Alex Scott made his full England debut in the 7-0 win over Croatia (Photo: Getty)
Alex Scott has withdrawn from the England squad ahead of the Three Lions’ Nations League clash against Czech Republic on Tuesday.
The Bournemouth midfielder – a top transfer target for Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool – has suffered a quad injury and may be sidelined for several months.
Scott came off the bench to make his England debut in the win over Czech Republic in Prague last week before starting the 7-0 demolition of Croatia on Saturday.
His performance earned rave reviews, not least from manager Thomas Tuchel, upping his valuation amid strong interest from the Premier League’s biggest clubs.
However, as reported by The Athletic, the 23-year-old has now returned to the south coast following the injury and it is said there are fears he could be stuck in the treatment room for two months.
If so, it is a major blow for Bournemouth who are 17th in the table and yet to win in the league this season, and have their debut Europa League campaign to navigate.
Scott started all five opening league games of the season, providing one goal and one assist.
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Manager Marco Rose will no doubt give a clearer update on his star player’s condition before the Cherries’ big match against Chelsea this Saturday.
Other notable games that Scott might miss include a trip to Manchester United on October 25, the Carabao Cup fourth-round clash against Aston Villa and their European tie against AC Milan.
Cristiano Ronaldo can return to the Portugal squad if he wants to (Picture: Getty Images)
Portugal manager Jorge Jesus says it is entirely up to Cristiano Ronaldo if he wants to play for the national team again, after the striker left the squad midway through the current international break.
The 41-year-old started the first of Portugal’s four games over the last two weeks as they beat Wales in Lisbon, but then was an unused substitute in a win over Norway in Oslo.
Jesus’ team has won all four matches during the international break, including a second victory over Norway on Sunday night, but the manager says Ronaldo is welcome to come back if he wants to.
The 72-year-old has made it clear that Ronaldo will not play all the time, but says he needs him whether he is in the team or not.
‘If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team,’ said the veteran manager of his superstar striker.
‘We can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who’s going to decide.
Jorge Jesus has no intention of playing Ronaldo in every match (Picture: Shutterstock)
‘Cristiano should end his time in the national team the way he wants, he’s the one who will decide how he wants it.
‘In my first call-up, I said, “I need you, I need you to be close to me, playing or not playing, I need you”. And now I’m saying the same thing.’
After leaving the Portugal camp last week, Ronaldo suggested that he would reveal ‘the truth’ behind his exit at a later date.
‘After the national team coach’s press conference, and following a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have decided to leave the national team training camp,’ Ronaldo wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.
‘In due time, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led to my departure from the national team, to which I have always dedicated myself.
‘Now is the time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my teammates.’
Jorge Jesus and Cristiano Ronaldo worked together at Al-Nassr (Picture: Getty Images)
Ronaldo was believed to be annoyed that he was asked to warm up during the Denmark game, but remained an unused substitute.
It was the first time since 2008 that he started a competitive match for Portugal on the bench and was not brought on.
Jesus explained that he had already agreed with Ronaldo that the striker would not play against Norway or Denmark, but frustrated him by then suggesting he might come on against the Norwegians.
‘It’s true that I agreed with him, we developed a plan like with Bruno Fernandes, and I told Cris that he wouldn’t play in either the match against Norway or the one against Denmark, because I’ve worked with Cris for a year,’ the former Al-Nassr boss said. ‘I didn’t just arrive in the national team three months ago to get to know Cris. I know Cris’s physical capabilities perfectly well.
‘I’m not the kind of coach who, as soon as I sit on the bench, is already thinking about the 60th minute and the substitution I’m going to make. I had agreed with him that he wouldn’t play the first two matches, but I thought during the match that I might need him in the final minutes. But the match dictated something else, and I didn’t bring him on. That’s the truth. During the match, I thought that I might need him and that he would warm up, and then I didn’t bring him on.
‘No player is happy when they warm up for 20 or 30 minutes and then don’t get played. Nobody’s happy. Least of all Cris. I wasn’t going to bring him on, but I said before the match, “Cris, if I need you, you’ll play 20 or 30 minutes,” and he said, “Okay.” Once he was on the pitch, I asked him to warm up in the 45th minute; I didn’t know what I was going to do.
