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Chelsea left Old Trafford with no points for their Premier League tally and a sense of frustration after being defeated by a Manchester United side who have fallen by the wayside under Ruben Amorim.

Not quite, actually. United played with coherence and tenacity against the Blues, even if Robert Sanchez was dismissed in the opening stages and then the Red Devils came together to rise two goals to the good.

That was not a team who played as if they were directionless and lost under their Portuguese tactician with his controversial formation. Could it be coming together? Time will tell, and consistency must be the order of the day if the Premier League giants truly wish to enter the ascendancy once again.

If this is truly going to be the case, and Man United are going to succeed under Amorim and challenge for silverware of the highest level once again, as is their due, then Bruno Fernandes is essential to reaching lofty goals.

Fernandes continues to inspire

Hardly a revelatory statement. Fernandes has been Manchester United’s talisman supreme right from the moment he shook Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s hand and signed for the club in an initial £47m deal.

The Portuguese Magnifico has been a pillar of strength throughout the turbulent river of a journey over the past five years, and against Chelsea, he scored his 100th goal for the club on his 200th Premier League appearance.

Operating in a different, deeper role than has been the norm this season to accommodate Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system. It’s been somewhat rocky, but the 31-year-old continues to inspire and he has since been singled out by podcaster Adam Joseph for being a “truly special player” with a “remarkable” ability to maintain his fitness and form and presence as a leader.

To think that the captain came close to leaving his ship this summer, having been offered a lucrative package to leave Europe and forge a new career over in the Saudi Pro League.

Ultimately, Bruno opted to stay – a further illustration of his commitment to putting this club back on their perch. However, he can’t do it alone, and while Amorim and INEOS have completed a series of exciting summer signings, there’s an existing member of the squad who has the potential to step up and become a leader in his own right over the coming years.

Man Utd's future talisman

Fernandes isn’t quite a veteran of the game, but having turned 31, he’s certainly one of the most experienced superstars in the Premier League.

On the other end of the spectrum at Manchester United is Amad Diallo, whose breakout year in red last season has put his name on the map.

Signed from Atalanta for a £19m fee as a teenager in January 2021, the versatile winger had completed a series of loan spells before coming into his own last year, scoring 11 goals and assisting ten more across 41 matches in all competitions. His performances led journalist James Copley to hail him as a “wizard” when on the ball.

The six-cap Ivory Coast international has much still to learn, but he provided the Red Devils with a different attacking dimension last year, offering a focal point from across the wide positions.

He might not be on Fernandes’ level yet, but he can surely reach such a position with careful work over the coming campaigns, recorded by data-led platform FBref to rank among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 19% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive carries, the top 6% for ball recoveries and the top 5% for tackles won per 90.

FBref also note that Amad’s most statistically comparable players are Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as well as Marcus Rashford, who needs no introduction.

It was the 23-year-old who kept his composure to strike a vicious blow on an unforgettable occasion in last season’s Manchester derby. No such luck this year, but he did play an important role in claiming all three points against Chelsea, nestled behind Benjamin Sesko in the first half, alongside Bryan Mbeumo.

His continuing rise can be examined through his market valuation, which in recent years has skyrocketed up to something in the ballpark of £46m, data provided by Football Transfers. That’s over double the fee United first paid for him, so it seems they got this deal right.

As a reference point, Football Transfers also note that Fernandes is worth around £41m, which isn’t a fair reflection of his actual worth within the United squad nor indeed what Saudi suitors were willing to pay during the summer transfer window.

But, in any case, Fernandes no longer carries the same staggering price tag as he once did, having passed the barrier of his twenties over a year ago now.

Amad, eight years his junior, showed signs of a certain quality that would allow him to take the skipper’s proverbial place when the fateful day of his departure does arrive, having even been singled out as a “candidate for the Ballon d’Or” in the future by former Fiorentina goalkeeper Giovanni Galli in the past.

