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With each passing season, or even each passing game, what it means to be Manchester United appears to be drifting away.

No longer a winning machine, the soul of the club has also been somewhat lost of late, amid the relentless redundancies that have been rolled out by the INEOS regime – all to help fund another collection of expensive player incomings.

On the pitch, Ruben Amorim’s persistence with his 3-4-2-1 system appears at odds with the great teams of the past, having slipped so far from the gung-ho, edge-of-your-seat style which was synonymous with Sir Alex Ferguson – and those before him.

A microcosm of the modern game, United’s most damning act has been the repeated selling of the family silver, with academy graduates the major victims in recent years.

Only last summer, the Red Devils shipped Scott McTominay off to Napoli amid the desire to bring in Manuel Ugarte in his place. One of that duo is now a Ballon d’Or nominee…

As for this summer, Alejandro Garnacho has been allowed to join the Chelsea circus, while fellow FA Cup final hero Kobbie Mainoo has been tipped to follow him out the exit door, amid his lack of regular game time.

A player whom Gary Neville suggested the club should be “building [the team] around”, Mainoo simply can’t be allowed to leave. Instead, a new addition is needed to help revive him.

Latest on Man Utd's midfield search

“Now I’m a Baleba…”

The songs had already been written; scarves were no doubt being sold. Alas, unless a drastic change occurs, United won’t be forking out the required £100m plus fee for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, despite identifying the Cameroonian as a leading target.

With the Seagulls holding firm on their desire to keep hold of their 21-year-old sensation, Amorim’s search for an athletic number eight will have to shift its focus, with the centre of the park in particular need of reinforcement, amid the continued reliance on an ageing Casemiro.

Transfer Focus

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

With that in mind, Caught Offside have reported that United are showing an interest in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder, Conor Gallagher, with the England international seemingly in line for a return to the Premier League.

As per the report, the 25-year-old is available heading into the final days of the window, with the LaLiga outfit slapping a £45m asking price on his head. That would ensure that an offer in that region would likely be accepted.

Unsurprisingly, Amorim and co aren’t alone in their interest, as Tottenham Hotspur are said to be the club who are ‘leading the race’ right now. The Lilywhites are even said to be ready to make a bid.

Why Conor Gallagher could be perfect for Mainoo

The key crux of the issue right now for young Mainoo is that Amorim has outlined that he views the 20-year-old as a competitor, rather than a partner, for Bruno Fernandes in central midfield, thus ensuring his route to game time is severely blocked.

That said, United’s chief creator may well still be better suited to a number ten berth, thus perhaps opening the door for Mainoo to nail down the number eight role instead, having previously thrived in a deeper position during his breakout 2023/24 season.

While last term was a tale of injuries and frustration, it’s easy to forget just what a revelation the Englishman was the year prior, having kicked things off with a Man of the Match display on his first Premier League start at Everton in November 2023.

A meteoric rise over the next few months saw the then-teenager net that Wembley winner, prior to starting every knockout game during England’s surge to the Euro 2024 final – having even started the showpiece defeat to Spain.

A “generational” talent, in the view of teammate Rasmus Hojlund, Mainoo possesses that unerring ability to simply breeze past opponents, with his poise and power having even led Anthony Elanga to describe him as having “similar attributes to Paul Pogba”.

Marcus Rashford

£42m

Scott McTominay

£42m

Kobbie Mainoo

£42m

Alejandro Garnacho

£38m

Anthony Elanga

£36m

Mason Greenwood

£34m

Alvaro Carreras

£30m

Dwight McNeil

£21m

Dean Henderson

£17m

Angel Gomes

£17m

Pogba’s time at United is enough for a 10,000-word piece on its own, but where the Frenchman truly shone was on the international stage, partnering a certain N’Golo Kante as Les Bleus claimed World Cup glory in 2018.

Like the mercurial Pogba, Mainoo is in need of that athletic workhorse alongside him – particularly so in this 3-4-2-1 system.

Enter, Gallagher.

Previously described as being like “Kante with goals” by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino – having also been likened to his ex-Chelsea colleague by Thomas Tuchel – the Atleti star would represent the perfect foil for Mainoo in the engine room.

A pressing “monster” – as per Tom Dutton – the £45m man notably ranked in the top 4% of Champions League midfielders for interceptions per 90 last season, as per FBref, having been a relentless presence in Diego Simeone’s setup.

Also ranking in the top 1% for passes between 15 and 30 yards, the one-time Crystal Palace loanee plays a simple but effective game, ensuring he could win back possession, before picking out the likes of Mainoo ahead of him.

That’s not to say he’s simply the archetypal ‘piano carrier’, however, with Gallagher also offering a real threat in his own right in attack, having registered six goals and assists in LaLiga last term. His pass accuracy rate of 87%, as per Sofascore, is also nothing to be sniffed at.

There might be more technically proficient players on the market, but few boast such impressive physical traits, with the Cobham graduate perhaps representing the athletic solution that Amorim has been searching for all summer.

