Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has no regrets after being sent off for his wild celebration following his side’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool, saying the emotion of the affair meant that his dismissal was “worth it”. The Blues boss was given his marching orders after running down the touchline to join in the euphoria at Stamford Bridge after Estevao Willian’s dramatic late winner.
Maresca hugged his players after Estevao sent Stamford Bridge into raptures
Facing the possibility of going four Premier League games without a victory, teenager Estevao popped up with a crucial winner in Chelsea’s last-gasp triumph over Liverpool on Saturday, 4 October. The Brazil international scored his first league goal for the club as he prodded home at the back post in the fifth minute of added time. And the goal sparked incredible scenes of jubilation in west London with manager Maresca getting caught up in the moment as he hugged his players near the corner flag.
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Italian received his marching orders for a second bookable offence
And as a result of sprinting down the touchline to celebrate with his players in front of the delighted Chelsea faithful, Maresca was sent off by referee Anthony Taylor for his second bookable offence of the evening. And now the Italian will serve a suspension when Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, 18 October, following the resumption of the Premier League after the international break.
Maresca does not regret letting his emotions get the better of him
But when speaking at the Trento Sports Festival, Maresca refused to be self-critical for letting his emotions get the better of him, insisting his celebration was an “instinctive” reaction to Chelsea securing a rare, late victory under his stewardship.
In quotes carried by Maresca told the festival: “It was a huge emotion (against Liverpool). It's my second season at Chelsea and it was the first time we won at home in the last minute. The sending-off? (I’ve said) many times, football is passion, instinct. I probably didn't have time to think. It was an instinctive reaction, but I think it was worth it.”
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Coach keen to follow in footsteps of other Italian managers at Chelsea
Maresca also opened up about the pressure of managing Chelsea, a club who won every major honour available to them under Roman Abramovich before Todd Boehly reshaped the club after his takeover in 2022. Following in the footsteps of compatriots Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri and Maurizio Sarri, Maresca says it was a huge relief to not become the only Italian to fail to lead Chelsea to silverware by lifting both the Conference League and the Club World Cup last season.
“It's one of the most important clubs in the world,” Maresca continued. “In the last three or four years, for various reasons, it (Chelsea) has struggled. Having brought the club back to a great level is a great satisfaction. When I signed for Chelsea, I felt a bit of pressure of being the only Italian not to win here, but fortunately, that hasn't been the case.”
Com a janela de transferências se aproximando, o São Paulo já começa a esquentar algumas possíveis negociações e saídas. Embora Dorival Júnior tenha cautela ao falar das possíveis chegadas de atletas, o treinador já falou publicamente que não queria perder ninguém. Entretanto, alguns nomes já despertaram interesses em outras equipes – inclusive, fora do país. E como prioridades de possíveis novidades, o Tricolor teria um principal foco: um atacante de velocidade. O Lance! explica qual a atual situação do clube do Morumbi.
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Quem pode chegar?
A janela abre no dia três de julho, e como informado anteriormente, a diretoria foca em jogadores ofensivos no período de compras e alguns nomes já começaram a surgir. Um dos mais comentados é de Erick, um dos destaques do Ceará. A reportagem do Lance! apurou que mesmo que o jogador, que tem vínculo com a equipe até o final do ano, tenha recebido uma forte proposta para renovar com o Vozão (com valorização salarial), o atacante teria entrado no radar do Tricolor pensando no ano que vem. Além de atender as características procuradas, já trabalhou com Dorival Júnior no passado. O L! ouviu fontes que disseram que o atacante quer cumprir o restante do seu acordo com o clube cearense, mas já fica livre para assinar um possível pré-contrato com o Tricolor.
Outro jogador que entrou no radar do São Paulo é o meia uruguaio Zalazar, de 23 anos. O São Paulo consultou a situação de Zalazar. No caso, seria para tentar um possível empréstimo, de um ano. O acordo também teria valor de compra fixado em caso de metas cumpridas. Atualmente no Schalke 04 (ALE), clube rebaixado à segunda divisão do país, ele vem despertando interesse de muitas equipes, como o Vasco, por exemplo.
