Aston Villa are now stepping up their efforts to sign an “incredible” Brazilian, who is set to cost €35m (£30m), according to a report.

Villa eyeing midfielder amid Chelsea's interest in Rogers

Rather than strengthening his squad with new signings, one of Unai Emery’s most important tasks this summer will be to keep hold of his star players, with the likes of Emiliano Martinez, Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers all attracting major interest.

In fact, such is Chelsea’s level of interest in Rogers, they have now submitted a bid for the attacking midfielder, with Nicolas Jackson and Tosin Adarabioyo reportedly being used as makeweights.

The Villans are determined to keep hold of Rogers, however, and they should be in a strong position to keep hold of the 23-year-old, given that he remains under contract until the summer of 2030.

John McGinn has also been attracting attention from elsewhere, with Everton emerging as potential suitors for the Villa captain, but once again Emery is very reluctant to sanction a departure, given the Scot’s importance to his side.

That said, amid interest in both Rogers and McGinn, Aston Villa have now set their sights on a new midfielder, and a report from Fanatik has revealed they are now stepping up their efforts to sign Galatasaray’s Gabriel Sara.

Emery’s side are said to be making a ‘concerted effort’ to get a deal for Sara over the line, but they will have to spend €35m (£30m) to tempt his current employers into a sale, with Galatasaray unwilling to even consider offers below that figure.

Aston Villa join race to sign "top" free agent who held talks with Man Utd

Aston Villa have joined United and Celtic in the race…

ByBrett Worthington Jul 28, 2025

Leeds United are also in the race for the Brazilian’s signature, off the back of an impressive 2024-25 campaign, but Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk strongly believes he will remain at the Turkish club.

"Incredible" Sara could be versatile option for Emery

With Rogers’ future up in the air, it could be important for Emery to bring in a midfielder capable of making a real impact on the front foot, and the former Norwich City man, described as “incredible” and Premier League-ready by U23 scout Antonio Mango, certainly fits the bill in that regard.

During the 2023-24 Championship campaign, the maestro amassed 13 goals and 12 assists in 46 games for the Canaries, while he also picked up 11 goal contributions for Galatasaray during his debut campaign in Turkey.

The 26-year-old is also capable of playing in a deeper role, however, catching the eye with both his dribbling ability and some of his defensive showings over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Progressive carries

2.66 (94th percentile)

Successful take-ons

1.27 (91st percentile)

Interceptions

1.27 (74th percentile)

Blocks

1.74 (90th percentile)

Sara is clearly a very well-rounded midfielder, who could make a real impact at Villa Park, so it may be worth forking out the £30m asking price.

As The Friedkin Group look to kick on with their £150m spending spree, Everton have reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive winger who scored 33 goals last season.

Friedkin planning £150m spending spree

After already signing Thierno Barry, Mark Travers and Carlos Alcaraz, Friedkin are reportedly looking to make further statements this summer by completing a £150m spending spree. As part of that spree, David Moyes wants to sign a new right-back, a new No.6 to replace Abdoulaye Doucoure, a No.8 and a right-winger ahead of next season.

To that end, there are already several targets who could fulfill that quota. James McAtee reportedly remains Everton’s top target this summer and he could solve their No.8 problem. Meanwhile, an offer has reportedly been made to sign Juventus’ defensive midfielder, Douglas Luiz in what would be an excellent addition.

That would instantly be two tasks ticked off the list for the Toffees and two ideal additions. McAtee, in particular, would be one to watch after he showed glimpses of his talent at Manchester City even as he was denied consistent opportunities last season.

Earning the praise of Pep Guardiola when he did feature, the City boss told reporters after the young midfielder scored a hat-trick against Salford City: “I am so happy for him, he is a special player. A hat trick is not easy. He has an incredible sense in front of goal, he has the right tempo, he changed the rhythm to score and I am very happy for him.”

After potentially ending their midfield search, meanwhile, Friedkin could yet welcome their most impressive signing yet in the form of a clinical winger.

Everton enter race to sign Daizen Maeda

According to TeamTalk, Everton have now entered the race to sign Daizen Maeda from Celtic alongside Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford and West Ham United this summer. Whilst the Japan international won’t come cheap at £25m, his numbers suggest that such a fee could quickly prove to be an impressive bargain.

