Manchester United are now leading the race to sign a £30m “monster”, who scored at Old Trafford earlier this month, according to a report.
Man Utd eyeing new attacking midfielder
One of Man United’s main aims this summer is to strengthen their attacking options, and it appears as though they are now closing in on a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha, with work ongoing to finalise a contract agreement.
Cunha is expected to be brought in to play in the number 10 role, but the Brazilian is not United’s only target in that area of the pitch, having made an approach for River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono, who has a €45m (£38m) release clause in his contract.
Earlier this month, it was revealed the Red Devils are also in the race for Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, who could be allowed to leave Lyon on the cheap this summer, given the difficult financial situation the French club find themselves in.
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There has now been a new update on Man United’s pursuit of Cherki, with a report revealing they are now leading the race for the Lyon star, alongside Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are also frontrunners for his signature.
Bayern Munich and a number of other top European clubs are in the race for the attacking midfielder, and there is a feeling he could be available for a relatively low fee, with Lyon setting an asking price of around €30m -€35m (£25m – £30m).
Olympique Lyonnais' RayanCherkiwith teammates celebrate after the match
The 21-year-old is ready to move on this summer, and he has set his sights on a move to the Premier League, with a view to continuing his development, having already made significant strides this season.
"Monster" Cherki enjoying incredible campaign
The Lyon forward appears to have developed considerably in the 2024-25 campaign, having amassed a remarkable 12 goals and 19 assists in 41 matches in all competitions, with one of those goals coming at Old Trafford in his side’s 5-4 Europa League loss earlier this month.
Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has also lavished the Frenchman with praise, describing him as a “creative monster capable of magical moments”, and he has performed incredibly well across a number of key metrics for attacking midfielders over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Assists
0.59 (99th percentile)
Shot-creating actions
6.68 (98th percentile)
Progressive passes
8.97 (99th percentile)
Successful take-ons
2.72 (92nd percentile)
There is every sign that Cherki could be a fantastic signing for Man United this summer, although signing a new striker should be a priority, given that a deal for Cunha, who is set to play in attacking midfield, is now edging closer.
Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have failed to deliver this season, netting seven Premier League goals between them, and it appears as though Man United are now willing to cash-in on the Dane this summer.
Liverpool are cruising toward the Premier League title, with a variety of scenarios meaning that Arne Slot’s side could have the quest wrapped up before the end of the week.
However, FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes will be hard at work on the transfer front, getting everything in order ahead of the summer window.
Although Liverpool have exceeded expectations this term, there’s a sense that the Reds carry a number of weaknesses that need to be ironed out ahead of Slot’s second season at the helm, with Mohamed Salah the architect of most of Liverpool’s success in and around the final third.
Mo Salah looks dejected for Liverpool
His contract has been renewed, but the 32-year-old’s form has also dipped, and it’s clear that work needs to be done in order to bring him back to his A-game ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Mohamed Salah's dip in form
Salah has gone six games without a goal in all competitions, with his performances in particular against Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United drawing criticism from some onlookers.
However, it’s hardly surprising that he’s plateaued of late, having carried the weight of a multi-title-challenging football club on his back for the lion’s share of the season.
Salah, for what it’s worth, has posted 32 goals and 23 assists across all competitions this season, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher saying he’s “one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen in the Premier League.”
Mohamed Salah for Liverpool
And anyway, it’s not as if he’s been dismal of late. As per Sofascore, the 32-year-old has created seven big chances since last scoring in the Premier League four games ago, hitting the woodwork twice during the recent victory over Leicester.
Salah remains head and shoulders ahead of his goalscoring rivals in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot, even though it’s been four fixtures since he last made the net bulge.
1.
Mohamed Salah
33
27
2.
Erling Haaland
28
21
2=
Alexander Isak
30
21
4.
Chris Wood
30
18
4=
Bryan Mbeumo
33
18
His Liverpool teammates haven’t been the most helpful in front of goal, with FSG set to bring in some fresh firepower this summer.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Set to win the English title, Liverpool are gearing up to aim big, with one of Europe’s foremost players on the club’s radar.
Liverpool learn conditions for world-class forward
According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have learned that they could potentially sign Raphinha this summer, with financially-troubled Barcelona not against selling their most valuable asset.
With a vested long-term interest in the winger, Arsenal and Chelsea are both keen too and intermediaries have informed Premier League suitors that he could be available for around an £80m transfer fee.
Raphinha, 28, has indeed been one of the best players in the world this season and would significantly strengthen Liverpool’s robust attacking line, perhaps even restoring Salah to his absolute best.
Why Liverpool should sign Raphinha
If the money is indeed there to be spent on a rising sensation such as Raphinha, it feels like something of a no-brainer for a Liverpool side that will be desperate to consolidate its place at the top of the Premier League.
