Manchester United have been told that they could sign a long-term target for a much smaller fee than has been mooted ahead of the January transfer window. The Red Devils were able to sign coveted players such as Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko this summer but their hunt for a central midfielder goes on. Now, one agent has claimed that a certain target could be available for no more than €40 million (£35m/$46m).
Man Utd eye midfield maestro
In 2025, United have been linked with Atalanta midfielder Ederson as they try and solve their problems in the centre of the park. The 26-year-old, who can play in defensive midfield, in the centre, and further forward, has been watched by a number of top teams, including Liverpool, but for now, he remains with the Serie A side. In the past, reports have suggested he could cost up to €80m (£70m), but that is said to have put off potential suitors. Now, however, Brazilian agent Andre Cury thinks he could be available for less than half of that.
AdvertisementGetty Images'A spectacular player'
Agent Cury, who represents Ederson and also Chelsea's Estevao, has suggested that the ex-Cruzeiro man will be available in 2026 for a cut-price fee as his contract expires the following year. He also said the Brazilian is a "spectacular" player.
He told Cadena SER: "Atalanta were asking for a lot of money, between €60m and €75m. He’s close to the end of his contract, they could even lower his price by half, to between €30m and €40m, but he’s a spectacular player with some of the best stats in Europe for his position."
Agent talks up Barcelona move
Ederson's representative appears to be drumming up interest for his player as he believes the midfielder would fit in nicely at Barcelona, a team the former Corinthians player has also been linked with.
Cury added: "A player I think could adapt very well to Barça’s system, contributing a lot of physicality and stamina, is Ederson, who plays for Atalanta. It’s an opportunity because his contract is expiring. Atalanta hasn’t wanted to sell him despite receiving very high offers. I think they’ll complete the transfer in this winter or summer window."
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GettyWhat comes next for Ederson?
Going by his agent's comments, it seems that Ederson, who has played 151 times for the Italian top-flight team and scored 14 goals, could be on the move in 2026. But whether United, Liverpool, Barcelona, or anyone else signs him, remains to be seen. The player himself will have an eye on making Brazil's World Cup squad so his future may only be settled after that tournament finishes next summer.
Rehan Ahmed and Davina Perrin also honoured in end-of-season awards
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2025
Jordan Cox was named PCA Men’s Player of the Year•Luke Walker/Getty Images for PCA
Jordan Cox and Emma Lamb have been named PCA Players of the Year, capping stellar summers in which both players earned England recalls after consistent seasons in domestic cricket.Cox missed out on a Test debut for England last November due to an ill-timed injury and was left out of their white-ball squads at the start of the summer. However, he earned a T20I recall after scoring his maiden T20 hundred for Essex and finishing the Hundred as the leading run-scorer. He saw off competition from Joe Root, Ed Barnard and Dom Sibley to win the award.”My favourite moment of the year was taking my chance and scoring an international half-century [against Ireland],” Cox said. “It’s probably why I got selected to go to New Zealand, which means a lot. On the Lions trip [to Australia] I want to show the selectors I’m capable of playing Test cricket.”Lamb missed the PCA awards ceremony in west London on Thursday night – which are sponsored by Toyota – as she is currently in Colombo, preparing for England’s World Cup fixture against Sri Lanka. She was the leading run-scorer in Lancashire’s Metro Bank Cup triumph, and pipped Nat Sciver-Brunt, Kathryn Bryce and Georgia Elwiss to the award.Lamb said she was “very surprised” to find out she had won after England’s tense win over Bangladesh on Tuesday. “I wasn’t expecting it, but obviously I’m very happy,” she said. “It’s really lovely that my peers have taken the time to recognise my performances this year. It’s such an honour to receive this award… It’s been a very enjoyable 12 months.”Emma Lamb in action for England•ECB/Getty Images
