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Arne Slot has revealed the date on which Mohamed Salah will join the Egypt squad for AFCON, while admitting that the Liverpool star was "not happy" with his benching at West Ham over the weekend. The Dutchman said that the club, Salah and the Egyptian FA jointly agreed on the final date, following a swirl of rumours that the forward might depart earlier than expected after Egypt arranged a friendly against Nigeria on December 14.

• Salah set to leave for AFCON in mid-December

  Slot dismissed the suggestion of an early exit, making clear that Salah will remain on Merseyside for Liverpool’s Premier League meeting with Brighton and will join the Egypt squad on December 15 ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. The manager stressed that the decision had been made through what he described as a three-way conversation involving all parties, and he pointed to FIFA’s regulations, which state that December 15 is the latest possible release date, to underline the outcome.

  "The way we have worked is that there's a communication between all three – the player, the club and country," he explained. "That's nothing new. But FIFA have said December 15 is the last day a player has to be released."

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  Salah’s dip in numbers raises concerns

  Salah’s performances have come under the microscope following a prolonged dip in form. The 33-year-old’s return in front of goal has dropped significantly, with only four goals and two assists in 12 Premier League appearances this campaign. Statistically, the decline stretches across numerous attacking metrics. Salah is attempting fewer shots, contributing less inside the opposition penalty box and completing far fewer dribbles than he once managed almost effortlessly. 

  A key factor repeatedly cited by analysts is the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose move to Real Madrid stripped Salah of his long-time creative partner on the right flank. Under Slot’s evolving tactical system, the supply lines that once suited the Egyptian so naturally have shifted, and the adaptation has been far from seamless. He was benched against West Ham, and Slot pointed at the demanding schedule behind his decision. 

  Ahead of the match with West Ham, Slot told : "We played four games in 10 days. I have many good players so today I chose a different line-up. Sometimes Alex is on the bench, sometimes Florian. It's about the players on the pitch. It's the 11 I chose. I have more than 11 good players and it's not the first time I've chosen not to play Mo."

  Asked whether Salah was annoyed by the decision, Slot offered a candid response in a press conference on Tuesday. 

  "Fair assumption and normal reaction for someone who can play for us," he said. "Of course, a player isn't happy he isn't playing, he wasn't the only one I can tell you. The way he behaved was as you would expect from the professional he is, he was very supportive for his team-mates and handled himself really well. You can't play that well every three days if you go with your emotions, but Mo is so disciplined. He will always be that top professional as he was the last few days."

• Carragher’s comments after PSV defeat add pressure

  Salah produced one of his quietest displays of the season against PSV in the Champions League last week, and Jamie Carragher expressed deep frustration, suggesting that some performances were beginning to push the team into a position he described as approaching "untenable".

  The former Liverpool defender told CBS Sports: "I'm angry with the players, if I'm being totally honest, I'm really angry with the players. But it does get to a stage with any manager at any club, I always use this word, untenable, where it almost feels like it can't go on any longer. I'm not quite there yet, personally in terms of the manager, but I know a lot of supporters will be. I've had a lot of time to think about it, because I knew the game was over well before the final whistle. I think what you see now is, Liverpool in 2018 under (Jurgen) Klopp starts this sort of journey being a great team, and then Slot comes in, and we're now seven or eight years later.

  Carragher added: "The catalyst for Liverpool at the very start of that run was Alisson, [Virgil] van Djik and Salah. Alisson's injured a lot now, so he doesn't play so much, but you're watching van Djik now, not the same player, and Mo Salah looks like his legs have gone. I don't like criticising them, and I think some of the criticism of them this season as players has been harsh. You’re always looking for your leaders in your team to step up when things are not going well."

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  How many Liverpool games could Salah miss while at AFCON?

  The Reds now find themselves navigating a precarious moment in their campaign. After the morale-boosting 2-0 win over West Ham stemmed a worrying slide, Slot’s squad must rebuild consistency before the season falls into a deeper spiral. Fixtures against Sunderland and Leeds United present opportunities to re-establish rhythm ahead of a pivotal Champions League showdown with Inter. But overshadowing all of it is Salah’s impending departure to represent his country. Egypt’s AFCON campaign could see him miss as many as eight Liverpool matches, potential absences stretching across the festive calendar and into mid-January, with the tournament’s final set for January 18.

تحدث محمود البنا، الحكم الدولي، عن رأيه في الكولومبي أوسكار رويز، رئيس لجنة الحكام الرئيسية باتحاد الكرة في الوقت الحالي.

