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Nas últimas semanas, uma entrevista com Calleri viralizou. O camisa 9 do São Paulo, durante sua fala, relembrou um momento onde afirmou ter se sentido ‘sozinho’. No caso, no clássico mais recente contra o Santos, no qual o argentino marcou dois gols.

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– Chegar na minha casa e estar sozinho e me sentir sozinho, e não me importava a figura que havia sido há três horas. Não me importava o que os jornais falavam sobre o “Calleri fazer dois gols em clássico outra vez”- disse em entrevista ao canal do Youtube “Botines Sensibles”.

Tal frase chegou a gerar uma certa preocupação por parte de alguns torcedores do São Paulo, principalmente sobre a questão psicológica do argentino. Entretanto, o Lance! apurou com pessoas próximas ao atleta que a situação não é nada para se preocupar. Ao que tudo indica, Calleri estaria “super bem”.

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O elenco do São Paulo recebe um bom respaldo psicológico. O clube do Morumbi conta com a profissional Anahy Couto, que acompanha de perto a situação mental de toda a equipe. Inclusive, existiram casos em que esta atenção especial pensando no psicológico foi essencial.

Um dos maiores exemplos nesta temporada foi Alisson. No começo do ano, Alisson ficou afastado de algumas partidas doSão Paulo por conta de problemas pessoais, estreando somente no dia 21 de fevereiro, contra o São Bento pelo Campeonato Paulista.Porém, ainda não em um ritmo perfeito. Recentemente, após a classificação contra o Corinthians na Copa do Brasil, o atleta destacou o trabalho da psicóloga nesta questão.

– Fico feliz. Foi um momento muito complicado que eu passei. Meus filhos, esposa, meu pai, a diretoria sempre se preocupou. A psicóloga nem dá para falar, foram essenciais para minha trajetória esse ano. Sempre que cheguei no São Paulo me entrego, me dedico e não seria diferente – disse.

A fala de Calleri serviu mais como um alerta sobre a importância de olhar além do físico, pensando nos atletas. Entretanto, não é nada que cause alguma preocupação maior em relação ao argentino.

Mexican Football Federation president Mikel Arriola says El Tri are aiming to face Portugal in the long-awaited reopening of Estadio Azteca, with only a few technical details left to finalize. He also confirmed plans to take the national team to Central America as part of its 2026 World Cup preparations. Mexico have already faced opponents from Asia and South America in their buildup.

Getty Images SportPortugal matchup only pending final details

According to Arriola, the agreement with Portugal is close, and the FMF President insisted the chances of seeing Cristiano Ronaldo on the field are high. 

“Most likely, it will be Portugal. We’re just working out the final details, but I’d say it’s practically done. I see Cristiano as a player who always wants to compete, and that’s part of the deal. If he’s fit, he’ll play,” Arriola said. 

AdvertisementAFP'The plan is to schedule ‘Triple-A’ matches'

Arriola also explained that head coach Javier Aguirre has requested to play upcoming friendlies in Central America early next year.

 “Javier asked us to go to Central America – to play away, to face tough environments, both from rival teams and from fans, with challenging travel, hotels, and even serenades outside the rooms. That’s the kind of experience he wants for the players, and that’s what we’re working on,” he said.

Facing top-level opponents remains a core part of Mexico’s strategic plan toward the 2026 World Cup. 

“The plan is to schedule ‘Triple-A’ matches. We’ve already played against Japan and other Asian teams, and we’re finalizing four more games against South American opposition. Javier is identifying the right player profiles, and our goal is to maximize results,” he said. 

Getty Images SportArriola expresses full support for Aguirre

Despite recent criticism of the team’s performances, Arriola voiced his full support for Aguirre’s project. 

“What’s Javier doing? He’s searching – looking for the right profiles. He’s analyzing which players respond well to different circumstances. There’s now a strong sense of unity between the federation, the coaching staff, and the players, all focused on making sure Mexico has a great World Cup,” he said.

