In his absence, India will have to make a choice between the uncapped Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna

Sidharth Monga22-Jul-20252:21

Manjrekar: India’s quicks not staying fit a serious issue

India captain Shubman Gill has confirmed that Akash Deep has not returned to full fitness in time for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. Akash Deep sustained a groin injury during the Lord’s Test, and bowled into Morne Morkel’s mitt two days before the Test but not in the nets. His replacement will be either Anshul Kamboj or Prasidh Krishna.India had already confirmed this would be the last of the three promised Tests that Jasprit Bumrah plays in this series. That leaves India with a call to make on the final morning between Prasidh, who is taller and can bring extra bounce into play but has gone at an average of 55.16 and economy of 5.33 in this series so far, and the uncapped Kamboj, who is closer to a like-for-like replacement for Akash Deep in terms of being able to extract seam movement.Gill said Kamboj was close to making his debut, but didn’t rule out Prasidh. Prasidh was asked to move away from his good length and bowl short on flat decks in the first two Tests. “He [Kamboj] is very close to making his debut,” Gill said. “We’re going to see tomorrow between him and Prasidh as to who is going to make it to the XI.”Related

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Kamboj’s batting could also be a factor. He averages 16.20 with the bat in first-class cricket, and can strike the ball hard. He has hit 22 sixes in 24 first-class matches, striking at 73.08 per 100 balls. Prasidh has scored just 198 first-class runs at 8.6 per dismissal.Gill repeated that he had full faith in anyone from the squad making it to the final XI. “The kind of skillset that he brings to the table is exactly what we want in this team and he’s there because we believe that he can win us the match,” Gill said of Kamboj. “Even in the second Test match, when Akash Deep was brought in, a lot of people had questions why he’s been brought in, but it’s mainly the belief that we have within our squad that any player that comes in the team is able to or can win matches for us.”The third fast bowler is not the only decision India need to make. They have lost their fourth quick from the last two matches – Nitish Kumar Reddy – to a knee injury. Unlike Akash Deep, whom they trust to be available for The Oval, Reddy has been ruled out of the series. India look set to replace him with a specialist batter in B Sai Sudharsan, leaving them room to replace Washington Sundar with Shardul Thakur should the conditions demand that.Two days out, the conditions in question didn’t look as seam-friendly as you might expect in rain-hit Manchester, but Gill said another day of drizzle and the consequent covering of the pitch might result in help for seam bowling.2:50

Nets watch – Pant keeps, Kamboj bowls and India’s slip cordon

“When I saw the wicket yesterday, it didn’t look that damp,” Gill said. “But obviously, now having to look at the weather, I don’t think there is much chance for the wicket to dry that moisture out. So I think there will be a little bit more for the bowlers. And generally at this venue, it’s a little bit quicker than the other venues we have seen. There’s a bit more pace and bounce.”It will be interesting to see where Karun Nair bats if Sai Sudharsan does come back in. In the first Test, when both played, Sai Sudharsan batted at No. 3 and Nair at No. 6. Nair has had starts after that but has not topped 40 in three Tests. Gill backed Nair to come good.”We think Karun is batting well,” Gill said. “First match, he didn’t really play at this number. It’s difficult when a player is making a comeback in a series like this, but I don’t think there’s been any issue with this batting. I think he’s been batting well. Sometimes it’s also about getting that click. Once you’re able to make your fifty, then you’re able to get back into your zone and get some big runs. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened for him so far, but we are hopeful that he will be able to turn it around.”Gill also confirmed that Rishabh Pant was good to keep wicket after a finger injury kept him away from keeping at Lord’s.India’s likely XI for the fourth Test vs England1 KL Rahul, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Karun Nair, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 B Sai Sudharsan, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Washington Sundar/Shardul Thakur, 9 Anshul Kamboj/Prasidh Krishna, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj

The Los Angeles Dodgers captured the 2024 World Series title in five games over the New York Yankees, finishing the series off in New York with a five-run comeback in a 7-6 Game 5 clinching victory.

Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman earned World Series MVP after hitting home runs in each of the first four games of the Fall Classic. Freeman finished the five-game series batting .300 with four home runs and 12 RBI.

What makes Freeman's climb to the mountaintop in 2024 even more special was the troubling times it took to get here. Just a few short months ago, Freeman's 3-year-old son Maximus endured a very scary and serious health battle. After doctors probed for answers with Maximus's health rapidly declining, it was eventually determined that he was suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome. He is doing much better now, and Freeman reflected on an up-and-down 2024 on-and-off the field.