O São Paulo também tentou duas outras negociações, mas nenhuma foi para frente. Entre elas, Savarino e Marinho. No caso do primeiro, o jogador já estava praticamente descartado antes mesmo de afirmar que continuaria no Salt Lake City (EUA). A motivação por trás seria a recusa a proposta inicial feita pelo Tricolor ao Salt Lake City, por motivações financeiras. Quanto a Marinho, o jogador já foi anunciado pelo Fortaleza.
Quem deve sair?
Embora Dorival Júnior tenha avisado que não queria saídas de atletas, o São Paulo esbarra em uma questão: as metas orçamentárias. O Conselho Deliberativo do São Pauloaprovou, em dezembro do ano passado, a previsão orçamentária do clube para 2023. E no principal item de receitas, a negociação de atletas,ficou estabelecido o valor de R$ 135 milhões como meta a ser cumprida. O problema é que, com o fechamento da primeira janela europeia ’em branco’ para o Tricolor, a ‘correria’ para atingir o número ficou para o meio de 2023.
Embora nenhuma saída esteja 100% certa, alguns atletas já entrarão no radar de certas equipes. Nathan, lateral direito, recebeu algumas sondagens do futebol inglês. Pablo Maia idem. Inclusive, Pablo Maia desperta interesse na Europa desde a última janela, mas o Tricolor queria segurá-lo, pelo menos, até a metade do ano.
Rodrigo Nestor foi procurado pelo Galatasaray, da Turquia. Representantes do clube procuraram o clube do Morumbi para saber, por quanto poderia acontecer o negócio. Ouviram que o mínimo exigido é de R$ 80 milhões (aproximadamente 15 milhões de euros), além da manutenção de parte dos direitos federativos – conforme informado ao Lance!, no dia 2 de junho.
Calleri e Luciano também foram sondados por equipes estrangeiras. Porém, os dois nem são discutidos como possibilidades de negociação, tendo em vista a importância para a equipe. Calleri teria recebido uma proposta do Monterrey. De acordo com apuração do Lance!, os mexicanos estavam dispostos até mesmo pagar a multa rescisória do jogador – que tem contrato com o Morumbi até 2025. Já o camisa 10, recebeu sondagens do Al-Nassr, da Arábia Saudita (o mesmo time de Cristiano Ronaldo) e também do Cruz Azul, do México.Sem propostas oficiais, o próprio afirmou que não deseja deixar o Tricolor – pelo menos, por enquanto.
Having already commenced talks to sign Tolu Arokodare, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly eyeing a late swoop to sign another impressive striker.
Latest on Wolves' Arokodare move
With Fabio Silva set to join Borussia Dortmund, Wolves have instantly shifted their focus towards Arokodare. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Midlands club have commenced talks to sign the KRC Genk forward, who could hand Vitor Pereira’s frontline the added depth in quality that it’s been lacking since Matheus Cunha’s departure earlier this summer.
After scoring 23 goals in all competitions last season, the Nigerian forward could be the perfect partner to Jorgen Strand Larsen this season instead of becoming the Norwegian’s replacement.
Whilst Newcastle United have submitted two bids to sign the Wolves forward, both have been rejected and fresh reports have indicated that Strand Larsen will not be allowed to leave Molineux this summer.
The line from Wolves so far has been that Arokodare would simply be replacing Silva rather than anything else. Pereira also recently had his say on Strand Larsen’s future after he scored two goals in a dramatic Carabao Cup win against West Ham United.
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He told reporters: “If it’s my decision, of course [Strand-Larsen stays]. Of course. Because he’s a very important player. It’s not only about the technical and tactical, it’s about the character. He’s a player with character.”
