The last few years have been more than a little bumpy for Tottenham Hotspur.

The club has cycled through managers of varying styles before landing on the uber-attacking Ange Postecoglou.

On top of that, the squad has seen a fair bit of churn, with a number of players leaving, most notably the record-breaking and era-defining Harry Kane.

However, as this season has shown, the North Londoners’ project is far from complete, and it might soon be time for another club icon to follow the Englishman out the door.

The Spurs star who should be phased out

It will come as no surprise to those who have been watching Spurs this season that the icon we are talking about is Son Heung-min.

The South Korean superstar is undoubtedly a legend of the club and one of the most devastatingly effective wingers the league has seen over the last decade or so, but therein lies one of the key issues with him playing a prominent role today: he’s been around too long.

Unfortunately, as with all professional footballers at some point in their careers, the former Bayer Leverkusen star is simply a victim of time.

Goalkeeper

28

Centre-Back

27

Full-Back

25

Central Midfielder

25

Wide Attacker

26

Central attacking mid

26

Striker

27

For example, research from The Athletic revealed that wingers hit their peak at 26 years old, and their ability to take-on defenders dramatically decreases at 30 – the Lilywhites star is 33 in May.

Moreover, while he can still be brilliant in bursts here and there, as he was against Ipswich Town, those bursts don’t come frequently enough anymore.

Indeed, even though he has been able to rack up a tally of ten goals and ten assists this season, he’s found the back of the net in the league just once since the 22nd of December.

In all, Son is a true Tottenham legend, but to ensure Postecoglou’s project can continue to develop next season and beyond, it might be time for him to take more of a backseat in the squad, especially as the manager might already have the perfect replacement.

The Spurs ace to replace Son

While the likes of Mikey Moore and Wilson Odobert could certainly fall into this category, we are leaning towards Mathys Tel.

The 19-year-old dynamo may only be on loan from Bayern Munich at the moment, but there is a £45m option to buy in his deal and, according to reports earlier this month, there is a feeling from some in the know that he’s open to remaining in North London for the long term.

Now, it would be fair to say that, so far this season, the young Frenchman hasn’t exactly shown why he is so highly rated.

However, he was limited to just 458 minutes in Germany and has only just arrived in a brand-new team and country, so the fact he’s already scored a goal in just 299 minutes of action is a reasonable return.

Appearances

41

Starts

10

Minutes

1406′

Goals

10

Assists

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.39

Minutes per Goal Involvement

87.87′

Moreover, when the “mind-blowing” prospect, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, was given 1406 minutes of first-team football for Bayern in 41 appearances last season, he managed to score ten goals and provide six assists, which comes out to an astounding average of a goal involvement every 87.87 minutes.

Finally, while he has played up top a few times since moving to N17, he spent just as much time off the left while in Germany, so he should be able to step into Son’s shoes and support Dominic Solanke on his return without much trouble.

Ultimately, the South Korean international has been nothing short of sensational for Tottenham over the last decade, but to move the club forward, he probably needs to step back, and in Tel, Postecoglou could have the perfect long-term replacement.

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Victoria claimed a thumping 177-run win over South Australia inside three days to move a step closer to a spot in next month’s Sheffield Shield final.South Australia had few answers with the bat in pursuit of an unlikely 368 to win, and were bowled out for 190 just after the scheduled tea break at Junction Oval on Wednesday. Mitchell Perry, the 22-year-old fast bowler, continued his consistent form with career-best figures of 5 for 64.Related

• Taking the aggressive route key to Sutherland's breakout season

Fergus O’Neill (2 for 3) claimed two top-order wickets but it wasn’t all good news for him, with the rookie quick forced from the field after delivering just 3.3 overs.South Australia’s hopes were extinguished to a large extent inside an hour at the crease after slipping to 27 for 4. The only serious resistance came from Daniel Drew (38) and Benjamin Manenti (82), who combined for a defiant 96-run stand for the fifth wicket.Victoria captain Will Sutherland secured the key wicket of Drew, who had scored a double-century against leaders Western Australia last week, with a sharp catch taken at short mid-on by Campbell Kellaway.Manenti again stated his case to be considered an allrounder with a crunching 82 off just 96 balls – a second half century in as many matches – before Perry removed him for his third wicket of the innings.Matt Short was the only batter to do well on a tricky pitch•Getty Images

