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Leeds United are close to securing their first signing of the 2025 summer transfer window. The Whites are now back in the Premier League following promotion success in the 2024/25 campaign, and are now seemingly ready to splash the cash in order to survive, something that has been a struggle in recent seasons for newly-promoted sides.

Highly reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano gave his famous “here we go” tagline to Leeds’ move for Jaka Bijol.

The Slovenian centre-back will join the club for £18.7m from Italian side Udinese, as their first major signing of the summer.

Daniel Farke’s side are now lining up their next signing, who could prove to be an even better addition than their new centre-back.

Leeds' next signing after Bijol

It is certainly an early statement of intent from the Yorkshire side. Bijol is an “immense” player according to Sky Sports’ Dougiue Critchely, so for Leeds to have all but confirmed his move to Elland Road is a strong start to the window.

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Things could be about to get even better for the 2024/25 Championship winners. TEAMtalk are now reporting that Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz is a target, with Leeds ‘ready to make a fresh push’ for the 24-year-old Brazilian.

However, this will not be an easy deal to do, with the report describing it as ‘difficult’.

The two clubs are some way apart in their valuation of the striker at this stage. Whilst the West Londoners want upwards of £50m, Leeds are hoping to do a deal around the £35m mark. Thus, ‘there remains lots of talking to be done’ in order for this transfer to progress.

Why Muniz would be a good signing

Bringing Muniz to Elland Road could be a huge addition for the Whites this summer. Crucially, he is a Premier League-proven player, with a track record of scoring goals in the English top flight during his two seasons at Craven Cottage.

Last term, the former Flamengo player found the back of the net on eight occasions in 31 appearances, grabbing an assist along the way, too.

He played just 950 minutes, the equivalent of ten full 90-minute games, meaning he was not far off a goal per game on average.

There is no doubt that Bijol is an excellent addition for the Whites. Pundits like Critchley rate him highly, and he helped keep eight clean sheets in 34 games last season for Udinese, captaining them at times, too.

He will certainly help to strengthen at the back at Elland Road, and will add some more leadership to Farke’s squad. That will be invaluable going into what will be a tough campaign in 2025/26, avoiding relegation.

However, perhaps there is a strong case to be made that Muniz will be an even better signing for Leeds, and for one reason. He is a proven Premier League goalscorer, having notched up nine in 2023/24 and, of course, eight last term.

In the last two seasons, all six newly-promoted sides have been relegated, and Leeds have a chance to buck that trend. Well, an experienced top-flight striker will count for lots. They will surely need his goals.

Of those six relegated sides, he was outscored by two Luton Town players in 2023/24, namely Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo, who scored 11 and 10, respectively. Last season, Liam Delap, now a Chelsea player, scored 12 goals, and the evergreen Jamie Vardy outscored him by one.

That said, Muniz was not always a regular starter and did actually score considerably more goals per 90 minutes which bodes well should he become Farke’s number one choice.

Relegated sides’ top goalscorers in last 2 seasons vs. Muniz

Player

Club

Goals

Goals per 90

Liam Delap

Ipswich

12

0.42

Carlton Morris

Luton

11

0.35

Rodrigo Muniz (2023/24)

Fulham

9

0.51

Jamie Vardy

Leicester

9

0.29

Rodrigo Muniz (2024/25)

Fulham

8

0.75

Jacob Bruun Larsen

Burnley

6

0.33

Brereton Diaz/McBurnie

Sheffield United

6

0.25 & 0.42

Paul Onuachu

Southampton

4

0.34

Stats from Premier League

Generally speaking, you need a top striker to regularly score goals and help keep you in the Premier League. Well, Muniz could be the guy for Leeds.

Not only did he score eight times in ten full 90-minute games last term, but his non-penalty expected goals of 0.75 per game as per FBref, was among the best 5% in the top flight.

