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Focus shifts to Ashes for Hazlewood after a stirring spell in the second T20I against India at MCG

Alex Malcolm31-Oct-20252:24

Hazlewood: ‘My skill set has grown in the last few years’

Josh Hazlewood says he is bowling as well as he ever has in white-ball cricket, but he’s urged Australia’s selectors to pick as many allrounders as possible for the Ashes as his attention turns to Sheffield Shield cricket after a stunning T20I performance against India at the MCG.Hazlewood returned Test-match type figures of 3 for 13 from four overs to rip through India’s top-order and help Australia claim a 1-0 series lead with three games to go.But Hazlewood will now leave Australia’s squad to prepare for a Shield match against Victoria starting November 10, which will be his last game before the first Ashes Test on November 21.The injury to Pat Cummins has highlighted Hazlewood’s importance heading into the Ashes series and he has been repeatedly asked if he can get through five Tests against England after going down with injury in each of the only two Tests he played last summer.Related

• Cummins makes tentative return to bowling in Ashes fitness race

• Hazlewood masterclass hands Australia 1-0 lead

• Intent meets precision as Abhishek sparkles in the Melbourne gloom

Hazlewood was asked about the importance of the allrounders in the Test side as debate rages over whether Australia can fit both Cameron Green and Beau Webster in the same top six. But Hazlewood said the allrounders were vital.”First player picked [should be] an allrounder, I think,” Hazlewood said after his Player of the Match effort on Friday. “Going back to those 20-odd Test matches we played with no allrounder, they were hard yards. So if [they] can be in the team, be it bowling, [Ca Green] Greeny is obviously an outstanding player, Beau has done great for us whenever he’s played. The more the merrier, I say. They can bowl as much as they want.”Hazlewood’s recent white-ball form has been sublime. Unlike Mitchell Starc, who has retired from T20I cricket and also skipped the ODI series against South Africa in August to have a long break from bowling, Hazlewood made a conscious decision with the selection panel and CA’s medical staff to play as much as he possibly could throughout the winter. A significant break in the winter of 2024 led to side and calf injuries for Hazlewood that saw him miss five Tests, the Champions Trophy and half the IPL.Hazlewood will not focus on red-ball bowling before the Ashes begin•Randy Brooks/Associated Press

The decision to keep bowling is paying dividends at the moment having got through the second half of the IPL, four winter Tests, T20I and ODI series against South Africa, T20Is against New Zealand, ODIs against India and now two T20Is against India. But he says he won’t know if it is the right one until the end of the Ashes.”Everything’s going swimmingly now,” Hazlewood said. “I think I can’t really say if it’s worked perfectly until probably after the summer. If I get through everything, it’s probably the template moving forward, to put myself in the best position to play as many games as possible. Still resting the odd one here and there, if it doesn’t sort of match up with travel or turnarounds and stuff like that.”While Australia’s squad fly to Hobart on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s third T20I before heading north to Queensland for the last two matches on the Gold Coast and Brisbane next Thursday and Saturday respectively, Hazlewood will head home to Sydney to rest before playing for New South Wales against Victoria in a Shield game at the SCG that starts on November 10.”The next week, I’ll just probably get in the gym a couple of times,” Hazlewood said. “Don’t really need to bowl a hell of a lot, probably later in the week with the Shield game starting Monday week at home. So it will be a little bit of a de-load the next few days, and then go again. So things are good.”India opener Abhishek Sharma could not hide the joy on his face when he was informed in the press conference that Hazlewood would miss the final three games of the T20I series after he had tormented India’s batters across the tour to-date.”Oh, is he? I didn’t know this,” Abhishek said.”I was watching him in the ODIs as well. We knew that he’s going to give us this much difficulty and challenges. So obviously, the way he bowled today, even I got surprised.”I haven’t seen something like this in T20s. It was something new for me as well, because I’m a batter that wants to dominate. But when I was seeing on the other side how he’s bowling, and even to me it seems like he had a plan and he was just executing it.”

Rayan Cherki, who made a move from Olympique de Lyonnais to Manchester City this summer, has spoken about his objectives with the Cityzens. The winger-cum-attacking-midfielder has also revealed his style and mentality, which can have an immense impact on City's season under Guardiola as they aim to reclaim the Premier League title at the end of the campaign.