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AFP'Roughly double what any other national team will get'

The FMF’s preparation plan is one of the most ambitious in recent memory, with Mexico expected to play around 15 friendly matches in total – twice as many as most national teams will have before 2026. 

“Our commitment is to make the most of every opportunity. Including the matches we’ve already played, we’ll reach about 15 friendlies, which is roughly double what any other national team will get. Plus, with clubs agreeing to release players earlier, we’ll have around five to six full weeks to work with the squad before the tournament,” Arriola said. 

Opener makes 167 but Worcestershire fall short in valiant fourth-innings chase

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay12-May-2025

Jake Libby made 167 but finished on the losing side•Getty Images

Sussex’s persevering seam attack finally broke Worcestershire’s determined resistance – led by Jake Libby’s 167 – to claim their second win since promotion back to Division One in the Rothesay County Championship.No opponent loves batting at Hove more than Libby, who has now made the three highest scores of his career at the 1st Central County Ground. And while he was there to anchor their chase, Worcestershire looked capable of overhauling a target of 361.But having seen off another testing spell by Ollie Robinson with the new ball, Libby was caught off Robinson’s replacement Fynn Hudson-Prentice. His was the eighth wicket to fall with 75 still needed and Robinson got belated rewards for an excellent performance when took the last two wickets after tea to seal victory by 47 runs.There was little assistance in the pitch, even on the fourth day, for Sussex’s spinners, so it was left to their seam bowlers – led by the indefatigable Robinson – to take the seven wickets needed at the start of the final day which began with Worcestershire requiring 244.It was no surprise that Libby offered supreme resistance. He made his career-best 215 in this fixture in 2022 followed by 198 a year later. Here, having resumed on 64, he batted superbly especially against Robinson who beat the bat on numerous occasions, regularly challenged the stumps and could easily have finished with five or six wickets.Ollie Robinson is mobbed after taking the final wicket•Getty Images

During a nine-over spell at the start of the day Robinson thought he’d removed Libby on 86 to a catch behind the wicket but umpire James Middlebrook remained unmoved and shortly before lunch Libby moved to the 18th first-class hundred of his career, from 180 balls.Hudson-Prentice had picked up nightwatchman Ben Allison in the second over of the day but Sussex only took one more wicket in the morning session when Ethan Brookes played on to Ari Karvelas.Skipper Brett D’Oliveira helped Libby put on 81 in 22 overs either side of lunch with few alarms but with the new ball due Tom Clark made an important breakthrough when he bowled D’Oliveira through the gate for 29.Matthew Waite then gave Libby solid support. They survived another outstanding spell by the luckless Robinson down the slope with Waite batting for an hour before Karvelas tempted him into driving at an outswinger and James Coles took a sharp, low catch at third slip.Libby still looked as if he could still guide Worcestershire home but when Hudson-Prentice replaced Robinson he broke through straight away, tempting Libby into a rare loose drive which Clark, diving to his right, clung onto at second slip. Libby had batted for six-and-a-half hours, faced 252 balls and hit 22 fours and departed to a fully deserved standing ovation from an appreciative Sussex audience.Fateh Singh was put down behind the stumps by John Simpson off Jack Carson on 7 but it didn’t prove costly. Robinson returned for a third spell after tea and finally got some belated reward when Singh took on a short ball and Tom Haines raced in from the midwicket boundary to take a well-judged catch.Robinson wrapped up victory in emphatic style in his next over when he sent Ben Gibbon’s off stump cartwheeling to finish with 3 for 66 from 29.2 overs.

West Ham United face a familiar struggle for goals this season and now appear to be taking steps in an effort to rectify the problem come the January window.

West Ham offer youth a chance in hunt for goals

Niclas Fullkrug and Callum Wilson are both experienced heads in front of goal and Jarrod Bowen is a permanent threat for the Hammers. However, there has been a frustrating lack of goals dispersed throughout their side lately, contributing to their Premier League struggles.

