Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson believes the FA should have hired an English manager, calling Thomas Tuchel’s appointment a “sad indictment”.

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Tuchel hired to replace SouthgateHowe & Potter were linked with roleGerman eyeing World Cup gloryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Tuchel’s appointment as the new England head coach has been labelled a “sad indictment” by Parkinson, who believes English managers aren’t getting opportunities at the highest level of the game. Eddie Howe and Graham Potter were linked with the post vacated by Gareth Southgate, but the FA turned to former Chelsea boss Tuchel.

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The German has signed an 18-month deal to lead England through the 2026 World Cup. Parkinson isn’t the only person to question the decision, with Jamie Carragher saying “it doesn’t feel right” that the role went to a foreign coach. Ultimately, the FA chose the manager they believe gives them the best opportunity to end England’s lengthy wait for World Cup glory.

WHAT PARKINSON SAID

“Ideally, I would like an Englishman to manage England; I don’t think anyone would steer away from that," Parkinson told William Hill. "However, there wasn’t an obvious English candidate and I can understand why the FA made the decision to go with Thomas Tuchel. He’s managed in the Champions League, he’s got silverware to his name, and he’s been on the touchline in those top-end games, making key decisions when it matters most. I think he’ll be a good appointment, but everyone is a bit 50/50 between respecting that he’s a good manager and also being disappointed for the English managers.”

The 56-year-old added: “Our coaching courses and St. George’s Park are revered around Europe and around the world. It’s a little bit of a sad indictment that we haven’t got enough English managers at the top end of the game. Eddie Howe is a good example, he’s got a really big job now with Newcastle. But there’s still not enough opportunities for English managers at the top level. Nothing is given to you in football, though, you’ve got to earn those jobs.”

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

Tuchel won’t take up his new position until January 1, with interim coach Lee Carsley overseeing England’s November fixtures. The first time that the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich coach will lead his new side in a match will be in March.

MatériaMais Notícias

Em crise após nova derrota, e agora sem treinador, o Santos tem uma semana para preparar seus recentes reforços para a sequência do Campeonato Brasileiro. O Peixe não vence há seis partidas, acumula eliminações na Copa Sul-Americana, derrota no jogo de ida da Copa do Brasil para o Athletico-PR, e não supera ninguém no Campeonato Brasileiro desde a 14ª rodada.

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Diego Tardelli completará duas semanas de treinos no Santos, e foi o que pediu para poder aprimorar a fora física antes de estrear. O jogador vem treinando normalmente com os companheiros e está regularizado no Boletim Informativo Diário (BID) da CBF.

– A ideia é entre o jogo do Bahia ou o segundo jogo da volta contra o Athletico-PR, vai depender de mim dentro de campo como eu vou estar me sentindo. Dentro de uma semana e meia ou duas semanas já devo estar em campo sim – comentou o atacante santista.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

Já o uruguaio Emiliano Velázquez chegou ao Santos nesta segunda-feira (30). O jogador vem treinando com o grupo e deve ter mais uma semana de preparação antes de estrear. O jogador deve ser regularizado nesta semana e estar à disposição no sábado, para a abertura do returno.

O Alvinegro Praiano encara o Bahia no próximo sábado, na Vila Belmiro. O Peixe não vence há seis partidas. O adversário, por sua vez, vem de vitória por 4 a 2 sobre o badalado Fortaleza, e venceu o Santos no primeiro turno por 3 a 0, em Salvador.

