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Everton manager David Moyes has all but guaranteed safety, ensuring the club will play Premier League football at their new Bramley Moore Stadium next season.

For a time earlier this season, it looked as though the Merseyside outfit could suffer relegation to the Championship, but Moyes has worked his magic, proving there is life in the old dog still.

The next step is moving up the Premier League table and with some investment this summer, there is no reason why the Toffees can’t secure a top-half finish next term. Might a European place even be on the horizon too?

There are the makings of a fine squad at Goodison, no doubt about that, but Moyes should be taking a look at the youth academy at the club in order to perhaps save Everton some money in the transfer window.

During his first spell, the likes of Wayne Rooney, Jack Rodwell and Leon Osman emerged as excellent young talents, with two making the club a significant profit in the process.

It was someone else who broke onto the scene during Moyes’ first spell who could have become an Everton icon had things worked out differently, however.

Sometimes, players don’t quite live up to their early promise and this was the case for James Vaughan, who made his senior bow for the Toffees aged just 16 back in 2005.

When James Vaughan was the next big thing

Vaughan emerged through the Everton academy as a player who could follow in the footsteps of Rooney. He had everything required to make it at the highest level, no doubt about that.

When Everton played Crystal Palace towards the end of the 2004/05 campaign, Vaughan came off the bench with just 15 minutes remaining, making his debut in the process.

With the three points already wrapped up, the youngster scored with just three minutes to go, becoming the youngest ever goal scorer in the Premier League, aged just 16 years and 271 days.

Alan Irving, Vaughan’s assistant manager, praised the player after the game, saying: “It was a fantastic day for him. People will make comparisons with Wayne Rooney but they are different players. It was terrific for him just to get on so to score made it a dream debut.”

It looked like Vaughan was going to be the next thing out of the Everton academy. Their next Rooney, who could dazzle for a season or two before being sold for a major profit.

James Vaughan’s career statistics

Club

Games

Goals

Huddersfield Town

95

33

Everton

61

9

Tranmere Rovers

46

25

Bury

40

24

Wigan Athletic

39

6

Crystal Palace

30

9

Sunderland

27

2

Bradford

27

10

Birmingham

17

0

Portsmouth

11

0

Leicester

8

1

Norwich

6

0

Derby

2

0

Via Transfermarkt

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out that way for the teenager. He made 14 appearances during the 2006/07 season in the top flight, scoring four goals, but he would go on to score just two more Premier League goals for the club after that campaign.

Plagued by injuries during his spell, he managed only 60 games for the club, with just nine of them in the starting XI. The striker signed for Norwich City in 2011, but things didn’t work out, and he spent time at Huddersfield, scoring 33 goals in 95 matches.

After leaving the club, Vaughan endured somewhat of a nomadic career, turning out for eight clubs, but he couldn’t replicate the form he showed for Huddersfield and retired in 2021.

He is now working as a scout for the club he made his senior bow with, earmarking the future generation.

As for the present day, George Morgan is someone who has shown plenty of talent during his time at Finch Farm recently. Could he be the next Vaughan for Moyes? Albeit with more luck on the injury front?

Everton could have their next superstar brewing

The 18-year-old began making waves during the 2023/24 season for Everton U18s, scoring two goals in seven U18 Premier League matches, while finding the back of the net once in two FA Youth Cup appearances.

In October 2023, he was named as one of the 20 best youngsters in the Premier League by the Guardian, with journalist Andy Hunter saying Morgan was ‘a powerful, fast centre-forward with an eye for goal’, before stating that the teenager based his game ‘on Robert Lewandowski’ which could stand him in good stead over the next few years.

After this impressive season, Morgan signed his first professional contract with Everton in the summer of 2024, stating at the time:

“It means a lot because it’s something I’ve been working towards since joining the club,” said Morgan once the deal was signed. Being here so long, it’s great playing with your mates and improving. There’s a real togetherness and it’s like a big family.”

It could turn out to be a wise move tying the 18-year-old down to a professional deal, as he could certainly make an impression in the first team.

Across the 2024/25 campaign so far, Morgan has scored nine goals in 19 appearances in three different competitions – the FA Youth Cup, U18s Premier League and the Premier League 2 – proving he can make the step-up if required.

Despite being born in Milton Keynes, Morgan has chosen to represent Wales at international level, following in the footsteps of his dad, Craig Morgan.

He has featured for the U19s in four matches thus far, scoring against Italy during a 3-3 draw last year, and if he maintains his current form in the youth setup, the U21s will be his next port of call.

