Pressure on Javier Mascherano and his men to perform after draw against East-leading Philadelphia

An 86th-minute free kick golazo from Lionel Messi helped spark a late comeback for Inter Miami as they earned a point on the road against the Philadelphia Union in a 3-3 draw Saturday night.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner stepped up with the trailing by two goals with four minutes to spare, drilling home a brilliant left-footed strike from the top of the box for his sixth goal of the MLS campaign. With a boost of momentum, the South Beach side, in the last minute of stoppage-time, found an equalizer on a goal by Telasco Segovia.

From the edge of the box, Segovia curled home an effort into the top corner of the net to make it 3-3 in the dying seconds of the match – completing the riveting comeback and earning Miami a point on the road.

With the result, though, Miami are still winless in seven of their last eight matches. It was a dominant performance from the Union all match long, but a bit of Messi magic went a long way to ensure Miami didn't leave empty handed.

Quinn Sullivan, U.S. men's national team call-up for the CONCACAF Gold Cup training camp, opened the scoring for Philly as the 20-year-old nailed a belter of a curling effort just seven minutes in off a short corner kick.

MLS Golden Boot leader Tai Baribo then doubled the Union's lead minutes before halftime, furthering their advantage ahead of the break. Miami earned a goal back in the 60th minute off a lovely header from winger Tadeo Allende – the beginning of their eventual comeback.

Baribo, however, responded with his second of the game to make it 3-1 with 16 minutes to spare, thinking he'd bagged the dagger that earned his club all three points. That was until Messi stepped up.

His brilliant free kick brought the South Beach club back into the mix as the final whistle neared. It wasn't a pretty game for the by any means. Their defense was exploited all match long, and Philly outshot them 18 to 10.

With just one win in their last eight across all competitions, though, a point might be viewed as successful for Miami.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Subaru Park.

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• Goalkeeper & Defense

  Oscar Ustari (6/10):

  A few nice reaction saves, but his struggles showed. Not much he could do on the opening two goals, and on the third, his defense let him down.

  Noah Allen (5/10):

  Appeared to miss his mark on Sullivan's goal for Philly's opener, but hard to pin it on him alone. Miami's best defender of the night, that mishap aside.

  Tomas Aviles (4/10):

  Surprisingly inserted into the XI for the first time in five weeks, and was outclassed all match. Caught out multiple times, he couldn't handle the pressure from the Union attack.

  Gonzalo Lujan (4/10):

  Slow and unaware all night long. On Miami's second goal, he was beat to the ball despite having two steps on the attacker – just a poor performance overall.

  Ian Fray (5/10):

  Didn't excel, but wasn't particularly poor, either. A fine performance, but against the Union, fine isn't good enough.

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  Midfield

  Jordi Alba (5/10):

  Played out of position further up the pitch, he brought nothing additional to the attack – which was the intention of the switch. Not his fault, as a defender.

  Sergio Busquets (6/10):

  Strong centrally, per usual – but with few creators surrounding him, he struggled to find outlets with which to pass to.

  Yannick Bright (N/A):

  Subbed off at 38 minutes in due to injury.

  Tadeo Allende (6/10):

  Really nice header, perfect run. However, he was poor in the final-third throughout the match – struggled in build up and transition, but came up big with his goal, sparking the eventual comeback.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Lionel Messi (7/10):

  Played frustrated all evening until that magical free kick. He was at his best for eight minutes of the game, and it earned them a point – would it have been three if he played like that longer?

  Luis Suarez (3/10):

  Invisible the entire game. A few pieces of hold-up play, but just completely ineffective otherwise.

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  Subs & Manager

  Federico Redondo (6/10):

  Replaced Bright and held his own well for 60-plus minutes. Tucked in alongside Busquets, he had a rather solid second half.

  Fafa Picault (N/A):

  Brought on late to try and secure a result, but wasn't able to make a lasting impact.

  Marcelo Weigandt (2/10):

  Just so poor. Came into the game and committed multiple fouls and then found himself out of position on Philadelphia's third goal. Should be thankful Messi rescued him from his own cameo.

  Telasco Segovia (9/10):

  Scored a goal that was flagged for offsides, and then bagged the game-tying strike with a lovely finish. He did exactly what he was asked of, and you could not ask for more. Well done.

