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“Leave the football before the football leaves you.” That was the sentence Jamie Carragher reserved for a certain Manchester United player by the name of Casemiro back in May 2024.

It’s safe to say that the Brazilian, once a football legend, a serial winner at Real Madrid, had seen his powers wane.

He was making countless mistakes, looked like he was running through treacle and was the shadow of a player who had featured on 336 occasions for Madrid.

18 months on and Casemiro looks like a legandary player again. He may not be capable of featuring for a period of 90 minutes but the 2025/26 campaign has arguably been his best since moving to Old Trafford.

The 33-year-old is making a huge impact, notably scoring on three occasions and registering an assist. He’s finally come good in United colours.

However, the fact that he can’t last 90 minutes is the problem. His backup in the shape of Manuel Ugarte continues to struggle.

Why it's time for Ugarte to leave Man Utd

In the summer of 2024, INEOS spent a great deal on bringing the bullish Uruguayan to Old Trafford, as much as £42m.

He was seen as the heir to Casemiro, someone who could fix their lack of energy and tenacity in the middle of the park.

The big Brazilian was floundering and the more minute Ugarte was here to fix the problem. Yet, he has been more of a hindrance, particularly as Casemiro has returned to form.

So far this term, the midfield veteran has only completed one 90 minutes in the Premier League and in a bid to see out the game, Ruben Amorim has usually tried to rely on Ugarte. However, the South American has been anything but reliable.

With the 24-year-old out of the team, the Red Devils have scored 15 goals at a rate of twice per 90 and have conceded eight times, once per 90 minutes.

However, with Ugarte in the team, Amorim’s side have scored just four times, 1.3 per 90 minutes and have shipped ten goals, a whopping 3.2 per 90.

The data is clear; United are a poorer side when the big-money midfielder is in the team. While he has come on and helped his teammates to victories over Chelsea, Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton, he has also come on and been a hindrance.

When he entered the action at the weekend in the 2-2 draw with Spurs, it was 1-0 to United at the time. In the 3-1 defeat to Brentford, he came on at 2-1. During the 1-1 draw with Fulham, Amorim’s charges were leading 1-0 when Ugarte was brought off the bench. To make matters worse, he also started the 3-0 loss to rivals Manchester City.

So, why do things go so wrong when he’s on the field? Well, his inability to break up the play and anticipate what happens on the field is a huge issue. That was seen during the draw with Spurs on Saturday when Ugarte simply let Wilson Odobert breeze past him in the build-up to Mathys Tel’s equaliser.

With Kobbie Mainoo on the bench, it does beg the question, why Ugarte? While the Uruguay international is the more traditional holding midfielder, they need more energy and legs when Casemiro heads to the bench. Mainoo would bring that in abundance.

Saying that, the academy graduate isn’t the only Ugarte solution up Amorim’s sleeve. Another future superstar at Carrington is getting ready to make an impact.

Man United's surprise Ugarte replacement

Cutting their losses on the former PSG player would be disastrous from a business point of view but it really does feel as though United need a refresh in midfield.

Chalkboard

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

Casemiro has made great improvements this term but he is not getting any younger and if INEOS are planning to spend big in the future then it must be in a central area.

Players like Brighton superstar Carlos Baleba and Nottingham Forest’s Geordie midfielder, Elliot Anderson, have both been linked with a move. They would be fabulous signings too.

Yet, a ready-made solution could present itself at Carrington. In the form of 19-year-old Sekou Kone, United may well have already signed their dream replacement for Ugarte.

Kone arrived at Man United in the summer of 2024. He was not a marquee arrival, far from it. There was very little fanfare for a teenager who had signed in a £1m deal from Malian side Guidars FC.

An exciting midfield player, the youngster had attracted the attention of United scouts during Mali’s run to the semi-finals of the U17 World Cup in 2023. Since then, he has failed to earn any senior game time under Amorim but he looks like a mighty fine prospect.

Kone featured on 14 occasions for the U21s last season but his prospects of football in 2025/26 have so far been dampened by a fractured eye socket. He has played just one match in the opening exchanges of the ongoing campaign but he is now back in training and first-team training at that. Amorim has already shelved plans of a loan spell, such is the potential in this young midfield player.

