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Brevis looked good for his 42 but there were no other significant contributions from CSK’s batters

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-20253:11

Did CSK get it wrong at the auction?

An impressive CSK debut for Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre’s good start in his second game, were not enough to drag Chennai Super Kings out of the mire. Winning only their third toss of the year, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) capitalised on a dry pitch in their bid to beat CSK in Chennai for the first time and also get their own campaign back on track after just two wins in eight matches. CSK’s 154 was their third-lowest total of the season.Harshal Patel tested the middle of the pitch better than the others and ended up with analysis of 4-0-28-4. Pat Cummins got the wicket of the dangerous-looking Mhatre and topped it up with two boundaryless overs in the 16th and the 18th, ending up with figures of 4-0-21-2. Kamindu Mendis wowed people again with his ambidextrous bowling, taking Ravindra Jadeja’s wicket and then removing Brevis with a sensational catch at long-off.Mhatre got CSK off to one of their more enterprising starts despite a first-ball dismissal of Shaik Rasheed, but SRH were quick to start bowling into the pitch. Only Brevis rose above the conditions and the bowling, hitting four sixes in his 42 off 25. That included three sixes in Kamindu’s third over after he had not been hit for any boundary in his first two.Related

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Brevis was looking dangerous when he hit a slower bouncer over extra cover for six, but when he smashed a shot flat off a slot ball from Harshal, Kamindu dived to his left at long-off, got both his hands to the ball and caught it behind his body.After Brevis’ dismissal, the SRH bowlers turned the screw in with their tall bowlers banging the ball into the pitch. Jaydev Unadkat got Shivam Dube, and Harshal sent back MS Dhoni. Hooda added 17 for the last wicket with Khaleel Ahmed, but it wasn’t quite the finishing kick they needed.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has admitted he does not know when Rodri will return from injury as he confirmed that the Ballon d'Or winning midfielder will miss Saturday's Premier League clash with Everton. Rodri suffered a hamstring injury in City's 1-0 win at Brentford before the international break, missing two World Cup qualifiers for Spain as a result.

Rodri's injury pain goes on

Rodri used to be renowned for his ability to play practically every game for City and Spain but he has not been the same player since suffering a brutal knee injury against Arsenal in September 2024. Rodri tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the 1-1 draw with the Gunners and also damaged his meniscus. He underwent surgery on the ACL and meniscus and Guardiola warned at the time that he could be out for up to 12 months. Despite Guardiola also stressing the need for Rodri to be patient with his recovery time and not to rush back to action, he was playing again eight months later, playing seven minutes as a substitute against Bournemouth in May.

He then took part in the Club World Cup in June but he had to be substituted after coming on in City's defeat to Al-Hilal in the last 16. He missed City's season-opener against Wolves but played against Tottenham as a substitute and then started against Brighton, Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal. However, alarm bells began ringing when he was not in the squad to face Burnley, prompting Guardiola to declare that he was not ready to play three games in a week. Nonetheless, Rodri started against Monaco, although he was taken off just after an hour. He started against Brentford four days later but only lasted 21 minutes. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGuardiola unsure when Rodri will be back

Rodri had sought to assuage fears about the injury after the Brentford game, telling : "I felt a little bit in the hamstring but it seems as though it's not that much. I stretched a bit, like in the final of the Euros [when he had to go off injured]. But the most important thing is it's not that big." Two weeks later, however, it appeared that he was yet to recover from the injury. 

Guardiola confirmed that Rodri was not available for City's match against Everton and could not give any indication about when he might return. "No news," the coach told a press conference. "He is not ready for tomorrow. I don't know when he will be back."

City fans fearing for Rodri's fitness

There was some concern among City fans on on the extent of the second injury Rodri has suffered since he tore his ACL.

"Rodri should take a year off and come back without any injury for a whole season," wrote @Starboy_Jeff01. "Rodri is becoming an injury prone concern, will he still be the same player?" added @Omarkakk.

And it was worth recalling what Guardiola had said earlier this month, hinting that he felt Rodri had returned too soon from the injury. "I said to Rodri, maybe he’s struggled to understand that this is not about six or seven months," Guardiola had said ahead of the Brentford game. "'I'm back, I'll play and I’ll be like the Rodri from before'– no! Rodri will be good at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain, next season – he will be the best Rodri. This season, it will be how you handle it, step by step. It’s normal. For one year, he’s been on the massage table. The body changes, the rhythm changes and everything. It’s a question of time. He will be back."

