England duty has become a family affair for the Bellinghams, with Jude joining teenage brother Jobe at St George’s Park.
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Real 'Galactico' forms part of senior ranksBlack Cats playmaker in U21 squadPreparing for action against Albania & FranceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Real Madrid ‘Galactico’ Jude forms part of the senior Three Lions ranks, having been called upon by new head coach Thomas Tuchel in his first selection. The 21-year-old has become a talismanic presence for his country and already has 40 caps to his name.
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Younger sibling Jobe forms part of the U21 squad, having made two appearances at that level. He is earning international recognition after catching the eye at Sunderland – who are pushing for promotion into the Premier League.
DID YOU KNOW?
Both of the Bellinghams will be in action on Friday, as Jude lines up against Albania at Wembley in a 2026 World Cup qualifier and Jobe heads to France for a friendly encounter. For now, they are enjoying rubbing shoulders at England’s training base at the Football Association’s national football centre.
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Jude has been taking in an eventful spell at Real, with a controversial red card and subsequent ban accompanying Champions League progress to the quarter-final stage and a minor knock. Jobe, meanwhile, is generating transfer talk on the back of his performances for Championship play-off hopefuls Sunderland.
After suffering a rather baffling 2-1 defeat at the hands of Ipswich, perhaps this international break came at exactly the right time for Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham side.
This has been a topsy-turvy campaign, to say the least, with the Aussie battling against all sorts of demons on the domestic and continental stage.
It was classic Spurs, really. They had enjoyed a thrilling week where they beat Manchester City and Aston Villa only to lose their next two, against Galatasaray in the Europa League and then to relegation-threatened Ipswich just a few days later.
Postecoglou will have had plenty of time to get things right over the last week and a half, therefore, but it doesn’t get much easier with Manchester City to come on Saturday evening. Fortunately, some of his star players enjoyed a cracking time of it with their international sides.
Spurs' star players during the international break
This wasn’t the busiest of breaks for those who don Spurs colours with plenty of stars actually not called up. Yet, those who did get the call-up certainly caught the eye.
Club captain Heung-min Son scored twice for South Korea, once against Kuwait and another against Palestine.
There was also good fortune for Dejan Kulusevski who has only gone from strength to strength this season. He featured in Sweden’s 2-1 win over Slovakia last week before truly dazzling against Azerbaijan in a 6-0 win for the Swedes on Tuesday evening.
Man in demand Viktor Gyokeres helped himself to four goals while the other two came from the boot of Kulusevski who enjoyed an excellent night for his country.
Seemingly rejuvenated by playing in a more central role, he flourished as a no.10 behind the aforementioned Gyokeres and Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.
Not only did Kulusevski score twice but he supplied an assist and managed a total of six shots on the night, also boasting 113 touches, the most of anyone by a margin of 30.
Minutes played
90
Touches
113
Goals
2
Assists
1
Passes completed
56/68 (82%)
Dribbles completed
4/4
Key passes
8
Fouls won
4
Duels won
9
That said, he wasn’t the only Spurs star to catch the eye over the last few days. Wales’ Brennan Johnson also delivered an impressive performance on Tuesday night.
Brennan Johnson's performance in numbers
This has been a real breakthrough campaign for Johnson so far, notably scoring seven goals for Spurs with six of them memorably coming in six consecutive matches.
Not just a livewire at club level, the former Nottingham Forest winger has also shone on the international stage, scoring for Wales against Iceland during October’s international break.
He was in fine form again in the latest set of fixtures, scoring for Craig Bellamy’s side against the Icelandics again on Tuesday during a 4-1 victory. Not just content with finding the net, Johnson also registered an assist for a goal scored by Liam Cullen.
It was a phenomenal display from the 23-year-old who was awarded a 9/10 match rating courtesy of Sofascore and his overall stats summed up why.
Minutes played
89
Goals
1
Assists
1
Touches
49
Accurate passes
24/27 (89%)
Key passes
2
Accurate crosses
1/3
Shots on target
2
Successful dribbles
2/2
Duels won
8/9
Fouls won
3
Tackles
3
During the contest, Johnson impressively completed 89% of his passes and created two chances. Completing 100% of his dribbles and winning eight of his nine duels, the Icelandic defence never stood a chance of containing him.
No player on the pitch won more ground duels while no player in the Welsh attack left the field boasting more touches of the ball (49).