If a deal can be struck in the dying embers, it could well be just what is needed to get the best out of Mainoo again. Should Amorim fail to revive United’s golden boy, on his head be it…

Great news for Mainoo: Amorim's "magician" is now open to leaving Man Utd

Manchester United might lose one of their most important players before the transfer window closes.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 30, 2025

Harshit Rana and Ravindra Jadeja picked up three wickets each to restrict England to a very gettable 248

Vithushan Ehantharajah06-Feb-2025

Shreyas Iyer came out all guns blazing in India’s chase of 249•BCCI

It was both untidy and emphatic. India made light work of their 249 target, passing it with 68 deliveries to spare in Nagpur. That they only won this first ODI by four wickets was down to an unnecessarily messy finish. One that spoke more to their disorder at how simple this was than any rallying from England’s part. After a 4-1 hammering in the T20I series, Brendon McCullum’s first ODI as head coach ended in a similar shellacking.It was a mix of old and new that combined to give those in light blue a 1-0 lead in this three-match series. Ravindra Jadeja’s 3 for 26 was supplemented by Harshit Rana’s 3 for 53 on his maiden ODI appearance to roll England for 248 with 14 deliveries to spare. Jos Buttler’s 52 and Jacob Bethell’s 51 were the only scores of note after Phil Salt’s emphatic start of 43 from 26 had been wasted.With Virat Kohli ruled out with a right knee injury sustained on Wednesday evening, Shubman Gill stepped up to ice the chase with 87, helped initially by Shreyas Iyer’s 59 and Axar Patel’s outstanding 52, in stands of 94 and 108, respectively.The former came at a vital juncture, as Jofra Archer nicked off Yashasvi Jaiswal on ODI debut and Saqib Mahmood – in for the rested Mark Wood – had skipper Rohit Sharma caught at mid-on in the space of six deliveries. From 19 for 2, India did not look back.Iyer’s fifty off 30 deliveries set an emphatic tone, dealing with anything and everything short, pulling and then ramping Archer for consecutive sixes at the end of the seventh over. Four of his nine fours were carved off Brydon Carse, who opted for length deliveries more on the off side once it became apparent Iyer was relishing the chance to heave to leg.Axar’s introduction up the order proved a masterstroke, the left-hander playing with the kind of freedom that allowed Gill to calmly go about his business. Gill’s one alarm came when given out lbw on 38 to Liam Livingstone, but even that was corrected immediately as DRS showed a clear inside edge. The vice-captain’s 14th fifty was his first against England.The pair combined expertly in the 29th over against Carse, taking 17 from it with two boundaries each – the best of them a ramp from Axar over the keeper. It was then that this chase officially became a canter, with just 48 needed from the last 21 overs. Axar raised his bat for fifty for the first time on home soil, driving his 46th ball, from Carse, on the up and through the fielder at mid-off.Axar Patel and Shubman GIll put on 108 runs together•AFP/Getty ImagesThat he was not able to see things through – bowled by a slow leg spinner by Adil Rashid – was a disappointment to Gill at the non-striker’s end. On 81 at the time, with 28 remaining, thoughts then turned to the 25-year-old’s century, which seemed to bring about indecision, first with KL Rahul’s dismissal – a tame caught and bowled to Rashid – and then his own, as he failed to strike Mahmood over Buttler at mid on.Jadeja’s edge off Mahmood through wicketkeeper Salt for the winning runs characterised the anxiety brought on by that unnecessary cascade of three wickets for just four runs. But it also highlighted England’s shortcomings with the bat, brought about by their own three-wicket collapse at the top of the order in the space of eight deliveries.Salt had driven an opening stand of 75 with Ben Duckett, leaving India flapping in the field. The brutality of Salt’s acceleration after a watchful start was contained in Rana’s third over for 26 courtesy of three sixes – a top-edge, a slog sweep off a slower ball and a heave over midwicket to finish the over.But a miscommunication on a third run brought about his demise, the first domino to fall as 75 for 0 became 77 for 3. A cut to deep point was chased down by Iyer, who threw to the striker’s end to find Salt comfortably short of his ground, having been sent back by Duckett.Harshit Rana on ODI debut picked up three wickets•AFP/Getty ImagesBack came Rana with a bang, with two wickets in the following over. Duckett mistimed a pull shot that required a spectacular catch from Jaiswal, running back from midwicket before a well-judged dive. Harry Brook was then taken well down the leg side by Rahul, who had beaten Rishabh Pant to wicketkeeping duties, after a rising length delivery caught the bottom glove.Joe Root came to the middle for his first ODI innings since the 2023 World Cup, the ideal man for such a rebuild even given his absence from 50-over cricket. What optimism there was with Buttler at the other end did not last long, with Root falling lbw to Jadeja after 51 deliveries at the crease. It was the fourth time the left-arm spinner has dismissed him in the format.At that stage, England were 111 for 4 in the 20th over. Not too dissimilar to India’s 111 for 3 at the end of the 16th, when Bethell trapped Iyer plumb in front.Bethell’s stand with Buttler for the fifth wicket looked to be trending towards an emphatic rebuild akin to what Gill and Axar achieved. But the English duo’s partnership was capped at 59 when Buttler, nine deliveries after bringing up his 38th fifty-plus ODI score from 58 balls, clipped an Axar long-hop around the corner to Hardik Pandya at short fine leg.Unlike India’s middle order, England’s fell apart, even as Bethell held his nerve through to a second ODI fifty from 62 balls. His maturity and reading of the situation was a lesson to more experienced heads around him. Those lower down owed it to him to stick around, but the return of pace ended up seeing off Liam Livingstone (caught behind for Rana’s third) and Carse (bowled for Mohammed Shami’s first).Once Bethell was given out on review after Jadeja had struck his back pad on the sweep, only a few lusty strikes from Archer (21 not out) gave England what looked a respectable total at the halfway stage. India, though, showed it no respect whatsoever.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Ceará é tricampeão da Copa do Nordeste! Nesta quarta-feira (3), a equipe visitou o Sport, na Ilha do Retiro, foi bastante pressionado (pelo adversário e apoio maciço das arquibancadas) e perdeu no tempo normal por 1 a 0. Entretanto, com a decisão do título indo para as penalidades, o Vozão se redimiu ao vencer por 4 a 2, graças à grande atuação do goleiro Richard, e conquistou pela terceira vez o troféu regional.

