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A negociação entre Palmeiras e Roberto Pereyra tem prazo definido para seu capítulo final. Isso porque as partes estabeleceram que nesta sexta-feira (8) haverá uma resposta para o sim ou para o não. Há otimismo pela concretização do acordo, ainda mais pelo fechamento da janela da Arábia Saudita nesta quinta (7). Agora, a concorrência fica menor para o Verdão assinar com o jogador argentino.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Segundo apurado pela a reportagem do Lance!, o Alviverde não quer alongar as conversas para que elas não tenham como desfecho algo parecido com os últimos fracassos do clube no mercado, que causaram desgaste interna e externamente. Dessa forma, as partes acordaram em tratar o assunto de forma objetiva e mais rápida possível. Por isso o prazo desta sexta (8) para uma resposta, seja negativa ou positiva.

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

Fontes ligadas ao jogador demonstram otimismo maior do que o do Palmeiras em relação à assinatura do contrato e consideram que as conversas caminham bem. Os dirigentes do Verdão adotam cautela, até porque sabem que podem ter alguma concorrência de última hora, uma vez que Pereyra já demonstrou sua preferência por permanecer na Europa, em detrimento de voltar para a América do Sul.

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Tanto um lado quanto o outro sabem dos valores que um está disposto a receber e o outro está disposto a pagar. De acordo com a apuração do Lance!, a diferença entre as expectativas não é grande, o que poderia ser resolvido com a sinalização positiva da parte do jogador.

+ OLHAR DO PORCO: Roberto Pereyra seria a oportunidade de mercado perfeita ao Palmeiras

Outro fator que contribui a favor do Alviverde é o fechamento da janela da Arábia Saudita nesta sexta-feira (7). Esse seria um mercado que potencialmente atrairia o argentino, mesmo não sendo na Europa. No entanto, nada foi acertado por lá.

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Vale lembrar que Pereyra pode ser contratado, pois está livre no mercado desde julho, quando deixou a Udinese-ITA. O Palmeiras poderia utilizá-lo tanto no Brasileirão, pois a inscrição vai até 15 de setembro, quanto na Libertadores, já que a inscrição para a semifinal vai até 24 de setembro.

Com passagem pela seleção argentina, o meia de 32 anos atuou em quatro times na carreira: River Plate-ARG, Udinese-ITA, Juventus-ITA e Watford-ING. Na última temporada, com a camisa da Udinese, ele disputou 36 partidas, marcou cinco gols e distribuiu sete assistências.

Tudo sobre

PalmeirasRoberto Pereyra

Liverpool have had an unblemished start to the Premier League and Champions League this season after securing narrow victories against the likes of Arsenal, Atlético Madrid and most recently Everton.

First-half goals from Ryan Gravenberch and new signing Hugo Ekitiké were enough to see off their Merseyside rivals, even after Idrissa Gueye’s second-half goal looked like Everton may be able to mount a comeback.

After emerging victorious in the derby, Arne Slot was quizzed about how his team coped with a difficult run of fixtures: “This is also the reason why teams like us, Chelsea, all the ones that are playing in Europe need a squad like this, because you need to play so many games.”

The depth of Slot’s squad will be on full display in their opening League Cup game this week as he confirmed that five of the weekend’s starters will be absent from the fixture.

Five ruled out of Southampton League Cup clash

In his pre-match press conference, Slot confirmed that a number of players would be rotated when Liverpool face Will Still’s Southampton. The players that fans won’t be seeing on Tuesday night are Virgil Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Mohamed Salah, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Van Dijk, Salah, Szoboszlai and Konate have played the most minutes of any Liverpool outfield players this season, and Gravenberch has played the ninth most, which is likely why they are being rested against this poor-form Southampton side, with all five also playing three games in the space of six days last week.

Despite being one of the favourites to push for promotion this season, Southampton have had a poor start to life back in the Championship with only one win from their opening six games.