• Cherki an 'old school' guy

  Cherki was one of the high-voltage signings Guardiola's recruitment team accomplished heading into the 2025-26 season. A whopping £34 million was spent by the Etihad-based club to convince French outfit Lyon to let go of their star player, who scored 29 times and assisted on 45 occasions in 185 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants. Overwhelmed to join City, Cherki had already shown signs of his 'old school' mentality since his arrival. Although he took some time to settle into the side alongside an injury that sidelined him for a period, he is slowly integrating himself into Guardiola's system and finding the groove under the Spanish maestro. In 13 appearances, he has already secured eight goal contributions, which include four goals and four assists. 

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  What are Cherki's objectives?

  Speaking in an interaction with TF1, Cherki expressed that he simply wanted to enjoy himself under Guardiola's leadership. Moreover, he is not someone who has statistical objectives for a season but wants to be close to his stats from the last season, where he scored 12 goals and assisted 20 times in 44 matches. 

  He revealed: "I’m not a stats guy. I think that you can see that in the way that I play football. I’m an old-school footballer, and the ‘old-school’ didn’t look at stats. I know that nowadays, that element is very important."

  He had revealed his old-school mentality in his initial City days, where he expressed anger against Manchester United, who defeated Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals to book a place in the last four. He had commented: "I (didn't) like (it) when Manchester United won the game against Lyon because I'm a Lyonnais. Now I am waiting for the game (to) kill them. I'm here to win all the games." He had also mentioned, "I'm not Kevin De Bruyne, he is the legend. I'm here to help the team and to write my own story. I hope to win all the time with the team. When I spoke with Pep, he wanted me – he was very, very clear. Pep told me, 'when you have the ball, you are free', which is very good for me because it's my first quality to help the team."

• Cherki's former coach ideates what he needs to shine

  Laurent Blanc, who nurtured Cherki at Lyon, has spoken up on what the star, who has accumulated just four starts this season, needs to establish a place in City's starting lineup. 

  He said to L'Equipe, via the Mirror: "I don't know where it comes from, whether it's street talent or innate talent, but he's brimming with it. I can assure you that there aren't many players like him. He's a rare gem. In the media world, you call him a rising star. He has no technical limitations. His limitations will be more tactical and physical. Physically, I had the pleasure of seeing him again recently; he's changed, and for the better. He's among the best, the very best.

  "If he adapts tactically, he'll have a huge advantage. His talent and genius make him a rare player. He just needs to find a coach who trusts him. And I think he has. Because of his talent and his natural ability, he doesn't put pressure on himself. His love of the game keeps him free from any kind of pressure. But for him, things are about to get serious. We're going to be more and more demanding. He has enough talent to rise to the challenge. I understand it's difficult for coaches to play him, given the pressure to get results. But yes, he has to be played. And yes, he has to be given freedom. Because I'm convinced that with Rayan, you'll always have a better chance of winning than losing."

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  Will Cherki start against Newcastle?

  Cherki earned 53 minutes of playing time against Liverpool in City's last league game before the November international break. When City return to the pitch on November 22 against Eddie Howe's Newcastle United, Cherki will be aiming to get more minutes against a struggling Magpies. With Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland alongside him, he could be more lethal and help Haaland extend his magnificent form from the World Cup qualifiers. Moreover, Cherki's scoring knack could also be handy for Guardiola against a Newcastle team, which will be vying to return to winning ways after suffering a hefty 3-1 loss to Brentford in their previous outing. 

Mohit Sharma is also being released, while T Natarajan is being retained by Delhi Capitals

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Nov-2025Delhi Capitals (DC) are set to release their overseas opening pair of Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk, along with former India fast bowler Mohit Sharma. After a lot of deliberation, the owners has decided to retain T Natarajan, a capped India pacer and yorker specialist who was signed for INR 10.75 crore at last year’s mega auction.Signed in 2024 for his base price of INR 2 crore, du Plessis, 41, had underwhelming returns in IPL 2025, hitting 202 runs in nine games at a strike rate of 123.92. These numbers were in stark contrast to his impact for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), for whom he made 438 runs in 15 innings at 161.62 as they rose from the bottom to the playoffs the previous season.Mohit too was below par, picking two wickets in eight games while going at 10.28.Fraser Mc-Gurk, however, will be the most high-profile release, considering hat the franchise had labelled him a player for the future when they signed him in 2024. His intent-laden batting that yielded 222 runs off just 81 deliveries were the highlight for DC during the fag end of their campaign that season.He was subsequently bought back via the right-to-match card ahead of IPL 2025, where he returned five single-digit scores in six matches. His overall tally of 55 runs included a best of 38 before he was benched.Having returned home when the IPL season was paused owing to cross-border tensions with Pakistan, Fraser-McGurk opted to stay back when the season resumed, with the franchise signing Bangladesh left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman as a temporary replacement. At the time, the IPL had stated temporary replacements would not be retained, which means Mustafizur, too, will need to go to the auction.Fraser-McGurk’s recent form has been poor across formats. He had a highest of 36 in three List A games against India A, and has managed scores of 34, 27 and 4 in the three list A games for South Australia since. Post the IPL, Fraser-McGurk also had a lukewarm Major League Cricket stint with San Francisco Unicorns.

