West Ham United chiefs have opened discussions with a striker’s agent, amid news that he could leave for millions less than his release clause.

West Ham already planning for life without Evan Ferguson

The Hammers backed new manager Graham Potter by signing Brighton striker Evan Ferguson on a six-month loan deal in the January transfer window, but it is reported that they’re already planning for life without the Irishman.

Graham Potter dealt Evan Ferguson blow as West Ham explore £25m replacement

An update has surfaced on the Irishman.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 19, 2025

A permanent deal for Ferguson is unlikely to materialise at West Ham, with this campaign looking like his sole Premier League season in Claret and Blue as co-chair David Sullivan begins identifying replacements for 2025/2026.

Arsenal (away)

February 22nd

Leicester City (home)

February 27th

Newcastle United (home)

March 10th

Everton (away)

March 15th

Wolves (away)

April 1st

West Ham have earmarked Man United striker Rasmus Hojlund as a potential arrival for next term, according to TEAMtalk, while other media sources have reported that AC Milan loanee Tammy Abraham is on Potter’s radar as well.

Signing a new centre-forward permanently is an absolute must for West Ham this summer, considering Niclas Füllkrug has proved unreliable when it comes to injuries, with Michail Antonio also sidelined after his horrific car crash.

Danny Ings is also out of contract this summer, meaning Potter is in serious danger of being left very short for his full debut campaign in the dugout.

A potential target who West Ham fans will be very familiar with is Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto. The Brazilian has been repeatedly linked with a move to east London in the past, and Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves even confirmed that he rejected an offer from West Ham last year in a sit-down interview with UOL.

However, members of the South American press have since reported that Alberto will be allowed to leave Corinthians in July.

West Ham contract Yuri Alberto's camp amid potential £62 million discount

According to Calciomercato, the Hammers are still very much interested in him, alongside Inter Milan, Atalanta, Bologna, Bournemouth, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Betis, Porto and Wolves.

There is a growing clamour for the 23-year-old’s services, with West Ham approaching Alberto’s agent recently over a potential summer transfer.

It is stated that Corinthians could sell their star striker for an initial £21 million, which is a £62 million mark down from the player’s £83 million release clause. That being said, Corinthians chiefs are hoping that an auction can be sparked for his signature, as 50 per cent of his transfer fee is due to Zenit St. Petersburg.

Alberto’s record suggests why so many clubs are keen on him, with the one-cap Brazil international scoring 31 goals in 57 outings across 2024.

“A striker who, even with a lot of criticism, played very well, was Yuri Alberto,” said Brazil legend Ronaldo.

“He grew at the time that Corinthians needed it most and helped the team with many goals, being one of the team’s top scorers in competitions.”

Just a matter of days after sealing their place in the Champions League play-off round, Celtic’s hopes of further progression in the competition have perhaps been dented, amid the news that goalscoring talisman, Kyogo Furuhashi, is set to join Ligue 1 side Rennes this month.

That imminent £10m move will bring to an end a stellar three-and-a-half year stint in Glasgow for the Japanese sensation, with the 30-year-old having chalked up 85 goals in 165 games for the club since arriving as a relative unknown back in the summer of 2021.

The spearhead of a rampant attacking unit under both Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers, the departing striker simply terrorised Premiership defences with his innate movement and finishing prowess, having been a particular scourge of Rangers with eight goals from 17 meetings with Celtic’s Old Firm rivals.

While the blow of that impending switch has been somewhat eased by the fact that Kyogo’s former teammate, Jota, is set to return to Parkhead in the opposite direction, the need for a quality centre-forward replacement is striking, particularly considering Adam Idah has now failed to score in the league since late November.

Having splashed out £9.5m on the Irishman over the summer, the Hoops could well look to make an even bigger investment before the February deadline, in the search to replace Kyogo.

Celtic's potential Kyogo replacement

As reported by Football Insider, Celtic’s move for the aforementioned Jota could be followed by a late approach for Brondby sensation, Matthias Kvistgaarden, with the 22-year-old earmarked as the man to potentially fill Kyogo’s void.

According to the report, the Danish forward is likely to cost in the region of £10m if his current side are to sanction an exit, with that figure set to eclipse the fee that was dished out on Idah just a matter of months ago.

The piece has been followed up by a further update from Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, hinting that a bid could be in the works, with the journalist revealing that “Celtic are expected to make another approach” for the number nine.