In The Pipeline

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Moyes has tremendous talent at his fingertips, no doubt about that. The main thing for the manager now is to make sure he doesn’t peak too soon.

Vaughan was hampered by injuries during his spell at Everton. If Morgan can get a chance before the end of the season under the Scot, he could showcase his talents ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The next few months could be exciting indeed for the teenage sensation.

Related Moyes has unearthed his next Arteta at Everton in "special" £20k-p/w talent

Everton are moving forward but drifting back toward the good old days too.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Mar 14, 2025

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko has refused to rule out a summer exit amid interest from a host of Premier League clubs ahead of the summer window.

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Sesko wanted by Premier League clubsSpeaks out on future plansNot ruling out summer exitFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Sesko has caught the eye of a host of top clubs after starring for RB Leipzig. The 21-year-old has 21 goals and six assists already this season and is expected to be in demand when the transfer window reopens in the summer. The RB Leipzig striker has a "performance-related" release clause in his contract which is currently thought to be worth around €80 million (£68m/$90m).

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Sesko has now offered interested clubs hope that he could be tempted away from the Red Bull Arena before the start of the 2025-26 campaign. The Serbia international has been quizzed on his plans for the future and made it clear that he is not ruling anything out just yet.

WHAT SESKO SAID

He told Sky Sport Germany: "Right now, I’m 100 per cent focused on RB Leipzig. Then we’ll see what happens. It’s open, anything can happen."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR SESKO

Sesko will finish the season for RB Leipzig with games against Werder Bremen and Stuttgart. The Bundesliga club are then expected to receive plenty of interest in their striker, meaning he may have his pick of clubs ahead of the new season.

For the majority of Ipswich Town supporters, getting into the Premier League full stop will be seen as an unbelievable achievement, even if the bleakness of relegation envelopes Portman Road very soon.

When Kieran McKenna took over, the Tractor Boys were marooned in League One, two divisions below the promised land.

Now, after two back-to-back promotions, Ipswich have the possibility of Premier League safety on the horizon, with the Suffolk club’s shrewdness in the transfer market another plus point to praise from their whirlwind rise.

Ipswich's best transfers under Kieran McKenna's reign

Before a ball was kicked to start McKenna’s first full campaign at the helm, the summer window saw Leif Davis enter the building, joining from Leeds for just £1m.

That has gone down to be a jaw-droppingly good steal, with Davis now worth in the region of £21m – as per Transfermarkt – off the back of picking up a bumper 38 assists from 115 Tractor Boys appearances.

Alongside Davis in the current relegation-threatened camp, the £20m pick-up of Liam Delap also looks to have been a very successful buy, even if it did require the newly promoted side to flex their muscles more than their modest League One dealings.

Indeed, Delap is now being touted to leave Portman Road for double his £20m fee amidst interest from Chelsea, with the ex-Manchester City ace up to ten strikes this term in the league, despite his lowly side regularly struggling to keep their heads above water.

But, it’s not always so rosy at Ipswich when it comes to incomings and outgoings working out, with the Suffolk outfit made to rue letting a homegrown talent go for a mere £1.5m back in 2021.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Expand Collapse Former Ipswich star is star now worth 1100% more

Ipswich will surely be planning ahead for this coming summer already as they assess who can make the team stronger. This, of course, will be dependent on whether they’re still battling it out in the top-flight or they’re set for a promotion journey once more.

For either of these scenarios, having ex-academy graduate Flynn Downes back at their disposal would have surely helped, with McKenna’s men looking light in this position past this season ending owing to both Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste being temporary loanees.

This is where Downes could help in the here and now, with the 26-year-old never really sparking into life at Portman Road during the fledging stages of his career, before going on to prove himself away from his boyhood employers.

For both Southampton and Swansea City, Downes would solidify himself as a solid and assured option in the frantic second tier, with the Welsh side selling him for way more than the £1.5m they paid for the ex-Ipswich man at £12m to West Ham United.

Downes’ numbers since leaving Ipswich

Stat

Downes

Games played

132

Goals scored

4

Assists

5

Promotions

1x

Value when leaving Ipswich

£1.5m

Value now

£18m

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Whilst this switch up to the top-flight didn’t go so smoothly, the Hammers still managed to offload Downes for around the £18m ballpark to Southampton, which represents a 1100% increase from his days as a £1.5m player in Wales, with the 5 foot 8 midfielder even steering the South Coast side to promotion glory come the end of the 2023/24 season.

