Atlante’s long-awaited return to Liga MX is gaining momentum as the club steps up negotiations to purchase Mazatlán FC from Grupo Salinas. While no deal has been finalized, the move is widely viewed as their clearest path back to the top flight after a decade in Liga de Expansión. The Potros – currently the only certified team eligible for promotion – appear closer than ever to reclaiming their place among Mexican football’s elite.
@Atlante
On the radar
Atlante’s ambition to return to Liga MX is no longer just an idea – it’s an active project with concrete steps underway, including the potential acquisition of Mazatlán FC.
According to reporting from TUDN’s Javier Rojas, Atlante has yet finalized the purchase of Mazatlán, though the franchise remains firmly on the club’s radar. For the azulgrana board, buying Mazatlán is considered a “Plan B,” as the club is still attempting to reach promotion through sporting merit first.
While Grupo Salinas initially explored selling Puebla before considering Mazatlán, negotiations stalled months ago. The sale remains possible, and Mazatlán is widely viewed as the most realistic path for Atlante to re-enter the top division. The talks have since resumed, and optimism has grown within the club that a deal can be struck.
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Deal not official – but momentum is building
Recent reports suggested that Atlante’s return was already agreed upon, even circulating a purchase figure. However, Récord clarified that no official announcement is imminent; discussions are ongoing and will require more time before being finalized.
The same media outlet also revealed that Atlante’s leadership, led by Emilio Escalante, has spent more than a year exploring options with Grupo Salinas – including negotiations for Puebla or Mazatlán – though concerns during earlier talks prevented an agreement.
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Why Atlante holds a unique advantage
A key factor favoring Atlante is its certification by the Mexican Football Federation, making it the club in Liga de Expansión currently eligible for promotion. With no other certified team in the division, Atlante stands as the lone viable candidate to move up – strengthening their position in negotiations.
If the sale goes through, Mazatlán would not disappear. Instead, the Sinaloa club would shift into Atlante’s current place in Liga de Expansión, avoiding past scenarios like Jaguares or Lobos BUAP, whose franchises vanished after being sold.
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Possible timeline for the announcement
TUDN indicates that the operation could be finalized shortly before the 2026 World Cup. The goal would be to present the agreement officially at the Liga MX assembly once the tournament ends.
Under this scenario, Atlante would return to Liga MX for the Apertura 2026 as the new holder of the Mazatlán franchise. With their potential comeback, the Potros de Hierro would once again play in the stadium that historically served as their home. Reports suggest Atlante would join América and Cruz Azul as tenants of Estadio Banorte (formerly Estadio Azteca), where they previously played in three different eras: 1966–1983, 1996–2000, and 2004–2007.
Guyana Amazon Warriors 188 for 8 (Sampson 76, Hope 44, Chase 3-30) beat St Lucia Kings 185 for 4 (Chase 90*, Auguste 50, Pretorius 2-36) by two wicketsDwaine Pretorius stunned table-toppers St Lucia Kings with a last-ball six in yet another thriller in CPL 2025. The win confirmed Guyana Amazon Warriors’ spot as the fourth team in the playoffs. Needing 12 runs off the last over and five from the last ball, Pretorius smashed a full toss from David Wiese over long-on, which knocked St Kitts and Nevis Patriots out of the playoffs race, and sparked off wild celebrations from the home fans.Amazon Warriors are currently fourth on the points table with 10 points, and will play the last game of the league stage against Barbados Royals, with a chance to finish in the top two.There was plenty of drama in the last over when Moeen Ali’s catch was dropped in the deep. It also turned out to be a no-ball for a high full toss on Wiese’s second delivery. With eight runs to get from four balls after the free hit, Moeen was run-out while attempting a second run, and with Wiese trying straight and wide yorkers, it came down to five off the last ball. That was also an attempted yorker but reached Pretorius as a full toss, and he dispatched it all the way.The Amazon Warriors’ chase got a strong start when Quentin Sampson took off with a first-ball four