A vitória por 3 a 1 sobre o Santo André pode não ter sido das mais importantes para o Corinthians, mas foi especial para Caetano. Após uma série de empréstimo, o zagueiro de 23 anos fez sua estreia pelo Timão, atuando como titular ao lado de Balbuena.
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O jovem defensor se mostrou contente com a atuação e revelou sua reação quando o técnico Fernando Lázaro contou a notícia para ele no treino de quinta-feira (2).
– Estou muito feliz, não sei o que falar, a ficha não caiu. Vários empréstimos, feliz de estar de volta, jogar com Balbuena, Gil, Bruno Mendez. Acho que fui bem e seguro. O Fernando me chamou depois do treino, enquanto fazia um complemento. Sabia que a hora ia chegar, mas quando ele falou fiquei muito feliz, fui correndo avisar minha família. Nem sei o que falei para ele na hora. Agradecer a ele pela oportunidade – disse o atleta na zona mista da Neo Química Arena.
+ Veja as movimentações do mercado da bola no LANCE!
Caetano fez questão de elogiar a dupla de zaga veterana do elenco, Gil e Balbuena, e afirmou que ambos ajudam os mais jovens no dia a dia.
– Eles sempre comentam, ajudam os mais novos. Eles são seleção, já passaram por seleção. São experientes, passam para a gente e tentamos assimilar o máximo possível – afirmou.
O zagueiro, que teve seu contrato renovado até o final de 2024, contou que os atletas do Santo André pediram para trocar camisa com ele após o jogo, mas ele quis guardar a camisa como recordação.
– Está aqui guardada, não deixei lavarem, está suada. O pessoal do Santo André pediu para trocar, mas disse que essa não, já sei aonde vai ficar – revelou.
+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Campeonato Paulista
Caetano também eximiu Balbuena de culpa no gol do Ramalhão. O paraguaio voltou ao time titular e foi bastante criticado pela torcida corintiana no lance.
– Não vimos o ponta. Acho que não houve falha de ninguém, ele (Balbuena) tentou recuperar, uma infelicidade, bateu no cara e voltou. O cara deu um chutão do nada, e sobrou para o ponta. Era o ponta que acompanhava o Fagner toda hora. Nós ajudamos no final e deu tudo certo, saímos com a vitória – concluiu o zagueiro.
O Corinthians aguarda o desfecho da rodada para saber o adversário nas quartas de final: São Bento, Ferroviária ou Ituano.
Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers was able to move a number of players on from the fringes of his first-team squad during the summer transfer window.
Mikey Johnston, Hyeon-gyu Oh, Sead Haksabanovic, and Tomoki Iwata all left on permanent deals, to West Bromwich Albion, Genk, Malmo, and Birmingham respectively.
Those exits helped to allow the Hoops to bring in the likes of Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, and Kasper Schmeichel, among others.
However, there was at least one player who Rodgers may have wanted to keep, and one dud who he would have wanted to move on, with the former being Matt O’Riley.
Matt O'Riley's exit from Celtic
Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion swooped in to sign the Denmark international for a Scottish record transfer fee of more than £25m.
That came after the left-footed magician enjoyed a terrific campaign in the middle of the park for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, as he showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Sofascore rating
7.91
1st
Goals
18
1st
Assists
13
1st
Big chances created
14
1st
Key passes per game
2.5
1st
As you can see in the table above, O’Riley was the manager’s biggest source of goals and assists in the league last season, which attracted interest from Brighton.
Rodgers would surely have preferred to have kept such a talent, who was reportedly on £14k-per-week in Glasgow, but the Hoops opted to accept the huge offer from the Seagulls.
Meanwhile, a player the Northern Irish manager would surely have wanted to have moved on from the squad – James McCarthy – remained at Parkhead.
James McCarthy's Celtic career in numbers
Ange Postecoglou signed the Ireland international on a free transfer in the summer of 2021, after his contract with Crystal Palace had come to an end that summer.
The Hoops reportedly handed the midfielder a wage of £14k-per-week, as much as O’Riley earned at the club, and it has not turned out to be great value for money thus far.
He has earned around £728k-per-season so far, £2.18m in total across his three full seasons at Parkhead – along with roughly £220k since the start of July this term. This means that Celtic have spent around £2.4m in wages on the Irishman since his arrival in 2021.
Celtic midfielder James McCarthy.
