Jesse Lingard delivered one of his finest performances in Asia as the former Manchester United star produced a stunning brace and an assist in FC Seoul’s 3-1 victory over Shanghai Port in the AFC Champions League Elite. The 32-year-old dazzled on the continental stage once again, driving his side closer to the knockout rounds as his remarkable late-career revival continues.
FC Seoul win thanks to Lingard's brace and assist
FC Seoul earned a crucial AFC Champions League Elite win as Jesse Lingard inspired a superb 3-1 victory away at Chinese champions Shanghai Port, delivering two goals and an assist in a dominant second-half display. Lingard opened the scoring shortly after the break with a precise right-footed strike. Although Shanghai equalised rather quickly through Mateus Vital, Seoul regained control when the former Manchester United star set up Lucas Silva with an excellent cross. The visitors sealed the result when Lingard struck again with a composed first-time finish, capping a commanding performance that lifted Seoul up the eastern standings and brought them a step closer to progression.
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'Important' AFC Champions League Elite win for FC Seoul
Lingard emphasised the significance of the win and praised the collective execution of FC Seoul’s tactical approach. "It’s important. Any Champions League game, we know it's going to be a big game on the big stage," he said after the match. "We had a different game plan and it worked, the manager stuck to the game plan, the players stuck to the game plan and we got the win in the end."
Lingard enjoying life in South Korea
Lingard’s latest display comes just days after he reached a major personal milestone in FC Seoul colours, scoring his 10th league goal of the K League season in the defeat to Gimcheon Sangmu – the first time in his entire career he has hit double digits in a regular league campaign. His revival in South Korea has been one of the most unexpected career renaissances in recent years, considering he arrived in the K League after nearly eight months without a club and endured a difficult start marked by fitness issues and heavy criticism.
Lingard’s contributions against Shanghai only underline his evolution into Seoul’s heartbeat. Having already scored in the previous league match, he carried that momentum into Asia’s biggest club competition and controlled the game with maturity.
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Lingard's journey from Man Utd to Asia
Lingard's journey is the ultimate unexpected career pivot. He was a golden boy of Manchester United, scoring famous goals and dancing for England, but after leaving Old Trafford in 2022, he entered a brutal period of rejection and stalled ambition. After eight months adrift without a club, he took a leap of faith, signing for FC Seoul in early 2024.
His start was disastrous as he was unfit and criticised publicly by his manager, while he was then sidelined by a meniscus problem. But that injury became his turning point. Lingard returned sharper and fully committed, earning the trust of his teammates and eventually being named temporary captain, which was a rare honour for a foreigner. His presence sparked a frenzy, with attendance and shirt sales skyrocketing.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca and BlueCo are gearing up for what could be an intriguing January transfer window, as one player reportedly eyes the Stamford Bridge exit door.
The west Londoners could be genuine Premier League title contenders, and their 3-0 statement win over Barcelona in midweek absolutely supports that theory.
Chelsea’s triumphant Champions League victory against the La Liga champions was the perfect way to prepare for their blockbuster face-off at home to Arsenal, and victory would see them close the gap to just three points.
However, a few players may not be along for the ride this season.
Chelsea are reportedly preparing for potential departures in January, as several current squad members seek routes out of London.
Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi remain the most problematic situations. Both players have been completely frozen out by Maresca, training separately from the first team in what has been dubbed the club’s “bomb squad.”
Sterling, who earns £325,000-per-week, and Disasi have been denied access to standard first-team facilities this term and will be desperate for January moves to resurrect their careers.
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Sterling’s substantial wages and Disasi’s apparent lack of suitors complicate matters significantly, but Maresca has confirmed that the latter has actually been assisting young players and helping with the ‘second team’.
There is also the matter of second-string goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
Jorgensen
Jorgensen has emerged as the highest-profile exit candidate among active squad members. The Danish goalkeeper is reportedly considering a January departure after finding himself firmly behind Robert Sanchez in the pecking order.
Jorgensen wants regular playing time to secure his spot in Denmark’s 2026 World Cup squad, with national team bosses making clear he needs consistent minutes.
However, Chelsea are reluctant to sanction a loan, and any departure would need to be permanent.
Filip Jorgensen wants to leave Chelsea as clubs make contact
That is according to journalist Simon Phillips, who reports via his Substack that Jorgensen wants to leave Chelsea and clubs are now starting to make contact.