and continued to lead the partnership with Shai Hope after the fall of Ben McDermott. Sampson’s hard-handed strokes and swings brought up a 27-ball half-century and took Amazon Warriors past 100 in the 11th over.Roston Chase, however, led Kings’ fightback with the wickets of Sampson and Shimron Hetmyer off consecutive balls soon after; it was Hetmyer’s second duck in a row, his third of this CPL, and his seventh single-digit score in nine outings. Hope was on 10 off 15 balls at the time, and he held one end up even as Amazon Warriors lost Shamarh Brooks, Hassan Khan and Romario Shepherd in three successive overs to stutter to 133 for 6. That left them needing 50 runs off the last 30 deliveries.Hope soon switched gears to bring it down to 32 off 22 before holing out for 44 from 33 balls off Wiese. With 23 to get from the last two overs, Moeen started the penultimate over with a six to make it 12 from the last over before Pretorius took Amazon Warriors home.Earlier, Kings were in a bit of a trouble after they had opted to bat, reduced to 27 for 2 in the fourth over after Pretorius knocked over the base of Johnson Charles’ off stump for his seventh wicket in the powerplay this CPL, joint-most with Khary Pierre and Ramon Simmonds. But No. 4 Chase countered with a sequence of 6, 4, 6, 4 off Moeen to race to 21 off five balls, and took Kings past 50 in the fifth over.Kings never looked back after that. Ackeem Auguste took the aerial route too, bringing up the team’s 100 in the 12th over soon after Chase broke the phase of four boundary-less overs. Auguste fell just one ball after his 29-ball fifty when he found deep midwicket off Imran Tahir. Chase then took on Hassan for his 32-ball half-century by belting more straight hits. Chase also benefitted from a life Hetmyer gave him on 73 when he put down a catch at long-on, and he punished Pretorius further to finish unbeaten on 90 off 55 balls. But that knock, followed by his three wickets, ended in vain.
Young batter puts herself in Ashes frame with seamless move into the international ranks
Valkerie Baynes09-Jan-20251:51
Georgia Voll talks Women’s Ashes
“A little bit of nice backyard space – enough for a footy field.” It’s the sort of childhood home many budding sports stars dream of, and Georgia Voll made the most of it.As spring broke through the chill in Highfields on the outskirts of Toowoomba, two hours’ drive west of Brisbane, Voll and her brother would mow themselves a cricket pitch in the middle and rugby league gave way to cricket. Any big shots to hit the goalpost as it stood in situ through the summer would invariably break it, sparking a search for more pipe to fix it ahead of the next winter.For a long time, it was all about rugby league for Voll. But beyond the under-12 level, she wasn’t allowed to play in the boys’ team and a lack of opportunities for girls at the time meant she had to look elsewhere. And found cricket. She juggled both for a time when girls’ pathways opened up and she was selected in the Queensland Rugby League Under-18 Girls Performance Programme as a 16-year-old.Around the same time, Voll moved to Brisbane with her family and made her cricket debut for Queensland. Armed with her first state cricket contract by the time the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the choice was finally made.Related
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“I got a lot of questions asking, ‘what are you going to pick, how are you’re going to make the decision?’ But it sort of made itself for me when I moved to Brisbane in 2020,” Voll told ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast. “I was fortunate enough to actually pick up a contract that year. Otherwise, I probably would’ve not really been sure what I would’ve done. That decision was made for me as the footy pathways got closed down and the cricket professional stuff hadn’t closed down.”The choice was almost as straightforward when Alyssa Healy suffered a knee injury ahead of Australia’s home ODI series against India in December. After scoring 98 off 84 balls for Queensland against Western Australia in the WNCL, Voll smashed 92 off just 55 and an unbeaten 97 off 56 for new WBBL team Sydney Thunder, whom she had just joined from Brisbane Heat.A powerful right-hander, Voll was picked to open for her country alongside fellow 21-year-old and Thunder team-mate Phoebe Litchfield. And, just like in the backyard at home, Voll made the most of it.An impressive 46 not out at nearly a run-a-ball on debut was followed by 101 off 87 in just her second game, and then 26 as Australia swept India 3-0.
