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Whether this is his final season at Manchester United or not, there will come a time sooner rather than later when the Red Devils will line up without Bruno Fernandes in tow, with the Portuguese’s future likely to again be a talking point next summer.

As the 31-year-old revealed in a tell-all interview ahead of making his 300th United appearance last month, he had held talks with Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer regarding a potential move, only to eventually opt to stay put in Manchester with his business still seemingly unfinished.

Also the subject of interest from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, the club’s long-serving talisman has rightly courted admiring glances amid his stunning form over the past five years or so, racking up 100 goals and 89 assists in his 302 outings to date.

While five of those goal involvements have come in this season’s Premier League already, it does appear that the baton is finally being passed, however, with Ruben Amorim’s influential skipper no longer the sole star attraction.

Indeed, all eyes are on INEOS’ £71m signing Bryan Mbeumo following his return of six goals in his first 12 games for the club, with Fernandes quietly pulling the strings in a deeper role.

With Amorim also outlining the prospect of his captain needing to adjust to potential “rotation” next season, should United return to European competition, the gradual phasing out of the playmaker might well have started…

The candidates to replace Fernandes as captain

Fernandes himself was awarded the honour back in the summer of 2023, with then-boss Erik ten Hag taking the decision to strip Harry Maguire of the captaincy, with reports subsequently stating that the Englishman was heading to West Ham United.

To his credit, the latter man stayed to fight for his place, since securing cult hero status with a string of vital goals, be it his last-gasp clincher against Lyon, or the late winner against Liverpool this season.

With the 32-year-old facing his own Old Trafford uncertainty amid his expiring contract, however, it would be unlikely to see him outlast Fernandes at the club, with other candidates in the running to take the armband.

Indeed, at present, Matthijs de Ligt – the hero against Tottenham Hotspur last time out – is showcasing captaincy material, albeit while not actually having been included in Amorim’s self-appointed leadership group in pre-season.

Instead, that experienced bunch includes Fernandes, Maguire, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, with the ex-Sporting CP boss singling them out as the leaders in his first-team ranks.

Like Maguire, however, Casemiro’s current deal expires in 2026, while Martinez may be more concerned with getting back fit and firing again, having been absent since sustaining an ACL injury back in February.

Mazraoui, too, has also endured an injury-hit start to 2025/26, with the Moroccan defender also no longer a guaranteed starter, following Amad’s emergence in that right wing-back berth.

The form of the Ivorian – which includes his stunning equaliser against Nottingham Forest – has also plunged Dalot’s long-term future into doubt, with the Portuguese full-back potentially in line for the axe before too long.

Why Man Utd's 'future captain' needs to be sold

The merits of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system have long been debated, although amid United’s five-game unbeaten run, it looks like a corner may have been turned, with the squad beginning to find its feet at both ends of the pitch.

Most used players under Amorim

Player

Games

Bruno Fernandes

52

Noussair Mazraoui

45

Diogo Dalot

45

Manuel Ugarte

44

Leny Yoro

44

Rasmus Hojlund

40

Alejandro Garnacho

40

Harry Maguire

40

Matthijs de Ligt

39

Stats via Transfermarkt

One area which remains something of a headache is at wing-back, however, with the 40-year-old coach having flitted between Patrick Dorgu and Dalot on that left-hand side in recent weeks.

While the latter man did assist Mbeumo from that role against Burnley, he has largely looked rather uncomfortable in an unorthodox role, having notably failed to prevent Nicolo Savona from converting at the City Ground two weeks ago.

In a system that demands an attacking intent from those on the flanks, even on his favoured flank, the one-time Porto man has hardly flourished in that sense in recent times, racking up just nine goals and 18 assists in 220 games for the club to date.

While once something of a “standout” under Ten Hag – having claimed the Players’ Player of the Year award at United in 2024 – Dalot no longer appears to have a defined role under the new regime, putting his future into doubt heading into 2026.

With a contract that expires in 2028, it could prove the perfect time to try and cash in on the £24m-rated defender – as valued by Transfermarkt – with the INEOS regime no doubt needing to do what they can to reshape the squad in Amorim’s image.

Of course, Dalot appears to be an influential figure under his compatriot, as his place in the leadership group showcases, having reportedly produced something of a rallying cry in the dressing room following the 3-3 draw with Porto last season.

