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The Australia batter made a century as Glamorgan came within a whisker of a world-record chase

Andrew McGlashan05-Jul-2024

Marnus Labuschagne has reflected on being involved in the extraordinary tied County Championship game earlier this week and admitted Glamorgan thought they were home in their bid for a world-record run chase.They had been set 593 by Gloucestershire and entered the final over of the match needing two to win after centuries from Labuschagne and Sam Northeast. Mason Crane played out four dot balls before taking a single to level the scores leaving No. 11 Jamie McIlroy on strike. He swung hard at Ajeet Dale, edging through to James Bracey who took a spectacular one-handed catch having removed his right glove in preparation for the batters attempting a bye.Related

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Labuschagne's stunning catch is one for the ages

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“Whenever you are chasing a big score like that it’s always about one step at a time,” Labuschagne told . “But the ground we played at was [a] very fast outfield so you just felt like if you got on top of the opposition and you scored and batted well, things could get out of hand very quickly.”That’s always in the back of your mind but you are just taking it one step at a time. Then when it gets down to 100 you start getting a little more invested and you get a bit more eager, then it gets down to 50, then we lost a couple more wickets and we are like, do we bat the draw or go all in for the win.”So there was heaps of ups and downs and even into the last over, we got a boundary off the last ball of the second last over of the day, then we thought we were home. Needed two runs off the last over, we had Mason Crane the batter in on strike. He ended up facing four dots and then got a single, so it’s over to the No. 11 to get the job done.”Incredible game…we got their score, we just couldn’t get one more.” The match marked Labuschagne’s last County Championship outing of this spell with Glamorgan which concludes with a run of T20 Blast matches before he returns to Australia. He will then be part of Queensland’s pre-season as their new captain ahead of potentially returning to England for the ODI series in mid-September.Labuschagne scored 468 runs at 58.50 in four first-class matches with two centuries which follows a relatively lean period in his Test career where he has made one century in his last 20 Tests, although hit 90 in the previous outing against New Zealand in March.”The ups and downs of the game is part of the challenge,” he said. “For me it was just a good opportunity to review before I came here on how I’ve been successful, what have I done in different time periods that I’ve been batting well… have done a few technical things and worked on a few things and it’s coming together really nicely, so setting up nicely for some one-day cricket and some Test cricket coming up this summer.”I always look at my game from a technical lens, finding out ways to improve and get better, and especially with my technique making sure my alignment is good, moving into the ball well, all those sorts of things [are] really important for me.”Being involved in a 592-run four-day tie has not been the only memorable moment of Labuschagne’s Glamorgan season with him also lighting up social media with his spectacular catch in the T20 Blast.”It’s definitely the best catch I’ve taken that’s been caught on camera, that’s for sure,” he said. “I took a catch in club cricket when I was 18 or 19, the boys that I play with at Queensland always say it was another very good catch, but unfortunately we don’t have that on camera, so as good as it never happened.”Labuschagne could be available for at least the first month of the Sheffield Shield season for Queensland and potentially more depending on how multi-format players are managed around the white-ball series against Pakistan in November. The first Test against India starts in Perth on November 22.”It’s there in the back of my mind stewing along,” he said of the prospect of facing India, “but when you are playing you are always trying to focus on the here and now.”

Thomas Frank hasn’t been short of talented attackers during his time as a manager, hoping to attract similar talent during his stint as Tottenham Hotspur boss.

The Dane has overseen the development of the likes of Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, with the trio sitting at the top for most Premier League goals scored in the Bees’ history.

Toney left in a big-money deal to move to Saudi Arabia last summer, but Mbeumo is also expected to follow suit, as a £70m deal to join Manchester United appears to be edging closer.

Frank even tried to convince the Cameroonian international to move to North London with him, but the winger stated his desire to move to Ruben Amorim’s side instead.

