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Tottenham Hotspur now hold serious interest in signing a “relentless” Premier League star, who has been outscoring Richarlison.

Spurs keen on new striker despite Richarlison's resurgence

Richarlison has received plenty of criticism during his time at Tottenham, but the Brazilian has been impressive in front of goal so far this season, scoring seven goals in 25 matches across all competitions.

Thomas Frank has been left impressed by the striker, saying after the 3-0 victory against Burnley: “He deserves a lot of praise. He was very good against PSG and today he was exceptional, with his work-rate, driving the team, link-up play, hold-up play, just dominating and then the two finishes.”

That said, the 28-year-old hasn’t exactly been prolific during his time in north London, scoring 27 goals in 114 outings for Spurs, while Dominic Solanke has struggled injury-wise, being limited to just two Premier League appearances this season.

With that in mind, it could make sense to bring in a new striker in January, and Tottenham now hold serious interest in signing Brentford star Igor Thiago, but there could be competition for his signature, with Aston Villa and Newcastle United also keen.

Thiago has a price tag of around £70m, so Spurs may have to shell out a club-record fee to get a deal over the line, and Brentford are reluctant to sanction a January move, which could be an obstacle.

As such, a winter departure is unlikely to be on the cards for the Brazilian, but strong offers are expected next summer, and a move to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium could be tempting.

Frank is an admirer of "relentless" Thiago

Frank spent time working with the centre-forward during his time with the Bees, and the Dane made it clear he is a big admirer, saying: “Thiago is a very exciting striker who fits the role in our team. He is hard working and a very good pressing player. He is also a physical presence, very good in the box and can link the play.”

Since then, the 24-year-old has really kicked on, scoring 12 goals in 16 matches across all competitions this season, vastly outscoring Richarlison, and he received high praise from Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, who described the Brentford star as “relentless in his work rate.”

That work rate has been on display regularly over the past year, with the Gama-born striker exhibiting a real willingness to pitch in defensively.

Igor Thiago’s defensive statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Tackles

1.35 (93rd percentile)

Blocks

1.0 (94th percentile)

Clearances

2.21 (98th percentile)

Thiago has been fantastic so far this season, and Tottenham should monitor his performances between now and the end of the season, given Brentford’s reluctance to sanction a January move.

Manchester City are now reportedly ready to hijack Manchester United’s move to sign a Premier League star worth as much as £100m in 2026.

Man City make Semenyo a top target

It’s not just their local rivals that Man City are looking to frustrate. The Citizens are also reportedly interested in signing Antoine Semenyo and have made the Bournemouth star a top target. In what would deal Liverpool an untimely blow, City could land one of the most in-form wingers that the Premier League has to offer.

It’s clear that Semenyo likes the idea of linking up with Erling Haaland, too, after saying: “Haaland is number one. You see it on TV, scoring all these goals and thinking, surely he’s not like this in person… That man is tall, my goodness. Tall, strong, fast, can finish.

“He’s got everything you need as a striker. I remember Man City just bopping, and I’m thinking, okay this is normal that they bop it. Ruben Dias wraps the ball to him, the ball’s like this high, I’m thinking ‘how’s he going to deal with this?’ just takes it on his chest like this – I am thinking: Haaland, the man.”

It’s also easy to see why City have set their sights on another direct winger. Aside from the improved Jeremy Doku, Pep Guardiola’s wide men have struggled to leave their mark, with Savinho receiving his fair share of criticism from those at the Etihad in recent weeks.

The Brazilian was part of a much-changed Man City side against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, but to say that he failed to make his opportunity count would be an understatement.

Alas, it’s not just wide men that Guardiola wants. The Spaniard and Man City have now reportedly turned their focus towards midfield star Elliot Anderson, who is represented by the same agency as Omar Marmoush.

Man City ready to hijack Man Utd's Anderson move

As reported by the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Man City are now ready to hijack Man Utd’s move for Anderson. The Citizens have made the Nottingham Forest star a top target and could splash out as much as £100m to secure his signature in 2026.

Related Man City now considering move for £65m forward who Pep called "extraordinary"

City have identified a forward as a priority target ahead of the January transfer window.

Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 27, 2025

The England star is quickly becoming one of the most wanted players in the Premier League and that should come as no surprise.

England boss Thomas Tuchel has quickly made the Forest star one of his main men and has showered him with praise a number of times, telling reporters: “He is an elite player with the right attitude and a lot of talent. He is fulfilling his role in the best way possible so we are very happy with him.”

