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Manchester United are now planning to push for an “amazing” midfielder, who has been identified as their top target in the middle of the park, and a £52m offer is in the works.

Man United made it three Premier League wins on the spin for the first time under Ruben Amorim at the weekend, defeating Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2, which means Frank Ilett, also known as ‘The United Strand’ is just two wins away from finally getting a haircut.

The United supporter has already gone over a year without getting a trim, having vowed not to do so until Amorim’s side win five games on the bounce, and only Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur stand in their way after the victory over the Seagulls.

Things are finally looking up for the Red Devils, who have overtaken Liverpool and moved up to sixth in the Premier League table, and Gary Neville has revealed the players have fully bought into Amorim, who has finally staved off some speculation about his future.

Neville said: “The players really like him, they like him a lot … The players really like him and want to do well for him, and I think that’s come through in the last week or so.”

That said, Amorim is still keen to make improvements to his squad, with it well-known the manager wants to bring in a new central midfielder, and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher has emerged as a target, with the United boss approving the move last week.

There has now been a new update on Man United’s pursuit of Gallagher, with a report from Spain revealing the former Chelsea man is their top target in midfield, and they are considering submitting an offer of around €60m (£52m) for his services.

Casemiro replacement: Man Utd prepare to make offer for £60m "duel monster"

Manchester United are preparing to make a move to sign a star who could replace Casemiro in midfield.

ByDan Emery Oct 27, 2025

The Red Devils are planning to push for the midfielder’s signature, and could make a move in the January transfer window, although it is unclear whether Atletico would be willing to sanction a departure.

"Amazing" Gallagher could be solid option for Amorim

Once lauded for his “amazing character” by Frank Lampard, the Englishman is well-known for his stamina, with Nathan Dyer saying: “His work rate is insane. It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. He just doesn’t stop.”

However, not only does the 25-year-old have a good attitude and work hard, but he is also very skilled at winning possession, placing in the 97th percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to other midfielders.

The 22-time England international isn’t prolific in front of goal, but he is certainly capable of contributing on the front foot, chipping in with 18 goals and 13 assists in 136 Premier League appearances, while also scoring once at international level.

Gallagher arguably wouldn’t be the flashiest of signings, but he could be a solid option for Amorim in midfield, given his ability at both ends of the pitch.

Dilara Akter, Jannatul Ferdus and Ishma Tanjim have been left out

Mohammad Isam23-Aug-2025Bangladesh have brought two teenagers into their squad for the Women’s World Cup, which the BCB announced on Saturday. They are Nishita Akter, the 17-year-old offspinner, and the 19-year-old batter Sumaiya Akter. Both were part of Bangladesh’s team at the Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia in February.Bangladesh have also picked the 28-year-old keeper-batter Rubya Haider, who has played six T20Is but is yet to make her ODI debut.Between them, these three relative new faces have played three ODIs and seven T20Is, and none of them has played for the senior Bangladesh side in 2025.Related

