Fabrizio Romano has shared what Man City sensation Rico Lewis is thinking about a move to Nottingham Forest, coming after Nuno Espirito Santo’s side opened negotiations for the talent earlier this week.

Since it was announced by UEFA that Forest will be taking Crystal Palace’s place in the Europa League this season, Evangelos Marinakis and co have seriously started kicking the club’s transfer plans into gear with a late-window flurry.

Nuno lost one of their key attacking stars from last season, Anthony Elanga, to Newcastle United in a deal worth £55 million earlier this summer, and were on the verge of losing star playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White to Tottenham before Marinakis intervened.

The summer didn’t exactly start in rosy fashion for Forest, but in the space of a few days, Marinakis has sealed a triple signing for Nuno worth around £92 million.

Man City’s James McAtee and Ipswich Town’s Omari Hutchinson are on their way to the City Ground, as is Arnaud Kalimuendo, with the striker now sealing a £27 million move to Forest ahead of an imminent medical.

So much is happening at Forest right now, with the club also reaching an agreement on personal terms for Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, who could make a swift return to the Premier League just one year after leaving the Midlands from Aston Villa.

Forest are pushing to sign the Brazilian, who bagged 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions during his final year at Villa, to complement Gibbs-White in the middle of the park.

Forest have also opened talks with Juve over Luiz, so this is certainly one to watch out for, as is a move for Lewis.

Rico Lewis stance on joining Nottingham Forest after opening Man City talks

It’s hard to keep up with all the activity going on under Marinakis’ watch.

On Friday evening, Romano shared news that Forest have submitted an official bid for Lewis – opening talks with City as they push to sign the versatile 20-year-old – who can play at full-back and in midfield.

In a further update, the reliable journalist shared Lewis’ stance on making the move to Forest from Eastlands.

The reporter claims there is real belief at Forest that the player is keen to join them, and this has resulted in Nuno’s side insisting on finding an agreement with City – though it is stressed that Marinakis’ initial bid is currently below Lewis’ asking price.

The starlet has already earned five caps for England as a result of his sky-high potential, with Pep Guardiola even once calling Lewis one of the best players he has ever coached.

Julian Alvarez ended his goal drought in spectacular fashion with a hat-trick that sealed Atletico Madrid’s 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, offering a lifeline to Diego Simeone’s inconsistent side. While Simeone hailed the Argentine as Atleti’s “best player” and called for him to stay long-term, the result only briefly masks the club’s broader struggles as they prepare for a decisive Madrid derby.

• Julian Alvarez ends goal drought with hat-trick

  Alvarez netted a brilliant hat-trick to give Atletico a 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday. He opened the scoring with a volley, levelled the match by firing in a rebound from close range and then sealed the win in the 88th minute with a superb shot from the edge of the box. These goals not only broke his dry spell but delivered a much-needed boost for Atletico's campaign, registering their second win in La Liga. Coach Simeone was delighted by his team's performance as he brough the spotlight on Alvarez's performance.

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• AFP
  

  Diego Simeone wants Alvarez to stay at Atletico for years

  The Los Rojiblancos coach was elated that his team were finally getting back on track after their strong performance against Liverpool in the Champions League and now winning their fixture against Vallecano.

  "Julian is the best player we have," he told reporters. "We need to take care of him, to keep him here at Atleti for many years. He has to help us, and we have to help him, so he can become even better than he already is. Every time he makes a difference, he helps us a lot."

• Atletico Madrid's struggle continues despite Alvarez's heroics

  Alvarez had faced a six-match goal drought and growing frustration over his role at Atletico in recent weeks. Reports suggested dissatisfaction from the youngster regarding his playing time and position, fuelling transfer rumours linking him to Barcelona and Liverpool ahead of the 2026 transfer window. His hat-trick against Vallecano ended that drought and provided a rare highlight in what has been a disappointing start to the campaign for Atletico, who have struggled to find consistency and have only picked up nine points from a possible 18 in the league. While Alvarez's performance may ease speculation about his future, questions remain about the club's form and direction this season.