While it has not been confirmed by Slot, another player who could be rotated for Southampton is Goalkeeper Alisson. Last week, The Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele shared that new goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili had been “pencilled in” for a debut in this fixture.

Predicted Liverpool XI vs Southampton

One of the biggest benefits of Liverpool’s big summer is that they have high-quality options on the bench when they need to rotate. When defensive changes have been made this season, it has been Joe Gomez or Waturo Endo who have filled in at centre-back, but it seems likely only the former will start there against Southampton. Gomez is likely to be paired with 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni, who arrived from Italian side Parma in the summer.

In midfield, Slot could start Endo and Curtis Jones. Jones had been out of the side due to an injury sustained before the international break, but he got minutes against Everton, suggesting he is ready to be reintroduced to the team.

Only three players have scored more than one goal for Liverpool this season, and with Gravenberch and Salah confirmed to be out of the lineup, they will need to come from elsewhere. This could be the perfect opportunity for Florian Wirtz to find his shooting boots and show fans why Liverpool spent so much on him.

Alternatively, Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer, Rio Ngumoha, could be given a chance. His three appearances this season have only amounted to 20 minutes of game time, with the highlight being his late winner against Newcastle.

With Southampton’s poor form, trying out some of these lesser-used players will unlikely run much risk. Each of the players mentioned would find game time against Southampton valuable for different reasons, and the match may serve as the perfect opportunity for Slot to give them what they need.

Predicted Liverpool XI vs Southampton: Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Gomez, Leoni, Robertson, Jones, Endo, Wirtz, Chiesa, Isak, Ngumoha

Bangladesh batter Soumya Sarkar has been ruled out of the three T20Is in Pakistan in June by a back injury. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who is playing for Lahore Qalandars in the PSL 2025 playoffs, has been picked as a replacement.Soumya missed the three T20Is against UAE in Sharjah, a series Bangladesh lost 2-1, and the team physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said he would need a couple of weeks to recover.”Following medical evaluation, it has been determined that the injury requires an extended rehabilitation period of approximately 10 to 12 days,” Bayjedul said. “This effectively means that he will not be available for next week’s three-match series in Pakistan.”Bangladesh’s selectors had dropped Mehidy from the T20I squad that was originally picked for the tours of UAE and Pakistan. Mehidy, however, has had a productive 2024-25 season. He was the Player of the Tournament in the BPL for scoring 355 runs and taking 13 wickets, and was also the Player of the Test Series against Zimbabwe for taking three five-wicket hauls and scoring a hundred.Mehidy is with his countrymen Shakib Al Hasan and Rishad Hossain in the Qalandars squad, and he will join the Bangladesh team in Lahore after his PSL commitments. Bangladesh play three T20Is against Pakistan in Lahore on May 28, 30 and June 1.

A number of iconic strikers have donned Sunderland red and white over the years, getting the Black Cats out of many sticky patches in the Premier League.

Kevin Phillips will always go down as the most memorable, notably winning The Golden Boot on Wearside when he powered home 30 strikes during Sunderland’s 1999/2000 campaign.

While Jermain Defoe would never hit these amazing heights, the lethal Englishman did consistently bail his team out of relegation danger when scoring 34 top-flight goals over three seasons near the bottom of the tough division.

In the here and now, a new hero is forming to potentially rival the exploits of both journeyman attackers.

Wilson Isidor was already firmly in the Stadium of Light’s good books when he fired home 13 strikes last season to steer Sunderland back up to the top-flight after a seven-year absence.

So, Isidor, already bagging some crucial strikes in the infancy of this season, has not harmed his glowing reputation among the hardened Wearside masses whatsoever. Rather, it has significantly strengthened his fan favourite status.

Isidor's start to Premier League life

Often, the jump-up from the Championship to the Premier League can swallow a player whole.

Many Sunderland supporters might have anticipated that the French striker would find the step-up in quality to be a frightening one to navigate. Instead, he has seemingly taken it in his stride.

