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Manchester United are now racing Barcelona for the signature of a “wonderful” rising star, who’s keen on a move to the Premier League.

Man Utd set sights on another young defender

It has been a subpar start to the season for Man United, with being knocked out of the EFL Cup by Grimsby Town a low point, but young defender Leny Yoro has managed to catch the eye, having been singled out for praise by Rio Ferdinand.

Ferdinand said: “Leny Yoro’s got pace, going to get more time. Yeah, I love him. I think his ceiling, I don’t know where his ceiling, how high, [it] could be anything. He just needs the pieces around him as well to help him as a young kid, but I think he has the nucleus of all the right traits to be a top centre-half and he will be because he wants to be.”

Yoro has started all three Premier League games up to this point, forming a partnership with Matthijs De Ligt and Harry Maguire, who is now arguably in the latter stages of his career at 32.

As such, it now appears as though United are looking to bring in a long-term replacement for Maguire, having joined the race for a rising star.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Man United are battling the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool and Chelsea for the signature of Ajax defender Aaron Bouwman, having consistently scouted the 18-year-old.

£1m+ Arsenal target has heart set on Man Utd move due to Sir Alex Ferguson

The Red Devils would be well-positioned to win the race for a forward.

ByDominic Lund Sep 10, 2025

Bouwman, who idolises Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, is said to have world-class potential, which explains the interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, and the teenager has previously made it clear he would be keen on a move to England.

The Ajax defender said: “The top four of the Premier League is my ultimate dream, although playing at the top in Spain or another major footballing country would also be amazing.”

"Wonderful" Bouwman is one for the future

Despite his age, the youngster has already managed to force his way into the Ajax team, helping his side keep a clean sheet against Telstar back in August, having previously impressed scout Antonio Mango at youth level.

In the 2-0 victory over Telstar, the young centre-back made 10 defensive actions, the joint-highest number of any player on the pitch, while also winning three duels.

Statistic

Number completed

Clearances

3

Blocked shots

3

Interceptions

1

Tackles

3

That said, Bouwman has still only made one senior appearance for Ajax, so it is perhaps too early to judge whether he would be a suitable signing for Man United, despite showing the hallmarks of a future star.

South Africa seamer strikes hard on day two to put Kent on the brink of victory at Wantage Road

