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Antony is hoping to inspire young children as he shared valuable advice for the next generation of players. The Manchester United flop urged the kids to 'dream big', citing his own example of how he has revived his career at Real Betis. Antony finally ended his nightmare at Old Trafford this summer as he permanently joined Betis after spending the last six months of 2024-25 on loan at the La Liga club.

Antony becomes new hero at Betis

When Antony joined United from Ajax in August 2022 for a staggering £82 million ($110.7m) transfer fee, expectations were sky-high in Manchester. But the dream quickly soured. Over two seasons, he managed just 12 goals and five assists in 96 appearances, struggling to justify his massive price tag amid criticism and scrutiny. What followed was a period of complete disconnection, both professionally and personally.

He spent the second half of the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Real Betis. After an impressive temporary spell in Spain, the Brazil international returned to Old Trafford in the summer but he was informed that he no longer features in Ruben Amorim's plan. Antony was even put into Amorim's 'bomb squad', alongside other outcasts like Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho.

The nightmare finally ended on the deadline day as Betis signed the player permanently. This season, the 25-year-old has featured in 10 games across all competitions, where he has scored six goals and provided two assists and established himself as one of the best players at the club.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesWinger urges young kids to 'dream big'

Antony accepted the Silver Dove award from the Culture of Peace School in Seville, from the hands of former Sevilla sporting director Monchi. After receiving the honour, the Brazil star said: "Dream big. I've been through a lot and today I'm doing well, I'm happy. I went through a process and if I can give one piece of advice to all children, it's to always dream very big, because it's possible to achieve it. I am living proof of that, and I am very proud of the man I am, the father I am. I hope my story serves as an inspiration to many people; I am very proud to receive this award."

Did Man Utd mistreat Antony?

Recently, Antony told that he felt disrespected in Manchester at times during his hard time in the Premier League, as the winger said: "They were very tough months in England, more than 40 days in the hotel, training separately… I feel like they disrespected me, but that’s not the point. I don’t want to create controversy; that’s life. I’m very grateful for the club; there were bad times, but also good times, with two titles. My family travelled to Seville four or five days before the deal was finalised; I had the house rented.

"Only my family knows how hard it was to be there. Training separately. But I knew this incredible moment was coming. Of course, I was afraid it wouldn't happen in the end, but I waited because I had so much faith. Now with more time, there are so many things to do and achieve. I had trouble sleeping after seeing so much love from the Betis fans; there were people waiting at my house at two in the morning."

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GettyAntony's World Cup dream

After thriving under Manuel Pellegrini's tutelage in Spain, Antony is now eyeing a return to the Brazil national team, with the 2026 World Cup fast approaching. The winger, who played in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is determined to find a place in Carlo Ancelotti's final squad that will travel to North America next summer.

"It’s a dream. I played in a World Cup, and of course, I dream of playing in it a second time. It’s always great to represent your country. I’m going to do my job, like I’m doing, and I hope to be in the squad," Antony also said to .

Can Celtic book their place at Hampden?

On Sunday, the Hoops will face Glasgow neighbours Partick Thistle in a League Cup quarter-final at Firhill.

The Celts are League Cup holders, winning the competition in seven of the last nine seasons, so are huge favourites to progress through to the last four.

Considering the hosts sit third in the Scottish Championship, the Hoops having won each of their last eight encounters with the Jags, Brendan Rodgers surely has an opportunity to experiment, so should he start his “natural finisher”?

Kelechi Iheanacho's start to life at Celtic

Kelechi Iheanacho’s move to Celtic is the archetypal panic buy, if ever there has been one.

To end the transfer window, the Hoops sold their only senior out-and-out centre-forward, with Adam Idah joining Swansea City for £7m, with no replacement signed before the window closed.

So, having had his contract terminated by Sevilla, the Nigerian was able to move to Glasgow as a free agent, certainly having an instant impact, converting this stoppage-time penalty to snatch victory at Kilmarnock last Sunday.

