Latest news with #SportingCP
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Potential Liverpool striker REFUSES to play until transfer happens
One of Liverpool's potential summer signings has made a bold decision. He refuses to play for his current club until a transfer happens. Liverpool are in the market for a new striker but it's not an easy one. Their principle target, Alexander Isak, might literally be unobtainable. Advertisement Newcastle United are in no mood to sell their star asset. There's an 'asking price' of around £150m but the Magpies would probably reject such an offer right now. Ultimately, they're not sure if they want to sell at all. Qualifying for the UEFA Champions League gave them the money and position to keep Isak, if they want. And that leaves Liverpool considering other options. Hugo Ekitike is on that list, as is Benjamin Sesko. Joao Pedro was supposedly on there with him, but it appears he'll now join Chelsea. Then there's Viktor Gyokeres. - and it's taken a very interesting turn. Viktor Gyokeres is fuming Fabrizio Romano and Record report that Gyokeres does not want to play for Sporting CP again. This comes after quotes from Sporting president, Frederico Varandas, who suggested they might not sell the Swede after all. Advertisement Gyokeres, however, feels he was promised an exit last summer. Sporting see the kinds of prices being thrown around, though (primarily by Manchester United, we should say) and believe their star player should be going for an absolute fortune.
New York Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Shopping for Amorim and Man Utd: Baleba, Agoume and other options to solve a midfield muddle
Manchester United require a squad rebuild. (Again.) The Athletic would like to offer some help. (Again.) Welcome to another edition of 'Shopping for Amorim', where we look into areas that United's head coach may look to strengthen before the upcoming 2025-26 season. Part one of this series looked at strikers. Part two will go over central midfielders. Run. And tackle. A lot. Amorim's 3-4-3 system at Sporting CP saw him prefer two athletic players to work as box-to-box midfielders. Early build-up phases in games were primarily handled by the back three and wing-backs, meaning Amorim's central midfielders' most notable contributions occurred when the team was out of possession. Advertisement Things altered somewhat in 2023 following the arrival of Morten Hjulmand, a clever midfielder with good passing accuracy over longer distances, but Amorim, on the whole, enjoys shin-kickers and ground-eaters to play in the midfield pivot; midfielders who possess an uncanny ability to turn moments of defence into attacking dominance with a smart foul and a smarter switch pass. The head coach has cited Ugarte's improvement in possession since their time together in Portugal but has repeatedly substituted the Uruguayan when United were in search of a goal. Ugarte's strengths as a defensive midfielder are most prominent when his team are retreating. However, Amorim's decision to leave Ugarte on the bench for the Europa League final suggests the 24-year-old will be more of a special-use player for the upcoming season. Ugarte's tenacity when tackling and chasing after the ball are useful when United are trying to put out a fire, yet Amorim may now want someone who can spot the metaphorical smoke and stop problems before they become truly hazardous; a player who takes a proactive form of out-of-possession work, pressing high and blocking off passing lanes. Matheus Cunha's arrival, coupled with the pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo, suggests Bruno Fernandes will spend the foreseeable future playing in central midfield for Amorim. A 26-year-old Casemiro might have worked as the club captain's midfield partner but a 33-year-old Casemiro will need assistance covering larger areas of space. The head coach has spoken of Kobbie Mainoo's improvement but appears to prefer the England international in the No 10 position rather than the more combative midfield pivot. Part of that is due to Mainoo's relative lack of pace, leaving him vulnerable when facing the Premier League's more physical teams. This tactical decision may also have roots in Mainoo's still-to-develop progressive passing over longer distances. (If Mainoo returned to Old Trafford with a consistent and precise switch pass, he could form a role in Amorim's midfield similar to Youri Tielemans for Aston Villa.) Toby Collyer has the athletic ability to cover larger areas of space but it remains to be seen whether he has the passing ability over longer distances. Amorim took the 19-year-old Sekou Kone on United's post-season tour and he could be a player to monitor over their upcoming tour to the United States. Advertisement United fans who grew weary of Harry Maguire's long diagonals to Patrick Dorgu during that Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao and will want a midfielder who is comfortable passing and receiving under pressure. A player who can drop deep and ease the passing burden on Amorim's back three would serve as an extra pressure valve when games get nervy. If said midfielder is skilled at carrying the ball across short distances, that would be a bonus too. Let's take a look at some players that might just fit the bill. Brighton signed Carlos Baleba in August 2023 to be Moises Caicedo's successor. Two seasons later and he's looking like one of the Premier League's better midfielders. (The above graphic totals the many actions a player does across a season, before giving them a rating from 0-99. The scores then relate to how often they do a given action compared with others playing in their position — such as carry progression or shot volume, or by how effective they are — such as tackle success. The more rounded the radar, the more complete the player.) Here's what you need to know about the Brighton man: Baleba serves as the Premier League-tested central midfielder that more than one club would like to sign. Declan Rice got a glimpse of Lamine Camara's skills during England's 3-1 defeat to Senegal earlier this month. The 21-year-old was a star of the show at the City Ground, disrupting passing lanes and rarely letting Rice — or any other England player — settle. Camara spent the 2024-25 