Fernando Diniz explica modificações que garantiram virada do Vasco contra o Fluminense

MatériaMais Notícias

Após vitória de virada por 2 a 1 do Vasco contra o Fluminense no Maracanã, pelo jogo de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil, nesta quinta-feira (11), Fernando Diniz conversou com a imprensa. O técnico explicou as modificações no segundo tempo que levaram ao triunfo.

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— A gente fez um bom primeiro tempo, mais equilibrado, terminou melhor. No segundo, a gente mereceu a virada, buscou mais o gol, encaixou a pressão alta, ganhou mais segundas bolas e assumiu o controle do jogo — disse.

➡️Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

A virada passou muito pela evolução de Rayan na partida, além do poder de decisão de Vegetti no segundo gol. O técnico também abordou a combinação no ataque cruz-maltino.

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— O Vegetti entrou com 30 minutos do segundo tempo, o Rayan jogou bem o segundo tempo inteiro. O plano inicial já era ele participar mais do jogo. Desde que cheguei, tento fazer ele participar o máximo do jogo, junto com Andrés (Gómez) e Coutinho. No segundo tempo, a gente ajustou um pouco o posicionamento e orientamos onde tinha espaço para ele tocar mais na bola. Quando Vegetti entrou, ficou mais na ponta, entrelinhas, e foi decisivo para a gente virar — completou.

➡️ Emocionado, Vegetti se declara ao Vasco e esclarece situação com Diniz

Outras respostas de Fernando Diniz, técnico do Vasco

Evolução do Vasco no segundo tempo

— Não achei que no segundo tempo a gente estava alçando muita bola. Depois que o Fluminense fez o gol, abaixou a marcação e ficou difícil de entrar. A gente abriu o Gómez, com Paulo Henrique dando amplitude do outro lado. O que melhorou foi a celeridade nos passes, Rayan entrou mais no jogo e a dinâmica ficou mais acelerada para o jogo fluir com naturalidade.

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Vantagem para o segundo jogo

— A vantagem é como se fosse de um primeiro tempo, está 2 a 1 e tem mais um tempo. Nada ganho, a gente precisa encarar com muita seriedade. Só terminou o primeiro tempo, como o Fluminense vencia hoje. É corrigir o que fizemos de errado e respeitar o adversário.

Diniz é melhor em copas?

— Em relação aos meus trabalhos, no São Paulo a gente fez um trabalho de um ano e meio que conseguimos vaga direta na Libertadores e, em determinado momento, tínhamos sete pontos de vantagem na liderança no Brasileiro. Em 2022, quando fui para o Fluminense, saímos da zona de rebaixamento para terceiro. Então o trabalho não acontece só nas copas. Mas quando começa a avançar muito, é difícil manter. Flamengo, Palmeiras e Botafogo conseguiram por questão de orçamento, tinham dois times para jogar, investem muito dinheiro na categoria de base também. É difícil concorrer com esse poder financeiro, elenco robusto, mais que dois times. No Vasco, a gente está aprendendo. Aprendendo a ser grande com esse Vasco que dirijo. Aprendendo a ter estabilidade nos resultados, no desempenho. Não queremos essa oscilação, mas tem certa normalidade. Time machucado, jogadores desacreditados, que aspiram coisas melhores e depois caem. Com o tempo, vamos ganhar consistência. Nesse momento, precisamos de foco total no jogo de domingo.

Torcida vascaína

— A torcida é fundamental, nosso melhor jogador sempre. A torcida do Vasco é incrível, inacreditável o quanto conseguem apoiar, torcer, mesmo sem uma torcida machucada nos últimos. É um sonho fazer essa torcida feliz.

Oscilação do Vasco na temporada

— Eu acho que é um aprendizado constante. A vitória contra o Internacional foi contundente e o decréscimo para o jogo contra o Mirassol não foi tanto, embora tenhamos perdido. Do Inter para o Mirassol tivemos queda menos significativa do que do Santos para o Juventude. O jogo contra o Atlético-MG não entra nessa lista, foi atípico. Aprender a ser grande é ser consistente. Como disse, precisamos corrigir, erramos coisas no primeiro tempo, encaixes de marcação, perdas de duelo, bolas paradas, é uma disputa que está em aberto.

Vasco começou o jogo nervoso?

