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Another Championship season has worryingly passed West Bromwich Albion by, meaning the Baggies have been outside the luxuries of Premier League football since relegation at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

Many managers have come and gone during this testing period, with Carlos Corberan the closest to restoring West Brom back to their former top-flight glories when reaching the playoffs just last season, only for eventual promotion winners Southampton to get the better of the West Midlands side over two legs.

Now, West Brom are back in the daunting position of having to look for another new boss after parting ways with Tony Mowbray, with the next face to grace the Hawthorns helm perhaps the one that seals promotion finally.

West Brom's list of manager targets

It’s been nearly a month now since Mowbray was dismissed with the 61-year-old unfortunately unable to push the Baggies up into the playoffs on his return to the hot-seat.

Instead, he only managed to pick up five victories from his 17 games in charge, with these disappointing failures culminating in James Morrison having to take over the reins on an interim basis for the final few games of the league campaign.

There have even been reports that the ex-West Brom midfielder could be handed the vacancy on a permanent basis, but it’s far likelier that the Baggies will look elsewhere in trying to uncover the best possible Mowbray successor.

However, one option continuing to be linked with Albion is Ryan Mason. Five years younger than Morrison, he actually boasts more significant coaching experience at Tottenham Hotspur.

Yet, if West Brom can find a more experienced promotion winner over Mason, they should go full steam ahead. In fact, there’s a seven-time promotion expert who ticks all the right boxes.

West Brom could appoint "unbelievable" promotion expert

Instead of swooping in to steal coaches from Premier League outfits, West Brom could look to the lower reaches of the EFL to finally land a suitable Mowbray replacement.

With that in mind, Stockport County boss Dave Challinor could be their desired man. The current Hatters boss is a beloved figure at Edgeley Park for how much he has revolutionised the Greater Manchester side’s fortunes since joining in 2021 and is reportedly on the radar of Albion.

When he first took on the reins, Stockport were a sleeping giant marooned in the National League. But, with two promotions under his belt now – which included pipping mega-money Wrexham Town to the League Two title last year – the Hatters are on the cusp of a Championship return for the first time in over 20 years.

This will be music to the ears of West Brom as they aim to finally break out of the Championship, with Challinor already a recognised promotion expert in League Two and perhaps League One to come, meaning he could take to the next step-up swimmingly as well.

Staggeringly, Challinor still has even more promotion wins to brag about than the two already mentioned with Stockport, with the table above illuminating his further five promotion successes as a lower league veteran, alongside his mammoth career tally of 282 victories.

This is where any approach for Mason could fall flat, with the Spurs coach clearly a well-regarded face in North London and one for the future. However, he has only overseen a meagre 13 games as a main manager.

Both the 49-year-old and Mason do have a connection, however, with neither figure having taken charge of a Championship game before.

But, if the “unbelievable” manager – as he’s been labelled previously by journalist Jordan Cronin – has proved anything across his distinguished time in various dug-outs to date, he often excels when a tough challenge is put in front of him.

He's Corberan 2.0: West Brom could hire "one of the best young coaches"

West Bromwich Albion will hope they can unearth their next Carlos Corberan with this managerial appointment.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 13, 2025

Glasgow Rangers extended their winless run to six matches in all competitions after they held their Glasgow rivals to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Barry Ferguson has failed to lead the team to a win since the dramatic 4-3 victory over Dundee away from home at the end of March, and has not done his chances of landing the job on a permanent basis many favours.

The Light Blues decided to move on from Philippe Clement earlier this year and will have to source a long-term replacement for him this summer, with a familiar name leading the list of candidates.

The latest on the Rangers managerial chase

Football Insider recently reported that former Rangers head coach Steven Gerrard is the leading candidate to secure the job on a full-time basis ahead of next season.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

The outlet claimed that the English manager is the favourite for the role, ahead of Marco Rose, and that he is at the top of the club’s shortlist of options.

