Marcus Rashford admits it has been "difficult" for him to settle quickly at Barcelona, after completing a loan move from Manchester United, but he is up and running on the competitive goal front. That account was opened when netting a stunning brace for the Liga giants in their first fixture of the 2025-26 Champions League campaign away at Newcastle.

Barcelona move for Rashford after Aston Villa loan

England international Rashford secured a surprising switch to Catalunya during the summer transfer window after being made aware that he still has no role to play for his parent club – with the second half of last season being spent with Aston Villa.

AdvertisementRashford scores first Barca goals in Newcastle win

Rashford jumped at the chance to link up with the likes of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, but is still searching for a lost spark – with inconsistent form leading to him slipping down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

The 27-year-old showed what he is capable of when netting two impressive goals at St James’ Park – one with his head and another that was rifled in off the underneath of the crossbar from 20 yards out – with said efforts seeing Barca to a 2-1 victory on Tyneside.

Struggles to adapt to new life in Spain

Rashford hopes shackles have now been shaken, after making a slow start to life with the reigning champions of Spain, with it difficult to hit the ground running when stepping out of your comfort zone. Rashford told reporters of that process: "We have a team with top players. It’s difficult to arrive in a new city, a new culture, but I’m enjoying it and I’m getting more and more comfortable. As time goes by I’ll improve my football."

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Getty 'Nothing else is on our minds'

Rashford has joined Barca in order to compete for the most prestigious of honours, with the ultimate Champions League target being set. Asked about the limit of collective ambition in European competition, Rashford added: "It's only to win it. Nothing else is on our minds. We know how tough the competition is.

"Playing for Barcelona is an amazing experience. I've always been a huge admirer of Barcelona. We want to win as much as possible. 100% I'm full of excitement. I'm very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team excites me. It's so refreshing to play with these players."

Crystal Palace are now targeting a “clinical” Premier League forward as a replacement for Eberechi Eze, amid continued interest from Tottenham.

Eze tells Palace to let him join Tottenham

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has now revealed that Eze has informed Palace of his desire to join Tottenham Hotspur this summer, with the move still expected to go through, despite the 27-year-old starting against Chelsea at the weekend.

Consequently, the Eagles will now be tasked with bringing in a replacement for the England international, and Ornstein names Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss and Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis as two potential options.

However, a deal for El Khannouss could be difficult to orchestrate, as the Moroccan’s release clause has now expired, and Leicester will be tough negotiators, while journalist Sacha Tavolieri has revealed Brugge are extremely reluctant to sell Tzolis.

As such, Crystal Palace may be forced to move on to alternative targets, and they are now eyeing Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Hwang Hee-chan as a direct replacement for Eze, with Tottenham recently submitting a bid for the Englishman.

That is according to Lianos on X, who also states the Eagles are weighing up the possibility of bringing in the Wolves forward on a loan deal.

The interest in Tzolis and El Khannouss remains, but Brugge are playing hardball over the former, having already rejected a £26m offer.

"Elite" player tells his club to accept Crystal Palace bid

Crystal Palace have shopping left to do in the market and find themselves pressing ahead.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 18, 2025 "Clinical" Hwang could reignite career at Selhurst Park

The 2024-25 campaign wasn’t the South Korean’s best by any stretch, chipping in with just two goals in the Premier League, however, the forward has previously proven himself as a reliable goalscorer in the top flight.

Most notably, the 29-year-old chipped in with an impressive 12 goals and three assists for the Old Gold in the 2023-24 campaign, during which time he was lauded as “clinical” by journalist Alex Richards.

As such, if the Wolves ace, who is known to pocket £70k-a-week, were able to get back to those levels, he could be a solid signing for Palace, although there are doubts over whether the South Korea international should be brought in as a direct replacement for Eze.

Hwang has most commonly featured as a centre-forward throughout his career to date, and Palace need to bring in a player who specialises in attacking midfield, so El Khannouss, who has two assists in two Championship games this season, should be their top target.

Everton looked to be on their way to a resurgence when David Moyes replaced the beleaguered Sean Dyche in January, and though the Toffees rose toward a comfortable mid-table finish in 2024/25, old issues seem to be resurfacing at the moment.

Moyes’ tenure has hardly turned stale, but he needs a few more signings before the closure of the transfer window, with Everton having struggled to hit their stride in their Premier League opener, defeated 1-0 at Leeds United on Monday evening.