So, what’s he all about? Well, a defensive midfielder by trade, he is “uber composed on the ball and so press resistant” in the words of Como scout, Ben Mattinson.

Mattinson continued: “He’s got a tight turn radius and rides challenges well when carrying the ball.” On that evidence, he certainly sounds more promising than Ugarte.

He possesses an exciting ball-winning prowess and has an enormous physical ceiling that Mattinson suggests “is something Manchester United need more of in order for Amorim’s man-to-man press to work effectively.”

On that evidence, it’s hardly a surprise that fellow scout, Antonio Mango, has explained that Kone has “the skillset to be a beast under Amorim.”

This is a player who doesn’t just look capable of ending Ugarte’s career at Old Trafford, but potentially also Casemiro’s.

A renovated Santiago Bernabeu has played host to the first-ever NFL match played at the stadium, helping to elevate its status to a multi-purpose stadium and, Impressed with the revamped stadium, UEFA are reportedly planning to host a Champions League final at the Bernabeu in the near future.

• First NFL game in Spain

  A revamped Santiago Bernabeu hosted an NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders on Sunday. The game, which the Dolphins won 16-13, saw a huge turnout from locals as well as from fans abroad. As per a report from Defensa Central, the governing body of European football, UEFA, were surprised by the stadium's transformation. Despite having a not-so-healthy relationship with the club in recent times, UEFA did not shy away from admiring Real Madrid's innovative new-look stadium. They have also indicated a potential Champions League final taking place at the iconic stadium; however, nothing has been made official yet. 

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  Perez's plan is successful

  Back in 2023, Florentino Perez had pointed out how the renovation would pan out, explaining: "The investment in technology has been increased in all the areas of the Bernabéu Tour. The Museum will be much bigger and the spaces have been modified to make them more attractive. The traditional Tour has been extended with 2 new routes. The turf maintenance lighting has also been changed from fixed to variable spectrum, which allows the full range of natural light colours to be used, and this is the first time it has been used anywhere in the world with spectacular results. The increase in investment has also been allocated to improving the gastronomic services of the bars, which will represent a qualitative leap in the offer to members and fans. All this involves an enormous effort in the development of infrastructures, which, in addition to providing a better gastronomic experience, will serve to optimise the generation of income through this activity. In order to address all these additional investments and expenses, we have decided to finance ourselves on a long-term basis to avoid having to impact the activity and the club's outstanding balance sheet in the short term. The budget for these new investments is €370 million. Thanks to the financial solvency that Real Madrid enjoys, this will allow us to obtain financing under very favourable conditions, as we have obtained an A-rating, equivalent to that of the Kingdom of Spain."

• Barriers which can prevent a Champions League final at the stadium

  There is only one barrier that might prevent the stadium from hosting a Champions League final, and that is the club's will. In order to get hosting rights, the club will need to submit a bid, and as per the report, Los Blancos are in no mood to do so. Moreover, they are looking at this project to be one that generates a huge revenue. As per Defensa Central, this NFL game generated more than €80 million once ticket sales apart from other commercial activities and hospitality in the city. 

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  When do Real Madrid again play at the Bernabeu?

  Real Madrid have taken a major step in the reformation of the stadium, and that is to remove the name of Santiago from it. From now on, the iconic venue will be known as only Bernabeu and necessary changes will also be made to the logo, as per Diario AS. The stadium was named after legendary Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid player Santiago Bernabeu de Yeste in 1955. Notably, Bernabeu also performed the duties of a club president for Los Blancos. With the change in name, the legacy is not expected to diminish. But Madrid are currently not playing any home fixtures, with a return scheduled for December 7, when they take on Celta Vigo in the Spanish top flight. 

Every team has hope to contend on Opening Day. Likewise, every player who’s yet to reach superstar status in the major leagues can dream that this is the year he’ll make a name for himself.

