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The England opener said that Ben Stokes had been training like a “beast” since arriving in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-20257:23

Will Joe Root finally score his first hundred in Australia?

Ben Duckett believes England will start the Ashes series without much “baggage” and said that the team’s aggressive approach to Test cricket is evolving beyond what has sometimes been perceived as reckless.Duckett is one of 11 players in England’s squad who have yet to play Test cricket in Australia while the average age is 28 compared to the home side’s 33. The players have been greeted in Perth by a series of comical headlines from the local newspaper but Duckett said they have been warmly welcomed.Related

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“This group we’ve got, I actually saw the other day I’m the fourth oldest, which was tough to see,” Duckett told the podcast. “So we’ve got quite a fresh group coming here where there’s not a lot of baggage, which I think will help us.”Since his Test recall in 2022, Duckett is the leading run-scorer among openers. In the 2023 Ashes he made 321 runs at 35.66. “I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “You know how tough it is for touring sides coming over here. I’m not expecting or setting myself any targets. I know I’m opening the batting against probably the best bowling attack in the world in their home conditions.”For the first Test, at least, that attack will be missing Pat Cummins as he continues to recover from a lumbar stress injury. There remains hope he will be available for the second Test and went through another solid workout at the SCG on Tuesday.Ben Duckett will have a vital role to play at the top of the order•Getty Images

“You want to play against the best and you don’t want to have guys like that missing out in series like this,” Duckett said. “But on the flip side, I’m an opening batter and he’s probably one of the best bowlers in the world. So yeah, quietly, I hope it’s not too bad but obviously any game where he’s not playing is an advantage for us.”Much of the pre-series narrative is around how Bazball will go in Australian conditions, but Duckett said that both individually and collectively their approach was becoming more nuanced.”I think now it’s definitely about reading moments,” he said. “[Brendon McCullum] will come up to me and say, now you’re a better player than just getting 40 off 30 and getting us off to a good start.”There’s moments as an opening batsman, for example, it could be at Perth in a few weeks where we’ve got five overs to see at the end of the day. And I did it against India last summer where actually just get through it. I don’t care how many runs you’ve got, just be there in the morning.”I think that’s where we’re trying to go as a team now, it’s not just being this entertaining, reckless at times, side. And it’s something that I’ve got frustrated with myself in the past, where I might have got 80 off 60 and it looks great and stuff, but they’re going to put my side in a good position. So it’s realising moments and doing that and then kicking on and getting a big score. And I think that’s where we’re really wanting to go as a side now.”Duckett termed captain Ben Stokes “probably the most important man” in the team and had been taken aback by the intensity of his training. “I can only say we’ve been out here for a few days and he’s been in beast mode,” he said. “He has been running, bowling two spells, batting for two hours. The way he trains and stuff these days is something that I’ve never seen before.”He’s obviously probably the most important man in this side when he’s bowling. So hopefully he stays fit for all five tests and he’s bowling in all of them because he’s crucial for us.”

Tottenham’s unbeaten Champions League run came to a dramatic end at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night against PSG, but there were positives to take from the thrilling encounter.

The European champions were rocked by Thomas Frank’s plucky Spurs side, who gave Luis Enrique a real nightmare, with PSG mounting two separate comebacks to secure a pulsating 5-3 victory.

Midfielder Vitinha claimed a memorable hat-trick, with PSG having to rely on moments of sheer quality just to overcome the north Londoners in France.

Frank’s men stunned the home side by taking a deserved lead on 35 minutes through Richarlison, who headed home from close range after brilliant build-up play involving youngsters Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray. The Brazilian’s opener looked set to give Spurs a halftime advantage, but Vitinha crashed in a spectacular 25-yard equaliser via the crossbar just before the break.

Randal Kolo Muani

8.7

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

8.4

Vitinha

8.4

Willian Pacho

8.1

Joao Neves

8.0

via WhoScored

Tottenham regained their lead five minutes into the second period when Randal Kolo Muani fired home against his parent club, converting the rebound after Gray’s effort was cleared off the line. However, PSG responded immediately with a devastating 13-minute blitz that turned the contest decisively in their favour.

