Além da importância esportiva e financeira da sofrida classificação do Internacional contra o River Plate, na Libertadores, um forte simbolismo também esteve presente no confronto da última terça-feira (8), no Beira-Rio.
Isso porque, tendo o clube uma política de constante incentivo ao programa de sócio-torcedor, a presença de 100% dos torcedores sendo de sócios no confronto continental decisivo também foi exaltada pela gestão do clube atualmente encabeçada por Alessandro Barcellos.
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>Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Inter com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF
Na avaliação do atual presidente do Inter, o aspecto do pioneirismo e o engajamento demonstrados pelos torcedores do Colorado são pontos dignos de comemoração e incentivo a continuidade da filosofia.
– Ter a bilheteria 100% preenchida por sócios torcedores é o que todas as agremiações almejam. Esta conquista do Internacional não surpreende, pois o clube possui um trabalho voltado para sócios muito estruturado e bem avaliado, sendo um dos pioneiros no Brasil na implantação do programa de sócio-torcedor – disse o mandatário, completando:
– Não me recordo de termos alcançado uma marca como essa no pós-pandemia, apesar de nossa taxa de ocupação com os associados ser sempre alta. Isso é um reflexo de vários fatores, como a grandeza e importância da partida, mas também a assiduidade e engajamento do torcedor com o nosso programa de sócios.
Manchester United did some impressive business on paper during the summer transfer window as they brought Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko in to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.
Mbeumo has hit the ground running since his move from Premier League rivals Brentford, with goals against Grimsby and Burnley in recent weeks.
The summer transfer window was not perfect, though, as the Red Devils were unable to get a deal done for Brighton & Hove Albion central midfielder Carlos Baleba.
There was also a scare late on in the window when Fabrizio Romano revealed that Kobbie Mainoo had told the club that he wanted to leave on loan for the season.
The England international wanted to go out on loan, but was not entertaining any permanent transfers away from Old Trafford, in order to play regular minutes ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
However, Manchester United were unwilling to lose the academy graduate, even on loan, so close to the end of the window, which means that he remained at the club.
Why Man Utd need to get the best out of Kobbie Mainoo
Ruben Amorim must find a way to get the best out of Mainoo now that the player is staying at Old Trafford, because he has proven himself to be an exciting young talent.
His only start of the season so far came against Grimsby in the League Cup. It was an awful night for the club, losing on penalties, but the midfielder showed his quality in and out of possession in midfield.
There should be little doubt over whether or not Mainoo is good enough to be starting matches for Manchester United when you consider his form prior to Amorim’s arrival.
23/24 Premier League
Kobbie Mainoo per 90
Percentile rank vs CMs
Take-ons attempted
2.71
Top 20%
Take-ons completed
1.42
Top 18%
Take-on success rate
53.4%
Top 28%
Goal-creating actions (take-ons)
0.09
Top 4%
Goal-creating actions (shot)
0.09
Top 2%
Goal-creating actions (fouls drawn)
0.05
Top 9%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, the 20-year-old starlet was one of the most impressive central midfielders in the Premier League at driving with the ball and making things happen in possession in the 2023/24 campaign under Erik ten Hag.
Now, at the start of this season, Mainoo was an unused substitute in the first two matches of the Premier League season, against Arsenal and Fulham, and Amorim explained that it was because he is competing with Bruno Fernandes for a place in the team.
Whilst you can rationalise what the manager says in the quotes above, as his midfield two typically has one creative player and one enforcer to complement each other, it seems like a waste of the talent that he has available to him.
Mainoo is capable of producing quality in the Premier League, such as the goal in the clip above, whilst Manuel Ugarte has made more appearances in the league than him this season, despite his disappointing performances.
The Uruguay international, who was signed from PSG in 2024, has not done enough to suggest that he should be prioritised over Mainoo, and INEOS must finally cash in on him when the transfer window opens again in January.
Why Man Utd should sell Manuel Ugarte
Per Capology, Ugarte currently earns £120k-per-week at Old Trafford. That is over four times as much as Mainoo earns per week (£25k), but his performances do not justify that expense.
Wage Burners
Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.
