Players not provided with any reason for two Logan Cup matches not getting underway as scheduled

Firdose Moonda09-Jan-2020Zimbabwe’s players have not been provided with any reason for the two Logan Cup matches that were supposed to begin on Thursday not getting underway as scheduled. The first-class domestic tournament started on December 10, after a delay to the start of the season while ZC waited for an ICC disbursement following its reinstatement as a Full Member in October.The competition is in its fifth round and has already been disrupted once. Last week’s match between Rhinos and Tuskers, due to take place at Takashinga Cricket Clun, did not happen.ESPNcricinfo understands that the players believe there are insufficient funds to play the matches, taking into account the costs of match fees and ground preparation. An insider confirmed the players have not received any communication about the rescheduling of fixtures. ZC did not respond to a request for comment.However, a national team camp is taking place in Harare in preparation for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which takes place later this month. The provisional squad includes 25 players including nine uncapped players. Among them are Brian Mudzinganyama and Kevin Kasuza, who are third and fourth on the Logan Cup run charts and Charlton Tshuma, William Mashinge and Victor Nyauchi who are sixth, eighth and ninth on the wicket charts respectively. The familiar names of Brendan Taylor, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara and Donald Tiripano are also in training with the national side.The series against Sri Lanka starts in 10 days’ time and will be Sean Williams’ first as Zimbabwe’s captain. Zimbabwe have not played a Test since November 2018, when they drew a series in Bangladesh. Since then, they failed to qualify for the 2019 50-overs World Cup and were unable to participate in the qualification for this year’s T20 World Cup because they were sanctioned by the ICC for government interference in the game. The ICC has since reopened the door to Zimbabwe and provided a much-needed financial life-blood. ZC is dependent on the ICC’s money, especially to ensure the continuation of domestic cricket.Zimbabwe provisional Test squad: Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chakabva, Brian Chari, Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Kevin Kasuza, Timycen Maruma, William Mashinge, Prince Masvaure, Brandon Mavuta, Peter Joseph Moor, Brian Mudzinganyama, Tapiwa Mufudza, Carl Mumba, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Ainsley Ndlovu, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Brendan Taylor, Donald Tiripano, Charlton Tshuma, Sean Williams

There has not been a whole lot to cheer about for Chelsea fans this year, as every impressive win is seemingly followed by an embarrassing draw or defeat.

For all the money spent on new players for Mauricio Pochettino in the summer, the performances haven't improved from last season.

That said, a few youngsters have impressed thus far, with Cole Palmer being the obvious one, but there is another that people might look kinder upon at the end of the year: a player who is now worth twice as much as Christopher Nkunku.

Christopher Nkunku's valuation this season

Chelsea spent around £52m to sign Nkunku from German club RB Leipzig last season, and while the transfer was initially agreed in December 2022, he didn't join the club until the summer window.

Since arriving in West London, it would be hard to describe the Frenchman's season as anything other than a disaster, not due to his performances but his consistent and severe injury problems.

In the 26-year-old's short Blues career so far, he has suffered from four separate injuries, which have seen him miss a total of 34 games and spend 221 days on the sidelines.

This acute lack of game time has understandably hurt his valuation, with the CIES Football Observatory now pricing the former Paris Saint-Germain forward at just €40m, which is £34m, and it would probably be even less if he didn't have such an impressive campaign last year, returning 32 goal involvements in 36 games.

Nkunku's value has plunged so dramatically this year that he is now worth half as much as one of his younger teammates.

Nicolas Jackson's valuation this season

Yes, the player in question is fellow summer signing Nicolas Jackson.

Now, the former Villarreal striker has not had the easiest of transitions into English football, and he has received his fair share of stick for his myriad of impressive misses, but it hasn't been as poor a season as many might think.

In his 35 appearances so far this year, the Djibonker-born ace has scored 12 goals and provided four assists, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 2.1 games for Pochettino's malfunctioning side, which for a young player in his first campaign in England, really is not that bad, and is far from a complete disaster.

Moreover, his underlying numbers are genuinely quite impressive as well.

