The Saudi Pro League has not reached out to Vinicius Junior in an attempt to sign him from Real Madrid, one of the division's chiefs has said.

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Vini Jr linked with €1bn Saudi moveReported to have met with league officialsSPL chief sets the record straightFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Executives from the Saudi top-flight reportedly met with the 24-year-old in 2023 to discuss a transfer that would see him sign a deal worth a potential €1 billion (£840m). He continues to be linked with a move to Middle East, though Madrid hope to convince him to sign a new contract.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The reports say that the SPL leaders are acting on behalf of clubs to bring in the two-time Champions League winner, but the division's general manager of marketing communications, Mohammed Basrawi, says otherwise.

WHAT BASRAWI SAID

Asked about the possibility of signing the Brazilian, he told : "A sensitive issue. Honestly, as a league, we don't get involved in the signings each club intends to make. Would we like to have him here? Of course we would, but we, as a league, don't choose the signings; they depend on each club."

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR VINICIUS?

Vinicius remains tied to Madrid until the summer of 2027 and will hope to end the season with La Liga and Champions League winners' medals before he considers moving to another club.

Big Picture

Post the 2021 T20 World Cup, India have played a total of 29 T20Is heading into this series. Australia, meanwhile, have played just nine. Irrespective of their prep, Australia might turn up in their usual confident manner at the T20 World Cup – but this time they’ll have to defend the title in their backyard. And they have quite a bit to figure out compared to their better-prepped opponents.In the age of packed cricket calendars and schedules, it does seem quite surprising that these two teams haven’t played each other in a T20I since December 2020. India won that away series 2-1, while Australia won the last T20I series they played in India, in February 2019. Also, how can we forget match in Mohali, when Virat Kohli left Australia speechless? Irrespective of the format, the meetings between these two countries have always been high-octane and largely competitive, and this series should be no different, provided Australia can overcome a few selection questions.Related

• Tim David's long-awaited Australia debut is finally on

• Fit-again Harshal adds more strings to T20 bow

• Smith to bat at No. 3 in India T20Is in Mitch Marsh's absence

• Rahul: 'No one is perfect; strike rate is something I am working at'

Their captain Aaron Finch’s recent form seems to be among the biggest of concerns. Steven Smith’s middling strike rate has also raised questions around his place in the XI. And, Australia are without the injured trio of Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis for this series, while David Warner has been rested. The team playing this series looks quite different from Australia’s first-choice World Cup side. But it does give Australia the space to experiment with the back-ups but they will also want to build a winning momentum. They have five more matches after this series – a two-match series against West Indies and three T20Is against England at home – before the T20 World Cup.It’ll be interesting to see how Tim David, who will be in Australia colours for the first time, fits into the international set-up. Australia are also likely to experiment with Josh Inglis, making him open alongside Finch. Finch said there will be a lot of “mixing and matching” ahead of the World Cup.India, meanwhile, have had some time to figure out what has worked for them and, more importantly, what hasn’t. They’re back home after some travelling, having won bilateral T20I series in Ireland, England and the Caribbean. But it was their most recent prep – at the Asia Cup – that left them with key takeaways.After the Asia Cup Super 4s exit, captain Rohit Sharma said India were “90-95% settled” ahead of the T20 World Cup. Their aggressive approach has largely worked out well. Kohli finally hit form, so his place in the XI is – at least for now – no longer a debate. They are entering the series with the strongest available squad and will be looking to mainly focus on making roles clearer.4:48

Hodge: Australia shouldn’t look back from this point when it comes to Tim David

The return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel means Hardik Pandya no longer has to be the third seamer in the side. India will also want to see how they can use the likes of allrounders Axar Patel and Deepak Hooda better. Rohit was clear KL Rahul has his backing as the opener. As for Pant, India will be hoping he comes good in the series. India still have a home series against South Africa to go before the T20 World Cup to further firm up their plans.

