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Derby County have “made enquiries” for a free agent defender but face plenty of competition for his signature, according to a new update from journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Another important summer for Derby

The Rams consolidated their place in the Championship in 2024/25, finishing 19th in the table and ensuring they didn’t return to League One. Derby manager John Eustace will be well aware of the importance of kicking on again next term, however, making new signings amid his promise to try and get his side back into the Premier League in the coming years.

“I wasn’t here for the next two months, I was here for the next three or four years. So whatever would have happened, would have happened. I was very aware of the situation leaving a great football club in Blackburn to come here.

“It was my choice to do it and if we had been relegated I wanted to be part of trying to build this football club to where it should be. And over the next three, four or five years we want to be challenging to get into the Premier League.”

Lincoln City midfielder Ethan Erhahon has been linked with a move to Derby in recent days, being seen as an option to strengthen Eustace’s squad, with Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers also thought to be eyeing him up.

Derby pushing to sign "proper defender"

According to O’Rourke on X, Derby have “made enquiries” to sign former Bolton Wanderers defender Ricardo Santos on a free transfer, with Sheffield Wednesday also among those interested.

The 6 foot 5 Santos could be an astute signing by Derby, now possessing a huge amount of experience in the EFL, making a total of 302 appearances in League One and League Two combined, not to mention making an additional five outings in the League One playoffs.

The fact that the 29-year-old would be joining the Rams on a free transfer takes out plenty of risk, and if the move ends up not working out, it won’t be a major issue. There is no reason why it shouldn’t, however, with Santos a competent centre-back who has been hailed by Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony in the past.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

By
Stephan Georgiou

Apr 22, 2025

At 29, Santos is still far from an old player, so there is no reason why he can’t be a strong squad option for Derby for the next several years, assuming they pip others to his signature.

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were two key components of the Manchester United side that achieved huge levels of success during the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

The pair cemented their places at the heart of the defence for many years, helping the Red Devils win multiple Premier League and Champions League titles.

Partnerships like that are very hard to come by in the modern game, with current boss Ruben Amorim dreaming of having such a duo at the heart of his backline in 2024/25.

The Portuguese manager has already led the club to a Europa League final during his first few months in charge, with this summer crucial if he is to be a success at Old Trafford.

With just a couple of months left until the opening of the transfer window, the manager has already wasted no time in identifying targets who could improve his defensive department.

An update on United’s hunt for new defenders this summer

Given the fact United have conceded 51 times in the Premier League this campaign, it’s no surprise to see the hierarchy targeting reinforcements within the backline.

Dean Huijsen is just one player who they have already entered talks with, but the Red Devils face huge competition from other English sides such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United.

However, he’s not the only option on their shortlist, with Inter Milan star Yann Bisseck the latest star appearing on their radar, according to one Spanish outlet.

Their report claims that Amorim’s men are considering making an offer for the German international, with his aggressive approach and ability to play out from the back catching the eye.

It also states that the 24-year-old would be open to a potential move to Old Trafford this summer, with personal terms not expected to be an issue if a fee is agreed between the two sides.

How United could form the next Ferdinand & Vidic

Within United’s current first-team picture, it’s unclear how many players will be kept and who will be sold to raise funds for Amorim to make his own impact on the squad.

However, centre-back Leny Yoro will certainly be a key part of his plans at the Theatre of Dreams after joining from Ligue 1 outfit LOSC Lille in a £52m deal less than 12 months ago.

The 19-year-old has already made 30 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25, leading to comparisons to former defender Ferdinand, having the potential to star for the club for many years to come.

Yoro will need his own version of a Vidic to partner him at the heart of the defence, with Inter’s Bisseck potentially providing just that and allowing for another excellent partnership for Amorim.

The Serbian was a dominant force at the back for United during his eight-year spell at the Theatre of Dreams, making 300 appearances and registering 21 goals – having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch.

Such achievements have undoubtedly cemented his place in the club’s history forever, with summer target Bisseck able to follow suit and be the Red Devils’ next version of the Serbian star.

When delving into his stats from the ongoing campaign, he’s showcased his talents, having the chance to further progress his game should he make the switch to England.

