Manchester United chiefs regret signing a £47m player, with patience behind the scenes at Old Trafford running out, according to a new report.

Man Utd already eyeing Amorim replacements

It hasn’t exactly been the start to life in Manchester that manager Ruben Amorim would have hoped for, with his side in the bottom half of the Premier League and out of both domestic cup competitions.

The club’s only chance of silverware is in the Europa League, with the Red Devils drawing the first leg of their last 16 tie at Real Sociedad on Thursday evening.

Talking after the draw in Spain, Amorim said: “I think we played well until the penalty. But then the penalty, I think, changed a little bit the momentum of the game. I felt the team were a little bit tired in the last 20 minutes and that also helped them take control of the game in the final 20 minutes. Until the penalty, we were in control, had the opportunities. After our goal, we were really good because we were near the second goal.”

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Whether or not Amorim will be the man to take United back to the top remains to be seen, as recent speculation has named numerous managers as potential replacements for Amorim at Man Utd.

Massimiliano Allegri, previously of Juventus, has emerged as a possible target for Man Utd, as has Unai Emery of Aston Villa. INEOS “could take drastic measures and accelerate the search for a replacement” if things don’t improve under Amorim, and the co-owners have regrets about one of their first signings at Old Trafford.

Man Utd regret signing Andre Onana for £47m

According to reports in Spain, Man Utd regret signing Andre Onana, describing his stay at Old Trafford as a ‘nightmare’.

The Cameroon international cost around £47m from Inter Milan back in 2023, and it’s safe to say his time in England hasn’t gone to plan, with the shot-stopper making numerous errors.

It is added that ‘patience at United is running thin’ and that ‘the lack of assurances in goal has led the club to reconsider its trust in Onana and to explore possible solutions for the next season’.

Moving on Onana won’t be straightforward, though, due to his current long-term deal and transfer fee. He was recently dubbed as “useless” by former defender Paul Parker, who also slammed the club’s decision to let David de Gea go.

“The problem is probably that the goalkeeper position won’t be a priority for a new signing, as there are so many other issues in other positions that need strengthening.

“I can’t help but think about why the club let David De Gea go. It was a really disgraceful way they parted with him after he was named Player of the Year three times in a row, and right now, it looks even more ridiculous because his replacement is so useless.”

Onana also reportedly wants to stay at Old Trafford, so the coming months will be extremely interesting in regards to United’s stance on the goalkeeper.

Manchester United are already thinking about sacking Ruben Amorim, and a “genius” manager who’s won 11 trophies may be on the list of candidates to replace him, according to a report.

Tottenham defeat adds to Amorim's troubles

It has been far from an ideal first three months at Old Trafford for Amorim, with his side now languishing in 15th place in the Premier League.

A 1-0 defeat away at fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday has piled even more pressure on the Portuguese coach, who has since expressed just how difficult he has found his time in charge of United, saying: “I have a lot of problems. My job is so hard but I’m here to continue my job to the next week with my beliefs. I will try to do it, I will try to win again,”

Of course, the Red Devils were hardly flying under Erik ten Hag prior to Amorim’s arrival, but it would be fair to say there have been no real signs of improvement, leading to questions about the 40-year-old’s future at Old Trafford.

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According to a report from Spain, INEOS are already thinking about sacking the former Sporting CP boss, with doubts about his long-term project now starting to emerge.

The United ownership are likely to give their current manager until the end of the season, barring anything drastic happening, but they are now starting to evaluate potential alternatives for the summer.

Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is named as someone who could be on the list of candidates, with INEOS keen on bringing in a manager capable of returning Man United to Europe’s top table.

Zidane has a track record of success

Although United have managed to compete for honours since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, winning the Europa League under Jose Mourinho and the two domestic cups with Ten Hag, replacing their legendary manager has proven to be extremely difficult.

Reports suggest some players are already starting to lose patience with Amorim’s methods, in light of the poor results, so it is no wonder INEOS are starting to assess replacements for the summer.

