Manchester United fan Mark Goldbridge is stunned at a decision INEOS made during the summer transfer window, given the injury situation involving defender Luke Shaw. Manager Erik ten Hag has faced a challenging start to the new season, but he will be optimistic that Saturday’s victory over Brentford could signal the beginning of a turnaround. The team now faces two challenging away games in the next few days, against Fenerbahçe and West Ham.

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The football season is now starting to enter its busiest time, and Ten Hag’s focus will of course be on the upcoming matches, but the Red Devils already appear to be putting plans in place for January and next summer too.

United added two centre-backs to their ranks during the summer in the form of Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt, but they are already looking to improve in that department once again. Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo is someone that United remain interested in signing, as while he is a key player at Barça, his contract ends in 2026, and United are keeping an eye on his situation in case a new contract cannot be agreed.

Meanwhile, the Premier League side have a couple of players who are nearing the end of their contracts at Old Trafford, one being Harry Maguire, and the defender is said to be waiting for Ten Hag to be sacked before making a decision on his future. The England defender wants to see if his role can change under a new boss; as of yet, no talks have been held over a new contract.

United were very busy during the summer, improving in defence, midfield and the forward line, but there was one position that wasn’t addressed which left Goldbridge mystified.

Goldbridge stunned at INEOS with Shaw injured again

Manchester United fan/pundit Goldbridge has been left stunned at INEOS for not signing a left-back in the summer, considering Luke Shaw is once again out injured. The 29-year-old, who has been at Old Trafford since July 2014, has struggled with injuries throughout his career, missing 77 United games in the last four seasons alone, a timeline which excludes the serious leg break suffered in 2015.

Shaw played just 12 times in the Premier League last season – in total he played 15 games in all competitions. His last game for United was in February, but since then he has been away with England for Euro 2024, returned to pre-season training at Carrington and picked up another injury once again.

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The left-back has been out since and while he is closing in on his return to the first team, Goldbridge is right to question the decision this summer considering fellow left-back Tyrell Malacia is also struggling to stay fit.

Blackburn Rovers are interested in signing an “unbelievable” player who is a standout figure in his position in his current league, according to a fresh transfer report.

Blackburn impressing in Championship

It has been such an encouraging start to the new Championship season for Rovers, who remain unbeaten in the competition after their first seven matches. John Eustace’s side sit third in the table behind West Brom and Sunderland, with Saturday’s 2-0 win at home Queens Park Rangers further suggesting that they should be aiming to finish in the playoff places this season at worst.

Perhaps most impressive is the fact that they have continued to excel despite losing star striker Sammie Szmodics to Ipswich Town during the summer transfer window, with last year’s top goalscorer in the Championship moving on to pastures new.

It is still early days, of course, so supporters are unlikely to be getting too carried away, but there is understandable positivity in the air, as Eustace continues to impress as manager. New signings in January could be ideal, in terms of giving the boss extra quality and depth in their promotion push, and it could looks as though they are eyeing up a key addition.

Blackburn want to sign "unbelievable" player in January

According to Football Insider, Blackburn are in the mix to sign Lincoln City centre-back Paudie O’Connor in the January transfer window, with Preston North End and Oxford United also thought to be in the race. He is said to have “established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the EFL”.

The 27-year-old is out of contract at the end of this season, at which point the League One side would lose him on a free, assuming he fails to sign an extension.

O’Connor may be playing in League One, but he could be a brilliant addition for a team fighting at the top end of the second tier. The Irishman has grown into such a dominant performer for Lincoln since arriving from Bradford City back in 2022, with teammate Jack Moylan describing him as “unbelievable” and former Blackpool manager Terry McPhillips heaping praise on him.

“He was outstanding and he’s been the most unlucky (not to play more), I’ve said that before. To not have played for so long and to come in and play how he played, and then to be a real threat, is impressive.”

Now 27, O’Connor is a very experienced player, so there wouldn’t be the threat of him being overawed by the step up in quality, especially as he once played for Leeds United, meaning he knows how to deal with the pressure of representing a big club.

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If he joined Blackburn midway through the season, he would give Eustace’s side that extra stability in defence that could be vital in the promotion tussle, as well as a goal threat, having scored and assisted twice apiece already in League One this season.

Manchester City are interested in signing a “top” striker, and they could be able to secure a transfer with a 40% discount, according to a new report.

The Blues continued their strong start to the league season over the weekend as they beat Southampton 1-0, a result that now sees them sitting top of the Premier League table.

