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O São Paulo enfrenta o Bahia neste domingo (30), às 11 horas (de Brasília) no Morumbi, em jogo válido pela 17ª rodada do Brasileirão 2023. O duelo serve como oportunidade de recuperação para ambas as equipes, mesmo que por motivos distintos.

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+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Tricolor com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Embora a fase recente seja boa, o São Paulo foi derrotado pelo Cuiabá por 2 a 1 na última rodada da competição, deixando assim o G4, posição que garante vaga direta na fase de grupos da Libertadores 2024. Atualmente, o time de Dorival Júnior está na sexta colocação da tabela, com 25 pontos conquistados.

O Bahia, por sua vez, está em má fase: são cinco jogos sem vitória no Brasileirão, sendo três derrotas e dois empates neste recorte. O Tricolor de Aço ocupa a 17ª posição na tabela de classificação, a primeira na zona de rebaixamento, e soma apenas 14 pontos.

Dentro de campo, a expectativa pelo lado do São Paulo é pela definição sobre quem substituirá os atacantes Luciano e Calleri, suspensos pelo terceiro cartão amarelo. David e Erison são os favoritos a conquistar a vaga. Além dos goleadores, o técnico Dorival Júnior também está suspenso e deve ser substituído pelo seu auxiliar Lucas Silvestre.

+ Olho no Brasileirão! Assine o Prime Video e acompanhe todos os jogos do seu time do coração!

Vale destacar que o jogo seguinte ao duelo deste domingo acontece apenas na quinta-feira (3/8), contra o San Lorenzo (Argentina) pela Copa Sul-Americana. Graças a este intervalo um pouco mais longo entre as partidas, a tendência é que o time paulista leve a campo sua força máxima.

Já pelo Bahia, as novidades ficam por conta dos reforços Adriel e Rafael Ratão, que estão regularizados e ficam à disposição do técnico Renato Paiva. Ambos já participaram dos primeiros treinamentos com a equipe na última sexta-feira (28).

FICHA TÉCNICA
SÃO PAULO x BAHIA
CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO – 17ª RODADA

Data e hora: 30/07/2023 (domingo), às 11 horas (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio do Morumbi, em São Paulo (SP)
Árbitro: Ramon Abatti Abel (FIFA-SC)
Auxiliares: Alex dos Santos (SC) e Thiaggo Americano Labes (SC)
VAR: Igor Junio Benevenutto de Oliveira (FIFA-MG)
Transmissão: Premiere e em tempo real pelo Lance!

BAHIA
PROVÁVEL ESCALAÇÃO: Marcos Felipe; Gilberto, Gabriel Xavier, Vitor Hugo (Marcos Victor ou Raul Gustavo) e Matheus Bahia; Nicolás Acevedo, Rezende e Cauly; Ademir, Thaciano e Everaldo
Técnico: Renato Paiva

SUSPENSO: Kanu

PENDURADOS: Gabriel Teixeira, Kayky, Nicolás Acevedo e Yago Felipe

SÃO PAULO
PROVÁVEL ESCALAÇÃO: Rafael; Rafinha, Arboleda, Lucas Beraldo e Caio Paulista; Pablo Maia, Alisson e Michel Araujo (Nestor); Wellington Rato, Juan (David) e Erison
Técnico: Lucas Silvestre (auxíliar)

DESFALQUES: Galoppo, Gabriel Neves, Igor Vinícius, Ferraresi, Walce e Patryck (contundidos); Luciano e Dorival Júnior (suspensos); Calleri (suspendo e contundido)

PENDURADOS: Pablo Maia, Alan Franco, Alisson, Caio, Marcos Paulo, Michel Araújo, Patryck, Rafinha, Raí Ramos, Rodriguinho e Wellington Rato

West Ham United chairman David Sullivan has held talks with a top candidate to replace Graham Potter, with the tactician seemingly making his demands crystal clear.

The managerial candidates to replace Graham Potter at West Ham

Potter has recorded the second-worst win percentage of any West Ham manager in Premier League history, behind only Avram Grant, with pressure mounting on the Englishman as he faces a stay of execution.

