Manchester United academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo has found himself in a difficult position under head coach Ruben Amorim this season.

The England international has not started any of his seven appearances in the Premier League in the 2025/26 campaign, as Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Manuel Ugarte have all been preferred ahead of him in the XI.

Mainoo started 19 Premier League games last season and 24 in the 2023/24 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been far more integral to the side in previous terms.

On top of his current struggles for game time, the Red Devils and the INEOS regime are reportedly interested in signing another midfielder who would also be ahead of him in the pecking order.

Man Utd eyeing move for Premier League midfielder

The January transfer window is eight weeks or so away from opening for business, and the Premier League giants are looking at possible targets to bolster their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to Football Insider, Manchester United are one of the clubs eyeing up a move for Nottingham Forest central midfielder Elliot Anderson ahead of the January window.

The report claims that the England international, who has emerged as a key player for Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions, is United’s number one midfield target.

It adds that Liverpool are also interested in the £120m-rated midfielder, which shows that there will be competition for his signature at the turn of the year.

However, it now remains to be seen whether or not United or Liverpool are willing to pay the money that it would take to sign him from Forest in January.

Why Man Utd should sign Elliot Anderson

The Red Devils should push the boat out to sign the England international because he could arrive at Old Trafford as a big upgrade on Mainoo in the middle of the park.

The chart above shows that Anderson has outperformed Mainoo in a host of metrics over the past 365 days, particularly as a defensive force and as a progressive passer.

Whilst the counterargument to that would be that Mainoo has not had enough minutes on the pitch to showcase his quality this season, England boss Tuchel has also decided to go with Anderson over the United man in his midfield at international level.

On top of that, the Nottingham Forest star, who was hailed as “incredible” by journalist Miles Starforth, also outperformed the Red Devils academy graduate in the Premier League last season, when the midfielder started 19 of his 25 appearances.

24/25 Premier League

Kobbie Mainoo

Elliot Anderson

Appearances

25

37

Goals

0

2

Assists

0

6

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

3.3

Duels won per game

4.4

6.5

Ground duel success rate

47%

49%

Aerial duel success rate

38%

66%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Anderson provided more quality to his team in the middle of the park with both his play in and out of possession for the Tricky Trees, offering more protection to his defence and making a bigger impact in the final third.

These statistics, on top of the aforementioned statistics over the past 365 days, suggest that he would be a better option for Amorim than Mainoo in the middle of the park in the second half of the season.

This means that a move for Anderson in the January transfer window could leave the English midfielder in a precarious position at Old Trafford, because he could be behind Bruno, Casemiro, Ugarte, and Anderson for two midfield positions.

That could then force the academy graduate to consider his long-term future at the club under Amorim and INEOS, as he may not want to sit on the bench at United when he could be playing regular games elsewhere.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Oct 30, 2025

Allrounder also takes two wickets as concerted bowling display helps set up return to Finals Day

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay06-Sep-2025Lancashire Lightning are through to Finals Day and – 10 years on from their first – will get the chance to win a second Vitality Blast title next Saturday having beaten Kent Spitfires by three wickets chasing 154 in an engaging Emirates Old Trafford quarter-final.England fringe fast bowler Luke Wood struck with the first ball of a contest which saw the Spitfires scramble to 153 all out in 20 overs, the left-armer finishing with an excellent 3 for 29.No Kent batter reached 30 and they were unable to deny a Lightning side also including star man Liam Livingstone, James Anderson and Phil Salt a 10th Finals Day appearance.Like Wood, fellow England international Livingstone was key to Lancashire’s victory in front of a 12,000-plus crowd. Having returned 2 for 21 from four overs of spin, he helped recover their chase from 5 for 2 with a brilliantly destructive 85 not out off 45 balls with seven sixes. The hosts won with nine balls remaining.Livingstone is the only member of this Lancashire team to have won the Blast in 2015.Lightning made the perfect start, as Wood had Tawanda Muyeye caught at mid-off with the first ball of the match. It was the second time he had struck with the first ball of an innings in this campaign.Kent then scored runs at a decent rate but lost wickets at key moments. Daniel Bell-Drummond miscued Anderson to backward point, Zak Crawley was caught behind having gloved a pull at Jack Blatherwick and Livingstone’s first ball ousted a sweeping Sam Billings caught at deep square leg, leaving the score at 71 for 4 in the ninth over.Joe Denly had started nicely, including lofting Blatherwick’s first ball for six over long-off. But he also fell – on 28 – to strengthen Lancashire’s grip at 81 for 5 after 10 overs, miscuing a similar shot to long-off against Tom Hartley’s left-arm spin.The trend continued. Joey Evison muscled sixes off the spinners but fell for 27 to a smart boundary catch at long-off from Wood off Livingstone with the score on 115 in the 15th.Grant Stewart also hit two sixes in a brisk 25 before playing on to Tom Aspinwall, who struck twice with his seamers. And Kent had to try and bat the overs out, which they did. Still, their total had the feeling of being well short after Wood struck twice in the last over to remove Fred Klaassen and Nathan Gilchrist caught at deep midwicket.But visiting hopes were raised as they reduced the Lightning to 5 for 2 inside two overs of the chase as Stewart’s seam had Salt caught at deep backward square leg pulling and Klaassen’s left-armers forced Luke Wells to play on off his thigh pad.Klaassen was superb for 3 for 14 from four overs.Livingstone, on 15, top-edged a pull at Gilchrist into the back of his neck shortly afterwards and underwent a concussion check but carried on.He lost captain Keaton Jennings caught on the scoop against the outstanding pace of Klaassen – 31 for 3 in the fifth over – before taking the sting out of the situation in dynamic fashion.He took on the legspin of former county colleague Matthew Parkinson, three times smashing him over long-on for six in the ninth over as he reached his first fifty of this season’s Blast off 25 balls and took the score to 84 for 3.Experienced Australian Ashton Turner holed out off Evison almost immediately afterwards, but Kent desperately needed Livingstone’s wicket.It didn’t arrive, and even Parkinson getting Michael Jones for 28 off 16 balls and Hartley in the 14th over, leaving Lancashire 118 for 6, wasn’t enough to turn the game.Livingstone hammered Parkinson over long-on – and over The Point conference building – for six more, and his knock confirmed that Lancashire will play Somerset or Birmingham Bears in the semi-final at Edgbaston.

