Gujarat Titans may be facing an over-reliance on the top order they need to sort out

Shashank Kishore01-Apr-20253:42

Knight: RCB attack good for home venue, spin the only question

Big PictureVirat Kohli and Sunil Chhetri, two of India’s biggest sporting icons, will be playing within 2kms of each other on Wednesday evening. This prospect has the traffic cops working overtime to ensure seamless traffic management in Bengaluru.Inside the Chinnaswamy, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) were queuing up for sessions for range hitting in their respective halves. The centre of the surface was cordoned off for the curator, who it seems has also worked overtime.The WPL finished three weeks ago, but the heat and dryness has only meant the pitches here have looked a lot browner than usual. If it remains that way, RCB won’t mind that. They come home on the back of two straight wins to kick-off the season. This has happened only twice earlier, in 2014 and 2021. Along the way, their performances have elicited questions on the (lack of) “home advantage” factor in Kolkata and Chennai.In any other season, this perceived lack of home advantage may have been telling for RCB. This time promises to be different. It was at the Chinnaswamy that RCB sealed an unreal run to the playoffs last year – winning three out of their last six games back-to-back at home.This year, RCB believe they have built a squad that can take these unforgiving pitches out of the equation. A gun pace attack, a defensive spinner who sticks to a set template, and a line-up that bats deep. It’s for them to prove now that home advantage is real.It’s amid the deafening crowd support for RCB that GT will have to sift through several combinations. Is there a case for Jos Buttler to open with Shubman Gill just to give their powerplay a bit more impetus? There’s also a sense their middle order is slightly undercooked, perhaps Nos. 4 and 5 are spots a tad high for Shahrukh Khan and Sherfane Rutherford.With David Miller not retained and Rahul Tewatia not in the same hitting form he once was, there could be an over-reliance on the top order they need to mitigate. The bowling, though, is capable of stepping up. Prasidh Krishna comes back home – he plays for Karnataka – and Mohammed Siraj returns to a venue that was his IPL home for the last seven years. Rashid Khan is capable of doing Rashid Khan things irrespective of whether there is grip or turn.1:30

Aaron: Siraj vs Kohli will be fun to watch

New loyaltiesSiraj, the man RCB fans affectionally call ‘Miyaan’ or ‘DSP’, is now with GT. Siraj was RCB’s joint-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2024. Anuj Rawat, Sherfane Rutherford and Mahipal Lomror have all played for RCB previously. Since leaving, this will be the first time they will face off against their former franchise.Team news and likely XIIRCB will only probably have to ponder whether Suyash Sharma fits into their plans as an Impact Sub. It’ll likely be a toss-up between him and Rasikh Dar, who brings with him improved death-bowling skills.Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable): 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Suyash Sharma/Rasikh DarGT will have a close watch on Sai Sudharsan, who appeared to have injured his hamstring while fielding against MI. If he isn’t fit to play, they could bring in Anuj Rawat.Gujarat Titans (probable): 1 Sai Sudharsan/Anuj Rawat, 2 Shubman Gill (capt), 3 Jos Buttler, 4 Sherfane Rutherford, 5 Shahrukh Khan, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 R Sai Kishore, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Prasidh Krishna, 12 Ishant SharmaBig questionSince IPL 2023, the Chinnaswamy has the fifth-worst average and third-worst economy rate for legspinners. It’s under this backdrop RCB may wonder if they should hold back Suyash Sharma, while trusting Liam Livingstone and Krunal Pandya to do the job. This could allow them to bring in either Swapnil Singh or Rasikh Dar as the Impact Sub.In the Spotlight: Devdutt Padikkal and Shubman GillAfter struggling for rhythm and stability at Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals, Devdutt Padikkal returns to RCB with renewed impetus on big-hitting from get-go. Traces of this were amply on display against Chennai Super Kings, when he took on the spinners to make a quickfire 14-ball 27. Padikkal has been designated to play the role Shivam Dube plays for CSK. Only time will tell if he is able to deliver with the same kind of consistency.2:12