His efforts that campaign – which saw him average a calm and cool 93% pass accuracy per league contest – backed up then Saints boss Russell Martin’s claims that the 26-year-old is “incredible”, with Ipswich left to wonder what could have been if they hadn’t signed off on that Swans deal.

With the Suffolk side even reportedly looking at a late deal to bring Downes back to Portman Road deep into the winter window owing to a fall-out at St. Mary’s, there must be a lingering pain still that they did allow him to exit before he fully blossomed.

Related 0 league goals since leaving: Ipswich hit gold selling “proven goalscorer”

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Feb 25, 2025

Manchester United have now struck an agreement to sign a “world-class” striker in the summer, according to a report.

Red Devils keen on a striker

It would be fair to say there are a number of positions Man United will need to strengthen if they are to compete for the biggest honours once again, and Rasmus Hojlund’s performances this season indicate a new striker will be required.

The Dane has just two goals to his name in the Premier League, and the alternative option hasn’t performed much better either, with Joshua Zirkzee finding the back of the net three times in the top flight since joining from Bologna in the summer.

As such, it is little wonder Ruben Amorim is pursuing a new striker, and a number of targets have been identified, with a recent report revealing Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap is of interest, alongside Atalanta marksman Mateo Retegui.

Man Utd named frontrunners for £50m star as possible Hojlund replacement

Amorim is starting to lose patience with Hojlund, and the club already have a replacement in mind.

ByBrett Worthington Feb 11, 2025

Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres is a player well-known to Amorim from his time with the Portuguese club, and the striker has become a target for a number of top clubs as a result of his performances in the Liga Portugal.

However, a report from Spain has now claimed Man United have already struck a deal to sign Gyokeres in the summer, having identified the need to improve their goal-scoring output, given their struggles this term.

The Swedish forward has a €100m (£83m) release clause in his contract, but the Portuguese side have shown a willingness to come down to a fee of around €70m (£58m).

The report states United have been the most persistent of any potential suitor, and they now stand in line to reap the rewards in the summer, although it is not clear which fee they have settled on.

Gyokeres could be a "world-class" signing

In truth, the idea that a deal has already been agreed raises skepticism, with no other sources reporting an agreement has been struck for the 26-year-old to move to Old Trafford.

United are almost certain to miss out on Champions League football once again this season, which means the move may not be the most attractive proposition for a striker who appears to be entering his prime.

However, if the Red Devils are able to get a deal done, there are clear signs he would be a real upgrade in attack, having been lauded as “world-class” by members of the media.

The Sporting star has scored 22 goals in 20 Liga Portugal matches this season, while he has also proven himself in the Champions League, scoring six in eight games in Europe’s elite competition.

Hojlund is still only 22-years-old and has plenty of time to improve, but it is clear United need to bring in a ready-made top striker if they are going to get back to where they should be, and Gyokeres could be the perfect addition.

West Indies’ already wobbly chances of qualifying directly for the 2023 men’s ODI World Cup have suffered a big setback after they were docked two Super League points for maintaining a slow over rate in the third ODI against New Zealand.West Indies were in seventh place, with 80 points, even before the start of the ODI series against New Zealand, which was their last in the Super League cycle. They went on to lose the series 2-1, which took them to 90 points, but the two-point penalty brought them down to 88 points with a net run rate of -0.738.They are currently in seventh place on the Super League table. The top eight teams – or seven, apart from hosts India – will qualify directly for the World Cup, with a qualifying event determining the other participants.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

While that keeps them in the range, Ireland, who are currently ninth with 68 points, can finish above West Indies if they win even two out of the three ODIs against Bangladesh at home next year, because they have a better NRR (-0.382), and a series win is likely to keep them above West Indies on the NRR front.Australia (eighth on 70 points), Sri Lanka (tenth on 62 points) and South Africa (11th on 49 points) are below West Indies, but have multiple series left in the cycle. Australia have 12 games in hand, Sri Lanka six, and South Africa 11. That gives all of them a good shot at finishing above West Indies, and push the 1975 and 1979 world champions to the qualifying event in Zimbabwe in June next year.Australia, in fact, would be the favourites to move up quickly, with their three ODIs against Zimbabwe (placed 12th) at home set to start on August 28.After the seven teams [apart from India] are identified, the bottom five teams in the Super League table will need to play the qualifiers, where they will be joined by the top three finishers of World Cup League 2, and the top-two finishers in the World Cup Qualifier Play-off.

