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Arsenal are set to be minus an “underrated” star for their looming North London derby against Tottenham and far beyond that, following some injury news out of the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta’s side host Spurs on Sunday in imperious form, but the manager is being made to sweat over several key players. The Gunners remain in pole position at the top of the Premier League table after a fantastic start to the campaign, which is made all the more impressive by the absences of numerous big-name attackers lately.

Arsenal currently sit top with eight wins, two draws and one loss from their opening 11 matches, boasting a phenomenal defensive record. They’ve conceded just five goals all season, the best of any team in Europe’s top five leagues, which has formed the backbone of their title challenge.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

However, the international break has brought fresh concerns.

Left-back Riccardo Calafiori returned early from Italy duty due to hip pain, but encouragingly, Fabrizio Romano revealed that Arsenal’s medical checks confirmed that Calafiori will be available for the derby with no injury issues, just overload.

Calafiori has become an undisputed starter this term, chipping in with one goal and two assists from 11 games, even thwarting Myles Lewis-Skelly for a consistent place in the starting eleven.

Meanwhile, captain Martin Odegaard is continuing his recovery from a knee injury that has plagued him since October. The Norwegian, before his country’s 4-1 win over Italy, told TV2 that his recovery is progressing and he “will hopefully be back soon” — though it remains to be seen whether that could be against Tottenham.

His creativity has been sorely missed in Arsenal’s midfield, and elsewhere in the squad, Viktor Gyokeres has been struggling with a hamstring injury sustained at Burnley. He’s missed their last two matches against Slavia Prague and Sunderland, as a result, with Gyokeres believed to remain a doubt ahead of Spurs.

Noni Madueke is approaching a comeback after being sidelined for almost two months due to a knee problem, while Kai Havertz continues his recovery from knee surgery with a potential return on the cards “towards the end of the year”, according to Julian Nagelsmann.

Gabriel Martinelli is racing to be fit for this weekend, but the game comes too soon for his compatriot, Gabriel Jesus, who’s expected to be the last to return after his ACL injury at the start of 2025 (Simon Collings).

Amid this wave of Arsenal team news, it is another Gabriel who’s been making the headlines recently.

Indeed, star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, who’s been equally vital going forward as well as at the back, was taken off with a thigh problem during Brazil’s 2-0 friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates, and the early signs aren’t exactly cause for celebration.

Arsenal star Gabriel to miss "minimum four weeks" after thigh injury

According to journalist Sami Mokbel of The BBC, Gabriel could now miss a “minimum four weeks”, and some sources suggest that he could be out until January as the club wait for further scan results.

Gabriel has been the linchpin of Europe’s most water-tight defence, partnering both William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera to devastating effect and making him irreplaceable in Arteta’s system.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Arsenal face a crucial run of fixtures beyond just Tottenham, with Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Chelsea awaiting them right afterwards.

Beyond defensive stability, Gabriel already boasts five goal involvements in all competitions this season, including a vital late winner away to Newcastle in September, highlighting his importance at both ends of the pitch. The 27-year-old gifts Arsenal a major outlet, and has been a significant part of their outstanding set piece record this season.

With Gabriel set to miss this weekend, Mosquera or Piero Hincapie will likely come in to replace him, with the summer signings now given a baptism of fire.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras recebe o Internacional neste sábado (11), na Arena Barueri, em duelo válido pela 34ª rodada do Brasileirão 2023, e o jogo terá um ingrediente ainda mais especial para o torcedor alviverde lotar a Arena Barueri.

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Será a primeira vez que a torcida do Palmeiras irá reencontrar com o atacante Luiz Adriano, hoje reserva do Colorado, e que marcou época defendendo a camisa do Verdão, entre 2019 a 2021.

Com gols importantes e decisivos, Luiz Adriano foi imprescindível para o Palmeiras principalmente na temporada de 2020, quando o Verdão conquistou a Tríplice Coroa e o centroavante teve participação determinante nas três taças conquistadas pelo Alviverde (Paulista, Libertadores e Copa do Brasil).

