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Chelsea ‘bomb squad’ duo Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi have made headlines this week following action from the PFA.

PFA concerns over Chelsea treatment of Sterling and Disasi

Enzo Maresca has frozen both players out of training with the first-team squad, and they are currently undergoing separate training regimes after failing to secure moves away from Stamford Bridge in the summer transfer window.

Sterling in particular caused a stir when he posted a picture on social media which showed him training alone in a late-night 8pm session — and this has prompted the PFA to express their concern over Chelsea’s treatment of the pair.

PFA executive Maheta Molango has stepped in to ensure that the club are complying with FIFA’s regulations on isolated players are being followed by Maresca’s side, with Chelsea’s manager firing back in a press conference on Friday and making an interesting comparison to his father.

Since the PFA’s worries, it has been reported, after constructive talks with Chelsea, that they’re now satisfied with the west Londoners’ treatment of Disasi and Sterling (talkSPORT).

The latter endured a lacklustre spell on loan at Arsenal last season and failed to convince Mikel Arteta’s side to sign him permanently, while it is believed that Disasi had offers to leave Chelsea before September 1 but didn’t take them.

The Frenchman rejected moves to West Ham, Bournemouth and Sunderland — holding out for a return to Monaco which never materialised (BBC) — while reports of a potential transfer to Saudi Arabia for Disasi haven’t gone anywhere so far with their window still open.

Chelsea have also been tipped to terminate Sterling’s contract and rid themselves of his £325,000-per-week wages, but according to GiveMeSport, the club are attempting to hand him and Disasi a good chance of leaving in January.

Chelsea's gift to Sterling and Disasi to hand them "best possible chance" of move

As per GiveMeSport and journalist Ben Jacobs, Disasi and Sterling have received a Chelsea gift to hand them the “best possible chance” of leaving in January, or failing that next summer.

Jacobs reports that Chelsea are “supporting” Disasi and Sterling with a personal training regimen to maintain their sharpness as they look for 2026 suitors, with the latter’s controversial social media post not a reflection on the current situation.

While the PFA are satisfied for now, after discussions with the Blues, they will continue to monitor their situations whilst keeping an eye on any potential misdoings.

Sterling’s preference is to remain in London, which makes a transfer for the forward complicated to secure, as it seriously limits his options. A move to the Middle East for either appears off the table, so the notoriously difficult winter window is now their best bet of leaving as soon as possible.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers praised the impact of Kelechi Iheanacho after the half-time substitute netted in a 1-1 draw against Red Star Belgrade.

The post deadline-day signing replaced Daizen Maeda at half-time after the Japan international struggled in the centre-forward role in Serbia.

Celtic had failed to make any chances from open play by half-time but they immediately improved, forcing three saves before Iheanacho took an excellent touch in the box and stroked the ball into the top corner in the 55th minute.

Rodgers hails Celtic forward Iheanacho

On the performance of Maeda, who was denied a summer move because of the club’s failure to source an adequate replacement, Rodgers told BT Sport: “He wasn’t at his best, or nowhere near it. However, he’s a good guy and sometimes that happens in the game.

“I could have made a couple of changes at half-time. I wanted to make that one certainly to give us that greater reference at the top of the pitch.

Celtic could not build on the opening goal and Marko Arnautovic scrambled the ball home from a corner 10 minutes later. But they held firm from some aerial pressure and Rodgers was pleased with the point against a side who, like Celtic, also suffered a shock Champions League play-off defeat after competing in Europe’s elite competition last season.

“This is a good point for this squad of players and for us coming here,” he said. “You come here, to a team that’s obviously won all of their domestic games, seven out of seven, coming to Belgrade is always a tough game.

Worse than Maeda: Rodgers must drop Celtic star who lost the ball 13x

Celtic endured a night of mixed fortunes away in Belgrade on Wednesday evening…

ByRobbie Walls Sep 25, 2025

“We had opportunities in the second half in particular. But we showed great resilience and showed moments of quality. Kels’ goal was absolutely outstanding and we had other moments in the second half. I still want us to be a little bit more proactive in the game. But overall, it was a nice first step for us in the competition.”

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O Corinthians irá enfrentar o Universitário-PER com um time alternativo. O duelo é válido pela partida de ida dos playoffs da Copa Sul-Americana.

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+ Torcedor do Corinthians, ajude a escolher o nome da área dedicada ao seu time no Lance! 

O técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo decidiu não relacionar todos os atletas que foram titulares na vitória contra o Atlético-MG, pela 14ª rodada do Brasileirão. Assim, Luxa repete a estratégia utilizada na rodada final da Libertadores, quando o Timão já estava eliminado da competição e precisava de um empate com o Liverpool-URU para garantir vaga nos playoffs da Sul-Americana.

Renato Augusto, que voltou aos gramados após cinco jogos ausente, está entre os relacionados e deve ganhar minutos como reserva.

A novidade na lista é a volta do atacante Romero, recuperado de um problema no joelho. Além do paraguaio, o técnico corintiano chamou nove atletas das categorias de base para o duelo contra os peruanos.

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VEJA OS RELACIONADOS

Goleiros: Carlos Miguel, Kauê e Matheus Donelli

Laterais: Léo Mana, Matheus Bidu, Rafael Ramos e Vitor Meer

Zagueiros: Bruno Méndez, Caetano, João Pedro, Murillo e Renato

Meio-campistas: Biro, Giuliano, Matheus Araújo, Maycon, Renato Augusto e Roni Atacantes: Adson, Felipe Augusto, Giovane, Pedro, Romero e Wesley

+ Timão avança? Veja todos os confrontos dos playoffs da Sul-Americana

Uma provável escalação conta com: Carlos Miguel; Rafael Ramos, Bruno Méndez, Caetano e Bidu; Roni, Maycon e Matheus Araújo (Giuliano); Adson, Felipe Augusto e Biro (Wesley)

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Luxemburgo fechou a preparação para o confronto com o Universitario com um trabalho tático. Houve também um treino de enfrentamento em campo reduzido e um complemento de cobranças de falta e pênaltis. Os titulares realizaram um trabalho separado no campo e na caixa de areia

Who’s playing

Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Gujarat Giants (GG)
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, 7.30pm IST

What to expect: Top spot up for grabs

RCB’s loss to UP Warriorz on Saturday night may have smoothened the passage into the playoffs for both MI and GG, but there’s still an extra edge to this contest as the top spot is still not booked.Giants have to win to entertain thoughts of finishing at No. 1. Mumbai have a game in hand and can get there even if they lose on Monday, but it would then mean a three-way tie should they beat RCB. They would want to avoid this logjam, having been in a similar position last year and then going down to RCB in the Eliminator.Related

• The rise and roar of Kashvee Gautam

• Mooney confident Gujarat Giants can challenge for WPL playoffs

GG are on a bull run, having won more games (three) over the past week than they did all of last season. But there’s one thing they haven’t done yet: beat MI, who have a 5-0 record against them in the tournament’s short history. If that wasn’t pressure enough, they now face the challenge of playing Harmanpreet Kaur’s MI in Mumbai, at the Brabourne Stadium, where they are yet to lose a single game.They have been the most explosive side in the middle-overs, courtesy Ash Gardner and new (old) signing Deandra Dottin. But MI have the best economy (6.6 runs an over) and average (17.9) in this phase. This battle will form the crux of the contest.The return to form of Harleen Deol, instrumental in GG’s stunning chase of 178 the other night against Delhi Capitals, bodes well. Kashvee Gautam’s all-round prowess and Beth Mooney’s unshackling at the top make them look more dangerous.MI look equally strong but have changed their batting combinations because of Yastika Bhatia’s prolonged lean run. In their previous game, Amelia Kerr was promoted to open with Hayley Mathews. It remains to be seen if this will be their plan at the back end too. If it is, it could mean a bigger batting responsibility for S Sajana and Amanjot Kaur in the middle order.Yastika Bhatia has been in poor batting form•WPL

Form guide

Mumbai Indians WLWWW
Gujarat Giants WWWLL

Team News

D Hemalatha’s poor run at the top of the order may force a change for GG. Simran Shaikh, who plays for Mumbai in domestic cricket, could get a look-in to inject some lower-order firepower.Gujarat Giants (probable): 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Phoebe Lichfield, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Ash Gardner (capt), 5 Deandra Dottin, 6 Simran Shaikh, 7 Kashvee Gautam, 8 Bharti Fulmali, 9 Tanuja Kanwar, 10 Meghna Singh, 11 Priya MishraMumbai have no reason to tinker with their XI.Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Hayley Matthews, 2 Amelia Kerr, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amanjot Kaur, 6 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 7 G Kamalini, 8 S Sajana, 9 Sanskriti Gupta, 9 10 Shabnim Ismail, 11 Parunika SisodiaKashvee Gautam has been a revelation this season•BCCI