Rehan Ahmed was named men’s Young Player of the Year after scoring five centuries for Leicestershire as they won promotion in the County Championship, while he also impressed for Trent Rockets in the Hundred. Davina Perrin, who scored a stunning 42-ball century in the Hundred’s eliminator, won the women’s award, having also impressed for Birmingham Bears.”I was a bit shocked to be honest,” Perrin said. “There’s been some great performances from young players, especially Ailsa [Lister] and Ella [McCaughan] who have had unbelievable seasons… The biggest thing for me is that I’m maximising my potential and hopefully the England honours will come.”Rehan said that the award “topped off a great season” for him. “My red-ball season was great,” he said. “I want to be a regular in the England [Test] team – it’s more important to me than the white-ball stuff – so being given the opportunity to perform and then repaying the coaches with my form for Leicestershire has been great.”The Outstanding Contribution Award went to Graham Gooch, for his “incredible support of the game” including his donations to the Cricketers’ Trust, while Adil Rashid and Nat Sciver-Brunt won Rado Recognition Awards for their England careers. The ECB’s Special Merit award went to Andrew Flintoff’s BBC series , while the players voted for Ian Blackwell and Gabi Brown as Umpires of the Year.Daryl Mitchell, the PCA’s chief executive, said: “The most prestigious awards ceremony in cricket is always a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our fantastic players who have worked so hard throughout the season. Another enjoyable year… culminated in everybody coming together to congratulate our four main winners at the PCA Awards in partnership with Toyota.”2025 PCA Awards in partnership with Toyota:Men’s Player of the Year: Jordan Cox (Shortlisted: Ed Barnard, Joe Root, Dom Sibley) Women’s Player of the Year: Emma Lamb (Shortlisted: Kathryn Bryce, Georgia Elwiss, Nat Sciver-Brunt) Men’s Young Player of the Year: Rehan Ahmed (Shortlisted: James Coles, Asa Tribe) Women’s Young Player of the Year: Davina Perrin (Shortlisted: Alisa Lister, Ella McCaughan) Outstanding Contribution Award: Graham Gooch Rado Recognition Awards: Adil Rashid, Nat Sciver-Brunt ECB Special Merit: Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams Men’s Umpire of the Year: Ian Blackwell Women’s Umpire of the Year: Gabi Brown
A ridiculous four-goal showing from Kylian Mbappe led an otherwise shaky Real Madrid to a 4-3 win over Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. The Frenchman continued his outrageous run of form, while Vinicius Jr eased tensions after a week of controversy by grabbing an assist to carry Los Blancos to a much-needed European victory against a dogged opponent.
It was a miserable start for Los Blancos. They struggled to create in the early stages, and Olympiacos capitalised. Their opening goal was a wonderful thing, as Chiquinho crashed home from 20 yards after a fine team move.
But the Madrid response was absurd, as their French superstar netted a seven-minute hat-trick. Mbappe scored his first after 22 minutes, running onto a ridiculous trivela pass from Vinicius and finishing through the keeper's legs. He added a second with a fine header, and a third with a simple run in behind the defence and pass into the bottom corner.
And then they started to pile on. Vinicius might have made it four after 30 minutes – a much-needed moment after a week of controversy. But his fine effort was ruled out for an offside in the build-up. Olympiacos offered a response in the second half, though. A simple cross floated between Madrid's centre-backs was all they needed when Mehdi Taremi rose to nod into the bottom corner. The Greeks almost had another soon after, but reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin produced an impressive stop.
Mbappe gave Los Blancos daylight, though. Vinicius, in truth, did most of the work, with a lovely winding run down the left. Mbappe only had to convert his cut-back. Olympiacos showed some fight. They bagged a much-deserved third after applying plenty of pressure, and peppered the Madrid goal in the latter stages. However, Los Blancos held on to secure all three points.
GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium…
Getty
Goalkeeper & Defence
Andriy Lunin (7/10):
Could do nothing about the excellent opening goal, and was pretty helpless for the other two, as well. Made some important saves in between.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (6/10):
A very 'Trent' performance. Pinged a few passes that few other footballers can even see, but was also truly woeful in his one-on-ones.
Raul Asencio (6/10):
Lost his man to allow Olympiacos to grab a second, and was a bit erratic at times.
Alvaro Carreras (5/10):
Doesn't quite look comfortable at centre-back, in truth. Made a couple of mistakes, and didn't connect with the midfield too well.
