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Harry Kane has, during an exclusive either/or quiz with GOAL, pieced together a star-studded XI made up of Premier League and Bundesliga legends. The England captain has, of course, graced both of those divisions across spells with Tottenham and Bayern Munich. He has now made some intriguing selections from a list that includes the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Oliver Kahn and Gerd Muller.

• Kane's goal record in England and Germany

  Kane rewrote the history books in his homeland with Spurs, moving 47 efforts adrift of Alan Shearer’s record-breaking tally of Premier League goals, before stepping out of his comfort zone in the summer of 2023. A move to German has proven to be productive, with long-awaited major silverware being secured when landing the Bundesliga title in 2024-25.

  Kane has added two more Golden Boots to his collection in Bavaria, while passing 100 goals for the European heavyweights, and continues to maintain remarkable individual standards at 32 years of age. There could come a day when he goes down as a bonafide legend in English and German football.

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• Watch Kane piece together Bundesliga vs Premier League XI

• Kane's selections: Premier League just shades it

  For now, Kane is happy to pick between performers who already enjoy icon status. He was charged with the task of compiling a team made up of Premier League and Bundesliga greats that would have lined up in a 4-5-1 formation.

  The list of players given to Kane and his selections were:

  Oliver Kahn vs Petr Cech

  Philipp Lahm vs Gary Neville

  Mats Hummels vs John Terry

  Franz Beckenbauer vs Bobby Moore

  David Alaba vs Ashley Cole

  Michael Ballack vs Steven Gerrard

  Bastian Schweinsteiger vs Paul Scholes

  Lothar Matthaus vs Frank Lampard

  Arjen Robben vs Theo Walcott

  Franck Ribery vs Eden Hazard

  Gerd Muller vs Alan Shearer

  The Premier League just about claims bragging rights in Kane’s team, with the English top flight boasting six selections compared to five from the Bundesliga.

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  Kane explains differences between Premier League & Bundesliga

  Kane has previously spoken of the “confidence” that he gets from being mentioned in the same breath as World Cup-winning England captain Moore – as he now fills that armband with the Three Lions. He has previously said of being inspired by legendary No.9 Muller after stepping into his boots at Bayern: “I wanted to find out what he was like and how he played. He was an incredible goalscorer and, from what I hear, above all, an incredible person. It’s very special for me to follow in his footsteps.”

  Kane is now fully adjusted to life in Germany, alongside wife Kate and their four children, with a new experience proving to be everything that he hoped it would be. Kane said shortly after his move to the Allianz Arena of noticeable differences between the Premier League and Bundesliga: “It was my first transfer after a really long time at Tottenham, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I just believed in myself and my abilities. It was clear to me that I would be joining a great team, but I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect and how everything would work out. But now I’m totally happy with how I’ve settled in in Munich and with the team. Bayern Munich was a really good option for me. I wanted to experience something different, I wanted to get to know European football.”

  He added: "In the Bundesliga more teams try to play out from the back, more teams press and sometimes even play man against man. Therefore, the spaces are a bit bigger, which we can take advantage of by bringing pace into our game. In the Premier League there's probably a bit more structure – a few more teams defend in block. Regarding the atmosphere, it's fantastic in Germany – completely different to the Premier League.”

Back in their favourite competition, can the sound of the Europa League anthem in Govan spark Rangers’ season into life?

Fair to say, the start of the Russell Martin era has gone, frankly, disastrously, with the Light Blues yet to win a Premiership match in five attempts, their worst start since 1978, thereby sat second bottom of the table.

They did at least beat Hibernian 2-0 in the League Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, thereby setting up a semi-final showdown with Celtic at Hampden in November, a result that will keep the universally unpopular Martin in a job, for another few days at least.

Now, the Gers will commence their Europa League campaign with a visit from Genk on Thursday night; they’ll also host Roma, Braga and Ludogorets Razgrad in the league phase, with away trips to Sturm Graz, Brann, Ferencváros and Porto on their schedule too.

Last season, Rangers finished eighth in the inaugural league phase, reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League, continuing their love affair with Thursday night European action, having got all the way to the final of course as recently as 2022.

