Os novos números apresentados pelo Botafogo para tentar contratar Elkeson agradaram tanto ao jogador quanto ao estafe do atleta. Contudo, o clube ainda não pode oficializar a coisa. Em processo de transição para a chegada de John Textor, investidor que comprou a SAF do Alvinegro, o clube está em um momento que impede de fazer “movimentos concretos” no mercado.
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+ Plano de carreira e seleção: como o Botafogo tenta atrair Romero mesmo sem ter a melhor proposta financeira
Dirigentes do Botafogo conversaram com representantes do atacante na última terça-feira, antes da partida contra o Boavista, pela estreia do Campeonato Carioca. Os números foram aumentados em relação à primeira proposta, feita em dezembro.
Ainda não é assinante do Cariocão-2022? Acesse www.cariocaoplay.com.br, preencha o cadastro e ganhe 5% de desconto com o cupom especial do LANCE!: GE-JK-FF-ZSW
As cifras apresentadas chegaram perto daquilo que o estafe do jogador havia pedido antes e a coisa caminhou para um entendimento mútuo. Na hora de “fechar o caixão”, contudo, o Botafogo não pode fazê-lo. Por estar no processo de transição para a chegada de Textor, o clube está em um momento de troca de burocracia interna que o ‘congela’ de movimentos bruscos no mercado.
O aporte financeiro ainda não chegou por inteiro e a equipe de Textor ainda analisa os documentos para a assinatura definitiva da compra da SAF, então o Botafogo está no “meio do caminho” entre o modelo de gestão antigo e o novo. A coisa não anda para nenhum lado.
O Botafogo mantém contatos praticamente diários com representantes de Elkeson, mas sabe que não existe como “ter preferência” pelo jogador. O clube sabe que se outra equipe chegar e oferecer cifras parecidas vai levá-lo. Internamente, há uma pressão para que os movimentos burocráticos caminhem com o discurso de melhora do elenco para a temporada 2022.
Enderson Moreira, inclusive, comentou sobre o assunto em coletiva na última terça-feira. O treinador afirmou que esse processo de transição com John Textor impede que o Botafogo faça contratações, mas que os jogadores já estão mapeados. O clube continua atrás de Elkeson.
Arsenal insiders have responded to whispers that they’ve held talks over signing a once-£137 million star for manager Mikel Arteta, ahead of a potential transfer opportunity in 2025.
Arsenal transfer chiefs seeking fresh wide options
A few star wingers have been linked with moves to north London recently, with Bukayo Saka’s injury scare pushing Emirates Stadium transfer chiefs into looking at alternatives to the £195,000-per-week star.
"Incredible" Arsenal ace now "close" to injury return in boost for Arteta
There’s been good news this week.
ByEmilio Galantini Oct 30, 2024
Bryan Mbeumo is a target for Arsenal ahead of January, according to some reports, while it is believed Arteta is a real admirer of Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo – who they’re contemplating a move for at the end of this Premier League season.
Saka returned to the starting eleven against Liverpool, opening the scoring in a 2-2 draw on Sunday, but was absent for their previous clashes against Bournemouth and Shakhtar Donetsk after injuring his hamstring on international duty with England.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Newcastle United (away)
November 2
Chelsea (away)
November 10
Nottingham Forest (home)
November 23
West Ham United (away)
November 30
Man United (home)
December 4
While the 23-year-old is back fit, and set to play a major role in their title challenge, his brief spell on the sidelines brought attention to Edu Gaspar’s need to sign quality back-up options to Saka – not to mention other key members of Arteta’s squad.
The Spaniard has been forced to deal with a host of injuries to important members of the squad this season, and if their trouble with player fitness continues, it could seriously threaten to derail their hunt for a first league crown in 21 years.
Former recruitment chief Mick Brown, who is well-connected from his spells working for Premier League sides, suggested recently that Arsenal are planning to bring in quality alternatives for mainstay stars, including Saka.
“I’ve heard the Arsenal hierarchy have held discussions about what happens if certain players get injured, and that includes Saka,” said Brown to Football Insider.
