Earlier in the match, Haris Rauf went off the field with what was later confirmed to be a low-grade side strain

Danyal Rasool08-Feb-2025New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra is unlikely to feature in the ODI against South Africa on Monday, after sustaining a blow while fielding during Saturday’s tri-series ODI against Pakistan.Fielding at deep square leg in the 37th over, Ravindra steadied himself to take a catch as Khushdil Shah slog-swept Michael Bracewell towards the on side. But Ravindra seemed to lose the ball, struck flat and low, mid-flight, and took no evasive action as it struck him square on the forehead. He was seen staring at the ground, apparently in a daze, as blood streamed down his face while medical staff rushed onto the field.New Zealand Cricket [NZC] has since released a statement saying that Ravindra is “otherwise well” and will continue to be monitored.Related

Lockie Ferguson in doubt for Champions Trophy and Pakistan tri-series

Phillips 72-ball hundred flips the script as New Zealand beat Pakistan

“Rachin Ravindra sustained a laceration to the forehead after being struck by the ball in yesterday’s ODI tri-series win over Pakistan in Lahore,” the release said. “Ravindra passed the initial head injury assessment and the laceration, which required stitches, was addressed and treated at the ground. He is otherwise well and will continue to be monitored under HIA (Head Injury Assessment) protocols. He is unlikely to feature in tomorrow’s match against South Africa.”A stunned silence took hold of the ground after Ravindra went down. A stretcher was brought on as well, though it was ultimately not required. The Pakistan team doctor, nearest to the incident, also rushed on to provide first-aid assistance. After lying down on the ground while receiving a few minutes of treatment, Ravindra got up with the assistance of medical staff, and walked off the field, holding a towel to his head, to warm applause from what had just recently been a packed Gaddafi Stadium.New Zealand, riding on Glenn Phillips’ maiden ODI ton, won the opening game of the tri-series comfortably by 78 runs. Ravindra had earlier opened the batting and scored a brisk 25 off 19 balls to get his side up and running and sent down three overs.Haris Rauf walked off the field with a side strain•Associated PressEarlier in the match, Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf went off the field two balls into his seventh over, and the PCB later revealed he had complained of “sharp pain in the left side of the chest and abdomen muscles”, which was later confirmed to be a “low-grade side strain”. Rauf, it was confimed, would not come out to bat during Pakistan’s chase.These developments come just 11 days before the start of the Champions Trophy, which begins when these two sides meet in Karachi on February 19. New Zealand’s next game is on Monday, when they take on South Africa in the second match of this tri-series, while Pakistan are scheduled to meet South Africa on Wednesday.As the Champions Trophy looms, New Zealand could also be without the fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, who suffered a hamstring injury while playing in the ILT20 in the UAE. As yet, the team is awaiting reports of a scan on Ferguson’s injury.GMT 0925 The news report was updated following NZC’s statement on Ravindra’s injury.

قام لويس دي لا فوينتي، مدرب منتخب إسبانيا، بالحديث عن تفاصيل إصابة نجم برشلونة، داني أولمو، موضحًا أن الأخير أكد سلامته قبل الانضمام إلى معسكر لاروخا خلال فترة التوقف الدولي الحالي.

أولمو تعرض لإصابة في ربلة الساق، أثناء تواجده مع منتخب إسبانيا هذا الشهر، حيث يلعب أبطال اليورو في تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل في المكسيك والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا.

وسوف يغيب أولمو عن الملاعب لمدة تتراوح من ثلاثة إلى أربعة أسابيع، ما يعني أن اللاعب سوف يغيب بشكل مؤكد عن الكلاسيكو بين برشلونة ريال مدريد يوم 26 أكتوبر المقبل بالدوري الإسباني.

اقرأ أيضًا.. روبرتو مارتينيز بعد فوز البرتغال القاتل على أيرلندا: جوتا مصدر إلهام دائم لنا

وقال دي لا فوينتي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “الموندو ديبورتيفو”: “كان أولمو في حالة بدنية ممتازة ولم يبلغ عن أي تقرير طبي يشير إلى أي مشكلة، لم يشعر إلا بانزعاج طفيف ولم يتدرب طوال الأسبوع على أمل أن يتحسن وضعه”.

وأضاف: “في النهاية ازداد الألم قليلاً، فقررنا حرصاً على صحته وسلامته، أن يغادر معسكر المنتخب الوطني مع علمنا بصعوبة مشاركته يوم الثلاثاء ضد بلغاريا’.

