Category Uncategorized

Every spring, all across the country, kids pick up a baseball bat or a glove for the first time and begin to dream.

Facing off against a pitching machine, they imagine themselves playing in Game 7 of the World Series, with the chance to hit the home run that decides a championship. Shagging fly balls in the outfield, they envision the feeling of securing an out that saves their season.

On Saturday, those dreams became real for about 20 members of the Dodgers and Blue Jays.

Toronto entered the ninth inning holding a 4–3 lead and needing just three outs to secure their first championship since 1993. Closer Jeff Hoffman, who had come in to secure the last out of the eighth inning, was back on the mound to finish things out.

It was Miguel Rojas that first got to live the dream. With the Dodgers down to their final two outs, Rojas worked the count full before smacking a home run to left field to tie the game and suck every ounce of air out of the Rogers Centre.

Hoffman got out of the inning from there, bringing the Blue Jays to the plate with a chance to walk things off for a title.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off the inning batting against Blake Snell, and for a moment it felt like he might just finish things on his own. Instead, he hit a fly out to center. But after a Bo Bichette single was followed by a walk and a HBP, the bases were loaded with one out.

Bichette was pulled for pinch runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa, as he’s still somewhat hobbled coming back from injury. The Dodgers pulled Snell and put Game 6 starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto back on the mound.

Yamamoto delivered to Daulton Varsho, who smacked a grounder to second base. The ball was fielded by Rojas, who briefly double-clutched before firing a bullet home to catcher Will Smith. Smith’s foot briefly came off of the bag, but he got it back down for the force out before Kiner-Falefa could slide in safe.

It was this close folks.

Two outs.

Next up it was Ernie Clement, who with his third hit of the day in his previous at-bat had set a record with 30 hits this postseason, more than any player in MLB history. Now he needed one more.

Clement gave the first pitch he saw a ride to left center. With the outfield in, left fielder Kiké Hernández was sprinting backwards to get under the ball, but center fielder Andy Pages, who had just been put into the game as a defensive sub for the Dodgers, would meet him in the space and ultimately came down with the catch after a heart-stopping collision to get out of the inning.

It was the first live ball he had touched all night.

And with that, Game 7 of the World Series was on to extras.

Both teams failed to get a run across in the 10th. Last time these sides went to extras, we played into the 18th inning. Now it’s happening with a championship on the line.

How can you not be romantic about baseball?

If you’re going to make history, you might as well do it in style.

On Friday, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge took over sole possession of fourth place on the franchise’s all-time home run list, breaking a tie with legend Joe DiMaggio with career dinger No. 362. Judge had just matched DiMaggio yesterday, with two home runs against the Tigers.

Facing off against the Red Sox on Friday, Judge decided to one-up himself in terms of showmanship, smashing his tie-breaking home run all the way over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park.

Look at this tater.

And here it is from the ump cam. Delightful.

Judge currently sits at 362 home runs in pinstripes. The only three players in front of him are all legends—Lou Gerhig (493), Mickey Mantle (536) and Babe Ruth (659).

While it might take a while for Judge to jump up to the next spot on the list, we’re undoubtedly in for plenty more unbelievable highlights between now and then.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has put up his usual mind-boggling numbers during the first half of the 2025 MLB season, leading the charge as the AL MVP favorite just ahead of the All-Star break.

Through 90 games this year, Judge is slashing .360/.468/.734 with 33 home runs, 74 RBIs and 65 walks. He ranks second in MLB in home runs and RBIs, and leads the league by a huge margin with a 1.202 OPS.

Judge also made MLB history during the first half of the campaign.

This is the third time in his career Judge has hit 33 or more home runs during the first half of a season. No other player has ever recorded more than two such seasons, according to OptaSTATS. Judge has accomplished the feat in three of the last four years––in 2022, '24 and '25––a testament to his dominance at the plate.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Judge has hit 190 home runs, 28 more than the next highest player, Shohei Ohtani, during that same span. He broke the American League record with 62 home runs in '22, and added another 58 last season. He could surpass both those tallies this year based on his ridiculous first half. At his current pace, Judge would hit just over 59 home runs across a 162-game season.

