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Former ICC umpire says “hypocrisy and lack of consistency from some people and groups is quite interesting”

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jul-20232:08

Has the Bairstow dismissal been blown out of proportion?

Simon Taufel, the former ICC elite umpire who is presently a member of the MCC laws sub-committee, has suggested Australia had not breached the Spirit of Cricket when Alex Carey stumped Jonny Bairstow on the fifth day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.”Was Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal at Lords a breach of the Spirit of Cricket?” Taufel wrote in a post on LinkedIn. “This is a question I have been inundated with, so I thought it best to share my thoughts publicly by asking everyone a question or eight to consider … “Have you seen any umpire tell a fielding side that the keeper standing back is not allowed to attempt a stumping? “Was there a complaint from anyone when Bairstow tried to stump Marnus exactly the same way in the first innings? “What has Jonny Bairstow said about his dismissal? He has been very quiet. Why? “My experience is when people don’t like a dismissal under the Laws of Cricket, they cite the Spirit of Cricket to support their view. “Which part of the codified Preamble (the Spirit of Cricket) was breached by the fielding side? “What did the fielding side do in effecting a legitimate dismissal that unfairly impacted the ability of the batter in their attempt not to be dismissed? (Did they run into him or distract him or prevent him making good his ground?) “Should a batter be immune from dismissal as per the Laws by simply being negligent (and leaving his ground too early)? “Did England retire Ben Duckett when they disagreed with the Starc catch decision as per the Laws and umpires’ decision?”The hypocrisy and lack of consistency from some people and groups is quite interesting and concerning for the future of our game. Maybe I am the odd one out here? The good news is that we are actively engaged with Test cricket, the best form of the game,” he ended.Preamble to the Laws: Spirit of Cricket

Cricket owes much of its appeal and enjoyment to the fact that it should be played not only according to the Laws, but also within the Spirit of Cricket. The major responsibility for ensuring fair play rests with the captains, but extends to all players, match officials and, especially in junior cricket, teachers, coaches and parents.
Respect is central to the Spirit of Cricket.
Respect your captain, team-mates, opponents and the authority of the umpires.
Play hard and play fair.
Accept the umpire’s decision.
Create a positive atmosphere by your own conduct, and encourage others to do likewise.
Show self-discipline, even when things go against you.
Congratulate the opposition on their successes, and enjoy those of your own team.
Thank the officials and your opposition at the end of the match, whatever the result.
Cricket is an exciting game that encourages leadership, friendship and teamwork, which brings together people from different nationalities, cultures and religions, especially when played within the Spirit of Cricket.

Bairstow’s dismissal took place when England were five down and needed a further 178 runs to win at Lord’s. He ducked underneath a short ball from Cameron Green, scratched the crease with his boot and walked down the pitch towards his partner Ben Stokes at the non-striker’s end.Before Bairstow had begun to leave his ground, wicketkeeper Carey had gathered the ball on the bounce and, in one motion, under-armed a throw at stumps at the striker’s end. The on-field umpires referred the decision to TV umpire Marais Erasmus, who gave the batter out – and the dismissal was recorded as stumped. Bairstow glared at the Australian huddle as he walked off and boos rang out around Lord’s. The crowd – who were largely subdued throughout the first four days of this Test – then chanted repeatedly: “Same old Aussies, always cheating.” And as the Australian players walked through the Lord’s Long Room at the lunch interval, they were booed and abused by some MCC members.Australia went on to win the Lord’s Test by 43 runs and took a 2-0 lead in the Ashes, but the furore over Bairstow’s dismissal has only snowballed as the series moves to Headingley on Thursday.While Australia captain Pat Cummins defended his decision to appeal for the wicket, his England counterpart Ben Stokes said he wouldn’t want to win that way. England’s coach Brendon McCullum said the teams wouldn’t be sharing a beer any time soon, and that the nature of the dismissal would galvanise England for the rest of the series.The prime ministers of the two countries – Rishi Sunak and Anthony Albanese – have also got involved, taking their teams’ sides.