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• AFP
  

  Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid get ready for derby clash

  Simeone's next game will be a defining one for this year's campaign as they face Real Madrid in their upcoming league fixture on September 27. After their derby, Los Colchoneros will switch their attention to the Champions League where they host German club Eintracht Frankfurt on September 30.

Fast bowler Muhammad Shahzad took a hat-trick either side of the unusual dismissal

Danyal Rasool05-Mar-2025Pakistan batter Saud Shakeel has become the seventh batter in first-class cricket to be timed out. On day two of the final of the President’s Trophy, a domestic first-class competition in Pakistan, Shakeel, playing for State Bank of Pakistan, emerged late from the dugout after two wickets fell in two balls. Amad Butt, the captain of the opposition side PTV, appealed after Shakeel was not ready to take guard within the required three minutes.ESPNcricinfo understands the swift fall of two wickets left Shakeel unprepared. He arrived at the crease to face the delivery, but Butt appealed, and the umpires agreed he had not been ready within three minutes, following which a timed-out appeal can be lodged. The most recent such dismissal in top-level cricket was also the highest-profile, when Angelo Matthews became the only cricketer to be dismissed in this manner during an international match. It happened during Sri Lanka’s 2023 World Cup match against Bangladesh, with Shakib-al-Hasan successfully appealing for timed out.Umar Amin and Fawad Alam fell to fast bowler Muhammad Shahzad within two deliveries, leaving him on a hat-trick. Following Shakeel’s unusual dismissal, Irfan Khan came out to bat, and had his stumps knocked back first ball, giving Shahzad a hat-trick. It meant that State Bank of Pakistan went from 128 for 1 to 128 for 5 in the space of three balls.The rare dismissal is not the only thing that makes the President’s Trophy final unusual. Owing to Ramadan, a period when devout Muslims do not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset, the PCB decided to play the entire tournament at night, with a day’s play running from 7:30pm to 2.30am, with tea and dinner breaks between sessions.Shahzad’s hat-trick helped PTV dismiss State Bank of Pakistan for 205, with former Pakistan opener Imran Butt scoring 89.

Manchester United are now planning to hold a meeting with an “exceptional” star, who has already agreed personal terms on a move to Old Trafford.

Man Utd already looking ahead to January window

The summer transfer window has to be regarded as mixed for Man United, given that they managed to bring in some proven Premier League forwards in the form of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, but also missed out on a midfielder.

Incomings

From

Fee

Bryan Mbeumo

Brentford

£71m

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

£66.4m

Matheus Cunha

Wolves

£62.5m

Senne Lammens

Royal Antwerp

£18.2m

Diego Leon

Cerro Porteno

£7m

It certainly wasn’t for a lack of trying, with the Red Devils even making contact to sign Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher on deadline day, but having been unsuccessful in their pursuit, Ruben Amorim will have to make do with what he has until January.

That is despite the fact United have made a very poor start to the new campaign, with former Arsenal player Stewart Robson singling Amorim’s midfield out for criticism in particular, saying: “The 3-4-3 covers all areas of the pitch. But you’ve got to have the right players to do it. Your wing-backs have to be really athletic and your two central midfield players have to be dynamic and dominant midfield players.

“United don’t have any of those qualities. Bruno just doesn’t fit the system.”

It appears as though INEOS may agree with Robson’s assessment, given that they already have one eye on the January transfer window, having recently identified Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia as a potential target.

However, according to a report from The Express, Man United also remain interested in one of their summer transfer targets, and they are planning to hold a meeting with Brighton’s Carlos Baleba in the coming weeks, with the 21-year-old already agreeing personal terms.

United made an approach to sign Baleba in the summer, but Brighton’s £115m valuation deterred them from making a move, and Amorim’s only deadline day addition was goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp.

Related Man Utd agree personal terms with 109 career-goal striker wanted by Wilcox

The Red Devils are making progress in their pursuit of a new centre-forward.

Posts ByDominic Lund Sep 3, 2025 "Exceptional" Baleba tipped to be better than Caicedo

Brighton seem to have an endless conveyor belt of top young players, with Moises Caicedo their record sale at a whopping £115m, and it is no wonder the Seagulls are set to hold out for a similar fee for another exciting prospect.