That said, the players have to take a huge share of the responsibility, given that they have been poor in the Premier League for quite some time now, with the FA Cup triumph last season arguably papering over the cracks of a eighth-place finish.

Zidane has a proven history of success at a top club, winning 11 trophies during his time with Real Madrid, while he has also been dubbed a “tactical genius” by Steve McManaman.

However, the truth is this Man United squad needs a major overhaul if they are going to return to being the dominant force they once were, regardless of which manager is in the dugout.

Liverpool missed out on the opportunity to move ten points clear at the top of the Premier League table on Wednesday night as they failed to claim all three points against Aston Villa.

Arne Slot’s side were held to a 2-2 draw by the Villans on their trip to Birmingham, and now sit eight points ahead of Arsenal in second place – having played a game more.

The Merseyside giants did, however, have an almost perfect chance to wrap up the win late on when Dominik Szoboszlai put a cross on a plate for Darwin Nunez…

As you can see in the clip above, the former Benfica star blazed his effort well over the bar under a bit of pressure from Axel Disasi, and it went down as a 0.76 xG chance.

It was, therefore, harder to miss than score for Nunez and his failure in front of goal meant that the Reds walked away with just one point instead of three on the night.

The Uruguay international, who came off the bench in the second half, was not the only player to let Arne Slot down, though, as Liverpool’s starting XI allowed Villa’s midfield to run riot at times.

Aston Villa's midfield maestros

Firstly, Youri Tielemans ran the show in the middle of the park for Unai Emery with his technically brilliant and defensively tenacious performance.

The Belgian international, who joined Villa on a free transfer from Leicester City in the summer of 2023, won eight of his 11 duels in the game, making five tackles and one interception in total. This shows that he was dominant in his physical battles to prevent Liverpool from building more attacks.

Tielemans, who completed 84% of his attempted passes, also got his name on the scoresheet with a well-controlled hit to take advantage of Szoboszlai’s weak header out, making it 1-1.

He, therefore, offered security and quality in possession whilst also being a physical force off the ball to consistently win his personal duels to keep Villa on top at points in the match.

Tielemans was not the only Aston Villa midfielder who starred on the night, though, as Morgan Rogers also caught the eye with an impressive showing.

Minutes

90

Dribbles completed

4/7

Duels won

6/11

Blocks

1

Dribbled past

0x

As you can see in the table above, the England international offered a combative and progressive presence on the right side of the midfield, although he often drifted into central areas to beat Liverpool defenders with the ball at his feet.

Both Tielemans and Rogers won the majority of their duels with Reds players, without being taken out of the game very often, and that helped the home side to pin them back at times.

The two Villa stars in midfield simply outclassed Liverpool and one player in particular, Ryan Gravenberch, let Slot down with his sub-par performance on the night.

Ryan Gravenberch's performance against Aston Villa

The Dutch metronome looked a yard short of the pace in this game and he allowed Tielemans and Rogers, among others, to get the better of him far too easily.

Performance in Numbers

Gravenberch was awarded a player rating of 4/10 by the Express, the lowest in the starting line-up, and that is a fair assessment when you consider his struggles in and out of possession.

Instead of providing his usual elegance on the ball, the Netherlands international failed with both of his attempted dribbles as the Villa midfield stopped him from charging forward to set up Liverpool attacks.

Gravenberch lost six of his seven ground duels in total and was dribbled past three times in total without making a single tackle to win the ball back for his side, which shows that Emery’s midfielders – and Disasi on one occasion – found it far too easy to get past him.

Minutes played

90

90

90

Dribbles completed

2/3

0/2

4/7

Duels won

8/11

2/8

6/11

Dribbled past

1x

3x

0x

The former Bayern Munich man, who made one interception in total, therefore, let Slot down with his lack of quality on the ball and his sloppy work from a defensive perspective.

Why Gravenberch's performance was disappointing

The Liverpool star’s performance against Aston Villa on Wednesday night was particularly disappointing because it was such a departure from what the supporters have become used to seeing from him in the middle of the park.

