Christian Pulisic lost his cool after seeing the USMNT bow out of Copa America, with the AC Milan forward saying he “can’t accept” certain decisions.
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Hosts crash out at the group stageBaffling decisions by officialsTempers frayed during Uruguay clashGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Referee Kevin Ortega and his team of officials became unfortunate stars of the show as the United States suffered a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay. Ortega allowed play to continue when brandishing a yellow card at one stage, while no VAR referral was made when awarding the only goal of the game to Mathias Olivera despite evidence to suggest that he may have strayed marginally offside.
AdvertisementWHAT PULISIC SAID
Pulisic, as captain of his country, led protests throughout a frustrating outing against Uruguay that saw the USMNT crash out at the group stage. He told reporters afterwards of being left baffled by some big calls: “Honestly, I mean I saw things that I've never seen before right in front of my eyes today that I just I truly I can't believe. It's not why we lost; we're not out of this tournament because of officiating. But really, I've just seen things that I just really – I mean I think everyone can just admit I don't know what I'm looking at. I don't know what they're calling. I don't know what he's – he gives no explanation. He's doing things that I just can't accept.”
Ortega snubbed a handshake offer from Pulisic at the final whistle, with the 25-year-old adding on that incident: “He wouldn't shake my hand. It's normal – I mean, I guess.”
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter said of the decision to award Olivera’s goal despite obvious questions regarding his position on the field: “It's pretty crazy, really. I don't understand it. You know, I feel like I know the rule pretty well. I feel like we had the pictures that are showing how the rule could be interpreted and it's an offside goal. It's disappointing, it really is, but you know, that happens in football and we have to live with it, obviously.”
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WHAT NEXT?
The USMNT have become the first Copa hosts, since the group stage was introduced in 1993, to miss out on a place in the knockout rounds. They have plenty of work to do heading forward if the potential within their ranks is to be unlocked.
Lynn did not pull any punches following his side’s latest performance when speaking immediately after the extraordinary finish
Alex Malcolm19-Jan-2020Brisbane Heat captain Chris Lynn has lambasted his side’s record BBL collapse against the Melbourne Renegades as “piss-poor” and “embarrassing”.The Heat were 0 for 84 after 5.5 overs chasing a target of 165 at the Gabba only to lose a record 10 for 36 to fall 44 runs short and put their finals hopes in severe jeopardy.This followed an embarrassing 10-wicket loss to the Adelaide Strikers last Thursday when they were bowled out for 100. They were also bowled out for just 109 earlier in the tournament against the Perth Scorchers attempting to chase just 150.Dan Christian wins an lbw against Ben Cutting•Getty ImagesLynn did not pull any punches following his side’s latest performance.”I’ve seemed to be in this position a couple of times this year,” he told Channel Seven. “I can’t really sugar-coat it, it was a piss-poor effort. Another embarrassing effort. We got off to a flyer. These guys that are playing they’re not first or second-year players, they’ve got four or five years under their belt.”We’re doing all the right things at training but I don’t know what is going on out in the middle because we just seem to panic. It’s not just a wicket or two, it’s a train wreck.”Lynn was the first man to fall holing out to deep long-on in the last ball of the powerplay which then triggered the stunning collapse. The Heat lost three wickets in four balls including AB de Villiers and Matt Renshaw, who both fell to Player of the Match Cameron Boyce in the seventh over.Lynn and coach Darren Lehmann called a strategic timeout at the end of the seventh over to try and steady the ship but the message to rebuild consolidate was not heeded.”Something has got to change,” Lynn said. “Our preparation has been awesome, you can’t fault that but it’s just out in the middle. I don’t know what goes through our guys’ heads. We had our strategic timeout, we had our plans in place not to play dumb cricket, knock it around, hit the guys in the deep, no run-outs, um … yeah, I’m pretty speechless.”Lynn was probed further by former Heat captain Brendon McCullum, now a Channel Seven commentator, and fellow commentator Ricky Ponting, as to why the Heat’s batsmen are recidivists but he could not find an answer.”I don’t know,” Lynn said. “I’m standing here for the second time after an embarrassment. It’s the biggest record loss after a powerplay of [84]. We were cruising and doing better than walking it in, I don’t really know what to say, to be honest.”Every player has got to look in and not out. We’re playing as a group of individuals and unless we change that we’re going to end up missing the finals again which is not good enough in the position we’re in and the players we’ve got in the line-up.”The Heat could have moved to fourth on the table with a victory, ahead of both the Sydney Thunder and the Perth Scorchers, but instead they remain sixth with just three games remaining and their net run-rate took a battering as a result of the stunning collapse.
