All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham Hotspur are poised to wave goodbye to a key player this summer, and it would be a blow to manager Thomas Frank as the Dane gears up for his first full campaign in charge.

Paratici holds talks with £207k-a-week star's camp about joining Tottenham

The Spurs advisor has reached out to his representatives.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 31, 2025

Spurs are in the Far East right now on a pre-season tour of Asia, before returning to Europe for a clash against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Frank is getting a good look at his new squad, who’ve just taken on Arsenal in the first ever north London derby played overseas, but off the field, chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange are planning to reinforce the squad with new signings.

Specifically, Tottenham are working on an alternative to Morgan Gibbs-White after missing out on the Englishman in truly bizarre fashion.

Spurs were ready to trigger Gibbs-White’s £60m release clause and even booked a medical for the playmaker nearly three weeks ago (BBC), but Evangelos Marinakis blocked the transfer, threatened legal action and tied him down with a new £150,000-per-week deal.

A new number 10 is imperative, amid reports that Tottenham are not completely averse to selling James Maddison after a stop-start season (Ben Jacobs).

Spurs have also been linked with an ambitious move for Real Madrid star Rodrygo this week, as club legend Son Heung-min edges ever closer to ending his 10-year stay in north London.

The South Korea star has etched his name into Lilywhites folklore with 173 goals and 101 assists, not to mention a once-devastating partnership with Harry Kane, since his £22 million move from Bayer Leverkusen a decade ago.

However, with just one year remaining on his contract as a 33-year-old, his memorable spell could be drawing to a close, and Los Angeles FC are offering him a route out to the MLS.

GiveMeSport reported earlier this week that Son is close to agreeing personal terms with LAFC, and now CaughtOffside have provided another update.

Son rejects "lucrative" Saudi offer as talks advance with LAFC

According to their information, Son rejected a “lucrative” offer from Saudi Arabia to leave Tottenham earlier this summer.

LAFC are also now in advanced negotiations over the “sensational” signing of Son, on both the club and player side this time, but the move won’t be completed until after their pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Seoul for commercial reasons.

Talks have apparently accelerated in the last few days whilst entering a “critical” phase, so if all goes to plan, these next few days could be Son’s last in London.

This also comes despite Frank publicly suggesting the winger could stay.

“I think first and foremost, Son’s legacy here is remarkable. He’s been a fantastic player for Tottenham, he is a fantastic player for Tottenham,” Frank said about Son in a recent press conference.

“I see a player that can play a very good role here next season. He’s come in [for pre-season], very good mindset, trained very hard, pushed the players. So I’m excited about it.”

Ajaz Patel, Daryl Mitchell and Will Young also look back at “dream” 3-0 sweep of India

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2024Captain Tom Latham was “very, very ecstatic” and stated being “a little bit more aggressive with the bat” was one of the reasons behind New Zealand’s historic 3-0 sweep of India, sealed by a 25-run victory in the third Test in Mumbai. That became the first instance of India being whitewashed in a home Test series of at least three games.”We spoke about it after each Test match. We were trying to back it up, and I guess to finally do it here in Mumbai, on a completely different surface, one that would challenge us certainly with bat and ball – yeah, we’re pretty happy,” Latham said at the post-match presentation. “I think just being able to adapt to each ground [gives the most satisfaction].”Latham pointed out to the “all-round, great team effort” which helped New Zealand become the first visiting side to beat India in a series at home in 12 years. While the fast bowlers and Rachin Ravindra set it up in the first Test in Bengaluru, Mitchell Santner’s 13-wicket haul helped then win the series in the second Test in Pune.Related

'I'm not sure if even we believed it' – The NZ whitewash that came out of nowhere

Ross Taylor: 'New Zealand outfielded, outbatted and outbowled India'

