ازداد التوتر داخل منتخب إسبانيا خلال الساعات الأخيرة الماضية، وذلك على هامش الأشياء التي حدثت خلال لقاء الكلاسيكو بين ريال مدريد وبرشلونة يوم أمس الأحد بالدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.
ريال مدريد حسم قمة الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى ونجح في تحقيق الانتصار على برشلونة بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد يوم أمس الأحد على ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو.
وقدم ريال مدريد عرضًا قويًا وكان الطرف الأفضل في المباراة لينجح رجال المدرب تشابي ألونسو في الخروج بالنقاط الثلاث وتعزيز صدارة الدوري.
اقرأ أيضًا .. إيباي عن مقابلته مع لامين يامال: أنا السبب في أحداث الكلاسيكو.. ولن أكرر خطأي
لكن الكلاسيكو شهد أحداثًا مؤسفة تمثلت في حدوث شجار بين لاعبي الفريقين وبالتحديد بين ثلاثي ريال مدريد، داني كارفاخال، وفينيسيوس جونيور، وتيبو كورتوا من جهة، وبين جناح برشلونة، لامين يامال من جهة أخرى.
وفي ضوء الخلاف الذي حدث بين الطرفين ألغى يامال اليوم الإثنين متابعة كارفاخال عبر حسابه الرسمي في إنستجرام، حيث طالب الأخير الجناح الشاب بعدم التحدث كثيرًا ، مما أشعل وتيرة الحديث بين لاعبي الفريقين.
ولم يكن يامال هو اللاعب الوحيد الذي يقوم بإلغاء متابعة كارفاخال عبر إنستجرام، وإنما فعل بيدري نفس الشيء.
وتعتبر هذه التصرفات ناقوس خطر على الوضع العام في منتخب إسبانيا، حيث يتواجد الثلاثي كارفاخال، ويامال، وبيدري، معًا في منتخب إسبانيا خلال الفترة الأخيرة.
يامال كان قد أشعل الأمور قبل الكلاسيكو بعدة أيام، بعدما سخر من ريال مدريد واتهم الفريق الملكي بالسرقة وكثرة الشكوى، ليضع لاعبي الفريق الملكي في حالة تأهب للعب المباراة أمام برشلونة والفوز بها.
It would be an understatement to say that West Ham United have not had the start to the season they’d have been hoping for.
For example, the East Londoners aren’t taking part in the League Cup this week after losing to the equally terrible Wolverhampton Wanderers last month.
It’s somehow been even worse in the Premier League, with the Irons losing to Sunderland, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace in their first five games.
In short, things need to change, and it now looks like the club are going after a manager who’d be a massive upgrade on Graham Potter.
West Ham target Potter upgrade
The last few weeks have seen West Ham be linked with a host of potential Potter replacements, with one of the more prominent ones being Slaven Bilic.
Manager Focus
The former Hammers boss left the club in 2017, and has since managed Al-Ittihad, West Bromwich Albion, Beijing Guoan, Watford and Al-Fateh.
In other words, he’s not done much to suggest he’d bring in a new era at the club.
Bilic’s recent jobs
Team
Joined
Left
Al-Fateh
07/23
08/24
Watford
09/22
03/23
Beijing Guoan
01/21
01/22
West Brom
07/19
12/20
Al-Ittihad
10/18
02/19
All Stats via Sofascore
Likewise, while he’s doing a reasonable enough job with Coventry City, the links to Frank Lampard aren’t going to excite fans.
Fortunately, there is another coach on the club’s radar, someone who’d be a massive upgrade on Potter.
At least that’s according to a recent report from Claret and Hugh, which claims West Ham are very interested in Nuno Espírito Santo.
In fact, the report has revealed that the Portuguese manager is now one of three names on a shortlist for the role.
It remains unclear whether West Ham will be able to secure their man, but they should certainly keep trying, as he’d be a colossal upgrade on Potter.
How Nuno compares to Potter
The good news is that there are several reasons why we think Nuno would be a significant upgrade on Potter.
The most important of all, and the one that encompasses many of the others, is his track record.
More specifically, his track record in English football and the Premier League.
For example, although he had a fairly dire stint in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, the Portuguese coach has more than proven himself capable of managing at the top level with both Wolves and Nottingham Forest.
He took over the former when they were still in the Championship, led them to promotion in his first campaign and then, within a few years, had them playing Europa League football.
