All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City’s mass-squad overhaul continues.

In January, the Sky Blues spent around £180m, which was more than the other 19 Premier League clubs combined, recruiting Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah.

Nevertheless, Pep Guardiola’s spending spree is not forecast to stop there, with the Sky Blues seemingly planning to splash the cash this summer too.

With Man City stalwarts Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne, possibly alongside others too, on their way out, do they have their eye on a “ridiculously talented” forward?

Man City's potential new attacker

According to a report by Foot Mercato, Gabriel Sara is one of Manchester City’s ‘top targets’ this summer, claiming that initial contact has already been made between the club and the player’s entourage.

Born in Brazil, Sara began his career at São Paulo, before spending two seasons with Norwich City in the EFL Championship, making 96 appearances for the Canaries, scoring 21 goals and registering 17 assists, leading analyst Ben Mattinson to describe him as “ridiculously talented”.

Thus, he earned a big-money move to Galatasaray last summer, the Turkish giants paying a reported £15.3m to secure his services, the highlight of his time in İstanbul being his goal during the Intercontinental Derby victory over Fenerbahçe at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in September, with Okan Buruk’s team currently on course to a domestic double.

So, would Sara be a good signing for Man City, and how would he fit into Guardiola’s team?

Why Man City could be targeting the new Bernardo Silva

As referenced earlier, Walker and De Bruyne are already confirmed departures from the Etihad this summer, but there could be more, with Bernardo Silva a prime candidate.

Since arriving from Monaco for a reported fee of £43.6m eight years ago, Silva has made 399 appearances for the Citizens, set to become only the 12th player in club history to reach 400 against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night.

Ben Littlemore of Transfermarkt labels Silva an ‘unsung hero’, adding that he was absolutely pivotal to Man City’s success under Guardiola. However, this season, the Portuguese international has endured a sharp decline, with Adam Drury of Goal believing his time is up at the highest level.

Thus, he could leave the club this summer, but would Sara be a good replacement? Well, let’s compare the duo to find out.

Appearances

41

44

Minutes

3,196

3,454

Goals

2

4

Assists

8

4

Shots

72

43

Take-on success %

64.7%

42.5%

Progressive carries

23

125

Progressive passes

66

157

Pass completion %

82%

87.1%

Big chances created

12

8

Ball recoveries

53

109

Average Sofascore Rating

7.19

7.18

As the table outlines, Sara and Silva are stylistically very similar, on top of the fact that they’re both diminutive and left-footed.

Of course, Sara has a long way to go to be as good as Silva, lagging behind in terms of progressive carries, progressive passes, pass completion percentage and ball recoveries, although the Brazilian has created more chances and been successful with a higher proportion of his take-ons this season.

It’s also worth considering the respective level at which the duo are currently playing at: Global Football Rankings believe the Premier League to be the strongest division in the world, with the Süper Lig down in 18th place.

Nevertheless, Sara is still only 25 years old, and appears as though he would slot into a Guardiola team nicely.

Best signing since Haaland: Man City consider move for £85m "genius"

Man City are looking to make a move for a teenager who is one of the best in Europe

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 25, 2025

Chelsea are now racing Barcelona for the signature of a highly-regarded young midfielder, who has been likened to Lionel Messi, according to a report.

Blues continue youth recruitment drive

Under BlueCo ownership, there has been a heavy focus on bringing in talented young players, with Sporting CP duo Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo the latest youngsters to be snapped up, and the Blues are showing no signs of slowing down ahead of the summer window.

Talks have now been opened over a deal for Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens, with the Englishman set to be available for around £43m – £51m this summer, and Enzo Maresca’s side are prepared to double his salary to get a deal over the line.

The west Londoners are seemingly very keen on bringing in a young winger, as they are also pushing to sign Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz, but they may have to fork out as much as £87m to prise the Turk away from the Italian side.

Gittens and Yildiz both have Champions League experience under their belt, while they have also been regular starters for their respective clubs this season, but there are signs the Blues are also keen to take a gamble on more of an unknown quantity.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Chelsea are now in the race to sign Malian youngster Aboubacar Maiga, who is attracting widespread attention from some of Europe’s top clubs, with the Blues ‘determined’ to win his signature.

Offer made: Chelsea now submit £47m bid to sign "world-class" goalkeeper

The Blues have made an opening offer for a goalkeeper, with talks expected to move quickly in the coming weeks.

