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U.S. Soccer icons Tim Howard and Landon Donovan have each pointed to a clear shift in the USMNT's temperament – a willingness to scrap, defend one another, and press relentlessly – crediting Mauricio Pochettino’s influence for hardening the squad’s identity. Howard said that fighting edge first emerged during the Gold Cup and has since been reinforced by the return of key senior players.

Getty Images SportHoward identifies Gold Cup as turning point

Howard pointed to last summer's Gold Cup as the catalyst for the team's improved attitude. The former goalkeeper observed that despite missing several star players during that tournament, the squad demonstrated exceptional determination and work ethic that has since permeated throughout the entire player pool.

“I have no questions about this team, this group,” Howard said on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast. “And I say that because we say a lot of fight in the Gold Cup, so we’re like, okay, well that group will fight and scrap. The big boys came in, the Chris Richards and Pulisic and all these guys, they showed me a hell of a fight last camp, and then we see it again this camp.

“So I think this group as a whole is again humming and they’re clicking, and they’re together. And again, you and I have been brutally honest when we say like look, this is an educated guess or this is something we know.

Howard emphasized that the players who participated in the Gold Cup established a standard of competitiveness that impressed Pochettino, creating a foundation for the team's current identity.

“My educated guess is that the Gold Cup team set a standard that Poch liked and maybe he lit that fire,” Howard explained. “And I tend to think he probably, once he had everybody in, probably said, ‘Hey, this is what I want to see. I’ve seen this from these guys; I need to see it from you.' Again, that’s an educated guess on my part.”

AdvertisementDonovan credits Pochettino's psychological approach

Donovan, another former USMNT star, expressed admiration for how Pochettino has handled the psychological aspects of managing the national team. Donovan acknowledged that the summer period had been particularly challenging for the program, with criticism directed at players who opted out of the Gold Cup and questions about team commitment dominating headlines. The former attacker praised Pochettino's ability to navigate these difficulties and create a unified team culture.

“Let’s take a second to like, let’s really give a lot of credit now to Pochettino for just the mental side of how he’s played this whole thing,” Donovan said. “Cause it was ugly in the summer, Tim, there was some real stuff flying. And I think he’s masterfully put this together, pieced it together. Now, was it intentional? I have to assume yes but maybe he kind of lucked into some of it.

“But I think it was intentional, and now the team, it doesn’t matter who shows up and plays, dude. They get after it, pressing and running and fighting, and it’s fun to watch. I’m like, as a fan, I’m loving it.”

Team's transformation reflects Pochettino's success

The fighting spirit displayed in recent matches suggests Pochettino has successfully addressed one of the most persistent criticisms of the USMNT prior to his arrival. 

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Getty Images SportConsistent mentality creates foundation

With the 2026 World Cup now just months away, the establishment of a consistent competitive mentality provides Pochettino with a solid foundation to keep building momentum toward the summer tournament. 

Leeds United made it three defeats in succession in the Premier League when they were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.

The Whites had the lead at half-time thanks to a goal from Lukas Nmecha, who bundled the ball in from close range after Anton Stach competed with Emi Martinez for a high ball.

Unfortunately, though, the away side struck twice in the second half, both goals coming from Morgan Rogers, and walked away from West Yorkshire with all three points.

Daniel Farke only made one change to his starting line-up from the side that lost 3-1 to Nottingham Forest before the break, and it backfired on the Leeds boss.

The Leeds change that backfired on Daniel Farke

The German head coach opted to take Jaka Bijol out of the team, after he won four of his six duels against Forest, and brought Pascal Struijk back into the side, possibly to have a natural left-footer in that position.

Whilst the Dutchman certainly opens up more passing angles as a left-footer on the left side of the defence, his defensive work left far too much to be desired against the Villans, and that is why the change backfired on the manager.

Per Sofascore, Struijk only won three of his eight duels, losing both of his ground duels, and did not complete a single tackle in the game, which shows that he struggled with the physicality of the match.

