Category Uncategorized

Manchester United are now showing serious interest in signing an £85 million midfielder from a Club World Cup side, according to a recent report.

Man Utd chasing multiple strikers amid search for new front three

The current focus at Old Trafford remains on completing the signing of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, but once that deal is done, United will switch their attentions to completing the rest of their new-look front three with a new number nine.

A better move than Ekitike: Man Utd preparing bid for "top-class" £44m ST

Manchester United appear top be making more moves for a striker ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 23, 2025

Rasmus Hojlund looks as though he could be moved on by the Red Devils this summer to make way for a new striker. Indeed, reports have already emerged that Hojlund has given the go ahead to join Inter Milan.

Meanwhile, United are assessing their options for who could replace the Dane. Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres looked to be one of their preferred targets, given his connection with Ruben Amorim, but they have now moved onto other targets.

Hugo Ekitike is a player who has emerged as a strong candidate to become United’s new number nine in recent weeks. The Premier League side have held talks with his representatives over a move to Old Trafford, although it’s claimed that Eintracht Frankfurt would want around £85 million.

But there are also two new names in the frame, as reports over the weekend revealed United are interested in signing Moise Kean from Fiorentina, after he scored 19 goals in Serie A last season, and United are seriously considering a move to sign Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa.

Man Utd showing serious interest in Richard Rios

As well as signing a new centre-forward, it’s been well publicised that Amorim wants a new midfielder, and they may now have found their ideal target. According to reports relayed by The Express, Man United are interested in signing Richard Rios from Palmeiras.

Rios is now a concrete target for the Red Devils, as they are seriously interested in a transfer, but a move will have to wait until after Palmeiras’ Club World Cup campaign has come to an end.

The report states that United are likely to prioritise signing a defensive midfielder this summer, as captain Bruno Fernandes is set for a deeper role next season, given the arrival of Matheus Cunha and the potential arrival of Mbeumo.

Rios, who has been described as a “ball-carrying machine” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, has been at Palmeiras since March 2023. The 25-year-old has become a key performer for the Brazilian side, as shown in the Club World Cup, where he’s played and started both games so far, drawing with Porto and beating Ahly SC.

Apps

2

Starts

2

Minutes per game

89

Total shots

1.5

Touches

43.0

Key passes

1.0

Passing accuracy per game

18.5 (77%)

Interceptions per game

3.0

Tackles per game

2.0

Balls recovered per game

5.5

Total duels won

7.0 (54%)

It is reported that Rios has a staggering £85 million release clause in his contract, which could be considered a lot for the Red Devils. Either way, signing Rios may have to be put on hold until they balance the books and move a few of the unwanted players on first. Rios’ potential arrival at Old Trafford would see him join Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer as the defensive-minded midfielders in the squad.

Leeds United’s transfer business over the last couple of years has been nothing short of sensational, playing a massive role in their ability to secure the Championship title.

After their failure to win the play-offs in the 2023/24 season, multiple key players departed Elland Road for a move to the Premier League, resulting in the loss of numerous star men.

Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray were all sold, bringing in over £100m in player sales – a simply staggering feat for a side in England’s second-tier.

However, such funds allowed for the arrival of the likes of Ao Tanaka and Jayden Bogle, with both players playing a vital role in Daniel Farke’s side this campaign – as seen by their EFL Team of the Season inclusions.

If they are to secure survival in 2025/26, the hierarchy will need to replicate such dealings, handing the manager the funds to land quality talents who can further bolster the ranks in Yorkshire.

Leeds’ activity in the transfer window ahead of the summer

Even though the window is yet to open, Leeds have already been active in the market, looking to land multiple players to provide depth to multiple areas of Farke’s side.

The midfield department has arguably seen the most interest generated, with Manchester City’s James McAtee and Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes just two names thrown into the mix.

The latter could be available for a fee in the region of £30m after the Saints suffered an immediate return to the Championship, with the Whites looking to take advantage of such a situation.

