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Nottingham Forest are now poised to sign a “brilliant” midfielder in an out-of-window move, with an announcement expected imminently.

More changes expected at Forest despite transfer window closing

The transfer window came to a close on Monday evening, and Forest are likely to be happy with the business they’ve done, with Evangelos Marinakis spending heavily to ensure Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are competitive once again this season.

The Tricky Trees were particularly busy on deadline day, securing the signings of two full-backs in the form of Cuiabano and Oleksandr Zinchenko, while also bringing in winger Dilane Bakwa from Strasbourg.

With Bakwa joining, you would perhaps expect Marinakis to have sanctioned the departure of fellow winger Jota Silva, but there have now been suggestions the owner cost the Portuguese forward his dream move to Sporting CP.

As such, Jota is continuing to explore his options, and there are more changes expected at The City Ground, despite the transfer window ending, with Taiwo Awoniyi thought to be attracting attention.

Not only that, but there is also a new arrival expected in the very near future, with a report from Football Insider revealing Nottingham Forest have now agreed an out-of-window deal to sign Rangers midfielder Blaine McClure.

An announcement is expected imminently, with McClure set to move to The City Ground on a loan deal to begin with, with a view to joining permanently at some point in the future.

Just 18-years-old, the starlet is regarded as an exciting young talent by national side Northern Ireland and Rangers, but he is set to be a part of the youth set-up at Forest to begin with.

"Brilliant" McClure is one for the future

Given that the Northern Irishman is yet to make a first-team appearance for Rangers, he is unlikely to be a part of Nuno’s plans anytime soon, but there are signs he could be an exciting long-term addition to the squad.

Former Linfield player Glenn Ferguson spoke particularly fondly of the central midfielder during their time working together at the Northern Irish club, saying he has a “brilliant attitude”, before also adding: “I always call Blaine the ‘wee old man’. He is small in stature but has a massive heart.

£6m Nottingham Forest ace desperate to leave, Marinakis cost him dream move

A Forest player is now pushing for an exit…

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 3, 2025

“And when you see him playing, some of the tackles would scare you. He is afraid of nobody and he can dictate games with the way he gets on the ball and makes things happen.”

Given that McClure has just 13 senior appearances to his name, which came on loan at Scottish League One side Kelty Hearts last season, he is almost certainly some way off first-team level at a club like Forest, but he clearly has plenty of potential.

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O São Paulo enfrenta o Santos neste domingo (16), às 16h, no Morumbi, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, buscando defender uma boa série recente que tem contra o rival jogando em casa.

+ Veja os 20 melhores jogadores do Brasileirão no século 21 segundo o ChatGPT

Nos últimos oito jogos entre as duas equipes, o Tricolor venceu seis, empatou um e penser apenas uma partida, conseguindo um aproveitamento de 79%. Nesse período, que pega desde a temporada de 2018, o São Paulo marcou 16 gols e sofreu apenas sete do Santos.

+ Para os tricolores paulistas apaixonados: produtos a partir de R$39,90 na FutFanatics!

No último jogo, o São Paulo venceu por 3 a 1, em duelo disputado pelo Campeonato Paulista. Na ocasião, Calleri marcou o primeiro do São Paulo. Depois, Galoppo aumentou a vantagem de pênalti e Luan fez o terceiro. Rwan Seco descontou para o Santos batendo pênalti nos acréscimos.

Relembre os últimos jogos no Morumbi:

São Paulo 3 x 1 Santos – Paulista 2023
São Paulo 2 x 1 Santos – Brasileirão 2022
São Paulo 1 x 1 Santos – Brasileirão 2021
São Paulo 4 x 0 Santos – Paulista 2021
São Paulo 0 x 1 Santos – Brasileirão 2020
São Paulo 2 x 1 Santos – Paulista 2020
São Paulo 3 x 2 Santos – Brasileirão 2019
São Paulo 1 x 0 Santos – Brasileirão 2018

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in extending Richards' stay, but is that the best move for the USMNT centerback?

