Fenerbahce readying move to sign Celtic star who Rodgers called "brilliant"

da bet7: Just days after losing the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen, Celtic could reportedly suffer another blow in the form of an outgoing star amid interest from a European club.

Celtic suffer shock Aberdeen defeat

da bet nacional: After taking the lead in the 39th minute through Alfie Dorrington’s own goal, it looked as though Celtic were set to secure the domestic treble that they had been desperately craving. Aberdeen didn’t give up that easily, however, and the story of own goals soon continued. This time, it was Kasper Schmeichel at the heart of the scene, with his mistake allowing the ball to find the back of his own net in the final nine minutes.

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From there, it was the underdogs with the momentum and the underdogs who eventually came out on top on penalties. Following a shock defeat, Callum McGregor revealed that his penalty miss in the shootout was the worst moment of his career.

The Celtic captain told reporters: “The worst. The worst moment I’ve ever had in football. It’s a real sore one. I’ll just need to go away and try and get over it and come back next year and be stronger.

Callum McGregor

“We didn’t do enough in the game to deserve it and then when you get to penalties it’s a bit of a lottery. The last few times we’ve come out on the right side of it and today we didn’t. It’s a real sore way to finish the season. Up until this point it’s been an amazing season. We just didn’t do enough to cap it off.”

Despite a dominant Scottish Premiership title win, Celtic will now have all eyes on making further improvements this summer. Whilst incomings will be a priority, however, their success may not come without the consequences of losing some key players in the coming months.

Fenerbahce readying move to sign Celtic star Maeda

Having already lost Kyogo Furuhashi in January, the Scottish giants could now be about to lose another key man. According to Takvim, as relayed by Sport Witness, Fenerbahce chief Mario Branco is now readying a summer move to sign Daizen Maeda. The Japanese winger has enjoyed another excellent season at Celtic Park and could now follow in the footsteps of Kyogo by departing.

Daizen Maeda 24/25

Record (via Transfermarkt)

Appearances

51

Goals

33

Assists

12

With 45 goal involvements in just 51 games, it’s no shock that Maeda has found himself at the centre of Brendan Rodgers’ praise. The Celtic boss told reporters earlier in the campaign: “If you are a young player coming through and want to give your honesty to the game, work, intensity and everything.

“No cheating, no nothing – even away at St Mirren, the penalty we got last week he tried to stay on his feet – he’s so honest to the game. Natural isn’t it? He’s been absolutely brilliant.”

As Rangers look to rebuild on the other side of Glasgow this summer, Maeda is not a player that Celtic will want to be losing. After watching Kyogo depart, the Japanese winger is more important than ever for the Bhoys.

Gill: 'Captaincy brings out the best in me'

He says he feels amazing leading ‘such phenomenal talented players’

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-20241:40

Gill: Coming back from 1-0 down was remarkable

Shubman Gill believes that captaincy brings the “best out of him” because it brings out a side of him where he really enjoys being out on the field.”It is something that I definitely enjoy,” Gill said about captaincy after leading India to a 4-1 T20I series win over Zimbabwe in Harare. “I think it brings out the best in me when I am out there because I look to be involved in the game. It is something that really brings out the side of me which I enjoy being on the field.”With most of the senior players rested, Gill was asked to lead the Indian side for the first time in his career. His stint started on a tough note with India going down in the opening game of the series, but he quickly found his stride as the visitors posted comfortable wins in the next four games.Related

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Gill admitted there was pressure but the satisfaction of overcoming that and helping India finish on the right side of the results was “immense”.”There was pressure, I wouldn’t say extra pressure but obviously even when you are playing just as a batsman when you don’t perform there is a certain kind of pressure that comes along with it,” he said. “But I think that’s the fun part of it. You kind of feel so many different emotions. Pressure is one of them. And when you get out of that, the satisfaction that you feel is immense.”India had gone with a relatively inexperienced squad to Zimbabwe with a lot of the players still very new to international cricket. Gill himself was just 14 T20Is old coming into the series but said the chance to lead a young side with “such phenomenal talented players” was amazing.”To be able to lead such phenomenal talented players who I have had the pleasure to play with or against at some stage in age-group cricket or Under-19 or at the India level, it just feels very amazing.”When you have played against or with so many of the players… I think almost with everyone I have played against or with at some age-group level, it definitely makes my job easier because I understand them at a player level and I understand them as a person as well.”So many talented players, so many players coming up and it is really fun to be able to play alongside them when I am at the non-striker’s end,” Gill said.But what went wrong in the first T20I where India chasing 116 were bundled out for 102 in 19.5 overs? Gill said that India “failed to assess the conditions” properly in that game.”I think that is the mistake we did in the first T20, the score wasn’t that big but I think we didn’t assess the conditions as early and we lost too many wickets in the powerplay and then once you are under pressure, then you are always behind in the game,” he said.Gill did not single out one particular captain that he idolises in international cricket but said that Rohit Sharma was someone he really looked up to.”You can take qualities from Rohit or even Mahi (MS Dhoni) , Virat (Kohli) , Hardik (Pandya) , all of them,” he said. “All of them have great qualities. I have played the most under Rohit , so he is someone who I look up to and really enjoy playing under.”

