Neste sábado (16), Sampaio Corrêa e Chapecoense duelam pela 28ª rodada do Brasileirão Série B. As duas equipes se enfrentam, às 17h (horário de Brasília). O duelo vai acontecer no Estádio Castelão no Maranhão.
ONDE ASSISTIR / TRANSMISSÃO: Band e Premiere
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GANHAR E SUBIR
O Sampaio Corrêa vive seu pior momento no Campeonato Brasileiro Série B, aequipe maranhense soma 11 jogos que não sabe o que é vencer. Além disso, o’Bolívia Querida’vem de uma sequência de oito empates seguidos na competição. São 28 pontos conquistados que no momento coloca o time na 16ª colocação com 28 pontos, um a menos que a própria Chapecoense.
FUGIR DO FANTASMA DA SÉRIE C
Por outro lado, a Chapecoense vive um momento parecido com o do adversário, o time catarinense volta a ocupar a zona de rebaixamento. São três jogos sem vencer, dois empates e uma derrota que deixa a equipe na 17ª colocação na tabela com 27 pontos. Apenas um ponto separa os dois times na Série B, motivo que deixa o confronto mais empolgante.
FICHA TÉCNICA Sampaio Corrêa x Chapecoense
Data: 16/09/2023 Local: Estádio Castelão, São Luís – MA Onde assistir: Band e Premiere
PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
SAMPAIO CORRÊA (Técnico: Fernando Marchiori) Thiago Braga; Samuel Santos, Gustavo Henrique, Rafael Jansen e Pará; Paraíba, Claudinei e Robinho; Tiaguinho, Alyson e Ytalo.
Desfalques: Ferreira, Henrique Rafael, Luiz Daniel e Maurício (lesionados) e Matheus Pivô (suspenso)
CHAPECOENSE (Técnico: Claudinei Oliveira) Airton; Ronei, Bruno Leonardo, Lucas Freitas e Fabiano; Marcinho, Kaio Mendes, Alisson Farias e Bruno Vinícius; Giovanne e Kayke.
The hindsight patrol are now in full force with regard to Manchester United, with every departing star now looking like a ‘world-beater’ away from Old Trafford.
Every goal, every assist, every Man of the Match award is held up as a reason to mock the Red Devils, ignoring the fact that almost all of those who were sent packing had been given ample time to impress back at Old Trafford.
Take Rasmus Hojlund, for instance, a player of undoubted potential, yet one who scored just 26 times in 95 games for United in all competitions, a grim record for any striker worth their salt.
His current exploits for both Napoli and Denmark may suggest that Ruben Amorim and co were wrong to show him the exit door this summer, although the 22-year-old had ended 2024/25 with just four Premier League goals to his name.
With Omar Berrada seemingly keen to implement a two-season rule – giving new signings just two campaigns to make an impact – Hojlund was rightly shown the door this summer, with not even his recent hot streak able to change that.
Why Man Utd were right to offload Hojlund
In a dismal decade at Old Trafford, there have been few ‘wow’ moments, but Hojlund’s debut cameo may rank among them.
Somewhat forgettable now, although the sight of the £64m man terrorising the Arsenal backline in September 2023 was something to behold, having run William Saliba and Gabriel ragged in that second half.
Close to earning a penalty for his side, having also played his part in Alejandro Garnacho’s eventually disallowed ‘winner’, the new man was electric.
The sight of Casemiro grabbing him by the jersey – akin to Hojlund grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck – echoed the sentiment.
His subsequent Champions League form was also captivating, namely his brace against Galatasaray, tearing away from inside his own half before dinking the ball over the onrushing ‘keeper for his second of the night. A ‘star’ was born.
Frustratingly for all concerned, such form could not be maintained, with his December to February run in the Premier League – in which he scored in six successive games – the notable high point of his two-year stint in Manchester.
With just ten goals in all competitions last term, despite having been the only senior striking option at one stage, Hojlund had left United with no choice but to seek a centre-forward upgrade.