Tonight’s ceremony will not include the Ivorian’s name, but if Man United manage to rise to the fore once again, and Amad maintains a presence as one of the club’s biggest stars, he might just make good on such one-time praise in the coming years.

Earns as much as Mbeumo: Man Utd must sell star who's "nowhere near it"

Manchester United still need to make a series of changes in the forthcoming transfer markets.

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 19, 2025

Thomas Tuchel has done the bare minimum expected of him when he was appointed as England manager one year ago: Qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Tuchel has done it with minimal fuss, too, as the Three Lions have won all six of their competitive games to top their qualifying group with two games to spare. It has not always been pretty, but that will count for little once the tournament gets going next summer.

Tuchel's England's team has truly begun to take shape over the course of their past three matches, as they battered Serbia 5-0, swatted Wales aside with three early goals and then destroyed Latvia to clinch their place in December's group-stage draw.

Tuchel's reign will ultimately be judged on how England fare at the World Cup and it is difficult to gauge how that is likely to go until they meet top-level opponents. However, they certainly look like a team that could go deep in the United States, Mexico and Canada. 

The coach has also approached the England job through a very different lens to his predecessors, making moves that have not always been popular with the public or the media but that could make a real difference to his chances of doing what those who came immediately before him failed to do and leading the Three Lions to that long-awaited first trophy since 1966.

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  'Teams win trophies'

  Tuchel's very first squad announcement back in March raised plenty of eyebrows. He brought Jordan Henderson back from the wilderness, gave Marcus Rashford a second chance four months after being cast aside by Manchester United and handed Dan Burn a first-ever call-up at the age of 32, as well as a debut to 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly. With the benefit of hindsight, that now looks like the least controversial of his four squads.

  Star man Jude Bellingham was the most high-profile omission for October's games against Wales and Latvia, while Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were also left out despite their excellent club form. All three played at the last World Cup while two of them started the Euro 2024 final. For Tuchel, though, the most important thing was to reward the players who had been responsible for the most productive and enjoyable camp of his spell so far a month earlier, when his side destroyed Serbia in their best performance of his tenure.

  While many were aghast at the omissions of Foden, Bellingham and Grealish, as well as the the continued ignoring of Crystal Palace pass-master Adam Wharton, it was impossible to argue with Tuchel's reasoning when he declared: "We are trying to build a team. Teams win trophies, no one else."

  And Anthony Gordon talked up the team ethic that the German coach has built after starring in the thrashing of Latvia. "Every performance, the commitment and the vibes and the attitude, everyone's giving everything and you can see that on the pitch," the Newcastle winger said. "It's that togetherness. You see on the pitch we're fighting and giving absolutely everything for each other which can be difficult in an international environment, because lads are coming from everywhere and we don't see each other often. The manager and the staff have really honed in on creating that [togetherness] and it's paid off."

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  No talent collection

  It was suggested to Tuchel that not including England's best players was 'radical', but he offered the perfect riposte: "For this moment, we stick with our choice and the radical statement is that we don’t collect the most talented players. We collect the guys who have the glue and cohesion to be the best team, because we need to arrive as the best team. We will arrive as underdogs at the World Cup because we haven’t won it for decades and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time. So we have to arrive as a team or we will have no chance."

  Tuchel said he was taking cues from one of the greatest sporting dynasties in modern history, the New England Patriots, who won six Super Bowls in the space of 19 years following the turn of the century.

  But there was another parallel much closer to home for him to learn from: The failure of England's so-called 'Golden Generation' of players that included David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. And the timing could not have been better from Tuchel's point of view, as Gerrard had just confessed in a podcast with Ferdinand how miserable he found the experience of playing for England.

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  Learning from past failures

  Gerrard, who was England's captain at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups as well as Euro 2012, never went beyond the quarter-finals at a major tournament, and admitted that he "hated" his experience with the national team. The Liverpool legend revealed that he spent most of his time alone in his room with nothing to do, feeling "low and down", and he conceded that he had almost no bond with the rest of the squad.

