets – without them, it is impossible. If we win two or three games in a row, things will change. Two months ago they sang my name, because together with the work we did last season, we are competing in the Premier League and not the Championship. 

  "Now they sing my name to sack me. If I was a supporter, I would feel proud of my team because they worked and showed the spirit, mentality and ambition to win the game, even losing 2-0 [after 30 minutes]. If you fight for 90 minutes to win a game and in the last minute, when the other team was trying to get a draw, wasting time to finish the game, defending in a low block to defend the result, even if we draw it was not fair. We deserved the three points but it's football. I feel proud of my players because they showed in a very difficult moment, the mentality, the team spirit, the organisation to try until the last minute to win the game."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What next?

  Relegation-threatened Wolves next face Enzo Maresca's Chelsea in a difficult Premier League encounter on November 8, which means the club have to act swiftly to finalise their next manager before their upcoming clash, which is only six days from now.

The MLSPA revealed MLS player salaries for 2025, and for the third straight year, Inter Miami's Lionel Messi is the highest paid player in the league. The report offered insight into new additions, including LAFC's Son Heung-Min, Messi's teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the Vancouver Whitecaps' Thomas Muller, and Colorado Rapids' Paxten Aaronson.

Getty Images SportThe top 10 highest-paid players

Inter Miami had two players in the top three: Messi at $20.45 million and Sergio Busquets third at $8.8 million. It is worth noting Messi's recent contract extension is not reflected in these numbers. LAFC's new star Son is second to Messi at $11.45 million. Atlanta United's Miguel Almiron and San Diego FC's Hirving "Chucky" Lozano round out the top five.

The 10 MLS players with the highest guaranteed compensation in 2025 Rank Player Club Guaranteed Compensation

1Lionel MessiMiami$20.45M2Son Heung-MinLAFC$11.15M3Sergio BusquetsMiami$8.78M4Miguel AlmironAtlanta$7.87M5Hirving LozanoSan Diego$7.63M6Emil ForsbergRBNY$6.04M7Jordi AlbaMiami$6.00M8Riqui PuigLA Galaxy$5.78M9Jonathan BambaChicago$5.58M10Hany MukhtarNashville$5.31MAdvertisementGetty Images SportAssessing the summer signing salaries

This report also revealed the salaries for De Paul and Aaronson. It is worth noting that the salaries of De Paul and the New England Revolution's Matt Turner represent the compensation the clubs are paying while the players are on loan in MLS. 

Top 10 Highest-Paid MLS Newcomers in 2025 Player Club Guaranteed Compensation

Son Heung-MinLAFC$11.15MRodrigo De PaulInter Miami$3.67M*Nico FernándezNYCFC$3.65MKristoffer VeldePortland Timbers$3.03MDjordje MihailovicToronto FC$2.28MPaxten AaronsonColorado Rapids$2.23MWessam Abou AliColumbus Crew$2.18MIván JaimeCF Montréal$1.99MMatt TurnerNew England Revolution$1.94MRwan CruzReal Salt Lake$1.86MGetty Images SportMLS payrolls

The report also shed light on team payrolls. Inter Miami, at $48.97M, outpace the rest of the league by $18.87 million – with that gap alone higher than the payrolls of 15 clubs in the league. The Herons will have $14.78 million come off the books following this season due to the  retirements of Busquets and Jordi Alba – which could lead to the club bringing in even more talent. 

LAFC are second at $30.1M, while Atlanta United ($28.5M), FC Cincinnati ($23.2M), and the Chicago Fire ($23.1 M) round out the top five. 