David Moyes, who guided West Ham to successive European campaigns and ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy during his time at the London Stadium, could even be the man to put one of the final nails in Potter’s coffin this weekend.

In a real piece of irony, Moyes’ Everton side, who are faring much better than West Ham right now, may have a big say in whether Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board elect to hand Potter a P45.

Worst West Ham managers in the Premier League

Win percentage

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

It is hard to see Potter remaining in the West Ham hot seat if they suffer a humbling defeat at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with club insider ExWHUemployee previously reporting that, if he does survive past that point, the ex-Chelsea boss is likely to be sacked after their trip to Arsenal.

West Ham are deep into their contingency plans to replace Potter, and there are a number of very interesting names under consideration.

Sullivan, as ever, is dipping into the free agent market.

Former West Ham midfielder Gary O’Neil is a favourite for the potential job, according to Miguel Delaney, with another ex-Hammer in Slaven Bilic — who was in charge between 2015 and 2017 — also in the frame.

Bilic is even said to be making plans for his West Ham backroom, in the event he is chosen as a short-term option until the end of the season, and Sullivan is believed to be personally in favour of bringing the Croatian back to East London (Pete O’Rourke).

Managers who are already in work haven’t been definitively ruled out, either. West Ham have internally discussed the possibility of appointing Scott Parker, following his rise to the Premier League with Burnley, but one man stands out above all the aforementioned names.

Nuno Espírito Santo's demand after holding West Ham talks with Sullivan

Former Tottenham, Wolves and Nottingham Forest boss, Nuno Espírito Santo, is believed to be the favourite to succeed Potter as things stand.

As per the reliable ExWHUemployee, Nuno has already held talks with Sullivan over a potential move to West Ham if Potter leaves, and the Portuguese’s stock is at an all-time high after making history at Forest last season.

However, according to Sports Boom, West Ham face another roadblock in pursuit of Nuno, following some reports that ‘legal issues’ are delaying his arrival too (Pete O’Rourke).

The outlet reports that Nuno’s big wage demands are a hindrance to West Ham and could prove to be a real obstacle, with Bilic ready to join the Irons as an alternative.

Why West Ham must not give up on Nuno

Nuno guided Forest back to Europe for the first time since 1995, and if it wasn’t for a public fallout with Evangelos Marinakis, he’d still be at the City Ground now.

The appeal for West Ham is obvious. Nuno steered Forest away from the drop zone in his first season, transforming them into a robust, hard-to-break-down outfit with a clear counter-attacking identity.

He also helped to fix Forest’s glaring set-piece weakness, something which has really plagued West Ham this season, having conceded 7 of their 13 Premier League goals so far directly from corners.

Managing to get the best out of his players, Forest ended up being last season’s major surprise package thanks to Nuno’s work, and the 51-year-old’s availability as a free agent makes this potential appointment an arguable no-brainer.

Birmingham City flexed their full squad last time out in the Championship as a last-gasp win was secured against Swansea City.

With the game heading into its final stages, Chris Davies would bring on his new tricky loanee in Patrick Roberts, with the Championship-experienced attacker showing off his obvious quality when setting up Lyndon Dykes for the match-winning goal.

More well-known for his celebrated stint at Sunderland, Roberts wouldn’t look out of place in his new Birmingham strip, either, with the inch-perfect cross delivered to the robust Scotsman making it a dream St. Andrew’s debut for the 28-year-old.

Away from just Roberts, Davies’ men have won time after time again in recent years in the loan market, with the odd flop here and there also sneaking in.

Birmingham's best and worst recent loanees

Amazingly, despite now being an important cog in the Blues machine, Jay Stansfield was once just a loanee attempting to cut his teeth at St. Andrew’s.

He certainly proved himself away from parent side Fulham during the 2023/24 season with Stansfield, before Davies was situated in the dug-out after relegation, firing home 12 strikes even as his loan employers fell to League One.

Pushing on to then sign for Birmingham permanently as they returned to the Championship in style, it’s self-evident really that Stansfield is a loan success, with the popular attacker now up to 39 goals and counting in the West Midlands.

