Andrés Iniesta, lenda do Barcelona, comentou em uma postagem do Santos após a vitória sobre o Palmeiras, pela partida de ida da final do Paulistão, e levou os torcedores do Peixe à loucura na web.
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Logo após o duelo na Vila Belmiro, o Santos postou um vídeo de Diego Pituca parabenizando o elenco pela vitória sobre o Palmeiras, e Iniesta mostrou apoio ao Peixe com o seguinte emoji: ‘🙌’. O Alvinegro Praiano respondeu com saudações, e a torcida santista nas redes sociais pediu para a diretoria contratar o meia espanhol.
➡️ Com R$50 no Lance! Betting, você fatura R$255 se apostar no 1 a 1 entre Santos x Palmeiras
Aos 39 anos, Andrés Iniesta deixou o Vissel Kobe, do Japão, e está no Emirates Club, dos Emirados Árabes Unidos. O meio-campista ex-Barcelona soma 14 jogos na temporada, com três gols e uma assistência.
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A grande decisão entre Santos e Palmeiras será no domingo (7), às 18h, no Allianz Parque. O Peixe pode empatar no próximo final de semana que ainda leva o título do Paulistão. Em caso de vitória da equipe de Abel Ferreira por um gol de diferença, o duelo será decidido nos pênaltis.
While Manchester United came from behind to defeat a stubborn Crystal Palace side last weekend, Ruben Amorim’s side could not follow that up with another victory.
This time, they dropped points at the hands of lowly West Ham. Diogo Dalot scored a rare goal but Soungoutou Magassa scored from a corner late on to rescue a share of the points for Nuno Santo’s men.
Unsurprisingly, the 1-1 result did not go down well with Amorim.
Amorim speaks out following West Ham draw
Amorim made his anger and frustration clear after his team drew with the Hammers on Thursday evening.
“It’s frustrating, it’s angry, that’s it,” he said.
“It’s not going backwards. The results are going backwards. We had some moments. That can happen. You were talking about when we had that run that team was really perfect and saying we are not that far from being in the perfect moment. We are really inconsistent. But if you look at the goal, 83 minutes, we have a long ball, we have everything under control and we need to do better.”
Amorim plans to debrief his players on Friday when he has cooled down, rather than hit a giant television in the dressing room like he did after the 3-1 loss to Brighton in January.
The Portuguese mentioned that incident after this latest setback. “In that regard, I’m almost always consistent,” he said. “I had one [outburst] and you know. Brighton last year. I will talk to them tomorrow. I always have the feeling – I think everyone has the feeling – that we need to score more goals. Even with Brighton (in October) we were 3-0 (up) and then suddenly (we conceded twice). We suffer with that, we are inconsistent and we need to improve.”
United return to action against a winless Wolves side next Monday but cannot take things for granted after failing to beat the team 18th at Old Trafford.
For that game, it’s likely that young central defender Ayden Heaven won’t be in the team again
Heaven disappoints in first half cameo
Signed from Arsenal nearly ago, the centre-back has made a promising start to life in United colours but this was perhaps his worst senior performance to date.
The 19-year-old was handed his first Premier League start of the campaign and sadly did not do too much to warrant being given a role in the team.
Heaven’s performance lasted just 45 minutes before Amorim decided to withdraw him at the break.
Despite being so young, it was a performance that took criticism, chiefly from journalist Samuel Luckhurst who took to social media in the first half to say that the Englishman had a “pretty torrid opening 11 minutes” at the back.
Luckhurst said in full: “Pretty torrid opening 11 minutes from Heaven. Got too tight against Wilson, booked and even that back pass did Lammens no favours. Big call pitting him against Wilson.”
The teenager’s numbers did not make for pretty reading either. He failed to make a single tackle, make an interception or win any of his duels. He also completed just six passes and had fewer touches (17) and Senne Lammens.
While Heaven is still young, he clearly has a lot of improving and maturing to do before he’s ready to start regular games at his level.
