Nuno Espírito Santo publicly expressed his disappointment about the lack of new signings Nottingham Forest had made and, well, this appears to have had the desired effect.

In the last week, they have signed Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee, both presented to the City Ground crowd before Sunday’s demolition of Brentford, before Arnaud Kalimuendo then also joined on Monday.

Nevertheless, as the Garibaldi Reds prepare for a first European campaign in 30 years, eagerly awaiting next Friday’s Europa League draw, they are far from finished in the transfer market yet, so will two familiar faces soon arrive at the City Ground?

Nottingham Forest's busy transfer activity

Confirmed by the club on Thursday evening, Nottingham Forest have now signed Douglas Luiz from Juventus.

The deal is a season-long loan containing a €30m (around £26m) option to buy, which becomes an obligation should he feature in a certain number of Premier League fixtures.

During his time at Aston Villa, the Brazilian international became one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, but endured a nightmare year at Juventus, accumulating a miserly 877 minutes in a Bianconeri shirt; that’s only 17.6% of their total minutes!

Transfer Focus

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

However, he is not the only player on his way to Nottingham because, according to a report by the Guardian, Forest are ‘working on a deal’ to re-sign Matty Cash from Aston Villa.

The right-back joined the Tricky Trees’ academy as a 17-year-old, making 141 first-team appearances, before being sold to Aston Villa for £14m in 2020, the Villans’ first-choice in that position from the day he arrived until now.

The aforementioned Guardian report notes that, due to PSR concerns, Villa will sell ‘if his valuation is met’, while The Athletic add that the Poland international is now Forest’s primary target, having failed in the pursuit of Rico Lewis from Manchester City.

Thus, could Aston Villa cash in, so to speak, with Matty, potentially, nearing a return to the River Trent?

What Matty Cash would bring to Nottingham Forest

Cash has been a key figure during Aston Villa’s rise in recent seasons, making 181 appearances for the Claret and Blue Army to date, including starting their Premier League opener against Newcastle last weekend.

Manager Unai Emery labelled him “versatile”, adding that he is continuing to improve both going forward and defensively, while Gregg Evans of the Athletic claims that he is ‘one of the Premier League’s best right-backs’, so let’s test that assertion.

As the table outlines, Cash ranked highly for a wide variety of metrics in the Premier League last season, despite seeing only a little over 2,000 minutes, out of a possible 3,420.

The most eye-catching statistic is his percentage of dribblers tackled, with Toti of Wolverhampton Wanderers the only player to attempt 30 or more tackles who boasted a better figure.

So, why would he be such a shrewd addition for Forest?

Well, simply, they need full-back depth. Ola Aina and Neco Williams are the first-choice duo but beyond them, there isn’t much else.

Àlex Moreno provided left-back cover last season, but his loan from, coincidentally, Aston Villa is now over, while Nuno had such a scarcity of options that teenager Zach Abbott, a centre-back by trade, started the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley in April, just his second-ever senior start.

Going forward, as the Tricky Trees attempt to balance both domestic and Europa League commitments, Cash would get plenty of minutes, even if full-back is not an obvious position of weakness.

In midfield meanwhile, Luiz is going to have to work hard to earn his place.

The always impressive Elliot Anderson partnered Ibrahim Sangaré at the weekend, while Forest also have club captain Ryan Yates and Nicolás Domínguez in their squad.

During his final season at Villa, Luiz really flourished when deployed further forward, but that surely isn’t going to happen at the City Ground, considering they kept hold of talisman Morgan Gibbs-White, despite Tottenham triggering his £60m release clause, and have just signed Hutchinson and McAtee for a combined £67.5m.

So, while Luiz is an excellent player, he faces plenty of competition for minutes, while Cash fills a need for greater full-back depth.

More prolific than Wood: Nottingham Forest chasing £25m "physical beast"

As Nottingham Forest seek to add even more attacking firepower, could they sign a “physical beast” worth £25m who outscored Chris Wood last season?

By
Ben Gray

Aug 19, 2025

With each passing season, or even each passing game, what it means to be Manchester United appears to be drifting away.

No longer a winning machine, the soul of the club has also been somewhat lost of late, amid the relentless redundancies that have been rolled out by the INEOS regime – all to help fund another collection of expensive player incomings.

