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All the major moves made by IPL franchises on the deadline day to release players ahead of the auction for the 2023 season

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-20225:59

Uthappa: Chennai might look to buy back Bravo

Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians have made wholesale changes to their squads by releasing more than ten players each ahead of the auction for the IPL 2023 season on December 23.Knight Riders released 16 players, while Mumbai let go of 13 including veteran Kieron Pollard, and Sunrisers cut ties with 12 players including their captain Kane Williamson. Mayank Agarwal was another captain not retained as he was among the nine players let go by Punjab Kings.Related

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While Pollard and Super Kings’ Dwayne Bravo were the most high-profile West Indians not retained, there were several other younger players from the Caribbean who were released by their teams. Sunrisers let go of Nicholas Pooran and Romario Shepherd, Lucknow Super Giants released Jason Holder and Evin Lewis, Mumbai released Fabian Allen, Royal Challengers Bangalore let go of Sherfane Rutherford, Punjab released Odean Smith, and Gujarat Titans did not retain Dominic Drakes.At the end of the deadline day – November 15 – to retain and release players, Sunrisers had the largest purse (INR 42.25 crore) for the auction on December 23, followed by Kings (INR 32.20 crore), Lucknow Super Giant (INR 23.35 crore), Mumbai (INR 20.55 crore), Super Kings (INR 20.45 crore), Delhi Capitals (INR 19.45 crore), Gujarat Titans (INR 19.25 crore), Rajasthan Royals (INR 13.2 crore), Royal Challengers Bangalore (INR 8.75 crore) and Knight Riders (INR 7.05 crore).5:14

Jaffer: Mumbai in big trouble if Archer isn’t available

Here are how the squads stack up after the franchises released and retained players:Mumbai Indians
After finishing at the bottom of the league in IPL 2022, Mumbai have let go of a number of players. They have retained their batting core, but will need to rebuild their bowling attack around Jasprit Bumrah, especially their spin stocks. And they will hope that Jofra Archer is fit and firing in time for IPL 2023.Players released: Kieron Pollard (INR 6 crore), Anmolpreet Singh (INR 20 lakh), Aryan Juyal (INR 20 lakh), Basil Thampi (INR 30 lakh), Daniel Sams (INR 2.6 crore), Fabian Allen (INR 75 lakh), Jaydev Unadkat (INR 1.3 crore), Mayank Markande (INR 65 lakh), Murugan Ashwin (INR 1.6 crore), Rahul Buddhi (INR 20 lakh), Riley Meredith (INR 1 crore), Sanjay Yadav (INR 50 lakh), Tymal Mills (INR 1.5 crore)
Players acquired via trades: Jason Behrendorff
Purse remaining: INR 20.55 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 3
Current squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal
Chennai Super Kings
Super Kings finished ninth in IPL 2022 but they haven’t made dramatic decisions in terms of releasing players. Bravo is the biggest name they let go of, but they had released him last year too, only to buy him back at the auction. Will they do that again next month? And after months of speculation, Super Kings have retained Ravindra Jadeja after a tumultuous 2022 season when he was appointed captain and then replaced by MS Dhoni midway through the tournament.Players released: Dwayne Bravo (INR 4.4 crore), Robin Uthappa (INR 2 crore), Adam Milne (INR 1.9 crore), Hari Nishaanth (INR 20 lakh), Chris Jordan (INR 3.6 crore), Bhagath Varma (INR 20 lakh), KM Asif (INR 20 lakh), Narayan Jagadeesan (INR 20 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 20.45 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 2
Current squad: MS Dhoni (capt), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana
3:23

Uthappa: Titans have one of the more balanced squads

Gujarat Titans
Defending champions Titans have let go of only six players (two of whom were traded to Knight Riders) ahead of the auction, but they still have a healthy purse of INR 19.25 crore to spend. So expect them to go hard to pick up a couple of players they need to fill the gaps in their squad.Players released: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (INR 50 lakh), Lockie Ferguson (INR 10 crore), Dominic Drakes (INR 1.1 crore), Gurkeerat Singh (INR 50 lakh), Jason Roy (INR 2 crore), Varun Aaron (INR 50 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 19.25
Overseas slots remaining – 3
Current squad: Hardik Pandya (capt), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad
Delhi Capitals
Capitals finished fifth in IPL 2022, just outside the playoffs, but they haven’t made wholesale changes to their squad. Their biggest move was to trade Shardul Thakur to Knight Riders. The other players they have released weren’t regulars in their first XI last season.Players released: Shardul Thakur (INR 10.75 crore), Tim Seifert (INR 50 lakh), Ashwin Hebbar (INR 20 lakh), Srikar Bharat (INR 2 crore), Mandeep Singh (INR 1.1 crore)
Players acquired via trades: Aman Khan
Purse remaining: INR 19.45 crore
Overseas slots remaining 2
Current squad: Rishabh Pant (capt), David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Aman Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal
4:07

Are Lucknow Super Giants missing a genuine allrounder?

Lucknow Super Giants
In their first season, Super Giants made it to the playoffs but lost the eliminator to Royal Challengers. Perhaps the biggest surprise among their list of released players is Holder, who they had bought for INR 8.75 crore. Perhaps the Super Giants are freeing up their purse to go after someone specific – Ben Stokes, Sam Curran? – at this auction.Players released: Andrew Tye (INR 1 crore), Ankit Rajpoot (INR 50 lakh), Dushmantha Chameera (INR 2 crore), Evin Lewis (INR 2 crore), Jason Holder (INR 8.75 crore), Manish Pandey (INR 4.6 crore), Shahbaz Nadeem (INR 50 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 23.35 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 4
Current squad: KL Rahul (capt), Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi
Rajasthan Royals
Last year’s runners-up Royals have let go of nine players, and among them are five overseas players who got little to no game time last season: James Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Rassie van der Dussen, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Corbin Bosch.Players released: Anunay Singh (INR 20 lakh), Corbin Bosch (INR 20 lakh), Daryl Mitchell (INR 75 lakh), James Neesham (INR 1.5 crore), Karun Nair (INR 1.4 crore), Nathan Coulter-Nile (INR 2 crore), Rassie van der Dussen (INR 1 crore), Shubham Garhwal (INR 20 lakh), Tejas Baroka (INR 20 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 13.2 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 4
Current squad: Sanju Samson (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa
6:24