Hopefully, Postecoglou will get a similar tune out of the wide man against City this forthcoming weekend.
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The club's passionate 3252 fan base and actor Will Ferrell paid tribute to the heroes who helped victims of California wildfires
LAFC's supporter group, The 3252, unveils a striking tifo
Display honors firefighters and affected communities
Hollywood star Ferrell also paid tribute before the game
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WHAT HAPPENED
Los Angeles Football Club's dedicated supporter group, The 3252, unveiled a striking tifo display in solidarity with victims of the recent California wildfires. The large-scale tifo, revealed during the club’s first home game of the 2025 MLS season, honored both the firefighters battling the blazes and the communities affected by the devastation. The 3252 weren’t alone in their tribute — star actor and LAFC part-owner Will Ferrell also showed his support before the match. The Hollywood star was seen alongside the Honorary Falconers, a youth team from Pacific Palisades still recovering from the recent LA fires.
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THE TIFO
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This act of solidarity through art is not just about supporting a cause — it's a testament to the strong community spirit fostered by LAFC and its supporters. The club has a history of engaging with local issues, and this tifo continues that tradition.
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WHAT’S NEXT?
LAFC kicked off their 2025 MLS season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Minnesota United FC at BMO Stadium. Jeremy Ebobisse, a new signing, scored the winning goal in the 78th minute with a stunning left-footed strike. This victory extended LAFC's streak of winning season openers to eight consecutive years. Steve Cherundolo’s side faces Colorado Rapids in the second leg of their Round 1 CONCACAF Champions Cup next, going into the game behind 2-1 on aggregate.
Parthiv Patel, Vinay Kumar and James Franklin are part of the coaching staff too, while Robin Singh is the general manager – cricket
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2022Shane Bond, the bowling coach at Mumbai Indians in the IPL since 2015 – a job he will continue to do – has been named head coach of MI Emirates, the Mumbai Indians-owned team in UAE’s ILT20. The staff also has Parthiv Patel [batting coach] and Vinay Kumar [bowling coach] making their debuts as coaches, and James Franklin will be the fielding coach. Additionally, Robin Singh will be the general manager of cricket.While the fixtures for the ILT20 are not out yet, the tournament will be played in the same January-February 2023 window as the SA20 league in South Africa. That required the Mumbai Indians group to appoint multiple coaching teams, since they have teams in both the competitions.With the latest round of appointments, that exercise is complete.Related
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Pollard, Boult, Pooran, Tahir picked up by MI Emirates
Mark Boucher, who will step down from his position as the head coach of the South Africa men’s national team at the end of the team’s campaign at the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia, has been signed up to be the head coach at Mumbai Indians in the IPL.That position opened up after Mahela Jayawardene, the Mumbai Indians head coach since 2017, was elevated to a more global role within the Mumbai Indians group. Jayawardene has been made the group’s global head of performance. He will be overseeing the scouting and coaching of all three teams that the owners have – at the IPL, the ILT20, and the SA20. And Zaheer Khan, earlier the director of cricket operations, has been made the global head of cricket development for the three teams.Simon Katich, meanwhile, has been made the head coach of MI Cape Town, the SA20 team. Katich will be assisted by Hashim Amla as the batting coach, while Robin Peterson will be the team’s general manager. James Pamment will take charge as fielding coach [and continue in the same role with Mumbai Indians at the IPL too].MI Emirates have Kieron Pollard, Trent Boult and Dwayne Bravo, among others, in their roster of non-UAE [overseas] players already.”Having been an integral part of MI for various periods of time, the coaching team is exceptionally well-versed in the values that make MI what it is,” Akash Ambani, chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, which owns the three teams, said in a statement.For his part, Bond said, “It’s always exciting to build a new team and I’m looking forward to furthering the MI legacy and inspiring our players to take the game to new heights.”Bond, the former New Zealand quick, has been a part of the coaching set-up of a number of teams in the past. Apart from being the New Zealand bowling coach and part of the team’s backroom staff at various stages, he has also been the head coach at Sydney Thunder in the BBL, a position he held between 2018 and 2021. He has also been part of the England team as a bowling consultant in the past.
West Ham United recorded yet another loss, their seventh of the season, as Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge of Leicester for the first time, guiding them to a 3-1 thrashing over the Hammers.