“They want to get to a point where they have a solid backup for every player in their starting XI. Long-term, they’ll be planning to strengthen in every position.”
Brown, in another interview with Football Insider this week, stated that he believes Arsenal have their eyes on Leroy Sane – who looks set to leave Bayern Munich at the end of this season.
He claims Arsenal have been working on a deal for Sane “in the background”, sparking whispers of potential talks for the Germany international could be snapped up at zero cost.
Arsenal respond to "talks held" over deal for Leroy Sane
Today, a report from The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey shared the Gunners’ response to this.
Indeed, it is believed Arsenal have played down that they’ve “held talks about a deal” for Sane, and they claim that their priorities lie elsewhere despite his agents attempting to secure him a move away and informing sides that he’ll be a free agent next year.
Arteta knows Sane well from their time together at Man City, where he once commanded a seismic £137 million price tag, and the pair enjoyed quite a stay at Eastlands where they won trophies galore.
On a reported £320,000-per-week, and nearing the age of 30, it is perhaps clear why Arsenal are hesitant – even if Sane has showcased his quality on world football’s biggest stages time and time again.
One Leeds United star has suffered a tough international break away from Elland Road, and was slammed by his own national media after another subpar performance which will leave Daniel Farke worried.
Leeds looking to get back to winning ways
After successive draws over the international break, Leeds are looking to get back on the right track as they kick off another week of Championship action against Yorkshire rivals and recently relegated side Sheffield United. Both sides are looking to secure an automatic return to the top flight, and the Blades are the only side in the Championship yet to taste defeat, having won six and drawn three of their opening nine games.
However, thanks to a pre-season points deduction, they are not clear at the top of England’s second tier, but rather level with Sunderland at the summit.
Farke’s side have not had such a strong start to the season, though they remain just three points behind Friday’s opponents after a harder fixture list, a gap that would have been just a single point had Illan Meslier not committed a major blunder in stoppage time to gift Sunderland a point in their last outing.
Now, there is concern about how the Elland Road outfit will cope having lost both Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu to knee injuries in quick succession, before their plan to recruit free agent Cheikhou Kouyate fell through after the 34-year-old failed his medical at Thorp Arch. Meanwhile, it’s not been all rosy for the current Leeds players on international duty.
Forward comes under fire in national media
That comes as USMNT attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson endured a tough night in his most recent outing against Mexico. The 23-year-old was named in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting XI and played all 90 minutes as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Mexico.
Leeds could find their new Summerville in prolific Thorp Arch talent
The Leeds youngster has been in scintillating form for the U21s this season.
By
Dan Emery
Oct 16, 2024
But his performance was ripped to shreds in the national media, with ESPN and GOAL both handing him a rating of 3/10, the lowest of any player on either side.
ESPN wrote that the youngster “was routinely dispossessed, often looking at the referee from the ground as Mexico went the other way with the ball”, while GOAL reported that “Aaronson’s first-half was about as bad as it could have been” as he was “unable to really handle the physicality, and the refereeing”. The stats make for pretty grim reading too for the Leeds man.
Aaronson’s performance vs Mexico
Minutes played
90
Pass Accuracy
67%
Possession Lost
20
Duel % won
50%
Fouls committed
1
Aaronson is unlikely to be named in Farke’s starting XI against Sheffield United, due to the game starting just 62 hours after the end of USA’s latest defeat.
However, his continued struggles on the biggest stage will come as a concern to Leeds, who count his £45,000 a week salary among their highest earners, but are yet to truly see the rewards on their initial hefty investment.