  Javier Mascherano (3/10):

  Got everything wrong from his XI to the tactics. Jordi Alba deployed higher up the pitch left his defense without a leader, while slowing down the counter-attack during regulation. Miami offered few ideas going forward or defensively. Eight minutes of Messi magic should not redeem how poor this club was set up throughout the match.

Capitals were the first team to be knocked out, but they can spoil CSK’s party

Srinidhi Ramanujam19-May-2023

MS Dhoni’s men will need a win from the last group game to be in the top-four•BCCI

Big picture: Battle between two excellent spin unitsIt’s a contest between a team very much in the hunt for a top-two finish – but not guaranteed a playoff spot yet – and the team that was the first to be knocked out of the playoffs race but cannot be taken for granted. For Chennai Super Kings, the equation is simple: beat Delhi Capitals in their last group game and cement their spot in the playoffs.They were in a strong position, but a six-wicket loss at home to Kolkata Knight Riders meant CSK’s qualification chances took a bit of a hit. With 15 points from 13 matches, they are in second place currently – level on points with Lucknow Super Giants with a better net run rate. Now, if Capitals come out victorious at home on Saturday, CSK will need one of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians to lose their final games. If CSK win this fixture and LSG lose to KKR in the second game of the day, then MS Dhoni’s men will play Qualifier 1 in Chennai.Saturday’s game will also be a clash between the two most economical spin attacks in the competition. Capitals’ spinners have taken 24 wickets at an economy of 7.09, whereas CSK’s have 35 at 7.55. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav of Capitals, and Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali of CSK feature in the top five in the list of spinners with the best economy rates this season (minimum 100 balls bowled), with Axar topping the chart with an economy rate of 6.95.Where Capitals have faltered, CSK have not. They have got a lot of runs from their openers Devon Conway (498 in 12 innings) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (425 in 12), while role clarity has led to impactful performances from Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane, with Dhoni providing late fireworks most times. Quick bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Tushar Deshpande have picked up 32 wickets between them, with Pathirana one of the standout death bowlers in the competition this season.That Capitals haven’t done well at home this IPL – they have won just two of their six matches – will bode well for CSK. However, if one looks at Capitals’ recent form, three wins in their last five matches is much better, more so for a team that has won just five games all season.2:35

Review: Could Capitals have made better use of Axar the batter?

Team newsAnrich Nortje replaced the injured Mitchell Marsh in Capitals’ previous game. For CSK, if Dube is still carrying a finger niggle, he is likely to be subbed in or out for the third match in a row, and play purely as a batter.The big questionForm guideDelhi Capitals WLLWW
Chennai Super Kings LWWNRLImpact Player strategyPrithvi Shaw, who returned to the side in the previous game, against Punjab Kings, and scored a fifty, was substituted with seamer Mukesh Kumar when Capitals bowled. Phil Salt sacrificed his opening slot to Shaw, and that will likely be the formula for the home team on Saturday as well.Delhi Capitals (probable XII): 1 David Warner (capt), 2 , 3 Rilee Rossouw, 4 Phil Salt (wk), 5 Axar Patel, 6 Aman Khan, 7 Yash Dhull, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Anrich Nortje, 10 , 11 Ishant Sharma, 12 Khaleel AhmedCSK have more or less stuck to the same XII in the second half of the tournament. Seamer Pathirana will swap in for Ambati Rayudu or Dube when they bowl.Chennai Super Kings (probable XII): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 , 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 , 12 Tushar Deshpande0:59

Bishop: Dube has understood when to pull the trigger and whom against

Pitch and conditionsThe average first-innings score in Delhi this season is 168, and Warner has said the pitches have been “challenging for batters”. Pacers have picked up 40 wickets whereas spinners have taken 32 in six games. In terms of the weather, CSK will feel at home with Delhi touching 42°C during the day – this is a 3.30pm start. Stats that matter If CSK beat Capitals, they will reach the playoffs for a record 12th time in the IPL. No team has gone past the group stage more times than them, with Mumbai Indians placed second at nine. CSK have had rapid starts in the powerplay throughout this season. They score 9.3 runs per over in that phase, which is the second-highest for a team in this IPL. Maheesh Theekshana has dismissed Warner three times in six innings but Warner has scored at a decent strike rate of 136.58 against the spinner. In the nine T20s they have played against each other, Deepak Chahar has dismissed Shaw six times, allowing the batter to score at a strike rate of 125.00.Quotes”Prithvi Shaw is one of the most beautiful batters to watch. And his time off from the playing XI has seemed to give him a chance to focus on the direction he wants to move in. He certainly had an extra bit of fire in the belly in our last game.”

