Mohamed Salah sees this year as his best chance of winning the Ballon d'Or after playing a crucial role in Liverpool's Premier League title success.
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Salah among challengers for Ballon d'OrLiverpool star feels this is 'best' chanceDembele & Raphinha also candidatesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Despite long being regarded as one of the best players in the Premier League, Salah has not even made the top three in the rankings for the prize given to the player voted best in the world.
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The 32-year-old has been touted as one of the top candidates to win the prize this time around, though, having topped the Premier League goal and assist charts, with a combined total of 46 goal contributions in 37 matches. Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona duo Raphinha and Lamine Yamal have emerged as strong contenders, too.
WHAT SALAH SAID
Salah feels he is in a stronger position to take home the crown when the ceremony is held in Paris in September.
He told : "I would say I never had a season like this and winning big trophies so I would say this is my best chance to get it right now while I'm in the club because it's been a crazy year, a crazy season with a trophy. It's given me a good chance."
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WHAT SLOT SAID
Reds boss Arne Slot was asked about the Egypt hero's comments, telling reporters: "It's completely true. He's had very, very good seasons at Liverpool but this one probably stands out in terms of numbers and if you add to that that we also won the league it will probably give him a fair chance.
"Unfortunately, for all football fans around the world he's not the only player who's had a great season. Butt if there was ever a chance for him it will be this season. If not, he's going to try and push even harder next season. That's what I always know with Mo."
GOAL brings you this season's top goal scorers in Bundesliga.
Bayern Munich may have relinquished their Bundesliga crown last season, but Harry Kane and company wasted no time restoring order at the Allianz Arena.
The Bavarian giants stormed back to the summit in the 2024-25 campaign, reclaiming their throne atop the German top flight. Leading the charge once again was Kane, who lit up the league with another sensational season in front of goal, earning his second straight as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer.
Trailing the England skipper were Patrik Schick of Bayer Leverkusen and Serhou Guirassy from Borussia Dortmund, both netting 21 goals apiece. Jonathan Burkardt chipped in 18 for Mainz, while Tim Kleindienst of Gladbach rounded out the top five with 16 goals to his name.
GOAL brings you a fully updated rundown of the leading scorers in the Bundesliga across the 2024-25 season.
Getty1Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | 26 goals
Harry Kane didn't just run away with the Bundesliga Golden Boot again — he added silverware to the mix this time.
After topping the scoring charts with ease last term, the England striker repeated the feat this season, but with a major trophy now in his back pocket. With the Bundesliga campaign officially wrapped up, Kane ends the year with a final haul of 26 goals — a mark of his ruthless consistency in front of goal.
Even with just 19 starts in the Bundesliga for Bayer Leverkusen, Patrik Schick has more than pulled his weight.
The Czech frontman has been razor-sharp in front of goal, finding the net every 80.3 minutes and smashing his expected goals tally by a whopping 8.3. Call it what you want — clinical, lethal, or simply top-tier — he's proving he's the real deal up top.
Serhou Guirassy may have had a slow burn to life at Borussia Dortmund, but once he found his rhythm, the goals started flowing. The powerful forward wrapped up his Bundesliga campaign with 21 goals — a tally that included a stunning four-goal blitz against Union Berlin and six in his final five league appearances. Add to that an impressive 13 goals in the Champions League, and Guirassy’s status as one of Germany’s deadliest strikers is beyond doubt.
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The Mainz skipper has scripted a superb comeback tale. Once seen as one of Germany's most promising young No. 9s, his career was derailed by a serious knee injury in 2022-23. It took nearly a year on the sidelines, but Burkardt returned stronger than ever. With Bo Henriksen's arrival breathing new life into Mainz, Burkardt hit his stride.
He notched 18 league goals this season, leading from the front with decisive doubles against Augsburg and Hoffenheim, and a crucial winner at Leipzig — the goal that ultimately sealed Mainz's ticket to the UEFA Conference League.