Everything you need to know about Martin Zubimendi's salary playing for Real Sociedad

Martin Zubimendi has become a key figure in the current Real Sociedad squad under Imanol Alguaci and has played a major role in Sociedad's resurgence in the Spanish top flight in recent seasons.

Despite being linked with top clubs like Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, Zubimendi has stayed loyal to Sociedad and continues to do so.

He has been well compensated for his efforts at the club and ranks as one of their highest earners.

But exactly how much does Zubimendi earn playing in LaLiga?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

*

Martin Zubimendi's wages at Real Sociedad in numbers

Under his current contract at Real Sociedad, which will keep him at the club until 2027, Zubimendi earns £48,245 ($63,156) per week, while his annual wages reach £2.5 million ($3.2m). Zubimendi is currently Sociedad's second-highest earner in the squad after Mikel Oyarzabal.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Martin Zubimendi

Spanish

  £48,245

$63,156

£2,508,757

$3,284,132

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTop earners at Real Sociedad

As mentioned earlier, club captain Oyarzabal currently ranks as the highest-earning player in the Real Sociedad squad, followed by Zubimendi.

Meanwhile, Alex Remiro takes the third position, followed by full-back Alvaro Odriozola.

Finally, rounding off the list at number five is Japanese forward Takefusa Kubo.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Mikel Oyarzabal

Spanish

£57,894

$75,788

£3,010,508

$3,940,958

Martin Zubimendi

Spanish

£48,245

$63,156

£2,508,757

$3,284,132

Alex Remiro

Spanish

£45,029

$58,946

£2,341,507

$3,065,190

Alvaro Odriozola

Spanish

£43,421

$56,841

£2,257,881

$2,955,719

Takefusa Kubo

Japanese

£40,204

$52,630

£2,090,631

$2,736,776

Top earners in La Liga

When it comes to the top-five highest earners in the league, none of the Real Sociedad players make the cut.

The list is completely dominated by the big three of LaLiga: Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid. Three Los Blancos players feature in the list, namely Kylian Mbappe, David Alaba, and Jude Bellingham at second, third, and fifth positions.

Atletico Madrid's only entrant, Jan Oblak, makes an appearance at fourth position, while Barcelona's Polish striker Robert Lewandowski takes the top spot as the league's highest-paid player.

Nationality

Nationality

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual Wages USD

Robert Lewandowski

Polish

£536,006

$701,667

£27,872,290

$36,486,704

Kylian Mbappe

French

£502,556

$657,879

£26,132,886

$34,209,706

David Alaba

Austrian

£361,840

$473,673

£18,815,678

$24,630,988

Jan Oblak

Slovenian

£334,983

$438,516

£17,419,136

$22,802,822

Jude Bellingham

English

£334,983

$438,516

£17,419,136

$22,802,822ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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AFPHighest paid players in the world

Despite the mouthwatering wages in the league, none of the top LaLiga earners make it into the top-five earners list globally.

Saudi Pro League players heavily dominate the list, with former Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at first and second spot, respectively.

Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez comes in at number three, followed by Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Player

Club

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr

£3,216,155

$4,210,425

£167,250,468

$218,942,120

Karim Benzema

Al Ittihad

£1,608,178

$2,105,213

£83,625,234

$109,471,060

Riyad Mahrez

Al Ahli

£839,469

$1,098,921

£45,652,372

$57,43,893

Sadio Mane

Al Nassr

£643,271

$842,085

£33,450,094

$43,788,424

Kalidou Koulibaly

Al Hilal

£558,038

$730,509

£29,017,956

$37,986,458

Last night was one to forget for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s side had a chance to turn their season around and put a massive dent in Arsenal’s ambitions simultaneously, but ultimately gave up a 1-0 lead to pick up their 11th Premier League defeat of the campaign.

Impressively, it was the youngsters like Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall who put in the best performances for the Lilywhites, while the senior players were painfully ineffective or practically anonymous.

Even goalscorer Son Heung-min was disappointing for the majority of the game, so recent reports linking the club with a potential replacement this month shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Tottenham chase Son successor

According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Tottenham are one of several high-profile clubs interested in signing Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho this month, whose sale is not off the table.

Transfer Focus

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

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In fact, the report has revealed that the Lilywhites have ‘set their sights’ on the winger, have made a ‘concrete enquiry’ about his availability and may now be prepared to test the Red Devils’ resolve with a bid in the region of €70m, which is about £59m.