“I’m not the sort of person to let it hit me,” Voll said of her international debut. “I didn’t want to let the moment and how special it is get to me and make me more nervous or worried about what the outcome was. It was just to enjoy myself and play the way that I had been playing to get me to that position.”For that to work out and come off the way it did was pretty awesome. But my mindset was just to back myself and watch-the-ball-hit-the-ball. That was my role coming into it and I wanted to do that the best I could.”Having close friend Litchfield there made the moment all the more special, but it also allowed Voll to retain a sense of normality.”We’re really good mates from [age-group] cricket and it was sort of a ‘pinch me’ moment when we could walk out there a couple of weeks ago and opened the batting for Australia,” Voll said. “That’s something I’ve dreamed of doing and she would’ve dreamed of as well. That we are both there after doing it in Under-15s five, six years ago, to do it at the highest level is awesome.”Litchfield, who scored 60 in a 130-run partnership with Voll as she scored her maiden international century, was delighted for her friend but not surprised.”I know how good she is,” Litchfield said. “There’s so many batters in domestic cricket at the moment who could easily play international cricket, it’s just who is the best one and Volly has definitely earned her place and it’s tough to keep her out of the side.”She’s really just taken her opportunity. You don’t really know long you are going to play for with Midge [Healy] coming back from injury, so to take her opportunity and earn a spot in an Ashes squad is so awesome. It’s a credit to the Cricket Australia pathway, really, domestic cricket is world-class and she’s fitted seamlessly into international cricket.”Georgia Voll was drafted into Australia’s white-ball squads for the Ashes•Getty ImagesVoll was drafted into Australia’s white-ball squads for the Ashes when allrounder Sophie Molineux went out with a knee injury. Healy returned in a batting capacity in New Zealand as Beth Mooney kept wicket, and Voll’s Ashes role could be limited, but a 42-ball 57 for the Governor General’s XI on Thursday opening alongside Healy, who scored 38, will have done her chances of making an appearance no harm.Alongside the likes of Litchfield and in-form 23-year-old allrounder Annabel Sutherland, Voll is at the core of a bright future for Australia which, coupled with a wealth of experience remaining in their line-up, has the hosts looking dangerous ahead of the first ODI against England on Sunday at North Sydney Oval.”That’s something we’ve been speaking about, our depth,” Litchfield said. “It’s allowed me, Alyssa Healy and Georgia Voll to go out there and actually play shots. Traditionally you use the first ten [overs] to consolidate, but we are actually going at sixes and taking the game on to know our depth will back us up.”And Voll is ready to continue her development from the best position imaginable, whether that’s in the dugout or middle.”I’m just there and waiting if they need me,” Voll said. “Obviously it’d be super, especially if I could get out there, but I’m also happy just to be around the group and soak it all up as it’s such a big and special occasion.”You always sit back at home and you watch it and you hope one day that you’ll be there. To be here as a player is pretty special, something that you dream of, and the rivalries between Australia and England are big in all sports, but to have the chance to be a part of an Ashes series is special, especially being at home. I’m looking forward to getting in amongst it and hopefully we can get some wins as well.”
Manchester United’s run of five games unbeaten in the Premier League is evidence that Ruben Amorim is certainly starting to get the best out of the current crop of players Old Trafford.
The 40-year-old’s stint in England has been nothing but plain sailing, as seen by his inability to lead the club to a respectable finish in 2024/25 – subsequently ending the year in 15th place.
However, the hierarchy have shown faith in the former Sporting CP boss, as seen by his £200m spending spree during the recent summer transfer window.
The likes of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have all joined the Red Devils in the last few months, with the latter of the trio already scoring six combined goals in England’s top-flight.
Despite the mammoth investment within the attacking department, the manager is still craving a new central midfielder to help take his side to the next level in the years ahead.
Man United’s hunt for a new central midfielder in January
Over the last couple of weeks, Elliot Anderson has been the name on the lips of all United supporters, with rumours rapidly starting to circle over a move for his signature.
The Nottingham Forest star has risen to stardom over the last 12 months, with the 23-year-old featuring in every league game in 2025/26, even earning him a spot in the England squad under Thomas Tuchel.
It’s been reported in recent days that the Red Devils have already reached out to the Reds over a potential deal for the youngster, but have been quoted a fee in the region of £100m for his services.
However, Anderson isn’t the only midfielder currently in their sights, with the hierarchy also closely monitoring German star Angelo Stiller ahead of the upcoming window.
According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s men are preparing an offer in the region of €60m (£53m) for the Stuttgart star, with Real Madrid also interested in a move for his signature.
The report claims that his current employers don’t want to lose the 24-year-old in the near future, but they could be forced to if an acceptable offer is presented by the likes of United.
Why Stiller target would be their own Anderson
United fans have seen first-hand the talents that Anderson currently possesses, after the Forest star managed to run the show in the recent meeting between the sides at the City Ground.