That is because Glenn Murray believes the youngster could go on to be even better than Caicedo, saying: “Carlos Baleba, as a DM, I think he’s got even more potential than Yves Bissouma and Moises Caicedo.

“Brighton have had quite a rich vein of defensive midfielders coming through. I think this kid’s better than both of those. I think he’s absolutely exceptional.”

The statistics certainly back up Murray’s prediction, with the Brighton starlet already outperforming the Ecuadorian across a number of important metrics for midfielders.

Average per 90

Carlos Baleba

Moises Caicedo

Interceptions

1.55

1.36

Blocks

1.62

1.36

Successful take-ons

1.06

0.75

Aerials won

1.32

0.88

As such, it is exciting news that Man United are looking to get ahead of potential rival suitors by scheduling a meeting with Baleba in the coming weeks.

Sam Konstas overcame leg cramps to score his first domestic one-day century, but couldn’t prevent Queensland beating New South Wales.Despite Konstas’s impressive 116, NSW were dismissed for 256 chasing Queensland’s 310 for 9 on Thursday at Allan Border Field.Konstas was sent home early from the Sri Lanka tour without playing in either Test and only made 3 and 22 in the Sheffield Shield match earlier this week against Queensland. But the 19-year-old, whose Boxing Day Test debut was one of the highlights of the summer, reminded everyone of his vast potential as he anchored the NSW innings in his second domestic one dayer.While Konstas was still in, NSW had a glimmer of hope that they could pull off the win. Play was held up for five minutes after he cramped badly in his left hamstring and dropped to the turf, but after treatment he was able to keep batting.His 98-ball knock featured 13 fours and three sixes. He brought up the century with an outstanding square cut for six.But NSW, who started Thursday’s games as the top side in the one-day competition, paid dearly for a mid-innings collapse after Lachlan Hearne set up the sizeable Queensland total with his ton.After the start of play was delayed by rain and the match shortened to 45 overs per side, the bowler-friendly conditions meant it was a good toss for NSW to win. They reduced the home side to 54 for 4, before Hearne and Max Bryant steadied the innings with their 100-run stand from 78 balls.Lachlan Hearne celebrates his century•Getty Images

Once Bryant was dismissed for 34, Jack Wildermuth was the senior partner in his 120-run stand with Hearne as the conditions became much easier for batting.Wildermuth belted 83 from 56 balls with six fours and five sixes. Hearne also opened up, with four successive sixes to hit Moises Henriques out of the attack.He was dismissed at the end of the 42nd over for 107 from 91 balls, with four fours and seven sixes.Gurinder Sandhu scored a valuable, unbeaten 21 to take the score past 300, while opening bowler Jack Nisbet took 4 for 49 from his nine overs..NSW made a solid start, reaching 113 for 1 in the 18th over, before they crucially lost 3 for 5. After Mitch Swepson dismissed Matthew Gilkes for 34, Callum Vidler snared two wickets in three balls, with Henriques and Oliver Davies departing for ducks.That left NSW 118 for 4 at the end of the 19th over and they never quite recovered. A 50-run stand between Konstas and Hayden Kerr for the eighth wicket raised NSW hopes of chasing down the formidable Queensland total.But when Liam Guthrie snared Kerr for 14, NSW were 233 for 8 at the start of the 38th over. Sandhu claimed Konstas’ wicket in the 40th over to confirm Queensland would win and the only interest remained whether the home side could claim the bonus point, by dismissing NSW for less than 247. But the visitors passed that target and their last wicket fell at 42.2 overs.

