Pochettino trimmed his USMNT roster from 60 down to 23, with some obvious picks and surprise omissions
With the 2026 World Cup just 15 months away, the U.S. men's national team player pool continues to take shape. It's still evolving, of course, as Mauricio Pochettino continues to learn about his group ahead of his fourth camp in charge.
But with his 23-man CONCACAF Nations League roster, Pochettino did offer some insight into where things stand on the road to 2026.
On Tuesday, U.S. Soccer announced Pochettino's team as the USMNT trimmed a 60-man preliminary list down to just 23. Many of the notable names were there: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, for example. Several, such as Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna, are back on the team – but for the first time under Pochettino. There were January camp and MLS stars, too, fresh off their big wins two months back.
Still, while 23 from the 60 did receive that call-up, that means 27 did not. There were surprises among that list of omissions, players that many expected would be involved as the USMNT pushes for a fourth consecutive Nations League crown, starting with a March 20 semifinal against Panama.
For those among the 27, this will certainly be a reminder that World Cup spots are on the line. It should be a reminder for the 23 who made it, too.
GOAL looks at the winners and losers from the USMNT's Nations League squad selection.
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WINNER: Gio Reyna
Despite everything that has gone on over the last few years, Reyna has generally stepped up for the USMNT. He'll get that opportunity again in this camp as, once again, Reyna returns to camp in need of a jolt due to his club situation.
Reyna hasn't played much for Dortmund this season – including subbing in late in the team's Champions League victory over Lille on Wednesday. When he has, he generally hasn't been at his best. The USMNT midfielder has seemed to lack confidence, a player that hasn't quite figured out how to impact a game with this Dortmund team as assembled. In that sense, it's a risk to rely on him in games of this magnitude.
In other ways, though, it isn't risky at all. Reyna has shown time and time again that he can separate his club form from his international form. He was named Best Player at the Nations League tournament just last year. He scored in the 2021 final, provided assists in the 2023 final and then, again, last year scored to earn that Best Player nod. More than anyone, Reyna has dominated this particular competition, and that's regardless of his club form.
Now he'll relish the chance to work under Pochettino for the first time and, perhaps, the last time in a while. Because of the Club World Cup, Reyna would likely not be available for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup if he remains at Dortmund. That fact has to be taken into account, too, even if his Dortmund future is far from certain.
"I think one of the reasons to call him is because was a great opportunity," Pochettino said. "If not, it's going to be difficult to see him."
This run under the USMNT boss could ignite him for Dortmund. Reyna has generally performed when he puts on a USMNT shirt, and If he does that again this camp, it'll be a huge step forward under the new coach.
"I think his talent is there," Pochettino said, "and it's good to feel and see how he can help."
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LOSER: Brenden Aaronson
Pochettino insisted that Aaronson's omission wasn't about form, it was about numbers. The reality is this, though: when you're in good form, the numbers seem to work in your favor, don't they?
After a strong start to the season with Leeds, Aaronson has taken of a step back recently, scoring just once since the start of the new year. Leeds, of course, have kept on rolling and look bound for promotion. In fact, Aaronson and Leeds defeated Millwall 2-0 on Wednesday, retaining their spot atop the English Championship. The American played all 90 minutes and put on a brilliant midfield performance.
He needs to keep turning in those high-caliber efforts. In the end, Pochettino broke down the numbers in terms of roster spots. After impressing in January camp, Diego Luna was in. So, too, was Reyna. Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic can play as a No. 10, too. There were other spots in the squad to address and, as a result, Aaronson was left out.
The question is: now what? This certainly isn't a death blow for Aaronson's USMNT, but it is definitely a red flag. Aaronson is experienced and he certainly adds something to the national team but, going forward, he'll need to deliver more. He spoke to GOAL in the fall about adding more goals and assists to his game, and those would clearly help his case.
Aaronson is fighting for his place , and this exclusion showed just how hard that fight will be for the next year or so.
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WINNER: January campers
For those who consider January camps a waste of time, here's the contrary evidence.