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There was more delight for Pep Guardiola’s side during the week, as they got to celebrate the fact that their midfielder Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or. The Spanish midfielder beat Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior to the award, as he played a key role in City’s 2023/24 success and helped Spain win Euro 2024, as he was named player of the tournament.

Guardiola heaped praise on his midfielder, stating it is “incredible news for him”. “Hopefully it can give him energy to recover well and to be with us next season again. We are going to play this season without the best player in the world.”

While City celebrate Rodri’s success, there could be bad news on the horizon, as star man Kevin de Bruyne has held talks with MLS side San Diego, according to a recent update. The Belgian international is said to prefer a move to the MLS over the Saudi Pro League as he begins to negotiate his exit from the Etihad.

Now, while he may not be a direct replacement, City seem to have their eyes on one player for next summer, and a deal could come cheaper than what many may have expected.

Man City "interested" in signing Viktor Gyokeres

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Manchester City are “interested” in signing Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP. The Swedish international joined the Portuguese side back in July 2023 and has been an instant hit, scoring goals for fun as Sporting were crowned Champions last season.

Plettenberg states that despite Gyokeres having a release clause of €100 million, which is roughly £83 million, there is an agreement in place for him to leave for as little as €60 million (£50 million) next summer. That means were City to land the striker, they could get a 40% discount.

Gyokeres, who is described as being a “top striker” by Plettenberg, has already scored 12 goals in nine Liga Portugal games this season. That form in front of goal has gained him the attention of City, as well as Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea. This news comes after it was reported last week that City are looking to use their new director of football, Hugo Viana’s connections, as he currently works at the Portuguese club and is set to join City at the end of this season.

Viktor Gyokeres’ Sporting stats

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Gyokeres has experience in English football, as the forward played for Coventry City, Swansea City, and Brighton. It was with the Sky Blues where he really excelled, as he scored 21 goals in 46 Championship games in his final season, as Coventry reached the play-off final. If Man City manage to get a deal over the line, they would be adding one serious goal-scoring machine to another in the form of Haaland.

Despite a few hiccups, Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a relatively successful start to the season.

Ange Postecoglou’s men are playing some of the most exciting football in the country, are undefeated in the cup competitions and are just two points off of Arsenal in the Premier League.

Moreover, the Australian’s star players are really starting to step up, with Brennan Johnson continuing his fine form, Dominic Solanke bagging a brace on the weekend, and Dejan Kulusevski pulling the strings in midfield.

In fact, due to his incredible performances in his new position, the Swedish international has a claim to be the club’s most important player, so it’s encouraging to know that one of the Lilywhites’ up-and-coming stars is outscoring him out on loan.

Kulusevski's form this season

It’s been an interesting season for Kulusevski so far, as his form has mirrored that of the club’s in the sense that early on, he was struggling to really assert himself in games.

For example, in his first five league appearances, he was only able to produce a single assist, but in the five since, he’s scored twice and provided another assist, producing three more in the cups to take his total to five.

Moreover, as the team have found their footing, the former Juventus ace has become increasingly important in his new central role, as demonstrated by his utterly sensational performance against Manchester United in September.

In his 96 minutes of action that game, the “world-class” dynamo, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored and became the first visiting player since the 03/04 season to create nine chances at Old Trafford, per OptaJoe.

In all, it’s been a fantastic start to the campaign for Kulusevski this year, and should he maintain his form until May, he could be an outside shout for the Player of the Year. So, the fact he’s being outscored by one of the club’s promising loanees can only be an encouraging sign for the future of Postecoglou’s attack.

Spurs' loan star

Now, while there are a number of Tottenham’s youngsters out on loan this season, the one we are talking about is centre-forward Dane Scarlett.

The 20-year-old poacher joined newly promoted Championship outfit Oxford United for the season back in August, and while he had a slow start to life at the Kassam Stadium that led some to fear his move would mirror his failed loan to Ipswich Town last season, he has since found some form.

In fact, in his last four appearances for the Yellows, the Hillingdon-born marksman, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig described as being “born to score goals”, has found the back of the net on three occasions, beating Kulusevski’s tally and jumping up to joint-second on the Championship side’s top scorers list.

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Moreover, the “outrageous” talent, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has been in fine form for England’s U20 team, scoring nine goals and providing one assist in just 20 appearances, which is almost as impressive as his form for the U19s, where he scored 12 goals and provided one assist in 14 games.