Why Kvistgaarden could shine at Celtic

There will no doubt be excitement at the looming return of Jota, yet the Portuguese may not have it all his own way with regard to regaining his starting berth, particularly after enduring a wretched last 18 months or so.

The 25-year-old – who has scored just six goals for Al Ittihad and Rennes, combined, since leaving Celtic – will have to either oust the relentless Daizen Maeda on the left flank or the majestic Nicolas Kuhn on the opposite side, two men who have scored 31 goals between them this season.

Jota, then, may have to bide his time, although in the case of Kvistgaarden, the young Dane could slot straight in as the focal point of the attack, with the aim of forming a particularly fruitful partnership with the creative genius that is Kuhn.

Indeed, Celtic’s German wizard has registered 12 assists alongside his 16 goals in all competitions this season, ensuring he could be the man to provide regular quality service to Kvistgaarden through the middle.

Kuhn – who has created eight ‘big chances’ in the Premiership this season and averaged two key passes per game – has that knack for picking out his teammates in the final third, sliding the ball through with his wand of a left foot. Kvistgaarden would likely be licking his lips.

Kvistgaarden vs Kyogo – 24/25 league stats
Stat	Kvistgaarden	Kyogo
Games	15	22
Goals	10	10
Assists	4	3
Big chances missed	6	17
Big chances created	4	1
Key passes*	0.8	0.5
Touches*	24.7	14.9
Pass accuracy*	78%	68%
Total duels won*	51%	40%
Aeria duels won*	55%	33%
Stats via Sofascore (*per game)

As he has shown this season, the Brondby man certainly knows how to finish when he does get a sniff of goal, having scored 14 times in all competitions, while scoring ten times in just 15 league outings, missing only six ‘big chances’. Kyogo, for comparison, netted ten times in 22 Premiership games this season, while missing 17 ‘big chances’.

Tipped to be “a ridiculous signing” for Celtic and Rodgers by writer Kai Watson, the £10m man could represent a risk worth taking as far as the Hoops are concerned, having chalked up 55 goals and assists in 110 games for his current side, at a ratio of one goal involvement every two appearances.

It could well be exciting times ahead for those at Celtic Park, even as a spectacular chapter ends with Kyogo’s departure…

Celtic have hit gold with "brilliant" star who's now worth more than Jota

Celtic are set to complete a deal to bring Jota back to Parkhead for a second spell.

1

By
Dan Emery

Jan 25, 2025

Leeds United are back in action in the Championship once again this evening as they prepare to welcome Norwich City to Elland Road, with the chance to move top of the league with a win.

Sheffield United’s comeback against Swansea on Tuesday night placed them at the top of the second tier, but three points for the Whites tonight would immediately put them back in first place.

Daniel Farke’s side should be high in confidence ahead of this clash with the Canaries after they beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 last time out on Sunday.

The West Yorkshire outfit could end the night level on points with Burnley, if they win their match, and only two points ahead of Sunderland if Norwich come to Elland Road and claim three points.

That illustrates how tight it is at the top of the Championship table and that is why Leeds may still be looking at their options in the January transfer window to see if they can improve the squad before the deadline.

The Whites have reportedly set their sights on attacking reinforcements as they have been linked with an interest in a forward who could become the manager’s next Emi Buendia…

Emi Buendia's magic for Farke

Leeds are reportedly battling it out with unnamed clubs from LaLga to land a loan deal for the Aston Villa attacking midfielder, as the Whites boss looks to reunite with the talented playmaker.

Farke worked with Buendia during his time at Norwich City, signing him from Getafe in the summer of 2018, and won two Championship titles in three seasons with the right-footed magician.

The German head coach lifted the second tier trophy in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns, with the Argentina international an influential figure in both of those successes due to his ability to score and create goals from an attacking midfield or wide position.

Emi Buendia (Championship)	18/19	20/21
Appearances	38	39
Goals	8	15
Big chances created	7	18
Key passes per game	2.4	3.1
Assists	12	16
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Buendia played a key role in those two promotion-winning seasons by contributing with 23 goals and 28 assists combined.

The 28-year-old star has, therefore, proven that he has the quality to make a consistent impact at the top end of the pitch at Championship level, whilst working under Farke, and that is why he could be a terrific signing for Leeds this month.

If Leeds are unable to strike a deal to sign Buendia, though, due to interest from LaLiga, then the German boss could unearth his new version of the former Norwich sensation by securing a deal to sign someone else.