Three glorious strikes have already been picked up by the ex-Zenit St. Petersburg forward, with those first two efforts only coming about from a combined 39 minutes of action.

The Black Cats’ “one man machine” – as he was glowingly labelled by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley in the second tier – has since become Le Bris’ main starter up top, with that third and final strike falling against Aston Villa handing the ten men on the day a dramatic share of the points.

Isidor will just be glad he hasn’t been branded as a presence who couldn’t handle the intense heat of the Premier League, with Unai Emery’s Villans reportedly contemplating a move for the skilful 6-foot-1 striker, off the back of his late heroics at the tail-end of September.

Unfortunately, not every addition made by Sunderland in recent memory has been able to make their start to top-flight life in England look as seamless, with Jozy Altidore still sticking out to this day as one of the Black Cats’ worst blunders in the attacking department.

Altidore's awful spell at Sunderland in numbers

In the summer of 2013, Sunderland must have thought they’d picked up a stellar bargain when landing Altidore’s signature for a modest £9m.

After all, he was just fresh off an insanely potent season in the Eredivisie with AZ Alkmaar, with a stunning 23 league goals fired home from just 33 games during his swansong campaign in the Netherlands.

Games played

42

Minutes played

2080

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

Unfortunately, he never found that same lethal form on English soil, culminating in Altidore’s smart turn and finish against Chelsea – which can be seen above – going down as his only strike for the Wearside outfit from 42 largely forgettable outings.

Labelled as “Dozy Anti-score” by some Sunderland fans, Isidor will just be glad he has never received similar vitriol, with the Frenchman a reliable source of goals and entertainment, thankfully, as opposed to being public enemy number one for being wasteful in front of goal.

Coincidentally, the American’s nightmare at the Stadium of Light came to a halt when an exchange deal for the aforementioned Defoe to move back to England was arranged with Toronto FC. Altidore then turned into a dependable MLS marksman for the Canadian side.

Yet, a modern-day tale similar to Altidore’s could now be playing out in real time.

Sunderland "powerhouse" could be the next Altidore

Thankfully, most of Sunderland’s summer purchases haven’t fallen victim to the Altidore curse of freezing in the big time.

It was to be expected that Granit Xhaka would be an instant hit under Le Bris’ wing in the Premier League, having already proven himself to be a forceful machine with Arsenal in the demanding division.

But, other new faces such as Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete – who once called France and Spain home – have instantly slotted into the Frenchman’s lineup, too, and looked near faultless, with just three league goals given up as a pairing, before a humbling 2-0 defeat to Manchester United.

Yet, while a lot of the summer business has gone down as success stories from the get-go, striker Brian Brobbey is yet to live up to the “goal machine” tag once handed to him by scout Jacek Kulig, when gifted limited opportunities to impress.

In an eerily similar fashion to Altidore, Brobbey had long been seen as a feared goalscorer in the Eredivisie for previous employers Ajax before embarking on a fresh adventure to English shores, with the homegrown Amsterdam product bagging a lethal 56 strikes from 163 contests.

Therefore, with the 23-year-old also costing a bumper £17.3m to obtain in a stunning deadline day swoop, the world would have been expected of Brobbey on his arrival, with Isidor likely to be displaced by the number nine’s efficient ability to put away chances in an instant.

Games played

3

Games started

0

Minutes*

21

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

5.7

Accurate passes*

1.3 (50%)

Total duels won*

1.3

In reality, Brobbey has struggled for gametime whilst Isidor continues to steal the limelight, much like Altidore was guilty of playing second fiddle to figures such as Steven Fletcher and Connor Wickham.

Worryingly, the brand-new number 9 is yet to even register a single shot in the Premier League from his three lacklustre cameos, away from also averaging just 5.7 touches of the ball per substitute appearance.

He has also looked concerningly weak in physical battles despite once being noted as a “powerhouse” by scout Antonio Mango, with just one aerial duel from four attempted won last time out against Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils.