On the pitch, Ruben Amorim’s persistence with his 3-4-2-1 system appears at odds with the great teams of the past, having slipped so far from the gung-ho, edge-of-your-seat style which was synonymous with Sir Alex Ferguson – and those before him.

A microcosm of the modern game, United’s most damning act has been the repeated selling of the family silver, with academy graduates the major victims in recent years.

Only last summer, the Red Devils shipped Scott McTominay off to Napoli amid the desire to bring in Manuel Ugarte in his place. One of that duo is now a Ballon d’Or nominee…

As for this summer, Alejandro Garnacho has been allowed to join the Chelsea circus, while fellow FA Cup final hero Kobbie Mainoo has been tipped to follow him out the exit door, amid his lack of regular game time.

A player whom Gary Neville suggested the club should be “building [the team] around”, Mainoo simply can’t be allowed to leave. Instead, a new addition is needed to help revive him.

Latest on Man Utd's midfield search

“Now I’m a Baleba…”

The songs had already been written; scarves were no doubt being sold. Alas, unless a drastic change occurs, United won’t be forking out the required £100m plus fee for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, despite identifying the Cameroonian as a leading target.

With the Seagulls holding firm on their desire to keep hold of their 21-year-old sensation, Amorim’s search for an athletic number eight will have to shift its focus, with the centre of the park in particular need of reinforcement, amid the continued reliance on an ageing Casemiro.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

With that in mind, Caught Offside have reported that United are showing an interest in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder, Conor Gallagher, with the England international seemingly in line for a return to the Premier League.

As per the report, the 25-year-old is available heading into the final days of the window, with the LaLiga outfit slapping a £45m asking price on his head. That would ensure that an offer in that region would likely be accepted.

Unsurprisingly, Amorim and co aren’t alone in their interest, as Tottenham Hotspur are said to be the club who are ‘leading the race’ right now. The Lilywhites are even said to be ready to make a bid.

Why Conor Gallagher could be perfect for Mainoo

The key crux of the issue right now for young Mainoo is that Amorim has outlined that he views the 20-year-old as a competitor, rather than a partner, for Bruno Fernandes in central midfield, thus ensuring his route to game time is severely blocked.

That said, United’s chief creator may well still be better suited to a number ten berth, thus perhaps opening the door for Mainoo to nail down the number eight role instead, having previously thrived in a deeper position during his breakout 2023/24 season.

While last term was a tale of injuries and frustration, it’s easy to forget just what a revelation the Englishman was the year prior, having kicked things off with a Man of the Match display on his first Premier League start at Everton in November 2023.

A meteoric rise over the next few months saw the then-teenager net that Wembley winner, prior to starting every knockout game during England’s surge to the Euro 2024 final – having even started the showpiece defeat to Spain.

A “generational” talent, in the view of teammate Rasmus Hojlund, Mainoo possesses that unerring ability to simply breeze past opponents, with his poise and power having even led Anthony Elanga to describe him as having “similar attributes to Paul Pogba”.

Man Utd’s most valuable graduates

Player

Value

Marcus Rashford

£42m

Scott McTominay

£42m

Kobbie Mainoo

£42m

Alejandro Garnacho

£38m

Anthony Elanga

£36m

Mason Greenwood

£34m

Alvaro Carreras

£30m

Dwight McNeil

£21m

Dean Henderson

£17m

Angel Gomes

£17m

via Transfermarkt

Pogba’s time at United is enough for a 10,000-word piece on its own, but where the Frenchman truly shone was on the international stage, partnering a certain N’Golo Kante as Les Bleus claimed World Cup glory in 2018.

Like the mercurial Pogba, Mainoo is in need of that athletic workhorse alongside him – particularly so in this 3-4-2-1 system.

Enter, Gallagher.

Previously described as being like “Kante with goals” by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino – having also been likened to his ex-Chelsea colleague by Thomas Tuchel – the Atleti star would represent the perfect foil for Mainoo in the engine room.

A pressing “monster” – as per Tom Dutton – the £45m man notably ranked in the top 4% of Champions League midfielders for interceptions per 90 last season, as per FBref, having been a relentless presence in Diego Simeone’s setup.

Also ranking in the top 1% for passes between 15 and 30 yards, the one-time Crystal Palace loanee plays a simple but effective game, ensuring he could win back possession, before picking out the likes of Mainoo ahead of him.