Coach of Team Abu Dhabi opens up on a successful foray into franchise cricket
Aadam Patel23-Nov-2021
Under Paul Farbrace’s coaching, Team Abu Dhabi have won four in four•Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images
Team Abu Dhabi have got off to a flyer in the Abu Dhabi T10, winning four games out of four. Paul Farbrace’s side are the only unbeaten side left in the tournament and he puts that down to a clear strategy which has worked wonders thus far.”I’ve said to the bowlers that their focus is taking one wicket in each over that they bowl. So if Fiddy [Fidel Edwards] swings the ball, and he goes one for 16, I’m happy with that because if we keep taking wickets all the way through, then that puts pressure on the opposition and it slows the scoring rate down. So for me, don’t worry about how many runs you go for. If you’ve got that skill to get a wicket and you take wickets, it puts the opposition under pressure.”T10 is a format where it’s as straightforward as taking wickets and scoring boundaries and it’s no surprise to see a team captained by Liam Livingstone and including the likes of Chris Gayle and Paul Stirling stand clear at the top of the sixes list, with 40 in their first four matches alone.”Our batting philosophy is very simple. Let’s look to hit as many fours and sixes as we can. Our view about batting is that maybe one night we might get bowled out for 50 in six overs, but we’d rather that than getting ourselves to 72 for seven off ten overs.”There’s a story about Farbrace emailing Jason Gillespie, then Yorkshire first-team coach, shortly after a Sri Lanka side coached by Farbrace won the T20 World Cup in 2014 simply quoting, ‘ruthless simplicity’. Farbrace was the second-team coach at Yorkshire just four months earlier and that mantra is something that is still visible in his teams.In his short time with the Abu Dhabi outfit so far, Farbrace mentions how he is trying to drill in the idea of imposing themselves on the opposition, which was an integral aspect of the England white-ball revolution in which Farbrace played a key part.With Chris Gayle and Paul Stirling firing, Abu Dhabi are on top of the sixes chart•Abu Dhabi T10
“It’s about being on the front foot every ball that you’re involved with. Take the positive option. Don’t take a backward step. If you keep doing that and you stick to that process, you’re going to enjoy your skills. And really, that’s our brand. That’s how we want to play and we’ve been adamant from ball one that’s how we’re gonna play. So far, it seems to be going okay.”For all his wealth of cricketing knowledge, it’s Farbrace’s first experience of working in franchise cricket and a first taste of the 10-over format. Contrary to popular belief, the former England assistant coach reckons that T10 is actually a harder format for batters as opposed to bowlers.”It’s really interesting, because I came into this thinking actually, this is quite a brutal game for bowlers. And that bowlers are under severe pressure. Actually in this first week, the one thing that I think I’ve learned is that it’s actually the other way around. I think it’s harder for the batter’s than it is for the bowlers. Because the expectation level is that the batter can hit every ball for four and six.”Working alongside former England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor, the assistant coach for Team Abu Dhabi and the second female coach in men’s professional franchise cricket, is something else that Farbrace is evidently enjoying.”She’s been excellent. She has worked a lot with Phil [Salt] in the past, she’s worked brilliantly with him and his keeping has got better as the tournament has gone on. Her intensity in practice and her work rate is excellent,” Farbrace said. “She’s got good knowledge. She’s a good communicator, and she understands people and I think that’s what coaching is about these days. Understanding people and finding out what you can do to help them. I’ve always said that players learn from players, they don’t learn from coaches. Our job is to facilitate that learning.”And judging by his initial experience so far of the competition, the former T20 World Cup winning coach genuinely believes that T10 could be the route for cricket to have a seat at the Olympics.”I honestly think this could be the way to get cricket into the Olympics. It would be a brilliant way to showcase to the world this great game of cricket and it would be a brilliant fit. It’s a shorter competition. It’s all action. It’s brilliant to watch, the players enjoy it and they love playing it,” Farbrace said. “It probably is the vehicle to get cricket into the Olympics, because I think it would attract a lot of people to the game who perhaps don’t watch the game of cricket.”
Barcelona have confirmed that England goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck has suffered a 'traumatic brain injury' – less than two years on from having a stroke.
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Roebuck had nearly a year out from strokeSuffers 'brain injury' in Barcelona trainingWill miss clash with Madrid CFFFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Barcelona took to social media on Saturday to say Lionesses keeper Roebuck had suffered the blow from a tackle in training ahead of facing Madrid CFF on Sunday. The club added that she did not lose consciousness but will miss this upcoming Liga F encounter.