If Martin’s team are going to make a winning start against Genk, he needs to make his best player a central pillar, but just imagine if Rangers still had one key man in their squad, sold under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Nicolas Raskin's importance to Rangers

Nicolas Raskin was Rangers’ undisputed best and most important player last season, underlined by the fact that he was named both Players’ Player of the Year as well as Supporters’ Player of the Year.

Thus, any new manager would want to build the team around the Belgian international, well, except for Martin it would seem.

The midfielder was left on the bench for Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, not included in the matchday squad at all for games against Celtic and Hearts, the latter a 2-0 defeat, with presenter Darrell Currie perplexed why any manager would choose to leave their “best player in the stand”.

Thus, after seemingly settling their differences, Raskin returned to Martin’s lineup against Hibs at the weekend and, to the surprise of no one, made all the difference, heading home the opening goal and putting in an all-round excellent performance.

Thus, the 24-year-old has to be considered simply undroppable going forward, set to partner Mohamed Diomandé at the base of midfield on Thursday, but just imagine if Rangers still had the “left-footed Yaya Touré” to complete this trio.

What happened to the forgotten Rangers hero

Back in the summer of 2019, despite reported interest from plenty of Premier League clubs, free agent Joe Aribo decided to join Rangers, convinced to move north of the border by manager Steven Gerrard, following the expiration of his contract at Charlton Athletic.

Well, the midfielder marked his Ibrox debut with a goal against St Joseph’s in a Europa League qualifier, bagging 26 goals and 25 assists for the club in total, winning a Premiership title and the Scottish Cup.

Speaking in 2021, Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, who played alongside Aribo at the Valley, labelled him a “left-footed Yaya Touré”, adding that his “languid style [is] fairly unique”, praising his “great feet​​​​​​​” and fantastic “ability”.

Then manager Gerrard agreed, asserting that Aribo had “the world at his feet”, adding that he was “outstanding from start to finish” following a League Cup victory over East Fife in August 2019, shortly after his arrival.

The Nigerian international’s historic moment in a Rangers jersey came in the 2022 Europa League Final, breaking the deadlock against Eintracht Frankfurt at Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, as the Gers were heartbreakingly beaten on penalties in Seville.

This would prove to be his last goal for the club, sold to Southampton for around £6m soon after, and his career has not quite turned out as many forecast it would.

The table below documents his season-by-season performances.

First and foremost, worth acknowledging that Aribo has not played a single minute for Southampton this season, completely frozen out by manager Will Still, initially due to transfer uncertainty but, now that the window has shut, he is yet to be reintegrated.

When he has been on the field for the Saints, he has registered only nine goals and a solitary assist for the club, despite getting into double figures for combined goals and assists during each of his three seasons in Glasgow.

Thus, Aribo surely regrets moving to the South Coast back in 2022, given that Southampton have been a yo-yo club since his arrival, and just imagine if this current Rangers team had him in his prime; he would make such an enormous difference alongside the likes of Raskin.

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Forget Raskin: "Glorious" star will be the best Rangers player this season

This Rangers player will be the club’s best star this season ahead of Nicolas Raskin.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 24, 2025

Nani has urged Manchester United to sign a current Tottenham star in their bid to strengthen. United overhauled their frontline over the summer as they brought in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. Senne Lammens also arrived to as an upgrade between the sticks, but they failed to bring in a central midfielder. Nani now believes they should look to Spurs to bolster in a key area.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  United keen on a new midfielder

  United had hoped to strengthen in the middle of the park over the summer with Brighton's Carlos Baleba a top target for the Premier League side. While Baleba was keen on the move, United failed to strike a deal with the Seagulls for the Cameroon international, who remained at the AMEX Stadium.

  As such, Ruben Amorim has stuck with a midfield partnership of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, with Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo both overlooked by the Portuguese boss. Amorim's side had been expected to return for Baleba in the January window, though he isn't the only midfield target for United at the turn of the year.

  Adam Wharton, Jobe Bellingham, Morten Hjulmand and Andrey Santos are among those reportedly joining Baleba on the club's midfield wishlist. However, Nani believes United should target an experienced head as they look to add a new face in the middle of the park, and has identified the perfect target.