Lancashire 105 for 0 (Wells 60*, Jennings 36*) trail Middlesex 211 (De Caires 52, Geddes 52, Aspinwall 4-62, Bailey 4-68) by 106 runsLuke Wells and Keaton Jennings enriched the penultimate evening of the season at Emirates Old Trafford with an unbroken opening stand of 105 but Lancashire’s Rothesay County Championship match against Middlesex looks certain to end in the draw that would almost certainly end the visitors’ chances of promotion.Replying to Middlesex’s 211, a first innings in which Tom Aspinwall and Tom Bailey both took four wickets, Lancashire ended another day shortened by rain and bad light on 105 without loss, with Jennings on 36 not out and Wells unbeaten on 60. However, only 31.4 overs were possible in Manchester on Wednesday and neither side appears to have a credible chance of forcing a win, even if Thursday’s weather permits a full 96 overs’ play. So far 210 overs have been lost in this match.Heavy rain overnight and throughout the morning left the Emirates Old Trafford outfield saturated but after two inspections play got under way at three o’clock and Lancashire’s bowlers took only 6.4 overs to take the two wickets they needed to end Middlesex’s first innings.Tom Aspinwall had Zafar Gohar caught at long leg by substitute fielder Will Williams for 25 and then Henry Brookes followed for two in Aspinwall’s next over when he edged a cut to Matty Hurst behind the stumps. That left Aspinwall with figures of four for 62 while Tom Bailey finished with four for 68.Left with a possible 34 overs in which to bat this evening, Jennings and Wells quickly settled into their work. Wells pulled Toby Roland-Jones towards the party stand for six and Lancashire were 44 without loss at tea.In the evening session, Wells played with even greater fluency levying maximums off both Seb Morgan and Zafar Gohar, reaching his fifty off 71 balls and ending the day just 25 runs of a thousand in first-class cricket this season. Jennings requires another 67 runs to reach the same mark but it is also a reflection of Lancashire’s recent problems that this was only the county’s second century partnership for the first wicket in the last 47 innings, a record stretching back to the end of 2023.Middlesex came into this match lying fourth in the table, 30 points behind second-placed Glamorgan. However, their hopes are almost certain to be scuppered if they fail to win this game and Glamorgan avoid defeat against Derbyshire.

Somerset claim three bowling bonus points by ripping through visitors in between showers

