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“I hope that it continues to inspire our country,” says South Africa’s victorious captain

Firdose Moonda14-Jun-20257:27

Bavuma: We’ve wiped all doubts with the way that we’ve played

The current world Test champion team is Temba Bavuma’s and he is owning it.For the first time in his career, possibly even in his life, Bavuma can be “recognised as more than just a black African cricketer,” as he put it in the post-match press conference. He can be seen – really seen, for the person, the leader and the cricketer that he is. All of it can be summed up in the word his batting coach used to describe him on the third evening, when Bavuma batted with a strained hamstring and deep sense of self-belief: tough.Bavuma comes from Langa, a township in Cape Town which is as far from St John’s Wood, economically and geographically, as it gets. He grew up playing street cricket on bits of road named after the famous places he and his team-mates had heard of but never actually thought they’d get to. “I never pictured myself playing here at Lord’s. I could only fantasise about it,” Bavuma said, as he recalled his childhood in the early 90s, a time when everything in South Africa was changing.Within a decade, he was being schooled at some of the country’s top institutions as part of the early waves of children of colour going to elite, formerly all-white schools, and by his late teens, he was in the domestic cricketing system. At 24, he made his Test debut in a team that was ranked No.1 and from that has carried a burden no other batter in the global game has ever had to bear. Bavuma has had to prove, over and over and over again, that black South Africans (because remember there was Richards and Sobers and Lloyd and Greenidge and Lara) can bat.Related