As for the forward line, Jamie Vardy has been a name mentioned in recent weeks, with the 38-year-old to be a free agent this summer after announcing he would be departing Leicester City at the end of his current deal.

However, if any player does complete a switch to Yorkshire in the coming months, they will have high standards to live up to, based on the displays produced by multiple players during their previous stint in the top-flight.

The Leeds star who could be sold for more than Phillips

Kalvin Phillips came through the Leeds academy ranks and built a name for himself, playing a vital role in the previous promotion-winning season before becoming a mainstay in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old made a total of 234 appearances for the Whites, including 49 in the top-flight, being a key reason why the side finished 9th in their first season back in the top-flight back in 2020/21.

Such displays didn’t go unnoticed, leading to various England call-ups and featuring under Gareth Southgate for the national team at Euro 2020.

He would ultimately leave in a £45m deal to join Manchester City in the summer of 2022, earning the club a huge sum of money, with his career rapidly declining ever since, as seen by his loan spell at now-relegated Ipswich Town.

However, the club have another talent in the form of Wilfried Gnonto, who could leave for a higher figure if he continues on the current trajectory he’s on at Elland.

The “electric” ace, as labelled by statistician Statman Dave, has starred in Yorkshire over the last couple of years after his £3.8m transfer from FC Zurich in the summer of 2022.

He’s managed to find the net on 22 occasions in his 118 appearances, including one against Plymouth Argyle on the final day of the season, securing the club the Championship title as a result.

Such performances and tallies have led to interest over the last couple of years, with numerous sides across the globe registering interest in landing the Italian talent.

Most notably, Gnonto was the subject of huge interest from Saudi Arabia back in January, but the Whites refused to sell the 21-year-old, demanding a fee in the region of £50m for his services.

Leeds United’s record departures

Rank

Player

Team

Fee

1.

Raphinha

Barcelona

£55m

2.

Kalvin Phillips

Manchester City

£45m

3.

Archie Gray

Tottenham Hotspur

£40m

=

Georginio Rutter

Brighton & Hove Albion

£40m

4.

Rio Ferdinand

Manchester United

£30m

5.

Crysencio Summerville

West Ham United

£25m

Stats via Transfermarkt

The return to the Premier League this season hands him the platform to thrive once more, after previously registering four goals and two assists in his last season in the top-flight.

Should he manage to build on his previous term in England’s top-flight, his price tag would certainly increase further over the coming months – having the potential to be a club-record departure.

No supporter will want to lose such a talent in the near future, with the 21-year-old having the chance to build on his success in Yorkshire and play a key role in their survival hopes.

However, it once again highlights the superb work done by the hierarchy in recent times, with such business needing to be replicated during the upcoming window.

Related Leeds could sign £13m ace who was one of the best young players in the world

This would be a shock move.

Posts ByTom Cunningham May 22, 2025

Battling Premier League rivals on and off the pitch, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly joined the race to sign a 12-goal star who will be available for as little as £30m this summer.

Nottingham Forest's summer plans

They may still be battling to secure their Champions League place in a race which could yet end in defeat, but nothing can take away from Nottingham Forest’s excellent season. With or without a place in the top five, it’s been one to remember for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, who are likely to find themselves playing in some form of European football next season.

Worth more than Anderson: Nottingham Forest have hit gold on "superb" star

Nottingham Forest have a player who’s now worth more than their two record additions.

ByEthan Lamb May 4, 2025

All of a sudden, a move to the City Ground is a seriously attractive one. It’s not one that will leave players scrapping to keep the club in the Premier League. Instead, the chance to join the current Forest side is arguably one of the most exciting prospects in English football, given how they’ve cut through teams with pace and the rapid counter-attacking football that the Premier League has desperately lacked in recent times.

With that said, it’s no surprise that owner Evangelos Marinakis has already set his sights on the summer transfer window. Already, names such as Baris Alper Yilmaz and Yeremay Hernandez have been mentioned as potential targets in recent weeks, with Forest’s transfer plan becoming clearer by the day.

