All posts by h79snht.top

Jacks will return to England for the series against West Indies while Rickelton will join South Africa’s Test squad for the WTC final

Matt Roller15-May-2025

Jonny Bairstow has not played for England in any format since June 2024•AFP/Getty Images

Jonny Bairstow and Richard Gleeson are in advanced talks to sign with Mumbai Indians as temporary replacements for Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton respectively, if they qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs in IPL 2025.Jacks has returned to India ahead of MI’s last two group-stage games but will be unavailable for the final stages of the season due to international duty, with England’s ODI series against West Indies clashing with the rearranged knockout stage. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Bairstow is in line to replace him for the knockout stages, subject to a No-Object Certificate.Related

MI sign Bairstow, Gleeson and Asalanka as temporary replacements

WTC final-bound South Africa players to miss IPL 2025 playoffs

Tim David boost for RCB as they look to seal playoffs spot

Kusal Mendis to replace Buttler at GT for IPL playoffs

Bairstow went unsold at November’s mega-auction, and has not played for England in any format since June 2024. He would travel to India after captaining Yorkshire against Surrey at The Oval in the County Championship this week, and would likely miss one Championship match and two T20 Blast fixtures if his IPL deal comes through.Bairstow has made 50 IPL appearances across five seasons, previously representing Sunrisers Hyderabad (2019-21) and Punjab Kings (2022 and 2024). He has an impressive record in the league, averaging 34.54 and striking at 144.45, and has scored two IPL hundreds – one of them in a record-breaking run chase at Eden Gardens last year. With Rickelton also set to exit before the playoffs, Bairstow will offer MI a wicketkeeping option, too.Richard Gleeson played two matches for CSK last year•AFP/Getty Images

Jacks has been a mainstay for MI this season, playing 11 of their first 12 group-stage games. He has scored 195 runs in nine innings and taken five wickets with his offbreaks. He also won Player-of-the-Match awards in their home wins against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants.Rickelton, along with his compatriot Corbin Bosch, is also set to miss the playoffs, with Cricket South Africa requesting members of their World Test Championship final squad to return home by May 27. Rickelton is MI’s second-highest run-scorer this season behind Rohit Sharma, with 336 runs at 30.54 and a strike rate of 153.42 in his 12 innings.Gleeson, 37, made his IPL debut last year when he played two matches for Chennai Super Kings as a replacement player. He is on a white-ball contract with his county, Warwickshire, and will miss their opening two T20 Blast fixtures if his deal with MI is confirmed.MI sit fourth in the points table ahead of their final two group-stage fixtures, against Delhi Capitals (May 21) and Punjab Kings (May 26). They went on a six-match winning streak after a slow start to the season, but were narrowly beaten by Gujarat Titans in their most recent match before the IPL was suspended due to cross-border India-Pakistan tensions.

MatériaMais Notícias

A homenagem do Botafogoao zagueiro Joel Carli ao final do confronto com o Magallanes, do Chile, custou caro. Nesta quarta-feira (26), a Conmebol notificou o clube em US$ 5 mil (em torno de R$ 24 mil) pelo ritual de despedida do defensor.

Os botafoguenses infringiram o artigo 5.10 do Manual de Clubes da competição, aos olhos da entidade.

– Qualquer atividade ou homenagem organizada pelo clube dentro ou no entorno do estádio, antes, durante ou depois da partida, precisa ser autorizada previamente pela CONMEBOL- apontou o documento.

Após a partida disputada em 29 de junho, Carli recebeu uma camisa emoldurada com a inscrição “Gracias, Capitán” e passou por um corredor de aplausos no qual estavam todos os funcionários, jogadores e membros das comissões técnicas do Alvinegro.

Rahul Dravid talks about how the 14-year-old has been welcomed into the RR setup and what makes him special

Shashank Kishore30-Apr-20255:13

What’s the best way to handle Suryavanshi?