Nevertheless, Iheanacho’s career has very much endured a downward trajectory in recent seasons, as documented below.

As the table outlines, since being at the peak of his powers at Leicester City during the lockdown season, Iheanacho has not been a regular goalscorer, with three of his four goals last season coming against Spanish amateur sides Las Rozas and UE Olot in the Copa del Rey.

The 28-year-old, reunited with Rodgers, will almost certainly score goals at Scottish Premiership level, but is surely lacking match fitness.

Also, will the Nigerian be a high-level difference maker, which he’ll need to be, with Celtic set to start their Europa League campaign against Crvena zvezda at Stadion Rajko Mitić in Belgrade on Wednesday?

So, ahead of that key fixture, should Rodgers try out an alternative centre-forward at Firhill?

Celtic's best centre-forward option

Among all the discourse surrounding Celtic’s attacking options, supporters furious about the lack of adequate replacements for Kyōgo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kühn, Johnny Kenny is often the forgotten man.

After joining the club from Sligo Rovers in 2022, Kenny featured for the club’s controversial B team in the Lowland League, before being loaned out to Queen’s Park, not making much of an impact there, but then very much showing what he was capable of back in Ireland with Shamrock Rovers.

In 76 appearances for the Dublin-based club, Kenny scored 26 goals, of which, notably, seven came in European competition.

Last season, he bagged braces against Víkingur Reykjavík and Borac Banja Luka, as well as scoring against Larne, The New Saints and Rapid Wien, helping Shamrock Rovers reach the knockout stages of the Conference League.

He then returned to Celtic in January, scoring goals against Livingston and Aberdeen, albeit his opportunities have been very limited, seeing just 291 minutes of action, only 96 of which have come this season.

His only start of the campaign, so far, came against Falkirk in the previous round of the League Cup, a resounding 4-1 victory, as Rodgers heavily rotated ahead of the ill-fated Champions League play-off against Kairat, which didn’t go quite so well.

Shortly after his integration in January, Rodgers labelled Kenny “absolutely brilliant”, later describing him as a “natural finisher”, forecasting that he will develop into a top-level striker.

Well, if the manager truly believes that, he needs to give the 22-year-old opportunities, so what better time to do so than a cup tie against lower-league opposition, one that comes three days before a crucial European tie?

Iheanacho was only fit enough to see 20 minutes off the bench at Rugby Park last Sunday, during which time he touched the ball only ten times.

Thus, the Nigerian surely won’t be ready to go this week, his services required far more in Belgrade on Wednesday, so Kenny more than deserves his chance to stake a claim for a spot that is very much up for grabs.

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Although Celtic couldn’t find a way past Red Star Belgrade, Joe Hart had plenty of praise for one star who he believes has become “underrated” under Brendan Rodgers.

Rodgers: Belgrade draw a "good point" for Celtic

It was another frustrating night for Celtic in Europe as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Red Star Belgrade, but Rodgers chose to remain optimistic in his post-match reaction. The manager called for “realism” before claiming that the result gave his side a “good point” as they look to build on the result in the rest of their Europa League campaign.

Whether those at Celtic Park agree with that verdict is another question. The Bhoys were initially on course to seal all three points when Kelechi Iheanacho found his second goal in three games for the club, only for Marko Arnautovic to level things up just 10 minutes later.

The Bhoys will now turn their attention back towards the Scottish Premiership, where they’ll be looking to take their unbeaten start to six games and potentially push away from Hearts, who have matched them for every stride so far this season.

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It’s also worth noting that it wasn’t all bad for Celtic in Belgrade. Hart reserved particular praise for a player that he believes has now become “underrated” at the club.

Joe Hart praises "underrated" Scales

Taking to X whilst on commentary duty during Celtic’s draw against Belgrade, Hart heaped praise on the “underrated” Liam Scales, who started at the centre of the Bhoys’ backline for the ninth time this season.