It is far too early in the season to be writing off individuals, but it will be intriguing to see how long Brobbey’s early barren patch of form can run before he is looked down on as a potential expensive flop.

For now, Le Bris will hope he can come good, but it will be bothering some at the Stadium of Light already that the £17.3m signing could go down as a similar Altidore-style misfire.

Seb Larsson 2.0: Le Bris must unleash Sunderland's "sensational" talent

One wizard shines for Sunderland, drawing early comparisons to Seb Larsson

ByWill Miller Oct 4, 2025

The last couple of weeks for Chelsea have been topsy-turvy to say the least, with the last couple of outings falling way below the standards of manager Enzo Maresca.

Expectations were heightened after the summer recruitment, which saw just shy of £300m of new talent making the move to Stamford Bridge during the off-season.

However, in the first six outings, the Blues have been victorious twice, with their last win coming way back at the end of August with a 2-0 win over London rivals Fulham.

The Italian will no doubt want to correct such a slump, which has seen his side lose both of their last two Premier League outings to both Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Such attempts haven’t been aided by the side’s disciplinary record in recent outings, with the side collecting two red cards in each of the last two matches in England’s top-flight.

Trevoh Chalobah's worrying start to 2025/26 for Chelsea

After Robert Sanchez’s dismissal against Manchester United last week, centre-back Trevoh Chalobah became the second Chelsea player in as many matches to be sent for an early bath.

The centre-back started his eighth consecutive game of the 2025/26 campaign, but once again failed to deliver – even before his straight red card against Fabian Hurzeler’s side.

The England international was adjudged to have slipped Diego Gomez whilst the attacker was through on goal, leading to a VAR intervention

and his subsequent dismissal.

However, up until he left the field after 53 minutes, he struggled to have the desired effect, failing to win any of the duels he entered whilst also failing to make a single tackle.

The 26-year-old certainly cost the side the three points in West London, with the Blues still struggling with finding their best partnership at the heart of the backline.

As a result, the club may have made a mistake in allowing one player to depart – with the former first team member reaching the next level in his career after leaving the club.

The former Chelsea star who’s now better than Chalobah

Given the sheer volume of players turned over at Chelsea over the last couple of years, it’s no surprise that players who have been offloaded have managed to star elsewhere.

Since Todd Boehly arrived back in May 2022, the Blues have spent upwards of £1.4b on new additions to help them rise up the Premier League table in the near future.

However, in an attempt to strengthen, players have also had to make way to help balance the books and lessen the risk of being hit with any punishment for breaking PSR rules.

In the summer of 2024, numerous players were sacrificed by new boss Maresca, one of whom was centre-back Malang Sarr, who departed on a free transfer to join French side Lens.

He originally joined on a free transfer from Nice back in the summer of 2020, arriving with a lot of hype given his four-year stint in the first team in Ligue 1.

However, injuries and lack of faith from the manager saw him rapidly fall down the pecking order, subsequently making just 21 appearances for the Blues.

As a result, the 26-year-old would return to his homeland, with Sarr resurrecting his once promising career with Lens over the last couple of seasons.

He’s featured in every minute of the league campaign in 2025/26 to date, subsequently managing to outperform current first-team star Chalobah in the process.

Malang Sarr – stats in Ligue 1 (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

5

Minutes played

450

Pass accuracy

88%

Tackles won

1.8

Duels won

68%

Aerials won

65%

Interceptions made

2.4

Recoveries made

4.4

Stats via FotMob

Sarr, who’s been labelled “incredible” by one analyst, has won more tackles per 90, whilst also winning more aerial duels – offering a more dominant option to Maresca had he been kept on the books.

The Frenchman has also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, arguably offering a more rounded ball-playing option – something which is vital in the Italian’s current system.

To top off his dominance over the England international, he’s also made more clearances and interceptions per 90 – further showcasing his incredible talents out of possession.

Such numbers highlight the superb rise Sarr has endured over the last few years, with his move to Lens undoubtedly being a success after his failure at Stamford Bridge.