The 23-year-old, who’s started just one Premier League game, one Champions League and two Carabao Cup matches, finds himself stuck behind Sanchez and a move could be the best solution for all parties.
Promising young shot-stopper Mike Penders is also due back from his loan at Strasbourg in 2026, acting as a ready-made replacement for Jorgensen, and there are reports that Chelsea have reopened talks with AC Milan’s Mike Maignan.
If the latter were to arrive, Jorgensen’s game time would be even more limited, so it is hard to envisage a future where the Dane is playing regularly enough in a Blues shirt.
The building blocks of a formidable T20 side are coming together with some big names still to slot in
Andrew McGlashan29-Jul-20250:42
Dwarshuis makes early breakthroughs for Australia
Australia’s build towards next year’s T20 World Cup could not have got off to a better start with the 5-0 sweep over West Indies in which several players staked claims for permanent spots in the team, leaving some potentially big calls for the selectors in the coming months.Cameron Green was player-of-the-series for his performances at No. 4, looking the ideal make-up for a role that can be required to play in various ways depending on the start. Meanwhile, Mitchell Owen made an immediate impact in the middle-order, having been challenged to develop his game away from the opening slot that has brought him considerable T20 league success.Tim David produced the performance of the series with his record-breaking 37-ball hundred, batting higher than has often been the case at No. 5, while Josh Inglis settled in at No. 3. With the ball, it’s difficult to see how Nathan Ellis does now not command a full-time place in the XI while Ben Dwarshuis had a productive series.Related
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“Depth is a privilege to have, and hopefully we can keep building on that,” Australia T20I captain, Mitchell Marsh said. “We saw a lot of guys come in: Mitch Owen, I thought Cam Green was fantastic, Nathan Ellis, again, was outstanding. Everyone played their part. It’s going to be a good challenge for us, but we certainly will welcome a few blokes back in.”Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood are expected to return for the series against South Africa which begins in Darwin on August 10, as could Matt Short if he has recovered from the side strain he picked up early in the West Indies tour. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc will, however, continue to rest ahead of the home summer, so the major calls around the make-up of the pace attack will wait a bit longer.
However, Ellis can’t have done any more to lock himself in as a starter, regardless of who is available, having conceded 7.88 runs an over in a series where runs came at 10.23 overall and he regularly closed out innings at the death. Australia did not concede more than 39 in the final four overs.”He’s been our go-to guy,” Green told ESPN’s . “And I think he’s, real, real close to getting to that main team, if not in it. He’s the guy that we probably go to [in the] sixth over in the powerplay, we always know that’s so tough, especially when they’ve been none down at a couple of games. I think he bowls three at the death for us, so he’s just doing all the hard roles. He seems to thrive in them. He’s got so many tricks up his sleeve, so we’re really pleased with how he’s going.”Head’s return at the top alongside Marsh, who was the one first-choice batter not to make a significant contribution against West Indies, will likely see Glenn Maxwell slip back to the middle-order, where Owen has made a strong start with 125 runs at a strike-rate of 192.30.”In the last 12 months, [Owen has] done a lot of batting at the top of the order, but we wanted to give him that opportunity to play a finishing role and keep building out his game with guys like Travis Head coming back in,” Marsh said. “He was awesome. He’s a ripping kid, took on the challenge, didn’t seem overawed by the occasion of playing international cricket and seems like a pretty calm figure, so that was great.”Owen contributed 12 of the 64 sixes Australia hit in the series – West Indies struck 53 in what became the second-highest tally for a bilateral T20 series – with this latest iteration of the T20 side shaping as the most powerful yet with no thought of a backwards step. Since the start of 2024, Australia are the fastest-scoring team in T20Is.Attack leader: Nathan Ellis was outstanding throughout the series•AFP/Getty Images”I think the way T20 is going, even again tonight, we were in a little bit of trouble and Tim David came out and batted the way he did,” Marsh said at the presentation. “And teams just keep going now. That’s the way the game’s going.”Perhaps the only question is whether, after the series was wrapped up, Marsh should have taken the opportunity to challenge his side to set a target as he kept winning the toss, but it was never considered. “This outfield was obviously super small and as we saw, it was really hard to defend,” he said.The five wins in West Indies make it eight in a row and 12 from 13 completed matches for Australia since the last World Cup in the Caribbean. Since the beginning of 2024, Australia have won 22 of their 26 completed T20Is, although two of those defeats were to Afghanistan and India in the Super Eights which saw them miss the semi-finals.They have 14 more matches over the next six months, with the three against South Africa next month, followed by three in New Zealand in early October. They will then host India for five as part of their white-ball tour ahead of the Ashes. They then have three matches in Pakistan pencilled in as the final lead-up to the World Cup. If the current form line remains, they will be one of the teams to beat come February in India and Sri Lanka.