ByDominic Lund Apr 27, 2025

Barcelona are also vying to sign Maiga, who has been given the nickname “the Malian Messi”, given that he is well-known for his technical ability, creativity and dribbling, sharing similar traits to the Barcelona legend.

The attacking midfielder is said to be regarded as one of the most exciting wonderkids in world football, given his talent in possession of the ball, while he has also displayed his leadership abilities by captaining Mali U16s.

Blues determined to seal Maiga deal

Chelsea are determined to win the race for the 16-year-old, and if he lives up to his nickname the teenager could be a future star, but BlueCo must make sure to also bring in players capable of making an immediate impact.

Over the past few years, the Blues have brought in a number of talented youngsters, but their transfer business has failed to translate to any real success on the pitch, although they are now in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The Blues have clearly identified striker as a position in need of strengthening, given that Nicolas Jackson has been inconsistent, while they may also look to replace Robert Sanchez between the sticks, and several targets have been identified in both positions.

Player

Position

Potential cost

Gregor Kobel

GK

£47m

Yahia Fofana

GK

£15m

Mike Maignan

GK

£67m

Liam Delap

ST

£30m

Serhou Guirassy

ST

£60m

Assane Diao

ST

£43m

Expectant Leeds United supporters packed into Elland Road couldn’t have dreamt up a better Easter Monday if they tried, with the Whites resoundingly beating Stoke City 6-0 whilst their promotion foes in Sheffield United suffered a slim 2-1 defeat away at Burnley.

Off the back of both important results, the West Yorkshire titans are now out of the grip of the Championship and heading back up to the top table, re-entering the Premier League in style, hopeful that Daniel Farke can help Leeds become a top-flight regular again.

This will be easier said than done, but the three-time promotion-winning German will hope his top performers from this brilliant win over Stoke can shine bright when stepping up a division.

Leeds' star performers vs Stoke

The obvious place to start here is with Joel Piroe’s devastating attacking display as Leeds’ main marksman, with the Dutchman staggeringly putting Stoke to the sword with four first-half strikes.

Any worries that he was deep in a patch of poor form in front of goal quickly evaporated, resulting in the ex-Swansea City man now finding himself on a bumper 19 goals for the season and ready for the might of the Premier League.

Moreover, Jayden Bogle was equally gung-ho throughout down the left channel, with the full-back picking up an assist in the big win to play his part in promotion being sealed, as well as hitting the post in the build-up to Piroe’s fourth of a frantic afternoon.

But, there’s one face that is yet to be mentioned that put in another stunning display for the promotion winners. Perhaps he might be Leeds’ next Raphinha in the Premier League…

Farke's very own Raphinha

Leeds will have to be proactive in the transfer market to ensure they stand a chance at consolidating themselves as a Premier League worthy club.

While not every capture the last time they were among the big boys went down a treat, a certain Raphinha was brought in as a statement buy way back in 2020 and it showed that the Whites were serious about staving off an immediate EFL return.

The spectacular Brazilian was nothing short of a sensation in Yorkshire, notching 17 goals and 12 assists in total for the Whites from 67 appearances, with 11 of those strikes coming during the 2021/22 campaign to help keep Leeds afloat in the top-flight.

Now at Barcelona, the Brazilian is among the best on the continent and is in with a genuine shot of winning the Ballon d’Or having scored 30 goals and registered 23 assists across 48 appearances.

Back in the EFL, Farke and Co will now be searching for their next Raphinha and they could find that by making Manor Solomon’s loan move a permanent one now promotion has been sealed.

An underrated but superb servant in helping Leeds earn a place back in the Premier League, the spellbinding Tottenham Hotspur loanee was a standout performer again versus the bewildered Potters.

He got Leeds up and running against Stoke to instantly ease the nerves when combining well with four-goal hero Piroe for the opener and he then supplied Willy Gnonto’s header, looping an inch-perfect cross to the back stick.

As a result, the 25-year-old went on to amass four key passes overall during the one-sided affair.

Firing two efforts of his own on the constantly bombarded Stoke net, the electric number 14 will have trudged off at the end ecstatic that his team were edging closer to promotion, but somewhat irked that he didn’t get to bag another league strike during the 6-0 bloodbath.

Games played

37

Goals scored

9

Assists

11

Big chances missed

6

Big chances created

19

Still, he will be very pleased with his role during Leeds’ promotion success, considering Solomon can boast a hefty nine goals and 11 assists from 37 clashes, resulting in a bumper 19 big chances being created for the likes of Piroe and other consistently on-fire attackers.

