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All of sudden, Manchester City’s season doesn’t look quite as cursed.

Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s men might not be picking up a Premier League title, but the bruised Citizens have at least managed to dress up their wounds somewhat, with an FA Cup final against Crystal Palace now on the horizon after a comfortable 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Wembley.

In the end, City’s class and know-how won them the high-stakes affair, with a whole host of players sticking out on the big occasion.

Man City's top performers vs Forest

City were in control of the game from the moment Rico Lewis broke the deadlock after just two minutes, with Forest’s counter-attacking game disrupted by Lewis’ early opener.

Overall, the City academy product stood out at Wembley, away from just this crucial contribution, with the 20-year-old showing off his coolness throughout when only giving up possession six times from 36 accurate passes.

Likewise, the second goalscorer on the day in Josko Gvardiol was a calm performer throughout, with his header on the 51st minute mark amazingly his sixth strike of a mightily impressive individual campaign.

Away from the Croat and the Englishman stealing most of the headlines, the likes of Nico O’Reilly also impressed once more at Wembley, with one solo effort from the versatile number 75 nearly sending the City masses into raptures in the first half, as well as successfully winning eight duels.

But, there was another star performer who arguably put in his greatest performance of the season to send City to the FA Cup final…

Man City star put in his best performance of the season

Away from faces such as O’Reilly breaking into the first team picture recently, the City lineup to face Nuno Espirito Santo’s challengers was comprised of some well-known Etihad figures.

Mateo Kovacic certainly fits into this category, with the 30-year-old up to 85 appearances and counting for Guardiola’s men after dictating play centrally versus Forest.

Whilst the 110-time Croatia international had chipped in with seven goals and one assist in all competitions this season prior to this showdown, he hasn’t quite been as influential over one isolated contest like he was on Sunday, with City immediately in the driving seat in the game after the ex-Chelsea man teed up Lewis for the opener.

Away from picking up that assist, Kovacic amassed his aforementioned 109 touches as a busy body in the middle of the pitch, alongside also registering five successful dribbles to constantly push his team forward to unsettle their opponents.

Kovacic’s performance in numbers
Stat	Kovacic
Minutes played	89
Goals scored	0
Assists	1
Touches	109
Accurate passes	88/94 (94%)
Key passes	2
Successful dribbles	5/6
Total duels won	7/13
Stats by Sofascore

Whilst Kovacic would strut his stuff throughout as a confident performer, he would also roll up his sleeves when needed to battle against Forest, with seven total duels won in total proving his well-rounded game.

Subsequently, Manchester Evening journalist Simon Bajkowski would wax lyrical about the 30-year-old come the full-time whistle, stating that Kovacic was “barely a step out of place” across his 89 minutes on the Wembley turf, resulting in a high 9/10 rating being handed his way.

City will be gunning for another Wembley success when the FA Cup final occurs next month, knowing full well that another trophy being added to their glittering cabinet makes this campaign worthy of remembering for the positives, rather than any lingering blunders.

Man City have struck gold on "exceptional" gem worth more than Kerkez

City have hit the jackpot on a current academy graduate who is starring under Guardiola.

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 26, 2025

Manchester United have now joined the race to sign an “excellent” goalkeeper, who could be brought in as a replacement for Andre Onana this summer, according to a report.

Major concern over Onana's Man Utd performances

Onana was the subject of heavy criticism prior to Man United’s recent Europa League clash against Lyon, with Nemanja Matic launching a scathing attack on the goalkeeper.

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old didn’t exactly manage to silence the critics at the Groupama Stadium, making a late blunder to gift Rayan Cherki an equalising goal, which means there is everything still to play for at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

After the poor display against Lyon, Onana was dropped from the squad for the trip to St. James’ Park, but Altay Bayindir didn’t exactly stake a claim for a regular starting spot, with the Red Devils succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United.

Man Utd and INEOS now looking to hijack Newcastle deal for £25m wide player

Man Utd have now joined their Premier League rivals in the race to sign an exciting attacker.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 14, 2025

As such, Ruben Amorim is now looking to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer, and Man Utd have joined the race for Anders goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, according to a report from The Boot Room.

Fofana’s performances this season have attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Newcastle, Brentford and Nottingham Forest also making checks in recent weeks.

Previous reports have detailed that the Angers shot-stopper could be available for just £15m this summer, so Amorim may not have to break the bank if he chooses to pursue a deal.

"Excellent" Fofana could be Onana upgrade

It is clear Amorim is losing faith with Onana, and it is little wonder, given that the Cameroonian’s latest blunder could be costly in United’s Europa League campaign, while Bayindir also failed to impress against Newcastle.