Uthappa: Sunrisers Hyderabad will go all out to get Ben Stokes

Sunrisers Hyderabad
After starting off with two losses followed by five straight wins last season, Sunrisers crashed and burned to finish eighth in the league and it has resulted in a huge clean out at the franchise. Captain Williamson, who had been retained for INR 14 crore, has been released along with Pooran, who at INR 10.75 crore had become the most expensive West Indian ever bought at an auction. The question is – who are Sunrisers thinking of as their future captain, or are they looking to buy back Williamson at a lower price? They have the most money – INR 42.25 crore – to spend at the auction.Players released: Kane Williamson (INR 14 crore), Nicholas Pooran (INR 10.75 crore), Jagadeesha Suchith (INR 20 lakh), Priyam Garg (INR 20 lakh), Ravikumar Samarth (INR 20 lakh), Romario Shepherd (INR 7.75 crore), Saurabh Dubey (INR 20 lakh), Sean Abbott (INR 2.4 crore), Shashank Singh (INR 20 lakh), Shreyas Gopal (INR 75 lakh), Sushant Mishra (INR 20 lakh), Vishnu Vinod (INR 50 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 42.25 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 4
Current squad: Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers finished fourth in the league and then lost Qualifier 2 to Royals in the playoffs. After a promising campaign, they have released the fewest players – five – among all the teams, and no one who was a regular fixture in their first XI. As a result, they have the second-lowest purse for the auction, and only two overseas slots to fill.Players released: Jason Behrendorff (INR 75 lakh), Aneeshwar Gautam (INR 20 lakh), Chama Milind (INR 25 lakh), Luvnith Sisodia (INR 20 lakh), Sherfane Rutherford (INR 1 crore)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 8.75 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 2
Current squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Akash Deep
4:03

Jaffer: ‘Punjab need a calming influence in the middle order’

Punjab Kings
Following yet another season in which they failed to make the final four, Kings have rung in the changes, releasing nine players including their 2022 captain Mayank. Apart from Odean, none of their other releases were major players in their first XI last season, and Punjab go into the auction with the second-highest purse.Players released: Mayank Agarwal (INR 14 crore), Odean Smith (INR 6 crore), Vaibhav Arora (INR 2 crore), Benny Howell (INR 40 lakh), Ishan Porel (INR 20 lakh), Ansh Patel (INR 20 lakh), Prerak Mankad (INR 20 lakh), Sandeep Sharma (INR 50 lakh), Writtick Chatterjee (INR 20 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: NA
Purse remaining: INR 32.2 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 3
Current squad: Shikhar Dhawan (capt), Shahrukh Khan, Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar
Kolkata Knight Riders
As many as 16 players have been released by Knight Riders, and after trading in Shardul, Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, they have only 14 players in their squad and the smallest purse – INR 7.05 crore – to spend at the auction. They finished seventh last season, and need to make some smart tactical buys to bolster their bench for next season.Players released: Pat Cummins (INR 7.25 crore), Sam Billings (INR 2 crore), Aman Khan (INR 20 lakh), Shivam Mavi (INR 7.25 crore), Mohammad Nabi (INR 1 crore), Chamika Karunaratne (INR 50 lakh), Aaron Finch (INR 1.5 crore), Alex Hales (INR 1.5 crore), Abhijeet Tomar (INR 40 lakh), Ajinkya Rahane (INR 1 crore), Ashok Sharma (INR 20 lakh), Baba Indrajith (INR 20 lakh), Pratham Singh (INR 20 lakh), Ramesh Kumar (INR 20 lakh), Rasikh Salam (INR 20 lakh), Sheldon Jackson (INR 20 lakh)
Players acquired via trades: Shardul Thakur, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Lockie Ferguson
Purse remaining: INR 7.05 crore
Overseas slots remaining: 3
Current squad: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh

Celtic came ever so close to a historic night in Bavaria as they fell just short of taking Bayern Munich all the way to extra-time in the play-off phase of the Champions League.

The Hoops came into the match knowing that it would either take a two-goal win or penalties to get the better of the German giants after they were beaten 2-1 at Parkhead in the first leg last week.

After missing a glut of chances in the first-half, Brendan Rodgers’ side did take the lead through Nicolas Kuhn when he calmly slotted past Manuel Neuer to make it 1-0.

However, just as the Scottish giants and their supporters thought that they had done enough to secure another 30 minutes of added-time, Alphonso Davies stole a march on Cameron Carter-Vickers to score in the 94th minute to send Bayern through to the last 16.

Kasper Schmeichel made a terrific save from the initial header, after the USA international lost track of his man in the box, and the Canadian defender got goalside of Carter-Vickers to ensure that his attempted clearance hit him and found the back of the net.

Despite being sent out of the competition, there were plenty of positives to take from the performance, including Daizen Maeda’s showing in Munich.

Daizen Maeda's performance for Celtic against Bayern

The Japan international was selected to start the match as the number nine, with Adam Idah left on the bench and Kyogo Furuhashi sold to Rennes in the January transfer window, with Jota on the left and Kuhn on the right.

It was a bold move by Rodgers, given that Maeda has spent the majority of his Celtic career on the left flank, but it was a tactical choice that appeared to work in the first half.

The Japanese forward’s fleet-footedness and constant desire to put pressure on the opposition made him the ideal centre-forward for this match, as he did not give the Bayern centre-backs or central midfield players a moment’s peace.

Maeda, who won four of his six duels on the night, did spurn two good opportunities in the first half, though, as he failed to get on the end of a brilliant cross from Arne Engels, and then sent an effort high and wide when he could have sent Kuhn through on goal.

Performance in Numbers

The right-footed speedster, however, made up for those mistakes by pressing to win the ball back in the middle of the pitch before sending Kuhn, via the help of a failed tackle, through to make it 1-0.