The former Sporting star is a midfield destroyer who ‘suits’ Amorim’s system as a partner for Bruno Fernandes or Mason Mount because he is naturally defensive-minded.
However, Ugarte was dribbled past 1.3 times per game in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore, whilst Mainoo was only dribbled past 0.6 times, which shows that opposition midfielders found it too easy to get the better of him.
He also won 53% of his duels and made two errors that led to shots or goals. Mainoo, meanwhile, won 45% of his duels and made one error that led to a shot or goal, per Sofascore, which suggests that they were both fairly indifferent in physical contests.
Ugarte is, therefore, not enough of an upgrade, if at all, in a defensive sense, to rationalise him playing in the first two Premier League games off the bench ahead of the England international.
These comments on Sky Sports from last October still ring true to this day, as the Uruguay international’s ‘lackadaisical’ play on the ball was an issue for him throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
24/25 PL
Ugarte
Rank vs midfielders
Non-penalty goals
0.05
Bottom 41%
xAG
0.06
Bottom 30%
Shot-creating actions
1.56
Bottom 16%
Progressive passes
3.08
Bottom 18%
Progressive carries
0.81
Bottom 23%
Passes into the final third
2.96
Bottom 36%
Passes into the penalty area
0.45
Bottom 20%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Ugarte was one of the worst central midfielders in the Premier League last season when it came to progressing play and making an impact at the top end of the pitch.
Therefore, the ex-PSG man has flopped at Old Trafford because he has not been reliable defensively, given how easy it has been for players to dribble past him, and he has struggled badly in possession.
Manchester United's ManuelUgartein action with Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi
In fact, a former Netherlands international claimed in October of last year that Ugarte was “walking” around the pitch and criticised Ten Hag and the club for signing players who are “not even good”, referring to the midfielder.
INEOS must, therefore, cash in on Ugarte when they next get the chance to, because he is standing in Mainoo’s way, despite not being better than the English starlet, and has been a big flop since his move from PSG with his underwhelming performances on the pitch.
Man Utd tipped to join race for Premier League star who's an "absolute gem"
علق عبد الرحمن مجدي، لاعب فريق بيراميدز، على التتويج ببطولة السوبر الإفريقي على حساب نهضة بركان المغربي.
وتوج بيراميدز ببطولة السوبر الإفريقي للمرة الأولى في تاريخه على حساب نهضة بركان المغربي، بهدف دون رد أحرزه فيستون مايلي.
طالع | لاعبو بيراميدز بعد التتويج بالسوبر الإفريقي: نجني ثمار المواسم الماضية وقال عبد الرحمن مجدي في تصريحات لبرنامج “كورة كل يوم” على قناة “الحياة”: “نشكر الله على تحقيق اللقب، جلسنا منذ أول الموسم وتعاهدنا أن ننافس على كل البطولات وهذا ما حدث”.
وتابع: “أمامنا بطولة الدوري وبطولات أخرى، نحصد بطولة وبعد ذلك نغلق الصفحة ونفكر في البطولة التي تليها”.
واختتم: “كان هناك بعض الإجهاد، وواجهنا فريقًا كبيرًا واحترمناه، مثل هذه المباريات لا تلعب ولكن أهم شيء المكسب، وهذا ما اختلف لدينا عن السنوات الماضية، كنا نؤدي بشكل جيد في مباريات ولكن لا نفوز”.