A tricky, energetic livewire, Leeds will be looking for a Raphinha-like figure to boost their hopes of beating the drop next term, and they may well find that the Israeli is the best-equipped to live up to the tag.

Handed a 9/10 match rating by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth, it will be interesting to see if the winger decides to stick it out with his loan employers this summer to prove himself in the division above. Twisting and turning Championship defences for fun is one thing, but as Solomon has already found out, the Premier League is a different beast.

Once upon a time, Raphinha cost just £17m to obtain, with a £20m move for Solomon in the pipeline, perhaps going down as a similarly golden move, especially if he’s able to translate his devastating second-tier form to the top-flight.

Shades of Ian Harte: 10/10 Leeds star was just as breathtaking as Piroe

Leeds United put in a promotion-worthy performance as Daniel Farke’s rampant Whites hammered Stoke City 6-0.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 21, 2025

Chelsea are clearly looking to repair all the poor business they’ve done in prior windows, aiming to sell high-earners that don’t justify their wages and players who don’t suit the current direction they are trying to take the club.

With Enzo Maresca looking to play a possession-based style, wanting to control matches, pin teams back and take the ascendancy, certain players are more suited than others.

Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling are two players who are out of the project but will return from their respective loans in the summer.

This will leave the Blues attempting to find new clubs for both of them, getting rid of their high wages in the process.

What the future holds for Sterling & Chilwell

Having barely kicked a ball under Maresca, Chilwell moved to Crystal Palace on loan in the January transfer window, but he sadly hasn’t made much of an impact so far, playing in just seven games across 243 minutes.

So, what’s next for the left-back? Well, it seems unlikely that Palace will snap him up permanently, meaning that the Blues will need to find alternative ways of ditching his sizeable £200k a week salary, a total that makes him the club’s third-highest earner.

As for Sterling, a permanent move across London is also unlikely. He moved to Arsenal in the summer on transfer deadline day, promising that Gunners supporters would “see the best of me” but it just hasn’t happened for him in red.

Indeed, the winger has made 24 appearances for the Gunners, scoring one goal, providing five assists and totaling 999 minutes played. He even missed a penalty in the Champions League, a moment that summed up his time at the Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea’s highest earner, taking home £325k-per-week, he will need to find a new club with a luxury of wingers at Maresca’s disposal.

Speaking of which, he’s not the only one who should be on his way out of the Bridge in the summer.

Chelsea's next Sterling needs to go

In the blue of Chelsea, Sterling played 81 games but it’s unlikely he’ll add to that tally having scored on just 19 occasions in that time frame.

A player with a fine reputation, he’s quite frankly been shocking over the last few years. Now, Chelsea may have found the next Sterling.

That player happens to be the much-maligned Christopher Nkunku. Signed from RB Leipzig in 2023 for a fee of around £52m, it hasn’t been a great time for the Frenchman in London.

It’s perhaps a surprise, particularly considering the France international netted 23 goals and provided nine assists in 36 appearances for the German club in the 2022/23 campaign.

However, since arriving at Chelsea, Nkunku has made 53 appearances, scoring 17 goals and providing five assists in 2,372 minutes played.

Whilst his goal-scoring record isn’t too bad, it is important to factor in that many of his starts have come in cup competitions, starting upfront in the UEFA Conference League this season, and often playing in the early stages of the EFL and FA Cup.

Goals

0.61

0.33

Assists

0.23

0.26

xG

0.47

0.30

xAG

0.20

0.20

Progressive Carries

1.67

5.45

Progressive Passes

2.45

3.55

Shots Total

2.68

2.29

Key Passes

1.27

1.36

Shot-Creating Actions

3.24

3.86

Successful Take-Ons

0.98

2.05

When comparing the underlying metrics of Nkunku this season and Sterling last season, you can see both players had some decent numbers in certain areas, both still scoring goals, contributing to the build up and creating for their teammates.

However, it is their work rate that continues to disappoint, both being brandished as lazy by many a fan during their time at the club.

He’s also attracted criticism from the media, ex-Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley labeled Nkunku a “total waste of money” when speaking on ESPN. The forward has had plenty of chances this season, especially in the absence of Chelsea stars such as Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer, but he has failed to show anything worthy of earning himself a starting spot.

With Nkunku on high wages and still a fairly highly regarded player despite his poor form, it would be a wise move for the Blues to cash in on the attacker this summer, getting some money back on their investment and allowing Nkunku to perhaps join another club he fits slightly better.