West Indies, two-time former champions, are going to be absent from an ODI World Cup for the first time when the tournament takes place in India later this year. The issues for West Indies start from the foundation of the game back home, captain Shai Hope said after the defeat to Scotland ended their qualification hopes in Harare on Saturday, adding that “we can’t come here and expect to be an elite team without that backing and preparation”.”It starts from the foundation. Preparation needs to be better. That’s from back home,” Hope told Ian Bishop on the official broadcast. “So, yeah, it starts from there. We can’t just expect to wake up one morning and be a great team. There’s a lot of things that we need to focus on. And yeah, we need to control (what) we can control. Right now, we are here playing cricket, and we need to make sure we give our all to the West Indian fans.”West Indies came into the Super Six stage of the qualifying event in Zimbabwe without any points from the group stage, having lost to Zimbabwe and Netherlands, the two teams to move up from the same group. That meant they had to win every Super Six game to stand a chance, but fell short at the first hurdle, putting up a lacklustre show against Scotland to lose by seven wickets.Related

• West Indies recall Shimron Hetmyer and Oshane Thomas for ODIs against India

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• Bishop: 'West Indies' decline pre-dates this group of players'

• Holder urges West Indies to 'come together as a region' after World Cup setback

“To be honest, it’s not one thing [I can] put my finger on. We definitely need to look at all the areas,” Hope said when asked if he knew where West Indies fell short. “Certainly, I felt we let ourselves down here in the entire tournament. But yeah, we need to look at the way we start our innings [and] definitely the fielding.”The fielding has been one of the biggest concerns for the team, and the pedestrian performance against Zimbabwe earlier in the tournament – where catches went down frequently and there were misfields galore – even invited harsh words from Daren Sammy, the coach, and Hope.”I probably have to say [it’s] the mindset – fielding is really and truly an attitude, in my opinion, and I think we need to give a bigger effort, especially with the attitude,” Hope said. “Catches will be dropped, misfields will happen, it’s part of the game, but the effort needs to remain. I don’t think we gave that 100% effort every single time. We did it in patches, but we certainly need to improve in that.”Against Scotland, West Indies lost the toss and were asked to bat. They were 30 for 4 inside seven overs, as the Scotland quicks – led by Brandon McMullen – struck at will, almost, and then reached 81 for 6, their top-six batters gone, in the 21st over. There was a fightback after that, but not one of note.”We knew the conditions were definitely in the bowlers’ favour; the toss is really crucial here – we see every single captain [that] wins the toss elects to field first,” Hope said. “So we need to find ways to negate that early-morning movement. [But] again, we can’t really look at the past, we need to look at ways to move forward and get better.”We know there’s two more games left. We need to find a way to bounce back, finish the tournament positively at least.”We need to make sure we transfer the talent [back home] into consistent performances and that’s the only way we can rise in the rankings.”

هز نادي يوفنتوس الإيطالي شباك خصمه الوداد المغربي، بهدف ثالث، خلال مباراة الفريقين ببطولة كأس العالم للأندية.

ويواجه يوفنتوس خصمه الوداد، ضمن مباريات الجولة الثانية من منافسات المجموعة السابعة ببطولة كأس العالم للأندية، على ملعب “لينكولن فاينانشال فيلد”.

وأحرز كينان يلدز الهدف الثالث لصالح يوفنتوس في شباك الوداد، وذلك بحلول الدقيقة 69 من المباراة.

وسجل كينان يلدز هدفه الثاني في المباراة باختراقه دفاع الخصم وتسجيله بهدوء في زاوية المرمى.

وكان يوفنتوس تقدم في البداية مستفيدًا من هدف عكسي أحرزه عبد المنعم بوطويل في الدقيقة 6.

ثم عزز يوفنتوس التقدم بهدف ثان لكينان يلدز في الدقيقة 16، قبل أن يقلص الوداد الفارق بهدف للورش في الدقيقة 25.

وفي حال فوز يوفنتوس اليوم، سيرتفع رصيده من النقاط إلى 6 ليتصدر المجموعة السابعة، بينما يتجمد رصيد الوداد بدون نقاط في المركز الثالث.