Form guide

India WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia LWWWL

In the spotlight

All eyes will be on Tim David, who will be looking to showcase his power-hitting skills, this time in Australia colours. The Singapore-born batter has impressed in various T20 competitions, most recently in the IPL as well, and he’ll be looking to replicate his success on the international stage. His big-hitting skills aside, his ability to take on spinners and quicks alike makes him a must-have in a T20 side. He averages 32.48 with a strike rate of 164.12 in T20s. He is likely to take up the middle-order spot in Stoinis’ absence in this series. But Australia will not be able to accommodate him if both Stoinis and Marsh are fit when the World Cup begins. It’s Smith’s position that appears a bit vulnerable as of now – but he too has the reputation of being the anchor in the XI – so it remains to be seen how Australia fit David into their XI at the World Cup.Rishabh Pant is yet to find his mojo in T20Is•Associated Press

Rishabh Pant has not quite been able to live up to the expectations in the T20 format. In T20Is since 2020, he has averaged just 27.63 and has struck at 129.95 in 32 innings. At the Asia Cup, Pant had to be brought into the XI in place of Dinesh Karthik following an injury to Ravindra Jadeja as India wanted a left-hand batter in the middle. But he could only make scores of 17 and 14 against Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively in the Super 4s. While having Pant and Karthik in the squad offers them flexibility, it looks like India can currently accommodate only one of the two in the XI. Pant will have to make use of his time in the middle in the upcoming T20Is to get back into form before the T20 World Cup.

Team news

Umesh Yadav, who was originally meant to undergo rehab for a quad injury in Bengaluru, has been called into the squad after Mohammed Shami tested positive for Covid-19. But with the return of Bumrah and Harshal, India are unlikely to play Umesh in the XI.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rishabh Pant/ Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/ Deepak Chahar, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Jasprit BumrahWith Marsh absent, Smith will bat at No. 3 against India. David looks set to make his Australia debut in the middle order. Australia are also likely to play Inglis – who has so far played at No. 3 and in the middle order in T20Is – as an opener and push Matthew Wade down the order. Cameron Green, who has been impressive with the ball and the bat, has been brought back into the T20I squad – having played a solitary match in April this year – and is also likely to find a place in the XI.Australia (probable): 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 Josh Inglis, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Matthew Wade (wk), 6 Tim David, 7 Cameron Green, 8 Adam Zampa, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Sean Abbott/ Daniel Sams

Pitch and conditions

It is expected to be partly cloudy and humid in Mohali tomorrow, with a 25% chance of precipitation in the evening. In T20s since 2018, the chasing team has won seven out of 11 matches at the ground. On the eve of the match, Finch said the wicket had “a bit of grass on it”.

Stats and trivia

• Kohli’s 718 runs against Australia are the most by any player against an opposition in men’s T20Is
• Australia have won each of their last three T20Is in India
• Jasprit Bumrah has dismissed Glenn Maxwell seven times in 15 meetings in T20s

Quotes

“… Only we know what role is expected of each person. Everyone is trying to give their best, and not every time will a player succeed. And that is the kind of environment we have created, that players are not afraid to play, or players are not afraid to make mistakes.”
“The last thing you want to do is have an injury derail your whole campaign because you’re pigeon-holed into playing one style of cricket or one structure of team.”

Aston Villa are now winless in their last four games in all competitions after a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Club Brugge on Wednesday night.

This was Villa’s first loss in the Champions League this season, and it will be a result that stings for Unai Emery’s men, owing to the comical nature of Brugge’s winner.

Tyrone Mings was front and centre of the Belgian side’s laughable goal in the contest, with the experienced 31-year-old lackadasically scooping the ball up after an Emiliano Martinez goal-kick, only for the referee to point to the penalty spot.

Mings' performance in numbers

It was a huge lapse in concentration from the Villa number five, who would have just been glad to be back out on the pitch getting more minutes after a serious injury layoff, away from the incident at hand.

Still, Mings’ moment of madness ultimately cost his side the game, with his entire display going down as one to forget.

Away from this freak incident, Mings struggled across the 66 minutes he was present on the Brugge turf, with only one duel being won from five attempted sticking out as a sorry statistic from his hour or so on the pitch.

Pau Torres will hope he is reinstated into Emery’s main XI for the next game Villa play away at Liverpool this coming weekend, as the West Midlands side aim to put this dire 1-0 defeat behind them as quickly as possible.

Whilst Mings’ performance stole all of the headlines for all of the wrong reasons, he wasn’t the only notable underperformer on the night, as Morgan Rogers also failed to impress out in Belgium.