The German, who’s been labelled “one of the best centre-backs” by Lothar Matthäus, has managed to complete 92% of the passes he’s attempted – handing the manager another comfortable ball-playing option at the back.

Without the ball, Bisseck has also been just as impressive, winning 73% of the tackles he’s entered, along with 74% aerials won – highlighting his dominant nature in the air, in the mould of Vidic.

Games played

24

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

92%

Tackles won

73%

Duels won

4.3

Aerials won

2.7

Aerial success rate

74%

Interceptions made

1.1

Recoveries made

3.7

He’s also managed to make 1.1 interceptions per 90 and has made 3.7 recoveries, offering an added defensive presence at the back – handing Amorim his own version of Ferdinand and Vidic with the German alongside Yoro.

It’s unclear how much a deal for the 24-year-old would cost the hierarchy this summer, but it’s evident that he has all of the tools needed to impress in England’s top-flight.

If he does get anywhere close to the levels produced by the Serbian in the Premier League, it would be a bargain regardless of the fee, with him and the Frenchman having the chance to catapult the club back to its former glory in the years ahead.

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Manchester United booked their place in the Europa League final last night, setting up a clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

6 ByEthan Lamb May 9, 2025

It was another miserable game for Tottenham Hotspur last night.

Ange Postecoglou’s side travelled to Stamford Bridge hoping to turn things around with what would have been an unlikely win, but instead of doing that, they practically handed Chelsea all three points.

It was an entirely lifeless performance from the North Londoners and one that could well seal the manager’s fate.

One of the worst displays came from James Maddison, who continues to frustrate in the middle of the park, which is something he might not be able to do for too much longer, as Hotspur Way is currently brewing the perfect replacement.

Maddison's frustrating Spurs career

When Tottenham completed the £40m signing of Maddison in the summer of 2023, there was plenty of understandable excitement from fans as he had just produced 19 goal involvements for a relegated Leicester City.

His initial form for the North Londoners justified this excitement as well as he produced eight goal involvements in his first ten league games for the club, but then he picked up an ankle injury against Chelsea, and when he returned in late January, the problems began.

Instead of being a game-changing midfielder, capable of controlling matches and tearing opposition defences to shreds, he became far more passive, lacklustre and simply ineffective, picking up just five goal involvements across his final 17 league appearances.

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This season has been just as frustrating, as while he has managed to score 11 goals and provide seven assists in just 39 games, he continues to put in incredibly inconsistent performances.

One week, he’s like the player we saw at the start of last season, and then in the next, he’s a total passenger.

We saw the latter in the game last night, as even though it was a derby between two teams and fanbases who do not like one another, he was practically anonymous in the middle of the park, coming off in the 81st minute with no goals or assists, having lost five out of five duels and with a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.11, which is nowhere good enough for the team’s creative hub.

It’s hard to see where Maddison goes from here, as nobody doubts his talent, but he is seemingly unable to produce consistently enough for a top side, and if he’s not careful, he could see himself replaced by one of the most exciting players currently in the academy.

The Spurs academy star who could replace Maddison

While Mikey Moore, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray have all made a mark on the first team this season, we could see an even more exciting youngster do the same next year: Lucá Williams-Barnett.

The 17-year-old phenom is undoubtedly the most promising prospect in the academy at the moment and could be battling Maddison for a place as the midfield’s chief creator sooner rather than later.

Now, that might sound like hyperbole, but we really don’t think it is, as in just 17 appearances this season, totalling 1375 minutes, the young maestro has already amassed a frankly absurd haul of 18 goals and nine assists.

Appearances

17

Starts

16

Minutes

1375′

Goals

18

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

1.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

50.92′

That means he is currently averaging 1.58 goal involvements every game, or one every 50.92 minutes, which is the sort of incredible output that could and really should see him introduced into the first team next season.

Moreover, the Luton-born gem is also incredibly versatile and has made appearances in left midfield, on both wings and even up top, leading to academy expert and pundit John Wenham to describe him as a “cheat-code.”

Ultimately, Maddison might still have one more season of being the team’s recognised ten purely down to the age of Williams-Barnett, but if he doesn’t massively improve soon, then the teenage sensation could take his spot in the coming years, and, based on his output in the academy, we wouldn’t be surprised to see that happen.

