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Kylian Mbappe has hailed Rayan Cherki as a "spectacular talent" after seeing his France team-mate "integrate very well" into Manchester City's team. After starring for Lyon with 13 goals and 21 assists across all competitions in the 2024-25 campaign, Cherki was signed by City in the summer transfer window, while Didier Deschamps handed him his France debut in June.

How is it going for Cherki at City?

Cherki struggled with a thigh injury at the start of the 2025-26 campaign but now that he has recovered, the Frenchman has started to feature regularly in Pep Guardiola's team. He has appeared in nine matches across all competitions for the Cityzens, registering three goals and three assists. Cherki is slowly establishing himself as a key member of the City squad and is building an understanding with Erling Haaland, having set up both of the Norwegian's goals against Bournemouth in the Premier League earlier this month. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'He's a special talent'

Cherki has now linked up with his France team-mates for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. After watching the City star training with the squad, captain Mbappe spoke highly of the youngster, telling reporters: "He's a special talent. I think he has a gift, which he's making the most of. It's an innate, spectacular talent. He's integrated very well into the group and into Manchester City, which isn't easy. I hope he continues like this. He's started well with us. Now he has the opportunity to return, and I hope he's as good as he was at Manchester City."

Guardiola blown away by Cherki

Guardiola has coached some of the greatest players in the world, including Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi at Barcelona, and considers Cherki to be in a similar talent bracket. He declared in October: "Rayan is one of the most talented players I have ever seen in my career. His talent… he is top. The question is how he settles and how he needs to read actions. He started well at the Club World Cup but then had a few weeks off. I have the feeling most of the time when the ball comes to him, the situation is better. But not all the time you have to do exceptional things – just play football. He has something. He is a player who doesn't feel pressure. He is like a street player. He wants the ball when he doesn't have it. But he is here a short time – he needs a little bit of time because in football you learn to play with your mates. But these types of players are intelligent. They see everything."

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Getty Images SportCherki tipped to reach De Bruyne's level

Former City, Arsenal and France full-back, Gael Clichy has also heaped praise on his compatriot, backing Cherki to reach the level of Etihad Stadium legend Kevin De Bruyne. Clichy told GOAL, via : "If we talk about the quality of the player, I haven't seen anyone that good. That's a big quote, but I do feel that if he can bring his off-the-ball game to a certain level, I think we could be talking about a player that can can reach Kevin De Bruyne’s numbers, because in tight spaces, in key areas of the pitch, he can create danger. And this is what you want at City. When you play against a low block team with a defence of five, there's not much space. So you need to have the quality on the on the wing, which I think City are lacking a little bit. You know, you go from Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sane which for me, as a full back, were a nightmare to play against. I think they lost that."

Leeds United have a full midweek to train and prepare for their next Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX next weekend.

One of the aspects of the team’s play that Daniel Farke may place a big emphasis on is their ruthlessness in front of goal when it comes to taking the big chances that they are creating this season.

Crystal Palace

22

Manchester City

19

Liverpool

19

Manchester United

17

Leeds United

15

Brentford

15

Arsenal

15

Newcastle United

14

Everton

13

Chelsea

11

As you can see in the table above, only four teams have missed more ‘big chances’ than the West Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League this term, which shows that they have been wasteful in the final third.

The Whites have only scored nine goals in nine matches in the top-flight in the 2025/25 campaign, but the number of ‘big chances’ that they have missed suggests that they should be well into double figures by now.

Part of that is down to the quality, or lack thereof, within the squad in the attacking areas of the pitch. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was brought in to be their main number nine, and they need much more from him.

Why Leeds need more from Dominic Calvert-Lewin

The £100k-per-week centre-forward was signed on a free transfer in the summer transfer window after he was released by Everton at the end of last season.

Calvert-Lewin’s only goal for the club in all competitions so far, though, came in the 3-1 win over bottom-of-the-league Wolverhampton Wanderers last month, as he brilliantly guided a header into the back of the net from Jayden Bogle’s cross.

The 11-cap England international was a risky signing for the Whites, despite being a vastly experienced player at Premier League level, because of his form in front of goal for Everton in recent seasons.

