He's like Haaland & Mateta: Arsenal move close to signing £40m striker

Unlike some of their rivals, Arsenal have not had too much trouble integrating their summer signings so far this season.

The standout addition has probably been Martin Zubimendi, but despite the criticism he received a few weeks ago, Viktor Gyokeres isn’t too far behind.

After all, before his recent injury, the Swedish international had scored six goals in 14 appearances, which makes him the club’s joint top scorer.

With that said, Arsenal still appear to be looking for someone who could one day replace him, and who better than someone compared to both Erling Haaland and Jean-Philippe Mateta?

Arsenal target Haaland & Mateta hybrid

While Gyokeres is having a decent season with Arsenal so far, he is being outscored by both Haaland and Mateta.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former, for example, has already amassed a frankly ridiculous tally of 19 goals and one assist in 15 appearances for Manchester City, while the latter has a tally of eight goals and nine assists in 19 games for Crystal Palace.

With numbers like these, it’s easy to see why Arsenal would be interested in signing a young striker who has been compared to both international superstars.

According to a recent report from Spain, the young striker in question is Etta Eyong.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners are more than just interested in the Levante gem, and have now decided to activate the youngster’s £40m release clause.

The story claims that, should everything go as planned, an announcement will be made in the coming weeks.

It’s a lot of money to spend on a young player, but Eyong could be the ideal heir to Gyokeres, especially as he’s won comparisons to both Haaland and Mateta.

How Eyong compares to Haaland & Mateta

The first thing to note is that, given he only turned 22 last month, Eyong is still a work in progress.

However, even in his short career, he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to score, and that is just one of the qualities he shares with Haaland and Mateta.

For example, in 30 appearances for Villarreal B last season, the Cameroon international scored 19 goals and provided six assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.15 games.

Then this season, upon taking the step-up to La Liga, the exciting forward has racked up a tally of five goals and one assist in nine appearances for Levante.

Moreover, one of those goals came against Real Madrid – and he nabbed one against Arsenal in pre-season – so he cannot be accused of simply being a flat-track bully.

However, while his output is hugely encouraging, the comparisons to Haaland and Mateta primarily come from elsewhere, from FBref.

They have compared the 22-year-old to every forward across Europe’s top five leagues and have determined that the Frenchman is the most similar, and the Norwegian is the eighth.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.63

0.63

Progressive Carries

0.73

0.56

Progressive Passes Received

4.04

4.39

Shot-Creating Actions

1.74

1.50

Live Passes

12.8

12.7

You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which the Cameroonian has ranked closely to the two internationals.

In the Palace star’s case, these metrics included non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shot-creating actions, live passes, and more, all per 90.

Goals per Shot

0.22

0.32

Goals per Shot on Target

0.46

0.54

Expected Assists

0.07

0.09

Shot-Creating Actions

1.74

1.72

In the case of the City monster, the underlying numbers included metrics such as shot-creating actions, expected assists, and most interestingly, goals per shot and goals per shot on target, all per 90 minutes.

These last two statistics are particularly encouraging, as they suggest that when the “incredible” Levante star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is in a dangerous situation, he is almost as clinical as the Norwegian goal machine.

Ultimately, it is still early in Eyong’s career, but as things stand, he looks to be an excellent young striker and someone who could be the perfect Gyokeres heir for Arsenal.

Major injury update now emerges on Arsenal star Gabriel before Tottenham

The centre-back suffered an injury on international duty with Brazil.

ByDominic Lund Nov 17, 2025

SA-WI T20I series likely to be reduced due to clash with World Cup

The five T20Is were the only home series for the South Africa men’s team this summer

Firdose Moonda24-Sep-2025

The West Indies series was the only engagement for the South Africa men’s side at home this summer•Dan Istitene/Getty Images

