Tag Futebol

If he decides to stay on, will he be getting in the way of the team’s growth?

Nagraj Gollapudi24-May-20251:26

Bangar: If I was Dhoni I would say ‘enough’

It is a question that has been asked of him repeatedly since he retired from international cricket. With that handsome and enigmatic smile, MS Dhoni has always responded, in his own idiosyncratic way: you will have to wait till next season. So, as Chennai Super Kings wind up a forgettable IPL, where they finished last for the first time, the question will once again gather momentum: is time finally up for Dhoni?What if, though, we tweak that query? If Dhoni decides to continue, will he not be getting in the way of CSK’s future growth?No athlete is bigger than the sport they play, but in the case of Dhoni and CSK, the former has acquired godlike status due to what he has achieved for the franchise from the time he was made captain in 2008. He has been central to all their success – five IPL titles, numerous playoffs, and innumerable games where he rescued them from utterly rubbish positions. The franchise has relied on him on the field and off it. No decision is taken without his counsel and his word is final, and that is how it has been virtually throughout Dhoni’s 18-year relationship with CSK, one that is familial more than anything else.Related

Mhatre and Urvil show up CSK's old-school auction

Dhoni on his IPL future: I have four-five months to decide

'Nothing for me to decide as of now' – Dhoni on his IPL future

CSK face a tricky situation with Dhoni the batter

Dhoni has already said that he will review his future based on how his body feels closer to the 2026 season. That has been his parting line after the final match of every season for the last five years. By the time the next IPL rolls around, he will be 44 years old. If fit – as he has largely shown he is again this season – he will conceivably be as sharp as ever behind the wickets. His captaincy skills remain strong. But can Dhoni, the batter, walk into the best CSK XI?Early this season, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he came in at No. 9 in a 50-run defeat. In CSK’s next match, another chase, against Rajasthan Royals, he came in at No. 7, when the match was in the balance, but made a stuttering 11-ball 16 in a six-run defeat. Early in May, in another live chase, against RCB again, Dhoni said he took the blame for CSK’s two-run defeat, admitting he failed to step on the accelerator when he came in, in the 17th over, when 42 runs were needed.MS Dhoni: a past master at leaving things till the end•AFP/Getty ImagesAfter the defeat against Royals, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said Dhoni decided his entry points based on the match situation, but that he could not bat too many overs anymore, following his knee surgery after the 2023 IPL. But with Dhoni’s weakness against spin well known, opposition teams keep at least an over of spin in the bag for when he comes out.In the 2024 IPL, Dhoni consciously came in late to bat, his sole intent being to wallop the ball: among batters who made at least 100 runs in that tournament, Dhoni’s strike rate of 220.54 was the second highest. In 2023, hobbling on a dodgy knee, he lifted first the Player of the final, Ravindra Jadeja, and then his fifth IPL title as CSK captain. In terms of runs scored by Super Kings batters in the last two seasons (2024 and up to May 24 this year), Dhoni is fifth on the list, with 357 runs in 24 innings at an average of over 32, a strike rate of nearly 164, and 25 sixes, which is the second highest for the team. The legend of is built on such stuff.However, to fit Dhoni in the side, Super Kings are forced to play one specialist batter fewer – who could be good against spin, or who could float in the order. So far they have seen that as a fair gamble.There is no doubt Dhoni will have dealt internally, within the CSK management, with the question of when to retire more than once. Perhaps he thinks a major part of his responsibility in this regard is to get the timing right: when he is confident the transition will be smooth. However, transitions rarely are.Despite his cult status, Dhoni has maintained it is not about the individual, it is about what is good for CSK. Ahead of the 2022 mega auction, he said it was important to build a core group that would stay together for the next ten years or so. There has been another mega auction since then, last November, and Dhoni remains part of the core group four seasons on from that 2022 auction.Knee be damned: Dhoni gets a load of his main man, Ravindra Jadeja, after the 2023 final•BCCIDhoni’s Super Kings stuck to their template regardless of how a season ended, and more often than not, it was successful. At the last mega auction, CSK decided again to pick a number of players who were close to the end of their careers, including some who had seemingly plateaued. Most of those players are likely to be released soon. There is increasingly talk about the franchise moving in a new direction, by intending to retain and invest in younger talent. But the longer Dhoni sticks around, the harder it could get for them to do this.Among Dhoni’s strengths as a leader was knowing when to pass the baton. He did that with Virat Kohli in 2014 in Test cricket, then in white-ball cricket in 2017, and he identified Ruturaj Gaikwad for the Super Kings job. One of Dhoni’s other strengths is not extending his stay. If he seems to have stuck around at CSK to the point of overstaying, it is perhaps due to a sense of obligationPerhaps it is not just the sense that he needs to oversee a smooth transition that has stopped him from going. Perhaps it is the emotional bonds he has built with the franchise and CSK fans, which have taken deep root. After a fairy-tale title-winning run in 2021, Super Kings owner N Srinivasan said: “There’s no CSK without Dhoni and no Dhoni without CSK.” Srinivasan is no longer actively involved in the running of the franchise. Does Dhoni think he cannot leave until he thinks Gaikwad is completely secure in his leadership role?There has been no other player who has been indispensable to his franchise the way Dhoni has been. CSK fans probably refuse to think of life after him. But even his most die-hard devotees might probably now admit, in private at least, that the time has come for a new beginning. Or do they still believe in their beloved ?

