Given the very underwhelming start to the season the club have endured, Celtic supporters are demanding reinforcements when the transfer window re-opens in January.

During the summer, the Scottish Premiership champions did make 11 senior signings, albeit the arrivals of Marcelo Saracchi, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Sebastian Tounekti and Kelechi Ịheanachọ all came right at the end of the window, after the club had crashed out in the Champions League play-off round against Kairat.

Meantime, Brendan Rodgers’ side were beaten 2-0 by Dundee at Dens on Sunday, so are currently five points adrift current league leaders Hearts, who they face at Tynecastle in an eagerly-anticipated clash on Sunday.

In summary, supporters are not happy, chants of “sack the board” can be heard loud and clear at every game, so could a new signing or two this Christmas help lift the mood?

Celtic targeting January reinforcements

Last week, totally out of the blue, it was reported that Celtic were close to signing Bobby Clark for £6m; the 20-year-old midfielder is currently on loan at Derby County from RB Salzburg.

However, Rodgers told Sky Sports “I haven’t a clue where that has come from”, pretty emphatically shutting those rumours down.

More recently, according to a report by Sports Boom, Celtic ‘have expressed an interest’ in re-signing Andy Robertson from Liverpool.

While the defender learned his trade at Queen’s Park and Dundee United, he was in the Hoops academy from 2003 to 2009.

The report adds that the Scotland captain is into the final 12 months of his £160k-per-week contract on Merseyside, so will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement come 1 January, but the Premier League champions may be willing to sell before then, ‘providing the price is right’.

Transfer Focus

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

So, could the 31-year-old soon swap Anfield for Celtic Park?

Why Celtic could seal a bigger coup than Clark

Since joining Liverpool from Hull City for around £8m eight years ago, Robertson has been an absolute stalwart of the Reds’ success.

Right now, only nine men have made more Premier League appearances for Liverpool than Robertson, set to overtake Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robbie Fowler in the next few weeks.

During the 254 appearances, the left-back has accumulated 56 assists, meaning he ranks among the very best defenders in Premier League history by this measure, as the table below documents.

As the table documents, Robertson is behind only former partner-in-crime Alexander-Arnold in terms of Premier League assists by defenders, underlining his attacking prowess, with Liverpool legend, and former Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard labelling the duo “world-class”.

He has been such a key contributor at Liverpool for so many seasons, making his current predicament peculiar.

The Scotsman started 29 Premier League games last season, but hasn’t started any this time round so far, following the arrival of Miloš Kerkez from Bournemouth, despite the fact the Hungarian is yet to impress.

Speaking on Sky Sports following Manchester United’s shock victory at Anfield on Sunday, Jamie Carragher said that he thinks it’s “strange” that Robertson is “getting treated like Tsimikas”, where Kerkez is the undisputed first-choice and Robertson is a deputy, rather than even a rotation option.

If that continues to be the case, it appears pretty likely that he’ll be on the move in 2026, so could Robertson fulfill a lifelong ambition?

Born and raised in Glasgow, Robertson has spoken repeatedly about his desire to play for Celtic one day, having been released by the club as a 15-year-old, before going on to play for Queen’s Park and Dundee United.

In 2022, he stated that he’s “always dreamed” of representing his boyhood club, elaborating that “when you watch them and see a packed Celtic Park… as a fan you always have that dream”.

At international level, the 31-year-old now has 88 caps to his name, just three behind Jim Leighton, while chasing down Sir Kenny Dalglish’s all-time record of 102 that has stood since 1986.

Of course, the eternal dilemma for Scotland managers has been how does one get both Kieran Tierney and Robertson into the same side, a headache that could soon not only occur at Hampden, but three miles across the city at Celtic Park too.

Nevertheless, the addition of the national team captain would represent a major coup for the Hoops, with his Premier League experience and title-winning credentials far exceeding the undoubted promise of a player like Clark, one who previously struggled to make his mark after joining Red Bull Salzburg last summer.

With Celtic also already boasting similar talents to the Englishman, a deal for a figure like Robertson should well be the priority, helping to get supporters back on side, adding much-needed experience and quality to this struggling outfit.

