Arsenal are now stepping up their interest in a £42m “monster” to strengthen a priority position, but there may be competition for his signature from Manchester United, according to a report.
Gunners planning for the summer after draw at Man Utd
Having now fallen 15 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race, it is becoming increasingly likely the Gunners will finish in second place for the third season on the spin.
The decision not to sign a striker during the January transfer window has been criticised, with Owen Hargreaves recently claiming Mikel Arteta’s side would be capable of winning major honours if they brought in a top forward.
“Go and get someone whose job it is to score goals. You’ve got everything else – a great goalkeeper, best defence in the league, the midfield is absolutely fantastic, you just need another one in there with Declan [Rice] and [Martin] Odegaard.
“Go and get a striker and a centre midfielder. Then you can win everything.”
Arsenal agree £62m fee to sign "monster" 23-goal striker in summer – report
A prolific striker could be on his way to the Emirates Stadium…
1
By
Dominic Lund
Mar 9, 2025
However, according to a report from Spain, signing a top-level right-back is also a priority for Arsenal in the summer transfer window, and they have now stepped up their pursuit of Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries.
Three Premier League clubs are said to be in hot pursuit of Dumfries, who could be one of the most sought-after defenders in Europe this summer, with Man United and Chelsea also keen.
Feyenoord's Ibrahim Osman in action with Inter Milan's DenzelDumfries
The defender is viewed as a key target for the Gunners, and it is becoming increasingly likely he will leave the Italian club this summer, with Inter Milan looking to receive a fee of around €50m (£42m), should he choose to move on.
"Monster" Dumfries is a top attacking full-back
Should Arsenal be keen on a right-back with an attacking focus, there is every sign the Dutchman could fit the bill, given that he ranks extremely highly on a number of key attacking metrics over the past year, when compared to other full-backs.
Statistic
Average per 90
Non-penalty goals
0.24 (99th percentile)
Shots total
1.82 (98th percentile)
Touches (Attacking penalty area)
4.32 (99th percentile)
The Rotterdam-born star has been lauded as a “monster” by journalist Alan Rzepa, while he has also received high praise for his attacking contributions from Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley.
Injuries to Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu have left Jurrien Timber as Arteta’s only right-back option at times this season, which indicates additional depth may be required this summer, and Dumfries’ performances in Italy suggest he could be a fantastic signing.
Everton have undergone an incredible transformation since David Moyes was placed at the wheel, driving up the Premier League table, away from the danger zone and toward the comfy security of mid-table.
But Moyes isn’t going to stop there. He won the Conference League with West Ham United, remember, led the Hammers through three successive campaigns on the continent.
But Merseyside is his home, Everton his club, and he wants to get them back on their perch, having struggled to impress for so long.
With The Friedkin Group replacing Farhad Moshiri at the head of the table, Moyes has been told he will have money to spend this summer, with Kevin Thelwell also exiting his role as Director of Football at the end of the term, succeeded by Leeds United’s Angus Kinnear.
Thelwell has helped to guide Everton through a turbulent period, and though he had his ups and downs, he can leave with his head held high after a promising final transfer window in 2024.
Everton's recent transfer business
Everton emerged from the 2023/24 campaign bruised but not broken. Financial breaches had allowed PSR to clamp down on Merseyside and extract eight hard-earned points from Sean Dyche’s squad, but this wasn’t enough to send them spinning to the second tier.
Everton manager Sean Dyche
Thus, spending was always going to be difficult, but the sales of Amadou Onana, Ben Godfrey and homegrown Lewis Dobbin generated finances in the £70m ballpark, allowing for several deals that needed to hit the mark.
Jake O’Brien has come into his own at right-back since Moyes took to the helm, while Orel Mangala was excellent before cruelly seeing his season ended prematurely in January due to injury. He’s a loanee, but Everton have the option to sign him permanently.
Jesper Lindstrom hasn’t been brilliant on the right flank, yet to score, but at least he’s only on loan – and has provided something of a steady and industrious outlet.
Then there’s Iliman Ndiaye, signed from Marseille for £15m. Pure magic on the alternate wing, notching eight goals from 28 matches across all competitions. He’s played 24 times in the Premier League in the Toffees, but three of his six strikes came in the five appearances under Moyes’ leadership.
Thelwell did his best and fans have been receptive to his efforts, thankful for them. However, that’s not to say he invariably hit the mark when shopping, with Everton still needing to get rid of his worst signing despite the flop last kicking a ball for the Blues in 2023.