Jose Mourinho has taken aim at former club Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy after their Europa League Final win over Manchester United.

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Spurs end trophy drought with Europa League titleMourinho gives his verdict on TottenhamTakes aim at Daniel LevyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mourinho is never shy when it comes to sharing his thoughts and has been asked for his verdict on Tottenham's Europa League win over Manchester United. The final brought two of Mourinho's former clubs together and saw Spurs prevail 1-0 to end their 17-year wait for a trophy.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Portuguese coach was unable to win a trophy during his time at Spurs and was famously sacked by Daniel Levy just days before a League Cup final clash with Manchester City. Mourinho has now taken aim at the Tottenham chairman and revealed what he thinks will please Levy most about the Europa League win.

WHAT MOURINHO SAID

He told Sky Sports: "The impact is obvious, Tottenham plays Champions League and of course for Mr Levy, the millions that the Champions League gives for him is the best news. For the fans, for the players, for Ange, it's a title."

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AFPWHAT NEXT

Postecoglou's future at Tottenham remains in doubt despite the Europa League win, although the Spurs boss has made it clear he wants to continue in north London.

Markram and Klaasen had put Sunrisers in control of their chase before the mystery spinner’s choke

Sidharth Monga04-May-20231:31

Dasgupta: Varun is the leader of KKR’s pack right now

Varun Chakravarthy bowled overs 16, 18 and 20 for 12 runs – four of them off byes and leg byes – and one wicket as Kolkata Knight Riders pulled off an improbable win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, only their fourth in 10 matches this season. The defeat left SRH in an identical situation to KKR’s before the match: three wins in six matches. Both sides remained in must-win territory.When Heinrich Klaasen was dominating at the start of the second half of the chase, it seemed like a cruise for SRH in their pursuit of 172. When they needed 48 off the last six overs, Klaasen fell to Shardul Thakur’s golden arm, and then Varun choked SRH with help from Vaibhav Arora, who got the wicket of Aiden Markram in the 17th over.Varun Chakravarthy was KKR’s hero in the closing stages•Associated PressJansen’s bounce
KKR’s seventh opening combination of this IPL was the most anticipated: Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, both of whom have batted breathtakingly in different matches. The promise didn’t materialise as Gurbaz walked at Marco Jansen the first ball he faced, and ended up top-edging to mid-on. Later in the over, Venkatesh Iyer got a snorter: extra bounce from just short of a length, and straight at his face. Off the glove to the keeper.Bhuvneshwar Kumar frustrated Roy with his movement, and Kartik Tyagi, playing his first match this year, benefited as Roy went to manufacture a pull from well outside off and toe-ended it to short third: 35 for 3 in the fifth over.The recovery
Helped by some waywardness from Jansen in his third over, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh set about rebuilding the innings at a fair clip. Aiden Markram saw the opportunity to slip in a couple of overs to two left-hand batters, and found some grip. It was when Tyagi tried to bounce Rana that KKR finally found proper momentum with two sixes and a four in the 10th over to move to 90 for 3.ESPNcricinfo LtdSpinners shackle KKR
With KKR looking to dominate, Markram went to his No. 1 spinner Mayank Markande, who immediately applied the brakes. Markram himself got a change of ends, and Rana took a risk only to top-edge a slog-sweep.With Sunil Narine not in batting form, KKR didn’t have an option but to send Andre Russell out to face wristspin. He managed to hit two sixes off overpitched balls, but Markande still overpitched, only wide of his reach, and had him caught at short third.Wickets then kept falling. KKR sacrificed Suyash Sharma by substituting in Anukul Roy with 15 balls to spare, but they never found the big overs at the death.Harshit gives KKR new-ball bonus
KKR have mainly relied on their spinners to win them matches but they received a bonus through the impressive burly fast bowler Harshit Rana. He bowled with some heat, and had Mayank Agarwal gloving a bouncer. Shardul Thakur’s golden touch continued with Abhishek Sharma nonchalantly skying one up. Rahul Tripathi took Russell on with four, six and four in the sixth over, but fell to a ramp off a slower ball against the same bowler.Having taken three early wickets through the quicks, KKR fancied their chances, especially with Anukul getting harry Brook for a duck on the paddle sweep in the seventh over. At 54 for 4, with their two main spinners in the pocket, KKR proceeded to tighten the screws.Heinrich Klaasen took on the spinners to put SRH in control of their chase•BCCIKlaasen shifts the momentum
Klaasen and Markram, SRH’s two best batters, went 19 straight balls without even attempting a boundary let alone hit one. They knew there wasn’t much behind them so they were contend to rebuild. KKR were holding back their main spinners, telling them the batters would have to take big risks on a slow low pitch to get the 97 they needed in the last 10 overs.Klaasen chose Anukul’s third over as the moment to start the pushback. He charged the first ball of the 11th over, and went over long-off for a six. Then he slogged a 101m hit over midwicket. It rubbed on to Markram – he was on 11 off 21 then – who welcomed Varun with two square-cut fours.It was as though the floodgates had opened with 49 coming off four overs, leaving Sunrisers just 48 to get off six overs.Thakur inspires, Varun executes
Brought back, Thakur again imparted the golden touch. This length ball, to start the 15th over, looked on-pace and in the slot, but it was a fast cutter, and Klaasen toe-ended it to long-on. SRH still had Markram in charge, and he had now moved up to a run a ball after his slow start. Two boundaries in that Thakur over calmed SRH’s nerves.However, Varun sucked the life out of their innings. Bowling around the wicket, he denied them any hits down the ground by bowling into the pitch. Nor did he give them any pace to work with.Markram felt obliged to take on Vaibhav, but chose a bouncer too high to go after. He ended up holing out to long-off for 41 off 40. Varun kept tightening the noose. No boundary came off the 18th over. With 21 required off two overs, Gurbaz took a stunning left-handed catch off Jansen’s inside edge. Arora then overcame a no-ball, which Abdul Samad sliced for four, to leave Varun eight to defend in the last over.Samad, 20 off 16 at the start of the over, ended up hitting a slow short ball straight to deep midwicket. Bhuvneshwar Kumar had never ended up on the winning side on the 33 previous occasions when he had batted in a chase in the IPL; left with too much to do now, he finished on the losing side once again.