حدد اتحاد الكرة، مواعيد مباريات دور الستة عشر والمباريات المؤجلة من دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس مصر الموسم الجاري 2025-2026.

وأخطر الاتحاد، الأندية المشاركة في المباريات المؤجلة من دور الـ32 والفرق المتأهلة إلى دور الستة عشر بالمواعيد المقررة.

طالع.. الأهلي يعلن تفاصيل إصابة أفشة وكريم فؤاد

وحسمت أندية سموحة والبنك الأهلي وبتروجيت وكهرباء الإسماعيلية وفاركو وإنبي حرس الحدود وطلائع الجيش والجونة تأهلها إلى دور الستة عشر حتى الآن.

وتتبقى مباريات الأهلي ضد المصرية للاتصالات، والزمالك ضد بلدية المحلة، والمصري ضد دكرنس، ومودرن سبورت ضد القناة، وبيراميدز ضد مسار، وسيراميكا كليوباترا ضد أبو قير للأسمدة، ونادي زد ضد نادي جي. مواعيد المباريات المؤجلة في دور الـ32 من كأس مصر

المصري ضد دكرنس – الإثنين – 22 ديسمبر – الساعة 2 ونصف ظهرًا

بيراميدز ضد مسار – الإثنين – 22 ديسمبر- 5 مساءًا

سيراميكا كليوباترا ضد أبو قير للأسمدة – الثلاثاء – 23 ديسمبر – 2 ونصف ظهرًا

زد ضد ألو إيجبت – الجمعة 26 ديسمبر- الساعة 2 ونصف ظهرًا

مودرن سبورت ضد القناة – السبت 27 ديسمبر – الساعة 7 ونصف مساءً

الزمالك ضد بلدية المحلة – السبت 27 ديسمبر – الساعة 2 والنصف مساءً

الأهلي ضد المصرية للاتصالات – السبت 27 ديسمبر – الساعة 5 مساءً مواعيد مباريات دور الـ16 من كأس مصر

طلائع الجيش ضد كهرباء الإسماعيلية – السبت 27 ديسمبر – الساعة 5 مساءً

البنك الأهلي ضد إنبي – الأحد 28 ديسمبر – الساعة 2 ونصف ظهرا

حرس الحدود ضد سموحة  – الأحد 28 ديسمبر – الساعة 2 ونصف ظهرا

He’s following in his father’s illustrious footballing footsteps, and making a big splash on the international football scene, but not in the position, or for the country, many would imagine. Louis Thomas Buffon, son of the legendary former Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi, scored two hat-tricks during the November break in Under-19 European Championship qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Northern Ireland.

Young talent, big hope

Louis Buffon is a forward who has carved his own path, currently on the books at Pisa and, surprisingly, representing the Czech Republic, rather than his father’s native Italy, at youth level. After starting in youth systems at Sisport and Juventus, he moved to Pisa in 2023, making his professional debut in 2025. Buffon chose his son's middle name as a tribute to his favourite goalkeeper growing up, Thomas N'Kono, the former Espanyol and Cameroon goalkeeper who famously played for his country at Italia '90, where they were knocked out by England 3-2 in the quarter-finals. At the tender age of 17, Louis has made big headlines with his scoring prowess during the latest international break. He scored three in Czechia's 6-1 win over Azerbaijan before taking on a substitute's role in a 2-2 draw against Malta. Louis then returned to the starting lineup against Northern Ireland and fired another hat-trick to help Czechia secure a 4-0 victory.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy Buffon's son declined an Italian job

Buffon senior is one of the most-recognisable Italian football faces, but his wife Alena Seredova is from the Czech Republic. The pair married in 2011, but were divorced three years later. And in an interview given to the Czech FA, Louis Buffon explained that the decision to play for his mother's homeland was also supported by his dad. He said: "I talked with my family and decided that playing for the Czech Republic would be the best option for my career and my development as a player. My mother was obviously very happy, but my father was too, because it was my first call-up to the national team."

