كشفت تقارير صحفية عن مفاجأة بشأن الأسطورة الأرجنتينية ليونيل ميسي نجم إنتر ميامي الأمريكي، والذي يخطط لاتخاذ قرار مهم بشأن مستقبل نادي برشلونة.

ونشرت “Yahoo Sports” نقلاً عن قناة “ABC” أن ليونيل ميسي يرغب في المشاركة في انتخابات رئاسة نادي برشلونة العام المقبل.

وعلى الرغم من أن ليونيل ميسي لن يترشح شخصياً لرئاسة برشلونة إلا أن قائد البلوجرانا السابق يفكر في دعم أحد المرشحين لإزاحة الرئيس الحالي خوان لابورتا.

ومع ذلك لا يرغب نجم إنتر ميامي في دعم أي مرشح في انتخابات رئاسة نادي برشلونة ولن يتدخل إلا إذا رأى أن هناك فرصة واقعية للمرشح المنافس لخوان لابورتا للنجاح.

ومن المتوقع أن تجرى انتخابات برشلونة لعام 2026 بين 15 مارس و15 يونيو، وقد أكد خوان لابورتا نيته الترشح لولاية جديدة وقد يكون في مواجهة منافس غير متوقع وهو ميسي.

أقرأ أيضاً.. كانيزاريس: برشلونة ليس النادي المثالي للتعافي من الإصابات

وكان ليونيل ميسي قد دعم خوان لابورتا علناً قبل أربع سنوات ونصف وذهب للتصويت شخصياً مع ابنه تياجو لكن يبدو أن هذا الوضع مختلف تماماً الآن، وقد يلعب الأرجنتيني دوراً حاسماً في من منع عودة الرئيس الحالي إلى منصبه.

ولم ينس ليونيل ميسي إجباره على مغادرة برشلونة، بعد أن كانت أهم وعود خوان لابورتا الانتخابية في عام 2021 أنه سيقوم بتجديد عقد الأرجنتيني وقد تم الاتفاق بالفعل وكان ينتظر التوقيع قبل أن يرحل لباريس سان جيرمان بسبب أزمة مالية عقدت من تجديد عقده واعتبر ميسي وعائلته تراجع لابورتا خيانة لهم وقد انقطعت علاقتهما تماماً.

وتواصلت عدة شخصيات مع ميسي لمعرفة مدى استعداده للمشاركة في الانتخابات القادمة ورد بأنه لا يستبعد ذلك لكنه أوضح أنه لن ينتخب لابورتا، ولا يعارض الإعلان عن موقفه إذا وجد حملة انتخابية موثوقة وتنافسية تملك فرصة حقيقية للفوز.

وقد يصبح ليونيل ميسي عاملاً حاسماً في انتخابات برشلونة وقد ينتظر حتى الأيام الأخيرة من الحملة للتأثير على النتيجة في لحظة استراتيجية، ومع ذلك ستكون كل خطوة محسوبة بعناية إذا كانت ستؤدي فقط للفوز.

Aakash Chopra calls CSK’s batting order “a stopgap arrangement”, while Stephen Fleming says they have been “just patching innings up, rather than constructing good innings”

ESPNcricinfo staff21-May-20252:19

Chopra: CSK should ‘probably trade’ Jadeja

If you lose ten of your 13 games in an IPL season, chances are that everything, from top to bottom and even beyond, will come under scrutiny. Such is life for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as they look to finish their commitments for the IPL 2025 season and go back to the drawing board, and when they do, Sanjay Bangar wants MS Dhoni to say “enough”, and Aakash Chopra wants seven – seven! – players to be released.”I’ve got a long list actually. I would release [R] Ashwin, [Ravindra] Jadeja, Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi…” Chopra said in response to a question on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show after CSK’s latest defeat, this time to Rajasthan Royals (RR).Dhoni’s name didn’t figure in Chopra’s list, but Bangar doesn’t expect to see Dhoni playing one more season.Related