Thelwell's worst Everton signing must go
Everton have missed the mark on more than a few occasions in the 12 years since Moyes left for Manchester United, picked as Sir Alex Ferguson’s heir.
While he hasn’t been the most costly blunder, Neal Maupay’s got to be down at the nadir, certainly one of Thelwell’s biggest misfires during his time at the decision table.
Everton striker Neal Maupay.
After several decent Premier League campaigns in Brighton, Frank Lampard’s Everton moved to sign Maupay for a £15m fee, but his time at the club quickly devolved into a nightmare.
Maupay bagged just the one goal across 32 appearances in all competitions for Everton. Notorious for his reputation as a wind-up merchant, the French striker endured his most pitiful spell by the banks of the River Mersey.
2023/24*
Brentford
31
6
3
2023/24*
Everton
2
0
0
2022/23
Everton
27
1
0
2021/22
Brighton
32
8
2
2020/21
Brighton
33
8
2
2019/20
Brighton
37
10
3
His revival at Brentford further frustrated the Everton fanbase, but not nearly as much as his remarks last year: “Whenever I’m having a bad day, I just check the Everton score and smile.” A brazen thing to say given he’s still on the books.
With four goals and four assists apiece in Ligue 1 this season, starting only 12 matches under Roberto De Zerbi, Maupay is enjoying something of a renaissance – but that doesn’t mean he’s got a future on Merseyside.
Earning around £48k per week, the 28-year-old Everton player is still earning more than Ndiaye (£45k-per-week), emphasising the woe that cannot be shaken from this deal-that-shouldn’t-have-been.
While Marseille are likely to be covering a portion – if not all – of his salary – it still represents a hefty pack packet that was agreed upon when Everton initially welcomed him to the club with high hopes that he would become their abiding talisman.
Marseille have the option to keep Maupay at the Stade Vélodrome for about £3m, which would be decent business if Everton succeed in recouping at least something for one of their most infamous modern players.
Perhaps Thelwell orchestrated one last piece of good business in the Frenchman’s loan package. Without question, though, Maupay’s signing was a “disaster” – a sentiment shared by journalist Paul Brown – and those of an Everton persuasion just want him off the books.
Outscoring Beto: Everton must rue selling star now better than Richarlison
Everton could do with this former “menace” in their ranks this season.
They might not get the same attention as some of their rivals for it, but Tottenham Hotspur have an incredible academy.
In the here and now, Hotspur Way has produced some incredibly exciting talents who will surely be future stars like Mikey Moore and Luca Williams-Barnett.
Moreover, some of the best players in Premier League history have come through the North Londoners’ youth set-up, such as Harry Kane, Ledley King and even he who shan’t be named.
However, as well as the international superstars, the Lilywhites have produced several underrated players currently plying their trade around Europe, including one centre-back who’s one comparison to an incredibly valuable superstar.
Hotspur Way's underrated stars
One of Spurs’ former academy gems, who some might not know played for the club’s academy, is Noni Madueke.
The Barnet-born winger was a part of the club’s youth set-up for quite some time, but despite efforts to keep him in the capital, he decided to take a leap of faith in the summer of 2018 and moved to Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven.
It didn’t take long for the Englishman to establish himself in the Netherlands, and by the time he moved to Chelsea for £30m in January 2023, he had racked up a haul of 20 goals and 14 assists in just 80 first-team appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.35 games.
Appearances
80
74
Goals
20
17
Assists
14
7
Goal Involvements per Match
0.42
0.32
Since returning to England, the dynamic attacker has scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in 74 games for the Blues.
However, a hamstring injury he picked up a couple of weeks ago has put a halt to what was looking like a promising campaign.
Another academy gem who left N17 for the Netherlands is Irish striker Troy Parrott, who, after spending last season on loan with Dutch side Excelsior, decided to make his move to the country permanent, signing with AZ Alkmaar.
The former Lilywhites’ gem has already found the back of the net on 17 occasions in just 36 appearances this season and has provided three assists to boot.
Troy Parrott scores for Ireland
So when Ange Postecoglou’s side lineup against him in the Europa League knockout rounds next week, they’ll have to be on top form, even if he failed to score in their league phase encounter.
However, it’s not just attacking talents who have gone on to have brilliant careers since leaving Spurs’ academy, as an international centre-back is thriving north of the border and has been compared to a Premier League titan worth an increible amount of money.
