A luta para conseguir fôlego cerca o Botafogo às vésperas do confronto com o Fluminense. O técnico Luís Castro lidou com a preocupação de garantir que a equipe esteja em plenas condições para o clássico que ocorre às 18h30 deste sábado (20), no Nilton Santos.
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Após ter surpreendido ao poupar titulares no duelo com o Athletico-PR, Castro ainda não definiu se lançará sua força máxima no Clássico Vovô. A “rodagem” pode continuar a acontecer no meio de campo.
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Marlon Freitas pode voltar a se tornar titular. O volante recebeu oportunidade diante do Goiás e teve bons momentos, mas não evitou a derrota por 2 a 1. Sua disputa é travada com Gabriel Pires, que se desdobrou nas partidas mais recentes e vem ditando o ritmo do Alvinegro.
Outra variação é entre Tchê Tchê e Lucas Fernandes. O camisa 6 é visto como uma das referências da equipe, mas atualmente passa por oscilações. A outra alternativa é por Lucas Fernandes, jogador que ao ser acionado vem mostrando muita dedicação.
Um dos desafios do Glorioso no clássico é “ganhar” o meio de campo. Isso passa por jogadores que consigam aliar um bom empenho à tranquilidade para desenvolver as jogadas. Os desafios fazem o Botafogo não repetir sua escalação há um mês.
Em meio a tantas oscilações em sua rotina, o Alvinegro tem o retorno de sua linha de frente. Junior Santos retorna após ter sido poupado na Copa do Brasil. Caberá a ele ajudar a fôlego a um trio que tem também Victor Sá e Tiquinho Soares.
Mesmo em meio a um período acidentado, o Botafogo tenta encontrar forças para lançar o que há de melhor, engrenar um bom entrosamento e garantir a vitória diante do Fluminense.
Rogério Ceni deixou o cargo de treinador do São Paulo na última quarta-feira (19). A saída foi anunciada pelo Tricolor, após uma reunião entre membros da diretoria e o ex-goleiro tricolor. Ceni chegou ao clube em outubro de 2021, no mesmo dia que a demissão de Hernán Crespo foi anunciada.
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Desde então, foram 107 jogos, com50 vitórias, 28 empates e 29 derrotas. O último jogo comandado por Ceni foi a vitória contra o Puerto Cabello, por 2 a 0, válida pela segunda rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana.
ATUAÇÕES: Em noite ruim, Marcos Paulo salva, e Calleri mostra que faz diferença em vitória do São Paulo
Veja no LANCE! a tabela completa do Campeonato Brasileiro
Esta foi a segunda passagem de Ceni como treinador do Tricolor. A primeira tinha acontecido em 2017, mas o comandante deixou o cargo após 37 jogos. Entretanto, mais uma vez, deixa o CT da Barra Funda sem nenhum título – diferente da era tão vitoriosa e de idolatria que teve como jogador.
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A passagem do ex-goleiro como técnico foi marcada pelos ‘vices’. Mesmo que tenha enfatizado que sua maior meta era ser campeão, não conseguiu concretizar. Em 2022, chegou até a final do Campeonato Paulista, contra o Palmeiras, mas foi derrotado. Inclusive, este foi visto como um dos grandes vexames da temporada passada. Isso porque o Tricolor estava com uma vantagem por 3 a 1 no jogo de ida, e a equipe de Abel Ferreira virou o resultado após uma goleada por 4 a 0.
Na Copa Sul-Americana, no mesmo ano, viajou até Córdoba, na Argentina, para enfrentar o Independiente Del Valle. Mais uma vez, perdeu a chance de garantir o título – mesmo com o Tricolor sendo visto como um dos grandes favoritos.
No Brasileirão, não ficou próximo da taça, mas próximo da classificação para a Copa Libertadores. Porém, por uma posição não conseguiu. Na Copa do Brasil, encerrou sua participação na semifinal, após ser derrotado pelo Flamengo.
Neste ano, a situação complicou um pouco mais. Com a expectativa de, pela terceira edição seguida, chegar até a final do Campeonato Paulista, o sonho foi frustrado de forma precoce ainda nas quartas de final, após uma derrota contra o Água Santa – que mais tarde se tornou finalista, contra o Palmeiras. E foi a partir daí que a situação começou a esquentar.
