Manchester City are reportedly in pole position to pip Liverpool to the signing of an “excellent” player in the summer transfer window.
Busy summer of transfers expected at Man City
By City’s high standards, this season has been a huge disappointment, even though there is an FA Cup final against Crystal Palace to look forward to later this month. Pep Guardiola’s side’s defence of their Premier League had faded by Christmas, and they also failed to reach the Champions League knockout rounds.
For that reason, a big summer is needed when it comes to new signings, as City look to bring in fresh faces who can take them back to the top of the league, with older heroes such as Kevin De Bruyne moving on.
Kevin De Bruyne
Monaco youngster Eliesse Ben Seghir has been linked with a move to the Etihad ahead of next season, with the 20-year-old winger already scoring 15 times in 80 appearances for the Ligue 1 side.
Meanwhile, Hugo Larsson has been mentioned as an option to bolster City’s midfield, with younger legs required after a tough campaign for the likes of De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic. The Eintracht Frankfurt ace has been a key man this season, averaging 1.4 tackles per game across 30 Bundesliga outings as well as providing goals from midfield.
Man City leading race to sign "excellent" defender
According to a new report from Football Insider, Manchester City are leading the race to sign Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso this summer, sitting in pole position ahead of Liverpool, who attempted to hijack the deal in recent days.
The update states that Guardiola’s men are “in the driving seat over the deal as things stand and have been working on the deal behind the scenes since January”.
Aston Villa's Leon Bailey in action with Juventus'AndreaCambiaso
The £73,000-a-week Cambiaso could be a fantastic signing for City, given his ability to play in either full-back position, as well as being able to drift into midfield and affect games.
The 25-year-old Italy international has a 91.8% pass completion rate in 30 Serie A appearances this season, with his quality on the ball ideal for Guardiola, and journalist Zach Lowy has described him as “world-class”.
Full-back is a position that must be targeted by City in the summer window, with Kyle Walker’s best days behind him on the right and Josko Gvardiol not necessarily a natural left-back despite his brilliance, and Cambiaso fits the bill to perfection.
Pep must axe Grealish by unleashing Man City's "explosive" star
Pep Guardiola must drop Jack Grealish and start Manchester City’s “explosive” winger.
By
Ben Gray
May 2, 2025
He is technically superb, versatile and at a good point in his career, and if Guardiola can sign him over Liverpool, it would be a statement of intent ahead of next season.
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace have largely been in excellent form since the start of 2025, only losing three times in their last 11 Premier League matches, keeping eight clean sheets in all competitions this calendar year and earning themselves a spot in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
The Eagles didn’t start the campaign at 100mph. After losing the likes of Michael Olise and Joachim Anderson in the summer, Palace had to reassemble their tools, find ways to recruit and replace those players and then begin to build.
After the first ten matches of the season, Palace found themselves 17th, only picking up seven points in that time.
But due to their excellent form since then, Palace now find themselves in mid-table in the Premier League, with the top seven not too far out of reach.
So why did it take a while at the start of the season, and how much did Glasner’s side miss Olise?
Michael Olise's creative burden
Olise was sold to Bayern Munich in the summer, joining the German giants for a fee of around £50m. Since joining Bayern, Olise has been in sublime form, making 43 appearances, scoring 13 goals, and providing 16 assists.
Crystal Palace star Michael Olise
But, the Frenchman was key in his time at Palace, making 90 appearances in his three years at the club, netting 16 times, providing 25 assists and totaling 5,782 minutes played.
Having Olise on the right and Eberechi Eze on the left made it tough for teams to contain the Eagles, with the duo often combining to create chances out of nothing.
With Olise gone, more focus being solely on Eze and a right-hand side that had to be re-invented, it was always going to take some time to find the best way to replace the French wingers’ presence.
That being said, Glasner has certainly found a way to do it.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Glasner's "spectacular" duo have replaced Olise
Crystal Palace signed Ismaila Sarr from Marseille in the summer, joining for a fee of around £12.6m. The 27-year-old was the clear signing destined to take the spot of Olise on that right-hand side, but the difference in overall quality is clear, and therefore, a new dynamic on that side would be needed.
