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Manchester United had a problem between the sticks for too many seasons prior to the signing of Senne Lemmens from Royal Antwerp during the summer transfer window.

Andre Onana was signed from Inter for a fee of £43.5m in the summer of 2023, after helping the Italian side to reach the Champions League final, with the hope that he would be the answer to their problems.

Unfortunately, like the one in the clip above, his time at Old Trafford was littered with mistakes. He made two errors that led to shots and four errors that led to goals in his two Premier League seasons, per Sofascore.

Onana also made two errors that directly led to goals for the opposition in 13 appearances in the Europa League during the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that he slipped up far too many times.

His short-term replacement, Altay Bayindir, did not fare much better. The Turkey international made two errors that led to goals for the opposition in ten appearances in the Premier League, with one in six games this season and one in four outings last term, per Sofascore.

Altay and Onana’s dismal form between the sticks convinced Ruben Amorim and INEOS to sign Lammens in the summer, and he has hit the ground running at Old Trafford.

Manchester United have already hit the jackpot with Senne Lammens

Statistics are great and can be brilliant when used correctly, as we will try to do later in this piece, but the Belgian shot-stopper provides United with something intangible: calmness.

The team looks more settled at the back and confident in their goalkeeper with situations in and around the box, because of the calmness and confidence that Lammens brings to the pitch.

Nervousness and indecision breed mistakes, as shown by Onana and Altay’s performances for United, but the summer signing looks like he will not be bringing either of those things to his performances.

Lammens, as illustrated in the post above, enjoyed a terrific debut against Sunderland in the Premier League last month, keeping a clean sheet and preventing 0.94 xG.

He has now made three appearances for United in the top-flight, winning all three, and has quickly established himself as one of the best shot-stoppers in the entire division.

Guglielmo Vicario (Spurs)

3.01

7

Robin Roefs (Sunderland)

2.94

7

Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

2.72

9

Nick Pope (Newcastle)

2.29

8

Senne Lammens (Man Utd)

1.97

3

As you can see in the table above, only four goalkeepers in the league have prevented more xG/goals than Lammens has, despite the fact that the Belgian star has only played three times.

His performances in the Pro League for Royal Antwerp in the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he has the potential to go and become the best shot-stopper in the Premier League, if he can hit his peak at Old Trafford.

Senne Lammens (Pro League)

+15.57

Jordan Pickford (Premier League)

+6.15

Matz Sels (Premier League)

+4.55

Mark Travers (Premier League)

+4.48

Ederson (Premier League)

+4.46

Dean Henderson (Premier League)

+3.14

This suggests that United have one of the best goalkeepers in the world in the making, given that he has the potential to be the best shot-stopper in, arguably, the best league in the world.

However, even the best goalkeepers still need a reliable defence in front of them to help rack up clean sheets to improve their reputation in the wider footballing community.

Chalkboard

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

That is why Manchester United need to move on from and upgrade on versatile defender Diogo Dalot in order to help Lammens become known as one of the best goalkeepers on the planet.

Why Man Utd need to move on from Diogo Dalot

We mentioned earlier that nervousness and indecision breed mistakes. So far this season, the Portugal international has seemed full of nerves and indecision, which has led to mistakes.

Dalot, per Sofascore, has made two errors that have led to shots or goals for the opposition across six starts in the Premier League, which shows that he is putting his team under pressure with needless mistakes.

In the recent 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield, The Sun’s Samuel Luckhurst claimed that Dalot is “their weakest player”, whilst content creator Mark Goldbridge described his performance as “awful”.

It was not a direct error that led to a shot or goal from Dalot, as shown in the clip above, but he was stationed in the centre of the box and failed to position himself to cut out the ball across that Cody Gakpo scored from.

On top of his mistakes in the Premier League this season, the former AC Milan loanee’s defensive numbers have gone down across the board in comparison to the 2024/25 campaign.

Appearances

33

7

Assists

3

1

Tackles per game

2.1

1.6

Interceptions per game

1.1

0.6

Ground duels won per game

3.2

2.3

Aerial duels won per game

1.2

0.6

As you can see in the table above, Dalot’s performances have declined this season, as he is making fewer tackles and interceptions and winning fewer duels on the ground and in the air.

This suggests that he has become a liability defensively for the Red Devils, particularly when you take his two direct errors into account, which is why Luckhurst calling him “their weakest player” may have been accurate.

United should, therefore, be looking to find an upgrade on the defender, who can play on the left or the right at full-back, because his mistakes may cost them moving forward.