The 44-year-old boss usually deployed a 4-3-3 system during his first spell at Ibrox, which yielded an incredible, unbeaten, league title success in the 2020/21 campaign, and that could mean that the Gers need to recruit in a certain way to suit that system this summer.

It could also mean that there are some players currently in the Rangers squad who could move on from Glasgow because they do not fit what Gerrard would want in that position, and Danilo is a player who could fall into that category.

Why Danilo may not suit Gerrard

The Brazilian forward, who joined from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023, may not be ideally suited to Gerrard’s set-up because he has not shown himself to be suited to playing as a lone centre-forward.

Danilo has been used as a second-striker, or attacking midfielder, or as a centre-forward as part of a front two, either alongside Cyriel Dessers or Hamza Igamane, rather than being relied upon to play on his own.

That may be because the 5 foot 9 forward lacks the physicality to play as a sole number nine. He has lost 63% of his ground duels and 75% of his aerial battles in the Premiership so far this season, which shows that opposition defenders find it too easy to get the better of him.

The 26-year-old dud is reportedly on a wage of £26k-per-week, which is more than Mohammed Diomande (£12k-per-week), who provided the assist for Dessers on Sunday, and Nicolas Raskin (£19k-per-week), despite the duo being regular starters in midfield with 55 league starts between them this season.

Meanwhile, Danilo, who was described as being “sloppy” on the ball by pundit Steven Thompson, has started seven league matches this term and has struggled with multiple injuries during his two seasons at Ibrox so far.

As you can see in the table above, the former Feyenoord marksman has missed 53 games through injury for Rangers since his move to the club in 2023, which shows that he is not reliable in terms of his availability.

Therefore, Rangers should ruthlessly cash in on Danilo in the summer transfer window because he does not have the physicality to suit playing on his own up front in a Gerrard system and does not have the availability to make him a worthwhile squad member, particularly with a wage that is higher than club Player of the Year Raskin and Diomande’s.

Bad news for Dessers: 4-3-3 boss becomes leading candidate for Rangers job

Rangers have identified their leading candidate to replace Barry Ferguson at Ibrox.

By
Dan Emery

May 5, 2025

Manchester United are looking to enjoy a statement summer window under Ruben Amorim and could now elbow Manchester City aside for a potential bargain signing, per reports.

Man Utd begin summer window preparation

The Red Devils will be looking forward to the end of a frustrating Premier League season where they haven’t been able to reverse the current of an inconsistent run of results.

Erik ten Hag tried and failed before Amorim arrived at Old Trafford. However, the Portuguese boss has presided over a chaotic campaign that is destined to end in a bottom-half finish.

Nevertheless, winning the Europa League could provide a backdoor route to Champions League qualification as Manchester United and INEOS look to establish themselves among the elite.

Athletic Club await in the semi-final, which could pave the way for a showdown against either Tottenham Hotspur or Bodo Glimt should circumstances align in ideal fashion.

On the transfer front, Manchester United are eyeing an ambitious move for Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka and could land his services for a fee of £34 million.

Amorim wants him: Man Utd eye £42m bid to sign star ahead of Bayern Munich

Manchester United find themselves in a battle to sign a player Ruben Amorim really wants.

By
Brett Worthington

Apr 26, 2025

Casemiro may well depart Old Trafford, and there is plenty of speculation over new faces to firm up Amorim’s bid for success— the Red Devils’ interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha and Atalanta’s Ederson offer an inkling of where they may aim to target.

The engine room and their forward line are obvious areas to shore up, but finances will likely dictate the level of business that could occur to add strength to a side in need of a rebrand.

That said, Manchester United have now been offered the chance to sign a proven midfielder who could be available for nothing this summer.

Man Utd offered chance to sign Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa

According to reports in Italy via Sport Witness, Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa alongside rivals Manchester City via his entourage.

Intriguingly, his contract with the Serie A giants is set to expire this summer, though both parties have the option to extend it by two more years, so he could be available for free over the coming months.