Whilst it was a good performance from Maeda, due to his pressing work and his play in the build-up to Celtic’s goal, the actual goalscorer was the real star of the attack for the Hoops.

Nicolas Kuhn's performance against Bayern Munich

The former Bayern Munich academy star, like Maeda, also failed to take a big chance early on in the game when he controlled Jota’s cross and tapped an effort past Neuer that was then easily cleared before it could get near to crossing the line.

However, he went on to make up for that miss by anticipating the mistake from Kim Min-jae and remaining composed to slot past the German icon between the sticks with ease for the opening goal.

As well as scoring, the former Rapid Vienna star also provided an incredibly reliable outlet in possession for the Scottish giants, as he completed 20 of his 22 attempted passes and created one chance.

Kuhn did not shy away from the defensive side of the game, either, with two interceptions, one tackle, and three clearances to help his backline out at times.

Overall, the left-footed forward was even better than Maeda, who only completed 50% (6/12) of his passes, because of his all-round play on and off the ball as well as his moment of quality to score the goal.

Celtic have struck gold with Nicolas Kuhn

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Kuhn because he has developed into an incredible talent and his performances in the Champions League this season have earned him a comparison to a £124m-rated player.

The 25-year-old wizard, who has also produced ten goals and six assists in the Scottish Premiership this term, has offered a big threat coming in off the right flank in Europe for the Hoops.

Appearances

10

xG

1.74

Goals

3

Big chances created

4

Assists

1

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn has provided quality as both a scorer and a creator for the Scottish giants, although wasteful finishing from his teammates has prevented him from boasting more assists.

Per FBref, Arsenal sensation Bukayo Saka, who is valued at a whopping £124m by Transfermarkt, is one of the most similar players to the Celtic star in the Champions League this season.

The England international, like Kuhn, has offered a big threat for the Gunners with a return of four goals and two assists in five matches in the competition.

As you can see in the chart above, the two right wingers have been incredibly similar, from a statistical perspective, in the Champions League with their actions in and out of possession.

Away from the statistics, Kuhn is also similar to Saka in the sense that he is also a left-footed player who likes to cut in from the right flank to take shots from range.

The Hoops wizard scored a very Saka-esque goal against Leipzig in the league phase of the competition earlier this season, as shown in the clip above.

Celtic have, therefore, hit the jackpot with Kuhn as they appear to have unearthed a £124m-rated star in the making with their own version of Saka.

Kuhn has proven that he can provide quality on a regular basis at Champions League level against high-quality opposition, like Leipzig and Bayern, and it remains to be seen what his value could soar to if he continues to produce Saka-level performances week-in-week-out.

Celtic must regret selling £500k hero who's now worth more than Schmeichel

Kasper Schmeichel has been outstanding for Celtic this season, but have the Hoops sold their long-term successor to his number one jersey?

ByBen Gray Feb 18, 2025

Of course, the German forward will be unable to show off his skills in Europe until next season, now that Celtic have been knocked out, but he can continue to shine in domestic action for the Scottish giants until the summer transfer window.

Injuries have decimated Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur squad throughout 2024/25, handing the Aussie a near-impossible task of achieving anything this campaign.

He’s often had to play talents in positions they’re unfamiliar with, resulting in numerous makeshift positions, including the backline, with usual centre-backs Mickey van de Ven and Cristian Romero both missing for large periods.

However, with just a couple of days remaining in the window, goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky remains the only new senior addition, leaving Postecoglou with work still to be done if the current situation is to be resolved.

As a result of their crisis, the Lilywhites currently sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table, looking over their shoulder rather than upwards in an attempt to pull clear of any looming trouble.

With just 15 games to go, it’s safe to say that the league season has been a right off, potentially looking ahead to next year, with the addition of one player aiding their cause to ensure such a situation doesn’t rear its head once more.

Spurs' search for a forward

According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, Spurs have held concrete talks with striker Stefanos Tzimas over a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The 19-year-old has spent the ongoing campaign on loan at Bundesliga 2 side FC Nurnberg, impressing in front of goal, scoring ten times in 17 matches across all competitions.

The German side are expected to trigger his buy option from PAOK, before selling him in the same window, with Postecoglou’s side battling with Brighton and Aston Villa for the services of the €25m (£20m) talent.

Plettenberg confirmed that Fabian Hurzeler and co are currently leading the race for his signature, but that Spurs are engaged in negotiations over a move for the Greek star.

It would be a superb deal for such a promising talent, with the fee they would fork out potentially much cheaper than that of another player who appears to edging closer to a move to North London this month.

Why Tzimas could be even better than Tel for Spurs

In recent days, Spurs had seemingly moved even closer to landing another talent to join the first-team squad in the form of Bayern Munich youngster Mathys Tel.

It was confirmed that the Lilywhites had held talks with his representatives and were open to paying the demanded €60m (£50m) fee for the Bundesliga side to part ways with the talented Frenchman.

Any deal for Tel would have been a big statement from Daniel Levy, especially considering the competition from other English sides such as Chelsea and bitter North London rivals Arsenal.

However, the teenager is said to have rejected the chance to move to N17, putting the club back to square one. Regardless, perhaps the Lilywhites would have been better off waiting for a move to sign wonderkid Tzimas anyway, with the Greek international producing numerous figures better than the Bayern talent throughout 2024/25.

Games played

16

8

Goals & assists

11

1

Shots on target

2.5

11

Shot-on-target accuracy

66%

30%

Aerials won

0.6

0.3

Goal per shot-on-target

0.3

0

Chances created

0.9

0.4

Tzimas, who’s been dubbed “one of the biggest talents” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has massively outscored the Frenchman, whilst also registering more shots on target per 90, showcasing his added clinical edge in the final third.

He’s also won more aerials per 90 whilst also creating more chances for his teammates, subsequently able to provide other attackers with opportunities to improve their own goalscoring tallies, making him an all-round option for Postecoglou’s side.

Given the contrasting goalscoring tallies and all-round attributes, the current Nurnberg loanee would be a better option than Tel for Spurs in the coming months, handing them the added threat which has been greatly desired.