The veteran midfielder has only made 27 appearances in all competitions since his move to the club, and 22 of those came in the 2021/22 campaign.
McCarthy, who was described as “lost” on the pitch by pundit Frank McAvennie in 2022, has not featured in a matchday squad for the Hoops since November 2022 and has not made an appearance for Celtic since October 2022. There is even some confusion over whether he is actually still on the books, or not, having been removed from the squad list on the club’s official website.
Regardless, this means that the former Wigan star has earned over £1m in wages, at £14k-per-week, since his last outing in a competitive game for the Scottish giants, which speaks to how much of a flop the signing has been.
Celtic have not got value for money for the wages they have spent on the midfielder, as illustrated by the huge impact O’Riley had on the pitch for the club last season whilst earning the same weekly wage.
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ByDan Emery Oct 10, 2024
Therefore, Postecoglou had a nightmare by bringing the Irishman to Glasgow in 2021 and the Bhoys have wasted £2.4m and counting on the dud, whose contract does not expire until next summer.
Nesta época de vaivém, o torcedor do Corinthians deve estar usando o famoso “F5” do teclado para atualizar as notícias sobre contratações do clube, principalmente em busca de informações sobre o centroavante desejado pela diretoria e pela comissão técnica. No entanto, esse não é o único objetivo dos dirigentes no mercado, já que eles estão de olho também em um zagueiro.
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TABELA > Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2022 clicando aqui
> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!
GALERIA >Veja até quando vai o contrato de cada jogador do Corinthians
A prioridade do clube, de fato, é encontrar um camisa 9 de peso, que vista a camisa e assuma a titularidade da equipe, mas essa não é a única carência do elenco como bem sabem os cartolas e torcedores corintianos. Dessa forma, o foco do departamento de inteligência está dividido também para essa peça para a zaga alvinegra, obviamente em uma intensidade inferior, por ora.
Assim como os nomes dos possíveis centroavantes procurados estão sido mantidos em sigilos pela diretoria, os dos zagueiros seguem da mesma forma. Até aqui, nenhum possível alvo foi especulado na imprensa, o que mostra o êxito do departamento de futebol em seus “modus operandi”. O perfil é bem parecido com as outras contratações: um atleta que esteja livre no mercado e que tenha uma certa rodagem. A diferença é que não será para o time titular.
No elenco profissional atual, são apenas quatro zagueiros à disposição: João Victor, Gil, Raul Gustavo e Léo Santos, sendo que esse último voltou de um longo período e foi para o banco em apenas quatro oportunidades no Brasileirão. A tendência é que ele deixe o clube emprestado para outra equipe e dê lugar para outro zagueiro da base poder ganhar experiência.
Por isso, há a necessidade de o novo zagueiro ter uma condição suficiente de ser o reserva imediato de João Victor ou Gil. É preciso lembrar que 2022 promete ser um ano de calendário apertado e que vai exigir muito do elenco corintiano. Ter apenas três homens “prontos” de zaga é algo de extremo risco.
Um fator, porém, pode mudar a intensidade e o nível de necessidade da procura: uma possível venda de João Victor nesta janela de transferências. Segundo o jornal “A Bola” de Portugal, o Benfica deve procurar o Corinthians para fazer uma proposta para ter o zagueiro. O Timão, no entanto, desconhece o interesse e não acredita em valores que tornem o negócio irrecusável.
De acordo com fontes ouvidas pelo LANCE!, se uma hipotética oferta agradar o Alvinegro, aí sim o clube será forçado a ir ao mercado para buscar um zagueiro titular absoluto com urgência e um outro nome para o setor que possa compor o elenco, ou seja, a busca passaria a ser por dois defensores de grande nível.
Somando esses fatores e condições, fica claro o motivo de o Corinthians não focar todas as suas forças na busca por um centroavante. Há uma lacuna importante a ser preenchida e até mesmo protegida, já que a perda de um zagueiro tornará o problema bem maior do que é atualmente. O camisa 9 é uma prioridade, mas as necessidades vão muito além disso neste momento.
يقترب الدولي المصري محمد صلاح لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي ليفربول من رقم قياسي جديد، بمواجهة مانشستر سيتي التي ستجمع بينهما غدًا.
ليفربول أمام مانشستر سيتي غدًا، ستكون المباراة رقم 387 لـ محمد صلاح مع الريدز منذ انضمامه إلى الفريق قادمًا من روما في صيف 2017.
