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Manchester United are among the Premier League teams interested in signing a “monster” defender whose contract talks with his current club are yet to gather pace. The Red Devils ended their five-game winless run over the weekend as they came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at Old Trafford, a victory that slightly eases the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag.

Related Mourinho relishing chance to get Ten Hag sacked from Man Utd after update

It would be quite the story at Old Trafford.

Posts ByBen Browning Oct 20, 2024 Man Utd transfer news

The stories around Old Trafford in the last week or so have been about the future of Ten Hag, and while they haven’t fully gone away, the Dutchman will hope Saturday’s win is the start of a turnaround in results.

Away from the future of Ten Hag, the Red Devils are continuing to be linked with potential new players for when January comes around. Last week, United were linked with a move for Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane as he continues talks over a new deal with the German side.

As well as Sane, the agents of PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani have reached out to United over a potential switch to Old Trafford. The forward looks set to leave the French side in the near future, as he’s struggled to make an impact in the French capital. Meanwhile, United are also looking to balance the books and are happy to part ways with Antony and sell him for just £40 million, perhaps with the view towards one of Sane or Kolo Muani coming in.

The transfer stories at Old Trafford do not stop there, as the Premier League side continue to keep an eye on a player they have had an interest in for a while.

Man Utd watching Ronald Araujo as his contract ends in 2026

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are interested in signing Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo. The Red Devils, alongside Chelsea, are said to be monitoring the Uruguay international as he prepares for talks over a new deal at the Spanish side.

The 25-year-old has been at Barça since 2018, when he joined from Boston River, but he didn’t make his step-up into the first team until around 2020. Since then, Araujo has become a key player for Barça, playing 37 times in all competitions last season.

The defender has yet to play for Barcelona this season, as he continues to recover from an injury, but he is believed to be a firm part of the plans at the Nou Camp still. However, this report states that United and Chelsea are still keeping an eye on Araujo, who has been described in the past by BBC analyst Raj Chohan as an “athletic monster.”

Ronald Araujo’s Barcelona stats

Apps

150

Goals

8

Assists

5

The Red Devils are said to be prepared to make a move for Araujo if talks over a new contract at Barcelona do not progress. Barcelona president Joan Laporta has spoken publicly about trying to keep Araujo, but with his contract expiring in 2026, it means he will enter the final year of his contract next summer if no new deal is agreed, putting United on alert.

Araujo currently earns 134,615 euros a week at Barça, which is roughly £112,174, a figure that he would likely look to increase were he to move to United.

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O lateral-direito Marcos Rocha é o 13º jogador do Palmeiras a testar positivo para Covid-19 na atual pré-temporada do clube visando principalmente a disputa do Mundial de Clubes, em fevereiro, nos Emirados Árabes Unidos.

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A informação foi confirmada nesta quinta-feira (13) pela assessoria do clube.

Desta forma, Rocha vai ficar em isolamento, realizando atividades físicas em casa, e voltará a ser testado e cinco dias para saber se poderá ser reintegrado ao grupo. O atleta está assintomático.

Antes dele, Weverton, Gabriel Menino, Patrick de Paula, Gustavo Scarpa, Breno Lopes, Rafael Navarro, Deyverson, Marcelo Lomba, Matheus Fernandes, Rony e Jorge já haviam sido diagnosticado com a doença.

O atacante Endrick, joia palmeirense de 15 anos, foi diagnosticado em um teste feito antes de jogo da Copa São Paulo de juniores, mas estava treinando com o profissional quando a notícia veio à tona.

Do grupo, Patrick de Paula, Gustavo Scarpa, Breno Lopes, Rafael Navarro e Deyverson voltaram a treinar com o elenco já na última terça-feira (11).

Wevertom e Gabriel Menino voltaram às atividades nesta manhã. O goleiro, convocado pelo técnico Tite para a seleção brasileira nos duelos contra Equador e Paraguai pelas Eliminatórias da América do Sul para a Copa do Mundo de 2022, treinou pela primeira vez com bola no ano.

Conforme o LANCE! revelou, o Verdão é o grande paulista com a maior incidência de casos de coronavírus registrada nesta pré-temporada.

