Rajiv Shukla pointed to the ground’s age and ownership structure to highlight the difficulty of redoing its outfield

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2024

There was no play possible on days two and three of the Kanpur Test•AFP/Getty Images

BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla has defended the facilities at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, which have come under fire after two days of play in the second India-Bangladesh Test were abandoned, one of them despite no rain during the scheduled hours of play.”Well, criticism is one thing which we are used to in the administration of the BCCI in cricket. But everything is being criticised,” Shukla said on Monday. “When we are not giving matches to Kanpur because [of certain reasons], then also I was being criticised. Now we are giving the match and I am still being criticised why it has been given to Kanpur. So that goes on.”You know the problem is that this ground is around 80 years old. It is our heritage ground. If you remember it used to be a permanent Test centre. The original six permanent Test centres were Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Kanpur. This is a permanent centre. So the whole idea was to have Test matches here. This is the first time in 80 years that it rained so much that we were not able to host the match for two days.”There was precious little rain during the hours of play on both the second and the third days which were lost. The damage was done in the hours leading up to play on both days and the drainage system seemed unable to handle the workload it was put under.Related

Kanpur outfield earns 'unsatisfactory' rating and demerit point

Rohit Sharma and the sixes that woke up a dead game

Persistent drizzle in Kanpur washes out second day

Third day of Kanpur Test called off despite no rain

How Green Park made cricket disappear

Shukla, who was born in Kanpur and wields considerable influence in UP cricket, said there have been no matches abandoned at Green Park (a 2017 Duleep Trophy game, however, witnessed no play on three out of four days) and eventually conceded the need for upgrades.”The history suggests that no match has been abandoned here in Kanpur. There are many venues in the world where because of the rains, matches have been abandoned. So here if for two days the match couldn’t take place, I don’t think there should be too much hue and cry,” Shukla said. “When this ground was being built, and the stadium was being built, then those technologies were not available. Now technologies are available. Like in our Lucknow stadium, we have got that technology. And in Varanasi, we are building another stadium. There we have got high-tech, modern technology to take away the rainwater.”Here also we are planning. Today I had a discussion with administration about how we can develop this system by which the rainwater can immediately be [drained].”The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association [UPCA] uses the Green Park Stadium on the basis of an MoU they have signed with the UP government. The government owns the land but based on the MoU, the stadium and its upkeep are the responsibility of the UPCA.”The moment I came here, I had a long discussion with government officials because this stadium belongs to the government. We are in agreement with them,” Shukla said, “So, now for that, the ground has to be dug, new technology has to be applied and everything has to be done. So, immediately after coming here, I had a discussion with the authorities and they are also on the same page and I think we will be able to improve the conditions here shortly.”Sometimes it happens, though we all pray to [the rain god] Lord Indra, not to rain, but, you know, it happens. And it happens throughout the world. So, why unnecessarily Kanpur and Green Park is being blamed for something which is in nature’s hands?”

It’s all happening at Arsenal at the moment.

After a traditionally slow start to the transfer window, the Gunners have really come to life in recent weeks.

In addition to welcoming Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga, the board appears to be progressing in their pursuit of Chelsea’s Noni Madueke, Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, and perhaps most exciting of all, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede could be a transformational signing for the North Londoners, and in yet more exciting news, the club are also being linked with a Premier League star who could be his dream ten.

Arsenal target dream ten for Gyokeres

For quite some time this summer, it looked like RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko was going to be the striker Arsenal signed.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, late last week, it was widely reported that the North Londoners had switched their focus to Gyokeres.

Since then, the Swede has reportedly agreed to personal terms, and the North Londoners have been in talks with Sporting CP, with reports suggesting the final fee could be around £70m.

It feels like a matter of when and not if the Gunners secure the 27-year-old’s services, and now it looks like they are looking for further reinforcements, including someone who’d likely be a dream number ten for the striker: Morgan Rogers.

Yes, according to a recent report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein, as relayed by Caught Offside, Arsenal are interested in the Aston Villa star.

The report does not mention the cost to the Gunners of acquiring the Englishman, but based on stories from earlier this summer, the fee required to secure his release from Villa Park could be as much as £100m.

It would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, but Rogers has more than proven his worth over the last year or so, and he’d be a dream ten for Gyokeres.

Why Gyokeres would love Rogers

While Gyokeres is an incredibly talented forward, he’s fundamentally at his best when he’s in and around the penalty area, not dropping deep to collect the ball.