Newcastle United are just over a week away from the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. Liverpool await.

What should be a joyous occasion has been tainted by a slew of setbacks, casting Eddie Howe’s squad back into a depleted state that makes life difficult indeed given the calibre of opposition.

Still, the sixth-place Magpies are one of the most dangerous teams in Europe on their day. If Newcastle can make it a successful finish to the campaign, it would help immensely going into the 2025/26 campaign.

Newcastle are reportedly ‘excited’ by the upcoming transfer window after battling through PSR concerns, with Howe looking to be backed as he pushes for a return to the Champions League.

Newcastle's transfer plans this summer

Now that Miguel Almiron’s re-signed for Atlanta United in an £8m deal, Newcastle are short on options at right wing.

Jacob Murphy’s form has mitigated the urgency, but Premier League stars such as Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford are allegedly on the shortlist and could be targetted this summer.

With Sven Botman struggling for fitness and Lloyd Kelly leaving on loan in January, a centre-back would also go down a treat, but Newcastle are also eyeing a deal further back.

James Trafford, 22, has been incredible between the sticks for Burnley this season, keeping 24 clean sheets from 34 Championship matches and saving 87% of his shots faced, as per Sofascore.

Is it any wonder the Toon are keen on a deal? TalkSPORT suggest Burnley will want £30m for their goalkeeper, but this would surely be worthwhile as Howe looks to engineer the next phase in Newcastle’s development.

If he’s welcomed, though, someone will need to go…

Howe must cash in on £60k-per-week star

Newcastle might be compliant with PSR-related concerns, but if they wish to invest, sales will be necessary.

If Newcastle strike gold and bring Trafford to St. James’ Park, it makes little sense to keep Nick Pope on the books, an idea Howe subscribes to given United are already stirring up plans for his sale this summer.

As per Football Insider, Newcastle would be willing to let Pope exit for around £15m in the next window, which would be an absolute triumph given he was purchased from Burnley for just £10m.

Pope has been a stalwart shot-stopper during his time at Newcastle, but having been dealt a string of injury blows this season, PIF chiefs are warming to the idea of his sale since he is losing his way between the sticks.