  "It was like I didn’t feel part of a team. I didn’t feel connected with my team-mates with England," he explained. "I think we were all egotistical losers. Why couldn’t we connect as England team-mates back then? And I think it was down to the culture within England. All in our rooms too much. We weren’t friendly or connected. We weren’t a team. We never at any stage became a real good strong team."

  For Tuchel, Gerrard's words were a gift, and he was delighted to expand on them in his press conference ahead of the Wales clash: "When I hear people talking about their titles in international football or their missed chances, I always hear the same song: we have been a team or we haven’t been a team. It is always the same song in international football. I also think it is the same headline in club football… If you stick together 24-7 for a nine-day period, and then as long as possible in America, you have to be a strong group."

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  Not afraid

  Sir Gareth Southgate is rightly credited for ensuring that playing for England was once more an enjoyable experience, and Gerrard said that the former coach was "underrated for how he connected with the England team". And yet by the end of his tenure, Southgate was making the same mistakes as his predecessors Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. 

  While Eriksson and Capello could not resist playing Gerrard and Lampard together despite their similarities, Southgate insisted on starting Bellingham and Foden in all seven games at Euro 2024. He also persisted with Harry Kane even though his captain clearly lacked sharpness after recently returning from a back injury. Despite making it to the final and only losing to Spain courtesy of a late goal, England rarely looked like a cohesive team on the pitch in Germany, as they rarely produced good play and repeatedly relied on individual moments of brilliance.

  Tuchel may well bring Foden or Bellingham back into the fold in time for the World Cup, especially if the Real Madrid midfielder returns to peak fitness after his spell out following shoulder surgery, and yet it matters not. The coach has already drawn a line between him and those who came before him by sending out a clear message that he is not afraid to drop anyone.

After an impressive start in the Premier League, Sunderland now reportedly face the threat of losing one of their star players amid fresh interest from rivals Aston Villa.

Le Bris: Sunderland have to be "adaptable" against Forest

Without a defeat in three Premier League games, Sunderland sit as high as seventh and now have the opportunity to extend Ange Postecoglou’s winless start at Nottingham Forest. Victory could even take the Black Cats to as high as second in the Premier League if a number of results go their way, but Regis Le Bris is well aware that Forest will not be a simple game despite recent form.

After last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, in which summer signing Reinildo received a red card, there’s certainly plenty to think about for the Sunderland boss.

As far as promoted sides are concerned, it’s worth noting that those in Wearside as well as Leeds United and Burnley have enjoyed a refreshingly solid start as they look to become the first sides in six to secure safety in their first season back in the top flight.

A number of players have particularly stood out at the Stadium of Light so far this season, with new signings such as Nordi Mukiele already settling in well. Meanwhile, those who were already at the club have also made the step up with unexpected ease. But what that has done is hand Sunderland a potential transfer dilemma.

Aston Villa interested in signing Wilson Isidor

As reported by Football Insider, Aston Villa now want to sign Wilson Isidor after the Sunderland forward impressed against them last weekend. The forward equalised in clinical fashion to make it three goals in three Premier League games at the Stadium of Light.

It’s the type of form that was always likely to attract suitors, but also the type that has seen Sunderland slap a £35m price-tag on their talented forward. If Villa want to steal in and sign the Black Cats star, it simply won’t come cheap.

Villa’s interest in a clincial forward like Isidor should come as no surprise. Unai Emery’s side have scored just one goal all season, which came against Sunderland last time out, and Ollie Watkins only extended his goal drought by missing a penalty in the Europa League this week.

Sunderland star Habib Diarra injury return date, how many games he'll miss

A blow for the Black Cats…

By
Tom Cunningham

Sep 23, 2025

The Midlands club are crying out for more firepower and it could come at the expense of Sunderland, who would be feeling the full effect of the Premier League’s ruthless streak.

