The sale of the Tampa Bay Rays to a group led by Jacksonville real estate developer Patrick Zalupski is on track to be finalized as soon as September, according to a report from Evan Drellich and Ken Rosenthal of

The sale, which will be for around $1.7 billion, is expected to keep the team in the Tampa Bay area—with a strong preference to be in Tampa proper rather than St. Petersburg, per the report.

The team's current owner, Stu Sternberg, purchased the franchise for $200 million in 2004. The team is searching for a new stadium after the damage to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg from Hurricane Milton last fall. Repairs are well underway at Tropicana, and the hope is that the Rays will be able to play there next season while a new stadium is potentially built.

The Rays have been playing home games this season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees, while repairs continue at Tropicana Field.

What do former Arsenal players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale all have in common?

They were three of the first names on the team sheet during the early days of the Mikel Arteta reign at the Emirates Stadium but it wasn’t too long before they were given the boot.

While Ramsdale was actually signed by Arteta, replacing Bernd Leno, the Englishman was eventually told to find a new club once David Raya had established himself as the number 1.

Aubameyang’s situation was altogether rather different. His public falling out with Arteta is well documented (video below) after the Spaniard famously stripped the striker of the club captaincy.

The forward’s attitude and punctuality were questioned on a regular basis. The Gabonese was regularly late for things.

Despite being key to the FA Cup, still Arteta’s only trophy to date, he left in controversial circumstances and is not remembered in too many glowing terms now.

The same cannot be said of Smith Rowe. His exit from north London was far sadder.

The downfall of Emile Smith Rowe at Arsenal

The date is 26th July 2018. Arsene Wenger is no longer in the hot seat and during Unai Emery’s first pre-season in charge, Arsenal face Atletico Madrid.

Not much is remembered about that game besides the impact a 17-year-old Smith Rowe made. He scored a sumptuous goal from range, showcasing an abundance of potential in the process.

For the most part, the young attacking midfielder lived up to his early hype, but it was not until the Arteta regime began that he became one of the finest in the Premier League.

Smith Rowe earned his England debut in 2021 and went from strength to strength, buoyed further by the emergence of fellow Hale Ender, Bukayo Saka.

In 2021/22, the goalscoring midfielder was in electric from, notably finding the net on 11 occasions.

However, a dismal run of injuries eventually halted the now 25-year-old’s progress. Smith Rowe still has a dazzling run in him but his fitness was totally unreliable. Show an unreliable trait and more often than not you don’t last very long with Arteta.

No one can fault the academy graduate’s commitment and attitude but so rotten were his injury problems that he only started three league games during his final year with Arsenal.

That said, even when he was available, he very rarely started many games of football towards the end. He was an unused substitute on a remarkable 18 occasions in 2023/24 and only played 346 Premier League minutes.

Smith Rowe looked bright in cameos but he must have known his race was run. A mighty fine player he was, but he had now fallen victim to injuries and Arsenal’s increased depth and quality. By now, Martin Odegaard had entered the fray.

So, in the modern day, who is now facing the same treatment from the manager?

Arsenal "warrior" is becoming their new Smith Rowe

The job Arteta and his transfer chiefs have performed in the transfer window in recent years has been extraordinary, but it took for Edu Gaspar to leave and Andrea Berta to arrive for things to really ramp up.

While many thought Liverpool had won the summer transfer window of 2025, spending British record sums on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, Arsenal were rightfully commended for the way they went about their business.

The forward line was finally bolstered but the defence was not neglected either, of course it wasn’t. Arteta loves a defender and he has totally transformed the Gunners’ backline since becoming head coach.

From the days of Rob Holding and David Luiz to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, it’s been quite the change. Well, this summer saw the arrivals of Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie. In the process, it has hurt the game time of two players.

Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori are now ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly in the pecking order, while Benjamin White has perhaps suffered even more from Arsenal’s increased squad depth and quality.

White arrived in a £50m deal from Brighton back in the summer of 2021 and has proven himself to be a fabulous capture. It was an eye-watering amount of money to pay for a player with one full season of Premier League experience but that price tag has looked like a relative bargain considering his performances.