— Não achei o time nervoso, se fosse estaria no começo. A gente começou melhor, depois desencaixou a marcação um pouco, o Fluminense fez boas jogadas, bola circundando nossa área. E depois terminou o primeiro tempo melhor de novo já. Em relação às finalizações, tem as que vão no alvo e as que não significam nada. Tem as que vão para fora e são chances claras, mas não foram no alvo. Foi um jogo de poucas oportunidades no primeiro tempo, mas até foi melhor do que muitos jogos decisivos, melhor que Cruzeiro x Corinthians de ontem. A ideia no segundo tempo não era ficar mais agressivo, era para a gente ter jogado assim no primeiro. A gente conseguiu encaixes de marcação e colocar mais o Rayan no jogo. Mas não acredito que teve a ver com nervosismo, e sim com ajustes.

Mentalidade do elenco cruz-maltino

— O mental dos jogadores está em dia. A própria derrota contra o Atlético-MG, embora atípica, faz parte do roteiro da semana. O Vasco sabe aquilo que faz a gente de forte e frágil, soube se fortalecer nesse processo geral. Jogos como o de hoje, com contundência, partida decisiva, não são construídos em uma semana. É uma construção dos sete meses que estou aqui. É um time que trabalho muito, com boa vontade, e merece como o torcedor. Não tem mágica, é um processo que estamos construindo, a gente teve de onde buscar energia para a partida de hoje.

Trabalho de Diniz com os jovens

— O jogador de futebol é machucado, tem fragilidade e acham que tem que ser de ferro. Essa pressa faz a gente perder muito talento, essa coisa de ter que ter herói e vilão. A gente prepara mal o jogador para isso, é difícil para o treinador e para a imprensa. Imagina para um jovem de 18, 19 anos. A gente pensa sobre pouco isso. E um dos pilares do meu trabalho é essa preocupação, consigo aproximar e oferecer coisas positivas para esses jogadores se desenvolverem. O Rayan não tinha problemas com o futebol, mas tinha problemas de estima, de confiança, a torcida hostilizando naquele momento. Sempre digo: o jogador sem confiança é ruim, com confiança é bom.

Favoritismo do Fluminense

— Eu não acompanho muito a internet, rede social, mas imaginava que o Fluminense poderia ter favoritismo pelo momento. Mas não me apoiei nisso, trabalhei o time do Vasco que iria enfrentar um time bom, com mérito, que sabe defender, construir, fazer transição, faz gol de bola parada. Treinamos o melhor possível para nos defender e explorar deficiências.

Relação com Vegetti

— Em relação ao Vegetti, é algo natural, tenho relação muito próxima com ele, um artilheiro, um ídolo. É um dos grandes artilheiros do Vasco na temporada. Confio como jogador e pessoa. Teve um momento de irritação, mas depois a gente conversou e não foi relacionado a mim. Saiu irritado e acontece. Tudo resolvido, e não porque fez o gol. Se não tivesse, nem teria entrado. Minha relação com os jogadores tem profundidade e, quando tem algum problema, as coisas caminham para melhor. A gente se aproxima. Quando tem boa intenção e bom coração, as pessoas se entendem e o vínculo se fortalece.

Pumita Rodríguez, substituto de Lucas Pitón

— Puma foi muito bem. No período que Pitón ficou afastado, teve participação muito boa. Eu gosto muito, tem características muito interessantes. É grande, forte, quase ambidestro, bate bem na bola, boa impulsão. Eu busco colocar em campo quem vai render. Eu gosto de quem joga em mais de uma posição, a gente vinha treinando isso há um tempo e senti confiança para lançar lá atrás.

Orientações de Coutinho no intervalo

— Eu não acho que foi impaciência, foi inteligência e iniciativa. Coutinho falou em paciência no sentido de jogar bola na área com time descompactado, de perder bola e dar contra-ataque. Ele argumentou bem. A minha característica é acelerar, ser agressivo, mas ser paciente. A gente foi agressivo, circulou bem, os zagueiros e volantes foram agressivos com e sem a posse. Thiago Mendes fez dois passes longos muito bons, inclusive no primeiro gol. Ele vai entrando cada vez mais em condição de jogo, mostrando o grande potencial.