FC Barcelona'sRaphinhacelebrates scoring their third goal
Liverpool have dipped in form and fluency over the past several months, with Slot unwilling to utilise his wider first-team squad with the rotation that perhaps some fans have hoped for. But with a player like Raphinha, Liverpool’s frontline would only go from strength to strength, actually restoring talisman Salah to full strength.
Like Salah, Raphinha has adjusted his tactical approach to suit his burgeoning prolific ability. There’s no denying he’s a high-level athlete, with a powerful gait and fleet-footedness that once led his former Leeds United teammate Dan James to hail him as a “magician” of a footballer.
On that note, Raphinha is also Prem-proven, which is always a bonus. Littered with flops is the road toward superstardom on English shores.
But he’s never played as well as he is right now, within Hansi Flick’s attack-centric La Blaugrana set-up.
As per FBref, the Brazilian ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goal contributions and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90, perfectly illustrating his newfound place among the game’s top brass.
There’s also the matter of Raphinha’s Champions League campaign. With 12 goals and seven assists from 12 matches on the continental front, it’s clear why he’s among the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or, something Liverpool fans will hold onto hopes that Salah will claim.
FCBarcelona'sRaphinhacelebrates after Fermin Lopez scored their fifth goal
But with Barca challenging for a treble, there’s every chance that “Europe’s best player in 2024/25,” as he has been called by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, will swipe the crown.
Hypothetically, if Slot could succeed in capturing and preserving Raphinha’s ridiculous output, unleashing it on the left flank at Liverpool, then there’s no telling how dynamic and deadly his title-defending frontline might be next season.
Right winger
70
19
21
0.57
Left winger
54
30
20
0.93
Attacking midfield
8
1
7
1.00
Central midfield
1
0
0
0.00
Such a balanced attacking force could be exactly what Salah needs to stay firing next season, with the in-form Luis Diaz potentially playing in a centre-forward role to accommodate both players.
Salah’s multi-dimensional output would only be reinforced by Raphinha’s arrival, and even though £80m would make him one of the most expensive players in the club’s history, it’s something FSG will want to consider.
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Celtic have had mixed success in the Scottish Premiership since the club returned to action after the final international break of the 2024/25 campaign.
The Hoops made a fast start to the last stretch of the season when they hammered Hearts 3-0 at Parkhead in their first game after the break, thanks to two goals from Daizen Maeda and one from Jota.
However, they followed that up by being beaten by bottom-of-the-league St. Johnstone away in the Premiership in their most recent match on Sunday.
It was a disappointing performance and result for the Hoops, who could have little complaints about the scoreline after they failed to produce the kind of quality supporters have become used to seeing from them in the final third.
The difference in Callum McGregor’s performance between the two matches illustrated the difference in Celtic’s play, and why the former Scotland international is so integral to Brendan Rodgers’ style of play.
Why Callum McGregor is integral for Celtic
In the 3-0 win over Hearts, the left-footed star completed a staggering 99% of his attempted passes – making 66 of 67 – and assisted Maeda for the opening goal with a through ball that split open the Jam Tarts defence.
The Scottish ace also won two of his three physical duels during the match, whilst also making two interceptions, and was not dribbled past a single time by an opposition player, which shows that he excelled in and out of possession.
Callum McGregor
This meant that McGregor was able to impact the game at both ends of the pitch, by effectively screening in front of the back four and using his quality on the ball to create the opening goal.
Against St. Johnstone, however, the captain played the full 90 minutes and did not create a single chance for his teammates despite having 79 touches of the ball and completing 94% of his passes.
Minutes
64
90
Key passes
2
0
Assists
1
0
Pass accuracy
99%
94%
Duels won
2/3
1/6
Interceptions
2
0
Dribbled past
0x
1x
As you can see in the table above, McGregor’s use of the ball and his actions defensively were nowhere up to the standards he set during the win over Hearts, as the Saints midfielders got the better of him far too easily in physical duels.
The difference in his performance correlating with the difference in results speaks to how integral he is to Celtic, because he is the heartbeat of the side and much of the team’s success depends on him playing to his level in the middle of the park.
Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor.
McGregor, who has started 28 of his 29 appearances in the Premiership this season, provides a metronomic presence at the base of the midfield, controlling games for the Hoops, but allowed his level to drop against St. Johnstone and it contributed to the loss.
There is a former Celtic player, however, who has gone on to develop into being an even better player than the Hoops skipper in a deep-lying midfield role, as Ryan Christie has thrived since moving on from Parkhead.
How much Celtic sold Ryan Christie for
The Hoops reportedly sold the Scotland international to Bournemouth for a reported fee of £1.5m in the summer of 2021, having spent six years at Parkhead.