Fofana’s performances this season indicate he could be an upgrade for United between the sticks, having been lauded as “excellent” by members of the media after putting in a solid display against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Ivorian, and believes the £15m fee Angers are set to hold out for “could be a bargain”.

The 24-year-old is yet to prove himself at the highest level, but his performances this season indicate he could be capable of making the step-up to a top club, and his availability for a low fee is an added bonus for United.

The SA allrounder’s century in the Guwahati Test marks a steady rise in his ability

Firdose Moonda23-Nov-20253:14

Philander: ‘Muthusamy deserves all the accolades coming his way’

If you’re surprised to be reading the words Senuran Muthusamy, Test centurion, don’t worry. You’re probably not the only one.Though Muthusamy has spent his domestic career labelled as a batting allrounder, he was picked at international level as more of a bowling allrounder. He was included in South Africa’s Guwahati XI at the expense of a seamer, rather than one of the frontline batters (remember Zubayr Hamza and Dewald Brevis are sitting on the sidelines). Still, he managed to do what no-one else has in the series so far: score a hundred.And he did it while demonstrating the perfect technique for these conditions, with a solid defence, the ability to play the ball late and levels of patience that Ravi Shastri called “meditative.” While Muthusamy himself often only goes as far as saying he is “just trying to do a job for the team,” as he did in Sunday’s post-match press conference, he also showed a skill set that ranged from navigating Mohammed Siraj in fading light on day one to negotiating Jasprit Bumrah and India’s spinners on day two.Muthusamy occupied the crease with monk-like discipline. In the early stages of his innings, he looked for runs only when he could steer the ball behind square. He had two nervy moments – one, when he was on 37 and edged Bumrah short of second slip; the other on 48, when he missed a sweep and was given out lbw to Jadeja.Related

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Muthusamy ton, Jansen 93 put South Africa in dominant position

South Africa had just crossed 300 at the time, and his partnership with Kyle Verreynne was worth 57. Muthusamy later told the broadcasters he was so “emotional and disappointed” at losing his wicket that he just reviewed, not knowing whether there was anything that could save him. While he waited for the replays and chatted to Verreynne, Muthusamy said he realised there was the possibility the ball brushed his glove, although he didn’t feel it. When the smallest of spikes resulted in Rod Tucker’s on-field out decision being overturned, neither the Indian fielders nor Muthusamy could believe it, but that’s sport. There’s often some luck involved.Muthusamy capitalised on his, and later, revealed his improved hand-eye coordination was down to a stint with a South African sports scientist, Dr Sheryll Calder, who founded EyeGym – an organisation that works with ordinary people and athletes to sharpen motor responses.Senuran Muthusamy had an answer to everything the Indians threw at him•AFP/Getty ImagesThere was a point when Muthusamy “wasn’t sure if I’d ever play Test cricket again, and certainly not in India.” For four years after his debut in Visakhapatnam, he just went into what he called “the wilderness,” of domestic cricket, where he took 76 wickets in 24 matches at 25.15. He was looked at again when Shukri Conrad took over as head coach. Even then, Muthusamy played just one game in 2023, against West Indies in Centurion, where South Africa went all-pace but with the security of someone who could bowl spin. He only bowled eight overs in the match.Since then, Muthusamy has played six of South Africa’s 21 Tests but only appeared in consecutive matches once, in Pakistan last month where conditions called for an extra spinner. That he can bat is a bonus (especially for a coach like Conrad who places significant store in allrounders), and it’s proved more than handy in Guwahati.And let’s not forget that Muthusamy definitely can bat. His game awareness, especially of his own scoring strengths – which is something South Africa have been working on – was exemplary, and he even ventured out of his crease as his innings progressed. When he was on 68 and had seen Marco Jansen clear the ropes, Muthusamy decided he could also show aggression. Washington Sundar tossed the ball up and Muthusamy slogged it over long-on for his first six. Jansen would go on to hit six more sixes during what Muthusamy called a “sublime knock,” helping South Africa race past 400.Muthusamy and Verreynne managed just 28 runs in the first hour of play and scored at a rate of 2.23 per over, but when that partnership was broken and Jansen came in, the run-rate jumped to 5.49. Several factors, including an older ball and a flat pitch, contributed to the difference. But mostly it was Jansen.5:06