Walker repeat: Spurs in real danger of losing incredible £67m "monster"

The brilliant defender would be a massive loss for Spurs.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 2, 2025

How Cummins uses it could significantly affect Australia’s fortunes against Pakistan on the pitch that offers true bounce

Karthik Krishnaswamy19-Oct-20232:10

Cummins: Pakistan’s bowlers could do serious damage

There are good short balls and bad short balls, but sometimes their goodness or badness is an entirely post-facto construct. Take two balls Pat Cummins bowled, back-to-back, to Pathum Nissanka in Lucknow. Both were banged into roughly the same area of the pitch, and both climbed to just over shoulder height and finished outside off stump.Nissanka pulled the first one for four, picking the length in a flash and dispatching the ball well in front of square.The line of the second short ball may have been ever so slightly closer to Nissanka’s body, cramping him ever so slightly for room, or Nissanka may have taken ever so slightly longer to get into position for the pull. In any case, he failed to get on top of the bounce, and hit the ball in the air, within range of David Warner haring to his left from deep square-leg.Related

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Australia and Pakistan bring the World Cup to Bengaluru

Similar balls, different outcomes, and in each case there was only so much the bowler was in control of. Bowling fast is an intensely physical act, bowling fast and short even more so, and how quickly the ball reaches the batter and at what height and line are hugely dependent on the vagaries of the pitch and how the ball reacts off it.Bowling short is, in essence, an act of faith.The variance of outcome between those two short balls from Cummins is also typical of that length. It’s a length that’s likely to go for runs, but it’s also likelier than most other lengths to bring wickets.As first change, Cummins does a job that he isn’t exactly a natural at. He isn’t Lockie Ferguson, a white-ball specialist who trains year-round to bowl middle-overs lengths in white-ball cricket. But it’s a role Cummins has to perform out of necessity, and a role that’s vital for Australia at this World Cup, where they only have one frontline spinner with whom he can share the middle-overs wicket-taking burden.It’s also a role that’s heavily dependent on what has come before. Cummins hasn’t had a great World Cup, so far, in terms of the situations he’s begun bowling in. There were no new-ball wickets against either South Africa or Sri Lanka, and while Australia picked up three in their opening game against India, they had only posted 199 batting first.Pakistan and Bengaluru are likely to present Cummins with another stern middle-overs test. The Chinnaswamy Stadium is traditionally one of the fastest-scoring grounds in India, with pitches that offer true bounce and an outfield that’s among the smallest in the country. The straight boundaries are particularly short, so teams often tend to try and make batters hit square.The short ball, then, is likely to be a key component of the middle-overs battle. How Cummins uses it could significantly affect Australia’s fortunes.

We assess how the back-up went against Bangladesh and their prospects for touring England

Firdose Moonda12-Apr-2022South Africa are not throwing the doors open to welcome back the IPL absentees who “vacated their spots”, as coach Mark Boucher put it, after finding a strong second-tier of players in their series sweep over Bangladesh.South Africa dominated the two Tests despite being without their entire frontline pace pack, and with four of their top six batters having 13 Test caps between. That will give the selectors a “great headache”, according to captain Dean Elgar, who encouraged the replacement players to make it difficult for the established ones to get back in.”My message for new guys was to put those guys under pressure, to go out there and make a play for yourself and make a play for the team. They mustn’t undersell their value as young new cricketers,” Elgar said.Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen collectively decided to play at the IPL rather than in the Test series against Bangladesh, after CSA left the decision in the player’s hands. That opened the door for Ryan Rickelton and Lizaad Williams to debut, Sarel Erwee to establish himself as an opener, Duanne Olivier to lead the attack and Simon Harmer to make a Test comeback – and all of them impressed Elgar.Related