Marizanne Kapp is also among the group, underlining her commitment to continue playing international cricket
Firdose Moonda17-Mar-2025
Annerie Dercksen was named the ICC’s Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year for 2024•ICC via Getty Images
Allrounder Annerie Dercksen, who was named the ICC’s Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year for 2024, has earned her first national contract for South Africa. Dercksen was named on a 15-player list for the 2025-26 season which excludes Lara Goodall and Delmi Tucker from last year’s group.Goodall and Tucker have been on the fringes of the first-choice squad while Dercksen has established herself across all formats and appears regularly, leading to her promotion.The rest of the contracted squad includes familiar and experienced names including captain Laura Wolvaardt, former captain Sune Luus, allrounders Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk, senior batter and seamer Anneke Bosch and Ayabonga Khaka and left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba.Significantly for South Africa, Marizanne Kapp is also among the group, underlining her commitment to continue playing international cricket after being talked out of retirement early last year. She is understood to be considering this year’s ODI World Cup as a swansong but with the next T20 World Cup 15 months away, may also be eyeing that tournament as well.There are no new names among the squad, which demonstrates the consistency in South African selection but could point to concerns about the next generation coming through. Under-19 wicketkeeper batter, Karabo Meso, for example, who has already been capped at senior level was not considered for a national contract despite being named batter and player of the recently completed SA20 Schools competition. However, South Africa’s director of cricket Enoch Nkwe is pleased with the continued development of the current players and sought to reward them for that.”The continuity in the squad recognises the team’s outstanding achievement in reaching a second consecutive World Cup final, highlighting CSA’s commitment to rewarding consistent performance and building on the team’s recent success on the global stage,” he said, in a statement. “As we prepare for a pivotal year with the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India, this squad offers the right balance of experience and youthful energy. We believe this group is well-equipped to compete at the highest level and continue making the country proud.”South Africa have been on an extended break since December, when they hosted England at home and won only one of the seven matches across all formats. They head to Sri Lanka in April for a tri-series which also includes India in preparation for the ODI World Cup, and will also play a series in West Indies for three ODIs and three T20Is in June before the tournament.South Africa contracted squad: Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloé Tryon, Laura Wolvaardt
The club will hope for a better outcome than last season when their platinum selection Harry Brook withdrew
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2024
Dan Lawrence was one of the overseas players to turn out for Melbourne Stars last year•Getty Images
For the second season running Melbourne Stars will have pick one in the BBL overseas draft while local rivals Melbourne Renegades will follow as second.The weighted lottery – split between the four sides who missed finals and those who qualified – has Sydney Sixers, last season’s beaten finalists, coming out eighth while defending champions Brisbane Heat will have pick six.Stars will hope for better fortune with their first pick, potentially a platinum player, than last season when they went for England’s Harry Brook only for him to withdraw from the tournament to manage his workload.Related
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Billings picks Sydney Thunder ahead of rival T20 leagues
Picks can be traded between clubs and that has already happened once with Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder swapping their second-round positions as part of Wes Agar’s move to Thunder.Stars will have the first pick in rounds one, two and four with the order reversing in round three meaning Sixers get pick 17.The draft will again have four price bands: platinum (AU$420,000), gold (AU$300,000), silver (AU$200,000) and bronze (AU$100,000).Cricket Australia
Clubs can sign up to four players overall with one of those available under the new multi-year contract option brought in to try to secure key names ahead of rival T20 leagues. Sam Billings became the first player to agree to a deal under that after signing for three years with Thunder. If a fourth player is selected, they become a club’s first overseas replacement.The WBBL draft order was revealed yesterday with Hobart Hurricanes getting pick one.
Newcastle United’s qualification for the Champions League next season will give Eddie Howe hope that he can lure some high-profile players to Stamford Bridge.
One player they are showing interest in is Jadon Sancho. The Manchester United winger looks set to depart Old Trafford this summer.
The Englishman could cost the club around £25m, and he would certainly bolster their wide options, given his return of five goals and eight assists for Chelsea this season.
It would be a massive statement of intent if Howe could secure a deal for the former Borussia Dortmund starlet. While adding wingers will help the club next season, perhaps it is other positions that require strengthening first.
Newcastle enter the race to sign Barcelona star
One position that Howe must improve is his goalkeeping department. The club conceded 47 Premier League goals last term, the worst defensive record out of any side in the top five.
Thus, bringing in a top-class goalkeeper ahead of another Champions League campaign makes perfect sense.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen
According to reports in Spain, Barcelona’s keeper Marc-André ter Stegen could be set to leave the club following the arrival of Joan Garcia.
PSG, AC Milan, Manchester City, and Juventus have all expressed interest in the German international, but Newcastle are also entering the race.
Beating these clubs to the signature of Ter Stegen would be a major coup for Howe; that much is certain. Indeed, he would be an even better signing than Sancho.
