Manchester United are targeting a new manager who has defeated the Red Devils with three different clubs to replace Ruben Amorim.
Amorim wins 50th Man Utd game with pressure still on
The current Man Utd manager recorded a much-needed 2-0 Premier League win over Sunderland last time out prior to the international break in what was his 50th game in charge of the club.
Amorim’s first full season at Old Trafford so far hasn’t gone to plan, but goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko helped ease the pressure and lift United into the top half.
The first Red Devils manager to win his 50th game in charge since Sir Alex Ferguson, Amorim is still under big pressure at Old Trafford. That’s according to former defender Gary Neville, who said:
A number of managers have been linked to replace Amorim in Manchester, including former England boss Gareth Southgate, who has a good relationship with INEOS.
Ex-Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is also eyeing up the Old Trafford position, but it appears as if Man Utd have another name on their radar.
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ByMatt Dawson Oct 7, 2025 Man Utd targeting move for Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
According to reports from Spain, Man Utd are targeting Aston Villa boss Unai Emery as a replacement for Amorim.
It is stated that ‘Emery appears to be among the favourites among those considering possible replacements’, with his ‘extensive experience’, ‘ability to lead teams coherently’ and ‘tactical control and emphasis on compact defensive structures’ useful in comparison to Amorim.
The 53-year-old, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system, has had his own issues in 2025/26, going four games without a Premier League goal at the start of the campaign.
Villa have since won their last four games in all competitions, and Emery has actually defeated Man Utd with Villarreal, Arsenal and Aston Villa during his career.
Arsenal 2-0 Man Utd
10th March 2019
Villarreal 1-1 Man Utd (12-11 pens)
26th May 2021
Aston Villa 3-1 Man Utd
6th November 2022
A four-time Europa League winner, Emery will be looking to make that five with Aston Villa this season, but by the looks of things, he could be on Man Utd’s shortlist to replace Amorim if INEOS decide to pull the plug over the coming months.
EXCLUSIVE: With a unique career trajectory, Balogun just might be the player to define the USMNT run to the World Cup
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Folarin Balogun isn't particularly comfortable talking about the spotlight. Strikers are loud, by nature, but Balogun is quiet. He's introverted, he says. His hobbies include sleeping, relaxing and enjoying the comforts of his own home. The spotlight he's now under with the USMNT? In many ways, it's foreign to him.
He's not desperate for attention. He prefers peace and quiet over braggadocio and brazen behavior.
In certain ways, though, Balogun has always sought that attention, even if it does go against his nature. Capturing it has been such a driving force behind everything he's done. As a kid, he didn't dream of scoring goals in front of dozens of people – he dreamed of doing it in front of millions. Balogun may be private off the field but, to get where he's always wanted to be, he's always known that he'd have to make some noise.
Balogun's arrival on the USMNT scene several years ago was loud. He was perhaps the most discussed dual-national prospect in American soccer history. Over the course of just a few months, he went from prospect to savior to – in the blink of an eye – a USMNT player. Throughout that process, that spotlight fixed on him and, even since, it hasn't dimmed.
Despite his injuries and the overall chaos of the USMNT post-2022 World Cup, Balogun has remained the man in focus. Just as much as he was two-and-a-half years ago, Balogun may be the player who will define this USMNT's run to the 2026 World Cup.
"I think the hardest part is that we all work our whole lives for something," Balogun tells GOAL, "but I always have a slightly different outlook. You do that work your whole life, and it is a constant pursuit of greatness. At the end of the day, I think it all comes down to definitive moments. Each of those moments makes a great career. There are certain moments that allow other moments to happen. You get to do something you've dreamed of as a kid and, if you keep scoring, you allow yourself to get that opportunity again and again."
The last two-and-a-half years have been opportunities. Balogun integrated himself with his team, performed under several coaches and grown as a striker amid success, failure and injury issues with his club at Monaco. In some ways, all of that matters. In other ways, none of it does. Everything leading up to the World Cup is great but, ultimately, players make their marks on those stages.
Goals against Japan and Ecuador in pre-World Cup friendlies are nice, of course, but they only really matter if they lead to goals next summer. From the moment U.S. Soccer unveiled him as the next star, that was the target. The World Cup has, and will always be, the measuring stick.
The question, then: can Balogun be the guy for the USMNT? American soccer is eager to find out. So is Balogun himself.
"It's changed as I've gotten older," he says. "I feel like playing in front of big crowds with huge expectations, naturally, brings out the best in me. I'm not someone who would ever, physically or mentally, want to fold under big circumstances. I wouldn't want to fold on myself. I can't let that cross my mind. It's why I enjoy those scenarios. Big games, big rewards, so that's not something I would ever need to be scared of."