Signings are needed, but since the Sky Sports pundits bemoaned Everton’s lack of activity, a £40m deal has been agreed with Southampton for the transfer of Tyler Dibling, regarded as one of England’s most exciting teenage prospects.

If The Friedkin Group manage to steer that one over the finish line, they look set to turn toward number nine.

Everton lining up deal for another forward

Dominic Calvert-Lewin left Everton this summer at the end of his contract. The striker has since signed for Leeds. He was one stream within a flood of departures, overseen by Moyes, deemed necessary after years of dour returns.

Replacing him, Thierno Barry has joined Everton from Villarreal for £27.5m, but, even with Beto in the ranks, Everton might be interested in signing another talented marksman.

It’s early days, but Everton like what they see, and according to Spanish outlet El Chiringuito TV, technical director Angus Kinnear is prepared to raid the Yellow Submarine once again this summer, having reopened contacts to discuss a deal for Karl Etta Eyong.

Though the 21-year-old centre-forward wants to continue his development in Spain, he’s tempted by the opportunity to play in the Premier League.

Villarreal would seek €25m (£21m) for his signature.

Why Everton want Etta Eyong

Beto and Barry make up a confident pairing for the number nine spot, but Eyong’s youthfulness and blooming consistency in front of goal suggest he might be a signing worth making to complete the set.

Perhaps what’s most exciting is Etta Eyong’s slick translation of goals in the Segunda division to a promising return in La Liga.

He’s yet to showcase his potency across many matches at the highest level, but the signs are certainly promising.

Cadiz Mirandilla

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Etta Eyong’s natural-born clinical edge and his “powerful” physical profile, as has been noted by journalist Kai Watson, suggest he has what it takes to succeed in ther Premier League, and with similarities to Everton recruit Barry, hailing from the same club, you can understand Everton’s desire to bring him over, having already opened talks.

The Cameroonian striker scored last weekend as Villarreal kicked off their La Liga campaign with three points, winning 2-0 against Real Oviedo. Sofascore’s data reveals the up-and-comer won three duels and completed 80% of his passes too.

The 6 foot 5 Barry’s profile arrested Everton’s attention, and with Beto’s long-term future at the Hill Dickinson Stadium uncertain, striking a shrewd deal for a talent such as Etta Eyong could be a masterstroke

Indeed, he might have that covetous innate goalscoring touch, which could prove worthwhile for the Merseysiders as they package their squad with enough quality and depth to challenge at the front end of the Premier League.

Better move than Grealish: Everton open talks to land Premier League star

Everton are interested in a deal to sign a star who could be even better than Jack Grealish.

ByWill Miller Aug 23, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo já tem uma logística definida para esta semana. Na quarta-feira (17), o Tricolor enfrenta o Sport, na Ilha do Retiro, pelo primeiro jogo válido pelas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil.

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Porém, antes da partida, o clube do Morumbi só terá um dia com treinamento com todo o elenco. Isso porque nesta segunda-feira (15), a equipe se reapresentou no CT da Barra Funda, porém os atletas que tiveram mais minutos no clássico contra o Corinthians no domingo (14) passaram por trabalhos regenerativos. Somente nesta terça-feira (16), pela parte da manhã, que a equipe treinará completa.

+ ATUAÇÕES: Rafinha faz pênalti infeliz e compromete ótimo trabalho defensivo do São Paulo em Itaquera

A dinâmica funcionará da seguinte forma: ainda nesta terça-feira (16), na parte da tarde, o elenco viajará rumo à Recife, onde será palco na partida. Na quarta-feira (17), os times se enfrentam às 20h (de Brasília), na Ilha do Retiro. Na quinta-feira (18), será dado um treino para os jogadores que não entrarem em campo contra o Leão da Ilha, na parte da manhã. De tarde, o elenco retorna para São Paulo.

+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Brasileirão
+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados do Campeonato Brasileiro na tabela do LANCE!

A reapresentação no CT da Barra Funda acontece na sexta-feira (19), já de olho no confronto do final de semana. No sábado (20), o Tricolor encara o Vasco, às 18h30 (de Brasília), no estádio do Morumbi. A partida será válida pela sétima rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. E por fim, volta a treinar no domingo (21).