Patrick Agyemang and Luna were the two big winners of that camp and, based on those performances, both are in this team. Neither have overwhelmed in the early MLS season, but they haven't had to. Luna, in particular, is someone that Pochettino has been tracking for some time and believes is ready to take a big leap forward.
"He's a player that we followed from the day that we signed with the USA national team," Pochettino said. "We want to give another possibility, not only in January camp, but to have continuity. He's a player that can provide different things during a game and it's important for him to feel that confidence from us. He was good in the January camp and that's why we wanted to provide the possibility of joining us again."
Luna and Agyemang aren't the only ones, though. Brian White is one of the more surprising inclusions on the roster after he, like Agyemang, was among the goalscorers in January. He's the biggest beneficiary of the USMNT's striker injury crisis and now, at the very least, he'll get a chance to win an international medal at age 29 in his first non-January call-up.
"To have [Josh Sargent] and have Brian White and, of course, Patrick Agyemang, it's a good competition that then provides the national team with a good three strikers competing to play in a very important tournament," Pochettno said.
Zack Steffen fits in that group, too. After several frustrating years out of the picture, Steffen was given a chance at January camp, too, and he passed with flying colors. He beat out Drake Callender, Matt Freese, Ethan Horvath and Diego Kochen for the third goalkeeper spot, likely due to his performance against Costa Rica a few weeks back.
It goes to show that January camp, even in its current form, has its value. It's still a launchpad, even if it launches fewer careers than before because of the rise of Americans in Europe. Let this show that those games pay dividends.
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LOSER: Alejandro Zendejas
While Aaronson's exclusion was a bit easier to explain, Zendejas' is hard to justify. He's in the form of his life at Club America, scoring and assisting for fun for the Liga MX champions. It wasn't enough, though, as Zendejas, too, was among those left out of the team.
On form alone, it's hard to justify. After leading Club America to an Apertura title with four goal contributions in the final three games, Zendejas has been on fire to start the Clausura campaign. He has five goals and five assists in the first nine games of the new season. Again, though, it wasn't enough.
Pochettino went in a different direction. Pulisic and Weah are the obvious starting wingers, so no issues there. Reyna and Luna, meanwhile, could play as inverted wingers if needed. Yunus Musah, too, is listed as a forward, which does indicate one of the ways Pochettino could use the versatile AC Milan regular.
It all left Zendejas as the odd man out, despite him proving regularly on the club level that he can be a match-winner. It'll be a tough pill to swallow for the 27-year-old winger, but all he can do at the moment is keep playing well ahead of a potential return later this year.
Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil appears to be hanging onto his job by a thread after his side were smashed 4-0 by Everton in the Premier League earlier this week.
The Telegraph’s John Percy has reported that the English head coach will not be sacked before the clash with fellow strugglers West Ham United on Monday night, however.
Wolves are currently 19th in the table and have won just two of their 14 matches in the division, with both wins coming in November – against Southampton and Fulham.
With O’Neil under mounting pressure at the Molineux, the Old Gold board are reportedly looking at potential replacements for O’Neil in the dugout.
Wolves eyeing former Premier League managers
According to The Telegraph, Wolves are eyeing up Graham Potter, Rob Edwards, and David Moyes in the event that they decide to part ways with their current head coach.
The report claims, however, that there are doubts over whether or not Potter, whose last job was at Chelsea, would be willing to take on a relegation battle midway through the season.
Graham Potter as Chelsea manager
It also states that Edwards, whose Luton team are 19th in the Championship, is an outsider in the running to replace O’Neil at the Premier League side.
This suggests that Moyes, who Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola once said he admired for his long career and calm head in the dugout, could be the most likely candidate at this moment in time.
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Wolves could, now, land a big upgrade on the struggling O’Neil by deciding to move for the out-of-work tactician to help them to avoid relegation from the top-flight.
Why David Moyes is an upgrade on Gary O'Neil
The former Manchester United head coach, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, is an experienced boss who has managed in 19 Premier League seasons.