Leeds in the race to sign Burnley star

According to Belgian outlet Voetbal Nieuws, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds are one of a number of clubs lining up a move to sign Burnley attacking midfielder Mike Tresor this month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that the 25-year-old wizard is looking to move on from Turf Moor before the end of the January transfer window, as an outing in the FA Cup against Reading earlier this month was his only appearance of the season so far.

It states that the Clarets are also keen to part ways with the Belgian dynamo, who they signed on a permanent deal from Genk last summer after having him on loan in the Premier League last term, but it does not reveal exactly how much they are looking for in return for his services.

Voetbal Nieuws adds that Belgian sides Anderlecht and KAA Gent are also interested in a swoop for the Burnley outcast, whilst Dutch giants Ajax are among the clubs eyeing him up and are said to be Tresor’s preferred destination at this moment in time.

This suggests that this could be a difficult deal for Leeds to get over the line, given the competition for his signature and the fact he plays for a direct rival in the Championship, but it could be one that is well worth pushing for.

Tresor could arrive at Elland Road as Farke’s new version of Argentine magician Buendia. Here’s how they compare…

Why Tresor could be Farke's new Buendia

It is fair to say that Tresor has endured a difficult time in England since his initial move to Turf Moor on loan from Genk in the summer of 2023.

He only started three of his 16 appearances in the Premier League under Vincent Kompany in the 2023/24 campaign and has yet to play in the league under Scott Parker this term.

The 25-year-old gem has, therefore, not had many opportunities to truly showcase his quality in England, with just three starts, and Leeds could offer him a chance to play week-in-week-out to get back to his best on the pitch.

Tresor’s form for Genk in the 2022/23 campaign, before his move to Burnley, suggests that the potential is there for him to be a Buendia-esque talent for Farke if he can hit his stride in the final third again as an attacking midfielder or wide player.

22/23 Pro League	Mike Tresor
Starts	38
Goals	8
Big chances created	22
Key passes per game	2.8
Assists	24
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian sensation, whose form was praised as being “absolutely sensational” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, provided a regular threat at the top end of the pitch, particularly as a creator.

The Leeds target has the vision and technical ability in the final third to consistently unlock opposition defences to create high-quality chances for his teammates, which could help the likes of Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph to thrive in the second half of the campaign.

He was directly involved in 32 goals in those 38 games, and that is more than Buendia was ever involved in in one season for Norwich, with 31 in the 2020/21 campaign being his best return, which speaks to his potential to make a huge impact as an attacking force.

Joseph upgrade: Leeds considering bid to sign "powerful" £4m striker

Leeds United are one of the clubs reportedly interested in the striker in January.

By
Dan Emery

Jan 21, 2025

Therefore, Farke could unearth his new version of the Argentine ace, and forget about a swoop for the Aston Villa man, by securing a deal to sign Tresor from Burnley this month, because he has the playmaking and goalscoring tools to emerge as a star for Leeds.

Stats highlights from the fourth day in Kanpur where India inched closer to victory against New Zealand as R Ashwin became the second-fastest bowler to reach 200 Test wickets

Bharath Seervi25-Sep-20161 Bowlers who reached 200 Test wickets in fewer matches than R Ashwin, who achieved it in his 37th Test. Clarrie Grimmett, the fastest, got there in 36 Tests. The previous quickest India bowler to achieve this was Harbhajan Singh in 46 Tests. Ashwin was also the fastest from India to reach the milestones of 50, 100 and 150 wickets.51.4 Ashwin’s strike rate, the best among all 19 spinners who have taken 200 or more Test wickets. The next best is Stuart MacGill who struck every 54 balls.21.03 Ashwin’s average in Tests in India, easily the best among the ten bowlers who have taken 100-plus wickets. Bishen Singh Bedi comes next with an average of 23.99.2 India players who have achieved the double of making a score of 50 or more and taking a five-wicket haul in the same Test against New Zealand. Before Ravindra Jadeja in this Test, who picked 5 for 73 in the first innings and then made an unbeaten 50 in the second innings, Javagal Srinath had done this in Auckland in 1999.1 Number of higher targets set by India against New Zealand, than the 434 in this match. They had set a target of 617 in Wellington in 2009 and New Zealand had managed to draw that with two wickets remaining.5.40 Run rate of the partnership between Rohit Sharma and Jadeja – second-highest for a century stand for India against New Zealand for any wicket (where ball-by-ball details are known). The pair added 50 runs in 56 balls and completed 100 runs in 111 balls before India declared.10 Wickets taken by the New Zealand spinners in this Test – third-most for them against India. Their spinners had taken 19 wickets in Nagpur in 1969 and 12 wickets in Ahmedabad in 2010.593 First-class runs accumulated by Cheteshwar Pujara this month, in just five innings. Before making 62 and 78 in this match, he had scored 166, 31 and 256* for India Blue in the Duleep Trophy.7 Innings without a fifty for Rohit before his unbeaten 68 in the second innings of this Test. He had scored only 111 runs in those innings at average of 15.85. His last fifty came against Sri Lanka in Colombo last year.6 Number of scores between 50 and 80 by the top three batsmen in this Test – joint-most in any Test. There were six such scores in Brisbane Ashes Test in 1962-63 and between India and Australia in Chennai in 1997-98.