Man City now frontrunners to sign "world-class" £80m star, Pep's a big fan

كشف محمد يوسف، المدير الرياضي للنادي الأهلي، عن كواليس توليه منصبه ورؤيته لإدارة الفريق، موضحًا موقفه من تجديد عقود اللاعبين وآلية التعامل مع العقود واللاعبين داخل القلعة الحمراء.

وقال محمد يوسف في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب” على قناة “mbc masr”: “عندما توليت المسؤولية بعد مباراة صن داونز كمدير رياضي، كان المطلوب مني القيام بالدور الفني، لكن كانت لدي وجهة نظر مختلفة، بدلًا من أن أكون مديرًا فنيًا مؤقتًا في آخر 6 مباريات من الدوري في الموسم الماضي، ثم الانتقال بعد ذلك إلى منصب المدير الرياضي، فضلت تولي منصب المدير الرياضي مباشرة”.

وتابع: “فضلت منصب المدير الرياضي لأنه يعتمد على وضع الخطط والفكر، ويضم مهاماً أشمل وخبرات مهمة لا بد من توفرها، وأيضًا المدير الرياضي يجب أن يمتلك خبرات فنية، لأنه يتدخل في تقييم اللاعبين والمدربين والرؤية الفنية”.

وأضاف: “سبق لي أن عملت كمدير للكرة عام 2018 مع حرس الحدود، واكتسبت خبرات إدارية وكنت مسؤولًا عن التعاقدات والاتفاقيات، ولكن من خلال تجاربي منذ 2004 وحتى الآن، عملت كمدير كرة ومدير فني وحصلت على خبرات كثيرة”.

وواصل: “تجديد عقود اللاعبين في الأهلي ليس صعبًا، النادي يمتلك نظامًا، وأي فريق يسعى للبطولات يكون جزء كبير من الحديث حوله عن حصد الألقاب، في الأهلي، إذا سرنا طريقًا طويلًا وفي النهاية لم نحصد اللقب، يُنسى ذلك، نحن نحسب فقط عدد البطولات”.

وأشار يوسف: “لا توجد مساواة مطلقة في فريق كرة القدم، هناك مهاجم هداف، صانع لعب، لاعب أساسي، وكل لاعب له إمكانيات وقدرات مختلفة، وبالتالي لا يجب أن تكون الأرقام متساوية، نحن كإدارة كرة نصنف هذه الأمور، وكل لاعب له فترة تعاقدية، وبناءً على ما قدمه للنادي يتم تقديره عند التجديد”.

طالع أيضًا | تطورات جديدة في ملف تجديد أليو ديانج مع الأهلي

وبسؤاله عن تأثير الأموال التي حصل عليها زيزو على إمكانية تجديد عقود اللاعبين، قال يوسف: “لا، لا توجد أزمة، معظم الأرقام المتداولة عبر مواقع التواصل غير صحيحة، وهناك مستويات مختلفة وطريقة التعاقد تختلف، زيزو انتقل في صفقة انتقال حر، والأهلي يتمتع بانضباط وهدفنا هو الفوز بالبطولات”.

وعن عقد اللاعب مروان عطية الذي وقعه مع المدير الرياضي السابق محمد رمضان، أكد يوسف: “نعم، العقد موجود، وهناك أرشيف لكل لاعب يحتوي على كافة التفاصيل، وما يُثار أحيانًا غير صحيح”.

وتطرق يوسف للحديث عن إمام عاشور، مؤكدًا: “إمام من اللاعبين الملتزمين فنيًا وإضافة كبيرة للفريق، بعد كأس العالم ناقشت معه وجهة نظري ونقلت الأمر لمجلس الإدارة، وأوضحت له أن عقده مستمر ولم يتغير، وأن أي تعديل في الراتب أو المساواة بأي لاعب مرتبط بمجلس الإدارة، وتم غلق الملف بالكامل، وعاد اللاعب بشكل قوي وسجل هدفًا في آخر مباراة”.

وأضاف: “ليس لدي معلومات عن أي أزمة بين إمام عاشور ووكيله، ولكن النادي الأهلي يحترم من يحترم النادي، ولا يُقبل أي شيء آخر، النادي أوقف التعامل مع هذا الوكيل بعد تصريحاته غير الصحيحة عن عدم احترافية النادي، لأنه لا يجوز ما قاله بأن النادي الأهلي لا يحترم تعاقداته وأنه لا يمتلك فكرا احترافيا، هذه التصريحات لم تكن في محلها، خاصة عندما يكون الحديث عن نادي بعظمة وجماهيرية الأهلي واحترافية مسؤوليه”.