While the impact of other ongoing matches is yet to be determined, the win lifted Victoria into outright second with two rounds remaining. It was a second one-sided win for Victoria in a row under acting captain Sutherland.While Perry enjoyed the spoils on the final day, the victory was set up by Matthew Short’s batting in both innings. Short hit 70 in the first innings – the only half-century for either team in the first-innings exchanges – and followed that up with 119 in the second dig, his maiden Shield century.Short’s run-scoring was all the more meritorious on a challenging Junction Oval pitch, where 22 wickets fell during the first four sessions of the match.The match also marked the return of veteran international Glenn Maxwell after a three-month absence from the game with a broken leg. Maxwell, who only returned to the game on the weekend in grade cricket, scored just five runs in the first innings and then a second-ball duck in the second innings.Despite the heavy defeat, South Australia’s hopes are still intact; they are one win in arrears of Victoria ahead of concluding matches against Queensland and New South Wales.

تحددت ملامح المنتخبات المتأهلة للملحق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى بطولة كأس العالم 2026، والمقررة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.

وأسدل الستار، اليوم الثلاثاء، على الدور الثالث من تصفيات آسيا، لتتحدد المنتخبات المتأهلة إلى المونديال مباشرة، وكذلك التي صعدت إلى الملحق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى كأس العالم 2026.

طالع| الإمارات تتعادل مع قرجيكستان وتتأهل إلى ملحق تصفيات كأس العالم 2026 (فيديو) نظام التصفيات الآسيوية في الدور الثالث

ويشارك في الدور الثالث من تصفيات آسيا 18 منتخبًا، موزعين على 3 مجموعات تضم كل منها 6 فرق، ويتأهل المتصدران من كل مجموعة إلى المونديال. نظام الملحق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى كأس العالم 2026

بينما ينتقل أصحاب المركزين الثالث والرابع إلى الملحق أو الدور الرابع، حيث يتم تقسيمهم إلى مجموعتين، ويصعد متصدر كل مجموعة إلى كأس العالم.

أما وصيفا المجموعتين في الدور الرابع، فيتنافسان في مباراة فاصلة لتحديد ممثل آسيا في الملحق العالمي. المنتخبات المتأهلة للملحق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى كأس العالم 2026

المجموعة الأولى.. تأهل منتخبا الإمارات وقطر، ثالثا ورابعا برصيد 15 و13 على الترتيب.

المجموعة الثانية.. تأهل منتخب العراق ثالثا برصيد 15 نقطة، ومنتخب عمان رابعا برصيد 11 نقطة.

المجموعة الثالثة.. تأهل منتخب إندونيسيا برصيد 12 نقطة في المركز الرابع، ومنتخب السعودية ثالثا بـ13 نقطة.

Both sides are highly unlikely to make the WTC final, but New Zealand will look to make it three unbeaten away series against Pakistan in a row

