Jack Grealish’s switch from Manchester City to Everton has drawn sharp reactions from the Italian press as they believe Napoli have "dodged a bullet" by missing out on the winger. The Toffees have secured the England international on a season-long loan deal which includes the option to buy him outright for £50m next summer.

Grealish’s Everton move splits opinionsItalian media celebrate avoiding the signingCompared him to GascoigneFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The arrival of Grealish has been hailed at The Hill Dickinson Stadium as a statement of intent, cementing Everton’s ambition to return to the Premier League's top ten under David Moyes. The Man City loanee will don the No.18 shirt, a number once worn by Everton icons Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne, both of whom hold legendary status on the blue half of Merseyside.

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While the deal has been greeted with fanfare in Merseyside, the mood in Naples is strikingly different. Italian champions Napoli pursued Grealish earlier in the summer to strengthen Antonio Conte’s squad, but the Italian media believes they are better off without him.

WHAT THE ITALIAN MEDIA SAID

Italian daily (Via framed the development as a blessing in disguise.

"Italian clubs have dodged a bullet," journalist Riccardo Pratesi wrote. "A talent who would have been a fish out of water in Serie A. At Napoli with Conte, for me, he would have been a disaster: he’s not a player with pace or pace, but with technique, who slows down the game instead of immediately going vertical."

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If questions about his on-field suitability weren’t enough, the Italian press also didn’t shy away from referencing Grealish’s off-field antics. Comparisons were drawn to former England and Lazio maverick Gascoigne, not for his flair with the ball, but for his well-documented lifestyle. 

"Grealish’s recent appearances in pubs across England, drinking and socialising with fans, are reminiscent of Gazza’s behaviour," Pratesi added. 

"Behaviour that, in the past, preceded a decline. Today, stories about Grealish aren’t about his exploits on the pitch, but about his Ibiza holidays and nights out."

A Tijjani Reijnders brace, and a first half goal by Erling Haaland gave Manchester City a comfortable 3-0 win in their pre-season clash with Palermo.

• Reijnders stars in second half
• Pep makes ten changes at half time
• Palermo fans unveil Oasis tifo in buildup

• TELL ME MORE

  Manchester City thumped Palermo 3-0 in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday. 

  Kick-off in Sicily between Manchester City and Palermo was delayed by fifteen minutes, as the two affiliated clubs engaged in a slightly bizarre celebration of their friendship. The Palermo fans unfurled an Oasis themed tifo while blasting 'Live Forever' through the tannoy.

  That seemed to inspire the hosts, as they immediately threatened James Trafford's goal through a headed effort in the opening five minutes. The Cityzens looked a touch rattled, as Palermo almost scored from a corner after Trafford was caught in possession. Pietro Ceccaroni really should have done better, as he peeled off his marker with ease but powered his header wide of the mark. The Rosanero, spurred on by a boisterous home support, looked ready to upset their vaunted opposition with a physical and direct gameplan that required John Stones and Usman Khusanov to be switched on with some tidy defending.

  Eventually, City were able to exert control. Rico Lewis and Rayan Ait-Nouri stepped into midfield, creating intricate passing patterns that beguiled their hosts. It was Lewis who provided the assist for City's opener, linking up with fellow academy graduate Oscar Bobb before bursting into the Palermo box. He picked his head up and fed Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian taking a touch before firing a low right-footed shot into the bottom corner.

  Palermo were able to muster a tame headed effort moments later, but eventually were overwhelmed by City's ball retention. Ait-Nouri should have done better with a snatched effort on the edge of the box, while Rayan Cherki saw his a chance blocked by a desperate Palermo break, just before the break.

  Pep Guardiola opted to make ten changes at half time, with Haaland the only player to remain on the field. While the personnel changed, the flow of the game remained the same, as City's subs dominated the possession in the opening stages of the second half. That pressure finally told in the 59th minute, when Savinho found Tijjani Reijnders unmarked in the Palermo box. The Dutchman made the most of the time afforded to him, taking a touch before coolly driving a low effort past Alfred Gomis in the Palermo net. 

  Palermo remained game for the fight considering they spent most of the half chasing shadows. On a couple of occasions they broke with real purpose, but were unable to produce any moments of telling quality. 

  Reijnders finished the job as he broke onto a layoff from youngster Divine Mukasa. Again, he showed a calm head in the area, passing the ball into the back of net with minimal fuss. A comfortable note to end pre-season on for the Cityzens. 

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  Tijjani Reijnders slotted into the middle of the park with minimal fuss. With Rodri out for the first three games of the Premier League season, his assimilation into the fold is increasingly important. Took both goals well, but butchered his chance for a hat-trick in the final moments of the game. 

• NEW FACES

  Rayan Ait-Nouri was similarly involved on the opposite flank, but maybe lacked the clarity of thought in the key moments when compared to Lewis. 