Vaibhav Suryavanshi has become the flavour of IPL 2025 since his 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Monday lit up the tournament. But behind his rise to stardom, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have tried to create an environment to help the 14-year-old play with freedom while staying insulated from the pressures of playing in a certain way.”He’s been very welcomed,” head coach Rahul Dravid said on on Wednesday. “One of the things we’ve tried to do is make him feel integrated well into this environment. Even after the auction, we had three to four short-duration camps every month leading into the tournament. Vaibhav was there at every one of those camps, getting to know the players and support staff.”The idea was simple: make him feel at home before the spotlight turned his way. “We were conscious of the fact that we wanted him to feel comfortable by the time he came to the IPL,” Dravid said. “We wanted him to know each and everyone of the players, except the foreign players whom he was meeting for the first time. But he’d met all the Indian players, coaches, admin staff and support staff.”Related

Stats – Vaibhav Suryavanshi rewrites men's T20 records

A star is born (to bat): Echoes of Sachin 1989 in Vaibhav's record-shattering spectacle

Bishop on Suryavanshi ton: unprecedented, mind-blowing, other-worldly

Who is Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year old IPL sensation?

Despite being “shy”, Dravid felt Suryavanshi hadn’t shown signs of being overwhelmed.”I’m sure he’s having conversations and learning from each of those players, whether it’s a [Yashasvi] Jaiswal, [Riyan] Parag, [Dhruv] Jurel or Sanju [Samson],” Dravid said. “He’s built up good connections and friendships with some of the other guys who’ve played a lot of domestic cricket, like Sandeep Sharma. Even Fazalhaq Farooqi.”He’s a shy boy; he’ll take some time to open up, but he’s very comfortable here. At no stage does it feel like he’s intimidated or he’s holding back. There’s been a bit of an effort gone into trying to ensure that he’s comfortable around the group.”Asked how the coaches have been managing a still-maturing young talent, Dravid said the focus has been on not overcomplicating his game.”At this stage, you don’t want to really confuse him with too many things but just trying to allow him to keep it simple and really have some fun and enjoy his cricket,” Dravid said. “Obviously, he likes to play a positive brand of cricket, that’s no secret, and we want to encourage him to do that and set it up in such a way that he can play that form of cricket without worrying about it too much.”5:27

‘Otherworldly’ Suryavanshi wows Bishop, Aaron

What makes him special? “He’s got real good bat speed,” Dravid observed. “He’s obviously got a high back lift, that’s very obvious. A really good hand-eye coordination in terms of judgment of length. What you look for in a young batsman is how quick he is in picking length.”Vaibhav is very quick to pick up anything that’s fractionally short or if it’s really full, he’s really able to capitalise on that. A combination of high back-lift and ability to pick length gives him the power and he seems to have a natural strength which is helpful in these situations.”In explaining their process in handling a young talent like Suryavanshi, Dravid also underlined how RR view their recruitment – less about just age, more about all-round development and readiness.”Not every Under-19 player gets picked by franchises,” Dravid said. “We look at experience, too. Look at someone like Shubham Dubey, or even Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, who were picked later in their careers. Vaibhav wasn’t picked just because he’s young. We felt that with a bit of work, he could succeed at this level.”But amid the soaring expectations, Dravid also made a measured plea to those watching from the outside. “We can’t control how much people are going to talk about him or what the media writes about him,” he said. “It’s just about recognising this is what happens and putting a certain level of support around that and helping him navigate all of this attention while still allowing him the space to be a youngster.”It’s impossible to completely distance yourself from it [attention] 100%. A lot of you [journalists] can play that role as well, if the media can be responsible about how you write about not only his success but also his potential failures. Let’s be realistic, he’s going to go through some ups and downs. We’re also going to have to be mindful of that he’s a young man finding his way as well.”

خرج أسطورة نادي ليفربول عن صمته وانفجر غضبًا، وذلك عقب خسارة أمس السبت أمام برينتفورد، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ليفربول تعرض إلى خسارة جديدة في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ضد برينتفورد بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدفين، ضمن الجولة التاسعة من عمر المسابقة المحلية.

ولعب ليفربول بشكل سيئ، ما جعل الفريق يتعرض لخسارة جديدة في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وهي الهزيمة الرابعة على التوالي في البطولة.

ويرى جون ألدريدج، أسطورة نادي ليفربول، أن فريقه السابق يفتقر إلى تحمل المسئولية، وعليه إظهار ردة فعل خلال الفترة المقبلة.