We can see as much from his heatmap last season, and therefore, to get the most out of him, he needs a mobile and dangerous ten behind him.

The good news is that Rogers certainly fits that bill, and then some.

For example, FBref ranked him in the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for through balls and in the top 15% in the Champions League for successful take-ons per 90.

On top of that, his output for the Claret and Blue last season was spectacular, especially when you take into account that he is still just 22 years old.

Appearances

54

Minutes

4496′

Goals

14

Assists

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvement

155.03′

In 54 appearances, totalling 4496 minutes, the midfield “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, scored 14 goals and provided 15 assists.

In other words, he averaged a goal involvement every 1.86 games, or every 155.03 minutes.

So, if he was able to do that at Villa Park, just imagine what his numbers could look like playing at the Emirates behind the Sporting star, who scored 54 goals and provided 13 assists in 53 games last season.

Ultimately, Gyokeres is a lean, mean, goal-scoring machine, and he’ll likely continue to be so at Arsenal next season.

However, if Arteta wants to help ensure he’s as dangerous as possible, then he should push the club to sign Rogers as well.

Their new Alexis: Arsenal reach agreement in principle to sign £69m star

Arsenal could be closing in on signing their new Alexis Sanchez.

6 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 9, 2025

Leeds United supporters were hit with a devastating blow on Monday evening when Fabrizio Romano gave Marseille the ‘here we go’ treatment for Igor Paixao.

It had been reported earlier in the day that the Whites were expected to agree a deal in the region of £28m to sign the Brazilian forward from Feyenoord ahead of the French side.

However, as you can see in the post above, Marseille now have a deal ‘in place’ to sign the 25-year-old star, who they have reached an agreement with over a five-year contract.

Romano claims that Paixao ‘wanted’ to sign for the French side despite Leeds United’s attempts to swoop in and convince him to make the move to England.

Given that Lukas Nmecha as a free transfer is the only attacking signing the Whites have made so far this summer, missing out on the winger has come as a big blow for the club.

However, it will be interesting to see how the Feyenoord star handles a move to a top five league in Europe, as Leeds have been burned by Eredivisie stars in the past.

Why Leeds may have dodged a bullet with Igor Paixao

It is, firstly, worth saying that Paixao would have been a very exciting signing for the club, because he enjoyed a phenomenal 2024/25 campaign in the Netherlands.

The 25-year-old star delivered 18 goals and 14 assists in all competitions from the left wing position, which shows that he has the potential to provide a huge threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

However, Leeds once splashed out a fee of £21m to sign left winger Luis Sinisterra from Feyenoord in an eerily similar move in 2022, after his impressive year in the Eredivisie.

Appearances

30

34

Goals

12

16

Big chances missed

8

11

Big chances created

9

12

Assists

7

10

Dribbles completed per game

3.6

1.7

Duels won per game

8.1

5.2

As you can see in the table above, Sinisterra and Paixao both delivered plenty of goals and assists in their respective seasons in the Dutch top-flight for Feyenoord.

The former Leeds man, though, has only managed eight goals and three assists in 51 Premier League appearances in his career to date, which shows how hard it can be to translate that form from the Netherlands over to England.

With this in mind, the club’s latest reported target to bolster their attack may be just as exciting as the fallen through deal for Paixao would have been.

Leeds in the race to sign English star

According to Calcio Mercato, Leeds United are one of a number of teams lining up a potential swoop to sign Jonathan Rowe from Marseille this summer.

The report claims that the Whites, Bournemouth, and Roma are all interested in signing the England U21 international, whilst Atalanta may also join the race if they miss out on Ademola Lookman.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

In a funny turn of events, Calcio Mercato explains that the former Norwich City attacker may be available for clubs to snap up this summer because of the pending arrival of Paixao, who would take his place in the squad on the left flank.

The report adds that Leeds are not the only team turning to Rowe as an alternative to the Feyenoord star, as Roma are also looking at him after also missing out on Paixao.

It also reveals that it will take a fee in the region of £17m in order to secure a deal for the English winger, which means that he would be significantly cheaper than the Eredivisie sensation, but he could be just as exciting.

Why Leeds should sign Jonathan Rowe

The Whites should push to win the race to sign Rowe before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September because he could be just as exciting as Paixao.

First and foremost, the former Canaries star is three years younger than Paixao and still has plenty of time left before he enters the prime years of his career, which the Brazilian winger is already in.