Big boots to fill

Buffon retired from professional football in 2023 at the age of 45 after an illustrious career as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. Following his retirement, he was appointed the head of delegation for the Italian national football team. His professional journey began with his boyhood club Parma, where he debuted in 1995 and won the UEFA Cup. In 2001, he made a world-record transfer for a goalkeeper at the time to Juventus, where would spend the vast majority of his career. During his two stints with Juventus, which were broken up by a brief spell at Paris Saint-Germain, he won an incredible 10 Serie A titles and remained with the club even after its 2006 relegation due to the Calciopoli scandal, helping them return to the top flight. On the international stage, Buffon famously captained Italy to victory in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He also holds the record for most international caps for Italy with 176 appearances. He concluded his playing career by returning to Parma for two final seasons.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty/@louisbuffon9International options in coming years

Louis Buffon can still switch his allegiance from Czechia to Italy because he holds dual Italian citizenship and has not yet played a senior competitive international match for the Czech national team. Although he has represented Czechia at the youth level, including with the Under-18 and Under-19 squads, this does not tie him to the country permanently. FIFA rules allow players with dual nationality to switch their allegiance to another country they are eligible for, as long as they have not yet made a senior competitive appearance. Buffon is eligible for Italy through his father and was born in the country. This makes a future allegiance switch a viable option for the promising winger.

The home side’s pace bowlers quickly assessed conditions and made life tough, especially for Travis Head

S Sudarshanan17-Apr-20255:01

Bangar: ‘SRH need one or two batters who don’t attack all the time’

Deepak Chahar stood with his arms akimbo at the end of his follow-through. The exasperation was writ large on his face. Abhishek Sharma mistimed a slap off a length ball just wide of cover-point rushing to his left. It was the third half-chance Chahar had created in three overs. That was apart from the dropped catch off the first ball of the match.There are expectations of players in this sport. One of those is that the swing bowlers must bowl fuller lengths with the brand-new ball. That is perhaps why Mumbai Indians (MI) like to open the bowling with Chahar and Trent Boult in IPL 2025. It is for them to extract whatever little swing is available with the new ball. So, logic dictated that they would try and counter the threat of Travis Head and Abhishek by moving the new ball both ways. But MI had different ideas.In the first three overs of their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Mumbai, Chahar and Boult didn’t go in search of swing and bowled just three full deliveries. Chahar started the game with a length ball angled across Abhishek from over the wicket. Abhishek, as is his wont, dashed down the track and got a thick outside edge that burst through Will Jacks’ hand at first slip. Head then looked to whip a length ball through the leg side and almost popped a catch to midwicket. Abhishek, too, nearly did the same in Chahar’s next over.Related

