Liverpool are not believed to be considering sacking head coach Arne Slot, despite the club's dreadful run of form which has seen the Reds lose six games in seven and crash out of the Carabao Cup at the hands of Crystal Palace on Wednesday night. Slot's side have not performed anywhere close to expectations in recent weeks but the Premier League winner is believed to have a lot of credit in the bank, with his job not at threat.
Slot not believed to be close to sack despite worrying results
Liverpool’s form has taken a sharp turn for the worse in recent weeks with six defeats in seven matches, four in a row in the Premier League, following a summer of heavy investment. Such circumstances are expected to be part of the club’s thinking in giving him more time, believes BBC Sport’s Chief Football Writer Phil McNulty, who says there is “not a chance” Slot’s job comes under threat in the near future.
This is despite mounting criticism from fans and the media, including for his team selection as the Reds lost 3-0 to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup.
Fabrizio Romano also revealed on his YouTube channel that Liverpool’s hierarchy have “full trust” in Slot and believe that he will turn things around quickly.
Such patience should come as no surprise for a man who won the Premier League title in his first season in England, but no manager is exempt from speculation – something Slot is experiencing for the first time in his Liverpool career.
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Liverpool retain faith in Slot's ability to turn things around
Romano said: “Liverpool absolutely internally… and when I say internally, it’s the hierarchy, the ownership, all the people at the club, really, really trust Arne Slot. They are 100 percent convinced that Arne Slot is the best manager to handle this situation.
“Obviously, it’s been a poor start to the season, but Liverpool are convinced everything will be okay, that it’s going to take some time to assess the squad with the new signings, to change something, to be back to the attitude from last season.
“But Liverpool have full trust in Slot. There is very good communication on a daily basis between the directors, all the people at the club in the management, and Arne Slot.”
'Liverpool not the sort of club to panic' – McNulty
“Slot is under the same pressure as every Liverpool manager – and that is the pressure to win games. Pressure for his job? Not a chance," said McNulty on his BBC Sport Q&A.
“Slot won the title in his first season after succeeding Jurgen Klopp, and while he needs wins as quickly as possible, Liverpool is not the sort of club to panic, even if the next sequence of results go badly.
“I would agree, however, that they need to show signs of becoming more resilient and balanced, because I think they are a dysfunctional, soft touch at the moment. And, Hugo Ekitike apart, their big signings have not yet delivered.
“Slot however still has plenty of credit in the bank and Liverpool is a calm club internally, not given to hasty, panicky decisions, certainly not when it involves a manager who won the Premier League last season.
“Of course, Slot would be under heavy scrutiny if the current dreadful run continues until Christmas, as any manager of a club of Liverpool's stature would be. He would be under pressure – but not, in my opinion, for his job.
“Liverpool's owners are measured. They saw Slot win the title in his first season and I am sure there will be an acceptance and understanding that there has also been a lot of change in the summer.
“What he needs now is for established stars and new acquisitions to simply play better. He also needs to find his best team as I am not sure he actually knows.”
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Tough challenges lie on the horizon for Slot and Liverpool
The prospect of Slot being sacked this season still appears a rather far-fetched reality, as does the idea of the Reds losing every game between now and Christmas – though it is likely that one cannot exist without the other.
After three Premier League away games in four – most recently a 3-2 defeat to Brentford which Slot described as his side's "worst performance" of the season – home matches against Aston Villa and Real Madrid lie in wait before a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City.
Slot will know that positive results in matches of that magnitude could see things turn back around just as quickly as they went downhill. But there remain several issues he must resolve within this squad, which will likely prove the biggest challenge of his managerial career thus far.
Chelsea’s return to the Champions League ended in disappointment as they fell 3-1 away to Bayern Munich in their opening group fixture.
It was the club’s first appearance in the competition since 2023, and the performance suggested Enzo Maresca’s young squad still has much to learn about competing at Europe’s top table.