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His was an unusual position because there had been many black South African batters active in the Apartheid era including some from his own family, but their records were sidelined. Unification came in name only and it took six years before South Africa fielded its first black African cricketer – Mahkaya Ntini – and 22 before Bavuma was capped. Being the first carried the responsibility of being the representative. In Bavuma, South Africa saw the totality of their black African batting talent which magnified his every performance.When he succeeded, as he did with his first century in 2016, it was hailed as a turning point for black cricket. When he failed, it was the entire demographics’ failure. That is a hell of a big thing to carry around with you, often without sympathy from the outside world, who understand little of the nuances of South Africa’s racial realities. When Bavuma was put in charge of the white-ball sides in 2021, despite having only six ODI and eight T20I caps to his name, he was immediately called a quota captain and his poor form in South Africa’s horrendous 2022 T20 World Cup campaign, where they lost to Netherlands, didn’t help. But then things shifted.A new coach, Shukri Conrad, who understands the complexities of South African cricket because he has spent his whole career steeped in them was handed the Test reins. He chose Bavuma as his captain, putting him in control in the format he had performed best in. Bavuma’s opening act under Conrad was a career-best 172 against West Indies at his home ground, the Wanderers. That century was seven years in the making, Bavuma’s second in 57 Tests and the floodgates opened. He scored two more in the last summer and has led South Africa’s current WTC campaign.Because South Africa played (12) fewer Tests than almost anyone else in this cycle, Bavuma is barely spoken of when it comes to the cycle’s top performers but he should be. He was South Africa’s leading run-scorer before this Test (and has since been joined by David Bedingham) and averages 59.25 with two hundreds and five fifties. Those are numbers worth shouting about. They celebrate Bavuma the batter and the way he has led from the front but they don’t tell the story of what it took for him to do that.Temba Bavuma leads South Africa’s celebrations•ICC/Getty ImagesFor that, you had to have been at Lord’s, seen Bavuma pull up with a hamstring strain when he was on 6 and refuse to let it win. This was his third hamstring injury in two years: the first kept him out of the first Test of this cycle and he risked the second to play in the 2023 World Cup semi-final, where he was vilified for his actions. This time, even when the team management told him they did not think he should go back out after tea, he took control of his own destiny.”I didn’t want to think of another option. I didn’t want to consider myself not being there with Aiden (Markram). It was a key moment within the game,” Bavuma said. “I wasn’t at 100% fitness but I felt that I was good enough to still do the job. It was a tough decision. I can’t not think of the 2023 World Cup where it was a similar type of incident. But it was me backing my gut. I went against advice from management and I was willing to take whatever comes with it. It was very much an instinctive call, very much an egotistical call but I was happy to deal with whatever consequence that came with it.”As it turned out, the consequence was becoming the cricketing hero he has always wanted to be. Bavuma’s 66 in a stand of 147 set South Africa up for victory and himself for greatness. He can be spoken about as Bavuma, the cricketer, and the captain of the team that are now champions. He can be sung about, he can be appreciated and he can enjoy it.”It’s not easy being captain of South Africa but all the sacrifices, all the disappointment, feel worth it,” he said. “Giving up is always an option. It’s always there at the back of your mind, but something kind of holds you on. For me, it was that moment there to be recognised as more than just a black African cricketer, but to be seen as someone who’s done something that the country has wanted. That’s something that I’ll definitely walk around with my chest out. And I hope that it continues to inspire our country.”ESPNcricinfo LtdThat Bavuma can now put his name to such a massive achievement is what will come to define him, and it’s been a long time coming. Running parallel to Bavuma’s time at the helm of cricket has been Siya Kolisi’s as captain of the Springboks, South Africa’s national rugby team. Under Kolisi’s leadership, South Africa won two World Cups in the same time as South Africa’s cricket side failed in four.In another world, Bavuma and Kolisi would just be looked at as two people, at the top of their respective professions who happen to have been on opposite sides of the results coin. But because in the South African sporting world, which has a history of those professions being historically and legislatively white-dominated, that they are the first black African captains of their respective codes means comparisons are inevitable albeit unfair.While Kolisi is gregarious and front-facing, Bavuma is pensive and private. Expecting the pair to do the same thing for the country has always seemed a bridge too far but now Bavuma has stepped on it. He has a Kolisi equivalent and he can talk about his team and the Boks in the same breath.”The biggest thing I admire about them [Springboks] is with their success and how they’ve embraced what being South African actually means,” Bavuma said. “We’re unique in a lot of ways. Our present and future is shaped by our past. And the way that they’ve gone about it, to capture the hearts of everyone, has really made us love them. In cricket, that’s something that we’ve spoken about, to really do something special.”The Boks have built their brand on a campaign of doing it for South Africa and of providing hope and inspiration for a nation of dreamers, whose democracy was closely followed by hefty sporting success. In 1995, South Africa hosted and won the Rugby World Cup, with Nelson Mandela in attendance. Cricket nearly had its moment in 1999 and several near-misses in the 26 years since but now, cricket can have something similar. “For the country, it’s a chance for us to rejoice in something, to forget about our issues and really come together,” Bavuma said.In the end, that is what Bavuma has done for South African cricket for more than a decade. In that time, he pushed opinions about who can and can’t play, who can and can’t bat, who can and can’t captain, who can and can’t win apart. And over the last three-and-a-half days, he has pulled them all together for one emphatic statement.Not only can he, but he should and he will and he has. “And though it can be burdensome, it’s still somewhat of a privilege to carry those types of expectations as well as pressure,” he said. “They can’t take it (the success) away having someone who has finally gotten the team over line in a final.”They can’t and they won’t. This was Bavuma’s WTC and he can own it.

