This summer is a huge opportunity for Ruben Amorim to make the changes he wants to his Manchester United first-team squad, allowing for the best possible chance of success in his first full year at the helm.

During the January transfer window, the 40-year-old only had a couple of weeks to make changes to the side, allowing numerous players to depart the North West on loan.

Marcus Rashford, Tyrell Malacia and Anthony all departed the club for various temporary stints away, with it unknown whether any of the trio have a future at Old Trafford.

Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven were the first additions of the Amorim era, with the pair both already excelling in the first-team, showing signs of being worth their respective transfer fees.

Hopefully he can continue his excellent early start in the transfer market this summer, potentially returning for a deal to land a player who he’s previously managed.

Man Utd’s potential move to land Viktor Gyokeres this summer

The 2024/25 Premier League season is yet to reach its conclusion, but the transfer rumours are already starting to gather momentum ahead of the summer.

United have already been touted as a possible destination for striker Viktor Gyokeres, who previously featured under Amorim during his time as Sporting CP manager.

The Swedish international has been in phenomenal goalscoring form over the last couple of months, notching a total of 40 goals in 41 outings across all competitions this campaign.

Gyokeres has registered a total of 83 goals in 91 appearances for the Portuguese outfit and is rumoured to be available for around the £60m mark this summer.

However, the club may have made a mistake in allowing one player to depart the club, possessing similar characteristics to the former Coventry City ace – highlighting the wrong call in allowing him to depart.

The former United ace who’s been like Gyokeres in 2024/25

Former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær is responsible for numerous impressive pieces of business which has seen the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo move to the club.

The Norwegian led the club to a second-placed finish in 2020/21, coming within touching distance of claiming the first league title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure – offering stability which has often been lacking in Manchester.

However, the 52-year-old also made the call to part ways with Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku in the summer of 2019, ending his two-year stint in the North West.

The Red Devils forked out a staggering £75m for his signature in the summer of 2017, looking to transform the club’s front line and edge them closer to a top-flight triumph.

He managed to find the net 27 times in his first year, before scoring 15 in the following year, leaving in a £73m deal to join Inter Milan and ending his short stint in Manchester.

However, the “unplayable” talisman, as dubbed by pundit Alan Shearer, has consistently scored goals everywhere he’s been since his departure six years ago, notching double figures in every single season.

He’s now plying his trade for Napoli in Serie A, with FBref ranking him as a similar player to Gyokeres based off their respective numbers from the current season – with the comparison understandable when delving into their figures.

Games played

27

25

Goals & assists

18

33

Shot-on-target accuracy

47%

45%

Times dispossessed

1.6

2.5

Aerials won

1.2

0.6

Aerial success rate

44%

31%

Take-on success

27%

27%

Lukaku may have registered fewer goals to date, but he’s managed to achieve a higher shot on target accuracy rate – showcasing that he’s been unlucky not to have more goals than he currently does.

He’s also won more aerials per 90, whilst losing possession fewer times per game, offering that all-round focal point which the side have been desperately missing.

There’s no denying that Gyokeres would be a phenomenal addition to the side, certainly handing them the goalscoring threat they’ve been after in recent years.

However, this whole scouting mission could’ve been saved had Solskjaer not parted ways with the Belgian six years ago, with his presence potentially helping the club fight at the top end once again.

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As the international break slowly comes to an end, managers and supporters will be praying their players return healthy, but that may not be the case for Nottingham Forest after Chris Wood limped off the pitch in the early hours of Monday morning.

How Forest players are getting along on international duty

Given how the season has gone for the Reds so far, it is no surprise to see a lot of their key players away on international duty representing their national teams.

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Forest captain and talisman Morgan Gibbs-White is the only player from the City Ground to be representing England during this break after he was called up to the squad as a replacement for Cole Palmer. Gibbs-White was not named in the 23-man squad for England’s game against Albania on Friday but has been recalled to the squad for their game against Latvia.

Meanwhile, defenders Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic and Ola Aina are away representing Brazil, Serbia and Nigeria respectively. Milenkovic left the Serbian media impressed after his defensive display in a 1-1 draw in Austria, which he followed up with a clean sheet in a 2-0 win in the return leg on Sunday.