Unbeaten Tom Westley, Nick Browne dominate rain-hit day after Alastair Cook’s flying start
Valkerie Baynes20-Apr-2023Essex 164 for 1 (Westley 71*, Browne 54*) vs KentAlastair Cook was here for a good time, not a long one. So too was the healthy gathering of supporters which by mid-afternoon had deserted The Spitfire Ground for cosier environs in Canterbury or further afield.In contrast, Tom Westley and Nick Browne, Essex captain and opener respectively, looked perfectly well-inclined to stick around despite the onset of some grim weather, which ultimately stole their thunder.The naive hope would be that by Round 3 coats and scarves are no longer needed, but that wasn’t the case as the players took the field under a sky in which the sun waged and won a morning battle with high cloud cover as a brisk wind kept temperatures to a chilly 12 degrees. That didn’t deter the ice-cream van, however nor, more importantly, the crowd, well wrapped in bobble hats and gloves watching some entertaining Essex batting on a flat pitch.Home fans will also have been impressed by Wes Agar, the Australian quick signed last week to bolster Kent’s seam attack until the arrival of India left-armer Arshdeep Singh in June. Just five days after arriving on English soil, Agar sent down back-to-back maidens for his first two overs in a Kent shirt – and in county cricket – and conceded just eight runs from his opening four.But then Cook, who had threaded the first ball he faced – off Nathan Gilchrist – for four through point and subsequently helped himself to three more off Gilchrist’s third over in a fast-paced knock, launched another attack, this time against Agar. Cook whipped him through square leg and hoisted him over gully before a superb back-foot drive through the covers made it three boundaries in a row and nine altogether in a knock worth 39.It was Agar who ended Cook’s 30-ball innings with his very next ball, Sam Billings snaffling the edge behind the stumps, giving him figures of 5-2-20-1 at the time. In all, Agar produced five maidens among his 13 on a truncated day when only 42 overs were possible and ended it with 1 for 39.Interestingly, Agar’s older brother, Ashton, had dismissed Cook to claim his first Test wicket as a 19-year-old during the 2013 Ashes. And while 26-year-old Wes was understandably measured in assessing his chances of breaking into the reckoning for this year’s edition in England, a Test call-up at some point in the future is not beyond the ambitions of a player who has represented his country twice in ODIs and Australia A on a first-class tour of New Zealand at the start of April, immediately before Kent came calling.”If you asked me that question maybe four months ago, I would have laughed at you but I guess playing well during the Aussie summer and going away with the Aussie A [side], there’s something in the back of your mind,” said Wes, the Sheffield Shield’s fourth-highest wicket-taker for 2022-23 with 36 at 27.36 and an economy rate of 3.10. “Definitely not something that I’m thinking about, definitely not something that I think will happen, but if you do well, you put your name up, maybe not for this one but for future honours later down the track.”On this occasion, Westley could afford to be less watchful than he had been during his two-and-three-quarter-hour, 120-ball 43 which salvaged a draw with Lancashire on Sunday. By the time more than a handful of supporters accepted an invitation to venture onto the outfield during the lunch break through chattering teeth, raised collars and fists thrust firmly into pockets, he’d moved to 48 not out from 58 balls, opposite Browne’s more sedate 34 off 92.Westley brought up his half-century driving Conor McKerr through point to match Cook’s tally of fours shortly after the interval. By the time Browne passed fifty within half an hour of his skipper, the breeze had whipped up enough to blow over an industrial-sized wheelie bin on the grass bank, convince the nearby car-boot bookseller to shut up shop (the owner of the desolate ice-cream van was clearly thinking about following suit) and deliver a far more imposing layer of thick, grey cloud to the ground.When play was suspended for 10 minutes due to bad light at 2.19pm, the wind too strong for the floodlights to be raised, Westley was unbeaten on 67 and Browne 53 as the ice-cream van beat a melancholy retreat.Westley was still on 67 when he got a top-edge to a Gilchrist delivery that flew above third slip, where Jack Leaning managed only to parry a tough chance to the rope in the gloom. At that moment, the rain arrived in earnest and the players followed the last brave souls still sitting in the lower tier of the Colin Cowdrey Stand in heading indoors.Play was abandoned for the day on the stroke of 5pm after a delay of more than two hours. Then, at 5.05pm, as a few patches of blue sky appeared in the distance, it seemed only right to note that on his first foray into county cricket, Agar could say he’d experienced the quintessential April day in the Championship.”The boys said, ‘welcome to some county cricket,'” Agar smiled. “It’s funny, cricketers in general, you don’t mind rain, but this is the one time where sometimes you wish it’d go away, when you’re excited to go out there and bowl. But you can’t do anything about the weather.”It’s a great opportunity to develop craft. I’m not necessarily known as a swing bowler, I tend to bash the wicket in a cricket term. I think coming over here you have to adapt and you have to change your game a little bit. It’s a great time for me to explore what I can do, explore how I can add to my game, not change it, but add strings to my bow in terms of using swing to your advantage, putting balls in different areas to create wickets on different pitches.”I didn’t put too much expectation on myself as an international coming over, sometimes you can do that. I just wanted to get into a rhythm, get into a groove – I was able to do that early – and then hold that for as long as I can, take pride in what I do, take pride in playing well for a team that’s given me an opportunity.”