Bad news for Mainoo: INEOS readying £30m Man Utd offer to sign "monster" CM
There appears to only be one outcome in the future of Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United.
Leeds United need to improve their offensive output if they want to stand a chance of avoiding an instant relegation from the Premier League this season.
Last season, every team that avoided the drop scored at least 42 goals, with Spurs in 17th place scoring 64 times, whilst all three of the teams that went down averaged less than a goal per game.
The Whites are currently in the middle of that, with 11 goals in 11 matches in the Premier League, which shows that they need to improve their output at the top end of the pitch.
11 games into the season, no Leeds player has scored more than two goals in the division, with three players leading the way for goals, and that needs to change in the coming weeks.
Leeds’ top Premier League scorers since 20/21
Season
Top goalscorer
Goals
25/26
Noah Okafor
Joe Rodon
Lukas Nmecha
2
22/23
Rodrigo
13
21/22
Raphinha
11
20/21
Patrick Bamford
17
Stats via WhoScored
As you can see in the table above, at least one player hit double figures for goals in each of the three seasons that the club were in the Premier League during their last stint.
In their run in the division before that, Australian forward Mark Viduka hit double figures in four successive seasons, including 17 and 20-goal hauls in two of them, per Transfermarkt.
Why Leeds need to sign a new centre-forward
Leeds need to sign a new centre-forward to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch in the January transfer window because none of their current options look likely to be their next Viduka.
As aforementioned, no one in the squad has scored more than two goals in the Premier League after 11 matches, and summer signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a particular disappointment so far this term.
The experienced number nine, who was signed on a free transfer from Everton in the summer, is reportedly the highest earner in the squad on £100k-per-week, but has not done enough on the pitch to justify that.
Calvert-Lewin’s Premier League career
Season
xG
Goals
25/26
1.62
1
24/25
8.85
3
23/24
13.63
7
22/23
6.50
2
21/22
6.22
5
20/21
18.21
16
19/20
16.11
13
18/19
6.17
6
17/18
5.44
4
16/17
1.25
1
Stats via Understat
As you can see in the table above, Calvert-Lewin has historically been a poor finisher in the Premier League, mostly for Everton, and arrived at Elland Road in the summer off the back of four successive seasons without scoring more than seven goals in a league campaign.
It should, therefore, not be a surprise that he has struggled for form for the Whites in front of goal, with one goal and ten ‘big chances’ missed in all competitions so far this season, per Sofascore.
Nmecha, meanwhile, has scored two Premier League goals this season, but has not scored more than eight goals in a league season, per Sofascore, since he plundered 18 goals in the Pro League for Anderlecht in the 2020/21 campaign.
Leeds plotting move for new striker
The unlikelihood of Calvert-Lewin or Nmecha pushing on to hit double figures for goals in the Premier League has reportedly prompted the club to pursue another option in their position.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to TEAMtalk, the club recognise that they let Daniel Farke down in the summer transfer window and plan to rectify that mistake by adding more firepower to his squad in January.
The report claims that Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda is one of the players they are plotting a possible move for, alongside Coventry’s Haji Wright, AZ Alkmaar’s Troy Parrott, and Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia.
It adds that the Scottish Premiership forward has told the Hoops of his desire to move on from Parkhead in the next transfer window, which will come as a boost to Leeds, as well as Everton and Brentford, who are said to be leading the race for his signature.
Maeda was reportedly valued at around £21m by Celtic in the summer, amid interest in his services at the time, but it remains to be seen if that valuation has changed ahead of January.
Why Daizen Maeda could be Leeds United's new Mark Viduka
As aforementioned, Viduka had great success in the Premier League during his time at Elland Road, with 72 goals in 166 matches in all competitions for the club, per Transfermarkt.
That impressive form for the Whites came after he made a move from Celtic, where, per Transfermarkt, he scored an eye-catching 27 goals in 37 games in the 99/00 season, before his switch to West Yorkshire in the summer of 2000.