However, the manager did also admit that every player has a price and recent rumours that Wolves have set their sights on a second striker alongside Arokodare would suggest that this saga is far from over.
Wolves now eyeing late Alberto swoop
According to Molineux News, Wolves are now eyeing a late swoop to sign Yuri Alberto, who Pereira is a huge admirer of. The pair worked together during Pereira’s time at Corinthians and could now reunite as those in the Midlands set their sights on a late move alongside Arokodare.
The talented striker struck 31 goals in all competitions for Corinthians last season and would be more than capable of firing Wolves to safety. But the rumours of his potential arrival should spark some concern about Strand Larsen’s future.
Whilst Arokodare is a target to replace Silva, a move for a second striker would indicate that Strand Larsen could be heading for the exit door with Alberto lined up as his immediate replacement. Of course, there’s still plenty of dominoes to fall for this to be the case, but Wolves will be bracing themselves for a frantic few days.
Dubbed “superb” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes last November, Alberto would at least be the calibre of forward good enough to replace a talent of Strand Larsen’s level.
Tom Hartley, the Lancashire left-arm spinner, has been ruled out of England Lions’ tour of Australia, after suffering a fractured right hand during training in Brisbane on Thursday.Hartley, 25, played in all five of England’s Tests on their tour of India in January-March last year, claiming 22 wickets at 36.13, including a matchwinning 7 for 62 in the second innings of his debut at Hyderabad.However, he has not been called upon since, with the offspinner Shoaib Bashir emerging as England’s favoured option. Hartley did earn a call-up to England’s T20 World Cup squad in June, but did not feature in the team’s run to the semi-finals.His injury is a blow to his hopes of staking a claim for a Test recall, particularly with England’s senior team set to return to Australia in October for the 2025-26 Ashes. Both he and Bashir had been selected for the Lions trip, which will feature three red-ball matches, including an unofficial Test against Australia A in Sydney from January 30-February 2.Hartley will now return to the UK, where he will undergo further assessment by the Lancashire medical teams. No replacement player has been called up to join the squad.The tour, which will be overseen by Lions head coach Andrew Flintoff, begins in earnest on January 14, with a four-day fixture against a Cricket Australia Select XI in Brisbane.
West Bromwich Albion kicked off the new Ryan Mason era with a victory at the Hawthorns last time out as the former Tottenham Hotspur coach picked up a debut three points as a rookie manager.
The Baggies just about edged past opponents Blackburn Rovers on the intense opening day in the Championship, as Isaac Price proved to be the difference-maker between the two sides with an early first-half effort.
Former West Brom manager Valerien Ismael could only watch on with a grimace from the opposing dug-out as he was undone by the 33-year-old, who was helped by Aune Heggebo putting in a standout performance during his first outing donning Baggies blue and white.
Heggebo's standout debut for West Brom
While Price stole the limelight with the only goal of the day, Heggebo did play a key role in the ex-Everton youngster lapping up the plaudits.
Indeed, the Nordic attacker was alert to the action unfolding around him after a long throw-in from Darnell Furlong caused confusion, leading to West Brom’s £4.7m summer buy laying it off to Price to tap a shot home.
His efforts against the Riversiders didn’t go unnoticed, either, with Heggebo actually winning himself a place in the Championship Team of the Week off the back of the former Brann attacker also winning 11 duels in the hard-fought win, as per Sofascore.
But, there will be a worry that he won’t cut it at the intimidating level when it comes to actually picking up the goals, having only fired two weak efforts at the Blackburn goal on Saturday.
Tottenham's Ryan Mason
This is where Mason could dip his toes back into the market to win himself an EFL-ready goal machine, with a £7m attacker potentially on his radar.
West Brom could look at signing £3m attacker
Over-relying on Heggebo to deliver the goods does feel as if it could backfire on the Baggies, particularly if the pressure is ramped up on the Scandinavian forward’s shoulders in the intense heat of a promotion race.
