Tag Futebol

Tourists prevail in low-scoring contest at Hurstville Oval to get off to a winning start in multi-format tour

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Mar-2025

Mahika Gaur impressed with 2 for 10 from her four overs•Getty Images

England Women A 119 for 7 (Scholfield 36, Scrivens 35) beat Australia Women A 117 for 6 (Gaur 2-10) by three wicketsEngland Women A succeeded at the first attempt where the senior squad had failed in seven matches out of seven, as they opened their multi-format tour of Australia with a three-wicket victory over Australia A in the first T20I at Hurstville Oval in Sydney.After winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, England restricted their counterparts to 117 for 6 in their 20 overs, with Mahika Gaur, the tall left-arm seamer, proving especially unplayable as she returned figures of 2 for 10 in four overs. Gaur’s opening delivery of the match trapped Tahlia Wilson lbw for 0, as Australia slipped to 43 for 4 in the first ten overs.Georgia Davis chipped in with 2 for 16 in three overs of offspin, while Mady Villiers and Emma Jones were also in the wickets as Australia A struggled to build any significant partnerships. The best was a stand of 49 in eight overs for the fifth wicket between Maddy Penna, who top-scored with 27, and Rhys McKenna (25), before Davis dismissed both in the space of five balls.In reply, England’s chase was controlled by a second-wicket stand of 63 between Grace Scrivens, who was captaining the side at the age of 21 and made 35 from 38 balls, and Paige Scholfield, who top-scored with 36 from 29.Between them, they carried England into the ascendency at 80 for 1 in the 12th over, before Australia hit back to set up a tense finish. Lauren Cheatle dismissed both in consecutive overs, before Freya Kemp, Villiers and Jones all departed cheaply. But Bess Heath held her nerve with 18 not out, to seal victory with five balls to spare.The tour has taken on heightened importance for the England Women’s set-up, in the wake of the twin sackings of head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight last weekend. The new-look A-team squad contained just four players who were part of the Ashes squad that suffered a 16-0 points whitewash in January and February.Scrivens, who led Sunrisers to victory in last year’s final staging of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and will be captaining Essex this season, was last week named as captain for the T20I leg of this tour, with Durham’s Hollie Armitage set to lead the forthcoming 50-over series.Following last week’s confirmation of a stress fracture for Dani Gibson, the squad has suffered another setback with Bryony Smith ruled out of the tour due to illness.The Surrey captain, who was originally selected in the white-ball squads, did not travel with the core group and following medical investigations in the UK, a decision between ECB and Surrey medical teams was made for Smith to withdraw from the tour to continue her recovery ahead of the new domestic season.No replacement will be named.

Racking up frequent flyer miles no excuse for South Africa, captain Temba Bavuma says

Danyal Rasool04-Mar-20253:30

Bavuma: ‘A good show between the two bowling attacks on offer’

It begins with a bit of football. The players stand in a circle keeping the ball up, excitement building as the rally lengthens. Then, a slightly wayward tee-up from one of the players puts Tabraiz Shamsi in a tricky spot. The eye test suggests he’s one of the less technically gifted football players; the rally is destined to end there. Soon after, the group disbands, and the South Africans begin to get into position for a conventional cricket training session.With a quick turnaround and a flight back from Dubai, New Zealand did not put their bowlers through much of a workload, Mitchell Santner saying New Zealand just needed to make sure they were ready. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma sees the bowling battle between the two sides as pivotal.”New Zealand’s bowling is formidable. Quite a disciplined bowling attack,” Bavuma said. “Up front, the guys with the new ball don’t give you much to score from. You’ve got to be decisive as an opening batter. And then in the middle, you’ve got guys again who are able to squeeze the game and force you to make mistakes. We know as batters we’re going to have to work hard. We’re going to have to bat ourselves into a position where we can make the play against them.”Related