Mais elogios à torcida vascaína

— O torcedor do Vasco é fantástico, é lindo o que fazem. O time está aprendendo a importância do torcedor do Vasco e se conectando, apesar das nossas falhas, dos momentos que deixamos o torcedor na mão, quando perde cinco jogos seguidos, quando relaxa em jogos em casa. Mas é um time que trabalha muito e está aprendendo a ser Vasco, um time gigante. Gratidão ao torcedor. Peço que venha de novo, nos apoie, ele faz diferença. O jogador aprende a se sentir menos pressionado e mais motivado. Isso é ser Vasco: não é fácil, não é para qualquer um. O torcedor empolga e pressiona. Não é para todo mundo. Os jogadores vão aprendendo o que é jogar no Vasco e gostam cada vez mais da presença do torcedor. Eu adoro a torcida presente, essa festa. A gente espera e quer muito trazer alegria para a torcida.

Liderança de Vegetti

— O Vegetti personifica bastante o que é o Vasco, é uma entrega absoluta e um grande artilheiro. Tem vontade, carisma, veste a camisa e joga. É um grande artilheiro e líder. A minha relação com ele é ótima. Obviamente, a fluência é facilitada quando o jogador joga sempre. Mas, mesmo jogando menos, é uma relação muito próxima. É muito dedicado aos companheiros. Se vocês vissem o que fala nos treinos e nas preleções… É muito inspirado em ajudar os outros. É fundamental.

Mudança no calendário

— A CBF teve uma atitude certa com a modificação do calendário. Não é o ideal jogar quinta e domingo, mas é justo, igual para Fluminense e Vasco. A gente vai se preparar da melhor forma possível, se recuperar, descansar os jogadores e fazer ajustes táticos em campo e no vídeo.

Meio-campo do Vasco

— O meio-campo não são dois ou três jogadores, é como a gente consegue ocupar o espaço com os jogadores. O Coutinho estava pegando a bola nos pés do Léo Jardim. Existe uma rotatividade, é um time caracterizado pela mobilidade. Não são só três jogadores no meio-campo. Mas Thiago, Cauan e Coutinho fizeram partidas muito boas.

São Januário ou Maracanã?

— São Januário é a casa do Vasco, a gente adora jogar lá, embora não tenha aproveitado tanto o mando quanto historicamente. Fez boas apresentações que não terminaram com vitória. E o Maracanã também é a casa do Vasco, uma casa maior. É só ver a festa que a torcida fez, o time se sente bem aqui, como em São Januário. É um privilégio ter duas casas!

Grande fase de Cauan Barros

— O Barros faz três ou quatro meses com a gente. Quando estive aqui em 2021, era muito jovem e eu já queria subir. Ele estava indo bem no América-MG, tinha proposta para sair e eu pedi. Nem estava acompanhando tanto o América, mas já acompanhava em 2021. Chegou muito bem, aproveitou as chances, Uma das piores partidas do Vasco foi contra o Corinthians, mas Barros entrou por 15 minutos e nasceu para esse momento. Uma boa notícia num dia ruim. Se a gente tivesse jogado bem, talvez não tivesse entrado. Ele tem muito futuro! Tem alma de jogador grande.

Andrés Gómez: momento e chegada ao clube

— O Andrés Gómez cai na questão dos jogadores mais jovens: é talentoso, estava na França sem jogar, a gente conhecia pouco. O vídeo dele (de exibição) era pior do que realmente é. A gente acabou trazendo porque é da mesma cidade do Arias, ele me ajudou muito. Liguei para ele, me deu as informações que precisava para ser favorável à sua vinda. A gente foi muito assertivo nas contratações: agressivo, mas não apressado. A gente precisava de um jogador de velocidade, um para um. E tive segurança falando com o Arias, mais do que nos vídeos. O que mais chama atenção no momento dele foi o que o Arias me falou. É um jogador que está reconhecendo o próprio talento.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilFernando DinizVasco

He’s “like Reijnders”: Old Trafford chiefs pushing Man Utd to sign “elite” star

Some at Old Trafford are now reportedly pushing Manchester United to sign a young midfield star who’s been likened to Tijjani Reijnders.

Paul Scholes urges Mainoo to leave Man Utd

The biggest headlines surrounding Man United this week have been stolen by Ruben Amorim’s decision to overlook Kobbie Mainoo once against West Ham United.

The Red Devils dropped points yet again in a game that they should be winning with their European ambitions in mind and Mainoo was forced to watch on from the bench.

What is certainly not a good sign for the young midfielder is that Amorim simply laughed off suggestions that he could turn to Mainoo following a frustrating result against West Ham. And that reaction sparked another from club legend Paul Scholes, who urged the academy graduate to leave on social media.