Daniel Munoz, working in tandem with Sarr on the right, has been Glasner’s key weapon to replacing Olise’s output, with both players proving to be very direct, making clever runs in behind and stretching play for their teammates. This right side has proven to be a key outlet for Palace this season.
Goals
0.17
0.29
Assists
0.14
0.11
xG
0.15
0.33
xAG
0.14
0.26
Progressive Carries
1.51
2.52
Progressive Passes
2.44
2.91
Shots Total
1.04
1.93
Key Passes
1.22
1.41
Passes into Pen Area
0.72
1.41
Shot-Creating Actions
2.29
3.85
Successful Take-Ons
0.61
0.60
When looking at the pair’s underlying metrics this season, you can see how their combined effort has helped to replace the French star, both getting forward and getting shots off, both putting balls into the box, chipping in with output and contributing in build up.
Munoz was described as “spectacular” by Jefferson Lerma and that is certainly one way to describe the pair down that right-hand side, working in tandem to attack in a direct fashion and create chances for the team.
Whilst Olise will never fully be replaceable, losing a world-class talent is always tough to replace, even more so when you are a mid-table Premier League side.
Therefore, Palace fans must be fairly happy with their right-side rebrand, with Glasner proving he can make it work.
Contact made: Crystal Palace make move to sign "Pique-esque" £5m defender
The Eagles have made an approach for a defender, who is also attracting interest from West Ham United.
Walking in at 31 for 3 and battling cramps in sweltering conditions, Suryakumar unveiled a masterclass of selective destruction
Vishal Dikshit07-May-20241:23
Moody: Surya consistently does things very few can
Suryakumar Yadav could well be the most cartoonish character in Indian cricket. He cracks jokes in press conferences, fools around before matches, and is always flashing that beaming smile, and if you trawl through his Instagram stories on a non-match day, you’ll find him watching some classic Hindi comedy in his hotel room.No wonder he makes a joke of bowling attacks around the world and across conditions.What he does and how he does it continue to mystify viewers, and this feeling was heightened on Monday when he scored his sixth T20 century, for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and his second in the IPL. The bewilderment that his batting generates doesn’t come from the numbers, which are hard to match anyway, but from the style of his shot-making, and this was especially true on Monday.Related
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It was far from a flat track at the Wankhede Stadium. Suryakumar had to face a potent pace attack that was loving the movement on offer. And he had not even gotten off the mark when Mumbai slipped to 31 for 3 in the fifth over.That third wicket could have been of Suryakumar off any of the three deliveries before Naman Dhir’s dismissal. The ball was seaming and swinging, and Pat Cummins had his tail up having just dismissed Rohit Sharma. The first ball Suryakumar faced betrayed him like a waiter you think is bringing your plate to your table but turns to another just before reaching you. The second ball also pitched in the channel and straightened to beat the outside edge. The third wasn’t very different and Suryakumar tried to punch it away, but missed again.The straight-bat shots were a feature of Suryakumar Yadav’s century on a challenging Wankhede pitch•Associated PressSometimes it takes just one shot to get you going, even if it’s off the edge. When Suryakumar got on strike in Cummins’ next over, he went for a flick off his pads, but the ball flew almost off the back of his bat for a six over the deep third boundary.And if it’s not one shot that gets you going, it’s one over. Even though the powerplay was done, Suryakumar may have seen Marco Jansen, the least experienced of the SRH quicks, running in, and thought to himself, “this is the over.” There was a wide gap between mid-on and deep midwicket and Suryakumar was happy to clip the ball on his pads to the vacant boundary. When Jansen went full next, he went too full, and with mid-on in the circle, Suryakumar drilled him back along the carpet for another four. What follows a full delivery? Jansen banged one in short next, angling into the stumps, and even before the ball could reach Suryakumar, he had shuffled to off for one of his trademark pick-up shots over fine leg. When he got the strike back for the last ball, Jansen gifted him a dolly on the pads and Suryakumar flicked it for six to make it a 22-run over of which he had smashed 21.Having waltzed from 11 off nine to 32 off 14, Suryakumar was in his zone. When Cummins returned and hammered away in the corridor outside off, Suryakumar unflinchingly and patiently offered the straight bat. He scored only one run off five balls in that 10th over, but it was a mini-victory because SRH were desperate for his wicket.”I feel it was the need of the hour today,” he explained at the presentation. “When I went in to bat, three wickets were down and it had to be someone to play till the end and that’s what I did. I knew as the dew was heavy and as soon as the seam goes off, it will be easy for a batter to play those shots.”The traditional shots are from the Mumbai school of arts,” he said of his straight-bat shots. “I’ve played a lot of first-class cricket for Mumbai and a lot of games at Wankhede. I know when the ball is seaming, what’s the right option at that time, that’s what I tried to do today. When the ball stopped seaming, I played all my shots which I practise in the nets.”