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“By giving guys experience, you create a lot more depth going forward,” he said. “We are in a very fortunate and strong position by giving guys exposure at this level. Guys have put their hands up brilliantly.”While it would be difficult to imagine South Africa looking past the pace bowlers, Markram, who has averaged 16.38 since Elgar took over the captaincy, and van der Dussen (30.81 in the same time) are on shaky ground. Markram was dropped down the order in favour of Erwee at the top in New Zealand and was set to be benched for the Bangladesh series, while van der Dussen has failed to make the No. 4 spot his own. Asked what the plan for the pair on their return would be, Elgar indicated they would have to fight to get their Test places back.”I don’t think the statement of them coming back is a fair one,” Elgar said. “The guys that have played right now have made a massive statement. We’ve got a decent batting pool going forward. I can’t speak on if those guys are going to get selected again. That’s out of my hands.”Here we assess South Africa’s options for the next Test assignment, against England in August-September.Erwee vs MarkramThough Erwee was picked to open the batting in New Zealand, with Markram at the IPL he had an opportunity to make his partnership with Elgar more permanent. So far, so good. The pair average 49.62 in eight innings together, with two century and two fifty-plus stands. Elgar and Markram averaged 31.48, the worst by any opening pair who have been together for at least 1000 runs. Erwee is a patient player, who leaves the ball well, and allowed Elgar to take on a more attacking role. Elgar’s second- and third-fastest fifties came in this series, off 60 and 66 balls respectively.Where Erwee let himself down was that once he got in, he gave his wicket away and was unable to kick on past the 40s. In the first Test, he played on, trying to cut Mehidy Hasan Miraz but under-edging, and in the second, he chipped a catch straight to mid-on. Erwee showed he has staying power in New Zealand, where he scored a century, but admitted he needs “bigger scores on the board to help myself”.Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee have formed a productive opening partnership•AFP/Getty ImagesErwee should get the nod to go to England as Elgar’s opening partner but his biggest threat perhaps doesn’t come from Markram: Pieter Malan, who played three Tests in the 2019-20 season, topped the first-class run-charts this summer.Rickelton vs van der DussenWith great expectations after a season in which he averaged over 80 in domestic cricket, Rickelton got starts in all four innings against Bangladesh and showed himself to be an aggressive middle-order batter, who is unafraid to reverse-sweep early – it was that shot that brought him his first runs in Test cricket. In search of quick runs, he was out top-edging a pull in Durban and handing a catch to short mid-on in Gqeberha but impressed his captain, who singled him out for making a good first impression in international cricket.”It was nice to see young guys like Ryan Rickelton coming in and taking to it pretty well,” Elgar said. “The intensity wasn’t like maybe playing against England but he still got a little taste and he understands the arena now and what we are expecting going forward as a player.”Given that van der Dussen is known for starting slowly, and that Bavuma performed well in the No. 4 role in this series, Rickelton could be afforded a long run in the middle-order with van der Dussen likely to be dropped for the England series.In the bowling department, South Africa now have even more options with the addition of an offspinner and a bigger pace battery. Here’s how the attack stacked up:Harmer’s comebackBefore Brexit, Harmer would not have thought a Test comeback for South Africa was possible. He would not have even wanted it and might have even preferred to qualify for England, but all that’s changed. Since returning to South Africa’s domestic set-up, Harmer has dominated the field and was the leading wicket-taker in this season’s first-class competition and performed well under pressure. He bowled the Titans to victory in the season finale, taking a nine-for.Harmer was impressive on Test return and stole the headlines in the first innings in Durban, where his brand of attacking offspin got him four wickets. But he was also happy to play the supporting role to Keshav Maharaj, who finished as the leading wicket-taker with 16 in the series. Harmer wasn’t far behind with 13 and has given South Africa a whole new combination to consider.Simon Harmer claimed 13 wickets in two Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesNot since 1970 had they played two specialist spinners at home and if these matches were on the Highveld, they would not have done so in this series. But on slow coastal pitches that took turn, South Africa discovered a new combination to their attack and Harmer believes they can use it in England too.Speaking to the broadcasters afterwards, he said he hoped he had given the selectors cause to think of him as a spin-bowling allrounder and that he believed he and Maharaj could operate successfully in tandem at Lord’s, Old Trafford and The Oval. “All of those venues turn,” he said.Given Harmer’s success with Essex, South Africa cannot ignore him for the England tour and Boucher confirmed that, if selected, even players with overseas deals with counties will be available for national duty. “As far as I am concerned everyone is available. I’ve had personal conversations with most of the guys and they’ve all come into the set-up saying they want to play for South Africa,” Boucher said. “I’d like to think that each guy, if picked for South Africa, will choose to play for them ahead of any county or franchise.” (Ahem, IPL Six.)Williams enjoys his momentOn spinners’ surfaces, Williams had a tough debut series that finished with three wickets at 35.00. He was impressive with the new ball in Durban and then delivered the spell that cracked the Bangladesh middle-order open but went wicketless in Gqeberha, where he also struggled with his lengths and consistency. Williams conceded at over four runs an over in the first innings at St George’s Park.He was preferred over Lutho Sipamla (who then got injured) and Daryn Dupavillon for this series but probably doesn’t need us to tell him Sipamla, in particular, is likely to get the nod ahead of him in future. Williams was the last South African to leave the field in Gqeberha as he knelt down to pray once the series had been won. He is a cricketer who overflows with gratitude for what the game has given him after life handed him some early challenges but Williams is unlikely to make the England squad. A good home summer could see him come back into contention at a later stage.Olivier treads waterA regular since the India series, Olivier has strong domestic form in the first half of the season (he was the leading wicket-taker in the four-day competition at one stage) and Nortje’s long-standing injury to thank for his Test comeback, which promised more than it delivered. Olivier returned rebranded from enforcer to controller and changed his lengths from short to full. It worked, to a degree, for Yorkshire and at the start of this summer but after contracting Covid-19 before the international Test season, Olivier has not looked his best. He was down on pace and struggled to have the same impact he has had at domestic level. In five Tests, Olivier took 11 wickets at 33.63.If Nortje regains full fitness, Olivier may need to have an outstanding county season to be considered for the squad to play England, and even if he is included, it’s likely he has fallen behind Jansen in the pecking order to play.Overall, South Africa’s new players have allayed a fear Boucher had when he took over the job in December 2019, that of the talent pool being shallow. The performances in this series against Bangladesh prove there is some depth and it is continually growing. It also means South Africa can take a varied squad to England, with many bases covered, which is exactly how Elgar wants it to be.”You want more options than none,” he said. “We’ve got a few extremely challenging away series coming up. Our Test side is in a very healthy position. We are very grateful for the cricket we’ve played this summer.”