Replacing him with a more reliable defender, who will not make as many costly mistakes, could help Lammens be known as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, because it would provide him with more protection and reliability ahead of him.

Man Utd set to push for "amazing" English signing, £52m bid in the works

The Red Devils have identified a new top target in midfield, and they could make a move in the January transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Oct 28, 2025

This could, therefore, lead to more clean sheets, more wins, and more people talking about how impressive United’s defence is with the talented shot-stopper behind them.

Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of sending "grossly offensive" social media posts. The 43-year-old called broadcaster Jeremy Vine a "bike nonce" and compared pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko to serial killer couple Fred and Rose West on X. Now, jurors have accepted the prosecution's argument that Barton "crossed the line between free speech and a crime" on six counts.

Barton in court over social media posts

Barton has been on trial at Liverpool Crown Court after being charged with 12 counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety back in January 2024. On Friday, jurors found him guilty of six counts of sending grossly offensive social media posts directed at Vine, Ward, and Aluko, but they cleared the former Manchester City player of the other six counts. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBarton victim of 'political prosection'

The day before he was found guilty, Barton told the court he did not intend to call Vine a paedophile and described it as a "bad, dark, juvenile joke". He also said his references to the broadcaster were a "wind-up".

"It was not meant to call him a paedophile. It was a bad, dark, juvenile joke," he said. "I have not at any point tried to cause distress or anxiety or risk his life or his daughters' lives. I don't want people to fear for their lives, I'm a dad. I cannot believe I'm on trial for this. Words on a social media site."

Barton added, "This was the state, in my opinion, trying to squeeze me into the ground. It's a spat between celebrities online. I believe this is a highly politicised case.

"This is a state prosecution I believe for whatever their agendas are in pushing on people."

Vine and Aluko hurt by Barton's attacks

On Tuesday, former England international Aluko said she was "astounded" by Barton comparing her to the notorious serial killers, especially after the pair had exchanged "friendly and supportive" private messages years ago. 

"I was surprised because I had never met Joey Barton in person before. I was genuinely appreciative of his support. Between 2017 and 2020, me and Joey Barton exchanged supportive messages. I took Joey Barton as I found him. Obviously, he had a reputation in football. Given his reputation, I didn’t have to have that response to him," she told the court.

"If you see those messages, you would think those two people are friendly, supportive and encouraging. That’s why I was so astounded by a comparison to serial killers. I would have expected, if he did have a comment to make about my punditry, he would maybe message me and say so. I would have absolutely received it. But the fact that he did that publicly suggests it was malicious and was intended to get as much attention as possible, and all at a time when he was promoting a podcast. I believe he was trying to attract a certain audience that was aligned in his views."

Meanwhile, Vine said on Wednesday that Barton's comments made him feel "unsafe", while adding that the ex-Bristol Rovers boss had left a "cloud of filth" with his words.

"I thought it was very vicious to post their faces over two mass murderers of children. I was looking for an explanation and said about a brain injury as a way of underlining my own feelings that he had crossed a line," he told the court. "I genuinely believe what Barton did made me physically unsafe. I took some advice about my security. I varied my movements. I didn't want to communicate the dangers [to my daughters]. Because of this cloud of filth Barton had released I had to explain to them. I can only summarise by saying I believe these messages put me in physical danger."

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AFPWhat comes next?

Moreover, Judge Andrew Menary KC told Barton that his scarf with a British flag on it was a "stunt" and not to wear it again at his sentencing on December 8. He was also reminded that his bail conditions prevent him from mentioning the three victims in any way before he is sentenced.

Atalanta have dismissed head coach Ivan Juric after a disastrous start to the Serie A season left them languishing in mid-table and far from the European places. The Croatian, appointed to succeed the legendary Gian Piero Gasperini in June, managed just two wins in 11 league games and failed to recreate the intensity, flair, and success that defined the Gasperini era in Bergamo.

Juric sacked five months into Atalanta tenure

Juric's brief and turbulent reign as Atalanta manager came to an abrupt end following the club's 3-0 home defeat to Sassuolo at the weekend – a result that proved to be the final straw for the Bergamo hierarchy. The loss marked Atalanta's eighth consecutive league match without a win, leaving the team 13th in the Serie A table and already 11 points behind leaders Inter Milan after just 11 games. Appointed in June 2025 to continue Gasperini's transformative legacy, Juric's tenure failed to take off, marked by inconsistent results, tactical confusion, and a noticeable drop in the team's trademark attacking energy.