With unavailability and a declining sense of security in shot saving, bagging a rising star of Trafford’s ability makes a lot of sense.

24/25*

Newcastle

17

3

67.9

23/24

Newcastle

16

5

72.4

22/23

Newcastle

37

14

74.6

21/22

Burnley

36

9

74.5

20/21

Burnley

32

11

77.2

Moreover, the 32-year-old (who turns 33 next month) is in the penultimate year of his £60k-per-week contract. With Trafford at the top of the Toon’s wish list, it feels right that he should move on this summer, no longer boasting his one-time unflappability and indeed feeling the effects of Father Time.

There have been several indicators of regression. Recently, loose passing and a lack of authority nearly cost Newcastle in a 4-3 win over Nottingham Forest, while his shot-stopping security has also raised questions – see below against Tottenham Hotspur.

Reporter Adam Clery even suggested several weeks ago the England international “looks absolutely petrified” when diving – a by-product of his injury issues – and that this is “fatal” for a goalkeeper.

Trafford would be the perfect fit to jockey with Martin Dubravka for the top spot, having been hailed for his “sensational” exploits this season by Burnley podcaster Natalie Bromley.

Bringing Trafford in would create a neat kind of continuity, for Pope too came from Turf Moor. His ship has run its course, and Howe will want to make the requisite transfer adjustments this summer to take his Tyneside crew to the next level.

Left in 2014: Newcastle dud flopped under Pardew, now he's outscoring Gordon

He’s made a name for himself after falling by the wayside at St. James’ Park.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 5, 2025

Manchester United may now be open to the idea of selling a £100 million star who INEOS were working on keeping at the club, according to Sky Sports.

Bruno Fernandes is key for Man Utd project

The Red Devils will be hoping success in the Europa League will help them when it comes to the summer transfer window, as winning that competition will provide Champions League football and therefore bring more money to the football club.

Romano: "Key player" for Man Utd and Amorim is "staying" at Old Trafford

Good news for the boss.

ByCharlie Smith Mar 18, 2025

The summer is expected to be a busy time for United, as Ruben Amorim will be looking to address key areas of his team, as they look to improve from this campaign. One player who will be at the heart of those plans is talisman and captain Bruno Fernandes, who has been in sensational form in the past couple of weeks, netting five goals in the last three games alone.

Fernandes admitted during the week that he had an offer to leave Man United in the summer, but he turned it down after talks with the club and then manager Erik ten Hag. Now, according to Fabrizio Romano as reported by Give Me Sport, Fernandes will be remaining at Old Trafford, as he “trusts the project” at Old Trafford and remains “key” for Amorim.

“Yes, he signed a new deal 8 months ago, as he trusts the project, and he’s a key player for Ruben Amorim. He’s so important for United, and he’s staying.”

Man Utd may now sell £100m star in summer transfer window

While Fernandes remains a key part of the future at Old Trafford, according to Sky Sports Germain reporter Florian Plettenberg, Man United may look to sell fellow midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in the summer.

Plettenberg states that the Red Devils are confident they can invest in top transfers this summer, with the plan being to free up space and budget with sales. United are looking to move players on, such as Casemiro, Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen, Marcus Rashford, Antony, and possibly Mainoo.

The midfielder, who is said to be valued at £100 million by United amid interest from Chelsea, is under contract at Old Trafford until 2027, but he could be allowed to leave the club, as he would bring in significant money and would help the Premier League side when it comes to PSR, as he would be seen as 100% profit, given he came through their academy.

Apps

60

Goals

6

Assists

2

His potential departure will come as a surprise, given it was recently reported that INEOS were working on agreeing a new contract for Mainoo last month, as he wanted a pay increase after his recent performances for club and country.

MatériaMais Notícias

A “campanha” para que Rafael Carioca defenda o Botafogo está cada vez maior. Depois de Fernando Marçal, foi a vez de Juninho, ex-zagueiro do Glorioso e ídolo do Tigres-MEX, afirmar que o Glorioso deveria ir atrás do volante de 33 anos.

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+Reebok e mais uma: Botafogo chega em reta final de negociações por marca de material esportivo

– Torço e muito (para acontecer a transferência). Eu não estou no Tigres mais, estou como torcedor. Claro, tenho o meu título de treinador, mas estou me preparando fora, não estou trabalhando no Tigres nem no futebol agora. Se tem um momento para o Botafogo ir atrás do Rafael é agora – colocou, em entrevista à “ESPN”.