There's no debating or denying it anymore: Chris Richards is a very good centerback. He's not potentially good – he's the genuine article. The 25-year-old defender has spent the last six months or so proving that with both the U.S. men's national team and Crystal Palace.

And to his credit, he's proven so quite effectively for both, whether that's in the Premier League, the FA Cup (which he won last season), the Gold Cup, or beyond. So now, with the World Cup knocking and bigger opportunities seemingly on the horizon, is this Richards' level, one he can maintain for the rest of his career? Or could there be something more? 

Crystal Palace are betting that the answer to that last question is "yes". According to Football Insider, the club is hoping to tie Richards down to a new contract, one that he's fully earned based on his play over the last few months. While it would certainly include a deserved pay raise, the American will no doubt have to dissect what extending with Palace would mean for his future.

Having watched teammate Marc Guehi nearly become a Liverpool player in a failed deadline day transfer, Richards could certainly be wondering if he, too, could make a similar leap. And he might be wondering about the timing.

He only has to look at another USMNT player, star left back Antonee Robinson, who perhaps bided his time a bit too long in waiting to leave Fulham for a megaclub. Former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha weighed in on the comparison, suggesting both U.S. defenders could benefit from testing themselves in the Champions League.

"With Chris as well, playing in that back three for Palace, that's one of the best back threes in the Premier League… Defensively, very, very solid," Onuoha told GOAL in August. "He understands his role in his club perfectly, which is where I think he deserves a ton of credit. And I think for the two of them, the only thing that's sort of missing from them, I think, is a different sort of test.

"Because of the two clubs that they play for, there is a level of expectation, but it's more of a tamed one. So it'd be interesting to see if they ever make a step up to a team and, say, push for the Champions League, one that, like almost expects to be winning trophies every year. How would that affect their performance?"

So what's next for Richards? It's worth examining, particularly as he continues his rise as one of the Premier League's most steady defenders.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Growing into his game

  The change really started last year. Palace assistant Paddy McCarthy pulled Richards aside. The American defender, in his eyes, wasn't as good as he could be.

  "He asked me, 'What do you want to do?'" Richards told GOAL this summer. "He was like, 'Do you want to captain your country? Do you want to play in the World Cup or do you just want to be a guy on a roster?' No, I want more. But he said that I need to prove it. He fully believed in me. 'Do you just want to be a guy that plays every few games, or do you want to be a captain?' I want to be captain, and he said, 'Well, show me'.

  "It hurt, but it was something I had to learn. I'm glad I had that conversation because I don't think I'd be where I'm at now if we didn't. I don't know where I'd be right now."

  Palace are thankful Richards is where he is, of course. He was a key part of the club's FA Cup run last year, helping the club win its first major trophy. He was then steady as can be in the Community Shield, helping Palace top Liverpool to bring home even more silverware. And now, to start the Premier League season, he's been one of England's best in these early weeks, helping Palace to a hot start.

  The eye test shows how good Richards has been. So, too, have the stats.

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  The numbers

  As a defender, there's one real stat that matters: clean sheets. The job, ultimately, is to prevent goals. In just nine games across all competitions, Richards and Palace haven't allowed the other team to score in five.

  Among the victims? Chelsea and Aston Villa – and, if you want to get technical, you could include Japan, too, from Richards' September run in a USMNT shirt.  There was a clean sheet against Fredikstad, too, to help Palace seal a spot in the Europa Conference League.

  In terms of individual statistics, it's easy to see where Richards shines: swatting away attacks. Per FBRef, he's in the 96th percentile in blocks, 91st in tackles, 77th in clearances, and 75th in aerials won. That paints the picture of a no-nonsense centerback, one who does the right things defensively as one of the outside defenders in Palace's back three.

  There is some attacking presence, too. Richards scored a pair of big goals for the USMNT this summer, netting from a set piece against Saudi Arabia before then scoring in the Gold Cup finale defeat to Mexico. He scored another for Palace, helping his side to a 1-1 Carabao Cup draw and eventual shootout win over Millwall in the competition's third round.