After having a bit-part role under Jurgen Klopp last season, starting just 12 Premier League games, he has been a regular starter under Slot with 26 starts in the top-flight this term.

The chart above illustrates how well rounded his performances have been for the Reds in the league, as he ranks incredibly highly among his positional peers in a host of key midfield metrics.

He is a holding midfield player who can mix with the best of them defensively whilst also being incredibly progressive with his use of the ball, but that was not on display against Villa this week.

Duel success rate

57%

25%

Dribble success rate

59%

0%

Tackles won

1.8

0

Interceptions

1.7

1

Dribbled past

0.7x

3x

As you can see in the table above, Gravenberch was miles off it compared to the standard he has set of himself in the Premier League this season.

It was a performance below his usual self and one that Slot will be hoping does not become a regular occurrence in the second half of the season as Liverpool look to win the Premier League title.

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Gravenberch will know that he was not at his best against the Villans, as he was outclassed by Tielemans and Rogers, but he has a chance to put it right with an improved showing against Manchester City on Sunday.

West Indies collapsed from 32 without loss to 67 for 6, as the hosts bounced back with a 44-run win after the loss to India

Srinidhi Ramanujam21-Jan-2023West Indies’ batting woes continued as they went down to South Africa by 44 runs in the second match of the women’s T20I tri-series in East London. After Marizanne Kapp’s fifty propelled South Africa to 141, Masabata Klaas’ four-wicket haul helped them bounce back from the opening game defeat to India.Kapp lifts South Africa
A spin-heavy West Indies restricted South Africa to a competitive total on a slow and sluggish surface at Buffalo Park. After being asked to bowl first, Shamilia Connell dismissed Anneke Bosch early in the fourth over when she was caught by Britney Cooper while trying to heave it over the mid-off fielder. They ended the powerplay at 43 for 1, with Laura Wolvaardt playing a steady knock and bringing out her trademark cover drives.However, the opener was out for 25 in the ninth over, off Shamika Gajnabi when Wolvaardt tried to slice a full ball on the off stump, and was caught by the wicketkeeper. Lack of footwork cost her her wicket.It was Sune Luus and Kapp who lifted South Africa, as Kapp once again thrived at No.3. Walking in at 58 for 2 in the ninth over, the duo stitched together a key 63-run stand off 53 balls for the third wicket. Though the surface was conducive to slow bowlers, aiding them with turn and uneven bounce, Kapp played a cautious yet crucial knock to propel the team to an above-par total.The seam-bowling allrounder brought up the team’s hundred in the 16th over when she hit Gajnabi for a straight four, with the scoring rate hovering between six and seven during her innings. In her innings of 52 from 43 balls – her second half-century in the format – Kapp unleashed four boundaries, converting low full tosses and half volleys to fours, and also keeping the scorecard ticking.Her partner Luus struck 30 off 26 deliveries with three fours. The 18th over by Hayley Matthews saw both the set batters back in the dugout: Luus was run-out while Kapp was caught at long-off when she heaved a tossed-up delivery to try and up the scoring rate.West Indies used seven bowlers on Saturday, but eventually it didn’t prove enough to end their losing streak in T20Is since October last year.South Africa’s Klaas act
Scoring never looked effortless in East London, especially for West Indies, who had lost eight of their previous nine T20Is. That their star allrounder Stafanie Taylor had to miss out didn’t help their cause too. Taylor is still working herself back to full fitness after recovering from the injury she suffered while batting in the ODI series against New Zealand in September last year.West Indies had made six changes to the XI that played against England in their previous T20I in December, still trying to find a partner to open the batting with Matthews. If Aaliyah Alleyne had opened the batting for the home series against England, they tried Britney Cooper on Saturday. But Cooper perished while trying to clear the mid-off fielder, and became Klaas’ first victim.They never looked comfortable in the chase, as West Indies collapsed from 32 for 0 to 67 for 6. Three of those six wickets went to Klaas, who was on a hat-trick in the tenth over when she removed Matthews and Gajnabi off successive deliveries. While Matthews tried to slice and was caught at backward point, Gajnabi was trapped lbw.Matthews tried to hold fort by scoring a patient 35-ball 23 before being dismissed. Cooper, Shamilia Connell and Shemaine Campbelle got to double figures but the target was far out of their reach.Klaas, who came back in the 19th over to finish her quota, removed Afy Fletcher with a toe-crushing yorker to finish with a career-best 4 for 21.