The theme of our season-opening power rankings is based off of those dreams. We’ve identified one player on each team who’s shown glimpses that he could break out on the big stage. With the vast majority of MLB teams set to open the 2025 season on Thursday, we’ll soon find out which players have what it takes and which have misplaced hope—until next year, anyway.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Breakout Candidate: SP Roki Sasaki
No surprise here. There’s a reason he’s been the world’s top pitching prospect for several years. Sasaki boasts a wicked arsenal that includes an upper 90s fastball that hits triple-digits regularly, plus a splitter that is already one of MLB’s best pitches and a good slider. He’s an extreme favorite to win Rookie of the Year in the National League.

2. New York Mets

Breakout Candidate: SP Griffin Canning
It may feel overly optimistic to call Canning, a 28-year-old former top prospect, a breakout candidate. Injuries and inconsistency have left the former Los Angeles Angels hurler’s potential untapped. Thanks to different pitch sequencing, however, Canning racked up 22 strikeouts in 14 ⅓ innings during a productive spring. He could finally level up in David Stearns’s Mets pitching lab.

3. Philadelphia Phillies

Breakout Candidate: 2B Bryson Stott 
Stott seemed on the verge of becoming an All-Star after he rapped 164 hits, batted .280 and stole 31 bases in ‘23. But he took a step back in a disappointing ‘24 campaign in which he was playing through a nerve issue in his elbow. Now healthy and with a strong spring under his belt, Stott is poised to become an All-Star for the first time.

4. New York Yankees

Breakout Candidate: OF Jasson Dominguez 
Dominguez endured some rough moments in left field to start the spring but the Yankees demonstrated patience and he began to show progress. Dominguez, who just turned 22 last month, belted four home runs in eight games in a brief stint in the majors in 2023 before injuries derailed his progress. In ‘25 he’ll show why he earned the nickname “The Martian.”

5. Boston Red Sox

Breakout Candidate: OF Ceddanne Rafaela 
At just 23 years old last season, Rafaela was a fixture in Boston’s lineup, appearing in 152 games while belting 15 home runs and swiping 19 bases while also being rated as an above-average center fielder with a strong arm. The speedy Rafaela could go for a 25–25 season in one of the AL’s best lineups in ‘25.

6. Arizona Diamondbacks

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl may still be wondering how his side were unable to see the game out for all three points after they found themselves 1-0 up against ten-man Braga on Thursday night.

The Light Blues are yet to win a match in the Europa League this season and they may not have a better opportunity than the one they had at Ibrox earlier this week.

Whilst Mohamed Diomande was sent off later in the match, the Gers allowed the Portuguese side to equalise whilst they had a man advantage, as Nasser Djiga’s wayward header caught James Tavernier out and allowed Gabriel Martinez to pounce.

The German head coach will be scratching his head and wondering what he could do to turn things around in Europe, as the Light Blues have lost four of their five matches, with two of those losses coming in his three games in the competition.

Attention, for now, will turn back to the Scottish Premiership as Rangers play host to Falkirk at Ibrox, after the reverse game at their stadium led to Russell Martin’s dismissal.

Rohl has won all four of his league games in charge of the club so far, but these league matches present an opportunity to try things out ahead of European games. For example, unleashing Oliver Antman in a new role.

Why Oliver Antman should be unleashed in a new role

You could hardly blame any supporters for getting a bit excited by the signing of the Finland international after he registered 17 assists in all competitions for Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

On top of that, Antman delivered two assists on his debut for the Gers against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League, crossing for Djeidi Gassama and winning a penalty for Cyriel Dessers to score.

Since that impressive debut, though, the Finnish forward has produced no goals and one assist in 18 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has failed to deliver consistent quality in the final third.

Per Transfermarkt, all 11 of his starts have been on the right flank. With this in mind, it may be time for Rohl to unleash the 24-year-old attacker in a new role in his Rangers career.

As you can see in the table above, Antman has played in other positions throughout his career, on the left and through the middle, which means that the Light Blues can, realistically, use him in other areas of the pitch.

With this in mind, Rohl should unleash the Finland international in a flexible number ten position, which would allow him to drift out to the left or the right when the situation demands.