This is where Wycombe Wanderers’ Richard Kone could come to the rescue, with the former non-league striker turned EFL gem piquing a lot of interest in the Championship this summer regarding his availability, having been allegedly subject to a £7m bid in recent times from Luton Town.
The 22-year-old striker has experienced quite the rapid rise from the non-league pitches of Essex to leading the line for the Chairboys with some venom.
However, despite his form, he could be available as cheap as £3m now, according to football journalist Ron Walker, which might well even spur the Championship side into making a bid.
His explosive track record in the EFL automatically makes him an upgrade on Heggebo, who is still learning the ropes of the English game, with EFL-oriented pundit Gabriel Sutton even labelling Kone’s heroics in front of goal at Adams Park as “extraordinary.”
Games played
74
146
Goals scored
25
51
Assists
9
14
Hat tricks
1x
0
Goals per game
0.33
0.34
While the table above does look to swing initially in the favour of Heggebo, Kone is only 26 strikes shy of matching his counterpart’s goal tally for Brann, with his exploits last season for Wycombe making him look ready-made for a step-up in quality.
A blistering 21 of those efforts would come near the very top of League One last season, with the brand-new Baggies number 19 only registering 11 goals all of last year in the Nordic top-flight, on the contrary.
Richard Kone
Further dubbed as a “mentality monster” by football writer Kai Watson, Kone should be able to take the pressures of the Championship in his stride if his League One prowess is anything to go by.
Heggebo could be forced to take a back seat if Kone were to join, however, but he shone in a more subdued role on the opening day anyway, as West Brom tries to fire in the goals no matter who scores them to seal promotion.
"Extraordinary" West Brom star's camp speaking to new club, they can afford him
Celtic recently made another addition to their squad with the signing of versatile central defender Hayato Inamura from Japanese side Albirex Niigata.
The 23-year-old star, who can play as either a centre-back or as a left-back, has joined the Scottish giants on a four year deal ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Celtic supporters should not be expecting him to play week-in-week-out in the Scottish Premiership next season, though, as it has been revealed that the defender is a signing for the future.
When asked if he would be part of the first-team squad, Brendan Rodgers said: “No, he won’t be. He’s a part of the investment of the club.”
Celtic manager BrendanRodgersbefore the match
The head coach added that the Hoops will “see where he’s at as a young player and then it’s whether he stays with the squad or whether he has to go out on loan” during pre-season.
This means that fellow left-footed central defender Auston Trusty may be safe for now, after he endured a difficult first season at Parkhead last term.
Why Auston Trusty is in a difficult position at Celtic
Despite the fact that left-footed defender Liam Scales earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Celtic decided to pay a reported fee of £5m to sign left-sided centre-back Trusty from Sheffield United last summer.
£5m was a healthy sum of money to spend on a player who plays in the same position as a star who was named the best in his position in the division the previous season, which suggests that the club felt he would come in as an upgrade on Scales.
Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case as Trusty endured a frustrating first season in Glasgow, and ended the campaign as second-choice behind the Ireland international.
The American dud was an unused substitute in six of the last eight games, including the SFA Cup final, and that was because Scales significantly outperformed him.
Start
22
21
Clean sheets
10
14
Dribbled past per game
0.5x
0.2x
Clearances per game
4.0
4.8
Ground duel success rate
63%
68%
Aerial duel success rate
65%
74%
Error led to shot
4
1
Error led to goal
1
0
As you can see in the table above, the Irishman was far more effective for Celtic in the Premiership than Trusty, with fewer errors and a higher success rate in duels, helping the team to keep more clean sheets in the process.
The £5m signing, who was criticised against Aberdeen in his most recent appearance, is in a difficult position at Parkhead, and it is one that could get even worse for him.
Celtic eyeing new left-sided defender
According to CelticWay, the Scottish Premiership champions are ‘considering’ a bid to sign Familicao central defender Justin De Haas this summer.