When the Feyenoord ace was 22, he managed four goals and four assists in 18 games in the Brazilian top-flight and had not played a minute of football in Europe. Rowe, meanwhile, has played 13 Premier League matches and 28 in Ligue 1 in his career already.

The Englishman scored three goals, created eight ‘big chances’, and assisted three goals in 28 games in Ligue 1, but the young forward only started six of those appearances under Roberto De Zerbi.

xG

0.40

Top 14%

xG on target

0.48

Top 13%

Goals

0.34

Top 25%

xA

0.25

Top 16%

Assists

0.34

Top 14%

Chances created

2.04

Top 22%

As you can see in the table above, the £17m-rated star’s underlying statistics, per 90, was very impressive in comparison to his positional peers in the division, which suggests that he could have delivered far more goals and assists if he had been given more game time.

This is why the forward, who scored 13 goals for Norwich in the 2023/24 campaign, could be a very exciting signing for Leeds because he appears to have the potential to explode at the top end of the pitch if given regular starts, which Daniel Farke could offer him at Elland Road.

Whilst he may not have had a season as prolific as the one that Paixao just had, the England U21 international could be a signing that is just as exciting for the Whites because he has shown a lot of promise in a major league and has experience in England, and in the Premier League.

As well as potentially providing quality in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals, the 22-year-old is also a versatile forward who can play on either flank or through the middle, scoring the winner as a centre-forward for England at the U21 Euros this summer.

Rowe was once compared to Paris Saint-Germain superstar Ousmane Dembele as talent scout Jacek Kulig called him a “young Dembele” because the winger was “one of the most perfectly two-footed players” he had seen, which is why he is so adept at playing on either flank.

It is now down to Leeds to ensure that they do not lose another race for an exciting left wing target, because the Marseille whiz appears to have all the tools to be a fantastic signing for Farke.

Better signing than Paixao: Leeds in hunt to sign "exceptional" £30m star

Leeds United are reportedly in the hunt to sign an attacking midfielder who would be a better signing than Igor Paixao.

1 ByDan Emery Jul 29, 2025

After dropping out of the race to sign Hugo Ekitike, Newcastle United have reportedly turned their focus towards improving their backline with the addition of a Premier League rival.

Newcastle drop out of Ekitike race

In the end it seemed to be a choice of either opening the door for Liverpool to make their move for Alexander Isak or miss out on Ekitike for Newcastle, who swiftly chose to prioritise their Swedish star. As per Fabrizio Romano, the Magpies have now walked away from any potential deal to sign the Eintracht Frankfurt forward, allowing Liverpool to advance.

It’s a frustratingly familiar story for those at St James’ Park this summer. Despite doing well to welcome Anthony Elanga and with James Trafford likely on his way, Eddie Howe has been forced to watch on as the likes of Joao Pedro and now Ekitike head elsewhere. Back to square one on the transfer front, Newcastle must now assess their options.

With pre-season underway and around one month to go until the Premier League is back, there are a number of options that Newcastle could turn towards after missing out on Ekitike, but Yoane Wissa remains the standout name.

The Brentford forward scored 19 Premier League goals last season – more than Ekitike managed in the Bundesliga – and is certainly ready for a big move away from West London.

He remains one to watch, and the same can be said for another Premier League rival as Newcastle look to welcome further fresh faces before the end of August.

Newcastle pushing to sign Disasi

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle are now pushing to sign Axel Disasi from Chelsea after opening negotiations with those at Stamford Bridge. There is reportedly some belief that the Magpies could land a deal for just €30m (£26m), which would be a cut-price from the Blues’ €35m (£30m) valuation.

Newcastle now plotting shock £50m move to sign "brilliant" South American

This would be one of the most unexpected moves of the summer.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 17, 2025

Although the Frenchman’s move hasn’t gone exactly to plan at Chelsea, he could quickly rediscover his best form with a summer switch to St James’ Park. It’s there that the 6’3 defender could act as instant competition for Sven Botman and Fabian Schar, before eventually replacing the ageing latter.

Minutes

854

412

2,934

Progressive Passes P90

3.37

1.52

3.62

Tackles Won P90

0.95

1.96

0.64

Ball Recoveries P90

3.16

3.04

4.11

Finally gaining some much-needed game time on loan at Aston Villa last season, Disasi impressed at times and began to live up to the praise of U23 scout Antonio Mango, who previously described the defender as “brilliant”.