It is for acts like that that the £90k-per-week star had emerged as one of the club’s “future captains” – as relayed by Samuel Luckhurst – although with his own form now under scrutiny, his Old Trafford stay should be coming to an end.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

Lunch England have grabbed the fifth Test with both hands. In the space of 21.4 overs on day two, Gus Atkinson’s fourth five-wicket haul snuffed out India’s first innings for 224, before a bombastic opening stand between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett propelled England to 109 for 1 at lunch, trailing by just 115.England’s openers were boundary happy, smoking 92 off just 77 deliveries, punishing India for every slight error in line or length. Duckett was the main driver, reverse-pulling Akash Deep over the cordon, then “conventionally” ramping Mohammed Siraj into the sponge for the first two sixes of the match.Duckett fell to Akash Deep attempting a third, departing for 43 with the bowler putting his arm around the left-hander, as much in jest as respect.Crawley was no slouch either, motoring on to a third half-century of the series in 42 deliveries, and second in a row after a tidy 84 in the fourth Test. His 24th score of fifty or more featured just four singles, with 12 fours, some along the ground, and three lifted serenely over cover.Zak Crawley raced to a fifty•PA Photos/Getty Images

Teeing up England’s speed run through to the break was Atkinson’s 5 for 33 upon his return to the side after two months out. He made light work of what remained of India’s first innings when they arrived on Friday morning on 204 for 6.It was all the more important after news this morning that Chris Woakes would play no further part in the match after a suspected dislocated shoulder sustained in the field last night. And the Surrey quick, on his home ground, took three of the remaining four wickets that India had up their sleeve.It was Josh Tongue who made the first key incision, albeit with a choatic approach that would get any surgeon struck off. His first over, opening from the Vauxhall End, went for nine, but he was able to remove Karun Nair for 57 in his second. A sharp delivery that nipped into the stumps – Nair no doubt expected something short and wide either side of them – pinned the right-hander on the back leg. Plumb in front, Nair took one of India’s three reviews with him.Washington Sundar should have assumed the responsibility at that point as an elongated tail became exposed, but he fell five deliveries later, waltzing into a short ball trap, heaving Atkinson to deep square leg, where Jamie Overton sprinted in to take a smart catch.Atkinson would then skittle Siraj before Prasidh Krishna felt for a delivery outside off, completing a collapse of four for six in 18 balls. It also leaves Atkinson with an average of 21, the fourth best for an England seamer with fifty or more dismissals, and the second best strike rate, ever, at 34.9, for those who have taken 60 wickets.

Manchester United are keen to build a dynasty under Ruben Amorim and could now be set to up their pursuit of an exciting midfielder who could come in to bolster their ranks in 2026.

Man Utd aim to build consistency in Premier League

Last weekend’s victory over Liverpool had a transformational feel for supporters of the Red Devils for several reasons, though the biggest one may arguably be winning back-to-back matches for the first time since Amorim’s arrival.

Frustrating early-season performances and a lack of consistency have left many questioning Manchester United’s bottle in their quest to climb the Premier League table.

However, Devils’ Advocate podcast host Gaz Drinkwater believes his side could find themselves in the top six come the end of the season if the Red Devils can continue to tick off difficult fixtures.

He said via BBC Sport: “With the squad and with performances like that, we could be up there in the top six. Our squad is good enough to finish top six. It is. That should be the minimum requirement for this season.

“And if we’re in the top six and we’re looking comfortable and showing that we’re capable of never mind back-to-back wins in a row but three or four wins in a row, then who knows where we can finish.”

Looking ahead to 2026, transfer windows will offer a vehicle for Amorim to strengthen his squad, and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher is being lined up by Manchester United as a potential replacement for Kobbie Mainoo if the latter is sold.

Athletic Club’s Oihan Sancet is another target for the Red Devils, illustrating that the engine room is a recruitment priority, and another name spoken about within the corridors of Old Trafford has now come to light.

Man Utd now keen on Chelsea star Andrey Santos

According to talkSPORT, Manchester United are keen on bringing Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos to Old Trafford if he becomes available in 2026. The Blues are reluctant to sell the 21-year-old, so it remains to be seen if the Red Devils’ lure can play a part in swaying him to swap London for Manchester.

The Brazil international, who thrived on loan at Strasbourg last season, was the subject of interest from Bayern Munich and Al-Qasdiah during the summer as a result of his form in Ligue 1, where manager Liam Rosenior claimed he was already “world class”.