This would allow him to provide creativity on both flanks and centrally, which could help to support the two wingers whilst also providing the centre-forward, in theory, with more creativity.

In order to make this positional change for Antman against Falkirk, though, the German head coach will have to ditch one of his starters from the 1-1 draw with Braga on Thursday night.

Chalkboard

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

With this in mind, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Youssef Chermiti from the starting line-up after his dismal showing against Braga, which would allow Danilo or Bojan Miovski to lead the line up front, with the Finnish whiz in behind them in the number ten role.

Why Rangers should drop Youssef Chermiti

Rangers parted company with sporting director Kevin Thelwell at the start of the week, after just one transfer window at Ibrox, and his lasting legacy may be the signing of the Portuguese striker.

The former Gers chief sanctioned an £8m deal to sign the forward from Everton, which made Chermiti the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years, since Tore Andre Flo’s £12m move to Glasgow.

That staggering outlay was made in spite of the fact that the 21-year-old striker failed to score in two seasons at Everton after Thelwell signed him for the Toffees from Sporting.

So far, Chermiti has delivered one goal and one assist in 14 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has not lived up to his price tag yet.

The former Everton attacker’s performance against Braga was the latest in an unfortunately long line of underwhelming displays from the £8m summer signing.

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese centre-forward failed to offer quality on the ball, as he was particularly poor with his passes, and also lost the majority of his physical duels.

After the match, reporter Jonny McFarlane posted that Chermiti is “mind-blowingly bad” and that the striker “offers nothing”, whilst describing him as a “galling signing”.

As harsh as that is, it is hard to disagree with the sentiment because of how poor the £8m attacker’s performances have been for the Light Blues, with one goal in 14 matches far from enough for the money spent on him.

Of course, Chermiti is not at fault for the transfer fee that Thelwell agreed to pay for him. He is a young player who is clearly trying his best and competing for the Gers, as evidenced by his 15 duels on Thursday night, but the quality is not there, on current evidence.

That is why Rohl must ruthlessly ditch him from the starting line-up for this clash with Falkirk at Ibrox, because he has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he should be playing week-in-week-out as the main number nine.

Dropping Chermiti will then provide the manager with an opportunity to unleash Antman in this new role, because Danilo can move into a number nine position or also be dropped for Miovski to start.

"Rotten" Thelwell signing is Rangers' biggest waste of time since Dowell

This summer signing by Kevin Thelwell has been as bad as the deal to bring Kieran Dowell to Rangers.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 26, 2025

Ruben Amorim has explained why he dropped Leny Yoro from his starting line-up against West Ham United and revealed the reason for Matthijs de Ligt's absence from the squad. The coach hauled Yoro off in the 54th minute at Crystal Palace after he had given away a penalty and the French youngster was visibly distraught as he watched the remainder of the game from the bench.

• Yoro benched for West Ham

  Yoro was replaced in the starting line-up by Noussair Mazraoui. The defender was one of three changes Amorim made to his team following the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Sunday. Matheus Cunha starts in attack after returning from a two-game absence while Ayden Heaven makes his first start of the season in place of De Ligt, who was absent from the squad.

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  Yoro 'so disappointed' to be dropped

  "As a manager, we need to think about everything," Amorim told before kick off against West Ham. "I spoke to Leny, not about leaving him out but about the message. He is so disappointed, but it is a tactical issue. It is a clear option and a tactical option. Today we need to win, no matter what."

• Decision follows 'think too much' comment

  The day before the game against West Ham, Amorim was asked about Yoro's demeanour on the sidelines after being taken off at Selhurst Park and being comforted by Mason Mount. The United coach explained: "It's really important [the support from Mount]. Of course, I also spoke with him because he thinks too much. He makes some mistakes in the game, and then he struggles because he's too young and he wants to do everything so well. He’s growing, with games and with setbacks, it’s not easy for him as a young guy.

  "He cannot give that to the people the way he came to the bench, he understands that but he was really frustrated. On the good side it shows that he cares, he knows it wasn’t his best game but he did some things well and I showed him that also. He’s fit and ready for the next challenge."