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• 'He became one of the best players in his position'

  Speaking exclusively with Covers.com, Nani has earmarked compatriot Joao Palhinha as the perfect midfield target, saying: "Joao Palhinha is a great player. I played with him at Sporting, where he was growing and learning a lot. After a few years, he became one of the best players in his position. 

  "He's very strong and talented at winning and recovering the ball, and tackling. He's also improved his forward play, scoring goals, connecting with the team, and moving forward with the ball. He's become a complete player in his position. 

  "I think he's a great player and can do really well for Tottenham. He had an opportunity with Bayern and we’re not sure what will happen next season, but he's a player who can play for any team in the world. He just needs to be consistent and fit, as injuries sometimes cause problems. I trust he will have a fantastic career."

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  'Fits into Man Utd’s DNA'

  Palhinha moved to Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich over the summer and has quickly become a mainstay for the north London side. Spurs have an option to make the move permanent, which they are reportedly exploring, but Nani believes the towering midfielder 'fits into Man Utd's DNA'.

  "He is a player with energy, with power to recover balls and to fight. That is something that fits into Man Utd’s DNA," Nani added.

  "Having players who are able first to fight on the field, like to recover the ball and challenge opponents to help the team win games. You can’t give your opponents any time in the Premier League and he has the energy and physical abilities to be such an asset for anyone."

  Indeed, Palhinha has made more tackles than any other player in the Premier League this season, with 39.

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• What comes next?

  United return to domestic duties on Saturday afternoon when they face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. They make the trip to the Midlands on a three-game winning run following victories over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton as they claw their way up the table following a disappointing start to the season.

  Amorim over saw a run of one win in the opening five games of the campaign, including a shock EFL Cup second round exit at the hands of Grimsby on penalties. The sub-par start to the season heightened calls for United to sack the 40-year-old, who looks to have steadied the ship after a rocky first year at the Old Trafford helm.

  The former Sporting CP boss is coming up to a year in charge of United having succeeded Erik ten Hag last November after the Dutchman was relieved of his duties.

Manchester United’s 15th-placed finish in the Premier League was their worst since the division’s formation back in 1992, with Ruben Amorim massively struggling in the role.

The 40-year-old was handed the benefit of the doubt after taking the reins early on in the season following the sacking of Erik ten Hag – with the board backing him in the summer window.

INEOS handed the manager £200m worth of funds to improve his first-team squad, subsequently making additions and reinforcements to his attacking department.

However, to date, the signings have been to no avail, with the Red Devils once again being sat in 15th place after losing three of their first six Premier League outings in 2025/26.

It’s been reported that the hierarchy aren’t currently looking to make a change of manager, but given the dismal form, it would be no surprise to see action being taken in the coming weeks.

Alternative options are already being drawn up by the board to replace Amorim, with numerous managers appearing on their shortlist over the last couple of days.

The latest on United’s hunt for an Amorim replacement

Over the last couple of days, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has emerged as one of United’s primary targets for the managerial role at Old Trafford.

The Spaniard has led the Cherries to new heights, finishing ninth in England’s top-flight last year, but he could be on the move given he has less than a year remaining on his contract.

However, he’s not the only Premier League manager in their sights, with Brighton & Hove Albion boss Fabian Hürzeler another under consideration, according to Football Insider.

They claim that the German is emerging as a top option for INEOS, with the hierarchy impressed by his work at the AMEX after his appointment in the summer of 2024.

The report also states that the 32-year-old could be tempted to jump ship should the Red Devils make a move for his signature, with his English top-flight experience another factor for the board.

Why United’s latest target could be Klopp 2.0

Whilst he’s no longer managing in the Premier League, former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp was a man that brought character to the division – but also endless pain to the United fan base.

The German only suffered five defeats in his 21 outings against the Red Devils, even claiming a historic 7-0 victory at Anfield back in the 2022/23 campaign.

Whilst he may have managed their bitter rivals, there’s no denying the former Reds boss is a serial winner – claiming a Premier League title at Anfield, a feat the Red Devils have failed to do in 12 long years.