Home skipper remains unbeaten on 171 after day one run-fest at Lord’s

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Sep-2025Middlesex 394 for 5 (du Plooy 171*, Cracknell 64*, Geddes 60) vs GloucestershireMiddlesex skipper Leus du Plooy’s 24th first-class hundred gave the hosts the upper hand on the first day of the their final County Championship Division Two clash of the season with Gloucestershire at Lord’s.The South African-born left-hander passed the landmark of the third time this season, remaining unbeaten with 171 in an innings sprinkled with 15 fours as Middlesex piled up 394 for 5.Du Plooy shared stands of 127 with Luke Hollman (55), 121 with Ben Geddes (60), and an unbroken 112 with wicketkeeper Joe Cracknell, who had 63 by the close.Ajeet Singh Dale kept the visitors in the contest with 4 for 88, including wickets with successive balls in the afternoon session, while Graeme Van Buuren bowled a frugal spell of spin to return 1 for 35 from 18 overs.Despite the 10:30am start, du Plooy chose to bat on winning the final toss of the campaign and the hosts made a quick start thanks to some wayward offerings from Gloucestershire’s new-ball attack.It was a similarly innocuous delivery from Singh Dale which brought the breakthrough, a leg-stump half-volley which Sam Robson sent straight to square leg. If that was fortuitous, Singh Dale produced a useful fourth stump ball in his next over that Josh De Caires nicked through to wicketkeeper James Bracey.It would be the last success for some time as the bowlers erred in line and length again and du Plooy and Hollman feasted accordingly. Three Hollman fours in one Matt Taylor over raised the 50, while du Plooy was quickly into stride, driving confidently in the mid-off/extra-cover arc. A back foot drive through cover from the skipper was the shot of the morning and he moved to his half-century from 56 balls shortly before lunch.The hundred partnership came up in the first over following the resumption and while Singh-Dale was finding hints of both swing and seam from the Nursery End, the pair carried the score to 161 relatively untroubled. It took a piece of brilliance from Bracey – who claimed a Gloucestershire record 11 victims against Middlesex in the corresponding fixture last season – to break the stand, grabbing a ball that was dying off the inside edge of Hollman’s bat, giving Singh-Dale a third wicket.Higgins followed to his next ball, harshly adjudged lbw to one heading over the top, but Geddes joined his skipper in the middle as and the hosts quickly regained the upper hand.Geddes, impressive in his first season in Middlesex colours, employed the pull shot to great effect, sending one short one from Singh Dale into the Grandstand, before a square drive took du Plooy to a chanceless century.Van Buuren put the breaks on either side of tea and was rewarded with the breakthrough when Geddes was pinned in front. Du Plooy however, had set his heart on a daddy hundred and while the boundaries briefly dried up he glided his way past 150.Cracknell proved a valuable ally, clearing the ropes with a thunderous pull shot and unfurling some pleasing cover drives in becoming the fourth home batter to pass 50 in the late autumn sunshine.Before the start of play there was a poignant minute’s silence in memory of beloved umpire Harold ‘Dickie Bird,’ who passed away on Monday aged 92.

Pakistan allrounder Hussain Talat launched a passionate defence of his utility to his side with the bat, saying there were “only four or five” players who could play T20 cricket in the middle order. Speaking after guiding his side to victory against Sri Lanka in a game where defeat would have put them on the brink of elimination, he called T20I middle order batting “the hardest of skills”.”We keep saying that if we need a middle order player they need to know how to be both aggressive and have the ability to anchor,” Talat said at the press conference after the game. “But the chances of failure with that kind of cricket are high. Unfortunately, if you don’t perform a few games or series, the media and fans immediately go after you and you’re out of the team suddenly.”I think the middle order is the hardest place to play in T20 cricket because you’re required to play all kinds of cricket. And because it’s difficult, I think you should have more chances in that position. And players who can play in the middle order are very rare in Pakistan, perhaps four or five. And even they don’t want to play there.”Perhaps, given the difficult couple of days he – and the rest of the Pakistan middle order have had, that is understandable. On Sunday, Pakistan’s descent from superiority in their clash against India can be traced almost to the moment Talat walked out to the crease in the 11th over. Until then, Pakistan had sped along at nine an over, but when Saim Ayub was dismissed and Talat was surprisingly sent in to bat, all that changed.Talat, who hadn’t played any games in the UAE in the month Pakistan have been here until that day, looked rusty. He scratched around for 11 balls and scored just 10 as India snatched momentum away from Pakistan. Just 38 came in the seven overs that began when Talat walked out to the crease, the lowest for that period of the game all tournament. India would ultimately cruise to victory, with much of Pakistan’s ire directed at Talat and his fellow middle-order batters. It was, Talat said, why he stays away from social media, but admitted it still affected him.Related