Julen Lopetegui’s side had more of the ball (61% possession), took more shots (31) and generated more xG in the game (3.10).
However, despite the Foxes only having eight shots in the game, they managed to create seven big chances, more than West Ham’s five big chances, which starts to tell the story of how Lopetegui’s side are struggling this season.
West Ham's big pressing issue under Lopetegui
West Ham are conceding 15.8 shots per game this season, the fourth most in the division. Teams are able to carve through the Hammers press with relative ease, due to the spacing between their lines of pressure.
The front four look to press high, aiming to lock off one side of the pitch, and force play down one side. The issue here is the depth of their midfield pivot and back four during this phase of pressure.
Teams are able to easily find the spare man around the West Ham front four, then attack the big space left between the front four and back six (pivot and back four). This pressing scheme is extremely disconnected and is becoming a key issue for the side.
So much so that Lopetgui’s future looks in doubt, and West Ham already look to be assessing their options for his predecessor.
West Ham looking at Italian manager
According to reports from Calciomercato, former Juventus manager, Massimiliano Allegri, is on West Ham’s managerial shortlist should they sack Lopetegui.
Interestingly, the Italian was in London last week to watch Tottenham take on Roma, and he’s allegedly been taking English lessons too. Perhaps this mean he could be lining up a role in England?
The biggest issue with this appointment, however, would be the money involved, as the reports claim Allegri would demand around £6.6m per year, which is double the £3.3m of Lopetegui.
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That being said, he would be a great move for the Irons. The Italian coach was with Juventus from 2021-2024, with his side finishing third in Serie A last campaign.
Playing in a 3-5-2 formation, Allegri’s side conceded just 11.6 shots per game, the sixth lowest in the Serie A last season. This could be the extra defensive unity the Hammers need in order to start getting results.
One man who could benefit from this is winger Jarrod Bowen, who could play as the secondary striker in this 3-5-2 system. Bowen has averaged 2.84 shots per 90 this season, generating 0.19 xG, and scoring 0.31 goals per 90.
Last season, the England international was scoring 0.47 goals per 90 minutes, and generating 0.35 xG per 90, often playing as a striker for the Hammers.
By unleashing him in a front two, he would have the freedom to drift into wide channels, link play, and make runs in behind, working off of a more physical striker, such as Niclas Füllkrug, who scored his first goal for West Ham in their 3-1 loss against Leicester.
This new role could allow Bowen to thrive, getting the best out of him, and allowing his output to increase, which could go hand in hand with West Ham climbing the table. Other positional changes could see the likes of Mohammed Kudus playing as a wingback, and Edson Alvarez playing as a central centre-back in a back three.
One thing is for sure, change is needed for West Ham, as they drop ever closer to that dreaded relegation zone, and the owners will want to strike before it is too late, looking to get their season back on track.
West Ham dud may have cost Lopetegui his job after a 4/10 performance
West Ham fell to yet another defeat in the Premier League last night.
With the January transfer window edging ever closer, Tottenham Hotspur have now made an enquiry over an “unreal” attacker, according to a report from Sky Sports.
Tottenham transfer news
In light of the recent ankle injury which is set to rule Guglielmo Vicario out for months, Ange Postecoglou may have been expected to make a move for a new goalkeeper this January, but the Tottenham manager has been quick to praise back-up Fraser Forster, saying:
“Fraser is such a strong character within the group and ready to play.”
As such, a new goalkeeper might not be one of the manager’s priorities, but Postecoglou will no doubt be looking to strengthen other areas of his squad, and there is no shortage of potential options for the Australian in attacking areas.
Recent reports have indicated Spurs are running the rule over Real Valladolid winger Raul Moro, while Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo could be brought in as an alternative to James Maddison.
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The Lilywhites are running the rule over him.
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Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens is a younger player that Postecoglou is also currently considering, and there have now been reports that Tottenham could be looking at one of the Eredivisie’s top players to bolster their attacking options.
Tottenham make Tillman enquiry
According to a report from Sky Sports, Spurs have now made an enquiry over PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder Malik Tillman, but they may have to fend off competition from a number of other Premier League clubs.
Both Manchester United and Aston Villa are credited with a concrete interest in the PSV star, who recently scored a match-winning brace against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
There is a release clause which comes into effect this summer, meaning Tillman could be a very affordable target, as the clause is believed to be in the region of €30m-€40m (£25m-£33m).