It would be fair to say that this season has not gone even remotely to plan for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lilywhites have endured a mountain of injuries, an abysmal Premier League campaign, and following their thrashing on Thursday night, they’ve only got the Europa League and FA Cup to save their season.

However, with all that said, there have been reasons to be positive in recent weeks, such as their late but nonetheless impressive business in the transfer market.

Ange Postecoglou now has three more players to choose from than he did before the window opened, with Mathys Tel undoubtedly the most exciting, although the Frenchman is still worth millions less than one of his new teammates.

Tottenham's January business

In somewhat unusual fashion, Tottenham kicked off their winter transfer business early this year, signing Czech goalkeeper Antonín Kinský from Slavia Prague for £12.5m on January 5th.

The 21-year-old shot-stopper was excellent on his debut, keeping a clean sheet against Liverpool, and while he has been a little shaky of late, there is every chance he could develop into the club’s future number one.

The next transfer wasn’t completed until early this month when Daniel Levy and Co finally addressed the team’s dire need for a centre-back by agreeing to a short-term loan with an obligation to buy at £20.9m for RC Lens star Kevin Danso.

The 24-capped Austrian international has been a key figure for the French side who made it into the Champions League last season by finishing runners-up in Ligue 1 the campaign prior.

Moreover, while the scoreline would perhaps suggest otherwise, his individual performance against Liverpool wasn’t too bad.

Last but certainly not least, Spurs finally secured a loan deal with an option to buy at £45m for the exceptionally gifted Tel, despite him initially turning them down last Friday.

The French teenager wasn’t getting much game time for Bayern Munich this season, but last year, under Thomas Tuchel, he was spectacular, racking up a tally of ten goals and six assists in just 1406 minutes of first-team football, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 87.87 minutes.

There can be no doubt that, in the Sarcelles-born dynamo, Spurs have one of the most exciting talents in world football, but even so, there is already a player in the squad, signed by Antonio Conte, who is currently worth millions more.

The Spurs star worth millions more than Tel

Conte’s tenure in North London might not have been particularly successful or positive, but he was responsible for bringing several talented first-teamers to the club, such as Desiny Udogie, Djed Spence and Pedro Porro.

However, the player we are talking about is none other than Dejan Kulusevski, who joined the Lilywhites on a loan deal under the Italian manager, which was then made permanent under Postecoglou for around £25m.

Just a year and a half later, and according to Football Transfers, the Swedish superstar is now worth up to a whopping €65.5m, which is about £55m, or £10m more than the fee Spurs could pay for Tel come the end of the season.

While that is undoubtedly a lofty valuation, we’d argue that, at least this season, the Stockholm-born dynamo has more than justified it.

For example, in 38 appearances for the Australian manager this season, which has seen him play in central midfield, attacking midfield and off the right of a front three, the “world-class” international, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored nine goals and provided nine assists.

Appearances

38

Minutes

2760′

Goals

9

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.47

Minutes per Goal Involvement

153.33

That means the 24-year-old is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.11 games, which is seriously impressive for a team languishing where they are in the league table.

Ultimately, Spurs have got themselves a truly sensational prospect in Tel, but if he is to join the club on a permanent deal in the summer, he’ll have to seriously impress to see his valuation reach Kulusevski’s.

Alongside Kinsky: Spurs ace who lost 10/12 duels ruined their trophy hopes

Spurs were thumped at Anfield as their dreams of Wembley faded away.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 7, 2025

The January transfer window officially slammed shut on Monday night and Leeds United went through the winter market without splashing any cash on new recruits.

