غادر لاعب نادي الزمالك، مباراة فريقه أمام الأهلي، المقامة حاليًا، على أرضية ملعب استاد القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري الممتاز، مصابًا.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع الزمالك، اليوم الإثنين، في إطار مباريات الجولة التاسعة من عمر مواجهات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وتعرض اللاعب الفلسطيني عدي الدباغ مهاجم نادي الزمالك لإصابة عضلية في الدقيقة 36 من عمر الشوط الأول للمباراة، ولم يستطع استكمال اللقاء، بسبب تلك الإصابة.

طالع.. فيديو | حسام عبد المجيد يسجل هدف الزمالك الأول أمام الأهلي

وقرر المدرب البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا، المدير الفني للزمالك، إجراء تغيير اضطراري بدخول ناصر منسي بدلًا من عدي الدباغ المصاب.

ويتقدم نادي الزمالك، على الأهلي، بهدف دون رد، سجله حسام عبد المجيد من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 32 كان تحصل عليها عدي الدباغ بعرقلة من ياسين مرعي.

MatériaMais Notícias

Ainda discutindo a sua renovação contratual com o São Paulo, Luan viu suas portas se abrirem para um retorno à equipe. Durante sua apresentação como novo técnico do Tricolor, nesta sexta-feira (21), Dorival Júnior apontou que pretende utilizar o volante, diferente do que fez o antecessor Rogério Ceni, que deixou o jogador afastado enquanto não definisse o seu futuro. Confira:

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSão Paulo‘Temos que ter tranquilidade’, destaca Dorival sobre possível contratação de Pato pelo São PauloSão Paulo21/04/2023São PauloEm retorno ao São Paulo, Dorival Júnior enaltece trabalho de Ceni e aponta motivação como arma para a reaçãoSão Paulo21/04/2023Fora de CampoGalvão Bueno exalta contratação de Cuca pelo Corinthians, e destaca volta de Dorival Júnior ao São PauloFora de Campo21/04/2023

Tottenham face-off against Man City in the Premier League this afternoon, and off the field, both clubs have been chatting over winger Savinho.

Today’s clash at Eastlands has been tipped as an opportunity for Lilywhites chiefs to hold more face-to-face talks with City officials over a deal for the Brazil international, coming after Spurs’ already well-documented pursuit of him.

Thomas Frank’s side have seen a bid worth just over £40 million rejected, according to Savinho’s agent, Frederico Moraes, but the player’s camp are in London right now attempting to facilitate discussions as Savinho eyes a move to north London.

The former Girona star, who will play no part today due to injury, is believed to be very keen on joining Spurs as he looks to become a Premier League mainstay ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Daniel Levy, technical director Johan Lange and CEO Vinai Vinkatesham are still dusting themselves off from the public humiliation of missing out on Eberechi Eze, with the 27-year-old coming as their second failed playmaker deal of the window after Morgan Gibbs-White.

In response, reports from Brazil suggest that Tottenham are really pushing the boat out to sign Savinho, with Levy even preparing a club-record £69 million bid.

However, City’s stance thus far is that he’s not for sale, with Pep Guardiola even publicly stating that he wants Savinho to remain in Manchester for many years.

If their move for the South American hits a brick wall, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Football Insider that Tottenham have identified a “cheaper” alternative.

Tottenham identify Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche as "cheaper" Savinho alternative

O’Rourke claims that Spurs see Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche as that man, coming after the 23-year-old bagged seven goals and 12 assists in all competitions last season.

Other media sources believe that the Frenchman, who won silver with France at the 2024 Olympic Games, could be available for just under £50 million – so Levy will still need to pay a considerable fee.

Akliouche is no stranger to the big occasion, though, with the winger putting in some impressive Champions League performances last season, including the opening goal in Monaco’s 2-1 win over Barcelona.

