Federico Chiesa is now in talks to leave Liverpool, with his agent entering discussions with a new club, amid involvement from Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso.
Chiesa has been unable to force his way into the starting XI this season, despite a number of Arne Slot’s other forwards making slow starts, at least by their usual standards, including Mohamed Salah, with Gary Neville suggesting the technical side of his game has gone downhill.
Neville said: “I’m not seeing a physical decline – some of his sprints look quite sharp, he looks busy in the box. But crazy things like the ball comes to the back post… his technique on his kicking and his crossing, that’s the thing that looks well off.”
Florian Wirtz has also been unable to make an instant impact in the Premier League, with the German still yet to register a goal or an assist, although his Champions League performances have been far more encouraging.
Federico Chiesa now in talks to leave Liverpool
According to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), Chiesa’s agent has now entered talks over a move to Napoli, with his client yet to start a single game for Liverpool in the Premier League this season, and Italy boss Gattuso has now gotten involved.
The 47-year-old has specifically requested the 28-year-old to return to Italy, which could play a role in his decision-making, with Napoli keen to ask the Reds about a loan deal, with an option to buy, in the January transfer window.
The Merseysiders would rather get the Italian off the books permanently, however, and are eager for an obligation to buy to be included in any loan agreement, with the reigning Serie A champions willing to fork out around €13m (£11m) to get a deal done.
The winger has become somewhat of a cult hero due to his chant, and has exhibited some promising signs this season, scoring against AFC Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, while also grabbing an assist against Manchester United.
However, it would not be the end of the world if Liverpool decide to cash-in this winter, given that the £150k-a-week forward clearly isn’t a major part of Slot’s plans, featuring for just 117 minutes across eight appearances in the Premier League this term.
A return to Italy may be best for all parties, with Gattuso seemingly eager for Chiesa to receive more game time ahead of the World Cup next summer, and the Reds should sanction a January move unless he manages to become a regular starter over the next month and a half.
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Liverpool are facing the truth that they will need to start drawing plans to replace the great Mohamed Salah on the right wing.
It was a cameo that perhaps summed up Benjamin Sesko’s Manchester United career so far.
Introduced on the hour mark against Tottenham Hotspur, the Slovenian striker looked lively up against the likes of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, having twice got in behind the home backline late on.
Twice, the £74m signing was threaded through by fellow substitute Mason Mount, although – having scored just two goals for the club to date – he perhaps unsurprisingly failed to convert those promising openings.
These certainly weren’t gilt-edged, must score chances – with Van de Ven producing a stunning recovery challenge to deny the ex-RB Leipzig’s man second attempt – yet a striker in confident mood would likely have fared better.
To then add insult to injury, quite literally, Sesko sustained an injury issue in the midst of that sight of goal, subsequently forcing the visitors to see out proceedings with just ten men, as he hobbled down the touchline.
Fears mounted over the potential severity of that setback, and while the prognosis isn’t as worrying as first feared, it’s no doubt far from ideal.
How long Sesko will be sidelined for
The sight of Sesko being withdrawn late on in north London will have undoubtedly been an unwelcome one for Ruben Amorim, with the Portuguese coach already facing a notable upheaval in the forward line in the near future.
Indeed, both Amad and Bryan Mbeumo – alongside Noussair Mazraoui – are set to head to AFCON when the competition kicks off on 21 December, potentially ruling out the dynamic duo out of a string of games heading across the festive period and into the New Year.
Having allowed the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony to depart over the summer, Amorim isn’t exactly blessed with attacking depth as it is, ensuring a further blow is far from ideal.
As reported by The Athletic, Sesko, thankfully, won’t be sidelined for a lengthy period, with it looking likely that the 22-year-old will only be absent for three to five weeks, thus perhaps limiting the need to acquire a suitable replacement or back-up in injury.
That said, United – who return to action against Everton on Monday – are heading into a typically hectic period in the Premier League calendar, with a string of games in the pipeline between now and the end of the year.
24/11/2025
Everton (H)
30/11/2025
Palace (A)
04/12/2025
West Ham (H)
08/12/2025
Wolves (A)
15/12/2025
Bournemouth (H)
21/12/2025
Villa (A)
26/12/2025
Newcastle (H)
30/12/2025
Wolves (H)
Whether Sesko will be back fit and firing in time to feature again in 2025 remains to be seen, with attention now turning to just how Amorim can replace him – starting against the Toffees next week.
