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In every great Manchester United side, you’ll typically find a midfield lynchpin, a driving force behind it all from the centre of the park.

In Sir Alex Ferguson’s pomp, he was blessed with two such figures in the form of Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, the two men forming the bedrock of the side that would claim treble-winning glory in 1998/99.

Ironically, also the two men who actually missed the crowning moment at Camp Nou through suspension and injury, respectively, the Keane and Scholes pairing is arguably the best there’s ever been at Old Trafford.

There’s an argument, too, that they are the “best pair in the history of English football”, in the view of an – unbiased – Gary Neville.

It would be unfair to suggest that the modern-day duo of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes are way off that status, considering their own individual quality, but this is still a brittle pairing, a short-term fix that Ruben Amorim has almost been forced to resort to.

Having bolstered the top end of the pitch over the summer, United are just about getting by despite a lack of midfield reinforcement – could that all change in 2026?

Latest on Man Utd's midfield search

There is a frustration that the Red Devils left themselves somewhat short in midfield for the new season, although it was fanciful to assume that after splashing out £250m on four senior signings, another sizeable investment would be dished out on a midfielder.

There was notable interest in the likes of Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba, with the latter man believed to be particularly keen on making the move to Old Trafford. A reported £100m plus price tag, however, proved prohibitive.

Rather than merely turning to a bargain alternative, United have perhaps wisely played the waiting game instead, ready to attack the market again, be it in January or next summer.

Transfer Focus

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

According to recent reports from Caught Offside, there is said to be a growing confidence that Jason Wilcox and co can strike a deal for Nottingham Forest star, Elliot Anderson, with the England international said to be ‘open’ to making the switch.

That willingness to join Amorim’s ranks has sparked hope back in Manchester that United can secure a ‘bargain’ fee for his signature, seemingly far below the widely touted £100m asking price that Forest are believed to have set.

As per the report, a figure closer to £60m might be more realistic, with Anderson perhaps representing the midfield solution that Amorim is desperate for.

How Man Utd's £60m target compares to Casemiro

Anderson is certainly man of the moment right now, with recent international breaks seemingly seeing him nail down a number six role alongside Declan Rice for England, ahead of next year’s World Cup.

Kobbie Mainoo might be a cautionary tale of what can happen to those who enjoy a meteoric rise at club and international level, but the Forest man can only be judged on what he’s doing right now.

At present, he’s looking sensational.

In the view of talkSPORT’s Max Scott, the 22-year-old simply “has it all”, with the reporter even going as far as to suggest that the ex-Newcastle United talent has “a bit of Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Zinedine Zidane all rolled into one”.

A rising English star, like Scholes, Anderson could well follow in the footsteps of Keane by moving from the City Ground to the Theatre of Dreams, with that switch having proven so fruitful for the Irishman under Ferguson.

Those might be wild, hyperbolic comparisons to be making, although that is the level of quality that the £60m maestro possesses, having even been likened to a young Paul Gascoigne amid his prior emergence on Tyneside.

Newcastle’s PSR-related loss has certainly been Forest’s gain, with United now hoping that they can steal a march on the competition and tempt the £40k-per-week playmaker into jumping ship in 2026.

Casemiro is currently holding the fort alongside Fernandes, although the 33-year-old’s inability to last the full 90 minutes is a growing problem, having been substituted off on seven occasions this season, while seeing red against Chelsea.

Only five of the 20 goals United have conceded in all competitions have come when the resurgent Brazilian is on the pitch, but he certainly isn’t the Champions League-winning force that he once was. On current evidence, Anderson is looking a step above.

In the Premier League this season, for instance, the younger man ranks in the top 1% of midfielders for passes attempted and progressive passes, as well as in the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.

Casemiro, by contrast, ranks in just the top 36%, the bottom 45% and the bottom 30% for those same three metrics, respectively, albeit while coming out on top for both non-penalty goals and tackles made.

That said, Anderson is certainly no slouch in that latter department – as his 2.64 tackles per 90 record illustrates – providing Amorim with a potential all-round, all-action, athletic upgrade who can instantly hit the ground running in the much-discussed 3-4-2-1 system.

While it remains to be seen if it will require a bid of closer to £100m or £60m to secure his services, United must do what they can to make Anderson the new centre-piece of Amorim’s ageing midfield.

Man Utd "confident" they'll sign Anderson for £40m less than Forest's asking price

He’s keen on an Old Trafford transfer.