Ferland Mendy (6/10):
A return after injury, and a game in which he struggled. Could have closed down the cross before the Olympiacos second.
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Getty
Midfield
Aurelien Tchouameni (7/10):
Missing on the Olympiacos opener, when he really should have been shielding in front of the back four. But was otherwise solid, winning his tackles and moving the ball.
Eduardo Camavinga (7/10):
Full of energy in midfield, and played some key link-up passes, too. Removed at the half in what was likely a planned sub.
Arda Guler (7/10):
Assisted the second Madrid goal, created a few chances, and was useful on the ball. A solid hour.
Getty
Attack
Federico Valverde (7/10):
Ran a lot and offered an attacking outlet, but was mostly moving to open up space for others. A typically selfless showing.
Kylian Mbappe (10/10):
Scored twice in the space of two minutes to bring Madrid back into it. Added another three minutes later and added a fourth in the second half. He's in ridiculous form.
Vinicius Jr (9/10):
Looked to rebound after a week in which he told Madrid he won't pen a new contract. Assisted Mbappe's first with a sublime pass. Set up the Frenchman's fourth, too. A fine showing to answer the critics.
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Subs & Manager
Dani Ceballos (6/10):
Brought on for midfield control, which he didn't really offer much of.
Jude Bellingham (6/10):
Ran around, carried the ball effectively, linked up play, but lacked a bit of end product.
Brahim Diaz (6/10):
A puzzling introduction, especially with Asencio taken off. On the ball here and there but not particularly involved.
Fran Garcia (N/A):
No time to make an impact.
Xabi Alonso (7/10):
Needed a lift after being criticised of late. Got his win, even if Madrid are incredibly unreliable. Will take the three points, but concerns remain.
The final chunk of international action is winding down for the year, and that means Liverpool fans can get ready to see Arne Slot’s side back in action.
There is an air of uncertainty about the Reds at the moment. After all, they were thrashed out of the Etihad Stadium nearly two weeks ago, having put Real Madrid to the sword in the Champions League days before.
But we must look at the wider trend, and we must accept that Slot’s squad have lost five of their past six matches in the Premier League, and that has eliminated any hopes of retaining that hard-won title for the time being.
The season is still young, but whatever happens over the coming months, FSG will have accepted that a few deeper problems need to be solved.
Take, for example, Virgil van Dijk’s announcement that the 2026 World Cup will be his last for Oranje. That underlines the 34-year-old’s ageing legs, and his acceptance that soon – not yet, but soon – he will wind down.
And the same could be said of Mohamed Salah, who has not been himself this season. FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes are aware that Salah, 33, might be nearing the end at Anfield.
Liverpool begin search for Salah successor
Liverpool’s search for a Salah successor is tentative and new at this stage. The Egyptian star earns £400k per week on Merseyside after renewing his soon-to-expire contract in April, keeping him at the club until the end of next season.
After such staggering success last year, Salah’s drop-off in form has been painful to see, though circumstances have played a part, and the prolific winger is sure to rediscover his shooting boots at some point.
Mohamed Salah in the Premier League
Stats (per 90)
24/25
25/26
Goals scored
0.77
0.37
Assists
0.48
0.18
Shots taken
3.23
2.29
Shot-creating actions
4.51
3.11
Touches (att pen)
9.50
5.68
Pass completion (%)
70.6
68.7
Progressive passes
3.84
3.66
Progressive carries
4.14
3.66
Successful take-ons
1.55
0.64
Ball recoveries
2.70
2.84
Tackles won
0.29
0.18
Data via FBref
But Liverpool do need to start drawing up plans, and Spanish sources suggest this is already in the running, with Hughes preparing a
€100m (equating to £88m) offer for Barcelona superstar Raphinha.
The Brazil international is a wanted man after his sensational 2024/25 campaign, with Atletico Madrid also keen.
However, Liverpool have more financial might and La Blaugrana’s interminable money worries could see a deal completed in 2026.
Why Liverpool want Raphinha
Raphinha, 28, is not a young, up-and-coming talent who can be shaped into a superstar over the next several years.
That’s because he’s already among football’s top brass, hailed as “the best player in the world” by Statman Dave for his herculean efforts in last year’s Champions League.
