The mood on Tyneside is restless. Newcastle United, still in a state of shock after a summer of transfer near-misses and a simmering fallout with star forward Alexander Isak, are moving swiftly to secure attacking reinforcements before the window closes.

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Their opening Premier League fixture against Aston Villa looms large, but Eddie Howe will go into it without a conventional striker to lead the line.

The club’s prolonged stand-off with Isak – who has refused to reintegrate with the squad following Liverpool’s interest – has left the Magpies scrambling for a replacement.

Isak’s £140,000-a-week pay packet continues to be honoured, but his unwillingness to train or play has created a pressing need for a solution.

Benjamin Šeško’s decision to join Manchester United has already stung, and while Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson remains a player of interest, Newcastle’s focus has now shifted to a target who has the scoring touch to immediately slot into Howe’s plans.

After completing the £40m capture of Jacob Ramsey and bringing in Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw, and Aaron Ramsdale on loan, Newcastle’s hierarchy is confident of landing one more key piece.

Someone who could channel the spirit of a Tyneside great from the 1990s.

The latest on Newcastle's striker search

That player is Yoane Wissa.

According t and the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, the Brentford striker is expected to sign for the Magpies, ‘in the coming week’, ensuring a conclusion is near in this long-running saga.

That has been corroborated by talkSPORT, with Newcastle increasingly confident of agreeing a deal in the near future, as the Bees demand a fee in the region of £40m.

Brentford, having already rejected two bids, are close to sealing a £42.5m move for Bournemouth forward Dango Ouattara as Wissa’s replacement.

The Bees have endured a turbulent summer, losing manager Thomas Frank along with key figures Mark Flekken, Christian Nørgaard, and Bryan Mbeumo, and are reluctantly preparing to part ways with one of their most consistent performers.

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Wissa, who turns 29 in September, enjoyed the best season of his career last year—scoring 19 goals and providing 5 assists in 35 appearances.

Only Mohamed Salah netted more non-penalty goals in the Premier League.

It’s this presence in the air, coupled with composed finishing, that has drawn comparisons to Les Ferdinand.

Like ‘Sir Les,’ Wissa is joining from a London club at the same age Ferdinand arrived on Tyneside in 1995, following his arrival from Queens Park Rangers.

Ferdinand’s two-year spell yielded 41 goals in 68 games and a near-miss in the Premier League title race, cementing his place as one of Newcastle’s most beloved forwards.

Wissa will be eager to follow that example—both in goal output and connection with the fans.

Why Wissa could be a risk worth taking

Although his age means he falls outside Newcastle’s preferred recruitment profile of 24 and under, the urgency of replacing Isak has shifted priorities.

Howe values Wissa’s proven Premier League pedigree and believes his experience will help mentor younger players like William Osula and Sean Neave.

From a sporting perspective, Wissa’s arrival appears a shrewd fix to an urgent problem.

Newcastle need goals and a presence in the box – all qualities the Brentford forward provides.

His market value of €32m (£28m), as per Transfermark, suggests the £40m fee is reasonable in the current climate, particularly for a player who has hit double figures in two of his four Premier League seasons.

According to FBref, the DR Congo international is equally comfortable running the channels as he is holding up play, with data showing he outperformed Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland in pass completion (76.5%) and produced more shot-creating actions per 90 minutes than Dominic Solanke.

He also averaged 34.1 touches per game – more than Liam Delap or João Pedro – demonstrating his ability to stay involved in build-up play.

However, there are caveats. Wissa missed six games last season with an ankle injury and could be absent for several weeks in early 2026 due to the Africa Cup of Nations.

For a side aiming to challenge on multiple fronts, including a return to the Champions League, any prolonged absence from an already limited frontline could disrupt momentum.

Still, with Isak’s future all but sealed away from St James’ Park, Newcastle have little choice but to act.

Wissa’s eagerness to join, despite interest from Nottingham Forest and Saudi Pro League side Neom SC, speaks to the pull of Champions League football and the club’s trajectory under Howe.

