تحدث بورخا مايورال، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي خيتافي الحالي وريال مدريد السابق عما كان يفعله بنزيما معه عندما كان يسجل هدفًا.
مايورال كان لاعبًا شابًا ضمن فريق ريال مدريد خلال سنوات العقد الماضي لكنه رحل عن الفريق في عام 2019 حينما كان عمره 21 عامًا.
وكشف مايورال أنه كان يطمح للعب بجوار الفرنسي كريم بنزيما، لاعب اتحاد جدة الحالي باعتباره قدوته الأولى في مركز المهاجم.
وقال مايورال، خلال حواره مع صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “كان الأمر أشبه بحلم، كان من الرائع اللعب مع أحد نجومي المفضلين، ومشاهدته يتدرب يوميًا والتعلم منه، كنت أتابع تحركاته بدقة وأسأله أسئلة كثيرة”.
وأكمل: “كان أيضًا شخصًا ودودًا للغاية، أتذكر أنه إذا أصيب وسجلت هدفًا، كنت أتلقى منه رسالة تهنئة عبر واتساب في غرفة الملابس، سأظل ممتنًا له دائمًا”.
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وعن تمثيل منتخب إسبانيا، قال: “نعم بالطبع إنه هدف، قلت ذلك منذ أن بدأت الاحتراف، كنتُ في منتخبي تحت 19 و21 عامًا وفزتُ ببطولة أوروبا مع لويس دي لافوينتي، وكان العديد من لاعبي المنتخب الأول الحاليين زملائي في الفريق”.
وأضاف: “هذا يُشعرني ببعض الحسد، لأنني أرغب في التواجد هناك أيضًا، أعلم أن الأمر صعب لأن مستوى المهاجمين في إسبانيا مرتفع للغاية لكنني أعتقد أنني بلغت ذروة تألقي داخل الملعب وخارجه، مهمتي هي تسجيل الأهداف والقرار يعود لمدرب المنتخب الوطني”.
وعما إذا كان هناك اتصال مع لويس دي لافويتي أتم مايورال: “نعم، كنت أتحدث معه فقط، اتصل بي ليُسعدني ويسأل عن حالي، أنا ممتن جدًا لهذه اللفتة، لأن مكالمة كهذه تُسعد اللاعب دائمًا”.
West Ham United have not always had the best of luck when it comes to the transfer market.
Sure, they’ve made some stellar signings over the years, like Jarrod Bowen, but they’ve also made their fair share of terrible additions to the team.
One man who certainly didn’t help the club in this regard is former technical director Tim Steidten, who oversaw the signing of a handful of poor players and fell out with David Moyes.
In fact, one of his worst purchases could even be described as being the club’s most significant waste of money since Gianluca Scamacca and Sébastien Haller.
Scamacca & Haller's West Ham careers
While there have been plenty of terrible West Ham signings over the years, two recent ones that tend to stick out in most fans’ minds are Scamacca and Haller.
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The former joined the club from Serie A side Sassuolo for around £30.5m in the summer of 2022, and did so off the back of a brilliant season in Italy, in which he scored 16 goals and provided one assist in 38 games.
It was safe to say that there was a level of expectation that he’d be able to hit the ground running in East London, but unfortunately, that could not have been further from what actually happened.
In all, the Italian only lasted a season, scoring a paltry eight goals in 27 appearances before returning to Italy amid claims he was homesick.
What made the whole move even more of a “disappointment,” per The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas, is that even his eight goals were underwhelming, with just two in the Premier League.
It was a situation that felt all too familiar to Haller’s time at the club just a couple of years earlier.
The Ivorian international joined the Irons for a club record fee of £45m in the summer of 2019, and off the back of a season in which he scored 20 goals and provided 12 assists in 41 games for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Haller’s West Ham record
Season
19/20
20/21
Appearances
35
19
Minutes
2476′
1205′
Goals
7
7
Assists
2
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.25
0.36
Minutes per Goal Involvement
275.11′
172.14′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Unfortunately, he too lost his shooting boots upon his arrival in East London, and over the next season and a half, he scored just 14 goals and provided two assists in 54 games, which isn’t anywhere near good enough for a record signing.