Likewise, when he took over at Forest, it was viewed as something of an impossible job, but he led them from relegation candidates to European football in a season and a half.
On the other hand, while Potter did a pretty good job with Brighton & Hove Albion, he proceeded to fail with Chelsea, and it would be hard to find someone who’d claim he isn’t failing at the London Stadium today.
Finally, you only need to compare their records in the top-flight to see who is the better manager.
The “outstanding” Portuguese coach, as dubbed by commentator Adam Summerton, has taken charge of 184 games in the Premier League, of which his teams have won 72, lost 67, drawn 45 and averaged 1.42 points per game.
Nuno vs Potter in the PL
Manager
Nuno
Potter
Games
184
164
Wins
72
47
Draws
45
55
Losses
67
62
Points per Game
1.42
1.20
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In contrast, the Englishman has taken charge of 164 games in the competition, of which 47 have been wins, 55 draws, and 62 losses, which comes out to a points per game average of just 1.20.
Ultimately, West Ham need a new manager, and Nuno looks like the best man for the job.
Manager "close to agreeing" West Ham contract after Sullivan and Brady talks
Na sala de imprensa do Centro de Treinamento Alcides Santos, o lateral-esquerdo argentino Gonzalo Escobar disse, em sua entrevista coletiva de apresentação oficial no Fortaleza, quais foram os elementos primordiais para que ele deixasse o Ibiza-ESP e rumasse ao Leão do Pici.
Para ele, pontos como a estrutura dada pelo Tricolor, poder trabalhar em um grupo que tem outros argentinos (Brítez, Lucero, Pochettino, Silvio Romero e o técnico Juan Pablo Vojvoda) e a chance de disputar o Campeonato Brasileiro tiveram peso considerável na sua decisão.
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– Antes de tudo, foi importante a estrutura do clube, por estar em crescimento, Vojvoda é exigente, trabalha muito bem, é um grupo unido e de humildade. Tem muitos argentinos, então era mais tranquilo vir sabendo que eles sabem falar comigo. Eu me sinto muito bem, darei 100% de mim. Estava analisando várias propostas, mas quando apareceu o Fortaleza, eu pensei no Brasileirão, um desafio grande para mim, melhor liga sul-americana, eu acho.
Desde o último dia 11 de julho, Escobar tem a sua situação documental devidamente regularizada em relação ao Boletim Informativo Diário (BID) da CBF.
Desta forma, cabe a comissão do Fortaleza determinar quando acontecerá sua estreia, sendo a próxima oportunidade o jogo do próximo sábado (22), contra o Palmeiras, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. A partida em questão, marcada para às 16h (de Brasília), acontecerá no Allianz Parque.
تلقى جهاز منتخب مصر، بقيادة حسام حسن، دعوة من رابطة المحترفين الإماراتية، لحضور مباريات كأس السوبر المصري، المقرر إقامته في الإمارات.
ومن المقرر أن تقام بطولة كأس السوبر المصري 2025، خلال الفترة من 6 حتى 9 نوفمبر 2025، بمشاركة 4 أندية، الأهلي والزمالك وسيراميكا كليوباترا وبيراميدز.
وعلم بطولات، أن رابطة المحترفين الإماراتية أرسلت دعوة للجهاز الفني لمنتخب مصر، من أجل حضور مباريات السوبر المصري المرتقبة في الإمارات. مواعيد مباريات كأس السوبر المصري
وستلعب مواجهات نصف النهائي، على النحو التالي، الأهلي يلاقي سيراميكا كليوباترا يوم الخميس 6 نوفمبر، في تمام الساعة 4:15 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، بينما يلتقي الزمالك وبيراميدز في اليوم ذاته عند 7:15 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة.
طالع | أسعار تذاكر مباراتي الأهلي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا والزمالك ضد بيراميدز في السوبر المصري
والفائز من مباراة الأهلي وسيراميكا كليوباترا، سيلاقي الفائز من الزمالك وبيراميدز، في المباراة النهائية المحدد لها يوم 9 من شهر نوفمبر.