The Magpies’ approach this summer has been aggressive.

Backed by their Saudi ownership, they have addressed several key areas, adding defensive stability through Thiaw, creativity via Ramsey, and depth in attack with Elanga.

Landing Wissa would complete a transfer window that, while not without its frustrations, could set Newcastle up for another strong campaign.

The Les Ferdinand parallels will inevitably bring a weight of expectation, with the pair notably alike due to their prowess in the air. The ex-England international scored 13 headers during his time at St James’, as per Transfermarkt, while Wissa scored four in the Premier League alone last season.

Ferdinand’s heading ability, powerful frame, and relentless work rate made him a perfect fit for Kevin Keegan’s ‘Entertainers’ and Wissa will be measured against that yardstick from the moment he steps onto the pitch.

If he adapts quickly and delivers the kind of form he showed last season, Wissa could do more than just replace Isak – he could write his own chapter in Newcastle’s modern history.

And should he hit the ground running, the Toon Army might just have another hero to salute from the Gallowgate End.

Related He's like Isak & Wood: Newcastle have explored move to sign £65m PL striker

Newcastle United turn to Scandinavian striker amid Alexander Isak saga fallout

Posts 1 ByWill Miller Aug 15, 2025

Players will wear black armbands in all three upcoming Sheffield Shield games while Hughes will also be remembered during the second Test

AAP22-Nov-2024

Cricket Australia will fly flags at half-mast and black armbands will return to players’ uniforms as the sport prepares to mark the 10-year anniversary of Phillip Hughes’ death.Saturday’s Sheffield Shield round will begin two weeks of commemorations for Hughes, whose life was tragically cut short days before his 26th birthday in 2014.Officials have adopted a uniform approach across the board, with Hughes’ former team South Australia to face Western Australia in Adelaide from Saturday.Hughes’ childhood team New South Wales will also host Tasmania at the SCG from Sunday, while Queensland and Victoria play at the Gabba.Players will wear black armbands in all three games, while a moment’s silence will also be observed before play on day four of all matches.For the Sydney and Brisbane matches, Wednesday’s final day of play will coincide with the 10-year anniversary of Hughes’ death on November 27, 2014.Officials have opted to use the Adelaide Test between Australia and India as the best time to celebrate Hughes with the national team, while sharing their plans with his family.His passing will be marked when that match begins on December 6, almost 10 years to the day since Test cricket resumed in Australia after Hughes’ death. CA has filmed a documentary in conjunction with Hughes’ family to mark the occasion, which will be broadcast before play in that Test.Many column inches have also already been dedicated to the opener, who played 26 Tests for Australia and was earmarked as a long-term fixture in the side.”We understand this will be a time of reflection for the many people who knew and admired Phillip Hughes,” Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said. “We wanted to ensure that the Hughes family, particularly, were comfortable with any commemorations and that we celebrate Phillip’s life and incredible achievements appropriately.”Hughes’ death two days after he was struck in the neck by a ball at the SCG in 2014 remains one of the most difficult periods in cricket history. The Macksville junior was one of the most popular members of the national team, and remains close to the heart of several Australian players.Off the field, his legacy remains strong, with Hughes’ family still involved in his angus cattle farm Four 0 Eight on the NSW north coast.Cricket initially found itself at a loss of how to play on, with Hughes having been set to bat his way back into the Australian team when not out on 63 at the SCG.He was posthumously named as Australia’s 13th man for the rejigged first Test in Adelaide, where 63 seconds of applause were observed before play.

With less than two weeks to go until the transfer window slams shut, Rangers have now reportedly lodged their opening enquiry to sign a Premier League winner for Russell Martin.