He featured for the entirety of the contest and thrived in and out of possession, as Sean Dyche’s men secured a 2-2 draw against the Red Devils in the East Midlands.
The 23-year-old managed to create three chances for his teammates – offering a threatening option with the ball – whilst also making 14 recoveries and preventing Amorim’s men from extending their winning run.
Anderson’s ability to complete 100% of his dribbles and register 15 passes into the final third further showcases his phenomenal talents – with such a performance leaving the United fanbase demanding his signature.
However, English talents are always more expensive in the modern transfer market, as seen by the current £100m price tag that has been placed on his head at present.
Given the money spent in the summer, it’s unclear if the United hierarchy would splash such a sum, with a potential deal breaking their club-record transfer fee set by Paul Pogba in 2016.
As a result, a move for Stiller could prove to be a more realistic proposition, but that’s not to say he’s a lower quality talent than England international, Anderson.
The German has been labelled as a similar player to the 23-year-old by FBref in the Europa League this season, with the Stuttgart star even bettering him in numerous key areas to date.
Stiller, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has completed more key passes per 90, whilst also making more passes into the opposition box per 90.
How Stiller & Anderson compare in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)
Stiller
Anderson
Games played
10
11
Goals & assists
4
2
Progressive carries
2.2
1.3
Pass accuracy
86%
83%
Key passes
2.1
1.3
Passes into opposition box
2.3
1.2
Interceptions made
1.1
0.9
Clearances made
1.4
0.8
Take-ons completed
73%
50%
Stats via FBref
Such numbers are no mean feat, especially considering Anderson’s talents in possession, subsequently showcasing the phenomenal talent that the Stuttgart talent currently possesses.
He’s also registered more progressive carries per 90, whilst achieving a higher take-on success rate, with such figures highlighting his dominance over the Forest star with the ball at his feet.
Angelo Stiller for Stuttgart
Stiller has managed to provide key talents out of possession too, even bettering the Englishman in terms of interceptions and clearances made per 90 in 2025/26.
The aforementioned figures could certainly make the German the perfect number six in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system, which could finally end the club’s hunt for a new midfielder.
Anderson may remain as many supporters’ number one choice for the role, but ultimately, his current asking price is way above the range United would spend in January.
As a result, Stiller could offer a cheaper yet more effective option to the Red Devils, potentially helping the side make a top four push come the end of May.
Man Utd have a "future £100m" star who's Carrington's very own Anderson
Manchester United already have a star who could allow them to forget about signing Elliot Anderson.
“We can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions,” says Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott ahead of game against Bangladesh
Shashank Kishore15-Sep-2025Jonathan Trott believes Afghanistan will start as “slight favourites” against Bangladesh, who face a must-win situation, in their Asia Cup Group B fixture in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. And going by recent history, there’s merit in that confidence.”Since I’ve been with the side, we’ve had some memorable moments,” Trott said. “I think back to when we beat Bangladesh in a 50-over series in Bangladesh for the first time [in 2023]. It had never been done before, and given how strong Bangladesh have been at home, to go there and do that gave us a lot of confidence and positivity.”Then there was the win in St Vincent at the [2024] T20 World Cup, which helped us qualify for the semi-final. That was such a tight, historic game, and it gave us great belief. This group I’m currently working with is not shy about achieving new things or breaking new ground.Related
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“Whenever there’s something that hasn’t been done before, like a big obstacle or a big challenge, this Afghan side rises to the occasion. They’re not only setting new standards for themselves but also paving the way for future players to keep pushing those boundaries.”Since opening their Asia Cup with a convincing win over Hong Kong on September 9, Afghanistan have had six days off. The break, in Trott’s opinion, has helped refresh them “mentally and physically” after the gruelling pre-Asia Cup tri-series against UAE and Pakistan, where they played five games in ten days.”I’m actually quite happy with the break,” he said. “Playing in the extreme heat here in the UAE takes a lot out of you. It’s been a good chance to recharge the batteries, take stock of where we are, and get ready to go again. Hopefully, with a win and qualification into the next round, we know there will be quite a few games in a short space of time.”At the opening press conference in Dubai, barely a few hours prior to their Asia Cup opener in Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan had spoken of the short turnaround – less than 48 hours – between the tri-series final and the game against Hong Kong. He had also said that it wasn’t ideal to be staying in Dubai and having all their group games in Abu Dhabi, leaving them with an added commute of three hours on match days.Looking at the schedule and putting that break into context, Trott felt it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. “I think our schedule has actually played into our hands, as long as we play well tomorrow and do the job in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “Playing there is very different to Dubai. It looks like it’s been spinning a little more here and in Sharjah. Abu Dhabi is a very different type of pitch – the make-up of the soil is different too.1:36