Sussex declined to set up a contest on the final day after Tom Alsop’s unbeaten 82
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay07-Apr-2025
Tom Alsop scored an unbeaten 82 as Sussex batted their way to safety•Getty Images
Sussex 528 (Simpson 181*, Clark 140) and 313 for 7 dec (Alsop 82*) drew with Warwickshire 454 (Yates 115, Barnard 82, Davies 66, Mousley 63) and 104 for 2 (Yates 65*)Warwickshire and Sussex banked solid points from a draw after their high-scoring Rothesay County Championship Division One match drifted up the predictable cul-de-sac at Edgbaston.Sussex declined to set up a contest on the final day, batting themselves safe before finally declaring their second innings on 313 for 7 after Tom Alsop’s unbeaten 82 from 131 balls. That set the home side a notional target of 388 in a minimum of 44 overs.Warwickshire closed on 104 for 2, Rob Yates ending unbeaten on 65 to complete his excellent start to the season with 180 runs for once out, three wickets and a catch in the match.If the fourth day offered less than thrilling fare for the spectators, there was plenty of satisfaction from the match for both teams – Sussex on their return to Division One and Warwickshire having narrowly avoided relegation last year – at making a solid start to the season.After Sussex resumed on the final morning on 126 for 3, James Coles soon lifted Yates for a handsome straight six but the spinner hit back with his third wicket when nightwatcher Jack Carson scooped to Vishwa Fernando at short fine leg.Coles was on the threshold of his second half-century of the match when he became Fernando’s first victim for Warwickshire, caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Kai Smith.In the hour before lunch it became clear that the match was going nowhere as Alsop and John Simpson plodded through a partnership of 47 from 15 overs. Simpson fell lbw to Dan Mousley just before the interval, after which Alsop continued to put his first innings first-baller firmly behind him by moving to a compact 100-ball half-century.Alsop and Fynn Hudson-Prentice added 71 in 15 overs before their alliance ended in slapstick fashion. The batters were on different wavelengths over the merits of a third run and found themselves at the same end, the latter run out for 30 off 53 balls. The declaration soon followed.Warwickshire reached 27 without loss at tea at which point they faced the tempting challenge of scoring 361 from 36 overs in the last session. They resisted the temptation.Jayden Seales pinned Alex Davies lbw with the first ball of the evening session and Carson bowled Hamza Shaikh with a beauty for the second time in the match. Thereafter, Yates and Sam Hain saw out time as the match petered out in a similar way to Sussex’s first ever Championship visit to Edgbaston in 1905 (the famous match in which Bradford-born left-arm spinner Albert Cordingley made his 15th and last appearance for Sussex).
To be heralded as Arsenal’s signing of the summer takes some doing. After all, this was one of the best transfer windows we’ve ever seen in the club’s illustrious history.
It didn’t take Andrea Berta long to settle into his role, replacing Edu as the Gunners’ Sporting Director.
While his biggest project was to sign a new striker, notably welcoming Viktor Gyokeres to the Emirates Stadium, the Italian transfer chief did not stop there.
What a window this was. Even when you thought they were done with the signing of Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, Berta surprised us all by completing a deal for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie on Deadline Day. It wouldn’t be a transfer window at Arsenal without a hybrid defender arriving during the Mikel Arteta era.
Eze’s acquisition was exciting, as was Gyokeres’. In adding those two players, they’ve strengthened two of the big weak points in the side; goals and unpredictability from the left flank.
Yet, Berta made a number of underrated signings during his first window at the club.
Arsenal's most underrated signings of 2025
It remains to be seen how someone like Christian Norgaard settles in at Arsenal. While the Dane played a prominent part in pre-season, he’s not been seen in competitive action yet due to injury.
However, having captained Brentford under Thomas Frank, he will no doubt bring valuable experience to what is still a relatively young crop of players.
For those we have seen, two players immediately stand out. Noni Madueke is one of them.
When the winger arrived at Arsenal during pre-season, it’s safe to say fans were unhappy. Not another Chelsea reject, they cried. Quite. That being said, protests that were lodged disapproving of the deal were rather bizarre.
Since moving to the red side of London, it’s safe to say that Madueke has proven a number of supporters wrong. Against Liverpool prior to the international break, the 23-year-old looked like Arsenal’s best player.
Despite not scoring or assisting against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, he also arguably looked like the best player on the park.
The England international was relentless in his endeavours down the right flank, twisting Morato and Neco Williams inside and out. Madueke completed a whopping five dribbles and also completed five key passes.