Rogers' performance in numbers

Rogers was a bright spark for Villa the match before this sobering Champions League loss, with the ex-Manchester City youngster bagging his side’s only goal of the game in a demoralising 4-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in Premier League action.

The 22-year-old midfielder couldn’t raise any brief smiles in a similar manner away in Brugge, however, as Rogers failed to ever get going for his side on their European travels, with a drab 1-0 loss the unwanted final outcome.

Looking at the table above, Rogers was nowhere near his best against Nicky Hayen’s hosts, with only 29 touches mustered up amongst other worrying numbers.

Even Martinez in-between the sticks managed to register more touches at a hefty 46, as Rogers simply let the game pass him by far too often.

Alongside a meagre 26 touches, the out-of-sorts Villa number 27 also failed to notch up a single on-target effort at Simon Mignolet’s goal, as well as only managing one successful dribble and one successful duel, as Brugge celebrated their big win come full-time whilst Rogers and Co trudged off the pitch downbeat.

Goal journalist Harry Sherlock would give the 22-year-old a low 4/10 match rating ater the game consequently, labelling his display as ‘bitterly disappointing’ when contrasted with his usually electric displays for Emery’s men.

Villa are deep into a sticky patch of form now after last night’s defeat, with Emery wanting a major response when his Villans side travel to Liverpool next, in what could end up being another defeat for his despondent side.

Aston Villa had a star on loan who then became a "world-class" £50m ace

Aston Villa did not see the best version of the ace, who was then worth £50m.

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Ibrahima Konate will be a huge loss for Liverpool while he is out injured. Arne Slot confirmed following the win over Manchester City last weekend that the defender will be “out for a few weeks” after an injury sustained in the Champions League clash against Real Madrid the previous midweek.

He has been imperative for the Reds this season, as they sit top of the pile in the Premier League. The Frenchman has played 12 times in the top flight, with his centre-back partner Virgil van Dijk explaining “the qualities he has are outstanding” earlier in the season.

However, with Konate sidelined for the foreseeable future, Van Dijk will need a new partner at the heart of the Liverpool defence. Joe Gomez was the man who took up that mantle last weekend.

Gomez’s stats this season

With Konate’s impressive form this term, it has not been a campaign filled with opportunities for England international Gomez. He has played just nine games in all competitions, with four of those coming in the Premier League.

Frustratingly, he has played just 145 top-flight minutes altogether, with his first start coming last weekend against the Cityzens. Indeed, that was a positive performance against the reigning top-flight champions.

Gomez earned an impressive 8/10 for his efforts against Pep Guardiola’s side. The Guardian journalist Andy Hunter praised the former Charlton Athletic defender for “an assured defensive display” against City.

He has come a long way under Slot since the first game of the season. The 27-year-old, who has never scored a professional goal, was left out of their season opener away to Ipswich Town.

That led to a report from The Times explaining that he could depart the club over the summer, although that did not materialise. Since then, the defender – who was ironically close to a move to today’s opponents, Newcastle United – has knuckled down well and put in a strong performance against City to prove his worth in the squad.

With the games coming thick and fast for Liverpool, Slot may well decide to rotate his side around and could leave Gomez out of the starting lineup against Newcastle, in favour of Jarrell Quansah.

Why Quansah could start against Newcastle

The 2023/24 campaign was a breakout season for Reds academy product Quansah. He played 33 times under Jurgen Klopp, becoming an important squad player and even being named in England’s provisional Euro 2024 squad.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, this season has been the opposite for the 21-year-old. Under Slot, Quansah has featured just four times in all competitions, with just two of those games coming in the Premier League.

Interestingly, the defender did make a start at Portman Road at the start of the season, with his other appearance coming off the bench against City last weekend. In that heavyweight showdown, he helped to hold down the fort and ensure City did not find a route back into the game.

It may well be seen as a risk to drop Gomez in favour of the youngster who has had fewer minutes this term. However, as the stats from the 2023/24 Premier League season, courtesy of Squawka, there is not too much between them from a numerical standpoint.

On the ball, Quansah played more forward passes per game, with 29.6 to Gomez’s 17.9, and won more aerial duels, with 3.5 compared to just 1.6 for his teammate.

