MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras postou uma foto de Kevin de Bruyne com a camisa no clube nesta segunda-feira (12), mas calma… não é isso que vocês estão pensando! O jogador belga não vai deixar o Manchester City-ING, atual campeão da Champions League, para atuar pelo atual campeão brasileiro. A imagem é apenas um agrado ao meia depois da passagem das Crias da Academia pela Bélgica.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras terá período de descanso e jogo-treino durante a pausa para a Data FifaPalmeiras12/06/2023PalmeirasMídias do Palmeiras produzem homenagens aos 30 anos do 12 de junho de 1993Palmeiras12/06/2023PalmeirasPróximos jogos do Palmeiras: onde assistir ao vivo, datas, horários e calendárioPalmeiras10/10/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Nesse sábado (10) e nesse domingo (11), o time sub-15 do Verdão disputou a Kevin de Bruyne Cup, na Bélgica, e ficou na terceira posição do torneio ao derrotar o Club Brugge-BEL por 1 a 0, com gol do atacante Lucas Gabriel. A equipe acabou não indo para a final, pois perdeu para o PSG-FRA, por 1 a 0, na semi.

Dessa forma, a delegação alviverde resolveu presentear o astro que dá nome ao campeonato, o meia Kevin de Bruyne, que havia acabado de levantar a taça da Champions League, na Turquia, no sábado (10). O jogador do Manchester City posou com a camisa e a foto foi postada nas redes sociais do clube, que deixaram claro que se tratou de uma lembrança das Crias da Academia.

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Então, não há qualquer relação de negociação entre Palmeiras e Manchester City. O belga segue sendo comandado por Pep Guardiola e Abel Ferreira segue com o seu elenco sem apostar em grandes contratações. A possibilidade agora é que as equipes possam se encontrar no próximo Mundial de Clubes, na Arábia Saudita, no qual os ingleses já tem vaga garantida, enquanto o Alviverde poderia ir se conquistar a Libertadores.

+ Palmeiras campeão paulista de 1993: 30 anos do título que mudou para sempre o Dia dos Namorados alviverde

A base do Verdão já conquistou quatro títulos internacionais em 2023. O primeiro deles veio com o sub-14, que foi campeão do Tokyo International Youth Football Tournament, no Japão, em maio. Além da taça do Marveld Tournament erguida pelo sub-15, na Holanda. Já o sub-20 do Palestra levantou dois troféus em território holandês nas últimas semanas: o ICGT Tournament e o Terborg Toernooi.

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Das #CriasDaAcademia Sub-15, que disputaram a Kevin De Bruyne Cup, na Bélgica, pro campeão da Champions League ???? #AvantiPalestra pic.twitter.com/K5kFPvy10Z

— SE Palmeiras (@Palmeiras) June 12, 2023

Gary Stead is the current New Zealand head coach, but his contract ends in June this year

Firdose Moonda03-Apr-2025Rob Walter stepped down as South Africa’s white-ball coach to further his career in his adopted home in New Zealand, and could even be in line for a national job. ESPNcricinfo understands that Walter has been linked to a role with the New Zealand men’s team when Gary Stead’s contract ends in June this year.The exact nature of Walter’s involvement will largely depend on whether Stead wants to continue in the role, as he remains New Zealand’s first choice for head coach and whether he wants to continue coaching the national side in all formats. Stead was first appointed in 2018 and has had his deal renewed twice, most recently in July 2023.New Zealand Cricket (NZC) had discussed a split coaching role “in-depth,” but at the time, they had a consistent group of players across all formats and believed they would benefit from one coach. But the landscape has changed significantly with players such as Devon Conway, Kane Williamson and Lockie Ferguson rejecting central contracts to pursue franchise opportunities. The captaincy roles are also now split between Tom Latham (Test) and Mitchell Santner (white-ball). It is increasingly likely the coaching role may also be split.Related