That’s not to say he’s simply the archetypal ‘piano carrier’, however, with Gallagher also offering a real threat in his own right in attack, having registered six goals and assists in LaLiga last term. His pass accuracy rate of 87%, as per Sofascore, is also nothing to be sniffed at.

There might be more technically proficient players on the market, but few boast such impressive physical traits, with the Cobham graduate perhaps representing the athletic solution that Amorim has been searching for all summer.

If a deal can be struck in the dying embers, it could well be just what is needed to get the best out of Mainoo again. Should Amorim fail to revive United’s golden boy, on his head be it…

Related Great news for Mainoo: Amorim's "magician" is now open to leaving Man Utd

Manchester United might lose one of their most important players before the transfer window closes.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Aug 30, 2025

New Zealand were never able to recover from the rut they got into after their powerplay

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Mar-2025Debutant Malki Madara’s three-for combined with two-fors from Kavisha Dilhari and Inoshi Priyadharshani set up a comfortable victory for Sri Lanka in the T20I series opener in Christchurch. Chamari Athapaththu’s unbeaten 64 off 48 balls then took the visitors home with seven wickets in hand. This was Sri Lanka’s first T20I win in New Zealand and second win overall against New Zealand in the format.Emma McLeod (44) was New Zealand’s highest scorer but only two of her team-mates got into double figures, and there was only one partnership that stretched past 20 balls.Despite Priyadharshani dismissing Georgia Plimmer early, the hosts got off to a decent start thanks to captain Suzie Bates’ 14-ball 21. Madara, Sri Lanka’s fourth bowling option, brought on in the fifth over, got the big wicket of Bates which dried up the scoring. The next two overs went for just five runs.Dilhari, the seventh bowler, struck twice upon being introduced in the ninth over as New Zealand slipped from 39 for 1 to 52 for 4. Maddy Green being run out cheaply had New Zealand play with caution as illustrated by the next two partnerships which produced a combined 29 runs off 41 balls.McLeod, who had three fours in her first five balls, finished without adding to that tally across her 46-ball innings. She was the last New Zealand batter to fall as Madara ended the innings in the penultimate over.Athapaththu then hit seven fours and took Sri Lanka to 46 for 0 at the end of the powerplay. Jess Kerr removed Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama in successive overs while Dilhari’s innings was cut short by a run out. Sri Lanka slipped to 66 for 3 but that didn’t stop their captain from attacking.She hit Eden Carson for four immediately after Dilhari’s exit and smacked two sixes and a four off Bree Illing, the first of the sixes brought up her fifty off 43 balls. It left the hosts no room to make an unlikely comeback as Sri Lanka romped to a victory with 35 balls to spare.

Harry Kane's return to Tottenham is reportedly not as 'fanciful' as many would believe despite being happy at Bayern Munich. The 32-year-old is said to have a £56.7 million release clause that could come into effect at the end of the season. And there are 'fears' in Germany that the England international could leave the Bundesliga giants in 2026.

Kane's Bayern release clause leaked

Earlier this year, it emerged that in Kane's Bayern contract, which runs until 2027, there was a £67m ($90.5m) release clause that was active during this summer. With the ex-Spurs man staying put at the German giants, that is no longer the case, but now reports suggest that the clause will drop to £57m ($77m) next summer.

AdvertisementGettyKane to return to Tottenham?

According to , the 'fear' in Germany is that Kane could leave Bayern next summer. The England captain is 'extremely happy' in Munich but a return to the Premier League is not being ruled out. However, for this latest release clause to be active, Kane must inform Bayern of his intention to leave before the end of January 2026. For the time being, though, he is going nowhere.

Spurs have special clause in Bayern deal

The report adds that Tottenham have a first-option agreement on Kane as part of the deal that took him to Bayern in 2023. That would, however, only be applicable should Bayern agree to sell Kane and the striker wanted to return to Spurs. Kane may also reportedly be tempted back to the north London team now that executive chairman Daniel Levy has left, the club may be willing to give him bigger wages than before, and the Premier League goalscoring record may also be on his radar.

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Getty ImagesKane targeting Bayern success

After winning his first-ever trophy earlier this year with Bayern's Bundesliga triumph, Kane is said to be focusing on lifting more silverware, particularly in the Champions League. That may be possible if he keeps up his remarkable scoring rate, with the forward bagging 98 goals in 103 games for Bayern.

