Forget Woltemade & Tonali: Newcastle star is now "the future of this club"

Eddie Howe suggested Newcastle United have lost their bite after beating Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League this week, and there’s certainly a case that the Toon’s gritty bite has been dulled since the summer.

In many ways, this is only natural. The sale of Alexander Isak to Liverpool. Yoane Wissa’s injury before he could make his debut, a recovery process he is still going through. Only Nick Woltemade’s emphatic introduction to Tyneside has eased the attacking struggles that have spilt over to the flanks.

Newcastle are in the now, and there’s no question that this is something of a transitional period for a club still set on making incremental gains under Howe’s wing.

But the hurdles that have sprung up over the past few months will be overcome, with such exciting signings as Woltemade added to the ranks, St. James’ Park is well set for the future.

Newcastle's new superstars

If Isak’s departure has told us anything, it’s that Newcastle have the capacity to rally against a storm and emerge with their core intact.

Woltemade, 23, is one of the most talented strikers in the world, and while he’s scored six goals in black and white so far, the German has so much more to offer, and that’s an exciting thought.

Against Bilbao, Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier showed off their culture and class down the flanks, but these are hardened veterans of the game, and in Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, who impressed off the bench, the Tynesiders have a duo to be reckoned with for years to come.

So much quality, but the older average age of this group of players, starting in the Premier League, does emphasise the need for greater promotion of younger talents at the club.

Premier League 25/26 – Oldest Average XIs

Club

Players Used

Av. Age

Everton

19

28.0

Aston Villa

23

27.9

Newcastle

21

27.6

Fulham

22

27.5

Burnley

22

27.1

Data via Transfermarkt

Howe understands the need for a blend, though, but someone like Sandro Tonali is really stepping up and proving he can be an all-inspiring leader for the club. The Italian is 25, and he is “the best midfielder in the Premier League”, according to division great Paul Scholes.

This is all to say that Newcastle have hit the jackpot more often than not in the transfer market since that fateful PIF takeover, and it is for this reason they will continue to fight against the big six hegemony in the Premier League while pressing for European glory each and every year.

There’s another man we haven’t yet mentioned, and who perhaps deserves a big handful of praise. After all, this shrewd summer signing has been described as Newcastle’s future.

The Newcastle signing who is the future of the club

Newcastle have completed a wave of business in recent years, and while it is the attacking additions who often take the spotlight, we must pay credit to Malick Thiaw’s stunning start to life in England’s north east.

The German centre-half was signed from AC Milan in August for a fee just shy of £35m. It helped push United forward during a difficult summer transfer window, and he has repaid the faith over the past few months.

Howe eased the 24-year-old into the Premier League, benching him four times in a row to start things off, but he has since started the outfit’s past nine fixtures across the top flight and the Champions League, thriving alongside Sven Botman or Fabian Schar and perhaps even outshining the pair of them.

He has even been described as “the future of this club” by Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes, and if that doesn’t make a conclusive comment on the skillset Howe has added to his ranks, what will?

Malick Thiaw for Newcastle

Stats (* per game)

PL

UCL

Matches (starts)

7 (6)

4 (3)

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches*

54.0

57.0

Accurate passes*

37.3 (87%)

43.8 (91%)

Recoveries*

4.0

4.8

Tackles + interceptions*

2.7

1.8

Clearances*

3.7

3.3

Ground duels*

1.6 (73%)

1.5 (55%)

Aerial duels*

3.3 (74%)

3.3 (76%)

Errors made

0

0

Data via Sofascore

His success rate in the duel is absurdly high, especially having just stepped into the English game. What’s more, Thiaw is a confident distributor and he boasts awareness and intelligence to rival the mightiest defenders across England the the wider European scene.

As per data-led platform FBref, Thiaw ranks among the top 11% of central defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 13% for progressive passes per 90, illustrating his quality on the ball.