Chelsea entered the Allianz Arena buoyed by a successful 2024/25 campaign, finishing fourth in the Premier League and lifting the Europa Conference League.
They added the Club World Cup over the summer, dispatching PSG 3-0 in the final, but the match against Bayern proved far more demanding.
With only 117 Champions League appearances across their entire 24-man squad, their inexperience showed in key moments.
Switching off at a throw-in allowed Michael Olise the time to deliver a cross that Trevoh Chalobah turned into his own net, before Moises Caicedo brought down Harry Kane in the box.
Bayern were ruthless, and while Chelsea did show flashes of promise, the experiment of deploying Reece James in midfield again raised questions about whether it is a strategy that can truly succeed at this level.
Reece James' role in Munich
At 25, Reece James is the only survivor from Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League-winning side, and his presence in the squad offers both quality and leadership.
Yet his career has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries – more than 140 matches missed – leaving doubts about whether he can sustain the rhythm of playing twice a week in both domestic and European competition.
Against Bayern, James was positioned in midfield alongside Moises Caicedo, while Malo Gusto filled in at right-back.
The idea was to utilise James’ technical quality and tactical awareness in central areas, but the execution was less convincing. Across 68 minutes on the pitch, James touched the ball just 35 times and attempted 27 passes, completing 22 of them (81%).
He failed to register a single key pass and did not win either of his two ground duels, while also conceding possession too cheaply.
His final rating of 6.1 reflected a subdued display that neither shielded Chelsea’s defence nor offered enough progression going forward.
The wider concern is that James’ strengths as a full-back are being muted in midfield. Where Chelsea need dynamism and ball-winning, the skipper struggled to impose himself.
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It is no surprise that he was replaced by Andrey Santos midway through the second half.
Andrey Santos: A better Fit in midfield
The introduction of Andrey Santos, a 21-year-old Brazilian midfielder, gave Chelsea fresh energy in the second half.
Santos, who returned from a successful loan at Strasbourg, where he played 45 times and contributed 12 goals and five assists, is starting to prove he belongs on this stage.
Analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a “duel monster” in midfield – a description that speaks to both his physicality and presence.
Santos has already demonstrated qualities that align more closely with Chelsea’s needs in the middle of the pitch: aerial strength, ball progression, composure in possession, and a natural tackling instinct.
These attributes showed during his 32 appearances last season, where he produced 13 goal involvements compared to James’ two in 19 matches.
The statistical comparison underlines why Santos might be the more natural option in midfield.
Andrey Santos – 2024/25
Matches Played
32
Goals
10
Assists
3
Progressive Carries
29
Progressive Passes
149
Source: FBRef
He averaged 3.47 tackles per 90, far outweighing James’ 0.85, and also registered more blocks (1.45 vs. 1.19).
Going forward, Santos was more efficient, with a 34.8% shot-on-target rate compared to James’ 27.3%. He also averaged twice as many shots on target per 90 (0.50 vs. 0.25).
In terms of progression, James does carry an edge in passing distance (370.8 metres per 90 vs. Santos’ 247.9) and averaged slightly more progressive passes (5.42 vs. 4.70).
However, Santos offered greater balance by combining forward passing with ball-carrying, recording 0.91 progressive carries per 90 compared to James’ 0.59.
Andrey Santos
His creativity was also marginally superior, averaging 1.77 shot-creating actions per 90 compared to James’ 1.52.
These numbers suggest Santos is not just a destroyer, but a midfielder capable of impacting both phases of play – regaining possession and driving Chelsea into attacking positions.
At just 21 and already capped four times by Brazil, his trajectory looks aligned with Chelsea’s long-term project.
Chelsea’s young squad will inevitably face teething problems in Europe, as the defeat in Munich showed.
Errors at the back cost them dearly, but the midfield balance was another decisive factor.
James, while a superb player when fit, may not be the answer in the middle. His injury history suggests that continuing the experiment risks undermining Chelsea’s progression.
Andrey Santos, by contrast, brings the blend of steel and skill that European nights demand.