وقال البنا عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “لا أعرف أوسكار رويز وسمعت وقت التعاقد معه أنه مصنف، هذا الرجل أول مرة يتولى منصب رئيس لجنة حكام في تاريخه، وهو يعمل كمدير فني يدرب اللاعبين والحكام على حالات مشابهة في الملعب وهذا موجود في فيفا، وهذا حقيقي، لكن خبرات إدارية وخبرات عملية لإدارة لجنة أو منظومة كاملة بلجنة حكام كبيرة مثل مصر (زيرو)”.

وواصل: “أول لقاء بيني وبينه كان عند العودة من بطولة، وكنا عائدين من محاضرات “Elite CAF” كنا 6 حكام، أمين عمر، محمود البنا، محمد معروف، أحمد حسام طه، محمود أبو الرجال، محمود عاشور، وكان وقتها خارج البلاد ولم نتقابل وقت التعاقد معه”.

وأكمل: “في نفس الفترة عدنا وكان لنا مباريات في شهر، وبعدها مع أول مقابلة في وسط كل الحكام ونحن متواجدون، قال: (أخيرًا أنا قابلت معروف وأمين بقالّي شهر ما شفتكوش، وأنا قلت لهم في الكاف: إزاي أمين ومعروف مش موجودين؟)، وقتها نظرت لزملائي بأننا كنا رفقتهم وكان هناك 4 حكام آخرين”.

طالع.. محمود البنا يكشف أسباب اعتزاله التحكيم وتفاصيل أزمته مع أوسكار رويز

وأضاف: “هو عنده سياسة الإقصاء، هناك أمور أريد أن أقولها لكن (خايف القناة تقفل)، وتلك كانت البداية، لاحظت إنه عنده نوع من أنواع الإقصاء، وهناك مواقف غريبة جدًا بالنسبة لبعض الحكام”.

وأكمل: “أحمد حسام طه مثلًا، قمة في الأدب والاحترام، أحمد حكم مرشّح لكأس العالم، وكان في بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 سنة وكان هناك طاقم ليبي ومؤهل، ويلعب مع أمين وأبو الرجال ومعروف وفي كل المباريات معهم، أحمد تم إقصاؤه من بطولة العرب التي ستلعب في قطر”.

وأفاد: “بالطبع انضم زميل يستحق وهو أحمد توفيق طلب، لكن أحمد حسام طه تم إقصاؤه وتمت معاملته من أول الموسم بسبب موقف وإن هو (دمه ثقيل على قلبه)”.

واسترسل: “بالنسبة لموقف أحمد في أحد الاختبارات البدنية الحكام جروا والحكام المساعدين اختبروا في درجة حرارة مهولة في شهر 8 فاجتمعوا وقالوا له (إحنا حكام دوليين)، وكان المفترض أن نجري وراء الحكام، لكن جرينا بشكل مبكر، (بعدها الراجل ثار ثورة غير طبيعية)”..

واستطرد: “من بعدها أحمد حسام أدار مباريات لفرقة واحدة فقط أربع مرات، انظر كم مرة أدار للمحلة لكن المقصود ليس المحلة وإنما إبعاده عن المباريات الكبيرة: الأهلي والزمالك والإسماعيلي”.

واستمر: “في سنة كاملة أي نصف الموسم الماضي ونصف الموسم الحالي، أدرت مباراة للأهلي ومباراة للزمالك فقط لا غير، رغم أنه من قبل أدرت 52 مباراة للأهلي، و37 مباراة للزمالك”.

وأتم: “هل يعقل أحمد الغندور حكم دولي منذ 2018 أدار نهائي كأس مصر ونصف نهائي كأس السوبر الموسم الماضي وأدار 4 مباريات فقط في الدوري من 14 أسبوعًا؟، هل يعقل إن عبد العزيز السيد يدير مباراة ووائل فرحان مباراتين وأحمد حمدي 13 سنة تحكيم في الدوري الممتاز (زيرو مباريات)”.

There has been a twist regarding Martin O’Neill’s stay as Celtic interim manager involving his relationship with Dermot Desmond.

O'Neill guides Celtic into League Cup final with win over Rangers

The Hoops have enjoyed a resurgence following O’Neill’s return to Glasgow on a short term basis following Brendan Rodgers’ Parkhead departure.