“It’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the team,” Buttler said

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-20251:41

Roller: Buttler’s captaincy was untenable after Champions Trophy exit

Jos Buttler has resigned as England’s white-ball captain after their group-stage exit at the Champions Trophy, announcing on Friday that he will lead the side for the final time against South Africa in Karachi.England have already been eliminated from the Champions Trophy, after they lost their first two group games against Australia and Afghanistan. They prepared for the tournament with a trip to India which saw them win only one of their eight matches in Brendon McCullum’s first tour as white-ball coach.”I’m going to stand down as England captain,” Buttler said. “It’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the team. Hopefully somebody else who can come in alongside Baz will take the team to where it needs to be.” Harry Brook, Buttler’s vice-captain, is the early favourite to replace him.Buttler will continue to play for England, and said he wants to “get back to really enjoying my cricket”. He said: “The overriding emotions are still sadness and disappointment. I’m sure, in time, that will pass and I can get back to really enjoying my cricket, and [will] also be able to reflect on what an immense honour it is to captain your country and all the special things that come with it.”Related

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All-but-through SA hope to pile more misery on out-of-contention England

McCullum: Buttler's successor will need 'right support' to lead rennaissance

Decline and fall: England face up to scale of ODI rebuilding job

Buttler was appointed as Eoin Morgan’s successor in June 2022 and won the T20 World Cup in Australia later that year. But England’s results have declined sharply since and after three unsuccessful ICC events in a row – the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy – Buttler has decided to stand down.He hinted after England’s eight-run loss to Afghanistan on Wednesday – their ninth defeat in 10 white-ball games this year – that he would resign, saying he needed to “consider all possibilities” and work out whether he was “part of the problem or part of the solution.””It was quite clear that this tournament was going to be important: results-wise and for my captaincy,” Buttler said. “Two losses and being out of the tournament [was] a bit of a hangover of tournaments before. I’d just reached the end of the road for me and my captaincy, which is a shame and I’m sad about that.”With Brendon coming in only recently, I was really excited to work closely alongside him and hope for a very quick turnaround and to take the team forward. But it’s not quite worked out that way, so just feels like the right time for me and the team to have a change.”1:35

Buttler: ‘Right time for me and the team to have a change’

Buttler’s position came under increasing scrutiny after a sustained poor run of ODI form for England stretching back to the start of the 2023 World Cup. In defence of their World Cup title, England won just three group games out of nine and were the first team to be officially eliminated from the tournament. It began a run that has seen them lose 18 of the last 25 ODIs, including the two that put paid to their Champions Trophy campaign at the first hurdle.While he will likely go down as England’s best white-ball batter, Buttler’s ODI form, like that of the side he led, had been on a sharp downturn over the last 18 months. He averages 26.40 in his last 21 innings, with a strike rate of just over 100 – down from 115.97 over his ODI career. He managed starts in each of the two games this Champions Trophy, coming into the middle order while England had a platform to build off, but got out for 23 off 21 and 38 off 42.Brook is tipped to succeed him, though McCullum said England had not yet settled on a candidate. He praised Buttler’s leadership while saying he was “incredibly sad” to see him step down.”We’ve all seen over the last couple of years how much he’s invested in captaining his country and trying to get very best out of those guys around him,” McCullum said. “People forget that he literally won a World Cup only a couple of years ago, and that can never be taken away from him. It’s incredibly unselfish from Jos to step aside and to leave the post for someone else, and he’s still a huge player for us moving forward. I’m sure we will look at ways that we can get the best out of him in terms of his role, so he can have maximum impact as well.”Both Rob Key, managing director, England Men, and Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, paid tribute to Buttler’s time in charge.”Working with Jos has been a pleasure,” Key said. “He’s been dealt some tough challenges, but never once flinched trying to drive this team forward for the better. Nobody deserved that World Cup win in Australia more. I can’t wait to see him back in the ranks and at his best.”Gould added: “I’d like to thank Jos for all he has given in his two and a half years captaining England Men in white-ball cricket. Under his leadership, England became men’s T20 World Champions, and throughout his time as captain he has been a role model in the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch.”Jos is one of cricket’s all-time great white ball players. I’ve been lucky enough to follow his career from when he first came through as a youngster in Somerset, and I hope we still have many years to enjoy of him pulling on an England shirt.”

Newcastle United have turned their transfer window around, having for so much time across the past several months looked to have fallen by the wayside after a terrific 2024/25 campaign.

But, despite all the drama, Howe must be delighted with how PIF have pulled through with a series of exciting signings, the latest of which comes in the form of Nick Woltemade, who has joined from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m fee.