Ajaz and the Wankhede, the roots go deeper with each wicket

Rohit: I was not at my best as captain, and with the bat

Vote: The biggest Test series upset of the 21st century

“We wanted to come over here and try to fire a few shots… and I certainly think we’ve done that,” Latham said. “We’ve been a little bit more aggressive with the bat, tried to be a little bit more proactive, and again, with the ball, we’ve tried to keep things simple, understand how India play a little bit, and just try to do our best. The guys have chipped in at different times, which has been the most important thing, and really happy to be standing here in this position.”The win in Mumbai, though, saw another different hero in Ajaz Patel, who bagged 11 wickets in the game after managing just four at an average of 49.25 in three innings before on the tour.”Spin bowling’s a little bit about rhythm, and sometimes when you’re in rhythm, it’s about making the most of it,” Ajaz said after picking up the Player-of-the-Match award in Mumbai, the city of his birth. “And when the conditions present themselves to you, you have to take it by the horns and really do something for your team.”In Mumbai, Ajaz followed a haul of 5 for 103 in the first innings with 6 for 57 in the second. On Sunday, he wiped out most of India’s line-up – from Nos. 3 to 8 – and said that the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium didn’t turn as much in the morning session on day three, even though he had already dismissed Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan and Ravindra Jadeja by lunch.Ajaz Patel took 11 wickets in the Mumbai Test•AFP/Getty Images”In the period after lunch, it started turning a bit more, so that gave me a bit more confidence to toss it up and use my guile and, I guess, my shape in the air,” Ajaz said. “So, yeah, that’s all I tried to do – make sure I keep it simple, use my shape in the air, and then try and be ahead of the batters.”Despite wickets falling around him, Rishabh Pant kept attacking Ajaz from one end. That made Ajaz bowl much quicker to Pant in comparison to the other India batters, as Ajaz thought “outside the box for him a little bit more”.”I knew that if I just bowled good balls to him, he’s probably going to send them out of the park,” Ajaz said. “So I had to make sure I came up with a new plan and something a little bit different, and try and stay ahead of him.”But before Ajaz, Daryl Mitchell had contributed with a solid 82 in New Zealand’s first-innings total of 235 after they had opted to bat. That was Mitchell’s first half-century on this tour where he had not gone past 20 even once in three innings. Runs apart, Mitchell was a permanent presence for the spinners at slip, where he took eight catches across the three Tests.”It’s something you dream of, and to come over here and actually achieve it, it’s pretty special against a world-class Indian team,” Mitchell told the host broadcaster.Daryl Mitchell and Will Young also starred for New Zealand on the India tour•BCCINew Zealand had landed in India without Kane Williamson, who missed all three Tests due to injury. But his replacement Will Young tallied 244 runs in the series to take home the Player-of-the-Series award. He started with a composed 48* in the chase in Bengaluru, where New Zealand had lost early wickets, and scored twin half-centuries on a tricky track in Mumbai.”I need to trust my defence, and at times, [it’s about] just being really clear on where I wanted to score,” Young said. “And do it for as long as I possibly can… If I know where I want to score and I can trust my defence, it makes the mind a lot clearer.”But it was Mitchell who summed it up succinctly, as New Zealand toasted the series win, not long after the women’s team lifted the T20 World Cup in the UAE last month.”We’re just a bunch of Kiwis taking on the world, and very proud to represent our country,” he said. “We know how good India are – they’ve got a number of world-class players – and for us, it’s just [about] hanging in there, keep doing what Kiwis do, and yeah, very proud of this group today.”

Former AC Milan doctor Rudy Tavana reveals Antonio Cassano nearly died of cardiac arrest in a car park but was saved by Thiago Silva’s quick action.