“He had his moments of hesitation, especially at the start of the game in the 9th minute when he came forward and left a gap for Strahinja Pavlović, but he did his job very well until the end, showing that he is one of the best stoppers in the Premier League this season for a reason.

“He also tried his head, and it seems that he was very happy when he saw Arnautović as a new task. He successfully stopped him as well as Grilič.”

Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangare are both representing the Ivory Coast as they play their final game on Monday evening against Gambia – the defender was an unused substitute in their 1-0 win in Burundi while Sangare got some minutes off the bench.

Neco Williams, Anthony Elanga, Matz Sels, Elliot Anderson and Wood are all away representing their respective countries, and while Williams produced a fabulous display in a 3-1 Wales win over Kazakhstan, there is serious concern for Wood, who limped out of New Zealand’s 3-0 win against New Caledonia on Monday.

Darren Bazeley shares update on Chris Wood injury

New Zealand manager Darren Bazeley spoke to the press on Monday and confirmed Wood has picked up an injury but was hesitant to provide too many details. He did, however, state the issue is “not ideal”.

New Zealand became the second nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after a 3-0 win over New Caledonia, but theirs and Forest’s talisman had to be replaced 54 minutes into the game with what appeared to be a hip injury.

Apps

40

Goals

28

Assists

3

The 33-year-old, who has 18 goals to his name in the Premier League this season, bagged a hat-trick in New Zealand’s win over Fiji on Friday night, making it back-to-back hat-tricks for his country in the World Cup qualification campaign before blanking against New Caledonia.

Forest and their fans will now be sweating as they await the results of any further tests and scans before they face Brighton in the FA Cup on Saturday, with a huge Premier League game against Manchester United then looming on Tuesday.

Spanish star Pablo Hernandez remains a fan-favourite at Leeds United and understandably so given the impact he had during his time as a player at Elland Road.

He originally joined the Whites on loan for the first half of the 2016/17 season from Swansea City before subsequently joining permanently that January – a move that would set the club up for success.

The now-retired Hernandez would make over 150 appearances for the Whites, cementing his place as a regular at the heart of the side – registering over 10 combined goals and assists every year he spent in Yorkshire, including the promotion-winning season in 2019/20.

The former Valencia ace would depart in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer, ending his four-year spell with the Whites, with very few players able to replicate his success in recent years.

One player, in particular, has struggled, with current boss Daniel Farke needing to take desperate action when the transfer window opens in a couple of months time.

Brenden Aaronson’s stats for Leeds in 2024/25

After joining for £25m in the summer of 2022, huge expectations were put on the shoulders of Brenden Aaronson to be a star for Leeds, but ultimately, nearly three years on he’s failed to live up to the hype.

The American international featured 42 times during the club’s most recent Premier League campaign, before leaving on loan to join Union Berlin for the 2023/24 season.

However, he’s since returned to the Whites, looking to play a crucial role in Farke’s ambitions of securing Championship promotion come the end of May.

Whilst he’s notched eight goals and two assists, only one of which has come since the start of January, often being anonymous in key matches and failing to deliver the goods.

Given his recent decline in form, it’s unclear whether the 24-year-old has the tools to succeed in the Premier League, with Farke needing to axe him from his side and repeat a deal for Hernandez this summer.

How Farke can repeat Hernandez success with Leeds this summer

Leeds boss Farke has done a superb job in managing the first-team since his appointment in the summer of 2023, helping the club sit in top spot with just eight games to go.

The German has achieved a 57% win record since taking the reins, doing an excellent job in picking the club up after dropping into the second tier ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

He’s made shrewd additions during his time in charge, including that of midfielder Joe Rothwell, who arrived on loan from top-flight outfit Bournemouth last summer.

The 30-year-old had to bide his time before making an impact in Yorkshire, often having to settle for minutes off the bench to make an impression.

However, in recent months, the former Blackburn Rovers star has cemented his place at the heart of the side, partnering Ao Tanaka at the base of the midfield.