Rangers shoved aside by ruthless Club Brugge

Despite how they’ve started the domestic campaign, there would have been plenty of hope around Ibrox that Rangers could pull off another European night to remember as Club Brugge came to town. Any hope that built up prior to kick-off was destroyed in a ruthless 20-minute period which saw Club Brugge charge into a 3-0 lead, however, and now the Gers face an almighty battle to qualify for the Champions League.

Danilo’s second-half goal has at least handed the Gers some form of hope as they prepare for what will have to be an historic second-leg in Belgium, and the forward reiterated that fighting spirit after the game.

He told reporters: “It’s not the way that we wanted to [play] especially at the start of the game but there is still all to play, it is still in our hands. We don’t want to concede that kind of goal so early in the game but it depends on us to change and do better. That’s what we did do.

“It’s not what you want to hear, you want the fans behind you and supporting you but we have to get through it. The fans deserve better.

Related Russell Martin shares how "amazing" Rangers players "feel" after Club Brugge loss

It was a night to forget at Ibrox.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Aug 20, 2025

“I think the goal doesn’t matter that much because we lost the game but it gives us a bit of belief. We are Rangers, we always keep the fight, it doesn’t matter what the score is. Hopefully we can get the result.”

It’s the type of result that could see Rangers return to the transfer market and potentially even welcome a Premier League-winning forward before the end of the month.

Rangers launch Jamie Vardy enquiry

According to the Daily Mail, Rangers have now launched their first enquiry to sign Jamie Vardy this summer. The former Leicester City striker is still a free agent after leaving the Foxes at the end of last season and reportedly has a number of interested parties chasing his signature alongside Rangers, including Celtic.

Battling their Old Firm rivals and a number of other clubs to sign the Premier League-winning veteran, Rangers should go all out for Vardy this summer. Even at 38 years old, the former England international is coming off the back of a 10-goal season for a relegated Leicester side and is still good enough to make his mark in the Scottish Premiership.

Earning plenty of praise in the last campaign, former Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy told reporters: “If you score your 200th goal on your 500th appearance, then you are a great one.

“He has been a unique player and person for this football club. In years to come, we will realise we were part of this moment. He’s a character as well, there’s a story and an edge to him. He’s a great captain as well.”

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is also among the striker’s admirers: “Listen, I would not speak about any individual player. Of course I worked really well with Jamie, he was brilliant for me in my time at Leicester. But there’s been so many names floated about. I wouldn’t disclose either way.”

The SCG pitch for the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, which was dominated by pace bowlers who gained lavish seam movement and some uneven bounce, has been rated “satisfactory” by the ICC match referee, and Cricket Australia has termed it a “step in the right direction” for surfaces at the venue.The groundsman used a new variety of grass for this season’s Test pitch, having trialled it during last summer’s Sheffield Shield, and it resulted in the third-shortest Sydney Test of all time – with an outright result – based on deliveries bowled. Only two half-centuries were scored, one from debutant Beau Webster and the other a stunning 33-ball counterattack by Rishabh Pant.Australia opener Usman Khawaja called the pitch a “stinker” after the game, but his captain Pat Cummins said he would rather conditions tilt towards helping the bowlers, even though his team only needed a draw to win the series, while India coach Gautam Gambhir went further and said such pitches were important for the future of Test cricket.Related