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  De Ligt out with small injury

  Amorim had said the previous day that he had two injury doubts but would not reveal who they were. It became clear when the line-ups were announced that one of them was De Ligt. "It's a small thing. I expect to have him in the next game [against Wolves on Monday]. The rest of the guys are ready," Amorim explained.

  "It's hard because just Harry [Maguire] and Matt [de Ligt] play in that position – so it's a blow. He's doing really well. But I'm really excited for Ayden [Heaven]. He's working there. I think he has the right characteristics to play in there. So it's a big opportunity for everyone to see Ayden perform. But it's a small thing, I expect to have Matta in the next game."

  Heaven, who United signed from Arsenal last January, will be at the heart of Amorim's back three in his first start since the Carabao Cup tie at Grimsby in August. "I want to show to my players that everyone has an opportunity," Amorim said. "Ayden is working in that position. He's working in a different position. The guy that is working in all of the movements was Ayden. I have to be consistent in my decision and they need to understand what I'm doing, so that was the key point."

  Amorim also hopes that the return of Cunha will boost his team against West Ham.

  "We suffered a little bit against Everton here. Cunha is the guy that alone can solve some problems, create momentum," he said. "But he needs to be also really focussed on the runs with [Aaron Wan] Bissaka, the way he's going to recover his position. So I expect a very complete game from Cunha but of course he's the sort of player who can solve a lot of problems for us."

  United can go fifth in the Premier League table if they beat West Ham.

Though we’re weeks past Memorial Day, a holiday often referred to as an unofficial first checkpoint in baseball’s marathon season, there are obviously still so many big-picture MLB storylines that have yet to resolve.

Has the clock already struck midnight on the playoff hopes for the underachieving Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox? It’s a long season but the deck is stacked against both clubs. Were we treated to a World Series preview last weekend? Let’s tackle that notion and a few other topics in this week’s “Fact or Fiction.” 

The Braves and Red Sox will both miss the playoffs

Verdict: Fact

The Braves, owners of seven straight postseason appearances, and the Red Sox, who seemed to make the most impactful upgrades this offseason (Garret Crochet, Alex Bregman), entered the season projected to be among the best teams in their respective leagues. Things haven’t exactly played out that way.

Atlanta started off 0–7 and just endured another seven-game losing streak. Its seemingly strong lineup has slumped its way to the bottom half of baseball’s rankings in terms of runs scored. 

Boston, meanwhile, has a championship-caliber offense but one of the worst starting rotations in baseball. What would they do without Crochet? 

The Red Sox and, especially, the Braves, who went from under .500 for half of the season to a championship in 2021, can look to success stories of teams that endured similar struggles and turned things around en route to the postseason. Plus, both teams have star power and World Series-winning managers in their dugouts.

But they both may have dug themselves in a hole that’s too deep to crawl out of. Baseball Reference gives the Red Sox a 16% chance to make the playoffs. Atlanta checks in at 9.2%. FanGraphs is more optimistic for both (Braves 26.9%, Red Sox 18.3%), but the odds are stacked against both clubs no matter where you look.

Arsenal are now expected to sign one club’s highly-rated standout attacker, with talks believed to have been held ahead of January.

Arsenal look to bounce back against Club Brugge

Arsenal arrive in Belgium tonight determined to maintain their flawless Champions League record while rebounding from Saturday’s agonising 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa.

The loss ended their previous 18-match unbeaten streak, but Mikel Arteta’s side have every reason to be very confident heading into their clash with Club Brugge.

Arsenal remain the only team with a 100 per cent record from five matches in the Champions League, sitting atop the 36-team standings following impressive victories over Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Slavia Prague, Olympiacos and Athletic Club.

So, victory at the Jan Breydel Stadium would virtually guarantee automatic qualification to the knockout stages.

However, Arsenal’s defensive crisis has deepened significantly ahead of the 20:00 kick-off.

Gabriel Magalhaes (thigh) and Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) remain sidelined for several weeks, whilst William Saliba continues recovering from a knock.