Since a 16-goal haul in the 2020/21 campaign, when supporters were not allowed in stadiums for the most part, the English striker has failed to hit double figures for goals in a top-flight season.

24/25

8.85

3

23/24

13.63

7

22/23

6.50

2

21/22

6.22

5

20/21

18.21

16

19/20

16.11

13

18/19

6.17

6

17/18

5.44

4

16/17

1.25

1

The statistics in the table above show that Leeds signed a player who arrived at Elland Road in fairly dismal form in front of goal as a finisher.

As you can see in the graphic below, that form has carried over to his time in West Yorkshire, as he has missed five ‘big chances’ and only scored one goal in the Premier League so far this season.

These statistics show that the Whites need more from the experienced forward, because he is one of the main reasons why they are among the worst teams in the division for missing ‘big chances’.

Leeds considering move for Championship striker

Amid Calvert-Lewin’s struggles as a finisher in the Premier League this season, Leeds are reportedly showing an interest in a striker from the Championship.

Transfer Focus

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

According to LeedsUnitedNews, the club are considering a swoop to sign Coventry City centre-forward Haji Wright to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

The report claims that Leeds are keen on a deal to sign the USA international when the January transfer window opens for business, after they also considered a move for him in the summer.

However, the outlet adds that it may be difficult for the club to convince the Sky Blues to part ways with the striker, as they are currently top of the Championship and gunning for promotion to the Premier League.

In January, pundit Carlton Palmer claimed that it could take a fee of around £20m to tempt Coventry to sell him, but it remains to be seen whether or not that would be the case next January.

Why Leeds should sign Haji Wright

Farke should push for Leeds to press ahead with a deal for the USMNT centre-forward when the January transfer window opens for business at the start of next year, because he could be an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin.

As aforementioned, the current Whites number nine has not done enough in front of goal in the Premier League to be deemed a reliable marksman for the German head coach, which may be why Wright has emerged as a possible target.

The Coventry star is unproven in the Premier League, having never played in the division, but his form in the Championship suggests that he has the potential to make the step up and excel at Elland Road.

Wright has racked up eight goals in ten starts in the second tier so far this season for Frank Lampard’s side, per Sofascore, after a return of 12 goals in 21 starts in the division in the 2024/25 campaign.

Appearances

7

11

xG

1.77

7.49

Goals

1

8

Big chances missed

5

6

Conversion rate

7%

29%

Minutes per goal

534

101

Duel success rate

38%

44%

As you can see in the table above, the American centre-forward has scored eight times as many goals as Calvert-Lewin at league level, with a far superior conversion rate.

At his current performance level, Calvert-Lewin would miss 40 ‘big chances’ to hit the eight-goal mark that Wright has reached this season, with just six ‘big chances’ missed for Coventry, albeit at a lower level.

The Sky Blues striker, who was described as a “big, big winner” by former USA international Alexi Lalas, has shown that he can finish chances at an impressive rate, outperforming his xG in the Championship in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns.

Meanwhile, Calvert-Lewin is currently underperforming against his xG for the tenth Premier League season running, which suggests that Leeds cannot expect his fortunes to change in front of goal.

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This is why Farke should be pushing for the club to strike a deal to sign Wright in the January transfer window, as his impressive finishing skills could make him an upgrade on the Englishman at Elland Road.

Celtic secured their place in the semi-finals of the League Cup on Sunday with a fantastic 4-0 win over Partick Thistle away from Parkhead at Firhill.

The Hoops strolled to a comfortable victory against the second tier outfit, who have not been in the Scottish Premiership in seven years, with four different goalscorers.

Hyun-jun Yang, Liam Scales, Sebastian Tounekti, and Luke McCowan all got their names on the scoresheet, and Tounekti was particularly impressive again.

The summer signing from Hammarby caught the eye against Kilmarnock, creating four chances (per Sofascore), and played an important role in the first goal against Partick Thistle with his pass for Benjamin Nygren, before going on to score his first goal for the club.

Brendan Rodgers will hope that the comfortable win will provide his squad with the confidence that they need to hit the ground running in the Europa League against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday night.

One Celtic player who needs to step up on the pitch in the coming weeks after a string of unimpressive displays is central midfielder Reo Hatate.