The huge difference in fee would also prove a real bonus, with a move for Tzimas allowing for added investment across other areas of the pitch as a result.

Their own Watkins: Spurs make contact for one of "the best CFs in the PL"

The clinical forward would be a brilliant signing for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 31, 2025

Hasan Ali has been dropped from both Pakistan’s squad for the ODI series in the Netherlands as well for the Asia Cup T20Is later this month. Naseem Shah has been named in both squads. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who missed the second Test in Sri Lanka last month because of a knee injury, has been included in both squads, with a PCB statement saying, “his rehabilitation programme will be overseen by the team trainer and physiotherapist, who will also decide on his return to international cricket”.Babar Azam continues to be in charge of both the set-ups, with Shadab Khan as his deputy.Hasan’s form across formats in the last year has been middling at best, with his T20I bowling strike rate moving to 23.2; he has picked up eight wickets in nine games in this period. In the three ODIs he has played in the last 12 months – all at home between March and June this year – he averaged 76.50 with the ball, picking up two wickets overall. Earlier this year, in the PSL, he had a bowling average of 40.55 and had an economy rate of 10.84 as he got nine wickets in nine games for Islamabad United.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“We have done our homework, especially for the players who have served Pakistan well and have won so many games for the country,” Mohammad Wasim, the men’s chief selector, said when asked about Hasan. “To give them a longer run is a part of the plan, but then there is the stage when you realise that now is the time we think he needs a break for his own and the team’s betterment.”So we had a similar thought process with Hasan Ali, to give him an extended run, but now we think he needs to regather himself and return as a match-winner. We hope going forward we will find the same old Hasan Ali.”It has been a downward spiral for Hasan since last year’s T20 World Cup, where he dropped a catch that could, potentially, have won Pakistan the semi-final against Australia. He ended the tournament with five wicket in six bowling innings, at an average of 41.40 and an economy rate of 9.00.Naseem, who has never played ODIs or T20Is, has taken Hasan’s place after a good performance in the two Tests in Sri Lanka last month, when he picked up seven wickets on not-very-helpful pitches. Naseem had struggled with fitness issues till recently, but has come back stronger.”Naseem Shah is a quality bowler, and we have seen him in domestic white-ball cricket,” Wasim said. “He has got express pace and we wanted to include an attacking option; it is important to take wickets in white0ball cricket. He has that ability. He can swing the ball, he has got pace, and if we talk about his temperament, we have seen the evidence in Tests.”He was a good replacement for Hasan Ali, and we hope he can take his success from red-ball to white-ball cricket.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Agha Salman, the middle-order batter who made his international debut in the Test series against Sri Lanka last month, now has a chance of making his ODI debut in the Netherlands.The selectors have also kept faith in PSL sensational Mohammad Haris, the wicketkeeper-batter, for the ODIs. He made his debut in the home series against West Indies in June, but failed both the times he got a chance to bat, scoring 6 and 0 from the middle order.He has, however, been identified as the back-up to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps, which will likely ensure more opportunities, at least in the short term. Haris shot to prominence at PSL 7, scoring 166 runs in five innings at a strike rate of over 185 for Peshawar Zalmi. At the 50-over Pakistan Cup last year, he scored 289 runs in eight innings at an average of 41.28 and strike rate of over 100 for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.The selected players will assemble in Lahore on August 6 for a six-day training camp. The ODI side will leave for Amsterdam in the wee hours of August 12 for the three-ODI series – the matches are on August 16, 18 and 21, all in Rotterdam – and the T20I specialists will reach Dubai on August 22, where they will be joined by the T20I members of the ODI squad.

Nottingham Forest’s side that won promotion back to the Premier League in the 2021/22 season will live long in the memory of their supporters.

Although much of that team now plays elsewhere, the men in Garibaldi Red that season wrote their names in the history books as the side who returned the Midlands club to the Premier League.

Despite struggling at the start of the campaign, Forest, managed by Steve Cooper, ended up finishing fourth in the second tier of English football. In the playoff final, the East Midlands outfit beat Huddersfield Town at Wembley to secure Premier League status again.

One of the standout players for Forest that year was Brennan Johnson.

Brennan Johnson’s Forest career

23-year-old winger Johnson came through the ranks at the City Ground. After a loan spell at Lincoln City, he eventually broke into the first team at Forest and became a crucial player, helping the club to promotion in 2021/22.

In total, the Welshman played 109 times for the club, scoring 29 goals and grabbing 12 assists. In the promotion season, his 16 goals and two assists in 46 Championship games, and two goals in three playoff games, ensured he could help bring his boyhood club back to the top flight of English football.

It is fair to say that, in his first season as a Premier League footballer, the Wales international impressed. He scored eight goals and grabbed three assists in 38 games as Forest survived by the skin of their teeth. He scored some crucial goals, but perhaps none more so than both strikes in a 2-0 win at home to Leicester City, who ended up being relegated themselves.

Sadly for Forest fans, he left his boyhood club for pastures anew on deadline day in 2023. Tottenham Hotspur paid £47.5m to sign Johnson from Forest, which was a record sale for the club.

There is no doubt it was a big loss for the East Midlands side, and they could be in danger of losing another star for perhaps an even bigger fee.

The £60m star who Forest could lose

According to a report last week from the Mail, Morgan Gibbs-White is someone who is of ‘keen interest’ to several Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

At this stage, a price is not clear should a deal materialise. However, Gibbs-White was valued at a reported £60m over the summer, with the club likely looking to make a profit on their initial investment.

There is no doubt that losing Johnson was a disappointing thing for Forest, even if the club did not stand in his way when the right price arrived. Losing Gibbs-White, however, could arguably be even worse.

He is the main man in a side flying this season under Nuno Espirito Santo. Forest are currently third in the Premier League on 40 points, the same amount as second place Arsenal and just six points off leaders Liverpool.

Their most recent win was a 3-0 thrashing away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

There is no doubt that Gibbs-White’s four goals and three assists in 16 games are a big reason for that form. Initially, the 24-year-old started the season slowly, with just one goal in his first ten appearances.