Former doctor reveals Cassano had a heart scareSilva informed the doctors just in timeTimely intervention saw him escape serious damageFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Former Italy attacker Cassano, who featured for Milan between 2011 and 2012 under Massimiliano Allegri, once experienced a serious heart scare. Ex-Milan doctor Rudy Tavana revealed that Brazilian centre-back Silva raised the alarm after Cassano returned from a match, with swift intervention from Tavana and Dr. Mazzoni ensuring he was taken to hospital in time for surgery, avoiding severe consequences.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT TAVANO SAID

“After landing at Malpensa, returning from a trip to Rome, Thiago Silva came to me: 'Doctor, Cassano isn't well, he's confused'. Dr. Mazzoni and I tracked him down in the parking lot," he said in an interview with . "He wanted to drive home. We ran some basic neurological tests; something wasn't right. I told him,:'Go ahead, but Dr. Mazzoni will drive your car, and he'll take you to the hospital.' We didn't know what it was, it could have been ischemia, we had to speed things up to minimize any damage. Mazzoni stayed in his room to sleep with him; it must not have been an easy night. The tests determined it was a neurological problem originating in the heart. Cassano underwent surgery, and the problem was resolved.

“Cassano thanked me in his own way: 'In the parking lot, your authority forced me to obey’.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Cassano began his career at Bari and his dazzling performances led to a move to Roma and eventually to Real Madrid in 2006, but Cassano’s time in Spain was troubled as frequent clashes with coach Fabio Capello over discipline and behaviour led to a complete breakdown in their relationship. He eventually left Madrid for Sampdoria, where he rediscovered his form over a three-year period to convince Milan to sign him as Ronaldinho’s replacement. Cassano won the Scudetto with Milan and struck up a strong partnership with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But in 2012, he was included in a swap deal with Inter that saw Giampaolo Pazzini move the other way. From then on, his career never truly recovered, and he retired in 2017.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CASSANO?

Cassano now works as a pundit on various television shows and is a regular feature on Bobo TV, a show hosted by fellow Italian team-mate Christian Vieri. Having completed his sporting director course at Coverciano, he now hopes to make his return to football in a director’s role.

Curran, Topley, Jacks among key omissions as McCullum leans on Test squad for first white-ball campaign

Andrew Miller22-Dec-20242:09

What England’s Champions Trophy squad tells us about white-ball Bazball

Joe Root has been recalled to England’s ODI squad for February’s ICC Champions Trophy, as well as the 50-over leg of the India series that precedes it, in the first big call of Brendon McCullum’s tenure as head coach across red- and white-ball formats.Root, who turns 34 later this month, is set to finish 2024 as the No. 1-ranked Test batter in the world, after a stellar personal year in the format in which he racked up 1556 runs at 55.57, including six centuries.However, he has not featured in the white-ball set-up for more than a year, since England’s disastrous World Cup defence in India in October and November 2023. He made 276 runs at 30.66 in the team’s group-stage exit at that event, well below his career average of 47.60 in the format, but in keeping with a clear dip (666 runs at 28.95) in 28 ODIs since his pivotal role in the 2019 World Cup win.Related

PCB open to hybrid model Champions Trophy, but wants same for events in India

Brendon McCullum: Jacob Bethell's emergence is 'a good problem to have'

England rekindle the joy after Bazball's year of transition

Hybrid model agreed for Champions Trophy and ICC events from 2024-27

The resolution of the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy standoff was a win? Not by a long shot