No fear as he approaches his next big moment. The road has been winding, and it began with a social media post a few years ago.
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'Make a choice, not have a choice made for me'
For those who weren't tuned in through the great Balogun chase of 2023, it is hard to explain. On the heels of the World Cup in Qatar, a young USMNT group seemingly needed a star striker. As it happens, there was one, a rising dual-national on loan in France. The goals flowed. So did the attention. And then the tipping point: an innocent picture in Orlando that accidentally hinted at American soccer's worst-kept secret.
Shortly after that, Balogun officially arrived.
The decision, for many, was shocking. Balogun was 21, and seemingly had the world at his feet. His 22-goal season while on loan with Ligue 1 side Reims opened countless doors to the young striker. Born and raised in England, the Three Lions seemed within reach. And then they weren't because Balogun didn't want it – he wanted to play for the USMNT.
There were many reasons for that decision, and Balogun has explained them often since first wearing the USMNT jersey in June of 2023. There was a sense of comfort and a sense of belonging. There was that feeling of being wanted. There was a belief in the opportunity of it all. More than anything, there was a sense of finality. This was something he could commit to being a part of for his career. Balogun liked that. Even at the young age of 21, he wanted that sense of closure.
"I think, in life, the most important thing is to have control over your surroundings, over your decisions and over the way you live," he says. "I would always rather be in a position where I make a choice than have a choice be made for me. At that time in my life, I wanted to make a choice, and I wanted to make a definitive choice because that put my own mind to rest as well. I didn't want a saga. I didn't want it to be 'Will he or won't he?'"
The pressure was unique. There's always expectations of strikers – such is the nature of the position. Balogun, though, was under a different weight. He was brought in as, at the very least, the missing piece. For some, he was a savior, the player who would finally take the USMNT over the top.
It was a lot for a 21-year-old kid with only one real season of professional experience. He had to prove the world right. In addition, he had to prove himself right, too. He had to show that he knew what he was doing by committing to something long before he actually had to.
"I was a young kid at the time, and I'm still young, but that was new – playing in front of the public eye at the highest level for the men's national team," he says. "I knew there would be expectations and pressure that came with it. I wouldn't say it was ever too much. Nothing anyone asked of me was unrealistic. I put a lot of pressure on myself, as well. I'd like to have scored more goals and I'm still competing, but I just always wanted to help the team get the results we all want."
Balogun was enticed by that concept. At the core, he wanted to be a part of a team, one that would build, grow and learn together as they chased their dreams. His contributions started early. In just his second USMNT appearance, Balogun announced himself to American soccer with a goal in the CONCACAF Nations League final, helping the USMNT win a trophy against rivals Mexico.
"I would say that game felt like, not that I necessarily arrived," he said, "but that made me feel like I was here and that I was a part of something."
That was still just a beginning. There were layers to peel back before the USMNT met the real Balogun.
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'You've got to learn where you fit'
Balogun says that, particularly on USMNT duty, he doesn't do much off the pitch. He spends bus rides staring out the window, getting a look at American cities that he never got to visit during his childhood in England. During downtime at a hotel, he's a big fan of sleeping. Recovery comes first, after all. When he is awake, he's quiet, but that isn't a USMNT-specific thing.
"I'm extremely introverted," he admits. "I have a beautiful home in Monaco and one in London. When I finish training, I'm at home. I'm resting, chilling, talking to friends. I'm happy for people to visit me in my space, but I'm not really ever going to leave my space."
For many of the USMNT's leaders, one of the first orders of business when Balogun arrived was making him leave his space, even just a little bit. Here was the USMNT's new star striker and, despite his desire to stay quiet, he was joining a pretty loud group. Yes, there were more toned-down personalities such as Christian Pulisic and former Arsenal teammate Yunus Musah. There were also some very loud ones and, from the start, they wanted to suss out where Balogun stood.
"That's a thing for everybody – you've got to learn where you fit," USMNT defender Chris Richards told GOAL. "He's done that. He missed out on a lot of the opportunities with the youth national teams that many of us had together. He missed those experiences, but he came right into this group. He's soft spoken, and we knew we had to get him out of that shell a little bit.
"Once we did, he was accepted. He's really integrated himself and you can see it on the pitch, too."
That initial feeling-out period, Balogun says, was crucial – and it's now paying off. He's not rushing to become a part of the USMNT with a World Cup on the horizon – he's already a regular within the team. He already has friends and memories with his teammates, and he hopes to create plenty more.