"I would say [I've learned] a lot in so many different ways," Freeman said of his trying year. "I wish I'd never have to go through what we did as a family. But ultimately, Maximus is doing really, really well right now. He's a special boy. But it has been a grind for three months, it really has. It's been a lot, and then obviously with the injuries at the end, it makes it all worth it kind of in the end. I mean, I'll never compare Maximus to baseball, I won't. It's just two separate things. But with him doing really well now, it does mean a little bit extra."

Freeman's ending to the season was well deserved given everything he went through this season, which culminated with his second World Series title as a professional and first World Series MVP.

Ligue 1 referee chief Amaury Delerue has defended the controversial decisions made by both the on-field and VAR officials during Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-2 win over Lyon. The last-minute defeat left Lyon players furious but Delerue has explained the process behind the officials' decisions and insisted that each call was made correctly.

Lyon frustrated with calls all in favour of PSG

Lyon were left furious after a series of key moments went against them in their match against PSG. In the 27th minute, Ilia Zabarnyi’s apparent handball inside the penalty area went unpunished. Soon after, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s goal stood despite Vitinha’s tackle from behind on Tanner Tessmann. Just before half-time, a challenge by Kang-in Lee on Nicolas Tagliafico inside the PSG box was ignored. The controversy deepened when Tagliafico was shown a straight red card for a late tackle on Vitinha, leaving Lyon with 10 men. VAR upheld the decision, sparking outrage from the Lyon players and staff.

Lyon’s assistant coach Jorge Maciel launched a scathing post-match rant, claiming that only the four referees on the pitch failed to notice the fouls committed during the game. He said: “I think there are 59,000 people in the stadium, and only four of them didn’t see the fouls we analysed. We don’t even need to watch the replays. When it happens one way, we don’t understand it. When it happens with the arrogance of not even having the opportunity to discuss it, we don’t understand it.”

Maciel went on to accuse the officials of favouring PSG, suggesting that the champions didn’t need to “play with 16 men” as they are already the best team in Europe.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDelerue defends the referees

In an interview with, Ligue 1 referee association chief Delerue defended the officials appointed for the match and explained the reasoning behind their key decisions.

He clarified why no handball was called on Zabarnyi, saying: “The VAR followed IFAB protocol by reviewing all available angles and images, none of which clearly showed that the decision not to award a penalty was definitely wrong, or whether Zabarnyi actually touched the ball.”

Delerue also justified the decision regarding Lee’s challenge on Tagliafico, stating: “Lee’s intervention is not punishable under the laws of the game. It was natural contact that did not prevent Tagliafico from playing the ball.”

Vitinha finds the loophole

PSG, who were without key players such as Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and Nuno Mendes due to injury, took an early lead through Warren Zaire-Emery within the first ten minutes. Lyon quickly equalised through Moreira, but Kvaratskhelia restored PSG’s advantage soon after. Ainsley Maitland-Niles struck again to make it 2-2, and the match appeared to be heading for a draw until Joao Neves rose highest to score from a late corner, sealing the win for Luis Enrique’s side. The result moved PSG back to the top of the table, while Lyon slipped to seventh.

Kvaratskhelia’s goal came right after Vitinha’s foul on Tessman. Delerue admitted that Vitinha took advantage of a loophole in the rules to avoid punishment when he said, “This is a very complex situation on which the DA was unable to reach a 100 percent unanimous decision. The contact affected Tessman’s ability to maintain control of the ball, which is why we would primarily consider it a foul during recovery and disallow the goal. But we are in a grey area, which is why the VAR’s decision not to challenge the central referee is understandable.”

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Getty ImagesPSG using the international break to grow stronger

Enrique will use the international break to recover key players from injury and refine his tactical system. The PSG manager aims to learn from their defeat against Bayern Munich, make the necessary adjustments to avoid similar mistakes in future matches, and further strengthen his team’s overall performance.

They sit top of the French top flight with a two-point lead over Marseille and Lens, while Lyon's defeat – winless in four games – are seventh in the table and seven points adrift of the reigning champions.

Arsenal are now looking to get ahead in the race to sign Levante striker Karl Etta Eyong, amid widespread interest from some top Premier League clubs.

The Gunners made it nine wins on the bounce in all competitions on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of a 2-0 victory at Burnley, with their backline once again looking very strong, limiting the Clarets to an xG of just 0.41.

Goals from Declan Rice and Viktor Gyokeres secured all three points, with the latter bagging his first Premier League goal since September, displaying his striker’s instincts by nodding home from close range.