Such a decision has left the new Lilywhites’ boss with the challenge of landing a new star forward, already making huge waves in the transfer market to potentially land his next big talent in the final third.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new attacking talent this summer

Antoine Semenyo was seen as one of Spurs’ biggest targets in this transfer window a couple of weeks ago, with real belief they could land the Ghanaian if they offered £65m for his signature.

However, it looks as though they are set to miss out on a deal to land the Bournemouth star, after he put pen to paper on a new five-year deal, which will see him remain at the Vitality until 2030.

Such a decision has seen other targets being considered, with West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus someone who’s been mentioned nonstop in recent days.

However, CaughtOffside’s latest update has stated the Hammers star has emerged as the Lilywhites’ number one target this summer, despite having a £85m release clause in his current deal.

It also states that the hierarchy are willing to back the manager in his quest within the market, seeing the 24-year-old as a statement signing ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, potentially able to negotiate a deal at around the £70m mark.

Why Spurs’s number one target could be Frank’s answer to Bale

Gareth Bale was a player who was responsible for countless moments of magic during his spell as a Spurs player, reaching levels that no supporter could ever have imagined.

The Welshman joined the club from Southampton back in 2007, originally as a left-back, before making the shift up the field into a winger – a decision that would transform his career tenfold.

In his three years at the Lilywhites, operating in a more attacking role, he registered 50 goals and 26 assists, resulting in an £85m transfer to join Spanish giants Real Madrid back in the summer of 2013.

12 years on from his departure, the club have lacked a real elite-level right-sided attacker, but that could be about to change this summer with a move for Kudus, who possesses some similar traits to the Welshman.

The biggest one is his ability to cut inside onto his stronger left foot, subsequently being able to fire the ball into the back of the net – having the ability to hand the fanbase the chance to get off their seats when he’s on the ball.

His underlying stats in 2024/25 are just as impressive, with such figures certainly helping him reach his tally of five goals and four assists across all competitions.

Kudus, who’s been labelled “generational” by journalist Gary Al-Smith, completed 3.2 take-ons per 90 in the Premier League last season, showcasing his ability to drive inside past the opposition.

Kudus’ stats for West Ham in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

32

Goals & assists

8

Shot on target accuracy

28%

Pass accuracy

84%

Take-ons completed

3.2

Carries into final third

2.1

Carries into opposition box

1.5

Fouls won

2.2

Stats via FBref

He also registered 1.5 carries into the opposition box per 90, subsequently able to go round the outside of the full-back before cutting the ball back to a teammate and providing them with the tools for success too.

The Ghanaian’s talents don’t stop there, managing to get 28% of his shots on target, whilst also winning 2.2 fouls per 90, highlighting how much of a threat he poses to the opposition.

If the club can land the West Ham star this summer, it would be a tremendous piece of business, having the opportunity to develop further given the fact he’s just 24 years of age.

Should Kudus manage to get anywhere near the levels produced by Bale in North London, it would be a bargain transfer, subsequently allowing Frank to have his next attacking star in 2025/26.

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Posts 5 ByEthan Lamb Jul 1, 2025

Chelsea transfer chiefs appear set to be thwarted by European champions PSG in their pursuit of a top target, with Enzo Maresca dealt his first summer blow as he looks to reshape the squad in his image.

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Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 21, 2025

Despite possessing a squad rich with youthful quality, their 3-1 Club World Cup defeat to Brazilian side Flamengo indicates there is still plenty of work to be done on the squad, with Maresca also looking to transform Chelsea into genuine title challengers.

The Italian, speaking in a press conference after Chelsea’s damaging loss – which now makes their next game against ES Tunis an absolute must-win – admitted that he’s currently experimenting with his system and tactics in preparation for 2025/2026.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season

Average match rating

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

“Unfortunately, we conceded two goals in a very short period, a very short moment — and then the red card,” Maresca said.

“Then it’s very complicated to come back into the game. We tried, but congratulations to them. I think we tried to do something different during the game, also for next season, but congratulations to them. Now we have one more game, and we are going to try to win the next one.”

Off the field, one of many items on Chelsea’s to-do list when it comes to summer recruitment is the addition of a new central defender – which has long been rumoured as a priority.

Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi and Wesley Fofana face uncertain futures, according to some reports, with Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande among the names on Chelsea’s centre-back shortlist this summer.

However, Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi won’t be moving to west London.

Chelsea target Illia Zabarnyi agrees to join PSG

Zabarnyi was called the Premier League’s most “underrated” defender recently by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, and Chelsea recently knocked on the Ukraine international’s door in their pursuit of another option for the heart of Maresca’s defence.

“He is probably the most underrated player,” said Redknapp.

“I also spoke with Ukrainian legend Andriy Shevchenko, and he mentioned that Illia has everything it takes to reach the next level. Everyone is talking about Dean Huijsen. Yes, he is a fantastic young player, but Zabarnyi plays very aggressively in defense as well. I was genuinely impressed by him. He shows remarkable calmness on the pitch.”

Bournemouth are demanding around £51 million to let the 22-year-old leave, but according to journalist Graeme Bailey, Zabarnyi has agreed terms to join PSG despite Chelsea’s attempts to sign him.

“He really is only focused on PSG,” Bailey told TBR Football.

“I am told that he has agreed personal terms in principle, but there is still some way to go in terms between Bournemouth and PSG. Bournemouth are not too happy with how this is going, but they know the player wants the move and has made that clear.

“When a team like PSG comes calling, even when there is no release clause – it is tough. I can confirm even in the last few weeks since it emerged about PSG, that Chelsea and Newcastle again asked the question, but were also told that he only wants PSG.”

India, Afghanistan and most likely Bangladesh will be their opponents in the next stage

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jun-20242:48

Wade: ‘I would’ve been sacked if we didn’t win the 2021 T20 World Cup’

A trial by spin awaits Australia in the T20 World Cup 2024, with them looming as the odd team out in an otherwise all-Asian Super Eight group.Having won their first three games, Mitchell Marsh’s side will progress to the next stage of the tournament whatever happens in Sunday’s clash with Scotland in St Lucia.The main talking point of that match will be the impact it has on England – with an Australia loss enough to knock out the defending champions. But that aside, Australia’s path to a second T20 World Cup and the capture of all three current men’s ICC global titles is becoming much clearer.Related

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Based on pre-tournament seedings, Australia will meet India and Afghanistan in their Super Eight group. Bangladesh are in the box seat to join them, after Nepal fell one run short of shocking South Africa on Saturday.That trio will make for a significant challenge against an Australia team who have traditionally had difficulties on spinning wickets.”A lot of us have prepared for plenty of spin depending on what venue you get to,” Australia’s vice-captain Matthew Wade said. “Guys have been preparing for that through the world, through IPL into the start of this World Cup.”We expect nothing different, and on their day they’re all going to be very very hard teams to beat. We’re expecting them to hit us with a fair bit of spin over the next little bit.”India have so far relied more on their quicks for their matches in the USA, but have Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav at their disposal for the slower Caribbean pitches.Afghanistan can call on Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed and Mohammad Nabi, although have lost Mujeeb Ur Rahman to injury, while Bangladesh will also fancy their spinners as the wickets grow tired. Legspinner Rishad Hossain, who Australia have not faced before, has impressed with seven wickets in three matches.There was significant help for the spinners in the South Africa-Nepal match in St Vincent where Australia will meet Afghanistan.Meanwhile, Wade added he hoped this tournament would not signal his farewell for Australia. He was expected to retire after the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups, but at 36 has continued to be a threat for Australia batting at No. 7.”I’m at my best when it’s the last opportunity,” Wade said. “Hopefully I can pull some good stuff out in the next little bit, but it will be the same conversation at the end of this one. There are going to be players go out of this team. I’m more than comfortable if I’m one of them to get the next cycle of players coming in to play for Australia.”

