The good times keep rolling on for Chelsea as they took their strong domestic form into the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Enzo Maresca made sweeping changes to the side that beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 on Saturday, but instead of looking dysfunctional, they demolished Ajax 5-1.

Granted, the Dutch side were a man down after just 17 minutes, but even then, it was an impressive showing from the young Blues side.

There were brilliant performances from several starters, including the incredible Estevao and someone else who is now emulating the likes of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé.

Estevao's performance vs Ajax

While he didn’t win the Man of the Match award on Wednesday, it was yet another sensational showing from Estevao.

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The young Brazilian was seemingly here, there, and everywhere throughout his time on the pitch, and Ajax simply could not live with him.

His first Champions League goal may have come courtesy of Enzo Fernández letting him take the penalty just before half-time, but it was he who won it in the first place.

Moreover, on another night, he could have easily scored at least one more from open play.

It really was an all-action performance, one that should see him start the game on the weekend and one that left quite the impression on the Express’ Bobby Vincent, who awarded him a 9/10 match rating at full-time.

Unsurprisingly, his statistics more than justify such a rating.

In 95 minutes of action, he produced a combined expected goal and assists figure of 1.69, took eight shots, took 70 touches, won one penalty, played two key passes, completed 92% of his passes, and made one interception.

Estevao’s game vs Ajax
Minutes	95′
Expected Goals	1.51
Goals	1
Expected Assists	0.18
Shots	8
Touches	70
Penalties Won	1
Key Passes	2
Accurate Passes	34/37 (92%)
Long Balls	1/1
Interceptions	1
Recoveries	1
All Stats via Sofascore

Overall, Estevao once again demonstrated why he is one of the most exciting youngsters in the world, even though it’s one of his teammates who is now emulating Haaland and Mbappé.

The Chelsea gem emulating Haaland & Mbappé

There were several other standout displays for Chelsea last night, from Jamie Gittens to Moises Caicedo, but only one player who is now emulating Haaland and Mbappé: Marc Guiu.

Yes, as incredible as it might sound, it is the exciting young Spaniard who managed to do something that only the two international superstars have managed before: score for two different teams in the Champions League as a teenager.

It was the 19-year-old who opened the scoring with a close-range tap-in for Maresca’s side, but his first goal in the competition came for former side Barcelona, in a game against Belgian outfit Royal Antwerp in December 2023.

Now, it has to be said that while he has emulated the Manchester City and Real Madrid stars, nobody is really claiming that the youngster is going to be quite as good as them.

However, the Spanish gem is undeniably talented, and showed on Tuesday night and in the game against Forest that he is every bit the “nightmare” talent scout Jacek Kulig said he would be to come up against.

The Granollers-born forward is technically sound, agile, physical, has an impressive jump on him and knows how to finish, so while he might not match Haaland’s goal tallies, there is a world in which he could end up being an incredibly useful player for Maresca this season.

Ultimately, there is a long way to go before Guiu reaches his full potential, but his goal and performance against Ajax show he’s a real talent.

"Very happy" – Maresca says barely-used Chelsea player is now really impressing him

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By
Emilio Galantini

Oct 22, 2025

تعادل منتخب مصر للناشئين “مواليد 2009” بقيادة المدير الفني حسين عبد اللطيف سلبيًا مع نظيره الأردني، في ثاني مبارياته الودية، التي أقيمت بالعاصمة الأردنية عمان في الرابعة عصر اليوم السبت.

الجدير بالذكر أن المباراة الأولى التي أقيمت يوم الخميس الماضي، انتهت بفوز منتخب مصر بهدف نظيف، رغم النقص العددي بسبب طرد أحد لاعبيه في شوط المباراة الثاني.

طالع.. منتخب مصر يتقدم بطلب إلى اللجنة المنظمة لبطولة كأس العالم للناشئين

وشهدت المباراة ندية كبيرة من منتخبي مصر للناشئين ومنتخب الأردن، والعديد من الفرص للمنتخب المصري، رغم هطول الأمطار وتأثر المواجهة بالأحوال الجوية. 