Tottenham are reportedly looking at signing a new centre-forward ahead of the January transfer window, which opens in just over a month’s time.

It’s been a promising start to the season for new manager Thomas Frank on paper, with his new-look Spurs side remaining undefeated in the Champions League and fifth in the Premier League table. However, it is worth nothing that a few of their on-field performances have left a lot to be desired so far.

The north Londoners were booed off following an abject 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea in the London derby recently, finishing the 90 minutes with just one shot on target all game as Frank’s side continued their atrocious home form.

Spurs have won just three of their last 20 Premier League matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Frank’s only top flight victory on home turf remains that 3-1 win at home to league newcomers Burnley on the opening weekend.

The Dane has attracted some criticism over Tottenham’s ‘one-dimensional’ style and serious lack of creativity in open play, but he hasn’t been helped by a plethora of injuries to key attacking players.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Playmaker James Maddison will miss practically all the 2025/2026 season after rupturing his ACL in pre-season, while last season’s second top scorer and club-record signing, Dominic Solanke, continues his slow recovery from what was a ‘minor’ ankle problem.

Solanke is apparently ‘unlikely’ to return for this weekend’s pivotal North London derby as well, leaving Frank to once again call on either the out-of-form Richarlison or Mathys Tel to lead the line.

Reports suggest that Frank views Richarlison and Solanke as ‘expendable’ members of his Spurs squad, and Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport believes that Tel is ‘unhappy’ at Tottenham with a potential loan move to Roma on the cards in January.

These claims will fuel other reports that Tottenham are prioritising the signing of another centre-forward.

Former Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who’s been in red-hot form for Al-Ahli since his 2024 move to the Middle East, is believed to be on both Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange’s radar ahead of January.

Tottenham hold 'preliminary talks' to sign Ivan Toney

While the England international outcast has bagged 41 goals in 59 appearances for the Saudi Pro League side, he’s largely been excluded from Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad, bar the one call-up earlier this year.

With the 2026 World Cup looming, it is believed that Toney could instigate a return home to increase his chances of returning to the England fold.

According to TEAMtalk, the 29-year-old has already informed Al-Ahli of his desire to leave in January, and Spurs have taken the lead in the race for his signature.

Frank views him as the ‘clinical’ striker that Spurs need to propel them towards major silverware, with Tottenham holding ‘preliminary talks’ over signing Toney, who’s also willing to take a seismic 50 per cent pay cut on his rumoured £427,000-per-week wages to make a move happen.

Appearances

59

Goals

41

Assists

8

Bookings

7

Red cards

0

Minutes played

4,796

Toney bagged 20 Premier League goals in his best season at Brentford under Frank, with the tactician labelling him England’s second-best striker behind Harry Kane at the time.

Other reports claim that Al-Ahli value him at around £30 million for a permanent deal and Toney has already ‘directly’ spoken to Frank about a move to Tottenham.

However, a loan deal may be more feasible due to complications surrounding what would be a very large tax bill if Toney comes back to England permanently so soon after arriving in the Gulf.