A diretoria vê de que forma pode agir para evitar que os casos continuem e, desta forma, haja desfalques para a disputa do Mundial de Clubes, em fevereiro. Segundo o regulamento da Fifa, que segue as regras sanitárias do país árabe, quem estiver com o coronavírus na data do embarque do clube, dia 2 de fevereiro, não poderá viajar terá que ser substituído na lista de inscritos.

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> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2022 clicando aqui

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> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

كشف روب بيرنادي، الرئيس التنفيذي لنادي ستيلينبوش الجنوب إفريقي، أنه كان لا يتمني أن فريقه يقع في مواجهة الزمالك بطل النسخة الماضية من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية هذا الموسم في مواجهة دور ربع النهائي من المسابقة القارية.

وكانت قرعة دور الـ 8 (ربع النهائي) من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية، أسفرت عن مواجهة الزمالك لفريق ستيلينبوش الجنوب إفريقي.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع ستيلينبوش، في مباراة الذهاب في جنوب إفريقيا، 2 أبريل المقبل، على أن تكون مواجهة العودة في القاهرة يوم 9 من الشهر ذاته.

وقال بيرنادي خلال تصريحات عبر “القناة الأولي”: “بالطبع لا أعتقد إذا كنت مكاني ستفكر في ثلاثة خيارات، إما أن ألعب أمام الفريق الجزائري أو الفريق التنزاني أو الزمالك، هذه هي الخيارات الثلاثة لنادينا، ولكي أكون صادقًا، لم أكن أفضل الزمالك إطلاقًا”.

وأضاف: “نعم أعرف إن اسم الزمالك كبير بسبب التاريخ الكبير الذي يتحلى به، وعدد الألقاب، مقارنة بنا، فلا أحد يعرفنا في مصر، لهذا السبب لم نُفضل مواجهته، خاصة إننا بدأنا نستعد لهذه البطولات من 7 سنوات فقط، لذلك لم نكن نتمنى مواجهته، ولكننا جاهزون للتحدي وتخطي عقبة الزمالك”.

طالع | طريق الزمالك حتى نهائي الكونفدرالية 2025.. مواجهة متكررة محتملة

وواصل: “أعتقد إننا نعرف جيدًا من نواجه، فريق كبير يجب علينا الاستعداد له لأن الأمر لن يكون سهلًا، لأنه من أكثر الفرق المرشحة في إفريقيا للفوز بالألقاب، ونعرف إن الفريق المنافس لا يُبالي كثيرًا بنا، وبالتالي يجب أن نلعب أول مباراة في كيب تاون بشكل قوي، قبل أن نخوض مواجهة الإياب، يجب أن نلعب كوحدة واحدة أمام الزمالك”.

وأكمل: “يوجد محللون ومختصون بمتابعة الزمالك وكل شيء عن فرق البطولة عمومًا، نعرف إننا سنواجه فريقا قويا مليئا بالنجوم، لعب مباريات جيدة في آخر أسبوعين، يعرف كيف يفوز فيما هو قادم، فهو يمتلك لاعبين ذوي خبرات كبيرة ومدرب كبير، فنحن نعرف جيدًا كيف نواجه الزمالك لأن لدينا الخبرات الكافية، ستكون مباراة صعبة، فريق شاب يريد أن يتخطى فريقا كبيرا، سنعرف ماذا سيحدث عندما نأتي إلى بلدكم الجميل”.

واستطرد: “أنا كنت أشاهد فريقنا في دوري 21 عامًا مع المدير الفني للفريق الأول، لم أشاهد مباراة الأهلي والزمالك، لكن أعلم ما حدث، الجهاز الفني شاهد المباراة بالكامل، وسمعت أن كلا الفريقين كانا على أعلى مستوى وقدما أداءً قويًا، فأعتقد أنه لا يوجد الكثير من نقاط الضعف التي سنتتبعها أمام الزمالك، لكنها مباراة كرة قدم في النهاية، ولدينا الفرص الجيدة لنعبر إلى النهائي، إذا كان هناك التزام كبير من لاعبينا”.

وأتم: “أعتقد أني سأفضل فريقي، بالنظر للموسم الحالي وما قدمناه، أعتقد إن فرصنا ستكون 30% فقط مقارنة بمن سنواجه، لأننا سنكون الفريق الأضعف في المواجهة والمتوقع عدم فوزه، لكن علينا أن نؤدي بشكل جيد ويجب علينا ألا نضع فريقنا تحت ضغط كبير ونقف على قدم ثابتة، ويجب أن نُحاول ونبذل أقصى ما لدينا ونُقاتل، لأن الزمالك هو المنافس الذي يستحق أن نُقاتل أمامه، لكن ربما نسبة 30% لفريقي ستكون عادلة”.