يذكر، أن يوفنتوس انتصر في مباراته الأولى أمام العين الإماراتي بخمسة أهداف دون مقابل، وتلقى الوداد هزيمة من مانشستر سيتي بهدفين دون رد. هدف يلدز الثاني في مباراة يوفنتوس والوداد

69′ GOAL! ⚽
Yildiz is ON FIRE and scores a third goal for @juventusfcen! 🇹🇷

Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #JUVWAC pic.twitter.com/AtSLH9ZrSX — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 22, 2025

Dan Lawrence has been appointed captain of London Spirit men in the Hundred, replacing the retired Eoin Morgan in the role.Lawrence, 25, has never captained a team in a professional T20 fixture and his leadership experience extends to one Championship match for Essex and a warm-up match for England Lions in Abu Dhabi earlier this winter.He has played nine times for the Spirit across the first two seasons of the Hundred, scoring 135 runs and taking five wickets – four of them in a single fixture against Welsh Fire at Lord’s last summer.Related

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He was retained for the 2023 season on a £75,000 contract, and will receive a £10,000 bonus as captain.”It’s a real honour to be asked to captain this side,” Lawrence said. “Following on from England’s greatest white-ball captain is a huge challenge, but one I’m really excited to be taking on.”Spirit’s men finished third in the Hundred last summer, losing the eliminator against Manchester Originals at the Ageas Bowl. They have retained most of their squad and will make three signings in Thursday evening’s draft, including one overseas player.”We’ve got a talented group of players coming back this season, and it’s a great chance to build on last year’s strong performance,” Lawrence added. “I can’t wait to lead the team out in front of a packed ground at Lord’s.”Dan Lawrence celebrates a wicket with Eoin Morgan•ECB/Getty Images

Fraser Stewart, Spirit’s general manager, said: “We are delighted that Dan has agreed to captain London Spirit’s men’s team this year. He is tactically astute and is a very popular and respected member of the dressing room.”It’s also pleasing that he’s a local player from one of our partner counties, Essex, whose fans we hope will come to Lord’s to support Dan and the London Spirit teams.”The Hundred runs from August 1-27 this summer, and has a standalone window which does not clash with any England international fixtures – men’s or women’s – for the first time.

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag could become Bayer Leverkusen's new manager – but only if Cesc Fabregas remains at Como.

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• Ten Hag the second choice
• Como fighting to keep Fabregas
• Alonso heading to Real Madrid

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per Florian Plettenberg, Leverkusen are locked in negotiations with Como over a deal to appoint Fabregas as Xabi Alonso's successor. However, the Serie A club are reticent to let the ex-Arsenal midfielder leave, and as a result, the Bundesliga club have shortlisted Ten Hag as their second-choice.

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  The Dutchman has been out of a job since leaving United in October, as the club had won just three of their opening nine games. Their form since, however, has perhaps strengthened Ten Hag's argument that he was not the only problem at Old Trafford; they are currently 16th under successor Ruben Amorim. Leverkusen won the Bundesliga under Alonso, and managing director of sport Simon Rolfes has confirmed that they are yet to rule out a candidate, despite Como's wishes to keep Fabregas.

• WHAT ROLFES SAID

  Rolfes told Sky: "No candidate has turned us down at any point in the process. I believe we will wrap this up in May and that we’re in the final stages. It will definitely happen in May."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Leverkusen will aim to finalise the appointment of a new manager shortly. Whether it is Fabregas or Ten Hag remains to be seen.

The Basque club are living through their latest golden age and will make formidable opponents for the Red Devils

For Manchester United, winning the Europa League is not just about lifting another trophy. It is about survival. After their worst season since being relegated in 1974, hoisting Europe's second-biggest prize in Bilbao on May 21 would take the club back to where they both want to be and – financially – need to be: the Champions League.