According to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the "extraordinary" striker, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, sits in the top 7% of forwards for non-penalty expected goals and assists, the top 10% for non-penalty expected goals, the top 14% for successful take-ons, and the top 15% for pass completion, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

Top 7%

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

Top 10%

Successful Take-Ons

Top 14%

Pass Completion

Top 15%

Non-Penalty Goals

Top 17%

These statistics might not make the 22-year-old a world-class number nine, but they suggest that, over time, he could develop into the striker Chelsea need and, combined with his age, have seen his valuation soar this season.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, he is now worth around €80m, or £68m, which is twice Nkunku's valuation and £38m more than they paid for the rapid forward, which shows that the club have hit the jackpot with the Senegal international as his soaring value and performances on the pitch have been promising given the circumstances.

Chelsea star whose value has fallen by £64m is now worth less than Palmer

The talented Blues ace has had an underwhelming season this year.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 12, 2024

Ultimately, while Jackson hasn't lit the world alight this season, he also hasn't been anywhere near as poor as some may suggest, and while it might take him a couple more campaigns to fulfill his true potential, the fact that he is already worth so much money is just a nice bonus for Chelsea Football Club.

Unfortunately for any opposition fans sick of seeing Pep Guardiola's men sweep up a constant stream of Premier League titles, it now appears that Manchester City are already preparing for the future at the Etihad.

Man City prepare the next generation of stars

It is often forgotten how young Man City's team is simply by virtue of how good they are. Phil Foden, 23, feels as if he has been around forever and has already cemented himself as a legend in the blue half of Manchester.

Man City make approach to sign “unbelievable” £100m star for Pep

It’s shaping up to be a big summer at the Etihad.

ByTom Coates Mar 17, 2024

Aged just 23 and 24 respectively, Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez could easily make up the strike partnership at the Etihad for the long run. With the duo already leading their side to numerous trophies, it is a scary prospect that the pair could still improve.

Summer arrivals Jeremy Doku and Josko Gvardiol are also both in their early twenties as well, leaving plenty of room for them to grow into the English game and improve over time.

Academy products Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb have also seen their first glimpses of first-team success this season. 19-year-old Lewis has made 10 league appearances this season, scoring once and earning his first call-up to the England senior team in the process. His Norwegian teammate Bobb is just a year older and has already got a Champions League goal to his name.

In addition to promoting young talent, City are also signing some of the best youngsters from other clubs. Reports from last week suggested that the champions are plotting a move for 15-year-old Cardiff sensation Timeo Whisker with a reported fee of £250,000 needed to sign the teenager.

Man City agree deal for "wonderkid"

As first reported by Fabrizio Romano on X the treble winners have agreed a deal to sign American teenager, Cavan Sullivan.

Born in 2009, Sullivan has attracted attention from across Europe with Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich all expressing an interest in signing the player. Currently in the youth system at MLS side Philadelphia Union, it is likely that Sullivan could remain in the States for a couple more years before moving the England.

Sullivan's coach at Philadelphia Union II, Marlon LeBlanc said of the rising star:

"Cavan is a fantastic young talent, I like to tease him that I've never seen a kid get built up as much as I've seen Cavan. He's so down to earth, all of this extra hype that goes on about him, it doesn't get to his head and I think that's what is fantastic about him. It's what also allows him to come into our environment and still be great and still be bold".

Whilst fans will have to wait a while to see the American at the Etihad, it is important for his development that he stays in his home country for now. Regardless of where he plays currently, Sullivan is destined to have a big future in the game.

MatériaMais Notícias

A missão de comandar a equipe sub-23 do Athletico-PR nesta edição do Campeonato Estadual proporcionou a Bruno Lazaroni a tentativa de equilibrar o jovem elenco em uma temporada que começou repleta de obstáculos. Convidado do “LANCE! na Jogada”, o treinador contou como time de aspirantes lidou com a rotina acidentada da competição devido à pandemia de Covid-19.

– Muitas das vezes, o calendário da base difere um pouco do profissional. Mas, por conta da pandemia, por conta dos decretos daqui, acabou sendo um ano totalmente atípico. Claro que a gente vive num momento atípico, mas a gente fez o primeiro jogo ainda com o (treinador do time principal) António (Oliveira) e o segundo jogo foi acontecer 35 dias depois – afirmou.

O Athletico-PR havia estreado no dia 27 de fevereiro, com uma derrota por 1 a 0 para o Cianorte. Com 94% dos leitos ocupados por quem contraiu Covid-19, o governador do Paraná, Carlos Ratinho Massa Júnior (PSD-PR), anunciou um decreto que propôs uma série de restrições, entre elas a de circulação de pessoas entre as 20h e as 5h. A Federação Paranaense decidiu adiar a sequência da competição.