Danyal Rasool01-Jan-2023Big picture
For Pakistan, this game cannot come – and go – soon enough. A home Test season of historically miserable proportions will finally draw to a close for the hosts next week, and regardless of the outcome of the second Test in Karachi, that is precisely how it will be viewed. You might imagine the end of this week will allow Pakistan to take stock, assess what went wrong, perhaps even commission one of those reports that never really end up seeing the light of day.Most likely, though, with just two Tests to play in the next 11 months, they will instead turn their attention to white-ball cricket. By the time the Test tour of Sri Lanka rolls around, they’ll have found some new kid who smashed it around in the PSL or bowled really fast. Shahid Afridi will include him in that ever-expanding list of probables for the Test squad because six months is too long a time to remember what Pakistan’s Test problems actually were.For now, however, there is a series to be won, though New Zealand will wonder how they haven’t put that possibility out of Pakistan’s reach just yet. In a slow burner of a first Test, there was just enough time for the visitors to show their superior levels of patience with the bat, and greater potency with the ball. And yet, just a touch too much patience with the bat, and slightly too little potency with the ball as the clock ran out on the visitors as they stood about half an hour away from a well-deserved victory.On flat surfaces like that one, a solitary poor batting session can determine the course of a game. The first Test was shaped by the very first session, where some horrific decision making from Pakistan’s batters gifted New Zealand four early wickets, ensuring Pakistan would never be able to put up the sort of total to intimidate New Zealand. But with Pakistan promising a spicier surface for the second Test, and plenty of grass left on the strip overnight, there are opportunities for fast bowlers to get into the game, posing selection dilemmas and strategic reconsiderations.While Pakistan see out their season with this tour, for New Zealand, it is merely an hors d’oeuvre. A short white-ball series in India will be followed by a return home for a visit of England, and while conditions there will bear little resemblance to this, they will want to match England’s away series win in Pakistan with one of their own.For it, they have come reasonably well equipped. They boast arguably the most reliable opening pair in Test cricket at the moment, with Tom Latham’s exceptional record in Asia of considerable value on these strips. Kane Williamson has roared back into form with a solid middle order to follow. The spinners out-bowled their Pakistani counterparts this week, and while a green-top wicket might have them wishing Trent Boult was available, in Tim Southee and Matt Henry they have significantly greater experience than Pakistan can boast in that department.Both sides are out of form, and all but out of contention for the World Test Championship final. Pakistan are increasingly desperate to end a home Test drought, while New Zealand look to make it three unbeaten away series against Pakistan in a row. It feels like something of a free hit with the series trophy the enticingly dangled carrot at the end of it.Related

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Form guide
Pakistan: DLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: DLLLLIn the spotlight
Pakistan have enough on their plate without needing to worry about Abdullah Shafique, whose explosive start to his Test career solved one half of Pakistan’s opening woes. After a breakthrough first season in international cricket, though, the runs have dried up over this winter, with a hundred on an extremely flat track in Rawalpindi followed up by seven innings without a half-century.The good news is there doesn’t appear to be a glaring technical flaw – he has got starts in nearly each of those innings; only once in the last seven has he faced fewer than 20 deliveries. There have been several instances of losses of concentration, though, which accounted for both of his dismissals in the first Test. He would dance down the track to spin in each innings, only to be stumped in the first and caught at mid-on the second. Pakistan need him to rediscover the grit that marked him out as a standout opener in the first half of his career, and with no Tests scheduled for Pakistan until July, Shafique will want to sign off on a high.Pakistan did indicate they wanted to prepare a bouncier surface for the second Test, but New Zealand’s spin attack needn’t worry too much. The Karachi surface has always offered spin right from the outset, and while Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel are expected to be the main threats, watch out for Michael Bracewell. His four wickets in the first Test were more than respectable, but Pakistan have picked up a habit of gifting inexperienced opposition spinners wickets in clumps over the years.New Zealand’s own Will Somerville offers the most pertinent example – seven of his 15 Test wickets came on debut against Pakistan. Rehan Ahmed picked up a debut five-for a fortnight earlier, and Will Jacks’ six a couple of Tests before that. Marcus North, Paul Harris and Nathan Hauritz are all members of this unlikely, eclectic list, one Bracewell wouldn’t mind joining to kick off 2023.Ish Sodhi and New Zealand showed their class in the first Test, with the visitors perhaps a tad unlucky not to come away with a win•AFP/Getty ImagesPitch and conditions
A fresh pitch is expected for the final game, with conditions similar to what they were for the first Test. Pakistan want more bounce. Whether they get it in the weak winter sunshine is another question altogether.Team news
A more pace-friendly surface should see Pakistan opt for a third seamer, with Hasan Ali and Shahnawaz Dahani both in the squad.Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq 2 Abdullah Shafique 3 Shan Masood 4 Babar Azam (capt) 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk) 7 Salman Ali Agha 8 Hasan Ali 9 Mohammad Wasim 10 Mir Hamza 11 Abrar AhmedNew Zealand batting coach Luke Ronchi acknowledged the wicket looked different to the one for the first Test, which may alter their bowling combination, too.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell 8 Tim Southee, 9 Ish Sodhi 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Ajaz Patel/Matt HenryStats and trivia
Daryl Mitchell is 17 runs from 1000 Test runs, and Abdullah Shafique is 27 away. Should Mitchell get there in the first innings, he would join Devon Conway as the fastest New Zealand player to the mark. Pakistan last beat New Zealand in a home series in 2002. They have since lost one and drawn the other, both in the UAE.