If Newcastle can land a deal worth just £26m too, then they should consider that an impressive bargain for a defender who should be at the peak of his powers at 27 years old.

Liverpool have been one of the most active clubs this transfer window with numerous high-profile incomings and outgoings. Arne Slot is using the momentum from his first Premier League trophy to build a formidable side.

Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitike are some of the biggest names to have arrived at Anfield this summer. All three of them have found recent success in the Bundesliga and this is a league where recent recruitment from has paid off for Liverpool, with the likes of Dominic Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch.

They’ve funded these big moves through a combination of on-field success, low spending in previous seasons and by letting go of some big-name players. Luis Diaz and Jarell Quansah have already left for Germany and now Darwin Nunez is set to move to Saudi Arabia and become the latest high-profile departure, while Harvey Elliott may not be far behind.

While most of Slot’s reign has gone the way Liverpool had hoped, they could be on the verge of losing a player they want to keep and one who is integral to the team.

Pérez targets Konate signing

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid’s President, Florentino Pérez, has identified Ibrahima Konate as a key Real Madrid target next summer, when he is available as a free agent.

This is a strategy that Madrid have enacted in the past, as this summer they secured the signing of Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free after his Liverpool contract expired. Pérez’s hope will be to reunite the pair under the new Madrid manager, Xabi Alonso, so that they may rekindle their defensive connection.

Konate’s current contract sees him earn £70,000 a week, which is less than a third of what his defensive partner Virgil Van Dijk earns. Liverpool’s Director of Football, Richard Hughes, has attempted to rectify this wage disparity and has reportedly offered a new contract that Konate turned down. A report from The Times indicated that the defender wants around £200,000 a week.

Whilst there still seems to be some distance between the two parties’ preferred wages, French journalist Abdellah Boulma has indicated that talks are still ongoing with both Hughes and Konate open to working out a deal.

Konate's significance to Liverpool

There’s a reason both Real Madrid and Liverpool desperately want Konate in their squad for the start of the 2026 campaign – his presence on the pitch has a clear impact on results and defensive form.

Liverpool’s 2024/25 Premier League Record

With Konate

Without Konate

Games Played

31

7

Wins

21

4

Draws

7

2

Losses

3

1

Win %

67.7%

57.1%

Avg. Goals Conceded per game

1.47

1.71

Statistics from statmuse

Indeed, Liverpool win 10.6% more games when Konate features, over a 38-game season that will result in between an extra 8 and 12 points. The second major stat is that they conceed 0.24 fewer goals a game when Konate plays, 9.12 goals over a full Premier League season.

Based on their business in the last few windows and their on-field success, Liverpool clearly have more money to spend in order to bring in a Konate replacement if he did leave next summer. However, the difficulty that the club faces is in actually finding a player of high enough quality to replace him.

Not quite vindication just yet, but certainly relief. That was the tone Pakistan captain Shan Masood tried to strike after Pakistan had skittled England out for 144 in Multan. It gave them their first home win in four years, and on a personal note, Masood his first Test win as captain.”This was a very important win for Pakistan cricket,” he said. “The recent results were unacceptable. There is relief. This is a long process and journey. It won’t be fixed overnight. It’s been three years and 10 months since we last won a Test at home. That’s not acceptable for Pakistan cricket. We pride ourselves on how well we play this game and how we see ourselves as a team. For us to get a result and hopefully start something here in our own conditions is exciting. Going through that adverse situation for years and still getting a result: that’s the character you want from your players, staff and cricket board. Everyone’s responded well after the [first Test] loss which is very heartening.”Following an innings defeat that intensified focus on Masood’s captaincy and a seemingly endless losing streak, the newly established selection committee overhauled Pakistan’s template overnight. Fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah were dispatched from the squad, and Zahid Mahmood, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali were brought in from the cold – none of them having played any first-class cricket since January. The same pitch as the first Test was recycled and reused.Masood, though, said Pakistan had not changed their line of thinking on the one subject that really mattered. “I said that in defeat, and I’ll say it in victory: 20 wickets is non-negotiable in Test matches,” he said. “Conditions in the 4th innings are only batting-friendly about 10% of the time. We have to understand our conditions and think first about what combinations get us 20 wickets. We need big first innings with the bat and then the bowlers to back us up to give us a lead. The lead took the third-innings pressure off us, and the 75-run lead helped us because where we scored 220-odd [that] resulted in a nearly 300-run target.”Sajid Khan and Noman Ali took all of the 20 wickets in the Test•Getty Images