For the last 30 years, United have been run as if they were always in or at least aiming to be in Europe's top competition, meaning the wage bill hasn't been altered even when they missed out on qualification. Failing to win the Europa League, though, would mean missing out on the Champions League for two consecutive seasons, something that has never happened since the club first entered the competition in 1993.

But more than pride is at stake for United. Being in Europe's top competition is worth around £100 million ($134m) and could ward off fears about financial meltdown and meeting the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability obligations. It would also make United more attractive to players in the summer transfer window, which is crucial to shaping next season. As manager Ruben Amorim put it last month: "Being in the Champions League can change everything."

Things are very different for Athletic Club, the team who stand in United's way of reaching the final. Athletic are having their best La Liga season in 11 years and already on course to return to the Champions League after more than a decade away. That will be their only third campaign in Europe's top competition, and they will savour it. And so with fourth-place domestically all-but secured, the Europa League is fundamentally about glory to the Basques who have the chance to win a European trophy for the first time in the club's history.

But this season's compettion is even more important than the UEFA Cup final in 1977 or the Europa League final in 2012, both of which they lost. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lift the trophy on home soil – and they are not going to give it up without a real fight.

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  'Unique in the world'

  "When you see how the crowd was today, when you see how happy you made them," Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde began after beating Rangers in the quarter-finals to set up the tie with United, "the greatest thing about football is making people happy." And Valverde has made fans in Bilbao very happy indeed after he delivered the club's first major trophy in 40 years when they won the Copa del Rey in 2024.

  'This means more' might be Liverpool's marketing slogan. but if any club deserved to make such a proclamation then it is Athletic. The club's policy of only selecting players with ties to the Basque Country is well-known and celebrated by the club with their own slogan: 'Unique in the world'. And although the policy might have limited their potential success, it has also created an unbreakable bond with their supporters. So when they win a trophy, boy do they make it count.

  Athletic had the mother of all parties after winning the Copa del Rey, staging a trophy parade like no other. Their celebrations did not take place on an open-top bus driving through the city centre, but instead on a boat, the legendary 'Gabarra' which had been sitting dormant in the city's maritime museum for four decades, waiting for the team to win another trophy and be released down the Nervion river.

  An estimated one million fans turned out to see it, and the players were just as drunk as the supporters. "We were drinking beer like animals," striker Inaki Williams said. "Legend had told us what that Gabarra experience was like, but to live it was ultra special. It was a hard week; we played Villarreal that next night and we nearly beat them while still drunk!"

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  Valverde's golden ages

  Even with their unique selection policy, Athletic are still the third-most successful team in Spanish football behind Real Madrid and Barcelona in terms of trophies, boasting 24 Copas (only Barca have more) and eight La Liga titles. They were the best team in Spain through the early 1930s, winning four titles in seven years before the Spanish Civil War. They then had a renaissance in the 1950s, winning a double in 1956 before playing in the second edition of the European Cup the following season, where they came up against Sir Matt Busby's United in the quarter-finals. They beat the Busby Babes 5-3 at home, but ultimately lost 6-5 on aggregate.

  Another era of success came in the 1980s, when they won back to back La Liga titles, including a double in 1984 when they beat Diego Maradona's Barcelona in a legendarily violent Copa del Rey final which makes last week's events at Cartuja look like child's play. The commercialisation of football in the 1990s did deal a serious blow to Athletic's prestige and their model of only selecting players from their region, but under Valverde they have experienced two new golden ages.

  The first was in his second spell as coach, when he led them into the Champions League for the first time in 18 years, to a Copa del Rey final and to a Spanish Super Cup triumph, smashing Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate. They qualified for Europe in each of his four years in charge, and after he left to take over at Barcelona, Athletic experienced a barren spell with no continental football.

  That was until he returned in 2022, having taken two-and-a-half years out of football following his tumultuous time with Barca, where he won successive La Liga titles but was ultimately judged a failure after successive Champions League bottle jobs, as the Catalans threw away three-goal leads from first legs against Roma and Liverpool.

  But back in Bilbao, Valverde has reminded everyone how good a coach he always was.