He took to Instagram to say: “Bulls**t. The kid is being ruined, not being played in a team that can’t control a game of football. Hate seeing home grown players leave but it’s probably best for him now. Enough is enough.”

A new Amad: Man Utd could sign "one of the best LWs in Europe" in swap deal

Manchester United are plotting a sensational deal for this exciting winger who could be Ruben Amorim’s next Amad Diallo.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 7, 2025

Historically speaking, Man United have always been able to turn towards an academy graduate even in their most difficult moments. Amorim, however, is at risk of bringing such an impressive record to an end unless he hands Mainoo some much-needed opportunities.

The manager stood in the way of his exit in the summer, telling him to fight for his place, but Mainoo hasn’t received the chance to do exactly that ever since.

Now, Old Trafford chiefs are reportedly pushing Man United to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi which could all but spell the end for Mainoo’s time at his boyhood club.

Old Trafford chiefs push Man Utd to sign Bouaddi

According to Foot Mercato, as relayed by Caught Offside, Man Utd’s recruitment chiefs are now pushing them to sign Bouaddi in 2026, making their interest in the Frenchman concrete.

The LOSC Lille star is one of the best young midfielders around and could offer Amorim the quality that he is yet to personally see from Mainoo.

The Red Devils aren’t alone in the race to sign the 18-year-old, however, with Premier League rivals Arsenal among the other clubs chasing his signature ahead of next year.

According to Como scout Ben Mattinson, Bouaddi is “like Reijnders” and has the press resistance of an “elite” player despite still being just 18 years old. If Man United are looking for a permanent midfield solution, then the French teenager may well be their answer.

Better signing than Anderson: INEOS make £65m star Man Utd's top target

Assista aos melhores momentos de Athletico-PR 1×0 Vasco, pelo Brasileirão

MatériaMais Notícias

O Athletico-PR venceu o por 1 a 0 Vasco, neste domingo (5), pela 5ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, na Ligga Arena. O meia Erick foi o autor do único gol da partida. Assista aos melhores momentos no vídeo acima.

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➡ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

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Athletico-PRBrasileirãoVasco

Arsenal have a Hale End Gabriel heir who'll be a "leader for club & country"

Arsenal have been head and shoulders above the rest of ’em this season, but Mikel Arteta knows that the season is still young, and there are many gruelling months ahead before the Gunners might end their two-decade-long wait for the Premier League title.

Runners-up for three successive years, Arsenal have worked toward dynamising and strengthening across the park, with the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze all adding flavour to an outfit already refined and complete.

It’s just silverware that is missing. And while the Emirates side have all the tools to go the distance this term, they will need someone of Gabriel Magalhaes’ character and quality to have avoided a long-term injury while away on international duty with Brazil.

The latest on Gabriel's muscle injury

Gabriel has played every minute of Arsenal’s Premier League campaign this season, but with a north London clash against Tottenham Hotspur looming on the horizon, a muscular injury sustained out with his nation could put a spanner in the works there.

Gabriel pulled up mid-sprint during Brazil’s recent win over Senegal. It has since been revealed by The Athletic’s David Ornstein that there is a worry that he faces an extended spell on the sidelines, more than a month and thus out of action until the new year.

It cannot be understated how integral Gabriel has become. As per FBref, the £150k-per-week talent ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for goal involvements and the top 15% for shot-creating actions per 90. That aside, he has incredibly won 78% of his ground duels, keeping clean sheets in seven separate matches.

In Gabriel and William Saliba, Arsenal have two defenders looking to take their place among the pantheon of great Premier League centre-back partnerships, and if Arteta does lift that elusive trophy at the end of the season, he and his wider squad will be indebted to the composed and flawlessly organised duo at the back.

The likes of Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are able replacements, but this could be a big blow, and it’s got us thinking about the 27-year-old’s long-term successor in north London.

There is one Hale End star who might just have what it takes to complete that step up in the future.

The Hale Ender who could replace Gabriel

Under Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal have a feared outfit once again. This is a team capable of tackling and overcoming any opponent across the globe, as last season’s spectacular two-legged win over Real Madrid will tell you.

But this also needs to be a lasting project, and it’s clear that there is an emphasis on this, with Bukayo Saka the talisman and exciting prospects such as Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman filtering through to the first team.