Players to watch: Hayley Matthews and Kashvee Gautam

Hayley Matthews started poorly – not having crossed 20 in her first three games – but is slowly beginning to show the sparks of positivity she brings to her batting, especially up front in the powerplay, where she has made two half-centuries in her last three innings. Matthews’ return to form prevents more headaches at the top of the order for the Mumbai team management, especially with Bhatia struggling.Seam-bowling allrounders offer the kind of balance Harmanpreet Kaur has been yearning for as India captain. With Pooja Vastrakar suffering from a stress fracture, Kashvee Gautam’s performances with bat and ball for GG might have put her in national contention in a World Cup year. She’s easily one of the breakout stars of WPL 2025, and is leading the wickets’ chart for GG at this stage. Can she help them make their maiden final?

Stats that matter

• Nat Sciver-Brunt, the season’s second-highest run-getter, loves playing at Brabourne Stadium, having scored 196 runs and got out only once in four outings at this venue in the WPL.
• GG have the most wickets (13) among all teams in the powerplay this season.
• Gardner’s 17 sixes are the most by a batter this season. There is no MI batter in the top five.
• MI’s economy of 8.6 is the highest in the powerplay this season. They have also picked up the joint-highest wickets (9) in this phase.

Luis Diaz admitted to having talks with Barcelona over a possible move from Liverpool in the summer transfer window before the 28-year-old winger joined Bayern Munich. The Colombian had been on Barca's list of targets as they pursued a new attacker but ultimately lost out as he pushed for Liverpool to accept the German club's bid instead.

Luis Diaz confirms Barcelona talks in the summer

Buzzing from Bayern's latest win against Chelsea in the opening fixture of the Champions League, the Bayern attacker confirmed that Barcelona were chasing his signature this summer. However, he chose to join Bayern instead as he believed it was an best decision for his career, signing a four-year contract upon a €70 million (£60m/$82m) transfer.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDiaz is extremely happy having joined Bayern Munich

Diaz told : "I am very happy to be at this great club. There have been talks [with Barca], as is usual in the market, with several teams. I made an objective decision about my future, and the most important thing is that I'm coming to a great club. So I'll try to do my best."

Diaz, on his win against Chelsea, said: "I'm very happy with the win; it lives up to our expectations. A start like this is important for the team to stay calm. Now it's time to rest."

Barcelona's pursuit of a winger this summer

Barca's pursuit of a winger during the summer 2025 transfer window began with strong interest in Liverpool's Diaz, considered a top target, but talks stalled due to Liverpool's unwillingness to negotiate. The focus then shifted to Athletic Club's Nico Williams, leading to a month-long saga that collapsed over his insistence on an exit clause and registration guarantees, after which he extended his stay at Bilbao. In the end, the Blaugrana turned to Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, securing him on a season-long loan with an option to buy-a pragmatic move shaped by financial and registration constraints.

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AFPWhat lies ahead for Diaz and Barcelona

While Diaz has won his opening Champions League clash against Chelsea, Barca are heading to St. James' Park to face Newcastle on Thursday without teenage star Lamine Yamal. However, coach Hansi Flick is optimistic, with Rashford starting in his place for this crucial match.

“Probably his best Test innings because he left the ball well,” Bumrah said of Jaiswal

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-20246:04

Bumrah: ‘Whenever tough scenarios come, I look at how I can contribute’

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 161 in the second innings of the first Test against Australia in Perth was “probably his best Test innings”, captain Jasprit Bumrah said after India’s 295-run win. Bumrah was also all praise for Virat Kohli for his unbeaten 100, saying he had never looked “out of form” despite having endured a run of low scores heading into the series.”Out of all these innings, he [Jaiswal] had a great start to his career,” Bumrah told the host broadcaster. “But the way he played in the last innings was probably his best Test innings so far because he left the ball. He has an attacking nature, but he left the ball well and played long. That really helped us.”Jaiswal broke several records on his way to 161, one of which was becoming the second player to convert his first four centuries into 150-plus scores. He bounced back after a duck in the first innings, playing a patient innings in tricky conditions, putting up a 201-run opening stand with KL Rahul. Jaiswal is just 15 Tests into his career and averages 58.07.Related

Age no bar: young India show skill and the stomach for a scrap in Perth

'Be nice, be disciplined, have no fear' – How Bumrah masterminded India's Perth rout