Including Friday's goal against Ecuador, Balogun has seven finishes in 20 caps. Injuries have prevented him from getting more, but even with that missed time, Balogun says the process has paid off.
"It gave me the opportunity to be integrated with the team," he says. "That's the benefit of making a decision – it allows you the opportunity to build deep chemistry with your teammates. That's going to benefit me going into a World Cup. With each game I play, I build a closer relationship with CP, Weston [McKennie], the guys around me, the attackers, the people who are going to play me through balls. The longer they know me, the more they know me. They all have the quality to look for me, too.
"That's the benefit of making decisions rather than having decisions made for you."
The only thing left is to confirm the belief that was the defining part of his recruitment – that Balogun is the guy who can make a difference in the biggest moments.
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'Strikers need to score goals'
Mauricio Pochettino didn't mince words when asked what he expects of his strikers. The details may be a bit more complicated, but the instructions are clear: get us goals.
"Strikers need to score goals," Pochettino said. "Then, of course, there are the qualities that we expect can balance a team, depending on the characteristics of the players and who is next to you. But for me, it's simple and straightforward – score goals. I think the most important quality of a striker is, if they touch one ball in the right area to score, they score. Two, three, they score.
"That is the principal quality… What we ask is to be in the right place at the right moment. And when that arrives, be there and score. That is what we expect. That is my first demand."
Pochettino wants difference-makers up top. Balogun is fighting to prove he can be one. He's not the only striker seeking minutes, of course. Joining him are the likes of Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright, Patrick Agyemang and Josh Sargent. All will feel that a few goals can get them into the mix. All will also feel that a few quiet moments can take them out.
"If I keep doing my thing, I'll be fine," Balogun says. "The most important thing is getting to the World Cup the right way. It's not even necessarily about the World Cup, it's about entering the tournament with the right state of mind. You need to have confidence in your output over the months building up to the World Cup throughout your season. Because of that, I'm more focused on what I can do in the present. I control what I can control going into the World Cup. That's what will make me better.
"When you score, you'll get another chance. I'm at a stage and in an industry where I know what I need to do and keep doing. If I play this season and score 30 goals, no surprise, good things will follow."
The USMNT would be thrilled to see more good things. Balogun was fantastic against Japan last month, routinely stretching the field before getting the second goal in the 2-0 win. Against Ecuador on Friday, he was even better. From the opening whistle, he gave the South American side fits.
Ecuador hadn't conceded in five matches prior to the USMNT friendly, including games against Argentina and Brazil. They were powerless, though, against Balogun, who scored the equalizer and, in truth, could have had a few more if things had bounced his way.
"He works really well with the guys up top," Richards said. "Every time he's had his chance, he's taken it and done the most with it, and that's the name of the game with the national team. I'm really happy to see him score goals. And I'm hoping he can score a lot more for us."
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'Football's like chess'
Balogun's favorite part about scoring isn't the moment the ball hits the net. It's not the anticipation of the ball at his feet or the celebration. No, Balogun's favorite feeling comes in that brief time period – those 10 or 15 minutes afterward – when you learn what that goal meant. In that span, Balogun hopes that feeling never ends.
"It feels the same each time," he says. "It's a release and joy at the same time. For me, the thing I actually enjoy most about scoring is how it shifts the momentum of a game. Football's like chess, where you try to gain an advantage. I just love that feeling when you walk back to the halfway line and you see your team riled up and the other one deflated. I love that feeling because it makes it feel like scoring again will be easier."
Pochettino and the USMNT, too, will hope for more. Balogun has now scored twice in as many starts under the USMNT coach, offering a good glimpse into what next summer could look like. When the U.S. kicks off the World Cup next June before some 70,000 fans at SoFi Stadium, Balogun could very well be the man leading the line.
Not that he's nervous about that, mind you. In fact, it's everything he's been working for.
"I scored in the Copa America in that second game," Balogun says. "I scored with my left foot, and it was one of the nicer goals of my career, off the post and in. I remember just looking around the stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and there were 60,000 to 70,000 fans cheering. That's why I wanted to be a part of this. That's why I wanted to represent the USA."
Those definitive moments? They're coming. They're the ones he's always dreamed of. And it's why he's wearing a USMNT jersey. Balogun has always known that. Now, it's just about doing it, again and again and again.
Novo técnico do Vasco, Ramón Díaz já foi carrasco do Flamengo no Mundial de Clubes, no começo deste ano. O técnico era o comandante do Al Hilal que eliminou o Rubro-Negro na semifinal da competição, por 3 a 2.