Fleming won't burn the CSK playbook after poor IPL season

Madhwal leads bowlers' show as RR end the season by beating CSK

“I think at 43 it’s very tough to play in that competitive environment. When you’re 43, why this competitive environment, even if you go and play some local cricket, you will find how tough it is on the body as well,” Bangar said in response to the question that has been asked pretty much every IPL season of late.”It all boils down to MS, but if I was MS, I would say ‘enough’. ‘Okay, I have played whatever I wanted to play, I have looked after the interest of the franchise’, if there’s any, if that was the motivation. But, you know, you move on.”By you being there, if you’re thinking that the transition will happen fast, there’s never an ideal time to pick. So you might as well [make] peace with the fact that, ‘okay, even if I leave now, the franchise will develop on its own; it will take a year longer, but I’m not going to be here for the entire cycle’. That’s how I would look at MS’ position if I was in that position.”Whether Dhoni chooses to stay or go, CSK could well be looking at an overhaul after what has been a horror season that started to turn pear-shaped early on, and only got worse. One of the players – another CSK veteran – who has come in for scrutiny is Jadeja, who was moved up to No. 4 and has struggled on more occasions than he has not.1:26

What should Dhoni do after this season?

“Probably trade him. You have Dewald Brevis as your No. 4. I will bat him at No. 4 [instead of Jadeja],” Chopra said. “And I am thinking that this won’t be the one-two-three any which way. This is a stopgap arrangement where you’ve got Devon Conway with Ayush Mhatre [opening] and Urvil Patel at No. 3. That is not going to be your one-two-three.”If you are releasing Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway, it’s common sense that you will find somebody who can be an absolute banker at the top and probably [even] a destructor at the top. Why would you want Ruturaj Gaikwad to bat again with somebody who is not going hammer and tongs? I want to have Urvil Patel at three [and] I would rather have one more [overseas] guy… I mean, they need Noor Ahmad and [Matheesha] Pathirana, then you need two batters: either you get a finisher with Dewald Brevis, or you get a top-order batter with Dewald Brevis.”Like Chopra, Stephen Fleming, the CSK coach, said at the press conference after the loss to RR that the batting order was far from what the team had wanted, and it was just “patching innings up” at this point.3:01

Which players should CSK release ahead of the next auction?

“Our order is not right at this stage,” Fleming said. “That’s something that we are always looking to rejig. We’ve got some strong ideas for next year so that all facets are covered. But that hasn’t been possible this year because [of] lack of runs at the top. A lot of the batting positions are determined by how well a start we have, and then guys can fall into line. So we haven’t had that, so we’ve been just patching innings up, really, rather than constructing good innings.”The loss of Gaikwad, the captain, to an injury early on in the season was one setback that CSK, who have had many underperforming batters, couldn’t recover from.Bangar was also hoping for a sea change in terms of the approach for CSK between the end of the current season and the start of the next one.”If there are batters right at the top who are striking really well, and you have batters below you as well who are striking well in Brevis and in this case Shivam Dube – and they were hoping for better returns from all these players – do you require a player who has to do a particular job of holding that innings together as well,” he said when asked about Sam Curran often batting at No. 3 and Jadeja at No. 4. In fact, against RR, there was no Curran, but Ashwin at No. 4 and Jadeja at No. 5, which Chopra and Bangar agreed was far from ideal.

Over the last 25 years, Leeds United have cashed in on a number of star players, most recently after failing to secure immediate promotion back to the Premier League.

The Whites have done deals with the likes of Barcelona, Manchester City and Manchester United, but who is Leeds’ most expensive departure of all time?

Here is a look at Leeds United’s most expensive sales in their history, as per Transfermarkt, with a detailed look at the top 10.

