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da prosport bet： As an injury-hit Arsenal toiled away to relegation strugglers Leicester City last month, manager Mikel Arteta looked to his bench in need of inspiration. Up stepped Mikel Merino.

da marjack bet： Deployed in an unorthodox centre-forward role for the first time in his senior career, the £31.6m summer signing remarkably bagged a quick-fire brace to seal the win in the closing stages.

With the Gunners devoid of attacking options amid injuries to the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, Arteta had successfully rolled the dice, producing a tactical tweak that potentially looked like being a defining one in the title race.

Unfortunately for those in north London, that Merino moment has not provided a springboard for success, with it looking as if the Premier League crown is on its way to Merseyside, barring a shock late collapse in Liverpool.

That said, the continued centre-forward experiment has yielded results of late for the Gunners, with it potentially time to consider replicating that whacky decision with another change of position.

Mikel Merino's record at centre-forward

With Arteta having been without Havertz and Jesus against the Foxes, with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka also out of action at the time, Merino was viewed as a worthy trial through the middle, after replacing Leandro Trossard late on.

To his credit, the Spaniard delivered, showcasing shades of Olivier Giroud to clinch three points for his side, having since added a further goal and assist against PSV Eindhoven, as well as the winner in the triumph over Chelsea last time out.

That latest effort in the cagey affair with the Blues came courtesy of a delightful, flicked header at the near post, with Arteta praising the way his compatriot is “winning matches” for his side, amid his “incredible” attitude.

As per Transfermarkt, the 28-year-old now boats four goals and an assist in just seven outings in that central role, a record that any natural striker would likely be more than happy with.

Indeed, any centre-forward would be delighted to have finished in the manner that Merino did against the west Londoners on Sunday, with the strikerless visitors potentially ruing their own lack of options through the middle, amid the loss of Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu to injury.

Arsenal vs Chelsea – striker comparison

Stat

Merino

Pedro Neto

Minutes played

90

90

Touches

22

35

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

0

Key passes

0

0

Pass accuracy

91%

83%

Successful dribbles

0/0

0/2

Total duels won

5/15

1/7

Possession lost

5x

11x

Stats via Sofascore

As Arteta indicated, the one-time Newcastle United man showed his “value” in that tense tussle, leading the line effectively after winning five duels and recording a solid 91% pass accuracy, while getting on the scoresheet despite registering just 22 touches.

The elegant left-footer may not prove the man to take Arsenal to the title, but he has been a more than adequate stopgap. Perhaps, Arteta should consider repeating the experiment with Riccardo Calafiori.

Arteta could now repeat Arsenal's Merino experiment

What has been so impressive regarding Merino’s impact is that he hasn’t exactly been aided by those around him, excluding the tie with PSV, with Leandro Trossard looking particularly off the boil against Enzo Maresca’s side.

The Belgian winger failed to register a single key pass nor successfully complete a single dribble during his 90-minute outing, having simply offered little in the way of a threat down the left flank.

With just four goals and five assists to his name in the league this season, Trossard has hardly ripped it up, in truth, and with the aforementioned Martinelli only just making his return from injury, an alternative solution could be considered in that left-wing berth.

It could be argued that having already thrust Kieran Tierney into that attacking role of late, Arteta could repeat the trick with Calafiori, with teenage sensation Myles Lewis-Skelly having seemingly locked down the left-back berth.

Calafiori has largely operated as a centre-back or a left-back to date, although he has previously lined up as a left winger, a point outlined by Italian journalist Daniele Vierri upon the 22-year-old’s arrival last summer:

Beautifully described as “like a wild horse on the loose” by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean, the Italy international has already showcased the threat he can pose in the final third, having popped up in an advanced position to score away in the 7-1 rout of PSV.

The former Bologna man’s potentially untapped attacking potential was also on show amid his pin-point strikes against both Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the campaign, illustrating what an outlet he could be as a more permanent part of the front line.

Much like in the case of Merino, this bold new role should certainly not be a long-term solution – not with Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams again a reported summer target – yet if Arteta is looking for a short-term fit, he could do worse than trial Calafiori further forward.

