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Duílio Monteiro Alves, ex-presidente do Corinthians, se posicionou em relação às dívidas do Corinthians com empresários, que ultrapassa R$ 200 milhões, e atacou a gestão de Augusto Melo.

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Duílio admitiu que as dívidas do Timão se aproximaram a R$ 1 bilhão, e salientou que, durante seu mandato, conseguiu reduzir consideravelmente a quantia.

– O Corinthians não tem apenas os R$ 217 milhões em dívidas com empresários. Qualquer pessoa atenta aos balancetes e balanços anuais do Corinthians sabe que o clube chegou perto de somar R$ 1 bilhão em dívidas gerais e que, nos últimos três anos, nossa administração conseguiu não apenas estancar esse crescimento como reduzir significativamente o montante. Tudo isso restará apontado no balanço 2023 do clube.

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O ex-mandatário alvinegro detonou a forma como Augusto Melo e a atual gestão vem conduzindo o Corinthians.

– Infelizmente, a atual diretoria tem demonstrado uma assombrosa disposição de aumentar as dívidas da pior forma possível, sem trazer QUALQUER benefício administrativo ou esportivo de destaque. Rasga contratos vantajosos, aciona cláusulas de multa de forma negligente, fere cláusulas contratuais de confidencialidade – gerando incômodos em parceiros formais – e mente sobre valores e tempos de contrato.

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VEJA NA ÍNTEGRA A NOTA OFICIAL DE DUÍLIO MONTEIRO ALVES

Em razão do noticiário a respeito das dívidas que o Corinthians tem com empresários de jogadores, considero que é preciso esclarecer alguns pontos sobre o tema.

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O Corinthians não tem apenas os R$ 217 milhões em dívidas com empresários. Qualquer pessoa atenta aos balancetes e balanços anuais do Corinthians sabe que o clube chegou perto de somar R$ 1 bilhão em dívidas gerais e que, nos últimos três anos, nossa administração conseguiu não apenas estancar esse crescimento como reduzir significativamente o montante. Tudo isso restará apontado no balanço 2023 do clube.

Tanto é que os veículos de comunicação tornaram público em 2023 que, no balanço de 2022, houve forte redução das quantias devidas a representantes de jogadores.

Infelizmente, a atual diretoria tem demonstrado uma assombrosa disposição de aumentar as dívidas da pior forma possível, sem trazer QUALQUER benefício administrativo ou esportivo de destaque. Rasga contratos vantajosos, aciona cláusulas de multa de forma negligente, fere cláusulas contratuais de confidencialidade – gerando incômodos em parceiros formais – e mente sobre valores e tempos de contrato.

Depois, só lhes resta um último recurso: atribuir a gestões anteriores o caos que eles mesmos promovem, anunciando jogadores que depois perdem, porque também já ficou claro para os representantes e atletas o tamanho da insegurança jurídica.

É lamentável que uma diretoria proclame que se preparou por seis anos para gerir o Corinthians para depois apostar no discurso de terra arrasada para encobrir trapalhadas e irresponsabilidade.

Ao invés disso, deveriam alinhar os procedimentos entre o Departamento de Futebol, o Marketing, Jurídico e o Financeiro, tal como preconizado pelo documento de recomendações produzido pelo clube junto com a Falconi, que foi solenemente ignorado.

Atenciosamente, Duilio Monteiro Alves

31º presidente do Corinthians (2021-2023)

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Corinthiansduílio monteiro alves

Jackson Chourio, the 20-year-old Milwukee Brewers' wunderkind, is the youngest player on any MLB roster right now. So Chourio could be forgiven if the moment of October baseball was a little too big for him—he's simply never seen anything like it.

But that couldn't be further from reality, especially after Chourio's two-home run game on Wednesday night kept the Brewers, on the brink of elimination against the New York Mets, alive in their Wild Card series.

Not only did Chourio's performance save the club's season, but it also put the rookie in a class with one of the game's greatest players ever, Babe Ruth. The Brewers outfielder is the first player to hit two game-tying homers in the same postseason game since Ruth did so for the 1928 New York Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series.

Chourio's first homer tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning. His second long ball was much more dramatic.

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Chourio led off the inning with a game-tying homer that electrified the fans at American Family Field. Milwaukee would go on to take the lead on a two-run homer by outfielder Garrett Mitchell moments later.