Masood acknowledged the central gamble at the heart of Pakistan’s winning tactic this week though. Perhaps the most important act of the game was the flip of the coin before the first ball was bowled. Ben Stokes called tails, as he always does, and when the coin pointed the other way, the gambit had paid off.The rest was taken care of by two of the spinners they brought in, with Sajid and Noman splitting all 20 wickets between them – the first time two players have been responsible for all opposition wickets since 1972, and just the second time in Pakistan’s history. In the second innings, no other bowler even turned their arm over as England were wrapped up in 33.3 overs.”Today, we were solely focused on how to take eight wickets,” Masood said. “Since I’ve come in, we’ve had no issue taking risks. We’ve tried to play cricket that brings results, and we’ve lost a lot of matches doing that, too. When the selection committee came in, all of us had one concern: to take 20 wickets. We’d only taken 20 wickets once in my tenure. We looked at conditions and realised playing on a used surface and giving spinners an advantage [could work]. We thought why not try something different.”You’ll have to give credit to Noman and Sajid, the way they came back. It looked like two seasoned campaigners were bowling for Pakistan. These risks need to be taken to try and take 20 wickets, no matter what kind of pitch we do it on.”It’s been a familiar refrain for Masood this series, one where the result has justified the somewhat extreme methods Pakistan adopted. This is, as he pointed out, just the second time in seven Test matches under his captaincy that Pakistan have managed to take 20 wickets. He said Pakistan would be guided by the most efficient route from hereon, no matter how.It is a subtle departure from the message of belligerent positivity that Masood has preached for the best part of his stint, but at some point, idealism had to be abandoned at the altar of pragmatism. It leaves the question of what Pakistan do in Rawalpindi, a surface that has never been amenable to prodigious turn. And though Masood did say Pakistan would need to understand conditions at each specific venue, there was little attempt to conceal what Pakistan really wanted from the pitch for the third Test.”I would [like it to spin]. I don’t know if I’ve seen it turn in Rawalpindi, so that’s an issue. We’re hoping the sun can play its part and the wicket can be on the drier side. But it remains to be seen. We’ll go there on [Sunday] and have a look. The groundsmen are already there and working on a Test match pitch. We’ll try to create a good Test wicket where both teams can pick up 20 wickets.”

The annual event will feature different teams from around the world each year

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2024Caribbean Premier League team Guyana Amazon Warriors are scheduled to take on Pakistan Super League side Lahore Qalandars in the opening match of the inaugural Global Super League. The five-team T20 competition will also feature Hampshire Hawks (T20 Blast), Rangpur Riders (BPL), and Victoria (Australia state team). Eleven games, including the final, will be played across as many days starting November 26, with each team playing the other once before the top two make the final, on December 7.The annual event will feature different teams from around the world each year. Providence, Guyana, will be the venue for all the games.The league shows Guyana’s “ambition to become a global sporting destination,” Giles White, director of men’s cricket at Hampshire, said. “International club competition has proven itself to be successful across other sports and has been lacking in cricket for some time.” It has been sanctioned by CWI and “fully supported” by the government of Guyana, a “key stakeholder” in the competition, and has a prize money of US$1 million.Related

CWI sanctioned Global Super League set to launch in Guyana on November 26

West Indies will be playing two Tests against Bangladesh at home between November 22 and December 4. The resulting clash could bring about availability issues for Warriors, whose roster includes Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, and Kevin Sinclair, players also part of West Indies’ Test set-up. Rangpur Riders are also in line to be directly affected by the clash with Hasan Mahmud potentially playing for Bangladesh.With Pakistan slated to tour South Africa for an all-format tour, starting with the T20Is on December 10, the availability of Babar Azam, who played six games for Rangpur in BPL 2024, and Shaheen Afridi, Qalandars’ captain, among others is also in doubt.The league will also clash with Abu Dhabi T10, slated to be held from November 21 to December 2.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo retornou ao Nilton Santos depois da mudança para o gramado sintético e começou o Campeonato Brasileiro com o pé direito. Em um jogo bastante disputado, o Alvinegro bateu o São Paulo por 2 a 1 com gols de Tiquinho Soares e Eduardo, enquanto Calleri descontou para o Tricolor paulista. Na coletiva de imprensa, Luís Castro exaltou a relação direta com a torcida e concordou que a equipe oscilou após abrir o placar.