Appearances

51

Goals

33

Assists

12

With 33 goals to his name in all competitions as Celtic strolled towards another Scottish Premiership, it’s no surprise that Maeda found himself at the centre of praise.

Brendan Rodgers told reporters when asked about the winger: “If you are a young player coming through and want to give your honesty to the game, work, intensity and everything. No cheating, no nothing – even away at St Mirren, the penalty we got last week he tried to stay on his feet – he’s so honest to the game. Natural isn’t it? He’s been absolutely brilliant.”

Everton bang in the race to sign "terrific" star who Moyes personally wants

He’s on the move this summer.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 18, 2025

Maeda has the quality for the Premier League, there’s no doubting that, and Everton should do everything to land his signature this summer.

In desperate need of a result following an innings defeat in the first Test, Pakistan have seemingly had a complete change of heart on the sort of pitches they want at home, and opted to use the same one from the first Test. To that end, they have lined up with three spinners, with seam-bowling allrounder Aamer Jamal the only pace outlet.According to assistant coach Azhar Mahmood, though, this is precisely how Pakistan had planned it all along.”We had a clear plan of what pitches to prepare for Bangladesh, and what to prepare vs England,” he said on Tuesday. “Our approach was pace wickets against Bangladesh and spin pitches against England. Our instruction to the curator for the first Test was that the ball should spin after the second day. But the pitch didn’t take turn until even the fifth day. Hopefully the ball will begin to take turn on the ninth day.”Related

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If the expectation was that the pitch would take turn from the second day in the first Test, Pakistan’s line-up did not necessarily reflect that. Legspinner Abrar Ahmed was the only specialist spinner in the XI, with Pakistan lining up with Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi and Jamal to round the attack out. Now, unless one of the part-timers are thrown the ball, it will be the first time Pakistan play a men’s Test with only one quick bowler.It wasn’t an attack that left the Test with its reputation enhanced. England piled out 823 for 7, the highest score Pakistan have ever conceded. Captain Shan Masood was critical of the bowlers, and the focus has shifted to finding a way to take 20 wickets by any means necessary.”You have to take 20 wickets,” Mahmood said. “We thought about how we’re going to take those. We thought that if we use that pitch, the thinking was how do we take 20 wickets against England and we thought spin was the way to do it.”The players who are coming in are experienced. They are all experienced and have been playing first-class cricket for a while. The best option is to play players at home on pitches they are used to, so I don’t think there’ll be that much pressure on that.”While each of the incoming spinners – Zahid Mahmood, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan – have accumulated plenty of first-class experience over the years, none of it has been particularly recent. The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy season hasn’t started yet, meaning these players’ last red-ball involvement was in the previous season – none of them have played a first-class match since January this year. Thrown in against an England side that broke a multitude of records on this very pitch last week, it is not a particularly gentle easing in.Mahmood also attempted to downplay all the changes from the first Test, particularly the leaving out of Babar Azam, which he insisted was “rest” rather than “drop”.”Babar is our No. 1 player in terms if technique and ability,” he said. “Pakistan has so much cricket coming that the selection committee decided to give Babar a rest, because Pakistan have to go to Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.Jason Gillespie and Azhar Mahmood hatch their plans•Getty Images

“We need to take advantage of our conditions. We announced the team for one Test match because we knew we would have changes. After this we’re flying to Australia to play white-ball cricket. We knew we’d have to rest Shaheen and other important players because we have non-stop cricket for the next six months.”There may be some scepticism towards Mahmood’s reasoning. None of the upcoming white-ball tours are as significant for Pakistan as a three-match home Test series against England. This is arguably the biggest series for Pakistan in this current season, and there will invariably be questions about why the upcoming white-ball series couldn’t serve as a more appropriate avenue for rotation.Fielding three spinners in addition to Salman Agha, who Mahmood said in August was a “specialist spinner”, requires a certain degree of confidence that the pitch will take turn. “We left a lot of grass on the pitches and wanted the ball to turn to use the pitch in our favour. Let’s see if it works for us.”

Manchester United’s transfer window has already been a huge success, with Ruben Amorim making key additions to help him in his quest for success at Old Trafford.

He’s already landed Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, costing a staggering £62.5m but massively bolstering the number ten position within the first-team squad.

Bryan Mbeumo also made the move to join the Red Devils, also costing a pretty penny, with the hierarchy forking out a whopping £71m to lure him away from Brentford.