Vithushan Ehantharajah05-Apr-2025Northants 143 (Keogh 64, Singh 4-35) and 107 for 7 (Bartlett 54*, Dudgeon 4-32) need 153 runs to beat Kent 231 (Muyeye 72, Leaning 40, Weatherall 3-32) and 171 (Evison 52, Compton 36, Weatherall 3-38) Keith Dudgeon had originally planned on joining Kent for the 2024 season before NOC issues ruled that out. A year on, he finds himself at the club as one of two replacements, alongside Pakistan Test seamer Kashif Ali, to cover for Wes Agar through to May, who was prescribed rest following the end of the Australian summer.Even moonlighting for Agar owed a lot to a referral from a high-profile figure within the English game. Joe Root, having spent time with Dudgeon during an SA20 stint with Paarl Royals, thought he had the skills to succeed in county cricket. His overall record was impressive enough, with 226 red ball wickets at 26.31. With Kent searching for bowlers, Root recommended Dudgeon to England teammate Zak Crawley, who passed it on,The lesson to learn after just two days of the 2025 season is that networking works. Because whatever thoughts there might have been that the 29-year-old South African is an afterthought overseas, the record was set straight on Saturday evening at Wantage Road.The broad-shouldered seamer took Kent to victory’s door against Northamptonshire with a late spell of three wickets in nine deliveries that leaves his new side needing just three more wickets on day three for victory in their Division Two opener. An uncapped Protea he may be, but this was a top-quality fare.That day two saw 20 wickets across three innings tells an accurate story of a crapshoot of an opening fixture on a spicy pitch that would have done plenty without the plethora of batting errors. But Dudgeon’s late burst – which might have been four wickets in 11 balls, and a first five-wicket haul for the club, had a vociferous LBW appeal against Justin Broad been given – was a gut punch to Northamptonshire.At 54 for 2 in pursuit of 260, they looked to have stumbled across some calm amid the chaos of the last two days. Now, closing on 107 for 7, they rest knowing defeat awaits them on Sunday, with only George Bartlett’s unbeaten 54 to hold on to. Bartlett’s presence should be considered a blessing given he was shelled on 17 by Bell-Drummond at third slip.”We’ve had a struggle this year with the Kookaburra (balls) back home, and slower seam conditions at my home ground, Boland Park,” Dudgeon said of South African seamers over their domestic summer. His seven wickets for Boland came at 55.28. Just 20 overs with a Dukes in April have already reaped five at 13.00.”I’m well aware that they’re not all like this,” he added, referring to the surface and conditions, having clocked a few heavy scores around the country. “I know the hard work is only coming, so we need to stay humble.”He need not worry, because humility has a way of finding this modern iteration of Kent, even when they are in the ascendancy. They needed just 40 minutes to wrap up Northamptonshire’s first innings, with Jaskaran Singh doubling his two dismissals from the night before to finish with career-best figures of 4 for 35. But having worked hard to establish a lead of 88, the visiting attack were back in action after the tea break, with 29 overs remaining in the day’s play.What happened in between was down to a super-sized version of the first day’s mistakes. A collapse of 5 for 33 in their first innings was “bettered” by a rather inexplicable 7 for 49 in the second, of which four – all caught through attacking shots – should have been avoided.The first of those was a tame bunt to cover by Crawley, this time for 31 after losing two stumps for just one 24 hours earlier. That it set up the cascade was no fault of Crawley’s; England’s erratic opener had compiled nicely up to that point, dovetailing with Ben Compton to take the opening stand to 66 just after lunch.Jaskaran Singh struck in the first innings before Keith Dudgeon make the key inroads in the second•Getty ImagesBut when a Broad length delivery sat up, deserving to be smoked through the off side, Crawley snatched at the chance, gifting a simple catch to Saif Zaib at cover. An over later, Zaib was in more or less the exact same patch of field – this time fielding at midwicket – as Bell-Drummond flicked to him for a three-ball nought, and was immediately followed back to the pavilion by Tawanda Muyeye.The reaction to Muyeye’s dismissal for a golden duck said it all, though it was as much down to seeing off a batter who peeled off a composed 72 on day one as the quality of delivery from Raphael Weatherall. An inswinging yorker pinne the right-hander’s front pad on its way towards to the base of leg stump.Yet again, it was Weatherall’s introduction that ripped the guts out of Kent’s line-up. Jack Leaning survived the hat-trick ball, but the former England U19 quick eventually picked up his third, ripping out Compton’s off stump to cap a resolute stay at 101 minutes.Weatherall’s 3 for 38, combined with the first day’s career-best effort of 32 not only doubled his overall first-class tally. To have gone two days in a row showcased the important technical changes made over the winter following a stress fracture of his lower back.Aged 20, his pace – 81/82mph according to analysts at Wantage Road – and ability to hammer the same length to right- and left-handers (including from around the wicket to the latter, which did for Compton) is a huge upside. The energy provided was harnessed beyond his own spell to allow Northants a route back through the seven-wicket flurry spanning 16.3 overs.The problem, however, was despite Kent’s missteps, their lead had made it to 203. With Joey Evison the designated fourth emergency service since moving to Canterbury in 2022, another rescue act was cooking. A gutsy 52 – his 10th first-class half-century for the club – dragged Kent to 171. Evison was the last to fall attempting his first shot in anger, failing to clear Zaib on the fence at deep midwicket.Undoubtedly the crucial part of that late resistance was an eight-wicket partnership of 36 with Dudgeon, which meant Northamptonshire’s target for victory would require them to register the highest innings of the match. Considering that stand was greater than anything the hosts mustered in their first innings, it was clear who were in the ascendancy going into the tea interval.Those odds shrunk at the end of the second over of the evening session. Ricardo Vasconcelos decided to leave a good length ball from Dudgeon, delivered tight to the stumps from over the wicket, despite the fact the right-armer has been consistently moving the ball in to the left-hander, and lost his off stump.It was the first of three bad leaves. The third – Broad wearing one on the pad from Gilchrist – closed out the day’s play. The second, however, was a work of art from Grant Stewart.James Sales had judged the line of the Italian seamer’s delivery to be wide of off stump out of the hand. A wicked deviation sent it back towards its intended target, kissing the middle-and-off bail gently enough that even standing umpire Rob Bailey had to double-take when Sales calmly strode off.Stewart had already seen off home skipper Luke Procter. And when Rob Keogh, Northamptonshire’s first innings top-scorer with a 64 that only ended this morning, became the second of three catches to be pouched by Leaning at second slip, all in Dudgeon’s late spell, all reasonable hope was lost.

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe has launched a passionate defence of Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal. There has been increased media attention on the teenage winger, who only turned 18 in July, and Mbappe has urged critics to leave the Barca star alone as he continues his establish himself as one of the best footballers in the world.

Getty Images SportYamal facing scrutiny from the media

Mbappe has pleaded with critics to leave Yamal alone as the spotlight continues to shine on the Barcelona star. Yamal won the 2025 Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d'Or ceremony last month as he was named the best player under the age of 21 in world football for the second year running.