Maybe the most frustrating part is the familiarity. Manchester United entered the 2025/26 campaign with such optimism in spite of last season’s struggles, having recruited with ambition over the past few months, having pledged to turn the ship around.

Ruben Amorim did not look like a man in control or a manager instilled with belief, after the Red Devils crashed out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, defeated by League Two’s Grimsby Town on penalties.

A point from the opening two weeks of Premier League action has left plenty to be desired, but the midweek humiliation has unravelled all the tentative work. One step forward, but United have now fallen down the stairs.

If Amorim is the right man to lead this club back toward the glory days, he must enact drastic change with speed. As strange as it sounds, Saturday’s home tie against Burnley in the top flight carries a considerable amount of weight.

The Portuguese manager, without a doubt, needs to raise his win percentage, currently at the lowliest of lows.

Ruben Amorim vs post-Fergie managers

We’ve been here before. This recycling of first-team coaches at the Theatre of Dreams has yet to bring about the fruits of former successes for Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the greatest managers in the history of the game, and his influence – or lack thereof – over the past 12 years has been despairingly clear for a fallen giant who have yet to return to the pinnacle in the intervening years.

Man Utd’s most embarrassing defeats since Sir Alex Ferguson left Old Trafford

The Red Devils have had multiple humiliating losses since 2013.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 28, 2025

Amorim arrived with an air of excitement, having crafted a high-octane and exciting outfit in Sporting Lisbon, who are now two-in-a-row Liga Portugal champions.

But it hasn’t translated, not one bit. In fact, Amorim’s 36.4% win percentage across all competitions since leaving his homeland for Manchester has seen him plummet below all the other permanent post-Fergie managers, and given the frustrations and disappointment that come attached with some of those names, this is damning indeed.

Such plain-and-simple evidence plays into the fact that things need to change, and quickly.

Man United boast so much potential; summer signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, both Premier League sensations last year, are a testament to that fact.

Maybe what INEOS need is a figure in the dugout who knows the division and can bring out such forward players’ potential.

Man Utd shortlist Premier League manager

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United have shortlisted Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as they consider axing Amorim from his role in the dugout.

Manager Focus

Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner has also been considered for the role, with discussions even taking place for the FA Cup-winning manager, but Iraola could be a shrewder appointment.

It is understood that INEOS will act incisively if need be, and if Amorim fails to showcase some optimism and signs of a resurgence in the coming days, Sir Jim Ratcliffe may well be rewriting the script once again.

What Andoni Iraola would bring to Man Utd

Iraola’s Bournemouth play adaptable and attractive football, and that’s something that Manchester United need if they are to replace Amorim, whose obstinacy in sticking to his 3-4-2-1 formation has seemingly uprooted any semblance of positivity or synergy within the ranks.

Iraola, conversely, is willing to operate through different styles. Balance, energy and an impressive collective understanding all make for staples of the Spaniard’s managerial skill set, and his ability to eke out the best level from his forwards, in particular Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo, suggests he could be the perfect manager to ensure Mbeumo’s attacking quality is put to good use in Manchester.

Former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha hailed Iraola for his “incredibly impressive” start to life in the Premier League, and he has sustained Bournemouth’s form across his two seasons at the helm, not just emulating Eddie Howe’s record ninth-place finish in the top flight for the Cherries, but accruing ten more points (56 in total) too.

Semenyo has been crucial in getting the system up and running, having scored two goals and supplied an assist across Bournemouth’s opening two fixtures this season, notching 17 goal involvements across the 2024/25 campaign.

Iraola is the architect of the forward’s success, and he could certainly repeat the trick with the 26-year-old Mbeumo, who is more accurate, more clinical and more rounded in his attacking play.

Bournemouth’s esteemed coach, after all, has been described as “one of the best in the league” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Matches (starts)

37 (36)

38 (38)

Goals

11

20

Assists

5

7

Shots (on target)*

3.4 (1.1)

2.2 (1.1)

Big chances missed

12

9

Pass completion

78%

74%

Big chances created

11

17

Key passes*

1.2

1.8

Dribbles*

1.9

1.4

Ball recoveries*

4.3

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

1.7

Duels won*

6.1

4.7

Semenyo was linked with a £60m move to Tottenham Hotspur before signing a new contract at the Vitality Stadium this summer, with his exploits on the south coast leading analyst Ben Mattinson to hail him as a “workhorse” and a “duel monster”.