The decision to allow him to depart now appears to be a questionable one, with the Blues’ loss now the French side’s gain given his tremendous form over recent times.

Related As bad as Chalobah: 4/10 Chelsea gem showed he’s not ready for PL start yet

Chelsea suffered a 3-1 loss at home to Brighton and this player failed to step up.

Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Sep 27, 2025

يلتقي منتخب مصر لكرة اليد تحت 17 عامًا، اليوم الخميس، مع نظيره إسبانيا ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين.

ويواجه المنتخب المصري نظيره إسبانيا ضمن منافسات نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين المقامة في المغرب.

طالع | منتخب مصر يهزم المغرب ويحقق فوزه الثالث على التوالي في كأس العالم لليد

وتأهل منتخب مصر إلى نصف نهائي البطولة بعد تصدر المجموعة الأولى من 3 انتصارات بالفوز على البرازيل وأمريكا والمغرب.

وصعد منتخب مصر إلى دور نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا، ليضرب موعدًا مع المنتخب الإسباني متصدر المجموعة الثانية.

وتقام بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا، في الفترة من 24 أكتوبر وحتى 1 نوفمبر 2025، في المغرب، وتضم 12 منتخبا مقسمة على 3 مجموعات. موعد مباراة مصر وإسبانيا في نصف نهائي كأس العالم لكرة اليد تحت 17 عامًا

تقام مباراة مصر وإسبانيا، اليوم الخميس في تمام الساعة 10:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مصر وإسبانيا في نصف نهائي كأس العالم لكرة اليد

ومن المقرر أن تنقل المباراة على قناة “أون سبورت”. معلق مباراة مصر وإسبانيا في نصف نهائي كأس العالم لكرة اليد

ويعلق خالد خيري على مباراة مصر وإسبانيا في كأس العالم للناشئين لكرة اليد.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Ollie Robinson top-scores in hosts’ 277 but late wickets keep contest on an even keel

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay23-May-2025Matt Henry took four wickets for Somerset but 20-year-old Mitch Killeen’s late strike helped Durham just shade the first day of the Rothesay County Championship match at the Banks Homes Riverside.Despite Ollie Robinson’s 52 and a half-century stand for the last wicket, the home side were dismissed for 277 in their first innings in a match between teams who possess identical records and are currently separated by a handful of bonus points in the Division One table.Having accounted for three top-order batsmen, Henry returned figures of 4 for 60 but Somerset were 63 for 3 in reply at the close with the wicket of Tom Lammonby falling to Championship debutant Killeen for 24 just seven balls before the close.The day’s cricket began in atrocious fashion for the home side when their captain, Alex Lees, inside-edged Henry’s first ball of the game onto his off stump ands departed for a golden duck.Ben McKinney and Emilio Gay then repaired the home side’s innings with a 65-run stand in 20 overs before McKinney was caught behind by James Rew for 30 when he played outside a ball from Josh Davey that was angled in to him from around the wicket.Gay had already been dropped on 26 at midwicket by Jack Leach off Migael Pretorius when McKinney’s wicket fell but the former Northamptonshire batsman could not capitalise on his escape. Instead he was dismissed for 41 a quarter of an hour before lunch when he top edged a pull off Henry to Tom Abell at long leg.Having seen Lewis Gregory lose the toss, Somerset’s bowlers were probably satisfied with a lunch score of 96 for 3. And they would have been ecstatic a few minutes after the resumption when the palpably dangerous David Bedingham shuffled across his stumps, looked to work the ball to leg and was lbw to his fellow South African, Pretorius, for 17.Robinson responded to that reverse by taking hitting three fine fours in four balls of an over from Craig Overton and all this seemed to set the tone for a session in which quick runs were traded for wickets. Having made 51 runs off 45 deliveries since his lunch and reached his half-century in 61 minutes off 52 balls in all, Robinson was caught by Rew off Henry when he nicked a ball of full length towards first slip, only to see the diving keeper complete a fine catch.Graham Clark then made 15 in 21 minutes before apparently snicking Josh Davey down the leg side to Rew and his departure left Durham on 185 for 6 in the 50th over. Colin Ackermann was bowled by Overton for 30 and five balls later, Raine was leg before to Pretorius for 25. Tea arrived with Durham on 227 for 8, 131 runs having been scored and five wickets taken in the session’s 34 overs.Five balls into the evening session, Killeen’s first innings in Championship cricket ended when he was caught by first slip Lewis Gregory off Henry for a 15-ball nought but Codi Yusuf and Minto then batted as calmly and sensibly as most of the top order to take Durham to their first bonus point of the innings.And not content with adding the 23 runs necessary for that landmark to be reached, the pair put on exactly 50 before Minto, who made 67 as a nightwatch-opener last week, was caught by Lammonby at square leg off Pretorius for 34. Yusuf was unbeaten on 16 and Pretorius finished with 3 for 63.Somerset’s first innings also began poorly when Gregory was bowled by Minto for 5 when his attempt to let the ball go only diverted it into his stumps but Davey and Lammonby added 42 before Davey was caught at slip off Yusuf for 24 and Lammonby was caught behind off Killeen for 18