Moving into the defence last campaign, Ben Davies was also a short-term success story at St. Andrew’s, with the ex-Liverpool centre-back leaving Rangers behind for one season to collect 20 clean sheets on the way to the Blues comfortably lifting the League One title.

Even Tahith Chong will still be remembered fondly for his loan exploits during the 2020/21 season in the second tier, as the then Manchester United wonderkid bagged one goal and collected three assists, before pulling a Stansfield-esque move and remaining put.

However, not every loanee is welcomed into the camp permanently with open arms, with others struggling to settle and impress during fleeting stays instead.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Yet, failing with the Blues didn’t end up swallowing this flop whole, who is now excelling in Germany, away from a disastrous stint at Birmingham during Wayne Rooney’s doomed reign as manager.

The "dreadful" Birmingham flop who is now excelling

Unfortunately, sometimes the environment at hand works against you.

Rooney’s abysmal spell in the St. Andrew’s dug-out would have negatively impacted a lot of the Birmingham camp, with notorious journeyman Oliver Burke falling victim to a shocking run in front of goal under the 39-year-old’s guidance.

Wayne Rooney

14

0

John Eustace

6

0

Tony Mowbray

2

0

Rooney would only pick up a meagre two wins in the Blues dug-out from 15 overall contests, and while that record is very bleak to look at, Burke arguably takes the biscuit here with zero goals fired home from the 14 games he played under Rooney’s management.

On top of that, the “dreadful” 28-year-old – as he was previously labelled by one Football League World pundit – never managed to break his duck under Josh Eustace’s more positive reign nor Tony Mowbray’s short-lived tenure.

As a result, Birmingham were no doubt glad to see the back of the Scottish forward when his loan deal expired.

Burke was also likely glad to be freed of the shackles of Birmingham, with the one-time Nottingham Forest youth product showing off his blistering ability to fire home chances, finally, at his current side, Union Berlin, when scoring this stunning hat-trick in the Bundesliga.

Coming in a lofty 6-foot-2 frame and scoring goals for fun has even seen FBref note Burke as being statistically similar to ex-Stuttgart goal machine Nick Woltemade, who has just moved to English shores himself in a bumper £65m switch to Newcastle United.

Hailed as possessing the ability to “decide games in tight moments” by Union director of football Horst Heldt, Burke will hope he can pick up even more goals in the German top-flight shortly, with his 11 goals at the level already meaning he’s only three short of Woltemade’s same tally in the tough division.

Birmingham must wish they could turn back time now to try and get the best out of Burke, with more wins hopefully soon to be secured in the Championship without the 28-year-old around.

Birmingham may rue selling a star who's outperforming Kyogo & Stansfield

Birmingham City might rue selling this wonderful attacker, considering he’s now outperforming Kyogo Furuhashi and Jay Stansfield.

4 ByKelan Sarson Sep 16, 2025

For Newcastle United, strikers have always been at the heart of the club’s identity.

From Alan Shearer’s record-breaking heroics to the short but sparkling spells of players like Demba Ba and Papiss Cissé, Newcastle’s frontmen have shaped eras on Tyneside.

Shearer is the undisputed benchmark, a local hero who scored 206 goals for the club and remains the Premier League’s all-time top scorer. But Newcastle’s striker lineage is full of memorable names.

Ba’s 29 Premier League goals earned him a big move to Chelsea, Cissé’s wonder strikes helped fire the Magpies to fifth under Alan Pardew, and Ayoze Pérez developed from a Tenerife prospect into a Premier League regular.

Even Salomón Rondón, who spent just a single season on loan, left an impression with his strength and work rate, although Mike Ashley’s refusal to sanction a permanent deal frustrated supporters.

Yet the hunt for a true successor to Shearer’s crown has often defined Newcastle’s modern history. In the recent past, one player in particular has carried the burden of comparison: Alexander Isak.

How Isak compares to Shearer's start

When Shearer arrived at Newcastle for £15m in 1996, he did so as the most expensive player in the world.

Shearer was the archetypal English centre-forward. Powerful, commanding in the air, and unerringly ruthless in front of goal.

