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Manchester United have endured a phenomenal upturn in form over the last couple of weeks, as seen by their run of three Premier League victories in a row.

Ruben Amorim appears to be finally silencing the doubters, after being subject to countless barrages of criticism from supporters and pundits across the country.

However, his work in the transfer window is largely to thank, with his additions from the recent summer transfer window already having an immediate impact at Old Trafford.

Bryan Mbeumo arrived in a £71m deal from Brentford and has already taken the role as the Red Devils’ main talisman, as seen by his tally of five goals in his first nine league outings.

Despite the additions within the final third, Amorim and the hierarchy are still hunting for a new central midfielder to take the first-team squad to the next level in the near future.

Man Utd’s hunt for a new midfielder in January

Over the last couple of months, United have been hugely touted with a winter move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, after his phenomenal start to the 2025/26 season.

The 22-year-old has started all nine Premier League games to date, resulting in his maiden England call-up to Thomas Tuchel’s squad – subsequently cementing his place as a regular starter.

However, any deal could prove to be a somewhat expensive one, with Sean Dyche’s side currently demanding a fee in the region of £100m for his signature.

He’s not the English midfielder currently in their sights, with Borussia Dortmund star Jobe Bellingham another target for the Red Devils, according to one Spanish outlet.

They have reported that Amorim’s side are preparing a €50m (£42m) offer for the 20-year-old despite only joining the Bundesliga outfit back in the recent summer transfer window.

It also states that the player is growing frustrated with his lack of minutes, having only started two league outings in 2025/26 and featured for a total of 208 minutes.

Why United’s £42m target would be the perfect Casemiro replacement

Many United fans expected Casemiro’s minutes at United to be extremely limited this season after struggling to impress, some Amorim took the reins back in November last year.

The Brazilian, who’s now 33, has even been called into question by numerous pundits over the last few years, many of whom have claimed he’s no longer at the level required for the Premier League.

Jamie Carragher infamously said that ‘the football has left him’ and recommended that the former Real Madrid star move to Saudi Arabia or America to end his career.

However, he’s been a key component of Amorim’s side this campaign, subsequently featuring in eight of the nine league outings – even scoring twice and notching an assist.

Casemiro’s latest goal came in the recent triumph over Brighton and Hove Albion, stepping up to the plate when the manager and team needed him most.

Despite his recent form at Old Trafford, there’s little denying he’s entering the final years of his career at the top level, with his current deal at the Red Devils set to expire in the summer of 2026.

The supporters shouldn’t worry about a potential departure, especially if the rumours around a move for Bellingham come to fruition in the winter or summer transfer window.

Whilst the Englishman has struggled for action in the current season, he’s still managed to produce numerous incredible stats that would see him be a monster hit with the fans in Manchester.

Bellingham, who’s been labelled “one of the best midfielders” by the Second Tier Podcast, has completed 88% of his attempted, whilst ranking in the 89th percentile for touches per 90.

Games played

8

Minutes played

208

Pass accuracy

88%

Touches per 90

84.8

Tackles made

2.2

Duels won

6.5

Aerials won

71%

Fouls won

1.7

Such figures highlight his incredible ability with the balm at his feet, with such a skillset adding yet another talented technician to the heart of Amorim’s first-team squad.

Out of possession, the youngster has been just as impressive, making 2.2 tackles per 90 to date, whilst also winning 6.5 duels per 90 – highlighting his workmanlike style.

Other tallies, such as a 71% aerial duel success rate and 1.7 fouls won per 90, showcase his all-round ability, which has made him a constant nuisance to countless opponents.

£42m may seem a hefty sum of money for the Dortmund star, but it certainly could prove to be a fantastic piece of business if he reaches his full potential.

At just 20, he has bags of time to develop further, whilst also offering the club a long-term replacement for the experienced Casemiro into 2026/27 and beyond.

Not Mbeumo: Man Utd's "world-class" star is now becoming Amorim's new Bruno

Manchester United have hit the jackpot on one star who could reach Bruno Fernandes’ level.

1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 28, 2025

Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe committed two defensive errors during the team's 7-5 win over the Rays on Tuesday. Volpe has now made 15 errors this season, which is tied for the most in MLB.