واختتم: “لو كان هناك أدنى احتمال لإصابة أولمو، أو لو كنا متأكدين من قدرته على اللعب دون مخاطرة لكان قد بقي مع برشلونة”.

وحققت إسبانيا الفوز على جورجيا أمس السبت بهدفين دون رد، لحساب تصفيات كأس العالم، بينما سوف يلعب رجال دي لا فوينتي مع بلغاريا يوم الثلاثاء المقبل في التصفيات أيضًا.

Tottenham have rejected an expression of interest in a takeover from a United States consortium, headed up by Brooklyn Earick, but the former DJ has posted a cryptic Instagram update hinting at a countdown to becoming owner of the north London club. Reports suggest the bid for the club is worth £4.5 billion ($6bn).

GettyBid launched

According to The Sun, Earick is heading up a consortium that is ready to make a bid worth £4.5bn to buy Tottenham from the Joe Lewis family. The club have undergone serious changes in the boardroom, with former executive chairman Daniel Levy ousted earlier this season. Now, Spurs are said to have rejected the expression of interest from the consortium, per the Athletic, with the Lewis family once again repeating their stance that the club is not for sale. The report quotes a source who claims the interest is "unsolicited and unnecessary". A formal bid has yet to be tabled but Earick's groups must now either announce their intention to bid for the club or announce that it will not follow up by October 24. 

AdvertisementWhat Spurs have said

Spurs have issued a formal statement, reading: "The Board of Tottenham Hotspur Limited is aware of recent media speculation and confirms that its majority shareholder, ENIC Sports & Developments Holdings Ltd, has received, and unequivocally rejected, an informal expression of interest in relation to a proposal to acquire the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of the Club from a consortium led by Mr Brooklyn Earick.

"The Board of the Club and ENIC reconfirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC is not looking to sell its stake in the Club.

"In accordance with the obligations under Rule 2.6(a) of the City Code, the Consortium is required, by no later than 5.00 p.m on 24 October 2025, to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for the Company in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the City Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer for the Company, in which case such announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the City Code applies.

"This deadline can be extended with the consent of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the City Code.

"The person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of Tottenham Hotspur is Peter Charrington."

Earick's hints

Earick is clearly revelling in the attention he and his consortium have received, with two social media posts on Friday hinting towards further developments. 

On X, he wrote: "Pretty low key morning so far" alongside a picture of The Sun's article revealing his interest in Spurs. 

He has also posted on Instagram a photo of the club's dressing room, along with a countdown, for 27 days from now. That would be October 23, the day before the consortium are formally required to reveal whether or not they intend to make an offer for the north London giants. 

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Who is Earick?

Earick is a former DJ and music producer who also worked at NASA. After his time there, he founded a company called Redacted RnD, which operates in the "blockchain" space, and invests in "digital assets". The company is based out of Singapore. He also founded Algorith Capital, another investment fund that focuses primarily on technology. It remains to be seen if he can finance a bid for Spurs, or if he is merely attempting to burgeon his own reputation. 

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been praised for making the "narrative" at Wrexham "like Hollywood", with three successive promotions being enjoyed, but they are being warned that sacking record-breaking manager Phil Parkinson would be "absolute madness". The odd question has been asked of the Red Dragons’ boss this season, with Steven Gerrard rumoured to be a possible contender to take over at SToK Racecourse.

• Questions of Parkinson despite stunning Wrexham record

  Those inside the Wrexham camp have been doing their best to ignore the outside noise, with there little substance to the managerial speculation for now. A slow start to the 2025-26 campaign, on the back of a big summer spend in the transfer market, delivered inevitable gossip in North Wales. Coaches, regardless of their history, are always under pressure to deliver positive results.

  Parkinson has done that for the most part since picking up the reins at Wrexham in 2021. He has overseen 140 wins from 231 games at the helm, with the faith shown in him by Hollywood co-owners being richly rewarded. Whatever happens from here, the 57-year-old is assured of a place in Red Dragons folklore.

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• Getty
  

  Links to Gerrard: Why they make little sense

  More successes on the field will help to bring the unwelcome rumours to a close, as links to Liverpool legend Gerrard die down, with Ally McCoist among those to have been left baffled by suggestions that Parkinson could be relieved of his duties after guiding Wrexham out of the National League and into the Championship.