  After scoring just one goal in each of the last two seasons, Richards has one before October has hit and, if his set-piece prowess is any indication, he might get a few more this season, too. Palace, in particular, have become one of the Premier League's best at attacking set pieces. Richards is a part of that.

  "Sometimes," Richards told GOAL this summer, "you just have to blow someone up and say 'F*ck it'.

  With that mentality apparent each time he takes the field, Richards has become a mainstay for Palace, and they hope to keep it that way.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Contract speculation

  With Guehi's exit seemingly imminent as he nears the end of his deal, Palace's plan is simple: keep Richards. With the club making a European charge, currently in fifth place and hoping for a chance at more continental soccer, Palace know they need to find a way to keep their best players if they are to improve. Richards, meanwhile, is one of their best players likely to stay if Palace act.

  Richards' deal runs through 2027, but Palace, more than anyone perhaps, know how hard it is to keep players, particularly nearing the end of deals. Guehi nearly joining Liverpool this summer before Palace reportedly blocked the move.

  The club has already lost stars like Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze in recent years, and losing any others will threaten to derail the progress they made leading up to that FA Cup crown.

  What's best for Palace, though, isn't always what's best for the player. Guehi's ambitions were shot down, of course, as he was prevented from joining the Premier League title favorites. Palace aren't going to be in that conversation soon, and after seeing Guehi get that type of attention, could Richards – the same age as the England defender – command similar interest?

  There haven't been any transfer talk circulating yet, but if it does before Richards puts pen to paper, it would hypothetically give him a lot to think about. His longtime international teammate, Robinson, for example, likely missed his chance at a bigger move by committing his future to Fulham for one too many windows.

  Now 28, that move seems less likely, which may not be a bad thing, but it is something that does command a "what if?" Richards, too, may be a player capable of playing at a higher level. It's something he'll have to mull over if he continues to show his worth with Palace in the Premier League.

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  The USMNT angle

  At the moment, there's no doubting Richards' USMNT place. Whether it's in a back two or a back three, Richards is likely the only locked-in central defender on the road to 2026. He earned that right this past summer when he stepped into a leadership role in a way he hadn't prior to that Gold Cup run.

  "Honestly, I'm just me," Richards told GOAL this summer. "It's not something where I have to step out of myself and do extra. I'm myself, but just a little bit more vocal. I've also gotten to a point where I can just be a leader and be more vocal rather than letting a captain do it. There can be three or four captains on the field. That's what makes a great team – more than one guy stepping up to the plate.

  "I understand I'm a leader, and I want to act like it. Regardless of who's on the team at the World Cup next year, I still want to be that person. I came into this summer with the confidence to say, 'Man, I'm doing my own f*cking thing and I’m going to be me'. Like, I'm going to earn my spot, but I'm also going to try and be captain or whatever the case may be."

  Captain or not, Richards is an integral part of the USMNT. He's one of the few locked-in starters, and given his age and development, there's reason to believe that there's still plenty of room to get even better. If he does, though, it'll force him into some tough decisions regarding the next phase of his career.

Chelsea are currently undergoing a hectic last 13 days of the summer transfer window, as BlueCo attempt to agree a host of incomings and outgoings.

The west Londoners have balanced out their near-£280 million spend on new signings over the last few months with a major influx of cash.

Chelsea’s triumph at the Club World Cup yielded prize money of around £87.5 million, adding to their estimated £80m revenue from qualifying for the Champions League and £220 million raised through player sales.

Cash isn’t the issue when it comes to adding more new signings to Enzo Maresca’s squad before the deadline on September 1, but their pact with UEFA is.

Chelsea must produce a positive transfer balance by the end of the window, or they won’t be able to register new signings for their Champions League squad. This is part of the settlement Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital reached after Chelsea were found guilty of breaching FFP rules last month.