He has the potential to explode if given a run of games by Farke. He could become a “revelation” in a Leeds shirt, a word football talent scout Jacek Kulig once used to describe him. £50m is a big investment, but it could be worth it if Leeds stay in the top flight.

Related A Chris Wood repeat: Euro club in talks to sign "dynamite" £13m Leeds star

This Leeds United attacker is in talks to move on from Elland Road this summer.

Posts ByDan Emery Jun 16, 2025

Targeting attacking reinforcements this summer, the 49ers are now reportedly leading the race to sign an impressive 21-goal striker for Leeds United in the coming months.

Leeds set to back Daniel Farke with new striker signing

If recent reports are anything to go by, then Leeds are set to go all out in preparation for the Premier League this summer. The 49ers seem determined to back manager Daniel Farke, who will be looking to earn Premier League redemption of his own following previous relegations with Norwich City.

There was a stage in which rumours were emerging that Fake wouldn’t get that chance, however, with those at Elland Road unsure on his top flight record. Club chairman Paraag Marathe has since put those rumours to bed, telling reporters in the middle of Leeds’ title celebrations: “I’m very excited to run it back with Daniel and collaborate with him.

Related Leeds have "fantastic" Man City target "on their radar" as 49ers plot move

They could pull off a shock hijack…

Posts 1 ByTom Cunningham May 16, 2025

“I’m under no illusions that it is going to be easy. The past two seasons the three promoted teams came straight back down but we have something they don’t have, we have Daniel Farke first of all. I have ended the speculation. He is my man.”

Desperate to avoid the same mistakes that Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town made this season, Leeds have reportedly set their sights on signing proven Premier League players this summer, with names such as Kostas Tsimikas and even Jamie Vardy already mentioned as potential targets.

Tsimikas would be a particularly strong signing, given that he’s fresh from becoming a Premier League champion with Liverpool. The Greek left-back would instantly replace Junio Firpo, who is currently on course to leave Elland Road at the end of his contract next month.

Although the focus on Premier League targets is clear, however, the 49ers have also reportedly set their sights on an impressive goalscorer from outside of English football.

Leeds leading race to sign Vanat

According to reports in Ukraine, as relayed by Sport Witness, the 49ers and Leeds are now ahead in the race to sign Vladyslav Vanat from Dynamo Kyiv this summer alongside fellow Premier League side Fulham. The 23-year-old has enjoyed an excellent season, scoring 21 goals and creating a further eight in all competitions, and could now be on the move as a result.

Dubbed an “all-round centre-forward” and praised for his “powerful ball-striking” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Leeds could welcome a hidden gem by signing Vanat this summer.

Whilst his name wouldn’t steal the same headlines as the likes of Vardy, his numbers suggest that he could be an even better signing than the Premier League veteran. Racing against Fulham for his signature, Leeds should push on and formalise their interest in signing Vanat when the summer transfer window swings open.

Manchester United are now plotting a move to sign a £50 million star quickly and make him their first signing of the summer transfer window, according to a new report.

Man Utd cast eyes over two goalkeepers as replacements for Onana

Given how this season has gone for United before and after Ruben Amorim arrived at Old Trafford, there are a number of positions the Portuguese would like to strengthen this summer. Signing a new goalkeeper was probably not going to be a discussion for the Red Devils, given Andre Onana has not long been at the club, but given his inconsistency this season, Amorim appears to be in the market for a new number one.

Free transfer: Man Utd eyeing move to sign "fantastic" ex-Newcastle player

He could earn Premier League redemption.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 7, 2025

It was reported last week that United were progressing in talks to sign Mike Maignan from AC Milan. The France international is considered to be a ‘top priority’ for United, and negotiations between the player and the Premier League side are said to have advanced.

The next step is for the Red Devils to make contact with the Italian giants, who could demand as much as £67 million for Maignan, which may be a stumbling block, given how United’s budget will look this summer.