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Vitinha curled home his second goal after being afforded excessive space to cut inside, before Fabian Ruiz completed the turnaround six minutes later following a costly turnover from Pape Matar Sarr outside his own penalty area. William Pacho then extended PSG’s advantage to 4-2 after Tottenham failed to clear Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s corner adequately.

Kolo Muani bundled his way through to drill home his second goal with 18 minutes remaining, briefly offering Spurs hope of salvaging something from the match. Those aspirations were dampened moments later, when Cristian Romero’s handball gifted PSG a penalty, which Vitinha confidently converted to complete his hat-trick and seal all three points.

The loss was Tottenham’s first in nine Champions League matches and leaves them sitting 15th in the league phase standings. Despite showing attacking intent and twice taking the lead, Frank’s young side were ultimately undone by defensive lapses during crucial moments in the second half.

Kolo Muani’s man of the match display against PSG, a club he’s still under contract with, gave Spurs major hope that they could have the answer to their striking problems after all.

The Frenchman, who’s suffered repeated injury setbacks since joining on loan, bagged his first goals for the Lilywhites and proved a real mence against one of the continent’s top sides.

However, Kolo Muani wasn’t Tottenham’s only bright spark on the night.

Thomas Frank praises "very impressive" Archie Gray in Tottenham loss to PSG

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Frank reserved special praise for Gray, who linked up with Bergvall for Spurs’ opening goal of the contest and provided real energy in midfield.

The 19-year-old has spent most of this season out with a calf injury so far, and before that, found it hard to get consistent first-team minutes with Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr and Bergvall all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Much like last season, Gray responded with a solid performance when called upon last night, and it could be time for the Englishman to earn Frank’s starting nod much more often.

The former Leeds United sensation was given a baptism of fire under Ange Postecoglou last season when asked to play multiple unfamiliar roles during Spurs’ 24/25 injury crisis, and he’s done arguably done enough to earn the club’s favour.

With the 2026 World Cup just round the corner, Gray will be hoping that he can potentially stake his claim in Thomas Tuchel’s squad, but he’ll need Frank’s faith with more game time.

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has told the franchise he wants to be released ahead of the upcoming auction for IPL 2026. ESPNcricinfo learned that Samson informed the RR management of his intention immediately after IPL 2025 ended.RR, which had its 2025 season review meetings in June, has not yet given Samson a definitive answer and the option of convincing him to stay with the team is still open. The franchise’s lead owner Manoj Badale offered no comment when asked about the development. The final decision will be taken by him in coordination with RR head coach Rahul Dravid.If RR decide to release Samson, they could either trade him to another franchise or send him into the auction. As per the IPL contract, the final say in such cases lies with the franchise. As far as a trade is concerned, it could be a player swap or an all-cash deal.Samson, 30, first played for RR for three seasons from IPL 2013 to 2015, and then rejoined them in 2018 after two years at Delhi Daredevils. He was appointed captain in 2021 and, in 2022, led RR to the IPL final for the first time since they won the inaugural edition in 2008. However, two of their key players – Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal, who won the Orange and Purple caps in 2022 – were released ahead of the 2025 mega auction.Related

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Samson was one of six players retained by RR ahead of last year’s mega auction; his price was INR 18 crore ($2.14 million approx. then). The other players retained were Yashasvi Jaiswal, Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Sandeep Sharma and Shimron Hetmyer. Samson played only nine of RR’s 14 matches in IPL 2025 due to a side strain, with Riyan Parag standing in as captain.They finished ninth with just four wins.ESPNcricinfo learned that Samson is currently at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for a routine training programme designed for a targeted pool of players shortlisted by the national selectors. He will likely be picked for the Asia Cup which starts in the UAE from September 9. Before that Samson will play a few matches in the Kerala Cricket League where he was recently picked by Kochi Blue Tigers for INR 26.8 lakh, making him the most expensive player in the tournament.RR have another two months to make a decision on Samson before the IPL’s retention deadline in November.

In a fresh Gers update on the potential arrival of Steven Gerrard at Ibrox, reports are now indicating that Teddy Bears chief, Kevin Thelwell, has been asked to change his role slightly at Rangers.

Who could join Gerrard at Rangers?

It looks as though Gerrard is almost certain to become the next Rangers manager at this stage.

The Liverpool legend is reportedly on the brink of an agreement and his backroom staff is already a topic of discussion in Glasgow. After admitting the need to lean on his staff, the Gers could yet welcome back some more familiar faces in the coming days.