A better signing than Gittens: Chelsea enter race to land £150m winger

Chelsea are looking to improve their attack.

ByConnor Holden Apr 8, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are casting their eyes on a fresh new manager target, as under-pressure head coach Ange Postecoglou reportedly faces the potential sack this year.

Ange Postecoglou comments on future at Tottenham

Credible media sources are reporting that Postecoglou’s future is in real doubt, with Fabrizio Romano also stating that the 59-year-old is heavily relying on an impressive Europa League campaign to save his job.

Contact made: Tottenham targeting "exciting" manager likened to Pochettino

Spurs have reportedly approached his circle.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 2, 2025

Tottenham play Chelsea in their first game after the international break, and before the Lilywhites’ all-important London derby clash, Posfecoglou responded to speculation surrounding his tenuous position at the club.

Chelsea (away)

April 3rd

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

The Australian admitted that there are plenty of outstanding candidates out there to take his place, if chairman Daniel Levy does decide to hand Postecoglou his P45, and he’s taken a seemingly relaxed view on his long-term stay – suggesting other job offers will emerge if Spurs opt to part company with him.

“I know what my responsibilities are. I’m sure if the club decide to go in a different direction, there are some outstanding candidates out there for it,” said Postecoglou on his future at Tottenham.

“And you know what, maybe somebody will think, ‘Ah Ange Postecoglou’s not a bad coach, maybe we’ll take a punt on him’.

“It doesn’t rock my world, it doesn’t consume me. I am here and passionate about what we are doing. I was brought in to change the way the club plays, rejuvenate the squad and bring success. I am focused on that and that’s what I’ll keep doing.”

This comes amid news that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is Tottenham’s number one managerial target to potentially succeed Postecoglou (The Athletic), with other candidates like Fulham’s Marco Silva and Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi also under consideration (Fabrizio Romano).

Another tactician who’s impressed lately, now finding his way onto Spurs’ radar, is Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.

The Austrian recently booked an FA Cup semi-final spot with Palace after a big 3-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage, with the Eagles set for a trip to Wembley as they seek to make history and win their first ever major trophy.

The south Londoners have enjoyed an excellent run of form in the league as well, ending the season strongly, but Glasner stands to lose a host of key players this summer.

Marc Guehi is attracting serious summer interest as he enters the final 12 months of his contract, among others, so Glasner could well be tempted to jump ship if a suitable offer arrives.

Tottenham eyeing Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner

According to The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are admirers of Glasner amid their hunt for a potential new manager, but they’re not alone as RB Leipzig have their eyes on the 50-year-old as an heir to Marco Rose.

Their head of Global Soccer, ex-Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp, is also said to “strongly” like Glasner as an option. Palace, meanwhile, know what they must do to fend off interest in their growingly popular head coach.

Glasner wants assurances that they will try and push on to become European regulars, and is seeking clarity about star midfielder Adam Wharton’s future, as he’d like to keep the England international for another 12 months at least.

While Palace are hopeful of tying the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss down with a new deal, they’re also making contingency plans in the event he departs Selhurst Park this summer.

Called an “underrated” manager by sections of the media, Glasner was interestingly considered by Spurs as Antonio Conte’s successor, before Levy eventually decided to appoint Postecoglou.

Chelsea are now ready to trigger the £44m release clause to sign an “unstoppable” striker, who has been in fantastic form so far this season.

Blues stepping up striker pursuit despite Delap scoring first goal

The Blues upgraded their forward line considerably during the summer, bringing in Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, and the latter is now finally off the mark in front of goal, having scored the third in the comprehensive 3-0 victory against Barcelona in the Champions League.

Pedro has been more prolific, chipping in with four goals and three assists in the Premier League this season, and the Brazilian has also displayed his versatility by featuring at both centre-forward and in attacking midfield.

With the former Brighton man able to play in a slightly deeper role, there may be room in the squad to bring in another, more natural centre-forward in the January transfer window, and the Blues are now stepping up their pursuit of a Bundesliga star.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now ready to trigger the €50m (£44m) release clause in Serhou Guirassy’s Borussia Dortmund contract, having identified the striker as a priority target.

Manchester United are also in the race for Guirassy, who is open to a move to the Premier League, with Dortmund powerless to prevent a departure if one of the interested English clubs stumps up the requisite £44m.