Mukund: Dropped catches a concern for Afghanistan
“That’s the challenge of playing in these tournaments: you’re constantly adapting to a variety of conditions. I certainly feel that with our squad and the options we have, we can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions.”Trott, expectedly, talked up Afghanistan’s spin stocks, joking that they were good enough to field an XI of spinners if needed. There’s Rashid and Noor Ahmad as their frontline options, along with Mohammad Nabi. They have also got Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar and Sharafuddin Ashraf in the squad. That said, he felt that it wasn’t a given that Afghanistan would do well just because they had competent spinners.”We saw during the triangular series that just because the ball is spinning, it doesn’t automatically mean we’re going to win games,” Trott said. “We still have to do everything else well, and I stress that. Yes, our spinners have played a lot of franchise cricket and plenty of international T20 and ODI cricket, but we’ve got to be consistent across all departments. That’s why we work so hard as a side.”Right now, we have a great opportunity with the Asia Cup. Looking a bit further ahead, with the World Cup coming up in February, we have good memories of playing in the subcontinent – in Sri Lanka and India. It can be tempting to look too far ahead, but for now, Bangladesh is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and we’re focused on winning that game.”
Matt Short also makes his return from injury ahead of Australia’s T20I tour of New Zealand
Alex Malcolm16-Sep-2025Despite retiring from ODIs earlier this year Glenn Maxwell will play 50-over cricket for his state side Victoria in the first two Dean Jones Trophy matches of the new summer to help prepare for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.Maxwell, 36, has been named in Victoria’s 14-player squad for their first two matches against Queensland and Tasmania at Allan Border Field on Wednesday and Friday respectively. Maxwell has played just one List A match for Victoria since March 2022, and that was against New South Wales in October last year.Fellow Australian T20I squad member Matt Short has also been named for his first game of cricket in any form since the MLC in July, after he was ruled out of the five-match T20I tour of the Caribbean then both the T20I and ODI series against South Africa at home in August due to a side injury. Like Maxwell, he has not played a 50-over fixture since the Champions Trophy.Related
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Captain Will Sutherland will only play in game one before departing to India to join the Australia A tour ahead of the second four-day game in Lucknow. Peter Handscomb will captain in game two.Young batter Oliver Peake, who is yet to make his Victoria 50-over debut despite making his List A debut for Australia A in July against Sri Lanka A, is unavailable as he is already in Lucknow playing in the first four-day match against India A. Todd Murphy is also playing for Australia A in India.Harry Dixon and Sam Elliott will play both games for Victoria before departing for India to play for Australia A in the 50-over matches in Kanpur that start on September 30.Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne will captain Queensland against Victoria on Wednesday and Western Australia on Sunday, also at Allan Border Field. Xavier Bartlett is unavailable due to Australia A duty while Mark Steketee (minor hamstring) and Callum Vidler (stress fracture) are also absent. Test opener Usman Khawaja won’t play either of Queensland’s 50-over matches this week as he continues his preparation for the start of the Sheffield Shield summer ahead of the Ashes.Former New South Wales allrounder Hayden Kerr is in line for a Queensland debut as is former Australian Under-19 World Cup winning captain Hugh Weibgen.Tom Straker and Lachlan Hearne will play both matches against Victoria and WA before departing to India to join the Australia A 50-over squad.Hearne has been called up to his first Australia A squad as an injury replacement for Aaron Hardie. Hearne has only played eight List A matches but the left-hander made an impressive 107 off 91 balls against his former state New South Wales in February.Victoria squad: Will Sutherland, Peter Handscomb, Blake Macdonald, Callum Stow, Cam McClure, David Moody, Glenn Maxwell, Harry Dixon, Marcus Harris, Matt Short, Mitch Perry, Sam Elliott, Sam Harper, Tom RogersQueensland squad: Marnus Labuschagne (capt), Jack Clayton, Benji Floros, Lachlan Hearne, Hayden Kerr, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Hugh Weibgen, Jack Wildermuth
O zagueiro Thiago Silva, de 39 anos, sempre teve seu nome ligado ao Fluminense. Porém, nos últimos meses, as especulações aumentaram, devido ao término do seu contrato com o Chelsea da Inglaterra, que se encerra no dia 30 de junho.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol InternacionalSonho do Fluminense, Thiago Silva deixará o Chelsea ao final da temporada, diz jornalistaFutebol Internacional22/04/2024Fora de CampoEsposa de Thiago Silva brinca com possível retorno do zagueiro ao Fluminense e agita a webFora de Campo22/04/2024Fora de CampoPrefeito do Rio de Janeiro brinca com retorno de Thiago Silva ao Fluminense: ‘Já é tricolor’Fora de Campo22/04/2024
➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Fluminense
Após a eliminação para o Manchester City, na semifinal da Copa da Inglaterra, Thiago Silva revelou que já tomou uma decisão sobre o seu futuro e que os torcedores saberão em breve.