And on the other side of the field, Callan Hamill could find himself succeeding Gabriel when the time comes, with the 16-year-old having made quite the impression at Hale End since joining from St. Johnstone in Scotland this summer.

The Scotland U19 international has swiftly established himself as the captain of Arsenal’s U18 squad, racking up 11 appearances and scoring one goal.

With such impressive performances, he has even been handed a string of outings with the U21s, and during his sole effort in the Premier League 2, Hamill kept a clean sheet across 90 minutes of action.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has remarked that the teenager has “all the tools to become a quality backline leader for club and country”, and while he’s not there yet, Arteta’s decision to throw the youngster into first-team training and guide him toward the fore suggests that it’s only a matter of time before this star emulates the better-known names in front of him and cements a place under Arteta’s wing.

Who knows, given his leadership skills, strong reading of the game and dynamism, Hamill might even have what it takes to succeed Gabriel, when the fateful day of the Brazilian’s departure comes.

A new Saka: Arsenal chasing "one of the best wingers in the world" for £88m

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Freddie Freeman Shared a Special Moment With His Dad After Walk-Off Grand Slam

Off one massive swing of the bat, Freddie Freeman got the Los Angeles Dodgers a massive World Series victory over the New York Yankees to go up 1–0 in the Fall Classic. Freeman hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 10th, one of the biggest moments in recent World Series history, to give the Dodgers a 6–3 win.

Freeman, who has been nursing a hurt ankle all postseason, was the Yankees' preferred option to pitch to with two outs. New York intentionally walked Mookie Betts to get to Freeman instead. Potentially, the strategy was hoping he may have to run to beat out a ground ball. Instead, Freeman pushed out a no-doubter.

After the hit, Freeman was swept in a wave of celebratory chaos, but found his way to his dad.

"I [was] just screaming in his face," Freeman said to Ken Rosenthal during the postgame interview on FOX. "Sorry dad."

Freeman continued, saying, "He's been there since I was a little boy throwing batting practice to me every day. So this isn't my moment, that's my dad's moment."

For the Freeman family, it was an awesome moment coming in a year that has brought challenges. The first baseman has been candid with the public about a neurological disorder that hospitalized his son and kept Freeman away from the team for a short time.

Freeman and the Dodgers hope they can take three more games to hoist a World Series trophy.

Salvador Pérez Has Successfully Bridged the Gap Between Royals Eras

The Kansas City Royals had been thinking about making the move for a while, so when general manager J.J. Picollo approached catcher Salvador Pèrez and asked him to consider playing more first base, the executive was ready with his argument: 

Pérez scoffed. , he said. 

, Picollo said.

That was all it took. Pérez, a nine-time All-Star, five-time Gold Glover and four-time Silver Slugger at catcher, has spent a third of his time at first this season. (Even on those days, he does not entirely relinquish his role; he sits in meetings with backup Freddy Fermín and still makes mound visits from first base.) The result? At 34, Pérez has put together one of the best seasons of his career and helped key the Royals to a likely playoff berth, their first in a decade. The people around him are talking about enshrinement in Cooperstown. Pérez thinks about that honor—“I think any player [wants that],” he says—but right now, he is focused on one thing. 

“What I want so bad is for these guys to make it to the playoffs, because I know when you make it to the playoffs, and you feel that energy, that crowd—next year they’re just gonna want that again,” he says. “ I didn’t know until 2014 how that feels. But after that …” 

He smiles. He knows how it feels. And he wants to feel it again. 

Owen, Gous help Washington Freedom pull off record chase in MLC

Washington Freedom pulled off the highest successful chase in MLC as they chased down Texas Super Kings’ 220 for 6 with seven wickets and two balls to spare. The previous record was 201, chased down by MI New York against Seattle Orcas earlier this week.Mitchell Owen (89 off 52) and Andries Gous (80 not out off 45) were the chief architects of Freedom’s win, ensuring TSK captain Faf du Plessis’ 69 off 31 went in vain.After TSK were sent in, du Plessis gave his side a flying start, hitting four fours and two sixes in the first four overs. Smit Patel had contributed only 8 off 11 balls till then. But when Owen came for the fifth over, he hit his first three balls for 6, 6, 4. Owen dismissed Patel on the very next ball but there was little respite as du Plessis finished the over with a boundary.Andries Gous hit six fours and four sixes in his innings•MLC