This unreal form probably hasn’t come as much of a surprise to the youth coaches at Spurs, as in 38 appearances for the Lilywhites’ various junior sides, the 5 foot 11 gem scored 27 goals and provided five assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.18 games.

Ultimately, scoring goals in the Championship is obviously easier than scoring in the Premier League. However, the fact that Scarlett has found the back of the net more than Kulusevski is still impressive, and when combined with his record at the youth level, it looks like Spurs could have a seriously talented forward on their hands.

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Jadon Sancho says it was a "real honour" to play with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, insisting it was an "inspiration" for him.

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Sancho and Ronaldo played together at UnitedEnglish winger is now at ChelseaPicked Portugal star as favourite team-mateFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Sancho and Ronaldo played together 37 times at United across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons and the Chelsea winger has now hailed the impact the Portugal superstar had on him. The Englishman was asked to list some of his best team-mates, and was quick to mention the Al-Nassr ace.

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Ronaldo and Sancho both clashed with Erik ten Hag, leading to each of their respective exits. Ronaldo saw his contract mutually terminated after an explosive interview in which he criticised the coach and the club, while Sancho was exiled before he joined Chelsea on loan.

WHAT SANCHO SAID

Sancho told : "I've played with a lot of great players but, if I had to choose one, it was Cristiano Ronaldo. What he talks about in his interviews is all true, to play with him was a real honour. His mentality, how he trained and how he went into games was really inspirational."

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Sancho will next be in action when Chelsea face Brighton on Saturday evening in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Celtic have set their sights on signing a specific player in the January transfer window, according to an encouraging new transfer update.

Celtic flying once again in 2024/25

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is the Hoops who have once again set the pace in Scottish football this season, even if they are only top of the Scottish Premiership table ahead of Aberdeen on goal difference.

The Dons have been a surprise package in many ways, drawing 2-2 at Celtic earlier in the campaign and beating Rangers 2-1 in midweek, but they came crashing back down to reality against Rodgers’ men on Saturday afternoon.

The Hoops thumped Aberdeen 6-0 in the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup, producing a devastating performance to reach yet another domestic cup final, and it once again highlighted the gulf in class between the two sides, even though the Dons have matched them in the league to date.

Brendan Rodgers won’t want to rest on his laurels, however, as he looks to seal another domestic treble this season, and new signings in January could give his squad that extra bit of quality, as they look to also remain in the Champions League. It looks as though an addition may be coming in, following a new update.

Celtic eyeing new defensive signing in January

According to Football Insider, Celtic are now “seeking to bolster their defence in the January transfer window” and are accelerating their plans to do so, with Rodgers making it clear that he wants reinforcements there.

£4m defender Alexandro Bernabei may not play for the Hoops again, finding himself out of favour and loaned out to Brazilian side Internacional, so a new left-back to replace him appears to be at the forefront of the club’s transfer plans.

Celtic supporters will enjoy this update, with the club looking to be forceful in the transfer market and be ruthless in their quest to win yet another Scottish Premiership crown, strengthening their squad and not allowing Aberdeen a sniff of glory.

Should Bernabei move on, left-back looks to be an area of the pitch to focus on, although Greg Taylor and Alex Valle are already representing strong options there.

Centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers was a big loss through injury recently, and his absence perhaps highlighted the need for more depth at centre-back, while added competition for Alistair Johnston at right-back wouldn’t go amiss.

In truth, Celtic would still have the best squad in the country even if no business was done in the January window, but adding new faces can never be a bad thing, in terms of freshening things up and keeping current players on their toes, so seeing a defender of some kind arrive midway through the season should be encouraged.

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It is hard to criticise the Hoops’ back-line, considering they have conceded just three times in 10 league matches this season, but looking for perfection should always be the aim, and it looks as if a new addition will be on the way in 2025.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has claimed that Everton and the Friedkin Group are now pushing to retain the services of an “excellent” star in the January transfer window.

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The future of Sean Dyche is one of the big talking points at Goodison Park currently, with the Englishman doing enough in the last couple of Premier League games to keep his job for the time being.

That hasn’t stopped other managers being linked with replacing the 53-year-old, however, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst the latest name to be thrown into the hat. The Dutchman only took charge of Besiktas earlier this year, but he has emerged as a contender to come in.

In terms of new signings, DR Congo and VfB Stuttgart attacker Silas has been linked with a move to Everton, with the 26-year-old currently out on loan at Red Star Belgrade.