Man Utd's answer to Zlatan could replace Sesko
The most likely solution, of course, would be for the aforementioned Mount to return as part of the attacking trio, with Matheus Cunha – who led the line against Spurs – again nudged into a number nine berth.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
That being said, the Brazilian wasn’t exactly at his scintillating best against Thomas Frank’s side, losing possession 13 times from just 35 touches, as per Sofascore, amid a rare poor performance, having looked far more effective as one of the number tens against Brighton – the game in which he scored his first goal for the club.
With that in mind – and with 17-year-old Chido Obi still yet to be seen at first-team level this season – the chance may finally come for Joshua Zirkzee to re-establish a starting role for himself, having been a bystander to proceedings in 2025/26 to date.
As explored over the weekend, United’s “modern-day Berbatov” is running out of time at Old Trafford on current evidence, featuring for just 90 minutes in total across league and cup, while yet to start a Premier League game in the new season.
That limited role has come following an injury-hit summer for the Dutchman, although it has been telling that Amorim has typically turned to Cunha to lead the line when opting to take Sesko out of the firing line, with Zirkzee swiftly sliding down the pecking order.
Something of a cult figure at United now, after fighting his way back from being jeered off against Newcastle United last year, the 24-year-old does at least deserve an opportunity to impress once again, with there certainly still a player in there somewhere.
Seven goals in 54 games for the club to date doesn’t exactly make for great reading, although his quality was no doubt evident during his stint at Bologna, having ended 2023/24 as Serie A’s Young Player of the Year.
It was that form in Italian football which even led to “comparisons to Zlatan Ibrahimovic” – as noted by analyst Ben Mattinson – with the one-time Bayern Munich man described as “just like” the enigmatic Swede as he is an “insane athlete”.
The great ‘Ibra’ enjoyed a short but sweet stint at the Theatre of Dreams, netting 28 goals in all competitions in his solitary full season under Jose Mourinho, having swiftly cemented talismanic status as the club’s marquee number nine.
Zirkzee, evidently, is of different character and experience, but like Ibrahimovic, at 6 foot 4 he is still a real focal point when leading the line, ensuring he might be the best fit to try and replace Sesko at the top end of the pitch.
While a self-described ‘nine and a half’, Zirkzee’s route to game time does appear to be as a number nine in this side, with there still an intrigue to see what he can conjure up with the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo working off him.
As a man who netted twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Everton at Old Trafford last season, the £105k-per-week marksman could be the difference maker again this time around.
Man Utd's "future £100m" star is already their own version of Adam Wharton
Manchester United must ensure this young midfielder has a pathway to superstardom.
It seems like Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has settled on his first-choice midfield pivot. His infamous 3-4-2-1 system has sparked plenty of debate, but with United now five games unbeaten, perhaps it is a sign of things improving.
Indeed, one of those reasons could be continuity in team selection. The midfield is one of those areas, with Amorim choosing captain Bruno Fernandes and the experienced Casemiro as the two pivot players. It has meant the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte cannot get a look in, with the United boss sticking to that pair.
However, the Red Devils might well dip into the transfer market in January to add to the depth in the centre of the park.
Man United's new midfield target
There are reportedly a few names on United’s list for a new midfielder. One of those is Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes, who could cost upwards of £44m, with a deal said to be in advanced stages.
However, the Brazilian is not the only midfielder United are looking at this winter with the likes of Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba high-profile targets from within the Premier League.
Alongside those players, Atletico Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher has once again emerged as a target for Amorim’s side, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
Indeed, talking to The United Stand, via TEAMtalk, he claims the former Chelsea man is a “definitive” target ahead of the transfer window opening in just over a month. The player is thought to be keen on returning to England in 2026.
This isn’t a deal that would come cheap, though. Atleti could demand a fee of up to £52.4m, as reported back in September, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace also interested.
How Gallagher compares to Gomes
It has certainly not been the easiest season for Gallagher in La Liga. He has struggled to break into Atleti’s starting lineup, playing 17 times in all competitions, but featuring for just 566 minutes in total. That is an average of just 6.2 full 90-minute games.
The 22-cap England star was more important under legendary Atleti boss Diego Simeone last season. He made 50 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with four goals and six assists and earning himself the nickname “Pitbull” for his energetic performances.