Simply put, the Blues must sell before they can buy right now. Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Alfie Gilchrist and potentially Tyrique George are all up for grabs from Chelsea, either on loan or permanently.

All the aforementioned players could join Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Mathis Amougou, Djordje Petrovic, João Félix, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu out the door.

Their success when it comes to trimming the squad will have a knock-on effect when it comes to Chelsea’s moves for Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons.

Chelsea have been in talks to sign both Simons and Garnacho over the last fortnight, and the attackers have already agreed personal terms on switches to Stamford Bridge.

However, as Chelsea attempt to get the likes of Jackson and Nkunku out to make space, it appears both men are in limbo right now and waiting to seal their desired moves to London.

Chelsea pledge to make official bid for Xavi Simons soon

Sky Germany have an intriguing update on this, and they reassure supporters that Chelsea’s move for Simons remains very much alive despite the delay.

The 22-year-old, who is Leipzig’s highest-ever paid player on a contract worth £192,000-per-week, has indeed already agreed personal terms to join Maresca’s side – and it is believed that Chelsea have promised to make an official offer to Simons’ club soon.

Sky give a timeframe as to when this transfer could start moving, and they estimate that the dominos will start falling into place after Leipzig’s Bundesliga opener against Bayern Munich on Friday.

The former PSG sensation is expected to play for Leipzig against Vincent Kompany’s German champions, and this could well act as a farewell game for Simons before his potentially imminent move to the Premier League.

It is set to be a very entertaining end to the summer for Chelsea, coming amid Maresca’s serious desire to sign a new centre-back as well, which he’s made public to the media in light of Levi Colwill’s ACL injury.

Chelsea are seen as a dream landing spot for one player who’s actively pushing to join Enzo Maresca’s side this summer, according to a new report on Wednesday.

£50m Chelsea man close to agreeing exit as BlueCo eye "unplayable" replacement

The west Londoners are planning to go for a Premier League star.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 29, 2025

The west Londoners are showcasing major ambition in the transfer market yet again, as has been the ongoing theme since Clearlake Capital’s takeover from Roman Abramovich in 2022.

After sealing a triple deal worth £145 million for Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro over the past few weeks, Maresca’s side are by no means done there, with reports suggesting they could still bring in multiple new attackers.

Much has been made of Chelsea’s serious spending, but going by the books, they’re in very good stead to invest even more cash into rejuvenating the squad.

Their often underrated status as an excellent selling club has yielded close to £130 million this window alone, with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic, Mathis Amougou and João Félix all departing for pastures new so far.

Countless more fringe Chelsea players have been tipped to follow them as well, so BlueCo are likely to raise further funds from now until deadline day on September 1.

This, combined with their earnings from qualifying for the Champions League and £87.5m windfall from winning the Club World Cup, gives Chelsea the financial freedom to sign more players whilst sailing beneath the PSR threshold.

Whilst Chelsea are also forced to sell squad members after a settlement with UEFA for breaking FFP rules, they’re still in a very healthy position.

According to reports, their hefty cashflow will be partly reinvested into signing versatile Ajax defender Jorrel Hato.

The Netherlands international is closing in on a move to Stamford Bridge, and barring any last-gasp surprises, it is expected to happen pretty shortly.

Now, TEAMtalk has shared some further background on the story as Chelsea attempt to finalise a deal.

Jorrel Hato "now personally trying to force" Chelsea transfer

According to the news outlet, Hato is “now personally trying to force” a transfer to Chelsea in an attempt to wrap up his London move in quick fashion.

The 19-year-old, who would reportedly join as both a centre-back and alternative option to Marc Cucurella, is “pushing hard” to join Chelsea after agreeing personal terms – so much so that Ajax have reduced his initial £43 million asking price.

Chelsea, for their part, are prepared to go higher than their original valuation of £35m – which is the main reason why both sides are now seriously nearing an agreement.

Despite his teenage status, Hato already possesses a wealth of top-level and even Champions League experience, having made over a century of first-team appearances for the Eredivisie giants.