South Africa take 'crazy 18 hours' before semi-final in their stride

South Africa call up Linde as cover for injured Markram

South Africa, New Zealand gear up for run-fest as even contest beckons

Mitchell Santner goes from supporting role to main actor, to NZ's benefit

Bavuma’s respect is borne out by the numbers. Aside from India, who played their games at the less scoring-friendly Dubai, no team has sent down more dot balls this tournament than New Zealand, and none of them boasts a tighter economy rate. For games played in Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, three of the top four bowlers to have produced dot balls are from New Zealand – Michael Bracewell, Will O’Rourke and Mitchell Santner.Bavuma, though, rates his own bowlers highly, too. “We’re also quite confident in our bowling. It’ll be a good show on offer between the two bowling attacks. I don’t think there’s a lot between them.”Unlike New Zealand’s bowlers, though, South Africa’s went through a full workload, training later than usual, between 7pm and 10pm on the eve of the game.1:41

Santner: Our bowling combination won’t change too much for semi-final

Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder went through extended periods of bowling. Kagiso Rabada’s workload was lighter as he largely confined himself to fielding drills and the odd spurt. South Africa, after all, flew from Karachi to Dubai on Sunday in case they needed to play the first semi-final, only to fly right back to Lahore on Monday when it emerged they would play the second semi-final.Bavuma said it couldn’t be an excuse for his side, though. “Logistically, things could have been more efficient,” he said. “Having said that, the boys did enjoy the time to gallivant in Dubai. Some of the boys played some golf, some went sightseeing. So it was a bit enjoyable, some of them used the time to recover. Guys made use of it as best as they could.”Three weeks ago, these two sides played a game in Lahore that could not be further removed in terms of importance. It was the second game of the tri-series, a day game starting on a cold February morning. It was a flat surface, with a second-string South Africa side posting 304 before an unbeaten century from Kane Williamson, who has “always been a thorn”, guided New Zealand to a comfortable win.2:26

Kumble: South Africa have a slight edge over New Zealand

Bavuma said the differing stakes and circumstances of that game did not mean there was nothing to pick up from it. “It gave us a look at that New Zealand team,” he said. “That team we played against – I don’t think it’ll be too far to what they’ll put out tomorrow. We have different members, obviously. I guess there’s a difference there. When we played, it was a good wicket, but the last game here, between Australia and Afghanistan, the ball swung quite a bit.”Rabada and Mulder stand for catching practice under the lights, sharing a joke and a laugh. Ryan Rickelton whips Jansen into the on side; he looks the best batter in the practice session, the sound of the middle of his bat hypnotically echoing into the void of the empty stadium.Dale Steyn, in Lahore as a broadcast commentator, briefly goes to the practice pitches and has a chat with a couple of players. It is, as Jansen says, “just another game”, and South Africa are trying their best to treat it as just another training session.These two sides, full of golden talents but achingly missing silverware, know better than most that yearning for glory does not guarantee it. So Rabada takes a sharp catch, Rickelton creams one back down the ground, and Jansen bowls at full pelt. And then they do it all over again. As South Africa and New Zealand always do.

When it was revealed that Leah Williamson would miss the start of the new Women's Super League season, most assumed Lotte Wubben-Moy or Laia Codina would take her place in the heart of Arsenal's defence. Wubben-Moy came into the campaign fresh off the back of a new contract and a role in England's Euro 2025 triumph, while Codina's status as a key starter in Spain's World Cup win in 2023 tells you the level she can reach. And yet, both have been usurped by 18-year-old Katie Reid.

The talented teen has been on the brink of a first-team breakthrough for a couple of years now, catching the eye in last summer's pre-season tour of the United States, just weeks after Williamson had waxed lyrical about her as a speaker at . "She's exceptional," the England captain said. "She will take my shirt one day."

In the first two weeks of the new season, that's exactly what Reid has done, replacing Williamson in the Arsenal XI for wins over London City Lionesses and West Ham in a perfect start to the WSL campaign for the Gunners.