Of course, the Chelsea academy graduate has plenty of Premier League experience. He’s played 136 times in the top flight, becoming an established player for the Blues after a couple of loan spells. Gallagher certainly knows where the back of the net is and has 18 Premier League goals and 13 assists to his name.
If United were to bring Gallagher to the club, he might prove to be a better option than Gomes, the other top target in midfield. Of course, the Brazilian is currently plying his trade in the Midlands for rock-bottom Wolves, for whom he has played 15 times this season.
The Rio de Janeiro-born midfielder has played 104 times for the Old Gold, in a similar system to the one United play under Amorim. He’s even been known to chip in with a goal, bagging seven times in a Wolves shirt.
Yet, despite the familiarity the 24-year-old has with United’s system, Gallagher may well prove to be the better option. His on-the-ball quality exceeds that of Gomes, whilst he still offers plenty without the ball, to succeed in Amorim’s pivot.
Described as an “intensity monster” and as “one of the best midfielders in the sport when it comes to running long distances” by one notable analyst on social media, a look at the stats paints a more vivid picture of what to expect from Gallagher.
Analysing the data from the Englishman’s last season in the Premier League, compared to Gomes’ from last term, highlights the differences. For example, Gallagher created 1.5 chances on average and won 50.68% of his ground duels. In comparison, the Wolves man created 0.7 chances and had a ground duel win rate of 48.01%.
Gallagher vs Gomes
Stat (per 90)
Gallagher (23/24)
Gomes (24/25)
Chances created
1.5
0.7
Opposition half passes completed
29.1
22.2
Take-ons completed
1.1
1
Ground duel success rate
50.68%
48.01%
Interceptions
1.3
0.8
Ball recoveries
6.4
6.1
Stats from Squawka
Described as a “relentless” midfielder by Statman Dave, 25-year-old Gallagher would provide tenacity off the ball and progression and final third quality with it.
That is certainly something he has over Gomes, and, thinking ahead, could be important for United as they hopefully start dominating games and have the ball more.
Atletico Madrid's Conor Gallagher celebrates.
A fee of £52.4m is sizeable given it is the January window, but the Cobham graduate could help add quality to the United midfield, as they look to push up the Premier League table.
Man Utd now "leading the chase" to sign "special" Casemiro replacement
Little known fact. Joe Root has never made a hundred in Australia.It will be the sub-genre of the summer. A much anticipated Ashes series, in which one of the greats of the game has the chance to complete a caveat-free career. An away win, and a full set of centuries in every Test-hosting nation he has played. Except for Bangladesh and the UAE. They don’t rate him in Dhaka.Matthew Hayden confidently made the claim that if Root didn’t end the Aussie summer with a Test ton, he’d strip nude to run around the MCG. But others aren’t so sure.”Wrists limper than a French handshake,” former Aussie legspinner and broadcaster Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Sports. “It doesn’t work in Australia.””The first two Tests are huge for Joe Root. They’re nickers’ Tests. Perth? They nick for fun there. And Brisbane day-night? Everyone nicks in Bris.”Joe Root is a nicker. When he was last here, in his first eight innings he nicked off. Australia knows this. What will be his defensive set-up? I’m very bearish about Joe Root.”O’Keeffe’s argument is that Root previously chose to stay inside the ball, as he was of the belief they wouldn’t target him with the offcutter, only for a different weakness to appear, that meant he was playing away from his body.It is a rare technical examination of a player who has averaged 58.00 since Brendon McCullum took over, but a prescient one given Australia’s recent tendency to produce pitches that favour their seam bowlers. Since the start of the 2021-22 Ashes, top-seven batters in Australia have averaged 30.22 per dismissal, compared to 38.14 in the four-year cycle before that. By contrast, England’s pitches have gone the other way. The average in the four years before McCullum’s appointment was 30.90; it has since been 38.94.”England play pretty well on the flatter wickets, the way they play,” Steve Smith said recently. “So, if there’s a bit in it like there has been the last three or four years, with our bowling attack, it certainly makes things a lot more difficult for their batters.”Nevertheless, Root sees no need to tamper with his technique. Arriving in New Zealand ahead of England’s three-match ODI series, it will be the final three hits he has before lining up against Australia in Perth.”A lot of that prep’s already started back home,” Root said, explaining how he’s balancing his preparation for an ODI series today with the carrot of the Ashes starting tomorrow.”I think how I’d prepare now is different to how I would have done 10 years ago. A lot more mental. I’ve clearly played against a lot of their guys now. Know how they operate, know what they’re likely to try to bring to the series.”I used to be very technical in how I prepared. I’d want to make sure that everything felt lined up and my feet were in the right place, my head was in the right place, whereas now I’m a little bit more concerned about how I’m looking at the game, how I’m going to approach different situations, whether that be the surface, whether that be different bowler types, different angles, and being able to manage those different angles when they come wide of the crease. Things like that.”Related