Why Reo Hatate needs to step up for Celtic

The Japan international put in a decent showing against Partick Thistle, a Championship outfit, but it was not a mesmerising performance that made up for some of his recent outings.

Hatate’s form has not been up to the standards that he has set himself throughout his Celtic career, particularly with his displays in the Champions League qualifier clashes against Kairat.

The Hoops failed to qualify for the league phase of the competition, losing on penalties after two 0-0 draws, and the midfielder’s lack of contributions in and out of possession played a part in that.

Minutes

90

105

Shots on target

1

0

Pass accuracy

84%

68%

Big chances created

0

1

Duels won

0/8

3/15

Fouls committed

3

4

Possession lost

16x

25x

As you can see in the table above, Hatate was far too wasteful with the ball at his feet and weak off the ball, losing the majority of his duels, across the two matches.

The 27-year-old star also failed to score a goal or create a ‘big chance’ for the team in his last two appearances in the Scottish Premiership for the Hoops, which shows that he has struggled in recent weeks outside of his showing against a lower tier opponent.

Hatate scored ten goals, including the one in the clip above, and created 14 ‘big chances’ for his teammates in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, but he has been unable to deliver the same level of consistency in the final third this term.

This is why the Japan international needs to step up for the Scottish giants, because he is capable of being an exceptional performer for the club in the middle of the park with his ability at the top end of the pitch.

If Hatate is unable to recapture the form that his output last season proved he is capable of, Rodgers must consider removing him from the starting XI for a period of time.

The emergence of Colby Donovan, who has started the last two matches at right-back, shows that the manager is willing to provide academy talent with a chance if they are ready to be thrown in.

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With this in mind, Rodgers could find the next version of Donovan, who has been a solid performer in the last two matches with his defensive reliability and composure in possession, by unleashing Sean McArdle to replace Hatate in the XI.

Why Sean McArdle could replace Reo Hatate for Celtic

Of course, the manager does have club-record signing Arne Engels, who joined for £11m from Augsburg last summer, Luke McCowan, and Paulo Bernardo also at his disposal to select in midfield.

However, the minor success of Donovan, who won five of his nine duels and had 101 touches (per Sofascore) against Kilmarnock, could inspire the head coach to look to the academy once again.

McArdle is not a complete stranger to first-team football at Parkhead. Rodgers rewarded his strong form for the B team with two appearances for the senior side in the Premiership towards the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

The 18-year-old star made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old against Hibernian in the Premiership, playing eight minutes off the bench in a 3-1 win.

As the manager said in the clip above, the young sensation earned his chance through his form for the B team, and it is down to him to take the next step in his career.

McArdle, who Rodgers claimed has “got a wee edge to him”, then played a second match against Aberdeen, again off the bench, and showed promising signs in both outings.

Minutes

8

9

Passes completed

8/8

11/12

Key passes

0

1

Dribbles completed

0

1

Duels won

1/2

1/1

Possession lost

1x

1x

As you can see in the table above, the teenage whiz only lost possession twice in those 17 minutes, plus stoppage time, of football, whilst creating one chance for the side.

McArdle’s form at youth team level for Celtic also suggests that he can provide the goal threat that Hatate offers at his best, with seven goals in 53 matches, per Transfermarkt.

The Scottish starlet has scored in both of his appearances in the Challenge Cup this season, per Sofascore, including one against Alloa Athletic earlier this month.

These statistics show that he can provide a threat at the top end of the pitch to go along with his composure in possession, as evidenced by his pass accuracy in his first two first-team outings.

He was not phased by the occasion against Hibernian or Aberdeen, showing his class on the ball in both games, and this suggests that he has the mentality to take that next step to be Donovan 2.0 this season.

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It is now down to Rodgers to provide McArdle with that opportunity to impress once again to see if he can emerge as a genuine alternative to Hatate, who has been a shadow of himself of late.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Monsoon conseguiu mais uma vitória na Copa FGF. Em compromisso atrasado da quarta rodada da competição, o Trovão da Zona Sul se impôs na segunda etapa e goleou a equipe do Novo Horizonte com o placar de 4 a 1, nesta terca-feira. Em partida válida pela nona jornada, o time já havia goleado o adversário por um impiedoso 8 a 0.