طالع.. معلقين مباراة الكلاسيكو اليوم بين ريال مدريد وبرشلونة

وقال ألدريدج عبر حسابه الرسمي في “تويتر”: “هذا أمر مخيب للآمال ومقلق للغاية من نواحي عديدة، ليس فقط الليلة، بل هذا الموسم أيضًا، وهو أمر صادم دفاعيًا”.

واختتم موجهًا رسالة إلى مدرب ليفربول، آرني سلوت: “لا تماسك، لا رغبة في تحمل المسئولية والفريق يفتقر إلى ذلك، على آرني سلوت الارتقاء بالفريق إلى مستوى أعلى”.

ليفربول تراجع إلى المركز السادس في ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، متجمدًا رصيده عند 15 نقطة، بفارق أربع نقاط كاملة عن آرسنال المتصدر والذي بإمكانه الابتعاد أكثر في صدارة المسابقة، حيث يستضيف كريستال بالاس مساء الأحد على ملعب الإمارات.

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United have opened the 2025/26 season in a way that underlines both their potential and their limitations.

Their early form has mixed defensive solidity with attacking struggles.

A goalless draw with Aston Villa on the opening day was followed by a chaotic 3-2 defeat at home to Liverpool, sealed by a 100th-minute Rio Ngumoha strike.

Stalemates against Leeds and Bournemouth sandwiched a narrow 1-0 win over Wolves, leaving Newcastle searching for rhythm at both ends of the pitch.

In attack, the void left by Alexander Isak has been evident.

New arrivals Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa were brought in to fill the gap, but Woltemade is still adjusting to Premier League intensity, while Wissa was sidelined for a month after suffering a knee injury on international duty.

The lack of fluidity has shown up in the underlying numbers: Newcastle have generated just 4.6 expected goals (xG) – better only than the newly promoted clubs, Wolves and Aston Villa.

Defensively, though, the platform looks elite. Newcastle boast the league’s lowest xG conceded at 2.5, with Arsenal next-best at 3.3.

Lowest xG Conceded – 2025/26

Newcastle United

2.5

Arsenal

3.3

AFC Bournemouth

3.6

Liverpool

4.0

Crystal Palace:

4.7

Source: Fotmob

This means that Howe’s side already have a strong foundation from which to grow. What is striking, however, is that the tactical emphasis has shifted.

Howe, once reliant on direct transitions, has been experimenting with a more possession-heavy approach, with structured build-up play central to his long-term vision.

That shift has placed the spotlight firmly on the man in goal.

Why Nick Pope needs to be dropped

Nick Pope remains Newcastle’s first-choice goalkeeper and has been a dependable figure since arriving from Burnley in 2022.

Now 33, he has made over 100 appearances for the Magpies, including keeping goal in their Carabao Cup triumph over Liverpool last season.

His England experience – ten caps – underlines his status as a high-level shot-stopper. So far this campaign, Pope has kept four clean sheets, leading the Premier League Golden Glove race.

His shot-stopping ability is reflected in his numbers: 3.07 saves per 90 with a save percentage of 71.7%, significantly above league average.

Yet, the flaws in his game are equally obvious.

Pope’s playing profile jars with Howe’s evolving tactical plan. While Newcastle are attempting to construct attacks patiently from the back, Pope looks uncomfortable when pressed with the ball at his feet.

Whenever the ball cycles back to him, Newcastle’s possession often stalls, with centre-backs reluctant to involve him under pressure.

It is not that Pope lacks bravery, but rather that his technical ceiling is lower.

Against teams who press high, this becomes a liability.

As Howe tries to embed a possession-first style, Pope’s skillset increasingly feels at odds with the project.

Howe already has the perfect Pope replacement

This summer, Newcastle moved to address the issue by signing Aaron Ramsdale on a season-long loan from Southampton.

At 27, he remains in his goalkeeping prime and was one of the few Saints players to emerge with any credit last season.

His arrival followed Martin Dubravka’s move to Burnley, giving Howe a goalkeeper with very different attributes to Pope.

Ramsdale is far more comfortable with the ball at his feet.