As partidas da competição foram retomadas gradativamente, mas o Athletico só voltou a campo em 4 de abril, quando perdeu por 2 a 1 para o FC Cascavel.

– Nesse meio tempo, ainda ficamos 11, 12 dias sem treinar no nosso CT (foi decretado lockdown na capital paranaense, que tem como prefeito Rafael Greca). Só treinamos de forma remota, em casa. Depois, do segundo jogo para o terceiro jogo, foram 14 dias (até a derrota por 4 a 0 para o Operário na Arena da Baixada) de diferença. Esse processo todo em conjunto com não atingir os resultados inicialmente afetou muito a parte emocional dos atletas – e ressaltou a força dos bastidores do Furacão:

– Mas o clube tem um trabalho estruturado, ao longo do tempo teve o suporte de atletas da equipe profissional, acabou tendo o resultado da primeira fase. Aí disputamos a primeira partida das quartas de final e conseguimos uma boa vantagem – completou, referindo-se ao triunfo por 2 a 0 sobre o Paraná no jogo de ida.

O confronto de volta está marcado a princípio para esta quarta-feira.

Lazaroni detalhou como o elenco do sub-23 do Athletico-PR foi se moldando para a disputa da competição. E não escondeu o quanto é preciso ser cauteloso para evitar queimar etapas em uma disputa de “gente grande” como se avizinhou o Estadual ainda mais em condições tão acidentadas.

– É um momento muito delicado essa transição de atleta para o profissional, O clube já tem há alguns anos um projeto de disputar o Estadual com uma equipe com bastante jogadores oriundos da base, alguns ainda com idade de base, e isto ficou ainda mais acentuado neste ano por conta do clube não poder contratar jogadores. Foi uma equipe na qual a maior parte dela em fevereiro disputou um Brasileiro Sub-20, na qual chegou a final (no qual foi derrotado pelo Atlético-MG nos pênaltis). E, meses depois, estava disputando um campeonato profissional, com níveis de força, competitividade e campos diferentes do que estavam habituados na equipe sub-20 – e ressaltou:

– Isso faz parte da formação deles. Muitas das coisas que você não reproduz na formação, como a força, a competitividade e, em especial, o nível maior de acesso maior aos torcedores. Acaba tendo uma pressão maior por resultados, expectativa, que você não reproduz na base. Quando você tem uma transição, muitos atletas acabam se perdendo. Seja num momento bom ou ruim. Isso faz parte da formação. O clube tem esse projeto que vem rendendo frutos ao longo do tempo – completou.

O treinador contou o que pesou para que o Furacão fosse se aprimorando em campo.

– Foi fundamental utilizar atletas da equipe profissional dar respaldo, segurança a eles. Estiveram, não simultaneamente, jogadores como o Zé Ivaldo, ou o Felipe Aguilar. Também foi importante dar rodagem a atletas que estavam há um bom tempo sem jogar e dar ritmo a atletas da equipe principal, como aconteceu contra o Coritiba e o Cascavel CR e acabamos nos classificando. Principalmente uma equipe muito jovem, na qual no início era praticamente uma equipe sub-20 – declarou.

Sobre o “LANCE! na Jogada”

O “LANCE! na Jogada” é uma série de lives no canal no Youtube, que traz convidados para analisar diversos assuntos atuais do futebol brasileiro. Os debates abordam temas como esporte, marketing, finanças e negócios.

Sophie Devine’s blazing half-century helps Wellington make it a double by winning the women’s title