The Detroit Tigers are moving on to the American League Division Series.
Detroit went on the road and topped the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 in a tightly contested wild-card series. On Thursday, the Tigers secured a 6-3 win thanks to an excellent effort from five pitchers and some timely hitting that eluded them in Game 1 and Game 2.
After an epic collapse to end the season that cost them the AL Central, Detroit rebounded and will now face the top-seeded Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.
What follows are three takeaways from their big win in Game 3.
Jack Flaherty Earned His Rotation Spot
Jack Flaherty led the American League in losses this season, going 8-15 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Detroit lost eight of his last 10 starts, the last two of which came against Cleveland. On Thursday, he stepped up and largely locked down the Guardians.
The 29-year-old allowed one run on three hits over 4 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking two. He was wild, throwing only 43 of his 74 pitches for strikes, but he managed to limit the damage. A George Valera double opened the fourth inning, and Jose Ramirez singled to drive him in, tying the game at 1-1. He worked his way out of it. After getting two outs in the bottom of the fifth, he walked C.J. Kayfus and was relieved by Kyle Finnegan.
He left in a 1-1 game and didn't finish five innings, so he was ineligible for the win, but he put Detroit in position to come out ahead. He's earned his postseason rotation spot.
Detroit Can Get Timely Hits
In the first two games of the series, the Tigers were 2-23 with runners in scoring position, including going 1-15 in a 6-1 loss in Game 2. Their bats woke up in Game 3 as they went 5-12, including three straight singles with runners in scoring position in the seventh inning.
Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Wenceel Perez came through when they had to, giving Detroit a 6-1 lead and some breathing room. Catcher Dillon Dingler, who grew up in Ohio rooting for the Guardians, also came up big. His two-out home run in the top of the sixth put the Tigers up 2-1. They never trailed again.
The Tigers can hit in the clutch, they just needed to get some confidence back. Once they did, it was contagious.
Cleveland Didn't Have Enough Offense
Yes, the Guardians' late-season run was remarkable and even inspiring. Unfortunately, it wasn't sustainable.
On the season, Cleveland's wRC+ of 87 ranked 28th in all of baseball, ahead of only the Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies. Guardians hitters generated 13.2 fWAR, which ranked 25th, and their wxOBA of .299 was dead last. Eventually, that was going to catch up with them.
In the three games of the series, Cleveland's hitters slashed .178/.253/.322 for a woeful OPS of .575. They did have three home runs and eight RBIs, but also struck out 24 times with nine walks. Something has to change.
The Guardians brought up Chas DeLauter for the postseason in a move to juice the team's lineup, while top prospect and former No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana is at Triple A. While Bazzana struggled a bit at that level, it wouldn't surprise me if Cleveland had him at second base to start the 2026 campaign.
Mohamed Salah has come in for huge criticism following the bombshell post-match interview, where he took aim at Liverpool boss Arne Slot and accused the club of "throwing him under the bus", but Egypt national team boss Hossam Hassan has posted a message of support for his star forward. Salah was an unused substitute in the 3-3 draw with Leeds, the third match in a row he has been named on the bench.
Damaging draw too much for Mo
Leeds United secured a dramatic draw in a match Liverpool led twice, with Hugo Ekitike scoring a quickfire second-half brace, but were pegged back both times. Dominic Calvert-Lewin's penalty and Anton Stach's goal made it 2-2, Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool's lead and the Reds looked like they had sealed the three points, but Ao Tanaka's 96th-minute equaliser sealed a point for the home side. And while there was high drama on the pitch, the main headlines came after it, following an extraordinary rant from Salah.
Speaking to reporters, Salah said: 'I can’t believe it, I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.'
He added: 'I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club. This club, I always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much, I will always do. I called my mum yesterday — you guys didn’t know if I would start or not, but I knew.'
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Pundits queue-up to slam Salah
Danny Murphy and Chris Sutton have strongly criticised Salah for his explosive post-match interview. Murphy labelled the Egyptian's timing as poor, arguing such issues should be handled internally, stating: 'Salah is making it all about him when the focus should be on Liverpool's draw. That just creates more problems.'