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  Spain's best defence & an electric attack

  Athletic knocked Barcelona and Atletico Madrid out on their way to beating Real Mallorca in last season's Copa del Rey final, and finished fifth in La Liga as they narrowly missed out on a place in the Champions League. There has been no hangover from their wild celebrations this season, though.

  The Basques went 16 matches and almost five months without losing in La Liga and were seen as genuine title contenders until they were beaten by Atletico in March. During that run. they beat Real Madrid for the first time in 18 league matches and nine years, and now possess a six-point cushion over sixth-placed Real Betis with five games left in the race to qualify for the Champions League. That standing has been built on the best defence in La Liga, which has conceded just 26 goals overall, and only 10 in home matches. That is bad news for United, who have scored only 39 Premier League goals, the joint-fifth lowest in the division.

  The one shard of good news for United is Athletic's top scorer, Oihan Sancet, is out of the first leg and is touch-and-go for the second thanks to a hamstring injury. But the Basques still have plenty of firepower that United will need to try and keep a lid on in both games. Inaki Williams has 20 goal contributions in all competitions and struck the only goal in the narrow win over Las Palmas at the weekend, while earlier in the Europa League campaign he struck twice away against Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce.

  United will also have to keep an eye on Alex Berenguer and Gorka Guruzeta, but above all they will be watching out for Inaki's younger brother, Nico Williams, who was the scourge of England in the Euro 2024 final. Williams Jr has not quite been in the same sparkling form as last season, with 10 goal contributions in La Liga compared to 16 in 2024-25, but he has been dealing with the emotional weight of constant speculation regarding a big-money move away from San Mames as Barcelona and Arsenal continue to be linked with him after a move to Catalunya fell through last summer.

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  Europa difference-maker

  Despite his underwhelming domestic return, in Europe, Nico has shown his class and made the difference. He led the second-leg turnaround against Roma in the last 16, scoring twice as he was Player of the Match in the second leg at San Mames. He did the same against Rangers, scoring the all-important second goal which clinched his side's place in the last four. It took him and Athletic one step closer to that dream final and the chance to become only the fifth team (after Real Madrid, Inter, Barcelona and Feyenoord) to win a European final in their own stadium.

  "For me and for every Athletic fan in the world, reaching the final in Bilbao would be incredible," he said. "It would be a dream. I've been playing for Athletic since I was a child and you always dream of winning trophies. Because of where the final is this year, the Europa League is a very special tournament for us. I don't think anyone would understand this unless you are an Athletic fan.

  "You saw what it was like when we won the Copa del Rey last year so can you imagine what it would be like if we won the Europa League in our own city? We have to dream. We have to believe. We have a spectacular group of players and I think this is the year. If we keep playing the way we have been in this tournament, we have a chance to reach that final and be champions."

Chelsea are planning on offloading Jadon Sancho immediately after signing him from Manchester United, as they step up their interest in Jamie Gittens.

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• Chelsea to go through with Sancho buy obligation
• Will sell the England winger immediately for profit
• Blues interested in signing Dortmund's Jamie Gittens

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea signed Sancho on a loan deal last summer from Manchester United, with an obligation to permanently sign the winger this summer for a fee of £25 million ($33.2m). The Blues also have the option of walking back on the deal with a payout of £5 million ($6.6m), but have ultimately decided to keep the England international at Stamford Bridge over the summer.

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  Sancho has failed to show the same sort of form that he did at Borussia Dortmund before leaving them in 2021, however, the Bundesliga giants are still said to be interested in the winger. As such, GiveMeSport have reported that Chelsea will go through with the obligation to buy Sancho from United this summer, before trying to flip it into a profit by potentially selling the England international to Die Schwarzgelben.

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  TELL ME MORE…

  Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg has also reported that Chelsea and Dortmund may be ready to get into talks on a separate deal for winger Gittens, as the Blues are said to be keen on signing the England U21 international. Gittens was said to be available for a price tag of €100 million (£85.7m/$114m), however, Plettenberg's report has suggested that the 20-year-old could be available for a fee of around €50 million (£42.8m/$57m) to €60 million (£51.4m/$68.4m).