Rob Walter named New Zealand men's coach across all forms

Stead calls time on seven-year tenure as New Zealand coach

Stead weighs future as New Zealand advertise for split head coach roles

Rob Walter resigns as South Africa white-ball coach

Stead gets two-year extension as New Zealand head coach

That would be familiar to Walter, who has worked as South Africa’s ODI and T20I coach since 2023, with Shukri Conrad in charge of the Test side. Though Walter enjoyed unprecedented success when he became the first South African coach to oversee the side’s progression to a World Cup final (last year’s T20 World Cup), his bilateral record was poor.He faced increasing criticism over transformation (South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad had only one black African player) and the travel to and from New Zealand was taking its toll. The last of those is a major reason for Walter opting to step down, two years into a four-year deal.Sources confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Walter had initially agreed to relocate to South Africa when he was appointed in 2023. However, when Cricket South Africa (CSA) pushed him on it, Walter is understood to have backtracked and said he had only agreed to consider moving back and had decided against it. His family, including two young sons, are based in New Zealand where he has lived since 2016. It is understood that CSA was surprised by Walter’s resignation but understood he had an opportunity elsewhere.Walter had previously been the head coach of the South African domestic side, the Titans, based in Centurion, which was his first coaching job after working as South Africa’s strength and conditioning and fielding coach between 2009 and 2013. He spent five years with Otago, and reached two finals, before moving to Central Stags for two years and was then appointed to South Africa’s white-ball sides.Walter was contracted until the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. CSA will appoint a successor to take the team to that tournament and Test coach Conrad is the favourite which could see South Africa move back to an all-format coaching system. The board will meet next week to decide on the process for appointing Walter’s successor.

One thing that the current Leeds United squad seems to be lacking is the next great academy product. Centre-back Pascal Struijk is a graduate of their academy, but at 26 years of age, he is firmly established in the first team.

18-year-old Scottish attacker Sam Chambers has played for the senior team, but has not even been on the bench this season,

Of course, over the last few years, some excellent players have come through the Leeds academy system and made it to the first team. Kalvin Phillips is one name who springs to mind, becoming a key player in the midfield at Elland Road before moving to Manchester City.

The other player who fits the bill was Archie Gray.

Archie Gray’s career at Leeds

The 19-year-old is arguably one of the most successful academy graduates at Elland Road in recent years. He has deep family ties to Leeds, and came through their academy before breaking into the first team.

In total, the versatile midfielder, who was born in Durham, played 52 games for the club. All those appearances came in the 2023/24 campaign, a season in which he chipped in with two assists.

After a successful debut season in professional football for Gray, the youngster, who can also play at right-back and did so 30 times for the Whites, secured a big transfer. He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2024 for a fee of around £30m.

Since moving down to North London, the 19-year-old has played 48 games for the Lilywhites. He’s once again shown great versatility, playing full-back on both sides, at centre-back and in his natural midfield role. Of course, Gray was also a Europa League winner last term.

Since Gray, Leeds haven’t had a top academy prospect break into the first-team squad and establish themselves. Well, perhaps the next big thing is waiting in the wings.

Leeds’ best academy talent since Gray

Certainly, if Gray is able to break through under Daniel Farke and become an established first-team player, the same door could be open for future academy talents on the books at Elland Road.

Well, perhaps sooner or later, that player will be Scotland youth attacker Lewis Pirie. The versatile forward joined Leeds back in 2023 from Scottish outfit Aberdeen. After starting out in the under-18s side, he’s broken into the under-21s this season.

In his first two full seasons as a Leeds academy player, his record shows why he is considered such an “exciting” prospect. At least, that is a word that former Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin used to describe him.

Indeed, Pirie has played 29 games for the club over the past couple of years. In that time, he’s found the back of the net on seven occasions, and assisted one goal, too.

Having played 1701 minutes, he has a minutes per goal and assist record of 213 minutes.

The 18-year-old is has already built up a strong reputation for himself. He can operate on both flanks and up front, and has even played deeper as a number 10 for the Leeds academy.