Matthew Kuhnemann says his surgically repaired right thumb is almost pain-free after bowling, batting and fielding in Brisbane on Thursday. He now awaits official clearance to fly to Sri Lanka to join Australia’s Test squad just a week after suffering a compound dislocation and fracture while playing in the BBL.The left-arm orthodox spinner is a key part of Australia’s plans for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka, with both Tests in Galle, but his tour looked in severe jeopardy when he was struck on the thumb during Brisbane Heat’s five-wicket loss to Hobart Hurricanes last Thursday.Kuhnemann, 28, was driven to the hospital that night by Heat team-mate Daniel Drew where he had the dislocation put back into place before having surgery the following morning to put a pin in the fracture.Related

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Kuhnemann’s recovery, though, has been rapid and he is hopeful he can fly to Sri Lanka after bowling eight overs at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Thursday. Kuhnemann also batted, facing throw downs from Heat and Queensland bowling coach Andy Bichel. He also took a few catches during the session that was overseen by Heat’s team physio Adam Smith.Speaking to reporters, Kuhnemann said he was feeling good but needed to consult Australia’s medical staff in Dubai via a conference call on Thursday evening, where the squad are holding a pre-tour training camp, before being cleared to join them when they fly to Sri Lanka in the next few days.”Nothing’s official yet,” Kuhnemann said. “I think it was more about just ticking off the boxes each day this week, and so far it’s gone to plan. I’m hoping so, but nothing’s come out yet. I’ll probably speak to the medical team this afternoon. My bowling, batting and fielding has gone excellent so far. So I’ll just relay that message. There’s a bit of a time zone difference and hopefully, I can get on the plane over there.”I’m feeling really good, really grateful with how it sort of progressed in the last week. It’s healed really well, and the surgery went excellent. Very fortunate and lucky so far that I’m sort of in a position to be able to bowl and bat and catch a few balls. Everything’s gone to plan so far. There’s not much pain at all any more, and no pain bowling and batting.”Kuhnemann has had a plastic thumb splint made to protect his right thumb and can wear it in games without needing to remove it as it is on his non-bowling hand. He has worn a similar splint in the past having previously broken the same thumb. He is confident that if a ball is hit back at him with power again, his thumb will withstand any blow.Matt Kuhnemann could yet feature in the Sri Lanka Tests•BCCI

“This is a conversation I had with the surgeons and doctors and it’s really stable now,” Kuhnemann said. “It’s probably more stable than it was beforehand. I’ve broken that thumb before and now I’ve got surgery on it, it’s probably in a better state.”I’ve played cricket with splints on and I’m very confident, it doesn’t affect my bowling or batting and fielding. If anything, I’m probably more confident in the field, because you’ve got something on your finger.”He said he would have no fear if a ball came at him in the field. “No, not at all,” Kuhnemann said. “That’s cricket in general. Balls have been hit back at me a lot harder, and I’ve been fine. So this is one of those freak incidents that it’s hit probably the exact spot it had to for it to cause some damage. I’ve already caught some balls. Andy Bichel’s already thrown some balls back at me straight away, so there’s no problem with that.”Kuhnemann was a very strong chance of playing in the first Test in Galle prior to the injury. He played three Tests in India in 2023 as part of a three-man spin attack alongside offspinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy. But the selectors have been clear in their desire to have a left-arm orthodox in the attack to complement Lyon, which meant Kuhnemann was in line to play if only two spinners were selected in the XI.Even if he is cleared to join the squad, a decision will still need to be made about his fitness to play. “I think everyone will have a bit of a say,” Kuhnemann said. “I think it’d be a good discussion.”I’ll just be honest with them, I think. So far, it’s tracking really well, so I’m confident. But there’s obviously protocols you’ve got to go through.”

Celtic are in Champions League action this evening as they prepare to welcome Kairat Almaty to Parkhead for the first leg of their play-off clash.

The Hoops have already won their first three competitive matches of the campaign, beating Aberdeen and St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership and Falkirk in the League Cup.

