Tag Futebol

Following reports that Bryan Mbeumo favours a move to Manchester United this summer, Newcastle United have reportedly turned their attention towards a £51m alternative and PIF could soon open talks.

Mbeumo deals Newcastle frustrating blow

After qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Carabao Cup last season, it wouldn’t be absurd to assume that Newcastle entered this summer in a position of strength in the transfer window, especially compared to Manchester United. By contrast, the Red Devils suffered their worst-ever finish in the Premier League and compiled their misery by suffering defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.

Newcastle negotiating to make £113k-p/w PSG ace their second summer signing

The Magpies are on the lookout for qualify reinforcements.

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 11, 2025

Without Champions League football or European football at all, for that matter, it was easy to predict that the lure of Old Trafford simply wouldn’t be the same this summer. That assumption would have been wrong, however. The Theatre of Dreams seemingly remains exactly that. Already, Matheus Cunha has picked the Red Devils in a move worth £63m and now Mbeumo looks destined to follow suit.

It’s frustrating news for Newcastle, who will feel as though they did everything right to put themselves in a position to sign such talents. Nonetheless, they’ve been forced to look towards alternatives in hope of signing the winger that they’ve been searching for across the last 12 months.

To that end, Anthony Elanga has been the main alternative mentioned in recent weeks with Newcastle reportedly making the Nottingham Forest star their top target. But he’s not alone on their shortlist, with reports now indicating that Newcastle are also targeting a move to sign a £51m winger.

Newcastle and PIF could open Catamo talks

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle and PIF could now open talks to sign Geny Catamo from Sporting Club this summer. The Magpies are one of a number of clubs interested in the young winger in a race which includes Atletico Madrid as well as Arsenal, and may now make their move.

Sources told Caught Offside there is an expectation that some clubs test the waters with an opening offer worth as much as €30m (£25m) in the coming months. Given that Catamo reportedly has a release clause worth €60m (£51m), it seems unlikely that they will accept a sale worth less than half of that price this summer.

Minutes

1,911

3,414

Goals

5

20

Assists

2

7

Expected Goals

5.4

12.3

Whilst he did add another two goals to take his total to seven outside of league action, Catamo’s numbers should be seen as a concern for Newcastle. If they were forced to pay the winger’s full release clause, then they should keep their focus on Elanga rather than spending big on a talent who is yet to prove himself on the big stage.

Form Virgil van Dijk to Alan Hansen, Liverpool have had some of the greatest centre-backs of all time, but striker Chris Wood once revealed the toughest defender he’s ever faced is not one of their decorated legends.

The role of the enforcer in football has changed as the game has changed, with referees nowadays taking a much sterner view on two-footed tackles and late challenges.

‘Let them know you’re there’ was once a common phrase used in football dressing rooms up and down Britain, whether it be Sunday league or the Premier League, as dominant centre-backs and tough-tackling midfielders used intimidation as a tactic.

Premier League's toughest players in pictures

For Liverpool, those tackles were often performed by the likes of Jamie Carragher and Javier Mascherano, with former Manchester United winger Nani once revealing why a tackle by Carragher left him in tears: “When I saw my leg for the first time, I thought my season was finished. That is why I was crying.

“Afterwards, the doctor saw my leg and said I had been lucky because it just needed stitches and I would be out for two or three weeks. He is surprised that I could recover even quicker.”

The Sky Sports pundit only received a yellow card for the tackle on Nani, which in today’s game would have been met with a straight red and a hefty ban.

Toughest players in Premier League history ranked by Alan Shearer
10. Diego Costa
9. Jaap Stam
8. Vinnie Jones
7. David Batty
6. Stuart Pearce
5. Patrick Vieira
4. Nemanja Vidic
3. Roy Keane
2. Julian Dicks
1. Duncan Ferguson

Towards the end of Carragher’s Liverpool career the Reds signed several centre-backs with a view of becoming his successor, and perhaps one of the most beloved by fans was a 23 year-old from Slovakia called Martin Skrtel.

Chris Wood: Skrtel the toughest defender I've ever faced

Manager Rafael Benitez was thrilled when Liverpool signed Skrtel in January 2008 for a transfer fee of £6.5m, telling fans their new defender was “aggressive” and “very competitive”.

Wood, who played against Skrtel when he was a young striker at Leicester, went one further in an interview on the Premier League’s YouTube channel in 2021. He said that for all of the legendary centre-backs to grace Anfield and the Premier League as a whole, it wasn’t greats like Van Dijk who gave him his toughest test.

Skrtel left Liverpool in 2016 to sign for Fenerbahçe, and despite not winning many trophies during his time on Merseyside, is remembered fondly by Liverpool fans.

20 Best Centre-Backs in Premier League History Ranked

Where does Virgil van Dijk rank?