• Stats: Third-shortest Test in Sydney

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However, former Australia captain Michael Clarke was highly critical of the surface. “The SCG is my favourite ground in the world, it is my home ground, and I hate saying this out loud, but that’s the worst pitch I’ve ever seen in Sydney,” he told ESPN’s . “I didn’t think it was a good cricket wicket, balls not just going up off the surface but shooting low at the end of day two.”This is the second season in a row that the SCG has been rated satisfactory after receiving the same mark for the Pakistan Test a year ago.”We don’t look to prepare wickets that favour the home side or suit our situation in a series,” Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s head of cricket operations and scheduling, said. “What we seek is a good contest between bat and ball and pitches that are likely to produce a result.”The SCG has been striving to bring out their unique characteristics of early pace and bounce before the pitch wears and spins. This year was a step in the right direction to achieving this which provided an exciting finish to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and bodes well for the Ashes summer in 2025-26.”The pitch ratings system was revamped in 2023 to reduce the number of categories from six to four: very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and unfit. Venues are given demerit points if they receive unsatisfactory or unfit ratings.The SCG has previously been criticised for pitches not offering enough assistance for bowlers, which, coupled with poor weather, led to four draws in five seasons between 2018-19 and 2022-23.”The ground staff have done an incredible job in terms of creating a wicket with something in it,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said after day two. “Traditionally here it’s quite benign and we’ve had a lot of draws, so a lot of people have been talking about the draws, so you’re damned if you do it and damned if you don’t. I think he’s trying to produce an even contest between bat and ball. It’s made for interesting cricket.”The other four pitches in the series – at Perth’s Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, the Gabba and MCG – all received “very good” ratings.

Girona coach Michel says he is "the worst coach" in La Liga after his team’s 4-0 defeat to Levante, a match in which his side finished with two red cards and dropped to the bottom of the table. Reflecting on the loss, the Spanish coach said his players must set aside their egos, take responsibility for their struggles and step up to improve results.

Girona’s loss against Levante

Goals from Etta Eyong, Ivan Romero, Carlos Alvarez and Goduine Koyalipou sealed a dominant win for Levante against Girona. Girona’s troubles began when midfielder Axel Witsel was sent off for a second yellow card, shortly before Levante took the lead. Their hopes were completely dashed early in the second half, as on loan Manchester City defender Vitor Reis became the second player to be sent off in the 46th minute, leaving Girona with no chance of a comeback.

AdvertisementMichel’s comments after the game

Michel blasted his players after the game, saying at a press conference: "We lack connection and a settled way of playing. I noticed a lack of decisiveness and humility, because the standings don't matter. And if anyone thinks they're playing for Girona in the Champions League, it's a lie. If I start looking at the 15 goals conceded or the fact that we have one point out of 15, I'm dead. I look forward. Fear doesn't freeze me. I believe in myself a lot and I feel like I'm very good at what I do. I need time."

"I think Witsel touched the ball and gave the second yellow card too quickly. VAR couldn't have been involved, and for me it's not. I didn't even see the second one. I was thinking about changing the dynamic, but that expulsion killed us, and I had to improvise."

"We have to get back on our feet now. We're the worst team in the division, and all we have to do is work. I'm the worst coach in LaLiga, so I want the players to put their egos aside and go for it."

Getty Images SportGirona’s woes after brilliant 2023-24 season

After finishing third in La Liga in the 2023-24 season, Girona qualified for last term's Champions League. However, the loss of key players like Savinho to City, Artem Dovbyk to Roma, Yan Couto to Borussia Dortmund and Miguel Gutierrez to Napoli left the team struggling. Girona slipped to a 16th place finish in the last campaign and this season, they find themselves at the bottom of the table with one point.

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Getty Images SportGirona’s challenge vs Bilbao

Michel will hope that Girona will be able to overcome their bad pitch this season and turn their season around as they take on Athletic Bilbao tomorrow at San Mames.

Arsenal are beginning to turn a Liverpool target’s head as we enter the final few weeks of this summer transfer window, with Mikel Arteta’s side making an approach for the player amid their long-winded pursuit of Eberechi Eze.

Arsenal can hand Arteta his own Isak-level signing in £100m Eze alternative

The incredible international could be a real game-changer for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 6, 2025

Sporting director Andrea Berta has already made quite the impression in his first summer operating as Edu’s replacement, spending north of £200 million on the signings of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and star striker Viktor Gyokeres.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£208m

The Gunners are seemingly determined to end the club’s two-decade-long wait for another Premier League title, and despite their need to offload surplus squad members right now, Arsenal could still sign Eze before the window closes.

They view the England international as a more potent playmaker in terms of goals, and who could complement club captain Martin Odegaard in a central role (Sky Sports).