• Maxed out? Glenn Maxwell needs to 'wake up' before it's too late

• MI's bowling tricks on slow pitch get them second straight win

• Jacks emerges as offspin's improbable saviour at the Wankhede

As per ESPNcricinfo logs, 14 of MI’s first 18 legal balls were either on a good length, short of good length or short. Result? SRH with 22 for 0 with one dropped chance and two near-chances. The pitch, described “tacky” by Michael Clarke, wasn’t conducive to stroke-play from get-go. Hitting shots down the ground was difficult. Travishek found success in each of the two fixtures against MI last year, and they specifically chose it to nullify the threat of SRH’s hard-hitting line-up that had arrived at the Wankhede on the back of a 246-run chase. What’s more, they also decided to resort to slower deliveries in the first six overs itself.Jasprit Bumrah, brought on in the fourth over, began with an offcutter outside off that Abhishek swung and missed at. That was one of the plenty of misses Travishek had inside the powerplay. While Bumrah did mix his lengths by slipping in a yorker in his first over itself, he predominantly bowled fast offspin, using the cutters generously to deny Travishek what they desired.Jasprit Bumrah was exceptional with just one boundary off his four overs•AFP/Getty ImagesWhen pace was on offer, Abhishek was at ease. He hit three fours in Chahar’s third over – all by sashaying down the track and hitting over covers – which ended with that half-chance off a 120.6kph length ball that frustrated the MI bowler. It seemed Abhishek had carried his luck from the previous outing to the Wankhede.They made room to go over off, got inside the line to play the pull, used their feet to try and put the bowlers off their lengths. None of it worked. At the end of the powerplay, SRH were 46 for 0. It was SRH’s lowest score in a wicketless powerplay since 2022, when they scored 42 for 0 against Gujarat Titans. Travishek had 15 not-in-control shots in that phase. Even though MI had not managed an early breakthrough, they successfully tied down arguably one of the most dangerous opening pairs in the last couple of seasons.”When Deepak bowled, a couple of balls stuck [on the pitch] and we realised change of pace will be useful,” captain Hardik Pandya said after MI’s four-wicket win. “As soon as we figured that out we were backing that and with the same intent, we mixed it up. Slower balls, even if it’s gripping, if you keep doing it again and again, batters can line you up. We smartly executed yorkers in the middle phase and they were not able to get the rhythm.”Travis Head was kept unusually quiet in what became a decisive part of the game•AFP/Getty ImagesThat pressure MI built in the powerplay came to their aid in the middle overs. Jacks reaped rewards of the squeeze to run away with two wickets, including that of Head, and emerged saviour to a shrinking breed. While SRH’s reliance on Travishek is an open secret, MI did not let that come their way despite a 59-run opening partnership. Nor did they let the skewed dimensions – the square boundaries were 60m and 67m – affect them. Bumrah played a vital part in ensuring SRH were always kept on a leash. He bowled two overs inside the powerplay and one at the death, where he slipped in a low full toss to bowl Heinrich Klaasen, and conceded just the one boundary in his spell.”The feedback from the batsmen was that the wicket was dead. So, the value for shots wasn’t quite there,” SRH head coach Daniel Vettori said. “Every time the slower one came, it was difficult to get your power on it. Therefore, there were a lot of singles. The way Boult bowled to that small boundary, he defended it with superb yorkers.”We got away with a lot in the powerplay, we were a little bit lucky. We understood how difficult it was. To come away from the powerplay with 46 for none was something we were happy with. Mumbai read the conditions exceptionally well. After the first few overs, they relied on the slower balls. Slower balls are effective, but it is mainly effective because of their execution.”In an interview with the host broadcaster during the match, MI batting coach Kieron Pollard termed Travishek a “one-dimensional, hard-hands sort of batsmen” for whom off-pace deliveries could work. MI’s focused planning and execution delivered them the desired result. Even if it had a few frustrating moments on the way.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Figueirense identificou o torcedor que debochou das enchentes no Rio Grande do Sul durante partida do final de semana contra o Caxias, no Estádio Centenário. Ele foi reconhecido através das imagens e foi banido do quadro de sócios do clube.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Segundo o CEO da SAF Figueirense, Enrico Ambrogini, o torcedor está proibido de frequentar os jogos no Estádio Orlando Scarpelli.

– A gente foi atrás de identificar o torcedor e ter certeza de que ele seria expulso do nosso quadro. Você pode cometer erros, mas alguns são inaceitáveis. Identificamos essa pessoa e ela vai ser expulsa do quadro de sócios e tudo que a gente puder fazer para que ela não esteja mais presente no Figueirense nós vamos fazer – disse Ambrogini, em entrevista coletiva.