In surprise fashion, Northern Ireland international Callum Marshall earned his top-flight debut as West Ham chased a way back into the match in their defeat away to Arsenal, leading Nuno Espirito Santo to talk up his potential post-match.

He stated: “What I’ve been seeing in training sessions, his energy, he’s a good finisher, good mobility, he can recognise the gaps in the space, he has a good chance. Even though he’s not a strong boy against a very tough centre-half, he managed to get the header, so I think we have something that we can use.

“We’re going to have three strikers available: (Niclas) Fullkrug, Callum Wilson, and Marshall. We’re going to need all of them, different players, that are going to give us different solutions and options moving forward.”

Scottish youngster Josh Landers is another candidate to bolster West Ham’s forward line after 14 goals in 19 matches last term. Nevertheless, it feels likely that Nuno will turn to the transfer window after his side’s return of six goals in seven matches.

Weekly wages: West Ham United FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

The Irons’ biggest earners for the 2025/26 season…

ByCharlie Smith Sep 24, 2025

Desperate times call for desperate measures and the new regime will have designs on evading the relegation zone and building momentum, and they may look for a helping hand in the form of an out-of-favour striker.

West Ham ask to keep informed on Joshua Zirkzee

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham have asked to keep informed on Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee as the Netherlands international continues to be out of favour at Old Trafford. Intermediaries will run the rule over potential options for the forward, with both loan moves and permanent arrangements set to be explored and the player open to joining another English club.

Joshua Zirkzee’s tally at Manchester United

Appearances

53

Goals

7

Assists

3

Zirkzee believes he can succeed in the Premier League and would be open to remaining on English soil, albeit Juventus and AC Milan have previously shown interest in bringing the 24-year-old back to Serie A following his exploits with Bologna.

Coming in as a caveat, the Schiedam-born man isn’t a conventional number nine and has come off the frontline to link play regularly since his £36.5 million move to Manchester United last summer.

Either way, his talent would undeniably improve West Ham’s shrinking pool of options if they were to convince him that the London Stadium is the best place to take his next career step, though only time will tell whether that scenario can become a reality.

علق حلمي طولان، المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر الثاني والمشارك في كأس العرب، على أنباء رحيل يانيك فيريرا عن تدريب الزمالك.

واستقر الزمالك برئاسة حسين لبيب، على توجيه الشكر إلى يانيك فيريرا المدير الفني، عقب تراجع النتائج في الدوري الممتاز.

طالع|مدرب عربي يقترب من خلافة فيريرا في الزمالك

وقال طولان، ضيف برنامج “الكورة مع فايق” على قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “اختيار فيريرا من البداية غير موفق”.

وتابع: “مدرب يحصل على 15 أو 20 ألف دولار فمستواه أقل بشكل كبير من مستوى الزمالك، النادي في حاجة إلى مدير فني صاحب مستوى عالي، وفيريرا لم يُظلم ولكن هو ظلم فريق الزمالك ولا يليق بالنادي”.

ويستعد الزمالك لمواجهة طلائع الجيش، في الجولة الـ13 من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز يوم الأحد المقبل، في الساعة الخامسة على ملعب القاهرة الدولي.

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven has largely impressed under Thomas Frank and throughout his time in north London, so much so that he’s now attracting serious rumoured interest from Real Madrid.

Real Madrid turn to Tottenham star Micky van de Ven as 2026 target

The Dutchman, signed from Wolfsburg during the very start of Ange Postecoglou’s era in charge, formed an absolutely stellar partnership with Cristian Romero over his first two seasons.

Romero was reportedly on Real’s shortlist of targets before the Argentine committed his future to N17 by penning a brand-new £195,000-per-week contract, which made him Spurs’ joint-highest earner alongside summer signing Xavi Simons.

Van de Ven and Romero once starred in Postecoglou’s high line, which was a key reason for Tottenham’s success and qualification for the Europa League in 2023/2024.