Ex-Fluminense marca, Monsoon vence e dispara na liderança na Série A-2 do Campeonato Gaúcho

MatériaMais Notícias

da imperador bet: O Monsoon ampliou ainda mais o seu domínio na Série A-2 do Campeonato Gaúcho. Em partida que marcou o encontro das duas melhores campanhas até aqui, o Trovão da Zona Sul levou a melhor e bateu o União Frederiquense, por 1 a 0, em partida disputada no Parque Lami.

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da luck: O gol solitário do confronto foi marcado pelo atacante Alex, ex-atacante do Fluminense, que aproveitou cruzamento vindo da direita e, de cabeça, sacramentou o placar no inicio da etapa final.

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Ao final do confronto, o camisa 9 da equipe de Porto Alegre destacou a importância do resultado e aproveitou a oportunidade para elogiar o trabalho feito pelo Monsoon, que segue invicto na competição.

“Esse jogo era bastante aguardado já que marca o encontro de duas grandes equipes. Como era esperado, acabou sendo decidido nos detalhes. Fico feliz por ajudar a equipe em mais uma partida. É um resultado que coroa o nosso trabalho e vamos seguir firme nesse ritmo”, disse.

Com o resultado, o Monsoon-FC chegou ao seu quinto triunfo e agora ocupa a liderança disparada do Grupo A, com 16 pontos. Já o União Frederiquense mantém os 12, na segunda posição da mesma chave.

ردود أفعال لاعبي ليفربول تجاه مركز محمد صلاح في الكرة الذهبية 2025

فشل نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، في حصد جائزة الكرة الذهبية كأفضل لاعب في العالم لعام 2025، مساء يوم الإثنين، والتي حسمها لاعب باريس سان جيرمان عثمان ديمبلي لصالحه.

وأقامت مجلة “فرانس فوتبول” بالتعاون مع يويفا، حفلها السنوي في العاصمة الفرنسية باريس، مساء أمس للإعلان عن جوائز الأفضل في العالم لعام 2025، وعلى رأسها الكرة الذهبية.

وتمكن عثمان ديمبلي من تحقيق جائزة الكرة الذهبية، في حين تواجد النجم المصري محمد صلاح في المركز الرابع.

وسارع نادي ليفربول إلى دعم محمد صلاح بشكل علني، بعد إعلان مركزه، حيث قام الحساب الرسمي للفريق بنشر أكثر من صورة للمصري مع الإشادة بموسمه المذهل 2024/25 (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وسلطت صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية الضوء على ردود أفعال لاعبي ليفربول السابقين والحاليين تجاه منشور النادي حول دعم محمد صلاح بعد مركزه في جائزة الكرة الذهبية 2025.

وأبدى العديد من زملاء محمد صلاح الحاليين، منهم كونور برادلي، هوجو إيكتيكي، ميلوس كيركيز وريان جرافنبيرخ، دعمهم لمنشور ليفربول، كما أبدى لويس دياز لاعب الريدز السابق وبايرن ميونخ الحالي إعجابه به.

يأتي تصرف هؤلاء في إشارة منهم إلى دعم محمد صلاح الواضح وتأكيدهم على كونه كان يستحق مركزًا أفضل في سباق الكرة الذهبية لذلك العام.