A partida também foi marcada por briga entre as torcidas no começo do segundo tempo. Membros das torcidas organizadas entraram em confronto nas arquibancadas após a provocação. Os dois clubes podem receber punição.

continua após a publicidade

– O nosso papel é de identificar e entender todos os cenários, a gente viu que havia uma brecha de segurança e nada justifica que houvesse uma briga – completou.

Tudo sobre

FigueirenseFutebol NacionalSérie C

Barcelona have reiterated their stance on a loan transfer for Lionel Messi, with club president Joan Laporta saying such a deal is "not realistic". He has also suggested that those clinging to the dream of seeing the Argentine GOAT return to Catalunya in a playing capacity "live in the past", with La Liga's champions having moved on from their most iconic No.10.

• American dream: New contract for Messi at Inter Miami

  Messi is in no position to rejoin Barca on a permanent basis, as he continues to chase the American dream in MLS with Inter Miami. He has been in South Florida since 2023 and recently committed to a new three-year contract.

  Said deal will take him beyond his 40th birthday and through the 2028 season in North America. MLS bosses have revealed that a calendar change is on the way that will bring the U.S. game in line with rival divisions around the world – as they play from autumn until spring, rather than through the summer.

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  Messi return? Laporta addresses transfer talk

  That means windows in which to spend the MLS post-season in Europe are closing for Messi and Co. It has been suggested that he could head back to Barcelona in a bid to remain sharp ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

  The Blaugrana have, however, distanced themselves from those rumours. Laporta previously said: "Out of respect for Messi, our players, and our members, it's not the time to speculate with unrealistic scenarios."

  Barca’s president has now stated on the same subject: "Leo Messi’s return as a player is something just not realistic. As of now, he has a contract with Inter Miami. The club is building a project for the present and future. It's complicated, and if you live in the past you hardly move forward."

  Barca are working on arranging a friendly or exhibition match that would allow Messi to play at Camp Nou one last time. Plans have also been revealed for a statue that will immortalise the eight-time Ballon d’Or outside an iconic venue.

• Family ties: Messi & Antonela plan return to Catalunya

  Messi has offered no indication that he is looking for a playing return to Barcelona, but has admitted that he and wife Antonela intend to move their family back to Catalunya at some stage.

  The South American superstar has told : "I really want to go back there, we miss Barcelona a lot. My wife and I, the kids, are constantly talking about Barcelona and the idea of moving back. We have our house there, everything, so that's what we want. I'm really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it's finished because since I left for Paris, I haven't been back to Camp Nou, and then they moved to Montjuic."

  He added after being named the most beloved player in Barca’s history: "Obviously, I'm going to come back. I'm going to be at the stadium like any other fan, following the team, the club, and being just another supporter. For now, I'll be here [Miami] for a few more years, most likely, but we'll return to Barcelona because, as I've always said, it's my place, my home. We miss it a lot, so we'll be back there."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Camp Nou Leo Messi: Stadium renaming rumours rubbished

  Many are looking forward to seeing Messi play at Camp Nou again, in any capacity, with professional ties at Barcelona being severed in emotional circumstances when leaving for Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in 2021.

  Close friend and current Inter Miami colleague Jordi Alba has said of a special event being organised: "For me, it was a bitter pill to swallow to see him leave overnight. That farewell wasn't ideal for him. I trust that the tribute will happen and that it will be a great celebration. I found out through the press, and it was a tough blow for everyone. His departure wasn't the best, or the one he would have liked, that tribute will be paid to him one way or another."

  Barcelona will not be renaming their famous stadium ‘Camp Nou Leo Messi’, with more speculation there being rubbished, but will always leave their door open for a prodigal son to return to his spiritual home whenever the day comes for that path to be trodden.

Phil Foden has been forced to sell his £3.25 million mansion for a cut price, with the Manchester City star parting with said property having previously attracted complaints from neighbours. The England international has not been able to get the full asking price for his sprawling family home, but will not be left too far out of pocket after agreeing terms on a sale.