He embodied grit and consistency, traits that made him one of the most revered strikers in football history.

Isak, meanwhile, represents a new generation. His acrimonious transfer to Liverpool in 2025 for a British-record £125m confirmed his status as one of the continent’s top forwards.

Signed from Real Sociedad in 2022, the Swedish striker gave Newcastle exactly what they had been missing: goals at the highest level.

In just 109 appearances, he scored 62 times and provided 11 assists, his efficiency and composure drawing attention from Europe’s elite.

That included 54 goals across his three Premier League campaigns at St James’. For context, Shearer’s first three seasons at the club – albeit while impacted by injury in 1997/98 – yielded only 41 league goals.

Isak somewhat differs from Shearer in style, however. Where Shearer bulldozed through defenders and imposed himself physically, Isak glided past opponents with skill, pace, and creativity.

He was as comfortable linking play outside the box as he was finishing inside it.

His 23 league goals last season helped Eddie Howe’s side to reach the Champions League last season, stretching defences and creating space for teammates such as Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy along the way.

Like Shearer, Isak thrived under pressure, scoring in big games and shouldering the weight of expectation from a fanbase that reveres its strikers.

Though his time on Tyneside was shorter than his predecessor, Isak proved that Newcastle could still nurture world-class forwards capable of defining an era. Could there have been another player of Shearer-ilk lost along the way, however?

Aleksandar Mitrovic was meant to be Shearer 2.0

Before Isak, it was Aleksandar Mitrović who was one of many players tipped as Newcastle’s long-term number nine.

Signed from Anderlecht in 2015 for £13m, the Serbian striker arrived with raw potential and a reputation for physical dominance.

Matches Played

59

Starts

33

Goals

13

Assists

10

Shots on Target

49

At the time, manager John Carver was bold in his assessment:

Stylistically, the comparison made sense.

Mitrović, like Shearer, thrived on aerial duels, physical presence, and link-up play. But while Shearer channelled his aggression into goals, Mitrović often let his emotions boil over.

The Serbian received two red cards in black and white. It was only after leaving St James’ Park that Mitrović truly blossomed.

At Fulham, he became one of the Championship’s most feared strikers, scoring 111 goals in 206 appearances and breaking the all-time record for goals in a single season with 46.

He dragged Fulham back into the Premier League, becoming a cult hero at Craven Cottage.

His career then took him abroad. At Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, he scored 68 goals in just 79 appearances, forming a lethal partnership with Serbia teammate Sergej Milinković-Savić.

In 2025, he moved again, this time to Qatar Stars League side Al Rayyan, where he hopes to continue delivering elite numbers.

Mitrović may not have fulfilled the Shearer prophecy at Newcastle, but his career proves he was always capable of being a prolific scorer.

He simply needed the right environment to thrive.

Newcastle may have an Ekitike & Isak hybrid in "absolutely ridiculous" star

Newcastle have quietly enjoyed a successful transfer window, even with the late sale of Isak to Liverpool.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Sep 5, 2025

Ansu Fati’s explosive start to life at Monaco has reignited hopes of a Spain comeback. The Barcelona loanee has rediscovered his scoring touch in Ligue 1, netting six goals in five games. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has now confirmed that the 22-year-old forward is “on their radar” ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

• Fati’s Monaco resurgence catches Spain’s attention

  Fati has made a stunning return to form since joining Monaco on loan from Barcelona. The forward has been one of Ligue 1’s standout performers, scoring six goals and providing two assists in just five appearances in all competitions. His brace in Monaco’s 2-2 draw against Nice, both calm finishes from the spot, earned him the Player of the Match award and sent a clear message to those who doubted his comeback. After several frustrating seasons marred by injuries and inconsistent spells at Barca and Brighton, Fati’s rediscovered sharpness and confidence have reignited hopes of a full-scale revival.