Maeda, who is currently shining for Celtic, could follow in Viduka’s footsteps by making a similar move to be a goalscoring sensation for Leeds in the second half of this season, and beyond.
The Japanese forward, who can play on either wing or as a number nine, scored 33 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has scored four goals so far this term.
These statistics show that Maeda has been an incredibly prolific goalscorer for the Scottish giants, which is exactly what Leeds are lacking in their current squad.
24/25 Premiership
Daizen Maeda
Percentile rank vs positional peers
xG
12.76
Top 1%
Goals
16
Top 1%
xA
5.99
Top 6%
Assists
10
Top 1%
Duels won
104
Top 23%
Tackles won
44
Top 6%
Possession won in the final third
13
Top 16%
Stats via FotMob
Perhaps most interestingly, though, the Japan international ranked within the top 16% of his positional peers in the Premiership last season for winning possession back in the final third, despite Celtic being an incredibly dominant team who won the title.
At Leeds, Maeda would be in a team that is under pressure a lot in matches, as they are fighting relegation, which would give him even more opportunities to use his incredible pressing skills and speed to win the ball off the opposition to spark counter-attacks.
The Celtic star, who ex-Rangers boss Barry Ferguson claimed is “built like a brick”, could be the perfect signing for Leeds because he has the goalscoring record to suggest that he can provide the threat that they are currently missing, whilst also possessing the out-of-possession attributes that you need a player to have in a relegation scrap.
Maeda’s relentless running and pressing could be invaluable to the Whites as they battle to avoid the drop, and his goalscoring quality could make him Viduka 2.0 at Elland Road.
Raphinha repeat: 49ers keen on signing "generational" £79m star for Leeds
Leeds United are lining up a January swoop for a star who could be as exciting a signing as Raphinha once was.
There's a time and a place to ask for somebody's phone number—on camera during an MLB broadcast is not one of them.
Atlanta Braves reporter Wiley Ballard is going viral for the wrong reasons after his cringe encounter with two female fans during the Braves' 8–4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night. Ballard approached the two women for a live interview in the fifth inning, and things quickly took a turn for the awkward.
During the segment, Ballard joked that he was going to "get to work" and persuade one of the women to become a Braves fan. Braves play-by-play commentator Brandon Gaudin responded that Ballard had four innings left to "get the numbers."
Ballard then pulled out his phone—while on camera and with Gaudin and the rest of the booth still in his ear—and told the woman that the Braves broadcast wanted him to get her digits. She seemed to oblige.
At the end of the interview, Ballard said, "I got the number. We're good," and all the Braves broadcasters had a laugh about it.
Just so awkward.
MLB fans, including some who work in sports media, had a few other adjectives to describe the situation like unprofessional, inappropriate and just downright creepy. It's hard not to ignore the unbalanced power dynamics at play here, with many pointing out the obvious double standard had the genders been reversed. One can only hope Ballard learned his lesson (though it doesn't seem like he did).
Chegou ao fim a 35ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, e mudanças importantes aconteceram na tabela de classificação. A três jogos do término do torneio, saiba como está a situação das vinte equipes da Série A, que brigam por título e contra o rebaixamento.
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Quem subiu?
O Flamengo venceu o América-MG por 3 a 0, e assumiu a vice-liderança do Campeonato Brasileiro. O Rubro-Negro empatou em pontos com o líder Palmeiras, mas perde posição por causa do saldo de gols: 26 a 17.
O Atlético-MG também ganhou posições após triunfar sobre o Grêmio por 3 a 0. Com o resultado, o Galo chegou à quarta colocação, com 60 pontos.
Dessa forma, após os jogos da 35ª rodada, o G-4 do Brasileirão está composto por: Palmeiras, Flamengo, Botafogo e Atlético-MG.
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Quem desceu?