But make no mistake. Chourio's home runs were the spark that ignited the club—and its ballpark.

I think I still feel the adrenaline," Chourio said through his interpreter. "It was a very special moment for me, and it's one I'm going to look back on and remember for the rest of my life."

In addition to joining the Babe in baseball lore, Chourio also became the fifth-youngest player to hit two homers in a postseason game.

Chourio and the Brewers will take on the Mets in a win-or-go-home Game 3 on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET.

Najmul Hossain Shanto’s run-out in the 17th over and the two-wicket 18th over, Taskin said, turned the match in Sri Lanka’s favour

Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Jul-2025

“I was expecting we would win with five to seven overs in hand,”Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed said after the first ODI. He was right to think that that was the strongest possibility, as Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto took them to 96 for 1 at the end of 16 overs in a chase of 245.But frequently, expectations are not reality. And collapses happen. Bangladesh lost seven wickets in the time it took them to score five runs.What sparked the collapse was a good piece of fielding by debutant Milan Rathnayake, which helped run Shanto out for 23. Not long after, Wanindu Hasaranga had Litton Das and Tanzid in the same over.Related

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“Those two wickets in one over was the turning point for them,” Taskin said. “Definitely, we batted badly in the middle phase, but we had a great start with 100 runs in 16 overs. Then 100 for 2 and 107 [105] for 8 – that was very costly.Perhaps Bangladesh’s best batter of the evening was Jaker Ali, who hit 51 off 64 balls.”When Jaker got set, he was batting very well,” Taskin said. “He scored a fifty. With him, if we had two or three batters left, then we could have won the match. Yes, it’s accepted that we didn’t bat well, but seeing two or three guys bat on this wicket, it doesn’t feel like the wicket was that bad. That was our failure.”Taskin said that perhaps “panic” had been the reason for the loss.”Yeah, after that great start, we were a bit relaxed that everything was going our way, and suddenly, that run-out and one of our set batters, Tamim [Tanzid], got out,” he said. “Then we panicked a bit. We didn’t play our natural game, and under pressure, we collapsed. That’s how we lost this match.”

Just five days after the transfer window slammed shut the shock news emerged from Tottenham Hotspur that Daniel Levy would be leaving the club.

It’s the end of an era and whatever you say about the former chairman’s stint at Spurs, he did deliver success. Under his watch, a remarkably impressive new stadium was built, they reached a Champions League final and won the Europa League. Not bad, really, eh?

Sadly, the Lilywhites have largely always been the bridesmaid rather than the bride. They’ve failed to soar to the next level but under Thomas Frank they will hope things change.

Perhaps a big £100m investment could help? Last week, it was announced that ENIC, which, before this transaction, owned nearly 86.91% of Spurs, have provided £100m in new funding to Spurs. The sum has been provided to ENIC via the Lewis family trust which did own 70% of ENIC and 61% of Spurs.

Essentially, ENIC have provided the cash in exchange for shares, increasing its ownership stake in the club, increasing its percentage in Tottenham Hotspur to 87.62%.

The Athletic understand that the £100m may not be added to a transfer war chest, but extra investment can’t he a hindrance. Perhaps there will be some extra room for manoeuvre in the transfer window anyway.

Will a Harry Kane return come about as a result?

Could Harry Kane return to Spurs?

When Kane left north London behind in August 2023, he did so with the blessing of the fanbase.

The club could not provide him with the silverware he craved and so he departed for Bayern Munich having scored 280 times in 435 outings, making him the club’s all-time record goalscorer.

Spurs

435

280

England

107

74

Bayern

106

103

Millwall

27

9

Orient

18

5

Leicester

15

2

Norwich

5

0

Since heading to Germany, he has taken his game to a whole new level and is now in the conversation to win the Ballon d’Or next year, currently ranking as the fourth favourite to take home the award.

Why? Well, the England skipper has been in remarkable form during 2025/26. He has scored a mind-boggling 18 goals in just ten fixtures, cementing himself as the most prolific forward on the planet.

Despite that, there is a hope that one day he will return to Spurs. Reports in recent months have suggested that they were ready to launch a bid to re-sign their former striker if given encouragement by the player.

Kane’s currrent deal in Germany ends in 2027 and there is a release clause of £56.7m that could reportedly be activated next summer.