Ben Stokes, Root’s Test captain and fellow World Cup winner, might also have been in the frame for a recall but was not considered for selection following the left hamstring injury that he sustained during England’s 423-run defeat against New Zealand in last week’s third Test in Hamilton.However, in a strong indication of McCullum’s desire to unite the philosophies of his red- and white-ball squads, the 15-man party features a total of eight players who made appearances in the Test team this year, while each of the squad’s five fast bowlers is capable of speeds in excess of 90mph. These include Jofra Archer, whose injury-free return to action in 2024 has encouraged the belief that he too could make a red-ball comeback next summer.Mark Wood, England’s fastest bowler, is back in the set-up, having been forced to miss England’s winter Test tours after sustaining an elbow injury in the summer. Like Gus Atkinson, another inclusion, he has not played ODI cricket since the tour of West Indies in December last year, having also played a part in the 2023 World Cup campaign.England Champions Trophy squad•ESPNcricinfo LtdBrydon Carse, the outstanding fast bowler of England’s Test winter, has been given the chance to build on his impressive form, as has Saqib Mahmood, who confirmed his return to full fitness in the Caribbean last month, after twin stress fractures of the back in 2022 and 2023.Jamie Overton completes a notably heavy-duty pace-bowling contingent, with England’s determination to manage him through his own recent stress fractures meaning he even played as a specialist death-overs batter in several recent white-ball contests. He is known to McCullum too for his batting, having made 97 as a nightwatcher in his only Test to date, against New Zealand at Headingley in 2022.Tellingly, there is no place for Sam Curran, England’s player of the match and tournament when they won the T20 World Cup in 2022, but who voiced his concern earlier this year that, as a sub-6ft medium-pacer, he didn’t “fit that mould” that McCullum’s regime is currently looking for.Reece Topley, another left-armer who has been a staple of England’s recent white-ball squads, has also been overlooked after a luckless run of injuries, while fellow seamer Matthew Potts, who has impressed in his intermittent outings across formats but is arguably a notch below the pace of England’s chosen quicks, has also missed the cut.Adil Rashid retains his place as England’s premier spinner, with back-up likely to come from Root, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell, who has been selected for his first major tournament, having last month been handed a two-year ECB central contract in recognition of his rapid rise to prominence. Rehan Ahmed, Rashid’s heir apparent, will travel to India for the T20Is in January, with Root sitting out that leg of the tour.Joe Root made three half-centuries during England’s World Cup campaign in India in 2023•ICC via Getty ImagesPhil Salt and Ben Duckett are England’s probable opening partnership, having combined with some success against Australia in September. Will Jacks is the notable omission among top-order options.Jamie Smith – who missed England’s Test tour of New Zealand for the birth of his first child – returns as a middle-order batter and could keep wicket too, if captain Jos Buttler chooses to relinquish the gloves, as he did for the recent T20I series in the Caribbean.Much remains to be seen when England line up for their first ODI against India at Nagpur on February 6, where Buttler – like so many of the squad – will be playing his first ODIs in more than a year, having missed the English home season with a calf injury.England’s exact schedule for the Champions Trophy is awaiting confirmation, following the long-standing dispute over Pakistan hosting India fixtures that resulted last week in the adoption of a hybrid model for future ICC events. However, the squad departs for India on January 17, ahead of the first of five T20Is in Kolkata on January 22.England ODI squad for Champions Trophy and tour of India: Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark WoodEngland T20I squad for tour of India: Jos Buttler (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood

Everton have shown an “interest” in signing a player who Lionel Messi knows well this summer, according to a new update from journalist Graeme Bailey.

Moyes excited about "fabulous" Grealish

The Blues are preparing for their Premier League opener away to Leeds United on Monday evening, in what has the potential to be a tricky assignment under the lights at Elland Road.

Speaking ahead of the game, though, Everton manager David Moyes was in positive spirits, not least waxing lyrical about new signing Jack Grealish ahead of his possible debut for the club.

“You all need to turn up to find out! I think Jack can play in several positions – he can play as a midfield player as well. He doesn’t give the ball away very often.

“My aim is to get Jack in positions where he can be creative for us, score and assist goals. “I’ve only seen him for a few days here but he’s looked fabulous and he’s in good enough shape so there’s lots of good things to like about Jack. I just need to make sure I get him at the right time and he’s had enough minutes.”

There is still time for Everton to add to their list of summer signings, strengthening in key areas, and a new update has now emerged regarding one target.

Everton have "interest" in World Cup winner

Speaking to Everton News, Bailey claimed that Everton have an “interest” in signing Argentina right-back Nahuel Molina this summer, battling other clubs for his signature, from Bournemouth to Juventus.

“One player I am told they have had an interest in is Nahuel Molina at Atletico Madrid – Bournemouth also linked. However, Atletico are not sure about him going – also he is being offered to Juventus as possible part of Nico Gonzalez deal.”

It remains to be seen if Everton can strike a deal for Molina, but he has pedigree as a footballer, not least after winning the World Cup alongside Messi back in 2022.