Já na parte debaixo da tabela, na briga contra o rebaixamento, não houve mudanças de posição em relação à 34ª rodada. No entanto, após a derrota por 2 a 1 para o Fluminense, o Coritiba está matematicamente rebaixado para a Série B.
O primeiro time fora do Z-4 é o Bahia, com 41 pontos, mesma pontuação do Cruzeiro, que abre a zona de rebaixamento, mas tem uma vitória a menos. A sequência da classificação tem Goiás, com 35 pontos, e os já rebaixados Coritiba e América-MG.
VEJA TABELA COMPLETA DO BRASILEIRÃO APÓS 35ª RODADA
Colin Ingram, Ben Kellaway make centuries to push Glamorgan into first-innings lead
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay01-Jul-2025
Ben Kellaway takes the applause for his century•Huw Evans Picture Agency
Gloucestershire 380 and 12 for 0 trail Glamorgan 528 (Kellaway 139, Ingram 117) by 136 runsBen Kellaway and Colin Ingram both made centuries as Glamorgan pushed into a first-innings lead to set up the prospect of a draw against Gloucestershire.Glamorgan’s middle-order pair put on 254 for the fifth wicket (147 added from overnight) out of a total of 528, as Gloucestershire’s bowlers were subjected to a mammoth 151.1 overs on a day in which just six wickets fell.Kellaway’s 139 was the 21-year-old’s second century of an eye-catching season for his home county while South African veteran Ingram racked up his 16th first-class century for Glamorgan.Glamorgan started the day with their partnership of experience and youth already established, having recovered from 121 for 4 on day two, and the Glamorgan balcony watched on as Gloucestershire’s bowlers endured all but 11 overs of the day’s play.An early itchiness to get going from Kellaway seemed evident, proactively using his feet against the early spin to start the day despite still trailing by 152.The pair settled into their work, having come through a wicketless evening session on day two, and carried that stand through to lunch as well, demolishing the new ball in the process – they took 32 from the first five overs from Ajeet Singh Dale and Zaman Akhter.Kellaway, and shortly afterwards, Ingram didn’t have to wait long for their milestones. On 99, Kellaway cover-drove his fellow youngster Archie Bailey to the fence, then kept the momentum up, taking three boundaries in the same over, as the partnership passed 200.At 365 for 4 at lunch, and with 10 overs still available to chase bonus points, Gloucestershire opted for a negative ploy: Graeme van Buuren bowling left-arm-over outside leg stump while the pacers banged in short balls from round-the-wicket.Negative it may have been deemed but successful it was. Both the partnership contributors fell to short balls, Ingram upper-cutting to deep-third, Kellaway pulling to square-leg in the 110th over. Just 23 runs were scored in the first hour of the afternoon as the hosts missed a potentially key fourth batting point while the visitors picked up a second bowling point.Chris Cooke and Timm van der Gugten remained cautious in a turgid session despite adding useful cameos. Cooke initially struggled to settle but opened up with reverse-sweeps coming to the fore in his partnerships with the tail, before Todd Murphy wrapped up the innings for his sole wicket.Walking out with 11 overs remaining and 148 behind, Gloucestershire made it to the close unscathed despite two direct run-out attempts that flew just wide of the stumps.
Glasgow Rangers are inching ever closer to finally appointing their next head coach after they decided to relieve Russell Martin of his duties before the start of the international break.
The Light Blues made the decision to part ways with the former Scotland international after a poor run of form that saw his side win five out of 17 matches.
Martin’s side, as illustrated in the graphic above, were simply not good enough across his time in charge of the Scottish giants, conceding a whopping 24 goals in 17 matches.
RangersReview reports that Kevin Muscat is close to finalising a deal to join the club from SH Port, and that an announcement could come this weekend.
The English-born tactician is set to see out the last three matches of the Chinese Super League season, with his team sat at the top of the table, before coming in as the long-term replacement for Martin next month.