AdvertisementWHAT BARCELONA SAID
A club statement reads: "First-team player Ellie Roebuck suffered a traumatic brain injury without loss of consciousness as a result of a tackle during the warm-up of the match against Madrid CFF. The Barca goalkeeper will follow the established return to activity protocol in these cases before returning to the playing field and will be out for the next match."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Roebuck has had a difficult couple of years after the 25-year-old admitted in March 2024 that she had suffered a stroke in 2023. She had nearly a year out from the game before returning to action in December. Now the former Manchester City star is dealing with this latest setback.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
It remains to be seen when Roebuck will be ready to return to first-team football after this incident.
Head thumped a century in a session after Robinson took two wickets in two balls after tea
Alex Malcolm09-Dec-2021Travis Head thumped a century in a session to rip the game away from England after they briefly clawed their way back into the contest following another morning of self-destruction.Head made the joint third-fastest Ashes century, off 85 balls, and became the first to score a Test century in a session at the Gabba, to torch any hopes England had after Australia had lost 4 for 29 in the afternoon to lead by just 48 with five wickets in hand. Australia finished the day with a lead of 196 and three wickets in hand with Head still unbeaten on 112.Related
David Warner rides his luck on way to 94
Ben Stokes in no-ball drama with front-foot technology broken
Head’s century came on the back of a supreme 156-run stand earlier in the day from David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne, with Warner making an eventful 94, while Labuschagne a masterful 74 in difficult batting conditions to set the game up. Ollie Robinson bowled superbly to take 3 for 48, but limped off with a hamstring injury late in the day while Ben Stokes also battled a leg issue and a host of no-ball problems, including bowling Warner on 17 when he overstepped. Mark Wood also bowled whole-heartedly all day for little reward.Halfway through the day, Australia were ready to make England pay as their calamitous start to this series had turned from bad to worse. Australia were 166 for 1 with Warner and Labuschagne having passed England’s first-innings total on their own, with Warner having survived being bowled off a no-ball, dropped at slip, and missed being run-out.A rare mistake from Labuschagne opened the door for England to keep the door ajar thanks to a superb spell from Robinson, only for Head to all but slam it shut. He tore into England’s weak links, thumping a struggling Stokes for three boundaries in an over to get his innings going. He then latched onto Jack Leach, just as Labuschagne and Warner had earlier in the day, hammering him with lofted strikes over long-on and powerful cuts and pulls. Leach took 1 for 95 from 11 overs, which did include four overthrows as England unravelled.Ollie Robinson took two wickets in two balls•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesHead brought up his third century against the second new ball with a superb drive down the ground and celebrated to a standing ovation. Head had entered the Test as the last man picked for Australia, having beaten Usman Khawaja for the No. 5 spot, and might have cemented his place long term.England only have themselves to blame for their predicament. Warner could have been out on 17, 48 and 60.England bowled well in the first session without much luck as they induced a host of false strokes from Australia’s batters but only claimed one wicket. Marcus Harris’ lean run in Test cricket continued as he edged Robinson to slip for just 3. None of the 16 deliveries he faced until then would have hit the stumps but the slips cordon was ready and waiting for the eventual chance after he had played and missed a number of times.But while they may rue their luck in some ways, England were culpable in a variety of ways.Stokes added his name to a long list of culprits who have dismissed Warner off a no-ball, and has been guilty of doing it previously. The mistake was made worse when it was revealed he had bowled three no-balls in the lead-up without being called and 14 in total in the session, as the third umpire was unable to intervene due to a technology issue.Rory Burns added to his dismal Test match by dropping a simple chance off Warner at slip on 48. He also should have been run-out on 60 after he clipped a ball off his toes and took off only for Haseeb Hameed to stop it. Warner slipped and dropped his bat as he groped for safe ground but Hameed’s throw missed the stumps.Warner played 30 false shots in all including the chipped drive to mid-off which saw him fall six runs short of his 25th century. But his 94 was invaluable to Australia’s cause, and just one run short of his entire 2019 Ashes series tally.