‘When the ball stopped seaming, I played all my shots which I practise in the nets’•BCCISoon, though, Suryakumar began to hobble. It could have been cramps, because it was barely below 30 degrees Celsius in Mumbai despite being past 10pm and he was playing his first proper tournament after coming back from groin surgery, which had kept him out of action since December 14, 2023, the day of his last T20 hundred.It’s possible that Suryakumar felt he would have to go off the field soon, and seeing the equation at 69 off 48, and the ball in Jansen’s hand again, he upped the gears once more. Having brought up his fifty off 30 balls, he smacked the left-arm quick for back-to-back fours again, and when Cummins tried to stem the flow of runs by bringing on Shahbaz Ahmed, a left-arm spinner (the one match-up that’s kept him relatively quiet in recent years), Suryakumar dispatched him for boundaries with two good-looking sweeps.”He’s one, by nature, instinctively very aggressive,” Mumbai batting coach Kieron Pollard said at the post-match press conference. “So he wants to take the bowlers on more often than not. At times it’s just a matter of understanding the situation and respecting the new ball when it’s moving around, and the conditions are not suitable for certain kind of shot-making. We have that discipline in order to be there for a period of time and then get into your work.”The ball was sodden with dew now, it was as hard to control as it was to curb Suryakumar. In the 17th over, Cummins tried the slow cutters into the pitch that had worked for him against Rajasthan Royals, but Suryakumar dispatched two of them to the vacant midwicket boundary. When Cummins sent long-on to deep midwicket and banged in another short ball, Suryakumar pummeled it over square leg for six to reach 96.He completed his century with his sixth six in the next over, and that shot also took Mumbai past their target. He took his sweat-soaked helmet off and, as handshakes were exchanged next to the pitch, he went and stood alone at one end of the 22 yards and looked down at the track, as if to say, “you were a little tricky today, but I got you in the end.”
Stats highlights from England’s ten-wicket win in the second semi-final against India
Sampath Bandarupalli10-Nov-2022170* The partnership between Jos Buttler and Alex Hales in the semi-final against India, the highest for any wicket in the history of the men’s T20 World Cup. The previous highest was by Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock against Bangladesh in Sydney during the Super 12s of this tournament.ESPNcricinfo Ltd169 The target chased down by England in Adelaide is the joint second-highest without losing a wicket in men’s T20Is. Pakistan defeated England in pursuit of 200 without losing a wicket earlier this year in Karachi, while New Zealand also won by ten wickets chasing 169 against Pakistan in 2016.1 England became the first team to win a knockout at the men’s T20 World Cup by ten wickets. It is only the fifth instance of a team winning by ten wickets in the T20 World Cup, and the first for England. The last such result also had India on the receiving end when Pakistan chased down 152 in the 2021 edition.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 Number of partnerships for England in men’s T20Is higher than the 170-run stand between Hales and Buttler. Dawid Malan and Eoin Morgan shared 182 runs for the third wicket against New Zealand in 2019.It is also the second-highest partnership against India in men’s T20Is, behind the 174* by De Kock and David Miller in Guwahati earlier this year.1 England became the first side to win a men’s T20I at Adelaide Oval after winning the toss. Each of the previous 11 men’s T20Is at this venue was won by the team that lost the toss.ESPNcricinfo Ltd10 Consecutive wins for the chasing team in the knockouts at the men’s T20 World Cup. The last side to win a T20 World Cup knockout game while batting first was Sri Lanka in a rain-hit semi-final against West Indies in 2014.3.65 Difference in the economy rate of the spin bowlers for India and England. India’s spinners conceded 57 runs in the six overs they bowled, while England’s gave away only 41 runs in seven overs.