MK Dons
47
10
7
AZ Alkmaar
36
17
3
Preston North End
34
4
0
Excelsior
32
17
5
Ipswich Town
18
2
0
Millwall
14
0
1
Tottenham
4
0
0
The Spurs academy gem who's a £69m star in the making
It’s been a brilliant campaign for Celtic this season, as they pushed Bayern Munich all the way in the Champions League play-offs and have a commanding lead over Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.
One of the Hoops’ most important players this year, and in the seasons prior, has been Cameron Carter-Vickers, who joined Tottenham as an 11-year-old in 2009.
The American international would go out on several loan moves over the years, including one to Celtic in 2021, before agreeing a permanent move to Parkhead a year later for around £6m.
Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.
In all, the 27-year-old titan has made 148 appearances for the Glaswegian giants, scoring seven goals, providing two assists, and winning three league titles, three league cups, and two Scottish Cups.
During his time north of the border, the 18-capped international has won plenty of plaudits for his sensational displays, with The Athletic’s Alex Barker going as far as describing him as “the best centre-back outside of the top five leagues” last week.
Passing Accuracy
94.2%
93.6%
Key Passes
0.15
0.20
Interceptions
1.04
1.20
Carries
67.8
60.8
Dribblers Challenged
1.04
1.00
On top of that, he’s also been likened to Manchester City’s Rúben Dias by FBref, which compares players in similar positions in the Champions League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Portuguese ace is the third most similar centre-back to the American.
The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, passing accuracy, key passes, carries, dribblers challenged, interceptions and more, all per 90.
On top of the prestige that should come with such a comparison, it could also potentially reflect Carter-Vivkers’ future price tag should he leave Scotland.
For example, according to Football Transfers, the City ace is worth up to €83m, which converts to about £69m, and if the former Lilywhites ace is so statistically similar, why shouldn’t his price tag also increase?
Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Ultimately, it was probably the right decision for his future at the time to sell Carter-Vickers, but we can’t help imagining just how useful he would have been to Postecoglou this season.
Ange can forget Tel by unleashing Spurs starlet who's "born to score goals"
The promising prospect could be a future star for Spurs.
Three potential targets to replace Kevin De Bruyne have been touted, as Manchester City aim to replace the club legend in the summer.
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De Bruyne will leave after a decade at CityThe Belgian announced his departure in AprilFlorent Malouda reveals who he would sign to replace himFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
De Bruyne's former Chelsea team-mate Florent Malouda has listed three players he believes would be ideal replacements for the legendary Belgian – stating Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White or Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz would be the 'obvious' answer, while he personally would target Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans. Wirtz is unlikely to end up in Manchester as he has instead reportedly agreed a deal with Bayern Munich.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
De Bruyne has become one of the world's best at City, notching 108 goals and 177 assists in 418 games for the club. Pep Guardiola's side have won it all during his time there, with De Bruyne an irreplaceable part of six Premier League title wins and the club's first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023.
WHAT MALOUDA SAID
Malouda said in an exclusive interview with Racing Tipster: "(City's) scouts can find treasures in a host of countries, but on European soil, Gibbs-White and Wirtz are the most obvious choices to replace Kevin De Bruyne.
"Manchester City will really struggle to replace De Bruyne. I don’t think City had prepared well enough for him reaching the end of his time at the Etihad. The squad is overcrowded in some places but not ready to replace him.
"I think they should go for a player who already has Premier League experience. I would. I would go for the Belgian player, Youri Tielemans, who is at Aston Villa. I think in the midfield at Manchester City, they need the kind of player he is."
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR DE BRUYNE AND CITY?
De Bruyne will have a queue of clubs lining up to sign him in the summer, with newly-crowned Premier League Champions Liverpool reported to be interested. He will look to end his time in Manchester in style, with an FA Cup final to look forward to and Champions League qualification a major target in the final weeks of the campaign.
Everything you need to know about Theo Hernandez's salary details playing for AC Milan
Theo Hernandez joined AC Milan in 2019, having previously spent two seasons with La Liga giants Real Madrid, including a loan spell at Real Sociedad during the 2018-19 season.
Since his arrival in Italy, Hernandez has established himself as a key figure in the fullback position and is considered one of the leaders in defence alongside club captain and goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
Hernandez played an instrumental role in Milan’s title-winning 2021-22 season, helping the club secure the Scudetto after a wait of over 10 years.
For his contributions to the Rossoneri's success, Hernandez is well compensated by the club and currently ranks as one of the top earners in the squad. But exactly how much does he earn playing for Milan?