—Vocês vão saber nos próximos dias. Eu não quero dizer nada agora com a minha cabeça na derrota, com um pouco de tristeza. Mas cedo ou tarde vai acontecer.Eu já tomei a decisão na minha cabeça, já tenho — disse Thiago Silva, à Hayters TV.
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Em 2024, o Fluminense vem sofrendo muito com o seu setor defensivo. No início da temporada, a equipe das Laranjeiras vendeu o zagueiro Nino para o Zenit, da Rússia, e não pôde contar com Manoel e Marlon, em diversos momentos, por conta das lesões.
Como peça de reposição, o Fluminense contratou o experiente Antonio Carlos. Contudo, após alguns jogos formando a dupla de zaga com outro veterano, Felipe Melo, o técnico Fernando Diniz passou a improvisar ora o volante André, ora Martinelli, e em alguns casos, até utilizou os dois juntos.
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Mas a pergunta que muitos se fazem é “Por que o Fluminense não repôs a saída do Nino, com um zagueiro à altura?” E a resposta tem nome e sobrenome, Thiago Silva.
Não é de hoje que o atual presidente do Fluminense, Mário Bittencourt, fala abertamente sobre um possível retorno do zagueiro ao clube tricolor. E em 2023, Mario deu uma entrevista falando sobre a possibilidade de contar com o atleta em 2024.
“Então, contato com o Thiago Silva tenho sempre, ele é tricolor, mandou mensagem de apoio na semana da final. Depois, Thiago mandou mensagem de parabéns (pelo título). Nós não conversamos novamente quando ele disse de maneira honesta que iria até o meio de 2024 no Chelsea. Isso não impede que a gente converse novamente. Queria aproveitar para dizer que continuo com o desejo de trazê-lo pela alta performance que tem. Acredito que um dia possa voltar a jogar no Fluminense”, disse Bittencourt, à TNT Sports.
“Mas depende muito mais do desejo ele, não é pressão, se ele não voltar, isso não diminui o amor que tem pelo clube, nem pode diminuir o amor que temos por ele. É um desejo, sou uma pessoa que desde me entendo por gente gosto de ir atrás dos meus sonhos. Vou continuar tentando, tomara que a gente possa reforçar o nosso time no ano que vem”.
Caso o zagueiro volte ao clube, no fim do seu contrato, o Fluminense terá feito uma jogada de mestre. Pois, mesmo chegando no meio do ano e com quase 40 anos, Thiago Sila desembarca no Brasil, sendo o melhor zagueiro da América do Sul.
Segundo o Sofascore, na Premier League da atual temporada, Thiago Silva tem 25 jogos (24 como titular), três gols marcados, 95% de passes certos, 4.9 bolas recuperadas por jogo, 4.8 cortes feitos por partida, 70% de duelos aéreos ganhos, 0.3 faltas por jogo e 7.08 de nota média.
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When the Blue Jays signed All-Star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500 million contract extension in April, the news was met with some mixed responses from the general baseball public.
Here was a homegrown star, a born Canadian who, with just one year left until free agency and after a lengthy and at times testy negotiation process, was pledging to spend the rest of his career in Toronto. For an MVP-caliber player entering his age-26 season, it was the kind of day that organizations dream about.