The prospect of landing the 58-year-old is an unrealistic one, but they could be about to land their own version of the German with a move for Hurzeler.

The 32-year-old may be relatively inexperienced given his one-year spell in England’s top-flight, but he’s already massively impressed, winning 25 of his 53 outings in charge.

Hurzeler, who’s been dubbed “incredible” by Eddie Howe, has received huge praise from current Seagulls player James Milner, with the experienced man comparing him to former boss Klopp.

Such praise is a huge compliment to the German, subsequently highlighting the quality he possesses as a manager despite his tender age – whilst still having bags of time to improve further in the years ahead.

The underlying numbers further highlight how impressive the young boss has been on the South Coast, undoubtedly being an excellent option to replace Amorim should he be sacked.

His side have averaged over two goals scored per game during his tenure, whilst also conceding just 1.5 goals per game – with the German possessing an exciting brand of attacking football.

They’ve also achieved an average of 1.7 points per game, subsequently helping the Seagulls finish in the top half of England’s top-flight last season – with the Red Devils needing to take a risk in appointing the youngster.

It’s unclear how much it would cost to get him out of his current contract at the AMEX, but United desperately need a young and ambitious manager to inject a needed sense of optimism back into the squad.

If he can reach the levels achieved by Klopp during his own time in England, it would be a magnificent appointment, with the Red Devils needing to make a move quickly to prevent another embarrassing campaign.

Their own Pep: "Incredible" manager favourite to replace Amorim at Man Utd

Manchester United look set to turn to one other manager in their hunt to replace Ruben Amorim.

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 1, 2025

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini was heavily critical of his team's attacking unit after their defeat against the Czech top-flight team Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League. The manager expressed some harsh words after his team went down 2-1 on home soil, with the solitary goal coming from Paulo Dybala's spot-kick.

• Roma boss furious will team's attack

  Ahead of the 2025-26 season, Roma's biggest signing was deemed to be Piero Gasperini, the manager who led Atalanta to Europa League success in 2023-24. However, after his arrival, Roma are yet to showcase their best performance in the continental event, having lost two of their three games in the competition. In Serie A, Roma sit fourth with five wins and two losses, having gone down 1-0 at home to rivals Inter in their previous match. They have the lowest goals scored among the top six teams. In the Europa League, they boast just three goals, including Dybala's penalty from the Plzen game. Having now lost three of their last four games, Gasperini has called on his players to step up and provide more goals.

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  Gasperini demands more shots and more goals

  Gasperini said after the game: "The team fought until the end, trying to equalise and score. We were sluggish in our finishing. There are a lot of players who haven't scored in a long time, we need to do some soul-searching. Why? There are problems. Confidence in the players comes from their performances, from their results. Especially in the first half, there was a lot of space; if it wasn't exploited, we have to ask ourselves why. We had the opportunity to play well, especially to get into the box more. These are things we need to do to increase our attacking prolificness.

  "Can the situation be resolved with these players? It must be resolved with these players. Everyone needs to provide one more assist, one more shot, one more goal. Everyone, even if some of their scores aren't that high. I've seen very good performances from several players, but with these results, they're being judged negatively."

• Dybala criticises co-stars amid rough patch

  Dybala's penalty was his 200th goal for club and country but the Argentine criticised the team for not doing what they do during the training sessions. He even went on to say that they will never win if they are not nasty. 

  "We lacked nastiness, we will never win like this," he said. "I think today, unlike the match against Inter [at the weekend], we created fewer chances. We started poorly because we conceded two goals early on, and it becomes difficult, because in Europe it's always difficult when you go 2-0 down. If you underestimate your opponents, that's the result, and we'll never win."

  His opinion on his team's sluggishness echoed what Gasperini shared. "We lacked determination, we came in feeling sluggish, that's the truth. It's sad to say, because we prepare a lot during the week, we watch a lot of videos and we tell each other things, but lately we haven't done them. Now we shouldn't worry, we have to look at the mistakes of the last few games but also look at the positives, run, fight and get out of it," he added.

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  What's up next for Gasperini's Roma?