The bad news keeps on coming for West Ham, though, as while they were able to get rid of both strikers, they now have another player in the squad who has arguably been the biggest waste of money for the club since both of them.
West Ham's biggest waste of money since Scamacca and Haller
Unfortunately for West Ham, there are probably a few players who could fit this description, but as things stand, it is hard to look past Max Kilman.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers star joined the club for a massive £40m last summer.
Now, there have been glimpses of quality here and there since then, but that is all there has been, and for such an expensive signing, that simply isn’t good enough.
Moreover, while the decent performances have been few and far between, the worrying ones have been far more regular, and seemingly only more so over the last couple of months.
For example, one content creator labelled his performance against Brentford as “shocking,” and former manager Gary O’Neil explained his most significant problem is that he likes to “switch off” during games.
It’s a criticism that’s easy to believe, as he looked utterly lost for the Bees’ opening goal, and didn’t get any better as the game went on.
Moreover, his statistics from the following game away to Leeds United do not make for pretty reading either.
Kilman vs Leeds
Minutes
94′
Tackles
0
Interceptions
0
Clearances
4
Ground Duels (Won)
2 (0)
Fouls
2
Accurate Passes
61/69 (88%)
Long Balls (Accurate)
2/6 (33%)
Lost Possession
8
All Stats via Sofascore
In his 94 minutes on the pitch, the Englishman didn’t win a single tackle, nor make an interception, he lost 100% of his ground duels, gave away two fouls, was accurate in just 33% of his long balls, lost the ball eight times and completed just 88% of passes.
Ultimately, there are a lot of problems at West Ham at the moment, and while it’s harsh to single out players, Kilman is one of the big ones.
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West Ham’s woes continued as they were defeated by Leeds United in the Premier League.
Question marks over recruitment have littered the Glazer era at Manchester United, with a handful of summer windows, in particular, looking like defining moments in hindsight.
Take 2009, for instance, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez replaced with Gabriel Obertan, Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen. Take 2013, a summer that began with new boss David Moyes chasing the likes of Gareth Bale and Cesc Fabregas, albeit with the deadline day arrival of Marouane Fellaini proving to be the only senior addition.
While perhaps not quite as infamous as both of those, the 2023 summer window also requires significant critique in retrospect, with United failing to capitalise on what had largely been a positive first season for Erik ten Hag, culminating in a third-place Premier League finish and Carabao Cup glory.
Talk was rife regarding the Dutchman’s interest in the likes of Harry Kane and Declan Rice, although the Red Devils ultimately turned to Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount instead, with Inter’s Andre Onana completing that trio of major marquee additions.
At a time when United could well have kicked on under the ex-Ajax boss, all three of those deals backfired to differing degrees.
While now a firm favourite of Ruben Amorim, Mount has scored just five times in 53 games across an injury-hit two years at Old Trafford. Onana, meanwhile, has been shipped out on loan to Turkey, having made as many as five errors leading to a goal in the Europa League and top-flight alone last term, as per Sofascore.
As for Hojlund, the 22-year-old is now the new golden boy of Napoli, albeit after scoring just 26 goals in 95 games in Manchester. Just imagine if Kane had arrived instead…
Why United signed Hojlund over Kane
There was a feeling that had it been during the golden days of Sir Alex Ferguson, Kane would have almost certainly been snapped up by the legendary Scotsman, having repeatedly raided the top-flight for the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Andy Cole.
Almost a guarantee of goals, having become the all-time top scorer for both Tottenham Hotspur and England, the playmaking striker had reportedly emerged as Ten Hag’s top target ahead of that 2023 window, with a new number nine a necessity at Old Trafford.
With just a year left on his contract, Kane – who had angled for a move to Manchester City two years earlier – appeared to be gettable, albeit with reports indicating that United were wary of doing business with the typically stubborn Daniel Levy.
There were reports which also claimed that Levy was unwilling to sell his prized possession to a top-flight rival, with then-United first-team coach Benni McCarthy since revealing that the club were hesitant to fork out £100m for a player in his 30s.
Frustratingly, Kane ultimately moved on to Bayern Munich for a fee of around £86m, while United turned to a player ten years his junior, splashing out an initial £64m on a 20-year-old Hojlund from Atalanta.
