Manchester City are looking to secure a deal for Brazilian winger Allan Elias but Palmeiras are holding out for the fee they want
Palmeiras have warned Manchester City that they will not be able to buy winger Allan on the cheap as they look to replace Savinho. The Blues are making progress to seal a deal for the 22-year-old in the final days of the transfer window but there remains work to do.
Allan has a €100m release clause but City are hoping to complete a deal for less than half of that fee, having been encouraged that Palmeiras will be receptive to a deal. The winger played for the Brazilian club on Sunday evening against Vasco da Gama though and coach Abel Ferreira spoke afterwards about the value in the player the Blues are trying to sign.
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“These teams want a player like Allan because 90 per cent of wingers don’t do what he does, which is attack and defend. They’re going to have to pay. I know how Manchester City plays,” he said. “At Chelsea, there’s a player named Pedro Neto: if they want to go after him, they’re going to have to pay 100 million euros.
“Top teams don’t buy half a player, they buy players who attack and defend. When one comes along who can track back the entire time, play as a right-back – as was the case against Miami – slot into a back three out wide and drift inside for rotations, as happened today with [Agustin] Giay, everyone wants that kind of player. But you have to educate them, develop them and, if necessary, lose a few games along the way.”
Meanwhile, City have agreed a fee for Ayyoub Bouaddi with Lille to bolster their midfield. The total package is worth £85m (€100m) as City have ultimately paid what the French club wanted from the start in order to bring in another key signing.
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Elliot Anderson is already through the door for a club record £116m and started the 2-1 win over Bournemouth, but his partner in midfield for the game was centre-back Marc Guehi as coach Enzo Maresca searches for the right combination with Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders gone and Nico Gonzalez and Mateo Kovacic unfancied.
Marcus Rashford and Patrick Dorgu played a half each on the left flank as Man United lost 2-0 on the opening day to Hull City
It was an opening weekend to forget for Manchester United on Humberside. The Reds were a shadow of the team that ended last season by thrashing Brighton and Hove Albion as they stumbled to a 2-0 defeat against Hull City. The first half proved to be a disaster for the Reds with Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy scoring.
At the other end, United huffed and puffed but struggled to make inroads. Sensing the Reds needed a change, Michael Carrick hooked Patrick Dorgu at half-time and replaced him with Marcus Rashford. Ultimately, that decision did not impact the full-time score. However, it did place Dorgu in the firing line post-match.
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When asked if he would ‘put an arm’ around the Denmark international after his half-time substitution, Carrick replied: “Pat’s fine, we love him to bits. He’s a fantastic player, Pat. He’s a great character.
“He’s a big part of what we do, and he will be. So it was just one of those decisions. It’s nothing personal. Sometimes you’ve just got to make them, you know, trying to do something a little bit different.”
United will take on Ipswich Town on Sunday with the pressure on the Reds to get off the mark. So ahead of that game, MEN Sport has analysed the performances of both Dorgu and Rashford on Saturday to decide who United should turn to this weekend.
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Dorgu’s performance
Nobody was surprised to see Dorgu start on the left flank. Throughout pre-season, Carrick preferred Dorgu in that position after he excelled during the opening two matches of his interim spell in charge. However, Saturday was not his day.
One positive for Dorgu was that he at least tried to make something happen. He had three shots in the first half but, as per Opta, that represented just a 0.47 XG. Only Bryan Mbeumo offered a higher XG (0.5) in the first half for the away side. Dorgu was afforded these opportunities thanks to United’s persistence in attacking down the right flank and whipping balls towards the left.
As shown below, 48 per cent of United’s attacks were down the right flank in the first half. Dorgu’s average position was even marginally higher than Matheus Cunha’s, who was meant to be leading the line, showing the winger’s willingness to force chances for his team.
However, his work on the ball was disappointing. He didn’t have a single successful dribble, won just two out of eight duels, didn’t win back possession at all, lost it 8 times, was booked and didn’t manage a single cross, according to Opta.