Arriving as a centre-back, he endured a tricky debut game against Brentford where Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville criticised his ability in the air and his strength.

While White has featured at centre-back plenty of times since then, it’s at right-back where he made a home for himself in Arteta’s side. His partnership with Bukayo Saka on the right flank became one of the club’s biggest weapons. Michael Owen said as much, describing it as “very important for Arsenal.”

It was a potent attacking threat but one that worked tremendously well defensively too. “The amount of defending he does for me is crazy. He never leaves me one-on-one,” White once said about Saka.

That once fabled partnership has been a rare one over the last year, however. That’s largely because of Jurrien Timber, but also because of injuries.

Timber bounced back from a horrific ACL injury during his debut year in north London to become the undisputed number one choice at right-back last season. The Dutchman played 48 times in all competitions, scoring twice and assisting four goals. White, on the other hand, featured in 26 matches but started on just 13 occasions in the league. That was not just due to Timber’s remarkable form but a troublesome knee problem.

This term, White has returned to full fitness but like Smith Rowe, cannot break into the team despite his qualities.

Ben White’s Arsenal career

Season

Games

Goal involvements

2021/22

37

0

2022/23

46

7

2023/24

51

9

2024/25

26

2

2025/26

6

0

Stats via Transfermarkt.

In his final campaign with the Gunners, the attacking midfielder was regularly a substitute, something we’ve alluded to already, and White is suffering the same fate.

The 28-year-old played 71 minutes during the 1-0 win over Manchester United on the opening weekend of the campaign but has not played a single minute of Premier League football since. He has been an unused sub on eight occasions.

Firmly being given the Smith Rowe treatment, the defender is also struggling to break into the Champions League side, having played only 82 minutes across Arsenal’s four ties.

White has been an excellent servant since signing. He’s a “warrior” in the words of scout Jacek Kulig, but he has been surpassed swiftly by Timber, just as Odegaard surpassed Smith Rowe all of those years ago.

Whether the full-back gets back into the team only time will tell, but it may take an injury to one of the backline for him to save his career at the Emirates Stadium.

Wayne Rooney scored a sackful of brilliant goals during his illustrious career and he's proven he hasn't lost any of his world-class talent, despite turning 40 a few weeks ago, after scoring a thrilling overhead kick on popular TV show A League of Their Own. Rooney famously scored an iconic bicycle kick against Manchester City in 2011 and has rolled back the years during filming of the sports-based comedy panel gameshow.

• Rooney thrills the crowd with overhead stunner

  Rooney thrilled the watching studio audience after receiving a pass from host, comedian Romesh Ranganathan, he controlled it with his first touch, with the second he lifted the ball above his head and then acrobatically spun backwards and fired the ball over his head and into the (empty) net from a few yards out. The audience roared their approval and Rooney was quickly joined in celebrations by Ranganathan and his team-mates on the evening, fellow ex-pro Jamie Redknapp and comedian Alex Brooker. 

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• Watch Rooney's bicycle kick brilliance

• Rooney rolls back the years

  Rooney’s goal on the brought back memories of another overhead kick he scored during his playing days, a stunning strike for United against rivals City. The former England striker scored 253 goals during playing days at United, but his sensational goal against City in February 2011, at Old Trafford is etched in football history as one of the Premier League's most iconic. The score was level at 1-1 in the Manchester derby when the moment of magic arrived in the 78th minute. A cross from Nani was deflected high into the air, and with his back to goal, Rooney launched himself into an acrobatic bicycle kick. The ball soared into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Joe Hart stunned. Rooney himself admitted it wasn't his best game, but his pure instinct and spectacular technique produced a goal that secured a crucial 2-1 victory for United on their way to winning the league title that season. The strike was later voted the best goal in Premier League history. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Public spat with Virgil van Dijk

  After taking time to consider his stinging comments, Rooney has conceded he was wrong to claim Virgil van Dijk had "downed tools" after signing a new deal at Liverpool. The row had threatened to boil over as the pair clashed live on TV, but Rooney has moved to cool the disagreement and also offered Van Dijk advice on how to get the champions' faltering season back on track

  Rooney, speaking on , said: "My job now is to give my opinions, and I like to think I'm straight and honest with my opinions and how I feel. The one thing where I maybe went a bit too strong is where I said he’s downed tools since he signed his new contract – that's a big thing to say, and maybe I was wrong on that. But from a performance level, from what we’ve seen from Van Dijk, I don’t think he's been at that level this season, and I said I’m sure as captain he'd be speaking to players, taking them out for food, which he said he has done. Clearly if he's felt he’s done that, if he had to do that, there’s something not right."