Deivarayan Muthu19-Jan-2020
Wellington did the double at Basin Reserve on Sunday, with both the Firebirds (men’s team) and the Blaze (women’s team) securing the 20-over Super Smash titles. The Firebirds are also the reigning 50-over Ford Trophy champions, having defeated Otago in Dunedin in 2018-19.Fast bowler Hamish Bennett, who had starred in that final, was at it in the Super Smash final, his 3 for 34 thwarting Martin Guptill and helping the Firebirds defend 168. Bennett, who now holds both domestic white-ball titles, could well make his T20I debut against the visiting India side next week.Auckland Aces’ New Zealand internationals Guptill and Colin Munro had given their team a sound start in pursuit of 169 by adding 33 for the opening stand in four overs. But one run and three balls later, Bennett had Munro tickling one behind, and TV umpire Ashley Mehrota ruled the opener out although Munro wasn’t pleased with the decision, suggesting that he hadn’t touched the ball.Then, immediately after the powerplay, Jimmy Neesham marked his return from a quadricep injury when he had Glenn Phillips dragging a catch to deep square-leg for a run-a-ball 7. Neesham combined with left-arm fingerspinner Rachin Ravindra and Netherlands international Logan van Beek to pin down the middle order. All three bowlers conceded just one boundary each, sharing five wickets between them.Guptill, though, stood tall even as the Aces sank to 104 for 5 and then 113 for 6. Guptill, who was on 23 off 22 balls by the end of the powerplay, set his focus towards taking the chase deep. He brought up a 45-ball half-century in the 16th over, when he slapped seamer Ollie Newton behind point four.Auckland now needed 59 off 29 balls, with the in-form Bennett still with one over in his bag. Van Beek, too, did some significant damage, getting three wickets, including two in one over.

MEN’S DREAM11 SUPER SMASH CHAMPIONS! pic.twitter.com/UXAouMrrre

— Wellington Firebirds (@wgtnfirebirds) January 19, 2020

Guptill gave Auckland more hope when he lined up the returning Bennett in the 18th over and thumped him over midwicket for six. However, Bennett responded strongly, getting Guptill to hole out for 60 off 53 balls. Van Beek produced a game-changing moment, pulling off a stunning hokey-pokey catch at the edge of the deep-midwicket boundary. A fierce whip from Guptill seemed destined to fly over the boundary… until van Beek himself took flight and caught the ball at the edge of the rope. He then lost his balance and jumped beyond the rope, but had the presence of mind to toss the ball into play and retrieve it in the end.It was only fitting that Bennett and van Beek closed out the game for the Firebirds. The two men had moved north from Canterbury, playing crucial hands in the Firebirds’ third T20 title victory.Earlier, it was Black Cap-in-waiting Devon Conway who had set up the win, with a 37-ball 49 at the top. Conway lit up the Basin by crunching beanpole quick Kyle Jamieson for three fours in the first over of the game, including a drilled cover-drive. Michael Pollard, the other opener, wasn’t as fluent at the other end, and was dismissed by left-arm quick Mitchell McClenaghan.Conway continued on his merry way and lashed left-arm fingerspinner Mark Chapman for back-to-back boundaries to push the Firebirds to 80 for 2 in ten overs. McClenaghan then returned to the attack and had Conway splicing one to extra cover, where Craig Cachopa pulled off a blinding one-handed catch. Conway capped the season as the top run-getter, with 543 runs in 11 innings at an average of 67.87 and strike rate of 145.18.The South Africa-born top-order batsman will qualify to play for New Zealand soon, just before the T20 World Cup, but coach Gary Stead is already so impressed by him that he called him into New Zealand’s winter camp last year.Jamieson nailed his yorkers and mixed it up his hard lengths at the death while Munro gave little away with his cutters and rollers as the Firebirds’ innings threatened to spiral out of control. However, charming cameos from a fit-again Neesham (22 off 13 balls), captain Michael Bracewell (23 off 17 balls), and van Beek (15* off eight balls) ensured they reached 168. Van Beek, in particular, was the only Firebirds batsman to get the measure of McClenaghan, taking him for 11 off four balls. Bennett and van Beek then made that total look a whole lot bigger with the ball and in the field, thrilling the home crowd.Sophie Devine set up the victory with a quick half-century•Getty ImagesSophie Devine sets up victory in seven-over shootout
Sophie Devine was in complete control after poor weather meant only a seven-overs-a-side contest would be possible in the women’s final.Devine and Rachel Priest dealt in boundaries to start with, the first 20 runs coming in fours, to take Wellington to 20 after two overs. Once Priest fell, Devine switched to smashing sixes, hitting three in the fourth over of the innings, bowled by Anna Peterson, and reached her half-century in just 22 balls. She couldn’t carry on, though, Bella Armstrong sending her back for a 23-ball 54. Though only eight runs came off the final over, Wellington had a strong 81 for 2 on the board thanks to their captain.Devine came back to bowl a fine first over, conceding just five runs, and that set the tone for the Auckland reply, as they struggled to find the boundaries, lost wickets, and could only manage 45 for 5, going down by 36 runs.