For those reasons, Dorgu underwhelmed and this explained Carrick’s thinking behind the substitution. Dorgu is learning on the job in an attacking role and this was certainly a major learning curve for the Dane.
Rashford’s performance
United switched their tactics up and looked to involve Rashford far more in the second half. Dorgu made just 11 passes for the Reds in the first half, whereas Rashford managed 24 in the second.
Attacking build-up play was more evenly split but did favour the left, with 38.3 per cent of attacking moves coming down that flank. What Opta’s data also shows us is that Rashford spent most of his time hugging that left flank. While in the first half Dorgu was rushing to get into the box to finish chances, his replacement was looking to create opportunities.
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That tactic did not work particularly well though. Rashford attempted three crosses against Hull, one of which was successful. While the lack of a focal point for much of the game worked against Rashford, it was a strange decision not to stick with the first-half plan, albeit their bluntness in the opening 45 could have influenced the decision to change things.
Rashford was more involved in open play, but he did not have a single shot in the game. Had United looked to create chances for Rashford as they did Dorgu in the first half then there is every possibility he would have taken one of them.
Verdict
Heading into the Ipswich game, there could be an easy fix for United. Rashford would benefit from getting into the same kind of positions as Dorgu did on Saturday and he is a better finisher than the man he replaced at Hull.
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One of Rashford’s main criticisms has been the lack of work rate at times, failing to track back and help out the defence. In theory, Dorgu could offer more of that. But Rashford did show signs that he is willing to drop deeper and do the less glamorous parts of the game to help the team, albeit it was not needed as much in the second half as Hull looked to protect their lead.
Ultimately, it did not work with Dorgu on the left and he still needs time to learn that position. As for Rashford, there were some positive signs, enough to suggest he should start over Dorgu on Sunday. But United need to play more to his strengths if they are to get the best out of him.
Olympique de Marseille has a new captain, and he’s someone who United States men’s national team fans should be very familiar with.
Marseille opened its Ligue 1 campaign against RC Strasbourg Alsace on Friday and U.S. men’s national team winger Tim Weah captained the French club in its 4-0 win. Weah started at right back and went the full 90 minutes.
Weah was a key player under Marseille’s former manager Habib Beye, but new manager Bruno Génésio has pushed Weah even more by awarding him the captain’s armband. Weah completed his permanent transfer to Marseille in June after joining the club on a season-long loan last season.
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Weah wasn’t the only American to make an appearance in Friday’s match. United States men’s national team midfielder Gio Reyna also appeared as a substitute against Marseille and played 21 minutes. Reyna joined Strasbourg from Borussia Dortmund earlier this month. He wears the elusive No. 10 for the club.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has wished Cristiano Ronaldo luck as the Portugal captain moves ever so close to becoming the first player to score 1000 goals for club and country.
Ronaldo, 41, made his season debut for Al-Nassr last week in a 4-0 home win over Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League. Coming on as a second-half substitute, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner scored seven minutes from time to round off the scoring.
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That took him to 130 goals for the Knights of Najd and 977 overall for club and country, moving to within 23 strikes of reaching four figures, a landmark he could reach next year.
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During a brief meeting with the FIFA president at the Esports World Cup in Paris, Ronaldo greeted Infantino (as per BOLA VIP):
“How are you?”
Infantino responded, referring to Ronaldo’s approaching landmark:
“23 goals remaining? Good luck!”
Ronaldo’s closest challenger in the all-time list is Lionel Messi, who’s two years younger and has scored 923 times during his illustrious career. The Argentine plies his club football for Inter Miami in MLS, arriving at the Herons in the summer of 2023 on a free transfer after nearly two decades in European football.
What’s next for Cristiano Ronaldo?
Al Riyadh vs Al Nassr: Saudi Pro League – Source: Getty
Cristiano Ronaldo is coming off a decent campaign at what was likely his sixth and final appearance at the FIFA World Cup. The 41-year-old bagged three goals in five games in the 2026 edition in North America as Portugal lost to eventual champions Spain 1-0 in the Round of 16.