South Africa may be forced to shorten their only men’s international home series this summer – against West Indies – for both teams to get to the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka on time. South Africa are scheduled to host West Indies for five T20Is between January 27 and February 6, but as reported by ESPNcricinfo last week, the T20 World Cup is set to be played between February 7 and March 8.On August 28, the ICC sent participating teams a Member Information Pack, with information regarding warm-up matches. The document, seen by ESPNcricinfo, states that the ICC’s support period – the time in which teams are expected to arrive in the host countries and play non-obligatory warm-up games – starts on January 31. That has moved up from February 3, while CSA had drawn up their home fixtures with the understanding that South Africa would have enough time to travel to the T20 World Cup.It is not mandatory for countries to spend the entire support period in the host venue, but the ICC asked participating countries to list by September 5 how many warm-up matches they want to play, with options ranging between none to a maximum of two. Only if a country opts for two matches, will the support period become one week prior to the tournament opener. CSA are currently in discussions with CWI to see when West Indies want to arrive in the subcontinent and how many matches they want to play there. If teams opt for no warm-up games, the mandatory support period is four days prior to the first match on February 7. If a team opts for one warm-up then the support period will five to six days prior to the tournament opener.The warm-up information is significant only because it allows the ICC to confirm an arrival date for each team.Even if West Indies do not want to play any T20 World Cup warm-up matches, CSA will still have to cull at least two of the five T20Is; the last two games are on February 3 and 6. The fixtures cannot be played any earlier with the SA20 ending on January 25. CSA is currently deciding which venues should host the matches against West Indies – at present, the venues are likely to be Paarl, Newlands, Buffalo Park in East London, Centurion and Johannesburg.England and Sri Lanka narrowly escape this problem; their three-T20I series in Sri Lanka will be played between January 30 and February 3. They also have the benefit of being in one of the host nations at the time.South Africa do not have any other men’s international fixtures at home this season, in part because their all-format tour of India ends on December 19, which left no space for matches before the original window of the SA20 in the first week of January. The SA20 has now been moved into the festive period and will start on December 26.However, the league is not the only reason for the lack of men’s international fixtures. CSA always planned on having a less-crowded summer this year to prepare their venues for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Currently, drop-in pitches are in development around the country. Next season, South Africa play ten home Tests (eight men’s and two women’s), including three-match series against Australia and England.

Chelsea lay groundwork to sign star who Tuchel called "one of the best" in England

Chelsea are already making their presence known ahead of the January transfer window and could now be set to enact a blockbuster move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, under certain conditions.

The Blues have enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign under Enzo Maresca, despite having to find their way a little at Stamford Bridge, leaving them third in the Premier League standings as the international break unfolds.

With a notably young squad after a summer transfer spend of nearly £300 million, it was never going to be easy for them to adapt, albeit they have managed to create a sense of stability on the pitch and could stake a claim for the title if their current form persists.

Half the battle is being able to sell a vision to new recruits. In the case of Estevao, the young Brazilian has revealed that he had a private conversation with former Chelsea star Thiago Silva before opting to put pen to paper in West London.

He said via Sky Sports: “That’s right, after the last Brazilian Serie A game in 2024. We had a brief conversation, he came and spoke to me, and told me (I would like the club a lot), that the club had an incredible structure. For sure, we are seeing that now that the club has everything I need and an incredible set up, incredible people that work there.

“So yeah, I spoke to him after the game. I was really happy because Thiago Silva is an idol of this club, it was an incredible opportunity. So for the rest of that year I was anticipating it. I watched a lot of Chelsea games so I could see who I would be working with here, and thanks to God it’s all going well here.”

In truth, BlueCo have shown a real penchant for snapping up some of world football’s most elite young talent, and that extends far beyond Estevao.

While Chelsea are frontrunners to sign Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, they are also reportedly becoming a genuine contender to acquire one of his competitors for a slot in the England starting line-up.

Chelsea keen on Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson

According to Mark Brus in his Daily Briefing via CaughtOffside, Chelsea have laid some groundwork over signing Forest’s Anderson through extensive scouting missions, and could look to act after his excellent start to the top-flight campaign.

Lauded by Thomas Tuchel as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”, the 23-year-old has notched a solitary goal and an assist apiece in 14 appearances this term, but his performances at the City Ground have earned rave reviews.

However, they may not be able to complete any move for the Whitley Bay-born star until they sell a player to clear expenditure, and it is unlikely that Enzo Fernández will be sacrificed to make way for the ex-Newcastle United man.

Manchester United are also in pursuit and may be one to watch in the race for his signature, albeit Kobbie Mainoo is an alternative name that could fill any vacant midfield berths at Stamford Bridge.