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• AFP
  

  De la Fuente acknowledges Fati's return to form

  Spain coach De la Fuente has now publicly admitted that Fati is firmly in the national team’s plans again. Speaking at a press conference ahead of Spain’s World Cup qualifier against Georgia, the manager said: "Ansu Fati was on our team list before being called up. We're monitoring all the players who could be in the national team. He's scored five or six goals, and we've assessed him. What I can't confirm is that if there's someone missing, he'll be replaced. But of course, Ansu is on the list, and that's interesting.

  De la Fuente added that while a replacement for injured forward Dani Olmo will not be called immediately, Fati’s recent form “is great news for the national team.”

• A comeback story years in the making

  Once hailed as Lionel Messi’s natural successor at Camp Nou, Fati’s rise was halted by a series of serious injuries. Despite becoming Barcelona’s youngest-ever goalscorer at just 17 years and 40 days, he struggled to regain his rhythm after multiple setbacks. His loan move to Brighton in the 2023-24 season failed to spark a turnaround, but the switch to Le Rocher has given him a new lease on life.

  The Spaniard has also entered Ligue 1 history books, becoming the fastest player to reach five goals in the competition, achieving the feat in just 126 minutes of play, a record that had stood since 1948.

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• AFP
  

  Barcelona loanee eyeing full redemption on the international stage

  For Fati, the target is clear maintain consistency and stay injury-free. His performances at Monaco have not only revived his club career but also placed him back in contention for La Roja. With the World Cup on the horizon, a Spain recall could mark the final step in one of football’s most inspiring comebacks.

After keeping wicket for 20 overs on a hot afternoon, Buttler scored an unbeaten 97 off 54 balls

Ekanth19-Apr-20251:30

Rayudu: Prasidh a great prospect for India going forward

It got tight for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the end, but Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 97 ensured their first successful chase of a 200-plus total in Ahmedabad. It was also the first time Delhi Capitals (DC) ended up being unsuccessful in defending a 200-plus total.Buttler stitched partnerships of 60 with B Sai Sudharsan and 119 with Sherfane Rutherford after keeping wicket for 20 overs on a hot afternoon.Mukesh Kumar’s wide yorker dismissed Rutherford and left GT needing ten off the final over. The tension was short-lived as Starc missed the wide yorker and Rahul Tewatia slog swept the first ball of the last over over midwicket for six. He then squeezed the next ball past the keeper for four to complete the chase with four balls to spare.Buttler takes down StarcButtler was hit on the groin early in his innings by a length ball from Starc, but he overcame that blow and cleared the boundaries.When Axar brought Starc back in the 15th over, hoping for reverse swing from around the wicket, there wasn’t any. The lengths were good, and the line was outside off, but Buttler scythed the ball with ease, finding gaps in front of and behind point.A change of angle made no difference. Starc went full and was driven through mid-off. A bouncer drew a top-edged pull, but it did not carry to Vipraj Nigam running in from deep backward square leg. That 20-run over brought the required rate down to nine from 11.GT’s top order sets the platform againGT are top heavy. Their plan is for one of the top three to bat deep into the innings, and it was Buttler’s turn today on a batting-friendly pitch.He came in early in GT’s chase of 204 after Shubman Gill had gifted his wicket looking to pinch a quick single to Karun Nair at midwicket. Buttler then set up exhibition of fours through the off side alongside Sai Sudharsan.Axar and Vipraj came on to bowl in the powerplay but did not find turn and were taken for three sixes and a four. Sai Sudharsan got boundaries off front and back foot against Mukesh Kumar as GT scored 67 in the powerplay.Kuldeep Yadav had Sai Sudharsan pulling to deep midwicket with his third ball. Rutherford then started slowly as the required rate rose.The mounting pressure was released when Rutherford sliced a drive against Kuldeep that sailed over long-off. Mohit Sharma was introduced in the 13th over to replicate the role he performed for GT in previous years. He started with two slower bouncers but they sat up and Rutherford pulled them for sixes.Buttler drilled a full ball from Mohit through mid-off to bring up his 32-ball fifty.Capitals start well on a belterGill won the toss in the afternoon and put DC in to bat. With Faf du Plessis not having recovered and DC leaving out Jake Fraser-McGurk, DC paired up Abhishek Porel with Karun Nair at the top.Porel’s boundaries in the first over – drive on the up over mid-off and help-along flick behind square – showed that the bounce on the pitch was even. Porel, though, couldn’t capitalise on the start as he fell to a full toss from Arshad Khan.KL Rahul’s shift in approach then kept DC ticking. Rahul cut Siraj for four and pumped him down the ground for six. His innings, though, was cut short on 28 off 14 balls by an outswinging yorker from Prasidh Krishna. Nair fell for 31 off 18 balls when he glided Prasidh to deep third.A pristine cover drive from Tristan Stubbs off Prasidh brought up DC’s hundred in the ninth over. But he and Axar were relatively sedate after that during their 53-run stand off 36 balls. They were happy to take Rashid Khan and Ishant Sharma for ones and twos.Rashid bowled quicker and at the stumps in his first two overs. When he slowed the pace down in his third, Stubbs took him for six down the ground but then miscued a swipe across the line. Rashid ran back but couldn’t hold onto the catch near mid-on. GT reached 150 in 15 overs.Pacers contain DCIshant was struggling in the heat and went off the pitch after two overs. Siraj returned and removed Stubbs, who reverse-swept a yorker and the ball lobbed to short third.GT’s death bowlers attempted a lot of yorkers with short balls peppered in between. It nearly worked at the start of the 17th over, but Rashid dropped Axar.The DC captain could not hit a boundary in his last nine balls and was out caught behind for 39 off 32 balls. He charged at Prasidh and tried to slap a length ball over cover and got an edge. Prasidh then got rid of Nigam next ball, thanks to a brilliant diving catch from Buttler.Ashutosh Sharma gave DC the finishing kick they were looking for. He scored a six and a four off Arshad early in his innings and hit two sixes off Prasidh later. R Sai Kishore – whose only over was the final one of the innings – went for just nine, but it was enough for GT to cross 200.