Bangladesh batter was dropped from the Champions Trophy squad on Sunday morning, and scored a BPL hundred later that day

Mohammad Isam13-Jan-2025

Bangladesh batter Litton Das has accepted that he was dropped from the ODI squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy because of his poor form. Bangladesh announced their squad on Sunday morning and later that day Litton smashed an unbeaten 125 off 55 balls for Dhaka Capital against Durbar Rajshahi in the BPL.”The Champions Trophy selection wasn’t in my control,” Litton said after his performance. “The selectors took the call. They decide whom to play. My job is to perform. I haven’t been able to do that. I think I was a bit upset about it. I have the same mindset before and after the game today. The day has already passed. I have played a good knock but it’s in the past. I start from zero again. I will keep working hard, let’s see what happens next.”I was given a clear message. Maybe not from the selectors but it is easy to find out why I wasn’t picked in the team. I was dropped because I wasn’t performing. There’s nothing to hide about it. Basic, normal.”Related

Rangpur ride to seven in seven; Litton, Usman and Saifuddin put on a show

Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan slam tons to take Dhaka Capitals to record total

Litton and Shakib left out of Bangladesh's Champions Trophy squad

Litton hasn’t made it out of single digits in his last seven ODI innings and his previous 50-plus score was in October 2023. “Fans will support me but then when I don’t do well, people will be negative. That’s not really my concern,” he said. “I am focused on what I need to do. I haven’t been playing well, so I need to improve my game. I won’t change overnight, so I have to keep trying. People will love it when I score runs.”I am not out there to prove to anyone. I only look for improvement. I don’t think I was playing well for the last few months. I will try to become more consistent from this point, especially after this innings.”Litton began the BPL season poorly with scores of 31, 0, 2 and 9 before making 73 and 125 not out in consecutive games. The hundred helped Dhaka Capital end a run of six consecutive defeats.His unbeaten 125 contained 10 fours and nine sixes and his 241-run opening stand with Tanzid Hasan was the second highest partnership in men’s T20 cricket. Litton credited Shahin, a member of the Dhaka support staff who has given him throwdowns for years, for helping him out of his rut.”Shahin has been working in the [Dhaka Capital]) team. He has worked with Comilla Victorians for the last three years … He helps me in training all the time, and passes on information from time to time. He is capable of pointing out a batter’s mistake. That’s why I thanked him. But listen, please don’t make a news that he has now become a coach.”Litton believes Dhaka’s 149-run win against Rajshahi will help them perform better in the second half of the BPL season. “We have a good team but we haven’t been able to click so far. I think today was the first time we performed as a unit, both with bat and ball. We still have five matches left. Two teams are at the top, while the rest are around the same points. I think our run rate will improve after this game. We got our rhythm going. I don’t know if we can win the next games, but we feel more confident.”

أبدى الكسندر إيزاك، نجم نادي ليفربول، حسرته عقب خسارة فريقه أمام تشيلسي أمس السبت بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موضحًا أن العمل الجاد هو مفتاح عودة الريدز إلى الانتصارات من جديد.

ليفربول تعرض للخسارة الثالثة على التوالي في كافة المسابقات والثانية على التوالي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، والتي كانت أمام تشيلسي يوم أمس السبت بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد.

وسجل إستيفاو ويليان هدفًا في الدقائق الأخيرة من المباراة منح به تشيلسي الفوز على ليفربول بهدفين مقابل هدف.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فينيسيوس: لعبت بشكل جيد أمام فياريال.. ولا مجال لإهدار النقاط

وقال إيزاك لموقع ليفربول الرسمي: ”أعتقد أننا بدأنا المباراة بشكل سيئ للغاية، لكننا دخلنا الشوط الثاني بشكل جيد، دخلنا الشوط الثاني وبذلنا قصارى جهدنا لتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية، في النهاية من الصعب بالطبع استقبال هدف في الدقيقة الأخيرة”.

وعن ما قيل بين لاعبي ليفربول بين شوطي اللقاء: ”تحدثنا عن التفاصيل في ضغطنا وعن الكرة وعن المساحات التي يجب إيجادها لإيذاء المنافس، أعتقد أننا خلقنا فرصًا كافية للتسجيل لكن ذلك لم يكن كافيًا اليوم”.

وحول الشعور بالحزن بالخسارة في الدقائق الأخيرة: ”كما نعلم أن الفوز بهذه الطريقة هو أفضل شعور فإن الخسارة بهذه الطريقة هي أسوأ شعور، إنه أمر طبيعي جدًا، علينا فقط مواصلة التعافي والعمل الجاد الذي سيكون مفتاح عودة ليفربول إلى الانتصارات”.