Joe Rothwell’s stats for Leeds United in 2024/25

Statistics

Tally

Games played

35

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

92%

Chances created

57

Dribble success

67%

Tackles won

60%

Touches

1978

Stats via FotMob

Arguably, Rothwell, who’s previously been dubbed “special” by Tony Dorigo, produced his best showing against Sunderland, producing two assists and helping the side turn around a one-goal deficit.

On the face of it, a Hernandez repeat may appear to be a bit of a stretch, but the Englishman has followed in the Spaniard’s footsteps by originally moving on loan to Elland Road and impressing in the process.

If the club are to repeat a deal for the fan-favourite, they must look to pursue a deal on a permanent basis, offering a quality squad option, whether that be in the top flight or the second tier.

His current deal at the Vitality expires in the summer of 2026, potentially allowing the Whites to secure a cut-price transfer with the star entering his final year of his contract.

Rothwell has showcased his talents with the added minutes provided by Farke, with the German desperately needing to get a deal done to allow the midfielder to continue on his upward trajectory.

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An assured hundred from Paul Stirling along with half-centuries of contrasting natures from Andy Balbirnie and Harry Tector laid the platform for a convincing 138-run win as Ireland ensured they ended the league phase on a high.But that was the fate UAE – another team knocked out of contention before this game – could not prevent as they slipped to 211 all out on a good batting track.UAE captain Muhammad Waseem gave them a commanding start in their reply but once he was gone due to a freak run-out, the chase petered out despite a handful of cameos.Stirling stamped his authority from ball one. With some swing on offer early on, Junaid Siddique pitched it up and Stirling leaned into the drive, caressing it away through the covers. That was an ominous sign of things to come from the big-hitting opener.Stirling stayed watchful through the first ten overs, even as Andy McBrine started to pick up the pace after a slow start. Sanchit was introduced in the attack after seven overs and made an immediate impact, trapping McBrine lbw with a length ball that seamed in from outside off.But Stirling immediately put the pressure back on the bowlers with two back-to-back fours in the next over by Ali Naseer. He brought up his half-century off 56 deliveries.Balbirnie, coming into the match with scores of 12, 0 and 7 in his last three games, was a touch slow as he took on the role of an anchor while Stirling kept the scoreboard ticking.Stirling reached his century off 98 balls in the 34th over, slogging Aayan Afzal Khan over midwicket to get to his 14th ODI hundred. Balbirnie reached his fifty off the final delivery of that over and both batters hit a six each off Karthik Meiyappan in the next.Harry Tector tries to paddle one away•ICC via Getty Images

Basil Hameed was brought on as UAE looked for wickets and Stirling greeted him with three sixes. Stirling and Balbirnie added 184 from 178 balls for the second wicket. After Balbirnie fell to Naseer in the 39th over, Tector came in and kept the runs coming along with Stirling.Stirling then crossed the 150-run mark with a six off Siddique. He tried to take on a slot ball from Sanchit Sharma but a good catch by Meiyappan at deep midwicket ended his marathon knock, which comprised 15 fours and a career-best eight sixes.But there was no relief for UAE, as Tector put them to the sword, bringing up his half-century off just 30 balls. He became Sanchit’s third victim of the game in the penultimate over, but George Dockrell and Tucker took 16 runs off the last over to set up a 350-run target.In the chase, Waseem dominated the opening stages, hitting 45 of the 58 runs scored before he got out. A length ball from Barry McCarthy shot up and hit him on the gloves. The ball rolled towards cover, but Waseem was grimacing from the blow and started walking towards the square leg umpire while signalling for a physio, not realising that the ball was not yet dead. Balbirnie was sharp to what was happening and, seeing Waseem wandering outside his crease, swooped in and threw the stumps down.His opening partner Aryansh Sharma was soon done in for his lack of footwork, cutting a short and wide delivery from McCarthy straight to point. Little, returning for another spell, sent back Vriitya Aravind and Ethan D’Souza in consecutive overs. McBrine put Ireland in command with two wickets in the 21st.Sanchit, who was UAE’s best bowler, also impressed with the bat as he and Hameed added 70 runs for the seventh wicket, but they could just take them to a respectable total, with Ireland’s score never in threat of being chased down. They both hit three sixes each before Hameed skied a sweep off Dockrell to deep backward square.Sanchit was quick to follow, miscuing Curtis Campher to long-on before the Ireland bowlers mopped up the tail to complete a consolation win.