يذكر أن بعثة منتخب مصر ستغادر الأردن صباح الأحد في طريقها إلى القاهرة، بعد نهاية المعسكر التدريبي الذي بدأ في ملاعب مركز المنتخبات الوطنية بمقر الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، في الرابع من الشهر الجاري واختتم بمواجهتي المنتخب الأردني.

Ryan Reynolds has praised Wrexham’s “heart” after the club’s impressive rise continued with a determined 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic. Josh Windass’ penalty extended the Red Dragons’ unbeaten run to five matches and lifted them to 13th in the Championship, just four points off the play-off spots, capping off a strong turnaround that has left the Hollywood co-owner beaming with pride.

Reynolds praises Wrexham as they extend unbeaten run

Wrexham continued their impressive surge up the Championship table with a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic, further cementing their place as one of the division’s most inspiring stories. The decisive moment came in the 77th minute when substitute Onel Hernandez was penalised for handball, allowing Josh Windass to calmly convert from the penalty spot for his fifth goal of the season. The goal was enough to secure Wrexham’s third consecutive home win and fifth match unbeaten in the league.

The result carried even more significance given the quick turnaround from a midweek fixture against Portsmouth, where Wrexham had ground out a gritty draw. Despite the fatigue, Phil Parkinson’s side maintained their energy and resilience, keeping Charlton’s attacking threats largely quiet. It was another display of maturity from a squad that had once looked out of its depth early in the campaign but now appears to be growing stronger with each passing week.

The atmosphere inside the Racecourse Ground was electric once again, with fans fully embracing their side’s newfound confidence. The energy in the stands, mirrored by the team’s intensity on the pitch, reflected a club that has rediscovered its belief at home. The full-time whistle was met with jubilant scenes, while Ryan Reynolds’ short Instagram post — “This Town. This heart. Forever.” — summed up the pride that has defined Wrexham’s remarkable rise.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Intensity' key to Wrexham's return to form in the Championship

Wrexham’s resurgence has come at a good time. From a nervy start to life back in the Championship — their first appearance in the second tier since 1982 — to now sitting four points off the play-offs, the Red Dragons’ transformation has been a testament to patience, structure, and spirit. The early-season growing pains, marked by defensive errors and narrow defeats, have given way to a side that plays with organisation, confidence, and self-belief.

As Parkinson put it, the “intensity” has returned — a feeling long associated with Wrexham’s ascent through the divisions. The Wrexham boss said:  "I think the atmosphere now and the feeling in the stadium is what we've been used to. Those early games, we didn't quite create that intensity in our play. We had some really good periods in all those games but we got punished in key moments.

"The Oxford game, I thought the support was great. Coventry was special and today, what an atmosphere. We've always spoke about making this place difficult for the opposition to play and I think we've got it where we need it to be, and we've got to keep it there. That comes with the supporters obviously playing their part like they've done so well today, but also the manner of the performance, the physicality.

"I think Issa Kabore kind of typifies that really in his fighting spirit and the defenders winning headers when they needed to and playing with that physicality, and teams know if they come to Wrexham, they're in for a tough afternoon." 

Wrexham's remarkable story from non-league to Championship

Wrexham’s return to the Championship marks one of football’s most remarkable modern success stories — a story written not only through investment but through culture. Since Reynolds and Rob Mac took ownership in 2021, the club has undergone a complete transformation, combining Hollywood ambition with genuine community spirit. What began as a bold experiment has evolved into a model of sustainable growth, media influence, and sporting ambition.

The documentary Welcome to Wrexham introduced the club to global audiences, but it’s their on-field progress that continues to astound. Three consecutive promotions — from the National League to the Championship — were achieved through smart recruitment, shrewd management, and the unwavering backing of the fanbase.

Financial investment from the owners has undoubtedly been key, with improved training facilities, global sponsorships, and Racecourse Ground redevelopment projects all elevating the club’s infrastructure. Yet, beyond the money, Reynolds and Mac’s genuine emotional connection to Wrexham remains the defining factor.