Australia reminded of Starc reality

Australia are not the same team without a 100% fit Mitchell Starc – and that includes when Starc is actually playing

Daniel Brettig at Sydney04-Jan-2018Australia are not the same team without a 100% fit Mitchell Starc – and that includes when Starc is actually playing.Conspicuous by his absence in Melbourne, nursing a bruised heel some way back towards full health as the rest of Steven Smith’s bowling attack was humbugged by a lifeless pitch, Starc returned for a home SCG Test, with all its attendant fanfare.If the start was delayed by wet weather, there was nothing damp about Starc’s expression, grinning broadly in the minutes before he sent down the first over in front of family, friends and teammates happy to see him back. There was promising swing and bounce in that first over, too.But Test cricket is not an affair in which a few swift overs are enough. Sustained speed is the thing, demonstrated so ably by the Australians when the Ashes were up for grabs. As the day wore on, it became increasingly apparent that Starc was not exactly near to his best nor his fastest, giving England’s batsmen the sort of respite they must have pined for during the decisive first three matches.It was in terms of speed that the difference was most apparent: where Starc had been part of a bowling attack that averaged 141kph in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, here he seldom passed 140kph, and slid as low as 127. The second new ball did swing in Starc’s hands, but it was more charity than venom that had Joe Root clipping a half volley to square leg in the day’s penultimate over. A subsequent yorker to Jonny Bairstow ticked over at 142.5kph, and Hazlewood’s follow-up with the new ball meant Australia broke even on the day, but the earlier dip to 127kph will have been noted.That, coincidentally, had been the speed of the first ball Jackson Bird delivered in Melbourne, where Alastair Cook in particular took advantage of Starc’s missing pace, left-arm variation and penchant for reverse swing. This time around, Starc’s presence at considerably less than his best and fastest underlined the difference between “100% fit” as Glenn McGrath had described it pre-Test, and “fit to play” as wounded cricketers over many years have protested to captains, coaches, selectors and medical staff.Years of careful planning had gone into ensuring that Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins would be in the former category for the Ashes. Helped significantly by the pace-friendly environment in which young fast bowlers are raised, Australia’s approach is nonetheless different to many other nations, emphasising strength and conditioning training to enhance speed, maintain it and also ensure a bowler’s upper register can be reached within a few balls of starting a spell.Dips in pace are carefully monitored, and both Doug Bollinger (in 2010-11) and Peter Siddle (in 2014) were dropped for slipping too far below the preferred level. Equally, Chadd Sayers has been left in international selection purgatory for lacking the extra few kilometres so beloved of the selectors, who want impact from their fast bowlers, used adroitly by their captain.Never was this more evident than in Mitchell Johnson’s shattering influence as a short, sharp shock spell bowler in 2013-14, when Michael Clarke harnessed him with rare expertise. That template was more or less followed four years later with Starc and Cummins. Hazlewood, meanwhile, has benefited from targeted training designed to extract greater swiftness from his action, whether through a faster run-up or more efficient direction of bodily force through the crease.At the same time the number of balls bowled by each fast man is carefully monitored – a contentious element of the management of many pacemen around Australia, but based on the principle that a bowler’s highest velocity simply cannot be sustained beyond certain levels of fatigue or repetition.”It’s something we do really well in Australia and I put that down to the coaches and the medical staff,” Cummins said this week. “They realise you can only bowl so many balls a year or in a couple of weeks or whatever the period is, and as fast bowlers they want you bowling as fast as you can for that.Joe Root fell for 83 in the closing moments of the first day•Getty Images”Most of the balls we bowl in the nets are for a purpose, we want to try to get better or get our body moving, we won’t just bowl for the sake of it. Sessions like a couple days out from a game we just want to try to blow the cobwebs out and get our body moving so that once we come on [to bowl] it doesn’t feel like it’s been too long since we’ve bowled and that first spell feels like we’ve found that balance between being fresh but also ready to go flat out straight away.”Balance was a consideration for Australia ahead of Starc’s selection. Pointedly, Smith spoke on the eve of the match about advising Starc to take care of himself in this match if he was passed fit to play, and not risking the potential to cloud his availability at full speed for South Africa. “I think the break he’s had from bowling has helped his heel heal,” Smith had said. “It’s coming along nicely so he’s confident and you’ve also got to take the player’s word sometimes. Hopefully he gets through and he’s fine.”[My advice is] make sure you’re completely fit and don’t be doing further damage. We’ve obviously got some one-dayers after this and Twenty20s and an important series in South Africa as well. So that was the conversation I had after the Perth Test match – we’ve wrapped up the series, which is great and we want to continue winning, that’s important, but you’re a key member of our line-up and don’t do further damage because we need you in South Africa.”At the same time, Starc naturally wanted to play at the SCG, to perform for his home crowd and also to feel he was ending this Ashes series as an active participant rather than a cussed spectator. It was a fair decision to trust Starc, given his 40 Test matches worth of experience and assiduous efforts to get himself fit after the heel problem, including a teetotal night in Perth after the Australians had secured the urn. But his off-peak display on day one provided a reminder that those extra few kilometres really are critical, not only in edging Australia ahead of England, but giving them the best chance of also vanquishing South Africa.