Madueke vs Forest
Minutes played
78
Shots
0
Successful dribbles
5/8
Touches
65
Accurate passes
22/31
Key passes
5
Accurate crosses
4
Duels won
10
Tackles
3
Stats via Sofascore.
In previous years, when Arsenal have been without Bukayo Saka due to injury, they have struggled. However, with Madueke now in the squad, they look far better equipped to deal with a problem like that one.
Another hugely underrated signing is Cristhian Mosquera. Arriving from Valencia for just £13m in the summer, very few expected the Spaniard to play too many minutes this campaign.
Aware of the player’s potential, the 21-year-old has already exceeded all expectations, standing in for the injured William Saliba.
When the Frenchman hobbled off in the early exchanges of the clash at Anfield two weeks ago, everyone feared the worst. That said, Mosquera stood in with ease and looked at home next to Gabriel Magalhaes in Arsenal’s backline.
The same could be said of the youngster’s performance against Forest this weekend. Mosquera was phenomenal, notably making a last-man tackle in the second half to deny what looked like a certain goalscoring opportunity.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Described as “an incredible signing” by Gunners writer Dan Critchlow, the centre-back looks like he could dominate Premier League attackers for years to come.
Despite his impressive start to life in the English capital, he’s not quite the best signing Berta made during the summer months.
Arsenal's signing of the summer is emulating Xhaka
When Granit Xhaka left the Gunners behind in the summer of 2023, very few expected to see him back in the Premier League two years later.
Well, Xhaka left Bayer Leverkusen behind as a league champion and came back to England, moving to newly-promoted Sunderland.
Since returning, we’re seeing more of the Xhaka of old. A deeper-lying playmaker who breaks up the play.
Yet, that hasn’t always been the case, as his final season at the Emirates proved. That campaign was arguably the best of his career, scoring nine goals and assisting seven in all competitions.
Since then, Arteta has been searching for a replacement. He initially struggled to do so.
Kai Havertz was signed with the idea of filling the Swiss’ void in the left 8 position but ultimately ended up being better as a striker. Declan Rice has perhaps found the most success in that role, involved in 19 goals last term.
However, in £60m arrival Martin Zubimendi, they’ve signed another player capable of emulating the former club skipper.
Zubimendi isn’t the aggressive tackler that Xhaka is or was, but there are certain qualities that the Spaniard has offered and will offer that are reminiscent.
Like Xhaka, the 26-year-old controls and dictates the tempo of a game brilliantly. In fact, in that regard, he’s probably even better.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has already described him as “the second best” midfielder in the world behind Rodri. Speaking of Rodri, talking about his international colleague last week, he said: “He [Zubimendi] has the discipline and mentality that can lead him to become one of the best, if he isn’t already.”
The Spaniard is certainly more disciplined than Xhaka ever was but in their ability to break up the play and dictate, they are alike. Zubimendi showed during the 3-0 win over Forest that he can contribute in the final third like Xhaka too.
The Switzerland star has near immaculate technique and we all know how much of a rocket his left foot was. Well, the former Real Sociedad star emulated just that on Saturday, hammering home a volley from the edge of the area.
Not usually a goalscorer, Zubimendi rolled back the years at the Emirates with a Xhaka-like goalscoring display from the middle of the park.
It was the summer arrival who rounded off the scoring late on when he headed home Leandro Trossard’s cross. It was the first brace of his professional career and a 10/10 performance that cemented him as “the signing of the summer” in the words of club insider AFC Camden.
If he has an Arsenal career like Xhaka then we are in for quite the ride.
£115m Arsenal duo look like they could be the new Saka and Smith Rowe
Arsenal have unearthed another exciting duo at the Emirates duo.