However, Mbeumo has demonstrated an even deadlier attacking sense in the Premier League with Brentford, and the comparable right-sided forwards, both with impressive underlying data, also have prolific touches in front of goal, Mbeumo more so.

If anything, United need stability and signs of progress within a structured system that has been proven within the English game.

Sadly, Amorim’s style is anything but that, and change might be required if Old Trafford wishes to return to the glory days.

Bad news for Mainoo: Man Utd preparing late move to sign £43m England star

Manchester United are set to make a move for one talent who could send Kobbie Mainoo packing.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 28, 2025

سلطت إحدى الشبكات الإنجليزية الضوء على خيارين للمدرب آرني سلوت، من أجل حل مشكلتين لفريق ليفربول، ويتعلقان بالنجم المصري محمد صلاح.

وتعرض ليفربول لثلاث هزائم متتالية في الأيام الماضية، حيث خسر أمام كريستال بالاس بهدفين لهدف في الدوري الإنجليزي، قبل هزيمته بهدف نظيف على يد جالطة سراي في دوري أبطال أوروبا، ثم السقوط أمام تشيلسي بهدفين لهدف في البريميرليج.

وكان محمد صلاح هو محط الانتقادات في تلك الفترة مع تراجع مستواه حيث لا يقدم أدائه المعهود عنه.

وذكرت شبكة “teamtalk” الإنجليزية أن فوز هولندا على مالطا بأربعة أهداف دون رد، في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026، قد يمنح آرني سلوت خيارين للتغيير في صفوف ليفربول.

وشارك في تلك المباراة رباعي ليفربول في صفوف منتخب هولندا، وهم جريمي فريمبونج، فيرجيل فان دايك، ريان جرافنبيرخ وكودي جاكبو.

وأوضحت أن سلوت يواجه معضلة كبيرة في صفوف ليفربول، فيما يخص اختيار اللاعب المناسب في الجناح الأيمن في غياب محمد صلاح المرتقب عند مشاركته مع كأس أمم إفريقيا في ديسمبر المقبل.

واعتاد ليفربول الدفع بـ ديوجو جوتا على الجناح أو نقل لويس دياز إلى تلك الجهة، ولم يعد أي من هذين الخيارين متاحًا، مع الوفاة المأساوية للأول ورحيل الثاني إلى بايرن ميونخ.

وأفادت أن أحد الحلول أمام سلوت قد يتمثل في وضع فريمبونج في مركز الجناح الأيمن، وهو أمر مألوف لدى اللاعب من فترة لعبه مع باير ليفركوزن، كما لعب بتلك الطريقة ضد مالطا رفقة هولندا.

وأشارت إلى أن سرعة فريمبونج منحه كل فرصة للتفوق على منافسيه في المواجهات الفردية، واحد ضد واحد، ويتجلى ذلك في 6 مراوغات ناجحة من أصل 7 في المباراة المذكورة.

ولكن يجب التنويه على أن مسألة قدرة فريمبونج على التسجيل ليست مضمونة، كونه مدافعًا في نهاية المطاف، مع العلم أنه قدّم أداءً هجوميًا رائعًا مع ليفركوزن، وإن كان ذلك ضد دفاعات أضعف بكثير من تلك التي سيواجهها في الدوري الإنجليزي.

اقرأ أيضًا | “انتظروه”.. مايكل أوين يخالف منتقدي محمد صلاح بعد تراجع مستواه مع ليفربول

واستدلت الشبكة بتمركز فريمبونج على الجناح الأيمن خلال مباراة جالطة سراي في دوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث تفوق على منافسيه مرارًا وتكرارًا بانطلاقات سريعة قاتلة، ولكنه لم يفد زملائه المهاجمين.

ولكن ليفربول سيُجبر على اتخاذ قرارات صعبة مع اقتراب بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا، كما إنه من بلوغ محمد صلاح 33 عامًا، فإن إشراك فريمبونج ومنح المصري بعض الراحة من حين لآخر، أمر يتعين على سلوت التفكير فيه.

أما الخيار الثاني الذي قد تمنحه مباراة هولندا ومالطا لـ سلوت، يتعلق بمنفذ ركلات الجزاء، حيث من المعروف أن محمد صلاح هو المُسدد الأول في الفريق منذ سنوات عديدة.