Labelled “fantastic” alongside midfield partner Scott McTominay by Philip Billing, the Cameroon international has also attracted recent interest from Chelsea, while Monaco and Marseille have also made contact to gauge his availability.

Anguissa’s family want to move to England, and his agent has previously been in London and Manchester to discuss a change of scenery ahead of the summer window.

Deemed to be a similar player to Luka Modric, via Football Transfers, the 29-year-old is now potentially in line for a Premier League return after enjoying a spell at Fulham between 2018 and 2022.

After registering six goals and four assists in ten appearances across all competitions this term, it now remains to be seen whether he will end up at Old Trafford.

The Premier League trophy will be ribboned in red this year, with Arne Slot almost certain to lift the title in the first season of his tenure at Liverpool.

After a summer of frustration in the transfer market, failing to convince Martin Zubimendi to part with Real Sociedad and make the move to England, Liverpool have charged through the 2024/25 campaign with such consistency and coherence that they perch comfortably ahead at the summit.

The players fell short last season, lost in the fogs of the final stretch and falling early in a three-horse Premier League title race. However, Slot’s tactical vision has been a breath of fresh air, one which has cleared the pathway toward gold.

Who saw it coming? Few at all. Maybe a certain German manager was thinking that he’d led a group of players as far as they could go within his decade-stretching project.

Klopp's early clearout

Jurgen Klopp. Leader of men. Rouser of footballers. Builder of exciting projects. But also ruthless when he wanted to be, during his time as Liverpool manager.

That larger-than-life, grinning visage became synonymous with Anfield’s rise from the rubble over the past decade, but Klopp, for all his bubbly demeanour, acted mercilessly in cutting away the rot after replacing Brendan Rodgers in 2015.

Long-serving stars Joe Allen and Martin Skrtel were sold in the summer of 2016, Klopp wasting no time after his opening half-season, which saw Liverpool reach the Europa League final and lose against Sevilla.

But these players were recognised to be getting on and lacking the level of quality required. The sale of Christian Benteke carried more animosity.

Liverpool signed Benteke from Aston Villa, where he was beloved for his powerful focal presence and reliable scoring touch, for £32.5m in July 2015, one year after Luis Suarez left and took Rodgers’ hopes with him. He spent mere months on Merseyside before Klopp’s appointment.

The Belgian was hardly terrible, finishing his sole campaign in red with a modest return of ten goals and six assists across 42 matches in all competitions, but he lacked the technical ability of the likes of Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge, ahead in the pecking order and more vibrant in their football.

He fell out of favour in the months under Klopp’s wing, even remarking that the German boss ignored him, continuing to state he found it hard to understand.

Klopp ultimately knew what he wanted and acted with intent, ignoring the fact Liverpool had spent a significant sum on the striker only one year before. It’s impressive that the Reds recouped much of their outlay in August 2016, when Crystal Palace swooped in and paid £27m to bring him to Selhurst Park.

Back to the present, Slot is expected to go into the upcoming transfer window swinging, and the Dutchman appears to be taking a leaf from his predecessor’s books as he and sporting director Richard Hughes prepare to cash in on Liverpool’s new version of Benteke.

Liverpool's new version of Benteke

Unlike Klopp, Slot is stomping toward silverware in his maiden year as Liverpool’s head coach. And it’s a Premier League gold medal at that.

It’s remarkable that he’s reached such heights after a summer (and winter) of such nominal first-team investment. Slot’s resourcefulness and Klopp’s success in rebuilding his team before departing truly are two sides of the same shiny coin.

But now is the time for change, and Liverpool need to get busy this summer if Slot’s tenure is to be remembered as a dynasty, and not a flash in the pan.

That’s why selling Darwin Nunez has to be one of the priorities this summer. The Uruguay international, 25, has fallen heavily by the wayside at Anfield, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to get back up.