According to recent reports, Gary McAllister and Jermain Defoe are likely to join Gerrard by returning to Rangers and the incoming boss also wants to bring former England coach Steve Holland to the club. Perhaps in an ideal world for Gerrard personally, Michael Beale would be coming back to his role as assistant, but his return to the club would not be as welcomed.

Getting things right in every department, from the manager to the rest of his staff, should be a top priority for the 49ers.

The last thing they need is to fail twice in their first year in Scotland, having already watched Russell Martin crash and burn.

Gerrard’s arrival should steady the ship after such a disastrous start. Whether it’s enough to keep hold of the likes of Nicolas Raskin is another question, however. Recent transfer rumours have suggested that Besiktas are ready to rescue the midfielder as soon as January in what would be an early blow for the new manager.

After telling one Ibrox chief to change his role upon his arrival, though, it’s the type of situation that Gerrard will be hoping to avoid.

Steven Gerrard tells Kevin Thelwell to adjust Rangers role

According to talkSPORT, with his return drawing near, Gerrard has indirectly told Kevin Thelwell to adjust his role as sporting director, with the incoming new manager demanding a “decisive say” on transfers and Rangers’ recruitment drive.

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Whilst Martin received his fair share of criticism in the summer, Thelwell hasn’t exactly enjoyed an impressive start to life at Rangers.

The sporting director helped bring as many as 14 fresh faces to Glasgow in the summer transfer window, and it’s difficult to pick one name other than Djeidi Gassama who has got off to a positive start.

Former Rangers ace Kris Boyd recognised that when Martin’s tenure came to an end.

Whether Gerrard’s influence turns things around on the recruitment front is now the big question, as Thelwell looks to turn his own poor start around at Ibrox.

كشف حازم إمام عضو اتحاد الكرة الأسبق، عن رأيه في احتياجات الزمالك من أجل علاج الأزمات التي يمر بها فريق الكرة خلال الفترة المقبلة، بعد تعرضه للهزيمة أمام الأهلي في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري.

وقال حازم إمام في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “ليست روشتة واحدة بل هي وصفات متعددة يحتاجها الزمالك، وأنا أتحدث عن اللاعبين الذين تم التعاقد معهم في الخط الأمامي فقط، ولا أقصد محمد إسماعيل الذي يعد لاعبًا كبيرًا بحق وسيكون مشروعًا واعدًا في المستقبل”.

وأكمل: “وكذلك أحمد ربيع في وسط الملعب، لاعب جيد، لكنني أتحدث عن الشق الهجومي، وهو ما يحتاج إليه الزمالك ليصبح فريقًا قادرًا على صناعة الهجمات”.

وواصل: “الأهلي هذا العام استقبل 14 هدفًا في 13 مباراة، ومنها هدفان من الإسماعيلي وهدفان من حرس الحدود، اليوم نرى الزمالك يعاني هجوميًا، فلا يستطيع التسجيل أو حتى صناعة الفرص، وهذا يدل على وجود أزمة هجومية تؤثر حتى على المنظومة الدفاعية”.

وزاد: “طالما لم يُسجل الفريق، يبقى دائم التهديد بتلقي الأهداف في أي وقت رغم حسن التنظيم الدفاعي، وأنت تدافع جيدًا، لكن لا بد من التسجيل كي يستعيد اللاعبون الثقة، هذه النقطة تحديدًا، أي الهجوم، هي التي تستوجب عملاً جادًا من جانب الزمالك”.

وأردف: “لاعبو الخط الأمامي الذين جاؤوا هذا الموسم لم يكونوا ناجحين ولم يساهموا في تحسين الأداء الهجومي، ولذا لا ينبغي أن يضيع الفريق وقتًا أكثر، بل عليه أن يبحث عن اثنين أو ثلاثة لاعبين بجودة عالية، وليس مجرد عدد في المراكز”.

وأشار: “الزمالك ليس سيئًا، بل يملك أدوات جيدة، ولكن الفريق عانى من نقص عدد اللاعبين وكثرة الإصابات، ما اضطر الجهاز الفني إلى توظيف لاعبين في غير مواقعهم الأصلية”.