No one could’ve foreseen the struggles Manchester City have endured this campaign, especially coming into the season looking to claim their fifth successive Premier League title.
Pep Guardiola’s side have lost nine times in their 28 outings – an unthinkable tally – especially given their previous success during the last few years of his reign.
The FA Cup remains the only trophy they can win in 2024/25 after being knocked out of all other competitions – highlighting how dismal the campaign has been for the Citizens.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola andMatheusNunesreact
A rebuild is desperately needed in the summer, continuing from the work in January, with new signings needed to push the side back towards the summit of the division.
Key players have also failed to deliver at crucial stages of the season, with two players needing to be on top form if they are to right the wrongs of this season.
Rodri & Phil Foden’s stats for City in 2024/25
Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has been ruled out of action since the end of September with an ACL injury, with his presence greatly missed at the heart of the side.
The Spaniard looks set to return for the start of next season, hopefully able to reach the levels he achieved before his setback, allowing the side to compete for titles once again.
As for midfielder Phil Foden, he’s struggled to match his displays from the last campaign, which saw him claim the PFA Player of the Year award, showcasing the levels he produced.
However, this time around, he’s been largely inconsistent, unable to match his previous form, only registering seven goals and two assists in his 23 league outings.
Both players will certainly remain pivotal to any revival that takes place in 2025/26, but the same can’t be said for one player who needs to offload during the summer window.
The City player who earns more than Foden & Rodri
Over the years, City have made some stellar signings, helping them reach the heights they’ve previously hit, with Erling Haaland undoubtedly one of the best additions in their history.
The Norwegian striker has notched a staggering 118 goals in 136 appearances, worth every penny of the fee they forked out to land the talisman back in the summer of 2022.
However, midfielder Ä°lkay GĂĽndoÄźan was a player who was part of a fairytale reunion in the summer, rejoining the club after leaving for Barcelona just 12 months prior.
The German was a fan-favourite during his first spell, scoring twice on the final day against Aston Villa in 2021/22, securing another league title for Guardiola and the Citizens.
It’s safe to say his second spell hasn’t been as successful, as he has struggled to nail down a regular place and has been looking past his best when called upon over the last couple of months.
The now 34-year-old has only started 16 times to date, with his showing against Real Madrid in the Champions League evidence that he’s not at the top level like he once was.
His contract is set to expire in the summer and given his age and lack of positive displays, it would be no surprise to see the club allow him to depart to conduct the next stage of their rebuild.
However, when taking his wages into account, it is a no-brainer to allow him to depart, with Gundogan currently earning a staggering ÂŁ230k-per-week at the Etihad.