WI's historic chase ends in heartbreak as Bangladesh seal World Cup spot

The selectors have offloaded Dilara Akter, Jannatul Ferdus and Ishma Tanjim from Bangladesh’s most recent squad, which played in the World Cup Qualifier in April. Bangladesh qualified from that tournament ahead of West Indies by a net-run-rate margin of just 0.013, but they haven’t played any international matches since then.Recently, the squad has played a number of matches against Bangladesh’s Under-15 boys side as preparation for the World Cup.Women’s chief selector Sajjad Ahmed was excited by the addition of the three young players. He said Rubya, who has played six T20Is, will be the squad’s back-up opener and wicketkeeper behind captain Nigar Sultana.”Rubya has earned her place through sheer hard work,” he said. “Her development over the last six months has been outstanding. We see her as a valuable option both as a reserve keeper and a back-up opener.”Nishita is still young, but she bowls with great maturity. She is consistent, calm under pressure and her ability to contain left-handers gave her an edge. We believe this experience will serve her well and add depth to our spin attack.”Sajjad added that Sumaiya’s patience would be an asset to the side, and her fielding a bonus. “Sumaiya has been knocking on the door for some time. She brings the ability to occupy the crease and accelerate when needed. With her skillset and fielding standards, she gives us an all-round option in the top order.”Apart from these three, the squad wears a familiar look with Nahida Akter as vice-captain to Nigar, and the likes of Fargana Hoque, Fahima Khatun and Marufa Akter bringing the experience that Bangladesh hope will cover for their recent lack of match practice.Bangladesh are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign against Pakistan in Colombo on October 2. India are the hosts of the tournament, with Colombo hosting all of Pakistan’s matches.Bangladesh squad for Women’s World Cup 2025Nigar Sultana (capt), Nahida Akter, Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider, Sharmin Akhter, Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Fariha Trisna, Sanjida Akter, Nishita Akter, Sumaiya Akter.
IN: Rubya Haider, Nishita Akter, Sumaiya Akter
OUT: Dilara Akter (wk), Jannatul Ferdus, Ishma Tanjim

Fast bowler deserves happy ending to mighty 16-year career, but form is a concern for NZ

Vithushan Ehantharajah07-Dec-2024The cheers were loud. Too loud considering the on-field celebrations were muted.Tim Southee’s four-over spell before tea had seen off Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett as both rounded on centuries. Steady into the nineties, they found themselves on the wrong end of a veteran seamer who has made a healthy career out of ending dreams on a fourth-stump line. Shifty positions on the crease from around the wicket felt like a throwback. The only thing missing was joy from the man responsible.In the stands and on the grassbanks they hooted and hollered rather than roared: more for Southee, in his final appearance at the Basin Reserve, than the situation. England had taken care of New Zealand’s first innings quick enough to begin their second innings at 11:54am with a lead of 155. They were 366 in front when Duckett, on 92, lazily guided Southee onto his stumps when aiming down to third. Bethell’s earlier push-drive looked borne out of nerves on 96 – a new personal best – one shot away from his first century in professional cricket.Southee’s disposition throughout was distinctly Danny Glover. One match away from retirement, tired and, aged 35 with the creak of over 23,000 deliveries in his joints, finally too old for this for this s***.The ignominy of being the final skittle of Gus Atkinson’s hat-trick felt unbecoming, especially in only the second of 153 innings as a No.11. His own imperfect hat-trick duly followed; opening up England’s second innings and seeing the first two deliveries blazed through cover for successive boundaries by Zak Crawley. Crawley, a man averaging 9.44 in New Zealand, who just over 24 hours earlier had hit a six in the first over of the Test when he sent Southee back over his head.When Southee announced this series was to be his last, there was a romanticism about calling time against the same side he faced on debut back in March 2008. The reality has been far from idyllic. An awkward nightmarish mix of politeness and brutality.England have targeted Southee – as well as every other Kiwi bowler, to be fair – after he troubled them on day two of the first Test, in seam-friendly conditions. Since taking 2 for 85 in the first innings at Hagley Oval, Southee had gone 0 for 136 runs in the 22.5 overs up to Bethell’s dismissal. Should he not add to the two wickets he currently has – for 72 runs so far in 14 overs – it will be 24 innings since he last took three or more wickets (against Sri Lanka in February 2023).His bowling average has now crept the wrong side of 30. His pace, naturally, is down to 128kph in this Test. The conclusion of the farewell tour in Hamilton next week will be Southee’s 11th Test of 2024. It has been the busiest year of his Test career, one in which he also relinquished the Test captaincy. With just 15 wickets at 61.66, it is also comfortably his worst.There is no denying this has been a grizzly final stanza to a genuinely great career. But great things do not always have great endings.Related

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New Zealand in need of another fightback at scene of epic one-run win