Graeme Cremer will end a seven-year hiatus from international cricket having been picked in Zimbabwe’s T20I squad to face Afghanistan across three matches starting October 29.Cremer, the 39-year-old legspinner and former captain, last represented Zimbabwe in 2018. He had given up cricket for golf, moving to the UAE where his wife Merna works as an airline pilot. Earlier this year, however, he returned home and took part in club competitions again with a view to push for national selection.Cremer missed out on being part of the squad that won the Africa Regional Qualifiers, which confirmed Zimbabwe’s place at next year’s T20 World Cup, but has been picked now as the team gears up for the ICC event.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Zimbabwe’s selectors have kept faith in the same 15-member team that went unbeaten in the qualifying tournament, with Cremer being the only change, replacing fast bowler Trevor Gwandu. A Zimbabwe Cricket press release on Friday also added that “Sean Williams remains unavailable as he continues to attend to personal matters.”The series will be played entirely in Harare, which also hosted the only Test of the Afghanistan tour. The first T20I is on October 29, followed by the second and third on October 31 and November 2.The 2026 T20 World Cup will take place in India and Sri Lanka and will comprise 20 teams. It is likely to be held between February and March.Zimbabwe squad: Sikandar Raza (capt), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Brad Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Brendan Taylor.

Leeds United will no doubt be disappointed after losing 3-2 against Manchester City this afternoon, but the fans can take some positives out of the clash at the Etihad Stadium.

Phil Foden’s first-minute goal could have signalled an afternoon of domination for Pep Guardiola’s men, but it wasn’t to be, with the hosts only boasting a two-goal lead at the break.

Daniel Farke’s substitutions at the break saw the Whites bring the game level within a matter of minutes, that’s despite many questioning his decision to withdraw Dan James and Wilfried Gnonto.

However, it wasn’t to be as Foden had the last laugh with his stoppage-time effort enough to secure all three points for the Citizens – resulting in a sixth Premier League loss in their last seven.

Despite the defeat, numerous players can leave Manchester with their heads held high, with one player deserving huge plaudits for his showing this afternoon.

Ethan Ampadu’s performance against Manchester City

For the 12th time in the league this season, midfielder Ethan Ampadu started at the heart of the Leeds side, doing so with the captain’s armband too.

His performance against Manchester City was one of a leader, with the Welshman putting in a phenomenal showing and one that was highlighted by his underlying stats.

The 25-year-old featured for the entirety of the contest, completing a staggering 46 passes, with such a tally the highest of any player in Farke’s squad.

He also completed 50% of the dribbles he attempted, whilst making two passes into the final third – often trying to hit the hosts on the counter in the second half.

Ampadu’s incredible showing was also evident without the ball at his feet, subsequently making four recoveries and winning 67% of his ground duels – arguably being one unsung hero at the Etihad.

He certainly wasn’t alone in producing a performance to remember against the former Premier League champions, with Farke needing to select one other player on a consistent basis.

The Leeds player who should be undroppable after City

Many people would have anticipated a dominant victory for City this afternoon, but Leeds certainly put up a fight – which is the least you can ask for given the current situation.

Farke will likely receive some criticism for failing to see out the game for a point, but ultimately, individual errors were the contributing factors to the late goal.

The supporters should also remember it was the manager’s bold call at the break that gave the side the opportunity to get back into the game in the first place.

He switched to a somewhat unfamiliar 3-5-2 system, with the impact of Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the top end of the pitch certainly putting the hosts under huge pressure.

The Englishman replaced Gnonto at the interval, a decision that proved to be an inspirational one given the talisman’s impact during the second half at the Etihad.

His first goal since September certainly wasn’t the prettiest, but it was a reward for his determined efforts at the top end, before poking the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The 28-year-old was also hugely involved in the Whites’ second goal of the contest, with Calvert-Lewin caught in the area by Josko Gvardiol – leading to Lukas Nmecha’s rebounded penalty.

The substitutes’ underlying figures were also massively impressive, with the target man putting doubt into the opposition’s backline after his introduction.