And Sutton posted to X on Saturday night: 'Embarrassing from Mo Salah and disrespectful to his team-mates and his manager. Salah is no different from any other player … if a player’s form drops as Salah’s has he is the same as anyone else and has to accept being benched… but he thinks he’s too good to be benched sadly…'
Egypt boss shows support
While pundits formed an orderly line to criticise Salah, he found support in the shape of his national boss, Hassan. Salah will join-up with his national team later this month to participate in AFCON and could miss as many as eight games for Liverpool. Hassan posted a picture of himself and Salah on Instagram, with the caption (originally in Arabic): 'Always a symbol of determination and strength.'
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Milan showdown next up for Reds
Liverpool head to Italy for a Champions League clash with Inter Milan on Tuesday and fans will wait with baited breath to see the team sheet, and specifically whether Slot has included Salah. The Reds are desperate for victory after the damaging 4-1 home defeat by PSV Eindhoven in their last match and need wins in their remaining league phase matches to stand a chance of automatic qualification through to the knockout stage.
The start of this season couldn’t have gone much better for Tottenham Hotspur, with convincing wins over Burnley and Manchester City.
However, in the months since, things have really gone off the rails for Thomas Frank and his side.
They currently sit 16th in the Champions League and, following their dismal defeat at the hands of Fulham on Saturday night, 11th in the Premier League.
Frank looked bereft of ideas against the West Londoners, and his team appeared all at sea, including one player who could be in danger of becoming their new Serge Aurier.
Spurs' worst players against Fulham
Aside from maybe Micky Van de Ven for his goalsaving tackle and Randal Kolo Muani for his general play, there were dismal displays across the entire Spurs starting lineup.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The player who has received the most stick during and after the game is undoubtedly Guglielmo Vicario.
The Italian goalkeeper was the main culprit for the visitors’ second goal, with him rushing out to intercept a long ball, kicking it into danger and then being way out of the penalty area when Harry Wilson curled the ball into the net.
Such a costly blunder, and the fact that the team were 2-0 down in just the sixth minute, led to sections of the home support booing the former Emploi man at every touch.
While not responsible for conceding a goal, Richarlison was another Lilywhites ace who was practically useless on the night.
In his 60 minutes of action, he offered no threat at all, producing an expected goals figure of 0.00 and completing just six of his nine passes.
Moreover, while he took 21 touches, he ended up losing possession nine times, which helps to justify the 3/10 match rating he received from the Standard’s Matt Verri.
It was also a poor showing for Kevin Danso, who was second best to Raul Jimenez throughout the game, and it was his headed clearance that led to the opening goal.
Unfortunately for Frank and the fans, another starter put in a horror display against the Cottagers and could end up becoming the Spurs’ next Aurier if he’s not careful.
Spurs' new Serge Aurier
It was clear that Aurier was a talented player during his stint with Spurs, but what was also clear was that he was error-prone and became something of a scapegoat.
After all, he got sent off on his Premier League debut, and it was his foul that led to Manchester City’s winning free-kick in the 2021 League Cup final.
After that mistake, Jamie Carragher described him as “one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football.”
The Ivorian left the club that summer, and unfortunately, it feels like Pedro Porro could be becoming the new version of him.
Now, to be clear, the Spanish full-back, originally signed on loan by Antonio Conte, is a hugely talented footballer and someone who is capable of delivering a brilliant cross at times.
However, he has become a growing concern for North Londoners over the last season or so, both offensively and defensively, with the game against Fulham a perfect example.
In his 94 minutes on the pitch, he lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost five of eight ground duels, was dribbled past three times, was accurate in just three of 16 crosses, failed in 100% of his dribbles and completed only 62% of his long balls.
Porro’s game vs Fulham
Minutes
94′
Ground Duels (Won)
8 (3)
Aerial Duels (Won)
3 (0)
Dribbled Past
3
Crosses (Accurate)
16 (3)
Dribbles (Successful)
2 (0)
Long Balls
8/13
All Stats via Sofascore
In short, it was a poor attacking display and a truly horrendous defensive one, which more than justifies Verri’s match rating of 4/10 and description of him looking a ‘nervous wreck at the back.’
As if that wasn’t enough, he then proceeded to throw his shirt to the floor and storm off the pitch when the full-time whistle went, in what journalist Mitch Fretton described as “absolute embarrassment.”