Given that Howe enforces a system rooted in transitional fluency, Thiaw’s presence will only enrich the tactical flow. He has, after all, been hailed as an “absolute steal” of a signing by one Magpies content creator, who went on to marvel at his “Saliba-esque” qualities.

To think that Newcastle are only just beginning to enjoy the fruits of this signing is to understand the calibre of player still yet to develop and grow at St. James’ Park.

Thiaw is a sensational defender, and he will form the bedrock of Howe’s Newcastle for many years to come, perhaps even establishing himself as one of the continent’s finest down the line and leading the side to even more illustrious heights than have been reached over the past four years.

Woltemade and Tonali are sensational players, and will define Newcastle’s central and offensive thirds throughout this new chapter, but Thiaw is on a level with such stars, and he is very much shining.

Newcastle have "one of the best teen prospects" & he can surpass Woltemade

Newcastle’s youthful underbelly is as talented as it’s ever been right now.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 8, 2025

How to handle Jude Bellingham, whether to recall Trent Alexander-Arnold and six England questions Thomas Tuchel still needs to answer ahead of the 2026 World Cup

Thomas Tuchel has never looked as happy as during the eight months in which he has been in charge of the England team. But now comes the sad part: being away from the players he has grown so fond of until the next international window in March. Despite the cynicism around his appointment, the German has proved to be a fine choice of coach and has given the Three Lions the shake-up they needed.

England have had promising qualifying campaigns for previous tournaments, but never before have they won all of their matches heading into a World Cup or ended one without conceding a goal. They might have had a relatively straightforward path to next summer's competition, but they took their task deadly seriously, developing a ruthless edge which saw them dig deep to see off Albania 2-0 in their final game with two goals in the final 15 minutes.

"It's as good as we've ever had," said captain Harry Kane, who has qualified for six major tournaments with England. "We're going to go into the tournament as one of the favourites and we have to accept that, it's been like that the past few tournaments now and that's part of it. We've been building, had a great year together with the new coach and it's now to 2026."

England have many reasons to be excited about next year, where they will be aiming to end a 60-year major trophy drought with a first triumph since the 1966 World Cup on home soil. England have always been optimistic ahead of tournaments, and while other nations might view that optimism as arrogance, the hype is now justified and they will have to be taken very seriously in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

But despite overseeing a perfect campaign, Tuchel still has a few issues to solve ahead of the tournament in June. Here, then, are the big questions the coach must answer over the next seven months…

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    How should he handle Jude Bellingham?

    Tuchel has learned that the England media agenda essentially revolves around Jude Bellingham, whether he plays or not. The Real Madrid midfielder's absence from the squad in October remained a big talking point even when the games began, and the question of whether he would be recalled dominated the build-up to the November camp.

    Even after impressing in a starting role against Albania, Bellingham managed to dominate the headlines again despite not scoring. His reaction to being substituted was instantly pored over by the press even though it was from the worst reaction that has ever been seen. Bellingham was not exactly thrilled to be taken off before the end, but nor did he throw his toys out of the pram, and Tuchel was caught unawares when asked about the reaction, saying he would "have to review it". 

    Despite appearing to not be bothered by Bellingham's reaction, Tuchel repeated his mantra that the team must come first by saying: "We're about standards, commitment and respect to each other. We'll not change our decision just because someone is waving their arms."

    That could be interpreted as another criticism of Bellingham from Tuchel, who earlier this year revealed that his own mother found the Madrid man's behaviour to be "repulsive". It showed that Tuchel has still not learned how to properly handle Bellingham, and if he wants to have him in his squad then he needs to embrace Bellingham's ultra-competitive nature and resist giving the media more ammunition to use against him.

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    What happens if Kane gets injured?

