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Ruben Amorim has now spent a little over a year in charge as Manchester United manager, but his spell at Old Trafford has been one that has presented constant questions.

The main one has undoubtedly been around his 3-4-2-1 system, with the 40-year-old utilising such a formation in each and every one of his games in charge of the Red Devils.

It’s led the side to numerous impressive victories, including one at Anfield this campaign, something no manager has managed to achieve in nearly a decade prior to his appointment.

However, it’s also led to concerns among the fanbase, especially when his men lost 1-0 to Everton in the Premier League last month, despite the visitors being down to ten for the majority of the contest.

Only a specific calibre of player can fit into Amorim’s system at the Theatre of Dreams, as seen by their attempts to solve numerous problem positions ahead of January.

Man Utd looking to sign new wing-back

Over the last few weeks, United have been just one Premier League side named with a huge interest in landing Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson in the January window.

However, such a deal would cost INEOS a pretty penny in the months ahead, with Sean Dyche’s men currently demanding a fee in the region of £100m for his services.

Amorim’s men could miss out on the 23-year-old in the near future, especially after rivals Manchester City stormed into the race to land the England international this week.

However, he’s not the only young talent in their sights ahead of the upcoming window, with left-back Nathaniel Brown another talent being considered by the hierarchy.

According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils are keeping tabs on the progress of the Eintracht Frankfurt full-back, with a €70m (£61m) price tag being mooted.

Despite the interest from Amorim’s men, they’re not alone in the hunt for the 22-year-old’s signature, as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid also look to land the German international.

Analyst Spencer Mossman claimed back in May that he is “1-2 years away from being the most coveted left back” around but based on the fact that plenty of Europe’s heavyweights want him now, there is a sense that Mossman’s prediction is coming true just seven months later.

How Brown compares to Patrick Dorgu

Spending big money on full-backs hasn’t been alien to United over the last couple of seasons, as seen by their £30m move to land Patrick Dorgu in January this year.

The Dane became Amorim’s first major addition since taking the reins, with the 21-year-old identified as the immediate and long-term solution to the left-back issue.

However, as previously mentioned, Amorim’s system requires players to be tactically skilled, something which the youngster has struggled with over the last couple of months.

He was brought on with just a minute to go against Crystal Palace last weekend, with the manager opting to utilise right-back Diogo Dalot in a somewhat unfamiliar role.

Dorgu’s tally of just seven league starts in 2025/26 further highlights the lack of trust shown in him by the manager, which has no doubt led to the recent rumours ahead of January.

Brown, who’s only a year older than the Dane, has already demonstrated his quality at both ends of the pitch, that’s despite operating in a back four in the Bundesliga.

However, he’s still managed to outperform the United man in numerous key areas, with his skillset arguably being perfect for the manager’s philosophy at Old Trafford.

Brown, who’s been dubbed a “galactico” by one analyst, has completed more progressive carries and passes per 90, often liking to get the ball into attacking areas.

Such tallies will no doubt be perfect in a more advanced wing-back role, which could allow Brown to take his career to the next level if he moves to Old Trafford.

How Brown & Dorgu compare in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Brown

Dorgu

Games played

12

12

Goals & assists

3

1

Progressive carries

3.3

2.8

Progressive passes

2.7

1.1

Pass accuracy

82%

69%

Passes into final third

2.2

0.7

Tackles made

2.4

2.1

Blocks made

1.5

1

Take-on success

38%

12%

Stats via FBref

However, despite currently featuring in a back-four, the German has also completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted, whilst making more passes into the final third per 90.

The youngster’s creativity is certainly one of his best assets, but he’s also managed to dominate Dorgu without the ball during the early stages of the 2025/26 campaign.

The Frankfurt star has won more tackles, whilst also making more blocks per 90 – subsequently handing Amorim’s side the added defensive quality they’ve lacked in the left-back department.

Whilst £52m would be yet another hefty investment from INEOS, it’s a deal that could no doubt solve the glaring issue in such an area for the foreseeable future at Old Trafford.

As for Dorgu, the deal could certainly cast doubt over his long-term future at the club, with the hierarchy potentially wanting to cash in on his services to avoid losing a fortune on their investment.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Dec 1, 2025

If this is to be the end of Martin O’Neill’s brief return, what a way to sign off.

On Thursday night, Celtic ended a 16-match, four-year-long winless streak in European away games by beating Feyenoord 3-1 at De Kuip, coming back from a goal down to do so; Yang Hyun-jun, Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren all on target.

This means O’Neill has won five of six matches since being parachuted into the role following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation.

The 73-year-old, alongside Shaun Maloney, is set to remain in charge when the Celts visit Easter Road to take on Hibernian on Sunday lunchtime, but there is optimism that Wilfried Nancy will take over soon, potentially in time for the visit of Dundee on Wednesday.