Foden forced to drop asking price

The four-bedroom property boasts a cinema, indoor swimming pool and five bathrooms. Foden has been looking to shift it for more than six months. He initially listed it at £3.25m, but struggled to attract a buyer.

Having put the house in Prestbury, Cheshire up for sale in April 2025, it has taken until mid-November for suitable interest to be found. It is being claimed, by the , that Foden is selling for around £2.9m – having dropped the price to that mark in a bid to move on.

AdvertisementFoden lived next door to ex-City team-mate Walker

The home was marketed by estate agents Jackson-Stops and is now "sold subject to contract". Barring any unfortunate mishaps, Foden will be cleared to offload a modern mansion that has its own gym, bar, hot tub and extensive gardens – which currently feature a swing and trampoline.

The luxury dwelling is set down a private road with an electric security date and also has a ground-floor leisure suite. It has served Foden well since he acquired it – as he set up camp next to ex-City team-mate Kyle Walker and antiques expert David Dickinson – but the 25-year-old has also generated unwelcome headlines.

He has already moved to a more secluded area of the countryside with girlfriend Rebecca Cooke and their three children. Foden remains within easy commuting distance of City’s training complex at the Etihad.

Good neighbour? Foden lives with girlfriend & their three children

Foden and childhood sweetheart Cooke are understood to be engaged, after she was seen sporting a huge diamond ring following a romantic New Year trip to Paris. They continue to build their life together away from surroundings in which their presence was largely embraced.

A neighbour has told the : "They are a lovely family and Phil and Rebecca seem devoted parents. It's a shame they moved out as it was nice to see a Premier League footballer walking around.

"I saw them take Ronnie out on a bike he'd been given for Christmas and they seemed just like a young family having fun. There have been a couple of loud parties but none of the disruption caused by Walker and his wife with their shouting rows."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyNoise complaint: Foden has already set up camp elsewhere

One such party took place in August 2024. The police were called at one stage after locals complained that the Foden residence was "louder than Glastonbury" and was "like being in a nightclub". Cheshire Police confirmed that they had received a noise complaint, but did not send officers to the house in question.

Foden and Cooke were said to be enjoying a kids party that started around 4pm and went on until nearly midnight. They had music blaring from a sound system as kids screamed and dogs barked. In March 2022, Foden sparked another noise complaint during a Mother’s Day "music festival" that he played host to.

Foden lived next door to England colleague Walker and his wife Annie Kilner for two years – during which they experienced much-publicised marital issues. Walker – who fathered two children with former Love Island contestant Lauryn Goodman – is now on the books at Burnley.

Foden has spread his wings a little further, having sold one house and acquired another. The home that he bought for his parents in the same village that he recently vacated is also now on the market.

Foden and Cooke are raising son Ronnie elsewhere, alongside daughter True and youngest child Phil Jr – who was welcomed into the world during Euro 2024. His father is hoping to grace another major international tournament with England next summer having forced his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Managing a football club, particularly one the size of Manchester United, is incredibly difficult because you need to make decisions that line up with the short, medium, and long-term goals that are in place.

For example, it would be hard for the Red Devils to heavily lean on a strategy of signing incredibly young players with potential, with the hope that they turn into a top team in the future, because supporters expect results in the short-term, and rightly so.

This means that INEOS and Ruben Amorim have to be very careful with their squad planning to ensure that there is a competitive team on the pitch in the present, whilst also having a group of players who are for the future as well.

So far this season, United have been competitive on the pitch. They are seventh in the Premier League after 11 matches, with five wins, and are currently unbeaten in five games after their 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last time out.

One of the players who has been instrumental in the short-term success on the pitch, but is not one for the future, is the incredibly experienced Casemiro.

The Brazil international has been in fantastic form in the Premier League so far this season for the Red Devils, and they need to consider what they will do in the medium to long-term in his position.

Why Man Utd need to find a replacement for Casemiro

Manchester United need to identify their long-term successor to Casemiro because his current contract is due to expire at the end of the season, and he turns 34 in February.