GOAL looks at the tiers of teams in the 2025 MLS playoffs, asking who might win it all and who is just happy to be here?

It's MLS playoff time. In the Eastern Conference, Philadelphia were deserved Supporters' Shield winners. FC Cincinnati did enough to run them close. Inter Miami were bad for a bit, then ended up in third. In the West, there was a little more tension, especially as LAFC turned things around with a smart midseason transfer flurry. 

And now the good news is that there are some tasty playoff matchups. Miami-Nashville should make for good watching, especially if Nashville perform at their best. Minnesota-Seattle will be an intriguing one. And of course, having a Hell is Real derby in the first round is just wonderfully compelling.

But how will it all shake out? In this league, it is simply impossible to know. By winning the Shield, the Union actually made themselves historically less likely to lift MLS Cup. So, with that rampant uncertainty in mind, GOAL ranks MLS playoff tiers.

Getty Images SportTIER: Clear Favorites

Philadelphia Union: Is it lazy to say that the team that won the Supporters' Shield are also the team best positioned to win MLS Cup? Of course. But in this case, it might be true. The Union, crucially, were steady all season. They never really blew anyone away, but they also developed a fantastic habit of rebounding from tough results. What we have here, then, is a battle hardened side, with the necessary belief to match up against anyone. Perhaps the only knock against them is an ACL tear suffered by Quinn Sullivan, as they lose an attacking spark.

San Diego FC: This would be excellent for the narrative. No one had a clue if expansion side San Diego FC would be good or not. Sure, they made some notable signings, and had the backing of the Right to Dream model. But young sporting directors, a rookie head coach, and distinctly not flashy DP signings don't always inspire confidence. Well, they got it right, and topped the Western Conference. Chucky Lozano's recurring fitness issues will always be a slight concern, but Anders Dreyer would walk the MVP race had it not been for the presence of Lionel Messi. There's quality here, and a groundswell of support.

FC Cincinnati: What happens when you take an already elite team and add Evander? As it turns out, good things. Cincinnati have been spellbinding at times, and with Kevin Denkey bagging 15 goals in his first season, can be among the best attacking sides in the league. Defense will be the question. Matt Miazga has returned from a long-term knee issue, but there are still questions to be asked about their rear guard. Roman Celentano has developed between the sticks, though, and can be counted on for a big save or two. 

AdvertisementGettyTIER: Will Lean On Their Stars

Inter Miami: Obvious. If Messi decides to play football, Miami might win it.

Vancouver Whitecaps: Vancouver were excellent to start the season, but experienced some real issues as the campaign wore on. Pedro Vite's departure to Pumas hurt, and they have clear concerns at centerback. Enter former Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller, who has shown why he is one of the finest players of his generation with countless top performances. He will never truly stand out, but he can secretly pace this team. 