وتمكن محمد صلاح من تسجيل 13 هدفًا وصناعة 5 في جميع مواجهات مانشستر سيتي وليفربول منذ انضمامه، ويتبقى له هدف ليعادل ستيفن جيرارد، الهداف التاريخي للمواجهة، مع 10 تمريرات حاسمة.
طالع أيضًا.. سلوت يوجه رسالة تفاؤل لجماهير ليفربول بشأن ميركاتو الصيف
محمد صلاح تمكن من تسجيل 8 أهداف وصناعة 5، بواقع 13 مساهمة تهديفية في آخر 18 هدفًا سجلها ليفربول ضد مانشستر سيتي.
ربما يكون الرقم الأكبر الذي يسعى له محمد صلاح غدًا، هو أن يرتقي في ترتيب الهدافين التاريخيين لنادي ليفربول بمختلف المسابقات.
سجل محمد صلاح 240 هدفًا مع ليفربول، وأصبح على بعد هدف من معادلة جوردون هودجسون ثالث الهدافين التاريخيين، بين عامي 1926 و 1935.
تسجيل محمد صلاح هدفًا غدًا في شباك مانشستر سيتي، سيجعله الهداف التاريخي للمواجهة بين الفريقين، وثالث الهدافين التاريخيين لفريق ليفربول.
ويتصدر ترتيب هدافي ليفربول تاريخيًا إيان راش بـ 346 هدفًا في 660 مباراة، وفي المركز الثاني روجر هانت بـ 285 هدفًا في 492 مباراة.
ويأتي هودجسون في المركز الثالث برصيد 241 هدفًا في 377 مباراة، بينما محمد صلاح في 386 مباراة، سجل 240 هدفًا.
With Wrexham a goal down thanks to Ashley Fletcher's early effort, striker Mullin came up trumps when his left-footed volley flew into Blackpool's goal in the 24th minute on a misty day at Stok Cae Ras.
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Wrexham then went on to claim all three points on Thursday thanks to Steven Fletcher's late penalty as the Red Dragons stayed within two points of second-placed Wycombe Wanderers and three adrift of table-toppers Birmingham City. That was also Mullin's first League One goal for more than two months, with his sole goal of the campaign coming away to Rotherham United on November 19.
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Mullin will hope to be on the scoresheet again when his Wrexham side round off 2024 with a home clash on Sunday against Wigan Athletic.
Opener shows patience, judgement and range against Worcestershire to score second ton in a row
George Dobell06-May-2021It’s been a long time since Warwickshire produced an opening batter with the potential to play Test cricket for England, but in Rob Yates they may just have done so.It’s probably unwise and almost certainly unfair to set such expectations for Yates. He’s just 21, after all, and has more than a year left at university. Indeed, with rain forecast for the weekend, he is planning on bringing his laptop to the ground over the weekend to catch-up in his studies. He still hasn’t finished that essay about gorillas’ body language; a case of gorillas in the missed deadline, perhaps?But so assured does he look, so crisp is his strokeplay, that it is hard not to become excited by his potential. Opening the batting in England at this time of year is a demanding business: the combination of Duke’s balls and fresh pitches testing the technique of anyone who has tried to do the job.But here, in compiling a second century in successive innings at Edgbaston, Yates demonstrated not only the patience and judgement which have been hallmarks of his contributions so far, but a range of shots that could keep bowlers up at night.Related
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Worcestershire’s bowlers, it has to be said, played their part. Certainly before lunch, they fed Yates with over-pitched deliveries which he delighted in drilling back past them. Allowing Warwickshire to score 95 in the session seemed like a missed opportunity. But later, when they tested him with the short ball, he looked equally accomplished on the pull. He is the only man in the side to have reached 75 this season. He is quickly emerging as one of this team’s senior batters.There will be sterner tests. He is yet to be challenged on a really quick or sharply turning track. But in making a fourth-innings, match-winning century against Essex – Simon Harmer et al – and following it up with this effort, he has marked himself out as one to watch. Lions tours were designed for such players.Warwickshire haven’t produced too many batters in the last few years. Indeed, in the last 13 years, only three of their academy products (Chris Woakes, Henry Brookes and Ateeq Javed) have gone on to play 50 or more first team games for the club. The last time they produced a capped batter was Ian Westwood, who retired in 2017. Even further back and among openers, Andy Lloyd was a Shropshire lad, while Mark Wagh, who really was good enough to have played Test cricket, spent as much of his career at No. 3 as opening. You may have to go back as far as Dennis Amiss to find a home-grown opener with this potential. And given that Amiss is one of the two best batters the club has produced since the Second World War, that is quite a claim.”That century against Essex gave me some belief,” Yates said. “I know as an opening batsman I’ll fail more often than I succeed, but I feel in good rhythm at present. This is just the start, though. There’s a long season ahead.”Dan Mousley (pronounced