Serie A giants Juventus have their sights on former Chelsea midfielder Diego Moreira after his scintillating performances at Ligue 1 club Strasbourg. The Liege-born player joined the French outfit on a permanent deal from Chelsea in the summer of 2024 and has been shocking the decision-makers at Juventus since then.

• Juventus monitoring Moreira

  According to a report by , Moreira has been garnering attention from Juventus of late. The Bianconeri are planning a deal next summer, which might see the Belgian winger join the Serie A side on loan, with a mandatory purchase option in the deal. The 21-year-old was in ecstatic form last season, where he recorded two goals and seven assists in Ligue 1, turning out a huge provider for the likes of Samu Aghehowa and Co. in Strasbourg's attacking third. This season, he has started in seven league games, accumulating a goal and two assists.  

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  Moreira thriving at Strasbourg

  One of the estimated reasons behind Juventus' aim of signing Moreira is believed to be his versatility. He can play anywhere on the left side of the pitch and also as a right attacker. Moreover, against Paris Saint-Germain, he was deployed as a second striker too. Chelsea may come to regret the deal that saw the former Benfica academy star join Strasbourg permanently, as it has been reported the Blues did not include an buy-back option in the deal, despite their tendency to include such an option in other deals. Mathis Amougou was sold to the French side this year with such a clause included in the agreement.

• More Serie A interest

  The Bianconeri are not the only Italian side in the picture. Atalanta are also one of the interested parties when it comes to Moreira's signature, according to However, the 21-year-old's signature depends on two significant factors. Firstly, Strasbourg have a €20 million price tag on the table, which means the midfielder would not come cheap. Secondly, due to Strasbourg's partnership with Chelsea under the BlueCo Consortium, they will need the London club's permission to sanction a move for the former Benfica man. Strasbourg still await offers, as both Atalanta and Juventus are yet to place a formal bid for the talented player, who has one goal in two appearances for the Belgian U-21 side.

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  What next for Moreira?

  Moreira featured as a left winger in Strasbourg's recent defeat and played the entirety of the game. His club will next face Auxerre on Wednesday, and the 21-year-old will be expected to play a crucial role in that game. Strasbourg currently sit seventh in the Ligue 1 table with 16 points in nine games. A participant in the Conference League, Moreira's side's main ambition will be to finish as high up on the table as possible.

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim was certainly backed by the board with new recruits to improve the squad during the summer transfer window.

The Premier League giants swooped to add Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko to their attacking ranks to completely transform their front three.

Mbeumo has produced one goal and one assist in seven appearances in the Premier League, per Sofascore, whilst Cunha is still looking for his first goal contribution for the club.

Meanwhile, Sesko has scored two goals in his last two appearances in the top-flight and has scored two goals in four starts in the division since his move from RB Leipzig in the summer.

The Slovenia international will be hoping to kick on from here and prove that he can be a consistent and lethal goalscorer for the Red Devils for many more years to come.

If he can do that, Sesko could be considered to be Amorim’s new Viktor Gyokeres, as the Arsenal striker was such an integral part of the manager’s success with Sporting.

Why Gyokeres was so important to Amorim at Sporting

Amorim won the Liga Portugal title in the 2023/24 campaign after signing the Swedish striker from Coventry City in the summer of 2023, after finishing fourth and second in the two previous seasons.

Gyokeres was so important to the Portuguese manager in that 2023/24 season because his immense performances at the top end of the pitch led Sporting to glory, winning the league title for the first time in three years.

The towering centre-forward was an absolute monster for Sporting. He scored and created goals at an exceptional rate as their number nine after his move from the second tier in England.

As you can see in the table above, Gyokeres was the best striker in the division. He ranked at the top of the pile in pretty much every key metric as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

These statistics show that the right-footed forward was incredibly consistent for Amorim, given his output, which is why he was such an important player for the manager.