Du Plessis brought up his half-century off just 20 balls before becoming Owen’s second victim. Marcus Stoinis and Milind Kumar then took over and added 42 in just 26 balls for the fourth wicket. Shubham Ranjane applied the finishing touches with an unbeaten 26 off ten balls, with TSK ransacking 56 from the last four overs. For Freedom, Owen picked up 3 for 33 from three overs and Glenn Maxwell 2 for 35 from four.Owen and Rachin Ravindra gave Freedom a steady start of 38 in 4.3 overs. Following that, Owen and Gous took the side to 96 for 1 after ten overs. With another 125 required, TSK were still the favourites, but Owen and Gous turned the game around in the 12th and 13th overs, smashing Noor Ahmad for 22 and Donovan Ferreira for 24. In those 12 balls, Owen and Gous hit a combined five sixes and three fours to reduce the equation to 69 needed from seven overs.Owen fell to Adam Milne at the start of the 15th over but Gous carried on. With 20 needed from two overs, TSK still had a chance. Maxwell hit Milne for a six off the first ball of the 19th but the seamer sent Maxwell back two balls later. It came down to 11 needed from seven balls before Glenn Phillips’ six reduced the requirement to five from the final over.Bowling the final over, Stoinis conceded three singles off the first three balls before Phillips hit the next ball past backward point to seal the win.

Aston Villa's most expensive sales of all time

Aston Villa are on the rise under Unai Emery, with NSWE backing the manager in the transfer market. However, the club have also cashed in on a number of Villa Park stars down the years – but who is the club’s record departure?

Here is a detailed look at Villa’s most expensive sales in their history, as per Transfermarkt, with an in-depth view of the top 10.

1

Jack Grealish

£100m

Man City

2021

2

Jhon Duran

£64m

Al-Nassr

2025

3

Moussa Diaby

£50m

Al-Ittihad

2024

4

Douglas Luiz

£42.35m

Juventus

2024

5

Christian Benteke

£32.5m

Liverpool

2015

6

James Milner

£26m

Man City

2010

=7

Carney Chukwuemeka

£20m

Chelsea

2022

=7

Stewart Downing

£20m

Liverpool

2011

=7

Jaden Philogene

£20m

Ipswich Town

2025

10

Cameron Archer

£18m

Sheffield Utd

2023

11

Ashley Young

£17m

Man Utd

2011

=12

Cameron Archer

£15m

Southampton

2024

=12

Danny Ings

£15m

West Ham

2023

=12

Matt Targett

£15m

Newcastle

2022

15

Dwight Yorke

£12.6m

Man Utd

1998

16

Gareth Barry

£12m

Man City

2009

17

Diego Carlos

£10m

Fenerbahce

2025

18

Tim Iroegbunam

£9m

Everton

2024

19

Jordan Amavi

£8.9m

Marseille

2017

=20

Fabian Delph

£8m

Man City

2015

=20

Ugo Ehiogu

£8m

Middlesbrough

2000

Here's a detailed look at Aston Villa's top 10 sales… 10 Cameron Archer £18m to Sheffield Utd, 2023

The first time Aston Villa sold Cameron Archer was in 2023 to newly promoted Sheffield United. Archer had a respectable campaign at Bramall Lane which resulted in Villa activating a buy-back clause in 2024, only to sell him again months later.

The Blades shelled out £18m to sign the forward, with their subsequent relegation perhaps playing a part once Villa sensed they could get some more money for him, with play-off winners Southampton the latest beneficiary.

9 Jaden Philogene £20m to Ipswich, 2025

Jaden Philogene swapped Villa Park for Portman Road in January 2025, looking to help keep Ipswich Town in the Premier League.

The Villa academy graduate had loan spells at Stoke City, Cardiff City, and Hull City in the Championship before the club cashed in.

8 Carney Chukwuemeka £20m to Chelsea, 2022

Young midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka starred for a brief period of time in the Aston Villa first team after coming through the academy.

Chukwuemeka’s impressive performances caught the eye of Chelsea, who added the midfielder to their growing list of young signings in 2022 for £20m. However, he has already been linked with an exit without making his mark at Stamford Bridge.

7 Stewart Downing £20m to Liverpool, 2011

Stewart Downing was Martin O’Neill’s first signing of the 2009 transfer window and his time at Aston Villa was short and sweet. After two seasons, Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish took Downing to Anfield and the left-winger would spend two years with the Reds.