At the time, the promising Dane had scored just 27 club career goals at senior level, as per Transfermarkt, having since only added a further 30, across his time in Manchester and now in Naples.
For comparison, since departing for Munich, Kane has already reached 103 goals for the Bundesliga side in just 106 games, becoming the quickest player this century to reach triple figures for a club in Europe’s top five leagues.
A mistake, as is clear, was made that summer. The problem is, the Red Devils have since repeated it.
Man Utd's 'new Kane' is now another Hojlund
In defence of the United hierarchy at the time, the club had witnessed a string of short-term, veteran strikers come and go in the years prior, namely Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with a more long-term solution perhaps needed.
Hojlund (Serie A) vs Kane (Bundesliga) – 25/26
Stat (*per game)
Hojlund
Kane
Games
4
6
Goals
2
11
Mins per goal
153
45
Big chances missed
1
3
Goal conversion
50%
52%
Assists
0
3
Big chances created
0
5
Key passes*
0.5
2.2
Total duels won*
54%
57%
Stats via Sofascore
That said, the argument – which McCarthy also puts forward – would be that a more canny operator would have parachuted in a player like Hojlund in order to serve as a deputy or successor to an experienced striker like Kane, rather than heaping unnecessary pressure on the youngster to solely carry the goalscoring burden.
In a way, the club did try to rectify that move by snapping up Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna a year later, with the Dutchman joining on a £36.5m deal, having been named Serie A’s Young Player of the Year the previous season.
At the time, analyst Ben Mattinson had suggested that Zirkzee could be a “natural successor” to Kane at Bayern, amid reports that the 6 foot 4 striker was in line to return to Munich.
Also described as “so similar” to the England skipper, United’s new man looked like an ideal alternative to Hojlund, operating as a self-described ‘nine and a half’ rather than an out-and-out centre-forward.
The problem was, however, that Zirkzee evidently didn’t possess the clinical quality of Kane in front of goal, having actually only scored 11 Serie A goals in 2023/24 – only two more than Hojlund achieved at Atalanta the year prior.
Unsurprisingly, much like the Dane, a player with no track record for scoring at a prolific rate has, well, not scored at anywhere near a prolific rate for United, ending his debut campaign with just seven goals in all competitions – just three of which came in the league.
There is something of a cult hero vibe to the fleet-footed forward, having impressively fought his way back from being jeered off against Newcastle United, although on current evidence, he is heading the same way as his former colleague.
Seemingly getting the Kobbie Mainoo treatment under Amorim, following an injury-hit summer, the 24-year-old has featured for just 82 minutes so far in 2025/26, failing to even start a single Premier League game.
With rumours rife over a swift January exit, and with Benjamin Sesko now the go-to man, Zirkzee looks set to follow Hojlund in not lasting any longer than two seasons at Old Trafford.
Like the new Napoli star, United’s number 11 has been unable to translate his Serie A form into English football, with those prior Kane comparisons now somewhat forgotten amid his goal-shy tendencies.
There is a talent in there, but as was the case with Hojlund, Amorim and co simply don’t have the time to wait around for such potential to be realised.
Man Utd already sold Hojlund 2.0 who's "one of the best ST's in the world"
Selling a striker who’s now flourishing in Serie A? Manchester United know all about that…
كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير عن آخر المستجدات الخاصة بلاعبي الأهلي المصابين، قبل انطلاق بطولة السوبر المصري بدولة الإمارات، يوم الخميس الموافق 6 نوفمبر المُقبل.
وقال شوبير في تصريحاته عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الثلاثاء: “الأهلي، كما قيل من قبل، اصطحب جميع لاعبيه إلى دولة الإمارات استعدادًا لخوض كأس السوبر المصري، ومن بينهم أشرف داري، وحسين الشحات، وإمام عاشور”.
وتابع: “إمام عاشور، وسأكون صريحًا، أنا سُررت كثيرًا حين رأيته أمس، فحالته الصحية جيدة، هل هذا يعني أنه سيلعب؟ لا، لن يلعب، لأنه ما زال بحاجة إلى بعض الوقت قبل العودة للمشاركة، فقد ظل جالسًا في المنزل لمدة 45 يومًا، ولم يتدرّب سوى أربع مرات فقط في (الجيم) لا أكثر، لكن الحمد لله، هو بصحة جيدة، وقد خضع للبروتوكول العلاجي المقرر، وحالته مستقرة”.
