Tottenham Hotspur have another leading contender to replace Ange Postecoglou alongside Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, according to The Telegraph.

Pressure on Ange Postecoglou after another Tottenham defeat

It hasn’t been a memorable second year in charge of Spurs for Postecoglou so far, with the club’s only chance of winning silverware coming in the Europa League. In the Premier League, Tottenham sit in the bottom half of the table and have done for large parts of the campaign.

The latest top-flight setback came at Craven Cottage against Fulham, with Rodrigo Muniz and former Spurs ace Ryan Sessegnon scoring in a 2-0 win for Marco Silva’s side.

Talking after the game, Postecoglou said: “I said to the players, I’m not going to let anyone just think about Europa and nothing else. We can’t let this league season go the way it has. We’ve lost way too many games, unacceptable.

“I understand the supporters’ frustrations with that. It was another day where we let a game get away from us when we shouldn’t. We had chances to go 1-0 up which would have put pressure on them, then they scored a really soft goal.

“Today the opposition haven’t blown us off the park. For 75 minutes we were where we wanted to be, the fact we came out of that game with nothing is disappointing.”

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Pressure does seem to be building on the Australian, especially if his side fail to win the Europa League in the final months of the season.

Contact has already been made with Iraloa’s agents over a potential move to north London, with the 42-year-old impressing on the south coast with the Cherries. However, Iraola isn’t the only serious candidate for Spurs.

Marco Silva a leading contender to replace Postecoglou at Tottenham

According to The Telegraph, Fulham boss Silva is another leading candidate for Tottenham, should they decide to make a change in the dugout.

Silva, who got the better of Spurs on Sunday to seal his third win over Tottenham, reportedly has a £6m release clause in his Fulham contract.

The Telegraph say that ‘there are doubts emerging over Silva’s future at Fulham’ and that ‘sources have cast doubt on Silva’s future at Fulham past this season’.

Spurs could potentially make their move if Postecoglou departs, although it remains to be seen if Fulham would ‘demand the full clause to let Silva leave, or whether Tottenham, or another club, would be prepared to pay it’.

Games

174

Wins

81

Draws

35

Losses

58

Goals scored per game

1.89

Goals conceded per game

1.46

Players used

65

Silva, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system and shares the same Gestifute agency as Jose Mourinho, has been with Fulham since 2021, managing more games for the Cottagers than any of his previous clubs, but a move away over the coming months, possibly to Spurs, could be one to watch.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo pode ter um importante reforço para tentar espantar a má fase no Brasileirão. Tiquinho Soares iniciou atividades com bola e o Departamento Médico do clube vai correr para colocar o camisa 9 com condições de jogar contra o Fortaleza, no próximo domingo, pela 25ª rodada do Brasileirão.

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+Ao L!, Textor explica motivos da saída de Erison do Botafogo: ‘Temos várias opções para marcador’

O L!apurou que o atacante fechou a última semana fazendo trabalhos separados com a bola – atividades que correspondem à fase final da transição. A tendência é que, se continuar neste ritmo, ele comece a treinar com o restante do grupo nesta semana.

Tiquinho, vale lembrar, chegou ao Botafogo sem condições de atuar por um problema muscular após se machucar no último jogo que fez pelo Olympiacos.

À época, o diretor de futebol do Botafogo afirmou que a previsão de retorno do atleta seria de três semanas. O tempo corresponde perto dessa partida contra o Fortaleza, mas a partida mais realista – de acordo com a previsão dada pelo dirigente – seria contra o América-MG, na próxima rodada.

De qualquer forma, a recuperação de Tiquinho Soares tem sido mais rápida do que o esperado. O camisa 9 já está superando a transição e vai passar a treinar de perto com os outros companheiros. Luís Castro, inclusive, comentou sobre a situação do atacante.

– Tiquinho ficou próximo de estar presente nesse jogo (Flamengo), junto do Matheus. Não conseguimos, apesar do bom trabalho do departamento de saúde. Ficamos só com o Júnior Santos, que tem só dois jogos. Hoje, teve oportunidade de fazer um gol, mas não foram muitas situações efetivas. O Tiquinho só começa a treinar com o restante do elenco a partir de terça-feira – considerou o técnico.