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Known to idolise Casemiro and possessing an eerily similar playing style, Santos has registered one assist in nine appearances across all competitions this term and has shown himself to be a reliable ball-winner in the engine room, coming out on top in 15 duels this season, per Fotmob.

Gallagher, Stiller and Adam Wharton are also on Manchester United’s radar, though it will remain to be seen who they manage to land in their quest to build a midfield capable of helping Amorim challenge for major honours over the coming years at the English giants.

Manchester United are keen to strengthen at every given opportunity and may now find themselves ahead in the race to sign one of England’s rising stars.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim keen to steady ship

Ruben Amorim is under pressure at Old Trafford and needs to strike together a run of results in order to avoid further scrutiny from external sources, albeit speculation is continuing to mount over his future.

Despite claims that the Portuguese boss could change his formation for coming fixtures, Dean Jones has claimed Amorim may instead look to alter personnel in an attempt to improve performances at Old Trafford.

He said: “I have spoken to connections close to the club, and there seems to be an expectation that this time, something does change. Realistically, it probably will not be the system.

“Because they have worked so tirelessly on his formation, he will probably roll it out again – but one thing he can do this time is change the personnel. This is the area that people seem to feel is most likely to change.”

Steve Parish is working tirelessly to stop Oliver Glasner making a future move to Old Trafford. The Crystal Palace boss would likely be a key contender if the role became vacant, but Amorim is still the man charged with turning around their Premier League fortunes.

Not just Hojlund: Man Utd must rue selling a CF who's outperforming Mbeumo

Manchester United may have made a mistake in allowing one former player to depart Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 3, 2025

Ultimately, the problems Manchester United have faced in recent years are far deeper than who is in the dugout, though the expectation on the manager is always a major talking point.

Either way, player recruitment is always on the agenda at the global giants and the Red Devils could have the advantage in the race for a player who could ignite their season.

Manchester United looking to win Hayden Hackney race

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United are ahead of Fulham in the race to sign Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, and they may look to formalise their interest in the England Under-21 international come 2026.

Tottenham Hotspur are also watching with intent and will have been impressed with what they’ve witnessed, given his return off a goal and two assists in nine appearances across all competitions.

Hayden Hackney in 2025/26 – Sky Bet Championship

Chances created

15

Successful passes

388

Successful crosses

4

Completed dribbles

9

Duels won

36

All statistics courtesy of Fotmob*

Labelled “outstanding” by pundit Neil Maddison, the Three Lions youth international is out of contract in the summer of 2027, and it remains to be seen if Boro are tempted to cash in come January or whether he will stay for their promotion push under Rob Edwards.

Manchester United made an approach for Carlos Baleba during the summer, illustrating their appetite to strengthen the engine room, and it appears that INEOS have their eyes fixed on some form of midfield reinforcement come the January window.

It’s certainly not panic stations just yet, but things are not going to plan for Chelsea so far this season.

Enzo Maresca’s side were held to a draw by Crystal Palace in their Premier League opener, drew away to Brentford last weekend, and then lost at the hands of Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.

Now, there is no shame in losing to the German giants, especially given the inexperience in this Blues squad, but the lack of genuine threat from the West Londoners was worrying.

So, to ensure they have a better chance of beating Manchester United this afternoon, Maresca should drop the underperforming Pedro Neto for someone who could be something of a new Juan Mata for Chelsea.

Neto's poor start to the season

Firstly, it is worth noting that Neto is an undeniably talented player, and when he is on form, he is a nightmare for defenders.

Chalkboard

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

However, what is equally true is the fact that he’s started this season slowly and, as things stand, is not offering very much to the team.

For example, Joao Pedro has already scored twice and provided three assists, Enzo Fernández has produced three goal involvements and Cole Palmer, who has been out injured, already has two goals in his last two appearances.

In contrast, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers star has scored just one goal thus far, and not to diminish his efforts, but that came against West Ham United, who are looking like serious relegation candidates this season.

Moreover, against Bayern, he wasn’t even ineffective; he was actually making things worse for the team, losing the ball nine times despite taking just 25 touches.

In all, while Pedro is a talented player and could still have an important role to play in Chelsea’s season, he should be dropped for the game today, especially as there is someone ready to replace him, someone who could be something of a new Mata.