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وأضاف: “أما أشرف داري، فكلما اقترب من العودة وبدأ يدخل في الأجواء ويبدو في حالة جيدة، يتعرّض لإصابة جديدة، لا أريد أن أقول إن إصابته تجددت، لكنها لم تُشفَ بعد بشكلٍ كامل، الأطباء كانوا يتوقعون أن يعود خلال أسبوع، ثم قالوا أسبوعين، ثم أضافوا أسبوعًا آخر، الوضع غريب جدًا بالنسبة لحالة أشرف داري”.
وأشار: “المدرب ييس توروب يرى أن مستوى أشرف داري جيد، لكنه لا يستطيع الاستفادة منه بعد، أما حسين الشحات، فقد تعرّض لتمزق عضلي بسيط، ولذلك سيغيب عن المشاركة، وبالنسبة لأحمد رضا، فالحمد لله، حالته سليمة بنسبة 100%”.
واختتم: “أما محمد شريف، فقد قال لي مصدر مسؤول داخل النادي الأهلي نصًّا: محمد شريف أصبح بحالة جيدة، نعم، أكد لي ذلك شخصيًا، وقال إن طرق العلاج والجلسات تطورت كثيرًا، وهذا ما ساعد في تعافيه، ما أستطيع قوله لكم إن محمد شريف جاهز للمشاركة في بطولة السوبر المصري، وهذا ما تم تأكيده لي رسميًا من المصدر داخل النادي”.
O Corinthians tem problemas na zaga para o jogo contra o Grêmio, nesta segunda-feira (18), pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. Somente dois atletas da posição estão disponíveis para a partida: Caetano e Lucas Veríssimo. Bruno Méndez e Gil receberam o terceiro cartão amarelo na derrota corintiana para o Fortaleza, na última quinta-feira (14), e cumprirão suspensão automática contra o Tricolor Gaúcho.
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A situação no Brasileirão alerta para um problema da equipe alvinegra próximo à semifinal da Sul-Americana, contra o próprio Leão do Pici. O Timão tem somente quatro zagueiros no elenco principal, sendo que um deles, Bruno Méndez, também é o reserva imediato da lateral-direita. Além do mais, o técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo costuma montar o sistema defensivo com três atletas em algumas oportunidades.
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A solução tem sido usar as categorias de base. Renato Santos tem sido chamado para compor elenco e até mesmo foi relacionado para algumas partidas nesta temporada. Porém, no treinamento deste sábado (16) os escolhidos foram Alexandre, Fernando Vera e João Pedro Tchoca, para que Renato não fosse tirado do jogo contra a Portuguesa, pelo Paulistão Sub-20.
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De toda forma, a tendência é que Renato Santos seja o escolhido para compor o banco de reservas contra o Grêmio, na segunda-feira (18).
ROTATIVIDADE NA DEFESA
Recentemente, o Timão modificou bastante as peças do seu sistema defensivo. A equipe do Parque São Jorge terminou a temporada passada com as seguintes opções para o setor: Balbuena, Bruno Melo, Bruno Méndez, Belezi, Gil, Raul Gustavo, Robert Renan e Robson Bambu. Desses, apenas Gil e Méndez permanecem.
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Bruno Melo, Belezi e Robson Bambu deixaram o Corinthians no fim do ano passado. O período de contrato deles encerraram e eles não ficaram.
Não foi do interesse da diretoria corintiana renovar o empréstimo por Melo e Bambu, que foram cedidos novamente pelas suas equipes, dessa vez para Goiás e Vasco, respectivamente.
Já o garoto Lucas Belezi, que chegou a ser relacionado pelo então treinador corintiano Vítor Pereira, mas nunca entrou em campo profissionalmente, não aceitou a proposta de renovação oferecida pelo time do Parque São Jorge e viu a situação ser resolvida após seis meses, já que o Timão tinha a prioridade no primeiro contrato profissional do atleta, que, após acordo, foi contratado pelo Athletico-PR, com o Coringão mantendo 30% dos direitos econômicos do profissional.