Ultimately, they decided that there were no available players who suited what they wanted, or any players who could come in to realistically improve the playing squad.

Daniel Farke has an incredibly strong group at the moment, as evidenced by their place at the top of the Championship table, and they showcased that with a 7-0 win over Cardiff City at the weekend.

The Whites ran riot at Elland Road to smash the Bluebirds and ensure that they remained at the top of the table, with Sheffield United, Burnley, and Sunderland in hot pursuit.

Leeds are once again back in action in the second tier this evening as they prepare to travel to the CBS Arena to take on Frank Lampard’s Coventry City side.

The last time the two teams met was back in September, when Mark Robins was in charge of the Sky Blues, and it was a comfortable win for Farke’s men on the day.

What happened when Leeds last beat Coventry

The West Yorkshire outfit secured a 3-0 win over Coventry when they clashed at Elland Road earlier this season, in what was a fairly routine afternoon for Leeds.

Robins’ side ended the match with just 0.41 xG and zero ‘big chances’ created, despite having 52% of the ball, which shows that they struggled to break down the Whites defence.

Meanwhile, Leeds created 1.66 xG and two ‘big chances’, with eight shots on target in total, and that allowed them to stroll to the victory on the day.

The hosts took the lead after just 16 minutes when Italian forward Wilfried Gnonto latched onto a cross from Junior Firpo to rifle an effort into the roof of the net from just inside of the box.

They found their second goal just four minutes into the second half when Jayden Bogle opened his account for Leeds by side-footing a shot past Ben Wilson after Largie Ramazani slipped a ball through to him.

The third and final goal came in the 79th minute as substitute Joel Piroe kept his shot, from Gnonto’s cross, on target and benefitted from some weak goalkeeping from the Coventry stopper.

Leeds face a different test this evening, however, as they now have a new manager, Lampard, in the dugout, and they have won each of their last four matches in the Championship.

Coventry are, therefore, an in-form team and Farke could look to make some changes to his team, from the one that beat Cardiff 7-0, to ensure that his players are fresh, with Brenden Aaronson one star who could be rested.

Why Brenden Aaronson could be rested

The USA international, who returned to the club after a loan spell with Union Berlin last summer, has been leaned on by the German head coach week-in-week-out so far this season.

He has started 28 of the club’s 30 Championship matches and averaged 79 minutes played per match. Out of the outfield players at the club, only Joe Rodon (2,696) and Jayden Bogle (2,427) have played more minutes than the American midfielder (2,386), which illustrates how much workload he has had this term.

The 24-year-old ace found the back of the net in the 7-0 win over Cardiff, firing past defenders on the line after Dan James had the presence of mind to pick him out, but had gone five matches without a goal contribution before that rout.

Appearances

30

xG

8.58

Goals

8

Big chances created

6

Assists

2

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has been a solid, but unspectacular, contributor in the final third for Leeds in the Championship this season.

He has slightly underperformed against his xG and a return of six ‘big chances’ created in 28 starts as an attacking midfielder in a dominant Farke team is a bit underwhelming.

Aaronson could benefit from finally being rested, though, as it could allow him to be fresher for future fixtures, to improve his output at the top end of the pitch, and that is why Farke should finally rest him for this clash with Coventry by unleashing a Leeds star in a new role.

The new role Wilfried Gnonto could play

Wilfried Gnonto starred in the 3-0 win, with a goal and an assist, over Coventry back in September and the manager should consider bringing him back into the starting XI for this clash, after he came off the bench against Cardiff.

The Italy U21 international, who scored as a substitute against the Welsh outfit, has made all of his appearances for the Whites this season on the left or right flank, with eight starts on the left and 13 starts on the right in all competitions.

Farke should, now, unleash the £30k-per-week star in a new role as an attacking midfielder to take Aaronson’s place in the central position behind Joel Piroe. It is a position that he has started in on 16 occasions throughout his career, so it is not entirely unfamiliar to him, but it would be a fresh experience in the current campaign.

Gnonto, who Statman Dave once described as “electric”, has the quality to make an impact at the top end of the pitch and could thrive as a number ten, as it could allow him to operate closer to the box than he usually does out wide.

Starts

20

xG

4.78

Goals

5

Big chances created

9

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, the Italian sensation has offered plenty to the team in the final third this term, with a return of 14 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 20 appearances.