Once the Frenchman does swap Ohio for Glasgow, one of Celtic’s breakout stars from this season could well become a key figure, currently on course to replicate an active club legend.

Callum McGregor's importance at Celtic

While players, managers and board members come and go, Callum McGregor remains a constant, the heartbeat in both the team and the club as a whole.

Thursday saw the captain make his 540th appearance for the club, starting 21 of 22 matches so far this season, accumulating 1,939 minutes out of a possible 2,040 so far (95%).

When Scott Brown departed in 2021, his leadership and all-around brilliance was supposed to be impossible to replace, but McGregor has transitioned into this role seamlessly, lifting 24 major trophies to date, and it is incomprehensible to imagine a Celtic side without him.

As well as winning back the ball and keeping the team ticking in possession, McGregor continues to produce key moments, lashing home a 95th-minute winner at St Mirren last Saturday night, having scored a similar rocket against Rangers in the League Cup semi-finals earlier this month.

Having joined the club as an eight-year-old, McGregor continues to set an example to all those in the Celtic academy dreaming of representing the first team one day, but who is currently on course to follow in his footsteps?

Celtic's next academy star

Celtic have endured rotten luck in terms of injuries this season.

Cameron Carter-Vickers could be out for the rest of the season following achilles surgery, Jota remains sidelined after rupturing his ACL in April, while Alistair Johnston suffered a torn hamstring against Kairat in August, only to aggravate the issue 26 minutes into his return when Sturm Graz visited Parkhead.

With Johnston, who has been so excellent since joining the club, having started only five matches all season, most would have expected Anthony Ralston to deputise, but it appears as though Colby Donovan has leapfrogged him in the pecking order.

After featuring sporadically during pre-season, scoring against Cork City at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in July, the 19-year-old made his competitive senior debut against Livingston when Rodgers made wholesale changes in between the two legs against Kairat.

Well, since then, he hasn’t really looked back, starting just two Premiership matches, but included in the lineup for four of the five Europa League fixtures, these against Crvena zvezda, Braga, Sturm Graz and now Feyenoord, putting in an excellent display in Rotterdam.

The table below documents how well he has played in Europe so far.

Minutes

283

9th

Assists

1

2nd

Completed passes

151

7th

Key passes

3

6th

Big chances created

2

3rd

Passes into final 3rd

14

5th

Progressive passes

18

4th

Passes into box

4

3rd

Shot-creating actions

6

7th

Goal-creating actions

3

1st

Successful dribbles per 90

1.8

3rd

Tackles

7

2nd

Touches

227

6th

Average rating

7.10

2nd

As the table documents, Donovan has been excellent in the Europa League this season, contributing in a wide variety of ways.

The teenager ranks highly for all the in possession metrics, recording an assist for Liam Scales’ crucial equaliser against Sturm Graz, while only Arne Engels and Benjamin Nygren have created more big chances, ranked first in terms of goal-creating actions.

Given that incoming manager Nancy deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation, his Columbus Crew side featuring flying wing-backs Max Arfsten and Andrés Herrera, his imminent arrival could be great news for the youngster.

Speaking ahead of the clash with Braga, then-manager Rodgers praised Donovan’s “outstanding” performances, labelling him a “real bright spark” as well as heralding his “personality” and “mentality”.

Well, these all feel like compliments that could be thrown the way of a certain McGregor, whose leadership is as invaluable as his quality to this team.

Thus, it is certainly still early days, but all the signs suggest that Celtic supporters are rightly excited about Donovan, who will go on to have quite the career should he manage to match McGregor’s achievements and make 500+ appearances for the club.

Celtic man was finished under Rodgers, now he can be undroppable for Nancy

Celtic’s wait for a European away win is over, beating Feyenoord 3-1, with a star Brendan Rodgers once labelled “sloppy” playing like an £100m man.

ByBen Gray Nov 28, 2025

MLB.com has released its annual Top 100 Players Right Now list and it's a huge thrill for all of the baseball players honored. But because it's a list it means there's controversy. Michael Kay, a staple of New York Yankees broadcasts for years, shared his disbelief that Shohei Ohtani was ranked No. 1 over Aaron Judge during his radio show Friday.

“On what planet can you say that Ohtani is better than Judge?" Kay wondered. "I don’t understand it. Are you projecting in 2025 that you think Ohtani is going to go back to being a dominant pitcher?”

Kay came to the table with a thorough study of offensive stats, which tend to favor Judge. But Ohtani did become the first 50-50 club member in baseball history and has the capacity to be one of the game's best pitchers when healthy.