As we saw with Gray, Farke loves versatility, which could be a key difference to helping him reach the first-team.

Centre forward

8

2

Right wing

4

2

Right midfield

3

0

Left wing

2

2

Attacking midfield

1

0

With the versatility he offers and the clear goal threat he can bring to the table, Pirie could be the perfect option if Farke wishes to bring another academy star into the first team at Elland Road.

It will be fascinating to see if the Whites boss will look to bring through another young talent into the frame. If so, that player could very well be Pirie.

Their next Raphinha: Leeds star could soon steal the number 10 from Piroe

Leeds United may have their next Raphinha in the making at Elland Road.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 10, 2025

Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Rohit Sharma’s participated in Sunday’s net session, in a bid to be fit for their next game, at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Monday. Rohit had missed MI’s previous game, against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after being hit on the knee in the lead up to the match.Rohit was among the first batters to walk in for nets on Sunday. He batted for half an hour with MI opener Ryan Rickelton. They faced a strong set of bowlers in the returning Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santer and Karn Sharma. He stood cross-legged at the back when Rickelton took strike and hit a few shots. One of those straight hits got a nod in approval from Rohit.While batters in his net and the adjacent net played big shots, Rohit was keen to get bat to ball. He was consciously trying to middle his shots, which were mere pushes off the front and the back foot. He also edged one Bumrah length ball towards where the slips usually stand. He looked at his bat to gather focus and did not react to Bumrah, who had a long follow-through after that. Rohit continued to bat in rotation with Rickelton before walking off and sat behind MI’s nets for most of the training session. He was not in any visible discomfort and is likely to replace Raj Bawa from the previous game, possibly as an Impact Player.Related

• Bumrah available for selection for Mumbai Indians against RCB

• Rohit misses MI's away game against LSG with injury

“Ro [Rohit] looks good, he’s going to bat today as well,” MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene said before the nets session on Sunday. “Rohit had an unfortunate impact on his leg while batting so he felt uncomfortable. We were travelling yesterday. He’ll have a hit today and then we will do an assessment on that.”Rohit had played MI’s first three games for scores of only 13, 8 and 0 before missing the away fixture in Lucknow. In his previous game, against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rohit came in as an Impact Player and scored 13 as MI chased down 117 for an eight-wicket win.”He had a couple of hits, he’s batting well in the nets,” Jayawardene said when asked about Rohit’s form. “If you’re telling me every two innings to look at someone’s performance, it’s a bit unfair. My memory of his last innings was the Champions Trophy winning knock. So we have to give and back the experienced guys, and them coming to the party. We’ve always, as Mumbai, backed the core group to deliver for us so we’re going to do that. It was unfortunate that he got hit in the nets and hopefully he’ll be 100% and that’s how we will continue to back the guys to get the results for us.”Rohit Sharma batted at the Wankhede nets on Sunday evening•Mumbai Indians

‘Tilak will walk in here tomorrow and win the match for us’

One of the major talking points from MI’s last game was retiring out Tilak Varma in the chase of 204. When Tilak struggled to 25 off 23 balls and MI needed 24 to win from seven balls, Jayawardene decided to retire him out, although MI went on to lose the game with captain Hardik Pandya and Mitchell Santner in the middle.”The modern age is much more tactical, and we’ll keep changing batting line-ups to match up certain bowling line-ups and all that,” Jayawardene explained on Sunday. “So I don’t see how different that is. As a batsman I’ve had times where you go to bat and struggle to get through and they bowl well to you, it’s a combination of that. And he batted very well for us in the last three games, in tough situations like we’ve lost wickets early and he built those partnerships, and got us to situations that we need to.”So that’s what his role is with that experience that he brings to the game and I still value that. He was trying and he wasn’t able to get going. So I just felt that it was my decision and to throw someone else to get those two hits and Mitch had done that in the last few games, he was in decent form. We needed two hits to get to that 15 or 20 runs in that last over. So it had nothing to do with Tilak and I’m sure he’ll walk in here tomorrow and win the match for us. That’s who Tilak is for us and there’s a lot of value for him.”MI have won only that one game so far against KKR and lost all their away matches. They are currently eighth on the points table. MI will hit the road again after Monday to play Delhi Capitals in Delhi before returning home to host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Everton have made a positive start to the Premier League campaign, but they will still rue their missed chances after an out-of-sorts Aston Villa team who came away with a point at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