His team finished in the top half of the table in 13 of those 19 seasons, with West Ham, Everton, and Manchester United, and this shows that he knows how to manage a successful side at that level, whilst he has also excelled in Europe – winning the Conference League with the Hammers in 2023.
Since FBref started collecting xG data in the 2017/18 campaign, no Moyes team has ever finished inside the bottom four for Expected Goal Difference, which essentially shows how well the team is coached by the quality of chances they create minus the quality of chances that they concede.
West Ham United manager David Moyes
Whereas, O’Neil finished 14th with Wolves last season but his side were 17th on Expected Goal Difference, with -21.00, and his Bournemouth side avoided the drop in 15th in the previous campaign despite finishing bottom on Expected Goal Difference, with -25.3.
This means that the Englishman’s teams, in both of his full seasons as a manager to date, have struggled in the Premier League, conceding far more high quality chances than they create, and that appears to finally be catching up with him this term.
Club
Games
Wins
Draws
Losses
West Ham (2nd spell)
230
103
43
84
West Ham (1st spell)
31
9
10
12
Sunderland
43
8
7
28
Real Sociedad
42
12
15
15
Man Utd
51
26
10
15
Everton
518
221
134
163
Preston
211
103
53
55
Moyes has a proven track record of coaching teams well in the English top-flight and has shown, with Everton and the Hammers, that he can take them to the next level to finish in the top half to compete in Europe, which is why he would come in as a big upgrade on O’Neil.
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Newcastle United’s success has been wonderful. Supporters could never have dreamt of Champions League nights and consistent attacks toward the uppermost echelon of the Premier League table while languishing under Mike Ashley’s rule.
But the tycoon has been gone from Tyneside for several years now, and the pointers suggest that the Magpies are going to enjoy lofty heights for many years to come.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe
Eddie Howe has fashioned an outfit that it greater than the sum of its parts. St. James’ Park is home to some top-class players, of course, but the crop has grown as one through these exciting seasons of growth.
Newcastle have burgeoned, and while he’s not the… flashiest player in the squad, Joelinton embodies the development of his side, for he too has reached a level unseen after the dreary early days of his United career.
Joelinton's Newcastle resurgence
You’d have to credit Steve Bruce with the creation of this hybrid form of Joelinton, who was a flop, the floppiest of flops, in the seasons following his club-record £40m transfer from Hoffenheim.
Premier League, Newcastle United, Newcastle United news, Newcastle United latest news, Newcastle team news, Newcastle analysis, Newcastle United vs Manchester United, NUFC news, NUFC team news, NUFC update, NUFC latest news, Eddie Howe, Joelinton
Well-known manager Julian Nagelsmann had heralded the Brazilian as a “beast who is a nightmare to defend against” back in his German days, but he fell by the wayside in the Premier League, unable to adapt to the pace and intensity of the English game.
The striker-turned-roving-number-eight has been a fundamental part of Newcastle’s football under Howe’s wing, bringing a monstrous and unyielding style to charge the midfield and serve as a counterpoint of sorts to the music that Bruno Guimaraes creates with his technical command.
An effective Premier League striker he was not, but the 28-year-old has now completed 107 appearances under his manager across a four-year period, and is patently a midfielder of real importance within the Toon set-up.
His influence is emphasised through the data revealed by FBref. Over the past year, Joelinton ranks among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for goals scored, the top 16% for progressive carries, the top 17% for successful take-ons and the top 19% for tackles per 90.
Effective in front of goal now that it’s not his chief responsibility and capable of bull-like penetrations into the danger area, Joelinton has been hailed for his reshaping by journalist Antonio Mango, who said: “the way he’s transformed himself is extraordinary.”
He’s also a key defensive component, for he has averaged 2.5 tackles and 5.9 successful duels per Premier League match, as per Sofascore, this season.
The complete midfielder? It certainly feels like he has it all in his locker when he’s on his a-game in black and white, and Howe must be chomping at the bit to repeat the club’s feat in sculpting such a player from raw parts.