Micky van de Ven

7.4/10

Djed Spence

7.3/10

Rodrigo Bentancur

7.3/10

Mohammed Kudus

7.2/10

Santiago Mourino

7.1/10

via WhoScored

Last season, Tottenham conceded just 20 goals in the 18 games they started together, with the duo’s injury problems throughout 24/25 seriously crippling Spurs.

With Romero tied down and van de Ven continuing to impress this season, it is believed that Real are now eyeing a move for the latter as Xabi Alonso looks to bolster his central defensive options in 2026.

Tottenham are reportedly ready to double van de Ven’s wages in an attempt to keep him out of their clutches, with Chelsea also believed to be interested in the ex-Bundesliga star amid Enzo Maresca’s hunt for new centre-backs (Graeme Bailey).

Losing the pacey, powerful and commanding centre-half would be a major blow for Frank, and journalist Dean Jones has sent a warning to Tottenham about Real’s interest.

Tottenham sent Micky van de Ven a warning amid head-turning Real Madrid plan

Speaking to TEAMtalk, Jones reports that Real are planning to “turn people’s heads” with a statement defensive signing, and despite Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate being Alonso’s main target, an alternative move for van de Ven cannot be ruled out.

Commenting on Real’s “interesting” van de Ven links, he’s “heard” that this could be one to watch.

Defenders of his calibre, age and ability are few and far between.

Van de Ven’s recovery speed is arguably his biggest asset. Time and again, he bailed Spurs out with last-ditch tackles or blistering sprints to snuff out counter-attacks during Postecoglou’s reign, and he’s been equally imperative for Frank.

talkSPORT’s Jamie O’Hara went as far to say that Romero and van de Ven are the best centre-back partnership in the world right now, and either player would stroll into Alonso’s starting eleven at the Bernabeu.

Board secretary Devajit Saikia says there has been no communication from the BCCI to the ACC regarding upcoming events

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2025

India are the reigning men’s Asia Cup champions•AFP/Getty Images

Amid growing speculation over whether India will play in this year’s Asia Cup, in the wake of tensions with Pakistan, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has downplayed reports that India were pulling out, insisting that the issue was yet to be “discussed”.India are due to host the six-team event in the T20 format but the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which runs the Asia Cup, has not yet announced the schedule or the venue. September has unofficially been pencilled in as the window.”The Asia Cup matter or any other ACC event issue has not come up for discussion at any level,” Saikia said in a statement on Monday. “… till now, BCCI has not even discussed or taken any such steps regarding ensuing ACC events, leave alone writing anything to the ACC. At this stage, our prime focus is on the ongoing IPL and subsequent England series, both men and women.”Related

Women's Emerging Asia Cup postponed due to weather and health concerns in Sri Lanka

Gambhir: India should not play Pakistan at all

Saikia said the BCCI had not communicated any decision to the ACC concerning India’s participation in the Asia Cup as well as the Women’s Emerging Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in June.However, ESPNcricinfo has learned the women’s Emerging Asia Cup has been postponed though the reason could not be confirmed. The ACC has not yet made any formal announcement on the postponement.Speculation about India’s participation and the fate of this year’s event has arisen as tensions between India and Pakistan soared this month after the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The two countries engaged militarily briefly, temporarily halting both the IPL and PSL. Both leagues resumed on May 17 after the countries agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, though bilateral relations remain fraught.India head coach Gautam Gambhir recently said there should be “absolutely no” cricketing ties between India and Pakistan. Speaking in his personal capacity, Gambhir said: “Till all this [terrorism] doesn’t stop, there should not be anything between India and Pakistan.”The BCCI has normally sought permission from the Indian government to play Pakistan in multinational events. In 2023, when Pakistan were the host of the Asia Cup, a precursor to the ODI World Cup, the BCCI said it did not have the Indian government’s permission to travel to Pakistan. Consequently, PCB adopted a hybrid model to conduct the tournament in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with the latter hosting all of India’s matches including the final. Earlier this year, India did not travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy for similar reasons, and played all their matches including the final in Dubai.India-Pakistan contests are among the most-watched cricket matches and play a significant role in the valuation of broadcast rights both for the ICC (at World Cups) and ACC (Asia Cup). Several editions of the Asia Cup have been hit by strained political ties between the countries, leading to withdrawals and the entire tournament being shelved in the past.