She might not have the experience of Wubben-Moy and Codina but the Arsenal academy product is more than justifying her selection and showing just why head coach Renee Slegers has given her such a big opportunity.

• Getty Images
  

  Overcoming adversity

  It really didn't start well for Reid, either. With just 15 minutes on clock on the opening weekend, it was her rather naive challenge on Kosovare Asllani that brought the Swede down in the box and paved the way for the newly-promoted London City Lionesses to take a shock lead at the Emirates Stadium.

  This was only Reid's second start in the WSL and her first at this iconic venue, where more than 38,000 fans turned out to watch their team in action for the first time since their Champions League triumph over Barcelona back in May. It was always going to test her nerve; now, it was about to test her resilience.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Resilience aplenty

  And Reid passed that test with flying colours, recovering from the early lapse to enjoy an extremely impressive performance. Before the foul on Asllani, she looked settled, unperturbed by the occasion. Once that incident occurred, she seemed to compartmentalise it and just continue doing what she was doing before.

  The teenager won nine of her 11 ground duels in what was the most eye-catching aspect of her performance, as she was dribbled past just once and didn't commit another foul after the penalty. She also won two of her four aerial duels, was successful in both of her attempted dribbles and had a pass accuracy of 84 per cent, completing 32 of 38.

  "Credit to Katie, and the rest of the team, after that penalty," Slegers said afterwards. "She just kept on playing and came back. She showed strength."

• Getty Images
  

  Building on a strong start

  Reid's reward was that she kept her place last week, when the Gunners travelled to West Ham. There, she was even more impressive, standing out as one of her team's best performers in a 5-1 win. This time, it was her ability on the ball that shone, helping Arsenal to break lines and put serious pressure on the Hammers as they recovered from 1-0 down to secure a comfortable victory.

  "Katie Reid has done really well tonight," Emma Byrne, the Gunners' former goalkeeper, said on . "She offers to receive all the time, no matter where she is and how much pressure she is under, which is the sign of a really confident player. She is up there for the most progressive passes in the game. That's what you want to see from your centre-backs, especially in such a ball-playing team like Arsenal."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  The Arsenal way

  That quality on the ball is one of the big reasons why Williamson was so glowing in her praise of Reid last summer, as she doubled down on her rave reviews of the teenager in an interview with . "Katie Reid is one of the best young kids I have seen come through," she said. "She is wonderful technically and she is Arsenal."

  It's an aspect Reid has developed plenty since joining the club, a switch which resulted in her playing girls' football for the first time, having spent her childhood playing in boys' teams. "It was interesting because I’d been used to a very quick, very physical game, but with the girls, their tactical understanding was better, their decision-making was better and their manipulation of the ball was better too, so I got to develop that side of my game," she explained last year, in one of Arsenal's matchday programmes. The impact Arsenal has had on her in that sense is certainly showing.

Wayne Rooney has responded to Michael Owen in the lively debate which has seen questions asked of who was better at 17 years of age.

• Both men broke through as teenagers
• Owen believes he was better at that stage
• Rooney enjoyed greater longevity

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Both men were senior stars by that point, with breakthroughs being made on Merseyside with Everton and Liverpool respectively. They would go on to star for club and country, with Owen claiming the prestigious Ballon d’Or in 2021.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rooney is Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer and briefly held the same record with England until Harry Kane came along and raised that bar. He made 120 appearances for the Three Lions and is considered to be one the most naturally gifted players that English football has ever produced.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Owen has, however, claimed that he was better when first starting out, posting on social media in response to a probing question from the Match of the Day account on X: “At 17 I scored 18 PL goals (winning the Golden Boot), Wazza scored 6. At 18 I again scored 18 goals (again winning the Golden Boot and coming 4th in The Ballon d'Or), Wazza scored 9. In our opening 7 seasons, Wazza didn't outscore me once (117 goals v 80). In which time I became the 2nd youngest Ballon d'Or winner ever. Injuries hindered me from then on while he sustained his level. Therefore, he'll go down as a better player than me. But, at 17, please……”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT ROONEY SAID

  The man on the other side of that debate has said on podcast: “I think his comments are fair. Of course, he's going to back himself. I'd back myself. I completely understand what he's saying. But we're two completely different footballers – different styles, different techniques. Michael Owen, for a three or four-year period, was probably the best centre-forward in the world. I think people do forget actually how good he was.