His tackling, ball progression, and composure under pressure offer a profile Chelsea have been missing since N’Golo Kanté’s departure.
Deploying Santos in his natural role could allow James to return to right-back, where his qualities are maximised, and help Chelsea find the balance they lacked against Bayern.
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Poucas horas depois de desembarcar na capital paulista após retornar de Cuiabá em voo fretado, o elenco do São Paulo já se reapresentou no CT da Barra Funda na manhã deste domingo (23) e deu início à preparação para o primeiro jogo da semifinal da Copa do Brasil contra o rival Corinthians, terça-feira (25), às 21h30 (de Brasília), em Itaquera.
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Na atividade, os atletas que atuaram por mais tempo contra o Cuiabá fizeram um trabalho regenerativo na parte interna. O restante do grupo foi ao gramado, onde começou os trabalhos com um aquecimento com bola.
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Em seguida, houve dois trabalhos técnicos: um exercício de posse de bola sob pressão e um coletivo de 11 contra 11 em campo reduzido. Ao final da atividade os defensores permaneceram no gramado para um complemento de bolas aéreas.
A principal novidade do dia foi a presença do zagueiro Alan Franco. Recuperado de dores na perna direita, treinou normalmente com o restante do elenco.
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The CSK captain is also not worried about Pathirana as he has more death-bowling options to choose from
Alagappan Muthu22-Mar-20252:05
Cricinformed: MS Dhoni, CSK’s 43-year-old six machine
MS Dhoni arrived in Chennai in February to prepare for IPL 2025. He doesn’t play any cricket in between. He’s 43 years old. And he remains as important to Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) chances of success as he has ever been, performing the same role that he used to play – the finisher – but in a reduced capacity: batting for a couple of overs, trying to hit everything out of the ground.”I think his training is very much limited to whatever he tries to achieve,” Ruturaj Gaikwad, the CSK captain, said on the eve of their game against Mumbai Indians. “Or whatever his role would be in the IPL. So, it is pretty much very simple, focused on trying to hit as much as sixes as possible and trying to get the right swing, trying to be in the best shape.”That is what I think initially he was trying to do. And then I never thought he was out of shape even on the first day. So, I think obviously he is special – he’s done it for so many years.Related
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“So, definitely that always will be there. If you see now even Sachin Tendulkar is batting as great as he is right even now at the age of 50 [51]. So, I think still many years to go.”Dhoni recently spoke about his cricket career, which began way back in 2005, and how he sees himself playing for a few years yet.”I want to enjoy it,” he said at the launch of one of his apps last month, “how I did as a child when I was in school. When I lived in a colony, 4 o’clock (in the afternoon) was sports time, so we’ll go and play cricket more often than not. But if the weather doesn’t permit, we used to play football. I want to play with the same kind of innocence (but it is) easier said than done.”MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja tune up for IPL 2025•PTI CSK are enjoying the benefits of that. “I mean everyday we get to see him,” Gaikwad said. “Obviously, it inspires [us] a lot. A lot of new players have joined the team and sometimes they, as professional cricketers, struggle to strike the ball as good as he is striking it right now.”So, definitely it inspires a lot of us including myself, including everyone from the group. So, whatever he is doing at the age of 43, I think it is remarkable. It is really commendable.”And definitely, he will be looking to contribute in the best way he can. But I mean we have certain strengths that we have been following since last two years. So, I think nothing much really changes and hopefully he will continue to deliver those crucial knocks for us.”CSK are known to stick to a set formula, especially when playing at home, and now their XI is likely to include three high quality spinners.”When you have someone like [R] Ashwin and [Ravindra] Jadeja and we have Noor [Ahmed]. I think we always wanted someone in our bowling department who can be an aggressive bowler, who can come in and take wickets at regular intervals. And there were very few in the auction pool. So, we wanted to get the best whoever is available, and I think Noor is right up there. So, hopefully if conditions suit us, definitely he will be a great threat for opposition.”