Why Newcastle must sign Marc-André ter Stegen
Signing Sancho could prove to be a massive gamble. For Man United, the winger scored just 12 goals across 83 matches for the club. His loan spell at Chelsea didn’t exactly see him sparkle either.
His 41 matches for the Blues saw only five goals netted, and it was no surprise that they declined to sign him permanently. Given the fact that Newcastle can call upon players such as Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon, and Jacob Murphy on the wing, do they need to splash out to sign Sancho? Especially with the risks involved with his lacklustre form.
Jadon Sancho for Chelsea
In this instance, making a move for Ter Stegen would be seen as the smarter approach. That’s for sure.
Last season, Nick Pope kept just eight clean sheets from 35 appearances, while Martin Dubravka kept five clean sheets across ten domestic matches for the Magpies.
If Howe is serious about progressing far in the Champions League next season, making a move to bring Ter Stegen to England would be a very shrewd move indeed.
Pope and Dubravka’s PL stats for Newcastle (2024/25)
Metric
Pope
Dubravka
Clean sheets
8
5
Saves per game
3.1
2.9
Touches per game
34.8
38
Goals conceded
35
12
Goals conceded per game
1.3
1.2
Pass success rate
65%
76%
He played just nine games last season for Barcelona, keeping a solitary clean sheet. The German has been with the La Liga giants since the summer of 2014, playing over 400 competitive matches in the process.
A total of 175 clean sheets have been kept throughout that period. While he may not have featured much this term, in La Liga during 2023/24, he was excellent.
Across his 28 matches, Ter Stegen made 2.7 saves per game – a success rate of 74% – while he was also successful with 100% of his runs out per game.
FC Barcelona's Marc-AndreterStegenlifts the trophy with teammates afterwinning LaLiga
He was comfortable on the ball, as evidenced by his average of 40 touches per game, while a 94% pass accuracy in his own half suggests the German moves the ball on effectively.
The player was lauded as “ice cool” by popular X page Goalkeeper.com for the way he snuffed out an opponent’s attack in the Champions League in September 2023.
Given the fact that he has a contract until 2028 with the Catalan giants, a move would cost the club, although it hasn’t been determined just how much Hansi Flick will demand for his player.
Sancho would be a fine signing, no doubt, but bringing Ter Stegen to the north-east would certainly turn heads.
Newcastle accelerate pursuit of £60m striker who now wants move to Tyneside
Eddie Howe could bring a clinical forward to Tyneside.
There is no shortage of transfer links swirling around the Leeds United sphere as the club eye up plenty of players for possible moves to Elland Road this summer.
The Whites will be in the market to strengthen their squad after they won the Championship, with 100 points, and earned promotion back to the Premier League.
Daniel Farke is looking to bolster his team with new signings, and has already been linked with a number of stars. The club are reportedly in talks over a deal for Udinese centre-back Jaka Bijol, for example.
The Championship champions have also reportedly made contact with Premier League rivals Fulham over a potential move for their centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz.
Leeds are clearly targeting players in several areas of the pitch, in defence and in attack, but there is one central midfielder who has also been linked with a return to Elland Road, Kalvin Phillips.
However, a recent report suggested that a move back to West Yorkshire is unlikely for the Manchester City outcast, which could be good news for Farke.
Why Leeds should not sign Kalvin Phillips
TEAMtalk recently claimed that Leeds United are not planning a move to bring the England international back to the club this summer, because they have a budget that they do not want to waste and his £150k-per-week wages would be difficult to take on.
The outlet added that Phillips is also dealing with an Achilles problem that is set to keep him out for a big chunk of pre-season next month, which means that he would be playing catch-up heading into the campaign when the Whites need a fast start.
Even taking the financial issue and his injury situation out of the equation, the West Yorkshire outfit should not sign the defensive midfielder because of his dismal performances in the Premier League in recent years.
Phillips failed to make the grade at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola and was sent out on loan to West Ham United for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, before joining Ipswich on loan this season.