Eze is Arsenal’s top target from now until the transfer deadline on September 1, and they’re expected to make a formal bid for the Palace star after holding extensive talks with his representatives.

The 27-year-old has also spoken directly to both Arteta and Berta about joining Arsenal, according to Ben Jacobs for talkSPORT, with some initial talks taking place with Palace as the north Londoners aim to get his signing done for around £55 million.

However, Eze may not be there only signing in the next few weeks, with Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet believed to be a target as well.

The promising Ligue 1 sensation only signed a new deal until 2029 in May, but some reports suggest Jacquet is increasingly tempted by the prospect of a move to Arsenal, with Fabrizio Romano also reporting that an approach has been made.

Jeremy Jacquet debating future with camp as Arsenal and Liverpool eye moves

According to journalist Graeme Bailey for TBR Football, Jacquet is holding talks with representatives over his future amid this contact from Arsenal, while it is also believed that Premier League champions Liverpool have registered an interest.

While Rennes insist that he’s not for sale, the 20-year-old is still speaking to his camp about what could be next for him, so Jacquet’s head may be turning amid this attention from England.

There is a feeling among the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool that he could still be attainable despite Rennes’ stance, with the idea of a ‘buy-to-loan’ type move, similar to how Arteta’s side got William Saliba from Saint-Etienne, not ruled out.

Even in that scenario, Rennes would keep Jacquet in France for at least another season, but Arteta would have to wait before fully integrating him into the squad.

His price tag is rumoured to be around £25 million, which could be a savvy investment for the future considering his already-glowing reputation across the channel.

Jacquet has been dubbed the “technical leader of his generation” by his former development coach at Rennes, Pierre-Emmanuel Bordeau, and football writer Phil Costa believes he’s “one of the best defensive prospects in France” in a similar mould to Ben White.

Vaishnavi Sharma’s 5 for 5, including a hat-trick, against Malaysia was the standout performance of the day

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jan-2025India and Sri Lanka achieved their second wins in Group A of the Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup with easy victories over Malaysia and West Indies, respectively, in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.While Sri Lanka’s win was an all-round show in the first game, India’s left-arm spin duo of Vaishnavi Sharma and Aayushi Shukla set up the victory for India with big hauls, Vaishnavi starring with a hat-trick to complete a five-for.India chose to field in the second game of the day, as they had in their first game against West Indies, and it took them just 14.3 overs to dismiss the hosts Malaysia for 31. India conceded 11 extras and no Malaysia batter made more than 5.For India, VJ Joshitha started things off with a wicket in the second over, and Nur Aliya was run out in Joshitha’s next over. Shukla and Vaishnavi got going after that, with Vaishnavi taking 5 for 5 from her four overs, and Shukla 3 for 8 from 3.3 overs.That target was never going to pose a problem for India, and they got home in just 2.5 overs without losing a wicket, Gongadi Trisha hitting 27 in 12 balls and her opening partner Kamalini G scoring 4 off 5.India will finish the group stage with a game against Sri Lanka on Thursday, a fixture that will determine the Group A toppers. It’s also a game that will pit an outstanding bowling side – India, who have shot out their opponents for 44 and 31 in their two games – and a high-scoring batting side – Sri Lanka, who have so far hit 162 for 6 and 166 for 5, the top two scores in the tournament so far.Chamodi Praboda made big inroads in the powerplay•ICC/Getty ImagesIn the first game of the day, it was a slightly improved performance from West Indies after they were beaten by nine wickets by India in their opener, but it was not enough to challenge Sri Lanka, who ran away 81-run victors.Batting first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka rode on contributions from opener Sanjana Kavindi (39 off 36 balls), captain and No. 3 batter Manudi Nanayakkara (41 off 31) and middle-order bat Dahami Sanethma (31 not out off 25), as well as 36 extras to put up a huge total.The target of 167 might have been too much for West Indies to get to anyway, and left-arm spinner Chamodi Praboda’s spell in the powerplay, where she accounted for Asabi Callender, Naijanni Cumberbatch and Jahzara Claxton, put the result beyond doubt.There were pockets of resistance after the initial setbacks, especially from captain Samara Ramnath, who scored a 23-ball 24 opening the innings, but there wasn’t much of note from the other batters – Claxton, Amrita Ramtahal and Kenika Casaar were the only others to just about make it into double digits.Aseni Thalagune took 2 for 16 to complement Praboda’s 3 for 16, and West Indies, always well behind the asking rate, only got as far as 90.

يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي مانشستر سيتي لمواصلة مشواره في الموسم الجديد 2025/2026 بعد الفوز الذي حققه على برينتفورد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وواجه مانشستر سيتي نظيره برينتفورد، ضمن منافسات الجولة السابعة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج” على ملعب “جيتك كوميونيتي ستاديوم”، في تمام الساعة السادسة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

وانتهت المباراة بفوز رجال جوارديولا بنتيجة 1/0 على برينتفورد، في المباراة التي جمعتهما عصر اليوم، الأحد، ضمن منافسات بريميرليج.

في الدقيقة 20، سقط رودري على أرض الملعب فجأة وظهر على وجهه علامات الحزن، بسبب عدم استطاعته استكمال المباراة، وخرج وحل نيكو بديلًا له.

وسجل الدولي النرويجي إيرلينج هالاند، الهدف الأول لصالح مانشستر سيتي في الدقيقة التاسعة من عمر المباراة، وهو الهدف الوحيد الذي تم إحرازه في اللقاء.

اقرأ أيضًا | لاعب مانشستر سيتي يغادر مباراة برينتفورد للإصابة

ومرر جفارديول تمريرة طويلة وانطلق إيرلينج هالاند نحو الكرة، وتغلب على سيب فان دن بيرج وناثان كولينز وسدد بقوة في مرمى الحارس كاويمين كيليهر.

بتلك النتيجة، مانشستر سيتي لديه 13 نقطة 10 نقاط ليصعد للمركز الخامس في جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي، بينما برينتفورد في المركز الـ14 برصيد 7 نقاط. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي القادمة بعد الفوز على برينتفورد في الدوري الإنجليزي

ومن المقرر أن يواجه الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي مانشستر سيتي نظيره إيفرتون السبت الموافق 18 من شهر أكتوبر، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” لقاء مانشستر سيتي وإيفرتون في تمام الساعة الخامسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

MatériaMais Notícias

A mobilização do Fluminense para tentar abrir vantagem nas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil inclui a cautela ao opinar sobre o clássico diante do Flamengo. Na véspera do clássico, que acontecerá na terça-feira (16), às 21h (de Brasília), no Maracanã, o meio-campista Lima rechaçou que os tricolores entrem em campo como favoritos.

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Embora a equipe das Laranjeiras tenha vencido dois dos quatro clássicos disputados neste ano (incluindo uma goleada na decisão do Carioca), o atleta vê o Rubro-Negro em uma ascensão.

+ Veja a tabela e saiba quais serão os jogos da Copa do Brasil

– Não é vantagem alguma, até porque (o Flamengo) mudou treinador e algumas peças. Do lado deles também tem um treinador bem inteligente. Nós temos nosso trabalho e convicção. Trabalhamos forte depois do jogo com o Cuiabá e vamos com tudo para buscar a vitória. É outro Flamengo, tem jogadores bons do lado de lá, tem um grande treinador e são muito inteligentes. Mas estamos trabalhando firme e pensamos bastante no que fazer para amanhã – afirmou Lima, em entrevista coletiva nesta segunda-feira (15), no CT Carlos Castilho.

Atualmente escalado como substituto de Keno, Lima destacou sua afinidade com o técnico Fernando Diniz. São 25 partidas com a camisa do Fluminense.