However, the accelerated rise to superstardom means Yamal has come under scrutiny on private matters from the media. A number of outlets have chosen to focus on the Spain star's love life, while others have dug deep into the winger's dating history.

Additionally, Yamal is embroiled in a club vs country tug-of-war over his fitness. The teenager was called up to the Spain squad for World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria this month before being withdrawn following protestations from Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, who has criticised the national team over his handling for the star forward.

Yamal only recently returned to action having suffered a groin problem while on Spain duty last month as he missed wins over Valencia, Newcastle, Getafe and Real Oviedo.

Advertisement'I think people should leave him alone'

And Real Madrid star Mbappe has leapt to the defence of Yamal, telling Jorge Valdano in an interview that will be broadcast on Movistar on Sunday, via ESPN: "You can see [Lamine] has passion for football and that's the only thing he mustn't lose.

"The rest is just his life. People talk about his personal life, but I think people should leave him alone."

Yamal started the La Liga season strongly, scoring twice and providing two assists in his opening three league outings of the campaign. Having suffered a groin problem with Spain last month, however, Yamal has made just one further league appearance since the 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano in August as he came off the bench for the 2-1 home win over Real Sociedad last month.

And Mbappe, who broke onto the scene at 16 years of age with Monaco, has backed Yamal, who debuted at just 15 in 2023, to learn from his mistakes.

AFPAt 18 everyone makes mistakes

"[Lamine] is a great football player, but in life he's an 18-year-old kid," Mbappe added.

"At 18 everyone makes mistakes. He'll live his life. We should only look at what he does on the pitch. The rest isn't important, as long as it isn't anything serious. He's a player with a great talent."

Mbappe and Real Madrid were involved in a similar fitness-war as Yamal and Barcelona with the former called up to the France squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland this month, this despite suffering an ankle problem against Villarreal last weekend.

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Mbappe suffers ankle injury in France's win over Azerbaijan

Even so, Mbappe started Friday's game over Azerbaijan, scoring the opening goal on the stroke of half time, extending his scoring run for club and country to 10 games in the process, before turning provider for Adrien Rabiot midway through the second half as France eased to a 3-0 home win.

Mbappe, though, was forced off in the 83rd minute after his ankle trapped in a challenge involving Abdulla Xaybulayev. While the France captain gingerly walked off, both club and country face an anxious wait to learn the full extent of the injury.

On the injury, France head coach Didier Deschamps said after the win over Azerbaijan: "It’s the same ankle where he was hurt. The pain decreases when he rests. In a match, contacts are inevitably going to happen. We will assess it. He has discomfort that is not ideal for him."

Les Bleus take on Iceland Monday night and victory in Reykjavík will all but confirm France's place at the 2026 World Cup.

Warwickshire wriggle out with a draw after dogged rearguard on final day

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay21-Apr-2025Dominant Nottinghamshire ran out of time and had to settle for a draw against Warwickshire after rain took out much of the final day of their Rothesay County Championship Division One match at Edgbaston.Warwickshire, trailing by 274 on first innings, entered the final day on 163 for six second time around, with the visitors four wickets away from the win their command of the match deserved. But rain prevented play until 3.45pm, leaving Nottinghamshire’s bowlers just 36 overs at their disposal on a flattening pitch.Overnight pair Ed Barnard (40 not out, 149 balls) and Olly Hannon-Dalby (seven not out, 62 balls) blocked their way to safety as Warwickshire ended on 181 for six.Warwickshire ended with much relief at a draw, having been outplayed. Nottinghamshire’s frustration, after seizing control with some brilliant bowling on the second day, was deep, though they did not help themselves with pedestrian batting on the third morning. With heavy rain always likely on day four, there was a clear case for pressing home their advantage in more proactive fashion and trying to force victory before the final day.Nottinghamshire’s gamble on the weather allowing them sufficient time did not succeed as Barnard and Hannon-Dalby ‘parked the bus’ on an increasingly placed pitch. After play finally resumed, just three runs came from the first 14 overs.The seventh-wicket pair survived 20 overs with few alarms when Nottinghamshire had their last throw of the dice – a new ball with 16 overs remaining. By that stage, however, the dark clouds had rolled back in and the floodlights were on and only four balls were possible with the new ball before the umpires took the players off for bad light, never to return.Warwickshire were left mightily relieved to have drawn a match in which they were so emphatically second best. Nottinghamshire might reflect that county championship matches are very hard to win, so when you do build a winning position, it’s a good idea to stay positive and do everything you can to turn it into a victory.

