After officially parting ways with Gary O’Neil following a late 2-1 defeat against relegation rivals Ipswich Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly eyeing a potential replacement who is currently enjoying a six-game winning run.

Wolves sack Gary O'Neil

Many believed that West Ham United would be O’Neil’s final game in a battle against fellow under-pressure manager Julen Lopetegui. But even after another damning defeat, Wolves backed their manager and reiterated that he would receive the reinforcements that he so desperately needed in the January transfer window. One week later, however, defeat against Ipswich has proved to be a step too far and O’Neil has been shown the door.

Releasing a statement after sacking O’Neil, chairman Jeff Shi said: “We’re very grateful to Gary for all of his effort, dedication and hard work during his time at the club, and we wish him and his team the best of luck for the future.”

Sat four points adrift of Premier League safety and in the middle of a packed festive period of fixtures, the Midlands club must find their replacement as soon as possible and they must get their next appointment right.

Agents offer Wolves £13m deal for player who Tottenham are in talks for

Gary O’Neil is under serious pressure at Molineux.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 14, 2024

On that front, names such as David Moyes and more recently Vitor Pereira have been mentioned, with David Ornstein going as far to suggest that the Midlands club are working on a deal to appoint the Al-Shabab manager. But the former Fenerbahce boss isn’t the only one stealing the headlines.

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Wolves are now eyeing John Eustace to replace O’Neil following his impressive run of form in charge of Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, with the reliable reporter calling him one to watch.

The Blackburn boss has guided his side to six wins in a row and has taken them within five points of an automatic promotion place as a result. Taking them from a relegation battle to playoff contention, Eustace is a manager on the rise.

"Solid" Eustace lacks Premier League experience

Whilst Eustace deserves plenty of plaudits for his time in charge of Birmingham City, which came to an abrupt end in a decision that they would go onto regret, and now at Blackburn Rovers, Wolves are in no position to take a risk. Experience should be what they are looking for rather than what would be the unknown in the Premier League.

The likes of Moyes stand out as a far more assured appointment and one that is more likely to steady the ship at the Molineux. Eustace, meanwhile, does not have the experience to offer such a guarantee. Instead, the Blackburn boss could be an option to turn towards if Wolves manage to maintain their Premier League place and start fresh in the summer.

HLTCO is among those to have praised Eustace after he was controversially sacked by Birmingham, who suffered relegation as a result of dismissing their manager, having described the job he was doing at the time as “solid”.

Of course, it was Eustace who had the last laugh and whilst Birmingham sit in League One, he could receive the biggest job of his managerial career so far if Wolves come calling in the next week or so.

Leeds United are back in action in the Championship for the second time in 2025 this afternoon as they travel away from West Yorkshire to take on Hull City.

The Whites head into this match off the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw at Elland Road against Blackburn Rovers on New Year’s Day on Wednesday.

Daniel Farke’s side appeared to be on course for all three points after Pascal Struijk’s 88th-minute penalty, only for Danny Batth to equalise for the away team just 90 seconds later.

The German head coach, with this game coming just three days later, may decide to make some changes to his starting XI, and one player who should come back in is Ethan Ampadu.

Why Ethan Ampadu should start

Firstly, the Wales international, who only recently returned from a lengthy absence with a knee injury, is the club captain and this suggests that he brings quality leadership on the pitch that will be needed if Leeds are to mount a successful promotion push.

Also, Ampadu brings energy and strength to the middle of the park, which is something that Joe Rothwell did not provide with his performance last time out.

The English midfielder, who started next to Ao Tanaka, ended the game with zero duels won, zero tackles, zero interceptions, and only one duel contested.

Ampadu, meanwhile, has averaged 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game and won 5.4 duels per match, at a success rate of 69%, which suggests that he could offer significantly more to the team out of possession.

The former Chelsea man is not the only player who should be drafted into the starting line-up, as Farke should also bring Largie Ramazani back into the fold.

