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O empate do Corinthians em 1 a 1 com o Racing-URU, no Estádio Centenário, pela estreia na fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana, deixou um “sabor amargo” nos jogadores da equipe.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Camisa 10 do Timão, Rodrigo Garro elogiou a atuação da equipe no Uruguai, que na visão do meia merecia os três pontos, mas lamentou o gol sofrido nos minutos finais após desatenção do sistema defensivo do time.

Em noite pouco inspirada da equipe comandada por António Oliveira, Garro foi um dos raros destaques em campo. Foi do meia a assistência para Yuri Alberto, que abriu o marcador de cabeça, aos 25 minutos do segundo tempo.

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Com um ponto conquistado, o Corinthians ocupa a segunda colocação do Grupo F. O Argentinos Juniors, que venceu na estreia, lidera a chave com três pontos. O Timão volta a campo pela Copa Sul-Americana na próxima terça-feira (9), quando encara o Nacional-URU, na Neo Química Arena.

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Manchester United are now on red alert in the race to sign a Real Madrid star ahead of Manchester City in a shock £69m deal next year.

Amorim "angry" at "frustrating" West Ham draw

Like the rest of Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim was left angered by Man United’s 1-1 draw against West Ham. The Red Devils were in control for the large part and deservedly got their opener through unlikely goalscorer Diogo Dalot in the second-half, but that’s when things started going wrong.

With seven minutes remaining, the visitors sent a timely reminder of United’s struggles courtesy of Soungoutou Magassa, who scored his first Premier League goal to snatch a point for West Ham.

Amorim, left frustrated at full-time, told reporters: “Yeah, it’s frustrating, it’s angry. That’s it.”

The former Sporting CP manager also pinpointed where things went wrong, saying: “Yeah, but there are second halves that we lose control of the game.

“Today, I think it was not that case. Maybe after the first goal, we lost some second balls and Matheus [Cunha] won one or two second balls there and made it a transition.

“We try to defend all the time far from the goal because we knew it. They tried to make a cross, win a corner. Like it happened, long ball, they win a second ball against three guys of us in the defence. So, we need to be better in the second half.”

Any assumption that United have turned a corner under Amorim is quickly evaporating and the Old Trafford boss desperately needs further reinforcements in 2026.

Midfield stars such as Conor Gallagher and Elliot Anderson have already been mooted, but United could still set their focus on welcoming Rodrygo from Real Madrid. The Brazilian is attracting plenty of interest and could yet swap the Bernabeu for the Premier League.

Man Utd on red alert in Rodrygo race

According to reports in Spain, Man United are now on red alert in the race to sign Rodrygo next year and could land the talented winger ahead of rivals Man City, as well as a number of other Premier League sides.

The Brazilian has struggled for game time under Xabi Alonso – starting just three La Liga games all season – and looks destined to leave Real Madrid next year.

Sparking a flurry of interest, Madrid reportedly value their winger at around €80m (£69m). Whether INEOS and others deem that fee reachable for a player who’s yet to impress Alonso remains to be seen, however.

Man Utd now rivalling Liverpool to sign £87m forward who Klopp loves

The Red Devils have joined the race for a new attacker, who has made an impressive start to the campaign.

By
Dominic Lund

Dec 5, 2025

At his best, Rodrygo played a key part in Madrid’s success in the Champions League and in La Liga. Now, he’s been cast aside to hand United the opportunity to land arguably their best signing yet under Amorim.

Dubbed “spectacular” by former Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti in 2023, Rodrygo is still just 24 years old and is full of potential – even if he’s forced to realise it with a move to Old Trafford in 2026.

Amorim's £150k-p/w star just had his worst game for Man Utd vs West Ham

When approaching a transfer window, whether it is in the summer or January, Glasgow Rangers should be looking to do one of two things with their signings.

They should be making signings with a view to improving the team in the short-term, as they should always be competing for trophies every season.

As well as those impact signings, the Gers should also be looking for young players who have the potential for big development, with a view to selling them on for a substantial profit in the future, to carry their player trading model.