4008 Virat Kohli’s runs in Twenty20 Internationals. He became the first batter to complete 4000 runs in this format. Kohli’s tally of 1141 runs in the men’s T20 World Cup is also the highest for any batter.
Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez is one of the hottest names as Major League Baseball's July 31 trade deadline approaches.
The question remains whether the Diamondbacks will decide to part with him or keep the slugger in hopes of competing for a National League wild card spot, as they currently sit 5.5 games out of the final slot. According to a new report from the 's Jon Heyman, that question remains unanswered, but Arizona is unsurprisingly receiving calls on Suárez.
Heyman named the New York Yankees as a team that has checked in with the Diamondbacks on the 34-year-old slugger. He also named the Chicago Cubs and Seattle Mariners among many other teams that would make sense as a landing spot should the Diamondbacks decide to sell.
Although Heyman didn't explicitly name them in the recent report, another team who may be interested in Suárez's services is the team with the best record in baseball—the Detroit Tigers. Suárez began his career in Detroit and recently said it would mean a lot to him to finish where he started via Evan Petzold of the .
If the Diamondbacks do decide to become sellers, it's clear they won't have an issue moving Suárez, who's slated to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. They have just under two weeks to figure it out.
Through 96 games this year, he's slashing .251/.322/.567 with 31 home runs and 78 RBIs. He's currently tied with Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber for the fourth-most homers across the MLB this season and he's also tied for fourth in RBIs, but with Tigers star Riley Greene.
Manchester United are considering selling captain Bruno Fernandes amid interest from the Saudi Pro League with two major targets picked out to replace the club captain.
Man Utd identify two priority targets
Amorim stressed the importance of securing a much-needed Old Trafford win when Manchester United host “top team” Bournemouth on Monday, looking to continue a run of form which has seen United pick up seven points from three matches since the disappointment against Everton.
Captain Fernandes has been phenomenal in that run, scoring twice and providing three assists, but INEOS are now open to the Portugal star’s departure in order to fund new signings.
According to a recent report, Saudi Pro League clubs are set to offer Fernandes a way out of Old Trafford, with both Al Hilal and Al Ittihad considering a move in the region of £70m.
INEOS view the 31-year-old as the club’s most sellable asset and as someone worth cashing in on before his value decreases, with his contract set to expire in just over 18 months.
The Red Devils do hold an option to extend his stay by another year until June 2028, but they have identified two top targets which will require funds in Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson and Brighton and Hove Albion enforcer Carlos Baleba.
Both players could cost club record fees and INEOS are determined to make United financially secure while rebuilding Amorim’s squad.
Forest are set to demand ‘£100m-plus’ for Anderson while Baleba’s price is in the region of £74m.
Mainoo could be sold instead Man Utd gem could be "the world's best", but he's becoming the new Mainoo
Manchester United have one star in their ranks who could suffer the same fate as Kobbie Mainoo.
ByEthan Lamb 3 days ago
The other option on offer to INEOS is to cash in on their homegrown talent Kobbie Mainoo. While the 20 year-old’s value has suffered after falling out of favour this season, his status as an England international guarantees a good return which would go down as pure profit.
Chelsea are reportedly interested in a move for the young midfielder while there is also interest from Napoli in Serie A, where fellow United academy product Scott McTominay has thrived since joining in 2024.