  Ex-Scotland international McCoist told football betting site talkSPORT Bet: "Steven Gerrard has unfinished business in management, and I believe he'll want to return, whether in Scotland or England. Regarding Wrexham, how can their manager be under pressure? The whole narrative has been like Hollywood, and it's been fantastic to follow. It couldn't have been easy for the manager to keep everyone grounded amidst all the excitement.

  "I said last year that this season Wrexham would find their level. I'd put Birmingham in the same category, they were never going to keep getting promoted all the way to the top. There was always going to be a leveling-off period.

  "The most important thing for Wrexham now is to avoid slipping backward. They shouldn't get a new manager or start throwing their toys out of the pram just because the rise has levelled off. It was always going to happen, and it's levelled off exactly where I expected.

  "What's needed now is calmness and a reality check. This is where they are, and it's crucial they don't go down. Having leveled off, they need to maintain this position, perhaps for a couple of seasons, and continue to invest and strengthen the squad. As I said, this period was always going to come, and it's no surprise to me. To get rid of the manager now would be absolute madness."

• Director rubbished Parkinson exit rumours

  Wrexham director Shaun Harvey has done his best to rubbish the Parkinson gossip, telling the podcast: "It's an absolute disgrace. I think we're all disappointed we've not got more than four points at this moment in time. But to start quoting discussions and meetings that have taken place is the bit that's the disgrace.

  "Phil has everybody at the club's full support. I know before somebody starts writing headlines, 'Harvey gives Parkinson the vote of confidence'. That is not the vote of confidence. What I'm saying is, he's got our full support. You can only give somebody a vote of confidence when you've actually discussed the future. It's not even been on anywhere near an agenda as yet.

  "So, if that day comes, the decision has to be taken. But Phil's our man. We've backed him from the start. We backed him from four years ago. We've had all the success under that regime. Why should we start panicking now?"

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  Next up for Wrexham: Brady & Birmingham approaching

  Wrexham sit 15th in the Championship table at present, with eight points being collected from seven games. They did acquire Premier League pedigree over the summer, when spending more than £30 million ($40m), and have another intriguing tussle with Tom Brady’s Birmingham fast approaching – with the Blues due at the Racecourse on Friday.

The uncontracted trio of James Neesham, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert are in New Zealand’s plans for the 2026 T20 World Cup after they made themselves available for all of New Zealand’s T20I series in the lead-up to the next ICC tournament, selection manager Sam Wells has said.The three were in action in the 50-overs Ford Trophy before being reintroduced to New Zealand’s T20I side for the upcoming five-match series at home against Pakistan.”Yeah, look, we’ve had some discussions with these guys and New Zealand Cricket has really emphasised preparing well for these pinnacle events and the guys have committed to being available for all of our T20 campaigns moving forward, if selected,” Wells said. “So that’s a real positive. And credit to those guys, they’ve come back and played domestic cricket, played Ford Trophy and performed well.”So, these guys are still really hungry and made it very clear they’re still very hungry to play for their country.”Related

• Tim Seifert 2.0 can bat anywhere and everywhere

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• Sodhi, Seifert in Bracewell-led NZ squad for home T20Is against Pakistan

Neesham, who last played for New Zealand in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, reminded everyone of his all-round skills when he clattered a career-best 128 not out off 82 balls and followed it up with figures of 3 for 53 to propel Auckland into the Ford Trophy final.Allen returned to captain Auckland in the Ford Trophy after finishing his BBL stint across the Tasman Sea with Perth Scorchers.Seifert also returned to play for Northern Districts in both the Ford Trophy and the Plunket Shield despite having turned down a domestic contract. Against a strong Canterbury attack comprising Kyle Jamieson, Zak Foulkes, Henry Shipley and Ish Sodhi, Seifert hit an unbeaten 109 off 71 balls from No. 3 in the Ford Trophy.”That [the hunger to play for the country] is why they come back and play domestic cricket to stake their claim,” Wells said. “And they’ve done well as well as performing in the various franchise leagues they play around the world. But it is really helpful from a selection perspective to see them competing in domestic cricket against the guys and see them in the flesh. So, look, we’re really happy with where they’re at.”Legspinner Sodhi, who was not picked for the 2025 Champions Trophy, has also returned to the white-ball team with an eye on the spin-friendly surfaces in India at the next T20 World Cup. In the absence of captain Mitchell Santner, who will miss the home series against Pakistan owing to his IPL commitments, Sodhi is the only frontline spin-bowling option in the squad apart from stand-in captain Michael Bracewell.In a glance: New Zealand’s T20I squad for home series against Pakistan•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Sodhi’s recent form is also encouraging: he picked up nine wickets in 12 Super Smash matches at an economy rate of 7.00, which was second only to Jamieson among all bowlers who had bowled at least 20 overs in the competition.”Look, I think in India, you’re going to be playing two or three spinners,” Wells said. “And you see Ish come back into it. I think most teams are playing a wristspinner in both forms. So, we’re giving Ish an opportunity. He’s been a great performer in the T20 format. I thought he had a really strong Super Smash. But obviously, missing Mitch, who’s a bit of a linchpin in the bowling attacks.”So, that’ll be a challenge for Ish and Michael to really step up and take those roles if given a chance. But obviously, the boundaries are pretty small in New Zealand grounds and not taking as much turn. So, we might see an additional seamer playing where we think that’s appropriate. But it’s just about having that balance where we can.”Wells also delivered a glowing appraisal of Bracewell’s abilities as an allrounder and leader.”Michael led the T20 side over in Pakistan last year in the series we had over there and it was quite a young and experienced side and we were really impressed with the way he led that group,” Wells said. “He sort of cemented himself in both white-ball teams as a really pivotal cog. He’s experienced at domestic level, having been a captain in the side, and is well respected and knows how to run the cutter really well. So, look, he’s ticked a lot of boxes. He hasn’t got a huge amount of international experience but is an experienced cricketer and has done well when given opportunities in a leadership role.”