وأضاف: “ناصر ماهر فقد فاعليته عندما لعب على الطرف، وقد بدا ذلك واضحًا منذ الشوط الأول، إذ لا تتوفر له الأدوات الكافية لزيادة الفاعلية الهجومية، وهو الأمر ذاته عندما جلس بيزيرا وهو أفضل جناح لديه، ودفع بلاعب أضعف بدنيًا وتكتيكيًا لأنه لا يملك البدائل اللازمة”.

واستطرد: “البدائل ليست كثيرة؛ أحمد شريف شارك في الدقائق الأخيرة وأحمد حمدي في الوسط، ولا يوجد رأس حربة ثانٍ مؤثر، رغم وجود أربعة مهاجمين في التشكيلة ولكن عند توظيفهم في مركز الجناح لا يقدمون الإضافة، لذلك يجب ضم لاعبين بجودة أكبر”.

أحمد عبد الرؤوف بعد خسارة الزمالك لقب السوبر: ليست نهاية العالم.. والإصابات صعبت مهمتنا أمام الأهلي

وأشار: “أما المشاكل الإدارية فليست موضع حديث الآن، فالنقاش فني بحت، وفي كرة القدم يجب على الفريق أن يلتقط أنفاسه سريعًا، والزمالك ليس بعيدًا عن المنافسة”.

وأكمل: “ربما كان من الممكن أن تتغير نتائج المباراة الأخيرة؛ ففي الشوط الثاني ومع التغييرات، امتلك الفريق زمام الأمور أمام الأهلي، الذي اضطر إلى الدفاع واعتمد على الهجمات المرتدة، وكان على حسام عبد المجيد أن يراقب طاهر حتى اللحظة الأخيرة”.

وأردف: “كل المؤشرات قبل المباراة كانت تصب لصالح الأهلي، لكن على أرض الملعب لم يظهر فريق الأهلي بشكل قوي في الشوط الأول، إذ لم تكن هناك فرص عديدة باستثناء تسديدة من زيزو، ولم يكن هناك ضغط هجومي حقيقي”.

وواصل: “ومع ذلك كانت فرصة شيكو بانزا في الشوط الأول قريبة من فرصة طاهر في الشوط الثاني التي جاء منها الهدف، ولكن الفارق في اتخاذ القرار النهائي، الجانب الهجومي كان بحاجة إلى فاعلية أكبر في التعامل مع الكرة من شيكو بانزا”.

وأوضح: “مثل هذه الأمور الدقيقة هي التي تصنع الفارق في اللقاءات الكبيرة، من حيث طريقة التصويب والتحرك في منطقة الجزاء، الزمالك يحتاج إلى لاعبين مؤثرين في الخط الأمامي، فما يملكه من تشكيلة جيدة ليس كافيًا للفوز بالبطولات، خصوصًا أمام فرق مثل الأهلي أو بيراميدز، ولا بد له من تدعيم صفوفه بأربعة لاعبين على الأقل بجودة عالية”.

وأتم: “صحيح أن تشكيلة الزمالك الحالية قادرة على المنافسة، ولكن مع تلك الإضافات الفنية سيصبح الفريق أكثر قدرة على تحقيق الفوز في المباريات الكبرى”.

Juventus have had their financial issues in recent years, but they are still one of the biggest clubs in Italy and Europe.

The Old Lady have a plethora of international players on the books and an annual payroll of €126,190,000, with the average player earning more than €4m per season.