LAFC: Son Heung-Min has been the best player in MLS for the past two months and it's not really a debate. If he and Denis Bouanga work their magic, they will be hard to stop.

GettyTIER: A Really Tough Out

Minnesota United: There are two ways of looking at Minnesota's play style. They are either infuriatingly defensive set piece merchants who lack the verve and quality to take the game to another side, or a wonderfully set up side that is comfortable playing without the ball – and could quite easily engineer a series of 1-0 wins. Either way, they will hard to beat, especially if Kelvin Yeboah is able to find some form following a stretch out with a muscle injury. 

Nashville SC: Nashville's best performance of the season was their US Open Cup semifinal win over Philadelphia. It was a gutsy thing, B.J. Callaghan's side digging in, scrapping for 90 minutes, and getting three goals out of the best pure No. 9 this league has to offer. That is equal parts strength and weakness. If Nashville keep up that intensity and get Sam Surridge on the ball, they will be a true handful. But they do have some defensive frailties, and can be found out by more technical sides when their levels drop. 

Columbus Crew: There's one reason here: Wilfried Nancy. The Crew were supposed to be MLS Cup contenders, and many had them towards the top of the East. But it hasn't quite worked out for them this year. The good news? They have an elite coach at the helm. Count out Nancy at your peril – especially in a trio of derby matches.

NYCFC: The Pigeons are puzzling. They have pieced together some truly excellent performances against Charlotte, Columbus and Cincinnati. But they have also lost to D.C. United and been thumped by Miami. Perhaps the best compliment you can pay them is that you never know which version of the side will show up. If it's the one that has upset some of the East's best, look out. If not, things will be tricky.

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Getty Images SportTIER: Dark Horses

Seattle Sounders: Never, ever, ever, ever count out Brian Schmetzer. That's pretty much it. 

Charlotte FC: They are lacking the consistency needed to go on a run. At their best, they are the side that battered Miami, 3-0. But they can go quiet in attacking areas at times, and will be without Wilfried Zaha for the first of their three-game series with NYCFC, which is an undeniable blow.

Bayern Munich have been told it would be a “must” to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck if contract talks with Dayot Upamecano collapse. With the Frenchman’s future uncertain and Liverpool monitoring the situation, Lothar Matthaus believes the German international could be the ideal replacement one who already knows the Bundesliga inside out.

• Bayern weigh Schlotterbeck move as Upamecano future hangs in balance

  Upamecano’s contract standoff has created an unexpected headache for Bayern, prompting the German champions to explore potential replacements. The French defender, who remains a cornerstone of Vincent Kompany’s backline, has yet to agree on an extension beyond 2026 amid stalled negotiations over wage demands.

  Upamecano’s representatives are reportedly pushing for a package worth around €15 million (£13m/$16m) per year along with a hefty signing bonus, terms Bayern are reluctant to meet. With talks dragging on, uncertainty has grown inside the club over the defender’s long-term future.

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  Matthaus urges Bayern to act quickly on Schlotterbeck

  The situation has led Bavarians to identify Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck as a prime target should they fail to reach a breakthrough. The 25-year-old has emerged as one of Germany’s standout defenders, excelling for both club and country, and his contract in BVB runs until 2027.

  Club legend Matthaus has made his stance clear: Bayern cannot afford to hesitate. He insisted that Schlotterbeck should be viewed as more than an alternative rather, as a logical successor if Upamecano leaves.

  "If things don't work out with Upamecano, then Schlotterbeck would definitely be more than an alternative. Then bringing him to Munich would almost be a must," Matthaus said. "Because he's familiar with the Bundesliga, because he plays alongside Tah on the national team."

