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Sunderland are the early big spenders out of all the newly promoted teams heading up to the Premier League.

Leeds have secured three new buys in the form of Lukas Nmecha, Jaka Bijol, and Sebastiaan Bornauw, but the Whites’ promising business has been blown out of the water by the Black Cats’ lavish approach, as seen in Sunderland forking out a combined £50m to land both Enzo Le Fee and Habib Diarra.

Plenty more luxurious buys could soon be on the menu away from this club-record £30m deal, as Regis Le Bris eyes up Ligue 1 and beyond to improve his budding squad.

More transfers expected at Sunderland

Le Bris must know the French top division inside and out, having previously been at the helm of ex-employers Lorient in the division.

Transfer Focus

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

He’s certainly clued up on those who he thinks could take the Premier League by storm, with Sunderland reportedly interested in the likes of Lyon’s electric attacker Georges Mikautadze and standout Toulouse centre-back Charlie Cresswell to immediately improve their first-team options, while they are also allegedly keeping close tabs on 20-year-old starlet Arthur Evom Ebong.

Yet, his next buy could see him venture out to Serie A to try and link up with Matteo Guendouzi.

Indeed, reports from Italy suggest that Lazio are scared about the prospect of keeping their star Frenchman around this summer, with Aston Villa, neighbours Newcastle United and Sunderland named as interested parties.

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Although it is reported that Sunderland may have to splash out a club-record £43m to land Guendouzi, it could be a worthwhile splurge to make, even as the Black Cats edge closer to adding Noah Sadiki to their plentiful midfield options.

His wealth of Premier League experience could potentially be invaluable to the Wearside underdogs as they climb back up to the top-flight, alongside the fact that the 26-year-old has turned into an even more formidable central midfield option in Italy.

Why Guendouzi would be a better signing than Sadiki

Of course, Sadiki could go on to be another youngster that Sunderland manage to get the very best out of, with the Congo international no doubt joining the Stadium of Light ranks dreaming of becoming the Black Cats’ next Jobe Bellingham-style project.

Last season, the 20-year-old undoubtedly impressed those out in Belgium, with the versatile Saint-Union Gilloise number 27 helping himself to two goals for his Europa League-competing outfit across the 2024/25 campaign, leading to Sunderland making their £17.75m move.

Yet, if it’s immediate success Sunderland are after – instead of waiting around for a youngster to learn the Premier League ropes – Guendouzi is their next best possible buy.

The 6-foot-1 battler is very much well-versed in what it takes to be a competent performer in some top leagues, having now made a mammoth 151 appearances in both Ligue 1 and Serie A, away from just his 57 top-flight outings in North London.

He will no doubt be chomping at the bit to return to England, too, considering he wasn’t always the star of the show at the Gunners. Still, even from just 23 Premier League starts during his final Arsenal season, he still showed off his presence as a “monster” – as he’s been glowing labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – winning 4.8 duels per game.

Games played

37

Goals scored

1

Assists

3

Touches*

68.3

Accurate passes*

52.1 (91%)

Ball recoveries*

4.7

The 26-year-old has since refined other aspects of his varied game at the Stadio Olimpico, with the table above showing off his well-rounded characteristics as a far more confident and assured performer when averaging a mightily impressive 91% pass accuracy last season in the hustle and bustle of Serie A.

If there’s any manager that could get even more of Guendouzi, too, it’s Le Bris, with the popular Wearside boss once coaching the Frenchman during the early stages of his football education at Lorient.

Also hailed as possessing “something special” by journalist Aaron West in the past, it does feel as if the time is right for the ex-Gunners midfielder to return to England and be a star, whilst Sadiki waits for his moment in the spotlight down the line.

Shades of Cresswell: Sunderland now in advanced talks to sign £4m star

Sunderland will be looking to the future if they successfully snap up this £4m gem.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 3, 2025

Alzarri Joseph is also back after he was rested for the last Test series, but not as vice-captain

