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Glasgow Rangers are in talks to sign a new “highly-rated” player after manager Russell Martin gave the green light to an Ibrox transfer.

Rangers want more defenders as Aarons moves to Ibrox

The Gers will be looking to win just their second Scottish Premiership title in 15 years in Martin’s first season at Ibrox, and the 49ers Enterprises appear willing to back the new boss in the transfer window.

After already securing the services of midfielder Lyall Cameron from Dundee, Rangers swopped to sign Max Aarons on loan from Bournemouth, with a transfer officially announced on Wednesday.

The right-back spent the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Valencia and will now link up with Martin who knows Aarons from his time at Norwich City.

Talking after signing Aarons, Martin said: “Max is a player who I have always kept a keen eye on since he was emerging through the youth ranks while I was coming to the end of my time at Norwich as a player. He is a wonderfully talented player who is hungry to develop, improve and help deliver success for his side.

“We are pleased to bring him on board for this season, and I believe he will be a fantastic addition to the squad.”

After Aarons: Rangers open talks to sign £1m star who could be Kent 2.0

After signing Max Aarons, Rangers are in talks to repeat their Ryan Kent trick at Ibrox.

ByBen Gray Jun 25, 2025

Alongside the 25-year-old, Rangers also want to sign a new centre-back, with the future of Robin Propper up in the air. There have been claims the Gers have even accepted an offer from FC Twente for the Dutchman after only joining 12 months ago.

Leicester City’s Conor Coady has been linked with moving to Glasgow as Rangers’ centre-back signing, however, a new name has entered the frame.

Rangers in talks for Peterborough defender Fernandez

According to reports from Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, Rangers have opened talks to sign 23-year-old centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez.

It is added that Martin has ‘given the green light’ to a deal, with the 6ft 4 defender making 42 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring five times.

Fernandez is under contract until 2027 and was wanted by Norwich in the January window, but it looks as if Rangers are the side making moves in the summer.

Games

61

Goals

7

Yellow cards

8

Red cards

2

Trophies

2

Rangers have also been after Peterborough star Kwame Poku, who is out of contract at the end of the month, but it looks as if the winger may move elsewhere and not Glasgow.

Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony hailed Fernandez as a “colossus” last season, while also calling him the club’s “best defender”.

O’Rourke has also called Fernandez “highly-rated”, and it looks as if a deal could be one to watch following the journalist’s update.

Having already announced the arrival of young Spaniard Antonio Cordero, Newcastle United have reportedly pushed on with their summer plans by lodging their first enquiries to sign Anthony Elanga and a striker worth as much as £70m.

Newcastle pushing to sign Elanga

With Bryan Mbeumo set to choose Manchester United over a move to St James’ Park, Newcastle’s search for a winger has reportedly taken them to Nottingham Forest and Elanga.

The Swede enjoyed his best Premier League season yet to become the latest in a long line of Old Trafford regrets. Now, he could be on his way to Tyneside as Newcastle flex their newfound Champions League status.

Premier League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Elanga

Gordon

Murphy

Minutes

2,501

2,434

2,360

Goals

6

6

8

Assists

11

5

12

Completed take-ons

25

38

35

In what would spark the battle of the Anthonys in Tyneside, Elanga looks likely to come out on top to secure a starting place in Eddie Howe’s side ahead of Gordon next season, should he complete a summer switch.

Given how they impressed in their own right last season, Nottingham Forest won’t want to lose one of their key men without a fight this summer.

Both Evangelos Marinakis and Nuno Espirito Santo will be desperate to ensure that last season was no flash in the pan and keeping hold of Elanga would go a long way towards achieving.

Related £50m star so close to joining Newcastle his club are lining up replacement

The Magpies are reportedly closing in on a statement signing…

Posts 1 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 8, 2025

Whether PIF’s financial power will prove too strong is the big question. After PSR limits forced them to sit out of the last two windows, the rich owners are now ready to spend big again on both Elanga and another Premier League star.

Back in the Champions League with money to spend, the Saudi owners are certainly not messing around in this summer’s transfer window.

Newcastle lodge first Joao Pedro "enquiry"

According to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle have now made their first “enquiry” to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion, having already done the same for Elanga.