+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

– O resultado de hoje é de equipe com coragem, organizada e determinada, que prova claramente que a arte de atacar e defender são duas formas expressas no jogo que temos que ser competentes. É isso que reflete, depois de tantas viagens e jogos. Regressar ao Nilton (Santos) foi fantástico, obrigado à torcida, nunca desacreditou, entregou-se ao jogo, assim como os jogadores, foi união perfeita para chegarmos à vitória. Quando há grande união entre torcedores e jogadores, as coisas acontecem – citou.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoTextor assume responsabilidade por fraco início de ano do Botafogo e destaca: ‘Temporada começou hoje’Botafogo15/04/2023BotafogoEduardo critica árbitro em vitória do Botafogo e fala sobre fase goleadora na temporada: ‘Quero só ajudar’Botafogo15/04/2023BotafogoATUAÇÕES: Tiquinho, Eduardo e Lucas Perri são destaques em vitória do BotafogoBotafogo15/04/2023

Ao ser questionado sobre a intensidade do time, Luís Castro disse que há aspectos positivos a se destacar na atuação do Glorioso. O comandante voltou a exaltar o caráter, entrega e dignidade de seus atletas, que superaram as adversidades e ficaram com os três pontos.

– Nos últimos 10 jogos, o Botafogo tem uma derrota. Isso é um fato. Eu escuto muita coisa. Um time que jogaria tão mal, como você está dizendo, não teria esses resultados. Todos os times enfrentam instabilidade no começo da temporada. Hoje foi a primeira vez que jogamos no nosso estádio nos últimos dois meses. Há coisas positivas, e uma delas é a coragem. Tivemos coragem, determinação e pegada para melhorar. Hoje foi assim. Superamos um momento ruim no jogo e vencemos. Os dados do GPS dos nossos jogadores… todos estão com manchas em vermelho. Tivemos uma grande intensidade. Todos ultrapassaram o que é normal em um jogo. Tivemos um compromisso de começar bem o Brasileirão e conseguimos ganhar o jogo. Vocês podem ter qualquer opinião, achar que não jogamos bem, mas eu tenho olhos. Mas os meus jogadores tem caráter e dignidade. Correram muito hoje. Tivemos quatro oportunidades, o São Paulo finalizou mais é verdade. Mas estamos de parabéns – disse o treinador.

+ATUAÇÕES: Tiquinho e Eduardo marcam e Lucas Perri fecha o gol em triunfo do Botafogo pelo Brasileirão

Por fim, o treinador respondeu sobre seu momento atual para mais uma temporada depois de balançar no cargo devido aos resultados do início da temporada. Com isso, relembrou seus feitos na carreira e enalteceu o prestígio de defender o Botafogo.

– Meu interior está em paz. Desde os 17 anos me dedico ao futebol, sempre com ambição e determinação. Felizmente as coisas têm sido de uma carreira em ascensão. A caminhada que fiz também estou orgulhoso dela. Tem que ser prova de competência quando sai da 4ª Divisão e disputa a Champions contra o City do Guardiola. Depois se chega a um clube de tanto prestígio como o Botafogo, é sinal que as coisas correram bem ao longo desses 26 anos de carreira. Outra coisa que me deixa em paz é nunca ter sido despedido em clube algum – finalizou.

O Botafogo volta a campo na próxima quinta-feira para medir forças com o Universidad César Vallejo, do Peru, às 21h (de Brasília), também no Nilton Santos, pela Copa Sul-Americana. No Brasileirão, os comandados de Luís Castro entrarão em campo na segunda-feira, dia 24, às 21h, para encarar o Bahia, na Arena Fonte Nova, pela 2ª rodada.

Tottenham are working on other targets amid the ongoing transfer saga surrounding Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White.

Thomas Frank will be hoping for a conclusion to the drama fairly soon, given the England international was scheduled to undergo a Hotspur Way medical eight days ago before Forest ultimately blocked the transfer.

Player's camp in talks with Tottenham, Frank convinced he'd join Spurs

The Dane is personally confident they can secure his signature.

2

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 18, 2025

They’ve written a letter to both Spurs and the player’s agent threatening legal action, following what they deem to be an unlawful approach for the 25-year-old, and this has put an unceremonious halt to Gibbs-White’s north London switch (Sky Sports).