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Semifinalista da Série A-2 do Campeonato Gaúcho, o Trovão da Zona Sul tentou se impor assim que o apito inicial foi dado. Contudo, o time acabou encontrando dificuldade para furar o bloqueio do Novo Horizonte, que assegurou a igualdade nos 45 minutos iniciais.

+ Veja tabela do Brasileirão e simule resultados

Porém, o panorama mudou completamente na etapa final. Logo aos seis minutos, em bom contra-ataque, Joãozinho encontrou o atacante Kerlly, que só teve o trabalho de encobrir o goleiro. Aos 25, em mais uma descida de Joãozinho, dessa vez pela direita de ataque, o atacante Alex só empurrou para o gol e marcar o segundo.

Quatro minutos mais tarde, Tcharles infiltrou por trás da marcação adversária e deixou o seu. Aos 34, Teylor descontou para os mandantes. O veloz Joãozinho deu números finais ao confronto e fechou o placar. Destaque doembate com um gol e duas assistências, o jogador parabenizou o segundo tempo do vencedor.

“A equipe se reencontrou no segundo tempo. Não conseguimos furar o bloqueio deles no começo, mas assim que o nosso time marcou o primeiro, teve mais tranquilidade e construiu um placar sólido. Esse resultado foi importante já que nos deixou em uma boa posição na tabela de classificação”, disse.

A vitória fez com que o Trovão da Zona Sul chegasse aos 10 pontos, na segunda posição do Grupo A da Copa FGF. O time voltará ao campo no próximo domingo, quando enfrentará a equipe do Internacional de Santa Maria, no Estádio Presidente Vargas.

Manchester United made an approach to sign a “brilliant” player, but they were too late, with bitter rivals Liverpool winning the race for his signature.

Man Utd's summer signings under question after poor start

Despite a 3-2 victory over Burnley last time out offering some respite, Man United have undoubtedly made a poor start to the new campaign, having infamously been knocked out of the EFL Cup by League Two side Grimsby Town at the second-round stage.

As such, there are some justified concerns about some of the Red Devils’ summer acquisitions, not least Benjamin Sesko, who is yet to make his mark, having mainly been utlised as a substitute, and failed to open his goal-scoring account.

However, Sesko believes he will soon find his feet once he adjusts to the Premier League, recently saying: “The level of the matches is certainly much higher, the players and teammates are also at a higher level,”

“After all, English football is at the highest level in the world of football.

“But I am very much looking forward to the coming period, also because I am getting better and faster in every training session, and I am also progressing in my football mentality every day.”

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The jury is still out on the Slovenian, but it has recently been revealed that Man United could’ve signed a different striker, who has made a flying start to life in the Premier League.

Indeed, according to a report from The Athletic, Man United made a late approach to sign Hugo Ekitike before his transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt to Liverpool, but the wheels were already in motion for a move to Anfield.

As such, United’s bitter rivals ultimately came out on top in the race for Ekitike’s signature, and he has since gone on to impress for Arne Slot’s side, although there are signs the Slovenia international could soon be capable of making a similar impact.

How Sesko's goal-scoring record compares to Ekitike's

The Frenchman, who is widely reported to earn £200k-a-week, has scored three goals in his first four games for Liverpool, with Jamie Carragher lauding the 23-year-old for the “brilliant” start he’s made to life in England.

However, Sesko actually had a slightly better goals-per-game record in the Bundesliga during his time with RB Leipzig, averaging 0.42, compared to 0.40 from Liverpool’s summer signing.

Player	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Benjamin Sesko	64	27	7
Hugo Ekitike	47	19	10

Carragher and Roy Keane also agreed that it is “too early to tell” whether Sesko will be a success, given that he is yet to be given a proper run of games, so he should not be judged properly until after the international break.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Grêmio está na semifinal da Copa do Brasil. Em Porto Alegre, o Tricolor Gaúcho empatou com o Bahia por 1 a 1 no tempo regulamentar e precisou dos pênaltis para avançar: triunfo por 4 a 3, na noite desta quarta-feira (12), na Arena. Além de toda a emoção em campo, a partida teve momento de apreensão por conta do ciclone extratropical que passou por Porto Alegre e causou fortes chuvas na região. Por isso, o confronto começou com uma hora de atraso.