“I never thought he was out of shape even on the first day. So, I think obviously he is special – he’s done it for so many years. Everyday we get to see him. It inspires [us] a lot.”Ruturaj Gaikwad on MS Dhoni
Chepauk has a history of assisting spinners, but that wasn’t the case last season. It’s resulted in them relying on their fast bowlers in recent seasons. Death-overs specialist Matheesha Pathirana is their second-highest wicket-taker since making his debut in 2022. Pathirana appears to have made a change to his bowling action, where his arm is a little higher than it used to be on release. CSK lost him to injury towards the back end of last season, when they were unable to make the playoffs.”He [Pathirana] is definitely in a good shape and we had a good look at him in the practice game that we had,” Gaikwad said. “But what this year we have done in the options as well, I think we have got very good fast bowlers as back-ups.”We have Mukesh [Choudhary] who is bowling really well. We have Khaleel [Ahmed] as well, who is right up there in the Indian team. Anshul Kamboj has done really well in the domestic circuit. Gurjapneet [Singh] is there. [Kamlesh] Nagarkoti is there, who really impressed me in the pre-season. So, we have a good set of fast bowlers this year. We have [Nathan] Ellis as well. So, I think I am not really worried about that back-up option. But it is always good to have Pathirana in the team. But as I said, I am not really worried about if he is there or not.”
Jose Mourinho marked his Benfica homecoming with a simple sunrise post from the club’s training ground, captioned 'Good morning SL Benfica'. But his first update as Benfica coach sparked chaos online, as Fenerbahce fans swarmed his Instagram with angry comments after his remarks that managing the Turkish side was a 'mistake' and that the club was 'not his level'.
Mourinho marks Benfica move with Instagram return
Mourinho shared his first photo since being confirmed as Benfica’s new head coach, showing the Lisbon side’s training base. The Portuguese tactician recently caused controversy by describing his time at Fenerbahce as a poor career decision. He celebrated his return to Benfica by returning to Instagram and posting a photo of the side's training ground with a beautiful sunrise in the background.
The comments section on Mourinho’s post was overwhelmed by Fenerbahce supporters furious at his words. Many labelled the Special One a mercenary, accusing him of chasing money rather than loyalty. Others fired back that Fenerbahce remain a stronger club than Benfica despite his criticism.
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Mourinho’s social media comeback highlights the tension left behind after his departure from Turkey. His comments have added fuel to a rivalry already shaped by Benfica’s Champions League qualifier win over Fenerbahce. While he insists coaching Benfica is “returning to his level,” his blunt words risk souring his reputation further among Turkish fans.
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Mourinho will now turn his focus to steadying Benfica after replacing Bruno Lage in the dugout. The 62-year-old has promised to restore the club’s place among Europe’s elite. All eyes will be on whether his return delivers success on the pitch — or further controversy off it.
Liverpool’s Premier League title defence kicked off with three points. Bournemouth were valiant and impressive at Anfield, but the Reds dug in and showcased their quality as they rallied in the final stretch of the curtain-raising game.
While the Reds showcased a remarkable array of attacking talent against the hard-fighting Cherries, they lacked something in defence, with Arne Slot’s side squandering a two-goal lead in the second half.
Antoine Semenyo had a field day against a discordant Reds backline, who must find balance and coherence in the weeks ahead if they wish to rebuff the danger that is bound to spring from title rivals who are expected to improve after last year.
And Ibrahima Konate, in particular, suffered from a rusty performance at the back. It was a display that, perhaps, new recruit Giovanni Leoni and top transfer target Marc Guehi would have taken heed of.
Ibrahima Konate's performance vs Bournemouth
Semenyo’s second-half double proved a blow to Liverpool’s start to their title defence, but the impressive right winger deserved both of his goals and will have felt be got the better of the hosts’ unfluent backline.
Konate was at the epicentre of the struggles, with Jamie Carragher remarking on Sky Sports co-comms that the France international was “all over the place” for Slot’s side, making seven clearances throughout the evening but lacking the control nor composure to ensrue the home side moved toward three points in a smooth fashion to start their campaign.