  “It's hard to argue against anyone coming up against Michael Owen then. Unfortunately, he did get his injuries and he probably couldn't adapt his game maybe as well as I could in playing from the side or going back into midfield. But, I'd never judge myself against Michael Owen because he's someone I actually looked up to and had the pleasure of playing alongside [for England and Manchester United].”

  Rooney added on Owen’s reputation for being a little boring away from the field: “He is one of the funniest people you'll meet. I hope he just gets that out because everyone who played with him, we know what a good lad he is, and sometimes that doesn't always come across.”

Miller, Klaasen, Maharaj have been included while Rabada has been rested

Firdose Moonda31-Oct-2024Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee will make their returns to international cricket in next month’s T20I series against India at home after a conditioning break. Both players have been part of the CSA domestic T20 Challenge, after Jansen last featured at the T20 World Cup in June and Coetzee at the preceding T20I series against West Indies in May.The pair have worked on a shoulder and hip niggle respectively and were the first two bowlers to be given an extended period of time off as Cricket South Africa (CSA) introduced structured breaks in play to work on conditioning. Lungi Ngidi, who is part of the Test squad in Bangladesh but has not played a game since an ODI in October, will have his turn to work over the next six weeks, as he prepares for the home Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. He is not part of the T20I squad for the India series while Kagiso Rabada has been rested with the Tests in mind.Fast bowler Anrich Nortje, who opted out of a national contract, has also not been named in the squad. “I wanted to prioritise other fast bowlers in the group. Anrich is a quality player, he plays in leagues around the world and we know what we get from him. We need to give some of our other bowlers an opportunity to play quality opposition,” Rob Walter, South Africa’s white-ball coach said at a press conference.Related

'Worth the hours, worth the sacrifice' – SA savour subcontinent high after a decade's wait

Rabada on 300th Test wicket: 'Everyone plays for milestones, it was a relief'

Rabada back at No.1 in Test bowling rankings; Ravindra, Shakeel break into top 10

South Africa still have several big names in the squad. Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Keshav Maharaj, who were not part of South Africa’s white-ball squads in the UAE, have all been included.The squad will be captained by regular leader Aiden Markram and will have Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton at the top of the order.There are two uncapped players, allrounders Mihlali Mpongwana and Andile Simelane, who were the joint second-leading wicket-takers in the recently completed T20 Challenge. They were among four players who took 12 wickets at averages of 14.08 and 14.25 respectively. Both have been part of South African squads in the recent past and add to a strong all-round contingent. Donovan Ferreira, who was the third-highest run-scorer in the T20 Challenge, and Patrick Kruger have also been included.ESPNcricinfo LtdNotably, there is no room for Tabraiz Shamsi after he also opted out of a national contract last month. He remains available for international cricket but South Africa have opted for Maharaj and legspinner, Nqabayomzi Peter.”Shammo’s situation is similar to Anrich Nortje,” Walter said. “They are both available and wanting to play. For me, giving Nqaba Peter an opportunity to play was a priority. Shammo has played a lot for South Africa and in leagues around the world. We know what we get from Shammo.”He is a fierce competitor and loves playing for South Africa. It’s important we get the balance right between experience and inexperience.”South Africa’s seam-bowling contingent will be bolstered with the addition of Lutho Sipamla for the third and fourth matches on the Highveld. Sipamla last played for South Africa in 2022 in a Test match and has not played a white-ball international since April 2021 but his career-best 4 for 12 at the Wanderers in the T20 Challenge final forced him into the squad. Sipamla will not be in the squad for the coastal games in Durban and Gqeberha, which kick off the series, which starts on November 8.There has been no movement on Quinton de Kock’s availability, despite him not announcing his T20I retirement. Walter had previously said he has not had any discussion with de Kock about his future and that remains the case.”Quinny’s status is as it has been for the last couple of months. I continue to leave the ball in his court. I have allowed him to have his space and not play international cricket. If he wants to play for South Africa, we will have that conversation. For now, he is not part of our selection conversation,” Walter said.South Africa Squad for T20Is against IndiaAiden Markram, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Patrick Kruger, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Mihlali Mpongwana, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla (only for third and fourth T20I), Tristan Stubbs