Woltemade, 23, scored 17 goals for the German side last season, and is considered to carry a deceptive depth of skill, belying his 6 foot 6 frame.

A thrilling addition, one of the most talented young nines out there, but Woltemade’s signing does come with the caveat that he is viewed as Alexander Isak’s replacement at the front of Howe’s system.

Isak remains a Newcastle player with t-minus 24 hours remaining of the market, but his incendiary comments earlier this month and fierce desire to leave St. James’ Park and sign for Liverpool have scoured all but the slimmest hopes of a harmonious and continuing relationship between the player and club.

Newcastle have only claimed two points from their opening three fixtures of the campaign, but the quality coursing through Howe’s squad remains intact, and the wins are sure to be around the corner.

However, it wouldn’t hurt to add another player to the ranks before the market slams shut on Monday evening, and there’s a feeling from some circles that PIF are gearing up to strike a deal for one of the world’s finest midfielders.

Newcastle lining up midfielder deal

Newcastle added Jacob Ramsey to their ranks in a package rising to £40m this month, but he was withdrawn with an issue against Leeds United, and injuries to Sandro Tonali and Joelinton against Liverpool have heightened the need for a deeper-lying midfielder.

And according to Spanish reports, an ambitious move for Eduardo Camavinga has beenprepared, though it will be difficult to land the Real Madrid star, with the La Liga giants issuing a firm not-for-sale response to intrigue.

Reports from earlier this week outline the Magpies’ interest in the France international, who has been valued at €70m (equating to around £61m) at this late stage of the window.

Camavinga, 22, would be a marquee addition for the Toon, and though Los Blancos are outwardly denying any chance of him leaving, there is a feeling that a bid entering the aforementioned ballpark would be considered.

What Eduardo Camavinga would bring to Newcastle

Camavinga joined Real Madrid from Rennes in his homeland in 2021, and he has won La Liga-Champions League doubles in 2022 and 2024, featuring 180 times for the Spaniards all told.

A deep-sitting midfielder, Camavinga blends grit and gusto from number six, specialising in combative defensive work and progressive passing play.

Thanks to FBref’s data, it can be observed that the Frenchman ranks among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 19% for progressive carries, the top 16% for successful take-ons, the top 7% for ball recoveries and the top 1% for tackles won per 90.

Tonali’s injury heightens the need for such a player, but Camavinga could even prove to be an upgrade on the Italian maestro, statistically comparable to Premier League heavyweights like Ryan Gravenberch and Moises Caicedo.

Having bounced back from a lengthy suspension last term, 25-year-old Tonali became a mainstay in the middle of the park for the Magpies, instrumental in building top form throughout the winter and winning silverware thereafter.

But Camavinga might add even more to the St. James’ Park centre.

Injuries had a prohibitive effect on Camavinga’s form and fluency in La Liga last season, but from the matches he did play, he stood out. Indeed, his dynamism and range suggest he might even prove an upgrade on Newcastle’s star.

Matches (starts)

19 (11)

36 (28)

Goals

1

4

Assists

2

2

Touches*

53.5

53.4

Pass completion

89%

86%

Key passes*

0.6

0.8

Dribbles*

0.8

0.6

Ball recoveries*

4.7

4.9

Tackles + interceptions*

3.1

2.3

Duels (won)*

5.7 (60%)

3.7 (54%)

Similar players, Camavinga would ease the workload on Tonali while ensuring that Howe is able to rotate as Newcastle challenge both domestically and in the Champions League without working to the detriment of the squad’s performance levels.

Hailed for his “world-class” quality by journalist Thom Harris, Camavinga would cost a pretty penny to bring over to Tyneside, but there’s just cause for such a mammoth bid.

Of course, reservations stemming from the rangy player’s injury record are understandable, but while Camavinga, in his finest form, has a higher ceiling and more about him than the impressive Tonali, he wouldn’t displace the Italian, but rather, jockey for a position, perhaps leading Howe to eke out the best from both players.