However, fans shouldn’t get too carried away just yet, as the report has also named European giants Napoli and Atlético Madrid as some of the interested parties.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Garnacho’s current ability and the potential many believe him to possess, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as Son cannot be relied upon long-term.

How Garnacho compares to Son

Now, the first thing to say is that over the last decade or so, there have been few players as consistently brilliant as Son in the Premier League, and when he does finally hang up his boots or move on, he’ll be rightly remembered as a legend of the league.

With that said, time catches up with us all, and with him set to turn 33 in the summer, the club need to find a long-term replacement and fast, as even though he can still chip in with a goal here and there, most fans will attest to the fact that he’s having less and less impact in games with every passing campaign.

So, with that in mind, how does he stack up against the young Garnacho? From a pure output perspective, it’s a very closely fought affair.

For example, in 26 appearances totalling 1825 minutes this season, the Spurs captain has scored eight goals and provided seven assists for Postecoglou, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 121.66 minutes.

In contrast, the young Argentine has scored as many goals but provided five assists in 30 appearances, totalling 1641 minutes, so he’s averaging a goal involvement every 2.30 games, or every 126.23 minutes.

So, with there being little to separate the pair with their output, how do they stack up against one another when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers?

Interestingly, while the South Korean international comes out ahead in a number of metrics, such as progressive passes, shot and goal-creating actions, passing accuracy and key passes per 90, he comes out second-best overall.

For example, the “dangerous” United gem, as dubbed by Paul Scholes, does better in a multitude of offensive metrics such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target and carries into the penalty area per 90, but also does significantly better for the defensive ones as well.

Garnacho vs Son

Statistics per 90

Garnacho

Son

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.57

0.61

Actual Non-Penalty G+As

0.71

0.69

Progressive Passes

1.99

4.75

Progressive Passes Received

12.8

11.3

Progressive Carries

5.70

3.95

Shots

3.72

2.23

Shots on Target

1.48

1.09

Passing Accuracy

77.6%

81.3%

Key Passes

1.46

2.09

Shot-Creating Actions

3.11

4.57

Goal-Creating Actions

0.27

0.56

Tackles

1.19

0.56

Tackles Won

0.87

0.40

Blocks

0.73

0.34

Interceptions

0.77

0.25

Clearances

0.53

0.68

Carries

35.4

32.8

Carries into the Penalty Area

3.05

1.58

Ball Recoveries

4.64

3.62

Aerial Duels Won

0.13

0.11

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

Not only does he make and win more tackles, but he wins more aerial duels, completes more ball recoveries and makes more interceptions and blocks, also all per 90.

What makes this even more impressive is the fact that he’s so young and has years to go until he reaches his peak, which for a wide attacker is about 26, according to research carried out by The Athletic in 2021.

Ultimately, Son is a bonafide legend, but he is nearing the end of his top-flight career, and Spurs need to find a dynamic and potentially game-changing replacement, which by all accounts may well be Garnacho.

Related A big Solanke upgrade: Spurs offered one of the best forwards in the world

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 16, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Com a vacinação em massa e a desaceleração da Covid-19, o Campeonato Brasileiro deste ano é o primeiro torneio de nível nacional a ser iniciado sem restrições de público após dois dela pandemia. Mesmo assim, o torcedor não mostrou uma empolgação acima do comum pela chance de ver seu time in loco após um longo período.

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Levantamento feito pelo LANCE!recorrendo aos borderôs oficiais dos dez jogos realizados na primeira rodada da competição mostram que, apesar da ótima média de 45.435 pessoas, apenas quatro duelos tiveram mais da metade da capacidade dos estádios onde foram realizados ocupados.

Na primeira rodada da edição de 2019 do certame, última vez em que todas as rodadas aconteceram sem qualquer restrição de público, a média de presentes nos estádios foi de 21.251. Somente três das partidas daquela jornada inicial tiveram uma taxa de ocupação superior a 50%.

Neste ano, 454.350 pessoas compareceram aos estádios no último final de semana para acompanhar a rodada inicial do Brasileirão. No geral, a taxa de ocupação foi de 44,2% da capacidade disponibilizada.

Média pouco superior à de 2019, quando 212.518 torcedores estiveram presentes nos duelos, gerando um índice de 37,3% de ocupação.