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Getty Images SportWrexham will look to maintain form after the break

Wrexham enter the international break sitting comfortably in 13th place. Phil Parkinson will use the next fortnight to rest key players and prepare for a challenging run of fixtures, beginning with a trip to Ipswich Town on November 22. Maintaining this momentum could turn a season of survival into one of genuine promotion contention.

For Reynolds and Mac, the latest chapter in Wrexham’s journey is further vindication of their long-term vision. The club’s trajectory continues to defy expectation, with performances on the pitch matching the ambition off it.

Despite suffering two Premier League defeats during a turbulent August, Manchester City will be confident heading back into top-flight action after the lengthy international break.

Since tasting the bitterness of defeat two games on the spin, Pep Guardiola’s men have fought back valiantly and now find themselves unbeaten across their last seven matches in all competitions, with Erling Haaland leading by example once more up top with a crazy 12 strikes already put away.

The hope will be that City are getting back to their frightening, serial-winning best again, having picked up zero trophies last season.

When the Citizens were collecting Premier League trophies for fun, before slipping up to Arne Slot’s Liverpool last campaign, Haaland wasn’t City’s only unbelievable performer who regularly fired on all cylinders.

Incidentally, Ilkay Gundogan – in particular – stood out as one terrific stalwart.

Gundogan's Manchester City career in numbers

So many well-known names come to mind from City’s recent glittering past, with faces such as Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, and Phil Foden always popping up with a moment of class when needed for Guardiola and Co.

Gundogan will also be uttered about in the same breath as these Etihad legends, even if a second stint back in Sky Blue last campaign saw him return for one season, only to then leave again for Galatasaray.

Put the disappointment of the silky German coming back for just one Premier League goal to be added to his City back catalogue, and it’s clear that he’s still a modern and beloved icon.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak even lauded that he will be “go down in the folklore of Manchester City forever” for his “winning mentality” when he initially left English shores in 2023.

Games played

358

Goals scored

65

Assists

47

Premier League titles

5x

League Cups

4x

FA Cups

2x

Community Shields

2x

Champions Leagues

1x

It’s hard to argue against these glowing words, with Gundogan going on to amass 65 goals and 47 assists across 358 appearances.

He also won 14 trophies – which included five Premier League titles falling into his lap – off the back of always delivering in crunch moments, including that goal against Aston Villa to help win them the league and his stunning FA Cup final strike in 2023.

It would have been a tough task this summer for Guardiola to try and overhaul his midfield; therefore, with both the “top class” 34-year-old, as the Spaniard once glowing labelled him, and De Bruyne both exiting in quick succession.

Yet, the revered manager might well have a Gundogan-type player at his disposal right now, who could help catapult the Citizens back to being notorious trophy winners.

Manchester City's new Gundogan

City did splash the cash this summer in an attempt to be seen as a big dog in the Premier League again.

Indeed, after forking out a huge £59m to land Omar Marmoush in January, Guardiola and Co utilised their plentiful resources again in the hectic summer transfer window, with both Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri joining in notable deals, alongside Tijjani Reijnders costing an extravagant £46.5m to pick up from AC Milan.

Affectionately labelled as being “De Bruyne’s heir” after his breakaway strike against Wolverhampton Wanderers on his debut by statistician Statman Dave, it could well be that the exciting Dutchman is more of a Gundogan-style player when delving deeper into his City numbers to date.

While he did show off his assured ability to finish off a chance under pressure, which is very much in keeping with the classy Belgian during his Etihad prime, Reijnders has also very much stood out as an orchestrator of chances from deep when attempting to push his team forward, successfully completing four successful dribbles against Brentford last time out.

During his own peak in England, Gundogan also loved to spring into life from deep, with two successful dribbles managed on his own accord during a memorable 4-3 win against Newcastle United in 2021, off the back of amassing a ridiculous 145 touches of the ball.

The brand-new number 4 has already stood out as a star who also enjoys dictating play, with 63.7 touches of the ball averaged across his opening seven Premier League fixtures, making him look an extremely composed figure in the league from the get-go.