By
Charlie Smith

May 9, 2025

The former Slovakia international played 320 times for Liverpool, scoring 18 goals and winning the League Cup in the 2011-12 season. Interesingly, despite being yellow carded 51 times, he only ever received one red card in England, as he was sent off in a 4-0 defeat at Tottenham in September 2011.

No Healy, no Gardner but it’s no problem for Australia, who retained the Ashes in style

Andrew McGlashan20-Jan-2025Losing two key players in the hours leading up to a match, one of which is the captain, would be enough to unsettle a lot of teams, but Australia barely put a foot wrong in an emphatic performance at the SCG that retained the Ashes.It’s not job done yet for the home side, with memories of the 2023 drawn series still lingering, but it was a notable display of composure and depth.”That was a pretty special win after some great performances in the ODIs,” Beth Mooney, who made 75 off 51 balls, said. “There’s a lot of excitement within the group to do it in that fashion.”Related

Healy in doubt for rest of Ashes series as she misses first T20I

Mooney and King help clinical Australia retain Ashes

A couple of hours before the start confirmation came through that Alyssa Healy was out of the match and her prognosis for the rest of the series does not sound encouraging. Then, when the team sheet dropped, Ashleigh Gardner, who made her maiden international hundred three days ago in Hobart, was missing due to a calf strain. That was suddenly a lot of runs, wickets and experience missing.”It’s happened a little bit to us in recent times,” Mooney said.” So I think we’re a well-oiled machine when this happens. These things come up a little bit in high-performance sports. Thankfully we’ve got great support staff and a great group of players that put our arms around each other.”Rather than being knocked out of kilter, Australia came racing out of the blocks. Georgia Voll, making her T20I debut, cracked her fourth ball for four and then added three in a row against Charlie Dean in the third over. She was lbw without adding another run, but the tone was set. At times, England’s fielding fell to pieces under the pressure.Mooney led the way as a senior player with an expertly-paced innings, dispatching some wayward lines from the England bowlers but also drawing them into errors by her use of the crease. Phoebe Litchfield, elevated to No. 3, unfurled a magnificent switch-hit for six and stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath continued her batting revival with 26 off just 9 balls.

“This group’s hungry to keep getting better and I think the really important thing is that we’ve got the personnel that can keep pushing the boundaries”Beth Mooney

In the field, Kim Garth, playing her first T20I for a year, struck with her opening ball before coming in for punishment from Sophia Dunkley with 22 runs taken from her second over. But just as there was a modicum of pressure on Australia, Alana King, in her first T20I since the 2023 World Cup, bowled Nat Sciver-Brunt first ball and produced a maiden in the fifth over.Still, when England reached the 10-over mark at 96 for 3 with Dunkley having made a 24-ball fifty they had an outside chance. King then pinned Heather Knight lbw straight after drinks and that was about that.”Whilst it’s disappointing, obviously for Ash and Midge [Healy] tonight, I thought Georgia Voll played exceptionally well at the top of the order,” Mooney said. “Kim Garth hasn’t played a T20 for a little while and took [a wicket] early in the game. And obviously Alana King was back in the T20 side. So it probably was a great showcase of our depth in the end.”King is having a huge impact on this Ashes with 13 wickets now in four matches. “At the moment, it just looks like she’s going to take a wicket every ball,” Mooney said. She wants to take the game on. Those are the players that you want in your team. You throw them a ball in that situation. That fifth over…probably changed the momentum of the game pretty significantly in our favour.”It was a significant evening, too, for stand-in captain McGrath. She led in the three ODIs against India last December, but this was Australia’s first T20I since their World Cup exit to South Africa when McGrath was also standing in for the injured Healy.Amid the batting riches in Australian cricket there had started to be some speculation about McGrath’s place but her innings here followed the 38-ball half-century in the last ODI. She then claimed the wicket of Dunkley that removed any lingering potential threat to Australia.”It was really nice to see T-Mac at the other end have that partnership with me and score runs as freely as she did,” Mooney said. “I think she’s unlocked her game again.”Mooney added that Australia would enjoy the SCG victory, knowing that the Ashes are safely in their grasp again, but focus will quickly turn to Canberra where they can be won. “Hopefully, the conversation in the dressing room is we’ve got a play on Thursday like we’re on no points and that’s the start of the series,” she said. “This group’s hungry to keep getting better and I think the really important thing is that we’ve got the personnel that can keep pushing the boundaries.”Talk of 16-0 whitewash, though, was off limits – for now. “Let’s just get it to 10-0 and we’ll talk about that again,” Mooney said.On current form, few would bet against them having a chance to go for it.