Unlike Aaronson, Gnonto has outperformed against his xG and has almost created a ‘big chance’ every other start on average, which shows that he can offer relatively consistent creativity.

Leeds must regret selling 20-goal ace who could have been their own Buendia

Leeds United dropped the ball when ditching this attacker prematurely.

ByKelan Sarson Feb 5, 2025

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for him to provide even more than the American midfielder in a number ten role, which is why Farke should unleash him in that new position this evening.

Stats highlights from England’s nine-run win in the 2017 Women’s World Cup final

S Rajesh23-Jul-20173 – Number of World Cup titles for England. They had earlier won in 1993 (beat New Zealand at Lord’s) and 2009 (beat New Zealand in Sydney). This is England’s fifth final, though: they had lost the first two, to Australia, in 1982 and 1988. For India, this was their second loss in a final, after their 2005 defeat to Australia. England also won the inaugural World T20 title in 2009.6 – Wickets for Anya Shrubsole, the most by any bowler in a Women’s World Cup final, and her best in ODIs. No bowler had even taken five: the previous best was 4 for 34, by England’s Nicky Shaw in the 2009 final against New Zealand, while Australia’s Ellyse Perry took 3 for 19 in the 2013 final against West Indies. The joint fourth-best was also in today’s game: Jhulan Goswami’s 3 for 23. Shrubsole’s 6 for 46 is the third-best figures in any Women’s World Cup game; no player had taken six in a World Cup match since 1982, when New Zealand’s Jacqueline Lord took 6 for 10, also against India.28 – Runs added by India’s last six partnerships; they lost their fourth wicket at 191, after which they were bundled out for 219. Only once before have they had a worse collapse by the last six partnerships in a World Cup game: in 1982, their last six partnerships added 23 against New Zealand in Auckland. Overall, there have been five instances of their last six partnerships totalling fewer runs.167 – The biggest target successfully chased in a World Cup final: England chased down that target against New Zealand in Sydney in 2009. In five of the nine finals, the team batting first has won the final, defending scores of 184, 195, 215, 228 (today) and 259.2 – Players who have scored more runs in a World Cup final than Punam Raut, who made 86 today: Australia’s Karen Rolton made an unbeaten 107 against India in 2005, while Belinda Clark got 91 against New Zealand in 2000. Her partnership of 95 with Harmanpreet Kaur is also the third-highest in a World Cup final.21 Instances of Goswami taking three or more wickets in ODIs, which equals Cathryn Fitzpatrick’s record. No other bowler has more than 17.7.75 – India’s average opening stand since the first game of the tournament, when Smriti Mandhana and Punam Raut added 144 against England. In their last eight games, they have aggregated 62 runs for the first wicket, with stands of 0, 7, 21, 4, 9, 10, 6 and 5. England’s opening stands, on the other hand, were consistent throughout the tournament: they had six 30-plus stands, though their highest was only 59.

Manchester United have certainly got a lot of work to do if they want to salvage the season. Ruben Amorim’s side sit 12th in the Premier League, with 29 points to their name. The Red Devils are currently 12 points outside of the top four, and if they are to reach that kind of level, it would be an impressive end of the campaign.

The Portuguese manager has a bit of an underwhelming record during his time at United so far, winning eight times, losing seven and drawing two in the 17 games he has managed. That is certainly going to have to improve if United want to qualify for Europe.

To help boost themselves up the table, United are targeting reinforcements in the January transfer window, including looking to strengthen in midfield.

Man United’s midfield target

The player in question here is Juventus and Brazil international midfielder Douglas Luiz. It has been a tough first season in Turin for the 26-year-old, and he has been heavily linked with a move away from the club in the winter.

According to a report from The Mail, the Red Devils are believed to be one of the sides interested in a move for Luiz. United are thought to be ‘ in the wings’ waiting to pounce and complete a deal for the Brazilian if the chance arises.

However, they will likely face tough competition from some of their Premier League rivals. Closest to home is Manchester City, who are believed to be ‘contemplating a loan’, hinting at a temporary switch to United, too. Nottingham Forest and Fulham are also keen.

Why Luiz would be a good signing

It has not quite been the season Luiz might have expected when he first put pen to paper in Turin, after his £42.35m move from Aston Villa in the summer.