Lamine Yamal has revealed how he convinced his parents to back his dream of football stardom at Barcelona instead of studying for a degree.
Yamal planned on studying for degreeRealised he wasn't 'cut out' for itUpset his mother by giving up on schoolFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Yamal was famously studying for his school exams after he had already established himself as a first-team regular at Barcelona and a star for Spain, even finding out his results during La Roja's journey to Euro 2024 success. The 18-year-old had initially planned on taking on a university course alongside his playing career, but opted to focus on his performances.
AdvertisementadidasWHAT YAMAL SAID
Speaking on Jose Ramon de la Morena’s podcast, the 18-year-old confessed: "One day I called my mom and said: 'Mom, I'm going to go to school, but I'm not going to do anything. I'm going to get ready for training this afternoon.' And she replied: 'What have you taken?' I said: 'If I focus, I'll be a soccer player.' She yelled at me every day, but she finally understood. I don't recommend this to anyone, but it was my dream, and I achieved it.
"I would have liked to study a degree, but I'm not cut out for it. I told my parents: 'If you depend on me for work, we're screwed. But if I become a footballer, don't worry, because I'm going to be a footballer.'"
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The Barca wonderkid also opened up about his difficult upbringing and life-changing journey to football stardom, revealing the sacrifices he made as a child and the important role his mother played in keeping him grounded.
"I came from an apartment where the kitchen and bedroom were in the same place," he said. "I see my mother happy, I see that my brother can have the childhood I would have wanted, and that's what makes me happiest.
"For me, [my mother is] my queen; she's what I love most."
His new fame has made some things in life difficult, though, as he added: "It’s changed my life in every way. Before, I could do whatever I wanted: I could go out for drinks with my friends, but now I can’t. I remember the preseason this summer in Korea, Japan, China – it was impossible to go anywhere… but I’m happy."
AFPWHAT NEXT?
With the possibility of becoming one of the youngest-ever Ballon d’Or winners, Yamal’s focus remains on football, but his story is also about the broader meaning of success and ensuring a better life for his loved ones. Barcelona, meanwhile, must manage both his footballing development and the immense external pressures that come with being a teenage global superstar, and the continuing of-field noise around him. Barca is set to face Valencia on Sept 14.
Chelsea are thought to be in the race to sign a new £50m+ striker, with Todd Boehly and co already registering an interest in his services.
Chelsea striker rumours
The Blues were quiet during the January transfer window, failing to make a marquee signing, with the focus at Stamford Bridge being on departures. It comes after Mauricio Pochettino admitted last month that the club would look into their attacking options after an injury to Christopher Nkunku.
"It's true that now in the next few days, we are going to see the situation. That's why I told you that I am a little worried”, said Pochettino.
"All of these situations make our job a little more difficult. I told you before that it is an exciting project but situations like this make it more difficult to change the situation and grow at a different pace."
Four forwards were offered to Chelsea as short-term solutions, including AZ Alkmaar’s Vangelis Pavlidis, Zenit St Petersburg’s Mateo Cassierra, Cercle Brugge’s Kevin Denkey and Atletico Mineiro’s Paulinho, whereas former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema was also linked.