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On Tuesday, it was a different story. With a match situation more conducive to his abilities, he found his side floundering rather than flourishing, and anchored the chase to ensure they did not let victory slip from their grasp.”We’d lost so no one was feeling good,: Talat said. “The people wanted us to win, and we did what we could against India, too. But there was no extra pressure before today’s game. There was plenty of criticism which we were trying to avoid and which isn’t good for the team. But it was crucial to win today.”In pursuit of 134, that victory looked almost assured when the opened darted to the perfect start, Pakistan helping themselves to 43 in the first five overs. But a two-wicket sixth over from Maheesh Theekshana triggered a collapse where Pakistan lost four wickets for 13 runs, and Sri Lanka were ascendant.”The pitch was a bit sticky, but improved in the second innings,” Talat said. “We lost a few wickets quickly and that put us under a lot of pressure. And then we were running out of batting pairs which required us to take the game deep.”Sri Lanka tightened the screws further when Dushmantha Chameera cleaned up Mohammad Haris as he slogged wildly, reducing Pakistan to 80 for 5, still 54 runs adrift. With the asking rate under control – at exactly six an over, Talat decided to do something not many in the Pakistan camp talk about much these days – batting circumspectly.”In the group, when we talk about batting, it’s always about playing aggressive. But when I went in, a couple of wickets fell. My gut feeling was the only way to win after that was to take the game deep. When Nawaz hit Hasaranga for two fours, he said he’d go for his shots and for me to anchor. And that worked nicely for both of us.”Pakistan saw off the dangerous Theekshana aware that Wanindu Hasaranga, too, would eventually have to bowl out. But when the allrounder came in for his final two over, he went searching desperately, and that opened up scoring options. Nawaz hit him for two fours in his third when he dropped the ball short, and with the target rushing up to meet them, Talat helped himself to two more in Hasaranga’s last to drive the final nail into Sri Lanka’s coffin. In the end, the runs came in a hurry, with Mohammad Nawaz walloping Chameera for three sixes in five balls as Pakistan cantered to the finish in the 18th over.A win can make all the difference, particularly for Talat who has spent far longer out of the side looking in than most in this group. His recent inclusion into the side has only come after more than four years out in the international wilderness, where he feels people haven’t quite appreciated how hard he’s needed to work to scrap his way back in.”We’re hopeful. We’ve been playing T20 cricket for four months or so now, since Bangladesh came to Pakistan in May. Players are being backed in this group; in the past, players used to play a couple of matches and then be omitted. Now they’re getting an extended run like we see elsewhere in international cricket.”We’re two games away from the trophy, and we believe we can win it.”

Stats highlights of the final day of the Lord’s Test between England and India

Sampath Bandarupalli14-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes was Player of the Match for the fourth time in a Lord’s Test•Getty Images

22 runs – England’s margin of victory in the third Test against India is the narrowest in terms of runs at Lord’s. The previous lowest was Australia’s 43-run victory against England in 2023.It is also India’s fourth-smallest margin of defeat in men’s Tests.193 – The fourth-lowest target that India have failed to chase down in men’s Tests. India have lost while chasing sub-200 targets only on five occasions; four of those defeats have come since 2015. All the other Test teams put together have failed to chase down sub-200 targets only five times during this period.The target of 193 is also the second-lowest that England have successfully defended in men’s Tests in the last 25 years, behind the 181 they defended against Ireland in 2019, also at Lord’s.Related

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4 – Consecutive half-centuries for Ravindra Jadeja, across the second and third Tests at Edgbaston and Lord’s. Before him, only two Indian batters had four consecutive 50-plus scores in England – Sourav Ganguly (2002) and Rishabh Pant (2022 and 2025).Jadeja’s unbeaten 61 on the final day at Lord’s is his first 50-plus score in the fourth innings of a Test match.942 – Jadeja’s Test runs in England while batting at No. 6 or lower. Among visiting batters, only Garry Sobers scored more from those positions – 1097.Jadeja has eight fifty-plus scores – seven fifties and a century – in England, again only behind Sobers (nine) and joint with MS Dhoni.301 – Number of balls India batted after losing their seventh wicket on the fifth day at Lord’s – the most for the last three wickets in the fourth innings of a Test. The previous highest was 294 balls by England against Pakistan in Dubai in 2015. .Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah batted 22 overs for the ninth wicket, the most by an India pair for the last two wickets in Tests in the last ten years.4 – Player-of-the-Match awards for Ben Stokes in Tests at Lord’s, the most for any player at the venue. Overall, he has 11 Player-of-the-Match awards in Tests, the third-highest for England behind Joe Root (13) and Ian Botham (12).15 – Bowled dismissals in the Lord’s Test, the most in more than 2000 matches since 1965. The previous Test with 15 or more bowleds was between West Indies and Australia in Georgetown in 1965.