Why Largie Ramazani should start

The Belgian forward was an unused substitute against Blackburn after he struggled in his start against Derby, which was his first start since returning from an ankle injury.

Ramazani missed a ‘big chance’ to open the scoring and only created one chance in his time on the pitch, before being substituted for Manor Solomon.

The Leeds whiz, who was described as “explosive” and a counter-attack “weapon” by Jacek Kulig, has shown plenty of signs of quality in a Leeds shirt this season, particularly prior to his injury, though, and should be given another chance to build up his match sharpness.

Appearances

15

Starts

7

xG

2.59

Goals

3

Assists

1

Dribbles completed

14

As you can see in the table above, Ramazani has scored three goals and provided one assist this season, and all of those contributions came in his first eight appearances and six starts.

This shows that the potential is there for the 23-year-old whiz to be an excellent option for Farke in the final third, but he needs game time to build himself back up and that is why he should be unleashed against Hull today.

Big Rodon upgrade: Farke considering Leeds bid for "incredible" £10m star

Leeds United are reportedly keen to add a new central defender to their squad this month.

ByDan Emery Jan 1, 2025

Solomon started on the left and offered little against Blackburn, with zero shots and zero ‘big chances’ created, and should be dropped from the team to make way for the former Manchester United academy starlet.

As things stand, Arsenal are second in the Premier League and third in the Champions League, yet it feels like their season is starting to come apart.

Mikel Arteta’s side are out of the FA Cup, most likely out of the League Cup, and while they still have a chance in the league, they sit six points off Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and on top of all of that, are set to be without the talismanic Bukayo Saka for months.

So, to get anything out of the season, the Gunners will either have to reach levels they haven’t even been near this year or bring in some game-changing reinforcements.

What they need is a player like Vinícius Júnior, who has, over the last few years, pulled Real Madrid over the line in the Champions League, and while they can’t get the Brazilan, Arsenal have once again been linked with a player who’s won comparisons to him.

Arsenal chase game-changing winger

According to a recent report from the Independent’s Chief Football Writer, Miguel Delaney, Arsenal are keen on Athletic Bilbao superstar, Nico Williams.

In fact, Delaney claims that Arteta ‘loves’ the Spanish winger but that one of the major barriers to completing a deal is his significant wage demands.

A potential price the Gunners would have to pay for the 22-year-old is not mentioned in the story, but reports from earlier this month reiterated that he has a release clause in his contract currently worth €60m – £50m – which adjusts for inflation and would have to be paid in full.

It could be an incredibly costly transfer to get over the line, but given William’s immense ability, it may well be worth it, especially as he’s won comparisons to Vinícius Júnior.

How William compares to Vinícius Júnior

Okay, before we get to some of the other reasons Arsenal should be pushing to sign Williams this month, let’s examine this comparison to Vinícius Júnior and where it has come from.

Well, it primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in La Liga, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Brazilian is the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spaniard this season.

We can better understand how this conclusion was reached by looking at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, progressive passes and carries, key passes, passes into the penalty area, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Progressive Passes

3.19

3.36

Progressive Carries

6.01

6.79

% of Shots on Target

30.0%

29.3%

Key Passes

2.17

2.21

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.52

1.60

Shot-Creating Actions

5.38

5.29

Successful Take-On %

35.9%

39.6%

Moreover, on top of the statistical comparisons to Vini, the “devastating” winger, as described by Emmanuel Petit, has also proven himself to be a big game player in the same vein as the Los Blancos star.

For example, he played the full 120 minutes of the Copa del Rey final against RCD Mallorca last season and provided the assist for Bilbao’s equaliser and then, at the European Championships, scored the opening goal against England in the final.

Finally, if that still wasn’t enough to convince you that the Pamplona-born star is someone worth breaking the bank on, then perhaps the fact that he’s produced 34 goal involvements since the start of last season is.

Ultimately, Arsenal need to sign someone who can help them salvage their season this month, and while he’ll cost a pretty penny, Williams may well be that someone.