Benfica are one of the most historic clubs in Portugal, and the former back-to-back European champions have some impressive players on the books.

The Eagles have an annual payroll of €42,480,000 for the 2025/26 season, with the average player earning €1.5m per season. But who earns the most at the Estadio da Luz? Every Benfica player in the first-team squad has been ranked in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Anatoliy Trubin

€74,038

€3,850,000

Richard Rios

€57,692

€3,000,000

Fredrik Aursnes

€55,385

€2,880,000

Vangelis Pavlidis

€55,385

€2,880,000

Dodi Lukebakio

€55,385

€2,880,000

Nicolas Otamendi

€48,462

€2,520,000

Leandro Barreiro

€48,077

€2,500,000

Amar Dedic

€40,769

€2,120,000

Enzo Barrenechea

€40,769

€2,120,000

Samuel Dahl

€40,769

€2,120,000

Georgiy Sudakov

€36,923

€1,920,000

Tomas Araujo

€31,346

€1,630,000

Alexander Bah

€31,346

€1,630,000

Antonio Silva

€30,000

€1,560,000

Bruma

€29,615

€1,540,000

Manu

€27,885

€1,450,000

Henrique Araujo

€23,077

€1,200,000

Franjo Ivanoic

€18,462

€960,000

Gianluca Prestianni

€13,462

€700,000

Rafa Obrador

€11,154

€580,000

Samuel Soares

€9,231

€480,000

Joao Rego

€7,308

€380,000

Diogo Prioste

€7,308

€380,000

Andreas Schjelderup

€6,923

€360,000

Goncalo Oliveira

€5,385

€280,000

Joao Veloso

€5,385

€280,000

Leandro Santos

€5,385

€280,000

Here's a detailed look at Benfica's top 10 earners… 10 Samuel Dahl €40,769 per week

Starting the countdown is Swedish left-back Samuel Dahl, who cost Benfica €9m from AS Roma in 2025.

Dahl signed a four-year deal and is one of three players on €40,769 per week.

9 Enzo Barrenechea €40,769 per week

A holding midfielder who can also play slightly further forward, Enzo Barrenechea is on loan at Benfica for 2025/26 from Aston Villa.

The Portuguese side are paying just over €2m in wages to have the Argentine for the season.

8 Amar Dedic €40,769 per week

Primarily a right-back who can also play on the left, Amar Dedic was another new arrival in 2025, costing €12m from Austrian side RB Salzburg.

A Bosnia and Herzegovina international, Dedic is set to pick up more than €10m in wages during his five-year contract.

7 Leandro Barreiro €48,077 per week

Luxembourg international Leandro Barreiro swapped Mainz for Benfica in 2024, with the holding midfielder joining the club on a free transfer.

Barreiro signed a contract until 2029 and picks up €2.5m per season.

6 Nicolas Otamendi €48,462 per week

After spending four years with FC Porto earlier in his career, centre-back Nicolas Otamendi returned to Portugal in 2020 with Benfica after leaving Manchester City.

The Argentinian is the current Benfica captain and lifted his first piece of silverware with the club in 2024.

5 Dodi Lukebakio €55,385 per week

Dodi Lukebakio cost Benfica €20m in the summer of 2025, with the Belgian winger swapping Spanish side Sevilla for a move to Portugal with Benfica.

He’s one of three players on €2.88m per season.

4 Vangelis Pavlidis €55,385 per week

Benfica landed striker Vangelis Pavlidis from AZ Alkmaar in 2024, with the Greece international penning a deal until 2029.