France’s legendary footballer Zinedine Zidane bowed out too literally, sent off after burying his head into the chest of Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup Final, which Italy went on to win. See also: Don Bradman’s duck in his final knock. And the last season of Test careers, in particular, are tricky to end. It was only five months ago that James Anderson, now sitting on the England balcony as a bowling consultant, was bumped off, forced to call it a day after a one-Test finale at the start of the summer. The game’s most productive seamer, an artist, discarded then repurposed like scrap metal.At the end other end of the spectrum was Stuart Broad’s note-perfect walk into the sunset at the end of the 2023 summer. A rare combination of pageantry and high drama, Broad was celebrated for the last two days of the Oval Test, before finishing it off with the last Australian wicket with his final delivery, earning his side a 2-2 draw in the Ashes.Whisper it, but Southee’s retirement parade is feeling a lot like more like Anderson’s when the desire would have been Broad’s. Inevitable yet no less emotional, but with a nagging sense the time to move on might have already passed.Anderson has spoken since about wanting to cling on, largely because the decision came against his will. Southee at least has the comfort of personal closure. “I’ve really loved working with these exciting young bowlers and watching them perform at the highest level,” he said last month. “Now it’s their turn to take this team forward and they know I’ll always be there to support, from near or far.”Truth be told, it should have been “their turn” here in Wellington. The sentimentality of this series is weighted heavily on that final Test at Seddon Park, Southee’s home ground. Resting for this second Test would have been the smart play on a number of fronts, though Black Caps skipper Tom Latham said pre-match that the thought of parking Southee was never entertained.With three matches back-to-back, it was always going to be a stretch, physically, to make it through intact. Now the issue is seemingly on merit.Not that New Zealand will make that decision. That would be wildly out of sync with how the current set-up operates and the deserved last rites of a legend.But it is hard to shake the fact that Southee’s situation represents a wider stasis with the team. A chastening Saturday highlighted that, with New Zealand already out of this second Test with three days still to play. Likewise the continued absence of Will Young, player of the series in a 3-0 victory over India that looks more and more like an outlier each day.On the flip side, no amount of revisionism can dull what Southee has achieved, regardless of how the next three days here play out. But he would certainly wish his final weeks as a Test cricketer were more enjoyable than this.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has won his first three Scottish Premiership matches in charge of the club, after Russell Martin failed to string back-to-back wins together.

The Gers beat Dundee 3-0 at Dens Park on Sunday in the last game before the international break, and there was a first league goal for winger Djeidi Gassama.

He cut in from the left wing to curl a brilliant finish into the far corner, as show in the clip above, after he had failed to score in his first ten appearances in the division after his move from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer.

Gassama has now scored six goals in all competitions for the Light Blues, having scored four goals in the Champions League qualifiers and one in th Europa League, per Transfermarkt, after a £2.2m move from the Owls.

The French winger will be hoping that his goal against Dundee will be a platform to build from for the rest of the season, as he looks to provide consistent quality at the top end of the pitch on the left flank.

Rangers will also be hoping that is the case so that they can mark him down as another successful attacking signing, of which there have been a few in recent seasons.

Ranking Rangers biggest talents since they last won the Premiership

Since the Gers won the Premiership title under Steven Gerrard in the 2020/21 campaign, the Scottish giants have not had too much success on the pitch or with managers.

A couple of domestic cup wins has not been enough to see continuity in the dugout, which is a cause for concern, but the Light Blues have had some exciting players to watch in the last few years.

It is hard to look past Vaclav Cerny and Hamza Igamane as being two of the biggest talents at the club since the last league win. Cerny provided 18 goals and nine assists in all competitions, whilst the Morocco international managed 16 goals and three assists.

Calvin Bassey, who was sold to Ajax for £19.6m, also has to be up there because he is the club’s most expensive sale of all time, and is currently playing consistently in the Premier League with Fulham.