Stat (per 90)

Quansah

Gomez

Pass accuracy

88.76

86.25

Forward passes

29.6

17.9

Tackles and interceptions

3.2

3.4

Aerial duels won

3.5

1.6

Ground duels won

2.4

4

Ball recoveries

5.5

5.7

It is a chance for the “exceptional” defender, as football scout Antonio Mango described him, to stake a claim in the Liverpool side whilst Konate is sidelined. He will be coming up against Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak, one of the most deadly attacking duos in the Premier League.

They have four joint goal involvement in 60 games together so far, and although they have not been in the best form this term, there is a chance to make a statement to Slot by keeping them quiet.

It would be a bold call for Slot to bring Quansah into the side, especially coming up against Isak and Gordon. He will have his work cut out against two lethal attacking players, but it is a challenge the Liverpool academy graduate will surely rise to meet, as he tries to lock down a regular starting spot.

Fewer touches than Kelleher: Liverpool must boldly axe 8/10 ace after City

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There is a certainty to his big ODI hundreds, a clear awareness of the match situation, and an innate skill that allows him to not panic when there are slow periods

Gaurav Joshi at the WACA12-Jan-2016Four out of Rohit Sharma’s last five international hundreds have been part of heartbreaking scripts for India, but on an individual plane he might just be on his way to scripting the book on how an opener should bat ODIs. There is such a certainty to his big ODI hundreds, such situational awareness and that of the fields, that it leaves you totally confounded with his Test form. From the first ball he faced in Perth to the last, Rohit’s unbeaten 171 was scored with hardly a shot hit in anger.Even as the clutter of clapping got louder and Josh Hazlewood ran in for the first ball of a series hugely anticipated by the Aussie population of Indian descent, there seemed to be a certain calm to Rohit. He portrayed that by easing the first ball with a straight bat past mid-on for a couple. Early in the innings the focus was on decisive footwork, soft hands and a perpendicular bat. The principle was to be patient early and then cash in. It might sound simple enough but executing it to perfection is an art very few have mastered.It was as if Rohit had the innings already mapped out in his mind. When Joel Paris attempted a bouncer, he rocked back and dispatched it under the electronic scoreboard 85 meters away. When Hazlewood pulled his length back to restrict his scoring opportunities, he waited for the right ball and then put it away with ease. It was a sign Rohit had enormous self-belief and those doubts that might creep into his mind in Test cricket were non-existent in the 50-over format. Lesser batsman panic and look for the big shot. Rohit trusted his game to capitalise when the loose ball would later arrive.Almost without noticing he raced away to 36 from just 34 balls. It was like he had got through the traffic and then slipped into cruise control. For the next 29 balls, he hit only one four as he dabbed and glided the ball to reach his fifty. The first objective had been reached. It was time to revaluate the situation.The next phase demanded the odd big shot with focus still on rotating strike. So Rohit did just that for the next 23 balls. He hit a couple of glorious, and well calculated, sixes against the weaker bowlers in Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell. The shots sent the crowd into raptures, and you could sense their expectation increasing.Rohit was 23 away from a century, but focus had shifted to batting for far longer. As Smith brought back his most experienced pair in Hazlewood and Faulkner, he treated them with respect rather than contempt knowing his time would come. It was imperative for the sake of the team to bat through the innings.Once again he turned into the accumulator as he went from 77 to 100 in 36 balls, with just one boundary. As he moved to 99, the crowd once again started the clatter of clapping, but just like he had been during the first ball of the day, Rohit remained calm to bring up his ninth ODI century, off 122 balls with seven fours and three sixes.But Rohit doesn’t only score hundreds; he scores big hundreds and it was time to entertain in a manner only Rohit can.As he took guard once again, it seemed like the sound of ball hitting his bat got softer and softer and yet it travelled further and further. Some that looked like perfect yorkers were deposited over long-on. The short ones were just caressed on either side of the wicketkeeper depending on the field placing. In between the deft touches, he ensured good balls still leaked runs. Rohit was at his skilful best as he moved from 100 to 171 in just 41 balls.MS Dhoni summed it up in the best manner: “Whenever a batsman plays a long innings, the most important thing there is how he carries on once he gets to 50, then how he carries on once he gets to 100. Most of the times, when Rohit crosses 100-110 he scores quite big and that’s always good. He is one of the players in the team who can play all the shots, exploit the field well, and hits effortlessly”It is no wonder Rohit’s last five hundreds have been 171, 150, 137, 138 and 264. He has perfected a formula that works for him in the one-day arena. Since the Champions Trophy in June 2013, Rohit has seven hundreds and 14 fifties in 55 innings. He has gone past fifty in 21 out of these 55 innings, a formidable 38%.Often the finishers such as Dhoni and Michael Bevan are credited for calculative minds to finish an innings but to sustain and constructing an innings across the duration of 50 overs is a skill just as important. It needs a calculation of its own. Rohit is setting a template for that.