Completely exposed for Bournemouth’s second and suffering across numerous offensive pushes from the lively south coasters, Konate, 26, will be frustrated with his performance, not least because noise rumbles in the background regarding a potentially forthcoming move for Crystal Palace’s Guehi.
While Konate struggled to produce anything close to his finest form, he wasn’t the only one to have flattered to deceive, with Florian Wirtz leaving plenty to be desired on his Premier League debut.
Florian Wirtz left plenty to be desired
Wirtz joined Liverpool in a club-record £100m move in June, and that may yet rise to a £116m fee with add-ons that would see him eclipse Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo as the record-breaking signing in British history.
But he struggled to produce a befitting performance against a well-oiled Bournemouth side, enjoying some high-level touches and neat layoffs but struggling to lay down his marker as he would have hoped.
Without a doubt, these first two outings have left something to be desired, but they’ve also demonstrated the German international’s first-class quality on the ball, invariably creative and finding openings for his teammates.
Minutes played
84′
82′
Goals
0
0
Assists
1
0
Touches
74
69
Shots (on target)
1 (0)
1 (0)
Accurate passes
50/57 (88%)
37/48 (77%)
Key passes
4
3
Dribbles
0/2
0/0
Tackles
2
2
Duels won
3/9
3/9
After the Bournemouth clash, The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle handed the 22-year-old a 6/10 match rating acknowledging his playmaking ability but struggle to influence proceedings as would have been desired. Indeed, he would depart after losing the ball on average every 3.6 touches, having lost possession 19 times in all.
He will need to muscle up over the coming weeks, adapting to the rigorous nature of the Premier League, but there’s no doubt that Wirtz is a top talent.
However, as with Konate, he left plenty of room for improvement against Andoni Iraola’s side, and his performance will be under greater scrutiny against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park next week.
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On a day when his fast-bowling colleagues weren’t at their best, Mahmud led the way with his command of length and movement in both directions
Mohammad Isam19-Sep-20240:59
Manjrekar: Mahmud sacrificed pace for line and length
Hasan Mahmud stuck to bowling fuller lengths for most of the first day of Bangladesh’s Test tour of India. When he wasn’t bowling gentle outswingers to tempt the Indian batters to go for the cover drive, he was trying to hit the stumps or the pads.Taskin Ahmed, who has played more Tests than Mahmud, and Nahid Rana, who bowls much quicker, did not stick to this simple approach. They bowled too short, too wide or too full, giving the batters plenty of freebies. Mahmud simply used the devices available to him – seam, swing, pace and the right lengths – and became the first overseas quick in nearly 15 years to take three wickets in the first session of a Test match against India in India.”It is obviously great to take Test wickets,” Mahmud said. “I took a five-for against Pakistan so it was about trying to be consistent in my effort to contribute to the team. Today’s plan was very simple. I tried to shape the ball with the seam up. I kept trying to do it and [it paid off]. After the morning session which we dominated, the wicket got settled. The ball was coming onto the bat nicely. Still, I was getting some movement later on. Maybe tomorrow we can create more chances.”Related
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Every wicket Mahmud took on the first day in Chennai was well thought out. He built up a case against each batter, whether over a short or long period. Mahmud got the ball to hoop in slightly overcast conditions and tested both of Rohit Sharma’s edges. A skewed edge got Rohit an early boundary before he survived an lbw shout in the fourth over, when the ball ducked in from a slightly shorter length. Then came a subtle outgoing delivery that took his outside edge, well taken by Najmul Hossain Shanto at second slip.India’s No. 3 Shubman Gill, who couldn’t get Mahmud away for seven balls, also survived an lbw shout. His dismissal was a lucky one perhaps, when he was caught down the leg side, but it looked like Gill was itching to get off the mark. A batter strangling one down the leg side is often the result of early dot-ball pressure.Mahmud then had Virat Kohli caught behind chasing an outside-off-stump delivery. The ball before, Kohli had played a confident forward push, but Mahmud stuck to his guns. He got