João Gomes completes £38m Aston Villa move

João Gomes joins Aston Villa for £38m

João Gomes is heading to Villa Park. Aston Villa confirmed the signing of the Brazilian midfielder from Wolves on Monday for £38m (1) (4). Gomes fills a hole in Unai Emery's midfield after Youri Tielemans left and Amadou Onana went down injured (1). The 25-year-old came through Flamengo's academy before moving to Wolves. Now he gets a fresh start under Emery.

Conmebol eyes late 2027 for 2030 qualifiers

South America's road to the 2030 World Cup is taking shape. Conmebol plans to start qualifiers in the second half of 2027 (2). Three hosts, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, are already in. That reshapes the fight for the remaining spots and directly affects Brazil's path. Rodrigo Caetano and Carlo Ancelotti have a little over a year to figure out a squad with an actual identity.

Two Brazilians make World Cup flops list

Danilo and Casemiro have been named in the tournament's 'disappointments XI' for the 2026 World Cup (3). The list, compiled after Brazil's round-of-16 exit, also includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Muslera, Koulibaly, Hincapié, and Vitinho (3). It is not a list any Seleção fan wants to see their players on.

Fan reactions

The mood online is reflective. One fan pointed out that for the first time, the defending World Cup winner has now lost the following final twice in a row, Argentina in 1990 and 2026, a stat that quietly underscores how brutal the modern tournament cycle has become. Read the thread.