A pressão existia, mas a ideia é que Ceni conseguisse ajustar as rédeas do clube durante a intertemporada, antes de retornar para os próximos compromissos que aguardavam. Porém, mesmo com a estreia vitoriosa na Copa Sul-Americana, contra o Tigre, emplacou uma sequência não tão boa na Copa do Brasil – no empate sem gols contra o Ituano em casa -, e no Brasileiro – com a derrota pelo Botafogo por 2 a 1.
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Problemas com elenco?
Mas não foram somente os resultados que marcaram a trajetória de Rogério Ceni pelo São Paulo. Alguns problemas internos também surgiram neste caminho – que envolveram até mesmo discussão com alguns jogadores.
No final da temporada 2022, Patrick – atualmente no Atlético-MG -, teria se incomodado com certas atitudes do ex-técnico. Mais especificamente, na penúltima rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.Mesmo enquanto o São Paulo ainda vencia por 1 a 0, Patrick foi substituído na volta do segundo tempo, dando lugar a Giuliano Galoppo. Na etapa final, em menos de quinze minutos, o Tricolor sofreu três gols, marcados por Germán Cano.
O incômodo do ex-atleta do Tricolor teria sido motivado pelas substituições frequentes que estava enfrentando. A discussão aconteceu no vestiário, após o término da partida. Mesmo com a saída do meia, os dois sempre enfatizaram que era um assunto que tinha sido resolvido.
Recentemente, algo parecido aconteceu com Marcos Paulo. A discussão aconteceu no último mês, após a eliminação da equipe no Campeonato Paulista contra o Água Santa, quando jogador fez uma postagem suspeita nas redes sociais.
Marcos Paulo compartilhou uma foto em seu Instagram com a letra de uma música que dizia uma frase emblemática sobre ‘hipocrisia e simpatia serem uma junção venenosa’. Até então, parecia só mais uma postagem normal, mas o que chamou atenção foram algumas curtidas do jogador em comentários de torcedores. Estes comentários criticando justamente Rogério Ceni.
O restante do elenco teria se incomodado com a reação de Rogério Ceni com o caso, o que começou a esquentar a discussão. Após o último jogo do treinador com a equipe, contra o Puerto Cabello, Ceni trouxe este assunto à tona, e mais uma vez, afirmou que estava tudo resolvido.
Mesmo assim, tirando estas exceções, o elenco sempre pareceu se dar bem com o ex-técnico. Inclusive, nas redes sociais, nomes como Calleri, Nestor, Moreira, se manifestaram pouco tempo após o anúncio da sua saída, se despedindo e agradecendo ao trabalho prestado.
Durante quase um ano e oito meses, 23 jogadores chegaram ao Tricolor sob o comando de Rogério Ceni. Agora, ao que tudo indica, os próximos passos do clube devem seguir o mesmo caminho de 2017. Isso porque o principal nome no radar é o mesmo que sucedeu Ceni na primeira passagem: Dorival Júnior.
Celtic have made a habit out of buying and developing and selling on young talent over the years, as they have made millions in profit through player trading.
The likes of Matt O’Riley, Odsonne Edouard, Moussa Dembele, and Virgil van Dijk, among many others, have come and gone thanks to the club’s excellent recruitment work.
Whilst they have had success in plucking players out of top European countries, like van Dijk from the Netherlands or Dembele and O’Riley from England, they have also had success in snapping up talent from more obscure leagues.
For example, Celtic signed Kristoffer Ajer as a 17-year-old for £650k from Norwegian side Start, before they went on to sell him to Brentford for a reported fee of £13.5m.
The Hoops plucked the teenage talent up and sent him out on loan, to Kilmarnock, before integrating him into the first-team to develop into a £13.5m player, and they could repeat a similar trick with their interest in a midfielder this summer.
Celtic enquire about deal for Serbian midfielder
According to Cukaricki sporting director Vladimir Matijašević, Celtic have made contact over a potential deal to sign central midfielder Andrej Bacanin before the end of the summer transfer window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Speaking to the club’s official website, he said: “There’s significant interest in our young players, and right now the spotlight is on Andrej Bačanin’s transfer. His performances last season for both our team and the Serbian national side at youth level have drawn attention from numerous clubs.
“We’ve had enquiries from Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers, and clubs like Ajax and Udinese are also interested, among others. It’s possible more options will emerge, but I expect the transfer to be completed within the next ten days.”
This shows that the Hoops are interested in the 18-year-old talent, who could arrive at Parkhead to follow a similar path to success in Scotland as Ajer.
Why Celtic should sign Andrej Bacanin
The Scottish Premiership giants should push to win the race for the teenage starlet’s signature this summer because he could be a future star for the club.