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025The weather came to Yorkshire’s aid as their rain-ruined Rothesay County Championship Division One game with Somerset at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, ended in an inevitable draw.Starting the final day on 17 for no wicket in their first innings in reply to Somerset’s 441 for 6 declared, the visitors crashed to 57 for 6 in the morning session, Josh Davey and Lewis Gregory claiming two wickets each.With three runs added, the second of several showers forced an early lunch at 12.20pm and play did not restart until 3pm with 33 overs lost. Jordan Thompson then struck a belligerent 57, while Adam Lyth made 30 as Yorkshire battled to 134 for 9 by the time the players shook hands at 4.20pm.Rain having affected all four days, a draw had long looked the only likely outcome. Somerset took 14 points from the game to Yorkshire’s nine.The visitors had added 15 runs to their overnight total when Somerset made the first breakthrough in the fourth over of the day, Finlay Bean, on 10, edging a forward defensive shot off Gregory through to wicketkeeper James Rew. The next delivery saw Mayank Agarwal register a golden duck on his Yorkshire debut, the experienced India Test player getting a thicker edge to be comfortably caught at third slip by Tom Abell.Davey quickly followed up by clipping the off stump of James Wharton as he offered no shot and it was 41 for 4 when Jonny Bairstow, who had required treatment for an arm injury, fell for only 2, pouched by Tom Kohler-Cadmore at first slip off the same bowler.Matthew Revis departed for 9 to a back-foot swish at a wide delivery from Ben Green, which gave Rew a second catch. A short shower then sent the players from the field, with an initial four overs lost, and on the resumption Jack Leach pinned George Hill lbw in the left-arm spinner’s first over.Lyth had watched the carnage from the other end, enjoying moments of fortune himself on what was proving a tricky last-day pitch. On 16, the opener edged Kasey Aldridge fractionally short of Abell in the slips and when Leach appealed for a slip catch it was a bump ball.It was 60 for 6 when the rain returned, necessitating an early lunch. Hopes of a prompt resumption after the interval were dashed my more showers and it wasn’t until 3pm, with a further 29 overs lost, that play restarted.Without a run added, Dom Bess’s hopes of a meaningful score on his former home ground ended in the second over when he edged a third catch to Rew off Green. But 60 for 7 was as good as it got for Somerset as Thompson came out with immediate attacking intent. Two sixes over long-on off Archie Vaughan, the off-spinner having been surprisingly put on to replace Leach at the River End, began the counter-attack and eight fours flowed from the Thompson bat as the left-hander raced to a 42-ball half-century.Lyth was content to offer solid support in an eighth-wicket stand of 68, ended when Thompson fell lbw to Davey with the score on 128. It only remained to see if Somerset could glean a third bowling point and they didn’t have to wait long as Leach had Lyth caught at short leg by Abell.

Karim Adeyemi has issued a public apology after it was revealed last week that the Borussia Dortmund attacker was found to be possessing illegal weapons. The news surfaced during the international break, which caused Adeyemi to miss the 6-0 thrashing of Slovakia in their final World Cup qualifying game. Taking to social media, Adeyemi expressed regret over his mistake.

Adeyemi sanctioned with the illegal possession of weapons

Germany's preparations for their World Cup qualifier against Slovakia were marred by controversy after revealed that Adeyemi had been charged with possession of illegal weapons. Per the report, both the German football federation (DFB) and Borussia Dortmund were caught unawares after learning about the conviction via media leaks, with the former Red Bull Salzburg prodigy preferring to be tight-lipped about the controversy before the disclosure.

Adeyemi was found to be in possession of two illegal weapons – a knuckleduster and a stun gun – which are strictly forbidden under German law without an official permit. Prosecutors charged the speedy winger with a staggering €450,000 fine. The public prosecutor’s office reported that a penalty order imposing "60 daily fines of €7,500" became legally binding on October 30. The case was adjudicated by the district court in Wetter.

“BVB always takes criminal allegations seriously and uses them as an opportunity to discuss them with its employees while respecting confidentiality obligations,” Borussia Dortmund stated in their official release following the breaking of the news. 

Adeyemi, however, was fortunate to come away with a financial penalty. Under German weapons legislation, his actions could have carried a prison sentence of up to three years – or as many as 10 if brass knuckles were involved. In this case, however, the sanction was limited to a fine, calculated on the basis of his income. As a result, he received an entry in the central register but did not incur a formal criminal record.

AdvertisementImago Images / Noah WedelAdeyemi issues public apology on social media

Taking to Instagram stories, the 23-year-old speedster admitted to making a "huge" mistake by possessing weapons without an official permit. 

"You have probably seen the headlines about me in the last few days. It is not easy for me to talk about this," he said. "At the beginning of 2024, out of carelessness and without really thinking about what I was doing, I ordered a so-called ‘mystery box’ on the internet. It contained items that are not permitted under weapons legislation. Many months later, the package was delivered and ended up unopened at the police station.

"Nevertheless, it was a huge mistake. One that I am very sorry about, that cost me dearly and that I deeply regret. I know that I am in the public eye and have a role model function. I did not live up to that. That is precisely why it hurts me all the more that I acted so recklessly. I have learned more from this than I can put into words. And I promise you that I will avoid such mistakes in the future. Thank you to everyone who still trusts and supports me."

Dortmund chief comes to Adeyemi's defence

Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken addressed the matter and defended Adeyemi. "We naturally took the matter very seriously and have since been able to speak with Karim Adeyemi at length and clearly about his behavior," Ricken told . "He deeply regrets his mistake. However, it must also be taken into account that he had to pay a hefty fine, no one was harmed, and the player continues to be considered to have no criminal record.

"Karim Adeyemi has firmly promised us that he will not make such a mistake again. We trust him to keep his word."

