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Carlos Baleba has addressed talk that speculation over a summer move to Manchester United has impacted his form. The Cameroon international was heavily linked with a switch to Old Trafford over the summer as Ruben Amorim pushed to strengthen his side in the middle of the park. However, United failed to agree a fee with Brighton, and the transfer ultimately failed to materialise.

Getty Images SportBrighton boss suggests United speculation has impacted Baleba

United were active over the summer as they brought in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko from Wolves, Brentford and RB Leipzig, respectively, to improve their frontline. In addition, the Manchester giants also signed Senne Lammens from Antwerp as a replacement for inconsistent pair Andre Onana, who moved to Trabzonspor on loan, and Altay Bayindir between the sticks.

Amorim, though, had pushed to sign another central midfielder to provide cover and competition for first choice pair Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro. United sought to agree a deal with Brighton for Baleba, but Amorim's side scoffed at the Seagulls' hefty asking price for the former Lille man, which was around the £100 million ($134m) mark, and a deal failed to come to fruition.

Brighton have started the season well, yet Baleba's performance levels have dipped from the previous campaign. And head coach Fabian Hurzeler last month called for the rumours over the midfielder and United to end to allow the player to focus on his football.

"It’s about being a Brighton player, it’s about performing well here and it is about getting him back to his best level. Avoid the noise, avoid all the rumours and focus on the things you can influence and the things you can do best and that’s football," Hurzeler said.

Advertisement'I had a lot of pressure on me' claims Seagulls star

Baleba has played the full 90 minutes in a Premier League match just the once this season, and has been hooked at the break on four occasions. The player himself, though, is adamant that reports linking him with a move to United isn't to blame for his sub-part start to the campaign.

Speaking to , Baleba said: "I don’t think it affected me negatively, but I had a lot of pressure on me. When I started this season, I wanted to show the same performances as last season.

"Every day I try to work hard and get back to my level. Did I put too much pressure on myself? Yes, I think so, but I think it’s good. It’s good for me, because now I have to get through this slightly stressful period, get back on the horse and continue working hard."

Getty Images SportBaleba not the only midfielder wanted by United

Baleba is again being linked with a January switch to Old Trafford as United look to bolster in the middle of the park in the new year. The Cameroon international, who played his final Brighton game on Saturday before jetting off for the Africa Cup of Nations later this month, isn't the only Premier League central midfielder on United's radar.

Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton is another wanted by United, though a number of Premier League rivals are also tracking the former Blackburn Rovers youngster. Elliot Anderson has also emerged as a potential target for Amorim's side, however, Nottingham Forest will rebuff any efforts to sign the England international in January.

United's inability to add bodies in the middle of the park in early 2026 will impact Kobbie Mainoo's hopes to leave next month. The England international is wanted by a host of European sides, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Napoli, but United are unwilling to green-light Mainoo's exit without a sufficient replacement.

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United back in action on Monday night

United are next in action on Monday night when they welcome Bournemouth to Old Trafford. Amorim has overseen two wins from United's last three, with a 1-1 home draw with West Ham sandwiched between victories at Crystal Palace and Wolves.

Seven points from the last nine available means United are currently three points off the Champions League spots, albeit with a game in hand on fourth-placed Chelsea.

The Sheffield Shield match ended late on day three with Queensland players saying the twilight period was key

AAP25-Nov-20252:51

Ehantharajah: This defeat will hurt for England

Gabba curator Dave Sandurski is set to prepare a pitch for the day-night second Ashes Test that will reward both batters and bowlers, just like in the recent Sheffield Shield clash.Queensland’s Matt Renshaw and Xavier Bartlett were standout performers in the day-night pink-ball Shield game at the Gabba which they won by seven wickets on day three.Related

