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Leeds United needed to dip into the market to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch during the recently closed summer transfer window.

Daniel Farke led the team to the final of the play-offs, after a third-placed finish in the Championship, and lost to Southampton at Wembley last season.

This meant that the Whites were vulnerable to clubs coming in to poach their best players, ahead of a second season in the second tier, and they lost a number of key players.

Archie Gray, Glen Kamara, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter were snapped up by Tottenham Hotspur, Rennes, West Ham United, and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively.

The departures of Summerville and Rutter meant that the club had to go out and bring in attacking reinforcements to bolster Farke's options in the final third.

Leeds went and signed Manor Solomon on a season-long loan move from Tottenham and secured the permanent signing of Largie Ramazani, who came through the academy set-up at Manchester United, from Spanish side Almeria.

They were, however, reportedly interested in bringing one of their former players back to Elland Road for a second stint in West Yorkshire – Jack Clarke.

Leeds failed to land Jack Clarke

It was claimed that the Whites were eyeing up a late swoop to sign the English forward from Sunderland towards the end of the summer transfer window.

Leeds sold Clarke to Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of £8.5m in the summer of 2019, after he had emerged through the academy set-up at Thorp Arch, and attempted to bring him back five years later.

Unfortunately, though, they failed in their pursuit of a deal for the left winger as they faced Premier League competition from Ipswich Town, who swooped in to sign him for a fee of £15m, with £5m in add-ons.

As you can see in the table below, Clarke proved himself to be a huge threat at the top end of the pitch in his two full seasons at Championship level with the Black Cats.

Appearances

45

40

Goals

9

15

Assists

11

4

Big chances created

7

12

Dribbles completed per game

2.0

3.7

He is a winger who can offer regular quality as a scorer of goals down the left flank, cutting in onto his favoured right foot to cause damage in the final third.

Clarke had also started the current campaign in fine form, with one goal and one assist in two Championship games, before his big-money switch to Leeds.

The 23-year-old came up through the academy system with Leeds and Farke has already shown, with Mateo Joseph and Archie Gray, that he is willing to give young players a chance to impress in the first-team.

With this in mind, the Whites may have a player at Thorp Arch with the potential to develop into the German's own version of Clarke in the future, with U18s starlet Marley Wilson.

Marley Wilson's impressive academy form

The 18-year-old put pen to paper on his first professional contract with the club this summer, signing a one-year extension, and this could be a huge season for him in his development.

Wilson featured on the bench for the U21 team last season and his aim for the current campaign should be to break into the side on a regular basis.

If he can do that, whilst carrying over his form from U18 level, then it will give Farke a decision to make over his involvement in the first-team moving forward.

The left winger, who has been at the club since the age of 10, has made three appearances for the U21s so far in his career, having made the step up because of his terrific performances at U18 level.

Wilson racked up an eye-catching return of 18 goals and five assists in 39 appearances for the U18s, with the bulk of those strikes coming last season.

The talented young whiz, who is currently out with a back injury, produced 12 goals in 14 matches in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign, to end the term as the top scorer for the U18s.

That haul included three goals in four FA Youth Cup outings and seven goals in eight U18 Premier League appearances, as the electric winger showcased his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Wilson's goalscoring return was particularly impressive when you consider that he scored more goals for the U18s than Farke's current winger, Wilfried Gnonto, managed for the first-team.

Wilfried Gnonto's goalscoring record last season

The Italy U21 international featured heavily for Leeds in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign, predominantly playing on the right side.

He ended the season with a return of nine goals and three assists in 44 matches for the Whites, which included a return of eight goals and two assists in 36 regular season outings in the Championship.

Gnonto failed to hit double figures for goals in the division, or in all competitions combined, and this suggests that he did not offer a regular goal threat for Farke in the final third.

Appearances

36

xG

5.36

Goals

8

xA

3.81

Big chances created

5

Assists

2

The 20-year-old flanker, who has produced one goal in four league appearances this term, will need to improve his output to be relied upon as a star at the top end of the pitch for Leeds.

Wilson, if he can continue to develop and translate his form to U21 and then first-team level, could eventually emerge as a more prolific option on the flank.

The 18-year-old star has proven his goalscoring quality at U18 level, as a player with the potential to be Farke's own Clarke on the left flank, and it is now down to him to take the next step and shine with the U21s this season, to earn a long-term contract.