O volante tem apenas quatro jogos na atual temporada e virou reserva do Tigres-MEX. Juninho acredita que essa é a hora certa para o Botafogo agir.

– O treinador não está colocando ele para jogar, é um treinador novo que chegou para o lugar do Tuca (Ferretti). Ele trouxe um outro jogador que é do gosto dele. A torcida aqui (México) está louca aqui com o treinador por não colocar o Rafa. Porque é nítido que ele não pode ficar de fora do time do Tigres. É um jogador de muita qualidade, eu adoro jogar com ele, joguei com ele. A gente conversava demais dentro de campo, a gente se dava super bem. Ele tem muita qualidade, saída de bola incrível – completou.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim was hired to make tough decisions at Old Trafford, and he now looks to have made up his mind on one key position ahead of the summer window.

Manchester United's problems laid bare under Amorim

Expectedly, United are never a club who find themselves too far away from the headlines when it comes to transfer stories, on-field analysis and everything in between at Old Trafford.

Despite a mixed run of fortunes since stepping into the hotseat, Ruben Amorim won’t be judged too harshly in comparison to his managerial competitors until reinforcements arrive at the Red Devils this summer to fit his vision.

Individual mistakes have hindered his side in their mission to push forward in the Premier League standings. In midweek, a 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town offered some brief respite for the Portuguese boss. Still, United’s performance was littered with errors that could well have proved costly on another day.

Patrick Dorgu saw red for a high challenge on Omari Hutchinson following a VAR intervention, while Andre Onana’s two mistakes allowed Jaden Philogene to fire the visitors into the lead twice before the first-half was out.

Andre Onana’s Premier League season in numbers
Save percentage	64.9%
Errors leading to goal	3
Expected Goals value prevented	-0.12
Penalties saved	1
Pass accuracy	71.1%

The Cameroon international has been under scrutiny this term due to a string of inconsistent performances. In recent days, Espanyol stopper Joan Garcia has been identified as a target for the Red Devils as Amorim looks to add competition between the sticks.

Financially, it remains to be seen how much business Manchester United will be able to conduct once the summer window opens as supporters wait to see if continental qualification can be secured via the Europa League or FA Cup. Nevertheless, the Red Devils are now said to be eyeing a statement move, according to recent reports.

Manchester United look to bring high-profile Onana replacement

Per reports in Spain, Manchester United hope to convince AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan to join the club and Amorim is believed to have sought out the France international as his preferred replacement for Onana.

Born in Cayenne, the 29-year-old would be open to trying his luck in the Premier League and the thought of a move to Old Trafford could tempt the stopper to seek a new challenge. However, the Red Devils would have to convince him that a potential switch would be the correct course of action during his peak years.

Man Utd now set to make £33m offer plus Hojlund to sign "fantastic" star

Ruben Amorim isn’t messing about at Old Trafford.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Feb 28, 2025

Strengthening on the goalkeeper front has become a priority for United’s coaching staff. Maignan may be the ideal candidate to fit the bill following 11 clean sheets in 39 appearances across all competitions through 2024/25.

Labelled “incredible” by former Ireland boss Stephen Kenny, the former Lille number one has saved 68.5% of 89 shots on target faced in Serie A across the campaign. In the Champions League, he has prevented 77.5% of 49 efforts bound for goal, which suggests he could be an upgrade on Onana based on current form.

Difficult decisions need to be made at Old Trafford as Amorim plots a route to bring long-term stability to Old Trafford. Could Maignan be the answer? His arrival would certainly ignite excitement among supporters.

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis has admitted to being disappointed with the lack of runs from his team in the last five overs at the Wankhede after Mumbai Indians chased down a 200-run target on a canter.Du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell added 120 runs in just 62 deliveries for the third wicket and laid the platform for a big finish. But after Maxwell fell to Jason Behrendorff in the 13th over, Mahipal Lomror and du Plessis also followed suit in the next ten deliveries and Royal Challengers could add just 53 runs in the last 35 balls.”At least 20 [runs],” du Plessis told the broadcaster when asked how short his team were from a potentially winning score.Related