The one tackle that the former Ajax man did attempt was his late lunge on Ross Barkley, which resulted in the free-kick from which Rogers scored the winning goal.

Struijk was far from the only poor performer on the pitch, though, as Brenden Aaronson is another player who should be ruthlessly ditched from the starting line-up.

Why Leeds must drop Brenden Aaronson

The USA international had delivered a goal and an assist in the three Premier League matches prior to the international break, which made his inclusion in the side an understandable call from Farke.

However, the return to fitness of Dan James has thrown his place in the line-up into doubt, and their respective performances against Aston Villa on Sunday suggest that the Wales international deserves a chance from the start.

Aaronson, who was awarded a 4/10 player rating by LeedsUnitedNews, lower than Struijk’s 6/10 rating, failed to create a single chance for his teammates in 80 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, as he came inside and got crowded out all too often.

Minutes

80

19

Shots

3

3

xG on target

0.15

0.15

Crosses attempted

1

5

Key passes

0

1

Big chances created

0

0

Dribbles completed

1/5

1/1

Possession lost

12x

6x

As you can see in the table above, James offered more to the team on the right flank in 19 minutes than the American lightweight did in his 80-minute outing against the Villans.

The fact that the Welshman attempted five times as many crosses as Aaronson, in roughly an hour less on the pitch, speaks to the difference Leeds could make to their attack by bringing him into the starting XI.

Aaronson, for all his hard work, is not a natural winger who is going to hug the byline and test teams consistently with runs in behind and crosses into the box.

James, however, is that player and almost made an instant impact when his brilliant run and ball across the box led to Dominic Calvert-Lewin finding the back of the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for a handball by the striker.

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The Welshman deserved an assist for his play. Now, he deserves a place in the starting line-up because Aaronson was even worse than Struijk in the defeat to Villa, as he offered little to the team in or out of possession, whilst Struijk, at the very least, completed 95% of his passes and made five clearances, per Sofascore.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that Lionel Messi will receive a statue outside the Camp Nou. The stadium is currently under renovation, with the men's team expected to return to the famous stadium after the international break. Once that work is completed, the club's attention will turn to immortalising their iconic star. Laporta said Messi's family will be consulted on the design.

• Messi to be immortalised outside the new Camp Nou

  The announcement by Laporta will be of scant surprise to any football fan. Messi enjoyed 21 years in Catalonia, originally joining the club as 13-year-old boy. During his time at the club he scored 672 goals in 778 appearances, winning 35 major honours and scooping seven Ballons d'Or.

  Laporta also suggested a special event to commemorate Messi's time at the club will be arranged in the near future. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Laporta's comments on Messi tributes

  On the statue, Laporta said: "All us culés would like to have a statue of Leo Messi at the Spotify Camp Nou. We’re working on it and, if the family wants, when we have the design we’ll talk with them."

  Earlier this week, Barcelona's president also confirmed a special event once the stadium re-opens will also take place. He said: "It’s only right that Leo receives the most beautiful tribute in the world. When it’s finished, we’ll have a capacity of 105,000 fans, so we’d love to have him there.

  "We’re working on the tribute and on ensuring that the best football in the world can be seen, and as part of the tribute, we’d like to offer Leo the tribute he deserves."

• Messi makes emotional return to the Camp Nou

  The news comes after Messi made a surprise return to see the revamped stadium where he enjoyed so much success. The eight-time Ballon D'or winner shared images of him on the Camp Nou pitch to his Instagram account; the post has been liked more than 29million times. 

  The Argentinian spoke with deep emotion about his return. He told Spanish outlet "I really want to go back there, we miss Barcelona a lot. My wife and I, the kids, are constantly talking about Barcelona and the idea of moving back. We have our house there, everything, so that's what we want. I'm really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it's finished because since I left for Paris, I haven't been back to Camp Nou, and then they moved to Montjuic."