Cricinformed: Gill’s powerplay intent up for a test in away games

Shubman Gill’s start to this season has been promising; he is striking at 173.17 after two games. His struggles in the powerplay and away games, where he averaged just 20.75 with a strike rate of 115.28, hurt GT last year. However, he returns to a high-scoring venue, where he previously scored a 52-ball 104 in 2023.Pitch and conditionsTeams haven’t experienced much dew over the past two days. As far as the surface goes, Mo Bobat, RCB’s director, expects it to be a “typical Bengaluru pitch” full of runs. For what it’s worth, 200 wasn’t breached even once in seven knockout games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s here in December. Ditto with the seven WPL games, where spinners were able to extract some bite off the surface.Key stats RCB have a 50% win record at home in IPL since 2023. This is the sixth best among all teams. CSK and MI top the charts with a win percentage of 64.70 and 60 respectively. Among the 15 batters who scored 175 or more runs in the powerplays in IPL 2024, Gill’s strike rate of 131.08 was the lowest. This year in two games, he is striking at 203.12 in that phase. For someone with Tewatia’s ability, he faces fewer deliveries than he should. In 2022, he averaged 12.3 balls per innings. It was 5.7 in 2023, and 14.3 in 2024. With Miller not part of the squad, is there a case for him to bat higher?Next three fixturesRCB don’t play more than two continuous home fixtures in the first half. After Wednesday, they play Mumbai Indians away on April 7 before returning home to play Delhi Capitals on April 10.After the game against RCB, GT hop on a short flight to play Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 6 before returning home to Rajasthan Royals on April 9.Quotes”He’s so very calm, inwardly and outwardly. He rarely, if ever, takes a backward step. And we’ve seen that with his batting, particularly against CSK. And he seems to have coped with all the other stuff that comes with captaincy really well. So at the minute I think he’s been excellent.”
“As much as I try to tell myself that it’s just another tournament, just another game, I did feel that I’m coming in after a few years and especially coming in not having played a lot of T20s in the last two years. Because the pace of the game has changed from 2022 to 2025.”

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O Palmeiras se prepara para mais uma partida decisiva na temporada. Desta vez o objetivo do time é passar para a semifinal da Copa do Brasil, mas a missão não será fácil, pois precisará reverter um resultado diante de um de seus maiores rivais: o São Paulo. Além disso, para o jogo desta quinta-feira (13), Abel Ferreira não poderá contar com Artur, que não pode atuar pela competição nacional. E agora? Quem vai substituir o atacante palmeirense?

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+ Veja tabela da Copa do Brasil-2023 clicando aqui

Artur não pode atuar pelo Verdão no torneio, pois já defendeu o Bragantino em fases anteriores. Dessa forma, é desfalque certo para a comissão técnica até o término da participação alviverde. Como se trata de um titular que encaixou perfeitamente na equipe de Abel, sua substituição passa a não ser algo tão simples, principalmente em uma partida decisiva.

+ Torcedor do Palmeiras, ajude a escolher o nome da área dedicada ao seu time no Lance! 

No jogo de ida, quando também teve o desfalque de Zé Rafael e de Rony, o treinador português optou pela mudança de esquema, escalando três zagueiros. Ríos jogou no meio no lugar de Zé, Endrick entrou na vaga que seria do Rústico e Murilo substituiu Artur.

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Contra o Fortaleza, nas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil, a opção de Abel Ferreira foi por Bruno Tabata, um meia que vinha sendo usado mais pelo lado do campo. O desempenho não foi dos melhores, mas o Palmeiras venceu em casa por 3 a 0 e perdeu fora por 1 a 0, garantindo a vaga pelo placar agregado. O jogador foi emprestado ao Qatar SC por um ano e está mais à disposição da comissão técnica.

Diante do Tombense, pela partida de ida da terceira fase, Dudu e Endrick chegaram a ocupar a faixa de campo que seria de Artur. Já na volta, Abel optou por um time reserva com Giovani pelo lado direito do ataque. O jovem é outro que deixou o clube recentemente rumo ao Al Sadd-QAT. Ou seja, duas peças usadas na função que não estão mais disponíveis.

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+ Zé Rafael treina, e Palmeiras inicia preparação para a decisão pela Copa do Brasil

Se não mudar o esquema, seja colocando mais um zagueiro, seja colocando mais um meio-campista, difícil imaginar quem seria o escolhido por Abel Ferreira. Com Endrick centralizado, Rony talvez fosse deslocado para a esquerda e Dudu para a direita. Com Breno Lopes pela esquerda, Dudu também poderia cair pela direita e Rony ficaria no meio. Já com Luis Guilherme a formação se manteria, mas a característica seria diferente.