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COMEÇO DE PRESSÃO

A necessidade de buscar o resultado e também o estilo de jogo do Leão fizeram com que os anfitriões tivessem uma postura agressiva desde o início, em que dois erros defensivos do Ceará quase custaram uma precoce abertura do marcador. Na primeira delas, Richard tocou nos pés de Jorginho, que bateu com precisão, mas o arqueiro se recuperou e levou a bola a tocar no travessão. Logo na sequência, Vagner Love foi acionado em velocidade e seu chute parou em mais uma intervenção do goleiro do Ceará.

DECISÃO IGUALADA

Mesmo quando não conseguia finalizações mais agudas contra a meta adversária, o Sport persistia no elevado volume ofensivo e deixava seu adversário absolutamente ‘encurralado’ em território além de sem alternativas visíveis para sair da pressão. Com isso, aos 26 minutos, uma bola cruzada da esquerda foi cortada apenas parcialmente pela zaga do Ceará. Foi então que Luciano Juba, na marca do pênalti, bateu forte para inaugurar a contagem na Ilha do Retiro.

SPORT SEGUIU MARTELANDO

Tanto na reta final da primeira etapa quanto nos minutos iniciais do tempo complementar, o cenário do jogo não sofreu qualquer alteração. O Leão da Ilha era o verdadeiro comandante das ações ofensivas. Variando os lados de campo e com extrema velocidade de transição, o Rubro-Negro ia confundindo a marcação adversária e abria espaços em que o travessão, os erros de finalização e também participações importantes de Richard mantinham o duelo indo para as penalidades com o 1 a 0 parcial.

FOI TUDO PARA A MARCA DA CAL

Apesar dos esforços empreendidos pela equipe dirigida por Enderson Moreira e em algumas estocadas pontuais do Ceará, em que a zaga leonina conseguiu evitar finalizações mais agudas, a decisão da Copa do Nordeste 2023 foi parar nas penalidades máximas. E, na hora de decidir, Richard novamente apareceu de maneira destacada na partida ao pegar as cobranças de Luciano Juba e Gabriel Santos. Nesse contexto, coube a Erick converter a quinta cobrança e fazer explodir a torcida do Vozão no setor visitante da Ilha do Retiro.

FICHA TÉCNICA DA PARTIDA
SPORT 1 (4) x (2) 0 CEARÁ – FINAL DA COPA DO NORDESTE

Local: Ilha do Retiro, em Recife (PE)
Data e hora: 03/05/2022 – 21h (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Denis da Silva Ribeiro Serafim (AL)
Assistentes: Luanderson Lima dos Santos (BA) e Brigida Cirillo Ferreira (AL)
VAR: Pablo Ramon Gonçalves Pinheiro (RN)
Cartões amarelos: Igor Cariús, Ronaldo Henrique (SPO); Danilo Barcelos, Janderson, Richard, Vitor Gabriel (CEA)
Cartões vermelhos: –

GOLS: Luciano Juba, aos 26’/1°T (1-0)

SPORT (Técnico: Enderson Moreira)

Renan; Eduardo, Rafael Thyere (Chico, aos 37’/2°T), Sabino e Igor Cariús (Felipinho, aos 23’/2°T); Fabinho, Ronaldo Henrique (Pedro Martins, aos 37’/2°T), Edinho (Wanderson, aos 23’/2°T), Jorginho (Gabriel Santos, aos 28’/2°T) e Luciano Juba; Vagner Love.

CEARÁ (Técnico: Eduardo Barroca)

Richard; Warley (Michel, aos 32’/2°T), Tiago, Luiz Otávio e Willian Formiga (Danilo Barcelos, aos 20’/1°T); Richardson, Arthur Rezende (Jean Carlos, no intervalo) e Guilherme Castilho; Erick, Vitor Gabriel (Luvannor, aos 16’/2°T) e Janderson (Chay, aos 32’/2°T).

Celtic and Brendan Rodgers still have plenty of work to do in the market before the summer transfer window officially slams shut at the start of September.

When asked about what the Hoops need to do, Rodgers said: “I think it’s bringing goals to the squad. Especially when you score four goals, it seems like you’re okay. But we lost an important player in Kyogo [Furuhashi] in January. He brought us a lot of goals. We lost Nicolas Kuhn. He brought us a lot of goals. Matt O’Riley even last summer.

“So even though we scored a lot of goals last season, we still want more. And our ambition is to have more. So I think all across the front areas, we have to be active in order to give us that depth we need.”