Celtic won 4-0 in O’Neill’s first game back against Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership and then, days later, got the better of rivals Rangers in the Scottish League Cup.

Goals from Johnny Kenny, Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand saw the Hoops win 3-1 in extra time at Hampden Park, booking their spot in the final against St Mirren.

O’Neill’s attention now turns to a Europa League trip to take on FC Midtjylland before a home fixture against Kilmarnock prior to the international break.

Speaking to talkSPORT reporter Jim White, O’Neill admitted he had to return to London to retrieve his passport ahead of the trip to Denmark. The Hoops caretaker was also asked if shareholder Desmond had more of a ‘persuasive tone’ when they spoke about a longer stay in Glasgow, to which O’Neill said:

O'Neill now willing to stay on as Celtic manager

It has now been reported by 67 Hail Hail that O’Neill is in fact ‘willing to stay on as Celtic manager until the end of the season’.

Despite saying on multiple occasions that his role would be short term, the Irishman is open to remaining at Parkhead until 2026, and that is seen as a ‘genuine possibility’.

67 Hail Hail add that O’Neill’s relationship with Desmond ‘is believed to be a crucial part of this idea, with Celtic willing to take their time to find the long-term replacement’.

Games

266

Wins

200

Draws

26

Losses

40

Trophies

7

Players used

56

As long as results remain positive under O’Neill, then the Hoops will surely be open to the idea of taking their time to find a long-term replacement.

The 73-year-old has steadied the ship at Parkhead, and his next task is to take Celtic higher up the Europa League table. Another three points in the Scottish Premiership will keep the pressure on Hearts, and by the looks of it, there is a real chance we may see the 4-2-3-1 manager in the Celtic dugout until 2026.

He'd revive Reo Hatate: "Insanely talented coach" is keen on the Celtic job Charlie Mulgrew shares "big" contract Celtic should now offer Jurgen Klopp

The ex-Celtic star has had his say…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 4, 2025

Como manager and ex-Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas has now heaped praise on Mikel Arteta following a key Gunners tactical tweak.

The Premier League frontrunners take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later today, pitting Arteta’s side against the surprise package of the season.

Arsenal arrive on Wearside in utterly imperious form. The north Londoners have won their last 10 matches across all competitions, with eight consecutive victories without conceding a single goal.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

They’re aiming to win five successive Premier League games without conceding for the first time since 1987, while their run of eight clean sheets in all competitions matches a club record set way back in 1903.

It’s been nearly 13 hours of football since anyone has scored against them, which is quite simply unbelievable, and they of course boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues as a result.

That being said, Regis Le Bris’ side pose a tough challenge. Sunderland enter this game having defied all pre-season expectations spectacularly. They’ve accumulated 18 points from their opening 10 fixtures – the most any promoted side has managed at this stage since Hull City’s 20 points in 2008-09.

Their remarkable home form has been key, remaining unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this campaign.

Arsenal are still favourites to win this one, though, following their imperious start to the season — which is made all the more impressive by their mountain of attacking injuries.

Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard are all unavailable with knee or muscular problems — even if Jesus returned to training this week — Meanwhile, striker Viktor Gyokeres has been ruled out with a potential hamstring injury until after the international break.

This leaves Arteta pretty short of forward options, with Mikel Merino likely to continue in an emergency striker role.

Merino’s second-half brace secured a 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague in midweek, adding to his very impressive tally of 11 goals in all competitions for Arsenal this calendar year.

The midfielder has been nothing short of inspirational when called upon to play an unfamiliar role by Arteta, and Fabregas is certainly impressed by the former Real Sociedad star.

Fabregas praises "great move" by Arteta to play Merino as Arsenal striker

Speaking in an interview with Calciomercato this week, Fabregas stated it was a “great move” by Arteta to play Merino as a striker once again in the absence of Gyokeres — claiming he’s done very well in the role.

Merino had never played striker before featuring there for the first time against Leicester City back in February, where he scored both goals in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory after replacing the injured Kai Havertz.

Since then, he’s excelled in the position.

The midfielder has netted an astonishing 19 goals for club and country combined in 2025, including his midweek brace against Slavia Prague that also took his Arsenal tally to three headed goals this season. His 6 foot 2 frame makes him a major aerial threat inside the area, while on the deck he’s incredibly strong, using his muscular frame to dominate physical 50-50s.

Not for the first time in recent weeks, Wilfried Zaha has found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons, having received a red card for Charlotte FC in the MLS.