Games played

7

Goals scored

1

Assists

2

Touches*

63.7

Accurate passes*

43.9 (90%)

Key passes*

1.1

Ball recoveries*

3.1

Total duels won*

3.4

With one goal and three assists also next to his name in all competitions, it’s clear that he could grow into a Gundogan-level talent in time as City strive to be Premier League champions again, with “world-class” claims coming his way, too, courtesy of Italian commentator Marco Bonetti.

At 27, it could well be time for Reijnders to experience a second wind and become City’s vital glue, like the German managed to achieve after making his own debut in England at 25.

Real Madrid make contact with "special" Man City hero after £217m reveal

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ByHenry Jackson Oct 12, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

A decisão do Corinthians em não renovar os contratos de Gil, Cantillo, Giuliano e Renato Augusto, somado a aposentadoria de Fábio Santos, vai representar um alívio financeiro na folha salarial do clube para 2024.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Com a saída do quinteto sacramentada, o Timão terá uma economia de R$ 3 milhões. O valor representa uma redução de 16% na folha salarial do clube, que gasta cerca de R$ 18 milhões para pagar os salários de todos os jogadores do atual elenco.

Dos atletas citados, Renato Augusto é o único com destino definido. Após ser comunicado que não teria seu contrato renovado com o Timão, o staff do meia de 35 anos encaminhou acordo para o camisa 8 defender o Fluminense em 2024.

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QUEM FICA?

Paulinho e Ruan Oliveira são os únicos jogadores em fim de contrato cuja renovação já está acertada. Ambos se recuperam de lesões ligamentares no joelho, e o Corinthians é obrigado por lei a dar todo o amparo médico aos jogadores. Segundo apurado pelo Lance!, o Timão irá oferecer um contrato de seis meses para Paulinho.

+ Veja como ficou a tabela do Brasileirão após a última rodada

A nova diretoria do Corinthians vai se reunir nos próximos dias com os empresários de Bruno Méndez para tentar renovar com o zagueiro uruguaio, e está em negociações com o Shakhtar Donetsk para prorrogar o empréstimo do meia Maycon.

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And just like that, after only five months and 13 league games at the Southampton helm, the Will Still experiment at St. Mary’s is over.

There was so much hype surrounding Still’s appointment after he had made quite the name for himself in France when spearheading a 17-game unbeaten run in charge of Stade Reims.

But, with only two Championship wins under his belt from those games mentioned, it did feel like only a matter of time before the underwhelming 33-year-old was put out of his misery.

It will be intriguing to see who the Saints turn to next as they attempt to get out of their second-tier slump and rise back into the promotion reckoning, with interim boss Tonda Eckert even in with an outside shout, having masterminded a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday night.

Latest on Southampton's manager search

Indeed, Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas has already confirmed that Eckert will lead Southampton out again on Saturday as crisis-stricken Sheffield Wednesday come to St. Mary’s, as the club continues to weigh up whether he’s a viable candidate for the full-time job.

If he were to guide the Saints to another league win, he would surely be in the conversation. But, there are various other names also being linked to the ongoing EFL opening.

Reports have suggested that EFL veteran Tony Mowbray could be in the running, alongside ex-Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, with the Saints’ sporting director Johannes Spor also casting his net out to Germany, on the hunt for a successful replacement for Still.

Sky Sports has even boldly suggested that former Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana would be interested in becoming the next head coach, with Lallana assisting Eckert for the time being during his temporary duties.

The same report does state that it is an unlikely option at this moment in time, owing to Lallana’s complete lack of experience as a head coach.

But, it could well be deemed an inspired choice from left-field, all the same, with the second-tier side perhaps gaining their own Frank Lampard-style figure in the process, who continues to take the Championship by storm with Coventry City.

Southampton's own Lampard appointment

Once upon a time, Lampard was in much the same position as Lallana, as he tried to navigate a coaching career post a glittering playing career from midfield.

While it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Lampard during his managerial career to date, with tricky spells at both Everton and Chelsea, he has been largely a hit in the Championship, as evidenced by him steering the Sky Blues to the top of the EFL’s elite division right now.

