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Manchester United have set their sights on adding a player who is set to become a free agent to their squad in 2025, according to a new report.

The Red Devils are back in action this weekend as they travel to St. Mary’s Stadium to face Southampton in what is arguably a must-win game for Erik ten Hag.

Man Utd now planning new contract talks to double £1.5m-a-year star's wages

United are planning to extend the stay of one of their star talents.

By
Brett Worthington

Sep 11, 2024

Man Utd already eyeing Erik ten Hag replacement

It has been a slow start to the campaign for Man United, despite the fact the club had quite a successful transfer window, given they added five players to their squad and moved out a lot of deadwood in the process.

But it is just one win in their opening three games of the Premier League season, and that form is already seeing Ten Hag come under significant pressure. It has now emerged that the Dutchman’s performances as manager are starting to be questioned by the hierarchy, and he needs to turn the club’s form around, or he could be replaced.

That is because Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to have set his sights on appointing Zinedine Zidane as the club’s new manager. This report stated that Ratcliffe is starting to weigh up making a change in the dugout, and he dreams of bringing Zidane to Old Trafford.

The Frenchman has been unemployed since leaving Real Madrid in 2021 and has been waiting to take over as the France national team manager, but with Didier Deschamps firmly in the role, a move to the Premier League is looking more and more likely. But while uncertainty over Ten Hag’s future emerges, Man United have their eye on a bargain 2025 deal.

Man Utd looking at free 2025 move to sign “battleship” player

According to Spanish outlet SPORT, relayed by Caught Offside, Manchester United are keen on signing defender Jonathan Tah. The Bayer Leverkusen defender was heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich during the summer, but a move never materialised, and he has remained with the Bundesliga champions.

The 28-year-old is in the final year of his contract with Leverkusen, and he doesn’t wish to extend his stay beyond that, meaning he will become a free agent next summer. That has alerted Man United, who are said to be keen on signing him on a free transfer unless Leverkusen decides to sell him in January.

But while the Red Devils are keen on signing the centre-back, they also face competition from Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea. The German international has been with Leverkusen since July 2015, and during that time, he has played 357 times for the Bundesliga side, scoring 14 goals and recording 12 assists.

Tah, who has been described as a "defensive battleship" by former teammate Christoph Kramer, played a significant role in Leverkusen’s success last season, playing 31 times in the Bundesliga, as they were crowned champions, as well as playing six times in the DFB-Pokal, as they claimed a domestic double. The centre-back was also key in Europe, but his side fell short in the final as they were beaten by Atalanta.

Nicolas Jackson has revealed that he was nicknamed "CR7" and "Neymar" growing up, as he idolised Cristiano Ronaldo and the Brazilian forward.

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• Senegal international wanted to entertain
• Looked up to a couple of all-time greats
• Has become fearsome forward in his own right

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Senegal international has become a senior star in his own right, with the 23-year-old striker now on the books at Chelsea. He registered 17 goals for them last season, while taking his tally for the current campaign to nine through 20 appearances.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jackson always wanted to be a player that delivered end product and provided entertainment for those in the crowd, with a couple of all-time greats looked to for inspiration. The quick feet and finishing prowess that he displayed as a youngster earned him comparisons to ex-Real Madrid and Barcelona superstars.

• WHAT JACKSON SAID

  Jackson, who still has plenty of potential to unlock in his game, has told the Premier League’s official media channels when asked about his childhood nicknames: "I have a lot. Jacko, Nicks, CR7, Neymar. They were my idols so they just called me that."

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  The Gambia-born frontman said back in November 2023 of wanting to emulate CR7: "When I was growing up, I loved Cristiano Ronaldo. I had his name on a shirt that I always wore. Not an actual shirt because they are expensive, so you don’t buy them. But I had a shirt that I put 7, Ronaldo on with a pen. I did it myself when I was a kid.

  "Of course, I would pretend to be him, but it was difficult to watch his games because you needed to pay. We would go to my friend’s house, everybody. We would watch in a large group, never just with one person in the house. All my friends, we’d all go to one house to watch Real Madrid."

Arsenal could be set to wave goodbye to one of their stars as five clubs circle for his signature, according to a recent report.

Arsenal begin season strongly

Mikel Arteta's side sit fourth in the Premier League over the international break as they look to go one better than their back-to-back runner-up finishes this time around.