Whilst the pair have already set the club back over £130m this summer, they will offer that creative spark Amorim’s side have been missing, notching 35 combined Premier League goals between them last season.

However, their big-money window also looks set to continue with a couple of weeks remaining, targeting multiple talents who would further improve the club’s chance of success in the near future.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Benjamin Sesko looks to be United’s latest addition this summer, after the club made a £74m offer for the RB Leipzig striker in the last 24 hours – a figure that could be enough to land his signature.

Newcastle United have also submitted a bid for the Slovenian international, but the latest reports suggest that the player himself is favouring a move to Old Trafford over a switch to St James’ Park.

However, he’s not the only player currently in their sights, with Juventus star Douglas Luiz a player appearing on their radar, according to Football Insider.

Their report claims that the Red Devils have entered talks with the Serie A side over a move for the Brazilian, who’s been allowed to depart the club less than 12 months after joining.

It also states that West Ham United, Everton and Nottingham Forest are also in the race for his signature, leading to a loan with an obligation to buy being mooted for the 27-year-old.

Why United’s latest target would be perfect for Mbeumo & Cunha

Given United’s measly Premier League tally of just 44 goals last season, it’s evident that the side desperately needed added reinforcements in the final third – something which the hierarchy have evidently done this window.

The aforementioned duo of Cunha and Mbeumo’s tally of 35 goals would’ve equated to 80% of the side’s tally, highlighting the added threat the Red Devils will possess in 2025/26.

However, they will need ammunition if they are to succeed in their first season at the club, with Bruno Fernandes likely to be the main candidate based on the previous campaign.

The Portuguese international notched 18 assists across all competitions last season, but he could be joined by Luiz in his quest to provide his teammates with chances in the final third.

Whilst he only managed 27 appearances for the Old Lady last season, the former Aston Villa star still managed to thrive with the ball at his feet, making him an excellent deep-lying option in Amorim’s system.

His talent on the ball could provide the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo with added chances for success in front of goal, whilst also being an excellent buy given his previous five-year spell at Aston Villa in England’s top-flight.

Luiz, who’s been labelled “world-class” by analyst Adam Gilks, registered an 87% pass completion rate, whilst making 2.6 key passes per 90 – ranking him within the top 1% of all players in Serie A last campaign.

Games played

19

Minutes played

516

Pass accuracy

87%

Progressive passes

6.1

Progressive carries

2.7

Key passes made

2.6

Passes into final third

3.2

Tackles won

1.4

% of tackles won

67%

Such tallies would be perfect for those ahead of him, with his figure of 6.1 progressive passes and 3.2 passes into the final third per 90 further highlighting his creative ability, which would massively aid the new additions in attacking areas.

Out of possession, the Brazilian has been just as impressive, winning 1.4 tackles per 90 at a success rate of 67%, handing the side the needed defensive talent at the heart of the side.

Any move for Luiz this summer would be an excellent piece of business, offering Amorim with the perfect box-to-box option in midfield, subsequently able to have the tools to impress at both ends of the pitch.

If he can carry his creativity over with him from Italy, he can help his fellow new additions to thrive during their first year in Manchester, which could allow the side to rise up the table throughout 2025/26.

The next Bruno: Man Utd readying bid for "outstanding" talent after Sesko

Manchester United’s activity this window is showing no signs after making their move for Benjamin Sesko.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 6, 2025

Newcastle United are now believed to have made contact over the signing of an “efficient” attacking player, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

Newcastle continue to eye attacking signings

Eddie Howe knows the importance of adding attacking firepower to his squad this summer after a move for winger Anthony Elanga, regardless of whether star striker Alexander Isak stays put at the club or not.

One rumoured option for Newcastle is Nice attacker Evann Guessand, with club scouts reportedly sent to watch him in action during the past year or so. He is capable of shining in both a central and wide attacking role, which could appeal.

Meanwhile, the Magpies are said to be preparing to make a move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, which would be a major statement of intent. The former Manchester City star would surely only arrive if Isak leaves, though, with Howe likely to find it hard to fit both players into the same team on a regular basis.

Newcastle’s interest in Brentford ace Yoane Wissa is also reportedly strong, with one update even claiming that they have agreed personal terms with him over a switch to St James’ Park.