Fifties from Ryan Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav helped Mumbai Indians (MI) post 215 after they were put into bat by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025. Fast bowler Mayank Yadav picked up the wickets of Rohith Sharma and Hardik Pandya in his first match of the season, finishing with 2 for 40. LSG’s spinners Digvesh Rathi (1 for 48) and Ravi Bishnoi (1 for 41) had off days.Mayank took the new ball and his pace was in the mid 130kph to early 140kph range. Rohit Sharma pulled Mayank for two sixes and holed out to short third when Mayank changed his pace and bowled wide of the stumps.Rickelton could’ve been run-out on 5 in the second over, but instead he scored two fours and a six off Prince Yadav when the fast bowler erred in length.LSG used four overs of spin in the powerplay. Ravi Bishnoi beat Will Jacks on the sweep in the fifth over and hit the pad, but the impact was outside the line. There were no other chances created in the powerplay. Rickelton closed out the powerplay with two sixes and a four off mystery spinner Rathi, who had not conceded a six in the first six overs until that point. Rickelton went onto bring up his fifty off 25 balls.Rathi dried up the boundaries before luring out Rickelton with a wide ball that he sliced to point. Mayank’s return in the next over was less successful as a 16-run over took MI to 105 for 2 in ten overs.Prince’s reverse-swinging yorker then knocked Jacks over for 29. Suryakumar then decided to go after Bishnoi in the 13th over, but the legspinner was able to dismiss Tilak Varma despite conceding 16 runs.Suryakumar brought up his 4000th run in the IPL with a ramp off Avesh and got another six off Prince over fine leg again. At 157 for 5 in 15 overs, MI were ready to launch but Mayank set them back when he dislodged Hardik’s leg stump and gave away just five runs in the 16th over.Suryakumar was then dismissed for 54 off 28 balls, but MI kept finding the boundaries. Corbin Bosch and Naman Dhir’s cameos meant Rathi finished his most expensive spell and that MI went past 210.

Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner has confirmed that club captain Marc Guehi will not sign a new contract, and he will leave Selhurst Park next year. The 26 year-old's deal expires on June 30, 2026, when he can leave the Eagles on a free transfer. Many of Europe's elite clubs are interested, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona reportedly chasing him.