Playing in the Premier League is said to be a major goal for the 22-year-old, and there is ample evidence that he could be a quality addition to Postecoglou’s squad, given his output for PSV so far this season.
The midfielder has weighed in with five goals in 13 Eredivisie games, and his goal-scoring ability in the Champions League has been equally impressive, amassing five goal contributions in as many games, including three goals.
The two most recent of which came in PSV’s 3-2 victory against Shakhtar, with the American inspiring a sensational comeback:
Lauded as “unreal” by ESPN writer Bill Connelly, the former Rangers man appears to be ready to realize his dream of playing in the Premier League, given that he is averaging a 7.39 WhoScored match rating in the league this season, the highest of any player.
Tottenham already have a breadth of attacking talent, but it is evident that they want to bring in additional reinforcements and Tillman has proven he is ready to take the next step in his career by signing for one of England’s biggest clubs, making this one to watch.
Julen Lopetegui seems to be on the brink of losing his job at West Ham, having only won once in their last five games, including their most recent 3-1 loss to Leicester City.
Whilst the Hammers have improved in certain metrics this season, holding more of the ball (46.4% possession), taking more shots (14.7 per match), and conceding fewer shots (15.8 per game), the results have not followed, as they sit 14th in the Premier League.
This has led to the owners drawing up a shortlist of potential managers who could take over if they do pull the trigger and sack Lopetegui, and two favourites seem to have emerged.
West Ham's managerial shortlist
Three main names have emerged on the West Ham shortlist according to journalist Ben Jacobs, with Graham Potter, Sergio Conceicao and Edin Terzić.
Terzic, who made his way to the Champions League final with Dortmund last season, losing 2-0 at the final hurdle against Real Madrid, is said to be on the list, but the other two names seem to be gathering more traction in the media.
Potter, whose last job was with Chelsea in the 2022/23 season, has taken his time off to assess, and wait for the right opportunity to get back into management. In his time at Chelsea, they held the fifth most possession in the division (58.8%), took the eighth most shots per game (12.7), and conceded the seventh fewest shots per match (11.5).
There are many coaching qualities to like about Potter. He is an adaptable manager who will change things in order to give his side the tactical edge, and he has proven himself in the league already, mainly in his time at Brighton.
However, one thing to consider would be his time out of management, and how he struggled with the pressure at Chelsea, and this West Ham job wouldn’t be an easy one to come into with the state it is currently in.
Conceicao, on the other hand, was in a job at Porto from 2017-2024, only leaving the Portuguese giants this summer, after delivering the Portuguese Cup for a third time. In his final season at the club (2023/24), Porto averaged the highest amount of possession in the division (63.6%), averaged the second most shots per game (16.8), and conceded the second-fewest shots per match (8.3).
All of these metrics show how Conceicao would be a brilliant appointment, with an ability to deploy a good defensive strategy, keeping opposition shot totals low (something the Hammers have really struggled to do this season). However, the Portuguese coach has never managed in England, and the risk would be implementing his style at speed in another country, in order to turn things around quickly at the club.
Football manager Sergio Conceicao
That leads us to possibly the best option for the Hammers, someone not even on this list, and instead an ex-player, who is now showing his class in management, generating the highest xG in the Championship so far this season, with 33.1 in 18 games played.
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West Ham's best option to replace Lopetegui
Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough side have been rampant in the Championship this season, currently sitting fifth in the league on 30 points, just eight points off 1st placed Sheffield United. Carrick’s side have scored the second most goals in the Championship, with 32, and are averaging the second most shots per game, with 16.1.
The 43-year-old coach played for West Ham, Tottenham and, of course, Manchester United in his playing days, before starting his coaching journey as the Manchester United assistant manager back in 2018, keeping that role until 2021. He then took over as caretaker manager for three games, winning two of the three, before Erik ten Hag took the reins, leaving Carrick out of a job.
Middlesbrough managerMichaelCarrick
But in 2022, Middlesbrough hired the ex-midfielder, and since then, he has taken charge of 107 matches, averaging a points per match of 1.67, and brandishing a lovely style of play that mirrors that of the elites. This is the type of football West Ham want to play, and Carrick could be the perfect appointment to bring that to the club, whilst also connecting with the fans.