Youth team coach Steven Smith will be in interim charge for the clash with Dundee United at Ibrox on Saturday, but it remains to be seen who will be in charge after that and before Muscat comes through the door.
What Rangers fans can expect from a Kevin Muscat team
Based on SH Port’s performances this season in the Chinese Super League, Rangers fans can expect a winning culture and entertainment from a Muscat team.
In the Super League, his side are top of the league with 60 points from 27 matches in a 30-game division, and have scored 67 goals in that time, eight more than any other team, per Sofascore.
Interim boss Steven Smith claimed that Rangers need a winner in the dugout in his pre-match media duties on Friday, which suggests that Muscat is the perfect man for the job.
The SH Port manager is on course to win a league title for the third time in his last four seasons as a manager, with his team sat four points clear with three games to go.
2025 (27)
2.22
1st
2024 (30)
2.60
1st
2023 (34)
1.88
2nd
2022 (34)
2.00
1st
2021 (18)
1.83
2nd
As you can see in the table above, Muscat is used to managing teams that are competing for league titles every season, and he has shown that he can coach a side to get over the line and win silverware.
However, supporters who were not too keen on the defensive set-up and record under Martin may not be too pleased to learn that SH Port have conceded 41 goals in 27 league games this season.
Muscat’s strengths are clearly in structuring a team to attack and score goals, rather than defend and cling on to 1-0 or 2-1 leads, and supporters will hope that that approach will be enough to turn the tide in Glasgow.
Whilst he may not officially link up with the team until next month, there are things that Steven Smith, or the next interim, could do to prepare the squad for Muscat.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
For example, the SH Port manager typically deploys right-footed forward Ruofan Liu on the right wing to provide creativity at the top end of the pitch.
The 24-year-old has created nine ‘big chances’ and delivered five assists in 17 league starts in 2025, per Sofascore, and Smith must unleash Oliver Antman against Dundee United to be Muscat’s next Liu in the making.
Why Rangers must unleash Oliver Antman against Dundee United
Mikey Moore has started three of the last five Scottish Premiership matches for the Light Blues on the right wing, including the 1-1 draw with Falkirk last time out.
The 18-year-old attacker, however, has failed to provide much in the way of quality at the top end of the pitch for the Gers, with no goals and one assist in ten appearances, per Transfermarkt.
His only assist for the club to date was a short pass to Nedim Bajrami, who scored a screamer from distance against League One outfit Alloa Athletic, which suggests that he has yet to provide any moments of genuine quality in front of goal.
Antman, on the other hand, is a right-footed right winger who has shown glimpses of the creative quality that he can provide when he is at his best.
The Finland international has delivered three assists in 13 matches for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, since his summer move from Go Ahead Eagles, including one for James Tavernier in the Premiership in the clip below.
Antman, who reporter Chris Jack claimed has “feet like drumsticks”, also showcased his creativity in the Netherlands with Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign.
The 24-year-old wing wizard ended the season with a return of six goals and 15 assists in 32 Eredivisie appearances for the Dutch outfit before his move to Ibrox in the summer transfer window, per Sofascore.
xAG
0.34
Top 3%
xA
0.24
Top 16%
Assists
0.56
Top 1%
Key passes
1.87
Top 21%
Passes into the penalty area
1.42
Top 36%
Crosses into the penalty area
0.37
Top 32%
As you can see in the table above, Antman ranked as one of the most creative attacking midfielders or wingers in the league for Go Ahead Eagles last term.
This shows that he has the potential to be a Liu-type player for Muscat if he can unlock his best form in a Rangers shirt, as he has the creative potential to be a consistent threat as a right-footed right winger in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 system.
Therefore, Smith can warm him up for the next Gers head coach by playing him from the start against Dundee United this weekend, so that he can start to find his feet and gain confidence in Scottish football.
52 y/o who worked with Postecoglou now set to join Kevin Muscat at Rangers
The Gers have almost solved their manager problem.
It would not be overdoing it to suggest the wheels have well and truly come off at West Ham United this season.