Leeds fans should be excited about 19 y/o academy gem who's the next Joseph

Leeds United have a top young star on their hands who could soon be ready for first team action.

1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 6, 2024

If he can do that then the German boss may take a look at him in pre-season next summer, with a view to him emerging as the next star from the academy.

da betsson： After narrowly beating Fulham on the opening day of the Premier League season, Manchester United would have travelled down to Brighton and Hove Albion hoping for two wins from two.

da betsul： Instead, Man United hearts were crushed late on, as the Seagulls won right at the death courtesy of a Joao Pedro header leaving Andre Onana stationary in the Red Devils' net.

This 2-1 defeat will leave Erik ten Hag scrambling in his head over what his best Man United XI looks like, with Mason Mount struggling when on the pitch at the Amex and in danger of now dropping out of the first-team picture consequently.

Mount's performance vs Brighton in numbers

Equally quiet against Marco Silva's Cottagers, Mount will now be hanging onto a spot in his manager's starting line-up with even more desperation, after his lacklustre showing against the Seagulls.

Only amassing 22 touches of the ball in the 2-1 defeat, the forlorn United number seven would also only register one shot on goal too, before being hooked at half-time for new recruit Joshua Zirkzee to get a run-out.

This could well be the beginning of the end for Mount at United, with a whole host of new midfield options being looked at, alongside the expected arrival of Manuel Ugarte from Paris St. Germain.

Only tallying up two goal contributions from 23 games so far at the Theatre of Dreams, it's fair to say the ex-Chelsea man has experienced somewhat of a nightmare spell with the Red Devils, having once been a bright spark for the Blues and his country.

The stuttering Premier League side can only wait so long for Mount to eventually come good again, and recapture his Stamford Bridge best, with this new body in midfield reportedly on the club's agenda once more.

Man United back in for Mount upgrade

As per journalist Jack Van Gelder, when speaking on Dutch television recently, Man United are not completely over the prospect of adding Frenkie De Jong to their roster.

Traditionally operating in a more holding position across his career compared to Mount, De Jong could still enter the ranks and be seen as an upgrade on the forgettable Mount, in terms of his ability to create chances galore when helping out in attack.

De Jong's career numbers

Club played for

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

Barcelona

213

17

21

Ajax

89

5

13

Ajax U21s

46

8

11

Willem II

3

0

0

Willem II U21s

22

7

2

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Proving across his career to date his ability to create and score goals, as well as complete his duties as an option in-front of the defence, it could be argued that the most fruitful patch of his career where he excelled with goals and assists came with Ajax, under the guidance of ten Hag.

His swansong season with the Dutch giants came during the 18/19 campaign, where he helped himself to three goals and four assists in Eredivisie action, before winning himself a major move to Barcelona.

Still managing to create four big chances in La Liga last season, despite injury difficulties plaguing his game-time, Man United might well push on and view snapping up a player who can stride forward and create with confidence as a priority, to ensure Mount isn't relied upon too much.

Moreover, the "spectacular" ace – as he has been previously described by former Barca boss Xavi – would offer competition to the incoming Ugarte, as the Man United squad continues to be strengthened all over the pitch, after a multitude of incomings in defence.

Ten Hag, away from all this frantic transfer talk, will just hope his side can find some consistency in the Premier League moving forward, knowing his neck could be on the line soon if the Red Devils don't improve, especially if he is backed in the market once more.

Related Forget Amad: Man Utd star who won 6 duels was the shining light vs Brighton

He worked hard out of position

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Aug 24, 2024

In the other semi-final, Tamil Nadu will be up against Saurashtra on December 24

Hemant Brar22-Dec-2021

File photo – Medium-pacer Diwesh Pathania was one of the architects of Services’ win over Kerala in the quarter-final