  After seven Serie A games, attacking midfielder Matias Soule is their top scorer with three of the team's seven goals. Although the Gialorossi are up against seventh-placed Sassuolo this weekend and then face a Parma side with just one win under their belts so far this term. After that, they will be back against the higher-ranked sides like AC Milan, who they face on November 2, before facing Scottish side Rangers on November 6 in the Europa League. On one hand, the rapid flow of fixtures is expected to cause fatigue, but this also provides a chance for the entire unit to sharpen their attacking prowess before taking on Milan and Rangers.

There have been some iconic left-backs in previous generations – from AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini and free-kick specialist Roberto Carlos to Premier League greats like Ashley Cole.

Previously, a top left-back was a world-class defender who could also chip in with the odd goal going forward. Now, we have a new up-and-coming class of attacking left-backs who are crucial to their team’s build-up play, but who is the best in the world right now?

Ranking factors

To help rank the left-backs in order, we have considered the following criteria:

• Current form – how well a player has been performing
• Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their team
• Role – how unique their skillset is
• Reputation – what others are saying about them

15

Marc Cucurella

Chelsea and Spain

The Premier League has plenty of impressive left-backs, and Marc Cucurella has been making his mark at Stamford Bridge over the last 12 months.

Now one of the first names on the teamsheet under Enzo Maresca, Cucurella has shown why Chelsea splashed the cash on him from Brighton back in 2022.

Maresca called Cucurella “very important” and even wants seven players like him in his Blues side.

14

Rayan Ait-Nouri

Man City and Algeria

New Man City signing Rayan Ait-Nouri is another who has been catching the eye at former employers Wolves in recent seasons.

The 24-year-old now holds a career-high €35m Transfermarkt valuation and hit double figures for Premier League goal contributions in what has been a struggling Wolves side.

13

Destiny Udogie

Tottenham and Italy

Spurs have seemingly struck gold after signing Destiny Udogie from Udinese, with the Italian’s market value more than doubling since moving to north London.

Once called “the most underrated player in the Premier League” by Paul Merson and a full-back who “has everything” by Luciano Spalletti, Udogie, who is still just 22, may only get better in the coming years.

12

Ferland Mendy

Real Madrid and France

Ferland Mendy has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, but when fully fit, is one of the best left-backs around in Europe.

The Frenchman has made more than 200 appearances for Real Madrid since signing from Lyon and was dubbed a “quiet force” by fellow teammate and countryman Kylian Mbappe. Carlo Ancelotti called him “the best in the world”, however, his lack of attacking output has him low down the list.

11

Theo Hernandez

Al-Hilal and France

Since leaving Real Madrid for AC Milan in 2019, Theo Hernandez has gone from strength to strength and has earned the praise of legendary left-back Paolo Maldini, who hailed the Frenchman as “special”.

Hernandez, who sealed a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in 2025, also has the blistering pace required to get back from attacking phases and show his defensive qualities.

10

Andrea Cambiaso

Juventus and Italy

Arguably a player who has been going under the radar is Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso. Labelled as an attacking left-wing back with “world-class” vision and “elite passing ability”, the 25-year-old’s Transfermarkt valuation has rocketed to €35m.

Previously linked with Man City, Cambiaso, who actually doesn’t have a weak foot, could soon be the next star left-back to try his luck in the Premier League.

9

Alvaro Carreras

Real Madrid and Spain

Part of Real Madrid’s youth set-up from 2017 to 2020 before joining Man Utd, Alvaro Carreras is now back at the Bernabeu after impressing for Benfica in recent seasons.

Madrid paid €50m and gave Carreras a six-year contract, and he has slotted straight into Xabi Alonso’s defence.

8

Myles Lewis-Skelly

Arsenal and England

Another impressive youngster starring on the big stage has been Myles Lewis-Skelly at Arsenal. The Englishman has even featured as a left-back under Thomas Tuchel with England, despite coming through the Gunners academy as a midfielder.

Mikel Arteta has used the 19-year-old as a left-back at the Emirates, and Jamie Carragher has even compared Lewis-Skelly’s “football arrogance” to Jude Bellingham and Wayne Rooney.