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli has admitted their batting can be “more brave in pockets”, referring to their cautious approach after they were put in to bat in their last league game against the Delhi Capitals. The Royal Challengers, who qualified for the playoffs despite a loss on Monday, were 40 for 1 after the powerplay and only 60 for 1 at the halfway mark. They then put on a more respectable 152 for 7, mainly thanks to AB de Villiers’ 35 off 21 and Shivam Dube’s 17 off 11, who helped them collect 62 from the last six overs.”We can be more brave with the bat in pockets,” Kohli said to the host broadcaster at the post-match presentation. “With the ball we were decent, [we could] probably have a stronger powerplay as well which has been our strength in the games that we won. If we implement those things well, we’ll be on the right side of the result. But it’s important to stay positive and take what you can from these games because we have two shots at reaching the final.”When asked if his batsmen have been “cautious” in the first half of the innings throughout the tournament, Kohli said: “Just before qualification, yes the mindset could have been a little tentative but this opens up the mindset completely now. We’ve got two games to reach the finals; we have a shot, we have an opportunity and that’s what you want as a team.”Another defeat, but qualification nonetheless, for Virat Kohli and his team•BCCI

Kohli himself has not been at his best this IPL, ending the league stage with a strike rate of 122 for his 460 runs from 14 innings. It has been evident that Kohli has not been able to bat with the same rhythm and freedom which helped him strike at 141.46 in IPL 2019, and at 139 in the 2018 edition. One of the reasons behind that dip could be the bigger boundaries and the slower pitches in the UAE compared to the flatter and shorter Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, and the other could be that Kohli doesn’t want to take as many risks initially on such tracks with the lack of experience in the middle order after de Villiers.While defending 152, the Royal Challengers had to make sure the Capitals didn’t finish the chase before 17.3 overs otherwise the Royal Challengers would have ended at fourth place on Monday, one below the Kolkata Knight Riders, and could have been eliminated if the Mumbai Indians lost to the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday. Kohli said they “controlled” the middle overs “really well” to force the Capitals to go as deep as the 19th over to seal victory.”You come to games to try and get a result your way,” he said. “Through probably the 11th over the 17.3-mark [qualification scenario] was informed by the management. Even if the game’s drifting away from you, we controlled that middle phase really well where they could have taken the game away from us. We’re just happy we’ve qualified. Obviously, top two would have been really nice but I think we’ve played good enough cricket in this tournament to get a qualification spot.”

يشهد اليوم الأحد الموافق 29-12-2024، مباريات قوية ومرتقبة على مستوى منافسات الدوري المصري والإنجليزي والإيطالي.

في الدوري الإنجليزي، تُلعب مباريات قوية ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة عشر من عمر المسابقة، أبرزها ليفربول مع وست هام بملعب “لندن الأولمبي”.

ويصطدم ليستر سيتي بمنافسه مانشستر سيتي، على ملعب “كينغ باور”، ويواجه توتنهام نظيره ولفرهامبتون.

وعلى مستوى الدوري الإيطالي، يلتقي ميلان مع روما، في الجولة الثامنة عشر، على ملعب “سان سيرو”، ويواجه يوفنتوس منافسه فيورنتينا.

وفي الدوري المصري، يواجه الزمالك نظيره الاتحاد السكندري على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، في إطار مواجهات الجولة السابعة، ويستضيف حرس الحدود منافسه طلائع الجيش في الجولة ذاتها. مواعيد مباريات اليوم الأحد 29-12-2024 والقنوات الناقلة

حرس الحدود ضد طلائع الجيش، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “on time sport 2”.

الزمالك ضد الاتحاد السكندري، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 9 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “on time sport 1”.

طالع أيضًا | الدوري الفرنسي يستغل ميسي للسخرية من تصريحات رونالدو مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي اليوم

ليستر سيتي ضد مانشستر سيتي، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 5:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 1”.

توتنهام ضد ولفرهامبتون، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 2”.

كريستال بالاس ضد ساوثهامبتون، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 4”.

إيفرتون ضد نوتينجهام فورست، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 3”.

فولهام ضد بورنموث، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 5”.

وست هام يونايتد ضد ليفربول، الساعة 7:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8:15 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 1”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإيطالي اليوم

أودينيزي ضد تورينو، الساعة 1:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 2:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “AD SPORTS Premium 1”.