Having taken until Boxing Day himself to get off the mark in the league in 2023/24, the Dane has since seen Benjamin Sesko score twice in just his first seven Premier League outings, with the Slovenian superstar already beginning to find his feet.
Four goals for Napoli, alongside four goals for his country, have marked a fine start to 2025/26 for Hojlund, yet barring something drastic, the ex-Atalanta won’t be returning to the Theatre of Dreams, with the Scudetto winners holding a £38m obligation to buy as part of their loan swoop.
For all his potential, such a move simply hasn’t worked out, left now looking to be a player whose best work will come in Serie A, or at international level – sound familiar?
Man Utd have already sold another Hojlund
Two years was enough for the die to be cast on young Hojlund, with concerns mounting over the lack of faith his teammates had in him, while his errant hold-up play was also a pertinent issue, considering he won just 25% of his duels last term, as per Sofascore.
Two years was also what was afforded to a figure of the past in Romelu Lukaku, with the Belgian signed from Everton on a £75m deal in 2017, only to depart for Inter for a similar fee just two seasons later.
Of course, unlike his new Napoli teammate, Lukaku had proven himself in the Premier League before signing for United, scoring 104 goals in all competitions for West Brom and the Toffees combined, having initially been on the books at Chelsea.
While on reflection, his United record of 42 goals in 96 games looks favourable, particularly in contrast to Hojlund, Lukaku just never seemed like the right fit at Old Trafford, criticised for his “woeful and costly finishing” in 2018/19 by journalist Samuel Luckhurst.
Like his fellow left-footer, the Belgian at his best appeared to relish the chance to burst in behind a defence, having not exactly been adept at linking the play or acting as a target man.
A preoccupation with trying to improve on those latter traits led to criticism that the striker had bulked up too much, with his professionalism called into question by the likes of Gary Neville.
Swiftly cast aside by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to Serie A, Lukaku’s 2019 exit to San Siro sparked an immediate change of fortunes, having scored 64 goals across the next two seasons in all competitions for the Nerazzurri.
Hojlund vs Lukaku at Man Utd
Hojlund
Games
Goals
Premier League
62
14
Champions League
6
5
Europa League
15
6
FA Cup
8
1
League Cup
4
0
Community Shield
0
0
Total
95
26
Lukaku
Games
Goals
Premier League
66
28
Champions League
17
7
Europa League
n/a
n/a
FA Cup
9
6
League Cup
3
0
UEFA Super Cup
1
1
Total
96
42
Stats via Transfermarkt
A title winner in 2020/21, he was rewarded with a seismic £97.5m return to Chelsea and to Premier League football that summer, albeit with things soon turning sour as he scored just eight league goals in that second spell.
Like Hojlund – who joined United after scoring ten times in his solitary season in Bergamo – Lukaku simply looks much more at home in Italian football, notably scoring 21 goals in just 47 games on loan at Roma, alongside contributing 25 goals and assists in his first 38 games in Naples.
While considered something of a “flat-track bully” on English shores, the 32-year-old is regarded as “one of the best strikers in the world” in Italy, as noted by Luca Toni, emphasising just how he has flourished since leaving United.
Hojlund looks set to follow in his footsteps, almost quite literally, considering he was snapped up by Conte’s side this summer to cover for the injured Lukaku, emphasising how he is viewed as an able deputy to the experienced marksman.
That likeness between the pair can also be seen in the fact that Lukaku is deemed to be the most statistically similar striker to Hojlund in Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref, while the latter man is also beginning to emulate his new club colleague by shining at international level.
Lukaku, remarkably, has scored 89 goals in 124 caps for Belgium, and while Hojlund has a way to go to reach such heights, his four-goal haul across his last three World Cup qualifying games has ensured that his record now sits at 12 in 30 for Denmark.
As he is proving, and likely will continue to go on to prove, Hojlund is an elite striker. That said, much like few of a United persuasion have regretted Lukaku’s exit in recent times, there should be an acceptance that Old Trafford was just not the right environment for him to succeed.