ونفذ محمد صلاح 65 ضربة جزاء لـ ليفربول ومنتخب مصر، منها 54 ركلة مُسجلة بنجاح و11 ضائعة، وهذا يُعادل نسبة نجاح رائعة بلغت 83%، مع أن أربعة من هذه الركلات الضائعة كانت في العامين الماضيين.

وتحصلت هولندا على ركلتي جزاء ضد مالطا، ونفذهما كودي جاكبو بنجاح، مع العلم أن سجله في تسديد الركلات طوال مسيرته بلغ 8 ناجحة وواحدة ضائعة، وهي الوحيدة التي أهدرها في موسم 2021/22.

وسدد كل من أليكسيس ماك أليستر وفلوريان فيرتز وألكسندر إيزاك ركلات جزاء مع أنديتهم السابقة برايتون وباير ليفركوزن ونيوكاسل على التوالي.

واختتمت الشبكة تقريرها بقولها أنه إذا كان التاريخ الحديث لهولندا دليلاً على ذلك، فقد يكون جاكبو هو من يتولى مسؤولية تنفيذ ضربات الجزاء في غياب صلاح.

Newcastle United have made some late-window headlines and have put forward a proposal to land a new frontman before the close of play.

Newcastle United keen on acquiring late arrivals

Eddie Howe will realise he has his work cut out for him after a goalless stalemate against Leeds United on Saturday evening, which has put the cat among the pigeons regarding their lack of a goalscorer.

Seeking a clinical edge at the top end of the field, Nick Woltemade has arrived at Newcastle from Stuttgart, but had to make do with a place in the stands at Elland Road while William Osula earned a rare start through the middle.

Delivering an honest assessment of his side’s performance in Yorkshire, Howe admitted their lacklustre nature in the final third left a lot to be desired, even if the Geordies showed resilience to come away with a point.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: “I thought there was a lot of commitment from the players. This is a tough place to come to and I think we stood up to it really well. Defensively it was a very strong performance. I thought we looked organised, put our bodies on the line, blocked shots really well and stopped their main threats.

“We’re disappointed the other way that we didn’t cause them more problems. We had a few moments that you think could’ve led to more. We’re just in that moment where the goals aren’t flowing and that cost us today.”

When to expect announcement of Isak agreement between Liverpool & Newcastle

Alexander Isak and his proposed move from Newcastle to Liverpool keeps on heating up.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 30, 2025

Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo is a late target for Newcastle who could offer a level of dictation in midfield, though it appears that Howe is after a striker, and he may now be moving closer to securing an arrival.

Newcastle United submit verbal offer for Yoane Wissa

Taking to social media platform X, Ben Jacobs confirmed Newcastle have put forward a ‘verbal’ offer of £45 million overall for the Democratic Republic of Congo international, though the Bees delayed giving a response due to not finding a suitable alternative.

Furthermore, Keith Andrews and the Bees are said to want £60 million before being tempted into a sale due to their struggles to bring in a replacement, potentially creating a scenario where the Magpies need to fork out considerable money to acquire his signature.

Labelled “incredible” by Thomas Frank, Wissa scored 20 times and laid on five assists in 39 matches last term and has since been at the centre of vast speculation, which may favour Newcastle at this late stage.

Ultimately, a potent finisher is needed to supplement Woltemade’s arrival, and the former Lorient man would be more than capable of stepping up to the challenge.

Manchester United will want to address their goalkeeping situation before the window is closed at Old Trafford and could now be set to focus all their efforts on a talented stopper from the continent, according to a report.

Bayindir's error vs Arsenal leaves Man Utd searching for answers

Truthfully, there wasn’t much to separate Manchester United and Arsenal in their Premier League opening clash, apart from the level of goalkeeping performances on display.

Unfortunately for the Red Devils’, Arsenal’s prevalence at set-pieces earned the points for the visitors, who received a helping hand from Altay Bayindir’s failure to steer away Declan Rice’s delivery before Riccardo Calafiori pounced from close range.

Speaking on the BBC’s Football Daily podcast, David James believes the Turkish international shouldn’t have got involved with William Saliba in the lead-up to the only goal of the encounter.

He explained: “There were two issues with the goal. The first was Bayindir getting involved with William Saliba before the corner-kick was taken. Saliba ran across the front and I actually think it was a foul on Mason Mount because Saliba nearly dragged his shirt off to get in front of Bayindir.