1
Erling Haaland
ÂŁ525,000
ÂŁ27,300,000
2
Kevin de Bruyne
ÂŁ400,000
ÂŁ20,800,000
=3
Bernardo Silva
ÂŁ300,000
ÂŁ15,600,000
=3
Jack Grealish
ÂŁ300,000
ÂŁ15,600,000
5
Omar Marmoush
ÂŁ295,000
ÂŁ15,340,000
6
John Stones
ÂŁ250,000
ÂŁ13,000,000
7
Ä°lkay GĂĽndoÄźan
ÂŁ230,000
ÂŁ11,960,000
8
Phil Foden
ÂŁ225,000
ÂŁ11,700,000
9
Rodri
ÂŁ220,000
ÂŁ11,440,000
10
Josko Gvardiol
ÂŁ200,000
ÂŁ10,440,000
His subsequent earnings are higher than those of Foden and Rodri, with the first-team stars currently earning ÂŁ225k and ÂŁ220k-per-week respectively, despite their personal successes in recent times.
It would be a brutal call to make, but given the drop-off endured by the club in 2024/25, action needs to be taken in the summer to prevent a similar situation from occurring once again.
Funds are needed to provide the manager with the opportunity to strengthen the squad and complete an overhaul, with the German’s wages going a long way to offer new alternatives elsewhere.
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It has been confirmed that a supporter died after suffering a horror fall during Portugal's UEFA Nations League final win over Spain in Munich.
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Major event at Allianz Arena in MunichSupporter fell from second tier of standPlayers initially unaware of the incidentFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The incident in question occurred during the closing stages of the international encounter at the Allianz Arena. A fan fell from the second tier of Bayern Munich's iconic home and landed on the seating area below.
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The game continued as paramedics and stewards tended to the individual in question, but they were unable to be revived after receiving medical treatment. Those on the field were unaware at the time of what was going on.
WHAT UEFA SAID
A statement from UEFA, European football’s governing body, read: “There was a medical emergency at the Munich arena, and despite the best efforts of the medical team, the person sadly passed away at 00:06 (CET). Our thoughts are with their loved ones at this difficult time.”
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GettyHOW PLAYERS REACTED
News of the death ultimately marred Portugal's Nations League triumph. Player of the Match, Nundo Mendes, told reporters afterwards: “I would like to express my condolences to the family of the fan that died. It casts a pall on our victory today.”
Other England players, including Reece Topley, are also weighing up the merits of the move
Matt Roller25-May-20232:35
Roy contract termination a significant moment for cricket
England white-ball players are negotiating releases from their ECB contracts in order to take up lucrative offers to play in the inaugural season of Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States.English players on full central contracts are unlikely to feature in MLC this year but Jason Roy – who holds an incremental deal with the ECB – has confirmed plans to terminate his contract in order to play in the league.In a statement, the ECB said: “England men’s white-ball batter Jason Roy has informed the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that he wishes to take up an agreement with Major League Cricket in the USA later this summer. The ECB have agreed for him to play in the competition on the proviso that he gives up the remainder of his ECB incremental contract, which both parties have agreed to.”The ECB wish to clarify that this decision will not affect Jason’s selection for England teams going forward. We have absolute confidence and faith that Jason is committed to England cricket.”Reece Topley, Roy’s Surrey and England team-mate, is weighing up the merits of the same move, though his decision may depend on his fitness status after shoulder surgery last month.Related
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MLC is due to take place from July 13-30 at Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and has significant backing from both India and Australia: four of the six franchises have investors who own IPL teams, while Cricket Victoria and Cricket New South Wales have stakes in the other two.The league’s inaugural season features a minor clash with the English summer: the semi-finals and finals of the T20 Blast take place on July 15, while there are two rounds of County Championship fixtures between Finals Day and the start of the Hundred on August 1. But there are concerns within the English game that MLC is likely to expand in future and could clash directly with the Hundred.As a result, the ECB will not give No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) that would enable contracted players to feature in MLC. And while players are unlikely to negotiate a release from full white-ball contracts to play in the US, such a move would make financial sense for those on incremental deals.The ECB incremental contracts are worth around ÂŁ66,000 per year and effectively act as a top-up to county salaries. Six players have such deals for the 2022-23 contract cycle: Harry Brook, Dawid Malan, Matthew Potts, Roy, Topley and David Willey.ESPNcricinfo understands that Surrey are expecting Roy to play MLC – most likely for LA Knight Riders – between the end of their Blast season and the start of the Hundred, and that he would have to agree a release from his incremental contract to do so. If Surrey reach Finals Day, Roy will be available for them and miss the start of MLC.The player draft for inaugural MLC was held at NASA Space Center Houston in March•Peter Della PennaRoy played for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023 and is understood to have held informal discussions with the franchise about the possibility of a contract to play for their teams in other leagues, including MLC. His representative declined to comment.Topley has not signed a deal to play in MLC but is also understood to be considering his options. After leaving the IPL early with a shoulder injury, he underwent surgery last month and his contractual decisions will depend in part on the progress of his rehabilitation.Topley outlined his white-ball ambitions on Surrey’s live stream last week: “If you’d have asked me when I was young, I’d have said I’d love to play 100 Tests for England,” he said. “Now, if you asked me, [I’d say] I’d love to go to as many IPLs as I can. I don’t think the stigma around saying you want to play and be successful in white-ball cricket is that bad.”England contracts run from October to September, so requesting a release from an incremental deal at this stage of the year would cost players around ÂŁ20,000. Each MLC franchise has a purse of $1.15 million (ÂŁ930,000 approx.) – to cover between 16 and 19 players, of which nine can be from overseas – so any deals would offset the loss of earnings from leaving an England contract.The ECB is in the process of revamping its central contract system for the 2023-24 season to adapt to the growth of franchise leagues, and any decisions to leave incremental contracts will not be held against players in selection moving forward.Following other reports in various media outlets on Thursday, Roy issued a statement on his social media accounts which said: “Following a bit of unwanted speculation over the last 24 hours, I wanted to clarify that I am not and never will ‘walk away from England’.Jason Roy, who played for KKR in IPL 2023, is likely to represent LA Knight Riders in MLC•AFP/Getty Images”Representing my country continues to be my proudest moment as a professional cricketer. I hope to play for England for many more years, that remains my priority.”I’ve had clear and supportive conversations with the ECB about participating in Major League Cricket. The ECB were happy with me to play in the competition as long as they didn’t have to pay me for the remainder of the contractual year.”As a single format player with no central contract I wanted to take the opportunity to play this competition as there are currently no scheduling conflicts with England. It benefits me as an England player to play as much competitive cricket as possible.”Just to be very clear, my priority is England cricket, especially with a World Cup soon upon us. It is for me, and for any player, the greatest honour to receive a cap to play for their country.”A Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo: “This is covered by the comprehensive standard playing contract agreed by the ECB, counties and the PCA. It is completely at the employers’ discretion whether players are issued an NOC in-season.”Several leading T20 players including Marcus Stoinis, Quinton de Kock, Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje and Glenn Phillips have already been unveiled as overseas signings in MLC, with Trent Boult and Adam Zampa expected to join them in the coming weeks.
Celtic are on the other side of the last international break of the 2024/25 campaign and this means that there are only a couple of months left to go before the end of the season.
Whilst the Hoops will have their focus set on winning the Scottish Premiership and securing the SFA Cup, to complete a domestic treble, they will also have one eye on the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Hoops may be concerned about the future of some of their star players amid reported interest from elsewhere ahead of the summer, with Nicolas Kuhn one of those reportedly in the crosshairs of other teams.
Last month, it was reported that Premier League side Newcastle United are interested in a deal to sign the German forward from Celtic, who are said to value him at around ÂŁ20m.
Kuhn, who has – as shown above – showcased his quality in the Champions League this season, would be far from the first winger to be sold for big money by the Bhoys.
Where Kuhn would rank in Celtic's most valuable winger sales
The Scottish giants have a long history of cashing in on their star players, in every position over the years, as they have allowed the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Fraser Forster, Moussa Dembele, Odsonne Edouard, and countless others, to move on from Parkhead to further their respective careers.