He’s set to pick up just under €15m in wages during that time, and Benfica will be hoping he can repay that in goals.

3 Fredrik Aursnes €55,385 per week

Midfielder Fredrik Aursnes has been with Benfica since 2022 after leaving Dutch side Feyenoord. A Norway international, he began his career in his native country with Hodd and Molde.

Aursnes signed his latest Benfica contract at the end of 2024, extending his stay in Portugal until 2029.

2 Richard Rios €57,692 per week

Benfica won the race to sign midfielder Richard Rios from Palmeiras in 2025 and gave him a €3m per season deal for the next five years.

A Colombia international, Rios appears to be approaching his prime just at the right time for Benfica.

1 Anatoliy Trubin €74,038 per week

Top of the charts as Benfica’s best paid player on €3.85m per season is goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.

The Ukraine international cost Benfica around €10m in 2023, and the young shot-stopper has been first-choice ever since.

A superb six-wicket return from Mohammad Abbas and second half-centuries in the match for Ben Slater and Joe Clarke helped Division One leaders Nottinghamshire seize control of this Rothesay County Championship clash with Yorkshire on day two at Headingley.Pakistani Test seamer Abbas was the chief protagonist with 6 for 45 from 17.3 overs – four of his wickets coming either side of lunch to secure a 49th career first-class haul of five wickets or more – as Yorkshire were bowled out for 159 in reply to a first-innings 228.Former England batter Dawid Malan impressed with a counter-attacking 64 off 45 balls as second-bottom Yorkshire, who started the day on 10 for 2, lost regular wickets. But it wasn’t enough.From early afternoon onwards, Nottinghamshire’s pursuit of a fourth win gathered even more steam, with opener Slater top-scoring with 78 off 125 balls in 227 for 3 from 61 overs, a lead of 296. Clarke provided important support with a fluent unbeaten 72 not out off 92.Left-handed Slater bettered his opening day 52 and shared half-century partnerships with Haseeb Hameed and Clarke, who top-scored with 64 in the first innings.As 35-year-old Abbas claimed his second haul of five wickets or more in three matches for Notts this season, it meant Yorkshire have now only posted first-innings totals of 250 or more on three occasions in seven matches in 2025.They have a mountain to climb to avoid a fourth defeat in seven games this season.Nottinghamshire captain Hameed shared 73 inside 16 overs for the first wicket with Slater in their second innings to more than double a commanding lead of 69. Hameed’s 33 was confidently compiled on a largely gloomy Leeds day.Just as Yorkshire will have been frustrated with their efforts with the bat, they would have been with the ball too. Conditions remained helpful for the seamers, but they failed to apply any pressure.Hameed was caught behind off a beauty from Jordan Thompson which bounced and nipped away before Freddie McCann was unlucky to have been given caught behind off Ben Coad for 15 shortly before tea with the score on 113 for 2, a lead of 179.But Slater, who was eye-catching on the drive, continued. He reached a well-paced fifty off 68 balls and shared 70 for the third wicket with Clarke before edging behind one which nipped away from Matthew Revis’s seam.Clarke went on to reach his fifty off 55 balls and shared a day-ending unbroken 54 partnership for the fourth wicket with Jack Haynes, 13.Earlier, Yorkshire reached lunch at 119 for 7, with seamers Dillon Pennington and Brett Hutton striking twice apiece and 35-year-old Abbas once as Notts strengthened their grip.En-route, they had to survive a counter-attacking half-century from Malan, who played a series of eye-catching shots and made it look like he was batting on a featherbed pitch.Malan drove imperiously and hoisted his quartet of sixes over the leg-side, reaching his fifty off only 34 balls upon his return to the side following three games out with a groin injury.After the early departure of James Wharton – caught at first slip off Pennington, 15 for 4 – Malan shared 37 for the fifth wicket with nightwatchman Jack White, who chanced his arm for 18 before he also edged Pennington into the slips.Hutton had Harry Duke caught behind and Malan lbw playing to leg, and when Abbas claimed his first wicket of the day by rocking back George Hill’s middle stump with one which kept low and jagged back, Yorkshire were 107 for 7 in the 34th over of the innings.After lunch, Abbas claimed his fourth and fifth wickets in successive balls as Yorkshire slipped to 124 for nine. Captain Dom Bess edged to fourth slip and Thompson to first.Revis, with 27, and Coad shared 35 for the last wicket, but it was only brief respite as the former dragged on to Abbas, leaving the visitors with all but two sessions of batting to do through to close. They did it expertly.