Guaranteed Compensation for MLS Franchises in 2025 (Source: MLS Players Association) Club Guaranteed Compensation

Inter Miami$48.97MLAFC$30.1MAtlanta United$28.5MFC Cincinnati$23.2MChicago Fire$23.1MNashville SC$22.4MPortland Timbers$22.4MLA Galaxy$22.3MSan Diego FC$22.3MNew York Red Bulls$22.1MColumbus Crew$19.2MNew England Revolution$19.1MCharlotte FC$19.0MNYCFC$18.8MSeattle Sounders$18.3MSporting Kansas City$17.6MVancouver Whitecaps$17.6MSan Jose Earthquakes$17.1MSt. Louis City$16.9MHouston Dynamo$16.8MOrlando City$16.1MAustin FC$15.7MReal Salt Lake$15.7MD.C. United$14.9MColorado Rapids$14.6MMinnesota United$14.5MToronto FC$13.7MPhiladelphia Union$13.4MFC Dallas$13.4MCF Montréal$12.92MENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesInter Miami frustrating the league?

While Messi has voiced MLS needs more spending, there have reportedly been some frustrations on how his team was able to circumvent the salary cap rules to sign De Paul, according to The Athletic.

It is worth noting that the Whitecaps used a similar mechanism with Thomas Muller, albeit not a loan, but they did sign the German to a smaller deal this season before a DP option for next season. Muller is making $1.44 million this season, according to the MLSPA. 

Luke Wells’ first century of the season soothed Lancashire’s current pain and helped them just about shade the opening day of their Rothesay County Championship match against Derbyshire at Emirates Old Trafford.The home side’s players began the day at the bottom of Division Two and with their director of cricket Mark Chilton’s warning that he would make the changes necessary to get their season “back on track” fresh in their minds.But new skipper Marcus Harris’s batsmen took advantage of the invitation to have first use of a what looks a good cricket wicket to finish on 250 for five with Wells making 141 and Matty Hurst, 51.The pair but on 121 but a run-rate of 2.6 suggests Lancashire will do well to collect three batting bonus points. Derbyshire, who began the day in second place, might therefore be happy with their efforts to contain Lancashire’s batsmen. The impressive Ben Aitchison finished the day with three for 51 and the New Zealander, Blair Tickner, took two for 59.In the morning session, Lancashire recovered from the loss of Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon with just 11 runs on the board to reach 67 for two at lunch.Jennings, who stepped down as four-day captain earlier this week, was caught at second slip by Wayne Madsen off Tickner for two and Bohannon was pouched by wicketkeeper Brooke Guest for three when he tickled a Aitchison delivery down the leg side.Resuming in the afternoon on 40, Wells took only seven deliveries to reach a 92-ball half-century, his progress assisted by successive boundaries off Aitchison. Indeed, the temper of the day changed in the first half-hour or so of the session as the third-wicket pair rattled up 47 runs in ten overs.That progress was immediately halted when Harris fished at the next ball from Tickner and Madsen clung on to a high two-handed catch above his head. The dismissal of Lancashire’s new skipper for 45 ended his 103-run stand with Wells and it greatly slowed the home side’s momentum without seriously disrupting it.Wells and Hurst had put on 51 for the fourth wicket at tea, by which time the Lancashire opener was 14 short of his century and the Derbyshire attack had done well to restrict the home side to a modest scoring rate.Three balls after the resumption, Harry Came’s wayward throw presented Wells with the four overthrows that took him into the nineties and he reached his 27th first-class century and his ninth for Lancashire with a cover-driven four off the former Lancashire slow left-armer, Jack Morley. He had faced 212 balls and hit 13 fours.Hurst reached his fifty off 129 deliveries but was beaten off the pitch and bowled by Aitchison two balls later. That ended his 121-run stand with Wells and four overs later the same bowler produced a vicious lifter to have the former Sussex batsman caught in the gully by Caleb Jewell.

