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Ted Lasso fans can start to truly “Believe” that the series will be returning, with Jason Sudeikis said to be “really excited” about Season 4.

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• Third series ended in May 2023
• Speculation raging regarding return
• Lead character & writer set to join project

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hollywood actor Sudeikis needs to be fully on board in order for AFC Richmond to be brought back to Apple TV+ streaming services as he plays the title character and is a writer for the show. He has stayed quiet on rumours of the award-winning production hitting the small screen again.

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  THE GOSSIP

  Speculation first began to rage when it was revealed that Warner Bros had taken up options on three of the show’s leading stars – Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and Jeremy Swift. Other cast members were quick to air their excitement at the reports.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  There has been talk of a ball being set in motion from January 2025, with Ted Lasso back on ‘The Production List’ – which is maintained by the Film & Television Industry Alliance (FTIA). Channing Dungey, who serves as Warner Bros TV Group’s chairman and CEO, told Deadline of the rumours: “We are just in early production conversations, but it’s exciting.”

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  WHAT WARNER BROS CEO SAID

  She has since gone on to tell , in another nod towards Ted Lasso being revived: “We are in conversations about season four, and they are very exciting conversations, but it’s still early days. We had always been clear that there wasn’t going to be more Ted Lasso if Jason and the team weren’t feeling excited about it, and I can tell you first-hand that he’s in a place where he’s feeling really excited and feels good about it.”

La Liga giants Barcelona have informed Arsenal that they'll open talks over selling them a £51 million star if Ronald Araujo stays at the Nou Camp.

Edu and Arteta set sights on signing new defender for Arsenal

While a lot of the noise previously has revolved around the Gunners' need for new attacking options, many reports in the last fortnight suggest that Arsenal could bring in another defender or two.

Edu prepared to make Arsenal bid for £102m star as cut-price move possible

The Gunners think he’s ideal.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 2, 2024

Sporting director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta, who work in tandem when it comes to the club's recruitment, are believed to still be keen on a new striker after missing out on a deal for RB Leipzig sensation Benjamin Sesko.

Arsenal made an offer to sign Sesko, who instead chose to sign a new contract at Leipzig, with club chiefs now on the lookout for alternatives to the Slovenian. However, as well as upgrading the attacking areas, they're keen to bolster their back line.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are pivotal players at the heart of an Arsenal defence which conceded the fewest goals of any Premier League side last season. However, given that Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jakiub Kiwior and Ben White are preferred as makeshift full-back options, reports claim the north Londoners are targeting another star centre-back.

Arsenal are believed to be major contenders for Riccardo Calafiori, now backed by Fabrizio Romano, with the Italy international impressing both at club level for Bologna and for his country at the Euros.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi is another rumoured Arsenal transfer target for Arteta's defence, coming amid his standout campaign for England at Euro 2024. The 23-year-old has been a major plus-point for Gareth Southgate in some otherwise criticised performances, attracting attention from Arsenal and other elite sides.

Barcelona tell Arsenal they can sign Kounde if Araujo stays

Barcelona star Jules Kounde, who is currently representing France at the Euros, is one of the more ambitious names mentioned.

The £220,000-per-week centre-back, who has predominantly featured as a makeshift right-back for Barca since 2022/2023, is seen as a key player but the Catalans also need to make sales for financial reasons.

According to Sport this week, Barcelona have told Arsenal they can sign Kounde if they pay £51 million, but even that won't be enough if Araujo leaves the Camp Nou. The 25-year-old's future is tied directly to that of his teammate, with Barca making it clear to Arteta's side that Kounde won't be going anywhere if Araujo departs Catalonia.

However, if the Uruguayan commits his future to the club, Barca will open talks with Arsenal over Kounde's sale.

Jose Mourinho's incredible "smells bad" rant aimed at VAR official Atilla Karaoglan after Fenerbahce's win over Trabzonspor has landed him in trouble.

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• Fenerbahce left it late against Trabzonspor
• Mourinho slammed VAR team after the match
• Has been fined and banned for his outburst

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a match filled with controversy, Fenerbahce managed to secure a win with a last-minute goal by Sofyan Amrabat in the 12th minute of stoppage time. Despite the triumph, Mourinho was far from pleased, arguing that VAR officiating played an outsized role in favouring Trabzonspor, particularly through two contentious penalties awarded to the home side.