the seam to wobble again and lured Kohli out for a drive.Shanto gave Mahmud a first spell of seven overs, mainly because of the overcast conditions and how well he was bowling at that time. As he had shown in Rawalpindi, though, Mahmud isn’t only about the new ball. He took a wicket shortly into his second spell, getting Rishabh Pant caught behind. This time too, he tested Pant outside the off stump. When he was cut for a boundary, Mahmud dragged the next ball across but moved the line slightly closer to Pant, who edged it to the wicketkeeper.Mahmud kept creating chances in his later spells too, having R Ashwin edge one between slip and gully, and having Ravindra Jadeja given out lbw before the decision was overturned on review. He got another to nip back into Ashwin but this appeal didn’t have a lot of merit.Hasan Mahmud picked up four wickets on day one of the Chennai Test•Associated Press
Mahmud built his foundations as a seamer on predominantly flat or dry pitches in Bangladesh’s domestic scene. They brought him rewards when there was a bit of help available in the two Tests in Rawalpindi. He took eight wickets, the most by a Bangladesh fast bowler on the tour, at an average of 24.12. He paired well with Shoriful Islam to give Bangladesh an opening burst in the first Test, removing both openers Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub on day one. On the crucial fifth day, Mahmud again gave the visitors a good start by removing opposition captain Shan Masood. He came into his own in the second Test, taking his maiden five-wicket haul. While Nahid Rana’s pace generated more headlines, it was Mahmud who kept giving Bangladesh vital breakthroughs to reinforce their dominant position.Bangladesh were certainly not in a dominant position at the end of day one in Chennai, but with the second new ball available, Mahmud felt they could still fight their way back into the contest.”If we can get early breakthroughs tomorrow, we will be back in the game,” he said. “We want to restrict them below 400 runs. It is however a good wicket now. The conditions here are almost the same [as Pakistan], but it is the bowlers’ duty to bowl aggressively, or cut down the boundaries, whatever is required.”We were in a dominating position in the morning but the wicket is very good now. We are all trying to minimise the boundaries. The momentum has shifted today, but we could bring it back with better bowling tomorrow.”Mahmud also has some experience in white-ball cricket, where he has usually bowled with both the new and old ball, but he has gone down the pecking order in recent times, with Tanzim Hasan Sakib playing ahead of him whiile Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman are mainstays.Mahmud’s transition into red-ball cricket now means Bangladesh’s pace attack is ever-expanding. They have Khaled Ahmed in the Test squad in India. Shoriful Islam, Tanzim and Mustafizur are go-tos in T20Is, while Ebadot Hossain is close to full fitness and could be available from the home Test series against South Africa next month.Despite their recent uptick, the pace attack remains a work in progress. It seemed like the Bangladesh bowlers took their foot off the gas as the day went on, letting Ashwin and Jadeja build a counterattacking stand. If the pace attack’s development is anything to go by, though, they can be expected to come up with better plans on the second morning.
With Newcastle United now confident that they’ll sign Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest have reportedly entered the race to sign his replacement in a deal worth over £50m.
Newcastle optimistic about Elanga deal
After rejecting Newcastle’s initial offer, some around the City Ground may have been hopeful that would be the end of the Magpies’ chase to sign Elanga, but that has proved to be far from the case. Instead, the Magpies have reportedly returned with an offer worth £55m and are now optimistic that they’ll secure the Swede’s signature, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Given the importance of Elanga in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side last season, it would be an undeniable blow if Forest were to lose the winger to Newcastle this summer. As ever though, their attention is likely to turn towards incomings of their own.
Already, those in the Midlands have welcomed a fresh attacking boost in the form of Botafogo star Igor Jesus and now they could shift their focus towards other reinforcements.
After putting pen to paper, Jesus told Forest’s official website: “I’m really happy to be a part of this new story, especially at a club like Nottingham Forest.