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Díaz foi o primeiro treinador a colocar uma equipe da Arábia Saudita na final do Mundial. Do lado Rubro-Negro, Pedro foi o responsável pelos dois gols. O Al Hilal teve dois pênaltis marcados, ambos cobrados por Salem Al-Dawsari, além do gol de Luciano Vietto.
+ Confira a classificação do Brasileirão
Na partida, o Flamengo finalizou 13 vezes, mas com somente duas certas – no caso, ambos os gols de Pedro. Já o Al Hilal, de onze finalizações, acertou cinco.
Ramón Díaz enfrentou o Real Madrid na final, mas foi derrotado por 5 a 3. Este foi sua segunda passagem pelo clube árabe, onde tinha conquistado, na passagem anterior, o título saudita e a Copa do Rei, ambos em 2017. Antes de passar pelo Al Hilal, Díaz chegou a assumir o Botafogo, mas por um problema de saúde, nem chegou a estrear. Pelo clube árabe, na passagem mais recente, comandou 60 jogos, com 41 vitórias, 9 empates e 10 derrotas. Ao todo, teve 73% de aproveitamento.
Após arecusa de Gustavo Alfaro, o Vasco encaminhou a contratação do técnico Ramón Díaz, de 63 anos, segundo informação do jornalista César Luis Merlo e confirmada peloLance!. Há grande expectativa pela chegada do argentino no Brasil nas próximas horas para assinar contrato e começar a trabalhar com o elenco.
Poucas coisas unem Vítor Pereira a Vanderlei Luxemburgo no Corinthians como o apreço pelo futebol do jovem atacante Wesley. O treinador português deu as primeiras oportunidades ao jovem de 18 anos, e Luxa mantém a confiança na Cria do Terrão, que vem ganhando cada vez mais espaço no profissional.
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Wesley caiu nas graças da Fiel no empate por 1 a 1 com o São Paulo. O garoto foi uma aposta de Luxemburgo na equipe titular e sofreu o pênalti que resultou no gol de Róger Guedes, confirmando sua fama que carrega desde os tempos do Sub-17 de não “pipocar” em clássicos.
+ Todos os jogos doBrasileirãovocê encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!
Fã das pedaladas e dribles em velocidade, o atacante citou Ronaldo Fenômeno, Mbappé e Neymar como suas principais referências no futebol.
– Um cara que eu assisto muito é o Ronaldo Fenômeno, vejo muitos vídeos dele. Sou muito fã do Mbappé. Sem dúvida nosso maior ídolo do país no momento é o Neymar, então não posso descartar ele. Esses três são grandes ídolos- disse Wesley à Corinthians TV.
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Cada vez mais integrado ao profissional, o camisa 36 se mostrou incomodado com a seca de títulos do Timão – que não ganha uma taça desde o Paulistão de 2019 – e deseja ajudar o clube ao máximo.
– Sou muito grato ao professor pelas oportunidades que vem me dando. O objetivo de todos nós é fazer o Corinthians voltar a vencer, dar orgulho para a torcida. Meu objetivo é poder sempre ajudar, agregar com gols, e se Deus quiser conseguir ganhar um título pelo Corinthians, esse é o maior objetivo – concluiu o atacante de 18 anos.
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+ Timão se afasta do Z4? Veja tabela e os próximos jogos do Brasileirão
Destaque nas categorias de base do Timão, Wesley assinou seu primeiro contrato profissional no ano passado, com vínculo até 2025 e multa rescisória de 50 milhões de euros (R$ 264 milhões na cotação atual).
O Palmeiras saiu de campo insatisfeito com o empate em 0 a 0 diante do Santos, na Vila Belmiro. No entanto, o time de Abel Ferreira se tornou o único invicto do Brasileirão após a derrota do Fortaleza para o América-MG. Acontece que com mais essa partida sem perder, o Verdão ampliou outras invencibilidades que estavam em jogo no clássico do último sábado. Apesar da atuação ruim, há motivos para admirar a equipe.
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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
No Brasileirão são sete jogos, quatro vitórias e três empates. O retrospecto não dá ao Palmeiras a liderança na competição, já que os 15 pontos não superam os 18 do Botafogo, que perdeu uma vez, mas não empatou e venceu suas outras seis partidas. A sequência palmeirense sem perder, porém, permite um lugar próximo do topo, que o mantém vivo em todas as frentes que disputa.