However, in the last six games, he has really kicked on, with an impressive six goals and assists in his last six games. It is certainly no coincidence that his electric form has coincided with Forest winning six games in a row.

Opponent

Goals

Assists

Chances created

Dribbles completed

Duels won

Man United

1

1

1

2

5

Aston Villa

0

1

3

3

5

Brentford

0

0

1

1

9

Spurs

0

1

2

1

4

Everton

1

0

1

1

5

Wolves

1

0

0

0

5

Losing a man with 15 goals and 21 assists in 96 games across competitions would be a huge blow for Nuno and his squad. Those donning Garibaldi Red this season are doing an exceptional job, spearheaded by Gibbs-White.

It was never going to be easy to replace Johnson, yet Forest have found a man who is filling the boots of his former teammate pretty well, to say the least.

The last thing they need is for Gibbs-White to leave, meaning they would lose another of their talismanic attackers.

Nottingham Forest prepared to move for "exceptional" £25m player in January

The Tricky Trees could sign a midfielder this winter…

ByDominic Lund Dec 31, 2024

GOAL looks at the tiers of teams in the 2025 Club World Cup, asking who might win it all and who is just happy to be here?

What to make of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup? Certainly, the big name teams are here. Real Madrid, Man City, PSG and Bayern Munich all stand out from a fine crop of European clubs. But the tournament goes so much deeper. Legendary South American clubs such as Boca Juniors, River Plate and Palmeiras will all be playing in the U.S. this summer. A duo of sides will represent Liga MX with aplomb. A third, Leon, has been removed due to violations of multi-club ownership rules – but could re-enter after appeal, or be replaced.

And while they may not garner the kind of attention as their European counterparts, a litany of African and Asian teams are also set to get their moment in the spotlight. In that sense, this is a wonderful thing that highlights the best of world football.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities, from the opener on June 14 until the final on July 13. In the U.S., fans can stream or watch matches on DAZN or TNT. Leading up to kickoff, GOAL is providing scouting reports on each of the 32 participating teams in the expanded field.

So who's here to win it? Who's here for the money? Who's here for holiday? Who's in the spotlight? Who's going to bring the fun? GOAL US breaks it all down in the 2025 Club World Cup Tier Rankings.

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  Tier: Clear favorites

  Real Madrid – Surprise, surprise. Madrid are team to beat in pretty much every competition they enter, and there's little evidence to suggest that will change here. With Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, they have found form after a slow start to the season, and appear well positioned to win both La Liga and the Champions League.

  Inter – A trendy pick for this all. Inter, remember, came close to Champions League glory in 2023, and have daylight in the Serie A title race, too. A Champions League quarterfinal with Bayern Munich will surely test their mettle.

  Paris Saint-Germain– Luis Enrique has the Parisians playing football. After years of relying on star power, this is now a fun, young team with a point to prove. Their win over Liverpool in the European Cup only reinforces that.

  Bayern Munich – After shockingly failing to win the Bundesliga last year, the Bavarians are back. Top of the German league and humming in Europe – with Harry Kane banging in the goals for fun – they can beat anyone on their day.

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  Tier: Outside looking in … for now

  Manchester City – One thing is certain about Man City: they will be back. For now, though, Erling Haaland and City are Premier League strugglers who are a bit off the pace. City's owners will spend big to help a rebuild this summer, but that will likely come too soon for the competition.

  Atletico Madrid – Who wants to play against Atleti? You will find very few clubs eager for this fixture. Diego Simeone's side are a bit more attacking than usual, with Julian Alvarez showing why he is so much more than a backup to Erling Haaland. Their knockout football credentials can be questioned, though.

  Chelsea – It depends on which Chelsea team shows up. The billion-pound side of world class individuals might win the whole thing. The slumping side with an out-of-form Cole Palmer could crash out early.

  Benfica – The trendy club. Well in the title race and paced by a solid spine plus the ageless Angel Di Maria, Benfica will simply be an unpleasant matchup. Winning the whole thing would be a miracle, but they will be mightily hard to beat.

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  Tier: Here for the money

  Seattle Sounders – Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer told GOAL the Club World Cup could be an exercise in smart transfer business for the Sounders, one of two MLS sides in the tournament, along with Inter Miami. The Sounders must navigate the Group of Death. "If we can pull out a result," Schmetzer said, "that makes a statement that MLS is not so far behind some of the other teams in the world."

  Fluminense – No longer the team they once were, Fluminense are struggling massively for a club of their pedigree. Marcelo has gone, and the talent factory has rather dried up. On name brand alone, this will be a valuable excursion.

  RB Salzburg – It's not like Salzburg are strapped for cash or talent, buoyed by the immensely lucrative Red Bull network. But they could really do with a boost after squeaking into the Austrian Bundesliga playoff. If they keep promising talents such as Bobby Clark and Oscar Gloukh around, then who knows?

  Porto – A Europa League exit was something of an embarrassment for a club that really belongs in the Champions League. A kind group could help them out, but should Porto lose to Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, they could be in trouble.

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  Tier: Much to lose, not much to win

  Juventus – Juve are a mess. They fired their head coach most of the way into the season, and have brought in a new manager who plays a different style of football. A poor showing could look bad on Americans Tim Weah and Weston McKennie.

  Al Hilal – They may no longer have Neymar in their ranks, but Al Hilal will still fly the flag for the Saudi Pro League. A glut of former European stars will complement a string of locals, and serve as a real barometer to where the emerging league is at.

  Inter Miami – It's simple, really. If Miami lose with Lionel Messi, the storyline will be that MLS is rubbish and Messi is old. If Miami win with Messi, it will be, well, of course they won with Messi.

  Borussia Dortmund – Another side with American pedigree that has a lot to lose here. Gio Reyna will likely be a Dortmund player come June. And if he watches from the bench while the storied club continue to underwhelm, then nothing really good can come of it all.

Rangers are eyeing a £5m move for a player backed by legendary manager Jose Mourinho in the January transfer window, a new transfer rumour has claimed.