  He added: "As champions, you can’t lose four games in a row. If you lose one game, there’s questions, and if you lose four in a row, there’s something not quite right. I think getting involved too much in the outside noise – that’s our job (as pundits), focus on your game. As a younger player, I’d be looking at Van Dijk and how he reacts to this – how is it going to help them? You have to get on with your game and speak internally."

Celtic appear to be closing in on a “very risky” permanent managerial appointment, as Dermot Desmond looks to bring in the right individual at Parkhead.

The Hoops’ search for their next boss remains ongoing, with Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor potentially being revealed before the Scottish Premiership gets back underway this weekend.

Wilfried Nancy has emerged as the favourite to be Celtic’s new manager, with the 48-year-old currently in charge of Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew.

Nancy isn’t seen as the only option for the Scottish champions, though, with Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna an exciting young coach who has been linked with coming in for interim manager Martin O’Neill, who spoke recently about his future.

“The gentlemen involved can very easily make up their own minds about people without me interfering in any aspect. I said that I would do it until they found that replacement. And is that possible for next week? I genuinely do not know. My job was to come in and hold the fort, and the minute that someone is appointed, I will step aside.”

Celtic closing in on Nancy as new manager

Speaking to Football Insider, reporter Pete O’Rourke shared what he’s heard about a Parkhead move for Nancy. He revealed that Celtic are edging closer to appointing Nancy as their next manager but said it would be a “very risky” move by the club, due to his lack of experience in Europe.

“I think it’s fair to say that he’s probably the current strong favourite for the Celtic manager’s job, Wilfried Nancy. It would be something of a left-field appointment as there’s not much known about Wilfried Nancy on these shores especially.

“He’s never managed outside of America and has no experience of European football, but he has done a good job with Columbus Crew, winning the MLS Cup and Leagues Cup there. Any managerial appointment is always a gamble but bringing in Nancy, I think would be deemed a very risky move by Celtic.

“His availability is appealing to Celtic as well, because some of their other targets aren’t attainable. “Ipswich are hoping to keep hold of Kieran McKenna, and Kjetil Knutsen is set to stay at Bodo/Glimt at least until the end of their Champions League campaign as well. “Right now, Nancy is the clear front-runner.”

There is definite truth in O’Rourke’s comments, with Nancy only proving his worth in the MLS to date, winning the cup with Columbus and also the Canadian Cup with CF Montreal in that time.

But if Desmond and Hoops chiefs see him as the ideal choice, they need to be trusted, at a point when a deficit needs to be made up on Hearts in the Scottish Premiership title race.

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Nancy is an interesting choice, given his past, and while Celtic fans will be split over who they want to come in, he could be ready to take the big next step in his career.

Nancy could turn "world-class" Celtic star into the new Matt O'Riley

It’s been an unfortunate start to the season for Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who’s been sidelined multiple times through injury already and is now racing to recover from an MCL problem.

The North London derby on November 23rd takes on added significance for Arsenal as they await Odegaard’s potential return from a frustrating spell on the sidelines.

The Norwegian playmaker has become synonymous with Arsenal’s attacking fluency, and his absence has been an unwanted headache for Mikel Arteta.

Amid their pursuit of a first Premier League title in 22 years, the Gunners have done very well to cope through a torrid period of injuries to key attacking players at the Emirates. Odegaard’s latest setback came during their 2-0 win over West Ham in early October, when a collision with winger Crysencio Summerville resulted in a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee.

The incident forced him off after just 30 minutes and made unwanted history. Odegaard actually became the first player in Premier League history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive starts, and what makes this injury particularly cruel is the timing.

The 26-year-old had only just returned from a persistent shoulder problem that had already disrupted his campaign. That shoulder issue saw him withdrawn after 38 minutes of Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Leeds United at the very start of 25/26, before an aggravation of the same injury forced him off after just 18 minutes against Nottingham Forest.