The report claims that the Hoops are weighing up an approach for the Dutch centre-back to bolster their ranks after Maik Nawrocki clinched a loan move to German outfit Hannover.
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It states that Celtic scouts have assessed De Haas during the summer transfer window, and the club are now plotting a potential swoop to bring him to Parkhead.
The 25-year-old defender, who is said to be attracting interest from several clubs across Europe, is valued at around £3m by the Portuguese club, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to pay that asking price.
Celtic should now press ahead with a deal to bring the left-footed defender to Parkhead in the coming weeks because he could send Trusty packing this summer.
Why this is bad news for Auston Trusty
This report of the club’s interest in De Haas is bad news for the USA international because it could mean that the former Sheffield United man is surplus to requirements in Glasgow, just 12 months on from his arrival.
As aforementioned, Trusty has already fallen behind Scales in the pecking order in the left-sided centre-back position because of his poor performances in the Premiership last term.
It then seems unlikely that Celtic would pay £3m to bring in another left-footed defender, who is 25 and in the prime years of his career, to be a third-choice option in that position, which is why this could spell danger for Trusty, as he may have to find a new club.
Whilst there is no reported suggestion yet that the American flop is likely to move on from Parkhead, the signing of De Haas could leave him with little game time behind two other players in his position, especially given that Rodgers has made it clear that he wants to play left-footers on the left and right-footers on the right at centre-back.
Appearances
29
22
Goals
2
1
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.0
2.3
Dribbled past per game
0.3x
0.5x
Clearances per game
5.4
4.0
Error led to shot
0
4
Error led to goal
1
1
Penalties committed
0
0
As you can see in the table above, the £3m-rated colossus outperformed Trusty at league level last season, whilst playing in the Portuguese top-flight, by making more defensive interventions and fewer big errors at the back.
The 6 foot 4 giant, who has previously been described as “aerially dominant” by RangersJournal writer Kai Watson, could come in as another upgrade on the American dud, on top of Scales already being one.
This is why Trusty could be sent packing this summer because the arrival of a second left-footed centre-back who is even better than him could limit his game time next season and force the defender to consider his long-term future at Parkhead.
Of course, Rodgers could go against his preference and use a left-footed player as a back-up option to Cameron Carter-Vickers in the right centre-back role, but that would not be ideal for the left-footed Trusty either.
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Therefore, this latest development will not come as good news for the former Arsenal centre-back, who could find himself on the chopping block this summer.
Sunderland might well have been slapped in the face recently with Armand Lauriente’s move to the club falling through at the last minute, but it’s still been a largely successful transfer window to date, truth be told.
Indeed, the Black Cats of yesteryear, who were marooned in League One, could only dream of the millions now being splashed to upgrade the side all over the pitch, with Habib Diarra the main standout purchase at a club-record £30m fee.
Excited Sunderland supporters had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Diarra in action against Sevilla last Saturday, alongside fellow fresh recruits in the form of Chemsdine Talbi and Simon Adingra, as the Wearside outfit continue to gain more valuable minutes ahead of the brand new Premier League season starting.
However, even with the new signing count coming in at six, it doesn’t look as if Regis Le Bris and Co are done and dusted with all their summer activity just yet, as more rumours are relentlessly churned out.
Sunderland manager RegisLeBris on the touchline
Sunderland continue negotiations with £22m star
The newly promoted side would love nothing more than to bounce back with another statement deal shortly, off the back of Lauriente’s deal collapsing.
Le Bris could soon welcome in some new defensive bodies to his ever-expanding camp, with ex-Aston Villa centre-back Diego Carlos reportedly taking up some space on the Premier League side’s rumoured shopping list, alongside Igor Julio being touted to potentially copy Adingra by leaving Brighton and Hove Albion behind for Wearside.
Aston Villa'sDiegoCarlosduring the warm up
Yet, they aren’t completely done in the attacking positions, either, as journalist Loïc Tanzi now reveals via X that the ambitious Black Cats are locked in negotiations with wantaway Leicester City midfielder Bilal El Khannouss over a summer switch.