However, attention will now be on the summer window, and it has been claimed that Napoli star Victor Osimhen has already chosen to join Chelsea. The Blues will know that a deal isn’t done until all the paperwork is signed, though, and it looks as if they have their eye on another striker plying his trade in Europe.
Chelsea make Jonathan David contact
According to Football Transfers in the last 48 hours, Lille forward Jonathan David has been gaining more interest in recent months. They report that Brentford are looking at the Canada international to replace Ivan Toney.
jonathan-david-premier-league-transfers
The Ligue 1 side could demand up to €60m (£51m) for David’s services, and it is added that Chelsea, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester United, have also registered their interest over a potential deal.
David, labelled an “absolutely massive” player for Lille by Zach Lowy, moved to France from KAA Gent back in 2020 and has gone from strength to strength for his current employers. The 24-year-old can play as a centre-forward or second striker and has seen his Transfermarkt valuation double since joining Lille.
Lille
166
71
Gent
83
37
Canada
45
26
This isn’t the first time he’s been linked with a move to Chelsea, with David saying last year after rumours of a move to Stamford Bridge under Graham Potter:
“It's flattering when you are praised but personally I don't know him. The Premier League is one of the biggest leagues in the world, let's see what the future holds.
“I want to score as many goals as possible, not necessarily 20. If I can go much higher, I'll do that. But I take it game by game.”
As we know, Chelsea currently have Nicolas Jackson as their only senior striker option until the end of the season, so another marquee attacker appears to correctly be the priority in the summer, and by the looks of things, David is a player to keep an eye on ahead of the summer.
Atlanta league administrator Venu Pisike won re-election in the other place up for grabs, securing a three-year term as an individual director on the board
Peter Della Penna16-Feb-2020Former USA batsman Srinivas Salver has replaced former national team fast bowler Usman Shuja as male player representative in the lone change in the USA Cricket board after results of the recent election were announced on Saturday night. Atlanta league administrator Venu Pisike won re-election in the other place up for grabs, securing a three-year term as an individual director on the board.Shuja’s loss is a stunning reversal from 2018 when he ran unopposed to win a unanimous vote for an initial one-year term. On this occasion, Salver, 35, won the vote by almost a 3 to 1 margin, claiming 34 votes from current or former players compared to Shuja’s tally of 12. Nine players abstained from voting after having registered. Another 43 players who would have been eligible to vote in the election simply refused to renew their USA Cricket membership in order to be eligible to vote.According to multiple sources, Salver was the preferred candidate among the majority of the current USA squad. Having last represented USA in 2018, Salver has built and maintained strong relationships with most of the current and recent players who have represented USA. Shuja, 41, played his last match for USA in 2014 and could not maintain enough support beyond the previous generation of players.Shuja had been the head of the influential cricket committee when the USA Cricket board was formed in 2018. But in the middle of 2019, he was replaced in that role by Atul Rai. It was around this time that Pubudu Dassanayake resigned as USA head coach and was replaced initially by Kiran More, with strong backing from Rai, before More’s assistant coach James Pamment took over from More in an interim capacity.Pisike’s re-election was expected thanks to a sizeable portion of the registered membership hailing from his Atlanta power-base. Of the 725 registered voters, 203 were tied to either the Atlanta Cricket League or the Atlanta Georgia Cricket Conference. That support went a long way to him claiming a total of 369 votes compared to just 31 votes to Texas candidate Ather Naqi. A total of 325 eligible voters abstained from voting.The voting numbers are a drastic drop-off from the inaugural USA Cricket board elections in August 2018. Approximately 5500 members were eligible to vote for the previous election, but USA Cricket experienced an 87% drop in membership renewals ahead of this election. In 2018, USA Cricket had asked for a $35 annual membership fee before ultimately deciding to wave the fee ahead of the registration deadline to be able to vote in 2018.USA Cricket then lowered the fee to $10 for renewal by July 31, 2019. After extending the renewal deadline until the end of August, the governing body still could not convince members to join or renew in the same numbers as 2018 and instead experienced an 87% drop in membership.The USA board is expected to hold an annual general meeting in New York on February 21. There was no AGM held in 2019 after board elections were delayed six months, from August all the way until February 2020.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has enjoyed an excellent time in the Midlands since taking over in October 2022, with particular success coming in the transfer market.