Following an extended vacation, Ronaldo missed most of Al-Nassr‘s pre-season and didn’t feature in the 3-0 home win over Al-Fateh in their opening Saudi Pro League game.
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Cristiano Ronaldo also didn’t make the matchday squad in the 4-1 win at Diriyah in the King Cup of Champions Round of 32. New boss Ange Postecoglou handed Ronaldo his season debut last week in the league victory at Al-Riyadh.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is expected to feature in the Knights of Najd’s Saudi Pro League trip to Al-Ettifaq on Tuesday (August 25) as Postecoglou’s side seek to continue their perfect start to their title-defence campaign.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans are undefeated this pre-season with new coach Robert Saleh. They also have a lot to work on before the season opener.
D’Ernest Johnson had a 2-yard touchdown run with 5:45 left to help the Titans overcome a 13-point deficit Sunday night and beat the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks 19-16 in a pre-season game.
Joey Slye kicked four field goals, including a long of 55 yards, as the Titans (2-0) gave Saleh a win in his pre-season home debut. Slye chipped away at a lead built by Seattle’s backups with coach Mike Macdonald resting his starters after a joint practice with the Seahawks’ pre-season finale Friday night.
“It’s got to be better,” Saleh said. “Guys, I’m not trying to sugarcoat it.”
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Drew Lock threw for 103 yards and a touchdown, and Jacardia Wright ran 69 yards for a touchdown as Seattle (0-2) jumped out to a 16-3 lead.
“It was a successful week, but ultimately you want to be able to win these games,” Macdonald said. “But we definitely made an improvement from last week, so let’s keep going.”
Tennessee struggled from the opening coin flip, which the Titans won the toss only to defer, and Seattle needed seven plays before Lock found a wide-open Elijah Arroyo for a 36-yard TD.
Cam Ward started for Tennessee with the rest of the starters and was 8 of 12 for 69 yards. He led the Titans to Slye’s first field goal. Ward also had the ball poked out of his hand by linebacker Chazz Surratt as the quarterback scrambled right early in the second on his third and final drive.
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Both Saleh and Ward credited Surratt with making a great play. Ward also was just as confident talking about the Titans’ offence.
“We’re actually right there to getting where we want to be,” Ward said. “And the coaching staff, they continue to push us to that standpoint where we want to be, but it’s going to end up paying off.”
The Titans also had three penalties in the first quarter, including an illegal contact on cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, among their many defensive free agents signed in March. The penalty on Flott wiped out safety Kevin Winston Jr.’s interception at the Titans 3.
Even when Jalen McMurray recovered a muffed punt return by Seattle’s Cody White at the Seahawks 11, the Titans still had to settle for a field goal after a holding penalty wiped out Mitch Trubisky’s 4-yard TD pass to Xavier Restrepo.
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The Seahawks had their moments. Celebrating Wright’s TD so enthusiastically, Seattle was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, and Jason Myers missed the extra long extra point attempt just right for a 13-3 lead. Myers also pushed a 44-yard field goal wide right in the second quarter.
Injuries hit Seahawks hard on this trip
Seattle lost wide receiver Jake Bobo to a knee injury that had him carted out of Friday’s joint practice and placed on injured reserve Saturday.
Left guard Mason Richman went down on the opening drive and had to be helped to the sideline after getting his right leg stretched. Macdonald said they have to figure out what the specific issue is, but he called it a “major injury, a long-term injury.”
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On Seattle’s first defensive play, rookie safety Bud Clark broke his right ankle and Macdonald said he’ll miss months. Trainers put his leg in an air cast, and players from both teams came up to the rookie before he was carted off the field. Clark was Seattle’s second-round pick and 64th overall out of Texas Christian.
“Two guys that we love, that play our style of ball, that are our type of guys,” Macdonald said of Richman and Clark. “Teammates love ’em, great teammates, great guys, great football players. They have great futures. It’s a heartbreaker, honestly. We’ve had three heartbreakers this week, which is tough.”