Em janeiro deste ano, Raul Gustavo foi emprestado ao Bahia, e Robert Renan foi liberado para o Zenit, da Rússia, envolvido na compra do centroavante Yuri Alberto pelo Timão.
Em junho, encerrou o vínculo de empréstimo do paraguaio Fabián Balbuena, que estava cedido pelo Dínamo de Moscou. Campeão brasileiro com o Corinthians em 2017, o jogador não teve o mesmo sucesso na segunda passagem e foi devolvido aos russos.
Por sua vez, Caetano, que estava emprestado ao Goiás, voltou ao Timão, que decidiu aproveitá-lo após cedê-lo temporariamente a cinco equipes diferentes entre 2019 e 2022. Além do Esmeraldino, o jogador defendeu Oeste, Coritiba, São Caetano e CRB.
Outro cria das categorias de base corintiana que ganhou espaço foi Murillo, que em fevereiro assinou a sua renovação com o clube alvinegro e foi integrado definitivamente entre os profissionais, após disputar a Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior no mês anterior.
Ainda assim, com as saídas de Robert e Balbuena no primeiro semestre, a diretoria do Corinthians entendeu ser necessária a contratação de um quinto jogador para a zaga. E assim acertou a contratação por empréstimo de Lucas Veríssimo até junho do ano que vem.
No entanto, no fim da janela de transferências, o clube do Parque São Jorge negociou a venda de Murillo ao Nottingham Forest, da Inglaterra, por 12 milhões de euros (R$ 64,4 milhões) mais 2 milhões de euros (R$ 10,7 milhões) atrelados a cumprimento de metas. O Timão manteve 10% dos direitos econômicos do jogador, podendo lucrar ainda mais com possíveis novas vendas.
Assim, o Corinthians terminará o ano com quatro zagueiros no elenco profissional: Caetano, Bruno Méndez, Gil e Veríssimo. O período de inscrições para novos atletas até o fim desta temporada se encerrou na última sexta-feira (15).
Dois integrantes do quarteto remanescente, no entanto, podem não permanecer no Timão na próxima temporada. Os contratos de Bruno Méndez e Gil terminaram em dezembro deste ano.
No caso do uruguaio, as conversas para renovação foram abertas ainda no primeiro semestre, e a diretoria aguarda a resposta do estafe do atleta nos próximos dias. Atlético-MG, Flamengo e Internacional monitoram a situação do jogador. Enquanto a situação de Gil dependerá da próxima diretoria, que será eleita no fim deste ano e assumirá em janeiro. A alta idade e as oscilações do defensor durante as últimas temporadas fazem com que a atual administração considere um risco a renovação, passando a responsabilidade para a gestão seguinte.
Debutant sets tone with brisk knock as hosts set in touch with the pack in North Group
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Worcestershire’s young guns impressed in a key victory•Getty Images
Worcestershire 156 for 4 (Brookes 51) beat Durham 155 for 6 (Rhodes 58*) by six wicketsWorcestershire Rapids had youngsters Isaac Mohammed and Ethan Brookes to thank as their brilliant cameos saw them to a comprehensive six-wicket win over Durham.Durham set a target of 156, with only Will Rhodes, 58 not out, able to cash in against a well-drilled Rapids attack.The reply sizzled from the outset, with 17-year-old Mohammed blasting 32 from just 15 balls, as his cameo put the Rapids in a good position after the powerplay.Coming in at 89 for 3, Brookes stole the show with a blistering 51, in an innings that included eight boundaries, to see his side to victory with two overs to spare.After being asked to bat first in idyllic conditions, the Durham innings stuttered during the powerplay as both Graham Clark and Ollie Robinson departed without, as their side were restricted to 37 for 2.Skipper Alex Lees looked good for his 28 but failed to kick on when he clipped a Brookes delivery straight to the hands of Ben Dwarshuis in the deep, as the visitors reached the halfway point of their innings 65 for 3.Jacob Duffy opened proceedings with a searing yorker, before the impressive Dwarshuis (1 for 28) had Ollie Robinson caught for one.Colin Ackermann struck a couple of lusty blows in his 21-run cameo but failed to capitalise on his start when he fell in underwhelming fashion, chipping the ball straight to debutant Mohammed at backward point.The Rapids’ impressive bowling performance continued to stifle the Durham run rate, as Matthew Waite (2 for 20) picked