Services have qualified for their first-ever Vijay Hazare Trophy semi-final, thumping Kerala by seven wickets in Jaipur. The victory was set up by Diwesh Pathania, who picked up 3 for 19, and Ravi Chauhan, whose 95 off 90 balls ensured Services reached their target of 176 in just 30.5 overs.After electing to bowl, Pathania removed Mohammed Azharuddeen and Jalaj Saxena off successive balls to leave Kerala on 24 for 2 in the seventh over. Rohan Kunnummal and Vinoop Manoharan tried stabilising the innings by adding 81 in 105 balls before offspinner Pulkit Narang broke the stand by dismissing Manoharan for a 54-ball 41.Kunnummal took the side to 135 along with Sachin Baby, but once Baby fell, Kerala lost their last six wickets for 40 runs and were bowled out for a mere 175 in 40.4 overs. Only three of their batters could reach double digits, with Kunnummal top-scoring with 85 off 106 balls.Services didn’t have a great start either; Unnikrishnan Manukrishnan reduced them to 12 for 2 after two overs. But Ravi Chauhan and captain Rajat Paliwal dented any hopes of a Kerala comeback with a 154-run stand for the third wicket. By the time Chauhan got out, Services needed only ten more to the win, which they knocked off in the next six balls.The other quarter-final, between Saurashtra and Vidarbha, also followed a similar script. After being put in, Vidarbha were bowled out for 150 and Saurashtra chased that down in 29.5 overs with seven wickets in hand.Jaydev Unadkat and Chetan Sakariya’s new-ball spells had Vidarbha reeling at 9 for 3 in the eighth over. Faiz Fazal and Akshay Wadkar staged a brief recovery and took the side past 50. However, both Fazal and Wadkar fell in quick succession, and when Dharmendrasinh Jadeja dismissed Lalit Yadav and Yash Thakur off successive deliveries, the scoreboard read 86 for 8.That Vidarbha could still reach 150 was because of Apoorv Wankhade’s 72 off 69 balls, which included five fours and as many sixes. Along with Akshay Wakhare, Wankhede added 64 for the ninth wicket, in which Wakhare’s contribution was only 5. Legspinner Yuvraj Chudasama, though, picked up the last two wickets in the same over to deny Vidarbha a competitive total.It was not smooth sailing for Saurashtra, though. Aditya Thakare removed their openers Vishvaraj Jadeja and Harvik Desai cheaply, and when Sheldon Jackson, too, didn’t last long, making it 35 for 3 for his side, Saurashtra might have had some jitters.Prerak Mankad and Arpit Vasavada, however, allayed those fears with an unbroken 116-run stand to see the side home. Mankad struck 77 off 72 balls; he now has 339 runs in the tournament at an average of 113 and a strike rate of 114.91. Vasavada played the anchor’s role with a 66-ball 41.On Tuesday, Vinay Galetiya’s 3 for 19 rocked Uttar Pradesh before Prashant Chopra’s 99 anchored their 208-run chase to script a five-wicket win for Himachal Pradesh. In the second quarter-final, N Jagadeesan’s 102 and Shahrukh Khan’s unbeaten 79 off just 39 balls helped Tamil Nadu trounce Karnataka by 151 runs.Himachal Pradesh will now face Services in the first semi-final, while Tamil Nadu will be up against Saurashtra in the other. Both matches will be played in Jaipur on December 24.

Liverpool Football Club have had a mixed start to their pre-season campaign under new manager Arne Slot. The Reds will be hoping to improve on their final season with Jurgen Klopp in charge, who could 'only' secure the Reds a top-four finish and the Carabao Cup title, rather than the quadruple the whole club dreamed of.

So far, they have played two preseason games and started out in disastrous fashion, suffering a 1-0 defeat against Championship side Preston North End. With that being said, they did play 25 different players, with the focus of the friendly to get minutes into their legs rather than winning.

The first game of their preseason tour in the United States of America saw them overcome Spanish side Real Betis 1-0 in Pittsburgh, thanks to a goal from Dominik Szoboszlai. The rest of their time in the USA will see Slot’s side face Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United before a friendly against Sevilla at Anfield closes out pre-season, with their first Premier League game against newly promoted Ipswich just days away at that point.

To help their case for next season, Liverpool must soon dip into the transfer market to strengthen their squad; at this stage, they have yet to make an acquisition. However, they have been linked with one player who could bolster their attacking options.

Liverpool targeting in-demand winger

The player in question here is Galatasaray and Turkish international winger Baris Alper Yilmaz. The 24-year-old impressed for the Turkish giants last season and has now been linked with a move away from the club during the summer transfer window.

According to a report from Turkish news outlet FotoMac earlier this week, Liverpool have 'set their sights' on a deal to sign the winger over the summer, with the report suggesting that the Reds have 'been following the star player for a while'.