Ollie Price and Miles Hammond both made fifties as Gloucestershire produced a determined response to Lancashire’s first-innings 450 on the second day of the Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.Replying to the home side’s formidable total, in which Marcus Harris made 167 and Ajeet Singh Dale took three for 67, the visitors were 184 for 2 at the close with Price on 54 not out and Hammond unbeaten on 57. The pair have so far put on an unbroken 110 for Gloucestershire’s third wicket.Two days are left in this evenly poised match but barring collapses, it is difficult to see either side being bowled out twice on an easy-paced wicket after three sessions on Saturday in which 94 overs were bowled, 292 runs were scored and only seven wickets fell.In the first session, the home side’s attempt to push on towards 400 and four batting points was seriously hampered by the dismissal of Harris, who had added only two runs to his overnight score when he was leg before wicket to Ajeet Singh Dale for 167 in the fifth over of the morning.Lancashire eventually needed 14 off the 110th over for that fourth point but after hitting a six off Josh Shaw’s first ball, Luke Wells was lbw for 38 to the second and his side had to settle for three points, which are as many as they had collected in their three previous games put together.George Balderson was trapped in front for six just four overs later but Tom Hartley and Tom Bailey took their side to 437 for 8 at lunch.Hartley and Bailey added only 13 runs in the afternoon session before Lancashire lost their last two wickets to successive balls from Tom Price. Hartley was caught behind by James Bracey for 32 and and John Turner collected his second successive golden duck when he was lbw.Cameron Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth launched Gloucestershire’s reply to their hosts’ formidable total with a serene stand of 47 and Lancashire had to wait over an hour for their first breakthrough, which came when Balderson jagged one back through Bancroft’s gate and bowled the Australian for 18 to claim his hundredth first-class wicket.The next wicket fell four overs before tea when Charlesworth was beaten in the flight by Tom Hartley’s seventh ball of the innings and chipped an easy return catch to the bowler. The opener’s dismissal for a polished 43 left Gloucestershire on 74 for 2 but Price and Hammond batted resolutely after tea to prevent Keaton Jennings’ attack making further breakthroughs.Hammond swept and reverse-swept Tom Hartley to the ropes but Price’s front foot drive through wide mid-on off John Turner was comfortably the shot of the session, if not the day, and it epitomised Gloucestershire’s dominance in the evening session. For Lancashire, Balderson finished with 1 for 35 and Hartley 1 for 37.

After winning the opening day Premier League clash against Everton at Elland Road, Leeds United fans had a newfound sense of excitement – but it’s safe to say they’ve come back down to earth with a bang.

Daniel Farke’s side lost 5-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates, before falling at the first hurdle in the Carabao Cup to a youthful Sheffield Wednesday outfit earlier this week.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin made his debut in the game at Hillsborough, coming off the bench, but it was an outing for the new addition to forget – missing three big chances before failing to convert in the penalty shootout.

The 28-year-old took the second spot kick, but blazed his effort over the bar, subsequently contributing to the Whites’ early exit from the cup competition.

However, with the transfer window coming to a close in the next few days, new attacking talent are still being targeted, potentially helping Calvert-Lewin in his quest for success in Yorkshire.

Leeds’ hunt to land a star who’d help Calvert-Lewin

Over the last couple of days, Brighton & Hove Albion star Facundo Buonanotte has been touted with a move to join Leeds, potentially moving to Yorkshire on a temporary basis.

A deal has now collapsed for the Argentine’s signature, with fellow Premier League club Chelsea now set to swoop in and complete a deal for his signature before Monday’s deadline.

However, another option has emerged in their sights, with Sheffield United star Gustavo Hamer a player they could turn to in the coming days, according to journalist Joe Donnohue.

He claims that the Blades are open to letting the Dutchman leave before Monday’s transfer deadline, with a loan with an option to buy of £15m being mooted. As Donnohue notes, Leeds have been in the mix for his signature already this summer.

The journalist also stated that the 28-year-old isn’t pushing for a move away from Bramall Lane, but could be open to a return to the Premier League in the coming days.

Why Leeds’ latest target would get Calvert-Lewin firing

Leeds’ deal to land Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer earlier this summer handed the side an experienced Premier League option, but there were undoubtedly doubts about his injury record.