Race to the WTC final: India back on top after Perth win

Stats – Jaiswal converts yet another ton into a 150-plus score

Jaiswal raises a ceiling that was already sky high

Kohli, coming into this series on the back of averaging 15.50 over three home Tests against New Zealand, brought up his century in 143 balls to lift India’s total to 487 for 6 declared, setting Australia a massive 534 target.”I have said this before, Virat Kohli doesn’t need us, we need him,” Bumrah said at the press conference. “He is an experienced player. This is his fourth or fifth tour. So he knows his cricket better than anyone else. He looked in good shape, he was mentally switched on. Sometimes when you have such a long career, you bat in tough conditions and he has batted in tough scenarios for a long time, but it’s difficult to do that all the time in every match.”But he looked to be in a good space and obviously, he got a good delivery in the first innings, but he was still in a great space and he capitalised in the second innings. We needed an experienced batter then. He also played well, and helped his partners play well as well. So obviously, when he gets confidence at the start of the series, you can’t ask for more than that.”After being bowled out for 150 on day one, India came back strongly with the ball thanks in particular to an excellent bowling display from their captain. Bumrah revealed what he said to his team at the end of their first innings.”We were put under pressure in the first innings, but the way we responded after that, I’m really very proud of the team,” Bumrah said.”I played here in 2018, so I remember that when you start here, the wicket is a little soft and then becomes quicker and quicker. So I was relying on that experience. Obviously this wicket was a little less spicy than the last one that I played here, but we were really well prepared.”So I was just telling everyone to have faith in their process and ability because over here at this moment you have an opportunity to do something special. So on a given day, experience does matter, but if you have faith in your ability, you can do something special.”

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a high-profile player this summer, and one who’s been seriously endorsed by the club’s all-time top scorer, Harry Kane.

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Spurs have been told what it would take to get a deal done.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2025

Spurs have already announced the signings of Mathys Tel on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich, Kota Takai in a J-League record £5 million move from Kawasaki Frontale and, of course, Mohammed Kudus from West Ham.

Kudus’ transfer marked the end of a 14-year-long unofficial transfer embargo between Spurs and their London rivals, with the Ghanaian seriously impressing on his debut against Reading last weekend.

Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White was set to immediately follow Kudus to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a medical was even scheduled for July 11 (BBC), but Nuno Espírito Santo’s side blocked the transfer and threatened legal action for what they deem to be an unlawful approach.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Once the matter is resolved, Tottenham are hopeful that Gibbs-White will eventually seal his switch to N17, but the move has been significantly delayed.

In the meantime, it is reliably reported that Spurs are competing with Newcastle United and Forest to sign Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, who scored 20 goals in all competitions under Thomas Frank last season.

Despite the current abundance of holding midfielders in their squad, there are also suggestions that Tottenham are looking for another one, with £167,000-per-week Bayern Munich ace Joao Palhinha among their chief targets.

Palhinha endured a lacklustre debut campaign at Bayern last season after sealing his long-awaited move there in 2024.

The Portugal international – thanks to a combination of injuries, illness and suspension – eventually fell down Vincent Kompany’s pecking order, and reports claim he could make a return to the Premier League already.

Tottenham are reported to have contacted Palhinha’s agents, and while reliable journalist Alasdair Gold doesn’t mention this, he does back up Spurs’ interest in a piece for football.london.

Tottenham eyeing Joao Palhinha after Harry Kane praise

Gold states that Tottenham are targeting Palhinha and have the 30-year-old on their shortlist of potential midfield signings, but at least one of Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr and Archie Gray would need to depart first.

Amid Bissouma’s links with a move to Turkey and inconsistent form, the Mali international appears their most likely candidate to make way for Palhinha.

Interestingly, Lilywhites legend Kane has already endorsed a possible Spurs swoop for the robust, tough-tackling number six, who was also called a “leader” by Marco Silva during his Fulham days.

Kane is on record calling the ex-Sporting CP star an “animal”, citing his many tough battles against him.

“I think they suit our system really well,” said Kane after Bayern signed Palhinha and Michael Olise last summer, via Florian Plettenberg.

“Palhinha is an animal in that defensive midfield role. I’ve had many battles against him.

“Michael’s ability on the ball is fantastic. The way he moves, the way he goes around players – and his final product is at a high, high level. And he’s still very young, so there’s even more improvement to come.”

According to some reports, Bayern want around £30m to let Palhinha leave, while Spurs want a deal done closer to the £20m mark.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is leading the charge to reinforce Mikel Arteta’s ranks this summer, with the Gunners determined to end their two-decade-long-plus wait for a Premier League title.