Chelsea's new Mata who should replace Pedro

While some may argue the closest thing to a new Mata in this Chelsea side is Palmer, the player we are talking about is the incredibly exciting Estevao.

Now, while it is undoubtedly true that the Brazilian is primarily a winger and the Spaniard an attacking midfielder, people often forget that the former Blues star actually spent plenty of time out wide during his time in West London.

In fact, the 37 appearances he made off the left, combined with the 26 he made off the right almost match the 67 he made as a ten.

However, while there is actually minor positional similarity between the two players, that is not the basis of this comparison.

Instead, it’s that, when at his best, the 37-year-old was capable of making something happen out of nothing, and was an incredibly gifted attacking force.

For example, in 135 appearances for the Pensioners, totalling 10118 minutes, the Burgos-born maestro managed to score 33 goals and provide 53 assists.

In other words, the 41-capped icon averaged a goal involvement every 1.56 games, or every 117.65 minutes, which is the sort of creativity the team need now, and something Estevao may be able to provide in the future.

Granted, he’s probably not going to put up numbers like that this season, but with people like respected analyst Ben Mattinson calling him a “future Ballon d’Or winner”, there is no reason to think he won’t get there.

In fact, we have already seen what he’s capable of this season, as following a mazy run in the West Ham game, he provided his first competitive assist in blue for Pedro.

On top of having the potential to be as good as the former United star, he’s also a left-footer and, by watching his highlights, clearly an entertainer.

Ultimately, while he is not on Mata’s level yet, as scout Jacek Kulig says, he is a “world-class” prospect and could well get there soon enough.

Therefore, Maresca should be bold and start him in place of Neto today.

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Big picture: RCB aim for the magic 16 points

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Bengaluru is arguably one of the biggest clashes in the IPL. But there is a distinct vibe missing from this game this time around, and CSK’s season has a lot to do with that.There was hardly any crowd outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium when CSK arrived for their training session ahead of Saturday’s game. This was very different from last year, when both sides of the street outside the venue were packed even on the eve of the game, and a sizeable crowd had gathered inside to watch the players train.Make no mistake, the RCB-CSK clash will still get top billing. The tickets have been sold out for weeks, and the stadium will be packed to the rafters to watch MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli go head-to-head (for one final time?). But the buzz is missing.Related

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CSK have lost eight out of ten games, and were the first team to be knocked out of IPL 2025. Even their training session on the eve of the fixture against RCB wasn’t as intense as it might otherwise be. Shaikh Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre started the session with R Ashwin, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad bowling in one set of the nets, while Vijay Shankar went ahead at another.Ravindra Jadeja walked in for a bat half an hour after the training began, but intense rain stopped the session for about 40 minutes. CSK picked up pace after the rain break, with Sam Curran, Jadeja, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Dewald Brevis all having a go. Dhoni, Shivam Dube and Matheesha Pathirana were the notable absentees from the training session.It was quite different at the other end in the RCB camp. Currently on 14 points, a win at home will take RCB to 16, and make their playoffs chances and a potential top-two finish even stronger. They started their training session with Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal sharing one net, and Jitesh Sharma in another, with Dinesh Karthik keeping a careful watch, while Romario Shepherd was having a hit in a third net. RCB also had a wristspinner very similar to Noor, bowling at Kohli and Padikkal.

Form guide: RCB on a high

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: WWWLW
Chennai Super Kings : LLLWL

The big question

In the spotlight: Krunal Pandya and Khaleel Ahmed

With the limelight on Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya has quietly flown under the radar. He has picked 13 wickets this season, which is his best ever in a season. But, more importantly, all his wickets have come in RCB wins. In the seven matches RCB have won, Krunal has 13 wickets in 26 overs at an economy of 8.2, while in the three matches that RCB have lost, he has no wicket to show in six overs, with his economy zooming to 10.5. Krunal has the second-most wickets by a spinner this season, behind Noor, and has been RCB’s go-to spinner in the middle-overs, where he operates at an economy rate of 8.18. Krunal is coming into the game on the back of a Player-of-the-Match performance against Delhi Capitals, where he was frugal with the ball, and scored an unbeaten 73 with the bat.1:47

Chopra: ‘Phenomenal signing’ Krunal has ‘catapulted’ RCB’s season

While there has been little to write home about CSK’s bowling this season, Khaleel Ahmed has been pretty consistent, especially at the start. No other bowler has more powerplay wickets than Khaleel this season (nine), while he has also bowled 106 dot balls, the highest for any bowler. In terms of dot balls, this is already Khaleel’s third-best season, and he still has four games to go. Khaleel has the second-most wickets for CSK behind Noor, and had an interesting battle with Phil Salt and Kohli when these two teams met earlier this season. He will want to continue the good run of form going forward.