Moseley, like the suburb of Birmingham) is another young academy graduate who looks to have what it takes to enjoy a sustained professional career. After a fallow spell, that academy appears to be producing once more.Warwickshire will be relieved by Michael Burgess’ contribution, too. With Tim Ambrose having retired, they don’t have another keeper on their staff. The 18-year-old Vikai Kelly, who played one T20 match in the first team last year, is not keeping for the seconds at present as the club give a trial to Dan Lincoln, who has played a handful of T20s for Middlesex. Burgess came into this match averaging 15.20 in the Championship season but added 70 with Yates and had produced his highest first-class innings for the club by stumps.Worcestershire will, once again, rue some errors in the field. Pieter Malan, on debut having replaced Hanuma Vihari as overseas player, was put down on 10 by Daryl Mitchell at second slip, while Burgess was missed, on 41, by Riki Wessels, also at slip. Ed Barnard was the unfortunate bowler on both occasions. Later Danny Briggs was dropped, again at slip by Wessels, from his first delivery. Josh Tongue, who improved throughout the day, was the unlucky bowler. The catching in the cordon also cost Worcestershire in their previous game against Essex.Barnard did, at least, win some reward when Malan left one which nipped back and Tim Bresnan edged a good one which left him. And with Brett D’Oliveira, fulfilling the role of single spinner better than most could have asked, bowling with excellent control, Worcestershire gradually pulled their way back into the match. D’Oliveira bowled Sam Hain, attempting to sweep, around his legs, before Yates feathered an edge to the keeper as he attempted to guide one to backward point. For a legspinner to concede less than two an over in conditions offering him nothing was a commendable effort.Worcestershire made three changes. Charlie Morris and Dillon Pennington, who have had a heavy workload in the last few weeks, were replaced by Joe Leach and Tongue, while Jack Haynes came in for Gareth Roderick, who has looked low on confidence. Leach was the most consistent of the seamers throughout the day and, with three wickets in the final session, could feel confident his side were back in the game.”If we are honest, we were poor in the first session,” Worcestershire captain Leach said afterwards. “There was a little bit of help in the wicket but we just didn’t capitalise on it. Brett’s performance was again outstanding on a wicket that hasn’t helped him. But as a seam-bowling group, we probably haven’t been at our best.”
As the Premier League campaign approaches, Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a move to hijack Barcelona's deal to sign an in-demand free agent for Mikel Arteta this summer.
Arsenal transfer news
Whilst the Gunners are yet to officially complete their move to sign Riccardo Calafiori, Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Bologna defender is set to travel to London before completing a medical and joining up with his new teammates on Arsenal's tour of the United States.
The defender will arrive off the back of an impressive Euro 2024 campaign in a struggling Italy squad and a sensational season with Bologna, helping the Serie A side qualify for the Champions League against all odds.
After Calafiori, it's lining up to be the late show in north London when it comes to arrivals, with a matter of weeks until Arsenal's Premier League campaign gets underway against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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Jack Salveson Holmes
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According to Sport in Spain, Arsenal are now eyeing a move to hijack Barcelona's deal to sign Sergi Roberto, who recently left the La Liga giants as a free agent. The Catalan club reportedly want to secure the La Masia product's signature for another year in a new contract proposal, though Arsenal and Aston Villa are among the clubs lurking and hoping to pounce.
Now 32 years old, Roberto finds himself at quite the crossroads, having never been away from Barcelona throughout his career. With reports indicating that he's personally attracted to the Premier League, however, he could finally step away from Spanish football in pursuit of one last big move.
"Marvellous" Sergi Roberto would offer crucial versatility
Signing Sergi Roberto would represent the ultimate bargain for all involved at the Emirates. The right-back offers key experience and the ability to play in midfield as well as the backline, in what could be a repeat of Oleksandr Zinchenko. Famous for arguably one of the most historic goals in Champions League history when he completed Barcelona's incredible comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, Roberto may now get the chance to bring that fame to the Gunners.