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Getty Images SportAdeyemi's national team future will not be affected

Speaking to , German football federation (DFB) sporting director Rudi Voller acknowledged that Adeyemi committed a mistake, but also admitted that sometimes, some issues are blown out of proportion.

“Yes, of course we didn't know [about Adeyemi illegally possessing weapons]. The day after the game in Luxembourg, Lars Ricken called me and told me," he revealed. "He didn't know everything either. Then Julian [Nagelsmann] and I grabbed Karim. We wanted to hear his side of the story. He then tried to explain it to us, more or less.

“We still have the feeling that the lad is developing exceptionally well in the national team. We also live a bit in a time of outrage culture here in Germany… Everyone is always quick to complain, not that I want to sugarcoat it. It's naive or stupid, no matter what you call it.”

Adeyemi might have missed both the World Cup qualifiers during the recent international break, but he is a player with an X-factor, and Nagelsmann recognises as much. After making his debut in 2021, he didn't feature in a single game for Die Mannschaft in 2022, 2023, or 2024, before returning to the setup earlier this year. 

This has been the season of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, of Amad and Senne Lammens – but don’t forget about Manchester United’s ever-reliable skipper, Bruno Fernandes.

While no longer perhaps the star attraction, amid Mbeumo’s rich vein of goalscoring form, the Portuguese playmaker is still quietly pulling the strings from his deep-lying midfield berth, scoring twice and registering three assists from his 11 Premier League outings.

Two rare penalty misses have perhaps been the biggest story of the 31-year-old’s campaign thus far, although it would be foolish to suggest that he has been under-par, again leading the way in the division for chances created (29), as per FotMob.

As he admitted ahead of his 300th United appearance last month, the former Sporting CP star is almost relishing the prospect of someone else taking the limelight – alla Mbeumo and Cunha – having for so long shouldered the creative and goalscoring burden on his own at Old Trafford.

A recent hat-trick hero on the international front, the experienced genius is far from over the hill, albeit with Ruben Amorim already hinting at a potential role change later down the line, suggesting that his compatriot might need to adjust to “rotation” next season, should the Red Devils return to European competition.

Whether Fernandes himself decides to stick around following the World Cup also remains to be seen, with a long-term replacement needed regardless.

Latest on Man Utd's midfield search

Speaking in that refreshingly honest interview to mark his milestone match, Fernandes did confirm that he had been close to joining Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer, before ultimately opting to stay put despite receiving a significant salary offer from the Pro League outfit.

Also the subject of interest from Paris Saint-Germain the year prior, the £300k-per-week talent will certainly have options once again should he choose to depart in 2026, albeit having suggested that he won’t even contemplate an exit until after next summer’s tournament in North America.

With a deal that expires in 2027, however, and lingering concerns over his suitability to Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 set-up, Fernandes’ long-term fit in this side is up for debate, regardless of whether he decides to stay or leave, with a young understudy perhaps required.

With that in mind, reports in Spain have suggested that United and INEOS have an offer in the works to sign AZ Alkmaar starlet, Kees Smit, with the 19-year-old said to have ‘caught the eye’ of those in Manchester.

Said to be valued at around €25m (£22m), the report claims that the Old Trafford side are willing to lodge a bid above the Eredivisie side’s valuation, perhaps hinting at their desire to win the race for his signature, amid notable competition.

Compared to Pedri by Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman, the teenager – who has also been linked with Newcastle United – could certainly be a worthwhile punt as far as the INEOS regime are concerned.

Why Man Utd could be targeting the new Bruno Fernandes

Since the arrival of the likes of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Jason Wilcox, there has undoubtedly been a clear focus on recruiting stars of the future, be it Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven, or Leny Yoro and Diego Leon.

Transfer Focus

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

Adding Smit into the fold could well help to continue that trend, with the promising Dutchman already earning rave reviews back in Holland, having been hailed as a “supertalent” in the past by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Set to turn 20 in January, the AZ academy graduate has already made 50 senior appearances for his current side, chalking up ten goals and assists in that time, as per Transfermarkt, with 2025/26 proving particularly fruitful thus far.

Largely operating in a central midfield role – but also comfortable in a deeper or more advanced berth, like Fernandes – the £22m gem has scored twice and registered four assists in 19 games in all competitions, four of which have come in just 11 league games.

A player with “superstar potential” – in the view of analyst Ben Mattinson – Smit is particularly adept at striking from range, a trait again similar to Fernandes, with both he and Cunha tied last term for most goals scored outside the box by Premier League players.

Also hailed for his “striker-like finishing” inside the box by Mattinson, Smit does appear to be the complete attacking package, a fact heightened by his likeness to Fernandes in last season’s Europa League.

Indeed, as per FBref, the pair were noted as statistically and stylistically similar players among midfielders turning out in the competition, with the pair both ranking highly for progressive passes and passes in particular.