He touches the ball 43.8 times per 90 (compared to Pope’s 31.1) and completes passes across a much greater distance, with a progressive passing distance of 566.4 per 90 – almost double Pope’s output.

He is proactive in distribution, unafraid to break lines and feed midfielders under pressure.

His higher volume of completed passes per 90 (25.8) makes him far better aligned with a possession-oriented strategy.

Statistically, Ramsdale lags behind Pope in pure shot-stopping.

He makes more saves per 90 (4.00 compared to Pope’s 3.07) but his save percentage is lower at 67.6%, while his goals against per 90 (2.20) reflects Southampton’s struggles last year.

Clean sheet percentage is another weakness, sitting at just 10.0% compared to Pope’s 28.6%.

Yet, context matters – Ramsdale played behind one of the league’s most porous defences, whereas Pope has benefited from Newcastle’s defensive structure.

Ramsdale has already impressed Newcastle supporters in flashes.

During pre-season he saved a penalty against Espanyol, a reminder of his shot-stopping pedigree, while also displaying the technical quality that Pope cannot replicate.

Fans are increasingly calling for him to be given a run in the league, believing that his attributes would unlock Newcastle’s attempts to play more expansively.

For now, Howe has stuck with Pope – who he has previously labelled as “one of the best shot-stoppers” he’s worked – valuing his reliability and the clean sheets he has delivered.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse

But with Newcastle increasingly defined by their ability to dominate possession and progress the ball, the pressure is mounting to hand Ramsdale his chance.

The tactical shift may eventually demand it.

Related Howe must now drop Newcastle flop who was worse than Willock

This Newcastle United attacker struggled as much as Joe Willock did away at AFC Bournemouth.

Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 21, 2025

Blain recently accused Cricket Scotland of “rewriting history a week after I was forced to go public to clear my name”

Melinda Farrell20-Jun-2024

File photo: John Blain during his playing days•Getty Images

Trudy Lindblade, Cricket Scotland’s CEO, has described public comments made by John Blain at the formal conclusion of independent investigations into allegations of racist behaviour as “very disappointing”.Blain, the former Scotland and Yorkshire bowler, claimed last week that he had been “exonerated” of allegations of racism after making public a letter he received from Lindblade’s predecessor, Peter FItzboydon, in January.On Tuesday, Blain issued a subsequent statement, pre-empting Cricket Scotland’s formal conclusion of the independent investigations process that had stemmed from the ‘Changing the Boundaries’ report in 2022 (which had found Cricket Scotland to be institutionally racist). In it, Blain threatened legal action against the board, and accused Cricket Scotland of “a craven, disingenuous and despicable attempt… to rewrite history a week after I was forced to go public to clear my name.”At the centre of the row is Fitzboydon’s letter to Blain, dated January 12, in which he stated that allegations of racism against him had been “unfounded”. Cricket Scotland clarified in its statement on Tuesday that those allegations against Blain had not been progressed further “due to a combination of insufficient evidence, a lack of an applicable rule at the time of the complaint, and/or a lack of jurisdictional remit or authority to take formal action”.Related

Cricket Scotland chief exec: 'I'm determined to find a way through this for everyone'