Nevertheless, Tottenham remain hopeful they’ll eventually get the green-light to make Gibbs-White their fourth signing of the summer after Mathys Tel, Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus (Fabrizio Romano), even if Forest insist he’s not going anywhere (Sky Sports).

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

Chairman Daniel Levy was ready to trigger Gibbs-White’s ‘confidential’ £60 million release clause before Forest stepped in, and they’re not looking for a ‘quick resolution’.

“It’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out from here,” said BBC Radio Nottingham’s Colin Fray.

“Most thought it would be ironed out and the transfer go through. Not many were expecting him back at training and here he is. That is another twist in the story.

“Forest have set their stall out that they aren’t looking for a quick resolution. They want to keep him.”

Amid this messy situation, the Lilywhites do have other plans they’re looking to see through before deadline day on September 1.

Tottenham reportedly want a new holding midfielder and number six. Talks have reportedly been held with Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha’s representatives, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, and it is believed by some that Juventus ace Douglas Luiz is keen on a move to Spurs – just one year after his switch to Turin from Aston Villa.

As well as this, a new centre-back is on the agenda, and Ukraine international Illia Zabarnyi is re-emerging as a top target.

Tottenham ready to pay £60m-plus for Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi

As per Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, via his official website, Tottenham are actively trying for Zabarnyi, despite his eagerness to join European champions PSG.

Di Marzio also reports that Tottenham are ready to pay north of £60 million for Zabarnyi, the amount “requested” by Bournemouth, if they’re given encouragement that the 22-year-old will forego a switch to France in favour of N17.

PSG have seen multiple bids rejected for Zabarnyi, worth up to £52 million, and they’re yet to return with an improved offer. Given Spurs are prepared to go higher and meet Zabarnyi’s asking price, this could open the door for Frank’s side, but it will hinge on the player’s own decision.

The defender has been a rock at the heart of Bournemouth’s defence and played a key role in their chase for European football last season.

“He is probably the most underrated player,” said pundit Jamie Redknapp.

“I also spoke with Ukrainian legend Andriy Shevchenko, and he mentioned that Illia has everything it takes to reach the next level. Everyone is talking about Dean Huijsen. Yes, he is a fantastic young player, but Zabarnyi plays very aggressively in defense as well. I was genuinely impressed by him. He shows remarkable calmness on the pitch.”

Everton are interested in signing a player who David Moyes loves on loan this summer, according to a new update from reliable journalist Miguel Delaney.

Moyes not ruling out Championship signings for Everton

Blues supporters will be hoping to see as much business done as possible at the club in the coming weeks, giving Moyes’ side the best possible chance of impressing in the Premier League next season.

The Everton manager has spoken about the possibility of signing Championship players who could become Premier League stars this summer, seeing them as potentially shrewd additions, using past examples to back up his point.

“There are hundreds who are playing who are trying to get to the top level and a lot them can. Look at Morgan Rogers (who signed for Aston Villa from Middlesbrough), or Adam Wharton, who went from Blackburn to Crystal Palace. For them to be plucked out, both of them going on to be England internationals, it would be unbelievably naive to think it is not possible, because part of our job is to try to look to see what’s on your doorstep if we can.”

With that in mind, Everton have now been linked with a move for a player who once made a name for himself in the Championship, prior to becoming a world-renowned name.

Everton plot shock move for Premier League star

According to The Independent‘s Delaney on X, Everton are “looking to” firm up their interest in Manchester City star Jack Grealish this summer, with a loan move in the offing this summer.

That said, Delaney’s report does state that “any negotiation depends on whether Manchester City will accept a ‘deluxe’ temporary agreement or push for a permanent sale.”

The £15.6m-a-year Grealish could be an inspired signing for Everton this summer, not least because Moyes is a big admirer, once even saying of him: “He is a really good player and probably the best player in the Premier League at this time. He has done such a big job at that club (Villa) and is probably the best player in the league right now.”

It feels likely that Pep Guardiola doesn’t see a future for the 29-year-old at City, having fallen out of favour there last season, but dropping down a level and being let off the leash more could be ideal for him.

Grealish is a maverick footballer who is at his best when he is able to fully express him and not be held back tactically, which has been aimed at Guardiola, and he has the natural talent and flair to be a hugely popular signing for Everton.

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He does admittedly turn 30 later this year, and there is the risk that he has peaked, but there is also a chance that the Blues could see the best of him again after some disappointing form over the past year or so.