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
*
Theo Hernandez's wages at AC Milan in numbers
Under his current contract with the Serie A club, Hernandez secures a weekly income of £84,801 ($112,042), culminating in an annual salary of £4.4 million ($5.8m).
This positions the French fullback as the fifth highest earner at Milan, equaling USMNT international Christian Pulisic.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Theo Hernandez
French
£84,801
$112,042
£4,409,666
$5,826,022
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTop earners at AC Milan
Leading the earnings chart in Milan is the phenomenal Portuguese talent, Rafael Leao. Hot on his heels is the dynamic English striker Tammy Abraham, currently on loan from Roma.
In third place, we find the seasoned former Roma star Alessandro Florenzi, with the promising new recruit Youssouf Fofana closely following in fourth. As previously highlighted, both Christian Pulisic and Theo Hernandez share the fifth spot, earning identical wages at the club.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Rafael Leao
Portuguese
£105,960
$139,998
£5,509,933
$7,279,913
Tammy Abraham
English
£95,381
$126,020
£4,959,800
$6,553,057
Alessandro Florenzi
Italian
£91,909
$121,434
£4,779,827
$6,314,558
Youssouf Fofana
French
£91,909
$121,434
£4,779,827
$6,314,558
Christian Pulisic
USA
£84,801
$112,042
£4,409,666
$5,826,022
Top earners in Serie A
While Milan players enjoy lucrative salaries at the San Siro, led by Rafael Leao, they still lag behind the league's top earners. Not a single Milan player makes it to the highest-paid list, whereas rivals Juventus and Inter boast players with significantly higher earnings.
Leading the pack is Juventus' Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic, with Argentines Lautaro Martinez and Paulo Dybala securing the second and third spots.
Italian midfielder Nicolo Barella ranks fourth, and Hakan Calhanoglu completes the top five.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in GBP
Weekly wages in USD
Annual wages in GBP
Annual wages in USD
Dusan Vlahovic
Serbian
£321,352
$424,581
£16,710,313
$22,078,237
Lautaro Martinez
Argentine
£275,563
$364,083
£14,329,265
$18,932,316
Paulo Dybala
Argentine
£214,235
$283,054
£11,140,208
$14,718,825
Nicolo Barella
Italian
£199,027
$262,961
£10,349,391
$13,673,970
Hakan Calhanoglu
Turkish
£183,653
$242,649
£9,549,978
$12,617,758
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AFPHighest paid players in the world
Serie A players, despite their high earnings, are not among the top five highest-paid footballers globally.
The top five are all from the Saudi Pro League, with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr earning the most.
Karim Benzema, formerly of Real Madrid, is second, and Riyad Mahrez, now with Al-Ahli, is third.
Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both from Senegal, are fourth and fifth, respectively.
It’s been just over a month of seemingly non-stop speculation, rumours, and deals, but we’ve finally reached transfer deadline day, and it appears as if Tottenham Hotspur are looking to do more business.
So far, the Lilywhites have paid £12.5m for Slavia Prague shot-stopper Antonín Kinský and bought in RC Lens centre-back Kevin Danson on a short-term loan with an obligation to buy at £20.9m.
However, while reinforcements between the sticks and at the back were desperately needed, Ange Postecoglou’s side could do with some help up top as well.
Fortunately, recent reports have linked the North Londoners with an exciting winger who could be the ideal replacement for Timo Werner.
Totteham target attacking ace
According to a recent report from the print edition of Gazzetta dello Sport via Sport Witness, Tottenham are interested in AC Milan ace Noah Okafor.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has claimed that West Ham United are also keen on the Swiss winger and that both Premier League sides have been in contact with the Rossoneri over a potential move.
The story has revealed that while Milan wanted to sell the player on a permanent deal earlier in the window, they’d now be willing to send him out on a short-term loan, which could prove too enticing an offer to pass up on for Spurs.
AC Milan's NoahOkaforcelebrates scoring their second goal
It might not be the game-changing signing fans are after, but the £41k-per-week dynamo could provide the extra attacking impetus that Postecoglou’s side need at the moment and be the perfect replacement for Werner, who continues to underwhelm and could even be on his way to Major League Soccer before the season’s over.
Why Okafor would be a Werner upgrade
While he has had a few notable performances here and there since joining Spurs, it would probably be fair to say that Werner’s time in North London has been a disappointment.
