علق عمرو أبو العز، المدير الإداري السابق لنادي الزمالك، على الأزمة المثارة مؤخرًا بشأن إيقاف نبيل عماد دونجا عن المشاركة مع الفريق في بطولة السوبر المصري، وذلك على خلفية العقوبة الصادرة ضده في الموسم الماضي.
وقال عمرو أبو العز في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب”، على قناة “mbc masr”: “بغضّ النظر عمّا إذا كان قد وصل خطاب أو فاكس أو بريد إلكتروني، فالأمر الطبيعي لأي مدير إداري أو مدير كرة يستعد لبطولة يشارك فيها، أن يرسل خطابًا إلى الاتحاد أو الجهة المنظمة للبطولة، يستفسر فيه عمّا إذا كان هناك أي عقوبات على لاعبي الفريق أم لا”.
وتساءل: “هل قمنا بإرسال هذا الخطاب للاستعلام؟ بالتأكيد لم نفعل، لأنه لو كنا أرسلنا لاستفسرنا وعرفنا أن هناك إيقافًا لكل من نبيل دونجا وشلبي وكابتن عبد الواحد السيد”.
طالع أيضًا | بعد أزمة دونجا.. شوبير يفتح النار على اتحاد الكرة: “فوضى وقرارات تُتخذ بالتليفون”
وتابع: “حتى لو لم تصل أي رسائل أو مراسلات رسمية، فإن الطبيعي قبل انطلاق أي بطولة، سواء كانت الدوري أو الكأس، أن أرسل إلى اتحاد الكرة أو رابطة الأندية لأعرف من اللاعبين الذين لديهم إنذارات أو إيقافات، ويأتيني الرد الرسمي بذلك”.
وأضاف: “اتحاد الكرة بالفعل أرسل الخطاب، وقد شاهدته بعيني، وكان من الممكن أن يتواصلوا مع الكابتن عبد الواحد أو معي شخصيًا للاستفسار عمّا إذا كان هناك أمر مشابه، وكنا سنؤكد لهم وجود الخطاب أو نفيه”.
واختتم: “لقد تعلمت من اللواء الراحل فاروق أبو العز، رحمه الله، أن أقول الحقيقة مهما كانت، حتى وإن كانت على رقبتي، لا يصح أن يسألني أحد عن أمر رأيته بعيني وأنكر ذلك، لأن هذا يعني أنني رجل كاذب، وهذا لا يليق”.
A chance de jogar no futebol brasileiro, uma liga de maior competitividade e evidência na América do Sul, perto da família e dos negócios, além da chance de de atuar ao lado de Rafinha novamente foram alguns dos pontos que fizeram com que James Rodríguez deixasse encaminhada a assinatura de um contrato de dois anos com o São Paulo. O acordo ainda não foi assinado e o astro colombiano de 32 anos é esperado até o final de semana para a realização de exames médicos.
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+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Tricolor com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF
O Lance! apurou com fontes da alta cúpula tricolor que as tratativas com o meia, que não joga desde o início de abril, quando rescindiu o seu contrato com o Olympiacos, da Grécia, iniciaram há cerca de um mês. Nesse período, o colombiano já havia recusado a investida do Botafogo. E afastou outros clubes brasileiros que fizeram sondagem sobre sua situação.
Com o São Paulo, contudo, a conversa foi diferente. James enfatizou a Jorge Mendes, poderoso empresário português que cuida da sua carreira, que a prioridade seria continuar na Europa. Não aconteceu. A sequências de atuações pouco convincentes do meia em Real Madrid, Bayern de Munique e Everton, seus últimos clubes de destaque no Velho Continente, afastaram interessados em seu futebol nas maiores ligas do mundo.
O tempo foi passando e o Tricolor deixou seu interesse na mesa ao mesmo tempo que viu outros interessados aparecerem. À reportagem, fontes confidenciaram que James recebeu propostas para ir à MLS, liga dos EUA, e o mundo árabe.
No primeiro caso, o colombiano recusou a investida por acreditar que, com 32 anos, ainda tenha ‘lenha para queimar’. Ou seja, jogar no Brasil representaria uma exigência técnica maior. Já com os árabes, o meia recusou pelo fato de que sua família não teria se adaptado bem quando ele atuou no Qatar, anos atrás.