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While the pitch for the Test will be a different strip, both players said the Gabba had presented a surface that rewarded bat and ball.Renshaw made 114 in the first innings while Bartlett scored 72 and took 4 for 35 in the second.The fact the Shield match finished at the end of the third day means Sandurski will get more preparation time with hot weather forecast ahead of the Test that starts Thursday week.”Gaining an extra day to get it close to that 10-day [preparation] period makes life just that little bit more comfortable,” Sandurski told AAP. “All indications are there is a bit of heat around. The wicket will dry out a lot quicker so you’ve got to make sure you keep enough moisture in it to last five days.”We try and make our wickets pretty much the same for four and five-day cricket. The aim is to provide a wicket where all players get a chance to perform their skills so hopefully all facets of the game come into the match.”Sandurski said the Shield match was indicative of how good batting and bowling would pay dividends at the Gabba.The Gabba during the day-night Sheffield Shield match•Getty ImagesThe two-day Test in Perth was a reflection of how England and Australia approached their task rather than the surface. “Years ago draws were acceptable but now they are not and people play more shots and can provide more chances,” added Sandurski.Bartlett identified the middle session, played in a twilight period under lights, as the key to success. Both he and Gurinder Sandhu extracted seam and pace from the surface in that period on day three.”Just on twilight the pink ball talks a little bit more and the game goes through massive ebbs and flows,” Bartlett told AAP. “You see wickets falling in clumps. You’ve got to stay in it and make the most of that middle session.”If the Test wicket is like the one we just played on it will be a really good cricket wicket. We got a result in three days but when you bat well you get rewarded and if you bowl well it’s the same.”Renshaw said that twilight period was a challenge and when the game could change quickly.”While batting it feels like you can get a ball with your name on it at some point, but I think it will be a pretty similar wicket to what we have normally had at the Gabba,” he said. “We saw the pink-ball Test a few years ago when West Indies were touring and it swung around at times and was also nice for batting.”

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has provided an update on the fitness of Bruno Fernandes after the Red Devils skipper suffered a late injury scare against Crystal Palace. The Portuguese midfielder went down following a heavy kick in added time and the United faithful will have been concerned that their key man might be out for a long period of time.

Getty Images SportUnited take three points in London

The Red Devils got back to winning ways at Selhurst Park with a 2-1 victory over the Eagles in south London. The hosts took the lead through a Jean-Phillipe Mateta penalty and, amid a feeble first half from Amorim’s team, looked as if they would cruise to victory over the Red Devils.

Fernandes had other ideas, however, and played a crucial role in turning the game around. The club captain swung in a deep cross from a free-kick to the near post, where Joshua Zirkzee collected and fired hard and low past Dean Henderson from a tight angle. From another free-kick, Fernandes then nudged the ball to Mason Mount, who fired low into the net to put United ahead.

Fernandes was named player of the match, reflective of the important contribution he made in overhauling the one-goal deficit suffered in the first half. So, when he was then hacked down, a few United hearts would have been in their mouths, concerned that he might have to miss a couple of games.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAmorim eases fears

Fortunately for United, it appears that Fernandes will be okay to make it back in time for their game against West Ham on Thursday. Amorim eased concerns after the game, telling TNT Sports: "It was a kick. I was shouting at him, we made a substitution in the end. He needed to talk to the bench but he said it was just a kick so everything is okay."

United better, but not brilliant

With the victory, United climb up the table to seventh, just five points off rivals Manchester City in second. The Red Devils have been in mixed form this season, but have definitely shown signs of improvement on their worst-ever campaign in 2024-25.

The Red Devils have accrued 21 points from 13 games so far, level with Premier League champions Liverpool – who saw off West Ham 2-0 on Sunday – and above the likes of Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur.

Yet, there remain concerns at Old Trafford about how many points they are surrendering against so-called smaller clubs. After an unbeaten run of three games, the Red Devils lost 1-0 to Everton on Monday, despite the Toffees having ten men for the majority of the clash.

They have also dropped costly points at Brentford and Fulham. Had Amorim’s side earned victories in both west London fixtures, they could have been closer to league leaders Arsenal and securely in European qualification spots.

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Getty Images SportFernandes fit, but West Ham await

The next challenge for United comes in the form of West Ham on Thursday, who will be determined to bounce back against the Red Devils after a feeble display against Liverpool. Nuno Espirito Santo’s team were flat in their 2-0 defeat by the Reds and did little to threaten Alisson Becker in the Liverpool goal. The Hammers have improved under the former Nottingham Forest boss, but are still teetering above the relegation zone.

The games then come thick and fast for Amorim’s United side with a trip to Wolverhampton coming on the following Monday. Games against Bournemouth and Aston Villa follow in the run-up to Christmas, which the United manager will hope can help them make further strides up the division.

Above all, United will need Fernandes fit and firing if they are to register a series of positive results in the Premier League. The Red Devils skipper is once again proving to be their most important player and has been adapting well to a deeper role in the United midfield.