Not just Yang & Scales: 18-touch Celtic dud must be dropped by Rodgers

Celtic suffered their first Premiership defeat of the season at Dundee on Sunday, and one flop, not Liam Scales or Yang Hyun-Jun, must be dropped.

By
Ben Gray

Oct 20, 2025

Thomas Tuchel has embraced the idea of England’s substitutes being nicknamed the "bomb squad" after powerful performances off the bench helped the Three Lions secure a 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley. With Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze all making an impact despite not being in the starting lineup, the England boss insisted his team is built on unity rather than star names.

• England continue perfect World Cup qualifying campaign

  England continued their flawless World Cup qualifying run with a controlled 2-0 win over Serbia, securing another clean sheet in what has become one of the most dominant campaigns in the nation’s history. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring with a superb volley, but it was the introduction of Bellingham, Foden and Eze that truly changed the dynamic of the match. Their added energy and invention helped England regain control in the second half before the latter sealed the victory with a brilliant late strike.

  The impact off the bench reflected Tuchel’s broader approach to squad harmony, particularly in a team packed with elite club-level starters competing for limited roles. With England operating at a high tempo and against opponents determined to frustrate, Tuchel’s substitutions injected the speed, pressing intensity and technical sharpness needed to break Serbia down for the second time on the night.

  The result extended England’s record to seven wins from seven, with 20 goals scored and none conceded, establishing them as the only European side in history to reach a World Cup with a 100% winning and clean-sheet qualifying record this deep into a campaign. It also demonstrated the flexibility and adaptability Tuchel has demanded since taking charge in January, with every squad member expected to remain mentally ready despite fierce positional competition.

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• AFP
  

  Tuchel likes 'bomb squad' nickname for substitutes

  Speaking after the win, Tuchel was asked about the South African rugby team’s "bomb squad" nickname for their substitutes and whether England might adopt something similar. He admitted he approved of the idea, saying: "I have not named it in a different way but I kind of like it. I like bomb squad a bit more than finisher."

  Tuchel explained the tactical reasoning behind this mindset, emphasising that modern football requires a full squad to win at the highest level. He said: "That’s the nature of this game. The possibility that we go to Albania (on Sunday) and start with 11 and finish with the same 11 goes to zero, and even more so in a tournament. This is not about building a starting 11, it’s about building a team."

  He then praised the attitude within the England camp, highlighting the need for humility and togetherness. Tuchel added: "They’re all big players in their club, they’re all used to playing, they’re all disappointed. Everyone. This is normal. But they buy into this idea of building a team and this is what we want, this is what we need. There is no other way around it.

  "Only if we’re a strong group who can put the ego behind (them), who can put the disappointment behind, and then contribute and give the coach a headache what to do in the next match, that’s the only way. I like it because it’s natural for this team. The atmosphere after the matches, during the matches is the right energy and I think everyone is treating everyone with respect. The ones on the pitch know that they can rely on everyone who comes from the bench to finish the game. You could see the impact today, and it has to stay like this. We just need everybody fully involved, especially mentally to accept the decision of the match day and then to continue."

• Getty Images
  

  Bellingham and Foden impress on England return

  The victory over Serbia was not only another clean sheet but also a continuation of a historic defensive run under Tuchel, with England yet to concede in any qualifier. Jordan Pickford has now recorded ten straight competitive clean sheets, supported by a defensive unit that has embraced Tuchel’s structured pressing and high-possession philosophy. Ezri Konsa, John Stones and Declan Rice were among those producing key interventions during Serbia’s most threatening moments.

  The game also marked Bellingham’s first England appearance since June, and Tuchel eased him back into action with a second-half cameo rather than a start. The Real Madrid star combined sharply with Reece James and Foden, showing his usual drive from midfield while also helping England sustain pressure in the final third. His return adds another layer of complexity to England’s midfield competition.

  Foden, meanwhile, was deployed as a false nine – a tactical switch Tuchel had planned months in advance – and his smart positioning created the space for Eze’s late finish. The Manchester City star operated between Serbia’s defensive lines, linking play and drifting wide to overload key areas on the right alongside Saka and James.

