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Bayern Munich legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has admitted he still regrets missing out on signing Florian Wirtz, insisting the German star "would be better off at Bayern than at Liverpool". The former executive also reflected on failed attempts for Nick Woltemade after their public pursuit of the striker ended in him joining Newcastle from Stuttgart.

Wirtz’s Liverpool start and adaptation

Since joining Liverpool in the summer for a reported £116 million ($156m), Wirtz has struggled to fully assert himself. Starting six of seven appearances, the 22-year-old has managed only one assist, prompting questions about his adaptation to the Premier League. While he was left out of the Carabao Cup squad against Southampton, former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged patience, reminding fans and pundits alike that Wirtz needs time to adjust to his new environment.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRummenigge reflects on missed Florian Wirtz transfer

Bayern board member and former CEO Rummenigge feels Wirtz's situation would be much different had he opted to accept the Bundesliga side's offer when he chose to leave Bayer Leverkusen.

"I have to honestly say, I still feel sorry for Florian Wirtz because I think the player would be better off at Bayern Munich than at Liverpool," he told

Nick Woltemade and financial caution

It was a frustrating summer for Bayern that saw them miss out on several attacking targets. One of those was new Newcastle striker Woltemade, who agreed to join the Bundesliga champions from Stuttgart after talks with coach Vincent Kompany. Their offers were rejected by Stuttgart, though, and the Premier League side were able to swoop in late in the transfer window.

"We could have signed Woltemade," Rummenigge said. "But I also have to say that FC Bayern would be well advised not to go along with every financial madness. I've always said that we want sporting success, but please with serious and solid financing. We have a top team. We'll be back this year as well. And if the three currently injured players come back soon, then we'll have a superb team."

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AFPNext challenges for Liverpool and Bayern

Bayern will host Werder Bremen in a Bundesliga clash that, on paper, heavily favours the Bavarians. Rummenigge’s reflections serve as a reminder of the club’s careful transfer policy and long-term planning, even amid high-profile disappointments. For Wirtz, the Premier League challenge continues, with the upcoming match against Crystal Palace offering a chance to break his scoring drought and justify the investment that Bayern narrowly missed.

England captain also talks up 21-year-old Bethell who is on his first international tour of Asia

Sreshth Shah21-Jan-2025

A belligerent batting line-up is a dream for most international sides. Throw in a coach who firmly believes in that style and a squad where nearly everyone has at least one first-class hundred and the ability to hit monster sixes, and England possess a unit that could blow away the best bowling units on most days.Having batting depth through the team sheet served them magnificently in their ODI World Cup triumph of 2019 and their T20 World Cup victory in 2022. And in their lead up to the T20Is against India and next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, England appear to be shaping up the same way.Bowlers who bat not only shorten the tail but positively affect the top order too. England captain Jos Buttler acknowledged that the batters, consequently, can play with much more freedom.Related

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“That gives a lot of depth to the XI and confidence to the guys at the at the top that there’s plenty [of batting] to come,” Buttler said on the eve of the series opener in Kolkata. “So we can be really aggressive and, you know, not worry too much about our wicket, because we’ve got guys behind us who can do exactly the same job.”We’re really blessed actually in terms of the bowlers that we have here, on this tour. They’re all very, very capable bats. I think if you look at guys like Gus Atkinson with a Test hundred, and then Brydon Carse is an excellent hitter of the ball, and then Adil Rashid down at No. 11 [No. 10 on the team sheet for the first T20I] who’s got multiple first-class hundreds. So, yeah, I think we’re very fortunate in that sense that a lot of our bowlers are very, very capable batters.”England announced their XI for the Kolkata T20I more than 24 hours before the game, and on a batting-friendly Eden Gardens track, a score of 200 appears to be the minimum. In Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Buttler himself, Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone, England have a plethora of batters who could aim for the roof. The addition of the exciting Jacob Bethell – who averages 57.66 and scores at 167.96 in six T20I innings – has only made them look more lethal. But can he conquer Indian conditions, especially the spinners? Like the other batters, Bethell spent large periods trying to face spin in the nets in the two practice sessions leading up to the first game.”It’s a new challenge for him to come and play in India,” Butter said. “But I know he’s excited [for it].”I think he’s been someone who in English cricket has been talked about for a while knowing the talent he possesses, even when he’s been playing in the Under-19s. So, he was a name you’d hear being talked about that he’s gonna be a special player. And I think, you know, all credit to him. I think he’s done brilliantly well coming into international cricket.”And he has got a good head on his shoulders, and obviously, he’s got the game for it, as you’ve seen in in the white-ball stuff. And then obviously, moving into Test cricket, you know, it’s fantastic to watch him in New Zealand. So, yeah, he’s been playing really well.”Jacob Bethell is coming on the back of decent scores in the BBL•Getty Images

For Buttler, though, having the chance to work with Brendon McCullum for the first time (Buttler has not been in the Test side since McCullum took over as the Test coach) is especially exciting. But even more so that the leadership can work with their best players. Nobody’s workload is being managed, fast bowlers like Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are injury-free, and that’s as perfect a situation as England can imagine as they face a coaching transition that wants to build into the Champions Trophy and next year’s T20 World Cup.”It’s a really exciting tour, coming to India with what I’d say is a full line-up for us,” Buttler added. “You know sometimes there’s so much cricket that certain players have to be rested or managed. But that’s certainly not the case for us at all in this series. So we’ve got a full complement of players, which is really exciting. Obviously, Baz is coming into the white-ball set-up for the first time too.”[I] also want to build that captain-coach alliance. Obviously, it’s not a new set-up because Baz has been around for a while and there are a lot of players in this squad that have been with him in the Test set-up for a number of years already.”So, yeah, just looking forward to building that relationship in the white-ball set-up. It’s going to be a great series against a really top side in their own conditions. So, loads to look forward to.”

Following yet another turgid England display, the Three Lions' forwards have been urged to try and overhaul Harry Kane in the pecking order.

England forward options told to oust KaneKane compared RonaldoEngland face Serbia on TuesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

England were flat in a routine 2-0 World Cup qualifier against Andorra, with Kane cutting an isolated figure at the top of the pitch. The selection of the forward for every game has raised questions with former Chelsea players Scott Minto and Tony Cascarino disagreeing over Kane's place in the team. Minto believes that Kane's deputy Ollie Watkins should be given more starts in order to build his confidence should Kane's languid tournament performances persist. However, Cascarino likens Kane to Cristiano Ronaldo and believes the England captain's mentality means he won't want to miss a game.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT MINTO SAID

Speaking to TalkSPORT, Minto said: “The last thing we need is Harry Kane to be playing every single game to the point where we go into another tournament. if he's not playing well then it seems like we can't drop Harry Kane.

“As he [Watkins] is the number two in this particular squad, he needs to feel that he has belief from the manager.

“I just think if Harry Kane's starting both games, then at what point do you get that belief?

“My point is that Ollie Watkins needs to be shown faith.”

WHAT CASCARINO SAID

Cascarino took a different approach. To , he said: “Harry is the record goal scorer. He keeps adding to that and you could argue that he wants to get more, wants to get to an even bigger one.

“Cristiano Ronaldo has done that nearly all his career. [Lionel] Messi and Ronaldo, the top two players in the world, certainly over the last couple of decades, they've wanted to play all the time.

“You're scratching your head sometimes with Ronaldo because you think, how can he possibly play Armenia away?

“He goes and wants to play. Harry is in that mindset. So I understand it.

“Maybe whoever is number two has to do even better at club levels to have a chance of being used a bit more.

“There are players who just want to play every game.”

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Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Kane has been almost ever-present for England since making his debut and has scored 73 goals in 108 caps. Despite this, the England captain's place in the side has come under fire for a series of languid performances at major tournaments. An abysmal European Championships in 2024 followed a costly missed penalty in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final against France to raise enough doubts around Kane's untouchable status in the Three Lions team ahead of next summer's World Cup.

The 19-year-old becomes the youngest since Ricky Ponting to score two centuries in a Shield game

AAP10-Oct-2024

Sam Konstas has continued to flag his strong potential as a superstar of the future, writing his name alongside Ricky Ponting in the history books with another Sheffield Shield century.The teenage opener put New South Wales in control of their clash with South Australia at Cricket Central in Sydney, compiling 105 from 225 balls after making 152 in a breakout first innings.The hosts declared at 282 for 6 late on day three, with South Australia 7 for 1 chasing 389 runs for victory on day four after Nathan Lyon struck early to dismiss Conor McInerney without scoring.Earlier, 19-year-old Konstas became the youngest player since Ponting to record two centuries in the same Shield game. Australia’s most successful Test captain achieved the feat as an 18-year-old playing for Tasmania against Western Australia in 1992-93.Konstas is the third youngest to do so in Shield history behind Ponting and Archie Jackson. Konstas beat Sir Donald Bradman who first achieved the feat as a 20-year-old.”Obviously very special,” Konstas said of the feat. “But hopefully we get the job done tomorrow and keep doing our basics well.”Konstas was given an extra life by Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who dropped a sitter before the teenager got off the mark on day three.Having also missed a stumping in the first innings, Carey saved face with a diving catch that dismissed Nic Maddinson and continued the opener’s meagre start to his second stint at NSW.But Konstas nevertheless made the visitors pay. He brought up his half-century off Lloyd Pope in the 37th over with a four that rushed past extra cover so fast that Jordan Buckingham needed to jump to avoid the fence as he chased the ball past the boundary.South Australia managed to slow Konstas down after tea as batting partners fell around him.”They had different plans, they were bowling a wider line,” Konstas said. “I had to be a bit ruthless and cop my medicine a bit.”But the teenager finally brought his century up as the final hour of play approached, smacking a six over deep midwicket from Ben Manenti’s bowling.South Australia finally removed him, with McInerney sprinting to long-on to catch him off Pope.Earlier, Lyon continued an impressive lead-in to the Test summer, finishing his first Shield innings of the summer with a five-for.Lyon ripped through the South Australian tail to ensure they were back in the sheds inside the first hour on day three, all out for 260.Nathan McAndrew skied Lyon to deep square leg before Pope nicked off two balls later and set the stage for NSW to extend their lead, which was already 106 runs at the innings break.Lyon expects to play two more matches for NSW ahead of the five-match Test series against India that begins in Perth late next month.

حصل النجم المصري محمد صلاح لاعب ليفربول الإنجليزي، على جائزة جديدة بعد أدائه الاستثنائي الذي قدمه مع فريقه خلال الموسم الماضي.

ويقوم مستخدمو موقع “ترانسفير ماركت” سنوياً بالتصويت للاعب الذي يعتقدون أنه تفوق على جميع اللاعبين الآخرين في الدوريات الأوروبية الكبرى.

وكان محمد صلاح نجم ليفربول هو الفائز بجائزة أفضل لاعب في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز العام الماضي بحصوله على نسبة 70.3 % من الأصوات.

وتفوق النجم المصري على جميع المنافسين بفارق كبير متوجاً مجهوداته بجائزة أفضل لاعب في الدوري الإنجليزي والتي تقدم من ترانسفير ماركت.

أقرأ أيضاً.. محمد صلاح أم هازارد؟.. لاعب برينتفورد يختار أفضل لاعب في الدوري الإنجليزي

وقد تقاسم كول بالمر نجم تشيلسي وألكسندر إيزاك زميل صلاح الجديد ومهاجم ليفربول المركزين الثاني والثالث حيث حصل كل منهما على 4.9 %من الأصوات.

وسجل صلاح 29 هدف وصنع 18 تمريرة حاسمة في الدوري الإنجليزي الموسم الماضي، وقد تفوق النجم المصري كأفضل هداف وأكثر صانع للتمريرات الحاسمة.

وقال ستيفان بينكوفسكي المدير الإقليمي لنادي ليفربول في المملكة المتحدة: “كان ليفربول بلا منازع أفضل فريق في البريميرليج الموسم الماضي وكان صلاح على رأس هذا الهجوم المذهل”.

وأضاف: “لا تقتصر أرقام صلاح على ما يقال بل إن سرعته المذهلة وقدرته على المراوغة تجعله لاعب جذاب للمشاهدة وصانع ألعاب يثير إعجاب حتى جماهير الفرق المنافسة، هناك عدة لاعبين لا يقارنوا بأداء صلاح الموسم الماضي والذي لم يتراجع مستواه بعد بلوغه 33 عاماً فقط”.

The England captain also lauds Adil Rashid, saying he is their “most important player”

S Sudarshanan20-Jun-20243:45

Badree: ‘Adil Rashid is such a skillful bowler’

Jos Buttler has called legspinner Adil Rashid England’s “most important player” and also lauded “class player” Jonny Bairstow for playing a “senior player’s innings”.England registered a commanding eight-wicket win in their Super Eight match against West Indies at T20 World Cup 2024 in Gros Islet. Set a challenging 181 to win, England got home with Phil Salt finishing unbeaten on 87, with Bairstow in tow with a 26-ball 48 not out. The two added 97 off 44 balls to see England home with eight wickets and 2.3 overs to spare.”That was a really good performance from us,” Buttler said at the post-match presentation. “We planned really well, we’ve been practising well and executed both with the bat and ball and deserved to win. I thought we bowled really well to restrict such a powerful batting line-up, such great six-hitters especially. [It was a] decent score, and you had to play well to chase it down.Related

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“I thought we were very smart with the bat. Guys were very calculated when they took their options on. The Bairstow and Salt partnership was so good. Jonny came in with great intent and took the momentum straight back. Salty tucked in behind him for a bit and when he got that one big over, he broke the back of it.”A lot of people say you learn when you lose, but I truly believe you learn when you win as well. [It is] important to reflect on what we did well today. We had a good performance, put that to bed and focus on the next performance.”Talking about Bairstow, Buttler said: “He is a class player, he has been for a really long time. That’s what we decided to do, you just keep backing class players. He hasn’t had many opportunities but today was an incredibly impressive innings. A really mature, senior player’s innings. With a lot of power, he scored at a great gear when the game was just in the balance.”Adil Rashid dismissed Andre Russell for 1•Getty ImagesEarlier, riding on a fluent start from Brandon King, who retired hurt with a side strain, Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran had helped West Indies race to 72 for 0 in eight overs. But the next five overs – bowled by Rashid and Moeen Ali in tandem – saw them score just 34 for the wicket of Charles. Rashid bowled the 17th over too, for just two runs and the wicket of Andre Russell to finish with figures of 4-0-21-1.”We keep saying [Rashid] is our most important player, he really has been for a long time,” Buttler said. “He’s got so much variation and so much threat of taking wickets and also restricting runs.”Powell: We strayed away from our plans to SaltMeanwhile, West Indies captain Rovman Powell felt they were 15 to 20 runs short and strayed away from their plans against Salt.”We left 15-20 runs out there as a batting group,” Powell said. “I will say that we should have put up a better display as a bowling group. We are normally very good in the last five overs, but credit has to be given to the England bowling unit. They had clear plans, and the execution was good.”After their under-par finish with the bat, they offered lives to Salt and Moeen, with wicketkeeper Pooran unable to hold on to thin deflections on both occasions.”Those chances are always difficult,” Powell said. “But credit has to be given to Phil, he seems to like playing against West Indies. Every time he plays against West Indies, he always hurts us. We strayed away a little bit from our plans to Phil. It’s just for us to look back at those plans and re-evaluate.”Our destiny is in our hands. Once we win well, it will bring us back. We are playing good cricket.”

The Premier League season may have finished over a week ago, but it’s been a busy seven days for Manchester United.

The Red Devils embarrassed themselves on their post-season Asia tour, but did at least leave with a win.

Since then, they have confirmed their first arrival of the summer in an attempt to appease the fans after a ridiculous season for all the wrong reasons.

Matheus Cunha has decided he wants a piece of the craziness unfolding at Old Trafford, leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers behind in a £62.5m deal.

The Brazilian was exceptional for Wolves in 2024/25, scoring 17 goals in all competitions and also supplying five assists.

So, what’s next on the agenda?

Man United targeting another Premier League forward

As Ruben Amorim and Co desperately try to distract themselves from the lingering threat of Bruno Fernandes leaving England behind, wanted in Saudi Arabia, United are trying to strengthen their attacking ranks.

Cunha has already arrived but they did have Liam Delap in their crosshairs too before he reportedly agreed a move to Chelsea. Bryan Mbeumo is another Premier League star in line for a possible move to United.

Yet, their shortlist of players at English clubs doesn’t stop there according to TEAMtalk, who shared the latest on the club’s transfer plans on Monday morning.

They have reported that Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is now at the top of their list to reinforce the centre-forward position.

It’s alleged that the Eagles could be willing to sell the Frenchman for a bargain fee of just £29m with the player’s contract set to expire in the summer of 2027.

As a result, United are now expecting to make a ‘concrete move’ for Mateta in the coming days as Sir Jim Ratcliffe aims to beat competition from Serie A clubs, Juventus and AC Milan.

How Mateta could emulate Berbatov at Man United

Cast your mind back to the days of the Sir Alex Ferguson era and there was a certain aura about their transfer business.

Transfer Focus

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

They’d look to the best talents in the top-flight to bolster their squad and they often had great success in doing so.

Think Wayne Rooney, think Rio Ferdinand, think Robin van Persie. Rooney and Rio quickly became modern-day greats after trading Everton and Leeds United for more luxurious pastures under Sir Alex.

Van Persie’s time at United was rather more short-lived but he was still the primary reason for their league title in 2012/13, the last time they won the league.

Another key component of previous title wins was Dimitar Berbatov who signed from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth £30m back in 2008.

2006/07 (Spurs)

33

12

9

2007/08 (Spurs)

36

15

11

2008/09 (Man Utd)

31

9

11

2009/10 (Man Utd)

33

12

6

2010/11 (Man Utd)

32

20

4

2011/12 (Man Utd)

12

7

0

2012/13 (Fulham)

33

15

3

2013/14 (Fulham)

18

4

1

Already, this is a deal that begins to echo a possible swoop for Mateta. Not only could he potentially arrive for a similar fee, but he’d also be signing from another Premier League club.

In the campaign prior to moving up north, Berbatov was on fire for Spurs, scoring 15 league goals in 36 games and netting 23 in all competitions.

Mateta, funnily enough, found the net at a similarly frequent rate for Oliver Glasner’s side this season, bagging 14 times in 37 matches. He also scored 16 in 35 throughout 2023/24.

Hailed as “one of the best centre forwards in the league over the last two seasons” by the aforementioned Rooney, there’s more than just their goal rate and possible transfer fee that makes this move so similar.

Indeed, while the Palace star is most definitely more direct, pacey and physical in his approach, they do share some similar traits.

Berbatov was known for being a laid-back striker, someone who didn’t really look too bothered. However, he had a touch of class about him. His first touch was immense, coasting through games and coming alive in the key moments.

Mateta certainly has a similar play style in that regard. Off the ball, Mateta might look slightly more cumbersome but when he gets the ball, it all changes.

Thierry Henry, who managed the 27-year-old at the Olympics, outlined that best. Speaking at the Paris games last summer, he said: “He’s an old-fashioned striker, you can play a little more direct. He can keep the ball. He’s a boring striker to play against, he doesn’t lose the ball much, and he goes at the last defender. He uses his physicality, he’s good with his head, and he scores.”

United’s former Bulgarian was certainly cut from a similar cloth. He could hold the ball up exceptionally well and was incredibly difficult to dispossess. He was old-fashioned too.

So, while Mateta would provide more pace and energy than Berbatov ever did at United, their shared deceptive intelligence, clever movement and classy nature are all very similar. You can just imagine the former United forward scoring the goal below, firing home without a care in the world.

He’d be a certain upgrade on the floundering Rasmus Hojlund. The Dane only netted ten goals in 52 matches this season. They cannot rely on that again next term.

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In what would be a statement move in his first few months in the job, Arsenal’s new sporting director Andrea Berta has now reportedly made an approach to sign a top Manchester United target.

All eyes on PSG for Arsenal

With the Premier League title race over and Liverpool confirmed as champions, Arsenal have all of their focus on the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday. Heading to France with a 1-0 deficit to overturn courtesy of Ousmane Dembele’s early strike last time out, the Gunners have it all to do.

Bournemouth’s trip to The Emirates this weekend should simply be seen as the chance for Mikel Arteta to rest key men. In a season full of injuries, the Spaniard must take control of the narrative and avoid what would be the most frustrating absences heading into Wednesday.

The Arsenal boss rallied his troops after their disappointing 1-0 defeat against PSG on Tuesday, telling reporters: “It’s half-time. I said exactly the same message after we beat Real Madrid 3-0 [in the quarter-final first leg at the Emirates]. Go to Paris, win the game, and we are through.

“That’s what we have to do. We saw two teams that are very aggressive, intense, not a lot of margins. Their keeper made two saves that normally are goals and those are the margins you have in these games.”

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After frustration in the title race, Arsenal will be desperate to avoid even more heartbreak on the European stage. There’s no doubt that winning the Champions League would have a major impact on Arteta’s project on and off the pitch too, especially when chasing summer transfer targets.

Berta makes Arsenal approach to sign Trincao

Instantly ruffling a few feathers, Berta has reportedly set his sights on a top Manchester United target. According to Record in Portugal, Berta has now made an approach to sign Francisco Trincao from Sporting CP this summer and has already had scouts in place to take note of his impressive campaign.

The winger, who is represented by the same agency as United stars Manuel Ugarte and Leny Yoro, has been reborn in Portugal following a failed spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Now, four years on from leaving the Premier League and failing to make his loan move permanent, Trincao could be back with a vengeance courtesy of Arsenal.

By signing the winger, Arsenal would also solve a major problem of theirs by welcoming an added creative spark and someone who would provide instant backup for Bukayo Saka.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Francisco Trincao

Bukayo Saka

Starts

31

17

Goals

8

6

Assists

14

10

Key Passes per 90

2.42

3.02

Described as “terrific” by U23 scout Antonio Mango in 2022, Trinaco has only reached new levels ever since and his eye for an assist is particularly impressive. As Martin Odegaard’s numbers continue to fall too, it’s the type of passing ability that Arteta arguably needs at his disposal more than ever at Arsenal.

This summer could be make or break in terms of Ruben Amorim’s future as Manchester United manager, needing to make the right decisions in the transfer market if they are to progress next season.

The Red Devils currently sit in 13th position in the Premier League, with their only hope of securing European football next season relying on their success in the Europa League.

Their lowly league standing is huge evidence that the board need to back the 40-year-old in the window, allowing him to make the additions he wants to fit his 3-4-2-1 system.

He’s so far only had one window to implement his own changes, largely having to operate with the players signed under the guidance of former manager Erik ten Hag.

However, he appears to have wasted no time in identifying players to improve his first-team squad, targeting one player who could massively improve the situation at Old Trafford.

Man Utd already in talks to land huge PL talent

According to GIVEMESPORT, United are already in talks with Wolverhampton Wanderers over a summer deal to sign their star man, Matheus Cunha.

The Brazilian only signed a new contract back in February but has stated his desire to depart Molineux this summer, with any club wanting him needing to trigger his £62.5m release clause.

The 25-year-old has registered 13 goals and four assists in the league to date, undoubtedly playing a huge role in maintaining the club’s top-flight status this campaign.

The report claims he’s interested in making a move to Old Trafford this summer, potentially making personal terms a forgone conclusion should the Red Devils trigger his release clause.

Whilst it would be a huge sum to fork out on yet another attacker at the Theatre of Dreams, it would be a worthwhile investment, providing a better option than another player already on their radar.

Why Cunha would be a better signing than Delap for United

Over the last week or so, reports have emerged that United have made Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap their number-one choice to become their new talisman next season.

The 22-year-old is set to be a man in demand this summer, with Chelsea also in the race to land the forward who has a £30m relegation release clause within his current contract.

The former Manchester City youngster has been the Tractor Boys’ key man in 2024/25, registering 12 goals in 30 appearances – scoring 39% of Kieran McKenna’s outfit’s efforts to date.

However, despite the huge difference in fee, Cunha would undoubtedly be the better option for Amorim’s side, having the ability to feature in a centre-forward or attacking midfield role.

When comparing the pair’s respective figures from 2024/25, the Brazilian massively outperformed Delap, showcasing why the hierarchy should pay the added difference between the player’s different clauses.

Games played

26

30

Goals & assists

17

14

Progressive carries

3.9

2.2

Progressive passes

4.7

1.1

Shots on target

1.5

1.1

Pass accuracy

70%

61%

Take-ons completed

2.1

1.4

The Wolves star, who’s been labelled “sensational” by current boss Vitor Pereira, has managed to register more combined goals and assists, whilst also registering more shots on target per 90 – showcasing his clinical nature in attacking areas.

He’s also completed more progressive passes per 90, whilst completing more take-ons per 90, achieving a higher pass completion rate – highlighting his all-round nature with the ball at his feet.

Whilst the club would pay more than double if they were to land Cunha, it’s evident that he would be a better option for the Red Devils based on the stats he’s produced in England’s top flight in 2024/25.

If they are to return to the summit of the Premier League in the next couple of years, it’s pivotal they learn from their mistakes in the market, needing to invest in top-quality talent rather than players who have only impressed over one season.

64 touches, 93% passes: Man Utd's 8/10 star is now as important as Bruno

Manchester United could only secure a 2-2 draw with Lyon in the Europa League last night.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 11, 2025

It wasn’t quite a fairy tale ending for the domestic veteran, but he leaves the game with a rich legacy

Shashank Kishore01-Mar-2024Faiz Fazal woke up at different times this Ranji Trophy season in excruciating pain. Matching up to the rigours of first-class cricket was becoming difficult. When it hampered his pre-match preparation, he decided he couldn’t carry on this way.The thought of retiring after 21 years in the game made him emotional. But being left out midway through the season because he was “rusty” gave him a reality check. He decided then that whenever he’d get an opportunity next, he’d call it quits.That game came two weeks ago in the final Ranji league fixture against Haryana. It wasn’t quite a fairy tale ending – Fazal made 1 and 0 – but he is entirely at peace with his decision two weeks on, even though he could’ve tried and prolonged his journey through the Ranji knockouts.Related

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On Saturday, Vidarbha will begin their quest for a third title when they take on Madhya Pradesh in the semi-finals at home. Fazal won’t be part of the dressing room, but will still be watching with a cup of coffee in hand and plenty of notes and nuggets for his boys to chew on.”I’d been struggling with a [left] knee injury for over a year,” Fazal, 38, tells ESPNcricinfo. “Last season, I took cortisone injections to numb the pain and played through discomfort, but my movements were getting restricted. I still went to the United Kingdom for my league cricket stint in the summer, but when I returned in September, the pain was immense. So I underwent surgery for a meniscal tear and got it repaired with an implant.”During this process, Fazal found out his issue was deeper than just a tear.”We found out there was some extra growth spurts underneath my patella,” he says. “That was removed with some form of radiation therapy. Then there was also a cyst that had developed because of the meniscal tear which was hurting me. So I underwent a bone-narrow augmentation, a new technology, for better joint health and recovery.”These procedures meant he wasn’t in the fray for the white-ball season. It also left him with little time to prepare for the Ranji Trophy.”I felt I was short on preparation,” he says. “No excuses for my bad performances, but I take great pride in preparation. Red-ball preparation has been a massive part of my off-season routines, so when I couldn’t get that in, I felt a bit short-changed. I played just a couple of practice games coming in, but I realised my knee was getting a little stiff.”Every time I used to go into bat after a break, like lunch or tea, I wasn’t able to match the intensity of first-class cricket. This affected my form and the selectors felt I needed to be given a break because I was rusty.”I don’t know if I was rusty or not, but I had to sit out. At that point I decided whichever game I would play next; I’ll call it a day after that. It so happened that that game happened to be our final league fixture of the season.”Faiz Fazal receives a guard of honour in his last Ranji Trophy match•PTI Fazal explains feeling “shattered” waking up the next morning knowing he was no longer a first-class cricketer. But a little bit of introspection helped him realise the volume of his achievements. He led Vidarbha to back-to-back Ranji Trophy wins in 2017-18 and 2018-19, captained Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy, earned an India debut at 31.”I was shattered waking up the next morning, I won’t lie,” he says. “I’m a very emotional guy. Small things hurt me, or small things make me really happy. And earning that India cap was the proudest moment for me and the family. That was the biggest high. You can look back and say, ‘oh it was just one game’, but also, I was the only one in that squad who didn’t play in the IPL.”So, I looked at that opportunity as a reward for my domestic grind. Did I feel disappointed and hurt at not getting another chance? One hundred percent. Did it affect me? It definitely did. But then, you also realise how lucky you are.”Fazal leaves with a rich legacy. He made 9184 first-class runs in 138 matches with 24 hundreds and 39 half-centuries. The Ranji titles gave him immense satisfaction, but beyond that, just seeing his team get the respect of the domestic fraternity makes him happier.”Earlier, we were considered pushovers,” he says. “After the Ranji wins, especially the first title, teams suddenly woke up and realised we’re as good. Until you win a title, no one considers you. I remember sitting out for 10-11 years despite topping the run charts for my zone. When I used to go to the Duleep Trophy, I used to just carry drinks.”UP, Railways, MP – all these sides would have four-five players, Vidarbha hardly one or two. But after we won, I went on to lead. We had to score a lot of runs to barge the door down, knocking was just not enough because we were treated as minors.”Fazal only had a brief brush with the IPL in 2010-11, playing all of seven games for Rajasthan Royals. He was quickly branded a red-ball specialist. It hurt but he channeled the snub by going over to the UK to play club cricket. It’s been a summer ritual for the last decade.”I hated sitting in my AC room at home and watching the IPL on TV, what’s the point?” he says. “I decided I’ll get out and explore and play some cricket. That’s how it started. The game itself has been my biggest motivation. I love it to the core. Even now after all these years, I still play gully cricket in my colony with the boys. I enjoy playing at any level.”These days, Fazal is excited by the opportunity to learn the art of coffee making.”I’ve just ordered a few equipment, it’s coming,” he chuckles. “Learning to perfect the French Press, Latte art, make cappuccinos. I’m also mentoring a kid, doing one-on-one sessions. There are a few other opportunities. I’m absolutely open to playing a few leagues for retired players. But yes, life has slowed down and I’m trying to soak in everything else life has to offer.”