The Manchester United coach has not had a consistent attacker in that vein at Old Trafford, though, as no player managed more than eight goals in the Premier League last season, per WhoScored.

Whilst Amorim will be hoping that Sesko can be his next Gyokeres, there is a central defender who is becoming the manager’s next version of the striker.

Chalkboard

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

Netherlands international Matthijs de Ligt may not be a lethal centre-forward who is going to score 30 or 40 goals in a season for the Red Devils, but his consistent performances at the back could make him the linchpin of Amorim’s team moving forward.

Why Matthijs de Ligt could be Ruben Amorim's new Viktor Gyokeres

The best teams in the world are built around top-quality players who deliver consistently impressive performances over the course of a season.

Mohamed Salah at Liverpool. Erling Haaland at Manchester City. Vitinha at PSG. Thibaut Courtois at Real Madrid. Gyokeres during his time at Sporting. The list could go on.

The best teams all have several players who deliver consistently every week, which is what Amorim had with Gyokeres in Portugal, and De Ligt may be starting to show that he can belong in that category of player.

The Netherlands international is a no-nonsense central defender who joined the club from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024, but it has taken him a bit of time to adjust to the intensity of the Premier League.

Not every player hits the ground running at a new club. Some players need time to adapt to their environment, and it appears as though de Ligt has finally found his feet in England.

As you can see in the table above, the former Ajax and Juventus star has stepped up at the start of this season after a fairly average first year in the Premier League with the Red Devils.

His improved ground duel success rate, in particular, suggests that he has adapted to the intensity and physicality of the division, as he is anticipating situations and reacting to danger quicker, which means that the centre-back is winning a higher percentage of his duels on the deck.

Former United star and England international centre-back Rio Ferdinand has noticed the improvement in De Ligt this season, praising the defender last month: “Matthijs de Ligt has been magnificent this season, solid in all departments.

“I think he’s put himself in place to be the first name on the sheet if we go by [Leny] Yoro being a sub at the weekend. De Ligt now looks like the number one choice defender in the team form the manager’s point of view.”

De Ligt has started all seven of his appearances in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, which backs up Ferdinand’s claim that the Dutchman is the first-choice defender for Amorim at this moment in time.

The 26-year-old star, who still has time left to improve even more, has improved throughout his time at Old Trafford, as evidenced by his aforementioned statistics, and he now looks like a consistent performer who can be relied upon by Amorim.

Not JJ Gabriel: Man Utd brewing homegrown Cunha in "dynamic" 18-year-old

Man Utd could have their next Matheus Cunha in the academy ranks.

1

By
Joe Nuttall

Oct 11, 2025

That is why De Ligt is on his way to becoming the manager’s new Gyokeres, because he could fall into that bracket of players who deliver consistent performances in successful teams, if he can keep up his current level of performance in the Premier League.

Danny Welbeck has been backed for a sensational England recall by Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler in a message to Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel. It’s been seven long years since the forward last pulled on an England shirt. However, now, against all odds, the veteran striker could be on the verge of an extraordinary comeback, and the Brighton manager certainly believes that the Englishman deserves a shot at international redemption.

• Welbeck shining at Brighton

  From bursting onto the scene at Manchester United to enduring injury-ridden years at Arsenal, the forward’s career has often been defined by what might have been. Yet under Hurzeler, he has rediscovered his rhythm. He is in remarkable form for the Seagulls this season, scoring six goals in 10 Premier League appearances. His five-goal haul makes him the highest-scoring English player in the top flight so far, putting him ahead of the likes of Jaiden Anthony (4) and Jarrod Bowen (3). His last international appearance came in the 2018 World Cup third-place play-off against Belgium. But this bright run of form might just reopen doors many believed were closed for good.

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  Hurzeler's message to Tuchel

  Ahead of Brighton’s clash with Leeds United this weekend, Hurzeler sent a heartfelt message to England manager Tuchel.