    Kane scored his 77th and 78th goals for England against Albania, taking him past the total international goals scored by the great Pele. He found the net in six of the eight qualifiers, while he has scored eight more goals than any other player in Europe (Cristiano Ronaldo is his nearest challenger) across World Cup and European Championship qualifiers since 2019. Kane has become even more pivotal under Tuchel, scoring nine goals in nine games under the German coach, accounting for 34 percent of England's total strikes.

    But it begs the question: what happens if Kane gets injured? England have grown to become so reliant on Kane that Gareth Southgate picked him in all seven matches at Euro 2024 despite him clearly lacking sharpness following a back injury. Trusting in Kane now makes perfect sense given he is in the best form of his career, but England need a contingency plan for the eventuality that he does become unavailable, especially as he is likely to be feeling the strain of his record-breaking season for Bayern Munich by the time the World Cup comes around. 

    "I don't want to think of an England without Harry Kane," said former England defender Conor Coady on , and he's not the only one. Tuchel didn't even bother to pick another centre-forward in his latest squad after Ollie Watkins was ruled out with injury, leaving Jarrod Bowen and Marcus Rashford as the only options in the event Kane wasn't available. They will, however, need a more proven option next summer.

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    Who should partner John Stones at the back?

    John Stones has started England's last four games after recovering from injury, and as long as he can stay fit until next June, he looks nailed-on to be one of the starting centre-backs in North America. He gives England twin assets of a wealth of experience in defence as well as flair in midfield, but it is a toss-up over who should partner him at the heart of the defence.

    Dan Burn was exposed at several points during the trip to Albania and he lacks senior tournament experience, and Marc Guehi seems the more reliable option given he was one of England's most consistent performers at Euro 2024, although it is not clear how much Tuchel rates him. The manager took the Crystal Palace captain out of his starting line-up last month against Latvia with no obvious explanation and did not bring him off the bench either. 

    A foot injury put Guehi out of contention for the latest camp and Ezri Konsa, who stepped in for him when he was suspended for a game at the Euros and took his place against Latvia, performed well against Serbia in his absence before then sustaining a calf injury of his own which ruled him out against Albania. Jarell Quansah, who made his debut against Albania, is the fourth choice as things stand.

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    Can out-of-favour full-backs earn a recall?

    While Tuchel has shown himself to be largely uninterested in public opinion when it comes to picking players, a couple of options he previously favoured have fallen out of favour due to the decisions of other coaches.

    Myles Lewis-Skelly scored the first goal of the Tuchel era against Albania back in March amid his stunning breakthrough season for Arsenal, but he has since faded from the picture for club and, by extension, country. The left-back has fallen behind Riccardo Calafiori in the pecking order for Mikel Arteta and has only started four games this season, none of which have come in the Premier League.

    Tuchel continued to pick Lewis-Skelly for the fixtures in September and October, but drew the line this time around, partly because Nico O'Reilly's form for Manchester City was impossible to ignore. O'Reilly completed 90 minutes against both Serbia and Albania and now looks to be the frontrunner to be first-choice left-back at the World Cup, especially if Lewis-Skelly continues to get little playing time with Arsenal.

    Tuchel acted more swiftly to drop Trent Alexander-Arnold following his slow start with Real Madrid, dropping him for the September games and has not recalled him since. England do have many other options at right-back, although Tino Livramento is currently out with a knee problem and Reece James has a complicated injury history of his own, even if he has remained fit so far this season.

    Alexander-Arnold remains a classy option to return to given his vision and passing ability, but Tuchel, rather like with Arteta, is at the mercy of Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, who has handed the former Liverpool right-back just three starts in all competitions so far this term.

Rays' Shane McClanahan Avoids Serious Injury After Exiting Spring Training Game

On Saturday, pitcher Shane McClanahan gave the Tampa Bay Rays a substantial fright in a short outing.

McClanahan exited the Rays' 14–2 exhibition win over the Boston Red Sox with arm pain—an occurrence that raised alarm bells in the wake of his Aug. 2023 Tommy John surgery. However, he appears to have avoided serious injury.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, McClanahan has an inflamed left triceps nerve and will open 2025 on the injured list.