Blain threatens legal action as Cricket Scotland race row descends into acrimony

Blain calls for Cricket Scotland inquiry after being cleared of racist behaviour

But Blain has accused Cricket Scotland of making “a desperate attempt to reinvent history and to row back from an unequivocal exoneration”, and alleged Lindblade had confirmed the claims were “unfounded” on a phone call shortly after she replaced Fitzboydon in February.”Not only did Pete Fitzboydon, the CEO of Cricket Scotland, write to me in January to say that all of the claims against me were unfounded, that I had no case to answer, and my case was closed, but that position was clearly confirmed by his successor Trudy Lindblade in a phone call with me in February,” wrote Blain in his statement.”She reiterated on the call that the claims against me were unfounded and the case against me was closed. I am sure that, if asked, she will publicly confirm that to be the case.”Lindblade confirmed she made the phone call to Blain in February and, while unwilling to give specific details of the conversation, said Cricket Scotland would take up the matter with Blain and his legal representatives.”It’s disappointing to have such a personal comment made in a public space,” Lindblade told ESPNcricinfo. “I had a conversation with John in the first weeks of starting in my role. It’s very disappointing that lines have been drawn. We can’t get into specific cases and it’s something that we should speak to John and his representatives directly.”Lindblade said she has had contact with both complainants and those accused in the allegations under investigation since taking up the role, although the processes in place prevented her from contacting everyone involved.”I tried to meet with whom I could work with, what was appropriate to do,” said Lindblade. “These are confidential cases and I have a role to play. But certainly, it was impossible to meet with everyone and due to the confidential nature of the processes sitting within the investigation team, that was not able to be done. But if someone reached out to me, I looked within a very busy schedule to try and communicate back in whatever way, shape or form that was.”Cricket Scotland’s concluding statement said five of the 51 completed referrals had proceeded to disciplinary processes. Most of the referrals failed to meet the criteria required to proceed further, Blain’s included, which centred on allegations made during an ICC-sponsored tour of Kenya in 2007.Lindblade believes the wholesale changes made within Cricket Scotland since the publication of the Changing the Boundaries report are sufficiently robust to deal with any future allegations of racist behaviour.”We have got really strong processes and procedures in place now,” she said. “We have overhauled our code of conduct, we have brought in a Conduct in Sport Manager with significant experience. We have put a number of things in place so, if this was to happen now, we would have a process that it would fit within, but the same principles apply. [If it’s] a rule breach, there needs to be clear evidence of what the rule is and then what the breach of that rule is.”It’s quite technical, but it’s really important because that’s why we have codes of conduct. That’s why we have these processes, to enable us to listen to everyone in the same way. The other thing I would say is that we’re always learning. And that’s really important because the world evolves at such a fast rate, sport is evolving at such a fast rate. What’s really important for us now as Cricket Scotland is that we continue to look at what goes on around us, continue to look at our sport, and make sure as things change around us that we’re changing with that.”While Blain’s statements have overshadowed the conclusion of the referrals process, Lindblade hopes Cricket Scotland could move forward with a reconciliation process, which includes offers of mediation.”We’ve got to try and take what has been a really challenging time for everyone involved and look at the positives and what this period may actually do to the future of Scottish cricket,” she said. “Can we look at it from that perspective, and try to take what is a very difficult time and say, where could we get to in ten years’ time?”But we’re only going to do that if we have got everybody working together. We are not there yet and we have got a lot to do to get there. We have put an offer on the table, we would like to get together and talk to these people through mediation, and through those means to enable us to help push that forward. Because it’s a known and tested form of reconciliation using restorative justice.”However, Lindblade acknowledged the outcomes of the referrals process and any future mediation was unlikely to satisfy everyone involved.”There are no winners in this. This is really emotive. I think there will be relief. I think there will be anger. I think there will be emotions that are part of us all being human beings. We are talking about people here and people react to things differently because everyone’s different. It’s been very divisive. How do we find a way to get everybody back to make sure the future of Scottish cricket is bright and that’s going to take a really long time. So, anyone who expects that to take place in months, or even the next 12 months, it’s going to take much longer than that.”

Tottenham Hotspur find themselves under new management, but have made a play for a target who is said to have been on their radar for the last 18 months, according to a report.

Tottenham begin search for summer reinforcements

Spurs find themselves with a platform to kick on under Thomas Frank. However, the Dane won’t be under any illusions about the magnitude of the task that lies ahead in the dugout.

Reinforcements at both ends of the pitch have been lined up, and Spurs are reportedly keen to bring Dennis Cirkin back to the club from Sunderland, even if they will need to do some convincing on that front.

Up the other end, former scout Mick Brown has detailed that Alejandro Garnacho could sign for Tottenham if ENIC can put forward a convincing financial package for the wantaway Manchester United star.

He stated: “Tottenham have been keeping an eye on Garnacho’s situation. It’s a move that could suit all three parties because Man United want to sell him, Tottenham will strengthen their team, and he wants to stay in the Premier League.

“But at the end of the day, it will all be decided by the money on offer. In normal circumstances, you’d be totally against selling one of your young players to a direct rival. For Man United, they don’t care where he goes as long as it’s the side offering the most money.