Leeds United’s most expensive sales of all time

Rank

Player

Fee

Sold to

Year

1

Raphinha

£55m

Barcelona

2022

2

Kalvin Phillips

£45m

Man City

2022

3

Georginio Rutter

£40m

Brighton

2024

=4

Archie Gray

£30m

Tottenham

2024

=4

Rio Ferdinand

£30m

Man Utd

2002

6

Crysencio Summerville

£25m

West Ham

2024

=7

Tyler Adams

£20m

Bournemouth

2023

=7

Luis Sinisterra

£20m

Bournemouth

2024

9

Chris Wood

£15m

Burnley

2017

10

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

£12m

Atletico Madrid

1999

11

Ross McCormack

£11m

Fulham

2014

12

Jack Clarke

£10m

Tottenham

2019

13

Jonathan Woodgate

£9m

Newcastle

2003

14

Glen Kamara

£8.4m

Rennes

2024

=15

Robbie Keane

£7m

Tottenham

2002

=15

Lewis Cook

£7m

Bournemouth

2016

=15

Alan Smith

£7m

Man Utd

2004

18

Ronaldo Vieira

£6.2m

Sampdoria

2018

=19

Robbie Fowler

£6m

Man City

2003

=19

Fabian Delph

£6m

Aston Villa

2009

Here’s a detailed look at the top 10 Leeds United sales… 10 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink £12m to Atletico Madrid, 1999

Leeds United was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s first taste of English football, with the Dutch forward joining from Boavista in 1997.

Hasselbaink finished as the joint Premier League Golden Boot winner in his second season, and after a dispute over a new deal, was sold to Atletico Madrid for £12m, with the club making five times the fee they paid for the striker.

9 Chris Wood £15m to Burnley, 2017

Striker Chris Wood arrived at Elland Road from Leicester City in 2015 and enjoyed two solid seasons with the club, scoring 30 goals in all competitions during the 2016/17 season.

His displays caught the eye of Burnley, and the lure of Premier League football persuaded Wood to move to Turf Moor, resulting in the Whites making a healthy profit following his £15m move.

8 Luis Sinisterra £20m to Bournemouth, 2024

Luis Sinisterra was one of a number of players who exercised their relegation loan clause to leave Elland Road in 2023, returning to the Premier League with Bournemouth.

Jaidon Anthony moved to Leeds on loan from the Cherries, and in February 2024, Sinisterra’s move to the south coast was made permanent for a £20m fee.

7 Tyler Adams £20m to Bournemouth, 2023

Weeks before Sinisterra joined Bournemouth on loan, holding midfielder Tyler Adams had swapped Elland Road for the Vitality Stadium in a permanent transfer, reportedly worth in excess of £20m.

The USA international’s one campaign in West Yorkshire ended in relegation, but Leeds did make a small profit on Adams, while his sale also kept the club in line with FFP.

6 Crysencio Summerville £25m to West Ham, 2024

After starring in the Championship and winning the league’s Player of the Year award in 2024, it was no surprise that Leeds’ failure to win promotion back to the top flight resulted in Crysencio Summerville’s exit.

Leeds signed Summerville from Eredivisie giants Feyenoord for a fee believed to be just over £1m, resulting in a huge profit when West Ham triggered an exit clause that cost the Hammers £25m.

5 Rio Ferdinand £30m to Man Utd, 2002

Defender Rio Ferdinand was Leeds’ record departure for 20 years after he joined rivals Manchester United in 2002 for what was a mind-boggling £30m.

Signed from West Ham in 2000, Ferdinand went from strength to strength at Elland Road, and following Leeds’ financial troubles, the Red Devils took advantage and made him the most expensive British footballer in history at the time.

4 Archie Gray £30m to Tottenham, 2024

Academy graduate Archie Gray only made his senior debut for Leeds at the beginning of the 2023/24 season, and less than 12 months later, he was joining Spurs in a big-money £30m deal.

Gray starred in midfield and at right-back in the Championship and was another who had a release clause triggered after Leeds lost at Wembley to Southampton in the play-off final.

3 Georginio Rutter £40m to Brighton, 2024

Like Summerville and Gray, Georginio Rutter also left Leeds in 2024 and was another who had a release clause activated after the club’s failure to win promotion.

Brighton triggered the clause with hours to spare, with the Whites making a profit on the fee they paid Hoffenheim in 2023. Rutter’s £40m sale was the largest sum they received that summer.

2 Kalvin Phillips £45m to Man City, 2022

Academy graduate Kalvin Phillips was transformed by Marcelo Bielsa, becoming a key cog in the Argentinian’s Leeds side between 2018 and 2022.

The holding midfielder even went on to star for England and helped Leeds to the Premier League, which resulted in Manchester City and Pep Guardiola taking Phillips to the Etihad for £45m. However, Phillips held the record as Leeds’ biggest departure for just 11 days…

1 Raphinha £55m to Barcelona, 2022

Leeds United’s most expensive sale of all time is Raphinha, who is also arguably the most talented player the Whites have had this millennium.