While his numbers aren’t shambolic, they don’t reflect the club-record £85m transfer fee paid in a positive light, nor do they tell the full tale of a player who has routinely frustrated due to profligacy in front of goal and a lack of nous in critical moments.

Slot’s unwillingness to start him mirrors Klopp’s hesitance in unleashing Benteke, who started each of Liverpool’s opening six Premier League fixtures in 2015/16, before Rodgers departed, but only seven across 23 appearances thereafter, with Klopp at the helm.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano is among the journalists who have confirmed Liverpool are expecting to sell the £140k-per-week Nunez this summer after a deal to join Al-Nassr in January fell through.

Klopp shipped Benteke out after his first stretch as the Anfield chief and now Slot is going to repeat the trick. Sadio Mane effectively replaced the hulking striker in 2016, albeit in a different position, and then Mohamed Salah followed one year later.

Selling Benteke was essential to the purchase of Southampton’s winger, however, and freeing room and resources with Nunez’s departure falls into the same boat, with the likes of Alexander Isak and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike linked with a move to Liverpool this summer.

Neither Benteke nor Nunez have played their part at Liverpool uselessly, but it’s clear that in both cases an upgrade could be scored, and given the competitive nature of the Premier League and Slot’s triumph this term, it’s important that FSG don’t rest on their laurels.

Slot, like Klopp, comes across really well but serves his role with a solemn undertow of ruthlessness that will serve Liverpool well as a whole but leave the likes of Nunez forced to find a new employer.

Just as with Benteke, way back when.

Imagine him & Van Dijk: Liverpool lead race for 'world's most in demand CB'

Liverpool are looking to sign one of football’s biggest talents this summer to partner Virgil van Dijk

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 17, 2025

Arsenal are now willing to make a £75m offer to get an “unbelievable” striker through the door quickly this summer, as they are ready to make a move, according to a new report.

Gunners pursuing top striker

Mikel Merino has performed well in a makeshift striker role, with the Spaniard bagging the third goal in the Gunners’ stunning 3-0 victory against Real Madrid last week, but Mikel Arteta remains keen on signing a top forward in the summer transfer window.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is a major target, with the north Londoners recently entering talks over a deal for the Slovenian, who’s scored 19 goals for the German side in all competitions this season.

New sporting director Andrea Berta is also likely to have a big say in which striker is brought in this summer, and the Italian has personally identified Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres as a target, given that the Swede may be more attainable than Alexander Isak.

Arsenal leading race to sign 21 y/o La Liga star with "enormous potential"

The Gunners have set their sights on a 21-year-old midfielder, who they are convinced is a perfect fit for Mikel Arteta’s system.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 13, 2025

A number of strikers are being considered from abroad, but there have also been suggestions a proven Premier League forward could be brought in, with a report from Spain revealing Arsenal are vying to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha.

The Gunners are clearly very keen on signing Cunha, as they are ready and willing to make a £75m bid to ensure they win the race for his signature, but there could be fierce competition from a number of their Premier League rivals.

A total of six Premier League clubs are set to battle it out for the Brazilian, including north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with all the interested parties now ready to make a move.

"Magnificent" Cunha impressing at Wolves

Much to Arsenal fans’ delight, it has been a very difficult campaign for Tottenham, with Ange Postecoglou’s side now 15th in the Premier League, following a 4-2 defeat against Wolves at Molineux yesterday afternoon.

Cunha was once again on the scoresheet for the Old Gold, netting his 14th Premier League goal of the season, in what has been a very impressive campaign for the Brazil international, having already eclipsed his goal tally of 12 from the 2023-24 campaign.

Premier League legend Alan Shearer has also been full of praise for the Wolves star, saying: “He was unbelievable again.

“The goal he scored, the one he bent in the top corner was an unbelievable finish. He was superb, Gary O’Neil had to talk about him again after the game, there’s no doubt he’s getting the best out of him. He’s been one of the players of the season up to now, he’s been magnificent as he was again (vs Fulham).”