The Guinean forward is enticed by the projects on offer at both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, and his performances so far this season suggest he would be able to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

"Unstoppable" Guirassy tearing it up in the Bundesliga

Lauded as “unstoppable” by scout Antonio Mango, the 29-year-old has already amassed 13 goal contributions across all competitions this season, particularly catching the eye for Dortmund in the Champions League.

Serhou Guirassy’s key statistics 2025-26

Appearances

Goal contributions

Bundesliga

11

6

Champions League

5

6

DFB-Pokal

2

1

The France-born striker has averaged 0.61 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 86th percentile compared to other forwards, while he is also impressive in the air, placing in the 82nd percentile for aerials won, having averaged 3.48 per 90.

As such, the Dortmund star clearly has the talent to succeed in the Premier League, but there may be some concerns about his age, given that BlueCo are known for wanting to sign younger players, and he is set to turn 30 in March.

Chelsea considering £120m double deal to sign two players from the same club

They’ve now become ‘top targets’.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2025

That said, with a potential title race on the cards, Guirassy could be a real difference-maker, and £44m would be a reasonable fee, given the level of his performances so far this season.

Richard Hughes was rightly lauded after overseeing a staggering summer transfer window for Premier League champions Liverpool, but any positivity has been scourged away by the dreadful form that has fractured Arne Slot’s reign.

Nine losses across 12 fixtures is bad enough, but the limp and toothless manner of many of the defeats – especially recent losses at Anfield against Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League – underscores the severity of the crisis Slot is dealing with.

He needs to find answers, or else FSG will be forced into making a rare managerial dismissal. It’s inevitable that discussion is increasing about the security of Slot’s position.

That would be an outcome few of a Red persuasion would want, not least because of a shortage of options.

Jurgen Klopp’s name has been bandied about, but this is not realistic.

Who Liverpool could replace Slot with

Klopp draped the curtain on his Liverpool dynasty at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. He was tired. It had been a tough, gruelling, heavy metal career on Merseyside, where he had devoted nine years to restoring Anfield as a global superpower.

Premier League

1x

19/20

Champions League

1x

18/19

FA Cup

1x

21/22

Carabao Cup

2x

21/22, 23/24

Club World Cup

1x

19/20

UEFA Super Cup

1x

19/20

Community Shield

1x

22/23

There has been some discussion online as to whether FSG should push for a comeback, but this romanticised notion would fall flat.

Klopp is not the answer. His quasi-retirement has seen him assume the post of Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH, and it’s important to remember that the German tactician’s tactical shrewdness waned toward the end of his tenure. He was tired, after all.

But, if Slot is fired, Liverpool would need to find a replacement, and Spanish sources suggest Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is on the shortlist.

Iraola, 43, is one of the most exciting young managers in Europe, having shaped the Cherries into a front-footed and sharp attacking outfit.

Compensation pay would be required to pull him away from the Vitality Stadium, but given Iraola’s vision aligns with the club’s long-term project, he might be the one to go for.

Why Iraola could be perfect for Liverpool

It was a bold move for Bournemouth to ditch Gary O’Neil after the pragmatic manager steered the club to safety after promotion to the Premier League in 2022/23. A bold move, but one carried out with diligence, for Iraola was earmarked as a progressive option.

And Bill Foley must be delighted. In 2023/24, Bournemouth recorded a record points total (56) in the Premier League, leading​ journalist James Horncastle to hail him as “the best coach in the Premier League” for his sharp-witted and positive approach.

Iraola likes aggressive and high-octane football. He is not as turbo-charged in his approach as Klopp, but the Spaniard would infuse Liverpool with more risk-taking and directness than Slot prefers, albeit still maintaining an emphasis on retaining possession.

This could play to the strengths of Florian Wirtz, who has had a tough time since joining Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m in the summer.

A silky and inventive attacking midfielder, the German has yet to register a goal involvement in the Premier League and has lacked the clarity and poise that was expected after the thrill of his official announcement.

There remains a world-class talent in there, and Wirtz’s woes come with the caveat that he has entered a dysfunctional tactical system.

Iraola’s focus on a 4-2-3-1 formation suggests that the 22-year-old could find a natural place at number ten. As per FBref, he does rank among the top 11% of positional peers in the English top flight this term for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90.

This suggests that Wirtz has the potential to be a superstar in England, and Iraola can provide the stability and fluency of tactics to help realise that.

He might not be Klopp, but Iraola has labelled his tactics as being akin to “rock and roll”. Klopp’s famous branding of his vision as being ‘heavy metal football’ suggests that Liverpool might hit the jackpot by making this switch.