Chelsea have raised a mountain of cash through transfers alone this window, and Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed they’ve just agreed another sale.

After their settlement with UEFA last month and fine for breaching FFP rules, to avoid further punishment, Chelsea must balance out their incoming signings with key player outgoings.

Failure to do so could result in Enzo Maresca being unable to register new signings in his A-list Champions League squad next season, and with barely over a week to go before deadline day, Chelsea need to get moving on some high-profile departures.

Thus far, Chelsea have raised around £220 million by selling Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Mathis Amougou, Djordje Petrovic, João Félix, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu on permanent deals.

Many more are expected to follow them out the door, including Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Alfie Gilchrist and even Tyrique George.

Nkunku has been in talks to join Bayern Munich, but no agreement has been found yet, so Premier League rivals like Newcastle United, or even fellow Bundesliga heavyweights RB Leipzig could still win the race for him.

Meanwhile, striker Nicolas Jackson is a target for both Newcastle and Aston Villa, and Chelsea are now considering the possibility of a loan plus obligation to buy deal.

While Jackson and Nkunku’s futures remain up in the air, Chelsea have now fully agreed their latest exit.

Chelsea agree to sell Renato Veiga to Villarreal

According to Fabrizio Romano, who broke the news on Wednesday, defender Renato Veiga is on his way to Villarreal in a move worth around £26 million.

The agreement includes a hefty sell-on clause, up to 40 per cent, according to some sources, with the La Liga side also breaking their transfer record to sign the Portuguese centre-back.

PA News has also said that the Blues have accpeted a £26m offer for Veiga’s services.

Interestingly, BBC journalist Nizaar Kinsella estimates that, with this sale completed, Chelsea have now raised a total of around £250 million in transfer income. This means that Chelsea are also on a net-spend of just over £25 million for this window, having invested nearly £280 million on new signings.

Veiga’s exit could potentially make room for an emergency centre-back option in light of Levi Colwill’s long-term injury, and that is something which Maresca is personally very keen to do, as he’s made clear in press conferences lately.

Celtic are looking to seal deals for multiple attacking reinforcements and one of their key targets is now set for a medical before finalising a move to Parkhead.

Celtic up the transfer ante with several targets being pursued

The Bhoys claimed a point against Rangers in yesterday’s forgettable first Glasgow Derby of the Scottish Premiership season, which has prompted a frantic search for reinforcements after a blunt attacking display.

Overnight, reports began to circulate that Celtic have submitted a loan offer to sign Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who is also on the radar of Rangers, Lyon and Leicester City before the close of play.

Brendan Rodgers has made it clear that adding creativity and a clinical edge in the forward areas is needed to bolster his side once they return from the international break.

Nevertheless, he stopped short of naming names, telling BBC Sportsound (via 67 Hail Hail): “We need to improve in many aspects. And like I said, hopefully, we can bring in the players that can support us in that.

“And also that attitude to go on and play and play with no fear and play with that belief. And that all comes really when you carry that threat at the top end of the pitch.”