Last year, the former Leeds United ace produced Salah-esque numbers for Hansi Flick’s La Liga champions. He scored 34 goals and provided 26 assists across all competitions, and that haul saw him eclipse everyone else across Europe’s top five leagues in all competitions. No small feat that, especially when considering the season Liverpool’s talisman had.
Most Goals + Assists 24/25 (Europe’s top 5 leagues, all comps)
Player
Apps
Goals + Assists
Raphinha
57
34 + 26
Mohamed Salah
72
34 + 23
Harry Kane
46
38 + 13
Ousmane Dembele
49
33 + 15
Kylian Mbappe
55
42 + 4
Data via Transfermarkt
He hasn’t quite hit the same awe-inspiring heights so far this season, but Raphinha has still made a commendable start to the campaign, notching five direct involvements from six league games.
A ready-made talent, Raphinha could prove the perfect replacement to Luis Diaz in Slot’s Liverpool, who was, of course, sold to Bayern Munich this summer for £66.5m.
Diaz, also 28, has been riding the crest of a gigantic wave in Germany this season, with six goals and four assists to his name in the Bundesliga, just nine games played, as well as three strikes from four in the Champions League. His all-round play has been spectacular, his impact sending tremors across Germany.
Away from the more emphatic side of his game, Diaz’s combative side has been sorely missed this term at Liverpool. Last season in the Premier League, he averaged more than one tackle per fixture. Moreover, journalist Neil Docking hailed him as “strong and a fighter” upon the announcement of his departure.
There is also the small matter of Raphinha’s Premier League experience. The Brazilian’s years at Elland Road fashioned in him a physicality and determination that are necessary for success in England. The struggle of Florian Wirtz in a Liverpool shirt underlines the difficulties of integration from overseas.
But, most crucially of all, Raphinha is a player whose skillset aligns with Liverpool’s former wideman. FBref’s data reveals that the Barca man ranks among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe over the past year for goals and assists combined, and then the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90 too.
This has seen Diaz recorded as one of his most comparable players. Diaz is incredibly prolific in front of goal, and like Raphinha, he observed his fleet-footed quality, not running about with the same intensity and frequency as someone like Jeremy Doku, but instead being economical in his advancements.
Liverpool need something different in attack, and with Salah winding down, Wirtz struggling to make his mark at this stage, and Diaz now plying his craft elsewhere, the dynamic and versatile Raphinha would be a stunning addition. If Liverpool can capitalise on Barcelona’s financial plight, they must do so.
Bigger mistake than Quansah: Liverpool sold their next Gravenberch for £15m
Liverpool made a bigger mistake than offloading Jarell Quansah when they got rid of their own Ryan Gravenberch for just £15m.
After setting a soft deadline of December 5, former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has reportedly emerged as one of the final candidates to buy Sheffield Wednesday.
The Owls have not rushed into anything since entering administration and will be well aware that they must ensure that their next owner can make the guarantees that Dejphon Chansiri could not, financially speaking.
A number of candidates have shown proof of funds worth around £50m, but it has also been reported that a consortium from the Middle East has dropped out of contention due to the cost of completing a takeover. It is expected that, whilst the reserve price could be £30m, the actual cost of buying Sheffield Wednesday could rise to £100m over the next three years when considering a number of investments around the club.
Meanwhile, on the pitch, the Owls have the smaller matter of the Steel City derby to play against Sheffield United this weekend. They square off against the Blades looking to drag their rivals down with them in the Championship’s dropzone.
Previewing the crucial clash, Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen admitted that he expects to face an “organised side” in a tough challenge for his side this weekend.
With a soft deadline of 5 December for their takeover, victory over Sheffield United would certainly be a fine way to start what is a crucial two-week period.
Mike Ashley now a serious contender to buy Sheffield Wednesday
As reported by the i Paper, Ashley is now among the serious candidates to buy Sheffield Wednesday ahead of their December 5 deadline. The Owls are expected to narrow their search down to three or four options by the time that it’s time for offers to arrive and the former Newcastle United chief could yet be among those.