Kuhn, though, would be one of their most expensive sales out of all of the wingers they have cashed in on if he moves for ÂŁ20m or more in the upcoming summer window, placing him just below Jota.
Jota
ÂŁ24m
Aidan McGeady
ÂŁ10m
Liel Abada
ÂŁ6.7m
Mikey Johnston
ÂŁ2.9m
Sead Haksabanovic
ÂŁ1.6m
However, these fees do not account for the inflation of transfer fees in football over the years. As per Totally Money, a transfer fee of ÂŁ10.8m in 2010 would be worth around ÂŁ29.7m in today’s money.
This suggests that McGeady, who was sold to Spartak Moscow in the summer of 2010, is the most valuable sale on that list with a modern-day valuation of almost ÂŁ30m.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The now-retired Ireland international was a terrific, long-serving, winger for the Hoops and they raked in a significant sum of money, for the time of the sale, when they sold him to the Russian side for ÂŁ10m.
Why Aidan McGeady was such a valuable player
The Scottish-born star came up through the academy system at Parkhead and burst onto the scene as a promising young player in the 2003/04 campaign, scoring one goal in four league matches.
McGeady went on to score 36 goals and provide 48 assists in 233 appearances for Celtic in all competitions, including seven goals and 14 assists in his last league season before his big-money move to Spartak Moscow.
Former Celtic forward Aiden McGeady.
The Ireland international put on a show for Hoops supporters when he went out onto the field at Parkhead, due to his incredible technical ability and creative genius.
Such was the level of his skill, McGeady even had a signature trick that was named after him, as shown in the clip below, which speaks to just how inventive he was with the ball at his feet.
Typically operating on the left flank, the flair forward was equally capable of delivering quality with either foot, dribbling past players, scoring goals, and providing assists, whilst often cutting in on his right foot from the left wing.
In the present day, Celtic have unearthed their latest version of McGeady and it is not Kuhn, despite his potential big-money move away from Parkhead. It is Portuguese forward Jota, who has already sealed a big transfer away from Parkhead in his career.
Why Jota is Celtic's new McGeady
Jota, as aforementioned, was sold to Al Ittihad for a record fee for a Hoops winger back in the summer of 2023, after his first spell as a player in Glasgow under Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou.
As you can see in the graphic above, the Portugal international delivered brilliant performances on the flank as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants.
That earned him a move to Saudi Arabia for a huge fee at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, but he returned to Parkhead 18 months later when Brendan Rodgers snapped him up from Rennes in January.
The Northern Irish boss brought the 25-year-old forward back to Celtic and it has been a masterstroke so far, with the winger registering his latest goal contribution against Rangers last time out with a great assist for Daizen Maeda.
Jota has scored three goals, created three ‘big chances’, and registered two assists in seven appearances, including four starts, in the Premiership since his January switch.
This shows that he has hit the ground running at Parkhead as both a scorer and a creator of goals, as McGeady was at Celtic, in his second spell in Glasgow.
Starts
1
4
Goals
0
3
Big chances created
1
3
Assists
0
2
Dribbles completed
3
8
As you can see in the table above, Jota has completed 11 dribbles in just five starts across the Champions League and the Premiership for Celtic this season, which illustrates both his desire and ability to take defenders on and get supporters off their feet.
Like McGeady, the Portuguese speedster constantly looks to progress attacks by using his technical and dribbling skills to get his team up the pitch, whilst being a right-footed player on the left flank – as opposed to Kuhn being a left-footer on the right.
Pundit Michael Stewart claimed that Jota “raises the bar” for the Bhoys because he is a “game-changer” with his ability to take multiple players on at once.
Therefore, Rodgers – even though it is the player’s second spell at the club – has unearthed Celtic’s new version of McGeady by bringing Jota back to Parkhead, and he will be hoping that the Hoops continue to benefit from his attacking talent for many more years to come.
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ByDan Emery Mar 25, 2025
Kuhn may well move on from the club this summer, amid Newcastle’s reported interest in him, but they would still have Jota and his terrific output in the final third to rely upon next season.
Manchester United have agreed a new deal with a homegrown player to remain at the club into his 40s.