Winner goes through to the final four, loser goes out

Firdose Moonda22-Jun-20241:26

Bishop: WI batters have to play freely against South Africa

Match detailsWest Indies vs South Africa
North Sound, Antigua, 8.30pm localBig picture – Semi-final spots up for grabsIt isn’t actually called a quarter-final, but for all intents and purposes, it is. West Indies and South Africa meet in the T20 World Cup 2024 with the winner set to go through to the final four and the loser set to go out.Tickets still available for crunch game

Additional tickets have been made available for the T20 World Cup game between West Indies and South Africa. They are priced at US$ 45 and can be purchased online at tickets.t20worldcup.com or at the counter at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

What may be lurking in the back of South Africa’s mind is how close five of their six games so far have been. They have snatched victories from the unlikeliest of scenarios and seem to be riding a wave of good fortune that they have failed to catch in tournaments past. They will be the first to admit that they are yet to put together the perfect game, but they boast a perfect record. Six out of six wins means they are once again being spoken of as champion material. Could this be the year South Africa finally win a T20 World Cup? West Indies might have something to say about that.The co-hosts were unbeaten through the group stage too. Though they lost to defending champions England in the Super Eight after that, they are still on track to achieving what they set out to: re-establish West Indies as a powerhouse by competing strongly and (hopefully, for them) winning a third T20 World Cup. If they score 160 and win by 52 runs, they could even go past England and top Group 2. For now, it all hinges on how they do in this match and though West Indies may take heart from sweeping South Africa 3-0 before the tournament, it’s worth remembering that that was a second-string South Africa side. The real test is now.Form guideWest Indies WLWWW
South Africa WWWWW1:44

How can West Indies contain Quinton de Kock?

In the spotlight – Alzarri Joseph and Marco JansenAlzarri Joseph has the same number of tournament wickets as Anrich Nortje – 11 – at a slightly higher average (13.81 compared to 12.90) but a slightly better strike rate. Joseph has taken a wicket once every 11 balls at the tournament – and Nortje once every 13 balls – and is rightly seen as West Indies’ biggest threat with the ball.Joseph has only played two T20Is against South Africa, and in the last one took a series-winning 5 for 40 to seal a seven-run win. Four of the five batters Joseph dismissed in that match – Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen – have been part of South Africa’s XI in every game at the World Cup thus far. On his home ground, Antigua, he will have even more motivation to attempt to repeat the feat.Related

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With Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Ottneil Baartman all shining at different stages of the competition, Marco Jansen has flown under the radar despite being an important part of South Africa’s progress. The economy rate of 5.90 includes bowling mostly in the powerplay and is South Africa’s second-lowest after Baartman (though Jansen has played one more game). Though he has gone wicketless in all but one match, Jansen has been match-winning in other ways. Against England, he was tasked with the game’s penultimate over and conceded just seven runs, leaving Nortje 13 to defend. Crucially, he has adapted to conditions when some of his team-mates have not, and he is yet to be given a chance to show what he can do with the bat.Team news – West Indies have choices to makeShai Hope’s unbeaten 39-ball 82 opening the batting against USA may mean West Indies do not have immediate cause to bring in Kyle Mayers, who has replaced the injured Brandon King in their squad. It’s an interesting call to make because Mayers has the advantage of knowing the South African players well, from his time at the SA20, and of being West Indies’ second-leading run-scorer in the pre-World Cup series played against South Africa last month. Their other decision will be in the make-up of the bowling unit – whether to include an extra seamer in Romario Shepherd or stick to the offspin of Roston Chase.West Indies (probable): 1 Shai Hope/Kyle Mayers, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Rovman Powell (capt), 5 Andre Russell, 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Romario Shepherd/Roston Chase, 8 Obed McCoy, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh MotieThe last time South Africa played in Antigua, they opted for two spinners and left Baartman out, and may consider that combination again. However, Tabraiz Shamsi was expensive against USA, which could open the door for the other left-arm spinner in the squad: Bjorn Fortuin, who has not had a game thus far. It’s more likely South Africa will stick to what they like best, with an unchanged batting line-up and one of Shamsi or Baartman.South Africa (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi/Ottneil Baartman, 11 Anrich Nortje1:43

Will Kyle Mayers open against SA?