Conceivably, there could be a few moving parts to this story, but Chelsea's strong interest in Anderson could pave the way for another big-money incoming if Maresca's side feel he is worth the risk. Chelsea are also ready to perform a last-minute hijack to land a Real Madrid star

£45,000-a-week Chelsea star Maresca said is important could now leave Stamford Bridge

Juventus are now reportedly keeping close tabs on Chelsea right-back Malo Gusto as they attempt to solve their defensive problems under new manager Luciano Spalletti.

Heading into the November international break, those at Stamford Bridge have reason to be optimistic. They bounced back from a 2-2 draw against Qarabag in style on Saturday, putting three past a managerless Wolverhampton Wanderers side. It was the Blues at their best, with Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto and unexpected goalscorer Gusto all getting on the scoresheet.

The dominant victory sets them up for the perfect return when they visit Burnley after the international break. It’s a game that Chelsea should win to commence an all-important week which then features games against Barcelona and Arsenal. Victory in those two would suddenly spark interesting questions about the Blues’ ambitions.

Chelsea’s next 5 games

Competition

Date

Burnley vs Chelsea

Premier League

22/11/2025

Chelsea vs Barcelona

Champions League

25/11/2025

Chelsea vs Arsenal

Premier League

30/11/2025

Leeds United vs Chelsea

Premier League

03/12/2025

Bournemouth vs Chelsea

Premier League

06/12/2025

As things stand, Enzo Maresca’s side are third in the Premier League and six points behind leaders Arsenal. If the Club World Cup winners are to be serious title challengers then victory over the Gunners is a must at Stamford Bridge.

The January transfer window is also worth keeping an eye on. Those in West London are rarely shy when it comes to splashing the cash and they’ve already been linked with moves for the likes of Crystal Palace star Daniel Munoz.

The right-back is one of the best in his position in the world and would instantly hand Reece James plenty to think about and hand Gusto quite the problem. The Chelsea man has already lost his place to James this season and rumours are now arriving about his own future.

Juventus now tracking Malo Gusto

Serie A giants Juventus are now tracking Malo Gusto, according to reports in Italy relayed by TuttoJuve. The Italian club are looking to solve their right-back problem and have identified both the Chelsea star and Atletico Madrid’s Nahuel Molina as 2026 targets.

La Liga star now dreams of Chelsea move as BlueCo gain advantage

He’s enjoying an impressive campaign.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 9, 2025

Gusto has started just six of Chelsea’s 11 Premier League games so far this season, but Maresca reiterated that he is one of his “main players” after he scored his first goal for the club against Wolves.

The versatility that Maresca praised has seen Gusto play both right and left-back as well as right-midfield throughout his career, and while that added depth is value from a player on £45,000-a-week, he’s been unable to make any of those positions his own at Stamford Bridge.

As James continues to keep the Frenchman out the side, it will be interesting to see whether he makes a decision about his Chelsea career if Juventus come calling. A move to the Italian giants, even amid their current struggles, wouldn’t exactly be a major downgrade for Gusto.

Chelsea launch move to re-sign Antonio Rudiger; he's made Real Madrid decision

Newcastle launch enquiry to sign "fantastic" £15m-a-year midfield star

Newcastle United have now reportedly made their first contact to sign Ruben Neves from Al-Hilal, as they look to find a solution for their current problems under Eddie Howe.

The Magpies were in dire form before the international break and defeat at the hands of Brentford just about summed things up. For the first time in his tenure at St James’ Park, Howe is under pressure to get things right and turn things around as soon as possible, but with Manchester City up next there’s no doubt that’s easier said than done.

The manager admitted that Newcastle’s Premier League form has “not been good” at a recent charity dinner, saying: “Our Premier League form has not been good, and our away form has not been good. [But] our home form’s been strong, been good in the Champions League and we’re still in the Carabao Cup, so it’s a mixture of things.

Dream for Woltemade: Newcastle could hire "one of the best managers" in England

Eddie Howe could soon be axed at Newcastle United as this exciting name is linked to the St James’ Park dug-out.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 20, 2025

“It’s been difficult to pinpoint one thing but certainly, we know we have to improve the general performances. We’re looking for more consistency – we’re looking for more goals.

“We’re looking for a big response in this moment and we’re going to need them because we have got game after game. Our schedule for the next two months is relentless, so we can’t allow any sort of negative trend to continue. It’s a really important few weeks for us.”