Newcastle make contact over signing Spurs target Guessand

Now, according to a new report from Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Newcastle have made contact with Guessand over a summer move to the club.

They haven’t yet opened formal talks with the 24-year-old’s representatives over a transfer, but it looks as though the wheels are in motion. The next few days are said to be key, though, with Tottenham and Villarreal also in the race, however, Spurs’ talks are slowing down which could allow the Magpies to swoop in.

Guessand is a player with so much to offer, so it is no surprise to see Newcastle targeting him, with his versatility in attack an immediate bonus.

The 10-cap Ivory Coast international has 21 goals in 109 appearances for Nice, which is a solid return, but he could be an even more potent player alongside superior players at St James’, having been described as both “electric” and “efficient” by journalist Antonio Mango.

Guessand could come in as ideal cover for Isak, who Newcastle simply must keep hold of, not necessarily always starting matches but proving to be an excellent squad option.

The Magpies are competing in four different competitions in 2025/26, following their return to the Champions League, so added depth is vital, and the Nice attacker has the potential to grow into a brilliant player for Howe.

He's Bruno Guimaraes 2.0: Newcastle considering move to sign £50m "machine"

Newcastle could consider a move for an English midfielder

By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 22, 2025

The fact that he can shine on either flank makes him a great option to have, at a time when a new right-sided signing is vitally important for Newcastle.

However, the rule will be in effect for the next three season in the IPL

PTI14-Oct-20243:35

Should the Impact Player rule stay or go?

The BCCI has decided to scrap the Impact Player rule for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy (SMAT). The rule was introduced in SMAT couple of years ago and was later extended to the Indian Premier League (IPL).”Kindly note that the BCCI has decided to do away with the provision of the ‘Impact Player’ for the ongoing season,” the BCCI informed the state associations on Monday.The BCCI’s decision to do away with the Impact Player comes shortly after they decided to retain it in the IPL for the next three seasons, up to 2027. Since its introduction in the 2023 season, the rule has stirred debate over whether it is indeed beneficial to Indian cricket, which was the original motive, or whether it could be hurting the development of allrounders. Several high-profile players such as Rohit Sharma had expressed concerns over the rule saying it could be detrimental to the development of allrounders.Related

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“I generally feel that it is going to hold back (development of allrounders) because eventually cricket is played by 11 players, not 12 players. I’m not a big fan of impact player. You are taking out so much from the game just to make it little entertainment for the people around,” Rohit had said on the podcast.In May this year, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah had referred the rule as “a test case” in the IPL and that this “is not permanent [but] I am not saying that it will go.”Saurashtra head coach Niraj Odedra welcomed the BCCI’s decision. “It is nice change. Also the ICC doesn’t have this rule in major tournaments So it would be good for cricketers who want to play for India as they graduate from domestic season,” he said.

Ajaz Patel, Daryl Mitchell and Will Young also look back at “dream” 3-0 sweep of India

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2024

“The guys have chipped in at different times, which has been the most important thing” – Tom Latham•BCCI

Captain Tom Latham was “very, very ecstatic” and stated being “a little bit more aggressive with the bat” was one of the reasons behind New Zealand’s historic 3-0 sweep of India, sealed by a 25-run victory in the third Test in Mumbai. That became the first instance of India being whitewashed in a home Test series of at least three games.”We spoke about it after each Test match. We were trying to back it up, and I guess to finally do it here in Mumbai, on a completely different surface, one that would challenge us certainly with bat and ball – yeah, we’re pretty happy,” Latham said at the post-match presentation. “I think just being able to adapt to each ground [gives the most satisfaction].”Latham pointed out to the “all-round, great team effort” which helped New Zealand become the first visiting side to beat India in a series at home in 12 years. While the fast bowlers and Rachin Ravindra set it up in the first Test in Bengaluru, Mitchell Santner’s 13-wicket haul helped then win the series in the second Test in Pune.Related