It’s been an absolutely frantic last 48 hours at Tottenham, and that isn’t just concerning their dramatic move for Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White after confirming the arrival of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham.

Tottenham talks held with £50m star amid Gibbs-White chase, Frank's a fan

Spurs have discussed another potential deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 10, 2025

Spurs announced Kudus’ signing in a deal worth £55 million on Thursday evening, with the versatile Ghanaian becoming the first player to swap West Ham for the Lilywhites since Scott Parker in 2011.

The 24-year-old has already promised to excite supporters on the field when speaking in his first interview as a Tottenham player, and there was a real expectation that Gibbs-White would immediately follow Kudus to N17.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Tottenham talks for the England international accelerated rapidly on Thursday, with reliable media sources reporting that the 25-year-old was all set to join Thomas Frank’s side and a medical had been scheduled for Friday (Fabrizio Romano).

However, in an absolutely stunning turn of events, Forest put a stop to the deal and are considering legal action against Spurs, over what they perceive to be an illegal approach for their star forward.

While Gibbs-White’s move could still happen, with the expectation being that Forest can’t completely block it, this transfer will at the very least be delayed, as first reported by Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett.

With Tottenham now braced for a legal saga surrounding their potential deal for Gibbs-White, the club do remain in the market for other transfer targets, and they still maintain a serious interest in Brentford striker Yoane Wissa.

Yoane Wissa pushing to leave Brentford amid Tottenham interest

Reports earlier this week claimed that Tottenham have made contact with Wissa’s representatives, with talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook now sharing an update on the situation.

Crook states that Wissa is keen to reunite with Frank at Spurs, and the Congolese centre-forward is now “pushing” for an exit from the Gtech Community Stadium as he seeks a high-profile move.

The 28-year-old is currently in his prime and in the form of his life, having netted 20 goals in all competitions last season, and this has motivated Brentford chiefs to slap a £50 million price tag on his head.

Brentford have already lost a few key men this summer, including Frank, with Christian Norgaard joining Arsenal and Man United still locked in talks over a deal for Bryan Mbeumo.

The Bees will likely dig their heels in when it comes to letting yet another “exceptional player” leave, but Wissa would come as an excellent potential replacement for Richarlison, who’s reportedly attracting interest from Brazil.

Crystal Palace hold a strong interest in an “explosive” forward, and they are now ready to submit a £7m offer to complete a deal, according to a report.

Palace eyeing new signings amid Europa League uncertainty

Palace secured qualification for the Europa League for the first time, courtesy of their FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City, but they are now at risk of being kicked out of the competition, due to issues surrounding multi-club ownership.

John Textor has since admitted that he is trying to sell his majority stake in the club, in order to allow the Eagles to compete in Europe next season, saying: “We are trying to help separate it and sell. We wanted to buy but it’s become clear that isn’t going to happen and so we’re trying to help Palace and the situation with UEFA. That’s about all I can say.”

Textor also adds that a “good meeting” was held with UEFA, which suggests there is hope that Oliver Glasner’s side will take part in the competition, but there is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the situation.