Though he’s hardly struggling in his current deployment, Lewis Hall could be the next Magpie to bloom into a fresh role down the line.
Lewis Hall could be Howe's own Joelinton
Hall is doing quite the job at left-back for Newcastle, with Alan Shearer even claiming that he was “blown away” by the 20-year-old during his negation of Bukayo Saka’s quality during the 1-0 victory over Arsenal just shy of a month ago.
Sources close to Newcastle suggest that Hall has been told that his immediate Newcastle future will remain at left-back, despite the ace having plied most of his youth trade in central midfield. But he can thrive in the engine room again; it’s something that Howe should consider.
He’s showing that, like Joelinton, he can make the requisite tweaks to become a polished player capable of operating in the centre of the field, with analyst Raj Chohan already noting that the dynamo’s “defensive level is rapidly improving.”
Lewis Hall vs Premier League Full-backs (24/25)
Statistics
Per 90
Percentile
Assists
0.10
Top 32%
Shot-creating actions
2.67
Top 18%
Passes attempted
71.71
Top 8%
Progressive passes
5.96
Top 13%
Progressive carries
1.85
Top 42%
Ball recoveries
5.55
Top 11%
Tackles + interceptions
3.60
Top 35%
Blocks
1.85
Top 4%
Clearances
3.29
Top 25%
Aerial duels won
1.64
Top 13%
Stats via FBref
His statistical data, pulled from Premier League performances this season, show that Hall is turning into a robust and reliable option down the left channel, not the most active ball carrier but not shy of wading into the deep end when called upon.
The nuts and bolts of his skill set stem from technical quality and creativity, mixed against an ever-improving defensive spread that makes a telling comment on his faculty for success in midfield.
Hall, hailed for his “sensational” showings by content creator Pete Davey, might spend some time on the defensive left flank over the coming campaigns, but he’s still so young and has all the properties required to become a superstar in the centre.
Newcastle’s decision to sign him from Chelsea, who he cut his teeth with as a youth, for a £28m fee in August after he spent the 2023/24 season on loan at St. James’ Park is proving to be a brilliant one, even if it was met with scepticism initially.
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With nine top-flight starts to his name already this term, averaging 1.3 key passes and 4.5 ball recoveries per game, Hall is becoming one of Newcastle’s most important members.
Who’s to say that he couldn’t emulate Joelinton though, and step into midfield down the line to help propel Newcastle even further forward?
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Christian Eriksen hinted at a Manchester United exit in the summer as the midfielder addressed a potential return to Ajax.
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Eriksen has only a few months left in his contractThe midfielder is already seeking a fresh challenge Could reuntite with Ajax for a second stintFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The 33-year-old midfielder, who joined United in 2022, signed a three-year deal following a short but impressive stint at Brentford, which marked his return to professional football after recovering from a cardiac arrest suffered during Euro 2020 while representing Denmark.
Since joining the Red Devils, Eriksen has made 99 appearances, scoring seven goals and playing a crucial role in helping the club secure the FA Cup last season under Erik ten Hag. However, reports suggest that United will not be offering an extension, leaving the experienced midfielder in search of a new club ahead of the 2025-26 season.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT ERIKSEN SAID
Speaking to , Eriksen revealed that he is yet to decide on his future.
“I haven’t thought about it that much. It’s the same principle as last time, the contract expires in the summer, so in my head I’m prepared to find something new. I’m actually fine with that, whatever it is, it’s not something I’ve decided yet,” he said.
"Before my cardiac arrest, I spent years in England, then moved to Inter and thought I'd never come back. Two years later, I was back in England, and now it's almost been four years here. Careers don’t always follow a set plan. I don’t have a checklist of things I must accomplish—I’ll take things as they come and decide what’s best for me and my family."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
One possible destination for Eriksen could be Ajax, the club where he spent five successful years before moving to Tottenham Hotspur in 2013. Last summer, Ajax were linked with an interest in bringing him back, and their sporting director, Alex Kroes, confirmed that discussions had taken place. When asked about the possibility of a return to the Dutch club, Eriksen refused to dismiss the idea.