As the Midlands club look to repeat their success next season, it looks as though welcoming additional attacking support behind and around Chris Wood will be among Forest’s priorities.

The 33-year-old won’t be at the peak of his powers forever and after the City Ground got a glimpse of what life will be like without his goals in recent games, signing a striker should sit top of Espirito Santo’s wishlist.

Nottingham Forest join Liam Delap race

According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Marinakis has now registered Nottingham Forest’s interest in signing Liam Delap, joining the race to sign the Ipswich Town star who has a release clause worth just £30m after the Tractor Boys suffered Premier League relegation.

One of the most sought-after stars ahead of the summer transfer window, Forest would do well to win the race for Delap’s signature against the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

With 12 goals to his name in all competitions this season, Delap earned the praise of football talent scout Jacek Kulig in April, who described the forward’s campaign as “superb”.

At just 22 years old, there’s every chance that the former Manchester City man is only just getting started. Wood, meanwhile, is coming towards the end of his career – making the arrival of a younger, in-form forward something that would be timed to perfection at the City Ground this summer.

Delap undoubtedly deserves to be playing Premier League football. Whether that’s for Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Man Utd or another club remains to be seen, however.

South Africa’s Test captain last was in action in early October and last played a Test in August

Firdose Moonda22-Nov-2024

Temba Bavuma last played a competitive game in early October•AFP/Getty Images

Temba Bavuma has opened up about battling “mental demons” as he has recovered from a second elbow injury, and a fourth major niggle, in the last two years – all of which kept him out of crucial international games.”It’s definitely has played in my mind. When you’re injured and you start in a rehab process, it’s always tough,” he said in Pretoria, where South Africa are involved in a preparation camp ahead of their home Test summer. “It’s just [about] trying to get over all those mental demons and get yourself into a space where you accept what it is that is happening and you try to deal with it. It has been a tricky couple of weeks.”Bavuma has not played competitive cricket in seven weeks since he fell awkwardly while completing a run in an ODI against Ireland in Abu Dhabi. He hurt the same elbow that he fractured in 2022 – his left one – and was out of action for three months. This time, it has only taken a little over half the time but in-between Bavuma has suffered injuries on both his right and left hamstrings. The former saw him play last year’s ODI World Cup semi-final without being fully fit, and the latter prevented him from batting in the Boxing Day Test against India and from playing in the New Year’s match that followed.Related

Sri Lanka's batting vs South Africa's bowling in the race to WTC final

WTC final scenarios – what SA need to do to qualify

Bavuma, Coetzee, Jansen return for South Africa's home Tests against Sri Lanka

Add to that that he missed South Africa’s Tests in New Zealand in February because of SA20 commitments and the matches in Bangladesh with the most recent elbow concern, and Bavuma has only played in three of the team’s eight World Test Championship (WTC) matches in this cycle. He has watched his team put themselves in contention for the WTC final mostly without him and admitted that hasn’t always been easy.Temba Bavuma: ‘It’s just [about] trying to get over all those mental demons and get yourself into a space where you accept what is happening and try to deal with it’•ICC via Getty Images