"I'd be really worried" – Carragher says Arsenal now have a "huge problem"

The Sky pundit has shared a fresh concern for Mikel Arteta.

By
Emilio Galantini

6 days ago

Riccardo Calafiori’s fitness also remains uncertain after he was spotted limping off at Villa Park, though his Premier League suspension doesn’t apply in European competition.

Fresh concerns have emerged with Declan Rice missing the trip through illness and Leandro Trossard aggravating his calf problem. Gabriel Jesus provides welcome news, though, having returned to the Champions League squad after exceeding recovery expectations from his lengthy injury absence.

Arteta is expected to rotate heavily, with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Norgaard, Ethan Nwaneri and Viktor Gyokeres all pushing for starts. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze could be rested ahead of demanding domestic fixtures.

Club Brugge, meawhile, are an opposition in disarray.

Nicky Hayen was sacked following two victories from seven matches, with Ivan Leko appointed as his successor ahead of a baptism of fire.

The Belgian side have collected just one point from their last four Champions League fixtures and currently sit 26th in the league phase. Their defensive vulnerabilities prove very alarming, having conceded 24 goals across 11 Champions League matches in 2025 — only Barcelona have shipped more.

Both first-choice goalkeepers, Simon Mignolet and Nordin Jackers, are also fitness doubts, though the former has returned to training.

Arsenal boast impressive Belgian form, winning three of their last four visits. Brugge’s solitary victory against English opposition this century came against Aston Villa thirteen months ago, offering little encouragement ahead of facing Europe’s most dominant team this season.

All signs point towards a straightforward victory for Arsenal this evening, but off the field, sporting director Andrea Berta is making plans to strengthen the squad.

Toni Fruk 'expected' to join Arsenal soon after talks

According to Sport Klub, the Italian has set his sights on HNK Rijeka star Toni Fruk.

The attacking midfielder, who SK believe is the Croatian National League’s ‘best’ footballer and ‘most valuable’ player, is said to be attracting serious interest from N5.

Arsenal have held talks over a deal for Fruk, and the outlet reports that there is an expectation he will ‘soon sign’ for Arteta with the Gunners in pole position ahead of other sides.

Negotiations are apparently in ‘full swing’, but the financial details of this potential deal are still unclear.

The 24-year-old, who’s won five caps for the Croatia national team, has played as a both a number 10 and as a centre-forward this season — bagging 10 goals in all competitions already.

Fruk, who was once on the books at Fiorentina before returning to his homeland with Rijeka in 2023, could also be a very astute signing when considering his deal currently expires in 2027.

The highly-rated forward has also impressed scouts from both Liverpool and AC Milan this season, so he could be a real one to watch.

Mark Bellingham, the father of England and Real Madrid superstar Jude and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe, has made an unexpected return to amateur football by signing for outfit FC Herdecke-Ende. Bellingham, a prolific striker in English non-league football with over 700 career goals, joined the Kreisliga B side after relocating to Germany to be closer to his youngest son.

• Bellingham back with a bang

  Bellingham initially approached the club asking to train with their veterans' team, and officials at Herdecke-Ende were unaware of his identity until they saw his famous surname on his membership application. Club chairman Frank Samson noted he was "totally normal" and approachable. Bellingham has already made an immediate impact, with teammates and club officials praising his fitness and describing his goalscoring ability as "lethal" after scoring a brace on his debut. His arrival has generated significant excitement and media interest around the small club, which is located on the outskirts of Dortmund.  

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  German boss: 'He’s shown his class'

  FC Herdecke-Ende club boss Marcel Schunke said: "Mark's lethal in front of goal. Three goals in two matches and an assist, he’s shown his class straight away. And all of a sudden everyone was speaking English in the changing rooms." 

• The Bellinghams' growing legacy in Germany

  Jude’s three-season tenure at Dortmund saw him rapidly become acknowledged as a world-class midfielder after joining in 2020. He made 132 appearances, won the 2020-21 German Cup, and was named the 2022-23 Bundesliga Player of the Season before his £90 million ($120m) transfer to Real Madrid. 