Havertz upgrade: Arsenal chasing £80m "monster" who can save their season

The incredible goalscorer would be game-changing for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 13, 2025

Everton have made their first move to complete the signing of an “extraordinary” player with plenty of Premier League experience, according to a fresh claim.

Everton manager & transfer news

The Blues have picked up two credible 0-0 draw in their last couple of outings in the league, sealing a well-earned point away to Arsenal and at home to Chelsea.

Despite this, there is still pressure on Sean Dyche to keep his job as manager, with some of the football on show at Everton not exactly the most entertaining. Potential replacements continue to be mentioned, with Graham Potter’s name once again being thrown into the hat. He hasn’t managed since his doomed spell at Chelsea and will surely want a new challenge again soon.

Away from the situation in the Goodison Park dugout, players are also being linked with joining the Blues, including West Brom youngster Tom Fellows. The 21-year-old has been a key man for the Baggies this season, already registering eight assists in the Championship.

The future of Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also up in the air, and if he does move on, a top-quality replacement will need to be found. Rangers striker Hamza Igamane has been talked about as a target, having scored four times in the Europa League this season, also netting twice in the Scottish Premiership.

Everton hold talks over signing "extraordinary" ace

According to Jeunes Footeux [via Sport Witness], Everton and The Friedkin Group have been in talks to complete the signing of Galatasaray winger Hakim Ziyech in the January transfer window.

The 31-year-old is believed to be unhappy at the Turkish club currently and has made it clear that he wants to move elsewhere next month. Rennes are mentioned as potential suitors, as are the Blues.

While Ziyech isn’t getting any younger, he could still be an exciting signing for Everton, possessing so much quality out wide with his wand-like left foot.

He has scored 25 goals in 64 caps for Morocco, also winning the Champions League with Chelsea back in 2021, while Okan Buruk has heaped praise on him, saying:

“The Ziyech has an extraordinary touch that adds a lot to Galatasaray. While he dealt has with injuries, he’s working hard to reach full fitness. He’s already made crucial contributions, and we trust he can achieve even more.”

Ziyech also has experience of Premier League football from his time in a Chelsea shirt, making 64 appearances in the competition and bagging 15 goal contributions (six goals and nine assists) along the way.

Everton have been sorely lacking genuine attacking quality throughout the campaign, finding the net just 14 times in their opening 16 league games, but in Ziyech, they would be bringing in a player with so much proven quality in the final third, getting far more out of the strikers in the process.

Time to go Dyche: Everton could hire their own Arne Slot in "genius" boss

Everton have been tough to play in recent months but still lack energy and excitement.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 24, 2024

The fact that he wants a new challenge can only be a good thing, too, in terms of being hungry to prove his worth for the Blues in the coming years, making this one to watch.

تحدث أحمد سيد زيزو، لاعب نادي الزمالك، خلال ظهوره الأول داخل القلعة البيضاء اليوم الأحد، بعد أزمته الأخيرة مع إدارة الفارس الأبيض.

وتشهد الفترة الأخيرة، أزمة بين اللاعب أحمد سيد زيزو وإدارة الزمالك، بعدما نما إلى علمهم بتوقيع اللاعب للنادي الأهلي.

وكان نادي الزمالك أعلن أن أحمد سيد زيزو لن يكون لاعباً في صفوف الفريق بنهاية عقده الحالي مع النادي، الذي ينتهي بنهاية الموسم الحالي 2024-2025.

طالع | بـ شكوى رسمية.. تصعيد جديد من الزمالك ضد زيزو بعد عودته للتدريبات

وحضر أحمد سيد زيزو إلى مقر نادي الزمالك، اليوم، لخوض التدريبات، بعد غيابه منذ مباراة ستيلينبوش الجنوب إفريقي في بطولة الكونفدرالية، التي أقيمت يوم 9 أبريل الماضي.

وعقب انتهاء مشاركة زيزو، في التدريب توجه اللاعب لتغيير ملابسه ورحل مباشرة عن النادي دون الالتقاء بأي مسئول.