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This will be Root’s fourth Ashes tour. His individual record is respectable, averaging 35.68, but not befitting of a player of his own calibre. England’s record across that time, however, is diabolical: 15 matches, 13 defeats, two draws, zero wins.”They’re all different,” Root said of how the build-up to this series has compared to previous tours. “I look at it at this time and I’m in a completely different stage of my career. I’m no longer captain, I’m playing some really good cricket, and so are we. We’re playing in a really exciting way. We’ve got a great group of players that we can go there and hit them with different tools than we’ve had on previous tours, so when you look at it like that, it’s a really exciting prospect.”Clearly, Australia are really good in their own conditions, with a great record at home, especially against us, but that’s the exciting bit right? There’s an opportunity there to do something a bit different and hopefully achieve something really special.”Despite the ODI World Cup being two years away, these three matches against New Zealand are not without complete jeopardy. England are currently ranked eighth in the world after winning only eight of their last 23 fixtures. Failure to automatically qualify for the World Cup remains unlikely, but only if they nip in the bud a continued slide in the format.”I don’t think that’s necessarily anyone’s fault of what happened before,” Root said of the ODI group’s relative stability under Brook and McCullum, compared to previous leadership.”You look at the number of crossovers of Test series and one-dayers, it was physically impossible to get there. There was a one-day series against the Netherlands when we were playing a Test match at Old Trafford. You think how can that happen?”New Zealand themselves haven’t played an ODI since April, but remain ranked third in the world. The weighting of points in the ICC rankings is such that it presents a major opportunity for England to win some matches, and lift themselves away from any potential future problems.”I don’t think it’s arrogant to say you look at the quality that’s within our squad, and we’re not an eighth-in-the-world team,” Root said. “We should be competing and jostling for that top spot.”New Zealand are a very good team and if you try to sleepwalk into it or you’re preoccupied with what’s around the corner, then they’ll hurt us really badly. We want to keep making strides under Brooky after what was a difficult Champions Trophy. This is a great opportunity to build on what we started over the summer.”
India are unlikely to make any changes to their playing XI, but West Indies might be tempted to bring in the left-arm pace of Jediah Blades
Sidharth Monga09-Oct-20253:13
Gill outlines the challenges of being an all-format player
Big picture: Series sweep on India’s mindThe late Khushwant Singh, one of the more illustrious lovers and residents of Delhi, called October in the city the “pleasantest” of all the months in the northern hemisphere. Like with most things Khushwant, the statement sparks lively debate, especially with lovers of spring in late February and March.This is all relative now: with rampant urbanisation and climate change, it is now more about which months are less unpleasant and less harmful to your health. The BCCI has just about winged the most harmful time for elite athletes to undertake high-performance activity – not before being called out for it – and the early snowfall in the hills has cooled the temperatures to the usual October levels to tease those given to wistfulness for the Delhi of old.Related
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Those given to wistfulness also yearn for the West Indies of the old. Not the one that lasted just 89.2 overs in the first Test. More importantly, not the one that looked unthreatening with the ball in an effort of 5 for 448. Not the side whose coach Daren Sammy has to hope a player will “accept” the opportunity when he calls to inform them they have been selected for West Indies.There is not a lot West Indies can hope to change between the two Tests. Ahmedabad, with an early-season greenness on the pitch, was their best chance, but they were without the Josephs, Alzarri and Shamar. In Delhi, the onus will be more on the slower bowlers.It doesn’t help that India are somewhere close to their best after the blip against New Zealand last year. With the exception of Rishabh Pant, whose fractured foot hasn’t fully healed yet, they are at full strength. They are keen on making this a clean sweep, which will take their WTC points percentage to 61.9, still in third place.Form guideIndia WWDLW West Indies LLLLW1:33