It’s form that has arrived off the back of a fairly chaotic summer transfer window, in which Newcastle missed out on almost every top target before turning elsewhere.

Under new sporting director Ross Wilson, that simply cannot happen in January and the Magpies have already set their sights on stars such as Elliot Anderson and Neves in a midfield rebuild as a result.

Newcastle make contact to sign Neves

As reported by Caught Offside, Newcastle have now made contact to sign Neves from Al-Hilal in 2026. The midfielder has just over six months left on his current contract and will be available for just €20m (£18m) in the January transfer window.

Whilst PIF, who hold a majority stake in Al-Hilal, could be about to lose Neves in Saudi Arabia, they could use their existing relationship with the Portuguese star to bring him to Newcastle.

Unlike Al-Hilal, however, the Magpies could struggle to meet his current wage demands. As things stand, the 28-year-old earns £15m-a-year in Saudi Arabia, which would instantly make him Newcastle’s highest-earner by around £7m. It’s simply not doable unless he brings his demands down.

Putting those wage demands to one side, though, there’s little doubt that Neves would be an excellent signing. Dubbed “fantastic” by former manager Nuno Espirito Santo during his time at Wolves, Neves would ease Newcastle’s fears of struggling in the face of a potential Sandro Tonali exit and could even form an impressive partnership using the Italian.

Find a way past his salary demands and those in Tyneside should go all out to bring Neves back to the Premier League in 2026.

Newcastle hold strong interest in Elliot Anderson amid Thomas Tuchel comments

Evenly matched Bangladesh and Pakistan aim to hit the ground running in Colombo

Big picture: Bangladesh’s first ODI in five months

In the last four ODI meetings between Bangladesh and Pakistan, both sides have won two matches each. To underscore just how evenly matched they seem to be, one of those Bangladesh wins went into a Super Over. These teams also trod similar paths to this World Cup, having played in the World Cup Qualifier in Pakistan, earlier this year. When they met in Lahore, Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin and Aliya Riyaz had all contributed in a successful chase of 179.And it is those three batters that shape as a significant strength for Pakistan, as they enter the World Cup proper. All three are in decent touch, having also contributed good scores in the series against South Africa – Amin hit two hundreds – over the past two weeks. Amin, in fact, is the fifth-highest scorer in ODIs this year, averaging 86.33 in this format, though at a relatively sedate strike rate of 70.95. Muneeba, meanwhile, averages 43 across eight innings this year, and Riaz 50 across seven. Many of those runs came against lower-ranked opposition in the Qualifier, however. Thus, they must now dust off similar performances at the pinnacle event.Bangladesh, meanwhile, enter the World Cup perhaps wondering if they are a little underdone. They have had no ODI cricket since that final in Lahore, more than five months ago, in April. Although they beat Ireland 3-0 at home at the end of last year, and comfortably saw off Scotland, Thailand and Ireland at the Qualifier, they lost two matches out of three against West Indies before that.Related

  • Devine lauds NZ's fighting spirit on 'physically and mentally draining' day

  • Gardner upstages Devine as Australia kick off with a win

  • Through loss and leadership, Fatima Sana finds her way forward

  • Bangladesh Women's coach suffers minor stroke at World Cup

Bangladesh’s traditional strength has been their bowling, but they also feel they have some batting depth this year. In addition to Nigar Sultana, who has been consistent for some time, they have also been getting contributions from top-order batter Sharmin Akhter, who averages 50.85 across eight innings this year.Sultana’s team does have an additional trial this World Cup, however. Their coach Sarwar Imran suffered a minor stroke in Colombo on Monday. Sultana said he was on the path to recovery, and that she had spoken to him on Tuesday. But his focus will be on recovery for the foreseeable future.