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Depois de cair nas graças do torcedor, Luiz Adriano teve uma queda de rendimento no meio da temporada de 2021, e após muitas cobranças da torcida, acabou provocando a torcida alviverde depois de balançar as redes do Sport, no Allianz Parque, em jogo válido pelo Brasileirão daquele ano.

Após esse episódio, a vida de Luiz Adriano no clube virou um inferno e o camisa 10 amargou a reserva até ser negociado no início de 2022.

Luiz Adriano deixou o Palmeiras com 104 jogos, 32 gols e nove assistências e foi negociado para o futebol da Turquia, antes de retornar para o time que o revelou para o futebol.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Além de Luiz Adriano, o Inter deve contar com mais dois jogadores que tiveram passagem pelo Palmeiras, como o meia Alan Patrick e o zagueiro Vitão, revelado pelo Verdão. Bruno Henrique, capitão do Deca, desfalca o Inter e não vai enfrentar a equipe de Abel Ferreira.

A bola rola para Palmeiras x Internacional a partir das 21h (horário de Brasília) deste sábado (11) e o jogo terá transmissão apenas do Sportv e Premiere.

Leeds United’s lack of a clinical edge let them down once more at Elland Road on Saturday as Tottenham Hotspur scraped a 2-1 win in West Yorkshire.

The Premier League newcomers accumulated a hefty 16 shots on the Spurs goal, but only found the back of the net via Noah Okafor.

On the contrary, the North Londoners amassed just three shots on target all afternoon, but broke hearts in the second half when Mohamed Kudus delivered a killer blow.

It was, arguably, another afternoon to forget for Dominic Calvert-Lewin as Leeds’ main threat up top, as the ex-Everton marksman remains on just the one strike since leaving Merseyside behind in the summer.

Calvert-Lewin's goalscoring woes

It was always going to be a risk bringing the 28-year-old attacker into the building, with his last few seasons with the Toffees exposing some obvious weaknesses to his game.

Away from being regularly out of the side with injury niggles, Calvert-Lewin’s once red-hot ability to finish off chances for fun – which saw him bag 16 Premier League strikes during the 2020/21 season – is also not that visible anymore, with just three top-flight goals coming his way last season, ending his long stay with Everton in forgettable fashion.

Thankfully, he has broken his Leeds duck when putting his lofty 6-foot-2 frame to good use away at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but it was undoubtedly another frustrating afternoon for the hit-and-miss 28-year-old against Thomas Frank’s men last weekend.

Indeed, while Calvert-Lewin has gained some plaudits for his hold-up play already, he will – of course – be judged mostly on his output, with another goalless game passing him by.

Just 23 touches of the ball would come the goal-shy number nine’s way at Elland Road against Spurs, and while he did amass three key passes, yet another big chance was spurned, with a costly three big chances missed against AFC Bournemouth too.

It could well be that Daniel Farke needs to experiment a bit more with his forward players moving forward, with a different deadly finisher on his day, perhaps, getting the nod to start over Calvert-Lewin very soon.

Leeds must unleash the "best finisher" Farke has ever worked with

Farke has worked with many a clinical attacker during his managerial career in England to date, having managed to get 70 goals out of Teemu Pukki when the pair were together at Norwich City.

His time at the Canaries also saw him work closely with Emiliano Buendia and James Maddison, but, despite these illustrious names catching the eye, Farke has actually labelled one of his current Leeds personnel the “best finisher” he has ever worked with recently, even as early Premier League opportunities evade the attacker in question.

There is plenty of logic behind the German’s praise, though, even if Joel Piroe hasn’t been handed regular top-flight appearances so far, with this 20-minute hat-trick towards the close of last season by the ex-Swansea City striker pushing Leeds ever closer to the Championship title.

Labelled by journalist Josh Bunting as “dangerous”, he certainly demonstrated that during the 2024/25 campaign.

In total, last season, a blistering 19 league strikes came the golden boot winner’s way with now perhaps being the apt time to gamble on the EFL sharpshooter to finally come good in the top division, after bagging 33 strikes across 101 games under Farke’s wing so far.