Whilst some will be quick to point out Ashley’s flaws from his time at St James’ Park, he could arguably be what Sheffield Wednesday need at present. He was unambitious at Newcastle when it came to signings, which left fans frustrated, but in terms of finances he was safe.
Sheffield Wednesday now targeting two more Man Utd academy stars in Amass repeat
Amass has been a great success.
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Tom Cunningham
Nov 13, 2025
The 61-year-old cleared the Magpies’ debt with an interest-free loan and may well steady the ship at Sheffield Wednesday. Whether he’d ensure that they become an established Championship side again after what seems to be inevitable relegation is another question, however.
There’s no denying that Ashley didn’t exactly jump at the chance to invest in the squad during his time at Newcastle, as they suffered relegation from the Premier League twice.
Are the glory days heading back to Stamford Bridge?
Having enjoyed so much success during the two decades of Roman Abramovich’s ownership, Chelsea supporters cannot help but hark back to the past and hope that current players can replicate those from then.
While they may never see a player as good in their position as Petr Čech, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard or Dider Drogba ever again, did an up-and-coming Chelsea youngster put in a display reminiscent of a Chelsea superstar from more recent times against Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday?
N'Golo Kanté's Premier League legacy
Given how widespread football and football coverage is in the modern era, it is very rare that any player can be truly described as completely unique.
However, N’Golo Kanté certainly falls into this category, considering we’ve not seen the like before or since.
He was a key figure in Leicester City’s title triumph against all odds a decade ago, before winning another Premier League title, the FA Cup and Champions League with Chelsea, as well as the World Cup with France.
At just 5 ft 6 in (168 cms) tall, he possessed seemingly endless amounts of energy, covering every blade of grass match after match, racking up more tackles, blocks, interceptions and distance covered than anyone else to ever grace the Premier League.
Now 34 years old and playing for Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, his unique skillset is underlined by the fact that Didier Deschamps recalled him to his French national team squad last week after a year away, starting against Ukraine at Parc des Princes, still unable to find someone better at being Kanté than Kanté.
Now though, which current Chelsea player put in a Kanté-esque display at Turf Moor?
Chelsea's new N'Golo Kanté
The major talking point ahead of kick off between Burnley and Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime was the fact that Moisés Caicedo was left on the bench.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
With games against Barcelona and Arsenal up next, Enzo Maresca decided to rest his star midfielder, after he had completed 90 minutes in both of Ecuador’s matches during the international break, these friendlies against Canada in Toronto and then New Zealand in Harrison, New Jersey.
This presented Andrey Santos with an opportunity to stake a claim, and he certainly did just that.
The table below documents the Brazilian’s impressive display in Lancashire.
Accurate passes
34
11th
Key passes
1
6th
Defensive actions
12
1st
Clearances
4
3rd
Interceptions
4
1st
Tackles won
3
3rd
Duels contested
10
2nd
Duels won
7
2nd
Ball recoveries
4
1st
Touches
63
6th
SofaScore rating
7.3
3rd
The table emphasises Santos’ excellent display against Burnley, leading the match when it comes to defensive actions, interceptions and ball recoveries, as well as winning seven of his ten duels and putting in three tackles, all Kanté-esque traits.
Matthew Judge of Goal noted that deputising for Caicedo is always an ‘unenviable’ task, but the Brazilian put in an ‘excellent’ display, given that he provided ‘a solid shield’ in front of the Chelsea backline, a key reason why Burnley rarely threatened, awarding him an 8/10 rating.
Meantime, Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport asserted that it was Santos’ “best performance to date” for the club.
The 20-year-old joined Chelsea from Vasco da Gama back in January 2023, but did not make his debut for the club until the Club World Cup in June against Espérance Sportive de Tunis.
He spent last season on loan at BlueCo’s other club Strasbourg, impressing all Ligue 1 observers, including Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout, who asserted that he is an “incredible midfielder in the making”.
Well, with massive games against Barcelona and Arsenal up next, was this the game Santos came to the fore and asserted himself as a key figure in this Chelsea team, as Kanté was during an ultra-successful period?
Chelsea have Palmer 2.0 with a "left foot made of gold" & it's not Estevao
The promising talent could be the perfect solution to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer problem.