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 22, 2025

Juan Soto shocked the baseball world with one revealing comment on Thursday.

During his introductory press conference with the New York Mets, Soto revealed he hadn't spoken to any of his now-former New York Yankees teammates since the World Series ended.

"I haven't talked to any of those guys," Soto said. "We talked to them through playoffs, end of the playoffs but after that… I haven't talked to any of those."

That's shocking given how hard the Yankees pushed to re-sign the superstar slugger, and the fact that several of his teammates were openly saying they hoped he returned and got a huge contract.

The Yankees landed Soto and Trent Grisham from the San Diego Padres last December in exchange for Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez and Kyle Higashioka. He went out and had an incredible season, slashing .288/.419/.569 while setting career-highs in home runs (41) and WAR (7.9) and racking up 109 RBIs.

With Soto in a lineup that also featured American League MVP Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees slugged their way to the World Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

After a lengthy pursuit, Soto wound up signing a 15-year, $765 million deal, eschewing the Yankees for the crosstown Mets. According to him, his former teammates didn't lobby him to stay.

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are set to meet in the World Series for the first time since 1981 to renew MLB’s most common Fall Classic matchup, and there is no shortage of story lines.

New York vs. Los Angeles. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman vs. Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton. 2004 Boston Red Sox postseason hero Dave Roberts facing off against 2003 Yankees postseason hero Aaron Boone in the managerial battle of wits. And plenty more talking points that will surely surface throughout the series.

The Dodgers took two of three from the Yankees when the teams met at Yankee Stadium in June, but both rosters have undergone significant changes since then. And of course, games are managed much differently in the World Series than they are in the summer.

Here’s your guide to the most anticipated Fall Classic in years, as the staff picks x-factors for both teams and predicts how it’ll all play out in the country’s two most populated cities.

1. What's the biggest x-factor for the Dodgers to win?

Tom Verducci: Blake Treinen. His sweeper is video-game crazy good. He is Dave Roberts’s best arm, which means he is someone Roberts will not be able to save for the ninth inning. Time to damn the Law of Exposure. Roberts has to put Treinen on Soto, Judge, Stanton in every meaningful spot from the seventh inning on. His stuff is so good you don’t worry about hitters seeing him multiple times in a series.

Stephanie Apstein: Whether Alex Vesia can pitch—effectively—after missing the NLCS with an intercostal injury. As the Dodgers' top lefthanded reliever, he is their best shot at navigating the pocket of lineup that includes Juan Soto. If he can't go, or if he struggles, that will ask a lot of Anthony Banda, their only other lefty. 

Emma Baccellieri: Starting pitching. L.A. has an entire rotation's worth of starters on the IL. Having a great bullpen helps, of course, but only so much. The Dodgers will still need quality work from the trio of Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Can Flaherty bounce back after his last disastrous outing against the Mets in the NLCS? Can they get any meaningful length from Buehler? The Dodgers don't need their starters to be outstanding. But they do need them to be at least adequate. 

Will Laws: How will Freddie Freeman look in the wake of a sprained ankle that caused him to miss Games 4 and 6 of the NLCS? He’s 1-for-15 in his last three games while trying to gut through the injury. Los Angeles scored just fine without him against the Mets, but the Yankees’ pitching staff is a different beast, and the former NL MVP makes the Dodgers’ lineup much more fearsome when at full strength.

Nick Selbe: Can any starting pitcher step up? The Dodgers' bullpen was outstanding in the NLCS, but they'll need at least two serviceable starts from Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Walker Buehler. The Cleveland Guardians' vaunted bullpen was not enough to overcome lackluster starting pitching against the Yankees (Cleveland starters accounted for just 38% of innings during the ALCS). Los Angeles doesn't need Sandy Koufax 2.0 to show up, but it will need  from its starters.

2. What's the biggest x-factor for the Yankees to win?

TV: Gleyber Torres. He’s been terrific at getting on base in front of the thick of the lineup. You know he’s feeling good when he’s slashing fastballs for line-drive singles to right field. His defense and base running can be problematic, but the offense can make a difference.

SA: How deep the starting pitchers can go. The Yankees have a typically impressive bullpen assembled from other teams' castoffs, but it is less deep than it has been in previous years, and the Dodgers become vastly more dangerous each time they see a pitcher. New York needs to limit how many chances Los Angeles gets to see its leverage arms. 