The Englishman missed 15 games last season through various injuries, with the Whites’ fanbase hoping that the 28-year-old can avoid a repeat of such setbacks during his time in Yorkshire.

However, his debut earlier this week wasn’t the greatest first impression, desperately needing to find the back of the net in the coming games to help him settle into life in Yorkshire.

He’s registered 57 goals in England’s top-flight throughout his career, having the experience and previous record to help play a crucial role in the club’s hunt for survival.

Calvert-Lewin would be aided by Hamer should the Blades star make the move to Elland Road, possessing serious quality in the final third – something which is needed before the window closes.

Such a move would be an excellent one, offering Farke an added presence within the final third – but also softening the blow after missing out on Buonanotte’s signature.

When comparing Hamer’s stats to those of the Argentine from last season, he managed to outperform him in numerous areas, highlighting the quality he would offer to the current first-team squad.

The United star, who’s been labelled “outrageous” by one analyst, registered more combined goals and assists throughout 2024/25, highlighting the threat he possesses when in attacking areas.

His ability to create chances for his teammates was just impressive, notching more progressive passes per 90, with more of his efforts being defined as key passes – able to hand Calvert-Lewin the chance to impress at Elland Road.

How Hamer & Buonanotte compared throughout 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)	Hamer	Buonanotte
Games played	41	31
Goals & assists	16	7
Key passes	2.1	1.4
Progressive passes	6.4	3.2
Shot-creating actions	4.5	3.1
Passes into final third	4.4	2.4
Take-ons completed	43%	33%
Carries into the final third	1.6	1.5
Crosses completed	4.1	2.5
Stats via FBref

The Englishman’s biggest asset is his aerial ability, as seen by his tally of 4.8 aerials won per 90 last season, something which Hamer could massively aid, given his tally of 4.1 crosses completed per 90 last season.

Other numbers, such as 4.5 shot-creating actions and a 43% take-on success rate – showcase his ability to take the ball into dangerous areas, before either getting a shot off or teeing up a teammate.

A deal for Hamer would be an excellent deal for Farke’s side, subsequently landing a player who has proven his talents in recent months – whilst also finally landing a long-standing target.

If he can replicate his numbers from last season across Yorkshire, he would be a superb addition – and one that could help Calvert-Lewin make himself a fan-favourite during his own spell in Yorkshire.

Better than Calvert-Lewin: Leeds pushing hard to sign £17.5m "nightmare"

Leeds could sign an upgrade on Dominic Calvert-Lewin before the transfer window closes.

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 29, 2025

The summer transfer window has been dominated by Newcastle United’s pursuit of a new number nine.

VIP Tickets

Secure your matchday experience with Seat Unique.

See at Seat Unique

The Magpies began the season without a recognised centre-forward, and while their performance away at Aston Villa showed flashes of quality, the lack of a natural striker proved costly in front of goal.

At the heart of the situation is Alexander Isak.

The Swedish international has made it clear that he has no intention of reintegrating with Eddie Howe’s squad. Despite being under contract, Isak is not training with the first-team and reiterated in a social media post that broken promises had left both sides with no option but to seek change.

His stance has left Newcastle in a difficult position: they will not sanction his dream move to Liverpool until a replacement has been secured.

That urgency is compounded by the fact that several of their targets have already slipped away.

Benjamin Šeško joined Manchester United, while Wolves are refusing to entertain offers for Jørgen Strand Larsen.

Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson remains a name of interest, but Aston Villa and Bayern Munich are also interested, further complicating matters.

Newcastle’s recruitment team has been forced to weigh their options carefully.

With four competitions to compete in this season, they cannot afford to gamble on an unproven forward.

Instead, they are searching for a player who can score consistently at Premier League level and immediately shoulder the pressure of leading the line.