  "I have a big belief that Danny Welbeck is able to play for England," he said. "I asked the question of the squad if they think Danny Welbeck and play for England and they all agreed, so that was the only time we mentioned it. Let's see what happens." 

  Hurzeler, still only 32, was careful not to overstep, adding: "But I will try to emphasise that England has a great coach and he will make the right decisions."

• Ferdinand joins the chorus: ‘He’s second to Kane!’

  Former England and Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has thrown his weight behind Welbeck’s case, insisting that Tuchel should seriously consider the Brighton striker for England’s next squad.

  "He’s second to Harry Kane," Ferdinand said. "If you’re talking form right now and the squad was being picked tomorrow, Danny Welbeck has to go, no?"

  Ferdinand added that Welbeck’s injury struggles earlier in his career robbed him of the chance to fulfil his immense potential, but that doesn’t change his value now.

  "Experience can do different types of things on the pitch for you," he added. "He can run in behind if need be, we saw that at Old Trafford, he can come short and link play as well as anybody outside of Harry Kane. He’s an all-round footballer, if it wasn’t for the injuries he had earlier in his career. I would take him. If he finishes the season in the form he’s in right now, there’s no way you can’t take him because he’s only going there for a month, it ain’t like we’re saying to him he has to play a full season, you’ve got to be ready and that role he can do that, coming in and out, be a support act for someone like Harry Kane."

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  Will Tuchel pay heed to Welbeck In calls?

  England’s current No.9 is, of course, the undisputed Kane. Dislodging him from the starting XI is virtually impossible. But the backup spot is up for grabs. In his most recent squad, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins served as Kane’s backup, with Marcus Rashford providing a versatile option who can also play centrally. With England already qualified for next summer’s World Cup, Tuchel will now look to fine-tune his squad ahead of qualifiers against Serbia and Albania next month. It’s a period when the German coach might be tempted to experiment, and Welbeck’s form could make him impossible to ignore. The striker has earned 42 caps and scored 16 goals for England and could potentially add to the numbers if called upon in November. Welbeck further strengthened his case by scoring against Leeds on Saturday in a 3-0 win at home. He has given his all, and now all eyes will be on Tuchel, whether he responds to the calls of Welbeck's inclusion or chooses to look forward and awards another opportunity to Watkins, who has struggled for form this campaign. 

Former France international Jerome Rothen has claimed Kylian Mbappe receives “special treatment” which will “cause problems” with his team-mates should they hit a poor run of form. The Real Madrid forward withdrew from Les Blues’ squad ahead of Sunday’s World Cup qualifier with Azerbaijan after picking up an ankle injury in Thursday’s 4-0 win over Ukraine.

• Mbappe achieves milestone after firing France to World Cup

  Mbappe was on song as France secured their place at the 2026 World Cup with victory over Ukraine. The 26-year-old scored twice – including a Panenka penalty – while Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise and Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike also got on the scoresheet for Didier Deschamps’ men.

  With his heroics at Parc des Princes, Mbappe took his career goal tally to 400, becoming the youngest player to clinch the milestone. 

  However, the former Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain striker later played down the magnitude of his achievement, saying after the game: “Four hundred goals? It is great, but people are not impressed with it. When you have one guy with 950 [Ronaldo] and one with 900 [Messi], I need 400 more if I want to be in the conversation that will shock people.”

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  Real Madrid forward left Les Blues squad with ankle complaint

  Ahead of France’s final World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan, Mbappe left the squad as a precaution after sustaining an ankle complaint against Ukraine. 

  A statement from The French Football Federation (FFF) said: “French internationals Manu Kone, Eduardo Camavinga, and Kylian Mbappe have been released back to their clubs.

  “The French national team delegation is flying to Baku where they will face Azerbaijan on Sunday at 9:00 PM local time (6:00 PM French time). 