A deal not expected to come cheap amid reports that the Seagulls value the Brazilian at as much as £70m, Pedro will undoubtedly be one to watch in the coming weeks.

Ever since Fabian Hurzeler decided to drop Pedro for disciplinary reasons at the back end of last season, a Brighton departure has looked on the cards for Pedro. The former Watford man endured a mixed campaign, truth be told, and one that was ultimately full of frustration.

Despite scoring just ten goals in all competitions and eventually being dropped by Hurzeler, there remains impressive interest in the former Watford man who still found himself at the centre of praise last season.

With Newcastle now lurking, Pedro may not even need to win over club legend Alan Shearer if he completes a move this summer. The record Premier League goalscorer took the time to describe the Brighton star as “superb” back in November.

Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli is said to be keen on selling a “world class” player to Newcastle United as part of a swap deal involving Sandro Tonali this summer.

Tonali open to leaving Newcastle this summer

Tonali has enjoyed an impressive season for the Magpies, helping Eddie Howe’s side win the EFL Cup, as well as making 31 appearances in the Premier League, looking to help them return to the Champions League.

That said, a worrying update recently emerged regarding the future of the Italian, who is thought to be open to the idea of leaving Newcastle at the end of the current campaign.

It has been claimed that the Magpies will be willing to listen to offers above £68.5m for Tonali’s services in the summer, which would bring an end to his two-year stay at St James’ Park.

That would be a big disappointment, with the 24-year-old such an influential performer for Newcastle in the middle of the park alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, but a new rumour has at least suggested that a swap deal involving a top-quality attacker could be on the cards.

Newcastle linked with a move for "world class" Vlahovic

According to TuttoSport [via Sport Witness], Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli wants to sell striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer, and Newcastle’s interest is referenced specifically because it could see Tonali head in the opposite direction.

The Serb’s agents want him to remain with the Turin giants for another year, but the club are believed to be looking to strike a deal for him before next season gets underway. As mentioned, Newcastle losing Tonali this summer would clearly be a setback, given his age and influence, but if a swap deal with Vlahovic did happen, the £320,000-a-week striker could be a great addition.

While fitting both him and Alexander Isak into the same team wouldn’t necessarily be easy for Howe, the Serbia international would be a real asset, being described as “world class” by journalist Siavoush Fallahi.

Vlahovic hasn’t had his most productive season in a Juventus shirt, only scoring nine goals in the league, which is perhaps why there is a willingness to allow him to leave in the summer transfer window.

That shouldn’t change the fact that Newcastle would love to have him, though, having scored 14 goals in 34 caps for Serbia, and 55 in 138 matches for Juve.

Newcastle expected to open talks to sign £40k-a-week Nottingham Forest ace

He has enjoyed a great season in the Premier League.

By
Henry Jackson

Apr 20, 2025

Seeing Tonali stay put is still arguably more important, however, with the Italy international still having so many years at the top level ahead of him.

Rangers are thought to be in talks to sign a new in-demand forward on a free transfer this summer.

10-man Rangers hold Athletic Club to first leg draw

The Gers put in another valiant Europa League display at Ibrox on Thursday evening as they hosted La Liga side Athletic Club in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.

Barry Ferguson’s side went down to 10 early on after Robin Propper received a straight red card, however, Rangers battled to a 0-0 draw ahead of the second leg next week.

Liam Kelly even kept out a late penalty from Alex Berenguer, meaning it is all to play for in Bilbao as Rangers look to return there for the final at the end of May.

Talking after the game, Ferguson said: “I thought we defended really well and coped with their threat. It has been a problem conceding goals, that’s one of the areas we’ve tried to work really hard at. What I saw tonight was a team that took the instructions on.

“The chat we had on Monday really sunk in and they took the information with them. I think anybody watching the game tonight saw a team that would run through brick walls for each other.”

As bad as Propper: Ferguson must axe Rangers dud who made just 4 passes

Having battled to a goalless draw at Ibrox, Rangers manager Barry Ferguson must axe his “frustrating” star at San Mamés in next Thursday’s second leg.

ByBen Gray Apr 11, 2025

Away from the pitch at Ibrox, though, the 49ers Enterprises are currently in the process of finalising a takeover after agreeing a deal in principle.

They already have their eyes on summer signings, though, and one player in particular is of real interest to the Gers.