Latest Rangers news

Philippe Clement took some much-needed pressure off his shoulders on Sunday afternoon, with his Gers side sealing a comfortable 3-0 win away to Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

It was a must-win game for Rangers in the title race, with the victory keeping them 11 points behind Celtic, but they are only now two adrift of Aberdeen with a game in hand. Clement’s job is still far from safe, though, with further improvements needed.

The future of James Tavernier continues to be a major talking point, with the captain far from his best at times this season and also out of contract at the end of the 2025/26 campaign. Should the Englishman depart, a top-quality replacement at right-back will be needed, although Neraysho Kasanwirjo could be considered the best option, with the defender on loan from Feyenoord at Ibrox this season.

Meanwhile, Leeds United attacker Joe Gelhardt has been linked with a January move to Rangers, with former scout Mick Brown claiming he wants to move there, saying: “From what I’m told, he’d be interested in a move. As far as Rangers are concerned, that’s the type of player they have to be looking at. If Leeds let him go in January, even if it’s only on loan, they will be ready to swoop.”

Rangers keen on £5m signing in January

According to Le Courier Europeen [via Rangers News], Rangers are keen on signing Fenerbahce winger Oguz Aydin in the January transfer window. The 24-year-old only joined the Turkish side earlier this year, arriving for £5m, but it is now thought that he could depart for the same amount midway through the season.

Aydin could be just what Rangers are looking for in January, giving their attacking options a boost at a time when a formidable run of form is needed in the league.

The Turkey international has caught the eye of Jose Mourinho during their time together at Fenerbahce this season: “He is a good player physically and tactically and very intelligent. With all due respect to (Vincenzo) Montella (Turkey manager), he should be happy. I suppose the team that did not sign him will be unhappy. We brought him in at the last minute. I asked him to give me time. He was not ready, but, after 4-5 months, he has reached an optimal level. I am very happy for him.”

The fact that Aydin is wanted by some other top clubs suggests that he is a top-quality player, with the likes of Arsenal, Lille and Lazio all thought to be eyeing him up.

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2

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A versatile winger capable of playing on either flank, the Fenerbahce ace has four goal contributions (three goals and one assists) in three Turkish Super Lig starts this season, highlighting the end product he could provide Clement with.

Bruno Fernandes has hit back at Sir Jim Ratcliffe over his claims that some Manchester United players were 'overpaid' and 'not good enough'.

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Captain not pleased with co-owner commentsRatcliffe said several United players 'overpaid'Fernandes says 'club agrees to contracts'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ratcliffe criticised a number of United players in a series of interviews this week and Fernandes admitted that the INEOS chief and Red Devils' co-owners comments had not gone down well in the dressing room.

AdvertisementWHAT FERNANDES SAID

Fernandes told reporters: "We need to prove ourselves every day in training, every day that we have a game. We can’t relax at this club. You know that there's a big standard, a big attention that you get from the media, from everywhere. You need to realise that sometimes you need to put your focus on your game, trying to improve yourself. It's not nice to hear certain things obviously. I don't think that any player likes to hear criticism or things that are talked about to you, that you're not good enough or you're overpaid or whatever. Everyone has their own contract. The club agrees to do the contracts at the time you come here or at the time you do a new contract or whatever and it's about yourself proving that you can be important for the club."

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Fernandes scored a hat-trick as United thrashed Real Sociedad 4-1 at Old Trafford to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League. It was just the latest in a long line of talismanic performances from the Portuguese, although certain pundits continue to criticise his attitude as well as his form. Roy Keane has doubled down on criticising the captain recently but Fernandes said he had no issue with the legendary United skippers' views on him.

He said: "No, everyone has an opinion and that's fine. I can't change the mind of people. Like everything I have to do is go on the pitch and try to do the best I can for the club. Roy Keane was an amazing captain for the club, one of the best as everyone says. I didn't have the chance to see much from him, only last few years, but was a great player that won everything for the club. He's massively respected from everyone and has all my respect. He has to give his opinion in a programme and this is what he thinks about me. What I’m doing on the pitch to try to change his mind, or trying to do something that he probably sees as a good thing. Obviously, I do it in my own way, I don't want to copy anyone. I try to be the best captain that I can for my teammates, I try to help everyone in the best way I can and the best way I know. I have a lot of things to improve, not only as a captain but as a player, as a person, as a human being and that's fine. Criticism is going to be always part and it's going to make me grow and understand that there's still a long way to go."

DID YOU KNOW?

Fernandes revealed that he had received an offer to leave United last summer before signing a new contract. And despite the team's dismal campaign, he insisted he was happy at Old Trafford. He explained: "I sat with the club because I had an offer to leave, we talked about the possibility of me leaving the club or staying. They said what they wanted from me. I just asked if they still see me as part of the future of the club or not. I spoke at the time with Ten Hag also. He was very clear with me, the club was very clear with me, that they thought I would be a big part of this rebuild that they want to do in a different way. I heard what they had to tell me. I thought that we could be successful. Unfortunately, we didn't start the season very well. Erik had to lose his job by the results we had and the performance we had, but the fault was on everyone and everyone together with the manager.

"Now we are in a different moment with a new manager that thinks in a different way, that has a different way of playing. I'm still very happy at the club, I'm being always happy at the club to play for this club, to represent the club is a big honour for me. It doesn't matter where we are in the league, it will always be an honour for me to be at this club and I will try my best to keep the club fighting for everything we can."

Arsenal are now in advanced talks to land a new face that Mikel Arteta knows well as they continue their quest for Premier League supremacy in the years to come.

Arsenal rocked by Edu Gaspar exit

It emerged as something of a shock to those in and outside the club when it was announced that current Sporting Director Edu Gaspar would leave the club in 2025.

The former Arsenal player had worked in lockstep with Mikel Arteta since his arrival in 2019, and the pair were regularly put into the same sentence when it came to transfer business, with both seemingly set on a clear plan of how to return the Gunners to the top table of English and European football.

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“This was an incredibly hard decision,” said the Brazilian after the exit was announced. “It is time to pursue a different challenge. Arsenal will always remain in my heart. I wish the club and its supporters only good things.”

Keen for a larger role, Edu is now set to take up a role with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, in which he will oversee a multi-club model that includes Forest, Portuguese side Rio Ave and Greek giants Olympiacos.