Para comprovar isso, basta analisar outra invencibilidade. Ao todo, somando todas as competições, o Verdão tem 13 partidas sem perder e é o clube de Série A que há mais tempo não é derrotado, seguido pelo São Paulo, com dez. O Alviverde também é a equipe que menos perdeu no ano (apenas duas derrotas, seguido pelo Grêmio, com três). Ou seja, perder pouco é uma das virtudes dos comandados de Abel.
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Mas as invencibilidades mantidas não param por aí. Diante do Santos, o Palmeiras completou 12 jogos sem derrota, somando nove vitórias e três empates. Com isso, o Verdão igualou a segunda maior sequência invicta em partidas contra o Peixe na história, que ocorreu entre 1939 e 1943 – o recorde é de 16 partidas, entre 1917 e 1926.
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O empate na Vila ampliou também a série invicta do Alviverde em clássicos estaduais: agora são nove partidas no total, com cinco vitórias e quatro empates nos duelos mais recentes com Corinthians, São Paulo e Santos. Nos últimos 14 jogos contra os rivais, apenas uma derrota (para o Tricolor, no Morumbi), com nove vitórias e quatro empates.
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Pensando em ampliar esse números, o Palmeiras volta a campo nesta quarta-feira, às 19h (de Brasília), quando enfrenta o Cerro Porteño-PAR, pela fase de grupos da Libertadores. O Verdão viaja até Assunção-PAR para buscar os três pontos pelo Grupo C da competição continental, no qual é vice-líder, perdendo para o Bolívar-BOL no saldo de gols, uma vez que ambos conquistar seis pontos nas três primeiras rodadas.
Transgender women who have gone through male puberty will be excluded from Tiers 1 and 2 of the ECB’s new women’s county competition, as well as the women’s Hundred, after the ECB chose to bring its eligibility policy into line with that adopted by the ICC in 2023.In a statement, the ECB acknowledged that the transgender issue was a “complex area” in which it was “impossible to balance all the considerations”, but cited concerns about player safety at the sport’s elite level in explaining its new position.The clarification comes ahead of the relaunch of women’s domestic cricket in 2025, and brings the English game into line with other elite sports in the UK, including swimming, cycling, athletics, rugby league and rugby union.The policy will not, however, be extended to the grassroots game, nor to Tier 3 of the county competition, which at this stage will comprise teams from the ECB’s national (formerly minor) counties, but which will be subject to promotion and relegation from higher tiers from 2029 onwards.”Considerable time has been taken to reach this policy position,” the board said in its statement. “The ECB recognises that transgender participation is a complex area, with many strongly held views, and it is impossible to balance all the considerations.”We want everyone to feel included and welcome in our sport, and believe the position reached strikes an appropriate balance by ensuring fairness in the elite game while ensuring inclusivity at a recreational level, with specific safeguards in place to manage disparities and ensure safety.”Related
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The ECB’s previous policy had permitted any player who identified as female to compete in professional club and England pathway teams, so long as they had written clearance.In November 2023, the ICC tightened its eligibility policy at the culmination of a nine-month consultation with its stakeholders, and stated that it had based its findings (in order of priority), on “protection of the integrity of the women’s game, safety, fairness and inclusion”.The most prominent player to have been affected by the rule-change was Canada’s Danielle McGahey, who featured in the ICC Women’s T20 Americas Qualifier in September 2023, but acknowledged soon afterwards that her career was over.The ECB added: “Having considered wide-ranging views gathered during the consultation, as well as in consultations conducted during 2023, and the relevant science and medical evidence, the ECB has decided that from 2025 it will adopt the same approach as the ICC for women’s professional domestic cricket. This provides consistency, given that a primary purpose of the top end of the domestic structure is to produce international players.”The detailed policy will now be developed over the coming months, in consultation with stakeholders, and is due to be formally in place in time for the 2025 domestic season. It will apply to Tiers 1 and 2 of the new women’s domestic structure from 2025, as well as the Hundred women’s competition.”