Endrick has explained the role Cristiano Ronaldo played in his Real Madrid presentation tears, with the Brazilian wonderkid emulating his idol.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Exciting forward completed switch to Spain
• Portuguese superstar was boyhood hero
• Ambitious long-term goals being set

• Getty Imges
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Having celebrated his 18th birthday on July 21, exciting teenage forward Endrick has been cleared to complete his transfer from Palmeiras to Santiago Bernabeu. The youngster has been officially unveiled in the Spanish capital, with emotion spilling out of him on a big day.

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• WHAT ENDRICK SAID

  Endrick has said of his tears, as he follows in the illustrious footsteps of Blancos legend CR7: “I hadn’t planned it, but I’ve loved Real Madrid since I was a kid. I saw Cristiano Ronaldo and because of him I wanted to know a bit more about Real Madrid. Years ago I looked up all the idols, also [Emilio] Butragueno. Since I was a child I was in love with Real Madrid. I didn’t want to cry, but it came from my soul.”

• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Endrick scored 21 goals through 79 appearances for Palmeiras, while also earning 10 senior caps for Brazil. He claims Madrid was the only destination he was willing to consider when leaving his homeland, with bold long-term targets being drawn up. He added: “I’ve been in love with Madrid since I was a kid, I wanted to come here. When the negotiations started, the only thing I asked was if Madrid were in the negotiations. I didn’t care about any other club. I’ve always wanted Real Madrid. I’ve been signing for a long time. I hope to stay here for the rest of my life.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Becoming a Real stalwart will be no easy task for Endrick, as he faces fierce competition for places in Spain. He has linked up with the Blancos a matter of weeks after World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe, while the holders of La Liga and Champions League titles also have Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo on their books.

Chelsea were unable to make it three Premier League wins in a row after a late Oli McBurnie goal saw the Blues settle for a 2-2 draw despite leading the encounter for a large period.

Goals from Noni Madueke and Thiago Silva saw Mauricio Pochettino's side lead 2-1 until the 93rd minute when the Blades' striker popped up to secure a huge point for Chris Wilder's men.

The win would have seen Chelsea move to within a point of Newcastle United with a game in hand, but the club currently sit ninth in the Premier League, three points off Eddie Howe's side and with a considerably worse goal difference.

The performance at Bramall Lane was yet another disappointing one, with boss Pochettino needing to drop one player after his display against the strugglers.

Nicolas Jackson's stats against Sheffield United

In what was an all-round disappointing performance from Pochettino's side, striker Nicolas Jackson had one of his worst games in recent weeks, with the Senegalese forward losing eight duels during the draw – the most of any player on the pitch.

The Chelsea frontman also lost possession 21 times during his 89 minutes for the Blues, with Jackson losing the ball more than any other of his teammates.

The 22-year-old was dribbled past three times by the Blades' defenders, with the attacker unable to stop the likes of Anel Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson from driving the ball out from the back.

Jackson has now gone three Premier League games without a goal, after a run of two goals in as many matches, with his form taking a nose dive in recent outings.

Minutes played

89

Passes completed

16/29 (55%)

Possession lost

21x

Touches

43

Duels lost

8

Dribbled past

3

His display in Yorkshire yesterday won't have done the youngster any favours, with Pochettino needing to drop the striker ahead of the club's next game against Everton a week today.

The man to replace Jackson in the final third

As demonstrated by how many times he lost possession against the Blades, Jackson isn't a hold-up striker, with the Senegal international liking to run the channels and get in behind.

However, the Blues may need to slightly alter their playstyle to allow another player to flourish at the top end of the pitch if the 22-year-old were to be dropped in the upcoming fixtures.

Pochettino could potentially turn to starman Cole Palmer, with the attacker demonstrating his finishing abilities with his 16 goals in 27 Premier League games this season.

As shown in his stat of 5.4 shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, the youngster can create problems in the attacking third with his eye for goal, potentially allowing him to play as a false nine under Poch.

Palmer also averages an 80% pass completion rate in the league this season, with both of his tallies considerably better than Jackson, who can only muster 2.8 and 78% respectively.

Given Chelsea's slim chances of achieving European football ahead of next season, coupled with their below-par performances, now is a great time for the Blues boss to experiment with his side and give other players an opportunity in a variety of different roles.