Marcus Rashford's transfer preference has been revealed after a successful loan spell at Aston Villa, with a Manchester United return 'very unlikely'.

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Villa have a £40 million buy clauseBirmingham outfit will try to negotiateHowever, his high wages are a major sticking pointFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The England international, who arrived on loan from United in February, has rediscovered form and confidence with four goals and five assists to his name at Villa. According to despite earlier links to Barcelona, Rashford’s preference is now believed to be staying in the West Midlands – provided the circumstances align.

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Villa secured a £40 million ($53m) option to buy Rashford outright at the end of his loan spell. However, their decision will likely depend on which European competition they qualify for next season. If the club secures a Champions League berth, their financial position could support such a move. But a lower-tier competition could force a rethink on investment priorities.

The most significant barrier to making the deal permanent lies in Rashford’s hefty salary. The 27-year-old currently earns around £350,000 per week – a figure that would shatter Villa’s existing wage structure. That level of remuneration could be difficult to justify, especially if the club fails to secure the financial boost of Champions League qualification.

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Barcelona may also be deterred by the same wage demands. Though the Spanish giants have maintained interest, their own financial constraints — and competing priorities — may force them to explore more cost-effective targets. It’s understood that Rashford has enlisted the help of super-agent Pini Zahavi to explore the Catalan option further, just in case Villa cannot meet the terms he seeks.

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Rashford’s future is also clouded by fitness concerns. A hamstring injury sustained last month has ruled him out of recent fixtures, prompting fears among some Villa supporters that he may have already played his last game for the club. To aid his recovery, Rashford travelled to Dubai for an exclusive rehabilitation program. While there’s no official timeline for his return, there is still hope that he could feature again before the season concludes.

Coming in at 89 for 5, Shardul smashed 68 off 29 before Narine, Varun and Suyash derailed Royal Challengers’ chase