Kalvin Phillips (Premier League)
23/24 (West Ham)
24/25 (Ipswich)
Appearances
12
19
Starts
3
14
Dribbled past per game
4x
25x
Error led to shot
0
1
Error led to goal
1
1
Red cards
1
1
Ground duel success rate
42%
46%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 29-year-old dud was dribbled past more than once per start across both spells and dominated in duels on the deck, whilst also being sent off for both clubs.
Phillips has been a liability in the Premier League in the past 18 months, as evidenced by his dismal statistics and the scathing criticism from referee Mike Dean in the clip below, and that is why the club are right not to be interested in signing him this summer.
Farke, however, could land his own version of Phillips, when he was at his best at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa, by signing the club’s latest reported target.
Leeds eyeing deal for Championship star
According to the printed edition of the Daily Mail (9 Jun, page 55), as relayed by MOT Leeds News, the Championship champions are lining up a move for Southampton defensive midfielder Shea Charles.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The report claims that the Whites ‘admire’ the Northern Ireland international, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, ahead of a potential swoop for him in the summer transfer window.
It does not, however, reveal how much money Southampton would want for the 21-year-old talent, who signed for the club from Manchester City in a deal reported to be worth up to £15m in the summer of 2023.
Leeds must, now, press ahead with a move to sign the Championship enforcer this summer because he could be Farke’s own version of Phillips next season.
Why Shea Charles could be Kalvin Phillips 2.0
As aforementioned, the Manchester City flop is not in his best moment right now, after two dismal loan spells, but he earned a move to Guardiola’s side off the back of two impressive seasons in the Premier League with Leeds under Bielsa.
In the 2020/21 campaign, Phillips made 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game, winning 52% of his duels, whilst completing 85% of his attempted passes in the top-flight.
That was the England international at his best for the Whites, as a combative and composed midfielder, and Charles’ performances for Sheffield Wednesday suggest that he can offer similar qualities in the middle of the park.
As you can see in the chart above, the Northern Irish star’s statistics this season are notably similar to Phillips’ in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, whilst he also excelled more in possession as a progressive passer and carrier.
Whilst these statistics are only from his displays at Championship level, Charles has plenty of time left to develop and improve at the age of 21, and he could grow into being Farke’s own version of Phillips at his peak.
24/25 Championship
Shea Charles
Appearances
43
Assists
5
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.9
Ball recoveries per game
5.7
Dribbled past per game
0.7x
Ground duel success rate
58%
Aerial duel success rate
60%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Southampton loanee caught the eye with his defensive work for the Owls in the second tier, making almost four tackles and interceptions per game without being dribbled past very often.
Charles, who talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed has “undeniable Premier League potential”, can offer the destructive midfield presence that Phillips provided Bielsa with, but without a tendency to be taken out of the game with ease by being dribbled past.
Kalvin Phillips for Leeds United
The midfield star may also be more reliable defensively than Phillips because he ended the season without any errors that led to shots or goals for the opposition and was not sent off a single time.
Therefore, Farke could unearth an even bigger talent than the England international by signing Charles, because he has the potential to be more reliable defensively whilst also offering more in possession with his progressive passes and progressive carries to influence play on the ball.
He must go before Bamford: Leeds have told £11m flop he will now be sold
Leeds have told this flop that he must leave this summer, and the dud must go before Patrick Bamford.
1 ByDan Emery Jun 9, 2025
It is now down to the club to strike an agreement with Southampton to bring the Northern Ireland international to Elland Road to bolster the manager’s midfield options for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.
With the 49ers’ takeover complete and Russell Martin appointed, Rangers have now reportedly opened talks to sign a Premier League veteran who could become one of their first arrivals of the summer.
Rangers officially appoint Russell Martin
After much deliberation and countless links with moves for the likes of Davide Ancelotti and former manager Steven Gerrard, Rangers finally came to the decision to hire Russell Martin on Thursday. The former Southampton boss is back in the technical area for the first time since his St Mary’s stint ended with the sack and will be well aware of the extent of the task that he now has on his hands.
By the end of his tenure, the former Norwich City defender will be desperate to be up there with the most successful managers in the club’s history. Whether he is able to stop the trend of Celtic dominance in the Scottish Premiership remains to be seen, however.