Rangers in talks to sign "impressive" forward for free

According to Graeme Bailey, Rangers “want” to sign Peterborough United winger Kwame Poku and have “continued” talks.

Talking to EFL Analysis, Bailey gave an update on Poku’s future with his Posh contract set to expire at the end of the season. Rangers aren’t the only club keen, with up to five English sides also in discussions for the 23-year-old.

“His people are in talks with a number of clubs – and yes, one of them is Birmingham. There are others, though – Crystal Palace, Millwall, Luton and Norwich among them.

“However, the big danger is Rangers – they want him and have watched him numerous times. Talks have continued but complicated by their takeover and then new manager.”

Games

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Goals

12

Assists

11

Minutes played

2,081

The League One star has been a standout player in the third tier this season, with all but three of his 23 goal contributions coming from the right-hand side.

Last month, Sky Sports co-commentator and pundit Don Goodman called Poku ”very impressive” and added: “He’s been on my radar for a couple of seasons now, along with Ephron Mason-Clarke, who is now doing really, really well at Coventry.

“So whether he’s ready for the Premier League just yet is a debate to be had, but certainly if I was a Championship club and I needed an exciting, ball-carrying winger that both scores and creates goals, he would be on my radar.”

The pair has won the Plunket Shield with Wellington and were training together at Chennai’s Super Kings Academy recently to “learn different parts of our game”

Deivarayan Muthu18-Oct-2024Nick Greenwood and Jesse Tashkoff have traversed contrasting paths to the Wellington team.Greenwood, a batting allrounder, was born in Jersey before his family emigrated to New Zealand when he was two years old. Now 24, he has already had a taste of international cricket with Jersey, his birth island, and aspires to become a Black Cap in the future.Tashkoff, a year younger than Greenwood, is a left-arm fingerspinner who was born and brought up in Lower Hutt in Wellington. Tashkoff’s leadership skills were recognised early when he was appointed New Zealand Under-19s’ captain for the World Cup in South Africa in 2020. Having grown up idolising Daniel Vettori and admiring Mitchell Santner, Tashkoff also dreams of playing for New Zealand.In March earlier this year, Greenwood and Tashkoff won the 2023-24 Plunket Shield with Wellington. Four months later, their paths crossed again in Chennai, where the pair spent the New Zealand winter at the Super Kings Academy (SKA), preparing for the new domestic season, which will kick off with the Ford Trophy on October 20.”Obviously coming from New Zealand, the conditions are a lot different to what they’re like over here,” Tashkoff says. “So it’s nice to come over here and learn different parts of our game that we might not be able to experience back home just with the different pitch conditions and weather. So there are a lot of takeaways that we can grab from our training over here and implement it into our games back home. That’s our main goal coming into such trips here.”

“The change of pace is the biggest and easiest way to adjust but I’ve been also working on the carrom ball, the slider and the arm ball as well. Just need to get more confidence in the nets practicing it before I can bring the carrom ball into a game this season”Jesse Tashkoff