25/26

4

0 + 0

238

24/25

48

19 + 7

3204

23/24

48

14 + 3

3104

He has hardly any experience of the bright lights of the Premier League, but with Calvert-Lewin spurning gilt-edge chances consistently, there are certainly worse shouts than trying to throw Piroe into the first-team mix right now, especially when Farke rates him so highly.

Ideally, down the line, both Piroe and Calvert-Lewin might well line up alongside each other, with the 26-year-old actually well accustomed to lining up as a right winger or as a number ten.

But, with the current system in play not having a number ten, and Okafor shining on the right channel, Piroe’s only way into the first-team picture looks to be up top, with Calvert-Lewin dropping out subsequently.

Not just Aaronson: "Superb" star has saved his Leeds United career

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ByDan Emery Oct 6, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have made a strong start to life with Thomas Frank as their new head coach since they brought him in from Brentford in the summer.

The Danish tactician was snapped up after Ange Postecoglou led the Lilywhites to a dismal 17th-placed finish in the Premier League in the 2024/25 campaign.

Postecoglou, of course, won the Europa League with Spurs, beating Manchester United in the final, but his team’s performances in the top-flight were not good enough.

Frank was then brought in from Brentford to improve the team, particularly defensively, and the early signs are that he has done exactly that in North London.

Tottenham’s improvement

Premier League (per 90)

24/25

25/26

Points

1.0

2.0

xG

1.55

1.06

Goals scored

1.61

1.71

xGA

1.67

1.24

Goals conceded

1.61

0.71

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Spurs have been significantly better defensively in the first seven matches of this season than they were last term under Postecoglou, conceding less than a goal per game on average.

Frank has done a terrific job so far since his move to North London at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, and several players have starred under him this term.

Ranking Tottenham's best performers this season

It would be hard to look past Joao Palhinha when looking at the best performers on the pitch, as he has excelled since his move to the club on loan from Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window.

The Portugal international has won 64% of his duels, made 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game, and scored two goals in the Premier League, per Sofascore, in his seven appearances in the division.

These statistics show that the defensive midfielder has been incredibly reliable defensively, hence why Spurs are conceding less than a goal a game on average, whilst also carrying a threat in front of goal.

Tottenham’s stat leaders in 25/26 Premier League

Stat

Top Spurs performer (minimum 50% appearances)

Sofascore rating

Guglielmo Vicario – 7.40

xG

Richarlison – 1.63

Goals

Richarlison – 3

xA

Mohammed Kudus – 1.13

Assists

Mohammed Kudus – 4

Tackles won per game

Joao Palhinha – 3.6

Interceptions per game

Cristian Romero – 1.6

Clearances per game

Pedro Porro – 4.0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Richarlison also stands out in the Premier League for Spurs this season, outperforming his xG of 1.63 to score three goals.

With Palhinha in first place and Richarlison in second place for top performers at the club this season, Vicario may take last place on the podium.

The Italy international has prevented 2.84 goals in seven appearances, per Sofascore, which makes him the second-best shot-stopper in the Premier League, only behind Dean Henderson (2.89). This shows that his performances have been crucial to Tottenham’s defensive record, saving the team with his fantastic shot-stopping skills.

Palhinha, Richarlison, and Vicario, for varying reasons, could be considered the top three performers for Spurs this season, but there have been other stars for Frank.

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?

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For example, the Lilywhites appear to have hit the jackpot with the signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United, as the forward has been an instant success in North London.

Why Spurs have hit the jackpot with Mohammed Kudus

The left-footed star has not quite had the consistency in his performances to make it into our top three performers for Spurs ahead of the aforementioned players, but he has shown several flashes of real quality.

Kudus has lost possession 19 times per game on average in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, which suggests that he needs to improve his reliability and efficiency with the ball at his feet.

The 25-year-old star, who was signed from West Ham for £55m, has also only scored one goal and missed three ‘big chances’ in the top-flight, which further speaks to his need to improve his efficiency.