This suggests that the Scottish Premiership champions will be looking to add more attacking players to their squad, which is backed up by their reported interest in Go Ahead Eagles forward Jakob Breum.

However, the Hoops should also be looking for reinforcements in the middle of the park in the coming weeks, as they look a little light in the number six department.

Why Celtic need to sign another number six

Callum McGregor, the captain, is currently the only player in the squad who you would describe as a natural number six, a tempo-setter who can sit at the base of the midfield to dictate play and screen in front of the back four.

Reo Hatate, Arne Engels, Luke McCowan, and Paulo Bernardo are the manager’s other options in the middle of the park, and they are all more traditional number eight or number ten types, who want to be all-action and pushing forward to get involved in attacks on a regular basis during games.

McGregor is the player who sets the standards, as the captain, and really drives the style of play for Rodgers with his fantastic ability to be a metronome in midfield.

24/25 Premiership

Callum McGregor

Midfield rank

Pass accuracy

94%

1st

Passes attempted per game

80

1st

Passes made per game

74

1st

Least possessions lost per game

6.9

1st

Accurate long passes per game

1.4

2nd

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, no midfielder in the squad is as effective or efficient as a passer than the former Scotland international, which is why he is the starting number six for Celtic.

However, there is no depth behind the 32-year-old star in that position, which is why it should come as good news that the Hoops are looking at another option for that role.

Celtic eyeing up Premier League starlet

According to TEAMtalk, Rodgers is ‘planning’ a raid to sign Liverpool central midfielder Stefan Bajcetic to bolster his Celtic squad before the end of the summer window.

The report claims that the Spanish youngster has emerged as a target for the Scottish Premiership champions, who are looking for more reinforcements in the coming weeks.

Transfer Focus

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

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It adds that Liverpool, who won the Premier League last season, are willing to sanction an exit for the 20-year-old talent, and that they would be willing to explore a loan with an option to make it permanent next summer.

However, TEAMtalk explains that the potential valuation of that permanent option could make it a difficult deal for Celtic to do, as they do not want to go overboard on their budget, which makes this a difficult deal for them to get over the line.

If the Hoops are able to reach an agreement with Arne Slot’s side to bring Bajcetic to Parkhead, though, they could have a McGregor clone on their hands.

Why Celtic should sign Stefan Bajcetic

The 20-year-old starlet could come in as the perfect understudy to the Celtic captain as a natural number six who can step in and play when the Scottish ace needs a rest, with a view to him eventually taking over as the starter in the future.

At the age of 20, Bajcetic is 12 years younger than McGregor and could be the future for the Hoops, as a young player with plenty of time left ahead of him to grow and develop, whilst the skipper is in the latter stages of his career.

In terms of how he would fit in from a stylistic perspective, the Liverpool youngster would also be an ideal signing because he was the most comparable player to McGregor, statistically, in the Champions League last season, as per FBref.

The chart above backs that up, as they appear to excel in similar areas of the game in and out of possession, as Bajcetic caught the eye whilst on loan at RB Salzburg in the first half of the season.

During his time in the Austrian Bundesliga, the Liverpool youngster showcased his potential as a number six who can dictate games as a passer, whilst also being strong out of possession.

24/25 Bundesliga

Stefan Bajcetic per 90

Percentile rank vs midfielders

Passes made

41.55

Top 19%

Pass accuracy

81.8%

Top 27%

Accurate long passes

3.08

Top 17%

Tackles made

1.91

Top 16%

Duels won

8.37

Top 7%

Duel success rate

62%

Top 1%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, he ranked highly among midfielders in areas of the game that a number six needs to excel at, in terms of setting the tempo with passes and winning his duels in front of the back four.

As you would expect at the age of 20, Bajcetic is not the finished article, as shown by his pass accuracy of 81.8%, compared to McGregor’s 94% in the Premiership, but he has time on his hands to develop.

Journalist Leanne Prescott once claimed that it was “staggering” how in control Liverpool looked with the Spaniard at the base of their midfield, which further backs up the belief that he could come in as the perfect understudy to the Celtic captain.

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Bajcetic is a McGregor clone in the making with his qualities in and out of possession in the number six position, which is why he could be a fantastic addition to the squad this summer.

Chelsea are set for a hectic next few days, as they attempt to take advantage of this unique registration period and sign new players before the June 10 deadline.

Chelsea attempting winger signing before Club World Cup

Despite reported talks for targets in other positions, there is a belief among some reliable media sources that Chelsea hold a serious desire to upgrade their wide options after completing a deal for Liam Delap.

£80m forward clear he wants to join Chelsea with "positive talks" held

Enzo Maresca’s side are very active in the market right now.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 6, 2025

Chelsea haven’t given up on signing AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan, who’s told the Rossoneri he wants a move to Stamford Bridge, but plans to bring in a winger have also been accelerated after the departure of Jadon Sancho.

Sancho returns to Man United after Chelsea failed to agree personal terms with the £300,000-per-week forward, and they will now pay a £5 million penalty fee to Ruben Amorim’s side after opting out of the obligation to buy in his contract.

This leaves Maresca a wide-man short, and Myhkailo Mudryk also remains ineligible due to his on-field ban for failing a drugs test.

“Chelsea’s next priority after Liam Delap is a right-footed left winger,” said reliable journalist Ben Jacobs on X this week.