Run machines – check. Pace-bowling depth – check. A gamechanger and an all-round star – check. It was a summer of plenty for Australia

Andrew McGlashan08-Jan-2023Warner, Khawaja, Labuschagne and Smith cash inEither side of a two-day Test at the Gabba, it was a summer of runs for Australia’s top order.The first innings in Brisbane was the only time they were bowled out and, for the first time, everyone from No. 1 to No. 5 made a score of at least 175. If Usman Khawaja had been able to get his 200 at the SCG it would have been just the second time four batters had scored a double in a season after England in 2011.Whether David Warner’s MCG double is the prelude to a glorious finish to his career remains to be seen – he will have to overcome poor records in India and England – but in Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith they have three run machines. However, whether we see this top order together in a home Test again is uncertain. Warner may view the Ashes as an end-point and while Smith backed away from retirement talk it is certainly an ageing, though prolific, top order.Related

Starc ruled out of first India Test, Australia select four spinners in 18-member squad

Australia don't make big spin gains at SCG ahead of India tour

Cameron Green 'touch and go' for Nagpur Test

Smith on his future: 'I really can't say how long I'll play for'

Hazlewood marks return to Australia XI with 'vintage' performance

Travis Head – a gamechanger at homeThe absence of one name above was not an oversight – Travis Head warrants a discussion of his own.After his pair of stunning Ashes hundreds last season, which earned him the Player-of-the-Series award, he has gone on to have another dominant home season. It says something that even with 99 and 175 against West Indies (chopping on against Kraigg Brathwaite and being run out), he felt he left a few out there. However, his best innings came on the devilish pitch at the Gabba where his 92 off 96 balls stood way above anything else produced in the game.His game-changing ability is certainly not a flash in the pan. Next for him, though, is turning around a poor record in the subcontinent. If he maintains the same attacking approach, it certainly won’t be dull to watch.Green will continue to be one of Australia’s most fascinating project players•Getty ImagesThe Cameron Green projectIt wasn’t exactly an unexpected conclusion, but the discussions that went into the balance of the Australia side in Sydney – and the eventual combination they settled on – just emphasised the vital role Green has in the Test side. It had been a curious home season for Green, who, until Melbourne, suffered from a lack of cricket having been involved in the white-ball sides. A maiden five-wicket haul felt like a breakout moment and then his gusty half-century with a broken finger was more worthy than its overall impact on the result. Green will continue to be one of Australia’s most fascinating projects over the next few years as he learns to balance workloads and other demands now that the IPL has come calling with their mega millions.Pace-bowling depthIt felt strong at the end of the last season. If anything, it feels even stronger now. Australia’s attack was once again able to seamlessly manage the loss of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood for the Adelaide Test with the return of Scott Boland and Michael Neser. Hazlewood, meanwhile, reminded everyone of his excellence at the SCG and Lance Morris, capable of 150kph, is now firmly in the mix. Sean Abbott and Mark Steketee remain high-quality domestic performers who may never get their chance but would not look out of their depth. An interesting one is Jhye Richardson, who was bowling superbly in the BBL before another untimely injury. If his body can stand up to the strain he may yet be a tempting option for the Ashes in England.Pat Cummins has been on his game on and off the field•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesCummins ignores the noiseEarlier in the season, Cummins gave the impression, quite rightly, of not being the slightest bit bothered by some of the nonsense reactions to his very measured stance on a few of today’s big issues that stretch beyond the cricket field. Given what the opposition served up in the five Tests, this was not the most tactically challenging pair of series for him, but he did not make many mis-steps. Bowling first in consecutive Tests was out of the usual playbook; Brisbane may not have taken much thought, but the decision in Melbourne was a trickier one and it worked out perfectly, albeit with some help from South Africa, when it meant Australia weren’t bowling on the sweltering second day. Like the team as a whole, his tenure as captain will be defined by the next seven months.What about Marcus Harris?There was the briefest of glimpses of what’s next in the Australian batting line-up with Matt Renshaw being recalled in Sydney, although in the end he was limited to 11 balls. Peter Handscomb’s addition to the squad was also an indication that he will likely go to India.Spare a thought, therefore, for Marcus Harris. He travelled around throughout the season before being released back to the BBL midway through the SCG Test. If Renshaw had been subbed out with Covid, it’s unlikely he would have been the replacement. He will hope, that when an opening vacancy does occur, perhaps next summer, he remains the next in line. More broadly, though, the tag of next-big-thing in the batting remains up for grabs.