At the age of 18, Bacanin should not be expected to arrive as an immediate first-team star, as he only just made his breakthrough at senior level in Serbia in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
Celtic managerBrendanRodgerscelebrates after winning the League Cup
Instead, the Serbia U19 international could follow Ajer’s path by joining another Premiership team, or a club in another country, on loan to continue his development, before making the step to Brendan Rodgers’ team further down the line.
Although he may not be ready to make an instant impact in Glasgow for Celtic, his performances in the Serbian Superliga show that he does have potential.
24/25 Superliga
Andrej Bacanin
Appearances
17
Starts
10
Goals
1
Assists
2
Tackles per 90
2.3
Interceptions per 90
1.8
Error led to goal
0
Penalties committed
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Bacanin offered a screening presence in front of the back four when he played, averaging 4.1 tackles and interceptions per 90 in the division.
Meanwhile, no central midfielder for Celtic managed more than 2.0 tackles and interceptions per game, which suggests that the Serbian youngster could offer a defensive midfield option that Rodgers does not currently have.
Former Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer.
As was the case with Ajer, though, Bacanin will need to be playing games week-in-week-out to hone his skills and develop as a player, which is why bringing the young whiz in before sending him out on loan could be a shrewd move.
The Hoops could snap him up this summer, to ensure that their rivals do not steal a march of them, before sending him away to develop and improve, with the hope that he will come back a better player who is ready to make his mark on Parkhead in the 2026/27 campaign.
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Serbian Football Scout, who is a professional scout for MLS side Colorado Rapids, previously dubbed Bacanin a “true midfield controller”, and he could control games for Celtic in the future, if they get this deal done.
Leeds United have now submitted a £12m offer to sign an “unbelievable” player, with an agreement also being reached on personal terms, reliable reporter David Ornstein has revealed.
Leeds vying to sign new midfielders
Having missed out on Habib Diarra to fellow promoted side Sunderland, Leeds have been forced to move on to alternative central midfield targets, and it is looking increasingly likely that there could be multiple additions in the engine room.
Hoffenheim’s Anton Stach is of particular interest, with the Whites now growing more confident they will be able to complete a deal for the German, while they have also set their sights on several players who boast Premier League experience.
Newcastle United’s Joe Willock is one of the players on the shortlist, although Crystal Palace may have an advantage in the race for the 25-year-old’s signature, given that he is believed to favour a move to the capital this summer.
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Consequently, Daniel Farke’s side have seemingly made little progress in their pursuit of Willock, but they are now stepping up their pursuit of a different Newcastle midfielder.
That is according to an update from Ornstein on X, with the reporter revealing that Leeds are “pushing to sign Sean Longstaff”, having recently submitted a £12m offer for his services.
The latest bid is believed to be “close to the limit” before the West Yorkshire outfit decide to move on to other targets, but they are yet to receive a reply from the Magpies.
Newcastle United's SeanLongstaffin action with Bromley's Jude Arthurs
With personal terms already “in place”, the deal could move quickly if the offer is accepted, with the Newcastle academy graduate keen for his boyhood club to receive a fee for his services, rather than losing him on a free transfer next summer.
"Unbelievable" Longstaff could be ideal signing for Leeds
The 27-year-old wouldn’t exactly be the flashiest of signings, but he could be the ideal addition to a Leeds squad looking to stabilise as a Premier League club, given his vast experience in the top flight.
During his time with the Magpies, the Englishman has chalked up a total of 171 Premier League appearances, while also being dubbed “unbelievable” by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer.
The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards has also praised the Newcastle maestro for his work-rate and versatility: “He can play in a variety of midfield roles and it’s that ability to get the best out of Bruno (Guimaraes) in that Newcastle midfield. Bruno plays better when Sean Longstaff is behind him, in front of him or alongside him. He can run all day, he’s a great athlete.”
As such, Longstaff clearly has the quality to help Leeds survive in their first season back in the Premier League, and £12m seems like a reasonable fee for his services.