Lampard’s record as manager

Stat

Championship

Premier League

Games managed

94

104

Wins

46

38

Draws

23

21

Losses

25

45

Goals scored

157

145

Goals conceded

108

153

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Off the back of his “fantastic” stint at the CBS Arena to date – as journalist Sam Cunningham has labelled it – Lampard has managed to collect 46 victories from 94 second-tier games, with Lallana now wanting to kickstart his own EFL managerial journey, to try and follow in the ex-Chelsea icon’s footsteps.

After all, Lallana would no doubt command the same respect Lampard clearly holds, with the former St. Mary’s playing icon going on to bag a hefty 60 goals and collect a weighty 47 assists while on the South Coast.

He would surely want to make his own Saints side as entertaining to watch as Lampard’s rampant Sky Blues, therefore.

Moreover, Lallana will be hungry to be a success as a main manager, having played under some of the best in the managerial game in the form of Jurgen Klopp and Roberto De Zerbi, alongside also working closely with Lee Carsley in the England U21 set-up.

Russell Martin also gave a glowing assessment of the 34-year-old when he was still manager at St. Mary’s, with the recently sacked Rangers boss lauding Lallana as a “brilliant” voice to have around the dressing room. He’s also been hailed in the past as “very intelligent” by De Zerbi.

Southampton will know that they need to get this managerial appointment spot on, having been on the receiving end of a litany of blunders in recent years, with Nathan Jones and Ivan Juric also going down as failures, as an outside-of-the-box appointment, such as Lallana, is possibly eyed up.

After all, as a Saints player, the one-time Premier League title winner would once score 11 goals and collect ten assists in league action, to seal promotion to the big time. Can he repeat the same magic as a rookie replacement for Still?

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Nottinghamshire 282 for 3 (Haynes 124, Hameed 58*) beat Glamorgan 278 for 9 (Byrom 62, Root 56) by seven wicketsJack Haynes starred with a century as Notts Outlaws kept their qualification chances at arm’s length with a comfortable run chase against winless defending champions Glamorgan.The 24-year-old Haynes struck a well-timed 124 with some late acceleration to chase the sub-par 278 for 9 set by the hosts.Ben Slater and Haseeb Hameed played supporting roles in the seven-wicket win, the latter combining with Haynes for a 141-run third-wicket stand.Eddie Byrom notched up back-to-back half-centuries with 62 while Billy Root also passed 50 to hold together the Glamorgan innings. One positive for the winless side was 18-year-old Romano Franco picking up a first professional wicket at the third time of asking.After being inserted, Glamorgan got off to a racing start, as has tended to be their way in this competition. Byrom and Asa Tribe’s 71-run opening stand left Notts’ bowling attack – hit by the absence of players in the Hundred – with cause for concern before Tribe’s fun was ended by 18-year-old debutant Byron Hatton-Lowe.Byrom, the steadier of the two openers in terms of strike rate, continued calmly as he watched on for Henry Hurle, playing a first Glamorgan game of 2025, to be dismissed.Kiran Carlson was unable to kick on, as was Will Smale who suffered a ball-watching run out to leave the hosts with just five wickets in hand with more than 20 overs to bat, a theme too common in their campaign.Root held the fort in a knock of few boundaries for 56 before Dan Douthwaite’s blistering cameo added some impetus, the hosts still left short.Zain Ul Hassan was able to contain in a seven-over new-ball spell while Ned Leonard leaked at the other end, Slater enjoying a rather comfortable start.After Ben Martindale was dismissed, a period of experience was due with Slater and Haynes adding 75 before Hameed struck an unbeaten 58 to ice the run chase.Franco impressed in his 10 overs but poor fielding, including a drop by Andy Gorvin with Haynes on 68 proved costly.Tribe followed as the third player in the game to take a first wicket for his club, after Hatton-Lowe and Franco, although the damage was done.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has experienced almost every emotion in his first four matches in charge of the Ibrox giants since his move to the club.

The German tactician has lost 3-0 to Brann in Europe, won back-to-back games in the Scottish Premiership, and lost a League Cup semi-final in extra time.

Rohl has been thrown in at the deep end at Ibrox after replacing Russell Martin in the dugout, as the Light Blues had only won five games in 18 matches in all competitions at the start of the season after, what now looks like, a dismal summer window.