Ravi Bopara forms part of favourites’ power-packed batting line-up

Matt Roller26-Aug-2020

Essex

Last year: 4th in South Group, winners
Captain: Simon Harmer
Coach: Anthony McGrath
In a nutshell: Snuck up on the blindside to win their maiden title last year after two wins in their first ten scheduled games, with skipper Harmer the star on Finals Day and Ravi Bopara – in his last season at the club – shining as a finisher despite his frustrations about his role. Bopara will be a big miss this year, but they still have the tools to make hay at Chelmsford.Star: While not an official overseas player thanks to his UK ancestry visa, Cameron Delport brings a wealth of franchise experience at the top of the order. His innings against Surrey – 129 off 49 balls – was the most remarkable of last year’s Blast, and his ability to score quickly and consistently against both spin and pace makes him key.One to watch: Dan Lawrence was due a breakout summer but circumstances have transpired against him and he is yet to make the England debut that seemed inevitable. He is a star in T20, playing in “ultra-aggressive” fashion and striking at 163 against spinners over the last three years.Verdict: Too reliant on batting to repeat last year’s success, but quarters on the cards
Bet365: 8/1

Hampshire

Last year: 7th in South Group
Captain: James Vince/Sam Northeast
Coach: Adi Birrell
In a nutshell: Would have reached knockouts with victory against winless Glamorgan in final group game last year but somehow let Essex sneak through instead. Significantly weakened due to injury and unavailability this season: Liam Dawson is out for the season and Aneurin Donald is unlikely to feature; James Vince’s wife is expecting her second child; Kyle Abbott, Fidel Edwards and Rilee Rossouw are stuck overseas. Discussions are ongoing with Shaheen Afridi about the possibility of staying on after Pakistan’s England tour, who would be a trump card if available.Mason Crane sets off on a celebratory run•Getty ImagesStar: After missing the 2018 tournament through injury, Mason Crane returned to T20 cricket with 11 wickets and an economy rate of 7.03 last season. With the Ageas Bowl generally spin-friendly and Hampshire playing five of their last six group games at home, he will be particularly crucial in the second half of the tournament.One to watch: Scotland opener George Munsey is one of the top short-form batsmen in the associate world, and is a smart pick-up given his ability against spin, against which he strikes at 169 since 2018. Watch out in particular for his signature switch-hits and strong wrists, with clear evidence of his days playing hockey in his youth.Verdict: Missing too many stars to have any real hope of reaching knockouts
Bet365: 10/1

Kent

Last year: 5th in South Group
Captain: Sam Billings
Coach: Matt Walker
In a nutshell: Somehow screwed up qualifications after six wins from first seven fixtures last summer, with three batting implosions in run chases and two abandonments in the final five leaving them a point short of Essex. Likely to be hampered by England call-ups for Billings and Joe Denly, but plenty of talent regardless.Alex Blake of Kent bats•Getty ImagesStar: It has been a frustrating summer for Alex Blake – known affectionately as ‘the Blake-cano’ for his ability to erupt at the back end of an innings – after his decision to sign a white-ball contract has left him twiddling his thumbs. Faded after a bright start last year, but his finishing abilities will still be crucial.One to watch: Left-arm spinner Imran Qayyum was vital last year, plugging away in the middle overs to finish with an economy rate of 7.50 and 12 wickets to his name. In an attack significantly weakened by the absences of Hardus Viljoen, Mohammad Nabi and Adam Milne, he will be the linchpin.Verdict: Attack lacks bite but quarter-finals not beyond them
Bet365: 14/1

Middlesex

Last year: 3rd in South Group, quarter-finalists
Captain: Eoin Morgan/Steven Finn
Coach: Stuart Law
In a nutshell: Reached knockouts for only the second time since their 2008 title last year, but three of the top five run-scorers last year – Dawid Malan, AB de Villiers and Paul Stirling – will play no part and new captain Morgan looks unlikely to feature between England duty and the start of the IPL. Core bowlers remain but homegrown batsmen need to step up.Nathan Sowter lets rip in celebration•Getty ImagesStar: Nathan Sowter, the legspinner who is now England-qualified, had a strong tournament last year with 16 wickets, and will be the primary spin option this season in Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s absence. The main question is whether he can work out a method against left-handers, having leaked 11.10 runs per over against them over the last two seasons.One to watch: Nick Gubbins only played three Blast games last season and has a mediocre T20 record, but has shown his white-ball potential in List A cricket and was joint player of the tournament in Australia’s National Premier T20 Championships over the winter. He should get a run of games in the top three.Verdict: Absence of batting stars will be their undoing
Bet365: 10/1

Surrey

Last year: 8th in South Group
Captain: Jade Dernbach/Gareth Batty
Coach: Vikram Solanki
In a nutshell: Second-bottom last year but only three points off third, and there are reasons to be optimistic despite absence of several England players. Rory Burns and Ben Foakes are useful middle-order rotators, while Sam Curran should be available for at least the first handful of games and Reece Topley – a reserve for the Pakistan T20Is – could come into the picture for the second half. The loan signing of Laurie Evans is a major boost.Liam Plunkett takes a drinks break•Getty ImagesStar: Will Jacks was expected to have a breakout Blast in 2019 – not least after his 25-ball hundred in a pre-season T10 game against Lancashire – but didn’t quite deliver, his 152 strike rate tempered by an average of 20.92. He is highly rated by England, and was named in their 55-man training group at the start of the summer after impressing on the Lions tour to Australia.One to watch: After his unceremonious axing by England, Liam Plunkett has a point to prove. He played only twice in the Blast last year due to injury and struggled in the Bangladesh Premier League, but impressed in the Abu Dhabi T10 and will hope that a strong tournament can be the springboard to further stints on the global short-form circuit.Verdict: In an open group, quarter finals look like a real possibility
Bet365: 11/1