وتحدث يوسف عن صفقة وسام أبو علي، مهاجم الأهلي السابق، قائلاً: “قمنا بما نراه في مصلحة النادي وقررنا بيع اللاعب بشروطنا، ونتمنى له التوفيق، وسام استفاد من الأهلي، المستفيد الأكبر كان اللاعب نفسه، وزادت شعبيته وشارك مع منتخب فلسطين وارتفعت قيمته”.

واختتم: “أما عن عودة وسام أبو علي للأهلي، في كرة القدم كل شيء وارد، اللاعب أصدر بيانًا قبل رحيله واعتذر للجماهير والنادي، ولم نناقش أي عودة له حتى الآن”.

Manchester City are said to be preparing for Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior, but rivals Manchester United are also among the clubs battling to sign him from the Spanish giants.

The Brazilian is one of the best wingers in world football currently, becoming a superstar at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Carlo Ancelotti heaping praise on him during their time working together.

“Right now, I think he is the most decisive player in the world. Everything he does is a dribble away from a defender, an assist or a goal, and he does it for the full 90 minutes – he just never stops.”

His current situation at Madrid isn’t necessarily the happiest, however, and journalist Guillem Balague has explained why there is some friction with Xabi Alonso.

“The manager has insisted Vinicius will not finish every game, that he needs to rest more, and Rodrygo will challenge him for a place on the left side of the attack. Xabi Alonso’s stance is rooted in authority and planning. Vini Jr, used to being indulged, has found it hard to adapt.”

Man City preparing offer for Vinicius

Now, a report from Spain claims that Manchester City are preparing a bid for Vinicius, with Premier League rivals United and Chelsea also in the mix to sign him.

There is apparently “no apparent intention to renew” his current contract, with Pep Guardiola’s side waiting to pounce and complete a stunning piece of business. He reportedly “doesn’t feel valued as he expected” at the Bernabeu, leading to “mounting tensions” emerging.

It goes without saying that the idea of Vinicius in a City shirt is an incredible prospect, given his status as one of the best footballers on the planet.

The 25-year-old possesses remarkable natural talent and skill, but most importantly, he backs that up with strong end product, bagging 64 goals and 44 assists in 217 appearances for Madrid.

Vinicius has also netted eight times for Brazil, and will likely be one of the star attractions at next summer’s World Cup, with former England international Owen Hargreaves lauding him last year.

“His finishing is crazy. His decision-making in front of goal is amazing. He looked very angry in the second half. I don’t know what Carlo [Ancelotti] said to him, but if he plays like that, he’s definitely unstoppable. We saw those clips there – four or five bodies around him, and they can’t even deal with him.”

Erling Haaland's Man City "escape route" as striker's opinion about Real Madrid shared

This would be a disaster.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 1, 2025

If City were able to pair Vinicius with Haaland in their attack, it would make for stunning viewing, and he has the ability to be a future Etihad great if a move does materialise.

Pep can make Haaland even better by unleashing Man City's "proper maverick"

Zimbabwe end their tri-series campaign with no wins in four games with serious questions around their batting depth

