Uma das promessas de campanha de Augusto Melo, novo presidente do Corinthians, é aumentar a capacidade da Neo Química Arena, e os estudos para viabilizar a proposta começaram na quinta-feira (7).
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansMeia do Corinthians rompe o ligamento cruzado do joelho e deve ficar afastado por oito meses dos gramadosCorinthians08/12/2023CorinthiansCorinthians anuncia Lucas Piccinato como novo técnico do time femininoCorinthians07/12/2023BrasileirãoVÍDEO: Assista aos melhores momentos de Coritiba x CorinthiansBrasileirão07/12/2023
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O novo mandatário alvinegro se reuniu com Ricardo Corregio, engenheiro da Neo Química Arena, funcionários do Timão e lideranças da Gaviões da Fiel, Camisa 12, Coringão Chopp, Pavilhão 9 e Fiel Macabra, torcidas organizadas do clube, para debater o projeto.
Ricardo Corregio propôs aumentar o setor Norte, destinado às organizadas, pegando um bloco do setor Oeste e Leste. O mesmo se aplicaria para o Setor Sul, com a remoção das cadeiras e destinando todo o espaço para a torcida do Corinthians.
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Dessa forma, o setor Sul também teria os mesmos preços populares do setor Norte, e os torcedores visitantes passariam a ocupar parte da Leste Superior.
+ Veja como ficou a tabela do Brasileirão após a última rodada
Vale ressaltar que o projeto precisa ser aprovado pelos órgãos públicos (Corpo de Bombeiros, Prefeitura e Polícia Militar) para as construções serem iniciadas.
WI’s new Test captain has limited leadership experience but backs his “calm style” ahead of the home Test series against Australia
PTI23-Jun-2025
Roston Chase succeeds Kraig Brathwaite as West Indies Test captain•AFP/Getty Images
Roston Chase, West Indies’ new Test captain, believes that he can bring the best out of his players with his “calm style”. Chase, 33, last played a Test match in March 2023 and had previously led West Indies in two white-ball internationals but despite the lack of recent game-time in red-ball cricket and limited captaincy experience, he was picked as the Test captain. Chase’s first assignment as Test captain is a three-match series against Australia at home, which begins in Bridgetown on June 25.”I’ve never captained a senior team in terms of the West Indies team or Barbados team [in Tests]. But I’ve captained eight teams in the West Indies before,” Chase said during an interaction facilitated by , the official broadcaster for West Indies in India. “I think I’m a good leader. Obviously, I’m not perfect. I’m still learning.””I did most of my captaining in my early days like school level and local divisions. I think I have a calm style [as captain]. I really know how to bring out the best in the players that I have.”Related
Pace, swing, youth and promise – Ian Bishop's rundown of WI's bowling options for Australia Tests
Chase: 'There's a legacy attached to captaining WI'
Roston Chase appointed West Indies' Test captain
Chase will work with Daren Sammy, who has taken charge as West Indies all-format coach from April this year.”The captaincy conversations that I had would have been with the coach, Daren Sammy, and Miles Bascombe from the board,” Chase said. “I’ve been out for two years, but after Sammy approached me about coming back because I always wanted to come back and play Test cricket.”I was exploring the white ball and the franchise cricket for a bit. And he asked me about coming back and I thought about it and I ended up making the decision to come back.”Chase said he was “very excited” to take up the new role and that he was not ready to play Test cricket last year.”I was very excited to get the captaincy. I mean, it is a very prestigious job,” he said. “One that many greats before me have done. So, it was a very proud moment for me when I got the news.”I was asked in 2024 about coming back. But at that time, I was still finding my feet and trying to get into the franchise leagues. So, I wasn’t quite ready and had the time or the availability to come back into the Test arena. But after I had the conversation with Sammy and Bascombe, I decided that this was the right time for me to come back.”Chase, who has scored 2265 runs in 49 Tests with five hundreds, said that West Indies are ready for the Australia challenge. “I wouldn’t call it [playing Australia] pressure,” he said. “They’re obviously the No.1 team in the world. We’re just looking to go there and play our best cricket, execute the plans that we spoke about in our team meetings and the data that has been presented to us.”So, we’re just looking to go there and give a full 100 [percent] effort and play some hard cricket.”