وقال زيزو خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “الكورة مع فايق” المذاع على قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “(مينفعش اتكلم في أي حاجة)، أنا تحت أمر نادي الزمالك لآخر يوم”.

وأضاف: “حضوري تمرين اليوم لأنني تحت أمر نادي الزمالك في أي شيء”.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have placed a 24-year-old attacker at the top of their January transfer wishlist, according to a recent report.

Wolves transfer news

Vitor Pereira managed to avoid an upset in his first FA Cup match, as he guided Wolves to a 2-1 victory over Bristol City on Saturday afternoon. The FA Cup was a nice distraction for the Premier League side, but the focus now turns back to league action, as they face two massive games against Newcastle United and Chelsea.

Related Pereira could finally sell Wolves man who had fewer touches than Johnstone

Pereira can finally sell Wolves man after his poor display against Bristol

Posts 1 ByConnor Holden Jan 11, 2025

The Midlands side are out of the bottom three on goal difference but still have a lot to do to ensure they don’t go down this season. To boost their chances of survival, Pereira will be keen to add to his squad this month. Wolves have already added Emmanuel Agbadou to their ranks, and they are now looking to add a striker, as talks have begun to sign Kelechi Iheanacho from Sevilla.

The former Leicester City man is free to leave the Spanish side this month, and Wolves have opened preliminary talks to sign the Nigeria international on loan for the remainder of the campaign. The Midlands side are also interested in signing Renato Veiga from Chelsea this month, with them already seeing an approach turned down. The Blues want to keep hold of the player, but he is likely to leave Stamford Bridge in this transfer window.

Wolves make versatile attacker top January transfer target

The Premier League side are not only looking to sign Iheanacho to improve their forward line, as according to Foot Mercato, Wolves have placed Zakaria Aboukhlal at the top of their transfer list for this month.

The 24-year-old currently plays for French side Toulouse and has done so since joining them back in 2022 from AZ Alkmaar. Aboukhlal, who can play anywhere across the frontline, really excelled in youth football back in the Netherlands and has taken that into top-level football, as he netted 10 goals in 37 Ligue 1 games last season and already has six goals to his name in this 2024/25 campaign.

Aboukhlal has played an important role in helping Toulouse make a good start to the Ligue 1 season, and his form at the top end of the pitch has now placed him at the top of Wolves’ transfer list.

Zakaria Aboukhlal’s Toulouse stats

Apps

73

Goals

24

Assists

7

Wolves and Pereira were keen to bring in a new right-winger and had been alerted to Aboukhlal’s performances, and the Morocco international has since emerged as their preferred target to strengthen that position of the team. They are following him closely, attracted by his ability to improve the depth all the way across the attack due to the fact he can play on both wings or through the middle.

The winger is under contract until 2026, so a tempting offer this month could see the French side cash in on their star attacker.

Mitchell Starc has become the first Australian star to confirm he won’t play in this summer’s Big Bash League as negotiations loom on future player availability.This summer shapes as crucial for the competition out of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Cricket Australia desperate to have as much top-line talent playing as often as possible.Australia’s multi-format stars are expected to be available for a sizeable part of it, with January’s one-day series against South Africa set to be cancelled.But that won’t alter Starc’s position, who does not see himself featuring any time soon.The 32-year-old quick last played for the Sydney Sixers in 2014-15, while also forgoing close to $10 million in possible salaries since then.Related