Sadly for Spurs supporters, the player could look to extend his terms. Speaking to the press last week, the centre forward commented: “In terms of staying longer I could definitely see that. I have not had those conversations with Bayern yet but if they were to arise I would be willing to talk and have an honest conversation.”

It’s safe to say Frank could certainly do with Kane. While the former Brentford boss has made Spurs look like a more organised and defensively sound outfit, they are struggling to score goals.

Four players hold the honour of being the club’s top scorer this term, with Joao Palhinha, Brennan Johnson, Richarlison and Micky van de Ven all level on three. That rather says it all, really.

That being said, by the time Kane’s deal at Bayern ends, he will be 34. Younger legs will be required.

The Harry Kane alternative Spurs must sign

Bringing back their record scorer to the club would be an incredible way for ENIC to begin the post-Levy era but it’s perhaps not the smartest use of their funds.

A striker will likely be signed within the next year but they must not neglect the flanks either. That’s where Bournemouth talisman, Antoine Semenyo, comes in.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Far-fetched? Quite possibly, but reports emerged last week indicating that Spurs were preparing a move to sign the winger in January, with Frank allegedly making it clear that he is “the perfect fit” for his team.

Few would find a reason not to sign Semenyo in 2026. Erling Haaland aside, he has been the best player in the Premier League this season, scoring six goals and registering three assists in his seven outings to date.

The wide forward has taken his game to a whole new level. In 2024/25, he exited the campaign having scored 13, 11 of which came in the league. He’s currently on course to obliterate that record, rubberstamping precisely why every top side in the division, Spurs included, should be looking to sign him next year.

In the words of former Spurs and England star, Chris Waddle, Semenyo is now “definitely the best winger in England right now”.

Predominantly preferred off the right flank, Mohammed Kudus may not be too pleased about this signing but the summer arrival has the skillset to play off the left and through the middle too.

One has to say; the thought of Kudus, Spurs’ “player of the season” in the words of reporter Alasdair Gold, linking up with Semenyo is a scary thought indeed.

It would, of course, be scary to see him linking up with Kane but that feels like a pipe dream right now. Semenyo is certainly more realistic and he could use Kudus’ marvellous creativity to take him to even greater heights.

Both representing Ghana at international level, there is a pre-existing relationship there both on and off the field.

Kane is every supporter’s dream but Semenyo would be an incredible signing. There is a reason both Liverpool and Arsenal are reportedly interested in his services.

Biggest star since Kane: Spurs are brewing "one of England's best talents"

Tottenham Hotspur already have their next biggest England star on Thomas Frank’s books.

1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 11, 2025

After Tottenham Hotspur finished in 17th place in the Premier League last season, new boss Thomas Frank was always going to have a huge task on his hands – especially without the help of Bryan Mbeumo.

During his time at Brentford, the Dane was able to rely upon the attacker to produce the goods in the final third, which undoubtedly contributed to his impressive tenure across the capital.

The Cameroonian international netted 20 Premier League goals in 2024/25 – the best return of his career to date – highlighting how impressive the 26-year-old was under Frank’s guidance.

Such form led to the 51-year-old trying to sign him after taking over as Lilywhites boss, but the forward decided in favour of a £71m transfer to join Manchester United instead.

There’s no denying that missing out on his signature would have been a bitter blow to Frank, but instead he was able to delve into the market to land another one of his summer targets.

Mohammed Kudus’ start to life at Spurs

In a move that somewhat caused controversy, Spurs landed the signature of winger Mohammed Kudus from London rivals West Ham United during Frank’s first transfer window.

The deal was worth in the region of £55m excluding potential add-ons, with real hope that the Ghanaian would improve the options currently available within the final third.

It may be only early days into his career in North London, but the 25-year-old has wasted no time in impressing the fanbase and looking to be worth every penny of his big-money transfer fee.

Kudus has failed to score to date, but he has been a constant creative threat, often causing the opposition backline no end of problems – whether that be in Europe or domestically.

He’s laid on four assists for his teammates in his nine appearances across all competitions, with his cameo against Bodo Glimt on Tuesday further showcasing his talents with the ball at his feet.

Despite featuring for just half an hour off the bench, Kudus posted a total of five successful dribbles – a tally that was higher than any other player on the pitch.

There’s no disputing that the winger has taken no time in impressing for the Lilywhites, but there’s another player on the books that could be Frank’s next Mbeumo in North London.