نابولي ضد فينيتسيا، الساعة 4 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 5 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “AD SPORTS Premium 1”.

يوفنتوس ضد فيورنتينا، الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “AD SPORTS Premium 1”.

ميلان ضد روما، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 10:45 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “AD SPORTS Premium 1”. مواعيد مباريات دوري الدرجة الثانية المصري اليوم

الداخلية ضد القناة، الساعة 2:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 3:30 بتوقيت السعودية.

سبورتينج ضد الترسانة، الساعة 2:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 3:30 بتوقيت السعودية.

المنصورة ضد بروكسي، الساعة 2:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 3:30 بتوقيت السعودية.

منتخب السويس ضد طنطا، الساعة 2:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 3:30 بتوقيت السعودية.

المصرية للاتصالات ضد كهرباء الإسماعيلية، الساعة 5:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر 6:30 بتوقيت السعودية.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا

The transfer window has been open for three weeks now, but it's only been in the last week that Tottenham Hotspur have burst into life.

Ange Postecoglou's side have just signed the incredibly exciting Archie Gray from Leeds United, and based on recent reports, it looks like Daniel Levy and Co are far from finished.

The latest name touted for a move to the White side of North London just enjoyed his best campaign in years and has even been compared to England international Marcus Rashford.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham have maintained their interest in Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and have been 'tracking the winger's situation.'

The good news for the Lilywhites is that the Tricky Trees have set a price at which they'd be willing to sell the talented Englishman.

The bad news is that the price is around ten times what they paid Chelsea for him a year ago, standing at a cool £30m.

If Levy and Co were to push ahead and bring the former Blues gem to North London, it would be a sizeable investment, but based on his performances last season, it's possibly one worth making, especially with comparisons to Rashford in his back pocket.

Why Hudson-Odoi would be a good signing and his comparison to Rashford

Okay, so before we look at why Hudson-Odoi would be a great signing for Spurs, let's take a look at this comparison to Rashford.

The comparison itself stems from FBref, which looks at all the players in Europe's top five leagues and creates a list of the ten most similar players for each one by position, and for the Forest ace, they have concluded that the Manchester United star is the sixth most similar winger.

The best way to understand some of the statistical reasons behind this decision is to look at how close the pair ranks for certain underlying metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, progressive passes, shots on target, passing accuracy, shot-creating actions, and successful take-ons, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.27

0.32

Progressive Passes

2.82

2.58

Shots on Target

0.97

0.75

Passing Accuracy

78.0%

75.3%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.98

3.45

Successful Take-Ons

2.09

1.90

So, aside from his statistical similarities to the England international, why else would he be a good signing for the Lilywhites?

Well, after several years of poor form and setbacks, the "sensational" 23-year-old, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, finally showed the footballing world what he could do again last season, racking up an impressive haul of eight goals and two assists in 34 games for a team that was in a relegation battle for much of the campaign.

Moreover, while a lot has happened in the years since, the former Chelsea gem is still the same person that Bayern Munich were willing to drop £70m on in the 2020/21 season, so if Spurs can secure his services as he starts to find his feet again, it could be a fantastic bit of business.

Ultimately, every transfer involves a certain level of risk, but with the fee not being too excessive, his recent surge in form, and the potential of what he could become, signing Hudson-Odoi this summer could offer a significant upside for Spurs – the comparisons to Rashford are just a bonus.