Zaha hits back at Jean-Philippe Mateta

One of life’s guarantees is that Zaha will have his say in an argument and Jean-Philippe Mateta recently found that out the hard way. The Crystal Palace striker initially name-dropped his former teammate when revealing that he used to mock him for his France ambitions at a time when he couldn’t even get a start at Selhurst Park.

As it turns out, it’s Mateta who’s had the last laugh. The forward is now one of the best in the Premier League and recently scored his first goal for France to silence any remaining doubters, but clearly hasn’t forgotten Zaha’s mockery.

The Charlotte winger sees things slightly differently, however. Hitting back at Mateta, Zaha said: “I’m sorry but my head’s on fire. I’ve got to clear up this Mateta situation because he doesn’t want to and this just shows me that…see the times when I was playing at Crystal Palace and all these people were watching me and it’s clear they weren’t happy for me because I never made anyone feel like s***.”

Since the public row, in which the winger reaffirmed he never meant to offend and merely thought he was joking amongst friends, Mateta has scored a hat-trick for Palace and Zaha has seemingly taken his fury to the pitch.

Zaha hits out at Jesus Bueno

If talent was the conversation, then Zaha would be one of the leading topics. He has been one of the best players in the MLS all season – scoring 10 goals and assisting another six as Charlotte reached the playoffs in style – but he remains ill-tempered.

It’s temper which has flared all throughout his career and something that was on show for all to see against Philadelphia in the MLS in his most recent outing as he hit out against Jesus Bueno in shocking fashion.

Philadelphia Union reporter Jose Roberto Nunez took aim at Zaha after the incident, slamming his “unnecessary red card” in a game which was effectively over, which will now see him miss Charlotte’s first of their best of three series against New York City in the MLS Cup.

From Mateta’s accusation to seeing red in the MLS, to say it’s been a couple of weeks to forget for Zaha would be an understatement.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos ficou um pouco mais aliviado após reencontrar o caminho da vitória diante do Bahia, mas o clube do litoral paulista permanece na zona de rebaixamento e com indícios fortes de que pode cair para a segunda divisão. Ainda com 14 rodadas para o fim do Brasileirão, o Peixe vai cair ou não para a segunda divisão? A redação do Lance! opinou sobre o tema.

+ Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro-2023 clicando aqui

Confira as opiniões dos jornalistas do Lance!:

Rafael Oliva, repórter (Ainda indefinido)

Toda cartilha do rebaixamento foi preenchida pelo Santos, que tende a cair. Um alento foi a vitória sobre o Bahia, já que era um confronto direto. A tabela dos próximos jogos também é favorável, mas o cenário do Peixe é de incógnita, pois nem sabemos ainda qual será o técnico até o final do campeonato. A probabilidade maior é de queda, mas vamos aguardar os próximos passos.

Gabriel Teles, redação (O Santos não cai)

Se olharmos as estatísticas, o retrospecto no primeiro turno e todo desenrolar dos jogos que estão pela frente, o Santos está no caminho da Série B do ano que vem. Contudo, a vitória do Peixe contra o Bahia escancara um fator que transborda a matemática presente no futebol. Não dá para ignorar o poder de reação que foi mostrado em um importantíssimo confronto fora de casa. Está tudo em aberto! O jogo contra o Vasco pode reafirmar (ou não) a existência de um “gás” para sair desta situação.

+ O Lance! de volta às bancas! Seja uma das 100 pessoas a ganhar a revista pôster do campeão da Copa do Brasil

João Marcos, repórter (O Santos cai)

O Santos está cumprindo toda a cartilha do rebaixamento até agora: escândalos extracampo, trocas de treinadores, contratações sem critério, jogadores afastados, punições no tribunal… por mais que a matemática ainda dê chances ao Peixe, as derrotas nos dois confrontos diretos, contra Cruzeiro e América-MG, fazem do time cada vez mais candidato à queda.

Paulo Victor, editor (Ainda indefinido)

É difícil cravar, pois o Santos tem um bom goleiro e um centroavante matador. Eles costumam segurar as pontas em várias ocasiões. Porém, talvez não seja o suficiente este ano. Já faz tempo que o Santos vem ensaiando um rebaixamento para a segunda divisão. O jogo contra o Vasco vai dizer muito sobre o futuro do Peixe. Hoje, o Vasco é melhor.