Therefore, United may have to consider cheaper alternatives, and according to Alan Nixon, United are keeping an eye on Freddie Woodman, who currently plays for Preston North End. The 28-year-old looks set to become a free agent this summer, and the Red Devils have been keeping an eye on his performances before he suffered his recent ankle injury.

Man Utd want to beat Arsenal to £50m Brentford star Mbeumo

Signing a goalkeeper is not the first priority for United, as according to a report from Spain, Man United are looking to act fast and make Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo their first signing of the summer transfer window.

The report states that United chiefs are already putting plans in place to make additions to their attack this summer, and Mbeumo is seen as a player who can offer immediate solutions to their team and fits into Amorim’s system. Furthermore, the fact that Mbeumo is out of contract in 2026 means United could sign the forward on a cut-price deal.

Brentford are believed to be aware of the interest in their striker, and it is considered quite ‘inevitable’ that he leaves the club. Therefore, the Red Devils are looking to secure a transfer and, most importantly, act quickly, as they want to beat other potential teams who are also keen on Mbeumo and make him their first signing of the summer.

Apps

129

Goals

38

Assists

26

Arsenal have also been heavily linked with a move to sign the 25-year-old, who has scored 16 goals in 31 league games this season, and it’s been reported that the Gunners are ready to revisit a move for Mbeumo this summer, as Brentford look to get around £50 million for their star player.

Mikel Arteta wanted to sign Mbeumo last summer but missed out, and United will hope the same happens again, as they believe he will fit into what Amorim wants from his attacking players at Old Trafford.

England captain provides the missing link as defending champions stride into semi-finals

Sidharth Monga23-Jun-20241:56

Rapid Fire Review: Has Buttler peaked at the right time?

The other day the prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, sauntered into the press box of Kensington Oval. Having set the country an ambitious target of producing all its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, she might want to have a stern word with Jos Buttler. We can’t have these batters come and destroy the solar panels strategically installed on the roof of Kensington Oval.Playing against USA, Buttler broke a couple of them, while sending two of his seven sixes to the top. Having looked a little scratchy all World Cup – out four times in 82 balls for 108 runs – Buttler got that timely confidence-building innings in as England ensured their progress into the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024. Now that he is among the runs, England have a good chance of making it back to Kensington Oval on Saturday. It’s not quite the last piece of the puzzle, but a significant one.Buttler is among the best T20 batters of all time. Much like Chris Gayle, arguably the greatest of them all, Buttler takes his time at the start of an innings. He is the sixth-highest run-getter in all T20 cricket this year, but his strike-rate in the first 10 balls of an innings is the 18th-best among the 41 batters who have faced 200 such balls. During the IPL, the impression you got was that of a scratching and clawing batter even though he still struck at 141 while averaging 40.Related

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• Rain threatens high stakes India-Australia clash at T20 World Cup

• Hat-trick hero Jordan enjoys dream homecoming in front of his family

• Jordan, Rashid and Buttler lead England's charge into the semis

• Reunion in Barbados: Aaron Jones faces childhood friend Archer where it all began