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• England look to cap off flawless campaign against Albania

  England now travel to Albania in their final World Cup qualifier, aiming to complete a perfect campaign while giving Tuchel another opportunity to experiment ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The manager may continue rotating his squad, with several players pushing for more minutes and others, including Bellingham, building match sharpness after recent fitness concerns.

  Tuchel will also be evaluating how best to structure his attack as the team approaches next summer’s tournament, particularly with competition intensifying across midfield and the front line. Players such as Eze, Foden, Palmer and Bellingham are all vying for advanced positions, and Tuchel’s willingness to use them flexibly could become a decisive advantage. England’s depth remains one of the strongest in international football, and the manager has reiterated the importance of harnessing that strength.

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O Internacional já tem a sua programação para a Data Fifa definida. Estendendo o final de semana, em que o Colorado foi derrotado pelo Palmeiras por 3 a 0, os jogadores terão quatro dias de folga até a reapresentação, que acontece apenas nesta quinta-feira (16).

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➡️Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

+ Internacional perde dupla de titulares para duelo com o Bragantino pelo Brasileirão

A partir da quinta (16), serão dez dias de trabalho até o retorno do Campeonato Brasileiro, no dia 26 de novembro (domingo), quando o Inter enfrenta o Bragantino, no Beira-Rio, às 18h30. Algumas prioridades já foram definidas pelo clube para o período.

Como o próprio Eduardo Coudet disse em entrevista coletiva, o Internacional não tem mais nenhum objetivo claro na temporada, o que ficou bem claro na derrota sofrida pelo Palmeiras. Já sem chances de uma vaga na próxima edição da Libertadores, com baixo risco de rebaixamento e estando na parte do meio da tabela, o Colorado segue um ritmo de fim de ano.

Um dos focos do clube no período da Data Fifa será a observação e recuperação dos jogadores lesionados, como Hugo Mallo, Renê e Matheus Dias, todos no departamento médico com lesões musculares na coxa esquerda. No entanto, surgiram novas preocupações para Coudet, já que Dalbert foi substituído ainda no primeiro tempo diante do Verdão, e o equatoriano Enner Valencia também deixou o gramado com dores.

+ Coudet admite cansaço do Inter a aponta fator determinante para derrota diante do Palmeiras

Outro ponto é o descanso e o recondicionamento físico dos atletas. O tempo de paralisação será precioso para que o elenco possa se recuperar fisicamente diante da sequência de jogos, questão também citada pelo técnico colorado. O Inter jogou oito partidas em 24 dias desde o retorno da última Data Fifa, tendo uma média de um duelo a cada três dias.

Por fim, a expectativa do Internacional é reerguer os ânimos para que a equipe volta a vencer no Beira-Rio. A última vitória diante do torcedor colorado foi a goleada história por 7 a 1 contra o Santos. Desde então, são três jogos sem vencer, incluindo derrota para o Coritiba, praticamente sem chances de permanência na Série A, empate com o América-MG, matematicamente rebaixado, e igualdade com o Fluminense, que jogou de “ressaca” pós-título da Libertadores.

Wayne Rooney believes Paul Pogba is among Manchester United's three strangest signings before INEOS bought a stake in the club. The former forward delivered a scathing assessment of the club's transfer strategy before Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co were onboarded, with their recruitment branded as 'horrendous'.

Woodward’s chaotic years under the microscope

Before INEOS’ partial takeover in late 2023, football operations at United were largely overseen by Ed Woodward, who held the executive vice-chairman role from 2012 until his resignation in 2021. His tenure coincided with United’s steady decline from domestic dominance to a club struggling to recapture its identity. Rooney’s comments reflect the frustration felt by fans who watched millions poured into signings that never fully delivered. Pogba’s then-world-record £89 million ($117m) return from Juventus, Romelu Lukaku’s £75m ($99m) switch from Everton, and even the short-term arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain have now been framed as decisions which show a lack of footballing vision.

AdvertisementAFPSigns of change under INEOS

Things have started to shift under Ratcliffe and his INEOS group, who assumed control of football operations after buying a 25 per cent stake in the club. Unlike the scattergun approach of previous years, United’s recent transfer strategy has focused on players with Premier League experience or emerging talents from abroad. This summer’s arrivals, like Bryan Mbuemo, Matheus Cunha, and Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens, have injected both energy and stability into the side. Each has already cemented a place in Ruben Amorim’s first-team plans, helping United climb to seventh in the Premier League table, unbeaten in their last five matches and sitting on 18 points.