Christie made 151 appearances for the Premiership giants during his time in Glasgow, scoring 42 goals and providing 44 assists, before his move down south to the Championship – at the time.
During his time with the Hoops, the left-footed whiz predominantly played as either an attacking midfielder or as a winger as part of the midfield set-up, as he looked to impact games with goals and assists.
Christie was capable of the spectacular, as shown in the clip below, and even racked up an eye-catching tally of 21 goals and 16 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions during the 2019/20 campaign.
At that point, it seems unlikely that anyone would have predicted that Christie would go on to become an upgrade on McGregor in the number six position, as he was thriving as an attacker before his move to Bournemouth for £1.5m.
However, that is what has happened as the former St. Johnstone star has gone on to become an exceptional deep-lying midfield player in the Premier League at the Vitality.
Why Christie is now an upgrade on McGregor
Since signing for the Cherries, the bulk of the 30-year-old star’s appearances for the club have come as a defensive midfielder or a central midfielder, which is a big change from purely playing as an attack-minded midfielder or winger for Celtic.
If you compare Christie’s performances against McGregor’s over the past 365 days, whilst both now play in similar positions in midfield – unlike their time together at Parkhead, then it appears as though the left-footed ace would be an upgrade on the Celtic captain.
As you can see in the chart above, the Bournemouth star offers significantly more out of possession whilst also providing his team with more from an offensive perspective, when it comes to creating chances and building play that leads to shots.
Similar conclusions can be drawn by comparing Christie’s form in the Premier League to that of McGregor’s in the Champions League in the 2024/25 campaign, as shown below.
These statistics, this season and over the past 365 days, suggest that the former Bhoys ace would currently be an upgrade on McGregor in midfield, by doing more to help out his defence whilst also providing more creativity with his passing from a deep-lying role.
The Scottish ace was hailed by former Cherries defender Joe Partington earlier this year, as the former Celtic man was lauded for his consistency in the middle of the park.
Partington said: “Ryan Christie’s consistency this season is incredible. His level is so so high – his ability to look exceptionally in control of what he’s doing. I hope its not underwhelming to say he’s outstandingly basic.”
Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie.
He added: “His touch is always perfect, his pass is always the right weight at the right time at the right angle – he plays the pass to the right player in the right moment into the right space.”
Christie, who has started 27 of his 29 appearances in the Premier League, has consistency to go along with his quality on the pitch, and consistency has been an issue – albeit over just two games – for McGregor since the international break.
However, there is no guarantee that he would have developed in the way that he has if Celtic had kept him at Parkhead, as the midfielder may have stuck to his role as an attacker, rather than being moved further back into a number six position.
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Therefore, the Hoops may not see Christie as one that got away from them from that perspective, but he was still a quality player who was sold for a relatively small amount of money, which should be frustrating for the Scottish giants.
New South Wales captain Moises Henriques admitted there was relief after the team ended their 15-match winless run in the Sheffield Shield with a convincing victory over defending champions Western Australia.The visitors were bowled out for 136, after making 141 on the opening day, while Ollie Davies playing the defining innings of the game with his maiden first-class century.Related
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New South Wales had seen victory slip away from them in the opening match of the Shield season when Queensland secured a draw at Cricket Central then they lost against South Australia and Victoria.They had not won in the competition since beating Tasmania at the SCG in February 2022.”It’s definitely a huge relief,” Henriques said. “If anything, I feel like our preparation through pre-season had been magnificent and feel like I’ve seen a lot of the players grow in confidence. And we weren’t quite getting the results in the longer format.”Think it’s really important to get a result to give the guys a little bit of reward for some really positive processes otherwise that doubt starts to set in again. Until you start seeing some results that doubt’s always there, so I’m hoping on the back of that it builds up a lot of belief and a lot of confidence that they are on the right path because I believe they are.”It’s been a great week and we’ve shown with the skill around the squad that we can match it and defeat the reigning premiers in both competitions. We don’t get carried away, it’s one Shield win…[but] I’m hopeful that’s the first of many into the future.”WA had been reduced to 34 for 6 on the second day but then provided some stubborn resistance led by Cameron Bancroft who was eventually ninth out when he edged Liam Hatcher to slip from round the wicket for a 160-ball 54.He had added 66 for the eighth wicket with Charlie Stobo to take WA to the brink of a lead before Stobo fended Hatcher to leg gully. The last three wickets fell for two runs leaving NSW a target of just two that was achieved before lunch.”Our bowlers came up to another level and to bowl a WA side out for 140 in both innings was a pretty good result,” Henriques said. “You take Ollie’s 130 out of our scoring – that was a very special knock.”WA coach Adam Voges acknowledged his team had not been able to respond to the pressure put on by the NSW attack”We were below par from probably ten minutes before lunch on day one when we lost those couple [of wickets],” he said. “We were outplayed by New South Wales, they were very good and we were off. The result reflects that.”We were put under pressure…this is probably the first time our middle order has been exposed a little earlier and unfortunately we weren’t able to handle that challenge this week.”Voges was hopeful that Aaron Hardie, who missed this match with a minor quad strain, would be available to face South Australia at the WACA next week.