Buttler’s response to any struggle has always been to give himself more time in the middle, which in T20 cricket can gnaw at the nerves of the observers. You just don’t have that much time in the format. However, he is one of those rare batters with whom you can afford to be patient because the array of his game is so wide that he can make up for it in no time. And when he does, like Gayle, he often makes a high impact.Buttler is England’s captain so his place is never in doubt, but this quality of his ensures that teams are almost always willing to carry him because when he comes off, he wins them matches. However, even batters of his ilk need runs on the board to feel good about themselves, especially when they are the captain and going all in on themselves.Jos Buttler took command as England finished off the chase of 116 in 58 balls•Getty Images”Really important,” Buttler told the broadcasters when asked about his return to form (so to speak). “I’ve been feeling good all year, to be honest. You don’t always get the results, but I feel like I’m hitting the ball well and it’s nice to get that confidence. And then it’s important to look after my own game as well. As much as you’re trying to be captain and have a broad view, I’m still one of 11. I’ve got to do my job.”To his team, though, it was never a concern, as Chris Jordan made clear. “I wouldn’t describe it as a relief at all because seeing him doing it on so many occasions, he really is the leader of the group in every single way,” he said. “He’s our best player, that’s for sure, and when he’s in that mode, we definitely tend to follow it. That was just a Jos special today. You get to a point where you could think that it’s just normal, but you actually have to take a step back and realise how special he is, and how lucky we are to have him on our side. So I’m definitely glad I’m not bowling at him.”Definitely not [a concern that he hadn’t scored big so far]. He’s got so much on his plate anyway. The way Jos plays, his class will always shine through at some point. It’s just inevitable, I feel, because he’s that good a player and we have that much belief in him.”Thanks to the bowlers’ effort in restricting USA to 115, Buttler could afford to give himself a sighter or 11, even though he knew the net run-rate was important. At 6 off 11, he started flexing his muscles, which reached a crescendo with four successive sixes off the left-arm spin of Harmeet Singh.The second of these was peak Buttler. Having driven one over long-off, he pressed forward, but was actually waiting for the drop in length. It wasn’t even a short delivery, but he managed to play the Heinrich Klaasen-style vertical-bat pull for a six over midwicket. A reliable sign that he was well and truly back.That is not good news for other teams in the semi-finals. Or for the solar panels at Kensington Oval.

Captain Elgar encourages him to keep an eye on the gun as his team needs the gas

Firdose Moonda20-Aug-20223:02

Nortje on Elgar: Nice to have honesty from captain

Anrich Nortje was looking at the speed gun. He probably saw it clock a delivery at 152 kph (95 mph), which is almost double the speed of the average springbok – not the rugby-playing type – and quicker than any other non-winged creature on earth. He would have been quietly chuffed even as he told himself not to get too carried away by the numbers on the screen and stay focused on the feeling of the ball leaving his hand.”When the rhythm is there sometimes it feels like it is a lot slower but the speed gun says something different and sometimes it feels faster and the speed gun says it is slower. It is something I notice but I don’t really pay too much attention to it,” Nortje said after South Africa’s emphatic innings-and-12-run win at Lord’s.For the rest of us, it’s almost impossible not to pay attention to pace when Nortje is sending balls down at 145kph-plus consistently. Many of them are aimed at the batters’ noses, whizzing past with a whisper of danger. Often what comes next is a delivery that zones in on the toes. By mixing up his lengths, Nortje can create something of a time lapse and the innings seems to go by a lot quicker, with batters hurried into shots they otherwise wouldn’t play.The best example of that was Jonny Bairstow in the second innings, when he was drawn into driving at a 147kph ball that he could have left, and nicked off. It was the second time Nortje dismissed Bairstow in the match, after bowling him through the gate in the first innings. After the summer Bairstow has had, he is England’s most important wicket and when South Africa claimed it, it sent them into wild celebrations that someone will make memes out of. In the second innings Nortje brought out a blood-vessel-bursting chainsaw that made Dale Steyn’s look tame. He later said he was “just very happy with the way things happened,” an understatement, if there ever was one, but a fair reflection of the state of mind of a player who has been through the challenges he has.Related

• South Africa pace quartet give reason for tempered excitement

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• Dean Elgar revels in South Africa's 'positivity' after winning Lord's Test in style