Cunha has proven he deserves a big move this summer, and he could be the missing piece of the jigsaw for Arteta.

With the 13th season of the CPL set to kick off on August 14, here’s a primer to bring you up to speed

Deivarayan Muthu13-Aug-2025

So, the biggest party in cricket is back?

Yep, the six-team league will start on August 14 and will run until September 21, with six venues set to host 34 games. The top four sides in the league phase will qualify for the playoffs, which will be held at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. Just like the IPL, the top two teams will get two tilts at the final.

Okay, how many countries are hosting the tournament?

CPL 2025 will be played in six countries: St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia, Trinidad, Barbados and Guyana.Related

• CPL 2025: Pooran replaces Pollard as Trinbago Knight Riders captain

• Tahir: 'It doesn't matter how good you are, you always learn about the game every single day'

• David Wiese to captain St Lucia Kings in CPL 2025

• Five rookies who could make a splash in CPL 2025

Are you excited about the reunion of the Bravo brothers?

Dwayne Bravo, who has been one of the faces of the CPL for a number of years, had retired from competitive cricket after an injury had cut short his CPL season in 2024. He has since coached the Knight Riders’ franchises around the world, and this will be his first stint in the CPL as head coach. He will take over the role at Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) from Phil Simmons, who is now in charge of Bangladesh.Can the most decorated player in the CPL – he has won five titles – add another to his kitty, this time as TKR’s head coach?Dwayne Bravo was appointed TKR head coach earlier this year•CPL T20 via Getty ImagesUnder Dwayne, his brother Darren Bravo, who has won four titles, will return to the CPL, having last featured in the league in 2022. Darren has not played any competitive game in senior cricket since 2023, but after taking a break from cricket, the 36-year-old is ready to return to action.

The league of ageless wonders

Imran Tahir, who turned 46 this March, showed that he still has it in T20 cricket, taking 14 wickets in five games at an outstanding average of 9.28 and economy rate of 6.61 in Guyana Amazon Warriors’ run to the Global Super League title. He remains the only overseas player with 100 or more wickets in the CPL and hopes to bring home a second CPL title for Amazon Warriors.Faf du Plessis, who had led St Lucia Kings to CPL glory in 2024, will miss the tournament this year. The 41-year-old had originally prioritised the Hundred over the CPL, but has now withdrawn from that competition too for groin surgery. David Wiese, who turned 40 earlier this May, has been appointed as the new captain of Kings. He brings a wealth of T20 experience, having played 400 T20s around the world, including 39 in the CPL.Then, there’s Moeen Ali, 38, who has opted to skip the Hundred for the CPL, where he will team up with Tahir.After winning the MLC with MI New York, 38-year-old Kieron Pollard is back in the Caribbean with TKR. Colin Munro, also 38, and Alex Hales, 36, lend more experience to TKR. Hales is 41 runs away from surpassing Pollard as the second-highest run-getter in the history of T20 cricket.Shakib Al Hasan, 38, was Falcons’ second-round pick at the draft and is now just two strikes away from 500 T20 wickets. He is set to become the fifth player to the landmark.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

New captains in the spotlight

Four of the six franchises have new captains*. Nicholas Pooran will take over as TKR captain from Kieron Pollard. Apart from Tahir, Imad Wasim (Falcons) and Wiese (Kings) are the overseas captains in the league. Meanwhile, Jason Holder, who had exited Royals after 13 years, has been appointed as the captain of Patriots. Holder will work with head coach Simon Helmot, who had replaced Malolan Rangarajan. Helmot had coached Patriots and the Trinidad & Tobago franchises to CPL titles in the past.

Who are the defending champions?

Kings are the reigning CPL champions, having won their maiden title in 2024, when they toppled Tahir’s Amazon Warriors in Guyana. USA international Aaron Jones, who cracked an unbeaten 48 off 31 balls in the final last year, has been retained by Kings for the upcoming season. Jones qualifies as a local player in the CPL through his Barbados passport.

Which are the strong teams?