De qualquer forma, Abel terá mais três treinos para definir o esquema com o qual tentará reverter a vantagem que o São Paulo conquistou no Morumbi. Nesta quinta (13), às 20h, no Allianz Parque, o Palmeiras precisa vencer por 1 a 0 para levar a decisão para os pênaltis, ou por dois ou mais gols para definir a classificação no tempo normal.

Ousmane Dembele couldn’t hold back his emotions as he thanked his family after winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or. His story is one of resilience. A star boy who threatened to end in failure, surrounded by injury struggles and a Barcelona move which simply never clicked. But ultimately a player who now sits atop football’s throne after undergoing his very own remontada at Paris Saint-Germain.

For all the opinions about those who missed out on the award, it should not take away from the Frenchman’s own story. No one could have foreseen the genius of Luis Enrique’s new false nine other than the PSG boss himself. Dembele became reborn. A player who simply did not score enough became a player who could not stop doing so.

By the time the final whistle sounded in PSG’s 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in the Champions League final, Dembele had scored 35 goals and assisted another 16 in all competitions, with seven of those contributions coming in the knockout stage of Europe’s elite competition. There aren’t many who enjoyed a better season than the former Barcelona man. France Football believes that not a single player did, in fact.

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Lamine Yamal was forced to settle for second place. He’s the star boy that Dembele was and so much more, but he’s been forced to wait before his potential era of dominance commences. Vitinha, meanwhile, surprised many by placing third. The classy midfielder played a key role alongside Dembele in PSG’s treble last season and has earned his place among the world’s best from Wolverhampton Wanderers failure years prior.

And then there’s Mohamed Salah in fourth. Yes, fourth. The Egyptian, who missed out on nomination altogether last season, failed to even make the podium following a year that many believe was worthy of winning the award itself.

Why Salah was robbed of the Ballon d'Or

There aren’t many players who enjoyed a better season than Dembele, as mentioned, but Salah did. The Egyptian created history in the Premier League with more goal involvements than any other player in the history of a 38-game season and even matched the record set by Alan Shearer, who needed 42 games. Simply put, he was unstoppable.

Appearances

52

53

Goals

34

35

Assists

23

16

The Ballon d’Or’s social media revealed the criteria for winning the award before the ceremony, stating that individual performances, decisive and impressive character, team performances and achievements, class and fair play would decide the rankings.

Based on the above metrics, it feels absurd that Salah finished outside the top three. The only player close to matching him was indeed Dembele, who deserved to be neck and neck with the Egyptian, not miles beyond him.

Where Salah lost Ballon d'Or votes

Ultimately, Salah will look back on Liverpool vs PSG as the turning point for the Ballon d’Or. Once again, rightly or wrongly, the Champions League took precedence over anything else in the minds of France Football. One penalty shootout between two of the world’s best, who just happened to meet in the last 16, arguably played a large part in Dembele’s eventual victory and Salah’s snub.

That’s where the award is slightly flawed. It’s human nature to lean towards recency, but those voting for the Ballon d’Or winner simply must consider the season as a whole rather than the final months before the ceremony. Salah was strolling towards his throne in the first-half of the campaign, having recorded 30 goal involvements in the Premier League by the time that January arrived.

Dembele, meanwhile, was yet to get going. The forward had recorded 13 league goal involvements and had found the back of the net just eight times. It was far from Ballon d’Or-worthy. We now know, of course, that Enrique’s genius soon played a part and the Frenchman’s best was unlocked, but it was Salah who looked on course for the famous award.

By no means did the Liverpool man bring his form to a sudden halt, either – adding 17 more goal involvements to his name before the Premier League campaign came to an end. Alas, somewhere along the way, the glimmer of PSG’s Champions League trophy blinded France Football to the history that Salah had created.

For now, Liverpool’s Egyptian King is forced to wait for his crowing moment on football’s biggest stage. Whether his time will come at all is now the big question. If that does not arrive, then Salah will no doubt join the likes of Andres Iniesta and Thierry Henry as one of the greatest players to somehow miss out on the award.