Like Lukaku, he looks like being a machine in Italy and on the international stage – but, despite his early promise, he certainly wasn’t one for United.
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This was an easy 6-0 victory for the USWNT, a near-perfect performance to end an imperfect, but hopeful, camp
After a loss and a win against Portugal, the U.S. women's national team played in a different stratosphere against New Zealand on Wednesday night. The first match against Portugal reminded the world what could happen when the USWNT aren't at their best.
This match, then, reminded the world of what could happen when the USWNT are in form – and that's a scary, scary sight.
Led by Emma Sears' first international hat-trick and Catarina Macario's fourth international brace, the USWNT crushed New Zealand, 6-0, in Kansas City on Wednesday night. Truth be told, it wasn't even that close. This was a wall-to-wall beatdown, one in which virtually every USWNT player on the field had a moment to be proud of.
Sears, of course, led them all, scoring the opening goal before adding two more in the second half to score her first professional hat-trick.
She was far from the only standout. Macario, too, scored in each half, running the show from up top. Rose Lavelle, who had more caps than the rest of the starting XI combined, scored a stunner just before halftime, having dominated in the prior 44 minutes on the field before coming off after the break.
Michelle Cooper, playing in her club stadium, had two assists, while Lindsey Heaps came off the bench to provide one of her own and Kennedy Wesley – the lone newcomer in camp, and 25th recipient of a first cap from coach Emma Hayes – played well in an electric environment.
“Honestly, I want to give a lot of credit to my teammates,” said Sears, who tripled her previous international goal output in one game. “Especially with that first goal, Michelle served it on a platter for me to tap it in. And yeah, the goals following, it was good to carry on that momentum throughout the game and ultimately get the win.”
Oh, and did we mention this was the least experienced team – cap-wise – that the USWNT has put on the field in the last 25 years? It was a near-perfect performance to end an imperfect, but hopeful, camp. The loss against Portugal certainly served as a wake-up call, and that carried on through to this third game of camp.
In that sense, it was the ending Hayes would have wanted as her young squad throttled New Zealand, marking the most goals the USWNT have scored since their new coach took over last year.
GOAL rates the USWNT's players from CPKC Stadium.
Getty Images
Goalkeeper & Defense
Claudia Dickey (7/10):
Wasn't threatened much in the first half, but had to make one big save to start the second. Would have liked to have been more active but, hey, that's how it goes sometimes as USWNT goalkeeper.
Lilly Reale (7/10):
Was very clean on the ball, which was really the assignment given how ball-dominant the USWNT were throughout.
Jordyn Bugg (6/10):
Didn't have to do much defensively, but she did ping the ball around well when she got it.
Kennedy Wesley (6/10):
The perfect game to get your USWNT debut in, particularly as a centerback. Had a giveaway or two, which is natural, and, on this occasion, it was fine because of the flow of the game.
Emily Sams (7/10):
Interesting to see her at fullback, even if she has played there at times on the club level. Didn't look too out of place, as she assisted Macario's goal.
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Midfield
Lily Yohannes (8/10):
Just so technically gifted, with her backheel leading to the first goal serving as a signature moment. If you've been watching the USWNT since she debuted, you'll know exactly what type of skillset she showed off as she ran the midfield.
Claire Hutton (6/10):
Was the most "defensive" of the three midfielders, although they didn't have to do much defending. Actually nearly got a goal of her own in the 25th minute, too.
Rose Lavelle (9/10):
A player that, when she's on, makes everyone on the team better. She did that on Wednesday while scoring a stunning goal of her own.
Getty Images
Attack
Emma Sears (9/10):
Certainly capitalized on her chances as she added the third, fourth and fifth goals of her USWNT career. This was, obviously, her best performance yet as she routinely put herself in position to finish and then did just that three times.
Catarina Macario (9/10):
Scored two goals of her own and teed up Sears' first. More evidence of what the Chelsea star can offer from the striker position, even when Triple Espresso does return.
Michelle Cooper (8/10):
The only member of the attack not to get a goal, but she did set up two of them. A fantastic performance from Cooper, who ran circles around New Zealand's defense all night long.