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E, claro, pesou o fator Rafinha. O atual capitão são-paulino jogou junto com o craque colombiano entre 2017 e 2019 no Bayern de Munique. Juntos , conquistaram duas Bundesliga e uma Copa da Alemanha. E Rafinha fez sua parte. Conversa com o colega desde o início das negociações para falar sobre como é o futebol brasileiro e a estrutura que encontrará no clube do Morumbi
Os dois teriam se encontrado pessoalmente no último final de semana, quando Rafinha foi liberado pelo São Paulo para participar de um evento do Bayern na Alemanha onde ele e James foram homenageados. E novamente o Tricolor e o futebol brasileiro foram assunto.
Em entrevistas passadas, James também sempre deixou aberta a possibilidade de atuar no futebol brasileiro. O jogador gosta do país e viveu sua melhor fase na carreira por aqui, na Copa do Mundo de 2014.
Inaki Pena was "left with a bitter taste" after spending the latter half of the 2024-25 season on the bench, with Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick opting to play Wojciech Szczesny as the first-choice goalkeeper. Pena also revealed that the Catalans pressured him to delay his departure amid difficulty in registering summer signing Joan Garcia and the long-term absence of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
From Barcelona starter to bench warmer
Pena was included in the 2024-25 roster by head coach Hansi Flick, being assigned the role of Ter Stegen's understudy. However, just a month into the campaign, the German international suffered an ACL injury. Pena, thus, became the automatic choice to serve as the first-choice goalkeeper. In October, Barca struck an agreement with Wojciech Szczesny, who came out of retirement to join the Catalans until the end of the season.
Pena proved his credentials and showed that he was ready to shoulder the responsibility in Ter Stegen's absence, drawing praise for his incredible performance in the 4-0 drubbing of Real Madrid in a La Liga Clasico in October 2024. However, at the turn of the year, Szczesny was handed his first start in the Supercopa de Espana, and the Polish veteran sealed his spot in the XI, much to Pena's disappointment.
The-then 25-year-old reportedly had a private meeting with Flick, in which he was told by the German boss that the chances of him returning to the lineup were slim barring an injury to Szczesny. In all, Pena made 23 appearances for Barcelona last season.
Barcelona were keen on extending Szczesny's contract after his reassuring displays as the protector of their goal. Additionally, the Blaugrana were desperate to sign Garcia from Espanyol following his sensational performances in La Liga, with the young keeper coming to the club as the new first-choice custodian. With Ter Stegen also pretty much a part of the club's plans despite going to war with Barca's board, Pena's future at the club remained as uncertain as ever.
It was obvious that the Alicante-born goalkeeper would depart this past summer, but his exit was blocked by Barcelona. The club's fragile financial condition meant that they faced difficulties in completing the registrations of Garcia and Szczesny. As such, Pena was pressured to delay his transfer after explaining to the player that his switch to another club was contingent on if and when they could get the required registrations over the line.
Teams such as Como and Galatasaray had previously expressed interest in acquiring Pena's services, but the two clubs eventually moved on due to the recurring delays in Barca's clearing Pena for a departure. In the end, Pena signed a three-year extension with the reigning La Liga champions and joined newly-promoted Elche on a season-long loan.
Pena criticises Barcelona for asking him to delay summer transfer
“I played 25 or 26 games, but you're left with a bitter taste in your mouth when you haven't played for the last few months,” said the goalkeeper at his official presentation for Elche, who admitted that he chose Elche after weighing up “the pros and cons.”
He explained why his departure got delayed. “Barca asked me to wait until they registered the goalkeepers, and obviously, it was going to be easy because I have a contract, but I needed to play as many games as possible and have continuity, which is what I've been lacking in recent years to make the leap,” Pena added.
"[Elche head coach Eder Sarabia] knows what I can give and I know what he wants from me. I spoke to him several times in the summer, but Barca wouldn't let me leave until they had registered their goalkeepers. But he gave me confidence and told me they were waiting for me, something not all clubs do."
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When does Pena play next?
Pena made his debut for Elche on September 21, helping his side to a 1-0 win over Real Oviedo. He started the next game, too – a 1-1 draw against Osasuna. However, he faces competition from 38-year-old Matias Dituro, who has started five games. Elche remain one of the only two teams, alongside Barca, to not have lost a single La Liga game so far.
Mohamed Salah has admitted that he is struggling to fully click with one new Liverpool signing currently, despite the Reds’ strong start to the season.
A memorable summer of transfers for Liverpool
The Premier League champions may have been left disappointed with failing to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace on deadline day, but this summer has still been one for the ages at Anfield.