“There will be more miracles going forward,” Abhishek Sharma says of the India T20I team

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-2025India opener Abhishek Sharma is happy he took the stairs and not the elevator to the national team like some of his 2018 Under-19 World Cup team-mates – Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, for example – had, saying he wouldn’t have “learned some things” if that had been the case.”There have been ups and downs,” Abhishek said at the end of the Asia Cup, where he was the Player of the Tournament. “Some players get in easily. Some come in after some difficulty. But I feel this [domestic grind] was necessary. If I had made it quicker as a [national team] player, I wouldn’t have learned some things.”While Shaw was fast-tracked to the national team, making his Test debut in 2018 itself, Gill broke through in early 2019. For Abhishek, the turning point came only after the pandemic, in 2021, by which time he had refined his game. With Yuvraj Singh’s guidance, he transformed from a middle-order finisher and part-time left-arm spinner into an opener with an enhanced power-hitting game.Related

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Abhishek ended the Asia Cup as the top run-getter – 314 in seven innings, including a run of three straight half-centuries leading into the final. Pathum Nissanka was a distant second, with 261 runs.Abhishek’s robust powerplay approach, and his takedown of Shaheen Shah Afridi in successive games against Pakistan, earned him a lot of plaudits, which he attributed to the freedom given to him by the team management. This run of form more or less guarantees him a spot as India’s first-choice opener as they build towards their T20 World Cup title defence.”Since the time I have been in the [national] team, I have not felt is a pressure match. We prepared for every match in the same way,” he said. “Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] and GG [Gautam Gambhir] have given me confidence. When you want to play a high-risk game, failures do come. But the way they handled me, I am able to play like this because of that.”Abhishek stressed that the template of aggressive batting he had adopted was something the entire team had bought into, and would look to carry forward.”It is very important to get such support from the team,” he said. “We have been wanting to play this brand of cricket with intent from the start. Irrespective of the opposition, we will continue playing like this.”I’ve had more time to work on a few things. So I’ve worked a lot on those things. I feel this is the start for the team. There will be more miracles going forward.”

Celtic are eyeing a potential move for England Under-21s manager Lee Carsley as their next boss, as they look to find the perfect replacement for Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead.

Rodgers’ second spell in charge of the Hoops went out in a whimper, following an underwhelming start to the season in the Scottish Premiership, with Martin O’Neill placed in interim charge.

While the Irishman has seemingly only come in for a short spell as manager, taking charge until the right permanent appointment is made, a new report has claimed that he would be willing to take the job until the end of the season.

Victory at home to Rangers on Sunday afternoon would not only be a massive step in the right direction for Celtic, but could even persuade those high up at the club that O’Neill is the right man to continue for longer than originally expected.

That’s not to say that other potential candidates aren’t being mentioned, however, with Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna backed to be Rodgers’ successor, and Club Brugge head coach Nicky Hayen also seen as an option.

Lee Carsley linked with Celtic job

Now, 67 Hail Hail claim that Celtic are eyeing Carsley to be their next manager, with the Hoops “long-term admirers” of him, meaning he could “be in contention” to come in.

That said, the former Republic of Ireland international “isn’t a frontrunner for the job”, so at this stage, others feel more likely to take charge at Parkhead.

Carsley would be an interesting choice for Celtic if they did go down that route, with Roy Keane heaping praise on him during his brief stint as England’s interim boss before Thomas Tuchel came in.

Perhaps the biggest risk in Celtic appointing Carsley is the fact that he is yet to manage at club level, with his only roles coming with England, including his current Under-21s role.

England Under-21s

2025-present

11

2.27

England (interim)

2024

6

2.50

England Under-21s

2021-2024

29

2.41

England Under-20s

2020-2021

1

3.00

For that reason, bringing him in would be a gamble at a point when a safe pair of hands is required to steady the ship after a frustrating end to Rodgers’ reign.

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Carsley may be desperate to prove his worth in the club game, though, and if he impresses Celtic’s bosses more than the rest, they need to be trusted.

Celtic manager search takes twist as O'Neill makes decision about interim role

David Beckham sent a heartfelt message to Paul Scholes’ daughter Alicia following a tribute she posted after her father revealed he stopped doing commentary work in order to fit his schedule around his autistic son Aiden. The former England midfielder opened up to his ex-Manchester United team-mates Gary Neville and Roy Keane in an emotional interview earlier in the week.