The former Chelsea ace has certainly tried to help the team, but he’s been unable to shift the perception of him being an incredibly profligate and frustrating forward, as evidenced by his lacklustre return of three goals and six assists in 40 appearances, totalling 1842 minutes.
So, with that in mind, it becomes incredibly clear why the club might be looking out for players who could come in and replace the German this month, and in Okafor, they might’ve found someone who can.
While the “electric” talent, as dubbed by respected football analyst Ben Mattinson, hasn’t had the best of times in Milan, he’s still been more effective than the RB Leipzig loanee has been under the ultra-attacking Postecoglou.
For example, in 36 appearances last season, totalling 1005 minutes, the “magnificent” forward, as dubbed by former coach Mauro Lustrinelli, managed to rack up a reasonable haul of six goals and three assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every four games, or every 111.66 minutes.
Appearances
36
Minutes
1005′
Goals
6
Assists
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.25
Minutes per Goal Involvement
111.66′
Furthermore, in the 22/23 campaign, his final with RB Salzburg, the 24-capped international managed to score ten goals and provide five assists in 32 appearances, totalling 1851 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.13 games, or every 123.4 minutes.
Ultimately, Okafor is unlikely to completely transform Spurs’ attack this season, but he’s shown over the last couple of years that, when given a chance, he can perform, and he’d undoubtedly be an upgrade on Werner.
GNK Dinamo Zagreb's Kevin Theophile-Catherine in action with AC Milan'sNoahOkafor
Therefore, the Lilywhites must do what they can to bring the Swiss ace to N17 today, even if that means signing him on loan.
Saved by Sarr: 6/10 Spurs dud just showed why Spurs need to spend millions
Tottenham Hotspur claimed their first Premier League win since December against Brentford.
“We are being the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United,” said Ruben Amorim following their 3-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.
These comments came just a week after the Old Trafford side held out for an hour with ten men to defeat Arsenal in the FA Cup third round on penalties. This looked like it could mark a turning point in the club’s season.
Amorim has plenty of work to do, but the supporters must remember that he has inherited this team, with several players perhaps not fit to perform in his tactical system.
It may take a transfer window or two for the former Sporting CP boss to acquire those who will fit his approach, thus he must be given time to adjust.
The Red Devils have been a laughing stock since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. Embarrassing results on the pitch, controversies off it and a multitude of poor signings have led to a decade-long malaise.
£80m goal machine, Shaw successor: 5 players Amorim should sign for Man Utd
The Red Devils desperately need reinforcements.
2 ByTom Cunningham Jan 18, 2025
In light of Amorim’s recent comments, we have taken a look at the worst Man United players since Fergie’s retirement over 11 years ago.
10 Paul Pogba 2016-2022
Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
Paul Pogba looked like he could be the next big thing when making his way through the academy under Fergie’s tenure, making seven appearances during the 2011/12 season.
He left to join Juventus that summer, emerging as one of the finest young midfielders on the continent across his four seasons in Turin. This led Jose Mourinho to splash £89m on bringing the Frenchman back to Old Trafford in 2016.
He won the League Cup and Europa League during his first season back at the club, while the 2018/19 season saw Pogba register 27 goal contributions – 16 goals and 11 assists – for the Red Devils.
The rest of his spell was underwhelming, to say the least. A series of injuries reduced his effectiveness, and in the end, he departed for nothing.
9 Angel Di Maria 2014-2015
Louis van Gaal paid what was a British-record transfer fee of £59.7m to sign Ángel Di María from Real Madrid in 2014, but he would fail to live up to the hype.
The Argentinian lasted just a single campaign in Manchester, making a total of 32 appearances in all competitions, netting just four goals in the process.
In terms of value for money and effectiveness on the pitch, Di Maria has to go down as one of the worst United players since Ferguson retired.
8 Radamel Falcao 2014-2015
Radamel Falcao
Van Gaal certainly meant business by signing Di Maria and Radamel Falcao in the same window. However, like the former Real Madrid star, the Colombian would also fail to shine at Old Trafford.
A £6m fee was paid to secure the striker on a season-long loan deal, while the club also covered his £265k-per-week wages. Given how impressive he had been since moving to Europe in 2009, it looked like a solid signing.
But Falcao was nowhere near his sparkling best for United, scoring only four goals for the Red Devils. Considering his staggering wages, it was yet another big-money move that failed to work out for Van Gaal.