It’s stated that Sunderland want a cheaper deal than the £22.5m one on the table, which is the Moroccan ace’s release clause, with Nottingham Forest and Villa also named as being in the intense race to land the 21-year-old’s services, alongside admirers from France in the form of AS Monaco.
Once noted as being on Arsenal’s list of targets, too, it’s clear that the Foxes youngster has a bright future in the game away from Leicester’s recent relegation mess, with the 5-foot-11 star ready to take the Premier League by storm under Le Bris’ wing, alongside an equally silky Adingra.
Why El Khannouss could be a dream for Adingra
Much like El Khannouss now being eyed up, Adingra would have been purchased knowing he has what it takes to become an exceptional talent in the Premier League in the long run, having shown significant flashes of his excellence for the Seagulls over his two seasons at the elite level.
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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Despite only being gifted 12 Premier League starts last campaign under Fabian Hurzeler, the electric Ivorian would still prove his worth with two goals and two assists coming his way.
His debut season in England also saw him labelled as an “explosive” talent by analyst Ben Mattinson – menace up top from limited opportunities, as seen in his six-goal tally in league action, despite only amassing an xG of 4.31.
El Khannouss’ league numbers (24/25)
Stat
El Khannouss
Games played
32
Goals scored
2
Assists
3
Touches per game
42.5
Accurate passes per game
42.5 (80%)
Key passes per game
1.3
Big chances created
8
Stats by Sofascore
He might well be able to reach these same impressive heights again when partnered next to El Khannouss at the Stadium of Light, therefore, with the Moroccan playmaker going down as a standout creative menace for the Foxes even as they depressingly succumbed to relegation, resulting in El Khannouss coming out of the bleak season with his head held high after creating a hefty eight big chances.
This follows on from the 21-year-old’s mighty haul of 21 big chances being created in total for ex-side Genk in Jupiler Pro League action, with this same flair perhaps coming to the forefront once more if he excels in another relegation-threatened environment at Sunderland.
Adingra would love to latch onto some killer through balls, such as the superb assist he managed above when donning Genk blue, as the pair prepare to terrorise Premier League defences together.
Further lauded as a “sensational prospect” by the aforementioned Mattinson, Le Bris will hope he can get the very best out of El Khannouss as well as Adingra, with any relegation concerns hopefully pushed to one side with ease as a result.
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England Women’s captain flexed in the chase to inflict just a second home defeat on Southern Brave
ECB Media24-Jul-2024Heather Knight produced a batting masterclass as London Spirit shocked reigning champions Southern Brave in a thrilling contest in The Hundred at Utilita Bowl.Chasing 152 for victory, the England captain made an unbeaten 65 from 31 balls to steer her team to a six-wicket victory with three deliveries to spare, inflicting only a second-ever home defeat on Brave.The hosts looked on course for victory after Danni Wyatt had struck 59 from 35 balls, in the process surpassing Sophia Dunkley to become The Hundred’s all-time leading run-scorer.Fellow England opener Maia Bouchier made 35 from 21 deliveries before she was run out after a mix-up with Wyatt, ending a rapid opening stand of 57.Wyatt took the attack to Spirit, registering her seventh half-century in The Hundred before she edged behind off Erin Burns.Georgia Adams (21 from 14) and Chloe Tryon (20 from 13) propelled Brave to 151 for 6 and Spirit made a slow start in reply, Meg Lanning dismissed caught-and-bowled by 16-year-old spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman on her Hundred debut.Georgia Redmayne gave the innings some momentum, making 45 from 31 before being bowled by Charli Knott, who conceded three consecutive boundaries to Knight as Spirit fought their way back into the game.Knott’s direct hit from mid-off sent the dangerous Dani Gibson on her way, but Knight held her nerve and dispatched Adams to the boundary to seal an impressive victory.Meerkat Match Hero Heather Knight said: “I tried to get in and then flicked the switch at the back end. Beating the Brave here is really tough to do so I’m really chuffed with how we went today.”We knew it was a good wicket. They probably got 10 or 15 too many, we dropped a few catches. Danni Wyatt played a remarkable innings, she’s so hard to set fields to. But I knew if we had a set batter, with a quick outfield, we could catch up quickly.”You can try and overhit early in your innings. It’s about being really clear on the ball you’re trying to hit for four. I didn’t have many at the start but once I was in it felt like I could really put my foot down. The scoreboard sometimes gives you no choice but to do that. It paid off today.”