Leeds United are looking likely to win promotion to the Premier League under Daniel Farke after spending two seasons in the Championship.

The Whites have made Elland Road a fortress and have been just as devastating away from home in recent months, with a 3-1 win at Sheffield United the latest highlight of an incredible campaign.

However, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Farke’s side, with goalkeeper Illan Meslier coming in for criticism during the season after making multiple mistakes.

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It could be a busy summer in Yorkshire.

1 ByCharlie Smith Feb 11, 2025

The first high-profile error came against Sunderland which cost Leeds two points, then another horror show led to more dropped points away to Hull City.

Against the Blades, Meslier looked extremely shaky early on and scored an own goal, with the Frenchman in the negative for goals prevented, as per FotMob.

But who could replace Meslier at Leeds? We’ve looked at a plethora of shot-stoppers that 49ers Enterprises could target over the summer.

1 Caoimhin Kelleher Liverpool

Caoimhin Kelleher of Liverpool is likely to be a man in demand this summer. The Reds currently have Alisson Becker as first-choice and Giorgi Mamardashvili will link up with the Reds squad ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Therefore, Kelleher could be on the move. He has shown his quality at Anfield, keeping 23 clean sheets in 64 appearances. The Republic of Ireland international has won six major honours at Anfield and appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation.

2 Aaron Ramsdale Southampton

At the other end of the Premier League table are Southampton, who invested in Aaron Ramsdale as their No 1 after beating Leeds in the play-off final in 2024.

But things haven’t gone to plan for the Saints, who are on course to return to the Championship, which may result in a number of star players leaving St Mary’s.

Ramsdale, despite conceding plenty of goals, is performing better than the likes of Nick Pope and Emiliano Martinez when it comes to Premier League goals prevented, showing that in a side with a solid defensive base such as Leeds’, he could be a shrewd addition.

3 Mads Hermansen Leicester City

Another newly promoted side who may come straight back down to the Championship is Leicester City, along with No 1 goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.

The 24-year-old has been among the Foxes’ best performers this season, as per WhoScored, while also having a positive goals-prevented ratio.

If Leicester come straight back down, perhaps an immediate return to the Premier League with Leeds could appeal to the Dane.

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ByRoss Kilvington Jan 29, 2025 4 Joan Garcia Espanyol

If Leeds want to look abroad for a goalkeeper target, Joan Garcia of Espanyol could be an ambitious option. The 23-year-old, who helped Spain win Olympic gold last summer, has been outperforming Jan Oblak and Thibaut Courtois in the shot-stopping stats, as per FBref.

He has also been heavily linked with Arsenal in a £20m+ transfer, but the guarantee of first-team football at Elland Road may also appeal should Leeds be promoted.

5 Vanja Milinkovic-Savic Torino

Over in Italy, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic could be another potential European target for Leeds. The Serbia international, who currently plays for Torino, was once on the books of Man Utd in 2014 and is seemingly at the peak of his powers at the age of 28.

Milinkovic-Savic has made more saves than any other Serie A goalkeeper in 2024/25 and is also near the top of the charts for save percentage, while also preventing more goals than any other ‘keeper in the division.

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ByRoss Kilvington Feb 3, 2025 6 Conan Ledesma River Plate

One goalkeeper who was linked with Leeds during the January transfer window was Conan Ledesma of River Plate.

The Argentinian, once called “the best goalkeeper in the universe”, has plenty of experience in La Liga during his time with Cadiz, averaging a clean sheet every three games in the Spanish top flight.

At the age of 32, Ledesma wouldn’t be a long-term solution, but he appears to be a player on Leeds’ radar, and as he is second-choice at River, he could become an option even if it isn’t as a regular starter in West Yorkshire.

7 Noah Atubolu Freiburg

If Leeds want a young shot-stopper to come in and replace Meslier, Noah Atubolu of Freiburg could be their man. The Germany U21 international appears to be going from strength to strength, and recently set a record of saving four Bundesliga penalties in a row.

As we know with Meslier, his record of saving spot-kicks isn’t as impressive, and with Atubolu outperforming the likes of Gregor Kobel of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer for save percentage, he could be a shrewd signing.