Speaking on , brought to fans by Sky Bet, Rooney said: "The recruitment at Manchester United before last summer was horrendous. They were just bringing big names in – you look at Lukaku, Zlatan, Pogba – they're good players but they were just bringing names in and spending enormous amounts of money. It's going to take a bit of time to get over those mistakes."

Amorim's Red Devils finding form

United’s recent performances suggest a team rediscovering its rhythm. After a shaky start to the 2025–26 campaign, the Red Devils bounced back with three consecutive Premier League wins in October, beating Sunderland, Liverpool, and Brighton. And Rooney believes that the Red Devils could qualify for the Champions League next season.

"If you look at Manchester United over the last ten years, the players have been absolutely battered," he continued.  "Now they've got a couple of results and you can see a bit of confidence coming back. You can even say that in the manager. They're gradually getting better, there's definitely been some improvement. It's been really tough for Ruben Amorim and I've been critical of him. We are seeing them improve though and players are getting to know each other a bit better. There's some promising signs and although they're not going to win the league they could possibly sneak into the top four."

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AFPHead coach calls for growth and grit

But as has so often been the case at Old Trafford, progress has been fragile. November brought back-to-back 2-2 draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, exposing lingering defensive frailties. Speaking to after the Tottenham draw, Amorim acknowledged the mixed emotions.

He said: "During the game we felt like the three points were there to take home. But then with everything that happened, Harry Maguire and Casemiro coming off and conceding two goals… we scored again and it's a point. When you cannot win you don't lose, once again we did that. We have so much to grow as a team, because today was our day to win this game.

"We need to look at ourselves, we were not pressing with the same intensity, we felt comfortable but we need to understand that if we had more bravery we kill the game. But sometimes this happens, you have a better first half than second. We believe in our capacity to score goals until the last minute. It's a little frustration, but also pride at the response of the players at the response to second goal of Tottenham. This is the tip of the iceberg, we are at the beginning of becoming a strong team, so we have a lot to do."

United will return from the international break with a crucial clash against Everton on Monday, November 24. 

Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips will also miss the T20I series against Australia while captain Mitchell Santner faces a fitness race

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2025

New Zealand fast bowler Will O’Rourke faces at least three months on the sidelines after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back. Finn Allen also faces a lengthy spell out while Glenn Phillips will miss the T20Is against Australia and captain Mitchell Santner is doubtful.O’Rourke, who reported back stiffness on the third day of the opening Test against Zimbabwe, will miss the white-ball series against Australia, England and West Indies at a minimum and could also be a doubt for the three Tests against West Indies which follow in December. He will undergo a three-month strength and conditioning block before a firmer timeline is put in place for a return with coach Rob Walter hopeful it won’t develop into an injury that needs surgery.”We’re really feeling for Will at the moment and wishing him speedy recovery,” Walter said in an NZC release. “He’s had such an impressive start to his career and so naturally it is disappointing when an injury like this comes along, but he’s a resilient guy and determined to put the work in and come back stronger.”Related

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“We’re very hopeful for that [three month time frame]. Stress fractures are obviously almost part and parcel of the craft, really, but never nice when it does happen. At this stage, we will reassess after that three month mark, hopefully the healing process has gone really well and we can get into that return to play.”Allrounder Phillips, who was ruled out of the recent Zimbabwe tour with a groin injury, will miss the matches against Australia which take place on October 1, 3 and 4 in Mount Maunganui. Meanwhile, Allen has had surgery on a stress fracture in his right foot which will require three months recovery.However, Santner will be given every chance to feature against Australia after returning from the Hundred with groin pain which will require abdominal surgery.”Mitch is a world class player and a crucial part of our T20 side from a skills and leadership point of view,” Walter said. “With that in mind we expect to name him in our squad when we announce it in a couple of weeks’ time, and from there we can assess how his rest and rehabilitation progresses following surgery, before making a call on the eve of the series.”It’s disappointing to lose the services of Glenn and Finn who have played important batting roles in our T20 set up in recent times. Like in Zimbabwe, their unavailability will present opportunities for others to put their hands up in what’s going to be a hugely exciting and important series against Australia.”Fast bowler Ben Sears has recovered from the side strain that kept him out of the Zimbabwe tour and is expected to be available to face Australia.