The Spurs player who’s Frank’s next Mbeumo

As previously mentioned, Frank was able to get the best out of Mbeumo, subsequently transforming him into an elite-level talent after joining the Bees from French side Troyes back in the summer of 2019.

The duo’s partnership really was something to fear, leading to the Cameroonian ending last year as one of only five players in the division to bag 20 goals or more.

Delving into the market at the first opportunity showcased his desire for new additions to help emulate the talent he had at his disposal at the GTEC.

However, he may already have his next Mbeumo in the form of Brennan Johnson, with the Welshman a player who’s previously been of huge admiration to the boss.

During his time with the Bees, the Dane tried to land the winger on numerous occasions, even placing multiple bids for his services when he was at Nottingham Forest.

Evidently, his attempts to secure his signature were unsuccessful, leading to Johnson moving to Spurs in a £47.5m deal from the Reds back in the summer of 2023.

Whilst he’s come under fire in recent times, there’s no denying the player has been worth the huge money spent on his services, with the attacker often popping up in key moments.

Johnson, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, registered 18 goals in all competitions last season – the highest of any player in the squad – even netting the winner in the Europa League final.

Such a tally showcases the clinical nature he possesses when in front of goal, similar to that of Mbeumo, with the Welshman having the tools to be the manager’s next version of the forward.

Spurs’ top scorers in the PL (2024/25)

Player

Tally

1. Brennan Johnson

11

2. James Maddison

9

= Dominic Solanke

9

3. Dejan Kulusevski

7

= Heung-min Son

7

4. Richarlison

4

5. Pape Sarr

3

Stats via FotMob

The comparison is also evident given their similar roles, with both players able to operate off the right-hand side, or even in central areas – something which is less seen with the Lilywhites star.

Both have also had a knack for often being ineffective before popping up with key goals at crucial moments, as seen by the Spurs star’s performance against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup.

The addition of Kudus has reduced the game time of the 24-year-old in recent months, which could result in fewer minutes and make it harder to replicate his form from the European-winning campaign.

However, given the manager’s previous attempts to sign him, there’s no doubt he has faith in the attacker to be a success during his tenure in charge of the Lilywhites.

Johnson is a player who hugely relies on confidence to thrive, with the manager desperately needing to put his arm around him and back him if he is to match the heights of Mbeumo in the years ahead.

Related Spurs flop is proving to be their biggest waste of money since Ndombele

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Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb Oct 2, 2025

Theo Walcott couldn't bring himself to put friend and former team-mate Gareth Bale on top of a five-player list of Premier League legends, even when afforded the chance to amend his blind ranking. The two ex-wingers, both known for their blistering pace and energy, shared a flat during their youth days at Southampton but are now retired from playing.

• Bale's immense career not enough to convince Walcott

  Bale is considered one of the most entertaining and dynamic forwards in British footballing history. At club level, he represented the Saints and Tottenham Hotspur on UK shores, before becoming a global superstar at Real Madrid, winning 16 major trophies in the white of Los Blancos before ending his career with a brief stint in Major League Soccer with LAFC. The 36-year-old is also well remembered for his exploits with the Wales national team, becoming their most-capped and highest-scoring player during the Dragons’ golden era which saw them qualify for two European Championships and their first World Cup in over 50 years.

  However, these achievements weren’t enough for close mate Walcott to rank him as his No.1 on a blind ranking of Premier League legends for GOAL Global for Topps FC, despite being given the chance to amend his selections.

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  Walcott explains decisions as Salah comes out on top

  Liverpool’s Egyptian King, Mohamed Salah, was the first name put to Walcott to blindly rank. A little conservatively, he put him in the provisional position of second. Bale followed, who had to settle for third. Eden Hazard and Son Heung-min were next up, with Walcott putting them at fourth and fifth respectively as he waited on a name who he believed was definitively better than Salah. Last up was David Silva to take top spot, with Walcott describing the former Manchester City playmaker as an "absolute legend".

  In a show of good faith, Walcott was allowed to rejig the order after completing the ranking blind. This was, however, not enough for Bale to take first place, which instead went to Salah. Nevertheless, the Welshman was upgraded to second, one spot above Silva who dropped into third.

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• Walcott and Bale's relationship explained

  Walcott and Bale are two of the finest products to ever emerge from Southampton’s famed academy, which has also churned out the likes of Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alan Shearer and Matt Le Tissier. In a 2014 interview, Walcott opened up on their relationship and how his fellow wing wizard loved a practical joke.