• Dean Elgar's quiet achievers lay another marker for resurgent South Africa

• Ben Stokes urges England to keep the faith as rollercoaster hits first dip

Nortje spent six of the last nine months on the sidelines with a mystery hip and back injury that he picked up at the T20 World Cup, which ruled him out of the 2021-22 summer and caused him discomfort almost every time he bowled. He eventually returned to action at the IPL and had not played any red-ball cricket in more than a year before the Lord’s Test, not even the warm-up match against the Lions in Canterbury last week. There must have been times when Nortje wondered whether he would play Test cricket again and though he said he was joking when he revealed he is able to bowl quickly thanks to “lots of pain medication,” it’s unlikely to be that far from the truth.Now that he is back, Nortje has a very specific role in a line-up that has changed from the one he made his debut in. It has more pace, in general (with the retirement of Vernon Philander, the return of Lungi Ngidi and the emergence of Marco Jansen) and more options. In that, Nortje’s job is, “to try and bring some energy,” he explained. “My job is to try and bowl quick, to try to bring energy and momentum for the team. It is generally later on in the day when it happens.”At Lord’s, Nortje was used as the second-change bowler – something he has only done three times previously in his career – coming on after Kagiso Rabada, Ngidi and Jansen. In other conditions he may be called on earlier but in England, where there is more assistance for seamers from both overhead and underfoot conditions, it makes sense to open with Rabada and Ngidi and use the express duo of Jansen and Nortje when the ball might be swinging less but they can still rush batters with pace.That means Nortje could find himself bowling more to the middle and lower order but he is cautious not to see that as an invitation to bounce them out, which was England’s tactic to the South African tail. “It might happen where they expect another bouncer so the follow up ball is important most of the time. It is very important to try and take the feet away for a short period of time but you still have to bowl a proper ball the next ball. Sometimes we tend to bowl a half-volley the next ball because we want to try and get it full so the guy nicks off,” he said. “It is trying to stick to the basics for as long as you can. One short ball and then back to the basics.”Captain Dean Elgar is elated after Anrich Nortje dismissed Alex Lees and Ben Foakes in the space of three balls•ECB/Getty ImagesMost of the deliveries Nortje bowled at Lord’s were just short of a good length (ESPNcricifo’s ball-by-ball data calculated 43 deliveries in that area out of the 120 Nortje delivered) and he took four of his six wickets with good-length balls. Nortje was also South Africa’s most expensive bowler, with boundaries coming off anything he offered that was too wide, and to Stuart Broad, too short. That’s something he is working on with the help of his captain. “Sometimes you think you’ve bowled the right ball but it goes to the boundary. Then you have your captain in your ear saying ‘it’s a good ball, so keep going, keep going,’ and I think that helped me at stages,” he said.Dean Elgar has been credited with bringing the best out of his resources before – like when he gave Rabada a talking to after the first day of the Boxing Day Test against India last summer that ended with him finishing that match with seven wickets and the series as the leading bowler. He is doing the same with Nortje now, as he encourages him to keep an eye on the speed gun because the team needs the gas.”Dean is quite straight forward. If he thinks you’re not playing your A-game, he’ll tell you and the whole team respects that. We need that. You need someone to tell you and not to beat around the bush,” Nortje said. “He encourages me to bring energy and bowl quick. He encourages me to be myself and to try to express myself as a bowler. I am really enjoying having him as a captain and it is nice to have that honesty from a captain as well.”

In a time of pandemics, lockdowns and bio-secure bubbles, the team needs a character like Doug Walters to bring levity and ease tensions

