Manchester United are scaling up under Ruben Amorim and may now find themselves in the driving seat to land an England international on one condition.

Man Utd dig deep to see off Crystal Palace

Despite Crystal Palace’s recent form and a loss for the Red Devils at home to Everton on Monday, Manchester United rallied from a goal down to defeat the Eagles courtesy of goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount.

Bruno Fernandes was the architect for his side and a major driving force behind their victory, which has moved the English giants further up the Premier League table as they look to qualify for European competition.

Speaking post-match, Amorim praised his side for the control they had over proceedings after they managed to break their duck in a notoriously difficult fixture encompassing years gone by.

He stated via BBC Sport: “It was small details that helped. The pace and intensity was better in the second half. I could see that Palace were getting tired at the end of the first half and knew they would suffer if we scored.

“We went on to control the game well away from our goal and in the opposition half. We controlled the game well but just have to be careful about what we did in the first half.”

There is no time for rest at Manchester United, who will now prepare for a quickfire double header against West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, offering the prospect of more points in their mission to scale the table.

Either way, their squad has started to be stretched, and the next window or two will be pivotal for the long-term future of Amorim’s tenure, and he could now be set to raid a Premier League rival to sign an England international.

Man Utd confident they can sign Adam Wharton under one condition

According to The Mirror, Manchester United are confident they can sign Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace if they achieve continental qualification this term.

Amorim believes the 21-year-old is an ideal fit for his vision at Old Trafford, though it is said the former Blackburn Rovers man is likely to snub a move should the Red Devils fail to achieve their goal of European football.

Adam Wharton vs Man Utd (Fotmob)

Chances created

1

Accurate passes

23/28

XG + XA

0.18

Defensive contributions

13

Passes in the final third

9

Part of this focus comes from the fact that he is ready to take a step onto the biggest stage. Should a summer move come to fruition, he would likely be keen to consolidate his name at one of the elite after playing a part for England at the World Cup.

Joao Gomes, Conor Gallagher and Elliot Anderson are also on the Red Devils’ list. However, Wharton, valued at £70m is their number one choice and has previously been labelled “incredible” by Eberechi Eze.

With two assists under his belt in 18 appearances across all competitions this term, the Three Lions man has imposed himself on the top-flight and would likely be a premium grade long-term replacement for Casemiro if a deal were to go through.

Man Utd now told they can sign "intense" want-away England star for £26m in 2026

The Red Devils could land a bargain deal.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 30, 2025

Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen has not received an offer from the PSL to renew his ownership of the franchise. The PCB confirmed that renewal offers, as well as new franchise fees, were sent to “all compliant PSL franchises”. A Sultans representative confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they were not one of the franchises to receive such an offer.ESPNcricinfo has spoken to some franchises who confirmed they were sent renewal offers following a meeting between the PSL management and the owners, including Tareen, on Thursday. It is believed each of the other five franchises has been given the chance to extend their ownership, with the renewal valid for a further ten years. The Sultans representatives were invited to attend meetings concerning the scheduling and operations of the upcoming PSL, though Sultans believe they were not invited to meetings concerning financial discussions.A PSL representative declined to comment when asked if Sultans’ ownership did not receive a renewal offer owing to potential non-compliance.Related

• Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi agree to extend PSL ownership rights for another ten years

• Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen makes taunting apology to PCB

• Multan Sultans owner faces threat of 'blacklist' from PCB

The long-running dispute between the PSL and Tareen spilled over into the open when Tareen publicly criticised the league in the build-up to its 10th edition for what he alleged was a lack of transparency and communication from the management. The criticism ramped up in the months that followed, and earlier this year, the PSL threatened to blacklist him unless he made a public apology.Following that threat going public, Tareen issued a taunting video apology to the management, in which he sarcastically apologised for “wanting to make the PSL better”. He ended the video by ripping up a copy of the notice the PCB had sent him.It appears evident that public “apology” is not regarded as such by the PCB. With all franchise rights up for renewal before the next season of the PSL, each franchise had the right of first refusal on renewing ownership. But the PCB had made clear to Tareen this only applied to franchises who were “compliant”, a standard they felt Tareen had fallen short of with his public critiques.According to a couple of franchises, they now have 10 days to respond to the renewal offers. All of them will have to consider paying increased annual franchise fees, at a minimum 25% more than what they pay now. Likely, with increased valuations, it will be 25% of the new value (whichever, ultimately, is higher).This year will also see the addition of two teams to the PSL. The PCB’s statement released a list of cities potential owners could name their new teams after. Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Faisalabad, Gilgit, and Rawalpindi are the new potential cities, from which two will be chosen.The new, eight-team PSL is scheduled to take place in April and May next year.

The World Cup draw, which is supposed to be a celebration of soccer, instead turned into a tribute to Donald Trump

WASHINGTON – Donald Trump could do anything he wanted – at least, that's what Gianni Infantino told him. 

That exchange – something that took no longer than 10 seconds as Trump clearly disrupted the schedule during the 2026 World Cup draw – summed up the baffling ceremony. Infantino tried to direct the President across the stage in a certain way. Trump took a different route. Whether it was a power play or simply a misunderstanding of directions, the FIFA President allowed it. 

"Mr. President, this way, this way. Oh, this way, you can do what you want," Infantino said, allowing Trump to play main man at his own party. 

But a draw is supposed to be something else entirely – not a stage for a single man.

It is supposed to let us forget the bad stuff – sportswashing, exploitation, and the uncomfortable political tensions between countries that will soon play each other.

Instead, it was an imperfect and inaccurate representation of what a World Cup should be. They are, from a hopeless football romantic’s point of view, about coming together, celebrating differences, and showcasing the world’s elite. This draw was about the exceptionalism of one country and, more specifically, one man – which misses the point altogether. What should have been the fun bit became a strange ode to one man – and that isn’t what a World Cup draw, or a tournament itself, should be about.

And everyone knew it. 

"I do not, like it, but we could have done it like, without all of this. I don't need it. But of course, it's a huge stage, and it's big entertainment. I was very well aware that it's not about the deep insight of football today," England manager Thomas Tuchel told reporters.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The circus

  It all started, of course, with Infantino. The 55-year-old Italian aimed to be the hype man in a room full of executives, coaches, celebrities, and dignitaries. It was over the top at times, but it was justifiable in his view. 

  "Because we are in America we need to make a show,” he said. 

  This was Infantino-fest 3000. He rolled his favorite line, that the World Cup would be like '104 Super Bowls.' He then led the room in chants of "USA", "Canada" and "Mexico." 

  That was one of the few times he split equal attention between all three hosts. Aside from that moment, there was little discussion of what this meant for the “other” two homes of the tournament. 

  Canada coach Jesse Marsch, a U.S. citizen who was once an assistant coach for the USMNT, admitted he was unsurprised. 

  "It was some serious pomp and circumstance, and like they said, very American, very American, to do it that way," Marsch said. 

  There was little mention of Mexico, and a brief word for Canada. Otherwise, this was an event built entirely around Trump. 

  The President, meanwhile, was given a chance to flex his football knowledge. Trump, supposedly a massive football fan, said he 'assumed' that Pele "was one of the greats."

  After, he got in on the running gag that Infantino, a stand-up comic for the ages, had pushed, suggesting that the U.S. should conform to the rest of the world, stop using the word 'soccer', and 'come up with another name for the NFL.' 

  Very few laughed.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  The FIFA Peace Prize…

  And then it was Trump's moment. It is worth acknowledging, first, that this is a World Cup that will have three hosts – even if U.S. soccer said as late as 2016 that it wanted to hold the tournament alone. Sure, the U.S. will host 78 of the 104 games, including the final. This event was also held at the Kennedy Center – reportedly due to its proximity to the White House. This does feel like the United States’ tournament. But the Prime Minister of Canada and President of Mexico were also in attendance. This should belong to all three nations. 

  Yet Trump went solo for a while. FIFA announced that it would hand out its inaugural peace prize on Nov. 4. Some within the organization reportedly didn't even know that it would be awarded. But it didn't take long to figure out that this would be handed to the President. On Nov. 5, Infantino outlined the premise for the award: 

  "The FIFA Peace Prize… will recognise the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations," he said via Instagram. 

  To further outline just how peaceful the prize was, that notion was reinforced by a video introducing it. 

  "Throughout human history, a call for peace has echoed across generations and civilizations," it began. 

  "The inaugural peace prize is presented on behalf of the billions of people who love this game and love peace," it continued. "In this spirit, we acknowledge a dynamic leader who has engaged in diplomatic efforts that created opportunities for dialogue, de-escalation, and stability, and who has championed the unifying power of football of the world's stage. The inaugural 2025 FIFA Peace Prize is proudly bestowed upon the President of the United States of America… Donald J. Trump." 

  And then he appeared. 

  Infantino gave him a glowing introduction and handed him a gaudy, glistening medal. Trump waited no time for it to be presented, and immediately threw it on. 

  "I'm gonna wear it right now," he said as he slung it around his neck. 

  “You can wear it wherever you go,” Infantino replied.

• Getty Images
  

  The underlying reality

  And then Trump started preaching. It was a confusing work of self-promotion. He spoke for two minutes. First, he listed his achievements – his efforts for peace, the wars he claimed he has stopped, the ceasefires he claimed he was solely responsible for. Next, he praised Infantino for his ticket sales efforts, conveniently ignoring the fact that prices have spiked on the resale market, making the 2026 tournament the most expensive World Cup on record. 

  After that, he reassured the world that Canada and the U.S. have an excellent relationship, something that contradicts well-known comments from the President over the past year. 

  The sobering reality is that the spectacle on stage didn’t reflect the wider geopolitical picture. Iran threatened to boycott the event after members of its delegation were denied visas. Haiti is among several countries whose citizens face restrictive travel policies to the United States. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has called on FIFA to “act on human rights” ahead of the 2026 tournament, even suggesting that relocation should be considered if protections aren’t guaranteed under current U.S. immigration policies.

  In a way, it closely mirrors the human rights concerns that were raised before the 2022 World Cup. Back then, Infantino addressed human rights violations in Qatar by pointing out that he knew what it was like to face discrimination because kids used to make fun of him for having ginger hair.

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• AFP
  

  A baffling draw

  The rest of it was deeply puzzling. FIFA rolled out of slew of big names to get involved. Matthew McConaughey popped up in a not-very-funny skit to give Rio Ferdinand some advice as to how to lead a World Cup draw (glossing over the fact that he himself has never hosted a draw for a major tournament). 

  For the event itself, which didn't start until one hour and 23 minutes into the ceremony, NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neill, NFL legend Tom Brady, and Yankees star Aaron Judge all showed up. There was a bit referencing Brady's skill as a quarterback, before the NFL great pointed out that he 'believed in America'.

  Ferdinand quipped that Judge – who hit 53 home runs last year – would 'knock it out of the park'. Wayne Gretzky, the only Canadian presence on stage, who spent the latter half of his career playing for American teams, struggled through the pronunciation of countries, breaking out the infinitely quotable 'Mac-A-Doe-ne-yah'. 

  The draw itself took around 20 minutes. 

  "I felt like football was second, and entertainment was first," Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said. "I’ve done a few draws for Euros, for Gold Cup, for Copa America, so I’ve done a lot of these kinds of events. Football should always be first." 

  In one final flourish, the Village People showed up to lip-sync "YMCA". 

  The show closed with Trump dancing in the rafters. The giddy President had owned the World Cup draw. And he knew it, too.

A billionaire candidate who looked at buying the club has reportedly made his decision on completing a takeover of Sheffield Wednesday, as their initial deadline nears.

Sheffield Wednesday near initial deadline

Whether it was optimistic or not, Sheffield Wednesday’s co-administrator Kris Wigfield initially set a soft deadline of December 5 to find a preferred bidder for the club. That is just one day away, however, and it seems unlikely that the Owls will have their answer in the next 24 hours.

Instead, it’s been a frustrating week. The club has been dealt an additional six-point deduction thanks to the lingering consequences of Dejphon Chansiri’s ownership and must already turn their focus towards Championship relegation and a campaign in League One next season.

After a decision that only adds salt to their wounds, Wednesday will hope to see some progression regarding their takeover sooner rather than later.

On that front, several rumours have emerged about a number of interested candidates and one report even claimed earlier this week that some parties may choose to put a joint bid together.

It would be quite the move to match the Owls’ £30m valuation, but whether that move is deemed acceptable by Begbies Traynor remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, reports have also claimed that Mike Ashley has already seen one offer rejected for the club, having fallen below Sheffield Wednesday’s valuation. The former Newcastle United owner is one of interested candidates, albeit one who is yet to match other bidders.

However, the same can’t be said for Anders Holch Povlsen, who has dealt those at Hillsborough a frustrating blow with his latest verdict on buying the club.

Povlsen makes Sheffield Wednesday takeover decision

According to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, as relayed by The Star, Povlsen is not among the final candidates to buy Sheffield Wednesday. The Dane may have taken a look at the club, but has decided against putting his name in the hat ahead of the Owls’ crucial decision.

For those at Hillsborough, his interest would certainly have been welcomed. Povlsen already owns Midtjylland and a Forbes profile claimed his estimated networth was $11.3 billion (£8bn) in 2022.

Related Simon Jordan reveals Sheffield Wednesday "consortium" as next takeover step shared

The Owls have set a soft deadline of December 5.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 28, 2025

The 53-year-old inherited a majority stake in ASOS and is reported to be the largest individual private landowner in the UK thanks to his land in the Scottish Highlands. So, to say that money is not an issue would be a major understatement.

Alas, it’s not just his money that made Povlsen an attractive takeover candidate before he decided against a move. The Dane also ticks the box for experience in the world of football – something other rumoured candidates do not have. In many ways, he was the ideal man for the job, but Wednesday must now look elsewhere.

Sheffield Wednesday candidates now considering shock move to complete takeover

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has now identified a “special” Real Madrid star as a priority target, joining several other Premier League clubs in the race for his signature.

Man Utd's attacking prowess on show in win at Molineux

Man United returned to winning ways on Monday night, putting in a quality attacking performance to secure a 4-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux, with Bruno Fernandes bagging a brace.

Bryan Mbeumo also bagged his sixth goal of the Premier League season in the rout, with Mason Mount getting in on the act too, and Amorim was very impressed by the Englishman’s performance.

After the attacking midfielder scooped up the Player of the Match award, Amorim said: “He can defend, he can attack, the quality when he touches the ball is really good, so it’s not a surprise for me,”

“He’s a different type of leader. It’s not like Licha [Lisandro Martinez], for example. It’s a guy that leads by the example.”

With Matheus Cunha also grabbing an assist in the routine win, which lifted United to sixth in the table, Amorim clearly has plenty of top-quality forward options at his disposal, but a Real Madrid attacker is now of interest.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Man United are now stepping up their pursuit of Arda Guler, who has been identified as a priority target by Amorim ahead of next summer.

Arsenal and Liverpool are also in the race for Guler’s signature, with Arne Slot’s side believed to be leading the race as things stand, although Madrid aren’t planning to sanction a departure easily.

The Turk is viewed as an important part of the Spanish side’s long-term project, so it remains to be seen whether the Red Devils can tempt them into a sale.

"Special" Guler could be fantastic long-term signing for Man Utd

Just 20-years-old, the attacking midfielder has managed to establish himself as an important player for Real Madrid this season, amassing three goals and seven assists across 21 matches in all competitions.

Former manager Carlo Ancelotti has also waxed lyrical about the starlet, saying: “I think the closer to goal, the better. He is very effective, he scores a lot with little space, he has a special talent. He shows it better closer to the goal.”

Beckham loves him: Man Utd submit £100m+ offer to sign England superstar

INEOS are chasing their biggest deal yet…

1

By
Tom Cunningham

4 days ago

Having already proven himself at a high level, setting up two goals in the Champions League in 2025-26, and scoring six goals in 26 appearances for Turkey, the £87k-a-week youngster could be a fantastic long-term addition to Amorim’s squad.

He’s been described as “the single best midfield prospect in world football” by writer Neal Gardner and the fact he finished second in the 2025 Golden Boys rankings, only behind PSG’s Desire Doue, says a lot.

That said, it is somewhat difficult to envisage Madrid sanctioning a sale, given that Guler remains under contract until 2029, so there is no pressing need to cash-in, and he has been a key player for Xabi Alonso this season.

Arne Slot says he has "no clue" whether Mohamed Salah has played his last game for Liverpool after claiming the club had "thrown him under the bus". The 33-year-old was an unused substitute in the Reds' 3-3 draw with Leeds United at the weekend, prompting him to state that "someone doesn't want him" at the title holders. Now, Slot has addressed the matter for the first time.

Salah in angry Liverpool tirade

Less than an hour after Liverpool's thrilling draw with Leeds on Saturday, the Egypt international was taking swipes at the club and manager Slot. The former Chelsea man claimed he had earned his right in the starting XI after being on the bench more often than not of late, and that someone at the Merseyside outfit wanted him to "get all of the blame".

He told journalists: "I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don't have any relationship. I don't know why but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. This club, I will always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much and I always will. It [the situation] is not acceptable to me, to be fair. I don't get it. It's like I'm being thrown more under the bus. I don't think I'm the problem. I have done so much for this club. I don't have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone but I earned my position. It's football. It is what it is."

AdvertisementGetty/GOALSlot responds to Salah's outburst

In response, Liverpool decided against Salah being part of their squad for their Champions League game against Inter Milan on Tuesday. And on Monday evening, manager Slot said he doesn't think his authority is under threat off the back of the Egyptian's remarks. 

He told reporters: "I don't feel that my authority has been undermined. It's not the way I feel it. It's not about me, if my life is difficult, yes or no, that's not very important in a situation like this. It's if it is more difficult for the team and for the club. No one likes us to be in the situation we're in at the moment. First of all, it's difficult to see staff members who work so hard are affected by the situation we're in now. Mainly because of the results. I'm the manager, I have to pick a team so to a certain extent I'm important, but my focus is on the team and not on me."

In the wake of this drama, speculation has mounted that Liverpool and Salah will part company soon. However, the former Feyenoord manager didn't go that far. 

When asked if the ex-Roma ace has played his last game for Liverpool, he replied: "I have no clue. I cannot answer that question at this moment in time."

What is Slot's relationship like with Salah now?

Salah, who trained with the first team on Monday, said he no longer had a good relationship with Slot after being an unused substitute in two of Liverpool's last three league games. But it seems the Dutchman still has hope that relations can improve between the two. 

"We let him know that he's not travelling with us so that was the only communication that there has been from us to him," he said. "Of course, before Saturday, the two of us have spoken a lot. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. That's not the way I feel [that relationship has broken down] but he has the right to feel how he feels things. I haven't felt that at all – until Saturday evening, for sure. When I didn't play him, usually players don't like the manager that much but he was very respectful to my staff, to his teammates and he trained really hard. So, to an extent, it was a surprise to me when I heard after the game that he gave the comments that he gave. Like I said, it's not the first time and won't be the last time that when a player doesn't play, that he says something similar to what he did. My reaction to that is also clear. He isn't here tonight."

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Getty Images SportWas Salah thrown under the bus by Liverpool?

Salah will head to the Africa Cup of Nations next week, with the Premier League clash against Brighton this weekend set to be his last game before flying out to Morocco. When asked if he understood why the veteran said he had been thrown under the bus, Slot opted against wading into those murkier waters.

"I would need to know what he means by it and why he says this, who he is referring to," he said. "I have not had that conversation, no, not with those words. Usually I'm calm and polite but that doesn't mean I'm weak. If a player has these comments about so many things then it is up to me, us, as a club, to react and you can see now that he's not here."

Ireland leave Bangladesh with a 2-0 Test series defeat but their 26-year-old allrounder has impressed with his batting ability

Mohammad Isam23-Nov-2025

In the aftermath of their 217-run defeat to Bangladesh, Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie was still proud of the fight put up by Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey and Jordan Neill on the fifth day in Dhaka.The visitors batted 59.3 overs on Sunday, holding Bangladesh up till almost the tea break, when Hasan Murad removed Hoey and Matthew Humphreys with successive deliveries. Nobody could remove Campher though. He made an unbeaten 71 having faced the greatest number of balls by an Ireland batter in the fourth innings of a Test match (259). Hoey was second on the list with 104.”[Curtis Campher] is someone that is hard to get out when he is in his bubble,” Balbirnie said. “He is very determined not to get out even when he is in the nets. He has such a strong defense, he showed that today.”Bangladesh were pushed to a little bit of an extreme, bowling 100 overs for the first time in the fourth innings at Shere Bangla National stadium. Campher played a big part in that.Related

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Taijul and Murad star as Bangladesh break Ireland's resistance for 2-0 win

“If he puts his mind to it, he can do it,” Balbirnie said. “It is a shame that no one from the top and middle order could hang around for long enough. I think the batters showed fight today, to bat till just before tea on the fifth day. We were behind the game a lot. Bangladesh deserved to win the series 2-0.”Balbirnie also talked about Hoey and his recently-developed skillset as an allrounder: “I play with Gavin in club cricket in Dublin. I have known him since he was a kid. His dad was an Irish international in the 1990s. He was a legspinner as well. I think [Hoey] has only been bowling legspin since [Covid] lockdown, so it’s been five years. He was a seam bowler [earlier].Andy Balbirnie was candid about Ireland’s inability to bat for long periods•ECB/Getty Images

“So to have that skillset in this short time is really impressive. He will get better and better from experiences like this. We have to make sure that he gets enough overs under his belt. We need to have our spinners develop consistency so that we do well in these conditions.”Ireland had some hope of batting the day out and coming away with a draw. “[There were expectations] probably just before Murad took the two wickets,” Balbirnie said. “There was a small bit of excitement in the dressing room at that drinks break. Credit to the Bangladesh spinners. They don’t miss their line and length too often. They test batters a lot. The two wickets in two balls put an end to that [hope] pretty quickly. It was an enthralling day’s play. I think Curtis can be proud of his work today.”The fact that the Test match stretched to the fifth day was also a tribute to the type of pitch prepared for the encounter. “A lot of us had seen the West Indies ODI series. We were a bit nervous coming here,” Balbirnie said, referring to pitches that had, on one occasion, witnessed fifty overs of spin in the first innings. “When we arrived, we thought [the pitch] would break up quickly, but it held together. There was turn, but it wasn’t every ball. It was a good cricket wicket. I thought it was a pretty fair wicket. We had two good wickets over the two Tests.”Balbirnie was also candid about what Ireland hoped for from the series. “We had won three Tests in a row before coming here, so there was confidence in the group,” he said. “We had to manage our expectations. You are coming to places that have experienced cricketers.”We are trying to get that consistency. Our top-order didn’t fire for the last two games. Bangladesh’s top-order showed us how to do it – to bat for a long time and get big hundreds. [Their batting] was the big difference. We weren’t competitive against Bangladesh for longer periods. They showed their class over the nine days,” he said.

While this season is shaping up to be a spectacular one for Arsenal, Sunday was a disappointment for Mikel Arteta and Co.

The Spaniard’s team looked second best in their Premier League game against then-second-placed Chelsea, and then failed to capitalise when the Blues went down to ten men.

With that said, while it was a poor showing from the Gunners, they were without a number of the best players, like William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and just as important, Leandro Trossard.

The Belgian has been in scintillating form for Arsenal in recent months, and yet, if reports are to be believed, the club are looking to sign someone who’d be a significant upgrade.

Arsenal target Trossard upgrade

During the summer, it looked like Trossard would be leaving Arsenal, as he didn’t have a great campaign and was linked with clubs like Bayern Munich.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem stayed, was handed a pay rise, and since then has played like a man possessed.

For example, it was his thunderous effort against Sunderland that ensured the Gunners left with a point, and then against Tottenham Hotspur, he scored and assisted a goal.

However, even with performances such as these, it looks like the North Londoners are looking to sign an upgrade on the 30-year-old.

At least that is according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, which claims Arsenal are interested in Michael Olise.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the club have placed the Frenchman at the top of their wishlist for next year and, with Sporting Director Andrea Berta, are already laying the groundwork for the deal.

However, it won’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, with the report claiming that it will cost in excess of £100m to convince Bayern Munich to sell their star attacker.

Even so, given Olise’s immense ability and further potential, this is a deal Arsenal should be going all out for, especially as he’d be a significant upgrade on Trossard.

How Olise compares to Trossard

So the first thing to get out of the way is that, yes, Olise is primarily a right-sided player, and Trossard plays mostly on the left.

However, Arteta has made it quite clear with the signing of Noni Madueke that he is more than happy to play wingers on the opposite flank, and given the Frenchman’s immense ability, it feels like he should have no problem playing out there.

Moreover, when the former Chelsea ace has played in the team, he and Bukayo Saka have swapped sides back and forth during games, which suggests the manager has almost moved beyond the idea of a wide player starting and sticking to a position as matches progress.

With all that said, why would the former Crystal Palace star, who shone with Eberechi Eze in South London, be an upgrade on the Belgian?

Well, the first and most important reason is the simple fact that he is a far more potent goal threat, be that through scoring or assisting them.

A “magician” – according to Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano – in 20 appearances this season, totalling 1583 minutes, he’s scored nine goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.05 games, or every 83.31 minutes.

In contrast, the former Brighton star has scored five goals and provided five assists in 16 appearances, totalling 948 minutes, which averages out to a goal involvement every 1.6 games, or every 94.8 minutes.

The second reason is that, at just 23 years old, the 13-capped international has far more upside than the 30-year-old and should even improve in the coming seasons.

Finally, on top of his better output, the former Reading man also comes out on top when you take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

1.00

0.38

Progressive Carries

5.70

2.63

Progressive Passes

6.40

3.63

Shots on Target

1.99

0.62

Passing Accuracy

81.4%

69.3%

Key Passes

2.60

1.38

Shot-Creating Actions

6.68

3.25

Goal-Creating Actions

1.10

0.37

Successful Take-Ons

2.40

0.88

For example, he comes out ahead in the most critical metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, successful take-ons, goal and shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Trossard is a brilliant player, but Olise is clearly superior in practically every way and more than justifies Oliver Glasner’s claim that he’s “one of the best talents in the world.”

Therefore, even if it costs a king’s ransom, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him in 2026.

Their next Eze: Berta agrees deal to sign "exciting" new star for Arsenal

The hugely promising teenage talent could one day become Arsenal’s heir to Eberechi Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 2, 2025

Left-arm spinner has had to wait for her chance but has seized it at first opportunity in Guwahati

Valkerie Baynes03-Oct-2025Four months into her ODI career, four overs into her maiden 50-over World Cup, Linsey Smith made quite the impact, wrecking South Africa beyond repair as her England side secured an emphatic 10-wicket win in their opening match.Smith, the 30-year-old left-arm spinner, walked off the Barsapara Stadium field at the innings break – which arrived after 20.4 overs – with the stunning figures of 3 for 7 from four overs. She dismissed the usually formidable top-order of Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp as the Proteas collapsed to 19 for 4, before being bowled out for just 69.Smith was the pick of the England bowlers, who capitalised on lacklustre batting from a South African line-up devoid of footwork and thoughtful shot selection where only Sinalo Jafta, promoted to No.6, reached double figures with 22.Almost as impressive was Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 2 for 5 from three overs as she joined Lauren Bell in a two-pronged seam attack, having bowled just 9.3 overs in warm-up games since the WPL final in mid-March owing to an Achilles tendon injury.Bell dismissed Sune Luus, South Africa’s other top-order batter, while spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean took two wickets apiece.Smith’s performance was made all the more impressive given what had gone before.Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont mopped up England’s 10-wicket win over South Africa•ICC/Getty ImagesHaving made her T20I debut in 2018, Smith played her first ODI against West Indies in Derby in May and took a five-for. That was after she had been recalled to England’s T20I squad for last winter’s tour of New Zealand. Her absence of nearly five years told of her struggle to break into a squad boasting the world’s best left-arm spinner, Ecclestone.Smith earned a place at last year’s T20 World Cup, six years after her previous appearance at the tournament, and held her own in what was a disappointing campaign for England. Ahead of that event, she told ESPNcricinfo that she had feared her chance had passed her by.She played in only one T20I during the ill-fated Ashes tour of Australia in January then, during the 2025 home summer, she was the leading wicket-taker in three ODIs against West Indies with seven at 9.00 and an economy rate of 3.15. Against India, however, she played just two of the three ODIs, taking three wickets at 34.00 and 6.80, before just one more in three T20Is, which left her feeling on edge.”I definitely felt the pressure and the nerves coming into this,” Smith said. “But to start the competition how I have, and put in a performance for the team to get a big win, is something I’m really happy with.”England’s captain, Scvier-Brunt, opted to field first, hoping the pitch would improve for batting under lights, then called on Smith to open the bowling on a surface that ultimately didn’t offer huge assistance to spinners or seamers.That was proven when Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont navigated the meagre run-chase with an unbeaten 40 off 50 balls and a 34-ball 17 not out respectively.No stranger to opening the bowling at domestic level or in T20Is, where she has done it six times in 22 appearances for England, the decision for Smith to share the new ball with Bell was premeditated, and paid off handsomely as the pair defied South Africa, Smith with drift and Bell with swing.Sune Luus loses her stumps to Lauren Bell•ICC/Getty Images”I found out yesterday, which was nice, a bit of a heads-up,” Smith said. “It’s nothing that I’m too surprised by, I think it suits my bowling well. I enjoy the competition and the toughness of it and I’m glad that it came off today.”The conversations I had with Nat and Lottie (head coach Charlotte Edwards) was just about backing what I’ve done well over the years in domestic cricket. That’s, more often than not, try and hit the stumps and put a lot of pressure on the batters that way.”Smith took centre stage with her second delivery, in the second over of the day – a straightforward caught-and-bowled, as Wolvaardt sent a leading edge straight back to her with a shot indicative of the South African batting to come.Wolvaardt’s fellow opener, Brits, had made back-to-back ODI centuries against Pakistan just over a fortnight ago, but Smith splattered her leg stump with the first ball of her next over, finding devastating drift to slip through the gate.Bell then bowled Luus with an inswinger before Smith brought that drift to the fore again to beat Kapp’s forward defence and smash middle stump.Sciver-Brunt entered the attack in the eighth over and struck with first ball in each of her first two, trapping Anneke Bosch – preferred to Annerie Dercksen at No. 5 – directly in front of middle and leg stumps and enticing a leading edge from Chloe Tryon which went to Alice Capsey at mid-on.With leg-spinner Sarah Glenn on the bench, Ecclestone and Dean played their part.Ecclestone drew an attempted drive from Nadine de Klerk with one that straightened, Heather Knight gratefully accepting the catch at slip, and removed a charging Jafta, who took a wild swing at a slower ball that crashed into off stump.Related

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Dean twice beat the bat to rattle off stump as Masabata Klaas played for some non-existent turn and Nonkululeko Mlaba swung through thin air to one that angled in, consigning South Africa to their lowest ODI total against England and their second-lowest total at a World Cup, after their 51 all out against New Zealand in 2009.The diminutive Smith chose not to question her elevation to opening bowler in this format, relishing the opportunity just as she has done with her ODI career.”I don’t know why Lottie made the decision to be honest, but that was what she went with, and I was happy be the one that they turned to,” she said. “I’m not your most traditional spinner. I’m not going to get the turn and bounce that necessarily Sophie gets, which is why I think we work well together in the team. But for me it was just about trying to hone in on the stumps as much as possible.”I’m not the tallest so I won’t get much bounce, which I think can help in these conditions. A few kept low today as well, which suited me. It’s early days in my ODI career, which is something I’ve really strived towards, so I’m just delighted I could help the team win today.”

Manchester United’s failings in the Premier League over the last couple of years have been there for all to see, with the fans undoubtedly growing frustrated by the lack of success.

The side have now failed to win the league in each of the last 12 campaigns, with Sir Alex Ferguson the last manager in charge to lift the league title at Old Trafford.

However, Ruben Amorim will be hoping that he can be the man to end such a drought, but it’s safe to say his time in the role to date has failed to lift off in recent months.

He was only able to secure a 15th-place finish in England’s top-flight last time around, with the hierarchy already spending over £200m on new additions since his arrival.

The manager has already made some bold calls on the future of some players at the Theatre of Dreams, including one player who massively failed to deliver in 2024/25.

The stats behind Andre Onana’s struggles in 2024/25

During the 2024/25 campaign, numerous players have failed to deliver in the Premier League – but none more so than goalkeeper Andre Onana, with the shot-stopper costing the side in key moments.

The Cameroonian joined the Red Devils in a £47.2m deal back in the summer of 2023, with such a move potentially going down as one of the worst in the club’s history.

He maintained the number one shirt for the majority of the campaign, but Amorim made the decision to offload him during the recent summer transfer window.

Onana left to join Turkish side Trabzonspor on a season-long loan after the arrival of Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp, a decision that proved to be the right one given his struggles in 2024/25.

The 29-year-old featured 50 times across all competitions last campaign, but made nine direct errors that led to goals, many of which came in key moments.

He could only muster a 67% save percentage in England’s top-flight last season, whilst also failing to impress in possession – as seen by his pass accuracy of just 68%.

However, one player within the current side has taken over from the goalkeeper in terms of failing to deliver, which could leave the manager with a huge call to make in the months ahead.

Man Utd's biggest liability since Onana

Patrick Dorgu has certainly been a player who has left fans frustrated at United over the last couple of months, especially after the excitement generated around his move 11 months ago.

The Danish international arrived in a £30m deal from Italian side Lecce, with real promise that the youngster could provide a long-term solution to their left-back issues.

However, in 2025/26 alone, he’s massively struggled with the demands of the Premier League, as seen by his tally of just seven league starts out of a possible 13.

His underlying stats in and out of possession this season showcase his struggles, with the manager taking the right call to drop him from his starting eleven in recent weeks.

Dorgu has completed just 72% of passes in 2025/26, whilst also making just 3.4 ball recoveries – with both stats ranking him in the bottom 20% of players in the division.

However, despite the Dane’s struggles, fellow full-back Diogo Dalot has also been under fire as of late and rightfully so given his poor form under Amorim for the Red Devils.

The Portuguese international, who’s usually a right-sided full-back, has often been called upon to feature in a left-wing-back role, which has no doubt affected his performances.

During his seven-year stint at Old Trafford, he’s been known to be more dominant out of possession rather than with the ball at his feet – with Amorim needing to take responsibility for his continued selection.

The recent victory over Crystal Palace may have been an impressive win for the side, but it didn’t stop Dalot from being able to fall below the standards expected of him once again.

Minutes played

90

Touches

68

Passes completed

71%

Dribbles completed

0

Crosses completed

0

Long balls completed

0

Shots on target

0

Tackles won

1

He featured for the entirety of the victory at Selhurst Park, but was unable to complete any of his attempted dribbles, whilst also failing to find a teammate with any of his crosses.

Dalot’s struggles continued in attacking areas, subsequently being unable to direct any of his two shots on target – something which he’s been unable to do all season long.

However, he also failed to deliver when trying to stop the opposition, as seen by just one tackle won and one interception made – resulting in Adam Joseph labelling him “toothless”.

It’s evident that the 26-year-old is massively unsuited to his current wing-back role, but Amorim has made no efforts to try and resolve the current situation at hand.

The first team have massively struggled for quality in wide areas since the manager’s arrival 12 months ago, with such an issue rearing its head right before the January window.

As for Dalot, he’s constantly proving to be an unreliable figure, with the defender potentially emulating Onana’s failures if no change is made in the near future.

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