Signed from French side Rennes on deadline day in 2020, Raphinha helped Leeds finish ninth in their first season back in the Premier League and almost single-handily kept Leeds up in 2022 before sealing his dream move to Camp Nou following a £55m transfer.

While Aston Villa finally got their Premier League season off the ground on Sunday with a much-needed win, Newcastle United slipped to another defeat in the tough division at the hands of Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners took over the never-say-die role from Arne Slot’s Liverpool when travelling to Tyneside, with the determined North Londoners grabbing two late goals in the dying stages to leave the hosts empty-handed in a 2-1 defeat.

This all-too-familiar sting of a loss leaves Eddie Howe’s hosts with only a concerning three points next to their name from their opening six league clashes, with Howe now potentially prepared to drop Dan Burn for games to come after his poor individual showing.

Burn's poor performance vs Arsenal

Straight off the bat, it wasn’t a completely shambolic display at the back overall from the Toon, with both Malick Thiaw and Sven Botman managing to win a commanding 12 duels between them to keep opposition attackers such as Viktor Gyokeres at bay.

But, for Burn, it was a rough day at the office, not helped by Howe’s ultimately foolish decision to draft the 6-foot-7 defender out to a position on the left flank, with Thiaw and Botman positioned in the heart of the defence.

Amazingly, despite coming in at that lofty height, Burn would still manage to be beaten in the air by Gabriel for Arsenal’s dramatic winner.

But, it was more his shoddy performance as a full-back that left a lot to be desired, with the likes of Bukayo Saka on the left channel not intimidated one bit by Burn, who looked shaky throughout coming up against the tricky number seven.

Indeed, Burn would be dribbled past an alarming three times when trying to keep close to his marker, with the 33-year-old also giving up possession a costly 26 times to boost Arsenal’s confidence in attack late on.

Having been a regular starter week in week out for Howe this season in the Premier League – with all six of Newcastle’s games this campaign seeing Burn start – it will be intriguing to see if Burn makes the cut for the upcoming Champions League test away at Royal Saint-Gilloise.

He might not be the only Magpies stalwart in danger of losing his grip on a starting position, however, with this other underperformer now in danger of being ditched for Wednesday’s trip to the Belgian Pro League frontrunners.

Not just Burn: Newcastle underperformed could be ditched

Howe isn’t afraid to exclude notable presences for European nights, with Nick Woltemade – who scored Newcastle’s only effort against the Gunners – missing from the start last time out in the esteemed competition against Barcelona.

Joelinton might well fall victim to his manager’s wrath, too, after not looking at his dominant best versus the Gunners, with his overall numbers from the tight clash making for grim reading, notably amassing fewer touches than Pope.

Minutes played

89

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Shots

1

Touches

40

Accurate passes

21/31 (68%)

Possession lost

13x

Total duels won

3/15

Much like Burn was uncharacteristically weak when asserting himself in challenges defensively, Joelinton also struggled to impose himself on the contest, coming up against the likes of Mikel Merino and Declan Rice centrally, with only 23% of his duels being won, despite averaging a 44% success rate across the season.

Moreover, the fiery Brazilian would also find it hard to be an attacking threat with just one effort registered on David Raya’s goal.

With Howe also aware of how difficult a challenge Joelinton found the showdown with Barcelona last month – with the South American lasting just 62 minutes against the La Liga giants after amassing a weak 27 touches – it might well be time for the Toon boss to rethink his midfield positions and go with something fresh for the clash in Belgium.

Handed a low 5/10 rating post-match by the Shields Gazette’s Dominic Scurr, who pinpointed Joelinton’s mistiming of challenges as a glaring weakness of his game against Arsenal, alternative faces such as Joe Willock or Lewis Miley could soon be set for a start, as Howe tries to find the starting XI that sees wins get on the board.

With how much this dramatic loss would have also taken out of Newcastle, it could be for the best to give Joelinton a breather mid-week in a bid to restore him to his usual self down the line.