8 Viktor Johansson Stoke City

Arguably one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship at this moment in time is Stoke City’s Viktor Johansson. Picked up from Rotherham United over the summer, Johansson has continued to impress in the second tier and is the best ‘keeper in the Championship for goals prevented.

Statistically, Johansson has an Expected Goals on Target (xGOT) total of more than 55 but has only let in 44, as well as a better goals-prevented ratio than Burnley’s James Trafford. The Sweden international appears to be in his prime at the age of 26, so he may well be of interest to the Whites.

9 Guillaume Restes Toulouse

Called the second-best goalkeeper under the age of 24 in the media last year was Toulouse’s Guillaume Restes, who is still just 19 years of age.

The Frenchman has already established himself in Ligue 1, making more than 60 senior appearances for his current employers. Should Restes’ impressive rise continue, so will his price tag, but if Leeds are willing to spend their potential Premier League fortune on a new goalkeeper, he could be a smart long-term investment.

10 Michael Cooper Sheffield United

Although a repeat appears unlikely, we have seen a recent deal between Leeds and Sheffield United, with Jayden Bogle swapping Bramall Lane for Elland Road last summer.

Should Leeds win promotion and the Blades fall short under Chris Wilder, Michael Cooper could perhaps be a target for the Whites, with the shot-stopper starring after joining from Plymouth Argyle in 2024.

He has been one of the top ‘keepers in the Championship with Trafford and Johansson, and despite a lot needing to change between now and the summer, crazier things have happened.

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1 ByCharlie Smith Feb 14, 2025

The BCCI has invited applications for “the right to own and operate” teams at the inaugural women’s IPL, which is expected to run from March 3-26.A press statement from the BCCI on Tuesday asked for “reputed entities” to make a non-refundable payment of INR 5 lakh (USD 6000 approx.) by January 21 to procure the “invitation to tender”, which details the eligibility criteria for potential buyers. The final discretion on who gets to bid lies with the BCCI, however, following a technical evaluation process.In February last year, then BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had said that the women’s IPL would get off the ground in 2023. In August, the BCCI zeroed in on a window for March. Subsequently, the BCCI advanced the women’s domestic calendar, which generally runs from November to April, to accommodate the Women’s IPL.Related

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Calls for the Women’s IPL to kick off have been gaining steam since India’s runners-up finish at the 50-over World Cup in 2017. When they reached the finals of the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2020, it gained further momentum before Covid-19 stalled women’s cricket, and the sport in general.Since 2018, the BCCI had been conducting the Women’s T20 Challenge to run alongside the IPL in a bid to test the waters before expanding. A number of times, the previous administration headed by Ganguly had cited a lack of depth in players as an obstacle in conducting a full-fledged tournament.Ever since the formal announcement was made about starting the WIPL, a number of existing IPL teams have been sending out talent scouts to identify players they can potentially sign for the women’s tournament should they be awarded the rights to own a franchise. Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings are all believed to be interested in owning a WIPL team.Last month, the BCCI had invited bids for media rights from 2023-27 for the proposed five-team tournament. As per media reports, as many as 10 entities picked up the media rights tender documents. All the entities who clear BCCI’s screening process will be allowed to place their closed bids on January 12.

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta sexta-feira (1), um ídolo do Palmeiras anunciou a aposentadoria oficial dos gramados. Em entrevista à Radio ADN, do Chile, o meia Jorge Valdivia disse que quer focar em outras atividades.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBrasileirãoFelipão reencontra Palmeiras pela primeira vez como oponente depois de oito anosBrasileirão01/07/2022Futebol NacionalCeará busca CBF para cobrar Palmeiras por dinheiro da venda de Arthur CabralFutebol Nacional01/07/2022VídeoVÍDEO: Assista aos bastidores da vitória do Palmeiras sobre o Cerro Porteño pela LibertadoresVídeo01/07/2022

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> Veja 60 jogadores do Brasil que já podem assinar pré-contrato

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> Confira a tabela completa e simulador do Brasileirão-2022!

– Estou já longe da prática do futebol em si, mas, em relação ao esporte, tenho visto muitas partidas, estou tendo tempo para acompanhar bastante. Estou longe de estar jogando, porque me cansei e já deu, desde um tempo eu já vinha analisando as coisas e mais ou menos decidido a parar de jogar – disse ele.