A strong ball-carrying presence with physicality and athleticism to take him far in the Premier League, Camavinga could hit the jackpot by stepping away from Real Madrid and rehousing in Newcastle’s midfield, where he could showcase his skills as a talismanic part of Howe’s project, raising the level of those around him too.

Having enjoyed a trophy-laden start to his career, Camavinga could bring that mentality to the Premier League and take Newcastle to the next level, with the English club having enjoyed a taste of true success at the highest level and now hungering for more.

Imagine him & Bruno: Newcastle lodge bid for "one of the world's best DMs"

Newcastle are looking to sign one of the best midfielders on the planet to partner Bruno Guimaraes

ByWill Miller Aug 31, 2025

With CONMEBOL lobbying for further expanded competition, GOAL US writers debate the viability of a 64-team tournament

And so there is more World Cup speculation. FIFA has already taken plenty of heat for expanding the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams. That seems like a lot, double what it was the last time the U.S. hosted a World Cup, in 1994. 

But what if it were 64?

CONMEBOL, the South American football federation, lobbied FIFA President Gianni Infantino to further increase the field for the 2030 event. The logistics here are complicated. Infantino would have to take that initiative to a FIFA congress that would likely shut it down with little hesitation.

A source told the Guardian that “Gianni would not get that vote through Council even if he wanted to. The overwhelming feeling around the table – and not just in Europe – is that 64 teams would damage the World Cup."

Still, the seeds of an idea are here. It aligns with the revenue expansion FIFA has been flirting with for years. The Club World Cup was rather lax in its qualification criteria – and there is already talk of expanding that field. FIFA wants more teams to play more soccer more often.

UEFA, of course, will have its own voice. President Alexander Ceferin has, historically, been reluctant to change things. But by 2030, things could look different. A new generation of footballers will be in the mix. Messi and Ronaldo will have been replaced by Lamine Yamal and Estevao. You'd imagine, too, that some nations might get their first taste of World Cup football. 

What would a 64-team World Cup even look like? What are the positives? And what would it mean for nations such as the USMNT, who would presumably coast through qualifying? 

GOAL US writers debate the impact of a possible expanded World Cup in the latest edition of… The Rondo. 

Getty Images SportShould FIFA expand to 64 teams for the 2030 World Cup?

Tom Hindle: No. Qualifying for the World Cup should be hard. It should mean something. It is the most prestigious sporting contest in the world. Just being there should be a privilege. Switching to a 64-team format would further take away  that shine – if not ruin it outright. Stop before you even start, FIFA.

Alex Labidou: As Big Daddy Kane once said, “Ain’t no half-steppin." If you’re going to expand to a weird number like 48, then you might as well push it to 64. While it would be preferable to keep the 32-team format that has made the 1998 through 2022 editions more memorable, there’s not much of a difference between 48 and 64. That makes the shift is more likely than not.

Ryan Tolmich: Hell, just make it 211 participants at this point. Yes, there are obvious financial benefits to expanding a World Cup. But at some point it no longer seems like a big event if everyone's allowed to participate. A Ferrari isn't a Ferrari if everyone has one, you know? Maybe 64 is the upper limit that makes everyone happy and, admittedly, it does make for an easier competition structure than 2026. But even so, it has to end at some point.

AdvertisementgettyWhat are the potential positives?

TH: Well, content, you'd think. FIFA likes money, a lot. More games means more money. So yeah, FIFA would get even richer. There is also a certain romanticism to this. It would give countries that wouldn't normally qualify the chance to play in a World Cup – which is massive. We are so often told that "more soccer is good soccer." Well, this would be a lot more soccer. It also, removes the headache of a 48-team tournament. 

AL: Soccer is a much bigger sport with a larger imprint than where it was in the Pele days, and even as recently as the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Putting things into perspective, China has only been to the World Cup once, in 2002. India has never played in the World Cup, despite their qualification in the 1950 event. Those two countries make up 35 percent of the world’s population. If either or both make the field, it would inject a massive boost into the football development of both, with potentially billions of more engaged fans. That could be massive as FIFA continues to search the world for new sources of revenue.