علق محمد عبد الجليل، نجم الأهلي السابق، على تعادل الفريق الأحمر بدون أهداف أمام إنتر ميامي، في افتتاح منافسات كأس العالم للأندية 2025، فجر اليوم.

وقال عبد الجليل، عبر إذاعة “ميجا إف إم”: “حسين الشحات لم يظهر بمستواه المعتاد، كان يقدم أداءً أفضل في الدوري المصري الممتاز لأنه كان في حالة جيدة، بينما أفشة خارج مستواه المعروف منذ موسمين”.

طالع أيضًا | وسام أبو علي يكشف من الأحق بتسديد ركلة جزاء الأهلي أمام إنتر ميامي

وأضاف: “أداء طاهر محمد طاهر في تطور مستمر من مباراة لأخرى، ويبدو أن المدرب ريكاردو ريبيرو درس لاعبي الأهلي جيدًا، أما بن شرقي، فهو لاعب مزاجي ويتأثر بسرعة، وهذا أمر غير معتاد بالنسبة للاعبين الأجانب، ورغم إهداره للفرص يبقى تريزيجيه لاعبًا خطيرًا، أما بن شرقي فهو لاعب يمر بحالات متقلبة”.

وتابع: “محمد الشناوي كان يمكنه الاحتراف في أوروبا منذ موسمين، وقدّم مستوى استثنائيًا أمام إنتر ميامي وكأنه كان يواجههم بمفرده، كما كان مروان عطية رائعًا في اللقاء، وتسبب في انفعال واضح من ميسي”.

واختتم: “سعيد بما قدمه الشناوي، وكوكا بذل كل ما لديه في المباراة، أما لاعبي الأهلي، فقد بدا عليهم الذهول وعدم التصديق لما يحدث في الشوط الأول”.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be hoping that his players come back from the international break without any major injuries or incidents that affect how they perform for the club in the weeks to come.

He has already had to deal with a blow to Adam Idah, who withdrew from the Ireland squad before any matches took place, and it remains to be seen what the severity of that is.

The likes of Alistair Johnston, Anthony Ralston, Luis Palma, who scored two for Honduras against Mexico, and Arne Engels, among others, have already competed for their countries and avoided any issues.

However, one Celtic star had a night to forget – to put it lightly – as central defender Liam Scales was left embarrassed against England at Wembley.

Liam Scales' performance against England

The Ireland international lined up on the left side of a three-man central defensive unit, as part of a back five, against the Three Lions in the Nations League on Sunday.

Scales had a very strong start to the game and won four of his five duels, including one crunching challenge on England captain Harry Kane in the middle of the park.

The left-footed defender, however, was left embarrassed by Jude Bellingham, who was signed by Real Madrid for £88m in the summer of 2023, at the start of the second half.

As you can see in the clip above, the superstar midfielder sold the centre-back a dream with his first touch and tricked the Celtic dud into tripping him up, giving away a penalty.

That resulted in his second booking of the match and a red card, after he picked up a yellow card in the first half for delaying the restart, pushing the ball away with his hand before kicking it away moments later – forcing the referee’s hand.

Scales, who was handed a player rating of 5/10 by the Independent, was embarrassed by Bellingham and let his team down in the process.

The score was 0-0 at the time, in the 51st minute, and his side went on to be thrashed 5-0 with ten men in the second half.

What this could mean for Liam Scales

This could be bad news for the Irish flop after the international break if Cameron Carter-Vickers is back fit and available for selection against Hearts.

Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty were preferred as the first-choice centre-back pairing in the games against Aberdeen in the semi-final of the League Cup and against RB Leipzig in the Champions League, before Scales came back in against Kilmarnock as the former Spurs man missed out through injury.

His naive performance against England at Wembley will do little to show Rodgers that he should be his go-to centre-back alongside either Carter-Vickers or Trusty moving forward.

It is now down to the left-footed titan to return to Glasgow this week and show the manager that he can bounce back quickly and nail down a regular starting spot ahead of his positional rivals at Parkhead.

With games against Aberdeen and Club Brugge in the weeks to come, Scales will need to show Rodgers that he is not likely to repeat his Wembley howler on the biggest stages for the Hoops.

As well as Bernabei: Three players Celtic must cash in on in January

The three players Brendan Rodgers must look to move on in the next transfer window.

1

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Nov 16, 2024

da casino： Crystal Palace are now reportedly keen to throw their hat in the ring to sign a new face who is struggling for game time at his current side, according to a fresh report.

Crystal Palace finding form

da doce： It was a tough start to the season for Oliver Glasner’s side, but their form has dramatically picked up in recent weeks. Winless in the Premier League until a win over Tottenham in their ninth game of the season, the Eagles have since lost just one of their last nine games, and thrashed Brighton 3-1 at the AMEX stadium in their latest top flight outing.

Now up to 15th and four points clear of the relegation zone, Glasner’s side are looking to make up for lost time and push into midtable across the remainder of the campaign, and are set to use the January transfer window to give them a boost in that pursuit.

Last month, a report from Football Insider claimed that Palace were “set to be among the busiest clubs in the January transfer window”, while Glasner himself stressed the importance of doing business early, explaining: “The goal of all of us is that if we sign a player, we sign him on January 1 and he starts training with us.”

As a result, they are expected to be busy in the weeks leading up to the January transfer window, with a new attacker and wingbacks likely to feature highly on their wishlist. Now though, they are reportedly eyeing a move to bolster their backline.

Crystal Palace monitoring Atalanta man

That comes as The Boot Room report that Crystal Palace are among the sides interested in signing Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey in the January transfer window.

The defender only joined the Bergamo side over the summer, but has seen his game time limited for the Serie A leaders, making just a single substitute appearance in the top flight so far.

Though he still has nearly five years left to run on his £73k a week deal with La Dea, it has been reported that the club are already open to his departure in the January window, with a loan move being the most likely solution.

Related Crystal Palace want to sell £14m man to fund January signings, says insider

It’s safe to say the player is having a season to forget…

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That has caught the eye of several Premier League sides, and the report claims that the Eagles are “fans” of the 26-year-old and “would be interested in pursuing a January deal” should he become available.

Though Godfrey has struggled in recent seasons, he was praised by Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti when the pair worked together at Everton, with Ancelotti singling him out for praise.

Ben Godfrey’s gametime struggles

Season

Starts in Domestic League

2024-25

0

2023-24

13

2022-23

10

2021-22

23

2020-21

29

“He was a signing from the club, from our scouts, and he has been really good. He has been able to adapt very quickly to different positions,” Ancelotti explained. “I think the best quality that Ben Godfrey has is the speed, he’s really fast and really aggressive with or without the ball.

“He’s tactically good, he can play in all of the positions without any problems, he’s played two months at left back. He’s always good.”

Were Godfrey to arrive, he would likely be viewed as an option in the heart of Glasner’s three-man defence, which has been beset by injuries to summer signing Chadi Riad and Chris Richards so far this season.

Jose Mourinho wants to bring glory back to Fenerbahce next season and plans to overtake Galatasaray by acquiring Ederson from Manchester City.

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Fenerbahce eyeing City GK EdersonBrazilian's future uncertain at Etihad StadiumMourinho wants to strengthen squadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mourinho is currently overseeing a season at Fenerbahce that hasn't met expectations. The 'Special One' is already planning for next season to supersede rivals Galatasaray and has reportedly asked for the shock signing of Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson, according to .