Celtic lost a huge talent in the recent summer transfer window when they decided to cash in on Nicolas Kuhn by selling him to Italian side Como for a fee of £16.5m.

The German winger has endured a difficult start to life in the Serie, failing to score or assist a goal in any of his first five matches in the division, but his time at Parkhead suggests that the best is yet to come.

Celtic signed the left-footed star from Rapid Vienna in the January transfer window at the start of 2024, and his best form for the club came after a difficult start to life in Glasgow.

How Nicolas Kuhn saved his Celtic career

The former Bayern Munich and Ajax trainee produced three goals and three assists in 18 appearances in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, including one goal and one assist in the cup, per Transfermarkt.

Kuhn needed time to adapt and adjust to the intensity of Scottish football and the pressure of playing for Celtic, though, and his best performances for the club came after that initial period of adaptation.

In his full season at Parkhead, the 25-year-old star racked up an eye-catching return of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he found his feet in Scotland to deliver consistent performances.

Kuhn is, therefore, the poster boy for why supporters and pundits alike should perhaps give some players more time to adapt to life at Celtic if they do not hit the ground running.

With this in mind, the Scottish Premiership champions may be brewing their next version of the German superstar, and it is not Sebastian Tounekti.

The Celtic player who is the next Nicolas Kuhn in the making

Unlike Kuhn, Tounekti has enjoyed a fairly strong start to his career at Parkhead and all but nailed down a place in the starting XI on the left flank, thanks to his exciting wing play after his deadline day move from Hammarby.

The Tunisia international has completed 14 dribbles in five matches in all competitions, per Sofascore, and scored against Partick Thistle in the League Cup.

Meanwhile, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who joined from Royal Antwerp in the summer, has not had as much success in winning the fanbase over since his move to the club.

After the 3-2 win over Motherwell, Brendan Rodgers explained that it has “all been a wee bit of a blur” for the Belgian forward since he moved to Parkhead, which suggests that he may be suffering from the same adaptation issues that Kuhn had at first.

Appearances

16

4

Shots per game

1.1

0.0

Goals

4

0

Key passes per game

1.6

0.5

Big chances created

7

1

Assists

3

1

Successful dribbles per game

0.4

0.0

As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha’s statistics for Royal Antwerp in the Pro League last season suggest that he has more gears to find in Glasgow, as he has struggled at the top end of the pitch for Celtic so far.

The young forward did deliver a fantastic assist for Daizen Maeda’s winner against Motherwell in the Premiership last weekend, his first goal contribution for the club, and that could be the moment that he needs to kick on and make a name for himself at Parkhead.

Balikwisha, who was described as an “exciting” player by Rodgers, has been a bit too timid in his early outings for the Hoops, as evidenced by no shots and 0.5 key passes per game across four matches.

The Belgian attacker needs to show more conviction and drive in his performances on the wing, as he did in the Pro League with his former club, and not worry about making a mistake or the crowd getting on his back.

Celtic must rue binning "magic" outcast who's now outperforming Tounekti

Brendan Rodgers must rue moving on from this Celtic star who is now outperforming Sebastian Tounekti.

ByDan Emery Oct 7, 2025

If he can step up to produce fearless performances, then his form from Belgium may translate to Scotland. He could follow in Kuhn’s footsteps by hitting his stride in front of goal after a difficult start to life in Glasgow.