Poor weather and cancellations have left the squad under-prepared for England’s three-match visit

Matt Roller16-Sep-2025

Paul Stirling has expressed his frustrations at Ireland’s sparse schedule this summer•Associated Press

Paul Stirling has admitted that his Ireland team are “underprepared” for their T20I series against England, voicing his frustration at a sparse summer schedule that has seen them go three months without a men’s international fixture.Ireland’s men have only completed three matches during their home summer, losing another three to the weather when West Indies toured in May and June. A planned incoming tour by Afghanistan was cancelled, with Cricket Ireland (CI) citing “financial reasons”, while the planned European T20 Premier League (ETPL) was again postponed.While England’s saturated schedule has prompted them to rest several multi-format players for this week’s three-match series in Malahide, which starts on Wednesday, their Irish counterparts have been crying out for more competitive cricket. Those frustrations will not be helped by a poor weather forecast for Friday and Sunday’s late-summer fixtures.Ireland’s winter programme should be busier, with a tour of Bangladesh later this year and some fixtures in the Middle East before the T20 World Cup. But Stirling admitted his frustrations that he had played so little this summer, and said that weather had hampered Ireland’s preparations to the extent that Tuesday’s training was their only full session before the series.Related

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“We’ve probably been under-prepared, would be the honest answer,” Stirling said. “It’s nice to get together as a squad for the first time in about four months. We got a little bit of work done yesterday at the HPC [High-Performance Centre], not much done on Sunday, and a good session in today. That’s about all we’ve had.”We’re looking forward to giving it a good go against England. We’ll need things to go our way probably. It’s just nice to get together. It feels like the beginning of our winter programme, rather than the end of our summer programme. That’s the stage we’re at. Certainly, it feels like the start of something, rather than the end.”This week’s short tour was initially slated as a three-match ODI series in June in the ICC’s Future Tours Programme, but was changed last year to a T20I tour with an eye on next year’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka and moved to mid-September.CI scheduled a short ‘best vs best’ 50-over series earlier this month to fill the gap left by the ETPL, but only one of the three fixtures was completed. “We were supposed to have three or four weeks of highly competitive franchise cricket here, if things went well,” Stirling said. “In theory, it would’ve been fine, but in practice, it isn’t.”The primary reason for the slimline fixture list is funding, with CI regularly citing the exorbitant costs of transforming club grounds into international venues with temporary infrastructure. The issue should be alleviated in years to come by the proposed development of a permanent stadium at Abbotstown in time for the 2030 Men’s T20 World Cup.But Stirling said that his players were “obviously disappointed” at such a limited international schedule. “We can’t hide that fact,” he said. “We want to play as much cricket as we can. We’re going to be judged on our performances on the pitch and to not have consistent cricket, which allows you to bring the best of yourselves throughout a summer, is tough.”It is tricky, because you’re expected to deal with those things no matter what. That’s why international cricket is so hard: no-one will remember this in 18-24 months, when we hopefully do have cricket, that, ‘Oh, by the way, their preparation wasn’t good in 2025.’ It’ll be, ‘X, Y and Z didn’t do this, didn’t do that.’ It’s really important that you’re able to use your experience.”It’s not ideal. There’s no hiding that fact. We want to play more cricket and fingers crossed, hopefully, we’re going to travel to Bangladesh in October-November, from there, for 12 or 18 months, it’s packed full of cricket. That’s our hope. But it’s certainly disappointing that in the summer months in Ireland, as a professional cricketer, you’re not playing enough cricket.”

كشفت تقارير صحفية تطورات الدولي البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور، من تجديد عقده مع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وكانت الشكوك تحوم حول استمرار فينيسيوس مع ريال مدريد وكثرت الأنباء عن رحيله الصيف المقبل، خاصةً وأنه عند بدء الحديث عن تجديد عقده بعد كأس العالم للأندية باءت كل المفاوضات بالفشل.

كان فينيسيوس يرغب في أن يكون الأعلى أجرًا في الفريق أو على الأقل يتساوى مع الدولي الفرنسي كيليان مبابي، وهذا ما رفضته إدارة ريال مدريد.

وينتهي عقد فينيسيوس جونيور مع ريال مدريد في 30 يونيو 2027، ويتقاضى حاليًا أجرًا يُقدر حوالي 15 مليون يورو في الموسم الواحد.

اقرأ أيضًا | مبابي مهاجمًا أحد الصحفيين: لا يوجد هذا الشيء في ريال مدريد

ويحصل لاعب باريس سان جيرمان السابق على 15 مليون يورو صافيًا بموجب عقده، بالإضافة إلى مكافأة توقيع سنوية قدرها 8 ملايين يورو صافية من موسم 2024-2025 حتى 30 يونيو 2029، بإجمالي 23 مليون يورو صافيًا، و46 مليون يورو إجماليًا.