  "I roomed with Gareth and shared digs with him right up to the day I moved to Arsenal [in 2006]", Walcott said. "He was good company but you were always grateful if you got back to your room unscathed when Gareth was around as he was a bit of a prankster. I had to be wary. He would do stunts like putting water on top of your door to try and soak you as you walked in, and silly things like that."

It has been a slow start to life at Manchester United for Benjamin Sesko. The Slovenian joined the Red Devils over the summer, costing the club £74m, including £66.3m plus add-ons. He signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford.

Yet, the 22-year-old has not really hit the ground running since his big-money move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig. The six-foot-five centre-forward is being eased in by manager Ruben Amorim, and has played just 80 Premier League minutes. He did play a full game in the Carabao Cup defeat away to Grimsby Town, but did not score.

Despite the slow start for Sesko, the same cannot be said for fellow summer signing Matheus Cunha.

Cunha’s start to life at United

Football statistician Statman Dave said it best: Cunha is “going to light up Old Trafford this season”. The Brazilian has started life for the Red Devils in excellent fashion, despite not finding the back of the net yet.

A starter in all four of United’s games so far this term, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers player has added a real spark to Amorim’s attack with his directness and creativity.

He’s come close to scoring several times, with this effort against Fulham one of the closest.

The underlying numbers from Cunha’s time at United so far highlight how well he has started. The Brazil international averaged 1.3 key passes and 1.7 successful dribbles per 90 minutes already this season, as per Sofascore.

Unfortunately for the Red Devils, the 26-year-old picked up an injury in their most recent Premier League clash against Burnley at Old Trafford. It was serious enough for Amorim to substitute Cunha 31 minutes into the game.

At this stage, it is unclear if the Brazilian attacker will be back in time for Sunday’s Manchester Derby at the Etihad Stadium. If not, Amorim has someone waiting in the wings to unleash.

United’s ready-made Cunha replacement

Despite Cunha’s injury, United are not short of options for one of those number ten roles next to Bryan Mbeumo. Bruno Fernandes could be pushed higher up the pitch, Amad could move from wingback, and Kobbie Mainoo could get a well-deserved first Premier League start.

But the ideal option for Amorim to unleash could be Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee. Described as a “monster” of an attacker by football analyst Ben Mattinson, the 24-year-old impressed in the second half of last season, especially as a number ten.

Having featured in 34 games under United’s Portuguese manager so far, Zirkzee has found the back of the net six times and assisted one goal.

One of those strikes came in the 2-2 draw away to Olympique Lyon in the Europa League, a goal which proved crucial given the fact United were 7-6 aggregate victors.

One of Zirkzee’s biggest strengths is his silky link-up play. The attacker, who can play as a centre-forward as well as a number 10, is excellent when it comes to dropping into pockets of space to link play together with quick give-and-go passes.

He also excels in one-vs-one situations in tight spaces, able to dance past defenders with his quick feet, often leaving them in the dust. Although he doesn’t possess lightning-quick pace, his superb technical ability shines through.

Indeed, the stats from the Europa League last season back up the theory that those attributes are his very best.

For example, he had a 70% take-on success rate and played 3.4 progressive passes per 90 minutes. Those metrics place him in the top 2% and 6% of forwards in the competition last season.

Zirkzee – 24/25 Europa League

Stat (per 90)

Number

Percentile

Expected assists

0.2

86th

Progressive passes

3.4

94th

Key passes

1.19

71st

Shot-creating actions

3.23

79th

Take-on success rate

70%

98th

Stats from FBref

Zirkzee could be the perfect option for Amorim to unleash as one of the number 10s. He has only played an hour or so of football this season, but he is perfectly suited to playing in that same role as Cunha.

It means the likes of Sesko would miss out on a spot in the starting lineup, but Zirkzee’s technical ability might be too good for Amorim to ignore, going into a huge week for the Red Devils.

Related Man Utd talent who left the club for £0 has been outscoring Sesko & Mbeumo

Manchester United may have made a mistake in allowing one former talent to depart Old Trafford.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 11, 2025

Leeds United are looking to force some late deals over the line in the market and were closing in on their next summer capture before being hijacked.

Leeds release Patrick Bamford as space opened for fresh faces

After making it clear that the former England international wasn’t part of his Premier League plans, Daniel Farke took the step to release Patrick Bamford this week to free up space in his forward line amid the Whites’ hunt for reinforcements.