In the summer transfer window just gone, Kevin Thelwell led the recruitment drive and it is hard to see many signings that fall into either of those categories at the moment.

In terms of short-term impact, Rangers are currently fifth in the Scottish Premiership after finishing second last season, which shows that they have regressed on the pitch.

Meanwhile, there are not too many players who were signed in the summer who currently look like they will go on to be sold for a profit in the future.

Rangers summer signings who are most likely to be sold for a profit

Thelwell, who was moved on from his position on Monday, swooped to bring in seven players on permanent deals to Ibrox in the summer, along with the pre-agreed permanent deals for Oscar Cortes and Lyall Cameron that were agreed before he joined in April.

Rangers have a fairly decent record of selling players for big money in recent years. Calvin Bassey joined Ajax for £19.6m, Joe Aribo joined Southampton for £6m, and Nathan Patterson signed for Everton for £11.5m in 2022, whilst Hamza Igamane was sold to Lille for £10.4m this year.

Excluding Cortes and Cameron, as they were not sanctioned by Thelwell, it would be bold to confidently predict that any of the seven permanent summer signings will be sold for profit.

Djeidi Gassama feels like the most likely, at this moment in time, because he was signed from Sheffield Wednesday for £2.2m and has produced six goals and two assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt. No other summer signing has scored more than twice.

Because none of the others have provided much of an attacking threat, Emmanuel Fernandez, despite playing just four matches, may rank second. Signed for £3.5m, he has scored two goals in four matches and won 88% of his aerial duels in two league outings, per Sofascore.

Rangers summer signings most likely to be sold for profit
Rank	Player
1	Djeidi Gassama
2	Emmanuel Fernandez
3	Oliver Antman
4	Thelo Aasgaard
5	Youssef Chermiti
6	Bojan Miovski
7	Joe Rothwell

As you can see in the table above, Joe Rothwell and Bojan Miovski, who both started on the bench against Livingston last weekend, rank in the bottom two because they have been bit-part players at the ages of 30 and 26, which does not suggest that they are likely to kick on and be sold for a big profit.

Oliver Antman, with three goal contributions, and Thelo Aasgaard, with two goal contributions, rank just ahead of those two because they are 24 and 23, respectively, and still have time to improve.

Youssef Chermiti ranks in fifth because he has plenty of time to develop, at 21, but was signed for a whopping fee of £8m and has only produced one goal in 13 matches as a striker, per Transfermarkt, which makes it seem unlikely, on current evidence, that they will recoup that outlay.

Meanwhile, there is a player in the current Rangers squad, signed before Thelwell arrived, who does look likely to be sold on for a substantial profit, and potentially for even more than the likes of Joe Aribo and Hamza Igamane.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Nicolas Raskin was signed by former Gers boss Michael Beale under the previous ownership at Ibrox, whilst they were between sporting directors, in January 2023 for a reported fee of roughly £1.5m from Standard Liege.

Why Rangers could sell Nicolas Raskin for a profit

Given that the Belgian midfielder was signed for a fairly small sum of money, certainly in comparison to a player like Chermiti, it will be ‘easier’ for Rangers to bank a profit on him if they ever decide to cash in.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Leeds and Tottenham are two of a number of clubs across the Premier League and Europe that are eyeing up a possible move for Raskin, but that the Gers want a “big fee” for their star.

This shows that there are teams keen on snapping the Belgium international up from Ibrox in the winter window, which means that Rangers could, if they wanted to, cash in on him to fund new signings for Danny Rohl, not to say that is what they should do.

TEAMtalk reported earlier this month that it would take a fee of £18m to £20m to tempt the Gers to sell Raskin, which would be a substantial profit on the £1.5m they signed him for almost three years ago.

Selling him for a fee in that region would mean that Rangers would get more money for him than they did for Igamane, Patterson, and Aribo, as aforementioned, although it would take a fee of £20m for him to take Bassey’s crown as the most expensive sale in the club’s history.