“But by getting involved with Saliba, everyone has now got arms on each other and Bayindir is in no position to do anything decent from where he is.”

On the same day, reports emerged that Man Utd are plotting a surprise reunion with David De Gea. Meanwhile, Gianluigi Donnarumma has been considered by the Red Devils amid speculation surrounding the future of Andre Onana.

Nevertheless, there could now be another solution to their woes between the sticks as INEOS prepare to focus their attention on finalising a deal for a rising star.

Manchester United look to finalise Senne Lammens move

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United chiefs are convinced they’ll win the race to sign Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens despite interest from Inter Milan in securing his signature.

The outlet claim he only has eyes for a move to Old Trafford and they will now look to put a ‘decisive plan’ in action to land the goalkeeper. Albeit, Onana’s failure to secure a move elsewhere has impacted their overall pursuit of a new number one.

His best display for Man Utd: £60m star is as undroppable as Mbeumo & Cunha

Manchester United suffered defeat in their first game of the new season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 17, 2025

Overall, the Belgian star has kept 12 clean sheets in 64 appearances for Royal Antwerp, leading to a call-up to his senior national team back in March for their UEFA Nations League playoff matches against Ukraine.

Manchester United have kept in touch with his entourage all summer and have him on a shortlist alongside Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez. Now, it appears Lammens is top priority as the Red Devils consider a late move to bolster their goalkeeping department.

Labelled “elite” by Ben Mattinson, Fotmob show the 23-year-old has retained a 73.3% save percentage this season, which may pique the interest of supporters as they cross their fingers for a new number one at Old Trafford.

Nathan McSweeney showcased why he remains firmly in Test calculations with a gritty half-century in the face of some phenomenal seam bowling from Scott Boland and Fergus O’Neill who took nine wickets between them to leave Victoria and South Australia locked in a tight arm wrestle after two days at the Junction Oval.O’Neill took his fifth career five-wicket haul to maintain his outstanding Sheffield Shield record, while Boland claimed 4 for 53 with spells that were every bit the equal of the best he has shown at Test level, to bowl South Australia out for 283 and give Victoria a narrow two-run first innings lead. That advantage swelled to 48 as Campbell Kellaway and Marcus Harris batted impressively in the final hour of the day.Victory is crucial for Victoria if they are to maintain a realistic chance of making the Shield final.Related

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Their lead would have been more without McSweeney’s 199-ball 60 in very challenging batting conditions. He only struck six boundaries and had to defend and leave stoutly in the face of some high-quality bowling from O’Neill and Boland who delivered 38.4 of the 67.4 overs he was out there for.He began the day on 9 off 52 balls and was unable to gain any fluency early after Jason Sangha was adjudged lbw not offering a shot to O’Neill for 19.Jake Lehmann helped break the shackles with a breezy 40 off 43 balls that included two thunderous drives down the ground. O’Neill switched ends to break the 54-run stand, nipping one back from around the wicket to pin Lehmann lbw.McSweeney started to flow from there despite the loss of Liam Scott, who was also trapped plumb infront by an excellent Xavier Crone yorker. Scott’s front foot slid from under him to leave him on all fours as the finger was raised.McSweeney kept accumulating with the help of Harry Nielsen. But O’Neill’s accuracy was unrelenting. McSweeney eventually nicked a good length delivery on off stump to Blake Macdonald at slip who held the low chance.Nielsen and Ben Manenti then counterattacked against the old ball as Boland and O’Neill rested before the new one was due. The pair added 61 for the seventh wicket before Boland returned to remove them both in quick succession.Manenti flashed a drive against the second new ball and nicked to Macdonald at first slip. Boland then nipped one back through Nielsen’s gate from around the wicket to splay off stump in almost identical fashion to Conor McInerney’s dismissal on the first evening. But Nielsen’s 45 was vital in the context of the match.Brendan Doggett and Henry Thornton combined to frustrate Victoria, adding 34 for the ninth wicket before O’Neill switched ends again to take the final two wickets. He took a sharp return catch to remove Doggett for 19 before clean bowling Jordan Buckingham.It set up a tricky 16-over period in the evening session for Kellaway and Harris to negotiate. But the pair left and defended well against the new ball while rotating the strike impressively to give Victoria the chance to build a significant lead on day three.