Jamie Carragher claims Ange Postecoglou is "fortunate" to get another Premier League job and says Evangelos Marinakis is a "walking hand grenade".
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Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of welcoming former Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha back to London after a round of quick-fire talks on Thursday.
Paratici holds talks with £207k-a-week star's camp about joining Tottenham
The Spurs advisor has reached out to his representatives.
2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 31, 2025
Spurs first made contact with Palhinha’s camp, which was first reported a while ago, but it didn’t take long at all for the north Londoners to finalise club-to-club talks with Bayern Munich given their excellent business relationship.
Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg shared that the Lilywhites entered concrete talks with Bayern sporting director, Max Eberl, less than a day ago, and it then took just a matter of hours for Thomas Frank’s side to reach a full agreement for Palhinha.
Before supporters could blink, Bayern and Tottenham shook hands on an initial loan deal including an option to buy for around £26 million next summer – which may be seen as excellent business by chairman Daniel Levy.
It comes just one year after the Bundesliga champions signed Palhinha from Fulham for £47 million, with Spurs striking a potential permanent deal for just over half that price if they decide to pay the £26 million required next year.
Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025
Average match rating
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Palhinha’s £26m clause is also strictly optional, not mandatory – meaning the 30-year-old goes to N17 on a sort of ‘one season trial’ basis. Levy also gave the green-light for Tottenham to cover the midfielder’s full salary, which is reported to be around £166,000-per-week.
This shrewd swoop has brought an end to Tottenham’s search for a new number six, and it likely means that Yves Bissouma could be sold as Frank needs to make room in his squad.
“His total of 152 tackles was more than any other player by a distance and was the standout trait of the Fulham enforcer,” said Sky Sports’ Peter Smith on what Palhinha will bring to Spurs.
“There were 13 yellows in that 2023/24 season, too, underlining the bite he brings to midfield battles. And that would be a welcome addition to Spurs’ play.
“Neither Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr nor Rodrigo Bentancur are as ruthless at winning the ball back as Palhinha, who also ranked among the top 10 for interceptions during his previous Premier League campaign.”
With Palhinha due for a Tottenham medical shortly, his arrival won’t be the end of Spurs’ transfer ambitions, and they’re still actively pursuing more attackers.
Tottenham talks "underway" to hijack Juventus deal for Randal Kolo Muani
According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani is back on their radar.
Reports last month claimed that Spurs were offered the France international by intermediaries this window, and it’s believed the £43 million-rated Kolo Muani was once “very close” to joining in January.
Juventus’ negotiations to re-sign him after a successful loan spell are still dragging on, and Aouna reports that Tottenham talks are “underway” for Kolo Muani, as they bid to hijack the Old Lady’s deal.
The versatile forward bagged 23 goals and 17 assists in all competitions during his best-ever season for Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022/2023, with Kolo Muani also enjoying a real resurgence of form at Juve during the second half of 24/25.
His time at PSG hasn’t lived up to expectations, nor has it justified his £76.4 million transfer fee, but the Premier League could now be beckoning for him.
Called in to replace the injured Sophie Molineux, Bekker dismissed Meg Lanning and gave away just nine runs in her four overs
AAP09-Nov-2024Local replacement player Charis Bekker went from the pub to centre stage as Melbourne Renegades posted a 15-run WBBL win over arch-rivals Melbourne Stars.Bekker was playing just her second WBBL game after being called into the squad to replace injured spinner Sophie Molineux (knee). The 20-year-old didn’t let the big stage of a Melbourne derby faze her, returning the miserly figures of 1 for 9 from her four overs to be named player of the match.”It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” Bekker said. “I was at the pub a couple of days ago with my mates, and then got the call [to join the squad]. I played against the Scorchers which was really cool. And then hopped on a flight. It’s been really rushed.”Bekker’s maiden WBBL wicket was none other than superstar batter Meg Lanning.”Everyone was cheering me on, I was just trying to bowl my best ball, and it happened to be Meg Lanning, which was kind of awesome,” Bekker said.Deepti Sharma top-scored for Stars with 23. Georgia Wareham claimed the key wicket of captain Annabel Sutherland for 16. The result improved Renegades’ record to 3-3, while the Stars are now 2-3.Earlier, Renegades were struggling at 87 for 5 before Naomi Stalenberg (26 not out off 17 balls) and Nicole Faltum (29 off 23) added some handy runs to lift the total to 146 for 6.The Renegades were 54 for 2 after 10 overs when they took the power surge. Although Deandra Dottin fell for 7 shortly after, Renegades cracked 29 runs off the two overs. Alice Capsey and Wareham fell in quick succession before Stalenberg and Faltum steadied the ship with a 55-run stand.Stars’ run chase started slowly with the scoreboard reading 16 for 1 after five overs. Bhatia was lucky to still be there after being dropped by wicketkeeper Faltum in the first over when she was yet to score. The opener scored 22 off 26 balls, but the rest of her team-mates struggled for fluency as the required run rate ballooned out.Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored for Brisbane Heat•Getty ImagesIndia starJemimah Rodrigues posted an impressive half-century as Brisbane Heat piled more misery on defending champions Adelaide Strikers in an eight-run win at the Gabba.Rodrigues anchored the Heat’s innings with 61 from 40 balls, belting seven fours and a six in her player-of-the-match performance. Opener Grace Harris (33 from 22) and captain Jess Jonassen (32 from 21) also provided handy knocks.In reply, Strikers were reduced to 16 for 3 in the fourth over before Bridget Patterson and Madeline Penna threatened to pull off a remarkable fightback. The unbeaten pair put on a 113-run stand for the fifth wicket – from just 62 balls – but weren’t quite able to drag their side over the line. It was the second-highest fifth-wicket stand in WBBL history.Strikers remain last on the table with a 1-4 record, while Heat (3-3) are right in the finals mix.
Nottingham Forest are probing the market for reinforcements and could now have put themselves in a position to land a talented defender, according to reports.
Nottingham Forest in flux over Morgan Gibbs-White's future
Following Anthony Elanga’s departure to Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest star man Morgan Gibbs-White is sweating over his future after the Tricky Trees threatened legal action due to Tottenham Hotspur’s manner when triggering a release clause at the City Ground.
Now, it remains to be seen whether a move will go through, though the England international has set an exemplary example in training despite being at the centre of a contentious situation.
Regardless, life goes on at Nottingham Forest and they are pursuing signings after being thrown an unexpected Europa League berth, for now, pending Crystal Palace’s appeal against expulsion from the competition.
Nuno Espirito Santo has worked wonders during his time at the City Ground and reports suggest Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey is now on the Tricky Trees’ shortlist as a potential Gibbs-White replacement.
Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha have both joined the club from Botafogo, and Cunha has since shared his excitement in being involved at Nottingham Forest as they aim to once again exceed expectations.
Gibbs-White would love him: Nottingham Forest exploring move for £50m CM
Morgan Gibbs-White might be convinced to stick it out at Nottingham Forest if this ambitious purchase gets over the line.
ByKelan Sarson Jul 16, 2025
He stated: “I feel great, really happy and grateful for this opportunity. I hope I can make a big contribution to the team and add a great deal so we can achieve many things together, it’s an indescribable feeling, I’m so happy.”
Continuing the theme of defensive reinforcements, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly back in talks to bring a star from one of Europe’s top five leagues to the East Midlands.
Nottingham Forest resume talks to land Pablo Maffeo
According to reports in Spain via Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are back in talks to sign Mallorca right-back Pablo Maffeo and all parties are now hopeful of driving towards an agreement that will see him end up at the City Ground.
Despite initially holding out for £8.6 million, his current employers have lowered their price to around £6.9 million and may be willing to reduce the fee further depending on structure.
Five similar players to Pablo Maffeo (FBRef)
Antonino Gallo
Lecce
Giuseppe Pezzalla
Empoli
Tyrick Mitchell
Crystal Palace
Ki-Jana Hoever
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Gideon Mensah
Auxerre
Last campaign, the former Spain Under-21 international registered two assists in 31 appearances for Mallorca across all competitions, and he is now said to be negotiating personal terms ahead of a potential switch.
Patience may be needed from Nottingham Forest to secure a deal for the ex-Manchester City man, who fashioned 60 shot-creating actions across 2024/25 in La Liga.
Coming in as a genuine competitor to Ola Aina, supporters will be intrigued to see two quality players with experience fight it out for a place in Espirito Santo’s squad this season.
It’s been a roller-coaster few days for the Tottenham Hotspur faithful.
On Friday afternoon, the club announced that they had sacked Ange Postecoglou, thanking him for ending their 17-year trophy drought but highlighting the team’s dire Premier League form as the reason he was let go.