With Bangladesh missing Shakib, Taijul can be an example for the next gen to understand what it takes

Mohammad Isam28-Apr-2025Taijul Islam is that friend you can trust when no one else turns up. He will sit outside the doctor’s room for you; he will bowl your team to a great position when you are in trouble. Taijul has been that sort of friend for Bangladesh cricket. He has quietly taken 224 Test wickets, one among three to have ever done so for the country. Yet, he is far from being the sort of celebrity most cricketers enjoy in Bangladesh.When Zimbabwe were going comfortably on a first-day pitch that offered little to the bowlers, Taijul stepped up with another five-wicket haul. He partnered with offspinner Nayeem Hasan to tie up the visitors for the first 16 overs in the third session, before bagging the wickets. From 200 for 4, Zimbabwe collapsed to 227 for 9 at stumps. It put Bangladesh in the driving seat.Taijul showed them how to grit it out in tough situations. There was some help for the spinners in the latter part of the day, but Bangladesh took a bit of time to get themselves back in contention. Nick Welch retiring hurt shortly after tea was a lucky break. But thereafter, the slowdown of Zimbabwe was all down to Taijul and Nayeem.Related

• Taijul takes five as Zimbabwe collapse after bright start to second Test

Nayeem made circumstances easier for the Bangladesh bowlers when he removed captain Craig Ervine and Sean Williams in successive overs. Ervine struggled against offspin operating from both ends before being caught behind off Nayeem. Williams, the most accomplished of Zimbabwe’s batters on the day, struggled with cramps before sweeping hard to debutant backward square-leg where Tanzim Hasan Sakib took a sharp, leaping catch.Having taken Ben Curran’s wicket in his first over of the day, Taijul had to wait for his next. He removed Wessly Madhevere with a left-arm spinner’s stock delivery, that the batter edged to the wicketkeeper. Taijul then took two more with the new ball in the next over, both left-hand batters. Wellington Masakadza was trapped lbw before Richard Ngarava missed a straight one from over the wicket and was bowled.He ran out Vincent Masekesa shortly afterwards before clean bowling Welch, who had come back to bat after the fall of the eighth wicket.Nick Welch scored his second half-century in Test cricket before falling to Taijul Islam•AFP/Getty Images”[Welch retiring hurt] might have been the turning point,” Taijul said. “But you also have to remember we dried up their runs. We bowled maidens on the trot around that time. These things make a difference. Obviously, I am satisfied with my own performance particularly after Sylhet. When you have played 50 Tests and then bowl like I did in Sylhet, it is not great. The most important thing though was to help the team.”Nayeem and Mehidy Hasan Miraz tied down the left-handed pair of Ervine and Williams, which helped Taijul crack open the Zimbabwe lower order.”Bowling in partnerships is important. Sometimes you will see wickets falling on a flat wicket, sometimes it doesn’t on even good wickets,” Taijul said. “When you create pressure, there’s always chance of getting wickets. Of course, there’s a difference between the Sylhet wicket and this one but at the time they were playing very well. Our plan was to remain disciplined and check the runs. We have seen that even after a 100-150 runs partnership, two or three wickets fall [quickly].”