The Anfield side spent a reported £20m to bring the England international to Merseyside, though the fee has officially remained undisclosed.

6 James Milner £26m to Man City, 2010

Premier League icon James Milner initially joined Aston Villa on loan in 2005 as part of Newcastle’s deal to re-sign Nolberto Solano.

Milner would go on to impress at Villa Park and signed on a permanent basis three years later in 2008, making a total of 126 appearances before signing for Man City in a £26m deal in 2010, from which point he continued to carve out a successful top-flight career.

5 Christian Benteke £32.5m to Liverpool, 2015

Powerful striker Christian Benteke first made his mark in England with Aston Villa after arriving from Genk in 2012, and the Villans would make a huge profit on the Belgian three years later.

It was again Liverpool who came calling and paid an eye-catching £32.5m fee for the forward, though his transfer to Anfield didn’t work out, and he was on the move again 12 months later.

4 Douglas Luiz £42.35m to Juventus, 2024

More recently, central midfielder Douglas Luiz was sold by Aston Villa to Juventus in 2024 after spending five successful years with the club.

A transfer was reportedly worth €50m (£42.35m), with Villa soon taking Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea to the Midlands in return. Amadou Onana has since become his successor at Villa Park.

3 Moussa Diaby £50m to Al-Ittihad, 2024

Another big-money exit in 2024 to help balance the FFP books was Moussa Diaby, who moved to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad for around £50m.

The France international only spent one campaign in England, but his displays were enough for Villa to more or less break even on the fee they paid Bayer Leverkusen a year earlier.

2 Jhon Duran £64m to Al-Nassr, 2025

Jhon Duran was going from strength to strength at Villa Park when the surprise decision was made to sell the Colombia international to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in January 2025.

The forward cost Villa just £18m, so a £64m exit represented a huge profit and the chance for Duran to go and play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

1 Jack Grealish £100m to Man City, 2021

Unsurprisingly top of the list as Aston Villa’s most expensive sale is Jack Grealish, whose £100m move to Manchester City in 2021 was a British record at the time.

The attacking midfielder dazzled in claret and blue in the Championship and the Premier League and departed Villa after making more than 200 games for his boyhood club. His deal as the most expensive between British clubs has since been eclipsed by the likes of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo.

Hull sends England reminder as Leicestershire continue flying start

Left-armer’s spell breaks Northants open to keep Foxes on top of Division Two

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-May-2025Josh Hull reminded England’s selectors of his potency as Leicestershire cemented their place at the top of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two with a 132-run victory over Northamptonshire.Chasing 289 at the Uptonsteel County Ground, Northamptonshire were bowled out for 156 after Hull bowled three of their top four in his first four overs. The 20-year-old ended with 3 for 13, the spearhead of a seam quintet all of whom took wickets in an excellent collective effort.Leicestershire’s lower order had doggedly extended their second innings to 175 all out in the morning. That elevated the target to 289 in five sessions and there was no way back for the visitors after Hull’s blitz.Leading by 113 on first innings, Leicestershire, resumed on the third morning on 96 for 6 in their second and their lower order knuckled down diligently to bat until the brink of lunch. Ian Holland’s 113 minutes’ resistance for 11 ended when he nicked an outswinger from Conway but Logan van Beek and Ben Green also batted for more than 100 minutes.Even after van Beek fell lbw to Justin Broad, the last two wickets added 37 as Tom Scriven and Hull offered Green support. Scriven edged Conway to second slip before Green ladled Sanderson to deep midwicket to supply the big-hearted bowler’s sixth wicket.Northamptonshire’s quest for 289 was then reduced to 31 for 3 after Hull hit the stumps three times in his first 23 balls. The left-armer outlined his credentials to add to his single Test appearance so far with a superb spell of swinging, pitched-up, fast bowling which emphatically vindicated the old adage, “if they miss, you hit”. He clipped a leg stump left exposed by Ricardo Vasconcelos, beat a half-forward Luke Procter for pace to find off stump and rattled middle and leg through James Sales’ attempted on-side flick.Rob Keogh perished carelessly when he chipped a leg-stump offering from Holland to midwicket. George Bartlett applied himself well until tea but fell to the third ball after the interval. A heavy shower during tea invigorated the pitch and three wickets fell in the first ten balls after the break as Bartlett was lbw to van Beek and Saif Zaib and Broad edged away-swingers from Green to wicketkeeper Ben Cox.Lewis McManus and Calvin Harrison defied the oppressive bowling and the appalling din from an adjacent pub to add 37 in 76 balls before both fell in three balls to Scriven. Harrison edged behind and McManus fell lbw to leave last pair Sanderson and Conway with a day and 19.2 overs to survive.Sanderson, who passed 1,000 first class runs earlier in the match, made inroads into his second thousand with a merry 32 before Rehan Ahmed bowled him to round off another resounding Leicestershire win

Dream for Bowen: West Ham can forget Lampard by hiring "outstanding" manager

It feels like it could be a long old season for West Ham United this year.