Though Volpe's home run and two hits were crucial in the Yankees' win, he gave the Rays another chance with a poor throw to first base during the ninth inning. The 2023 Gold Glove winner has not played up to his previous defensive standard, and been a key part of the Yankees' overall struggles this season, a major concern as the team looks to return to the World Series in October.

Despite Volpe's woes, Yankees manager Aaron Boone is not planning to bench Volpe or sit him as a mental reset.

"Clearly, he's gone through some struggles here and in some key moments not made some plays," Boone said Wednesday. "I think Anthony's super tough, and I think he's wired for this. We think of slumps or struggles more offensively, it happens with even really good players on that side of the ball."

Boone continued, "My message to him is, 'You're really good at this.' And that's reality. He's a Gold Glove player, he makes plays that people can't make. He's a playmaker out there. He's made some mistakes on some balls that he needs to nail down, but it happens to guys at different points of their career. I believe his mental toughness and his wiring will get him through this, and we'lI all work right there with him to get through it too. I believe his best days are in front of him this year and beyond."

Volpe remains determined as well to turn around his performance defensively. “I’ve never really experienced something like this,” Volpe said Tuesday. “But I’ve got really good guys around me. I know what I’m capable of. It’s obviously frustrating, but it’s not discouraging. I know the standard I have for myself. I’m going to keep pushing until I prove it to myself every day."

أصدر المجلس الأعلى لتنظيم الإعلام، برئاسة المهندس خالد عبدالعزيز، عددًا من القرارات والتدابير التنظيمية عقب مناقشة توصيات لجنة الشكاوى برئاسة الإعلامي عصام الأمير.

وجاء ذلك بشأن محتوى برنامج “البريمو” والذي يُذاع عبر قناة “Ten”، وبعض المنصات الرقمية المرتبطة بالشأن الرياضي.

طالع أيضًا | خالد الغندور: الزمالك لا ينافس على الألقاب.. وغير مُرشح للبطولة الأضعف في إفريقيا العقوبات والقرارات الصادرة من المجلس الأعلى للإعلام

أولًا: تغريم قناة TEN الفضائية مبلغ 50 ألف جنيه، على خلفية ما رصدته اللجنة من مخالفات مهنية وأخلاقية في عدد من حلقات برنامج “البريمو” الذي يقدمه الإعلامي إسلام صادق، وذلك لمخالفتها الأكواد والمعايير الصادرة عن المجلس.

ثانيًا: توجيه إنذار رسمي للحسابات الإلكترونية التي تعمل تحت اسم “نجم الجماهير” على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي، بعد ثبوت بث محتوى مخالف للقانون في بعض حلقاتها المنشورة عبر هذه المنصات.

ثالثًا: إلزام جميع الوسائل الإعلامية الخاضعة لأحكام قانون رقم 180 لسنة 2018 بحظر ظهور كل من: الكابتن رضا عبدالعال، الإعلامي أبو المعاطي زكي، وذلك لمدة شهرين اعتبارًا من تاريخ صدور القرار.

رابعًا: مخاطبة نقابة الصحفيين، برئاسة الكاتب الصحفي خالد البلشي، لاتخاذ ما تراه مناسبًا وفق القانون بشأن المحتوى الذي يقدمه الإعلامي أبو المعاطي زكي.

Newcastle United have now reportedly set their sights on signing a Ligue midfielder if they fail in their pursuit to welcome young star Kees Smit in 2026.

Newcastle set to make Kees Smit move

It’s a fairly open secret that Newcastle are after a midfield reinforcement in 2026. The trio of Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali is undoubtedly impressive, but as Joelinton continues to struggle, Eddie Howe could certainly do with some quality in depth to make a change.

Names like Alex Toth have emerged on the Magpies’ radar in recent months as a result, though it seems like Smit remains top of their midfield shortlist.

Reports have even claimed that Newcastle are set to make their move to sign the AZ Alkmaar star, despite competition from the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Such interest could hand those at St James’ Park some fresh Déjà vu after missing out on several big names in the summer. It’s only now that Howe is beginning to get his full squad together following the chaos of the summer window and instant injury to Yoane Wissa.

The Newcastle boss welcomed his forward into the squad for the first time on Saturday, telling reporters: “He’s got a lot more work to do to get to the very best level that he can. We hope to keep him available by managing correctly.

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He desperately needs a move.