Goals

Top 4%

Top 17%

Assists

Top 1%

Top 14%

Shot-creating actions

Top 48%

Top 2%

Pass completion

Top 30%

Bottom 15%

Progressive passes

Top 4%

Top 2%

Progressive carries

Top 5%

Top 12%

Successful take-ons

Top 4%

Top 46%

Touches in opposition box

Top 10%

Top 7%

Progressive passes received

Top 9

Top 12%

Smit’s creative streak has also been evident so far this term, with three big chances created and two key passes averaged per game in the Eredivisie, as per Sofascore. Back in England, for comparison, Fernandes has also created three big chances, while averaging slightly more key passes at 2.6 per game.

Both a goalscorer and provider then, like the Portugal man, Smit would surely be a worthy choice to be a potential deputy to Fernandes in the short-term, before seeking to succeed him in that midfield role later down the line.

Looking very much like a young Fernandes on current evidence, it’s easy to see why the teenager is courting quite so much interest.

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Albania manager Sylvinho heaped praise on Thomas Tuchel's England as the Three Lions near a perfect World Cup qualifying record. Having already booked their berth in the flagship competition next year, the Three Lions are now aiming to maintain their 100 per cent win record in the qualifying rounds. England will meet Albania in their last group game on Sunday in Tirana.

• England's fiery form under Tuchel

  Tuchel's journey as England boss has been near perfect as the Three Lions have won eight out of the nine matches they have played thus far, since March 2025. This incredible run of form includes a seven-game winning streak in the World Cup qualifiers and they are now on the verge of ending their qualifying campaign with a 100 per cent win record. They have also scored 20 goals in seven qualifiers and have kept a clean sheet in each of those games. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Tuchel's England praised by Albania boss

  Albania manager Sylvinho, who has featured for clubs like Arsenal and Manchester City during his playing days, was full of praise for Tuchel's team as he told reporters, "Unfortunately, I have to say they are stronger than six months ago. The numbers are amazing. It's disgusting! What can I say? But we are happy, we are going to face one of the best tomorrow and we are going to try to do our job. My players have confidence and love what they are doing on the pitch. We are going to prepare something, try to score and have a great match. I've heard in my life in 90 minutes of football, anything can happen."

  He added: "They are in a completely different level [to us]. Don't make any confusion about us. We are very happy with our team, so we are for the first time going to play the playoffs in March, but it is completely different. Tomorrow is a great game, it's a difficult game as well. Great coach, love him, the way that he plays and also he has some of the best players in the world."

• Kane hailed Tuchel as one of the best managers ever

  Speaking about the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager, England captain Harry Kane earlier said: "He's done a really good job. Coming in to being England manager is never easy, especially after Gareth who was one of our most successful managers. He's [Tuchel] tried to stamp his own feel into training, into meetings. He comes with a lot of enthusiasm. Tactically, we are really precise going into every game. 

  He's been building different ideas leading up to next summer. From now until then, there will be more he would like to add. Tactically, he has been fantastic. He brings a personality, he brings an aura that represents an England manager. Going into a major tournament that is important as well. Other teams know he is one of the best managers in the world and that brings weight as well."

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  Tuchel wants a strong bench in England squad

  Speaking on the importance of having a strong bench in the England squad, the German coach said: "We need a good bench, we play in 40 degrees and we will play after a long, long season, we are maybe the nation that suffers the most from international football, from long seasons, from two cups, from cup finals, from semi-finals. 100 per cent we need to be ready to do substitutions until hopefully the late stages of the World Cup. Once we go to a tournament, I think clarity in the role is very important. The better player can also think about it and be honest: 'Can I accept this, is it good for me, can I make the most of this for the team?'"

While they’ve made more than their fair share of transfer mistakes in recent years, Chelsea have built themselves one of the best squads in the Premier League.

However, when it comes to picking out the best and most important player in Enzo Maresca’s side, there can only be one answer: Cole Palmer.

The Englishman joined the club in the summer of 2023 and, despite battling with injuries of late, has amassed a staggering tally of 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 games.

So, Chelsea fans should be very excited about reports linking them with another international superstar who could be a Palmer-esque signing.

Chelsea chase Palmer-type signing

Palmer has only played four games for Chelsea this season, in which he’s scored two goals, and while the club have fared okay without him, it’s clear that they miss his game-changing ability.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, the often unplayable Englishman would surely have been able to find a winner in the game against Qarabağ, or grab another goal to ensure Sunderland never got their winner a couple of weeks ago.

It seems that the board might share the opinion that the side are lacking a bit of inventive cutting edge at the moment and, as a result, have turned their attention to one of the most exciting attackers in Europe.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Chelsea are interested in Julian Alvarez.

In fact, the report goes further than that and reveals that the Blues have joined the bidding war for his services, competing against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona to bring him to London.