Well, we say this season, but in reality, things have been going wrong for East Londoners for some time, and Graham Potter has not helped.
The former Chelsea manager led the club to a 14th-place finish in the Premier League last year, but as things stand, he has them in the relegation zone, with one win and three losses this year.
Regardless of what happens this weekend, it’s time for the Hammers to find a new coach, and while Slaven Bilic’s name has been thrown around, there is another out-of-work coach who’d be a far better option.
The coaches linked with West Ham
Given the size of the club, it’s not been a surprise to see a host of pretty good managers linked with West Ham over the last couple of weeks.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
One of those has been Gary O’Neil, who has been out of work since being fired from Wolverhampton Wanderers last season.
Now, there is certainly a line of thinking that suggests hiring a manager who was fired by another relegation candidate is a bad idea, but it’s important to remember he also saved the Old Gold and Bournemouth before that from going down.
So, while he might not be the perfect long-term option, he might be worth bringing in for this season to stabilise the ship – he can’t be worse than Potter.
Another, more exciting name touted for the job has been Nuno Espírito Santo.
The Portuguese boss is another one fired by a Premier League side, but it’s really not the same, as after saving Nottingham Forest from relegation, he then led them back into Europe for the first time in generations.
Lastly, as we’ve already mentioned, Bilic has been touted for a return to the London Stadium.
Now, while there is an undeniable romanticism to that idea, there is another free coach who’d be a way better hire.
The manager West Ham should hire over Bilic
There are quite a number of quality managers out of work at the moment, from Marco Rose to Sean Dyche.
However, the one West Ham should be going all out for, and should stand a chance of getting, is Luciano Spalletti.
The Italian coach is currently out of work after being let go by the national team.
Still, fans shouldn’t be put off by the fact that things didn’t work out there, as even Roberto Mancini failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, despite being European champions at the time.
Moreover, it was his record at club level that even earned him the chance to manage the Azzurri, and it is an impressive one.
For example, he won back-to-back promotions with Empoli, two league titles and two cups with Zenit Saint Petersburg, back-to-back Coppa Italias with AS Roma and the big one, Napoli’s first Serie A title in a generation in 22/23.
Unsurprisingly, then, when we hold up his record to Bilic’s, there is only one winner.
During his last spell in club football, the coaching “phenomenon,” as dubbed by former Roma sporting director Walter, oversaw 96 games, of which he won 62, drew 16 and lost 18, resulting in a points per game average of 2.10.
In contrast, Croat’s last job was with Al-Fateh, where he oversaw 36 games, won 13 of them, drew nine and lost 14, which came out to an average of 1.33 points per game.
Spalletti vs Bilic (last clubs)
Manager
Spalletti
Bilic
Games
96
36
Wins
62
13
Draws
16
9
Losses
18
14
Points per Game
2.10
1.33
All Stats via Sofascore
Ultimately, while Bilic would probably do a better job than Potter, it’s crystal clear that Spalletti would be a far better hire for West Ham.
"Fantastic" manager now tempted to replace Graham Potter at West Ham
Graham Potter could be gone in the next few games.
Still in the market for a centre-back, Newcastle United are already reportedly jostling for position in a race against Liverpool to sign a Premier League rival.
Newcastle set to target defensive additions in January
The summer transfer window may be closed, but that hasn’t stopped Newcastle from turning their focus towards 2026. The Magpies are clearly aiming to be far more prepared than this summer’s window, which saw them scrambling for options right up until the death after missing out on several targets to Premier League rivals.
Giovanni Leoni was one of those targets and it’s no surprise that it was Liverpool at the centre of Newcastle’s frustration. The Magpies even outbid the Reds in pursuit of the Italian defender, but he had his heart set on a summer switch to Anfield in a familiar story for several sides in recent months.
Eddie Howe did at least welcome Malick Thiaw in the summer window, but it could easily be argued that Newcastle still needed added options at the heart of their backline.