RT: If you're going to go past 32, which FIFA already has, 64 really is the next logical number – 16 groups of four, top two teams in each group advance, more games, more rounds, more money. It would also offer some relief to countries right on the bubble, the mid-tier teams that are just outside of World Cup qualifying range. Maybe making it to a World Cup or two would ignite something in those countries that wouldn't otherwise be catch fire. From that standpoint, it makes sense.

AFPWhat are the potential negatives?

TH: Where do you want to start? The negatives are plentiful. The eroding of tradition, competitive imbalances, the greed behind it all, the likelihood that some countries would just get battered in the groups, player welfare. It just doesn't make any sense.

AL: The first concern has to be quality. With expanded qualifiers and lower-ranked teams having a chance to qualify, the reality is the on-field product is going to take a step back. The other issue is soccer fatigue. It was apparent over the summer when the Gold Cup and Club World Cup – along with touring Premier League teams in the U.S. – created congestion in the North American market. While the 2030 World Cup won’t be played in this country, the proposed 128 matches just seem like a lot. Less is more.

RT: The field gets watered down very, very fast. Some bad teams would get into such a tournament, and those bad teams would be cannon fodder for the teams that actually deserve to be there. Maybe that's OK. Maybe that's what people want, but it does take the jeopardy out of all of this. Also, by the way FIFA, watering down World Cup qualifiers takes away any jeopardy from those games, putting an even bigger focus – financial and otherwise – on one tournament every four years.

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Getty ImagesWhat could this mean for CONCACAF?

TH: It would be great for a handful of CONCACAF teams that wouldn't normally sniff the World Cup, and ensure that another nightmare scenario such as the USMNT's failure in 2018 doesn't happen. There's good and bad to that. It would be great to see Jamaica, for example, play in a World Cup. Shamar Nicholson, Andre Blake, Michail Antonio – these guys all deserve a shot on the world's biggest stage. But slashing the jeopardy of qualification kind of ruins the point. It should be difficult to get to the World Cup. The U.S., Canada and Mexico would walk it.

AL: While specifics haven’t been discussed for the CONCACAF region, it would be sure to help. Teams such as Jamaica have been knocking at the door for decades now, with their last appearance coming in 1998. Every World Cup appearance is a program setter for a country’s respective FA. With more spots for CONCACAF, countries such as Jamaica, Panama and even Haiti – last appearance in 1974 – would have a better chance to get in.

RT: It would give Mexico, the USMNT and Canada the world's biggest safety blanket, almost guaranteeing they'd be in every World Cup. For those teams behind them – Jamaica, Panama and Guatemala and others – it would give them a  good shot of making it to World Cups consistently. Is that good for growth in the region? Probably. In truth, CONCACAF would be one of the bigger beneficiaries from all of this.

Well, that’s going to be a hard one to take for Manchester United fans.

Ruben Amorim’s side got their Premier League campaign underway at home to Arsenal this afternoon, and despite dominating the game for most of the encounter, came away as losers.

Unsurprisingly, the Gunners opened the scoring with a Riccardo Calafiori goal from a corner, and try as they might, the Red Devils just couldn’t find a response.

0

Goals

1

61%

Possession

39%

1.59

Expected Goals

1.05

0

Big Chances

1

22

Total Shots

9

2

Saves

7

3

Corners

4

10

Fouls

19

476

Passes

296

23

Tackles

18

However, while it will go down as a defeat, it was unquestionably one of the best displays of the Amorim era, and one stand-out performer was just as impressive as Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

Cunha & Mbeumo's performances vs Arsenal

While some players would be overawed at the prospect of making their competitive debut for United at home to Arsenal, Mbeumo and Cunha took it in stride.

The pair were transition monsters from practically the first minute, and for much of the first 45, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães had no answers.

In fact, if David Raya hadn’t put in one of the best performances he has had since joining the North Londoners, both attackers would’ve likely opened their accounts at the Theatre of Dreams.

While it might sound like we’re being hyperbolic, we really aren’t, as the Express’ Charlie Parker-Turner awarded both of them with 8/10 match ratings at full-time and described the Cameroonian as “frightening.”