7

Milos Kerkez

Liverpool and Hungary

Milos Kerkez only cost Bournemouth £15m from AZ Alkmaar back in 2023, and the Cherries made a nice profit on the left-back who has joined Liverpool.

The Hungarian is already on his way to the top, so it’s no surprise to see the Reds come in for “one of the most talented left-backs in world football”.

6

Riccardo Calafiori

Arsenal and Italy

Riccardo Calafiori now appears to have taken over at Arsenal as Mikel Arteta’s first choice left-back, with the Italian also capable of filling in at centre-back if required.

Arteta hailed Calafiori’s unpredictability, saying his attacking edge can be “very difficult to control for the opponent”. His stunning first Gunners goal against Man City highlights that.

Dimitar Berbatov has commented on the plight of Kobbie Mainoo, saying the English midfielder is in a "cruel situation" under Ruben Amorim's management. The ex-Manchester United forward spoke glowingly about the 20-year-old's talents, and questioned whether he should pursue a move away from Old Trafford to continue his development. Mainoo has started just one game in all competitions this season.

• Berbatov heralds Mainoo's talent

  Berbatov made the comments in an interview with . The Bulgarian striker was fan favourite at Old Trafford during his four-year spell at the club, with his beguiling touch and languid style demonstrating a level of confidence that bordered on arrogance. He sees many of those traits in Mainoo, whose talent he greatly admires. 

  The ex-Tottenham, Fulham and Bayer Leverkusen star also expressed sympathy towards a player who seemed to have the world at his feet just 15 months ago. Mainoo went from a young upstart, to a Manchester United regular and eventually a key cog in Gareth Southgate's England side that went to the finals of the European Championship over the course of the 2023-24 season. Amorim's apparent lack of trust in his ability to start games has been the first real roadblock in his ascent, but it has proven one to be almost impossible to traverse for the 20-year-old. 

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  Mainoo in a 'very tough situation' at Man Utd

  Berbatov said: "It's a very tough situation, especially for a young player.

  "It shows you how football can be a really cruel game at times because Kobbie Mainoo was playing, he reached the England national team, he was going up, up, and up. All of a sudden he is not being picked.

  "Now the question is, does he stay positive, patient, and wait for his moment again? Or he needs to move to a different place to play regularly to get his confidence back and come back to United and start playing more regularly?

  "I'd like to see him play because the talent is there to see, that decision-making, that calmness and arrogance which you need with the ball at your feet is there, even at his age. I like that. But at the moment, the manager doesn't see something he can use from the first minute of the game."

• Mainoo's frustrating 2025-26 season so far

  Mainoo's fall from favour under Amorim has seen his time on the pitch cut dramatically. During his breakout season in 2023-24, the highly-rated youngster finished the season with 21 consecutive starts in the heart of Erik ten Hag's midfield, bagging the winning goal in the Red Devils' shock upset of Manchester City in the FA Cup final. 

  A calf injury sustained in February, derailed the midfielder's momentum somewhat, but he still started 19 league games last year, with many of those appearances coming under Amorim following Ten Hag's dismissal. 

  This term, Mainoo has started just one fixture: United's embarrassing League Cup defeat on penalties to League Two minnows Grimsby Town. He has logged just 138 minutes in the league, making seven appearances from the bench. He was a unused replacement in United's 2-2 draw away to Forest last weekend, and did not travel to London as part of Amorim's match day squad to face Tottenham due to a knock. 

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  Will Mainoo push for a loan deal?

  The 20-year-old requested to leave on loan in the summer transfer window, but the move was blocked by Amorim. The Portuguese suggested that Mainoo is competing for a spot with club captain Bruno Fernandes, making any chance of him finding regular minutes in the manager's rigid 3-4-3 formation seem increasingly unlikely. Recent reports suggest West Ham are willing to test Amorim's resolve, and will table a loan move in the January transfer window with the player's representatives again expected to request a temporary move away from Old Trafford. 

  The push for a loan move suggests that the academy graduate wants to remain attached to his boyhood club, but for how long will he remain committed to United if he cannot continue to develop as a player? A loan move would seem to make the most sense for all parties, but the longer this drags on, the more likely it is that Mainoo's long-term future lays outside of Manchester. 