“No, I’m not closing the door on anything,” Eriksen explained. “I’ll see what comes up and whether it’s something that fits. That was last summer. We’ll have to see where they stand this summer. Of course, it’s also about the interest from the other side and not just from the player.”
DID YOU KNOW?
While Eriksen remains open to new challenges, he has ruled out a return to Denmark's Superliga or a move to Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.
"I am not going to the USA – we are not going that far," he confirmed. "We would like to stay in Europe, but it is too early to go home to Denmark. I feel like I have some good years abroad left."
تغزل أسطورة نادي آرسنال، تييري هنري، في النجم المصري محمد صلاح بعد أدائه في مباراة الأمس ضد وست هام، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، حيث حقق ليفربول فوزًا صعبًا.
وتلاقى الفريقان في خضم منافسات الجولة الثانية والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث فاز ليفربول بهدفين لهدف، ليقترب خطوة أخرى نحو لقب البطولة.
وتمكن محمد صلاح من صناعة هدف ليفربول الأول، بطريقة رائعة، لزميله لويس دياز.
وأصبح محمد صلاح بذلك أكثر اللاعبين مساهمة في الأهداف في تاريخ الدوري الإنجليزي، خلال موسم واحد، بنظامه الحديث المكون من 38 مباراة.
وساهم محمد صلاح في 45 هدفًا في الموسم الحالي من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث سجل 27 هدفًا وصنع 18.
وقال تييري هنري، في تصريحات لشبكة “سكاي سبورتس” العالمية: “محمد صلاح مثل النبيذ الفاخر، إذا كنت تبحث عن شيء، وسعيت إليه، ستنجح في النهاية”.
اقرأ أيضًا | “يستطيع التصرف بفمه”.. تييري هنري يوضح الفارق بين فان دايك ومحمد صلاح
وأضاف: “يمكن النظر إلى طريقة لعبه مؤخرًا، طريقة سلوت في بناء هذا الفريق، ما يقدمه حاليًا هو شيء أسطوري، هذا هو الواقع”.
وتفوق محمد صلاح على رقم تييري هنري، كأكثر من ساهم في الأهداف في موسم واحد في الدوري الإنجليزي.
ويتواجد تييري هنري في تلك القائمة، حيث سبق له المساهمة في 44 هدفًا في 2002/03، وكذلك ساهم في 39 هدفًا في موسم 2004/05.
وعندما أخبره جيمي كاراجر بتحطيم محمد صلاح رقمه، وكذلك إيرلينج هالاند (2022/23)، قال: “أنا لم أكن أعلم ذلك، كما سبق وأن أخبرتك، لم أكن أعرف!”.
O LANCE! errou o nome do empresário do criador de conteúdo para internet Iran Ferreira, o Luva de Pedreiro, em postagem nas suas redes sociais. Ao contrário do que foi divulgado, Bernardo Pontes não faz parte da equipe do Luva de Pedreiro. O verdadeiro agente de Iran Ferreira é Allan Jesus. Pedimos desculpas a Bernardo Pontes pelo engano.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is personally eyeing a La Liga club’s “superior” star player, who is currently regarded as their saving grace amid the side’s lacklustre start to the campaign.
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Werner has got a goal and two assists to his name in all competitions this season, with the 28-year-old getting on a Spurs scoresheet for the first time since March during their 2-1 win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.
The former Chelsea star has been criticised for his wasteful finishing in front of goal, which has become a recurring theme, with Werner failing to repeat his prolific 34-goal haul in all competitions for Leipzig back in 2019/20.
“I mean, Timo Werner. Timo Werner whatever he did in Germany, he has been unable to do in two spells in England,” said ESPN pundit Craig Burley after his gaping missed chances against Manchester United earlier this season.
“His end product was once again atrocious, and that adds to the pressure that goes on a team defensively when you are just not finishing teams off. It wasn’t just Timo Werner, but if he starts the next game after the international break, I will be very surprised.