“As much as the guys played as well as they did against Bangladesh, it was quite frustrating from my side not being able to take part in that,” he said. “But obviously, I had a lot of joy in how the guys performed.”Bavuma was part of the traveling party in Bangladesh, where South Africa enjoyed their first Test and series victory in the subcontinent in a decade, and was close to playing the second match but felt some discomfort on impact while batting. He has since passed a fitness test – including a 90-minute batting session and has been given the all-clear to lead the side in the hope he will remain fully fit through the summer.”I don’t know what the next couple of weeks or months look like. I’m just happy that I’m able to speak to you guys at this point in time,” he said. “I’ll try to prepare as much as I can from a physical and mental point of view. And hopefully the gods can smile on me a little bit longer.”So far, Bavuma said his “elbow feels good”, the intensity of his training “has definitely ramped up” and he is mentally ready to go. “I feel quite fresh and excited as well to have the opportunity to be batting, to be putting on my pads, to be running on the field. From a skill point of view, it’s always just got to build it, just build that confidence – feel yourself hitting the ball out the middle and feel your movements are the way that you want them to be.”While Bavuma continues to regain his own sense of self-belief, South Africa’s is soaring, not only because they have not lost a Test series under Shukri Conrad but because their WTC fate is in their own hands. If they win all four of their remaining Tests (two each against Sri Lanka and Pakistan), they will be guaranteed a place in the final. Considering that South Africa have played fewer matches than anyone else and effectively forfeited a series in New Zealand, where they were without most of their first-choice players who were committed to the SA20, that they remain in contention itself is impressive, and they know it.”There’s lots of excitement,” Bavuma said. “Obviously, as a group, starting the WTC cycle, that’s one of the things that we spoke about in terms of what we’d like to achieve. Things became a bit tricky for us after the New Zealand trip but there was always a goal at the back of our minds. We understand that the expectation and the pressure will probably ramp up.”There is also renewed hope in South African cricket. After reaching three T20 World Cup finals in 18 months (twice by the women and once by the men) and the men’s ODI World Cup semi-final against expectations, there is a feeling something big (read: trophy) must be on the horizon. Whether that comes now or in the future, Bavuma can feel the positive shift and hopes his team will lean into it.”From a belief point of view, that’s definitely grown within the team,” he said. “We’re playing at home during festive times and playing in front of our home fans. Hopefully the stadiums will have a little bit more people than we are accustomed to. We’ve been putting in some good performances so from a confidence, belief point of view, it’s been good to see. As a team, we’ll ride that for as long as it lives within us.”

Like every IPL season, this one too had players grabbing their opportunities and making a name

Ashish Pant27-May-2024

Phil Salt

Phil Salt went unsold at the auction and might not even have been part of IPL 2024 had Jason Roy not pulled out of his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) gig. Along with Sunil Narine at the top, Salt was responsible for getting KKR off to blazing starts. He hit 296 of his 435 runs inside the powerplay, at a strike rate of 185.00. His approach didn’t change much in the middle overs, where he struck at 175.94. Salt finished the season as KKR’s second-highest run-getter and played a critical role in taking them to the playoffs as the top team in the league stage.Mayank Yadav left a lasting impression despite playing just four games in the season•BCCI

Mayank Yadav

After playing just four matches across two seasons for Mumbai Indians (MI), 23-year-old Tristan Stubbs was picked up by Delhi Capitals (DC) at the auction and became their designated finisher straightaway. Stubbs was DC’s second-highest run-getter in IPL 2024, smashing 378 at a strike rate of 190.90 while averaging 54.00.Related

• Harshit Rana credits Gautam Gambhir for his success 'above everyone else'

• IPL 2024 – have batters ever had it better?

• Stubbs – superb against spin, destructive at the death

• Jake Fraser-McGurk, the ideal T20 batter

• A top-order whirlwind India has never seen before

The newest version of the 360-degree player, Stubbs found runs in all corners of the ground, and with power. He was as brutal on the pull or slog sweep as on the cover drive or reverse and as proficient against pace (strike rate of 198.30) as against spin (180.00).Stubbs finished with a death-overs strike rate of 297.33 – the highest for any batter with a minimum of 100 runs in an IPL season. Between overs 17 and 20, Stubbs faced a total of 75 balls, of which only two were dots.Harshit Rana excelled with the ball in all phases•Associated Press