Let that ‘wild horse’ roam free…

Related £38m Arsenal star is now "one of the best signings of the Emirates era"

Arsenal have certainly struck gold with this signing…

Posts ByMatt Dawson Mar 17, 2025

Manchester United are already thinking about sacking Ruben Amorim, and a “genius” manager who’s won 11 trophies may be on the list of candidates to replace him, according to a report.

Tottenham defeat adds to Amorim's troubles

It has been far from an ideal first three months at Old Trafford for Amorim, with his side now languishing in 15th place in the Premier League.

A 1-0 defeat away at fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday has piled even more pressure on the Portuguese coach, who has since expressed just how difficult he has found his time in charge of United, saying: “I have a lot of problems. My job is so hard but I’m here to continue my job to the next week with my beliefs. I will try to do it, I will try to win again,”

Of course, the Red Devils were hardly flying under Erik ten Hag prior to Amorim’s arrival, but it would be fair to say there have been no real signs of improvement, leading to questions about the 40-year-old’s future at Old Trafford.

Man Utd progressing in talks to sign £33m ace who wants Old Trafford move

The summer transfer window is still a few months away from opening but United are looking to wrap up a deal fairly quickly.

1 ByBrett Worthington Feb 17, 2025

According to a report from Spain, INEOS are already thinking about sacking the former Sporting CP boss, with doubts about his long-term project now starting to emerge.

The United ownership are likely to give their current manager until the end of the season, barring anything drastic happening, but they are now starting to evaluate potential alternatives for the summer.

Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is named as someone who could be on the list of candidates, with INEOS keen on bringing in a manager capable of returning Man United to Europe’s top table.

Zidane has a track record of success

Although United have managed to compete for honours since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, winning the Europa League under Jose Mourinho and the two domestic cups with Ten Hag, replacing their legendary manager has proven to be extremely difficult.

Reports suggest some players are already starting to lose patience with Amorim’s methods, in light of the poor results, so it is no wonder INEOS are starting to assess replacements for the summer.

That said, the players have to take a huge share of the responsibility, given that they have been poor in the Premier League for quite some time now, with the FA Cup triumph last season arguably papering over the cracks of a eighth-place finish.

Zidane has a proven history of success at a top club, winning 11 trophies during his time with Real Madrid, while he has also been dubbed a “tactical genius” by Steve McManaman.

However, the truth is this Man United squad needs a major overhaul if they are going to return to being the dominant force they once were, regardless of which manager is in the dugout.

Hampshire star’s 5 for 44 keeps visitors waiting in quest to squash last contenders Essex

ECB Reporters Network27-Sep-2023Liam Dawson moved to 45 LV= Insurance County Championship wickets with his fourth five-wicket haul of the season to delay Surrey’s title confirmation.Left-arm spinner Dawson has had his best batting season since 2015 and best-ever bowling campaign as his 5 for 44 kept Surrey waiting in their quest to squash last contenders Essex.Sai Sudharsan had led Surrey’s batting with an exceptional 73 before Jordan Clark came in and struck 50 not out.Surrey were eventually bowled out for 207, 93 runs short of winning the crown, and a 12-run deficit to Hampshire, which was increased by one in a truncated 20 balls before bad light ended proceedings for the day.Surrey needed to get to 300 in 110 overs to make sure they claimed the bonus points required to be confirmed champions for a second year in a row.They began the day on 47 for 2, replying to Hampshire’s 219, and by the time Ryan Patel had hoicked to deep midwicket off Dawson, they had only added 13 more runs in 53 minutes. It would be Patel’s last action of the match as Jamie Smith will come in for him for the third innings of the match.Getting to that 300 mark quickly was clearly not the priority – with winning the match and lifting the trophy on a high prominently mentioned by Tom Lawes the previous evening.Hampshire’s tidy bowling didn’t help the run rate, neither did Ben Foakes taking 36 balls to get off the mark and even then, it was only a misfield that helped him move from a blob. He never would look comfortable at the crease, although was perhaps unlucky to be given out lbw going back to Dawson.Sudharsan was by no means lucid in his batting, but his classical style was pleasant on the eyes and accumulated runs at a workmanlike tempo.Sai Sudharsan sets off for a run•Steve Paston/PA Photos/Getty Images