Mikel Arteta is very well-stocked in attacking areas on paper, although Gabriel Jesus has suffered persistent injury issues and Kai Havertz has featured just once in the Premier League this season due to a knee problem.

As such, it could make sense to bring in a new striker to compete for Gyokeres’ starting spot, and the north Londoners are now looking to sign a highly-rated young forward.

Arsenal looking to get ahead in Etta Eyong race

According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now looking to get ahead in the race to sign Levante striker Etta Eyong, who is being targeted by a number of the Premier League’s top clubs, with Manchester City and Manchester United also keen.

Signing a new striker isn’t a priority for the Gunners, but the 22-year-old is of interest, and a release clause of around just €40m (£35m) means he would be an affordable option.

Ideally, however, the forward would prefer to play in La Liga, so it remains to be seen whether the interested English clubs are able to tempt him into a move.

Stan Kroenke & co clearly mean business, having set out to sign another striker, despite Arteta already having the likes of Gyokeres, Havertz and Jesus to choose from.

With Arsenal looking to compete on all fronts, however, it makes sense to have squad depth, and the Levante star could be an exciting addition, having been lauded as “powerful” by journalist Kai Watson.

The Cameroonian has certainly hit the ground running at Levante since arriving from Villarreal in the summer, scoring five goals in his opening seven games for the La Liga side, while he also has three assists to his name this season.

There are question marks over whether Etta Eyong would be a necessary signing, but he is showing very promising signs in La Liga, and £35m would be a reasonable fee.

Viktor Gyokeres named as one of the best strikers in the world Related The Best 15 Strikers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best number nine right now?

Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

It would be fair to say that it’s not exactly the best time to be a West Ham United fan at the moment.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have lost their last three games and currently look on track to be relegated from the Premier League.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom as it’s still early in the season and the Hammers do have a number of very talented players in their squad.

Moreover, while they sold one of their star players, Mohammed Kudus, in the summer, the manager has another player who is far better than he’ll ever be, and it could even be said that it was the right decision to sell the Ghanaian.

Why selling Kudus was the right decision

Now, the first thing to say is that on his day, Kudus can be a real game-changer, and during his first campaign for West Ham, he was exactly that.

For example, across 45 appearances for the Irons in 23/24, he racked up an impressive tally of 14 goals and nine assists, which works out to a goal involvement every 1.95 games.

However, as many a West Ham fan will report, the former Ajax star was only a useful player to have when the going was good, as in challenging moments he’d often go missing entirely.

This is exactly what happened in his second season at the club.

For example, in 35 appearances across all competitions last season, the Accra-born international was only able to score five goals and provide four assists.

That means his average dropped from a goal involvement every 1.95 games to one every 3.88 games, and worse yet, his fifth goal of the season came in the final league game against an already relegated Ipswich Town, when nothing was on the line.

Moreover, his underlying numbers were just as unimpressive, so he wasn’t just getting unlucky.

According to FBref, he only ranked in the top 32% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league for shot-creating actions, the top 37% for non-penalty expected goals and progressive carries, the top 43% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and more, all per 90.

In short, while he might have been useful this season, West Ham were probably smart to sell him for £55m, especially as Nuno has another more talented star who will give his all for the badge when things get tough.

The West Ham star miles better than Kudus

Now, West Ham do have a few players who could help them get out of trouble by the end of the season, including Lucas Paqueta, El Hadji Malick Diouf, and Mateus Fernandes.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, when it comes to the most important star of all, and the one who is still comfortably better than Kudus, it’s obviously Jarrod Bowen.

The modern legend has already cemented his name in club folklore with that Conference League Final-winning goal, but he continues to be the most dangerous attacker in the squad.

For example, since joining the Hammers in January 2020, the former Hull City ace has racked up a sensational tally of 77 goals and 53 assists in 248 games, averaging a goal involvement every 1.90 games.

Moreover, while Kudus was letting the fans down with his performances and output last season, the Englishman was picking up the slack and consistently delivering, scoring 14 goals and providing ten assists in 36 games, which is a goal involvement every 1.5 games.

What about this year, though? How does the Leominster-born star’s output stack up to the Ghanaian international’s?

Well, in 13 appearances for his new side, the former Hammer has scored one goal and provided five assists.

That comes out to a reasonably impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.16 games.

For his efforts, the Irons’ “unplayable” talisman, as dubbed by Thomas Frank, has scored three goals and provided two assists in ten appearances.