After successive Jack Grealish-charged victories, David Moyes’ side reverted to a blunter setting against the Villans, dominating for large periods but proving unable to convert.

The Toffees unleashed 20 shots across the affair and amassed an xG (expected goals) total of 2.17, and yet this wasn’t enough to breach Emiliano Martinez’s goalmouth, and with no thanks to the wasteful Beto up top.

Beto wasteful vs Aston Villa

Beto has been resurgent under Moyes’ wing. In Sean Dyche’s Everton system, the Bissau Guinean striker scored only seven goals across 50 matches; since the craggy-faced manager’s dismissal, he has posted nine goals from 24 games.

But he’s not without his blemishes. A striker’s life is defined by peaks and troughs, but the towering Beto will be frustrated with having missed a slew of chances against Unai Emery’s side, notably finding his laces tied together when played through, open and free, by Iliman Ndiaye in the first half.

With Thierno Barry waiting in the wings, Moyes will perhaps consider freshening things up when his outfit meet Liverpool at Anfield next weekend, although the 27-year-old’s experience may see him pull through.

But in any case, it was one to forget for the forward, and he wasn’t alone in flattering to decieve.

Everton "passenger" was worse than Beto

Everton, all in all, will be content with stretching their unbeaten run to three matches in the Premier League, settling in sixth place having played four games.

But Moyes is a determined manager, and he will be frustrated with elements of his side’s performance, with centre-midfielder Tim Iroegbunam among those to have struggled.

Described as a “passenger” by Everton writer Lyndon Lloyd, who also remarked that the hosts were “too open”, Iroegbunam was perhaps generously handed a 6/10 match rating by The Liverpool Echo, who acknowledged that it was a tough afternoon for the 22-year-old, ceding possession in the first half and failing to get involved after the break.

So he was hooked. Merlin Rohl, signed on deadline day, will fancy his chances at Everton this season, nailing down a starting spot in the middle of the park.

Moreover, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall can operate in a deeper position and perhaps that would open up a new expanse of opportunity for Everton from an attacking standpoint, allowing the likes of Tyler Dibling or Dwight McNeil to come in and create and add sparks and flair.

Iroegbunam’s Performance vs Villa

Stats

#

Minutes played

66′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

27

Accurate passes

18/21 (86%)

Key passes

0

Dribbles

1/1

Tackles

0

Interceptions

1

Duels won

1/3

Yellow card

1x

Data via Sofascore

With just 27 touches across over an hour of action, Iroegbunam didn’t do enough. In fact, that statistic actually places him far below Everton shot-stopper Jordan Pickford, who took 40 touches across the afternoon.

Ultimately, there are worse problems for Moyes to have. Everton aren’t losing at the moment and look dynamic and coherent in their play. But improvements are always possible, and Iroegbunam did little to suggest he should be starting in next weekend’s Merseyside derby.

Related Everton must regret selling their original Dibling who left "like a rat"

Everton might have hoped to have enjoyed this Premier League star’s qualities for a longer period.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Sep 13, 2025

Maybe the most frustrating part is the familiarity. Manchester United entered the 2025/26 campaign with such optimism in spite of last season’s struggles, having recruited with ambition over the past few months, having pledged to turn the ship around.

Ruben Amorim did not look like a man in control or a manager instilled with belief, after the Red Devils crashed out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, defeated by League Two’s Grimsby Town on penalties.