Thomas Frank appeared to be the frontrunner to replace the Australian over the weekend, and then yesterday, Fabrizio Romano gave his move the ‘here we go’ treatment.
And now, reports have suggested the club could go out and sign the Danish manager, a Premier League attacker who has won comparisons to Bryan Mbeumo.
Tottenham transfer news
Given their horrific league form this season, it’s hardly been surprising to see Spurs linked with a host of talented attacking players, such as Eberechi Eze and even the man himself, Mbeumo.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former reportedly has a release clause worth an astounding £68m, although even at that price, the Crystal Palace ace would be more than worth it, as in 43 appearances this term, he managed to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists, all while helping the team win the FA Cup.
The Brentford star, on the other hand, has been linked with a £60m switch to North London, but with his preference clearly being Manchester United, it feels like Frank won’t be able to bring the Cameroon international with him this summer.
However, that might not be such a problem, as the Lilywhites have now been linked with another Premier League star who has won comparisons to the Bees star: Antoine Semenyo.
According to a recent report from talkSPORT, Spurs are incredibly interested in the Bournemouth star.
The good news is that the report claims Daniel Levy has already personally met with the player’s camp concerning a move but a problem could be the Cherries’ asking price.
Indeed, the 25-year-old could cost Spurs a club-record £70m, and while that is a lot of money, it’s a deal worth pursuing, especially as he’s so similar to Mbeumo.
How Semenyo compares to Mbeumo
Now, before we look at some of the other reasons Spurs could and should sign Semenyo this summer, it’s important to examine this comparison to Mbeumo and where it has come from.
In this instance, it stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in the Premier League this season and then created a list of the ten most comparable players.
By doing this, it has been concluded that the Brentford star is the eighth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Bournemouth ace this year.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.44
0.42
Progressive Carries
3.93
3.43
Passes into the Final Third
1.38
1.66
Live Passes
29.5
30.7
Shot-Creating Actions
3.71
3.80
Interceptions
0.31
0.37
Carries into the Penalty Area
1.88
1.98
The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, passes into the final third, carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.
Now, while being compared to a player who scored for fun in the league this season is already a positive sign, the fact he’s so similar to the former Troyes gem is also a good sign for his potential game time at Tottenham next season, as Mbeumo was Frank’s second most used player during his time at Brentford.
With all that said, what are some of the other reasons the North Londoners should be splashing the cash on the Cherries star this summer?
Well, first and foremost, he is a dangerous outlet. In 42 appearances, totalling 3562 minutes this season, the often “unplayable” attacker, as dubbed by journalist Ed Aarons, scored 13 goals and provided seven assists, which works out to a goal involvement every 2.1 games, or every 178.1 minutes.
Finally, the 27-capped international would also provide Frank with plenty of tactical options, as he can play off the right just as easily as the left and has even played centrally at points as well.
Ultimately, while he won’t be cheap, Spurs should do all they can to sign Semenyo, as not only is he a superb attacker in his own right, but he also shares some of Mbeumo’s best traits.
Mega Johnson upgrade: Frank has told Spurs to sign "unplayable" £60m star
The free-scoring attacker would be unreal for Spurs.
ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 9, 2025
Fabrizio Romano has shared an intriguing update on Arsenal and their transfer plans for the summer window, with one target set to speak to his agents about the possibility of a move to the Emirates Stadium this week.
The Times and journalist Gary Jacob shared some very interesting news regarding Mikel Arteta and Gunners co-chair Josh Kroenke.
Arsenal: Berta now targeting £80m Premier League star as Rodrygo talks stall
They’re having problems in pursuit of the Brazilian.
By
Emilio Galantini
May 26, 2025
According to their information, amid a plethora of reports linking them with a striker, Arteta and Kroenke are set for internal talks over signing a prolific centre-forward in the next few days, with Arsenal looking to solve their goalscoring problem.
Arsenal surrendered the Premier League title to Liverpool, finishing 10 points behind Arne Slot’s side, with the north Londoners failing to reach their previous heights in terms of ruthlessness in the final third.
|
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports) |
Money on new signings |
|---|---|
|
19/20 – winter |
£0 |
|
20/21 – summer |
£81.5m |
|
20/21 – winter |
£900k |
|
21/22 – summer |
£156.8m |
|
21/22 – winter |
£1.8m |
|
22/23 – summer |
£121.5m |
|
22/23 – winter |
£59m |
|
23/24 – summer |
£208m |
|
23/24 – winter |
£0 |
|
24/25 – summer |
£101.5m |
|
24/25 – winter |
£0 |
Arteta’s men drew more games than any other side in the top ten over 24/25, scoring just 69 league goals in total, which is far fewer than the 91 and 88 they managed over the previous two seasons.