It’s this combination of yet another poor performance and the petulance afterward that makes it hard not to think of the former Ivorian international.
Ultimately, Porro is still a talented player and could turn things around, but it’s been some time since fans have seen him at his best, and that display against Fulham was more than worrying.
New Soldado: Frank must bin Spurs flop who had fewer touches than Vicario
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank must drop this flop who is becoming the new Roberto Soldado.
TORONTO — More than an hour after his season ended in a heartbeat and winter took hold, Ernie Clement sprawled in his chair in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse, still in full uniform, nursing a Labatt Blue. His sliding shorts featured a hole in the right knee. His eyeblack stickers barely clung to his cheeks. His eyes brimmed with tears.
He struggled to reckon with his loss. Not of Game 7, in which the Blue Jays fell, 5–4, in a shocking, back-and-forth, 11th-inning defeat to the Dodgers. Not of the World Series, which they at one point led three games to two, and on Saturday were two outs away from clinching. What hurt most, he realized, was that he wouldn’t get to come to work tomorrow.
“Even if we’d won,” he mused, “I’d still be sad that it was over.”
That was the message the Blue Jays repeated over and over in their quiet clubhouse as Saturday night bled into Sunday morning.
“Everybody loves each other in here,” said center fielder Daulton Varsho. “We enjoy being around this group, and that’s probably going to be the most hurtful thing.”
That they were so close only makes it worse.
“It took them seven games to beat us,” said Kevin Gausman, who started Games 2 and 6. “I think if we play tomorrow, we beat ’em, but we’re not playing tomorrow.”
They had so many chances for a different ending. They loaded the bases with two outs in the second. They had runners on first and second with one out in the fourth, and a runner at third with no outs in the fifth. They loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, and they had runners at the corners with one out in the 11th. But they could not come through with a hit to put the Dodgers away, and the Dodgers clawed back with solo homers in the eighth, off Trey Yesavage, who started Games 1 and 5; in the ninth, off closer Jeff Hoffman; and in the 11th, off Game 4 starter Shane Bieber.
“I feel for everybody in here,” said Clement. “We grinded so hard. I’d go to war with Jeff Hoffman every day of the week. I want him on the mound. I want Biebs on the mound. Those are guys who I would take a bullet for. And 99 times out of 100 those guys get the job done. Obviously, this wasn’t our night here. But I feel for those guys so much.”
Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas sent Game 7 to extra innings. / Mark Blinch/Getty Images
The core has been here for a while, but it took them some time to grow into a team that understood its responsibility to its fan base and to one another. A year ago, nearly the same roster finished 74–88. That club did not lack talent, its members say, but it lacked accountability.
“We had too many excuses built in,” pitcher Chris Bassitt said earlier this week. “We had too many issues internally. We had too many people complaining, including myself, about the way things were being run or handled and things like that.
“And as a group, it’s a maturing process. Everyone wrote us off, obviously, after last year, and rightfully so. I don’t discredit that. But the reality is that I think we’ve learned a lot from that. We learned that all those stupid things that we were doing or saying or whatever—it’s not gonna happen. So we [stopped] that this year.” They would spend the period after losses making excuses and then trying to do too much. They struggled to choose an identity or an approach. When things went wrong, they panicked. They didn’t know who they were.
This year they knew: They were an old-school team. They chased innings on the mound and contact at the plate. Their pitchers would take strikeouts when they could and their hitters were happy to homer, but they tried not to make those outcomes the focus of every plate appearance. They trusted one another. They won 94 games and the American League pennant.
Even 366 days ago, when he was handing out candy in his neighbor’s driveway while the Dodgers celebrated their last title, manager John Schneider believed that team could grow into this team. In some ways, that’s what made this group so special, and what made the end so hard: It was basically the same group.
They made additions, of course, but always with an eye not just toward talent but also toward temperament. They signed righty Max Scherzer and outfielder Anthony Santander in part because those players are adults who do things the right way.
“It would be easy to kind of knee-jerk react to last year,” said Schneider. “I don’t think [general manager Ross Atkins] did, I don’t think I did, I don’t think we did. I’m thankful for that. You trust people and you trust that what you’re preparing for is right. Players have to go do it, and they have answered the bell.”