For Greenwood and Tashkoff, it was also an opportunity to reconnect with Sriram Krishnamurthy, their former Wellington Under-19s coach, who is now the head coach at the SKA in Chennai. “We might not get these exact wickets back in New Zealand, but like Sri has been telling us, the basics of playing spin, it’s still the basics he’s trying to instil in, no matter the wicket,” Greenwood says. “There’s a lot of things you can take out of here like your height at the crease – stay nice and low – and keeping side-on and picking the ball out of the hand. All these things you try to pick up and take it into your game in Wellington even though it might not spin as much there.”During the winter, Greenwood had also helped Jersey win the T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Europe Qualifier in Krefeld before picking up his maiden five-wicket haul in List A cricket in the 50-over challenge league for Jersey in Nairobi.It was actually a chance conversation during a club game in Lancashire in 2019 that put Greenwood on the radar of the Jersey cricket team.”Wellington had set me up to play some cricket in the UK and I was playing for a club over there,” Greenwood recalls. “One of the people there [at the club] went to university there with one of Jersey’s players – Ben Stevens – and I got a contact with the coach [Neil MacRae] and a couple of days later had a net session and then, a month later, I was in Abu Dhabi and Dubai playing T20 qualifiers. So it was a pretty cool experience and I’m grateful that they gave me the opportunity [to play international cricket]. We have played some good cricket over the years, but we have kind of slid back to the regional qualifier now. Hopefully, we can keep up with the likes of Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands and stay in touch with that qualifying group.”With Devon Conway knocking back a central contract to become a freelancer and Rachin Ravindra set to be away on international duty for most of the domestic season, Greenwood is likely to open the batting with Tim Robinson – who is fresh off his maiden Caribbean Premier League stint with Guyana Amazon Warriors – in the upcoming domestic season. But having been exposed to different conditions around the world, he is open to batting at any position for Wellington.Nick Greenwood has scored three hundreds and nine fifties in List A cricket•Getty Images”I haven’t done heaps of it [batting in the middle order] last season when Dev and Rach didn’t play much,” Greenwood says. “When guys come back, it’s also an opportunity to learn from them but I like to believe my game hasn’t changed too much. Yes, batting in the powerplay is a bit different, but I’m comfortable playing against spin in that role as well. It’s a thing to my game as well – keep developing it and there’s nothing to stop me saying I can’t bat there [middle order] or bat at the top. Ready to bat anywhere.”Inspired by Liam Livingstone, Greenwood is also working on adding legspin to his regular offspin in his quest to counter right-handers who try to line him up.As for Tashkoff, who is Wellington’s second spinner behind Peter Younghusband, he has also been working behind the scenes to expand his repertoire.”The change of pace is the biggest and easiest way to adjust but I’ve been also working on the carrom ball, the slider and the arm ball as well,” Tashkoff says. “Just need to get more confidence in the nets practicing it before I can bring the carrom ball into a game this season. It’s something I’ve been working on for a while but still not at a stage where I can confidently bring it into a game yet. I’ve watched a lot of footage and seen how bowlers release it, talking to coaches and getting ideas on what’s the best technique. It’s pretty much trial and error for me to find out what works the best for me.”The common goal for both Greenwood and Tashkoff now is to help Wellington win more titles this domestic season.”Last season, we had some team success and winning the Plunket Shield was awesome to experience,” Greenwood says. “There were some new players in the team that hadn’t won before, which was awesome again. We’ll continue to strive for team success, which is a good way to promote yourself to become a better player as well. So we will definitely look to compete for more trophies with Wellington.”

Visitors hopeful that conditions will not hamper health or prospects for extensive play in Test

Vithushan Ehantharajah08-Dec-2022Ben Stokes says he isn’t bothered by the smog. Locals say the haze that covers the Multan Cricket Ground will be clear by 10am, so no need to fret about a delayed start time, though there are no guarantees it won’t enhance the gloom later in the day as the sun heads for an early exit at around 4:30pm.It was on Tuesday morning, as England were sitting through a three-and-a-half hour delay at Islamabad airport, waiting for conditions to become clearer in Multan to take off, that a video made its way to them of the state of the ground that morning at 8:30am. Visibility was bad enough for Stokes to consider tailoring his team accordingly, amid fears of just 350 overs across the five days’ play.At training on Thursday, which began in earnest at 11am, what clag remained was manageable and, in all honestly, not too different to what it had been an hour before. Whatever fog there is first-thing should get burned away by the sun before 10am to ensure it does not add to the smog or smoke that fills the air. The expectation now is for an awkward but entirely manageable start time, even if no two mornings have been the same this week.There is a certain irony to Multan experiencing all this, because the threat of a smog disruption at this time of year is exactly why this Test is not being held in Lahore. On Monday, Lahore lived up to its status as one of the world’s most polluted cities, with an air quality index (AQI) of 305, as per data collected from IQAir. The levels can cause serious health problems, with some of Multan’s population said to be experiencing similar effects due to worse air quality than usual in the region of Punjab.Part of the reason for that have been the floods that ravaged Pakistan, which have not yet dispersed from areas of the South Punjab, and are contributing to the dense smog as they evaporate in the mornings. Another factor is stubble burning – a cheap means of clearing fields after harvest, and a practice that has previously affected matches over the border in Delhi, notably when the Sri Lanka fast bowler Suranga Lakmal vomited during a Test match in 2017. Though the province has introduced seasonal bans on the practice, these are poorly enforced.What is particularly noticeable is visibility gets worse the further out of the main city you go. The vast open land that surrounds Multan’s stadium allows dust to pick up with the winds, and the prevalence of brick manufacturers in this area contributes to the debris. It is in this area you see more masks and face coverings being worn, though by nightfall they are more apparent in the city.Related

Naseem Shah ruled out of Karachi Test due to shoulder injury

Ollie Pope retains gloves as Mark Wood returns for Multan Test

Not quite at home: Pakistan still learning the ropes of playing in Pakistan

Naseem Shah under injury cloud ahead of Multan Test

Why does Ramiz Raja think Pakistan have a problem with their pitches?