season playing for Monaco. He might be on the move sooner rather than later. Here's what the above graphic is telling you about Camara: Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney looks ready to make the jump from the Championship to the Premier League. What makes the 22-year-old such an alluring prospect? That would be his approach to passing. A look at his most common progressive passes reveals a talented deep-lying playmaker, fond of wriggling into the half-spaces before getting the ball in and around the penalty box. You can tell this is a player who spent three years working under Michael Carrick at the Riverside. This is someone who progresses the ball in a speedy but sensible manner. Out of possession, his ability to cover ground is remarkable. He's an all-action player but someone who appreciates the need for subtlety and stillness too. Adam Wharton is brilliant. It would be unwise for Oliver Glasner and Crystal Palace's higher-ups to sanction a sale for less than £75million. Wharton's passing range, intelligence and vision make for an intoxicating combination. The 21-year-old knows how to hit a raking long pass to switch play and change the angle of his team's attack, but also understands when to temper things and slow things down. He might be the closest thing to a modern-day Carrick in the Premier League today. Angelo Stiller, meanwhile, has gone from strength to strength for Stuttgart in recent seasons. The German side finished ninth in the Bundesliga last season but Stiller's talents are such that he's likely on the move to a club with Champions League football in 2025-26. Sooner or later, a Premier League club is going to make a move for Lucien Agoume (Arsenal have an interest in the Sevilla midfielder). The 23-year-old has gained attention for his performances for France at the Under-21 European Championship. Agoume is a tall (1.88m/6ft 2in), combative midfielder who enjoys getting stuck in. Leganes' Oscar Rodriguez learned this the hard way in May, getting bumped off the ball with the sort of front-footed tackle Agoume enjoys. The Frenchman is the sort of midfielder that's hard to battle with once he gets in a shoulder-to-shoulder encounter. His tackling technique when retreating may need a little refinement (he collected five yellow cards and one red in La Liga last season), but this is a defensive midfielder who doesn't shirk the dirty work. He's also fond of a line-breaking pass. Take a look at this 60-yard through ball to team-mate Dodi Lukebakio. His technical ability on the ball has already invited comparisons to other great French midfielders. Agoume offers a range of clever responses to various sticky situations; a front-footed ball winner who can pass and carry the ball to a high standard in equal measure. If United were to make a move for him, they'd likely have to contend with Arsenal for his signature. Manuel Locatelli has appeared on Athletic midfield shortlists since 2021. Where he was once touted as 'The Next Big Thing' for Italy's midfield, he has now grown into a Steady Eddie of a central midfielder. Locatelli is the sort of midfielder who doesn't pop up in too many post-match highlight packages but knows how to keep things ticking along. Advertisement In 2024, our defensive midfielder piece was tied to Mainoo's skillset, and suggested Anton Stach and Morten Frendrup among our options. Stach was a dependable regular in a Hoffenheim side that had a mediocre 2024-25 season, finishing 15th in the league. He remains a tall (193cm/6ft 4in), tough-tackling operator in the middle of the pitch. He is not a consistent progressive passer over longer distances, but he can carry the ball well and doesn't mind moonlighting at full-back when needed. (Similar to Collyer.) Frendrup finished 13th in Serie A with Genoa last season and is a solid midfielder. The Denmark international is fond of peeling off to the right wing when attacking, looking to provide low crosses and pull-backs for team-mates. Wondering why the likes of Atalanta's Ederson or Aston Villa's Boubacar Kamara are yet to be mentioned in this piece? That's because United have so many foibles and footnotes affecting their midfield engine room, one can present shortlists on top of shortlists for their problem position(s). Fernandes didn't appear well-suited to a box-to-box midfield role at the start of last season yet made adjustments to his game following the 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield. If the captain continues his good form, then United can go shopping for more of a tackler than a long passer. If Fernandes has more of the issues he encountered in the Europa League final, that complicates things. (Our recommendations of Valencia's Javi Guerra and Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson can only be in passing for now.) United's midfield is a knotty situation that may require two signings, but budgets may only stretch to one player. Amorim and his staff will need to be strategic in their recruitment and coaching for the role going forward. (Top photos: Carlos Baleba, left, and Lucien Agoume; Getty Images)
New York Times
a day ago
- Business
- New York Times
‘Strong probability' Viktor Gyokeres is sold below €100m clause, says Sporting CP president
Sporting CP's president has said there is a 'strong probability' Viktor Gyokeres is sold this summer and the club will 'give in' to an offer below his €100million (£85.4m, $117.2m) release clause. Gyokeres scored 54 goals in 52 games in 2024-25 for the Portuguese club and is under consideration from Arsenal in their efforts to sign a No 9 this summer. Advertisement The 27-year-old Sweden international's preference is to play for a team in the Champions League, although Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim remains a major admirer having worked together at Sporting before the Portuguese departed last winter. Frederico Varandas insists his club are 'very calm' about the striker's future and insisted they have no financial need to sell their prized asset, whom the president describes as 'one of the world's best players'. The Sporting president said both Gyokeres and his agent have been informed by Sporting of what their valuation is. When speaking in an interview with O Jogo of what he considered to be a fair market value for the Sweden international, the Sporting president cited United paying the £62.5m (€73.2m) release clause to sign Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers. United have also had a second bid for Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo, comprised of £55m upfront and £7.5m of bonuses, rejected by the west London club. 