The 21-year-old is one to watch in world cricket having struck a stunning 96 in the IPL final early this year, to go with two centuries in nine previous first-class matches.His defence was solid, but his coup de gras was his varied shot-making, with proficiency shown on the drive, sweep and wristiness.Sudharsan reached his maiden Championship fifty in exactly 100 balls. He had been joined by Will Jacks – who had replaced five-wicket haul celebrator Lawes after returning from England duty – and the rate of scoring increased for a short period.Jacks twice took on Ian Holland’s medium pace and twice dispatched the ball over the ropes, which helped the morning scoring to 67 runs.Sudharsan was the victim of big bounce out of the footholds from Dawson, as the Indian gloved to short leg, with Jacks leg before to James Fuller in the following over.Dawson picked up his fourth when Cam Steel was lbw and Holland bowled a swinging Jamie Overton.Clark belligerently scored a 75-ball half-century, his 21st in first-class cricket, as he put in 32 with Kemar Roach before the West Indian was caught at first slip with the second new ball.Clark also scored all 15 runs with Dan Worrall at the other end, before the Australian-born seamer was bowled by Dawson – his 17th wicket in September.Surrey’s failure to reach 300 is not a huge problem in their pursuit of glory. Essex are stuttering against Northamptonshire and if they don’t reach 400, Surrey will automatically be champions.Despite 18 overs still remaining, only 20 balls were bowled and a single run scored as bad light prevented Hampshire from really getting their second innings moving under lights.

MatériaMais Notícias

da poker： O CEO do Vasco, Luiz Mello, responsável por fazer a ponte da SAF com a 777 Partners, explicou os planos estratégicos para a próxima temporada. O executivo afirmou que o Cruz-Maltino vive uma nova era e que voltará a ser protagonista no futebol brasileiro, mas será necessário um tempo para isso acontecer.

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da brdice： – O Vasco é do tamanho desses clubes (Palmeiras e Flamengo), mas estamos em um processo. Seria leviano prometer que ganharemos tudo no próximo ano. Flamengo e Palmeiras demoraram um tempo para ganhar os títulos. Vamos ter que trazer novos jogadores. O Botafogo contratou quase 20 jogadores e isso demanda um tempo. Pode ser que no primeiro momento o Carioca pode servir como experiência e depois, com a janela, fazer o refino. O que não pode é trazer 20 jogadores toda hora. Contratamos jogadores por um ano, alguns com renovação, mas não podemos repetir esse processo. O Vasco vai voltar a ser protagonista, mas vai demorar um tempo.

+ Vasco terminou em 4º; confira como terminou a Série B

Luiz Mello não quis se aprofundar no planejamento do futebol, área do diretor esportivo Paulo Bracks, que concederá entrevista coletiva ainda essa semana. No entanto, o CEO será o administrador dos recursos, que serão fartos a partir do ano que vem. Questionado pela reportagem sobre o investimento de até R$ 1,9 bilhão em 2026, informação do LANCE!, o executivo desconversou, mas afirmou que não faltarão recursos para cumprir o objetivo de fazer o Vasco ser protagonista novamente.

– Na negociação, R$ 700 milhões serão para investimentos, R$ 700 milhões para pagamento de dívidas. Faremos o aporte necessário para ser protagonista e desenvolver os talentos. Não vou entrar no mérito dos números. Vou deixar de lado. Temos dois caixas. Antes era um só para tudo. Agora um serve para investimentos e outro para pagar dívidas. Todo mundo sabe do potencial do Vasco e a melhor forma de mostrar isso é com investimento. Queremos o protagonismo a partir do ano que vem.

O protagonismo do Vasco será construído não só com contratações de peso. Luiz Mello explicou que investimento em estrutura será fundamental neste processo, como as obras no CT Moacyr Barbosa que já começaram.

– Temos dois CTs de concessões publicas, tem uma transição da Prefeitura, do clube para a SAF. Temos um cronograma interno para melhorias. Os dois campos estão em obras. Em 45 dias, seja verticalizado, em janeiro, o regresso dos jogadores. No caso de Caxias, é outra concessão, federal, que estamos no trâmite para fazer a transferência. A gente quando tiver a segurança jurídica, vamos fazer os investimentos necessários.