In-demand front-man Viktor Gyokeres has informed his agent of his intentions for the now open January transfer window.

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Gyokeres meets with agent over futureSporting CP striker in career-best formMan Utd & Barceona currently most linkedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Gyokeres is believed to have no desire to leave Sporting before the end of the season. Spanish publication has reported that a meeting with agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, saw the Sweden international communicate that preference.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

A late-blooming Gyokeres has emerged as one of the most talked about strikers in Europe this season thanks to his 73 goals across all competitions for Sporting since the start of last season – including 30 by the halfway stage of the current campaign. Having thrived under Ruben Amorim at Sporting, the links with Manchester United have been obvious and to be expected. Barcelona are also considering a future beyond Robert Lewandowski but they continue to struggle financially.

DID YOU KNOW?

Gyokeres had never played a single minute of top-flight football prior to joining Sporting in the summer of 2023 but has a reported €100m (£83m/$103m) release clause in his contract with the Lisbon giants and they are likely to demand that it is triggered before the club let him go.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GYOKERES?

Assuming that Gyokeres probably will move onto a bigger stage than Sporting in the summer, he has another half a season to make it the very best he can. The 26-year-old is on course to beat the 43 goals he scored last season and could perhaps even get close to 60 at club level alone if he keeps up his current pace. Besides, Barcelona might prefer resolving his future to wait until summer because it gives them time to scrap together the funds that would be needed.

Already thinking about their 2025 recruitment strategy, Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly eyeing a move to sign a future star in a deal that would see them beat the likes of Arsenal to the youngster’s signature.

Wolves transfer news

Those in the in the Midlands endured a mixed summer. Whilst they lost both Max Kilman and Pedro Neto, the late additions of Andre and Carlos Forbs should prove to be money well spent, though only time will tell whether that is in fact the case.

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Andre is a particularly interesting arrival. The Brazilian previously attracted the interest of Liverpool before a move ultimately never developed. Getting his Premier League chance courtesy of Wolves nonetheless, Andre could now make the Reds regret their hesitant pursuit by becoming a key part of Gary O’Neil’s midfield.

Still just 23 years old and fresh from a standout spell at Fluminense, Andre could prove to be one of the most underrated signings of the summer transfer window in the Premier League. But Wolves aren’t done there when it comes to midfield additions, it seems.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Wolves are now keen on signing Souleymane Sidibe from Stoke City in a deal that would see them beat the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Midlands rivals Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest to his signature.

Just 17 years old, the central midfielder is already playing a part for Stoke’s first team in the Championship, grabbing an assist from the bench in his first league appearance of the season as the Potters defeated Plymouth Argyle 1-0.

Now, the teenager could get the chance to make a similar move to the one that Archie Gray completed in the summer, as he swapped Leeds United for Tottenham Hotspur. Potentially following in his footsteps, Sidibe has quite the decision to make in 2025.

"Terrific" Sidibe is one for the future

For a club like Wolves, welcoming young talent before developing them into top prospects should be the way forward and there would be no better way to represent that plan than by signing Sidibe. The teenager looks destined for the Premier League and the idea of such a talent working alongside Andre and Joao Gomes is a mouth-watering one, to say the least.

The current campaign isn’t Sidibe’s first in senior football of course, having earned the praise of former manager Alex Neil last season. Neil told BBC Stoke Radio after handing the midfielder his first senior start in a Carabao Cup win over West Bromwich Albion last season: “I thought his performance justified why he’s been with the first team all pre-season and why I played him in the game.

“I had no concerns over him. He’s a terrific talent but he’s also really mature, for being so young. He did exactly as I expected him to do – he did wonderfully well and he’s played in a Stoke team that won the game, and played the majority of the match.

“I think when you’re 16 years old, most players of that age could only dream of doing something like that.”

Newcastle United dropped their first points of the Premier League season last Sunday away to Bournemouth, following a 1-1 draw away to the Cherries. A 77th-minute Anthony Gordon equaliser cancelled out Marcus Tavernier’s first-half opener, to ensure they left the South Coast with a point to show for it. That comes after an opening-day 1-0 victory over Southampton.