West Ham abruptly sacked Graham Potter on Saturday morning, ending his uninspired nine-month spell in charge, with Nuno Espírito Santo set to replace him.
Nuno Espírito Santo agrees deal to join West Ham
After talks with chairman David Sullivan and Karren Brady earlier this week (ExWHUemployee), and despite some uncertainty surrounding the finances of his contract (Sports Boom), Nuno has now agreed a multi-year deal to join West Ham.
When Potter told his players the news that he’s no longer West Ham boss, it left members of his squad “shocked”, but Nuno is expected to immediately step into the tactician’s shoes by taking charge of training this afternoon.
Potter leaves West Ham after 25 games in charge, having recorded the club’s second-worst win percentage during his time in the hot seat, behind only Avram Grant who relegated the Hammers in 2011.
9. Sam Allardyce
30.7%
10. Julen Lopetegui
30%
11. Gianfranco Zola
27.8%
12 Graham Potter
26.1%
13. Avram Grant
18.9%
via StatMuse
A formal announcement is expected in the coming hours, with West Ham managing to navigate the finances of a deal for Nuno to deliver the club’s third manager in just 12 months.
West Ham’s managerial shortlist also included the likes of Slaven Bilic, Scott Parker, Marco Silva, Sean Dyche, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick, but Nuno was always in pole position for the job after his excellent work at Nottingham Forest.
During his time at the City Ground, Nuno steered Forest away from relegation at the end of 2023/2024 to qualification for the Europa League last season, all whilst shoring up their leaky backline, establishing a clear counter-attacking identity and getting the very best out of their squad.
This, combined with his free agent status, understandably appealed to the West Ham hierarchy — but Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes that the tactician himself is only taking this job for one worrying reason.
Paul Merson reacts after West Ham appoint Nuno Espírito Santo
Speaking on Sky, in reaction to the news of his appointment, Merson says that Nuno has agreed to replace Potter at West Ham out of “panic”.
The 51-year-old’s eagerness to get straight back into management was reported before his arrival, and Nuno’s priority was always to remain in the Premier League (Sports Boom).
It perhaps speaks volumes about his character and work ethic, which, if anything, is a very good sign for West Ham as the east Londoners seek to end what has been a disastrous 2025 on a high.
While Nuno’s style isn’t exactly the ‘West Ham way’, their defensive fragility and exposure to set pieces is something that Nuno has a proven track record of fixing at previous clubs like Forest and Wolves.
His spell in the Middle East at Al-Ittihad yielded a Saudi Pro League title as well, so he boasts some trophy-winning experience, even if Nuno was sacked just months later.
The ex-FC Porto boss’ appointment is a very intriguing one, but it is clear that, of all the managers readily available, Nuno was perhaps the most obvious choice given his proven Premier League experience.