Odegaard has completed a full 90 minutes only twice this season, and Arsenal rehab specialists have resorted to pretty unique methods to speed up his recovery.

The former Real Madrid midfielder has been using anti-gravity treadmills at Arsenal’s London Colney training centre to accelerate his comeback, a technique that reduces gravitational load while restoring muscle strength and mobility.

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 Atletico Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

His return would provide a massive boost heading into one of the season’s most important fixtures against Spurs right after the international break, but Arsenal have now been dealt a pretty concerning update.

Credible reports had claimed that Odegaard is battling to be in contention for Tottenham alongside Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres, with Gabriel Jesus the only forward definitively ruled out (Simon Collings).

However, Norway boss Stale Solbakken has now made a suggestion that even the derby may be too soon for him.

Arsenal star Martin Odegaard "some distance away" from injury return

Speaking in a press conference this week, Solbakken stated that Odegaard is actually “some distance away” from his injury return — which makes for a pretty concerning admission ahead of Tottenham’s visit to the Emirates in just 10 days time.

Despite still being sidelined, Odegaard has travelled with the Norway squad to be a presence for morale ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Italy.

Arteta will be keeping a very close eye on his players during this international break, which always poses the threat of unwanted injury problems, and defender Riccardo Calafiori gave Arsenal a scare earlier this week after it was revealed the left-back is training alone with a hip issue.

Luckily for the Azzurri and Arteta, Italian medical officials believe that Calafiori will be fit to face Norway on November 16, with the individual training programme most likely a precaution and nothing too serious.

Immediately after their clash against Tottenham, the north Londoners take on Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Chelsea just four days later, with Arteta hoping he has most of his attacking contingent back and ready to contribute in these vital face-offs.

The step up from the Championship to the Premier League is a difficult one to make, as Leeds United have found out so far this season with 11 points from 11 games.

Joel Piroe is a player who perfectly illustrates the gap between the two divisions. He was the top goalscorer in the second tier with 19 goals last season, yet he has no goals in five Premier League games and has been an unused substitute five times, per Sofascore.

As Daniel Farke learns more and more about his players in the top-flight, other stars from the 2024/25 campaign may end up losing their place in the starting line-up, as Piroe did.

Club captain and starting defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu has started all nine of his appearances in the Premier League this season, but he is not undroppable.

Why Ethan Ampadu is not undroppable for Leeds

The Wales international has been a fantastic player for the club since his move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, leading the Whites to the title as captain last term.

Ampadu is not undroppable, though, as some of his performances in the number six position for Leeds in the Premier League have left a little bit to be desired from, most recently against Nottingham Forest.

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh midfielder lost the majority of his ground duels and was dribbled past as many times as he completed a tackle, which shows that it was a bit too easy for the Forest midfielders to get the better of him.

Per FotMob, Ampadu ranks within the bottom 40% of midfielders in the division for being dribbled past (four times) and the bottom 39% for aerial duel success rate (50%). This shows that his issues against Forest were not isolated incidents.

With this in mind, Farke could improve the robustness of his midfield by ruthlessly dropping the skipper to unleash Anton Stach in a new role as the number six.

Why Leeds should play Anton Stach over Ethan Ampadu

Per Transfermarkt, all of the German midfielder’s starts in the Premier League this season have been as a central midfielder or as an attacking midfielder. That is despite the fact that he has more starts in his career (138) as a defensive midfielder than in any other role.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

AllLeedsTV presenter Oscar Marrio, who claimed Stach “was cooking” earlier in the season, recently noted that the 6 foot 4 star “excelled” for Hoffenheim as a number six, earning him a comparison to Arsenal star Declan Rice.

Stach’s defensive output as a central midfielder in the Premier League so far this term suggests that he does have the potential to offer more security in front of the defence than Ampadu has.

As you can see in the table above, the £17.4m signing from Hoffenheim has outperformed the Welshman in duels, particularly in the air, and has been harder to get past for opposition midfielders.

These statistics suggest that Stach, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, could be well-suited to sitting in as the number six in Farke’s 4-3-3 system to provide a physical presence in front of the back four.