It’s hard to look past TKR, who have a number of T20 stalwarts such as Andre Russell, Pooran, Sunil Narine in addition to Pollard, Hales and Munro. They’ve added more variety to their attack by recruiting the Pakistani pair of Mohammad Amir and Usman Tariq.Under Tahir, Amazon Warriors won the title in 2023 and came close to successfully defending it last season. They have lost a key signing, Glenn Phillips, to injury, but the depth in their spin attack makes them one of the favourites.The absence of left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad, who has opted for the Hundred over the CPL, and injury to allrounder Matthew Forde has depleted Kings, but count Daren Sammy’s team out at your own peril.Jediah Blades is one of the players to watch out for•Randy Brooks

How many overseas players can be part of the XIs?

In CPL 2025, each franchise must play at least one player from the breakout league, a new tournament that was held earlier this year to identify emerging talent from the region, in every game. This gives the franchise the option of picking five overseas players in their XI to go with their ‘breakout’ player.

Any unknown local players to keep an eye on?

The depth below the first-choice West Indies T20I XI isn’t particularly encouraging, but do watch out for Amazon Warriors’ Jediah Blades who swings the new ball and is also capable of operating with the older one. Barbados Royals’ Kofi James, who goes hard in the powerplay with the bat and can also pitch in with offspin, might emerge on West Indies’ radar, especially if he has a good CPL season.

Does the CPL clash with any other franchise tournament?

Of course. What’s a franchise league without a schedule clash these days? It overlaps with the Hundred.

How can fans outside the Caribbean follow the action?

Every match of CPL 2025 will have ball-by-ball commentary right here on ESPNcricinfo. Fans in India can watch the CPL on JioStar (linear TV) or Fancode (digital). USA and UK viewers can watch it on Willow and TNT Sports respectively. Sky NZ will be broadcasting in New Zealand and SuperSport in Sub-Saharan Africa.*GMT 2pm, August 14: The story was updated following TKR’s announcement of a captaincy change

A proud part of Arsenal’s DNA has long been their development and promotion of young academy talents.

This has been especially true over the last few years, with the emergence of players like Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and, of course, Bukayo Saka.

The latest player who seems ready to make the leap from the youth sides to regular senior football is Max Dowman.

However, the talented 15-year-old certainly won’t be the last, and there is already one youngster making waves in the academy who could soon find himself in the first team.

Dowman's rapid rise to stardom at Arsenal

Even before this season, Arsenal fans have been at least somewhat aware of Dowman.

After all, respected talent scout Jacek Kulig boldly proclaimed him as the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

That might sound absurd, but over the course of last season, the youngster ended up scoring 19 times and providing five assists in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, for the youth sides.

That comes out to a sensational average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes, made all the more astonishing by the fact he was playing for the u18s and even the u21s.

With performances like that in age groups well above his own, it wasn’t much of a surprise to see the Chelmsford-born dynamo included in the first team’s pre-season tour.

The 15-year-old made his debut against Newcastle United, and in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, spent his short cameo “humiliating Premier League players.”

His competitive debut came at home to Leeds United in the Premier League, and then he became the youngest player to ever start a game for the club against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup.

The superstar in the making then broke another record in the Champions League a week later, and was described as “a miracle player” by Slavia Prague defender David Zima.

In all, it certainly seems like Dowman is destined to reach the top of the game with Arsenal, although he might be joined by another academy gem this season.

Hale End's next superstar

It’s been a good season for Hale End this year, as on top of Dowman, Andre Harriman-Annous has also been given his full competitive debut by Mikel Arteta.

It could get even better, though, as there is another youngster in the system, who, like the record-breaker, could find himself becoming more involved with the senior side as the campaign goes on: Ife Ibrahim.

The 17-year-old has been with the club since May 2016, and while he started out as a striker, he has since moved back down the pitch, into defensive midfield.

However, he’s not limited to just one position, as the highly rated youngster has also played at right-back, in central midfield, and even as a centre-back.