Moving away from the areas for improvement, Kudus’ dribbling skills and his creativity on the right wing show that Spurs have already hit the jackpot with this big-money signing.

The former Ajax wizard, who was dubbed a “dribbling demon” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, currently leads the club in dribbles (30), chances created (13), and assists (four) in the Premier League this season, which shows that he has hit the ground running as a key player for Frank.

25/26 Premier League

Mohammed Kudus

Percentile rank vs wingers

Successful dribbles

30

Top 1%

Dribble success rate

53.6%

Top 27%

Touches

373

Top 6%

Chances created

13

Top 6%

xA

1.13

Top 11%

Assists

4

Top 1%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, Kudus also ranks at the top of the entire division for dribbles completed and assists among wingers in the 2025/26 campaign, further illustrating how effective he has been in those two aspects of his performances.

Such has been the impressive nature of his displays for Spurs, the former West Ham winger was compared to former Tottenham star Mousa Dembele by football.london journalist Alasdair Gold.

The reporter wrote: “There’s a more advanced and goal-threatening Mousa Dembele vibe to Kudus with his ability to twist and turn with the ball at his feet. He’s going to become a Spurs star because there’s even more to come.”

Dembele was, of course, known for his ability to turn away from players under pressure in a central midfield position, which made him a joy to watch at times with the way that he evaded opposition challenges.

Kudus, as shown by his exceptional dribbling numbers, has the ability on the ball to get fans off their seats in the same way that the Belgian star did, whilst also delivering five goal contributions in seven matches in the Premier League this season.

Related Spurs have a "special" 17-year-old who's going to steal the #10 from Maddison

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Therefore, Tottenham have already hit the jackpot with this 25-year-old Dembele-esque star, who still has more gears to find if he can improve his efficiency on the ball and as a goalscorer.

There’s no place for Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 16-man squad for the three T20Is

Mohammad Isam21-May-2025

Sahibzada Farhan is the PSL’s highest run-getter this season so far•PCB

Sahibzada Farhan has been rewarded for his sterling form in the ongoing PSL 2025 with a recall to the Pakistan T20I side for the three-match series against Bangladesh later this month. Farhan is among eight changes to the side that toured New Zealand in March.Also returning to the side are Hasan Ali and Saim Ayub.Ayub was out of the national side since picking up an injury in South Africa in January during the Test series. He missed all the cricket between that series and the PSL, including the Champions Trophy, and makes his comeback despite average returns for Peshawar Zalmi – 174 runs in ten innings at an average of 17.40 and strike rate of 125.17.Hasan was in the team last in May 2024, and has now forced his way back with 15 wickets in the PSL for Karachi Kings, which places his joint-second with Abrar Ahmed and Jason Holder, and only behind Abbas Afridi, who has 17 wickets. Abbas, meanwhile, is one of the players to have been dropped.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Farhan pretty much forced the selectors to recall him after last playing a T20I in December last year. Playing for Islamabad United, he is currently the PSL’s top scorer with 394 runs at a strike rate of 154.50, and has hit a century and two half-centuries.Also back are Fakhar Zaman, Hussain Talat and Faheem Ashraf, apart from Mohammad Wasim and Naseem Shah, giving the side an experienced and solid appearance.However, there is no place for Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Babar and Rizwan were dropped from the T20I series in New Zealand earlier this year, when Salman Agha was unveiled as the new T20I captain. Afridi played the T20Is on that tour, but has now been left out.Pakistan squad changes

IN – Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub
OUT – Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan

Pakistan’s three-match series against Bangladesh is also going to be Mike Hesson’s first assignment as the Pakistan white-ball head coach after he joined them earlier this month.The three T20Is will be played on May 28 and 30, and June 1.Pakistan squad for T20I series against Bangladesh
Salman Agha (capt), Shadab Khan (vice-capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Wasim, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub

Adrien Rabiot has branded Serie A’s plan to stage AC Milan’s league clash with Como in Australia as “completely crazy” and “truly absurd.” UEFA has “reluctantly” approved the move amid global regulatory loopholes, but the Frenchman slammed the idea of flying across continents for domestic matches, calling it “beyond reason.”