لكن وفقًا لمصادر لصحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية فقد يجدد فينيسيوس جونيور عقده مع ريال مدريد خلال الأشهر القليلة المقبلة بعدما وافق على تخفيض مطالبه المالية.

يأتي هذا الخبر بعد فوز ريال مدريد الصعب على أولمبياكوس بنتيجة 4/3 في دوري أبطال أوروبا، على أرض اليونان وهو ما لم يحدث منذ خمسينيات القرن الماضي.

هدف إدارة ريال مدريد الآن إتمام هذه الاتفاقية الجديدة خلال الأشهر المقبلة، لكن ولأن كل شيء وارد حدوثه في كرة القدم، في حال عدم التوصل إلى اتفاق، يحق للاعب التفاوض بحرية مع ناد آخر بدءًا من 1 يناير 2027.

“If he is available, no doubt the selectors will put him in,” Alex Carey says of Pat Cummins, who has been included in the squad for the third Ashes Test

Matt Roller10-Dec-20253:24

Miller: Bazball is dead because England don’t believe

Alex Carey believes England’s players will benefit from their mid-Ashes trip to Noosa but insists that memories of the 2023 series will help Australia guard against complacency at 2-0 up.England arrived in Noosa, the affluent resort town on the Queensland coast, on Tuesday for a four-night mini-break, and will train three times in Adelaide ahead of the third Ashes Test. Their preparation has consistently been questioned throughout this tour, despite Brendon McCullum’s claim that they had “over-prepared” ahead of their eight-wicket loss at the Gabba.Players were photographed by Australian media on Tuesday swimming at the beach and drinking at bars, while former England captain Nasser Hussain wrote in his column: “I can’t understand England’s schedule for the week ahead.”Related

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But Carey, who scored 63 and took seven catches in Australia’s eight-wicket win at the Gabba, said that a mid-series break was “not new stuff” and that his team-mates were expecting England to respond strongly in Adelaide next week.”I think it’d be a nice holiday,” Carey said at a Woolworths Cricket Blast event in Adelaide. “It’s a pretty big series, with lots of time between games. For the Australian cricket team, we get to go home for a few days and be with families, so touring parties have got to find time to fill in those little windows.”I’m not sure you need to do it [but] it’s totally up to the touring groups to find ways to take your mind off cricket for a little bit. The Ashes is very hotly contested. You don’t want to be thinking of cricket every single day of the tour. If you do have a little break, it’s probably not a bad time to refresh the batteries.”Carey said that media interest in England’s Noosa trip was unsurprising. “Look, we’re in a pretty lucky position that we’re playing professional sport and people want to follow the journey,” he said. “If the media likes to follow certain teams around, that’s totally up to them to do. We understand that comes with the privilege of playing the game.”1:26

Swann: Tongue and Bethell should play in Adelaide

Australia’s efforts in the first two Tests extended their recent record in home Ashes series to 15 wins, two draws and no defeats in their last 17 Tests. But Carey played down the prospects of a 5-0 whitewash, instead reminding his team-mates that they left a 2-0 lead slip in the 2023 series in England, which ended in a 2-2 draw.”We know England are a very good team. We also understand we were in a position like this a couple of years ago in England,” Carey said. “We weren’t able to win that series, but we were good enough to retain the Ashes. We’re really excited for the opportunity we’ve got, but we understand we’ve got to keep playing good cricket.”We are not looking too far ahead either. I think this playing group has been able to adapt really well, stay really present and again find ways to improve. We all know the threats that England pose, but for us to focus on our best stuff is a pretty good way to go about it. We’re definitely not taking the foot off the gas at all.”2:19

Australia face big selection call on Khawaja

Australia named a 15-man squad for the third Test on Wednesday, with Pat Cummins’ return as captain confirmed. Nathan Lyon will come into contention to play in Adelaide after he was left out of the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, while Usman Khawaja has been included after recovering from his back problems. Jhye Richardson will also join the group in Adelaide to “continue his preparations” as he continues his return from shoulder surgery, CA said.”He looks like he’s moving really well,” Carey said of Cummins. “You’ve probably seen that in the nets. It’s probably just about the body of work he’s put together and being Test-fit. He’s been around the group the whole time, with lots of energy, so if he is available, no doubt the selectors will put him in.”He also expected Lyon to have “a really big role” in the final three Tests, having bowled two overs in Perth before losing his place in Brisbane. “You want guys being disappointed, not being selected,” Carey said. “You want that hunger and we are really lucky to have a squad of 15 who are all ready to go… No doubt, Nathan probably has a big role to play in this Test match.”Meanwhile, Jhye Richardson will join the Test squad to continue his return to action from shoulder surgery. Richardson was impressive against England Lions with 4 for 35 in the first innings and, significantly, sent down 26 overs in the game in his first first-class match in over a year. Australia’s selectors have previously said they hoped he would be an option for the later stages of the Ashes.Richardson will miss Perth Scorchers’ opening BBL match against Sydney Sixers on December 14 but is expected to be available for the game against Brisbane Heat on December 19.Australia squad for third Ashes Test Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed that both CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell left their roles at Ibrox on Monday after the club’s underwhelming start under the new ownership.