Eberechi Eze exit stance as Arsenal and Tottenham eye Crystal Palace star

The England international is a wanted man this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini May 31, 2025

The lack of clarity could also affect summer transfer plans, as Selhurst Park will not be as attractive a destination without European football on offer, but the south Londoners continue to run the rule over potential new signings.

According to a report from Africa Foot (via Sport Witness), Crystal Palace hold a strong interest in Watford winger Kwadwo Baah, who spent four years at Selhurst Park as a youth player from 2013 to 2017.

Such is Palace’s level of interest, they are now ready to submit a €8m (£7m) offer to complete a deal for Baah, although it is unclear whether Watford would accept a bid in that region, or hold out for a higher amount.

The winger’s versatility is of particular appeal to the Eagles, having regularly featured in both attack and right wing-back throughout the 2024-25 campaign.

"Explosive" Baah could be ready for Premier League move

The German’s time at Selhurst Park as a youth player didn’t work out, but he has managed to work his way up the football pyramid, spending time with Rochdale and Burton Albion in League One before making a name for himself with Watford.

The 2024-25 campaign was the 22-year-old’s most impressive to date, collecting four goals and three assists in the Championship, and displaying his versatility by featuring in a range of different attacking positions, including striker.

Former manager Tom Cleverley was also impressed by the forward, saying: “He is so skilful, so explosive, so powerful and direct. He’s been excellent for us this season.”

As such, Baah could now be ready to test himself in the Premier League, and a move to Selhurst Park would surely be of great appeal, particularly if UEFA sanction Glasner’s side playing in Europe.

Footballers who possess a unique style of play, supreme technical ability or untapped potential are often referred to as ‘streets won’t forget’ players.

Whether it be Premier League one-season wonders like Michu, tricky mavericks such as Hatem Ben Arfa or players who simply grabbed their moments on the biggest stage like South Africa World Cup star Siphiwe Tshabalala, football fans will always have a soft spot for those players who captured hearts and minds.

Some, like Adel Taarabt, never fulfilled their true potential, while others had glittering careers, but the rise of social media and the pure volume of football coverage has led fans to yearn for those stars who rocked up once a week on a Saturday afternoon with no intention other than to amaze their spectators.

Top ‘streets won’t forget’ players in Premier League history

10. Yannick Bolasie

9. Andrey Arshavin

8. Papiss Cissé

7, Dimitri Payet

6. Morten Gamst Pedersen

5. Mousa Dembele

4. Jay-Jay Okocha

3. Adel Taarabt

2. Michu

1. Hatem Ben Arfa

“The boy Michu has been a revelation,” Sir Alex Ferguson once said of Swansea’s Spanish striker. “To sign him for just £2 million and get 20 goals out of him – what a bargain!”

Such cult hero status doesn’t exclusively belong to goalscorers however, as Mousa Dembele proved during his time at Tottenham Hotspur. The Belgian only found the net ten times in 249 appearances for Spurs, but is regarded as one of the most technically gifted midfielders of all time.

Dembele's teammates called him the one of the best players in the world

Winning 82 caps for Belgium, Dembele drew praise throughout his career for his ability to evade the press, weaving his way out of trouble as a deep-lying midfielder.

Dembele started his career as a winger and idolised legendary forward Patrick Kluivert, which led to him being almost impossible to dispossess in midfield, and Harry Kane once said he was the most technically gifted player he’s played with.

Plenty of Spurs stars have echoed this sentiment down the years, with Dele Alli claiming Dembele was the best player in the squad back in 2016, and current captain Son Heung-min revealing: “Mousa he is incredible. I haven’t seen a player like this. I have never seen this.”

Perhaps the best indication of a player’s talent however is what their opponents have to say, and Arsenal icon Jack Wilshere named Dembele as his toughest ever opponent – even despite being left in awe of Lionel Messi.