Raskin – Premiership	24/25	25/26
Appearances	33	10
Sofascore rating	7.43	7.39
Goals	4	1
Assists	10	2
Tackles + interceptions per game	3.4	2.8
Ground duel success rate	57%	53%
Aerial duel success rate	56%	56%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Raskin’s performances as a box-to-box midfielder in the Premiership have been exceptional since the start of last season, as he has provided quality in the final third and defensive strength out of possession.

The 24-year-old maestro, once praised as “unbelievable” by ex-Gers striker Kris Boyd, has proven that he can provide consistent performances for the club, which is something the batch of summer signings this year have failed to do thus far.

That is why Raskin may end up being sold for a huge fee, as possibly the most or second-most expensive sale in the club’s history, amid interest from several teams in January, whilst it is hard to say if any of Thelwell’s signings will go on to be sold for a profit.

"Rotten" Thelwell signing is Rangers' biggest waste of time since Dowell

This summer signing by Kevin Thelwell has been as bad as the deal to bring Kieran Dowell to Rangers.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 26, 2025

Whilst Rangers supporters may not want to see the Belgian move on from the club in January, his story and the fact that there is the possibility that he is sold for huge money is an example that Thelwell’s replacement should look to follow.

Newcastle United are now reportedly ready to launch their offer to sign Palmeiras midfielder Allan Elias, who has a release clause worth as much as £88m.

Newcastle are in desperate need of an attacking spark not named Nick Woltemade. The German simply cannot do it on his own and needs fellow big-money signing Anthony Elanga to finally find some form.

Despite being one of Newcastle’s most-expensive ever signings, the former Nottingham Forest star is yet to score in the 17 games that he’s played for the Magpies. As a result, he’s gradually lost his place to Jacob Murphy as Eddie Howe looks to find a solution to his side’s attacking problems.

Having his say on his recent struggles and subsequent place on Newcastle’s bench, Elanga chose to take an optimistic approach whilst on international duty with Sweden.

It would undoubtedly provide the Magpies with a major boost if Elanga found form after the international break. Only Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored fewer Premier League goals than Newcastle’s 11 so far this season and something must change.

With the January transfer window less than two months away, new sporting director Ross Wilson has already set his sights on much-needed reinforcements to get Howe’s side firing once more.

Newcastle ready to launch Allan Elias move

According to reports in Brazil, as relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now ready to launch their move to sign Allan from Palmeiras. The 21-year-old attacking midfielder has impressed the Magpies as well as Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion, and may now be on his way to the Premier League in 2026.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 14, 2025

The deal may not come cheap, however. Palmeiras are in a strong negotiating position thanks to the Brazilian’s €100m (£88m) release clause and could demand that in full to sell their young talent.

That being said, it is believed that Newcastle are extremely keen and want to strike an ‘immediate’ deal.

Praised by South American expert Nathan Joyes for his “impressive” cameos at the Club World Cup last summer, Allan has since kicked on in Brazil. The attacking midfielder has scored twice and assisted another eight goals in the current campaign, with one of those assists coming at the Club World Cup against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami side.

Several clubs have benefited from investing in South American talents in the Premier League and now Newcastle could be next in line to welcome a rising star.

One of "Newcastle's best signings" under Howe is now on borrowed time

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal was targeted with 60 per cent of all racist attacks online in Spain, according to a staggering new study of the 2024-25 season. The Blaugrana forward reportedly received twice as much online abuse as Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, in a new publication which highlights the awful extent of the vitriol directed at La Liga's top players.

New study highlights extent of awful abuse aimed at Yamal

In a study obtained by Spanish publication The Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (Oberaxe) has shed light on the sheer scale of the abuse suffered by Barcelona wonderkid Yamal.

According to the report, Oberaxe were able to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect 33,438 attacks online in Spain during the 2024-25 La Liga season, with 62 per cent originating from Facebook and 10 per cent from X (formerly Twitter).