The 50-year-old's sacking came just five months into his appointment, making his spell one of the shortest managerial reigns in Atalanta’s modern history. Juric was tasked with maintaining the club's Champions League-level standards after last season's third-place finish, but the team's regression was clear from the opening weeks. A run of six straight draws followed by back-to-back defeats against Udinese and Sassuolo exposed deep structural flaws in Juric's system, as Atalanta's high press lacked coordination while their defensive shape collapsed under pressure.

Atalanta confirmed the news in an official statement on Monday, thanking Juric and his staff for their "hard work and professionalism" but admitting the need for change ahead of a challenging winter period. Club officials are believed to have made their decision shortly after full-time against Sassuolo, having already drawn up contingency plans during the international break. Local reports in Bergamo immediately identified Raffaele Palladino as the frontrunner to replace Juric, with an announcement expected before the club's trip to Napoli on November 22.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportJuric failed to replicate Gasperini's success

Juric's downfall was perhaps inevitable given the near-impossible task of succeeding Gasperini. His nine-year tenure stands as one of the most transformative managerial reigns in modern Italian football, revolutionising both the club's identity and the perception of smaller-market teams in Serie A. When he arrived, Atalanta were perennial mid-table battlers focused on survival; when he left, they were established European contenders, having als won the Europa League in 2023-24.

Gasperini's tactical philosophy – built around a fearless, high-pressing 3-4-2-1 formation and relentless man-to-man marking – turned La Dea into a thrilling, high-scoring powerhouse. His side not only earned three straight top-three finishes between 2018 and 2021 but also broke records, including an extraordinary 98-goal Serie A campaign in 2019/20, the highest tally by any Italian club in over six decades.

The crowning moment of Gasperini's era came in 2024 when Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to win the UEFA Europa League, the club’s first major European trophy. By the time he departed for Roma in June 2025, he had secured five Champions League qualifications, two Serie A Coach of the Year awards, and an enduring legacy. Juric's attempt to replicate that legacy faltered from the outset, with the team appearing tactically disoriented and emotionally flat compared to the high-energy sides of the Gasperini years.

Palladino the front-runner to succeed Juric

Attention now turns to Palladino, who is widely expected to be appointed as Atalanta’s new head coach in the coming days. At just 41, the former Fiorentina and Monza boss has developed a reputation as one of Italy’s most promising young tacticians, known for blending disciplined structure with attacking ambition. His approach mirrors many of the principles Gasperini once instilled, making him an appealing candidate to reawaken Atalanta’s trademark intensity.

Palladino's rise through the coaching ranks has been rapid. After starting in Monza's youth setup in 2019, he made an immediate impact when unexpectedly promoted to the first team in 2022, leading them to a shock 1-0 win over Juventus in his debut match. His Monza side went on to comfortably avoid relegation and earned praise for their bold, compact style, which relied on coordinated pressing and positional flexibility.

That success paved the way for a move to Fiorentina, where Palladino guided the club to sixth place in the 2024/25 Serie A campaign and qualification for the UEFA Conference League. His teams are characterised by aggressive transitions, width through dynamic wing-backs, and a preference for formations like the 3-4-2-1 – all features that align with Atalanta’s footballing DNA.

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Getty ImagesWhere do Atalanta go from here?

Atalanta's immediate priority will be stabilising results under a new manager as they prepare to face Napoli after the international break. With the team struggling for confidence and consistency, Palladino's first challenge will be to reintroduce tactical clarity and rebuild morale within a squad accustomed to the high standards of the Gasperini years. Restoring the attacking spark of players like Gianluca Scamacca, Ademola Lookman, and Teun Koopmeiners will be essential if Atalanta are to climb back into the top half and, eventually, Serie A's European places.

For Juric, however, the dismissal adds another abrupt end to a turbulent managerial stretch following disastrously brief stints at Roma and Southampton.

Cincinnati Reds lefthander Nick Lodolo was dealing on Tuesday night.

And surpisingly, one of Lodolo's repeat strikeout victims was none other than reigning National League MVP and Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. Lodolo struck out the side in the top of the first inning, and got Ohtani to chase a wicked curveball down-and-away. Then, the Reds lefty got Ohtani looking on a four-seam fastball in the top of the third inning.

But the Reds southpaw saved a particularly nasty breaking ball for Ohtani's third at-bat of the game. Lodolo threw three straight curveballs, the first of which Ohtani fouled off, the second of which he swung and missed. The third pitch was a filthy curveball that appeared to be headed towards the strike zone, but then yanked out of reach of Ohtani's outstretched bat.