up the key wicket of Jimmy Neesham, for just five, as Rhodes continued his salvo at the other end.The cohesive display in the field and with the ball saw the Rapids on top heading into the final stages of the innings, before a 41-run partnership between Rhodes and Ben Raine was ended when Waite removed Raine in the 19th over.Dwarshuis, returned to finish the innings, as Rhodes brought up his counter-attacking half-century, as he carried his bat for a well-made 58 off 33 balls, as Durham were restricted to 155 for 6.It was debutant Isaac Mohammed, who took centre stage in the early stages of the reply, as his exhilarating knock got the Rapids off to a flying start.His 32 off just 15 balls included six boundaries, but the entertainment was brought to a close when the veteran Neesham, beat his defences with an accurate yorker.Kashif Ali joined Jake Libby, as the pair continued the fast start, with Ali helping himself to four successive boundaries in the final over of the powerplay, as the home side reached 63 for 1.The pair added 48 for the second-wicket, before the visitors struck twice in two overs, when Raine trapped Ali lbw for 25, and Callum Parkinson had Libby caught for 21, with the Rapids needing 67 to win off the remaining seven overs.Brookes then put his foot on the accelerator, taking the returning Potts for 21 off his second over, blasting three sixes in the process as he took his side to within touching distance of a memorable victory.Brookes couldn’t quite see his side home, as he fell for a brilliant 51 from just 24 balls, but with just two required for victory, a comfortable six-wicket win was wrapped up in the 18th over.
تحدث محمد الغزاوي سفير مصر في بوركينا فاسو، عن تذاكر مباراة منتخب مصر القادمة أمام بوركينا فاسو، التي ستجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.
ويحل منتخب مصر ضيفاً على بوركينا فاسو، على ملعب الأخير، ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثامنة من عمر مباريات المجموعة الأولى لـ تصفيات كأس العالم.
وقال محمد الغزاوي في تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “تذاكر مباراة مصر وبوركينا فاسو نفذت، ويحاولون طباعة تذاكر جديدة، الملعب سعته حوالي 28 ألف مُشجع، ويحاولون أن يزيدوا العدد لـ31 ألف، الحضور الجماهيري سيكون مكثفًا جدًا”.
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وأضاف: “تم اعتماد ملعب بوركينا فاسو، لأن المسؤولين هناك كان لديهم حرص على إصلاح الملعب واعتماده من فيفا قبل مواجهة مصر، بعد أن ضغطوا بقوة من أجل ذلك”.
وأتم: “المنتخب سيخوض تدريبًا غدًا الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، ونحن نتابع إجراءات التأمين لبعثة المنتخب الكامل، وسألنا الاتحاد حول توفير أمن خاص لـ محمد صلاح، لكن اللاعب نفسه يُفضل أن يتعامل مثل زملاءه ولا حاجة لتأمين خاص”.
Underestimate Birmingham City at your own peril next season.
Already, the ultra-ambitious Blues have welcomed in seven new faces to the St. Andrew’s camp with more surely expected as they go about continuing to construct a side ready to compete, and potentially soar, at Championship level.
The most high-profile signing of Birmingham’s hectic summer so far has come in the form of £10m attacker Kyogo Furuhashi leaving Rennes behind for pastures new in the West Midlands, with lots expected of the Japanese forward in his fresh second-tier surroundings.
Why Kyogo Furuhashi is an exciting signing
Whilst he has never got going in France with zero goals or assists next to his name from six Rennes appearances, Birmingham will feel they’ve made a worthwhile investment in the 30-year-old striker based on his blistering output at Celtic alone.
From 165 clashes donning the famous green and white jersey, Kyogo would tally up a stunning 85 strikes in total, alongside also chipping in with a healthy 19 assists for his troubles.
Everyone at St. Andrew’s will be praying he can get back to the clinical best he managed in Scotland when now plying his trade in nearby England, with his former Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou once even labelling the four-time Scottish Premiership winner as “outstanding” for his constant magic in Glasgow.
Kyogo will surely give the likes of Jay Stansfield and Alfie May a run for their money in the forward areas, but another exciting signing up top would be seen as even more of a coup than the 23-time Japan international’s arrival onto the scene.