‘Extremely tactical’ hitting from Jansen

“He’s got fantastic levers, he’s a clean striker of the ball, and he really showed his skills today,” Muthusamy said. “That was a treat to watch from the other end. It was really attritional cricket out there until Marco came in and really played his shots beautifully. It was a good challenge and then awesome to just build those partnerships and really extend our first innings.”After bettering his previous career-best of 84 with a swing over midwicket, Jansen was on track for a first Test hundred, and furious with himself when he bottom-edged Kuldeep Yadav onto his stumps on 93. But South Africa could still be satisfied with their highest score in India, since the 558 for 6 declared in Nagpur in 2010. The next step is figuring out how to take wickets a surface that is still excellent for batting.Muthusamy seems to be banking on the collective experience of the South African attack more than the prospect of the surface deteriorating and taking turn as the team goes in search of a series win. “We’ll adjust accordingly to the conditions. Simon (Harmer), Kesh(av Maharaj), and myself have got a lot of experience,” he said. “Simon’s got over 1,000 first-class wickets and Kesh has over 200 international wickets, so there’s a vast amount of experience, and I look forward to seeing how things unfold.”Don’t forget Muthusamy has 277 first-class wickets, including 11 in the Lahore Test last month, which contributed to him earning the Player-of-the-Series award. He also scored 89* in the Rawalpindi game, giving South Africa a match-winning lead, and showing the full range of what he offers. Perhaps he shouldn’t be categorised as either a batting allrounder or a bowling allrounder, but rather what he thinks he is. “I see myself as an allrounder,” he said, no caveat attached besides this one. “And it’s tough being a spinning allrounder in South Africa. Conditions are a lot different to the subcontinent. But when we get an opportunity to come to the subcontinent, we really look forward to it.”

He played his shots during his run-a-ball 48 as he looks to bounce back from a poor Test series in South Africa

S Sudarshanan12-Jan-2024The last time Shreyas Iyer played a first-class match for Mumbai, he was yet to play Test cricket, back in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy. The Iyer that walked out to bat in Mumbai’s latest Ranji Trophy match on Friday is a different person. He has played regularly in all three formats for India, and though he was left out of the T20I squad for the ongoing series against Afghanistan, he is the incumbent No. 5 in Tests.Which is why this game, against Andhra, is significant for Iyer.He had a tough tour of South Africa, where he scored 31, 6, 0 and 4 not out. The two Tests there were his first in over nine months, part of which he was out because of a back problem that required surgery. The match against Andhra gives him a chance to get into his groove ahead of the home Tests against England starting January 25.Related

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Mumbai were asked to bat on a greenish surface on a sunny morning. The openers added 69 in a steady start before Jay Bista and Ajinkya Rahane, the No. 3, fell off successive balls. Bhupen Lalwani, the other opener, and Suved Parkar, the No. 4, then took Mumbai to lunch, giving Iyer some more time.He walked to the nets just outside the playing area with batting coach Vinit Indulkar, left-arm spinner Atharva Ankolekar, and a throwdown specialist in tow. He started slowly, but raised the tempo as time went on, and finished his close-to-25-minute stint with aerial shots in all directions.When Iyer walked in with Mumbai 130 for 3 in the 43rd over, it did not take him time to get going. He is known to be a quick scorer in the domestic circuit, which his first-class strike rate of 78.48 attests to. He is also known to be an excellent player of spin. He put away two full deliveries from the quicks – a flick through midwicket and a loft over mid-on – to get his boundary count going.Andhra mixed it up against Iyer by bowling pace from the dressing-room end and spin from the media end. Medium pacers Penmetsa Raju first, and then his replacement Nithish Kumar Reddy – the most impressive Andhra bowler on the day – bowled from around the wicket to test him. But Iyer’s feet moved nicely, and he kept out the good length and full balls, with a push to the off side or a flick towards midwicket. He was also ready to take on the short ball and punish it, like he did off Raju to beat long leg to his right in the 56th over.Shreyas Iyer had a poor Test series in South Africa, scoring 31, 6, 0 and 4 not out•AFP/Getty ImagesBut nothing perhaps showed that Iyer was switched on and up for the fight like in the 54th over, bowled by Raju. With two fielders deep on the leg side – forward square-leg and long leg – and a backward short-leg in place, he played the perfect pull shot all along the ground for a four. The very next ball was shortish but had just enough width for Iyer to crash it over the covers.This prompted Andhra to go all-out on the mean bouncer – Iyer’s perceived weakness. They had a six-three leg-side field with midwicket, forward square-leg, backward square-leg, long leg, third and point all out on the boundary. There was also a forward short-leg under the lid. That would, however, not prevent Iyer from taking a third four off the over – another pull that sent the ball rolling past backward square-leg – perhaps his best shot of the day. In all, Iyer scored 25 in the 14 balls he faced from Raju, including five fours.Reddy went on to dismiss him caught behind, after he wafted at a fullish ball angling away from around the stumps. Iyer would trudge back with a run-a-ball 48 against his name. But in only his second domestic red-ball game since his Test debut, he had signalled his intent, and readiness.