Pitch and conditionsFrom South Africa’s match against USA earlier in the week, North Sound seemed good for run-scoring. That was a day game and this is a night fixture, though, so there may be a slight difference. There have been two night games played at this venue in the tournament: Australia chased down 73 against Namibia inside six overs and scored 100 runs inside 12 overs when they beat Bangladesh in a rain-affected game on Friday. Rain, in fact, may be the biggest concern for the teams with the forecast not great during the day on Sunday, but the precipitation probability decreases to 17% in the evening.Stats and trivia The head-to-head record between these two teams is equal: Played 22; West Indies won 11; South Africa won 11. In T20 World Cups, they have met four times, and South Africa have won three. West Indies’ only victory came in 2016 There have only been three totals of over 200 at the T20 World Cup so far and West Indies have one of them. They scored the highest total of the tournament with their 218 against Afghanistan in the group stage. South Africa have batted first four times in six matches and average 146 Nicholas Pooran is the tournament’s top run-scorer at the moment with 227 runs; Quinton de Kock is in third place, 40 runs behindQuotes”It’s important for us to continue in this vein because we see what’s at stake now.”
“This team believes that we can be really great as a unit. Obviously, with the last World Cup [in India] bowing out in the semi-finals… it’s both the character and there’s a lot of hurt. So, we just take it one game at a time and focus on trying to get the results to go our way and not looking at the negatives, just trying to highlight the positives as much as possible.”

Still on the hunt for incomings even with Bryan Mbeumo seemingly on the way, Manchester United are now reportedly battling against clubs in the Saudi Pro League to sign a midfield ace.

Mbeumo waiting to undergo Man Utd medical

After going back and forth in negotiations with Brentford, it looks as though Manchester United have finally taken a step closer to signing Mbeumo this summer. The Red Devils are now reportedly finalising any add-ons in an offer that will exceed the £60m mark, while Mbeumo is now waiting for approval to undergo a medical at the club.

The forward is on course to become United’s second arrival of the window, but he’s unlikely to be the last. If recent reports are anything to go by then INEOS are still on the hunt for a goalkeeper and a striker this summer.

The big question on that front has been just who will arrive to fill that quota. The likes of Emiliano Martinez have been among the headlines on the goalkeeper front, but whether Aston Villa sell one of their star men to a rival even in the face of PSR troubles remains to be seen.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Jun 25, 2025

Meanwhile, when it comes to strikers, it did look as though Ruben Amorim could get a shock reunion with Viktor Gyokeres. United were certainly in the race, reportedly making the Swede their No.1 target, but ultimately he set his sights on Arsenal with negotiations still ongoing.

That may not be the last time that the Red Devils interact with his representatives, however. Reports are now suggesting that another one of their clients are on United’s radar this summer.

Man Utd now battling to sign Ndidi

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Manchester United are now battling to sign Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City this summer. The experienced midfielder is attracting plenty of interest following the Foxes’ relegation, including from the Saudi Pro League, and is now free to leave the King Power Stadium if his £9m release clause is triggered this summer.

Represented by the same agent as Gyokeres, United shouldn’t find it too complicated to open discussions for a midfielder who could provide Amorim with a bargain solution to his Casemiro problem.

Premier League stats 24/25 P90 (via FBref)

Ndidi

Casemiro

Starts

28

18

Progressive Carries

0.70

0.24

Interceptions

1.20

0.84

Ball Recoveries

4.92

6.20

While Ndidi’s arrival wouldn’t steal the same headlines as Cunha or Mbeumo, it would have importance in its own right. Carrying the ball at a far better standard while proving more effective off the ball, Ndidi is more athletic than the ageing Casemiro and could crucially offer the quality in depth that Amorim requires.

Earning around £75,000-a-week at Leicester, Ndidi wouldn’t exactly disrupt United’s wage bill either. That, alongside his £9m release clause, makes him a viable option for INEOS and the Red Devils in the coming months.