Dubbing the defender “safe and secure”, it’s hard to argue with Hart’s verdict. Scales enjoyed yet another impressive display against Belgrade – completing 10 clearances, three recoveries and winning five of his six aerial duels. Once again, he was simply dominant.

Whilst others have come under fire at Celtic Park so far this season, Scales has quietly enjoyed a solid start to the campaign. As far as Rodgers is concerned too, long may it continue.

If the Celtic boss can get his frontline firing on all cylinders, then he should see his side get back to their very best. The defensive foundation is arguably already in place.

Scales, alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers, the experienced Kieran Tierney and exciting prospect Colby Donovan, has completed his end of the bargain on plenty of occasions so far this season.

A “tremendous” Liverpool player is now in advanced talks over a move away from the club in the near future, in a potential big blow for the Reds.

Liverpool star Konate coy over his future

The Premier League champions enjoyed a summer transfer window to treasure, bringing in Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak for club-record amounts, and also signing the likes of Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike, among others.

That said, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz were among the Liverpool players to move on, and there are also doubts surrounding the futures of some other current stars.

One of them is Ibrahima Konate, with the 26-year-old continually linked with a move to Real Madrid in the near future, and he discussed his future during the summer, playing down an exit but also not exactly committing himself to the Reds.

“You know, I just want to say one thing: Everything you saw on social media is completely fake. I didn’t even ask for something from the club. They made me an offer, and I replied to them with something, that is it. The rest (speculation) that I want to wait until the end…I want this, all of it is completely fake.

“And even the big journalists said in November I am very close to signing the deal. I was like: ‘Ah, they have more information than me!?’ Because it was not true at that moment and that is why I was a little bit mad because it was not true at this moment.”

Konate in advance talks to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid

According to Marca journalist Jose Felix Diaz on YouTube, Liverpool centre-back Konate is now in “very advanced” talks to join Madrid in 2026.

The Frenchman is out of contract at the end of this season, and he is yet to commit his future to the Reds by signing a new long-term deal at the club.

This is clearly a worrying situation for Liverpool, with the lure of Madrid great for any player, and Kylian Mbappe could be doing his utmost to persuade his international colleague to join him at the club, as well as Alexander-Arnold.

Konate may have made a patchy start to the season for the Reds, admittedly performing well in the 1-0 win over Arsenal, but he is a key man who remains a great foil for Virgil van Dijk, being hailed by Micah Richards in the past.

“I watched him a lot at Leipzig – there’s so much potential. There’s all these things he’s tremendous at – last ditch tackles he can do that, he can get back in, pace – no problem at all. To go to the next level now if he can just concentrate a little bit more and be a bit more assured on the ball.”

Granted, Konate isn’t irreplaceable, and he is guilty of having lapses in form from time to time, but keeping hold of him makes far more sense than selling him.

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In fairness to the France international, he deserves to be earning more than his current £70,000-a-week wages, and if Liverpool aren’t offering him what he wants, there is an inevitability about what will happen next.

Manchester United’s need for added attacking reinforcements this summer was evident after only managing to find the net on 44 occasions in the Premier League last season.

Anthony, Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford have all departed the Red Devils, freeing up funds for Ruben Amorim to make the additions he wanted this summer.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are two signings who have joined the club, with the latter already opening his account after netting against Burnley last Saturday.

Whilst the duo may have cost the hierarchy around £130m, they do have the Premier League experience needed to help the club avoid a bottom-half finish – just like they did in the 2024/25 campaign.

However, other additions have been made within the final third throughout the off-season, leading to Amorim and the board taking a gamble on one young European talisman.

Benjamin Sesko’s move to join United this summer

A new striker was a huge priority for United this summer, with Benjamin Sesko the man chosen to lead the line for the Red Devils in 2025/26 and beyond.