At the end of the 2023/24 season, Newcastle United were dealt a cruel blow when Manchester United defeated Manchester City to lift the FA Cup.

The Red Devils finished eighth in the Premier League, and would not have played in European competition had victory over their rivals at Wembley not rolled out the red carpet toward the Europa League.

This came at the expense of Eddie Howe’s Magpies, who had battled hard despite a startling number of injuries across the season to finish seventh. Their European place was lost.

And now it is back, and what better way for Newcastle to begin their Champions League campaign than against Barcelona, one of the most historic teams on the continent?

At St. James’ Park, a cauldron of ear-splitting noise, anything can happen. And Howe will have drilled into his players a belief that they can indeed win.

All will need to be at the races, and there will be confidence in Nick Woltemade’s ability to build on last weekend’s goalscoring debut appearance in black and white.

Nick Woltemade's fast start at Newcastle

Newcastle failed to escape their group in 2023/24, but it was a tough group, and United’s campaign was strewn with misfortune and contentious decisions.

This time, Howe and Newcastle are more experienced, with the manager remarking that his side are “arguably stronger” than they were two years ago, even having sold Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a £125m fee on transfer deadline day.

Woltemade fills big boots, but his game-winning goal against Wolves on Saturday shows he’s up to the task, all right, not just scoring but producing a dynamic display which proves he, too, can serve Howe as a multi-faceted forward.

Minutes played

68′

Goals

1

Touches

20

Shots (on target)

3 (1)

Accurate passes

8/9 (89%)

Key passes

1

Tackles

3

Ground duels

5/7

Aerial duels

3/4

The 6 foot 6 star belies his lofty frame with a deftness of touch and technical command of a nimble, shifty striker. Isak was also big and boisterous, but silky and agile too, and while they differ as forwards, it’s clear that Woltemade has the tools to emulate his predecessor on Tyneside.

A standout showing against La Blaugrana would help him toward that reputation, to be sure.

However, Woltemade is only 23 and still settling into a new environment. The German will start in the absence of the injured Yoane Wissa, but he will need his teammates to step up and help him perform – and who better to inspire the troops than Bruno Guimaraes in the middle of the park?

Bruno Guimaraes could be Newcastle's talisman

At Newcastle, Isak wasn’t just an elite goalscorer, but a striker whose skillset was disproportionately greater than his positional role demanded.

That is why he was sold for a British-record fee, having been a title-winning talisman for the Toon last season. Now, Guimaraes appears to be stepping up, becoming an even brighter leading light than before, and in a different way to the Sweden striker.

Against Liverpool, Newcastle were defeated, but the Brazilian midfielder was hailed for his effort, winning seven duels, making three tackles and nodding home United’s first of two strikes.

It hasn’t been a characteristically imperious start to the season for Guimaraes, but he’s a perennially athletic number eight whose completeness has been freed up by the form of Sandro Tonali in a deeper-lying berth.

The 27-year-old loves Newcastle, and his energy and passion permeate across the pitch. It is for this reason he wears the armband, and he matches his intensity with a technical level that has led to interest from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, and a ward-away price tag of £100m.

According to data-driven platform FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passes, the top 2% for through balls and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Guimaraes’ passing and vision provide the root of Woltemade’s potential against the La Liga champions. The South American has been described as an athletic “machine” by Newcastle blogger Thomas Hammond, with his impressive 7.5 ball recoveries per Premier League match this term a testament to that.

If Woltemade fails to show up, or indeed is nullified by a strong Barcelona backline, it will damage Newcastle’s chances, but it won’t negate them.

However, Guimaraes’ ability to stand up and perform in the midfield battle will be vital for Howe’s side, and if he manages to replicate the passion and desire that was on show against Liverpool last month, there’s every chance that Newcastle will pull off one of their great European nights on Tyneside.

Guimaraes is the complete package, and, in the prime of his career, will be determined to make this a season to remember for United, having tasted success in the Carabao Cup last year.

Newcastle have qualified for the Champions League across two of the past three seasons, bookending a year that frustrated the club and left them adrift from continental football after Man United shocked a few at Wembley.

Still. Howe and his outfit have shown a remarkable ability to overcome adversity and work their way toward a nailed-down position among the biggest hitters that the Champions League has to offer.

A big performance against Barcelona would rubber-stamp their position, and if Guimaraes is on his A-game, Newcastle might just do it.