“I am satisfied with my own performance particularly after Sylhet. When you have played 50 Tests and then bowl like I did in Sylhet, it is not great”Taijul Islam makes an honest reflection

Taijul also credited Nayeem for getting Bangladesh two crucial wickets, especially after returning to the Test side following another considerable break. He last played against South Africa in October, and before that, just two Tests in 2023. This is Nayeem’s 12th Test match (all at home) in more than six years since his debut. “It is difficult for a player to come into the team after such gaps,” said Taijul. “Nayeem helped the team a lot today. He gave us two important breakthroughs.”Taijul is also steadily closing in on Shakib Al Hasan’s Bangladesh record of 246 Test wickets. He is also three behind Shakib’s 19 five-wicket hauls. Taijul, though, remains coy about reaching the mark, partly due to his nature of being understated throughout his career.”Every player dreams of becoming the best of the best. A player won’t get satisfaction until he reaches the top. I will try to reach that place, but Shakib has done so many things for Bangladesh. I am sure he will continue to do well, and we can all help Bangladesh cricket.”This is Taijul to a tee: a humble friend of Bangladesh cricket. A steady bowler, a reliable lower-order batter, and a dependable fielder. He doesn’t demand attention. He only wheels away from one end, giving the bowlers at the other end the support they need. With Bangladesh without Shakib now, Taijul can be a great example for the rest of the team to understand what it takes to make it at the highest level.

Sheffield United have completed a free deal for Patrick Bamford following his departure from Leeds United earlier this season, with the striker signing a short-term contract until January 2026.

The Blades are desperately attempting to turn their season around following a miserable start which saw Chris Wilder return to replace Ruben Selles just three months after he left the club.

Now as low as 22nd and far from the promotion hopes that they had in mind, those at Bramall Lane suddenly find themselves in an early, unexpected relegation scrap which they’ll be looking to turn on its head after the international break.

Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Queens Park Rangers at least stopped the rot and handed the Blades their first clean sheet in four games, but they must find a way to turn a draw into all three points in a crucial clash against rivals Sheffield Wednesday on 23 November.

Speaking to reporters after the QPR stalemate, Wilder admitted his frustration afrer what he felt was a performance worthy of three points.

Goals were once again the problem for Sheffield United, but the arrival of Bamford could help put an end to their unexpected woes in the Championship.

Sheffield United sign Bamford

As reported by The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Sheffield United opened talks to sign Bamford just this week, and things have moved quickly as the Blades announced an agreement on Thursday morning.

The former Leeds forward has been a free agent since leaving Elland Road in August, but now seemingly has the chance to make a return to the Championship on a prove-it deal lasting just a few months.

If Wilder is looking for goals then getting the best out of Bamford will give him exactly that. The 32-year-old has stolen headlines in the Premier League at his best and has as many as 69 Championship goals to his name throughout his career.

Previously dubbed “fantastic” by Leeds boss Daniel Farke, Bamford has the perfect opportunity to get the latter stages of his career back on track by joining Sheffield United. And he could even get the perfect chance to impress on his debut in the derby if he proves his fitness in time to face Sheffield Wednesday.

Wilder set to make ruthless January decision as three Sheffield Utd players get the axe

Chelsea are now the favourites to sign a Brazilian ace who’s also wanted by Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and a deal could be possible for a low fee.

Blues targeting another exciting Brazilian amid Estevao success

Estevao is enjoying an impressive debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, having established himself as an important player for the Blues, with the 18-year-old recently netting the second goal in the 3-0 Champions League rout of Barcelona.

It is clear to see the youngster has left an impression on Enzo Maresca too, with the manager saying: “I feel very lucky to be his coach because it’s exciting, you can enjoy. I’ve said many times that I think the fans pay for their tickets to see players like Cole [Palmer], like Estevao, this kind of player.”

The forward is an example of BlueCo’s recruitment policy of signing younger players paying off, and they are now looking to bring in another up-and-coming Brazilian ace, who has impressed the west Londoners’ sporting directors.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now the favourites to sign Santos defender Souza, despite rival interest from both Bayern Munich and Barcelona, with both European heavyweights already making contact over a potential deal.

The signing of the 19-year-old certainly wouldn’t break the bank at around just €15m (£13m), with the Blues looking to get the move over the line before his value increases considerably.