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  WHAT MOURINHO SAID

  “Today, the man of the match was [VAR referee] Atilla Karaoglan. We didn’t see him, but he was the referee of the match,” Mourinho remarked. Speaking on behalf of the entire club, he continued: “We don’t want him again. We don’t want him because it smells bad. We don’t want him. We don’t want him on the pitch, but on the VAR even less."

  Mourinho’s criticisms went beyond individual decisions, accusing the entire officiating system of being biased and noting the challenges of playing under such circumstances. He said: “We play against a system. And to play against a system is the most difficult thing.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mourinho’s unrestrained comments did not go unnoticed, leading the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to respond with a significant fine and additional sanctions. On Thursday, the federation issued a statement condemning Mourinho’s statements as unsportsmanlike, arguing that his remarks were detrimental to the integrity of Turkish football.

  The TFF statement read: “In the post-match flash interview and press conference are evaluated as a whole; the statements in question are contrary to sportsmanship, sports ethics or the concept of fair play, damage the reputation of the TFF, aim to diminish the value of Turkish football, cast a shadow over the impartiality of the referees and other match officials, and are therefore punished with a discretionary fine of 900,000 TL (£20,178) in accordance with Article 38/4-a of the FDT due to Unsportsmanlike Statements."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The reprimand doesn’t stop there. Mourinho also received an additional fine of approximately £1,300 and has been banned for one match, barring him from the dressing room and the touchline.

Chelsea are reportedly considering making a January move for Barcelona's Jules Kounde, which could help the Catalan side register Dani Olmo.

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• Chelsea interested in Barcelona's Kounde
• Sale could help Barcelona register Olmo in January
• Chelsea also showing interest in Araujo

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea had already been interested in signing Kounde in the summer of 2022 from Sevilla and had come very close to completing the signing for a reported fee of €65 million (£55m/$66m) before Barcelona swooped in to sign the highly-rated Frenchman. The Blues have had a decent start to life under Enzo Maresca and the top brass is ready to help the Italian succeed by backing him in the January transfer window. As such, TBR Football have reported that Chelsea are now considering making a move for Kounde in January.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Barcelona have almost eradicated their financial troubles after completing their new multi-billion deal with Nike, they still have issues adhering to La Liga's fair play rules due to their previous issues. As such, there have been doubts over being able to register Olmo for the second half of the season after already having struggled with the same in the summer, however, both the club and player have remained positive about being able to achieve the registration. If Barcelona were to sell Kounde to Chelsea in January, it would open up a load of space in their wage bill to easily fit Olmo's contract for the rest of the season.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The TBR Football report also suggested that Chelsea are monitoring Ronald Araujo's situation at Barcelona amid reports about a breakdown between the two sides over the last few months. However, over the last few weeks talks have begun again between the Uruguayan defender's camp and Barcelona, and an extension is now more likely than not.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  The Blues have been looking to sign a centre-back in January and also a right-back amid Reece James' never-ending injury issues. With Kounde, Maresca will get a player who can comfortably fill in at both positions.

After securing promotion back to the Championship last season, Derby County are looking to add to their growing list of signings as they make an offer for a sought-after player.

Derby make moves for Championship ready talents

The most recent news out of Pride Park is that Ebou Adams has rejoined the Rams permanently after spending last season on loan at the club. Adams becomes Derby's sixth signing of the summer and joins the Rams from fellow Championship side Cardiff City.

The players that have been brought through the door at Pride Park represent a mixture of established Championship stars available as free agents as well players like the aforementioned Adams and Corey Blackett-Taylor, who both excelled in the third tier last season.

With the Rams clearly not afraid of shopping in League One, Derby are now in the race to sign a young player with interest from numerous sides.

Rams in the race for talented winger

With Derby eager to assemble a side that can compete in the second tier, Darren Witcoop is reporting that the Rams have made an offer to sign 21-year-old winger Karamoko Dembele from Stade Brest.