As well as Miley: Howe must drop "disappointing" 4/10 Newcastle star

Newcastle face a tough test in the Premier League against Mikel Arteta’s title chasers.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 28, 2025

Sunderland’s season might well have hit a bump in the road at Old Trafford on Saturday, but the Premier League newcomers won’t feel completely derailed by the 2-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United.

After all, the Black Cats are still sitting in an encouraging ninth position in the early standings, with an expectation that they can bounce back immediately from the defeat at the Theatre of Dreams when Vitor Pereira’s winless Wolverhampton Wanderers next come to Wearside.

Regis Le Bris should very much be commended for this top start to the season, as well, with the Frenchman actually up for the honour of September’s Manager of the Month accolade.

He is joined by Granit Xhaka and Robin Roefs in being recognised for their efforts over the last month with the Mackems pair up for Player of the Month.

In an alternate reality, the current make-up of the Black Cats team could look disjointed and messy after a hectic off-season that saw signings aplenty join the building, but also saw Jobe Bellingham disappointingly up and leave for the glamour of Borussia Dortmund.

Fortunately, even without him, they’ve been right as rain in 2025/26 to date.

How Jobe Bellingham is faring at Dortmund

Amazingly, despite garnering much hype at the Stadium of Light, the ex-Sunderland boy wonder never pulled on the famous red and white stripes of the Black Cats in the Premier League.

Instead, the 20-year-old’s final chapter on Wearside fell in the Championship as Le Bris and Co. sealed promotion, with journalist Josh Bunting even hailing the England U21 international as “sensational” when strutting his stuff at the promotion chasers.

While he did begin his footballing education at Birmingham City, it’s fair to say Bellingham very much honed his craft at Sunderland, with the standout number seven managing to mature at a rapid pace, after being handed the first-team reins initially by Tony Mowbray.

A bumper tally of 11 goals and four assists from 90 Sunderland clashes would eventually alert the Bundesliga giants of Dortmund to his services, with the Black and Yellow forking out a substantial £27.8m to land the exciting midfielder.

It hasn’t all gone to plan for Bellingham on German soil so far, though, with just two Bundesliga starts coming his way this season.

In fact, his spell in Germany has been a little controversial thus far with his father, Mark, reportedly unhappy with his son’s playing time, directing anger at manager Niko Kovac.

However, it still goes without saying that the 20-year-old was a stunning success story on Sunderland’s end, with the youngster once just a wide-eyed teenager but now a Champions League figure for Kovac’s side.

So, where could the next Bellingham come from?

Sunderland's biggest talent since Bellingham

Just one glance at those who have previously donned the number ten shirt at Sunderland gives you a quick indication as to why it’s a cherished number.

Kevin Phillips wore that exact number when he bagged 30 goals for the Black Cats during one single top-flight season, while Jordan Henderson also briefly pulled it on, too, before the might of Liverpool came knocking.

While it is, of course, early days into his Sunderland development, Timur Tuterov might well be in line to also pull on that much-talked-about number very soon.

It’s a bold call, indeed, but the Ukrainian is displaying a Phillips-like potency for the U21s this season, as one of his efforts – which saw Tuterov score a fine solo effort – seeing him nominated for Sunderland’s goal of the month competition for September.

Indeed, from just four Premier League 2 contests so far this campaign, the Ukraine U21 international has managed to bag a blistering five strikes in just four games, with back-to-back braces falling into his lap against West Ham and Burnley.

It’s rather evident to see why academy manager Robin Nicholls once described him as “an exciting prospect.”

LW

12

5 + 2

CF

5

1 + 1

RW

3

1 + 0

LM

2

1 + 0

AM

1

2 + 0

RM

1

0

Should he continue scoring goals at that rate of knots, then Tuterov could also be the biggest talent Sunderland has managed to produce since turning Bellingham into a Dortmund superstar, with the 20-year-old also an adaptable presence, much like the Englishman.

With Le Bris also well-known for getting plenty out of youngsters at his disposal, with Chris Rigg turned into a first-team starter last season, it does feel as if Tuterov could be the next shouted-about name ready to leave an impression on the senior ranks.

Patience will have to be exercised here, but Sunderland’s glittering track record does seem to suggest that Tuterov could be the next gem ready to pull on the number 10 jersey, living up to Bellingham’s insane hype in the process.