Sidharth Monga06-Apr-2023Eleven-and-a-half overs into Kolkata Knight Riders’ return to Eden Gardens, it seemed they were looking at a long, painful IPL ahead. Having lost the first match, they were 89 for 5. Andre Russell had got out for a golden duck. Shardul Thakur nearly became Karn Sharma’s hat-trick victim, but then fashioned one of the remarkable IPL turnarounds.Thakur’s 68 off 29 – second-highest score for a No. 7 in the IPL – took KKR to 204 – the highest total for a team five down for less than 100. It was still probably just a par score with small boundaries and a quick outfield. It looked so when Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli gave Royal Challengers Bangalore a flying start, but the two mystery spinners, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, ran through their batting to give them a reality check in an IPL they start as one of the favourites.Willey slots right inAt some point in the lead-up to the match, Royal Challengers learnt that Reece Topley would be missing the whole IPL after he injured himself during the first match. Minutes in, David Willey showed he could be the perfect replacement. He cleaned up Venkatesh Iyer with seam movement in, and then squared Mandeep Singh up with a wobble-seam delivery to kiss the off stump. The latter put him on a hat-trick. Willey’s figures of 3-1-9-0 in the powerplay were offset by the profligate Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep, who leaked 38 from the other end.Gurbaz stopped short by KarnEven as the wickets fell and the fans questioned Knight Riders’ work at the auction table, one acquisition, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, continued to show promise. His execution of aggressive intent took him to his first IPL fifty, off 38 balls despite losing four leg-glanced runs to a wrong leg-bye call. The first non-Gurbaz boundary came in the 11th over, but he had taken them to 79 for 3 in those ten overs. A good total was still on.Rahmanullah Gurbaz steered Knight Riders almost single-handedly in the first ten overs•BCCIIn the 12th over, Gurbaz middled a reverse sweep off Karn Sharma but found short third to perfection. Not for the first time, Knight Riders were down to Andre Russell or bust. Bust it appeared to be as Russell tried to hit the first ball for a six, and found long-off.Thakur takes overThe hat-trick ball that Thakur faced was the farthest from an indicator of things to come. Big back lift, looking to drive a legbreak into the covers, inside-edging the wrong’un. The only sign of things to come was that the edge went all the way for four.Thakur’s next boundary was two balls later, a picture-perfect leg glance off Deep, aided by the small boundary and the quick outfield. Then he drove Deep over extra cover. In the same over, he got a free hit, which he deposited over wide long-on.What followed was what you expect from an innings of 68 off 29. A lot of powerful shots that he kept nailing, and three more mis-hits that fell bang between the infield and the boundary riders. The strikes into the leg side were so crisply hit they managed to avoid as many as four boundary riders.Rinku Singh, at the other end, kept turning the strike over before joining in the fireworks in the last two overs. From 23 off 25 he went on to get 46 off 33. The turnaround began when he scooped a high full toss from Siraj for a six.Siraj, in particular, and others, in general, were ordinary at the death. It was indeed a day when everything Thakur did was coming off, but Siraj, for example, bowled the last two overs with mid-off up and got hit over the fielder three times. None of them was a manufactured shot. Royal Challengers conceded 23 runs in extras.Varun Chakravarthy picked up 4 for 15•BCCIThe chase nosedivesRoyal Challengers didn’t go into panic mode. Du Plessis and Kohli even gave themselves a sighter for two overs before laying into pace. The fourth over, bowled by Tim Southee, went for 23.It looked like it was game on when Narine was introduced in the fifth over. Coming off a rare match in which he went at ten an over, Narine immediately settled into the perfect line and length. Five balls in, he had Kohli bowled through the gate. In the next over, Varun had du Plessis bowled as the carrom ball didn’t turn and took the inside edge.Royal Challengers tried funky things – sending Michael Bracewell at No. 3 and Harshal Patel at No. 4 – but the spinners were just too good. There was an assortment of deliveries, but almost all of them were hitting the stumps. Varun bowled Harshal and Glenn Maxwell, Narine had Shahbaz Ahmed caught.Thakur came in to take a wicket third ball, and the debutant legspinner Suyash Sharma, who bowled predominantly wrong’uns, some seam-up deliveries, and the odd legbreak – ended up with three late wickets.When Varun came back and took his fourth wicket to end the match, Knight Riders had taken nine wickets through spin, the most in an IPL match.

Sri Lanka 120 for 1 (Karunaratne 56*, Nissanka 51, Naib 1-19) beat Afghanistan 116 (Nabi 23, Chameera 4-63, Hasaranga 3-7)Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara blasted out Afghanistan’s top order, the spinners took care of the lower order, and then Sri Lanka’s top three raced to the target of 117 in 16 overs. It wasn’t much of a workout ahead of the World Cup Qualifier, which starts on June 19; but having lost the first match of this series, the resounding nature of their victories to end the series will nevertheless give Sri Lanka some confidence.Chameera, their key ODI bowler, leaves this series with wickets to his name, having only come back to internationals from a long injury lay-off during the previous match on Sunday. Dimuth Karunaratne, returning to the side after an even longer absence, now has successive fifties to his name, having made 56 not out in this game. Pathum Nissanka struck an encouraging 51 off 34 balls too.In this game, unlike in the previous one, it was the bowlers who set up the big win. Chief among them was Chameera, who took 4 for 63 – many of those runs coming via edges to the boundary, as he extracted good bounce from the surface at his sharp pace. Although the surface was not particularly bowler-friendly, he frequently got the ball to jag, especially into the right-handers.Kumara claimed the vital wickets of the openers to finish with 2 for 29, before Wanindu Hasaranga struck blows lower down the order to take 3 for 7. Maheesh Theekshana took the other wicket. All up, Sri Lanka required only 22.2 overs to skittle the opposition. Afghanistan’s top score was Mohammad Nabi’s 23; six of their batters didn’t make it out of single figures.It was Kumara who made the first breakthrough, having Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught hooking at fine leg in the second over. Gleaning a little movement off the surface, Chameera then made two breakthroughs in the fifth over, having both Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi caught by the wicketkeeper – Shahidi edging one that passed down the legside.The tottering start became a full-on collapse when Kumara got the big wicket of Ibrahim Zadran with a dream inducker, which pitched just outside off, and jagged in to pass between bat and pad before rattling the stumps. Ibrahim was out for 22, leaving Afghanistan at 48 for 4 in the ninth over. This was only the second time in six consecutive matches against Sri Lanka that Ibrahim fell for less than 50.Pathum Nissanka sped to a 32-ball fifty•AFP/Getty Images