Firdose Moonda24-Jul-2025New Zealand smashed the highest score of the tri-series and any hope of Zimbabwe earning a consolation win as they laid down a marker ahead of Saturday’s final against South Africa.After choosing to bat first – despite captains in this tri-series usually bowling – a second-wicket stand of 108 between Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra set New Zealand up well. Both went on to score half-centuries before a Michael Bracewell cameo of 26 of 16 balls pushed New Zealand to 190. They bowled Zimbabwe out in 19 overs, as only three Zimbabwean batters got into double figures.As dominant as New Zealand were, Zimbabwe will be particularly unhappy with their lapses in the field. They put down three catches – Tim Robinson on 0, Seifert on 13 and Bracewell on four – and bowled seven wides and a no-ball in a messy display which left them needing to complete their second-highest successful chase to win.Any chance of that happening was blown away when Zimbabwe were reduced to 44 for 5 in the eighth over. Ish Sodhi took three of those wickets, bowling in the powerplay, and proved too much to handle for Zimbabwe’s top-order. A sixth-wicket stand of 51 between Tony Munyonga and Tashinga Musekiwa leant the innings some respectability Sodhi’s career-best 4 for 12 scripted a simple win for New Zealand. With 150 T20I wickets, he also climbed to third on the all-time wicket-takers’ list in the format.Zimbabwe will be spectators on Saturday and have no more fixtures scheduled before they host the Africa Region T20 World Cup Qualifiers in September.Ngarava among the wickets again Richard Ngarava has been Zimbabwe’s most successful bowler of the series and almost struck with his second ball when Robinson chased a delivery that angled away and got a thick outside edge. Ryan Burl at wide slip could not hold on. There was not too much damage done from that miss as Ngarava had Robinson caught at deep third off the second ball of his next over. Ngarava was brought back at the death and though he was hit for three successive by Seifert, he eventually foxed him with a slower ball that he feathered through to Clive Madande. Two balls later Bevon Jacobs tried to hit a short, wide ball out of the ground but was done for pace and sliced it to backward point.Ngarava’s change-ups worked again when he had Mitchell Santner caught behind off a slower ball in an over that lasted 10 balls. His next challenge is to enhance his wicket-taking skills with a bit more discipline in order to truly lead Zimbabwe’s attack.Ish Sodhi (150*) moved past Shakib Al Hasan (149) to take the No. 3 spot on the T20I wicket-takers’ list•ESPNcricinfo LtdSeifert sees another opportunity to cash inDon’t drop Seifert. He was put down on 0 by South Africa in the previous match and went on to score 66* in a clinical run-chase. In this match, he was on 13 and had already hit two fours when Munyonga, at deep backward square, put him down off Tino Maposa and Seifert didn’t need a second invitation.Two overs later, he smacked Dion Myers into the leg side for his third four and the runs kept coming. Wellington Masakadza was sent through extra cover, Myers through the slip area and Sikandar Raza past short fine. Seifert brought up his 12th T20I fifty off 33 balls and went on to score his first six when he deposited Raza over long-on. He was especially good in a wide ‘v’ down the ground with 50 of his runs coming between extra cover and mid-wicket before he eventually fell to Ngarava for 75.Myers might be an opening option In search of a solid start, Zimbabwe asked Myers to open the batting, ahead of Wessly Madhevere, for the first time in his T20I career and he was off to a flier. He drove and cut Matt Henry for back to back boundaries to give Zimbabwe a blazing start and then showed off his pull shot to end the first over on 14 without loss. Myers was less in control against Zakary Foulkes, who he inside-edged over the keeper but showed intent against legspinner Sodhi, albeit without success.He walked across his stumps off the second ball he faced from Sodhi and tried to flick him fine but gave himself too much room and was bowled. A score of 22 from 18 balls is not much to write home about but given how poorly Zimbabwe have batted through this series, it could be an option worth exploring in future.Henry gets Raza and Zimbabwe unravel Zimbabwe were 28 for 3 after five overs thanks largely to a Sodhi double-strike and New Zealand clearly in control despite Henry’s expensive opening. He switched ends to complete the powerplay, started with a wide and then went short to Sikandar Raza, who met with him aggression. Raza swiped Henry to the leg side three times, and the third was well enough to get four before Henry adjusted his length and caught Raza in the crease. Raza was given out lbw and indicated he was not happy with the decision which left Zimbabwe 37 for 4 and in danger of their lowest score against New Zealand which sits at 84.They got to 130 but were never in the hunt to chase down the target and have serious questions about their batting depth.

Vinicius Junior has addressed the events of an intense El Clasico on Sunday, which saw Real Madrid beat Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu. But the Brazilian himself stormed off when substituted, and was involved in a post-match brawl that was sparked by Los Blancos players Dani Carvajal and Thibaut Courtois angrily confronting Lamine Yamal.

Vini Jr reacts to early substitution

Vinicius Jr didn't react well to being withdrawn by coach Xabi Alonso with just under 20 minutes, plus stoppage time, left of the Clasico – being replaced by Rodrygo when it was all still to play for. Instead of taking a place on the bench with his team-mates, the furious 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up exited altogether and made for the dressing room. Eventually, he did return to watch the rest of the contest unfold. When others went to confront Yamal over his pre-match jibes, Vinicius clashed with Alejandro Balde as pushing and shoving ensued between both sets of players. But the winger later sought to defend his actions, suggesting that "passion" and the heat of the moment were ultimately responsible for his lack of self-control.