So filthy was the pitch that Ohtani, armed with some of the best plate vision in the world, had to recalibrate his eyesight after the pitch. Or he was simply flabbergasted that he had whiffed for a third time in the contest against Lodolo.

Either way, it was a tough night for Ohtani. Even three-time MVPs have them.

As for Lodolo, the Reds pitcher recorded a season-high 11 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings of work.

Champions’ lead cut to single point after draw in heavily rain-affected game

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025Heavy afternoon rain had the final say at the Kia Oval as title favourites Surrey were forced to accept a draw against Warwickshire that cuts their lead over Nottinghamshire at the top of the Rothesay County Championship to a single point.Surrey set Warwickshire 390 to win in 76 overs after declaring their second innings on 391 for 8, with Dom Sibley completing his fourth Championship hundred of the season despite batting with a runner due to a groin injury.But Warwickshire had few alarms in initially reaching 60 for 1 from 23 overs before the players were driven from the field at 2.24pm. Play did resume again at 3.50pm, with a potential 36 overs remaining, but hands were shaken 16 overs later with Warwickshire on 105 for 1.Tom Lawes pinned Warwickshire captain Alex Davies leg-before for 31 just before the rains came but, in the end, just too many overs – 114 in all following the loss of almost 75 on day three – were taken out of the game by the weather for a positive result to be possible.It sets up a titanic contest between Surrey and Nottinghamshire next week in their only meeting this season, and on a ground where Surrey have lost only one Championship fixture since April 2022 and the start of their three title-winning summers.Rob Yates remained 34 not out and Will Young, who had top-scored for Warwickshire with 72 in their first innings, was unbeaten on 31.With eight points for the draw, both sides take 11 points from this fixture and that means Surrey, chasing a fourth successive Championship title, have lost ground against Notts – who earlier in the day beat Worcestershire at New Road.Surrey, resuming on 276 for 2, added 115 more runs from 18.5 overs with Sibley – who had retired hurt on 64 before the start of a truncated third day – re-emerging at the fall of the sixth wicket, with his captain Rory Burns acting as his runner, to go to an heroic 103 not out. Sibley even hit successive sixes, flipped and hooked off Olly Hannon-Dalby, for the first time in his first-class career to help to speed Surrey to their declaration.The final day began with Ben Foakes and Dan Lawrence, unbeaten on 41 and 29 respectively overnight, hitting out with abandon in the opening overs. Foakes slammed the second ball of the morning wide of mid-on for four and Lawrence hoisted Michael Booth over long on for six before flipping to fine leg for another boundary.However, after Foakes had hooked Nathan Gilchrist for four to reach his half-century, he fell next ball for 52 attempting another big hit to deep square leg to prompt a clatter of five wickets for 24 runs in eight overs as Warwickshire successfully took the second new ball.Lawrence holed out to deep midwicket for 43 off Booth, who then had both Jordan Clark leg-before for 8 – following a pulled six – and Gus Atkinson brilliantly held on the boundary ropes by Ethan Bamber.Another great catch, this time low to his right by a sprawling Young at backward point, saw the end of Ryan Patel for 10 off Gilchrist but Sibley then strode out to join Lawes in a rollicking stand of 52 for the eighth wicket. Lawes’ useful 19 ended with a spliced catch to cover but there was just enough time for Sibley to go to three figures, with a dabbed reverse seep for two off Yates’ off spin, before Burns’ declaration.

Look closely and you’ll see the first shoots of success springing from the St. James’ Park turf. Newcastle United started the season poorly, but then the same happened last year.

How did the 2024/25 campaign turn out for Eddie Howe and his men?

Newcastle’s win over Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday was more than just three points. It signified tenacity and togetherness, with captain Bruno Guimaraes striking at the eleventh hour to lift his team toward the top half of the table.

With the signs of success also found out on the continent in the Champions League, there’s just cause for optimism, alright, with the physical and mental parts of the battle both favouring the Magpies as they start to find form.

Those two facets are both sides of the same coin, and it is something Nick Woltemade has embraced since joining from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m before deadline day. He’s been brilliant, but Howe and technical director Ross Wilson are already considering another striker.

Newcastle planning move for new striker

Newcastle didn’t just add Woltemade to their squad this summer. The saga linking Yoane Wissa to Tyneside was of a higher profile, raging throughout the summer and lacking clarity. Wissa wanted to go; Brentford wanted to keep him. It was balanced on a knife-edge.

Typical, then, that the DR Congo international has yet to feature or even get up to speed in full training, injured on international duty shortly after completing his deadline-day £55m move.