Tottenham Hotspur’s first five fixtures of the new campaign

Paris Saint-Germain (N)

UEFA Super Cup final

Burnley (H)

Premier League

Manchester City (A)

Premier League

Bournemouth (H)

Premier League

West Ham United (A)

Premier League

Kyle Walker-Peters could return to Tottenham on a free transfer after leaving Southampton, and Spurs may now have another bargain up their sleeve after recent developments came to light.

Tottenham eyeing bargain Ko Itakura deal

According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham are in regular contact with Borussia Monchengladbach involving Ko Itakura, and he has been on their radar for 18 months in their search for defensive cover.

With one year left on his deal at the Bundesliga outfit and no sign of an extension forthcoming, he could now be allowed to depart for a fee in the region of £12 million and intermediaries have kept Spurs informed about his situation.

Related Tottenham now want to sign "combative" £20m La Liga ace ahead of Man Utd

The Lilywhites could have an instant advantage.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jun 22, 2025

Itakura made 33 appearances across all competitions last season and scored four goals in that timeframe and is capable of featuring in central defence or even in midfield, signifying that he possesses a great deal of versatility.

Of course, Spurs endured something of an injury crisis last season that saw Archie Gray and Djed Spence among others shunted into unfamiliar positions within their rearguard, so there is a clear need for more options to prevent a repeat scenario.

Finding affordable solutions that can add to the group will be the priority, and Itakura certainly seems like someone who could become a valuable contributor in North London.

Manchester United will be adding further signings to their attacking arsenal before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September, after they agreed a deal to sign Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Man Utd in talks to sign Premier League attacker

Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg recently claimed that the Red Devils are in talks with Brentford over a deal to sign Bryan Mbeumo to bolster their attack.

The reporter claimed that the club already have a “verbal agreement” in place with the 25-year-old wing wizard, but that they are also facing competition from Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs recently confirmed the appointment of Thomas Frank, who managed Mbeumo with the Bees, and they are hoping that he can convince the forward to make the switch to North London.

The Cameroon international played in an inside right position for Brentford in the 2024/25 campaign and could compete for one of the two number ten positions in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system alongside Cunha.

Mbeumo delivered 20 goals and seven assists in the Premier League for the Bees, which shows that he has the quality to hit the ground running at Old Trafford, and could provide the team with a boost offensively.

United would not be done there, though, as the Red Devils are also looking to sign a new centre-forward on top of Cunha and possibly Mbeumo.

Man Utd remain keen on Amorim favourite

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have been making calls in recent weeks in an attempt to sign Sporting number nine Viktor Gyokeres.

The reporter claims, however, that it is going to be a difficult deal for the Red Devils to get over the line because the Sweden international’s priority is to secure a transfer to Arsenal.

Romano states that the Gunners are currently assessing their options, as they look to sign a new striker, and adds that RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko is also on their radar.

This means that Gyokeres signing for Arsenal is far from guaranteed, as it remains to be seen what they are going to do in that position, which means that the door is still slightly ajar for United.

In fact, Romano claims that the Red Devils “remain keen” on the former Coventry City centre-forward, despite their belief that a move is unlikely at this stage, due to his preference to sign for the Gunners.

In April, football statistician Spencer Mossman described him as a “lethal” striker who is possibly “the best finisher in the world”, which highlights the kind of quality United could get if they land a deal for the Swedish star.

24/25 season

Gyokeres (Liga Portugal)

Premier League’s best

xG

30.95

25.37 (Mo Salah)

Goals

39

29 (Mo Salah)

xG differential

+8.05

+7.74 (Bryan Mbeumo)

Minutes per goal

72

89 (Jhon Duran)

Goals + assists

46

47 (Mo Salah)

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Gyokeres certainly has the potential to be the best finisher in the Premier League next season, as he outperformed his xG by more than any player in the English top-flight did.

The Sweden international, who also scored ten more league goals than any other player in England’s top tier, was on fire for Sporting in the 2024/25 campaign and could, therefore, be a fantastic signing for United if they can turn the odds around and beat Arsenal to his signature.