Liverpool have broken their transfer record twice, as well as the British one for that matter, bringing in Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak from Bayer Leverkusen and Newcastle United respectively.
But that was far from the Reds’ only transfer business, with Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez strengthening the full-back areas, Hugo Ekitike arriving in a big-money move from Eintracht Frankfurt and Giovanni Leoni joining from Parma, being seen as a centre-back with huge potential.
Liverpool have started their title defence with three wins out of three in the Premier League, with Ekitike already scoring three times and many of the new signings already making a positive impression. Despite this, some interesting new comments from Salah have emerged.
Salah admits he isn't clicking with Liverpool teammate
Speaking to the Men In Blazers podcast [via Caught Offside], Salah admitted that he is still taking time to gel with Ekitike at Liverpool, as they look to gain an on-pitch understanding like he and Darwin Nunez did.
Salah also took to X on Wednesday to criticise a Liverpool fan account for showing disrespect to former players Nunez and Luis Diaz, with the Reds legend making it clear that it is unfair to compare them to new signings.
It is a fair stance from Salah, who clearly doesn’t want to see his friends and former colleagues painted in a bad light, and he always showed his admiration for Nunez despite his struggles, saying he loved playing with him.
“It was Firmino (favourite teammate), now I feel I generally like playing with Nunez. A lot of people don’t like him but I like playing with him. I see [the Q&A host] keeps shaking his head not liking [my answer]. I like playing with him in general. A player with different skills. Not a lot of people understand his game.”
Salah isn’t criticising Ekitike by any means, or Wirtz for that matter, instead realising that it takes time to adjust, which is perhaps why his form hasn’t been great in the opening three matches. The more he clicks with him, though, the more devastating the Egyptian will become again.
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It’s simply a case of Arne Slot continuing to play them together, with Isak also coming in, and Liverpool’s all-round performances getting better as the campaign goes on. Still, the champions haven’t made too bad a start.
Liverpool are now “stepping up efforts” to bring a “fantastic” player to Anfield this summer with talks open, according to reliable journalist Lewis Steele.
Slot sends warning to Liverpool players
The Premier League champions were far from their best in the Community Shield on Sunday, with Crystal Palace getting the better of them on penalties.
Arne Slot clearly isn’t taking anything for granted heading into the new season, warning his Liverpool players that they have to be “more ready” than they were last weekend.
“This (Palace) was the number 12 team of last season, a very good team especially towards the end (of the season) so that maybe they are better than the 12th position they ended up in. If this is the number 12 team who can make it such a hard time for you then you know what you have to expect if you are going to play here (in England).
“This is what they know now and the ones that played here for a longer time also know that if you’ve won the league, if you wear a Liverpool shirt then everybody wants to win desperately against you. We have to be more ready for that than we were today.”
Things have gone quieter on the transfer front in the past week or so at Liverpool, but a new update suggests that their interest in a key target could be set to increase.
Liverpool in talks to sign Guehi from Crystal Palace
According to David Ornstein on X, Liverpool are now “stepping up efforts” to sign Marc Guehi, with the Reds still opening “talks” for the Palace captain.
Guehi was impressive against the Reds in the Community Shield, marshalling the defence well, and he still arguably stands out as the best choice to bolster their defence this summer.
Parma teenager Giovanni Leoni is also a great long-term option, having been linked with Liverpool, but the Palace ace is already a proven top-level player, with Eagles manager Oliver Glasner lauding him this time last year.
“That’s always for me the most important thing, that the players tell me that they like to play with us, that they like to play for Crystal Palace, that they like to play for the team here, and this Marc told me very often. But sometimes people tell and act the opposite way, but Marc told me and he acted in the same way, so he really showed his fantastic character again.”
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Admittedly, the £50,000-a-week Guehi won’t be arriving on the cheap, but with only one year remaining on his current Palace deal, Liverpool will hope they can still sign him for a cut-price amount.
Manchester United's hopes of reaching the Women's Champions League league phase suffered a blow after a narrow defeat in Norway, but manager Marc Skinner has fired back at Brann's celebrations. The Red Devils dominated large spells of the game but were undone late on, leaving them with everything to do in next week's decisive second leg at Leigh Sports Village.