The hierarchy forked out a deal totalling £73.7m, including add-ons – a figure that is a huge gamble on a player who’s only featured in Europe’s top-five leagues for two seasons.

The Slovenian has only made one start for United to date – coming in the Carabao Cup against Grimsby Town – but has been named as a substitute in all three league outings.

As a result of his limited action, the 22-year-old is yet to open his account for the club, but judgement will need to be held on his addition, given his lack of action in recent weeks.

Hopefully, Sesko will get the chance to showcase his talents after the current international break, but he could’ve been aided at the club had the hierarchy kept hold of one talent.

The former United star who would’ve got Sesko firing

As previously mentioned, Cunha and Mbeumo have also been added to the United attacking department – injecting needed goals and assists to the club’s frontline.

The pair combined for 48 combined goal contributions throughout 2024/25, with such a record higher than the Red Devils squad managed as a whole last season.

If they can replicate such numbers, they will make themselves fan-favourites, whilst also providing Sesko with the opportunities he will need to thrive within the final third.

Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system relies upon two attacking midfielders – the positions Cunha and Mbeumo have featured in – but also two wing-backs, who are tasked with having an impact in forward areas.

Patrick Dorgu currently occupies the role down the left-hand side, but former United star Alvaro Carreras is a player whom the hierarchy may regret selling too prematurely.

The 22-year-old spent four years at Old Trafford – but failed to make a single senior appearance – being sent on loan spells at the likes of Preston, Granada and Benfica.

It was the Spaniard’s spell at the latter that catapulted him to stardom, with the Portuguese outfit triggering the £5m option in his contract at the end of his loan spell in 2023/24.

His numbers from last season are nothing short of mind-boggling, registering eight combined goals and assists across all competitions – numbers which could’ve handed Sesko the ammunition he’ll need for success in Manchester.

Carreras, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, also created 1.2 chances per 90 last campaign – completing 23% of the crosses attempted, with the latter aiding the Slovenian’s aerial abilities had the hierarchy kept hold of him.

Games played

52

Goals & assists

8

Chances created

1.2

Cross accuracy

23%

Pass accuracy

83%

Dribble success

53%

Tackles won

61%

Recoveries made

5.5

However, despite only joining Benfica a year ago, he secured another transfer in the recent window, this time moving to LaLiga giants Real Madrid in a reported £43m transfer.

Such a transfer has just compounded the Red Devils’ misery over recent years, further highlighting how many mistakes they’ve made in the transfer market, whether that be incomings or outgoings.

The prospect of the Spaniard linking up with Sesko in forward areas is something the supporters would’ve loved to see under Amorim – but unfortunately, it’ll always be a case of what could’ve been with their loss, now Madrid’s gain.

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It’s probably fair to say Newcastle United fans expected their club’s transfer window to have gone a little differently, but the undertone across the off-season period has been one of disappointment and frustration.

Eddie Howe’s trophy-winning outfit, after all, proved themselves to be capable of permanently shattering the ‘big six’ hegemony in the Premier League, having now qualified for the Champions League across two of the past three seasons, winning the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool in March to boot.

But more is needed, and no mistake. Anthony Elanga adds an injection of pace down the right flank, making 23 sprints on his debut against Aston Villa on Saturday, clocking a top speed of 32.7km, as per Sofascore, making him the second-fastest player on the pitch, only behind his electric teammate Anthony Gordon.

However, Alexander Isak was glaringly absent at centre-forward as the interminable saga rumbles on for the Liverpool-linked star. It needs sorting, but Newcastle would be ignorant to keep 100% of their focus on number nine with other areas in need of redress.

Luckily, they haven’t, with Jacob Ramsey marking an astute piece of business.

Why Newcastle signed Jacob Ramsey

Having signed Ramsey from Aston Villa for an initial £39m fee at the weekend, Newcastle have now signed across the park; Malick Thiaw had strengthened the defence, while loanee Aaron Ramsdale adds quality and depth between the sticks and the aforementioned Elanga blistering pace to the right flank.