No one wants to see Slot be sacked, but this pitiful form and level of performance cannot be allowed to continue, and Iraola has the acumen to revive Wirtz and bring the champions back into the ascendancy.

Better than Isak: Liverpool join race for "one of the best RWs in the world"

Arne Slot’s Liverpool tenure is crumbling before him, and FSG are considering changes.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 28, 2025

Ruben Amorim has now been Manchester United manager for just over one year, but there hasn’t exactly been much for Red Devils fans to shout about.

The Portuguese manager failed to bring them European football, and has a frankly poor record during his 12-month stint at Old Trafford.

The former Sporting CP manager has taken charge of 55 games for the Red Devils so far, winning 22, losing 22 and drawing 11.

His record in the Premier League is even worse, with United winning just 12 times under his tutelage in the top flight, suffering defeat 18 times.

One of the issues Amoirm has struggled with is profiling players in his infamous 3-4-2-1 system. There are still question marks over the suitability of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in a pivot.

The continued struggles of Fernandes and Casemiro

In modern football, having athletic midfielders is essential for success. A pivot of Casemiro, now aged 34 and still a brilliant ball-winner, next to Fernandes, who has been shoehorned into a deeper role by Amorim despite being one of the best number tens in the Premier League, has struggled.

That particular pairing has been Amorim’s go-to this term, but there is nothing to suggest it is optimising them. In fact, with Fernandes so deep, there is a case to be made that it is hurting the team.

United great Paul Scholes said earlier in the season that “there is no doubt” United’s captain should be playing as a ten.

He excels close to goal, with this goal in his recent hat-trick for Portugal a prime example of how effective he is in the final third.

As for Casemiro, the Brazilian is certainly lacking physically, despite being such a good ball-winner, averaging 3.62 tackles and interceptions per game this term.

As far back as 2023, Jamie Carragher said his “legs have gone.” He certainly needs someone more physically dominant playing next to him.

It is not just Fernandes and Casemiro who are being misprofiled by Amorim, though.

The two players struggling under Amorim

You certainly need to sign very specific players for Amoirm’s system to be a success. Indeed, the misprofiling of Fernandes as a deep-lying playmaker is just one example of making square pegs fit into round holes.

An area similar to that is at wing-back. They are, essentially, wingers, often the highest players for United, in one-vs-one situations with opposition full-backs. Amad is a player who fits the mould, but Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui do not.

Premier League Panel, an account on X, said their efforts in Monday’s 1-0 home defeat to Everton were “plain garbage.” Indeed, it wasn’t their best night at the office, but the roles they are being asked to perform, acting as wingers, are not playing to their strengths.

The fact that they are full-backs by trade certainly shows. Dorgu has just one assist playing high and wide on the left under Amorim. Mazraoui has also managed just the one, although he has played at centre-back, too.

Looking at their creative stats, you get a clear picture of the fact that they are misprofiled.

For example, focusing on the Premier League from last season and the start of 2025/26, Dorgu averages 0.3 crosses per game compared to 0.2 for Mazraoui.

Key passes

1.24

0.58

Expected assists

0.12xA

0.06xA

Crosses

0.3

0.2

Take-ons completed

0.36

0.87

Goal-creating actions

0.18

0.06

United lack an attacking threat out wide at the moment. Playing two full-backs at wing-back, who, it is worth noting, are good players when used correctly, is not helping.

It is certainly something Amorim should look to address in the coming weeks.

His time at United has been one to forget so far, but there is still time to salvage the season. It will be interesting to see if he keeps Dorgu and Mazraoui out wide, or switches them up for more attacking players.

Cunha upgrade: Man Utd could see £80m bid accepted for world's "best player"

This attacking star could improve Man Utd going forward

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 26, 2025

This improving Manchester United side was given more than just a fresh lick of paint over the summer, with the signings of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, in particular, breathing new life into Ruben Amorim’s ranks.

That said, for all the delight over Mbeumo, following his return of six goals in his first 12 United games, a key problem still needs to be solved – central midfield.

Casemiro, to his credit, has silenced the doubters amid his recent resurgence, although the Brazilian’s inability to last the full 90, alongside the lack of an adequate replacement for him, is becoming a growing problem.

Of the 20 goals conceded across the Premier League and Carabao Cup, 15 of those have come when the 33-year-old was not on the pitch, with Manuel Ugarte’s diminishing status highlighted by reports that he received a dressing down from his former Sporting CP boss at Carrington late last season.