• Tributes pour in following Scholes' emotional interview

  Tributes have continued to pour in for Scholes after he revealed he stepped back from working as a pundit and commentator in order to care for Aiden, 20, who he co-parents with his ex-wife, Claire Froggatt.

  Speaking candidly alongside former team-mates Neville and Keane – with whom he helped United win the treble in 1999 – Scholes said on podcast: “I made a decision this year because of Aiden, obviously due to his special needs you might know about.

  “All the work I do now is just around his routines cos he has quite a strict routine every single day, so I just decided everything I’m going to do it is around Aiden.

  "Everything I'm going to do now just works around him. I do studio work, but everything is built around his day.

  "Last season on Thursday nights I'd do the Europa League for Manchester United. That's the night I'd usually have him, so he was getting all agitated, biting and scratching. He knows the pattern's not there straight away.”

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• Ex-Man Utd man initially tried to deal with situation privately

  Scholes also revealed he was once dropped by former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as he attempted to deal with Aiden’s diagnosis privately, having initially kept it a secret.

  "I never got a break from it, even when playing – it was very hard in those days," said the 50-year-old.

  "I don't think they diagnosed it until he was two-and-a-half years old. But you knew early something was wrong, but then you get the diagnosis, and I'd never heard of it.

  "I remember the first time after it, we were playing Derby away and I just didn't want to be there.

  "I remember the manager dropped me the week after, and I hadn't told anyone. I ended up telling them a few weeks later, as it was quite hard.

  "Even now, I don't want sympathy or anything. I just thought, even if I did speak to someone about it, it's not going to help Aiden.

  "The big concern now is, because you're getting a bit older, what happens when you're not here? That's the thing that's now on my mind all the time.”

• Scholes' daughter Alicia pays tribute to her 'role model' father

  Following the interview, Scholes’ daughter Alicia paid tribute to her father on Instagram, writing: “@paulscholesaaa god knows how hard that episode must’ve been !!!!! we love you so much.”

  She added: "I've never known anyone hate talking about themselves more than you! I can only imagine how hard it was to speak about Aidie and the reality of a very very hard situation.

  "My whole life your priority has always been being my dad, and growing up and realising how hard you had to work everyday alongside that is something I can't even comprehend. To achieve all you did takes so much sacrifice and hard work and somehow I still had you to take me to school every morning and be there at the end of each day, so present in every aspect of my life!

  "If anyone met you they wouldn't have a clue the life you've lived, they'd just see a genuinely kind, polite, caring person. You don't care about people who don't matter, and out of everything that is the most valuable thing i have learnt from you. The thing I am proudest of is being your daughter, you are the best role model and father figure I could ever have, and you do it so effortlessly.

  "Anyway well done on this episode dad it was amazing and if Aidie could tell you himself he would say you really are the best dad in the world, we love you millions."

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• AFP
  

  An emotional Beckham sends heartfelt message to Alicia

  And commenting on Alicia's post, an emotional Beckham wrote: “Perfect words for your amazing dad @alicia.scholesx.”

  Beckham played alongside Scholes during an 11-year spell with United. Emerging through the Red Devils’ youth academy at the same time, both men were part of the club’s famous ‘Class of 92’ – alongside Neville brothers, Gary and Phil, and midfielders Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs.

  All six players helped United dominate English football during Ferguson’s 26-year stint in charge, with the club winning 13 league titles under his stewardship. The Old Trafford club also won five FA Cups and two Champions League titles with Ferguson at the helm.

While the hosts have named their XI, the visitors are yet to decide on their No. 3 and No. 6

Karthik Krishnaswamy19-Jun-20253:16

Does England’s inexperienced bowling even the scales?