Allrounder gives Surrey something to think about with unbeaten 77

Vithushan Ehantharajah18-May-2023Surrey 88 for 1 (Sibley 35*) trail Kent 278 (Evison 77*, Lawes 3-41) by 190 runsThe oldest game in county cricket. The Brown Caps versus the Spitfires. Defending champions versus relegation candidates. Actual South London versus Claiming to be South London.It’s been 314 years of this fixture between Surrey and Kent, and it has rarely lacked narrative. Even the first game back in 1709 had £50 on it. But even given the history and the contrasting presents of these two teams, the focus heading into this opening day at the Kia Oval was dominated by two cricketers in particular.It is two days since Surrey’s Ben Foakes was axed from the squad for the first Test of the summer. Ultimately for Jonny Bairstow, but essentially for Kent’s Zak Crawley.If you’re not up to speed with the situation, search “Foakes” and “Crawley” on Twitter and let the discourse wash over you and dissolve the meat off your bones. Essentially: Bairstow was always coming back in. Foakes had done a lot right. And a side who do things differently could have done things differently by promoting someone to open at the expense of an opening batter averaging 25.86 across 12 Tests under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.Whatever your view on all this, the relief of actual cricket offered sanctuary. Foakes would have certainly regarded it as such. Had he kept his place with England, there’s a chance he would have opted to sit out to preserve his back ahead of the Ireland Test which begins on June 1. Instead, here he was, getting on with his life.Crawley, similarly. This was a chance to focus on the stuff that actually matters. And when Surrey opted to bowl first upon winning the toss, here was the perfect opportunity to get to the middle and away from the noise. At the ground where his unbeaten 69 took England to a series-winning target of 130 against South Africa at the end of last summer, no less.Soon after the Test announcement on Tuesday, Crawley was interviewed by the BBC as the criticism of Foakes’ snub had already gone from zero to 100 on social media. Presented with the reaction, the opener indulged a familiar misguided swipe – this time at “the average punter” and their opinions, “which, of course, I don’t care [about] anyway”.Your heart sinks a little to read that because it’s a little out of character, and very much the words of a man done with the condemnation. He went on to explain that hundreds, actually, aren’t all they are cut out to be. “I could play brilliantly for 20 and get a good ball,” he said. “You could play terribly for a hundred and everyone says ‘well batted’, when actually I played better for the 20.”A shame, then, that he managed just 19, edging Jordan Clark to third slip an over after tucking Dan Worrall away for a couple of fours through square leg. The bat came down at an angle, offering the outside half when he could have perhaps left on length.By that point Kent were 30 for 2. Worrall had pocketed Ben Compton with a perfect delivery from around the wicket that clipped the top of off after the left-hander did opt to leave. Clark was promoted to open the bowling alongside Worrall after Kemar Roach had to cut short his stint with Surrey to return home for family reasons.There’s an argument to be made that Clark is one of the club’s best domestic signings. The extra bounce off a length to snare Crawley was replicated to get rid of Jack Leaning two balls after the lunch break for his 100th first-class wicket for Surrey.Two overs from that end later, Clark bowled Jordan Cox, going wider on the crease and sneaking one through the right-hander’s defence. Up ticked the tally to 101 and down went the average under the 30 mark by a sliver (29.99).There was a sense this was all a bit too one-sided for Division One. But for a few starts up top, Kent were powerless to stop Surrey stomping all over their top and middle order. The sight of skipper Sam Billings flashing Tom Lawes through to Foakes, who dived across first slip to take his second catch, felt like a key indicator of a batting group in disarray. At 118 for 7, the end looked nigh. Then Joey Evison happened.And he really did happen. A remarkable unbeaten 77 dragged Kent to a hugely unlikely 278, picking up only their third batting point of the season to boot. Since making the move down to Canterbury from Nottinghamshire last summer, the softly-spoken 21-year-old has shown the kind of fight you’d usually associate with a much rowdier individual.Stands of 74 with Wes Agar and 82 with Michael Hogan, for the eighth and tenth wicket respectively, began with the allrounder protecting the bowlers until they were comfortable enough to hold their own. Even while protecting them, Evison indulged in some outrageous shots, driving on the up, flicking over midwicket for six, and occasionally stepping out and blasting so straight down the ground that he threatened to punch a hole through the standing umpire. One of those, off his 77th delivery, took him to a second half-century of the season.The first was a four-hour act of defiance against Warwickshire, ending with Evison being dismissed for 99 by Hasan Ali. Not only was it Kent’s last second-innings wicket, but it confirmed defeat deep into the final day. Nevertheless, this knock was desperately required and upheld his reputation as the fourth emergency service as far as Kent are concerned.The addition of 160 for the last three wickets was especially frustrating for Surrey as it delayed tea to 4.39pm, before Lawes snared Hogan for Foakes’ third catch midway through the first over of the restart. With the momentum a little more Kent’s way, Hogan dismissed Surrey captain Rory Burns at the start of the eighth over.That, however, was as good as it got for the visitors. Fresh from his official appointment as Test vice-captain, Ollie Pope strolled out and looked as comfortable as you’d expect on his favourite ground. Along with an engaging early evening workout from Dom Sibley, the pair ensured Surrey are 190 behind heading into Friday, with plenty of scope for a lead going into the second half of this match.There was one other bright spot for Kent in the field. Seamer Arafat Bhuiyan, having signed on Wednesday until the end of the season, sent down his first five overs for the county.Arafat, born in Bangladesh with UK residency, was one of three graduates from the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to make his first-class debut on Thursday, along with Zaman Akhter for Gloucestershire and Zain-ul-Hassan for Glamorgan. Formed ahead of the 2022 season, the work SACA have already done to correct the under-representation of British South Asians in the professional set-up is remarkable given its standing start.Arafat is the seventh player to move from the scheme into a full-time deal, and he bowled tidily from the Vauxhall End after being brought on for the 12th over. Earlier in the day, the 26-year-old’s first run was cheered by the Kent dressing room, with applause eventually rippling around the ground.His spell with the ball began with a maiden to Sibley which eased the nerves, bowling with decent pace. Given the calibre of Surrey’s XI, a maiden wicket will likely be a noteworthy one, and any incision he can provide will be vital if Kent are to push back on their more vaunted opponents.Even for a fixture with as much history and a match with plenty of talking points, Arafat and his story were welcome additions.