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• AFP
  

  What comes next?

  The Inter Miami star shared his pain at the manner in which he left the club in 2021, suggesting he would want to wear the famous red and blue once again before he calls time on his glittering career. While a return would be out of the question at this point for the 38-year-old, as Laporta has indeed confirmed, a moment for him and the Barcelona fans to reflect on his many achievements should help provide some closure on the most successful relationship that has ever existed between a player and a club. 

Tottenham Hotspur ended their three-game losing run across all competitions last night with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Newcastle United away at St James’ Park.

The Lilywhites have often found games at St James’ Park hard to come by, as seen by their run of four losses in a row, but Thomas Frank managed to put an end to that on Tuesday night.

His men have often struggled to come back from losing positions in the Premier League in 2025/26, but they did manage to do so twice on Tyneside to secure a needed point.

It leaves the Lilywhites in 11th place ahead of the remainder of the midweek fixtures, a position lower than many expected after the Dane’s arrival during the off-season.

However, it may have been a lot worse against Eddie Howe’s men, especially if it wasn’t for the vital contributions of one of the players during the contest.

How Cristian Romero saved Frank vs Newcastle

Since Frank’s arrival before the start of the ongoing campaign, he named centre-back Cristian Romero as part of his leadership group at Spurs – with the defender often wearing the captain’s armband.

In the league so far this season, the Argentine has now featured in 11 of the 14 outings, with his display against the Magpies last night undoubtedly his best to date.

He returned to the starting eleven after suspension, subsequently managing to find the back of the net twice and securing Frank’s men an unlikely point after Anthony Gordon’s penalty.

Romero’s second goal, which was a beautiful bicycle kick, was no doubt the pick of the bunch, with such a finish, one you would expect off an elite-level attacker.

His underlying stats further showcase his impressive display, with the defender managing to win 100% of the tackles he entered, whilst also winning 50% of his aerial battles.

Other tallies, such as five clearances made and five recoveries made, showcase his impact within the defensive third – with Romero evidently having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch.

Spurs star was saved by Romero against Newcastle

Despite Romero’s successes against Newcastle last night, not every player managed to impress, with many of Frank’s starting seven being unable to make a huge impact on proceedings.

Rodrigo Bentancur was once again selected after being benched against Fulham, but his return to the starting eleven was an unsuccessful one at St James’.

The Uruguayan international failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles, and was only able to register two passes into the final third – subsequently showcasing his struggles in possession.

He was also responsible for pulling down Dan Burn in the penalty area, which resulted in Gordon’s late penalty, with his rash nature once again on full show on Tyneside.

However, he wasn’t alone in failing to deliver against the Magpies, with winger Brennan Johnson failing to take advantage after his own recall to the squad after multiple substitute appearances.

The Welshman was handed the chance to start in a somewhat unfamiliar left-wing position last night, but it certainly was a performance to forget for the attacker.

He featured for 77 minutes against Howe’s side before being withdrawn, with his substitution warranted after his lack of impact throughout his time on the pitch.

Minutes played

77

Touches

29

Passes completed

12/21 (57%)

Dribbles completed

0

Possession lost

12x

Crosses completed

1

Duels won

20%

Passes into final third

1

The 24-year-old only managed to complete 57% of the passes he attempted, subsequently losing possession on 12 occasions and even registering just 29 touches – a tally fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who notched 44.

Johnson also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles, whilst only completing one cross into the box – often being unable to create any chances for the Lilywhites.

He was massively dominated out of possession, as seen by his tally of five duels entered, but he only managed to come out on top in just 20% of the battles with the opposition backline.

As a result, he was handed a measly 6/10 match rating by Football London journalist Alasdair Gold, further reflecting his lack of quality in the draw last night.

After such a showing, Frank must surely be left with no choice but to drop the winger ahead of their return to action at the weekend, with a win desperately needed to end the barren spell.