Ian Chappell05-Jul-2020International cricket is finally returning after a Covid-19-induced hiatus with an England v West Indies Test series. It won’t quite be cricket as we’ve known it, but nevertheless it will be something to watch – at least on television – after months of lockdown and longing. For the players it will be a case of trying to perform at their best in a bio-secure bubble without crowds.This will require the obligatory talent and determination to prosper at the highest level, along with the odd slice of luck. However, there’s another ingredient that teams may find helpful in an era of extra tension: the dressing-room pest.The guy who, despite all the pressure that builds during a five-day contest, still retains the ingenuity to drive his team-mates to distraction with a series of practical jokes. Oh, and it also helps if that same guy can hold up his end of the bargain on the field; it’s better his team-mates are laughing with him and not at him.In an era of lockdowns, isolation and bio-secure bubbles, this type of character will be even more important to a team’s success.I had the good fortune to play with such a cricketer for the bulk of my career: Kevin Douglas Walters.First off, Walters was a match-winner. A player of exceptional skill who scored a century in each of his first two Tests and often had the happy knack of claiming a “B-b-b-bloody beauty, one for none” when thrown the ball. A player who, despite impersonating an owl (he did a lot of hootin’ and hollerin’ late at night), still managed to average 48 in his Test career.Just for good measure, three of his 15 Test centuries were completed inside a session. He was also the first Test batsman to score a double and a single century in the same match. That’s his cricketing credentials out of the way. Now for another of his talents – enacting the role of dressing-room pest.On tours of the UK, his first stop was Carnaby Street, not because he sought the fashions of the day, no. He headed straight for the magic shop where he gleefully pounced on such unconventional items as itching powder and disappearing ink.ALSO READ: Doug Walters’ surprise breakfast (2013)When he wasn’t playing cards and smoking in the dressing room, he would wander around patting team-mates on the back of the neck. This apparent gesture of encouragement was greatly appreciated until his team-mate realised they now had an itch they couldn’t scratch.Our amiable assistant manager on the 1968 tour, Les Truman, purchased a white suit, which was more appropriate for the warm climes of his hometown Perth than a grim London day in May. Truman erred in proudly displaying his new purchase in the Lord’s dressing room at a time when Doug was writing his daily letter home.Suddenly in dire need of a refill for his fountain pen, Doug tripped on a strategically placed cricket bag and spilled the contents of his ink bottle over Les’ brand new suit.Les was apoplectic, cursing Walters with, “Who uses a fountain pen these days anyway?”Doug was apologetic and quickly grabbed a towel to mop up the stain. Despite Les’ howls of “get away from me”, Doug insisted on helping and asked, “Now, where’s the spot on your suit?”When Les pointed to the area, all that remained was a small, clear wet spot. At this point the dressing room erupted in laughter and Les, like many an Australian player before him, was forced to choose between joining the frivolity or smacking Doug on the jaw.This was Doug Walters on a normal cricket tour; I hate to think what dastardly deeds he would devise with the extra time on his hands provided by lockdown mode.I sense that nothing would change my tune. I’ve often said I would have hated to tour without Walters. Every team needs one, a dressing-room pest who keeps the team loose in times of great tension.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na audiência de John Textor no Senado, o dono da SAF do Botafogo recebeu um pedido inusitado de um senador. O parlamentar Dr. Hiran, do PP-RR, implorou para que o empresário norte-americano contrate dois zagueiros. Confira no player acima.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFinançasQuanto vale cada vitória na fase de grupos da Libertadores?Finanças23/04/2024Copa do BrasilVeja data e hora dos jogos da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil 2024Copa do Brasil23/04/2024Fora de CampoDenúncia, negação e afastamento: entenda o caso envolvendo meia do Botafogo e ex-namoradaFora de Campo23/04/2024

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– Quero pedir ao senhor, como botafoguense há mais de 40 anos, que contrate rapidamente dois zagueiros, porque Lucas Halter e Bastos ali estão fazendo a gente sofrer do coração. Por favor, fica um apelo de um botafoguense.

– Quero agradecer a presença do Sr. John Textor nessa audiência. As evidências são muito claras de que precisamos nos aprofundar com muita seriedade nessas investigações. Acho que isso se tornará público no futuro e os jogadores quando virem o que nós vimos ali vão pensar duas vezes antes de arrumarem resultados.

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BotafogoFutebol NacionalJohn Textor

Cal Raleigh keeps on making history.

Just a day after he belted two home runs and broke Cincinnati Reds legend Johnny Bench's record for the most home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, the Seattle Mariners backstop once again rewrote MLB's record book during his club's 10-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday.

Facing Cubs right-hander Daniel Palencia in the top of the ninth inning, Raleigh worked the count to 2-and-1, then belted a 99-MPH fastball over the seats in left-center field for a solo shot. Not only did Raleigh become the first player in MLB to 30 home runs this season, but he also set two records in the process.