Witcoop claims that Derby are joined by fellow Championship sides Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth as well as League One outfit Bolton Wanderers in their pursuit of the highly-rated talent. It has also previously been reported that Leeds United are interested in a move for Dembele.

Despite being currently on the books in the French league, Dembele spent last season on loan at Blackpool and looks nailed on for a return to England this summer. Over the course of his season with the Tangerines, Dembele was able to quickly become a fan favourite at Bloomfield Road, contributing 9 goals and 14 assists during his time at the Seaside.

Speaking on the 21-year-old's talents, Blackpool boss Neil Critchley spoke highly of the winger telling the press: "He’s a delight to work with, and is a lovely down to earth boy. You ask him to try and do something, and he does it instantly. He learns and he listens.

I love having him here, he does some magical things that other people can’t do. He does some brilliant things- he’s beautiful to watch. He’s got magic in his feet."

Despite being just 21 years of age, Dembele has played in the spotlight for much of his career with the media dubbing him the 'next Messi' during his teenage years. These comparisons came after the winger made his debut for Celtic's under 20s squad as a 13-year-old.

Whilst Dembele has yet to live up to the lofty expectations set by the press, the winger has gone to establish himself as a talented player that will surely excel at whichever club he ends up at come the close of the window.

Leganes have prepared for the visit of Vinicius Jr and Real Madrid with a special video featuring the Ballon d'Or and cheeky mascot Super Pepino.

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• Vinicius missed out on Ballon d'Or to Rodri
• Heading to Leganes next in La Liga
• Club issue video ahead of clash

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Los Blancos return to La Liga action after the international break with a trip to Butarque to take on Leganes. Vinicius Jr will be part of the squad just weeks after narrowly missing out on winning the Ballon d'Or. Leganes have now had a bit of fun ahead of the game by releasing a video showing the prestigious award being captured and taken to the club's stadium, only to be swiped out of the Real Madrid dressing room by the one and only Super Pepino.

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• WHAT LEGANES SAID

  A caption at the end of the video reads simply: "Dear Real Madrid friends, they say that in Leganes dreams come true, but we hope it is not in this match…"

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Real Madrid were so unhappy at seeing Vinicius miss out on the prestigious award they ended up boycotting the ceremony, while the Brazilian was told to "get the Ballon d'Or out of his head" and focus on his football. Vinicius certainly did that last time out in La Liga, scoring a hat-trick in a 4-0 win for Madrid over Osasuna.

There is just one more game left of Euro 2024, and it's the big one. Will England be able to put decades of hurt behind them and go one better than they did in 2021? Or will Spain pick up a fourth European title in a tournament they came into as ranked outsiders?

However, the chips may fall on Sunday night; the Three Lions might not have made it that far were it not for the last-minute winner of Ollie Watkins on Wednesday.

The talented striker demonstrated a clinical edge that Arsenal's forwards could have used last season as they came agonizingly close to winning a title of their own.

However, while Mikel Arteta cannot call upon the Aston Villa ace next season, he may be able to call on someone like him, as the latest marksman touted for a move to N5 has been compared to the Englishman – oh, and he outscored Kai Havertz last year.

Arsenal's striker search

According to a report from Caught Offside earlier this week, Arsenal are still keen to bring in a new striker this summer, and one of the leading options on their list is Ajax's Brian Brobbey.

The report makes no mention of a potential price, but a separate story from the Sun claimed earlier this week that he'd be available for around £30m and that they are 'confident' of signing him.

Unfortunately, this report also revealed that Premier League rivals Manchester United are interested in the exciting Dutchman.

This interest from the Red Devils could make signing Brobbey slightly more complicated, but given his form last season, the fact he outscored Havertz, and the comparisons to Watkins, Arsenal should be looking to bring him to North London.

How Brobbey compares to Watkins

Now, before we compare Brobbey's goalscoring record to Havertz's, let's examine this comparison to the Villa ace and where it came from.

It mainly stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in last season's Europa Conference League competition and then created a list of the ten most comparable players for each one. They ranked Watkins as the number-one striker most similar to the Dutchman.

It's far easier to see the actual similarities when you take a look at the specific underlying number for which the pair rank very closely, such as expected goals, progressive passes, key passes, live passes, carries and aerial duels won, all per 90.