David Warner almost matched his 2019 #Ashes run tally in just one innings! pic.twitter.com/MGDHV6JOhR
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 9, 2021
Labuschagne’s innings was every bit as good as Head’s. In tough conditions, he left the ball with incredible judgement and pounced on anything loose. He and Warner waited and waited, absorbing long spells of quality fast bowling, particularly from Wood, before Joe Root finally had to turn to Leach. They assaulted him with a premeditated attack taking 31 from his first three overs. Labuschagne and Warner shared their fifth century stand and become the second-fastest Australian duo behind Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford to reach 1000 runs together, doing so in just 11 partnerships.Labuschagne’s loose cut off Leach cost him a certain century then Wood had Steven Smith caught behind with express pace before Robinson returned after tea for two wickets in two balls. He deceived Warner with some extra bounce as he miscued to mid-off before Cameron Green shouldered arms and lost his off stump to a ball that nipped back off the seam. It was just reward for Robinson who had bowled magnificently without luck. Alex Carey made just 12, pulling Chris Woakes straight to midwicket as Australia’s lead looked set to be kept well under 150.But Head put paid to that as Robinson limped off with a hamstring and Stokes limped through his final spell.
استهل منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم، بقيادة المدير الفني حسام حسن، معسكره التدريبي استعدادًا لخوض مواجهتي إثيوبيا وسيراليون ضمن التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.
وأقيمت الحصة التدريبية الأولى للفريق مساء اليوم على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، حيث يسعى الجهاز الفني لتجهيز اللاعبين بدنيًا وفنيًا قبل المباراتين المرتقبتين يومي 21 و25 مارس الجاري.
بدأت التدريبات بتمارين الإحماء البدني، قبل الانتقال إلى تنفيذ بعض الجمل التكتيكية والفنية تحت إشراف حسام حسن وطاقمه المساعد، الذين ركزوا على الجوانب التنظيمية داخل الملعب وتحركات اللاعبين في المواقف الهجومية والدفاعية.
لاعب الأهلي السابق: أحضرنا أسطورتنا لكي تتأهل سيراليون لـ كأس العالم.. ومستعد للتدريب في مصر
شهد المران مشاركة عدد من العناصر البارزة في القائمة، من بينهم حراس المرمى محمد عواد وعبد العزيز البلعوطي، إلى جانب المدافعين خالد صبحي وحسام عبد المجيد، ولاعبي الوسط حمدي فتحي، أحمد عيد، نبيل دونجا، ومحمد شحاتة.
كما تواجد في التدريبات كل من محمود حسن “تريزيجيه”، إبراهيم عادل، مصطفى فتحي، أحمد سيد “زيزو”، محمود صابر، وأسامة فيصل.
ومن المقرر أن يستمر معسكر المنتخب في القاهرة حتى مساء الثلاثاء، حيث ستغادر البعثة إلى المغرب استعدادًا لمواجهة إثيوبيا في أولى المواجهات الرسمية خلال هذا التوقف الدولي لخوض منافسات تصفيات كأس العالم.
Southampton are reportedly eyeing a January move to sign a versatile £10m ace who is on the books of a Premier League rival.
Latest on future of Russell Martin as Southampton eye replacement
It hasn’t been the return to the top-flight those at St Mary’s were hoping for, with the Saints sitting bottom of the Premier League table with just one point from nine games.
As a result, there has been plenty of speculation over the future of Saints manager Russell Martin, however, the Southampton board are sticking by the boss for now.
Martin was thought to be on the brink of being sacked after the home defeat to Leicester City earlier in October, but he remained in charge against Manchester City last time out. Talking after the 1-0 defeat at the Etihad, when asked if he thought the points were coming. Martin said: “I see enough, with discipline and mentality, that the lads believe in what they do.
“We have to maintain that. We should have more points on the board and we have to keep working in our way. Today we were more us than we have been in a long time, and if we carry that forward we will be fine.”
Injury expert shares Will Smallbone timeline after Southampton confirm blow
Saints could really do without this.
ByHenry Jackson Oct 25, 2024
Should Martin be dismissed in the near future, though, West Brom manager Carlos Corberan has been identified as a possible replacement. However, behind the scenes, Southampton chiefs will also be preparing for the January transfer window as they look to avoid immediate relegation back to the Championship.
Now, a new name has emerged as a potential transfer target for Southampton in 2025.