• Head and Labuschagne ink in BBL deals for post-Test stint

• Warner unlikely to feature in inaugural ILT20

• Usman Khawaja warns BBL must privatise to thrive

• Khawaja to captain Brisbane Heat after signing four-year deal

• Channel Seven takes Cricket Australia to court to terminate TV broadcast deal

“I have always enjoyed the BBL when I have played it … but my approach with all franchise cricket hasn’t changed over the last seven years,” Starc told AAP in Galle.”My approach to the IPL, BBL, I have looked at the Australian schedule and wanting to be as fit and well-performed for that as I can. And franchise cricket has taken a back seat.”Starc’s position comes in the midst of a cluttered international schedule.Following the current tour in Sri Lanka, Australia have white-ball series against Zimbabwe, New Zealand, India, England and West Indies as well as a home T20 World Cup.Tests follow against West Indies and South Africa before the BBL window, with a tour of India, an away Ashes and a 50-over World Cup all highlighting next year’s calendar.”The schedule in the next 18 months is ridiculous,” Starc said. “I will always keep Australian cricket front of mind, and then franchise cricket [second].”I also like spending time at home and seeing my wife [Alyssa Healy, who is also often away].”Mitchell Starc hasn’t played in the BBL since 2014•Getty Images

The reluctance of Starc and others could however be challenged in coming years. There will be a push in the next pay negotiations for players to be contracted to a club and participating when not injured or on Australia duties.The current Memoriam of Understanding expires midway through 2023, meaning such a mechanism could be in place for the following summer if agreed upon.It comes amid criticism of the competition’s quality, with CA preparing to defend the league in the Federal Court as the Seven Network try to break from their broadcast deal.As things stand, Usman Khawaja (Brisbane Heat), Mitchell Swepson (Brisbane Heat), Nathan Lyon (Sixers) and Alex Carey (Adelaide Strikers) all have contracts for this summer.Marnus Labuschagne will likely re-sign with Heat and Travis Head has long played for Strikers. Steven Smith will also likely play, happy there is a push for clubs to be able to welcome Australian players into squads after being locked out last summer.Josh Hazlewood played for the Sixers as recent as 2019-20, while Cameron Green skipped last year and Pat Cummins and David Warner have long sat out.CA are confident the overseas player draft will bring pulling power to the competition, luring their first big fish with Faf du Plessis last week.

Matthews will assume the role ahead of the team’s next series which is “expected to be played later this year”

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2022

Hayley Matthews is the new West Indies captain•Getty Images

Hayley Matthews has taken over as captain of the West Indies women’s side from Stafanie Taylor, who was at the helm for seven years. According to a Cricket West Indies (CWI) release, Matthews will assume the role ahead of the team’s next series which is “expected to be played later this year”.Taylor was named captain in 2015 and made her mark straightaway, most notably leading her side to the 2016 T20 World Cup title, as well as the semi-final of the ODI World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year. She has scored 5298 runs in 145 ODIs and 3121 runs in 111 T20Is, in addition to taking 152 wickets and 98 in the formats respectively. Taylor captained West Indies to 25 wins in 62 ODIs and 33 wins in 55 T20Is.Matthews, 24, made her debut for West Indies in 2014, and played a leading role in her side’s 2016 T20 World Cup triumph. She was named the Player of the Match in the final against Australia where she made a 45-ball 66. She was appointed vice-captain ahead of the T20 World Cup in 2018. She has 1764 runs and 78 wickets in 69 ODIs, and 1055 runs and 58 wickets in 61 T20Is.The recommendation by the women’s selection panel to make Matthews the captain was ratified at the CWI board of directors meeting on June 24.”I am both humbled and honoured to be given the opportunity to captain the West Indies women’s team,” Matthews said. “It is definitely an exhilarating feeling and I welcome the experience to lead and learn with open arms. This team has been very close to my heart from the beginning of my professional career eight years ago and the influence of Stafanie’s leadership throughout those eight years has played a major role in the player I am today.”I would like to thank Stafanie for her astounding leadership of the team over the years. We’ve accomplished some of our biggest milestones with her at the forefront and I look forward to continuing playing alongside her.”Head coach Courtney Walsh said: “We figured the timing was right with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup coming up early next year, if we were thinking of making any changes now would be the best time so that we give the new captain a couple of series under her belt before she enters into a World Cup. Hayley Matthews is young; she has longevity in the game, and she can lead the team for a longer time to get the experience and we are here to support her. For us it’s a win-win as we will have Stafanie to concentrate on her best cricket and passing on guidance to Hayley as she grows in the role of taking the team forward.””Hayley has made notable progress over the years, serving as vice-captain of the West Indies women’s team and is the current captain of her national team, Barbados.” Ann Browne-John, lead selector for women’s cricket, said. “She has matured as a player and is one of the leading players worldwide with a good grasp of the game. Given the experience that she would have gained in both roles, we are confident this is the ideal time for her to step into the role of captain.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced that the United States is the only country in the running to host the 2031 event