But who earns the most in Turin? Here is every Juventus player in the first-team squad ranked in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 season, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Rank	Player	Gross pay per week	Gross pay per year
1	Dusan Vlahovic	€427,308	€22,220,000
2	Jonathan David	€213,654	€11,110,000
3	Bremer	€178,077	€9,260,000
4	Lois Openda	€142,500	€7,410,000
5	Francisco Conceicao	€135,385	€7,040,000
6	Manuel Locatelli	€117,500	€6,110,000
7	Teun Koopmeiners	€110,962	€5,770,000
8	Federico Gatti	€110,385	€5,740,000
9	Edon Zhegrova	€89,038	€4,630,000
=10	Andrea Cambiasso	€85,385	€4,440,000
=10	Lloyd Kelly	€85,385	€4,440,000
=12	Khephren Thuram	€71,154	€3,700,000
=12	Michele Di Gregorio	€71,154	€3,700,000
=12	Joao Mario	€71,154	€3,700,000
=12	Daniele Rugani	€71,154	€3,700,000
=16	Weston McKennie	€61,731	€3,210,000
=16	Filip Kostic	€61,731	€3,210,000
18	Pierre Kalulu	€59,231	€3,080,000
19	Kenan Yildiz	€56,923	€2,960,000
20	Mattia Perin	€53,462	€2,780,000
21	Timothy Weah	€49,231	€2,560,000
22	Arkadiusz Milik	€43,077	€2,240,000
23	Juan Cabal	€42,692	€2,220,000
24	Fabio Miretti	€35,577	€1,850,000
25	Vasilije Adzic	€14,231	€740,000
26	Carlo Pinsoglio	€10,769	€560,000
27	Jonas Rouhi	€7,115	€370,000

Here's a detailed look at Juventus' top 10 earners…

10

Andrea Cambiaso

€85,385 per week

Full-back Andrea Cambiaso has been with Juventus since 2022 after leaving Genoa, a club where he came through the academy.

The Italian was heavily linked with a move to Manchester City at the beginning of 2025 but remained in Turin and is under contract until 2029.

9

Edon Zhegrova

€89,038 per week

Edon Zhegrova joined late in the 2025 summer transfer window from Lille in a deal worth €14.3m.

The Kosovo international can play on either wing and signed a five-year deal with Juventus.

8

Federico Gatti

€110,385 per week

Centre-back Federico Gatti signed a new and improved Juventus deal in 2025 after becoming a regular in recent seasons.

The Italy international more than doubled his previous salary and is under contract until 2030.

7

Teun Koopmeiners

€110,962 per week

Costing more than €50m from Serie A rivals Atalanta, Teun Koopmeiners was a marquee addition for Juventus in 2024.

The Dutch midfielder helped Atalanta to Europa League glory and signed a five-year deal in Turin, looking to win more silverware with Juve.

6

Manuel Locatelli

€117,500 per week

Defensive midfielder Manuel Locatelli has been a Juventus player since 2021, although they initially signed the Italian on a two-year loan deal with an obligation to buy from Sassuolo.

Locatelli has been a regular since signing and is under contract until 2028.

5

Francisco Conceicao

€135,385 per week

A loanee for the 2024/25 season, Francisco Conceicao made his move permanent from FC Porto for around €30m.

The versatile forward saw his salary increase to more than €7m per season and is under contract until 2030.

4

Lois Openda

€142,500 per week

Juevtnus won the race to sign speedy forward Lois Openda from RB Leipzig in 2025 and will pay the German side €40m for the Belgian’s services.

Openda is on loan for the 2025/26 season but a transfer will be made permanent at the end of the season.

3

Bremer

€178,077 per week

Picking up more than €9m per season is centre-back Bremer, who has been a Juventus player since 2022.

Signed from Torino, the Brazilian has continued to impress in Serie A, but unfortunately has had some injury issues in Turin.

2

Jonathan David

€213,654 per week

With no transfer fee required, Juventus were able to offer Jonathan David an eye-catching €11.11m salary for the next five years.

The Canadian forward had plenty of offers around Europe but chose a move to Turin, where he will earn more than €55m in wages.

1

Dusan Vlahovic

€427,308 per week

Comfortably Juventus’ highest-paid player is striker Dusan Vlahovic, who earns a whopping €22.22m per season in Turin.

Juventus won the race to sign the Serbia international from Fiorentina in 2022 for an initial €70m, though Vlahovic is out of contract in 2026, so his days as an Old Lady player could be numbered.

It wasn’t a vintage performance from Arsenal last night, but they did what they needed to do against Port Vale and are through to the Fourth Round of the League Cup.

With that said, while much of the team underwhelmed against the League One side, Myles Lewis-Skelly was one of those who didn’t.

For example, he got the faintest of touches on the ball that led to Eberechi Eze’s goal, and then, across the 94 minutes, completed 76 of 78 passes, was successful in 100% of his dribbles, and won 100% of his duels.

It was the sort of showing that should remind fans and pundits alike just how special a talent the Hale Ender really is.