Sussex

Last year: 1st in South Group, quarter-finalists
Captain: Luke Wright
Coach: Jason Gillespie
In a nutshell: Topped the nine-team South Group last year thanks to an all-star bowling attack, and the strongest team on paper by some margin in this season’s six-team version despite Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan’s likely absences. International quality throughout their batting line-up, and Gillespie will be desperate to sign off with some silverware.Delray Rawlins in full flow in the Blast quarter-final•Getty ImagesStar: Tymal Mills will lead the attack and carry much of the wicket-taking burden, with death-bowling duties likely to fall on his shoulders. With experienced spinners Danny Briggs and Will Beer set to operate in tandem in the middle, he will be required as a top-and-tail option. Fixtures come thick and fast, so it may be sensible to rest him a handful of group games.One to watch: Sussex’s likely top six is filled with stars: Wright and Phil Salt will open, with David Wiese and Bopara playing as finishers. But they have a gem at No. 4 in Delray Rawlins, the Bermudan left-hander, who has struck at 155 against spin in his Blast career and has licence to free his arms rather than just ticking over. There is extra pressure to step up after Evans’ loan move to Surrey.Verdict: Anything short of a Finals Day appearance should be considered a failure
Bet365: 9/1

New Zealand allrounder Zak Foulkes has had a whirlwind few months. The 23-year-old bagged 9 for 75, the best figures by a New Zealand bowler on Test debut, in Bulawayo in August and then in his first ODI bowling innings, made Joe Root look silly with his inswinger in Mount Maunganui in October. He is set to close out the year with his first Test, against West Indies, at Hagley Oval, his home ground for Canterbury in domestic cricket.Foulkes’ family has made plans to come down to Hagley Oval and savour the occasion. “Yeah, a few friends and family coming down tomorrow, which will be cool,” Foulkes said. “Yeah, obviously first Test match out in front of them, which will be really cool. A really special moment for me and my family.”Obviously watched a lot of Test cricket out on this venue. Yeah, being on the other side of the road this time would be very cool, very rewarding.”Related

• NZ start their WTC cycle as favourites against WI

• 'Boult-ish' Foulkes is adding breadth to NZ's pace depth

Foulkes hails from a cricketing family – his father Glen and his brothers Liam and Robbie have all represented Canterbury Country. Robbie, a top-order batter, also played for New Zealand in the 2024 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. Liam now works for Cricket Ireland as their national game development manager.Zak was also a top-order batter before bowling, more specifically swing bowling, became his primary skill. He opened the batting for Canterbury on first-class debut, but that didn’t go down too well. He has since climbed up the ranks in domestic cricket and emerged as a genuine swing bowler in international cricket.”There’s a running joke at the moment that Jacob Duffy is actually developing a wee inswing,” Foulkes laughed. “So yeah, just trying to tell him to stay in his lane a little bit. Yeah, definitely a little bit of a point of difference between the other guys [with my ability to swing the ball].”That swing has brought him success for Canterbury at Hagley Oval and he’s now preparing to harness it for New Zealand in Test cricket. “I think Test cricket is probably my No. 1 goal,” Foulkes said. “It has been for a while. I think there’s just nothing more rewarding than a red-ball win. All the toil, all the hard work that goes into it. Yeah, it’s very rewarding when you get a win.””Obviously when everyone is available there’s not too many spots up for grabs,” Zak Foulkes says of the future•Getty Images

No Kyle Jamieson. No Will O’Rourke. No Ben Sears. No Matt Fisher. No problem for New Zealand. Foulkes and Duffy, who also made his Test debut in Zimbabwe, have made a fairly seamless transition from domestic to international cricket while Central Districts fast bowler Blair Tickner has made a remarkable comeback after being out in the wilderness.”Yeah, I think we’re in a great space,” Foulkes said. “Obviously when everyone is available there’s not too many spots up for grabs. It sort of fits itself, almost. Yeah, but I guess being fast bowlers, we know there’s going to be injuries. So we have to build that depth and I think we’re in a good spot at the moment as New Zealand cricket.”Does the rise to the top feel like a blur for Foulkes? “It’s all happened pretty quickly really,” he said. “I had a big winter, had a few A tours and ended up in the UK. And then Zimbabwe obviously, where I debuted, which was cool. And then we’ve been on a little bit of a white-ball diet from then. Yeah, it’s now going to be nice to strap on the whites and bowl with the red ball for a change.”Foulkes suggested that he wasn’t expecting to play this home Test, but a surfeit of injuries has opened up another opportunity for him. He’s ready for it, with support from a cricket-mad family.