EB: Whether they can meaningfully attack the L.A. bullpen. The relief corps has generally been a huge strength in this playoff run for the Dodgers, but they've had to carry a pretty heavy workload, and it's not going to get any lighter in the World Series. They're virtually guaranteed to have at least one (more) bullpen game here. Will the Yankees be able to make adjustments and benefit from repeated exposure to this group? That's especially key if this series goes long.

WL: Carlos Rodón’s starts have an especially wide range of outcomes, as we’ve already seen this postseason. If New York’s likely Game 2 (and Game 6, if necessary) starter can pitch like he did in his first ALCS outing, New York will be in terrific shape. If he looks more like he did in the ALDS, that’ll put a lot of pressure on a bullpen that was already exposed a bit last round.

NS: Base running might seem like a boring answer, but it could prove to be the difference. The Yankees ranked last in FanGraphs' base running metric, 24th in stolen bases and 29th in speed score. They had so many gaffes against Cleveland that radio broadcaster John Sterling exclaimed they ran the bases “like drunks.” In a series that looks like it will be tight, the little things could determine who comes out on top.

MatériaMais Notícias

A Série C de 2023 teve algumas definições importantes neste sábado (7). O Amazonas venceu o Botafogo-PB por 2 a 0 e avançou para a final da competição. Além disso, time de Manaus garantiu o acesso para a Série B do ano que vem. No jogo mais disputado do dia, o Volta Redonda bateu o Paysandu por 1 a 0, mas resultado não foi suficiente. O segundo clube classificado para a segunda divisão foi o Papão.

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VOLTA REDONDA X PAYSANDU
Com festa da torcida, o Volta Redonda recebeu o Paysandu no Estádio Raulino de Oliveira. O Voltaço precisava de uma vitória por 2 a 0 para se classificar para a Série B do ano que vem. Na primeira etapa, as duas equipes demonstraram o nervosismo e não foram bem. Já na segunda etapa, o time da casa tentou a todo custo chegar ao ataque e balançar as redes. O único gol só veio aos 17 minutos, com Bruno Barra depois de cobrança de falta e desvio. Mas o jogo terminou assim, 1 a 0 para o Volta Redonda e Paysandu garantido na segunda divisão.

+ Você quer trabalhar no seu clube do coração? Matricule-se no curso Gestor de Futebol e entenda como!

AMAZONAS X BOTAFOGO-PB
Em um jogo equilibrado, o Amazonas venceu o Botafogo-PB por 2 a 0. Empurrados pela torcida que lotou a Arena da Amazônia, a equipe abriu o placar com Diego Torres de pênalti, aos 18 minutos. Tavares ampliou quatro minutos depois. Na segunda etapa, os dois times buscaram o ataque, mas o placar seguiu o mesmo.

+ Com muita chuva e gol no fim, Portuguesa Santista vence o São José pela ida da final da Copa Paulista

No domingo (8), outras definições vão acontecer na Série C. O Operário enfrenta o São Bernardo, enquanto o Brusque pega o São José. Os dois jogos acontecem às 16h. O time catarinense tem 12 pontos e já confirmou sua vaga na final e o acesso. Já São Bernardo e São José lutam pela possibilidade de classificação para a Série B.

A “sensational” £100m midfielder has now emerged as Manchester United’s top midfield target ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, with Ruben Amorim personally keen.

Man Utd keen on new midfielder amid Bruno concerns

Amorim has been forced to find a way to fit talisman Bruno Fernandes into his system, but there are concerns about whether the Portugal international is suited to playing in central midfield, with ex-Chelsea man Craig Burley criticising his positional awareness.

Burley said: “They have got no legs in midfield, we’ve talked about this with Casemiro and Ugarte. Bruno Fernandes is playing there, but it’s not his position.

“He doesn’t understand the defensive aspects and the positional aspects of being a deeper-lying midfielder. And it also negates, which we’ve talked about at length, his ability to influence 30 yards further up the field.”

Man Utd submit offer to sign two "special" English midfielders in double swoop

The Red Devils have tabled a proposal for two midfielders.

ByDominic Lund Oct 15, 2025

Perhaps with that in mind, the Red Devils have set out to bring in a new central midfielder, and summer target, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, has remained on the shortlist, with a report from early September revealing plans to smash their transfer record in 2026.