Ampadu’s struggles aerially and in allowing players to dribble past him as the number six have been evident, which is why dropping him from the line-up to unleash Stach in a new role, albeit one he has played a lot elsewhere in his career, could be a good move.

That also does not mean that the captain has to completely lose his place in the team. Farke could play the former Chelsea man as one of the two midfielders ahead of Stach, to see if that is a more successful dynamic.

Big DCL upgrade: Leeds have "unstoppable" £40m talent on "their radar"

Leeds United are keeping tabs on a star who would be a big upgrade on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

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Dan Emery

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South Africa allrounder Dane van Niekerk has been picked by Guyana Amazon Warriors for the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) 2025. The franchise announced van Niekerk, New Zealand medium-pacer Molly Penfold and Ireland wicketkeeper-batter Amy Hunter as replacements for Shabnim Ismail, Lauren Winfield-Hill and Madeline Penna.This will be van Niekerk’s first stint in a franchise league since August 2023, when she played in the women’s Hundred. She was also part of the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League in 2023, where she was signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru but did not play a single game, and she was released ahead of the 2024 season. It will be her first stint in the WCPL.Van Niekerk recently made a U-turn on her international retirement after returning to domestic cricket and was part of a training camp with the South Africa national team, but will not be a part of the upcoming ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka that begins on September 30. She had initially announced her international retirement after being left out of South Africa’s squad for the home T20 World Cup in 2023 after failing to meet fitness requirements.Related

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However, South Africa head coach Mandla Mashimbyi has said she’s being looked at for future series.Van Niekerk played the 2024-25 domestic season for Western Province, and finished fourth on the list of highest run-scorers in the CSA Women Pro20 Series, with one century and a fifty.Amazon Warriors will kick off WCPL 2025 against Trinbago Knight Riders in Providence on Saturday.

There's been a lot of talk lately about the Premier League as a product. Is modern football actually boring? Are teams now too reliant on set pieces to score goals? Are the mavericks and the willing protagonists being silenced just to preserve their manager's tactics? Have we gone too far in pursuit of sporting perfection?

These are some of the questions we'll be attempting to answer today. Football, as the world's most beloved sport, is supposed to be entertaining. That's why millions and billions tune in. It's not just about glory, but the winding, loop-filled road to it.

That's perhaps even truer in the Premier League, the supposed best competition in the world, the actual incarnation of the failed European Super League. Yet fans, supporters and viewers seem as disinterested as ever.

That's why we at GOAL felt it was imperative to both a) name and shame some of these anti-footballing culprits, and b) praise those who actually seem committed to keeping our attention. We've ranked the 20 top-flight teams based on their style of play, how much fun it usually is to watch them as a neutral, the flair and enjoyability of their best players, and the jeopardy they are constantly battling. You'll understand that last point a little later…

Getty Images Sport20Wolves

Unsurprisingly, the team that is currently bottom of the real Premier League table is also bottom of these rankings. Unless you're a West Brom fan hungry for a delicious hate-watch, who on this planet is tuning into Wolves games thinking 'ooh yeah that should be a fun one'?

Maybe new manager Rob Edwards will work some magic and get the side he used to play for firing again. Maybe Jorgen Strand Larsen will rediscover his shooting boots. Maybe one of their many South Americans will turn into Pele reincarnated. Don't count on it, though.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport19Burnley

Heading into and out of the season's third international break, Burnley sit above the relegation zone. Yeah, go and double-check if you want, it's a little hard to believe, but it's true. Scott Parker has a recent history of his teams getting slaughtered at the top level, yet he's somehow made the Clarets a fairly respectable outfit again in the Premier League. They at least have a chance of survival, unlike the newly-promoted teams of the last few seasons.

Nevertheless, this has come at a cost. Unlike Vincent Kompany's side who tumbled to relegation in 2023-24, this version of Burnley are much more compact. They will earn more points in the real world than style points in this ranking.

AFP18Leeds United

From the outside looking in, it would be very easy to assume that Daniel Farke has stuck to his high-octane principles which have served him so well as a Championship manager. However, in an attempt to keep his job in the Premier League, he's had to revert to a much stodgier brand of football.