A stingy display from Southern Brave’s bowlers paved the way for a comfortable seven-wicket win over winless Manchester Originals at the Utilita Bowl. After restricting the Originals to 116 for 6 the hosts, who were without the rested Jofra Archer, cruised home with 22 balls to spare in front of 10,337 fans.Craig Overton was the pick of the home attack, returning 2 for 11 from 20 balls, while England duo Tymal Mills and Chris Jordan both also claimed two wickets apiece. Brave opener Alex Davies immediately broke the back of the chase with 24 from 12 balls and Laurie Evans finished it off with an unbeaten 25 from 15 balls.Victory moved Brave level with four teams on four points at the top of the table while Originals, without injured skipper Jos Buttler, remain bottom.Brave captain James Vince opted to bowl with the threat of rain but an inspired bowling performance meant the game didn’t last long enough for the wet weather to arrive. Craig Overton quickly removed openers Phil Salt and Max Holder as the visitors managed only 16 for 2 from the 25-ball powerplay.Veteran batter Wayne Madsen tried to piece the innings together with an unbeaten 43 from 37 balls and eventually found some support through Jamie Overton.The pair combined for 57 valuable runs, after Originals were 41 for 4 at halfway, with Jamie Overton swiping one of just two sixes in the innings. Mills bowled Jamie Overton with a slower ball before Usama Mir hit his own stumps to finish a limp innings.Davies got Brave off to a fast start by crashing 24 from 10 balls before Vince had even faced. Tom Hartley got the opener to chip a catch to Paul Walter before steady 20s from Vince and Leus du Plooy kept Brave above the required rate. Evans completed the job alongside James Coles with a misfield handing the hosts the winning runs.Meerkat Match Hero Craig Overton said: “It was obviously a great win. We just needed to bash the top of the stumps for as long as possible and make it tough for their batters. Home games here are massive for us – we need to win them and if we can nick one away then we’ll be there or thereabouts to reach the knockouts.”Vince said: “Al got us off to a rapid start to get us ahead of the game. We didn’t want to let them back into the game – Laurie finished it well for us tonight.”
Newcastle United are at a bit of a crossroads this summer. The Magpies’ latest transfer target was clear: sign a right winger.
Yet, their reported number one target, Bryan Mbeumo, rejected Eddie Howe’s side, as well as North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, in favour of a move to Manchester United, as per David Ornstein.
The North East giants were forced to move on to their next target, Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga. However, their bid for the Sweden international, worth a reported £45m according to Ornstein, was rejected by the City Ground side, although they could return with a new offer.
So, that leaves Newcastle somewhat in limbo, although they have been linked wth a few more players who could become their new right-winger.
The latest on Newcastle's pursuit for a winger
Finding a new right-sided attacker has certainly been a frustration for the Magpies. They have missed out on two primary targets and must now go back to the drawing board to figure out their next move.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has recently broken the news that they are ‘exploring other options’ with regards to wide options. Two of those include PSV Eindhoven starlet Johan Bakayoko and West Ham United attacker Mohammed Kudus.
PSV Eindhoven's JohanBakayokoin action
If the Magpies are to move for Bakayoko this summer, it seems like it could be a bargain move. According to reports, the Eredivisie side could accept as little as £17m for their winger this summer.
He has just one year left on his contract, and a move seems inevitable, which could give Newcastle a perfect opportunity.
How Bakayoko compares to Kudus
At just 22 years of age, Bakayoko has already made a great impression across Europe. He is clearly deemed Premier League quality by some sides, after a move to Brentford fell through a couple of years ago.
Johan Bakayoko for PSV
Now, two years on from that potential move, he is still making waves in the top flight of the Netherlands. Last season for PSV, the Belgium international played 47 times across all competitions, scoring 12 goals and grabbing three assists.
However, that is not Bakayoko’s best season for PV, whose academy he is a graduate of. His quality was really on show in the 2023/24 campaign. The winger featured in 33 Eredivisie games that season, and scored 12 goals, whilst grabbing nine assists.
Of course, the Magpies might pursue a move for Kudus, but there is no guarantee that they will secure the services of the Ghanaian international. He has been offered to other clubs, including Chelsea, as recently as the 6th of June, according to Sky Sports.
He certainly has a good record in the Premier League for West Ham. The 24-year-old has made 65 appearances in the English top flight, scoring 13 goals and grabbing 12 assists in that time. His best season came in 2023/24, when he contributed eight goals and nine assists.
However, he hasn’t hit the heights for the Hammers that Bakayoko did for PSV a couple of years ago. This certainly suggests that the Belgian could be an excellent alternative to Kudus if the Magpies decide to move for him instead.
The underlying stats on FBref also suggest that it is the case, too. When looking at their numbers from 2023/24, Bakayoko averaged 0.76 goals and assists and 7.11 progressive carries per 90 minutes.
In comparison, Kudus averaged 0.54 goals and assists and 4.32 progressive carries each game.