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Man Utd "verbally agree" new dealHomegrown hero to stay at Old TraffordAmorim wants experienced headFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Head coach Ruben Amorim wants to keep experienced heads at the club and is set to strike a new deal with goalkeeper Tom Heaton to continue in the goalkeeping department, report . Heaton is currently 39 and would turn 40 during his additional year.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Heaton has not played a single Premier League minute for United since rejoining the club in 2021 but appears to be a valued member of the squad, providing support for the other goalkeepers. There have also been discussions about a coaching role down the line but this is purely a playing contract.
DID YOU KNOW?
United have released three out-of-contract first-team players, Jonny Evans, Victor Lindelof and Christian Eriksen. They have also added to their squad this summer, signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?
United have also been linked with moves to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford and Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting. Alejandro Garnacho could leave the club, with Chelsea and Atletico Madrid showing interest.
Opener makes 27-ball half-century to make light work of sub-par Blaze target
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2023Danni Wyatt backed up her semi-final heroics with another blisteringly quick half-century, as Southern Vipers condemned The Blaze to their first defeat of the season across formats, to complete an emphatic defence of their Charlotte Edwards Cup title at New Road.In a contest that stretched into the reserve day following torrential afternoon rain on Saturday, The Blaze limped from their overnight 53 for 4 in 9.3 overs to a sub-par total of 114 for 8 in 20. Shrubsole, who confirmed her retirement at the conclusion of the contest, was duly named Player of the Match after her two early wickets had proven key in denying the tournament pace-makers any chance to set a more imposing total.Their ambitions were blighted on the resumption by the offspin of Charlie Dean, who struck with her first delivery of the day as Sarah Glenn lofted a drive down the throat of long-off for 7, before the dangerous Nadine de Klerk gave herself too much room on the cut and lost her off stump for a run-a-ball 14.At 95 for 6 after 17 overs, The Blaze would have gladly settled for a run-a-ball total of 120, but Vipers’ skipper Georgia Adams denied them any late momentum as Sophie Munro was bowled first-ball for a duck. Mary Taylor bowled her solitary over of the final to close out the innings, picking off Lucy Higham with a slower ball to leave the contest very much in her team’s hands at the interval.Seeing as the Vipers opening pair of Wyatt and Maia Bouchier had racked up an imposing opening stand of 108 in 11 overs against Thunder on Saturday, a target of 115 in 20 scarcely seemed daunting. And sure enough, they clattered off in pursuit of victory, posting 67 inside the first seven overs before Bouchier drove too loosely at Sarah Glenn to be bowled for 25 from 20.By then, however, Wyatt was firmly into her stride, as she cracked along to a 27-ball fifty with 10 fours, including six from her first seven legal deliveries. De Klerk skidded one into an attempted pull to trap her lbw with 26 still needed, and though Ella McCaughan was stumped off Higham before victory was completed, Adams sealed the deal with back-to-back fours, with 34 balls left unused.A summer downpour forced the game into a reserve day•Getty ImagesAn emphatic victory had seemed on the cards even when play had to be suspended on Saturday afternoon, when The Blaze had struggled to 53 for four in 9.3 overs after choosing to bat first, before lightning in the area took the teams off at 4:35pm.Play was officially abandoned at just after 6pm, following torrential rain, with the decision made to come back on Sunday for the reserve day -bad news for some of the Vipers players who had been due to take advantage of the short break in the season by taking a holiday.In the 57 balls possible before the storm breezed in, former England fast bowler Shrubsole pinned her former international team-mate Tammy Beaumont lbw with a trademark inswinger with the third ball of the innings.She then found Sarah Bryce swinging straight up into the air in the following over as The Blaze slumped to 19 for two, and only reached 34 for two by the end of the powerplay.Spinners Lauren Smith and Georgia Adams then put the batting side into more trouble, with Georgie Boyce caught behind with one that popped, and Kathryn Bryce was bowled through the gate.The Vipers had earlier won their Eliminator against Thunder by 18 runs after half-centuries from Wyatt and Bouchier – with Thunder coming up short in the chase of 191.