Southampton eyeing January move for Nottingham Forest player
According to TEAMtalk, Southampton are interested in Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien. A January move could be on the cards with O’Brien’s loan spell in the MLS with LAFC set to end in December.
Southampton are the only Premier League side named in the transfer update, however, Championship sides Hull City, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Stoke City and West Brom are also thought to be keen on the 26-year-old.
Should O’Brien, who was valued at £10m last year, return to England in 2025 and complete a move to the Saints, they’d be getting a versatile midfielder capable of playing in holding, box-to-box or advanced roles.
Central midfield
116
Attacking midfield
42
Defensive midfield
37
Left midfield
13
Right midfield
10
Left-back
8
Left-winger
4
Centre forward
1
As can be seen, he’s also been used out wide during his career, and while in the MLS with LAFC, he’s been used in a generic central midfield role.
At this moment in time, Southampton have Lesley Ugochukwu, Flynn Downes, Mateus Fernandes, Joe Aribo, Adam Lallana and the injured Will Smallbone as their central midfield options, so O’Brien could be the seventh midfielder on the south coast, making a deal one to watch over the coming months.
Leeds United are currently competing to secure promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking in the Championship this season.
The Whites have only lost one of their opening nine matches in the division but are sat outside of the top two, having drawn four of the other eight outings.
Daniel Farke has never gone two successive seasons in the second tier without winning promotion, with two titles in three seasons in the league during his time with Norwich City.
The German head coach came ever so close to securing promotion in his first year in West Yorkshire, as his side lost 1-0 to Southampton at Wembley in the play-off final.
Leeds finished third in the Championship in the regular season but could not get the job done in the play-offs, losing to the Saints after beating Norwich over two legs.
The ex-Canaries head coach was brought in during the summer of 2023 after the Whites had been relegated under Sam Allardyce, who had been appointed as a firefighter after Javi Gracia and Jesse Marsch had both been sacked that season.
Leeds fell out of the Premier League a year after they cashed in on their star forward, Raphinha, who had been a huge success at Elland Road.
Raphinha's Leeds career in numbers
In the summer of 2020, Victor Orta and Marcelo Bielsa swooped to sign the Brazilian winger from Ligue 1 side Rennes for a reported fee of £17m to bolster the club’s attacking options.
Leeds had just been promoted from the Championship under the Argentine head coach and needed a bit of star power to avoid an instant relegation back down to the second tier.
Raphinha provided that with a return of six goals and nine assists in 30 appearances on the right flank in the Premier League, averaging a goal contribution every other game. He also could have had more assists as the gem created 12 ‘big chances’ for his teammates in total.
The left-footed magician then showcased his quality at the top end of the pitch once again in the 2021/22 campaign to keep Marsch’s side in the league, with a return of 11 goals and three assists in 35 games.
Appearances
35
Goals
11
Big chances created
10
Key passes
67
Assists
3
Dribbles completed
63
As you can see in the table above, Raphinha was let down by poor finishing from his teammates as they only scored three times from the 67 key passes and ten ‘big chances’ he created for them.
Barcelona then swooped to sign the Brazil international from Leeds for a reported fee of £55m at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, which left Marsch in need of a replacement for him on the flank.
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.
The American boss then made the move to sign Luis Sinisterra from Feyenoord ahead of the 2022/23 season in an attempt to replace the former Leeds superstar.
How much Leeds paid for Luis Sinisterra
The Whites reportedly splashed out a fee of £21m, more than they paid Rennes for Raphinha in 2020, and he was described as a replacement for the Brazilian whiz by The Athletic.
Whilst he was not a like-for-like replacement, as a right-footed left winger as opposed to a left-footed right winger, Leeds may have felt as though the Colombia international could replace the impact that the ex-Rennes star had on the pitch.
In the 2021/22 campaign, Sinisterra caught the eye with his outstanding performances for Feyenoord, with a return of 23 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions.
Journalist Josh Bunting claimed that Leeds had pulled off a “master stroke” by signing the winger, who he described as a “frightening” forward, and it is not hard to see why when you consider his incredible record for the Dutch side.