Arguably the biggest talent Rangers have had since they last won the league, though, is attacking midfielder Malik Tillman, who was on loan from Bayern Munich in the 2023/24 campaign.

1

Malik Tillman

2

Hamza Igamane

3

Calvin Bassey

4

Vaclav Cerny

5

Abdallah Sima

The USA international provided 12 goals and five assists in all competitions for the club during his loan spell, per Transfermarkt, and provided many moments of quality for the supporters to enjoy.

On top of his excellent performances for Rangers, Tillman has gone on to enjoy a successful career away from Ibrox. He currently plays for German giants Bayer Leverkusen and is valued at £30m by Transfermarkt, which is more than any other player on that list.

It is, therefore, hard to argue against the goalscoring midfielder being the biggest talent Rangers have had since they last won the league, because he is currently the most valuable former or current Gers player, per Transfermarkt, from then to now.

Whilst Gassama will be hoping to follow in Tillman’s footsteps in the months and seasons to come, there is another Gers star who could be the club’s biggest talent since the American.

Chalkboard

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

Mikey Moore has not had the perfect start to his career at Ibrox, since signing on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, but recent performances suggest that he is turning a corner.

Why Mikey Moore could be the biggest Rangers talent since Malik Tillman

The England youth international failed to provide a goal or an assist for Russell Martin in five Premiership appearances, in what was a very difficult opening couple of months for him at the club.

Since Martin’s exit, though, Moore has scored one goal and provided one assist in four appearances in the division, matching Gassama’s tally from 11 league outings this season, per Sofascore.

Like the French forward, the Spurs loanee scored his first goal for the club in the 3-0 win at Dens Park on Sunday, as he picked up the ball in a central position and finished brilliantly into the bottom corner.

The 18-year-old starlet is still learning and developing each week as he gains vital first-team experience, and it is showing in his improved performances on the pitch, with two goal contributions in the last four league matches after none in the first five.

Moore is getting better each week, as evidenced by his improved form in front of goal, and that is an exciting prospect when you consider his form for Spurs at academy level.

The English forward scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists in 24 matches at U18 level for the Premier League side, per Transfermarkt, which shows the kind of output that he has the potential to offer if he can get to his very best.

Moore, who Como scout Ben Mattinson claimed has “superstar potential”, could develop into a brilliant forward for Rangers if he can add the consistency that was shown in his performances at academy level, after finally getting off the mark in the Premiership on Sunday.

Mikey Moore

£14m

Nicolas Raskin

£10m

Mohamed Diomande

£7m

Youssef Chermiti

£7m

Nasser Djiga

£7m

Valuations via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee is currently the most valuable player in the Rangers squad, at £14m, and that is whilst he is also the youngest player in the team.

At the age of 18, Moore has so much time left ahead of him to progress and develop, and he is already showing signs of growth in his performances for the Gers.

Rangers launch first enquiry to sign versatile defender who dominated Chermiti

The Gers desperately need reinforcements.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 7, 2025

That is why the English winger could be the club’s biggest talent since Tillman because he is a future “superstar” who could go on to be worth as much, if not more, than the American star.

Nehra was not the first member of a coaching unit to get in the match officials’ bad books