Sloppy game for both teams
The Seahawks and Titans kept officials very busy. Seattle was flagged 14 times for 129 yards, while Tennessee was penalized 11 for 100 yards.
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The Seahawks wrap up the pre-season Friday night at Kansas City.
Newcomer Christos Tzolis helped set up two goals as defending champion Arsenal opened the Premier League season by dismantling promoted Coventry 3-0 to spoil the visitor’s long-awaited return to the top flight Friday.
After ending a 22-year wait for the Premier League title, Arsenal showed why it’s favored to repeat as champion by completely dominating Frank Lampard’s side in a game that was one-sided from start to finish.
For Coventry, it was a rude welcome back to the Premier League after a 25-year absence. Having won the second-tier Championship last season by a wide margin, Lampard’s side simply looked outmatched as it was repeatedly taken apart by a marauding Arsenal.
Tzolis was the only summer signing to start for the hosts, but the left winger showed he could give this attack an added dimension by helping to set up both opening goals.
First he stole possession to feed defender Riccardo Calafiori, who squared the ball for Havertz to slot home in the 15th minute. The Greece international then sent a cross in from the left that goalkeeper Carl Rushworth managed to only push into the path of Saka, who scored into an empty net in the 23rd.
Odegaard added the third shortly after the break after his scuffed shot looped in out of reach of Rushworth. The Arsenal captain gave an apologetic shrug as a celebration.
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At the other end, the only time Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was troubled was when a speculative overhead kick from Loum Tchaouna from outside the box sailed just high of the bar in the 42nd. The visitor’s only effort on target came in the 86th, when Jack Rudoni managed only a weak header straight at Raya.
Arsenal introduced its latest signing, England defender Ezri Konsa, before kickoff after he completed a move from Aston Villa earlier Friday.
Scottie Scheffler, who won the PGA Tour’s FedEx St. Jude Championship last week by a whopping eight strokes, says he played this week while dealing with hand, foot and mouth disease.
Scheffler’s revelation came Sunday, after he played four days at the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis. The world’s top-ranked player said he developed blisters on his hands and feet and in his throat, and that he considered withdrawing from the tournament.
“So to start the week, it was pretty painful to grip the club,” Scheffler said. “If I was smarter, maybe I would have pulled out, but I was playing so good I felt like if I could knock it out quickly and just get through the first couple rounds I would still have a chance.
“But I think that’s part of my stubbornness, probably. That’s probably a strength of mine and a weakness at times. Like, I’ve never been one to ever pull out of a tournament, especially in the middle of it. That’s really frustrating for me. So I definitely didn’t want to do that going into this week, even though it was suggested.”
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He said it didn’t hurt to walk.
“Once you get on the course, you get the adrenaline and everything, I started to feel better,” Scheffler said. “But the blisters on the hands was probably the most challenging, just because it was painful to grip the club to start the week. I was prioritizing rest so I wasn’t able to work out the way I want to, and practice the way I want to, and even warm-up for rounds the way I want to.
“I really just did my best to try and battle and it maybe was a poor decision playing, but I’ve never been one to try and quit.”
Notably, Scheffler’s two-over 72 during Thursday’s first round bettered only three players in the 50-man field, and from there, he played nine-under golf and tied for 12th. In his session with reporters on Sunday, Scheffler said he was starting to feel better, but also described a potentially awkward moment with Cameron Young, his final-round playing partner.
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“I actually almost caught myself shaking hands with Cam on 18,” Scheffler said.
“I would have felt really bad. I was like, Oh, my gosh, I almost forgot. So that’s good news, starting to feel better. Hopefully the throat will clear up the next couple days.”
Bryson DeChambeau says he is “proud” of what LIV Golf has achieved as the breakaway league faces questions about its future following the final event of the season in Indianapolis.
The league, which launched in 2022 as an alternative to the PGA Tour, has faced an uncertain future since Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) withdrew its financial backing in April.
Last week, its season-ending Team Championships in Michigan was cancelled, meaning the event in Indianapolis concluded the 2026 campaign.