There is a belief the youngster could go on to become a top full-back or even left-winger, given that he is a very well-rounded player, who is also capable of contributing on the front foot.

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The Blues are looking to sign a new centre-forward, who has been in fantastic form so far this season.

ByDominic Lund Nov 30, 2025 Souza emerging as key player for Santos

The teenager has already made 36 appearances for Santos at senior level, having established himself as an important player, and he has regularly impressed from an attacking point of view, chipping in with one goal and four assists.

Most recently, the starlet helped his side keep a clean sheet as they recorded a routine 3-0 victory over Sport Club do Recife, receiving a 7.7 SofaScore match rating courtesy of making a number of important defensive contributions.

Souza’s key statistics

Number completed

Duels (won)

9 (6)

Key passes

2

Clearances

3

Interceptions

2

With Souza yet to prove himself outside his native Brazil, he would very much be one for the future, and the aforementioned report makes it clear BlueCo are planning to loan the left-back to sister club Strasbourg initially.

During the January transfer window, it may be a better idea to focus on signing players capable of making an immediate impact, with a title race potentially on the cards, and amid Liam Delap’s slow start to life at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have now joined the race to sign “one of the best strikers in Europe”.

Liverpool head into the Champions League tonight against PSV Eindhoven looking like a bruised animal once more.

Last time out at Anfield, Arne Slot’s Reds were convincingly beaten by Nottingham Forest in the Premier League in a 3-0 loss, with the match preceding this humbling defeat on home soil also seeing the Merseyside giants lose by the same emphatic scoreline, away at Manchester City.

Thankfully, the Champions League has been a temporary sanctuary for the reigning Premier League champions, as was evident in their 1-0 win against Real Madrid, the last time they did battle in the illustrious competition.

Therefore, Liverpool will be hoping they can lick their wounds again and beat their Eredivisie opponents later on this evening.

If form doesn’t pick up, though, the January transfer window will be a very apt time to try and find upgrades on the underperformers consistently letting the side down…

Transfer latest at Liverpool

Despite their poor form as of late, the Reds will still see themselves as a significant superpower in any transfer window to come.

After all, a colossal £415m was spent just this summer on a raft of new signings, with fresh rumours now indicating that the Slot and Co. could be prepared to drop another £123m on Bayern Munich ace Michael Olise.

Moreover, Antoine Semenyo remains in their sights as another attacking signing that could boost a side let down by the likes of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz to date.

On top of signings to add to their attacking arsenal, Liverpool are also allegedly looking to do battle with Real Madrid over the services of midfield talent Vitinha, according to emerging reports from Spain.

Indeed, the report elaborates that the La Liga giants are preparing a €150m (£131m) bid for Luis Enrique’s prized asset.

Yet, Liverpool are keen to accelerate a deal, as well, by matching the Los Blancos’ amount, ensuring they could actually eclipse the £125m club-record capture of Alexander Isak.

A next step to the Premier League is noted as being very appealing for the Portugal international, if a statement move were to whir into motion.

Vitinha’s arrival at Anfield might not be the news Ryan Gravenberch wants to read, however, with the classy Paris Saint-Germain number 17 a clear upgrade on the Dutchman, as the 23-year-old has noticeably struggled as of late.

Why Vitinha is a clear upgrade on Gravenberch

Alongside the vast majority of his teammates, Gravenberch has suffered from a notable dip in his performance levels in recent matches.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Once labelled as being “vital” to the way Liverpool tick earlier in the season by ex-Reds midfielder Steve McManaman, the former Ajax prodigy turned Anfield first-teamer struggled to be an influential presence in back-to-back defeats at the hands of City and Forest, with only four ground duels won in total across 14 attempts, as per Sofascore.

To make matters worse, the underperforming number 38 would also fail to notch up a single key pass, leaving him on just the one paltry assist for the campaign.

While Gravenberch has shown visible signs of decline, Vitinha has continued to stand out on some pressurised stages for Enrique’s men, with this wonderful move – which was kickstarted by the 25-year-old’s fierce burst of pace – in last year’s Champions League final, just one reason why his national team manager in Roberto Martinez has glowingly labelled him the “best midielder in the world.”