The study claims Spain international Yamal received 60 per cent of the abuse, which is twice as much as Real’s Vinicius, who was reportedly targeted with 29 per cent of all attacks. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportReal and Barcelona receive majority of all online hate speech

Vinicius’ Real team-mate, Kylian Mbappe, was also the subject of three per cent of all attacks, while Yamal’s Barcelona colleague, Alejandro Balde, received two per cent. Real winger Brahim Diaz and Athletic Club forward Inaki Williams were reportedly targeted with two per cent of all attacks, according to the study.

Analysing how much abuse was aimed at La Liga’s clubs, the study claims 66 per cent of all attacks were directed towards Real Madrid (34 per cent) and Barcelona (32 per cent). Real Valladolid (17 per cent), Valencia (eight per cent), Athletic Club (six per cent), and Real Sociedad (six per cent) make up the top six teams that received the most hate speech online.

Five people were handed suspended sentences for abusing Vinicius

In May 2025, five people were handed suspended prison sentences for racially abusing Real forward Vinicius in what La Liga described as an "unprecedented" ruling in Spain.

The 25-year-old was racially abused during Real’s league clash with Valladolid in September 2022 as he walked past fans after being substituted at Jose Zorrilla Stadium.

In a statement, La Liga said: ”Thanks to the efforts of La Liga, which filed the complaint and initially acted as the sole private prosecution – later joined by the player Vinicius and Real Madrid, as well as the Public Prosecutor's Office – this exemplary ruling has been achieved.

"This judicial decision represents an unprecedented milestone in the fight against racism in sport in Spain, where, until now, rulings had addressed conduct against moral integrity with a racial aggravating factor.

"The fact that this ruling explicitly refers to hate crimes associated with racist insults reinforces the message that intolerance has no place in football.”

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AFPSpanish authorities recommend fine over alleged Rashford abuse

And in October, Spain's anti-violence commission recommended that a Real Oviedo supporter be fined £3,521 (€4,000/$4,625) for allegedly directing racist abuse towards Barcelona forward Marcus Rashford. 

The incident is alleged to have taken place during the Spanish champions' 3-1 victory over Oviedo in La Liga on 25 September – a match in which the Manchester United loanee recorded an assist.

In a statement, Spanish authorities said: "La Liga detected the images on social media and filed a complaint with the National Police.

"Subsequently, analysis of footage from the stadium's Organizational Control Unit (UCO) cameras allowed for the identification of the alleged perpetrator. The processing of this proposal will be contingent upon the final decisions made in the criminal proceedings.”

The authorities are yet to confirm when a final decision will be taken.

West Bromwich Albion had a serious overhaul this summer as a new dawn under Ryan Mason beckoned.

Indeed, various first-team regulars from their promotion near-miss all left the Hawthorns behind, whether that be John Swift and Grady Diangana exiting at the expiry of their contracts, or Darnell Furlong, Tom Fellows, and Torbjørn Heggem seeking out big moves away from the Baggies.

Heggem won the Championship side a whopping £10m when moving onto the Serie A with Bologna, with Mason then using this added cash to purchase sparkling new gems such as Aune Heggebo and Nathaniel Phillips.

Still, West Brom do look to be heading to another crucial summer in terms of who will be staying and leaving when 2026 rolls around, with some key first-team personnel yet to pen extended deals past June of that year, worrying the rookie boss.

West Brom's contract situation heading into 2026

Mason will be thinking long and hard about the futures of many of his camp, especially those who only have their contracts in play until next June.

Josh Maja will hope – despite his injury issues – that he will be putting pen to paper on an extension shortly.

He has fired home 14 goals to date for the West Midlands side, one of which came before the international break when he was reinstated into his new manager’s first-team plans against Norwich City. With goalscorers often hard to come by, the ex-Sunderland striker should be staying put.

On the contrary, despite bagging 17 Championship goals when fit, the plug must surely be pulled on Daryl Dike’s Baggies career soon – as his contract is also up in June.

The injury-prone American last featured for Mason’s men at the end of last season, way before the ex-Tottenham Hotspur coach was handed the Hawthorns gig.

Jed Wallace will also be fearful regarding his expiring deal next summer, despite still being the West Brom captain.

He has only been handed four league starts by his new manager and with only six starts under his belt last season, too, the 31-year-old might well be on serious borrowed time in attempting to stake a serious claim to remain.