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Debutant Abdullah Shafique leads slim chase with 41 off 33 balls

Danyal Rasool10-Nov-2020

In a game so similar to the second T20I it could almost be a carbon copy, Pakistan eased to a seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe to complete a clean sweep over the visitors. It was another game lit up by a delightful spell from Usman Qadir whose 4 for 13 ripped Zimbabwe to shreds as they stuttered to 129, their lowest total of the series. Pakistan made short work of the chase again, getting to the target with a dismissive Khushdil Shah six with nearly five overs to go. Zimbabwe failed to apply any pressure on a youthful top order; Babar Azam decided to push debutant Abdullah Shafique up the order, who didn’t disappoint, his 33-ball 41 the top score.Zimbabwe won the toss, and for the fifth straight time on tour, the visitors batted first. But if the opening stand has been an Achilles heel for Chamu Chibhabha’s side, the entire bating order failed to turn up on Tuesday. Brendan Taylor’s dry run in this format continued when he holed out to square leg off Imad Wasim while Haris Rauf snared Craig Ervine with a lovely outswinger two overs later.But it was the Qadir show once again. He demonstrated the exciting potential he carries with a mesmeric spell of legspin bowling. He coaxed a top edge from Chibhabha, who top-scored for Zimbabwe with 31, with his second delivery, allowing just one run off the bat in that first over. If the previous T20I game was a showcase of how well Qadir bowled the googly, he demonstrated today he wasn’t a bad exponent of the traditional legbreak either. Giving the ball air and beating the Zimbabweans in the flight consistently, he kept the run-scoring on a leash, and as the pressure began to build, he forced low-percentage slogs from them.Milton Shumba was beaten all ends up by a googly that simply required the wicketkeeper to whip off the bails, while Wesley Madhevere was undone by the classical legbreak as he tried to see him off with a defensive shot. As was the case on Monday, Qadir would remove Elton Chigumbura, playing his last international game, off the final ball of his spell, whose inside edge was sharply pounced upon by Rizwan.All told, it was a sorry display with the bat from Zimbabwe. After a smart start that saw them rack up 21 runs in the first two, they began to fade, and once the wickets started to fall, the run rate began to fall as well. The middle order, traditionally Zimbabwe’s strength, capitulated in the face of a sparkling bowling performance, nos. 3 to 7 managing a mere 27 runs between them. It was left to a wagging tail to get Zimbabwe past 120, with Donald Tiripano’s spirited 28 combining with Wellington Masakadza for a 33-run eighth-wicket partnership, the highest of the innings.Babar Azam might have fancied his chances of scoring a fifth straight half-century this white-ball series, but instead selflessly decided to promote Shafique up the order to open with Fakhar Zaman. While Zaman didn’t quite get the runs he so desperately needs in international cricket – he was dropped once and managed just 21 off 24 balls – Shafique showed more promise. Alongside Haider Ali’s whose swashbuckling style is already becoming something of a trademark, he broke the back of the target with a sharp 40-run partnership. Zimbabwe failed to create any real chances that might have allowed them to have a crack at the lower-middle order, and even when Shumba got Ali to nick off, Shah was sent in ahead of the Pakistan captain.Pakistan fans were offered a glimpse into the type of power-hitting he might have to offer lower down the order, as he made a blistering cameo that drew the curtains on Zimbabwe’s tour in frighteningly quick time. Three fours and as many towering sixes in a 15-ball knock saw him rattle along to 36, and when he smashed Faraz Akram over cow corner, he sealed a 3-0 sweep.Pakistan may have faded somewhat in this format over the past year or so, but with a new generation of talent, they may now feel they stand in good stead ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, will be left to rue a series that takes the shine somewhat off a stellar ODI series.

Philippe Clement isn’t hanging about this summer. Glasgow Rangers have yet to even start their pre-season preparations, but the Belgian has already made two signings, with a third potentially on its way.

Reportedly, a fee has been agreed with Bayern Munich in order to bring pacy winger Yusuf Kabadayi to Glasgow, and it looks like yet another case of Clement signing a highly promising youngster who could blossom into an excellent player.

This transfer strategy could pay dividends further down the line, but the 50-year-old will also be eyeing up a few experienced heads.

Plenty of incomings also suggest several departures ahead of the 2024/25 campaign. Both James Tavernier and Connor Goldson have been linked with an exit, as former Gers chief Steven Gerrard has expressed an interest in signing the duo for Al-Ettifaq.