Sciver-Brunt’s second consecutive fifty made sure Mumbai kept a perfect 5-0 record against Giants
Ashish Pant18-Feb-2025
Hayley Matthews starred with three wickets•BCCI
There was an air of inevitability right from the time a beaming Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bowl in Mumbai Indians’ second match of WPL 2025 against Gujarat Giants. Teams chasing had won every single game so far this season. Couple that with Mumbai’s 4-0 record against Giants coming into this match and odds were stacked heavily in Mumbai’s favour.And the game panned out accordingly.Hayley Matthews’ frugal three-wicket squeeze backed up by two-wicket hauls from Nat-Sciver Brunt and Amelia Kerr helped bowl out Giants for 120. Sciver-Brunt then continued her stellar run with the bat, scoring her second fifty on the bounce to shepherd Mumbai’s chase.She finished with 57 off 39 balls as Mumbai chased down the target by five wickets and 23 balls to spare. The win not only helped Mumbai open their account in WPL 2025, but also extended their lead over Giants to 5-0. Giants are now the only side in the tournament to not have a single win against a particular team.Giants’ powerplay malfunctionHarmanpreet spoke at the toss about capitalising in the first few overs before the dew set in. She went pace from both ends up top and the move paid dividend with Sciver-Brunt accounting for Beth Mooney, who sliced a simple catch to Sanskriti Gupta at backward point in the second over.Shabnim Ismail then got rid of Laura Woolvardt, whose lofted drive could only go as far as S Sajana stationed perfectly at deep cover. That reduced Giants to 14 for 2, which four balls later became 16 for 3 when Matthews sent back D Hemalatha whose across-the-line heave was caught wonderfully by Kerr sprinting to her left from deep midwicket.Ashleigh Gardner, Giants’ wrecker-in-chief in the first two matches, started fluently again striking a four and six but was undone by a Sciver-Brunt slower delivery which she mistimed to Sajana at deep midwicket.At 28 for 4 after six overs, Giants couldn’t have asked for a worse start. This was their third-lowest powerplay score in the WPL and comfortably the lowest for any team this season. What also hurt Giants were the sheer number of dot balls at the start. Twenty-six of the 36 balls in the powerplay were dots, the joint-most in WPL history.Nat Sciver-Brunt used the scoop again•BCCI
Deol fights, no one else doesIt might be a case of Giants worrying about the dew later on or just them not trusting their defence enough that despite the fall of wickets, the batters continued going for their shots. Deandra Dottin got going with a reverse sweep, but a wild mow across the line off Kerr brought about her downfall, with Yastika Bhatia executing a quick stumping.Kashvee Gautam, like many of her team-mates, started strong smashing debutant Parul Sisodia for two fours and then lifted Ismail for a six over long-on, but like the others, flattered to deceive edging Matthews behind.In all this, Harleen Deol stood tall. She played the waiting game, but did not let any scoring opportunities go. The sweep became her ally as she breached the gaps with consistency during her 31-ball 32.But the wickets continued to fall at the other end and when Deol departed with the score on 103 for 8 in the 17th over, the end was nigh. However, Sayali Satghare and Priya Mishra ensured that Giants played out their full quota of 20 overs.For Mumbai, Matthews was miserly in her four-over spell going for just 16. She bowled 16 dot balls in her spell, as did Sciver-Brunt while 19 of the 24 balls that Ismail bowled were dots.Sciver-Brunt’s flawless fifty in MI’s first winComing into the tournament, there were questions raised on Sciver-Brunt’s form considering she had a relatively quiet Ashes. In a matter of two innings, she’s brushed aside the doubters.A 121-chase was never going to be daunting. Matthews started fluently, striking three fours but ended up smashing a rank long-hop from Tanuja Kanwar straight to Deol at square leg. If Giants were entertaining any thoughts of a collapse, Sciver-Brunt shut that down quickly.She got going with a fierce pull first ball and it was one-way traffic thereon. Dottin was crashed through point before Priya Mishra was pulled through square leg twice in three balls. While Bhatia fell mistiming Mishra to long-on and Harmanpreet was trapped in front by Kashvee, Sciver-Brunt stood like an immovable force.It was not just power but also precision and the ability to find gaps at will that kept Sciver-Brunt going. She added a 45-run stand with Kerr off 38 balls to take Mumbai closer. She took 34 balls to collect her fifty before falling just seven runs shy of the target. G Kamalini, on debut, struck her first ball for four while Sajana finished the game by depositing Dottin over mid-off to give Mumbai their first win of WPL 2025.The win has taken Mumbai to second place on the points table while Giants’ NRR has taken a hit, though they are in third place.
Tottenham Hotspur have now made an approach to sign a “superb” £34m player, who has already turned down a move to Arsenal this summer, according to a report.
Spurs eyeing new signings amid Frank pursuit
With Daniel Levy controversially dismissing Ange Postecoglou last week, the chairman has wasted no time searching for a replacement for the Australian, and widespread reports are suggesting that Thomas Frank has now agreed to take the job.