  He added: "That would make sense to me, because his contract wouldn't run as long. But it might be a bit cheaper than with [Nick] Woltemade… Price tag, price tag, yes, thin ice. But that's the contract term, you have to take that into account. That's why I say: Yes, Schlotterbeck would be cheaper than Woltemade!"

• Liverpool interest fades as Bayern’s urgency grows

  Liverpool’s withdrawal from the race to sign Schlotterbeck has opened the door for Die Roten to make their move. The Premier League giants had been monitoring the BVB defender amid uncertainty over Ibrahima Konate’s future, but they have since shifted their focus elsewhere after failing to land Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

  Despite that, the Reds’ defensive depth remains stretched, with young centre-back Giovanni Leoni sidelined by a serious ACL injury. Reports in England suggest Liverpool could revisit the centre-back market in 2026, possibly reigniting their pursuit of Guehi when he becomes available on a free transfer.

  For Bayern, the stakes are more immediate. Losing Upamecano without a replacement lined up would weaken Kompany’s defensive setup ahead of another demanding campaign across domestic and European competitions. Schlotterbeck’s familiarity with the Bundesliga, combined with his strong left-footed profile, makes him an ideal candidate to slot seamlessly into Bayern’s backline.

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  Der Klassiker could influence Bayern’s transfer direction

  The timing of this transfer debate couldn’t be more symbolic, with Bayern and Dortmund set to clash this weekend in Der Klassiker. The champions have started the season flawlessly, winning all six of their Bundesliga fixtures to sit top of the table with 18 points. Die Borussen, meanwhile, hope to end that streak and inject new life into the title race.

  A strong performance from Schlotterbeck in this high-profile encounter could further strengthen Bayern’s resolve to move for him especially if Upamecano’s contract saga drags into the winter. Sporting director Max Eberl is said to be leading efforts to either secure Upamecano’s renewal before January or prepare a contingency plan.

  If talks fail to progress by the new year, Bayern could push aggressively for Schlotterbeck ahead of the summer transfer window. Dortmund, however, are expected to fight hard to keep their defensive linchpin, with the player’s camp reportedly reluctant to commit to new terms until they have clarity on the club’s sporting direction.

Nottingham Forest are set to embark on a new era under Ange Postecoglou, though their newly-appointed boss has been dealt a serious injury blow at the City Ground.

Ange Postecoglou set to get to work at Nottingham Forest

Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic fans will attest to the notion that Nottingham Forest fans will experience an exciting rollercoaster under Postecoglou’s stewardship. Still, his trophy-winning exploits at both have created an intriguing dynamic on the River Trent.

Speaking after his arrival to replace Nuno Espirito Santo, the Australian has made it clear he feels the Tricky Trees have a squad capable of competing on all fronts while he is in charge.

Intriguingly, Nottingham Forest star Jota Silva is set for Besiktas in a deal that could be worth over £17 million by next summer, offering an early boost to the coffers ahead of 2026.

After a mixed start to the campaign, the Tricky Trees will have designs on creeping up the Premier League table, and there will be plenty of positivity among supporters that they can begin to strike up a run of results.

However, Postecoglou may now have suffered a blow upon entering the dugout as one of his players could be out until the New Year with an injury concern.

Nottingham Forest see Ola Aina sustain serious injury

According to National World, Nottingham Forest star Ola Aina has been ruled out for around three months due to a hamstring injury, signifying that he may not return to the pitch until 2026.

John Percy described it as a “big early setback” for Postecoglou, and addressing his status, Postecoglou stated before his side faced Arsenal:

Ange must now unleash Nottingham Forest star who "spelt the end for Nuno"

It isn’t just Omari Hutchinson who Nuno didn’t appear to fancy at Nottingham Forest.

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 12, 2025

The Nigeria international has featured in all of Nottingham Forest’s Premier League fixtures until this point. However, it may now be over to Nicolo Savona to take over the mantle while he works his way up to full fitness.

Postecoglou had to deal with widespread injury concerns at Tottenham last term, so if anything, the Australian boss will hope this is an isolated setback.