Islamabad United find themselves stuck in a rut after steamrolling opponents at the start of the PSL 2025 with five consecutive wins. As per Salman Ali Agha, injuries and niggles forced them to make wholesale changes and now they have slipped to fourth loss on the bounce at the crucial juncture of the tournament.After opting to bowl, they were left stunned and out of sorts as Quetta Gladiators cartwheeled their way to a stunning drubbing of United. The victory was orchestrated with the bat. Gladiators posted the highest ever PSL total of 263 for 3 on the back of two eye-catching hundreds by Rilee Rossouw and Hasan Nawaz. In the battle for a top-two finish, they were a rampaging menace on the hapless bowling attack that lacked penetration and discipline.The pyrotechniques from centurions took the game away after the first half as they swung their bat at almost everything; Rossouw turned on the beast mode from the moment he took guard, while Hasan followed suit and didn’t drop his intensity even after losing his partner. He hit Naseem Shah for three sixes in the penultimate over and belted another six and a four in the final over bowled by Ben Dwarshuis, bringing up his century on the last ball of the innings and soaking in applause from the great Sir Vivian Richards and the rest of the crew. The acceleration after the first ten overs was staggering. Gladiators added 160 in the last ten, which took the game away from United. Eventually, United fell short by 109 runs in one of the most one-sided games of this season.Related
Stats – Quetta Gladiators record the highest total in PSL history
The confidence Nawaz gained in the last cliffhanger against the same opposition flowed into tonight’s game. There was no second-guessing and a lot more resolve, conviction, decisiveness and authority in his shots on a batting-friendly surface.A target of 264 was always going to be a daunting task, especially with veteran pacer Mohammad Amir back in the fold. When Gladiators returned to defend, Amir dismissed Kyle Mayers and Sahibzada Farhan in the first over. Mayers was pinned in front on nought and he didn’t bother for a review. Amir showed remarkable control with the new ball and got the better of Agha in the third over, thereby making an impact right away after a few absences and showing his coveted knack of picking wickets upfront yet again.The game was done and dusted in the powerplay with little to no resistance thereon as wickets continued to tumble and United were staring into the abyss with 68 for 8 at the end of the ninth over. The ripping spin of Abrar Ahmed continued to weave magic; he denied any late order resistance by outsmarting Haider Ali and soon outsmarted Jason Holder, ending his quota with 2 for 17. Azam Khan was sloppy with the glovework and couldn’t make any substantial impact with the bat, slicing a wide short delivery to Mohammad Wasim Jr., who was livewire in the field and took three superb catches. That’s when Imad Wasim and Dwarshuis decided to accept the inevitable and played to reduce the blow to their team’s net run rate and defeat margin.Gladiators have given a massive boost to their net run rate and confirmed top spot, while United slipped to third with a must-win game scenario for their upcoming last group fixture on May 10 against Karachi Kings.
Joe Cole has joked that Jose Mourinho, who he worked under at Chelsea, must have “kicked Daniel Levy's cat” at Tottenham to deserve being sacked on the eve of a major cup final. The outspoken Portuguese was relieved of his duties in north London after guiding Spurs to the 2021 League Cup final. The decision to part with a proven winner raised a few eyebrows, with the Special One still chasing down tangible success at 62 years of age.
Returned to his roots: Mourinho's career path goes full circle
Mourinho has returned to where it all began for him in a coaching capacity, with professional steps being retraced to Benfica. Said move was made after being relieved of his duties by Turkish giants Fenerbahce, with a rare trophyless tenure being endured in Istanbul. There is no questioning Mourinho’s appetite for success or his desire to chase down major honours.
He has done that across spells with Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Roma. Questions have been asked of his methods, and whether they could now be considered outdated, but top jobs continue to come his way and he remains one of the most decorated coaches to have ever graced a dugout.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMourinho sacked by Spurs on eve of cup final
Ahead of an emotional reunion with Chelsea in the 2025-26 Champions League, ex-Blues star Cole told when asked if the modern game is passing Mourinho by: “For me, the only question mark over the last 10 years is the Fenerbahce job, and I don't know enough about what happened over there.
“The Manchester United job now looks like a stellar job, when you think of the debacle that came before and after him, incredible job. Spurs, he had them on the brink of a cup… I don't know what Daniel Levy was thinking sacking a manager before a cup final. I'll never be able to comprehend that unless he's gone in and kicked Daniel's cat the night before! The Tottenham job is a write off.
“This is a crucial job for him. It's a smart move for him to go back to his home country, back to where he knows and back where it all started. If he goes and wins the league at Benfica and has a run in the Champions League, his name will start being bandied around the big clubs again."
What is Mourinho like to pay under?
Quizzed on whether Mourinho can be considered the greatest manager to have ever passed through Stamford Bridge, Cole added: “I don't think there's any doubt in that. Obviously, he's then gone on to manage Spurs and Manchester United, but I see him at Chelsea as a [Bill] Shankly-type character.