The Red Devils are selling their most exciting prospect in a decade on the whim of the coach – but what if the Portuguese proves to be the wrong man?
The last time Manchester United achieved their worst Premier League points total, supporters looked to the club's youth academy for hope. They found it in Alejandro Garnacho, who fired the young Red Devils to FA Youth Cup glory with seven goals, including two in the final against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford. Two years later, Garnacho did it again, but this time in the senior FA Cup, scoring alongside his old academy team-mate Kobbie Mainoo to sink Manchester City at Wembley.
Garnacho and Mainoo had been the only positive stories of another wretched campaign in 2023-24, when United registered their worst league finish in 34 years, though Garnacho took more of the limelight thanks to his show-stopping moments, which included braces against West Ham Chelsea and Aston Villa as well as his sensational bicycle kick at Everton, which won the Premier League's Goal of the Season award.
But after another dismal season for United where they earned their lowest points total in Premier League history and posted their worst league finish since being relegated in 1974, Garnacho is no longer a source of hope. He has instead become the scapegoat for the team's problems and is being hounded out by Ruben Amorim.
Getty No going back
Amorim has his reasons for casting Garnacho aside, with the player's petulant remarks after not starting the Europa League final being the most serious in a line of missteps.
The coach did not approve of Garnacho'ss attitude to training less than one month after taking the United job, and dropped him for the derby at Manchester City in December along with Marcus Rashford. Amorim quickly reintegrated Garnacho – unlike Rashford – and praised him for showing an improved attitude and adapting to his style of play, only for the Portuguese to be embarrassed by the player storming down the tunnel after being substituted against Ipswich Town. It was an act which hit Garnacho in the pocket as he invited the team out to dinner to say sorry.
Now, though, there is no going back after Amorim informed Garnacho in front of his team-mates at training last Saturday that he would have to leave the club this summer. The player can have no real complaints. In the now infamous interview with Spanish media in the mixed zone at San Mames – in which the player had protested about not starting the final and criticised his side for "beating no one in the league" – he had suggested he was already considering his future. "I'm going to enjoy the summer and see what happens after," he said.
While neither Garnacho's representatives nor United have commented on Amorim's reported ultimatum, the winger's girlfriend sought to take control of the narrative by announcing on Instagram that the season-ending game against Aston Villa – which the winger was not included in the squad for – was her last. Garnacho's body language during the post-season tour of Asia, meanwhile, has also painted the picture of a player who does not have much of a future at United.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesOffers will flood in
Amorim reportedly told Garnacho "you better pray a club wants to sign you", but the truth is the player should have no issues finding any suitors. Napoli were keen on him in January, although their £40 million ($53m) bid was rejected by United. Chelsea were also interested, while in the aftermath of Saturday's showdown talks with Amorim it has been reported that Napoli have renewed their interest in Garnacho while AC Milan have also entered the race.
Garnacho's numbers in a badly-performing United team should also help his cause. He has contributed to 48 goals in 144 appearances for United, many of which were not starts. He is also a prolific chance-creator and has been playing in a team that is severely lacking in a proper presence inside the box. Data shows that Garnacho provides the third-most balls across the goal in Europe's top five leagues among players aged under 21, only trailing Lamine Yamal and Desire Doue.
Garnacho has also got an excellent fitness record. The only major absence in his three years with the first team at Old Trafford came after he suffered an unfortunate ankle injury against Southampton in March 2023, which led him to miss just under two months of action. Otherwise he is capable of playing twice a week and giving his all while doing so.
Described as "a showman" by United's head of academy Nick Cox – the man who signed him from Atletico Madrid in 2020 – Garnacho has a knack for generating excitement every time he picks the ball up. And let's not forget he does not turn 21 until July, meaning offers are sure to flood in when the transfer window opens. All Amorim has done is drive the price down as interested clubs will know that the coach has now staked his reputation on getting rid of of one of his most decisive attackers.
Getty ImagesLife is good beyond United
United have got rid of plenty of players in the last couple of years who they felt were not performing well enough, only to see them excel elsewhere. A whole host of flagging careers have been completely revitalised since leaving Old Trafford.