–  Antes da minha chegada, ele já tinha me ligado e comentado que eu poderia jogar em várias posições. Ele já tinha visto outros jogos meus já que já joguei de volante, extrema ou meia e eu disse que não tinha problema algum. Ele também me deu muita confiança. Tem jogos que eu atuo pela beirada, tem jogos que eu atuo por dentro e não vejo problema algum – declarou.

Em seguida, o meia valorizou a forma como o Tricolor das Laranjeiras vem se desdobrando mesmo sem Keno e Alexsander.

– O elenco é muito forte. Infelizmente perdemos Keno e Alexsander que estão em grandes momentos. Torcemos pela recuperação deles, mas não vejo problema algum em jogar nas posições, mas deixo para amanhã vocês ficarem sabendo a posição que vou atuar – disse.

Lima também ressaltou a força transmitida pela torcida do Fluminense.

–  É importante ver a torcida no estádio nos apoiando, fazendo festa. Às vezes estamos cansados dentro de campo e o grito deles evolui e nos ajuda bastante. Espero que tenha um belo espetáculo fora de campo, que nos apoiem bastante para conseguirmos a vitória – afirmou.

Os tricolores vão a campo na terça-feira (16), às 21h (de Brasília), para encararem o Flamengo nas oitavas da Copa do Brasil. O jogo de volta é no dia primeiro de junho, às 20h, no Maraca.

Nottingham Forest are planning to bring in more fresh faces at the City Ground and could now be at an advantage in their pursuit of a renowned midfielder with Premier League experience.

Nottingham Forest look to press ahead after Dan Ndoye capture

Last week, Nottingham Forest’s capture of Dan Ndoye became the latest part of an excellent few days for the club after Morgan Gibbs-White’s contract renewal, signalling Evangelos Marinakis’ ambition to push the East Midlands club in the right direction.

Speaking on the Shut Up and Show More Football podcast, BBC Nottingham’s Colin Fray believes Ndoye will bring ‘bags of pace’ to the Tricky Trees after Anthony Elanga’s departure.

He stated: “I think this was their big target in terms of replacing Elanga. When he left, there really is no substitution for pace, especially when he’s got end product with it, but Dan Ndoye has bags and bags of pace as well so it does seem to be a direct replacement.

“(I’m) excited to see him, a big signing for Forest and one they were desperate to get over the line, and I don’t think it will be the last, I think they’ll be busy between now and the end of the transfer window.”

With Nuno Espirito Santo set to remain busy, contact has been made by Nottingham Forest to sign Douglas Luiz from Juventus. Labelled “underrated” by Paul Merson during his stint with Aston Villa, the Brazil international is aiming to put a frustrating year at the Old Lady behind him by seeking a swift exit.

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Inter Milan star Mehdi Taremi could also move to the City Ground as irons in the fire continue to burn, and there could now be a definitive sign of who their next arrival could be over the next few weeks.

Douglas Luiz expected to complete Nottingham Forest move

According to reports in Italy via Sport Witness, there is an ‘expectation’ Juventus midfielder Luiz will sign for Nottingham Forest despite a difference in the formula both clubs want to initiate to seal a deal.

Personal terms have already been agreed on a five-year contract worth £2.18 million a year, though the Turin outfit want an obligation for the Tricky Trees to buy the Brazilian for £34.8 million, while Forest are set on a loan deal with a purchase option.

Still, Nottingham Forest want to pay just over £26 million in the event of a permanent transfer for the man in question, signifying that there is a gap in valuation that needs to be resolved. Luiz currently earns around £139,000 per week at Juventus.

Reports state there is an ‘expectation’ the proposed deal will eventually go through due to Juventus needing funds to bankroll their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon midfielder Morten Hjulmand.

Complications are still at play and work is to be done before everything is tied up. Now, it remains to be seen if Nottingham Forest can come to a club-to-club agreement on a purchase fee.