Birmingham could sign an even bigger talent than Kyogo
Birmingham fans might well feel let down by the millions splashed out on Kyogo if he doesn’t instantly hit the ground running, fearful that another Rennes crisis of confidence has enveloped him.
Whilst it could take time for Kyogo to warm up to the challenges of the Championship, Danny Ings would surely feel instantly more comfortable dropping back down to the EFL, after finding his recent Premier League stints to be full of injuries.
Danny Ings for West Ham
As per a report earlier this summer from journalist Graeme Bailey, Birmingham have considered a move for Ings, knowing full well what he’s capable of in front of goal when injuries aren’t dominating his playing time.
All this talk might well have died down now – with Bailey further revealing that Wrexham and Burnley were even eyeing up the goalscoring veteran – but if Birmingham want another top-quality attacker to add to their glittering striker options, and a star who is an even bigger talent than Furuhashi for free, this is a move they should try to get back into motion.
Ings’ G/A record by club
Club played for
Games
Goals
Assists
Burnley
130
43
14
Southampton
100
46
10
West Ham
69
5
5
Aston Villa
52
14
8
AFC Bournemouth
30
8
3
Liverpool
25
4
1
Overall number
406
120
41
Sourced by Transfermarkt
After all, it’s clear from the table above – unlike Kyogo, who fired blanks in Ligue 1 – that Ings has shown off his goalscoring prowess all across his career, even when issues have arisen, with a hefty 120 career goals next to his name from 406 clashes. It was only four years ago that Aston Villa forked out £30m for his services.
43 of those strikes would come about on the books of Burnley, with the three-time England international chomping at the bit to return to the Championship where he first honed his potent craft, as seen in him bagging a healthy 21 strikes during the 2013/14 season to seal promotion for the Clarets.
From then on, it’s been a career mainly played at the pinnacle of English football, with Ings dropping back down to the Championship with Birmingham seen as a statement of intent on Davies and Co’s end of where they want to be in the very near future.
Once labelled as “clinical” by football journalist Leanne Prescott, Ings would be raring to go donning Birmingham blue if a move was sealed, with the experienced attacker perhaps pipping Kyogo to a starting spot in the process.
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Tottenham Hotspur salvaged their season when they defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final last May, rolling out the carpet for Champions League football once more.
Having completed some housework already, finalising a shrewd £30m deal for Mathys Tel and sealing the permanent signing of Kevin Danso after his loan spell, new manager Thomas Frank has turned his attention to external solutions.
While the former Brentford boss would love nothing more than to reunite with Bryan Mbeumo, the Red Devils hold the lead in that race. As such, Spurs have turned their attention to Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, having made contact with Bournemouth but made it known they have no interest in meeting the £70m asking price; the same is true for other suitors.
Despite an abject Premier League campaign, the Lilywhites have an exciting project indeed, and that’s why they might want to turn to a Semenyo alternative who might even prove an upgrade.
Spurs lining up Semenyo alternative
As per L’Equipe, as relayed by GetFootballNewsFrance, Tottenham have received a huge boost in their bid to sign AS Monaco winger Maghnes Akliouche, who has been informed he could leave the Ligue 1 club for the right price this summer.
AS Monaco's MaghnesAkliouche
That price is marked at €60m (£51m), so he wouldn’t come cheap. However, the 23-year-old ace is one of the most exciting talents in France and is also attracting interest from Nottingham Forest alongside Spurs, who are both chasing a deal for the starlet.
The Moroccan has yet to be the centre of an official bid, but if Bournemouth remain stubborn on their valuation of Semenyo, that could change very soon.
What Maghnes Akliouche would bring to Spurs
Akliouche has made headway at Monaco over the last few years, graduating from the academy to become one of the most influential members of the first team.
Maghnes Akliouche – Monaco Stats by Season (all comps)
Season
Apps (starts)
Goals
Assists
24/25
43 (38)
7
12
23/24
31 (19)
8
4
22/23
13 (6)
1
0
21/22
9 (1)
0
1
Stats via Transfermarkt
He’s just come off the back of his most productive campaign, and having demonstrated such interesting year-by-year growth, might just be the perfect option to add to a developing Tottenham side showing itself to be a hothouse for young stars.