When Chameera returned for a second spell, he produced the over of the innings in which he was unfortunate to get only one wicket. First ball, Mohammad Nabi edged him just over slip for four; second delivery, Nabi was dropped by backward point, who got hands to a shin-high chance before grassing it; and third ball, Najibullah Zadran edged towards slip, but the ball bounced short and burst through the fielder’s hands to go to the boundary.But come the fourth ball, Chameera finally had some luck. Chameera seamed a length ball on the stumps, which Zadran tried to play to the leg side, but ended up only sending a leading edge to point, which was easily held this time. Next over, Chameera would get Nabi too, seaming it in to hit him above the knee roll on the front leg. The batter reviewed the out decision, but the ball was projected to hit the top of leg stump.Of the spinners, Hasaranga was the most effective, two of his three wickets coming from the legbreak. The first one dismissed Rashid Khan, who was playing his first match of the series, as the batter missed a sweep to be struck in front of the stumps. Mujeeb Ur Rahman then edged a Hasaranga delivery to the wicketkeeper, and Fazalhaq Farooqi was the last to go, lbw to the googly.The chase was straightforward, but rapid. Nissanka got moving in the second over, when he cracked successive square boundaries on either side of the wicket off Fareed Ahmad. Nissanka continued to be aggressive, slamming Mujeeb for six over midwicket in the fourth over, before cutting him through point for four next ball. After five overs, Sri Lanka were 41 for no loss, though Karunaratne had had a little luck, with Rashid failing to hold a tough overhead catch at square leg.But Nissanka continued to maul Afghanistan, hitting another six over midwicket off Farooqi, as he sped to a 32-ball fifty, completed in the tenth over. He was lbw to Gulbadin Naib first ball after the powerplay ended, but thanks to him, Sri Lanka had made 84 in the first ten overs. Then Karunaratne cruised to the target alongside Kusal Mendis, completing his eighth ODI half century in the 15th over.

The international break has come at the right time for Chelsea, with Enzo Maresca’s side needing a break to end their recent poor run in the Premier League as of late.

The Blues have lost three of the last five league outings, with their most recent coming at the weekend against Arsenal at the Emirates, with Mikel Merino’s goal the difference between the sides.

However, Maresca’s men still occupy a place in the top four with just nine league games remaining this season, looking to secure a Champions League place in his first campaign at the helm.

It would be a huge boost for the club after missing out on competing with Europe’s elite in the last couple of years, with their success potentially proving that the huge investment has been worthwhile.

Their spending has shown no signs of slowing down in recent months, with the Blues making yet another key addition in recent days – setting themselves up for future success.

Chelsea’s move to land Geovany Quenda

In recent days, Chelsea have made yet another addition after clinching a deal with Portuguese outfit Sporting CP for the signature of 17-year-old wide player Geovany Quenda.

The teenager, who can operate off either flank, has set the club back a fee in the region of £42.7m, taking the spending during the Todd Boehly era to over £1.3b.

However, Quenda is set to spend the 2025/26 season back on loan at the Liga Portugal outfit, before linking up with the Blues ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

He looks set to operate in wide areas, mainly off the left-hand side if recent reports are to be believed, and potentially able to feature in a wing-back role should the manager decide to utilise a back-five at Stamford Bridge.