Amazingly, that means that, despite playing for a team threatened with relegation, Bowen has maintained a better average of a goal involvement every other game.

Therefore, while Nuno might have been able to tune out of Kudus at West Ham, he already has a far better player at his disposal, and one that will fight to the end for him and the team.

Nuno must now finally ditch West Ham man who's "national league standard"

Nuno has to make some changes to save West Ham’s Premier League status, and one of them is to drop the poor performer.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 28, 2025

England opt for four spinners, meaning seamer Kate Cross misses out on World Cup squad

Valkerie Baynes21-Aug-2025

Heather Knight is expected to be fit for the World Cup after being named in England’s squad for the tournament, but her side will be without veteran seamer Kate Cross, who has been overlooked for selection.Knight, the former England captain, hasn’t played since injuring her hamstring during England’s home series with West Indies in May but it’s understood that her recovery is sufficiently on track to warrant her selection on Thursday.Danni Wyatt-Hodge also returns to strengthen the batting after being omitted in the 50-over format throughout the English summer, having made her last ODI appearance during the ill-fated Ashes tour of Australia in January.That means batter Maia Bouchier and allrounder Alice Davidson-Richards miss out, as does Cross, with England opting for four spinners to play in India and Sri Lanka during the tournament which starts next month.Sophie Ecclestone leads the spin contingent, which also includes fellow left-armer Linsey Smith and offspinner Charlie Dean, as well as legspinner Sarah Glenn, making her return after featuring in the West Indies series but missing out on the subsequent visit by India through June and July.England’s seam attack consists of Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer and Em Arlott, who made her international debut in May. Nat Sciver-Brunt is hopeful of returning to bowling in her allrounder role after a long-standing Achillies problem.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Head Coach Charlotte Edwards said the tournament posed a “huge challenge” but she believed her side was capable of competing “with anyone”.”Being selected to play for your country in a World Cup is one of the biggest honours in sport and I’m delighted for all the players named in the squad,” Edwards said.”Conditions mean we have gone for the extra spinner and we’re lucky to be able to have such depth in this department, it’s fantastic to welcome Sarah Glenn back. That does mean there’s no room for Kate Cross, Maia Bouchier or Alice Davidson-Richards, which will be disappointing for them.”It’s also great to have Danni back in the squad, she’s been in good form in domestic cricket and she’ll bring dynamism and depth to our batting, alongside Heather, who we are absolutely delighted to be able to select. She’ll be a huge asset for us.”Commentating on the women’s Hundred match between Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets a few hours after the announcement, Cross expressed her disappointment.”A lot for me to process,” Cross said on Sky Sports. “It’s probably been a disappointing summer in terms of England cricket. I feel like I’ve done quite well in this tournament. I performed for Lancashire.”But it’s difficult when you go into a subcontinent World Cup and you can tell that the head coach wants a little bit more spin in her armoury, then it makes sense in my head. So there’s a lot of logic that’s mixed with a lot of emotion at the minute.”Cross revealed she had only learned of her omission at 9am on Thursday, two hours before the squad was announced.She will next play for Northern Superchargers against Invincibles on Saturday as her side, currently placed second on the table, look to keep themselves in finals contention.Missing out on the 50-over World Cup places Cross at an interesting juncture in her career. She turns 34 in October and, while a home T20 World Cup beckons next year, she has fallen out of England favour in the shorter format.She played her last T20I during the tour of Ireland in September 2024 while the first-choice squad were in the UAE preparing for the T20 World Cup, where England eventually crashed out in the group stages.She has also forged a successful side-hustle in commentating, although she acknowledged the difficulties of her on- and off-field careers colliding on a day like this.”I probably wouldn’t have talked about this openly live on the television if I wasn’t doing commentary,” she said. “But I’ve got 24 hours to turn it around to play a game for the Northern Supercharges on Saturday.”It’s been a bit of a whirlwind but this is professional sport, we sign up to it, it doesn’t always go your way, and I’ve held back the tears so there we go, we can finish talking about it.”The World Cup runs from September 30 to November 2 and will be the first ICC tournament in charge for Edwards and captain Sciver-Brunt.England Women’s squad: Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

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A Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) sofreu diversos ataques racistas ao longo desta semana, principalmente após o jogo contra a Argentina, que foi realizada na terça-feira (21). As agressões não foram apenas a entidade, mas também a jogadores e torcedores brasileiros, onde os comparavam a “macacos”.  

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As ofensas também foram direcionadas ao Presidente da CBF Ednaldo Rodrigues, que que recebeu comentários pejorativos sobre sua etnia.