“Alejandro Garnacho, Nico Williams and Jamie Gittens are three names under consideration. The desire to add another winger is more with Mykhailo Mudryk’s absence in mind. Process likely to take time regardless of the outcome.

“Another forward is also possible as Christopher Nkunku is expected to leave. This could be another number nine, despite faith in Nicolas Jackson. Or it could be a versatile attacking midfielder. Chelsea will be opportunistic should Morgen Rogers become available, but Aston Villa have no intention to sell even with a tight PSR position.”

Movement has occurred behind-the-scenes in Chelsea’s pursuit of some targets, mainly Williams and Gittens.

Chelsea have informed Williams’ agents that they’re prepared to pay his £50 million release clause, and have been pushing for Gittens as an alternative to the Spain winger recently (Simon Phillips).

Chelsea propose swap deal in discussions for Mohammed Kudus

According to reports from the last 24 hours, Maresca’s side do have another option – West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus.

The Ghanaian’s contract includes an £85 million release clause, which becomes active in July, but the Hammers are open to entertaining other offers.

That is according to The Mirror and journalist Ryan Taylor, who report that Chelsea have held talks with West Ham over Kudus. The Blues are said to have proposed a “multi-player-package deal” during these discussions, meaning they’re prepared to use more than one squad member as makeweights to bring the African’s price down.

However, West Ham are not interested in a transfer of this nature, meaning Chelsea may have to go back in with another proposal if they’re to strike a deal for the 24-year-old.

Kudus is widely expected to leave the London Stadium, two years after Chelsea tried to sign him from Ajax in 2023, and despite a mixed 2024/2025, the former Eredivisie starlet has still impressed in flashes during his time at Rush Green.

“He’s a top, top talent and I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet,” said teammate Aaron Cresswell.

“I won’t go near him in training because I know if I’m going to try to knock him off the ball. I had better make sure he’s not looking and doesn’t see me coming. You just can’t get near him. He’s so strong, so quick, so sharp.”

Manchester United find themselves 14th in the Premier League table after their 1-1 draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.

The Red Devils needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Rasmus Hojlund to avoid a 16th defeat in the top-flight this season, in what has been a significantly below-par campaign for the club.

INEOS and Ruben Amorim must work together to ensure that the recruitment work this summer is spot on, as there have been too many missteps in recent years, including the signing of Mason Mount in the summer of 2023.

Why Mason Mount has been a flop for Manchester United

The England international signed for the Red Devils from Chelsea for a reported fee of £55m ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, and has had a rough time in Manchester so far.

Since the start of last season, Mount has missed a whopping 50 matches through calf and hamstring injuries, which have heavily disrupted his time at Old Trafford.

When available, however, the English attacking midfielder has not done enough to justify the money spent on his services, with a return of one goal and one assist in 39 appearances in all competitions.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

This has led to his market value, as per Transfermarkt, plummeting to just £24m, which shows that he has been a flop for Manchester United so far because the midfielder has not delivered goals or assists, or consistent availability, and is now worth significantly less than the fee they paid for him.

Mount is not the only player from that batch of recruitment in 2023 who has not been good enough, though, as Andre Onana should be ruthlessly ditched by INEOS this summer.

Why Man Utd should sell Andre Onana

Manchester United reportedly paid £47.2m to sign the Cameroon international from Ajax in the summer of 2023, and his value has plummeted in the two years since then.

It was recently reported that the club would consider offers of at least £20m for Onana, which means that he could be sold for even less than Mount is currently worth (£24m).

As you can see in the highlights above, Onana most recently had a night to forget against Lyon with two mistakes in the Europa League, which led to him being dropped against Newcastle United in the Premier League.

That came directly after former United midfielder Nemanja Matic dubbed him “one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United’s history” after being asked about Onana’s claim that his team were better than Lyon.

Whilst the Red Devils eventually won the tie over two legs, the Cameroon international’s personal performances did not do much to dismiss Matic’s harsh claim.

Andre Onana (Premier League + Europe)	23/24	24/25
Appearances	44	43
Goals conceded	73	59
Errors leading to shots	3	1
Errors leading to goals	3	5
Penalties committed	1	0
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, making errors is not a new issue for Onana because the shot-stopper has been error-prone throughout his two seasons in Manchester to date.

He has not been a reliable, safe, pair of hands between the sticks, due to these errors in the Premier League, the Champions League, and the Europa League, and that is why INEOS must ruthlessly cash in on him this summer.

United should look to move Onana on, whether that is for a fee of £20m or another figure, and then attempt to recruit a replacement who can be relied upon week-in-week-out at the top level, without Amorim having to be concerned about his goalkeeper making calamitous errors consistently.