Wissa, 29, is recovering well, due to return in two or three weeks. He could feature before the November international break, but Howe has intimated a desire to give the goalscoring recruit a pre-season of his own, and so he could make his bow against Manchester City on November 22nd.

The fine form of Woltemade across the opening weeks of the term eases the need for rapid integration. Woltemade, 23, has already scored six times for United, so elegant and intelligent. Newcastle have got bang for their buck (despite what some envious rivals might think).

Still, with the uncertainty around Wissa and the struggles for attacking fluidity, as a whole, this year, Wilson has reportedly registered Newcastle’s interest in Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who faces an uncertain future in Portugal.

According to Spanish sources, the 21-year-old is attracting interest from Newcastle, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur after his prolific start to life with Porto, with the Iberian outfit for a little over a year.

The report suggests that while the Magpies’ ability to invest may be limited in January, they ‘aren’t ruling out entering the bidding’ for the in-demand striker, should the opportunity arise.

Valued at €100m (about £88m), Samu clearly wouldn’t come cheap, but he’d be worth the investment, one of the most potent young strikers in Europe.

What Samu would bring to Newcastle

Samu might be young, but he was coveted by Chelsea in 2024 before that move fell through, and he wound up at Porto. He is well regarded as one of the most exciting attacking talents out there, and his track record in the final third suggests he could provide Newcastle with an even greater goal threat than Woltemade is offering.

This year, the Spain international has posted nine goals from 11 matches. This after a 27-goal campaign in his maiden year away from home soil.

Woltemade, too, knows something of hitting the ground running in a strange land, but for all the German’s exquisite link-up play, he might not quite have the same prowess and hunger in front of goal as the 6 foot 4 Samu, who has been described as an “absolute powerhouse” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Porto

56

36 (3)

Recre Granada

36

18 (0)

Alaves

35

8 (1)

Granada

1

1 (0)

Wherever he goes, goals are scored. Though Samu may be a touch more one-track-minded than Woltemade in his attacking approach, there’s little question that he is an expansive striker, with elements to his game. After all, you cannot be laden with holes and described as having “everything it takes to be one of the best strikers in Europe” by journalist Zach Lowy.

This is further corroborated by Samu’s underrated passing game. Data from FBref reveals that, while he is among the most prolific goalscorers in Europe, he also ranks among the top 10% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 14% for through balls, the top 8% for switches and the top 13% for goal-creating actions per 90.

Like Woltemade at Newcastle, the Spaniard is a jack of many trades, and there’s a sense when watching him in action that he might actually be the superior goalscorer besides.

Sofascore show the incremental progress that may have been made in this regard. Samu scored 19 times in the Liga Portugal last term, and he missed 18 big chances across the year. We may be early into the new campaign, but he has bagged himself six goals in 2025/26 while fumbling only two golden opportunities in the final third.

Woltemade is a brilliant up-and-coming striker, but four converted and missed big chances apiece in the Premier League this year show where he needs to sharpen his game.

Howe could actually strike a wonderful balance with both Woltemade and Samu in the Toon mix, the contrasting elements of each man piecing together a new synergised quality at number nine in Newcastle.

What’s not to like? Newcastle plan to attack the many forks in a season’s road time and time again over the coming years. Both have their strengths.

But in terms of goals, Samu might just prove an upgrade on Woltemade, maybe even rivalling the very best across Europe.

Newcastle's “outstanding” talent can help Woltemade reach Shearer levels

Eddie Howe has an outstanding star at his disposal at Newcastle United who can help Nick Woltemade reach Alan Shearer levels.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 28, 2025

Manchester United might now be winless across their last two Premier League matches, but there aren’t any alarm bells ringing.

Indeed, the Red Devils have shown plenty of fight and determination – qualities that were sorely lacking during the early days of Ruben Amorim – to pick up two consecutive 2-2 draws on the road.

United even had to temporarily play with ten men away at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime, when Benjamin Sesko limped off with a late injury, but that didn’t stop the imperious Matthijs De Ligt in his mission to rise above a sea of white shirts to head home a last-gasp equaliser.

In previous years, United would have just folded but there is a hard-to-beat quality deep within Amorim’s side now, with Bryan Mbeumo once again receiving plenty of plaudits at the full-time whistle after he bagged his fifth Premier League goal of the season against Thomas Frank’s hosts.

Ranking Man Utd's summer business

Ex-United midfielder Owen Hargreaves would compare the ex-Brentford forward to Mohamed Salah after the entertaining draw, stating that he always has a “clear picture” of what he wants to do in front of goal.