Even when their bodies didn’t want to allow them to. Second baseman Bo Bichette sprained his left knee in early September and spent the next seven weeks racing through rehab to get back in time. He knew a further injury could cost him in free agency, which he will reach on Sunday. “It’s the World Series,” he said before Game 6. “None of that stuff really matters.” DH George Springer, 36, took a similar approach when he hurt his right side on a swing during the 18-inning Game 3 loss; he could barely walk, and he was still recovering from knee and wrist injuries after being hit by pitches this month, but he went 5-for-10 in Games 6 and 7.
Game 7 starter Max Scherzer, center, gave up one run in 4 1/3 innings. He’s due to be a free agent. / Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
After Game 7, Schneider held his first team meeting of the year. “I said thank you,” he said. “I said thank you probably about 10 times.” First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the face of the franchise, told each teammate individually that he was proud of him.
Bassitt, who will become a free agent on Sunday, was asked if he had learned anything from this team that he hoped to take wherever he ends up.
“I think it’s hard to replicate true love,” he said. As for himself, he said, through tears, “You never know, but I would love to have another shot with this group.”
Of course, it won’t be this group. In addition to Bassitt, Bichette and Scherzer will be free agents, and Bieber carries a $16 million player option.
None was sure after the game what the future held for them, although Bichette said, “I’ve said I wanted to be here from the beginning,” and Scherzer said, “There’s no way that was my last pitch.”
This was Scherzer’s seventh major league team, but he said it had meant as much to him as any of them. “Me being 41 years old, I never thought I could love baseball so much,” he said, choking back tears. “I’m just so proud of everybody. My love for the game is so strong because of their love for the game.”
Clement loves the game, and he loved this team. So as his friends hugged and said goodbye and gathered their belongings, there he sat at his locker. He wasn’t sure when he would shower and get dressed. He didn’t want to leave.
Two of Manchester United’s biggest summer signings, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, are starting to get into full flow for the Red Devils.
Mbeumo, in particular, has started life at Old Trafford quickly, with eight goals and assists in 16 games across all competitions.
As for his Brazilian teammate, things haven’t been quite as smooth sailing. He’s struggled with a few minor injuries and hasn’t been at his best.
The United number ten only has one goal and one assist in 12 Premier League games, but has shown flashes of his best form.
United are not done there when it comes to strengthening in attack, and could dip back into the market this winter.
United’s latest attacking target
It is not just in attack that the Red Devils might be looking to strengthen their side, with midfield a focus area too.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
They are reportedly plotting to sign Elliot Anderson and are even linked with a sensational, if expensive, move for Jude Bellingham.
Looking further up the pitch, the Mancunian giants are linked with a move to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, United are able to meet the Ghanaian’s release clause and could make a move for him.
This, of course, will not be a cheap deal. Semenyo’s release clause is worth a reported £65m, a fee Ruben Amorim’s side ‘would be able to match’ this winter.
However, they would face tough competition for his signature, with Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City all interested in signing him, too.
Why Semenyo would be a good signing
There is no doubt about 25-year-old Semenyo’s quality. The versatile forward, who can operate on either flank, has been described this season as a “world-class” operator by Cherries teammate Justin Kluivert.
Indeed, the numbers he has put up are reflective of someone deemed an elite winger. This season in the Premier League, Bournemouth’s number 24 has played 14 games, scoring six goals and assisting a further three.
There have been some real standout moments for the 25-year-old, too. He’s scored twice and assisted the other in a 3-1 win at home to Fulham, and scored a sublime solo goal against Liverpool at Anfield on the opening day of the season.
United would love for the winger to have the same sort of impact as Mbeumo if he were to join. The Cameroonian attacker has been one of their most consistent players this season, even winning November’s Premier League player of the month award.
His most recent goal came on Monday against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Mbeumo and his new teammate Cunha can have a “big impact” on the club if they are able to “find a way to click,” according to United great Gary Neville.
If the Red Devils were to acquire Semenyo in the winter window, they would love for him to add to that threat with their two summer recruits.
You could certainly make a case that the Ghanaian is a hybrid of both players. At least, according to FBref, he has similar underlying numbers to Mbeumo over the last year and to Cunha in the top flight this term – noted as statistically similar both men in those respective fields.
Well, to factor in both, let’s look at numbers from the last two Premier League seasons. A standout number is their combined goals and assists per 90 minutes, with Semenyo averaging 0.5, Cunha 0.6 and Mbeumo 0.65.