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“We wanted to come over here and try to fire a few shots… and I certainly think we’ve done that,” Latham said. “We’ve been a little bit more aggressive with the bat, tried to be a little bit more proactive, and again, with the ball, we’ve tried to keep things simple, understand how India play a little bit, and just try to do our best. The guys have chipped in at different times, which has been the most important thing, and really happy to be standing here in this position.”The win in Mumbai, though, saw another different hero in Ajaz Patel, who bagged 11 wickets in the game after managing just four at an average of 49.25 in three innings before on the tour.”Spin bowling’s a little bit about rhythm, and sometimes when you’re in rhythm, it’s about making the most of it,” Ajaz said after picking up the Player-of-the-Match award in Mumbai, the city of his birth. “And when the conditions present themselves to you, you have to take it by the horns and really do something for your team.”In Mumbai, Ajaz followed a haul of 5 for 103 in the first innings with 6 for 57 in the second. On Sunday, he wiped out most of India’s line-up – from Nos. 3 to 8 – and said that the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium didn’t turn as much in the morning session on day three, even though he had already dismissed Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan and Ravindra Jadeja by lunch.Ajaz Patel took 11 wickets in the Mumbai Test•AFP/Getty Images

“In the period after lunch, it started turning a bit more, so that gave me a bit more confidence to toss it up and use my guile and, I guess, my shape in the air,” Ajaz said. “So, yeah, that’s all I tried to do – make sure I keep it simple, use my shape in the air, and then try and be ahead of the batters.”Despite wickets falling around him, Rishabh Pant kept attacking Ajaz from one end. That made Ajaz bowl much quicker to Pant in comparison to the other India batters, as Ajaz thought “outside the box for him a little bit more”.”I knew that if I just bowled good balls to him, he’s probably going to send them out of the park,” Ajaz said. “So I had to make sure I came up with a new plan and something a little bit different, and try and stay ahead of him.”But before Ajaz, Daryl Mitchell had contributed with a solid 82 in New Zealand’s first-innings total of 235 after they had opted to bat. That was Mitchell’s first half-century on this tour where he had not gone past 20 even once in three innings. Runs apart, Mitchell was a permanent presence for the spinners at slip, where he took eight catches across the three Tests.”It’s something you dream of, and to come over here and actually achieve it, it’s pretty special against a world-class Indian team,” Mitchell told the host broadcaster.Daryl Mitchell and Will Young also starred for New Zealand on the India tour•BCCI

New Zealand had landed in India without Kane Williamson, who missed all three Tests due to injury. But his replacement Will Young tallied 244 runs in the series to take home the Player-of-the-Series award. He started with a composed 48* in the chase in Bengaluru, where New Zealand had lost early wickets, and scored twin half-centuries on a tricky track in Mumbai.”I need to trust my defence, and at times, [it’s about] just being really clear on where I wanted to score,” Young said. “And do it for as long as I possibly can… If I know where I want to score and I can trust my defence, it makes the mind a lot clearer.”But it was Mitchell who summed it up succinctly, as New Zealand toasted the series win, not long after the women’s team lifted the T20 World Cup in the UAE last month.”We’re just a bunch of Kiwis taking on the world, and very proud to represent our country,” he said. “We know how good India are – they’ve got a number of world-class players – and for us, it’s just [about] hanging in there, keep doing what Kiwis do, and yeah, very proud of this group today.”

Shahbaz Ahmed waged a battle with the bat in a tall chase but ran out of partners in the end

Himanshu Agrawal11-Dec-2024It was a tale of two birthday boys in Bengaluru. Baroda’s left-arm quick Lukman Meriwala celebrated by nabbing three top-order wickets in the same over, before Bengal allrounder Shahbaz Ahmed kept his side alive with a half-century in the chase of 173. Shahbaz ran out of partners though, and Baroda beat Bengal by 41 runs to book their place in the semi-finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.Bengal were off to a steady start with 28 runs on the board after three overs, before Meriwala’s dream over. He had Karan Lal chopping on for 6, trapped Sudip Kumar Gharami lbw for 2, and took a stunning return catch to dismiss Writtick Chatterjee for a duck.Next over, Atit Sheth added to the damage by having a dangerous-looking Abishek Porel caught at mid-on for 22 off 13 balls. That is when Shahbaz walked out at No. 6, and joined hands with Ritwik Roy Chowdhury. Despite being 31 for 4 in a tall chase, Chowdhury and Shahbaz counterattacked by cracking four boundaries and a six off the first nine balls of their partnership.Shahbaz then swung Sheth for six and also drove him for a boundary in the eighth over, while Chowdhury whacked Hardik Pandya for six over fine leg in the tenth. But next ball, Hardik had Chowdhury caught behind, leaving Bengal at 88 for 5 at the halfway stage, and Shahbaz with too much to do. Although Shahbaz kept losing partners, he smacked 55 off 36 balls with three fours and four sixes before falling to Sheth in the 18th over.The base for Baroda’s total of 172 was laid by their openers Shashwat Rawat and Abhimanyusingh Rajput. They had taken their time to settle in on a slow pitch, with Rajput riding his luck in the powerplay. First, he was dropped on 4 by Chowdhury off Mohammed Shami in the opening over of the game (Shami would finish with the expensive figures of 4-0-43-2). Then, with Rajput on 16, Bengal’s review for a not-out on-field call for lbw off Kanishk Seth returned umpire’s call.Rajput and Rawat upped the rate with 50 runs on the board after the powerplay and all ten wickets intact. Shahbaz was slashed over extra cover for four and reverse swept for six. In the eighth over, Rajput swat-pulled Saksham Choudhary for six over long-on, before Rawat heaved and Rajput slapped Shahbaz for six and four more.Their stand ended on 90 in the tenth over, and that started a phase where Baroda lost 4 for 23 within five overs. But handy cameos from Shivalik Sharma (24 off 17), Bhanu Pania (17 off 11) and Vishnu Solanki (16* off 7) ensured Baroda posted 51 in the last four overs. In the end, the 172 they took their side to proved more than enough.