Fabian Schar and Dan Burn are now 33 years old, whilst Sven Botman’s injury history is a concern in its own right. The fact is, aside from Thiaw, Newcastle simply do not have a list of centre-back options that will be at the peak of their powers for years to come.
Now that their striker problem has been solved by Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, Newcastle are seemingly ready to turn towards their backline. Reports are even suggesting that they could finally enjoy some revenge on Liverpool when 2026 arrives.
Newcastle targeting Van Hecke hijack
According to TeamTalk, Newcastle are now targeting a move to sign Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2026. Battling against Liverpool, who are scouting the Dutchman as an alternative to Marc Guehi, the Magpies will be hoping to finally get one over on the Premier League champions.
Now would also be the perfect time to do it. Van Hecke is on the rise and one that Newcastle should do everything to sign. At 25 years old, he is excellent in possession and more than holds his own off the ball. With two years left on his current Brighton contract, it’s no surprise that a growing list of clubs are interested.
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Charlie Smith
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Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler will be more away than most of just how talented Van Hecke is. He told reporters in May: “I think it’s very important that we recognise he’s a very young player.
“He’s 23 and he plays an unbelievable season. He shows great character. I like his character because he’s very straight. He says his opinion, he always has good intentions.
“Of course, in some ways he needs to develop, but we always give him very honest feedback. And I think he has all the character sides to be one day captain, but that’s the long-term future at the moment.”
USMNT striker Damion Downs has yet to find his footing at Southampton, drawing criticism in the early weeks of his Championship debut.
Damion Downs doesn't particularly enjoy attention. He told GOAL as much earlier this month. With his hood pulled up, Downs spoke softly about what felt like a life-changing summer for club and country.
"I don't like the spotlight so much, you know what I mean?" Downs said from the U.S. men's national team hotel during the most recent international break. "I like my privacy. I don't really mind people not knowing too much about me. At the same time, I'm not that exciting anyway."
So, when Downs seemingly deleted social media earlier this week, it wasn't too out of character.
It came, unfortunately, as Downs did find himself in that spotlight, and not for the reasons he'd want to be. Just weeks into life as a Southampton player, the striker has already become a lightning rod for abuse and criticism as the 21-year-old has been unable to hit the ground running.
The criticism, for the most part, has been unfair. Very few players adapt to English football instantly, and even fewer do so before turning 22. Downs arrived at Southampton this summer with a reported $9.5 million price tag, which naturally brought high expectations. In the opening weeks of his first Championship season, those expectations haven’t yet been met. Unsurprisingly, social media has had its say, and with Southampton struggling, Downs has found himself singled out.
So what comes next for the young USMNT star? Just seven games into his first season with a new club, it seems that Downs is already at a turning point as the spotlight is fixed on him.
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The season so far
Downs's big move to Southampton was preceded by plenty of hype. He arrived fresh off a breakout season in the 2. Bundesliga with FC Koln, whom he helped lead to promotion with 10 league goals. Instead of helping lead Koln into Germany's top flight, he made the move to England's second division, taking a risk to join the Saints.
The keyword there is . Downs could have easily remained at Koln to play in a bigger league. Instead, he saw Southampton as an opportunity to both develop and, hopefully, get a crack at the Premier League.
“I think Southampton is a big club that should be in the Premier League, and that’s my goal – to help the team as much as I can to bring the club back to the Premier League," he told the club's official website after signing. "The Premier League is the best league you can possibly play in. Being able to promote the team and the whole club to the Premier League would be a big honour for me.
“Obviously promotion is the No. 1 [target], and for me personally I just want to score as many goals as possible, help the club and help the team.”
It started well enough. Downs scored a preseason goal against Espanyol, seemingly impressing USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino, who happened to be in attendance. He assisted a goal in the league opener against Wrexham, too, announcing himself as a difference-maker early on in the Championship season. Now, six games later in all competitions, he remains scoreless as he searches for his first official Saints goal.