Speaking in September, Amorim defended his decision to continually leave Mainoo out of his team: “I understand what you are saying. You love Kobbie… But that doesn’t mean I need to put Kobbie [in] when I feel that I shouldn’t put Kobbie [in], so it’s my decision.”
The New York Yankees announced a key roster move on Tuesday, making the decision to designate starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco for assignment.
Carrasco has struggled throughout the first eight appearances of his Yankees tenure, which includes six starts and two relief outings. Across 32 innings on the mound, Carrasco has pitched to the tune of a 5.91 ERA and has surrendered seven home runs while striking out 25 batters.
His most recent appearance came on Sunday when he pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief, giving up five hits, two runs and a walk while striking out three batters.
2025 is Carrasco's 16th season in MLB, but the former Cy Young candidate has not lived up to the billing thus far, prompting the team to DFA him on Tuesday.
In a corresponding roster move, New York recalled Yerry de los Santos from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 27-year-old right-handed pitcher owns a 1.74 ERA across 10 relief appearances in the minors this season, having recorded 11 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings.
With Luis Gil, Gerrit Cole and Marcus Stroman on IL, it's not immediately clear who will take over the fifth spot in the Yankees' starting rotation. Clarke Schmidt is set to make a start on Tuesday against the San Diego Padres and Max Fried will be on the mound for the series finale on Wednesday.
Gustavo Scarpa, ex-jogador do Palmeiras e que atualmente joga no Olympiacos, da Grécia, está sendo disputado por diversos times aqui no Brasil, principalmente o Atlético-MG e Flamengo, que brigam para ter o jogador em seus elencos.
Os torcedores do Galo, com certeza, devem estar se perguntando onde o jogador poderia se encaixar na equipe. Por isso, o Lance! explica como Scarpa atuaria no time.
➡️Hyoran se despede do Atlético-MG e fica livre no mercado
🐓 DESTAQUE PELAS PONTAS
Durante a passagem pelo Fluminense, onde teve mais destaque no futebol brasileiro, em 2016, ele mostrou facilidade em jogar pelas pontas.
🐓 NAS MÃOS DE FELIPÃO
Durante a sua passagem pelo Palmeiras de Luiz Felipe Scolari – atual técnico do Galo -, Scarpa teve os melhores momentos da carreira jogando aberto pela direita, e não no centro, como muitos pensam. Com Felipão, Scarpa jogou como ponta-esquerda, meia e ponta-direita.
➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte
➡️ Gabriel Pec é cobiçado por mais um gigante brasileiro; Vasco faz alta pedida para negociar
🐓 COMO SCARPA SE ENCAIXA NO GALO?
A tão esperada chegada de Scarpa ao Atlético-MG atenderia o pedido de Felipão e dos torcedores do Galo. O jogador será fundamental para melhorar o meio-campo. As características do paulista, como a virada de jogadas e atuação nos dois lados do campo, fazem com que surjam boas expectativas dos torcedores atleticanos.
➡️Flamengo faz consulta e entra na concorrência por Gustavo Scarpa
A contratação do meia pode ser um acerto para o Galo, já que pode aumentar a criatividade das jogadas do time.
Almost a week and a half on from Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation from Celtic, the Scottish champions appear no closer to naming a permanent successor, with this manager saga likely to run and run if recent history is anything to go by.
While the abrupt nature of the Northern Irishman’s exit has no doubt put the club hierarchy on the back foot, there is little evidence to suggest that those at the helm will secure a replacement swiftly.
You only have to look back to the chaos surrounding the Eddie Howe and Ange Postecoglou developments back in 2021.
The fear is that despite a positive week or so on the pitch, the Hoops may well take the easy route until the end of the season, with recent reports suggesting that 73-year-old interim boss Martin O’Neill is in line to see out the campaign.
The enigmatic and much-loved coach has already done a creditable job with two wins from two, although the head should surely rule over the heart. A younger, more long-term appointment needs to be made.