Ainda não há garantias, mas existem chances do camisa 9 estrear na Arena Castelão no próximo domingo.

R Ashwin’s 33rd five-wicket haul in Test cricket helped India bundle out West Indies for a mere 150 on the opening day of the first Test at Windsor Park, before an unbroken 80-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal further strengthened India’s grip on the match.Back in the playing XI after being left out for the World Test Championship final, Ashwin dismissed Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kraigg Brathwaite in the first session, Alzarri Joseph and debutant Alick Athanaze in the second, and then wrapped up the innings with the wicket of Jomel Warrican. As usual, he found good support from Ravindra Jadeja, who chipped in with three wickets.Twenty-four-year-old Athanaze was the only West Indies batter to offer any resistance. Last month, he had scored the joint-fastest half-century by anyone on ODI debut. On Wednesday, the left-hander showed he had the temperament for Test cricket as well. With wickets tumbling around him, Athanaze batted with a mix of caution and aggression but his stay came to an end when he top-edged a pull against Ashwin and was out for 47.Alick Athanaze in action on Test debut•Associated Press

When India came out to bat, Rohit did the bulk of the scoring initially as Jaiswal took 16 balls to open his account. The left-hander got off the mark by cutting Joseph over backward point for four, and increased his scoring rate as the innings progressed. By the end of the day, he had outscored his captain.The West Indies spinners, Rahkeem Cornwall and Warrican, found turn as well, but Rohit and Jaiswal faced few problems in dealing with them as the pitch had slowed down significantly by then. In the final over of the day, Jaiswal even reverse-swept Warrican for four.Earlier, Brathwaite won the toss and opted to bat first on a pitch with plenty of moisture in it. Mohammed Siraj found movement off the surface to beat Brathwaite’s outside edge three times in one over but he also strayed down the leg side more than once. Jaydev Unadkat was a lot more disciplined, bowling two maidens and conceding just four runs in his first four overs.Ashwin was introduced into the attack as early as the ninth over. He found Chanderpaul’s inside edge with his very first ball but it went past short leg.The offspinner, though, wasn’t to be denied for long. In his third over, Ashwin went wide of the crease from around the wicket and got the ball to land around middle stump. Chanderpaul looked to defend on the front foot but the ball turned just enough to beat the outside edge and hit the top of off. Having accounted for Shivnarine Chanderpaul four times in the past, Ashwin became the fifth bowler to dismiss a father-son pair in Test cricket.R Ashwin joined a small list of bowlers who’ve dismiss a father-son duo in Tests•AFP/Getty Images

Continuing around the wicket, Ashwin got rid of Brathwaite too. The West Indies captain tried to loft him over mid-on; instead, he ended up skying it to Rohit Sharma at extra cover.Shardul Thakur had Raymon Reifer caught behind in his first over, courtesy of a low catch by debutant Ishan Kishan, to make it 47 for 3. He could have had Jermaine Blackwood too but the leading edge just evaded a diving Shubman Gill at cover.On the last ball before lunch, however, Blackwood miscued Jadeja to the right of mid-off where Mohammed Siraj leapt in the air to take a one-handed stunner behind his body.Joshua Da Silva became Jadeja’s second victim soon after lunch. The wicketkeeper-batter went to cut Jadeja but extra bounce and little room resulted in an outside edge, which Kishan pouched on the second attempt.Ashwin too extracted prodigious turn in the second session, troubling both Athanaze and Holder. But the duo didn’t miss out on rare loose deliveries. Neither batter hesitated in taking the aerial route and added 41 for the sixth wicket to take West Indies past 100.The stand was broken when Holder fell into a short-ball trap laid by Siraj. The bowler banged one into the pitch and Holder pulled it straight into the hands of deep-backward square leg. A couple of overs later, Siraj hit Athanaze on the tip of the helmet with a bouncer as the batter took his eyes off the ball.While Alzarri Joseph, sent in ahead of Rahkeem Cornwall, could manage only four before Ashwin had him caught at short third, Athanaze was looking good for a half-century. He had the opportunity to reach there with a boundary when Ashwin bowled a short ball. Athanaze had pulled a similar delivery from Ashwin for four in the morning session, but this time he erred in execution.With West Indies eight down, Cornwall hit Ashwin for two fours in the first over after tea, but Kemar Roach and Warrican didn’t last long, falling to Jadeja and Ashwin, respectively, as the innings came to an end 25 minutes into the final session.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has explained the role that supposed "Agent" Jude Bellingham played in his transfer from Liverpool to Real Madrid.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Defender severed ties with Liverpool
• Embracing new challenge at the Bernabeu
• Linked up with Three Lions colleague