During his regime so far, the likes of Pau Torres, Moussa Diaby and Youri Tielemans have all joined the club, despite bigger teams showing interest, while he has managed to ship out some unwanted players, either permanently or on a temporary basis.
One such name is that of Morgan Sanson, who joined French side OGC Nice on a season-long loan deal last summer after an underwhelming spell in England.
Morgan Sanson’s Aston Villa statistics
The midfielder joined the club from Marseille in January 2021 for a transfer fee in the region of £16m as Dean Smith needed some fresh legs in his side and the Frenchman looked like he could turn out to be a shrewd investment.
Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson.
During the first half of the season for the French giants, Sanson had scored twice and grabbed three assists, and it looked as though Smith had signed a player who could offer a serious attacking threat from the heart of the midfield.
He only played nine times during his first six months at Villa, however, which yielded zero goal contributions, but with a solid pre-season behind him, the 2021/22 season looked to be his time to shine.
It wasn’t to be. Throughout the whole campaign, Sanson played just 12 times, while he ranked in a lowly 19th spot for accurate passes per game (12) among his teammates in the league, along with finishing 17th for key passes per game (0.1) and ninth for tackles per game (1.2), proving that he failed to showcase his true talents.
The 29-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Strasbourg, before joining Nice in the summer, and it is clear he has rinsed the club dry during his time at Villa Park so far.
Morgan Sanson total cost at Aston Villa
Not only did the Midlands side shell out £16m for the player in 2021, but he has since earned £4.7m in wages after making the move to the Premier League.
This combined total of £20.7m is a massive figure for someone who has failed to make a lasting impression at the club and the quicker they move him on permanently, the better.
Not only that, but Sanson has played just 23 times for the club, scoring once, which means he has cost Villa a grand total of £900k per game, a complete waste of money.
Emery appears to have a much better understanding of the transfer market than previous Villa managers, and this should see the club avoid signing players such as Sanson in the future.
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His contract expires at the end of next season and this summer represents the most logical time for the Spaniard to sell him on and try and recoup some of the £16m that was spent in January 2021.
Depending on who is interested, they will likely have to take a massive loss on the midfielder, who has rinsed the club dry over the previous 36 months.
India need 135 runs, England need six wickets on the final day
Valkerie Baynes13-Jul-20251:41
Manjrekar: Dream spell from Washington Sundar
Stumps Washington Sundar’s prize wicket-taking set India up for a 135-run pursuit on the final day of the third Test at Lord’s, but in a twist to an enthralling fourth day in which 14 wickets fell, they only have six wickets in hand.Brydon Carse removed Karun Nair and Shubman Gill cheaply for impressive figures of 2 for 11 from four overs and Ben Stokes bowled nightwatcher Akash Deep with the last ball of the day as three wickets fell in the last half-hour of play.Related
Stokes' magic is spread thin by responsibility, and yet it endures
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Manic Monday awaits with both teams on edge
The day India's bowlers rose in unison
Washington’s 4 for 22 included the key names of Joe Root, Jamie Smith and Stokes before he claimed the last England wicket to fall, Shoaib Bashir, as the hosts took a lead of 192. After scores were level on first innings, that meant India needed to chase down 193 for a 2-1 lead in the series.Jofra Archer broke through in the second over of India’s pursuit when Yashasvi Jaiswal attempted to pull a shorter, wider ball and sent a top edge into the air above wicketkeeper Smith.But it wasn’t until 30 minutes before stumps that England were able to make inroads again, Nair flummoxed by Carse’s nip-backer and offering no shot as the ball struck the inside of his back knee. Gill, on 6, failed to overturn his lbw dismissal after he was hit on the knee roll by one in line with middle stump.When Akash Deep entered still needing to don his arm guard and gloves, Root revved up the crowd to protest at any time wasting, which had been Gill’s bugbear in a heated exchange with Zak Crawley at the end of day three.1:20