Chopra: ‘West Indies batters need belief on better batting pitch’
In the spotlight: Nitish Kumar Reddy and Jomel WarricanTest cricket is not where you prepare players for the future, but like Hardik Pandya almost a decade ago, India want to give Nitish Kumar Reddy a proper workload in slightly lesser challenges so that he can be the seam-bowling allrounder India need not just in away Tests but also the ODI World Cup in South Africa in 2027. Ryan ten Doeschate, their assistant coach, said just that two days before this Test. In Ahmedabad, he got to bowl only four overs and didn’t get to bat at all. It remains to be seen if India go out of their way to involve him more in this Test.Jomel Warrican is the vice-captain of the side, their most experienced specialist spinner, and joint-most experienced bowler. But he averages 54.25 in four Tests against India, two each at home and away. He will want to do way better in Delhi than the 29-5-102-1 he returned in Ahmedabad.0:49
Chopra: ‘Sai Sudharsan needs runs or the pressure will mount’
Team news: Could Devdutt Padikkal get a game?India have no reason to change their XI. However, is B Sai Sudharsan feeling any heat, and is Devdutt Padikkal breathing down his neck?India (possible): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 B Sai Sudharsan, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed SirajIt doesn’t make a lot of sense to change the batting on such a short trip. The one change West Indies might consider is bringing in Jediah Blades to give themselves a left-arm seam option.West Indies (possible): 1 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 2 John Campbell, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Brandon King, 5 Shai Hope (wk), 6 Roston Chase (capt), 7 Justin Greaves, 8 Jomel Warrican, 9 Khary Pierre, 10 Johann Layne/Jediah Blades, 11 Jayden SealesPitch and conditionsDelhi is likely to be a typical Indian track, good for batting on the first two-and-a-bit days before bringing the spinners into the game. The drop in temperatures should make it difficult for the pitch to break up suddenly. The week in the lead-up to the Test has brought some rain, but the Test is not likely to be affected.3:31
Sammy: ‘Our problems are rooted deep into our system’
Stats and trivia India haven’t lost a Test in Delhi since November 1987, which, incidentally, was to West Indies. Since then, they have won 12 and drawn 12. Ravindra Jadeja is ten short of 4000 Test runs. Only Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Daniel Vettori before him have achieved the double of 4000 runs and 300 wickets.Quotes”We think it would be unfair on the guy [Reddy] if we only play him overseas. Because that doesn’t give him that many opportunities. In the next year and a half, we aren’t playing that many matches outside of India, so to be able to back a guy who can bowl 10-15 overs in a day and can bat as well – we sat his ability and potential in Australia – so we want to give him as much game time in India to help him.” India captain Shubman Gill doesn’t feel Reddy is an option only for overseas Tests“If we complain about not having the best facilities, not having enough manpower like the other teams, not having the best technology, all these things which the other teams are superior to us [in], then why the hell are they still outworking us? The only way we could match up [and] compete at a consistent level is if we as the coaches and the players are prepared to outwork the opposition, and we’re not doing that.”
Sai Sudharsan picked up the injury when he “caught” John Campbell’s slog-sweep at forward short-leg, the slog-sweep hitting him in the helmet grille before the ball lodged itself in his arms
ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2025There will be no B Sai Sudharsan on the field for India on the third day of the ongoing second Test against West Indies in Delhi after he suffered “an impact injury” on the second day of the Test. The good news for India is that “the injury is not serious, and he is doing fine,” as a BCCI media statement on Sunday morning said.Sai Sudharsan, fielding at forward short-leg on the second day, picked up the injury when he “caught” John Campbell off Ravindra Jadeja – the big slog-sweep from the West Indies opener hit Sai Sudharsan in the helmet grille before the ball lodged itself in the crook of the fielder’s arms.That was in the eighth over of West Indies’ first innings after India had declared on 518 for 5, and Sai Sudharsan stayed off the field for the remaining 35 overs that were bowled on the day. “He continues to be monitored by the BCCI medical team,” the BCCI said. There was no update on whether Sai Sudharsan would bat – at his No. 3 spot or at all – on Sunday’s third day if the West Indies first innings were to end.Sai Sudharsan had earlier made an important contribution when India batted, scoring 87 in 165 balls with 12 fours. He put on an 193-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the second wicket and was dismissed when trying to flick Jomel Warrican across the line in the 69th over. Jaiswal’s 175 and Shubman Gill’s 129 not out put India in the driver’s seat to make it 2-0 in the series.