Many must wish he was moving to West London this summer, especially after one first-team member’s display for his country on Thursday evening.

The Chelsea player who dropped a 4/10 for his country

Given the money spent over the last couple of years, it’s no surprise to see numerous players featuring for their respective nations during the international break.

Eight of Maresca’s key players were selected to represent their country, with many of them featuring in various matches across the globe last night.

Marc Cucurella started and featured for the entirety of the contest against the Netherlands in Rotterdam, but was unable to produce a performance to remember as they only managed to draw 2-2.

He received his 14th cap for his country, but it was one to forget, being run ragged by one player, which contributed to their inability to claim another victory.

The 26-year-old only managed to win four of the 12 duels he entered, whilst being dribbled past four times, including by Jeremie Frimpong, who spun the full-back, leading to the host’s second goal.

Cucurella also committed two fouls in the process, whilst only managing to complete 50% of his attempted crosses, failing to have a positive impact at either end of the pitch.

Minutes played

90

Touches

85

Duels won

4/12

Dribbled past

4x

Fouls committed

2

Crosses completed

1/2 (50%)

Dribbles completed

0

He also failed to complete any dribbles, with only two of his 62 attempted passes being key passes, unable to create any clear-cut opportunities within the final third.

As a result of his dismal showing for Spain, the left-back was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by GIVEMESPORT, showcasing how disappointing he was during the draw.

Given his disappointing outing last night, many supporters must wish that Quenda was moving to the Bridge this summer, offering another option in wide areas for Maresca.

However, Cucurella will remain the number one option for the next couple of years at least, with the Spaniard needing to return to his usual high standards ahead of the return to club action in a week’s time.

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Over the years, Manchester United have made some questionable additions in the transfer market, forcing the club into some serious budget cuts since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival.

Midfielder Mason Mount joined the club in a £60m deal from fellow Premier League side Chelsea back in the summer of 2023, but injuries have massively hampered his time at Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old has only featured 33 times across all competitions since his big-money transfer, only scoring a single goal and notching just one assist to date.

Amorim has previously shown faith in the former England international, praising him endlessly after his appointment, with the hope that he can get his promising career back on track.

However, not all of their additions have been a failure, with one of the manager’s first additions in Manchester already showing glimpses of the talent he possesses.

Ayden Heaven’s stats since joining United

Centre-back Ayden Heaven joined United in a £1.5m deal from fellow English side Arsenal, following in the footsteps of Chido Obi, who moved six months prior.

The 18-year-old was originally seen as a player for the academy setup, featuring a couple of times, but the current injury crisis in the North West has catapulted him into Amorim’s first-team setup.

He’s already featured in the FA Cup, Premier League and the Europa League – claiming his first start in yesterday’s triumph over Real Sociedad, cementing a place in the quarter-finals.

During his 90-minute display, he won 100% of the duels he entered, making four clearances and two interceptions, playing a vital role in the backline and staking his claim for a regular starting role.

However, one other member of the Red Devils squad joined for a figure lower than that of Heaven, with his market value rising as a result of his stellar displays in recent years.

The United player who cost even less than Heaven

Numerous players in United’s current first-team squad have cost a fortune to bring them to Old Trafford, having various levels of impact since their arrivals.

Alejandro Garnacho is one player who was a bargain given his impact, arriving in Manchester for just £420k from Spanish side Atlético Madrid back in 2020, originally linking up with the academy side.

The Argentine would catch the eye at various youth levels with his pace and direct dribbling, qualities that would allow him to register 27 goals over an 18-month period.

He would get his first-team chance in 2021/22, making just two substitute appearances, before becoming a regular member of the senior setup just a few months later.

Garnacho has since made over 30 appearances in every season since, including 44 in the current campaign, registering a total of 23 goals and 17 assists at the age of just 20.

The winger, who’s previously been dubbed “phenomenal” by one analyst, has seen his market value soar as a result of his impressive displays in the North West, showcasing what a superb signing he’s been.