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Subs & Manager
Lindsey Heaps (7/10):
After seeing Lavelle cook, came in and provided an assist of her own on Macario's second.
Sam Coffey (6/10):
Even with the game out of reach, she still brought energy and presence, which was no surprise. Almost got a goal from distance, too.
Lo'eau LaBonta (6/10):
The crowd demanded that the Kanas City Current veteran play, and play she did, with LaBonta and Hayes having a laugh about it as she was introduced. A feel-good moment for a local hero, who got the reception she deserved in front of her fans.
Jaedyn Shaw (7/10):
Replaced Macario and, while she wasn't quite as dangerous, there wasn't a big drop off. That's a huge compliment to Shaw, who probably deserved a goal.
Yazmeen Ryan (5/10):
Had such a good chance one-on-one but put it just wide. Will definitely want that back, especially with the other attackers scoring for fun.
Eva Gaetino (N/A):
Came on late to see the game out. A good moment for her, considering she wasn't originally part of this camp.
Emma Hayes (8/10):
Won the game by a wide margin, got some young players onto the field and sent the crowd home happy by playing LaBonta. Not much else she could have done to make this a feel-good night.
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has jumped one spot to a career-best seventh on the ICC Test rankings for batters following his twin centuries against England in Headingley. The 27-year-old became only the second wicketkeeper to score a hundred in each innings of a Test after former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower.Pant scored 134 in the first innings and followed it up with 118 in the second. Despite his efforts, India lost by five wickets, with the hosts chasing down 371 with ease.Ben Duckett, whose memorable century in the fourth innings laid the foundation for England’s last-day heist, moved up five spots in the rankings to a career-best eighth. Duckett scored a vital 62 in the first innings and followed it up with 149 off just 170 balls in the second, which also saw him take home the Player-of-the-Match award.
Full rankings tables
Click here for the full team rankings
Click here for the full player rankings
India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill, who scored a century in the first innings, also jumped five places to 20th, while Ollie Pope, who had a century of his own in the first innings, moved up three places to 19th.Joe Root continued to top the batting chart, with Harry Brook in second place. Root remained unbeaten on 53 in England’s chase, while Brook scored 99 in the first innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal is the highest-ranked India batter, placed fourth, after his 101 on the opening day.Jasprit Bumrah, meanwhile, continued to top the bowling rankings following his five-for in the first innings of the Headingley Test. Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins are placed second and third, respectively.Ben Stokes moved to three spots to be fifth on the allrounders’ rankings, headed by Ravindra Jadeja.
Liverpool spent big back in 2018 on Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, with the pair helping transform the Reds into Premier League winners once again.
More recently, those at Anfield have splashed the cash on Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, with the latter becoming Liverpool’s all-time record signing. However, over the years, the Reds have also missed out on bringing some iconic names to Anfield.
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3 ByBen Goodwin May 17, 2025 10 superstars Liverpool almost signed 10 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Starting off with arguably the biggest missed deal in Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2003. Liverpool thought they had their man for just £4m when the forward was at Sporting CP.
Former Reds assistant Phil Thompson recalled the story of Ronaldo’s failed move to Merseyside, with Manchester United hijacking a deal.
9 Jude Bellingham
Liverpool were close to signing Jude Bellingham when he was at Borussia Dortmund back in 2023, however, the Reds would pull out of a big-money deal.
Former Reds stars Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold were even looking to lure Bellingham while they were with England, but instead, the midfielder chose Real Madrid.
8 Dani Alves
One of the best right-backs the game has ever seen, Dani Alves came close to a Liverpool transfer in 2006.
Rafael Benitez and the Reds struck an £8m agreement to sign the Brazilian but instead opted to use the funds on Dirk Kuyt. Alves would go on to sign for Barcelona two years later.
7 Dele Alli
Former Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli
Before signing for Tottenham in 2015 from MK Dons, Dele Alli had interest from Liverpool, and being a Reds supporter growing up, was keen on a move to Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers was in charge at the time and once admitted a deal was close, but Spurs ended up paying £5m for Alli.