While the England squad are all fit and available following last week’s virus, a number of backroom staff are either still struggling with the remnants of the bug or are reporting sore throats and coughs. There is no alarm at present that conditions during the Test could deteriorate to an extent that players will have to don masks as the West Indies did at this venue during an ODI in June after a dust storm. But there is also a degree of uncertainty, given how little outdoor training both teams have had this week.A scheduled training session on Wednesday was cancelled following the later-than-expected arrival on Tuesday, meaning Thursday was the one and only net session ahead of Friday’s start to the Test match. It may only be on days two and three that we begin to hear or see the effects of playing in these conditions.Stokes said he did not think conditions were particularly taxing on Thursday. Beyond “mugginess”, which he feels might make him sweat through his whites a little quicker, he was not immediately concerned by the pollution that will surround this match. “I think it’s just another thing we are doing to have to deal with,” he said.

The shot gives batsmen a huge unfair advantage. Bowlers will take matters into their own hands if the officials don’t step in

Ian Chappell06-Dec-2020The switch hit has attracted a lot of attention in cricket circles in the last week, fuelled mainly by Glenn Maxwell’s amazing exploit in depositing a ball in the back of the Bob Hawke stand at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.In this case, Maxwell faced up in his normal manner as a right-hander, but before Kuldeep Yadav delivered the ball, he altered his stance and grip on the bat to effectively become a left-hander. Maxwell’s shot was an amazing example of skill and superb hand-eye coordination, but was it fair? The answer is a resounding no, as far as I’m concerned.One of the main tasks of a cricket administrator is to frame laws that maintain a reasonable balance between bat and ball. If the laws or playing conditions favour one or the other unfairly then the game becomes a diminished contest.ALSO READ: Glenn Maxwell on the switch hit: It’s up to the bowlers to evolveIn the case of the switch hit, the batsman has one prime objective in mind: to make the bowler’s field placings redundant. Considering the bowler – in consultation with his captain – places his field taking into account the batsman’s style, how can it then be fair that the batsman becomes the opposite type of player with the bowler having no recourse to a change of field? This obviously hands a huge advantage to a highly skilled switch-hitter.The respected former international umpire Simon Taufel suggested the already heavily burdened on-field officials would find it difficult to adjudicate on any switch of the hands or feet. With all due respect to a man who has done the job very effectively, I disagree.The square-leg umpire is already paying close attention to the batsman’s feet in case there is a stumping, so he’ll notice any change of order. If a batsman changes the order of his feet, then the square-leg umpire ought to simply declare the ball dead and no runs result.

Don’t worry, Glenn, history shows bowlers will move to combat the switch hit, but will it be in a manner that benefits the game?

If this became the law then batsmen would have no incentive to switch-hit and balance would be restored in that individual contest.Referring to the switch hit after the game, Maxwell said: “It’s within the Laws, batting has evolved in such a way that it’s just got better and better over the years. [I] suppose it’s up to the bowlers to try and combat that.”There’s one sure way for bowlers to combat the switch hit. They can simply refuse to deliver the ball every time a batsman starts to make a move to change his feet. This would further slow over rates that are already approaching glacial pace, but it would also send a strong message to any reluctant administrators.If the administrators’ prime concern is to favour hysterical commentary and please fans who only want to see a bowler’s head on a spike then they won’t budge. However, they should do so in the knowledge that bowlers will eventually say enough is enough and take the law into their own hands.The history of the game provides administrators with multiple examples of what happens when the balance between bat and ball gets seriously out of whack. Go back to the gradual evolution from underarm to sidearm to today’s overarm bowling. These changes were forced on the game by bowlers determined to be involved in a fair contest.There are plenty more examples where bowlers have become fed up and declared war. These include the Bodyline series, chucking and ball-tampering, all of which were strong protests against a game that had become lopsided in favour of batsmen.Don’t worry, Glenn, history shows bowlers will move to combat the switch hit, but will it be in a manner that benefits the game?If batsmen want to reverse-sweep or play a ramp shot without changing the order of their feet, that’s fine. By playing in that manner, the contest remains roughly a fifty-fifty proposition.However switch-hitting greatly favours batsmen and therefore alters the balance of the contest. It’s very skillful, but it’s not fair.