There is another face that hasn’t been mentioned yet that will also be seen as being close to the exit door, despite once costing a big-money fee to be tempted to the Hawthorns.

West Brom "goalscorer" now on borrowed time at the Hawthorns

In recent memory, West Brom haven’t been known to splash the cash, even if their new Nordic recruit in Heggebo did cost a significant £4.7m to obtain during the hectic transfer window this summer.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

That feels like a small amount to fork out when you weigh up that deal next to Karlan Grant’s £15m arrival from Huddersfield Town in 2020.

At the time, Grant was seen as a hot commodity worthy of such a lavish fee, having fired a lethal 19 goals for the Terriers in second-tier action across the 2019/20 campaign.

Grant’s West Brom record
Season	Games	Goals + Assists
25/26	4	0
24/25	44	7 + 2
22/23	35	5 + 1
21/22	45	18 + 7
20/21	21	1 + 0
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Further hailed as a “natural goalscorer” by his former Huddersfield boss Jan Siewert, the world would have been expected of the London-born attacker to dazzle in his new surroundings at West Brom.

Unfortunately, away from flashes here and there of his goalscoring excellence, it’s largely been a hot-and-cold time for Grant in the West Midlands, with just one goal picked up during his debut season, starting his Baggies tale off on a wobbly footing.

He has since bounced back to resurrect his faltering playing days, with his ex-teammate in the aforementioned Furlong even lauding him as “unstoppable” on his day when powering home seven strikes last season.

But, he has been firmly put to one side under Mason currently, with no Championship minutes afforded to him since a 30-minute run-out against Portsmouth in August.

With a respectable 54-goal haul in the second tier to date, Grant will surely be considering his options away from the Baggies moving forward.

West Brom will no doubt want to sell on their former £15m buy for some sort of a fee when the transfer window reopens, over risking losing him for absolutely nothing, like the Diangana situation that transpired last summer.

West Brom have a "magical" academy star who is shades of Price & Fellows

West Bromwich Albion have a magical academy star who is shades of both Isaac Price and Tom Fellows.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 14, 2025

Despite yet another season filled with turmoil under Ruben Amorim, Manchester United went into the international break on the back of a win. The Red Devils ran out 2-0 winners over Sunderland last time out, thanks to goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko.

United supporters will be hoping this can be a catalyst for their season to get underway. Things have still never really got going under Amorim, who has struggled to make an impact in almost a year in charge.

With Liverpool their next opponent after the international break, United will be looking to win back-to-back games under their Portuguese boss for the first time.

As is so often the case, Bruno Fernandes will be someone they will heavily rely on.

Fernandes’ biggest moments under Amorim

As you might expect, United’s talismanic midfielder has been one of Amoirm’s key players during the 11 months or so he’s been at Old Trafford.

Often deploying Fernandes in a pivot in midfield has meant he is further away from goal, causing some controversy, with Paul Scholes claiming “he’s not got the discipline” to play there.

Yet, the United number eight has still managed to put up some impressive goal and assist numbers under his countryman, despite the deeper role.

In 43 games with Amorim as United’s boss, their captain has 17 goals and 12 assists to his name.

It’s hard to pinpoint his best contribution during Amoirm’s tenure. In European football, he scored and assisted ten goals in 11 games as United reached the Europa League final last term.

That included a magnificent hat-trick against Real Sociedad at Old Trafford, to guide United into the quarter-final.

He was one of the best creators in that competition last season, too. Fernandes’ 3.09 key passes and expected assist tally of 0.36xA saw him rank in the top 2% of attacking midfielders in the Europa League.

United will need someone to share that goalscoring and creative burden with Fernandes, but they signed someone of the same ilk this summer.

The new United star who's looking like Fernandes

It was certainly an expensive summer for the Red Devils, with INEOS willing to splash the cash. They spent roughly £200m to improve their front three.

Sesko has already scored twice, and Matheus Cunha has suffered an injury, but impressed when he’s played.