• Guehi in high demand with Europe's elite clubs

  The England international will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club when the January transfer window opens, giving teams on the continent a leg up over domestic suitors. That could prompt Liverpool to rekindle their interest and offer a fee for Guehi. Back in the summer transfer window, Guehi was close to joining the Reds for a fee of £35 million ($47m), however Palace chairman Steve Parish pulled the plug hours before the deadline as the Eagles could not find a suitable replacement. According to a report by , Palace are unlikely to allow Guehi to leave for a cut price deal in the winter window.

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  Glasner: 'The club wanted Guehi to stay'

  Glasner shared the news that Guehi will leave at a press conference on Friday. While the Austrian made it clear that he and the club's leadership wanted the 26-year-old to stay, they were not caught out by his desire to leave the club. 

  "I think Marc has already told us that he doesn't sign a new contract, so he will leave next year," said Glasner. "The club wanted [him to stay]. They offered Marc a new contract. But he said, 'no, I want to make something different'. And that's normal.

  "And for us, it's how we can deal with this situation? [What] is the best way to get this next step done? And that's all about how we are talking together."

• Parish explains thinking behind Guehi saga

  Parish's decision to block Guehi's Liverpool move at the last minute could be deemed short-sighted. By reneging on the deal, he basically allowed Guehi to walk away for free in 2026, with everyone at the club more or less aware that he would be unwilling to sign a new deal. The Eagles' chairman explained his decision-making in a recent interview with . 

  "It's a difficult decision," he said. "It's as simple as that these things are never black and white. I decided in the end that, based on the advice that I got and also with what I think, that we would have a better season if we kept Marc. We don't guess about these things.

  "If you look at it rationally, if you look at what is worth the place in the Premier League, the fact that we're in the Conference League for the first time in our history, this is a fairly unusual set of circumstances in which to keep a player. If we were fighting between the difference of 10th and 14th, if that was going to be the difference between keeping Marc and letting Marc go, then probably we would have said; 'Right, we should take the money'."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  European giants in the box seat for Guehi?

  This news confirms what we knew all along, and Guehi is now the most sought-after defensive player available on the market. Every major European club will be interested in speaking to him over the coming months with a view to a free transfer.

  Guehi's insistence on honouring his deal with Palace, and the club's reticence to let him go in a cut-rate transfer in January, could well have shunted Liverpool to the back of the pecking order, despite how close the two parties came to a deal.

  Real Madrid have been savvy in snapping up out-of-contract stars over the past few years. Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all joined Los Blancos after their deals with their respective clubs were running out. With the Spanish giants expected to pursue a centre back in the near future, they could become a real player in Guehi's future. 

  Liverpool's current defensive woes could pressure them into lodging another bid in January, however unlikely it is to come off, just to stave off the interest of Madrid, Bayern and Barcelona. The Reds have been fragile at the back, an issue that has been further compounded by the season-long injury to 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni. The Italian was supposed to provide additional cover for Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, however he has undergone surgery to rectify a serious knee problem. With Konate also out of contract in the summer, and a reported target of Real Madrid himself, how the Reds manage their defensive personnel going forward should be fascinating.

Arne Slot has revealed Alexander Isak is fully fit again after his lack of pre-season, with the £125 million ($166.7m) striker now searching for his first Premier League goal for Liverpool. The Swedish striker might have forced his way out of Newcastle United in a messy transfer saga over the summer, but he is yet to shine since swapping St James' Park for Anfield.

Isak's slow start at Liverpool

Having refused to join Newcastle’s pre-season camp to push through his dream move, Isak arrived at Liverpool lacking match sharpness. Hence, it was no surprise when his first few weeks on Merseyside were something of a slow burn. His only goal so far came in their 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Southampton, and as fans grew impatient to get a glimpse of the ruthless finisher who terrorised defences in black and white, pressure kept building on the forward. Slot claimed that the 26-year-old’s stop-start introduction was deliberate, designed to rebuild his conditioning and avoid any early muscle setbacks. But the wait is finally over, and the Dutch manager can't wait to unleash the beast version of Isak that went missing in the first few weeks.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSlot backs Isak to start firing

Slot acknowledged that supporters and the media have been quick to question the Swede’s lack of goals, especially after he drew blanks in international defeats to Switzerland and Kosovo. But the Dutch coach urged patience, insisting that form will come once fitness meets confidence.