  Just asRayan Cherkiseemed to be exerting a greater influence on the game, he was one of the ten players swapped at the half. It's unclear whether he's done enough to start ahead of Omar Marmoush, Phil Foden or any number of City's attacking threats. 

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  17-year-old Divine Mukasa joined the fray on the hour mark, replacing Haaland. Linked up nicely with Reijnders for the third goal and attempted to join in the build-up. City were in cruise control for the most part, giving him limited chances to shine. 

Gary Neville has responded to Marcus Rashford's comments about Manchester United following his move to Barcelona on a season-long loan.

Rashford critical of Red DevilsNeville responds to forwardMan Utd start season with defeatFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Rashford has said the Red Devils are in "no mans land" and "the transition hasn't started" at the club after leaving to join Barcelona. Ruben Amorim has arrived as coach and oversaw a dismal 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season, as he attempts to implement his methods at Old Trafford. United have gone on sign Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon and Benjamin Sesko in the summer transfer window in a bid to improve and challenge for silverware.

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The Red Devils kicked off their 2025-26 Premier League season with a 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal, although there were some positives for the hosts as new signings Mbeumo and Cunha both shone. Neville admitted he did see reasons for optimism in the performance while also having some strong words for Rashford after his recent comments.

WHAT NEVILLE SAID

Neville told Sky Sports' Monday Night Football after being pressed on Rashford's criticism of United: "Let's ignore that, because I don't want to go into Marcus Rashford comments tonight. He was there at the club for 10 years and had his opportunity to impact the club. Ruben Amorim, this year, I think will do a good job. Marcus should concentrate on Barcelona."

The former Manchester United star also spoke about the Red Devils' defeat to Arsenal, adding: "Yesterday was the first time I watched that formation out on Old Trafford, where I thought, 'Right, we've got a chance here, that worked.'

"He'd brought in a few different players, he'd got [Mason] Mount back, introduced Luke Shaw at left centre-back, that helped and I think it was the first time, it's a difficult, rare system, it needs specialists, but when you saw [Matheus] Cunha play, saw Mount play, saw Shaw at left centre-back – there was a balance! Casemiro looked a better player all of a sudden! Just straight away he looked a better player."

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Amorim's United side head to Craven Cottage next to face Fulham in the Premier League and will be hoping to pick up their first points of the new season.

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Se houve divergências entre São Paulo e Grupo City sobre o local de operação e tratamento do zagueiro Nahuel Ferraresi, a disputa de bastidores agora é sobre quanto mais tempo o venezuelano ficará no clube do Morumbi.

Ferraresi tem acordo de empréstimo com o Tricolor até o fim de junho. Mesmo antes da grave contusão, ocorrida na segunda rodada do Campeonato Paulista, no clássico contra o Palmeiras, o clube já tinha planos de prorrogar esse vínculo.

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😀🇻🇪 Ferraresi iniciou o processo de fisioterapia, no REFFIS Plus, após passar por cirurgia no joelho direito no último domingo.#VamosSãoPaulo 🇾🇪 pic.twitter.com/MXeIqdaEG3

— São Paulo FC (@SaoPauloFC) February 7, 2023

+ Pato, Jô e outros: listamos 10 jogadores brasileiros famosos que estão sem clube

Na verdade, conforme o LANCE! revelou, existem prerrogativas contratuais no acordo entre São Paulo e Grupo City que permitiam a extensão do contrato até o fim do ano. O calendário ajuda o Tricolor nessa, já que sequer terá estreado na Copa do Brasil e ainda disputará a primeira fase da Copa Sul-Americana (o número de competições ainda em disputa é uma das cláusulas, conforme a reportagem apurou).

A autorização para que fizesse a cirurgia no joelho direito e a recuperação no Brasil, após sinalizar que preferia a viagem do venezuelano à Inglaterra, são indícios claros de que o Grupo City não faz oposição para que a cláusula do acordo entre as partes pela prorrogação possa ser efetivado. Até pela melhor recuperação do venezuelano.

Mas quanto à permanência de Ferraresi no Morumbi após isso… Novamente a mesa de discussões está formada entre Tricolor e árabes, como no caso da cirurgia.

O L! apurou que o São Paulo tenta acordo de empréstimo por mais um ano, ou seja, até o meio de 2024, o que não parece ser os planos do Grupo City.

A avaliação dos árabes é que se está satisfeito com o jogador, o Tricolor que exerça a opção de compra com valor também já estipulado. E não fique buscando renovações de empréstimos.

Até porque, os planos do Grupo City é o de aproveitar Ferraresi, ambientado ao país, no Bahia, clube que adquiriu a SAF recentemente.

Se na cirurgia o São Paulo ganhou a ‘briga’ se valendo da boa relação de Casares com os cabeças do conglomerado árabe, resta agora saber se a relação amistosa continuará ou será suficiente para garantir a permanência do zagueiro que o são-paulino aprendeu a admirar.