Forget Isidor: "Awesome" Sunderland man could be a £30m star in the making

New signing impresses at Sunderland, ensuring he could be the next big-money departure from the Stadium of Light…

ByWill Miller Oct 3, 2025

Elyaz Zidane, son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, is emerging as one of the brightest revelations of the U-20 World Cup in Chile. Playing at the heart of France’s defence, the 19-year-old has logged the most minutes in Bernard Diomede’s side, displaying composure and maturity that go beyond his age and the immense weight of his surname.

• From early struggles to becoming a pillar for France U-20

  It hasn’t been an easy tournament for Zidane. The Marseille-born defender had a shaky start, conceding a penalty in France’s opening match against Japan. But instead of benching him, coach Diomede stood by his young centre-back, keeping him in the starting XI. That faith paid off as Zidane grew in confidence, becoming one of France’s most reliable players in defence as the team reached the semi-finals.

  Zidane started all of France's games at the competition as his commanding presence, aerial dominance, and intelligent positioning have made him a crucial piece of France’s back line.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Diomede defends Zidane as he urges for patience

  France U-20 coach Diomede has been vocal about both the promise and the pressure surrounding Zidane Jr., urging patience while acknowledging the expectations that come with his surname. In an interview with , Diomede spoke with both empathy and belief in his young defender’s future.

  "As a left-footer, I know how to recognise the quality of a left-footer, and Elyaz has this technical finesse as well as his height . We just have to leave him alone. We've been working for three years to free him up. It's difficult being Zidane's son. We expect a lot from him, certainly too much. We mustn't forget that he's a player from 2005. I'm happy because he's starting to express himself within the team, even if it's very difficult for him. He has the qualities to reach the highest level, he just has to play," said Diomede.

• Zidane finding footing at Betis

  While Zidane is thriving on the international stage, his club career remains a work in progress. Since joining Real Betis' reserve team from Real Madrid’s youth system in January 2024, the 19-year-old has been part of a development project rather than a first-team player. This season, he’s logged only 180 minutes in Spain’s lower divisions, starting twice, against Teruel and Atletico Madrid B. Zidane possesses the physical and technical tools that modern centre-backs need, what he needs to focus on is continuity, something that his U-20 performances might finally earn him when he returns to Spain.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• AFP
  

  Zidane proves his resilience in U-20 World Cup

  France’s heartbreaking semi-final exit to Morocco was decided by penalties after a tense 1-1 draw. However, this only added to Zidane’s growing experience as he was composed under pressure, leading a defence reduced to 10 men and organising set pieces with remarkable calm for his age. With Diomede’s mentorship and the maturity he’s shown at the U-20 World Cup, Zidane seems poised to take his next step in establishing himself as a key defensive talent.

West Ham United have just been handed a boost in their reported pursuit of former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo, as pressure also grows on under-fire Hammers boss Graham Potter.

Potter has made one of the worst starts to a new season by any Hammers boss in Premier League history, and only Avram Grant’s relegated Hammers team from the 2010/2011 season conceded more goals at this stage of the campaign.

Grant’s dismal West Ham are also the only Irons side to record a lower win percentage in the competition than Potter’s men — which makes for incredibly worrying reading.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12, Graham Potter

27.3%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

After the east Londoners lost all three of their opening matches in all competitions, the pressure was already on Potter, but an excellent 3-0 win over Nuno’s Forest at the City Ground actually restored some degree of faith that things could turn a corner.

That turned out to be Nuno’s final game in charge of Forest, despite guiding them back to Europe for the first time since 1995 last term, owing to a public fallout with controversial owner Evangelos Marinakis which ultimately cost the Portuguese his job.

Since then, West Ham have swiftly been brought right back down to Earth after the international break following a 3-0 slump at home to Tottenham in the London derby last Saturday, and Nuno could now replace Potter.

Reports suggest that West Ham chair David Sullivan is a fan of Nuno (Alan Nixon), and the fact he is readily available makes the prospect of his potential appointment a fairly doable one if they do decide to sack Potter.

Nuno Espírito Santo stance on next job as West Ham eye move

A lot will depend on Nuno’s wishes and his stance on joining West Ham, with journalist Neil Goulding sharing a significant boost for Sullivan in this regard.