AdvertisementGetty'This is how the Clasico is'

Vinicius openly addressed Real Madrid fans in comments made afterwards. "I have a message to all Madridistas, especially those who came to Bernabeu and supported us passionately," he said. "This is how the Clasico is; there are many things happening on and off the pitch. We try to maintain balance, but that's not always possible. We didn't want to offend anyone, neither the young players nor the fans. We know that when we step onto the pitch, we have to play our role, and that's how it was today. Hala Madrid."

During the game, Vinicius is alleged to have goaded Yamal, with whom he was sharing a side of the pitch, about Barcelona's limited creativity, supposedly asking the teenage superstar why so many of his passes were having to go backwards.

Alonso defends Vini Jr's behaviour

When unsurprisingly asked to respond to Vinicius Jr.'s actions, Alonso chose to focus on what the player had done well and showed understanding.

"The only thing Vinicius was missing was a goal," he told reporters. "It's true that he came off the pitch when he was feeling best and I could have waited a bit to replace him, but I understood that we needed fresh players to maintain control. Vinicius wanted to stay on because he was feeling good.

"Franco [Mastantuono] wanted to carry on playing too. He said to me, 'Are you taking me off?' And I said, 'Yes'. Something similar happened with Vini. He wasn't very happy, but neither was Franco. It happens to everyone, but I'm very happy with Vinicius's performance. The schedule is demanding and we have to keep going."

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AFPWhat comes next?

The good work that went into beating Barcelona will be undone if Real Madrid don't also follow it up with another victory to further consolidate at the top of the table. Alonso's side put five points between themselves and the reigning champions and are now due to face Valencia next up on November 1. Anything less than three points from that game would be a shock, given that Los Che are struggling in the relegation zone so far this season.

The greater test for Real Madrid will be the subsequent visit to Liverpool in the Champions League on November 4. That match has particular significance for Trent Alexander-Arnold as it means a swift reunion with the club he spent 20 years with until a split in June that saw some Liverpool fans accuse the England international of betraying his boyhood team.

Alexander-Arnold has been in a race against time to be fit after suffering a hamstring injury just five minutes into an earlier Champions League clash with Marseille. Plenty of eyes will also be on Vinicius Junior to see how he handles the intensity of a famously hostile atmosphere at Anfield. It perhaps helps that Liverpool have been a dreadful run of form in recent weeks.

Manchester United have massively struggled to find the back of the net over the last couple of years, which has massively held the side back in the Premier League.

The Red Devils have spent hundreds of millions of pounds on numerous attackers under multiple managers, but largely to no avail, as seen by their measly goal tally from 2024/25.

Ruben Amorim’s men only notched a total of 44 league goals last campaign, with two centre forwards, Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund, only netting seven goals combined.

The latter has rapidly fallen down the manager’s plans, leaving on a season-long loan to join Serie A side Napoli during the off-season, with such a deal having an option to buy in the summer of 2026.

In an attempt to improve the current first-team squad, many of the fanbase will have been craving a move for one talent who set England’s top-flight alight in recent years.

Alexander Isak’s form against Manchester United

Alexander Isak has been one of the Premier League’s leading attackers over the last couple of years, often being a player to be feared when coming up against the Magpies.

The Swede has registered 54 league goals in his three years in England, ending last year on 23 goals, sitting second in the goalscoring charts as he helped the Magpies secure Champions League qualification.

He is unbeaten in 63% of his matches against the Red Devils, scoring a header in the clash at Old Trafford as Eddie Howe’s side claimed a 2-0 win back in December.

Isak stated his desire to leave St James’ Park this summer, subsequently joining United’s rivals Liverpool in an English record £125m transfer on deadline day.

Such a move has massively strengthened Arne Slot’s side for the 2025/26 campaign, which could inflict more pain in the Derby matches for Amorim’s men in the near future.

The prospect of the Swede linking up with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitiké is a dangerous one for the rest of England’s top-flight, with such a trio making the Reds favourites to retain their league title.

However, despite the business conducted elsewhere, the Red Devils have also landed numerous top-quality talents who could also make themselves fan favourites at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man United's Isak-level signing

In an attempt to avoid a repeat of 2024/25, the United hierarchy splashed £200m on three new attackers during the summer to inject the needed added quality to the frontline.