A point from the opening two weeks of Premier League action has left plenty to be desired, but the midweek humiliation has unravelled all the tentative work. One step forward, but United have now fallen down the stairs.

If Amorim is the right man to lead this club back toward the glory days, he must enact drastic change with speed. As strange as it sounds, Saturday’s home tie against Burnley in the top flight carries a considerable amount of weight.

The Portuguese manager, without a doubt, needs to raise his win percentage, currently at the lowliest of lows.

Ruben Amorim vs post-Fergie managers

We’ve been here before. This recycling of first-team coaches at the Theatre of Dreams has yet to bring about the fruits of former successes for Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the greatest managers in the history of the game, and his influence – or lack thereof – over the past 12 years has been despairingly clear for a fallen giant who have yet to return to the pinnacle in the intervening years.

Man Utd’s most embarrassing defeats since Sir Alex Ferguson left Old Trafford

The Red Devils have had multiple humiliating losses since 2013.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 28, 2025

Amorim arrived with an air of excitement, having crafted a high-octane and exciting outfit in Sporting Lisbon, who are now two-in-a-row Liga Portugal champions.

But it hasn’t translated, not one bit. In fact, Amorim’s 36.4% win percentage across all competitions since leaving his homeland for Manchester has seen him plummet below all the other permanent post-Fergie managers, and given the frustrations and disappointment that come attached with some of those names, this is damning indeed.

Such plain-and-simple evidence plays into the fact that things need to change, and quickly.

Man United boast so much potential; summer signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, both Premier League sensations last year, are a testament to that fact.

Maybe what INEOS need is a figure in the dugout who knows the division and can bring out such forward players’ potential.

Man Utd shortlist Premier League manager

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United have shortlisted Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as they consider axing Amorim from his role in the dugout.

Manager Focus

Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner has also been considered for the role, with discussions even taking place for the FA Cup-winning manager, but Iraola could be a shrewder appointment.

It is understood that INEOS will act incisively if need be, and if Amorim fails to showcase some optimism and signs of a resurgence in the coming days, Sir Jim Ratcliffe may well be rewriting the script once again.

What Andoni Iraola would bring to Man Utd

Iraola’s Bournemouth play adaptable and attractive football, and that’s something that Manchester United need if they are to replace Amorim, whose obstinacy in sticking to his 3-4-2-1 formation has seemingly uprooted any semblance of positivity or synergy within the ranks.

Iraola, conversely, is willing to operate through different styles. Balance, energy and an impressive collective understanding all make for staples of the Spaniard’s managerial skill set, and his ability to eke out the best level from his forwards, in particular Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo, suggests he could be the perfect manager to ensure Mbeumo’s attacking quality is put to good use in Manchester.

Former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha hailed Iraola for his “incredibly impressive” start to life in the Premier League, and he has sustained Bournemouth’s form across his two seasons at the helm, not just emulating Eddie Howe’s record ninth-place finish in the top flight for the Cherries, but accruing ten more points (56 in total) too.

Semenyo has been crucial in getting the system up and running, having scored two goals and supplied an assist across Bournemouth’s opening two fixtures this season, notching 17 goal involvements across the 2024/25 campaign.

Iraola is the architect of the forward’s success, and he could certainly repeat the trick with the 26-year-old Mbeumo, who is more accurate, more clinical and more rounded in his attacking play.

Bournemouth’s esteemed coach, after all, has been described as “one of the best in the league” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Matches (starts)

37 (36)

38 (38)

Goals

11

20

Assists

5

7

Shots (on target)*

3.4 (1.1)

2.2 (1.1)

Big chances missed

12

9

Pass completion

78%

74%

Big chances created

11

17

Key passes*

1.2

1.8

Dribbles*

1.9

1.4

Ball recoveries*

4.3

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

1.7

Duels won*

6.1

4.7

Semenyo was linked with a £60m move to Tottenham Hotspur before signing a new contract at the Vitality Stadium this summer, with his exploits on the south coast leading analyst Ben Mattinson to hail him as a “workhorse” and a “duel monster”.