Por fim, Luiz Mello agradeceu aos torcedores reiterou que é necessário respeitar os processos

– A gente tem que agradecer, pedir mais coisas é difícil. Há 20 anos eles estão sofrendo com os problemas do clube e mesmo assim estão do lado. Agradecer por terem segurado esse grupo de jogadores. Visando para frente, é ter ambição. O Vasco quer ser protagonista. Não teremos voos de galinha. Teremos metas e depois melhoraremos essas metas. Vamos melhorar a estrutura do profissional, da base, daremos todo o suporte para que os atletas entreguem. Se a gente conseguir os títulos, conquistaremos o quanto antes. Estaremos no caminho certo para as conquistas.

da blaze casino： Sheffield United are under new management in Ruben Selles, and he could now look to bring one of his former players to Bramall Lane in an intriguing deal, according to a report.

Ruben Selles aiming for success at Sheffield United

da gbg bet： Many onlookers were surprised when Sheffield United parted company with Chris Wilder during the off-season, but sometimes there is a need for change to keep things moving in the right direction.

Selles is now in the door at Bramall Lane and promised a traditional recruitment style despite the rise of AI in the context of talent identification, indicating that he may look to strike a balance in his hunt for new arrivals.

He explained: “We need to understand there are tools to be more efficient and that’s how we need to look at it. They are not tools to tell us what to do, they can give advice and point us in directions.

“We understand, we interpret and make decisions from that together with some other tools. The main thing will always be the football eye, the way that we see the game, the way we identify the players. Obviously, we want those marginal gains to be on our side and we need to work with different technology that will give us that.”

Making a valid point, it now remains to be seen where he will look to strengthen. Sheffield United are targeting Tottenham duo Ashley Phillips and Alfie Devine, which would be a good starting point with both having significant EFL experience.

Ruben Selles’ managerial record in English football

Wins

22

Draws

10

Losses

19

Emil Riis Jakobsen could also join the Blades on a free transfer, and they are now said to be eyeing a player who enjoys a fruitful pre-existing relationship with Selles to shore up their backline.

Ruben Selles eyeing Tyler Bindon reunion at Sheffield United

As relayed by The Guardian’s rumour mill, Sheffield United could look to sign Tyler Bindon from Nottingham Forest.

Selles coached Bindon at Reading from 2023 to 2024, and it is believed the Blades’ new manager personally wants to reunite with his ex-defender at Bramall Lane. Enjoying an injury-free campaign last term, the New Zealand defender scored three times in 47 appearances across all competitions for the Royals.

Forest actually signed the 20-year-old on a permanent deal in the January window, before sending Bindon back out on loan to Reading to finish the season, and he’s since reported back to the City Ground.

Related "Awesome" Sheffield United star could leave with Hamer after playoff defeat

This would be a huge blow for Chris Wilder.

Posts ByHenry Jackson May 25, 2025

Labelled “unbelievable” by Noel Hunt, Bindon has three years left on his contract in the East Midlands, and it is unclear at this point whether Forest would be willing to sanction another exit for the 20-year-old during the window – where that be on loan or permanently.

One thing is clear – Selles simply has to sign central defenders, so they may be willing to push the boat out to land his services. Anel Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson are in need of support, and there may be scope for several arrivals to max out squad depth.

Selles arrives with a tough act to follow in Wilder, so bringing some familiar faces to South Yorkshire could help the Spanish boss to put his own stamp on the team.

“Don’t see any reason as of now why Shakib should not play in Bangladesh in the home series [against South Africa],” Shahriar Nafees says

Mohammad Isam24-Sep-2024The BCB is confident that Shakib Al Hasan won’t have any problems returning to Bangladesh – for the first time since the fall of the Awami League government, of which he was a part – for the Test series against South Africa next month.Shakib, Bangladesh’s most celebrated cricketer, was among 147 people named in a murder case in Dhaka last month. He had become a member of parliament in January this year. When Sheikh Hasina resigned as the prime minister on August 5 following massive anti-government protests in Bangladesh and fled the country, Shakib was playing in the Global T20 League in Canada. After that, he has travelled to Pakistan for a Test series, then played a county match for Surrey, and is now in India for another Test series. He was not in Bangladesh at any point during the protests or since. The case in question relates to the death of Mohammed Rubel, who was wounded in the firing during the protests on August 5 and died two days later.Shahriar Nafees, in charge of the BCB’s cricket operations, said on Monday that the country’s caretaker government had clarified that Shakib would not be “harassed”.Related