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

➡️ Clube do Brasileirão compra ex-zagueiro do Santos e coloca multa de R$ 267 milhões

– Tenho orgulho de ser o primeiro negro, nordestino, descendente de indígenas a ocupar a presidência da CBF. Sempre soube e sigo consciente da minha luta e das dificuldades que terei que passar ao longo da minha vida por não ter origem na elite do Brasil, de ter vindo do interior do Nordeste – declarou o presidente.

A entidade já tomou as medidas cabíveis nesse caso, que são: comunicar as autoridades policiais, visando a identificação e punição dos autores desses ataques, pois se tratam de crimes capitulados na legislação brasileira, inclusive punidos com pena de prisão.

Sixth-wicket stand of 111 leads response to Derbyshire’s 377

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jul-2025 Northamptonshire 265 for 5 (Broad 64*, Bartlett 60*) trail Derbyshire 377 (Andersson 105, Procter 71*, Chahal 6-118) by 112 runsGeorge Bartlett and Justin Broad shared an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 111 to lead the Northamptonshire recovery in response to Derbyshire’s total of 377 at Wantage Road.Bartlett equalled his season’s best of 60 not out, made in the opening round of the Rothesay County Championship, while Broad struck an unbeaten 64 as the pair batted through the evening session, having joined forces at 154 for five.Northamptonshire captain Luke Procter anchored his side’s innings with a gritty 71 at the top of the order before becoming one of a trio of departures in quick succession prior to tea.Earlier, Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal picked up the final two Derbyshire wickets to register figures of six for 118, his best in the County Championship.Derbyshire resumed on 348 for eight and Ben Aitchison wasted no time in securing their third batting bonus point, clubbing Liam Guthrie’s first delivery of the morning to the cover fence.Aitchison looked on course to reach a first-class half-century for only the second time in his career, but he departed five short of that landmark, chopping Chahal back onto leg stump.The spinner soon wrapped up Derbyshire’s innings as Blair Tickner – having blazed a couple of boundaries off George Scrimshaw – took an ambitious swing and was caught at slip off a thick edge.With ball in hand, Tickner then sent down a fiery opening spell, generating plenty of pace and bounce and earning his reward by removing Ricardo Vasconcelos with a delivery that swung in to hit the left-hander on the pads.Procter and Lewis McManus – who was awarded his county cap prior to the start of play – saw their side through to lunch, not without the odd scare as debutant Joe Hawkins’ first ball found the edge of the skipper’s bat but fell just short of slip.The visitors struck in the first over after the interval, when McManus misjudged the line from Zak Chappell and was caught behind, but James Sales started perkily as he dispatched Hawkins for two cover boundaries.Meanwhile, Procter withstood a barrage of short-pitched bowling from Tickner, emerging unscathed after he ducked into a bouncer and continued to accumulate, guiding Aitchison to the rope at third man to bring up his half-century.Northamptonshire’s third-wicket partnership yielded 74 before Luis Reece achieved the breakthrough, tempting Sales to drive outside off stump and Harry Came clasped the catch at cover.Reece prised out Procter, foxing the batter with a slower ball that trapped him in front and Derbyshire also removed the in-form Saif Zaib on the stroke of tea, caught behind to provide Hawkins with his first senior wicket.Bartlett made a scratchy start but began to open up in the wake of Procter’s exit, lifting Hawkins over the top for four and responding to another pounding by Tickner with a classy straight drive back over the bowler’s head.He was soon overtaken by Broad, whose tendency towards the pull shot almost proved his downfall when he miscued Tickner to leg slip, only for the ball to drop just in front of the stretching Caleb Jewell.However, it was Bartlett who won the race to 50, pummelling Reece for six and four in quick succession and Broad soon followed suit, capitalising on the left-armer’s full toss to find the boundary.

Lucas Paqueta has detailed how the betting scandal that he became caught up in ultimately "strengthened his marriage" and delivered benefits off the field. The West Ham playmaker has also explained how he reacted to seeing a proposed transfer to Manchester City break down, while admitting to being approached by teams in his native Brazil across more recent windows.

• Paqueta faced no sporting sanctions in spot-fixing case

  Paqueta found himself at the centre of spot-fixing allegations relating to the supposed deliberate picking up of yellow cards. A long-running saga dragged on for two years, casting an unfortunate shadow over the South American midfielder.

  He ultimately faced no financial or sporting sanctions, having only been found guilty of breaching lesser charges regarding cooperation with the investigation, and is free to focus on his football once more.