Rashford has played his way back into the England squad thanks to his performances on loan at Aston Villa, while fellow wide forward Antony has become an icon at Real Betis and earned a recall to the Brazil squad.
Scott McTominay has achieved legendary status at Napoli; David de Gea has rediscovered his love for the game after coming close to retirement following his acrimonious departure from the club; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, always seen as a one-v-one defending specialist, has turned into one of West Ham's best attackers; Anthony Elanga has helped propel Nottingham Forest back into Europe.
These players, who were regarded as anywhere between underwhelming and total flop status, have discovered that life beyond United can be far more enjoyable than within the walls of Old Trafford and Carrington. So as one of the best players United have had in the last couple of years, Garnacho has nothing to fear about taking his career in a new direction.
United, though, have a lot to lose.
Getty Images SportMassive talent & ambition
Garnacho has often resembled a young Cristiano Ronaldo in his first few years at United. Ronaldo, like Garnacho, came into the senior team as an 18-year-old and generated huge excitement with his debut display against Bolton Wanderers. But in those early years, he was also frustrating and often unproductive. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored only 18 times in his first three campaigns in the Premier League despite playing for a United team challenging for the title. In a team that finished eighth last year and 15th this season, Garnacho has a total of 16 league goals.
He became the first teenager to score in an FA Cup final for 20 years. The last to do so? Ronaldo. Garnacho's bicycle kick at Everton also drew comparisons with Ronaldo's goal for Real Madrid against Juventus in 2018, in addition to Wayne Rooney's famous strike against Manchester City in 2011. Both players pulled off their goals at the height of their careers, while Garnacho was in the infancy of his.
The forward's comments after the Europa League final game did smack of self-importance, but they also showed Garnacho's confidence. This is a player who has never lacked ambition, belief or drive. When Cox was trying to assess Garnacho's character when attempting to sign him in 2020, he recalled to GOAL: "He knew that he wanted to be the best footballer he could possibly be and would have gone to any length to do that. He had a hunger to play in the Premier League and he had a real appetite to play for Manchester United."
Deco admits Barcelona are not aiming to sign a striker this summer, clearing the way for Arsenal and Chelsea to battle for Viktor Gyokeres.
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Sporting CP star linked with transferDeco rules Barca out of chasePL clubs ready to do battleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Gyokeres has been heavily linked with a potential exit from Sporting this summer amid interest from a clutch of clubs. Barcelona had been touted as potential suitors as they looked to source a replacement for Robert Lewandowski but sporting director Deco says they are not interested.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea have been linked with a late swoop to sign Gyokeres from under the noses of Arsenal, who have reportedly been leading the race. The striker scored 54 goals in all competitions for the Portuguese club this season, and reportedly has a €100 million (£83m/$107m) release clause.
WHAT DECO SAID
Deco said, per A Bola: "Gyokeres is a great striker who did excellent things at Sporting but we’re currently not looking for that position.
"We have Lewandowski at number nine."
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
Gyokeres' contract with Sporting expires in 2028 but he appears destined to leave the club this summer.
Manchester City are safely through to the FA Cup quarter-finals thanks to a 3-1 win at home to Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle.
This game had the potential to be a tricky one to navigate for the Citizens given the Pilgrims knocked out Premier League leaders Liverpool in the previous round.
As it happened, the visitors took the lead at the Etihad Stadium. It was a poor goal to concede from City’s point of view, as Argyle centre-back Maksym Talovierov found himself unmarked from a corner and rose highest to head home.
However, City did not have to wait too long for their equaliser. Youngster Nico O’Reilly levelled the game back up in first-half stoppage-time and got himself a second to give City the lead with 15 minutes left.
Pep Guardiola’s men sealed their place in the next round thanks to a goal from Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian, who put in an impressive performance, ran onto a through ball from talismanic striker Erling Haaland and poked home from just inside the six-yard box.
It was a professional performance on the whole from the Citizens, although one player who struggled at times was youngster James McAtee.
James McAtee's stats v Plymouth
Make no mistake, McAtee’s performance was by no means a poor one. However, the City ace, who operated in the No 10 role against the Championship outfit, did not really have a big influence on the game.
Manchester City'sJamesMcAteecelebrates after the match
That said, this was not through lack of effort. The midfielder, who was substituted on the hour mark for Haaland, worked incredibly hard, but simply struggled to get into the game.
McAtee’s stats from the game on Sofascore show just how tough of a match it was for him. The 22-year-old had just 35 touches, although he did manage to create two chances in that time.
Joe Krishnan, a journalist for The Express, gave the attacking midfielder a post-match rating of 6/10 for his efforts. He explained that he “looked bright in the early stages” and was “recognised with a warm ovation” upon his substitution.