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil has said new investors have been secured for next season but has been tight-lipped on the league’s future plans and structure.
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American DeChambeau, who led a selection of star players in joining LIV Golf four years ago, said although the breakaway league has not been perfect, it has “a lot of potential moving forward”.
“It has been an interesting ride, that’s for sure, everything we’ve gone through, and the tough moments we’ve had. It’s made us stronger,” said DeChambeau.
“As much as we are transitioning from LIV 1.0 to LIV 2.0, I have great thoughts about what could happen next year. I wish I could be more upfront about it.
“Ultimately I’m proud of the fact of what we’ve done, the good and some of the bad that we’ve unfortunately had, things that have occurred, I’m going to be real with it, not everything was perfect.
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“But for the most part we’ve done a solid job and if there’s one thing I could say, we did something different in the game of golf and I’m proud of that.”
At the end of the interview, DeChambeau added: “I think there’s something fun coming.”
India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando have been fined 25 per cent of their match over their fiery altercation on the opening day of the 2nd Test in Colombo.
Both players were found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match).”
In addition to this, one demerit point each has been added to the disciplinary records of Fernando and Jaiswal, both of whom did not have any previous offences in the preceding 24-month period.
The two Brits are set to collide later this year, yet it remains to be seen whether their long-awaited showdown lands on the proposed date of November 20.
According to promoter Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s contract states the event must be staged in the UK while Fury, it appears, did not outline any preference over the location in his original agreement.
The 38-year-old therefore insists that he has no issue with fighting at Madison Square Garden, where Netflix and event financiers Sela are hoping the contest can be held.
Speaking with talkSPORT, Saunders maintained his allegiance to ‘The Gypsy King’ while admitting that Joshua remains a dangerous puncher.
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“We all know it’s a bit late. Are we going to see who really is the true best in this fight? They didn’t fight eight-ten years ago, so what we’re going to see, now, is the battle of the old man.
“I don’t think it’s about who trains the hardest, who looks the fittest [or] who’s in brilliant shape; it’s gonna be about who uses their brain and just sails through.
“I’m backing Tyson. I know AJ didn’t look too good in his last fight, but he still got the knockout. And he showed he’s still got that finishing punch.”
Saunders went on to critique Fury’s performance against Wach, saying he was “open to the right hand”, but is ultimately backing his friend’s “boxing ability” against Joshua.
The ICC on Monday confirmed the sanctions for India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando for their altercation (IANS Image)
India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando have each been fined 25 per cent of their match fees and handed one demerit point following their on-field altercation during the opening day of the second Test in Colombo. The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed the Level 1 sanctions on Monday, August 24, after both players admitted to breaching Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which deals with inappropriate physical contact between players.
How the Jaiswal-Fernando clash unfolded
The incident occurred during the 17th over of India’s first innings after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal for 45. The Sri Lankan pacer gave the batter an animated send-off, prompting Jaiswal to turn back and exchange words with him. The confrontation quickly escalated as the two players came face-to-face. Fernando moved his head forward while Jaiswal leaned in, resulting in their helmets and heads making contact. Teammates and Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva intervened and separated the two players before the situation could escalate further.Jaiswal later addressed the incident on social media, urging critics not to pass judgment without knowing what had been said during the exchange.“If you don’t know what he said, then please don’t make your judgment. If anyone crosses the line, we need to let them know this: India will fight and reply,” Jaiswal posted before the start of play on Day 2.His comments appeared to be in response to a Cricbuzz video on Instagram in which commentator Harsha Bhogle suggested that Jaiswal should have simply walked away after his dismissal.
What India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak had earlier acknowledged that the incident may have occurred in the “heat of the moment” but admitted that Jaiswal should not have made physical contact with Fernando.“I think they must have said something to him, and it might have happened in the heat of the moment. Obviously, Jaiswal, I don’t think he should have been so close (to Fernando), but that happens when you are in the heat of the moment,” Kotak said after the opening day’s play.
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