It’s no surprise that he has been used in the defence before, as even though he’s still so young, the versatile prospect is huge and towers above some of the first team in pictures taken of the time he trained with them. It is no wonder that analyst Harvey Diamonds said that he has a “languid frame like [Patrick] Vieira and [Abou] Diaby.”

Don’t let his size and physicality fool you, though; the Hale Ender is no slouch on the ball.

In fact, academy expert Will Balsam described him as someone who makes everything look so “effortless.” Moreover, this and his height mean “he eats up space, recovers the ball, and glides past players with ease.”

He has also made an impression on U23 scout Antonio Mango, who has described him as “composed, technically talented in possession and calculated out of possession.”

Overall, while he plays in a totally different position to Dowman, Ibrahim sounds like the sort of Hale End product who could come in and have a serious impact on the first team soon enough.

Zubimendi upgrade: Arsenal chasing "the best CM in the world" for £114m

The incredible international could already be a significant upgrade on Zubimendi for Arsenal.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 11, 2025

Manchester United have joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck, and the Bundesliga club’s stance on cashing-in has now been revealed.

Man United have taken major strides over the past month or so, having taken 11 points from their last five matches, but it would be fair to say their defensive record still needs major improvement.

Ruben Amorim’s side have shipped 18 goals in their opening 11 games, the joint-highest number of any side above 16th in the Premier League table, failing to keep a clean sheet since the 2-0 victory against Sunderland at the beginning of October.

Both Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt have impressed in an attacking sense, with the former scoring the winner at Anfield, while the Dutchman recently received high praise from Rio Ferdinand, who said: “De Ligt’s been our best defender this season”

“I think he’s been outstanding for us. He’s even adding goals like the last-minute equaliser the other day.”

That said, Amorim clearly needs to tighten things up at the back, given the sheer number of goals his side have conceded, and the Red Devils have now set their sights on a new target.

Man Utd join race to sign Nico Schlotterbeck

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man United have now joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck, who is about to enter the last 18 months of his contract with the German club, meaning a bidding war could be on the cards.

Liverpool have also emerged as potential suitors for the centre-back, who has earned comparisons to Virgil van Dijk, in light of his composure under pressure, which has been on display in the Champions League.

Dortmund may need to cash-in due to their financial situation, as they are currently at risk of losing the 25-year-old on a free transfer, and there is no shortage of interest, with Barcelona currently believed to be leading the race for his signature.

The defender’s ball-playing ability, coupled with the fact he is left-footed, is said to make him perfect for Amorim, and the Dortmund star has earned high praise from former Premier League chief scout Mick Brown.

Brown said: “He’s a dominant centre-back, a regular for Germany, and a very defensive option who likes to win tackles, win headers and take charge of the back line.”

Impressively, the German is also very comfortable in possession of the ball, as displayed by his performance across some key passing and dribbling metrics over the past year.

Schlotterbeck is experienced at the top level, having amassed 22 caps for Germany and 35 Champions League appearances, and he could be the ideal option for Amorim at left centre-back.

What Man Utd plan to do to hijack Real Madrid's move for Marc Guehi

What Man Utd are ready to do to hijack Real Madrid's move for Marc Guehi

He could be a superb signing for the Red Devils.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 4, 2025

Rasmus Hojlund formed part of a bizarre celebration after teeing up Napoli team-mate David Neres for a crucial goal that settled a top-of-the-table Serie A clash with Roma. The Manchester United outcast, who has rediscovered his smile since returning to Italy in the summer of 2025, played a leading role in the effort which settled a keenly-fought contest at Stadio Olimpico.

• Man Utd struggles: Hojlund happy again in Italy

  Denmark international Hojlund previously enjoyed a productive spell in Italian football with Atalanta. It was his performances there which convinced Premier League giants United to part with a £72 million ($95m) transfer fee in the summer of 2023.