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“I didn’t have to think twice about the offer, I embraced it. I embraced the project that they sent me. I am delighted to be coming here and hope to do some great work. I will do my very best to achieve great results and bring joy to all the Forest family.”
With Jesus secure and Elanga potentially leaving, reports are now suggesting that Forest’s efforts have turned towards a winger who’s worth over £50m this summer.
Nottingham Forest join race to sign Lookman
According to reports in Spain, Nottingham Forest have now joined the race to sign Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, who are set to demand as much as €60m (£52m) to sell their star man this summer. Joined by Atletico Madrid and Midlands rivals Aston Villa in the battle for the Nigerian winger, Forest will hope that the funds gained by potentially selling Elanga are enough to jump ahead of their competitors.
Losing Elanga but replacing him with Lookman could quickly prove to be an act of genius by all involved at Nottingham Forest. The latter enjoyed a sensational season in Italy last time out, scoring 20 goals in all competitions, and could finally prove any doubters wrong in the Premier League following tough spells at Everton, Fulham and Leicester City.
Full of praise, former Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini told reporters last season: “Lookman became a fantastic player when he improved his perception of the team. He used to have a more individual approach.
“He wasn’t a bad guy, but he mostly focused on the individual. He made Atalanta great, and Atalanta made him great. I am convinced he can be the captain before the end of the season.”
Nottingham Forest have now made an approach to sign a Champions League “gladiator” for free, according to a recent report.
Ins and outs expected as Forest prepare for Europe
The first part of the summer transfer window has just closed, but that doesn’t mean clubs are not actively working on transfers in time for when the window reopens again on Monday June 16. Forest are expected to be very busy this summer, as they prepare for European football and look to continue their fine 2024/25 form into the new campaign.
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Already the Reds have agreed to let one player leave the City Ground, as Fabrizio Romano has reported that Lyon have reached an agreement with Forest to sign goalkeeper Matt Turner. The French side are willing to pay €8 million, which is roughly £6.7 million.
He may not be the only exit on the cards, as it’s been reported that Newcastle United have made contact with Forest over signing Anthony Elanga. The Magpies tried to sign the Sweden international last summer but failed, and they are now looking to wrap up a deal 12 months on.
The Reds are of course also working on incomings, and while they work on a potential deal for midfielder Douglas Luiz, they are also keeping an eye on Lucas Cepeda from Chilean top flight side Colo-Colo. The winger is said to have a release clause of just £4 million and is interested in making the step up to a major European League.
Nottingham Forest submit offer for Reinildo
Forest just announced their retained list this week and revealed Harry Toffolo would be leaving following the expiration of his contract. It now appears as though the club have already found his potential replacement, as according to reporter Ben Jacobs, Forest have submitted an offer to sign left-back Reinildo on a free transfer.
The 31-year-old currently plays for Spanish giants Atlético Madrid and has done so since January 2022. The defender’s contract has been extended to the beginning of August, so he can participate in the Club World Cup for Atlético. But after that, he looks set to leave the club, and as well as Forest, Sunderland and Leeds have made approaches over a potential deal, as well as teams from Saudi Arabia.
The 49-cap Mozambique captain, who has been dubbed a “true gladiator” by scout Jacek Kulig, has struggled to be a regular in Madrid. He finished the 2024/25 campaign having played 29 games in all competitions, 19 of which came in La Liga, regularly from the substitutes’ bench.
Reinildo’s 24/25 La Liga stats
Apps
19
Starts
10
Clean sheets
4
Interceptions per game
0.8
Tackles per game
0.9
Balls recovered per game
2.7
Clearances per game
1.7
Duels won per game
2.6 (49%)
With Toffolo leaving and Alex Moreno returning to Aston Villa, it means Forest don’t have a recognised natural left-back in their squad, and therefore, there may be some urgency in beating the likes of Leeds and Sunderland to the signature of Reinildo, especially given his experience in European football.