Having gone his first seven Premier League games in United red with just one goal next to his name, the £71m recruit has now come into his own to be seen as one of the standout bits of business INEOS signed off on in the summer, as his calmly tucked away header got the ball rolling for Amorim and Co in North London on Saturday.

It was another top-drawer display from the Cameroon international, who playing on the left-hand side on this occasion, also missed a big chance from his two shots and won two fouls.

It’s safe to say the winger has started off brightly in United colours, with three goals put away with the same ice-cold nature last month, seeing Mbeumo collect the October player of the month accolade in the Premier League.

Matheus Cunha has also gone down as a sterling summer purchase from Wolverhampton Wanderers, with a first United goal finally coming his way against Brighton and Hove Albion at the close of October, even if he did fire blanks against Spurs.

Moreover, Senne Lammens continues to stand out as a rock-solid buy in goal, even if he did fall victim to a late deflected effort from Richarlison, with two saves under pressure from the Belgian ensuring the visitors came away from the contest with a share of the points.

INEOS has managed to rewrite the narrative after falling victim to a few transfer blunders last summer, notably Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee but the window of 2024 wasn’t all a complete failure.

Man United's future "captain" is outshining Mbeumo

When the ship was very visibly sinking at Old Trafford, there was a real lack of leaders attempting to turn the waning club’s fortunes around.

Thankfully, many of the senior figures Amorim has at his disposal – who once shied away from the spotlight – have come into their own over recent matches, with Casemiro now going on to be labelled as the “glue” that holds United together by content creator Liam Canning.

Moreover, Bruno Fernandes showed his immense quality during the 2-2 draw, too, as his inch-perfect corner late on turned the aforementioned De Ligt into a last-minute hero.

De Ligt has further emerged as a dependable performer Amorim knows he can rely on, with ex-United great Rio Ferdinand even stating, back in September, that the Dutchman should be “the first name on the teamsheet.”

He has become undroppable, with a battling performance away at a physical Nottingham Forest outfit seeing him win all ten of his aerial duels, as his aerial prowess was even clearer for all to take in against Spurs, when he headed home the crucial equaliser.

It’s been quite the turnaround in fortunes for the ex-Ajax colossus, with the 26-year-old even once being branded as “awful” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher after a ropey debut season, which saw the former Eredivisie titan collect just three clean sheets from 29 league outings.

Now, however, the previously mentioned Manning is hailing De Ligt as a “serious contender for the next captain” of the Red Devils, as another “clutch” display was put in by the 6-foot-2 battler against Frank’s men.

Of course, signings such as Mbeumo’s will likely steal more of the headlines, with the flashy £71m attacker now living up to his steep price tag.

But, for £42.9m, United seriously hit the jackpot, sealing De Ligt’s signature when they did, as the much-improved number four – who has featured in every possible second of United’s resurgent league campaign to date – now aims to become a permanent fixture in the Red Devils’ defence for many years to come.

It's not Mbeumo: "Unbelievable" Man Utd star looks like Amorim's new Bruno

Bryan Mbeumo stole the show again for Manchester United – but he wasn’t alone…

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 9, 2025

Both teams have one RTM card available at the auction, and multiple options to consider using it on

Dustin Silgardo13-Nov-2024What is the right-to-match (RTM) rule?Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, each team was allowed to retain up to six players, with a maximum of five capped players and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players.The eight teams that did not use all of their six retentions can now use right-to-match options on players from their 2024 squads to fill up the remaining slots. The limits of five capped and two uncapped players still apply, so teams that have retained five capped players can use their RTM option on only one uncapped Indian player. And if a team has retained two uncapped players, they can use their RTM options on only capped players. If a team uses an RTM option on one of their former players at the auction, the last bidder will be allowed to raise their bid one final time, and the choice of whether to continue with the right-to-match option and match the bid then lies with the team using the RTM option.Chennai Super KingsPlayers retained: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni
Purse remaining: INR 55 crore
Right-to-match option: 1 (capped or uncapped)
Since CSK have retained four capped players and one uncapped – Dhoni, who is classified as uncapped since he has not played international cricket for more than five years – they can use their remaining right-to-match option on either a capped or uncapped player. Among the capped players they will be looking at are Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande and Maheesh Theekshana.Conway, 33, had a huge season for CSK in 2023, scoring 672 runs and winning Player of the Match in the final. His fellow New Zealander Ravindra made less of a splash in 2024 but has been excelling across formats and, at 24, is an investment for the future. He also bowls left-arm spin, though CSK already have Jadeja to play that role. Another choice among the overseas players is Theekshana, whose mystery spin has been effective both at Chepauk and away. He has taken 25 wickets in 27 matches for CSK and has gone at 7.66.Related