Since taking the job almost two years ago now, Ange Postecoglou has completely changed Tottenham Hotspur.
On the pitch, the results might not have improved massively, but unlike under the previous few managers, the team is no longer boring the fans senseless.
However, where the Australian has made the most significant changes is the makeup of the squad, as he’s seen several stars leave and plenty of exciting talents come in.
Tottenham Hotspur manager AngePostecogloubefore the match
In fact, the Premier League seems to be full of tremendously promising prospects this season, and Spurs might just have their answer to recent England debutant, Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The Premier League's most promising prospects
So, let’s start close to home with one of Tottenham’s breakout stars from what has been a pretty dismal year: Lucas Bergvall.
Tottenham Hotspur's Lucas Bergvall in action with Vissel Kobe'sRyoHatsuse
The Swede, who was signed from DjurgĂĄrdens for around ÂŁ8.5m last winter, has become more and more important to the first team as the season has gone on.
Indeed, 13 of his 19 starts coming since Christmas, and when you watch him play, it’s easy to understand why Postecoglou wants to give him more responsibility.
The 19-year-old “generational” talent, as dubbed by journalist Mitch Fretton, is seemingly able to do it all from the middle of the park, be that break-up play with a well-timed block or kickstart attacks with a gut-busting run through the middle of the park or a perfectly timed pass.
Another of the Lilywhites’ most exciting youngsters this season has been Mikey Moore, who, at just 17 years old and in 632 minutes of first-team football, has scored once and provided two assists, while also being compared to Neymar Jr by James Maddison.
Moving over to the red side of North London now, and while Spurs’ fans won’t like to hear it, understandably so, Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri has also stepped up in a big way this season, scoring eight goals and providing one assist in just 1087 first-team minutes.
Ethan Nwaneri
It’s not just the traditional ‘big six’ who have unearthed some sensational young talents this year either, as 19-year-old Spanish defender Dean Huijsen has been one of the stars of Bournemouth’s brilliant campaign thus far.
The former Juventus gem has managed to bag two goals for himself, and according to FBref, sits in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for interceptions, the top 4% for shot-creating actions and clearances, the top 5% for non-penalty expected goals plus assists and more, all per 90.
However, when it comes to the teenage talent most in the spotlight, it has to be the Gunners’ own Lewis-Skelly, although there is no need for the Spurs faithful to be jealous, as they appear to have their own version of the 18-year-old.
Spurs' own Lewis-Skelly
There has been rife debate among Spurs fans of late that Djed Spence should have been in the England squad at the expense of the Arsenal wonderkid. However, he’s not the closest thing to Myles Lewis-Skelly. Instead, that honour is handed to Archie Gray.
There are a few key reasons why the incredible talent who joined the club last summer for around ÂŁ30m could be their version of the Arsenal man, the most important being how he’s been utilised this season.
Like the Hale Ender, the former Leeds United gem is first and foremost a central midfielder, but due to the incredible amount of defensive injuries the team have had to deal with this year, he’s played in the backline more than anywhere else.
Centre-Back
19
Right-Back
7
Left-Back
5
Defensive Midfield
3
Other
3
For example, across all competitions this season, the Durham-born star has made 19 appearances at centre-back, seven at right-back, five at left-back and just three in defensive midfield.
Similarly, the Gunners’ young star has made 23 appearances as a left-back and just two in defensive midfield.
On top of being used in similar ways by their respective managers, both are incredibly highly rated for their age, with the Arsenal star already winning a senior England cap and the Tottenham prospect being described as a “future ÂŁ100m” star by respected football analyst Ben Mattinson.
Ultimately, Lewis-Skelly certainly looks to be the real deal and someone who will have a sensational career, but the same thing could and should be said about Gray, and given their trajectories, we would not be surprised to see them lining up together for England in the future.
Cost ÂŁ10m, sold for 750% more: Spurs hit gold on "once in a lifetime" star
The incredible international remains Spurs’ best-ever sale.