Slot has a "special" gem out on loan who could be Liverpool's own Zubimendi

Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday night after they were beaten by Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in the last 16.

The Reds, who had won 1-0 in Paris last week, were beaten 1-0 in normal time, thanks to a goal from Ousmane Dembele, before losing on spot-kicks.

Italy international Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is no stranger to being a penalty hero on these shores, stepped up to prevent both Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones from scoring.

Nunez and Jones will get criticism for their misses but there were several individuals who failed to perform during the match, including Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.

The Netherlands international completed zero of his two attempted dribbles and lost 70% (7/10) of his ground duels on the night, which shows that he was too easy for the PSG midfield to play against.

Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch

The plan for this season may not have always been for him to be the first-choice holding midfielder, however, as there was well-publicised interest in Martin Zubimendi in the previous summer transfer window.

Liverpool's interest in Martin Zubimendi

Liverpool were interested in a deal to bring the Spain international to Anfield ahead of the 2025/26 campaign to bolster their options in the number six position.

Sky Sports reported that the impressive midfielder, who won the European Championship with Spain last summer, was expected to move on from Real Sociedad before the end of the window, due to a £51m release clause that was in his contract at the time.

The outlet added, however, that Zubimendi turned down the chance to make the move to England after his club offered him a new contract on higher wages, which convinced him to remain with the LaLiga outfit.

This meant that Liverpool missed out on a deal to bring the defensive midfielder to Merseyside, and they did not opt to find an alternative before the end of the window – going with Gravenberch and Wataru Endo as their number six options.

Earlier this year, Arne Slot all-but-confirmed the club’s interest in the Spaniard when speaking about his midfield composition, saying: “I even think the player we wanted to bring in [Zubimendi] – I think that’s pretty much out in the open now – he was also a player who was really comfortable. He’s still a player who could bring the ball from the last line to our forwards.”

Despite his poor showing against PSG on Tuesday night, Gravenberch’s form for the club this season may have alleviated any concerns about the failure to bring Zubimendi to Anfield in the summer, as he has been a fantastic performer at the base of the midfield.

Ryan Gravenberch's form compared to Martin Zubimendi

The Netherlands international has started 29 times in the Premier League this season, which shows that he has emerged as a consistent starter under Slot as the holding midfielder.

In The Pipeline

Gravenberch has offered a dominant presence in midfield, winning 56% of his ground duels and 72% of his aerial contests, whilst Zubimendi has won 56% of his ground duels and 66% of his aerial battles in 26 LaLiga matches this season.

This shows that they are both holding midfielders who can dominate opposition players on the ground and in the air, screening in front of their back four.

As you can see in the chart above, Zubimendi and Gravenberch excel in similar areas of the game, as they both offer little as goalscorers or creators but thrive defensively and in their passing game.

However, the chart does also show that the Spaniard offers more per 90 from a defensive perspective than the Dutchman, which suggests that he could offer slightly more when it comes to breaking up attacks and clearing danger.

Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch

Liverpool, though, may have their own version of Zubimendi brewing in a young star who is currently out on loan away from Anfield, in 20-year-old starlet Stefan Bajcetic.

Why Stefan Bajcetic could be Slot's own Zubimendi

The Spain U21 international, who has played 22 times for Liverpool’s first-team, is currently on loan at Las Palmas in LaLiga and is a player with the potential to be the perfect modern day number six in the future.

Whilst he may not have been 100% ready to step into Slot’s starting line-up this season, hence his loan moves to RB Salzburg and Las Palmas, Bajcetic could be a future star for the Reds and save the club millions on signing another holding midfielder.

Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi

The Spanish starlet could return to Anfield in the summer and compete for a place in the team in pre-season, allowing Slot to save the board millions by unleashing him as competition for Gravenberch – rather than attempting to go back in for Zubimendi.

Bajcetic, who stands at 6 foot 1, is a towering, yet slim-built, number six who can cover ground to make defensive interventions, whilst also providing quality in possession with his use of the ball, as explained by ‘Serbian Football Scout’ on X back in 2023.

He has made six appearances in LaLiga since his move to Las Palmas in January and averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game, as well as 2.7 clearances per match, whilst Zubimendi has made 3.4 tackles and interceptions and 2.1 clearances per match in the division.

This suggests that Bajcetic, who was once dubbed “special” by writer Zubin Daver, can offer similar qualities in the number six position from a defensive perspective, as he has performed to a similar level in that area in LaLiga.

Liverpool midfielder Stefan Bajcetic.

Of course, there is still much to learn for him at the age of 20 and his use of the ball could still do with improvement. He completed 82% of his passes in the Bundesliga with Salzburg, but that has dropped to 72% in LaLiga with Las Palmas.

However, Bajcetic has other qualities on the ball that go beyond his pass completion rate, as was showcased during his spell in the Liverpool first-team in the 2022/23 campaign.

22/23 Premier League

Stefan Bajcetic (per 90)

Percentile rank vs midfielders

Pass accuracy

77.5%

Bottom 30%

Progressive carries

1.71

Top 35%

Successful take-ons

1.20

Top 24%

Passes into the penalty area

1.20

Top 26%

Crosses into the penalty area

0.17

Top 38%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the teenager may not have been efficient with his passes, but he offered plenty of quality by driving forward with the ball and trying to make things happen in the opposition’s box.

At the age of 20, there is still plenty for Bajcetic to learn and he may not immediately step into the starting XI next season. However, there are plenty of promising signs from the youngster, who could develop into Slot’s own version of Zubimendi, saving the club millions in the process.

Better passer than Van Dijk: Liverpool ready £42m bid for 6'3 centre-back

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Club now ready to sell striker at £10m+ loss as Leeds eye Bamford upgrade

A European giant is now ready to take a £10 million plus loss on a player as Leeds United eye an upgrade to Patrick Bamford, according to a recent report.

Leeds searching for a new striker as Farke's side push for promotion

The Whites coming from two goals down to rescue a point away at QPR on Saturday meant Daniel Farke’s side remained top of the Championship table heading into this international break. There are eight games remaining for Leeds to confirm their place in next season’s Premier League but they face a difficult fight as Sheffield United and Burnley are hot on their heels to do the exact same.

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Whether the Yorkshire side secures a place in next season’s Premier League or not, signing a new striker appears to be high on the list of objectives for Farke and co. In January, Leeds were linked with a move for Southampton’s Cameron Archer, and since then, he remains on their list of options. As well as Archer, the Whites are also interested in Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor and Nice striker Evann Guessand.

Meanwhile, Tammy Abraham is also an option that is being considered, with the 49ers looking to make a move for the Englishman in the summer and, according to Africa Foot, Leeds are also keen on signing Almeria striker Ibrahima Kone.

Roma ready to sell Abraham at £10m+ loss as Leeds eye deal

Abraham is a player that remains a potential target for the Whites, and according to Milan Press relayed by Leeds United News, Roma are now willing to let Abraham leave in the summer and Leeds have been told how much a deal will cost.

AC Milan'sTammyAbrahamreacts after the match

The report states that AC Milan are not interested in signing the English international on a permanent basis at the end of the season, meaning he will return to Roma once his loan comes to an end. The Italian side are looking to move Abraham on and are willing to accept an offer between €20-25 million, which is roughly £16-21 million, and that would mean Roma would be taking a £10 million plus loss on Abraham, as they signed him from Chelsea for £34 million.

Leeds are among the English teams who are interested in bringing Abraham back to England, with their chances of signing him obviously resting on them securing promotion back to the top flight. Clubs such as Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Everton, and West Ham are also keen on a potential transfer, though.

Apps

120

Goals

37

Assists

11

The 27-year-old, who has been labelled “outstanding” by Henry Winter in the past, has struggled to make an impact at AC Milan this season, scoring just two goals and recording three assists in 24 league games. Abraham has an impressive record in the Premier League, scoring 26 goals in 89 games, so his arrival at Elland Road would be huge and surely seen as a big upgrade to Bamford, who looks to be coming to the end of his time at Leeds with injuries once again limiting his game time this season.