There has never been a more clear indication that Arsenal are in dire need of a striker, and Arteta publicly suggested that they have every intention of solving that issue among other concerns in the squad.
“Believe me, we are on it,” said Arteta about Arsenal potentially making a signing up front.
“We will try to squeeze and think and turn every stone that we possibly can, to make this club even more successful. But I think what these boys have done, the team has done, regarding everything that has happened, I repeat myself, I think they deserve a lot of credit.”
The result of these sit-down talks with Kroenke could have a profound effect on their chances of mounting a better Premier League title challenge next season, amid serious links to Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
The Swede ended 24/25 with 54 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, potentially signing-off on his Sporting career with a strike in the Portuguese Cup final against Benfica on Sunday.
Gyokeres is a top striker target for Arsenal, alongside RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, but it remains to be seen which marksman ends up at N5.
The 26-year-old has plenty of options, including Arteta’s side, with Romano sharing an update to GiveMeSport on Gyokeres’ plans after what was potentially his last game for Sporting.
Romano reports that Gyokeres is set to speak with his agents “in the next days” and assess all new destinations, including a possible move to Arsenal, and the ex-Coventry City star will make a decision on his next club “soon”.
Gyokeres’ rumoured price tag comes in at around £63 million, which could be seen as a bargain considering his exceptional goalscoring record, and it is peculiar that he hasn’t managed to seal a big-money move until this summer.
It adds further weight to some belief that Gyokeres is “massively underrated” in terms of strikers, and while you can make a case for a lack of quality in the Primeira Liga, the forward’s haul is hugely impressive no matter what division you’re playing in.
Goals, goals, and more goals; if there has been one thing Arsenal have lacked more than anything else this season, it’s been goals.
Despite being second in the Premier League, three teams have put the ball in the back of the net more often than Mikel Arteta’s side, and another three are just goals behind.
To be fair, the Gunners have been particularly unlucky regarding injuries to their star attackers this season, but even then, it would be hard to describe anyone other than Bukayo Saka as anything approaching prolific.
Fortunately, this is a problem that new Sporting Director Andrea Berta and Co seem to be taking head-on this summer, with recent reports linking the club to one of the most exciting strikers on the continent, who’d be a significant upgrade on Kai Havertz.
Arsenal's striker search
Given their clear problems in front of goal, it’s hardly surprising that, over the last few weeks, Arsenal have been linked with a host of brilliant strikers, such as Ollie Watkins and Liam Delap.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former has been in fine form for Aston Villa this season, scoring 17 goals and providing 13 assists in 52 appearances, which makes his rumoured price tag of around £60m seem somewhat reasonable.
Likewise, the £30m release clause in Liam Delap’s contract seems like a steal, as whoever signs him will be getting a young striker who managed to score 12 goals and provide two assists in 35 Premier League appearances for a dire Ipswich Town side this season.
However, there is another young up-and-coming goalscorer from the continent who’s outscored the Englishman this season and is once again heavily linked with the Gunners: Benjamin Sesko.
Yes, according to a recent report from The Athletic’s James McNicholas, Arsenal have very much maintained their intense interest in the RB Leipzig striker, and as things stand, he ‘remains a strong candidate.’
A price tag is not mentioned in the story, but reports from earlier this week revealed that his release clause may have increased to around £75m due to his impressive performances this season.
It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Sesko’s immense ability and potential, one Arsenal should fight for, especially as he’d be a significant upgrade on Havertz.
How Sesko compares to Havertz
So, if Arsenal do decide to fork out the money to sign Sesko in the summer, it won’t be with the intention of making him a bench option.
Therefore, he’d be in direct competition with Havertz for that starting berth next year, so which one comes out on top when we compare them?
Well, when it comes to their pure output – the bread and butter for any striker – it’s the Leipzig ace who comes out ahead.
So far this season, the 21-year-old “monster,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has managed to score 21 goals and provide six assists in 44 appearances, totalling 3255 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.62 games, or one every 120.55 minutes.
In contrast, the former Chelsea ace has scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 34 appearances, totalling 2776 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.7 games, or every 138.8 minutes.