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Getty Images SportKovacic can help solve Rodri problem

Rodri will be a doubt for City's next Champions League game away to his former side Villarreal on Tuesday and Sunday's trip to Aston Villa. While City are naturally concerned about Rodri given his importance and the fact that they very rarely lose matches when he plays, there was some good news this week as Mateo Kovacic made his comeback after undergoing surgery on his Achilles tendon in June. The midfielder played 69 minutes for Croatia against Gibraltar and is in the frame to play his first game for City since May against Everton.

"Maybe 50-60 minutes," Guardiola said of Kovacic's involvement this weekend. "He needs quality moment, quality time and quality minutes. It's important he is back step by step."

The coach also said Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omar Marmoush had resumed training after their injury lay-offs and were nearing a return. Everton have lost just once since the opening day of the season, with City loanee Jack Grealish helping inspire their positive start to the season. Guardiola said he was pleased to see Grealish's return to form although the midfielder will be unable to help his new side as he is barred from playing against his parent club due to the terms of his loan deal.

STKNP also acquired middle-order batter Alick Athanaze by trading out Rutherford

ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2025In a landmark move in the history of CPL, experienced allrounder Jason Holder will leave his home franchise Barbados Royals after 13 years, to join St Kitts & Nevis Patriots (STKNP) for the upcoming season. As part of the trades and transfers before the CPL draft next month, STKNP also acquired middle-order batter Alick Athanaze while trading middle-order basher Sherfane Rutherford to Royals.Holder had been with Royals since the inaugural CPL season in 2013. That period included lifting the trophy twice, in 2014 and 2019, the latter under Holder’s captaincy. He played 104 matches for Royals to take 97 wickets that included two four-fors, and also scored 1169 in 85 innings at a strike rate of 129.60.Rutherford, currently playing IPL 2025 for Gujarat Titans (GT), will be turning out for his third CPL franchise, having represented STKNP for the last four seasons and Guyana Amazon Warriors from 2018 to 2020.Related

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CPL 2025 to be played from August 14 to September 21

Athanaze has also turned out only for Royals so far, in 2023 and 2024. He made his international debut in 2023 before his CPL debut, and played 19 matches in all for Royals. He scored 344 runs in those outings, averaging 22.93 and striking at 106.83 with just one half-century.STKNP had finished last in 2024 with just one win from 10 games, while Royals had progressed to the playoffs and lost qualifier 2 to runners-up Amazon Warriors.CPL 2025 will be played from August 14 to September 21 with no clashes with West Indies’ international assignments. St Lucia Kings are the defending champions this time.

Manchester City are ahead of Manchester United in the race to sign an “extraordinary” Champions League winner.

Haaland in form of his life for Man City

Pep Guardiola’s men battled their way to a 1-0 win away to Brentford in the Premier League on Sunday, thanks to yet another Erling Haaland goal. The Norwegian looks unstoppable currently, bagging 18 goals in 11 appearances for club and country this season, and speaking after the victory over the Bees, the City star admitted he has never been in better form.

“You can say so, I’ve never felt better than I do now. So yeah you can say so. I think it’s about preparation first of all, getting ready for the games. You can be physically ready but you need to be mentally ready as well.

“And to be honest I think with a kid, it makes me even better because I actually disconnect more than ever. I don’t think of football at all which sometimes when you’re younger you think of this and that and maybe worry a little bit about things. But when I go home I relax even more so I think I need to give a shoutout to my son!”

Haaland is one of the best players in the world currently, and one club who have plenty of players in that bracket are Madrid, as City look to poach their status as the dominant number one in world football by signing one of their brightest stars.

Man City in pole position to sign Real Madrid star

According to a report from Spain, Manchester City are leading rivals United in the battle to sign Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga in 2026.

The La Liga giants are thought to be willing to sell the Frenchman for £52m, having fallen out of favour under new manager Xabi Alonso this season. It is also claimed that Madrid would rather negotiate with City over their rivals.

Camavinga is a fantastic player who has already offered so much for Madrid by the age of just 22, winning the Champions League and being hailed by Carlo Ancelotti.

“He’s a player with extraordinary qualities. He can play anywhere on the pitch, he’s special. He can play as a midfielder, or as a defender.”

It does seem strange that Alonso doesn’t seem to consider Camavinga an important part of his plans, given his technical brilliance – he hasn’t started a single game in La Liga or the Champions League this season – but City should be looking to take advantage of the Frenchman’s situation.