However, the most exciting of United’s new forwards this season would surely have to be Bryan Mbeumo. The Cameroonian star joined the Red Devils from Brentford for a fee reportedly worth £65m up front.

It has been a fast start to life in Red for the attacker. Playing as one of Amorim’s number 10s in the infamous 3-4-2-1 system he deploys, the 26-year-old has scored twice and assisted once in eight appearances so far.

His first Premier League strike for the Red Devils was against Burnley before the last international break.

It is easy to see how the former Brentford star can shoulder the burden of creativity and goals at United and become the new Bruno-style player in Amorim’s side.

As Statman Dave said, he is the “complete package” going forward, and offers so much to the Mancunian giants in attacking areas. Like Fernandes, he is an “output machine”, in the words of content creator Ronaldo Brown.

The other way to tell just how similar Mbeumo will be to his captain is by looking at his underlying stats from the 2024/25 Premier League.

For example, last term he averaged 1.85 key passes for the Bees, which put him in the top 6% of Premier League forwards.

Key passes

1.85

94th

Progressive passes

3.72

92nd

Shot-creating actions

3.8

94th

Goal-creating actions

0.53

90th

Carries into penalty area

1.98

97th

It has been hugely important for United to assess the lack of attacking prowess in the squad, aside from Fernandes’ contribution.

Loaning Marcus Rashford to Barcelona drastically reduced their threat in the final third, especially with how well he’s performing in La Liga.

Yet, the addition of Mbeumo has been a huge benefit. The United number 19 can help shoulder some of Fernandes’ attacking, and has already hit the ground running in that famous Red shirt.

The new Yorke & Cole: Man Utd's "superb double-act" could save Amorim's job

Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke famously scored 53 goals as Manchester United won the treble in 1998/99, but has Rúben Amorim found a new “electric” duo?

ByBen Gray Oct 7, 2025

Chelsea’s approach to recruitment has long revolved around stacking their squad with some of the brightest young prospects in world football.

In the past few years, they have paid significant sums to secure teenagers such as Estevão, Kendry Páez and Mamadou Sarr.

This summer alone, they have added some of the most exciting youth prospects in Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund, Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United and Jorrel Hato from Ajax.

The logic is simple: bring in rising stars before their price goes up and commit them to long contracts, typically seven years or more.

By doing so, Chelsea not only protect themselves against paying premiums later – as they did with Enzo Fernández’s £107m transfer in 2023 – but also keep themselves compliant with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) by spreading transfer fees across the length of those deals.

The result is the youngest squad in the Premier League, with an average age of just 23 years and five months.

Not all of these gambles work out, however. A number of players have grown frustrated at limited minutes and moved on.

This summer alone saw exits for Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Christopher Nkunku.

And in previous years, Chelsea have made high-profile misjudgements by letting go of talents like Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Declan Rice and Romelu Lukaku too early.

Yet there are also success stories that show the model can deliver.

Nowhere is that clearer than with Cole Palmer.

Cole Palmer's stunning Chelsea stint so far

When Chelsea paid Manchester City £40m for Palmer in 2023, the deal was met with scepticism.

Could a player who had mostly been used sparingly by Pep Guardiola truly justify such a fee?

Two years on, the answer is an emphatic yes. Palmer is now the beating heart of Enzo Maresca’s side and widely regarded as the club’s most important player.

Since his arrival, Palmer’s market value has soared from €32m (£28m) to €120m (£110m), as per Transfermarkt.

He was central to Chelsea’s resurgence last season, guiding them to a fourth-place finish, a UEFA Conference League triumph and a Club World Cup title.

His influence was decisive in both finals, scoring twice against PSG in the Club World Cup and picking up man of the match awards in each.

Palmer’s output has been remarkable: 45 goals and 29 assists in his first 100 appearances for the club.

Beyond numbers, his creativity and ability to dictate games in the final third have been transformative.

It is no surprise he won the PFA Young Player of the Season award, or that he broke into the England team in 2023, scoring in the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

Statistically, Palmer excels across multiple areas.