Liam Livingstone’s side suffer batting implosion as Bulls charge into T10 final

Aadam Patel03-Dec-2021Halfway into the Abu Dhabi T10, with five wins out of five, Team Abu Dhabi were looking like the team to beat with their imposing brand of cricket, instilled by Paul Farbrace, and the aggressive manner in which they were taking the game to the opposition.Captain Liam Livingstone said they would commit to that fearless style and strategy, knowing that one day they would get bowled out for 50 or 60. He just wished that day wouldn’t come when it really mattered.For much of the tournament, that approach worked – they became the first side to reach the play-offs and with last-ball sixes to seal victories against Deccan Gladiators and Delhi Bulls, the trophy looked destined to be theirs. Everything was going their way. But as so often happens in these competitions, it is about peaking at the right time.As the T10 journeyed towards its business end, their insistence on that identity remained; perhaps ultimately, it was the cause of their demise.It was at this very stage that Team Abu Dhabi fell in the last edition of this tournament, and as they were bowled out for 60 by Bulls in the second qualifier here, driven on by a determined Dominic Drakes who will no doubt be a man you will hear much more of in years to come, their inability to adapt proved to be the reason as to why it will be Gladiators and Bulls who will instead contest Saturday’s final at the Zayed Cricket Ground.After Gladiators had earlier beaten Bulls in the first qualifier to secure their place in the final, the Abu Dhabi outfit hammered Bangla Tigers to eliminate Faf du Plessis’ side. The final act of Friday’s triple-header thus saw sides led by Livingstone and Dwayne Bravo go head to head for a place in the final.Earlier in the day, Wanindu Hasaranga’s crucial removal of Rahmanullah Gurbaz – the star of the tournament – for just 19 offered a different challenge for the Bulls batters. Suddenly, they needed someone other than Gurbaz to step upDespite Eoin Morgan briefly threatening to pull off something special when he went after Andre Russell with three consecutive sixes, he hit a full toss the very next ball straight to Odean Smith and that was the end of that.Wahab Riaz stated how despite Gurbaz hitting the Sri Lankan for six in the first over after the powerplay, he continued with that match-up knowing that Hasaranga was his key wicket-taker. That decision worked as Gurbaz sent the first ball of Hasaranga’s next over straight to Tom Kohler-Cadmore at long-on and it was Gladiators, instead of Bulls, who would get Friday night off.A few hours later, Livingstone handed the ball to Sheldon Cottrell to open the bowling against Gurbaz. Cottrell started with a wide, but his first legitimate delivery was simply too good for Gurbaz. With a hint of extra bounce and a fraction of movement, the ball beat the youngster’s inside edge and crashed into his stumps.Related

• 'I don't want to look back and say I had a better 2021 than 2022'

• Gurbaz brings holiday fireworks as Delhi Bulls clinch top-two spot

• Kohler-Cadmore, Hasaranga have Gladiators dreaming of T10 title

Livingstone again showed his quality with the ball, removing his England captain, Morgan, for the second night in succession and finishing with figures of 2 for 7 in his two overs.At the interval, needing 110 to reach their first ever Abu Dhabi T10 final, Team Abu Dhabi would have been quietly confident with the wealth of batting that they possessed – in Livingstone himself, accompanied by the likes of Chris Gayle, Phil Salt, Paul Stirling and Colin Ingram – yet, with an element of concern knowing that the night before they had struggled to 86 for 8 against the same opposition, largely thanks to an Adil Rashid hat-trick and three wickets for Drakes.When Salt and Stirling smashed 23 off the first over from Chandrapaul Hemraj, it looked like this was going to be their night.Instead, Bravo turned to his trump card in Drakes for the second over and the 23-year-old responded in style, getting the in-form Salt, before removing the powerful Livingstone for a golden duck as he edged through to Gurbaz. Sparked by a spirited celebration from Gurbaz, the Bulls players went wild – they sensed blood.And they didn’t take their foot off the gas. The wickets kept coming. Fazalhaq Farooqi had gone for 41 runs in his two overs earlier in the day, but with his first over, he dismissed both Stirling and Ingram. In the very next over, Gayle hit one from Romario Shepherd straight to Bravo at long-off and Danny Briggs was gone first ball as Gurbaz pulled off a brilliant one-handed catch. The wicketkeeper set about celebrating in style, knowing that the Bulls had one foot in the final.At 44 for 6 at the halfway stage, the game was all but done. Bravo turned again to the man from Barbados to make it a certainty and with his second over, he got rid of both Jamie Overton and Marchant de Lange. Drakes finished with stunning figures of 4 for 13 and joined Hasaranga with 19 wickets at the top of the tally. He has been a revelation this year and will no doubt make his West Indies debut on their tour to Pakistan. In the son of Vasbert Drakes they have a star in the making.As Cottrell heaved one out to Morgan to conclude the final rites, Team Abu Dhabi were all out for 60 with nine balls to spare. For Livingstone and co, that dreaded moment had come at exactly the wrong time. Their wait for a first ever T10 title goes on.Instead, it will be either Wahab or Bravo who lifts the trophy come Saturday evening.