Rafa Silva has backed down from his intention to leave Besiktas and returned to training after the Turkish club threatened to report him to FIFA for unauthorised absence. The Portuguese forward, who had been complaining of pain despite clean medical scans, cited "family problems" rather than financial issues as the reason for his actions, admitting his "head was a mess".

Rafa Silva returns to Besiktas training after FIFA threat

The crisis between Portuguese forward Rafa Silva and Besiktas appears to have reached a resolution, with the player returning to individual training this week. According to a report from , Silva had been absent from training and matches, complaining of physical pain despite medical examinations, including an MRI scan, showing no underlying issues. The player had even suggested he wanted to retire with immediate effect in order to break ties with the club.

The situation escalated when Besiktas took decisive action in response to Silva's continued absence. The club's management officially registered his unauthorised absence with a notary last Thursday. Furthermore, club officials contacted Silva's agent, warning that they would file a formal complaint with FIFA if the player's refusal to train and play continued.

This firm stance from Besiktas appears to have prompted Silva to reconsider his position. Facing potential legal repercussions and with no contractual breaches by the club to justify his actions, the 32-year-old forward met with members of Besiktas' football committee to communicate his decision to return.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'The problem isn't money,' insists Rafa Silva

In his discussions with the club's management, Rafa Silva was keen to clarify the reasons behind his recent behaviour, insisting that financial motivations were not the driving force. He emphasised that he had no issues with the club's board or head coach, Sergen Yalcın.

"The problem isn't money. If it were, I would have gone to the Arab countries. I have family problems," Silva explained. He went on to reveal a long-standing desire to leave the club and return to his homeland. "In truth, I wanted to leave at the end of last season. My only wish was to return to my country, but I didn't get a positive response from the management. I was demoralised and very sad. My head was a mess."

Rafa Silva commits to Besiktas for now

Following his period of reflection and the pressure from the club, Silva has committed to fulfilling his professional obligations for the immediate future. He has already begun individual training and is expected to rejoin the team's collective sessions starting this Wednesday.

"After recent events, I've reflected again. I want this problem resolved. I'll be back playing and training," Silva stated. However, he also hinted that his long-term future at the club remains uncertain beyond the upcoming transfer window. "I don't know what will happen during the winter break, but as long as I'm given the opportunity, I'll do my best for the team."

Besiktas management reportedly received Silva's words with satisfaction, welcoming his decision to return to the fold. The experienced Portuguese forward, who joined the club in the summer of 2024 after eight seasons at Benfica, has made 16 appearances this season, scoring five goals and providing three assists.

Despite Silva's return, the underlying tension and his stated desire to leave have led Besiktas to continue their search for a potential replacement in the upcoming January transfer window. The club's management had accelerated transfer activities when Silva was absent and expressing his wish to depart.

According to Polish journalist Lukasz Olkowicz, Besiktas are showing strong interest in Patrik Hellebrand, a Czech midfielder currently playing for Gornik Zabrze in the Polish League. Reports suggest the possibility of this transfer is high, with Gornik Zabrze open to selling the player. Hellebrand has recorded three goals and one assist in 17 appearances this season.

Meanwhile, Besiktas president Serdal Adali has reportedly taken a firm stance regarding any potential move for Silva within Turkey, emphasizing that he would never allow the Portuguese forward to play for another Turkish club.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Beşiktaş TwitterWhat next for Rafa Silva and Besiktas?

Silva's immediate focus will be on reintegrating with the Besiktas squad and regaining his match fitness. His return to collective training on Wednesday will be the first step. The player will need to demonstrate his commitment on the pitch to win back the trust of head coach Yalcin, who has maintained that team selection is based solely on training performance.

For Besiktas, the upcoming weeks will be crucial in managing the situation. While Silva has returned, his long-term future remains uncertain, and the club's pursuit of a potential replacement like Hellebrand suggests they are preparing for his possible departure in the winter transfer window. The team faces upcoming league fixtures where Silva's availability and performance will be closely monitored.

The black-soil surface in Delhi will have patches of grass, interspersed with bald areas, and is expected to help spinners later on

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Oct-2025The pitch for the second and final India-West Indies Test, which starts on October 10 in Delhi, will have patches of grass interspersed with bald areas, unlike the Ahmedabad pitch for the first Test that had an even grass covering.The Delhi pitch will have a black-soil base and is likely to favour batters, with spin playing a role as the surface dries up gradually.West Indies lost the first Test inside three days after electing to bat on one of the greenest pitches in India since the World Test Championship was launched in 2019. With four millimetres of live grass covering spread over a red-soil pitch coupled with good bounce, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj gleefully went about their job on the first morning as West Indies were all out in 44.1 overs. The visitors lasted just 45.1 overs in their second innings, suffering a bruising defeat by an innings and 140 runs.The pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, though, is understood to be more batting-friendly, coupled with a quick outfield and slightly shorter boundaries. The last Test played here was the second of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2023. In that game, Australia, having elected to bat on a slow turner, lost by six wickets, inside three days.