Related Birmingham hold talks to sign "valuable" £3m ace; waiting on "green-light"

This is exactly what Chris Davies could be after.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Sep 1, 2025

Kasper Dolberg would fit the brief of an exciting Celtic addition, and the Anderlecht striker remains in talks over a move to Glasgow, albeit no agreement has been struck as of yet.

Time is running out in the Bhoys’ quest to land new signings, and there could be a hectic evening ahead for supporters, given the Scottish deadline passes at 11 pm, though they may be able to welcome one of their key targets through the door before then.

Celtic agree deal to sign Sebastian Tounekti

According to Tunisian journalist Mahdi Abid via CeltsAreHere, Celtic have agreed a deal to sign Hammarby winger Sebastian Tounekti and he is now set to undergo a medical ahead of a move to the club.

Abid doesn’t mention the fee that he could end up being sold to the Glasgow giants for, though Sky Sports journalist Joseph has recently claimed on X that the Hoops have put forward a £5.2 million bid to land the Tromso-born star.

Transfer stories take many twists and turns that are worth watching out for, but if all is well, Celtic will land Tounekti before the window closes after his return of three goals and five assists in 27 appearances for the Swedish heavyweights.

Previously, the Hammarby winger was a target for Leicester City and it is unknown what other clubs were keen on offering him a route to stardom beyond life in Stockholm.

With hours of the window remaining, Rodgers appears set to follow through on his promise of adding more quality in the final third, albeit the Bhoys face a race against time to rubber-stamp any remaining formalities.

Toss Shubman Gill called correctly and had no hesitation in bowling first in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first home game of the season at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.GT, who are playing their first away game of the season, have won and lost one match each so far. They brought in left-arm fast bowler Arshad Khan in place of Kagiso Rabada, who missed out due to personal reasons. That left GT with only two overseas players in their bowling XI, with Sherfane Rutherford likely to come in while batting.”It looks like a good wicket. The conditions don’t change much, so we are looking to bowl first,” Gill said at the toss.”We are all about reducing our unforced errors, and we will try and fine-tune the areas that need some fine-tuning.”Rajat Patidar, the RCB captain, said that he would have bowled first as well, while confirming that RCB are going with an unchanged XI.”We wanted to bowl first as well,” he said. “The surface is pretty hard, [and] will not change much. We will try and keep them under pressure. The way everybody is chipping in gives me confidence. Everyone is looking in a good frame of mind.”RCB are coming into the game with two stellar wins. They began their season with a seven-wicket victory against Kolkata Knight Riders in the tournament opener. Six days later, they did something that they hadn’t since 2008 – defeated Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk by a huge 50-run margin. That means RCB are in their hometown while being top of the points table with a superb NRR of +2.266.GT, on the other hand, lost their opening match of the season to Punjab Kings by 11 runs, but made up for it by beating Mumbai Indians by 36 runs at home.Gujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Shahrukh Khan, 5 Rahul Tewatia, 6 Arshad Khan, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Mohammed Siraj, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Ishant SharmaRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal

Arsenal summer signing Viktor Gyokeres has impressed since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in a deal which could rise to £64 million, but only in certain Premier League games.

Mikel Arteta’s long wait for a prolific striker was brought to an end by sporting director Andrea Berta in the Italian’s first window at the Emirates, and supporters eagerly awaited the Swede’s debut whilst expecting big things.

Gyokeres bagged an unbelievable 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting before his switch to north London – spearheading the Primeira Liga champions to a domestic double last season – and Arteta is hoping his new number nine can replicate those heroics on British shores.

Despite Arteta’s fondness for Benjamin Sesko, who Arsenal tried to sign in the summer of 2024 and in January, Berta reportedly swayed Arsenal chiefs into moving for Gyokeres instead (The Athletic).

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£5m

Martin Zubimendi

£60m

Christian Norgaard

£15m

Noni Madueke

£52m

Cristhian Mosquera

£13m

Viktor Gyokeres

£55m

Eberechi Eze

£67.5m

Piero Hincapie

Loan

Thus far, the signs have been fairly promising, but some criticism has surrounded Gyokeres’ lacklustre link-up play compared to the likes of Liverpool star Alexander Isak, who was also once a “dream” target for Arteta.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville also believes that Gyokeres won’t be a big-game player for Arsenal, with the 27-year-old failing to make an impact against both Man United and Liverpool this season.

His goals so far have come in a 5-0 win over Leeds United, and most recently, the Gunners’ 3-0 dispatching of Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest last Saturday.