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Na próxima fase, o Tricolor mede forças com o vencedor do confronto entre Athletico e Flamengo.

O jogo

Mesmo com o gramado prejudicado, o Grêmio tomou conta das ações e abafou o Bahia no campo de defesa. As melhores chances do Tricolor surgiram na bola parada, onde Marcos Felipe fez ótima defesa em cabeçada de Bruno Uvini e depois tirou com os olhos a testada de Bruno Alves.

Quando a pressão parecia insustentável aos baianos, o Grêmio teve um pênalti a seu favor muito discutido após o árbitro ver mão na bola de Gabriel Xavier. Na cobrança, Cristaldo parou no goleiro Marcos Felipe.

Com a efetividade apurada, o Bahia abriu o marcador com Everaldo. O centroavante recebeu na entrada da área e acertou o ângulo, 1 a 0.

Na etapa final o jogo permaneceu com o tom da emoção e teve o Tricolor Gaúcho no campo ofensivo. Porém, a bola teimava em não entrar.

De tanto insistir, o empate veio aos 26 minutos. Ferreira achou Villasanti, que desviou para o fundo da rede. A virada poderia ter saído na sequência, mas Vina isolou a bola na entrada da pequena área.

Nos minutos finais, com os dois times exaustos, os espaços surgiram e três bolas na trave pintaram. Pelo lado do Bahia, Mugni e Adermir. Já com o Grêmio foi Suárez o responsável. 

Pênaltis

Na marca da cal, o aproveitamento do Grêmio foi melhor. Em seis cobranças, o time de Renato Gaúcho acertou quatro. O destaque foi Gabriel Grando, que pegou as cobranças de Cicinho e Gabriel Xavier. O Esquadrão só acertou três e está eliminado.

GRÊMIO (4 ) 1 X 1 (3) BAHIA

Local: Arena Grêmio, Porto Alegre (RS)

Data-Hora: 12/7/2023 – 20h

Árbitro: Wilton Pereira Sampaio(GO)

Auxiliares: Bruno Raphael Pires (GO) e Leone Carvalho Rocha (GO)

VAR: Luiz Flávio de Oliveira (SP)

Público/renda: pagantes/R$

Cartões amarelos: Carballo (GRE),Everaldo, Ryan, Kanu, Acevedo(BAH)

Cartões vermelhos: –

Gols: Everaldo (49’/1ºT) (0-1) e Villasanti (26’/2ºT) (1-1).

GRÊMIO: Gabriel Grando; Bruno Uvini, Bruno Alves e Kannemann (Ferreira, aos 11/2ºT); João Pedro (Gustavo Martins, aos 45/2ºT), Vallasanti, Carballo (Nathan, aos 45/2ºT), Bitello, Cristaldo (Vina, aos 25/2ºT) e Reinaldo; Luis Suárez (André, aos 45/2ºT). Técnico: Renato Gaúcho.

BAHIA: Marcos Felipe; Cicinho, Gabriel Xavier, Kanu e Ryan (Matheus Bahia, aos 25/2ºT); Acevedo, Rezende e Cauly, Ademir (Yago, aos 45/2ºT), Everaldo e Kayky (Lucas Mugni, aos 33/2ºT). Técnico: Renato Paiva.

كشف مصدر عن موقف عدد من اللاعبين من التواجد في معسكر منتخب مصر الثاني والمشارك ببطولة كأس العرب القادمة.

وكان منتخب مصر الثاني قد خاض مباراتين وديتين في التوقف الدولي المنقضي، محققاً الفوز على البحرين برباعية والهزيمة أمام المغرب بهدفين.

طالع.. فيديو | منتخب مصر الثاني يًمطر شباك البحرين برباعية استعدادًا لكأس العرب

وقال المصدر لـ بطولات: “عدد كبير من اللاعبين اعتذر عن الانضمام لـ معسكرات منتخب مصر المشارك في كأس العرب خلال الفترة قبل بداية المسابقة”.

وأكمل: “هؤلاء اللاعبون رحبوا بالانضمام لـ منتخب مصر الثاني ولكن في البطولة العربية مباشرةً وليس في المعسكرات التي تسبق البطولة”.