“When he walked through the door, there’s a clear line from being a fashionable club… Chelsea's always been a fashionable club where people were excited to come and watch great players, but he came in and changed the club and effectively started the last 25 years, which has been unbridled success. The fans will always love him because he's the manager that started that success.”
Cole was already on Chelsea’s books when Mourinho arrived for his first spell in west London during the summer of 2024. They would go on to win two Premier League titles together, with Cole saying of what the enigmatic Portuguese is like to play under: “He's brilliant, looking back on it. It was just fun, the lads used to love it. We used to love his press conferences, coming into the building and being all ‘He said what?!’.
“He was a breath of fresh air for the Premier League and was probably the last 'rock and roll' manager. I'd put him next to people like Brian Clough, and you've seen the legacy of Brian Clough. Whenever you go to Forest they're still talking about him and his pictures are everywhere. I think Jose is that type of guy.”
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GettyChampions League test: Mourinho back at Stamford Bridge
Mourinho has enjoyed an unbeaten start to his reign at Benfica, picking up seven points from three Liga fixtures. Chelsea will provide his biggest test yet, but the Blues have picked up just one win from their last five games in all competitions to see a few uncomfortable questions asked of head coach Enzo Maresca.
Newcastle United are “looking” at a potential move for another attacking player hailed as a “pure baller” this summer, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
Ramsey completes move to Newcastle
The Magpies’ summer transfer window hasn’t been a happy one, with key targets choosing other clubs instead, and the Alexander Isak saga hanging over them.
On the plus side, Newcastle have now completed the signing of Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, with the Englishman looking forward to his new challenge at St James’ Park.
“I’m delighted to be here. It’s been a mad two or three days, but I’m really happy to be here and I can’t wait to get started. This is a big move for me, but as soon as I knew the gaffer was interested and really liked me, it didn’t take much time to decide. His track record of developing players, especially those who have gone on to become internationals here, speaks for itself.
“It was always a tough game playing for Villa against Newcastle – the team is full of energy, so athletic and the fans are so passionate. I feel my game will suit that and I’m excited to be on the other end of it now.”
Now, another gifted young player has also been mentioned as a target for Newcastle, with two weeks of the transfer window remaining.
Newcastle "looking" at move for "pure baller"
Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke claimed that Leicester City ace Bilal El Khannouss is a target for Newcastle this summer, with offers expected to arrive for him from clubs.
“He isn’t letting the speculation effect him at the moment, he started for Leicester in their opening game of the season and got a couple of assists as well. Newcastle have been looking at him while pursuing Jacob Ramsey. They could potentially sign both to strengthen the squad in that position.
“Eddie Howe needs a bigger squad this season with Champions League football to contend with. Leicester are open to selling him and they’ll face a real battle to convince him to stay in the Championship if he does have Premier League offers. It’s one to keep an eye on before the end of the window. I expect offers to come in for El Khannouss before the end of the window.”
Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss in action against Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch.
El Khannouss is a huge talent with so many good years ahead of him, so he could be a superb long-term signing in attacking midfield areas.
The 21-year-old has already bagged two assists in as many games in the Championship this season, while analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a “pure baller” because of his natural ability.
Shades of Ekitike: Newcastle given "encouragement" to sign £56m striker
Newcastle United are still interested in securing a £56m deal for this striker who is similar to Hugo Ekitike.
ByKelan Sarson Aug 18, 2025
Granted, El Khannouss plays in a similar position to Ramsey, so minutes could be hard to come by initially, especially given the quality already in Newcastle’s midfield. That said, he should still feature plenty, and has the potential to be a future star at St James’.
Manchester United have established themselves as cool negotiators in the summer transfer window and now look set to step up talks in pursuit of a new record signing.
Manchester United plot more deals after Benjamin Sesko capture
After a dismal Premier League finish last term, the Red Devils appear determined to make sure a repeat scenario doesn’t unravel this campaign and Ruben Amorim has wasted no time in sharpening a blunt attack.
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Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon joining Manchester United for £140.5 million, many thought they would turn their attention to outgoings after missing out on any Champions League or Europa League windfall.