With the more attack-minded Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo the only other senior central midfielders in the first-team ranks, hopes of the Red Devils kicking on surely rest in that department being addressed in 2026 – be it in January or next summer.

Adam Wharton, rising star at Crystal Palace, remains a leading target to fill that void – but is he the only solution?

Latest on Man Utd's interest in Adam Wharton

The frustration surrounding United’s errant recruitment in recent years is perhaps best pinpointed in the case of Wharton, with respected journalist Andy Mitten having revealed that the Old Trafford side were offered the chance to sign the elegant left-footer from Blackburn Rovers, prior to his move to Selhurst Park.

Unfortunately, the powers that be didn’t appear to see the merit in prising a relatively unproven teenage talent from the Championship, with Wharton going on to join Palace for a fee of around £20m in the 2024 winter window.

That investment has paid off handsomely for the Eagles, with the 21-year-old now a central figure in a side that claimed FA Cup glory last term, resulting in claims that the south London club had placed a £100m plus price tag on his head over the summer.

Amid parallel interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, reports in the recent window did suggest that Amorim and INEOS were keen on potentially reviving their prior interest in the England international, although the £250m outlay on their four actual signings likely put paid to that transfer chase.

Now, with January looming, United could go back again for the in-demand talent, with reports last month indicating that they are keen to steal a march on Real Madrid by making a £60m offer for his services.

Wharton, in an interview with The Athletic’s David Ornstein, has addressed such speculation, wisely suggesting that he pays little attention to the rumours:

Whether he actually wants to join or not, a problem still remains with the price tag that Palace could demand. With that in mind, might an in-house solution be the best bet for United’s sake?

Man Utd's answer to Wharton at Carrington

In the darkest of days in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, each manager has found a shining light from the academy set-up, be it Adnan Januzaj under David Moyes, to Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo under Erik ten Hag.

Surprisingly, Amorim – who helped to kickstart the career of 17-year-old Geovany Quenda in Lisbon – has thus far refrained from dipping into the youth ranks too readily, with this season yet to see the new boy wonder emerge.

Chido Obi, for what it’s worth, did make eight appearances last term amid United’s centre-forward injury crisis, although the Danish teenager hasn’t been seen since, with promising full-back Harry Amass also allowed to go out on loan after making his senior debut at the back end of 2024/25.

Tyler Fredricson

vs Wolves

20/04/25

Harry Amass

vs Leicester

16/03/25

Chido Obi

vs Spurs

16/02/25

Toby Collyer

vs Liverpool

01/09/24

Ethan Wheatley

vs Sheff Utd

24/04/24

Omari Forson

vs Wolves

01/02/2024

*in Premier League only

The lack of European involvement has been a factor in Amorim’s decision to overlook the young crop, with little need to rotate his side right now – not least amid this five-game unbeaten run.

Central midfield is one area the Portuguese coach does need to quickly address, however, hence why turning to a figure like Jim Thwaites could prove to be a masterstroke.

Still only 17, the dynamic midfielder is of slight frame and stature, although he has certainly caught the eye at Carrington of late, with recent comparisons even being made to the likes of Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick.

Like Wharton, he isn’t an imposing physical specimen, yet Thwaites makes up for that with his eye-catching technical prowess, with analyst Ben Mattinson – now a scout for Serie A side Como – suggesting that he looks as if he’s “stepped out [of] La Masia”.

La Masia remains the birthplace of the best and brightest that Barcelona has to offer, from Xavi to Gavi, the Catalan outfit certainly know how to cultivate the next midfield star of the future.

Like those at Camp Nou – as well as Wharton – Thwaites has that ability to collect the ball from a deep-lying role in between the centre-backs, before either producing a progressive carry or pass to spring United into life.

Already this season, the rising star has scored twice and provided one assist from his ten U18 Premier League outings, as per Transfermarkt, a respectable haul considering he has operated as a number six in each of those appearances.

The Bolton-born maestro – who is set to turn 18 next month – is certainly not as far along in his development as Wharton, although amid the prospect of having to fork out over £100m for the latter man, INEOS could well do with starting to develop their own future superstars instead.

At a club renowned for its academy work in the past, United need to get things back on track again. Thwaites, while it’s still early days, might be the best place to start.