England international emerges on Newcastle's radar

According to Craig Hope of the Daily Mail, Newcastle “really like” Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

The England international has established himself as one of the division’s most reliable strikers, scoring 16 times in 38 appearances in the Premier League last season.

Villa manager Unai Emery is desperate to keep hold of his talisman, placing a £60m valuation on the 29-year-old, but Newcastle see him as an ideal solution to their striker dilemma.

Watkins is not the only forward on their radar.

Brentford’s Yoane Wissa has pushed for a move, even going as far as to remove references to the Bees from his social media accounts before reluctantly returning to training.

The Congolese forward is fresh off the best season of his career, scoring 19 goals in 35 appearances.

However, Brentford’s asking price of £60m, coupled with the fact that Wissa will turn 29 in September and could miss a portion of the 2026 season due to AFCON, makes him a less attractive prospect for Newcastle.

Strand Larsen, meanwhile, also carries a similar price tag.

Wolves value him at around £60m, which reflects both his strong debut campaign of 14 Premier League goals and his importance following the departure of Matheus Cunha to Manchester United.

But with Wolves unwilling to sell, Newcastle may be forced to move on quickly rather than get caught in another prolonged negotiation.

When set against these options, Watkins’ appeal becomes clear.

He is also homegrown, experienced at international level, and has a track record of maintaining fitness and availability – a crucial factor given how many fixtures Newcastle may play this season.

Why Newcastle should sign Ollie Watkins

The numbers help illustrate why Newcastle rate Watkins so highly compared to Wissa and Strand Larsen.

Each enjoyed a strong 2024/25 campaign, but Watkins edges the contest in the areas that matter most to Eddie Howe’s side.

Premier League 2024/25
	Ollie Watkins	Yoane Wissa	Jorgen Strand Larsen
Goals	16	19	14
Assists	8	4	4
Shots	82	90	54
Pass Completion Rate	72.4%	76.5%	64.6%
Shot Creating Actions	53	69	42
Source: FBref

According to FBref, Watkins registered 24 goal involvements across 38 appearances – a marginal advantage over Wissa (23 in 35) but a clear lead over Strand Larsen (18 in 35). This demonstrates his ability to finish chances, something Newcastle lacked in their draw at Villa Park.

Looking deeper, Watkins’ game reflects a balance of off-the-ball movement and link-up play.

His progressive carries per 90 (1.90) are just ahead of Wissa (1.85) and far superior to Strand Larsen (0.59), underlining his ability to drive the ball forward and stretch defences.

While he lags behind Wissa in progressive passing distance (33.7 per 90 compared to 49.9), he makes up for it with a more well-rounded contribution in and around the penalty area.

The statistics also highlight Watkins’ reliability in front of goal.

His shot-on-target percentage (43.9%) is competitive with Wissa (45.6%) and Strand Larsen (61.1%), but what stands out is his volume: Watkins averaged 1.25 shots on target per 90, ahead of Larsen’s 1.15.

Given Newcastle’s need for a striker who will consistently test goalkeepers, Watkins’ steady output is a strong selling point.

There are other factors working in his favour.

Unlike Wissa, Watkins does not face the prospect of missing time due to AFCON commitments, and unlike Strand Larsen, he does not represent a gamble on a player with just one season in English football.

Instead, he offers Newcastle a forward who has proven he can sustain a high level of performance in one of the league’s most tactically demanding systems under Emery.

Of course, Watkins is not flawless.

His take-on success rate (24.4%) lags behind both Wissa (30.6%) and Strand Larsen (40.0%), suggesting he is less effective when asked to beat defenders one-on-one.

But Newcastle’s system under Howe rarely relies on individual dribbling in advanced positions. Instead, it values runs in behind, pressing from the front, and efficient finishing – all of which Watkins excels at.

"Sack him" – Alan Shearer reacts to "ridiculous" Isak and Newcastle update

The Magpies legend hasn’t held back.