However, it's not just his similarity to the England ace that would make the 22-year-old a great signing; it's also his output.

In just 43 appearances last season, the Dutch "goal machine," as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, found the back of the net 22 times and provided 12 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.26 games for the Amsterdam outfit.

In contrast, Havertz, who, by the end of last season, was the Gunners' recognised number nine, scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 51 appearances, equating to a still good but less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.42 games.

Ultimately, Brobbey looks like he'd be an excellent signing for £30m based on his attacking output alone, but with the comparisons to England's latest hero on top of that, he feels like a player Arsenal cannot afford to miss out on.

Xhaka 2.0: Arsenal favourites to land “monster” Euros finalist

The impressive midfielder could fill the void left by the Swiss international.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 11, 2024

Celtic continued their impressive pre-season preparations for the new campaign with an excellent 4-3 win over Premier League giants Manchester City in the USA.

The Hoops have now scored 15 goals in their four pre-season matches, winning three and drawing one, ahead of their opening day clash with Kilmarnock at Parkhead next month.

Brendan Rodgers will be delighted with the result against Pep Guardiola's side and take plenty of positives from it, including two goals from Nicolas Kuhn and strikes from Kyogo Furuhashi and Luis Palma.

However, one player who let himself down in America and should now fear about his future as a starter for the Bhoys is central defender Liam Scales.

Liam Scales' howler against Man City

The Irish dud was caught out for City's first goal as he found himself too far away from Nico O'Reilly in the box and then failed to sort his feet out to clear Oscar Bobb's deflected effort, from O'Reilly's pass, off the line.

Maximo Perrone's goal for the Cityzens, their second of the night, also came from Scales failing to be close enough to his man as the defender gave the Argentine ace far too much time inside the box to pick out the bottom corner.

The former Aberdeen loanee was yet again at fault for the Premier League champions' third and final goal of the night as he allowed Erling Haaland to get the run on him for a header at the back post.

Scales, who was handed a match rating of 4/10 by CelticWay writer Ryan McGinlay, lost 100% (4/4) of his duels as he found the physicality of the game too much to handle.

Why Liam Scales should fear for his position

The Ireland international should now fear for the future of his position in the starting XI as Celtic have been linked with multiple centre-backs this summer.

Bournemouth's Chris Mepham and Burnley's Dara O'Shea are both reported to be transfer targets for the Scottish giants, with the former said to be valued at £8m and the latter set to cost a 'major' bid.

This suggests that they would be expensive additions who could come in with a view to them improving the starting XI immediately, which could spell trouble for Liam Scales.

As you can see in the table above, Scales did win the majority of his duels in the Scottish Premiership last season but there are also parts of defending that do not show on a stats sheet.

The first two Man City goals, for example, would not go down as him losing a duel or making a mistake but they both came through errors in judgement or positioning from the Irishman.

Celtic could land dream signing for McGregor in swoop for £6m star

The Hoops are reportedly in the mix to sign the American dynamo this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 23, 2024

Those kind of mistakes may be why Rodgers has been looking at central defenders to potentially come in and bolster the squad, and more performances like the one on Wednesday night from Scales will leave him open to being dropped from the side to make way for a Mepham or an O'Shea.

Another series of Ted Lasso is on the way, with Season 4 being “green-lit” but one popular character is still waiting on a call from Jason Sudeikis.

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• Writers ready to start working on script
• Process set to begin in early 2025
• Unclear whether Jamie Tartt will be back

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Speculation regarding a return to Apple TV+ for AFC Richmond has been raging for some time. Warner Bros executives are among those to have hinted at production starting early in 2025. It has now been confirmed that script writing should start “next year”.

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  THE GOSSIP

  Leading members of the cast and crew have been quick to air their excitement at news of Ted Lasso and Co coming back, with the likes of Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and Jeremy Swift said to have seen options taken up on their respective contracts.