Except there was a way to view the decision as a desperation move, one made by a gambler who’s barely hanging onto their seat at the table deciding to push a dwindling chip stack all in. The Jays were coming off of a last-place finish that followed three playoff runs in four years, each ending with a wild-card round sweep. To some (including a certain writer), the organization’s contention window was closing, if not already shut. In gambling parlance, this was throwing good money after bad.
Four-plus months into the 2025 season, and it appears that Toronto’s big bet is paying off.
Entering play on Wednesday, the Blue Jays have the best record in the American League. Playoff odds that began at 40% on Opening Day, per FanGraphs, have soared to 98.7%. Barring a horrible collapse, Toronto will be alive and well in October, and has a good chance of earning a spot directly into the division series.
Beyond simply pledging half a billion dollars to Guerrero, the path to where the Blue Jays currently find themselves is paved with even more gambles on in-house talent returning to form and fueling Toronto’s surge.
For years, the Blue Jays have far too often (for their fans’ liking, at least) played the role of bridesmaid rather than bride. Highly publicized free agent chases of Shohei Ohtani (a private plane ride from California to Toronto carrying Canadian businessman Robert Herjavec of fame caused international confusion) and Juan Soto (agent Scott Boras said Toronto impressed the now-Met with a “great offer”) came up empty, as did bids at landing Corbin Burnes and Teoscar Hernández.
Toronto was looking high and low for reinforcements, but the big fish the organization chased weren’t biting.
And the ones that did end up joining the Blue Jays haven’t panned out as hoped. Anthony Santander, who inked a five-year, $92.5 million deal in January, managed a .179 average in 50 games before landing on the injured list. Closer Jeff Hoffman signed for $33 million, and has so far posted a 4.41 ERA with five blown saves. All-Star second baseman Andrés Giménez, acquired in a December trade from the Guardians, has battled injuries amid his worst offensive season (74 OPS+ in 62 games).
Instead of the cavalry coming to save the day, it’s been improvements from players already on the roster that have spurred the Blue Jays’ climb.
Bo Bichette, left, is leading the American League in hits in his free-agent platform season. / Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
That list starts with shortstop Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star who seemed to pair perfectly with Guerrero as the young faces of the franchise. From 2021 to ‘23, Bichette twice led the AL in hits and posted a 124 OPS+. An injury-marred ‘24 campaign saw his production fall off a cliff as he managed to play in just 81 games, and there was serious doubt as to whether he could rediscover his form.
Bichette has bounced back by cutting down his swing-and-miss, posting the lowest strikeout rate (14.9%) of his career without sacrificing hard contact. His barrel rate (8.6%) has nearly doubled from last year, and is back to near his career average. A free agent after this season, Bichette has greatly improved his financial prospects to the point that it’s possible Toronto could be priced out, but that’s a problem for another time. For now, the 27-year-old is playing a critical role in jumpstarting the Blue Jays’ title hopes.
Another standout has been George Springer, who once upon a time was the big-ticket free agent Toronto was actually able to sign. Springer joined the Blue Jays in 2021 on a six-year, $150 million contract that at the time was the largest in team history. After two productive years, Springer began to show his warts in ‘23, and the decline steepened to the tune of a .220/.303/.371 slash line in ‘24.
Against all odds, the 35-year-old has turned back the clock this season, putting up his best OPS+ (144) since 2019. He’s revitalized his production from the batter’s box by using his experience to his advantage, posting the lowest chase rate (20.6%) of his career. By laying off pitches outside the zone, he’s making pitchers come to him, and doing damage when he decides to let it rip. Springer ranks eighth among 300 qualified hitters in run value against pitches swung at in the heart of the strike zone, per StatCast.
The cast of resurgent Jays goes on. Alejandro Kirk is hitting .297 with a 110 OPS+ after posting .251 and 93 marks, respectively, over the previous two years. Daulton Varsho, who’s missed most of the year with shoulder and hamstring injuries, has played just 32 games but is healthy now and mashing, with 12 home runs and a 141 OPS+. Addison Barger, who batted .197 in his 69-game rookie season last year, has emerged to provide middle-of-the-order thump, slugging 18 home runs in 96 games with a 122 OPS+.
Toronto’s trade deadline moves reflected a team that’s moved on from the old boom-or-bust approach, with savvy acquisitions to bolster both the starting rotation and bullpen. The biggest of them was the trade for 2020 Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, who’s nearly ready to return after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Seranthony Dominguez and Louis Varland are two flame-throwers brought on to help fortify the back end of the bullpen and provide manager John Schneider with more options come October, when fire-extinguishing relief pitchers become even more valuable.