The Atletico Madrid ace has also tasted Copa America glory twice, during a great era of dominance for Argentina, and he has been lauded as “stupidly good” by football content creator Neal Gardner.

Right-back should be seen as a key area of focus for Everton before the transfer window closes on September 1st, even though Jake O’Brien is doing an excellent job there currently.

Big Harrison upgrade: Everton lining up swoop for "unplayable" £10m star

Everton eyeing up move to sign Championship star in a big upgrade on former loanee Jack Harrison.

ByWill Miller Aug 17, 2025

He is still a centre-back by trade, with a more natural player in the role arguably needed, or at least stern competition for him this season and beyond.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now among the clubs showing the strongest interest in signing a £30m “monster”, and they have now opened talks over a deal.

Wolves looking to bolster options after losing opening two games

Wolves were always expected to find it difficult against Manchester City in their opening Premier League game, but the manner of the defeat will be disappointing, losing 4-0 at Molineux, and Vitor Pereira’s side were unable to bounce back against AFC Bournemouth.

Marcus Tavernier opened the scoring after just four minutes, and Toti Gomes didn’t do his side any favours by being given a straight red card early in the second half, which meant the Old Gold were ultimately unable to find a way back into the game.

Emmanuel Agbadou, on the other hand, impressed throughout the match, winning all eight of the duels he contested and making one crucial last-man tackle, which earned the Ivorian a SofaScore match rating of 8.1.

Their new Vitinha: Wolves submit big bid to sign "midfield general"

As Wolverhampton Wanderers look to bolster their squad, could they sign a “midfield general” worth £26m, in a move reminiscent of Vitinha’s arrival?

ByBen Gray Aug 22, 2025

However, with City finding it all too easy at Molineux last weekend, and Gomes putting in a poor display against Bournemouth, it is no surprise that Pereira remains keen on bringing in another centre-back this summer.

According to a report from Caught Offside, both Wolves and Bournemouth are now showing the strongest interest in signing Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, with the Blues open to sanctioning a departure for a fee in the region of £30m.

An anonymous Caught Offside source has also confirmed the Old Gold have now entered negotiations over a deal for Disasi, saying: “Talks with Chelsea have already begun. Wolves are exploring creative solutions such as performance-based bonuses to complete the deal without stretching their budget.”

However, the defender may wait to hear from the other interested parties before making a final decision, with reigning Serie A champions Napoli also expected to advance talks soon, alongside Bournemouth.

"Monster" Disasi could be excellent signing for Wolves

The 27-year-old is set to leave Chelsea before the deadline, having failed to force his way into Enzo Maresca’s plans, and while he may not be at the level to start for a side with title aspirations, the centre-back could be a solid addition to Wolves’ backline.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Rahman Osman, the Frenchman spent the second half of the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Aston Villa, where he impressed Unai Emery, with the manager praising the defender for his mentality and dedication.

The five-time France international is now experienced at Premier League level, having made 44 appearances in the competition, notably catching Statman Dave’s eye with a solid performance against Manchester City in the 2023-24 season.

Wolves recorded the worst defensive record of any side that avoided relegation last season, and having made a poor start to the new campaign, it is clear they need to bring in a new defender, so Disasi could be an excellent addition.

Wayne Rooney has revealed how bitter a rivalry led him to lock wife Coleen out of the house after he fell victim to a brutal prank at his family home. Wayne Rooney grew up supporting Everton and spent 13 glorious years at Manchester United, while his wife Coleen is known to be a supporter of Liverpool and has always been vocal about her support for the Reds.

Rooney welcomed with Liverpool flags

Rooney recalled the incident from five years ago when Liverpool finally ended their wait and won the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp's tutelage in 2020. Rooney was managing Derby County at that time. Following the Reds' triumph, one day when Rooney returned to his family home, he was shocked to see Liverpool flags all around his home, a prank that Coleen pulled on her husband.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRooney "locked" Coleen out

On podcast, the United legend narrated the entire incident, as he said: "When Liverpool won the Premier League a few years ago, I came home, I was at Derby at the time, and Coleen's got Liverpool flags up outside the house. 