Pakistan captain had left team after her father’s death, Diana replaced by Najiha Alvi
Firdose Moonda12-Oct-2024Pakistan captain Fatima Sana will return to the UAE on Sunday to play in her team’s must-win T20 World Cup match against New Zealand on Monday.Sana left the team on Thursday after news of the passing of her father and was not available for Friday’s match against Australia, which Pakistan lost by nine wickets.Pakistan remain in contention for the knockouts but need to beat New Zealand by a substantial margin on Monday, and hope other results go their way. If India beat Australia out Sunday, Pakistan will not be able to reach the semis.Sana was missed on Friday, where Pakistan were also without senior seamer Diana Baig, who on Saturday was replaced in the squad by Najiha Alvi after failing to recover from a right calf muscle injury she suffered during their first match of the tournament, against Sri Lanka on October 3.Diana Baig walked off injured after bowling one ball•ICC/Getty ImagesNajiha, a 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has played 12 ODIs and eight T20Is, scoring 14 runs across her four innings in the shortest format. She last played at international level during Pakistan’s tour of England in May, scoring 26 not out and 6 in her two ODI innings there. Prior to that, she played in both home white-ball series against West Indies.Against Australia, Pakistan’s batting, in particular, misfired as only Aliya Riaz scored more than 20, and they were bowled out for the lowest total so far in the tournament, 82.Though Sana, who was named captain of the side in August, has been batting as low as No.7 in the two matches she has played so far, she was up at No.5 in the lead-up, and holds Pakistan’s highest individual score at this event: 30. She has also opened the bowling and is Pakistan’s second-highest wicket-taker with four strikes from two matches and has their lowest economy rate of 4.82.Related
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Opening batter Muneeba Ali led in Sana’s absence and faced questions over the batting collapse, which she responded to gamely. “We accept as a batting group that this is the third match and we have not adapted to the conditions really well. We will have to step up the batting for the next match,” she said at the post-match press conference. “As a batting group, we will have to sit and think how we can increase our scoring areas and what approach we should take in the next match.”Earlier in the tournament, Sana was questioned over why she is not batting higher and maintained it was a “team decision.” When Muneeba was asked whether the coach had been making decisions unilaterally, she rejected that assumption and explained that the team remained a work in progress.”The management and coach discuss and we all mutually decide. We need help too. We’re young,” Muneeba said. “If we talk about Fatima, she is also young in her internationals. I have also led for the first time. We need help and management is for this purpose. But collectively, decisions are planned before the match and things are decided mutually.”
Fabrizio Romano anticipates Liverpool will spend more money this summer. They’ve spent a fair bit already, but then why not?
Arne Slot surprised a few when he led the Reds to the Premier League title last season, surprised a few when he did it having spent very little in the 2024 summer market, bringing over a £12.5m man in Federico Chiesa, who sat in Mohamed Salah’s shadow all year long.
Mohamed Salah celebrates Liverpool's Premier League triumph
But that was all. And so now that Liverpool are Premier League champions, having invested nominally over the past two years, they have been granted by FSG a war chest which has been used on a range of thrilling signings.
Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have buttressed the wide banks; Florian Wirtz is a Liverpool player, leaving Bayer Leverkusen along with Frimpong in a deal worth £116m. That’s a British record. Giorgi Mamardashvili, a 24-year-old goalkeeper with lofty ambitions, has completed his move from Valencia too.
Florian Wirtz
And now, Hugo Ekitike is on the cusp of sealing his own move, there or thereabouts completing Liverpool’s frontline.
Hugo Ekitike and what comes next
Ekitike is all but a Liverpool player. Only the official announcement remains. The Eintracht Frankfurt forward is 23, and he is already “one of the best strikers out there”, as analyst Ben Mattinson has put it.
Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes no doubt feel they have hit the jackpot.
Ekitike will prove a big upgrade on Darwin Nunez, who is expected to leave Liverpool this summer. But more is needed at the front of the ship.
Chiesa may also be on the move after his disappointing debut season, and Luis Diaz is the subject of Bayern Munich’s focused interest. A £58.5m bid was knocked back last week, and the Bundesliga champions plan to return with an improved offer.
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
Diaz, 28, wants a better contract, but one does not appear to be forthcoming. He has less than two years remaining at Liverpool, so cashing in for a hefty fee might be the track to go down.
And anyway, Liverpool have set their sights on the perfect replacement.
Liverpool in talks with Diaz replacement
Over the past several weeks, Liverpool have emerged as contenders for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, who is slated to leave Xabi Alonso’s side this summer after being informed he had slipped down the pecking order.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo
And now, according to Foot Mercato, Liverpool have been engaged in recent talks with the player’s camp as they look to complete a stunning transfer, although official contacts with Real Madrid have yet to take place.
The 24-year-old is also wanted by Arsenal and has been priced at £87m by Los Blancos, so there’s a lot to consider on FSG’s part.
Why Liverpool want Rodrygo
Rodrygo is a talented forward, but he’s been limited somewhat at Real Madrid over the past year, rarely playing in his favoured left-sided attacking role and overshadowed by the likes of Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.