It means that, for the first time in Mikel Arteta’s time at the club, the Gunners will be on the hunt for a new Sporting Director in the months to come as they look to build upon the work done by Edu and finish the project to turn the north London side into title winners. Now, an update on that search has been forthcoming.

Arsenal in "advanced talks" with new Sporting Director

That comes as a report from France claims that Arsenal are in “advanced talks” to reach an agreement with Roberto Olabe to become their newest Sporting Director. Olabe announced earlier in the year that he would be leaving Real Sociedad at the end of the season, after eight years with the club in his most recent stint in San Sebastián.

Now, he has been tipped to take up a role in north London in the months to come, bringing with him his impressive eye for spotting talent. He already has experience with Mikel Arteta, having been Sporting Director (for the first time) when the Spaniard was coming through at Real Sociedad, while he could also bring another valuable relationship to the Emirates Stadium.

Olabe is no stranger to Arsenal either, having done several deals with them in recent years in both directions, while he also holds a strong relationship with Martin Odegaard following the Arsenal captain’s loan spell in northern Spain.

Player

Cost

Alexander Isak

£12m

Takefusa Kubo

£6.5m

Mikel Merino

£10m

Martin Odegaard

Loan

Theo Hernandez

Loan

That comes as Sky Germany report that the Spaniard still has an “excellent relationship” with former Real Sociedad man Alexander Isak, who is currently at Newcastle United but is considered a major transfer target for Arsenal in 2025.

Olabe’s arrival could well be another boost in the Gunners’ pursuit of the Swede, who is seen as the perfect man to help bolster Mikel Arteta’s attack in north London.

MatériaMais Notícias

Junto ao anúncio do meia Paulinho, no fim do ano passado, o Corinthians também trouxe a público uma nova parceria comercial. O Grupo Taunsa, empresa brasileira que atua no segmento do agronegócio e que se tornou uma parceira do Timão.

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No case inicial, a exposição da marca foi massivamente envolvida no anúncio e primeiras ações de Paulinho em seu retorno ao clube alvinegro. Em contrapartida, a Taunsa foi quem viabilizou financeiramente essa contratação, e arcará com os salários do atleta durante o período de contrato até o fim de 2023, quando também está prevista a duração da parceria e atual administração corintiana, presidida por Duílio Monteiro Alves.

Com isso, o modelo de negócio entre Corinthians e Taunsa naturalmente envolve algumas dúvidas na torcida corintiana, e após uma entrevista exclusiva concedida pelo CEO da empresa, Cleidson Cruz, ao LANCE!, alguns desses questionamentos foram esclarecidos.

Portanto, o L!! criou um FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions, que no português pode ser traduzido como Perguntas Frequentes) para explicar os pontos da partceira entre o Corinthians e o Grupo Taunsa.

> TABELA – Confira e simule os jogos do Timão no Campeonato Paulista
> GALERIA -Relembre 15 momentos marcantes de Paulinho pelo Corinthians

EM QUE CONSISTE A PARCERIA?

No mundo empresarial o termo joint-venture é muito utilizado, ele consiste na parceria entre duas empresas para determinados modelos de negócios, onde uma se utiliza de alguma atividade fornecida por outra, sem haver necessariamente uma associação ou até mesmo que elas percam a identidade.

A própria Taunsa é uma joint-venture da ARJ Rolding, multinacional sediada em Dubai, nos Emirados Arábes, que atua em diversos segmentos e que tem na empresa brasileira um braço na exportação de produtos agrícolas.

Com o Corinthians, a situação é bastante parecida, por isso que as partes não tratam a relação como patrocínio, mas sim como uma parceria, onde a diretoria corintiana apresenta algum projeto para a Taunsa, que, por sua vez, avalia a viabilidade dele. Caso haja o aceite, como foi o caso do Paulinho, a empresa de agronegócios entra como investidora, com a contrapartida de exposição da marca, como explica Cleidson:

-A Taunsa não configura como patrocinadora do Corinthians, porque patrocínio é algo pontual. Você vende o naming rights, vende espaço na camisa, estádio, uma placa de publicidade, isso é patrocínio. Nós, quando fomos apresentados ao presidente Duílio e ao Adriano (Monteiro Alves, Secretário-Geral do Corinthians, e irmão do presidente corintiano), entendemos que a Taunsa teria condições de não ser somente patrocinadora, mas, sim, um parceiro para a instituição Corinthians. Hoje a Taunsa configura como parceira do Corinthians, onde o Duílio apresenta a nós um projeto, esse projeto é analisado por nós e nós, em conjunto com o Corinthians, decidimos se avançamos ou não. Caso a Taunsa decida que não tem condição de atuar no projeto, o Corinthians está livre para oferecer a outros parceiros.

QUAL É A CONTRAPARTIDA DA TAUNSA NA PARCERIA?

A Taunsa entende que ter o Corinthians em um patamar esportivo elevado automaticamente gerará a exposição necessária para o grupo, reforçando o tratamento do modelo de negócio como parceria, e não patrocínio.

– Eu confesso que não estamos preocupados com as contrapartidas, seja ela exposição da marca na camisa, no estádio, placa.. nós entendemos que o Corinthians forte, grande, disputando os principais campeonatos nacionais e internacionais, se estiver brigando na prateleira de cima e sendo forte e grande para nós é muito mais importante, pois isso põe a empresa na prateleira de cima da exposição, e essa exposição traz o resultado que nós esperamos – afirma Cleidson Cruz que completa explicando a diferença entre o modelo de negócio que existe entre Corinthians e Taunsa e os tradicionais, vinculados na exposição da marca somente como forma de divulgação comercial.

-Diferentemente desses patrocínios tradicionais, seja bancos digitais, empresas que visam aumentar o número de vendas, correntistas, nós estamos mais linkados ao Corinthians estar grande, brigando na prateleira de cima, sendo falado positivamente, valorizando a sua marca ainda mais, e a Taunsa estar por trás, ou ao lado dele, para nós essa conta está equacionada – acrescentou.