Shakib on Bangladesh protests: 'To those of you who were hurt by my silence, I sincerely apologise'

Official says govt will provide Shakib with security on Dhaka return

'Shakib's security is not in the board's hand,' says BCB chief

Shakib trials strap around neck as head-positioning tool in Chennai

Spotlight on off-colour Shakib amid injury murmurs

“I think the honourable chief adviser, law adviser and sports adviser have spoken very clearly regarding Shakib Al Hasan,” Nafees said. “There is a clear message from the Bangladesh government that no one will be harassed unfairly in the cases that have been filed. We believe the interim government has made its position very clear on Shakib. Unless there is an injury problem or a selection-related issue, I personally don’t see any reason as of now why Shakib Al Hasan should not play in Bangladesh in the home series.”Last month, Bangladesh’s law adviser, Asif Nazrul, had also said that he hoped Shakib would not be arrested in connection with the case. “There’s only a case filed against Shakib. I hope he will not be arrested. I have come to know that the police forces have been asked to show as much restraint as possible in case something incredible happens.”Soon after the news about him being named in the case surfaced, Shakib had received support from his Bangladesh team-mates, who had posted messages on their respective social-media accounts. But his silence during the student-led mass protests in July and August has also led to criticism. Many of his national team-mates have, at various points, spoken about the protests and the loss of lives, especially of students, but Shakib hasn’t.Bangladesh, who are currently in India to play Tests and T20Is, are scheduled to play two home Tests against South Africa in October. CSA’s security team completed its evaluation of Dhaka and Chattogram, where the Tests will be played, on Monday and is expected to inform the BCB about its decision later this week.

MatériaMais Notícias

da marjack bet： Sábado (14) tem Ceará e Sampaio Corrêa em jogo válido pela 32ª rodada do Brasileirão Série B. A partida está marcada para às 18h30 (de Brasília), na Arena Castelão.

da cassino： +Confira a classificação do Brasileirão – Série B

São 12 pontos os que separam o Ceará do G-4, e as chances do Vozão conseguir a vaga são remotíssimas. A equipe poderá ter que se contentar nestas últimas partidas a tentar terminar bem o torneio e começar a pensar no que fazer para a próxima temporada do futebol brasileiro,

Ainda assim, o time de Vagner Mancini tentará buscar algo importante e, no duelo deste sábado, Paulo Victor e Michel Macedo podem ser novamente desfalques, estes por lesão. Além disto, Breno não jogará o confronto contra o Sampaio por estar suspenso.

+Assista aos jogos do seu clube do coração com aquela gelada! Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00

O empate com o Novorizontino na última rodada deu um pouco mais de tranquilidade a Bolívia Querida, que tem agora 35 pontos e cinco de vantagem para a Chapecoense, que é a primeira equipe dentro da zona de rebaixamento. E agora há a chance de conseguir aumentar um pouco mais tal distância nesta rodada.

E Fernando Marchiori terá uma série de problemas para escalar o time neste Ceará x Sampaio Corrêa. Pará está suspenso deste jogo mais três atletas (Pimentinha, Mikael e Neto Paraíba) não seguirão para enfrentar o Vozão por estarem lesionados. Rafael Jansen, por outro lado, está recuperado de lesão e disputa vaga na zaga com Gustavo Henrique.

Relembre o jogo pelo primeiro turno:

CEARÁ X SAMPAIO CORRÊA
32ª RODADA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO DA SÉRIE B 2023

Data: 14 de outubro de 2023.
Horário: 18h30 (de Brasília).
Local: Arena Castelão, em Fortaleza, Ceará.
Árbitro: Rafael Martins Diniz (DF)
Assistentes: Daniel Henrique da Silva Andrade (DF) e Karla Renata Cavalcanti de Santana (PE)
VAR: Gilberto Rodrigues Castro Junior (PE)
Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere

Provável escalação do Ceará:

André Luiz; Caíque, Tiago Pagnussat, Lucas Ribeiro e David Ricardo; Léo Santos, Jean Carlos e Richardson; Barletta, Erick e Saulo Mineiro (Nicolas).Técnico:Vágner Mancini.

