Chelsea’s landslide in form since the winter has left Enzo Maresca and, indeed, all of a Blues persuasion resigned to the fact the Conference League lies as the club’s major objective for the business months.

The paucity of genuine competition in Europe’s third multi-country tier will temper any celebrations that may spring from claiming the trophy, but it would still be progress and a springboard from which the project could leap from.

While seventh-place Chelsea are still in contention for Champions League qualification, a stone’s throw behind Manchester City in the top four, the performances in recent months have left plenty to be desired.

Cole Palmer isn’t at his free-scoring best right now, but Chelsea have a range of players currently punching below their weight. Indeed, Levi Colwill will know that he has much to improve on – especially after erstwhile claims he was on his way to becoming a £100m player.

Why Colwill was being valued at £100m

Colwill is only 21 years old and has played an important role since graduating from the Cobham academy and then impressing on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion. For Chelsea, he’s now made 56 senior appearances.

The England international’s positional fluidity and natural ball-playing style quickly established him as one of English football’s most exciting young defenders, and he was duly rewarded with an important role under Mauricio Pochettino.

So exciting was his development that Liverpool and French giants Paris Saint-Germain expressed interest in making the signing, though Chelsea issued a stern response by placing a whopping £100m price tag on their homegrown ace, which would have made him the most expensive defender in history.

Last season, Chelsea reporter Simon Phillips described Colwill as “absolutely different class” when placed at centre half.

However, he’s struggled for consistency and authority under Maresca’s wing, with such lofty price tag claims a far cry from his current level.

Colwill's performances for Enzo Maresca

By and large, Colwill has flattered to deceive over the past several months. However, it’s important to note that with Wesley Fofana injured, the young ace has been placed alongside a host of different partners, thus affecting his and Chelsea’s fluency.

However, some of the Englishman’s lapses simply cannot be defended, with Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley even going as far as to brand him “inexcusable” in relation to some of his defensive efforts.

His positioning has indeed left plenty to be desired, with Chelsea’s defeat at the AMEX earlier this month laying bare the weak side of Colwill’s game, with pundit Gary Neville particularly scathing of his display, labelling it as a “really bad” one.

Though the Blues man has still managed to showcase many exciting qualities this season, his error-streaked season has proved that Chelsea’s former price tag is perhaps not reflective of his current level.

Last term, Colwill played the lion’s share of his top-flight football on the left side of the backline, whereas this year he has exclusively been used as a centre-back by Maresca. However, he looks shaky and has struggled to uphold the same level of defensive security.

Given that he’s reportedly earning £100k per week, it’s not good enough. Chelsea are bereft of options in central defence at the moment but Colwill could benefit from being withdrawn to recuperate for a time.

In any case, he’s got work to do before building himself up to that level which Chelsea clearly believe he can reach. Time – at least – is on his side.

Nkunku & Jackson upgrade: Chelsea may rue selling Eghbali's world-class CF

As Chelsea struggles in front of goal continue, do the Blues regret selling a “world-class” striker currently outperforming Christopher Nkunku?

By
Ben Gray

Feb 23, 2025

Manchester United are boosted by the return of two players ahead of their Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Ineed, tThe Red Devils will see defensive pair Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro return to the squad for the trip to the high-flying East Midlands outfit.

However, left-back Luke Shaw, who has been out for several months, is still not ready to return, despite making progress with overcoming his injury. Youngster Ayden Heaven will also miss the trip to Forest due to injury and Kobbie Mainoo is also making progress but isn’t ready for a return to the squad.

Another player who won’t be available for the trip to the City Ground is young Bendito Mantato, due to his involvement in United’s FA Youth Cup tie.

Bendito Mantato's progress this season

17-year-old Mantato has been tipped for big things in a United shirt. According to a report from Academy Scoop, he ‘is set to sign his first professional contract’ at Old Trafford in the coming days.

The report goes on to state that the England U17 attacker is ‘held in high regard by the club’ before explaining that Ruben Amorim wants to give him a first-team debut before the season is out.

Well, that is certainly exciting for United fans. The wing-back has been a key player for the Red Devils in the U18s Premier League this term, scoring six times, all of which have come from the right wing, across ten appearances.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

However, there is evidence to suggest that the youngster could break into the first team as a wing-back. He has played as a left-back for England U17s, with Statman Dave suggesting that his “profile is perfect for Amorim’s wing-back role”.