He earns 2x more than Anderson: PIF must sell "disappointing" Newcastle dud

It may soon be time to cash in on this Newcastle star.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 17, 2025

After finishing a gruelling season at No. 3 and 4, Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians face off in a knockout

Hemant Brar29-May-20252:58

Moody: GT have a few more concerns than MI

Big picture: Can GT cope without Buttler?Before the start of IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans (GT) seemed to have a hole in their batting line-up. They had an excellent top three and a bunch of finishers but the middle order looked thin. GT, though, finished third in the league stage and will now face Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator in New Chandigarh on Friday. The winner moves on to Qualifier 2, one step closer to the final; the loser is eliminated.GT relied heavily on their top three during their run to the playoffs. In most games, at least one of Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler batted so deep that the middle order was barely required. On the rare occasion when they fell relatively early, Sherfane Rutherford and Shahrukh Khan proved that the perceived hole in the middle order wasn’t so deep.The interruption to the season, however, interrupted GT’s momentum. They were on course for a top-two finish but lost their last two league games and dropped to No. 3. Now Buttler has left for the England duty and GT’s first match without him is the Eliminator. His replacement Kusal Mendis is a fine batter but he is not in the same league. Moreover, he has never played the IPL and his last innings in a competitive game was more than a month ago.Related

MI's turnaround decoded: death overs tamed, middle overs mastered

GT were perhaps the only franchise to have constructed their squad around their bowling. But with Mohammed Siraj’s form tapering off and Rashid Khan’s never really picking up, their strongest department does not look as strong. In the last three games, they conceded 199, 235 and 230.MI, on the other hand, are a galaxy of stars. But not everyone has been shining as brightly. Suryakumar Yadav is their leading run-getter with 640, but the next best, Ryan Rickelton, is 252 behind. And he is not available for the playoffs. The next on the list is Rohit Sharma with 329.Unlike Mendis for GT, MI’s replacement for Rickelton is an IPL veteran: Jonny Bairstow. Last fortnight, he smashed twin fifties for Yorkshire, albeit in a red-ball game. Will Jacks, who has also left MI for England duty, does not leave behind that big a hole. On current form, their bowling attack also seems stronger than GT’s.GT, though, will draw confidence from having beaten MI in both league games. In fact, MI are yet to beat any of the three other teams in the playoffs. They did have a six-match winning streak in the middle, but after two losses in their last three league games, they no longer appear invincible.3:00

Aaron: Bairstow is one of the replacements of the IPL

Form guideGujarat Titans LLWWW (last five matches, most recent first)
Mumbai Indians LWLWWIn the spotlight: Rashid Khan and Jasprit BumrahRashid Khan and Jasprit Bumrah have been T20 cricket’s best spinner and best fast bowler for years now. But they have had contrasting fortunes in IPL 2025. Rashid is having his worst IPL season. In 14 games, he has picked up just nine wickets at an average of 53.66 and an economy of 9.47. The 31 sixes he has been hit for are the joint most for any bowler in an IPL season alongside Siraj in 2022.Bumrah missed the first four matches as he was recovering from a back injury. Despite that, he is joint sixth on the list of highest wicket-takers this season. He has taken 17 at an average of 14.64 and economy of 6.33, both a personal best for him in an IPL season.Jasprit Bumrah is having his best IPL season•Getty ImagesTeam news and likely XIIsMendis replacing Buttler could be the only change for GT.Gujarat Titans (probable): 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Sherfane Rutherford, 5 M Shahrukh Khan, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Gerald Coetzee, 9 Arshad Khan, 10 R Sai Kishore, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Prasidh KrishnaBairstow coming in for Rickelton is a straight swap. Choosing between Charith Asalanka and Bevon Jacobs for Jacks could be trickier, but Asalanka’s offspin could tilt the decision in his favour.Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Charith Asalanka/Bevon Jacobs, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Naman Dhir, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Jasprit Bumrah, 12 Karn SharmaThe big questionPitch and conditionsNew Chandigarh has not dished out consistent pitches this season. In the four games played there before the playoffs, a team lost after making 201 and a team won after scoring 111. In Qualifier 1, Punjab Kings (PBKS) were all out for 101 on a surface that helped both seamers and spinners, but it will be a fresh pitch for the Eliminator. The weather forecast for Friday is likely to be cloudy, but there is no indication of rain.Key stats In the IPL, Hardik Pandya has dismissed Gill four times in 23 balls while giving away only 19 runs. Mendis has struggled against Mitchell Santner in T20 cricket – four dismissals in 39 balls for just 34 runs. Across all T20s, Suryakumar has taken Rashid for 117 runs in 77 balls without a dismissal. Rashid has dominated his match-up against Hardik, though: 32 runs in 44 balls, two dismissals. Tilak Varma has faced seven balls from Prasidh Krishna in the IPL. He’s been dismissed twice and hasn’t scored a run.