The English attacking midfielder cited Howe’s “track record of developing players” as one of the key reasons behind his move to St. James’ Park, and indeed, the player’s quality and industriousness suggests he could dovetail right into the squad’s make-up.

With Sean Longstaff having left for Leeds United earlier in the window, Ramsey adds crucial depth but also dynamism to the central ranks, easing the burden on Howe’s trusted midfield triumvirate.

The 24-year-old’s creativity and energy could prove invaluable if given rise within Howe’s tactical remit. The manager’s track record, indeed, bespeaks the reasoning behind completing the signing, and it might end up proving a blinder, should Ramsey find himself combining with Newcastle’s top attacking transfer target.

Newcastle resume talks for Premier League forward

According to the reliable Craig Hope of the Daily Mail, Newcastle resumed talks with Brentford on Monday as they look to complete a deal for Yoane Wissa.

Despite recent reports suggesting that the Bees have raised their asking price for the 28-year-old striker from £50m to £60m, the Magpies remain focused on getting a move over the line.

However, there is little intention of forking out £50m for the DR Congo international, let alone paying north of that. Hope believes the hours ahead will be crucial in how this saga plays out.

What Yoane Wissa would bring to Newcastle

Of course, there is an elephant in the room in that failure to sign Wissa would reduce the chances of losing Isak significantly, but it’s hard to envisage a repaired relationship with the wantaway Sweden star, who has no intention of accepting reintegration.

And Wissa is a proven Premier League star sure to bring goals to a fluent Magpies side in need of a clinical outlet.

Hailed for his “sensational” finishing by Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam, Wissa notched 20 goals for Brentford last season, including 19 in the Premier League.

Curiously, he only scored ten of his 19 top-flight goals with his preferred right foot, also bagging five with his left and a further four goals with his head, bespeaking an aerial presence that the likes of Gordon and Elanga would relish.

And Ramsey would pounce at the chance of playing with Wissa too.

Ramsey’s versatility makes him an easy sell for a suitor like Newastle, for he is efficient out on the left too. He notched 17 goals and 19 assists for the Villans, and though struggling through injuries over the past few years, showcased his talents in 2022/23, hitting 13 goal involvements across that Premier League season as a promising up-and-comer.

The energetic approach lends itself to Howe’s focus on sharp transitional play, and with someone like Wissa as the focal point to finish off these slick moves, there’s every chance Newcastle will be able to match last season’s success in reclaiming their place in the Champions League.

Below, you will see Ramsey ploughing through West Ham United’s defence to score a well-worked goal for Aston Villa.

Utilising Wissa’s hold-up play, this could become a frequent and productive combination for Newcastle, especially as data-driven platform FBref revealed the Brentford star produced tactically similar results to Isak last year, both clinical and effective on the ball, crisp with his passing.

Similarly, Ramsey is more than capable of returning the favour, having registered five Premier League assists last year despite only starting 19 matches. Sofascore record that he completed 87% of his passes and created five big chances besides.

Having also won 59% of his ground duels, Ramsey embodies what it means to be a top-performing star in a Howe system, and if careful management of minutes ensures an avoidance of injury setbacks, the Englishman could become a star, linking up with Wissa to redefine Newcastle’s frontline while maintaining a semblance of continuity from the successful attack of recent years.

And Wissa? The experienced talisman comes with the assurance of goals and the promise of fluent performances. He forged an iconic partnership with Bryan Mbeumo at the Gtech Community Stadium, with Thomas Frank even describing the partnership as being “unplayable” at times.

Though the 2024/25 campaign stands out as the magnum opus of Wissa’s career thus far, the best may still be to come if he completes a move to Newcastle in the coming weeks.

Howe has spun a web of players all bearing different qualities, yet a sense of coherence in their tactical intelligence, and their dynamic, athletic approach to their play.