Well, whatever the case, he won’t be involved for United against Forest after playing in the FA Youth Cup. However, there is another youngster whom Amoirm could unleash at wing-back.

Man United's Mantato alternative

Few things are as important in a footballer’s career than their first-team debut, especially when that comes on your 18th birthday.

That was the case for London-born Harry Amass, who made his first senior appearance in United’s last game before the international break away to Leicester City.

Against the Foxes, the youngster was impressive in his 21-minute cameo. One of the key features of his game was his “phenomenal” technical ability, something United fan and host of The Overlap: The Breakdown H described.

His stats from the game, courtesy of Sofascore, show just how well he performed in that demanding wing-back role. Amass had 30 touches of the ball, completed 91% of his passes, and won two from three attempted tackles.

Minutes played

21

Touches

30

Pass accuracy

91%

Passes completed

10/11

Duels won

3/7

Tackles won

2/3

Interceptions

1

This term, Amass has featured 21 times for United’s academy, a total of 1756 minutes. In that time, he’s grabbed four assists, mainly playing in a more orthodox left-back role rather than as a wing-back like he did for the first team.

The youngster can certainly play a big role for the Red Devils going forward, having already impressed at wing-back in a short space of time.

If given more minutes, he could grab that chance with both hands and become a serious challenger for United’s first choice on that side, Patrick Dorgu.

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ByJoe Nuttall Mar 31, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

da stake casino： O Corinthians inicia nesta sexta-feira (3) sua jornada no Brasileirão Sub-20, contra o Flamengo, no estádio do Canindé, e o técnico Danilo não contará com nomes importantes da base para o torneio.

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da winzada777： + Renato Augusto é novamente o destaque do Corinthians; Giovane destoa contra o Santos

Campeões com a Seleção Brasileira no Sul-Americano da categoria, Guilherme Biro, Pedrinho e Giovane agora fazem parte do time de Fernando Lázaro no profissional.

O treinador da categoria Sub-20 não poupou elogios ao trio, utilizando os garotos como exemplo para os demais jovens da base do Timão.

– Vemos o Robert, Giovane, Biro e Pedro, é um exemplo para os atletas que estão ali hoje. Iniciaram o ano no Sub-20, foram para o Sul-Americano, no caso do Robert foi vendido. Futebol é muito rápido, as vezes chamo alguns individualmente. Futebol tem que matar um leão a cada dia, é o campo que vai conduzir sua carreira. Nunca pode se acomodar. O exemplo deles no ano passado foi muito positivo, ficamos felizes – destacou Danilo durante entrevista coletiva.

+ Veja as movimentações do mercado da bola no LANCE!

Além deles, outros três atletas estão treinando com os profissionais: o goleiro Kauê e os atacantes Arthur Sousa e Wesley. No entanto, Danilo indicou que esses jogadores devem ser aproveitados no Sub-20.

-O Biro e o Pedro retornaram e ficaram direto no profissional. O Kauê, Wesley e Arhtur estavam lá, mas os dois primeiros estão suspensos para esse jogo. O Arthur desceu com a gente, e depois o Wesley vai se juntar – confirmou.

Danilo deixou claro que a prioridade desses atletas que estão iniciando o ciclo no “time de cima” é seguir no profissional, mas revelou manter contato com Fernando Lázaro sobre deixá-los alguns jogos no Sub-20.

-Com certeza, isso é importante para manter esses atletas em ritmo de jogo. A primeira opção é o profissional, temos que jogar com o que temos. Quanto mais atletas desceram e nos ajudarem aqui é importante para manter o ritmo de jogo – concluiu.