وأردف إيزاك: ”أعتقد أن الإيمان موجود بقدرتنا على تقديم مستوى جيد وقد أثبت هذا الفريق ذلك مرات عديدة، الأمر ليس سهلًا بالطبع ولكن بالعمل الجاد والعمل على التفاصيل والعودة إلى أفضل حالاتنا، هذا الإيمان موجود لدينا”.

وتابع: ”أشعر أنني بحالة جيدة؛ لقد عملت بجد للعودة إلى أفضل حالاتي وما زلت أعمل للوصول إلى أفضل مستوياتي، كان من الجيد اللعب هناك مرة أخرى، كنت أتمنى نتيجة مختلفة لكننا سنواصل العمل”.

واختتم الدولي السويدي عن مواجهة مانشستر يونايتد عقب فترة التوقف الدولي: ”أنا متحمس جدًا للموسم بأكمله، علينا أن نتحسن مباراة تلو الأخرى بالطبع إذا أردنا تحقيق ما نطمح إليه، ولكن نعم متحمس جدًا لمواجهة مانشستر يونايتد”.

Phil Foden is back to his best at the perfect time for Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola full of praise for the England star ahead of Sunday's blockbuster clash with Arsenal. After a difficult 2024-25 season, Foden has rediscovered his spark in recent games, scoring against Manchester United on Sunday and assisting versus Napoli in the Champions League on Thursday.

• Foden back in form after forgettable 2024-25 season

  Foden struggled for form throughout the 2024-25 campaign, netting just seven league goals after being crowned Player of the Season a year earlier. However, he has reignited his impact this term with goal contributions in back-to-back matches against Manchester United and Napoli. His standout performance came against the latter on Thursday in the Champions League, where he created eight chances – the most in his Manchester City career to date.

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  Guardiola lays praise on 'the Phil that we know'

  "You could not imagine how much I missed him," Guardiola said in his post-match press conference. "The last two games have been the Phil that we know. He brings a sense of danger close to the box and he could have scored again.

  "We are so happy because I know that he is happy and has joy. Life is fine so the rest is natural with his incredible talent. Some people are sensitive, and he is a guy who needs to feel embraced. With me, with the club. After that he is the player that he is."

• Man City need Foden's resurgence

  Foden’s resurgence comes at a vital time, with City already under pressure in the title race following early defeats to Tottenham and Brighton. Guardiola’s faith in using him centrally rather than out wide has helped him rediscover his best form. With Arsenal up next, Foden’s creativity and energy could prove decisive in a match that feels crucial even at this early stage.

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  Foden and Man City up against Arteta's Arsenal

  Manchester City head to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday for a huge Premier League test against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. Guardiola will be hoping Foden can extend his purple patch and make the difference in a game that may set the tone for the title race.

Australia will have another debutant in their XI, while India will make at least one change in their bid to draw the series

Alagappan Muthu02-Jan-20254:27

Is Rohit in Manjrekar’s India XI for Sydney?

Big picture: SCG showdown to decide Border-Gavaskar TrophyFrom that first day, when 17 wickets fell in Perth, there has been intrigue in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Even the game ruined by rain in Brisbane threw up something unexpected – a sudden retirement. Now as a hard fought, highly entertaining series comes to an end, Australia have the chance to cement their legacy – the reigning ODI and Test world champions have one hand on a trophy that has eluded them for 10 years – and India still have the chance to deny them.There were reports of friction inside India’s ranks. The captain Rohit Sharma is so short of runs his place in the team isn’t looking so good. The coach Gautam Gambhir did not confirm if the captain would be in the XI, which created a very different feel to India’s build-up. Shubman Gill, who was left out at the MCG Test, was one of the first in the nets and Dhruv Jurel, who hasn’t played since Perth, was the last to leave. If that’s any indication of a change in India’s batting line-up, is Rohit going out?India have been struggling to score first-innings runs – their average of 22.40 is their seventh lowest in a season where they’ve played at least five Tests – and have had to play catch-up constantly in Australia. Sydney is a place they might enjoy though. The SCG isn’t quite the batting paradise it used to be, like when India declared on 705 here in 2003, but it is still offering 34.85 per wicket which is better than any other ground in Australia over the last three years. That could be one of the reasons Australia are bringing in bowling reinforcements. The short turnaround between the Boxing Day and the New Year’s Tests is another. Beau Webster will be making his Test debut in place of Mitchell Marsh.For a while it looked like India might be able to escape the MCG with a draw. Yashasvi Jaiswal once again proved to be India’s best batter. At the end of that game, Rohit said the juniors still had a bit to learn about Test cricket, but it seems like they’re doing alright. Jaiswal is India’s highest scorer of the series. Nitish Kumar Reddy produced their best moment. Akash Deep has won Steven Smith’s admiration, but he’s out of the Sydney Test with a bad back. India’s vulnerabilities lie elsewhere.Related