On one hand it could be a situation where MLB.com got to the top of the list and had to make a call between two incredible players. On the other it could be that pesky and very real anti-Yankees bias that exists.

“I just think, and I hate to admit it, that there is an anti-Yankee bias,” Kay said. "And I think everyone in Major League Baseball is absolutely in awe at the skills sets exhibited by Ohtani. And they should be — he’s one of the best baseball players ever. And so is Judge. So when they’re that close, you have to look at the statistics … Judge’s statistics are far superior to Ohtani’s."

This is why these lists are always tough. Top Players Right Now could not be clearer and yet the results could mean that they're forecasting a stellar return ot the mound for Ohtani. Or, believe it or not, that's he's a better player than Judge even without doing double duty.

One thing we can perhaps agree on is that on a ranking of the best players of a sport in the world, there is never tas meaningful of a gulf between No. 1 and No. 2 as people like to think. It's a lesson that could have been learned among the neverending LeBron James-Michael Jordan debates, but here we are again.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson had a good day at the office on Tuesday, as he went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks, a home run and three RBI in the club's 9-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

The home run wasn't just any ordinary round-tripper, though. It was a birthday present for Swanson's mother Nancy, who was among the 13,619 in attendance in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

And the Cubs shortstop, after touching them all, made sure to wish his mother a happy birthday from the dugout in a sweet moment caught by the Marquee Sports Network cameras.

After getting his mother's attention, Swanson can be seen mouthing the words "Happy birthday", to the delight of Nancy Swanson, who mouthed back, "Thank you, baby."

"Just showing my momma some love," Swanson told MLB.com. "I hadn’t seen my folks in a while, so it was nice to be able to see them the last few days."

Here was the blast:

Swanson, who has two homers and seven RBI in his last two games, and the Cubs have now won seven of their last 10 games as they look to make a playoff push in the stretch run.

The India vs India A tour game in Beckenham will be played away from prying eyes over the next four days

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-20253:42

Morkel: Nitish Kumar Reddy is someone who can ‘bowl that magical ball’

In what is the last leg of India’s preparations for their five-Test series against England, beginning at Headingley on June 20, they go up against the touring India A side in a four-dayer in Beckenham.The match – in some form – will be played from Friday to Monday, but it will be behind closed doors, so to say, in a throwback to the way the Indians trained at Perth’s WACA ground ahead of the 2024-25 Test series. On that occasion, the “black veil of secrecy” covered the training nets at WACA, not unlike the way India trained on their previous visit to Perth during the 2022 T20 World Cup.Talking about the training sessions so far, bowling coach Morne Morkel told bcci.tv, “Two days [of] practice so far, conditions suited the fast bowlers. Early on in the tour is very exciting, you know, it gets their [the players’] confidence going. It was testing for the batters, which also in a way helps them to prepare for what’s to come.Related

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Reddy or Thakur? Both have work to do ahead of first Test

“I don’t think the wickets [are] going to be as spicy as the ones we experience here [in the Tests]. There’s been a lot of good banter between bat and ball. But I think that’s only because the wickets are a little bit spicy. As soon as the wickets go flat, the bowlers tend to back off. So I am going to tell them not to only talk when the wickets are nipping around, but when it’s flat, that’s when we are going to need the character.”As such, the senior India team hasn’t played a warm-up tour game since landing in England, even though some of the players in the squad, like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Abhimanyu Easwaran, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur, did turn out for India A in one or both of their four-day games against England Lions.Of them, Nair (259 runs including an innings of 204), Jurel (227 runs including three half-centuries), Rahul (167 runs including a century and a half-century in his only appearance) and Abhimanyu (167 runs including two half-centuries) showed decent form with the bat, while Reddy and Jaiswal also had at least one good outing. Reddy and Thakur were the only bowlers who are also part of the senior squad in those games, but were largely unimpressive. Reddy picked up two wickets across 26.5 overs and Thakur two wickets across 43 overs in the two first-class games.”Now it is slowly building towards that first Test match. For me, the main thing – I think it’s crucial in England – is consistency. There is consistency when we practice. It’s consistency off the field, you know, finding your process, what’s going to work for you as an individual.”We’ve got a great variety in our attack of guys with different skill sets. So, you know, can they do that and still execute the basics very well.”All in all, very happy with the start so far. I was a little bit nervous in terms of the lack of red-ball [cricket] we’ve played, but seeing how the guys are moving around and training the last three days, it’s a pleasing sight. There’s some quality energy in this group and, you know, that’s what you need. You need to go into a Test series confident, you need to have that team spirit in the group and I think so far they have done a great job.”