McClanahan "shouldn't miss significant time," Passan wrote Sunday afternoon.

The news should come as a sigh of relief for a fanbase that has waited nearly two calendar years to see its elite talent back in action.

After a solid rookie season, McClanahan went 12-8 with a 2.54 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 2022. That performance landed him a sixth-place finish in the Cy Young voting and the starting spot on the American League All-Star team.

Regressing only modestly, he followed that season up with an 11-2 showing in '23; another All-Star selection followed before his season-ending surgery.

Tampa Bay is scheduled to open its season Friday against the Colorado Rockies.

Xabi Alonso rates him: Liverpool set to table bid to sign £52m "monster"

Liverpool are in the market for new signings and could now be set to target a midfielder who has been highly praised by former Reds icon Xabi Alonso.

Liverpool seek further reinforcements in January

Undoubtedly, the Reds are struggling to replicate anything like their Premier League exploits of last season and Arne Slot is under pressure as Liverpool look to get their current campaign back on track.

While Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique and others continue to be floated as potential replacements for the Dutchman, Didi Hamann told Sky Germany that he believes the former Feyenoord manager has work to do in order to get his dressing room back to their usual levels of cohesion.

He said: “I believe Arne Slot has lost control of the team. It’s falling apart, everyone is doing what they want, like Salah before PSV’s second goal.

“Liverpool will have major problems finishing in the Premier League top four. I don’t believe these problems can be solved quickly or easily. The situation is so complex that the club will certainly be discussing the manager’s position.”

Whether Hamann’s comments have an element of truth to them or not, January offers a much-needed lifeline in terms of recruiting talent and Liverpool are expected to be active on that front.

Liverpool in move for £100m Salah upgrade who "can reach Mane's level"

Liverpool are starting to prepare for Mo Salah’s departure from Anfield.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 30, 2025

Addressing the forward areas, Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy could be on his way to Anfield for £44m amid his release clause becoming active in 2026.

Celtic youngster Jikiemi is also on Liverpool’s radar, albeit at 15 years of age, he is someone who will be regarded as a talent for the future at the AXA Training Centre.

Still, the first-team remains a central priority for FSG, and the Reds could now be about to bring one of the world’s most talented midfielders to Merseyside.

Liverpool ready to bid for Eduardo Camavinga

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are preparing a ‘serious’ move for Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.

Liverpool’s admiration for the player is so big that they are actually expected to launch a bid to secure the player’s services. An offer in the region of £52.5m could be enough to secure the France international’s signature.

Described as a “duel-monster” by analyst Raj Chohan, Manchester United and Chelsea are also monitoring his situation, which won’t come as a surprise as his versatility for Loc Blancos has seen the 23-year-old operate as a central midfielder, defensive midfielder, or even on the left flank at times.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich are also tracking his progress. However, Real Madrid aren’t actively looking to sell the player at this moment in time, despite conversations taking place about his long-term role as Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde compete with the Frenchman for their spots in the engine room.

Labelled someone with “enormous potential” by Xabi Alonso, he has thrived under the Spaniard and could now be set for a new challenge as admiration for his talent grows.

Liverpool have found it difficult to get to grips with sides in the top flight this season, but Camavinga would likely take them on to a new level if he were to move to English shores.

'It's our fault' – Goalscorer Diogo Dalot reveals what went wrong for Man Utd in disappointing West Ham draw

Diogo Dalot has explained what went wrong for Manchester United as they dropped more Premier League points on home soil, with the Portuguese defender admitting “it’s more our fault than credit to West Ham”. The Red Devils squandered a lead late on against the Hammers to draw 1-1, preventing them from pulling level with fourth-placed Chelsea in the table.