Big picture: England’s inexperienced bowlingYou might remember The Oval Test of 2011. A recall for RP Singh when he was on vacation in Miami, a double-hundred for Ian Bell, a six-for for Graeme Swann, a third century from Rahul Dravid in a backs-to-the-wall tour, a 42-ball pair for Suresh Raina, and the final coat of whitewash in England 4, India 0.That was the last time India went into a Test match without any of – in order of Test-cap number – Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma in their XI. Fourteen years on, none of those players will be around when India take the field against England on Friday. Leeds will mark the start not just of a new Test series in England – and not just the start of a new World Test Championship cycle for both teams – but also a new era in Indian cricket.It feels portentous to look ahead to a new series by looking back to 2011 and 4-0, but it’s appropriate too. India hit the reset button within a year of that tour, and began to assemble the most versatile and most successful team in their Test-match history. They begin this 2025 tour with the unenviable task of trying to match or better that team’s achievements with a largely new set of players.Related

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The end of the old era was abrupt, with three retirements in the space of one tour, and there’s no soft launch for the new one – no home series against a low-ranked opposition to ease players into new roles. The Shubman Gill era begins with a resounding splash at the deep end, away in England.For all that, though, India won’t be facing the England of 2011, 2014, 2018 or 2021-22. Those four series were significant points on the remarkable career graphs of Stuart Broad and James Anderson. Broad will take part in this series too, as a commentator, and Anderson as a name on the trophy.England, then, have inexperience to worry about too. It will worry them that this inexperience is concentrated in the department that’s most vital to winning Test matches in English conditions: fast bowling. Mark Wood and Olly Stone are out with long-term injuries, and while Gus Atkinson, and – for the first time in four years – Jofra Archer could feature in the second Test, they won’t start the series.There is vulnerability here, and India will know that. And India have Jasprit Bumrah.3:18

Gill: ‘Can’t win a Test without taking 20 wickets’

Form guideEngland: WLWWL
India: LLDLWIn the spotlight: Chris Woakes and Shubman GillThanks to England’s injury issues, they start the series with two fast bowlers, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue, with eight Tests between them, and an offspinner, Shoaib Bashir, with 16. Without a genuine fifth bowler, England might also have to rely on Ben Stokes taking on a bigger bowling workload than he has been accustomed to in recent years. In this context, Chris Woakes becomes a key player. He has played 57 Tests, is nearing the 200-wickets milestone, and has an outstanding record in England: 137 wickets at an average of 21.59. And Woakes has come into his own as the senior man in England’s attack over recent months, taking 31 wickets at 23.58 in eight post-Anderson Tests.He’s about to become India’s 37th men’s Test captain, lead them into a new era, and slip into the role he has always looked destined for: Kohli’s successor as the defining face of Indian cricket. Shubman Gill is also about to go into his 33rd Test match with a batting average of 35.05. It’s a slightly misleading figure, because he has played a lot of his Test cricket on spicy pitches – top-seven batters average 32.10 in matches involving Gill – but you still expect someone of Gill’s lavish gifts to have better numbers. He sets high standards for himself too, and what better time to lay down a marker than his first series as captain?Team newsEngland named their XI two days out from the Test, confirming that Ollie Pope would bat at No. 3, and leaving Jacob Bethell to wait his turn.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 Shoaib Bashir1:45

Reddy in Manjrekar’s India XI; no place for Kuldeep

Gill will take over the No. 4 slot vacated by Kohli, and Rishabh Pant will bat at No. 5. It leaves India needing to pick two out of Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and the uncapped B Sai Sudharsan and Abhimanyu Easwaran to bat at Nos. 3 and 6. Going by the precedent of the Australia tour, there’s even a chance India could play three of those five – two specialist bats plus Reddy as a seam-bowling allrounder. If they resist the temptation to hedge their bets and extend their batting, they could choose between the bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur and the wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav to occupy the No. 8 slot. Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj seem certain to start as the two senior fast bowlers, with either Prasidh Krishna’s height and bounce, Akash Deep’s accuracy and seam movement, or Arshdeep Singh’s left-arm swing in support.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 B Sai Sudharsan, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Karun Nair, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur/Nitish Kumar Reddy/Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Prasidh Krishna, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed SirajPitch and conditionsStart out as a green seamer, flatten out thereafter. This is how Headingley’s pitches have behaved over recent years: lowest collective average (27.48) in the first and second innings of all English grounds that have hosted at least five Tests since 2010, and best collective average (33.65) in the third and fourth innings.Bowl first is almost certainly the way to go at Headingley: teams bowling first have won each of the last six Tests at the venue, and the last four fourth innings here have produced successful chases of 322, 359, 296 and 251.Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Joe Root nine times in Test cricket•AFP/Getty Images