Irrespective of those results and whatever happens in the match this evening, Brendan Rodgers will want more recruits in the building to bolster the squad before the end of the summer transfer window.

It is fairly obvious that the Scottish giants are short in the wide areas. They have lost Jota to a long-term ACL injury and sold Nicolas Kuhn to Como, yet they have yet to bring in a winger.

At this moment in time, Daizen Maeda is the only natural left winger in the squad, and James Forrest and Hyun-jun Yang are the only right wingers in the group. This highlights the need for reinforcements in those positions.

There should also be a concern over the quality of the options in the wide areas as it stands, as neither of Celtic’s right wingers have shown that they can deliver consistently.

Why Celtic need a new right winger

In the 2024/25 campaign, Kuhn racked up an eye-catching haul of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops on the right flank, per Transfermarkt.

The German forward provided a consistent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, cutting in from the right to cause havoc on his favoured left foot week-in-week-out.

Unfortunately, Forrest and Yang do not look very likely to replicate that level of output at the top end of the pitch for the Premiership champions, when you consider their performances last season and in the first few games of the current campaign.

Neither player has registered a goal or an assist in the opening three games of this season in all competitions, and they will be hoping to change that in this evening’s Champions League match.

They also both struggled to deliver consistent performances in the final third in the 2024/25 Premiership campaign, as it took Forrest until the final moments of the last league game of the season against St Mirren to grab his only goal.

Apearances

23

23

Goals

5

1

Minutes per goal

196

911

Big chances missed

5

4

Big chances created

3

5

Key passes per game

0.8

1.1

Assists

2

5

As you can see in the table above, Yang and Forrest combined for six goals and seven assists in 46 appearances between them in the top-flight, which is far from an impressive return in comparison to what Kuhn produced.

This is why Celtic need to bring in a player who can offer more quality in that position this season, and they are reportedly keen on a star who would fit the bill.

Celtic have interest in Eredivisie forward

According to Voetbal Zone, Celtic have a ‘serious’ interest in Feyenoord’s right-sided attacker Calvin Stengs, as they look to bolster their options out wide.

The report claims, though, that they have yet to make an approach to the Eredivisie side to discuss a potential transfer fee for the Netherlands international.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that there are doubts over his injury history, after he missed 35 games through injury last season, per Transfermarkt, and that it remains to be seen how much money it will take to convince Feyenoord to cash in on him.

MLS side Charlotte FC, home to former Hoops star Liel Abada, were reportedly set to sign Stengs for a fee of £6.4m last summer before the player turned them down, which offers an insight into the kind of fee it could take.

It was recently reported that Celtic have made contact with the Feyenoord star’s representatives to speak about a possible move, and this latest report from the Netherlands shows that they are serious about bringing the player to Glasgow before the end of the window.

Why Celtic should sign Calvin Stengs

The Hoops should now be pushing to reach an agreement with Feyenoord to land the left-footed star because he could arrive as the big upgrade on Yang that Rodgers needs for the 2025/26 campaign.

As aforementioned, the South Korea international has yet to prove that he can deliver consistent quality in the final third, which is why he may not be suited to starting week-in-week-out for the Hoops. Forrest, meanwhile, should be expected to be a back-up option at the age of 34, as he is now in the latter stages of his career.

Stengs, meanwhile, has previously shown that he has what it takes to be a big threat at the top end of the pitch from a right wing position, although he missed most of last season through injury.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the Dutch magician showed what he is about with a return of eight goals and 17 assists in 43 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Appearances

29

xG

5.22

Goals

6

Big chances created

13

xA

8.59

Key passes per game

2.5

Assists

12

As you can see in the table above, Stengs was an incredibly creative star for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie that term, whilst also finishing the chances that came his way efficiently.

Meanwhile, Yang has only created nine ‘big chances’ and assisted six goals in 58 appearances in the Premiership and the Champions League combined in the last two seasons, per Sofascore, which suggests that Celtic would significantly improve the creativity in their side with this potential transfer.