MatériaMais Notícias

“Craque o Flamengo faz em casa”, mas o Flamengo investiu alto para formar um elenco com atletas experientes e renomados. Diego Alves, Rodrigo Caio, Filipe Luís, Diego, Gabigol… Assim, as convocações para as Eliminatórias Sul-Americanas e algumas lesões têm dado oportunidades neste início de temporada aos garotos do Ninho, que têm correspondido à fama do clube. Rodrigo Muniz, com sete gols em 2021, é o principal símbolo desse momento.

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O Rubro-Negro conta com 29 jogadores em seu grupo principal – como consta no site oficial – dos quais 10 tiveram passagens pelas divisões de base do clube.

+ Conheça o novo aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

Outros nomes do Sub-20 e até Sub-17, como Ryan Luka, Lázaro e Yuri são convocados regularmente para completar os treinos e as relações das partidas.

Contando com o Estadual, onde o Flamengo atuou nas rodadas iniciais com os Garotos do Ninho”, Copa do Brasil, Supercopa, Libertadores e Brasileirão, os treinadores (Rogério Ceni e Maurício Souza) já utilizaram 20 jogadores da base.

AS SOMBRAS DE DIEGO ALVES

Debaixo das traves, o Flamengo conta com a experiência de Diego Alves desde 2017. O camisa 1 é titular absoluto do Rubro-Negro quando saudável, mas, especialmente na última temporada, teve problemas com lesões- o que deu brecha para dois goleiros formados no Ninho brilharem: Hugo e Gabriel Batista.

O primeiro assumiu a “bronca” e substituiu Diego Alves em reta final decisiva, tendo papel importante na arrancada para o Octa do Brasileirão De quebra, tornou-se o goleiro mais jovem a conquistar o torneio nacional pelo Flamengo.

Já em 2021, Gabriel Batista aproveitou a oscilação de Hugo Souza e nova ausência de Diego Alves para conquistar seu primeiro título como titular no clube que o revelou: o Tri do Campeonato Carioca, diante do Fluminense.

Ao todo, Diego Alves soma 13 jogos em 2021, Gabriel Batista oito e Hugo cinco.

Entre os laterais do grupo, Matheuzinho é o que vem dá base e mais tem chances em 2021. É, inclusive, o jogador da posição que mais atuou na temporada: são 18 partidas e quatro assistências, sendo o quarto maior garçom do time. Apesar disso, Isla é o titular na direita quando está à disposição e, agora, a concorrência aumentou com o retorno de Rodinei.

> Confira como está a classificação atualizada do Brasileirão

Do outro lado, Filipe Luís é o dono da lateral e Renê é o reserva imediato para Rogério Ceni. Contudo, o jovem Ramon é visto com muito bons olhos pelos torcedores – que cobram mais chances ao garoto – e também internamente.

ZAGA É O SETOR COM MENOR PARTICIPAÇÃO DA BASE

Rodrigo Caio, Gustavo Henrique, Léo Pereira, Bruno Viana e o improvisado volante Willian Arão são as principais opções para a defesa do Flamengo. Com a transferência de Natan para o Red Bull Bragantinoe o empréstimo de Thuler para o Montpellier, da França, o setor com menor participação das divisões de base no atual time rubro-negro é o defensivo. Gabriel Noga, de 19 anos, deve ser o próximo integrado ao elenco. É um talento promissor do Sub-20 atual.

JOÃO GOMES, O FUTURO DO MEIO DE CAMPO

O setor do meio de campo é bastante alterado com as frequentes convocações de Everton Ribeiro, Arrascaeta e Gerson, por exemplo, além das mudanças promovidas por Rogério Ceni. Neste cenário, João Gomes surgiu como uma opção e, cada vez mais, vem se provando como um futuro titular do Flamengo.

São 22 jogos na atual temporada, sendo o atleta que mais atuou em 2021. Com bom passe, gol na decisão do Carioca e participação efetiva na marcação – é o jogador com mais desarmes do Flamengo – é uma figura importante no grupo.

Hugo Moura e Max também têm recebido oportunidades no meio de campo do Fla, enquanto Richard Rios, Lucas André e Yuri fazem a transição da base para profissional, participando das atividades e sendo relacionados em alguns jogos.