Raliegh is the first catcher in MLB history—and first switch-hitter—to hit 30 homers before the All-Star break.

But that's not all. Raleigh, who has played 75 games this season, is also the fastest player to 30 home runs in a season since Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzales in 2001, according to MLB.

In terms of his own franchise, Raleigh joins Ken Griffey Jr. as the only Mariners players to reach 30-plus homers before the break.

He's on-pace for 64 home runs, which would break the single-season American League record for home runs in a season, set by New York Yankees star Aaron Judge in 2022. It would also shatter the record for the most long balls in a single season by a catcher, 48, set by Kansas City Royals backstop Salvador Perez in 2021.

Raleigh is deservedly the leading vote-getter among AL catchers in All-Star voting amid his career year.

Estevao Willian spoke with the excitement of a Brazilian teenager living out his dream, after the 18-year-old Chelsea winger scored the goal of the night as the Blues put Barcelona to the sword in a statement 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge. Speaking of this being the best moment of his young career thus far, Estevao spoke of how grateful he is for such a night and emphasised his connection with Chelsea fans since his arrival at the club.

• Estevao elated after stunning goal in huge Barcelona clash

  Estevao spoke to at full-time after the stunning result, which saw Chelsea dominate their esteemed opponents from the first to the last whistle.

  A scrappy own-goal by Jules Kounde opened the scoring in the first half, before Estevao had his moment and doubled his side’s advantage in the second. Skipping past Pau Cubarsi and Alejandro Balde with ease, Estevao rifled the ball into the roof of the net to put a stamp on the score line which reflected the Blues’ dominance.

  Already bagging five goals for his new club, becoming the second youngest-ever player to score in his first three Champions League starts in the process. Behind only Kylian Mbappe, the pair and Erling Haaland are the only three players to achieve the feat before the age of 20.

  His goal on Tuesday night was reminiscent of his strike against Chelsea while playing for Palmeiras in the Club World Cup, and his early performances in west London have indicated that he is still only improving.

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• Getty Images
  

  'I don't have any words' – Estevao speaks on unforgettable night

  Estevao told : "I don't really have any words to sum up how I'm feeling right now. It really was the perfect night. I'm just grateful to God for everything that has happened for me. Onwards and upwards from here."

  On his goal, he added: "It all happened very quickly for me, it sort of happened before I knew it. I just found some space, wiggled my way through and then scored that goal. It was such a special moment for me in my career. I hope to score many more.

  "It was definitely the best moment of my career so far. I want to score many more for many years. I'm so grateful that my family were here watching me.

  "From the moment I arrived here, I felt such a connection with the fans. I'm just so happy that I could score for them and make them happy. I hope to keep making them happy and score more goals for them."

• Estevao clear winner in Yamal showdown

  The comparisons between teenage sensations Estevao and Lamine Yamal have taken a mind of their own in recent days, as fans began to prepare for the huge Champions League showdown. On the night, Estevao was the clear winner as Yamal was bettered by Marc Cucurella and rarely influenced proceedings.

  Maresca spoke in the build-up to the game about Estevao’s immense quality, while ensuring fans keep their feet on the ground.

  "Estevao is already playing at a high level and is starting games for Brazil," Maresca told reporters. "He is very young and for sure can do many things better, but we are very happy with him. It’s nice for people who love football to watch players like Estevao, Lamine Yamal, Pedri. We are happy that Estevao is with us.

  "Estevao is going to be an important player for this club in the future, no doubt. The most important thing for Estevao now is that he has to enjoy his football, he has to be happy, and not think about being better than this player or that player."

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  Estevao's light set to shine even brighter ahead of World Cup

  Estevao’s profile has been rising heavily ever since his arrival at Stamford Bridge, but his decisive contribution against Barcelona has seen him shine on a bigger stage than ever before.

  While he has a way to go in order to match the freakish career progression of Yamal at the same age, Estevao is already well on his way to becoming one of the greatest young players in world football.