Related After Cunha: Man Utd join race for "red-hot" £47m Bryan Mbeumo clone

Man United need new forwards to improve Ruben Amorim’s team.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 14, 2025

The Premier League season may have finished over a week ago, but it’s been a busy seven days for Manchester United.

The Red Devils embarrassed themselves on their post-season Asia tour, but did at least leave with a win.

Since then, they have confirmed their first arrival of the summer in an attempt to appease the fans after a ridiculous season for all the wrong reasons.

Matheus Cunha has decided he wants a piece of the craziness unfolding at Old Trafford, leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers behind in a £62.5m deal.

The Brazilian was exceptional for Wolves in 2024/25, scoring 17 goals in all competitions and also supplying five assists.

So, what’s next on the agenda?

Man United targeting another Premier League forward

As Ruben Amorim and Co desperately try to distract themselves from the lingering threat of Bruno Fernandes leaving England behind, wanted in Saudi Arabia, United are trying to strengthen their attacking ranks.

Cunha has already arrived but they did have Liam Delap in their crosshairs too before he reportedly agreed a move to Chelsea. Bryan Mbeumo is another Premier League star in line for a possible move to United.

Yet, their shortlist of players at English clubs doesn’t stop there according to TEAMtalk, who shared the latest on the club’s transfer plans on Monday morning.

They have reported that Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is now at the top of their list to reinforce the centre-forward position.

It’s alleged that the Eagles could be willing to sell the Frenchman for a bargain fee of just £29m with the player’s contract set to expire in the summer of 2027.

As a result, United are now expecting to make a ‘concrete move’ for Mateta in the coming days as Sir Jim Ratcliffe aims to beat competition from Serie A clubs, Juventus and AC Milan.

How Mateta could emulate Berbatov at Man United

Cast your mind back to the days of the Sir Alex Ferguson era and there was a certain aura about their transfer business.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

They’d look to the best talents in the top-flight to bolster their squad and they often had great success in doing so.

Think Wayne Rooney, think Rio Ferdinand, think Robin van Persie. Rooney and Rio quickly became modern-day greats after trading Everton and Leeds United for more luxurious pastures under Sir Alex.

Van Persie’s time at United was rather more short-lived but he was still the primary reason for their league title in 2012/13, the last time they won the league.

Another key component of previous title wins was Dimitar Berbatov who signed from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth £30m back in 2008.

Dimitar Berbatov’s Premier League career

Season (club)

Games

Goals

Assists

2006/07 (Spurs)

33

12

9

2007/08 (Spurs)

36

15

11

2008/09 (Man Utd)

31

9

11

2009/10 (Man Utd)

33

12

6

2010/11 (Man Utd)

32

20

4

2011/12 (Man Utd)

12

7

0

2012/13 (Fulham)

33

15

3

2013/14 (Fulham)

18

4

1

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Already, this is a deal that begins to echo a possible swoop for Mateta. Not only could he potentially arrive for a similar fee, but he’d also be signing from another Premier League club.

In the campaign prior to moving up north, Berbatov was on fire for Spurs, scoring 15 league goals in 36 games and netting 23 in all competitions.

Mateta, funnily enough, found the net at a similarly frequent rate for Oliver Glasner’s side this season, bagging 14 times in 37 matches. He also scored 16 in 35 throughout 2023/24.

Hailed as “one of the best centre forwards in the league over the last two seasons” by the aforementioned Rooney, there’s more than just their goal rate and possible transfer fee that makes this move so similar.

Indeed, while the Palace star is most definitely more direct, pacey and physical in his approach, they do share some similar traits.

Berbatov was known for being a laid-back striker, someone who didn’t really look too bothered. However, he had a touch of class about him. His first touch was immense, coasting through games and coming alive in the key moments.

Mateta certainly has a similar play style in that regard. Off the ball, Mateta might look slightly more cumbersome but when he gets the ball, it all changes.

Thierry Henry, who managed the 27-year-old at the Olympics, outlined that best. Speaking at the Paris games last summer, he said: “He’s an old-fashioned striker, you can play a little more direct. He can keep the ball. He’s a boring striker to play against, he doesn’t lose the ball much, and he goes at the last defender. He uses his physicality, he’s good with his head, and he scores.”