Jason Roy, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan play key roles to set up then secure seven-run win over Glamorgan

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay03-Jun-2025

Jason Roy drives down the ground•Huw Evans Picture Agency

Surrey 149 for 8 (Roy 69, Douthwaite 3-23) beat Glamorgan 142 (Curran 3-18, Jordan 3-31) by seven runsSurrey picked up their first win of the Vitality Blast with a disciplined bowling display that sealed a seven-run win over Glamorgan in Cardiff.Sam Curran impressed with the ball, taking 3 for 18 to secure his first win as Surrey captain. Earlier, Jason Roy scored a second consecutive half-century to lift Surrey to a competitive 149 for 8 before the experienced, international-filled bowling contingent took charge.Glamorgan’s bowlers had done a decent job to restrict Surrey, with Dan Douthwaite’s 3 for 23 the highlight. A 58-partnership from Kiran Carlson and Will Smale set the hosts on their way in the chase, before key wickets through the middle overs left them 142 all out off the final delivery.Surrey’s win gives both sides four points (one win, one loss) after two matches at this early stage in the South Group.For the second time in this T20 campaign, Surrey were put into bat by their toss-winning hosts. Ollie Pope showed his creativity early, scooping Timm van der Gugten for a six in the first over, disregarding the deep-third fielder in the process.Dom Sibley took a while to get going, with just two from his first 11 balls before finding a boundary to kickstart his eventual 26 from 27 balls. Glamorgan’s regular bowling changes led to a 23-ball boundaryless spell after the Powerplay until Roy pushed up a gear, hitting Andy Gorvin for a destructive straight six. It was a feat that Sam Curran and Laurie Evans couldn’t replicate, both falling caught at long-off in the same, eventful over.After Roy brought up 50 in 37 balls, Tom Curran, Ollie Sykes and Jordan struggled to make headway on a seemingly slow pitch which rewarded bowlers who hit the pitch from back-of-a-length. However, after Roy’s dismissal, Smith found a key six in the penultimate over.In reply, Glamorgan’s wicketless powerplay set them up for a strong platform in a manageable chase. Although the openers rode their luck with a few outside edges racing to the boundary and landing fortunately, the 50 partnership came up in the seventh over with some strong running and a notable Smale ramp for six off after a failed earlier attempt.However, the introduction of Jordan and Sam Curran changed the tempo of their chase. Ben Kellaway struck two boundaries including a reverse-sweep in his seven-ball stay, and with Colin Ingram unable to get going, tied down by the impressive Curran, Glamorgan slumped through a spell of three wickets for 11 runs in three overs.With momentum against them, the hosts were left needing 55 from six overs, before a Douthwaite blow sailed over the biggest boundary on the ground off the final ball of the 15th over.The task, hoewever, was too much to ask with a series of Sam Curran slower balls contributing to three late wickets in his four-over allocation.

Everton left it late but secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon thanks to Jack Grealish’s stoppage-time strike.

The win ended Palace’s remarkable 19-match unbeaten run, dating back to April, and kept momentum building under David Moyes.

However, while the result lifted the Toffees into eighth place on 11 points, the performance was far from convincing, with two summer signings failing to impose themselves on the game.

For long stretches, Everton were second best, trailing at the break after Daniel Muñoz’s first-half finish.

David Moyes’ side lacked tempo and fluency in possession, forcing the manager into half-time changes.

The introduction of Carlos Alcaraz and Beto injected fresh energy, but it was Grealish who ultimately delivered the decisive blow, scoring in the 93rd minute to cap off a memorable turnaround.

Everton can take confidence from their resilience, but questions remain over two new faces who were hauled off at the interval.

Barry’s subdued performance against Palace

Much was expected of Thierno Barry following his £27.6m summer move from Villarreal.

The France U21 international had impressed in Spain, scoring 11 goals and supplying four assists last season.

At 6 foot 5, his aerial dominance stood out. Barry’s physical profile drew comparisons to Dušan Vlahović and Ollie Watkins, offering Everton a forward capable of stretching defences and leading the line.

But against Palace, those strengths were nowhere to be seen.

Barry touched the ball just 19 times, completed only four of his eight passes, and failed to register a shot.

His attempts to dribble past opponents – two in total – both ended unsuccessfully, while he surrendered possession ten times.

Barry vs Crystal Palace

Minutes

45

Shots

0

Passing Accuracy

50%

Ground Duels Lost

4

Possession Lost

10

Source: Sofascore

Substituted at half-time for Beto, it was a sobering reminder that he will need time to adapt to the physicality and tempo of the Premier League.

Moyes himself has acknowledged Barry will require a bedding-in period, but with expectations high and Everton looking to sustain their push for Europe, patience may wear thin if his output doesn’t improve soon.

Everton star was as bad as Barry

While Barry’s struggles were evident, he was not the only Everton player to falter.

Tyler Dibling, the club’s marquee £42m summer signing from Southampton, also endured a frustrating evening.