Clement must not bow down to sentiment this summer, while Tavernier and Goldson are not the only senior players attracting interest…

Rangers could sell 23-cap international this summer

In perhaps a surprise piece of news, Tom Lawrence is a player who appears to have attracted interest recently.

Former Rangers manager Giovanni Van Bronckhorst has taken over at Turkish side Besiktas – his first club role since being sacked by the Ibrox side in November 2022 – and his first task will be to bolster his first-team squad.

According to the Daily Mail (via the Daily Record), Besiktas are keen on bringing Lawrence to Turkey this summer, but they are not the only team showing interest in the former Derby County maestro.

Newly promoted Ipswich Town are admirers of the Welshman, while Sheffield United – recently relegated from the top flight – are also monitoring developments, according to the report.

Lawrence is entering the final year of his contract and Clement will be keen to avoid a repeat of what happened last month, as five players departed for nothing once their deals expired.

This summer represents the last realistic chance of the Light Blues receiving a decent fee for the 30-year-old. Considering they signed him on a free transfer, anything will represent a profit, and perhaps it is time for him to say his goodbyes.

Tom Lawrence’s season in numbers

When he signed for Rangers in the summer of 2022, it was looked upon as a statement of intent. This was a player who had scored 37 goals and grabbed 25 assists across 185 matches for Derby, along with featuring in the Premier League for Leicester City earlier in his career.

After a solid start to his spell north of the border, scoring three goals and registering two assists in his first nine matches, the midfielder suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury which halted his impressive start.

It was a familiar site for the Ibrox faithful, signing a player who enjoyed a decent start before suffering a major injury, missing plenty of matches in the process. But Lawrence spent the summer recovering before being gently introduced back into the first team setup during the first half of the season.

Overall, the former Manchester United youngster made 32 appearances, registering six goal contributions in the process. A solid, if unspectacular effort, but hardly earth-shattering.

Given his age, prior injury problems and the fact he is out of contract in 12 months’ time, surely moving him on this summer would be accepted as a wise move by Clement from the demanding supporters?

How much Tom Lawrence earns at Rangers

By selling Lawrence, his eye-catching £22k-per-week wages could be freed up and utilised on a younger, more sellable asset.

Remarkably, this wage is also the same as what Dujon Sterling earns for the Gers, and the former Chelsea youth talent made quite an impression in his maiden season in Scotland.

Sterling was one of Michael Beale’s first signings for Rangers, arriving last summer on a pre-contract deal from Chelsea.

He had enjoyed plenty of senior action across various loan spells in the Championship and Beale was looking for a defender to bolster his squad depth.

He didn’t quite make much of an impression during the first few months of the season, starting just twice under Beale before he was sacked after a 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen at the end of September.

Following the announcement of Clement as manager, however, Sterling began to make much more of an impression, showcasing his versatility under the former Club Brugge manager.

Between mid-October and the end of the campaign, the 24-year-old played in six positions, helping out whenever required, and he didn’t complain about it whatsoever.

With an injury crisis engulfing the squad leading into the League Cup final a week before Christmas, Sterling started the game at the heart of the midfield, delivering a stunning man-of-the-match performance which endeared him to the fans.

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Judging by Sterling’s impact, versatility and no-nonsense attitude, his presence will be required during the 2024/25 campaign, especially as his value continually rises.

Lawrence, on the other hand, has seen his market value dip considerably since joining the Light Blues two years ago. Just months after arriving in Scotland, he was valued at around €2m (£1.6m) by Football Transfers in November 2022.

His market valuation at the time of writing? €0.8m (£675k) and it isn’t going to get higher, that’s for sure.

This clearly suggests that if Besiktas make a decent offer for Lawrence, Rangers must accept, using the fee to bolster their squad in the process.

Clement has a clear transfer strategy, which has been evidenced by his first two signings of the off-season – Jefte and Oscar Cortes – who are both wonderfully talented youngsters with the capacity to improve rapidly if they are exposed to regular football at the club.