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Campeonato Paulista

A partida entre Corinthians e Flamengo será às 20h, com transmissão do Sportv.

continua após a publicidade

There is no ICC requirement that World Cup knockout matches must be played on unused pitches

Matt Roller15-Nov-20233:44

Rohit: I believe toss is not a factor at Wankhede

The first semi-final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, between India and New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon, will be played on a used pitch that has already staged two matches in the tournament.ESPNcricinfo understands the semi-final was initially supposed to be played on Pitch 7, the central strip of the Wankhede Stadium’s pitch block. Pitch 7 is a fresh surface that was not used in the league stage of the World Cup.But a decision was made to shift the game to Pitch 6, which is slightly off-centre and has already hosted two matches in the tournament: South Africa’s 229-run win over England on October 21, and India’s 302-run victory over Sri Lanka on November 2.The change represents a late deviation from the pitch allocation devised before the World Cup. A source told ESPNcricinfo: “6-8-6-8-7 was the planned rotation at Wankhede. 6-8-6-8 is what has been used so far.”After the semi-final had begun, the ICC released a statement saying the change was not unusual. “Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length, and has already happened a couple of times. This change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with our host. The ICC independent pitch consultant was apprised of the change and has no reason to believe the pitch won’t play well.”According to the ICC’s Playing Conditions for the World Cup, the relevant ‘ground authority’ is “responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch” before any given match – in this case, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). The ICC also have an independent pitch consultant, Andy Atkinson, who works alongside local groundstaff.The Daily Mail reported that Atkinson has become frustrated by changes to pre-agreed plans throughout the World Cup, and that he speculated in a leaked email whether the pitch for the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday “will be the first ever ICC CWC final to have a pitch which has been specifically chosen and prepared to their stipulation at the request of the team management and/or the hierarchy of the home nation board.”Should India make the final in Ahmedabad, they would face either Australia or South Africa. Pat Cummins put his faith in the ICC to oversee the pitch process.”Yeah, I saw that [the report]…obviously ICC have an independent pitch curator who manages that so I’m sure they are all over making sure it’s fair for both teams,” he said. “So far this tournament [on pitches] that we’ve played on I’ve not seen any issue.”There is no ICC requirement which states that knockout fixtures must be played on fresh pitches. The only stipulation in their Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process reads: “It is expected that venues that are allocated the responsibility of hosting a match will present the best possible pitch and outfield conditions for that match.”The semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup, in England four years ago, were both played on fresh pitches at Old Trafford and Edgbaston. But last year, both T20 World Cup semi-finals were played on used pitches: one at Adelaide Oval, the other at the Sydney Cricket Ground.Both India and New Zealand players inspected the pitch at the Wankhede from close quarters on Tuesday evening before it was covered by groundstaff early during India’s training session under floodlights.

Arsenal came into this season hopeful of getting their hands on the Premier League title at the third time of asking, but unfortunately, that now seems incredibly unlikely.

Mikel Arteta’s side have not been the same team that looked almost unstoppable last year, and while injuries have undoubtedly played a part in that, some of the team’s stars just haven’t performed well enough.

Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, for example, have all left a lot to be desired this year, with the latter only amassing a total of 13 goal involvements in 43 games, compared to the 19 he managed in 46 games last season.

However, it’s not all been doom and gloom, as some players have stepped up for Arteta in a big way, including Myles Lewis-Skelly, who’s now a part of Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad.

Why Lewis-Skelly deserved his England call-up

At the start of the season, you’d be hard-pressed to find a non-Arsenal fan who knew who Lewis-Skelly was, and yet, seven months later, the 18-year-old is one of the most talked-about youngsters in the country and is a part of the senior England squad.

It’s certainly been a rapid rise for the Islington-born gem, but it’s one that is entirely deserved, as despite being so young, the exceptional talent has looked completely at home in the senior game.

For example, the Hale End star has made 26 first-team appearances this season, 16 of which have been starts, and of late, it would be fair to say he’s overtaken summer signing Riccardo Calafiori as the manager’s go-to left-back, despite the fact that his natural position is in central and defensive midfield.

What makes the youngster so impressive is the fact that he’s unfazed by everything, can outmuscle far more experienced players and, on top of having a sensational left foot on him, he’s unafraid to have a go at goal himself, as we saw in the game against Manchester City.

Finally, it’s not just on the pitch where the 18-year-old’s stock has risen according to Transfermarkt, he is now worth around €28m, which comes out to around £23.5m and is a sensational price tag for someone who only made his first team debut this season.

In all, Lewis-Skelly looks set to be a star for Arsenal and England for years to come, but even then, he’s worth considerably less than one of his teammates who didn’t get a call-up.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Lewis-Skelly

When it comes to the other clear breakout star for Arsenal this season, you don’t need to look any further than fellow Hale Ender Ethan Nwaneri.