Healy and Litchfield put on an unbroken 202-run stand after King and Wareham led the bowling effort
Valkerie Baynes16-Oct-20253:44
Review: Watch out, Healy is back!
Australia 202 for 0 (Healy 113*, Litchfield 84*) beat Bangladesh 198 for 9 (Mostary 66*, Haider 44, King 2-18, Wareham 2-22) by 10 wicketsThis one followed the script, even if it wasn’t a flawless performance by Australia.With back-to-back centuries, Alyssa Healy led Australia to a 10-wicket victory against Bangladesh in Visakhapatnam, some 24 hours after the Colombo weather intervened to ensure there would be no twist featuring Pakistan and England in what has been a predictable World Cup results-wise so far.An unbroken partnership worth 202 with Phoebe Litchfield, who was unbeaten with 84, kept defending champions Australia unbeaten during this edition and moved them ahead of England at the top of the points table, guaranteeing a place in the semi-finals.Alana King was pivotal in restricting Bangladesh to 198 for 9 with an impressive 2 for 18 from her 10 overs, which included four maidens. Fellow legspinner Georgia Wareham finished with 2 for 22 from seven.Meanwhile, Australia coughed up a rare six dropped catches, missed an appeal for another and leaked 28 runs from the last three overs of the Bangladesh innings, most of them to Sobhana Mostary who posted a spirited 66 not out.Sobhana Mostary punches one straight down the ground•ICC/Getty Images
But with only Rubya Haider joining Mostary in passing 19 among the Bangladesh batting line-up, their total looked too lean.So it proved as Healy followed her 142 against India at the same venue with 113 off just 77 balls to lead her side to the highest successful run chase without losing a wicket at a Women’s World Cup and the second-highest in women’s ODIs.She finished with a flourish, striking three consecutive fours through the off side off Ritu Moni and Litchfield ended their pursuit with 25.1 overs to spare via back-to-back boundaries in the next over off Fariha Trisna.That said, Trisna, playing her first match of the tournament while fellow seamer Marufa Akter was rested, opened with a maiden and Nishita Akter Nishi, brought in for injured spinner Nahida Akter, conceded just three off her first over as Healy and Litchfield settled into a rhythm.But from there, Australia’s top-order duo pressed the pedal, racing to 78 without loss at the end of the first powerplay, Healy managing to slash one through Fahima Khatun’s hands at midwicket and edging just shy of her off stump for back-to-back fours in the 10th over.Litchfield was particularly proactive early, advancing down the pitch and manipulating her crease en route to a 46-ball fifty shortly after Healy raised her half-century off 43.Nigar Sultana, the Bangladesh captain and regular wicketkeeper gave the gloves to Rubya and directed traffic from the outfield but Ritu Moni looked aghast when Rubya fumbled a stumping chance of her bowling when Litchfield was on 46. Healy received her own slice of luck when her top-edged sweep off Shorna Akter was put down at short fine leg.Alana King finished with figures of 10-4-18-2•ICC/Getty Images
King and Wareham had kept Bangladesh in check despite Mostary’s efforts as she scored the second half-century of her ODI career – and second at this World Cup – to help Bangladesh to their highest ODI total against Australia.Rubya added a valuable 44 runs amid an uncharacteristic rash of missed opportunities by Australia. She was twice dropped on 22, Litchfield failing to hold a tough chance at slip off Megan Schutt and Healy spilling one behind the stumps off Darcie Brown. She moved to 44 off 59 balls before picking out Tahlia McGrath at mid-on to give Ash Gardner her first wicket.King took two wickets for just one run in the space of 23 balls through the middle overs. She extended Nigar’s lean run with the one that enticed her out of her crease then turned away as Healy whipped off the bails in time, and then drew Shorna into an edge which went low to Beth Mooney at slip.Wareham tightened Australia’s grip with her first five overs yielding just six runs and the wickets of Ritu and Rabeya Khan to make it 162 for 8. Interspersed with those dismissals, Annabel Sutherland removed Fahima and Nishita, the latter after overturning an lbw decision, and she now sits at the top of the leading wicket-takers’ list outright for the tournament with 12.Mostary could have been gone on 32 when she flicked at a short ball down the leg side from Brown that was signalled wide to a muted Australian appeal with replays showing it had come off her glove before Healy gathered.Mostary launched a campaign for late runs, steering a Gardner delivery through deep third for four to bring up her fifty. Gardner saw Mostary put down twice off consecutive balls when Sutherland couldn’t hold what would have been an excellent catch running to wide long-on and Wareham parried one to the boundary rope from deep midwicket.But Australia’s efforts with the ball and the bat papered over some cracks they will certainly be aiming to fill permanently ahead of next Wednesday’s clash with England.