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• Getty
  

  How betting scandal helped & hindered Paqueta

  Paqueta is relieved to have removed a considerable distraction, but has told of finding positivity in an unfortunate situation that could have broken lesser men and their relationships: "Without a doubt, it was a very difficult time, not only for me but for my family. My wife and I went through two long, painful years, but with a happy ending. This also strengthened our marriage, our history as a family: me, her, and the children. I'm happy it ended the way it did; I fought hard against it, and it's very difficult not being able to speak, to hear various narratives and not being able to tell your side of the story.

  "It was difficult for me; I had psychological support to deal with all of this, with some of the problems. Now it's about enjoying this moment, being able to play a little lighter again, without this weight, without this fear, and being happy on the field."

  Paqueta was heavily linked with Premier League giants City in 2023, but the betting case led to interest being shelved and no deal being agreed. He added on finding himself at the London Stadium rather than the Etihad: "Everyone knows that I really had a transfer to City. I probably would have signed the week I received the letter (from the Football Association). Professionally speaking, I lost that, that transfer, a leap in my career.

  "Psychologically, I think that's where I was most affected, by the fear of this indecision, the uncertainty of my future, despite knowing who I am, what I do, what I've done. But, due to the circumstances of the investigations and the way the federation handled everything, it generated fear in us."

• Flamengo homecoming? Paqueta admits to talks

  Brazil international Paqueta has continued to attract interest since then, with Flamengo making a couple of bids to take him home. The 28-year-old said of those approaches: "The first moment was when (Marcos) Braz was still at Flamengo, there was that contact. I know of Flamengo's desire, and they know of my desire, my passion for the club, so it's something that always happens. As soon as I was accused, and the whole trial process was about to begin, Braz came to my house, made the offer, and asked what I thought.

  "Obviously, I always want to go back to Flamengo, but at that moment I was still a bit undecided about my decision, about what I was going to do, and then I also talked to the West Ham director and said: 'Braz, I want to go back, I know I'll feel good at Flamengo, but I can't be ungrateful to the club that's supporting me so much.' They supported me a lot at all times, helped me in various situations, so I couldn't force an exit from a place where I was being welcomed and respected. They respected me, my wife, my family. So I said: 'I want you to resolve this.' But yes, this exchange with Flamengo did happen."

  He added: "Maybe I shouldn't even be saying this, but I had some conversations with Filipe (Luís), who is a friend, in addition to the work he's doing at Flamengo. I really expressed my desire to return and also showed it to my agents.

  "It was a difficult decision because I'm 28 years old, it's very young, and I still have a lot of market value outside of here. I've been doing my job well, but it was a very strong desire. And I tried very hard, but unfortunately, once again, I decided to respect my club, not to force anything, because it's a club that supported me, that I have enormous affection for. So I let it happen, and it really didn't. I understood that it wasn't the right time, but I know the doors will always be open for me. I know that at some point this return will happen."

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  Paqueta contract: How long West Ham deal has left to run

  Paqueta is a product of Flamengo’s academy system and made close to 100 senior appearances for them before heading to Europe and Italian giants AC Milan in January 2019.

  He has spent time in France with Lyon since then, before joining West Ham for a club-record fee in 2022. He has made 132 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 22 goals, and is tied to a contract through to 2027 that includes the option for a further 12-month extension.

أعلن الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم موعد إجراء قرعة دور الـ32 من مسابقة كأس مصر، في بطولة يتنافس على تحقيق لقبها العديد من الأندية.

ويشارك في دور الـ32 للبطولة الـ21 ناديًا من القسم الأول، إضافة إلى 11 ناديًا من القسم الثاني، وهم، أبو قير للأسمدة، السكة الحديد، القناة، بترول أسيوط، المصرية للاتصالات، بلدية المحلة، مسار إف سي، تليفونات بني سويف، بور فؤاد، ألو ايجيبت، دكرنس.

طالع | بيراميدز في القائمة المختصرة لـ جائزة أفضل نادي في إفريقيا 2025

وكان الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك قد حقق لقب النسخة الماضية من مسابقة كأس مصر، على حساب بيراميدز موعد قرعة دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس مصر

وتجري لجنة المسابقات بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، قرعة دور الـ32 لبطولة كأس مصر للموسم الحالي 25/2026، في الثانية عشر ظهر بعد، غد، السبت، الموافق 15 نوفمبر الحالي، في مقر الاتحاد بالجزيرة.