There's a caveat, of course. Downs has played just 151 Championship minutes, making just one start this season. In those games, he has generally struggled on the ball. This week, Southampton boss Will Still, who left Downs out of the squad for two fixtures this week, against Middlesbrough and Sheffield United, called for Downs to be more imposing and to use his 6-4 frame more effectively.
“We have to encourage him to pick a fight with someone and make it difficult, and then get into the game that way," Still said.
It is clear, though, that Downs is still in the adjustment phase.
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The realities of a move
Speaking to GOAL earlier this month, Downs was largely thankful to those who have helped him adjust to life in England. The move from Cologne to Southampton wasn't easy, but his family was helping more than he could explain.
"It's been very, very busy, but, thankfully, I have a good family around," he said. "They've been taking care of most of the things, so I don't have to take care of it, and I'm thankful for that. They've been helping me as much as possible."
The move was just one piece of Downs' summer of change. Prior to his Southampton transfer, Downs made his USMNT debut this summer, and he ended up playing a big part in the team's Gold Cup run. His penalty kick sealed a shootout win over Costa Rica in the quarterfinal round, helping the U.S. survive despite the presence of Keylor Navas on the other side.
In general, it was transition after transition for Downs. From the USMNT, he went straight to Europe for preseason. Just a few weeks into the season, he was back stateside with the U.S. to face South Korea and Japan. It's been a whirlwind, to put it lightly, which could explain some of the early-season difficulties for Southampton's summer signing.
Still, moves like this carry inherent uncertainty. Staying at Koln would have been the safer path, even with the chance to play in Germany’s top flight. Downs chose instead to challenge himself in England during a World Cup year, with no guarantee of immediate success, even if the long-term rewards could be significant.
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USMNT impact
Ahead of the season, American soccer's striker race centered around the Championship. It seemed that the top two spots on the depth chart were claimed by Folarin Balogun in France and Ricardo Pepi in the Netherlands. Behind them, though, were a group of Championship strikers that looked set to go goal-for-goal in pursuit of a World Cup spot. Downs, one of the newer members of the race, would be directly compared to Josh Sargent, Haji Wright, and Patrick Agyemang as they fought to be part of next summer's team.
Sargent, of course, started hot, scoring for fun before slowing down post-international break. Wright has shined for Coventry City, making his claim to be a part of the upcoming camps. Agyemang, meanwhile, started the season injured, but has already set up two goals for Derby County as he hunts down a goal of his own.
And then there's Downs. He's had chances to score, but so far, that first goal remains elusive. If Downs is to get into the World Cup picture, though, the goals will have to come. Same for Sargent, Wright, and Agyemang, too.
"Seven or eight months is a pretty long time," Downs said earlier this month when asked about the World Cup, "So I'm not too focused on it. I just want to be here and represent my country when I am here. I'm not one to focus on the future and not be there for the present and what's going on right now. I'm focused on the now because the work that I put in right now is what it will take for me to be there."
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Time on his side
The season is still young, and games come thick and fast in the Championship. The Saints face Agyemang's Derby County on Saturday. Fortunes can change quickly for a striker. Downs, given his pedigree, is a prime candidate for the ketchup theory – once the goals come, they may not stop.
Southampton, though, will need things to change quickly. Through seven games, , one of the relegated Premier League teams, have claimed just seven points. That leaves them 19th and fighting for survival, even this early in the season.
Still is keeping the faith, though, particularly in Downs. He believes that the club's big signing has a part to play, as long as everyone shows the patience needed for him to get there.
“It’s a work in progress," Still said last week. "Not all transfers are going to come in and hit the ground running and click and understand the culture of the league, the opposition, and our team itself. Damion started on Saturday and came on tonight, and played a good chunk of the second half. We just need to keep working with him and helping him."
Until then, the spotlight will remain on Downs. A goal or two will change the reason for that spotlight as Downs looks to finally make his mark on his new club.