'He'll push through' – Carey confident Starc won't let back issue keep him out of SCG Test

Virat Kohli gears up for the final reckoning of a tour defined by misjudgments

Mitchell Marsh dropped, Beau Webster to debut in Sydney

Form GuideAustralia: WDWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India: LDLWLIn the spotlight: Rohit Sharma and Pat CumminsWill Sydney be the last of Rohit Sharma in Test cricket or is he already done? India’s win in Perth came without him. He tried not to upset their momentum by moving himself down to the middle order but then felt that wasn’t working well enough. With not enough runs behind him, his on-field decisions backfiring, and India’s next Test not until June 2025, by which time Rohit will be 38, it feels like the end of something. He did bat in the nets on Thursday, facing only throwdowns, which is what he did ahead of the Melbourne Test as well.If this series didn’t have Jasprit Bumrah in it, Pat Cummins would be its best bowler. After a wayward start in Perth, he looked pumped in Adelaide, keeping the rich tradition of fast bowlers and their nerve-popping celebrations alive. He was Player of the Match in Melbourne for contributing with the bat as well. A win at his home ground in front of what is expected to be record crowds again to seal a place in the World Test Championship final would be the perfect way to end the season for Cummins.Akash Deep won’t play the SCG Test because of a back niggle•Associated PressTeam news: Webster in; Akash outMitchell Starc will play in Sydney while managing a side/rib complaint. Webster, who bats right-handed and bowls both medium pace and offspin, will be the third debutant for Australia in this series after Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas. He was the highest scorer in the Sheffield Shield last season with 938 runs at 58.62 and took 30 wickets at 29.30.Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Sam Konstas, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Beau Webster, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Scott Boland, 11 Nathan LyonWith Akash ruled out with a stiff back, India will have to rejig their bowling attack, with either Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana set to replace him. There appear to be changes in batting line-up as well with Gill receiving direct attention from Gambhir, who gave him throwdowns. Jurel also seems like a chance to make the XI with Washington Sundar possibly sitting out.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt)/Shubman Gill, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 KL Rahul, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dhruv Jurel, 8 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 9 Prasidh Krishna/Harshit Rana, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed SirajPitch and conditions: A good cricket wicket A day out from the Test match, there was a bit of grass on the SCG pitch. The feedback Cummins has received about it from the two Shield games that took place here this season is that it’s been a “good cricket wicket”, with enough in it for the bowlers, particularly that there’s a bit more pace in it. The weather for the start of the Test is expected to be clear, although there is some rain forecast on the final two days.Stats and trivia Steven Smith is 38 short of 10,000 Test runs. He will join Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting as the only Australians to have got to the mark. He’ll be the second fastest among them, behind Ponting in 196 innings, if he gets there in Sydney. Sydney might be his home ground but Starc’s record here is under par: he has 24 wickets in nine Tests at an average of 44.16. History isn’t on India’s side as they look to draw the series. They have won only one out of 13 Tests at the SCG.Quotes”If someone had said 40-45 days ago that we would be in this situation, that we can come to Sydney and draw this series, it’s a good position to be in.”
“You go into every Test trying to win so no different this week. Really happy with the last three Tests, how the boys have played. We’ve shown for most that we’ve been the frontrunner, that’s the aim again this week, keep it up.”

Florian Wirtz opened up on his slow Liverpool start and insisted that he is desperate to bring out his best form amid Jurgen Klopp's "give him time" message. The German star arrived at Anfield with the weight of expectation on his shoulders after tearing up the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen last season. And the £116 million summer signing neither wants sympathy nor excuses for his rusty beginning.

• Klopp's words met with defiance

  While Liverpool have stormed out of the gates with a perfect start to the campaign, Wirtz himself has yet to light up the scoreboard with either a goal or an assist in the Premier League. Klopp urged both fans and his compatriot to keep calm, reminding everyone that adaptation to the Premier League takes time. Yet Wirtz isn’t buying into that narrative.