Stengs, who was described as a “flamboyant” winger by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has shown that he can provide consistent quality in front of goal when fit, which is why he could be an excellent addition to the team.

Of course, his aforementioned injury issues are a concern. However, if Celtic believe that he has overcome those problems and will be available most weeks, the 26-year-old star would arrive as a big upgrade on Yang from a quality perspective.

Celtic could avenge Kvistgaarden miss with swoop for "flamboyant" £7m star

Celtic could avenge their Mathias Kvistgaarden blunder with a swoop to sign this star.

ByDan Emery Aug 16, 2025

This is why the Premiership giants should be pushing to get a deal done for Stengs, who scored against Celtic in 2023, because he has the potential to solve their problem on the right flank.

Konstas thought Kohli bumping into him was an accident but he said he enjoyed India coming at him: “It got heated at times, just feel like that brings the best out of me”

Alex Malcolm26-Dec-20241:51

Manjrekar explains how Konstas took down Bumrah

The naivety of youth. That’s the secret to reverse scooping Jasprit Bumrah for six, according to Sam Konstas.Not many 19-year-olds are conscious of how naive they are. But Konstas appears to be. He reverse scooped Bumrah twice to the boundary, and lap scooped him once, in his astonishing debut innings at the MCG, despite having nearly got out to the reverse scoop twice in the first three overs.Konstas had no fear of what might have been said had he got out to that shot, opting to focus on the scoring possibility rather than the consequences of an error.”I think it probably will look silly if I did get out,” Konstas said at the end of a day when 87,242 fans came to the MCG. “But I’ve worked pretty hard on that shot, and I feel like it’s probably a safe shot for me really. But I think that’s the beauty about being young and maybe a bit naive. I’m just trying to put pressure back on the bowler in the best way I think is, and it was good to get a few runs today.”Related

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Konstas showed the value of playing the ball and not the man. Bumrah had tormented Australia’s batters through the first three Test matches and tormented them again after Konstas was out by picking up three scalps – Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh – to drag India back into the game.He threatened to torture Konstas as well, having beaten him four times in the opening over and seven times in his first three, which included the two failed reverse scoops. But Konstas was completely unflustered.”I think I was just getting used to the wicket, first time facing him, getting used to his action,” Konstas said. “Obviously, he beat my bat quite a few times, and [I] was lucky enough to get a few away. But it was a great contest.”He’s a legend of the game, obviously, so I was trying to put a bit of pressure on him, and it paid off today. But obviously, he took three wickets and he changed the momentum. But I think I’m always challenging myself, trying to bring the best out of myself, so just getting that contest with him and trying to take his lines away.”He took more than his lines away. He did something no one had done to Bumrah in his Test career. Bumrah conceded 18 runs in an over for the first time. He conceded 38 in a six-over spell for the first time. He got hit for six for the first time in nearly four years and conceded two sixes to an individual for just the second time.Konstas explained that his reverse scoop was premeditated and designed to get the field changes that India ended up granting him.”Yeah, definitely premeditated, especially with the pace,” Konstas said. “[I was] just trying to keep my head still and just watch it as hard onto my bat. But yeah, got a few away today and changed the field, which was good, and then trying to [get them to] bowl in my zones.”Sam Konstas took on Jasprit Bumrah with high-risk reverse scoops•Getty ImagesIt is something former Australia captain Mark Taylor, the man who presented Konstas his baggy green at the start of the day, would have never dreamed of doing during his era. But Konstas is grateful to playing in a generation where he is allowed to express himself.”Yeah, definitely,” Konstas said. “I reckon maybe 20-30 years ago people were probably saying, defend a lot, just bat all day. But I think the new generation, new shots, it’s exciting for me. Obviously, I like doing that, putting pressure back on the bowlers, and hopefully it pays off for the next innings.”India also got baited into trying to intimidate him and paid an enormous price for it. Mohammed Siraj sledged him verbally and got dispatched to the boundary next ball.Virat Kohli deliberately bumped into him to spark a verbal argument which Konstas didn’t back down from. Konstas thought the bump was an accident but he said he enjoyed India coming at him.”I was just doing my gloves and I think he accidentally bumped me,” Konstas said. “But I think that’s just cricket, just the tension.”I was just trying to get in the contest and whoever I was facing, just trying to bring the best version of myself. Obviously, it got heated at times, which was good for me. Just feel like that brings the best out of me.”