The Dutchman’s eagerness to join Chelsea is also a very encouraging sign for both supporters and Maresca that he’s ready to battle for his place in the squad, potentially keeping the likes of Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah firmly on their toes.

A 142-run fifth-wicket stand between the century-making Tom Westley and Paul Walter rescued Essex from impending doom and into a commanding position in their weather-interrupted Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire.Westley’s unbeaten 108 from 214 balls, his highest score of the season so far, held together an Essex innings that was in danger of imminent collapse at 86 for 4 when the pair came together. Westley had himself arrived in the sixth over and was still there 68 overs later with Essex 262 for 5 at the close of a day when the players trudged on and off the field at irregular intervals.Walter’s big hitting under the Chelmsford floodlights bought him 10 fours and a six in his 72 from 106 balls, his third half-century in his last six innings and only eclipsed by a century against Durham in June.It became a day of toil for Nottinghamshire, but pace bowler Rob Lord, 23, in only his second Championship game, looked lively and claimed two of the first four Essex wickets to fall. He finished the day with figures of 2 for 53 from 15 overs.On a predominantly overcast and damp day, foreshortened by 22 overs, Nottinghamshire elected to put Essex in as they sought only their second victory of a relegation-threatened season, though they were considerably buoyed by a battling draw against Surrey last week.When play started 70 minutes late because of light drizzle that fell immediately after the 10.30am toss, Essex lost Dean Elgar cheaply when he dragged Lord to mid-on where Haseeb Hameed ran round to take the catch sliding on his knees. Fellow opener Robin Das had just been reprieved by a drop in the slips straight after lunch when he got a thicker edge to one from Lyndon James and was snaffled at second slip for 20.The giant figure of Luke Fletcher bowled unchanged for 13 overs either side of lunch, having Westley in some discomfort – notably with one that smacked into the Essex captain’s box – on a green-tinged wicket initially helping the seamers. He was finally rewarded when Matt Critchley left alone a delivery that jagged back.Debutant Luc Benkenstein’s maiden scoring shot in first-class cricket was a delightful pull for four, but next ball he nicked Lord thinly through to the wicketkeeper.The scoring improved as the conditions eased and the Kookaburra ball softened in the afternoon and Westley and Walter put on the first fifty of their partnership in just six overs. Westley’s own half-century took 79 balls and included five fours, one a particularly satisfying, flowing off-drive against his erstwhile nemesis Fletcher.Walter also played his way in carefully before whipping James off his legs for a first boundary and then twice elegantly lofting Farhan Ahmed to the rope behind the bowler.When Westley pulled Lord to fine leg it marked the pair’s century partnership in 26 overs. Next ball, Walter pulled the bowler through square leg for his eighth boundary to bring up a 65-ball fifty. He then welcomed the introduction of Liam Patterson-White’s spin with a four and a six to long-off.The pair were finally parted after 42 overs when Walter went to sweep Ahmed but got a leading edge as the ball looped up to gully. However, soon afterwards some careless fielding by the visitors handed Westley five runs courtesy of overthrows which took him to three figures from 193 balls.

If approved, this would be the highest number of retentions allowed in the tournament’s history

Nagraj Gollapudi28-Sep-2024

The ten IPL teams will likely be allowed five retentions each as well as the option of using one right-to-match card during the IPL 2025 auction. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the IPL is most likely looking at approving this option as soon as it finalises the retention rules ahead of the mega auction for the 2025 season.It could not yet be confirmed how many Indian players can be part of the set of retained players or whether there will be a cap on retained overseas players. What is also unknown are the retention slabs. The overall purse, it is understood, will be INR 120 crore.Related