The Red Sox will rue losing Game 2 of their wild card series Wednesday against the Yankees, 4–3, because for one night they failed the test of fundamentals. Here are the two crucial seventh-inning plays when the Red Sox let pass their opportunity to advance to the ALDS.

1. Ceddanne Rafaela fails to execute a sacrifice bunt

In a 3–3 tie, Boston had runners at first and second thanks to wildness from Yankees starter Carlos Rodon (who from the first pitch of the inning could not command the ball and kept looking at his hand as if compromised). Red Sox manager Alex Cora called for the right play: a sacrifice bunt. Boston could take the lead with two outs: a bunt and a fly ball.

Rafaela did have three bunts during the regular season. Each time he squared early and properly. This time he stabbed so poorly at the first pitch from Fernando Cruz, it made you think to take the bunt off, especially with the crashing corner infielders opening holes.

Cora kept the bunt on. Rafaela stabbed again. He popped it up to Cruz. Two attempts to bunt. Both poorly executed. Worse, both attempts were on pitches out of the zone. Chasing on bunts? Not good.

2. Nate Eaton hesitates at third base

Eaton stood on second base and Jarren Duran at first with two outs as Masataka Yoshida batted. The count went to 3-and-2.

The runner at second should remind himself not only that he is running on the pitch but also that he should be prepared to continue running on any ball hit in play—not just get to third base. The third base coach also has the responsibility to remind the runner to think two bases, not just one, with the head start. 

On Tuesday we saw Angel Martinez of Cleveland score from second base on an infield hit with two outs—running on contact and never stopping.
Yoshida hit a ground ball that second baseman Jazz Chisholm stopped with a dive. Chisholm bounced his throw to first. The play was close enough that first baseman Ben Rice tried to catch it on a short hop. It bounced off his glove and trickled away.

Eaton should have been well on his way to home. He wasn’t. He stopped around third to read the play. By the time he located the ball, he thought about restarting but it was too late. The moment was gone. The Red Sox would have no more chances. They failed Bunting 101 and Baserunning 101.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has left the door open to a potential future move to Liverpool, admitting that while he is focused on his current role, "you never know what can happen" in football, amid intense speculation linking him with a return to Anfield. The coach's response comes amid claims he is in danger of being sacked, while questions have been asked of Arne Slot's future at the Merseyside club.