Not Mainoo: Amorim can replace Casemiro with "Pogba-esque" star at Man Utd

Manchester United could have a wildcard solution to their midfield woes…

ByRobbie Walls Nov 13, 2025

Leeds United’s atrocious away record in the Premier League this season continued on the road at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

It’s now eight games in a row for Daniel Farke’s deflated Whites where they haven’t even scored in an away fixture, as Fabian Hurzeler’s hosts “outclassed” the visitors from West Yorkshire – as journalist Graham Smyth simply put it – by comfortably winning 3-0.

Of course, for as much as Brighton were at their dazzling best in spells, Leeds really didn’t put in a compelling enough fight to try and steal a result on the South Coast.

Several of Farke’s first team personnel very much let the under-pressure German down, as Leeds now slip nearer to the dreaded relegation zone…

Leeds' worst underperformers vs Brighton

Minus beating bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers on their travels at the tail-end of September, Leeds have been largely abject on the road in the Premier League since sealing promotion.

A 2-0 defeat away at Burnley to end October has now been followed up by this 3-0 disappointment against the rampant Seagulls, as Brenden Aaronson unfortunately receded back into his shell.

The gung-ho number 11 who took to the field against West Ham and grabbed a goal was nowhere to be found at the Amex, with the American failing to fire a single effort at the home side’s net.

To make matters worse, the energy and application were also lacking, with zero mazey dribbles pulled off, on top of only three of his ten duels being won.

Another strong performer versus the Hammers in Jaka Bijol, also looked out of sorts on the South Coast, as the towering Slovenian won just one of his own three duels, while Sean Longstaff further looked a shadow of his rampaging best, leading to Anton Stach replacing him on the hour mark.

In truth, nobody donning Leeds’ changed strip could come away from the one-sided affair holding their heads high, with journalist Adam Pope right with his assessment at the full-time whistle, when stating that there is a clear “big gulf” between the two sides.

Still, Leeds’ defence throughout was far too lax and charitable, away from waxing lyrical about Brighton’s clear firepower, as one of Farke’s defenders on the day put in arguably his worst-ever shift since joining the West Yorkshire outfit.

Leeds star had his worst game for the club

Unfortunately, many of Leeds’ promotion heroes have struggled at points this season already to acclimatise to the demands of the top-flight.

Joe Rodon hasn’t been one of those – with two goals already picked up in his new, fast-paced environment – but even he fell victim to a flat individual showing against Brighton, alongside Jayden Bogle also having a nightmarish afternoon he will want to quickly forget about.

In the Championship last campaign, Bogle was an undroppable whippet who was constantly full of energy down the right, as the “unbelievable” full-back – as Farke once lauded him – ended the title-winning season with six goals and four assists under his belt, while also collecting a mighty 16 clean sheets.

Watching his showing against Brighton, however, and you would think a different presence had entered the pitch altogether, with Bogle’s tenacious energy completely gone – as seen in him failing to complete one successful dribble – as an error-prone performance, instead, helped the hosts to an emphatic win.

Minutes played

77

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

37

Accurate passes

20/24 (83%)

Accurate crosses

1/3

Successful dribbles

0/1

Possession lost

10x

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

1

Blocked shots

0

Ball recoveries

1

Total duels won

0/1

Staring at the table above in great detail really does solidify the argument that this was Bogle’s worst-ever display as a Leeds player, with zero tackles being won and zero duels being won by the ex-Sheffield United defender only boosting Brighton’s confidence that they could comprehensively get the better of their weak opponents.

Diego Gomez would go on to have an “absolutely insane” game – as one analyst put it – because of the feeble number two’s off-night, with the 25-year-old then afraid to burst forward with his usual pace, knowing he had an extremely tough job on his hands to cage the two-goal Paraguayan.

However, Gomez’s final goal of the afternoon wouldn’t be the most skilful or high-octane goal. Rather, a scuffed attempt at a pass from Bogle – who lost possession a high ten times throughout – would then lead to ex-Leeds star Georginio Rutter putting it on a plate for the red-hot South American to bury.

The aforementioned Smyth would hand out a lacklustre 4/10 rating to Bogle at the close of the demoralising loss, with Farke now surely prepared to drop his regular for James Justin to get a run-out.

If they conjure up many more of those lifeless displays on the road, Leeds will be staring at an immediate return to the Championship, with Bogle potentially collecting an unwanted third relegation on his CV.

Farke can unleash Stach by dropping Leeds star who's "not good enough"

Leeds United boss could bring Anton Stach back into the starting line-up by dropping this star.

ByDan Emery Nov 1, 2025