Team news and probable XIIs

Salt had missed RCB’s previous game due to illness, and his availability remains unconfirmed. If he misses out, Jacob Bethell could retain his place at the top of the order. RCB are unlikely to make any other changes to their side. Padikkal could come in as the Impact Player in place of Suyash Sharma, and vice versa.Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Jacob Bethell, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Romario Shepherd, 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Suyash SharmaCSK went with an unchanged side last time, and are unlikely to tinker with the XI unless they want to give some of the other members of the squad a game. In that case, Vansh Bedi could slot in to replace Deepak Hooda.Chennai Super Kings: 1 Shaik Rasheed, 2 Ayush Mhatre, 3 Sam Curran, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Dewald Brevis, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Deepak Hooda/Vijay Shankar/Vansh Bedi, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Anshul Kamboj, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmed, 12 Matheesha Pathirana2:10

Cricinformed: Virat Kohli – RCB’s backbone

Pitch and conditions: Rain in the air

There has already been a rain-shortened game in Bengaluru, and there is rain in the air for Saturday as well. There are thunderstorms predicted for early to late evening, with the temperature expected to hover around the 30 degree mark. The surface has been under covers for the better part of three days, and there could be something in it for the bowlers all through.

Stats and trivia: CSK’s batting woes

• CSK have the lowest strike rate (121) against spin, and have lost the most wickets (31) to that type of bowling in this IPL. Their run rate in the powerplay (7.91) is also the least for any team this season.
• Tim David has fallen to Noor twice in three T20 innings, and averages just four against him.
• Kohli has fallen to spin just twice in eight innings this IPL, and averages 109.5 against it.
• Noor has the most wickets in middle overs (7 to 16) in IPL 2025: 13.
• Dhoni averages 40.6, and has the most runs against RCB in the IPL: 894

Quotes

“There’s a lot of motivation in the squad. There’s opportunities for some players to get a chance, and to show that they can play at this level. Plus they’re a very proud group. We’re very proud to play for CSK. Massive fan base, and so you want to put in good performances to please the fans as well. I think the players really understand their responsibility, and give 100% effort for every single match.”
“First and foremost, it’s a mental shift that you need to make when you come into IPL cricket where you need to understand that the game has evolved a lot and you have to be with the times. Yes, a lot of work went into the shots that I want to play.”

Jordan Henderson’s call-up should have been a fairly quick indication that Thomas Tuchel is ready to hand out second chances in the England set-up before the World Cup. The former Chelsea boss is leading a new era and one which has already featured plenty of old faces as well as some fresh arrivals.

The latest to benefit from that is Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Prior to the arrival of Tuchel, the midfield star hadn’t been called up for England duty since 2018. That was as many as seven years ago now, but he’s seemingly done enough at AC Milan to earn another chance to impress for the Three Lions and make a claim for a World Cup place.

It feels unlikely that he’ll be the final shock inclusion under Tuchel, who has left England fans guessing at every turn. But who could be next to receive a much-welcomed return to the England squad ahead of the World Cup?

4 Fikayo Tomori AC Milan

Fikayo Tomori was always one that was overlooked by Gareth Southgate and mainly for reasons unknown. He played for one of Europe’s most historic clubs and, last season aside, started almost every week for AC Milan. Yet, it still wasn’t enough for Southgate, who chose to keep his selection in the Premier League for the most part.

Things are changing under Tuchel, however, and Tomori could be the next former Chelsea star back in the squad after Loftus-Cheek. The central defender’s last call-up came in 2019, but after earning his way back into Milan’s starting side, he deserves to get his place back in the Three Lions set-up at long last.

Tuchel has already shown willingness to call players outside the Premier League with the inclusion of AC Milan’s Loftus-Cheek alongside Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford, and should now turn towards Tomori.