According to Goulding, Nuno’s “priority” is to remain in the Premier League after leaving Forest, and he’s extremely keen to jump right back into management — which will suit West Ham down to the ground.

He’s apparently hungry for his next role as soon as possible, so West Ham may need to make a decision on Potter’s future fairly quickly.

West Ham should consider Nuno to replace Potter

West Ham’s next three league games against Crystal Palace, Everton and Arsenal will likely go a long way in determining Potter’s long-term future, but if they elect to part company, Nuno is arguably their best replacement choice.

José Mourinho is also a free agent, though his last job in England was a lacklustre spell at Tottenham, while Nuno made history by seriously overachieving at Forest last term on limited resources.

This arguably makes him a standout candidate, and Nuno is known for promoting defensive discipline in his setup — something which West Ham have lacked for a very long time.

He also significantly improved Forest’s set-piece weaknesses, which were a major achilles heel for them prior to his arrival, not to mention an aspect of play that West Ham have seriously struggled with under Potter.

Perhaps Nuno could be a David Moyes 2.0, with the potential to bring back serious solidarity to an otherwise very fragile side.

Rishabh Pant, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain, has been fined for his team’s slow over-rate during Tuesday’s IPL 2025 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held in Lucknow.As it was LSG third offence of the season – the first and second were on April 5 and April 26 respectively – under the IPL’s code of conduct relating to over-rate offences, Pant was fined INR 30 lakh. The other members of the playing XII were each fined either INR 12 lakh or 50% of their respective match fees, whichever is lower.Despite this being Pant’s third offence, he will not be suspended, as was the case till IPL 2024. The rule was amended ahead of IPL 2025, although Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya missed his team’s season opener because his suspension had carried forward from last season.On Tuesday, Pant’s unbeaten 118 off 61 balls had steered LSG to 227 for 3 after they were asked to bat, but RCB chased it down with eight balls and six wickets to spare, thanks to Virat Kohli’s 54 and Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 85.LSG finished the season with six wins and 12 points from 14 games and were seventh on the ten-team points table. RCB, meanwhile, have qualified for Qualifier 1 with 19 points from the league phase.

Chelsea have been dealt a major blow after they decided not to include a buy-back clause in the deal for Diego Moreira, who has been dubbed the "new Marcelo" amid a strong run of form. Moreira’s latest masterclass came in Strasbourg’s electrifying 3-3 draw with Paris Saint-Germain, where he notched both a goal and an assist against the reigning European champions.

Getty ImagesFrom Chelsea prospect to Ligue 1 sensation

When Chelsea sold Moreira to Strasbourg in 2024, the move was viewed as part of the club’s broader development network strategy under the BlueCo ownership. They used their French affiliate to give promising young players more playing time. But now, that decision looks increasingly short-sighted. Unlike other similar transfers, such as Mathis Amougou’s move to Strasbourg, which included a buy-back clause, Moreira’s deal came with no such safeguard. That means the Blues have no direct route to re-sign him, even as his market value and reputation soar, as reported by Moreira’s versatility has only strengthened his appeal. He’s been deployed everywhere from left wing-back to right-sided forward, even operating as a support striker against PSG. That ability to adapt and excel in multiple positions is precisely what Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been trying to cultivate within his current squad. Hence, the lack of a buy-back clause is even more baffling.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHato yet to break into Maresca's starting XI

Chelsea do have other young talents pushing for recognition, notably Jorrel Hato, the 19-year-old defender signed from Ajax in a £37 million ($49.35m) summer deal. Yet despite his promise, Hato has been restricted to cameo appearances so far, as Maresca continues to balance youth integration with the demands of a top-four Premier League push. It is understood that Chelsea’s hierarchy still believes their best long-term solutions lie within the current setup. Strasbourg, meanwhile, are reaping the rewards. Alongside Moreira, they boast another emerging star in Valentin Barco, the Argentine former Brighton man who has impressed with his technical brilliance. He has flourished under Strasbourg’s system, often operating as a central or attacking midfielder rather than his traditional left-sided role. 