The clash on Tyneside certainly could have been a lot worse had it not been for Romero’s brilliance at the top end of the pitch – with Johnson certainly being bailed out by his teammate.

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Leeds United and the 49ers Enterprises are preparing a surprise bid to sign a long-term target at a discount in the January transfer window.

Farke under pressure as Leeds prepare for Aston Villa

After back-to-back away defeats in the Premier League, Daniel Farke appears to be under pressure, with a number of managerial candidates linked to replace him at Elland Road in recent weeks.

Ex-Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers and former RB Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose have both been mooted as options. Rodgers was recent rivals with the 49ers in Glasgow and their ownership of Rangers, whereas Rose has ties with the Red Bull network in both Austria and Germany.

Leeds find themselves just a point clear of the relegation zone ahead of their clash with Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon in what is the beginning of a testing period between now and the New Year.

Leeds’ upcoming fixtures

Date

Aston Villa (h)

November 23rd

Manchester City (a)

November 29th

Chelsea (h)

December 3rd

Liverpool (h)

December 6th

Brentford (a)

December 14th

Crystal Palace (h)

December 21st

Sunderland (a)

December 28th

The January transfer window will give the 49ers the chance to bolster their options in the final third following a lack of goals in the top flight, but it is a creative midfielder who Leeds have their eyes on.

Leeds ready surprise Gabriel Sara bid

According to a report from Turkish outlet Takvim, there has been a surprising development involving Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara.

Formerly of Norwich, Leeds were heavily linked with the midfielder in the summer, where they were told it would cost at least £30m to seal a deal.

Now, the Whites and the 49ers are readying a move in January for Sara, with that price tag now dropping to £18m. Sara has fallen out of favour with Galatasaray following Ilkay Gundogan’s arrival and is ‘open to a move’ away, with Leeds the only club named in the report.

Sara’s last game in England for Norwich came at Elland Road in the 4-0 defeat to the Whites in the 2023/24 playoff semi-final second leg.

The 26-year-old starred during the regular 23/24 campaign with 25 goal involvements in 46 games, and by the looks of things, a return to England could be on the cards.

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Should that be the case, Leeds will be getting a midfielder who Kenny McClean called the “full package”.

“Everyone can see his ability but he is now controlling games. He’s everywhere off the ball. That was a big thing when the new manager came in and he was really drumming that into him to be more aggressive, get against people and he is doing that. It was just consistency with him. For me, right now, he is the full package.”

Leeds open to selling £40k-p/w star who Firpo called "unbelievable" this January

India’s new Test captain and vice-captain face intense scrutiny before their first assignment. Here’s how they can hush the doubters

Sidharth Monga19-Jun-20253:18

Gill: ‘Can’t win a Test without taking 20 wickets’

Aura is arguably the most abused term in sports discourse in recent times. If you know what I mean, you have seen videos mocking Shubman Gill’s slightly high-pitched voice chirping from behind the wicket. In comparison to Virat Kohli’s supposedly more manly and aggressive sledging, that is. You may have seen videos of Gill goofing around with his friend Ishan Kishan, and worried about the aura, or lack thereof. You may have scoffed at the PRINCE on his bat, and felt he hasn’t earned it yet.What of his deputy Rishabh Pant then? Babysitter for the opposition captain during a heated series, singer of Spiderman, Spiderman into the stump mic, somebody who can be called “stupid, stupid, stupid” on air in an age when commentators have been sacked for saying far less about his predecessors. Where is the fear? Without the fear, where is the aura?Related

• Rishabh Pant moves to his own beat

• Buttler: Gill's captaincy 'a mix of Kohli and Rohit'

• Pant relishes 'senior' tag but also focuses on 'individual' game

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• Tendulkar confident Gill will do 'something special', predicts 3-1 series win for India