3 Jack Grealish Everton

It almost seems inevitable that Jack Grealish will get his England chance before the World Cup. The winger has so far been reborn under David Moyes at Everton – assisting four goals in just two games – and provides a different threat to the quicker, more direct wingers who already have a place under Tuchel.

Grealish was beginning to fall out of love with football at Manchester City. He was refined to a cameo role more often than not, if that, and desperately needed the move that Everton soon granted him.

With the World Cup around nine months away, the Toffees have so far unlocked the version of Grealish that the Premier League last saw at Aston Villa. He is the star of the show at the Hill Dickinson and is well on course to earn back the England place that he lost in 2023.

2 Jadon Sancho Aston Villa

It goes without saying that Jadon Sancho still has a long way to go. He struggled on loan at Chelsea last season, so much so that they paid to get out of their obligation to buy the winger from Manchester United, and has shown all the signs of a player lacking the desire that he once had. But a lot can change in football.

It wasn’t so long ago that Sancho was the talk of European football, and he wasn’t the first player to struggle in a Manchester United shirt after a big-money move. A loan spell back to Borussia Dortmund in the 2023/24 campaign proved that he is still a player full of talent, but that talent must be on show at Aston Villa.

Rashford rediscovered his best form under Unai Emery in a similar move last season. Now, he has his England place back and is a Barcelona player. Sancho must use that example and get back to the type of form that would hand the Three Lions a major boost next summer.

1 Phil Foden Man City

Recent injuries haven’t helped, but there’s no denying that Phil Foden is very much on the peripheral of Pep Guardiola’s current plans. The 25-year-old hasn’t started any of Manchester City’s opening three games and is in danger of taking up the role that Grealish just vacated at the Etihad.

From becoming the Premier League’s Player of the Year in 23/24, the midfielder has now lost his England place and faces a fight to win it back before the World Cup gets underway.

It would be Tuchel’s biggest call to leave Foden out of his side. The Man City man is one of the most talented players that the Three Lions have, but things need to change at the Etihad. His first task is to get back into Guardiola’s Man City side, who have lost two of their three opening games, and then prove why he should be starting every week.

When that comes, then he should naturally find a way back into Tuchel’s plans. For now, however, the England boss has simply thrown down the challenge for Foden to get back to his best.

Whilst Spain did manage to return to their European throne last summer and are among the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup, it’ll take some doing to match the dominance that they enjoyed in the 2000s.

As Barcelona and Real Madrid battled it out for the club throne, it was Spain who benefitted on the international stage. Stars such as Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique put their rivalries aside to put the very best to the sword and leave several countries in their wake. It was the era of the El Clasico at its best from September to May, but collective Spanish dominance from then onwards.

With Vincente Del Bosque in charge, the Spaniards defeated the Netherlands in last-gasp fashion to win the World Cup in the 2010 World Cup. They then thrashed Italy two years later to win Euro 2012 in their second-consecutive European Championship win after victory in 2008. And it was in that 2012 game that Xavi particularly starred.

The Barcelona legend was often at the centre of the beauty that was Spain’s side at their peak. He was their controller – the conductor of a side so capable of ending summers with the perfect crescendo – and without him, there may have been no World Cup and there may have been no European Championships. He was that influential.

Yet, even one of the best midfielders of all time had no choice but to admit that another star man is the most talented player in Spain’s history. Simply put, as good as Xavi was, another star stands tall as the best that the country has ever seen.

Xavi: Iniesta is Spain's "most talented" player ever

From Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi to Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol, Barcelona enjoyed some incredible combinations during their best years, but perhaps none as perfect as Xavi and Andres Iniesta. The Spanish duo were untouchable when together with Sergio Busquets and all three took that invincibility to the international stage.

As good as all three were, however, Xavi only had one answer when selecting Spain’s “most talented” player in history – claiming that Iniesta is the country’s true standout.

Whether the likes of Lamine Yamal eventually overtake Iniesta’s legacy is a debate for another time. Of course, if he does intend to do so, then he’ll need to find a way to beat the former midfielder’s iconic winning goal against the Netherlands in 2010. Over to you, Lamine.

As the Premier League campaign draws near, Manchester City have now reportedly been told that a half-price offer will be enough to sign a midfield target this month.

As expected, it’s been a busy summer for Manchester City on all fronts. They began with a flourish of incomings in preparation for the Club World Cup and have since taken their total to six fresh faces. Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, James Trafford, Sverre Nypan and Marcus Bettinelli have all arrived as Pep Guardiola aims to rebuild following last season’s disappointment.