Manjrekar: Lord’s Test 70-30 in England’s favour
The issue went from prickly to farcical to downright funny when Carse rapped Akash Deep’s pads. He survived England’s review on umpire’s call with impact on the top of leg stump and India sent the physio out to apply some strapping to the batter’s leg, chewing up more time.England managed to squeeze in another over, though, and Stokes struck with the fourth ball, flattening Akash Deep’s off stump.India’s bowlers started the day with great intent. Jasprit Bumrah caused Crawley all sorts of discomfort without being rewarded and Mohammed Siraj produced a miserly seven-over opening spell yielding two wickets.1:28
Washington: One of my best days with the ball
Ben Duckett was the first to go pulling to Bumrah at mid-on amid an impassioned send-off from Siraj that ensured the tensions of the previous evening remained high.Siraj then pinned Ollie Pope lbw, although it took an India review to confirm his dismissal for just 4 off 17 balls. Pope’s average in the second innings languishes at a mere 19.64 now.Nitish Kumar Reddy relieved Bumrah midway through the morning session and removed Crawley for the second time in the match, this time a loose drive outside off stump gathered by Jaiswal at gully.1:48
Manjrekar: Gill looked tentative
Harry Brook mounted a counterattack, ramping Akash Deep for back-to-back fours before launching him down the ground for six but it was short-lived. He fell for a 19-ball 23 when, attempting to sweep a full, straight one, Akash Deep flattened his middle stump in the perfect riposte.Enter Washington as India turned to spin after lunch and he rattled Root’s middle stump with one that slid under the attempted sweep and ended his fifth-wicket stand with Stokes at 67. Root’s 40 became England’s highest of the innings and his dismissal ended a run of four scores of fifty or above at Lord’s (including three centuries on the trot).Four overs later, Washington bowled Smith for just 8 with an excellent quicker ball that didn’t turn in the slightest but skidded past the outside edge and onto off stump.2:16
Trescothick: It’s going to be an amazing final day
At that point, England were 164 for 6 and they were subsequently becalmed as Stokes and Chris Woakes looked to avoid further damage.But Stokes added just six more runs after tea before Washington struck again, beating the slog sweep and clattering middle stump to send him on his way for 33.Bumrah was finally rewarded with the wickets of Carse and Woakes, the former to a stunning, pinpoint-accurate yorker on leg stump and the latter to one that expertly clipped the leg-side bail.Bashir’s was the 12th bowled dismissal by India for the match when Washington beat his defences to close out the innings, completing an England collapse in which they lost their last four wickets for 11 runs, and their last six for 38. Washington’s 4 for 22 is the best by an India spinner at Lord’s since 1974.
Leah Williamson believes Arsenal can progress in the Women's Champions League despite losing the first leg of their quarter-final against Real Madrid.
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Arsenal lost 2-0 to Madrid in SpainMust turn it around in London to stay in UWCLLionesses star determined to get job doneFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The north London side suffered a 2-0 loss on an awful pitch in the Spanish capital last week, leaving them on the verge of crashing out heading into Wednesday's return fixture.
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The Gunners were fancied to get the better of Madrid over the two legs, but Williamson admits that they left last week's game feeling they had missed an opportunity. Having seen her team trounce Liverpool 4-0 in the Women's Super League days afterwards, though, the defender still believes her side have the quality to turn the tie around at the Emirates Stadium.