وأتم: “من بين هؤلاء اللاعبين الذين اعتذروا الثنائي عبد الله السعيد لاعب الزمالك وأحمد حجازي المحترف في نيوم السعودي”.

ومن المقرر أن تلعب بطولة كأس العرب في الفترة من 1 حتى 18 ديسمبر المقبل، ويقع منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثالثة، التي تضم كلاً من، الأردن والإمارات والفائز من (الكويت ضد موريتانيا).

Manchester United’s forward line has had somewhat of an overhaul during the summer transfer window, unsurprisingly so given their lack of goals in 2024/25.

The Red Devils only managed a tally of 44 goals in the Premier League, an average of 1.15 goals per 90 – a tally no way near good enough for a side of their stature.

Ruben Amorim has taken measures to improve such a situation, securing the signatures of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha – with the pair setting the hierarchy back over £130m.

The pair netted 35 top-flight goals between them last season, potentially forming a deadly partnership with soon-to-be new addition Benjamin Sesko, who has agreed a £74m deal with the club in recent days.

There’s no denying that the trio could cause many sides endless troubles throughout 2025/26, with other areas of the pitch needing similar investment between now and the end of the window.

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

Carlos Baleba has emerged as a shock option for United in the midfield department, with the Brighton star’s agents in talks with the Red Devils over a move to Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old could well be out of the club’s price range this summer, with Fabian Hurzeler’s side slapping a £100m price tag on his head to fend off any interest in his services.

However, the middle of the park isn’t the only area which could also be strengthened, with United making a move to land Fiorentina centre-back Pietro Comuzzo, according to Firenzeviola.

They claim that Amorim’s side have been spotted scouting the 20-year-old during pre-season, with the club able to get a closer look at the talent in the clash against the Italian outfit this weekend.

The report also states that Sunderland and Bournemouth have also been keeping a close eye on his progress, but any deal could cost any interested party a fee in the region of €40m (£35m).

Why United’s £35m target could be their next Yoro

Leny Yoro was a huge addition to the United squad last summer, joining the club in a staggering £59m in a move to bolster the side in the immediate and long-term future.

The Frenchman had to bide his time during the early stages of the 2024/25 season, but after Amorim’s arrival, he cemented his place in the side and demonstrated signs of being a great buy from INEOS.

He managed to register a total of 33 appearances across all competitions, scoring his first goal against Lyon in the Europa League – helping the side secure their place in the final.

Yoro also ended his debut year at Old Trafford with a tally of 1.7 aerials won per 90, along with a 93% pass completion rate – showcasing his superb ability to be a ball-playing option in the club’s backline.

However, a move for current target Comuzzo could see them land another young, talented defender, with the Italian producing numerous top-tier stats despite his tender age of just 20 years.

When comparing his stats to those of Yoro from the 2024/25 campaign, the Italian managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, showcasing how he can follow in the teenager’s footsteps at Old Trafford.

Comuzzo, who’s been labelled “incredible” by former boss Raffaele Palladino, made more key passes per 90 last season, showcasing his excellent ability to pick out a teammate in possession.

Games played

33

21

Minutes played

2200

1165

Key passes made

0.4

0.1

Tackles won

0.9

0.8

Blocks made

1.4

0.3

Clearances made

4.6

3.3

% of tackles won

79%

68%

Aerials won

2.6

1.2

Aerial success rate

59%

50%

He also managed to win more of the tackles he entered last season, whilst making more blocks and clearances per 90, handing Amorim the added defensive talent he needs ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The 20-year-old’s dominance is further reflected in his tally of aerials won per 90, potentially offering the side an added threat at both ends of the pitch – something which has been greatly lacking in recent months.

Whilst competition for his signature is fierce, the club are building an exciting project which any young player may prove to be tempted by in the near future.

£35m for a player of his calibre could prove to be excellent business, potentially seeing Comuzzo strike an excellent partnership with fellow youngster Yoro in the years ahead.

Perfect for Bruno: Man Utd leading the race to sign "phenomenal" £100m gem

Manchester United could be about to land another big-money talent for Ruben Amorim.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 7, 2025

Manchester United are expected to make an offer for a £70m star, who is now leaning towards a move to Old Trafford despite interest from another Premier League club, according to a report.