• Rabiot voicing reservation on playing in Australia

  The French international Rabiot has openly criticised Serie A’s unprecedented plan to hold AC Milan’s fixture against Como in Perth, Australia. The star midfielder, who joined Milan this summer, called the proposal “completely crazy” and expressing disbelief that two Italian teams will play a domestic league game nearly 14,000 kilometres away from home. UEFA “reluctantly” granted approval to both Serie A and La Liga to stage league matches abroad, despite labelling the move “regrettable.” The governing body said the decision was made “on an exceptional basis amid regulatory gaps at global level” and “should not set a precedent.”

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  'Absurd' – Rabiot slams the decision

  Speaking to , Rabiot said he was “surprised” to learn of Milan’s February clash against Como taking place in Australia, questioning the logic behind the move. 

  “I was surprised when I learned that AC Milan and I will be playing a Serie A match against Como… in Australia! It’s completely crazy,” he said. “These are financial agreements to give visibility to the league, things that are beyond us. There’s a lot of talk about schedules and player health, but this all seems truly absurd. It’s crazy to travel so many miles for a match between two Italian teams in Australia. We have to adapt, as always.”

• UEFA's reluctant approval

  UEFA has approved the Italian and Spanish domestic leagues’ requests to stage matches abroad but made it clear that it does not endorse the concept. President Aleksander Ceferin described the move as “regrettable” and warned that “league matches should be played on home soil.” The decision was granted due to what UEFA called “regulatory gaps at global level,” paving the way for FIFA to issue final authorisation.
  If confirmed, Milan’s match with Como in Perth would mark the first time a regular-season European league fixture is played outside the continent. Similarly, Spain’s La Liga hopes to stage Villarreal’s game against Barcelona in Miami this December

  The landmark move to take Serie A abroad now awaits FIFA’s final clearance, which could set a new precedent for domestic leagues across Europe. While Serie A argues that hosting games overseas will “introduce new audiences to the excellence of Italian football,” fan groups in Italy have criticised the decision as "spineless nonsense." UEFA, meanwhile, continues to maintain that its approval was purely procedural. If the Perth fixture goes ahead in February, it will be closely watched as a test case for future global expansions. 

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  From Marseille to Milan

  Rabiot also discussed his departure from Marseille, admitting that his exit still feels like a betrayal. 

  “I wanted to focus solely on football, on my first weeks at this new club and in this new life; it was important. Generally, I’m not one to express myself much off the pitch, but at that moment it was really time to focus, to restart with my mind completely on football,” he said.
  The midfielder, who was sold after a locker-room altercation with former teammate Jonathan Rowe, is now enjoying a fresh chapter at AC Milan. “It’s incredible to have experienced all this,” Rabiot added. “I hope to achieve great things at Milan, to win titles, at a historic and legendary club.”

  While, Milan’s domestic calendar remains packed, with some key Serie A and Champions League fixtures before the proposed Australian trip, and Rabiot’s remarks have already reignited the debate on player welfare and football’s global commercialisation.

Nottingham Forest have now submitted a £15m offer for an “elegant” midfielder, as they look to move ahead of West Ham United in the race for his signature.

Forest keen on another midfielder after Luiz

The noise surrounding Nuno Espirito Santo’s future will be an unwanted distraction, with the manager’s future now in doubt after publicly making it clear his relationship with Evangelos Marinakis has deteriorated since last season.

However, up to this point, the Tricky Trees have enjoyed a very positive summer transfer window, having brought in the likes of Omari Hutchinson, Dan Ndoye and James McAtee, although securing Morgan Gibbs-White’s future was arguably the most important piece of business.

Forest have also recently added another midfielder to their ranks, with Juventus’ Douglas Luiz arriving on an initial season-long loan, which includes a conditional obligation to buy next summer.

Despite adding a proven Premier League midfielder to their ranks, Nottingham Forest remain keen on bringing in a more defensive option before the September 1st deadline, and an offer has now been submitted for AS Monaco’s Soungoutou Magassa.