Welcoming Martin, new sporting director Kevin Thelwell told Rangers’ media channels: “We went through a quite diligent and thorough process and tried to use the time we had at our disposal to the very best opportunity. Right from the very start, it was clear to me, and the other guys involved in the process, that Russell was the standout candidate. He was outstanding.
£5,000-p/w Rangers ace who praised Clement has contacts to leave Ibrox
He’s got just two years left on his current deal.
ByTom Cunningham Jun 8, 2025
“He has a lot of experience as a manager and head coach, and over the course of that career it’s been clear to see that he’s sharpened that approach in his methods, in terms of technical, tactical, and also from a personal perspective.”
The new sporting director has wasted no time before turning his focus towards the transfer market after appointing Martin, either. The Gers have even reportedly made their first move to sign an experienced Premier League defender this summer.
Rangers open talks to sign Coady
As reported by Daily Record, Rangers have now opened talks to sign Conor Coady from Leicester City, seeking to find out what it would take to make a deal happen this summer. The experienced defender has just one year left on his current deal at the club and will, therefore, have a decision to make sooner rather than later.
Given that Thelwell is reportedly an admirer of Coady too, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers captain may find himself near the top of Rangers’ wishlist in the coming months.
Whilst it’s fair to assume that Coady’s price tag could drop this summer given how little time remains on his current Leicester deal, there may be no escaping his £75,000-a-week salary for Rangers if they decide to make their move.
Whether Rangers deem the defender’s experience invaluable enough to match his current salary will be the question.
To Coady’s credit, even at 32 years old and part of a relegated squad, he still found himself at the centre of Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, who told reporters last season: “He is a big part in this squad. He’s one of our leaders.
“He’s such a character that when he doesn’t play, he’s still that leader, he’s still helping the team, coaching the team, talking to players, pushing everybody to their highest levels in training sessions. “
It’s been an extremely long time coming, but after eight years outside of the Premier League promised land, Sunderland are finally back.
Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats would go on to stun Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United 2-1 at Wembley courtesy of a last-gasp effort from Tommy Watson, with the tense tie looking to be going in the favour of the Blades, before a remarkable Sunderland comeback was kick-started.
Now, an exciting summer awaits the newly promoted side as they attempt to land some statement deals ahead of the challenge of top-flight football.
One deal that will go through is Enzo Le Fee joining Le Bris’ camp permanently after his standout loan stint more than helped the Wearside outfit seal a dramatic path back up to the Premier League.
Le Fee's heroics at Sunderland
Whilst the skilful Frenchman didn’t pick up a goal or an assist at Wembley, he would still prove his worth during the two semi-final clashes versus Coventry when collecting two assists.
Therefore, nobody will be up in arms about the Black Cats having to fork out £20m to land Le Fee for good, with that fee coming in as a mandatory amount to fork out if the high-flyers were to win promotion.
There will also be an expectation in the air that Le Fee can deliver when making the gigantic leap-up, considering he does have plenty of top-flight experience in his native France up his sleeve with soon-to-be ex-side Lorient, when tallying seven goals and 14 assists from 132 Ligue 1 encounters.
Moreover, despite only being 25 years of age, the entertaining number 28 is arguably one of the more senior members of Le Bris’ promotion-winning side, meaning he shouldn’t hopefully fold when the Premier League spotlight is beamed onto him.
Sunderland lineup vs Sheffield United
Age
1. GK – Anthony Patterson
25
2. RB – Trai Hume
23
3. CB -Daniel Ballard
25
4. CB – Luke O’Nien
30
5. LM – Dennis Cirkin
23
6. RM – Chris Rigg
17
7. CM – Dan Neil
23
8. CM – Jobe Bellingham
19
9. LM – Romaine Mundle
22
10. ST – Enzo Le Fee
25
11. ST – Eliezer Mayenda
20
Sourced by Transfermarkt
To help calm down the inexperienced team’s nerves more, Sunderland could go all in to land this former star who knows the Premier League inside out.
The incredible signing Sunderland could make
The Black Cats will already be up against it reentering the top-flight, with the last six teams that went up all coming straight back down miserably.