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After several months of intense speculation, as his contract at Anfield ran down, Alexander-Arnold confirmed that he would be leaving his Merseyside roots and taking on a new challenge at Santiago Bernabeu.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 26-year-old full-back has now been officially unveiled as a Real player, with the Blancos agreeing to part with a €10 million (£9m/$12m) fee in order to bring Alexander-Arnold onto their books before the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Alexander-Arnold is now linking up with England colleague and close friend Bellingham, with it suggested that the pair have been discussing a move to Spain for some time. The newest ‘Galactico’ in Madrid insists that is not the case.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD SAID

  Alexander-Arnold said when asked about the 'Agent Jude' reports: "We spoke, it wasn't exactly what people think it was. We spoke a lot about Liverpool and Madrid, they're the conversations you have as players and friends, you want to know what it's like.

  "At the national team, he was the only player who knew what it was like to be at Real Madrid so a lot were asking questions. A lot of people think he played a big part in me coming here but it was a big opportunity for me and it felt like the right time."

A 45-year-old has been given the backing by Oliver Glasner to replace Dougie Freedman at Crystal Palace, according to a new report.

Crystal Palace draw up a shortlist to replace Freedman

At the start of this week, the Eagles announced the news that Freedman, who has been at Selhurst Park since 2017, would be leaving his role as the club’s sporting director. The Scotsman has been a big part of Palace’s recent success in the transfer market, so the Premier League side will be keen to ensure they find a suitable replacement.

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Not long after Freedman’s departure was announced, it was reported that Steve Parish was interested in bringing Iain Moody back to Crystal Palace after he was sporting director between 2013 and 2014.

Moody is not the only name under consideration to replace Freedman, as according to Sky Sports, while Moody is named, Palace are also interested in Kieran Scott of Middlesbrough and Lee Dykes of fellow Premier League team Brentford, in what appeared to be a three-man shortlist.

45 y/o in pole position to replace Freedman at Crystal Palace

However, the options for the Eagles don’t stop there, as Football Insider now reports that Tim Steidten is not only under consideration but in pole position to become Crystal Palace’s new sporting director.

The report states that Glasner has given the green light for the club to appoint Steidten as Freedman’s replacement. The 45-year-old has recently found himself out of work after he left West Ham United, following the arrival of Graham Potter as manager.

Before joining the Hammers, the German worked as a scout, sporting director and director of football at Werder Bremen, as well as head of scouting and sports coordinator at Bayer Leverkusen. During his time at Leverkusen, Steidten was key in the club’s signing of Jeremie Frimpong and Moussa Diaby, to name just a few.

Steidten’s time at West Ham had some difficult moments, as it was well-publicised that he fell out with former manager David Moyes. So, Palace will hope that he can form a good partnership with Glasner, as they will not want to be looking for a new manager because of who they brought in as sporting director.

It has been claimed that Palace are looking to tie Glasner down to a new contract, so him getting on board with Steidten’s arrival could help the Eagles seal that contract negotiation, as the Austrian has managed to turn the club’s fortunes around this season.