However, former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood has admitted he is “worried” about what Levy’s objective for the new manager will be, given that Postecoglou was sacked after winning a trophy, and it must be noted Frank has never won a major honour, despite doing a stellar job at Brentford.
Should the Dane be appointed, he is likely to have a say in the recruitment this summer, but the Lilywhites are continuing to assess potential options without a permanent manager in place.
That is according to a report from RMC Sport, which states Tottenham have now made an approach over a deal for AS Roma’s Evan Ndicka, having submitted an enquiry, with Premier League rivals Manchester United doing the same.
Ndicka, who is valued at €40m (£34m) is in no rush to decide his next move, and will take time to consider the offers he receives, but one thing that is clear is that he will not be heading to the Emirates Stadium, having already turned down a move to Arsenal this summer.
"Superb" Ndicka could be solid Romero replacement
Postecoglou may not be the only key Spurs figure to leave this summer, as there have been doubts over Cristian Romero’s future for quite some time, with it previously being revealed that Levy is open to sanctioning the Argentina international’s departure this summer.
Tottenham now ready to hijack move for £60m star Frank called "incredible"
Spurs have joined the race for a forward, who has left top manager target Thomas Frank impressed in the past.
ByDominic Lund Jun 8, 2025
As such, one of Frank’s most important tasks, should he become the new manager, may be to bring in a new centre-back, and there are some signs the Roma defender could be a solid option, having previously been dubbed “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig.
The 6 foot 4 colossus is certainly an imposing presence, which means he is also a threat from set-pieces, as shown when he bagged his first goal for Roma against Tottenham in the Europa League last November.
Ndicka could be a solid signing for Spurs, but it is important they get the green light from Frank or any other potential new manager before pursuing a deal.
Liverpool are considering a move for a “sensational” attacking midfielder this summer, and he is now keen to hold talks about a move to Anfield, according to a report.
Reds eyeing Wirtz alternatives as race heats up
Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz could well be on the move this summer, and it is looking like the transfer saga could be one of the most talked-about of the summer, with a number of Europe’s top clubs lining up for the German.
Bayern Munich and Manchester City have also expressed an interest in Wirtz, although there have been suggestions that Pep Guardiola’s side have now cooled their interest, amid concerns a deal could be too expensive.
The Reds are pushing hard to sign the 22-year-old, but there are also some alternative options in mind, with River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons among the potential options, and Arne Slot is believed to be driving the deal for his compatriot.
Sky Sports: Liverpool may sell "amazing" £50m player after transfer twist
He played in the 3-2 defeat away to Brighton on Monday night.
ByHenry Jackson May 20, 2025
A report from TEAMtalk has now provided a new update on Liverpool’s interest in Simons, stating they are considering a move for the attacking midfielder as a potential alternative to Wirtz, and there is a feeling he could be open to heading to Anfield.
The Leipzig star is keen to hold talks over joining the Reds, and he could be a more affordable option than the Leverkusen man, as the asking price is expected to be around £60m.
Leipzig are open to selling the Dutchman this summer, should they receive a suitable fee, which will come as welcome news to Slot, who is known to be an admirer of the 22-year-old’s technical quality and maturity.
Van Dijk lauds "very talented" Simons
Slot is not the only key Liverpool figure who is a big fan of the “sensational” Netherlands international, with Virgil van Dijk also taking the time to praise him last year, saying: “He is a very talented player who has so much to give,”
“He can still be so much better than he is already but he has a good mentality, so I am not worried that won’t happen. I am confident in him.”
The Amsterdam-born attacker’s quality is underlined by his output in Germany during the 2024-25 campaign, regularly chipping in with goals and assists despite a disappointing season for Leipzig, who finished seventh in the Bundesliga.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Bundesliga
25
10
7
DFB-Pokal
3
1
1
Wirtz outperformed his Bundesliga rival numbers-wise, collecting six more assists, but it was recently suggested that a deal for the Germany international could amount to €300m (£253m) all-in, potentially making him unattainable for the Reds.
At just £60m, Simons has proven he could be a fantastic alternative to Wirtz, so it is promising news that he is keen on talks about a move to Anfield.
Celtic were hit with a devastating blow at the start of this month when it was revealed that Jota could be out of action for up to nine months with a knee injury.
The Hoops winger hobbled off during the 5-0 win over Dundee United away from home at the end of last month, the game that clinched the Scottish Premiership title, and is now set to be out of action until next year.
Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that he will be out for between six and nine months after suffering cruciate ligament damage, which means that he will miss pre-season and the start of next season at a minimum.
It comes as a big blow for the Scottish giants because the winger had provided four goals and two assists in seven league matches after his return to Parkhead in the January transfer window.
Celtic reportedly paid £8m to sign the Portuguese wizard from Rennes on a permanent deal, 18 months on from selling him to Al Ittihad for a fee of £25m.
How Celtic played a masterclass with Jota
Ange Postecoglou initially signed the forward on loan from Benfica in the summer of 2021 before a permanent deal was struck to bring him to Parkhead on a long-term contract in 2022.
The Hoops reportedly splashed out a fee of £6.5m to convert his loan into a permanent deal, as per the option to buy that was included in the initial move, and the exciting attacker justified that fee with his performances on the pitch in the Premiership.
Jota scored ten goals and provided ten assists in less than 30 appearances in the Scottish top-flight during his loan spell at Parkhead, which convinced the club to activate their £6.5m option to sign him permanently.
The dynamic forward instantly repaid their faith in him with another excellent campaign in the Premiership during the 2022/23 season under Postecoglou’s management, as he delivered goals and assists on a regular basis once again.
22/23 Premiership
Jota
Appearances
33
Goals
11
Big chances missed
4
Big chances created
13
Key passes per game
1.9
Assists
11
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Jota scored more goals and provided more assists than he did in his first year at the club, which shows that he was heading in the right direction from a development perspective.
His impressive form for Celtic in those seasons, however, led to interest from elsewhere, and Al Ittihad eventually swooped in to sign him for a fee of £25m, representing a significant profit on the £6.5m that they paid for his services.
Jota
This shows that the Hoops played a masterclass with Jota because they snapped up a young talent from Benfica, initially on loan, and provided him with a platform to showcase his quality before selling him for a huge fee, only to re-sign the winger 18 months later.
Celtic could, now, repeat that masterclass by swooping to sign another talented young winger who has been linked with a move to Parkhead, Kwame Poku.
The latest on Celtic and Kwame Poku
GIVEMESPORT recently reported that Birmingham City are concerned that they could lose the race to sign Peterborough United forward Kwame Poku to Celtic or Rangers.
The outlet pointed out that the two Scottish giants would have to pay a significantly lower compensation fee for the winger, whose contract expires this summer, because of the UEFA cross-border compensation deals, than any English team would have to pay.
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GIVEMESPORT added that Peterborough’s director of football, Barry Fry, has already confirmed that Rangers and Celtic scouts have been at their games this season to watch the 23-year-old talent in the flesh.
The report revealed that Birmingham and Sheffield United, among other English sides, are also interested in the winger, though, and that means that there is likely to be plenty of competition for his signature.
Celtic must, now, push to win the race for his services because he could arrive at Parkhead with the potential to be the next version of Jota for the club.
Why Kwame Poku could be Celtic's next Jota
The Ghana international could be Jota 2.0 for the Hoops for several reasons, most notably that he is also an exciting winger who can provide goals and assists on a regular basis.
Whilst he is a left-footed forward who predominantly plays on the right, as opposed to a right-footer on the left like Jota, Poku is similar to the Portuguese talent in the way that he looks to make an impact in the final third.
Kwame Poku (League One)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
37
27
Goals
11
12
Big chances missed
11
3
Big chances created
10
9
Key passes per game
1.5
1.2
Assists
7
8
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Poku has delivered 21 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in his last two seasons in League One with the Posh, which shows that he can offer a constant threat at the top end of the pitch.
Whilst he is yet to show that he can translate that to the top level in England, these statistics show that the potential is there for him to be a Jota-esque figure for Celtic with his quality on the wing.
Such is his potential, Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony believes that his next move could cost £30m: “He’s top drawer. He has everything, a great technique, pace and physicality. He will be a Premier League star in the future and that next move will probably cost £30m.”
At the age of 23, Poku still has plenty of time left to develop and improve, and he could use a transfer to Celtic as a platform to shine on the domestic and European stage whilst winning trophies to enhance his value, as Jota did under Postecoglou.
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Therefore, the Hoops could find Jota 2.0 by signing Poku because he is another exceptional wing talent who can provide goals and assists, whilst also having the potential to be worth millions more in the future if he hits his stride at Parkhead.