The Juve man – who’s previously been dubbed “one of the best in the world” in his position by Sky Italia journalist Cristiano Giuntoli – has played just 18 times in all competitions, although did face a spell on the sideline with muscle fatigue.

However, he has certainly not played as much as he might have liked. Incredibly, the Brazil international has featured for just 566 minutes in all competitions, the equivalent of just 6.2 full 90-minute games. Given it is the end of January, that is an outrageously low number.

Yet, the midfielder is clearly an excellent player, as he showed during his time at Villa Park. In fact, football statistician Statman Dave described him as the “best box-to-box CM in the Premier League”, which is high praise indeed.

He played 204 times for the West Midlands side, scoring 22 goals and grabbing 24 assists. The Brazil international particularly excelled in the 2023/24 campaign, scoring nine times and grabbing five assists in 35 games, an excellent record in midfield.

Luiz could be a brilliant replacement for Casemiro, who is linked with a move to AS Roma. Like his countryman Luiz, he has not played much this season and has been an unused substitute in United’s last six games.

Jamie Carragher thought his time at the top level was up last season, famously telling the midfielder to “leave the football, before the football leaves you”, after a 4-0 thrashing away from home against Crystal Palace.

The stats on FBref suggest that a move for Luiz as a Casemiro replacement could be a smart piece of business for United. He is better in many metrics than the Red Devils’ number 18, implying he would be a big upgrade.

For example, over the past two seasons, the Old Lady midfielder averages 5.2 progressive passes compared to just 4.98 per 90 minutes for Casemiro. He also averages 1.99 progressive carries, with the former Real Madrid star averaging 0.48 each game.

Luiz vs. Casemiro key stats – 23/24 & 24/25
Stat (per 90)	Luiz	Casemiro
Progressive passes	5.2	4.98
Key passes	1.71	1.02
Progressive carries	1.99	0.48
Interceptions	0.66	0.83
Ball recoveries	5.43	6.1
Stats from FBref

If United can do a deal for Luiz on loan, it could be an excellent piece of business for Amorim’s side. Not only would they be able to offload Casemiro, who is a high earner and doesn’t play, but they have a replacement for him ready to go.

As far as United’s push for European qualification goes, Luiz could be the perfect player to help push them up the table.

Amazing Hojlund upgrade: £58m "monster" now wants to sign for Man Utd

Manchester United are looking to bring in this new attacker before the transfer window closes.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jan 28, 2025

The cricket world reacts to Rohit Sharma’s stunning T20I century in Indore

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Dec-2017

Hitman at it again. Clean and powerful hitting at it's best. Take a bow brother. Double it up now. @ImRo45 #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/k3z00KqYNP

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) December 22, 2017

So This is Christmas … the lights are on in the crowd… Fireworks from Rohit and Rahul … and SL showcasing the spirit of giving #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/1R03pfqh65

— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) December 22, 2017

First t 20 200 by an individual and the highest team score, both records in danger of being broken tonight!. @ImRo45 is just painting the big hits like an artist. #INDvsSL

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) December 22, 2017

Wow again @ImRo45

— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage) December 22, 2017

There are a few in the world, but none in India who can catch up with Rohit when he is in this mood. #Rohit

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) December 22, 2017

What a stunning century it was from Rohit Sharma. 35 ball 100. May this purple patch continue. pic.twitter.com/1MsNKfJd0F

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 22, 2017

Rohilicious….first individual T20 double hundred is a real possibility. #IndvSL #Indore #DilMangeMore

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 22, 2017

Everytime you think you have seen it all, you see something incredible. Today, Rohit Sharma has shown us that. I admit I am gasping.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 22, 2017

Winless on the tour, it took a century from the New Zealand captain to help turn around their fortunes in Delhi

Arun Venugopal21-Oct-20161:46

Agarkar: Once Williamson gets a start, he gets big runs

It’s easy to picture Kane Williamson as a school head boy. Like the best of them, he is extremely talented, has a fine work ethic and seen to be an ‘all-round good bloke.’As with all good head boys, Williamson finds himself at the nervecentre of every activity. Team meeting? Call Williamson. Press conference? Williamson will tackle it.

Williamson on…

Winning and getting a hundred
“It’s great that we showed some signs of improvement from the previous game which is always our focus. Although there were a lot of dots which is sort of the nature of the surface there was also boundaries which allowed us to score at a reasonably good rate. So it was nice to get that partnerships saying if we were able to perhaps get a few more in the later overs, we could have gotten an even better score.”
Boult
“Boult was extremely clever the way he tried to swing the ball early and then made the adjustment to come round the wicket just so with the low bounce not to give width. He was extremely accurate and I think a huge part or a huge reason why we got over the line today is his 10 overs.”