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2024

West Indies allrounder Jason Holder will miss the upcoming two home Tests against Bangladesh starting at the end of the month to continue his shoulder rehabilitation. Offspinner Kevin Sinclair, meanwhile, returns to the side after recovering from an injury that made him miss West Indies’ last Test series, against South Africa at home in August.Right-arm quick Anderson Phillip also returned to the side, having last played a Test in December 2022 in Australia. Phillip is coming fresh on the back of a few wickets for Trinidad & Tobago in the domestic 50-over competition, which followed his county stint for Lancashire that he ended with a match haul of nine wickets against Worcestershire in September end.Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph also returned to the Test fold after he was rested for the South Africa games because of his “considerable workload” at the time. He is currently playing the T20I series against England after featuring in the ODIs against them, although he was suspended for the first two T20Is.Joseph was the vice-captain before he missed the South Africa series and the selectors had named Joshua Da Silva as Kraigg Brathwaite’s deputy in the interim. But even after Joseph’s return for the upcoming series, Da Silva has been retained as vice-captain in the latest 15-man squad.Making way for the returnees are the spinning duo of Gudakesh Motie and the uncapped Bryan Charles. Motie, too, is playing the white-ball games against England, but is not part of the Test side after two unimpressive outings against South Africa. He picked just three wickets in the two matches, including his wicketless showing in Port of Spain. Charlies, the offspinner, has been left out after he didn’t get a Test debut in the South Africa series.The two Tests will start on November 22 in Antigua and on November 30 in Jamaica. Before that, Brathwaite will also lead a CWI Select XI, from a squad of 13, for the two-day warm-up against Bangladesh for November 17 and 18 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.West Indies Test squadKraigg Brathwaite (capt), Joshua Da Silva (vice-capt), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair, Jomel WarricanCWI Select XI squadKraigg Brathwaite (capt), Justin Greaves (vice-capt), Ryan Bandoo, Daniel Beckford, Navian Bidaisee, Joshua Dorne, Nathan Edward, Chaim Holder, Tevin Imlach, Jordan Johnson, Jair McAllister, Shaaron Lewis, Kimani Melius

London Spirit won a low-scoring contest against Welsh Fire by three wickets to secure their first win of The Hundred men’s competition at Lord’s.Liam Dawson and Nathan Ellis claimed three wickets apiece as Fire could manage just 94 for nine, with Dan Worrell’s first 10 balls of the game all dots to set the tone.Matt Henry claimed three quick wickets to give Fire hope, but Dan Lawrence kept a cool head in a nervy chase with an unbeaten 29 which enabled Shimron Hetmyer to freedom muscle an unbeaten 30 and steer the hosts home with 13 balls remaining.Tom Kohler-Cadmore was unable to score off Worrall’s opening 10 balls and departed soon after when Andre Russell held a good catch running backwards off Olly Stone.Worrall got his reward to remove Luke Wells, who hit the only two sixes of the innings, and Dawson bowled Joe Clarke as Jonny Bairstow could only watch on as he faced just two of the first 35 balls.The England man got away a couple of boundaries when he finally got the strike but was bowled swiping against the line to give Ellis his first wicket.From there Ellis and Dawson put on the squeeze, conceding just 26 from their 40 balls combined. World Cup winner Dawson showed all his skill on the two-paced surface, returning three for 10, as Fire limped to a score that was never likely to be enough.The Welsh side needed early wickets and Henry provided them prising out Michael Pepper, Ollie Pope and Adam Rossington to leave Spirit 25 for three.Haris Rauf, who would later be on a hat-trick, had Ravi Bopara caught behind before Lawrence and Hetmyer settled home nerves in a 46-run stand.After doing the heavy lifting Lawrence skied a catch off Rauf, who bowled Russell next ball, and Hetmyer rode his luck after being dropped while Bairstow missed a tough stumping.The West Indian remained and crunched a six to finish the game and get the Spirit’s campaign up and running.Meerkat Match Hero Dawson said: “Tonight was a very big game for us after losing the first two. To get over the line will give us a huge amount of confidence. I have started nicely – it was a nice pitch to bowl on to put the ball in the right area and let the pitch do the work. It got a little bit tight in the end.”Spirit captain Lawrence said: “Hopefully we can get a roll now and keep performing like that. The mistake I made was trying to get the game done as soon as possible. I was just trying to stay in and take calculated risks.”

da betsul： Sunderland are now “increasingly likely” to complete the signing of a defender in the summer transfer window, according to a promising transfer update.

Le Bris bullish about Sunderland's summer

da pinnacle： The Black Cats are still basking in the glory of being promoted back to the Premier League from the Championship amid joyous scenes at Wembley last month. Regis Le Bris made it clear that he is already focusing on new signings, however, saying how he expects the summer to pan out at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland have been linked with a move for young Liverpool striker Jayden Danns, with talks even reportedly held over a move to the club. The Englishman joined the Black Cats on loan in January, but a back injury put paid to his chances of even playing a single minute.