West Ham United have a proud history of developing and promoting some brilliant youngsters from their academy system.

The most recent one to really make his mark on the team and then be sold on for a massive fee was Declan Rice.

Freddie Potts looks like he could be the Hammers’ next homegrown superstar after his sensational Premier League displays before the international break.

However, while the club try their best to keep hold of their most promising talents, they aren’t always able to, and one youngster they may rue losing more than any other looks like he could be a bigger prospect than Potts and a future England star.

West Ham's next academy star

While Potts is the current academy product getting the attention and adulation from fans and pundits alike – justifiably so – he could soon be joined in the first team by another of Rush Green’s best: George Earthy.

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.

Now, the 21-year-old has made four appearances for the first team and even scored a brilliant goal against Luton Town in the Premier League a couple of years ago, but due to loan moves and injury, those four appearances have amounted to only 36 minutes.

In other words, most fans aren’t really thinking about the youngster, and those that occasionally do aren’t sure what sort of player they’ll be getting when he returns from his hamstring injury.

Well, firstly, even though his primary position is attacking midfield, the Havering-born gem has and can play in several positions across the pitch.

Second, he’s as comfortable scoring goals as he is providing assists, and has a seriously impressive record from his time in the academy.

For example, in 60 appearances for the u18s, totalling 4804 minutes, he scored 25 goals and provided 18 assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.39 games, or every 111.72 minutes.

Earthy’s Junior Record
Team	U18s	U21s
Appearances	60	55
Minutes	4804′	3618′
Goals	25	18
Assists	18	14
Goal Involvements per Match	0.71	0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement	111.72′	113.06′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Then, during his time with the u21s, he scored 18 goals and provided 14 assists in 55 appearances, totalling 3618 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 113.06 minutes.

Finally, while he’s not played much for the Hammers, he has gained a decent amount of first-team experience from his time on loan with Bristol City last season, where he was named Young Player of the Season.

In all, so long as he can remain fit, West Ham have another superb homegrown talent on their hands in Earthy, which should help make up for them losing another, arguably more promising talent last year.

The Academy gem West Ham will rue losing

One of the most exciting talents to come through West Ham’s academy in the last five years or so was undoubtedly Divin Mubama.

During his time in West London, the Englishman was utterly unstoppable for the junior sides, racking up a staggering tally of 40 goals and five assists for the u18s and then 18 goals and two assists for the u21s.

This brilliant output saw him get a chance with the first team, and over the 22/23 and 23/24 seasons, he made 18 senior appearances, totalling 431 minutes.

Mubama’s record
Team	Games	Goals	Assists
West Ham	18	1	1
WH U21s	34	18	2
WH U18s	57	40	5
Man City	2	1	0
Man City U21s	9	8	4
Stoke City	15	5	1
All statistics via Transfermarkt

However, in August 2024, then Premier League champions Manchester City came knocking, and despite their best efforts to keep him, Julen Lopetegui and Co had to make do with a measly £1.2m as he joined the Citizens.

To nobody’s surprise, the goalscoring machine continued his fine form in the North West, and ended the 24/25 campaign with 16 goals and four assists in 14 appearances for City’s u21s.

Moreover, Pep Guardiola gave him two run-outsrun-outs in the first team, and on his debut in an FA Cup game against Salford, he scored his first senior goal for the club.

Coming into this season, it was crystal clear that the 21-year-old is too good to play in the youth sides, and so he was sent out on loan to Stoke City in the Championship, where he has done a reasonable enough job.