O destaque da rodada foi o empate em 1 a 1 entre Atlético-GO e Flamengo. O Dragão resistiu às ofertas para vender o seu mando de campo diante do rival carioca, dono de uma das maiores torcidas do país. Apostou em jogar no Estádio Antônio Accioly. E mesmo com10.496 pagantes, terceiro pior público jornada, ocupou 84% da capacidade de12.500 pessoas de sua casa.

Com uma torcida animada pelo início da gestão SAF, o Botafogo ocupou 78,8% do Engenhão ao colocar36.898 pessoas na derrota por 3 a 1 para o Corinthians.

Responsável pelo maior público da rodada, o Atlético-MG recebeu37.531 torcedores na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Internacional, ocupando 60,5% do Mineirão.

Fechando a lista, o Palmeiras ocupou 60,2% do Allianz Parque com os27.100 pagantes na derrota por 3 a 2 para o Ceará.

O recorde negativo da rodada foi do Juventude, que recebeu3.300 pessoas no empate em 2 a 2 com o Bragantino, lotando apenas 16,6% do Alfredo Jaconi.

Apesar do Brasileirão deste ano ter iniciado com números mais altos em relação às temporadas passadas, a competição nacional segue bem atrás das ligas domésticas mais famosas e valorosas. Na Inglaterra, a temporada 2019/20, última com dados do tipo consolidados, apresentou ocupação de 97,8% dos estádios.

Estudo apresentado pela empresa de consultoria Sports Value feito em 2021 apontou o Brasileirão em sétimo lugar no ranking das competições nacionais de futebol considerando esse critério. O país fica atrás ainda de EUA (96% de ocupação), Alemanha (92%), segunda divisão inglesa (73%), Espanha (68%), Itália (60%) e França (58%).

De acordo com o estudo, o Campeonato Brasileiro arrecada cerca de 200 milhões de dólares (cerca de R$ 765 milhões). Segundo o especialista em marketing esportivo Amir Somoggi, sócio da Sports Value, o país apresenta potencial muito grande de crescimento por ainda ter uma baixa taxa de ocupação dos estádios nas partidas do certame nacional. Em 2018, foram 380 partidas, com média de público de 18.822 pessoas – ocupação de 43%.

– Falta no Brasil inteligência no sistema de gestão de arena, que sobra no mercado internacional. Estamos praticamente com 60% dos estádios vazios e nenhuma das grandes ligas de futebol tem esse potencial inexplorado em termo de público e de serviço – disse Somoggi ao jornal ‘O Estado de S. Paulo‘.

Mesmo considerada baixa, a ocupação dos estádios brasileiros deu um grande salto desde 2003, quando as partidas tinham 82% de lugares vazios. Se apresentasse o mesmo índice das principais grandes liga do mundo, o faturamento anual com estádios no país poderia mais do que dobrar, chegando a 500 milhões de dólares (aproximadamente R$ 1,9 bilhão).

CONFIRA O PÚBLICO E TAXA DE OCUPAÇÃO DA PRIMEIRA RODADA:

Atlético-MG 2 x 0 Internacional – 37.531 / 60,5%
Fluminense 0 x 0 Santos – 22.855 / 29%
Atlético-GO 1 x 1 Flamengo – 10.496 / 84%
Palmeiras 2 x 3 Ceará 27.100 / 60,2%
Coritiba 3 x 0 Goiás – 18.600 / 42,9%
Botafogo 1 x 3 Corinthians – 36.898 / 78,8%
​Fortaleza 0 x 1 Cuiabá – 18.279 / 28,6%
​São Paulo 4 x 0 – Athletico-PR – 20.606 / 30,7%
​Avaí 1 x 0 América-MG – 5.081 / 28,5%
Juventude 2 x 2 Bragantino – 3.300 / 16,6%

PÚBLICO TOTAL: 454.350
MÉDIA DE PÚBLICO: 45.435
TAXA DE OCUPAÇÃO: 44,2%

Fonte: CBF

TABELA
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Glasgow Rangers have shown plenty of improvement in recent weeks, which has eased the pressure on Philippe Clement.

At the end of November, it looked as though it was a matter of when, not if, he would be sacked from his position at Ibrox. Fast-forward a month later and the Gers have delivered some decent performances in both the Premiership and Europa League.

The Gers drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur, for example, taking the lead against the North Londoners, while coming so close to defending their League Cup trophy, losing on penalties to Celtic.

The next few games could make or break the Light Blues season. If they can win them all, then the gap to Celtic will close at the top of the league table. Could a title challenge be on the cards?