Whilst it hasn’t been the perfect start for the Magpies this season, Eddie Howe and his side will no doubt hope to build up good momentum. This is certainly something that could be helped by some potential new incomings before the transfer window shuts on Friday.

Newcastle target La Liga winger

The player in question here is Barcelona and Spanish international winger Ferran Torres. According to reports in Spain, via TEAMtalk, Torres is ‘now seriously considering a move before the transfer deadline’ on Friday, with a 'concrete offer' already on the table from the Magpies earlier in the window.

They have been linked with a move for him all summer and with the former Manchester City winger now seemingly open to a move to the Premier League, it presents the Tynesiders with an opportunity to sign him.

Why Torres would be a good signing

Despite a hamstring injury halfway through the season, Torres still put up some good numbers in that famous Barca shirt. He played 42 games in total, getting on the scoresheet 11 times and grabbing four assists, across just 1994 minutes – an average of 22.1 full 90-minute games.

Competition

Games

Minutes

Goals

Mins per goal

Assists

La Liga

29

1204

7

172

3

Champions League

8

376

3

125

1

Copa del Rey

3

292

1

292

0

Supercopa

2

122

0

N/A

0

In terms of his profile, the former Man City winger is very much a goalscoring winger, who possesses elite movement in and around the penalty area, and excellent ball-striking skills. He was described as an “insanely good” attacker by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

One thing that the Spaniard would bring to St James’ Park is experience and pedigree when it comes to winning trophies. Aside from being part of Spain’s victorious Euro 2024 squad, Torres has won the Premier League twice at Manchester City. He has also played under managers who could be described as winners and master tacticians, including Pep Guardiola, Xavi and, more recently, Hansi Flick.

Should the Magpies secure the services of the 24-year-old before Friday’s deadline, it could end up being a repeat of the signing of Alexander Isak. The enterprising Swedish striker also joined the club from La Liga, with Newcastle paying Real Sociedad £63m, which is a club-record transfer for the North East outfit.

It is fair to say the former Borussia Dortmund centre-forward has been a success during his time at St James’ Park so far. He has scored an impressive 35 goals and has registered six assists in just 69 games in the famous black and white kit. That included 21 goals in just 30 Premier League games last term.

Although he is yet to get off the mark in the new campaign, Isak’s move to the North East has been a resounding success so far. If the signing of Torres could have any sort of impact to the same level as their number 14, Magpies fans will be in for a treat when the Spaniard signs the dotted line.

Given the fact he has been a reported target all summer, it seems likely Newcastle would proceed with a move for Torres this summer.

The Barca winger is reportedly considering his future at Camp Nou and there is no doubt he would strengthen Howe's attack given his impressive goal-scoring record. If he can have the same success that Isak has had at St James’ Park, he will certainly be a fan favourite.

Watch out Wilson: Newcastle can land Isak 2.0 in £25m talisman

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ByEthan Lamb Aug 23, 2024

A £200,000-per-week member of the Chelsea squad is prepared to leave amid interest from Premier League champions Man City, and coming after a message from new head coach Enzo Maresca recently.

Players who could be next to leave Chelsea this summer

Midfielder Conor Gallagher's move to Atletico Madrid is now on standby, coming after the Blues' move for their striker, Samu Omorodion, collapsed due to rumoured contractual issues (Sky Sports).

Chelsea could now offer £150k-per-week ace with Lukaku to seal Osimhen deal

The Nigerian is back on their radar after failing to sign Omorodion.

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Omorodion was meant to join Chelsea on a seven-year contract in a transfer worth around £35 million (Fabrizio Romano), which would've paved the way for Gallagher to complete his move to Atletico, but the transfer domino has ceased for now thanks to a breakdown in terms regarding the former.

Chelsea's midfielder has now been forced to fly back to London, despite completing his Atletico medical, with all the necessary documentation also completed.

As Chelsea open talks to sign Joao Felix as an Atletico alternative to Omorodion, and one who could re-open the door for Gallagher to make his La Liga move, there are still a host of other players expected to depart Stamford Bridge before deadline day.