West Ham travel to Everton on Monday, but Graham Potter will not get the chance to use the trip to Goodison Park as a shot at redemption after he and his coaching staff were let go on Saturday.

The managers who West Ham are considering to replace Graham Potter

Nuno Espírito Santo, Slaven Bilic, Scott Parker, Marco Silva, Sean Dyche, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick have all been mentioned as managerial candidates for the potential West Ham job recently.

Potter, who had overseen four defeats from five Premier League games at West Ham this season, conceding more goals than any other top-flight side, has seen time run out. Reports had hinted at a stay of execution for the 50-year-old until the Arsenal match, but David Sullivan and the West Ham board have decided to call time on his reign.

It’s been just over nine months since Potter took over from Julen Lopetegui in the dugout, with the former Chelsea and Brighton boss recording one of West Ham’s worst Premier League win percentages in that time — behind only Avram Grant — who relegated the east Londoners in 2011.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

According to reliable club insider ExWHUemployee, while Nuno is demanding a long-term contract with reported big wages, the Portuguese is believed to be in pole position for the job. Other top contenders include Bilic, who is already planning his coaching staff in the event he’s appointed (ExWHUemployee), and now, Gary O’Neil.

The latter is a free agent after leaving Wolves last season and has a connection with West Ham already, having made 56 appearances for them as a player. O’Neil does have his credentials too, despite being sacked by his last club.

His work at Molineux and Bournemouth is “highly respected” in Premier League circles, according to The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, given O’Neil worked wonders at times with limited resources and helped to save the Cherries from what looked like a near-certain relegation in 2022/2023.

Gary O'Neil keen to replace Graham Potter as West Ham hold manager talks

Now, as per journalist Pete O’Rourke, O’Neil is believed to be keen on joining West Ham as the club hold talks with managerial candidates behind-the-scenes.

O’Rourke highlights that Nuno remains the favourite, but says O’Neil is actually Sullivan and the board’s second choice behind the ex-Nottingham Forest hero.

The 42-year-old may not ‘wow’ supporters as a favoured candidate, though there is reason to believe he could steady the ship, at least on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

Gary O'Neil's credentials for the West Ham job

After taking over from Scott Parker at Bournemouth in 2022, O’Neil won 10 of his 34 league games in charge that season, guiding them to a 15th-placed finish.

Parker was shown his P45 following a 9-0 loss to Liverpool, which still stands as the joint-biggest defeat in Premier League history, but O’Neil managed to go unbeaten over his first six games in charge of Bournemouth thereafter.

As a result of his impressive start, the tactician was awarded a one-and-a-half year contract during the World Cup break, and steered the south coast side comfortably clear of relegation.

O’Neil also impressed in his first season at Wolves, guiding them to an FA Cup quarter-final and 14th-placed finish under very challenging circumstances, with the Old Gold selling a host of key players and bringing in few quality options to replace them.

However, O’Neil seriously struggled to build upon that in his second year and was sacked midway through 24/25 after a defeat to Ipswich.

With a drop to the Championship staring West Ham in the face right now, O’Neil could be an adept solution to steady the ship, but only on an interim basis.

The highly-anticipated derby clash between arch-rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv had to be suspended after violent riots broke out among supporters that led to “endangerment of human lives”. Several members of local police forces suffered injuries after becoming caught up in chaotic scenes prior to the game in question getting underway, with a number of arrests being made.

What happened in Tel Aviv?

reports that five supporters were arrested on suspicion of disturbing the peace, rioting, throwing bottles and assaulting police officers, with a further 13 being detained for forming part of an illegal gathering.

Smoke grenades and fireworks were thrown by those in the crowd at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, leading to the game having to be cancelled. That decision was made as a result of “serious disorder” playing out. Israeli police announced that three officers and five fans had been hurt by pyrotechnics. Another five supporters were left nursing injuries, with the Tel Aviv district commander, Haim Sargof, stating that postponement was the only course of action due to increased safety fears.

AdvertisementWhy was the derby match postponed?

Video footage captured inside the stadium shows the pitch being engulfed by red and white smoke generated by the pyrotechnics. Supporters from both clubs were involved in the throwing of flares and smoke bombs onto the field, with 51 said to have been tossed in that direction. Stones were also thrown onto the playing surface by those in the stands.

Maccabi and Hapoel players were sent back to the dressing rooms before an official postponement announcement was made. That came at around 8:50pm local time – 20 minutes after the match in question was due to get underway.

What a police spokersperson said

A police spokesperson said: “Disorderly conduct, riots, object throwing, smoke grenades, fireworks, injured police officers, and damage to stadium infrastructure — this is not a football match, this is a serious public disturbance and violence.