However, it won’t be a cheap deal to get over the line, with the story claiming that the Blues will make a club record €150m offer to sign the Argentine, which is around £133m.

Even so, this is a transfer worth pursuing, as Alvarez is one of the most exciting attackers in Europe and could be a Palmer-type signing.

Why Alvarez would be a Palmer-type signing

Now, there is certainly the Manchester City connection, but the primary reason Alvarez could be Chelsea’s next Palmer-type signing is the simple fact that he’s talented enough to have a similar monumental impact.

For example, from an output perspective alone, the Argentine international is operating at a level so far above most strikers in European football – other than Erling Haaland, of course.

The Atlético Madrid “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Pablo Gonzalez, ended last year with an astounding tally of 29 goals and eight assists in 57 appearances, totalling 3967 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.54 games, or every 107.21 minutes.

Then, as if to prove last year wasn’t a fluke, the former City gem has already amassed a tally of 13 goal involvements in 15 appearances, totalling 1216 minutes.

That comes out to a sensational average of one every 1.15 games or every 93.53 minutes, which lends plenty of credence to Pep Guardiola’s previous statement that he’s an “undroppable” force of nature.

In addition to his incredible output, the 25-year-old superstar has also got some unreal underlying numbers to his name.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for passes into the penalty area, through balls, goal-creating actions, the top 2% for progressive carries, crosses and more, all per 90.

Alvarez’s Scout Report
Statistics	Per 90	Percentile
Shots from Free Kicks	0.34	Top 1%
Passes into Penalty Area	1.74	Top 1%
Through Balls	0.73	Top 1%
Goal-Creating Actions	0.73	Top 1%
Progressive Carries	3.04	Top 2%
Passes Completed (Medium)	8.60	Top 2%
xA: Expected Assists	0.25	Top 2%
Key Passes	2.03	Top 2%
Crosses	3.53	Top 2%
Shot-Creating Actions	4.21	Top 2%
SCA (Live-ball Pass)	2.88	Top 2%
GCA (Dead-ball Pass)	0.05	Top 2%
Total Carrying Distance	170.64	Top 2%
Progressive Carrying Distance	82.18	Top 2%
Passes Completed	27.03	Top 3%
Passes Attempted	35.73	Top 3%
Total Passing Distance	420.19	Top 3%
Passes Completed (Short)	14.68	Top 3%
Live-ball Passes	30.90	Top 3%
Dead-ball Passes	4.73	Top 3%
GCA (Live-ball Pass)	0.42	Top 3%
Touches	45.51	Top 3%
Touches (Att 3rd)	25.39	Top 3%
Touches (Live-Ball)	45.30	Top 3%
Carries	27.81	Top 3%
Carries into Final Third	1.95	Top 3%
All Stats via FBref

In other words, the Atleti ace is as effective at creating opportunities for his teammates as he is taking them himself – sound familiar?

Ultimately, even though it will require a club record fee, Chelsea should be doing everything they can to sign Alvarez, as he would have as significant an impact on the team as Palmer.

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Jack Salveson Holmes

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Liverpool are a team with distinct flaws, and yet they are also breathtaking and brilliant when firing on all cylinders.

Too often this season, Arne Slot’s side have failed to get going, outthought and outfought across the past few months, losing six of seven matches across all competitions before a controlled win over Aston Villa in the Premier League stopped the rot.

The 1-0 victory over European nemeses Real Madrid was something different, though. Anfield roared and cheered Virgil van Dijk and his Redmen, bayed and bellowed at Los Blancos and ex-Liverpool man Trent Alexander-Arnold, who received a frosty reception when welcomed after 80 minutes.

Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid

Liverpool

Stats

Real Madrid

1

Goals

0

2.51

Expected goals (xG)

0.45

17 (9)

Shots (on target)

8 (2)

4

Big chances

1

111.4km

Distance covered

112.7km

38.8%

Possession

61.2%

4

Corners

2

45%

Duels won

55%

Data via Sofascore

This is the Liverpool we know. Energy and intensity and purpose across every area of the field. However, while Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate stood firm against Kylian Mbappe, with the full-backs excelling too, the plain truth remains of the Merseysiders’ desperate need for reinforcements in central defence.

Liverpool searching for a centre-back

Of course, Liverpool did sign a centre-back this summer, adding Giovanni Leoni to their ranks for a £26m fee. The 18-year-old is worth his wait in gold, but ruptured his ACL on his debut against Southampton and now sits sidelined for around a year.

The inability to prise Marc Guehi away from Crystal Palace, however, is surely the bigger blow. A deal was almost in place on deadline day, but the Eagles had not found a suitable replacement, and with such little time to pull out the stops, the move disintegrated, with the player having been permitted to carry out a medical with the Anfield side.