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The ongoing 2024-25 season is arguably one of the worst of Ederson's eight-year spell at the Etihad Stadium. The Brazilian has lost the total confidence of manager Pep Guardiola, with backup Stefan Ortega often receiving the nod in some of their bigger games. Given the uncertainty surrounding Ederson's future at City amid rumours that the Cityzens are eyeing Porto's Diogo Costa, Mourinho and Fenerbahce are reportedly keen on making a summer move for the 31-year-old goalkeeper.

DID YOU KNOW?

While Mourinho might already be planning for the 2025-26 in advance, he hasn't shied away from hinting at a future away from the Sukru Sarakoglu Stadium. Earlier this month, he affirmed his interested in managing a Scottish Premiership side one day.

"Why not in the future? People say that the Scottish league is a league of two teams, but it is a league of passion and passion in football is everything for me," said Mourinho ahead of his side's Europa League exit to Rangers. "To play in empty stadiums or where there is not that fire of the passion, for me that does not make any sense. Celtic and Rangers are big clubs with big fanbases, big emotions, big responsibilities and big expectations, so why not?"

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR FENERBAHCE?

Fenerbahce will take on Bodrum in their next Super Lig encounter, slated to be played on Friday, March 28, before taking on Galatasaray in the quarter-final of the Turkish Cup next Wednesday on April 2. Mourinho's men are currently in second place in the Turkish top-flight, a massive nine points behind Galatasaray, although with a game in hand.

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da 888casino： Ainda que este início de temporada tenha ficado longe de ser dos melhores para o meia Renato Augusto, o Corinthians provou do ‘pior sem ele’ durante a ausência de quase dois meses do atleta, entre junho e o início de agosto, período em que o camisa 8 tratou de um problema na panturrilha.

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da dobrowin： +Mercado fechado: confira o balanço da janela de transferências do Corinthians

De volta há cinco partidas, o desafio do Timão agora é fazer a gestão do atleta em meio a sequência intensa de jogos com alta carga de importância.

Um exemplo claro ocorreu neste fim de semana, quando o clube alvinegro perdeu para o Fortaleza. Na mesma rodada, Palmeiras e Flamengo ficaram no empate, resultado que poderia ter feito o Timão retomar a vice-liderança do Brasileirão, o que não aconteceu. No jogo na capital cearense, Renato foi reserva e entrou no segundo tempo.

A questão é que o clube vinha de um jogo de intensidade gigantesca, que foi a vitória por 4 a 1 sobre o Atlético-GO, na última quarta-feira (17), que colocou o Corinthians na semifinal da Copa do Brasil.

Renato Augusto foi titular contra o Dragão, jogou 73 minutos e deu três assistências. Antes, ele também havia começado o Dérbi, no qual atuou durante 90 minutos.

+ Confira a tabela do Brasileirão e simule as partidas

Agora, o Time do Povo terá pela frente a partida de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil, contra o Fluminense, já nesta quarta-feira (24). E a expectativa é que o camisa 8 seja titular.

– Queria que o Renato conseguisse jogar em todos os jogos no nível, mas sei que estou pensando em uma final de uma competição, e hoje ele tinha que descansar. Ele veio de uma parada. Se jogasse hoje, na quarta-feira jogaria um Renato cansado, sem intensidade, sem o ritmo. Quando está bem faz a diferença – disse o técnico Vítor Pereira na entrevista coletiva após o revés para o Fortaleza, neste fim de semana.

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Coletivamente, ter Renato Augusto como titular representa um aumento significativo no aproveitamento.

No geral, o Timão conquistou 52,8% dos pontos que disputou nesta temporada. Mas dos 53 jogos do Corinthians, metade deles (26) tiveram o meia como titular. E quando isso aconteceu, o clube alvinegro teve desempenho de 64,1%.

Individualmente, Renato é o líder de assistências do Coringão no ano, ao lado de Giuliano. Foram seis até aqui.

Ele também é o jogador que mais serve companheiros para finalizarem, com 56 passes para chutes.

Mas não só de servir os parceiros vive o meia, isso porque ele é um dos jogadores corintianos que mais acerta finalizações, com oito neste ano, sendo que aproveitamento é de um gol em cada três bolas que vão à meta adversária.

Somando esses números à trajetória internacional e toda a identificação que o jogador tem com o Corinthians, fica fácil explicar a importância do atleta, principalmente nessa fase decisiva que o clube alvinegro vive.