The 17-year-old phenomenon has already established himself as one of the team’s most dangerous attackers, which is reflected in his Transfermarkt valuation of €55m, which is about £46.2m.

That means he is now worth around £22.7m more than Lewis-Skelly and about £21m more than fellow winger Trossard, who has seen his valuation drop to €30m – £25.2m – this season.

Now, that is an extraordinary price tag for someone so young, but just like his academy teammate, the Enfield-born dynamo has more than proven his worth this season.

For example, in just 29 first-team appearances, totalling 1087 minutes, the often “unplayable” attacker, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, has scored eight goals and provided one assist.

Appearances

29

Minutes

1087′

Goals

8

Assists

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.31

Minutes per Goal Involvement

120.77′

That means the incredible talent is averaging a goal involvement every 3.22 games or every 120.77 minutes.

Moreover, the “special” number 53, as dubbed by respected football analyst Ben Mattinson, isn’t just scoring simple tap-ins; he’s been firing them in from range, dribbling past opponents and proving that he can be a genuine threat anywhere near the opposition’s penalty area.

Ultimately, while this season has not gone to plan, Arsenal have at least found two potentially world-class talents in Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, who, in years to come, could each be worth a king’s ransom.

Worth £36m more than Guimaraes: Arsenal struck gold with "world-class" star

The exceptional big-money star is one of Arsenal’s best players.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 18, 2025

واصل قائد منتخب الأرجنتين وفريق إنتر ميامي، ليونيل ميسي، إثارة قلق محبيه وجماهير بلاده فيما يخص إمكانية مشاركته في بطولة كأس العالم المرتقبة، نسخة 2026.

كان ليونيل ميسي قد خاض آخر مباراة رفقة الأرجنتين، على ملعبهم، في الساعات الأولى من صباح اليوم الجمعة وذلك ضد نظيره منتخب فنزويلا، ضمن تصفيات قارة أمريكا الجنوبية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.

وحقق منتخب الأرجنتين فوزًا على فنزويلا بثلاثة أهداف دون رد، حيث سجل ليونيل ميسي هدفين في مباراة كانت الدراما والدموع عنوانها الأول، وسط تحية الجماهير الحاشدة له وحزنهم على ظهوره الأخير وسطهم.

وأدلى ليونيل ميسي عقب المباراة، بتصريحات مقلقة حول موقفه من المشاركة في النسخة المقبلة من كأس العالم 2026، والتي تستضيفها الولايات المتحدة، كندا والمكسيك.

وأكد ميسي أن المنطق يميل إلى كونه لن يشارك في كأس العالم بسبب العمر وتأثيره على الجسد، ولكنه أوضح في الوقت نفسه أنه لم يتخذ قراره بعد (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

واستمر ميسي في إثارة قلق جمهور الأرجنتين حول إمكانية مشاركته في المونديال، حيث كتب عبر “إكس”: “ليلة مميزة جدًا جعلتني غير قادر على الحديث من شدة التأثر”.

وأضاف: “شكرًا جزيلًا للجميع على حبهم ودعمهم الدائم لنا، مهما حدث ومهما خبأ لنا المستقبل، الله وحده من يعلم ذلك، هيا أرجنتين”.

Una noche muy especial que todavía me deja sin palabras de la emoción. Gracias de corazón a toda la gente por el cariño y por estar bancándonos siempre. Pase lo que pase y sea cual sea el futuro, que solo Dios lo sabe… ¡VAMOS ARGENTINA! 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/rdHkxsvcRt — Leo Messi (@leomessisite) September 5, 2025

Western Australia won’t be able to call on their big-name international allrounders but have reached the decider largely without them

Tristan Lavalette14-Mar-2024Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green won’t be part of Western Australia’s push for a third straight Sheffield Shield title due to IPL commitments.After playing pivotal roles in Australia’s 2-0 Test series victory over New Zealand, Marsh and Green as expected will head to India ahead of the IPL starting on March 22. WA will host the five-day Shield final against Tasmania starting on March 21 at the WACA.Having stunningly resurrected his Test career with a century at Headingley during last year’s Ashes, Marsh has become a key all-format player for Australia and his heavy workload meant he did not play any domestic cricket this season.Related

• Australians at the IPL: Green's World Cup bid, Starc returns, Langer at Lucknow