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With Wissa back, the Magpies and their manager can turn their full attention towards avoiding a repeat of the summer chaos even if they miss out on Smit.

Newcastle eyeing move to sign Kevin Danois

According to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle have now set their sights on signing Kevin Danois if they fail to sign Smit in 2026. The AJ Auxerre midfielder has emerged as an ideal alternative as the Tyneside club continue to plan ahead.

Compared to Joao Neves and dubbed “intelligent” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, Newcastle would be wise to instantly move for Danois if they miss out on their Smit next year.

The Magpies have seemingly learned from last summer and have identified a cheaper alternative who is yet to attract the same intense interest as their main target. Whether they’re forced to turn towards the Ligue 1 star remains to be seen, however.

Newcastle star was entering Obertan territory, now he's their "best player"

Kagiso Rabada sustained a rib injury during South Africa’s first training session in India on Tuesday, which ended up ruling him out of the Eden Gardens Test on the morning of the match. No decision has been made on whether he will be available for the second Test, which starts in Guwahati next week.ESPNcricinfo has established that Rabada was taken for a scan the morning after injury occurred. However, he still attended Wednesday’s training session. The extent of his participation in that session is unclear, though. He did not take part in Thursday’s optional training – which is regular practice for many senior players – and underwent a fitness test before play began on Friday morning. After experiencing discomfort during the test, a late call was made, ruling Rabada out of the Test match.Corbin Bosch, who has played three Tests prior to this tour, was named in the XI in Rabada’s place. Bosch was also part of South Africa’s Test squad in Pakistan, but did not play in either of the matches on the tour. He is now one of three seamers in South Africa’s line-up for the first Test; the other two are Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder.South Africa do not have any other seamers in their squad, after Lungi Ngidi was left out of both the Pakistan and India series in a horses-for-courses approach to playing in the subcontinent. Despite Rabada’s injury, no replacement players have been called up to the squad yet.South Africa will play another Test, followed by three ODIs and five T20Is, over the next five weeks in India. The white-ball squads have not yet been announced, but it is expected that South Africa will select as close to a first-choice T20I squad as possible, with next year’s T20 World Cup in mind. Rabada is expected to be part of that T20I squad.

The former India wicketkeeper-batter was unveiled as a replacement player, a day before the ILT20’s first player auction

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2025Sharjah Warriorz have signed former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik for the upcoming season of the ILT20 in the UAE. Warriorz unveiled Karthik as a replacement for Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis, ahead of the league’s first player auction on October 1.At Warriorz, Karthik, 40, will reunite with the big-hitting Tim David with whom he had won IPL 2025 though as a batting coach and mentor at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).”I am very excited to be joining the Sharjah Warriorz team for the DP World ILT20 tournament,” Karthik said in a statement. “I know they are a young team, aspiring to do some special things, and I am happy to be here. Sharjah is also one of those iconic stadiums one always wants to play at. And to be a part of the franchise Sharjah Warriorz, makes a dream come true.”Related

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Warriorz head coach JP Duminy welcomed Karthik into their set-up. “Dinesh Karthik is one of the most experienced hands and an incredibly innovative mind when it comes to T20 cricket, and I am chuffed to have him in our corner,” Duminy said. “The whole world has seen what he is capable of with the bat, and his explosive batting, dynamic personality, and immense experience will surely benefit the younger players significantly during the course of the tournament. I look forward to working with him closely.”This will be Karthik’s fourth stint as a player in franchise cricket outside of the IPL after being part of Bangla Tigers in the 2024 Abu Dhabi T10, Southern Superstars in the 2024 Legends League, and Paarl Royals in the 2025 SA20. Karthik forayed into the global franchise circuit after retiring from Indian and international cricket in June 2024.Dinesh Karthik represented Paarl Royals in the 2025 SA20•SA20

Karthik brings with him a wealth of T20 experience: he has played 412 matches so far, scoring 7537 runs at an average of 27.01 and strike rate of 136.66. In the IPL, he played for six teams, which included leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He also was among the fittest players in the IPL, having missed just two matches across 17 seasons.In the upcoming season of the ILT20, Karthik could play with or against R Ashwin, his former India and Tamil Nadu team-mate. Ashwin has entered the ILT20 auction with the highest base price – the only player at the auction with a base price in six figures.With LPL 2025 set to clash with the ILT20, Mendis has pulled out along with allrounder Dasun Shanaka, who was earlier retained by defending champions Dubai Capitals.

Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will take the ball for the American League as the team's starter in the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday in Atlanta. It's the first career All-Star start for Skubal, who seems to have received an assist from fellow AL All-Star and New York Yankees ace Max Fried.

Skubal told Tigers beat writer Evan Woodbery that Fried had called him recently with an admirable offer.

"He asked me if I wanted to start (the ASG)," Skubal said.

Skubal told Woodbery that he initially balked at Fried's offer, and extended the offer back to Fried, who had spent the first eight seasons of his career in Atlanta, where the All-Star Game will take place.

That's when Fried insisted.

"I think you deserve it," Fried insisted. "I was just wondering if you wanted to start it."

Skubal said he then received the call from AL manager Aaron Boone, who let him know he'd be the AL's starter. The Tigers ace, who ranks third in the AL in ERA and second in strikeouts, said he admired Fried for the remarkable gesture.

"It was actually a really cool conversation [with Fried]," Skubal said. "It’s a very professional thing to do, and I've got a ton of respect for guys that do stuff like that."

Fried on Friday opted out of the All-Star Game, likely due to the shorter turnaround from his start against the Chicago Cubs, an appearance in which he exited due to a blister on his left index finger.

The All-Star Game will take place on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.

Spinner revealed last week that England had released him from his deal after Ashes omission

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2025Jack Leach has signed a contract extension with Somerset after revealing that he has been released from his England central contract.Leach has played 39 Tests for England, most recently on their tour to Pakistan a year ago, and was the only spinner to take 50 County Championship wickets this season. But he has slipped down the pecking order to the extent that England have opted to take the allrounder Will Jacks to Australia as their back-up spin option ahead of him.He has been centrally contracted since the start of the 2021-22 winter but will fall back onto his county deal with Somerset next year. Leach was already under contract with his hometown club until the end of next season, but the county announced on Monday that he has now signed a two-year extension until the end of 2028.Related

• Shoaib Bashir set to leave Somerset when contract expires

• Jack Leach six-for hands Somerset two-day victory

• Nathan Lyon: 'In my eyes, Jack Leach is still England's best spinner'

• Jack Leach masterclass plunges Hampshire into deeper trouble

England have not yet announced their central contracts for 2025-26, but Leach told the BBC last week that he had been informed by managing director Rob Key that his deal would not be renewed. “My contract was up, so he obviously told me that and at the same time, said about the Ashes squad and that I wasn’t going to be in it,” Leach said.”I was gutted about that. That was really my aim for the summer, and it wasn’t to be, so [now] it’s time to reflect and try to keep getting better and get myself back in there… I don’t know from their point of view whether they have completely moved past me, but I believe I’m still getting better and I need to keep showing that in county cricket.”Shoaib Bashir, who has leapfrogged Leach to become England’s first-choice spinner, is widely expected to leave Somerset after he did not feature for them in any format this season. He is likely to retain his central contract for 2025-26, meaning that the ECB – rather than whichever county he joins – will pay his salary.Elsewhere, Sussex have announced the signing of batting allrounder Jack Leaning from Kent on a three-year contract, while legspinning allrounder Calvin Harrison has signed a permanent deal with Northamptonshire after impressing on loan from Nottinghamshire earlier this year.

A significant update has emerged regarding one Rangers star’s Ibrox future, with the 49ers Enterprises tempted to sell and his potential price tag in the January transfer window revealed.

The Gers have found some much-needed form with Danny Rohl at the helm, with three wins in succession coming their way in the Scottish Premiership.

Numerous players have performed better under the German than they did with Russell Martin in charge, not least Nicolas Raskin, who was impressive in Sunday’s 3-0 win away to Dundee in the league, bossing the midfield battle for the visitors.

The Belgian fell out of favour under his previous manager, who publicly explained why he axed him from Rangers’ squad to face Hearts earlier this season.

“He won’t be in the squad tomorrow. We have a lot of conversations as we do with every player, but he’s back training with the squad which is a good step. Now, like every player, he has a duty to make sure he earns the trust of all his other team-mates, coaching staff and the staff in the building to help us win football matches.”