Carrick sets his team up in a 4-2-3-1 from the start, often adopting that familiar 3-2-5 shape in possession, and adjusting how he forms that shape on the ball, depending on which players he has on the pitch. The most common rotation includes the left-back providing width, with the left-winger drifting inside, to become that second number ten behind the striker.
And it’s the formation of this exciting attacking triangle (left-winger, number ten, striker) that has seen Carrick’s Middlesbrough side blow teams away this season, so who could fit the bill in these roles for him at West Ham?
The West Ham players who would thrive under Carrick
West Ham’s two key men last season, Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, would both thrive in this system, allowing them to get into these central pockets of space closer to goal, and create chances for themselves and one another.
Instead of seeing the left-back overlap to provide width, West Ham could deploy the right-back in this fashion, allowing Bowen to drift infield from the right wing, whilst Kudus could then start at number 10. This would form a triangle of Bowen, Kudus and a striker, which could improve the Hammers’ ability to score goals, getting their best players into dangerous areas.
Goals
0.31
0.23
Assists
0.19
0.12
xG
0.20
0.37
Progressive Carries
3.72
4.63
Progressive Passes
3.80
3.17
Shots Total
2.84
3.60
Key Passes
2.34
1.10
Shot-Creating Actions
4.45
4.02
Carries into Pen Area
1.68
2.07
Touches in Pen Area
4.45
5.61
By getting these higher shot-volume players into these central areas, and allowing them to be the difference makers, it would undoubtedly see an increase in attacking output for the Hammers. Something Carrick has done well with Middlesbrough is platform his best players, in order to get the best from them, which has an overall positive effect on the team.
Not only would Carrick be a young and exciting manager for the fans to get behind, but he is also well-known in England, has managed in the country before, and plays a style which is guaranteed to translate to the Premier League, which could be exactly what the Irons need to get back on track.
Better than Potter: West Ham eyeing up 3x title winner to replace Lopetegui
Lopetegui’s time at West Ham could be up with an appointment even better than Potter
Celtic are preparing to face Rangers in the Scottish League Cup final this weekend, but a new update suggests they may be without a key player for the much-anticipated game.
Celtic take on Rangers in League Cup final
The Hoops drew 0-0 away to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night, in what was a respectable point in the Champions League, as they continue to give themselves a good chance of getting into the playoffs in Europe’s biggest club competition early next year.
It’s now time to focus on a huge game on Sunday afternoon, however, as Celtic take on rivals Rangers in the League Cup final, as they battle to win the first piece of domestic silverware of the season.
The Hoops’ adversaries are the reigning holders of the trophy, but Brendan Rodgers’ side prevailed against them in last season’s Scottish Cup final and will hope to do the same again at Hampden Park this weekend.
Celtic will go into the game as favourites, given their current lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership title, but it is a match that still has the potential to be decided by fine margins. Both sides have injury concerns leading up to kickoff and a key update has dropped regarding one individual.
Worrying Celtic injury news emerges before final
On Friday, footage from Sky Sports showed that Alistair Johnston wasn’t part of Cetic’s training session, suggesting he could be a doubt for the final against Rangers this weekend. Not having Johnston available for a game of such magnitude would be a major blow for Celtic, considering what a consistent performer he has become at right-back.
The 26-year-old has won two league titles during his time with the Hoops, and this season, he has bagged four goals and assists apiece in the league, highlighting the impressive level of end product he has provided from his full-back role.
Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner has heaped praise on the job Johnston has done since arriving from CF Montreal at the end of 2022, saying: “Johnston has settled in so well. People talked about (Josip) Juranovic being a star player but Celtic haven’t missed him – that’s how well Johnston has done.”
Hopefully, his absence from training is nothing serious, but the fact that he hasn’t been seen alongside his teammates ahead of such a big occasion can only suggest that there are genuine doubts over him being fit for the showdown with Rangers.
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Celtic are simply a better team when Johnston is playing, whether that be because of his defensive solidity or attacking quality, so seeing him in the starting XI on Sunday will immediately increase Rodgers’ side’s chances of winning yet another trophy.
da 888： O técnico Rogério Ceni ganhou, enfim, um reforço para a posição mais carente do elenco do São Paulo: foi apresentado nesta segunda-feira (15) como a última contratação na janela de transferências o zagueiro Nahuel Ferraresi. E em suas primeiras falas como jogador tricolor, o venezuelano de 23 anos deve ter garantido a satisfação do treinador, se colocando à disposição para atuar em qualquer lado do campo.