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

Fábio Lázaro, repórter (O Santos cai)

Sim, vai ser rebaixado. Independentemente da vitória contra o Bahia, que deu uma boa sobrevida, o time segue na zona do rebaixamento (e já pela quinta rodada consecutiva), tem oscilado bastante e não é garantia que no próximo jogo repita a atuação. Tanto em questão de nível técnico, quanto em comprometimento e entrega. Precisa provar mais. Fora que quando o time grande entra no limbo é sempre muito mais difícil tirar.

Vinícius Perazzini, editor (O Santos não cai)

Pela vontade que mostrou contra o Bahia e o peso da camisa, não será rebaixado. É um time com um ótimo goleiro e um atacante de alto nível – Marcos Leonardo seria titular em qualquer equipe do futebol brasileiro. Mesmo que o conjunto esteja desarrumado, é possível acreditar na salvação.

Izabella Giannola, redação (O Santos cai)

Se continuar com o futebol medíocre que está apresentando esse ano flerta e muito com o rebaixamento. O jogo contra o Bahia foi um caso completamente a parte.

Alexandre Guariglia, repórter (O Santos cai)

Sim, vai cair. Apesar de ter sido um respiro a vitória sobre o Bahia, o time não parece ter força e material humano para fugir da zona da degola.

Matheus Guimarães, redação (Ainda indefinido)

Difícil cravar. Vai depender muito do jogo contra o Vasco, que está em melhor fase, apesar da tabela. Mas creio que o Santos será rebaixado para a segunda divisão se perder este confronto direto. Fora isso, o Santos está seguindo estritamente a cartilha rumo à Série B. São incontáveis os problemas dentro de campo. Além disso, a turbulência fora das quatro linhas é mais um aditivo para o rebaixamento.

Celtic’s miserable season continues.

On Thursday evening, at a far from full Parkhead, the Hoops were beaten 2-0 by Braga in a wretched Europa League tie.

Despite having earned a respectable 1-1 draw with Crvena zvezda in their league phase opener eight nights earlier, all that good work was undone by a generally lifeless and toothless display against a team who, if reports are to believe, were underperforming to such an extent that manager Carlos Vicens was on the brink of the sack; perhaps that isn’t the case anymore!

For Brendan Rodgers, he has enjoyed unfathomable success in Glasgow and, while no one believes he is to blame, he certainly has a big job on his hands to turn the tide of negativity around.

In summary, his squad is not good enough to compete at this level, but which of the Hoops’ most experienced players were most to blame?

Kasper Schmeichel's miserable night

Braga’s opening goal, scored by Ricardo Horta, was either an absolute screamer or a goalkeeping howler, depending on your point of view.

As Joe Hart, speaking on commentary for TNT Sports, was eager to point out, the ball did dip and swerve viciously, but Kasper Schmeichel in goal will be disappointed that he was unable to keep this one out.

In fairness to the vastly experienced Dane, he could do nothing about the second, Dane Murray’s clearances ricocheting in via Gabri Martínez’s knees, while Schmeichel did make plenty of impressive saves, one in particular denying Florian Grillitsch; without him, the scoreline could have been either worse.

Since arriving from Anderlecht, Schmeichel has been excellent in a Celtic jersey albeit, set to celebrate his 39th birthday next month, there has to be some semblance of succession planning.

However, he was far from the player who put in the worst contribution on the night, with the Celts’ main issues lying at the other end of the park.

Celtic's blunt attack

We have potentially buried the lead, given that this game on Thursday night witnessed, potentially, the worst VAR decision since its introduction, one that former Celtic striker Chris Sutton described as “scandalous”.

Shortly after half-time, following a defensive mix-up from the Archbishops, Kelechi Iheanacho calmly slotted an equaliser past Lukáš Horníček.

However, VAR had other ideas, informing referee Tobias Stieler that the Nigerian striker had handled the ball in the build-up.

Hart on commentary was rightly gobsmacked; you can make up your own mind, but no evidence has yet surfaced that the ball actually made contact with the striker’s hand or arm.

That aside, Iheanacho was generally anonymous, as the table below documents.

Shots

0

8th

Shots on target

0

6th

Shots blocked

1

7th

xG

0.04

11th

Duels contested

6

17th

Duels won

1

27th

Possession lost

10

9th

Touches

19

27th

Average SofaScore rating

6.1

30th

Iheanacho was a peripheral figure, completing just five passes, touching the ball just 19 times and losing the ball on ten occasions. He could also muster only one shot while ending the night with the same expected goals figure as 19-year-old right-back Colby Donovan, who was replaced at half time.