Dembele at Tottenham

Starts

Goals

Assists

League Finish

2012-13

26

1

3

5th

2013-14

22

1

1

6th

2014-15

10

1

1

5th

2015-16

27

3

1

3rd

2016-17

24

1

1

2nd

2017-18

21

0

0

3rd

2018-19

7

0

0

4th

With elite teams now spending hundreds of millions on finding the perfect midfielder, the Tottenham legend’s aesthetically pleasing style would catch a hefty fee in today’s transfer market.

Related AI predicts the 2025/26 Premier League table

Who are the winners and losers from AI’s table?

Posts 1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 7, 2025

Irrespective of whether or not Manchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur to win the Europa League this week, it has been a disastrous season for the Red Devils.

Ruben Amorim’s side are 16th in the Premier League table and have lost 18 of their 37 matches to date, which illustrates how poorly the campaign has gone.

The Portuguese head coach, who joined the club from Sporting earlier this season, will look to bolster his squad in the upcoming summer transfer window in order to bounce back in the 2025/26 campaign.

It was recently reported that Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha, for example, to improve their attacking options.

The Brazil international is seemingly set to join Amorim’s squad ahead of next season and he could provide them with the attacking quality that they have lacked at times this season, given that he has already proven his quality in the Premier League.

What Matheus Cunha could bring to Man Utd

Cunha would arrive as a proven quantity in the English top-flight because he has already showcased his ability at the top end of the pitch in the last two seasons at the Molineux.

The former Atletico Madrid magician racked up 12 goals and seven assists in the Premier League during the 2023/24 campaign in the Midlands, along with two goals in two FA Cup matches.

Cunha has kicked on in the current campaign under Vitor Pereira to deliver even more goals in the division, with 15 strikes in 31 appearances to date.

Crucially, the 25-year-old star has also been playing as one of two number 10s behind a central striker for Wolves, which is akin to the attacking system that Amorim regularly plays at Manchester United. This suggests that he could slot straight into the team without having to learn a new way of playing.

24/25 Premier League

Matheus Cunha

Appearances

31

xG

8.04

Goals

15

Big chances missed

2

Big chances created

13

Key passes per game

1.8

Assists

6

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Cunha has delivered quality in the final third on a regular basis for the Old Gold in the Premier League this term, with 28 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 31 matches.

Meanwhile, no Manchester United player has scored more than eight goals in the top-flight this season, which suggests that the Wolves star would come in to add a much-needed goal threat for Amorim’s side in the 2025/26 campaign..

Cunha may not be the only proven Premier League star who joins the Red Devils in the coming months, however, as the club are reportedly lining up a move for another player who has already showcased their talents in the division.

Man Utd submit bid for Premier League star

According to a report from Spain, Manchester United have submitted a bid to sign Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Red Devils have officially made an offer worth around £55m to sign the Cameroon international ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

This means that INEOS are in talks with Brentford over a deal to bring the left-footed attacker to Old Trafford, although the report does not reveal whether or not the Bees are prepared to accept a fee of £55m for their star forward.

It does show, however, that Manchester United are serious about a deal for the 25-year-old attacker, as they want to bolster their attacking options, as they have gone as far as to submit an offer for him.

The club must, now, attempt to get a transfer over the line for the Brentford star in the coming weeks because he could be amazing alongside Cunha for Amorim, if United are able to snap both of them up.

Why Mbeumo could be amazing alongside Cunha

Whilst Mbeumo is more used to playing as a right-winger in a 4-3-3, rather than as a number ten as part of a two and a one up front, the forward could be an exciting partner for Cunha behind a starting striker next season.

The Brentford and Wolves stars could operate as the two number ten options behind a new centre-forward, which would provide Amorim with two proven goalscorers to deliver consistent quality at the top end of the pitch.

As aforementioned, Manchester United’s top scorer in the Premier League this season, Bruno Fernandes, has scored eight goals, which illustrates how much the Portuguese boss needs reinforcements who can find the back of the net on a regular basis.