It was certainly a mixed night for McAtee, although the same cannot be said for another City academy star who didn’t just outclass the academy graduate but also the great De Bruyne.
The Man City player who thrived most vs Plymouth
It was an excellent evening for Nico O’Reilly. The youngster has now played nine times for the first team this season following his performance against the Pilgrims, and has impressed with his ability on the ball and versatility.
On Saturday night, the youngster started at left-back, but he has also played at centre-back, across the midfield and even as a No 9 this term, which is certainly handy for Guardiola to rely on.
His goals were impressive, too. Both were headers from set-pieces, with the first a glancing effort from a De Bruyne cross that the goalkeeper got a hand to, but nothing more. O’Reilly’s was teed up by Phil Foden for his second, scoring with a towering effort at the back post from a corner.
The youngster’s stats from the game showed how big his influence was. He had 90 touches and completed 89% of his passes. The City left-back also made one clearance and one interception.
Stat
Total
Touches
90
Pass accuracy
89%
Passes completed
65/73
Shots on target
2
Goals
2
Clearances
1
Interceptions
1
Krishnan highlighted that O’Reilly had to grow into the game, pointing out that he “initially struggled to make the same impact” as Josko Gvardiol in an attacking sense. However, he gave him an 8/10 for what was ultimately a decisive performance.
O’Reilly is certainly an exciting talent and really feels like the future feature of the Citizens team for the coming years.
His ability to play anywhere required of him on the pitch and his capability of finding the net is extremely useful.
Nico O'Reilly for Manchester City
The 19-year-old has certainly not done his future first-team chances any harm after Saturday’s showing. Perhaps City will get used to the sight of him donning that famous sky blue shirt with Haaland and co on a more regular basis.
Man City hit the jackpot on £76m ace who has genuine Ballon d'Or potential
Ruben Amorim has explained why Viktor Gyokeres could reject a transfer to Manchester United, admitting that the Sporting CP striker “won’t come”.
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Swedish forward starring in Portugal
Premier League switch speculated on
Red Devils & Arsenal are both in the mix
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱
WHAT HAPPENED?
Swedish sensation Gyokeres has become one of the most sought-after talents in world football. The 26-year-old forward has hit 52 goals across all competitions this season, and 95 through 98 appearances during his time in Lisbon.
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Getty
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The former Brighton and Coventry frontman is now seeing a return to English football speculated on. Having previously worked with Amorim in Portugal, a reunion for the pair at Old Trafford has been mooted.
DID YOU KNOW?
United are, however, languishing 14th in the Premier League table. They are into the Europa League semi-finals, where they will face Athletic Club, and ultimate glory in that competition would secure Champions League qualification for 2025-26.
AFP
WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID
Amorim admits that the Red Devils need to be rubbing shoulders with the European elite in order to stand any chance of signing Gyokeres. He has said of a player that he knows well: “I didn't talk to him. But if a player only wants to come to Man United to play Champions League, then he won't come. We want players who want to represent United, not players who want to play certain competitions.”
Yorkshire young guns Finlay Bean and George Hill posted superb centuries – 114 and 101 respectively – to ensure their side dominated the opening day of the LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Gloucestershire at Headingley.Left-handed opener Bean faced 153 balls for his second century of the Division Two season – and the second of the 21-year-old’s fledgling career. It was the main contribution in Yorkshire’s 393 for 6 from 91 overs.He shared a stand of 57 with Dawid Malan for the third wicket during the morning and then 153 for the fourth either side of lunch with fellow up and comer George Hill, who then faced 180 balls and shared 111 for the fifth wicket with Jonny Tattersall.It was allrounder Hill’s first century of the summer, with Gloucestershire too loose with the Kookaburra ball having been asked to bowl in excellent batting conditions.Left-arm seamer Taylor stood out like a sore thumb amongst his colleagues with three for 43 from 17 overs, including Tattersall late on for 79. Five overs were lost to evening rain.Play was watched by Yorkshire’s new chair Harry Chathli and also their former County Championship title-winning coach Jason Gillespie, the Australian bowling legend who was triumphant with the county in 2014 and 2015.He is back in the UK for the Ashes and back at Headingley for the first time since leaving. Things have changed dramatically since Gillespie departed at the end of 2016, his side having just missed out on a third successive Championship title to Middlesex.Not only has there been upheaval off the field, results have fallen drastically on it as well, highlighted by this being a Division Two encounter.Only Adam Lyth and Matthew Fisher from the current side played four-day cricket during the Australian legend’s golden tenure.But the performances of two young players who were only playing county age-group during Gillespie’s tenure should serve as indication of future promise.Lyth’s opening partner Bean, 21, was playing for Yorkshire Under 14s during Gillespie’s last year in 2016 and Hill for the Under 15s.Bean has enjoyed an encouraging start to life in senior cricket having returned to the club last summer following a brief break to go and work as a mechanic.He earned a rookie contract on the back of a record-breaking 