Wantaway striker Romelu Lukaku has agreed a three-year deal to join Napoli, a transfer which will have a profound effect on Chelsea's potential deal for Victor Osimhen, as it is believed the two clubs could strike a deal for the latter to join Maresca and the former to reunite with Antonio Conte.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

Uncertainty also surrounds the futures of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, defender Trevoh Chalobah, midfielder Cesare Casadei and striker Armando Broja – who have all been linked with an exit in the past fortnight.

Romano has even claimed that £325,000-per-week winger Raheem Sterling will be allowed to leave Chelsea if Felix joins, despite the England winger knowing Maresca well from their time together at City.

Ben Chilwell prepared to leave Chelsea after Maresca message

According to TEAMtalk, another big-name Englishman who could opt to leave west London is left-back Ben Chilwell.

The £200,000-per-week defender was injured for large periods last season but did captain the club on many occasions. He unfortunately missed out on a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2024 due to his lack of action, and Chilwell has been linked with a Chelsea exit previously this summer.

Now, TT say Chilwell is prepared to leave Chelsea and Man City are considering whether to move in, coming after a press conference message from Maresca left a bitter taste in the 27-year-old's mouth regarding his suitability.

“The Chilly situation is a bit delicate," said Maresca.

“We are trying to find a solution for him in terms of a position. He probably needs a bit of time. By delicate I mean in terms of finding his best position, not in terms of [his future at the club].

“We want players that can perform at 100 percent in their positions. I am sure, for instance, Malo [Gusto] and Reece [James] can both do the work required of them in the next two-three days and they can both finish with more assists, or be more dangerous, than they were in the past. In that position, they are good enough to make ‘last passes’ or get some assists because their quality is very good.”

Chilwell has apparently taken a 'dim view' towards this suggestion that he doesn't have enough quality to start in his usual position, and it is a situation which Pep Guardiola's side are open to pouncing on. It is believed Chelsea would demand a minimum of £40 million to consider selling before deadline day.

We are now mere days away from the return of the Premier League, and it's Manchester United who are set to kick it all off when they play host to Fulham on Friday night.

It's been a strange summer for Erik ten Hag's side this year, with mixed preseason results and a mini-injury crisis to carry on last season's misfortune. However, the club has been very active in the market.

The signings of Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro and Noussair Mazraoui are all incredibly exciting, although, for the here and now, the capture of Matthijs de Ligt is perhaps the most important.

The Dutch international is only 25 but has already enjoyed a stellar career, winning titles for Ajax, Juventus, and, most recently, Bayern Munich – the Red Devils will be hoping he keeps that streak going at Old Trafford.

However, while United's business this summer would be the stuff of dreams for many clubs in the league, they still aren't finished as recent reports have touted a veteran international with a move to the club, and he could be the dream upgrade on Christian Eriksen.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a recent report from 90min, French international Adrien Rabiot 'would be interested in joining Manchester United this summer.'

The report claims that the former Juventus ace, now a free agent, is willing to wait a bit longer before deciding his future but would be happy to move to United because they will compete in Europe next season.

Moreover, the report has revealed that the player is waiting to see if the three-time European Champions will act upon their 'historic interest in his services.'

Overall, while his wage demands might prove to be on the higher side of things, the fact that he's available for free makes him an incredibly appealing prospect this summer, and given the fact that he is still just 29 and looks to have years left at the top, he could be an ideal upgrade on Eriksen – even just for a few years.

How Rabiot compares to Eriksen

Okay, so while Rabiot has played defensive midfield at points in his career, he's spent far more time starting in central areas. Therefore, if he were to move to United this summer, one of his main rivals for a place in the starting lineup would be Eriksen.

So, how do they stack up against one another?

Well, from a pure output perspective, it's the French "monster", as football writer Robin Bairner dubbed him, who comes out on top. In 35 appearances for Juventus last season, he scored five goals and provided three assists, equating to a reasonably impressive average of a goal involvement every 4.37 games.

In contrast, the Red Devils' Danish ace scored one goal and provided three assists in 28 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every seven games.

Unfortunately for the former Tottenham Hotspur ace, he also comes out second best when we take a look at their underlying numbers from last season. However, it is a slightly tighter affair.