It’s hard to think of another point in recent memory when Arsenal have had such a strong squad.

Rival sides might have spent hundreds of millions of pounds on individual superstars, but Mikel Arteta and Co have built a group with few if any real weaknesses.

With that said, even though there are talented players in every position, it is still quite easy to proclaim Bukayo Saka the pick of the bunch and the Gunners’ most important star.

Moreover, should they get up to speed, one of Arteta’s summer signings could help the Hale Ender reach the level of Thierry Henry as a creator.

Thierry Henry's creative genius

When most people think of Henry, the first thing that usually comes to mind is his incredible goalscoring ability.

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After all, during his time with Arsenal, the Frenchman racked up an astounding haul of 228 goals in 377 games, and if that wasn’t enough, he also chalked up a tally of 51 goals in 123 senior caps for France across his career.

However, what is sometimes overlooked by non-Arsenal fans is just how creative a player he could be, for the simple fact that assists and chances created are generally less memorable than a goal.

Appearances

377

Minutes

30532′

Goals

228

Assists

104

Goal Involvements per Match

1.13

Minutes per Goal Involvement

91.96′

Yet, during his time with the Gunners, the Les Ulis-born legend managed to rack up an impressive tally of 104 assists, which works out to one every 3.62 games, and if that wasn’t enough, he also managed 20 goals and 20 assists in the 02/03 league season.

But what made the Frenchman such a creative force? Well, playing with a host of world-class attackers and under the management of Arsène Wenger certainly helps, but it was more than that.

It was in part down to the same reason he could so wonderfully place a shot into the corner of the net, but also his general attitude to trying risky things.

For example, he said that, “I know it sounds stupid, don’t be scared to make mistakes. That stops a lot of players.”

In all, Henry was an extraordinary creator as well as a world-class goalscorer, and while Saka might not ever quite reach his level when it comes to the former, a recent signing could help him do that for the latter.

The Arsenal player who could help Saka reach Henry levels

While Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi could help Saka get closer to Henry’s goalscoring levels through the chances they end up creating, it’s Viktor Gyokeres who could help the Englishman reach his creative level.

Now, it has to be said, that with the current goalscoring form of the Swede, such an idea may seem absurd. After all, he’s been so hit or miss that Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described him as a “misfit”.

However, it’s important to remember the league season is just eight games old, he’s already put the ball in the back of the net three times and his form over the last two years was nothing short of world-class.

For example, during his two seasons with Sporting CP, the 27-year-old “monster” as he was desribed by journalist Alex Turk, scored a staggering 97 goals and provided 28 assists in 102 appearances, totalling 8417 minutes.

That works out to an average of 1.22 goal involvements every single game, or one every 67.33 minutes, so while he won’t get those numbers in England, he hasn’t just lost the ability to get shots off and find space in the penalty area.

In fact, this was something fans finally saw in the game against Fulham, as while he failed to score, there was a moment in the first half that his smart movement gave him the chance to, and who did the pass come from? Saka, of course.

The second reason the former Coventry City star could help the 24-year-old’s creative numbers explode this season is down to this movement, his physicality and the fact he, as Mattinson says, plays with “real venom.”

This bulldozing approach to centre-forward play is already freeing up more space for Saka to operate in, and once again fans saw the fruits of this at Craven Cottage.

Minutes

99′

Expected Assists

0.55

Total Shots

2

Key Passes

7

Dribbles (Successful)

7 (6)

Big Chances Created

1

Touches

86

Fouls Won

5

Ball Recoveries

9

Ground Duels (Won)

20 (13)

In his 99 minutes of action, he amassed an expected assists figure of 0.55, took two shots, took 86 touches, completed six of seven dribbles, created one big chance, played seven key passes – yes, seven – and was named the man of the match.

Ultimately, while he is firing yet, Gyokeres’ innate finishing ability and the fact he drags opposition defenders away from Saka so often could help the Hale Ender reach Henry-esque creative numbers by the end of the season.