He completed 100% of the dribbles he attempted, whilst also winning 80% of the ground duels he entered – subsequently offering a dominant option during the fightback.

Minutes played

45

Touches

18

Pass accuracy

80%

Dribbles completed

100%

Ground duels won

80%

Passes into final third

1

Fouls won

3

Shots on target

100%

Calvert-Lewin also completed a pass into the final third, whilst also drawing three fouls, with the former Everton man playing a huge part in the side’s ability to get off the canvas.

As a result of his showing off the bench, the striker was handed an impressive 9/10 match rating from Leeds United journalist Graham Smyth – further showcasing his impressive cameo off the bench.

After such a showing, there’s little denying the manager simply has to start Calvert-Lewin on a consistent basis, with his assets constantly causing havoc for the opposition.

Ampadu, too, has showcased this season why he’s a solid Premier League option, which could see both play a huge role in the club’s survival bid come the end of the season.

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Leeds are reportedly preparing to possibly replace Daniel Farke in the dugout with a LaLiga boss in the frame.

1 ByDan Emery Nov 28, 2025

The Premier League has had some of the greatest managers football has ever seen since it’s creation in 1992. From Sir Alex Ferguson to Arsene Wenger and now Pep Guardiola, the best coaches regularly end up in England’s top flight.

Nowadays, managers don’t have as much time to make an impact, making it more important than ever that they get results quickly, regardless of the style.

All 20 Premier League managers' salaries

But who is the best and worst manager in the Premier League this season? Here is a ranked list of all 20 managers in the division right now.

Rank

Manager

Club

1

Pep Guardiola

Man City

2

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal

3

Enzo Maresca

Chelsea

4

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

5

Oliver Glasner

Crystal Palace

6

Andoni Iraola

Bournemouth

7

Eddie Howe

Newcastle

8

Regis Le Bris

Sunderland

9

Ruben Amorim

Man United

10

Arne Slot

Liverpool

11

David Moyes

Everton

12

Fabian Hurzeler

Brighton

13

Thomas Frank

Tottenham

14

Marco Silva

Fulham

15

Sean Dyche

Nottingham Forest

16

Nuno Espirito Santo

West Ham

17

Keith Andrews

Brentford

18

Daniel Farke

Leeds

19

Scott Parker

Burnley

20

Rob Edwards

Wolves

21 Rob Edwards Wolves

New Wolves manager Rob Edwards faces a tough task to keep the Old Gold in the Premier League, and his only prior experience of managing in the top flight came with Luton Town.

Edwards failed to keep the Hatters in the division in 2024, losing 24 of his 38 games in charge that season.

20 Scott Parker Burnley

Scott Parker will be looking to buck the trend and keep his newly-promoted Burnley side in the Premier League.

The Clarets boss previously suffered two relegations when in charge of Fulham and averages less than a point per game in the top flight.

19 Daniel Farke Leeds

Another manager who has been relegated from the Premier League on two occasions is Leeds boss Daniel Farke.

He couldn’t keep Norwich City in the top flight, and like Parker, averages less than one point per game in the division.

18 Keith Andrews Brentford

Keith Andrews is in the early stages of his senior managerial career after taking over from Thomas Frank at Brentford.

The Irishman has made a relatively positive start, beating both Liverpool and Man Utd at the Gtech Community Stadium.

17 Nuno Espirito Santo West Ham

Nuno Espirito Santo has had some brilliant moments in the Premier League, taking both Wolves and Nottingham Forest into the Europa League.

However, the Portuguese boss has also had a failed stint at Tottenham and is now struggling to get the best out of his West Ham squad.

16 Sean Dyche Nottingham Forest

Back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest, Sean Dyche has plenty of experience in the top flight following previous stints with Burnley and Everton.

He did a solid job at both, even taking the Clarets into the Europa League back in 2018. His football may not be the most attractive, but Dyche gets the job done more often than not and will be looking to do just that with Nottingham Forest.

15 Marco Silva Fulham

An experienced Premier League manager after stints with Hull City, Watford and Everton, Marco Silva has enjoyed the majority of his success in England with Fulham.

He’s managed more games at Craven Cottage than what he did with the three aforementioned clubs combined, helping make Fulham an established top flight side.

14 Thomas Frank Tottenham

After doing a brilliant job at Brentford where he took the Bees to the Premier League and comfortably kept them in the top flight, Thomas Frank took the leap to join Tottenham in 2025.

Results early on were positive for the Dane, who has continued his flexible and adaptable approach in north London, but the Lilywhites’ home form is major cause for concern.