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da esport bet： – Posso jogar linha de quatro, ou com uma linha de cinco defensores. Me sinto mais cômodo jogado por algum dos lados, mas posso jogar pelo centro também. Como em todos os lados, farei uma competição saudável com meus companheiros. A decisão quem toma é o técnico, se for para eu ficar fora, ficarei fora e esperarei o momento. Se estiver em campo, darei o melhor possível para ajudar a equipe.
Ao explicar suas características durante a entrevista de apresentação, o novo camisa 44 procurou explicar o que pensa da posição de zagueiro e mostrou conhecimento das tarefas que terá de ter em campo para agradar Ceni.
– Um zagueiro, o trabalho dele é defender, isso não se negocia. Tem que estar concentrado 100%. Depois com bola, tem que saber quando tem que jogar e quando não tem que jogar. Fazer as coisas bem e ajudar a equipe.
Sincero ao apontar as dificuldades de não atuar profissionalmente desde maio, quando acabou a temporada portuguesa, onde estava defendendo o Estoril, Ferraresi, apontou que será franco também à comissão técnica sobre o melhor momento para fazer sua estreia pelo time do Morumbi.
-Ainda esta semana vamos arrumar algumas coisas, seguirei treinando com o grupo, falarei com o grupo técnico, se eu me sentir bem falo com eles, se não me sentir bem falo também.
Por fim, o novo defensor tricolor valorizou o fato de ter a oportunidade de jogar no São Paulo ao lado de nomes que aprendeu a admirar no futebol europeu, como o zagueiro Miranda, o lateral Rafinha e o atacante Éder.
– Obviamente eu fico orgulhoso de compartilhar clube com o Miranda, sempre segui o futebol internacional e vi ele jogando pelo Atletico de Madrid, e não só ele, o Rafinha, Eder… e compartilhar momentos com eles, me faz aprender para somar.
TABELA > Confira classificação, jogos e simule resultados do Brasileirão-22 > Confira todos os jogos da Copa do Brasil-22 > Confira todos os jogos da Copa Sul-Americana-22 > Conheça o novo aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!
Amid their worst patch of form under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City have reportedly turned their attention towards the transfer market and a La Liga duo who would hand their midfield a much-needed boost.
Man City transfer news
Losing four games in a row for the first time in his managerial career, Guardiola finds himself in uncharted waters at the Etihad and five points behind Liverpool in the Premier League table. The international break, for once, was perfectly timed for the Citizens, who have been given the chance to gather their thoughts and perhaps finally begin to welcome a plethora of players back from the sidelines.
It’s a period of form that City cannot afford to dwell on after the international break, with the visit of bogey team Tottenham Hotspur to come before Feyenoord make the same trip, with Guardiola’s side making what is currently an ominous journey to Anfield a few days later. Three crucial games, it could be a make-or-break week for all involved.
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Increasingly in need of reinforcements, meanwhile, the Premier League champions have seemingly turned their attention towards La Liga. According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City are now monitoring both Williot Swedberg and Alberto Moleiro ahead of potentially joining the race to sign the midfield duo alongside Newcastle United and Liverpool.
Swedberg – Celta Vigo’s talented 21-year-old – can play at left-wing and in central midfield, in what would be crucial added depth for Guardiola’s injury-struck side. Meanwhile, Moleiro is an attacking midfielder who is continuing to play a vital part for Las Palmas at just 21 years old.
City could certainly do with a midfield boost amid Rodri’s season-ending injury and Kevin De Bruyne’s own fitness struggles in the middle of the park.
Man City need midfield refresh
Man City’s main focus in the January transfer window should centre around replacing Rodri. Without their defensive midfielder and recent Ballon d’Or winner, Guardiola’s side have been more vulnerable than ever before. Mateo Kovacic has attempted to fill that gap, but it’s been to no avail. Once the Citizens tick that task off their list, however, they should shift their focus towards replacing De Bruyne, whose contract comes to an end next summer.
That’s when Moleiro should come in. The Las Palmas star has impressed in the current campaign – scoring four goals in 13 appearances – and has been earning praise for some time in La Liga. In 2023, Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig dubbed the midfielder’s touch as “silky”.
Replacing De Bruyne is a near-impossible task, but at 21 years old, Moleiro has plenty of time to grow into the player that City may desperately need next summer.