El Mago, atualmente com 38 anos, atuou profissionalmente pela última vez no dia 5 de fevereiro de 2022, com a camisa do Necaxa, do México. Inclusive, o jogador revelou uma proposta de um time local, o Santiago Wanderers, mas preferiu negar para reiterar o desejo de se retirar dos campos.

– Eu já havia conversado com as pessoas mais próximas e com minha família. Foram muitos anos jogando, com muito sacrifício. Ainda estou jovem e posso muito bem fazer outro tipo de coisa – revelou o agora ex-atleta.

Revelado pelo Colo-Colo, Valdivia estourou em 2003, pelo Universidad de Concepción, do Chile. Depois, foi vendido ao Rayo Vallecano-ESP e passou um período no Servette-SUI antes de retornar ao time que o criou.

O chileno chegou ao Palmeiras em 2006, onde anos mais tarde seria um dos maiores ídolos da torcida alviverde. A primeira passagem durou até 2008, já a segunda aconteceu de 2010 a 2015.

Assumindo um grande protagonismo, El Mago conquistou uma Copa do Brasil e um Paulistão, além de ter sido considerado um dos maiores carrascos dos rivais do Verdão, São Paulo e Corinthians, nas épocas citadas.

Também decisivo no título da Série B de 2013, que garantiu o acesso do time. Já no ano seguinte, evitou o novo rebaixamento do Alviverde no Brasileirão. Ao todo, foram 241 jogos e 41 gols marcados, além de ser, até hoje, o estrangeiro com mais vitórias pela equipe (122).

Por conta de toda história e idolatria brasileira, o agora ex-jogador disse que pretende fazer dois jogos de despedida, sendo um no seu país de origem e outro no Brasil.

Valdivia chegou a atuar como comentarista dos canais ESPN do Chile durante um breve período enquanto estava afastado dos gramados. Ao falar sobre o assunto, o chileno deixou claro que essa função pode ser bastante ‘cômoda’ nos próximos passos da vida.

– Tive o privilégio de trabalhar um pouco na televisão e me senti bastante cômodo. Também é algo que pretendo levar muito a sério. Estou preparado para voltar a trabalhar na TV, mas não pretendo deixar de lado os estudos, pois venho me preparando para ser treinador. Mas o projeto de virar técnico é algo mais a longo prazo – concluiu.

Na carreira, o meia jogou ainda por Al-Ain e Al-Wahda, dos Emirados Árabes, antes de retornar para mais uma passagem no Colo-Colo, do Chile. Ele passou ainda por Monarcas Morellia/Mazatlán, do México, e Unión la Calera, também de seu ‘berço’, antes de viver seus últimos momentos como atleta no Necaxa.

Vale lembrar que, pela seleção chilena, Valdivia venceu a Copa América de 2015 e esteve presente nas Copas do Mundo de 2010 e 2014.

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Chelsea-bound Palmeiras star Willian Estevao has showcased his abilities yet again after scoring another long range strike in the Copa Libertadores.

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• Estevao scores screamer for Palmeiras
• Helps Palmeiras in 2-0 Copa Libertadores win
• Set to join Chelsea in the summer from Brazilian side

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Estevao is regarded as one of Brazil's most promising young players, and he agreed to join Chelsea last year in a deal worth up to £57.6 million. The youngster who turned 18 last month, will be able to formally make the move this summer. The Chelsea-bound forward demonstrated his ball-striking ability yet again when he scored a long-range goal for Palmeiras in a 2-0 Copa Libertadores win over Cerro Porteno.

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  The 2-0 win against Cerro Porteno helped Palmeiras put one foot into the Copa Libertadores Round of 16 and continued Estevao's fantastic form so far this season. The 18-year-old has scored three goals in four games in the competition so far and is currently the third top scorer through this part of the group stage.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ESTEVAO?

  The 18-year-old star is set to join Chelsea after the Club World Cup this summer. He will feature for Palmeiras at the competition and could potentially come up against the Blues in the latter stages of the tournament.