Finding such a figure may well prove tricky mid-season, although a range of targets are already being considered…
Latest on Celtic's manager search
As already stated, the somewhat worrying whispers are that O’Neill could be given the reins until the summer, despite the fact that the treble winner had been parachuted in after a six-year absence from the game at managerial level.
Turning to the veteran coach may well be the only option if Dermot Desmond and co are unable to acquire their top targets, however, with it yet to be seen if the likes of Kieran McKenna can be prised from Ipswich Town.
With a potential return for that man Postecoglou also deemed to be ‘very unlikely’, a clear favourite for the vacancy has yet to emerge, with the Scottish Sun suggesting that the Parkhead outfit have now put together an eight-man shortlist of possible candidates.
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As per that report, among the names who is being considered is 37-year-old Efrain Juarez, with the Mexican coach touted as something of a shock appointment having come out of the blue as a new managerial target.
Currently at the helm of Liga MX side Pumas UNAM, the promising coach previously had a brief spell as a player at Celtic between 2010 and 2012, albeit while making just 21 appearances in total during that forgettable stint.
Also previously an assistant coach to ex-Hoops boss Ronny Deila at New York City FC, Standard Liege and Club Brugge, Juarez does have something of a Celtic connection, with his name thrown into the ring as the Premiership side prepare interviews with prospective targets.
A wildcard move it would certainly be, although similar gambles have paid off in the past for the Glasgow giants…
Why Celtic could appoint their next Postecoglou
As already stated, Celtic are no strangers to chaos when it comes to seeking out a new manager, with the summer of 2021 – in the wake of Neil Lennon’s second Parkhead exit – seeing a protracted pursuit of Howe prove fruitless.
With time running out ahead of the new campaign, a surprise pick was selected in the form of Postecoglou, with the Greek-Aussie later quipping that he was seen as a “joke” by many when he arrived in Scottish football.
Following initial struggles – including a run of three away league defeats in a row – the attack-minded coach quickly quashed the doubters after overseeing two seasons of stunning success, romping to five domestic trophies with a brand of football that has hardly been seen before or since.
Fluid, relentless, breathtaking – Celtic under Postecoglou’s watch were a joy to behold, regularly putting the likes of Rangers to the sword with an almost unstoppable level of performance.
That remarkable stint in charge emphatically extinguished any concerns over his lack of Celtic connection or prior experience in European football, with such a left-field appointment no doubt paying dividends for those at Parkhead.
While Juarez does have brief experience of the club, like Postecoglou he is yet to manage a European side in his embryonic coaching career thus far, having taken over at Pumas in March following a successful stint at Colombian club Atlético Nacional before that.
Like Postecoglou, Juarez has had to fend off the doubters and has done so to notable effect. Indeed, question marks over his lack of experience as a manager were quickly put to bed in Colombia, as he claimed the league and cup double last year.
Postecoglou’s Celtic Record
Stat
Record
Days in charge
750
Games
113
Wins
83
Draws
12
Losses
18
Players used
53
Points per game
2.31
Trophies won
5
Stats via Transfermarkt
From 27 games in charge of his former side, he won 15 games and enjoyed a points per game ratio of 1.93. For context, while it is a small sample size, that record exceeds what Postecoglou has achieved in any of his career stints, barring his time at Celtic, where he achieved a 2.31 points per game ratio from his 113 games in charge, as per Transfermarkt.
A passionate coach with a style of play noted for its “quick transitions” – as per journalist Esteban Cristancho Medina – the 4-2-3-1 manager certainly has shades of Postecoglou about him, ensuring he could be a risk worth taking.
While, unlike ‘Ange’, Juarez does not boast a wealth of experience as a manager to date, he has already proven his credentials amid his exploits in Colombia, cultivating a winning formula that could be translated into success in Scotland.
No stranger to being something of an underdog when appointed at his former employers, he would no doubt relish the chance to silence any critics at Celtic – just as Postecoglou did so before him.
Celtic can make Tierney completely unplayable by hiring 4-2-3-1 manager
Celtic could make Kieran Tierney unplayable by hiring this reported managerial target.