Of course, Iheanacho will believe, and he wouldn’t be the only one, that he scored a perfectly good goal, one that would have reversed the narrative, both for him and the club as a whole.

The Nigerian did score in Belgrade last Wednesday, having converted a penalty on his debut to snatch victory at Rugby Park, but is symbolic of the board’s shambolic summer transfer strategy, arriving after the deadline following the sale of Adam Idah, with no replacement lined up.

Life is also not being made easy for him by Celtic’s general lack of attacking threat, with Sebastian Tounekti the only one looking like scoring a goal against Braga, while fellow new recruit Michel-Ange Balikwisha puzzlingly remained on the bench.

Saturday’s goalless stalemate with Hibernian was the Hoops’ first 0-0 draw in a home Premiership match since 26 August 2023 against St Johnstone, but the fifth time in 12 matches already this season in which they’ve failed to score.

Right now, in the Scottish Premiership, leaders Hearts as well as Hibs, Dundee United, Kilmarnock, Livingston and Motherwell, who will visit Parkhead on Sunday, have all scored more goals than the serial champions’ tally of eight, a mind-boggling statistic.

Rodgers’ side still have to face Sturm Graz, Roma and Utrecht in Glasgow as well as taking on Midtjylland, Feyenoord and Bologna on the road in the Europa League, and Celtic are going to have to exponentially improve, especially in attack, if they’re to avoid an ignominious early exit.

Bigger talent than Donovan: Celtic must rue releasing "complete" star

Celtic must rue releasing this young star who currently looks like an even bigger talent than Colby Donovan.

ByDan Emery Oct 2, 2025

It would be fair to say that it’s been a reasonably successful transfer window for Manchester United so far this summer.

On top of shipping off a few unwanted stars, like Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund, they’ve massively improved Ruben Amorim’s attack.

The triumvirate of Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and Bryan Mbeumo has the potential to be one of the very best in the Premier League, although even with them in the side, there are a couple of areas that still need addressing.

Fortunately, it looks like the Red Devils are closing in on another signing who has been compared to Eric Cantona and could be viewed as a Mbuemo repeat.

Manchester United target their new Catona

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United remain interested in signing Emiliano Martínez.

Transfer Focus

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

In fact, the Italian journalist goes further, revealing that personal terms have now been agreed and that the Argentinian shot-stopper now “wants to join” the Red Devils.

Romano does not state just how much Aston Villa might want for their £150k-per-week star, but reports from earlier in the summer claimed that the Aston Villa ace may cost around £40m.

Even then, for a player of his quality, that may well be a price worth paying, especially as he has been compared to Cantona and could be seen in a similar light to Mbeumo.

How Martínez compares to Catona and Mbeumo

Before examining the reasons Martinez could be considered another Mbeumo for Manchester United, it’s worth looking into this comparison to Cantona, as the retired goalscorer is a legend of the club and English football.

In this instance, it stems from Sky Sports analyst Dougie Critchley, who boldly described the Argentine as the “Cantona of his generation.”

It might sound like a wild take, especially as the two internationals play, or played, in totally different positions, but when you take where they played out of the equation, it starts to make a lot more sense.

Outside of scoring for fun, what was the Frenchman known for? Arrogance and bravado.

Now, that might sound like a bad thing, and outside of football it may well be, but in the context of the beautiful game, it is most certainly a positive, and a massive one at that.

The former United magician was a natural-born entertainer and someone who thrived on the biggest stage, which is exactly how you would describe the World Cup-winning Villa man.

On top of pulling out world-class save after world-class save in the biggest games, he is a natural entertainer, someone rival fans love to hate, but would love to have at their club.

With that cleared up, why could he then also be another Mbeumo for Amorim and Co?

Well, this comparison is all down to the club signing a ready-made Premier League-proven superstar who could come right into the starting line-up for the next game.

After all, the former Arsenal ace has won two of the last two Yashin Trophies and won two of the last three FIFA Best Goalkeeper awards.

As if that wasn’t enough, he also won last 24/25’s Premier League Save of the Season for his magnificent stop against Nottingham Forest.

Ultimately, Martinez possesses the same swagger and confidence as Cantona, and the proven track record of Mbuemo, so even if his price tag is a little high, Man United should do everything in their power to bring him to Old Trafford before 7pm.