There is also the inevitable comparison with his predecessor – Brendon McCullum – to contend with. While McCullum had the class of 2015 rapping to the tune of fearless, attacking cricket, Williamson’s imprint is still work in progress.The class of 2016 does not comprise slackers – most of McCullum’s merry men continue with the good work – but the India tour has proved to be overwhelming for many of them. Martin Guptill has resembled an agonised drifter, while Ross Taylor seems to have gone uncomfortably numb. After the Test series whitewash, the free fall continued in the first ODI in Dharamsala. Who do they call on to arrest it? You hear a chorus, “Captain Kane!”It is not like Williamson has had it all worked out himself. While he has looked good on different occasions during the tour – never mind the bullying by R Ashwin – he had not managed a century. “That is a good place to start,” Mike Hesson, the headmaster, may possibly have told Williamson on the eve of the game. “And, for heaven’s sake, win the toss.” No pressure, Kane.Hours later, Williamson loses another toss. Minutes later, he watches Guptill’s bat stay away from the ball’s path. Seconds later, Williamson walks out. India’s new-ball pair of Umesh Yadav and Hardik Pandya has a skinny leg-side field, and they keep the off side interested by bowling well outside off. Further, the slip goes out to short cover, and a gully is in place to shut down the dab to third man, one of Williamson’s strong scoring zones.Williamson, standing on middle and leg stump, moves closer to the off stump. The counter-strategy is to enable him to connect deliveries outside off better, and also create an angle favourable for leg-side play. And so, Williamson flicks and tucks balls that remotely veer towards middle and leg, while flaunting his cover drive when the bowler overcorrects and goes too wide outside off.MS Dhoni is doing everything to seal the off side, especially in front of square on a dull track, but there is the left-hand solidity of Tom Latham to contend with as well. Like many head boys, Williamson has a geeky, loyal sidekick in Latham, who refused to abandon the crease in Dharamsala even as the rest of his mates loped off.1:46

‘Fantastic effort from our seam bowlers’ – Williamson

The pitch has by now begun misbehaving, and the balls keep low as promised. But Latham is driving and pulling smoothly, as is Williamson, who does so by going down on his knee. At the start of the 13th over, he stays low and bashes Axar Patel through midwicket, and two balls later steps out to loft him over mid-on for six. The next delivery is flat and fast. Williamson lets the ball go past him and taps it on its head past gully. When Wiliamson is not playing these strokes, he is sweeping firmly and wristily. He has scored a half-century, but there is no theatre. The celebrations can wait. New Zealand, though, are breathing more easily at 115 for 1 in 20 overs.That soon changes as Kedar Jadhav dismisses Latham with his Virender Sehwag-esque offbreaks. Jadhav’s larger contribution, however, is drawing Taylor out of the dressing room. For the next 10 overs, Taylor is swiping at everything, but mostly air. Attempted cuts are inside-edged and slower ones are missed. The bowlers are now bowling further away from off stump. When one of Taylor’s desperate swishes lands into the fielder’s hands, New Zealand have scored only 38 runs in the 10.3 overs since Latham’s dismissal.Williamson knows the momentum has been snatched away. The bowling side is on top. He merely looks downwards with one hand on his waist. There is no discernible emotion otherwise. There is Corey Anderson on the comeback trail, and together they attempt to rebuild, brick by brick. As Williamson nears his hundred, the exertions are showing. On a day of unusual injuries – Rohit Sharma later seems to have a bicep cramp – Williamson’s forearms are cramping. Massages are given and fluids are administered, literally, as he is not able to hold the bottle.But, Williamson gets back to work, drives crisply to gather the two runs needed for his century. The bat is held up momentarily and the helmet is off, more as a polite ‘thank you’ than in any sense of accomplishment. Soon, he watches Anderson depart. Not long after, he departs, too, after battling three flanks – India’s tactics, his team-mates’ inadequacies and his own body.New Zealand’s last ten overs are a laborious blur and they only just manage a par score. But, as the night comes to a close, the head boy is making his victory speech. Unlike whatever he has done on the field, it is vanilla and free of passion. The good head boy is glad to keep it this way.