Elsewhere, former defender Wes Brown has also talked up Sunderland’s chances of bringing Jordan Henderson back to his old club: “Going back to Sunderland would make sense. He’d understand that he might not play every week, but when needed, definitely show the heart.”

Sunderland "increasingly likely" to sign defender

According to Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Sunderland are now “increasingly likely” to have a chance of signing Reims defender Cedric Kipre, as he expects to leave his current club this summer. Le Bris is thought to consider the 28-year-old a “serious option” for his side, no doubt knowing that he needs to bolster his defence ahead of the return to the Premier League.

Kipre is a player who already has a wealth of experience in British football, having racked up a total of 206 appearances in the Championship and Scottish Premiership combined after leaving PSG’s academy, during spells with the likes of Wigan Athletic, West Brom, Cardiff City and Motherwell.

He won the Baggies Supporters’ Player of the Season award in 2023/24, starting all 46 matches in the Championship and averaging 3.6 clearances and 2.3 aerial duel wins per game in the competition that year.

This all highlights what a strong option Kipre could be for Sunderland, even though he hasn’t yet played in the Premier League, with his experience of Ligue 1 no doubt helping him.

Related Sunderland to hold talks over move for "brilliant" Premier League forward

The Black Cats are making moves ahead of their top-flight return.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Jun 1, 2025

The Ivorian could provide great competition for minutes to the likes of Dan Ballard and Luke O’Nien, potentially even being a starter from the off, and the fact that his exit from Reims looks likely could only be a good thing for the Black Cats.

Aguirre’s team will return to action during the September FIFA window, facing Japan on Sept. 6 and South Korea on Sept. 9.

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• El Tri claimed their 10th Gold Cup title
• Aguirre delivers results – but doubts remain
• Malagón faces heavy criticism

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Javier Aguirre has revived the Mexican national team, both in spirit and results. Since taking over for a third time in July 2024 – after Mexico’s Nations League loss to the U.S. under Jaime Lozano – Aguirre has made it a priority to restore pride, identity, and unity within. His mission is working: Mexico won their first Nations League earlier this year and just captured its 10th Gold Cup title with a 2-1 win over the United States.

  “The players want to be here again. I see pride in representing the country,” Aguirre said post-match. “There used to be complaints about bonuses or travel. Not anymore. The connection with the fans is back.”

  While Mexico didn’t show their best football during the tournament, the results speak for themselves. Aguirre’s leadership is evident.

  “I’m tired… but tonight, not even God takes this beer from me,” he joked after the final.

  With no more official matches before the 2026 World Cup, Mexico will play friendlies against Japan and South Korea in September, then South American opponents in October.

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• AFP
  

  WHAT THE MEXICAN MEDIA SAID

  Mexico may have lifted the Gold Cup – and done so undefeated – but that hasn’t silenced its critics back home. In the wake of Sunday’s victory, much of the Mexican media remains unconvinced by El Tri’s performance and wary about what lies ahead.

  David Faitelson, a journalist for TUDN, offered a blunt reality check.

  "Let’s call it what it is: Mexico beat the U.S. ‘B’ team," he said.

  While acknowledging that Mexico played better and earned the title, Faitelson underscored a key point: the United States did not field their strongest squad.
  Others were even more pointed. Álvaro Morales, an analyst for on ESPN, controversially argued that the result wasn’t enough to secure Javier Aguirre’s place as head coach:

  "He beat a team made up of athletes cut from other sports. The U.S. first team didn’t play, and if not for Luis Ángel Malagón’s late save, the game could’ve ended in a draw," he said.

  Pepe del Bosque of TNT Sports backed that criticism by listing the U.S. stars who were unavailable for the tournament, placing Mexico’s achievement in a broader context:

  "[Cameron] Carter-Vickers of Celtic, [Joe] Scally from Gladbach, [Antonee] Robinson from Fulham, [Sergino Dest] from PSV, [Weston] McKennie from Juventus, [Yunus] Musah from AC Milan, [Christian] Pulisic from AC Milan, [Gio] Reyna from Dortmund, [Tim] Weah from Juventus, Monaco's Folarin Balogun along with Ricardo Pepi of PSV, and others were all missing. Yes, Mexico was better today, but the context matters."