Therefore, if Sunderland are able to win back the services of former homegrown ace Jordan Henderson – with Football Insider reporting a return could be on the cards – they should go full steam ahead to snap him up, with this signing potentially as exciting as Le Fee’s was when he surprisingly entered the building in the second tier.
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson
Henderson, before his career fell somewhat to the wayside in Saudi and now at Ajax, was the heartbeat of many a successful Liverpool side in the daunting division, skippering the side to Premier League and Champions League glory.
Jurgen Klopp referred to the midfield veteran as “incredible” during their memorable days together at Anfield, with the 34-year-old’s numbers below speaking for themselves in terms of how he could offer plenty of know-how.
Henderson’s numbers at Liverpool
Stat
Henderson
Games played
492
Goals scored
33
Assists
58
Premier League titles
1x
Champions Leagues
1x
Footballer of the Year
1x
Sourced by Transfermarkt
So good has Henderson been at the top level that he amazingly picked up a Footballer of the Year accolade at the close of the 2019/20 season, with a hope now that the former Reds captain can roll back the years upon his potential return to the Stadium of Light.
Indeed, with Sunderland in need of a calming and steady presence to complement the more livewire figures of Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg and the attack-focused Le Fee, the local lad would be the dream addition for Louis-Dreyfus and Co as they enter a new dawn.
Surely a return to your hometown club on the eve of their first Premier League season in eight years is motivation enough to get back to your dominating best, with this deal perhaps going down as another steal like Le Fee’s if all goes to plan, particularly if he can keep his boyhood side afloat.
Forget Jobe: Sunderland may have their next Jordan Henderson in 8/10 star
Sunderland are finally back in the Premier League after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.
Everton are set to embark on an exciting new era at Bramley-Moore Dock and could make a bargain signing to kick off their summer business, according to a report.
Everton preparing for summer of mass changes
David Moyes has comfortably ensured top-flight survival for Everton and has managed to revive a squad that has plenty of uncertainty hanging over it heading into the summer.
With the Toffees set to say farewell to Goodison Park, key figures such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young are yet to commit to extensions, while several loanees find themselves in limbo.
Everton manager DavidMoyesreacts
Abdoulaye Doucoure has commented on his future at the club, stirring debate among supporters, stating: “There’s not been any talks so far with Everton. I think personally, I don’t wait for them to give me a contract or not, because my contract is finished. I already have some proposals on the table, to be honest, and I think in the next three weeks, I will have to take my decision — whether I stay or not.”
Clearly, Moyes has plenty of work to do in the market before his squad is in ideal shape for next season. Ipswich Town pair Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson have emerged as Everton targets, offering an inkling of the direction his recruitment strategy could take.
Burnley’s Josh Brownhill could join the Toffees on a free transfer, which would be a wise move in the face of PSR regulations, which could otherwise create problems in a moment of positivity.
Sky Sports reporter says 49ers want to sign £20m+ Everton star for Leeds
Leeds have added a new attacker to their transfer shortlist heading into the summer.
ByBrett Worthington May 8, 2025
Tapping into that theme, another star from the EFL Championship may also arrive this summer without the Toffees having to spend a penny in transfer fees.
Everton want to land Leeds United full-back Junior Firpo
According to Everton News, as per journalist Graeme Bailey, Junior Firpo could make a surprise move to Everton this summer on a free transfer once his contract expires at Leeds United.
While Spain is thought to be his preference, Everton appear to be at the front of the queue if the defender opts to remain in England.
Labelled “immense” by Conor McGilligan, the Dominican Republic international has registered four goals and 10 assists this campaign, playing a major role in the Whites’ promotion back to the top flight.
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Earning £60,000 per week at Elland Road, it is said that Firpo also has admirers from Spain, where he came through the ranks at Real Betis before joining Barcelona back in 2019.
Previously, the Santo Domingo-born defender struggled with life in the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa, but he has been a key attacking force down the left flank this term and appears primed for another tilt at the top flight.
Now, Everton’s task is to put forward a convincing argument that they are a better proposition than Leeds in the long run. Given their newfound stability, they stand a good chance of winning the race for his signature.