"It was our old house, so outside the front door there's a little balcony thing and the flag was outside the window there, so I told her to go and get it down. She went up and you had to actually climb out the window to get it down, so she went up and I locked her out."

Rooney, however, did not drag the prank for too long and he soon allowed Coleen back in the house. 

Rooney's lavish 40th birthday celebration

Coleen is planning a lavish celebration to mark her husband's 40th birthday on October 24, where she wants her fellow WAGs Victoria Beckham, Abbey Clancy, Toni Terry and Alex Gerrard to attend.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportMerseyside derby to kick off gameweek five

Gameweek five of the Premier League will kick off on Saturday with Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton locking horns in a derby clash at Anfield.

Australia’s captain will be further assessed ahead of the remaining T20Is and the Test

Andrew McGlashan20-Jan-2025Australia captain Alyssa Healy is a significant doubt for the remainder of the Ashes series after she was ruled out of the first T20I with a “stress response” in her foot on the same side as the injury she sustained at last year’s T20 World CupIt meant that Australia were led by Tahlia McGrath in what became a convincing victory to retain the Ashes at the SCG while the top-order vacancy was filled by debutant Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney will keep wicket.”As you can imagine, she’s pretty flat,” Mooney said. “She doesn’t want to miss any games for Australia and unfortunately for her, she’s missed a few in the last few months. We’ll put our arm around her, wait and see what the [medical] staff say and what the prognosis is.”But, certainly, she’s a key member of our playing group both on and off the field and we know what impact she can have to the outcome of the results on field. So, we’ll be keeping a close eye on making sure she’s okay mentally, but also doing all the right things with [the sports science sports medicine staff] well.Australia also had to contend with allrounder Ashleigh Gardner being ruled out with a calf injury. She will be assessed again ahead of the second T20I in Canberra.Related

Healy trains strongly ahead of historic Test, Australia delay selection call

Swing in, speak out: the story of Megan Schutt

Knight backs T20 'reset' to bring out England's best

England to go spin heavy while Alana King presses for T20 recall

The injury to Healy meant that Australia pushed back announcing their squad for the day-night Test at the MCG which had been due to be named during the T20I on Monday.”Alyssa has got a stress response in her foot,” head of high performance Shawn Flegler told Fox Cricket. “We’re going to try and get a little bit more information before we make a call on her. It’s a big call for Alyssa. Test captain as well. So we’ll wait and see on what we come up with over the next 24-48 hours.””We’ve got a selector meeting tomorrow morning. We’ll see what plays out. We’re not going to rush into it. There’s still a week or so before the Test matchAfter returning from the plantar fascia injury sustained at the World Cup, Healy had her WBBL cut short by a knee problem which also meant she played as a batter only in the ODIs against New Zealand in December having missed the earlier home series against India.She returned to keeping duties for the three ODIs against England with the matches taking place in six days. The schedule is also tight for the T20I series with games in Canberra on January 23 then Adelaide on January 25.Even if Healy is able to play a part in either of those, there will be major questions over whether she can sustain the workload of a Test match, especially as a wicketkeeper.Depending on the prognosis for Healy, her participation in the WPL and the T20I tour of New Zealand in late March could also be in doubt.

Manchester United’s wage bill has come into huge question over recent seasons, with their spending on players being way above their league standing from 2024/25.

The Red Devils had the second-highest wage bill in the Premier League last season, spending a staggering £180m on wages alone – with only rivals Manchester City spending more.

Ruben Amorim has been tasked with the challenge of reducing such a figure during the summer – something which he managed to partly achieve on deadline day.

The club agreed to send Jadon Sancho on loan to Aston Villa for the entirety of the 2025/26 season – with Unai Emery’s side agreeing to pay 80% of the winger’s £250k-per-week pay packet.