Temba Bavuma wasn’t supposed to possess aura. Over one week at Lord’s, Bavuma has not just acquired aura but has graduated to the next level. He has “drip” now.Imagine if the internet had discovered the term aura last year, when New Zealand visited India. They would have just laughed and refused to let them play and go on to win 3-0, the first time anyone had beaten India in India in a Test series since 2012. Forget aura, New Zealand didn’t even have Kane Williamson. What chance did they stand against RoKo, the King and the Hitman?Before they became the King and the Hitman, of course, those two players were widely derided as a disrespectful punk and “Nohit”. Gill is now at a similar stage of his career to Kohli’s when Test captaincy first happened to him. Kohli was 26 and coming off a horror tour of England that made observers doubt if he would ever fulfil his potential. He averaged 39.46 before his first Test as captain. He still had six hundreds in 29 Tests, suggesting that the potential was there. Gill, 25, has played 32 Tests, scored five hundreds, and averages 35.05 in a more bowler-friendly era. Like Kohli then, he has had two seasons as an IPL captain and has established himself as an ODI virtuoso.Gill’s numbers at the start of his Test captaincy aren’t dissimilar to Kohli’s at the same stage of his career•ESPNcricinfo LtdThere is a blueprint in place, but it is not easy to start captaining a high-profile team such as India when there is still some doubt around your Test batting. Gill started off beautifully in Australia in 2020-21, but currently averages 25.7 in 11 Tests outside Asia and the West Indies, with no century. In his last series, he missed one Test with injury and was dropped from the XI in another. On two of the most difficult surfaces in the series, in Adelaide and Sydney, he scored 31, 28, 20 and 13.For somebody who has forever been the next big thing, these are not ideal returns. The scrutiny will only grow more intense. It will be in the back of Gill’s mind as he gets to play the entirety of a long series in these countries for the first time in his career. The fight and the competitiveness you need to succeed at this level were never in doubt in Kohli’s case, which is perhaps what those getting nostalgic miss in Gill’s demeanour.But not everyone shows fight in the same way. It was a different time in Indian cricket when Kohli took over. The team had been whitewashed on their last tour of Australia. In their last 17 Tests outside Asia and the West Indies, they had won one and lost 13. That time called for a kicker and screamer.This is a different Indian team in a different time: more used to away success, with more streamlined channels for talent to come through. Gill and Pant are talking about love and care in the dressing room, and the need to make players feel validated and secure.Outside that, Gill just needs to assert himself and walk his pre-game talk of going all out for 20 wickets. It needs conviction from him and Pant. Their coach may not be as in tune with their convictions as the two previous ones were with those of the two previous captains.India’s new Test captain and vice-captain have begun their tenures speaking of love and care in the dressing room, and the need to make players feel validated and secure•Bipin PatelThe right to have convictions, though, comes from runs. The real decision-makers are less anxious about Gill’s handling of the bowlers or the aura discourse than they are about how quickly he can pile on the hundreds and cast the doubters away. This has always been the way. Batters are generally made captains because bowlers – like Jasprit Bumrah now – are not usually available for every Test. And only runs give batters the authority to run the team the way they want. That Gill is a special batter is not in doubt; he just needs the runs now.Batting in Tests is a fickle pursuit reliant on many variables. You can be at your best and prepare your best, but sometimes you just don’t have the luck. That said, this year is a great chance for Gill. Bazball-era pitches are flatter than English pitches used to be before Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes got together. Only Chris Woakes in England’s frontline pace attack at Leeds has played more than five Tests. Even though Bumrah will be available for only three Tests, India have the bowling that can match England if not outdo them.The England batters will look to put India under pressure in the field right away. Gill and Pant – and Bumrah when he plays – will have to react on their feet much more than leadership groups usually have to in Test cricket when they have good attacks.There are so many things to look forward to as India start a new era; aura is not one of them. What Gill and Pant’s plan to take 20 wickets is, as is how they respond to England’s flashing blades, and how well they bat in what could be the best batting conditions India have faced in England in a decade.This is not to suggest there should be any special allowance for the new leadership. There will be scrutiny on them of course. How they deal with it will define their era. Or if they have an era. If they can take care of their own batting, select well, and respond well to Bazball, the aura will take care of itself.