Unfortunately for the Gunners’ number 29, the one-sided nature of this comparison only continues when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.
Here, the “electric” Slovenian, as dubbed by Mattinson, comes out ahead in most metrics, including but not limited to goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.
Goals + Assists
0.77
0.64
Progressive Passes
1.52
2.92
Progressive Carries
1.68
1.42
Shots
2.92
2.84
Shot on Target
1.39
1.11
Shot-Creating Actions
1.80
2.25
Goal-Creating Actions
0.28
0.15
Successful Take-Ons
1.34
0.49
Aerial Duels Win %
58.3%
45.7%
Ultimately, not Havertz is still a great player, but Sesko has the better raw numbers and underlying statistics, all while still being just 21 years old, suggesting he’ll only get better.
Therefore, Arsenal should do all they can to bring the Slovenian to the Emirates this summer.
He'd be amazing with Rodrygo: Arsenal close in on signing £60m "monster"
The sensational talent will be a game-changer for Arsenal.
ByJack Salveson Holmes May 16, 2025
It was remarkably just over six years ago that Marcus Rashford enjoyed one of the greatest moments of his Manchester United career, with the Englishman rifling home from the penalty spot to send Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The United academy graduate had been the undoing of Paris Saint-Germain with that last-gasp spot-kick, while he also netted again in the Parc des Princes during the 2020/21 campaign, to clinch another famous win for Solskjaer and co.
Something about the Ligue 1 side appears to bring the best out of the 27-year-old, it would seem, with the in-form forward having again been electric when facing off with the Parisien outfit – albeit this time in Aston Villa colours.
The Red Devils outcast put in a simply masterful display through the middle for Unai Emery’s side, having notably produced a breathtaking assist for Villa’s third of the night as the hosts flipped the encounter on its head. In truth, it was vintage Rashford.
Frustratingly for the Villans, they could not complete the comeback after bravely crashing out, while for those back in Manchester, such a fine individual display may have Ruben Amorim thinking twice over his decision to exile the £300k-per-week marksman.
But would a return to Old Trafford really be in the best interest of all parties this summer?
Why Rashford still needs to be sold this summer
As far as Rashford is concerned, the decision to make the move to Villa Park back in February could hardly have gone better, with the Midlands side also still in the mix for a top five finish in the Premier League, while having also reached the last four of the FA Cup.
The polarising sensation has been central to Emery’s plans in recent months, with the assist for Ezri Konsa last night taking his total tally to nine goal involvements in just 15 appearances since making the move. Jesse Lingard at West Ham United anyone?
Free from the shackles and the scrutiny of being a Manchester United player, Rashford has looked reborn in claret and blue, with Tuesday night seeing him create four big chances in total – more than any other player on the pitch.
That display backed up Emery’s decision to once again select his loan star ahead of compatriot, Ollie Watkins, in the centre-forward berth, with the Villans boasting attacking depth that Amorim can only dream of – not least with Joshua Zirkzee now sidelined with injury.
Speaking on Amazon Prime, United legend Wayne Rooney suggested that he would “love” to see Rashford back playing for the Red Devils next season, while also claiming that the player himself “wants” to be back at the Theatre of Dreams.
That said, it was only in December that the England international outlined his desire for a “new challenge” after being given the cold shoulder by Amorim, with it difficult to see any form of reconciliation occurring ahead of next season.
Indeed, having found his groove at Villa, why would Rashford risk enduring another stop-start campaign back at his parent club – not least considering three of the last four seasons have been rather underwhelming for him in a United shirt.
Rashford’s last five Man Utd seasons (all comps)
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2024/25*
24
7
3
2023/24
43
8
6
2022/23
56
30
11
2021/22
32
5
2
2020/21
57
21
18
*Not including record at Villa
Stats via Transfermarkt
As for the club itself, the chance to rake in a £40m fee from Villa – a deal that would represent pure profit – is no doubt difficult to turn down, with it perhaps best for everyone that a permanent separation occurs this summer.
That said, even if Amorim and co do change their mind, at least they have only opted to loan out Rashford thus far, with the option of a homecoming still on the table. The same can’t be said for everyone that INEOS have let go…
Man Utd may have made a bigger mistake than Rashford
It appears to be a growing theme that players who have left Old Trafford have gone on to shine elsewhere, albeit with the club having largely been correct in moving those players on.