There is potentially one counterbalancing factor, though. The weather in Leeds has been unusually warm and dry in the lead-up to the Test against India starting on Friday, and if this persists (though there is rain forecast over the five days of the match), there is a chance for the pitch to break up more than it usually does.Stats and trivia Gill (25 years and 285 days old on day one) is set to become India’s fifth-youngest Test captain behind MAK Pataudi, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev and Ravi Shastri, and push Kohli (26 years and 34 days) down to sixth place. Bumrah has dismissed Joe Root nine times in Test cricket. Bumrah hasn’t dismissed any other batter as often, and only Pat Cummins (11 times) and Josh Hazlewood (10 times) have dismissed Root more often. Since 2018, the year of his first tour of England, KL Rahul has made more runs (597 at an average of 37.31) and more hundreds (two) than any other visiting opener in England. India have played seven previous Tests at Headingley, losing four, drawing one, and pulling off famous wins in 1986 and 2002.Quotes”Shubman Gill’s a very, very fine player. He has been around a long time now, considering he’s only young. He has played a lot of cricket, a lot of IPL cricket, actually a lot of cricket for India. I think it’s an exciting time for Indian cricket, to be under new leadership. Obviously, a lot of pressure being captain of any Indian team, definitely; but yeah, it’s an exciting time. It always is for teams when a new leadership role comes into it. Obviously, he is my opposition for the next six weeks, so I won’t talk too much, but all the best.”
“Me and Rishabh [Pant], we have played a lot of cricket together, and our mindset and our thinking are sort of aligned, and our vision is sort of aligned. We want to create an environment in the team where everyone feels secure, and I personally believe that everyone’s best performances come when they’re feeling the most secure, and they’re feeling validated and secure, and that’s the kind of environment that we want to create in the team.”

Nuno Espirito Santo is in the new manager at West Ham United and the Irons are already eyeing his first potential signing as they look to make improvements come the January window.

Nuno sets out his stall at West Ham Utd

Graham Potter was relieved of his duties by West Ham on Saturday after a poor run of results at the London Stadium, leading to the Hammers acting swiftly to appoint Nuno after his departure from Nottingham Forest.

Availability as an unattached manager and Karren Brady’s desire to see the Portuguese boss take the reins meant he was always the outstanding candidate, albeit his exploits at the City Ground last term shouldn’t go under the radar.

Speaking after his appointment, the former Spurs boss has vowed to try and build a sense of unity among the players, supporters and management staff, claiming that his arrival will be a chance to press the reset button.

He said in his inaugural press conference: “Now it’s a new beginning for everybody. It’s a new process that we really have to know, and we find out who we are and what we want to be. First of all, we have to realise who we are, and then we can create an identity. But first of all, we have to know each other really, really well.

“The supporters are very important, very important. That’s why I truly believe what we want to achieve is a platform. Now is not the moment to ask the fans. Now is the moment to deliver to the fans. When we have this bond, when other teams come to play against us, it’s going to be hell. But we have to achieve this bond first.”

While Paul Merson has voiced his opposition to West Ham appointing Nuno, he was probably the best and most sensible option available, and he could now be set to ramp up efforts to secure his first signing.

West Ham eyeing Juventus star Manuel Locatelli

According to Mark Brus in his Daily Briefing, West Ham are eyeing a January move for Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli, who may be available for £35 million if the Serie A giants decide to cash in on his services.

Chelsea, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen are also mooted as suitors, albeit the Old Lady would prefer not to lose the engine room operator if they manage to have it their own way.

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ByEmilio Galantini Sep 28, 2025

Labelled “exemplary” by Massimiliano Allegri, Locatelli has made five appearances this term and possesses the calibre necessary to make an impact in the Premier League.

The Hammers have struggled for inspiration of late and lack leadership in what has been a difficult period on and off the pitch. However, Nuno’s appointment offers a clean slate, and some high-profile signings would improve the mood at the London Stadium.

Barcelona have confirmed midfielder Dani Olmo has been sidelined with a calf injury he sustained while on international duty with Spain. The club have learned the full extent of the issue, which could see him miss the upcoming Clasico clash against Real Madrid, while there are concerns around fellow Blaugrana star Ferran Torres.

• Medical tests reveal injury density

  The initial signs of discomfort date back to last Thursday and worsened on Friday. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) monitored his situation and hinted at a muscle injury, which prompted Olmo to return to Barca for further examinations. His medical tests were completed on Monday at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, and the club released a statement which read: "Dani Olmo has injured the soleus in his left leg, with no damage to connective tissue. His recovery time will depend on how the injury evolves." Although the club has not outlined any probable return date, reports will be two to three weeks before he can return. 