  "Camavinga, Kone, and Mbappe will not be making the trip.

  “Kone received a yellow card against Ukraine and is suspended. Cama was suffering from a muscle strain in his left hamstring.

  “Mbappe is still experiencing inflammation in his right ankle, which requires further examination. He will undergo these tests today in Madrid.”

• Ex-PSG winger Rothen warns Mbappe of possible 'problems'

  However, Mbappe has since been accused of receiving preferential treatment by ex-Monaco and PSG winger Rothen, who has warned the France captain that his actions will only be accepted in the dressing room so long as Deschamps’ side keep winning.

  In quotes carried by Spanish publication Rothen – who won 13 caps for France – said: "We were all asking ourselves the same question in the 80th minute, when we were up 4-0, who was going to fake an injury to avoid going to Baku?

  "Mbappe is the captain of the French national team, he receives special treatment, fine. But he has team-mates. Do you really think that all those who go to Baku, those who play as much or more than Mbappe throughout the year, aren't tired and don't want to play this meaningless match? No. But they go because they have to go.

  “While you're winning, nobody says anything. But when things start to go wrong, decisions like this take their toll. Making decisions like this can create problems in the locker room, and I remain convinced that there are players fed up with this preferential treatment.”

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  Real sweating on Mbappe's fitness ahead of La Liga return

  France will be looking to round off their World Cup qualifying campaign with another win when they travel to Azerbaijan. Deschamps’ men have been in fine form in qualifying, winning four of their five matches and scoring 13 goals in the process. 

  Meanwhile, Spanish giants Real will be sweating on Mbappe’s fitness ahead of the return of La Liga next weekend. Xabi Alonso’s side are next in action when they head to Elche on Sunday, 23 November, as they look to remain top of the table. Los Blancos are currently three points ahead of fierce rivals Barcelona in the standings, having won 10 of their 12 games this season.

  Mbappe has been in remarkable form for Real in 2025-26, scoring 13 goals in the league. He has also netted five times in four Champions League games this term, with only Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen (6) having scored more.

Ezri Konsa has been linked with a move away from Aston Villa, with Liverpool keen on him, and now a fresh update has emerged regarding his future.

The 28-year-old has matured into such an important player for the Villans, becoming a key starter and coming right into the prime years of his career.

In fact, Konsa will even be hoping of starting for England at the 2026 World Cup, with he and John Stones likely to battle to play alongside Marc Guehi in the right-sided centre-back spot for the Three Lions.

Worryingly, the Englishman has been linked with various clubs in recent weeks and months, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City mentioned as potential options for him.

Konsa isn’t out of contract at Villa until the summer of 2028, and now a new update has dropped regarding his future at the Premier League club.

Key latest on Konsa's Aston Villa future

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown claimed that Aston Villa won’t even entertain the idea of allowing Konsa to leave in the near future, with the player himself happy at the club.

“Aston Villa have been an example in recent years of how to build a team. It’s a testament to Villa’s recruitment that so many of their best players are attracting interest. The players they’ve brought in, like Konsa and Rogers for example, have reached new levels since they arrived and proved to be very important players for them.

“So Konsa, for example, has impressed at Villa and got himself into the England team. That only invites more interest, because he’s playing on a bigger stage, attracting more eyes on his performances, and that leads to more speculation. So Villa then have a hell of a job behind the scenes trying to keep him at the club.

“From what I’m told, they’re not massively concerned about his future, because by all accounts he’s happy at Villa and he’s been a crucial part of their success. Emery has no plans to let him go because of how important he is to Villa, and I think Villa will be confident that they can keep him. Even with teams like Liverpool or Chelsea looking at him, that won’t chance Villa’s position.”

This will come as a relief to Villa supporters, with Konsa arguably now one of the first names on Unai Emery’s team sheet, recently being hailed as “excellent” by Troy Deeney.