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• WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  The Blues are already stacked with wingers, and it is likely that if Gittens does come to Stamford Bridge, there will be a few departures this summer. However, Chelsea's track record under the ownership of Todd Boehly and BlueCo would suggest that they will continue to stock up on as many wing options as they can.

With the drama of the January transfer window beginning to turn up a notch or two, Aston Villa have reportedly submitted a new offer to sign an attacking reinforcement in a deal that is seemingly in its final stretch.

Aston Villa transfer news

Suggestions that Aston Villa must sell before they can buy have seemingly been proved right, with Jaden Philogene’s reported £21m move to Ipswich Town only igniting rumours over incomings of their own in the Midlands. The young winger initially rejected the interest of the Tractor Boys in the summer in favour of a return to Villa Park, only to struggle for game time and eventually find himself on his way to Portman Road.

Banking an impressive fee, Villa have already been linked with a number of names who could arrive in place of Philogene, including Donyell Malen.

The Borussia Dortmund winger has been the subject of Villa’s interest since the turn of the year, resulting in two initial bids and reports which indicated that the winger does, indeed, want to complete a mid-season switch to the Midlands. Now, another update has emerged.

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Jan 9, 2025

According to BILD, via Sport Witness, Aston Villa have submitted an improved offer for Malen and the deal is now entering the final stretch in what could see the Midlands club instantly spend the €25m (£21m) they’re set to receive for Philogene.

More experienced than the Ipswich-bound winger, Malen would get the chance to rediscover his best form at Villa Park if all parties reached an agreement this month.

"Dangerous" Malen an instant upgrade on Philogene

When Philogene came full circle and completed a move back to Aston Villa just one year after he decided to swap his boyhood club for the chance to become a star player at Hull City, he would have been in dreamland. At the second time of asking, however, not much changed. The young winger – much like his first spell – struggled to break into Unai Emery’s starting side and, as a result, struggled to find his best form.

It’s an issue that the more experienced Malen should not run into if he completes such a move before the end of the month. Whilst the Dutchman has stagnated somewhat at Dortmund, he still offers plenty of threat at his best – as summed up by previous praise.

Former Dortmund midfielder Mario Gotze told the official Bundesliga website: “Donyell is extremely fast and very dangerous. If he has a chance, it’s usually a goal, too. He’s still young, but has really good abilities.”

Given that Leon Bailey only recently scored his first goal of the season, that right-wing spot is certainly up for grabs in Emery’s strongest side as Malen potentially arrives.

Leeds United are set to sign an “incredible” new forward player for Daniel Farke before the deadline, according to one report.

Farke outlines three positions Leeds could strengthen

The Whites and the 49ers Enterprises are yet to make a signing in 2025, with the club’s only pieces of business being loan exits for Joe Gelhardt and Charlie Crew.

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RB Leipzig are also keen.

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On the pitch, things are going to plan, with Leeds five points better off than they were at this stage last season after 29 Championship games. There is still time for the club to add to their squad before the February 3 deadline, though, and Farke said a centre-back, attacking midfielder and centre-forward are positions Leeds could still strengthen in.

“There are still a few positions we could have a deeper look at if they can improve the squad. But right now, I’m a little bit more calmer with not being in panic mode with the need to have to do something.

“I think it’s fair to say if there is a creative offensive player out there, like a number 10 position, then it is something that could be beneficial for our group.

“Brenden Aaronson has been excellent this season and a key player for us. But we might have a similar player like him in our group. Of course we have players who can play in this role.

“If there is a solution for a creative midfield player it definitely make sense to stay awake. In all the other areas we are covered. The only two [positions] we have to stay awake in my head is the centre-back position… and perhaps a bit in the striker position.”

In attack, Patrick Bamford continues to be out injured, leaving Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph as the options for Farke. One attacker who has been loosely linked is Sevilla striker Kelechi Iheanacho, and it looks as if a move has gathered pace.

Leeds set to sign Kelechi Iheanacho, report claims

According to a report from Score Nigeria, Leeds are set to sign Iheanacho before the transfer deadline.