Arsenal have "submitted an offer" to sign "strong" £30m Premier League star

The north Londoners are opening talks.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 2, 2025

Berta officially unveiled his first signing as Edu Gaspar’s replacement earlier this week.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)	Money on new signings
19/20 – winter	£0
20/21 – summer	£81.5m
20/21 – winter	£900k
21/22 – summer	£156.8m
21/22 – winter	£1.8m
22/23 – summer	£121.5m
22/23 – winter	£59m
23/24 – summer	£208m
23/24 – winter	£0
24/25 – summer	£101.5m
24/25 – winter	£0

Kepa Arrizabalaga is a now-confirmed Arsenal player after completing his medical at the club last week (Sky Sports), and the 30-year-old David Raya back-up joins from Chelsea for just £5 million.

“We are really happy to have Kepa joining us,” said Arteta about Kepa’s arrival at the Emirates Stadium.

“He is a player we know, having come up against him many times in recent seasons. He brings a wealth of experience, which his teammates will benefit from, and he has a real hunger to win.

“Kepa works hard and will elevate our levels. I know he will fit in perfectly, already knowing some of his teammates, and we are really excited about his future with us.”

Arsenal are likely to announce Martin Zubimendi’s signing at some point this week too, with Brentford captain Christian Norgaard also expected to undergo his medical in the next few days (The Athletic).

Arsenal also want to sign a new attacking-midfielder/winger, amid talks for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, but supporters are especially keen to see Berta end the club’s long wait for a prolific star striker.

While there have been tentative links to the likes of Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, two big names stand out as Arsenal’s top centre-forward targets – RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

Sesko, fresh off the back of his best Bundesliga campaign to date, was a top target for Arsenal last summer and in January (Ben Jacobs), with Berta holding talks over the £94,000-per-week Slovenia international again this summer.

Gyokeres, meanwhile, is at the centre of a public fallout with Sporting and president Frederico Varandas, and the 27-year-old is believed to be very keen on a move to Arsenal, whilst being worried that his price tag could jeopardise a move (Record).

Sesko and Gyokeres eyeing Arsenal moves as Berta leads talks

As per GiveMeSport and reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Arsenal’s intentions are clear when it comes to a deal for either man.

Berta has “advanced talks” for Sesko and Gyokeres, as widely reported elsewhere too, and Jacobs says that they would both welcome a move to north London. However, the key for a deal to be done is, of course, down to their final price tags.

Arsenal’s aim is to sign Sesko or Gyokeres for around £60 million, but personal terms shouldn’t be a problem for either really, especially considering the latter is only on around £40,000-per-week in Portugal right now.

Given the likes of Man United are also hunting for a top striker, amid links to Gyokeres in particular, Arsenal cannot afford to dilly-dally for too long here.

Manchester United’s rebuild this summer has already begun just days into the transfer market, with Ruben Amorim desperately needing to make his own stamp on the squad.

The Red Devils will be hoping for a huge reaction next campaign, after the side registered their lowest ever Premier League points tally and league finish in 2024/25.

Matheus Cunha has already completed his switch to Old Trafford, with the Brazilian moving to the North West in a £62.5m deal from fellow top-flight outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, despite the massive fee spent on the 25-year-old, it does not appear to scupper any other plans in the market, with numerous names continuously linked with a summer move to the club.

All areas of the pitch are set for investment from INEOS, with Amorim finally getting the opportunity to sign and sell players who may or may not be part of his plans ahead in the coming years.

The latest on United’s hunt for new players this summer

Bryan Mbeumo appears to be the latest addition to be made by the United hierarchy this summer, after he confirmed his desire to leave Brentford for a switch to Old Trafford this summer.

The Red Devils will reportedly approach Thomas Frank’s side this week over a deal for the 25-year-old, but the Bees are set to demand a fee in the region of £60m for his signature this window.

The Cameroonian could be joined by another new addition at the Theatre of Dreams by Aleksandar Mitrovic, that’s if talkSPORT’s latest update on the transfer front is to be believed.

They reported that United are seriously considering a potential bid for the Serbian international, who currently plies his trade for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

The article also states that West Ham and Everton are monitoring the 30-year-old’s progress, with the Middle Eastern outfit demanding a fee in the region of £40m to part ways with their talisman.

Why Mitrovic would be a huge upgrade on Delap

Liam Delap was once seen as United’s number one target for the centre-forward role, but circumstances elsewhere have seen the club move on this summer.

The 22-year-old has completed his medical ahead of his proposed move to Chelsea this summer, after Enzo Maresca’s side triggered the £30m release clause in his contract.