In Mbeumo, who was once dubbed “unplayable” by Thomas Frank, the Red Devils would be signing another player who has proven that he can be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch in the English top-flight.

The left-footed star delivered nine goals and six assists in the Premier League during the 2023/24 campaign, but he has taken his game to new heights in the current season.

As you can see in the graphic above, Mbeumo has been directly involved in 26 goals in 37 matches in the top-flight, and has scored more than twice as many goals as Manchester United’s top scorer.

This suggests that he would bring much-needed goals and assists to Amorim’s side, which is also the case with Cunha, because he has already proven his quality at the top end of the pitch at that level.

Therefore, Cunha and Mbeumo could be amazing together as Manchester United’s two number ten options in the 2025/26 campaign because they are both attacking midfielders or wide players who can find the back of the net at an exceptional rate in the Premier League.

Both aged 25, they are also heading into the prime years of their careers and could be key players for Amorim for many years to come, hopefully kickstarting a new era of glory for the Red Devils.

Related Man Utd lodge £113m bid to sign their new Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United will aim to snap up their next Bruno Fernandes with this stunning purchase.

Posts ByKelan Sarson May 19, 2025

Looking ahead towards the summer, Newcastle United are reportedly set for talks with Juventus sporting director Cristiano Guintoli over bringing a midfield star back to the Premier League.

When Newcastle could seal UCL qualification

Whilst the transfer window is on its way, the Magpies’ main focus should currently be transfixed on Champions League qualification. With their fate in their own hands too, Eddie Howe’s side could confirm their place in the next two games if results go their way.

If Newcastle manage to defeat Brighton & Hove Albion and then Chelsea next weekend all whilst the Blues suffer defeat against Liverpool in between, then they will have their Champions League place secured.

Newcastle now want "incredible" 18 y/o gem as PIF step up scouting mission

He’s already a full international.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 29, 2025

The alternative, meanwhile, relies on Aston Villa to lose their next two games against Fulham and Bournemouth whilst Newcastle pick up six points from six, allowing them to seal their place in the top five. Of course, at this stage it is merely a game of predictions, but the Magpies – no matter what – are responsible for their own destiny in the coming weeks.

Liverpool (C)

82

34

Arsenal

67

34

Newcastle United

62

34

Man City

61

34

Chelsea

60

34

Nottingham Forest

60

33

Aston Villa

57

34

Having his say on the Champions League race, Howe recently told reporters: “It will go down to the wire. The important thing today was that we bounced back from last week. We have been very consistent, and now we have four huge games.

“They do [feel like a cup final]. With four games to go, you’re ticking down. We have put ourselves back into a strong position, but we know it can change quickly.”

Should those at St James’ Park seal their European place then all eyes will, of course, instantly go to the summer transfer window where one particular midfielder could be waiting.

Newcastle set for Douglas Luiz talks

According to TVPlay as relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now set for talks with Cristiano Guintoli over signing Douglas Luiz this summer. The Juventus sporting director reportedly wants to learn more about the Magpies’ interest in the Brazilian whilst also discussing a potential swap deal involving Sandro Tonali.

Luiz has endured a frustrating spell in Italy and is almost certain for a Premier League return just one year on from his Aston Villa departure, with both Newcastle and Nottingham Forest interested.

Whether those at St James’ Park are big enough admirers of Luiz that they part ways with the talented Tonali remains to be seen, however. When compared in the Premier League, it’s clear that the choice would be a difficult one to make.

Starts

35

24

Tackles Won

38

29

Progressive Carries

60

33

Ball Recoveries

184

162

Given just how much Luiz has struggled at Juventus, Newcastle could even be in a position to chase his signature whilst keeping hold of Tonali. A player dubbed “strong” by Villa sporting director Monchi even amid his struggles earlier this season, Luiz will be desperate to get back to his best.