• What India need from the Indian Premier League

• Green set to focus on red-ball preparation ahead of India Tests

• Wade to miss start of IPL in order to play Sheffield Shield final

• Western Australia surge to home Sheffield Shield final in quest for hat-trick of titles

Marsh will play from the outset with Delhi Capitals, whose first match is on March 23 against Punjab Kings. The IPL will be important T20 preparation for Marsh, who is almost certain to captain Australia at June’s World Cup in the Caribbean and United States.Green played two Shield matches this season, highlighted by an unbeaten century against Tasmania, but will be eyeing a berth in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad with strong performances for Royal Challengers Bangalore.A no objection certificate from Cricket Australia was required for players to skip the Shield final and play in the IPL.Jhye Richardson and Ashton Turner are also expected to feature in the IPL as they work their way back from serious injuries. Luckless Richardson, who was picked up by Capitals in December’s IPL auction, suffered a left side strain during the BBL and was ruled out of the subsequent ODI series against West Indies.Richardson has started bowling at full intensity, but will be on a management workload during the IPL given his injury history.Turner has not played since the early stages of the BBL after undergoing knee surgery. But he has made a full recovery and will be able to fulfil his IPL commitments having secured a deal worth AU$178,000 with Lucknow, where he will be reunited with his former coach Justin Langer.Lance Morris won’t be fit for the final against Tasmania•Getty Images

Marcus Stoinis, who has not played a first-class match since February 2023, and Jason Behrendorff, who has become a white-ball specialist after being plagued with back issues, are also IPL bound.Lance Morris will not play in the Shield final as he makes a cautious return after a left side strain during last month’s ODI series against West Indies.He had been carefully managed through the early part of the home season to be fit for the Pakistan Test series, but has yet to make his Test debut. Morris is expected to target playing opportunities ahead of the T20 World Cup.WA’s main selection issue appears to be whether allrounder Aaron Hardie will be able to bowl following his recent calf injury. He played as a specialist batter in WA’s pivotal win against Victoria at Junction Oval.If Hardie can bowl, WA might call up D’Arcy Short or emerging spinning allrounder Cooper Connolly. Quicks Liam Haskett or Charlie Stobo could unluckily miss out after solid performances against Victoria.Tasmania’s bid to end an 11-year title drought has been boosted by Matthew Wade missing the start of the IPL season with Gujarat Titans so he can play in the final.Wade may only miss the first game against Mumbai Indians on March 25, with Titans’ next game against Chennai Super Kings taking place two days later. He has played the past two Shield matches for Tasmania as an opener, but only averaged 14.25 from four innings, and did not take the gloves.Quick bowler Riley Meredith is set to return after being rested in Tasmania’s home defeat to South Australia, which cost them hosting rights for the final.Nathan Ellis, who is fighting for a berth as a back-up quick in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad, is unavailable due to his IPL commitments, but he hasn’t played a first-class match since early last year.

At one stage this Premier League season, Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea looked like genuine title challengers hot on the heels of Liverpool.

Now, however, the Blues look shaky gripping onto fourth spot in the unforgiving league, with an unwelcome eighth defeat of the season greeting them come full-time away at Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

Cole Palmer’s complete absence from the squad did make Chelsea’s task of picking up a win on the road a lot harder, but there were still far too many underperformers that let the team down on the day, regardless of the England international sitting the contest out.

Chelsea's biggest underperformers vs Arsenal

Starting in goal, current number one Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had a particularly shaky time of things on Sunday afternoon.

Before Mikel Merino gifted the hosts a 1-0 lead, Sanchez’s rash play out from the back nearly resulted in Gabriel Martinelli firing home, with the 27-year-old inexplicably kicking it straight to the Brazilian forward.

He arguably could have done better too when Arsenal’s man of the moment looped this header over Sanchez, but there were other underperformers who also struggled at the Emirates away from the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion ‘keeper in isolation.

Indeed, both Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku offered very little down the flanks as the pair failed to muster up a single on-target effort, further reinforcing Palmer’s absence.

But, there was another attacker away from the out-of-sorts duo that struggled to leave his mark on the contest, having tallied up fewer touches than Sanchez across the course of his forgettable 90 minutes.