Form guide

Pakistan: WLLWW
Bangladesh: LLWWW2:30

Sultana: Batting has been our main concern

In the spotlight: Nigar Sultana and Fatima Sana

Her team has crept in under the radar into this World Cup, but Nigar Sultana is having a rich year with the bat so far. In eight innings in 2025, she has four fifty-plus scores, including a 101 off 80 balls against Thailand in the World Cup Qualifier. Sultana didn’t quite get going in the warm-up matches in Colombo, but Bangladesh will likely need runs from their captain if they are to make headway in this tournament.All things considered, Fatima Sana has a tough job over the next week in particular. But she has got one major thing going for her – bowling form. She has 12 wickets at an average of 23.75 in 2025, with an economy rate of 4.92. Sana had been modest in the series at home against South Africa, but bounced back strongly in the warm-ups in Colombo (where Pakistan play all their matches), returning figures of 1 for 30 and 1 for 21, in addition to hitting 64 against South Africa.

Pitch and conditions: Expect moisture in the pitch

The match surfaces at Khettarama haven’t been tried yet. But given the amount of rain around in the week before this match – the monsoon might be starting – expect a little moisture in the surface early. Showers could interrupt, but the general trend in the last few weeks is that the rain passes quickly, which should allow for a match, however shortened, to take place.Against Bangladesh, Pakistan could promote Sidra Amin up the order•Associated Press

Team news

Bangladesh tried various combinations in the warm-ups. If they decide they want a second frontline seamer, Fariha Trisna might be the option they go for.Bangladesh (possible): 1 Farqana Hoque, 2 Rubya Haider, 3 Sharmin Akhter, 4 Sobhana Mostary, 5 Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), 6 Shorna Akter, 7 Sumaiya Akter, 8 Fahima Khatun, 9 Jannatul Ferdus, 10 Rabeya Khan, 11 Marufa AkterPakistan won their most recent ODI, against South Africa last week. They might go with the same XI, although there could be a promotion up the order for Sidra Amin.Pakistan (possible): 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Omaima Sohail, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Fatima Sana (capt), 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Eyman Fatima, 7 Sidra Khan (wk), 8 Syeda Aroob Shah, 9 Diana Baig, 10 Rameen Shamim, 11 Nashra Sandhu

Stats and trivia

  • Nigar Sultana has played more ODIs against Pakistan (11) than against any other opposition aside from South Africa. She has two half-centuries in ten innings against Pakistan.
  • Bangladesh and Pakistan have won exactly eight ODIs against each other.
  • Sana has played 49 ODIs, but this will be her first in Sri Lanka.

    Quotes

    “Recently, our coach Junaid has worked on reverse swing with me and Diana Baig. We will try to stick to what worked at the Qualifiers for us. We were successful in the Qualifiers because we had picked up wickets in the middle overs.”
    “For a long time, our batting has been the main concern. The bowlers have been spot on every game, and the fielders was also doing well. We talked about it. We have the potential – why aren’t we able to capitalise and go for big innings? We’ve been working hard as a batting unit. We’ve been focusing on the strike rates.”

كاراجر: ليفربول يفتقد شيئًا قد يحرمه من دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم المقبل

يعتقد جيمي كاراجر قائد ليفربول السابق أن فريقه قد يغيب عن دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم المقبل، إلا إذا قام بشيء واحد بسبب نتائج الفريق هذا الموسم.

ويشهد موسم ليفربول حالة من الفوضى حيث فاز الفريق بأول خمس مباريات في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز قبل أن يواجهوا فترة صعبة للغاية.

وخسر ليفربول خمس من ست مباريات ويحتل الآن المركز الثامن في جدول الترتيب بفارق ثماني نقاط عن آرسنال المتصدر.

ويخشى كاراجر على مسيرة ليفربول في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وقال في تصريحات نشرتها “مترو” البريطانية: “أعتقد أن هناك الكثير من التفاصيل الصغيرة لكن بصراحة بالنظر للمباريات التي خسروها ونوعيتها، يتبين أنهم لا يستطيعوا التعامل مع القوة البدنية في الدوري الإنجليزي”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. جاتوزو: منتخب أيرلندا الشمالية لا يستسلم أبدًا.. و ليس لدي مشكلة مع لاعب ليفربول

وأضاف :”أراد سلوت أن يجعل ليفربول أكثر ازدهاراً في كرة القدم وأكثر تسجيلاً للأهداف وأكثر متعة، عندما لعب ضد سيتي الأسبوع الماضي، كان يشيد بجوارديولا كما لو كان بطله وهو كذلك بالفعل بالنسبة للعديد من المدربين”.