Durham will hope the threat of fourth-afternoon weather does not ruin their chances of claiming a Rothesay County Championship victory over Yorkshire at the Banks Home Riverside.Yorkshire can lay claim to having the better of day three thanks to taking the last nine first-innings wickets for 126 through until early afternoon, limiting the hosts to 427 all out in reply to 307. Alex Lees was removed for a standout 172 and Emilio Gay for an excellent 152.New-ball seamer Jack White led the way with three wickets, but all five of the county’s quicks struck, including New Zealand overseas debutant Ben Sears.However, Durham chipped away at the second-innings wickets on a slow pitch, restricting Yorkshire to 132 for four from 59 overs at close. Their lead is only 12.Former England Test opener Adam Lyth reached 15,000 first-class career runs amidst a patient 53 in the North East sunshine, while Ben Raine and Matthew Potts struck twice apiece.Lees and Gay, who faced 240 and 239 balls respectively, completed a record second-wicket partnership of 279 – their county’s highest ever for that particular wicket in first-class cricket.That beat the 274 Scott Borthwick and Mark Stoneman that shared against Middlesex here in 2014.Yorkshire hit back strongly during a morning which saw Durham advance from 264 for one overnight to 386 for six at lunch, with Lees and Gay both falling.While Yorkshire started the day with the spin of Dom Bess, all five wickets fell to seam.Matthew Revis is playing his first game since suffering a back stress fracture last August and struck twice in as many overs when he had Lees caught at long-leg following a top-edged pull and Colin Ackermann caught behind for a duck.Ollie Robinson was trapped lbw by White, now bowling with the new ball, before Will Rhodes fell the same way to Sears, who earlier took a smart diving catch running in from long-leg to help Revis remove Lees.Sandwiched in between the departures of Robinson and Rhodes, George Hill squared Gay up and rocked back his off stump shortly after the left-hander had reached his 150 off 235 balls.And inside 10 overs of the afternoon, Durham had been bowled out, with White and Jordan Thompson striking twice apiece.White bowled Raine and had Brendan Doggett caught behind, while Thompson struck twice in the 104th over to get Graham Clark caught at first slip for 33 and Paul Coughlin caught behind.Coughlin batted lower down than usual at No. 10 because of an abdominal injury suffered whilst bowling on day one, leaving Durham a bowling option light second time around.While the morning’s play perhaps suggests otherwise, there isn’t as much life in this Riverside pitch for the bowlers as there was on day one.Yorkshire lost Fin Bean lbw early on to Raine’s seam – 25 for one – before Lyth reached the 15,000-run mark with a trademark cover drive against Potts to move to 15 before tea.Potts had James Wharton caught at deep square-leg following a miscued pull early in the evening as Yorkshire fell to 39 for two.From there, Lyth and Dawid Malan dug in on a slow pitch to chip away at the deficit, sharing 75 for the third wicket. But both fell in the final hour to boost Durham’s chances.Lyth reached his fifty off 128 balls – his second of the season added to a century – but fell lbw to Raine with the deficit still six.Potts then bowled Malan for 37, leaving Yorkshire at 117 for four.Yorkshire captain Jonny Bairstow ended the day unbeaten on two.

This current Celtic team are insipid, uninspiring and lifeless in attack, so just imagine how much Matt O’Riley would improve everything.

When the 20 year old arrived from Milton Keynes in January 2022 for a reported fee of £1.5m, no one could’ve forecast just how good he would be.

In the end, the Danish international is in the conversation to be Celtic’s best attacking midfielder of modern times, scoring 27 goals and registering 35 assists in 124 appearances for the Hoops, named the club’s player of the year and players’ player of the year in 2023/24.

He was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion for £25m just 13 months ago, before joining Olympique de Marseille on a season-long loan this summer, starting les Phocéens’ Champions League opener against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu on Tuesday.

As replacements Arne Engels and Benjamin Nygren struggle to hit the heights O’Riley reached in Glasgow, did Celtic sell their own homegrown version, whose value has increased by almost 1,300% since leaving?

A lack of pathways for Celtic youngsters

Most top-flight Scottish clubs, not just Celtic, are often criticised for not giving academy graduates an opportunity.

Of course, current squad members Kieran Tierney, Callum McGregor, James Forrest and, to a slightly lesser extent, Anthony Ralston have managed to come through the academy and become first-team regulars, but the vast majority do not.

The table below documents a selection of Celtic academy youngsters who have been forced to depart in search of regular first-team action.

Selected Celtic academy sales since 2020

Players

Celtic apps

Club joined

Joey Dawson

1

Scunthorpe

Daniel Cummings

1

West Ham

Rocco Vata

6

Watford

Bosun Lawal

1

Stoke

Daniel Kelly

6

Millwall

Conor Hazard

7

Plymouth

Karamoko Dembélé

10

Brest

Owen Moffat

3

Blackpool

Ben Gannon Doak

2

Liverpool

Armstrong Oko-Flex

2

West Ham

All information courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table documents, none of the players listed made more than ten appearances for Celtic’s first team, all sold for, at most, nominal compensation fees.

Karamoko Dembélé was the most-hyped, but Ben Gannon Doak is the name that leaps off the page, given that he just joined Bournemouth from Liverpool in a deal worth £25m, and is a starter for Steve Clarke’s Scotland side.

Due to post-Brexit rules, English clubs in particular are looking north of the border for talent, given that it is now more difficult to bring youngsters in from the EU.

Thus, is there another Celtic youngster who departed seven years ago who they may rue selling most of all?

Forgotten former Celtic youngster starring in Italy

During the 2010s, brothers Liam and Ewan Henderson were both coming through the Celtic young ranks together to plenty of excitement.

Liam, the older of the duo, made his senior debut against Motherwell in December 2013, actually accumulating 37 appearances in total, albeit 23 were as a substitute.

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He spent six months on loan at Rosenborg, before also being loaned out to Hibernian, etching himself into club history by helping Hibs win the Scottish Cup for the first time in 114 years, coming off the bench to provide two assists against Rangers in the final.

Ian Crocker’s commentary line, “it’s Liam Henderson to deliver”, now a core part of Hibs’ folklore.

However, he did not manage to have quite the same impact at Celtic, despite the fact Brendan Rodgers said “as time goes on, he impresses me even more… what I love about Liam, he’s got great personality”.

Nevertheless, he was sold to Bari in January 2018 for just £115k, and has called Italy home ever since.

After making just 19 appearances for I Galletti, he spent time at Hellas Verona, Empoli on loan and Lecce, re-joining Empoli permanently in 2021, featuring 119 times for the Azzurri, a key figure during their stay in Serie A, racking up 15 assists.

This summer, he finally departed Stadio Carlo Castellani, joining fallen giants Sampdoria, scoring on his debut for I Blucerchiati against Spezia in the Coppa Italia, starting their first three Serie B matches subsequently.

Thus, Football Transfers estimate that his current market value is around £1.6m, which represents a 1291% increase on the £115k he departed Celtic for.

Also, according to Global Football Rankings, Serie A, where Henderson has played the vast majority of his football, is the second-strongest league in the world, while his current home Serie B is 30th, just three spots below the Scottish Premiership.

Thus, it is unquestionable that Henderson possesses the talent and the quality to have been a key contributor at Celtic, had things panned out differently, or at the very least been able to bring in a significantly higher transfer fee.

A creative midfield star at a string of clubs since departing Parkhead, there is a sense that the Glasgow side have perhaps let a homegrown O’Riley slip from their grasp.

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Posts ByDan Emery Sep 17, 2025

Adrien Rabiot’s strong criticism of Serie A’s decision to stage AC Milan’s clash with Como in Australia has sparked a fiery response from league CEO Luigi De Siervo. The executive hit back, urging the French midfielder to “respect the money he earns” and “just play football,” defending the move as necessary to promote Italian football globally.

Rabiot's criticism sparks backlash

Rabiot’s outspoken attack on Serie A’s decision to stage AC Milan’s fixture against Como in Perth, Australia, has ignited a war of words. Calling the idea “completely crazy,” the French midfielder questioned the logic of forcing Italian clubs to play nearly 14,000 kilometres from home. His comments came shortly after UEFA officially approved the controversial plan, citing “exceptional circumstances” linked to the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will occupy Milan’s San Siro that weekend.

The clash, set for February 2026, will be the first Serie A match held outside Italy. While UEFA reiterated that this approval “should not set a precedent,” the move has drawn sharp reactions from players and fans alike, with Rabiot’s remarks standing out as the most direct criticism yet.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDe Siervo hits back at Rabiot

Lega Serie A CEO De Siervo wasted no time responding to Rabiot’s outspoen work. Speaking on the sidelines of a league meeting at Stadio Olimpico, De Siervo firmly defended the league’s decision and dismissed the midfielder’s complaints.

“Rabiot’s outburst about AC Milan-Como in Australia? He forgets, like all footballers who earn millions of euros, that they’re paid to do something, just play football,” De Siervo said. “He should have respect for the money he earns and be more accommodating to his employer, AC Milan, who agreed and pushed for this match to be played abroad.”

He stressed that players must understand the balance between global exposure and sporting demands, adding: “Top players, whose salaries are commensurate with the effort they put in, should understand that this is a sacrifice that can be made.”

Serie A chief defends global expansion

De Siervo further justified Serie A’s decision by drawing comparisons with other major sporting events. “The Tour de France started in Florence, the Giro d’Italia starts regularly from abroad. This is done to strengthen the product, not weaken it,” he explained.

He emphasised that the Australian fixture would enhance Italian football’s global visibility, insisting that such “exceptional sacrifices” bring long-term benefits. “We’re talking about something complicated but not impossible,” he said. “The organisational challenge is complex, but teams travel business class and are accustomed to such commitments.”

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Getty ImagesWhat was Rabiot's problem and what lies ahead?

Rabiot’s stance reflects a growing concern among players about fixture congestion and player welfare. In his comments to , the midfielder said: “It’s completely crazy. These are financial agreements to give visibility to the league, things that are beyond us.”

The February 2026 Milan-Como clash will mark a historic moment for Serie A, and a major test for its international expansion strategy. UEFA’s reluctant approval underscores the fragile balance between commercial ambition and sporting integrity.

For Serie A, success in Perth could pave the way for more global ventures, especially with La Liga also set to stage Barcelona’s fixture against Villarreal in Miami in December 2025. Yet, with players like Rabiot publicly challenging the concept, the league faces the difficult task of promoting growth abroad without alienating its stars or supporters at home.

Manchester United scouts have now reportedly been spotted watching one of the most reliable defenders that Serie A has to offer ahead of a potential 2026 move.

Man Utd's early 2026 targets

There’s still a lot of work to be done at Manchester United even after spending around £200m on reinforcements in the summer. As highlighted by their poor start, Ruben Amorim’s side could particularly do with strengthening their backline and in midfield. Whether the January transfer window presents an ideal time to do exactly that is the big question.

To that end, several potential targets have already emerged. Reports earlier this week linked both Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde with moves to Old Trafford in what would be incredibly ambitious deals for the Red Devils to pull off. However, there’s no doubt that both would be instant upgrades on Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro.

There could also be change in the dugout if Ruben Amorim fails to turn things around sooner rather than later. Reports earlier this week claimed that INEOS are already looking at the likes of Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva as potential candidates to replace their struggling manager.

The manager, himself, has since reiterated that a meeting with Sir Jim Ratcliffe was nothing more than routine this week, but the pressure is certainly building.

If the former Sporting Club boss keeps hold of his position until 2026, then he could once again receive some much-needed investment from INEOS. With scouts already spotted watching one impressive defender in Italy too, it looks as though the Red Devils are ready to welcome more fresh faces when the time comes.

Man Utd send scouts to watch Bremer

According to TeamTalk, Man United scouts have been spotted watching Gleison Bremer ahead of a potential 2026 move. TeamTalk were full of praise for the Juventus defender, dubbing him one of the most reliable defenders that Serie A has to offer. If that is the case, then it’s hard to argue that United shouldn’t be going all in on the Brazilian.

Minutes

270

360

Progressive Passes

4

9

Tackles Won

0

5

Ball Recoveries

14

14

Whilst the immediate numbers reflect harshly on Bremer, it’s worth noting that Juventus have kept 46 clean sheets in Bremer’s 93 appearances. With a record of almost one clean sheet for every two games, the Brazilian’s reliability is there for all to see.

The 28-year-old has also earned plenty of praise during his time in Turin. Analyst Ben Mattinson even went as far as to describe the defender as a “monster” in 2023 and has watched on as he’s only improved ever since.

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With their scouts in place, Man United would be wise to fend off any competition and welcome the South American in 2026.

أعلن الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم “يويفا”، عن الفائز بجائزة رجل مباراة ليفربول وآينتراخت فرانكفورت في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، مساء الأربعاء.

واستقبل آينتراخت فرانكفورت نظيره ليفربول، ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثالثة لمرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا موسم 2025-2026.

ونجح ليفربول في تحقيق فوز كبير أمام فرانكفورت بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدف، ليرفع رصيده إلى 6 نقاط في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وسجل لليفربول في مباراة اليوم، هوجو إيكتيكي، فيرجيل فان دايك، إبراهيما كوناتي، كودي جاكبو، ودومينيك سوبوسلاي.

اقرأ أيضًا | تقييم محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وفرانكفورت بـ دوري أبطال أوروبا

وحصل فيرجيل فان دايك قائد ليفربول، على جائزة رجل المباراة أمام فرانكفورت، بعد أدائه خلال اللقاء.

اختير مدافع ليفربول، فيرجيل فان دايك، أفضل لاعب في المباراة، وقالت مجموعة المراقبين الفنيين في الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم: “كان قائدًا للفريق، يُنظم كل شيء، ويتحدث دائمًا، ويشارك دائمًا”.

وأضافت: “لم تُتح لفرانكفورت سوى فرصتين، فقد قدم أداءً رائعًا في التمركز، وكان قويًا في المواجهات الفردية، كما كان لا يُقهر في الكرات الهوائية، وكان هدافًا”.

Aakash Chopra feels they shouldn’t have spent 25 crore on retaining Jurel and Hetmyer

ESPNcricinfo staff02-May-20255:35

What all went wrong for Rajasthan Royals this IPL?

Rajasthan Royals (RR) became the second side to be eliminated from the IPL 2025 playoffs race after they lost to Mumbai Indians (MI) by 100 runs in Jaipur on Thursday. Of the 11 matches they have played so far, they have won only three, and Aakash Chopra and Abhinav Mukund felt their problems started with their retention and auction strategy.RR retained Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer and Sandeep Sharma for a combined 79 crore out of a total purse of 120 crore. Jos Buttler, Trent Boult, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Avesh Khan were some of the big names they let go of and didn’t buy back at the auction.”I am thinking that once they decided to go with an all-Indian batting line-up,” Chopra said on ESPNcricinfo Time Out, “in which Samson was the most experienced and the oldest, with Shimron Hetmyer lower down the order – the only overseas batting option – is that even a viable option?Related

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“We say it’s a young man’s game, fine but if you put all of them together – they’re all talented, they’re all skilful – but there’s not a senior stateman in the side, something that Jos Buttler used to do till last year, is that even a viable option? Even in the Indian T20 team, you still need a Suryakumar Yadav to handle whoever else is around him, before and after him. Hardik Pandya comes in and gives you some amount of stability.”This kind of performance almost represents what the youth can give you on a day when everything goes wrong. Of course, what Vaibhav Suryavanshi will give you is also what youth can give you one day, but there are two very drastically opposite ends of performances that can happen with this team and you do not really have a senior guy to hold it together.”Chopra felt RR spent too much to retain Jurel (14 crore) and Hetmyer (11 crore), which handcuffed them when it came to assembling a good bowling attack. They did buy Jofra Archer, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana but all three have had a below-average season.Jofra Archer has ten wickets in 11 games at an economy of 9.66•BCCI

“I don’t think Dhruv Jurel would have fetched 14 at the auction,” he said. “I don’t think Shimron Hetmyer would have got 11. So that’s 25 crore, and if you think those two are worth 15, 16, or 17 in the auction put together, you still free up 8 crore. In fact, I would also invest in the two Indian spinners. Your spinners have to be Indians most of the time, unless there is Rashid [Khan]. Most [Indian] spinners are generally very expensive. If you’re looking at Chahal, you can’t get him again. He went for 18 crore. Noor Ahmad was one guy they should have, could have gone for. They didn’t really target him. They went for Wanindu. See, Wanindu has been a phenomenal bowler for Sri Lanka but his returns in the IPL are very middling.”Abhinav agreed with Chopra. “Their one good bowler and the one whom they spent the most money on is Archer,” he said. “Unfortunately, their Indian picks didn’t go right. Tushar Deshpande was benched for this particular game; he was bought for a lot of money, 6.5 crore.”But then again, you invested in two more batters: Nitish Rana [4.2 crore] and Vaibhav Suryavanshi [1.1 crore]. How much ever I think, I would not have bought them [for that money]. I would have invested that money in a couple of good bowlers.”The last time they had Avesh Khan, Chahal, Ashwin, Trent Boult and Sandeep Sharma. These are five proper, bankable bowlers. That’s a well-rounded bowling line-up. You should eventually get at least two or three. But you decided not to retain any bowler [barring Sandeep] and now they are facing the wrath of it.”Another hole that RR failed to plug at the auction table was that of an allrounder. That meant, despite the Impact Player rule, they often lacked depth in both batting and bowling.”The only team that was not having a sixth bowling option despite Impact Player was Rajasthan Royals,” Chopra said. “Now Riyan Parag is giving you a couple of overs but is he your best sixth bowling option? No, he is not.”I thought they would fix that problem, that, okay, we need a bridge, somebody who can bat and bowl, we will get an allrounder in the auction. Again, they didn’t go in that direction either. So, what they didn’t have, they didn’t try to acquire. What they did have, they thought they would get it in the auction, but they didn’t, which is their bowling department.”

Manchester United have been known to splash the cash over the last couple of years, spending over £800m on new additions for the side since the summer of 2022.

Erik ten Hag was responsible for the vast majority of such spending, having five windows to make the additions he thought would transform the club’s fortunes.

The likes of Casemiro, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund were all brought in under the Dutchman’s guidance, with the latter two departing the Red Devils in the closing stages of the recent window.

However, current boss Ruben Amorim has also spent in the region of £200m alone this window, securing the signatures of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

Such funds are way higher than any supporter would’ve expected, but it may have been an even bigger shopping spree had they completed a deal for Carlos Baleba.

Man Utd’s hunt for Baleba this summer

In an attempt to bolster the midfield department, United targeted various options in the Premier League, with Adam Wharton just one name on their shortlist.

However, Brighton star Baleba was undoubtedly the biggest target, with Amorim’s side making an approach for the Cameroonian international’s signature ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

While at one stage the player himself seemed keen on a switch to Old Trafford, a move failed to materialise as the Seagulls were reluctant to offload the 21-year-old talent.

Fabian Hurzeler’s side stated that they wanted a fee in the region of £100m to part ways with Baleba, but such a figure was out of the Red Devils’ budget after their previous dealings in the window.

It remains unclear whether the hierarchy will return for his services in 2026, but it’s clear that the board have been targeting added reinforcements in the middle of the park.

However, despite their attempts in the market, United already have a hugely talented player in their ranks – with his recent rise now seeing his value soar over recent months.

The United talent who’s worth more than Baleba

Over the last couple of years, United have shifted their focus to recruiting younger talent to try and decrease the age of the current first-team squad.

The side for the 2025/26 Premier League campaign currently has an average age of 25.6, with the age range in the side having players placed between 17 and 39.

Casemiro is currently one of the midfield options currently at Amorim’s disposal, but the Brazilian, who is now 33, is entering the final years of his career and desperately needs to be moved on in the near future.

Youngster Kobbie Mainoo is another player who is available to Amorim in that department, but despite his success on the field in recent times, he’s fallen down the manager’s pecking order.

After his dream 2023/24 campaign, which saw an FA Cup final goal and a late strike against rivals Liverpool, many supporters would’ve expected the 20-year-old to be a first-team regular by now.

The 20-year-old, who’s been labelled “generational” by teammate Hojlund, only made 25 league appearances last season, 19 of which were from a starting role, with the likes of Casemiro often being selected ahead of the academy graduate.

His only start in 2025/26 so far came in the Carabao Cup defeat against Grimsby Town – leading to the player himself asking for a loan spell away from his boyhood side.

Kobbie Mainoo – PL stats (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	25
Pass accuracy	87%
Tackles won	1.6
Interceptions made	1.1
Blocks made	0.9
Take-on success	46%
Carries into 18-yard box	0.6
Recoveries made	4.8
Tackle success rate	60%
Stats via FBref

However, such a request was immediately dismissed, resulting in the player needing to fight for a place within the first-team squad – until January at the earliest.

Despite his recent lack of action, Mainoo has seen a swift upturn in his market value, with FootballTransfers now valuing the Englishman at a staggering £57.8m.

Such a figure is now higher than the value of Baleba, who’s now valued at just £49.1m by the same site despite his recent valuation by the club in the summer window.

Given the aforementioned price tags, it’s clear that Mainoo is still a young talent with huge potential, with Amorim desperately needing to hand him consistent minutes in the months ahead.

He’s already showcased he’s capable of thriving at Old Trafford, but he needs the manager’s backing to do so, which could potentially put a permanent end to their hunt for Baleba.

Man Utd may regret selling £73m CF who's scoring more than Sesko & Mbeumo

Manchester United may have made a mistake in offloading one top-level talisman.

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 9, 2025