Benjamin Sesko
Nevertheless, Benjamin Sesko’s move to Old Trafford has made headlines around the globe, with many expecting big things from the Slovenia international after his return of 21 goals in 45 appearances last term at RB Leipzig.
Many have expected the focus to turn to other positions after fending off Newcastle’s advances for the towering striker. However, free agent Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be next in line at Manchester United after parting company with his agent to try and seal a dream transfer to the English giants.
The former Everton man may only be able to arrive if one of Rasmus Hojlund or Joshua Zirkzee leaves the club, meaning interest in the former from AC Milan has come at a good time for Amorim.
Official sent as Man Utd plot hijack to sign £56m South American prodigy
United have started scouting a promising young striker
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Callum Kemp
Aug 10, 2025
Intriguingly, Fabrizio Romano delivered a promising update on Manchester United’s pursuit of Carlos Baleba over the weekend. Brighton & Hove Albion aren’t keen to let him go, though the Red Devils keep trying to find solutions in spite of existing difficulties.
Marking their intent to recruit players capable of helping the Red Devils at the top end of the table, there has now been another big update on Amorim’s search for a new enforcer.
Manchester United set to submit Carlos Baleba bid
As reported by Rudy Galetti on X, Manchester United are set to be locked in further talks to sign the £100m-rated Baleba in the ‘coming hours’ and are expected to submit an imminent bid for his services.
He stated: “Man UTD and Brighton will hold new talks in the coming hours, with MUFC expected to submit their bid for Carlos Baleba. The player wants the move, and Brighton – waiting for how the negotiation will develop – are already working cautiously on a potential replacement.”
Is Manuel Ugarte or Carlos Baleba a better fit for Man Utd?
Manuel Ugarte in 2024/25 PL
Carlos Baleba in 2024/25 PL
Tackles won – 49
Tackles won – 46
Pass accuracy – 88.6%
Pass accuracy – 87.9%
Accurate long balls – 39
Accurate long balls – 65
Successful dribbles – 18
Successful dribbles – 33
Recoveries – 122
Recoveries – 197
Stats from Fotmob
With the Seagulls looking at potential replacements, Manchester United could look to move on Manuel Ugarte after his transfer to Old Trafford last year, though the statistical comparison between the two shows both excel in different areas.
Last term, Baleba registered four goals and two assists in 40 appearances for Brighton, leading Ryan Adsett to label the star a “powerhouse” due to his excellent form under Fabian Hurzeler. Manchester United are determined to position themselves among the elite again, and the Seagulls star would become their biggest ever signing, surpassing the record set by Paul Pogba’s arrival in 2016
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The left-handed opener compiled an impressively composed innings to leave his team in a strong position
AAP26-Nov-2024Campbell Kellaway scored his maiden Sheffield Shield century to put Victoria in the box seat of their pink-ball clash with Queensland at the Gabba.Queensland went to stumps on day three struggling at 58 for 3 chasing 329 for victory. Kellaway made a seven-ball duck in Victoria’s sub-par first-innings total of 186. But the 22-year-old was in a class of his own in Victoria’s second innings, combining with Marcus Harris for a 154-run opening stand to catapult the visitors back into the contest.Related
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Tom Rogers, Matt Short and Peter Handscomb also chipped in with handy knocks to help lift Victoria to an imposing 439.In reply, Queensland lost Matt Renshaw for a duck to 40-year-old veteran Peter Siddle in the first over of their run chase and they were 32 for 2 when Bryce Street fell for 7.Angus Lovell put up some resistance, but he was sent packing following a stunning one-handed catch by Short while he was running with the flight of the ball from slip to haul in a top-edged pull.Victoria started day three at 122 without loss in their second innings Harris was caught at slip off the bowling of Lovell, but Kellaway went on with the job to post his maiden Shield century.Kellaway’s 175-ball knock, which featured 14 boundaries, was finally brought to an end when he was bowled by Street in the final over before the dinner break.Queensland used eight bowlers in their bid to make inroads into Victoria’s strong batting line-up, but breakthroughs were few and far between
Birmingham City will be looking to press on this summer with even more exciting signings joining the St Andrew’s camp.