7 Donny van de Beek 2020-2024
Manchester United'sDonnyvandeBeekapplauds fans after the match
Donny van de Beek joined the Old Trafford side for £34.6m in 2020. Given his stature as one of the finest players to emerge from the famed Ajax youth academy in recent years, it appeared as though Ole Gunnar Solskjær landed the missing piece of the jigsaw.
“Donny has all of the technical attributes needed to perform in this team and has the personality required to succeed at Manchester United,” said the manager upon his arrival. Unfortunately, it would turn out that this was not the case.
The Dutchman played just 62 times for the club, scoring twice in the process, indicating that United failed to get proper value out of the midfielder. He was allowed to join Girona last summer for £420,600 – quite a drop from the near-£35m they paid to sign him just four years previously.
It was yet another case of money wasted in the transfer market, which has become a habit since 2013.
6 Morgan Schneiderlin 2015-2017
Morgan Schneiderlin was the cornerstone of the Southampton team that secured back-to-back top-eight finishes in the Premier League during 2013/14 and 2014/15.
This led Van Gaal to spend £24m on securing his services, hoping that the Frenchman would add some steel to his midfield options.
He made 39 appearances under the Dutch boss throughout 2015/16, but when Jose Mourinho took over, it was evident that Schneiderlin wasn’t going to be in his plans, playing just eight games under the Portuguese manager.
Whether it was the pressure or the lavish transfer fee, Schneiderlin couldn’t quite fulfil his potential at United, moving on after 18 months to join Everton.
5 Antony 2022-present
Manchester United'sAntonyduring the warm up before the match
Erik ten Hag managed Antony during his time at Ajax, with the Brazilian winger enjoying a stunning 2021/22 campaign for the Dutch club, scoring 12 and registering 10 assists to put some of Europe’s biggest clubs on alert.
It was United who won the race for his signature, although the £82m transfer fee was deemed extravagant, especially as the player wasn’t quite the finished article.
A return of just 8 goals in 44 games for the Red Devils in his first season was poor, to say the least, with every effort costing the club £10m.
It now looks like Amorim is keen to offload the former Ajax starlet, who is no doubt one of the worst players in a United shirt over the previous decade considering the fee paid out to sign him in the first place.
6 Man Utd players in danger of Amorim axe
Ruben Amorim will be keen to move some players out of Manchester United as he gets to grips with his new team.
ByRoss Kilvington Jan 15, 2025 4 Alexis Sanchez 2018-2020
Former Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez.
Alexis Sanchez had enjoyed a productive spell with Arsenal, having joined the Gunners in 2014 from Barcelona. 80 goals and 44 assists in just 166 games was no mean feat, and when United showed an interest in signing him, he had the star power to take them to new levels.
In a swap deal involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Sanchez moved north in January 2018, but he would fail to showcase his true talents in Manchester.
The Chilean scored a paltry five goals for United across his 18 months at the club. Considering he was earning £350k per week, he surely ranks among the poorest signings made by the club in the last decade.
3 Jadon Sancho 2021-present
Jadon Sancho in action for Man United in the Premier League.
What is in the water at Old Trafford that turns players who have shone at previous clubs into ones who fail to showcase their true abilities? Is it the managers, or perhaps the fees paid out to sign said players?
Jadon Sancho should have been a hit for the club. The winger had emerged as one of the best attacking talents on the continent during his spell with Borussia Dortmund. 120 goal contributions across 158 appearances for the German club was a staggering return.
His tally at United? 18 goal involvements in 83 matches. This was way below expectations, especially with the club spending £73m on bringing the Englishman to the Premier League.
He is currently on loan at Chelsea, and it remains to be seen whether Amorim will have a place in his squad for the 24-year-old next term.
2 Anthony Martial 2015-2024
Former Manchester United striker Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial burst onto the scene with AS Monaco, scoring 11 Ligue 1 goals as a teenager during the 2014/15 season.
Of course, United began to show interest, and a deal of around £36m to bring him to Old Trafford made him the most expensive teenager of all time.
He scored against Liverpool on his debut, endearing himself to the supporters, but this would be one of his finest moments during his near decade-long association with the club.
90 goals in 317 appearances was a more than respectable return, but given his potential when he joined, Martial never did live up to the hype. He is now playing for AEK Athens in Greece.
1 Casemiro 2022-present
Casemiro played a key role in Real Madrid’s 2021/22 campaign, which saw them win La Liga and the Champions League. However, it was evident he was somewhat on the decline.