The Friedkin Group have reportedly made it clear what their overall plan is in January, with three positions being seen as priority areas to add depth. A new full-back is wanted, as well as a winger and a striker, with a lack of firepower in the final third still too evident this season.

Everton now want to keep "excellent" ace

Speaking to Geordie Boot Boys, Bailey claimed that Everton are now pushing hard to keep Dominic Calvert-Lewin in January, seemingly looking to tie the forward down to a new deal before the New Year.

“Everton’s situation is changing now with the change of ownership. They’re building towards this new stadium and they do not want to lose their best players – that includes Dominic Calvert-Lewin. He’s a very good player and has shown that this season. He would be very hard to replace.

“My understanding is that Everton are pushing hard to keep him now. The project they can offer him is different now, and that could be tempting for him. They’re trying to get it done before January. Newcastle will be very interested in his contract situation.”

This is a hugely encouraging update for Everton supporters, considering what an important player the £100,000-a-week Calvert-Lewin is when he is fully fit and firing. He has scored two goals in seven league games this season, as well as winning a monstrous average of five aerial duels per game in the competition, and Dyche has lauded him, saying:

“I thought he was excellent. He’s had a bit of illness. We’re hopeful that has passed, he had it before the game, so I must commend him on that. His physical performance was outstanding, He’s not quite over it but we hope it settles down a bit.”

This update suggests that a new deal could be coming Calvert-Lewin’s way, considering his current contract expires next summer, with the Englishman possibly liking the potential he could soon see under Friedkin.

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Granted, the 27-year-old’s injury problems are a concern, but retaining his services rather than losing him is the far more preferable option, especially considering he still has plenty of years left in him.

“Not sure we’ve seen the end of him but we’ll wait and see, that will be his decision”

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2021Justin Langer retains hope that Tim Paine will return to international cricket after terming the former Australia captain “one of the best people in the game” following his whistle-stop visit to Hobart ahead of the Ashes.Langer made the trip south after being released from quarantine last week with Paine’s captaincy having come to end while he was with the group of players and staff returning from the T20 World Cup.Having initially remained available for selection for the Ashes, with all indications he would have been picked had he proved his fitness after neck surgery, Paine then opted to step away from the game to manage his mental health which has led to a debut for Alex Carey.Related

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It has created the possibility that Paine has played his last Test and while Langer said the immediate priority was his health and family he did not believe it had to be the end.”He absolutely loves cricket,” Langer said. “He’s 37, he’s as fit as any athlete, certainly in our squad and we’ve got some fit athlete’s. He looks after himself so well. Who knows. His No. 1 priority at the moment is his family and that’s how it should be. Not sure we’ve seen the end of him but we’ll wait and see, that will be his decision.Justin Langer visited Tim Paine last week•Getty Images”He’s one of my really close friends and someone I admire enormously. Certainly in this generation of players he’s one of the best people I’ve met in the game. He’s been our captain for a long time, me and him have been through a journey like we have with all this group, so it was nice to see him.”Langer confirmed that he first knew of the text messages in mid-2018 as the squad was heading to England for a limited-overs tour and added he had not heard about them again until shortly before Paine stepped down.Paine has not put a timeframe on his break and Australia have named a squad for the first two Ashes Tests. It had been considered likely that this series would mark the end of his Test career.Langer, who came into the role after the ball-tampering scandal, also lamented the situation Paine had been left in”We live in a world of perfectionism, don’t we? We’re a very judgemental society,” he said. “As I said at my very first press conference when I was asked about Steve Smith and David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, there’s not one person asking questions or watching this who hasn’t made a mistake in their life.”There’s not a single person. And our captain, one of the best, made a mistake and is paying a heavy price for it.”

أكد أشرف صبحي، وزير الشباب والرياضة، أن حالات الوفاة المفاجئة التي شهدتها الملاعب المصرية في الفترة الأخيرة تتماشى مع النسب العالمية للحالات الطبية المشابهة، مشددًا على أن أي تقصير في الإجراءات الطبية سيُحال فورًا إلى النيابة العامة. 

وأوضح الوزير في تصريحات إذاعية عبر أثير “أون سبورت إف إم” أن بعض الوفيات تحدث نتيجة مشاكل صحية لم تكن تسمح بممارسة الرياضة منذ البداية، أو بسبب مجهود مفاجئ يفوق قدرة الجسم على التحمل، مشيرًا إلى أن المعدلات في مصر لم تفوق المعدلات العالمية.