Skinner insists Man Utd were better team despite 1-0 defeat
Warns Brann they'll "see at Leigh" in decisive second leg
Calls on fans to fill stadium and create fierce atmosphere
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Manchester United controlled much of the game in Bergen, creating numerous chances through Ella Toone, Dominique Janssen and Jess Park. However, inspired goalkeeping from Selma Panengstuen and some wasteful finishing kept the score level until Ingrid Stenevik headed home 13 minutes from time. That goal secured Brann a 1-0 win and set up a tense return leg at Leigh Sports Village, and Red Devils boss Skinner has now fired a warning to the Norwegian side.
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WHAT SKINNER SAID
Speaking to the media, Skinner said: "We were the better team, but we didn’t win the game. We lost on a set piece, which is something we’ve got to be more aggressive with in the box. We created chances but just weren’t clinical enough. But let me be very clear: it’s half-time. Brann are celebrating like they’ve already won the tie – so let’s see when they come back to Leigh. Other than that, Phallon’s had nothing to do – and that’s European football. I’ve told the girls: don’t drop your shoulders. It’s halftime, and we can use all that energy against them next week when we play at home.
"Sometimes a team gets lucky – the ball doesn’t fall for you, and that’s okay, that’s football. That’s why you have two legs. Now we take them back to Leigh Sports Village, where we’ll need our fans to turn up in great numbers, be loud, and make it even tougher than it was here tonight. Let’s see if Brann can deal with that pressure, because at the end of the game they were already in the deepest of blocks. If we put them there early and are clinical, we’ll win the tie.
"I want to fill [Leigh Sports Village]. Come on, let’s get our Manchester energy against a European opponent, because that’s what we’ll need. Tonight, their crowd was like an extra player for them, and it helped them get the result. If we can do the same, we’ll make sure we go through. We’ll have to be at our very best, of course, but that’s what we’re aiming for. So come and fill the seats, get right behind us, and let’s get through to Europe together."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
This result means United’s dream of reaching the Women’s Champions League group stage hangs in the balance. Their progress would mark a historic milestone, as the club have never previously competed in the main tournament. Brann, meanwhile, took full advantage of home support on a record-breaking night for women’s football in Norway.
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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?
United must now win the second leg at Leigh Sports Village by at least two goals to guarantee progress. Skinner’s side will hope that home advantage, coupled with their attacking quality, will be enough to overturn the deficit. Failure to do so would leave them facing a major disappointment early in their European journey.
Haryana fast bowler bagged 10 for 49 against Kerala, and became the sixth Indian to achieve the feat in first-class cricket
Shashank Kishore15-Nov-2024
Anshul Kamboj made history in Rohtak•PTI
Haryana fast bowler Anshul Kamboj became only the third cricketer to take all ten wickets in an innings in the Ranji Trophy. He achieved this feat when he dismissed Kerala’s Shoun Roger at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Stadium in Lahli, to finish with figures of 30.1-9-49-10 in the first innings.Two other bowlers had taken all ten wickets in an innings in the Ranji Trophy previously: Bengal’s Premangsu Chatterjee in 1956-57 and Rajasthan’s Pradeep Sunderam in 1985-86. Overall, Kamboj is the sixth Indian to achieve this feat in first-class cricket after legspinners Subhash Gupte and Anil Kumble, and Odisha seamer Debasis Mohanty. While there have been 90 instances of bowlers taking all ten wickets in an innings in first-class cricket, Kumble along with England’s Jim Laker and New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel are the only ones to do it in a Test match.
Kamboj, 23, comes from Karnal in Haryana, a boxing heartland, and began playing cricket on open fields. It wasn’t until the age of 14 that he began to take cricket seriously. In less than a decade, Kamboj has progressed to play for his state team and has also broken into the IPL.The milestone of ten wickets in an innings is yet another achievement for Kamboj over the last 12 months. He took 17 wickets in ten games with an economy of 3.58 in Harayana’s run to the Vijay Hazare Trophy title, including a best of 4 for 30 in the semi-final against Tamil Nadu.While playing for India C against India B during the Duleep Trophy in September, Kamboj picked up 8 for 69, his best first-class figures until the ten-wicket haul. That performance included the wickets of seasoned domestic batters like Sarfaraz Khan, Rinku Singh and N Jagadeesan. Last month, he was part of the India Emerging squad at the T20 Asia Cup, where he turned in a match-winning performance of 3 for 33 against Pakistan Shaheens.Kamboj also got his maiden IPL contract this year with Mumbai Indians and played three games at the back end of a season where they finished in last place. He was a candidate to be an uncapped retention ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, and although that didn’t happen his performances this year will make him one of the uncapped Indian players to watch at the auction on November 24 and 25.