Elland Road is home to one of the most intimidating crowds in the country, though the team that plays there could do with some more on-ball quality if they are to rise back up this list akin to the days of Marcelo Bielsa.

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Getty Images Sport17Fulham

You have to feel for Marco Silva. He's worked wonders with Fulham but seldom seems to receive the backing he needs in the transfer market to ever take them to that next level.

His sides are largely perceived as defensive – which is quite funny given he was seen as a hopeless, forward-thinking romantic at Hull City, Watford and Everton – but they still do possess some trickery in the form of Alex Iwobi and youth product Josh King. The squad has gone a bit stale, though that's hardly his fault.

Manchester United’s main priority during the summer transfer window was to bolster the club’s frontline – something which was achieved as seen by their £200m investment in such an area.

Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all made the move to Old Trafford, forming a new deadly trio for Ruben Amorim to work with during his tenure at the helm.

However, after completing such deals, the hierarchy turned their attention to a new number six to help bolster the strength and quality within the midfield department.

Carlos Baleba was identified as the Red Devils’ primary target during the summer, but they were unable to strike a deal, with Brighton & Hove Albion demanding over £100m for his signature.

No doubt, Amorim’s men will still hold a keen interest in his signature this January, but another Premier League option has since emerged on their radar over the last few weeks.

How Anderson compares to Man Utd’s CMs in 2025/26 so far

In an attempt to bolster the midfield ranks, United have been hugely touted with a move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson in the upcoming January window.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s side have already made contact with Sean Dyche’s men over a deal for his signature this winter, but it could cost a fee in the region of £100m.

Such a deal would be a mammoth backing from the board, but how does the 23-year-old compare to current starters Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro?

Both the current Red Devils are experienced options, with both now over 30, but it hasn’t stopped Anderson from massively dominating the pair in such key areas.

The Englishman has topped 13 separate metrics in the Premier League this campaign, with many showcasing his talents with and without the ball at his feet.

He’s completed 113 passes into the final third, with his tally of 706 passes completed, the most of any player in the division – subsequently showcasing his fantastic ability in possession.

Without the ball, the youngster has also dominated, with such a skillset potentially putting an end to Casemiro’s career at Old Trafford at the end of the campaign.

Anderson has entered the most defensive duels of any player in the division, whilst also winning the most duels – potentially making him the perfect deep-lying option for Amorim’s side.

At just 23, the Forest star has all the tools to transform into an elite-level talent, but it remains to be seen if the hierarchy would be prepared to fork out £100m for his signature.

The United star who’s their homegrown version of Anderson

Given the rumoured price tag for Anderson’s signature, it shows the importance of being able to identify talent at a young age, or even produce your own versions from the academy setup.

United have no doubt shifted their recruitment focus over the last couple of months, as seen by their deals to land Diego Leon and Senne Lammens – with both talented youngsters with huge potential.

However, the academy ranks have also proven fruitful in recent years, as seen by the emergence of the Class of 92, with the graduates playing a huge role in Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure.

The likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have all operated at the heart of the side throughout their respective careers – helping the club win 13 separate Premier League titles.

The fans will no doubt be hoping that Anderson can add himself to such a list in the near future, but Amorim could save himself and the club millions by unleashing Kobbie Mainoo.

Like the aforementioned academy stars, the 20-year-old burst on the scene as a teenager, making an immediate impact and becoming a key member of the United squad.

His major breakthrough came in 2023/24, where the youngster racked up 32 appearances across all competitions, scoring on five separate occasions – many of which proved to be crucial efforts.

Mainoo scored a last-minute victory in a close clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst also scoring against bitter rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final triumph.

However, he’s been unable to reach such heights over the last 12 months, with current boss Amorim preferring the likes of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte ahead of him.

Such a decision may come as a surprise to the fanbase, especially given his stats from last season, which saw him outperform Anderson in numerous key areas – that’s despite making just 25 league appearances.

Mainoo completed more of the passes he attempted, whilst also completing more of the crosses he attempted – leading to Alex Turk dubbing him a “future £100m+ footballer”.