أكد ناثان آكي، نجم نادي مانشستر سيتي، على أن فريقه لا يزال يتمتع بروح قتالية عالية، وذلك قبل لقاء برينتفورد اليوم الأحد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

مانشستر سيتي سوف يحل ضيفًا على نظيره برينتفورد بعد أقل من ساعة من الآن، ضمن الجولة السابعة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويسعى مانشستر سيتي إلى الفوز على برينتفورد من أجل مواصلة تحقيق نتائجه الجيدة خلال الفترة الأخيرة.

اقرأ أيضًا .. برناردو سيلفا يعلق على إمكانية العودة إلى موناكو

وقال آكي لموقع مانشستر سيتي الرسمي: ”أظهرنا مرونة كبيرة هذا الموسم، ربما يعتقد الكثيرون من الخارج أننا لا نستطيع تحقيق البطولات لكننا نؤمن بأنفسنا، نعلم أن لدينا العديد من اللاعبين المختلفين، لذا من الواضح أن الأمر سيكون جديدًا”.

وأضاف: ”ما أظهرناه حتى الآن هو أننا مستعدون للعمل والقتال، لقد حققنا بعض النتائج الجيدة ولم نخسر في المباريات القليلة الماضية، نأمل أن نواصل ذلك”.

وأوضح آكي: “الأمر يتعلق بالتماسك، لقد واجهنا بعض الصعوبات بعد المباراة الأولى، مع ذلك لم نشكك في أنفسنا، بل حافظنا على قوتنا وثقتنا بأنفسنا هي سر النجاح”.

وأردف: “لقد أثبتنا ذلك في المباريات القليلة الماضية، إذا حافظنا على هذا الإيمان فسنظل فريقًا قويًا جدًا، كل ما نحتاجه هو مواصلة التقدم والتحسن”.

وتابع: “الفرق الأخرى هذه الأيام تلعب بشكل فردي أكثر، لذا فهم يتقدمون في الملعب ويرغبون في الضغط علينا بشكل أكبر”.

وواصل: “أحيانًا وبشكل تلقائي، تكون المباراة أكثر ديناميكية لأن الاحتفاظ بالكرة أصعب من اللعب ضد فرق تعتمد على الدفاع ونسيطر على الكرة بشكل كامل”.

واختتم آكي: “هذا أحد أهم التغييرات هذا العام، عندما تلعب الفرق أكثر في وضع لاعب ضد لاعب، يجب أن نكون أكثر مباشرة، هذا ليس من وجهة نظرنا فقط، بل من وجهة نظر الفرق الأخرى أيضًا”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Philipe Sampaio concedeu uma entrevista exclusiva ao LANCE! e relembrou de um episódio que aconteceu no clássico entre Vasco x Botafogo, realizado em fevereiro deste ano. O zagueiro caiu desacordado no gramado do Maracanã e precisou ficar dias internado no hospital. Assista ao vídeo acima.