  He will undoubtedly have a major role to play for Brazil at the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico next summer, having already scored five goals in 11 matches for his nation including two goals in the most recent international break. The former Palmeiras star is only just getting started.

Defending champions Liverpool moved up to eighth in the Premier League table after a 2-0 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday.

Goals from Alexander Isak, who netted his first league goal for the club, and Cody Gakpo secured all three points for the Reds for the first time since the 1st November against Aston Villa.

Arne Slot will surely be pleased with the win and the clean sheet to end a run of three successive losses in all competitions, whilst the Dutch boss will also be buzzing with the performances of several of his players.

Ranking Liverpool's top performers against West Ham

When ranking the team’s top performers against the Hammers, it is hard to look past Gakpo as the standout star because he was directly involved in both of the goals, with a goal and an assist.

Ibrahima Konate also deserves credit for his colossal display at the heart of the defence, winning 100% (5/5) of his aerial duels and making a team-high ten clearances, per Sofascore.

Both the France international and captain Virgil van Dijk kept Alisson quiet with their dominant performances, but Konate was the standout centre-back with four more clearances and three more aerial duels won than his skipper.

Ranking Liverpool’s best players vs West Ham
Rank	Player
1	Cody Gakpo
2	Florian Wirtz
3	Ibrahima Konate
4	Virgil van Dijk
5	Alexander Isak

As you can see in the table above, Isak also has to be in the top five performers on the pitch for the Premier League champions, as he netted his first league goal for the club with a brilliant first-time finish into the bottom corner.

You will also notice that £115m signing Florian Wirtz ranks in second place, just behind Gakpo, after he caught the eye whilst playing in a central position for the Reds.

The Liverpool star who could be their new Thiago Alcantara

Recruitment analyst Jan Riha stated that the “incredible” Wirtz made him “feel about football the same way Thiago Alcantara” did at Liverpool, after his performance against the Hammers.

It is hard to argue with that assessment because his metronomic display at the London Stadium was incredibly impressive, even if it lacked the punch of a goal or an assist to add some extra flavour to his season.

Thiago ended his playing days with a 90% pass accuracy, per WhoScored, and Reds supporters got to enjoy his midfield majesty for three seasons, with plenty of exceptional raking passes and cultured through balls, as shown in the clips below against Man United in 2022.

Wirtz may not play in a deep-lying midfield role like Thiago did, but his technical ability is comparable to the Spaniard’s, and he showed it off plenty of times in the win over West Ham.

The Germany international has failed to deliver a goal or an assist in the Premier League this season since his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen, but his display on Sunday was a step in the right direction because it was his best of the campaign.

Florian Wirtz	25/26 PL per game	Vs West Ham
Sofascore rating	6.51	6.9
Passes completed	25	42
Pass accuracy	82%	93%
Passes completed in oppo half	18	32
Passes accuracy in oppo half	76%	91%
Passes accuracy in own half	86%	100%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the statistics above, Wirtz’s use of the ball on Sunday was on another level to what he has previously shown in the top-flight for Liverpool.

Playing centrally, rather than being out wide on the left or the right, allowed him to float around and knit play together with his technical brilliance, much like Thiago used to do further back on the pitch during his time at Anfield.

Slot must continue to play the German star in the middle of the park, rather than out wide, because he could flourish as a metronomic number ten who is able to buzz around the pitch and control the tempo of the match.

The hope, then, would be that the goals and assists naturally follow as he becomes more comfortable and confident on the pitch in the Premier League.

Big Konate upgrade: Liverpool have "one of the best young CBs in the world"

Liverpool have a blooming centre-back who could surpass Marc Guehi and Ibrahima Konate.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 30, 2025

Whilst there will be understandable disappointment that a £115m attacking midfielder is yet to provide a direct goal contribution in the top-flight, Wirtz’s performance against the Hammers was his best of the season and he appears to be on the right track to become a success at Anfield.