Dele Alli’s record vs Liverpool
Games
13
Wins
1
Draws
5
Losses
7
Goals
1
6 Diego Maradona
In 1980, Diego Maradona was an unknown teenager coming impressing at Argentinos Juniors and could have signed for Liverpool.
Bob Paisley was in charge at Liverpool and was offered the chance to sign Maradona, however, he was hesitant about the off-field antics of the Argentine and opted against a transfer.
5 Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale in Tottenham training
Gareth Bale began his career as a left-back at Southampton, and Liverpool were after a new one in 2007.
The Welshman was wanted by Liverpool and Benitez, however, a fee failed to be agreed and Bale would join Tottenham. The Reds ended up with Argentine Emiliano Insua.
4 Nemanja Vidic
One of the best centre-backs the Premier League has seen, Nemanja Vidic was actually wanted by Liverpool before his move to Man Utd in 2006.
Vidic would spend eight years at Old Trafford, winning five top flight titles, but Benitez spoke to the Serbian about a move to Anfield.
3 David Silva
After winning the World Cup with Spain in 2010, David Silva was a man in demand and would leave Valencia for Manchester City.
However, Liverpool were also in the race and came close to landing the attacking midfielder. Instead, they would have to face his magic for City over the next 10 years.
2 Michael Laudrup
A teenager in 1983, Michael Laudrup grew up a Liverpool supporter and could have joined the Reds when he was at Brondby.
The length of a contract was the key sticking point regarding Laudrup’s move to Anfield, and he ended up joining Serie A side Lazio.
1 Alexis Sanchez
alexis-sanchez-arsenal-transfer-manchester-united
After Luis Suarez’s move to Barcelona in 2014, Liverpool were on the search for a new marquee attacking signing and attempted to sign Alexis Sanchez.
The Chilean star was at the Nou Camp but would leave that summer, but instead of heading to Merseyside, Sanchez would sign for Arsenal.
“It’s clear to see anyone would feel bad or feel hurt about those decisions. You’re out there playing to win, giving it your all and it seems like everyone is against you”
Andrew McGlashan28-Jun-20250:47
Hazlewood tears through West Indies’ top order
West Indies’ new captain Roston Chase has doubled down on criticism of umpiring decisions that went against his team during the opening Test against Australia, believing they had a significant impact on the outcome of the game.Coach Daren Sammy came out strongly after the second day’s play and raised concerns about the work of TV umpire Adrian Holdstock. The major decisions to anger West Indies were the dismissals of Chase, lbw when there was a possible inside edge, and Shai Hope to a brilliant catch from Alex Carey after the pair had put together a 67-run stand which took West Indies to 139 for 5 in reply to Australia’s 180. There was also a caught-behind decision against Travis Head on the opening they felt should have been out.The contest remained even at the start of the third day when Australia led by just 82 with six wickets in hand but it turned into a comprehensive 159-run defeat for West Indies.Related
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“This game is a frustrating one for me and for the team because we bowled out Australia for a relatively low score. We were very happy with that,” Chase said. “But then there were so many questionable calls in the game and none of them went our way. I mean, as a player, you’re out there, you’re giving your all, you’re fighting. And then nothing is going your way.”It could be heartbreaking. You see what set batters can do on the wicket. The wicket is one where once you get in, you can get runs, but the hardest part is to get in. Me and Shai Hope were going well and then, obviously, we had some questionable calls. That really set us back in terms of creating a big lead on the total that Australia set.””It’s clear to see anyone would feel bad or feel hurt about those decisions. You’re out there playing to win, giving it your all and it seems like everyone is against you.”Chase called for more accountability on umpires for poor decisions, although the ICC has an annual assessment process in place which can see international umpires removed from the elite panel based on performance.”It’s frustrating because as players, when we mess up, when we get out of line, we’re penalised harshly,” Chase said. “But the officials, nothing ever happens to them. They just have a wrong decision or questionable decision and life just goes on.1:12