When Ten Hag offered £60m plus £10m in add-ons, Carlo Ancelotti was more than happy to take the money and run for the Brazilian midfielder.
The 32-year-old may have made over 100 appearances for the Red Devils since joining in 2022, winning the League Cup and FA Cup, but his lack of pace has seen the club suffer some dismal defeats.
His time as a world-class midfielder is over, yet he is still at the club, taking home around £350k per week, making him the highest earner at United.
As of January 2025, he still has 18 months left on his current contract, but Amorim will surely be looking to move him on sooner rather than later.
Judging by his transfer fee and lack of impact during games for the club, Casemiro is certainly one of the worst pound-for-pound signings United have made since 2013.
Uncapped legspinner Rashmi Silva has been named in Sri Lanka’s 15-member squad for the Commonwealth Games which is scheduled to start later this month. Silva made her ODI debut in the home series against India earlier this month and is uncapped in T20Is, which is the format for the competition to be held in Birmingham.Wicketkeeper-batter Kaushani Nuthyangana, Hansima Karunaratne, left-arm seamer Tharika Sewwandi and Sathya Sandeepani have been left out from the squad that played at home against India.Teenager Vishmi Gunaratne, who made her debut in the CWG Qualifier in January 2022, is also part of the squad. In the second T20I against India in Dambulla, she made her highest score of 45 in the format as she put up an 87-run opening stand with captain Chamari Athapaththu.Batter Harshitha Samarawickrama also finds a place in the squad despite having a quiet series against India, possibly on the back of her performances in the qualifiers where she was Sri Lanka’s second-highest run scorer. The Sri Lankan middle order also features the in-form Nilakshi de Silva, Hasini Perera and Kavisha Dilhari.The experienced duo of Udeshika Prabodhani and Ama Kanchana will lead the seam attack which also features Achini Kulasuriya. The spin department has the duo of Inoka Ranaweera and Oshadi Ranasinghe, both of whom combined to pick 11 wickets in the three T20Is versus India, apart from Silva, Dilhari and Athapaththu.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Only Athapaththu and Prabodhani in the squad have experience of playing T20Is in England while – apart from the duo – Ranasinghe, Samarawickrama, Kanchana and Ranaweera have played ODIs in the country.Sri Lanka are placed in Group B and will take on England (July 30), New Zealand (August 2) and South Africa (August 4) in the tournament that will feature women’s cricket for the first time ever.Squad: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Malsha Shehani, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Ama Kanchana, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoka Ranaweera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Sugandika Kumari, Rashmi de Silva, Oshadi Ranasinghe Anushka Sanjeewani
It has not been an easy ride for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side so far this season.
The Gunners have pushed Manchester City all the way in the title race over the last few years, but have not tasted any success as of yet. Now, in 2024/25, it seems like things could end up being a whole lot worse for the Red side of North London.
Sitting third in the Premier League, the Gunners sit six points behind league leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand. It is certainly a frustrating position for Arsenal to be in at Christmas time.
Arsenal's JakubKiwiorand Declan Rice celebrate after the match
With the January transfer window right around the corner, the Gunners could be eyeing some key reinforcements.
Arsenal target LaLiga winger
The man who the Gunners are believed to be targeting is one of the most in-form wingers in Europe, Barcelona star Raphinha. It may seem odd for Barca to sell such a key player under Hansi Flick, but with money issues still troubling the LaLiga giants, they could be left with no choice.
Barcelona star Raphinha.
According to a report from Graeme Bailey, the Gunners ‘enquired about Raphinha in the summer and they remain in contact with intermediaries’. Should there be the chance to strike a deal in the winter instead, they could pounce.
However, they will not be alone in their quest to sign the Brazilian. The report suggests that title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City are also interested in doing a deal, having shown a keenness to sign the winger last summer, too.
The article does not make it explicitly clear how much the winger could cost. However, the Catalan club spent £55m on him from Leeds, and a deal for a sale could be around a similar value. However, Barcelona seem certain they will not sell Raphinha yet.
How Raphinha compares to Bukayo Saka
Whether or not a deal to bring the winger in is achievable for Arsenal, there is no doubt that the 28-year-old would greatly enhance the quality of their side. He has been fantastic in 2024/24 so far for Barca, scoring 17 goals and grabbing ten assists in 23 games across competitions.