Fourth-wicket stand with Jake Libby keeps quarter-finals in sight as Asa Tribe’s unbeaten century goes in vain

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay22-Aug-2025Worcestershire 298 for 5 (Jones 110*, Libby 77) beat Glamorgan 297 for 7 (Tribe 122*, Hurle 56) by five wicketsA career-best List A score of 110 not out from Rob Jones guided Worcestershire Rapids to an important five-wicket win over Glamorgan which keeps them on track for a quarter-final place in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.Asa Tribe had earlier batted through Glamorgan’s innings for 122 in his side’s impressive total of 297 and the visitors looked to be in control early in the reply as they reduced the hosts to 78 for 3.A staggering fourth-wicket partnership of 172 between Jake Libby (77) and Jones anchored the run chase for Worcestershire, as they swung the momentum back in their favour. Jones hit the winning runs in the 49th over.Glamorgan’s bright start in the sunshine was only blemished by the loss of Eddie Byrom for 41.Youngster Henry Hurle caught the eye with some expansive shots, scoring 14 off one Ethan Brookes over as the side bottom of Group A passed 100 in the 20th over.Hurle and Tribe took a liking to a lacklustre Rapids bowling seam attack, as the pair brought up their respective half-centuries in consecutive overs, with Tribe showing his particular disdain towards any short pitched bowling, thrashing the ball through midwicket with frequency.The second-wicket stand of 104 was ended by Brett D’Oliveira, who bowled Hurle for an impressive 56, as Worcestershire seized the initiative, taking three more wickets for just 26 runs.Kieran Carlson was the first in a cluster of three wickets to fall, as he succumbed to Ben Allison, before D’Oliveira (2 for 46) picked up his second wicket of an instrumental spell.Waite’s metronomical afternoon with the ball saw him rewarded when Billy Root feathered a full ball behind to Henry Cullen, as the medium-pacer ended his spell shortly after with outstanding figures of 10-2-23-1.Dan Douthwaite joined the not-out opener, and upped the ante from the get-go, taking Glamorgan beyond the 250 mark, before Tribe notched his maiden List A century with the final ball of the 46th over.Douthwaite’s cameo of 37 from 26 balls was cut short at the death, but Tribe was unbeaten on 122 to see his side finish on an above par 297 for 7.Despite losing D’Oliveira in the first over, the hosts made an otherwise positive start to the chase, largely due to a composed knock for 19-year-old Dan Lategan, that took Worcestershire past fifty without further damage.The 17th over of the proved costly however, as the home side lost both set batters – with Carlson taking a stunning one-handed catch at extra cover to remove Kashif for 22, before a catastrophic mix-up involving Jake Libby saw Lategan run-out four short of a maiden List A fifty.The onus fell on Libby and new man Jones to guide the home side out of their troubling position at 78 for 3, with Glamorgan looking to take advantage of their early wickets.Both batters shouldered the responsibility in fine style, with Jones returning to form and Libby making his way to a fourth fifty of the competition.Their 172-run partnership was ended when Andy Gorvin took a fine catch running back over his head to dismiss Libby for 77, with the departing skipper’s side still requiring 48 from the final six overs.Jones brought up a sensational 101-ball hundred with the chase nearing its climax, but even the departure of Ethan Brookes in the dying stages did not deter the home side, as Cullen batted through with Jones to see the Rapids to a crucial five-wicket victory.

Nottingham Forest have endured a superb upturn in form under Sean Dyche over the last few weeks after the manager took the reins from Ange Postecoglou.

The Englishman has reinstalled a defensive solidity back into the first-team squad, as seen by the club’s recent upturn in form in the Premier League.

His side have only lost twice in his eight games in the role, with his Red managing to keep four clean sheets in the process – including one against Liverpool at Anfield.