FotoMac believe that Slot’s side are 'preparing to make an official offer soon' and that the bid could reach around £25m. However, in order to sell their star winger this summer, Galatasaray would only accept a bid closer to £29m, meaning Liverpool are some way short of the value needed to bring him to the club.

The report suggests that the 19-time English top-flight champions are not the only side interested in signing the youngster this season. They suggest that Yilmaz’s 'name has been mentioned with many clubs in Europe', although they do not name any other clubs who want to acquire his services, aside from Liverpool.

Why Yilmaz would be a good signing

During the 2023/24 campaign, Yilmaz impressed for Galatasaray. In 55 games across all competitions, the 24-year-old grabbed seven goals and registered 12 assists. That included six goals and seven assists in the top-flight in Turkey, and an assist against Liverpool’s biggest rivals, Man United, in the Champions League.

He also went to Euro 2024 with his country. Whilst he did not manage to grab a goal or assist in Germany, Yilmaz still started every game and was a key player as his side went on an impressive run to reach the quarter-final.

Should Liverpool decide to sign Yilmaz this summer, he could prove to be an astute replacement for Columbian winger Luis Diaz. The 27-year-old has been consistently linked with a move away from Anfield, and reports earlier in 2024 suggested he is a target for clubs elsewhere in Europe including Barcelona.

If they do decide to commission this deal and bring the Galatarsary winger to the club, the Reds could be looking at their very own Son Heung-min. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig made this comparison in the past, and it certainly rings true when watching the pair.

How Yilmaz compares to Heung-min Son

Like Son, the 24-year-old is a direct, two-way winger who uses his pace to make him deadly in transition, and a nightmare in one-vs-one scenarios for defenders. The Turkey international is also a superb dribbler, able to use his 6 foot 1 frame to his advantage.

Yilmaz is adept at playing right across the front three, and last season for Galatasaray, played on both wings and as a centre-forward, such as we have seen Son do for Tottenham Hotspur for years. It may well be the case that he does not find his best position for a number of seasons, but he is currently excelling out wide, although do not seem to do better on one of the wings in particular.

Position

Games

Goals

Assists

Right wing

27

5

7

Left wing

12

1

3

Left back

7

N/A

1

Right back

6

1

1

Centre forward

3

N/A

N/A

Total

55

7

12

It is also reflected in their stats, according to Sofascore. Last season in the top flight of Turkey, Yilmaz created ten big chances and averaged 1.2 key passes per game. As per Sofascore, Son slightly edged him and created an impressive 20 big chances in the Premier League and two key passes each game.

However, one area in which the 24-year-old Turkish international did trump the Spurs captain is in his successful dribbling stats. Yilmaz completed 1.8 dribbles per 90 minutes last season, at a success rate of 56%, although Son completed just 1.1 dribbles at a success rate of just 45%.

Sports commentator and broadcaster Stephen Doyle described Yilmaz as a “tremendous” player to watch, and that is certainly reflected in his statistical record. His profile would certainly fit the direct style of play that Slot has begun to implement at Anfield, and his addition could allow the sale of Diaz which would mean the club have more money to reinvest in the squad.

For just £29m, this is a deal that Liverpool might not want to miss out on and would be a shrewd first signing of the Slot era to help give him the best chance of silverware in his debut campaign at Anfield.

On the list: Liverpool want £27m striker who'd make Salah unplayable

The Reds are part of a lengthy list of suitors for this rising star.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 29, 2024