Better signing than Huijsen: Man Utd preparing bid to sign £51m "monster"

Manchester United are plotting a bid to sign a star who’d be an even better addition than Dean Huijsen.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 28, 2025

The Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler talks about how he has found success on flat pitches, his new variations, and what it’s like to be captained by Pat Cummins

Interview by Deivarayan Muthu04-May-2024From being a yorker specialist, T Natarajan has evolved into a more versatile bowler who now has the on-pace and slower bouncers in his repertoire. In an IPL season where bat has dominated ball like never before, Natarajan has been so impressive with his defensive skills that he even bowled a triple-wicket maiden. The left-arm seamer was “unlucky” to miss out of India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, according to former Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody, but he continues to front up to bowl the difficult overs for his franchise. Natarajan spoke to us about the challenges of being a bowler this IPL, Pat Cummins’ leadership, and bowling to MS Dhoni at Chepauk, among other things.When you, Heinrich Klaasen and Co visited a mall in Hyderabad, a lot of people were chanting your name and Klaasen’s. Are you enjoying the reception you’re getting in Hyderabad this season?
I was very excited. I don’t think we’ve had this much attention during all these years in Hyderabad. There was a lot of crowd and we got mobbed ( [poor] bowlers? (, too, has given me a lot of confidence to bowl the slower one. I’ve had a chance to work with Bhuvi for seven years. He has always advised me to not take too much pressure and keeps telling me I have all the skills as a bowler. Even after the end of a match, I sit down with him and try to rectify the mistakes I have made in the match. All of this has helped me execute my variations.You also did well for Tamil Nadu in the Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare tournaments. How did that help you prepare for the IPL?
Yes, the white-ball tournaments went well for me, but the focus has been more on fitness than my bowling in the lead-up to the IPL. I missed the Ranji Trophy because of some pain in my knee. I played the practice game before Tamil Nadu’s first Ranji match [in early January], but I couldn’t play and went back to rehab.”Pat Cummins gives me a lot of freedom, and in terms of communication with the entire bowling attack, he is very strong. He has told me: ‘Don’t worry, whatever happens, I’m there for you'”•Associated PressHow did you deal with being on the sidelines once again?
I’ve worked with Shyam Sundar [the current SRH physio] for ten years and he knows my body well. I also trained regularly at the TNCA and used their gym facilities to be in good shape. My recovery was: gymming one session, training at Chepauk one session, and bowling one session. Also, whenever I need something with my bowling or fitness, I seek inputs from Sreenath Aravind, the former Karnataka left-arm seamer who is now the bowling coach of Baroda. He’s my bowling coach. Even during the IPL, I’m in regular touch with him about my bowling.I have to be patient with the rehab, though. I’ve had three surgeries, so I started from scratch, and it has been going well so far in the IPL. Touch wood!You often discuss fields with Cummins during games. How has his captaincy empowered the team and especially the bowling attack?
He gives me a lot of freedom, and in terms of communication with the entire bowling attack, he is very strong. I feel he understands my mindset as a bowler, so it’s a big plus that he is my captain. To start with, I will go with my plans and strengths. If I get confused, I have a chat with him and get more clarity. He has told me: “Don’t worry, whatever happens, I’m there for you.” I’m a quiet person, sometimes I don’t even speak much with Indian players. But I’ve become very attached to Pat Cummins. Obviously, [I’m] delighted to play under a captain who has won world titles.What’s it like to bowl to someone like Klaasen in the nets?
I’ve bowled to him a few times in practice matches – both in 2024 and 2023. Nets is a closed space, but yes, any bowler, including myself, fears bowling to someone like Klaasen. He’s hitting the ball long and far. Too long and too far! It’s a learning process for me too. I can understand his strengths and use that information when I come up against him as an opponent.”After three years, there was chatter around my potential [India] selection. Not being selected for the T20 World Cup hasn’t disturbed me. I always believe that whatever is meant to happen will happen”•BCCIYou came up against CSK for the first time in the IPL at Chepauk this season. How did you keep calm while bowling to MS Dhoni when the crowd was screaming and dancing to the Rajinikanth song ?
Only now that you’re telling me do I realise that they played that song (). I had to focus on my job and my execution against him. There was also a lot of dew, but I’ve played a lot of cricket at Chepauk, so I had the belief that I can even execute with the wet ball. I haven’t bowled to him in the IPL at Chepauk, but on other grounds I’ve bowled a set of four-five decent balls to him. My mindset was that I shouldn’t make any errors.Sameer Rizvi didn’t play the game against SRH at Chepauk. But do you recall coming up against him while playing Uttar Pradesh in a thriller in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last October?
Yes, I remember it was a very close game. Tamil Nadu had scored only 140 [146] and I bowled a tight 19th over, taking the wicket of Dhruv Jurel. It was a good pitch and once the sun was out, the ball came onto the bat in Dehradun. It also had something for the bowlers. I hope we can play all games on that pitch (laughs). To start the domestic season like that was a confidence-booster. It gave me self-confidence for the rest of the season. Rizvi scored 75, but despite him being not out, it was a satisfying feeling for us to win the game.When you burst onto the scene in Tamil Nadu, you used to swing the ball in sharply. Did the swing disappear somewhere along the way?
I believe I can still get inswing. Even during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, I got wickets with the inswinger. These days, however, the new ball swings for just one or two overs in T20 cricket, and when I come to bowl in the last over of the powerplay in T20 cricket, there is no swing.Actually, there is no swing for any bowler in this IPL. The wickets have been like that. I think we’ve played about nine games, but the ball hasn’t swung much. Not just for SRH but for most of the teams. But yes, even during practice, I try to swing the new ball and it has been coming out nicely.”Bhuvi bhai [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] keeps telling me I have all the skills as a bowler. Even after the end of a match, I sit down with him and try to rectify the mistakes I would have made in the match”•BCCIHave you had an opportunity to pick the brains of the other left-arm seamers, like Marco Jansen or Fazalhaq Farooqi?
I’ve travelled with Jansen and Farooqi for two-three years. Farooqi can bowl a lot of slower balls and Jansen can get swing naturally. Jansen also bowls a lot of inswingers, so I try to pick that up from him. All four – Farooqi, Jansen, [Jaydev] Unadkat and Akash [Singh] – have different styles. So, during training I try to learn off them and I’ve also shared my experiences with them.Given your recent form and excellent defensive skills at the death, did you expect to be picked for the upcoming T20 World Cup?
Firstly, I was happy to even be part of the selection conversation. I have to thank God for that. After three years, they [selectors] are considering me and there was chatter around my potential selection. Whether I’m selected or not, it’s not in my control. To be even part of the discussion is an achievement for me. If you want to climb to the top of a building, you have to take one step at a time. My focus is to execute well and help SRH win games. Not being selected for the World Cup hasn’t disturbed me. I always believe that whatever is meant to happen will happen.You have a stretch of home games coming up. Are you relieved that you will have some cushion to work with on a bigger ground?
Oh yes, very, very happy that we have games coming up on a bigger ground in Hyderabad. Bigger ground – that’s the key. Home conditions are an advantage for any team. We will have to assess the wicket, but we can use the boundaries to our advantage if we can execute well. We hope that we can do well, as a bowling attack and as a team, in these conditions.