وواصل: “هذه هي كرة القدم التي يفضلها، إنه يحاول دفع ليفربول في اتجاه واحد واعتقد أن الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز قد تراجع من حيث القوة البدنية”.

وتابع :”لا أعتقد أن هذه المجموعة من اللاعبين مؤهلة للفوز بالدوري الانجليزي حتى مع النقاط التي حصدوها ولم يحصدوها، ربما في يناير يحتاجون للتعاقد مع لاعبين يتمتعون ببنية بدنية أكبر وسرعة أكبر وقوة أكبر، أعتقد أنه إذا لم يتعاقد ليفربول مع مدافع في يناير فقد يحرم من التأهل لدوري أبطال أوروبا”.

'Ready to do my part' – Cristiano Ronaldo sends out message after attending White House dinner with Donald Trump

Cristiano Ronaldo put out a message on social media after attending a White House dinner with Donald Trump. The event was attended by influential figures from global business, technology and sport, and it marked Ronaldo’s first public appearance in the United States since 2016. The black-tie gathering was arranged as part of efforts to strengthen the expanding political and economic relationship between Washington and Riyadh. Ronaldo’s presence alongside the Saudi delegation once again highlighted how prominently the Al-Nassr forward now features in the kingdom’s soft-power and sporting strategies.

Trump opens the evening with a star-studded roll call

Trump began the night by acknowledging the array of high-profile attendees, including major CEOs and football’s most powerful figures, such as FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Tech heavyweights, including Elon Musk, were also present, adding to the sense that this was a meeting of global influence. Although Ronaldo did not feature in Portugal’s final qualifying match earlier in the week, having been suspended due to the first red card of his international career, earned against the Republic of Ireland, Trump singled him out with a personal tribute.

President Trump said: "You know, my son is a big fan of Ronaldo, wherever Ronaldo is here. And Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you. So I just want to thank you both for being here. Really an honour."

AdvertisementGetty/GOAL/X:@DavidSacks@RapidResponse47Ronaldo responds with a heartfelt online message

Soon after the event, Ronaldo shared his own thoughts on Instagram, posting a strikingly warm message of appreciation directed at Trump and the First Lady.

"Thank you Mr. President for your invitation and for the warm welcome you and the First Lady gave me and my future wife, @georginagio," he wrote. "Each of us has something meaningful to give, and I stand ready to do my part as we inspire new generations to build a future defined by courage, responsibility and lasting peace."

Portugal seal World Cup spot without their superstar

Ronaldo’s absence from the pitch did not derail Portugal’s World Cup qualification campaign. His teammates cruised to a dominant nine-goal victory over Armenia, prompting him to congratulate the squad from afar as they confirmed their ticket to next year’s tournament. Yet his disciplinary situation remains unresolved. Ronaldo still has two matches left to serve from his suspension, raising the possibility that he could miss Portugal’s opening game when the World Cup begins in June 2026. The Portuguese federation are expected to lodge an appeal in hopes of reducing the punishment.

National team manager Roberto Martinez expressed frustration at the red card, insisting it was an excessive sanction for what he described as a reaction to persistent harassment.

Martinez said: "After the game it’s a difficult time because emotions can be unclear. I saw his reaction to a provocation. It started at the beginning of the game, in every play in the penalty area. It even started the day before in the press conference. And it was a reaction of trying to continue playing. Others might fall to the ground and look for a penalty. It’s not a violent action, it’s not a red card for violence, but a reaction to a provocation. We need to try to show the case and prepare well. I would say it would be very unfair to impose a long suspension." 

Ronaldo’s financial influence remains unparalleled in the sport. His initial contract with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr was worth an estimated $200 million (£153m) per year. In June, he signed a two-year extension worth a reported $400m (£306m), cementing his status as football’s first billionaire player. Bloomberg now estimates his personal fortune at roughly $1.4 billion.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyOne final World Cup ahead

Ronaldo has long maintained that the 2026 World Cup, when he will be 41, will be the final chapter of his storied international career. With Portugal now officially qualified, the countdown begins for what promises to be his last bow on football’s grandest stage. Whether he begins that tournament on the pitch or in the stands may depend on the outcome of Portugal’s appeal. But his determination to compete at one more World Cup remains unwavering. 