From TS Trudgian, Canada

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013
The new and improved Shane Watson•AFPMy wife once asked me whether there was a need for batsmen to move their feet when playing a ‘stop’. A little questioning yielded that ‘stop’ meant ‘forward defensive stroke’. Is there a need? There most certainly is, said I. The conversation blossomed with mention of the insurance of adjacent bat and pad, the induced downward angle of the bat to deny any close fielders, and above all, the balance of having one’s head over the ball. Well, at least one side of the conversation blossomed. Seeking an example to prove my point, I pointed to the computer screen, which showed the Australian openers in the first morning of the Mohali Test. Balance, my dear … , oh, well, that is Simon Katich, he is a little different. A propitious single brought Watto on strike. Now, watch his balance as he gets in behind this ball. To my chagrin Watson played ‘on the walk’, and not on a Matthew-Hayden-walk-down-and-front-foot-pull-the-bowler-for-four, thanks very much guv’nor. No, he played as if the ball was the last of the day’s play: no sooner had it struck his bat than his right foot emerged from its (rightful) side-on position and his sideways movement took him a few paces towards point. I let out a small shout of fury at being denied proof of my pontificating, while my wife smiled and resumed her knitting, thinking that I should best stick to my sines and cosines.It was a curious observance, and, like all trifles, was one which I started to notice almost constantly during Watson’s innings. To pace and to spin alike, he would produce a lengthy stride, defend the ball, and almost topple over to his right to face the camera almost front on, French-cricket style. Forget aesthetics, a lean towards the right, or even a shifting in momentum to cause such a lean, leaves one open to a ball nipping back in, and UDRS or no, a Lawson, Blaxland and Wentworth special. How can he manage this? The simplest resolution is of course, he has an average of over fifty opening the batting for Australia: in my one and only game for the Oxford Blues I batted at No. 11 and was involved in a fifty-run stand of which my contribution amounted to zero runs from zero balls — thanks for playing.There have been articles written about the personality of Watson being different from that of the ‘standard’ Australian batsman, whatever that may mean. To me, there is something ‘not quite right’ about his batting. But who cares? He is the perfect pugnacious Yang to Katich’s prudent Yin. He may have had trouble converting fifties to hundreds, but that is one of the lighter burdens one can be forced to bear. He is not a one-gear-wonder: his 93 and 120 against Pakistan in the last Boxing Day Test came at a comfortable, but not cavalier, clip.That he has been spared a lot of bowling duties is one of the best moves for his career. Moreover, even when he does bowl these days, it is with noticeably less pace, and hence, less stress on the body. Australia finally gave up the request to shoe-horn Watson in as the next Keith Miller, and were content with his fulfilling a role as a (most useful) reserve seam-bowler. That he and Katich can change gears (with one virtually changing down while the other changes up) gives Australia a clear advantage in the opening to their innings. It would be foolhardy to predict anything less than one century opening stand, and one ton for the Watt himself.

أعرب حسام حسن، المدير الفني للمنتخب المصري، عن دعمه لقرار الوقوف دقيقة حداد مع عزف “سلام الشهيد” قبل انطلاق المباريات، احتفاءً بيوم الشهيد الذي يوافق التاسع من مارس، وتقديرًا لتضحيات أبطال مصر من القوات المسلحة والشرطة.

وأكد حسن أن هذه الخطوة تعكس روح الوطنية وتعزز قيم الوفاء والتقدير لمن ضحوا بأرواحهم دفاعًا عن الوطن، مشددًا على أن تكريم الشهداء واجب وطني ورسالة تضامن مع أسرهم.

طالع.. خاص.. حسام حسن يُبدي غضبه الشديد بسبب حلمي طولان ويشكو لـ اتحاد الكرة

من جانبها، أعلنت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة تعميم القرار على جميع مباريات الدوري الممتاز خلال شهر مارس، حيث سيتم الوقوف دقيقة حداد قبل كل لقاء، تأكيدًا على دور الرياضة في إحياء القيم الوطنية والتذكير بتضحيات الشهداء.

بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، تقام بنظام استثنائي، حيث تم لعب مباريات الدور الأول كمرحلة أولى، ثم تم تقسم الأندية على مجموعتين، مجموعة من المركز الأول حتى التاسع للمنافسة على اللقب، وبداية من 10 حتى 18 للمنافسة على البقاء والهبوط، على أن يهبط فريقان فقط إلى دوري القسم الثاني.

Ronnie Irani voices concerns that off-field activity has caused downturn in performance

George Dobell18-Sep-2021

Essex’s celebrations after victory in last season’s Bob Willis Trophy attracted criticism•Getty Images

For most clubs, a season in which they effectively finish seventh in the County Championship might not be considered too bad.But such has been Essex’s success in recent years, their results in 2021 have sparked an internal review which is understood to focus on allegations of a drinking culture at the club.The catalyst for the review was a question asked by Ronnie Irani, who was, until recently, chair of the club’s cricket committee. He is understood to have raised the fear that the club, who won the Championship in 2017 and 2019, the T20 Blast in 2019 and the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020, had become a little complacent and that unhelpful habits – such as a propensity to relax over a few drinks – had crept into the team’s culture.Irani is understood to have suggested such behaviour was not conducive to an elite sporting environment and may be deemed exclusive to those who do not drink.The inquest may be related to Essex’s celebrations at the end of last season’s Bob Willis Trophy final at Lord’s, when photographs of beer being poured on the head of the young batter Feroze Khushi – a non-drinker for religious reasons – were circulated to widespread condemnation.Essex issued a statement shortly after the incident, acknowledging that it “did not meet the inclusive values” of the club, while Tom Westley, the captain, followed up with an apology on behalf of his team, and a determination to “be more responsible” in future.Related

Alastair Cook commits until 2023 season after Essex contract extension

Ronnie Irani steps down from Essex board

Essex captain Tom Westley issues apology after beer poured on Muslim player

While the suggestion of a drinking culture has infuriated some members of the staff, the executive board has resolved to hold a review into the matter. As a result, they will conduct interviews with players and members of the coaching staff on Monday before coming to a decision.Essex are likely to finish top of Division Two in the Championship this year. While they endured a disappointing T20 Blast campaign (they were seventh in their group), they made it to the semi-final of the Royal London One-day Cup.Although Irani recently stepped down as chair of the cricket committee citing the demands of his career away from the game, it is now understood he is keen to run for the position of chair of the club as a whole in the new year.His return is understood to be resisted by club stalwarts such as Graham Gooch, David Acfield and Keith Fletcher. A report in the Daily Mail also suggested that Sir Alastair Cook, who is out of contract at the club at the end of this season, may be reluctant to sign a new deal if Irani’s influence at the club is increased.

Bouchier and Dean identified as possible Covid-19 contacts, expected to return for second T20I

Valkerie Baynes28-Aug-2021Charlie Dean and Maia Bouchier have been ruled out of England’s opening T20I against New Zealand after being identified as possible contacts of a COVID-19 case.The pair, who both earned maiden international call-ups for the series, are expected to join up with the England squad ahead of the second T20I at Hove in a week’s time, pending test results.”In order to evaluate the situation and undergo further testing they will miss the first Vitality IT20 against New Zealand,” the ECB said.Emma Lamb has been drafted into the England squad ahead of the first match, at Chelmsford on Wednesday.Batting allrounder Lamb scored an unbeaten 111 off 61 balls opening for Thunder in the Charlotte Edwards Cup against Sunrisers in July, when she also took 3 for 16. She then played all seven of Manchester Originals’ completed matches in the Hundred, with notable scores of 32, 39 and 46 and claiming all three of her wickets for the tournament against Birmingham Phoenix, again taking 3 for 16.Related

• Sophie Devine's all-round show marks 100th T20I with New Zealand win

• Emma Lamb becomes first Charlotte Edwards Cup centurion as Thunder strike down Sunrisers

• Lea Tahuhu overcomes cancer scare to make England tour

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The as-yet uncapped Lamb was named in a 24-strong England training squad last June as players resumed individual programmes at various venues around the country after the first wave of the Covid pandemic.Lamb’s inclusion means that England have again resisted the temptation to pick 17-year-old allrounder Alice Capsey despite her impressive efforts for Oval Invincibles during their late charge to the Hundred title.Bouchier scored 92 runs in seven innings for Southern Brave during the Hundred at an average of 30.66 and with a strike rate of 143.75. Allrounder Dean, who played for London Spirit in the Hundred, claimed a wicket and scored 22 as part of an England A team which beat New Zealand by four wickets in a 50-over warm-up match.Taunton will host the last of the three England-New Zealand T20Is on September 9, with five ODI matches to follow as both sides ramp up their preparations for the World Cup, starting in New Zealand in March, where England are defending champions.

MatériaMais Notícias

da bet7： O Botafogo fechou a permanência de dois jogadores considerados com potencial internamente. O Alvinegro concluiu a compra de Vitinho e Vitor Marinho junto ao Resende na noite desta segunda-feira, após um encontro entre representantes dos dois clubes no Rio de Janeiro. O Glorioso vai desembolsar R$ 500 mil para adquirir a dupla.