It’s become a running joke that players who arrive at Manchester United with a notable reputation tend to see their stock plummet, with Old Trafford having been a graveyard for the best and brightest over the last decade or so.
From Angel Di Maria to Alexis Sanchez, the signings of perceived ‘world-class’ talent have spectacularly backfired, with the pursuit of glamour names and marketing opportunities rarely equating to on-field glory.
Thankfully, it does appear that there has been a change in tack under the new INEOS regime, with Jason Wilcox and co having gone for young and hungry figures like Senne Lammens and Benjamin Sesko, alongside Premier League-proven talents in Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
With potential future captain Matthijs de Ligt now starting to shine at the heart of the defence, while veteran warrior Casemiro is enjoying a midfield renaissance, a strong spine is finally beginning to emerge under Ruben Amorim.
As defeats to the likes of Grimsby and Brentford have showcased this season, however, this new-look United side are far from the finished article, with it likely to take a succession of transfer windows for Amorim to be able to build a title-challenging squad again.
Investment in new recruits is certainly needed, although there is also a sense that there still remains plenty of ‘deadwood’ to be shifted too.
The players Man Utd need to sell in 2026
Whether it is in January or next summer, United face another pivotal year with regard to squad-building, with ruthless decisions needing to yet again be made in order to take this club where it needs to go.
In the most recent window, for instance, Amorim oversaw departures for the likes of Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, with the Portuguese having taken a particularly strong stance on those latter two names.
When next summer rolls around, it would be no surprise to see further peripheral figures also sent packing, with both Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte surely at risk, amid reports that Omar Berrada wishes to implement a two-year rule for new signings.
In essence, those brought in have a maximum of two years to make their mark or face the axe, with Zirkzee – who has played just 90 minutes this season – certainly out in the cold right now, while Ugarte was reportedly the subject of a dressing down from his former Sporting CP boss at the end of last term.
Question marks also remain over the futures of the aforementioned Casemiro and Harry Maguire, amid their expiring contracts, with the Brazilian – for all his importance – regularly unable to last the 90 minutes, having been subbed off on seven occasions in the top-flight this time around.
Long-serving defender Diogo Dalot also appears another player at risk, amid the change to a 3-4-2-1 system, with the orthodox right-back having come under fire this season for his struggles on either flank.
What is clear is that the likes of Amorim and Wilcox aren’t afraid to make the big decisions, a fact that was also evident with the handling of another former world-beater over the summer.
The Man Utd flop who finally needs to be sold
Signed for just £18m, Lammens looks like one of the bargains of the season in Premier League terms, with the Belgian ‘keeper still yet to taste defeat in his new surroundings, following a near faultless five games in the United goal to date.
The 23-year-old Belgian will, as is the fact of life for a goalkeeper, make a mistake at some stage, although his strong early impression has already won over the Old Trafford faithful, with supporters and pundits alike willing him to be the second coming of Peter Schmeichel.
Getting people onside early on is particularly key in a position that Gary Neville regularly describes as the “most difficult position in English football”, with Lammens’ predecessor Andre Onana having failed to do just that upon his arrival in 2023.
Formerly part of Erik ten Hag’s famed Ajax side that reached the Champions League last four in 2019, Onana was reunited with the Dutchman four years later, joining from Inter Milan on a £47.2m deal.
The Cameroon international – who was actually available on a free transfer in 2022 – departed the San Siro having starred amid their surge to the Champions League final in his solitary campaign in Italy, producing an eye-catching display even amid defeat to Manchester City in the showpiece.
Speaking ahead of that eventual 1-0 win for the Etihad side, Pep Guardiola even hailed Onana as “one of the best in the world right now”, with it looking as if United had acquired a perfect replacement for the departed David De Gea.
Frustratingly for all concerned, the erratic ‘keeper looked a poor fit from the off, memorably lobbed from the halfway line on his Old Trafford debut against Lens in July 2023.
The sight of the £120k-per-week stopper tangled in his own goal set the tone for what was to follow, having also escaped punishment for a late punch against Wolverhampton Wanderers on his Premier League bow, before producing a string of blunders during United’s dismal European run.
In that 2023/24 Group stage alone, he made two errors leading to a goal, having followed that up with a further five errors across the 2024/25 season in the Premier League and Europa League, as per Sofascore.