> Confira jogos, classificação e simule os resultados do Paulistão-23

Manchester United do not plan to move forward with their bid for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, who is now set to remain at the AMEX Stadium.

• Baleba to stay at Brighton
• United held talks with the club
• Ruben Amorim misses out

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per The Athletic, United have pulled the plug on their move for Baleba this summer. The club held talks with the Seagulls over a potential move at Ruben Amorim's behest but have been priced out of a deal, as Brighton seek a fee equivalent to the £115 million ($156m) which saw them sell Moises Caicedo to Chelsea.

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  United are not willing to meet Brighton's asking price, nor are the south-coast club minded to sell, and that has led to an impasse in negotiations. The report states that the deal, as a result, is unlikely to proceed, despite Baleba's own willingness to make the move. 

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The midfielder's personal terms would not have presented an issue for United and Baleba is said to be willing to keep pushing, although he has not indicated that he is desperate to leave. Brighton have already sold Joao Pedro, Simon Adingra, and Pervis Estupinan this summer and would prefer not to lose another first-team star. 

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United are likely to keep tabs on Baleba throughout the season. Brighton kick off their campaign against Fulham this weekend. 

Premier League goalkeeper have been left in fear of the new ball for the 2025/26 season after two high-profile errors on the opening weekend.

PL goalkeepers in fearMan Utd and Chelsea stoppers both made errors Report claims new match ball resembles a 'beach ball' Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Per The Sun, the new Premier League match ball has goalkeepers up and down the league worried. Puma have produced this season's ball, taking over from previous manufacturers Nike, and it has been compared to a "beach ball". It may well resemble the Jabulani, which infamously bamboozled goalkeepers at the 2010 World Cup. 

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Mistakes took place at both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge on the first weekend of the season; Altay Bayindir failed to catch a corner that came in as Arsenal scored their winner against Manchester United, while Robert Sanchez let a free-kick slip through his fingers against Crystal Palace, though he was handed a VAR reprieve. 

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A goalkeeper, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Sun: “It is more like a volleyball and it moves in the air so much. The Nike one was not like that.

"I don’t ever remember a ball like this and I have got one at home to keep getting used to the feel of it.

“It is extremely slippery which makes it difficult to handle. There will be a lot of mistakes this season.

“The ball has apparently been made for strikers but they also struggle with it because of the movement.”

Another goalkeeper anonymously claimed the new ball is "horrible" and would limit the number of catches stoppers attempted. 

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Last season, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta criticised the Puma match ball used in Carabao Cup competitions, doing so after the club's defeat to Newcastle United. 

He said: "It's just different. It's very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that.

“It flies differently… when you touch it, the grip is very different as well so you have to adapt to that.”

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Anunciado em agosto do ano passado, Tiquinho Soares caiu rapidamente na graça dos torcedores. O atacante, em pouco tempo, se tornou a principal esperança de gols do Botafogo. Nesta noite, ele terá uma missão para ser cumprida.

Tiquinho busca seu primeiro gol em clássicos pelo Glorioso. O jogador já jogou contra Botafogo e Vasco, mas não conseguiu estufar as redes. Diante do Flamengo, ele terá mais uma chance de quebrar esta marca.

+Página viraliza ao publicar “classificação dos pontos corridos” desde 2003; veja o top 20

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+Luís Castro x Vitor Pereira: trajetória, mentalidade e amor pelo mar unem treinadores de Botafogo e Flamengo

O Flamengo entrará com uma equipe alternativa em Brasília por conta da Recopa e terá vários garotos em campo. Luís Castro, por outro lado, vai com força máxima para partida. O artilheiro pode aproveitar esta fragilidade do sistema defensivo rubro-negro para ser decisivo no clássico.

Com nove gols em 21 partidas disputadas, Tiquinho Soares é um do pilares da equipe alvinegra. O atacante já marcou três vezes neste começo de temporada e busca mais uma noite iluminada pelo Glorioso.

+Botafogo x Flamengo: onde assistir, escalações e desfalques do jogo do Campeonato Carioca

Botafogo e Flamengo se enfrentam neste sábado, às 18h, no Mané Garrincha, em partida válida pelo Campeonato Carioca.

A multiway transfer involving AC Milan, Napoli, Atalanta and Bologna requires the Rossoneri's Yunus Musah to be an early domino to fall in the process.

• Atalanta targeting Musah deal
• Milan response could trigger Napoli transfer
• Bologna proving the problem so far

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Atalanta midfielder Marco Brescianini is a target for Serie A champions Napoli, but that deal can only happen if Milan agree to sell Musah to Atalanta to unlock things and get the ball rolling. At that point, the Rossoneri would then target Bologna's Giovanni Fabbian to replace the American. explains that "new contact" has been made with regard to Brescianini joining Napoli and Musah going to Atalanta.