WHAT WILLIAMSON SAID
"I think there was a general feeling that we wasted this potential opportunity. Two teams playing on the same pitch, the pitch wasn’t the standard that it needed to be, but we both played on it," she told reporters. "I think that anger is more frustration with ourselves, because we know what we can do. We know we have more, and that’s frightening for other teams because I think in that game, we were still competitive. We just need to score goals, and that’s what it comes down to, and we need to stop them. We were frustrated, but more so with ourselves than anything else. If we played a perfect game last weekend, and we got beat by a perfect game from the other team, that can sometimes be football. But that wasn’t the case, so it’s about us taking individual responsibility first and foremost, and making sure that everybody stays present in that."
Looking ahead to this week's clash, she said: "I’ll play my role, I’ll play my part. I think the experience of overturning the last quarter-final against Bayern, I think that comes in handy for anybody that played in that game. That was a great memory. Good things happen in football, bad things happen in football. When the good things happen, you keep them in your pocketed just as much as the bad, you call on them when you need them. So, I think anybody that was involved in that game will take confidence from that, knowing that we know how to do it in almost an identical situation."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
Renee Slegers' team will have to put in a stellar performance to overpower their Champions League foes. After that game, they take on Crustal Palace in the Women's Super League on Sunday.
They will tour Pakistan over the Christmas and New Year season, as well as during the IPL next year
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2022After not touring Pakistan for 19 years, New Zealand are all set to visit the country twice in the space of five months to play two Tests, eight ODIs and five T20Is. It means New Zealand will not play home fixtures over the Christmas and New Year’s season this year, and will have to deal with a clash with the IPL during the second leg of the Pakistan tour in April and May next year.The two Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship and will be played in Karachi (December 27-31) and Multan (January 4-8). The teams will return to Karachi to play three ODIs that are part of the ICC Super League on January 11, 13 and 15.New Zealand then go back to Pakistan in April and May to play five more ODIs, which are not part of the Super League, and five T20Is. The first four T20Is will be played in Karachi on April 13, 15, 16 and 19, before the teams travel to Lahore for the fifth T20I and the first two ODIs on April 23, 26 and 28. The last three ODIs of the series are in Rawalpindi on May 1, 4 and 7.New Zealand’s first visit is a part of the Future Tours Programme, while the second was agreed to make up for the matches lost when they called off their limited-overs tour of Pakistan minutes before the start of the first ODI in September 2021, citing security concerns.”New Zealand is one of the high-performing sides and the more we will play against the top teams in our backyard, the better we will get as a unit, which is crucial to our objective of featuring inside the top three across all formats,” Zakir Khan, PCB director – international cricket, said in a statement. “The New Zealand matches will also provide opportunities to our youngsters to continue to watch and follow their favourite players in action, something they have missed when we were forced to play our international cricket offshore.New Zealand last toured Pakistan in November 2003, and their return follows the tours of Australia and England to the country this year after a gap of 24 and 17 years respectively.”I know our players can’t wait to arrive and savour the experience of playing in Karachi, Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi – places that carry a great cricketing heritage,” NZC CEO David White said. “The recent tours from Australia and England have left us in no doubt regarding the quality of the Pakistan side across all formats, and the extent of the challenge that awaits us.”
Manchester City finally bounced back to winning ways at The Etihad on Wednesday night with a convincing 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
It ended a run of seven matches without a win in all competitions and a run of four Premier League losses in succession for Pep Guardiola’s team, who have struggled in recent weeks.
They are currently nine points behind Liverpool, who they lost 2-0 to at Anfield last weekend, in the title race and two points behind Chelsea and Arsenal in second and third in the division.
The Cityzens have plenty of work to do if they want to catch up on their rivals and come out on top in the title race, to win their fifth Premier League title in a row.
It was no surprise that the return of Kevin de Bruyne to the starting line-up ended the club’s winless run, as the Belgium international assisted the opening goal for Bernardo Silva and scored the second in the 3-0 win over Forest.