Rodrygo's Real Madrid career (timeless)
Still, in spite of his going 17 matches in a row without a goal before the 2024/25 season wrapped up, Rodrygo managed to notch 25 goal involvements across the campaign – the same as Diaz – and showcased his slick technical quality, ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.
This completeness of style has even led to FBref’s data-driven algorithms linking Wirtz and former Reds target Khvicha Kvaratskhelia being two of his most comparable players, and if through the lens of these comparisons that we better understand why FSG are so intent on bringing him over to Merseyside.
Rodrygo has the natural silkiness of movement that aligns with Paris Saint-Germain’s Kvaratskhelia, who is regarded as one of the game’s pre-eminent current ball carriers. Mattinson had also praised him, saying of the Georgian: “Superstar ability but works like a dog off the ball.”
And then Rodrygo is also blessed with a certain creative flair and incisiveness in front of goal that isn’t too dissimilar to Liverpool’s record signing, who, across the past two campaigns with Leverkusen, has posted 34 goals and 35 assists across all competitions.
24/25
31 (25)
10
13
23/24
32 (26)
11
12
22/23
17 (11)
1
6
21/22
24 (22)
7
10
20/21
29 (25)
5
6
The Brazil forward provides potent support each year, but his La Liga form left something to be desired last year. As per Sofascore, though, he only missed one big chance, converting six more.
At his finest, Rodrygo is regarded to be “on a different level”, as said by talent scout Jacek Kulig, in the same way that Wirtz and Kvaratskhelia demand awe when at their rip-roaring best.
Wirtz, indeed, is incredibly sharp in the crucial moments, often making the right decision as he places a weighted pass into a teammate’s pocket of space, or making the perfect shimmy as he skips to the side and unleashes a pinpoint strike on goal.
Florian Wirtz celebrates with Jeremie Frimpong
While Rodrygo has work to do until he reaches that level, which he is capable of, you’d think that at Liverpool on the left, he would have the freedom and renewed confidence to go from strength to strength.
After all, the versatile forward has demonstrated over a number of years his aptitude in the Champions League, so often coming up trumps on Europe’s biggest stage.
With the athleticism of a superstar like Kvaratskhelia and the innate attacking sharpness of Liverpool’s new star recruit, Rodrygo could be exactly what Slot is looking for, and must be signed if Diaz does indeed go.
A better signing than Rodrygo: Liverpool leading race to land £45m star
Liverpool are hoping to make a few more signings in the summer transfer window.
Chelsea are set to welcome two more new signings, with Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro poised to join Enzo Maresca’s side from Borussia Dortmund and Brighton respectively, but this £100m-plus double deal means that outgoings simply have to be sorted out sooner rather than later.
Chelsea offered £337k-per-week ex-Aston Villa star with decision made
They once came close to signing him.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 1, 2025
The Blues were given an almighty boost when their fourth total bid for Gittens was accepted by Dortmund, and the Englishman will now undergo a medical after Chelsea finally shook hands on a £55 million deal with the Bundesliga side.
Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season
Average match rating
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
Chelsea will also add another new striker to their ranks after their £30 million move for Liam Delap, with Pedro sealing a switch to west London for an initial £55 million, which may rise to £60 million if certain add-ons are met (Fabrizio Romano).
The moves take BlueCo’s total outlay for the window to around £140 million at least, and they now face some pressure from UEFA after allegedly breaking their financial fair play rules.
Chelsea and Aston Villa are apparently facing UEFA FFP breaches, with clubs required to limit spending on wages and transfer fees to around 80 per cent of revenue. They’re also permitted a loss of around £77 million over three years, less than the PSR threshold of around £105 million in that same timeframe, and this has sparked additional pressure on Chelsea’s recruitment team to raise money.
Maresca’s side are set to be fined this week as they attempt to reach a settlement, according to the i paper, so Chelsea may need an influx of cash from player sales to help balance the books.
Europe’s financial regulations are generally tighter than England’s, and they’re under more pressure in that regard, as Chelsea’s £200m sale of the women’s team to a separate company, Blueco 22 Midco Ltd, has not been permitted as a viable source of revenue by UEFA for 24/25 – despite being allowed by the Premier League.
Christopher Nkunku pushing to leave Chelsea
Even when taking into account the financial side of things, this influx of new attackers has also left Maresca awashed with too many final-third options, so the squad needs to be balanced out with key exit deals.
According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, £195,000-per-week Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku is a prime contender for the Stamford Bridge exit door, and the club will indeed be forced to sell players in the coming weeks.