Moreover, it’s a testament to him that he’s already an established first-teamer, as Arsenal had a young prospect who some could say was the original Lewis-Skelly a few years ago, and he eventually left the club for nothing.

Lewis-Skelly's incredible rise at Arsenal

It’s almost hard to believe, but at this point last year, Lewis-Skelly had played just a minute of senior competitive football for Arsenal when he came off the bench against Manchester City in the league.

Impressively, though, and perhaps as an indication of his willingness to get stuck in, the teenager actually received a yellow card early on in that game before he’d even made his debut for telling his teammates to stay down from the sidelines.

His first start for the club came a year ago tonight, however, as Arteta put him in from the start against Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup, and it didn’t take long for him to play a brilliant ball into Raheem Sterling, which led to an Ethan Nwaneri goal.

Over the next few months, the young Englishman would become more and more critical to the team, as persistent injuries to Riccardo Calafiori gave him the time to cement the left-back position as his own.

In fact, the teenager was so impressive in red and white that he was handed his first senior England cap in March of this year, when he made his debut against Albania and scored his first international goal.

The “fearless” academy star, as dubbed by Declan Rice, ended up making 39 first-team appearances last season and already has four under his belt this year, looking like he could really be going to the World Cup in the summer.

In all, Arsenal have an incredible talent on their hands in Lewis-Skelly, and he looks destined to reach the top of the game, unlike another young defensive prospect they had who eventually left for nothing.

Arsenal's original Lewis-Skelly

As with every major club, Arsenal has had numerous promising young academy talents who have struggled to make the transition to the first team.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Unfortunately, that was what happened in the case of the very talented Reuell Walters.

Before joining the Gunners academy set-up in 2020, the 20-year-old ace spent 18 months without a team following a failed move to Manchester United after he left Tottenham Hotspur.

However, that time out of junior football seemingly made no difference to his ability when he did make it to Hale End.

For example, across the almost four years he spent with the Gunners, the Lambeth-born gem made 55 appearances for the U21S, 20 for the U18S and five for the UEFA Youth League squads.

Moreover, he was very highly rated by those in the know, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a “ball-carrying monster” who “loves to drive up the pitch with conviction, brushing off challengers and shielding the ball with his body.”

U21

55

U18

20

UEFA YL

5

Total

80

Mattinson then goes on to claim the youngster’s “passing ability is technically secure” and that he “looks to play long balls over the top of the opponent’s defence to switch play.”

In other words, he was seen as a young full-back who was tough on the ball, could carry it with ease and still had a killer pass in his locker, which sounds a lot like Lewis-Skelly.

However, even though he was an unused substitute on a number of occasions, it was clear that the young Englishman wanted more first-team football. As a result, he turned down a new contract and instead joined Luton Town for free in July 2024.

Since then, he’s made 20 appearances for the Hatters, and while that might not sound like much, he is still young and missed 15 games through injury last season.

Ultimately, it’s now clear that Walters was never going to hit the levels of Arsenal’s recent Hale End stars, but given his age and the skills he has, there is every chance he can still have a great career in the game.

Ruben Amorim was shocked by the 'knee-jerk reaction' to Manchester United's latest defeat, as they lost 3-1 to Brentford, and insiders at the club now fear that he will resign, instead of being sacked, per a new report. The Red Devils have lost three of their opening six Premier League games and were dumped out of the League Cup by Grimsby Town.

Amorim surprised by fallout

Per the , Amorim has been surprised by the sheer amount of scrutiny that is on both the club and his position after their uninspiring start to the season. The Portuguese is said to be shocked by the fact there is a 'knee-jerk reaction' after every single defeat, and United have, thus far, lost half of their Premier League fixtures, and were also embarrassed by Grimsby in the League Cup. The most recent loss, to Brentford, has left Amorim with the sixth-lowest points tally after 33 games at any club in the history of the Premier League. Nevertheless, the club are said to have faith that the former Sporting CP boss can turn their season around, but insiders now fear he could walk away.

Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to be very keen to ensure that Amorim has a full season to prove himself but there is a concern that Amorim will see United as being a career-defining job, particularly if they keep losing games with the same regularity they are currently. 