“In light of the disturbances and the endangerment of human lives ahead of the scheduled football match at Bloomfield stadium, the Israel police has informed the teams, team management, and referees that it has been decided not to allow the match to take place. We call on the fans to remain in place until a calm and orderly dispersal takes place.”

The Israel Professional Football League Association later confirmed the fixture had been delayed indefinitely, with no date for the rearranged contest being agreed as yet. Months of planning had taken place behind the scenes ahead of an eagerly-anticipated derby encounter, with the Jerusalem Post reporting on how 25,000 spectators created “an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation for a derby that hadn’t been played in over a year”.

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Getty Images SportWill Maccabi fans attend game at Villa Park?

The incident in Tel Aviv comes in the wake of an announcement that Maccabi fans are currently banned from travelling to England for a Europa League clash with Aston Villa on November 6. The UK government is exploring ways to overturn that decision, with talks being held regarding extra support for police in Birmingham.

The city’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) made that decision, but they are facing mounting pressure to find a solution that allows supporters to visit Villa Park. A meeting of the SAG is expected to be held in the coming days.

The Home Office spokesperson has said: “No one should be stopped from watching a football game simply because of who they are.” They added that efforts are being made to ensure that the European fixture can “safely go ahead with all fans present”.

Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has told Sky News that the government cannot promise “come what may” that Maccabi supporters will be granted permission to attend the match. Ministers are, however, “working towards” ensuring the ban on travelling fans will be lifted. Discussions with police, council workers and other authorities will continue until a definitive decision is reached.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be overjoyed by how his side reacted to their first defeat of the season away to Liverpool, with the Gunners going unbeaten in their last seven games since then and topping the Premier League table.

By contrast, Liverpool have got a taste of their own medicine in the last fortnight after previously winning games in dramatic late fashion — losing their last two successive top flight matches against Crystal Palace and Chelsea in the final minutes.

Arsenal have now leapfrogged the Reds into pole position, with Arteta just reigning victorious in his 300th game in charge of the club against West Ham.

Saka also reached two impressive milestones against the Hammers, marking his 200th Premier League appearance by reaching a century of goal involvements in the competition.

Appearances

270

Goals

73

Assists

71

Bookings

31

Red cards

0

Minutes played

20,448

Sporting director Andrea Berta, after sealing new contracts for star defender William Saliba and goalkeeper David Raya recently, is in talks with Saka’s camp to extend the winger’s terms beyond 2027.

The 24-year-old could get a salary increase to north of £250,000-per-week and the North Londoners are optimistic they can agree a deal by Christmas (Football Transfers), with defender Jurrien Timber also poised to be handed a new deal after his excellent form.

With a host of players looking likely to commit their futures to Arsenal for the foreseeable, the same cannot be said of summer signing Christian Norgaard, who has already decided his next club and revealed when he’s going to leave.

Christian Norgaard reveals Arsenal exit timeline with next club decided

Speaking to Bold, Norgaard says that Arsenal will definitely be his last club abroad, and he wants a return to Brondby once his contract expires in 2027 or 2028.

The 31-year-old former Brentford captain was brought in as an experienced utility player and a replacement for Thomas Partey, missing Arsenal’s first four league games of the season with a knock, and is yet to play a single top flight minute for his new club.

Norgaard started the Carabao Cup third round win away to Port Vale last month, playing one minute in the Champions League against Athletic Bilbao, but this is the summary of his game time under Arteta so far.

The Denmark international would’ve been made aware of his bit-part role before he signed from Brentford, and going by this message, he doesn’t appear to have any issue with his squad-player status.

Messi extended his deal with Miami, which will surely be a boost for the club and league – but what does it mean for him?

So we've finally got the Messi extension news we wanted. The Argentine sticking around in Miami. It gets even better than that, too. A one year extension would have been welcomed. But Messi has signed on for three, extending through 2028. Nicely done, everyone. 

There are a few things that need acknowledging here. The first is that this is an immense win for MLS. It's pretty good for soccer in general. It's also massive for Miami, who rely on their star man. But there are larger questions to be asked.

For all of his individual success – presumptive back-to-back MVP awards are hard to argue with – it hasn't translated into much silverware for Miami. They aren't favorites for MLS Cup this year, though they should contend, and will presumably need roster reconstruction going forward. 

What can we make of Messi's time in Miami? And what can we expect going forward?

GOAL US writers debate all that and more in the latest edition of… The Rondo.

Getty Images SportWhat's the key takeaway from Messi's extension?