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“You’re talking about guys’ careers. One bad decision could make or break a guy’s career. I just think that it should be an even playground in terms of when players step out of line, they’re penalised. I think that there should be some penalty put in place when you have blatant decisions going against you.”I think it was a big factor in the game because me and Hope were going well. We even had a catch that went against us in the first innings when we were bowling. So, you never know what the score could have been, but I don’t want to harp on it.”The catch referred to by Chase was when Head, on 53, edged through to Hope where it was taken low down and Holdstock ruled it not out. Head only added a further six runs. Australia, meanwhile, thought they should have had an lbw against Chase in the first over of the second day but it was ruled to be an inside edge.Pat Cummins said there would be no issues raised about the umpiring from the Australians. “We appeal [and] if we think it’s close, use DRS and leave the rest up to the umpires,” he said. “In some games, there’s a lot of 50-50 calls. Today we missed a few 50-50 calls that went against us. I think it’s cricket. I think it all balances itself out.”Both Chase and Sammy would appear to run the risk of ICC sanction for the comments about the match officials.Unlike umpiring decisions, something squarely in West Indies’ control is their catching and in Barbados they shelled seven chances, the last of them early on the third day when Head was dropped by Justin Greaves at second slip on 21 with Australia’s lead only 97.”There’s nothing I can say to justify the guys dropping the catches,” Chase, who spilled one himself on the first day, said. “We’ve been working hard on the slip catches. Every day, we try to take at least 30 to 40 catches. But practice and in the game is a big difference.”I just think it’s more a belief. From the time one goes down, I think guys tend to get a bit nervous and second guess their catching ability, and sometimes it can throw you off. But once you put one down, you have to look forward to taking the next one.”
Manchester United are finding it tough to string together a run of Premier League results and have now made contact with a high-profile manager who is loved by Harry Kane.
Ruben Amorim's uncertain Man Utd future
Falling to a disappointing defeat at Brentford on Saturday has heaped even more pressure on Ruben Amorim, who is feeling the heat after a fourth loss of the season across all competitions.
With Manchester United now in the bottom half of the Premier League table, there is plenty of anxiety among supporters as the Red Devils continue to falter and yet remain wedded to their 3-4-3 formation.
Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire were poor performers against Brentford, a rare occurrence, but their teammates hardly stepped up to be counted either on a day where the hosts were far more concise at both ends of the field.
Speaking post-match, Amorim lamented his struggling side for their lack of control in the game, acknowledging the Bees made far lighter work of fashioning attacking opportunities.
“When we win, it’s not the system. When we lose, it’s the system. I understand that. I think it’s more that we play this game like Brentford wants to play this game. With long balls, we kick the ball, second balls, and we never settle down our game. We never play our game.
“We never push the opponent. We knew that every time they recover the ball, they will make a run, and they will fight for the ball. We suffered two goals like that.”
Sunderland travel to Old Trafford next time out as Amorim looks to steady a ship that is far from stable. Nevertheless, Sir Jim Ratcliffe may now have taken a decisive step towards finding his successor.
Man Utd make contact with Gareth Southgate
According to talkSPORT, Manchester United and Ratcliffe have made contact with former England manager Gareth Southgate in recent weeks over replacing Amorim in the dugout at Old Trafford.
Ratcliffe has reached out to his camp, while Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner and Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola are also on their three-man shortlist.
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Any decision to part ways with Amorim would likely be held back until November, with the current cost of terminating his association with the club said to be around £12 million.
Southgate, who prefers a 4-3-3 formation, has been on a break from management after leading England to the final of EURO 2024. The 55-year-old also took the Three Lions to the 2020 showpiece of the competition alongside finishing fourth in the 2018 World Cup.
Highly respected by his peers, Kane previously labelled him ‘one of England’s greatest ever managers’ after he departed the position with a record of 61 wins, 24 draws and 17 losses in 102 matches, giving him a win ratio of 59.8%.