  • Terrace taunts: Boos from the crowd after West Ham stalemate

    Ruben Amorim’s side have suffered just one defeat through their last eight games, but have only emerged victorious in one of five – with three stalemates being played out during that run. The latest of those saw visitors from east London leave Old Trafford with a share of the points.

    Dalot had fired United in front against West Ham, as he produced a composed finish just before the hour mark, but Soungoutou Magassa restored parity seven minutes from the end as the Red Devils stumbled their way over the line and were subjected to boos when the final whistle blew.

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    What went wrong for Man Utd? Dalot explains

    Dalot told afterwards: “Disappointed. At 1-0 up with 30 minutes to go, I think we have to control the game much more. Especially at Old Trafford. We cannot get as anxious as we got after the goal. We were maybe a little bit more sloppy with the ball possession. Obviously disappointed with the draw. We had the game, there.”

    He added on United’s lack of control, which is considered to be the main reason why they allowed two precious points to slip through their net: “It's the solution that we need to find. It can be various things. It shouldn't be like this because you are fighting 60 minutes to score a goal and then when it happens you should keep doing the same things, even more controlling, longer possession so we can be dominant. Especially the play that goes to the corner that we conceded – that's the kind of play that we need to avoid, especially against teams that are good on the counter.

    “And we knew today that they were going to be looking for counter-attacks and set plays and unfortunately we couldn't hold the result but in the end we have to look to ourselves – I think it's more our fault, than credit to West Ham.”

  • Memorable moment: First home Premier League goal for Dalot

    While Dalot was left frustrated against West Ham, he did register his first Premier League goal for United at Old Trafford – and just his fourth in the English top-flight through 151 appearances. He said of that achievement: “It's a great feeling. Any time you have the opportunity to score for a club like this, it's amazing. Especially at the Stretford End. But in the end, the taste is not the same, I would change that for the three points without thinking.

    “But I'm happy to help the team in any way, whether that's with a goal or whatever. But this type of result, it just gives you something to look at. We cannot be winning at home with 30 minutes to go and not controlling the game.”

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    Man Utd fixtures: Trip to rock-bottom Wolves next up

    The versatile 26-year-old said of how significant United’s latest result could be, as they missed out on the chance to fill a European qualification spot: “I think it's massive. We're at the time of the year where you cannot drop too many points, otherwise the distance to the top will be even higher.

    “This season, the distance is short, but it will come to a time when everyone starts spreading out and we want to be there, we want to be in the top four, top five. That's the aim, we have to be there. Today we had a big chance, I think that's why the disappointment is even bigger.”

    United will see all of their top four-chasing rivals play again before they return to the field, with Amorim’s side last up in the next round of fixtures – with a trip to rock-bottom Wolves, who have not won a game all season, set to be taken in on Monday.

Yankees Avoid Sweep vs. Dodgers But Potentially Lose Two Key Players

The New York Yankees managed to avoid being swept during their World Series rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend. After losing Games 1 and 2 at Dodger Stadium on Friday and Saturday, the Yankees managed to get one back in Game 3, coming away with a 7–3 victory on Sunday evening.

But it wasn't all good news for New York.

Left fielder Jasson Dominguez exited Sunday's game early with what the team is calling a left thumb contusion. He seemingly hurt his hand while attempting to steal second base in the fifth inning. He remained on the base paths and came around to score, but was then replaced by Cody Bellinger.

After the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked about Dominguez's status, but he told reporters he did not yet have an update on the 22-year-old.

Dominguez also spoke to reporters and indicated that he's "not too concerned" about the thumb.

The left fielder wasn't the only one dealing with an ailment. Luke Weaver was supposed to come on and pitch the ninth inning for the Yankees, but instead, it was Tim Hill who took the mound. Boone said Weaver "felt something" in his hamstring, per Boland.

Boone didn't offer a detailed update on either player, but the team hopes they can avoid a trip to the IL. New York has the day off on Monday before starting a home series against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, June 3.