With Wissa stepping in to replace, potentially, Isak as the spearhead, there’s every chance that this coming year could be one of even more illustrious success.

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The allrounder will go under the knife in a bid for a long-term solution to his back problems

Alex Malcolm13-Oct-2024Australia allrounder Cameron Green will undergo lower spine surgery and looks set to miss at least six months of cricket after being diagnosed with his fifth stress fracture in his lower back.After lengthy consultations with Cricket Australia medical staff over the past two weeks following the initial injury in the UK on September 24, Green is set to follow the same path that Jason Behrendorff, James Pattinson, Ben Dwarshuis and New Zealand quicks Shane Bond and Matt Henry have taken by having screws and a titanium cable fused into his lower back to stabilise the stress fracture and prevent future occurrences. Green has spoken to WA and club team-mate Behrendorff about his experience.Related

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The recovery ranges depending on the player but it is usually a minimum of nine months, although CA believes it will only take six months. That rules him out of the entire summer of cricket, which includes the five Tests against India, the tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy. The IPL, the World Test Championship final in June, if Australia make it, and the three-Test tour of the Caribbean in June and July of next year are possible given CA’s timeframe, especially as a batter only but bowling is a different story.Scans had shown the fracture in the UK but further assessments were required back in Australia as it is understood to be a different fracture to his previous stress injuries. Green has previously had four stress fractures in his lower back, which were recurring through his junior days all the way up to 2019, a year prior to his Test debut.CA’s medical staff are understood to be flummoxed by how this fracture has occurred after successfully managing Green through the past four years of international cricket, although he has always been vulnerable to another fracture given his history. CA released a statement outlining the reasoning for the surgery.”Cam has a unique defect in an adjacent area to the fracture that is believed to be contributing to the injury,” the statement said. “After thorough consultation it was determined Cameron would benefit from the surgery to stabilise the defect and reduce the risk of future recurrence.”He had a routine scan in August, something he does regularly, that showed up clear. That paved the way for him to bowl in the UK. He sent down 21.2 overs in the UK across five T20Is and two ODIs. The most he bowled in a match was the six overs at Chester-le-Street where he did deliver a barrage of short balls as Australia chased wickets, before pulling up sore.There are conflicting views within Australian cricket over his loads in the UK considering how carefully Mitchell Marsh was managed by comparison with the India Test series in mind. Marsh only bowled four overs for the whole tour, and they came in the game after Green flew home.But it is understood there were no indicators that Green was vulnerable in the lead-in and his bowling loads this year have been far lower than in 2021, 2022 and 2023. He bowled more than 230 overs in matches in 2021 and 2022, and 190 overs in 2023. But he had only bowled 124.3 overs to-date in 2024, albeit there were four Test matches to come for him. He was coming off a rare 10-week break from playing prior to the UK tour.The particular surgery Green will have has been very successful for many players including Behrendorff, who underwent the procedure in 2019. CA team physio Nick Jones oversaw Behrendorff’s recovery in 2019-20 when he was with WA having done extensive research on the surgery and the recovery process.ESPNcricinfo understands that the specific type of surgery has been performed on 26 patients over the course of nearly two decades by New Zealand-based surgeons Grahame Inglis and Rowan Schouten with 24 of them successfully returning to full fitness. New Zealand quick Kyle Jamieson is one of the unsuccessful ones so far but his specific case is understood to be very unusual and over the weekend Gary Stead said Jamieson was on track for a comeback during the Super Smash which starts in late December.Dwarshuis had the surgery in 2019 and was back bowling in grade cricket just seven months later and played domestic cricket within 10 months. He has played first-class cricket in the years since but has only appeared in nine red-ball matches.Behrendorff had surgery in October 2019 and did not play until December 2020. He has not returned to play first-class cricket but has had no real problems with his back since then.Pattinson took 12 months to return to first-class cricket and it was another 22 months before he played Test cricket, although he had been out of the Australian set-up for 18 months prior to the surgery due to his injury issues. He retired from professional cricket at just 32 as his body wilted.Henry had the surgery in 2012 when he was just 20 years old. His recent success against Australia in Test cricket earlier this year as a 32-year-old is an indicator of the long-term success that can be had.