Hale End's "Saka regen" left for £0, now he's outscoring Arsenal's starboy

Arsenal had a Bukayo Saka regen in Hale End that Edu allowed to leave.

Oct 20, 2025

Her 26-ball 51 gives stellar Originals bowling attack something to defend in low-scoring game

ECB Media17-Aug-2025Manchester Originals 117 for 5 (Dottin 51) beat Northern Superchargers 112 for 7 (Litchfield 31, Kerr 2-20, Ecclestone 2-21, Bryce 2-26) by five runsAn inspired performance in the field from Manchester Originals held off the Superchargers in one of the games of the tournament.In front of a bumper crowd of 11,952 – a record for the women’s competition at Emirates Old Trafford – the home side held their nerve and took their catches to clinch a potentially season-defining victory.Defeat here to the high-flying Superchargers would have put the Originals’ campaign in jeopardy; yet they finished the day on level points with their opponents, in joint second, and with the table wide open.The catching was spectacular. The hinge point of the run-chase came from the 61st ball of the innings, when the in-form Australian southpaw Phoebe Litchfield, having just unfurled a stunning switch-hit for six, climbed into a conventional sweep against Kathryn Bryce. She got a lot of it, but Fi Morris, running full tilt not far from the boundary rope, leapt to pluck it out of the skies.Morris then took another good tumbling catch to remove Annabel Sutherland, before Deandra Dottin flung herself full stretch at cover to grab a fingertip-catch and remove Bess Heath with just seven balls remaining. That gave Sophie Ecclestone her second wicket.Left-arm spinner Ecclestone – working in tandem with the brilliant wrist-spinner Amelia Kerr, who also claimed two wickets – applied a further clamp to the Superchargers’ momentum which had began with an excellent new-ball spell from Mahika Gaur, who conceded just 10 runs from her 15 deliveries.After Ecclestone, the final set of five was coolly delivered by Lauren Filer to spark huge celebrations.Beth Mooney, Originals captain, later acknowledged that her team’s depth of bowling was crucial to the outcome.”It’s a huge result,” she said. “We’ve got to win these scrappy games and sometimes it looks a little bit ugly, as it did at times today for us, but it puts you in good stead at the back end of tournaments like this. I’ve got six international bowlers that I’m working with and they’re great at executing their skills. To have Sophie Ecclestone and Amelia Kerr, two of the best spinners in the world, in our team, certainly makes my life easy.”The Meerkat Match Hero award went to Dottin, who registered just the second fifty of the Originals’ tournament. It was her intervention, coming to the crease with just 42 balls left in the innings after the openers Mooney and Bryce had both fallen for single-figure scores, that changed the course of the match and perhaps the Originals’ season.Her unbeaten 51 was vintage Dottin, especially lethal on the pull to anything short, and clumping three sixes in her 26-ball stay. The momentum generated from Dottin’s knock carried over to the second innings, keeping the Originals very much alive in the tournament.”It was a really good game,” said Dottin. “So exciting and we’re just so pleased to get over the line. After the feedback and the info from the players who’d already been in the middle, the main thing for me was to see what it was actually doing and then taking it as deep as possible. It’s a big win but we’re not too overconfident.”

Manchester United are interested in completing the signing of Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher in the January transfer window.

The Red Devils may have found some real form for the first time under Ruben Amorim, but it is also clear that midfield reinforcements are needed, whether that be in January or next summer.

Casemiro feels almost certain to leave United at the end of the season despite finding his goalscoring boots recently, departing when his contract expires, so bringing in a younger alternative to marshal the troops in front of the defence is key.

There is also a general lack of midfield depth for Amorim to call upon, with the club’s 20th most expensive signing Manuel Ugarte struggling to be a convincing signing since arriving, and Mason Mount continuing to be an injury-prone figure.

Gallagher has been linked with a move to United in the past, with the England international considering a potential addition, and now a new update has emerged on a move to Old Trafford.

Man Utd want to seal Conor Gallagher signing

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano claimed that Manchester United remain interested in signing Gallagher on loan from Atletico, with a January move possible.