Matheus Cunha was the first to make the move, joining in a £62.5m transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers after scoring 15 times in England’s top-flight last campaign.

The Brazilian has been joined by Benjamin Sesko in the final third, costing a fee in the region of £74m from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig – filling the void left by Hojlund’s departure.

The third and final player added to the attacking department was Bryan Mbeumo, with the Cameroonian arriving from English outfit Brentford as an “unplayable” star in the words of Thomas Frank.

His addition set the club back £71m, including add-ons – a mammoth sum of money, but one that could prove worthwhile after he scored 20 times in the top-flight last time around.

The 26-year-old was one of just five players in the division to achieve a total of 20 goals or more in the Premier League – highlighting the talent the club have on their books at present.

Such a move is similar to that of Isak to Liverpool this summer, with both players falling into the aforementioned bracket for goals scored in 2024/25.

Both players will be hoping to repeat similar feats at their new clubs this campaign, but for the Red Devils’ sake – they will hope Mbeumo can add further goals to add to his dominance over the Swede.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats in the league from 2024/25, Mbeumo managed to better Isak in numerous areas, subsequently highlighting the excellent addition made by Amorim and Co.

The Cameroonian, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Statman Dave, posted a better shot on target accuracy rate (44%) and a higher goal per shot on target rate (0.5).

Games played

38

34

Goals & assists

27

29

Shot on target accuracy

44%

43%

Goals per shot on target

0.5

0.4

Key passes

1.9

1.3

Progressive passes

3.7

2.8

Take-on success

47%

46%

Carries into the opposition box

2.1

1.4

Aerials won

0.9

0.8

Such numbers highlight the clinical edge he possesses within the final third, arguably making him a more threatening option than the English-record signing.

He also completed more of the take-ons he attempted (47%) whilst carrying the ball into the opposition’s box per 90 (2.1) – further highlighting his talent when in possession.

If he can replicate such numbers during his time at Old Trafford, Mbeumo may have all the tools to help the Red Devils return to their former glory in the near future.

It remains to be seen if he can once again outperform Isak in 2025/26, but if he does, his £71m transfer fee may be a bargain – especially if he can lead the side to any form of silverware.

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Harry Kane has been hailed as "inspirational" by Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus after becoming the fastest player in Europe’s top five leagues to score 100 goals for one club. Matthaus believes the England striker’s blossoming partnership with Serge Gnabry could see him topple Robert Lewandowski’s record this season as Kane continues his ruthless run.

Kane milestone sparks praise

The England captain Kane struck twice in Bayern’s 4-0 win over Werder Bremen to bring up his 100th league goal for the German giants. Remarkably, the English superstar reached the milestone in just 104 appearances, making him the fastest player across Europe’s top five leagues to do so. The landmark underlined Kane’s consistency since joining from Tottenham, with his form already pushing him into record-breaking territory.

AdvertisementGetty/GOAL'superlatives will run out' – Matthaus

Matthaus believes Kane’s brilliance extends beyond goalscoring, pointing to his intelligence and ability to adapt within the team’s system. He pointed to his partnership with Gnabry, who is excelling in a new role this season, with the German netting three goals and providing two assists so far in the league.

“Harry Kane has been talked about in Germany for two years. Ultimately, the superlatives eventually run out. He inspires people with his actions, but also with his intelligent style of play,” he in his latest column for .

“Kane likes to drop back sometimes, instinctively, to do it at the right moment, but of course also in consultation with the coach." 

What makes this approach so effective is the presence of Gnabry, whose natural tendency to push forward creates constant movement in Bayern’s attack. “He has Serge Gnabry behind him, who also goes forward. This naturally changes the situation for Kane, as the two can alternate. This also makes it much more difficult for the opponent to defend,” Matthaus added.

Lewandowski record in sight

Kane’s start to the Bundesliga season has inevitably reignited talk about whether he can threaten long-standing scoring records set by Bayern icons including former striker Lewa and legend Gerd Muller. The England captain has already struck 10 times in his first five league games of the campaign, matching the Polish striker’s blistering haul in the opening rounds of 2019-20, a season in which the Pole eventually racked up 34 goals.

"Five games have been played, and he’s scored ten goals. I’m not making any predictions, as many factors come into play," Matthaus added. "But if things continue like this, he stays free of major injuries, and the team’s passion and desire remain, then I could imagine Robert Lewandowski’s and Gerd Müller’s records being broken.”