That is according to a report from Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness), which states Forest have now tabled a proposal of €17m (£15m), which is slightly higher than West Ham’s offer of €16m (£14m).

Both offers are currently still on the table, but there could be competition from elsewhere, with Atalanta also keen on the defensive midfielder, having recently contacted his entourage to assess the possibility of a deal.

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As such, there could be an intense battle for Magassa’s signature before the transfer deadline, which would be beneficial for Monaco, should a bidding war break out.

"Elegant" Magassa could be excellent signing for Forest

As previously mentioned, Forest have made major improvements to their midfield this summer, but the majority of their signings flourish going forward, while the Monaco maestro has more of a defensive mindset.

In fact, the Frenchman has performed extremely well across a number of important defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

3.54 (97th percentile)

Interceptions

1.80 (96th percentile)

Blocks

1.73 (90th percentile)

Scout Jacek Kulig has described the 21-year-old as an “elegant” player in the past, while also revealing the youngster is capable of slotting in at centre-back, which would make him a versatile addition to Nuno’s squad.

Not only that, but scout Ben Mattinson believes the Monaco starlet is very comfortable in possession of the ball, saying: “On the ball he has a forward-thinking mindset looking to play through into the midfielders high up or spray passes wide out to the wings. His passing range is top.”

As such, Magassa, who made seven Champions League appearances for Monaco last season, could be an excellent addition to Nuno’s squad, and a move to the City Ground would surely be a more attractive proposition than joining West Ham, given their recent struggles.

The ongoing struggles of Manchester United have Wayne Rooney in meltdown, with the club's all-time leading goalscorer calling out underperforming players and an ownership group that lacks leadership. Ruben Amorim continues to see questions asked of his future as manager at Old Trafford, with Rooney concerned by the direction in which the 13-time Premier League champions are heading.

• Man Utd in turmoil: Rooney addresses serious issues

  Rooney enjoyed 13 memorable years with United as a player, winning 16 trophies – including five top-flight crowns and the Champions League – while scoring 253 goals through 559 appearances. There were, however, signs towards the end of his spell at Old Trafford that things were starting to go wrong. The Red Devils find themselves on a slippery slope at present, with little improvement on show following a 15th-place finish last season and failure to qualify for Europe.

  Portuguese coach Amorim has picked up just 18 wins from 49 games at the helm, as he stubbornly sticks with a flawed 3-4-3 system, and value is proving difficult to find in big-money signings made across several transfer windows. Inconsistency remains a huge issue for United, with no manager since Sir Alex Ferguson able to land a Premier League title, and Rooney fears that the Red Devils are in danger of becoming stuck in reverse.

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  Underperforming players slammed by Rooney

  Speaking on podcast, the ex-England captain said: "What is going on at Man United? This is not Man United. I don't recognise the whole football club. I don't see players fighting, I don't see character, I don't see desire to win. I don’t see ability, I don’t see match-winners, nothing gets me off my feet. I go to a game watching, expecting, here we go again – expecting the team to lose or maybe pick up a point.

  "I care for the club. I was at the football club for 13 years and what is going on is not right. And this is not all on the manager, by the way. I’m seeing players not deserving to wear the shirt. And it hurts. This is not acceptable, what’s going on. There needs to be a clear message from the owners. Whether that is the Glazers, [minority owner] Sir Jim Ratcliffe, there has to be a message of where this club is going. At the minute we are all sitting there waiting for it to crumble."

• Rooney's concern for sons in Man Utd academy

  Rooney, whose son Kai is a promising member of United’s academy system, went on to say: "It's not even just results on the pitch. It's everything about the club that needs fixing – Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have walked into a real challenge. We're seeing staff members getting sacked after 20, 30 years who are very important people to that football club. The culture of that football club has gone. I see it on a daily basis. I see staff losing jobs, people walking out of jobs.