Harshit Rana

Rarely has a youngster made an impact on an IPL season as quickly as Jake Fraser-McGurk did this year. The 22-year-old was picked by DC two weeks into the season as a replacement for Lungi Ngidi, and he swiftly turned all eyes towards him. He faced all of 141 balls this season and still finished as DC’s third-highest run-getter with 330 runs at a barely believable strike rate of 234.04.Fraser-McGurk struck four fifties: two off 15 balls, one off 19, and his slowest coming off 31 balls – that was on IPL debut. He finished with a powerplay strike rate of 250.94, the highest for any batter to have played two overs or more in the phase.A staggering 296 of Fraser-McGurk’s 330 runs came in boundaries (32 fours and 28 sixes). “If I get ones and twos, it’s only either because I’ve mis-hit it or maybe it’s the last ball of the over,” he said after his 27-ball 84 against MI. A boundary percentage of 89.70 is solid proof of that.Shashank Singh helped Punjab Kings achieve the highest successful chase in a men’s T20•BCCI

Shashank Singh

“Shashank Singh” had left Punjab Kings confused at the auction, but there were not doubts about his abilities once he got going in IPL 2024. One of the few bright sparks for PBKS, Shashank finished the season as their highest run-getter with 354 runs in 14 games, striking at 164.65. He first showed his finishing skills against Gujarat Titans with an unbeaten 29-ball 61 before threatening to pull off another win against SRH five days later with a 46 not out off 25 balls, only to see his team fall short by two runs. Shashank’s finishing act of a 28-ball 68 not out against KKR was key to PBKS overhauling the highest-ever T20 target of 262.Travis Head was unstoppable in the powerplay in the league stage this season•AFP/Getty Images

Travis Head

It’s unusual to see someone who has been in the international circuit for eight years and has scored centuries in the WTC final and the ODI World Cup final on this list. But such has been Travis Head’s IPL graph that 2024 was the first year where he truly broke through in this competition.Before this, Head played two seasons in 2016 and 2017 with meagre returns. This year, along with Abhishek Sharma, he revolutionised powerplay batting. The highest run-getter for SRH, Head struck 567 runs this season at 191.55. Of these, 402 came in the first six overs at a strike rate of 208.29. No other batter scored more runs than Head in the phase and he didn’t even start the season for SRH.Head holds the record for three of the four fastest fifties by an SRH batter, while his century against RCB off 39 balls was the fourth-fastest in IPL history.Some shots might not have been textbook, but Abishek Porel was extremely effective for Capitals•BCCI

Abishek Porel

Abishek Porel came in as an Impact Sub at No. 9 in DC’s first match of the season and scored an unbeaten 32 off ten balls. Since then, the 21-year-old became a regular in the DC set-up and made the most of the opportunities at the top of the order, even keeping Prithvi Shaw out of the team. Porel ended the season with two fifties in his last three innings – a 65 off 36 balls against RR and 58 off 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, both coming in winning causes. In all, Porel scored 327 runs in 12 innings, at an average of 32.70 and strike rate of 159.51, finishing as DC’s fourth-highest run-scorer.Nitish Kumar Reddy has impressed with his ability as well as athleticism•BCCI

Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Reddy is only 21, but has shown enough proof of how good an all-round player he can be. In just his second innings of the season, he scored a crucial 37-ball 64 against PBKS, a game that SRH won by a narrow two-run margin. He also played a key role in SRH’s one-run win in a group game against RR at home, scoring 76 not out off 42 balls in the first innings. In all, Reddy recorded 303 runs in 11 innings, averaging 33.66 and striking at 142.92. He also picked up three wickets with his medium pace.The other thing on Reddy’s side is that he is a terrific outfielder and supremely fit. In a video posted on the SRH social handles, he was seen racing against Glenn Phillips, and came up short only by a whisker.