However, Mbeumo has demonstrated an even deadlier attacking sense in the Premier League with Brentford, and the comparable right-sided forwards, both with impressive underlying data, also have prolific touches in front of goal, Mbeumo more so.

If anything, United need stability and signs of progress within a structured system that has been proven within the English game.

Sadly, Amorim’s style is anything but that, and change might be required if Old Trafford wishes to return to the glory days.

Bad news for Mainoo: Man Utd preparing late move to sign £43m England star

Manchester United are set to make a move for one talent who could send Kobbie Mainoo packing.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 28, 2025

Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish has offered advice to Florian Wirtz after the £116 million summer signing’s sluggish start at Anfield. The German playmaker is yet to score or assist in the Premier League and the Champions League, but Dalglish believes building chemistry with Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike could unlock his potential in Arne Slot’s system.

• Wirtz struggling for form after Liverpool move

  Wirtz joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a club-record transfer but has struggled to find rhythm in his early weeks in England. Despite showing flashes of his Bundesliga brilliance, he remains without a goal or assist after eight appearances in major competitions. His inability to connect consistently with Isak and Ekitike has been highlighted as a major reason behind his quiet start.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Entertainment
  

  Dalglish explain how to get the best out of Wirtz

  Dalglish urged patience while emphasising the need for understanding between Liverpool’s new-look attack. “The first thing he needs to do is what he's doing at the moment. He's great at taking the ball into the feet, he'll open himself up and the pass has beat you but he's still got control of it,” he told the Stick To Football podcast. “Once he gets on the same wavelength with the others… by the way, that wee fella, he could open a can of soup. For me and Rushy, it was training where we learned. I told him, ‘If there’s a space, just leave it, I’ll play it and you go for it.’ Simple.”

• AFP
  

  Wirtz comes in for criticism from Carragher

  Wirtz’s struggles have come amid Liverpool’s recent dip in form, with back-to-back defeats in the Champions League and Premier League raising concerns. Jamie Carragher also criticised the midfielder after the loss to Galatasaray, calling for more end product. Slot’s side, however, remain two points clear at the top, suggesting there’s time for Wirtz to adapt.

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• Wirtz and Liverpool up against struggling Chelsea

  Liverpool face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend in a key test of their title credentials. Wirtz will be hoping to open his account and silence critics by delivering a standout performance. With Dalglish’s advice in mind, building attacking chemistry could be crucial to turning his promising touches into decisive contributions.

MatériaMais Notícias

Afastado no Santos após ato de indisciplina, Soteldo se manifestou, por meio da suas redes sociais, pela primeira vez sobre o tema e prometeu expor sua versão dos fatos.

+ Até 70% OFF em produtos do Peixe para os torcedores fanáticos!

– Ninguém sabe o que foi que aconteceu, mas eu em breve vou sair falando. Por enquanto, podem falar o que vocês quiserem. Boa noite – escreveu o camisa 10, que utilizou a palavra ‘pronto’, que quer dizer ‘breve’ em espanhol.

+ ATUAÇÕES: Messias tem noite desastrosa e é ‘vilão’ na derrota do Santos diante do Cuiabá

Uma desavença do venezuelano com a comissão técnica em relação aos treinamentos teria sido o motivo do afastamento do jogador. Além de treinar separado do resto do grupo, o atleta foi multado e não deve permanecer no time.

Nesta segunda-feira (3), o atacante concluirá seu último dia de empréstimo para o Santos. Agora, sua situação segue indefinida, pois o Peixe já notificou o Tigres e, conforme apurado pela reportagem do L!, a equipe mexicana dá a transação como certa. Enquanto isso, o Alvinegro Praiano estuda maneiras de brecar a permanência do baixinho.

O Santos entende que, como não efetuou o pagamento e o camisa 10 não assinou os papéis, possui ‘brecha’ para não manter o Soteldo no clube.