The East Londoners may have beaten Nottingham Forest last time out, but with three defeats before that, it feels like Graham Potter is already on borrowed time.

It’s not just the defeats that have been worrying, but the manner of them, losing 3-0 to newly promoted Sunderland, being thrashed 5-1 by London rivals Chelsea, and blowing a lead away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Unsurprisingly, the Irons have been linked with a host of potential replacements in recent weeks, including former player Frank Lampard.

Frank Lampard could replace Graham Potter

With just six wins in 23 games, it’s not hard to imagine any number of managers doing a better job than Potter in East London, including Lampard.

The Hammers have reportedly already been in contact with the former player, and it’s easy to see why they might consider him a worthwhile gamble.

Since taking charge of Coventry City, the 47-year-old has won 20 games, drawn seven and lost 12, which isn’t too bad at all considering the hyper-competitive nature of the Championship.

Moreover, since the season began, the Sky Blues have been absolutely flying, scoring 14 goals, conceding just six and taking eight points from a possible 12.

Moreover, while the former Chelsea legend didn’t exactly blow anyone away the last time he managed in the Premier League, he was still able to keep Everton from going down and averaged 1.75 points per game during his first stint in the Stamford Bridge dugout.

In all, Lampard looks to have further developed as a manager and could be the answer to West Ham’s Potter-shaped problems.

However, there is another manager on the market who we think would do an even better job at the London Stadium and help the likes of Jarrod Bowen reach another level.

The manager West Ham should hire over Lampard

Now, although we think Lampard would do a better job managing West Ham than Potter, an even better option than him might be Marco Rose.

Manager Focus

Granted, the German manager hasn’t actually been linked with the club yet, but since leaving RB Leipzig in March of this year, he has been without a club.

So, why would the East Londoners want to hire the 48-year-old?

RB Leipzig coachMarcoRosebefore the match

Well, one of the most significant reasons is that he’s a manager who tends to get the very best out of his attacking talent, and as a result, plays some exhilarating football.

For example, in the 20/21 season, Borussia Dortmund scored 75 goals in the Bundesliga, but then by the end of the following season, when Rose was in charge, they’d moved up a place in the table and scored 85 goals.

Rose’s record in Germany

Club

Matches

Win %

Trophies

Mönchengladbach

88

47%

0

Dortmund

55

59%

0

RB Leipzig

128

56%

3

All Stats via Transfermarkt

The same happened at Borrussia Mönchengladbach, as they finished the 18/19 season having scored 55 goals, which increased to 66 the following campaign and 64 the year after that.

Moreover, while the effectiveness of Leipzig’s attack did vary a bit more during his tenure, the former RB Salzburg boss led them to a DFB Pokal triumph.

So, just imagine what the “outstanding” tactician, as dubbed by Dortmund legend Marco Reus, could do with players like Jarrod Bowen, who, even in this system, continues to be a real goalscoring threat.

Finally, even if you ignore the argument that he’ll bring a more entertaining brand of football to the club, you can just look at his overall managerial record.

Rose vs Lampard vs Potter

Manger

Rose

Lampard

Potter

Games

458

235

463

Wins

274

103

191

Draws

84

47

123

Losses

100

85

149

Points per Game

1.98

1.51

1.50

All Stats via Sofascore

In 458 matches, he has managed to maintain an average of 1.98 points per game – and win two league titles in Austria – whereas Lampard has averaged 1.51 points per game and Potter an even less impressive 1.50.

Ultimately, even though he hasn’t been linked with the club, West Ham should do what they can to hire Rose, and not only would he be an upgrade on Potter, but his attacking style could get even more out of Bowen.

West Ham make contact with ex-Everton manager to replace Graham Potter

Potter’s job is far from secure at the London Stadium…

1 ByTom Cunningham Sep 6, 2025

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