2

By
Charlie Smith

Aug 21, 2025

Ultimately, the comparison makes the logic behind Newcastle’s interest clear. At £60m, he is an expensive option, yet for a club determined to make a home for themselves in Europe, it may prove the most reliable investment.

Readers like you help support FootballFanCast. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.

عانى أحد لاعبي فريق برشلونة من إصابة في نهاية المباراة المخيبة للآمال، عصر يوم الأحد، ضد فريق إشبيلية، في بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.

واستضاف ملعب “رامون سانشيز بيزخوان” مباراة برشلونة وإشبيلية، في خضم منافسات الجولة الثامنة من الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26.

وتعرض برشلونة لهزيمة مذلة على يد إشبيلية، بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف، ليتجمد رصيده عند 19 نقطة في المركز الثاني (لمطالعة التفاصيل بأكملها من هنا).

وبمجرد إطلاق صافرة نهاية المباراة، ظهر ماركوس راشفورد وهو ساقط على أرض الملعب، حيث بدا متأثرًا بإصابة ما غير معروفة، وتوجه إليه الطاقم الطبي لفريق برشلونة من أجل التعامل معه.

وشارك ماركوس راشفورد في مباراة اليوم بأكملها وسجل هدف برشلونة الوحيد قبل نهاية الشوط الأول، بعد تمريرة رائعة من بيدري.

With Liverpool’s summer of spending potentially set to reach new levels, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards have reportedly returned to the Bundesliga in pursuit of defensive reinforcement.

Liverpool given fresh encouragement in Isak saga

Liverpool have never been the Premier League’s big spenders. Instead, they achieved much of their success under Jurgen Klopp by getting the best out of talents such as Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, who all arrived for what proved to be undeniable bargains.

Even when Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Alisson Becker arrived to truly transform the Reds back into English champions, it didn’t happen without the sacrifice of Philippe Coutinho. And the summer that they did hold the Premier League crown, Anfield chiefs opted for a quiet summer before losing their crown to Manchester City.

Liverpool hijack Arsenal deal for attacker with medical already held

The Gunners reached a verbal agreement weeks ago.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 30, 2025

With Hughes and Edwards now out to make a statement, however, things have changed. First through the door was Jeremie Frimpong, then came their first blockbuster move, breaking the British transfer record to beat Man City and Bayern Munich to Florian Wirtz. But they weren’t done there.

Since then, both Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike have arrived to take Liverpool’s spending close to the £300m-mark. Once again, however, they are still not done there.

After Alexander Isak dropped the bombshell news that he wants to leave Newcastle United this summer, Liverpool have turned their attention towards the Swede who has now reportedly gone missing from the Magpies’ training in hopes of pushing through a departure.

Following Luis Diaz’s Bayern Munich move, which will reportedly see Liverpool pocket around £65.5m, the Premier League champions now look destined to return to the transfer market yet again this summer.

Liverpool launch first Piero Hincapie move

According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have now launched their opening enquiry to sign Piero Hincapie. The talented defender looked to be on his way to Atletico Madrid earlier this summer, only for the Spaniards to refuse to meet his £53m release clause.

Now, it’s Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Liverpool who have set their sights on the Bayer Leverkusen man. Unlike earlier deals for Frimpong and Wirtz, however, clubs have reportedly been told that Hincapie is not for sale this summer, despite scouting the defender throughout last season on the same trips they watched Wirtz.

Whether Liverpool can change Leverkusen’s stance is the big question. They’ve already signed two of their key men, so a third in one summer would certainly be an interesting move. But Hincapie is certainly worth chasing.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)	Piero Hincapie	Ibrahima Konate
Minutes	2,670	2,560
Progressive Passes	152	115
Ball Recoveries	105	98
Successful Aerial Duels	65	74

Dubbed a “great player” by former Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, Hincapie would be the perfect replacement for Ibrahima Konate, who is on course to leave Liverpool as a free agent next year, and already knows both Frimpong and Wirtz well.