  His younger brother, Jobe, is at the very beginning of his time at Dortmund, having only joined the club in June this year from Sunderland. Jobe signed a five-year contract and has made several appearances across all competitions this season, including in the Bundesliga and Champions League. He is currently working to establish himself as a regular starter and forge his own path, having initially faced immense pressure and comparisons to his older brother's successful spell at the club. Jobe has scored one goal, which came in the FIFA Club World Cup. 

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  Family issues blight the Bellinghams

  Bellingham Snr, a former police sergeant, is currently living in Germany and separated from Jude and Jobe's mum, Denise, with whom he spent more than 20 years in a relationship. The boys' parents, who had lived in separate countries for years to support their sons' careers, are now said to be in a "dangerously tense atmosphere". This upheaval is reportedly affecting their younger son, Jobe, who is struggling with personal matters and feeling insecure and pressured in Dortmund. Additionally, the family faces scrutiny regarding Mark's involvement with the clubs; he was recently involved in an altercation with Borussia Dortmund's sporting director over Jobe's playing time, leading to a ban on family members from the dressing room area. The family also faces intense media scrutiny, with Jude hitting out at the press for hounding them. 

Earlier this year, comedian John Oliver announced that he and the staff were seeking a minor league baseball team that would be willing to let them get creative with some branding. The Erie SeaWolves, a Detroit Tigers' Double-A affiliate bravely decided to play ball despite the stipulation that they'd be kept in the dark while Oliver tinkered around with the brand identity. If this all sounds slightly strange, just keep in mind that it's minor league baseball and there are absolutely no bad ideas in any of their brainstorms.

Oliver unveiled what he and his team came up with on Sunday night and there's not a single person on the world—including Erie—that could have predicted it.

The SeaWolves will henceforth be playing as the Erie Moon Mammoths for select games.

Where does a moon mammoth even come from? Per MLB.com:

One need not know or appreciate the backstory here to like the merchandise, which features a top-notch logo.

The Moon Mammoths take the field for the first time on July 19.

Aston Villa are now seriously considering a January move for an “incredible” striker, who has been in fantastic form this season.

Villa looking to sign new striker this winter

It is becoming increasingly clear that Villa want to bring in a new centre-forward in the upcoming transfer window, having identified a number of targets over the past week or so, namely Brentford’s Igor Thiago, Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee and Bologna’s Santiago Castro.

On the face of it, pursuing a move for Thiago would appear to make the most sense, given that the Brazilian has emerged as one of the best strikers in the Premier League this season, with only Manchester City star Erling Haaland scoring more goals.

However, Aston Villa have now joined the race for another striker who has been prolific in front of goal so far this season, according to a report from Spain, which states they are seriously considering a January move for Strasbourg star Joaquin Panichelli.

Unai Emery’s side are said to be closely monitoring the striker, and hold a genuine interest, off the back of Panichelli impressing in the first half of the Ligue 1 season, with Chelsea and West Ham United also joining the race for his signature.

With the Argentinian’s contract not due to expire until 2027, the French club should be in a strong negotiating position, which complicates a deal, and finalising a move in the January transfer window could be difficult.

Panichelli has made "incredible" start in Ligue 1

Given that Ollie Watkins has just three Premier League goals to his name this season, Emery could do with bringing in a more prolific striker next month, and the Cordoba-born marksman has regularly been amongst the goals for Strasbourg, scoring ten times in all competitions.

Scout Jacek Kulig has also praised the former CD Mirandes man for the start he’s made to life at the Ligue 1 side, having only arrived at Strasbourg from the Spanish side in the summer.

The one-time Argentina international is the second-highest scorer in Ligue 1, behind only Mason Greenwood, and at 23-years-old, he is at the right age to be a long-term replacement for Watkins.

Aston Villa could launch attack to sign £44m striker who's outscoring Watkins

The Villans are looking to bring in a new centre-forward.

By
Dominic Lund

Dec 8, 2025

That said, with Panichelli tied down to a long-term contract and yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top leagues over a sustained time period, it may be worth Villa continuing to monitor him, ahead of potentially launching a move next summer.