  Amid the criticism, some voices called for perspective. ESPN analyst and former executive Francisco Gabriel de Anda offered a more measured take:

  "Mexico did its job, but winning the Gold Cup doesn’t guarantee success at a World Cup," he said.

  Veteran journalist José Ramón Fernández struck a similar tone, acknowledging the victory but warning that greater challenges lie ahead.

  "Aguirre can enjoy the Gold Cup, but now comes the real challenge. The pressure will only increase from here," he said.

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite doubts about this generation, Aguirre has made the most of young talents like Alexis Vega, Gilberto Mora, and Marcel Ruiz, who were key players in the Gold Cup. With Edson Álvarez emerging as a strong captain, and a solid core including Johan Vásquez and a resurgent Raúl Jiménez, the team looks ready to face 2026 with renewed hope.

  The coaching staff finally looks solid, with Rafael Márquez serving as Aguirre’s assistant. The era of experiments, inexperienced coaches, and foreign managers coming just to cash in seems to be over. The Mexican Football Federation appears to be making the right moves, and the results this summer reflect that.

  A strong generation is emerging. While there may not be a Hugo Sánchez, Rafael Márquez, or Andrés Guardado, this is now the team of Johan Vásquez, Edson Álvarez, and Raúl Jiménez. The foundation is there, and for the first time in a while, El Tri feels unified, competitive, and proud to wear the jersey.

  Despite winning the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament award, Luis Ángel Malagón, Club América’s shot-stopper, was one of the most heavily criticized players during the Gold Cup. Heading into the tournament, Malagón was widely considered Mexico’s top goalkeeper and the presumed starter for the 2026 World Cup. However, his shaky performances throughout the competition exposed some weaknesses, sparking debate over whether he should remain No. 1. While many still view him as the leading candidate, the coming months will be crucial in determining if he holds onto the role – or if a new contender steps up to claim the spot.

• AFP
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  With the Gold Cup final win, Javier Aguirre reached 50 victories in 79 matches as head coach of Mexico across his three tenures – a remarkable achievement that underscores his experience and impact. The victory also adds to Mexico’s historical record against the United States: has now won 39 of 80 all-time encounters between the two regional rivals.

Eintracht Frankfurt are anticipating offers for €100m-rated Hugo Ekitike, amid interest from a number of Premier League clubs.

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Newcastle, Liverpool and United all interestedFrankfurt want to retain the player€100m-rated striker 22 goals last seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

reports that Frankfurt are preparing to field offers from English clubs ahead of the new season. Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester United are all believed to be admirers of the 23-year-old. Meanwhile, Chelsea's interest has likely cooled following their £60m ($81m) deal for Joao Pedro.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Die Adler would like to hold onto their superstar striker, as they prepare for Champions League football in the 2025-26 season. The €100m (£86m/$117m) price tag may require chasing clubs to shift players off of their balance sheets before they can mount a serious test of Frankfurt's resolve.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Ekitike enjoyed a fine season in 2024-25. The 23-year-old notched 22 goals and 12 assists in all competitions last term, coming to the fore after Frankfurt sold Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in January.

WHAT NEXT FOR EKITIKE?

It is a matter of time before Ekitike leaves Germany for one of Europe's top clubs, but Frankfurt are not under massive pressure to sell. With a Champions League campaign to prepare for, and no official bids being lodged, the young Frenchman could well still be at his current club come the start of the season.

Scorchers and WA 50-over title-winning captain heads back to Durham for a third season after recovering from his knee injury

Alex Malcolm05-Apr-2024Western Australia batter Ashton Turner is headed back to Durham to play a third straight season in the Vitality Blast following his stint in the IPL with Lucknow Super Giants.Turner, 31, has not played since knee surgery during the BBL ended his Australian domestic season in December but he is currently with LSG in the IPL although he has not been called into the XI due to their strong overseas contingent.But he is set to be a key part of Durham’s Blast campaign having played 22 matches for them across the last two seasons, scoring 408 runs at 34.00 with a strike-rate of 153.38 in the middle-order.Related

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Aussies in county cricket: big opportunity for fringe names to push Test credentials