Roberto earned plenty of praise during that time of his career, with his then-manager Luis Enrique saying via FourFourTwo: "He was as marvellous as ever. He's more than a player because he does well wherever I ask him to play."
As Arsenal gear up for a third attempt to dethrone Manchester City in the Premier League, welcoming a player who knows all about winning titles would certainly go a long way for Arteta's side.
Aston Villa’s transfer business has accelerated in recent days. Unai Emery has secured the return of Jadon Philogene from Hull City, just 12 months after he departed the Midlands to join Hull City.
Not only that, but it looks as though Moussa Diaby is set to join Saudi outfit Al-Ittihad in a deal worth in excess of £46m, which should give the manager plenty of flexibility in the transfer market.
Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby
Diaby will need to be replaced, that’s for certain. Might Emery turn to La Liga for a player who could make him forget all about the Frenchman?
Aston Villa eye move for La Liga sensation
Villa’s interest in Girona winger Viktor Tsygankov has been noted already this month, as Emery looks to make a potential swoop for the player in the next few weeks.
Man United target Viktor Tsygankov in action for Ukraine.
If the Villa Park side wish to bring him to the Premier League, however, the Spaniard will have to trigger his release clause, which currently sits at €30m (£26m), an affordable figure, certainly.
With Champions League football gracing the Midlands next term, there is no doubt that the manager will have to strengthen his team. Signing Tsygankov would be a smart piece of business, especially after his form last term.
How Diaby compares Viktor Tsygankov
Diaby arrived at Villa to much fanfare last summer following a season in which he registered 25 goal contributions – 14 goals and 11 assists – for Bayer Leverkusen, yet he failed to really sparkle under Emery.
Moussa Diaby's Villa stats last season
Metric
Premier League
Conference League
Goals
6
3
Assists
8
1
Big chances created
13
0
Successful dribbles per game
0.8
0.7
Key passes per game
1.2
0.7
Shots per game
1.4
0.8
Via Sofascore
Across 54 matches in all competitions, the French winger scored ten goals and grabbed nine assists. Decent statistics, but hardly mind-blowing considering his output for the German side.
In comparison, Tsygankov scored eight times and chipped in with seven assists across 34 matches, just four goal involvements shy of Diaby’s total, having played 20 matches less.
Among the rest of his squad, the Ukrainian winger ranked third for goals and assists (15) in La Liga, along with ranking third for big chances created (12) and fourth for key passes per game (1.1), showing how effective he was in the final third last term.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed the winger following his spell at Dynamo Kyiv, dubbing him “outrageous” as he scored 59 goals and grabbed 45 assists in just 153 matches for the Ukrainian side.
When compared to his positional peers, Tsygankov ranked in the top 16% for assists (0.31) and for non-penalty goals (0.35) per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues over the previous 365 days, showing that he is one of the most reliable finishers around.
There is no doubt that he could shine in the Premier League should he make the move this summer, especially under the tutelage of Emery, who happens to bring the best out of certain players.
A fee of £26m is certainly sizeable, but if the club aim to continue the momentum that has been steadily building recently, then money will have to be spent.
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Newcastle United have undergone a sweeping transformation this summer – though that is away from Eddie Howe's first-team squad.
The Tyneside outfit might have seen significant structural movements, but little has happened on the transfer front. Lewis Hall's loan move has been completed on a permanent basis and Lloyd Kelly has been landed on a free transfer following his departure from Bournemouth, but the backline requires more work and a wide forward is also pursued.
St. James' Park has gone from strength to strength over the past several years, following the PIF-backed club takeover, and now there is a chance to overcome last season's hiccup, stemming from the injury-plagued nature of the Magpies' year, and mount a campaign back toward the Champions League.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe
Fans are understandably yearning for some added impetus in attack – and the pointers suggest that they will get their wish – but with Sven Botman's knee injury keeping him sidelined until the end of 2024, Howe is desperate to secure another centre-back to restore his side's imperiousness in defence.
Newcastle lining up another defender
The left-sided Kelly brings security and dynamism to the backline but more is needed on the central right. As such, there might just be something in reports that Newcastle are pushing to sign OGC Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo.
The French defender is Juventus' priority target this summer and rejected West Ham United despite the east London side agreeing a £27m deal to sign him.
Now, according to transfer specialist Graeme Bailey, the Toon are preparing to launch a move of their own after holding discussions with Todibo's representatives.
Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo
Newcastle’s new sporting director Paul Mitchell is seeking to hijack Juventus' hijack in what would be an extraordinary turn of events. There's a distance to travel but this one is cautiously encouraging.
Jean-Clair Todibo's 23/24 season in numbers
Todibo, standing at 6 foot 3, is a colossal defender with a steely protective ability and a remarkable level of technicality that speaks of his suitability in Newcastle's fluid, progressive system.
Jean-Clair Todibo for OGC Nice
As per FBref, he ranked among the top 18% of centre-backs in Ligue 1 last season for assists (0.07 per 90) and the top 10% for shot-creating actions (1.47 per 90), highlighting that inborn creativity that would open up a new dimension from deep.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig has praised his "high-quality" presence in the rearguard and this is reflected in the all-encompassing nature of his game, with the 24-year-old also keeping 14 clean sheets from 30 Ligue 1 matches last season, completing 90% of his passes and averaging 1.9 tackles and winning 4.5 duels (at a success rate of 59%).
But the most eye-catching element of the former La Masia starlet's skillset is his athletic prowess, with the mobility and energy levels necessary to rule over the defensive third with an iron grasp – averaging 7.1 ball recoveries per game in the French top flight.
Todibo's influence is such that he wouldn't just improve his prospective defensive partners on Tyneside. With such a robust approach to his play, he might actually be the dream defender for Bruno Guimaraes.
Why Newcastle must sign Jean-Clair Todibo
Guimaraes has been linked with a move away from Newcastle this summer, though June's sales of Elliott Anderson and teenage winger Yankuba Minteh have eased the burden relating to the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules considerably.
Bruno Guimaraes for Newcastle
Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United have all registered a vested interest of late but a clause in Guimaraes' contract relating to a £100m release clause has now expired, meaning that Howe and Co can demand any fee they see fit for the club's midfield linchpin.
Signed from Lyon for £40m in January 2022 – at the start of the Magpies' new wave of hope – the Brazil international has been lauded for his "world-class" skills by teammate Dan Burn and chalks up some staggering metrics each season.
Matches played
17
32
37
Matches started
11
32
37
Goals
5
4
7
Assists
1
5
8
Pass completion
86%
85%
85%
Big chances created
3
2
12
Touches per game
46.9
68.4
81.0
Key passes per game
0.7
1.3
1.7
Dribbles per game
1.3
1.4
1.9
Ball recoveries per game
7.0
7.7
6.5
Tackles per game
2.6
2.4
2.4
Duels won per game
6.2
7.0
7.7
The table above highlights Guimaraes' almighty stats across his two-and-a-half seasons in the Premier League. It's a lot to unpack, but illustrates the absurd level of roundedness that supercharges Newcastle's engine room.
He did struggle at points last season but this was largely down to the incessant injury problems that plagued his team – especially in defence. By placing Todibo behind him – a defender who unbelievably made more ball recoveries than him on average in his league last season – Newcastle could return to the fore.
After all, while the £160k-per-week midfielder's combative nature holds together the middle of the park with steely resolve, it's his ball-playing mastery that would benefit the most from such a sturdy defender behind.
Indeed, Guimaraes ranked among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues last season for assists and shot-creating actions and the top 13% for progressive passes per 90, emphasising that fact.
Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes
Todibo would provide security and stability, yes, but also his own progressive style to thread through to Newcastle's main man, in turn enhancing the collective fluency of the side.
Juventus might feel that they are the favourites to sign Todibo, but Newcastle are seemingly set on disrupting the party in Turin. If they pull it off, it really will be quite the signing.
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The Magpies are looking to improve their forward line this summer.
Now that the summer's international tournaments have wrapped up, focus on the transfer window will be accentuated, though, much to the frustration of the fanbase, all remains quiet at Liverpool.
Arne Slot is assessing his newly inherited squad and still awaits the returns of multiple first-team stars following international commitments, with sporting director Richard Hughes revealing that business is more likely to be conducted later down the line.
Feyenoord coachArneSlot
However, FSG are always willing to move for a shrewd deal, and there's one such market opportunity that might just prove to be too good to turn down.
Liverpool transfer news
According to Calcio Mercato, Juventus are struggling to meet Atalanta's demands in the pursuit of centre-midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, which could see Liverpool steal ahead.
The Merseysiders are long-time admirers of the Netherlands international, who played under Slot at AZ Alkmaar, and while Juventus are hoping to seal the deal, finances are proving to be a sticking point.