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Much was expected of the 19-year-old England U21 international, who arrived after interest from Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Bayern Munich.

Everton had pursued him for months, and his signing was viewed as a statement of intent.

Dibling’s pedigree is clear. Last season, he made 33 Premier League appearances for Southampton, scoring twice and assisting once across 1,874 minutes.

His statistical profile stood out – ranking in the 92nd percentile for fouls drawn (2.49 per 90), 98th percentile for penalty kicks won (0.10 per 90), and 81st percentile for successful take-ons (2.16 per 90).

He also impressed defensively, sitting in the 88th percentile for tackles in the middle third (0.86 per 90) and 98th percentile for percentage of dribblers tackled (61.5%).

In short, he is a winger capable of carrying the ball and working hard out of possession.

But his Palace display told a different story. Dibling managed only 19 touches and completed six of his seven passes. He attempted three dribbles without success, lost possession eight times, won 30% of his duels and failed to register a single shot.

Withdrawn for Alcaraz at the break, it was a day to forget for a teenager still adjusting to his new surroundings.

Everton’s investment in Dibling reflected a determination to strengthen the right-hand side following the departures of Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrøm.

Moyes wants a winger who can combine industry with end product, and Dibling has the tools to be that player.

But against Palace, he struggled to impact the game in either half of the pitch.

With matches against Manchester City and a packed festive schedule looming, Everton will need more from their high-profile recruit or he can expect to find himself dropped to the bench again.

The raw talent is undeniable, but his first few weeks in blue have shown that even the most promising prospects can take time to settle.

Elsewhere, Palace may point to fatigue following their midweek Europa League trip to Dynamo Kyiv, but Everton will be encouraged by their fighting spirit.

Grealish’s winner showed the difference a match-winner can make – a lesson both Barry and Dibling will be eager to learn as they adapt to life under Moyes.

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Everton ended Crystal Palace’s 19-game unbeaten run with a 2-1 win.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Oct 5, 2025

There might be a lot of negative noise circling around Tyneside, but it’s important to remember that the transfer window is just over one week away from closing, and Newcastle United are quietly piecing together a squad capable of challenging at the forefront once again.

Eddie Howe will likely have cast his team’s minds back to last summer, which culminated in frustrations after bids for Premier League stars Marc Guehi and Anthony Elanga proved fruitless.

Nonetheless, the Magpies flew last year, finishing fifth and thus re-entering the Champions League, also winning the Carabao Cup after beating Liverpool at Wembley.

But there’s no question that it’s been difficult, and that welcoming a few more talented players to the fold is paramount if United are to thrive this season.

Who Newcastle could still sign

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has revealed that Newcastle have narrowed their centre-forward search down to a few select profiles, with Alexander Isak still AWOL and desperate to sign for Liverpool before the transfer deadline.

Yoane Wissa remains the primary target, but Brentford are hardly rolling over, fighting to keep their talisman on the books.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen is on the radar, as is Atletico Madrid’s wantaway striker Alexander Sorloth.

While there is confidence that this conundrum will be wrinkled out in short time, there’s no question that it has had a potentially detrimental effect on Howe’s seasonal preparations.

And at the end of the day, it is Howe and it is the squad and it is the fanbase that has been rocked by this unsavoury saga.

Newcastle, in spite of it all, have signed well this summer, and could complete a positive window if they get a forward over the line.

However, there might be room for a defensive signing too, with sights set on a Premier League star.

Newcastle exploring move for Premier League star

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are set to sell centre-back Axel Disasi before the end of the transfer window, and a growing number of suitors – including Newcastle – are attentive.

Priced at £30m by the Blues, the France international is also on the radar of Napoli and several Ligue 1 clubs, with Wolverhampton Wanderers having held initial discussions over a possible transfer.

Though Newcastle eased their defensive worries with the signing of Malick Thiaw, there remains a desire to continue to strengthen with European football on the cards once again, and the versatile Disasi could be a shrewd addition.

Why Newcastle should sign Axel Disasi

In August 2023, the now 27-year-old Disasi joined Chelsea from AS Monaco in a £39m package, and he has since played 61 times for the Londoners, scoring five goals and winning a Conference League gold medal last season.

Naturally a central defender, Disasi was deployed as a right-back for much of last season, and his aptitude in the moonlit role showed, for he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 17% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for aerial battles won per 90 (data via FBref).

Described as a “monster” of a defender by journalist Rahman Osman, Disasi was a part of the staggering influx of signings upon Todd Boehly’s takeover of the west London club.

However he’s struggled after a promising start, and spent the latter half of last season out on loan with Aston Villa.

If Newcastle were to succeed in signing Disasi before the end of the month, they might find that such astute business marks their own version of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi being added to the ranks, with the England international one of the Toon’s top targets in recent years.