Provável escalação do Sampaio Corrêa:

Luiz Daniel; Matheus Pivô, Ícaro, Gustavo Henrique e Lucas Mota; Claudinei, Paraíba e Robinho; Pimentinha, Vitinho e Ytalo.Técnico:Fernando Marchiori.

The change was made to free up Mooney, who is Giants’ designated wicketkeeper as well as opener

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2025Australia allrounder Ashleigh Gardner has been named Gujarat Giants captain for WPL 2025, ending fellow national team-mate Beth Mooney’s two-year reign at the helm.”It is an absolute honour for me to be named the captain of Gujarat Giants.” Gardner said in a Giants statement. “I have loved being a part of this team and I am excited to lead this fantastic group in the upcoming season. We have a great mix of young and experienced players and plenty of Indian talent in our squad. I am looking forward to working with the team and making our fans proud.”Related

• WPL 2025: Can new captain Gardner change Gujarat Giants' fortunes around?

• Shafali, Reddy and other players who could take the WPL route to Indian team

• Mithali Raj, Nooshin Al Khadeer part ways with Gujarat Giants

• WPL 2025: Chinelle Henry replaces injured Alyssa Healy at UP Warriorz

Gardner has been a vital cog for Australia across formats, chipping in with her all-round credentials. In the recent Women’s Ashes, she picked up five wickets including a second-innings four-for in the only Test match – a pink-ball affair at the MCG – and scored her maiden ODI century in the third ODI of the series. She missed the T20I leg of the multi-format series with a calf strain but had provided a reminder of her bowling abilities by picking 16 wickets for Sydney Sixers in WBBL 2024.”She is a fierce competitor,” Giants head coach Michael Klinger said. “Her game awareness, tactical acumen, and ability to inspire players make her the ideal choice to captain Gujarat Giants. We believe she will lead from the front and guide the team towards a successful campaign.”Gardner has been with Giants since the inaugural season and the move to elevate her to captaincy was made to free up Mooney, who is also the designated wicketkeeper and the opening batter for them. Gardner was also Giants’ vice-captain for most of the first season after Mooney picked up a calf injury one game into WPL 2023.Gardner is the No. 1-ranked allrounder in ICC’s ODI rankings while Mooney is the leading T20I batter.”I would like to thank Mooney for her highly valued leadership,” Klinger said. “Now, she will be able to focus on wicketkeeping and opening the batting lineup. She continues to be a major leader of our group.”Ahead of the auction for WPL 2025, Giants rejigged their support staff with assistant coach Nooshin Al Khadeer and mentor Mithali Raj parting ways. Australia assistant coach Daniel Marsh joined as the batting coach while IPL team Lucknow Super Giants’ spin-bowling coach Pravin Tambe is the bowling coach.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now made direct contact over a deal for an “amazing” defender, who could be tempted by a move to Molineux this summer, according to a report.

Summer rebuild needed at Molineux

The departures of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha have left Vitor Pereira with work to do in the summer transfer market, but Steve Bull believes his former club could be capable of taking major strides next season.

Bull said: “Pereira had to pick up the pieces last season from Gary O’Neil and he guided us to safety.

“I am not sure he wants to do that this year. I think he wants to sell himself and get us at least in the top half of the table this season.”

Achieving a top-half finish after losing Ait-Nouri and Cunha would be a major achievement for Pereira, which would be sure to attract the attention of some top clubs, but a summer rebuild will be needed in order to make that goal a reality.

Wolves make first approach to sign £34m Club World Cup goalscorer

He’s been in excellent form at the Club World Cup.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025

One of the main reasons the Old Gold were drawn into a relegation battle last season was their very poor defensive record, shipping 69 goals in the Premier League, the highest number of any club outside the relegation zone.

As such, it is little wonder Wolves are looking at bringing in a new centre-back, and they have now held direct talks with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Igor Julio, according to El Diario Vasco (via Sport Witness).