Games played

25

37

Goals & assists

0

8

Pass accuracy

87%

82%

Crosses completed

29%

26%

Dribbles completed

1.3

1.1

Dispossessed

1.9

2.6

Dribbled past

0.8

2.1

Interceptions made

1.1

0.9

He also completed more of the dribbles he attempted, whilst also being dispossessed on fewer occasions, subsequently showcasing his incredible ability in possession.

However, without the ball, Mainoo was dribbled past on fewer occasions, along with more interceptions made – highlighting he’s able to beat the £100m star when given the chance.

It’s evident that Mainoo is still a player with bags of talent, but the manager desperately needs to swallow his pride and hand the 20-year-old the chance to stake his claim as a first-team regular.

He’s for so often had to settle for minutes off the substitutes’ bench, which has no doubt hindered his chances of continuing his progression and building on his incredible start to his career in 2023/24.

Upon his return from injury in the near future, the 40-year-old needs to hand the youngster the opportunity to have a consistent run as a regular starter to allow him to reach his full potential at the Theatre of Dreams.

Such a decision would save the club millions of pounds, with the academy graduate having the chance to lead the Red Devils to new heights in the years ahead.

Forget Sesko: Man Utd's "anxious" dud is now becoming INEOS' worst signing

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ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

Australia’s ruthless performances across formats expose gulf between teams, despite England’s pre-series optimism

Valkerie Baynes01-Feb-2025England’s post-Ashes review has begun, even before any formal announcements, with captain Heather Knight and Jon Lewis, the head coach, forced to consider their positions in light of an unprecedented 16-0 defeat.While Lewis has been forthright, insisting he is the right person to take the team forward in the immediate aftermath of England’s innings defeat in the Test to conclude a terrible tour, Knight was not about to make an “emotional” call on her future just yet.Any decisions may be taken out of their hands with Clare Connor, the ECB’s deputy chief executive, due to address a media conference over the weekend.It is hard to see what more Knight could have done, other than scream – as she often looked like she wanted to do – every time an England fielder shelled a regulation catch during the series.And there’s no guarantee that would have helped any more than the high-level training she and Lewis say England have displayed outside of matches.Poor shot selection was another weak point for England throughout and, while she was culpable herself, Knight was her side’s leading run-scorer with 229 runs across all three formats, behind only Australian Beth Mooney’s 409 overall.”I’m probably going to sit on the fence again and say it’s a time to probably not think about it,” Knight said after being asked, not for the first time on the tour, whether she was thinking about her position.”Things are pretty raw and have obviously happened pretty quickly. I think the coming weeks is a time for everyone to reflect on what we could have done better, how we’re going to improve as a side. That’s not an emotional decision that’s going to be made now, it’s in the coming weeks.”Related