For example, the Paris-born dynamo comes out on top in most relevant metrics, including non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, progressive passes received, shots and shots on target, passing accuracy and successful take-ons, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.25

0.26

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.27

0.24

Progressive Carries

2.44

1.57

Progressive Passes

4.07

5.35

Progressive Passes Received

3.59

1.81

Shots

1.29

1.03

Shots on Target

0.54

0.32

Passing Accuracy

82.2%

80.5%

Shot-Creating Actions

2.17

3.63

Tackles Won

1.32

1.02

Blocks

0.88

1.34

Interceptions

0.85

0.31

Clearances

1.15

1.02

Successful Take-Ons

0.95

0.24

Aerial Duels Won

1.83

0.08

The 29-year-old also comes out ahead in most defensive metrics, including tackles won, interceptions, clearances and aerial duels won per 90, showing that he can impact play in all phases.

Ultimately, while Eriksen has been a useful signing for United, Rabiot beats him in both output and underlying numbers. Therefore, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co should look to make the Frenchman their next signing after De Ligt – the fact that he's a free agent is just a bonus.

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ByMatt Dawson Aug 13, 2024

A key update has emerged regarding the future of Sunderland hero Jobe Bellingham, with his long-term path looking decided already.

Bellingham's Sunderland future

The 18-year-old may be living in the shadow of his brother Jude Bellingham currently, considering he has moved to Real Madrid and become one of the leading players in world football, but the Black Cats ace is a top-quality young player in his own right.

Despite his tender years, Bellingham is already such a key figure at the Stadium of Light, with a tally of seven goals coming his way in the Championship last season, as well as an average of 1.3 tackles per game. That outlines what an all-round midfield presence he is, albeit in a more attack-minded role, and Sunderland will want to keep hold of him for as long as possible.

It is only natural that plenty of interest has emerged in the teenager of late, however, with a number of Premier League clubs keen on snapping him up, including Tottenham. His long-term potential is there for all to see, and even the most optimistic of Black Cats supporters will know that he won't be at the club forever.

As things stand, though, Bellingham hasn't gone anywhere, and now a significant update has dropped when it comes to how the Englishman sees his own situation.

Bellingham set to stay at Sunderland

According to a fresh claim from Il Messaggero [via Sport Witness], Bellingham's carefully planned career path is "blocking" a move to Lazio, even though the Serie A side are still interested in signing him this summer.

Instead, the 18-year-old wants to spend one more year with the Black Cats, prior to sealing a move to the Premier League (assuming they are not promoted), with the next step in his plan to play in the English top flight, rather than a move abroad like his brother.

Bellingham is frighteningly mature for his age, not only in terms of his performances for Sunderland on the pitch, but also the manner in which he is clearly looking at his future, making sure he makes the right career decisions. Black Cats fans will be understandably desperate to have another year of the teenager in their squad, especially as he could go up another gear, before accepting that they will likely lose him to a bigger club in 2025 if they do not go up.

It remains to be seen what level Bellingham can reach, in terms of emulating his sibling and becoming a genuine superstar for club and country, but him being at Sunderland will only enhance their hopes of mounting a promotion bid in the Championship next season, as Regis Le Bris looks to be an immediate hit as manager.

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At this point, it would be a surprise if Bellingham moved abroad this summer, and it could now be a case of the Black Cats enjoying every minute before he eventually departs for a new challenge, unless Le Bris' side gain promotion, in which case he could even stay on.

Quick looks back on ‘toughest day of Test cricket’ after bowling through the day with a fractured toe

Umar Farooq28-Dec-2020Neil Wagner was carrying the pain of fractured toes*, sustained while batting in the first innings of the first Test against Pakistan, but he persevered through that injury and bowled 21 overs in Pakistan’s first innings because it would have ‘taken a stretcher’ to carry him off the field where he would be sitting and watching his team-mates do the hard work.Wagner was struck on his right foot by a Shaheen Afridi yorker on the second morning, but was later cleared to play if he could tolerate the pain.”I do take a lot of pride in something like that,” Wagner said about bowling through the pain. “But it comes down to the team. There’s still a way of contributing for them. I wouldn’t be wanting to sit on the side with my foot up and watching the boys doing the hard work out there, and I can’t be there to help out. I feel I’ll be left out, I have a bit of FOMO. Injuries happen and it’s unlucky, but I can still walk, I can still do things, I can run. It’s not going to stop me. It’s sore and it’s uncomfortable but it’s just one of those things you have to deal with.Watch cricket on ESPN+