It still could come together. Guehi, 25, has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and has no desire to pen a fresh deal. The issue now is that a host of Europe’s top outfits want his signature, though Spanish paper AS have confirmed with week that, alongside Bayern Munich, the Reds are still leading the race, ahead of the likes of Real Madrid.

Liverpool will hope to snap Guehi up on a Bosman by the end of the campaign, but if they fall short in that race, sporting director Richard Hughes has lined up the perfect alternative in Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni.

As per further Spanish sources, Liverpool have been named as potential suitors for Italian defender Bastoni, with FSG considering making a €100m (£87m) bid this January.

The veracity of this developing story is uncertain at this stage, but the 26-year-old is undoubtedly talented enough to stand out under Slot’s wing, with the style and experience to make a marked difference as Van Dijk inches ever closer to the autumn of his illustrious Anfield career.

What Bastoni would offer Liverpool

Liverpool need a centre-back; they’ve needed one for some time. While Guehi was the first-choice option this summer, Bastoni might actually prove a more compelling option for the Anfield side, having been hailed for his “world-class” ability by commentator Matteo Bonetti.

This is a defender who is at the top of their game, one of the most important cogs in an I Nerazzurri machine that has won two Scudettos and two Coppa Italia titles in five recent seasons, winner of the 2021 European Championship with Italy besides.

And, aged 26, he falls into a similar bracket as Guehi: a centre-back with the talent to make an instant impact and the prime years still ahead to grow deeper into their role in Slot’s squad and reach entirely new levels of performance.

He’s one of the best players in his position worldwide. In Serie A this season, Bastoni has scored a goal and supplied two assists across nine outings, winning 70% of his aerial duels and averaging 1.8 tackles per game (data provided by Sofascore).

A strong passer and outside-the-box thinker, he could even trump Guehi across ball-playing metrics, with the Palace man renowned for his cool, composed and creative presence on the ball.

Bastoni vs Guehi (past 12 months)

Stats (per 90)

Bastoni

Guehi

Goals

0.05

0.06

Assists

0.05

0.09

Touches

89.54

60.67

Pass completion (%)

86.5

83.5

Progressive passes

5.29

4.09

Shot-creating actions

2.36

1.53

Progressive carries

1.88

0.77

Successful take-ons

0.31

0.26

Ball recoveries

3.53

4.12

Tackles + interceptions

2.62

3.12

Clearances

2.85

4.56

Aerial duels won

1.53

1.91

Data via FBref

As you can see, Guehi has been more active in defensive contributions over the past year. This you would expect from an outfit like Palace in the Premier League when compared to Italian giants like Inter. But Bastoni is slicker and more able on the ball, and that when Guehi shines in that regard.

Sure, Guehi is a free agent come the end of the campaign, and that counts for a lot, but whether Liverpool and FSG would be willing to pass up an opportunity to sign a talent of Bastoni’s ability is another question entirely. After all, the reports suggest that a bid is currently being packaged together.

Here is a fearsome centre-half with the passing range of a maestro. Liverpool could do a lot worse than add Bastoni to their ranks, securing a long-term Van Dijk heir with the perfect skillset to ease the agony of his moving on.

Bastoni. The perfect, elite bastion to secure Liverpool’s backline for many years to come. He has a wealth of experience at the highest level and the hunger to achieve even more.

He is immensely talented, perhaps more so than Guehi, and Slot’s defence would reach frightening levels of security and balance and progression with him added into the mix.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Nov 6, 2025

His temperament is his greatest gift, and both Sam Konstas and his friends expect him to profit from it if he makes his Test debut come Boxing Day

Alex Malcolm23-Dec-2024Sam Konstas stood in front of a huge media throng on the outfield at the MCG on Monday and looked not a day older than the 19 years and 82 days that he is.It was his third visit to the MCG this summer, having been there for a Sheffield Shield game in late October, and an Australia A game in early November.There was arguably more media peppering him with questions on Monday than patrons in the crowd for those two MCG first-class games combined.Related

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• McSweeney 'devastated' by Test omission