Dos seis atacantes que estão à disposição no grupo principal, o Flamengo fez grandes investimento em cinco: Gabriel Barbosa, Pedro Vitinho, Michael e Bruno Henrique. O sexto veio justamente das divisões de base e é o terceiro artilheiro do clube na temporada. Trata-se de Rodrigo Muniz, com sete gols.

Goleador desde as categorias de base, o centroavante vem se provando como uma realidade no clube, apesar da fortíssima concorrência interna. O ótimo desempenho do camisa 43, inclusive, desperta o interesse de clubes europeus.

Leeds United are eyeing up a move for a Premier League-proven striker ahead of the summer transfer window.

Leeds targeting attackers

With just three game weeks left of the 2023/24 Championship campaign, Leeds United remain firmly in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot. The Yorkshire outfit sit just two points off Ipswich Town and one point adrift of Leicester City in what promises to be a tight end to the season.

Should they indeed secure promotion, though, the Peacocks will need to ensure their squad is once again good enough to compete at the highest level. As a result, a busy summer is expected for the Whites, with a number of players already being tipped to make the move to Elland Road. Leeds are believed to be eyeing a "bargain" summer move for Southampton striker Che Adams, while the return of Kalvin Phillips to Elland Road has also been discussed.

Elsewhere, reports in February claimed Leeds are one of several clubs eyeing up a swoop to sign Kilmarnock gem Bobby Wales at the end of the season. Now, a fresh name with proven Premier League quality has been linked with a move to Yorkshire ahead of the summer window.

Leeds eye surprise move for 204-goal striker

According to Star [via Sport Witness], Leeds are said to be a ‘surprise suitor’ for striker Michy Batshuayi. The Belgian joined current side Fenerbache from Chelsea in 2022 for €3.5m and has since found the net 41 times in 68 outings for the Turkish outfit.

However, the 30-year-old's current contract expires this summer and though there is reportedly the option to extend that deal by a year, Star claim that Batshuayi is likely to depart Fenerbache this summer and that Leeds are following his situation closely.

Should Leeds indeed secure promotion this season, signing someone of Batshuayi's experience would be a smart move. The forward has netted an impressive 204 goals for club and country across his career and while his time at Chelsea did not go as well as some may have hoped, he still received high praise, including from former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard.

"It was interesting to see not just the player – I kind of knew the quality Michy had and it’s always good to see that up close – but also the personality. Since early season, how he’s trained, his demeanour, his positivity, and quality when he’s come on, which is obviously the most important thing, have been top class.

"When Tammy is scoring regular goals and getting a firm foot in the team, that’s not easy. It’s the same for Oli [Giroud]. Michy has shown all the right ways of handling that. He has been very good for us so far, and that positive spirit when you’re not playing regularly is not just important for him, cause that’s tough sometimes, but it’s important for the group. He deserves extra praise for that. He’s positive, hard-working, loves scoring goals."

A move to Elland Road could be one to watch, but you'd expect Leeds will need to earn promotion first.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag believes that Marcus Rashford can bounce back following a miserable 2023/24 season for the Red Devils.

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Ten Hag backs Rashford to find formStruggled through the 2023/24 seasonMight miss start of the season through injuryWHAT HAPPENED?

Rashford struggled through the entire 2023/24 season for Manchester United as Ten Hag's men faltered in the Premier League to finish in their worst-ever standing as they finished eighth. The Red Devils also suffered in the Champions League group stages as they finished last in a group with Bayern Munich, Galatasaray and Copenhagen.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Rashford was the biggest disappointment in Manchester United's faltering attack last season as the England international finished the season with just 13 goal contributions in 43 appearances in all competitions. However, Ten Hag has not given up on the 26-year-old as he expects the forward to bounce back.

(C)GettyImagesWHAT TEN HAG SAID

In an interview with The Guardian, Ten Hag was asked if Rashford could make a comeback, and he responded: "Of course, but he has to prove his point. We will set the conditions [give him all support] and [then] he is very capable of doing this. The season before he scored 30 goals, so when he is in the right vibe, then he has such a high potential. And when he is really in that mood, he [can] again score 30 or even more goals. He should fight to be, but we are not robots. We are dealing with human beings. And everyone – you [for example] are not always at your best."

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WHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

The 26-year-old was expected to begin the Premier League season as a starter for Ten Hag, however, during a preseason friendly against Real Betis, Rashford picked up an injury and may be a doubt for their Community Shield final against Manchester City.