Since taking over Manchester City in 2016, Pep Guardiola’s team has constantly evolved, going through different eras with countless top quality players key to the Sky Blues’ success.

Right now, we’re all very much living in the Erling Braut Håland-era, given that the Norwegian striker has now scored 18 goals this season, most recently on target against former club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

In behind the goalbot though, Guardiola has an array of attacking options at his disposal, but could two of these players be poised to replicate, arguably, Manchester City’s most productive ever attacking duo?

Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling's Manchester City legacy

Of players who’ve made the most appearances for Guardiola during his illustrious managerial career, Raheem Sterling ranks seventh on 292, while Kevin De Bruyne sits second with 381, behind only Bernardo Silva.

The Belgian departed for Napoli in the summer having scored 108 goals and registered 177 assists for Man City, a high proportion of which were for Sterling.

As noted by Total Football Analysis, in the 2019/20 season, De Bruyne registered 20 Premier League assists, equaling Thierry Henry’s long-standing record, with 25% of these assists providing Sterling with a goal, underlining their exceptional combination play.

The midfielder himself stated that he and Sterling had a “strong connection”, making them unquestionably one of the most dangerous attacking partnerships in modern Premier League history, winning four league titles and seven other major trophies together.

With both having now moved on to pastures new, Guardiola is searching for his next great attacking partnership, seeking to feed a certain prolific striker, so does he boast the ideal two candidates?

Manchester City's new Sterling and De Bruyne

Now that Manchester City’s treatment room has begun to empty, Guardiola has plenty of options from which to choose, with eight players battling for the four spots alongside Håland.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Against Borussia Dortmund in mid-week, Tijjani Reijnders, Savinho, Jérémy Doku and scorer of a brace Phil Foden started, while Silva, Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki were all introduced during the second half, with Oscar Bobb left in reserve.

Nevertheless, ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster Premier League clash with Liverpool, Guardiola has to prioritise establishing Cherki and Doku as a partnership.

The 22-year-old Frenchman arrived from Olympique Lyonnais for £34m in the summer with a massive reputation.

Guardiola asserted that Cherki “is one of the most talented players I have ever seen in my career”, while Lyon teammate Ainsley Maitland-Niles labelled him “an absolute… wizard with the ball”.

So far, including the Club World Cup, Cherki has scored four goals in sky blue, on target against Wolves on his Premier League debut, subsequently netting against Swansea in the EFL Cup and Dortmund in the Champions League.

Doku meantime has been consistently one of the Premier League’s most prolific dribblers since first joining the club, as the table below highlights.

Doku – PL stats
Stats	PL rank 24/25	PL rank 25/26
Attempted take-ons	2nd	2nd
Successful take-ons	1st	2nd
Progressive carries	1st	1st
Carries into area	2nd	3rd
Assists	43rd	4th
Shot-creating actions	62nd	4th
Big chances created	54th	1st
Stats via FBref & Sofascore

As the table outlines, Doku is both a high-quality and high-volume dribbler, ranked behind only Mohammed Kudus when it comes to take-ons this season.

However, ten matches into this campaign, there are signs that the Belgian will exponentially increase his attacking output, seeing a vast increase when it comes to shot-creating actions and big chances created.

In 1,514 Premier League minutes last time round, he created only eight big chances and registered just six assists, while this season, in only 549 minutes, he has already racked up five big chances created and three assists, thereby very much on course to smash last season’s tally.

Former Tottenham captain Ledley King labelled Doku “dynamic”, adding that he “likes to attack on the outside” while, following a 5-1 win over Burnley, Guardiola described the winger as “unstoppable”, interestingly noting that “I have the feeling that Jérémy’s decision-making in the final third has improved​​​​​​​”.

Reportedly earning £50k-per-week and £180k-per-week respectively, both still aged 23 or under, there are signs that Doku and Cherki are both realising their true potential at Man City.

On paper, Cherki’s creativity and eye for a pass, coupled with Doku’s flair, pace and off-the-scale dribbling ability, has all the ingredients to replicate when De Bruyne and Sterling were able to produce for many years.

Thus, it is over to Guardiola to ensure this duo can flourish together, starting on Sunday when Liverpool visit the Etihad in a match not to be missed.

Forget Haaland & Foden: 41-touch star had "his best game in a Man City shirt"

Man City beat Borussia Dortmund 4-1 and this player starred

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 6, 2025

The need for results over the coming weeks has been heightened. Arne Slot made a telling comment on his hopes of Liverpool progressing deep into the Carabao Cup when fielding a much-rotated team with a bench full of youngsters (average age of 19) against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.