FC Barcelona'sRaphinha
The winger is absolutely flying in that famous Barca shirt this season. Incredibly, across Europe’s big five leagues, there are only four players with more goals and assists than him, according to FBref. Namely, they are teammate Robert Lewandowski with 18, Omar Marmoush and Harry Kane who both have 20 and Mohamed Salah who has 22.
One thing is for sure, Raphinha would be an upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli, at least based on their stats from this season. It has been a really disappointing season for the Brazilian so far, with just four goals and three assists in 22 games in all competitions.
He is averaging 0.31 goals and assists per game this term, compared to an impressive 1.17 for his international teammate. It could certainly be viewed as a big upgrade.
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Although Martinelli is struggling for form, the same cannot be said for Bukayo Saka. Arsenal’s number seven has scored nine goals and has 12 assists in 22 games across competitions, and has received some big praise recently. Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, talking to BBC Sport’s Football Focus, said “the evolution of his game is outstanding”.
Interestingly, there can be a statistical comparison made between Raphinha and Saka via FBref. Both left-footed wide players, the pair have impressive creative passing stats this term. Per 90 minutes, the Brazil star averages 3.53 key passes, with the Arsenal winger averaging 3.04 key passes.
Key passes
3.53
3.04
Passes into penalty area
1.86
2.03
Progressive passes
4.68
3.91
Progressive carries
3.33
5.07
Goals and assists
1.09
1.09
Not only would the Gunners be getting another player who can create chances, but someone who can fashion goalscoring opportunities from all sorts of scenarios. The Barca star averages 5.89 shot-creating actions and 0.96 goal-creating actions. That is slightly less than Saka, who averages 6.43 shot-creating actions and 1.52 goal-creating actions.
Signing Raphinha seems like a no-brainer if the deal is possible for Arsenal. He was once described as “one of the best players in the world” by former manager Xavi, and he certainly has the numbers to back that up. The Brazilian could be the man to come in and help drive the Gunners back up the table.
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South Africa will be without Marizanne Kapp, Lizelle Lee, Mignon du Preez, Sinalo Jafta and Masabata Klaas during their white-ball tour of Ireland next month.Kapp, Lee and Jafta are all recovering from illnesses, Klaas is out with a shoulder injury, and du Preez, who retired from ODIs but remains available in the shortest format, has been left out of the squad scheduled play three T20Is and three ODIs in Dublin. Regular captain Dane van Niekerk is also not in the touring party as she continues to recover from the ankle injury that ruled her out of the World Cup.That means van Niekerk’s participation in the England tour that follows, which includes a one-off Test, three ODIs, three T20Is and the Commonwealth Games, is in doubt. The final squad for those matches will be announced in the first week of June, which gives van Niekerk little over a week to make the cut. She returned to training earlier this month and is currently still on an individual program, and not training with the rest of the group. The South African squad that travels to Ireland will remain in the UK, with any personnel changes for the England series and Commonwealth Games to travel in or out as needed.For the Ireland matches, Sune Luus will lead a group that includes one new cap, batting allrounder Delmi Tucker, who has recently played for the South African Emerging side against Zimbabwe and Thailand. Tucker also had a successful domestic season for Western Province, where she scored 409 runs white ball cricket and took 15 wickets with her right-arm off-spin. “Delmi Tucker has been rewarded off the back of a very successful domestic season and has really made positive strides with significant contributions, and we are looking forward to seeing her transition into the international arena,” Clinton du Preez, South Africa’s selection convener, said.The rest of the squad includes the familiar faces of Shabnim Ismail, Laura Wolvaardt, Chloe Tryon and Ayabonga Khaka as well as all three reserves who traveled to the World Cup – Raisibe Ntozakhe, Nadine de Klerk and Andrie Steyn. Anneke Bosch, who missed the World Cup with a fractured thumb, also returns.While the T20Is are part of South Africa’s preparation for the Commonwealth Games and next year’s T20 World Cup, the ODIs are part of the 2022 to 2025 Women’s Championship, which will determine qualification for the 2025 World Cup.”When we are looking at the T20Is, there is a bigger picture when it comes to that. It is a new beginning for us this year, building up towards the T20 World Cup and the Commonwealth Games,” Hilton Moreeng, South Africa’s coach, said. “The senior players know what is at stake. The ODIs are the ICC Women’s Championship qualifications for the next 50-over World Cup, so there is a lot at stake in the sense that we are also looking to grow our base.”Squad: Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus (capt), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Tumi Sekhukhune, Andrie Steyn, Chloe Tryon, Delmi Tucker, Laura Wolvaardt