Goals and assists
0.76
0.54
Key passes
2.45
1.08
Progressive passes
3.50
2.87
Shot-creating actions
5.20
3.75
Progressive carries
7.11
4.32
The stats are there to suggest that, if they bring Bakayoko in this summer, he would be an excellent alternative to Kudus. Not only is he a “clinical” goalscoring winger, as Antonio Mango described him, but he is a fantastic ball carrier too, as the stats show.
For just £17m, this could be one of the bargains of the summer for Newcastle. It hasn’t been an easy summer so far, with the rejections they have faced, but this could be a huge turning point and key addition.
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Every year, football’s elite gather in Paris to determine the winner of the Ballon d’Or.
Well, perhaps not if your name is Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian famously snubbed the awards evening in 2024 when he found out he’d been outvoted for the major accolade by Manchester City’s midfield sensation Rodri.
Rodri
It was a landmark year for the Spaniard, who won the Premier League with City and also won the European Championships after defeating England in the final.
Having suffered a terrible ACL injury towards the end of the year, Rodri was not in the conversation to win the award again in 2025.
2014
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
2015
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
2016
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
2017
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
2018
Luka Modric
Real Madrid
2019
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
2021
Lionel Messi
PSG
2022
Karim Benzema
Real Madrid
2023
Lionel Messi
PSG/Inter Miami
2024
Rodri
Manchester City
2025
Ousmane Dembele
PSG
Instead, it was PSG’s Ousmane Dembele who reigned supreme, having starred as the Parisiens finally won the Champions League in 2024/25.
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ByCharlie Smith Sep 23, 2025
What made Dembele’s triumph all the more remarkable was the fact that he’d never actually been dominated for the award before.
He beat off some stiff competition, including Lamine Yamal, but what does the future have in store for the Spaniard? Well, with the help of Grok, the next ten winners of the Ballon d’Or have been predicted.
1 2026: A first crown for France's best Kylian Mbappe
With Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi no longer the players they once were, it was always predicted that Kylian Mbappe would rise to the top.
A victory in 2026 would be a long time coming for Madrid’s latest Galactico but it would be an award well deserved. There’s a World Cup in 2026, too. Perhaps he’s just led France to a second triumph in three attempts?
2 2027: The wonderkid triumphs for the first time Lamine Yamal
One of the favourites for 2025, Yamal finally gets the recognition on a global stage that he deserves in two years time. At the age of 17, he’s already won the Kopa Trophy for the best U21 player, and it feels only a matter of time before he’s officially crowned the best player in the world.
Cole Palmer already thinks he is, and with numbers like he’s achieved in 2024/25, scoring 18 and assisting 26, anything is possible. He is a generational talent, the rightful heir to Lionel Messi’s throne.
Games
55
Goals
18
Assists
25
3 2028: A victory for the Premier League Erling Haaland
Like Mbappe, Haaland has been tripped as a future Ballon d’Or winner for a while now but AI thinks we’ll have to wait another three years before seeing Manchester City’s goal machine given the gong.
Given the length of his contract, he’s set to stay in the Premier League for a long time and is likely to continue banging in the goals on a domestic and continental level. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he is the definitive best number 9 of all time once he hangs up his boots.
4 2029: Messi 2.0 does it again Lamine Yamal
We told you he was generational. Two years on from his first success, Yamal is set to be handed his second Ballon d’Or, truly following in the footsteps of the great Messi.
At this point in his career, he’ll still only be 22 years of age. His potential is utterly frightening.
5 2030: Another win for Real Madrid Vinicius Jr
Six years on from what he felt was a cruel loss at the hands of Rodri, Brazil’s heir to Neymar and Real Madrid’s heir to CR7, Vini Jr, will finally get his hands on football’s most prestigious individual award.
Although aged 30, AI thinks he’ll still be going strong for Real Madrid, and with it being a World Cup year, maybe, just maybe, Brazil have got their hands on the trophy again.
Games
51
Goals
20
Assists
17
6 2031: Another Barca great does it Pedri
Every player on this list so far has been a forward but Barcelona star Pedri is set to topple the Yamal dominance by winning the award himself, following in the footsteps of the amazing Luka Modric and Rodri, the last midfielders to win the award.
The Spaniard is only 22 at the time of writing but he had a captivating season for Barca as they reached the Champions League final and won LaLiga. He’s played 59 times in 2024/25, scoring six goals and assisting eight. If he does indeed win the Ballon d’Or in 2031, his longevity certainly will have been Modric-esque.