Indeed, in the case of Anthony Elanga, the Swedish speedster had scored just four goals in 55 games for United prior to departing for Nottingham Forest. David de Gea, meanwhile, was public enemy number one for his mistake in the FA Cup final, before being allowed to leave for nothing.
Equally, the likes of Antony and Jadon Sancho – now on loan at Real Betis and Chelsea – had hardly pulled up any trees following their £86m and £73m arrivals, respectively, with the pair netting just 24 goals between them in 179 games.
Antony’s Man Utd record vs selected wingers (past and present)
Player
Games
Goals
Assists
Total G/A
Antony
96
12
5
17
Anthony Elanga
55
4
4
8
Amad
57
12
10
22
Jadon Sancho
83
12
6
18
Alejandro Garnacho
135
25
20
45
Dan James
74
9
9
18
Angel Di Maria
34
4
12
16
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
63
13
11
24
Memphis Depay
53
7
6
13
Stats via Transfermarkt
Even Rashford had endured a miserable 18 months after scoring just 15 goals for United following the start of the 2023/24 campaign, with few of a Red Devils persuasion having contested with any of those exits at the time.
In the case of Scott McTominay, however, it may well be a different story, with the Scotland star having actually been one of Erik ten Hag’s key men last term, before sealing a £25m move to Napoli over the summer.
Indeed, the 28-year-old was the Dutchman’s rescue act having repeatedly delivered the goods in an attacking sense, with the rampaging midfielder – who notably netted a brace at the death against Brentford – ending the season with ten goals to his name in all competitions.
The joint third-highest scorer for United in the end in 2023/24, McTominay appeared to be thriving in an advanced midfield berth, albeit with the desire to meet PSR regulations – and the pursuit of fellow midfielder, Manuel Ugarte – leading to INEOS deciding to cash in.
Ten Hag has since admitted that he “didn’t want” to sell the 6 foot 4 giant, yet was almost “forced” into agreeing to the decision due to the club’s financial constraints.
As it is, McTominay has gone on to dazzle in Naples in 2024/25 to date, with the midfield “monster” – as hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson – notably netting twice last time out to keep Antonio Conte’s side in title contention.
Those latest strikes – both of which were assisted by Romelu Lukaku, no less – showcased just what the Lancaster-born hero is all about. Indeed, for his first of the night, McTominay charged from deep before curling home from outside the area. For his second, the ex-Red Devil expertly headed home after towering above the Empoli defence.
The emerging Naples sensation now has eight Serie A goals to his name this season, with only Bruno Fernandes able to match that tally for league goals back in Manchester.
McTominay is then picking up where he left off last term, with INEOS having made a rare move for United by selling a player who was actually in form – unlike the exiled Rashford.
With the Red Devils now in the midst of their worst-ever Premier League campaign, that bold call doesn’t appear to have aged well…
Forget Bayindir & Heaton: Man Utd could unleash "superb" Onana replacement
Man Utd’s goalkeeping woes continued on Sunday afternoon, with a solution needing to be found…
ByRobbie Walls Apr 15, 2025
While the batters showed brilliance at various stages, the bowlers lacked control and failed to match India’s discipline
Firdose Moonda06-Dec-2025Fans in Ranchi, Raipur and Visakhapatnam were not only ones happy to see Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in action in the ODI series against South Africa, the opposition’s young batters were too.For Ryan Rickelton, Matthew Breetzke and Dewald Brevis, none of whom had played ODIs against India before, watching the two of the top-ten leading run-scorers in the format up close would have been an education their coach Shukri Conrad hopes they immersed themselves in. “For our young batters to see what the world’s best – Virat and Rohit – can do and how they go about the business, I’d like to think that we’ll take that learning with us and then grow from there.”Kohli was in imperious form through the series, with centuries in the first two games, and finished as its highest run-scorer while Rohit contributed two quick and classy half-centuries. Both played important roles in India’s ability to post massive scores and though South Africa did the same in two of the three fixtures, the consistency of India’s best was something both to behold and aspire to.South Africa’s highest run-scorer was Breetzke, whose two half-centuries added to his tally of five (and a century) in his first 12 ODIs, and whose intensity has been compared with Kohli’s by his SA20 captain Keshav Maharaj. But he still had just over half Kohli’s runs in the series, which shows something of where South Africa fell short.Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock got hundreds and Temba Bavuma and Brevis a fifty each but South Africa collectively did not kick on like they would have wanted to. Rickelton’s form is a concern, especially his lack of footwork, and the composition of the top order remains in question. Tony de Zorzi, who did a lot of good work over the last two months in the subcontinent, will be out for an extended period of time after suffering a grade three hamstring injury which will further scupper some of South Africa’s medium-term plans.Related