• Alonso and Slot under pressure

  The former Reds midfielder has found himself at the centre of a managerial merry-go-round rumour mill. While Slot is currently feeling the heat at Liverpool due to his side languishing in 10th place in the Premier League despite significant summer investment, Alonso is navigating his own storm at the Santiago Bernabeu. Following a chaotic 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo, the Spaniard is facing a defining week, with a Champions League clash against Manchester City looming.

  However, despite the immediate pressure in the Spanish capital, questions about a potential switch to the Premier League have persisted. Alonso reportedly turned down the chance to replace Jurgen Klopp in order to stay at Bayer Leverkusen, before eventually taking the Madrid job in the summer.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Madrid boss addresses his future

  When asked directly about the possibility of managing in England, specifically regarding a return to his former club Liverpool, Alonso offered a tantalising response that stopped short of a full denial.

  "For sure, it's something to consider with the English clubs, with my former club," Alonso admitted. "But for now, this is the place that I want to be, and in the future, you never know what can happen."

  Slot's situation grew even worse as the coach finds himself in a dressing room rift involving talisman Mohamed Salah, who sensationally criticised the Dutchman after their 3-3 draw against Leeds at the weekend. Alonso remained diplomatic, however, when asked about the situation.

  "Those are decisions they have made at Liverpool. No doubt we're missing a lot of details. So it's not for me to give an opinion on that," he said.

• Two giants in crisis

  The comments come at a fascinating juncture for both clubs. Liverpool's title defence has crumbled spectacularly, leaving Slot on the brink. The Dutchman's relationship with Salah has fractured, with the Egyptian forward omitted from the squad to face Inter this week.

  Meanwhile, at Madrid, Alonso is fighting to keep his own tenure on track. The defeat to Celta has left Los Blancos trailing leaders Barcelona by four points, and reports suggest a heavy defeat to Manchester City could be fatal for his prospects.

  "The next one is the best one. I think I know myself, and the fans know Manchester City very well from facing them many times in recent years, but I see it as an opportunity more than anything," Alonso said.

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  What comes next?

  Alonso also touched upon his own player management challenges, drawing a parallel between the Salah situation and his handling of Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian forward reacted poorly to being substituted against Barcelona earlier in the season, a flashpoint that Alonso insisted he would not handle differently in hindsight.

  "I would not change anything," he noted, reinforcing his stance on discipline – a trait that German legend Lothar Matthaus recently highlighted as a potential point of friction with Madrid's creative stars.

  "It’s not about changing, it’s about adapting. I knew pretty much what it was, that’s why Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world. You need to adapt to it, to learn from it. After you have to perform, you have to have that interaction with the players. Some days are good, some days are not so good. But from every game, we take steps, and we are in this position now, and we have to face it with good energy, positivity, that’s the only way to turn it around."

MatériaMais Notícias

Neste último sábado (4), o Fortaleza empatou com o Corinthians, em duelo válido pela quinta rodada do Brasileirão 2023, na Neo Química Arena. A data marcou três anos desde o anúncio do argentino Juan Pablo Vojvoda como novo treinador do Leão, no dia 4 de maio de 2021.

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De lá para cá, o técnico somou 227 jogos, com aproveitamento de 57%. Nesse período, são quatro títulos com o Tricolor: a Copa do Nordeste em 2022 e o Campeonato Cearense, nas temporadas de 2021, 2022 e 2023.

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Além dos títulos, o técnico também dirigiu a equipe rumo a campanhas históricas, tanto em competições nacionais quanto internacionais. No primeiro ano de Vojvoda, em 2021, o Tricolor do Pici conquistou a quarta colocação no Campeonato Brasileiro – primeira vez de uma equipe do Nordeste no G4 na era dos pontos corridos – e também chegou pela primeira vez às semifinais da Copa do Brasil, após eliminar o São Paulo na fase anterior.

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Internacionalmente, foi com o treinador que o clube também garantiu a disputa da primeira Libertadores de sua história, em 2022, quando entrou diretamente na fase de grupos e chegou até as oitavas de final. No ano seguinte, a equipe disputou a Libertadores pela segunda temporada consecutiva, ainda que nas fases prévias, e posteriormente chegou à inédita final da Copa Sul-Americana, quando perdeu para a LDU nos pênaltis.