His only experience in the Premier League as a coach came with Middlesbrough from 2006 to 2009. However, Manchester United would be an entirely different kettle of fish, though his statesmanlike exterior and ability to build compact sides could help to stem the flow of goals conceded at the Red Devils.
Although Arsenal went top of the Premier League with victory over West Ham United, it was another afternoon to forget for Martin Odegaard as his injury woes continued.
Arteta admits Odegaard injury "not positive"
It was a season of injury woes for Arsenal as a whole last season. So much so that much of their summer spending centred around adding quality in depth to Mikel Arteta’s squad. But whilst that has helped put an end to several concerns, Mikel Arteta still has one major Odegaard concern after the Norwegian left the pitch injured for a third-consecutive game on Saturday afternoon.
It looked as though Arsenal’s summer spending was all coming together against West Ham. Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres all shared the stage and any concerns that Arteta hadn’t let go of the handbrake seemed destined to end before Odegaard’s injury spoiled the party.
Arteta, as frustrated as anyone, provided an update on the midfielder in his post-match reaction – saying: “With Martin it was a clash, knee to knee. It’s not looking very positive at the moment. Immediately he was uncomfortable. I just spoke to him, he’s not positive about it, he’s got a brace on, we’ll have to wait and see from the doctors.”
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Arsenal shared an update on Odegaard on Sunday, revealing he has sustained ‘a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee’ and has withdrew from international duty with Norway.
The big question will be just how long Odegaard misses. He’s already been forced to sit out of three games in all competitions and an injury expert has now revealed the worst-case scenario for the Arsenal captain following another setback.
Reacting to the injury, injury expert Physio Scout took to X to reveal Odegaard could miss up to six weeks of action with a Grade 2 MCL injury, believing a Grade 3 is unlikely.
Should Odegaard miss six weeks of action, he would miss seven games up until the next November international break, including Champions League fixtures against Atletico Madrid.
Games Odegaard could miss if he’s out for 6 weeks
Date
Fulham vs Arsenal
October 18
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid
October 21
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
October 26
Arsenal vs Brighton
October 29
Burnley vs Arsenal
November 1
Slavia Praha vs Arsenal
November 4
Sunderland vs Arsenal
November 8
Not an ideal situation, but Arteta and Arsenal have shown they have the squad to cope.
Whether you're planning to build a dynasty on a foundation of the best young players in the world or you're looking for top untapped talent to profit from by selling on, we've got you covered.
Football Manager 26 is out now and, if you're anything like us, you'll have the game fired up, ready to embark on a new challenge.
One of the most rewarding and exciting aspects of Football Manager (like Championship Manager before it, for those of us of a certain vintage!), is unearthing hidden gems and nurturing wonderkids appropriately so that they reach their full potential and become masters of the ever-expanding football universe.
Keeping your eye out for young talent is a key consideration, whether you're managing the biggest club in the world or scraping at the lower end of the football pyramid, where one or two bright sparks can ignite a blaze of glory through the divisions.
Here, GOAL brings you the best young players under the age of 20* to sign on FM26, based on their potential ability.
Scoring goals, they say, is the most difficult thing to do in football, but there is no shortage of talent lining up to become the next great goalscorer.
While things may not have taken off as he would have liked in the real world, Real Madrid forward Endrick is the top of the list in FM26 when it comes to the high-potential strikers in the game. Of course, given his worldwide reputation and the fact that he is a Madrid player, he will cost a pretty penny if you want to sign him, especially early in the game.
Kazakh duo Daulet Orynbasar and Dastan Satpayev are much cheaper alternatives, if you are working to a budget, or you might have some joy seeking a loan move for Endrick's Real team-mate Jaime Barroso.
Harry Gray looks like he could be the next big thing for England, with high hopes for the striker at Leeds United, alongside the likes of Lyon's Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez and Liverpool teen Jayden Danns.
READ MORE: NXGN profile on Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez
When it comes to midfield, whether you're looking for a rock-solid defensive midfielder or a dazzling attacking midfield playmaker, there are loads of young players to get excited about in FM26.