Akor Adams is set to join Sevilla from Montpellier which will allow Iheanacho to move back to England and Elland Road. The report doesn’t mention if a transfer will be loan or permanent, with things not going to plan for the former Leicester City striker in Spain.

Leicester City

232

61

34

Manchester City

64

21

7

Sevilla

11

3

0

Nigeria

56

15

8

The 28-year-old, who has scored once against the Whites during his career, was brought to Sevilla by former Leeds chief Victor Orta, but it hasn’t been a move that has gone to plan, scoring just three times in 11 appearances.

Iheanacho, dubbed “incredible” by Brendan Rodgers, netted five times in 23 appearances in the Championship as the Foxes lifted the title, so he may have his eyes on another second-tier crown with Leeds in the final months of the season.

Ruben Amorim looks to have finally found his feet at Manchester United, as the FA Cup third-round victory over Arsenal could certainly mark a turning point.

Prior to the game, Amorim had won just 4 of his opening 12 matches in charge of the Old Trafford side, enduring a tough start to life in the Premier League.

A 2-2 draw against runaway leaders Liverpool offered some hope that things may turn out well, but it was at the Emirates where Amorim finally delivered.

When Diogo Dalot was sent off with 30 minutes remaining, retaining the trophy appeared unlikely. After holding out for the rest of normal time, a solid display during the 30 added minutes ensured United still had a chance of progression via a penalty shootout.

Five perfect penalties were dispatched beyond David Raya and this display of grit and determination should inspire the team.

With a couple of weeks left of the January transfer window, Amorim’s priority will be to perhaps bring in a player or two that fits his style of play, thus bolstering his first-team squad.

Naturally, when a new manager takes charge of a team, there are several players who don’t quite fit into his way of thinking. This applies to the Red Devils, as a few first-team stars who were regulars in the starting XI under Erik ten Hag are now fighting for their futures at the club.

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As such, we have taken a deeper look into the players that Amorim might be looking to get rid of, either this month or in the summer.

From those out of contract in the summer to players attracting interest from other clubs in the transfer window, the former Sporting CP manager could be set to embark on a mass rebuild at Old Trafford.

1 Victor Lindelof At Man Utd since: 2017

Victor Lindelof cost Man Utd £31m when he joined from Benfica in the summer of 2017 as José Mourinho looked to bolster his defence.

Aged just 22, it was clear the Swede had plenty of potential to develop into a world-class centre-back, but it hasn’t totally gone to plan in Manchester.

Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjær utilised his talents on a regular basis, but the moment Erik ten Hag stepped through the door, his game time was heavily reduced. Indeed, he played just 39 of the 76 Premier League matches across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns.

This season, the 30-year-old has made just nine appearances throughout 2024/25, including only four starts. His contract expires this summer, which means if Amorim wishes to secure a transfer fee for the defender, he must sell him during the current window.

Discussing his future via GiveMeSport, Fabrizio Romano stated that United are willing to listen to offers this month, with Leicester City previously showing interest – but he could stick around until his contract expires in a few months.

2 Christian Eriksen At Man Utd since: 2022

Securing the services of Christian Eriksen for free in the summer of 2022 was seen as a smart move from Ten Hag. The Dane suffered a cardiac arrest during a Euro 2020 game against Finland, but after being fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), he returned to football with Brentford less than a year after the incident.

Across his first two seasons at United, Eriksen registered 16 goal contributions for the Red Devils, winning the League Cup and FA Cup in the process.

Despite scoring four goals and grabbing three assists for the club this term, things haven’t been all plain sailing for the Dane. Indeed, during the League Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur before Christmas, Eriksen struggled.

Not only did he lose possession five times, but the midfielder only completed 21 passes and took 38 touches as he and Casemiro were overrun in the middle of the pitch.

He was subbed off after 56 minutes, and at the time of writing, has started just once since, in the 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the Premier League.

He will turn 33 before the end of the season, and with his contract set to expire in just a few months, it looks as though Amorim won’t be offering an extension.

Considering he earns £150k per week at the club, allowing him to leave will see Amorim save a fortune on wages.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Dec 31, 2024 3 Casemiro At Man Utd since: 2022

Shelling out a staggering £70m for Casemiro in 2022 certainly raised eyebrows. Yes, the Brazilian had shone for Real Madrid during the 2021/22 season, culminating in the club winning the Champions League and La Liga titles, but it was clear he was on the wane.

The midfielder is currently earning £350k per week, and judging by his performances on the field of late, Amorim will surely be keen to move him on sooner rather than later, with this money better spent elsewhere to improve his side.

In the Premier League this term, Casemiro has a pass success rate of just 81%, while he loses possession on average 9.7 times per game, with his lack of pace a worrying factor, especially in Amorim’s tactical system.

A move to Saudi Arabia appears to be on the cards for the former Real star, which would net Amorim a decent financial windfall while moving on one of Utd’s highest earners.

With just 18 months left on his deal, the Old Trafford side won’t recoup the £70m they paid for him, but anything over £20m would surely be a bonus.

4 Antony At Man Utd since: 2022

If the club overpaid for Casemiro, the deal to sign Antony was even more excessive. The winger joined from Ajax for a fee in the region of £86m.

“Antony is one of the most exciting young talents in European football and has exactly the right profile for the attacking, dynamic team Erik is building,” ex-United football director John Murtough said on his arrival.

While he may have been one of the most exciting talents before moving to England, the Brazilian has failed to recapture this sort of form. In 94 games for the Red Devils, the winger has scored 12 goals while chipping in with five assists.

Each goal contribution has cost the club £5m, while his impact this term has been non-existent, netting just once in 12 games.

He has started only one game since Amorim took the reins and it is clear he isn’t fancied in his system. It looks as though he could be loaned out during the winter window, but once the summer comes around, it seems as though the manager will be looking at selling him for a decent transfer fee.

5 Alejandro Garnacho At Man Utd since: 2020

Alejandro Garnacho has scored eight goals already during the current season, but under Amorim, the Argentinian has started only four games.

Despite his stature as arguably one of the finest young players in the Premier League, could he be on the move soon?

Napoli have shown plenty of interest in the winger, with sporting director Giovanni Manna meeting with his representatives recently to discuss a potential move to Serie A.

A fee of €60m (£50m) is being demanded by the Old Trafford side, although Napoli have yet to go beyond €45m (£38m), and this difference could see the deal drag out over the remainder of the transfer window.

If the fee is met, Amorim appears to be keen on letting the youngster leave, especially as he could use the money to bolster his team as he sees fit in the summer.

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Posts ByBarney Lane Dec 3, 2024 6 Marcus Rashford At Man Utd since: 2014

Marcus Rashford appeared destined to become a legend at Man Utd. Bursting onto the scene during the 2015/16 season, the attacker scored twice in games against FC Midtjylland and Arsenal in the space of a few days, showcasing his vast potential.

It took until Ole Gunnar Solskjær took over for Rashford to finally break into double figures for goals in a Premier League season, but he was one the key players at the club.

Despite enjoying a wonderful debut season under Ten Hag, registering 39 goal contributions in all competitions, the previous 18 months haven’t been as productive.

At the time of writing, the Englishman has found the back of the net just seven times this term, with all but three scored under Ten Hag’s leadership.

Since United’s 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest in early December, the 27-year-old hasn’t featured for the club, and it looks as though his days in Manchester could be numbered.

Milan and Barcelona are reportedly keen on signing the player during the January transfer window, and Amorim will surely be looking to prioritise an exit as soon as possible considering the forward doesn’t feature in his current plans.

It takes time to build a team to a manager’s exact specifications, but Amorim looks like he isn’t wasting any time on moving players on while seeking to sign his own transfer targets in the process.

Time must be given to the former Sporting CP boss, as if he brings in the players that he believes fit his system, the Red Devils could finally emerge from their post-Sir Alex Ferguson malaise.

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Jan 22, 2025