Sky Sports’ pundit and former professional, Daniel Sturridge, went even further regarding the Brazilian, calling him “the best player for Man United” and hailing him for the way he “lit the place up.”

In all, while the result was far from ideal, it was a hugely promising showing from both new signings, and if they can play like that against Fulham next week, Amorim will have some points on the board in no time.

Yet, there was another starter who was arguably just as impressive this afternoon.

The Man United player who was as good as Cunha & Mbeumo

It really was a strange game today, as even though United came out on the losing side, there are a few other players who deserve credit for their performances.

Performance in Numbers

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

However, in this instance, we’re talking about someone who has had a rather torrid time of it since moving to Old Trafford: Mason Mount.

Yes, the former Chelsea star, who has been plagued with injury problems in recent years, started as one of the inside tens against the Gunners and, for the most part, looked excellent.

In the first half, Mikel Arteta’s side struggled to cope with him, as he continued to drop in and out of the midfield, playing a facilitative role for his two new attacking teammates.

He made quite an impression on Gary Neville as well, with the former Red Devils legend claiming on commentary that he was putting in his “best” display in a red shirt.

Parker-Turner was also quite complimentary, awarding the Englishman a 7/10 match rating and praising him for ‘interchanging fluidly with his teammates across the front and leading by example with his pressing.

Ultimately, United might have come out on the losing side today, but there were plenty of positives to take from the performance, from how well Cunha and Mbeumo have settled in to the resilient display of Mount.

It’s going to be a long season for the Red Devils, but if today is anything to go by, it could be a memorable one.

Man United target "exciting" £20m midfielder who "will" leave his club

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BySean Markus Clifford Jun 29, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O time sub-15 do Palmeiras está na Bélgica para participar da Kevin de Bruyne Cup, competição realizada na cidade de Gante. A primeira fase do torneio é disputada a partir neste sábado (10), com a decisão acontecendo no domingo (11).

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Este é o segundo campeonato disputado pelo sub-15 palestrino na Europa. No último fim de semana, o Verdão conquistou o Marveld Tournament, na Holanda, batendo o Barcelona-ESP na final, nos pênaltis, após empate por 2 a 2 no tempo normal. O artilheiro do torneio foi Lucas Henrique, Cria da Academia que marcou nove dos 13 gols do time na campanha.

– Fico muito feliz pelo título e pela artilharia em uma competição desta importância como a Marveld Tournament, na qual sabíamos que teríamos muita dificuldade pelo nível dos adversários. Fizemos uma boa campanha mesmo diante de equipes muito fortes do mundo inteiro e conseguimos conquistar nosso maior objetivo, que era o título. Graças a Deus consegui ajudar meus companheiros com 9 gols e receber também o troféu de artilheiro – declarou Lucas.

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O Palmeiras está no Grupo B da KDB Cup, ao lado de Bayern de Munique e Odense BK-DEN. Também participam da competição o Ajax-HOL, Barcelona-ESP, Club Brugge-BEL, Gent-BEL, Manchester City-ING, Mamelodi Sundowns-AFS, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid-ESP e Red Bull Leipzig-ALE. Os times se enfrentam dentro de suas chaves, e os dois melhores de cada grupo avançam para as quartas de final.

– Temos mais uma competição aqui na Europa antes de voltar ao Brasil e esperamos também fazer um grande torneio. Estamos preparados, cientes do desafio e da qualidade das equipes que vão disputar a KDB Cup aqui na Bélgica, mas confiamos no nosso potencial e na força do nosso grupo. Temos uma boa expectativa e quem sabe não voltamos ao Brasil com mais um troféu na bagagem – completou Lucas.

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+ Palmeiras acumula valor milionário em premiação após classificação na Libertadores

A base do Verdão já conquistou quatro títulos internacionais em 2023. O primeiro deles veio com o sub-14, que foi campeão do Tokyo International Youth Football Tournament, no Japão, em maio. Além da taça do Marveld Tournament erguida pelo sub-15 na Holanda, o sub-20 do Palestra levantou dois troféus no país europeu nas últimas semanas: o ICGT Tournament e o Terborg Toernooi.