  The 22-year-old frontman endured a tough time at Old Trafford, registering 26 goals through 95 appearances, and was allowed to link up with Napoli ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. He has found the target for them on four occasions across 12 outings.

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• Watch Hojlund take part in bizarre 'bird' celebration

• In a flap: How Hojlund and Neres downed Roma

  Hojlund did not hit the net on his latest appearance, but still managed to make a decisive contribution. That is because it was his quick counter-attack that allowed Neres to settle a tight encounter with Roma.

  Hojlund was picked out by Neres as they raced out of their own half. The burly Danish striker carried the ball down the right flank, before rolling a pass inside. Neres took over from there, pulling clear of the Roma defence before stroking a composed finish into the bottom corner.

  After initially sharing a warm embrace by the corner flag, Hojlund and Neres then proceeded to deliver a strange ‘bird’ celebration that saw them flap their arms like wings. Hojlund looked a little sheepish at first, but performed the routine with a smile on his face.

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  Napoli fixtures: Next up for Hojlund and Co

  He will be hoping to deliver more moments of match-altering brilliance over the coming weeks and months. Ex-Napoli star Antonio Careca has told of the Hojlund’s contribution so far: “He’s just arrived, so you have to be patient. I don’t know him personally, but you can see he wants to give his all. Maybe too much: he doesn’t always manage to express himself.

  “He has a good left foot, but both in the league and the Champions League, I’ve seen him struggle a bit. He struggled to stop the ball, and he showed a nervousness that’s normal for his age. He has a lot of quality, but we just have to wait a bit longer.”

  Defending Serie A champions Napoli, who have pulled level with AC Milan on 28 points at the top of the table, will be back in action on Wednesday when facing Cagliari in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia, before then playing host to Juventus on Sunday.

The World Series goes through the National League. At least if you go by the top of the betting odds. 

The top three teams in the MLB World Series betting odds currently reside in the NL, starting with the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers at +230 on FanDuel Sportsbook. The NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are next on the odds at +850 each. Both teams made big swings at the deadline, adding bullpen help and, for the Phillies, Harrison Bader as well.

The New York Yankees are fourth on the oddsboard at +900. They added Pirates closer David Bednar at the deadline, but are waiting on MVP/All-Star/heart-and-soul-of-the-team Aaron Judge to come off the 10-day IL. They are also four games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East and only 2.5 games ahead in the wild card standings.

The Detroit Tigers (+950), Houston Astros (+1200) and Blue Jays (+1400) are next on the oddsboard. All three are at least four games ahead in their respective division races and the Blue Jays made some moves at the deadline that suggest they’re all in on this season. They’re currently battling the Tigers for the best record in the NL while the Astros remain the Astros in a solid AL West. 

The Padres are currently the hottest team in baseball, having won five straight, including a sweep of the visiting Mets. They also went all-in at the deadline, shoring up what is already the best bullpen in the league. 

Here are the odds for every MLB team to win the World Series with odds coming from FanDuel. 

2025 MLB World Series Odds

• Los Angeles Dodgers +230
• Philadelphia Phillies +850
• New York Mets +850
• New York Yankees +900
• Detroit Tigers +950
• Houston Astros +1200
• Toronto Blue Jays +1400
• Chicago Cubs +1400
• Seattle Mariners +1600
• Milwaukee Brewers +1600
• San Diego Padres +2500
• Boston Red Sox +2700
• Texas Rangers +3000
• Tampa Bay Rays +9000
• Cincinnati Reds +10000
• San Francisco Giants +13000
• Kansas City Royals +15000
• Cleveland Guardians +20000
• St. Louis Cardinals +25000
• Minnesota Twins +32000
• Arizona Diamondbacks +55000
• Los Angeles Angels +75000
• Washington Nationals +100000
• Atlanta Braves +100000
• Pittsburgh Pirates +100000
• Baltimore Orioles +100000
• Chicago White Sox +100000
• Miami Marlins +100000
• Athletics +100000