Arthur Sousa marca hat-trick, e Corinthians avança à final da Copinha

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians está na final da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. O Timão derrotou o Novorizontino por 3 a 0, nesta segunda-feira (22), sob os olhares de mais de 30 mil torcedores na Neo Química Arena.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Dono da partida, Arthur Sousa foi o autor dos três gols do duelo. O primeiro deles um golaço de letra, aos 19 minutos da primeira etapa.

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

A primeira etapa começou disputada, com ambas as equipes disputando a posse de bola. Embalado pela torcida, o Corinthians assumiu o controle do duelo e começou a criar chances de perigo. Aos 19 minutos, Arthur Sousa aproveitou cruzamento pela esquerda para marcar um golaço de esquerda.

Após o impacto do gol adversário, o Novorizontino organizou sua saída de bola e levou perigo a meta defendida pelo goleiro Felipe Longo.

O segundo tempo foi de domínio dos mandantes. Arthur Sousa anotou mais dois gols e deu números finais ao duelo.

✅ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

Em busca do 11º título na Copinha, o Corinthians encara o Cruzeiro, que eliminou o Flamengo, na próxima quinta-feira (25).

Tudo sobre

Corinthians

Harry Kane 'braving the cold to get 18 holes in' as Bayern Munich striker enjoys winter round of golf

It is not just professional football that Harry Kane is dedicated to, with the Bayern Munich striker "braving the cold" in order to "get 18 holes in" during a winter round of golf. The England captain can often be found on the fairways and is not ready to put his clubs away just yet, despite freezing weather descending on Europe. He is wrapping up against testing conditions.

  • World Cup-bound: Kane fired England to another tournament

    Kane has been making the most of time off towards the end of the latest international break. He has been away with England, helping to complete a faultless qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

    He figured in meetings with Serbia and Albania, bagging a brace against the latter to seal a 2-0 win on the road. The Three Lions have reached another major tournament without dropping a point or conceding a goal.

    Kane will captain them – fitness permitting – at next summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He will get more time in the Americas to work on his golf game, with it likely that a bag of woods and irons will make the journey with him over the Atlantic.

  • Advertisement

  • Hitting the greens: Kane braves the cold

    The 32-year-old never passes up the chance to hit the greens, with golf becoming his favourite pastime. Said game presents him with an opportunity to escape the stresses of his day job.

    He has made a point of getting a few more rounds in before chilly conditions making playing impossible. Kane donned a woolly hat when breaking out his driver again. He posted on Instagram: "Winter golf. Anybody else been braving the cold to get 18 holes in?"

  • NFL or PGA Tour: Kane has not ruled out crossover

    There will be a fair few joining Kane in getting more golf in before 2025 comes to a close. Some of those may fancy their chances of taking on the England skipper, with the prolific frontman revealing that he plays off a single-figure handicap of three.

    He has not ruled out exploring a future on the PGA Tour once his playing days on the football field are over. Kane has told : "I’d still say ‘never say never’, because I don’t like to rule anything out. It takes such a lot of time and dedication, it would be really, really, really tough. I think sometimes people don’t appreciate how much work goes into it. You watch it on the TV and you see them doing it so effortlessly and you think ‘I could have a go at that’, but it’s really tough. I’d never say never, but I think it’s really unlikely that will happen."

    While being more than competent with a club in hand, Kane has never achieved the ultimate goal in golf. He does, however, intend to right that wrong at some point in the not too distant future. He told his channel back in May: "I’ve never got a hole in one. One of my lifetime goals is to join the hole in one club!"

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Getty

    Kane record: Goal tallies for Bayern and England

    Kane has made a habit of hitting his targets down the years, with there seemingly nothing that he cannot do. He is able to drive the ball over 300 yards in golf, which will put him in position to grab the odd hole in one at some point.

    With his clean striking of a ball with his foot also being taken into account, it has been suggested that Kane could move into American football once his soccer career is over. He is a big fan of NFL and has admitted to being keen on moving into place kicking.

    For now, Kane is focused on scoring goals for Bayern and England. He has reached 108 through 113 appearances for the former, while taking his record-setting haul for the latter to 78 from 112 caps.

    Bundesliga champions Bayern, who have dropped just two points through 10 fixtures in the German top-flight this season, will be back in action on Saturday when playing host to Freiburg.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus