Well, who’d have thought it, eh? A change of manager and Manchester United look like a potent force again.

Erik ten Hag’s contract has been torn up and Ruben Amorim, widely thought to be one of the game’s most exciting young coaches now patrols the Old Trafford dugout.

He’s not had a bad start to life as the manager of the Red Devils either. Amorim has taken charge of three games and across those matches they are unbeaten.

There will, of course, be greater tests than relegation-threatened Ipswich Town and Everton, but after two league games and a Europa League fixture, the Portuguese is unbeaten so far.

The 4-0 win over the Toffees on Sunday was an exceptional performance, one that has breathed fresh life into what was a downbeat side prior to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim stint as manager.

Man United's best performers against Everton

With Amorim now through the door, it was always going to be interesting to see how his renowned tactical shape would work out at Man United.

The answer? Brilliantly so far. They’ve only had two weeks to get to grips with a shape that involves three defenders and two wing-backs but we are seeing it prove game-changing for some players at Old Trafford.

Chief among them is Marcus Rashford who is quickly showing signs of why he’s earned 60 England caps.

The forward started as the central striker against Ipswich last weekend and within minutes of the game kicking off, he had found the net.

On this occasion, Rashford played behind Joshua Zirkzee and shone, scoring twice for the hosts. He was given strong assistance from United target Jarrad Branthwaite for the first, however.

Bruno Fernandes’ corner picked out Rashford and his goalbound effort was deflected into the back of the net. His second only needed the assistance of Amad Diallo who swiftly attacked the right-hand side before sliding in the England international.

Most touches

Lisandro Martinez (100)

Most passes

Martinez (86)

Most key passes

Amad (3)

Expected goals

Marcus Rashford (0.44 xG)

Successful dribbles

Iliman Ndiaye (5)

Defensive actions

James Tarkowski (10)

Total tackles

Amad & Tarkowski (4)

Interceptions

Martinez (2)

Ground duels won

Amad (11)

The other scorer was Joshua Zirkzee who bagged a brace of his own. The Dutchman has found life tough since arriving in the summer but was full of life on Sunday.

Speaking of Amorim’s system, it’s also proven game-changing for one player who didn’t earn too many opportunities under the previous regime; Amad.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Amad Diallo's performance in numbers

Last season it took the Ivorian the best part of four months for Ten Hag to finally give him a start. This term, chances were forthcoming on a more regular basis but he wasn’t one of the first names on the team sheet.

Well, under Amorim, he looks absolutely perfect in a wing-back role, notably shining against Everton on Sunday.

A week ago the winger was the provider for Rashford and on this occasion, he was once again the main supply line outside of captain Fernandes.

It was Amad who charged away to register two assists from the right flank, first breaking away to tee up Rashford before he raced away from the Everton backline on 64 minutes to find Zirkzee in acres of space.

Minutes played

90

Touches

71

Accurate passes

42/49 (86%)

Key passes

3

Assists

2

Shots

2

Successful dribbles

4/4

Ground duels won

11/14

Aerial duels won

1/3

Fouled

3x

Really, it was a Man of the Match performance, one in which he “tore Everton to shreds” in the words of MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst. Deservedly given a 9/10 rating by Sofascore, the 22-year-old was near flawless, playing three key passes, winning a mammoth 12 duels and completing all four of his dribble attempts.

United fans will tell you that the young forward’s form since Amorim arrived has been no surprise. The talent has always been there but they’ve now got a manager capable of extracting it.

You only need to look at 17-year-old Geovany Quenda, the new manager’s right-back at Sporting this season to understand how important that role in the team is. A similar profile to Amad, the teenager had amassed four goal involvements in 2024/25 prior to Amorim’s departure.

It only feels like United’s no.16 will now go from strength to strength at United. Judged to be a similar player to Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, via FBRef, a man worth over £100m according to Transfermarkt, it proves where his career could be destined to head.

Like Amad, Saka was a flying wing-back in the Arsenal side, breaking through under Unai Emery before becoming one of the best players in the Premier League as a forward.

For the 22-year-old United star, there is a blueprint there to follow. After such a strong run of form, supplying four assists in his last four games, he very much has the world at his feet.

Bellingham 2.0: Man Utd want to sign exciting £120m star in the making

Ruben Amorim already appears to be eyeing up new additions for Manchester United.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2024

The PCB have rejected his accusations, calling his behaviour “reprehensible” and declaring he would not be a part of future PSL drafts

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2022

James Faulkner has left the Pakistan Super League abruptly over a payment dispute, alleging that the PCB hasn’t honoured his contract and has instead “continued to lie” to him. The PCB, in response, lambasted Faulkner’s conduct as “reprehensible”, announcing the Australian would be banned from future PSL drafts, and accused him of misbehaving with immigration authorities and letting his side down.Faulkner, who has not played Quetta Gladiators’ last three games, was understood to have grown increasingly agitated over the matter and had been negotiating with the PCB over the issue. Things became so heated on Friday, however, that he threw his bat and helmet from the lobby floor balcony onto a hotel chandelier after a discussion with a PCB official before leaving for the airport. He paid the hotel for damages before leaving.He posted two tweets apologising to Pakistan cricket fans and calling his treatment at the hands of the PCB and the PSL “a disgrace”.James Faulkner threw his bat and helmet onto a chandelier after a discussion with a PCB official

“I apologise to the Pakistan cricket fans. But unfortunately I’ve had to withdraw from the last 2 matches and leave the @thePSLt20 due to the @TheRealPCB not honouring my contractual agreement/payments. I’ve been here the whole duration and they have continued to lie to me. It hurts to leave as I wanted to help to get international cricket back in Pakistan as there is so much young talent and the fans are amazing. But the treatment I have received has been a disgrace from the @TheRealPCB and @thePSLt20. I’m sure you all understand my position.”The PCB released a joint statement with Quetta Gladiators, calling Faulkner’s allegations baseless and expressing dismay at his “reprehensible behaviour”. The statement said Faulkner’s agent sent UK bank account details to transfer fee payments to, before sending revised bank account details the following month, this time for a bank account in Australia. By this time, the PCB had already transferred 70% of the money owed to the players, including Faulkner. ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB told Faulkner the payment could not be made again to a different account until the initial payment was reversed.Whether Faulkner is paid the remaining 30% is unclear yet. The PCB believe Faulkner to have breached his contract, and say it is a matter they will review.”In the seven years of the HBL Pakistan Super League, no player has ever complained about the nonfulfillment of the PCB’s contractual obligations,” the PCB said. “In spite of the money being transferred and received in his account, Mr Faulkner continued to insist that a second duplicate payment of the same amount be made to his account in Australia. This meant Mr Faulkner would have been paid twice. He further threatened and refused to participate in his side’s match against Multan Sultans on Friday afternoon until his money demands were met.”The PCB, as a responsible organisation, engaged with Mr Faulkner early Friday afternoon in an attempt to reason with him. Despite his reprehensible and insulting behavior during the conversation, Mr Faulkner was assured that all his grievances would be addressed. He refused to reconsider his decision to take the field in a crucial match for his side, let his team down and demanded that his travel arrangements be immediately made.”Prior to his departure on Saturday morning, Mr Faulkner caused deliberate damage to the hotel property and as a result had to pay damages to the hotel management. The PCB later also received reports and complaints from the immigration authorities that Mr Faulkner had acted inappropriately and abusively at the airport. It has been unanimously agreed by the PCB and the franchises that Mr James Faulkner will not be drafted in future HBL Pakistan Super League events.”Faulkner played six PSL games this season, taking six wickets and scoring 49 runs.

A Manchester United player who Ruben Amorim and INEOS are happy with could leave Old Trafford in 2025, according to Sky Sports.

Players who may leave Man Utd in 2025

The Red Devils are now in another new era under head coach Amorim and have made a positive start under the Portuguese coach, winning two and drawing one of their first three games.

Related Real Madrid talking to Man Utd about £85k-p/w ace who Amorim thinks is key

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Posts ByBrett Worthington Dec 2, 2024

Fans have already been seeing signs of a change in playing style under Amorim, and in the transfer market, there could also be plenty of movement in 2025.

In regards to exits, a number of players are out of contract at Old Trafford at the end of the season and will therefore be able to talk to clubs outside of England in January over a pre-contract agreement.

Man Utd players out of contract in 2025

Amad Diallo (Option for a further year)

Harry Maguire (Option for a further year)

Christian Eriksen

Jonny Evans

Tom Heaton

As can be seen, five players on the books at Man Utd are on course to become free agents, although a new deal for Amad Diallo appears to be in the pipeline.

Unfortunately for Christian Eriksen, it looks as if his days as a Red Devils player are numbered, with Eriksen likely to leave Man Utd for free at the end of the season. Now, it looks as if another player who is still under contract for a number of years could join him in a 2025 exit.

Altay Bayindir could leave Man Utd – Sky Sports

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Man Utd goalkeeper Altay Bayindir could leave Old Trafford in either January or in the summer.

Despite Amorim and INEOS being “very satisfied” with the ‘keeper, Plettenberg states that Bayindir “is simply too good to be a number two behind Andre Onana and currently has no prospects for regular playing time”.

Bayindir arrived in Manchester from Fenerbahce for £4.3m in September 2023 following David de Gea and Dean Henderson’s Old Trafford exits.

The Turkey international has rivalled Onana since moving to Old Trafford but has found game time hard to come by, making just three appearances in all competitions.

Under contract until 2027, Bayindir has played in United’s two EFL Cup games in 2024/25, but by the looks of it, an exit in the New Year could be on the cards for the £35,000-a-week shot-stopper.

Should a permanent exit away from United materialise, it will be looked back on as a transfer to forget, with former director John Murtough previously hailing Bayindir after he signed, saying:

“Altay is an excellent addition to our squad and adds further quality to our already strong group of experienced goalkeepers. Having consistently performed at a high level in a strong European league, he has the qualities to support us in achieving our ambitions across all competitions this season and beyond.”

MatériaMais Notícias

A Ponte Preta luta contra o rebaixamento no Campeonato Paulista e tem pela frente o Corinthians fora de casa, missão complicada para a Macaca.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

Se a classificação já não bastasse para pressionar o time do Moisés Lucarelli, a equipe não terá quatro atletas por conta de ligação contratual com o Corinthians.

Para o jogo do próximo domingo, a Ponte Preta não terá o zagueiro Léo Santos, o lateral-direito Igor Formiga, o volante Matheus Jesus e o meia Fessin.

Confira a provável escalação: Ygor Vinhas, Norberto, Thiago Oliveira, Fabrício e Guilherme Santos (Kevin ou Jean Carlos); Marcos Júnior (André Luiz), Léo Naldi, Matheus Anjos e João Pedro (Niltinho); Lucca e Ribamar.

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كشفت تقارير صحفية أن اثنين من لاعبي فريق ريال مدريد سيخضعان لفحوص طبيبة بعد خوضهما مباراة الأمس ضد آرسنال، في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

واستضاف ملعب “الإمارات” مباراة الفريقين في خضم لقاءات ذهاب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2024/25.

وتعرض حامل اللقب، ريال مدريد، لهزيمة مذلة بثلاثة أهداف دون رد.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بيلينجهام بعد الهزيمة بثلاثية أمام آرسنال: ريال مدريد كان محظوظًا

وذكرت شبكة “ذا أثلتيك” العالمية أن اثنين من لاعبي ريال مدريد يشعران بانزعاجات بعد مباراة الأمس في دوري أبطال أوروبا ضد آرسنال.

وأوضحت أن هذين اللاعبين هما دافيد ألابا وفيدي فالفيردي، مع العلم أن الأمر لا يبدو خطيرًا، حسب ما ذكره النادي للمصدر نفسه.

وأفادت بأن ألابا وفالفيردي سيخضعان للمزيد من الفحوصات الطبية في غضون الساعات المقبلة، لتحديد طبيعة حالتهما.

ويلتقي ريال مدريد مع ألافيس في الجولة الحادية والثلاثين من الدوري الإسباني يوم الأحد المقبل، قبل مباراة الإياب ضد آرسنال على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” يوم الأربعاء.

As is to be expected by now, this season has been another one full of ups and downs for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s side looked like one primed for a crisis following their loss to Ipswich Town earlier this month but then quashed any such talk with an emphatic 4-0 win away to Manchester City on Sunday.

Based on their last performance, the Lilywhites are a side that not many teams would want to play at the moment, and they should be taking that confidence into their Europa League clash with Roma tonight.

That said, the Italian giants should not be underestimated as they have some serious talents of their own, including the incredibly exciting Paulo Dybala, but Ange might already have his own version of the Argentine in his squad that must start.

Dybala's links to Spurs

As many Spurs fans will be well aware, Roma’s Dybala is a player who has been touted for a move to N17 on several occasions over the years, starting back in 2019.

One of the biggest transfer sagas that summer was the Argentine’s supposed move to the Lilywhites, and according to a report from Sky Sports News, the North Londoners had actually agreed on a £64.4m fee with Juventus.

However, just a day later, once the fans were excited about the supremely gifted star’s potential arrival, the Serie A side stopped the transfer over an inability to get an adequate replacement.

Then, a few years later, when the former Palermo ace was finally set to leave the Old Lady, Tottenham were once again said to be interested in signing him, only for Roma, who were managed by former Spurs boss José Mourinho at the time, to swoop in and secure the talented attacker’s signature themselves.

Now the Laguna Larga-born star is 31 years old and settled in Rome; it seems like the Lilywhites will never get their man, although there’s a dynamic attacker in Postecoglou’s squad who could be their answer to him.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Spurs' own Dybala

Okay, so there are a few candidates for this tag in the current Spurs squad, from Dejan Kulusevski to possibly even Lucas Bergvall, should he continue to develop in the way he is.

However, the player we are talking about is James Maddison, and there are two reasons for this.

The first is that, like the Roma ace, the Englishman is adept at scoring goals and setting up his teammates with exquisite passes.

For example, in his 46 appearances for Spurs thus far, the “incredible” attacker, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored nine goals and provided 13 assists, equating to a goal involvement every 2.09 games.

Likewise, during his time with the capital club, the former Juve ace has scored 36 goals and provided 18 assists in 90 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 1.66 games.

Appearances

90

46

Goals

36

9

Assists

18

13

Goal Involvements per Match

0.60

0.47

The second similarity is where the pair plays.

When we look at the former Leicester City star’s heatmap, we see that he spends most of his time on the left-hand side, between the halfway line and the penalty area.

Interestingly, the five-time Serie A winner occupies the same space, just on the right-hand side, showing that the pair are about as attacking as a midfielder can get without occupying the same areas as their strikers do.

Lastly, while it’s not possible to quantify, both players are sensationally entertaining to watch, and while they may make a mistake here and there, you know that they will also try and make something happen at some point.

Ultimately, we’ll never know just how good Spurs could have been with Dybala in the team, but they have someone similar in Maddison.

Therefore, Postecoglou must make sure he starts the game tonight.

Spurs star who got sold by Poch for big money has become an 'embarrassment'

The veteran international has not had a great season so far.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2024

Maya Jama appears to have received another romantic gift from Manchester City defender Ruben Dias, with a huge bunch of red roses being delivered.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Couple met at the MTV Europe Music AwardsSpent New Year's Eve together on IbizaJama has hinted at starting to learn PortugueseFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

Love Island host Jama has been keeping her new relationship out of the public eye, with only the odd glimpse being offered into her private life. She was first spotted with Portugal international Dias at the turn of the year, as they welcomed in 2025 on the party island of Ibiza.

AdvertisementTHE GOSSIP

A source told at the time: “When Ruben got injured and had to miss the congested new year fixtures, he jumped at the chance to see in 2025 with Maya in Spain. Spending New Year’s Eve together was a real step forward in their relationship. They get on really well and obviously make a gorgeous couple, but it’s early days.”

DID YOU KNOW?

The couple first met at the MTV Europe Music Awards in September 2024, which took place in Manchester. They have dined out together since then, with their bond continuing to blossom. That is now quite literally the case after Jama took ownership of a giant bouquet of flowers.

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WHAT NEXT?

It is being suggested that said present was ordered by City star Dias. Jama would appear to be getting serious with her new beau, with the 30-year-old recently posting on social media that “lessons have started” after recording her herself trying to speak Portuguese to Dias – who could be heard in the background.

West Indies 375 (Bonner 123, Brathwaite 55) and 147 for 4 (Bonner 38*, Holder 37*) drew with England 311 (Bairstow 140, Seales 4-79) and 349 for 6 dec (Crawley 121, Root 109) Nkrumah Bonner and Jason Holder drew the sting of England’s depleted attack in a tense final session of the first Test in Antigua, as their 80-run partnership, spanning 34.4 resolute overs, thwarted a well-judged declaration from Joe Root that briefly looked set to deliver an unlikely victory in a previously bat-dominated contest.After Root himself had become England’s third centurion of the match – a feat they last achieved on the tour of India in 2016-17 – West Indies were left needing a stiff but tantalising target of 286 in a minimum of 71 overs, against an attack lacking the services of Mark Wood, the man whose habitual 90mph pace might have been expected to unlock an unforgiving surface.Instead, England’s fight was carried by the disciplined, probing spin of Jack Leach, who bowled with great accuracy, and with five men camped around the bat for the majority of the final session, but with little luck to finish with 3 for 57 in 30.1 overs. Ben Stokes was England’s other main threat as he once again belied the pre-match caveats about his fitness to bang out 13 more overs for 24, but having prised out the key early wicket of Kraigg Brathwaite, he too was unable to get the better of a dogged fifth-wicket pair.After 21 wickets had fallen on the first four days of the match, the likelihood of England forcing victory on an unforgiving surface at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium had always been slim. And slim seemed to have left town when it was confirmed that Wood – who had been withdrawn from the attack before lunch on day three – would play no further part in the match, after reporting “acute pain” in his injured right elbow during a nets session before the start of play.With Wood’s participation in the rest of the series now in serious doubt, it would have been understandable had England chosen to shut up shop from the outset, after resuming their second innings with a stalemate at their mercy on 217 for 1. However, in adding a further 132 runs in 25 overs of an extended morning session, the evidence from the day’s outset was that England always intended to have a dart at West Indies’ brittle batting in the final two sessions.By the time Bonner had batted for 493 balls across his two innings, and found typically indomitable support from Holder – a man who never needs to be asked twice to produce his best performances against England – West Indies had located a backbone to reinforce their remarkable home record in the Wisden-turned-Richards-Botham-Trophy.Either side of the tea break, however, it had threatened to be a very different story. After a misleadingly calm start to their chase, in which Brathwaite and John Campbell had compiled their second fifty stand of the match, West Indies shipped four wickets for eight runs in 9.3 overs to reawaken the sort of jitters that their opponents have known only too well in recent times.Suddenly, from 59 for 0, with the vague prospect of hunting down a run-a-ball asking rate in an ODI-style fight to the finish, West Indies were in the soup at 67 for 4, with their only remaining objective being survival – a state of affairs that allowed England to shelve any reticence in their field placings, and throw everything they had into the pursuit of those final six wickets.The dismissal of Brathwaite was the trigger for West Indies’ wobble for he had been, by a distance, the more fluent of West Indies’ two openers. Aside from one atrocious hack across the line at Leach, for which he had deserved to be bowled for 24, Brathwaite found a comfortable balance between stickability and intent to set West Indies’ tempo with a solid knock of 33 from 82 balls.Inevitably, however, it was Stokes who dislodged him. After his first-innings exertions, Stokes had been held back until the 24th over – ostensibly waiting until the ball was ready to reverse-swing – and with his seventh delivery, he skidded a full-length nipbacker into Brathwaite’s shin, to send him on his way for 33 from 82 balls.Suddenly, West Indies’ serenity had been shaken, and Campbell never looked like filling the void. Leach in particular had him in his pocket – he should have been caught for 1 from 19 balls, when he skied a leading edge to Crawley, running back from slip, and the solitary boundary of his innings, an attractive drive through the covers off Leach, came one ball after he had skimmed a less convincing hack over the head of Stokes at mid-off.But on 22, Campbell’s luck ran out. Needing to up his own tempo now that the captain was gone, he gave Leach the charge but scudded a flat drive towards Craig Overton at mid-off, who swallowed the chance comfortably above his head to leave West Indies in a bit of strife on 59 for 2.With tea looming, Leach and Stokes turned the screw. The new men, Shamarh Brooks and Bonner were limited to two runs in the space of six overs before, in the final over before the break, Brooks swept Leach for a pressure-relieving four, then fenced at his very next ball, for Crawley to make amends with a sharp low take at slip.Jack Leach made two breakthroughs before tea•Getty Images

At 65 for 3, that wicket was perfectly timed to scramble the mind of the incoming Jermaine Blackwood – a man who, moments earlier, might have priming himself to be the hero, Ageas Bowl 2020-style, in an improbable run-chase. Now his only real role was to loiter, and that notion seemed to fry his synapses in the interval. Three balls after the resumption, he flung his bat through a revolting hack to nothing, and was pinned lbw for 2 to set the cat fully among the pigeons.Holder and Bonner, however, could not be dislodged. The former used his extraordinarily long levers to stretch down the pitch at every opportunity, smothering Leach’s threat with an ever-broad bat; the latter hung back on the crease, playing off the pitch and trusting his eye to get out of intermittent trouble.Aside from Leach and Stokes, however, there wasn’t enough threat from the rest of England’s attack. Even with Ben Foakes standing up to the stumps, there was nothing about Chris Woakes’ diligent methods that looked like forcing a wicket, and perhaps the best of the rest were the speculative offbreaks of the squirrel-in-a-blender, Dan Lawrence, who came inches from cleaning up Bonner, on 9, with the biggest turner of the match.England did eventually think they’d broken the stand … but only for a split-second, for Bonner, on 25 at the time, was already grinning as he signalled for a review because he knew he’d feathered an inside-edge from Craig Overton into his pads.The biggest what-if for England, however, came when Holder, on 13, and with a dicey 22 overs still in the bank, was pinned on the back leg, offering no stroke to a faster, flatter ball from Leach. England, with one review up their sleeve, and perhaps mindful of what had happened at Headingley in 2019 when Australia got too eager to play their get-out-of-jail card, decided discretion was the better part of valour. Replays showed that the ball was smashing leg, and Holder wouldn’t offer a better opportunity for 59 remaining balls.Despite being thwarted at the death, there were plenty of positives for England to take away from the first five days of their so-called red-ball reset. With centuries already in the bag for Jonny Bairstow and Crawley, the captain Root made it three for the match in the morning session – his 24th in Test cricket and 13th as captain, overtaking Alastair Cook’s previous record. After a stellar year in 2021, it was Root’s first of the new calendar year, and his first in his new berth at No. 3 as well.But in strolling off the pitch with an indomitable stand to their names, and with West Indies’ unbeaten run in Tests against England in Antigua extended into an 42nd year, Bonner and Holder did more than enough to remind their opponents that they are in a tussle once again in this series, with their next challenge looming large in Barbados next week.

With Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United future more in doubt than ever, INEOS are reportedly set to prioritise the signature of a £60m option to replace their academy graduate.

Man Utd transfer news

Amid struggles to find his best form for the first time in a year or so, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly ready to sell Rashford for as little as £40m in 2025, with Barcelona among the clubs now eyeing a move. In a shock decision, the England international could find himself shown the exit door, allowing Manchester United to welcome reinforcements who suit Ruben Amorim’s system.

The Red Devils have already seen glimpses of just how difficult it will be to transition into life under their new manager, with Andre Onana’s mistake in midweek gifting Viktoria Plzen an opening goal when attempting to play out from the back as instructed.

The former Sporting boss will rightfully stick to his ways, however, and hope to eventually reap the rewards. There’s no doubt that he will need reinforcements if he is to be successful, though.

With that said, according to reports in Spain, INEOS now want to prioritise signing Evan Ferguson to replace Rashford at Manchester United. The Brighton & Hove Albion forward, who is valued at as much as £60m, would slot straight into the sole striker role in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system in which Rashford has struggled.

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The La Liga giants could take full advantage.

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Alas, at £60m, it remains to be seen whether Manchester United will be in a position to spend such money when 2025 arrives, especially if they fail to qualify for the Champions League once again. The last thing that INEOS need is to run into trouble with profit and sustainability.

"Amazing" Ferguson suits Amorim more than Rashford

If Rashord isn’t going to play in one of the wingback roles, which seems to be the case, then it’s difficult to find a place for him in the current Manchester United side. Amorim has so far turned towards Rasmus Hojlund to lead the line and question marks remain over Rashford’s ability to play in either advanced number 10 roles behind the Dane.

Ferguson, meanwhile, could hand the new manager a new version of Viktor Gyokeres. The powerful and clinical Swede was the star of the show in Amorim’s Sporting side, becoming one of the best goalscorers in Europe.

Now, Ferguson could follow suit. A striker who has a similar build and running power, Ferguson’s best years are yet to come and United could take full advantage by landing an early deal.

Whilst he has struggled for minutes at Brighton & Hove Albion in the last year or so, the praise has always poured in for the 20-year-old, including from former teammate Alexis Mac Allister.

The current Liverpool midfielder told BBC Sport in 2023 after Brighton’s 2-0 victory over Bournemouth: “Evan is an amazing player. He was not having his best evening, but he showed his quality. We are really happy for him, we know how important he is.”

Ron Kalifa emerges as favourite as ECB prepares to unveil Rob Key and name Ben Stokes as captain

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Apr-2022The power vacuum at the top of English cricket looks set to extend throughout the home summer, after the ECB was forced to restart the recruitment process for its new chairman, amid reports that Ron Kalifa – the man leading the nominations committee – is set to be put himself forward for the role instead.And in a further blow to the ECB’s hopes of a smooth transition, Barry O’Brien – who has been standing in as interim chair since the resignation of Ian Watmore in October – has chosen to stand down due to ill health, with Martin Darlow, the current deputy chair, stepping up as the stand-in’s stand-in.The chaotic scenario comes on the eve of Rob Key’s unveiling as the new director of men’s cricket, with Ben Stokes also set to be named as Joe Root’s successor as Test captain. Simon Katich and Gary Kirsten are among the names being touted for the head coach role – a job that the ECB has confirmed will be split between red-ball and white-ball following the publication of separate job adverts – but none of the team appointments yet know who they will be reporting to in the long-term, with the governing body in a state of paralysis.Related

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Kalifa, who has been on the board since November 2020, withdrew from the nominations committee at a board meeting on Tuesday, with his fellow non-executive director Brenda Trenowden taking over as chair.Kalifa is understood to have the support of several key executives within the ECB, and could pave the way for Andrew Strauss to be put forward as the new chief executive. However, with the process set to extend into the summer months, the likelihood is a stay of execution for the incumbent CEO, Tom Harrison, who had been expected to step down after seven years in charge, but may now be required to stay in office as the only experienced executive on the board.”The ECB Board met last night and has agreed to restart the process for recruiting its next permanent chair,” read a statement released on Wednesday.”Following an ongoing process involving a number of strong candidates undertaking interviews with both the Nominations Committee and a Cricket Panel it was felt that no single candidate was able to fully meet the criteria to become next chair.”In light of this, the board decided that the process should now be restarted. A new Nominations Committee will be appointed, chaired by senior independent director Brenda Trenowden, to run the new process.”In light of extending timelines in appointing a new ECB chair, Barry O’Brien, who has been standing-in as interim chair since October, will now step-down from the role due to ill health and hand over to deputy chair, Martin Darlow.”Stokes, meanwhile, is believed to have spoken to Key in recent days, with a view to taking over the Test captaincy following Root’s resignation earlier this month.He had been favourite to take charge, having served as vice-captain under Root, and is reportedly keen on the role despite the addition to his workload as a key allrounder and one of the Test team’s few default picks. Stokes is currently working his way back from a knee problem but could make a playing return for Durham in next week’s round of Championship matches.Key is set to be unveiled at Lord’s on Thursday, with the appointment of Stokes high up a to-do list that also includes recruiting for several vacancies in the wake of England’s Test series defeats in Australia and the Caribbean.