For example, even though it’s his first season of regular first-team football, the “powerful” strike, as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored five goals and provided one assist in 15 appearances.

In addition to making his way in the club game, the Newham-born monster has also been in incredible form for England’s u21s.

In five caps, the game-changing marksman has already scored five goals and provided one assist.

Ultimately, it’s not West Ham’s fault, but if Mubama continues to develop in the way he has over the last year or so, they could really come to rue losing him.

West Ham given January greenlight to sign forward who Nuno called "unique"

The Hammers boss is a big fan.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 20, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Mesmo com frustrações acumuladas, não há dúvidas que o Bahia fez uma temporada histórica em 2025. Além de se reafirmar como uma força nacional, voltou a despontar na principal competição do continente e mostrou que vai dar trabalho nos próximos anos. Um dos responsáveis diretos pelas boas marcas alcançadas pelo Tricolor é o volante Jean Lucas, destaque do time comandado por Rogério Ceni.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBahiaContratações do Bahia: veja quem fica e quem sai do time em 2026Bahia11/12/2025VitóriaPresidente do Vitória alfineta o Bahia: ‘Não é nordestino’Vitória10/12/2025BahiaBahia encaminha venda de joia a clube dos Estados Unidos; valoresBahia10/12/2025

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Jean Lucas, por sinal, foi o grande nome do Bahia na Libertadores, competição que o clube voltou a disputar depois de 36 anos. Autor de quatro gols, ele se tornou o vice-artilheiro do Tricolor na história do torneio, só atrás do ex-atacante Charles, que balançou as redes seis vezes.

Essa também foi a temporada que Jean Lucas mais fez jogos como profissional, com 61 ao todo, mesmo número de 2024. A diferença é que 60 foram pelo Bahia, enquanto um deles foi pela seleção brasileira. O volante marcou sete gols e deu três assistências, o suficiente para fazer de 2025 o melhor ano da sua carreira.

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— Foi o ano mais especial da minha carreira, por tudo. Fico feliz pelos títulos, pelos grandes jogos que fizemos, pelas conquistas, pelos companheiros e pela sequência de um trabalho que vem sendo construído com seriedade. Esse grupo é muito comprometido e tem fome de ganhar — afirmou o volante.

➡️Frustração no fim do ano mostra que a régua elevou para o Bahia

Jean Lucas convocado pela primeira vez

Sem dúvidas, um fator que fez a diferença para tamanho entusiasmo de Jean Lucas foi a convocação para a seleção brasileira no final de agosto. A vaga veio de “surpresa” com a confirmação da lesão de Joelinton, mas caiu como uma luva para ele, que foi chamado para a Seleção principal pela primeira vez e interrompeu um hiato de 34 anos sem jogadores do Bahia na vestindo a camisa verde e amarela. Além disso, desde 2017 um atleta que atuava no Nordeste não era chamado para defender o Brasil.

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Jean participou durante cerca de 17 minutos da partida contra a Bolívia, em Elto, pela última rodada das Eliminatórias.

— Vestir a camisa da Seleção Brasileira e representar o Bahia e o povo baiano é algo que eu sempre sonhei. Viver tudo isso na prática é marcante e inesquecível. Só tenho a agradecer a Deus, ao clube, aos torcedores e a todos que fizeram parte desse ano tão importante para mim — celebrou.

Com contrato até dezembro de 2028, Jean Lucas mantém o status de destaque no Bahia e segue como uma das principais peças do time para, quem sabe, voltar a encantar Ancelotti em ano de Copa do Mundo.

Tudo sobre

BahiaFutebol NacionalJean LucasSeleção Brasileira

After beating Barcelona and drawing with Arsenal, Chelsea’s good week of results came grinding to a halt away to Leeds United.

Enzo Maresca’s side were defeated 3-1 at Elland Road, with two strikes in the first half and a late goal enough to sink them.

They did, of course, get on the scoresheet themselves. Pedro Neto was the man who found the back of the net, converting a Jamie Gittens cross at the back post just after half-time.

However, it proved to be too little, with Chelsea putting in a lacklustre performance overall.

It was a night to forget for the West Londoners, and in particular, Tosin Adarabioyo.

Tosin’s struggles vs. Leeds

At 2-1 down with 15 minutes or so to go, Chelsea were still in the game. However, it was an error from Tosin which gifted the home side the chance to score their third and seal an impressive victory.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was the man who tapped home from two yards out. It came after Tosin played a risky backpass to Robert Sanchez, putting the Spaniard under immediate pressure in his six-yard box.