Matches Played

37

Goals

15

Assists

8

Progressive Carries

120

Progressive Passes

214

Source: FBref

His 2024/25 season included 37 appearances with 23 goal involvements, averaging 6.03 progressive passes per 90 and 5.70 shot-creating actions.

He is not just scoring and assisting, but consistently advancing Chelsea’s play in possession.

For all the criticism of the club’s scattergun transfer policy, Palmer stands as proof that sometimes they get it spectacularly right.

How Jamal Musiala compares to Palmer

For every Palmer success story, there is a cautionary tale.

Jamal Musiala’s departure is one Chelsea fans continue to regret.

Having been part of the Blues’ youth system, he left for Bayern Munich in 2019 for just €200k (£175k).

Today his market value is estimated at €140m (£130m), and he is widely considered among the best attacking midfielders in world football.

At Bayern, Musiala has blossomed into a superstar.

In 207 matches, he has scored 64 goals and provided 39 assists, while also cementing his place in the German national team with 40 caps and eight goals.

Former England youth teammate Jude Bellingham once roomed with him, and Musiala’s decision to represent Germany over England has only heightened the sense of loss.

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes summed it up simply: Musiala is “one of the best number 10s in the world.” The statistics underline his world-class profile.

In 2024/25, he managed 14 goal involvements in 25 Bundesliga matches, with 1.55 shots on target per 90 and an outstanding 45.6% accuracy, as per FBref.

He edges Palmer in dribbling influence too, recording 39.6 carries per 90 compared to Palmer’s 33.0.

While Palmer is the superior progressive passer (6.03 per 90 to Musiala’s 5.35), Musiala’s ability to destabilise defenders with his direct running offers a complementary, if different, threat.

The irony is stark: Chelsea now pay premiums to secure players like Palmer, while having allowed Musiala to leave for a fraction of his current worth.

Injuries have unfortunately stalled his 2025/26 campaign – a broken leg at the Club World Cup means he will miss large portions of the season – but his trajectory remains upwards.

The Palmer-Musiala contrast highlights the dual nature of Chelsea’s youth model.

They are capable of landing gems that transform the team, but just as easily let diamonds slip through their fingers.

Maresca must drop Chelsea dud who was as bad as Chalobah vs Bayern

Chelsea lost to Bayern Munich in their first Champions League game of the season.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 18, 2025

After scoring just 44 times in the Premier League last season, Manchester United desperately needed attacking reinforcements during the summer window, with the hierarchy splashing upwards of £200m on new additions.

Benjamin Sesko was one of the players brought in with such funds, costing a staggering £74m from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig after scoring 21 times in all competitions last campaign.

However, he’s only made one start for Ruben Amorim, unable to nail down a starting role as of yet after his big-money transfer in the latter stages of the window.

The Slovenian international only registered a total of 19 touches in his 80-minute showing at the Etihad last weekend, failing to hold up the play and only registering a 54% pass completion rate.

There’s no denying that the 22-year-old will need time to settle into the role, but one player he’s come in to replace has already hit the ground running after being moved on by the board.

Why United may regret selling Hojlund

Two years ago, United fans found themselves in a similar position, after the hierarchy completed a £72m deal to land Rasmus Hojlund from Italian outfit, Atalanta.

The Dane’s arrival generated huge excitement within the fanbase, with the youngster seen as an immediate and long-term fix for the centre-forward position.

After scoring 16 times in his debut campaign, the signs looked positive for the 22-year-old, but 2024/25 was a year to forget for the player in his quest for success.

He only netted four league goals last campaign, even going 21 games without a goal at one stage, subsequently being loaned out to Napoli for the 2025/26 season.

His temporary deal has an obligation to buy next summer if Antonio Conte’s side qualify for the Champions League at the end of the current campaign – something which should happen given their title triumph in May.

Hojlund has only featured for 73 minutes since making the move to Naples, but has already hit the ground running – scoring on his debut in the 3-1 victory over Fiorentina.

However, despite his immediate impact away from Old Trafford, one other former player has also thrived since departing – with the decision to offload him now looking as though it was a questionable one.