ESPNcricinfo staff08-May-2025Ashish NehraGT vs MI, IPL 2025After rain at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Indians (MI) had the win in the pocket if there was no further play. It was getting close to cut-off time, and GT were understandably agitated, willing the groundstaff to dry things up quickly and get at least one more over in. Nehra, the GT coach, wasn’t only going to will them on. He was there, speaking to the groundstaff and the match officials animatedly to get the covers off quick. ESPNcricinfo understands that the demerit point and fine (25% of his match fee) he was slapped with was for his conduct at that tense juncture in the game. Happily, for Nehra, GT got a win out of it in the end.The tension of the Super Over got too much for Munaf Patel to handle•Getty ImagesMunaf PatelDC vs RR, IPL 2025Nehra wasn’t the first from the coaching staff to get pulled up for crossing a line during a match in IPL 2025, his former India team-mate Munaf beat him to it. This was during the Super Over in the game between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), when Munaf collected a demerit point and coughed up a 25% match fee fine, the same as Nehra. While the IPL didn’t specify what Munaf’s offence was, he was spotted arguing with a match official when he was not allowed to send a reserve player into the middle to pass on a message. Like with Nehra, Munaf’s team won that Super Over.MI’s batting coach Kieron Pollard added a responsibility to his job profile in IPL 2024, that of DRS coach•Mumbai IndiansKieron PollardMI vs PBKS, IPL 2024Pollard, the MI batting coach, and Tim David were pulled up and fined 20% of their match fees during the match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in New Chandigarh. Sitting in the dugout, they were found suggesting batter Suryakumar Yadav to review a wide call.The review was allowed and MI got the decision in their favour. But later, the IPL sought footage from the broadcaster to check for the sequence of events leading up to the review, and found that Pollard and David had asked Suryakumar to take the review. As per the IPL playing conditions, the two batters can consult with each other before taking a review but cannot receive help from the outside.Not a scene we’re used to seeing: Pravin Amre, the DC assistant coach, out on the field speaking with the umpire•BCCIPravin AmreDC vs RR, IPL 2022Three seasons ago, before Munaf had joined the DC back room, there was Pravin Amre there, as an assistant coach. And he was banned for a game for his part in the chaotic events in the final over of the game, when he was spotted walking into the playing area and speaking to on-field umpires Nitin Menon and Nikhil Patwardhan.It all blew up after the third delivery of the final over of DC’s chase of 222. RR bowler Obed McCoy bowled a high full toss, which Rovman Powell pulled for six. But DC felt it should have been called a no-ball for height. Powell and non-striker Kuldeep Yadav asked the umpires about it, and Rishabh Pant, the DC captain, and others joined in, gesticulating from the dugout. Pant then appeared to ask Amre to go and speak to the umpire, which he did. Both Pant and Amre were slapped with 100% match fee fines, but Amre had to also serve the ban. What’s worse, DC lost the game by 15 runs.

Mujeeb had broken the stumps with his towel while Noor had shown dissent when the umpire adjudged one of his deliveries to be a wide

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2025Afghanistan spinners Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have been handed a demerit point each for breaching Level 1 of the ICC code of conduct during the Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.Noor was found to have breached Article 2.8 which indicated “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match” while Mujeeb was charged with breaching Article 2.2, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match.”Mujeeb had broken the stumps with his towel during the match. Noor had shown dissent in the 16th over of Sri Lanka’s innings when the umpire adjudged one of his deliveries to be a wide.On-field umpires Asif Yaqoob and Virender Sharma, third umpire Faisal Afridi and fourth umpire Rohan Pandit levelled the charge. Both players admitted to their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Richie Richardson, so there was no need for formal hearings.Afghanistan’s Asia Cup campaign came to an end after they lost to Sri Lanka by six wickets. Both Noor and Mujeeb picked up a wicket each in the game.

Germany centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck fired a warning to their rivals Spain, England, France, Argentina and Portugal following a sensational 6-0 win over Slovakia in their final World Cup qualifying game on Monday. The Borussia Dortmund centre-back asserted that Germany "can beat any opponent" as long as they produce similar displays at next year's marquee event.

Germany dismantle Slovakia to directly qualify for 2026 World Cup

Germany produced one of their most sizzling performances under the reign of Julian Nagelsmann on Monday evening, as they handed Slovakia a brutal 6-0 defeat at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. It was a brilliant performance that secured top spot in Group A of the World Cup qualifying campaign and, as a result, a direct entry to next year's World Cup in the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. 

The win came on the back of an unconvincing 2-0 win over Luxembourg last week, with pressure on Nagelsmann and his players to finish their qualifying campaign on a high against a team that shocked the Germans with a 2-0 win in the opening game in September. However, it was a mightily impressive display from the four-time world champions. 