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They have nine more ODIs scheduled on the FTP before April 2027, which is a long time but not many matches to confirm their home World Cup plans. It’s still far enough away to not be too concerned and Conrad isn’t. “Part of this is building towards 2027, the World Cup in South Africa and I’d like to think that a few things are starting to fall into place for that,” he said. “We’ve built a lot of experience and you gain so much more experience when you’re up against the best.”Naturally, after the success of their Test side last month, South Africa also wanted to beat the best and they gave it a decent shot. They fell 18 runs short of a target of 350 in game one, chased 359 in game two and then ultimately could not post a competitive total in game three, which is the only match where they batted first. Conrad did not use that as an excuse. “There’s no doubt that the toss plays a part. Batting second is easier, but that’s not the reason India thumped us tonight,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the dew factor that was the only difference between the two sides. We let ourselves down with the bat. We needed to post something a lot more competitive to put India under pressure. We left a lot of runs out there this evening.”Lungi Ngidi was among South Africa’s bowlers who struggled for control•Associated PressAfter de Kock’s dismissal for 106, South Africa lost five wickets for 59 runs and were bowled out with 13 deliveries remaining in their innings. India’s chase, inside 40 overs, suggested they would have needed to face those balls and score significantly more runs to have challenged them. And while there is a massive focus on batting in a high-scoring series, South Africa will also zoom in on their bowlers.They were without Kagiso Rabada from the outset and then Nandre Burger for the decider and found it difficult both to control the run-rate and to take wickets. Marco Jansen’s four was the most for them across three matches and less than half of the leading wicket-taker, Kuldeep Yadav’s nine, though he has a different discipline. South Africa’s premier spinner, Keshav Maharaj, played two matches and took one wicket but his economy of 5.70 was their most efficient.What South Africa lacked was a seamer who could hold an end, as Arshdeep Singh did for India. He conceded at 5.5 runs to the over and took five wickets. “With the ball they’ve been a lot more disciplined than we’ve been throughout the series. You only need to look at the wide count,” Conrad said.ver the three matches, South Africa gave away 47 runs in wides compared to India’s 21 which is indicative of their struggle for control. It also cost the chance to do the double, so to speak, which would have been a feather in Conrad’s cap. “We had a chance to do something really special. I think the last time India lost both a Test and ODI series at home goes back to the 1990s,” Conrad said. “So we missed out on that opportunity. But they’re a world-class side with world-class players. And when Rohit’s in the type of form, and Virat, especially, is in the type of form that he’s in, you cannot afford to be off your game.”South Africa were and they don’t have another trophy but they do have a five-match T20I series to prepare for, which starts on Tuesday.
His Test debut in Perth came against all logic, but Aamer Jamal learnt his lessons quickly and finished as Pakistan’s best bowler
Danyal Rasool19-Dec-2023The days in the lead-up to the Perth Test featured a fair bit of uncertainty around the Pakistan bowling attack. The options were limited, but even so, the side they put out was surprising.There was no spinner. Mohammad Hafeez later – after the Test – said the only available option, Noman Ali, had an injury. Fast bowler Mohammad Wasim was considered too risky a prospect for red-ball cricket despite looking sharp in the nets, and instead of buying into Hasan Ali’s highs, Pakistan opted to shrink away, looking at his lows. It meant there were two new names on the team sheet: Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad. Medium-fast seamers, really – not once did either touch 140kph on the speed gun in the Test match.Expecting such an inexperienced bowling attack to take 20 Australian wickets in Perth would have gone against history. Of the ten times visiting sides have achieved the feat in the city, six involved the great fast-bowling attacks of West Indies and South Africa, a further two the ascendant India side of more recent vintage, and only once – New Zealand in 1985 – has it been done without a specialist spinner in the XI.Related