Sane 2.0: Man City star is now "one of the best dribblers in PL history"

Pep Guardiola has hit the jackpot with this Manchester City signing.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 4, 2025

At just 22, his career is still in its relative infancy, and with Rodri worryingly continuing to suffer from injury problems, the Madrid man could be an ideal long-term option to sit in front of the defence and dictate matches.

Former Newcastle, Liverpool, and Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann has heaped high praise on the Magpies’ record signing Nick Woltemade, boldly claiming that the German striker is “better in the air than Peter Crouch.” The comparison has drawn attention across English football, with Woltemade’s early Premier League form backing up Hamann’s words.

Woltemade impressing

Woltemade’s arrival at Newcastle United has sparked excitement on Tyneside — and for good reason. The towering 6ft 6in German forward has made a blistering start to life in England, scoring four goals in his first five Premier League appearances. Across all competitions, he has found the net five times in nine matches, instantly establishing himself as a key attacking force under Eddie Howe.

Woltemade’s combination of technical flair and physicality has made him a nightmare for defenders, showing that he offers far more than just height in the box. The 22-year-old’s aerial presence has been evident too, winning seven duels in the air with an average of 1.59 aerial duels won per 90 minutes in the Premier League game so far. His early adaptation to the pace and intensity of the Premier League has quickly validated Newcastle’s decision to spend big on his signature.

AdvertisementGettyHamann makes Crouch-Woltemade comparison

Speaking to ESports News UK, Dietmar Hamann drew a striking comparison between Woltemade and one of English football’s most iconic target men.

“Nick Woltemade is probably a bit quicker than Crouchy and very hard to play against thanks to his height — he flicks balls on and is probably a better header of the ball than Crouch. He has the world at his feet. He was in the third tier just two or three years ago, got promoted, went back to Werder Bremen, found it hard there, then had six great months.”

“He wasn’t selected for the Champions League squad by Stuttgart last season, he really came up and went from strength to strength within a short space of time, from third-choice striker to number one within weeks. Now, he’s going to Newcastle for what, 80 million? It’s astonishing how level-headed he’s stayed because it’s not easy. A lot has happened to the lad. Playing for Germany, he’s the number one striker for Germany at the moment.”

“So a lot has happened to him in the last 18 months, but as I said, he takes it in his stride. He’s a very balanced character, which I think does help.”

Do stats back him up?

While the comparison to Crouch may seem ambitious, the numbers paint an intriguing picture of two very different strikers. The England international, who stood at 6ft 7in, was the Premier League’s ultimate aerial threat, scoring a joint-record 47 headed goals in his 468 appearances. He consistently dominated aerial duels, recording a success rate of nearly 68% at his peak and winning more than five duels per 90 minutes.

Woltemade, at 6ft 5in, uses his height differently — as a complement to his technical, creative game rather than as his primary weapon. His current Premier League stats show a modest aerial duel success rate of around 32%, indicating that while he is tall, he is more than just a target man. 

This makes Hamann’s claim less about direct statistical superiority and more about potential and style. While Crouch was built for crosses and flick-ons, Woltemade’s balance between size, speed, and skill may give him the tools to evolve into a more complete all-round striker.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

For now, Woltemade’s focus will be on maintaining his fine form as Newcastle continue their domestic and European campaigns. His early-season performances have earned him not just Hamann’s praise but also growing recognition from fans who see him as a future Premier League star.

With four league goals already to his name and a Champions League run underway, expectations around St. James’ Park are only rising. The German will now be in action when the Magpies take on Fulham before they face off against high-flying Tottenham in the Carabao Cup Round Four.