The former United striker who’s an upgrade on Sesko

United’s lack of a clinical goalscorer over the last couple of seasons has massively held them back from matching the expectations placed upon them by the fanbase.

The Red Devils didn’t have a single player who reached double figures in league goals last campaign – highlighting the need to add reinforcements during the off-season.

Sesko was the man they chose to lead the line, but given his lack of immediate impact, it has led to questions being asked by the fanbase about his big-money arrival.

He will need time to settle into English football, but Amorim may not have such luxuries, with the 40-year-old under huge pressure after only winning one of their first four league outings in 2025/26.

An experienced option could well have handed the manager just that, with former Red Devil star Danny Welbeck arguably being able to provide just that, given his form away from Old Trafford in recent times.

The 34-year-old spent seven years at the Theatre of Dreams between 2007 and 2014, racking up 142 appearances for the first-team and finding the back of the net on 29 occasions.

The 2011/12 campaign was his best for the club, scoring 12 times across all competitions, but it wouldn’t be enough to keep hold of his first-team squad – subsequently leaving for Arsenal in a £16m deal two years later.

Fast-forward to the present day, and Welbeck is now plying his trade for Brighton & Hove Albion, racking up over 150 appearances for the Seagulls over a five-year period on the coast.

Last campaign was his best-ever in the Premier League, netting ten goals and reaching double figures for the first time as Fabian Hurzeler’s side ended the year in 8th place.

His underlying stats were also just as impressive, massively outperforming new big-money addition, Sesko, in countless key areas – highlighting why he’d be a better option at present.

Welbeck, who’s been labelled “incredible” by Ryan Adsett, posted a better goal per shot on target rate (0.4), showcasing that he possesses a clinical edge over Sesko in the final third.

How Welbeck & Sesko compared in 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Welbeck

Sesko

Games played

30

33

Goals scored

10

13

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Pass accuracy

85%

67%

Key passes made

1.1

0.7

Shot-creating actions

2.3

1.9

Fouls won

1.1

0.7

Progressive passes

2.1

1.7

Stats via FBref

However, alongside his impressive shooting stats, the Englishman also achieved a better pass completion rate (85%), whilst registering more key passes per 90 – offering a better hold-up option, something which the new addition has struggled with to date.

He also drew more fouls from the opposition, whilst creating more shot-creating actions (2.3), undoubtedly being a better all-round option than the £74m summer addition.

Whilst he may be a 34-year-old, Welbeck has the tools to make an immediate impact back at his boyhood club, given their recent struggles within the final third.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Sep 17, 2025

There’s no question Sesko could be a superb talent in the years ahead, but given their current situation, an immediate solution is needed to avoid further failures on the pitch.

The batter is yet to fully recover from the hamstring injury he picked up during the first ODI

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Apr-2025

Mark Chapman had scored a hundred in the first ODI•Getty Images

New Zealand batter Mark Chapman, who missed the second ODI against Pakistan in Hamilton with a hamstring injury, will sit out of the third and final ODI at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Saturday as well. Tim Seifert will continue to be his replacement.Chapman had picked up the injury while fielding in the first ODI in Napier. An assessment at training on Friday revealed he had not recovered sufficiently for the final match of New Zealand’s home summer.Before getting injured, Chapman struck a career-best 132 in the ODI series-opener to set up New Zealand’s 73-run win. New Zealand won the second ODI as well, by 84 runs, to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Seifert was called up because of his form during the T20I series, which New Zealand won 4-1. He was the leading run-scorer with 249 runs at a strike rate of 207.50 and was named the Player of the Series.However, he has not played an ODI in more than five years. His last 50-over appearance for New Zealand was in 2019, against Sri Lanka in Nelson. In all, he has played just three ODIs.Ben Sears, the quick bowler, had replaced Chapman for the second ODI with Seifert sitting out, and Will Young was left out of the playing XI too, leading to an international debut for 23-year-old Canterbury batter Rhys Mariu, who opened the batting alongside Nick Kelly. New Zealand had lost the services of Tom Latham altogether for the series after he fractured his hand during training prior to the first ODI.