The likes of Lamine Yamal, Estevao and Franco Mastantuono have long been heralded as the next world-class stars in football. Their abilities mean they have been on the radar for an age already, with Yamal and Estevao in particular already lighting things up at Barcelona and Chelsea, respectively. You'll need a huge transfer budget if you want to have a chance of luring these talents to your team.
However, there are always cheaper alternatives that are not far behind the top-tier talents. Ethan Nwaneri at Arsenal and Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha are on the fringes at their clubs at the moment, so they might be open to loan moves, for example, while you might have joy convincing players from Belgium, such as Nathan De Cat, to move to a bigger league.
Georgian defender Saba Kharebashvili is one of the best young defenders in the game, and at just 16 years old, playing for Dinamo Tbilisi, he is very much an attainable commodity for bigger clubs. Capable of playing in the centre or at full-back, Kharebashvili represents a dynamic prospect.
If you are able to open the chequebook and splurge, it is worth scouting Myles Lewis-Skelly at Arsenal and Pau Cubarsi at Barcelona, or else Luka Vuskovic at Tottenham, all of whom are capable of fitting in at the highest level already.
In the event you are tight on money, but building a long-term vision, have a look at Benfica's Daniel Banjaqui, Axel Tape at Bayer Leverkusen and Matteo Palma at Udinese. These three have less of a reputation than the aforementioned, but are quite capable of becoming elite-level defenders.
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Goalkeeper is a difficult position for young talents to break through into, with many of the world's best shot-stoppers only truly maturing later in their careers. Nevertheless, now and then, a pretender comes along and proves their worth early on, especially if they get given a chance at a smaller club.
Not many managers are likely to thrust a 16-year-old into the limelight as a first-choice goalkeeper, but, if you're one of them, Ben Vickery at Manchester City is worth scouting, while Genk's 17-year-old Lucca Brughmans is also worth a look.
The likes of Kerem Matisli (18), Julian Eyestone (19) and Dennis Seimen (19) might be safer bets if you are looking for a young player, but one who is on the cusp of graduating to prolonged first-team action.
One of Europe’s hottest strikers is drawing interest from Newcastle United, but his release clause stands at a whopping £87m.
Champions League football affecting Newcastle
The Magpies are still waiting to fully fire this season, grinding their way to a vital late 2-1 win at home to Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, securing a much-needed three points at St James’ Park.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, club legend and record scorer Alan Shearer said that the addition of Champions League football is playing a part in Eddie Howe’s side failing to fire domestically.
“Yeah, I think it is. I think even if you’ve got the biggest of squads, to play European football with the emotion, how draining it is and everything else. Yeah, it does [have an impact]. There’s no doubt about it.
“The game after a European week, you’ve just got to get the result no matter how you get it. You’ve just got to get it. So Newcastle did that. So it was a big three points and hopefully they can get their league season going now.”
Newcastle would love to add more attacking firepower to their squad, even though Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have come in for Alexander Isak, and a huge talent has now been mentioned as a transfer target for 2026.
Newcastle eyeing "one of Europe's most prolific players"
According to a report from Caught Offside, Newcastle United are in the mix to sign Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who has a reported £87m release clause in his current contract. Sources in the agents industry have confirmed the 21-year-old is wanted by the Magpies, as well as rival Premier League sides Tottenham and Nottingham Forest.
Aghehowa is a player with a massive future in the game, so Newcastle signing him in 2026 would feel like a major statement of intent by the club.
Still only 21, the Porto star has already scored 35 goals in just 55 appearances for his current club, which is stunning return, and he has won three caps for reigning European champions Spain, so could be pushing to lead the line for them at next summer’s World Cup.
In fact, such is Aghehowa’s brilliance, scout Jacek Kulig has even described him as “one of Europe’s most prolific players”, highlighting the level he is playing at.
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While a new striker isn’t necessarily essential for Newcastle, given Woltemade and Wissa coming in during the summer transfer window, the latter is now pushing 30 years of age, so the Spaniard could be considered a long-term option alongside Woltemade at St James’ Park.