Maresca must forget 35-touch Chelsea dud after Arsenal

Not many players from a Chelsea perspective trudged off the Emirates turf happy with their individual efforts, with Maresca branding the overall showing as “frustrating” at the close of the game.

That would be an apt word to describe Pedro Neto’s away day too, with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker showing bursts of quality here and there, only to then fall flat for the visitors at the final moment. Handed a 5/10 player rating by the Sun, they suggested he was ‘always up against it as a false 9’ but was far too easily ‘outmuscled by Arsenal’s defenders’.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

35

Accurate passes

15/17 (88%)

Shots on goal

3

On-target shots

0

Possession lost

12x

Successful dribbles

0/2

Accurate crosses

1/6

Total duels won

1/7

The table above makes for some pretty grim reading from Neto’s point of view, with his accumulation of 35 touches coming in at six fewer than Sanchez’s at 41, with no successful dribbles and no shots on target not exactly causing the Gunners’ defence much bother when he ventured forward.

Moreover, just one accurate cross being tallied up all game shows how poor the former Wolves’ man end product was in North London, on top of just one duel being won showing off his lack of fight whenever he became a passenger to the play unfolding.

Whilst he does boast five goals and six assists in all competitions this season away from this no-show at Arsenal, Maresca could now axe Neto as his lone striker option for contests to follow even as Nicolas Jackson remains sidelined.

The ex-Leicester City boss might well fancy throwing Nkunku into this role instead having got seven goals out of the Frenchman up top this campaign, or Cole Palmer would surely be a worthy option as a false 9 once he’s fit again.

Despite some positives falling into Maresca’s lap this campaign, his side still find themselves short of being an elite team in the top flight, with more defeats piling up down the line potentially damaging their ongoing top-four chances.

Maresca has unearthed Sterling 2.0 in Chelsea star who has "disappeared"

Chelsea may have signed their next Raheem Sterling, if recent form is anything to go by

ByRobbie Walls Mar 15, 2025

Alisha Lehmann has delivered another nod towards critics of her supposedly showbiz lifestyle by saying that she could play for another 10 years.

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• Serie A title winner in Italy
• Preparing for 2025 Euros
• Fully committed to football

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Switzerland international is currently on the books of Italian giants Juventus. Her debut season with the Bianconeri delivered Serie A title glory, with the decision to leave WSL side Aston Villa in 2024 being vindicated.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lehmann has continued to face questions of whether she is as committed to her chosen profession as she could be, with off-field endorsements flooding in after becoming one of the most recognisable figures in the women’s game.

• WHAT ALISHA LEHMANN SAID

  The 26-year-old forward has always sought to silence any doubters, with the Swiss star adamant that football is her life. She has told : “I love it. I could literally play every day.

  “So when I have some holidays, I just go to the beach and play football. And this makes me the happiest. When you play a sport or you do something you love, you enjoy it so much that you don’t need anything else.”

• @alishalehmann7 Instagram
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Quizzed on whether she could spend another decade in the professional game, taking her well into her 30s, Lehmann added: “Maybe, yeah, I don’t know. I mean, that’s a long time. Football is something that I will always do. I want to play as long as I can.”

Bruno Fernandes has revealed that conversations with his "supportive" wife Ana Pinho convinced him to reject Al-Hilal and stay at Manchester United.

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Fernandes on "supportive" wife conversationsTurned down lucrative Al-Hilal moveStays at Manchester United as captainFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The United captain had been offered £200m in salary over three years and the Saudi club were prepared to shell out a £100m transfer fee to land him, but he opted to stay put in the Premier League. He has since revealed that support from those closest to him was a big part of the decision.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT FERNANDES SAID

Fernandes said: "It was a very ambitious proposal. The president was a fantastic person. We never discussed the amount – with my agent, of course. Then I spoke to my wife and family and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career. She is someone who always supported me a lot. It was an easy move, even at a family level. I had Joao Cancelo there, my children are used to playing with him in the national team. We have a great friendship. But I want to maintain myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions. And I feel capable of it."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Fernandes is set to feature alongside United's new signing Matheus Cunha at Old Trafford next season, after the Brazilian completed a £62.5m move from Wolves. Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo is expected to be the next through the door.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR FERNANDES?

Fernandes is set to feature for Portugal in Wednesday's Nations League semi-final tie against Germany, with a huge clash against either Spain or France on the cards in the final if they win.