Chris Davies has recently stated that this is the intention when speaking to Birmingham Live, with seven brand new faces entering the club already not quite enough, as he insists that this newly promoted side needs ‘all the quality we can get’ to hit the ground running in the Championship.
Another striker addition might now be deemed a priority, with a report by Football League World revealing that Alfie May is set to leave Davies and Co. behind for a fresh League One challenge at Huddersfield Town.
This would be a big blow that the Blues would have to address, considering how many times last campaign the experienced centre-forward came up clutch for his promotion-chasing outfit with crucial goals.
Why losing May is a blow for Birmingham
Of course, around £10m has just been splashed out to land Kyogo Furuhashi as a thrilling capture up top, but May regularly proved during the Blues’ promotion heroics his vital nature from off the bench, which could well have been an effective calling card up a league too.
From just 27 starts last season in league action, May rifled home a mightily impressive 16 strikes, with Jay Stansfield the only other venomous attacker in Davies’ ranks that managed to hit double digits.
However, whilst the 32-year-old is a well-known beast at the testing level – with 89 goals and counting in the third tier – he has never once set foot in the Championship, with the EFL veteran’s legs perhaps not well suited to such a demanding step-up.
This is where an earlier £10m striker target on the Birmingham shopping list could come to the rescue and be a dream replacement for the departing May, with the target in question even tasting promotion up to the Premier League just last season, whilst Davies’ men soared to the top of League One.
Birmingham's "dynamite" May replacement
Whilst there will be some sorrow regarding May’s exit when looking at his starring role in that promotion story, the second tier is an unforgiving terrain which will have factored into Birmingham’s somewhat cut-throat decision-making.
May’s exit would soon be forgotten about if the Blues did fork out £10m to land Leeds United reserve striker Mateo Joseph, with reports back in June stating that the triumphant League One champions were keen on winning the services of the Spanish hotshot, as interest now emerges from Joseph’s native country in the form of Real Betis.
Games played
39
Games started
11
Minutes per game
33 mins
Goals scored
3
Assists
3
The standout numbers from the table above really do hammer home why Joseph would be an ideal replacement for the soon-to-be Terriers attacker, with the 21-year-old offering the same amount of firepower from off the bench last season in the Championship that May offered in spades back at St. Andrew’s, as seen in his blistering six goal contributions from a meagre 11 starts.
With a further four strikes next to his name for the Whites, which included a breakneck brace finding the back of the net against Chelsea last year, he might just be capable of turning up that goalscoring notch even more if he’s given regular first-team minutes in the West Midlands.
The “dynamite” attacker – as he’s been labelled in the past by U23 scout Antonio Mango – would give Davies the best possible selection headache subsequently, with his Leeds manager in Daniel Farke, also going out of his way to shower the up-and-coming striker with praise when hailing his link-up play as “excellent.”
In an ideal world, Birmingham might have kept May around for the long run as he then finally made a name for himself in the EFL’s elite setting.
Yet, the one-season hero is now closing in on a £1.2m move to Huddersfield, meaning Joseph could be just what Birmingham desire to get over May’s exit swiftly and improve their overall squad.
Birmingham City want to sign "outstanding" former Champions League winner
Birmingham City are among the teams interested in signing a former Liverpool star.
Liverpool recently completed what may end up being the biggest transfer of the summer when they confirmed the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Reds have smashed the British transfer record to sign the Germany international in a deal that is worth up to £116.5m, moving above the transfer that took Moises Caicedo from Brighton to Chelsea.
Liverpool, as shown in the graphic above, had never touched the £100m mark for a transfer fee for a player, which shows how much faith they have that Wirtz will be a hugely influential star for the club.
The attacking midfielder is the second signing to come in from Bayer Leverkusen this summer, after Jeremie Frimpong, and the first addition from the Bundesliga has had some very kind words to say about his new, yet old, teammate.