13 Fabian Hurzeler Brighton

The youngest ever permanent manager in Premier League history, Brighton’s move for Fabian Hurzeler has paid off so far.

The German’s possession-based style and attacking philosophy has seen the Seagulls record some impressive wins at the Amex Stadium, and he could be the one to take the club back into European competition.

12

Senne Lammens admits he is flattered Manchester United fans are likening him to legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. The 23-year-old joined from Belgian Pro League side Royal Antwerp and has made a good impression with Red Devils supporters over the past few months. And after these favourable chants from the home faithful, the keeper has sent a grateful message back to them.

Lammens makes bright start at Man Utd

The keeper position has proven to be a troublesome one for the past two seasons at United, with Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir not showing the quality and consistency needed between the sticks for a club of this size. The former was shipped out on loan to Trabzonspor in September, while the latter has been usurped as the club's first choice by summer signing Lammens. 

Incidentally, when he joined the Premier League giants, he said: "I am extremely proud to be joining Manchester United; it is a real dream come true. The past few years have been an amazing journey; it’s now ended in an incredible destination and hopefully the beginning of something special. You can feel the positive atmosphere that is being created here, and I know that I can make a real impact at the club in the coming years. I cannot wait to get to know my team-mates and begin working with Ruben and the coaching staff. This is the perfect place to keep developing, grow together with this exciting team and achieve my career objectives."

While he has let in 10 goals in eight appearances, he has also kept one clean sheet, which came in his first start in a 2-0 win over Sunderland. And despite being in the embryonic stages of his Old Trafford career, fans have serenaded him with a tongue-in-cheek chant at some games, asking if the Belgian is Schmeichel in disguise. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLammens touched by Schmeichel chant

While Lammens understood that it was not a completely serious song, he appreciated it all the same. 

He told United's website: "It was really nice to hear it already in the first game [against Sunderland]. I think it is a sign that the fans are happy with me. It feels really good that I can give them that trust."

Lammens was seen talking to the Dane ahead of United's 2-1 win at rivals Liverpool in October, and now, he has revealed what was said between the two. 

He revealed: "He just wished me luck and told me to be myself. He gave me good energy before the game against Liverpool, and obviously we won that, so I think that was very nice.

"It started [journaling] when I started playing at Antwerp. I like to write things down before and after the game just to get my head in the right mindset, and then get things off your chest after the game. I write down things about how the opponent plays and how they put pressure on me, and also individual things I need to know during the game, nothing too special – just something to get my head into the right mindset."

Amorim warns against Schmeichel comparisons

While United supporters are clearly fans of Lammens, head coach Ruben Amorim said it was too early to compare him to Schmeichel. 

He said in October: "Nothing is impossible [regarding if Lammens is impossible to drop]. You have to prove during the week but, of course, he did a great job. It is possible that he is going to start the game. The first impression in this club is really important; to maintain the level is even more important and is really difficult.

"He’s not Schmeichel yet. He’s a young guy with talent. He showed a lot of composure, and the fans liked it. But again, that is in the past; we need to prove in the next game."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Lammens and Man Utd?

The United keeper will hope to help his side to victory on Monday night when they travel to Premier League basement side Wolves. If they beat the relegation favourites, the Red Devils will rise from 12th to sixth in the table.

Watching Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-1 defeat to their bitter rivals in the Premier League on Sunday made it clear where Thomas Frank’s priorities need to be moving forward.

Whilst you could look at that loss and suggest that they need to improve defensively, which would be a fair comment after they conceded four goals, it is in possession where they really need to improve.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

As you can see in the table above, Spurs are one of the worst teams in the Premier League at progressing play with passes, creating shooting opportunities, and creating high-quality chances.

The Lilywhites ended the match against Arsenal with three shots on goal and 0.07 xG, per Sofascore, with their goal coming from Richarlison’s stunning long-range lob over David Raya.

Tottenham’s struggles at the top end of the pitch explain why the club are reportedly considering a move to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghana international has a £65m release clause that can be activated at the start of the January transfer window, and Spurs are one of the teams vying for his signature.

How Antoine Semenyo could solve Tottenham's attacking problems

Whilst a lot of Tottenham’s problems could come down to coaching issues, with how players are asked to play, the team selections, and the patterns that are or are not coached in training, having a top talent in the final third can make up for some coaching problems.

Semenyo is the kind of forward who can create things for himself with his incredible speed, power, ball control, and ability in front of goal when he gets near the opposition’s box.

The former Bristol City striker’s goal against Liverpool at Anfield earlier this season is the perfect example of the kind of quality that he could bring to North London in the second half of the campaign.