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“Test matches don’t come easy. Playing for your country is never anything you can take for granted. I know how bloody hard I had to work to get to where I am now and I’m sure as hell not going to sit on the side and watch other people do it. I want to be part of it and playing my part. Unless they carry me off on a stretcher, I’m going to try and do everything I can, I guess.”Related

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Wagner had continued to bat after being struck on the toe, getting treatment from the physio and eventually being the last man out for 19, to stretch New Zealand’s first-innings total to 431. Wagner then sent down 21 overs – three on the second day and 18 on the third – picking up 2 for 50 to bowl Pakistan out for 239. Wagner’s effort included a long spell of nine overs, during which he dismissed Fawad Alam before going off the field.Play on the third day was interrupted by several rain breaks, and taking a pain-killing injection in the first one helped Wagner soldier through till the end.”Hurts every time I walk, to be fair,” he said, responding to whether the pain was more acute while bowling. “Just walking to fine leg, doing anything, twisting, turning…as soon as you bend the toe a little bit. I guess obviously standing on it hurts. It’s just one of those things, I guess. Try and put it out of your mind and get on with it. Try to get into the battle and try not to think about it too much. Obviously that’s hard because it’s at the back of your mind the whole time. At the start it sort of felt like – not having to change my action but it felt a little bit awkward towards it. It wasn’t until the first rain break where I just went down and said I can’t bear the pain, got a jab done and that sort of took the pain away for a lot of it and it helped. It’s one of those things, you’ve just got to find a way and deal with it.”To focus his mind more on the task at hand than on the pain, Wagner said he didn’t keep track of the number of overs he had bowled either, and expressed confidence in being able to bowl again in the second innings.

“I know how bloody hard I had to work to get to where I am now and I’m sure as hell not going to sit on the side and watch other people do it.”NEIL WAGNER

“I’ve bowled – I don’t even know how many overs – didn’t want to count them and think too much about it,” he said. “So I’m pretty confident I can bowl again. It’s going to be damn sore, no doubt about it, but bowling is always… I’ve never bowled in a game where something doesn’t hurt, so it’s sort of part of it. It’s a different pain but I’ve just got to find a way of still being able to contribute to the team. There’s still a role to play out there and we still have to come back to get ten wickets again and try and win a Test match. So whichever way I can play a role, still going to have to try and do it.”Wagner called the third day one of the toughest he had experienced, harking back to a Test match against India in October 2016 for a comparable experience.”I went back in the change-room and said it was probably one of my toughest days of Test cricket I’ve ever experienced. Took me back to Kolkata against India, probably one of the toughest matches I’ve played. It was pretty hot and dealing with the heat, humidity and going off and changing your clothes after every four-over spell… I went through four sets and was just completely knackered off the exhaustion of the Indian heat. Today was right up there. It was pretty tough.The possibility of Wagner being available to bowl in the fourth innings will be a boost to New Zealand. Pakistan had collapsed to 80 for 6, and seemed in danger of falling well short of the follow-on mark, but fighting half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan (71) and Faheem Ashram (91) meant they avoided that fate. New Zealand still have a handsome lead of 192, and are likely to press for quick second-innings runs and a declaration when they start batting again on the fourth day.Wagner praised Pakistan’s grit, but also lauded his team-mates for not letting the intensity drop.”The wicket’s deteriorating at the moment and we knew we had a big task to try and bowl them out today. I think today was the best time to bat, but also it was tough in periods because there was a bit of variable bounce and the ball went up and down a fraction,” he said. “Those cracks are starting to come into play a little bit more now, as the game goes on. But they batted really well. They’ve played well this whole Test match. They bowled really well which gave us nothing, and obviously took a lot of time out of the game. The way they batted – I thought we bowled really well and put them under pressure but they still managed to get a really good partnership. We kept throwing everything at them and they kept counter-attacking against us. But credit to all the guys, everybody kept running in and bowling for each other, working really hard. We bowled as a pack and knew rewards would come our way.”The second and final Test of the series starts on January 3, and it’s one Wagner does not intend to miss if he can help it.”Don’t want to look too far ahead, but you’re going to have to try and force me away,” he laughed. “We’ll sum it up after each day and hopefully it gets better. Hopefully we can do the job and get a couple of days rest for the foot, but we’ll see how it goes.”*This copy was updated on Dec 30 at 11.00am GMT to reflect that Wagner had two broken toes and not one.