Liverpool are understood to hold the funds to complete a deal, however, and given that Atalanta are holding for €60m (£50m), the Reds may yet find themselves in the driving seat, having already moved ahead to learn conditions of a possible transfer.
What Teun Koopmeiners would bring to Liverpool
A multi-functioning midfielder, Koopmeiners is creative in possession and crisp and combative out of it, with a wide range of technical strengths that could see him excel in the Premier League.
Netherlands midfielder Teun Koopmeiners
The 26-year-old was forced to watch his nation's Euro 2024 campaign from the sidelines after picking up an injury on the cusp of the tournament, though there's no question that he earned his stripes last season, instrumental in Atalanta's Europa League triumph – ending Bayer Leverkusen's record unbeaten streak to lift the trophy and defeating Liverpool on the way to the final.
He was described as "very versatile" by his Serie A manager, Piero Gian Gasperini, though he spent much of the 2023/24 campaign in a forward-driving midfield position, scoring 15 goals across 51 appearances and adding seven assists.
Teun Koopmeiners: 2023/24 Statistics
Statistics
Serie A
Europa League
Matches played
34
12
Matches started
29
10
Goals
12
0
Assists
5
2
Pass completion
82%
79%
Big chances created
9
4
Touches per game
54.0
55.5
Key passes per game
1.8
1.1
Ball recoveries per game
4.4
4.0
Dribbles per game
0.6
0.8
Tackles per game
1.1
1.8
Duels won per game
3.2
3.8
Stats via Sofascore
Marvelling at the player's ability, his former coach Pascal Jansen has said: "His stamina is amazing. His pressing and chasing abilities when out of possession, I would almost say they are inhuman."
It's almost like he's tailor-made for Slot's high-octane, control-focused system, even ranking among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Italian top flight last term for passes attempted and the top 2% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.
Why Liverpool need Teun Koopmeiners
Liverpool are well-stocked in the centre of the park, though if Slot and Co opt against signing a specialist No. 6 it is highly likely that Alexis Mac Allister will operate in a deeper-lying role, as he did on many occasions under Jurgen Klopp last year. Wataru Endo enjoyed a solid campaign last term too but the 31-year-old has his limitations.
Liverpool players Wataru Endo and Alexis Mac Allister
Despite the wealth of talent at Slot's disposal in the middle of the field, Koopmeiners could make a marked impact on the squad, not least because he embodies many of Thiago Alcantara's standout attributes.
Thiago has recently retired from football after his Liverpool contract expired last month. The 33-year-old is one of the game's superlative technicians, distinguished across the globe, though his final professional term was wrecked by injuries that limited him to just five minutes of action, coming in a defeat against Arsenal in February.
Still, while his Liverpool career didn't reach the heights dreamily envisaged, Thiago still excelled across his 98 appearances, with talkSPORT host Tony Cascarino even remarking that he's "up there with the very best".
Statistical data from the 2023/24 campaign is negligible, but the previous term illustrates quite clearly how good the maestro was, despite suffering significant injury issues again. He ranked among the top 2% of Premier League midfielders in 2022/23 for passes attempted and progressive passes, the top 11% for successful take-ons and the top 10% for tackles per 90, showcasing how he was one of the most complete midfielders around.
Atalanta central midfielder Teun Koopmeiners.
Once praised as the "complete" midfielder by Dutch legend Ruud Krol, Koopmeiners could prove to be a brilliant Thiago replacement, not quite stylistically identical but carrying some of the Spaniard's principal ball-playing characteristics – and a sharp intelligence besides.
It would be unjust to say that the Anfield side need a Thiago replacement: he didn't play last season. That said, one can only imagine the heights that could have been reached with the midfield magician pulling strings from the heart of the field, perhaps instilling the perfect chemistry and coherence through his passing prowess to have seen Liverpool swerve the late-season slump that unravelled Klopp's swansong.
Slot is working hard to drill his philosophy into the Red Merseysiders, and while he's lost one of the Premier League's brightest midfield talents in Thiago, he could swiftly replace him with a player he knows well: Koopmeiners. The Dutchman is tenacious and supremely talented, willing to chip in defensively and boasting the motor requisite for success in the fast-paced Slot system.
Whether FSG decide to make such a move this summer remains to be seen, but there's no doubting Koopmeiners' quality, and there's no question that he would be a credit to Slot's outfit.
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