It may be a blessing in disguise after allowing the English youngster to move to Stamford Bridge, with many supporters unsure whether he would be the answer to their goalscoring issues.

He did manage to score 12 times for the Tractor Boys this season – an impressive tally for a player in a relegated outfit – but it’s unclear whether he will be able to sustain a record in 2025/26.

Such a situation has seen the hierarchy targeting a move for former Fulham star Mitrovic, with the Serbian talisman massively outperforming Delap when comparing their respective figures from this season.

He’s registered 28 goals in his 36 appearances throughout this campaign, a tally more than double than that of the soon-to-be Chelsea man and eight more than Mbeumo – highlighting his clinical nature within the final third.

The striker has also placed more of his efforts on target and achieved a better goal per 90 rate, handing Amorim the sensational talisman he’s desired since taking the reins.

Games played

23

37

38

Goals scored

21

12

20

Goals per 90

0.9

0.4

0.5

Shot-on-target accuracy

48%

43%

43%

Shots on target per game

2.2

1

0.9

Shots taken

4.4

2.3

2.1

Aerials won

2.7

1.9

0.9

Mitrovic’s dominance doesn’t end there, winning more aerials than the aforementioned duo, handing the latter an opportunity to increase his own goal tally, given his ability to play as a focal point.

Missing out on Delap may be a concern, especially to a direct rival in the ‘big six’, but ultimately, if they were to pursue a move for the former Fulham star, it would be a sensational deal that could transform the club’s fortunes.

It may not be the glamorous name many were anticipating, but his tally of 38 goals in England’s top-flight, he has what it takes to be a success and play a key role in their revival next time around.

After Cunha: Man Utd set to make £29m move to sign their new Berbatov

Manchester United could sign their new Dimitar Berbatov this summer.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 2, 2025

Manchester United are now considering a move to sign an “incredible” Bayern Munich midfielder for just £25 million, according to a recent report.

Bruno Fernandes set to stay at Man Utd after Nations League triumph

International duty has taken centre stage in the last week or so, and like nearly every Premier League team, United have players all over the globe representing their countries.

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Manchester United are eyeing up a move for a striker who would be their best forward since Cristiano Ronaldo.

ByDan Emery Jun 8, 2025

But not many will have had a better time with their country than Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, who were part of the Portugal squad that won the Nations League. Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties on Sunday following a 2-2 draw after 120 minutes.

Fernandes played the entire 120 minutes and even netted in the penalty shootout win, while Dalot was an unused substitute, as he was in the semi-final win over Germany.

This is Fernandes’ second trophy with his country, and after the game, the Red Devils skipper revealed “winning with Portugal is different”.

“I’m going to celebrate with my teammates and my family. It’s a special moment for everyone. Winning for Portugal is different. It’s for our family, for our people, for the country, for our people.

“Once again, the wave of red that I saw so much on social media was there and made us feel like we were playing at home. Thank you very much for all the support; it was excellent. We felt it, from start to finish, from the moment we got to the end.

“Everything we did during the game helped us win. We knew we were going up against a great team, and at the same time, we knew we were a team of the same level. We knew Spain’s qualities; we were very aggressive when losing the ball, which was very important.”

Man Utd considering move to sign "incredible" £25m Bayern Munich ace

As Fernandes continues celebrating, the Red Devils now have their eye on one of his international teammates. According to Mirror Football, relayed by Simply Utd on X, Man United are weighing up a move to sign Joao Palhinha.

The 29-year-old only joined Bayern Munich from Fulham last summer, but it was a very underwhelming first campaign for the Portuguese enforcer – he only played 17 games in the Bundesliga, as his season was hampered by injuries and competition in the midfield area.

It’s been reported that Palhinha, who has been dubbed “incredible” in the past, may leave Munich this summer, given his struggles, but it is unlikely they are going to get near the £44 million they paid Fulham in 2024. In fact, this report states that United could sign the midfielder for just £25 million.

Palhinha

Casemiro

Apps

17

24

Starts

6

18

Progressive passes

32

84

Progressive carries

3

4

Passes attempted

552

990

Passes completed

510

780

Tackles (won)

20 (14)

83 (50)

Interceptions

4

14

Blocks

13

39

Clearances

9

51

His arrival at Old Trafford could see him be the man to replace Casemiro, who, while he performed very well towards the end of the season, could be a player who is allowed to leave, given his hefty wages. Talk of an exit has gone quiet in recent months, but Amorim will want to trim his squad down given no European football, and given Casemiro’s age, he could be one that is on the chopping block.