Newcastle failed with four bids for the 25-year-old last summer, the last of which totalled a whopping £65m. Now, Guehi looks like he’s headed for Liverpool, but Disasi could ease the blow somewhat, having also found himself cast out of Stamford Bridge, first on loan and then permanently.

This is what happened to Guehi, who left Chelsea in 2021 after graduating from their Cobham youth academy, signing for Crystal Palace in an £18m deal after a successful loan spell with Swansea City in the Championship.

Like Disasi, Guehi is confident on the ball and dynamic from an athletic standpoint. As you can see below, he was instrumental in the Eagles’ success last season, joining his French positional peer in winning a major trophy too.

Matches (starts)

34 (34)

Goals

3

Assists

2

Touches*

64.9

Pass completion

84%

Big chances

5

Key passes*

0.5

Ball recoveries*

4.3

Dribbles*

0.4

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

Clearances*

4.6

Duels (won)*

4.9 (59%)

Errors made

2

Guehi is, of course, held in a higher regard, but Disasi might just need a change of scenery and a new home at St. James’ Park to rediscover the form out in his homeland that convinced Chelsea to pay the big bucks to bring him over the Channel.

Given that Jamal Lascelles missed the entirety of last season due to injury and Emil Krafth only clawed back from a lengthy stay in the infirmary in February, existing only on the fringe of Howe’s plans thereafter, it would seem that adding Disasi to the mix could help Newcastle toward their goals.

Disasi would be a welcome addition, potentially adding that extra bit of quality that Howe’s side will need if they are to make further progress after such success last year.

Higher ceiling than Wissa: Newcastle in talks to sign £80m CF this week

Newcastle United are in talks to sign a star who has an even higher ceiling than Wissa.

ByWill Miller Aug 23, 2025

The legendary No. 6 has announced his retirement from football, giving himself the opportunity to leave before his powers truly wane.

There was a funny sequence of events that happened multiple times every game when Sergio Busquets first came to MLS. He would do Busquets thing, dropping from midfield to receive the ball deep. Soccer fans know the movements. The center backs split, Busquets lumbers back towards his own goal, just in time for the pass to come. Busquets receives on the half turn, swivels those jangly legs, and with a pivot of the hips shuffles and turns his body forward. It was the basis of what made him so excellent at Barcelona – the model of a modern defensive midfielder. 

The challenge of doing it in La Liga, of course, was the on ball pressure. Teams had figured out that in order to stifle, cutting off the outlet to Busquets might be a good start. But Busquets adjusted all the same. The pass would come. A defender would bite. Busquets would shrug them off and start an attacking move. A lot of the time – during Barca's heyday – the ball would soon end up in the back of the opponents' net.

And so when he came to MLS, Busquets expected much of the same. In his first start against Atlanta United in the Leagues Cup, Busquets went about that familiar routine: make the run, receive the pass, shrug off the defender. But as he turned in one smooth motion, almost expecting contact, none appeared. Busquets found himself remarkably open. That singular moment established the pattern of Busquets' MLS tenure. For Barcelona and his national team, he was the perfect guy to play through pressure and slow the game down when everything seemed so frantic – with and without the ball.

For Inter Miami, and in MLS, Busquets was charged with a different role: create, give the ball to Messi, and plug gaps. Soon it will be all over. Busquets announced Thursday night that he will retire from professional soccer at the end of the season. And even if Busquets isn't ending his career playing the same gorgeous tiki-taka football in the way he started it, this feels like the right time to call it a day. 

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty ImagesThe glue that held it all together

You've probably heard the Pep Guardiola quote by now. Except, Pep Guardiola never said it. Vincente Del Bosque, then Spain's manager, uttered the words that became part of the Busquets lore: "If you watch the game, you don’t see Busquets. But if you watch Busquets, you see the whole game.”

Those words became the cop-out for describing the defensive midfielder, a part of soccer canon. Football is more complex than 19-word platitudes. But this one has stood the test of time. Del Bosque is right, in some ways. The broader point, the bit that sticks, is that Busquets isn't always the most eye-catching footballer. But everything runs through him. For Spain, you were probably watching Xavi or Andres Iniesta. For Barcelona, you were probably watching Messi, or Xavi or Iniesta (an all-time team, by the way). For Miami, you were, once again, probably watching Messi. 

But Busquets was the glue that held it all together. He was, in many ways, the early embodiment of Pep Guardiola's footballing philosophy. Guardiola was an excellent defensive midfielder in his own right, and knew that when he took charge of Barca that he needed a No. 6 to pace his side. The story of his discovery is a bit apocryphal. Supposedly, Guardiola happened to be at a Barcelona reserve game one day, when then-youth coach Tito Vilanova poked fun at a gangly center back for being far too slow. Guardiola was awestruck, though, by his ability to play under pressure. So he called him up to Barca's senior side, made him a defensive midfielder. And the rest is history. 