Largie Ramazani has moved on loan to Valencia, and Isaac Schmidt will spend the season at Werder Bremen. However, news that the experienced striker has been let go has become a late talking point at Elland Road.

Addressing his departure, former Chelsea man Bamford admitted he has been left feeling ‘raw’ regarding recent events, though looked back on pride at what he achieved during his time in Yorkshire.

He stated on social media: “Right now, with the way it has come to an end and the way things have been handled recently it is all too raw for me to reflect on immediately. But in the years to come, I will look back at this period of my life with nothing but joy and pride and be super happy with what I have achieved.

“I want to thank all the managers I played under but especially Marcelo Bielsa. I don’t know where the club would be without the foundations he laid.”

With that now said and done, Leeds are lining up a move for Getafe forward Christantus Uche after his move to Wolves stalled. Meanwhile, they have also made a late approach to sign German forward Timo Werner.

Time is running out to conclude deals, though they were moving closer to bringing in a much-needed element of creativity to bolster the ranks.

Leeds hijacked by Chelsea in Facundo Buonanotte deal

Taking to social media platform X, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook confirmed Leeds were closing in on Facundo Buonanotte, offering credit to fellow reporter Ben Jacobs as the Whites near a deal to land the Brighton & Hove Albion attacking midfielder.

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However, since this, it has been revealed that Chelsea have moved to hijack Leeds’ deal for Buonanotte after they missed out on Xavi Simons to Tottenham.

Labelled “huge talent” by Jacek Kulig, the Argentina international spent last season on loan at Leicester City, amassing six goals and three assists in 35 appearances.

Now likely to follow that up with a loan to Stamford Bridge, the 20-year-old could have moved to Yorkshire and offer a degree of versatility in the forward areas, given his capability to feature in the ten role or as a right winger. FBRef claim his play style is similar to the likes of Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, with both players thriving on a per 90 minutes basis for defensive metrics.

Indeed, both the Brighton starlet and Bellingham rank in the top 25 per cent for tackles, interceptions, blocks, clearances and aerials won when compared to other attacking midfielders over the last 365 days, offering some insight into the pressing benefits of having him in the team.

Ao Tanaka’s recent injury left a slot for another midfielder to enter Farke’s rotation, and Buonanotte would have allowed the German coach to shuffle things around in the engine room, but Leeds now need to look elsewhere.

Rafael Leao admitted he 'can’t take risks' with his injury, ruling him out against Bologna and leaving AC Milan unsure when their star man will return.

• Leao sidelined with calf injury
• Ruled out of Bologna showdown
• Portuguese star won’t risk setback

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Leao picked up an injury during Milan's Coppa Italia tie against Bari last month, which forced him off in the first half. Despite returning to training, the 26-year-old admitted he “can’t take risks” with his recovery, leaving coach Massimiliano Allegri short of attacking options ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Portuguese winger's absence is a major blow for Milan, who have shown mixed form in recent weeks – suffering a shock 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Cremonese before bouncing back with a 2-0 win over Lecce. Without their talisman, Allegri will rely on Santiago Gimenez and Christian Pulisic in attack, though both are returning late from international duty. New signing Christopher Nkunku has been training well during the break and could make his Serie A debut, but his fitness is not yet at full capacity.

• WHAT RAFAEL LEAO SAID

  Speaking at the Gentleman Award ceremony, Leao explained: "I'm working to return as soon as possible, but it's an injury that can't be taken risks. As for me, a centre-forward? It's a position I know well. I'll make myself available to the coach to play as a central striker or as a winger."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AC MILAN?

  Leao’s return date remains uncertain, with Milan keen to avoid aggravating the issue. The Portuguese forward is expected to sit out at least another game, as the Rossoneri prepare to face Bologna in Serie A on Sunday, September 14. In his absence, Allegri will continue to experiment with Gimenez, Pulisic and possibly Nkunku in attack. Milan will be desperate for their No.10 to recover quickly as the fixtures pile up.

Russell Martin will manage his first competitive game in charge of Glasgow Rangers later this month when his side take on Panathinaikos in the second round of Champions League qualifiers.

The Light Blues have already confirmed their squad list for the two-legged clash with the Greek side, with a number of summer arrivals to Ibrox expected to make their debuts.