Whilst England are lucky to have the likes of Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Phil Foden to choose from at the heart of their midfield these days, it wasn’t so long ago that Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes were all available in the engine room.

The current generation is special, but England’s last ‘golden generation’ still arguably had the most talent at their disposal in pursuit of a first honour since the 1966 World Cup.

It wasn’t just in midfield that the Three Lions were spoilt for talent. It’s a squad which also featured Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. And the list could go on.

Many have had their say as to why England were dumped out of the 2002 World Cup and then on penalties against Portugal at Euro 2004, including Lampard. The former England and Chelsea midfielder told reporters: “I think at times, we [the Golden Generation] were too rigid. I talk from my own personal experience of playing at World Cups against teams that were not at our level.

“I’m not talking about France and Italy, more teams like Ecuador, who were keeping the ball in midfield because they were outnumbering us in the centre of the park. The things that maybe me and Stevie [Steven Gerrard] were used to doing where we had numbers, now we are just trying to cover space and you get a bit mentally done with it in the game wondering why this is happening.”

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington Mar 20, 2025

Outnumbered or not, there’s no denying the quality that England particularly had in the middle of the park. But finding the right balance between Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes often proved to be The Three Lions’ biggest problem, and that sparked a midfield debate which has rumbled on for decades since.

Rooney named Gerrard as his greatest ever England teammate

Having played with all three at international level and Scholes with Manchester United too, Rooney should be an expert in the age-old England midfield debate, and he delivered his official verdict to The Overlap in 2024.

Whilst praising all three, Rooney went on to reiterate that Scholes could not achieve what Gerrard did in a Liverpool side which often struggled to compete with the very top honours: “All were world-class players. Stevie could come to Manchester United and be a top player and do what Scholes could do. But I don’t think Scholes could do what Stevie did at Liverpool.”

Premier League

Gerrard

Lampard

Scholes

Appearances

504

611

499

Goals

121

177

107

Assists

97

116

61

League titles

0

3

11

The numbers certainly don’t help to end the debate after Rooney’s verdict, but what they do highlight is England’s clear failure with all three at their disposal in a golden generation.

Manchester United have opened talks over the signing of a “fantastic” player, who is now a prime target, and they are making significant moves to get a deal done, according to a report.

Man Utd's summer rebuild now underway

The Europa League final defeat against Tottenham Hotspur once again underlined the need for Ruben Amorim to have a mass clear-out this summer, and the manager’s rebuild has now commenced, with Matheus Cunha becoming the first player to sign on the dotted line.

However, in order to re-shape his squad more significantly, Amorim may have to sanction some departures, and the manager was seen visibly laughing when questioned about Alejandro Garnacho’s future, amid widespread links to other clubs.

Andre Onana is another player who could be in the firing line, having failed to adapt to life in the Premier League, with Lyon’s Nemanja Matic famously dubbing him “one of the worst keepers in Manchester United history” back in April.

As such, United have been looking at replacements for Onana, and they are now stepping up their pursuit of AS Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar, opening talks over a deal for the 25-year-old in the past week.

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Posts 1 ByDominic Lund Jun 3, 2025

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states the Red Devils are now making significant moves to sign Svilar, who could be a low-cost replacement for Onana, with Roma likely to hold out for a fee of around £21m – £25m.

The Serbian would be keen on a move to Old Trafford, but there could be fierce competition for his signature, with Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Newcastle United and AS Monaco all monitoring the goalkeeper’s situation in Italy.

"Fantastic" Svilar now prime target for Man Utd

The Belgium-born shot-stopper is said to have been identified as a prime target for Man United this summer, and it is clear to see why, having averaged a very impressive save percentage and clean sheet percentage over the past year, when compared to other goalkeepers.

Mile Svilar Statistics

Average per 90

Save percentage

77.9% (94th percentile)

Goals against

0.96 (92nd percentile)

Clean sheet percentage

38% (86th percentile)

Not only that, but former manager Claudio Ranieri lauded the Serbia international for his performances during the 2024-25 campaign, saying: “Mile is having a fantastic season.