Taking maximum points from their opening two games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, they held onto a 1-1 draw with Brighton in their most recent outing after Declan Rice was shown a controversial red card with his side leading 1-0 at the time.

92% passing: National media wowed by Arsenal star playing in different role

He played deeper for his country than he does for the Gunners and put in an excellent display.

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By
Ben Goodwin

Sep 8, 2024

Now, they must face Tottenham Hotspur in a fiery north London derby without their record signing, while summer addition Mikel Merino is also sidelined through a shoulder injury, which leaves Arteta short of options in the middle of the pitch.

It is likely to see a pairing of Jorginho and Thomas Partey behind Martin Odegaard, though both Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori have shown the technical ability to play in midfield if required. Another option would be to replace Rice with Kai Havertz, and opt for a much more attacking side with just one "defensive" midfielder on the pitch.

But attention in some quarters remains on transfers despite the UK window shutting amid renewed transfer links surrounding Jorginho and Kieran Tierney. And some are already plotting for the summer of 2025.

Five clubs chase Arsenal man

That comes as CaughtOffside report that five clubs are chasing Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey next summer as they look for a cheap move. Partey was linked with a move away from north London over the summer, but stayed despite reports of Saudi interest.

Quizzed on his midfielder at the end of last season, Arteta dubbed him a "top player" and admitted that Arsenal "need him".

“He’d better have his head here, because we are playing for big things. That’s what we expect. We need him. He’s a top player and important for us, you could see the other day on the pitch the impact that he can have for us.”

Asked about a new contract, Arteta added: “He's our player, he's got one more year's contract and I'm really happy with him.”

But no contract has yet been forthcoming, meaning that Partey is down to the final 12 months of his £200,000 a week deal in north London, a deal that puts him among the club's top earners.

And a report claims that "he’s on the radar of some big names in Europe", with Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona all named as potential destinations alongside Saudi sides Al Hilal and Al Ahli.

Perhaps crucially, it is added that Juventus hold "the most concrete interest" and are ready to offer him a three-year contract in Turin, an offer he is unlikely to see in north London.

Having yet to string together an injury-free campaign during his four years at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal may well decide they are best cutting their losses on the £45m signing, and his departure could allow them to sign a younger profile in his position.

Roberto De Zerbi slammed media in France over poor refereeing decisions as he admitted to Mason Greenwood's problem.

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• De Zerbi slammed French media
• Called out poor refereeing against Marseille
• Marseille held to a 1-1 draw by Strasbourg

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Marseille manager backed the club president Pablo Longoria's claim of biased refereeing against the team as he also slammed the media in France for not taking a stand against poor refereeing calls. Longoria ranted against the match officials after Marseille's Ligue 1 clash against Strasbourg last Sunday as Mason Greenwood rescued a point for his team with a second-half penalty strike.

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• WHAT ROBERTO DE ZERBI SAID

  When asked if he agrees with the club chief, De Zerbi told : "Since I've been in France, I've seen things that I don't always understand and it doesn't only concern OM. Maybe because I'm Italian… I came to OM because it's the biggest French club. I respect everyone but the media should also take a stand sometimes."

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  De Zerbi also revealed his star player Greenwood's problems as he added: "It's a shame to have had so many absentees. It's a shame that it's happening at such an important time of the season. We still have seven injured players, those who played did well, but there was fatigue. Neal, who is a player I love, played the last three games in a row.

  "Greenwood is not used to playing so many games in a row. Cornelius didn't play in his usual position because Lirola didn't feel like playing 90 minutes. Murillo, Kondogbia, Rongier, Wahi, Harit, that's a lot. We have to deal with it and not use it as excuses."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MARSEILLE?

  The Phoceans will be back in action in the Ligue 1 on January 26 as they take on Nice in an away fixture.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed a potential Martin Odegaard injury boost after initial fears over his timeline, and there is a prospect of him returning earlier than expected.

Odegaard suffers "significant" ankle injury at Arsenal

While Arteta coped brilliantly without Arsenal’s captain in their 1-0 North London Derby win away to Spurs last weekend, Odegaard was a sore creative miss during the Gunners’ 0-0 draw away to Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday evening.

£200k-per-week Arsenal star now "almost certain" to leave after Saudi talks

PIF, lead by chairman and crowned prince Mohammed bin Salman, have reached out for talks with him.