Semenyo, Cunha & Mbeumo (per 90 mins)
Semenyo
Cunha
Mbeumo
0.5 goals & assists
0.6 goals & assists
0.65 goals & assists
1.29 key passes
1.78 key passes
1.79 key passes
1.85 take-ons complete
2.09 take-ons complete
1.22 take-ons complete
3.85 progressive carries
3.63 progressive carries
3.26 progressive carries
4.6 ball recoveries
4.36 ball recoveries
3.98 ball recoveries
Stats from FBref
It is easy to see how the three players are similar, based on those numbers.
If Semenyo – who, like the United pair, is Premier League proven – can offer the goal and assist numbers of Mbeumo, and the threat carrying the ball which Cunha brings, he would be a dangerous addition to Amorim’s side.
£65m is not the most unreasonable fee for a player of his class, and United fans will be hoping he can have a quick impact at Old Trafford.
The new Ji-Sung Park: Man Utd star is fast becoming as important as Bruno
Manchester United have another star who is becoming as important as Bruno Fernandes.
Manchester United legend David Beckham admitted he has achieved a long-term goal as his Inter Miami side won the MLS Cup for the first time. A Lionel Messi-inspired Miami earned a hard-fought 3-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday at Chase Stadium to secure their biggest ever trophy. As the dust began to settle on their achievement, co-owner Beckham revelled in the club's triumph.
Messi inspires MLS Cup win
Miami had an ideal start to their final game of the season when Edier Ocampo scored an own goal in the eighth minute but the Canadian outfit grew into the game and got their reward on the hour mark through Ali Ahmed's scuffed shot. Rodrigo de Paul tucked in Messi's cross 11 minutes later before the Argentine great set up Tadeo Allende deep into stoppage time to seal the victory. The match was also the last that Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets will play for the club, prompting Beckham – who could not contain his excitement – to pay tribute to the two retiring veterans.
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Beckham realises dream
After the win, former Real Madrid player Beckham wrote that he was "so proud" of everyone who helped the club achieve this goal and also thanked the former Barcelona stars for securing them a perfect send-off.
He wrote on Instagram: "WOW… MLS Cup Champions 2025. Ever since I won this trophy as a player, I’ve always wanted to win it as an owner. I am so proud of everybody at this incredible club… the players, the staff, the fans… thank you for your unwavering commitment and support as we realise this dream together. The perfect way to say goodbye to this stadium, and to send off Sergio and Jordi the way they deserve… VAMOS @intermiamicf #FreedomToDream."
'One of my greatest moments'
Beckham won the Champions League with United and a host of domestic trophies under Sir Alex Ferguson. He played for Madrid, AC Milan, PSG and more, but Miami's victory this weekend was a crowning achievement for the 50-year-old.
"It has to be one of the greatest moments in my career to have won it as a player and now to have won it as an owner," former LA Galaxy player Beckham told The Athletic. "I don’t think that’s been done before, so that’s a nice thing to do first.
"One of the things was obviously me going to L.A., but then the next one was me owning the team and my promise to America and to the MLS was to bring the best player, and we brought the best player and now we’ve had success tonight. Tonight is just one of those nights that I’ll never forget."
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Messi revels in victory
Messi left Paris Saint-Germain for Miami in the summer of 2023, and after delivering them their first-ever trophy with their Leagues Cup success that year, the 38-year-old has secured them the MLS Cup, too. The Argentina international was thrilled at their cup success, saying this was an effort long in the making.
"Three years ago, I decided to come to MLS, and today we are MLS champions," he said. "We reached the semifinals of the [CONCACAF] Champions Cup. Last year, we went out early in the league and were eliminated in the first round. This year, winning the MLS was one of our main objectives. The team made a huge effort – it was a very long year, with many matches – and we were up to the task all season. This is the moment I had been waiting for, and that we, as a team, were waiting for. It’s very beautiful for all of us. They deserved it."