'These players do not have the market value or the quality of Viktor, in my opinion,' Varandas said. 'They (Cunha and Mbeumo) are being negotiated for values of around €75m. We are sensitive to Viktor's dreams or that of any players. 'Today I think there is a strong probability that he (Gyokeres) will leave.' Varandas added: 'I can guarantee, with absolute certainty, that Viktor will not leave for €60m plus €10m.' Gyokeres has scored 97 goals in 102 games since moving to Sporting from Coventry City in 2023. He helped them lift the Primeira Liga title last year and win a league and cup double this time around. He scored only one goal for Brighton & Hove Albion before departing on loan to both Swansea City and later Coventry. Coventry made the move permanent in 2021 and he went on to score 43 times in 117 games. The Swede joined Sporting for a club-record fee in July 2023, signing a five-year contract. (FILIPE AMORIM/AFP via Getty Images)
The South African
2 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Chiefs news: 39-goal striker signs, Motaung mentions more names
Kaizer Chiefs are reportedly putting pen to paper with Bissau-born striker Flavio Silva, who will be arriving from Indonesia's Liga 1 where scored 39-goals in three seasons. ADVERTISEMENT 'Kaizer Chiefs look poised to secure the signature of Flavio Silva, a Portuguese striker with roots in Guinea-Bissau,' a source revealed. 'Silva is a product of the Sporting CP youth academy, where he began his footballing journey. He is set to join Amakhosi from the Indonesian Premier League club Persebaya Surabaya, boasting an impressive scoring record. The 1.85m-tall striker made a striking debut in Southeast Asia in January 2023, netting five goals in a single match to lead Persik Kediri to a 5–2 victory over Persikabo 1973.' New signings on the way? Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs management Jessica Motaung has revealed what she can regarding the clubs ongoing transfer business, saying, 'Great to hear the players come back. I see they have maintained their fitness. That's what I love. I see they are focused and ready to come and face the challenges that they have,' said Motaung at the Village on Thursday. 'Certainly, we are working on the intakes for the new season and I know that the technical team, as well as the sporting department, is working closely to make sure that they are looking at different types of players and signing the players for the next season.' ADVERTISEMENT 'Hopefully, we will see some of those signings at the Toyota Cup and in the pre-season. But also, the window is open for a period of time, so we are not closed off and saying the signings we make now are fast and final,' she added. 'Certainly, there is a lot of work being done to make sure that we realise the vision, which is to continue ascending locally and on the African continent in terms of our rightful place and where we should be as Kaizer Chiefs.' Who should Kaizer Chiefs sign? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Viktor Gyokeres soaks up the sun in Greece as £85m wantaway Sporting star waits for offers from Arsenal and Man United with Premier League duo weighing up their striker target options
Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres has been spotted on holiday in Greece amid links to a summer move to the Premier League. Gyokeres, 27, was seen catching rays on the Greek island of Mykonos in a pair of striped trunks and sporting sunglasses aboard a private yacht. He was seen with a group of friends who appeared to be in high spirits during what is a well-earned break for one of Europe's most talked about forwards Speculation over his future has intensified with Arsenal and Manchester United both reportedly interested in signing the Swedish international. He scored 54 goals in 52 appearances for Sporting last season and has reportedly contacted Sporting president Frederico Varandas to demand a transfer. But his lofty price-tag could prove a hindrance in both the Gunners' and the Red Devils' pursuit of the forward. Gyokeres is said to have believed that he reached a gentleman's agreement with Sporting last summer that would see the Portuguese league champions accept a fee around €70million (£60million, including add-ons, at the end of the 2024-25 season. However, Sporting are now appearing to hold out for a significantly increased fee - with Gyokeres having a €100m (£84m) release clause in his current contract. Despite Gyokeres' apparent agitation for a move, Varandas accused his team of attempting to 'blackmail' Sporting, while he reportedly threatened to go on strike after vowing to 'speak at the right time'. Now Gyokeres has made his thoughts clear to Varandas in a phone call, where he told him he wants to join Arsenal and should be allowed to after 'giving everything for the club,' according to Portuguese publication Record. The report claims that the Swede will refuse to return to Lisbon and will 'never forgive those responsible' if a move to Arsenal breaks down'. Arsenal are also exploring options over the signing of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, who is believed to be sporting director Andrea Berta's preferred option over Gyokeres. Sources close to the club suggest that Sporting Lisbon's keenness to offload Gyokeres has become clearer by the day and arguably weakened their hand. Internally, there was already reservations over the 27-year-old because Portugal's Primeira Liga is a totally different proposition to the Premier League, even though he scored 39 league goals last season. Berta is said to have other striker options in mind. If a deal for Sesko or Gyokeres was not to materialise, the prospect of a surprise name entering the frame is a possibility. Sources told MailSport that RB Leipzig are driving a hard bargain over Sesko because they know how desperate the Gunners are for a striker and the limited availability of world-class forwards.