Man United boss Ruben Amorim has already shared Sporting CP starlet Geovany Quenda’s one major weakness, with Chelsea now putting pen to paper on a £42 million deal for the winger.

Chelsea reach agreement to sign Geovany Quenda for 2026

News broke early this morning that Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign Quenda from Sporting, but he is set to remain in the Primeira Liga next season before eventually making the switch to Stamford Bridge in 2026.

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The Portuguese is also expected to sign a seven-year deal at Chelsea as BlueCo add yet another very promising youngster to their books (Kaveh Solhekol), and one who has even drawn comparisons with Arsenal superstar Bukayo Saka.

“Geo is so demanding with himself in the defensive moments,” said former Sporting academy coach, Fabio Roque, to Sky Sports.

Chelsea’s next five Premier League fixtures	Date
Arsenal (away)	March 16th
Tottenham (home)	April 2nd
Brentford (away)	April 5th
Ipswich Town (home)	April 12th
Fulham (away)	April 19th

“To close, to recover fast, to win the defensive duels for his teammates. It reminds me of Bukayo Saka at the beginning of his career when he played as a full-back.

“There is only one Geovany Quenda. He is different from any other player I trained. He can create a mark on football that is totally different. We are talking about, with Lamine Yamal and Estevao Willian, probably the best players in that generation born in 2007.”

This is high praise indeed for the 17-year-old, who’s been a mainstay for his side throughout 2024/2025 with an impressive 43 appearances in all competitions, despite being at such a young age.

In that time, Quenda’s racked up 10 goal contributions (two goals, eight assists), and he was given the starting nod in almost all of Sporting’s Champions League games before they were knocked out by Borussia Dortmund.

Chelsea also hijacked Man United’s expected deal for Quenda, with the Red Devils missing out on his signature to their English rivals.