By
Emilio Galantini

Sep 20, 2024

In their bid to beat Man City and Pep Guardiola to the Premier League title this season, all the while ending their 21-year-wait for a league crown, Arteta will be privately hoping that their chief creator can return to action as soon as possible.

Odegaard injured his ankle on international duty with Norway, and was forced off with the issue during their 2-1 UEFA Nations League win over Austria. Since then, Arteta has confirmed that the 25-year-old suffered “significant” ankle ligament damage and could be out for a while.

“The scan showed some damage around the ligaments in the ankle so we are going to miss him,” said Arteta in an Odegaard injury update before Atalanta.

“It’s something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months. He’s our captain, he’s been one of the biggest and best players in our team. Our identity is very linked to how he plays and behaves. It’s a big test for the team to see how able we are to show a different face.”

With Mikel Merino sidelined after a shoulder fracture, Odegaard’s absence prompted Arteta to drop Kai Havertz back into midfield against Atalanta – as opposed to his usual makeshift centre-forward role where he has been very effective.

Gabriel Jesus started up top in Bergamo, with Arsenal struggling to match their usual attacking prowess. Some reports have even claimed that Odegaard could be out till Christmas, but these initial fears have been somewhat put to bed by GiveMeSport.

Martin Odegaard could return for Arsenal in six weeks

As per their information, Arsenal are hopeful that Odegaard could return within six weeks, and potentially for their all-important clash against Liverpool on October 27.

Indeed, it is believed that Arteta’s side are optimistic over their midfielder returning late next month or early November, but there is also caution, as Arsenal are fully aware Odegaard may take even longer to get back to full fitness.

In the meantime, Arsenal are gearing up for a crucial encounter against Man City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, and it will be very interesting to see how Arteta sets up his side in one of their most testing matches of the season.

The £240,000-per-week star bagged eight goals and 10 assists last campaign, helping to push City all the way to the final day as Arsenal finished 23/24 with 89 points.

Arne Slot fielded his strongest XI against Bournemouth but Federico Chiesa and Joe Gomez were not included in the matchday squad.

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• Gomez & Chiesa were both fit for selection
• The Italian impressed midweek against PSV
• Stiff competition forced Slot to exclude Chiesa

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following Liverpool’s disappointing midweek loss to PSV Eindhoven, Slot made significant changes, restoring nine key players to the starting XI. This selection mirrored the side that beat Ipswich Town 4-1 in their previous league outing.

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  Chiesa played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s two goals against PSV, registering both assists and earning praise from Slot. However, according tothe fierce competition for attacking spots forced Slot to leave him out of the squad. Whereas, Gomez’s omission was somewhat expected, given that he had only recently returned to training after being sidelined since December with a hamstring injury.

• WHAT SLOT SAID

  Slot acknowledged that Liverpool's incredible squad depth is concerning for Chiesa.

  "His main problem is he is in competition with Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota. I think you’ll agree with me that they are doing quite well also," Slot said after the PSV loss.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  A lack of pre-season and subsequent injuries have hampered Chiesa's development. Since joining Liverpool, he has played just 280 minutes in total. This lack of game time has led to speculation about a possible return to Serie A. While his agent has dismissed such rumours, Chiesa’s continued exclusion from matchday squads could increase the likelihood of a move in the summer.

West Bromwich Albion might well have found themselves swamped in the Championship over the last couple of seasons, but the Baggies also used to be an established Premier League side that boasted some top talent.

Once upon a time, Romelu Lukaku lined up for the West Midlands outfit during a tremendous loan stint, as the Chelsea youngster announced himself to the English game at the Hawthorns with 17 goals fired home from 38 appearances.

Whilst the deadly Belgian was a major success story, other coups from West Brom’s recent Premier League hay-day didn’t quite go as to plan, as one Arsenal youth product struggled to ever spark into life for his new employers.

Gnabry's struggles at West Brom

West Brom won the services of a raw Serge Gnabry back in 2015 on a loan basis, with Arsene Wenger eager for his young Gunner to gain more first-team experience away from Arsenal at the Hawthorns.

In theory, this should have been a move that was formative for the growing German, but it ended up being a troubled spell away from North London, as Baggies boss Tony Pulis never took a shining to the exciting starlet.