Injury boost for Maresca before Ajax visit

While Chelsea ponder the one that slipped away, manager Enzo Maresca has another issue closer to home, the prolonged absence of striker Liam Delap. The 22-year-old joined the Blues from Ipswich Town in June after a breakout season and immediately made an impression, helping Chelsea lift the Club World Cup during the summer. But his momentum came to a halt when he limped off early in the 2-0 win over Fulham on August 30, just his third Premier League match of the campaign. However, speaking on Tuesday, Maresca provided a positive update on the forward’s recovery: "Liam is very close. He is not working with us yet, he is still out but hopefully he can start in the next days to take part in the session with us."

With Delap sidelined and Nicolas Jackson now on loan at Bayern Munich, Joao Pedro has been Chelsea’s lone recognised striker in recent weeks. The Brazilian has impressed in flashes, bagging two goals and three assists in his first eight league appearances. But with Pedro now suspended for Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Ajax, Maresca faces another tactical puzzle. However, the Italian manager remains unfazed, as he added: "We have him [Guiu], we have also Tyrique [George] who has played games as a nine in the past. He did well. He played I think against Benfica as a nine. We have different options. We have one more session this afternoon and then we decide. We trust Marc. We trust already last year, he was always playing in the Conference [League]. We also gave him some Premier League games so we show in the past that we trust Marc. Now he is again with us and he is going to play games for sure."

Moreover, Maresca will be relieved with the return of Enzo Fernandez after the Argentine missed the fixture against Nottingham Forest last weekend. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportMaresca keen to build on the momentum

Chelsea have stitched together a three-game winning streak, which started with a 1-0 win over Jose Mourinho's Benfica in the Champions League before the international break. They beat Liverpool next and followed it up with another neat display against Nottingham Forest last Saturday. Maresca has three more games in October, and he will look to win each of them, starting with the continental battle against Ajax at the Bridge. Next up will be Sunderland on Saturday, and then the Blues have a trip to Molineux slated for a League Cup fourth-round tie against Wolves. 

Tennis star Taylor Fritz has now revealed he is a “massive fan” of a Manchester United and Premier League legend.

Fritz gearing up for the Laver Cup

The eighth edition of the Laver Cup is set to get underway at San Francisco’s Chase Center this Friday, with Team Europe looking to retain their title, after defeating Team World in a thrilling encounter on home soil in Berlin last year.

Team Europe seemingly have a good chance of getting a sixth Laver Cup victory on the board, given that ATP World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz will be heading out to the USA, alongside Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Jakub Mensik and Flavio Cobolli.

However, it must be noted that Team World also have a strong line-up, which features Reilly Opelka, Joao Fonseca, Alex Michelsen, Francisco Cerundolo, Alex de Minaur and Fritz.

With a current ATP ranking of No.4, the American is undoubtedly the stand-out player for Team World, and he heads into the competition off the back of a relatively strong showing in the most recent singles Grand Slam, reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open.

The 27-year-old is yet to win a Grand Slam, coming closest in the 2024 edition of the US Open, when he was defeated by Jannik Sinner in straight sets in the final.

Not only is the 2024 US Open finalist one of the best tennis players in the world, but he is also a big football fan, and he has previously named Manchester United and Premier League legend Cristiano Ronaldo as one of his inspirations.

"Massive fan" – Gerrard has named Man Utd legend among his "favourite players"

Steven Gerrard has made it clear he is a huge admirer of a former Manchester United star.

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 16, 2025

Fritz right to take inspiration from Ronaldo

As pointed out by the tennis star, Ronaldo has faced accusations of arrogance throughout his career, but his mentality has led to great success, winning five Ballon d’Ors, three Premier League titles and five Champions Leagues.

The 40-year-old is also way out in front as the top goalscorer in Champions League history, scoring almost double the amount of Raul, who is fifth on the all-time list.

Player	All-time Champions League goals
Cristiano Ronaldo	141
Lionel Messi	129
Robert Lewandowski	105
Karim Benzema	90
Raul	71

The Portuguese forward is showing no signs of slowing down, scoring 95 goals in 109 games for Al-Nassr, and Fritz will be well-positioned to lead Team World to Laver Cup glory if he is able to replicate Ronaldo’s mentality.