7 2032: Liverpool's new signing takes it home Florian Wirtz
On the cusp of signing for Liverpool, who knows where Florian Wirtz will be playing in seven years time but AI seems to reckon that after securing a transfer to a Champions League giant and putting in strong showings for Germany, he’ll be the best player in the world.
Well, if it’s with the Reds, it would be their first Ballon d’Or winner since a certain Michael Owen back in 2001.
Wirtz is certainly one of the finest playmakers in the world already, contributing to 31 goals (16 goals, 15 assists) in the 2024/25 season when he was still with Bayer Leverkusen.
8 2033: More success for Germany Jamal Musiala
Germany star Jamal Musiala
Back-to-back success for Germany as Jamal Musiala picks up his first crown in 2033. This could be the start of a newfound dominance for Die Mannschaft, who with Musiala and Wirtz in tow, may well have won the 2032 European Championships.
AI is backing the attacking midfielder to trump everyone else due to Bayern Munich’s dominance, international accolades and consistent form.
9 2034: A third major honour awaits Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal for Barcelona
Rounding things off is a third triumph for one of the best players this generation has seen; Yamal.
In 2034, he’s be 27 and at the peak of his career with AI predicting him to cement his legacy as a generational talent. If he isn’t already, he’s now a truly household name, one of the best players we’ve ever seen in the game and right up there with Messi.
Only two players, Messi and Ronaldo, have won it more than three times, while Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten are the only other players to have all taken it home on three occasions.
10 2035: Brazilian follows in the footsteps of Vini Jr Endrick
Brazil'sEndrickduring the warm up before the match
While Yamal will no doubt be in the conversation again after winning it for a third time, his reign is brought to a halt by another of LaLiga’s top wonderkids at the moment, Endrick.
AI predicts that the Brazilian striker will become a powerhouse over the next decade, potentially winning the World Cup 2034 Golden Ball before cementing himself as the best striker in the world in ten years’ time. Grok reckons that the forward’s physicality and finishing ability will give him the edge over Yamal at this point.
The best XI of players to never win the Ballon d'Or
Some of these players were brutally snubbed for the golden ball.
Chelsea left it late on Sunday, but Enzo Maresca’s Blues came away from the frantic contest at near neighbours Fulham victorious with a 2-1 win secured at the death.
Pedro Neto smashed home a fierce effort as the clock ticked down to the 93rd minute mark to clinch the dramatic three points, but he wasn’t the only main talking point right after the dust had settled at Craven Cottage.
Indeed, 19-year-old sensation Tyrique George was the hero who got his team back in the contest with the much-needed equaliser, with the teenage attacker now hopeful of more senior minutes to come after his chaotic cameo against Marco Silva’s hosts.
George's promising performances for Chelsea
George would only find himself on the Craven Cottage turf for a mere five minutes before crucially levelling the contest, leaving Maresca delighted on the sidelines that he threw the promising youngster into the game.
This isn’t the Camden-born attacker’s only senior goal of the season to date, however, with George also lethal against Legia Warsaw in mid-April, but the coolness to slot home a chance past Bernd Leno when the likes of Nicolas Jackson were otherwise floundering was mightily impressive all the same.
Now off the mark in the Premier League, George will surely be demanding more first-team opportunities come his way, with the flexible starlet, who can play as a winger or as a number ten, already boasting 36 goal contributions playing for the U18s and U21s.
Minutes played
75
12
Goals scored
1
1
Assists
0
0
Touches
46
4
Accurate passes
31/35
2/2
Shots
1
1
But, he isn’t the only up-and-coming talent that Maresca and Co will be holding out high hopes for, with a similarly dazzling attacker perhaps more equipped to star in the first team over George.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The "world class talent" who could dent George
The Stamford Bridge outfit haven’t always had a glowing reputation when it comes to giving their youngsters plenty of first-team minutes, but this could soon change away from George’s emergence on the scene.
After all, current Palmeiras ace Estêvão is ready and waiting to make an impression in England when he waves his native Brazil goodbye in June, having initially signed a whopping £29m deal in May last year.
The South American prodigy might well be two years younger than his new Blues teammate, but he has terrorised defences on a regular basis for Palmeiras ever since he entered into the first-team picture, leading to Chelsea splashing the cash to land the sensational 17-year-old.
Already heralded as a “world-class talent” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, he clearly looks ready to be thrown straight into the deep-end of the Blues first team shortly, coming potentially at George’s expense.