With the multi-format series beginning on Thursday here are four players to keep a close eye on

Andrew McGlashan and Valkerie Baynes19-Jan-2022Tahlia McGrath

Tahlia McGrath is a very different cricketer to the one who was part of the 2017-18 Ashes series where she made her Test debut at North Sydney Oval. It was a more-than-handy performance with three wickets and 47 – adding 103 alongside Ellyse Perry who made her famous double century – but that would be her last international appearance until a one-off outing in late 2020 against New Zealand.This season, however, has seen her state her claims as a top-class allrounder having worked on her game at domestic level. Against India she made 74 in the second ODI to help resurrect the chase with Beth Mooney then produced two key innings in the T20I series having batted nicely in Test before finding point. Her return has further added to Australia’s middle-order options with the bat and pace-bowling options in the field.Related

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Sophia Dunkley

After spending 18 months on the fringes of selection through 2019-20, Sophia Dunkley made quite an impression during the English summer of 2021. She debuted at the Women’s World T20 in 2018, but it was an assured 74 not out against India in June, when she became the first black woman to play Test cricket for England, that set her on course to make a place in England’s middle order her own across formats.The nerveless nature of that innings pervaded limited-overs series against India and New Zealand when, more than once, she kept a cool head to see England to victory. Her unbeaten 73 batting for the first time in ODIs was instrumental in England’s win against India at Taunton and she scored a four off the penultimate ball to clinch a tight chase – and the series – in the third T20I against New Zealand.In England’s warm-ups against England A in Australia, Dunkley struck 15 off 12 balls in the rain-affected 35-over match, where her sharp fielding was also on display with three catches, while in the two T20s, she hit 10 off eight and 17 off 10. Her legspin has been used sparingly by England but she provides another option while her batting is key.Charlie Dean made a promising start to her England career•Getty ImagesDarcie Brown
It feels like Darcie Brown, the 18-year-old quick bowler, is on the verge of taking the cricket world by storm. Capable of rapid late outswing and also possessing one of the best bouncers in the game, Brown has put together two impressive WBBL seasons – 29 wickets across the two editions at an economy under a run-a-ball – and earned her first call-up for last year’s tour of New Zealand.In just her second ODI, earlier this season against India, she served notice of her potential with a Player of the Match 4 for 33 with her scalps all being among the top five of the order. She was wicketless on her Test debut at Metricon Stadium and there is an understandable caution about over-bowling her as she continues to develop, but there are few more exciting prospects in the game.Charlie Dean
Something of an unknown in Australia, 21-year-old offspinner Charlie Dean has made the most of her handful of opportunities. She made her debut in the first ODI against New Zealand in September and played all five fixtures. It was her 4 for 36 to help England to victory in the rain-hit match at Worcester – just her second match at this level – which really caught the eye, as did her enthusiasm in the field throughout.Dean had been in line to feature earlier in New Zealand’s tour when she was named in England’s squad for their three-match T20I series before she and Maia Bouchier had to isolate as possible contacts of a suspected Covid case in their Southern Vipers team. Fifty overs is Dean’s preferred format at this stage and that may be where she features most heavily in this Ashes series, but her ability to deceive batters by generating plenty of overspin and drop makes her a valuable addition for England.

There are fewer than two months left in the 2025 MLB regular season, and the playoff races in the American and National Leagues are really starting to heat up. 

In the American League, five teams are within five games of the final wild card spot, while the No. 4 team – the Texas Rangers – is just a half-game out of the third spot. A lot could change in the next few months, especially with teams like the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays selling at the deadline, but there likely will be a team – or two – that misses the playoffs that was expected to make it in.

In the National League, the top wild card teams (New York, Chicago and San Diego) seem pretty set in stone, but the Cincinnati Reds (three games back) are still within striking distance with plenty of games to go.