Jaiswal and Jayasuriya were the other big movers up the Test tables, while Gurbaz and Rashid rose on the ODI tables
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2024
Rishabh Pant scored 39 and 109 on his return to Test cricket•AFP/Getty Images
Rishabh Pant has re-entered the ICC Test batting rankings at No. 6, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Prabath Jayasuriya were the other big movers up that table – while Rohit Sharma has slid down – following the Test matches in Chennai and Galle. Afghanistan’s white-ball stars, meanwhile, have moved up quite dramatically on the ODI tables, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rashid Khan making waves. Travis Head, too, has made a jump up the table.Pant, playing Test cricket after a gap of close to two years – the first time since a car crash threatened to end his career – struck 39 and 109 (off just 128 balls) in India’s 280-run win over Bangladesh in their first Test in Chennai. That put Pant straight back into sixth place with 731 rating points. Jaiswal, who was in sixth place prior to the latest update, moved up to fifth courtesy his 56 in India’s first innings, which gave him 751 points.Joe Root is well ahead of the pack on that list, with 899 points, with Kane Williamson, who scored 55 and 30 in New Zealand’s 63-run loss in the first Test in Galle, in second place with 852 points. Daryl Mitchell (760 points) and Steven Smith (757 points) held on to their spots above Jaiswal.Full rankings tables
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But Rohit, who returned 6 and 5 in Chennai, falling to pace in both innings, moved down quite sharply, going from No. 5 to No. 10, just four rating points above Babar Azam at No. 11.Virat Kohli also went down five spots, to No. 12, following scores of 6 and 17, while Shubman Gill, who scored 119 not out in the second innings against Bangladesh, moved up five places to 14th.The big mover in the bowling rankings was Jayasuriya, whose 4 for 136 and 5 for 68 earned him the Player-of-the-Match award in Galle. Jayasuriya climbed five positions to No. 8.Australians and Indians dominate that table. R Ashwin (0 for 29 and 6 for 88 in Chennai) is No. 1, followed by Jasprit Bumrah (4 for 50 and 1 for 24) at No. 2. After Bumrah, there’s Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Kagiso Rabada before another Indian, Ravindra Jadeja (2 for 19 and 3 for 58) slots in at sixth, with Nathan Lyon at No. 7.Kamindu Mendis’ 114 in the first innings against New Zealand, meanwhile, took him up three spots to 16th on the batters’ list.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Gurbaz and Head move up ODI batters’ ladderGurbaz fell for a duck in the first ODI against South Africa in Sharjah, but struck back, hitting 105 in 110 balls and 89 in 94 balls in the next two games as Afghanistan won the series 2-1. That made him the first from his country to get into the top ten among ODI batters, putting him in eighth place – a rise of ten spots.Head smashed 154 not out in 129 balls in the first ODI against England – in a match where he also returned 2 for 34 with the ball – to go up seven spots to No. 9.In that Afghanistan vs South Africa series, Rashid was the other big contributor for his team. He picked up seven wickets across Afghanistan’s two wins over South Africa, going up a whopping eight spots on the bowlers’ table to No. 3, only behind Keshav Maharaj and Adam Zampa.
Manchester United are in desperate need of investment during this summer transfer window if they are to avoid a repeat of the 2024/25 campaign in the Premier League.
The Red Devils ended the year in a measly 15th place last time around, only picking up 42 points in their 38 league outings, highlighting the terrible season they endured.
Ruben Amorim was unable to transform the club’s fortunes during the second half of the campaign, evidently needing added investment from the hierarchy if he is to be successful at Old Trafford.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim.
£62.5m has already been spent on Matheus Cunha, potentially being joined at the club by Bryan Mbeumo after a £70m deal was agreed for his services in recent days.
Such deals would see them spend over £120m in the early months of the window, but more signings are to be expected to help add further strength to the forward line.
The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer
Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović continues to be linked with a move to United this summer, potentially being available for a bargain fee given his desire to leave the Serie A outfit.
The Serbian could be put on the market for just £15m, a deal that could be a bargain given his tally of 17 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions last campaign.
Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic
However, he’s not the only forward currently on Amorim’s radar this summer, with RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko once again linked with a move, according to GIVEMESPORT.
Their latest report claims that the Slovenian international would be keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, after Arsenal decided to pursue a move for other targets.