Several players have finally begun to showcase their true talents under the Belgian, including Hamza Igamane, who is now a key member of the squad.

Hamza Igamane’s Rangers stats

Eyebrows were raised during the summer when the Ibrox side spent £1.7m on signing Igamane from the African side AS FAR.

He was certainly a signing that looked like one for the future as Clement began to establish a player trading model at the club which could reap the benefits in the future.

Indeed, Igamane didn’t make an appearance for the Gers until a ten-minute cameo during the first Old Firm game of the season, enduring a baptism of fire in the process as the club slumped to a 3-0 defeat.

It has been in Europe where the young centre-forward has begun to prove just how important he is to Clement, scoring four goals in just four games for the club, including that wonderful effort against Spurs.

Across these four appearances, Igamane has also averaged 1.3 key passes and succeeded with 1.3 dribbles per game, indicating that he has been a major threat in Europe.

Even more impressive is the fact that Igamane is the highest-ranked player in the competition, according to FotMob with a rating of 8.18.

Recently, Everton sent scouts to monitor the player during the match against Spurs and if he keeps up these performances, especially on the continent, there will be plenty more suitors taking an interest, that’s for sure.

While it is inevitable that his future lies away from Ibrox, when the time comes, Rangers will be hoping to make a serious profit on the player. In recent weeks, his market valuation has risen.

Hamza Igamane’s market valuation

While £1.7m appeared to be a rather lavish fee for a player who had not played senior football outside of Africa before, this could soon turn into a bargain.

Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, Igamane has a current market value of £2m and this is only going to rise exponentially as time goes on.

Goals

4

2

Assists

1

0

Successful dribbles per game

1.3

0.9

Key passes per game

1.3

0.8

Shots per game

1.5

2.3

Imagine if he maintains his performance level until the end of the season. This value might end up skyrocketing which could allow Clement to cash in on the striker.

He isn’t the only player who has seen their valuation soar in recent weeks, however, as Nicolas Raskin has become one of the most valuable players in the first-team squad.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

The Rangers star who is worth more than Igamane

Michael Beale may have lasted just ten months at the helm of the Ibrox side, failing to win a trophy in the process, but he did sign Raskin for the club.

As the 2023 January transfer window was entering the dying embers, Beale was working hard to bring the then Standard Liege midfielder to Scotland in order to bolster his midfield.

In the end, he managed to secure his signature and during the second half of 2022/23, Raskin offered glimpses of his talents and it looked as though Beale had signed a player with a bright future indeed.

The 2023/24 campaign didn’t quite go to plan as Raskin suffered from a couple of injuries while failing to break into Clement’s starting XI as he preferred others at the heart of the midfield.

By the end of the season, his future at Ibrox was in doubt and when he suffered yet another injury setback during pre-season, it looked as though he was never going to live up to his full potential.

Six months later, the midfielder is arguably Rangers’ most consistent performer of late. In the Premiership, the Belgian gem has averaged a 90% pass success rate along with averaging 3.5 tackles per game and winning a staggering seven total duels per game – a success rate of 63% – which has enabled the midfielder to break down opposition attacks with ease.

His former boss at Standard, Luka Elsner, hailed Raskin during an interview with the Rangers Review, saying: “Nico is able to bring fire to a game by himself and always gives his best. For me, those are the qualities that stand out and make him some kind of special player.”

Nico Raskin’s market value in 2024

Due to his stunning displays for the Light Blues in recent weeks, his market value has increased as he is now worth more than twice the value of Igamane.

According to Transfermarkt, Raskin is now worth £5.4m and there is no doubt that this valuation will continue to rise between now and the end of the season, especially if he continues to impress.

Given how well Igamane has improved in the previous few weeks, having someone such as Raskin who is worth two times more proves that the club could certainly be onto a winner with the Belgian.

Clement now has a midfield trio which could become mainstays in the heart of the pitch, pushing the club towards glory before the end of the campaign.

Like Igamane, Raskin’s future will be away from Scotland, but if any club wishes to snap him up, they are going to have to pay a lavish transfer fee, that’s for sure.