United’s former Bulgarian was certainly cut from a similar cloth. He could hold the ball up exceptionally well and was incredibly difficult to dispossess. He was old-fashioned too.

So, while Mateta would provide more pace and energy than Berbatov ever did at United, their shared deceptive intelligence, clever movement and classy nature are all very similar. You can just imagine the former United forward scoring the goal below, firing home without a care in the world.

He’d be a certain upgrade on the floundering Rasmus Hojlund. The Dane only netted ten goals in 52 matches this season. They cannot rely on that again next term.

Related Osimhen upgrade: Best "finisher in the world" is now Man Utd's no.1 target

All of Manchester United’s attacking dreams would come true if they landed this Victor Osimhen upgrade.

Posts 5 ByKelan Sarson Jun 1, 2025

Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this afternoon was enough to secure the club Champions League football ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Levi Colwill’s strike just minutes into the second half was enough to secure all three points for Enzo Maresca’s men, ending the year in fourth during the Italian’s first season at the helm.

Such an achievement is exceptional, handing the hierarchy a needed boost in the financial department, certainly aiding the current PSR standing and easing any concerns.

The win in the East Midlands was certainly a hard-fought contest, with the side deserving of a place among Europe’s elite, having the opportunity to claim a third European Cup.

However, despite the triumph, numerous players struggled to make the desired impact on Trentside, potentially putting their place in the side at risk over the summer transfer window.

Chelsea’s poor performers against Nottingham Forest

Midfielder Enzo Fernández has been widely linked with a move away from Chelsea in recent weeks, with Real Madrid the main outfit in the race for his signature.

The Argentine struggled to produce his best display in the win, failing to win a single tackle and only managed to complete 70% of the passes that he attempted.

He wasn’t alone in failing to impress, with attacking midfielder Cole Palmer once again disappointing and needing to recapture his best form in 2025/26.

The 23-year-old failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles, and registered a measly completion rate of just 17% from the crosses he put into the box.

However, despite the showings from the aforementioned duo, one other first-team regular was unable to extract his highest performance levels, putting his long-term future at Stamford Bridge at huge risk.

The 5/10 Chelsea star who may never play for the club again

This summer is now likely to be an exciting one for Chelsea supporters, with the manager now able to have the extra funds to make the changes he desires to his playing squad.

He’s done a magnificent job in leading the side to a place in the top five, deserving the chance to land any targets he feels would improve the options at his disposal.

However, he will likely want to move players on in the process, with winger Jadon Sancho still having a huge question mark next to his future in West London over the coming months.

The 25-year-old joined on loan from Manchester United last summer, with an obligation to buy for £25m, but they could pay a fee in the region of £5m to send him back to his parent club.

However, his showing in the East Midlands was one that wouldn’t have satisfied the hierarchy, which could spell the end of his stint as a Chelsea first-team player.

Sancho featured for 62 minutes of the contest, failing to register any efforts on goal and was unable to complete any dribbles, showcasing his lack of impact in the final third.

He also only registered a measly tally of 32 touches, a figure that was lower than that of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who managed a total of 44.

Jadon Sancho’s stats for Chelsea against Forest

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

62

Touches

32

Shots taken

0

Dribbles completed

0

Tackles won

0

Aerials lost

100%

Possession lost

6x

Stats via SofaScore

The loanee also failed to win a single tackle, whilst losing 100% of the aerial duels he entered, showcasing his inability to impress across all areas of the pitch.

As a result of his disappointing showing against the Reds, he was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by The Standard’s Malik Ouzia – highlighting the disappointing performance he produced.

Such a display will put doubt in Maresca’s mind over his long-term future, potentially saving them £20m to invest in other targets if they send him back to Old Trafford.

It’s safe to say that his time with the Blues has been well below the levels many expected, with the hierarchy needing to make sure that his outing today was his last for the club.

Related Their new Palmer: Chelsea lining up move for "direct" £75m PL star

Chelsea are again forecast to be busy in this summer’s transfer market, so could they sign a “direct’ Premier League star to be the next Cole Palmer?

Posts ByBen Gray May 25, 2025