“A young 17-year-old in [Mikey] Moore is probably going to come in his place. Brennan Johnson has come through a tough time when people were talking about his end product. He gets six goals in six.”
Tottenham vs Fulham
December 1
Bournemouth vs Tottenham
December 5
Tottenham vs Chelsea
December 8
Southampton vs Tottenham
December 15
Tottenham vs Liverpool
December 22
Tottenham have refused to rule out the possibility of keeping Werner beyond this campaign, but it is believed the likes of Denmark winger Andreas Skov Olsen of Club Brugge are being monitored as possible long-term stand-ins (GiveMeSport).
Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo, a player dubbed the “Japanese Messi”, is also a target for the north Londoners as they weigh up replacements for Werner should they decide not to activate his buy-out clause.
Postecoglou eyeing Real Valladolid star Raul Moro for Tottenham
According to GiveMeSport, another winger in Tottenham’s thinking is Real Valladolid sensation Raul Moro.
The Spain Under-21 international, who can play on either flank, has bagged three goals and an assist for Valladolid in all competitions – with members of the Spanish media branding Moro their “superior” star player in a relegation-threatened team at the foot of the table.
Now, GMS writes that Moro is on Postecoglou’s personal radar at Tottenham, with the club sending scouts on missions to assess the 21-year-old ahead of a potential move this winter.
The forward would also cost around the £9 million mark, which makes this a very doable mid-season transfer financially.
أصدر نادي الزمالك بيانًا للكشف عن أسباب إيقاف القيد خلال الفترة المقبلة، بقرار من الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم.
وكان فيفا قد أعلن إيقاف القيد لنادي الزمالك وحرمانه من تسجيل اللاعبين بسبب وجود مستحقات مالية للاعبين ومدربين سابقين ضد القلعة البيضاء.
طالع.. فيفا يُعلن إيقاف قيد الزمالك رسميًا
وأوضح الزمالك في بيان نقتضب، تلقيه خطاباً من الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” يفيد بإيقاف القيد، بسبب مستحقات المغربي خالد بوطيب لاعب الفريق السابق.
وأكد عمرو أدهم عضو مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك في تصريحات للمركز الإعلامي أن اللاعب يتبقى له 983 ألف يورو من مستحقاته، خاصة وأن الزمالك سدد مبلغاً كبيراً من مستحقات اللاعب التي كانت تقدر بحوالي 2 مليون و400 ألف يورو تقريباً.
وأضاف عمرو أدهم أن الزمالك لم يسدد الدفعات المتبقية للاعب في الأشهر الأخيرة، مما ترتب على ذلك صدور قرار بإيقاف القيد مجدداً.
وأوضح عضو المجلس أن الزمالك سيسدد باقي مستحقات اللاعب في الفترة المقبلة وقبل فتح باب القيد في الموسم الجديد، وسيتم رفع إيقاف القيد بمجرد سداد باقي المستحقات المتأخرة لخالد بوطيب. “ف
Newcastle United are now keen on signing a “special” Premier League forward with 10 goals to his name this season, according to a report.
Newcastle on the rise
After enduring an inconsistent start to the season, Newcastle finally look like they could be putting a run together, winning their last four matches in all competitions, culminating in a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Aston Villa.
The Magpies are now pushing for a top-four spot, and with the January transfer window just around the corner, it could be the perfect opportunity to strengthen their ambitions of reaching the Champions League for the second time under Eddie Howe.
Having missed out on Marc Guehi in the summer, one of Howe’s priorities this winter appears to be signing a new centre-back, and Lens’ Abdukodir Khusanov is thought to be the number-one target.
A proposal has been sent to Barcelona regarding Eric Garcia, while Newcastle are also leading the race for Milan’s Fikayo Tomori, highlighting the strong desire to strengthen the defence in the January transfer window.