Indeed, the Old Gold have called Igor over a potential move to Molineux, which could be of great appeal, given that Pereira’s squad is full of Brazilian and Portuguese players.

However, the Brazilian is currently prioritising a move to Real Sociedad, as he is keen to seal a move away from England this summer, and believes the La Liga side could be a good fit.

Julio could be "amazing" signing for Wolves

Wolves will be hoping the defender’s head can be turned, despite the interest from Sociedad, as he impressed considerably for Brighton last season, being singled out for praise by manager Fabian Hürzeler.

Hürzeler said: “He played now a good game against Newcastle. And I wasn’t surprised by this because I see him every training session and he’s an amazing professional player.

“He always wants to give the best. He always wants to be the best version of himself and that’s very impressive.”

The 27-year-old, who signed for Brighton for €17m (£15m) in 2023, also ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks per 90 over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs, and the 88th percentile for his pass-completion rate.

Having proven himself in the Premier League, Igor could be exactly the type of signing to help Wolves kick on and push for a top-half finish, but the interest from Real Sociedad could pose a major problem.

Chelsea are involved in the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA this summer, looking to become the inaugural winners of the new-look competition.

The Blues took advantage of the first summer transfer window by signing striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, with Todd Boehly activating the forward’s £30m release clause.

Delap has been included in Enzo Maresca’s Club World Cup squad, as are fellow summer signings goalkeeper Mike Penders, centre-back Mamadou Sarr and midfielder Dario Essugo.

However, there is still plenty of time for Chelsea to make more signings, with the second market not closing until September 1.

Chelsea's most expensive signings of all time

Todd Boehly has spent big in recent years.

ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025

With more arrivals on the cards at Stamford Bridge, Grok, the AI tool on X, has predicted five more signings Chelsea could make this summer.

AI predicts 5 players Chelsea will sign this summer 1 Victor Osimhen Napoli (£60m)

Starting with another striker after Delap, Chelsea continue to be linked with a move for Victor Osimhen.

After spending last season on loan at Galatasaray, Osimhen has returned to Napoli but could be on the way out this summer.

The Nigeria international’s entourage were working on a Stamford Bridge transfer, and Grok say a £60m transfer would see Osimhen ‘provide a focal point in attack, complementing Delap and Nicolas Jackson’.

2 Jamie Gittens Borussia Dortmund (£55m)

A player who Chelsea wanted to sign before the Club World Cup, Jamie Gittens could still make the move to London in the second summer transfer window, and Grok can see a move materialising.

The Blues had a £42m bid rejected for the English winger, and Grok say they’ll need to get to £55m for a transfer to happen.

Grok say ‘Gittens would bring pace, creativity, and goal-scoring ability to the flanks, fitting Maresca’s attacking system’.

3 Jarrad Branthwaite Everton (£50m)

Despite signing Sarr, more central defenders could also be on the to-do list at Stamford Bridge to rival the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill.

Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite has been catching Chelsea’s eye, and there have been rumours of the Blues weighing up an offer later in the window.

A figure of at least £50m has been mooted by AI, however, stories elsewhere suggest the England international could cost more at £75m.

4 Alejandro Garnacho Man Utd (£40m)

After coming close to a deal in January, Man Utd winger Alejandro Garnacho is set to depart Old Trafford and has told his agents he is interested in a move to Stamford Bridge.

The Argentine wants to remain in the Premier League, which should give the Blues an advantage, with Grok believing a deal could be worth £40m.

Garnacho can play on the left or right-hand side, so could be a replacement for Jadon Sancho, who returned to the Red Devils following his Chelsea loan.

5 Marc Guehi Crystal Palace (£50m)

It might not be all new faces this summer, though, with Marc Guehi linked with a return to Stamford Bridge, four years on after leaving for Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace

155

Swansea City

59

Chelsea

2

England

23

The England international has been going from strength to strength at Selhurst Park but now has just a year left on his current contract, resulting in rumours of an exit this summer.

Claims in May said that Guehi was tempted to move back to Chelsea and that the Blues were confident of a deal. Now, with Champions League football on offer, that confidence could have grown.