Appearances
30
Goals
12
Key passes
60
Big chances created
9
Assists
7
As you can see in the table above, Sinisterra had proven himself to be a fantastic scorer and creator of goals in the Dutch top-flight, as Raphinha had in the Premier League for the Whites.
Unfortunately, though, things did not quite work out for the former Eredivisie superstar during his relatively short time at Elland Road after attempting to replace the Brazilian sensation.
Luis Sinisterra's time with Leeds in numbers
The 25-year-old endured an injury-riddled season with the Whites under Marsch, Gracia, and Allardyce, as he suffered three separate injury issues that kept him out of action for a combined 16 competitive matches.
Those fitness problems restricted his involvement on the pitch and meant that he was unable to do enough to prevent Leeds from being relegated back down to the Championship, after they had survived in both of Raphinha’s seasons at the club.
Sinisterra did score five goals in his 19 appearances in the Premier League, which is not a dreadful return given it was in a struggling time, but he did not do enough to create for others.
The Colombian flop did not create a single ‘big chance’ for his teammates and ended the season with zero assists in 19 matches, with 0.5 key passes per game on average, which shows that he could not replace the immense creativity that Raphinha provided.
After Leeds were relegated from the top-flight, the forward decided that he did not want to commit to a full season in the second tier and joined Bournemouth on loan for the 2023/24 campaign.
Appearances
20
Starts
7
Goals
2
Assists
2
Big chances created
2
As you can see in the table above, Sinisterra’s injury problems restricted his involvement once again, as he only made 20 appearances and started just seven times.
Despite his lack of availability and his sporadic contributions in the final third, Bournemouth decided to sign him permanently earlier this year for a reported fee of £20m.
This meant that Leeds sold Sinisterra less than two years on from their swoop to sign him from Feyenoord, and he only spent one year at Elland Road after initially joining as a ‘frightening’ replacement for Raphinha.
Leeds could find their new Summerville in prolific Thorp Arch talent
The Leeds youngster has been in scintillating form for the U21s this season.
A significant update has now emerged regarding the future Philippe Clement at Rangers, as pressure grows on the manager at Ibrox after another disappointing result in midweek.
Clement fighting to save Rangers job
It has been an underwhelming start to the season for the Gers, who arguably almost feel as though they are already out of the Scottish Premiership title race heading into November.
On Wednesday night, Rangers suffered a damaging 2-1 defeat away to Aberdeen, meaning they now trail both the Dons and Celtic by a sizeable nine points after only ten matches. Given Clement’s team’s form, it feels as though that gap may only grow instead of narrow in the coming weeks.
Pressure on the Gers boss is clearly great at this point, with a section of the fanbase feeling that a change is needed in the dugout, even though the Belgian only replaced Michael Beale in October 2023.
Opinion still appears to be split on Clement’s future, with some still seeing him as the right man for the job, but with each passing defeat, the more the 50-year-old loses admirers, with performances and results nowhere near good enough for one of the two biggest clubs in the country.
Fresh update on Clement's Rangers future
According to an update from The Daily Record, sources close to the manager in Belgium claim that Clement still has the support of the club, despite his current struggles. They state that “pressure from outside – media and fans – is very high but, within the club, they are staying calm”.
The source suggests that the Gers’ struggles as a club are saving him currently, in terms of their lack of organisation high up, adding that he’d have ususally been sacked now but there isn’t really anyone with the correct leadership position to make the move.
This is an update that is likely to frustrate a chunk of the supporters, in terms of those who want to see Clement moved on and replaced as soon as possible, but there is an element of sense to it.
Rangers are so badly run currently, with The Daily Record calling it a “shambolic off-field state of affairs”, so there seems little sense in making a change in manager until those are sorted. All that could happen if a new boss comes in is that he suffers the same struggles as Clement, leaving the Gers in an even trickier situation having already paid off the Belgian.
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The Gers must return to winning ways…
ByTom Cunningham Oct 31, 2024
For now, it is a case of Clement continuing to battle to save his job, starting with a win against Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup semi-finals on Sunday afternoon. Rangers won the competition last season and reaching the final again could take some of the mounting pressure off his shoulders.