They haven’t won a Test against India in the last 21 years but the Queen’s Park Oval pitch could help them change that

Hemant Brar19-Jul-2023Big pictureIt’s a historic occasion. The second Test between West Indies and India, in Port-of-Spain, will be the 100th Test between the two teams. Of the 99 played so far, West Indies have won 30 and India 23, while 46 have been draws.In the last 21 years, however, West Indies have not managed a single win against India. Their previous victory came in 2002, when Yashasvi Jaiswal, the Player of the Match in the first Test of the current series, was not even five months old.Since then, the two sides have met 24 times, with India winning on 15 occasions and drawing on the other nine. Given how the first Test went – India winning by an innings and 141 runs – West Indies will have to put in a serious effort to end that streak.Related

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Having said that, this could be one of their better chances to do so. The pitch at the Queen’s Park Oval has been, traditionally, conducive to fast bowling, and West Indies have a far more experienced seam-bowling attack in this series.Neither West Indies nor India play another Test for the next five months at least. So both teams will be looking to make the most of this opportunity, apart from pocketing some World Test Championship points. West Indies will be looking to achieve some stability with the bat, and India will hope that Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan spend a considerable time in the middle.Form guideWest Indies LLLWD (last five Tests, most recent first)
India WLDLWIn the spotlightThe world first took notice of Alick Athanaze when he topped the runs chart at the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. Last month, against UAE, he smashed the joint-fastest fifty by a batter on ODI debut. Then on his Test debut last week, against R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and a turning track, he showed he had the temperament for the long format as well. With wickets tumbling at the other end, he top-scored for West Indies in each innings with knocks of 47 and 28. Ian Bishop said he could be “a leading light in the years to come”, and West Indies will hope he proves Bishop right.In Dominica, Athanaze was impressive on a pitch that offered turn and bounce to spinners•Associated PressAt the same U-19 World Cup where Athanaze was the leading run-scorer, Shubman Gill was second on the list, and was named the Player of the Tournament. While it took Athanaze five years to make his international debut, Gill is already seen as the heir apparent to Virat Kohli. In the first Test, by asking to be moved down to No. 3, he took another step in that direction – experts believe the middle order is his natural home. But a failure in India’s only innings in Dominica meant he now averages 31.96 after 17 Tests. The good thing is he has all the time in the world and the backing of the team management.Team newsWith Raymon Reifer out of the squad, left-hand batter Kirk McKenzie could be in line for a debut. West Indies may also be tempted to bring in Shannon Gabriel for either Jomel Warrican or Rahkeem Cornwall. Meanwhile, uncapped offspin-bowling allrounder Kevin Sinclair will be on standby as a like-for-like replacement for Cornwall in case the latter is yet to fully recover from his chest infection.West Indies (probable): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Jermaine Blackwood, 5 Kirk McKenzie, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 8 Rahkeem Cornwall/Kevin Sinclair, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel/Jomel WarricanTwo days out from the Test, India captain Rohit Sharma said he was not looking to make “any drastic changes”. He also backed Ishan Kishan, saying he was “very impressed” with the wicketkeeper’s glovework. So it will not be a surprise if India field an unchanged XI.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Ishan Kishan (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Mohammed SirajPitch and conditionsWhile the Queen’s Park Oval has not hosted a Test since 2018, fast bowlers have always enjoyed the conditions here, registering a much better average (27.39) and strike rate (61.0) as compared to spinners (36.57 and 88.7). Rain is forecast on all five days of the Test, though.Stats and trivia Kohli (8555) needs 32 runs to go past Virender Sehwag’s Test tally of 8586. Among Indians, only Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and VVS Laxman have more Test runs. Ashwin is 14 short of 500 Test wickets. In Dominica, Athanaze became only the second West Indies batter to top-score in each innings of his Test debut. The first was Lawrence Rowe, who scored 214 and 100 not out against New Zealand at Sabina Park in 1972. India have won three of their 13 Tests at Queen’s Park Oval. Another win here will make it their joint-most-successful overseas Test venue alongside the MCG. England and Australia are the other two teams West Indies and India have met India 100 times in Tests.

أعلن الاتحاد الآسيوي لكرة القدم، عن موعد قرعة الملحق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026 المقام في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.