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz andJeremieFrimpongapplaud fans with teammates after the match
Liverpool’s Dutch full-back described the German star as a “very, very, very special player”, and Reds supporters should be excited by the prospect of watching him play next season.
Why Florian Wirtz is a big signing for Liverpool
The 22-year-old attacker’s form in the Bundesliga in the last two seasons suggests that he has the potential to be a difference-maker for the Premier League champions on a regular basis.
He is a number ten who has the ability to consistently deliver both goals and assists at the top end of the pitch, which means that he could be a joy to watch in the final third.
Wirtz ended the 2024/25 season with a return of 16 goals and 14 assists in 45 matches in all competitions, after a haul of 18 goals and 19 assists in 49 appearances for Leverkusen in the previous campaign.
This means that the Germany international has plundered 34 goals and 33 assists in all competitions in the past two seasons, which shows that he offers a constant threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from an attacking midfield position.
24/25 UCL
Wirtz per 90
Percentile rank vs att. mids & wingers
Non-penalty goals
0.59
Top 6%
Expected Assisted Goals
0.20
Top 20%
npxG + xAG
0.60
Top 18%
Shot-creating actions
5.10
Top 11%
Progressive passes
6.28
Top 8%
Passes made
55.26
Top 6%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Wirtz was impressive in the Champions League this season, ranking highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which shows that he can perform at the very top level.
Therefore, the £116.5m-rated star could be a big signing as an attacking star who has proven himself in Germany, and they could be about to repeat that move already.
Liverpool eyeing Bundesliga striker
According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are interested in a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward Hugo Ekitike in the summer transfer window.
The reporter claims that the Premier League champions are ‘seriously’ eyeing up a move for the France U21 international, as they look at possible replacements for Darwin Nunez.
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Plettenberg reports that Napoli are in talks with Liverpool over a deal to sign the Uruguay international, and that the Reds would not stand in his way if he wants to move to the Serie A champions this summer.
The journalist adds that the Reds believe that they have a “good chance” to sign Ekitike as a possible replacement for Nunez, despite facing competition from both Chelsea and Manchester United in the race for his services.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Eintracht Frankfurt reportedly value the young number nine at a whopping £85m, as they look to keep hold of their star man, and it remains to be seen whether or not Liverpool are willing to go that high for him.
Why Liverpool should sign Hugo Ekitike
The Premier League giants should swoop to sign the French striker from the German club before the end of the window, particularly if Nunez moves on from Anfield, because he could be a Wirtz repeat.
Bayer Leverkusen's FlorianWirtz
As aforementioned, Liverpool have landed a Bundesliga star who could be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis by signing the Germany international.
Ekitike would arrive on Merseyside as a very similar signing, as a Bundesliga striker who has the potential to make a big impact in the final third next season.
The former Paris Saint-Germain talent ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances in all competitions for Frankfurt, which meant that he registered four more goal contributions than Wirtz did for Leverkusen.
Ekitike’s performances in the Bundesliga, specifically, suggest that he has the quality to come through the door as a significant upgrade on Nunez, should he complete a transfer to Napoli in the coming weeks.
24/25 season
Ekitike (Bundesliga)
Nunez (Premier League)
Appearances
33
30
Goals
15
5
Minutes per goal
172
227
Big chances created
12
3
Key passes per game
1.3
0.5
Assists
8
2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the French talent could offer a bigger threat in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator for Liverpool, based off their respective form in the 2024/25 season.
The Frankfurt star, who was once described as the “next Mbappe” by journalist Graeme Bailey, also still has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop and improve even further, at the age of 23.
Like Wirtz, the young forward could be a staple of Arne Slot’s attack for many years to come. They are both forwards who have proven that they can deliver quality in the here and now, whilst they also both have the potential to get even better in the future.
He'd be unplayable with Gordon: Liverpool submit bid to sign £64m forward
Liverpool are planning to sign a new striker this summer.
1
By
Angus Sinclair
Jun 24, 2025
It is now down to the club to agree a deal with Frankfurt to bring the promising young centre-forward to Anfield to combine with Wirtz in the final third next season.