Manchester United had problems aplenty last season, but one of the most damning issues was the inability to produce the kind of slick attacking performances that would have merited a European-qualifying finish or indeed a trophy.
Bruno Fernandes did all he could, posting 19 goals and assists apiece across all competitions, but it wasn’t enough to stop Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, nor did it amount to silverware, or a respectable Premier League finish.
Bruno Fernandes
But the Red Devils can now look forward to a pre-season of preparation under the wing of Ruben Amorim, and despite all the issues, optimism remains that a corner can be turned, especially with the prestigious club’s pull still firmly intact.
Perhaps the greatest British outfit of all time, United fell by the wayside last term, but Old Trafford remains one of the most attractive destinations for high-quality players, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha rejecting offers from teams like Arsenal to complete a “dream” £62.5m move to Manchester this week.
The Brazilian forward has been hailed as “one of the most coveted players in the league” by content creator Dev Bajwa.
However, he’s not the only top Premier League forward INEOS have pushed to reel in this summer, with Bryan Mbeumo in talks to move to the Theatre of Dreams.
The latest on Bryan Mbeumo to Man Utd
Man United’s reputation as one of Europe’s big boys was underscored when Brentford’s Mbeumo intimated his preference to join Old Trafford this summer, even though Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur, all of whom have Champions League football to look forward to, have been firmly in the race.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
After scoring 20 goals across 38 league outings, the intrigue is understandable, and also points toward a revised United strategy to strengthen by securing Premier League-proven players.
However, Mbeumo’s stock is high, and while he is hoping to make the move to Old Trafford, Spurs’ appointment of Thomas Frank has thrown something of a spanner in the works, with the former Bees boss’ arrival giving the Londoners renewed optimism that they could strike a deal for the Cameroon international.
United will remain confident that they can complete a statement signing, but if not, why not turn to an alternative who has also enjoyed success on English soil over the past couple of years?
Man United join race for PL star
As per Caught Offside, Manchester United have joined the race for Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert, who’s coming off the back of a prolific campaign in the Premier League.
Bournemouth's JustinKluivertcelebrates scoring a goal
The Dutchman, 26, is highly regarded at the Vitality Stadium, who are under no pressure to cash in. However, if suitors were to make an offer worth roughly €55m (£47m), they might just be tempted.
A host of rivals, such as Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham, are also keen, but the Red Devils registered their interest some time ago and could use their peerless pull once more to bring him in.
Why Man Utd want Justin Kluivert
Kluivert has truly stepped out of his famous father’s shadow to become his own player, joining Bournemouth from Roma two years ago in a deal just shy of £10m.
Justin Kluivert for Bournemouth.
Across his two campaigns at the club, the Netherlands international has scored 22 goals and supplied ten assists, though it’s been his “red-hot” 2024/25 season that has taken him into another sphere, as has been noted by journalist Ryan Taylor.
If Man United do miss out on Mbeumo, Kluivert could prove the perfect alternative. As per Sofascore, he only missed six big chances in the league, putting away 12 more chances. Moreover, he averaged 1.4 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per game while completing 81% of his passes, bespeaking technical control and indeed the right application of his abilities.
This offers shades of Mbeumo, in a way. The Brentford sensation, 25, supported his prolific success through a base range of talents, averaging 1.8 key passes, 1.4 dribbles, and 4.7 successful duels per game.