​​​​​​

“When a goalkeeper is not very busy and is suddenly called into action, showing readiness at all times like Mile does, then it means that he is truly a great goalkeeper.”

It is clear that Onana will need to be replaced this summer, having performed very poorly over the past year, and Svilar could be a savvy signing at just £21m, freeing up funds to strengthen other areas of the squad.

Liverpool are now leading the race to complete the signing of a “great” player in the summer transfer window, according to a new update from Fabrizio Romano.

Liverpool eyeing signings on either flank

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson have been a legendary full-back pairing for the Reds over the past seven or eight years, but there is a changing of the guard at Anfield this summer.

Sadly, Alexander-Arnold has opted to leave Liverpool in order to almost certainly join Real Madrid, which unsurprisingly hasn’t gone down well with many supporters, while Robertson isn’t the force he once was at left-back – no surprise, considering he is now 31 and has years of relentless running behind him.

Jeremie Frimpong is set to arrive from Bayer Leverkusen, potentially coming in as a right-back, but he is also more than capable of taking up a more attacking right-sided role. It remains to be seen how Arne Slot will use him, and if Conor Bradley will be first-choice right-back moving forward.

Meanwhile, Milos Kerkez has emerged as the strongest option at left-back, following an excellent season with Bournemouth, although Fulham’s Antonee Robinson and Ajax teenager Jorrel Hato have also been mentioned as options. Manchester City have reportedly been looking to hijack a move for Kerkez, though, being seen as “genuine rivals” for his signature.

Liverpool in pole position to sign Kerkez after talks

Taking to X on Sunday, Romano said that Liverpool are in pole position to sign Kerkez from Bournemouth this summer, with talks continuing to head in the right direction:

Kerkez really does feel like the natural fit to come in and be Liverpool’s new first-choice left-back, ticking so many boxes, in terms of what Slot will be looking for.

The 21-year-old Hungary international is strong at both ends of the pitch, bagging seven goal contributions (two goals and five assists) in the Premier League this season, as well as averaging 2.6 clearances and 1.4 tackles per game.

Milos Kerkez’s 2024/25 Premier League stats before the final day

Total

Appearances

37

Starts

37

Minutes played

3,251

Goals

2

Assists

5

Clearances per game

2.6

Tackles per game

1.4

Interceptions per game

1.2

Key passes per game

0.9

In fact, Kerkez’s performances haven’t been lost on Slot, who has said he has enjoyed a “great season”, while football talent scout Jacek Kulig called him “amazing” after Bournemouth beat Manchester City earlier in the season.

At this point, it could be a surprise if the Cherries star didn’t join Liverpool, in a summer transfer window that is already threatening to be legendary.

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If the Reds manage to sign Kerkez, Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and a top-quality striker, it will be significant business that may only make them far stronger heading into next season.

The word ‘legend’ is thrown around all too readily in the beautiful game, but that is a tag that should be bestowed upon a key figure of Manchester United’s modern era – Wayne Rooney.

Plucked from Everton as a bulldozing teenager, the England and United great went on to achieve remarkable success during a glittering 13-year stay at Old Trafford, claiming a whole gamut of silverware, alongside his record total of 253 goals in all competitions.

Right from the outset, following his debut hat-trick against Fenerbahce, ‘Wazza’ simply looked born to pull on that famous red jersey, having also put the ‘devil’ in Red Devils with his relentless, full-blooded approach.

Yes, there were low moments – including his public desire to leave in both 2010 and 2013 – but the highs were so much more memorable, be it that overhead kick in the Manchester Derby, or his long-range stunner away at West Ham United.

Part of the famed forward line, alongside Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo, that claimed Champions League glory in 2008, Rooney was simply a menace in his pomp, with the great Sir Alex Ferguson previously suggesting that he could have played “in any era”.

Not only that, but the ex-Everton man was also seemingly the man for any position, be it as a number ten, a centre-forward, a winger or – as was the case in his latter days – as a central midfielder.