Games played

27

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

83%

Shots taken

3.4

Touches in opposition box

7.5

Successful dribbles

1.1

Recoveries made

4.9

He was valued at £55m by the club in January after interest from elsewhere, a figure that presents a 13000% rise on the fee forked out for his services less than five years ago.

In a period where the club have often pursued big-money targets, a deal for Garnacho represents the rewards you can expect should you decide to invest in young talent for the future and allowing them to develop.

Heaven will be hoping to follow a similar trajectory at the Theatre of Dreams, hopefully cementing his place in the side, with his start to life at the club demonstrating he has huge potential to succeed.

11 duels won, 100% dribbles: Man Utd ace is now as undroppable as Fernandes

Manchester United booked their place in the next round of the Europa League last night.

1 ByEthan Lamb Mar 14, 2025

أعلن نادي ليفربول، في بيان رسمي منذ قليل، ثالث صفقاته في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي لعام 2025، في إطار مساعيه نحو مواصلة النجاح تحت قيادة المدرب آرني سلوت.

وتمكن ليفربول من تحقيق لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، 2024/25، في الموسم الأول لـ سلوت مع الفريق.

اقرأ أيضًا.. موعد مباراة ليفربول وكريستال بالاس في الدرع الخيرية

وسبق أن أبرم ليفربول صفقتين هذا الصيف، وهما جيريمي فريمبونج والحارس أرمين بيتشي.

وفي بيان رسمي منذ قليل، أعلن ليفربول تعاقده مع النجم فلوريان فيرتز بعد التوصل إلى اتفاق مع نادي باير ليفركوزن.

From Leverkusen to Liverpool 🌍 pic.twitter.com/ZGwv3cJysi — Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 20, 2025

ودخل ليفربول في مفاوضات مطولة مع باير ليفركوزن، على مدار الأسابيع الماضية، من أجل حسم صفقة اللاعب الألماني.

ولم يكشف ليفربول عن القيمة المالية لتلك الصفقة، ولكن التقارير الصحفية تشير إلى إنها تبلغ حوالي 116 مليون جنيه إسترليني، مما يعني كونها قياسية.

وتتضمن الرسوم دفع 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني كمبلغ أساسي، إلى جانب 16 مليون جنيه إسترليني كمتغيرات تعتمد على أداء اللاعب.

وأصبحت تلك الصفقة هي الأغلى في تاريخ ليفربول، متجاوزة صفقة فيرجيل فان دايك التي بلغت 75 مليون جنيه إسترليني في عام 2018.

ووقع فلوريان فيرتز عقدًا ساريًا مع ليفربول لمدة 5 سنوات، أي حتى عام 2030.

من جانبه، قال فيرتز: “أشعر بسعادة غامرة وفخر كبيرين، أخيرًا لقد انتهى الأمر، كنت أنتظره طويلًا، أنا متحمس للغاية لخوض مغامرة جديدة”.

وأضاف: “كان هذا أيضًا من أهم أولوياتي حيث أريد تجربة شيء جديد تمامًا، الانتقال من الدوري الألماني والانضمام إلى الدوري الإنجليزي، سأرى كيف سأودي هناك”.

وواصل: “آمل أن أبذل قصارى جهدي، لقد تحدثت أيضًا مع بعض اللاعبين الذين لعبوا هناك، وأخبروني أن الأمر (في الدوري الإنجليزي) مثالي بالنسبة لي، وكل ملعب فيه مثالي، ويمكنك الاستمتاع بكل مباراة، أتطلع حقًا لخوض مباراتي الأولى”.

وعن أهدافه مع ليفربول، قال: “أريد الفوز بكل شئ كل موسم، علينا أولًا بذل قصارى جهدنا، عليً أن أجتهد، في النهاية نريد النجاح”.

واختتم: “لقد فازوا بالدوري الإنجليزي الموسم الماضي، لذلك هدفي بالتأكيد هو الفوز به مجددًا، والتقدم أكثر في دوري أبطال أوروبا، أنا طموح جدًا”.