MI retain their big four; Klaasen retained for INR 23 crore

Indians and batters dominate retentions, and a major captaincy refresh

Pant, Rahul, Starc list highest base price for IPL auction

Chahar has been a crucial part of CSK’s squad since 2018, providing consistent powerplay wickets. He has won three titles with CSK. The only thing that may count against Chahar is his injury record and his age, 32. If they cannot buy him back, they may go all out for their other Indian pacer, 29-year-old Tushar Deshpande, who has been with CSK since 2022 and has taken 38 wickets across the past two seasons.Given their preference for continuity, CSK will probably look to buy back several of the players mentioned. Who they use their right-to-match option on could be decided by who comes up first in the auction list and is available at the right price.Given the number of capped players in the mix, it is unlikely CSK will use their right-to-match option on an uncapped player, but if they still have it when death hitter Sameer Rizvi’s name comes up, they may consider it.Akash Madhwal is among the players MI may consider•Associated PressMumbai IndiansPlayers retained: Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma
Purse remaining: INR 45 crore
Right-to-match option: 1 (uncapped)Since Mumbai Indians have retained five capped players, they can only use their one RTM option on an uncapped Indian player (so they can’t use it on Ishan Kishan or Tim David). There are four interesting options: Nehal Wadhera, Akash Madhwal, Naman Dhir and Piyush Chawla.Wadhera, 24, had a breakthrough season in 2023, playing 14 games and hitting two fifties. In 2024, he played less of a role, only getting six games and striking at less than 130. What may count against him is that MI already have three specialist batters among their retentions. Like Wadhera, Madhwal, 30, impressed in 2023, going at less than nine an over and developing a reputation as someone who could restrict and take wickets at the death. His incredible figures of 3.3-0-5-5 in the Eliminator put MI in the second qualifying final. The 2024 season was a difficult one for Madhwal: he went at 11.28 an over as MI struggled.In his debut season, 24-year-old Naman Dhir impressed with his ability to score quickly from the off, striking at 177.21 across his seven innings in 2024. With his tall stance and high backlift, Dhir drew comparisons with Hardik Pandya. What also makes him an attractive option as an RTM is that he bowls offspin. Having not played for India for more than five years, Piyush Chawla is now classified as uncapped, meaning MI can use their RTM option on him. While his age – he is 35 – may make MI reluctant to buy him back, he has been consistent over the past two seasons, taking 22 wickets in 2023 and 13 in 2024.

Quinton de Kock has reversed his retirement from ODI cricket and returns to both ODI and T20I squads

Firdose Moonda22-Sep-2025South Africa’s Test captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of South Africa’s first assignment of their World Test Championship title defence, against Pakistan, with a calf strain. Bavuma sustained the injury on the recent white-ball tour of England and is expected to need six to eight weeks of recovery. Aiden Markram will captain the side in his absence.The squad also includes a recall for offspinner Simon Harmer, who has not played a Test since March 2023. He joins Senuran Muthusamy and Prenelan Subrayen in the spin department. First-choice spinner Keshav Maharaj is only available for the second Test after suffering a groin strain in England.In other major news, wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock has reversed his retirement from ODI cricket and returns to both ODI and T20I squads against Pakistan. De Kock last played for South Africa at the T20 World Cup final in Barbados last June.Related

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De Kock reverses ODI retirement