Manchester United staged a remarkable second half comeback on Sunday, securing what could prove to be a valuable point in a 3-3 draw at home to Tottenham, having been 3-0 down with 17 minutes of normal time to play. However, in truth, it does little to salvage the Red Devils' Women's Super League title charge. Marc Skinner's side are now nine points off table-topping Manchester City after these dropped points, but it does help in the race for Champions League football, as a win for Spurs would've taken them above United and level on points with Arsenal in third.

It looked like that was where the north London side were heading for most of the afternoon. Despite their hosts dominating the first half and hitting the woodwork no fewer than three times, it was Tottenham who went in at the break 2-0 up, thanks to two brilliant headers from Beth England and Eveliina Summanen. Spurs had never beaten United but, under the charge of former Red Devils assistant Martin Ho, they had put themselves in an excellent position to break that winless streak, one only strengthened when Martha Thomas, also formerly of this parish, scored her first WSL goal in almost two years to make it 3-0 just past the hour.

There looked to be no hope for United, even when Ella Toone gave the most optimistic fans in the stands some belief with a hooked finish that pulled one back with 74 minutes on the clock. Once Fridolina Rolfo added a second 10 minutes later, though, a comeback looked a little more plausible. United were dominating and creating plenty, while Spurs seemed to have dropped too deep too early. Still, time was on the visitors' side and they almost got over the line, only for Rolfo to pop up at the back post in the fourth of five added minutes and break their hearts, ensuring her side got something from a crazy afternoon.

No side has ever come back from a six-point deficit at the WSL's halfway stage to win the title, a task facing second-placed Chelsea in the New Year, so United's chances of doing so from nine points back is incredibly unlikely. But this point keeps them ahead of Tottenham in the race for the top three, just one point off Arsenal in that final Champions League spot.

GOAL rates Man Utd's players from Leigh Sports Village…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Phallon Tullis-Joyce (5/10):

Little she could do about any of the goals, in truth.

Jayde Riviere (4/10):

Didn't cover herself in glory for either of the first two goals, with a lack of awareness on show for both.

Maya Le Tissier (5/10):

Unlucky not to break the deadlock in the first half when a great header hit the bar. Has to shoulder some of the responsibility for a defence that leaked three goals, even if she wasn't directly at fault.

Dominique Janssen (5/10):

Lost Holdt far too easily in the build-up to Spurs' third.

Anna Sandberg (5/10):

Moved the ball well and created plenty, but was a little off it defensively.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Hinata Miyazawa (5/10):

Another who was unlucky not to score when her wicked strike hit the bar. Good in possession but struggled to be effective out of it.

Julia Zigiotti Olme (5/10):

Moved the ball well and created plenty but started to show her frustration before being subbed off, picking up a yellow for her troubles.

Ella Toone (5/10):

Should've done better with a couple of chances and didn't quite create enough for others, but did hook in the goal that sparked the comeback.

Getty ImagesAttack

Jess Park (5/10):

Had a good chance early on but struggled to really make her mark otherwise, until transforming into a key performer in the final 15 minutes. 

Elisabeth Terland (4/10):

After starting the season in flying form, clinical touch hasn't been quite as reliable as of late, with several chances going begging here.

Melvine Malard (4/10):

Hit the bar from the edge of the box but wasn't her usual nuisance in the penalty area, lacking that golden touch and fluffing her lines regularly.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Fridolina Rolfo (7/10):

Scored the two goals that completed the United comeback in an incredibly impactful appearance from the bench.

Leah Galton (6/10):

Another important part of the fight back, with her cross for Rolfo's late leveller brilliant.