After missing out on the Premier League title for the first time in four seasons last time out, however, it’s not just incomings that Man City have been working on this summer. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Yan Couto have already sealed permanent departures, whilst Jack Grealish looks likely to follow suit.

The England international was left out of Guardiola’s Club World Cup squad earlier this summer and has seemed destined for a departure ever since. There remain question marks over just where his next destination could be, though.

Whilst Everton have opened talks to sign Grealish, Tottenham Hotspur have also reportedly made contact and could certainly do with a creative spark following the news that James Maddison will miss the majority of the campaign through injury.

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Meanwhile, as one talented midfielder potentially heads for the exit door, the Citizens have reportedly been handed the chance to land a transfer target of their own at a bargain price this month.

Man City told they can sign Paqueta in half-price deal

Following the news that he’s been cleared of any spot-fixing charges, the transfer rumours regarding Lucas Paqueta’s future have once again been sparked into life. According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Man City have now been told they can sign Paqueta for £45m this summer in what is around half the £85m fee that they’ve previously been quoted by West Ham United.

In a bargain deal, those at the Etihad have quite the decision to make. Whilst the addition of Reijnders has helped solve their midfield problem, the chance to sign a long-term target at a bargain price may well be too good to turn down.

Now that he doesn’t have potential charges hanging over him too, Paqueta may finally get back to his best following a disappointing campaign last time out. And it’s at his best that the midfield star has earned impressive praise from former West Ham boss David Moyes, who described him as “incredible”.

Now, amid reports that Graham Potter has opened the door for his exit, the Brazilian could finally get the big move that he was previously denied.

Tottenham still have a few key items on the agenda this summer, both in terms of incomings and outgoings.

As Spurs maintain their ongoing talks to sign both Savinho from Man City and Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, in what would be a statement quick-fire deal ahead of the new Premier League season this weekend, chairman Daniel Levy is also looking to balance the books with sales.

According to reports, there remains a possibility that striker Richarlison could leave before the transfer deadline on September 1, and Tottenham are believed to be considering Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson as a potential replacement for the Brazilian (Fabrizio Romano).

Uncertainty also surrounds the future of Bryan Gil, who confirmed in an interview earlier this year that he’s mutually agreed to part ways with Tottenham.

“That’s something my agent will tell me where things are going, but they [Spurs] told me, and I told them, that the best thing is for us not to continue being linked to Tottenham,” said Gil to Estadio Deportivo in April.

“They bet on me when I was young, and they’ve treated me fairly well, but if I have to go back there, I’ll focus on giving my best as always. I’m calm because no one can have a bad word to say about me not being professional. Without playing, I’ve always trained well, I’ve done what I had to do, so whatever has to happen, will happen. We’ll see where we are next year.”

No obvious suitors have made any progress when it comes to a swoop for Gil, though, so the Spaniard’s departure could be one for later in the window.

The same can be said for Israeli winger Manor Solomon, who’s attracting serious interest from the Premier League.

Manor Solomon to leave Tottenham in late-window move after calls

The former Fulham star, who joined Spurs on a free transfer in 2023, has struggled with injury during his time in N17 and spent 2024/2025 on loan at Leeds United – where he impressed with 10 goals and 13 assists in all competitions.

Despite his resurgence at Elland Road and playing a key role in their push for promotion, Solomon could leave Tottenham during the final few weeks of the window, as explained by Fabrizio Romano.

“Manor Solomon could leave in the final weeks of the window with La Liga and PL clubs calling in the recent days,” said Romano, via X.

“Movement started with Spurs aware of interest.”

The 26-year-old appears poised to join fellow left-winger, Son Heung-min, in quitting Spurs after the latter sealed an MLS record £20 million move to Los Angeles FC recently.

Unlike Son, Solomon never quite left his mark at Spurs, and his sale would count as pure profit in the eyes of PSR considering he joined for free.

Any club who lands the player would be getting a serious attacking option, though one not quite good enough to force his way into Thomas Frank’s plans.

“He didn’t really get his opportunities at Spurs last year but he’s very well established at international level, playing over 35 games for Israel,” said former Tottenham keeper Paul Robinson to MOT Leeds News last year.

“Looking at his quality and directness, he’s someone who belongs in the Premier League.”