West Ham in shock talks for "one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United's history"

Potter is in a desperate situation.

By
Callum Kemp

Aug 27, 2025

Birmingham City spent their brief time in League One building a Championship-quality squad, but now that they have secured promotion, they are investing further to ensure they can look upwards rather than over their shoulder.

The club have spent big on Japan centre forward Kyōgo Furuhashi, who has arrived from Stade Rennais in a deal that could reach £10.3 million. This has made the former Celtic star the third most expensive player to ever join the club.

Due to these new signings, the Blues have had to shift a number of players, including Romelle Donovan, Ayumu Yokoyama and Alfie May, and they aren’t finished just yet.

Birmingham City make 50% profit as Bielik moves on

Football League World have reported that Birmingham City centre-back Krystian Bielik will complete a transfer to West Bromwich Albion “in the next 24 hours”. Bielik had served as club captain from last season, and manager Chris Davis had previously described him as “a really important player, a good captain and a good leader”.

Birmingham will make 50% profit on the transfer as they will receive upwards of £1 million for Bielik after only paying Derby County £500,000 in 2023. A number of clubs were reportedly interested in signing Bielik, including south-coast Championship side Portsmouth, but he is reportedly settled in the Midlands, and the less-than-7-mile swap from St Andrews to the Hawthorns was the easiest option.

Ryan Mason was eager to sign Bielik, given West Brom’s centre-back situation. Torbjørn Heggem is on the brink of completing a £10 million switch to Serie A side Bologna, and Kyle Bartley has called time on his career following 232 appearances for the Baggies.

The emotional challenges that come with Birmingham's ambition

Bielik was a favourite among fans and was praised for his loyalty in not only staying with the club following relegation to League One on the final day of the 2023/24 season but also taking over as captain and ensuring that they secured promotion back to the Championship.

The player was clearly settled at Birmingham as his new club seems to have been decided primarily over West Brom’s short distance to his current home. Fans have taken to social media to express their sadness at Bielik’s departure.

While it seems all parties are saddened by Bielik’s departure, it is a clear example of the cost of the club’s ambition. After a rocky first season under new ownership, Birmingham City now seem to be on an upward trajectory. They were promoted to the Championship after heavy investment, so much so that their gross transfer spend was higher than all of the other clubs in League One combined.

With figures like serial winner Tom Brady at the forefront of the new Birmingham leadership, the club clearly has Premier League ambitions, and the cost of that will be players like Bielik, who are well regarded among the fans and happy at the club, having to move on as the team outgrows them.

The visitors eased to their target on the final morning after a dominant display over the game

AAP09-Mar-2025Queensland revived their Sheffield Shield hopes with a thumping nine-wicket win against Tasmania.Set just 81 runs to win, they cruised to 82 for 1 on the final day at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. Test stalwart Usman Khawaja (33 not out) and Jack Clayton (34no) were untroubled in peeling off the last 56 runs to win on Sunday.The result ended Tasmania’s hopes of reaching the Shield final, leaving them last on the table with just one match to come – against New South Wales.Queensland are still alive and kicking, and will finish the round as high as second or as low as fourth. Even if they drop to fourth, they still have a chance to reach the final if they can beat ladder leaders South Australia in the final round.Khawaja helped set up Queensland’s big win over Tasmania by scoring 127 Tasmania were rolled for 161 in reply, with man-of-the-match Michael Neser snaring 6 for 37.Tasmania were forced to follow-on, and although their second-innings total of 345 was much better, the 82-run victory target wasn’t nearly enough to pose Queensland any problems.”Maximising that new ball [was the key], that new ball nipped around a bit,” Neser said. “And then it went dead and it was a lovely batting wicket.”It was a no-brainer to [enforce the] follow on. That wicket was getting flatter. The way Uzzie batted was superb. He set the game up for us.”Queensland’s win over Tasmania was a perfect response from their recent flop at the WACA, where they were thumped by an innings and 12 runs by Western Australia.”We have a massive game in Adelaide now. It’s going to be tough there,” Neser said. “We know it can be flat at times, so spin will be a huge factor for us. Going in with a win is massive for us, so hopefully we can carry that momentum through.”Tasmania opener Jake Weatherald rued his team’s poor batting display.”If we had got [a lead of] 200, 230, we would have been a good chance,” Weatherald said. “We’re just not batting or bowling well enough. Michael Neser was just too classy. He bowled very well throughout this game in good batting conditions.”