Marc Skinner (6/10):

Made surprising changes in midweek to seemingly prioritise this game but those decisions didn't pay off. His substitutions worked brilliantly, though, with both Rolfo and Galton making a huge impact.

Manchester United had a busy summer reshaping their attack to help cater to Ruben Amorim’s infamous 3-4-2-1 system. There were two major outgoings in forward areas, with two academy graduates departing.

Alejandro Garnacho moved on a permanent deal to Chelsea, and Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on loan with an option to buy.

Of course, the Red Devils needed to sign replacements, with two big-money signings moving to Old Trafford. One of those was Bryan Mbeumo, who has hit the ground running since his move from Brentford.

Matheus Cunha has also shone after his summer transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, United appear not to be done there, with another attacking target lined up.

Latest on Man Utd's search for a forward

You cannot knock the signings of Mbeumo and Cunha, who have both performed well since moving to Old Trafford. Cameroon star Mbeumo has been particularly impressive, with seven goals and assists in just 12 games for the Red Devils.

Well, INEOS could now look to add to that firepower up front with a move for Borussia Dortmund and Germany forward Karim Adeyemi.

Sky Sports Germany are reporting that the 13-time Premier League champions are ‘in talks’ with his agent, Jorge Mendes, over a potential move for the attacker.

Transfer Focus

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

23-year-old Adeyemi will be out of contract in June 2027, and at this stage, it is unclear whether he will extend his stay at the Signal Iduna Park.

This could give United, and other top European clubs, a chance to pounce.

A price is not confirmed should a move materialise, but there is a rumoured release clause of £70.5m in his potential new deal, a fee Dortmund could demand.

Why Man Utd could be targeting Garnacho 2.0

The 2025/26 campaign has been impressive from Adeyemi, who is performing well and putting up a good goals and assists output. Yet, he’s been an important player for Dortmund, showing great versatility by operating on both flanks and as a number nine.

This term, the 11-cap Germany international has found the back of the net three times and assisted three goals, in 14 appearances so far. On top of that, Seb Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic’s German football correspondent, says he thinks this is the “best football of his career.”

Perhaps this impressive form is a continuation of his 2024/25 campaign, by far his most productive in that famous Yellow shirt so far. In 41 appearances, he scored 12 goals and assisted 11, including a famous Champions League hat-trick against Celtic.

If United were to bring Adeyemi to the club, he could be the second coming of Garnacho, with the pair noted as statistically similar players among those in their position in Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

The Argentine is showing his former club what they’re missing out on by selling him this summer. For Chelsea, Garnacho already has two goals and two assists in ten games.

It may be a sale that will always leave Red Devils fans wondering what could have been. Their former number 17 showed flashes of brilliance for the club, but struggled when Amorim took over.

He managed ten goals and assists under the tutelage of the Portuguese manager, including this stunning strike against Brentford.

It is easy to see how the players are similar. The pair are quick, direct wingers who utilise their pace well, looking to drive at defenders. On top of that, their underlying numbers from this season are similar.

For example, Adeyemi – described as a “pace monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson – averages 1.43 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to Garnacho’s 1.58 key passes each game.

Goals and assists

0.54

0.79

Key passes

1.43

1.58

Shot-creating actions

4.47

3.15

Take-ons completed

2.32

1.32

Ball recoveries

2.86

2.89

Both attackers are versatile forwards who could play as a number 10 or even at wing-back under Amorim. They offer similar creativity in the final third and possess blistering pace, which can hurt defenders.

There is no doubt that £70.5m is a large fee for the German. Yet, Adeyemi could enhance the quality of United’s attack and be the second coming of one of their most exciting academy graduates in recent years.

INEOS have already signed a "machine" who could end Sesko's Man Utd stay

Manchester United already have an elite-level prospect who could steal Benjamin Sesko’s starting role.

2 ByEthan Lamb Nov 18, 2025

Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United has finally shown glimpses of lift off over the last couple of weeks, with the first-team squad now adapting to the demands of his 3-4-2-1 system.

Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, his future at Old Trafford was massively up in the air, especially after only being able to register a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

However, he maintained the backing of the board, with such a decision now proving to be the right one, especially if their recent run of form is anything to go by.

The Red Devils remain unbeaten in each of their last five outings, winning three in a row in the process, leading to the 40-year-old claiming the division’s Manager of the Month award.