Turner is one of the very few T20 middle-order specialists in Australia and has been a popular player at both Durham and Manchester Originals in the last two England summers. Both Durham and Originals have strong WA connections with Turner’s former WA team-mate Marcus North the director of cricket at Durham and former WA keeper-batter Ryan Campbell the current coach. Turner’s former Perth Scorchers captain Simon Katich is the current Originals coach.Turner’s quality as a middle-order batter and leader is highly valued at Durham and North said he was delighted to have him back.”It is great to news to have Ashton returning to Durham this season,” North said. “During his two spells at the club, he has demonstrated vital leadership skills and fits into our dressing room very well.”He is a proven leader and run scorer having captained the Scorchers and Western Australia to multiple championships in recent years. I look forward to him returning to the club in May.”Turner has captained Scorchers to two BBL titles and WA to three Marsh Cup (Australian domestic 50-over) titles in the last five years. His absence from the BBL through injury had a major impact on Scorchers’ failure to claim a BBL three-peat.He has played nine ODIs and 19 T20Is for Australia, with his most recent international coming against South Africa during a three-match T20I series last year.

Soccer cultures clashed outside MetLife Stadium, but the mixture suggested that this tournament just might work

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Sergio Furnari calls his car the "Siuuuu machine." It's a bit on the nose, a chunky pickup truck painted in the colors of the Portuguese flag. The real attraction, though, is what's on the back: a 6-foot high, frighteningly life-like replica of Cristiano Ronaldo, bulging thigh muscles, one finger to his lips silencing a crowd that's not actually there and not actually watching him.

"He deserves a serious monument for the next generation. It is for the next generation," Furnari told GOAL, remarkably straight faced. "We will understand CR7 in a different way from a 3-year-old or a 5-year-old or 15-year-old. He is the superman of life."

Anywhere else, and it would be an eyesore, a mere novelty. But here, at MetLife Stadium, a few hours before kickoff of the first New York fixture of the Club World Cup, it made a frightening amount of sense. Passersby laughed and took pictures.

Men, women, children, old and young, all clad in Palmeiras and Porto kits, recreated Ronaldo's celebration, as if in tribute. There was a football match to be played here on Sunday night – one of nine Club World Cup matches to be held at MetLife over tournament, including both semifinals and the July 13 final. But for a moment, Furnari was the main event.

It was a microcosm of the day.

There was Ronaldo, the name everyone knows. But in front of him, were fans of both teams in the match – strangely jovial, almost frighteningly kind to each other. A fierce, full-blooded affair this was not. Instead, in the hours leading up, it felt like an optimistic celebration of what football might be in the United States, a confusing world in which GOATs, struggling Portuguese teams and exciting Palmeiras sides all collide – all in service to an expanded 32-team Club World Cup.

This was day two of the month-long tournament, and this wasn't the soccer you know. But it's the one America can offer in this summer of soccer, and that might just be enough.

• Getty
  

  'The group isn't so bad'

  The four Palmeiras fans on the train were feeling pretty optimistic about their chances. The Brazilian side are in what seems to be a relatively kind group for a team that can kindly be considered outsiders. They would seem to be favorites against both Egyptian giants Al Ahly and MLS representative Inter Miami.

  Before the game, they insisted that they have what it takes to beat Porto.

  "The group isn't so bad," one Palmerias fan who had traveled from Brazil for the tournament insisted.

  And there certainly seemed to be a widespread belief that such a result could happen – at least prior to kick off. A Porto fan spokesperson told GOAL, word on the street was that Palmeiras fans would outnumber Porto supporters, 70-30 percentage-wise. A walk around the stadium and scope of public transport on the train over suggested that it was more like 99-1.

  Still, what few Porto fans showed up seemed to be making the most of it. Their attendance was more sparse, but perhaps more familial. There were barbecues and beers and soccer balls, kids kicking with dads, while moms watched from lawn chairs.

  Porto have been poor of late domestically, and went trophy-less last season. They have not won the Portuguese top flight – a league they are expected to dominate – since 2022. But the team have made it clear they want to amend that. Midfielder Stephen Eustaquio, who is skipping at least the start of Canada's Gold Cup campaign for the tournament, emphasized that.

  "We want to play good football," he told the FIFA website. "We want to show the fans that we're growing and that we're playing well, but at the same time, the W is very, very important. And I think for a tournament like this, if you start winning, you get yourself in a good spot in the group, you get your confidence high as well, and it's just massively important."

  Fans certainly seemed to believe, with some coming from Portugal, as well as Belgium and Canada, to offer support.