Bates, Devine helped the hosts get to a strong start before rain stopped play

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2022

New Zealand pose with the ODI trophy after series win against Bangladesh•Getty Images

No result – Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine helped New Zealand get off to a strong start in the third ODI in Hamilton before incessant rain forced another washout, after 26.5 overs of play. As a result, New Zealand took the series 1-0, having won the first ODI in Wellington and the second ODI also washed out.New Zealand posted 123 for 2, thanks to quick starts from openers Bates and Devine. Devine raced to a 39-ball 42 which was laced with four fours, while Bates brought up an 80-ball 51 without a single boundary. Salma Khatun provided the breakthrough by removing Devine in the 16th over, while Ritu Moni struck in the 26th to dismiss Bates.Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green were batting together when rain intervened at 3.45pm local time and caused a delay. The rain persisted and eventually led to the match being called off at 7.26pm local time.Bates finished as the top run-scorer of the ODI series with 153 runs. Jess Kerr topped the bowling charts with five wickets across two innings.After the two washouts, New Zealand are third on the ICC Women’s Championship table with three wins from six games and Bangladesh are third from the bottom.

One of the biggest challenges Manchester United have faced this season has been adapting Ruben Amorim’s new back three system. Under Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but since Amorim’s appointment, that has changed to a 3-4-2-1.

Perhaps the players who have had to adapt most are those out wide. Some wingers, including Amad and Alejanrdro Garnacho, have become number 10s, whilst Noussair Mazroui has shown versatility, playing at both centre-back and wing-back. Patrick Dorgu was signed as an out-and-out wing-back, to bolster Amorim’s options out wide too.

Another player who has been used only as a wing-back in the last few months is Diogo Dalot.

Diogo Dalot’s time under Amorim so far

Dalot was excellent for United in the 2023/24 campaign. He played 50 times, scoring three goals and grabbing five assists, playing a huge role in helping his side to FA Cup glory. Former Red Devils captain Gary Neville said he is “the right-back for the future” at Old Trafford.

However, things have not been as easy this term for the Portuguese. He has played 40 times under both managers but has just one goal and two assists. His role has vastly changed from playing as a right-back or left-back under Ten Hag. Now, Amorim has deployed him on the left and right flank as a wing-back.

His record for the new boss suggests he has perhaps taken longer to adapt. He has played 22 matches so far but is yet to register an assist, which might be concerning from one of United’s main widemen. He did get on the scoresheet against FCSB in the Europa League.

It has been a tough season for Dalot, who football analyst and host of The Overlap: The Breakdown H, brutally said has been “garbage for months” at the start of February. He is certainly one of the players who has needed to adapt the most to Amorim’s system.

Perhaps the new United boss wishes he had a former Red Devils star to call upon at wing-back…

Man United have sold a better player than Dalot

There was a lot of change at Old Trafford in the summer, with some significant player departures. Key members of Ten Hag’s squad left, including boyhood Red Scott McTominay who joined Napoli.

Another notable departure was Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The Englishman left Old Trafford after five seasons of donning the famous red shirt with the London-born defender making the move back to the capital, joining West Ham United for just £15m.

Since making the move to the London Stadium, Wan-Bissaka has impressed. Although renowned for his “monster” defensive ability, as football talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, he has grabbed two goals and two assists, more goal involvements than Dalot has managed this term.

His most recent goal involvement came away to Arsenal in the Hammers’ most recent Premier League outing. It was a sensational assist for his captain, Jarrod Bowen. In a one-vs-one situation against Riccardo Calafiori, the West Ham number 29 beat him with a few stepovers and whipped a lovely ball onto Bowen’s head.

Wan-Bissaka was a key player at Old Trafford for several years. The right-back, who also slotted in on the opposite side at times, played 190 times, scoring twice and registering 13 assists.

Wan-Bissaka key stats at Man Utd per season (all comps)

Season

Games

Key passes

Dribbles completed

Tackles

Interceptions

2019/20

46

34

66

163

82

2020/21

54

38

53

136

95

2021/22

26

15

44

61

45

2022/23

34

22

35

67

39

2023/24

30

18

22

58

60

Stats from Sofascore

Looking back on it, perhaps the Red Devils wish they still had Wan Bissaka to call upon now. Although he is not a natural wing-back, his assist against Arsenal showed just how capable he is in the final third, and he is of course outperforming Dalot when it comes to goal involvement this season.

Maybe Wan-Bissaka is a player that Amorim wishes he still had available to him as he continues to drag his side up the table.

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