City have had issues in midfield this season and Guardiola has seemingly noticed that, as it is now being reported that the manager wants to bolster his options in that area of the pitch.
Manchester City eyeing up Premier League star
According to the Daily Mail, the Spanish head coach is pushing for the club to secure a deal to sign Newcastle United central midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
The report claims that City considered a swoop to bring the Brazil international to The Etihad in the summer transfer window, only to opt to bring in Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer from Barcelona – one year on from his exit from the club – instead.
It states that the Premier League champions were put off by the midfielder’s mouth-watering £100m release clause, which led to them going down the less expensive route with the veteran German.
Bruno Guimaraes for Newcastle
The outlet adds that Guardiola still wants to sign Guimaraes to bolster his options in the middle of the park and that he is considering offering Matheus Nunes to the Magpies to get a move over the line, although it is unclear how much they value the Portuguese gem at.
However, it does not reveal how much they would be willing to offer for the former Lyon star alongside Nunes going to St. James’ Park, given the £100m valuation of the Newcastle sensation.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The board must, now, back Guardiola when the January transfer window officially opens for business next month by swooping to sign the midfield maestro, as he could come in as a big upgrade on Gundogan.
Ilkay Gundogan's form this season
The 34-year-old veteran returned to Manchester City on a free transfer in the summer after one year at Barcelona, having enjoyed a terrific first spell in England, showcasing his quality as a scorer and a creator from a midfield position.
Gundogan scored 60 goals and provided 38 assists in 304 appearances in all competitions for the Cityzens in seven years at the club, having joined from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2016.
Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City.
The former Germany international has not enjoyed the easiest of homecomings in Manchester, as he has struggled in the Premier League this season.
Gundogan has scored two goals in five appearances in the Champions League for City in the 2024/25 campaign, but has not managed to replicate that kind of goalscoring form domestically.
Appearances
13
Starts
10
xG
1.45
Goals
0
Big chances created
0
Assists
1
As you can see in the table above, the German midfielder has not made the most of the opportunities that have come his way in the Premier League this term, as he has underperformed against his xG tally.
The City veteran has also failed to offer much in the way of creativity without a single ‘big chance’ created and one assist in his 13 appearances in the division so far.
These statistics suggest that Gundogan has not been a difference-maker in possession for the Cityzens and that is one of the reasons why the club should dip into the market to sign an upgrade on him when the window opens next month.
Why Manchester City should sign Bruno Guimaraes
There are several reasons why the City board should sanction a deal for Guimaraes and one of them is that he is in the prime years of his career at the age of 27.
Rather than being a 34-year-old veteran in the final throes of his career, like Gundogan, the Brazilian could arrive at The Etihad at the peak of his powers.
Guimaraes is also an ideal target for a January transfer window because he is a proven Premier League performer who could hit the ground running in the second half of the season to make an instant impact, rather than a signing from another league who could need time to adapt to the league and the country.
His performances in the top-flight also suggest that the quality is there for him to come in and offer more than Gundogan in and out of possession for Guardiola in the middle of the park, to improve City’s midfield.
Appearances
37
14
xG
4.82
0.85
Goals
7
0
Big chances created
12
3
Assists
8
3
As you can see in the table above, Guimaraes has caught the eye with seven goals from 5.67 xG and a whopping 15 ‘big chances’ created in the Premier League since the start of last season.
Whilst he is yet to score in the current campaign, the Brazilian maestro, who was dubbed a “world-class” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has offered more creativity than Gundogan – with three more ‘big chances’ created.
What the Newcastle star has offered in abundance this season, however, is defensive quality with 3.2 tackles and interceptions and 7.9 duels won per game, whilst the German has only made 1.3 tackles and interceptions and won 3.2 duels per match.
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These statistics suggest that Guimaraes could come in and offer more as an attacking presence and as a combative midfielder who can break up opposition attacks, which is why City must secure his services in January.