The Frenchman bagged 14 goals in all competitions last season but ultimately failed to break into Maresca’s starting eleven on a regular-enough basis, and he’s been regularly linked with an exit since January.
Nkunku is “pushing” to leave Chelsea right now as he seeks to embark on the next chapter of his career, as per O’Rourke, and their Premier League rivals have been credited with interest.
Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Nkunku, according to some reports, while the reliable Ben Jacobs reported in May that Tottenham made an enquiry over the 27-year-old’s availability.
While Nkunku has struggled to fit into a highly competitive squad, he has largely chipped in when required, and the former RB Leipzig sensation’s current teammates rate him very highly.
“Yeah, he’s a top player, we all know his quality, how he is as a player,” said João Félix last season.
“We already saw him doing amazing things at Leipzig. And yeah, I like to play with him. I think we think the game kind of like the same way. So I think he already know what I’m going to do, and I know what he’s going to do. I think it’s pretty easy to play with him. I think we connect very well.”
There might still be over two months left of the summer transfer window, but Arsenal fans are starting to get a little nervous, and understandably so.
For example, Premier League title rivals Manchester City have already secured the mercurial Rayan Cherki, among other potential first-teamers, while Liverpool have smashed their transfer record to bring in the incredible Florian Wirtz.
Worse yet, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, who were diabolically poor this season, are battling to sign the free-scoring Bryan Mbeumo.
Brentford's BryanMbeumocelebrates scoring their first goal
However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as reports have now linked Arsenal to a Premier League star who has been compared to the Brentford monster.
Arsenal ramping up pursuit of Premier League star
With Arsenal’s attack being their Achilles heel this season, the club have unsurprisingly been linked with a plethora of talented frontline players, including a handful from the Premier League, such as Ollie Watkins and Karou Mitoma.
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The former was a surprise target for the Gunners in the winter window, and as he ended the campaign with a haul of 31 goal involvements in 54 games, it’s easy to understand why they might be interested in him again, especially at a price of around £40m.
However, the links to the Brighton & Hove Albion star are a little harder to understand, as while he did well enough this year, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists in 41 games, he didn’t do enough to justify the reported £80m price tag.
Moreover, similarly to the Aston Villa ace, it’s hard to draw too many parallels to the highly sought-after Mbeumo, which isn’t the case for the Gunners’ latest target: Mohammed Kudus.
Yes, according to a recent report from the Sun, Arsenal are one of a few English teams incredibly interested in signing the West Ham United star.
In fact, alongside Chelsea, the report has revealed that Arsenal have already held ‘exploratory talks’ over the player, who will have an £85m release clause active in his contract for clubs in the Premier League ten days from July 1st.
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but due to Kudus’ immense talent and potential, it’s one Arsenal should be fighting for, especially as he’s won comparisons to Mbeumo.
How Kudus compares to Mbeumo
In this instance, the primary comparison to the Brentford star stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in the Premier League this season and came to the conclusion that Mbeumo was the sixth most similar forward to Kudus in the competition.
Progressive Carries
3.40
3.43
Non-Penalty Expected Goals
0.24
0.20
Passes into the Final Third
1.60
1.66
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.52
0.50
Live Passes
29.1
30.7
Shot-Creating Actions
3.72
3.80
Tackles
1.32
1.29
Tackles Won
0.80
0.82
Successful Take-On %
44.2%
46.8%
The best way to understand how this conclusion was reached is by examining some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked incredibly closely, such as non-penalty expected goals, progressive carries, passes into the final third, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.
However, it’s not just the comparable statistics that make the two players so similar, as they are also both incredibly versatile.
For example, the Bees ace is more than capable of playing off the right, up top and even as a second striker when necessary, while the Hammers’ “generational talent,” as dubbed by journalist Gary Al-Smith, can play off either flank, up top and even in central and attacking midfield.
So, the former Ajax gem would provide Arteta with some of the same tactical flexibility that the Cameroon international looks set to provide Ruben Amorim or Thomas Frank.
Finally, while the 24-year-old dynamo didn’t enjoy his best campaign this year, he’s shown an ability to be as effective as the former Troyes gem.
For example, across his time in the Netherlands and then East London in the 23/24 season, the Ghanaian phenom was able to score 18 goals and provide ten assists in 48 appearances, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.71 games.
Ultimately, while it could cost them an arm and a leg, Arsenal would do well to sign Kudus this summer, as he’d provide them with another brilliant attacking option and be the perfect answer to whoever signs Mbeumo.
Arsenal willing to make "top drawer" £70m star one of their highest earners