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• Getty Images
  

  A different kind of Churrasco

  But the best pre-match scenes weren't found in the parking lot, on light-rail cars or even in the stadium. Part of that is on FIFA, who have inexplicably banned tailgating at many of the CWC games in the U.S. this summer – removing a crucial hallmark of South American football culture.

  Instead, Palmeiras fans made the lengthy trek through an echoey tunnel just outside the stadium, stretching their legs up a slight incline from the concrete of the parking lot to the shiny, manufactured interior of the American Dream Mall. Two hours before kickoff, there were a few green shirts here and there – mostly because some had to cut through the mall due to the nightmarish parking situation at the stadium.

  But crowds built steadily. By 4:30 p.m., 90 minutes before kickoff, it was a flood of green, with the delightful cacophony of voices from all over the world mingling. Then, suddenly, music. A man took a temporary stage wearing a mask, and waved a Palmeiras flag in the air. With that, the manufactured, shiny building erupted. Hands in the air, fans of all ages shouting.

  A few baffled parents, there, presumably, to take kids on a large indoor rollercoaster, sprinted out of the place. What remained was otherwise a party scene, fans belting every word of every song, the floor rumbling under the weight of Palmeiras anticipation. There was no grilled meat or beer to be found – yet – but the Brazilian contingent had turned a hub of American commercialism into their own kind of Churrasco.

  Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

• Getty
  

  Curating the right atmosphere

  Whistles erupted from the Palmeiras end as the Porto goalkeepers strolled out to warm up. The Brazilian fan section looked as compelling as it possibly could for a club that usually plays its home football 4,778 miles away. They sang their songs and waved their flags, a quarter of the lower concourse of MetLife – a surprisingly pleasant venue for a soccer match – a compelling mixture of green and white, with banners adorning the seats closest to the pitch.

  There are some strange similarities between this venue and Allianz Parque. They were built around the same time, both refurbished versions of iconic venues. And the Palmeiras fans treated this place as if it were their own, screaming, chanting and whistling at all of the right times, berating the referee when calls went against them and cheering in approval when winger Joaquin Piquerez made a Porto defender look silly early on.

  They had taken over Times Square by the thousands Saturday night. And they attacked this occasion with similar zeal.

  "It was like playing at home," head coach Abel Ferreira said.

  But the Porto contingent did their bit too, a thin strip of blue and white bumping from the get-go. Porto have tried to revive their American presence after a fallow period, Paul Silva, a member of Porto New Jersey, told GOAL.

  It has been challenging, given the results on the pitch. They are the third-best team in Portugal at the moment, which doesn't leave much room for excitement. Their numbers might not have been massive but the enthusiasm couldn't be knocked.

• Getty
  

  Two sides settle for a draw

  The CWC opener, held Saturday night, was a scoreless draw that simmered throughout but never quite took off. FIFA had made a real show of the whole thing, with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami hosting Al Ahly, but the spectacle on the pitch never quite matched the enthusiasm of federation president Gianni Infantino in the weeks leading up to the tournament.

  That was followed by two blowouts, Bayern Munich and PSG rolling past Auckland City and Atletico Madrid by a combined score of 14-0 on Sunday.

  The early days of this tournament needed a , a back-and-forth encounter to capture the imagination – and perhaps show that this could someday, somehow become something teams want to win. Palmeiras were certainly up for it. The South American sides are perhaps the most compelling storyline to be found here, their undoubted urge to prove they can cut it with European talent a driving factor.

  And they poked and prodded for most of the first half. Estevao, due to sign for Chelsea after the tournament, was the main attraction and went on some wonderful weaving runs between the lines. But they created from all over the pitch. A fine double save from Porto's reserve goalkeeper Claudio Ramos kept them out on the stroke of half time.

  Porto also offered some ideas. Striker Samu caused all sorts of problems, the powerful No. 9 pulling the Palmeiras defense this way and that. He is linked with a move to a bigger European club this summer, and it was clear to see why; he is bigger, faster and stronger than every defender that takes him on. But Palmeiras, too, held their own, with veteran goalkeeper Weverton providing important saves off set pieces to keep the game level at the break.

  "What wins matches is goals, but we didn't get scored on either," Estevao said after the game.

  The game became less of a spectacle in the latter stages as both teams rotated. Cheers turned to groans. Palmeiras skewed a couple of good chances, and their presence waned after Estevao was removed on 65 minutes.

  "We came here to show that we are Palmerias. We have excellent players, we know what we are capable of," Estevao said. "We were able to impose our level of play, we were really offensive. But we have to improve next time."