AdvertisementAFPUnited being linked with other managers

United have been heavily linked with potential replacements for Amorim, although the report states that sources at the club are maintaining they have yet to draw up any kind of shortlist. While Erik ten Hag was in charge, the club did actively speak to other potential hires, doing so with Amorim before the Bayer Leverkusen boss moved on, but they are insistent there has been no repeat this time. Reports are linking the club with both Michael Carrick and Gareth Southgate, however, but the latter has not had any contact with Ratcliffe, despite the owner being an admirer of the former England boss.

Carrick could be seen as a potential interim appointment if Amorim does move on, but it speaks to the faith INEOS have in the 40-year-old that they are yet to open direct communications with anybody else. United play Sunderland before the international break and that game has already become a must-win, with the newly-promoted side in fine form with only one defeat from their opening six fixtures.

Amorim's defining period?

Amorim said after the defeat to Brentford that he was not concerned about his immediate future. 

He said: "I am never concerned about my job – I am not that kind of guy It is not my decision. I will do the best I can every minute I am here."

He was also not willing to throw his players under the bus after such a poor display, adding: "I think we played the game they wanted us to play, the opponents – really confused: first balls, second balls. If we play the game of the opponent, it’s harder for us. We never settled the game down. We suffered two goals where we knew they are really strong on that, with the long balls. Then we tried to get back in the game. We miss a penalty, and all these moments are a little bit against us. That could change the game, but in the end, we need to – and we should do – better.

"We need to have those moments for us. In the last game we had that, especially in the beginning of the game. Today, my biggest concern is the way we didn’t settle down the game, to control the game, to play our game. We should do that more in the game."

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(C)Getty ImagesWhere next for Man Utd?

United face Sunderland before the international break but they then face a huge test once they return: A trip to Anfield to face Liverpool. The two sides could not be enjoying more different seasons, and the Reds will be out to hand down another major defeat on their bitter rivals. Last season at Anfield, Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by Amorim's men, and a similar result for United would feel like manna from heaven given the state of their current campaign. 

There may be some Glasgow Rangers supporters who are currently questioning the board, the recruitment department, and head coach Russell Martin.

You did not have to have super hearing to be aware of the feelings of some fans towards the manager during the 6-0 defeat to Club Brugge in Belgium on Wednesday night.

The Light Blues have conceded 17 goals in ten competitive matches under the new head coach, failing to qualify for the Champions League and failing to win any of their three games in the Scottish Premiership to date.

However, the recruitment department should also take some of the blame because it is, ultimately, the players on the pitch who are significantly underperforming at this moment in time.

Yes, Martin has to put a system and tactics in place that get the best out of the players, but there have been far too many simple mistakes that players signed by Rangers should not be making.

The recruitment team need to get the right calibre of players in the building, and that is why some may be frustrated to learn that Abdallah Sima currently looks set to leave Brighton for a relatively modest fee.

Rangers have missed a trick with Abdallah Sima

The Senegal international is reportedly on the verge of signing for Ligue 1 side Lens in a deal that is worth an initial fee of just £3.9m, plus add-ons on top of that.

For context, Rangers paid £4.5m to sign Oscar Cortes from Lens as part of their obligation to make his loan permanent this summer. The Colombian winger has scored one league goal for Rangers since his arrival, initially on loan, in January 2024.

During Sima’s time on loan at Rangers from Brighton in the 2023/24 campaign, the left-sided attacker proved that he had the quality to make a big impact in Scottish football.

The £3.9m-rated star scored 16 goals in all competitions for the Ibrox giants, per Transfermarkt, and offered a big goal threat in the Premiership for Philippe Clement.

Appearances

25

Starts

17

Goals

11

Big chances created

2

Assists

2

Dribbles completed per game

1.2

Duels won per game

6.4

As you can see in the table above, Sima delivered 13 direct goal contributions in 17 starts in the top-flight for Rangers that season, before he returned to Brighton at the end of his loan spell.

The forward then scored 12 goals in all competitions for Brest on loan in France last season, which shows that he has continued to offer a threat in front of goal.

This is why Rangers missing out on a £3.9m deal, particularly given what they paid for Cortes, could be seen as a blunder by the recruitment team and Martin.

However, the Gers are now reportedly looking at a move for a Premier League attacker who could be a Sima repeat at Ibrox in the 2025/26 campaign.