Here’s a look at the playoff odds for every team in the hunt, and a few storylines to watch when considering bets for these playoff markets. 

American League Playoff Odds

Division Leaders

• Toronto Blue Jays: -2500
• Detroit Tigers: -5000
• Houston Astros: -1000

Toronto (19 games over .500), Detroit (17 games over .500), and Houston (14 games over .500) all appear to be locks to make the playoffs in the 2025 season.

Detroit has a seven-game cushion in the AL Central – the largest of these three division winners – which is why oddsmakers have it priced at -5000 to reach the playoffs for the second straight season.

It would be relatively surprising to see any of these teams fall out of the race, especially since they’d slot in pretty high in the wild card standings if a team were to overtake them in the division. 

Wild Card Race

• Boston Red Sox: -450
• Seattle Mariners: -360
• New York Yankees: -330
• Texas Rangers: +115
• Cleveland Guardians: +320
• Kansas City Royals: +650
• Tampa Bay Rays: +950
• Minnesota Twins: +1800
• Los Angeles Angels: +2500
• Baltimore Orioles: +5000

The AL wild card race is going to be extremely fun to watch down the stretch of the season.

Entering Wednesday’s action, the Texas Rangers could overtake the New York Yankees, who are just a half-game ahead of them in the standings. New York has played under .500 ball over the last few months, and despite some trade deadline moves, it is fading fast in this market.

Oddsmakers project the Yankees to be the team that is currently holding a spot to be the closest one to drop out (-330 to make the postseason). 

While Cleveland, Minnesota, and others are long shots to make the playoffs, Texas is a team to watch since it has been elite at home (36-20) and still has 25 games at Globe Life Field left in the 2025 season. 

National League Playoff Odds

Division Leaders

• Philadelphia Phillies: -3000
• Los Angeles Dodgers: -20000
• Milwaukee Brewers: -10000

All three of these division leaders appear to be locked into a playoff spot, as the implied probability for Philadelphia (the team with the worst odds) to make the playoffs is 96.77 percent.

There’s a chance that all three of these teams could lose their spot atop the division (Milwaukee has the largest lead at four games), but they’d all just fall into a wild card spot, barring a crazy run from the Reds or another fringe wild card team. 

Wild Card Race

• Chicago Cubs: -1400
• New York Mets: -650
• San Diego Padres: -575
• Cincinnati Reds: +250
• San Francisco Giants: +600
• St. Louis Cardinals: +1100
• Arizona Diamondbacks: +2500
• Miami Marlins: +3000
• Atlanta Braves: +5000

There is a lot less intrigue in the National League, as the Reds – who made some big moves at the deadline to acquire Ke’Bryan Hayes, Zack Littell, and others – are the only team that seems to have a chance to supplant New York, Chicago, or San Diego.

However, there is a lot of time left for a team like the Giants or Cardinals (both hovering around .500) to get hot and make some inroads in this race.

For now, Cincinnati is the only team at plus money that I’d consider in the NL playoff market. 

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Fábio Carille aprovou a ida de Neymar à Vila Belmiro na vitória do Santos contra o Palmeiras, pela partida de ida da final do Paulistão.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasTorcida do Palmeiras detona titular na derrota contra o Santos: ‘jogo grande sempre entrega’Palmeiras31/03/2024Fora de CampoBenja critica atuação de jogador do Palmeiras contra o Santos: ‘Mal demais’Fora de Campo31/03/2024SantosGuilherme brinca com Otero após vitória do Santos na final do Paulistão: ‘Paga um jantar?’Santos31/03/2024

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Para Carille, a presença de Neymar ajudou a tornar o clima na Vila Belmiro mais hostil e complicado para o Palmeiras. Ele também valorizou a presença de Pepe e Clodoaldo, ídolos do Peixe que trouxeram a taça do Paulistão ao gramado.

➡️ Com R$50 no Lance! Betting, você fatura R$255 se apostar no 1 a 1 entre Santos x Palmeiras

– É um nome grande no futebol mundial, é craque e diferente. Quando fiquei sabendo disso gostei da ideia, ainda mais para incendiar o estádio. Passou rápido pelo vestiário,e preferi assim. Pode muito oba-oba, mexe com pessoas, cara de Copa do Mundo e vencedor. Estava Pepe e Clodoaldo também. Gerações e histórias, isso só engrandece a história e motiva muito. Incendiou o torcedor – disse o treinador durante coletiva.

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Carille também indicou que não pretende mudar o sistema tático do Santos para jogar no Allianz Parque. Após derrota na fase de grupos jogando na casa do Palmeiras, o treinador do Peixe criticou o gramado sintético do rival, que passou por reformas.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários do Paulistão

– Muito difícil. Chegamos aqui assim e fazer algo diferente é arriscado. Acho melhor melhorar a parte ofensiva e defensiva em cima do adversário que vamos jogar do que mudar o sistema. Jogadores podem sentir desconfortáveis e isso não é bom para nós – ponderou.

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A grande decisão entre Santos e Palmeiras será no domingo (7), às 18h, no Allianz Parque. O Peixe pode empatar no próximo final de semana que ainda leva o título do Paulistão. Em caso de vitória da equipe de Abel Ferreira por um gol de diferença, o duelo será decidido nos pênaltis.

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Fabio CarillePaulistãoSantos