The new Rice: Berta enters race to sign £70m midfield "machine" for Arsenal

While the draw on Sunday was less than ideal, this season is shaping up to be a special one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side have looked imperious in the Champions League, winning all five games, and are far and away the best team in the Premier League.

While the whole squad has played a role in the Gunners’ incredible form, one player who has been one of the most important has undoubtedly been Declan Rice.

In the words of creator Jamie Kent, the Englishman is looking like “the best midfielder in Europe,” and therefore, fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to someone who could be their new Rice.

Arsenal target their new Rice

The transfer window is now less than a month away, and, as a result, Arsenal are starting to be linked with a host of tremendously exciting players.

Transfer Focus

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

Real Madrid’s incredible £70m Rodrygo, for example, has once again been touted for a move to the Emirates, as has Bayern Munich’s £100m+ Michael Olise.

However, while both of these wingers would help to raise the Gunners’ ceiling, neither could really be described as being Rice-esque, unlike Eduardo Camavinga.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in signing the Real Madrid monster.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Liverpool are keen on the French international, who is valued at €80m by the Spanish giants, which is about £70m.

It could therefore be a costly and rather complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Camavinga’s immense ability, Arsenal should be pursuing him, especially as he could be another Rice.

Why Camavinga would be another Rice for Arsenal

So, the first and most obvious similarity between Rice and Camavinga is the fact that they are midfielders who can and have played as a six and an eight in recent years.

Moreover, the pair of them are currently plying their trade at two huge clubs, and while Real Madrid is less important to his team than the Englishman, he’s still racked up 194 appearances for them in which he’s provided 16 goal involvements.

The last clear comparison between them at this point is that they’re both regulars for a top international team as well.

For example, the former Stade Rennes star has now won 28 senior caps for France and featured in the last Euros and World Cup.

Now, it’s all of these reasons that the 23-year-old could become another Rice-type player for the Gunners, in addition to the fact that, when playing, he is a sensational talent and someone who could massively improve the team’s midfield options in a way the former West Ham United captain did when he arrived in 2023.

Don’t just take our word for it, though; Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has described the versatile international as someone with “enormous potential”, and his underlying numbers back that opinion up.

According to FBref, the Cabinda-born “war machine,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles and tackles won, the top 4% for blocks, the top 8% for progressive carrying distance and more, all per 90.

Camavinga’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Tackles

4.19

Top 1%

Tackles Won

2.72

Top 1%

Tkl+Int

5.44

Top 1%

Blocks

1.87

Top 4%

Goals/Shot on Target

0.67

Top 5%

Passes Blocked

1.42

Top 6%

Pass Completion %

90.8%

Top 6%

Progressive Carrying Distance

122.51

Top 8%

Passes into Final Third

6.40

Top 12%

Successful Take-Ons

1.13

Top 12%

All Stats via FBref

Add to that the fact he has helped Los Blancos win two La Liga titles, two Champions League titles and a smattering of other cups, and it’s hard to disagree with the notion he’s one of the best midfielders in Europe.

Ultimately, Camavinga already shares plenty of similarities with Rice, and were Arsenal to sign him, he could have a similar transformational impact on the midfield.

Their next Eze: Berta agrees deal to sign "exciting" new star for Arsenal

The hugely promising teenage talent could one day become Arsenal’s heir to Eberechi Eze.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 2, 2025

VIDEO: Injured Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes bizarrely gets involved in furious bust-up in London six-a-side game

Injury has not prevented Arsenal star Gabriel from getting involved in drama off the pitch, as the defender was seen embroiled in a furious bust-up during a six-a-side friendly in south London on Tuesday night. While the altercation was not physical and Gabriel was not playing in the game, he was seen running over to get involved in the incident following a 'horror' challenge during the match between supporters of Brazilian club Botafogo.