Indeed, Akliouche ranked among the top 14% of attacking midfielders and wingers last season for assists, the top 11% for progressive passes, and the top 16% for tackles per 90, as per FBref, illustrating both his creative flair and a tenacious approach to his football.
Maghnes Akliouche for AS Monaco.
Typically playing off the right flank, Akliouche operates in a similar area to Semenyo, albeit he plays a different role. FBref have actually likened his style of play to that of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the legendary Heung-min Son.
He notched 15 goal contributions in Ligue 1 last season, averaging 4.5 successful duels per game. He also created 15 big chances, as per Sofascore.
No question, Semenyo’s the real deal, but is the 25-year-old worth £70m? He finished the 2024/25 campaign with 13 goals and seven assists across 42 matches in all competitions, very impressive for the Cherries, but perhaps not worth such a large sum.
Not when there’s a “magician” in Akliouche potentially available, demonstrating incredible playmaking potential, with his “wand of a left foot” singled out for praise by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Semenyo is an energetic and versatile forward himself, and he did average a greater amount of successful duels than Akliouche last term (6.1 per Premier League match), but Tottenham could do with some more creative ingenuity on the flanks to enhance Frank’s system, and they already have a goalscoring specialist on the right in Brennan Johnson.
Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo vs Wolves in the FA Cup.
Moreover, the Morocco star has converted 12 big chances in the French top flight across the past two years, only missing 13 big chances, which speaks of a clinical instinct that Frank will be sure to tweak and develop on the training pitch.
While Semenyo would be a fantastic buy for the Londoners, Akliouche has a higher ceiling and would come at a cheaper fee.
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Chelsea remain active in the transfer market after a busy window for the Blues so far, with Enzo Maresca’s side fully expected to add more star quality to their squad before the next summer deadline day on September 1.
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BlueCo added both Mamadou Sarr and Liam Delap to their contingent of stars for the Club World Cup, taking advantage of the pre-CWC window which closed on June 10, only to reopen again on Monday.
Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season
Average match rating
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
This mini-window allowed clubs like Chelsea to bolster their sides in preparation for the tournament, with FIFA appearing determined to ensure that some of world football’s finest are on display over the next few weeks.
Chelsea kicked off their CWC campaign on Monday with a 2-0 win over MLS side Los Angeles FC, but showcased their skills in front of a largely empty Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with just 22,137 fans in attendance for the clash.
Delap made his debut and grabbed an assist, with goals from Pedro Neto and Nicolas Jackson making sure Chelsea got off to the perfect tournament start in Atlanta.
The CWC is rather controversial considering the complete absence of rest for these players. Pre-season for 2025/2026 is set to begin immediately after the competition ends, and given the 2026 World Cup is next year, Chelsea players won’t be resting much next summer either.
However, with £97 million worth of prize money on offer if Maresca’s side win the competition, it is no shock at all that Stamford Bridge chiefs are keen for them to take the CWC as seriously as possible.
To lighten the load, Chelsea could add new signings to their squad midway through, with a unique player registration window open from June 27 to July 3.
That being said, if you already play for a rival team in the CWC, you’re unable to swap clubs – so Chelsea wouldn’t be able to register top transfer target and Borussia Dortmund sensation Jamie Gittens.
Chelsea talks "to follow" for Jamie Gittens after player agreement
Chelsea had three bids rejected for Gittens before the CWC in a desperate attempt to get him over the line in time before 7pm on June 10 (Florian Plettenberg), ultimately failing to reach an agreement with Dortmund.
Jamie Gittens
Since then, it’s been reported that Chelsea are still expected to go back in for the 20-year-old, even if he can’t play a part for them during the CWC, with Fabrizio Romano sharing another update on the saga.
Romano writes via X that Chelsea are set for new talks to sign Gittens, who’s already agreed to join Maresca’s side.
While some reports have suggested that Dortmund value him at around £60 million, the reliable Ben Jacobs has now shared that he could leave for £47 million, in what is a boost for Chelsea.
“Eventually, this deal is expected to get done because Gittens wants to move, and they [Chelsea and BVB] are not actually far apart as some had suggested,” he told The Football Terrace.
“We heard €70m or more, but the number I’m told is €55m, up by €5m from what Chelsea originally thought would get the deal done. And it’s not just the number but the structure of that deal as well.”