What Ruben Amorim thinks about new Chelsea signing Quenda

However, he is by no means the finished product, and Amorim has already shared the one main weakness in Quenda’s game.

Speaking in an interview with O Jogo late last year, Sporting’s ex-head coach explained that the teenager really needs to work on his end product, as he has a very real tendency to shoot over the crossbar.

“I’ve already said everything I had to say about Quenda,” said Amorim. “He’s a very talented kid, very strong physically, very focused, with his feet firmly on the ground. That’s very important for a young player.

“I didn’t know he was the youngest ever to score. Congratulations. I think he has to improve a lot in his finishing. The amount of times he comes inside and shoots over the bar. He doesn’t put the ball in the goal well, that’s a detail he has to improve.

“He showed up well there. But that’s what I said at the beginning of the season. He had the opportunity and there was no chance to take him away, to have doubts, nothing. I think he’s going to be a great player, but let’s give it time.”

The Portugal Under-21 international can play on both wings and is seen by many as the “biggest wonderkid” in his country right now (Joao Paiva), but this bad habit of blazing the ball over will need to be worked on if he is to be successful in the Premier League.

تستعد الأندية المصرية لانطلاق الموسم الجديد من الدوري الممتاز لكرة القدم 2025-2026، وسط توقعات بمنافسة قوية بين فرق المقدمة على البطولة المحلية الأقدم على مستوى الشرق الأوسط.

يأتي ذلك بعد موسم مثير شهد تتويج النادي الأهلي بالنسخة الماضية من الدوري، عقب صراع شرس ومثير مع نادي بيراميدز الذي حل في المركز الثاني، بينما احتل الزمالك المركز الثالث في جدول الترتيب.

وحصد الأهلي اللقب بعد منافسة محتدمة على مدار الموسم مع بيراميدز الذي قدم أداءً مميزًا، مما جعل الموسم الماضي من أقوى مواسم الدوري المصري في السنوات الأخيرة، أما الزمالك فقد حافظ على مكانته ضمن فرق المقدمة، رغم بعض التحديات التي واجهها خلال الموسم.

طالع أيضًا | قرار هام لـ إمام عاشور وتوجيه الشكر للاعب الفريق.. تفاصيل مُثيرة بشأن مستقبل لاعبي الأهلي

في الوقت نفسه، تتجه الأنظار الآن إلى موعد إجراء قرعة الدوري المصري للموسم الجديد، وعلم بطولات، أنه من المقرر أن تجرى في الفترة ما بين 20 و25 يوليو الجاري، لكن لم يتم تحديد اليوم الرسمي للقرعة حتى الآن.

ومن المتوقع أن تحظى القرعة بمتابعة كبيرة من الجماهير والإعلام، خاصة في ظل وجود تغييرات في بعض الفرق وتوقعات بمنافسة محتدمة على اللقب.

Gabriel Magalhaes expressed his ambition to "win some trophies" with Arsenal after signing a new contract with the Gunners.

Article continues below

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• Gabriel penned a new deal until 2029
• His previous deal was due to end in 2027
• Is currently nursing a hamstring injury

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Brazilian defender has reaffirmed his commitment to Arsenal by putting pen to paper on a new contract that will keep him in north London until 2029. He had two years remaining on his previous deal, and the contract extension is being accompanied by a wage increase, with Gabriel now reportedly earning over £100,000 per week.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Following Gabriel’s renewal, Arsenal are actively working on new contracts for several other players. William Saliba, Gabriel’s central defensive partner, is a top priority. Although Real Madrid have shown interest in the Frenchman, Berta has already begun negotiations with Saliba’s representatives to keep him at the Emirates. Additionally, the club is aiming to secure the futures of promising academy prospects Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Both players are highly rated within the club, and Arsenal are eager to tie them down as part of their youth development strategy.

• WHAT GABRIEL SAID

  Reflecting on the new deal, Gabriel expressed immense pride and optimism about his future with the club.

  "I arrived here as a young player and after almost five years, I’m so happy and I’ve learned a lot," said Gabriel. "I’m so proud of myself, it’s an amazing journey, and I’m so happy to continue it. I hope I win some trophies with this club, because I love this club and my family loves the club, too.