This could see moves for players like Lawrence ruled out in the future. The Welshman has shone in spells for the club, but you doubt there will be too many tears if he moves on in the coming weeks.

With the Arne Slot era firmly underway at Anfield, it appears that the new Liverpool boss is looking towards some of England's Euro 2024 squad to bolster his side.

Liverpool target the Three Lions' top talents

The biggest news out of Anfield recently has been the developing saga around the future of Anthony Gordon. The 23-year-old was first offered to Liverpool at the end of June as his current club Newcastle United sought to solve their PSR concerns. With these financial issues now ironed out, there is no need for the Magpies to sell but Liverpool are still being linked to strike a deal.

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With no incentive to let Gordon leave, Newcastle could ask for a reported £75million for the England international this summer. Despite this, it may be the player himself who pushes for a move away from Tyneside with the Merseyside-born star a boyhood Liverpool fan.

If they cannot get a deal for Gordon over the line, his England teammate Eberechi Eze has long been linked with a move to Anfield. A recent report suggested that the Crystal Palace star has a £60million release clause in his contract which would have to be met for the player to leave South London this summer.

With Slot and co clearly keeping a close eye on the Three Lions during their Euro 2024 campaign, it appears that Liverpool have been eyeing up another player who has impressed in an England shirt this summer.

Fabrizio Romano shares Liverpool interest in another England star

As relayed by TBR, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Liverpool have been scouting Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi. Speaking on his Playback Live Show, Romano shed more light on the deal telling viewers:

"Marc Guehi has been linked with Liverpool. I can tell you that Liverpool have been scouting the player for a long time. He's a player they like, for sure.

"I can confirm to you, but not only Liverpool – there are also other clubs, for example Arsenal and many others who appreciate the player. But in terms of the bid, in terms of the negotiations, it is a different story."

Guehi, valued at a minimum of £65m, was a vital part of Palace's side last season, featuring 29 times for the Eagles in all competitions. It was his exploits in South London that saw the 24-year-old called up to Gareth Southgate's squad for this summer's tournament where he has gone on to feature in all but one of his nation's games.

With players set to return home from Germany over the course of the next few days, there is every chance that the talks between Guehi and Liverpool could restart and the deal could progress at a rapid rate.

Endrick has been left out of the Brazil squad for November's round of World Cup qualifiers after struggling for game time at Real Madrid.

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Endrick dropped by BrazilStruggling for game time in MadridDorival Jr explains his omissionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Brazil boss Dorival Jr has announced his squad for World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay but there is no room for Endrick. The 18-year-old has not featured in any of Real Madrid's last four games and is yet to start a La Liga match for Los Blancos this season. Endrick is not the only high-profile name missing from the squad. Neymar has also been omitted despite having successfully returned from a long spell out due to a knee injury.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Endrick has been left out of the Brazil squad for the first time since he made his debut for the national team in November 2023, while Real Madrid team-mate Vinicius Jr has returned after missing October's fixtures through injury and Chelsea-bound teenager Estevao Willian is also on the list. Endrick's lack of game time at the Santiago Bernabeu has cost him his place this time around, with Dorival Jr admitting that players must be featuring for their clubs if they are to be called up by Brazil.

WHAT DORIVAL JR HAS SAID

He told reporters: "Today he is in a moment of transition, in what is perhaps the biggest team in world football. It is a natural process that takes time. We all have to live with this decision. The doors of the Selecao are not closed to him, I have confidence in him and he knows it. What he has to do now is reposition himself in his club so that he can shine later. The club he joined is getting to know him better, Endrick is in a new environment and this, I insist, requires a certain amount of time. It's natural that if you don't play for your club, it creates a complicated situation. All the footballers have to be playing to be here in the Selecao."