If he were to make his Test debut on Boxing Day against India, he would become the fourth-youngest Australian to do so behind Ian Craig, current captain Pat Cummins, and Tom Garrett.And he would do so in front of 90,000 or more fans.You could have heard a pin drop in the MCC Members’ when he faced his first ball from Scott Boland in the Shield game back in October. On Boxing Day, if the crowd is anything like that India-Pakistan 2022 T20 World Cup game at the MCG, the first ball he could face from Jasprit Bumrah might sound like a sonic boom.”I think it’s just another day for me,” Konstas said while acknowledging his debut is yet to be confirmed. “Obviously, it’s a bit more special. Got my parents coming. Pretty simple, just back myself and see-ball-hit-ball really.”That clarity of mind is part of the reason he stands on the precipice of debuting for Australia at such a young age. The naivety and brashness of youth are seen as a strength, not a weakness.”The way he approaches the game, it does not bother him who he’s coming up against,” New South Wales and Australia team-mate Sean Abbott said of Konstas. “He’s pretty unfazed. And I’d imagine, should he get the opportunity, it’d be pretty similar. From what I’ve seen so far, I’d probably say it’s his most admirable attribute.”Sam Konstas is the third-youngest player in Sheffield Shield history to score twin hundreds in a match•AFPPart of it also comes from his relationship with former Australia allrounder Shane Watson. Konstas counts Watson as an idol and a mentor. The entire Watson family is set to fly down to Melbourne should he make his debut.Konstas is a disciple of Watson’s mental skills teachings. The former Australia allrounder has written a book called and has turned it into an online course to help young cricketers hone their mental skills. It is the story of his own mental journey from being paralysed by an intense focus on results during his Test career to discovering and implementing a simple process-driven mindset in his successful late-career renaissance in T20 franchise cricket. He has worked with New South Wales as a mental skills consultant, having already been a mentor to Konstas since he was 16.In that sense, Konstas might be the best mentally prepared 19-year-old to have ever been thrust into such a scenario given what he understands.Konstas was asked if he had been studying videos of Bumrah in preparation for a possible face-off. “Nah, not really,” he said. “I’ve watched him quite a bit, but [I am] just trying to be in the moment. Hopefully, I get the opportunity on Boxing Day.”How he got here is even more remarkable. As late as October 7, barely anyone in Australian cricket had given a thought to Konstas playing Test cricket this summer. By October 11, after becoming the third-youngest player in Sheffield Shield history to score twin hundreds in a match, he was being compared to Ricky Ponting and there were demands for him to be picked immediately.

“The way he approaches the game, it does not bother him who he’s coming up against. He’s pretty unfazed”Sean Abbott on Sam Konstas

Nine days later he was at the MCG under the microscope. Not one, but two Australian selectors – coach Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide – watched him face Boland and Victoria at the MCG after chairman of selectors George Bailey had been in Sydney for his twin centuries.He made 2 and 43, sawn off by a dubious lbw in the first innings and undone by some immaturity in the second. There were glimpses that he was a player for the future, but it looked like he wasn’t quite ready for the here and now.Scores of 0 and 16 against India A in Mackay served to further consolidate that view. On his return to the MCG on November 7, he did not open the batting in the second A game, a further sign he was not likely to be chosen for the first Test. But his second innings of 73 not out batting at No. 4 showed a different set of gears. He struck seven fours and a six and played some outrageous shots in a tricky, pressurized chase.Nathan McSweeney’s temperament, his consistency of method, and his early-season form saw him get the Test nod over Konstas. But ironically the consistency of method across a brutal series so far has now gone against McSweeney and for Konstas.McSweeney’s struggles have been clear. He is 4 for 15 from 66 balls against Bumrah in the series. He is not alone there, with Usman Khawaja (4 for 17 in 71 balls), Marnus Labuschange (2 for 6 in 72 balls), and Steven Smith (3 for 20 in 54 balls) also having problems against Bumrah.But McSweeney is 57 off 146 against the rest of India’s attack, striking at just 39.04. It is the lowest strike rate of all of Australia’s top nine against Indian bowlers not named Bumrah. McSweeney has paid a price for being too similar to Khawaja and Labuschagne in method, and they have survived because they are doing more damage at the other end.Sam Konstas scored 107 off 97 balls against the Indians late last month•AFP/Getty ImagesKonstas over the last month has proved he can be the “different look” that Bailey and the selectors want to throw at India. His 107 off 97 in Canberra against all of India’s bowlers bar Bumrah backed up his last innings in the A series. He added 88 off 146 against a good Western Australia attack that featured Australia ODI quick Lance Morris and A spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, with his first 55 coming off just 64 deliveries. He then smashed a 20-ball half-century on debut for Sydney Thunder in the BBL, albeit against an Adelaide Strikers attack that McSweeney himself made 78 not out off 49 on Sunday night.It is understood a decision had been made to add Konstas regardless of the BBL scores, as they are no indicator of anything in relation to facing Bumrah on Boxing Day.There’s no guarantee Konstas will play either, as a decision is still to be made. But even at his first Australia training session on Monday, he looked completely unfazed. He kept his net session short, not trying to impress or over-exert facing deliveries that he didn’t need to face. It was eye-opening compared to the hour-plus nets that Khawaja, Smith and Labuschagne had. He was one of the few Australian players to help his team-mates out by flinging balls to Labuschagne before leaving the optional net early, joking with a couple of team-mates on the way out with the air of a 30-year-old veteran.He was asked about being compared to his mentor Watson on social media. “I don’t look through too much on social media, but I’ll take it as a compliment,” Konstas said. “I like to take the game on and put pressure on the bowlers. I think he’s [Watson] a legend of the game, and hopefully I can do that this week if I debut.”