However, according to a report from The i Paper, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton has now overtaken Baleba as Man United’s top target in midfield, with Amorim personally keen, as the manager is a fan of his directness and willingness to pass forward.

The Brighton midfielder, on the other hand, has made a disappointing start to the season, which has caused United to think twice about pursuing the Cameroonian, with one insider saying: “A calming influence, a midfielder on a different level with the ball at his feet wouldn’t go amiss right now,”

“Baleba can get about the pitch more, but does he possess Wharton’s quality on the ball? The club could do with the latter.”

"Sensational" Wharton would be very different option to Baleba

The Palace star, who reportedly has a price tag of £100m, is a very different type of player to Baleba, posing more of an attacking threat, while, as previously mentioned, expressing a willingness to drive the ball forward, which is why he has caught Amorim’s eye.

Average per 90 (past year)

Adam Wharton

Carlos Baleba

Assists

0.15

0

Shot-creating actions

3.94

1.88

Progressive passes

5.98

3.33

Tackles

1.90

2.47

Interceptions

1.39

1.53

As shown, the Cameroon international excels more from a defensive point of view, which suggests he is more of a like-for-like replacement for Casemiro, although there have recently been widespread reports suggesting the ex-Real Madrid man could sign a new contract.

As such, Baleba may not be a necessary signing, and it is probably a wise idea to focus on signing Wharton, who has received very high praise from Sky Sports’ Nubaid Haroon in the past.

Head coach Andy Flower has said Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) lead-in to the IPL playoffs is not ideal but wants his team to be ready for any eventuality.If RCB finish in the top two, which they might know only after their last league game on May 27 against LSG, they will have less than 48 hours before they’re back on the field for Qualifier 1 in Ahmedabad.”That’s not your ideal lead-in to a qualifying game,” Flower said ahead of Friday’s ‘home’ fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Lucknow. “We’ll finish late, get to bed quite late, then travel 28th and play 29th, but that’s the situation in front of us. The best way is for everyone to take in the reality of that, deal with it and we’ll be ready for that game.”RCB last played on May 3. Their first game after the IPL resumed on May 17, against KKR, was abandoned without a ball bowled. With heavy rainfall forecast in Bengaluru, the IPL’s decision to move this game to Lucknow meant RCB have had just two sharp training sessions in the build-up.Related

• RCB need their share of luck now to find lost momentum

• Hazlewood expected to return to IPL for playoffs

• RCB bring in Muzarabani as Ngidi's temporary replacement

• RCB-SRH moved to Lucknow; IPL playoffs in Mullanpur and Ahmedabad

• RCB look to boost top-two chances in Lucknow home game

“We’re disappointed not to be playing tomorrow’s game in Bangalore, but we’ve had to roll with that,” he said. “We trained in Bangalore yesterday around lunch time, flew here, have a training session tonight [Thursday] and we’ll be ready to go.”The boys have worked really well over the entire season, in the build-up to the first match. They’ve played some superb cricket through the season. Yes, we’ve had a little break now but for a couple of our players, that [break] has been a healthy thing.The break has given Rajat Patidar time to recover from injury, says head coach Andy Flower•BCCI

“Rajat Patidar for one, it’s given his right hand a little bit of time to settle after getting a bad knock. He’s fit to bat. Which is great. [Phil] Salt was sick for a while, it’s given him a little chance to get home, recharge his batteries, and he’s back at full force.”Flower is no stranger to the Ekana Stadium, having coached Lucknow Super Giants for two seasons in 2022 and 2023. He’s hoping RCB will continue their incredible away record of six wins in six games this season and push towards a top-two finish.”As you know we struggled in our home conditions initially, the pitch was a little bit different to what we were used to,” he said. “It took us a little while to adjust our game plan; we did adjust and won a couple of important games at home [against CSK and RR]. We’ve got a good record away, been able to flex for away conditions really well, backing our players to do that again tomorrow. We’re okay playing away.”When asked if they were aggrieved at the lack of home advantage in Bengaluru, Flower spoke glowingly of the relationship the franchise shares with the Karnataka State Cricket Association and its curators.”I think generally cricketers should be able to adjust to whatever conditions given to them,” he said. “Of course home advantage is a thing, but we’re comfortable with our relationship with [K] Sriram back at Chinnaswamy. He’s been outstanding, given us the best pitch he can given us each time. Like him and respect him, enjoy working with him … we’re looking forward to a similar relationship next season.”RCB are currently second in the points table with 17 points from 12 games. They need to win both their remaining games to give themselves the best chance of finishing in the top two. They will also have to deal with personnel changes ahead of the playoffs: Jacob Bethell and Lungi Ngidi will leave after Friday’s fixture against SRH due to international commitments.RCB have signed Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani and New Zealand’s Tim Seifert as short-term replacements. They are also waiting on Josh Hazlewood’s return as he continues his recovery from a shoulder injury in Australia.