441 in the second team last year and made his first-team bow in August.He played a trio of Championship matches last September, but was a first choice starter at the beginning of April and scored 118 in the opening round defeat here against Leicestershire.Bean watched on from the non-striker’s end as three senior partners departed before lunch, including Lyth and captain Shan Masood within four balls to Taylor as the score slipped to 33 for 2 in the sixth over. Lyth edged to second slip trying to leave alone before Masood was trapped lbw for a three-ball duck.Bean shared 57 with another left-hander, Dawid Malan, who looked in good order for 28 before being caught behind down leg trying pull Ben Charlesworth’s seam – 90 for 3 in the 17th.But Gloucestershire’s good early work was eroded thanks to their inability to limit the fours, especially to the short boundary towards the East Stand side of this ground.Hill, 22, is more advanced in his development than Bean – a right-hander particularly strong against spin. Hill has been frustrated by his inability to build on starts over the last couple of seasons. But he did here. This was his best of four times beyond 50 in the Championship this season.Bean reached his century off 140 balls midway through the afternoon. But he only faced 13 more deliveries and fell caught at deep square-leg pulling at Zaman Akhter – 243 for 4 in the 53rd over.After tea, Hill moved into the nineties and took Yorkshire beyond 300 by helping Tattersall take 19 from the 72nd over against Gohar, including a slog-swept six over midwicket.He reached his century off 177 balls before falling caught behind off Ollie Price’s offspin. And when Taylor, now bowling with the new ball, had Tattersall caught at second slip, Yorkshire were 368 for 6 after 86 overs.
Ashes-winning captain, autocratic “supremo”, Farsley CC groundsman – “Illy” was one of the game’s true greats
David Hopps25-Dec-2021Raymond Illingworth had a fair claim to be considered the most competent English cricketer since the war. He was not, as Yorkshire’s pointed out, a great batsman, nor a great bowler, nor a great fieldsman. But he was a professional’s professional, “sufficiently expert, in his employment of experience, knowledge, tactical insight and psychology as a captain to be remembered without qualification as a great cricketer”.In fact, there was little Illingworth (known throughout his career as “Illy”) did not know about cricket and virtually nothing he could not do in the game. As a small boy he would help prepare his local club ground for a match and when his race was run, and he had a distinguished record as a former England manager and captain, he still enjoyed rolling the grass and marking the pitch at his local Bradford League club, Farsley. He had opinions on groundsmanship as he had opinions on everything else that was cricket related. He was truly a cricket man for all seasons and for all moments, critical or contemplative.The son of a cabinet-maker and joiner, he inherited strong hands, long fingers, powerful arms and an attention to detail. He left school in Farsley at 14 with a batting average of 100 and a bowling average of two. He furthered his cricketing education on the damp pitches and in the stinging winds of the Bradford League which encouraged in him a pragmatism that never wavered. When he was only 15, he scored 148 not out in a Priestley Cup Final spread over several evenings.Related
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Illingworth was playing for Yorkshire’s 2nd XI before he gained wider prominence during national service when playing for the RAF and Combined Services. He was 19 when he scored 56 on his debut for Yorkshire in 1951 but was unable to compete for a regular place until after his release in 1953 when a series of mishaps to Yorkshire’s bowlers left a vacancy.Illy had bowled right-arm medium until he discovered, in a league match, a talent for offspin and it was as an offbreak bowler, with a well-disguised “arm” ball that he would be mostly remembered. His smooth, contemplative approach and curl of his bowling arm before delivery imposed an impression of order and he resented every run he conceded. His versatility was such that for a quarter century he was numbered among the world’s most reliable allrounders, as reflected in his career figures: 24,134 runs at an average of 28.06, 2,072 wickets at 20.28.He hit 22 first-class centuries and took 446 catches, usually at gully from where he kept an eagle eye on the play, as analytical as any player in Yorkshire’s history. As a young player, he had to withstand a bullying Yorkshire dressing room where senior players held sway. He was no more than an average fielder when he entered the Yorkshire team and suffered some sarcastic outbursts from the acerbic Johnny Wardle until, after a confrontation, he became Wardle’s favourite fielder in the deep.Many of Illingworth’s runs were made at a critical juncture in the innings when either defiance or dash was needed and his ability to provide either made him a major figure in Yorkshire’s seven trophies, including five Championships, in the 1960s. Cricket was a job and the job was to win, from the outset. Throughout he was captain Brian Close’s right-hand man and the story goes that when one of the ebullient skipper’s cunning wheezes went awry the team naturally turned to Illingworth to restore order. They were a potent blend, Close possessed of a gambler’s instinct, Illingworth shrewd and intense. They were solid friends, each convinced they knew more than the other.Judged a batting offspinner by the England selectors, he had to compete for a Test place with several expert practitioners, including his fellow Yorkshiremen Bob Appleyard and Jim Laker, who played for Surrey, and did not play for the first of his 61 Tests till 1958. He toured Australia in 1962-63 where public comments about the captaincy and the tour management made him a suspicious character to cricket’s establishment.