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  Wirtz wants to 'just stay cool'

  Speaking to , Wirtz was blunt: "Yes, of course I would have liked to have scored a goal or collected a few points. But no matter what anyone says, I’m staying cool. I know what I’m capable of and I also know that I’ll really bring it onto the pitch at some point, so I’m just staying cool. That’s a good reminder. I don’t want to hear it all the time, 'give him time, give him time.' Instead, I just try to do better each time than before."

• Wirtz convinced of turning form around

  Wirtz admitted that this is unfamiliar territory, a run of games without a tangible end product. "Sometimes there are just phases where things might not go your way; I haven’t had that very often in my career," he added. "Once I’ve got through it, that’s perhaps harsh, because I’m not playing badly, I just haven’t got the scoring points yet, it will come at some point, and then everything will be fine. It’s no secret that I’d like to have more so far, but I’m patient, and as I just said, I know full well that I can play good football. Sooner or later, I’m sure that things will return to normal."

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  Slot needs to solve the Wirtz puzzle

  Arne Slot has been praised for Liverpool’s blistering start across all competitions, but the question remains: how do you get the best out of Wirtz? At Leverkusen last season, he thrived in an advanced creative role, racking up 12 goals and 22 assists. At Anfield, he has been shuffled around as Slot tinkers with his system, and the fine margins of Premier League football have kept him quiet.

  Wirtz was benched for the Merseyside derby against Everton, only coming on as a substitute in Liverpool’s 2-1 win. But with competition fierce and the Reds already firing, he’ll need to seize his chance soon to become more than just the expensive passenger in a flying machine. The German ace has his next opportunity to silence doubters on Tuesday night when Liverpool host Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

Manchester United are now planning to smash their transfer record for a £100m “powerhouse” in 2026, having identified him as their prime target for Ruben Amorim’s system.

INEOS' decision to appoint Amorim questioned by Carragher

It has been far from an ideal start to the new season for Man United, having been dumped out of the EFL Cup by Grimsby Town, and won just one of their first three Premier League games, and Jamie Carragher has now questioned the decision to appoint Ruben Amorim.

Speaking on a new edition of The Overlap (47:39), the Liverpool legend claimed the board are to blame for hiring Amorim, given that they always knew he was going to instill a three-at-the-back system.

Carragher said: “So Manchester United right now, let’s say they’re a team in the middle of the table quality-wise, so they get asked questions defensively, at this moment the manager can’t answer. It’s too easy to play against.

“That’s my thing, but he’s never gonna change. So when we keep saying change, and I do think Manchester United have the players to play 4-3-3 more, you’re asking a manager who doesn’t believe in something to do something. That’s his thing – the guy that brought him in, it’s his fault.”

Man Utd agree personal terms with 109 career-goal striker wanted by Wilcox

The Red Devils are making progress in their pursuit of a new centre-forward.

ByDominic Lund Sep 3, 2025

The three-at-the-back system clearly isn’t working, with Amorim averaging just 1.37 points per match since arriving at Old Trafford, but INEOS are continuing to search for players who they believe would be a perfect fit in the formation.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Man United are now planning to smash their existing transfer record with a £100m+ move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba in 2026.

Baleba has been identified as a prime target to enhance Amorim’s system, and the Red Devils made contact in the summer to ensure Brighton are well-aware their interest is concrete, with the £100m+ asking price failing to deter them.

"Powerhouse" Baleba would be statement signing for Man Utd

Despite their struggles last season, United had no trouble competing for some highly sought-after players in the summer, winning the race for Benjamin Sesko, despite Newcastle United being well-known to hold an interest.

As such, Amorim’s side may still stand a chance of being able to sign the Brighton star, who would be a real statement signing, having made a name for himself with the Seagulls over the past three seasons.

Journalist Ryan Adsett was left particularly enamoured by the 21-year-old’s performances in the 2023-24 campaign, saying: “Carlos Baleba isn’t a Moisés Caicedo replacement. He’s very different – an agile powerhouse in midfield. Very entertaining watch, strong in the tackle and more than comfortable on the ball.”

With United identifying Baleba as an ideal fit in Amorim’s system, it is little wonder they are planning to make a huge bid, but it remains to be seen whether the Portuguese manager can make it to the January transfer window…