Chairman Andrew Cavenagh revealed that the ownership believes that they need different people in those roles in order to bring success back to Ibrox in the months and years to come.

Thelwell was let go by the Gers after he played a key role, as sporting director, in the appointment and firing of Russell Martin, as well as the signings throughout the summer transfer window.

The former Everton chief was given the funds to retool the squad for the head coach in the summer, but after that appointment and the signings he made, Rangers won one of their first eight Scottish Premiership matches.

However, Thelwell would be far from the first sporting director to make some mistakes in the transfer market. Former Gers technical director Nils Koppen, for example, made his fair share.

One signing that officially went through in the summer but was sanctioned before Thelwell’s arrival was the permanent addition of Oscar Cortes.

Why Oscar Cortes has been a waste of money for Rangers so far

The 21-year-old forward initially joined on loan from Lens for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, and produced one goal and one assist in six games in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

That convinced the Scottish giants to sign him on a season-long loan with an obligation to make it permanent at the end of the season in the summer of 2024, which led to him signing for £4.5m earlier this year.

He is currently the ninth-most expensive signing in the history of the club, with that £4.5m move from Lens, and the Gers have simply not got enough back from him on the pitch to justify that expense.

In the 2024/25 season, the Colombian winger made ten appearances in the Premiership without delivering a single goal or assist for the team, whilst he also missed out on 22 matchday squads and was an unused substitute on six occasions, per Transfermarkt.

Despite his dismal form last term, Rangers had to sign him permanently for a hefty fee of £4.5m because it was an obligation that was put in place in the previous summer. That led to him leaving on loan to Sporting Gijon this season.

Appearances

5

Starts

1

Unused sub

6

Goals

0

Key passes per game

0.0

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, Cortes has struggled badly in Spain since his temporary switch to the second division outfit, with more games left sat on the bench than appearances in LaLiga 2.

His lack of goal contributions for the Spanish side means that he still has not provided a goal or an assist since registering one of each in a 5-0 win over Hearts in February 2024.

With over three years left on his contract at Ibrox, it remains to be seen whether or not the 21-year-old whiz will make a success of his Rangers career or not, but it is not looking good on current evidence.

With his form for the Gers and out on loan, Cortes currently looks like a big waste of money for the significant fee that the club agreed to pay Lens for him, unfortunately.

Whilst Thelwell did not have any say in that move, it was going through irrespective of anything he did after becoming sporting director in April, one of his own summer signings looks to be an even bigger waste of money than Cortes.

Chalkboard

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

The former Light Blues chief opted to splash the cash on Portugal U21 international Youssef Chermiti, and the early signs from his Ibrox career are far from promising.

Why Rangers should not have signed Youssef Chermiti

Thelwell agreed a deal with his former club Everton to sign the striker for a fee of £8m. That made him the most expensive signing made by the Gers since they signed Tore Andre Flo for £12m in 2000.

When signing a player for that kind of outlay at Ibrox, it is fair to expect that they should be able to make a relatively immediate impact for Rangers, even if they are not the finished product, because Chermiti is their most expensive signing in 25 years.

Unfortunately, though, the Portuguese marksman has failed to prove his worth to the Light Blues on the pitch with his performances so far in the 2025/26 campaign, with just one goal to his name so far.

The former Premier League flop has produced one goal and one assist in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered a regular threat at the top end of the pitch.

Chermiti’s form in the Premiership, in particular, has left quite a bit to be desired for a player who is the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years.

FotMob rating

6.48

16th

Goals

1

Joint-3rd

xG

0.3

14th

xA

0.2

15th

Dribbles per 90

0.4

14th

Dribble success rate

16.7%

14th

As you can see in the table above, the Portugal U21 international ranks poorly in the Gers squad in a host of key metrics, and the only reason that he ranks highly for goals is that only two players in the squad have scored more than one league goal.