وتتواجد 6 منتخبات في الملحق، وهي إندونيسيا، العراق، عُمان، قطر، السعودية، والإمارات، وستُقام مباريات الملحق بنظام التجمع خلال الفترة من 8 إلى 14 أكتوبر 2025، حيث تستضيفها قطر والسعودية.

طالع.. المنتخبات المتأهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026 من قارة آسيا

وسيتم تقسيم المنتخبات إلى مجموعتين، تضم كل مجموعة ثلاثة فرق، ويتأهل متصدر كل مجموعة فقط إلى نهائيات كأس العالم وستُلعب المباريات بنظام الدوري من مرحلة واحدة. تصنيف المنتخبات في المحلق الآسيوي المؤهل لـ كأس العالم

ووفقًا لتصنيف الفيفا الخاص بقارة آسيا الصادر يوم 13 يونيو 2025، سيتم توزيع المنتخبات على ثلاثة مستويات، توضع في ثلاثة أوعية، كما يلي:

المستوى الأول: قطر، السعودية.

المستوى الثاني: العراق، الإمارات.

المستوى الثالث: عُمان، إندونيسيا.

وسيُراعى في القرعة عدم وقوع قطر والسعودية في نفس المجموعة باعتبارهما المضيفتين.

ومن المنتظر أن تُجرى قرعة إضافية عقب ملحق المجموعات لتحديد مستضيفي مباراتي الذهاب والإياب في الملحق الإقصائي. موعد قرعة الملحق الآسيوي المؤهل لكأس العالم

تقام القرعة في مقر الاتحاد الآسيوي في العاصمة الماليزية كوالالمبور، حيث تُسحب عند العاشرة صباح يوم الخميس 17 يوليو 2025 بتوقيت السعودية والقاهرة.

One of the areas of their squad that Manchester United might look to upgrade in the summer is their midfield. Ruben Amoim has chopped and changed his pivot since taking over as manager, with Bruno Fernandes being the only consistent option in the middle of the park.

Next to Fernandes, the new United boss has either deployed Manuel Ugarte, who does have his limitations on the ball, or Casemiro, who has become a more prominent part of the squad again in recent weeks. That said, it was reported in February that the Brazilian could see out the remainder of his contract at Old Trafford.

Other options in the centre of the park include Kobbie Mainoo, who is currently out injured and Toby Collyer. Therefore, it will come as no surprise that United are linked with a new midfielder for the summer.

Man Utd's midfield target

So, United could be set to bring in a new player to strengthen in midfield over the summer, to supplement Amorim’s options in the middle of the park.

Transfer Focus

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

One name who has been linked to a switch to Old Trafford is Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha.

According to Sky Germany’s Patrick Berger, the Red Devils are believed to be ‘interested’ in signing the German this summer. He reports that the club ‘have him on their shortlist’ ahead of the transfer window.

As Berger notes in the story, ‘there has been no contact yet’ between United and Dortmund.

However, the midfielder is likely to cost around £42m if he is to leave Signal Iduna Park, which could become likely if BVB fail to qualify for Europe.

Why Nmecha would be a good signing for Man Utd

Despite Dortmund’s struggles this season, it has been an impressive season for Nmecha. Often playing as the deepest midfielder for the Bundesliga giants, he has featured 27 times across all competitions, scoring three times and grabbing two assists.

Goals are not necessarily a key feature of the midfielder’s game; he has only scored eight in his professional career.

However, when he does score, they are often worth a watch. Take his goal against Freiburg as an example. Nmecha picked up the ball from outside the penalty box and curled a shot home into the bottom left corner.

Interestingly, Nmecha has already had experience of English football. He spent several years playing for Manchester City’s academy, even featuring three times in the first team under Pep Guardiola, before making a move back to Germany, originally joining Wolfsburg before signing for Dortmund.

This could also make negotiations for the player run smoother from United’s point of view. As Berger explained in his report, the Red Devils’ technical director, Jason Wilcox, ‘knows him well’, given he was once the head of the City academy.