In league action for PSG, too, this season, he blows his immediate competition out of the water, with one goal and six assists from 12 games – among other numbers – sticking out immediately to Slot, as he attempts to make Liverpool a vibrant and attractive watch in attack this campaign, again, rather than sticking by their current stifled appearance.

Vitinha vs Gravenberch (25/26 League stats)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Vitinha

Gravenberch

Games played

12

10

Goals scored

1

3

Assists

6

1

Touches*

113.8

74.8

Accurate passes*

98.2 (94%)

54.8 (89%)

Key passes*

1.5

0.7

Big chances created

6

2

Ball recoveries*

4.9

3.5

Stats by Sofascore

It’s not just in the attacking department where Vitinha could improve the downbeat Reds, with the 5-foot-8 playmaker also averaging 4.9 ball recoveries so far this season in Ligue 1, next to Gravenberch’s lesser 3.5.

Of course, the Premier League is a different kettle of fish altogether from the French top division, which PSG consistently dominate.

But, Vitinha has actually shown off his swagger against Liverpool at Anfield, with the “incredible” midfield general – as Enrique has also labelled him – dictating play during PSG’s slim 1-0 away win in the Champions League last campaign when amassing a ridiculous 103 accurate passes.

Worryingly, his Dutch counterpart receded into his shell, with zero accurate dribbles registered, and possession was lost a costly 12 times.

The one-time Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee won’t be moving to England on the cheap, but it could be a splurge worth signing off on, as Slot attempts to reinvigorate his options all over the pitch.

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Único invicto do Paulistão 2024, o Palmeiras se classificou para a semifinal após golear a Ponte Preta por 5 a 1 no último sábado na Arena Barueri.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Há 19 jogos sem saber o que é derrota, a maior série invicta da era Abel Ferreira, o Verdão pode chegar na grande final do Estadual de maneira invicta pelo terceiro ano seguido.

O atual bicampeão Estadual só não faturou os últimos dois títulos de maneira invicta pois acabou perdendo a primeira final para São Paulo e Água Santa, respectivamente.

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Em 2024, o Verdão também só pode chegar na final de maneira invicta, uma vez que se passar do Novorizontino, terá vencido no tempo normal ou empatado e passado nas penalidades máximas.

O Paulistão não tem um campeão invicto há 14 anos. O último time a conquistar o Estadual sem perder foi o Corinthians de Mano Menezes, em 2009, quando a fórmula de disputa da competição era outra, e o maior rival do Verdão terminou a competição com 13 vitórias e 10 empates.

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O Palmeiras faturou o Paulista de maneira invicta por três oportunidades (1926, 1932 e 1972) e caso fature este tricampeonato histórico, alcançaria uma marca que não chega há mais de 50 anos.

Em 13 jogos neste Paulista, o time de Abel Ferreira acumula nove vitórias e quatro empates, sendo disparado a equipe de melhor campanha no acúmulo geral da competição.

MatériaMais Notícias

Fernando Prass é mais um ex-jogador do Vasco que vive a expectativa do retorno de Philippe Coutinho. Para o goleiro, o momento de resgate do clube pede uma figura como o meia-atacante. Confira no player acima.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

Se isso acontecer é sensacional. Tem uma identificação com o clube. Nesse momento de resgate seria importantíssimo uma figura como ele

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declarou Fernando Prass. E emendou:

– No dia a dia não tem como falar porque a gente está falando do Philippe Coutinho de anos atrás. Com certeza ele mudou e voltou com outro peso. Mas é um talento incrível.

Philippe Coutinho já está no Brasil. O meia-atacante antecipou as suas férias e ainda marcou presença no casamento do atacante Matheus Cunha. O jogador desembarcou no Rio de Janeiro na sexta-feira (24), no Aeroporto do Galeão.

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Tudo sobre

Fernando PrassFutebol NacionalPhilippe CoutinhoVasco