Gnabry would very rarely be thrown in at the deep end of first-team action under the former Stoke manager’s guidance, with only three senior appearances coming his way during a stint the ex-Arsenal man won’t look back on with a single shred of fondness.

Pulis’ justification was that the now 27-year-old attacker wasn’t at ‘the level’ he wanted him to be at to then regularly thrust him into the main team spotlight, critiquing his U21 football education back at Arsenal in the process.

Pulis must be feeling rather foolish about his comments reflecting back now, with Gnabry’s transformation from his quiet Baggies days at Bayern Munich frightening.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Gnabry at Bayern Munich

The Gunners ditch Gnabry not long after this disappointing loan move was over, with Werder Bremen winning his services for a low £5m fee.

It would be playing out in the Bundesliga where the explosive winger begun to shine, with Bayern acquiring his signature in 2018, where the 27-year-old continues to cause havoc from down the flanks to this day.

Gnabry is no longer the quiet starlet Pulis rashly dismissed, with the electric attacker now onto 88 goals and 56 assists for the Bavarian giants from 246 total clashes, as he continues to be named in the first team week in week out by new Bayern boss Vincent Kompany.

Rio Ferdinand even labelled the 27-year-old as a “world-class” talent in 2020, another far-cry from the criticism Pulis dished out to Gnabry whilst he was still finding his feet in the senior game.

His continued excellence in the Bundesliga means his value has risen all the way up to £33m, according to Transfermarkt, with Bayern thanking their lucky stars that they picked up the ex-Arsenal man when they did for just £6.7m, before he had fully blossomed.

West Brom won’t be the last club to make a blunder like this – when it comes to not getting the best out of a player that goes on to reach new unbelievable heights – with the Baggies’ main focus in the present centring on winning promotion back up to the Premier League, to return to the top-flight for the first time since the 2020/21 season.

Left for £16m: West Brom hit gold selling ace who’s now worth millions less

West Bromwich Albion sold this star on at the best possible time.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 26, 2024

Arne Slot’s tactical nous lends itself to success in the Premier League. Liverpool’s roaring start to the 2024/25 campaign confirms as much.

He’s personable and charismatic, but there’s a ruthlessness about Slot that’s refreshing to see. Jarell Quansah’s half-time substitution against Ipswich Town on the opening day proves as much. It was brutal and blunt but saw the tide turned and the tone set for the Reds, who have won nine matches from ten this term.

The Dutch coach has been reluctant, more or less, to make alterations, which might seem to run counter to that point above but is plain, for he has enforced only a few tweaks to the starting line-up since in the Premier League.

There’s a whole world of youth talent, at Kirkby or plying trade elsewhere (for now), with Trey Nyoni and summer signing Rio Ngumoha among the most talented. They aren’t the only ones though, with Ben Doak riding the crest of a wave since leaving on loan in August.

Ben Doak's performances this season

Doak could have provided Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool with much more last season but was ravaged by injury after a promising start, playing from the outset in three of the club’s Europa League group phase matches.

Told that his development would be best served on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, he moved to Middlesbrough in the Championship and has started the past three fixtures, scoring during a 2-0 victory over Stoke City.

That strike has been the standout but the young Scot’s underlying metrics have probably been more impressive. As per Sofascore, the 18-year-old has averaged two key passes and 1.2 dribbles per game, offering a consistent outlet for his teammates down the flank.

He’s since been recalled to the Scotland national team and proved to be a bright spark on a dreary evening last week against Croatia, hailed as the “standout” by former Scotland defender Willie Miller, playing with a fearless and combative approach that complemented his ball-carrying style.

He’s quite the talent, to be sure. But Liverpool might actually have a bigger and more exciting prospect in their midst.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Liverpool's biggest academy talent

It’s not Nyoni, who has plenty of quality but much to prove, but in fact Jayden Danns, who has already showcased his goalscoring pedigree at the highest level.

Sometimes, you just know. Danns’ brace against Southampton last season made a clear comment on his faculty for goalscoring, the keen-edged blade which he wields in the final third, apt to penetrate the meanest of defences as he continues to grow over the next few years.

Danns is still only 18 but announced himself in some fashion last season, indeed helping injury-hit Liverpool through the FA Cup fifth round against Saints in less than half an hour of action.

He had days before made his Premier League debut against Luton Town, featuring for mere minutes but making a positive impression as he held up play and contributed toward Harvey Elliott’s emphatic late sealing strike to make it 4-1 to Anfield.