Back in November, Ruben Amorim was appointed Manchester United boss after leading Sporting CP to multiple Liga Portugal titles during his spell in charge.

Given his success during his time in the role, it’s understandable that he would want to take the talents he managed across to the Premier League with him.

Viktor Gyokeres was seen as the main target after registering 54 goals across all competitions last campaign, but the Red Devils have missed out on his signature after the Swede joined Arsenal this summer.

He’s not the only player from such an outfit to be linked with a move to Old Trafford, with winger Geovany Quenda previously on their radar before completing his own move to fellow English side Chelsea.

Missing out on both players would’ve been a huge disappointment, but the boss could be encouraged with other work being conducted within the market ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

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

Benjamin Sesko has been a player who’s emerged as a key target for United this summer, as Amorim looks to inject added quality into his forward line during the off-season.

Talks have already been held with the RB Leipzig striker’s representatives over a deal for the 22-year-old who’s currently on their radar of fellow Premier League side Newcastle United.

However, he’s not the only player currently in their sights, with Sporting CP star Morten Hjulmand a player of huge interest to Amorim, according to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato.

Their report claims that the Red Devils have been keeping a close eye on his progress, already submitting a €40m (£35m) bid to sign the 26-year-old Danish midfielder this summer.

It also states that the player himself would be extremely keen on a reunion with his former manager, but would need to wait for an agreement to be struck between the two clubs.

Why United’s £35m target would be perfect for Sesko

As previously mentioned, United are closely monitoring a move for Sesko this summer, with the Slovenian international seen as a key target for the centre-forward position.

The 22-year-old managed to score 21 times across all competitions last season, offering the side the needed focal point they’ve been lacking after scoring just 1.15 goals per game last season.

Such a signing could prove to be an expensive one, however, with his current employers demanding a fee of up to £80m to part ways with their current talisman during the off-season.

It’s unclear whether Sesko himself would be keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, but the hierarchy pursuing a move for his signature highlights the ambition they have to take the side up a level in 2025/26.

However, should he move to the Theatre of Dreams this summer, he could be aided in his attempts by Hjulmund, with the Sporting star possessing real quality that could provide him with numerous chances in the final third.

When delving into his underlying stats from the recent campaign, the Dane has showcased his excellent ability with and without the ball, subsequently able to offer a key option in the middle of the park.

Hjulmand, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by one analyst, completed 90% of the passes he attempted, 6.7 of which per 90 were into the final third, having the tools to provide Sesko with opportunities he needs for success.

Games played

28

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

90%

Progressive passes

6.4

Passes into final third

6.7

Key passes made

1.1

Take-on success

62%

Tackles won

1.5

Recoveries made

6.5

Aerials won

56%

His talents with the ball are further reflected in his tally of 1.1 key passes per 90, whilst also completing 62% of the take-ons he attempted, evidently being more than capable of thriving under pressure.

However, despite his ability on the ball, the 26-year-old has also demonstrated his talents at regaining the ball, winning 1.5 tackles per 90, and subsequently being able to do the dirty work before having an impact in forward areas.

£35m for a player entering the prime years of his career could prove to be an excellent pickup for the Red Devils, especially considering he knows exactly what Amorim expects from his side.

If he can replicate such performance levels in Manchester, he would be a phenomenal pick-up and one that could allow Sesko to thrive in his own debut campaign if he also made the move to England.