Chermiti, who was described as a “nothing player” by Portuguese journalist Kevin Fernandes, has simply not done enough with the game time that he has been given, domestically or on the European stage.

The ex-Everton striker was signed for almost twice as much as Cortes and appears to be heading in the same direction as the winger, as another expensive flop who is unable to make a significant impact on the pitch for Rangers.

Therefore, Chermiti looks on course to be an even bigger waste of money than the Colombian forward because he cost £3.5m more and has been just as underwhelming at the start of his Ibrox career.

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

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

ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2025

It seems like Manchester United will focus the next stage of their rebuild on the midfield. There are a few players who have futures up in the air, at least in the short term. One of those is Casemiro, whose contract expires in the summer, and it is unclear at this stage if he will extend his deal at Old Trafford.

The other player who might not have a clear future at United is Kobbie Mainoo. He has been underused by Ruben Amorim this season, and could depart the club on loan in January, with Napoli one side who could make a move.

If they do leave, there are a few midfielders from within the Premier League that United could target.

United’s main midfield target

A recent report from TEAMTalk suggests that United have three names on their shortlist when it comes to a new midfielder. All of those currently play in the Premier League, with Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton two of those players.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The third man is someone who is one of the most highly rated midfielders in the Premier League right now.

TEAMtalk report that the Red Devils ‘would like to seal a deal’ for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson as one of their key targets in the middle of the park.

This will not be a straightforward deal to do, with the England international a player of interest to former club Newcastle United, too.

However, the Red Devils are showing a keen interest and could look to get a £60m deal over the line. Forest, however, would want closer to £80m if this move were to go ahead.

Man Utd's perfect Carrick successor

There is no doubt that 23-year-old Anderson is one of the most exciting midfielders in England. Described by Thomas Tuchel as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”, he’s seemingly secured a spot in the German’s starting lineup for the 2026 World Cup.

He has been exceptional this season in the middle of the park for Forest. In a campaign of great turmoil where they’ve had three different managers, the 23-year-old has been incredibly consistent, playing 14 games, scoring and assisting once.

That included a superb assist for Chris Wood on the opening day of the season.

His underlying numbers also reflect just how well he has played. The boyhood Newcastle star ranks in the top 1% of Premier League midfielders for several key metrics, including progressive passes per 90 minutes, of which he’s played 8.82, and ball recoveries, completing 8.36 each game.

Passes completed

63.73

97th

Progressive passes

8.82

99th

Passes into final third

8.55

99th

Take-ons completed

1.27

97th

Ball recoveries

8.36

99th

There are certainly similarities between Anderson and one of the all-time great midfielders in United’s history, Michael Carrick.

The former England international was metronomic at the heart of the Red Devils midfield for many years, shining under Sir Alex Ferguson especially.

He made 464 appearances for the 13-time Premier League champions, winning five of those league titles and one Champions League.

He even chipped in from the base of midfield with 24 goals and 35 assists.

He was a player highly rated by teammates, with Gary Neville saying he brought “authority, control, peace” to the pitch. This is certainly similar to Anderson, who, as the numbers show, is a true controller in the midfield, able to dictate play at will.

Anderson, it feels like, could bring a similar level of composure to the United midfield that Carrick did all those years ago. England boss Tuchel thinks highly of him, describing him as “a very complete, mobile central midfielder.”

However, it is not just their playstyle that is eerily similar. Carrick was born and raised in the North East, just like Anderson, with the pair growing up in close geographical areas. There are a few fair connections between the duo.

In signing Anderson, United could be adding their new Carrick to the middle of the park. He could certainly bring the same sort of brilliance on the ball and tenacity without it that their former number 16 did during his time at the club.

Man Utd have their own version of Semenyo & he's Amorim's "best player"

Manchester United are again being linked with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, heading into January…

ByRobbie Walls Nov 19, 2025

Are Manchester City starting to build some serious momentum?

On Wednesday night, the Sky Blues demolished Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the Champions League, with Phil Foden bagging a brace, Erling Braut Håland scoring his customary goals and then Rayan Cherki getting in on the act late on.

Back in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola’s team have won five of their last seven, including four in a row at the Etihad, rediscovering their best form ahead of Liverpool’s trip to the Etihad on Sunday.