  Porto fans fell relatively quiet as the apathy of a scoreless draw emerged. They stayed until the end, but flooded out in their thousands as the final whistle blew.

It’s set to be a vitally important summer for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

After a campaign that has been defined by an incredible number of injuries and the emergence of several incredible youngsters, Daniel Levy and Co have to make some big investments in the upcoming transfer window to ensure Ange Postecoglou, or whoever is in the hot seat, can take the club forward next season.

However, while sorting out the right incomings is going to be of paramount importance, it will be just as crucial to keep a hold of the team’s best players.

Unfortunately, this could be a problem for the North Londoners, as recent reports have touted one of their stars with a move to Real Madrid, a move reminiscent of Gareth Bale’s in 2013.

Tottenham Transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Cristian Romero could be on his way to Real Madrid this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

The report has revealed that the Argentinian international has not hidden his interest in playing for the Spanish giants and that should they come in for him at the end of the season, he’d ‘be willing to take the step.’

The one piece of good news to come from the report is the claim that while Los Blancos like the player, he is only seen as one of a few options at the moment, although the fact his contract expires in two years makes a move for him more realistic than some of their other targets.

While Romero has been out of action for much of this season, his importance to Spurs cannot be underestimated, so losing him to Real would be a disaster, similar to the loss of Bale over a decade ago.

Why Romero's exit would be a Bale repeat

So, there are a couple of reasons why losing Romero this summer would be very reminiscent of Bale’s departure in 2013, with the most straightforward being that both players would have gone to Real Madrid.

The second similarity would be their respective importance to the North Londoners.

For example, in his final campaign for the Lilywhites, the Cardiff-born phenomenon was a force of nature, scoring 26 goals and providing ten assists in just 44 appearances, which came out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.22 games.

Now, it’s probably fair to say that the former Atalanta star does not have quite the same impact on the team as the Welsh icon did, but that doesn’t mean he’s not incredibly important, and if Lionel Messi thinks he’s “the best defender in the world,” he’s got to be up there with some of the best in the league.

For example, he’s one of the club’s co-vice captains, and across his 115 appearances for the team, he’s scored seven goals, provided one assist and averaged 1.69 points per game, which is an average significantly reduced by the limited appearances he’s made across this dismal campaign.

In fact, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the team have struggled so dramatically in defence during the season he and Micky van de Ven have been out of action for significant amounts of time.

Finally, while Levy and Co would likely receive a sizable fee for the World Cup-winning “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Charlie Eccleshare, it seems unlikely that they’d be able to sign a defender as good as him and could end up wasting the money on several players as they did in 2013.

Ultimately, Romero is obviously not on the same level as Bale, but were he to leave Spurs for Real Madrid this summer, his move would certainly mirror the Welshman’s.

Ange has found a "generational" talent at Spurs who's the new Mousa Dembele

Spurs may well have found their new Mousa Dembele this season.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 19, 2025

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da gbg bet： A justiça entrou com pedido de bloqueio no valor de R$ 4,9 milhões da conta de Arboleda, zagueiro do São Paulo. A medida foi determinada após um descumprimento de contrato com uma empresa de marketing esportivo que administrava a carreira do atleta.

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da 888casino： A informação foi adiantada pelo portal ‘Metrópoles’, mas o LANCE! acessou a plataforma ‘Jus Brasil’ e verificou a existência do andamento do processo. Ao que tudo indica, a empresa de marketing esportivo Euro Futsfoi contratada pelo equatoriano em 2020.

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Entretanto, o zagueiro descumpriu uma das cláusulas do contrato ao utilizar um outro agente para seu processo de renovação com o Tricolor paulista – que aconteceu em dezembro de 2021. A multa, caso algo assim acontecesse, girava em torno de R$ 3 milhões, mas foi ajustada após correções monetárias e juros.

Porém, ao tentar este bloqueio, teria sido constatado que não havia nenhum dinheiro na conta do jogador. Ao acessar o processo, ele é descrito na classe de ‘Busca e apreensão em alienação fiduciária’. Ou seja, para ter certeza que esta dívida seria paga, foi exigido o bloqueio da conta de Arboleda.

Com a falta de pagamento, ele foi movido para a classe de ‘despejo por falta de pagamento cumulado com cobrança’, assim, ao que tudo indica, a empresa pretende obter 30% da penhora da sua remuneração.