With Tottenham’s lack of progressive passing and high-quality chances this season, having a player who has runs and goals like that in his locker would be invaluable for Frank.

That strike against Liverpool was also not a flash in the pan for the versatile attacker, who can play out wide or through the middle, because he has been in impressive form in the Premier League this term.

xG

4.58

Top 1%

Goals

6

Top 1%

Shots

23

Top 10%

Shots on target

14

Top 1%

Assists

3

Top 6%

Successful dribbles

21

Top 5%

Touches in the opposition’s box

45

Top 12%

As you can see in the table above, Semenyo has been one of the most productive wingers in the division for Bournemouth this season, with more goals than any other winger in the league.

These statistics, and the nature of his goal against Liverpool in particular, suggest that signing the Cherries star would go a long way to solving some of the attacking issues that Frank’s side have.

Therefore, Spurs should push hard to win the race for his services by activating his release clause at the start of the January transfer window and trying their hardest to convince him that a move to North London is the best next step in his career.

£65m, though, would make him the club’s joint-record signing alongside Dominic Solanke, who also came from Bournemouth, so it would take a big financial commitment from the Lilywhites.

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

In order to make a move for the 25-year-old star viable, sporting director Fabio Paratici should look to ruthlessly sell some of the club’s current players to fund a transfer for Semenyo.

One of the sellable assets who should be cashed in on by Paratici to create funds for a swoop for the Cherries sensation in January is right-back Pedro Porro.

Why Spurs should sell Pedro Porro

Ahead of the summer transfer window, CaughtOffside reported that the Spain international was attracting interest from Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.

It was claimed that Spurs were not interested in selling the full-back at the time, which was in May, but that they would have changed their tune if an offer of around £57m came across their desk.

Whilst Porro ultimately remained in North London, that report in the summer shows that there are some top clubs across Europe who would be interested in him if he became available, although it remains to be seen if any of them would pay the £57m price tag.

The Spaniard attracted interest from those teams after a return of four goals and nine assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for Spurs in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, but his form this season has left a lot to be desired.

Polish journalist Michał Okoński described his crosses into the box as a “disaster” earlier this month, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you consider that he has lost possession 222 times and delivered one assist in 12 Premier League games, per Sofascore.

Appearances

33

12

Possession lost per game

17.5

18.5

Key passes per game

1.7

1.2

Big chances created

10

2

Assists

6

1

Pass accuracy

76%

73%

Cross accuracy

31%

17%

As you can see in the table above, the Spain international’s use of the ball has regressed since the end of the 2024/25 campaign. He is currently giving the ball away more frequently whilst creating less for his team.

Porro has been far too wasteful with the ball at his feet at right-back for Tottenham. That is evident in his regressing creative stats, but it is also evident in that he has made four errors leading to shots for the opposition in the Premier League, twice as many as he made in 33 matches last season.

As well as his struggles on the ball, the former Sporting star has gone from averaging 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game last season in the Premier League to averaging just 1.7 per match in the current campaign, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that Porro has regressed in and out of possession at right-back for the Lilywhites, which is why it could be the right time for Paratici to cash in on him in January, amid interest from City, Barcelona, and Bayern, to avoid his value dwindling if his form does not improve.

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Whilst it remains to be seen how much teams would be willing to pay for him, any fee in the region of the quoted £57m would go a long way to funding a deal for Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause.

In an ever more globalised game, and one obsessed with transfer activity, it’s easy to forget that there is perhaps even greater pleasure for supporters at seeing a homegrown talent emerge – not least at a club like Manchester United.

The modern, post-Sir Alex Ferguson era has been a rocky one, but arguably the brightest lights have emerged from Carrington, be it Marcus Rashford under Louis van Gaal, Scott McTominay under Jose Mourinho and Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo under Erik ten Hag.

The debate over whether it was right to move them on or not will continue to rage, but it is telling that three of that notable list of four are no longer part of the first-team ranks at Old Trafford, with Mainoo also now on the periphery under Ruben Amorim.

In an era of PSR and pure profit, academy sales have remarkably almost become incentivised, with the INEOS regime likely to be tempted to sell the 20-year-old sensation should his bit-part role continue.

For all the question marks over his suitability to Amorim’s system, it would be a crying shame if Mainoo were to depart in 2026 or beyond, with the 2024 FA Cup final hero surely deserving of a prime place as the centre-piece of the club’s long-term project.