  "I've got two kids [in the academy] at that football club and I really hope this doesn't affect what they're doing. What I'm seeing at that football club is not Manchester United. The soul has gone from the club. It needs a new engine, a new lease of life. It needs something to kickstart that football club. I am not seeing anything which is giving me any confidence, there needs to be big changes in my opinion. Manager, players, whatever that is. Whatever it takes to get Manchester United back."

  Rooney can appreciate what Amorim is going through, having endured his own coaching struggles at Birmingham and Plymouth, but went on to say of United getting wedged in a serious rut: "I just don't know what's going on. I have tried my hand in management and it didn't work out too well, I get it. Ruben Amorim is my age, he is still a young manager and I'm sure he still has a massive future, but what's going on at Man United, this is not Man United. I honestly hope he can turn it around and he does. But if you're saying to me, 'do you believe he will?', then, after everything I've seen, honestly, I've got no faith in it."

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  Of course: What next for Man Utd?

  Following the arrival of Ineos in February 2024, as they acquired an initial 27.7 per cent stake in the club, staff numbers at United have been trimmed from 1,100 to 700. Funds have continued to be invested in the transfer market, while a new £2 billion ($2.7bn) stadium is being lined up, but the Red Devils have veered alarmingly off course and sit 14th in the Premier League table through six fixtures in the 2025-26 campaign.

A “quality” Liverpool player is now reportedly in talks with another club about a move there this summer, with the situation said to be “gaining momentum” currently.

The latest on Isak to Liverpool

The Reds’ pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is the big talking point at the moment, as the Premier League champions look to get an incredible piece of transfer business over the line.

Liverpool have already seen a first bid of £110m rejected by the Magpies, and while a second offer is yet to be tabled, it may well happen once Newcastle have signed a replacement.

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko appears to be their priority target to lead the line instead of Isak, but the Slovenian now has to choose between them and Manchester United.

From a Liverpool perspective, they will clearly hope that Sesko opts to move to St James’ Park, in terms of aiding their efforts to bring in the Swede this summer. If that does happen, it will help pave the way for other Reds attackers to move on before the new season gets underway, and a key update has emerged regarding one such player.

Liverpool star in talks over Saudi Pro League move

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri on X, Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is in talks with Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal about a summer move, with an Andfield exit “gaining momentum”.

Assuming the Reds do end up signing Isak, or an alternative for that matter, this summer feels like the right time for Nunez to leave, even though Jurgen Klopp spoke positively about him in the past.

“He loves to play for this team together with these boys and has quality coming out of his ears, to be honest. Is he at his absolute peak in general? Not now for us. But can he develop? Yes. Is he a threat all the time? Yes.”

The £140,000-a-week Nunez is a popular figure among the fans, due to his character and work ethic, but the brutal reality is that his finishing is still erratic after three years at Liverpool, as is his all-round game.

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Liverpool may just be in luck…

By
Ben Goodwin

Aug 2, 2025

For that reason, a move to Al-Hilal would be ideal for the Reds, allowing them to cash in on the 26-year-old and hopefully sign a huge upgrade in Isak.

Legspin-bowling allrounder Dushan Hemantha has been called up

Andrew Fidel Fernando12-Nov-2024Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand, having sustained an injury to his left hamstring while bowling, in the second T20I, on Sunday. Hasaranga was seen hobbling through his later overs, and was also limping between the wickets while running.He has been replaced in the ODI squad by Dushan Hemantha, another legspin-bowling allrounder. Hemantha has played five ODIs and has recently been among the wickets for the Sri Lanka A team.Hasaranga’s absence will be significant for Sri Lanka, particularly as he had been Sri Lanka’s most successful bowler in the T20Is, taking 2 for 20 in the first match, then 4 for 17 in the second, while also producing an important 22 off 23 in the first T20I.Related

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Sri Lanka already had another legspinner in the squad, however, in Jeffrey Vandersay, with Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage the other frontline spinners.Hasaranga becomes the second player to be ruled out of the series owing to injuries sustained in that second T20I, with New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson also unavailable due to a calf injury.The series begins on Wednesday, with the first match to be played in Dambulla, and the remaining two games in Pallekele.