Onana vs Lammens – 24/25 League
Stat
Onana
Lammens
Goals against
1.29
1.10
Save percentage
68.9%
81.3%
Save % (penalties)
25%
66.7%
Clean sheet %
26.5%
20.7%
Touches
40.32
41.59
Launch %
29.7%
32%
Crosses stopped
5.5%
11.2%
Defensive actions (outside area)
0.68
0.72
Stats via FBref
Perhaps the final straw came away at Lyon last term, with Onana engaging in pre-match verbals with Nemanja Matic, who branded him one of the “worst keepers in Manchester United’s history”.
Desperate to prove him wrong, United’s number 24 went on to play his part in both of Lyon’s goals, the second coming at the death just minutes after he had appeared to rile the home crowd by taking an age over a goal-kick.
The woes of Altay Bayindir did ensure he was subsequently reinstated, but the die was cast, with Amorim shipping out his previous first-choice stopper to Turkish side Trabzonspor late in the window.
With no buy option included as part of that deal, the 29-year-old – who has actually conceded just seven goals in eight Super Lig games in Turkey – will have to return to Manchester next summer, with INEOS swiftly needing to find a buyer for their exiled flop.
The problem is, the Red Devils will likely have to take a sizeable hit on their initial investment, with CIES Football Observatory deeming him to be worth a maximum of just €15m (£13m), even less than what United paid for Lammens.
Getting something for him is better than nothing, however, with the Red Devils needing to try and swiftly move on from this costly transfer mistake.
Joshua Zirkzee chooses club he wants to leave Man Utd for in January
Nationals center fielder Jacob Young is finding a routine of making incredible catches in the outfield.
He continued that trend Monday evening when he came up with a wild grab against the Braves where he bobbled a liner off the bat of Atlanta shortstop Ha-Seong Kim. Young dove for the ball and got in front of it, but the ball popped out of his glove and he miraculously made the catch with his bare hand.
He made an eerily similar catch just a day ago against the Mets in New York where he tracked down a ball on the warning track that fell out of his glove, but he kicked it back up off his foot and brought it in for a wild out.
In an MLB talent show, Young may take the cake with his impressive juggling and hacky sack skills. The catch off his foot Sunday is one you rarely ever see, and then he follows it up with a similar play the next day. Incredible.
The Nationals' season will come to a close Sunday against the White Sox as they sit at the bottom of the NL East. Maybe we'll see some more new skills from Young with just five games to go.
O RB Bragantino recebe o Racing-ARG nesta quinta-feira (9), pela quarta rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana. A bola rola a partir das 21h (de Brasília), no estádio Nabi Abi Chedid, em Bragança Paulista, com transmissão do Star+.
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➡️ Assine agora e assista esse e mais jogos da Sula pelo Star+
Confira abaixo todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).
✅ FICHA TÉCNICA RB Bragantino x Racing-ARG – Copa Sul-Americana 4ª rodada – Fase de grupos
🗓️ Data e horário: quinta-feira, 9 de maio de 2024, às 21h (hora de Brasília) 📍 Local: Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid, em Bragança Paulista (SP) 📺 Onde assistir: Star+
⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
RB BRAGANTINO (Técnico: Pedro Caixinha) Cleiton; Nathan Mendes, Pedro Henrique, Eduardo Santos e Juninho Capixaba; Jadsom, Eric Ramires e Gustavo Neves; Vitinho, Henry Mosquera (Helinho) e Eduardo Sasha.
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RACING (Técnico: Gustavo Costas) Ariás; Di Cesare, Sosa e Basso; Mura, Zuculini, Almendra e Rojas; Solari, A. Martínez e Salas.
➡️ Faça as suas apostas na Libertadores 2024: quem será o campeão? Vem pro Lance! Betting!
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Futebol NacionalOnde assistirRB BragantinoSul-Americana
Los Angeles Dodgers star third baseman Max Muncy was placed on the injured list on Friday after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 oblique strain.
Muncy felt a pull in his side during batting practice on Wednesday and the soreness caused him to become a late scratch to the lineup. The soreness did not subside on Thursday's off day, so the Dodgers placed him on the injured list.
Muncy missed most of July after hyperextending his knee, but returned to the lineup earlier this month. Since returning from injury, Muncy was 8-for-23 with four home runs in eight games. The sputtering Dodgers are 12-21 since July 3rd when the franchise held a nine-game lead in the NL West. The Dodgers now trail the San Diego Padres by a game in the division race.
The Dodgers are hoping to have Muncy back prior to the end of the regular season.