“I told you several times that Man United want to add a midfielder, but in this moment to go for a very expensive midfielder in the January transfer window might be difficult. Players like (Carlos) Baleba maybe are not even available.

“Same for Angelo Stiller and then there could be opportunities – a name that Manchester United considered in the summer transfer window final days was Connor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid. Conor Gallagher remains an option in case Atletico Madrid decide to open doors to a loan move. At the moment Gallagher is only focused on Atletico Madrid.

“Manchester United’s interest is genuine since August. But Gallagher is one of the options they have in case it could be an opportunity on loan, in case it can be a typical general deal. So we will be following the situation. But Gallagher is a name we have to keep there.”

There is plenty to admire about Gallagher for United, not least the fact that he already has so much Premier League experience from his Chelsea and Crystal Palace days, during which Frank Lampard called his work rate “amazing”.

The 25-year-old has made 136 appearances in the competition, while Atletico’s legendary manager Diego Simeone has lauded his intense style of play.

‘It’s never easy for players coming from England to adapt to the Spanish championship, to the language. He has competed very well in different places and in positions where he doesn’t feel more comfortable. He will evolve, he has room for growth. He is very intense in offensive and defensive play, he brings a lot to us.”

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Gallagher would bring much-needed legs to United’s midfield, potentially proving to be an upgrade on Ugarte, and he has the team ethic to be a popular figure at Old Trafford from the off. The fact that he has only managed two La Liga starts this season also means he could be open for a new challenge.

Man Utd's future "£100m+ footballer" is another Casemiro in the making

New Zealand have ramped up their prep for the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka with a two-week camp in spin-friendly conditions at the Chennai Super Kings Academy in Chennai.While a number of Black Caps, including Rachin Ravindra, have frequented the high-performance facility in the recent past, this is the White Ferns’ first specialised overseas camp and the timing of it has been “perfect,” according to head coach Ben Sawyer, who is overseeing ten New Zealand players in Chennai along with assistant coach Craig McMillan.”Yeah, 100% correct. It’s currently winter in New Zealand, there’s no cricket and we’re nearly two months out of the World Cup,” Sawyer told ESPNcricinfo. “So, to have that prep time in India, we’ve been able to bring seven contracted players and then three of our players of interest along. So, the girls that we think will play lots of cricket in India in the future as well. So yeah, it’s been an amazing experience so far.”Related

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Seam-bowling allrounder Jess Kerr, opening batter Georgia Plimmer and Brooke Halliday, who had scored 38 off 28 balls in the T20 World Cup final last year, which New Zealand won, are among the seven contracted players on tour while Izzy Sharp, Flora Devonshire and Emma McLeod have been included as emerging players.After the Chennai camp, New Zealand’s players and staff will return home and will likely head to Dubai to play one-dayers against England in the lead-up to the ODI World Cup, which will kick off on September 30. Sawyer believes that exposure to stifling conditions in Chennai and Dubai will tune up New Zealand’s players for similar conditions that may face during the ODI World Cup.”Yeah, it’s hugely beneficial and even more so this year because just with the FTP cycle, we’ve had no official matches since February,” Sawyer said. “So to get these three one-day games in Chennai, to get two or three games in Dubai against England, a really strong opposition, will be great and then we also get the two World Cup warm-up games. So that’s seven or eight games we’re going to get in similar conditions. Yeah, that’s just huge for us.”Jess Kerr runs in to bowl during New Zealand’s time at the Super Kings Academy•Super Kings Academy