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ByEthan Lamb Jul 29, 2025

Says he will take a call on whether he plays IPL 2025 after the rules and regulations around retention – which are currently up for review – are firmed up

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2024MS Dhoni has resorted to a wait-and-watch approach before deciding on his IPL future. As the IPL chalks out the auction and retention plans ahead of the 2025 season, Dhoni wants to see what rule changes come into effect, especially with regard to player retention, before he makes a decision on whether to play another season or not.”There is a lot of time for it,” Dhoni, who turned 43 in July, said at an event in Hyderabad. “We have to see what decision they take on player retention etc. Right now, the ball is not in our court.”So, once the rules and regulations get formalised, I will take a call, but needs to be in the best interest of the team.”Related

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The BCCI met franchise owners and officials on Wednesday evening in Mumbai, to discuss a host of rules. On the meeting’s agenda was the Impact Player rule, how many players are to be retained, and the existence and frequency of the mega auction (one is due before next season) among other points.Questions on Dhoni’s future at the IPL have cropped up at the end of and between seasons for the previous few years now, and one part of those questions – regarding the succession plan at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – was answered earlier this year when he handed over the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad days before the season started.CSK narrowly lost out on a playoffs berth under Gaikwad when they finished fifth on the table with 14 points, the same as RCB on fourth spot but behind on net run rate.Dhoni played the role of six-hitting specialist in the death overs last season. He mostly walked out in the dying moments of the CSK innings and smoked 13 sixes and 14 fours in the 73 balls he faced across the season, translating to roughly three balls per boundary. His strike rate was a whopping 220.54 – the first season where he struck at over 200 – and he finished unbeaten in eight of his 11 innings.

It’s all change at Manchester United so far this summer, with Matheus Cunha signed, Bryan Mbeumo seemingly on his way and now one struggling striker increasingly likely to depart the club.

Man Utd commence attacking overhaul

Starting by triggering Cunha’s £63m release clause, Manchester United’s attacking overhaul is officially underway. The Brazilian is set to hand Ruben Amorim an instant upgrade in his frontline and could slot straight into one of the two attacking midfield roles in his 3-4-2-1 system. He’s unlikely to be the only fresh face in United’s frontline too.

The Red Devils are also pushing to sign Mbeumo from Brentford with reports going as far as to suggest that they’re willing to offer the talented forward a £13m-a-year salary to join. All of a sudden, from a blunt frontline, Amorim could have two options at his disposal who scored over 15 Premier League goals each last season and two options who should finally push United away from the bottom half next season.

Both have earned plenty of praise in recent weeks as they potentially prepare to combine at Old Trafford and that includes from Manchester United legend Gary Neville, who told Sky Sports: “Cunha and Mbeumo have obviously got Premier League experience. They’ve got plenty of games under their belt. [English football] is not new to them and actually they are the right type.

“When I watch Manchester United wide players, they have to be able to get from box-to-box quickly. They have to be able to run, to travel with and without the ball. Mbeumo and, to be fair Cunha, can do that.”

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What those arrivals will mean for one player, however, is a likely departure away from Old Trafford to bring an end to what has been a nightmare spell at the Theatre of Dreams.

Hojlund gives green light to Inter Milan move

According to Saturday’s print edition of Corriere Dello Sport, as relayed by TeamTalk, Rasmus Hojlund has now given the green light to Inter Milan, who are closing in on sealing the Dane’s signature in a €40-45m (£33-£38m) deal.

The struggling forward has looked desperate for a fresh start for at least a year, as have several others in a Manchester United shirt. Unlike some around him, however, Hojlund is seemingly set to get his wish courtesy of Inter Milan.

Rasmus Hojlund at Man Utd

Record (via Transfermarkt)

Appearances

95

Goals

26

Assists

6

After scoring 26 goals and creating another six in 95 appearances across the last two years, to say that Hojlund has far from lived up to his £72m price tag would be a major understatement. Many expected the Dane to lead United’s frontline for years to come. As it happens, though, he may have lasted just two years before moving back to Italy.

Given that the struggling forward earns a reported £85,000-a-week at the club, INEOS should be keen to clear his salary from their wage bill to make room for the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo this summer.