2025
21
6
1
2024
50
19
12
2023
4
1
0
With a hefty 26 goals scored in total for the Brazilian side at a senior level, on top of 13 assists being tallied up, Estêvão will be keen to make an impact on Maresca’s starting XI, knowing he’s ready for that next step-up in quality.
Whereas, with George only managing two goals in the Blues’ first team, on the contrary, his time to become a consistent starter might well come more down the line, with the Brazilian wonderkid also adept at filling in down either wing or as an attacking midfielder like his rawer counterpart.
GOAL.com's 10 best wonderkids in world football.
In an ideal world, both players will be able to kick on next season. But, if it was a toss-up between the two, expect Estêvão to gain more meaningful first-team chances over the Englishman.
Not just Neto: Chelsea star with 100% passing is now undroppable
This Chelsea attacker could now be deemed as undroppable after his side’s dramatic away win at Fulham.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are ready to accept a loss and sell one of their players for £25m this summer, according to a new report.
Wolves close to Premier League safety after back-to-back wins
The Old Gold took another step to securing Premier League safety after a 1-0 win over West Ham United on Tuesday evening.
Wolves followed up the win after a 2-1 victory at Southampton prior to the international break, with Vitor Pereira’s side nine points clear of 17th with nine games remaining after Jorgen Strand Larsen’s winner against the Hammers.
Talking after the victory, Pereira said: “We deserve this result because we play 45 minutes with high quality. The result at half time must be 2-0 in my opinion. Second half we start to think about the result, they start to put more players on the pitch with different qualities to try to explore the crosses.
“In the end, after 80 minutes, we had to think about result and to get the three points. The team, we have true spirit as we showed today. In the moment we can play very good game with quality, but in other moments, especially this moment, we need to suffer together. We help each other and I feel this in my team.”
Those behind the scenes could soon start preparing for incoming transfer business, but there also be departures.
Contact made: Wolves in talks with attacking 4-3-3 boss to replace Pereira
Another change in the dugout could be on the cards.
ByCharlie Smith Apr 1, 2025
One player who could move on is Fabio Silva, who has been on loan at Las Palmas. The 22-year-old has scored eight goals and provided two assists in 21 La Liga appearances.
Talking about his Wolves future after scoring for Portugal U21s against England at The Hawthorns last month, Silva said: “I cannot answer that because my focus now is to be in Las Palmas. We have so much there to maintain in the first division in Spain and that is my focus. Also to help Portugal with the Euros and after that we have time.”
Now, it looks as if Wolves are ready to sell the attacker following a new transfer update.
Wolves ready to sell Fabio Silva as Old Gold willing to take loss
According to a report from Spain, Wolves have named their price to part ways with Silva this summer. Signed for €40m (£33.4m), Wolves are now willing to cut their losses and sell Silva for €30m (£25m).
Fabio Silva
Villarreal and Real Betis are thought to be interested following Silva’s impressive campaign with Las Palmas, however, Wolves’ asking price could ‘hinder’ a permanent move to Spain.
Silva, called “interesting” by Portugal boss Roberto Martinez, is under contract at Molineux until 2026, so this upcoming summer could be the last chance Wolves have to receive as much for the forward as possible.
Games
72
Goals
5
Assists
6
Whether or not they bring in £25m remains to be seen, but they are happy to take an £8m+ loss as per this update.
The post-Broad and Anderson world gets real at The Oval this week, as a raw attack tries to close out the series
Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Jul-20252:41
Harmison: ‘There will be lot of bounce on this surface’
Wednesday was James Anderson’s 43rd birthday. Thursday, day one of the fifth Test against India, will be two years since Stuart Broad’s last day of Test cricket. And, over the next five days, England will take their most significant steps yet into that post-Anderson-Broad world.This will be the 17th match without either, but the first home series decider since that Broad farewell. England’s new-look, four-pronged, right-arm seam attack has been picked to deliver victory on a pitch with extra live grass but, with five days of low cloud forecast as well, there will be plenty opportunity for this attack to be judged by the standards of those bygone legends.What wistfulness there remains for England’s most prolific seamers – 1308 dismissals between them – is mitigated by Anderson’s ongoing summer with Lancashire and Broad’s musings on . The game has moved on. The country, too. But a necessary shuffling of England’s deck after a gruelling fourth Test has brought the ongoing job of replacing them on the field into focus.Related
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India gain an edge. England have the lead. What will happen next?