The 31-year-old has only managed 10 games in the league this season due to fitness concerns, and despite him being under contract until 2026, promotion to the top flight could see the Whites move Bamford on as they eye a more reliable striker.

Wolves once had the next Moutinho on loan, now he’s even better than Gomes

Will Wolverhampton Wanderers beat the drop?

On Sunday, Vítor Pereira’s team put in a spirited display, but got nothing to show for their efforts, narrowly beaten 2-1 by run-away league-leaders Liverpool, after Matheus Cunha’s second-half strike set up a very nervy finish at Anfield.

Wolves have therefore lost five of their last six Premier League matches, victory over Midlands rivals Aston Villa earlier this month keeping them outside the relegation zone, two points clear of both Ipswich and Leicester.

Not so long ago, the Old Gold secured back-to-back seventh-place finishes, also reaching the Europa League quarter-finals, but even more recently than those glory days, they had a young Portuguese midfielder in their squad, who is now starring in the Champions League.

Wolves' best Premier League midfielders

When Wolves were at their best, qualifying for Europe and regularly beating the Premier League’s big boys, their midfield duo was at the heart of all their success.

Former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

Rúben Neves joined for a reported £15.8m in 2017, an EFL Championship record fee, making 253 appearances in old gold before departing for Al-Hilal, the Saudi Pro League champions paying a reported £47m.

Even more remarkable than seeing Neves in the Championship was the sight of João Moutinho in a Wolves shirt.

That’s because, it’s not often a player who’s won three Primeira Liga trophies, the Ligue 1 title with Monaco, the Europa League and the Euros, and would later become Portugal’s second-most capped player of all-time, joins a newly-promoted club.

Nevertheless, Moutinho would go onto make 212 appearances for Wolves, with John Percy of the Telegraph describing him as a ‘key figure’ in the success Nuno Espírito Santo’s side enjoyed, while then club captain Conor Coady stated “he’s special, and we’re very lucky to have him here”.

Meantime, Tim Spires of the Athletic believed Moutinho to be ‘underrated’ given his importance to the team, ‘playing metronomically efficient passes, setting the tempo and creating chances’, adding ‘Wolves fans adored him from day one’.

Former Welsh international Dave Edwards, who made 307 appearances for Wolves, described the Portuguese star as the “best player [to] play for Wolves in my lifetime”.

So, while the contributions of Neves and Moutinho will never be forgotten in the Black Country, another Portuguese central midfielder is now starring at the highest level, but one Wolves supporters may have forgotten ever played for them.

Wolves' forgotten Portuguese midfield maestro

If you don’t remember Vitinha’s spell at Wolves, it’s unlikely that you are the only one.

He arrived on a season-long loan from Porto in September 2020, making 22 appearances for the club, scoring one goal, this an absolute rocket in the FA Cup against National League North side Chorley.

Wolves did have a £17m option to buy, which they did not take up at the end of the season, a decision Steve Madeley of the Athletic described as a massive ‘missed opportunity’.

That’s because, after returning to Porto for a season, Paris Saint-Germain paid his release clause of €40m (£33m) a year later, and the now 25-year-old has been earning rave reviews for his performances with les Rouge-et-Bleu.

Following PSG’s Champions League victory over Brest last mid-week, manager Luis Enrique said that Vitinha “embodies the perfect midfielder”, describing him as “unique”, adding “he is vital for us in his pivot role”.

Meanwhile, after May’s Coupe de France Final victory over Lyon, Enrique also stated “Vitinha was undoubtedly our player of the season… all of our players here are good, but Vitinha is exceptional”, with Zach Lowy of PSG talk adding that his rise ‘has been nothing short of spectacular.’

Nacho Estrella Domínguez-Mompell of Fichajes notes that he has quickly become one of the ‘cornerstones’ of this PSG team. Tim Spiers and Peter Rutzler of the Athletic described him as a ‘starring.. midfield maestro’, while noting that he ‘was considered someone who could be as good as Moutinho once he developed physically.’

While he did not stay long enough to live up to that Moutinho comparison, let’s see how Vitinha compares to Wolves’ most-used central midfielder João Gomes so far this season.