  "Arsenal is an amazing club and I’m so proud to sign a new contract. I love this club, I love the supporters, my teammates, I love this stadium. I’m so proud and thank you for all the support. We continue together for the future."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  While some players are renewing their commitments, others are heading for the exit. Arsenal have confirmed that midfielder Jorginho will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of June. The 33-year-old is expected to return to Brazil, with Flamengo preparing to welcome him on a free transfer. Kieran Tierney is also departing, with an agreement already in place for the Scottish left-back to rejoin Celtic after his contract concludes.

MatériaMais Notícias

O debate sobre quem deve ser o titular da lateral-esquerda, posição que ainda traz dores de cabeça ao torcedor do Fluminense, aqueceu nesta semana entre os Tricolores. Isso porque Cris Silva entrou no segundo tempo da partida contra o Cuiabá, no domingo passado, e aproveitou os minutos que teve em campo. Por isso, abaixo, o LANCE! relembra os jogadores que Fernando Diniz tem para a posição e o momento que cada um vive.

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>Eleições: veja o cenário atual da política do Fluminense

O TITULAR

Atualmente, o dono da posição é o atacante Caio Paulista, que tem atuado improvisado na lateral-esquerda. O camisa 70 ainda não convenceu a torcida, mas tem sido o escolhido de Diniz para cumprir a função.

Ele, contudo, foi desfalque na última rodada, pois estava suspenso pelo terceiro cartão amarelo. Dessa forma, abriu espaço para Pineida e Cris Silva, laterais de origem, voltarem a ganhar oportunidade no time, contra o Cuiabá.

CONTRATADOS

Por falar em Pineida e Cris Silva, os dois são reforços do Fluminense para a temporada. O primeiro chegou por empréstimo junto ao Barcelona-EQU até o fim da temporada. Já o segundo veio do Sheriff, da Moldávia, em definitivo. O clube desembolsou R$ 9 milhões para comprar o jogador, e lhe deu um contrato válido até o fim de 2024.

Entretanto, até aqui, nenhum deles conseguiu se firmar. Sem Caio Paulista no fim de semana, Diniz optou por Pineida no time titular, mas o equatoriano não fez uma boa partida e recebeu vaias da torcida no Maracanã.

Na etapa final, Cris Silva entrou, foi bem durante o período em que esteve em campo e ainda ganhou elogios de Fernando Diniz. Dessa forma, até pelo alto investimento feito, criou-se a expectativa de que ele pode reencontrar a boa forma que mostrou na Europa e voltar a brigar pela titularidade.

BASE

Por fim, a outra opção é Marcos Pedro, da base tricolor. O lateral-esquerdo é um dos destaques do time sub-23 e também é um jogador muito querido pelos torcedores.

Ele, vale lembrar, já realizou um jogo pelo time profissional em 2022 e participa de treinos com a equipe principal do Fluminense. Em julho, Marcos Pedrodetalhou ao LANCE! seu estilo de jogo e como tem sido o período de transição para o profissional (clique aqui e leia a entrevista na íntegra).

Cristiano Ronaldo has posted a motivational message on Instagram before Portugal's Nations League final against Spain on Sunday.

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Ronaldo's Portugal face SpainCR7 scored winner in semi-finalsSpain beat France 5-4Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo sent a motivation message to his Portugal team-mates before their Nations League final against Spain on Sunday. The legendary forward has the chance to win more silverware with the Selecao, having won the same tournament in 2018-19 as well as Euro 2016.

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Ronaldo is still captaining Portugal at 40 years of age and registered his 137th senior international goal when he tapped in the winner in the semi-final against Germany. However, Sunday sees them battle a Spain team that put five goals past France on Thursday, with Lamine Yamal netting twice in the ridiculous 5-4 victory.

WHAT RONALDO SAID

Posting on Instagram, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner wrote: "It's because of us. This is for you guys. It's by Portugal. Tomorrow is the day to make history again."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Yamal is one of the hopefuls for this year's Ballon d'Or but Ronaldo recently admitted he believes players who make decisive contributions in the Champions League should win it. Ousmane Dembele, who led Paris Saint-Germain to a historic 2024-25 treble, is the current favourite.