Man Utd pursuing striker amid Hojlund uncertainty

With less than two weeks to go before the start of the Premier League season, Man United are still yet to get a new centre-forward through the door, which is likely to be a concern for Ruben Amorim, given that his current options struggled last season.

Rasmus Hojlund scored just four Premier League goals in the 2024-25 campaign, and the Danish striker clearly hasn’t done enough in pre-season to convince Amorim he deserves another chance, with United now open to a departure.

Indeed, widespread reports have suggested the Red Devils would be willing to take a major loss on Hojlund by cashing in for just £30m.

In recent times, it has emerged that RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is one of Amorim’s major targets to replace Hojlund, although Newcastle United are also in the picture.

In a promising update from Sky Sports, however, it has been revealed that Sesko is leaning towards a move to Old Trafford, despite rival interest from Newcastle, with Man United now expected to make a formal offer.

United have held talks with Leipzig regarding how much a deal would cost, with Newcastle also in ongoing negotiations, having already made a second bid in the region of £70m.

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BySean Markus Clifford Aug 4, 2025 Sesko would be statement signing for Man Utd

United would be making a major statement if they were able to secure a deal for Sesko, despite not having any European football on offer next season, and there are plenty of signs the Slovenian would be a fantastic addition to Amorim’s squad.

At 22-years-old, the centre-forward is capable of leading the line for the Red Devils for many years to come, and he has regularly been among the goals at RB Leipzig over the past two campaigns, scoring a combined 27 in the Bundesliga.

Season

Bundesliga appearances

Goals

Assists

2023-24

31

14

2

2024-25

33

13

5

It is promising news that Sesko is leaning towards a move to Old Trafford, but Man United may have to move quickly to secure his services, given Newcastle’s level of interest.

Chelsea have recently been handed a boost in their pursuit of an attacker, with it being revealed he would love to move to Stamford Bridge despite interest from Arsenal.

Blues looking to sign new attacking midfielder

Enzo Maresca has already made major improvements to his squad this summer, with new striker Joao Pedro playing a major role in the Club World Cup triumph, scoring the third goal in his side’s 3-0 rout of Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

However, the Blues are by no means done, with a new attacking midfielder also of interest, and there are three main options on the shortlist.

Target	Current club	Asking price
Morgan Rogers	Aston Villa	£90m
Eberechi Eze	Crystal Palace	£68m
Xavi Simons	RB Leipzig	£67m

The west Londoners have recently held talks over a deal for Simons, but there could be fierce competition for his signature, with Tottenham Hotspur also keen, while fellow London rivals Arsenal are thought to have made an approach of their own.

That said, despite the major interest from elsewhere, Maresca’s side should be well-positioned to win the race for the RB Leipzig star, as per a new update from journalist Simon Phillips.

Phillips said: “Arsenal are interested in Simons as said, but our sources have heard they are focusing on Eze still but if they cannot get that over the line then Simons is the backup for them.

Chelsea ready swap offer to sign "unstoppable" £90m England international

The Blues are willing to use one of their players as a makeweight in negotiations for an attacker.

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 20, 2025

“Sources feel Chelsea could have come in and snapped Simons up by the time that happens anyway. So this one is certainly brewing up and all connected.

“Further to this, our sources have heard that Simons ‘would love to join Chelsea’ this window, so there would be no problem on the player side. Chelsea, expected to make more enquiries on Simons this week now.”

"Game-changer" Simons could be statement signing for Chelsea

Scout and writer Jacek Kulig lauded the Leipzig attacking midfielder as a “game-changer” last season, and it is clear to see why, with the Dutchman impressing for both club and country.

The Netherlands international picked up a goal and an assist in a very impressive performance against European champions Spain in March, while also regularly finding the back of the net and setting up his teammates in the Bundesliga.

Competition	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Bundesliga	25	10	7
DFB Pokal	3	1	1

It is little wonder the 22-year-old is very keen on sealing a move to Stamford Bridge this summer, with Maresca’s side recently being crowned Club World Cup champions, and Champions League football on offer next season.

Having already proven they have what it takes to compete against the world’s best teams, the signing of Simons could elevate the Blues and help them compete for even more major honours in the 2024-25 campaign.