Hasaranga won three awards while Dilhari denied an Athapaththu clean sweep

Madushka Balasuriya10-Jun-2025Kamindu Mendis and Chamari Athapaththu took home the night’s biggest awards, being named the men’s and women’s cricketers of the year, respectively, as Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) held its awards night on Monday.The SLC awards, nominally an annual event, was being held for the first time since 2017, and feted those who had contributed to Sri Lankan cricket for the 2024 calendar year.Kamindu’s record-breaking year, unsurprisingly, made him the best Test batter after he struck 1049 runs at 74.92 over the 12-month period in consideration, comfortably beating Dinesh Chandimal’s 724. Internationally, only four batters – Joe Root, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ben Duckett and Harry Brook – struck more than Kamindu during this period but none played as few as his nine Tests, the next lowest being 12.The two best batter awards in the men’s white-ball category were split between Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, with the former’s 628 runs at a strike rate of 127.64 pipping Nissanka’s 622 at 138.53 for the T20I award, while Nissanka returned the favour in the ODI category as his 694 runs at an average of 63.09 outgunned Kusal’s 742 at 53.00. Nissanka also became the first Sri Lankan to score a white-ball double-hundred in this period, when he took apart Afghanistan during an unbeaten 210 off 139 in February 2024.The night’s biggest winner, however, was Athapaththu, who bagged six awards in total, including women’s cricketer of the year. She swept the batting, bowling and allrounder awards for T20Is in a year where she scored 720 runs – second only to Smriti Mandhana – and picked up 21 wickets in the format. In ODIs, her 458 runs at 65.42 along with nine wickets in as many games, meant she was named the best batter and allrounder in the format too. Only Kavisha Dilhari’s 17 wickets across eight ODIs – earning her the best ODI bowler award – prevented an Athapaththu clean sweep.Chamari Athapaththu almost swept the awards for women•SLCThere was more variety in the men’s awards. In Tests, Prabath Jayasuriya was named best bowler for his 48 wickets across nine Tests, making him the joint-fourth highest wicket-taker in Tests for the calendar year. He beat out Asitha Fernando, who had 37 wickets in the same period.Dhananjaya de Silva was awarded best Test allrounder for his 710 runs and six wickets across ten Tests, though he faced minimal threat on that front with Milan Rathnayake, with just four Tests under his belt, his only competition.In the white-ball category, Wanindu Hasaranga came away with three honours, securing the best bowler award in both T20Is and ODIs after taking 38 and 26 wickets in each of the formats, while his 179 runs in T20Is meant he was also named best T20I allrounder.In ODIs, men’s national team skipper Charith Asalanka picked up the best allrounder award; his 605 runs at 50.41 were only bettered by Kusal and Nissanka, while his economical contributions with the ball where he picked up ten wickets at an economy rate of 4.78 – only behind Maheesh Theekshana – saw him play a pivotal role in a year that saw Sri Lanka rack up a 12-3 win-loss record in the format.Janith Liyanage, who made his ODI debut in January 2024, was named emerging player of the year following an impressive 12 months in which he struck 462 runs at 46.20 and helped shore up Sri Lanka’s middle order.Kamindu Mendis was named the Men’s Cricketer of the Year at the Sri Lanka Cricket Awards 2024•SLCOn the domestic front, women’s domestic cricket was honoured for the first time at the SLC awards with performances in the Major Clubs Women’s Invitational Tournament up for recognition. Allrounder Rashmi Silva was named best bowler, while Harshitha Samarawickrama picked up the best batter award. Nilakshika Silva was named best allrounder.In the men’s domestic category, Chamika Karunaratne was named Player of the Tournament in the Major Clubs Men’s T20 Tournament, while Akila Dananjaya took home the best bowler award and Pawantha Weerasinghe was named best batter.In the Major Clubs Men’s 50 Over Tournament, Dilshan Munaweera, Krishan Sanjula and Thanuka Dabare, were named best bowler, best batter and best allrounder respectively, while in the Major Clubs 3-day Tournament Dilum Sudeera and Sahan Kosala were named best bowler and best batter with Ravindu Fernando named Player of the Tournament.A total of 46 awards were presented during the ceremony, including match referee of the year and umpire of the year, which went to Pradeep Jeyapragash and Chamara de Zoysa respectively, as well as several lifetime achievement awards.Many present and former cricketers were in attendance, with Sri Lanka’s sports minister Sunil Kumara Gamage the guest of honour.

Chelsea transfer chiefs are believed to be making some recruitment plans ahead of 2026, amid reports that Enzo Maresca personally wants to strengthen certain weak areas of his squad.

Chelsea's transfer plans for January amid Enzo Maresca "tension"

Reports in the build up to their dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool last weekend claimed that Maresca is unhappy with his current options at Chelsea, and there’s been some tension between the Italian and Chelsea’s hierarchy.

This has apparently been made worse by Chelsea’s summer window, despite finishing the transfer market as the Premier League’s second-biggest spenders behind English champions Liverpool.