Troy Deeney tips Arsenal to replace Viktor Gyokeres with Kai Havertz

Once £280,000-per-week star Kai Havertz is back from injury, talkSPORT pundit Troy Deeney is convinced that Arteta will bench Gyokeres for the big games in favour of their versatile German.

Football is often reactionary at the best of times, and we believe that Gyokeres simply needs more time to settle in Europe’s most competitive division.

Viktor Gyokeres to deliver on big stage for Arsenal in time

The striker’s lack of impact against Man United and Liverpool is a concern, but that could simply be put down to Gyokeres finding his feet at brand-new club amid plenty of pressure to deliver.

At Sporting CP last season, the Swede produced 54 goals and 13 assists across competitions, thriving under the pressure of title races and European nights. His record shows he doesn’t just score against weaker opposition, either.

Gyokeres regularly delivered goals or assists in decisive matches, including against Porto and Benfica, where his work rate, strength, and ability to lead the line stood out.

His six goals in eight Champions League games for Sporting last season, including a stunning hat-trick against Man City, also work wonders to highlight that Gyokeres can indeed deliver on the biggest occasions.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has been questioned about Kobbie Mainoo’s lack of game time in the Premier League so far this season.

The England international only played 45 minutes of football across the first three matches, and was an unused substitute in the first two games, playing the second half against Burnley.

Amorim has explained, in the quotes above, that the central midfielder is competing with the captain, Bruno Fernandes, for a starting berth in the team, which seems like a bit of a waste of talent when you consider that he is one of the most valuable players in the squad.

Where Mainoo ranks among Man Utd's most valuable players

Mainoo is currently valued at £43m by Transfermarkt, having come through the academy system at Carrington, but finds himself out of the picture at Old Trafford, when it comes to making the starting line-up.

It feels like a waste to have such a valuable and promising young talent rotting away on the bench, particularly when the system – a 3-4-2-1 formation – keeping him out of the side has yielded eight wins in 30 Premier League games under Amorim.

Benjamin Sesko

£60m

Matheus Cunha

£52m

Bryan Mbeumo

£48m

Leny Yoro

£48m

Kobbie Mainoo

£43m

Bruno Fernandes

£43m

Amad Diallo

£39m

Manuel Ugarte

£39m

Lisandro Martinez

£35m

Matthijs de Ligt

£33m

As you can see in the table above, only four other players in the squad are more valuable than Mainoo. Three of them, Yoro, Mbeumo, and Cunha, are locked in starters, and Sesko may be a starter once he is up to speed.

Whilst it is a shame that the England international cannot get into the starting XI at the moment, United also had a nightmare with another academy graduate midfielder who is now valued as much as Mainoo, Scott McTominay.

Man Utd's Scott McTominay howler

The Scotland international came through the youth ranks at Carrington, just like Mainoo, and racked up 29 goals in 255 matches for the first-team in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

He had shown some very promising signs throughout his time in the senior side. Gary Neville claimed that he “turned into Paul Scholes and Roy Keane” after scoring twice in a Premier League game against Leeds, for example.

Last summer, however, Erik ten Hag decided to part ways with McTominay and sanctioned a £25m transfer to Italian giants Napoli. It is fair to say that the decision has turned out to be a poorly-judged one.

Manchester United replaced him by agreeing a deal worth up to £50.5m to sign Manuel Ugarte from Sporting, and the two players have had hugely contrasting fortunes since those two transfers.

As you can see in the graphic above, McTominay has delivered 20 goals and assists combined for Napoli, helping them to win the Serie A title last season.

The 28-year-old star won the Serie A Player of the Year award and his Transfermarkt value has shot up to £43m as a result of his exceptional performances, taking him on par with Mainoo and significantly higher than the £25m fee that Napoli paid for him.

Meanwhile, Ugarte delivered one goal and two assists in 29 appearances in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore, and has not started a single game in the current campaign.

At the time of writing, the Uruguay international’s Transfermarkt value is £39m, which is less than McTominay’s and far less than the £50.5m deal that was agreed for him last summer.

This shows that United had a howler last summer because they essentially swapped McTominay for Ugarte in the middle of the park, and are worse off for it at this moment in time given how the two players have performed and how their values have changed.

Amorim can revive Mainoo by binning £150k-p/w flop in Man Utd system switch

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim can revive Kobbie Mainoo by changing his formation.

ByDan Emery Sep 7, 2025

Manchester United, as evidenced by his form for Napoli, did not get the best out of McTominay, and they must now avoid repeating the same mistake with Mainoo by leaving him on the bench and in a set-up that seemingly does not suit him.