Muller’s benchmark of 40 goals in 1971-72 stood for nearly half a century before Lewandowski finally broke it in 2020-21 to set a new record of 41. Kane, who came close with 36 goals in his debut Bundesliga campaign, has shown signs he could launch another assault on those legendary tallies.

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Getty Images SportKane’s form pushing the Bavarians to new heights

Kane admitted even he was astonished at the pace of his century. “Scoring my 100th Bayern Munich goal in just my 104th appearance for the club was crazy,” the striker said. With 15 goals already in all competitions this season, the 32-year-old is on course for another Golden Boot challenge. 

Bayern sit top of the Bundesliga after five straight wins, and their focus now turns to the Champions League clash with Pafos in Cyprus. Kane will once again spearhead the attack, with Gnabry and Luis Diaz in support. If his current scoring rate holds, the England captain could etch his name even deeper into Bundesliga history, chasing down records once thought untouchable.

It is CSK’s third-lowest total ever and their lowest at Chepauk

Alagappan Muthu11-Apr-2025Right from the very start, spin dictated terms at Chepauk. Except these bowlers weren’t wearing yellow. Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine and Moeen Ali strangled the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), their combined figures 12-1-55-6. CSK avoided being all out for their lowest total (79) in IPL history but only just. The 24 additional runs they managed do not seem match-winning; 103 is still their lowest T20 score at home.MS Dhoni was back as captain of his team with Ruturaj Gaikwad injured and out of the season. He got what he wanted at the toss, for his team to bat first, but everything else played out according to Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) script. They brought in Moeen for the match-ups against CSK’s left-handers. That worked. He bowled a maiden over as he took Devon Conway down.They gave pace on for only five of the first 17 overs on a black soil pitch where the ball didn’t come onto the bat. Even those guys concentrated on bowling slower balls into the wicket. This discipline was the reason CSK just couldn’t break free no matter how often they tried. They recorded the second-lowest powerplay score in IPL 2025 – 31 for 2 – behind their own 30 for 3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They hit just three boundaries after the eighth over (one of them a top edge). They had to bring in Deepak Hooda as an Impact Player, accepting the risk of going in with a bowler short when they would have to defend this total but even that gamble backfired. Hooda fell for a duck and one of their key players, Matheesha Pathirana will not be able to take part in this game.MS Dhoni walked out at No. 9 and was crowded by a slip and short leg. He had to face only Narine and Chakravarthy against whom he has a poor record and that match-up paid off as well. KKR dismissed Dhoni for 1 off 4, although he reviewed the lbw decision and there seemed to be a spike as the ball passed the bat. The third umpire Vinod Seshan, though, upheld the on-field decision and coach Stephen Fleming seemed to take issue with that as he left the dugout in search of the reserve umpire. To cap it all off, Shivam Dube seemed to have picked up a leg injury in the last over of the innings.

MatériaMais Notícias

Abel Ferreira terá que quebrar a cabeça para escalar o Palmeiras nesta próxima quarta-feira (7), quando o Verdão recebe o Barcelona-EQU, pela penúltima rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Libertadores 2023.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

Sem Richard Rios, suspenso pelo cartão vermelho tomado diante do Cerro Porteño e também Gabriel Menino, que deve ser preservado por conta de dores musculares, o técnico alviverde terá que utilizar o jovem Fabinho como primeiro volante, adiantando Zé Rafael para a posição em que ele fez tanto sucesso no clube nas últimas temporadas.

Outra alternativa para Abel Ferreira seria escalar o volante Jaílson ao lado de Zé Rafael. O camisa 30 não atua como titular desde a derrota para o Bolívar, na estreia do Verdão nessa Libertadores.

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Outra posição que está tirando o sono do português é na lateral direita. Sem Marcos Rocha que está no departamento médico, Mayke apresentou um certo desgaste ao final da última partida do Verdão, diante do Coritiba, e caso não tenha condições de jogo, deve dar lugar ao jovem Garcia.

Apesar dos problemas, pelo menos Abel terá o retorno confirmado de Raphael Veiga, que não atuou no final de semana pelo Brasileirão e é presença certa no Allianz Parque diante dos equatorianos.

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O provável Palmeiras para encarar o Barcelona-EQU é: Weverton, Mayke (Garcia), Luan, Gómez e Piquerez; Fabinho, Zé Rafael e Raphael Veiga; Artur, Dudu e Rony.