Nasser Djiga, Emmanuel Fernandez, Joe Rothwell, Max Aarons, Djeidi Gassama, Lyall Cameron, and Thelo Aasgaard have all been named in the squad and could debut against Panathinaikos.

Rangers supporters may be looking forward to seeing some of the new players in action, as they look to move on from the 2024/25 campaign, which ended trophyless for the club.

Gassama is one of the players who fans may be most excited to see play in these two games, as the French forward is an exciting wide player who can provide quality at the top end of the pitch.

What Djeidi Gassama could bring to Rangers

The 21-year-old flanker has the potential to get supporters off their feet with his direct play on the wing, having ranked in the top 4% of his positional peers in the Championship for successful dribbles (66) last season.

Gassama likes to take on opposition full-backs to burst into space on the left wing, which then opens the space for him to make an impact in and around the box as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

As well as exciting supporters with his dribbling ability, the former Paris Saint-Germain youngster can also score goals and create chances at an impressive rate.

Whilst a tally of just one assist in the Championship last season does not suggest that he is going to be the next Ryan Kent, his underlying numbers paint a different picture ahead of his Rangers bow.

As you can see in the table above, Gassama ranked highly among fellow wingers in the division at creating chances and creating xA, which suggests that he was unfortunate to end the campaign with one assist.

This means that the new Gers signing could bring goals, dribbles, assists, and, of course, excitement to Ibrox with his performances for the club in the 2025/26 campaign and, hopefully, beyond.

Rangers reportedly paid a fee of £2.2m to sign the young attacker, potentially boosted by Sheffield Wednesday’s financial issues after they were hit with an embargo for not paying players or staff on time, and they could repeat their Gassama move with another swoop for one of their players.

Rangers plotting bid for Sheffield Wednesday star

According to TEAMtalk, Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles has emerged as a key target for Kevin Thelwell and Martin this month.

The report claims that the English Championship side’s financial situation has left them open to offers for their players, which is what played a part in Gassama’s move, and the Northern Ireland international is one of the stars who could be on his way out.

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It states that the Scottish Premiership giants are considering an offer to snap him up from the Owls, as they look to add to their options between the sticks.

TEAMtalk adds that Charles is ‘enthusiastic’ about a potential move to Ibrox and that his ‘confidence’ on the ball makes him an ideal fit for what Martin wants from his goalkeeper next season.

This suggests that personal terms may not be much of an issue, if at all, for Rangers to deal with if they are able to agree a fee with Sheffield Wednesday for the player, should they make the bid that they are now weighing up.

Why Rangers should sign Pierce Charles

The Gers should push to get a deal done for Charles in the coming weeks because it would be a repeat of the blinder they played with Gassama, taking advantage of an unfortunate situation to land a potential bargain.

On paper, a £2.2m fee for a 21-year-old winger who produced exciting performances in the Championship last season looks like a fantastic piece of business by the club, as he is a promising player with a lot of room left ahead of him to grow and develop.

Charles presents a similar opportunity for the Gers, given that the report mentions that their financial situation has opened them up to the possibility of a sale, although it remains to be seen how much money they will have to spend on the EFL gem.

The 19-year-old goalkeeper only became the Sheffield Wednesday number one towards the end of last season, but he has been capped six times by Northern Ireland already.

The teenage sensation, who was described as an “amazing” player by former youth teammate Anthony Elanga, could be an upgrade on Jack Butland at Ibrox, if he can build on the promising form he displayed in eight games in the Championship.

As you can see in the table above, Charles has the potential to offer more to the team between the sticks as a shot-stopper, a claimer of crosses, and as a distributor.

His long pass accuracy, in particular, is an interesting statistic to highlight because it suggests that he is far more efficient at picking long passes out and executing them to get the team up the pitch, which may be useful when Martin wants his team to evade a press.

Butland is not as efficient with his long passing and that could lead to situations where Rangers are forced to cough up possession too often if the opposition try to press Rangers high and force the Englishman into launching it back to them.

Add in Charles’ superior shot-stopping statistics, which suggest that he could prevent more goals from being scored past him, and it seems as though Rangers could have a huge talent on their hands if they are able to bring him to the club.

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By
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Jul 17, 2025

Therefore, Rangers could repeat their seemingly impressive Gassama signing by swooping to agree a potentially cut-price deal for Charles, who could be a fantastic addition to the squad, for now and for the future.