Russell Martin's worst Rangers signing

Working with sporting director Kevin Thelwell, the worst signing of the summer transfer window, with Martin in charge, currently looks like Youssef Chermiti.

Rangers reportedly paid £8m to sign the Portugal U21 international from Everton, which made him the club’s most-expensive signing since Tore Andre Flo arrived for £12m in 2000. The second-most expensive signing of the summer was Oscar Cortes for £4.5m.

Unfortunately, the Light Blues have not been rewarded with much output for that outlay, with one goal and one assist in 11 appearances for the club, per Sofascore.

Chermiti missed two huge chances to find the back of the net against Celtic on Sunday, which caused commentator and pundit Michael Stewart to describe him as being “so poor” in front of goal.

Given the money spent and the return on their investment so far, it is hard to argue against the young striker being the worst summer signing from Thelwell and Martin.

Another summer signing who should be in contention for that award, though, is central midfielder Joe Rothwell, who currently looks like he should be sold in January.

Why Rangers should move on from Joe Rothwell

The Gers signed the Englishman from Premier League side Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee to bolster their options in the middle of the park.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

At the time of his arrival, Martin described Rothwell as a “huge asset” who would “bring a real winning mentality to the group”, which was an exciting statement from the head coach.

Unfortunately, though, that has not played out on the pitch. Instead, the experienced midfielder looks like he should be sold in January because his performances have not been good enough.

Appearances

8

Starts

5

Goals

0

Assists

1

Tackles per game

0.9

Dribbled past per game

0.4x

Ground duel success rate

46%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has struggled to deal with the intensity and physicality of Scottish football, losing more than half of his ground duels and failing to make at least one tackle per game on average.

The Englishman has been an unused substitute in the last two Premiership matches, which resulted in two of the club’s three league wins this season, but did come on in extra time against Celtic.

That cameo did little to help his case to return to the team in the Premiership, though, as Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar described him as “rotten”.

Rothwell, at this moment in time, does not look suited to playing Scottish football, because of his lack of physicality and intensity, which seems unlikely to change, given that he turns 31 in January.

It has also been an issue for him on the European stage. Rothwell lost 100% of his duels and failed to win a single tackle in 64 minutes against Brann in the Europa League recently, per Sofascore.

Rohl has already opted against using him in the Premiership and waited until extra time to bring him on against Celtic, which suggests that he has not been overly impressed by his levels in training.

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Therefore, Rangers should look to immediately move on from Rothwell when the January transfer window opens for business, unless he can finally start to show why Martin was so excited to sign him in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have now been approached over a January move for Rodrygo, with a new update emerging on the forward’s future at Real Madrid.

Tottenham were in contact to sign the Brazilian during the summer transfer window, but ultimately missed out, with Thomas Frank bringing in the likes of Xavi Simons, Randal Kolo Muani and Mohammed Kudus to bolster his attacking options instead.

As the only new attacker with any Premier League experience, Kudus has adapted well to life in north London, chipping in with one goal and five assists in ten top-flight outings, but it would be fair to say the other two additions have failed to hit the ground running.

Jamie Carragher has suggested Simons in particular is finding it tough to adapt to life in England, saying: “It has been really interesting with him and Florian Wirtz too, they’re just finding it tough to get up to the speed of the Premier League.”

With Kolo Muani yet to score his first goal for Spurs, Frank may now have one eye on the January transfer window, at which point he could be offered the opportunity to sign a new forward with plenty of top-level experience…

Tottenham approached over January move for Rodrygo

According to a report from The Boot Room, Tottenham have now been approached over a January move for Rodrygo, with it emerging that the forward is considering his future at the Santiago Bernabeu once again.

The Brazil international has fallen down the pecking order at Real Madrid this season, and intermediaries have now informed the Lilywhites that he could be available this winter.

Journalist Graeme Bailey provides a further update on the situation, saying: “I am told that Rodrygo is again considering his options, and one possibility is a switch to the Premier League, which could become a real option in January. He is certainly one to watch as we approach the New Year.”