Kluivert was utilised across a range of attacking areas by Andoni Iraola last season, and that is in keeping with his career at large, suggesting he could perform across different berths for Amorim, whose three-pronged attacking set-up could see him dovetail right in.
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He’s proven his capacity to impress across the frontline, which speaks of dynamism in a similar vein to Mbeumo, a right-sided forward by trade but not without his strengths as a focal frontman, actually playing seven times as Frank’s striker over the past year, scoring four goals and laying on one assist.
Kluivert’s demonstrable Premier League success, so clinical and composed, could see him become a star in Amorim’s system. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 6% of forwards in the division for goals and assists per 90, leading the data-driven site to rank Mbeumo up as one of his most comparable players.
United need more goals, and by injecting Amorim’s fold with talents such as Cunha and Kluivert (or indeed Mbeumo), they would take a confident step toward a lifting resurgence.
Furthermore, they’re hardly one-trick ponies. All are physical and multi-faceted players, capable of creating chances and using their athleticism to serve the fluency of the wider team.
Amorim has weathered a storm, all right, but there might just be light at the end of the tunnel. United have been here before, roused by ostensibly effective transfer windows, but there’s a certain astuteness about INEOS’ dealings right now which suggests brighter fortunes may lie around the corner.
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Arsenal have now seemingly held some initial talks over signing a Real Madrid star, with sporting director Andrea Berta looking to the Bernabeu for potential reinforcements this summer.
Arsenal set for busy first summer window under Berta
According to reliable media sources, like Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have already reached an agreement with Martin Zubimendi to become Berta’s first major signing of the next transfer window, following months of reported negotiations.
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The Gunners are expected to trigger Zubimendi’s £51 million release clause and seal their replacement for exit-bound Jorginho nice and early, with Berta making a fire-start to his tenure as sporting director.
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The 26-year-old’s arrival in north London, as per Ben Jacobs, could even be confirmed by the end of this month, even if there is still an err of caution at the Emirates Stadium.
“Zubimendi, I’m told it is pretty much agreed in principle. I’d be surprised if May ends, and we don’t hear that Zubimendi is an Arsenal player,” said Jacobs.
“Internally at Arsenal, they basically think that one is done. The caution around letting that slip is because Liverpool thought it was done as well.
“Until it’s signed, Arsenal are super cautious, but in terms of contract length, terms, payment around the clause and triggering the clause, all of that Arsenal feel is there and ready to go. It’s a case of saying, ‘OK, let’s get this signed.’ I think we have a very high percentage chance of, in the next few weeks, Zubimendi being confirmed as an Arsenal player.”
After Zubimendi, it is believed Arsenal are looking at signing a second-choice keeper, full-back, right-winger, left-winger and new striker (GiveMeSport), with Mikel Arteta’s side also among the many contenders for Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen’s signature.
Arsenal are said to have already made a formal offer to Huijsen, according to some reports from Spain (Cadena SER), as they look to get ahead of Real Madrid and tempt the 20-year-old with an alternative home in the Premier League.
Arsenal make contact over signing Real Madrid striker Rodrygo
According to Diario AS journalist Eduardo Burgos, £202,000-per-week Real Madrid forward Rodrygo is also in their thinking when it comes to attacking reinforcements.
Berta is widely tipped to sign a new striker when the window reopens, with Arsenal having some contact over signing Rodrygo and are among the sides most interested in his services.
The versatile Brazilian, who’s played on the right-wing, left-wing and as a striker under Carlo Ancelotti this season, has 13 goals and 10 assists to his name from 50 appearances in all competitions – so he’d likely cost a marquee fee if Real even entertain the notion of him leaving.
“He is a special striker, he can play in all positions,” said Ancelotti about the 24-year-old. “He is fast, smart and effective one on one. The learning is over. He is a Real Madrid player for all purposes.”