Leeds pounced, won the ball back, and it was a simple tap-in for their number nine.

The former Manchester City academy player has been a bit-part player under Maresca this term. Tosin has only played 13 games across all competitions, amassing 872 minutes. That is the equivalent of just nine full 90-minute games.

It will be interesting to see what his role is going forward after an error like that. Former Blues midfielder John Obi Mikel said in the summer that Tosin is “not a Chelsea standard defender.”

Well, after an error like that, it is easy to see why Mikel is of that opinion.

There is a defender waiting in the wings who Maresca could unleash to effectively end Tosin’s time at Stamford Bridge.

The Chelsea star ready to overtake Tosin

Chelsea’s depth at centre-back took a hit in August when Levi Colwill suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The full extent of Maresca’s squad at centre-back has been tested this season, including Tosin.

One man who has impressed and could leapfrog the 28-year-old in the pecking order is academy graduate Josh Acheampong. At 19 years of age, he has been described as the “future of Chelsea” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Acheampong has certainly had his minutes managed by the Italian. He’s played nine times, but has impressed on each of those occasions, playing more than an hour four times in the Premier League.

He even got his first senior goal away to Nottingham Forest in the 3-0 win at the City Ground in October.

One of the standout attributes in Acheampong’s game is his ability on the ball. Kulig noted that he has “excellent technical capacity and range of passing,” which would serve him well in a Chelsea side that likes to dominate the ball.

In the Premier League this season, they average 58.7% possession, the third highest in the top flight.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Indeed, his underlying numbers reinforce the fact that Acheampong is such a good ball-playing defender.

The England under-21 star ranks in the top 9% of centre-backs in Europe for average passes completed per game, with 67.34.

Passes completed

67.34

91st

Pass accuracy

90.8%

80th

Carries

61.91

99th

Tackles won

1.09

76th

Interceptions

1.24

71st

Chelsea’s whole club philosophy at the moment is about investing in youth and looking towards the future.

Being a Cobham graduate, Acheampong certainly puts a big tick in that box and has already shown his quality at first-team level.

Tosin’s bad form could well be enough for Maresca to ditch him from the starting lineup. With injuries being an issue and such a need to rotate the squad, it might provide Acheampong with the perfect opportunity to stake his claim and lock down a permanent starting spot.

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Something is happening at Chelsea this season.

Enzo Maresca’s side blew Spanish champions Barcelona away in the Champions League last Tuesday and then followed that up with a sensational performance against Arsenal in the Premier League.

The Blues were by far the better team for most of the first half, and even after Moises Caicedo was sent off, they scored a goal and held on for a point.

Now, having the Ecuadorian out for three games is a problem, but Maresca could solve it by unleashing one of Chelsea’s most exciting young stars.

Chelsea's solutions to Caicedo's red card

With it highly unlikely that Caicedo’s ban will be overturned – if it’s even appealed – Chelsea need to come up with a solution for the next three games. This is a player who is renowned as one of the best midfielders in the world, a player of the calibre of a certain Declan Rice. Therefore, replacing him will not be easy.

One answer could be to keep Reece James in the middle of the park, drop Enzo Fernández back next to him to create a double pivot and start Cole Palmer ahead of them.

Now, this would be quite a change, but it would allow the captain to continue to boss games from a central area and bring the club’s best player back into the most important part of the team.

Moreover, if the Englishman is pulling the strings in the ten position, Estevao can keep his place on the right, where he tore Barça to bits last week.

However, if Enzo only wants to make one personnel change to the side to keep up momentum, he could be extra brave and bring one of Cobham’s most exciting youngsters into the side: Reggie Walsh.

The 17-year-old star in the making is someone who could slot in next to James in the midfield and, especially against a poor Leeds United, earn some brilliant experience.

It would certainly be a bold move, but even though he’s so young, the academy gem is seen as “truly ridiculous” talent, per Como scout Felix Johnston, and has already made four appearances for the senior side.

Yet, with all that said, there is a far more realistic and sensible option Maresca could go for.

Chelsea's ideal solution to Caicedo's red card

With Dario Essugo unlikely to be fit enough to play a significant role over the next three games, Maresca should turn to Andrey Santos to cover for Caicedo.

Chalkboard

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The 21-year-old is still most certainly a little raw and clearly not the finished article, but there are a few reasons why he would be the perfect solution to the Blues’ problem.

The first is that with him being comfortable playing in central and defensive midfield, he could form a fluid partnership with James and Fernandez.