Despite being lauded as a “world-class superstar” by former teammate Luka Modric, the 24-year-old has found game time hard to come by so far this season, featuring for just 244 minutes across nine appearances in La Liga.

However, the former Santos man certainly caught the eye at times in the 2024-25 campaign, chipping in with 25 goal contributions in all competitions, displaying his ability to compete at the top level by scoring five goals in 12 Champions League outings.

While the Osasco-born forward hasn’t done enough to force his way into Xabi Alonso’s plans as of late, he remains an important player for Brazil, scoring a brace in an emphatic 5-0 victory against South Korea last month.

At this stage of his career, Rodrygo needs to be a regular starter, and he certainly has the talent to be a difference-maker for Tottenham, amid Simons’ and Kolo Muani’s struggles.

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Marco Silva could reportedly be sacked by Fulham as the club are considering a change due to their poor start to the season and slow contract negotiations. A dismal 2-0 defeat at Everton last weekend has deepened the gloom at Craven Cottage. Goals from Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane condemned Fulham to another frustrating loss with the manager looking bereft of answers.

• From dream to disarray at Fulham

  According to , Fulham’s hierarchy are seriously considering showing the door to Silva amid growing fears of a relegation fight and a contract standoff that shows no sign of resolution. Eleven games into the Premier League season, and Fulham’s top scorer is not one of their players but 'own goals'. Harry Wilson and Ryan Sessegnon have each chipped in with two goals but they have scored three with help from the opposition. Their away form is also grim having collected just one point on the road this season, when a late equaliser from Rodrigo Muniz against Brighton helped them eke out a draw. All three of their wins have come at Craven Cottage, and even those have relied on fortunate own goals.

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  Contract chaos with Silva

  Behind the scenes, tensions have been simmering for months. Silva, who has a £15 million ($20m) release clause, has so far refused to sign a new contract, leaving Fulham in a precarious position. The Portuguese coach’s current deal expires next summer, meaning he could walk away as a free agent. According to , Fulham’s board, led by vice-chairman Tony Khan, have been desperate to tie Silva down to fresh terms since July. But negotiations have stalled, with the manager reportedly frustrated by the club’s lack of ambition in the transfer market. Fulham’s only major signing last summer was Kevin, a Brazilian winger from Shakhtar Donetsk, who was brought onboard for around £34.6m ($45.5m). For a side trying to build on mid-table stability, it wasn’t simply enough.

  Speaking in August, Silva didn’t hide his disappointment. "It’s not an ideal scenario," he admitted. "Did I expect more? Of course. But the market is the market."

• A familiar fall from grace

  This is uncomfortably familiar territory for Silva. His Premier League journey, from Hull to Watford to Everton, has followed a recurring pattern. There is always a bright start followed by dips in form and eventual dismissal. At Everton in 2019, he was shown the door with the club sitting 18th and history may be repeating itself in west London. Yet to his credit, Silva’s Fulham reign began in glorious fashion. After being appointed in July 2021, he guided the club to the Championship title. During the course of that campaign, they scored an astonishing 106 goals. Fulham’s return to the Premier League was smooth and they comfortably stayed up, even flirting with European qualification. But now, the magic appears to have faded. The intensity and the pressing that once defined them have given way to fractured and disjointed play. 

  What makes the situation even more awkward is that Fulham owner Shahid Khan recently went on record to declare Silva a vital part of the club’s long-term vision.

  "He’s been great," he told . "I really like him, not only as a person, (but) as a football manager, head coach. Definitely, I think he’s in our long-term plans."

  Silva admitted was frustrated following another poor performance at the weekend: "It was a disappointing result for us, but more than the result, it was a very disappointing performance. We got what we deserved from the game, definitely. We played 20 minutes in all the game, I think. We lost the game through the physicality, we could not handle at all the physicality of Everton side."

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  Critical period looms for Silva and Fulham

  Fulham’s upcoming fixtures could determine Silva’s fate. After the international break, they host Sunderland, one of the Premier League’s surprise packages this season, who are now fourth in the Premier League standings. Then comes a brutal double-header against Tottenham and Manchester City.