Liverpool

£415,000,000

£187,000,000

£228,000,000

Chelsea

£285,000,000

£288,000,000

-£3,000,000

Arsenal

£255,000,000

£9,000,000

£246,000,000

Newcastle

£250,000,000

£152,000,000

£98,000,000

Man Utd

£216,000,000

£68,000,000

£148,000,000

Nottm Forest

£205,000,000

£107,000,000

£98,000,000

Tottenham

£181,000,000

£36,000,000

£145,000,000

Sunderland

£162,000,000

£44,000,000

£118,000,000

Man City

£152,000,000

£53,000,000

£99,000,000

West Ham

£124,000,000

£55,000,000

£69,000,000

via BBC

Maresca’s alleged discontent could stem from Chelsea’s lack of centre-back signings, which they’ve definitely paid for so far this season, with Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill all forced to miss Liverpool through injury or suspension.

Maresca publicly suggested that he wanted another centre-back at Chelsea before deadline day on September 1, but despite internal talks after Colwill’s ACL problem, and trying for Dean Huijsen in May, they couldn’t get one over the line.

Chelsea now want to sign a new defender as a priority for the January window instead, and some media sources report they could even bring in another striker despite completing deals for Liam Delap and Joao Pedro in the summer.

The latter is viewed more as a 10 than a number nine, while Delap is out injured and will take some time to get back up to speed once he returns from a hamstring problem — which has prompted Chelsea to consider another centre-forward (Simon Phillips).

Any new striker would likely be a cheap option, brought in on loan or a player who’s already owned by BlueCo (Simon Phillips), and you can make a case that Juventus star Dušan Vlahović could fall into the ‘bargain’ category.

Chelsea offered Dušan Vlahović as talks held with representatives

The Serbia international is out of contract at the end of this season, meaning Juve could be tempted into selling him for a cheap fee in January as opposed to losing Vlahovic for nothing next summer.

Vlahovic, who’s bagged four goals in eight appearances so far this season, is already planning for life after Turin, with his representatives speaking to a host of sides ahead of his looming exit.

That is according to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, who report that Chelsea have been offered Vlahovic as the Blues hold talks with his camp.

The 25-year-old, called a “real superstar” by members of the media during his Fiorentina days, earns a whopping £370,000-per-week at Juve, and any Chelsea terms near that amount would shatter their wage structure.

Unless Vlahovic takes a dramatic pay cut, Saudi looks like the best bet for him. That being said, Stamford Bridge could be an excellent move for Vlahovic’s career prospects.

His ability to score with both feet and dominate aerial duels would seriously complement Chelsea, offering a reliable focal point for Maresca’s attack. Additionally, Vlahovic’s top European experience shows he can handle pressure and deliver in big moments, having scored 11 goals across his Europa League and Champions League cameos since 2021/2022.

At Chelsea, he’d have the platform and service to flourish even more — feeding off Maresca’s plethora of creative wingers and midfielders to potentially devastating effect.

We've been on a roll with our plus-money props.

Let's see if we can keep it going with a pair of striekout props today that look like good value on Monday night.

MLB Best Bets for Monday, June 17Paul Skenes over 8.5 strikeouts (+130) at DraftKings

It's Paul Skenes Day again!

Last week, we took the over for plus money on his 7.5 K prop, and we cashed. Skenes ended the day with eight strikeouts vs. the Cardinals, and he pitched into the seventh inning. Today's prop is even higher, and it's a lot harder to get to nine strikeouts than eight, but here are a few reasons why we are going for it.

First, true MLB fans are obligated to always take the over when Paul Skenes pitches.  

I'm kidding (sort of).

Second, the Reds have the third-highest strikeout rate in the league when facing right-handed pitching (26.3%),  and this is the first time they will have seen Skenes. The advantage goes to the pitcher in that scenario. 

Remember: Skenes' fastball is 

Third, Skenes is striking batters out at a 34.5% clip, for an average of 12.42 batters per nine innings.  If Skenes can make it into the seventh again, he has an excellent chance to exceed this prop.   

Skenes has exceeded this prop in only two of six starts; however, he did it vs. the Tigers and the Cubs, who have the sixth and seventh highest K-rates vs. right-handed pitching, respectively. The Reds are even more strikeout-prone, as mentioned above. 

For a juicy +130 payout, I'm willing to pull a ticket. 

James Paxton under 3.5 strikeouts (+125) at DraftKings

Paxton has been punching out batters at a mere 5.28 per nine innings this season. 

No, that is not a typo. 

The Rockies hit better and strike out less against left-handed pitchers and at home. Paxton has not logged more than three strikeouts since May 24th, and he's only reached four or more strikeouts in five of 12 starts this season.  

Paxton's FIP is 5.27, and things could get away from him at Coors. I don't see him going deep into this game, so for plus money, I'll bet on the under. 