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The ensuing years were, effectively, a masterclass of what a modern midfield could look like. Guardiola, as Barcelona manager, changed the way that many viewed football. It was no secret that he drew inspiration from the total football of Ajax and Holland. But his version of that approach was a little different. Guardiola wanted control of all three thirds of the pitch. Simplistically, the best way to do that was by having the ball and going forward as much as possible. You can't concede if your opponent never has possession. It's called Tiki-Taka. And of course, that's what made headlines. After all, this was the sexy stuff: Xavi, Iniesta, Busi – the perfect midfield triangle for club and country. You couldn't get the ball off them. 

But what was more important for Busquets, perhaps, was the role he played when opponents have the ball. Guardiola, to this day, has a fundamental fear of being counterattacked. In his vision of football, transitions are deadly. Defensive shape is vital, and can be coached. But transitions are when chaos ensues. You really can't prepare for an opponent might hit you on the break. Well, Busquets went part of the way to solving that. Guardiola decided as Barca manager that the best solution to losing the ball was to win it back as soon as possible. 

If his team couldn't – whether that be due to defensive inefficiencies or the opponent just being good in possession – he would ask them to drop. And Busquets was the architect of that. He knew when to step and cut a passing lane. He knew when to foul at the right time and gleefully take some of the best yellow cards you will see. This is where those defensive instincts came in. Busquets' reading of the game was unparalleled.

Getty Images Results, influence, and remarkable success

The results were accordingly immense. Barca, under Guardiola, were the best team on the planet. And it wasn't particularly close. They won a treble in his first season in charge. He won the La Liga title three times in a row. His crowning achievement, perhaps, was the 2010-11 Champions League final win over Man United, a game that left even the great Sir Alex Ferguson in awe. And Spain weren't bad, either. They won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012, Busquets anchored the side in both triumphs. 

At a club level, Guardiola kept innovating, toying with different combinations. Messi played on the wing, and then as a false nine. He experimented with Xavi playing a little higher up and Iniesta dropping deep. He got rid of Zlatan Ibrahimovic because he didn't fit the system and famously hooked Thierry Henry when he didn't follow instructions, despite the Frenchman having scored two wonderful goals in the game. But for every change, Busquets was the one constant, anchoring the team. 

Accordingly, everyone decided to try to find the next version of the player. It gave birth to a whole generation of finely tuned defensive midfielders, all trying to do the same thing. There is a thread to be drawn from Busquets, to N'Golo Kante, to Casemiro, to Fabinho, to Rodri. None, of course, is quite the same. But imitation was the purest form of flattery. 

"He was a player who changed the way of thinking of the central midfielder," Javier Mascherano said in a media availability Friday morning. "There would be no Rodri without Busi. That's my opinion. And well, he has created a school." 

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GettyThe final days at Barca

But as Busquets aged, his athletic deficiencies became more pronounced. Luis Enrique figured out how to use him effectively from 2014-2016 while at Barcelona. After that, though, a series of managers failed to protect his gangly legs. Barca were no longer as effective on the ball and too disorganized without it. There were calls from some in the Barca fanbase to move Busquets on. Perhaps his time was done. 

There would be one last swan song, though. Xavi, his old teammate, figured out a formula to get the last juices of football out of him at an elite level during Barca's title winning season in 2023. Busquets could no longer cover so much ground. But Frenkie De Jong could. So, Xavi set up a box midfield and played De Jong alongside Busquets. 

The result was a fine last season in Catalonia. De Jong put out fires here, there and everywhere. Busquets won tackles and shuffled the ball around. He left Barcelona with a La Liga winner's medal around his neck. It was a perfect farewell. Then it was off to South Beach.

Rajat Patidar has been appointed captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for IPL 2025, which begins around March 21. The development was contrary to wide speculation that Virat Kohli would lead RCB again after they did not retain Faf du Plessis, their captain from 2022 to 2024, before the mega auction.RCB made the announcement in Bengaluru on Thursday at an event attended by team director Mo Bobat, head coach Andy Flower, and Patidar. He is the eighth captain for RCB and has played three seasons for the franchise since joining them in 2021 and has grown into one of their key batters, scoring 799 runs in 28 matches at a strike rate of 158.85.”I could speak for quite a long time about Rajat, but I’ve settled on three main things that I thought might be interesting to share,” Flower said. “The first one is there’s a calmness and a simplicity to Rajat that I think will stand him in really good stead as a leader and a captain, particularly in the IPL. As we know, the IPL is one of the premier competitions in the world and there’s pressures involved in that, and I think the calm, simple demeanour that inherently lives within Rajat is going to serve him really well in the hurly-burly of that tournament.Related