Eddie Howe has finally got the better of Pep Guardiola now in a Premier League environment.
At the 19th time of asking, Howe managed to get one over on the highly successful Manchester City manager, as Newcastle United romped back into top-flight action with a 2-1 win at St James’ Park.
Newcastle were good value for the win, too, as Harvey Barnes chipped in with a double to steer the Toon to another memorable victory on their own patch.
How Harvey Barnes downed Manchester City
The former Leicester City winger is now up to six goals for the season in all competitions, despite his appearance against Guardiola’s men only being his fifth Premier League start of the campaign.
With a brace under his belt, though, he’s surely a shoo-in for more starts as the congested winter fixture schedule hits. Journalist Henry Winter simply described his display as “clinical” when powering two quickfire efforts past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Barnes would manage to put away those two efforts confidently, with just four shots registered in total. But, away from stylishly getting the better of the new City number one with his opener, the 27-year-old also managed to win three duels and attempt three mazy dribbles as a constant livewire.
The only worry will be whether Barnes can stay fit to keep up this electric form, with three Premier League goals now next to his name from limited starts. Across the last three seasons on Tyneside, he has missed a concerning 38 games via injury.
Thankfully, though, Newcastle have a rising star in their ranks who could go on to be a bigger talent than the Toon winger.
Newcastle's 18-year-old Barnes replacement
Howe has shown frequently throughout his time as Newcastle boss to date that he is willing to chuck a starlet into the first team picture if they’re deemed ready for the challenge of senior action.
Indeed, Lewis Miley first made his senior debut under Howe when he was just 17 years of age, while another budding homegrown prodigy in Sean Neave, occupied a space on the bench against City, all while still being a wide-eyed 18-year-old prospect.
Could Seung Soo-Park be the next to bridge the gap between the U21s and the first team?
The future certainly looks bright for the South Korean attacker, who excelled for Suwon Bluewings back in his native Korea at just 17 years of age, becoming the youngest ever player in the history of Korean league football.
One goal and three assists came his way from 28 appearances for Suwon, with Barnes reduced to playing all the way down in League One at around the same age with Milton Keynes Dons, out on loan from then parent side Leicester City.
Park has even been described as a “similar [player] to Mbappe” by Asian football expert John Duerden for his frightening speed when bombing forward, which was seen in the summer when Park was handed opportunities in pre-season, with three dribbles successfully completed up against Espanyol.
With two duels won against Tottenham Hotspur in another pre-season test, it might not be the wildest suggestion in the world to state that Park could be gifted some senior minutes in the bread and butter of the Premier League soon, with the Korean sensation hailed for showing a “maturity beyond his years” by academy coach Steven Harper when first joining.
Gordon
13
4 + 1
Elanga
18
0 + 1
Barnes
18
6 + 2
Of course, the ex-Suwon winger does have both Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga in his way, too, down the left-hand side, but if he can manage to live up to all his early hype, he should be able to surpass those in front of him down the line.
Indeed, Elanga is yet to get up and running with zero goals for the season. Moreover, Barnes is also prone to a hit-and-miss performance in Newcastle black and white, having only managed five goals during the entire 2023/24 season.
For the time being, Howe will rely on Barnes, who is thankfully in a purple patch right now.
Yet, in the long term, don’t discount Park leapfrogging the Englishman, with a stunning Mbappe-style talent potentially on Howe’s hands.
9/10 Newcastle duo look even more important than Bruno G & Tonali
These two players stood out in Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Man City
Chelsea are actively trying to convince one Arsenal star to join them next year following discussions with his representatives, according to a report this week.