No entanto, como uma forma de gratificação pelo ‘Projeto Paulinho’, a Taunsa ocupou as costas do uniforme corintiano nas quartas primeiras partidas do clube na temporada, contra Ferroviária, Santo André, Santos e Ituano, e negocia um acordo de patrocínio para manter a exposição da empresa neste setor da camisa do Corinthians por mais tempo.

QUAL É O HISTÓRICO DA TAUNSA?

O Grupo Taunsa é uma empresa de origem familiar, que iniciou os seus trabalhos na cidade de Araçatuba, interior de São Paulo, em 2008.

No ramo de agronegócios, atualmente a Taunsa trabalha em todo processo de produção agrícola, da produção, ao armazenamente até a logística dos produtos.

O objetivo da empresa é se tornar, até 2028, uma das três maiores exportadoras de soja no Brasil, e, portanto, tem neste ano de 2022 uma iniciativa de investimento de R$ 5,7 bilhões no mercado nacional, gerando cerca de 8.500 empregos com a construção de 34 novas unidades de armazenagem.

Essa iniciativa arrojada trouxe a empresa de agronegócios até o Corinthians como forma de exposição da marca, que, de acordo com Cleidson Cruz, já gerou retorno na primeira ação, envolvendo a contratação de Paulinho, pois após esse movimento houve um aumento de 30% nas demandas, sendo a maior parcela deste percentual envolvendo o mercado externo.

– (O agronegócio) é um mercado e que o nome pesa muito. Concorremos com grandes multinacionais., e entendíamos que nós precisávamos tornar-nos conhecidos, foi quando apresentaram a nós o projeto do Corinthians e surgiu a grande oportunidade de nos tornarmos conhecidos. O Corinthians é uma marca nacionalmente extremamente conhecida, e internacionalmente idém. Quando nós decidimos abraçar o projeto do Paulinho como uma primeira ação de marketing e parceria foi pensando nessa exposição que decidimos fazer. Hoje,a Taunsa se tornou ainda mais conhecida nacionalmente por essa parceria, e internacionalmente idém. Só com essa primeira ação em conjunto, nossas demandas pela Taunsa, tanto para ofertar no mercado interno, mas principalmente no mercado externo, aumentou em 30%. Para nós, está equacionada a conta. E estamos falando de uma primeira ação. Serão várias ações ao longo dos dois anos de parceria.

OUTROS PROJETOS

Após o projeto envolvendo a contratação de Paulinho, o foco do Corinthians se tornou na busca por um centroavante de peso, e contava com a Taunsa envolvida no projeto. Os uruguaios Luis Suárez e Edinson Cavani, em fim de contrato com Atlético de Madrid-ESP e Manchester United-ENG, entraram no radar do Timão, mas não houve evolução no negócio.

Paralelamente a isso, o clube alvinegro dispensou o técnico Sylvinho e foi atrás de um treinador portugês, tendo fechado com Vitor Pereira, de trabalhos de destaques no Fenerbaçhe-TUR e Porto-POR. O valor total do profissional lusitano e a sua comissão técnica gira em torno de R$ 2,5 milhões mensais, de acordo com informações obtidas pelo LANCE!, e a diretoria corintiana pretende conversar com a Taunsa buscando ajuda para arcar financeiramente com essa quantia.

Mas a busca por um centroavante não chegou ao fim, e Diego Costa, livre de contrato após rescindir com o Atlético-MG, entrou novamente na pauta corintiana, podendo ter a empresa de agronegócios por trás na viabilização salarial.

-Eles (Corinthians) nos apresentam um projeto, como o do camisa 9. Estamos tentando, buscando. É um projeto que tem alguns nomes, alguns atletas, que em cima desse investimento, temos as contrapartidas – explicou Cleidson.

HAVERÁ CAPITAL ESTRANGEIRO?

Ainda que a Taunsa seja um braço da ARJ Holding, a parceria com o Corinthians é estritamente com a empresa brasileira e, portanto, não haverá a adição de capital estrangeiro na parceria.

-A parceria com a ARJ Holding é uma joint-venture não contratual. Seriam duas grandes empresas unindo forças, cada uma com a sua obrigação, onde a obrigação da ARJ Holding é captação da demandas de produtos de commodities agrícolas brasileiras para o Oriente Médio como um todo, e a Taunsa ser a garantidora que a ARJ Holding terá os produtos exportados. Mediante essas obrigações distintas foi que surgiu essa joint-venture não contratual. Não é uma fusão de duas empresas – trouxe o CEO da Taunsa.

POR QUE O CORINTHIANS?

Se em todas as outras explicações deste FAQ o motivo era racional, a escolha pelo Corinthians é justificada emocionalmente.

-Nós somos corintianos. Imagina para uma empresa onde 90% dos colaboradores são corintianos, a família inteira é corintiana… nem no melhor sonho do mundo era surreal sonhar que nós teríamos a chance de estampar a camisa do nosso time do seu coração, o nome da nossa empresa. Unimos razão, business, mas paralalmente a isso ter a emoção de, seja no estádio ou comendo pipoca em casa, ver a sua marca não só projetada no uniforme, estádio, ações, como um todo da instituição que você aprendeu a amar, Juntando essas duas coisas, a conta está feita – pontuou Cruz.

A TAUNSA PODE COMPRAR O CORINTHIANS UM DIA?

O Corinthians não acenou ao projeto de Sociedade Anônima do Futebol, mas dentro da opinião de Cleidson Cruz a gestão do atual presidente corintiano, Duílio Monteiro Alves pode acenar um recado ao mercado do futebol brasileiro, que uma boa gestão, independentemente de ser uma empresa, é o que mais importa para o clube. E a parceria com o Grupo Taunsa, para Cleidson, é um sinal de que o Timão com Duílio está em um bom caminho.

-Creio que ele (Duílio Monteiro Alves) irá provar para o mercado que não necessariamente uma SAF é a salvação da lavoura. Você precisa ter gestão séria, transparente. Mesmo se tornando SAF, você tem a gestão por trás dela, o ser humano. Se você se transforma em uma SAF, mas tem uma gestão ruim, ela não vai resolver – disse o CEO.