Why Wayne Rooney moved into midfield

It’s fair to say that much of Rooney’s best work for United came at the top end of the pitch, with the versatile speedster memorably scoring 34 goals in all competitions during the 2009/10 campaign, while operating as a centre-forward.

As he himself later admitted, however, he “hated” playing as the lone number nine as he “wanted to get involved” in the game, having notably moved into a number ten berth following Robin van Persie’s arrival in 2012.

That duo notably combined on the day that clinched what remains United’s most recent league title, with Rooney picking out the Dutchman with a delightful lofted pass over the top. Van Persie, of course, did the rest.

Such a moment perhaps hinted at a future for the Englishman in a deeper role later in his career, with Louis van Gaal subsequently opting to deploy his skipper as a central midfielder during his time in charge.

Speaking in April 2016, Rooney then admitted that he was looking to emulate teammate Paul Scholes in that role:

Most memorably, Rooney started in a deep-lying berth in the 2016 FA Cup final, with the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel writing at the time that the 30-year-old ‘ran the show’ in that eventual 2-1 victory.

To have moved from operating in the final third to then pulling the strings in the centre of the park seemed like a natural progression for the now-retired star, with that scenario perhaps now repeating itself with regard to Bruno Fernandes.

Man Utd's "legend" could now be emulating Rooney

After the highs of that Wembley triumph at the end of Van Gaal’s tenure, Rooney – who played as a midfielder in England’s unsuccessful Euro 2016 campaign – saw his change in role prove short-lived amid Jose Mourinho’s arrival, with the Portuguese coach stating that his captain “will never be a number six” in his team.

Just a year later, ‘Wazza’ was on his way back to Everton after enduring a bit-part role in claiming Europa League and Carabao Cup success in 2016/17, before ultimately retiring in 2021 after spells with DC United and Derby County.

There is perhaps the view that it was a mistake for Rooney to have tried to change his game in the latter stages of his career, with analyst Michael Cox writing in 2017 that he ‘had not taken to that role because he does not have the mobility to play there’.

Fernandes’ stats vs Forest

Stat

Record

Touches

110

Pass accuracy

79%

Key passes

6

Shots on target

2

Shots off target

0

Big chances created

0

Successful dribbles

2/5

Duels won

7/17

Long balls completed

7/12

Possession lost

31x

Dribbled past

3x

Stats via Sofascore

Perhaps there may be a fear of Fernandes enduring similar difficulties, with the £300k-per-week talisman also not exactly the most defensively-minded figure to call upon. Indeed, against Nottingham Forest in midweek, he was dribbled past on three occasions and lost the ball 31 times.

Despite those concerns, the decision to move the 30-year-old into a deeper role – amid his previous work as a number ten – does look as if it could prove far more successful than Rooney’s own late career venture.

That was again evident against Forest as the Portuguese playmaker initially struggled when operating behind Joshua Zirkzee, before gaining greater control after a half-time reshuffle saw him slot in alongside Casemiro, as he went on to rack up six key passes in total.

The reported Real Madrid target has been in fine form as part of the midfield duo after netting against the likes of Arsenal, Leicester City and Real Sociedad, with Amorim describing him as the “perfect captain” amid criticism from treble-winning hero, Roy Keane.

Also described as a “legend” in his own right by his manager, Fernandes has previously hinted that he envisages his future as a number six, again mirroring Rooney in having plotted out the latter stages of his career.

The only concern will be whether the former Sporting CP man – like Rooney – has the physical capabilities to make himself a long-term fit in this role moving forward, with The Athletic’s Carl Anka previously noting that the ‘central midfielders in Amorim’s 3-4-3 are chosen for their athleticism and tackling qualities first and foremost’.

The plan is working at the moment, to an extent, considering Fernandes’ individual brilliance, but it does beg the question as to whether he can maintain this momentum in the centre of the park.

With the midfield maestro perhaps approaching legendary status himself, he must ensure that his United career does not peter out in the same way that Rooney’s did before him.

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