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Inicialmente, a opção para o clube de General Severiano adquirir os jogadores era de R$ 700 mil. O Resende abriu mão de parte do valor para que o negócio tivesse final feliz e por saber que os dois estavam adaptados ao clube. O Gigante do Vale, portanto, foi parte importante para o negócio acontecer.

Vitinho e Vitor Marinho atuaram por empréstimo no time sub-20 na última temporada – o primeiro, inclusive, chegou a fazer uma partida pelo profissional. Os dois foram titulares com Ricardo Resende e ajudaram o time de base na conquista da Copa Rio/OPG e o vice na Copa do Brasil.

Os direitos econômicos de cada jogador serão divididos entre os clubes – 50% para cada nos dois casos. O Botafogo vai quitar as parcelas do pagamento nos próximos meses.

Vitinho, inclusive, apareceu na reapresentação do elenco principal nesta segunda-feira, no Estádio Nilton Santos. Vitor Marinho é esperado nos próximos dias. Os dois farão a pré-temporada com a equipe profissional e ficarão à disposição de Enderson Moreira para o Campeonato Carioca.

While there were a few wobbles towards the start, it would be fair to say that Nuno Espírito Santo’s time in the West Ham United dugout has largely gone well so far.

The Portuguese coach has lifted the East Londoners out of the Premier League relegation zone and picked up some impressive results against Newcastle United, Manchester United, Everton and Burnley.

One of the players who seems to have benefited most from his arrival is Callum Wilson, who rediscovered his goalscoring form.

However, it might not be enough in the eyes of the club, as West Ham are now being linked with a striker who would represent an upgrade on the Englishman, a striker who once finished in a Jarrod Bowen-esque way.

West Ham linked with Wilson upgrade

The transfer window reopens in under a month, and, as is the case with most other clubs, West Ham have already been linked with a plethora of exciting players.

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For example, Toulouse’s highly rated English defender, Charlie Cresswell, has once again been touted for a move to the London Stadium, as has Nuno’s old number one, Jose Sa.

However, while both players would certainly have a positive impact at West Ham, neither one could be described as a Wilson upgrade, unlike Santiago Giménez.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Hammers are among several clubs that have been offered the chance to sign the AC Milan forward next year.

If the East Londoners do want to take up the offer, either on loan or in a permanent deal, they will have to get moving, as the report also states that Leeds United are the team with the most concrete interest in the player.

It could be a complicated transfer to get done for West Ham, but considering Giménez’s ability and goalscoring record, it’s one they should fight for, especially as he could be an upgrade on Wilson and arguably finished like Bowen in the past.

Why Giménez would be an upgrade on Wilson

There are a few reasons why Giménez would represent an upgrade on Wilson, and the first is their respective output.

Now, it is undoubtedly the case that the Englishman is actually outdoing the Mexican international in this regard so far this season, scoring four goals in 12 games compared to his one goal and two assists in 11 games.

However, when you take a step back and look at his form last season, and especially when he was playing in the Netherlands, it becomes clear that the former Feyenoord star is the more dangerous striker.

For example, while the former Newcastle United star scored only once in 22 appearances last year, the Resistencia-born marksman scored 22 goals and recorded six assists in 38 appearances.

Moreover, the season before that saw the Coventry-born ace do pretty well, scoring ten goals and providing one assist in 26 games, but his potential competition still did better, scoring 26 goals and providing eight assists in 41 games.

Giménez & Wilson’s recent form
23/24	Giménez	Wilson
Games	41	26
Minutes	3204′	1338′
Goals	26	10
Assists	8	1
24/25	Giménez	Wilson
Games	38	22
Minutes	2110′	458′
Goals	22	1
Assists	6	0
All Stats via Transfermarkt

With all this in mind, it’s clear that the “insane” Milan forward, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is the far superior goalscorer, and considering he is left-footed, there is a Bowen-esque way to how he often curls the ball into the net.

Now, on top of the output, the 46-capped Mexican ace also has age on his side, coming nine years younger than the veteran 33-year-old Englishman.

Finally, the £78k-per-week game-changer also has fitness on his side, as he’s only had one season in his career in which he’s missed more double-digit games through injury, compared to Wilson, who has had seven.

Ultimately, while it might not be the club’s top priority, West Ham should go out and sign Giménez as soon as possible, as he could supercharge their attack.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 3, 2025