Rangers in talks to sign Premier League forward

According to RangersReview, Rangers have made contact with Everton over a potential deal to sign Portuguese centre-forward Youssef Chermiti.

The report claims that the Light Blues have enquired about a move to bring him to Ibrox on a season-long loan deal, with talks underway between the two clubs ahead of Monday’s deadline.

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Everton-based reporter El Bobble adds that the Gers are advancing in talks to complete a deal for the versatile forward, which suggests that progress has been made in recent hours.

The account, previously credited by David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano, claims that the Scottish giants are also looking to include an option to make the deal permanent.

It is now down to the club to ensure that they can wrap up a move for the 21-year-old star in the coming days before the window slams shut on Monday.

Why Chermiti could be the next Sima for Rangers

Supporters may take a look at Chermiti’s statistics and be concerned by the fact that he has not scored a goal in over two years with Everton, although he only played four times in the Premier League last season.

The young forward has failed to deliver a single goal or assist in 24 matches for Everton in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which is not going to instill much hope from fans looking into his career.

However, Chermiti, dubbed an “outstanding” talent by U23 scout Antonio Mango, also came through the ranks and made first-team appearances at Sporting, a huge club, before being signed for a whopping fee of £15m by Everton in 2023.

Despite not scoring a competitive goal for Everton’s first-team, there is potential for Chermiti to arrive at Ibrox as a repeat of Sima, as another loanee from a Premier League club who could make a big impact at Ibrox.

Prior to his loan move to Glasgow, Sima had not played a single game for Brighton and had only scored five goals on loan at Angers, which shows that they were not signing a proven talent at the time.

U21

2

1

U20

4

2

U19

4

3

U18

12

6

U16

12

1

U15

5

1

As you can see in the table above, Chermiti has showcased his goalscoring potential at youth level for Portugal across various age groups in recent years, scoring 12 goals in 22 games since making the step up to U18 football.

He has not had a run of starts to show what he can do at first-team level, yet, and that is why a move to Rangers could make a lot of sense for all parties involved.

Chermiti will have the chance to play regular football and translate his goalscoring prowess at youth level over to the Premiership, and Rangers will have a talented young player who could develop during his time at Ibrox, much like Sima did.

"They'll hate me saying it" – McCoist slams one thing on Rangers signings

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ByCharlie Smith Aug 28, 2025

The key difference between the two deals, though, could be that Rangers may have an option to make the deal permanent next summer, which will be significant if he has a positive impact on the pitch.

Barcelona and Spain teenager Vicky Lopez has been named the best young women’s player in the world and has picked up the Kopa Trophy at the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards in Paris. The 19-year-old played a key role in Barcelona’s stunning season, winning Liga F and Copa de la Reina titles, and also helped Spain make it to the finals of Euro 2025 in the summer.

• Lopez picks up 2025 Kopa Trophy

  Lopez has seen off competition from Lionesses star Michelle Agyemang, Real Madrid's Linda Caicedo, Chelsea midfielder Wieke Kaptein and Club Olimpia and Paraguay star Claudia Martinez to win the Kopa Trophy. The victory comes after another superb season for club and country for the impressive 19-year-old and sees her pick up another individual award after winning the Golden Girl prize in 2024.

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• Barcelona star dedicates award to her late mother

  Lopez offered her thanks to her family after picking up the prize. She said in her acceptance speech: "Thank you to my family. I dedicate this to my mother, who watches over me from heaven and is protecting me so I can become a better person. I hope you're proud of me; I miss you. I also want to thank Real Madrid, where I took my first steps. I also want to thank the national team, and obviously I can't forget Barcelona, La Masia, its president… they've supported me and let me compete for the best team in the world at 16 years old. I want to send a little something to the pioneers of women's football. Thanks to them, I'm able to collect this award today."

• Kopa Trophy double for Barcelona

  Lopez's win makes it a Kopa Trophy double for Barcelona as Lamine Yamal scooped the men's prize. It's the second year in a row that Yamal has won the Kopa Trophy. The 18-year-old is also in the running for the men's Ballon d'Or award as well.

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• The full Kopa Trophy rankings

  Lopez finished top of the rankings ahead of Real Madrid's Caicedo. Chelsea star Kaptein was third, with Agyemang fourth and Martinez fifth.