In other words, the three of them could rotate in and out of positions in the middle of the park, making life difficult for opposition defenders and attackers.

The second reason is that, thanks to his comfort in a variety of positions, he has developed a skill set that makes him effective in attack and, in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig, a duel-winning “one-man war machine in midfield.”

For example, despite only playing 655 minutes across nine appearances this season, he has already produced four goal involvements.

His underlying numbers are also sensational.

Santos’ Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Tackles Won

2.09

Top 3%

Tkl+Int

4.26

Top 7%

Goals + Assists

0.39

Top 8%

Pass Completion % (Long)

77.3%

Top 8%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.20

Top 9%

Goals/Shot

0.14

Top 15%

Clearances

2.33

Top 16%

Pass Completion %

88.3%

Top 17%

Fouls Drawn

1.74

Top 17%

All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won, the top 8% for goals plus assists, the 13% for dribblers tackled and more, all per 90.

Finally, given his brilliant box-to-box skill set, he would add some more dynamism and explosiveness to the middle of the park, which, against teams like Leeds, could make the Blues impossible to live with.

Ultimately, while nobody in the Chelsea squad can replace Caicedo in a like-for-like capacity, Santos could bring something else to the side and keep the quality level high.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 30, 2025

Arsenal’s terrible luck with injuries last year seems to have carried over to this season.

On top of the mountain of attacking injuries, Mikel Arteta is now set to be without Gabriel Magaheles for up to two months.

Fortunately, the squad is fairly well stacked in defensive areas, and so while it’s not ideal, the Spaniard should be able to find a way to make his backline work.

Moreover, that defensive depth is likely to get even stronger within a few years, as Hale End are currently brewing someone who could be a dream Gabriel heir.

Arsenal's next Hale End stars

It feels like every season now, a Hale End gem or two emerge and slot right into Arsenal’s first team, be that Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly or even Max Dowman.

The good news for the Emirates faithful and Arteta is that the production of incredible young talents shows no signs of stopping, with a few academy gems looking likely to make a first-team appearance or two in the coming years.

One of those who seems destined for the senior side is Northern Irish youth international Ceadach O’Neill.

The 17-year-old attacker joined the club in 2023 and has shone for the u18s.

On top of being able to play across the frontline, the “brilliantly” talented gem, as dubbed by the Gunners’ U21 coach David Horseman, has shown an eye for goal, scoring 11 and providing five assists in 32 games for the u18s.

Right Winger

11

2

3

Centre-Forward

7

6

1

Left Winger

7

3

1

Right Midfield

2

0

1

Left Midfield

1

0

0

Another hugely exciting young attacker is Brando Bailey-Joseph.

The 17-year-old only signed scholarship terms with the club a few months ago, but has already been rewarded with a professional deal thanks to his sensational performances this season.

For example, in 14 appearances this season, totalling 929 minutes, he’s scored four goals and provided four assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.75 games, or every 116.12 minutes.

Hale End expert Will Balsam has described the youngster as an “explosive” attacker whose “quickness and sharp cuts” make him a “menace” for opposing defenders – which sounds like the sort of left-winger the first team could use.

In all, there are more than a handful of academy gems like O’Neill and Bailey-Joseph who could soon make it into the first team, but few are as exciting as Hale End’s best defensive prospect in years.

Hale End's future Gabriel replacement

Now, for a youngster to be considered as a future replacement or heir for Gabriel, they’ve got to be something pretty special.

Fortunately, as things stand, Marli Salmon looks to be just that.

In fact, Mattinson has gone out on a limb and described the exceptionally talented prospect as “the best CB Hale End has produced.”

What makes the 16-year-old so special, then? Well, like the big Brazilian he might one day step in for, he’s excellent at reading the game and is incredibly cultured on the ball.

For example, Mattinson has described him as “technically advanced,” and Balsam argues that he’s “different gravy on the ball” and has a perfect “mix of control and aggression.”

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

However, if he wants to one day step into Big Gabis’ shoes, he also needs to be someone who can engage in a bit of old-school defending, someone who can hold their own against the battering rams.

Fortunately, despite looking relatively slight – he is still 16 after all – the Hale Ender is already showing signs that he’s far stronger than he looks.

According to Balsam, he’s an “athletically gifted” defender who marries technical composure with “freak physical attributes.”

Finally, the last sign that he has a bright future ahead of him is that he featured in pre-season and, just like Dowman, didn’t look too out of place.

Ultimately, there is still a long way to go, but Salmon looks like he could be Hale End’s next superstar and the perfect long-term replacement for Gabriel.

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