Jofra Archer (two Tests) and Brydon Carse (four) are having to rest because of their workloads. This highlights both this series’ condensed schedule and the durability of Anderson and Broad. It is a quality often lost amid the talk of their longevity.Anderson played all five matches in nine different series. Broad did the same in ten. Chris Woakes will do so for the first time this week at the age of 36.Woakes, however, is something of an anomaly. He’s the renaissance man of this attack, a player who wrote his worth in the shadows of Anderson and Broad for 11 years before being tasked with leading the attack out of it.May this be his last stop in the shepherding role? It is not beyond the realms of possibility that this will be Woakes’ 62nd and final cap, with an Ashes tour of Australia to follow. Arguably his biggest task has now arrived; he will need to dig even deeper after 167 overs across four Tests, and guide Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton through to the other side. Starting with a first series victory over India since 2018.It has been a peculiar three weeks for that trio. Tongue was left out for Archer after two Tests. At the time, he was the leading wicket-taker in the series with 11 at 33.63.James Anderson and Stuart Broad inspect the ball during their final Test together in 2023•AFP/Getty ImagesAtkinson, added to the squad from the third Test, was not selected at either Lord’s or Old Trafford, and subsequently released to Surrey, who passed him on to their second team. Neither country nor county were willing to risk him this early, despite the fact he had been passed fully fit from a hamstring injury sustained during the one-off Test against Zimbabwe.Much like England, Surrey were also wary of adding too much risk to their attack against Yorkshire, given they were already playing Overton. In that instance, country and county had been in sync, an agreement from Surrey with England that Overton would get game-time having not been needed for the first two games.In a series of immense toil, both are fresh, while Tongue’s 81 overs constitute just 11% of the mammoth 691.2 overs that England’s quicks have sent down in the course of four Tests. And even Tongue has had a month off, barring 22 overs for Nottinghamshire last week.Their jobs, however, will be harder than those they are replacing, given Ben Stokes’ absence. England’s captain, the standout bowler of the series, was still wrestling with the decision not to play as early as the start of the team’s training session on Tuesday morning.Stokes’ grade three shoulder tear had ruled him out from bowling, but he was still on course to play as a batter until further medical advice and guidance from head coach Brendon McCullum ushered him towards a sensible decision. Even then, his biggest deliberation was the exact make-up of the seam attack that will attempt to make up the difference.”You go through so many different scenarios with potentials of the game,” Stokes said. “Turning up here and seeing the wicket, a lot greener and bit more live grass than the other wickets, we probably would have gone down the route of four seamers even if I played and couldn’t bowl.”The very fact that Tongue, Atkinson and Overton have been entrusted to punch this last ticket will give them some encouragement. As usual, when Ollie Pope deputises, Stokes will oversee everything off the field. But his faith in this trio, all of whom were handed debuts on his watch, will only go so far.It is worth stepping back and appreciating just how tricky it has been to navigate the land since Anderson’s and Broad’s retirements. Men’s managing director Rob Key was the key driver in assembling an array of quicks that could not just soften the blow from moving on from two legends, but ensure that England would never have to ask too much from their new batch. That aim, however, has proved nigh on impossible to deliver.Gus Atkinson will be part of England’s fast-bowling attack at the Oval•Getty ImagesInjuries to the likes of Mark Wood and Olly Stone – and Atkinson, for a bit – shallowed the pool. Others, like Matthew Potts, Sam Cook (who debuted against Zimbabwe) and Dillon Pennington (unused despite being part of the squad at the start of last season) are not trusted enough to be considered. Saqib Mahmood and Matt Fisher – ironically, the two drafted in for 2022’s tour of the West Indies when England tried to force Anderson and Broad out – are now further adrift.Then there are those given recognition, but nothing more for now. Josh Hull, handed a surprise debut in this corresponding fixture last summer, has showed signs of progression for Leicestershire without looking like being in contention any time soon. It remains too early for the young Hampshire duo of Sonny Baker and Eddie Jack, even if both have been pushed – the former handed a development contract after the Lions tour to Australia at the start of the year, the latter training with England ahead of the first Test after impressing for the England Lions. Even someone like 29-year-old Luke Wood, Lancashire’s left-arm quick, has been part of conversations without anything tangible, having piqued McCullum’s interest upon a return to the T20Is against West Indies.For now, it all rests on a trio coming in to the cauldron cold. Their experiences at international level will offer them a crutch – Atkinson’s record-breaking 2024, Tongue’s impressive start in 2023’s Ashes, and the management’s clear regard for Overton as a multi-format cricketer.But this is all very different. And by proxy, a chance to take more meaningful steps into the unknown.