It was only the second time that Starc was playing a Test without Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon, and he got 6 for 71 after day one in Brisbane
Andrew McGlashan04-Dec-20251:12
Starc: Selection not a reflection of Lyon’s skills
Even taking into account that plans often need to change, it was hard to see a world where Australia would field an attack during this Ashes with just one of the big four.Yet, against England at the Gabba, they were without 1166 Test wickets from what would be considered their first-choice attack: the tally of Pat Cummins, who was very close to playing, and Josh Hazlewood, nearly doubled by the shock omission of Nathan Lyon. But there was one of the awesome foursome left: Mitchell Starc.The wisdom of that decision will largely be judged in hindsight. At times, it appeared a change of pace would have been handy: when Zak Crawley and Joe Root were building their stand of 117 in 25 overs, then when Root and Ben Stokes took England to 210 for 4 early in the final session, and even as Root and Jofra Archer flayed away in their merry final-wicket stand.Related
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There was a bit of sameness about Michael Neser, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett and Cameron Green. The latter three went at a combined 5.02 runs an over from 41 overs.”I was surprised, to be honest,” Crawley said of Lyon’s absence. “I can’t remember the last time, other than in the West Indies recently, where they haven’t played him. So, yeah, we were surprised.”It felt odd for Starc, too. “I think I mentioned it in the warm-ups: I don’t think I’ve ever played an attack without one of the three of them playing,” he said. “So it was a little bit different in that regard with no Josh, Pat and Nath.”Starc’s memory is nearly correct: he played without any of them the only previous occasion Lyon missed a home Test – against India at the WACA in 2012. It has left him doing some heavy lifting, but he had a pink ball in hand. Following ten wickets in the first Test against England in Perth, he knocked the top of England’s order with the new ball, broke a threatening stand under twilight, and later got to work on the lower order.An outswinger to Ben Duckett produced Starc’s 26th first-over wicket in Test cricket. That was soon followed by Ollie Pope chopping on to his stumps to leave England 5 for 2, and images of Perth zooming back into view.At the Gabba, Mitchell Starc got his 26th wicket in the first over of a Test•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesBut that was the limit of the damage Starc could inflict in his first spell, although how different the game would have looked had Steven Smith been able to grab a one-handed stunner when Root was on 2. Starc bowled three more overs before the first interval (call it what you will), and was then held back by Smith until twilight started to take hold. By then, Australia had already gone to short-ball fields with a softening pink ball as they tried to manufacture wickets before looking for some assistance as the night closed in.By then, Root and Brook were starting to build, but the latter was skittish, and facing his first ball from Starc – it was the second ball of his comeback over – as Brook aimed a flat-footed drive which was edged high to Smith at second slip. It took Starc to 415 wickets, moving ahead of Wasim Akram as the most wickets for a left-arm quick in Test history. Akram had spoken of his admiration for Starc in the lead-up to the Test, and offered his praise again.”Super Starc! Proud of you, mate,” Wasim posted on X. “Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets. I am pleased to give this to you! Go well, and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career.”After a day in the field, albeit one that only brought 74 overs, Starc’s response was self-depreciating. “Pretty tired,” he said when asked how he felt. “I’ll reflect on it later. Wasim’s still a far better bowler than I am.”There is a job ahead for Australia, and having seen England escape to 325 for 9 with an unbroken last-wicket stand of 61, it could be a tough one. But it is worth appreciating Starc’s recent form. His last four bowling innings in Test cricket read: 6 for 9, 7 for 58, 3 for 55, and now 6 for 71.Mitchell Starc bagged Harry Brook in his first over back in the attack•Getty Images”I mean, he’s a very, very good bowler, obviously, and with the pink ball, I think he gets it to swing slightly more on [than] the red ball, so he challenges both sides a bit more,” Crawley said. “I was just trying to keep it very simple, playing nicely straight. He does draw you in on that off side… he’s got a way of dragging you in, so it’s a challenge. But I feel like, all in all, we played him pretty well. I mean, he’s ended up at six. I feel like we had a good day.”One of Starc’s six came from a remarkable catch by Alex Carey as he sprinted back to take Gus Atkinson’s top edge, and was nearly taken out by Marnus Labuschagne, who was also tracking the ball from slip. “Marnus tried to tackle him, I reckon, and take it out of his hands,” Starc said.Another piece of fielding brilliance provided Australia with one of their three non-Starc wickets. Josh Inglis, a wicketkeeper by trade, and called into this match as Usman Khawaja’s replacement, moved swiftly from cover to produce a stunning direct hit which removed Stokes during a period after tea where Australia’s four frontline quicks had dried up the scoring rate.”It’s one of those ones that a bit of brilliance in the field can change a little bit of the momentum,” Starc said. “A bit like a couple of Ashes ago, where Nathan Lyon ran out James Vince here at the Gabba and changed the momentum that day. I think the one today was probably a better run-out, but don’t tell Nathan that.”After the day Lyon had endured, that was probably a wise thought. For all of Starc’s brilliance, Australia’s omission of their greatest offspinner may yet be a telling narrative from this match.