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If England are to move on from Knight after nine years at the helm, they must consider who they have to replace her and whether they are a better option.Nat Sciver-Brunt said last week she would “love to lead the girls… whenever that time is” when asked if she’d like to be England captain one day.It was the sort of response Sciver-Brunt was obliged to give, to avoid headlines screaming that she was out to take Knight’s job or that she didn’t have any desire to lead her country, rather than an outright expression of her willingness to take the role now.Sciver-Brunt is part of England’s four-pronged leadership group, which also includes Amy Jones and Sophie Ecclestone, and she has stood in as skipper before, including partway through England’s T20 World Cup exit in October after Knight injured herself while batting against West Indies.A chaotic fielding performance ensued and Lewis came onto the field during a drinks break, his efforts to help lift the team going in vain as West Indies won by six wickets and ended England’s campaign in the group stages.Sciver-Brunt cannot be blamed for England’s fielding woes in that instance, any more than Knight can be held responsible for the lack of improvement in that area since.When Amy Jones stood in as captain during India’s 2022 tour of England, she said the on-field leadership role was “definitely not something that comes naturally to me”. That was two and a half years ago and being part of a wider leadership group may have built Jones’s confidence in that area.Ecclestone’s penchant for wearing her heart on her sleeve – which is very unlike Knight, Sciver-Brunt and Jones – while shouldering the responsibility of leading England’s spin attack might count against her. That is unless England opt for a real shake-up of the role.Even then, Ecclestone’s apparent refusal to do a post-match interview with former team-mate turned broadcaster Alex Hartley, who had earlier questioned the fitness of some members of the England team, became the flashpoint of the tour and is the sort of controversy the ECB would want to avoid.The absence of a clear-cut successor combined with Knight’s relatively strong individual performances and limited responsibility for England’s failings make a case for her staying on as captain. Whoever leads the side going forward, they need a thick skin. Just ask her.”There’s always highs and lows, and that’s the joy of the job,” she said. “Sometimes it tests you, tests your character, tests the good times and the bad times, and you have to take them on the chin, the bad times, to enjoy the good times.Heather Knight has much to consider after England’s 16-0 drubbing in Australia•Getty Images”It’s always a tough place to come and tour as a cricketer and particularly as a leader. We haven’t played well enough, and you’re going to feel that as a leader and feel that on your shoulders. I’m certainly frustrated with how the team has gone. We haven’t shown our best cricket and we’re all obviously very frustrated with that and pretty gutted.”Lewis, too, is under scrutiny. Since taking over in late 2022, he has overseen the highs of England’s home Ashes series, where Australia narrowly retained the trophy, and the lows of the T20 World Cup and this series.After England lost the third T20I of this Ashes by a massive 72 runs – they also lost the first by 57 runs – Lewis denied that the eight-points-all draw in 2023 had given his side too much confidence.Instead, he said, it was a case of England being unable to execute in the crucial moments of this series and adapt in the face of a relentless Australian side at home.No one in a position to effect change has offered a solution to that in all the early picking over England’s defeat, and there were worrying signs even before that.Lewis expressed concern ahead of the series about the hectic schedule – which was the same for both sides.He also suggested that a Bondi Beach packed on a Sunday morning with swimmers and touch rugby players gave Australia an inherent advantage in terms of athleticism and talent pool (there was no pun intended, despite how bizarre the notion was).Young, inexperienced players learning their craft on the international stage has been mentioned more than once as another explanation for England’s struggles.It was all sounding like excuses.Meanwhile, Australia were the team with real problems in terms of injuries to key players and yet they took it all in their stride to grind their opposition into the dirt.The hosts were without injured captain Alyssa Healy and key allrounder Ash Gardner for the T20 leg of the series, with Mooney standing in as wicketkeeper and vice-captain Tahlia McGrath stepping up to the senior role.Healy’s availability for the Test was uncertain right up until match eve, causing uncertainty over the batting order for a time.Australia’s dominance of the Women’s Ashes was absolute•AFP/Getty ImagesAustralia wiped the T20Is 3-0 and scored 440 in the Test, including centuries for Mooney and Annabel Sutherland for a 270-run lead on first innings. They did so with Ellyse Perry coming in at No.10 after injuring her hip in the field on the first day.After the Test, Healy announced that she faced a period on the sidelines to resolve her foot stress injury and said she was “going to have a look at a couple of things and how I can be better, maybe a bit more disciplined in some areas”.Healy’s assertion that she could do more, even when injured, epitomised Australia’s constant desire to be better even when they are on top.England’s somewhat improved performance in the field on the third afternoon of the Test and the resilience of tailenders Lauren Filer and Lauren Bell in delaying the inevitable amid a nine-wicket innings from Australia spinners Alana King and Gardner can’t paper over the chasm between these sides.Connor herself, may come in for some tough questioning.She announced a sweeping restructure of domestic women’s cricket in the wake of England’s 12-4 home Ashes defeat in 2019, a process that is ongoing with the alignment of women’s teams to county sides starting this spring. Yet the gulf between England and Australia that was supposed to be closed by those changes is now as stark as ever.The ECB has repeatedly talked up their investment in and professionalisation of women’s cricket, which stands to benefit further from the sale of the Hundred franchises. But if the structural changes already underway need more time to come to fruition, then the ECB must manage expectations.The MCG hosting an aggregate crowd of 35,365 over the three days of a dead-rubber, surpassing the record attendance for a women’s Test set at Trent Bridge in 2023 by the end of the second day, further rammed home the strength of the game in Australia.After their weakest performance in the multi-format era of the Women’s Ashes, it is now incumbent upon England to stage a remarkable recovery.