Vitinha vs João Gomes 2024/25 comparison

Statistics

Vitinha

João Gomes

Appearances

32

26

Minutes

2,325

2,191

Goals

5

3

Attempted passes

2,243

1,006

Pass completion %

92.7%

84.8%

Progress passes

194

113

Shot-creating actions

77

39

Touches

2,420

1,247

Tackles

34

73

% of dribblers tackled

54.3%

37.8%

Interceptions

23

23

Ball recoveries

133

119

Statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As the table outlines, in a comparable number of minutes, Vitinha has massively outperformed Gomes this term, particularly when it comes to in-possession statistics, with the Brazilian, in fairness to him, having racked up more than twice as many tackles and the same number of interceptions.

This all shows that, unquestionably, Vitinha would improve Wolves’ team right now, and that they were wrong not to take up the option to buy when they had the chance, even if, had he stayed at Molineux, he may not have fulfilled his current potential.

Wolves' £16m flop is now outperforming Larsen & Ait-Nouri after leaving

This major Wolverhampton Wanderers flop has now found his shooting boots.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Feb 18, 2025

Dois jogadores do Flamengo retornam da Copinha e ficam à disposição na estreia no Carioca

MatériaMais Notícias

da bet sport: O Flamengo estreia nesta quinta no Campeonato Carioca, contra o Audax, e mais dois jogadores que estavam na Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior retornaram ao Rio de Janeiro para reforçar a equipe Sub-20 que disputará a primeira partida do Estadual. O goleiro Dyogo Alves e o meia-atacante Weverson ficam à disposição do técnico Mário Jorge para o jogo no Maracanã. A bola rola às 21h30.

+ Vaivém do LANCE!: confira todas transferências dos clubes brasileiros no Mercado da Bola

Desta forma, os dois serão desfalques na segunda fase da Copinha. Dyogo Alves e Weverson foram titulares no domingo, na vitória sobre o XV de Jaú, na última rodada do Grupo 5. Nesta quinta, às 19h30, o Flamengo enfrenta o Avaí no primeiro mata-mata da competição – saiba tudo sobre o jogo.

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da betway: Com o elenco profissional em pré-temporada, o Rubro-Negro atuará no início do Carioca com o Sub-20 sob o comando de Mário Jorge. O próprio técnico e outros quatro jogadores (Lorran, Petterson, Daniel Sales e Evertton) já haviam retornado ao Ninho do Urubu após duas rodadas da Copinha.

Edwards' onslaught powers New South Wales to emphatic bonus-point win

Jackson Bird bowled impressively on his debut for NSW against his former team

AAP and ESPNcricinfo27-Sep-2023

Jack Edwards made a mark on his first knock of the season•Getty Images

Allrounder Jack Edwards starred with bat and ball as New South Wales crushed Tasmania by six wickets in the Marsh Cup.Edwards blasted 92 from 63 balls in the run chase after earlier taking two wickets during miserly spells in Melbourne.Tasmania, with Beau Webster top-scoring with 65 and Edwards taking 2 for 24 from nine overs, were all out for just 198 in 49.5 overs.Related

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In reply, Edwards led an early run-scoring rout and New South Wales cruised victory with a whopping 93 balls to spare which earned them a bonus point.Edwards thumped 11 fours and four sixes in his aggressive 63-ball innings, dominating a 137-run partnership with fellow opener Daniel Hughes.Hughes made a polished 58 from 71 balls having been involved in an usual incident early in his innings when he was given caught behind off Riley Meredith having been distracted by bowler’s towel falling out as he ran in. The umpires conferred and ruled it a deal ball so Hughes survived.Meredith was then unable to complete his second over, leaving the field after five deliveries.Earlier, Tasmania’s batters apart from Webster were collectively stifled by a disciplined NSW bowling line-up. Pacemen Edwards, Jackson Bird and Hayden Kerr were among the wickets while curtailing the run rate.Bird, making his first appearance for NSW against his former team, was exceptional with the new ball as he had Caleb Jewell caught a first slip third ball and began with back-to-back maidens.He also had Jake Weatherald caught behind in an opening spell than finish 7-2-17-1.Tasmania plunged to 75 for 6 in the 27th over but Webster then found an ally in No. 9 Paddy Dooley, the pair putting on 90 runs for the seventh wicket. Webster struck six fours in his 80-ball knock and Dooley made 39 from 63 balls.

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