Rangers could repeat Barisic masterclass with exciting January transfer

Rangers could make a move for a talented midfielder in January…

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 24, 2024

ECB dismisses ‘speculation’ about 12-team Premier League but Division Two counties in dark

Matt Roller31-Mar-2022

Stuart Broad reacts to a flurry of snow as Nottinghamshire line up for their team photo•Getty Images

It seemed a long way off when Nottinghamshire’s squad photograph was interrupted by a snowstorm at Trent Bridge on Thursday morning, but the English season starts next week with a round of eight County Championship fixtures with the competition under more scrutiny than ever.After two years in which the structure of the domestic first-class game was altered by the pandemic, the Championship reverts to two uneven divisions in 2022, with ten teams in Division One and eight in Division Two. This format was originally planned to be introduced in 2020, and finishing positions for 2019 have been honoured, much to the relief of top-tier counties who have struggled in the last two years and the irritation of second-flight teams who have punched above their weight.Notts have more right to feel aggrieved than most. They were relegated in 2019 after a winless season, but made significant strides in 2021 as they finished third, four points behind champions Warwickshire in a six-team Division One after topping their early-season conference.England must bring back selector role – Newell

England’s “red-ball reset” must include the appointment of an independent selector, according to Mick Newell, Notts’ director of cricket who spent four years in the role from 2014-18.
Ashley Giles, the ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket, handed selectorial responsibilities to head coach Chris Silverwood last year when Ed Smith was made redundant but both men have since left their roles.
“There has to be a selector, absolutely,” Newell told ESPNcricinfo. “I think it was the wrong decision. There has to be somebody making the phone calls, watching cricket, putting the time in explaining decisions to players, and doing things that the head coach shouldn’t have to do because they should be concentrating on the performance of the team.”
Newell, who was beaten to the role of managing director by Giles in 2018, said he had not applied for the vacancy this time, with Marcus North and Rob Key among the leading candidates.
Peter Moores, Notts’ head coach, said he would not categorically rule out the prospect of a third stint as England coach but that he was “pretty confident that they might not be looking my way.”

“We’ve accepted it,” Peter Moores, Notts’ head coach, told ESPNcricinfo. “We’d have liked the decision to have taken the two years after 2019 into account, but we also accept that we got relegated in 2019. Everyone’s got their head around it now and we’ve all decided that we have a job to do, which is to win that division.””We’re all disappointed that we’re in Division Two but those were the rules that they came up with, and that was the vote that was carried out,” Mick Newell, their director of cricket, added. “There’s no point blaming the ECB. It wasn’t their vote; the counties voted for this system. We feel that last year we were the third best team in the country, but we’ve got to prove it again. If we play as well as we did last year, I think we’ll be okay.”What comes next is anyone’s guess. Andrew Strauss, the ECB’s interim managing director of men’s cricket, announced earlier this month the launch of a “high-performance review” into the English game at all levels, due to be published in September so that recommendations can be implemented in time for the 2023 season, but it remains at a nascent stage.The ECB issued a statement on Thursday morning dismissing as “speculation” and “not true” newspaper reports that the Championship could be split into a 12-team ‘Premier League’ and a six-team second division. County chief executives were told the same thing in a meeting on Wednesday.Related

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“The terms of reference for the Strauss report are not out yet,” Rob Andrew, Sussex’s chief executive, said on Thursday. “There’ll be a game-wide consultation – coaches, players, media, PCA, fans. This is going to be a massive piece of work. I understand why you want to ask questions on this but it’s all speculation.”Anybody that is writing anything in newspapers at the moment is making it up. Until this process starts and the consultation is worked through to whatever the end result is, you’re all speculating.”But for second-division counties, the lack of clarity is a frustration. Their finishing positions in 2022 will determine which division teams play in next year, but it may not become apparent until the final weeks of the season whether teams need to finish in the top one, two or three to get promoted. In the event of a radical restructure – three divisions of six, for example – it may be that no teams in this season’s Division Two are promoted at all.”Everyone will be thinking a little bit about 2023 without really knowing what they’re playing for,,” Newell said. “I’m not sure we’re going to get [clarity] very soon. But clearly, there will be that realisation that if you’re not in the top two, you will definitely not be in a Division One in 2023.”Division Two is going to be interesting. Durham are obviously coming back well; Sussex have strengthened their batting which had been a problem; Middlesex I think will be good with their new coach. Nobody is saying it’s a foregone conclusion that Notts will be in the top two, but it should be a good, competitive division.””If we won the division this year and then didn’t go into Division One, after getting more points than anyone else last year [across both phases of the season], then you’d think the system is wrong,” Moores added. “The whole idea of divisional cricket is to get the best teams in it but we’ve got to keep it really simple: we’ve got to try and win Division Two. What happens outside of that will be dictated by other people and then we’ll take it from there.”