Player. Danns had scored nine goals and added two assists over seven matches in the U18 Premier League for the Reds, bagging in every single one of those matches. Raw talent translation onto the senior stage can be rough at the best of times but his seamless switch speaks of his future role in the Premier League – hopefully for Liverpool.

Youth scout Antonio Mango even hailed him as “unplayable” after one of those matches, a 4-0 victory over Newcastle United, at youth level, and though he’s been sidelined with injury throughout the opening months of the new season, Slot will know the name and indeed consider unleashing him at some point down the line.

He must do so, for Danns’ composure and placement in crucial time-to-shoot moments is something to behold for one so young and inexperienced.

Danns is the real deal, with the prolific edge that could see him become an elite goalscorer and Liverpool’s biggest talent.

Ben Doak just dominated one of the PL's best players for Scotland

Liverpool fans would have been impressed with their ace’s performance for his nation.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 13, 2024

Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman has explained why Chloe Kelly isn't in her latest England squad – and said the winger can still make this year's Euros.

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• Latest Lionesses squad announced on Tuesday
• Euro 2022 hero Kelly missing for February games
• England boss Wiegman explains why

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kelly was left off the list when Wiegman's squad for England's February fixtures was announced on Tuesday, with the Lionesses set to take on Portugal and Spain in their first games of the new Women's Nations League campaign later this month.

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  That news came off the back of a tough few weeks for the forward. Having struggled for game time at Manchester City this season and not played for them since January 12, Kelly was linked with several clubs in the January transfer window, with a move clearly necessary if she was to make this summer's squad. She then released a statement opening up on the "disappointing" situation she found herself in, before securing a deadline day loan switch to Arsenal.

  However, the Gunners' first two games after Kelly's arrival were against City, and the England winger couldn't play against her parent club, while their next fixture was in the FA Cup, which Kelly also couldn't feature in because she was cup-tied.

• WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

  "She hasn't played enough, in my opinion," Wiegman said on Tuesday when asked about Kelly's absence from her squad. "She's moved clubs now but last autumn, she hardly played and, as I said, she built some credit. But over that time, she made so few minutes. That's first now. Get started at Arsenal, get some minutes in, start playing and showing what you're about, and then we can revisit that again.

  "We had a good conversation yesterday and she understands. She's not out for the Euros. When she gets back, she's in full training, of course, hopefully she gets the minutes soon and she can show [what she can do] again, and then, as I said, we'll revisit it."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Asked about the statements Kelly released during the transfer window, including one in which she claimed City had "called reporters to assassinate my character", Wiegman added: "I think she was hurt, she was worried about her mental health. That's what her statement was. I don't have the full context but I'm just glad now that she had a move, which she mentioned was really good for her, and hopefully she can, as she said, get a smile on her face again and play football and show who she is as a footballer."

LAFC have beaten David Beckham's Inter Miami to be named Forbes' most valuable MLS club for the third year running.

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• LAFC named most valuable MLS club
• Messi signing not enough for Inter Miami
• New MLS season kicks off this weekend

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  LAFC were valued at $1.25 billion, according to Forbes, up 4% from last year, and close to double the average value of the league's 29 teams. Inter Miami have enjoyed a surge of sponsorships and fan engagement since signing Lionel Messi in 2023 and rose 17% in value to claim second place.

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  Miami's valuation has doubled as a result of the Messi signing but it was not enough to top LAFC on the list. The Argentina legend helped his side claim 74 regular season points in 2024 before the team suffered a shock first-round exit from the playoffs – but their valuation has doubled since 2022 and seems set to keep rising with Messi at the club.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy were valued at $1B in third place, while Atlanta United ($975M) and New York City FC ($875M) completed the top five. Expansion club San Diego FC were omitted from the ranking.

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• FORBES' TOP 10 MOST VALUABLE MLS TEAMS 2025

  POSITION	TEAM	VALUE
  1)	LAFC	$1.25B
  2)	Inter Miami	$1.2B
  3)	LA Galaxy	$1B
  4)	Atlanta United	$975M
  5)	New York City FC	$875M
  6)	Austin FC	$825M
  7)	Seattle Sounders	$800M
  8)	D.C. United	$785M
  9)	Columbus Crew	$735M
  10)	FC Cincinnati	$730M