• Stats – Mumbai Indians, masters of the 200-plus chase

• Suryakumar shows once again why he is so difficult to bowl to

• Mumbai mow down 200 to jump from eighth to third

“I think in the context of the wickets so far this season it feels like anything under 220 with Mumbai’s powerful batting line-up, and obviously they are a strong chasing team and bat very deep,” du Plessis said. “So we were very disappointed.””I think we didn’t capitalise in those last five overs. That’s when on a wicket like this you can really do some damage. So disappointed with the last five overs and the lack of runs.”Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, praised quick bowler Akash Madhwal for his execution at the death. Bowling to Wanindu Hasaranga and Kedar Jadhav, Madhwal conceded just six runs in the final over.”He [Madhwal] was with us last year as well and we saw the skillset he brings. All we wanted to do was give him that specific role so he focuses on that and we told him this is what you have to do,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony.”I know these are tough overs to bowl but he’s quite confident. When I speak to him, the responses that I get, he is quite confident. He is a leader as well. He leads his Uttarakhand team. So he has got a lot of knowledge about how he wants to bowl, what sort of field placements he wants to have.”Rohit also said that Royal Challengers looked set for a score in the region of 220 and praised his team for reining things back in the last few overs, something which the team has struggled with this season.”It was crucial what we did there at the back end. Restricting them to less than 200 was a great effort,” Rohit said. “At one stage it was looking 220 or something like that and the way we have bowled in the last part, it could have been 220 or maybe more.”2:04

Dasgupta: Haven’t seen someone with Suryakumar’s wrist-work in modern-day cricket

Du Plessis: ‘Suryakumar makes a captain extremely grey’

In the chase, Ishan Kishan got Mumbai Indians off to a blinder as he smashed his way to 42 off 21 deliveries. But Hasaranga had him caught behind and then trapped Rohit lbw in the fifth over.However, Suryakumar Yadav, with Nehal Wadhera for company, dispelled any chances of a Royal Challengers comeback with a 35-ball 83.Suryakumar hit six sixes and seven fours to help Mumbai complete the chase in 16.3 overs — the quickest that a target of 200 or more has been chased down in the IPL.”He [Suryakumar] is one of the best isn’t he? When he gets going, he’s really difficult to bowl to,” du Plessis said.”He makes a captain extremely grey because he’s got so many options. You don’t feel like you can really shut him down,” he said. “That’s why I said he is one of the greats at the moment.”

Manchester United and INEOS are now plotting a move to sign a “versatile” £67 million star alongside a new striker, according to Sky Sports.

Man Utd add new striker to transfer radar

It has become quite clear to Ruben Amorim that signing a new striker during the summer transfer window should be a top priority given the lack of goals in the team throughout this campaign.

Man Utd eye Isak-like forward who's outscored Hojlund and Zirkzee in 24/25

Man United have set their sights on signing a new striker this summer and a fresh name is on their radar.

1 ByBrett Worthington Mar 20, 2025

Strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have been tasked with leading the United line this season, but the pair have struggled to make a regular impact in terms of goals on a consistent basis. In fact, Hojlund’s struggles have meant he is now being linked with a move to Napoli.

The Italian side are said to be keen on landing the Denmark international, as Antonio Conte sees him as someone who can compete alongside current striker Romelu Lukaku.

So as Hojlund is linked with a move away from Old Trafford, United have now added Mainz striker Jonathan Burkardt to their transfer wishlist.

Burkardt is the latest striker to be added to their list after impressing club scouts in the 3-4-3 system that the German side like to play, which is identical to how Amorim sets up his United team.

Man Utd plotting move to sign £67m Bundesliga star

While the Red Devils continue their search for a new number nine, according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Man United are also weighing up a move to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig alongside a striker.

Plettenberg states that United have now moved away from holding an interest in signing Simons, as they are looking to sign a “versatile” attacking midfielder as well as a new striker. However, he states the issue for the Red Devils could be the cost, as Simons is considered very expensive.

The German side are looking to get around €80 million for the Netherlands international, which is roughly £67 million. Despite the hefty price tag, it is possible that Simons will leave Leipzig in the summer.

Apps

68

Goals

18

Assists

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Despite Leipzig’s struggles in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, it has been another impressive campaign on a personal level for Simons. The midfielder has netted seven goals in 18 league games, as well as grabbing four assists along the way.

The Dutchman, who has 24 caps to his name, is under contract until June 2027, so Leipzig still have time left to decide on his future, but given the team’s struggles this campaign, Simons may be looking for a new challenge in the summer.