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“And his decision-making will be tested like all of ours is. But I think these qualities will stand him in really good stead. We watched Rajat very closely as he captained Madhya Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament and we really liked what we saw around those qualities.”The second thing I’d say about him, he’s inherently quite a quiet guy, but observing him, he cares about the people around him, he cares about the people that he plays with, that he shares a dressing room with. And I think that’s a quality that means that he will instantly have the respect and care from other people. As a leader, those qualities are important. In that people will follow you and get behind you.”And then the third thing that stands out for me about him is that he’s got a stubbornness and a strength and a steeliness about him. I’ve seen it myself when I’m trying to coach him in the nets and he won’t listen to me, but you see it in the way that he plays. You see the bravery with which he takes on the game and I think that quality within him will be really important for him through the ups and downs, the inevitable ups and downs that come along with playing in the IPL, and now stepping up another gear into leading a big franchise in the IPL.”Bobat confirmed that Kohli was an option the team management had thought about.”With our retentions, it’s probably worth noting that we obviously retained three players, three Indians, and of those three, it’s worth saying that both Virat and Rajat were obviously credible captaincy options for us going into the auction,” he said. “And then at the auction itself, we spent quite a lot of time thinking about leadership characteristics. We didn’t necessarily want to go into the auction and have our heart set on a captain because we felt that was quite a dangerous approach and then you end up probably overvaluing somebody potentially.”Rajat Patidar has been a part of RCB for the past three IPL seasons•AFP/Getty Images

In a video released by RCB, Kohli congratulated Patidar on the appointment, emphasising that he has earned the right to be in this position.”The way you have grown in this franchise and the way you have performed, you have really made a place in the hearts of all the fans of RCB all over India and they get really excited to watch you play,” Kohli said. “I’ve seen Rajat evolve in the last couple of years as a player. He has got the chance to play for India. His game has improved many levels in the last couple of years.”The way he has led his state team as well and the responsibility that he’s taken and has shown everyone that he has what it takes to lead this amazing franchise and I just wish him all the very best and I would request all the fans to show him absolute support, get right behind him and know that he will always and always do what’s best for the team, what’s best for this franchise.”Discussions within the group confirmed to the coaches that Patidar was the right choice, Bobat said.”We spent some time discussing things with the likes of DK [Dinesh Karthik, the batting coach], who’s obviously a really important part of our management team now. [We] had multiple conversations with Virat, even had some discussions with Rajat and I say discussions, they probably felt a little bit more like interviews for Rajat. But Andy and I spent some time talking to Rajat about his captaincy aspirations and what struck us was that he was very determined and ambitious about leadership and captaincy and he really wanted to do this and that was really important for us to understand and feel.”Bobat also said that they wanted an Indian captain to lead RCB this time around.”Andy and I felt quite blessed that we had quite a few to choose from,” he said. “Whether we went Indian or overseas was an important discussion point for us. We felt quite strongly that an Indian captain was preferable.”That’s nothing against any overseas options, but we were really keen on an Indian option primarily because it’s an Indian competition on Indian pitches against predominantly Indian players. So somebody who’s got that local knowledge and insight is really, really helpful for us.”While this will be 31-year-old Patidar’s first captaincy stint in the IPL, he has captained MP in the 2024-25 season of the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (where they finished runners-up) and the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy. Those tournaments were his first full-time assignments as captain in domestic cricket.”I had a conversation with Mo last year,” Patidar said. “I told him before getting the captaincy of RCB, I want to captain a state team. When they told me about this, that it could be between Virat and Rajat, I was happy. I can’t express my reaction.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I really feel good right now. If I talk about my way of captaincy, I’m not that much expressive, but at the same time, I’m aware of the situation of the matches. So I think for me it’s important to back my players and stand with them and give the sort of involvement where they feel relaxed and confident. So yeah, I’m lucky that I am surrounded by one of the best people in the team and we have a group of leaders as well where their experience and ideas will definitely help in my new leadership role and growth as an individual also.”Patidar was the second-highest run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 428 runs in nine innings at an average of 61.14 and strike rate of 186.08. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he made 226 runs at an average of 56.50 and strike rate of 107.10.RCB have not won the IPL title yet, though they have been finalists three times, the last of which was in 2016. They have made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons, including in 2024, when they won their last six league matches to get into the top four but then lost the Eliminator.With RCB appointing Patidar, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) are the only teams yet to name their captains for the upcoming season. Shreyas Iyer, KKR’s captain last year, will lead Punjab Kings (PBKS) this year, while the former DC captain Rishabh Pant is now leading Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).