The only saving grace, thankfully, is that the Stockport-born starlet isn’t the only rising star currently on the books – the Red Devils do at least have another talent on the conveyor belt to turn to.

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It is not hyperbole to suggest that there are question marks surrounding every senior midfielder in Amorim’s side right now, with drastic change likely to occur in that department, be it in January or next summer.

As already alluded too, Mainoo – in the short-term at least – looks destined to move on, amid talk of a loan move, with the ten-cap England international yet to even start a Premier League game this season.

The man he is directly competing with – as suggested by Amorim in the past – is Bruno Fernandes, albeit with the Portuguese genius’ own future up for debate, having come close to joining Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer.

At 31, the former Sporting CP certainly has plenty left in the tank, although he did hint that he will consider his situation again following next year’s World Cup, with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2027.

Speaking of expiring contracts, there has been little news regarding the future of Casemiro, with the resurgent Brazilian’s current deal coming to a climax in June.

Currently raking in a reported £350k-per-week, the 33-year-old would seemingly have to take a significant pay cut to stay put in Manchester, with United and Amorim in need of a long-term replacement regardless, considering his age.

Manuel Ugarte was meant to be that defensive-minded, ball-winning successor, although the Uruguayan – starter in just two league games in 2025/26 – is also running out of rope at Old Trafford, in what is his second season at the club.

Ugarte – PL Record
Stat (*per game)	24/25	25/26
Games (starts)	29 (22)	9 (2)
Goals	1	0
Assists	2	0
Big chances created	3	0
Key passes*	0.3	0.1
Pass accuracy*	89%	86%
Total duels won*	53%	59%
Balls recovered*	4.2	2.2
Dribbled past*	1.3	0.4
Possession lost*	6.2	3.4
Stats via Sofascore

Having been given a dressing down by Amorim in front of his teammates following the Europa League final – in which he played no part – the former Sporting man is getting no favouritism right now, far from it, having yet to convince he is of United quality.

The 24-year-old is the de facto third-choice midfielder at present, although that is not a status he has warranted, with club legend Gary Neville putting it best when describing him as “not good enough” after the Manchester derby.

In truth, an in-house replacement is needed, both this season and beyond.

Man Utd’s new Mainoo can replace Ugarte

Ten Hag has become a figure of ridicule for many, but it’s easy to forget the initial progress he had made in the United dugout, setting a sinking ship back on course again following that initial calamity at Brentford.

In February 2023, for instance, United reached their apex under the Dutchman, memorably seeing off Barcelona in the Europa League, while also securing a deserved 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.

In the aftermath of that triumph, Ten Hag turned from short-term celebrations to long-term thinking, making a beeline for a 17-year-old Mainoo amid the jubilation, seemingly outlining that the teenager would have a part to play in such scenes later down the line.

While injury ensured it took until November 2023 for a first-team role to truly emerge – after making just three appearances in 2022/23 – Ten Hag’s faith in Mainoo was more than warranted, following his Man of the Match Premier League debut at Goodison.

Almost exactly two years on, and with Everton again the opponent, Amorim might well consider unleashing the next Mainoo-shaped figure into the midfield, in the form of Carrington sensation, Jack Fletcher.

The man who kept the club’s matchday academy record alive against Spurs, having been named on the bench in the absence of Mainoo, Fletcher – son of Darren and brother of fellow youth-team star, Tyler – is inching ever closer to a senior bow, with midfield evidently an area to address for Amorim.

Described as among the “best young players in England”, in the view of analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson, the left-footed Fletcher looks primed for a left-sided central midfield role, having also been trialled at left-back in recent times in the youth ranks.

In the view of Mattinson, the 18-year-old is “one of the most technical of the lot” in the academy set-up, with his elegance and athleticism also ensuring he has “everything you’d want” from a left-sided number eight.

An England youth international, the former Manchester City starlet has enjoyed a promising 2025/26 thus far with three goals and one assist from ten recorded games, as per Transfermarkt, notably netting in the EFL Trophy defeat to Barnsley, prior to seeing red.

Oakwell was previously the scene for the standout moment of his United journey to date, as the Englishman netted twice to claim a comeback 3-2 win in the same competition last season, including an outrageous, long-range half volley at the death.

Much like there was an appetite for transfers over the summer, there is a real desire among the United faithful to see the next Mainoo, the next McTominay emerge in the coming weeks and months.

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With Mainoo, unfortunately, on the fringes, and Ugarte simply not up to scratch, Fletcher might well be primed to sneak into the mix as a genuine challenger to Casemiro before too long.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 21, 2025

Leeds United have built up a six-point gap between themselves and the bottom three in the Premier League after their 2-1 win over West Ham United last week.