However, the hierarchy would’ve likely spent some of those funds saved had they agreed a deal for one of the numerous targets who were on their radar during the summer transfer window.

United’s move to land Wharton & Baleba this summer

Throughout the transfer window, United targeted a move for a new midfielder for the squad, resulting in a deal being pursued to land Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton.

It was reported that the Red Devils were keen on a deal for the England international, but a switch became unlikely after Amorim’s side were quoted a fee in the region of £100m.

Another option they considered was Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba, even entering talks with the player’s representatives over a switch to Old Trafford.

At one stage, it appeared as though the player himself would be open to a switch to join the Red Devils, but like Wharton, he stayed at his current employers after the Seagulls stated he was not for sale.

Whilst the hierarchy were unable to land a new midfielder for Amorim, they still have a player on the books who desperately needs to be sold in the near future.

The United player who earns more than Wharton and Baleba

United do have numerous top-level talents on their books at present, with academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo just one of the options currently at Amorim’s disposal.

However, the Englishman has found minutes hard to come by over the last couple of months, starting none of the Premier League outings – with his only start coming against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup.

As a result, the 20-year-old made his feelings clear before Monday’s deadline – subsequently asking to leave Old Trafford on a temporary basis to gain valuable game time.

He’s fallen behind Manuel Ugarte and Bruno Fernandes in the pecking order, with Brazilian Casemiro another player whom Amorim clearly trusts instead of Mainoo.

The former Real Madrid star joined in a £60m deal back in the summer of 2022, but has rapidly declined over recent times – as he heads towards the back end of his career at the age of 33.

Despite his age, Casemiro has started all three league outings, but has struggled to impress to date, only completing 80% of the passes he’s attempted in England’s top-flight.

However, despite his recent starts in Amorim’s side, his future appears up in the air, with the player only having one deal left on his contract at Old Trafford.

He probably should’ve been offloaded before now, with his performances last campaign failing to catch the eye – leading to Mark Goldbridge dubbing him as “shocking”.

His current £350k-per-week pay packet is way above what he should be earning – with such a figure making him the highest earner in the squad, taking home a staggering £18.2m per season.

1

Casemiro

£350,000

=2

Bruno Fernandes

£300,000

3

Jadon Sancho

£250,000

4

Matthijs de Ligt

£195,000

5

Harry Maguire

£190,000

6

Matheus Cunha

£180,000

The Brazilian currently earns more than Wharton and Baleba, with the pair currently only earning £35k and £12.5k-per-week respectively – highlighting how much the former Madrid talent is overpaid at present.

Given his mammoth earnings, United desperately need to clear the player off the bill, with a real impetus needing to be put on continuing their cost-cutting operation.

There are so many better and cheaper options currently available in European football, which should see Amorim pursue a move for one of the aforementioned talents once again in the near future.

Man Utd struck gold on "electrifying" star worth even more than Baleba

After Manchester United failed to sign Carlos Baleba for £100m+, did the Red Devils snap up a bargain worth even more than the Brighton midfielder?

ByBen Gray Sep 2, 2025

Ponting also reckoned that Kohli, who is now third on the highest run-scorers list in ODIs, will want to finish at the top

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-20252:14

Kumble: Kohli’s mind was at ease today

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting reckons Virat Kohli will give himself the “best chance to be remembered as the all-time leading run-scorer” in ODIs.With his unbeaten 100 against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, Kohli moved up to No.5 on the ICC’s ODI rankings and became just the third player to breach the 14,000-run barrier in 50-over cricket. Already past Ponting in the highest run-scorers list, he is now 149 away from second-placed Kumar Sangakkara, but still 4341 behind Sachin Tendulkar who sits on top of the pile.Related

Kohli breaks Tendulkar's record, is now the fastest to 14,000 ODI runs

Kohli 100* headlines India's comprehensive win over Pakistan

'Happy with the template' – Kohli and the comfort of the chase

“With someone like Virat, you never write him off, because I’m sure he’d be motivated by that [achieving the record], I think,” Ponting said on the