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  The complexity of the issue becomes clear when considering that Atalanta will only let Brescianini leave if they can secure Musah, thereby making Milan's position crucial to the entire operation. Where Milan are hitting a stumbling block is in efforts to source a replacement of their own, with Bologna said to be "putting up a front" over Fabbian, who is valued at €15 million (£13m/$17.5m) plus add-ons.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Nottingham Forest had been tracking Musah, who is valued at €25 million (£21m/ $27m) by Milan. But a stay in Serie A, moving the short distance from Milan to Bergamo seemed more plausible and appealing once Atalanta began showing interest.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Musah was an unused sub in Milan's opening Serie A defeat against Cremonese on Sunday and, having started only 19 league matches in 2024-25 could perhaps do with a fresh challenge in a new team. But if Milan are to have any chance of cashing in on the 22-year-old, they first need to work on softening Bologna's stance on Fabbian. Napoli will have to wait patiently for Brescianini's turn in the chain, or consider an alternative.

  Serie A's summer transfer deadline falls on September 1.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo cresceu de produção no segundo tempo, venceu a Portuguesa por 3 a 1 e está classificado para final da Taça Rio. Apesar da vitória, alguns erros novamente foram cometidos pela equipe alvinegra e precisam ser resolvidos para se evitar problemas futuros.

Depois do empate sem gols entre as duas equipes no Luso Brasileiro, Luís Castro teve uma semana cheia para treinar os jogadores e corrigir os erros. Alguns equívocos, no entanto, puderam ser vistos na noite da última segunda-feira em Volta Redonda.

+São Paulo reencontra Tigre; Botafogo enfrentará altitude: veja os grupos da Copa Sul-Americana

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Apesar dos três gols feitos, os atacante alvinegros continuam desperdiçando muitas chances de gol. No decorrer do primeiro tempo e no início da segunda etapa, ocorreram diversos lances em que os jogadores acabaram pecando na hora da finalização. O Glorioso precisa ser mais mortal dentro de campo para evitar que futuras derrotas ou eliminações precoces aconteçam em jogos mais complicados.

+Torcedores do Botafogo protestam contra John Textor e Luís Castro na semifinal da Taça Rio

A parte defensiva também segue cometendo falhas e erros de posicionamento dentro de campo. A Portuguesa teve chances claras de gol ao longo da partida e só não estufou as redes pela falta de pontaria dos atletas lusitanos. Se fosse uma equipe mais qualificada, os defensores alvinegros poderiam ter sido vazados duas ou mais vezes em Volta Redonda.

+Botafogo tem interesse na contratação de meia-atacante do Racing

A sorte de Luís Castro é que existe Eduardo. O meia balançou as redes, deu qualidade ao meio-campo e construiu uma linda jogada no gol de Raí no final da partida. Apesar da excelente atuação, não é sempre que um jogador conseguirá ser protagonista nas partidas. O Botafogo não pode depender de desempenhos individuais e precisa ser um time cada vez mais coletivo em campo.

Apesar das falhas defensivas e ofensivas, o Botafogo está classificado para final da Taça Rio e este feito precisa ser celebrado pelos torcedores. O desafio de Luís Castro agora é corrigir os erros rapidamente e construir uma equipe competitiva e sólida.

David Moyes admits Jack Grealish is "better than I thought he was" after the midfielder inspired Everton to a 3-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Moyes blown away by GrealishGrealish has recorded four assists for EvertonMidfielder joined on loan from Man CityFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Grealish continued his impressive start to life at the Toffees after setting up Beto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's goals in the win over Wolves. The 29-year-old, who joined Everton on a season-long loan from Manchester City, now has four Premier League assists to his name in 2025-26, having also registered two in the victory over Brighton and Hove Albion on August 24.

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Having fallen out of favour at City, making just seven league starts in 2024-25, Grealish is now reminding everyone of the qualities which made him a £100 million player in 2021, none more so than his new manager Moyes.

WHAT MOYES SAID

Speaking after Everton's victory over Wolves, Moyes said: "He [Grealish] is even better than I thought. He probably needs a bit of love and attention. He needs the games as well.

"Hopefully he starts building on it and he gets even better as the season goes on. He is making a big difference. Whether it is his assists, his presence, lots of things.

"So all credit to him. He is playing the minutes he may not have had in recent years. You know, he's so good. What Jack gives us is something just on the edge, which, hopefully it's on the edge of creativeness and maybe scoring goals."

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Grealish will be hoping to continue his fine form as he looks to earn a recall for England ahead of next summer's World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The former Aston Villa man missed out on Thomas Tuchel's squad for the international double header against Andorra and Serbia in September, though the German gave him hope of a Three Lions return in the future after revealing he is a "big fan" of his abilities.