The in-form Woltemade continued his impressive goal scoring form internationally by breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute, with Serge Gnabry doubling the margin 11 minutes later. Leroy Sane, whose future in international football has been a hot topic of debate in recent months, dispelled all doubts regarding his place in the national setup by scoring a brace, his goals coming in the 36th and 41st minute. 

The hosts took their foot off the pedal after the break, but they were still too hot to handle for the gobsmacked Slovaks in the second half. Substitutes Ridle Baku and Assan Ouedraogo scored the fifth and the sixth goals for Germany, respectively, to cap off a sensational performance. In the process, Ouedraogo became the second-youngest player in Germany history to score on debut, aged just 19 years and 192 days.

AdvertisementAFPSchlotterbeck wants to win the World Cup with Germany

Schlotterbeck returned to the starting lineup against Slovakia after missing the Luxembourg game due to a minor injury, playing 62 minutes. After the game, the Borussia Dortmund star spoke to and issued a strong warning to Die Mannschaft's most competitive rivals ahead of the World Cup.

“If we play like we did today, we are a very good team. And if the players who can help us but are currently injured come back, I believe we can have a very strong World Cup. The first step has been taken – and at the World Cup, the next steps will follow,” said Schlotterbeck. 

“If we play the World Cup like we did at the Euros last year – with a bit more luck and slightly better performances – we can really make an impact. If we play like we did today, it doesn’t matter whether we're facing the 46th-ranked team or the top-ranked team. We can beat any opponent. We are still Germany. We want to achieve something. I want to go to the World Cup to win it.”

Germany possess ridiculous depth

The Germans spent the majority of the qualifying campaign without several key figures. Indeed, the likes of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Antonio Rudiger, Jamal Musiala, and Kai Havertz were all sidelined with injuries since the start of the season and didn't feature in a single World Cup qualifying game. 

What's more, the national team has been undergoing a big transition following the 2024 European Championship, with veterans Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, and Manuel Neuer hanging up their boots internationally. Even still, there has been speculation regarding Neuer's possible return to the national setup.

Considering the aforementioned absentees are fit and available for the World Cup next summer, Germany could have one of the strongest units on paper. They will boast of ridiculous depth. Names such as Florian Wirtz, Jonathan Tah, David Raum, Nico Schlotterbeck, Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Serge Gnabry, Nick Woltemade, Karim Adeyemi, Niklas Sule, and Maximilian Mittelstadt have become regular fixtures under Nagelsmann, while the likes of Said El Mala, Ouedraogo, Baku make up for their international inexperience with loads of talent. 

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Getty Images SportSchlotterbeck's Dortmund future uncertain

While the 25-year-old has firmly established himself as one of the first names on Germany's team sheet, his future at club levels remains a topic of speculation. With his contract expiring in June 2027, Dortmund are keen to ensure their star centre-back commits his long-term future at the Signal Iduna Park.

However, Schlotterbeck remains in no rush to make any decisions over his future. "But it won’t be so early that I extend my contract. We’ll have talks now. I’ll sit down with Sebastian Kehl, make a plan, and then we’ll see what comes of it," the former Union Berlin defender revealed in September. 

The likes of Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid have been linked with a move for Schlotterbeck next summer.

Chase DeLauter is making some history on Wednesday.

The Guardians have decided to call up their No. 2 prospect to make his first MLB start in Game 2 of their wild-card round matchup with the Detroit Tigers. Trailing 1-0 in the series, Cleveland has added DeLauter to the lineup for a do-or-die game.

DeLauter will start in center field and bat seventh in the lineup. The 23-year-old will become the sixth player in MLB history to make his debut in the postseason. It's a huge move in a big spot for the franchise, but after losing Tuesday's series opener 2-1, the team is looking for a spark. Maybe the rookie can provide it.