Fixture
Date
Manchester United (a)
December 30th
Tottenham Hotspur (a)
January 4th
Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)
January 15th
AFC Bournemouth (h)
January 18th
Southampton (a)
January 25th
Although the defence is a priority, a new report has now revealed that Howe also has his eye on a forward, with The Boot Room detailing that Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha is now a target.
However, there may be stiff competition for Cunha’s signature, amid interest from a number of other big Premier League clubs, namely Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United.
Clubs from the Saudi Pro League are also keen, with the player’s camp very much aware of the widespread interest.
Although Wolves have struggled for much of the current season, the 25-year-old is not expected to push for a move this winter, with the Old Gold hoping to tie him down to a new contract.
Newcastle and PIF could now sell £120k-a-week star in shock 2025 decision
It’s a shock decision at St James’ Park.
ByHenry Jackson Dec 24, 2024 Cunha impressing for Wolves
Although it appears unlikely the Brazilian will be on the move in January, he could be a fantastic signing in the summer given how impressive he has been in the Premier League so far this season.
The £60k-p/w Wolves star has 10 goals to his name already this term, most recently getting on the scoresheet and bagging an assist in the Boxing Day 2-0 victory against Man United.
Matheus Cunha
New manager Vitor Pereira praised the forward in the wake of his performance, saying: “He is a special player. He can do things that can make the difference in small details.
“Matheus Cunha is a player, in my opinion, who can reach high standards in this league. I hope not [elsewhere] because we need him.”
With doubts over Alexander Isak’s future amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle may be forced to strengthen their attacking options this summer, and Cunha has proven he could be up to the task.
Shimron Hetmyer, who recently became a parent, has rejoined Rajasthan Royals and will be available for selection for their final league match, on May 20 against Chennai Super Kings.Hours after scoring a high-impact 16-ball 31 in the victory against Punjab Kings on May 8, Hetmyer rushed back home to Guyana to be by the side of his wife Nirvani, who was due to give birth to their first child. Days later, Hetmyer announced the news of the birth of a baby boy via his social media account.It is understood that Hetmyer is undergoing quarantine as per IPL protocol and will be out in time to train ahead of Royals’ final league match on Friday. Royals have emerged strong favorites to make the playoffs after an emphatic 24-run victory against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday. The win also took Royals to the second position on the points table with eight wins from 13 matches.Hetmyer, who was bought by Royals for INR 8.5 crore in the auction, has played a significant role in his team’s success in his role as a finisher: the West Indies’ left-hand batter has smashed 291 runs at an average of 72 while remaining undefeated in seven out of the 11 times he has batted this IPL. Hetmyer’s impact can also be gauged from the fact that his strike rate in the death overs – 214.28 – is the fifth-highest among the most destructive finishers this season. Such a dominant form was enough for West Indies’ selection panel, led by Desmond Haynes, to consider Hetmyer for the tours of Netherlands and Pakistan, where the Nicholas Pooran-led side are scheduled to play three-match ODI series each.However, Haynes said during a media briefing that Hetmyer had told the selectors via email he was unavailable for the tours due to the birth of his child, but that he would be returning to the IPL.”We got the email from Hetty saying that he is unavailable for selection because of the birth of his child,” Haynes said. “That is all the information we received so we acted that way; we had considered him for selection and the note stated he was unavailable.”Hetmyer, 25, was West Indies’ leading run-maker at the T20 World Cup last year, but instead has made headlines over fitness issues. In December, West Indies’ head coach Phil Simmons said it was “heart wrenching” to see Hetmyer continue to fail to meet the fitness standards mandatory to make the cut for West indies. That meant that Hetmyer did not play in the home series against Ireland and England and then was left out of the series in India.But while announcing the squad for the India tour, Haynes had pointed out that Hetmyer remains part of the selectors’ “plans” subject to him reaching the minimum fitness levels required.”What we need to do is we need to put our arm around these guys and let them know that we are interested in their development,” Simmons had said. “To also [make them] understand that there’s a level of fitness that is required to play at international level. But Hetmyer is in our plans. There’s no question about it.”