Concern for South Africa as Bavuma suffers calf strain

South Africa opted to rest all their all-format players, except Corbin Bosch and Dewald Brevis, for the white-ball leg of the Pakistan tour. David Miller will captain the T20I squad while Matthew Breetzke will lead the ODI squad.South Africa also play a T20I in Namibia, to inaugurate their new stadium in Windhoek, the day before the first Test against Pakistan, and will have a makeshift squad for that match. Allrounder Donovan Ferreira will captain that side, which includes de Kock, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Reeza Hendricks and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, and Rivaldo Moonsamy, who earned a maiden call-up.Simon Harmer last played a Test in March 2023•AFP/Getty ImagesFerreria has also been named in the ODI squad to face Pakistan, alongside Burger, Coetzee and de Kock, while left-arm spinners George Linde and Bjorn Fortuin have been recalled. Legspinner Nqaba Peter completes a strong spin contingent but Tabraiz Shamsi, who opted out of a national contract, is not in any of the squads. Neither is seamer Anrich Nortje, who has also not agreed to a national contract.The Test squad retains the core that won the WTC mace against Australia in June. Brevis, Subrayen and Zubayr Hamza are new to the group with no room for Dane Paterson or Lungi Ngidi, who is part of the white-ball squads. Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder make up the pace contingent.”Temba’s calf strain will unfortunately keep him sidelined for six to eight weeks, but the focus is on giving him the best chance to be fully ready for the India tour in November,” head coach Shukri Conrad said. “Naturally, we are disappointed not to have Temba available. He has been such an important leader and batter for us in the Test side, and his presence on and off the field will be missed.”At the same time, the majority of the Test squad have experience of playing in the subcontinent and understand the demands that come with it, so I’m confident they will embrace the challenge. Pakistan is one of the tougher places to tour, and with spin-friendly conditions expected and Keshav only available from the second game, it was important to have an experienced campaigner like Simon in the squad to provide extra depth in the spin department.”Speaking about the choice of stand-in captains, with Markram resting from the white-ball series, Conrad explained that Breetzke’s experience at domestic level and Ferreira’s growth have resulted in their temporary appointments. “Matthew has really come into his own in the 50-over space and has led SA A and the Warriors in this format before, and I have no doubt he’ll captain the ODI side with that same character and composure which he brings to his game. During the T20I series against England, I was impressed by Donovan’s maturity, his understanding of the game, and the way he connects with the younger players in the squad. His appointment as captain for the T20I against Namibia presents an exciting challenge, one that I believe will only enhance his development as a cricketer.”Asked about the bowling combination South Africa expect to play, Conrad said it would come down to conditions in Pakistan, with “extreme spin” expected as has been the case in recent Tests there involving England and West Indies.”We’ve got to look at how we structure our line-up in terms of balance,” Conrad said. “We expect extreme spin in Pakistan. It’s about whether we go with two quicks – KG [Rabada] and Wiaan, KG and Marco, and then how many batters, how many spinners. We’ve got three spinners available for the first Test. Wiaan has made the No. 3 spot his own but it could change based on what we see in Pakistan. Its comes down to the balance of our bowling attack and which seamers there are. I can’t tell you who will be No.3, 4 and 5 in the line-up but it will be similar to what we had in Bangladesh.”Quinton de Kock has reversed his ODI retirement•ICC via Getty ImagesOn Ngidi’s absence from the Test squad in Pakistan, Conrad felt his skillset wasn’t quite suited to the conditions expected. “We don’t think Lungi will be as effective in Tests in Pakistan. Hence, not including him.”Bavuma’s injury is particularly concerning for South Africa given that it occurred soon after he had missed their most recent Test series – two Tests in Zimbabwe – with a hamstring strain that he suffered during the WTC final. An injury to the left elbow – a joint that has troubled him multiple times since a fracture in 2022 – had put him out of action for two months before the WTC final.”Very concerned about Temba,” Conrad said. “Every series has been an injury and it is not for want of him of trying. He is doing everything in his powers to make sure he remains injury free. His form is definitely good enough and he is definitely worth managing. Age is not on his side so it is a concern but I am confident in the medical staff and Temba’s desire to get him fit.”On Shamsi’s absence from the white-ball squads, Conrad said the left-arm wristspinner still had a future with South Africa, but for now they were looking to give the younger spinners a run in the side.”Shammo and I chatted during that Zim series,” Conrad said. “He was fully understanding about what I explained to him. We wanted to see more of the spinners. We know what we’ve got in Shammo. I told him to keep playing in the leagues so we can monitor his form and fitness. Post-Pakistan, we’ve got the India series and if Shammo’s name pops up, we will discuss him. Shammo remains in the conversation. We haven’t ruled him out.”South Africa play two Tests, three T20Is and three ODIs in Pakistan before two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is in India, which will make up the bulk of their preparation for the T20 World Cup. They have no home Tests in the 2025-26 season but host West Indies for the five T20Is before the T20 World Cup.South Africa squad for Pakistan Tests Aiden Markram (capt), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj (second Test only), Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle VerreynneSouth Africa’s squad for Pakistan T20IsDavid Miller (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Simelane, Lizaad WilliamsSouth Africa’s squad for Pakistan ODIsMatthew Breetzke (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Sinethemba QeshileSouth Africa’s squad for Namibia T20IDonovan Ferreira (capt), Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Rubin Hermann, Kwena Maphaka, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Simelane, Jason Smith, Lizaad Williams