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GettyBRAZIL SQUAD IN FULL

Goalkeepers: Bento (Al Nassr), Ederson (Manchester City), Weverton (Palmeiras)

Defenders: Danilo (Juventus), Vanderson (Monaco), Abner (Lyon), Guilherme Arana (Atlético-MG), Eder Militão (Real Madrid), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Murillo (Nottingham Forest)

Midfielders: André (Wolverhampton), Andreas Pereira (Fulham), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Gerson (Flamengo), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham United) and Raphinha (Barcelona)

Forwards: Estevao (Palmeiras), Igor Jesus (Botafogo), Luiz Henrique (Botafogo), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Savinho (Manchester City) and Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be hoping to build on an impressive 2023/24 season next campaign. Last term, many thought they would struggle to survive the drop in the Premier League with huge financial constraints in the transfer market.

However, they defied expectations and managed to finish 14th in the table on 46 points, just three points behind tenth place Crystal Palace, meaning a top-half finish was not out of the realms of possibility. Wolves’ finish is a real testament to the wonderful job O’Neil has done at Molineux.

It is a baptism of fire at the start of next season for Wolves. They travel to the Emirates Stadium on the opening day, to face back-to-back runners-up Arsenal, before hosting Chelsea at Molineux in game week two. The Midlands club then make the trip to the City Ground to face a Nottingham Forest side who will no doubt be desperate to improve on their 17th-place.

With a big season coming up, the Old Gold could well look to move some players on from their squad. There is one major player who could well be on his way out, after almost leaving last summer.

Nelson Semedo could leave Wolves

The player in question here is Portugal international right-back Nelson Semedo, who is currently representing his country at Euro 2024. The 30-year-old was linked with a move away during the 2023 summer window, but could now depart this year, instead.

Semedo is one of three senior players who are entering the final year of their contract after the club triggered a two-year extension to his current deal last season. However, as per Steve Madeley of The Atheltic, he has the “most delicate situation” out of the three expiring players’ deals.

Madeley explains that, due to such a high value, the Portugal right-back “will have to sign a new deal or be sold this summer” for the club to maximise his value. They paid upwards of £37m to sign the player from Barcelona back in September 2020.

The 30-year-old played a fair amount in 2023/24 under O’Neil, 41 times to be exact, including 36 appearances and 3,093 minutes in the Premier League. However, his contract situation means a move could well come about for the defender, and they might well have a ready-made replacement in the academy.

Why Dexter Lembikisa could be Semedo's replacement

The player who could be an ideal replacement for Semedo is young right-back Dexter Lembikisa. The 20-year-old spent last season on loan at Rotherham before Scottish side Hearts took over his loan spell in January.

The young right-back played an important part for both Rotherham and Hearts. He featured 44 times in all competitions for both clubs, playing an impressive 3,336 minutes. He is also a full international with Jamaica, picking up ten caps so far, and recently making his Copa America debut.

Lembikisa is highly thought of at Molineux. He has already played four times for Wolves' first team, making his debut on the 12th of November 2022, against Arsenal. His most recent appearance for the Midlands side came against Liverpool in the FA Cup in 2023, although he has only ever played once in the Premier League.

His former academy coach at Wolves, Steve Davis, is one man who speaks highly of Lembikisa. Following an FA Youth Cup victory over Tottenham in 2022, Davis described the youngster as a “top player”, explaining that he is “a great example to the other lads”, before calling him “outstanding”. That is high praise from such an important figure on your footballing journey.

Given Lembikisa’s experience on loan this year, and his importance for Jamaica at the Copa America, he could well be ready to step into the shoes of Semedo in 2024/25. Should the Portuguese full-back leave Molineux over the summer, Lemibikisa could be a surprise replacement.

The youngster is a right-back who is confident going forward and is a good crosser of the ball. Not only that, he is great defensively, averaging 3.59 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes as per Fbref.

The 20-year-old could be the ideal replacement for Semedo and an excellent option at right wing-back for O’Neil in his transitional back three system.

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This would be a smart signing for Molineux to make.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 22, 2024