‘That’s where I made a mistake; I should have had him warm up about 15 minutes later. I didn’t know what was going to happen, I started watching the game, and I didn’t bring him on.’
Arsenal summer signing Bruno Guimaraes (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal have received a significant boost in their pursuit of Brazil midfielder Breno Bidon and expect Bruno Guimaraes to ‘help’ get the deal over the line.
Bidon is viewed as one of the most highly-rated young players in world football, having already made over 100 appearances for Corinthians and broke into the Brazil team.
Carlo Ancelotti gave Bidon his Brazil debut during the current international break and the young midfielder is expected to be a key part of the squad leading up to the next World Cup in 2030.
Corinthians are ready to cash in on Bidon to bring in some funds and Bolavip say the club’s board are ‘unlikely to refuse’ a bid from Arsenal in excess of £21m.
Arsenal still face competition in the race to sign the youngster, however, with Serie A giants Juventus also keen to secure his services.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty)
Back in March, Bidon revealed it was his ‘dream’ to one day play in Europe and test himself in the Champions League, a competition Arsenal reached the final of last season.
I do dream about playing in Europe,’ Bidon told TNT Sports Brasil when addressing the recent speculation surrounding his future.
‘It has been a dream since I was a kid – to play in Europe, to play in the Champions League, to play in a World Cup. It has been a dream since I was young.
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‘I do have that desire. I do not know when the moment will come but I do have that desire to play abroad.’
Former Manchester United forward Memphis Depay has witnessed Bidon’s impressive development first-hand since joining Corinthians from Atletico Madrid back in 2024.
According to the Netherlands international, whichever club that manages to sign Bidon will be acquiring a ‘special’ talent with the ‘mentality’ to reach the top.
‘I talk to him a lot, he’s very intelligent,’ Memphis said of Bidon earlier in the year in an interview with Brazilian outlet SporTV.
He has great potential. He’s young, but very talented. He works hard, is focused and has a strong mentality.
‘He’s a special player, he needs to leave Brazil, not now, but soon. He also needs to be called up to the Brazilian national team. He has enormous potential, he’s very good.’
The Swedish star endured a miserable first season at Liverpool, scoring just four goals and missing large periods of the campaign through injury, but has already matched that tally in the Premier League this term.
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak (Picture: Getty)
‘I really like Alexander Isak. I like what he gives you as a centre-forward,’ Premier League legend Sheringham told Hajper.
‘He was obviously not right last season but the whole situation at Liverpool was wrong, even down to playing two centre-forwards, and it just didn’t work for anyone.
‘For me, he’s the best striker in the Premier League. He is phenomenal. I’d like to see him win the Golden Boot this year, and not just to beat Erling Haaland but for the way that Isak plays the game, and how hungry he is for goals.
Premier League 2026-27 top goalscorers
Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – 5
Alexander Isak (Liverpool) – 4
Joao Pedro (Chelsea), Pascal Gross (Brighton), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bryan Brobbey (Sunderland), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Marcus Tavernier (Bournemouth), Kevin Schade (Brentford) – 3
‘I like his demeanor on the pitch. He wants to score goals and he can score goals, and his goals against Ipswich Town were fantastic.
‘That should get the rest of the Premier League worried this season, I love it. He looks back to his very best, sharp shooting, getting it out of his feet and… bang, goal!
‘He knows where the goal is on both sides, and he really is fantastic in the box, just being in the right place at the right time, and following up on chances.
‘When other strikers would be standing still on the penalty spot, he’s watching what is going on, always on the move in the box. We saw that against Bournemouth.
‘It might have looked like the ball just fell to him, but it’s because of his movement and momentum to take him there to get that goal.
‘These are all the signs of a striker with the proper goalscoring attributes to be the very best in the world at what he does.’
Haaland and Isak will go head-to-head once the international break finishes with Manchester City visiting Liverpool next Sunday.