Aston Villa now join race to sign "insane" £35m former Bayern Munich striker

The Villans are looking to sign a centre-forward, with Unai Emery keen on greater strength in depth in attack.

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 28, 2025

As mentioned, he now feels like he is at his peak, which should remain the same for another three or four years or so, and if Villa are to continue heading in the right direction, they cannot afford to sell their best players to teams who are higher than they are in the table.

Liverpool learn true price for Ezri Konsa as PSR forces Aston Villa's hand

Ahead of Friday's MLB non-tender deadline, the Toronto Blue Jays made a difficult decision.

They decided to non-tender closer and two-time All-Star Jordan Romano. The news, which was first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, sends Romano to free agency.

Romano, 31, pitched in just 15 games and recorded eight saves this season due to elbow injuries. He underwent arthroscopic surgery early July to repair an impingement in his right elbow, which shelved him for the rest of the season. He started the season on the injured list due to elbow issues as well.

He was a top closer in baseball in years before. He recorded 36 saves in both 2023 and 2022 where he earned an All-Star nod in both years. Romano had a strong year in 2021 as well with 23 saves. Over his career, he's 20-17 with a 2.90 ERA in 231 appearances over parts of six seasons with the Blue Jays.

Romano has a number of likely suitors on the open market. He brings a high quality closer to a potential contender, as long as he stays healthy.

The MLB's non-tender deadline is Friday at 8 p.m. ET, where teams must decide whether to "tender" a contract to players who are under club control next season. These are players on the 40-man roster who have not accrued enough service time to become eligible for free agency.

There’s reportedly no way back for one West Ham star as Nuno Espírito Santo ultimately decides that he doesn’t want the player, and a January exit is now described as inevitable.

The pressure on Nuno’s shoulders has slightly eased following back-to-back victories against Newcastle and Burnley, which also gifted the Hammers some much-needed encouragement over surviving the relegation dog scrap.

Before their only consecutive home wins since October last year, West Ham looked nailed on for a drop to the Championship for the first time since 2011, but six points from Nuno’s last two matches have suddenly flipped the narrative on its head.

However, things don’t get any easier for West Ham from this point onward, with Nuno braced for a tough round of fixtures just after the international break.

The east Londoners take on Bournemouth and Liverpool before travelling to Man United, who are enjoying a resurgence under Ruben Amorim, with Aston Villa and Premier League title contenders Man City awaiting them over the festive period as well.

After that, the January transfer window does represent a major lifeline for West Ham, and reports suggest the club are set for a very active winter when it comes to incomings and outgoings. Sky Sports report that West Ham are targeting a new defender, midfielder and striker in January, with Nuno given assurances that David Sullivan and co have money to spend on fresh talent.

We’re also likely to see a fair few players head out the exit door, not least striker Niclas Füllkrug, who has apparently been given the green-light to leave after a lacklustre spell marred by injuries and a lack of form.

West Ham could also sell Guido Rodriguez for pure profit after signing him on a free transfer from Real Betis last year, but one player who looks the most likely to depart by far is midfielder James Ward-Prowse.

The 31-year-old was axed from West Ham’s matchday squad immediately after Nuno’s arrival, despite being vice-captain under Graham Potter and a “quiet leader” of the team.

James Ward-Prowse "almost certain" to leave West Ham after Nuno decision

For anybody wondering, there is basically no chance for Ward-Prowse to play his way back into contention, with Nuno fully deciding that he’s surplus to requirements.

That is according to journalist Dean Jones, who told TEAMtalk this week that the Englishman is “almost certain” to leave as David Moyes’ Everton take real interest.

The question for West Ham is how much money they can recuperate from Ward-Prowse’s sale, and how much could be reinvested into bolstering key areas when the January window opens for business.

Sullivan will also be keen to get the former Southampton star’s £115,000-per-week wages off the books, as he is currently the club’s fourth-highest earner behind Alphonse Areola, Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen.