Tag Futebol

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham all earned nods from Harry Kane in an exclusive quickfire question session with GOAL that saw the Bayern Munich striker name the best player he has played against and his boyhood idol. The England captain also picked out the best passer of a ball that he has ever seen and the young talent that he is most excited about watching develop.

• Best in the business: Kane has graced the grandest of stages

  Kane has faced some of the finest talent in world football over the course of his career, with outings for club and country pitching him into direct competition with the very best in the business. He has represented Tottenham and Bayern Munich with distinction on a domestic stage, while becoming captain of England at international level.

  The prolific 32-year-old has graced the Premier League, Bundesliga, Champions League, European Championship and World Cup. Having rubbed shoulders with the great and good, he is well placed to pass judgement on who stands out from the crowd.

  Indeed, when asked to pick the best player he's ever played against, Kane couldn't separate Messi and Ronaldo, even when pushed to pick between the two GOATs.

Advertisement

• Watch Kane picks his toughest opponent & boyhood hero

• Messi, Beckham, De Bruyne & Musiala earn praise from Kane

  Kane was asked by GOAL to name the players that he holds in the highest regard, with several categories being worked through. Unsurprisingly, the Three Lions skipper lauded a couple of GOATs, an iconic fellow countryman and a current club colleague at the Allianz Arena.

  After giving his answer for the best player that he has come up against, Kane went on to name another England captain, Manchester United legend David Beckham, as the retired player that he would most like to have played with and his favourite player growing up.

  Former Premier League opponents Kevin De Bruyne and N’Golo Kante, who once lined up in title-winning squads at Manchester City and Chelsea respectively, were selected as the best passer of a ball that Kane has seen and the toughest midfield enforcer. And in the England captain's eyes, exciting Germany international Jamal Musiala, who plays alongside Kane at Bayern, is considered to be the hottest prospect on the planet.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images
  

  How Beckham helped to inspire Kane

  Kane is from the same area of east London as ex-Three Lions talisman Beckham. He has previously told England's of being able to follow in illustrious footsteps: “David Beckham had also played for Ridgeway Rovers growing up and with Beckham being Beckham, growing up he was my idol, and it was the same for a lot of young kids in that area. I knew he had played for the same team as me, went to the same local secondary school in Chingford Foundation School, and grew up in the area, so whilst Beckham was obviously a huge figure across the world, for those of us in Chingford, where he came from, that was all people used to speak about. It was nice to have that link and looking back, having two England captains from Ridgeway Rovers and Chingford Foundation School is an amazing achievement.

  “Seeing Beckham go on to achieve what he did made it seem a little bit more real. If I didn’t have that you might have felt it was out of reach or an impossible task, with so many people and potential footballers out there, but it gave me that little bit of extra belief that I could go on and achieve the same.”

Liverpool are enjoying the fruits of a bold transfer window while simultaneously trusting in their academy.

Under Arne Slot, the Reds have seamlessly balanced blockbuster arrivals with the promotion of youth talent, echoing the philosophy that served them well under Jürgen Klopp.

The summer business was headline-grabbing.

Florian Wirtz joined from Bayer Leverkusen for a British-record £116m fee, only for Alexander Isak to eclipse that figure with his £125m move from Newcastle on deadline day.

Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Geovani Leoni and Hugo Ekitike also arrived, while Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez and Jarell Quansah were among those to depart.

Despite those upheavals, Liverpool began their Premier League defence with three straight wins – 4-2 at home to Bournemouth, 3-2 away at Newcastle, and 1-0 against Arsenal at Anfield.

Slot has rotated his stars while showing a willingness to reward academy prospects. Against Newcastle, that faith paid off spectacularly when a debutant stole the headlines.

Rio Ngumoha: A star Rises

Rio Ngumoha had been on Liverpool’s radar for months before his 2024 switch from Chelsea’s academy, but few predicted the immediate impact he would make.

Introduced in the 96th minute at St James’ Park, the then 16-year-old marked his Premier League debut by scoring in the 100th minute – becoming the youngest goalscorer in the club’s history.

Now 17, Ngumoha is regarded as one of England’s brightest talents.

A skilful and creative forward, he combines flair with composure beyond his years. His market value, via Transfermarkt, already stands at €10m (£8m), reflecting his rising reputation.

The England youth international had been gradually integrated into senior training last season, appearing on the bench in an EFL Cup tie against Southampton before making his professional debut in January’s 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley.

That appearance made him the youngest Liverpool player to start a first-team game, and the youngest to feature in the competition for the Reds.

Ngumoha’s rapid ascent has naturally drawn comparisons with other academy graduates who once carried a similar weight of expectation.

For Liverpool, there is a recent example that provides both inspiration and caution.

Liverpool's original Ngumoha

Kaide Gordon was once Liverpool’s golden boy, described by Klopp as a “special talent.”

Signed from Derby County in 2021 for £1m, he was earmarked for a swift breakthrough.

The right-winger wasted little time making an impression, debuting in an EFL Cup win at Norwich and scoring his first senior goal against Shrewsbury in the FA Cup.

A Premier League debut soon followed in 2022, and Gordon looked set to carve out a long-term role in Liverpool’s attack.

But progress stalled. Persistent injuries disrupted his momentum and halted his development at a crucial stage.

Last season brought loan spells at Portsmouth and Norwich in the Championship, intended to reignite his trajectory having not played in the Slot era to date. In fact, he’s not been seen in Liverpool red for 18 months.

While those experiences offered game time, they also highlighted the gulf between potential and consistency.

Gordon was linked with another temporary move this summer, but a deal failed to materialise, leaving him to fight for minutes at Anfield.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Now 20, Gordon’s story serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of academy prospects. For every breakthrough like Ngumoha, there are setbacks like Gordon’s. The path from prodigy to first-team regular is rarely linear.

That juxtaposition makes Ngumoha’s situation fascinating. The youngster’s debut winner has elevated him into the spotlight, but Liverpool will be keen to manage his development carefully, avoiding the pitfalls that befell Gordon.

With Slot’s track record of nurturing talent, there is optimism that Ngumoha can continue his upward curve without being burdened by premature expectation.

Ngumoha may be Liverpool’s present and future, but his progression must be handled with care.

The contrast with Gordon illustrates both the opportunity and the risk of investing in youth.

For Slot, the challenge is to integrate Ngumoha while continuing Liverpool’s title defence – a delicate balancing act that could shape the club’s future as much as its present.

Not Ngumoha: Liverpool's exciting 17-year-old could become the next Isak

Liverpool have refined every level of their squad this summer, from youth to senior standard.

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 4, 2025

Heinrich Klaasen’s international playing future could be over after he was not named in Cricket South Africa’s 18-player central contract list. Klaasen, who retired from Test cricket in January 2024, was on a white-ball only contract in the previous cycle and is understood to be prioritising his T20 league future. CSA said in a statement that “discussions regarding his future are ongoing and a final decision will be made in due course.”David Miller, who was also on a white-ball only deal last year and Rassie van der Dussen accepted hybrid contracts which will allow them to “participate in specific agreed-upon bilateral tours and ICC events.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Both Klaasen and Miller are contracted to teams in the Hundred which will clash with South Africa’s white-ball tour to Australia that runs from August 10 to 24.The 18-player contract list included Lizaad Williams, who has been out of action after undergoing knee surgery this year, allrounder Senuran Muthusamy and 18-year-old left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka for the first time.David Bedingham, Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreynne, who were given what CSA called ‘contract upgrades” (in other words added to the central contract list midway through the season) were all retained, as was Nandre Burger though he hasn’t played a match all season as he recovers from a stress fracture.Left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin and allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo were the only two players other than Klaasen who lost their deals. Tabraiz Shamsi, who opted out of his central contract last October, and Anrich Nortje, who did not sign a deal when the last contracts were drawn up, remained off the list.The contracted group included Test and ODI captain Temba Bavuma and T20I skipper Aiden Markram along with all of the first-choice pace attack. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj were all on the list (but Test seamer Dane Paterson is not) alongside regular Test batters Tony de Zorzi, and David Bedingham. All-format batters Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton were also included with the playing group providing a clear indication of who South Africa will call on for the World Test Championship final (WTC) in June, as well as next year’s T20 World Cup, as they build towards the home ODI World Cup in 2027.”All of these players have been contracted with the importance of the next World Test Championship cycle and the 2027 Cricket World Cup on home soil in mind,” Enoch Nkwe, Director of National Teams and High Performance said. “The hybrid contracts take into consideration the dynamic nature of modern-day cricket and will provide David and Rassie with the opportunity to contribute to the team during specific bilateral tours and ICC events. An exciting season awaits as we compete for the WTC mace and look to take one step further in next year’s T20 World Cup.”South Africa last played international cricket at the Champions Trophy semi-final, which they lost to New Zealand, and will next play at the WTC final before beginning a lengthy program away from home. They will play Tests and a T20I series in Zimbabwe in July, white-ball matches in Australia and England, Tests in Pakistan and will close out the year with an all-format tour of India. They will also be under a new coach in white-ball cricket after Rob Walter resigned last week.Current Test coach Shukri Conrad is the frontrunner to take over. It was under Conrad that Klaasen retired from Tests after Conrad had initially picked him over Verreynne, then went back to Verreynne and hoped Klaasen would play on some of the slower surfaces later in the cycle. Klaasen’s retirement changed those plans.

SA men’s contract list

Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad WilliamsHybrid contracts: David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen

Everton have been blessed with some standout attacking talents over the years.

Stars such as Tim Cahill, Romelu Lukaku, and Richarlison remain as beloved hall-of-famers to this day, with the current crop at David Moyes’ disposal in the form of Jack Grealish and many others giving these past heroes a run for their money.

Indeed, Grealish has already tallied up an outrageous four assists donning his new Everton blue, finally released from the shackles that held him back at Manchester City.

However, there is a different star in the exciting attacking ranks that could well be Moyes’ modern-day take on Steven Pienaar, with the South African winger yet another revered figure on Merseyside from the Scotsman’s first distinguished reign in charge.

Down memory lane: Pienaar's heroics at Everton

While Pienaar did line up for some gigantic clubs during his career, such as Ajax and Borussia Dortmund, the Johannesburg-born attacker is more well-known for his stints on Merseyside.

The nimble and slick forward would go on to amass a mammoth 229 games for the Toffees across two permanent spells, with a sublime 26 goals and 45 assists also coming his way to cement himself as one of the club’s most recent greats.

Moyes would become so enamoured by the skilful former Ajax man that he would bring him to Sunderland during his doomed stint on Wearside, with the well-travelled boss even dubbing him a “terrific” asset to have back in 2012.

Pienaar’s reputation for routinely bamboozling Premier League defences for fun down the flanks does draw some obvious similarities to Grealish, but there’s another Toffees ace strutting his stuff under Moyes and he’s a similarly vibrant source of entertainment.

The £22m "match-winner" who is Everton's new Pienaar

Of course, Pienaar is remembered with extreme fondness when delving into nostalgia based on Everton being a force to be reckoned with during large parts of his stay.

Indeed, during his breakout 2008/09 offering of ten goal contributions, the Merseyside outfit would finish in a sensational fifth spot in the final Premier League rankings.

Chalkboard

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

On top of that, the Pienaar-led side would also fall at the final hurdle in the FA Cup against Chelsea, losing 2-1 to the Blues at Wembley to finish as runners-up.

History could well repeat itself now, with the good days looking like they’re returning to the blue half of Liverpool, courtesy of Iliman Ndiaye wrongfooting defenders galore – much like Pienaar – with the goals also there to back up his tricky displays.

While Grealish is, of course, stealing most of the headlines, Ndiaye has also proven himself to be a bright spark for Moyes’ men during the early stages of the campaign.

Indeed, his two goals in league action to date have steered the Toffees to an early fifth position, the same spot Pienaar and Co. managed to reach way back in 2009.

Sheffield United

88

22 + 14

Marseille

46

4 + 5

Everton

41

13 + 0

Everton has really relied on the Senegalese forward’s magic since he sealed a switch from Marseille to Merseyside last summer, with a weighty 13 strikes next to his name from 41 total contests also helping his lowly team beat the drop last season, before embarking on a far more positive adventure under Moyes.

However, much like Pienaar needed the warmth of Goodison Park to come his way after a zero-goal stint in Germany, it’s clear that Ndiaye also needed the confidence boost of a return to England to regain his mojo after a forgettable stay in France, with the £22m-rated star now even being heralded as a “match-winner” for his consistent quality to create something from nothing by ex-Everton attacker Aaron Lennon.

Pienaar was also often lauded, too, for his split-second moments of genius, having been noted as being an “influential character” to have around by former teammate Phil Neville.

The dream will now be that Ndiaye can keep up this sparkling individual form to secure a top-half finish or even more for the Toffees, as an exciting new dawn at the Hill Dickinson Stadium continues to breed more optimism.

Everton sold "world-class" talent who's now playing like Grealish & Gordon

Everton could have used a player of Grealish and Gordon quality in their new-look team…

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 4, 2025

شارك النجم المصري محمد صلاح في هزيمة جديدة لفريق ليفربول، مساء السبت، أمام خصمه تشيلسي، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26.

وحل ليفربول ضيفًا على تشيلسي، في الجولة السابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي على ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج”.

وتعرض ليفربول لهزيمة ثانية تواليًا في الدوري الإنجليزي، وثالثة في مختلف المسابقات، بعدما سقط في الوقت القاتل أمام تشيلسي بهدفين لهدف.

اقرأ أيضًا.. جاكبو يهدد مانشستر يونايتد بعد خسارة ليفربول القاتلة أمام تشيلسي

من جانبه، خاض محمد صلاح مباراة ليفربول وتشيلسي بأكملها، حيث لعب كأساسي واستمر في الملعب حتى الدقيقة الأخيرة، ولكنه لم يقدم أدائه المتوقع.

وحصل محمد صلاح على تقييم بلغ 4/10 من شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” الإنجليزية، حيث قالت: “كانت تمريرته العرضية نحو إيزاك ممتازة في آواخر الشوط الأول، لكن كان عليه أن يُحسن التعامل مع تمريرة فيرتز”.

واختتمت: “لقد أضاع محمد صلاح فرصًا كثيرة، يبدو أنه بعيد عن مستواه في الوقت الحالي، لقد أصبح مصدر قلق”.

A firing lower middle order almost took India to 300 before Bishnoi and Co completed 133-run thumping

Sidharth Monga12-Oct-20240:56

Seven records India smashed against Bangladesh

India handed out one final shellacking to Bangladesh on their final night of the tour, but this was one for the ages. The second-highest T20I score, three short of 300; Sanju Samson’s silken 40-ball century, Suryakumar Yadav’s improvisation and power; and then the finish by the powerful lower middle order.There was no respite for Bangladesh: 22 sixes (joint-highest for a Test-playing side) and 25 fours combined for the most runs in boundaries in a T20 innings, a record 18 overs went for ten runs or more, one of them went for five sixes, and three bowlers conceded 50 or more. Two of the 26 dot balls turned out to be no-balls, a catch went down, and a run-out was missed.Samson, Suryakumar stun BangladeshWhen Tanzim Hasan got Abhishek Sharma out with a bouncer first ball, little would have Bangladesh known that would be their last moment of joy for the evening. Samson had already messed around with Taskin Ahmed’s lines by backing away and hitting four successive fours in the second over. The new batter, Suryakumar, took only one ball before hitting his first six.Related

The day Samson and his truth burned bright

Suryakumar: 'I want to have selfless cricketers in my team'

Sanju Samson tees off: one over, five sixes

Stats – India smash 232 runs through boundaries

Samson wasn’t to be left behind. He backed away and got the better of Mustafizur Rahman too with a six and a four. Suryakumar then capped off the powerplay with shots that should be considered audacious but are the norm for him, managing to pull balls well behind square when most batters would be happy going just behind. The last of those was a pull over midwicket, taking India to their joint-highest powerplay score, 82.Suryakumar was to unfurl a carved six over backward point that he had no right sending there, but the most memorable shots came from Samson. Some of his eight sixes were audacious but they were not muscled. His control percentage for a strike-rate of 236.17 was a high 81.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The most incredible of Samson’s sixes was when he almost stepped on the stumps to create a short length on a Mustafizur slower ball, and drove it off the back foot over extra cover. Legspinner Rishad Hossain, who went for 55 last match, was just shot. He kept erring in length, starting the first over with a short ball, but in his second he kept letting Samson hit him for sixes down the ground without having to use his feet. Some of it was the pitch, but a lot of it was his lengths: too full. In the end, Rishad’s two overs went for 46 runs.The innings was a monkey off the back for Samson, whose talent had yet to translate into numbers in international T20s. It showed in his extravagant celebrations on reaching both the fifty and the hundred, India’s second-quickest. For a change, Suryakumar had to be content with being the support act in the 173-run second-wicket stand.Punishment continuesUsually you expect a bit of relief when you break such a long stand, but Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya had other ideas. Parag took three balls to hit his boundary, Pandya the same. Between them they scored 81 off 31 balls, hitting four sixes apiece. Pandya managed to outdo the Samson back-foot six over extra cover when he made his off Tanzim even bigger. Again a good slower short ball with no room, but it still sailed over extra cover.Two wickets in the final over made sure India didn’t get to 300, but that was hardly any consolation for Bangladesh.Final ritesIt could still get worse and it did for Bangladesh. The chase began with a brute of a bouncer from Mayank Yadav for a golden duck for Parvez Hossain. Mahmudullah’s last outing in T20 international at 8 off 9 to go with bowling figures of 2-0-26-1. Ravi Bishnoi, playing his first match of the series, showed off India’s spin riches with three wickets. Towhid Hridoy’s half-century, at a strike rate of 150 with three fours and five sixes, did manage to prevent the biggest T20I defeat for a Test-playing team bug it was Bangladesh’s biggest loss in terms of runs.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has just watched Spurs legend Son Heung-min confirm that he will be leaving the club in an emotional press conference, with the north Londoners poised to continue making headlines this transfer window.

Tottenham talks "underway" to hijack deal for PSG player alongside Palhinha

Spurs are after another player after sealing the Portugal international.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 1, 2025

It has been a fairly eventful summer at N17 thus far, having spent over £110 million in total on the signings of Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus.

Their recruitment expenditure would’ve been £170 million if Morgan Gibbs-White had sealed his £60 million move to Spurs – as was widely expected around three weeks ago. However, after a very unexpected chain of events, including legal threats from Nottingham Forest, his transfer was blocked, and he’s since signed a new contract at the City Ground.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Tottenham are still in the market for a new playmaker and alternative to Gibbs-White, with chairman Daniel Levy also reportedly considering an audacious move for Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.

Their need to sign a new left-winger is also emphasised by Son’s now-imminent departure.

The South Korean burst into tears after he announced that this year would be his last in a Tottenham shirt, and the Lilywhites must now begin the search for his potential replacement after Son’s stellar decade in north London.

“Before we start, I just want to share the information that I have decided to leave this club this summer,” said Son.

“Respectfully, this club is helping me to make my decision. It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. The main reason is I have achieved everything I can at Tottenham. I need a new environment for a fresh challenge.

“I have been here for 10 years. It’s a beautiful club with beautiful fans. I have such amazing memories. I just felt like I need a new environment to push myself to get more out of me. I think I need a little bit of change. Ten years is a long time.”

As one big name looks set to depart, another comes through the door.

Joao Palhinha completes Tottenham medical with "formal steps" to follow

According to Fabrizio Romano, midfielder Joao Palhinha is on the verge of completing his move to Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich.

The Portugal international agreed a temporary deal with an option to buy for around £26 million next summer, and Romano claims that Palhinha has now completed his Tottenham medical with “formal steps” to follow between the clubs.

Palhinha’s debut campaign at Bayern, after he sealed a long-awaited move there from Fulham last year, wasn’t exactly ideal.

The 30-year-old fell down Vincent Kompany’s pecking order following a season blighted by injury and suspension, with Palhinha now returning to London just 12 months after waving goodbye to Craven Cottage.

Spurs will cover his full £166,000-per-week salary, but Frank is apparently “really excited” about signing Palhinha as he’s exactly the type of player Tottenham’s new head coach has been looking for (Fabrizio Romano).

Arsenal have just as many outgoings to sort out as new signings potentially coming through the door, with Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta revamping almost the entire squad ahead of a crucial 2025/2026 campaign.

New Fabregas: Arsenal trying to sign "one of the best CMs in the world"

Arsenal could sign one of the best young midfielders in the game.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 24, 2025

The biggest name who appears poised to leave N5 very soon is star midfielder Thomas Partey.

The Ghanaian re-established himself as a firm favourite under Arteta last season, putting his previous injury woes behind him and making over 50 appearances in all competitions.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Partey starred in both midfield and as an emergency right-back, which proved pivotal for the Gunners as they reached the Champions League semi-finals, despite coping with the various absences of key players due to fitness issues.

His renewed form even prompted the club to open talks over an extension for the £200,000-per-week star, but according to recent reports, negotiations have hit a standstill, and it is growing increasingly likely that Partey could leave when his contract expires at the end of this month (The Athletic).

While Arsenal assess alternatives to Partey, with Sevilla’s midfield sensation Lucien Agoume repeatedly linked in the last week, the 32-year-old isn’t Arteta’s only potential next departure – following the confirmed exits of Kieran Tierney, Jorginho, Raheem Sterling and Neto.

Left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko has seemingly been deemed surplus to requirements by Arsenal’s manager after his limited appearances last season, and AC Milan are showing a very keen interest in the Ukraine international.

Oleksandr Zinchenko keen on joining AC Milan after talks

Zinchenko has reportedly held “positive” talks over a move to Atletico Madrid, but Milan are also believed to be firm contenders for the £150,000-per-week ace.

As per Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, Milan’s sporting director, Igli Tare, recently held talks with Zinchenko’s representatives, and the 28-year-old is becoming increasingly open to a San Siro move.

This comes as Milan look to sign an heir for Theo Hernandez, who could soon be joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, with Zinchenko seen as an immediate potential replacement for the Frenchman.

His high wages are the main obstacle standing between Zinchenko and a potential move to Milan, but Arsenal are apparently ready to sell the player for around £17 million, which is feasible for the Rossoneri.

Despite falling down Arteta’s pecking order in the last 12 months, Zinchenko has been a wonderful servant to Arsenal overall, and the ex-Man City defender could still have plenty to offer abroad.

“He moves out of his position and gets into little pockets to try and make things happen and this is quite incredible. You can tell that he’s played under Pep Guardiola because he plays in a similar way,” said former Arsenal defender Armand Traore to talkSPORT in 2023.

“For Arsenal, he’s been great. The second choice left-back is Kieran Tierney [and] he’s a great left-back, but at the moment he can’t get much of a game because of how great Zinchenko has been.

“He’s also great for the mentality of the whole squad because he’s won titles. I think he’s come in and been absolutely fantastic. I’m really impressed with him. He’s almost like the cherry on top [of the cake].”

Ruben Amorim will face the biggest challenge of his professional management career next season, as he looks to take Manchester United back to their former glory.

The 40-year-old was appointed back in November last year, but was unable to transform their fortunes as they finished in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

However, he largely had to work with the players already at his disposal, with only Patrick Dorgu arriving as a senior first-team signing back in January.

This summer presents him with the opportunity to make the additions he wants to improve the current situation at Old Trafford, handing him the best possible chance of being a success in the role.

With the transfer window now in full swing, the hierarchy have wasted no time in backing Amorim in his quest, targeting numerous players in various areas of the pitch.

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

Hayden Hackney has been one of the main midfield targets for United throughout the course of the summer window, with it being revealed that the club have been seen scouting him in recent weeks at the U21 Euros.

As for the attacking department, Hugo Ekitiké is a player who was of keen interest a couple of weeks ago, but a deal has gone quiet ever since his asking price of £84m was revealed.

However, the backline looks set to be the next department to be added to, with the Red Devils making progress in a deal to sign Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo, according to a report in Spain via Football365.

It states that Amorim’s side have already made an offer for the Uruguayan defender, who’s currently valued at a bargain fee of just £38m by the LaLiga giants.

They also claim that Bayern Munich and Juventus are also looking to take advantage of the fee mentioned, with Hansi Flick looking to raise sales to sign Nico Williams this window.

Why United’s £38m target would be a more important addition than Mbeumo

Bryan Mbeumo has been a player firmly on United’s radar over the last couple of weeks, with multiple offers being made for the Brentford talisman.

The first offer of £55m was swiftly rejected, but the second bid of £60m is still being considered, with only minor details needing to be ironed out before he can negotiate with Amorim’s side.

It’s been reported that the 25-year-old appears set to have his medical at the Red Devils next week, potentially becoming the club’s second addition of the window after Matheus Cunha.

There’s no doubt that given his tally of 20 league goals this season would improve the options at the manager’s disposal in the final third, offering him the attacking threat he’s craved in the role.

However, a move for Araujo this window would arguably be a more important one for the club, landing a star that would massively bolster another area of the pitch.

It was confirmed that Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof would be leaving the club at the end of their current contracts, leaving a lack of depth within the defensive unit.

Additions to the defence are certainly needed if the Red Devils are to make the jump, with injuries showing how light the club was even before the aforementioned duo departed.

When delving into the Uruguayan’s stats from this season, he’s demonstrated the qualities he possesses with and without the ball, handing Amorim an elite-level option in his pursuit of glory.

Araujo, who’s been labelled a “monster” by teammate Eric Garcia, completed 92% of the passes he attempted, with 3.1 per 90 being into the final third – stats that could offer the club an opportunity to play out from the back when needed.

Ronald Araujo’s stats for Barcelona in LaLiga (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

12

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

92%

Passes into final third

3.1

Tackle success rate

75%

Aerial won

3.9

Interceptions made

1.2

Stats via FotMob

Without the ball, he’s been just as impressive, coming out on top of 75% of the tackles he’s entered, alongside 3.9 aerials won per 90, subsequently adding a quality option to the manager in such an area.

£38m for a 26-year-old entering the prime years of his career could prove to be an excellent signing for the Red Devils, bolstering their chances of success as a result.

Given the interest from elsewhere this summer, they will have to work tirelessly to avoid missing out on his signature, with his addition potentially proving to be more important than Mbeumo’s.

Related He's better than Gyokeres: Wilcox plots Man Utd move for £150m talisman

Manchester United have joined a long list of suitors in the race to sign a new striker.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 27, 2025

Speaking during Tottenham Hotspur’s parade of the Europa League trophy, Ange Postecoglou issued another defiant call.

Earlier in the season, there was the suggestion that he always won something in his second season. Well, that box has been emphatically ticked.

Now, he’s hinted that season two is always better than season three. Steady on, Ange, your job isn’t even safe, mate.

Despite winning a first major trophy in 17 years, the craggy-faced Australian could still be given his marching orders by Daniel Levy and Co.

Considering they finished 17th on 38 points, that’s hardly a surprise.

The latest on Ange Postecoglou's future at Spurs

What a wacky old season that was. Postecoglou referenced in his final post-match press conference a week ago that it had been an “outstanding season”.

Outstandingly bizarre, certainly. That Europa League crown is there but their league form was a mess and the Spurs boss could pay the price.

That’s according to The Telegraph, who report this weekend that the former Celtic manager’s future in north London is set to be decided this week, with his position ‘under extreme risk’.

Over the last few days, Levy has not been in the UK while Postecoglou is also away on holiday. As a result, a decision regarding the Aussie’s future is still undecided.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Should they give him the boot, then Spurs seemingly have a shortlist of four candidates that includes Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, Thomas Frank and Oliver Glasner.

The report notes that Iraola is set to stay at Bournemouth while after his FA Cup success, prising Glasner away from Crystal Palace will also be difficult.

Thus, the two frontrunners for the job are Silva and Frank, with the Brentford manager specifically said to be ‘in the frame’.

How Frank could replicate Pochettino at Spurs

While Ange may have been the one to end Spurs’ trophy drought, it’s Mauricio Pochettino who is the most legendary figure in these parts of north London.

After all, it was Pochettino who engineered that remarkable run to the Champions League final, only beaten by Liverpool in Madrid.

How did that occur? Well, as far as English football is concerned, it started with Southampton for the Argentine and it went rather similarly to Frank’s experience of top-flight football.

Indeed, the Dane has become a legend himself with the Bees finishing 13th in his first Premier League season before steering them to a top-half ninth-placed finish, an unparalleled campaign for Brentford.

He did so by playing entertaining counter-attacking football, while also developing players into some of the finest in the Premier League. Take the duo of Bryan Mbeumo (20 goals) and Yoanne Wissa (19 goals) as examples.

This certainly echoes Pochettino, who after finishing 14th having taken over mid-season in 2012/13, then guided the Saints to their best-ever Premier League finish of eighth in 2013/14. Like Frank, he turned his side from relegation candidates to a top-half club.

Also like Frank, he developed young players brilliantly with the likes of Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana really becoming household names at St Mary’s. It was then under Poch that Dele Alli enjoyed the finest years of his career.

Similarly to Frank, he also deployed a high and strong press with Southampton. In 2013/14, the Argentine’s side had the best pressing metrics in the Premier League.

Brentford are similar in that regard, with their head coach admitting when they got promoted: “We knew it was a big target for us going into the Premier League for us to defend well. I said that we try to do as much as possible to play our style in the Premier League, which is the high pressing going forward.”

Well, it’s safe to say that’s certainly worked with the west Londoners now a firmly established top-flight side.

Perhaps this could just be the appointment to get Spurs back on the right track domestically. He’s been described as “one of the best managers in the world” for a reason.

Their new Dele Alli: Spurs could sign "one of the best 10s in the world"

Spurs could sign their new Dele Alli this summer.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 27, 2025