Paul Skenes found his most devastating pitch by accident.

On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star righty revealed to that his "splinker" was actually discovered accidentally.

In college, Skenes was working on developing his sinker in college, but it never really became the pitch he wanted it to be. Then one day in spring training he was messing around with it while playing catch and it came off his index finger instead of his middle finger. He noticed it felt and moved differently.

It's pretty incredible that a key pitch in one of Major League Baseball's most devastating arsenals was developed by accident. Despite all the technology analyzing spin rates, pitch shapes and biometrics, Skenes found out because it came off his finger differently on one throw.

The 22-year-old has lived up to his billing as the top pitcher from the 2023 MLB draft and one of the best pitching prospects of all-time. So far in his rookie season, he is 10-2 with a 2.10 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP and 151 strikeouts in 120 innings.

Yes, he has a 100-plus mph fastball and a devastating slider, but his 95 mph "splinker" might be his best pitch. And it all happened by accident.

Longtime Seattle Mariners announcer Dave Sims has been named as the new radio voice of the New York Yankees. The two-time Emmy Award winner, who has called Mariners games for the past 18 years, is returning to New York to replace John Sterling, who retired after a legendary career.

Sims has plenty of familiarity in New York, as he was the radio host for the New York Knicks in the mid-'80s.

"By now you've probably heard the news. I'm coming home to New York," Sims said. "I thoroughly enjoyed my 18 years in Seattle. I loved becoming part of Mariner nation in the Pacific Northwest. So many great memories, so many good people. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for having this interloper coming in and being part of your culture. I really enjoyed it and I wish everybody in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest all the best as we move forward. Go Mariners and Go Yankees."

The 71-year-old Sims will begin calling games for the Yankees in 2025, as the franchise will look to return to the World Series and capture its first title since 2009.

Nottingham Forest are now in talks to offload one of Nuno’s summer signings this January, as he has failed to make the desired impact at the City Ground.

Forest looking to offload Nuno signing after Dyche arrival

Evangelos Marinakis wasted little time appointing a successor to Ange Postecoglou, with Sean Dyche recently giving his first interview since becoming manager, in a journey that has come full circle, having started at Forest as a youth player.

Dyche will be under no illusions as to the size of the task at hand, with the Tricky Trees currently in the Premier League relegation zone, having already sacked two managers, while there is also European Football to contend with.

Indeed, the 54-year-old’s first match in charge will be against FC Porto on Thursday evening, with his side still looking for their first win in the Europa League, having suffered an extremely disappointing 3-2 home defeat against FC Midtjylland last time out.

The former Everton boss has just over two months to improve results before the January transfer window opens, at which point the manager may look to reshuffle the squad he has inherited and bring in some new recruits.

According to a report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), a departure may also be on the cards, with it being revealed that Nottingham Forest have now entered talks to sell €30m (£26m) summer signing Arnaud Kalimuendo.

Kalimuendo hasn’t hit the ground running since being signed in the summer, with the 23-year-old still yet to start a match, and his time at the City Ground may already be coming to an end, with the Tricky Trees open to a loan departure, which would include a purchase option.

A January exit could be on the cards, with AS Roma named as the team that have entered discussions with Forest, given that sporting director Frederic Massara knows the striker well from their time together at Rennes.

Immediate concern for Dyche at Nottingham Forest after Marinakis decision

It probably isn’t what the new manager wanted to hear.

By
Charlie Smith

Oct 21, 2025

Kalimuendo must improve ahead of January

On paper, the signing of the Frenchman made perfect sense, given his goal and assist record in Ligue 1 since making a breakthrough at Lens during the 2020/21 season.

However, the former Rennes man has been unable to force his way into the plans of either Nuno or Postecoglou, appearing for just 65 minutes across five substitute appearances in the Premier League.

Once described as “prolific” by scout Jacek Kulig, the centre-forward has been nothing of the sort since arriving at Forest, and he may continue to struggle to get into the team in the coming weeks, given that Dyche is well-known to be a big fan of Chris Wood.

It seems a little early to sanction Kalimuendo’s departure, as it often takes players time to adapt to life in the Premier League, but the grace period can only last so long.