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If the IPL governing council, which was expected to meet this weekend in Bengaluru ahead of the BCCI’s annual general meeting on Sunday, approves this 5 + 1 model, it would be highest number of retentions allowed in the tournament’s history.Ahead of the 2017 mega auction to pick squads for IPL 2018, five retentions were allowed, with a combination of up to three direct retentions or three RTM cards, with a cap of three Indian players.The RTM option, which allows the franchise the ability to buy back its player during the auction by matching the highest bid made for the player by another franchise, once the bidding is over, was discarded by IPL ahead of the 2022 mega auction. The eight existing teams were allowed to retain a maximum of four players each, while Gujrat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants, the two new franchises, were given the option of selecting three players from the rest of the player pool before the auction. The purse for the 2022 auction was set at INR 90 crore, INR 10 crore more than in 2017.While the IPL is understood to have indicated to the franchises the possibility of the player auction taking place around late November, it has delayed finalising and sharing the retention rules. This despite the IPL telling franchises during a meeting with team owners and representatives in Mumbai on July 31 that retention rules would be finalised and shared by the end of August.Incidentally, the RTM card was one of the key points debated at the July meeting. It is understood that at least three franchises were in favour of having up to eight RTMs, but several other franchises objected to the idea. Among them was Sunrisers Hyderabad, whose owner Kavya Maran said her franchise would favour seven RTMs while adding that there should be no restriction on how overseas or Indian players were retained.Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal said he was not in favour of the IPL retaining the Impact Player rule, which allows teams to field an extra specialist batter or bowler during a match, a factor that has contributed to record totals in the last two seasons.One other significant point, which the IPL informed franchises it was in favour of bringing back, was the rule pertaining to capped Indian players who have retired from international cricket or not played international cricket for five years being categorised as uncapped. The rule had been scrapped by the IPL after the 2021 season. If this rule is brought back, it could allow Chennai Super Kings to potentially retain their talisman and former captain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player, which could allow them to have a strong purse going into the auction. In 2017 the IPL had listed INR 3 crore as the price for an uncapped player retention which was increased to INR 4 crore in 2021.

Crystal Palace could make an approach for a defender imminently, as they are very interested in securing his signature, according to reporter Gianluca Di Marzio.

Palace looking to bolster defensive options

There is still a great deal of doubt over Marc Guehi’s future at Selhurst Park, with Newcastle United and Liverpool set to battle it out for the centre-back, who has made it clear he is unwilling to sign a new deal, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Romano said: “Also, I can tell you that Marc Guehi is not going to sign a new contract at Crystal Palace. It’s a big opportunity for Palace to sell the player this summer and not to lose him on a free in 2026; and for Liverpool there’s a chance to attack the situation and get the player for a good transfer fee.”

As such, Oliver Glasner is looking to bring in a replacement for his captain, and there is a great deal of interest in Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande, with a £47m deal for the 21-year-old believed to be in the works.

Not only is a new centre-back of interest, but the Eagles are also looking to bolster their options at left-back, with Borna Sosa now believed to be on the verge of arriving from Ajax, having been given permission to move to Selhurst Park.

According to Di Marzio (via Sport Witness), Crystal Palace are very interested in signing Davide Calabria too, with the right-back now a free agent after his AC Milan contract expired at the end of June.

Palace could make a move for Calabria very soon, with the defender available on a free transfer, as there could be heavy competition for his signature – Celta Vigo, Real Betis and Mallorca are also named as potential suitors.

Related Crystal Palace now line up £27m swoop for "terrific" defender and "monster"

The Eagles are looking at making a double signing, having scouted two players at the U21 European Championships.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jul 2, 2025 Calabria could be solid signing for Crystal Palace

While the report states the right-back received criticism during the latter stages of his Milan career, he is said to have played a key role in Bologna’s surprise Coppa Italia triumph, which secured the Serie A side qualification for the Europa League.

Not only that, but the Italian has put in some impressive displays for Milan in the past, perhaps most notably receiving praise from Zach Lowy for the job he did nullifying Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during the Georgian forward’s time with Napoli.

Having also chalked up a combined 36 appearances in the Champions League and Europa League, Calabria’s experience could be of great use to a Palace side hoping to embark on a European adventure next season.