The Eagles won 3-0, their third win over the Reds this term, and that’s now six losses from seven matches in all competitions for Slot’s side, who are very much in crisis mode.

The Dutch boss had turned his attention toward the daunting run of upcoming fixtures before the opening whistle screeched in midweek, and now there is not an emphasis but an expectation that wins will be struck to stop the rot and turn back toward the compelling title defence that was anticipated after a summer of record-breaking spending.

01/11/25

Premier League

Aston Villa (H)

04/11/25

Champions League

Real Madrid (H)

09/11/25

Premier League

Man City (A)

22/11/25

Premier League

Nott’m Forest (H)

26/11/25

Champions League

PSV (H)

If we can take a sliver of optimism from this abject run of form, it’s that, having played an overload of matches away from home, four of the next five take place down Anfield Road, having lost on home soil to Palace on Wednesday too.

There simply has to be a swift upswing. Looking at it from a wider lens, though, it may well be that some Redmen have entered the final phase of their careers on Merseyside.

The Liverpool players Hughes needs to sell

Sporting director Richard Hughes was lauded after his emphatic summer transfer window, overseeing a staggering rebuild at Liverpool after Slot defied expectations to win the Premier League in his first year at the helm.

But the summer upheaval has sent it all in a bit of a spin. Still. Though we must reserve judgement on under-firing newbies such as Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, there are certain veterans at the club who aren’t pulling their weight.

Take, for example, Joe Gomez, who is Liverpool’s longest-serving player but now shows the rust of a man who has been afforded few chances to impress in recent years, with injuries and superiorities elsewhere in defence keeping him on the fringe.

Against Palace, the England international struggled to impress, lacking any semblance of command in a backline that was without the calming presence of Virgil van Dijk.

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

3

Errors made

1

Touches

92

Accurate passes

69/76 (91%)

Possession lost

9x

Recoveries

5

Tackles

1/1

Interceptions

3

Clearances

8

Ground duels

1/3

Aerial duels

3/4

Wataru Endo has been something of a stalwart since arriving at the club for a smart fee in 2023, but the 32-year-old’s role has diminished as his time in England has dragged on.

Stodgy athleticism and limitations on the ball have kept the Japan captain from being anything more than a tackle-first substitute under Slot’s wing, and now it appears he is approaching the end of an illustrious couple of years in Liverpool, unable to offer a viable solution at number six.

Liverpool should have better options in the middle of the park, in any case, but that doesn’t appear to be so as the 2025/26 campaign rolls into its fourth month.

The Liverpool midfielder who's failing Slot

We’ve been here before. Jurgen Klopp’s injury-hit Premier League champions were overwhelmed across the 2020/21 campaign, and scrambled to salvage Champions League football toward the end of the term.

But the deterioration of 2022/23 was more concerning, with the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho flattering to deceive in the middle of the park. The Reds needed to rebuild, and so fashioned together the title-winning engine room of the past few years.

The standout of that rebuild has been Alexis Mac Allister, instrumental to lifting Liverpool back off the ground in 2023/24, after joining from Brighton for around £35m, and then revelling in winning the Premier League last season.

Now, he’s fallen off a proverbial cliff, with his sedentary performances in midfield not those of an elite, robust midfielder. One Liverpool content creator actually said it “looks like Fabinho’s season”, when the Brazilian slumped from his formerly imperious level as the midfield anchor, his legs gone.

Goals

0.17

0.00

Assists

0.17

0.19

Touches

64.41

63.09

Pass completion (%)

83.5

83.5

Shot-creating actions

4.16

2.84

Progressive passes

6.13

3.60

Progressive carries

1.25

2.27

Successful take-ons

0.55

0.00

Ball recoveries

5.13

4.74

Tackles & interceptions

4.05

2.65

The data does suggest that Mac Allister lacks his former vim and vigour, but given that he is only 26 years old and regarded as a “superstar” of a midfielder, as has been said by pundit Joe Cole, this is deeply worrying for those of a red persuasion.

For Fabinho, though only 29 at the time of his £40m transfer to Al-Ittihad, had played 219 high-octane, turbo-charged matches as the heartbeat of Klopp’s Liverpool team, and going from 1.25 carries per game in his first season in England to an average of only 0.51 in 2022/23 emphasises his loss of athleticism.

For a player of Mac Allister’s all-encompassing midfield quality, it’s imperative that Slot gets a tune out of him once again. If the Argentine does not click into gear this season, Liverpool will struggle to hit their stride.

There will be an expectation around Anfield that Mac Allister’s dip in form is not permanent, and that he’s back on his A-game before long.

However, this startling drop-off dredges up unwanted memories of Fabinho’s own fall from grace at Anfield, and Slot will be gravely hoping that lightning hasn’t struck twice on the Liverpool squad.

Another Chiesa: Slot's treatment of Liverpool star is a "sackable offence"

Liverpool have a shrewd solution to one of their biggest problems this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2025