  • Gabriel involved in bizarre incident during injury layoff

    Gabriel is currently out with a thigh injury sustained while on international duty with Brazil on November 15 and is expected to return in early January. The setback came as a massive blow to Premier League leaders Arsenal, for whom Gabriel is a key member of Mikel Arteta’s imperious defensive unit which had conceded just five goals in 11 league matches prior to his injury.

    As reported by , Gabriel was invited to watch the six-a-side match in Peckham and surprisingly had a role to play as the game descended into chaos. A spat ensued after a player on one team was hit by a ‘horror tackle’ and ‘left lying in agony on the ground’.

    Gabriel was prompted to run at ‘full speed’ across the astro turf to confront the offender, and was seen yelling at the player in Portuguese in a video uploaded to social media. The 27-year-old was wearing a black cap and a hoodie and was at the centre of the verbal confrontation, which did not become physical. The match apparently came to an end after the tackle and resulting incident, with both sets of players opting to return home.

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  • 'It was really intense' – onlooker reveals reaction to Gabriel fury

    An onlooker, who was in attendance watching the game, said: “It was really unexpected. He didn’t look injured when he sprinted across the pitch to get involved. I don’t know if he knew them personally but he seemed to just see red and fly off the handle. Nobody quite knew what to say but it was really intense. 

    “It shows how passionate he is about football that he would get this competitive over a six-a-side match between two amateur teams playing for fun in the evenings. He had a bit of a shout – it wasn’t physical – and then that probably got it out of his system. Then everything calmed down.”

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  • Gabriel expected to be out until 2026

    Arteta said in November on Gabriel’s injury: "Gabi unfortunately picked up an injury with the national team. He will be out for weeks. We need to have another scan next Wednesday. We will have the timeline much more clearly than we have at the moment” – later confirmations stated the Brazilian is likely to be out until January.

    "It's clearly a blow," Arteta added. "It's our leader in our backline. To miss him is never a positive thing. The good thing is we have some very good options. They need to stand up now."

Blue Jays Score Two Runs on Slow Hit Ball Fielded by Yankees Pitcher

The first place Toronto Blue Jays hosted the second place New York Yankees this week with the teams splitting the first two games. The Yankees loss on Monday put manager Aaron Boone in a sour mood for a podcast appearance, but the team bounced back with a 9th inning victory on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the teams were tied 2-2 in the 5th inning when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a ground ball that was fielded off two soft bounces by Max Fried. With one out and runners on second and third, Fried threw home, but the ball was not handled cleanly by catcher J.C. Escarra.

Two runs ended up scoring on the play when the ball was barely hit 30 feet.

Even worse, the Blue Jays' social media team had a definite attitude when they posted the highlight.

This continues a particularly rude tone set by the folks running the Blue Jays official X account on Tuesday when they posted an Anthony Volpe throwing error with the caption, "You knew this was coming, right?" The Yankees ended up winning the game, but the point was made.

Junior Caminero Shows Off Perhaps the Most Unique Bat in the 2025 Home Run Derby

The Tampa Bay Rays will be represented during Monday's Home Run Derby as 22-year-old Junior Caminero is among the eight-man player pool for the slugfest at Truist Park.

He'll be rocking what is maybe the most unique bat of any participant in this year's derby, too.

Caminero will take to the batter's box Monday night with a bat that's designed with an image of himself. The top of the bat is Caminero's blonde curly hair, and his sunglass-laden face covers the barrel. In the design on the bat, the infielder is depicted wearing a blue jersey that has his No. 13 on the back, and he's wearing a lime green chain which matches the handle of the bat.

Have a look at the spectacularly distinctive bat design Caminero will be using during the derby:

This is Caminero's first appearance in the Home Run Derby in what is just his second MLB season, and his first full one. In 91 games, he's showcased plenty of power at the plate, racking up 23 home runs, which ranks fourth in the American League, and 60 RBIs along with a .790 OPS.

He'll hope to put on a show and become the first Rays player to win the Home Run Derby in the franchise's history.

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