It also states that the 21-year-old has been closely monitored by the club’s hierarchy over the last couple of seasons, potentially costing a staggering £78m during the current window.
Why United’s £78m target would be a better signing than Watkins
Alongside the names previously mentioned, Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins has also been thrown into the mix as a potential addition for United this summer.
The England international has become a viable option after it was confirmed that Unai Emery’s side may want to part ways with the 29-year-old if his £60m asking price is met.
He could provide an experienced Premier League-proven option for Amorim this side, with the forward netting 16 league goals in England’s top-flight last season.
However, the major downside of a deal for Watkins would be his age, with the forward entering the back end of his professional career, potentially being unable to receive any sell-on value after securing a move for his signature.
Such reasons could see them make a move for Sesko as a result, handing the Red Devils a much younger option within the final third, with the Leipzig star eight years younger than his fellow target.
Age is one thing, but when comparing their respective figures from the 2024/25 campaign, the Slovenian has managed to better him in numerous key areas, further showcasing why the hierarchy should make the move for him this summer.
Sesko, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Antonio Mango, posted a higher goal per shot on target rate last year, making the most of more chances that fell his way in front of goal, handing Amorim that clinical edge he’s greatly lacked.
Games played
33
38
Goals & assists
18
24
Shot on target accuracy
44%
43%
Goal per shot on target rate
0.4
0.3
Take-on success
52%
24%
Carries into final third
1.1
0.7
Shot-creating actions
1.9
1.8
Aerials won
59%
42%
The youngster also completed more of the take-ons he attempted throughout the recent season, having the all-round ability to create chances for himself rather than relying on teammates around him.
His dominance over the Villa star doesn’t end there, coming out on top in more aerial duels, subsequently offering the side the focal point needed to play off and improve their link-up play next campaign.
Whilst Sesko would cost £18m more than Watkins this summer, it’s evident that he has the tools to make an immediate impact whilst also having the chance to improve in the years ahead.
If he can continue to build on the excellent progress he’s made in the game, he would be a sensational signing, potentially playing a pivotal role in any future success achieved at Old Trafford during the Amorim era.
He's perfect for Mbeumo: Man Utd discussing move to sign £100m-rated CF
Manchester United could be about to land another star alongside a deal for Bryan Mbeumo.
Manchester United have made ‘first formal contact’ over a move to sign a star who wants to move to Old Trafford rather than Barcelona.
Man Utd looking to upgrade on Hojlund and Onana
It is shaping up to be a frantic few months in the transfer window for the Red Devils, with a major squad overhaul potentially on the cards ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first full season in charge.
A plethora of players such as Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho have returned from loan spells and could be moved on permanently, whereas Matheus Cunha became United’s first summer signing.
More attacking additions are on the cards, with a replacement for Rasmus Hojlund being mentioned. The Denmark international has struggled for goals at Old Trafford and has been linked with a return to Serie A.
Huge Hojlund upgrade: Wilcox opens talks to sign "new Mbappe" for Man Utd
Ruben Amorim wants to sign a new centre-forward this summer.
ByAngus Sinclair Jun 15, 2025
In fact, Amorim has reportedly made it clear that Hojlund doesn’t feature in his long-term Man Utd plans, with the club looking to sell the forward on a permanent basis, although an initial loan offer which includes an obligation to buy may also be considered.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are just two strikers who United have spoken about to solve their number nine issues.
Meanwhile, someone who has been heavily linked to replace Andre Onana is World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez.
Regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world right now, there have been recent claims that the Aston Villa star wants to make the move to Old Trafford over the coming months. Now, a promising development has emerged regarding Man Utd and Martinez.
Man Utd make first contact for Emiliano Martinez
According to reports abroad, relayed by Sport Witness, Man Utd have now made ‘first formal contact’ to sign Martinez from Aston Villa.
It is reported that the Red Devils have approached Martinez’s agent over a deal as they want to make him first choice at Old Trafford over Onana.
They back up reports that Martinez is keen to stay in England despite interest from Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Galatasaray, who have also been in touch. However, with Martinez willing to snub a move to Spain and Turkey, it is added that this ‘further paves the way’ for Martinez to join United.
On £150,000-a-week at Villa Park which works out at £7.8m per season, Martinez’s last trip to Old Trafford was extremely eventful.
The Argentine received a red card on the final day of the 24/25 season as Villa failed to to qualify for the Champions League, and despite no European football being on offer at Old Trafford for now, he seems to be keen on a move to Manchester.