Iyer had primarily batted at No. 4 in IPL 2024, when he led KKR to the title

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Mar-20254:08

Shreyas Iyer: ‘The more relaxed you are, the more instinctive calls you take, you get the right results’

Shreyas Iyer, the new Punjab Kings captain, has expressed his intention to bat at No. 3 during IPL 2025. Iyer recently proved to be India’s point of difference at No. 4 during their unbeaten run to the Champions Trophy title in Dubai and earlier in IPL 2024, when he captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the title, he had primarily batted at the same position. Occasionally, he had also slid down to No. 5 or No. 6 to suit the needs of KKR last season.”We already know that IPL is an integral part of Indian cricket. And If I would want to mark myself at some position in T20, it would be No. 3,” Iyer said at a press conference. “And that’s what I’m focusing at. I wouldn’t say that we are planning and thinking about what number I will be batting.”This time I’m quite clear about that position. And I’m going to be focusing on that number. As long as the coach approves of me.”Related

IPL 2025 FAQs: What's new this season? Any changes in format?

Can Iyer and Ponting work their magic on chronic underperformers PBKS?

Iyer's fire: the point of difference in India's middle order

Iyer will reunite with coach Ponting after the pair had some success at Delhi Capitals, helping them make the playoffs from 2019 to 2021, including the final in 2020. PBKS splurged INR 26.75 crore (USD 3.18 million approx) on Iyer, making him the second-most expensive player at an IPL auction.”If you look back at the auction, I think it was pretty clear to everyone who I wanted as my captain,” Ponting said. “And we got what we wanted. I was desperate to work with Shreyas again. We had a great working relationship at Delhi over a long period of time. He’s one of the best players that I’ve worked with. He’s a great human being. He’s an IPL-winning captain. You couldn’t ask for much more.”We’ve got the best leader that we could possibly hope for. And we’ve had a lot of great times and success together. I think we understand each other really well. As you know, the captain-coach relationship in any team is vital.”In IPL 2024, PBKS had managed to win just one of their seven home games across Mullanpur and Dharamsala, and finished second from bottom. Ponting is hoping to remedy that and find ways to win at home this season.”What I understand is that if you are not winning at home, you are not winning the IPL,” Ponting said. “It’s one of the main reasons that I’m sitting here now. I wanted a really strong coaching challenge. And we’ve got that. But there’s no pressure on us. What have we got to lose?”We’re going to go out and play a really dynamic and entertaining brand of cricket. And I know we’ve got the players that can do that.”

South Africa batter also available to play County Championship during south-coast stint

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2025Hampshire have signed South Africa batter Dewald Brevis to play in their Vitality T20 Blast campaign. Brevis, 21, will also be available for Hamphire’s two County Championship fixtures during the break in the Blast.Brevis joins fellow South African overseas signing Lhuan-dre Pretorius in an attacking Hampshire batting line-up, with the 2022 champions looking to secure a return to Finals Day.Brevis, who won his two T20I caps in 2023, has made his name in franchise tournaments around the world, including playing in the IPL, CPL and MLC, as well as the SA20, where he was the sixth-highest run-scorer with 291 at a strike rate of 184.17, helping MI Cape Town to their first title.He has also made a solid start to his first-class career, with three hundreds in 17 matches and an average of 38.14.”I’m hugely excited about joining Hampshire Hawks for the Vitality Blast this summer, the team has a great history in the competition, and I look forward to being a part of that,” he said.”It’s great we have Lhuan-dre with us as well and hopefully we can put on a good show and entertain the crowd at Utilita Bowl on our way to reaching Finals Day and lifting the trophy. I’m also looking forward to playing in the County Championship, the team were so close last year, and I hope I can help the club push for the title in 2025.”Hampshire’s director of cricket, Giles White, said: “Dewald is an exceptional young player who will add firepower to our batting line-up this summer. He will arrive having enjoyed good recent form, and alongside Lhuan-dre Pretorius we will have two young cricketers that are hungry to make their mark.”