• WHAT PHIL DUNSTER SAID

  Phil Dunster, who plays enigmatic striker Jamie Tartt, is yet to discover whether he will be involved in Season 4. He has, however, informed fans that more Lasso escapades are on the way, telling the podcast: “It’s been green-lit to write another series. It’s been announced that series 4 is going to be a thing. There’s been a commission to write the fourth series, whether that ends up being a show, I don't know. I don't know any of that stuff. I don't know if I'll be in it. There are certain members of the cast who have been re-upped, as it were. But yeah, I mean it's pretty good news I think in that it looks like it will happen. Season 4 is going be a thing. They start writing next year, I think. But yeah, other than that I don't really know anything.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Dunster added on the uncertainty surrounding his role: “Well, I'm doing a comedy with Bill Lawrence, who was one of the creators of Ted. So I'm doing that next. That's my next thing over on HBO. So I’m not one of those people who’s been re-upped. But also I say that with total love and acceptance that shows move on and things happen. I think that there was some belief at this time that it's because I had booked something else, that was [the reason] that I wasn't doing it. That wasn't the case.

  “I would always pick up that phone and I would always say ‘How high?’ if Jason said ‘jump’. But yeah, so I don't know. Who knows? I think that there is a world where something like that happens. I don't know which direction they're taking the show in, but there's lots of favourites of the characters who will still be in it. ‘We move’, as the kids say these days.”

Once a leading man up top for Sheffield Wednesday, it's fair to say Michael Smith has tumbled down the Owls pecking order as of late.

Under Darren Moore during Wednesday's triumphant promotion campaign up to the Championship, the ex-Rotherham United man would help himself to 17 strikes from 42 games. In stark contrast, last season, the towering centre-forward would only manage to register a meagre four goals.

There were attempts to remove him from the building in January, but a move to link back up with his former Millers manager in Paul Warne at Derby County never came to fruition, with his future now up in the air again at Hillsborough this off-season.

It's been no secret either that the South Yorkshire side are targeting new striker recruits too, with one deal potentially in the works.

Wednesday interested in ex-Cardiff City star

As per a recent report by AfricaFoot, Wednesday are very much keen on snapping up the services of Las Palmas striker Sory Kaba this transfer window, with a loan-to-buy move originally the preferred move for all parties involved.

However, as per football journalist Darren Witcoop, an unnamed Championship outfit have now put forward a £1.3m bid to the Spanish club to try and tempt Kaba to join.

This mysterious second-tier club could well be Danny Rohl's side, who are itching to bolster their centre-forward spots, having found it difficult to try and gain back Ike Ugbo on a permanent basis so far.

Football journalist Alan Nixon revealed that Ugbo's current employers in Troyes want a bumper £4.5m for the former Chelsea youth player, and so Kaba could represent a cheaper and more effective deal in the long run.

What Kaba could offer Wednesday

Struggling out in Spain, minus scoring an occasional beauty like the goal below, Kaba would surely welcome a return to the Championship after starring previously for Cardiff City.

He could become even more of a deadlier finisher partnered next to Anthony Musaba in attack, and with his lofty 6 foot 3 frame, he might well be the best possible Smith replacement.

The powerful Guinean forward would amass eight goals from only 17 games playing in the Welsh capital, instantly becoming a major fan's favourite for those with connections to the Bluebirds in the process.

That electric purple patch Kaba experienced in Wales further makes Smith's drop-off in form for Wednesday look even more concerning, considering the notorious sharpshooter at League One level only managed four goals in contrast to 14 more contests last season.

As well as bettering Smith's output for the season when last in the second tier, Kaba was also more effective for the Bluebirds as an imposing presence, with 5.9 total duels won on average per game for Cardiff, compared to Smith's lesser three per game.

Described as a potentially "smart addition" for the club by pundit Carlton Palmer, Kaba could even hit double digits for Wednesday next to Musaba, with Rohl aiming to get the African striker back to his best in South Yorkshire to fire his team up the league.

The former AS Monaco man would accumulate eight goals and five assists in all competitions during his debut Owls season, and with Kaba next to him, Rohl's men could be dynamite going forward this coming campaign, even with Ugbo remaining at Troyes and Smith potentially gone.

Sheffield Wednesday could land “fantastic” Ugbo alternative

Sheffield Wednesday could have this new striker recruit up their sleeve away from Ike Ugbo.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 28, 2024