The Red Devils need to make sure that his replacement is a top-quality one, as the former Real Madrid star has been in impressive form for the club alongside Bruno Fernandes in the middle of the park.

Casemiro is already one goal away from his Premier League career-high after netting three goals in ten starts in the division so far, with strikes against Nottingham Forest, Brighton, and Chelsea.

Along with his impressive output at the top end of the pitch, the 33-year-old star has been one of the best midfielders in the division in a host of key defensive metrics.

Non-penalty goals

0.44

Top 1%

Assists

0.15

Top 22%

Tackles

3.22

Top 9%

Tackles + interceptions

3.96

Top 18%

Dribblers tackled

1.46

Top 14%

Blocks

1.76

Top 9%

Aerial duels won

2.20

Top 11%

As you can see in the table above, Casemiro ranks highly among his positional peers in the Premier League for tackles, interceptions, blocks, and aerial duels won.

These statistics illustrate why it is important for the Red Devils to find the player who can play in that position in the mid-to-long term, as the Brazilian star may not be at Old Trafford next season.

The only other ‘natural’ defensive midfielder in the squad is Uruguay international Manuel Ugarte, but he has failed to prove his quality since a £42m move from PSG last year.

After the Manchester derby in September, Gary Neville said the midfield is a “massive problem” and that Ugarte is “not good enough”, which speaks to the feeling around his performances for the club over the past 18 months.

Chalkboard

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

With this in mind, Manchester United could save millions of pounds by unleashing one of their stars in a different position, so that they will not need to splash the cash on a replacement for Casemiro and an upgrade on Ugarte.

Central defender Lisandro Martinez has been back in full training in recent weeks after suffering an ACL injury in February, and he could be a wildcard replacement for Casemiro.

Why Lisandro Martinez could be Man Utd's Casemiro replacement

The Argentina international has been away from the action for nine months because of his long-term injury, but he could be the answer to the club’s mid-to-long-term issues in the defensive midfield position.

Per Transfermarkt, all 89 of his appearances for United have come at centre-back or left-back, with 85 in the heart of the defence, which shows that he has not played as a holding midfielder for the club yet.

However, the left-footed star did start 22 matches as a defensive midfielder during his time with Ajax, before his £48.3m move to Old Trafford, and this means that he does have experience in that role.

Even whilst playing as a centre-back, Martinez has shown qualities that suggest that he would excel in midfield. Take the clip above, for example, as he wins the ball back in the opposition half and holds a high position to break into the box to score a wonderful goal.

The Argentine star would have even more opportunities to pull off plays like that as a defensive midfielder, whilst it would also mean that his lack of aerial prowess would be less exposed, as he has won 55% of his aerial duels or lower in all three of his Premier League seasons, per Sofascore.

Shot-creating actions

1.34

Top 13%

Pass accuracy

89%

Top 35%

Progressive passes

6.01

Top 11%

Progressive carries

1.18

Top 16%

Key passes

0.46

Top 12%

Passes into the penalty area

0.93

Top 2%

xA

0.07

Top 6%

As you can see in the table above, Martinez excelled with the ball at his feet in the top-flight last term, ranking highly among centre-backs in a host of progressive metrics.

Como scout Ben Mattinson once claimed that the centre-back “could become a world class DM”, and it is easy to see why when you couple his natural defensive instincts with his technical quality in possession.

Ugarte, for example, has averaged only 3.08 progressive passes and 0.81 progressive carries per 90 in the last 365 days for United, per FBref, which suggests that Martinez would offer more than he has in possession in the middle of the park.

With his prior experience in the position, time left ahead of him to develop further at 27, and his relevant attributes for the role, Martinez could be the dream long-term successor to Casemiro at Old Trafford.

Their new McTominay: Man Utd in talks to sign £25m future "superstar"

Manchester United look set to make a move for a star who could emulate Scott McTominay.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 21, 2025