The latest round of action across Europe's elite leagues saw Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Porto maintain their winning starts to the 2025-26 season. However, while everyone expects Bayern to run away with the Bundesliga, Barca are hot on the heels of Madrid in La Liga, while Porto are presently processing the news that the most famous manager in the club's history has just taken charge of their hated rivals Benfica.

Over in Italy, Juventus dropped their first points of the season at Verona but Massimiliano Allegri's resurgent AC Milan made it three wins on the bounce by beating Udinese, with Christian Pulisic the star of the show at the Bluenergy Stadium.

In France, Le Classique between Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain was pushed back until Monday due to the weather and that allowed Monaco to draw level with PSG thanks in no small part to a former Barcelona star…

Below, GOAL runs through all the big winners and losers from Europe's top leagues…

AFPWINNER: Lorenzo Pellegrini

Gianluca Mancini played his 15th Rome derby on Sunday but admitted afterwards that he still gets "butterflies" before every game.

"Those on the outside cannot understand what the derby means," the Roma defender told . Lorenzo Pellegrini is no outsider, of course. The Italy international was born and raised in the Eternal City. The derby has always been everything to him.

However, Pellegrini was even more emotional than usual after netting the winner against Lazio as he expected to be sold during the summer before picking up a hamstring injury that ended any hope Roma had of finding a buyer for a midfielder that has often been criticised by the club's fans.

"It's true that I was very moved after scoring the goal," Pellegrini, who is out of contract next summer, told . "Life is unpredictable: you don’t know what could happen next. To win the derby, that is for my people and my family. You are all my family and helped me during this difficult time."

A group of supporters had also unfurled a banner before the game that read "Welcome back, captain!", so even though Bryan Cristante was actually wearing the armband, it was a gesture that was very much appreciated by Pellegrini.

"I know there are those who love me in the stands, and I never doubted it. I love them too," the 29-year-old said. "I also believe this team has so much more to give, as so many great men with character who care about Roma are here now.

"I feel proud to be one of the many captains, those responsible for passing on the passion for Roma to those who have just arrived and haven’t realised where they are. That includes Mancini, who is my brother from another mother.

"Aside from all the reasoning and words, though, there is one constant, which is that I love Roma. As long as I wear this jersey, there won’t be a moment when I will hold back."

AdvertisementAFPWINNER: Ansu Fati

Monaco endured a miserable start to their Champions League campaign, losing 4-1 away to Club Brugge last Thursday. However, there was one positive: Ansu Fati coming off the bench to net his first goal for the club, which put a smile on the face of neutrals all across the world.

Remarkably, even better was to come at the Stade Louis II on Sunday, with the on-loan Barcelona attacker bagging a brace on his Ligue 1 debut as Monaco beat Metz 5-2 to move level on points with PSG at the top of the table.

"I feel very good and capable of helping the team," Fati told the club's official website. "I’m happy to be playing football again. You have to live in the moment and take it one day at a time. No one knows what the future holds but, whatever happens, I’m very happy tonight."

Obviously, Fati is right: there's no point in looking too far ahead. It's very early days and it would be unwise to take anything for granted when it comes to such an injury-ravaged player, making giddy talk of Fati being 'back' feel incredibly premature. 

In fairness, though, it's hard not to be excited by the prospect of the former prodigy getting a once-promising career back on track after so many setbacks in recent seasons. As Barcelona sporting director Deco pointed out during the summer, Fati is still only 22, while there are few better clubs than Monaco when it comes to getting the best out of young talent.

Nobody wanted Fati after his dismal loan spell at Brighton in 2023-24 – least of all Barca boss Hansi Flick – but Monaco might just have pulled off a masterstroke by securing an €11 million (£9.5m/$13m) option to buy the former Spain international at the end of his loan spell in the principality.  

Getty Images SportLOSER: Harry Kane's critics

claimed over the weekend that Barcelona are eyeing up Harry Kane as a possible replacement for Robert Lewandowski – which, on the face of it, appears pretty nonsensical. Why would Barca even consider replacing a 37-year-old forward with a player that turns 33 next summer?

On the other hand, Kane is showing zero signs of slowing down and is actually enjoying one of the more productive periods of his career.