New Zealand’s team management is also leaning on inputs from High Performance Sport New Zealand and Dr Kirsty Fairbairn, an experienced dietitian who has worked with both the White Ferns and Black Ferns (the women’s rugby team), to look after their players in subcontinent conditions.”We’ve actually tried to train really hard the last five days and I guess in a way not to recover, try to just do it naturally and let your bodies adapt to the conditions,” Sawyer said. “And now we’re playing the three games, we’ll try and recover really well.”But yeah, we’ve actually tried to expose ourselves as much to the heat as we can. So, we’ve had some really good help from High Performance Sport New Zealand and a guy that helped with the Tokyo Olympics and how they dealt with the heat. He’s basically told us that the week here and then the week in Dubai are probably perfect timings for the World Cup.”The presence of India internationals such as Asha Sobhana and D Hemalatha, Tamil Nadu’s teenage prodigy G Kamalini, who had won WPL 2025 with Mumbai Indians, and Swiss international Meghna Rajan has added a competitive edge to the camp. Asha castled Polly Inglis on Saturday and tested other New Zealand batters with her loopy legbreaks and wrong’uns on a sluggish surface.”Getting balls to face in New Zealand during the winter is really difficult,” Sawyer said. “We’ve had WPL players come down to bowl to us and Asha from RCB is with us here in the camp and it’s been great for our girls to chat to her and learn about these conditions.”Just a few days into the camp, Sawyer is impressed with the positive approach of the New Zealand batters against spin.”I think Izzy Sharp is a great example today,” Sawyer said. “She made 80. She played a lot off the back foot, but then was able to get really close into the pitch of the ball. And Sri (Sriram Krishnamurthy, former NZC pathway coach who is now CSK academy’s head coach) was great the other day, gave us a bit of a masterclass in playing spin.”And it was great to see Izzy use her feet today and get down the wicket really quickly. Maddy Green’s a great player. She did it her way [with sweeps and reverse-sweeps], she did it in a different way to Izzy, but both were successful and that’s what we’ve spoken about.”While this group is sweating it out in Chennai, Suzie Bates had posted a career-best 163 for Durham last month and Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr are currently playing in the Hundred. It’s still winter in New Zealand, but the team management has ensured that their players won’t rock up cold at the World Cup.”You can see we brought a lot of younger players because the likes of Sophie, Suzie and Lea Tahuhu have been here before and Sophie is at the Hundred,” Sawyer said. “Paul Wiseman is with our spinners in Lincoln and a few of our quicks are working with Graeme [Alridge] in various locations. So, everyone’s getting what they need. Some players are actually doing a few sessions in heat chambers back home. I think we’re doing as much as we can to prepare for the conditions [at the World Cup].”

Leeds United are looking at a January move to sign PSV’s Ismael Saibari, who has been likened to Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri.

FA look into Hannibal after alleged spit at Leeds fans

The Whites fell to a 2-0 Premier League defeat to Burnley last month and look set to battle the Clarets in a bid to avoid an immediate return to the Championship in 2026.

A major talking point from the loss at Turf Moor was around the actions of Hannibal, who was alleged to have spat at the travelling Leeds fans, something which was reported at the time by supporters.

Since then, it has been stated that the FA are looking into the allegations, and former referee Keith Hackett has suggested that if found guilty, Hannibal would be suspended for at least three games.

“The spitting allegation will be investigated by The FA, having entered the public domain. If proven, the player faces a suspension. It is classed as violent conduct and a minimum of three games.”

It remains to be seen what the FA’s conclusion will be, however, in the transfer market, Leeds are after an attacking midfielder similar to the Burnley man.

Leeds star has been "one of the best in the PL" but now he could be dropped

Daniel Farke could now be tempted to drop this Leeds United star, despite the past praise that has come his way.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 4, 2025 Leeds looking to sign PSV midfielder Ismael Saibari

According to reports from Leeds United News and journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds are looking at a January deal for PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder Saibari.

The Morocco international has played in holding, central and attacking midfield roles this season and has scored an impressive 10 goals in 16 games, two of which have come in the Champions League. Saibari also netted a hat-trick in a 3-2 win away to Feyenoord, with Bailey saying:

The 24-year-old looks like an ideal target for Leeds, who need more goals in the team, scoring the joint third fewest in the Premier League behind Nottingham Forest and Wolves.

Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach have both found the back of the net, however, adding someone like Saibari could be a shrewd move.

James McAtee

Nottingham Forest

Hannibal Mejbri

Burnley

Jobe Bellingham

Borussia Dortmund

Gus Hamer

Sheffield United

Arne Engels

Celtic

He has been likened to some pretty talented youngsters, including Hannibal and Jobe Bellingham, and considering Saibari’s start to the season, a deal could help Leeds’ attempts to beat the drop.

Leeds star was "indispensable" to Farke, now he's as droppable as Aaronson