In chasing the big names in recent years, Toronto has often left itself frustrated and empty handed. But by banking on a core that many had lost hope for, the Blue Jays might have just hit the jackpot after many had already counted them out.
Less than two years after hoisting the World Series trophy, the Rangers and Bruce Bochy have "mutually agreed to end his managerial tenure with the organization," the team announced Monday. The Rangers also announced that they have offered Bochy a role in the front office in an advisory capacity.
The Rangers join the Giants and Twins as teams who parted ways with their managers on Monday after the conclusion of the 2025 regular season.
Bochy came out of retirement after the 2022 season to become the manager of the Rangers. In his first season with Texas in 2023, he led them to a 90-72 record and their franchise's first World Series victory. After the Rangers failed to make the playoffs in either of the last two seasons, they have decided to search for a new manager.
Bochy has been an MLB manager for 28 seasons with the Rangers, Padres and Giants. He's led every team he's managed to a World Series appearance, won four World Series, and has compiled a 2,252-2,266 (.498) career record.
Though offered a role in the Rangers' front office, the 70-year-old manager could be a contender for other vacancies, including the Giants, his old team. Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, who played under Bochy in San Francisco simply said Monday, "I don’t know what his status is yet. I haven’t heard, so I can’t speak to that.”
Beleaguered Liverpool boss Arne Slot has finally been able to share some good news with an injury update on three key players ahead of the Premier League clash with West Ham. The Reds have lost nine of their last 12 games, putting Slot under massive pressure, but the Dutchman has delivered positive updates on key stars Florian Wirtz, Allison and Hugo Ekitike.
Ray of light for Liverpool boss
It's been a diabolical few months for Liverpool, the defence of the Premier League crown is already in tatters and they face an uphill battle to secure an automatic qualification place in the Champions League. High-profile summer signings have failed to integrate into the team and defensive frailties have been their Achilles heel in a series of demoralising defeats, culminating in the 4-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. Liverpool were without goalkeeper Alisson who pulled out with illness, marquee £116 million signing Wirtz missed out after picking up an injury while on international duty and there were worrying scenes as Ekitike hobbled off on the hour against PSV.
But Slot has been able to offer a glimmer of hope for Reds fans ahead of the trip to east London.
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Slot: 'It shouldn't be a big issue'
Slot told reporters at a pre-match press conference: "Ali (Becker) trained again with the team today, so we hope and expect him to be available at the weekend. Florian will have his final day of rehab tomorrow. So, if that all goes well, he could train with the team on Saturday."
And on Ekitike, he added: "They (medical staff) don't expect that it has to be a big issue, but the games come fast so let's see for the weekend. But it shouldn't have to be a big issue."
Dutchman defiant over Anfield future
Just hours after watching his team be dismantled at Anfield by PSV the Dutch boss spoke with the press and was confident his job was safe after having discussions with Liverpool hierarchy. He told reporters: "We've had the same conversations that we've had since I got here. We fight on. We try to improve, but the conversations have been the same as they have been for the last one and a half years."
When pressed on what he can change to stop the rot, Slot added: "That's not so easy to say. It's normal to reflect on a game with decisions you have made. Maybe you do it a little bit more if you lose. In the end, it's about doing what this club is about. Keep fighting no matter how difficult it is. It would be nice if we reward ourselves in the moments we play well. People are focused on the parts we don't play well but there are large parts where we do play well."
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All eyes on the London Stadium
Such is Liverpool's form that hosts West Ham, who are languishing in 17th place, will believe they have the chance to land three points against the Merseysiders on Sunday afternoon. The Hammers have begun to turn a corner under boss Nuno Espirito Santo and are unbeaten in their last three matches. Meanwhile, the Reds have lost each of their last five away league games against London sides, as many as in their previous 31.
But Slot has remained tight-lipped on whether he will make wholesale changes for the match, saying: "Everyone trains with us every single day, and they can prove themselves in that moment. It's always a balance. There was a period where I lost, and I made a few changes and people complained that I made too many changes. Of course, I consider but I can not tell you the end decision of what I've considered for Sunday."
Anything other than a victory for Slot on Sunday will pile even more pressure on the beleaguered boss ahead of a midweek visit from Sunderland in the Premier League.