Rangers may sell Raskin for £20m in January

Now, according to a new update from TEAMtalk, Rangers and the 49ers could be willing to sell Raskin in January, potentially demanding as much as £20m for his signature, even though Rohl has “consistently praised” his influence and sees him in his long-term plans. Two unnamed Serie A sides are weighing up a New Year approach.

£20m “could be enough” to force the Gers’ hand midway through the season, with the Scottish side “aware of his growing market value -particularly after another impressive international break with Belgium, where he earned widespread plaudits for his composure and work rate.”

Opinion may be split over Rangers potentially letting Raskin leave the club in January, not least because he has shown the quality that he has in his locker in recent weeks, also being lauded by Derek Ferguson in the past: “Raskin, since he started looking after himself, has been phenomenal. It’s his drive, his ability on the ball.”

The 24-year-old is contracted at Ibrox until the summer of 2027, so a big decision does need to be made relatively soon, in order for the Gers not to miss out on receiving a hefty fee for him, and certainly not losing him on a free transfer at that point.

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That said, waiting until the summer feels like a sensible choice, allowing Raskin to remain at the club for the rest of this season, helping Rohl’s side give themselves the best possible chance of success, both domestically and in Europe.

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Liverpool ended a run of three successive defeats in all competitions by claiming all three points against West Ham United at the London Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday.

Arne Slot’s team had lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest and 3-0 to Manchester City in their last two outings in the top-flight, which is why it was so important for them to bounce back with a win against the Hammers.

Alexander Isak scored his first league goal for the Reds after his £125m move from Newcastle United in the summer, as part of an attack that looked very different after some impressive tweaks from the head coach.

The key tactical tweaks Liverpool made against West Ham

Instead of playing Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, Slot opted to go with a natural defender in Joe Gomez in the back four and it was a tactical decision that paid off big time.

The former England international was not dribbled past a single time in the 90 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, and provided an assist for the second goal with an excellent cross after Szoboszlai, who was able to play further up the field, did well to lay the ball off to him.

Slot also played Florian Wirtz in the number ten role, after he was left on the bench against PSV, and the Germany international completed 93% of his attempted passes in a controlling and metronomic display in the middle of the park.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

The Liverpool boss also made the bold call to drop Mohamed Salah from the starting line-up to play Szoboszlai out wide on the right, days after Alan Pardew suggested that the Egypt international has looked “lost”.

In Salah’s absence, though, Reds forward Cody Gakpo showed that he is the manager’s most clutch player this season with an impressive display.

Liverpool's most clutch player

In March of last year, the £40m signing from PSV was criticised by former Liverpool defender and pundit Jamie Carragher, who claimed that the Dutchman “plays like the game is in slow motion”.

Believe it or not, that’s not the first time the former centre-back has criticised the Dutchman.

Indeed, just after he signed, Carragher wrote that he was ‘baffled watching Gakpo’s early performances,” further stating that ‘Gakpo is not a typical Klopp signing, lacking lightning pace and the capacity to lead a high press.’

There is a languid demeanour to the way that Gakpo plays for Liverpool on the wing, but that is not an inherently bad thing because it is not down to a genuine lack of effort, as shown by his output this season.

The Netherlands international added a goal and an assist to his tally in the 2-0 win over West Ham, setting up Isak for the opener before burying a finish late on to seal the win.

With Salah out, Gakpo once again showed that he is the most clutch player in the squad in the Premier League this season, because he has been the most productive player in front of goal.

Last season, Salah was the player Liverpool looked to when they needed a goal, as he ended the campaign with a staggering 29 goals and 18 assists, per WhoScored.

xG

3.8

1st

Goals

4

1st

Big chances created

7

1st

Chances created

25

1st

xA

2.6

1st

Assists

3

1st

Goals + assists

7

1st

As you can see in the table above, it is Gakpo who has been the go-to man for Slot in the top-flight so far this term, leading the way in pretty much every significant attacking metric.

These statistics show how clutch the Dutchman has been for the Reds this season, because he has been their main star for both goals and creativity at the top end of the pitch, which was on full display with a goal and an assist on Sunday.

Until Salah is able to get back to his best in the Premier League, which will hopefully happen in the coming weeks, Gakpo should be considered the most clutch player in the squad for his output so far.

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