No momento, Vojvoda detém o segundo trabalho mais longevo da série A, atrás apenas do Português Abel Ferreira, no Palmeiras desde 2020. O argentino também está próximo de outro recorde pelo tricolor: faltam apenas mais cinco jogos para igualar Moésio Gomes como o técnico que mais vezes comandou o Leão do Pici. CEO da SAF do Fortaleza, Marcelo Paz celebra o tempo de trabalho de Vojvoda dentro do clube:

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“É um marco muito significativo esses três anos de Vojvoda. Sabemos da importância de um trabalho de médio a longo prazo e ficamos muito felizes em contar o treinador, que sempre acreditou no projeto e vem desenvolvendo um trabalho de excelência no Fortaleza, além de ser um ótimo ser humano. Celebramos os resultados já alcançados e vamos em busca de novas conquistas”.

Durante o trabalho realizado no Fortaleza, Vojvoda já esteve na mira de equipes como Corinthians, Vasco, Santos, Flamengo, Internacional, Atlético-MG e até mesmo da seleção chilena, no início deste ano. A opção, no entanto, foi por seguir fazendo história no Tricolor do Pici.

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“Playing two Test matches back-to-back is always fun and bowling a lot of overs is something I enjoy,” Kuldeep says

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2025Shubman Gill, who has just wrapped up his first Test series win as India captain is “kind of getting used to it [the experience]”, he said after the seven-wicket win over West Indies on Tuesday sealed a 2-0 series win.”It’s about taking the right options in the given situation,” he said in the presentation ceremony when asked what he had learnt after seven Tests (starting with the 2-2 result in England) as the leader of the pack. “I try to make the most probable decision in the given situation that we are in. Sometimes you have to take some bold decisions, that X-factor depending on which player can get you certain runs or get you those wickets.”Four wins in seven Tests is a great start for any Test captain, but when you lead India, it comes with additional scrutiny. In Delhi, it was in response to India enforcing the follow-on after taking a 270-run lead, especially after the 177-run third-wicket stand between century-makers John Campbell and Shai Hope.Related

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“We were around 300 runs ahead and the wicket was quite dead, and we thought even if we scored 500 runs, we have to get six or seven wickets on day five it would be a tough day for us,” Gill explained.The other little niggle was Nitish Kumar Reddy, the fast-bowling allrounder in the XI, not bowling a single over. “[He] didn’t really get to bowl any overs in this match but we don’t want players to only play matches overseas – that puts a lot of pressure on the players,” Gill said. “If we want to groom certain players that we think can help us win matches overseas [we need to find spots for them], because that’s been the challenge for us.”Two of the players who got to bowl a lot and played key roles in the series were Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. Two spinners trying to form a partnership after many years of R Ashwin being the lead spinner when at home.”I could get chance to bowl more overs,” Jadeja said with a laugh after collecting his player-of-the-series award. “We’ve been doing wonderful work as a team. We know what brand of cricket we have been playing since last five-six months, so it’s a good sign as a team that we continue to do it for a long period of time.”2:13

Why didn’t Nitish Kumar Reddy bowl a single over in the Delhi Test?

Jadeja has also moved up the batting order in recent times – all the way to No. 6. And the returns have been solid. There was a century in England when India saved a Test they seemed out of in Manchester, and one now in Ahmedabad, along with a number of other impressive scores. “In past so many years, I have been batting at No. 8, No. 9, so my mindset was a little different to what I have right now, but [I’m] just trying to spend more time in the middle when I get the chance.”He’s also got a chance to mentor the younger spinners in the side, like Kuldeep and Washington Sundar. “It’s lovely to have him [Jadeja] around,” Kuldeep said. “He’s someone who has always guided me in tough situations and giving me some advice and it’s really helping me out.”Having sat out the entire tour of England, Kuldeep was back in the XI for the two Tests against West Indies and bowled beautifully, finishing with a chart-topping 12 wickets, including eight in Delhi that earned him the player-of-the-match award.1:15