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+ Philipe Sampaio relembra chegada ao Botafogo, celebra nova fase do time, fala sobre Luís Castro e manda recado para torcida

– Foi difícil reagir, porque era uma oportunidade para mim entrar em um clássico contra o Vasco. Depois da parada técnica, eu comecei a me sentir muito mal. Aí eu vejo a minha vista mal. Na hora eu penso: “Não é possível. Me ajuda, Senhor. Eu quero estar em campo”. É um jogo que todo mundo quer jogar, né? Era um jogo contra o Vasco e o próximo era contra o Flamengo. Aí chegou uma hora que eu apaguei. Depois daquilo, eu não lembrei mais. Aí fica uma reflexão para mim: você está no Maracanã lotado e depois você vai para uma UTI. Não pude tomar banho, aparelhos ligados na cabeça e no coração, luz acesa, UTI… aí você faz uma reflexão da vida. Muitas vezes não é um jogo ou um campeonato, mas é a nossa vida e a nossa família – declarou Sampaio:

– A minha maior preocupação era minha esposa, que estava grávida. Quando eu acordo, eu já falo para o doutor: “Deixa eu jogar. Eu estou bem”. Eu não tinha noção do que tinha acontecido. Eu vi os aplausos depois. Foi um choque. Quando eu acordei, eu falei: “Nossa!”. Mas foi tudo superado. Mais uma lição da minha vida de que o trabalho, a consistência e as dificuldades aparecem, mas elas são sempre superadas com fé em Deus – completou.

+ Assista a entrevista completa de Philipe Sampaio ao LANCE!

Glasgow Rangers supporters will not want to watch back any of the goals that their side conceded in the 3-1 defeat at Ibrox on Tuesday night.

Put simply, Russell Martin’s team were nowhere good enough defensively throughout the match, not just including the goals conceded, as their Belgian opponents found it far too easy to carve them open.

Whilst it was not all on them, Nasser Djiga and John Souttar offered very little protection to Jack Butland with their work at the heart of the defence.

That was the case for the opening goal, after just three minutes, when the Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee inexplicably left the ball and allowed the forward to race through and lob Butland, who was not even close to coming out to sweep up in the first place.

The second and third goals that the Gers conceded were born out of very questionable defending, but the first goal was the worst of the lot, by a considerable margin.

Whether it was a lack of concentration or miscommunication with Butland, Djiga had a nightmare at the back for Rangers and is not building a very positive reputation for himself at Ibrox.

Why Nasser Djiga's form is a concern for Rangers

The Wolves made a terrific start to his loan spell in Glasgow with an imperious debut against Panathinaikos in a 2-0 win at Ibrox in a Champions League qualifier last month.

Djiga made three clearances, two tackles, and one interception, whilst winning four of his five duels, per Sofascore, to keep a clean sheet for his team alongside Souttar.

Since that impressive debut against the Greek outfit, though, the Burkina Faso international has endured a rough time of things in the Scottish Premiership and the Champions League.

Djiga, as shown in the clip above, did not step up in time to catch Finlay Robertson offside and then brought the attacker down before he could go through one-on-one against Butland.

Sofascore rating

6.0

5.9

5.9

Clearances

1

6

3

Error led to goal

0x

0x

1x

Ground duels won

1/2

1/4

1/2

Aerial duels won

1/2

1/5

3/3

Red cards

1

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old defender has also struggled in the last two starts for the Gers, losing seven of his nine duels against Viktoria Plzen before his inexplicable error against Club Brugge on Tuesday night.

The former Red Star Belgrade giant’s form is a concern because he has not provided the defensive solidity that Martin should want from him alongside Souttar at the back, either in the Premiership or the Champions League.

With the untested Emmanuel Fernandez being the only central defender in reserve to compete with Djiga and Souttar, the Light Blues may want to go back into the market to bring in another option in that area of the park.

It was reported last month that the Scottish giants were considering a swoop to sign Volendam central defender Xavier Mbuyamba, but it remains to be seen whether or not they still have an interest in the 6 foot 5 titan.

Transfer Focus

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

The report at the time claimed that the Eredivisie stopper was ‘hoping’ for a transfer to Ibrox, though, which suggests that he would be interested in the move if Rangers decide to make an approach before the end of the summer transfer window.

Mbuyamba also has one year left on his contract with Volendam, per Transfermarkt, and this means that the Dutch side may not be able to demand a significant fee for his services, as they run the risk of losing him for nothing in 2026.