The Reds may have lost 2-0 to Brighton and Hove Albion over the weekend, but it’s merely a bump in the road, especially considering the excellent results since his arrival.

However, with the January transfer window rapidly approaching, numerous players have already appeared on their radar to try and bolster the ranks for the remainder of the campaign.

Forest’s hunt for new additions in the January window

In recent weeks, a whole host of players have been touted with a move to join Forest, but Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood stands out as one of the most consistent players touted with a transfer.

It was reported that Dyche’s side saw the 20-year-old as their primary target for the winter window, but it was unclear about how much a deal would set Evangelos Marinakis back.

However, it seems as though the youngster won’t be departing the AMEX this window, with Fabian Hurzeler’s men not entertaining any offers for his signature.

He’s not the only player currently being considered by the Reds at present, with Inter Milan star Stefan de Vrij another player currently being considered by the club at present.

According to Football Insider, Dyche’s side are keen on a move to land the Dutch international, with the player having just six months left on his deal at the San Siro.

They also state that the board are in the market for added defensive reinforcements in the winter window, which could make the 33-year-old the perfect target.

Why Forest’s latest target would be Milenkovic 2.0

Signing centre-backs from Serie A hasn’t been alien to Forest over recent seasons, with Nikola Milenkovic joining the club from Fiorentina in the summer of 2024.

The Serbian international joined for just £12m, with such a deal being one of the best deals in the club’s history – as seen by his immediate impact in the Premier League last campaign.

He featured in all but one game last campaign, even scoring five times and registering two assists – showcasing his impressive ability at both ends of the pitch.

The 28-year-old managed to win the club’s Player of the Season award in 2024/25, helping the Reds secure European football for the first time in 30 years.

This campaign, he’s still managed to be a key component in the side’s backline, featuring in every minute of the league season and offering the defensive solidity needed in Dyche’s system.

He’s often partnered Murillo at the heart of the defence, but Morato covered his compatriot against the Seagulls at the weekend – even producing a huge mistake which contributed to the defeat.

Such a scenario has no doubt led to rumours over a move for De Vrij in the coming months, which could see a repeat of the deal that saw Milenkovic move to the East Midlands.

The Dutchman, who earns £118k-per-week, has only made two appearances so far this campaign, but he has produced some remarkable stats which could see him thrive in the Premier League.

De Vrij, who’s been dubbed “sensational” by journalist Nima Roodsari, has completed 94% of the passes he’s completed, whilst also completing 100% of the dribbles he’s attempted.

Stefan de Vrij – stats in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

2

Minutes played

180

Pass accuracy

94%

Dribble success

100%

Tackles made

2

Duels won

5.5

Aerials won

3.5

Aerial success

60%

Stats via FBref

Such numbers reflect the centre-back’s talent with the ball at his feet – something which is extremely important within the current philosophy at the City Ground.

Without the ball, he’s been just as impressive in Italy’s top division, as seen by his tally of two tackles and 5.5 duels won per 90 for Cristian Chivu’s Inter Milan squad.

Other numbers, such as 3.5 aerials won per 90, subsequently achieving a success rate of 60%, showcase his dominance out of possession – matching Milenkovic’s talents in the Premier League in recent years.

It’s unclear how much a deal for the Dutchman would cost in the upcoming window, but he certainly could offer an experienced and immediate option at the back.