Three wins, two draws, and four defeats in nine matches is a respectable return for Daniel Farke’s side after their promotion from the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign.

Prior to this season, the last six teams to have been promoted from the Championship had all been relegated at the first attempt, which illustrates the size of the task ahead of the Whites.

Not only did that mean that Leeds needed to recruit well, which they have with the likes of Noah Okafor and Sean Longstaff, but they also needed some of their stars from last season to make the step up.

The Whites did not recruit an entire new starting line-up and bench to bolster their squad for the Premier League, instead hoping that some of their players could bridge the gap.

One player who is still looking to convince supporters that he is good enough for the top-flight is Brenden Aaronson, who has revived his Leeds career.

How Brenden Aaronson has revived his Leeds career

In the summer of 2022, Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta swooped to sign the American attacking midfielder from RB Salzburg for a fee of £28.5m to bolster the club’s options for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

Aaronson scored one goal from 3.86 xG in 36 appearances in the division that season, earning himself the lowest Sofascore rating (6.51) in the entire division, as he made the website’s ‘Worst Team of the Season’.

The USA international opted to go out on loan to Union Berlin for the 2023/24 campaign, rather than remain at Elland Road to fight for promotion from the Championship, at which point the writing appeared to be on the wall for his career at the club.

However, Aaronson returned to the club after his loan spell and Farke revealed that he was “desperate” to help the team, and that he would need to win his place by working hard.

The American was met with some “boos” from supporters, per reporter Graham Smyth, in pre-season, but he then went on to feature in all 46 Championship games as Leeds racked up 100 points, scoring nine goals.

This shows that he proved to Farke, with his performances in training and in matches, that he could be a reliable player for the head coach, and that has carried over to the Premier League.

Appearances

9

xG

1.62

Goals

1

Key passes

9

Big chances created

3

xA

1.27

Assists

0

Duel success rate

52%

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has not set the Premier League alight with his performances, with one goal in nine games, but he has been a solid performer and has been unfortunate not to register any assists.

Overall, it is fair to say that the 25-year-old has revived his Leeds career, after it looked all-but-finished when he joined Union Berlin on loan, thanks to his hard work and performances on the pitch.

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Aaronson, though, was not the first member of the current first-team squad who revived his career after being sent out on loan by the club. Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson.

Why Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson

A year before the American was signed by the Whites, Marcelo Bielsa and Orta swooped to sign James from Manchester United for a fee of £25m to bolster the team’s options out wide.

The Wales international scored four goals and provided four assists in 34 matches in the Premier League in his first season at Elland Road, per Sofascore, but ended the campaign with a new manager in Jesse Marsch.

Despite starting three of the first five league games at the start of the 2022/23 campaign, James was then sent out on loan to Fulham in the summer of 2022, and claimed that he made the move because he “wanted to play games”.

After that move was confirmed, journalist Phil Hay almost wrote off the winger’s chances of continuing his career at Leeds in the future. He wrote: “I don’t think I see Dan James coming back, or it feels like a long shot. James is 24. He’s not especially young and Leeds have essentially said to him that they can do without him this season.”

You can see where Phil Hay was coming from. Leeds were willing to let a player they signed for £25m a year earlier join another Premier League team on loan.

However, the Whites were relegated from the Premier League that season and Fulham did not opt to sign James permanently, which led to him emerging as a star under Farke in the Championship.

The Wales international scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in 40 appearances in the second tier in the 2023/24 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that his performances paid back the faith that the German head coach showed in him.

Appearances

40

36

xG

10.0

10.46

Goals

13

12

Conversion rate

16%

12%

Big chances created

13

16

Key passes per game

1.4

1.3

Assists

7

9

As you can see in the table above, James delivered consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in his two seasons in the Championship under Farke, with 25 goals and 29 ‘big chances’ created.

The winger claimed last season that he wants to be “ruthless” and has a “ruthless” mentality, which is evidenced by his impressive goal return, as he outperformed his xG in both of those seasons.

James has yet to score a goal in the Premier League so far this season, but he has started three of his six appearances and is a key member of the squad.

His revival of his Leeds career, which looked on the ropes after his move to Fulham in 2022, pathed the way for Aaronson to follow in his footsteps after being in a similar position a year after James’ remergence at Elland Road.

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1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 28, 2025

James was the original Aaronson and now both players are brilliant examples for the club to show future players that there is always a chance to revive their careers, if they are willing to put the hard yards in to be reliable on the pitch.