Tom Hindle: An actual dream for the league. They needed this beyond belief. The Messi effect simply cannot be understated. And even if there is widespread frustration that MLS isn't quite getting everything out of him from a marketing POV, as long as he's here, people will care. Miami are probably buzzing that they get him in their new stadium, too. Nicely done, to all parties. Probably the only sad thing here is that this would appear to be the Messi endgame. There's not another contract after this. Welcome to the beginning of the end. 

Ryan Tolmich: Great news for the league, and for Miami, who will now waltz into their new stadium with the name of the most famous player on the planet on the marquee. Both the league and the club needed this as they look to build on the momentum certain to be generated by the 2026 World Cup. On the field, we'll have to see how it goes. But in terms of the off-field buzz, this was the best news the league could generate.

Alex Labidou: Although it felt inevitable, it is still massive for both Inter Miami and MLS. The league needs eyeballs in a World Cup year and Inter Miami has a new stadium to fill next season. Both greatly benefit from having Messi in the league, though it is fair to wonder if this means Messi and Miami will exert even more influence over the league.

AdvertisementGettyHow likely is it that Messi will actually play until 2028?

TH: Zero-percent chance (he says with no actual concrete information). The three years is probably to guarantee whatever business benefits come at the end. It would be no surprise to see him retire at the end of 2026. That extra time? Just seems like security.

RT: A lot can change in three years and, because of that, it's hard to see him playing out this full deal. Many believed Messi would step away somewhere around the 2026 World Cup, and there are questions as to whether he'll actually play for Argentina next year. So the thought of him effectively playing through 2028? Unlikely. If it happens, thought, great, because the league and American soccer would surely benefit. But at some point, the man will probably just want to ride off into the sunset and spend more time with family.

AL: In any other circumstance, offering a three-year extension to a 38-year-old will be nonsensical. But this is Messi we’re talking about. At 40 or 41, he could probably still better Diego Luna’s numbers in the league. That’s not a diss to the Real Salt Lake star, it's just reality. Mess is the greatest player the world has ever seen from a skill point of view, and he’s vastly ahead of anyone currently playing in MLS.

Getty Images SportWhat's the biggest positive from his MLS tenure?

TH: Eyeballs, competition, and the fact that the best of all time is playing in this league. Genuinely think about it; we may never see another footballer this good. It is a privilege for American soccer to have him around. MLS has boasted about its 3.7 million weekly viewers worldwide. A good chunk of those are because of Leo. It's probably a good thing, too, that Messi has started some chatter about how the league can function long term. The hatred of Miami by fans of other teams, ironically, might lead to some change here. 

RT: The eyeballs are obvious. But the real positive is that it has ignited some debate about this league and where it's going. Even with the likeable Messi, Miami has become something of a supervillain for this league. And as it turns out, people like tuning into that type of thing. Let this all serve as a reminder to MLS that, in the end, fans care about quality, star-power and, ultimately, storylines more than parity. MLS should probably adjust league rules accordingly.

AL: Messi is probably the first big-time DP signing whose production has outmatched his hype. He has scored 50 goals in 53 appearances and has also been the league’s best playmaker. In a league in which fans saw Thierry Henry, David Beckham and Steven Gerrard all past their best, Messi brings world-class moments to the pitch almost every night. He’s not here to sell shirts, and he genuinely appears frustrated when his team isn’t lifting trophies.

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Getty Images SportWhat's the biggest criticism?

TH: Can we please get over this spokesperson thing? Messi signed for Miami because he wanted to play in Miami, for the club. He did not sign for MLS, and doesn't really owe the league anything. Should he have showed up to the All-Star game? Probably. But it's hard to begrudge him for not talking to the media every day. He didn't before and he shouldn't have to now. There isn't anything meaningful to criticize.

RT: Actually, it is just that – his total lack of participation as a spokesperson for the league. Yes, Messi is a big star, but you know who else was?  Beckham, Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They all spoke after every game, did all of the appearances and helped prop up the league even when, in truth, they didn't really want to. Messi has done none of that. In some ways, it's his prerogative. And there's no denying that he's more introverted than those other global stars. That said, it would be nice if he spoke to media or participated in any of the other events and moments that other MLS stars have made themselves available for.

AL: Messi, the ambassador for MLS, has a lot to be desired. He’s participated in only a handful of media opportunities. This is the greatest player to ever play, and obviously the best in MLS. Fans want to hear from him, get his thoughts on playing in North America, the quality of the league and his future. And he’s been very quiet. While that might not be a big deal in Europe, where Messi spent the majority of his career, it is massive for MLS as it competes for interest with other American sports leagues, such as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. Fans of those sports get insights daily from their favorite players. Beckham single-handedly changed the perception of MLS when he arrived. That hasn’t been the case since Messi joined this league.