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• AFP
  

  Olmo adds to the damage at Barca

  Barca have a hefty list of injured players which includes Gavi, Ferran Torres, Joan Garica and now Olmo. Gavi underwent a knee surgery and is expected to be out for around four to five months. Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal, who was sidelined with an injury in his pubic area, is back in training and the club have a plan to ensure he is fit for the Clasico. Torres has an overload in the hamstring muscles of his left leg but might be available for the Clasico. Doubts had been cast over the involvement of Fermin Lopez and Raphinha, but the duo are expected to return against Girona, alongside Yamal. Goalkeeper Garcia meanwhile, will be missing the mega encounter as he recently underwent surgery and will need six weeks to recover. 

  Olmo, however, will miss the Girona game along with the Champions League outing against Olympiacos and the Clasico.

• When will Olmo return?

  Olmo will be treated over the coming weeks and Barca hope to have him back in Hansi Flick's squad for the match against Elche in November.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Barca gearing up for Clasico showdown

  The last time Barca met Madrid was back in May, where the Catalans derailed Los Blancos 4-3 at Montjuic. While Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick for the visitors, Raphinha's brace coupled with Yamal and Eric Garcia's goals, helped Flick's side remain unbeaten against their rivals in the 2024-25 season. With the reigning Spanish champions sitting two points behind Madrid at this stage, Flick and his team will be looking to keep the pressure on Xabi Alonso's side in the build up to the big game.

They picked up 4 for 35 from their combined eight overs to set up the win

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-20252:13

Why was Kuldeep difficult to attack at Chinnaswamy?

Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Axar Patel had high praise for his wristspinners Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam after a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025.On a sticky M Chinnaswamy Stadium surface, Kuldeep picked up 2 for 17 from four overs with his left-arm wristspin and Nigam 2 for 18 with his legspin as DC kept RCB to 163 for 7. One of Nigam’s overs was in the powerplay, after RCB had raced to 62 for 1 in four overs, and he conceded only two runs in that.”Kuldeep has been doing it for many years,” Axar said at the post-match presentation, “but it’s not easy to be consistent – the IPL is a big stage, and has its own pressure.Related

Behind-the-wicket lessons told Rahul 'what pockets to target' on tacky Chinnaswamy pitch

The horror! You have to graft for runs at the Chinnaswamy now

“Talking about Vipraj, in the first two games, he was under a bit of pressure. But after that the way he bowled in the last game [he got 2 for 27 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK)] and even tonight, when I asked him for the 18th over, he was confident and said he would bowl. He is improving day by day, and if someone gives you that confidence, nothing better than that for a captain.”Axar also talked about the “tactical use” of spin in the powerplay. He himself bowled the second over, though that went for 16.”Obviously, we talk about match-ups and look at what is happening from the wicket,” he said. “Their openers prefer facing fast bowlers, so I was thinking I should not bowl fast bowlers much. When I started bowling, the ball was sticking in the pitch, and there was some bounce too. I realised it was difficult to score off spinners.”As the match progressed, the ball started turning more for wristspinners. But I think I went a bit overboard with tactics for the 19th over [where Axar went for 17 runs] ! But since we won, it’s all good.”

“As a batsman, when your position changes, it’s not that easy. One day you are opening the innings, playing a new ball; then [another day] you have to come in the middle and do this. But for me, it is good to have such a player in the team. After I got out by playing a bad shot that was not needed at that time, he played a mature innings and took us home with Stubbs”Axar Patel on KL Rahul’s innings

It wasn’t an easy chase, though. DC were 67 for 4 after 11 overs, and the asking rate had climbed to 10.77. But KL Rahul, batting at No. 4 with Faf du Plessis back in the side and opening, played an innings of 93 not out off 53 balls, and took the side home with 2.1 overs to spare.”It becomes very easy for me when there is such a player,” Axar said of Rahul. “I have also been in that situation. I know how it feels when you are used as a floater in a pressure situation.”As a batsman, when your position changes, it’s not that easy. One day you are opening the innings, playing a new ball; then [another day] you have to come in the middle and do this. But for me, it is good to have such a player in the team. After I got out by playing a bad shot that was not needed at that time, he played a mature innings and took us home with [Trsitan] Stubbs. I think he is carrying the form of from the Champions Trophy.”