"Now he has had his five, six weeks of pre-season which is normal for every player, especially if you have been out for three or four months," Slot said at a press conference on Friday.

"Fitness-wise he is close to the level he should be and we can judge him in a fair way from now on. I know how this industry works, if he plays for Sweden twice and doesn’t score that’s not what you’re hoping for, of course.

"You are hoping if they go to the national team they score goals like Cody (Gakpo) did, like Virgil (van Dijk) did, like Dominik (Szoboszlai) did, like (Alexis) MacAllister, did but he didn’t. His pre-season has finished now. He has played a few games, 70, 80, 90 minutes, so let’s see where he is in the upcoming weeks."

Gravenberch & Konate fit again after injury scares

As Liverpool prepare for Sunday’s mammoth Premier League showdown with Manchester United at Anfield, Slot received a welcome double boost. Both midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and defender Ibrahima Konate have been declared fit and available after minor injury scares. Gravenberch was withdrawn during the Netherlands’ win over Finland due to hamstring tightness, while Konate missed France’s fixtures with a slight quad strain picked up against Chelsea two weeks ago. Slot, though, was upbeat about their recoveries.

"Ryan is completely fit, although we still have to train twice," Slot added. "We are in a good place with the Dutch national team if Ronald Koeman can make a decision either to play Tijjani Reijnders or Ryan Gravenberch, so he played them both 45 minutes. Ibou has come back to us, started the sessions again and is expected to train with us today."

While Slot’s optimism is unwavering, not everyone shares his rosy outlook. reporter Lewis Steele, who covers Liverpool closely, warned that Isak’s path to full match sharpness may take longer than the club hopes.

"The road to full fitness is a little bit longer than expected, and there’s a report from one of the Newcastle guys, saying they expect it to be three months until he’s fully fit," he said. "And that is probably about right. He’s been at Liverpool now for four or five weeks, so maybe we are now probably another three or four weeks away from seeing Isak at his best. There have been glimpses, lovely assist on Saturday and he got his goal against Southampton, to be fair he’s got to score that, but he had to be in the right place at the right time. But, the road to full fitness does seem a bit bumpier than me or Slot predicted."

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Getty Images SportA gruelling run awaits the Reds

Liverpool have an unenviable calendar after the international break. Following the United clash, the Reds face a relentless stretch of fixtures including Eintracht Frankfurt in Europe, followed by Premier League meetings with Brentford, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, and then a blockbuster Champions League tie against Real Madrid in early November. Slot knows the coming weeks will define Liverpool’s season, and it's no surprise that the manager wants Isak to be at his sharpest for it.

Eddie Howe has insisted he is “100 per cent” committed to Newcastle amid speculation over Ruben Amorim’s future at Manchester United.

The 47-year-old’s name has been mentioned as part of an ongoing debate surrounding Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford, as he was when the England job became available after Gareth Southgate’s exit.

Howe "100 per cent" devoted to Newcastle

However, asked about his commitment to the Magpies, Howe said: “My commitment here is I’m all in. I’m 100 per cent here, I always have been. My family are still here, we’re fighting every day to try to make a success of what we’re doing.

“The season ahead could be a wonderful thing and that’s really what I want to focus on, trying to make a success of the games we have coming up.”

Howe was appointed as Steve Bruce’s replacement in November 2021 a matter of weeks after Amanda Staveley’s consortium completed its buy-out at St James’ Park.

The former Bournemouth boss took over a team fighting a relegation battle, but kept them up in some comfort and, aided by significant investment from its Saudi-backed owners, have kicked on.

Magpies defender Fabian Schar spoke early on in Howe’s reign about what the former Bournemouth boss had brought to Tyneside.

Newcastle are playing in the Champions League for the second time in three seasons and, in March, ended their 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy when Howe guided them to Carabao Cup final glory.