After netting twice in Bayern Munich's Champions League opener against Chelsea on Wednesday, the England international went one better at the weekend, hitting a hat-trick in a 4-1 rout of Hoffenheim at the PreZero Arena.

Consequently, Kane has a frankly ridiculous eight goals in just four Bundesliga matches so far this season and 13 in seven in all competitions, which is why some German journalists are now publicly apologising for previously arguing that Bayern had overpaid for the forward – and why the reports emanating out of Spain don't actually feel that far-fetched! 

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AFPWINNER: Jose Mourinho

Things have worked out pretty well for Jose Mourinho. Just over three weeks after Bruno Lage’s Benfica effectively cost the Portuguese his job at Fenerbahce, 'The Special One' returned to Lisbon 25 years after starting his illustrious coaching career with The Eagles.

Although it's never been a good idea to try to predict what Mourinho might do – or say – next, it seems likely that his second spell in Lisbon will definitely last longer than his first (nine games) because he believes that Benfica – unlike Fenerbahce – are on his "level".

"I came to coach a big club, I came to coach a giant," he said after leading the two-time European Cup winners to a 3-0 win over AVS on Saturday night. "I've been with giants, Real Madrid, Inter, Manchester, Roma – not a giant in terms of winning titles, but a giant from a social point of view.

“So, I've been at big clubs and now I had the opportunity to come and coach a giant, and that's what brought me here.”

Deep down, maybe even Mourinho knows that he’s lucky to have landed such a top job after flopping at Fenerbahce but it’s kind of irrelevant now.

All that matters is that he’s back at one of Europe’s prestigious clubs – and back in the Champions League, too. Truth be told, we’re already counting down the days until his upcoming return to Stamford Bridge. The pre-match press conference alone should be gold!

The former USMNT striker highlighted the significance of the national team's victory over Japan, noting signs of pressure on the coach

Victory could be turning point in Pochettino's USMNT tenureGomez says there were signs of pressure affecting the manager Tactical approach finally maximized player strengthsGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Former USMNT and MLS striker Herculez Gomez said U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino is already showing signs of strain despite the United States’ 2-0 win over Japan. Gomez argued that while the coach is known for his calm, collected demeanor, he showed he was under pressure based on his actions and comments to the media.

“Massive,” Gomez said on the when asked how big this win was for Pochettino. “First time in Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure we can see the pressure getting to him. He could say, ‘It's not getting to me’, he can say ‘It doesn't bother me,' but he was taking – I would say not shots – but he felt defensive. And he's doing his front of the U.S press. I could only imagine what he's faced in Paris, what he's faced in England, what he has faced in other places he's been in, like La Liga – this should be nothing.

"But he felt slightly, he felt like he had to be a little bit more defensive. And the only thing that can cure the ails of the fan base, the only way to ensure the worries of certain pundits is winning."

Despite Pochettino's attempts to downplay the significance of criticism, Gomez said that the manager's tactical change showed his awareness of the criticism and need for improved results.

“So he did what he needed to do," he said. "I thought it was very intelligent of the coaching staff to see the players they had at their disposal and say, 'You know what, we've got to do what we can with what we have. ’ They changed the formation, 3-4-2-1, more catered to the players and how they play at their club teams… He played to the player's strengths."

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The ESPN FC broadcaster pointed out that the doubts surrounding Pochettino's leadership were well-founded, highlighting the manager's decision to field 15 different starting lineups within a single year. 

“This [win] was very much needed for the coaching staff,” Gomez added. “This was fresh air. They were being doubted, and I think for good reason… In October, it’ll be one full year [under Pochettino's leadership]. So there were these doubts, there were these cracks that people were starting to see. It gives a relief to the coaching staff.”

Despite acknowledging the importance of the result, Gomez made it clear that his fundamental concerns about Pochettino's suitability for the position remained unresolved. Gomez stressed that the coach has yet to field what he considers an optimal squad, often missing key pieces even when the decisions were his own.

“Because you don’t have a Messi, you have to be the equal to the sum of the parts," he said. "And he didn’t have those parts, so I wanna give him the benefit of the doubt, but he’s not helped his cause. Now this [win] is going to help.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The USMNT beat Japan 2-0 with goals from Alejandro Zendejas and Folarin Balogun to win their first game in seven tries against a team inside the FIFA top 30 rankings during Pochettino's tenure.

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Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

Following their win over Japan, Pochettino and the USMNT will regroup in October against Ecuador and Australia.