Chelsea enjoy triumphant 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League
While the January window is fast approaching, Enzo Maresca’s side are currently riding high off a statement 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Chelsea dominated proceedings from the opening whistle, pressing Barcelona aggressively and preventing the Spanish champions from establishing any rhythm in possession.
The Blues’ high-octane approach paid dividends when Jules Kounde’s unfortunate own goal broke the deadlock after 27 minutes, deflecting Pedro Neto’s effort beyond his own goalkeeper.
Barcelona’s evening unraveled further when captain Ronald Araujo received his marching orders just before halftime, collecting a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Marc Cucurella. The dismissal effectively ended any realistic hopes of a Catalan comeback and allowed Chelsea to dictate throughout thcond period.
Chelsea open talks with star who's "very keen" to join amid Barcelona triumph
Enzo Maresca’s side are in dreamland right now.
ByEmilio Galantini Nov 26, 2025
The standout moment arrived ten minutes after the restart when teenage sensation Estevao produced a moment of individual magic. The 18-year-old Brazilian embarked on a mazy dribble from out wide, leaving Pau Cubarsi trailing before cutting inside and firing a thunderous strike into the top corner.
The goal showcased his immense potential on the biggest stage and marked his third consecutive Champions League scoring performance, with Estevao making all the headlines for outshining Barca’s own sensation Lamine Yamal.
Substitute Liam Delap wrapped up the victory with 17 minutes remaining, capitalizing on Enzo Fernández’s clever pass to slot home calmly. The goal initially appeared offside, but VAR intervened to overturn the decision.
Cucurella earned widespread praise for his defensive masterclass against Yamal, with the left-back’s discipline and tactical awareness proving instrumental in keeping the visitors’ attack quiet.
Minutes
93′
Expected Assists
0.59
Tackles (Won)
5 (4)
Interceptions
1
Clearances
2
Blocked Shots
1
Recoveries
4
Aerial Duels (Won)
1 (1)
Key Passes
1
Passes
55/63
Touches
97
Chelsea’s stupendous display comes as the perfect warm-up for their pivotal Premier League clash this weekend against league leaders Arsenal, a match which will define their credentials as genuine title contenders.
Off the field, BlueCo are apparently eyeing one of Mikel Arteta’s young stars.
Chelsea actively tempting Myles Lewis-Skelly into joining them
That is according to journalist Simon Phillips, who reports that Chelsea have held talks with the representatives of Hale End academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly.
The England rising star was recently told by Thomas Tuchel that he’d have to play more to stand any chance of getting into the Three Lions squad for next year’s World Cup, with Riccardo Calafiori’s form severely limiting his minutes this season.
That being said, neither the teenager nor Arsenal want to part ways any time soon.
However, this hasn’t stopped Maresca’s side from testing the water, and it is believed that Chelsea are making a ‘bold’ attempt to convince Lewis-Skelly that Stamford Bridge is the place for him.
This comes as Chelsea make future contingency plans for when Cucurella leaves, even if that doesn’t appear to be in the immediate future.
The Spain international eventually wants to return to play in La Liga before he reaches his twilight years, with Lewis-Skelly viewed as an ideal long-term successor.
The Angels' hire of Kurt Suzuki as their manager was met with much fanfare, given his strong track record across 16 years of big-league service from 2007 to '22.
However, Suzuki's arrival has reportedly come with a catch.
Los Angeles has Suzuki on a one-year contract, according to a Wednesday afternoon report from Sam Blum of . That, Blum noted, is a highly unusual arrangement for a managerial contract.
Almost all managerial contracts are multiyear deals, such as (to cite a recent example) the Rangers' hire of Skip Schumaker on a four-year contract. As Blum mentioned, issues related to contract length reportedly scuttled the Angels' negotiations with former first baseman Albert Pujols.
Suzuki, 42, played the last two years of his career with Los Angeles. He also spent time with the Athletics, Nationals, Twins and Braves, slashing .255/.314/.388 with 143 home runs and 730 RBIs lifetime.
He takes over an Angels team that has not made the playoffs since 2014 and has not won a postseason game since the 2009 American League division series.