Manchester United entered the summer transfer window at a crossroads, the latest crossroad in a long, winding line of critical junctures over the past interminable period of too many wrong turns.

But is there hope for the Red Devils? While there have been false dawns across this last decade of misery, INEOS and Ruben Amorim are working in concert to turn things around, and the market business across the past several months bespeaks not only the club’s ambitions but the club’s newfound maturity too.

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha both cost a pretty penny, but the wide forwards have plenty of Premier League experience between them and have each come off the back of first-class campaigns.

Matches (starts)

33 (29)

38 (38)

Goals

15

20

Assists

1.8

7

Shots (on target)*

3.3 (1.3)

2.2 (1.1)

Big chances missed

2

9

Pass completion

79%

74%

Big chances created

13

17

Key passes*

1.8

1.8

Dribbles*

1.8

1.4

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

1.7

Duels won*

5.5

4.7

More importantly, though, neither has yet proven themselves at one of Europe’s elite outfits. Now’s their chance.

After finishing 15th in the Premier League last season and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, turning this ship around was always going to be a big ask, but at this particular crossroads, perhaps the right turn has been taken.

A central striker was also needed, and herein lies the more worrying addition of Benjamin Sesko. However, there’s no denying the 22-year-old is one of the most promising young goal scorers of his generation.

Why Man Utd signed Benjamin Sesko

Two years ago, Man United paid £72m to Atalanta in exchange for up-and-coming centre-forward Rasmus Hojlund. The Danish footballer has since fallen by the wayside and is actively being pushed toward an exit before the transfer deadline.

Sesko has arrived as Hojlund’s replacement, and hopefully an upgrade. He leaves RB Leipzig to join the squad at the Theatre of Dreams, signing for a similarly expensive £74m fee.

While the Slovenian only scored 13 goals from 33 Bundesliga matches last term, his power and pace and potential all suggest that United might have hit the jackpot, with talent scout Jacek Kulig even declaring that United have signed themselves “the new Haaland” for Sesko’s fearsome physicality and playing style.

And with such confident Premier League-proven partners in Cunha and Mbeumo flanking him, Sesko might just be the jackpot signing that has been needed for so long.

However, the Devils aren’t done yet. Indeed, Amorim is hoping to sign one or two more players before the end of the transfer window, and is targeting a Premier League star who has been singled out as the finest player within Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad.

Man Utd launch bid for Premier League star

According to Football Transfers, Manchester United have made an official approach to Crystal Palace for their captain Marc Guehi, who has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Liverpool are the clear frontrunners in the race, with Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur keen too, but United’s exploratory offer, looking to gauge the minutiae of a potential package, suggests there is encouragement that INEOS could pull off something special.

However, the Anfield side are wary about meeting the Eagles’ valuation of at least £40m, and with Steve Parish eager to cash in rather than lose the centre-back for free, the chance is there for United to swoop in and seal a statement signing.