How Kuldeep beat the challenges of a slow pitch

“In terms of pace, I thought, probably the pace, and the drift, which I got in Ahmedabad, if you compare that to this Test match, there wasn’t any drift here, because of the surface. The wicket was too dry,” he said of the changes he had to make between the two Tests. “Playing two Test matches back-to-back is always fun, and bowling lot of overs and getting the breakthrough in the middle is something I enjoy.”There isn’t much time for the multi-format players, with the first ODI of the series in Australia in a week’s time.Kuldeep will squeeze in as much football-watching as he can: “I’ll watch a few games and we hardly have time, we’re going to fly tomorrow and we have a game on the 19th. So I have to prepare for that.”Gill will leave his preparations – or the planning, at least – till later: “It’s a long flight, maybe we can talk about it there.”

In years past, Arsenal fans would have to watch an England team full of players from Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

It was a damming indictment of where the club was at that time, but over the last four or five years, things have changed.

It’s not unusual to see three or four of Mikel Arteta’s players in the Three Lions squad these days, and few from the white side of North London, which might explain the team’s uptick in quality and performances.

Thursday was another example of how important Arsenal have become for the national team, with Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze scoring the goals and Declan Rice marshalling the midfield.

There is no sign of this relationship between club and country slowing down either, especially as Hale End could be brewing England’s next superstar, who could follow in the footsteps of Rice and Saka.

Rice and Saka's England careers

So, while Arsenal fans would love to take the credit for moulding Rice into one of England’s most important players, West Ham United should get more of the credit.

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After all, he made his debut for the Three Lions in 2019, while playing for the East Londoners, and was still a Hammer for the Euros in 2021 and the World Cup the following year.

However, he has arguably become more instrumental to the national side since his move to the Emirates, and wore the captain’s armband for the first time in March 2024.

So far, the all-action midfielder has won 71 senior caps for England, in which he’s scored six goals and provided six assists and nine of those goal involvements have come since his £105m in the summer of 2023.

Now, an England star Arsenal can take full credit for is, of course, Saka, who is Hale End’s greatest product in a generation.

The 24-year-old made his debut for the national team against Wales in October 2020 and has since gone on to amass an impressive tally of 47 caps, in which he has scored 14 goals, provided nine assists and been named England’s Player of the Year twice in succession.

Moreover, he has played a significant role for the country in every major tournament since, despite receiving horrific abuse after the 2021 Euros final.

In all, so long as they remain fit, Rice and Saka should, and will, be two of the first names on Thomas Tuchel’s teamsheet at the World Cup, and in a few years, they could be joined by another Arsenal star, someone who could even surpass them in importance.

Arsenal's next England star

While the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are surely going to become regular starters for England, the Hale End gem who could well become a superstar for Tuchel and Co is Max Dowman.

Despite still being just 15 years old, the teenager has been one of the most talked-about players at Arsenal this season, although for those in the know, he has been a subject of interest for longer than that.

For example, in September of last year, respected talent scout Jacek Kulig boldly proclaimed him as the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

As if that wasn’t praise enough, just a couple of months later, Hale End expert Will Balsam called him “the biggest talent in England” and described him as “one of the greatest footballing brains that’s ever come through Hale End.”

Now, while that all sounds somewhat hyperbolic, and perhaps to an extent it is, it’s not hard to see where they were coming from, considering he was just 14 at the time and destroying defenders in the U18S and even the U21S that season.

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

For example, he ended last season with a tally of 19 goals and five assists in 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Unsurprisingly, this saw him included in the club’s pre-season tour, where he made his first appearance in front of the fans against a physical Newcastle United side, but instead of shying away, he, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, started “humiliating Premier League players.”

Since then, he has made his Premier League debut, become the youngest ever starter for Arsenal, and broke the record as the youngest player in Champions League history.

In other words, the Hale Ender is looking like a generational talent, and he’s already making his impact felt on the international scene as well.

Even though he’s not turning 16 until New Year’s Eve, the Chelmsford-born gem is already a regular feature for England’s U19S, making six appearances for them, in which he’s scored one goal and provided two assists.

With his incredible performances, it feels like a matter of when, not if, he is handed his first senior England cap.

Ultimately, Saka and Rice are currently two of England’s most important players, but in a few years from now, Dowman could be up there with them, if not more important.

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