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• U.S. only nation in running for 2031 Women's World Cup
• Has pledged a shared bid with Mexico
• United Kingdom, potential competitor, pushed back bid to 2035

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States' efforts to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup came a step closer to reality Thursday, when FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that a Mexico-USA joint bid will go uncontested – after the United Kingdom pushed back their primary bid to 2035.

  If the U.S. is awarded the tournament, it would complete a memorable run of soccer in the country with four major tournaments held in a six year span from 2025-2031.

  U.S. Soccer Federation President Cindy Parlow Cone has previously said that the federation is “committed to bringing" the 2031 Women’s World Cup to the U.S. and Mexico, "And we're going to win it."

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  U.S. Soccer and Mexico were among the initial bidders for the 2027 competition, but backed out last May ahead of Brazil being awarded it, shifting the focus to 2031. Cone said there was a concern that some fans wouldn't be able to afford to attend World Cups in back-to-back years, following the men's World Cup in 2026.

  "It was hard for us to shift from 2027 to 2031, but we all felt it was the best thing for the sport," Cone said. "I wanted that build-up so we can put the same focus and energy into the women's World Cup that we are into the men's World Cup."

  The U.S. has hosted the Women’s World Cup before, most recently holding the tournament in 2003. There is the possibility of other CONCACAF nations hosting some fixtures. reported in March that there have been discussions about both Jamaica and Costa Rica staging matches.

• WHAT GIANNI INFANTINO SAID

  "Today, I can also confirm that as part of the bidding process, we received one bid for ’31 and one bid – valid bid, I should add – for ’35," Infantino said at the UEFA Congress in Serbia. "The ’31 bid is from the United States of America and potentially some other CONCACAF members together. And the ’35 bid is from Europe, from the home nations.

  "So, the path is there for the Women’s World Cup to be taking place in ‘31 and ‘35 in some great countries, in some great nations, to boost even more the women’s football movement.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR THE USA'S WORLD CUP BID?

  Official bids have to be submitted to FIFA by the end of 2025. It seems that an official announcement will soon follow – with no others in the running.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após uma longa turbulência nas primeiras rodadas da Série B, o Grêmio reagiu e conseguiu vencer três partidas seguidas para subir na classificação e chegar ao topo.Apesar da fase positiva que o time atravessa, o presidente Romildo Bolzan pede ao elenco e à torcida ‘pés no chão’ para evitar uma empolgação perigosa.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

RelacionadasBrasileirãoPalmeiras abre venda de ingressos para duelo contra o Fluminense pelo Brasileirão; saiba como comprarBrasileirão02/05/2022Futebol InternacionalBorussia Dortmund contrata zagueiro alemão por mais de R$ 100 milhõesFutebol Internacional02/05/2022CorinthiansPaulinho, do Corinthians, rompe o ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho esquerdoCorinthians02/05/2022

– O Grêmio tem noção do que precisa e do tamanho do problema que temos pela frente. Pés no chão e humildade sempre, porque a semana atrás estávamos em uma situação de total descrédito e agora somos líderes. Sabe o que isso significa? Absolutamente nada – disse Bolzan

– Não vamos nos iludir. Não vamos entender que, daqui para frente, será um passeio. Daqui para frente será uma luta mais árdua. Somos o time que pode ser favorito, mas não somos – completou.

Agora, o Grêmio volta a campo no próximo domingo, quando encara o Cruzeiro, no Mineirão.