Why Rangers should sign Xavier Mbuyamba

With this in mind, the Gers should push to bring the 23-year-old star to Ibrox before the deadline passes at the start of September to bolster their options in the centre-back position.

Mbuyamba’s form for Volendam in recent seasons, and how he has started the current campaign, suggests that the former Chelsea youngster has the potential to be an instant upgrade on Djiga on the right side of the centre-back pairing.

The Dutch titan helped Volendam to win promotion back to the Eredivisie in the 2024/25 campaign, after they were relegated from the top-flight, whilst the Rangers target missed most of the 2023/24 season through injury.

Prior to his injury issues two seasons ago, Mbuyamba had shown that he had the quality to deliver quality defensive performances in the top division, which meant that it was not a surprise when he dominated the second tier last term.

Appearances

28

34

Goals

5

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.5

2.8

Clearances per game

5.4

4.4

Ground duel success rate

56%

64%

Aerial duel success rate

50%

60%

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman produced dominant displays full of defensive interventions in both of those seasons with Volendam, whilst also showcasing a goal threat from centre-back.

Mbuyamba has also won 69% of his duels and made 15 clearances, five blocks, and five tackles in two appearances in the Eredivisie so far in the current campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been incredibly dominant and active defensively with key interventions.

Djiga, meanwhile, has lost 60% of his ground duels in the Premiership this season and lost 67% of his duels in the Premier League for Wolves in the second half of last season, which shows that he has not been strong enough in one-on-one battles with opposition forwards in 2025.

These statistics suggest that Mbuyamba, who was once hailed as “complete” and “dominant” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the potential to be way more effective in defensive duels than the Burkina Faso international.

Not Djiga: Rangers must axe star who "looks like he's hasn't kicked a ball"

As Rangers’ Champions League hopes went up in flames, beaten 3-1 by Club Brugge, a summer signing “looks like he’s hasn’t kicked a ball before”.

ByBen Gray Aug 20, 2025

Therefore, Rangers could sign an instant upgrade on Djiga by signing the 6 foot 5 titan, who has proven himself at the top level in the Netherlands, to offer a more reliable presence at the heart of the defence as a dominant enforcer ahead of Butland.

Jose Mourinho has already been warned of the sack threat he faces at Benfica, with the Portuguese a matter of hours into the two-year contract that he has signed at Estadio da Luz. The enigmatic former Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter boss is aware that he needs to deliver positive results in order to see out a deal through to the summer of 2027.

Full circle: Mourinho back where it all began

Having been relieved of his duties at Turkish side Fenerbahce on the back of suffering a Champions League qualification defeat to Benfica, Mourinho finds himself back his homeland and where it all began for him in a managerial capacity in 2000.

AdvertisementSpecial One: Portuguese boasts glittering CV

The ‘Special One’ is now 62 years of age, but he remains as competitive as ever. He is eager to deliver tangible success at Benfica – having made a habit of collecting major silverware over the course of his glittering coaching career – but knows that events on and off the field could impact his short and long-term future in Lisbon.

Presidential elections lined up by Benfica

With presidential elections set to take place at Benfica in October, Rui Costa – who currently fills that role – told reporters when asked if Mourinho is an "electoral asset" for him: "I'm here as president of Benfica, I'm choosing a coach for Benfica. It confuses me that these terms are used. Our obligation is the future of the club, and not thinking about elections would mean leaving the club without a coach until the elections.

"Mourinho is Benfica's coach because we believe he has all the credentials to lead a club like ours. We felt we had to change the coaching staff, and he needed a coach capable of managing a club of this size."

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Getty/GOALMourinho's contract: Terms of Benfica deal

On the terms of Mourinho’s contract, Costa added: "There's a clause at the end of the season that leaves the club the option of continuing with the coach or not. We're hiring a coach for Benfica who's not indifferent at the global level; he's one of the most highly regarded names in the world. We're securing Benfica's future with an excellent coach."