“Playing under Illy was a marvellous experience, going to school under a stern and humorous headmaster whose own foibles made him that much more of a human being”David Gower
His future at Headingley seemed considerably more stable when he followed Close as Yorkshire’s captain, but he was not a man given to gamble in cricket or in life and, in 1968, at 37, he sought some insurance from Yorkshire through a written contract. By a piece of mismanagement spectacular by even Yorkshire’s history he was sacked, became Leicestershire’s captain and transformed them into one of England’s leading teams, taking them to the Championship for the first time in their history.David Gower, a young aspirant when Illingworth arrived at Leicestershire and who was to one day follow him as captain of England, later remembered: “Playing under Illy was a marvellous experience, going to school under a stern and humorous headmaster whose own foibles made him that much more of a human being.”Above all this headmaster had standards. And only if you observed those standards were you admitted to the inner circle of his confidence. You had to look after yourself in what he considered to be a proper manner on and off the field. If you did all that he loved you; if you didn’t, he would be down on you. His attitude to any and every game of cricket was 100 percent effort.”Even the establishment was impressed and, strikingly late in his career, the England captaincy followed, a run of 31 successive Tests, plus five against the Rest of the World, which culminated in the regaining of the Ashes in Australia in 1970-71. It ended with his team triumphantly chairing him from the field in an obvious show of respect, but it was a controversial series and Illingworth’s demeanour and attitude brought criticism from the more traditional pundits. He argued on the field about short-pitched bowling with the Australian umpire Lou Rowan in the Sydney Test, and when bottles and cans were thrown on to the outfield in protest, Illingworth led his players off the field in protest. England played in his manner: tough, pugnacious, shrewd.The Yorkshire committee, beset by argument and furore over the future of Geoffrey Boycott, invited him back as manager in 1979 but such was the acrimony that by the end of the summer, he admitted he wished he had never returned from Leicester. Whatever the regrets he persevered in trying to restore the county’s fortunes and in 1982, 15 days after his 50th birthday, he found himself appointed Yorkshire’s captain, a post that should have been his more than a decade before. Yorkshire finished that summer bottom of the Championship for the first time, but Illingworth bowling many a crafty over, took them to the Sunday League title, their first trophy for 14 years.Devon Malcolm bowls as Ray Illingworth looks on•Getty ImagesThat triumph failed to save him from a sacking at the next annual general meeting when the Committee was overturned by Boycott supporters so Illingworth once more departed to the media where his printed and on-screen comments were trenchant and wise. Even then his career was far from over for such was his prestige that he was invited to become England team manager in 1986; he looked at the terms, felt that the authority granted was insufficient and demurred.Ten years later with England desperate for a saviour and with previous disagreements forgotten, Illingworth became chairman of selectors. While his brusque Yorkshire independence was enough for him to be the anti-establishment candidate, it was hardly a revolution – he became the oldest chairman of selectors for 40 years and had little patience with progressive ideas. Where he wanted assistants, he preferred old trusties.When he added the position of team manager, he became one of the most autocratic figures in English cricket history, Jack Bannister wrote in , a joint undertaking with Illingworth: “No one man has had so much power in English cricket at selection and managerial level.”The players, alas, were not of the kind he knew and he found it hard to adapt to changing social attitudes. Some of his selections might also have benefited from a stronger challenge from others. His most controversial run-in came with the fast but wild Devon Malcolm, who was dismayed by his hostility, but who later expressed regret at speculation that their fall-out had been racially motivated. Michael Atherton, a young captain with equally firm views, was not impressed. “My view was that the captain was there to make the important cricketing decisions and the manager was there to reduce the hassle,” he wrote in his autobiography. “Raymond obviously thought it was the other way round!”Illingworth became a CBE, and after his retirement he was a regular visitor to Headingley’s press box where he enjoyed a good moan, his uncompromising opinions laced with humour, and shared his knowledge on every nuance of play. Yorkshire made some reparation for previous injustices by electing him club president in 2010-11, a position he took up diligently until he had a heart attack in his second year. He loved cricket to the end. Afflicted late in life by esophageal cancer, in one of his last interviews he suggested that he would like nothing better than to finish his life by watching a game of local cricket before walking home on a sunny day.