Only two points currently separate the four teams from fourth to seventh spots

S Rajesh16-May-2022Delhi Capitals: Mat 13, Pts 14, NRR 0.255
Delhi Capitals’ comfortable 17-run win against Punjab Kings is good news for them, but not so encouraging for all the other teams trying to sneak into the playoffs. Capitals’ net run rate, which was already a healthy 0.210, has gone up to 0.255, but the runs that Kings scored towards the end means that there is still a chance for other teams to catch up, should there be an NRR scramble for the last spot.From Capitals’ point of view, the equation is simple: win the last game against Mumbai Indians on Saturday, and qualify for sure. Even if they lose and stay on 14, they will have a fair chance to qualify if Royal Challengers Bangalore lose to Gujarat Titans. However, if it comes down to NRR, they aren’t yet safe.If Capitals lose their last game by 30 runs (chasing 171), their NRR will fall to 0.123. Currently, Kolkata Knight Riders are on 0.160, so a win by any margin in their last game will keep them above 0.123. If Capitals lose by 15 runs, their NRR will be 0.179. Thus, Capitals could still be on a sticky wicket if they lose to Mumbai. They play their last game after Knight Riders, though, so they will know the equation before they get into that game on Saturday.Punjab Kings: Mat 13, Pts 12, NRR -0.043
Kings’ qualification chances have taken a severe beating with the loss to Capitals. Their NRR has slid into negative space, and even a 40-run win against Sunrisers in their last game (after scoring 170) will only improve it to 0.112. However, big victory margins have been common in the last few games – in seven of the last 12, the winning margin has been greater than 50 runs, while another win came with 31 balls to spare – which should give the Kings some hope.They also play the last game of the league stage, which means they’ll know if they have a chance at all, and exactly what they need to do. Obviously, if Capitals or Royal Challengers win their last match and move to 16 points, then Kings will be knocked out.Royal Challengers Bangalore: Mat 13, Pts 14, NRR -0.323
Royal Challengers will need Capitals to lose their last game to stand a chance of qualifying. Even if Royal Challengers score 200 and win their last game by 100 runs, their NRR will only improve to 0.071. Capitals will be well ahead of that if they win by any margin.And if both these teams lose and stay on 14, Capitals will have to lose by an absurdly high margin for their NRR to slip below that of Royal Challengers. For instances, if Royals Challengers lose by one run, Capitals will have to lose by around 150 (depending on the exact scores).In other words, Royal Challengers will have to win their last game, against table-toppers Titans, and hope that Capitals lose theirs against bottom-of-the-table Mumbai.Kolkata Knight Riders: Mat 13, Pts 12, NRR 0.160
Knight Riders still have a chance of qualifying if they win their last game, and if Capitals and Royal Challengers lose theirs. As mentioned earlier, their relatively healthy NRR means that they are best placed to capitalise if those two teams slip up.Sunrisers Hyderabad: Mat 12, Pts 10, NRR -0.270
Even if Sunrisers score 170 and win each of their last two games by 40 runs, their NRR will only improve to 0.056. Capitals will have to lose by around 48 runs for their NRR to drop below that. It looks highly unlikely that Sunrisers will progress further in the tournament, but they could do worse than pull off a big win against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, and keep their slim hopes alive.

Comparisons with history’s unreliable memory are unfair to Root’s captaincy

George Dobell12-Aug-2020We’ve all seen the polls of England’s best captains. Invariably, Mike Brearley wins a mention. Douglas Jardine, too. And of more recent vintages, the likes of Andrew Strauss and Nasser Hussain.All deserve their fine reputations. It’s pretty much impossible to compare eras, but they all have compelling cases in very different ways.But what about Joe Root? For Root has now led England to victory in 23 Tests including his last six in succession. One more victory will draw him level with Alastair Cook (who captained England 59 times) and Andrew Strauss (50) and put him just two behind Michael Vaughan, who led England to victory in a record 26 Tests (51).This Test at the Ageas Bowl will be Root’s 43rd as captain. Which means his win percentage – 54.76 – is better than any of them. If England win again, it will be the longest win sequence for an England captain since Percy Chapman in 1930. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?Ultimately, captains probably aren’t judged on such stats. Not entirely, anyway. The changing pace of modern cricket has resulted in fewer draws so, impressive though Root’s win percentage as leader may be (higher than Clive Lloyd’s, Imran Khan’s, MS Dhoni’s and Michael Clarke’s, among many others), his loss percentage is also high. At 35.71, it’s higher (far higher in some cases) than any of those mentioned other than Cook.