وأضاف: “من بعد حالة أحمد رفعت، تلقينا تكليفًا رئاسيًا تم تطبيقه، وأي تجاوز أو تقصير في هذا الملف لن يُسمح به، لأن الأمر أصبح جريمة يعاقب عليها القانون”.

وزير الرياضة: تدخلنا في اللحظة الأخيرة لحل أزمة القمة.. وطالبنا الأهلي بالتواصل مع الزمالك

وفي حديثه عن أزمة الملاعب، أكد صبحي أن الوزارة ليست مسؤولة عن تجهيز وصيانة الملاعب، بل تقع هذه المسؤولية على عاتق الأندية والهيئات المالكة لها، مشيرًا إلى أن استاد القاهرة هو الملعب الوحيد الذي يخضع لإشراف الدولة.

وأضاف: “هناك ضرورة لتفعيل دور رابطة الأندية ووضع اشتراطات صارمة لتطوير الملاعب بداية من الموسم المقبل، كما يجب تشكيل لجنة لمتابعة هذا الملف الحيوي، صيانة الملاعب تحتاج إلى أسس واضحة للتطوير، ويجب على الرابطة أن تتولى هذا الدور لضمان جودة المنشآت الرياضية”.

وفيما يخص تنظيم البطولات العالمية، شدد الوزير على أن مصر تمتلك كل المقومات اللازمة لاستضافة الأحداث الرياضية الكبرى، خاصة مع وجود البنية التحتية المتطورة والمدينة الأولمبية الرياضية.

وعلق على ما ذكره المهندس هاني أبو ريدة حول إمكانية مشاركة مصر في استضافة كأس العالم بالشراكة مع السعودية، قائلًا: “نحن نتمنى ذلك، ولكن لا بد أن يكون هناك تنسيق كامل مع الأشقاء في السعودية قبل الإعلان عن أي خطوات رسمية”.

وكشف صبحي أن مصر تستهدف تحقيق ميداليات أولمبية في عدة رياضات، أبرزها الإسكواش، والخماسي الحديث، ورفع الأثقال، والتايكوندو، مؤكدًا أن هناك كوادر رياضية متميزة قادرة على تحقيق إنجازات في الأولمبياد القادم.

كما أثنى على مبادرات اكتشاف المواهب الكروية، مشيرًا إلى أنها حققت نتائج إيجابية في الفترة الأخيرة، وتساهم في دعم مستقبل الكرة المصرية.

وفيما يتعلق بالشأن الإداري لنادي الزمالك، نفى الوزير رغبته في الترشح لرئاسة النادي، مؤكدًا أنه لم يفكر في دخول أي انتخابات للحصول على منصب رياضي.

وعند سؤاله عن ملف التحكيم، رفض صبحي التعليق، معتبرًا أنه ليس دوره كوزير رياضة التدخل في هذا الشأن.

Wrexham have been told their success is only down to “billionaire owners” Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, with their financial advantage “not fair”.

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• Hollywood co-owners at the helm in North Wales
• Big investment has aided meteoric rise
• Many rivals unable to compete on level footing

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  That is the view of Shrewsbury boss Gareth Ainsworth, who is among those to have been watching on from afar as cross-border derby rivals have enjoyed a meteoric rise up the English Football League. The Red Dragons have clambered out of the National League, through League Two and towards the Championship.

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  Hollywood co-owners have helped to make all of that possible, with more investment being sought as a Premier League dream is chased – with the Allyn family, who have a net worth of $2 billion (£1.6bn), already on board.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Wrexham are far from being the only side with wealthy backers – as Birmingham have smashed all kinds of transfer records in League One – but Ainsworth has taken issue with the Welsh outfit. He is frustrated at being unable to compete on a level playing field.

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  WHAT GARETH AINSWORTH SAID

  Speaking out against the National League’s three up, three down proposal, Shrews boss Ainsworth told : “If a team just can’t keep up financially for no other reason than the other teams have got billionaires coming in and millionaires, it’s not fair that they just sink out of the league and out of obscurity. It then all becomes all about money.

  “Wrexham have only done that because of the money they’ve had, you know. And of course they’re competing well but they’ve had billionaire owners and it’s not fair. I don’t think that it should just be about that.

  “And I’m speaking as an advocate from a club with a local businessman who’s put his money in and he just can’t compete with Wrexham because we’re not bringing American billionaires in. So my argument would be, yes, these teams have done well, but have a look at the money that they’ve had invested in them as well.”