Should United complete a deal to sign Nmecha, they might find they have signed their own version of Jude Bellingham, not so much in the way they play, but rather in the fact both honed their crafts at Dortmund.

The England international played for the German side 132 times, scoring and assisting 24 times each, and has since gone on to achieve great things at Real Madrid. Bellingham has played 81 times for Los Blancos, with 34 goals and 24 assists to his name, and multiple titles.

Well, like the former Birmingham City star, Nmecha might not be the player we see today, without his time at Dortmund. In total, he has played 56 times, with nine goals and assists from his deeper role, and three Germany caps to his name.

There are similarities between the pair, however, despite the fact they are different styles of midfielder. Perhaps most notable is that both players are powerful box-to-box ball-carriers. As per FBref, Nmecha averages one take-on per 90 minutes this season, and Bellingham 1.72 per game. They also perform a similar amount of defensive work, notably when it comes to tackling.

Perhaps there is something about signing midfielders from Dortmund because Bellingham’s impact in Madrid has been superb. The Red Devils will surely be hoping the same can be said about Nmecha if they were to sign the 24-year-old in the summer.

As football scout Antonio Mango said, he is a “terrific talent”, who could transfer United’s midfield ahead of a big 2025/26 campaign.

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حسم ماسيميليانو أليجري، المدير الفني العائد إلى ميلان، الجدل حول مستقبل الثنائي مايك ماينان ورافائيل لياو، بعد ارتباط اسميهما بالانتقال إلى تشيلسي وبرشلونة خلال سوق الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية.

وكانت هناك أنباء عن رغبة برشلونة في التعاقد مع لياو بعد فشل صفقة، نيكو ويليامز، في حين أن تشيلسي كان يبحث عن حارس مرمى مميز واتجهت الأنظار نحو ماينان.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ميلان يدرس التعاقد مع لاعب برشلونة

وقال أليجري في مؤتمره الصحفي الأول أمام الإعلام الإيطالي: “أنا سعيد جدًا لأن ماينان قرر البقاء، إنه واحد من أفضل حراس المرمى في أوروبا، وأشكر إدارة النادي على تمسكها به، وجوده عنصر استقرار مهم بالنسبة لنا”.

وأضاف أليجري: “لياو لاعب استثنائي، وأنا مقتنع بأنه سيقدم موسمًا رائعًا، لقد نضج كثيرًا، وتحدثت معه هذا الصباح، وكل الظروف مهيأة أمامه ليتألق، هذه الفترة بين 26 و30 عامًا هي الأهم لأي لاعب، وأعتقد أنه أصبح أكثر مسؤولية”.

وفي ملف خط الوسط، كشف المدرب الإيطالي عن الموعد المتوقع لوصول اللاعب الكرواتي المخضرم مودريتش، وأهميته بالنسبة للفريق، قائلًا: “ننتظر وصول لوكا في أغسطس بعد مشاركته في كأس العالم للأندية، هو لاعب لا يحتاج إلى تعريف، وسيمثل إضافة هائلة لنا بجانب لوفتوس تشيك، بوندو وفوفانا”.

واختتم أليجري حديثه بالتأكيد على أن ميلان سيعتمد على ثلاثي في خط الوسط هذا الموسم، مع مرونة تكتيكية وفقًا لمتطلبات المباريات، مشيرًا إلى أن هدفه هو “إعادة الفريق إلى منصة التتويج محليًا وأوروبيًا”.

GOAL runs through the winger's possible next destinations after what appears to be the final nail in the coffin of his career at Etihad Stadium

"Of course, Jack has to play. He's an unbelievable player who has to play football every three days. It didn't happen this season and last season either," Pep Guardiola said after leaving Jack Grealish out of Manchester City's squad for their 2-0 win over Fulham on the final day of the Premier League season. "He needs to do it. With us or another place. It's a question for Jack, his agent and the club."

That was the politest possible way of saying 'you're not needed here anymore'. The final confirmation of that came on Wednesday, as Grealish was omitted from Guardiola's 27-man list of travelling players for the Club World Cup in the United States.