However, one player who joined the club during the off-season has somewhat struggled to make the desired impact in recent weeks, leading to question marks around his future.

What former Man Utd players have made of Sesko’s start at the club

Benjamin Sesko joined United in a £74m transfer from RB Leipzig, with the fanbase having real expectations on the centre-forward to change their fortunes in the final third.

The Slovenian has already featured in 11 league outings to date, but has only managed to find the net twice, failing to score in any of the last four matches in the Premier League.

Given his lack of goals, questions have been asked about the 22-year-old’s role at Old Trafford, with many former players voicing their concern over his struggles in England.

Former right-back and now pundit, Gary Neville, spoke about Sesko early this month and gave an honest review on the youngster’s start to life at the club.

The 50-year-old stated: “The jury is out. He’s well off it compared to the other summer signings Manchester United made up front, like Cunha and Mbeumo.

“He looks awkward. He had a couple of good opportunities against Forest, but his touch wasn’t quite right. For £80 million, you can say he’s young and settling in, but you still want to see a bit more.”

He wasn’t the only former Red Devils first-team member to speak out on the striker’s lack of form at present, with Peter Schmeichel also questioning the big-money transfer.

The former goalkeeper said: “You spend £70 million-plus on Sesko, when we don’t have the number six we should have, and there’s the goalkeeping position as well.

“Why did we bring someone in that we didn’t need? Because the head of recruitment [Christopher Vivell] comes from Leipzig and he’s got to make a mark.”

However, Wes Brown has jumped to Sesko’s defence in the last couple of weeks, with the Englishman offering a more open-minded view on his early months in Manchester.

He claimed that: “The quality in wide areas is very good now, so this season can be a positive one for Manchester United. I think Sesko has all the attributes to score plenty of goals for Manchester United. He is mobile, good in the air and with his feet, so it all bodes really well for the club.”

If he is to reach the heights many anticipated earlier this summer, he will definitely need time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, with Amorim needing to show patience in the talisman.

The United star who’s becoming INEOS’ worst signing

Despite Sesko needing time to prove his worth at United, the same can’t be said about numerous other talents who were brought to the club by INEOS in recent years.

Manuel Ugarte was signed for a reported £50m from PSG last summer, but his move to Old Trafford has fallen way below the expectations many had upon his arrival.

The Uruguayan was seen as the perfect ball-winning option at the heart of the side, but he’s struggled to cement his place in the starting eleven under Amorim.

It’s evident that the manager currently doesn’t trust the 24-year-old at present, with the boss currently selecting 33-year-old Casemiro ahead of him in the pecking order.

Given his tally of just two starts in the league throughout 2025/26, it would be a surprise to no one if he was sold in January, with the club needing to recoup as much of their investment as possible.

However, he might not be alone in that aspect, with forward Joshua Zirkzee another player who has struggled with the expectations after his own move 18 months ago.

INEOS forked out a reported £36m for his signature last summer, but the Dutchman has massively struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old featured in 49 matches across all competitions last season, but was only able to register a measly tally of seven goals – an average of one goal every seven games.

This season has been a new low for the Dutchman, with the attacker only making four appearances in the league under Amorim – none of which have been from a starting position.

During those outings, he’s only featured for a combined total of 82 minutes, with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha ahead of him in the pecking order.

His struggles may be down to his own confusion, with Zirkzee even stating that he sees himself as a 9.5, often liking to drop deeper and affect the player – with the manager’s system just not suiting his playstyle.

Games played

32

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

72%

Shots taken

1.8

Chances created

0.8

Dribble success

38%

Aerials won

29%

Times dispossessed

2.8

His performances have unfortunately fallen way below what many expected last summer, leading to one analyst dubbing him as “terrible” after being hooked before half time against Newcastle United.

Given his lack of impact, there’s no denying that his move to Old Trafford has been a failure, with the board desperately needing to offload him in the upcoming window.

Whilst Sesko has had his own doubters in recent months, Zirkzee is on another level in terms of failures at the club – potentially going down as one of their worst dealings in the last couple of years.

Their own Anderson: Man Utd to make £53m bid to sign "world-class" CM

Manchester United are set to make a January move for another top-level central midfielder.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 13, 2025