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano highlighted the influence of Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, one of the marquee summer signings in MLS who has taken control of the Herons’ midfield. Miami will look to bounce back Saturday at Chase Stadium against the New England Revolution after a midweek 5-3 loss to the Chicago Fire.

Getty Images SportDe Paul a key piece

World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul has wasted little time making his mark in MLS. The 31-year-old midfielder, on loan from Atlético de Madrid, joined Inter Miami this summer and has emerged as a vital part of the Herons’ midfield while also serving as a trusted on-field ally for Lionel Messi.

Mascherano praised De Paul’s versatility and intelligence, stressing that his value goes beyond numbers.

“For us, the most important thing is performance on the pitch,” Mascherano said. “He has a gift – in many situations it’s not about how much you run, but how you run. Rodrigo has given us a lot since his arrival. He brings versatility and personality.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDe Paul by the numbers

De Paul has featured in nine league matches, tallying four assists and scoring once during the Leagues Cup, a tournament in which Miami eventually reached the final. His arrival has helped stabilize a midfield that lost Federico Redondo (to Spain’s Elche) and Benjamín Cremaschi (to Italy’s Parma) earlier in the year.

Getty Images SportMiami without both Messi and De Paul?

Questions remain about availability for upcoming MLS fixtures, as both De Paul and Messi have been called up by Argentina for October friendlies. The schedule could affect Inter Miami’s pending match with Atlanta United, set around the same time as Argentina’s game against Venezuela in Miami.

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Getty Images SportNew England is next

Winless in their last two matches and chasing the top spot in the Eastern Conference, Miami will try to bounce back on Saturday, when they face the Revolution.

West Ham United have made an offer for an “outstanding” midfielder, who is now keen on a move to a new Premier League club.

West Ham's midfield criticised amid slow start

There was some respite before the international break, with West Ham picking up a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest at The City Ground, but the 3-0 defeat at home against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday underlined the fact that many problems still remain.

One of the Hammers’ main issues is their midfield, as pointed out by journalist and fan writer James Jones, who said: “It has been painfully clear that Potter’s side lacks pace, creativity and physicality in the middle of the park. A combination of James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodriguez does not equal a top quality midfield at this level.”

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 12, 2025

Soucek, in particular, struggled in the thrashing at home against Tottenham, being shown a straight red card early in the second half, which arguably emphasised the importance of Graham Potter bringing in a new central midfielder during the January transfer window.

According to a report from Africa Foot, there could be an opportunity to do exactly that, with it being revealed West Ham have made an offer for Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma, who has now expressed his desire to remain in the Premier League.

Having suffered a knee injury, Bissouma has been ruled out until October and is set to remain in north London until the January transfer window, and there is no shortage of interest in the midfielder’s signature, with the likes of Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Chelsea also making proposals.

Spurs are open to cashing-in on the central midfielder, who has previously been valued at £14m, but the north Londoners would prefer to sell him to a foreign club, with Chicago Fire, Galatasaray Spor Kulübü, Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Lyon keen.

"Outstanding" Bissouma could be upgrade on Soucek defensively

There is no denying that Soucek has had a difficult start to the campaign, being dismissed against Spurs last time out, while also recording a 6.1 SofaScore match rating against Chelsea, the second-lowest figure of any outfield player.

As such, it could be worth bringing in an upgrade on the Czechia international, and there are signs the Tottenham ace could be exactly that, at least from a defensive point of view, given his ball-winning and passing abilities.

Average per 90 (past year)

Tomas Soucek

Yves Bissouma

Tackles

1.55

3.19

Interceptions

0.76

1.41

Pass completion %

74.5%

88.1%

The Mali international is also vastly experienced at Premier League level, having been lauded as “outstanding” by Statman Dave during his time with Brighton & Hove Albion.

There may be some concerns over the signing of Bissouma, having fallen out of favour under Thomas Frank, but he clearly has the talent to be a success at the London Stadium if his attitude is right.