A new era is starting at City, who have already spent £116 million ($158m) on four new players this summer, and Grealish won't be part of it. It's a sad state of affairs for the 29-year-old, not only because he is not leaving on his own terms, but because he has arguably wasted the best years of his career trying to be something he's not under a manager known for discouraging freedom of expression.

Grealish struggled to adjust after completing his British-record £100m ($136m) transfer from Aston Villa to the Etihad in 2021, and although he played his part in City's historic treble success in 2022-23, the last two seasons have been completely miserable for the England international. Indeed, he was restricted to just seven Premier League starts in 2024-25 after falling behind Savinho and Jeremy Doku in the attacking pecking order, and failed to make the most of the rare chances he did get.

The unpredictable genius who thrilled Premier League crowds at Villa has been zapped of all confidence, and he's also surrendered his place in the England squad as a result. But all is not lost yet. Grealish can still get back to his scintillating best if he picks the right new club, and GOAL is on hand to rank the eight options available to the City outcast…

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  8Saudi Pro League

  According to , Grealish could make a fresh start outside of European football if he wishes. That's because Al-Qadsiah have expressed an interest in the winger – the Saudi Arabia-based club who finished fourth in the Pro League and reached the King's Cup final last season.

  Grealish could link up with ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Real Madrid legend Nacho at Al-Qadsiah, both of whom have enjoyed impressive debut campaigns in the Middle East. Several other top players have thrived individually in Saudi over the last couple of years, not least Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been able to prolong his illustrious career by banging in the goals for fun at Al-Nassr.

  There is obviously a huge financial allure, too, and no one would begrudge Grealish if he decided to set his family up for life. But it would be a monumental waste of his talent, especially entering a World Cup year. If Grealish wants to be on the England plane to North America next summer, he has to stay in Europe's top five leagues and recapture the form that made him a household name at Villa.

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  7AC Milan

  A new challenge in Italy may also appeal to Grealish amid strong links to AC Milan, where he could reunite with former England team-mates Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori. Their presence would allow Grealish to settle into his new surroundings quickly, and it's likely he'd see regular minutes right from the off amid a lack of strength in depth in the final third for the Rossoneri.

  That being said, it would be a big risk. Milan won't be playing European football next season after slumping to an eighth-place finish in Serie A, and they've become far too reliant on United States star Christian Pulisic to deliver them positive results.

  The return of pragmatic head coach Massimiliano Allegri is not ideal for Grealish, either. He's lost his identity as a system player at City, and swapping one strict tactical set-up for another may only ensure he continues to stagnate.

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  6Aston Villa

  The romantic homecoming often proves impossible to resist; just ask Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, and Neymar. Familiarity can often spark a turnaround in fortunes, so it's no surprise Grealish is reportedly open to returning to Aston Villa, where he racked up 75 goal involvements in 213 appearances between 2013 and 2021.

  Unai Emery is said to rate Grealish highly, and he would certainly add some extra creativity to the Villa forward line, but getting a deal done may be beyond the Midlands club at this stage. As per , Villa are making it a priority to reduce their wage bill after failing to qualify for the Champions League left them in danger of breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

  Grealish is reportedly earning £300,000 a week at City, so unless he takes a massive pay cut or Villa sell a number of key players, this particular homecoming deal will remain little more than a pipe dream.

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  5Newcastle

  Newcastle will be back in the Champions League next season, and desperately need to bolster their options on the flanks to improve on their disappointing showing in the competition in 2023-24, especially with Anthony Gordon emerging as a target for Arsenal and Tottenham. claims that Eddie Howe may turn to Grealish, and Newcastle are one of the few clubs with the financial might to match his wage demands.

  That being said, the report adds that Newcastle would prefer a loan deal because they do not have much headroom left for transfer fees under PSR. It remains to be seen if City will be open to keeping Grealish on their books for another year, especially after Guardiola's recent insistence that he will quit if the squad is not trimmed down.

  City may also be wary of strengthening a direct rival. When fully fit and firing, Grealish box-office maverick who could potentially help Newcastle make the next step towards title contention and become a cult hero for the Toon Army.