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So breaking that long-term duck in Australia – there was little hope.Except Jamal doesn’t think that way, especially not while in Australia.Seven years ago, he had pitched up on these shores after failing to break into the first-class system following a stint with the Under-19s in Pakistan. Opportunity had presented itself on the other side of the country from Perth in Hawkesbury, where he played grade cricket for six months.Unable to afford accommodation, he put up at the home of brothers Pat and Chris Lawrence, his Hawkesbury team-mates. Despite the cultural and geographical differences, they would have recognised the three had in common one important thing: a love for the game and a desire to pursue it.The seven years since have involved many further sacrifices from Jamal. He returned to Pakistan in the hopes of winning selection to an Under-23 squad, and took to working as a taxi driver to continue to fund his cricketing dreams. It got better. He was called up to the T20I side during England’s visit for seven T20Is last year, somewhat contentiously because he hadn’t played much T20 cricket at the time, and the little he’d played had seen him concede at 9.17 an over. He wasn’t a serious candidate for selection to the T20 World Cup in Australia the following month, either.But what he lacked in numbers, he made up for with heart and nerve, just about keeping it together to keep a charging Moeen Ali at bay; tasked with defending 14 in the final over, he allowed England just eight, bowling four dot balls. He played the next match and leaked 30 in two overs, only returning when, with Pakistan’s first-choice team at the World Cup, they sent a second XI of sorts to the Asian Games. It was probably just as well that the eyes were on Hyderabad rather than Hangzhou, though. A horror over at the death from Jamal saw him concede 23 in five balls against Afghanistan, which knocked Pakistan out of the tournament in the semi-final.ESPNcricinfo LtdThose performances can keep players out of the national set-up for significant periods of time, so when Jamal made his Test debut barely ten weeks later, he wasn’t going to quibble over whether the moment was just right, or whether the pitch suited him. As he told Channel 7, this wasn’t the first time he was in a corner. “There’s always hope,” Jamal had said.Because Jamal recognises better than most people that nothing is inevitable.But he began the day looking every inch the nervous starter, his captain Shan Masood using him for two short spells before turning away for much of the first day. Jamal had tried to do the right things, the sort of things you’re supposed to do in Perth. Land it on a length. Go full in pursuit of swing. But the pace wasn’t there and, in truth, neither was the quality Jamal can showcase at his best. It hadn’t worked.No bother. Evidence suggests Jamal feels that just because something doesn’t work doesn’t mean you have failed. It’s merely time to try something else. This time, he put fielders out on the boundary and began banging them in short. It wasn’t pretty, but cricketing success isn’t often found on well-lit boulevards on high streets. There will be dark alleys and dingy streets. Sometimes you will wonder if you are coming out the other side. But Jamal has a tendency to find his way. Before the day was done, he had removed Travis Head, as well as the game’s only centurion, David Warner.He declared later that day that Pakistan’s goal was to remove Australia’s last five inside the first hour the following morning. That didn’t age quite so well when Pakistan failed to take a wicket in the first hour.4:28
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However, Jamal hadn’t bowled at all in that hour.In his first over, he cleaned up Alex Carey up with one of the deliveries of the Test match. It angled in from around the wicket, drifting slightly before landing on middle and off before seaming away from the outside edge and knocking off stump back without disturbing the other bail. This was the extra you need in Perth, and the heights Jamal backs himself to hit.His confidence up, he kept going, his pace much higher than it was the previous day. Much higher, indeed, than any other Pakistan fast bowler. While Mohammad Hafeez pointedly referred to “the senior bowlers” having a poor Test match, and questions mark around Shaheen Shah Afridi’s pace, Jamal was extending every muscle fibre to get more out of his body. He took six of the final seven wickets, becoming just the second Pakistani debutant to return a six-for in Australia. And though the first day saw him spray the ball around slightly, experience – and a narrow margin for error – made Jamal a fast learner. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood bowl hard lengths outside off stump, so he will too! Off 78 such balls, he allowed just 31 runs and picked up four wickets.None of this, though, was close to enough, as Australia made emphatically clear when they blew Pakistan away on the fourth evening, demonstrating the gulf in quality between the sides – at least in those conditions – and showing how much Jamal and Shahzad still have to learn. Jamal and Shahzad had merely been the warm-up acts to the Australian maestros – scruffy kids in fancy restaurants who aren’t quite sure they belong, while Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are ordering hors-d’Å“uvres.It will take Pakistan plenty of time to come close to that level, but if they fell well short it was not for want of trying. And while much of the discourse around Pakistan has labelled them no-hopers in Australia over this summer, former Hawkesbury club cricketer and taxi driver Aamer Jamal knows there’s no such thing. .