Everything you should know about Chase DeLauter

The Guardians selected the 6'3" 235-pound DeLauter with the 16th pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft. He was not a highly recruited prep player, but he crushed pitching at James Madison for three years, including posting a 1.404 OPS as a junior. In that season, he slashed .437/.576/.828 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs.

While his college numbers were huge, DeLauter made a name for himself during the 2021 Cape Cod League, where he led the circuit with nine home runs and a .589 slugging percentage. That boosted his stock entering his draft year and led to his selection. He broke his foot midway through the 2022 season, but it didn't hurt his stock. Cleveland inked him to a $3.75 million signing bonus, but he reinjured his foot, stunting his rise.

After making his minor league debut in 2023, DeLauter absolutely raked, which helped him jump three levels in one season. He slashed .355/.417/.528 with five home runs, 22 doubles, and 39 RBIs, reaching Double-A by the end of the campaign. He re-broke his foot in April 2024, and his hitting fell off, but he did reach Triple-A by the end of the season.

In 2025, he opened the season in Triple-A, but underwent surgery for a right hamate fracture and hasn't played since July 11. So far in 2025, he's hitting .264 with a .379 on-base percentage and a .473 slugging percentage, with seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 42 games.

During his three-year career, DeLauter has played only 138 minor league games due to his multiple injuries. Over that time, he's slashing .302/.384/.504 with 20 home runs and 87 RBIs.

MLB Pipeline currently has him ranked as the 54th-best prospect in all of baseball.

It will be quite a jump for DeLauter to go from the injured list to starting an MLB playoff game. The Guardians clearly have faith in him.

Mohamed Salah has paid the price for his recent poor form and been dropped to the bench by Liverpool boss Arne Slot for the clash with West Ham. And the Reds' boss has explained his reasoning behind the move after making sweeping changes to the side in the wake of the dreadful 4-1 midweek home defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

Egyptian King falls short of high standards

Salah's performances this season have been widely considered to have fallen short of his usual superstar standards. In the Premier League, he has scored only four goals and chipped in with just two assists in 12 appearances, a significant relative drop from his 29 goals and 18 assists last season. His attacking numbers have noticeably declined across the board, including fewer shots, touches in the opposition's penalty box, and a much lower dribble completion rate per 90 minutes. Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness have criticised his form and lack of defensive contribution. But the departure of creative partner Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid is cited as a significant contributing factor to his struggles in the new system under Slot, who has now dropped the Egyptian to the bench for the crunch clash with West Ham at the London stadium.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSlot reveals reason for dropping Mo

Ahead of the match with West Ham, Slot told Sky Sports: "We played four games in 10 days. I have many good players so today I chose a different line-up. Sometimes Alex is on the bench, sometimes Florian. It's about the players on the pitch. It's the 11 I chose. I have more than 11 good players and it's not the first time I've chosen not to play Mo."

Carragher: 'His legs have gone'

Salah delivered an anonymous performance in the home defeat by PSV and after the match Kop legend Carragher tore into the Liverpool forward.

Carragher told CBS Sports: “I'm angry with the players, if I'm being totally honest, I'm really angry with the players. But it does get to a stage with any manager at any club — I always use this word — untenable, where it almost feels like it can't go on any longer. I'm not quite there yet, personally in terms of the manager, but I know a lot of supporters will be. I've had a lot of time to think about it, because I knew the game was over well before the final whistle. I think what you see now is, Liverpool in 2018 under (Jurgen) Klopp starts this sort of journey being a great team, and then Slot comes in, and we're now seven or eight years later.

Carragher added: "The catalyst for Liverpool at the very start of that run was Alisson, van Djik and Salah. Alisson's injured a lot now, so he doesn't play so much, but you're watching van Djik now, not the same player, and Mo Salah looks like his legs have gone. I don't like criticising them, and I think some of the criticism of them this season as players has been harsh. You’re always looking for your leaders in your team to step up when things are not going well.” 

And speaking to talkSPORT, Reds hero Souness said: "How long have we got?. He's been an absolute superstar. This is the nicest thing I can say about Salah, he's been the go-to man for the last seven years. If you're picking an all-time Liverpool eleven, he's one of the first names on the team sheet. I think it's his brother that's turned up this season."

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Getty Images SportWaiting game for Salah

Mo will have to wait for his chance against West Ham and then look to his manager to reintroduce him with matches against Sunderland and Leeds in the coming seven days. But soon he will be heading off to represent Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations and could miss as many as eight games across the festive and New Year period.

Pep Guardiola made ten changes for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen, Nico González the only man to keep his place and, well, this certainly did not pay off.

Manchester City were beaten in a home group stage tie for the first time since defeat to Olympique Lyonnais in September 2018, with Leverkusen leaving the Etihad comfortable 2-0 winners.

Nico O’Reilly, Jérémy Doku and Phil Foden were all introduced at half time, with Rayan Cherki and Erling Braut Håland thrown on soon after, but they still rarely threatened die Werkself’s goal.

Thus, the Sky Blues’ top eight spot in the Champions League is now somewhat under threat, traveling to Real Madrid in a fortnight, before rounding out the league phase against Bodø/Glimt in the Arctic Circle and then Galatasaray at home in late January.

After the match, Guardiola bemoaned his lack of squad depth, so could it spark him to go into the January transfer market, potentially set to make a move to sign the “best winger in the country”?

Manchester City targeting attacking reinforcements

In January this year, Manchester City splashed around £180m, recruiting Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, Juma Bah, the aforementioned Nico González and Omar Marmoush, thereby spending more than the other 19 Premier League clubs combined.

Well, according to reports in Spain, similar heavy investment is forecast this winter, with the Citizens having made Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo a ‘priority target’.

They add that Man City are among those ‘considering’ making a January move for the Ghanaian attacker, alongside Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and others.

Well, earlier this month, it was reported that Semenyo’s contract contains a £65m release clause that becomes active on 1 January, meaning the winger could have his pick of clubs, and Bournemouth would be powerless to prevent him departing.

So, could the 25-year-old soon swap Dorset for East Manchester?

How Antoine Semenyo would improve Manchester City

So far this season, former England international Chris Waddle has asserted that Semenyo is the “best winger in the country”, while Anantaajith Raghuraman of The Athletic took it a step further, arguing that he is ‘the best player in the Premier League right now’.

These are certainly not outrageous claims, considering the Ghanaian international has scored six goals and registered three assists already in this campaign.

More broadly, the Bournemouth attacker has been one of the stars across the whole league so far, as the table below highlights.

Goals

6

4th

Assists

3

5th

Shot on target %

57.1%

2nd*

Non-pen goals – xG

+2

7th

Big chances missed

5

6th

Goal-creating actions

7

3rd

Attempted take-ons

50

6th

Successful dribbles

21

6th

Average rating

7.21

20th

As the table documents, Semenyo has been one of the most outstanding players in the Premier League this season.

Only Håland, Igor Thiago and Danny Welbeck have scored more goals while, of all players who’ve mustered ten or more shots on target, Håland is the only one to boast a higher shots on target percentage, underlining his newfound clinical nature.

Lifting some of the burden on Håland would be a key benefit of signing Semenyo in January.

In the league thus far, the Norwegian already has 14 goals to his name, but the only other player to have netted more than once for the Citizens is Maxime Estève, who scored two own goals when Burnley visited the Etihad in September.

Players such as Foden, Cherki, Doku, Savinho and others have shown glimpses of brilliance, but nothing on a consistent basis on par with what Semenyo has been producing by the South Coast.

Thus, alongside Håland, he could form an unstoppable partnership that could bring the glory days back to the Etihad, as they seek to chase down Premier League leaders Arsenal once again.

4/10 Man City duo who "offer nothing" must now never start together again

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