Should he reach the levels produced by Milenkovic in Nottingham, there’s no reason why De Vrij could make himself a fan-favourite in the hunt for European success come the end of the campaign.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 27, 2025

“There will be more miracles going forward,” Abhishek Sharma says of the India T20I team

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-2025India opener Abhishek Sharma is happy he took the stairs and not the elevator to the national team like some of his 2018 Under-19 World Cup team-mates – Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, for example – had, saying he wouldn’t have “learned some things” if that had been the case.”There have been ups and downs,” Abhishek said at the end of the Asia Cup, where he was the Player of the Tournament. “Some players get in easily. Some come in after some difficulty. But I feel this [domestic grind] was necessary. If I had made it quicker as a [national team] player, I wouldn’t have learned some things.”While Shaw was fast-tracked to the national team, making his Test debut in 2018 itself, Gill broke through in early 2019. For Abhishek, the turning point came only after the pandemic, in 2021, by which time he had refined his game. With Yuvraj Singh’s guidance, he transformed from a middle-order finisher and part-time left-arm spinner into an opener with an enhanced power-hitting game.Related

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Abhishek ended the Asia Cup as the top run-getter – 314 in seven innings, including a run of three straight half-centuries leading into the final. Pathum Nissanka was a distant second, with 261 runs.Abhishek’s robust powerplay approach, and his takedown of Shaheen Shah Afridi in successive games against Pakistan, earned him a lot of plaudits, which he attributed to the freedom given to him by the team management. This run of form more or less guarantees him a spot as India’s first-choice opener as they build towards their T20 World Cup title defence.”Since the time I have been in the [national] team, I have not felt is a pressure match. We prepared for every match in the same way,” he said. “Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] and GG [Gautam Gambhir] have given me confidence. When you want to play a high-risk game, failures do come. But the way they handled me, I am able to play like this because of that.”Abhishek stressed that the template of aggressive batting he had adopted was something the entire team had bought into, and would look to carry forward.”It is very important to get such support from the team,” he said. “We have been wanting to play this brand of cricket with intent from the start. Irrespective of the opposition, we will continue playing like this.”I’ve had more time to work on a few things. So I’ve worked a lot on those things. I feel this is the start for the team. There will be more miracles going forward.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vasco conheceu a sua primeira derrota no Brasileirão na noite desta quarta-feira (17), no Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid. A derrota por 2 a 1 começou com a falha de Léo Jardim no início do primeiro tempo e, com isso, o plano de jogo foi comprometido desde os minutos iniciais. Laquintana e Vitinho marcaram para o Massa Bruta, enquanto Vegetti diminuiu para o Cruz-Maltino. Confira a análise completa do “Lance Final” no player acima.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoTorcedores vão à loucura com gol de Vegetti pelo Vasco: ‘Para de fofoca’Fora de Campo17/04/2024Fora de CampoTorcedores do Vasco se revoltam com falha de Léo Jardim no Brasileirão: ‘Frangueiro’Fora de Campo17/04/2024FinançasBrasileirão ou Copa do Brasil: qual competição paga mais aos clubes?Finanças17/04/2024

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FICHA TÉCNICA:
BRAGANTINO 2 X 1 VASCO
🗓️ Data e horário: quarta-feira, 17 de abril de 2024, às 19h (horário de Brasília);
📍 Local: Estádio Nabi Abib Chedid, em Bragança Paulista (SP);
🟨 Arbitragem: Paulo Cesar Zanovelli da Silva (FIFA-MG);
🟥 Assistentes: Guilherme Dias Camilo (FIFA-MG) e Fernanda Kruger (FIFA-MT)
📺 VAR: Carlos Eduardo Braga (FIFA-SC).

RED BULL BRAGANTINO (Técnico: Pedro Caixinha)
Lucão; Andrés Hurtado, Douglas Mendes, Luan Cândido e Guilherme Lopes; Raul (Jadsom Silva), Gustavinho (Bruninho), Juninho Capixaba (Vitinho); Laquintana, Eduardo Sasha (Thiago Borbas) e Henry Mosquera (Eric Ramires).

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VASCO (Técnico: Ramón Díaz)
Léo Jardim; Paulo Henrique, João Victor (Maicon), Léo e Lucas Piton; Sforza, Galdames (Clayton) e Mateus Carvalho (Zé Gabriel); Rossi (Rayan), David (Adson) e Vegetti

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BragantinoBrasileirãoFutebol NacionalVasco