Following Inter Miami’s 3-1 win over Nashville SC in Game 1 of the MLS Cup Playoffs, Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul – Messi’s longtime national team teammate – praised the captain’s influence and form. He added that Messi’s decision to remain with the Herons beyond this season has given the squad an extra spark heading into the postseason.

Getty Images Sport'We just have to keep enjoying him'

With Messi's future secured, Inter Miami now carry momentum – and confidence – and aim to make noise in the playoffs. De Paul underscored the importance of Messi’s contract renewal for the locker room’s morale.

“Knowing we’ll be together for a few more years gives us extra motivation,” De Paul said. “We just have to keep enjoying him.”

“It makes me really happy to see what he’s doing…There will never be another like him. Having him on my team every week is an advantage.”

AdvertisementMessi overcomes back concerns

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano also praised Messi’s impact after his two-goal showing in the playoff opener against Nashville SC. While concerns arose over a possible back injury, Mascherano downplayed them, saying too much was made of Messi’s brief absence from training. Messi showed no signs of slowing down on the pitch, guiding Miami to a crucial home win that places them on the brink of advancing to the second round.

“Everything that happens around Leo always takes on a bigger scale,” Mascherano said postmatch. “Sometimes there’s a lot of noise around him, so we preferred to protect him. At this stage of the season, less can be more – it’s about making sure he doesn’t take unnecessary risks and that any discomfort doesn’t get worse.”

Getty Images Sport'It was already agreed'

Mascherano also confirmed that Messi’s contract extension had been agreed upon for some time, even if it hadn’t been made official until recently.

“The club and Leo decided to make it formal before the playoffs to focus fully on the sporting side,” he said. “We were calm, because even if it wasn’t announced, it was already agreed.”

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Getty Images SportSlow start

The coach acknowledged that Miami struggled early in the match, especially with their high pressing, but praised his team for adapting quickly.

“It took us a bit to get our pressing right, but as the minutes went by, the boys adjusted really well,” he said. “In fact, the first goal comes from pressure, with Tadeo [Allende] winning the ball and allowing us to break quickly.”

Setting their sights on a rising star, Manchester United are now reportedly preparing a formal move to sign an alternative to Carlos Baleba, who has a release clause worth £74m.

Ruben Amorim admits "good to hear" INEOS support

Back to domestic action following the international break, Man United travel to face Liverpool in an attempt to upset the odds and compile their rivals’ recent misery.

Victory would mark the first time that Ruben Amorim has secured back-to-back wins in the Premier League, and three points at Anfield would also see his side reach league win number 11 of the Portuguese’s reign.

While those stats are undeniably damning, the former Sporting CP boss retains the backing of INEOS and admitted in his pre-match press conference that it’s “good to hear” that support.

That support is likely to stretch to the January transfer window, in which the Red Devils could reportedly turn towards a rising star in the middle of the park, instead of the heavily-linked Baleba.

Amorim is personally very keen on the Brighton star and pushed to bring him to Old Trafford in the summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, and those links remain as the Red Devils pursue an “important” midfield signing for 2026.

Man Utd preparing formal move for Froholdt

According to reports in Spain, Man United are now preparing a formal move to sign Victor Froholdt from Porto in the January transfer window, with a mid-season deal for Baleba described as very difficult by the likes of Romano.

The impressive teenager reportedly has a release clause as high as €85m (£74m), but that has not deterred INEOS, who are determined to improve Amorim’s squad.

Dubbed “fantastic” by scout Jacek Kulig, Froholdt is enjoying quite the rise. Having only just joined Porto from Copenhagen in the summer, he’s already attracting even greater interest. Whether he moves on from Portugal so quickly after arriving remains to be seen, however.

Forget Mainoo: Amorim has the next Pogba in "generational" Man Utd talent

Manchester United appear to have another elite-level star already within Ruben Amorim’s ranks.

2 ByEthan Lamb Oct 18, 2025

Given United’s weakness in midfield, game time is unlikely to be an issue for the Dane despite his tender age and United should push to secure his signature if the chance comes their way in 2026.

Froholdt’s blend of youth, impressive form and physicality is turning heads at United, and he could be well-suited to the Premier League’s demands.

The teenager’s ability to break up play and quickly transition from defense to attack aligns with the fast-paced football United aim to play under Amorim, and Froholdt’s release clause means that there is even a way to bypass negotiations with Porto.

However, it would require a seismic investment from INEOs, and one that could represent a gamble considering his lack of experience.