If the serial champions are going to defeat the reigning champions in this weekend’s headliner, which “exceptional” star should Guardiola start in his forward line alongside Foden?

Is Phil Foden getting back to his best?

On Friday morning, Thomas Tuchel’s England squad was announced for next week’s World Cup qualifiers against Serbia at Wembley and Albania in Tirana, with Phil Foden one of the noteworthy names included.

The 25-year-old has not featured in any of England’s last six matches, seeing just 179 minutes of international action, out of a possible 1,260, that is only 14%, since the Three Lions’ defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

His return to the England squad is an indicator of Foden’s return to form at club level, with his double against Dortmund taking his tally to four goals for the season, having bagged only ten throughout the entirety of the previous campaign, not including the Club World Cup.

Following Wednesday night’s Champions League victory, Guardiola asserted that Foden is back, labelling him a “special player”, while Barney Ronay of the Guardian noted that he was the ‘best player on the pitch’, adding that he was ‘perky and precise all night’.

Thus, Foden’s recent performances mean he is a guaranteed starter against Liverpool, but who should come into the team alongside him, thereby forming part of the Citizens’ attacking quartet in support of Håland?

The exceptional star Pep Guardiola must start against Liverpool

In mid-week, it was Tijjani Reijnders, Savinho and Jérémy Doku who all started alongside Foden, but Guardiola surely must tinker with his lineup this weekend.

Chalkboard

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

That’s because, having recovered from a thigh injury, Rayan Cherki is starting to show glimpses of what he is capable of.

The Frenchman came off the bench to score his fourth goal for the Citizens on Wednesday, having previously netted against Al Ain, Wolves and Swansea.

When he arrived from Olympique Lyonnais for £34m in June, big things were expected of the 22-year-old, with Guardiola describing him as “exceptional”, and his statistics in Ligue 1 last season underlining why.

Goals

8

25th

Assists

11

1st

Goals – xG

+3

7th

Key passes

75

2nd

Big chances created

22

1st

Passes into area

77

1st

Shot-creating actions

146

1st

Goal-creating actions

24

2nd

Progressive carries

106

10th

Carries into area

91

2nd

Successful dribbles

48

13

Touches in attacking 3rd

826

3rd

Average rating

7.6

2nd*

*minimum 25 appearances.

As the table documents, Cherki was one of the outstanding players in France’s top-flight last season, leading Ligue 1 for assists as well as a whole host of other creative metrics, behind only Désiré Doué in terms of goal-creating actions.

This season, despite sitting out eight matches due to injury, Cherki has already started to produce in a Man City shirt, registering three goals and three assists as well as creating four big chances in the Premier League; only seven players have more across the entire division, despite the fact he’s featured in only 163 of a possible 900 minutes to date.

Two of his three assists came against Bournemouth last Sunday, both times setting Håland free to burst in behind to slot the ball beyond Đorđe Petrović.

Thus, this forthcoming Sunday, a similar game plan is surely required.

During their sequence of six defeats from seven games, Liverpool were very susceptible to players running in behind, with Virgil van Dijk not at his dominant best and Ibrahima Konaté largely looking all at sea throughout the entire campaign.

With that in mind, Guardiola will want to pick a team that can exploit this weakness, featuring Håland running in behind and Doku giving right-back Conor Bradley nightmares with his dribbling, pace and trickery.

In order to best supply these other attackers, he must find room for Cherki, who demonstrated against Bournemouth last weekend that he possesses the right skillset to unlock Man City’s other attackers.

In the possible absence of Rodri, Reijnders will be in the team to offer support to Nico González while, as already documented, Foden’s flurry of goals makes him undroppable.

This leaves Savinho, who is still yet to score in the Premier League or Champions League this season, meaning the Brazilian is the most likely candidate to make way for Cherki, who simply has to be included in the starting lineup if Man City are going to become the latest team to defeat Arne Slot’s Reds this season?

Man City "monster" is closest thing Pep's had to Messi & it's not Cherki

Pep Guardiola has found his new Lionel Messi at Manchester City in pure “monster” and it is not Rayan Cherki.

ByBen Gray Oct 30, 2025

Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers is on the type of heater that's rarely seen. In his first game back from the All-Star break Friday night, he mashed a walk-off two-run home run to give the Marlins an 8-6 win over the Kansas City Royals in extra innings.

Honestly, it wasn't much of a shock that Stowers went yard. He did so earlier in the night in the bottom first and homered three times in Miami's final game before the break. The walk-off blast marked his fifth home run in just two games.

Overall, he's had eight hits and 11 RBIs alongside the five homers in the two-game stretch. Those are numbers we haven't seen in 100 years, literally. According to OptaSTATS, the only other MLB player to reach the same stats in a two-game span is Ty Cobb, who had nine hits, five homers and 11 RBIs over two games in 1925.

Even more incredible is that there were four days in between Stowers's remarkable two-game stretch due to the All-Star break. He was a National League All-Star and competed in the swing-off Home Run Derby to decide the outcome of the game. He sent out one dinger in three tries to add to the NL's total as they eventually came out on top thanks to three bombs from Kyle Schwarber.

On the season, Stowers is slashing .298/.371/.563 with 21 home runs and 59 RBIs. His .298 batting average is a top-10 number across the MLB. He has a chance to continue the insane stretch as the Marlins' weekend series in Miami against the Royals continues Saturday.

Manchester United aren’t alien to spending a pretty penny in the transfer market, as seen by their recent attempts over the last couple of years under various managers.

The hierarchy have splashed over £800m on new additions since the summer of 2022, with Ruben Amorim the most recent beneficiary of the huge spending.

He’s already been handed over £200m worth of funds since taking the reins in November last year, but was only able to guide the club to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League.

His summer additions have already made an immediate impact, as seen by the sixth-place standing at present, but certain areas are still in need of added depth.

With January now rapidly approaching on the horizon, it could provide INEOS and the manager with yet another opportunity to finally nail their recruitment in the market.

United’s hunt for added attacking reinforcements this January

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been named as just one side who are contemplating a winter move to land Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo to improve options in the final third.

It’s been reported that the Ghanaian international is available for a fee in the region of £65m due to his release clause becoming active on the 1st of the new year.

However, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all said to be interested in a move for the 25-year-old, which could lead to huge competition for his signature.

Semenyo isn’t the only attacker currently in their sights at present, with PSG star Bradley Barcola another option the hierarchy have identified ahead of January.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Red Devils are considering a move for the French forward, after his impressive start to 2025/26, which has seen him net five goals in Ligue 1 to date.

However, the report also states Luis Enrique doesn’t want to lose one of his star players next month, leading to a €70m (£60m) asking price being placed on his head.

Why Barcola would be an upgrade on Cunha

As part of the club’s £200m spending spree during the summer window, United managed to clinch the signature of Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha from
Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Red Devils paid a reported £62.5m including add-ons for his services, a deal which was seen as excellent business, after he netted 15 league goals last season.

However, a few months into his career at Old Trafford, Cunha has struggled to meet expectations and has been unable to produce his best performances in the Premier League.

In his 12 league matches to date, he’s only scored once and registered a single assist – the lowest tally of any of the three forwards who moved to the Theatre of Dreams in the summer.

Whilst he still has plenty of time to turn things around, the board will no doubt be concerned about his lack of impact during the early stages of his career in Manchester.

He could find minutes harder to come by after January if the hierarchy manage to complete a move for Barcola, with the French youngster one of Europe’s biggest stars.

When comparing his stats to Cunha in 2025/26 to date, the PSG sensation has dominated in key areas, which could provide Amorim with a huge upgrade in the attacking department.

Barcola, who’s been described as “one of the best wingers in Europe” by European football expert Zach Lowy, has massively outscored the United star whilst posting a better shot on target accuracy rate in attacking areas.

Such numbers showcase the dominance he possesses over Cunha when in front of goal, which could hand Amorim the added firepower he is currently craving.

How Barcola & Cunha compare in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Barcola

Cunha

Games played

12

12

Goals & assists

5

2

Shot on target accuracy

52%

33%

Progressive carries

4.6

2.8

Progressive passes

4.1

3.8

Pass accuracy

84%

79%

Key passes

2.1

1.2

Take-on success

2.9

2.1

Carries into opposition box

3.3

1.4

Stats via FBref

However, the Frenchman has also provided a more creative option than the Brazilian this season, as seen by his better tallies in progressive passes and key passes per 90.

Getting past the opposition has also been a strength of Barcola, as demonstrated by his higher tally of take-ons per 90 and dribbled into the opposition box.

At just 23, it’s evident that Barcola is already a bigger talent than Cunha, but he also has age on his side, which could allow him to reach the next level in the years ahead.

£60m would be yet another huge investment from the board, but it is one that could allow the Red Devils to be a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League for many years to come.

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