Why Man Utd want Marc Guehi

Crystal Palace signed Guehi from Chelsea for £18m in 2021, and he has since made 132 appearances in the Premier League. Should he be set to leave his current club, he would do so having led them to their first two top titles: the FA Cup and the Community Shield.

He’s the real deal, and, aged 25 and with a wealth of experience in England, would continue that trend of Man United signing from divisional rivals, signing players hungry to work their way to the very top of the game.

Given Guehi’s standing within the English game and the core components deep within his skill set, tailored toward the top end of the defensive ladder, Man United would surely strike gold by sealing this signature, marking an even better signing than Sesko.

Though landing a Hojlund upgrade has been regarded as important for United this summer, so too has addressing the leaky defence, which shipped the ninth-highest number of xG (expected goals) in the league last season (55.1), via FotMob.

That’s not good enough for a team of Man United’s stature, although perhaps to be expected given that they finished 15th.

But Guehi is a “monster in defence”, as said by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, who won 63% of his ground duels in the Premier League last year, via Sofascore.

Moreover, the defender ranks among the top 12% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 2% for through balls per 90, as per FBref, so he has the ball-playing expertise to advance Amorim’s transitional system, picking out promising players, in space, well ahead of him, such is the manager’s expectation of maintaining a high line.

Having established himself as a mainstay for the England international team over the past year, prominent for Gareth Southgate’s last hurrah at EURO 2024, it’s surely a bid worth making. Well, United’s newfound market shrewdness has been ratified, for they have indeed made their first approach.

Analyst Ben Mattinson actually described Guehi as being “England’s best player” following the international campaign.

Ultimately, Man United needed a new striker, and they’ve signed one. But they also need reshaping across the park, and Guehi would provide an instantaneous and dramatic lift to a backline that flattered to deceive last season, whereas the jury is very much out for Sesko, yet to pass his first tests in English football.

Man Utd's new Carrick: INEOS set to make bid for £100m + star this week

Manchester United look ready to splash the cash on a player who possesses shades of Michael Carrick’s assured game.

1 ByKelan Sarson Aug 11, 2025

Adam Hollioake, Surrey’s legendary former captain, has been named as Kent’s new head coach, on a three-year deal that will keep him at Canterbury at least until the end of the 2027 season.He will take over from Matt Walker, who stepped down in September after eight years in the role, with Kent having suffered relegation from Division One of the County Championship, as well as finishing bottom of the South Group of the Vitality Blast.Hollioake, 53, has had limited coaching experience since retiring from playing in 2007, but forged his reputation as an inspirational leader during his time at Surrey, whom he guided to seven trophies, including three County Championships, between 1996 and 2003.He played four Tests for England between 1997 and 1998, as well as 35 ODIs in which his temporary role as captain resulted in a famous tournament victory in Sharjah in 1997-98. His tactical acumen is widely regarded to have been ahead of its time, and he was considered to lead England into the 1999 World Cup, in which he also played.Hollioake’s career was marred by tragedy, when his brother Ben was killed in a car-crash in March 2002, and he drifted away from cricket after retirement. After moving to live in Queensland in 2004, he set up a property company but was soon forced to declare bankruptcy and subsequently forged a brief career as a cage-fighter.Having coached Hong Kong at the 2000 ACC Trophy, he returned to cricket in 2017 as head coach of Boost Defenders in Afghanistan’s Shpageeza Cricket League, a role that he chose to stay on in even after a fatal bomb blast outside the ground in Kabul where his team were playing.This will be Hollioake’s first major head coach role, but he served as an assistant coach at Surrey in 2024, having previously worked as a batting coach for Pakistan, Queensland, and England Lions. He had been lined up by his former Surrey team-mate Graham Thorpe to join the England coaching set-up during the 2021-22 Ashes, but was ruled out after a close contact tested positive for Covid.”I’m honoured to be appointed as the head coach of Kent,” Hollioake said. “It’s an amazing chance for me to work with a great squad of players and to be involved with a county with such a rich history of success.”County Cricket is something that I hold extremely close to my heart, and this is an opportunity that I could not turn down.”Kent’s director of cricket, Simon Cook, said: “Adam has shown throughout his playing and coaching career that he has outstanding leadership qualities and a winning mentality, something that was instrumental in our decision to move in a new direction following our robust and thorough search for a new men’s head coach.”We welcome Adam into the Kent Cricket family and look forward to his leadership of our men’s side going into the new season.”