Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier was included in Sarina Wiegman's latest England squad on Tuesday. But while there is a gaping long-term hole in the centre of the Lionesses' defence after Millie Bright's international retirement, Wiegman is still insistent on using Le Tissier in a different position, much to the annoyance of her club's social media team.

Wiegman: Le Tissier's first position is right-back

Bright's decision to end her international career, combined with Leah Williamson's current injury absence, means there is a void that need filling in England's defensive ranks. Left-sided Alex Greenwood is the most senior available centre-back in the squad ahead of upcoming 'homecoming' friendlies against Brazil and Australia, but the right-sided position is up for grabs. Yet, despite Le Tissier's outstanding club form for Manchester United, Wiegman is still reluctant to consider her, primarily viewing the Guernsey-born star as a right-back instead of a central defender.

The boss reiterated that stance when speaking to the press after the October squad was named.

"She plays centre-back every single game and has good performances, but for us her first position is still as a right full-back. But we also know she can play centre-back," Wiegman reasoned, a response that served to raise more than a few eyebrows.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWiegman's view on Le Tissier 'baffling'

Last season, the defence that Le Tissier led from the right-sided centre-back role kept 13 clean sheets in 22 WSL goals and conceded just 10 times through the first 20 league fixtures. Her efforts were rewarded with a place in 2024-25 PFA Team of the Year, next to Bright. So far in 2025-26, United have the joint meanest defence in the WSL (three goals conceded in six games) alongside Chelsea. It's also already been seven clean sheets from 11 games across all competitions.

Women's football reporter for Tom Garry expressed confusion on X with regard to Wiegman's comments: "Given that Maya Le Tissier has made 72 consecutive starts at centre-back for Manchester United, this idea that full-back is her 'first position' doesn't really make sense to me."

Kathryn Batte noted a prominent former player's similar struggles to convince Wiegman to use her in her favoured position: "Rachel Daly had a fine England career playing mostly in a position that was not her first choice and I admire Maya Le Tissier for just getting on with it. If she doesn't get a chance at CB in friendlies and when there's injuries I’m not sure if she ever will (under Wiegman)."

Influential fan podcaster Conner Roberts said: "Sarina is clearly an exceptional coach but this reasoning always baffles me…this notion that she's a right-back doesn't [hold] water to me either because Sarina doesn't use Maya as the back up right-back to Lucy Bronze, it's been Niamh Charles who comes on."

Man Utd hit back with tweet

Manchester United's social media team sought to remind everyone the position in which Le Tissier has thrived since joining the club in the summer of 2022. She had primarily played as a right-back for former side Brighton & Hove Albion, but was immediately utilised in the centre of defence by manager Marc Skinner, who has since made her Red Devils captain, upon moving to Manchester.

A pointed X post from the team's official account read: "Maya Le Tissier has started 104 games for United. 103 of them have been at centre-back."

The one outlier was a Women's League Cup group stage clash with Durham in October 2022, when Aissatou Tounkara lined up in the centre of defence next to Millie Turner, leaving Le Tissier to plug a gap caused by usual right-back Ona Batlle suffering a concussion earlier that month.

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Getty Images SportA future England 'stalwart'

Skinner was responsible for permanently repurposing Le Tissier from right-back to centre-back. He was asked about her form after Manchester United won their Women's Champions League opener against Norway's Valerenga recently.

He noted that it wasn't his place to say whether she ought to be a starting centre-back for England, but his enormous admiration for the 23-year-old shone through regardless.

"She is [at the top of her game] and has been for a long time. I know the next question is going to be should she start for England, I'm not here to answer that question, but I start her for a reason – because she’s an incredible footballer and such a driven personality as well," Skinner said.

"When she gets an opportunity, should Sarina see fit for that, she'll be an incredible England stalwart and somebody that will give the country pride."

Florian Wirtz’s record-breaking move to Liverpool has sparked intense scrutiny after a slow start in England. The 22-year-old, hailed as one of Germany’s brightest footballing talents, has yet to score or assist in 10 appearances for the Reds, drawing unfair “flop” labels. But Ilkay Gundogan has leapt to his defence, calling such criticism “completely exaggerated” and insisting that those doubting Wirtz “don’t understand football.”

• A tough start for Florian Wirtz at Liverpool

  When Liverpool secured Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a staggering €133m (£116m/$154m), expectations were sky-high. The 22-year-old was seen as the creative force to reignite the Reds’ attack and a generational successor to the club’s greats. Yet, just 10 games into his Premier League journey, the young midfielder finds himself at the centre of intense criticism for failing to register a single goal or assist.

  This narrative, however, has not gone unnoticed by the football fraternity, particularly by former Germany captain Gundogan, who knows the pressures of English football first-hand after his own Premier League spell with Manchester City. Gundogan, now at Galatasaray, has openly expressed empathy for Wirtz’s situation, condemning the harsh judgment surrounding his Liverpool form and urging fans to look deeper than statistics.

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• Getty
  

  Gundogan explains Wirtz situation rebuffing flop claims

  Having spent seven seasons in England and emerged as one of the most tactically intelligent midfielders in the world, Gundogan understands better than most the weight of expectation that comes with a big transfer.

  "With the high transfer fee for Flo, it was somehow clear that things could get very loud very quickly in England – unfortunately, that's the way the business works these days. It's not Flo's fault that he cost so much. Nevertheless, it's understandable that people expect a lot from him. However, I've read that across all competitions, no Premier League player has created more chances than Flo," Gundogan said in an interview with

  The 34-year-old further added: "I would like to see a bit more in-depth analysis here – and not just focus on the bare assists and goals. Anyone who doesn't see Flo's outstanding quality really doesn't understand much about football. To call it a transfer flop already is completely exaggerated.

  "I'm sure the goals and assists will come very soon – if not in October, then from November onwards. No player or person in this world can completely block out so much noise; it always takes its toll on you. Nevertheless, I believe Flo, as a human being, and given his immense talent, will get through this phase. That would also be extremely important for the German national team. Personally, I don't have many doubts and see it as just a matter of time."

• Slot backs Wirtz to soon turn up for the Reds

  Wirtz’s early struggles are hardly unique in football’s high-pressure environment. Many greats once faced similar doubts before turning their fortunes around. Thierry Henry endured a difficult start at Arsenal before becoming a Premier League icon with 157 goals. Dennis Bergkamp was written off after a goalless streak but later orchestrated Arsenal’s golden era. Even at Liverpool, Mohamed Salah was dismissed as a flop at Chelsea before returning to England to become one of the club’s most prolific scorers. 

  Supporting Wirtz’s case,  Liverpool coach Arne Slot explained that the midfielder has sometimes been deployed in unfamiliar roles, including as a number 10 and on the left wing, which affected his influence. Slot suggested that Wirtz might thrive if given more freedom to cut inside from the left, similar to how he plays under Julian Nagelsmann and former-side Leverkusen. The Reds' coach further acknowledged the challenges Wirtz has faced, pointing out the tough fixtures Liverpool encountered early in the season, including matches against Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal, and Burnley, which made it hard for any player to thrive.

  Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has also backed Wirtz, calling him a “once-in-a-century talent” and emphasising that the ongoing criticism is “a bit exaggerated.”

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  Wirtz isn't fazed by the early criticism

  Wirtz has maintained composure despite the mounting noise around him. Reflecting on his early months at Liverpool, he said: “I know what I can do, and I know that eventually I’ll show it fully on the pitch. So I just stay calm. That’s good advice.”

  Acknowledging the lack of direct goal contributions so far, he added that such phases are part of the game. “Of course, I’d like to have scored or assisted already, but I know that it will come. Sometimes things don’t go your way, but I work every day to improve. I know I can play good football, and it’s just a matter of time.”

  With the majority of the season yet to unfold, Wirtz has ample time on his sleeves to quash the criticism surrounding him and reignite his form with his new club Liverpool.

كشفت صحيفة سبورت الإسبانية، عن بعض التفاصيل الجديدة في مسلسل غضب فينيسيوس جونيور، نجم نادي ريال مدريد، خلال مواجهة فريقه أمام برشلونة يوم أمس الأحد في الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

ريال مدريد حسم كلاسيكو الدوري الإسباني واستطاع أن يقهر غريمه التقليدي برشلونة بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد، ضمن قمة الجولة العاشرة من البطولة المحلية.

وساهم هذا الفوز في تعزيز ريال مدريد لصدارته في الدوري الإسباني، وبفارق خمس نقاط كاملة عن برشلونة صاحب المركز الثاني.

وشهدت هذه المباراة غضبًا كبيرًا من فينيسيوس جونيور، حيث اعترض الدولي البرازيلي وبشدة على استبداله قبل نهاية اللقاء بحوالي 20 دقيقة.

وقرر مدرب ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، سحب فينيسيوس من الملعب ووضع رودريجو جوس بدلًا منه، مما أثار غضب ابن الـ25 عامًا كثيرًا.

اقرأ أيضًا .. آس: صمم على اللعب.. لاعب ريال مدريد خاض كلاسيكو برشلونة وهو مريض للغاية

واعترض فينيسيوس وبشدة على هذا التبديل ورفض مصافحة ألونسو، حيث ذهب اللاعب خارج الملعب مباشرًة قبل أن يعود مرة أخرى للتواجد على دكة البدلاء.

وذكرت الصحيفة، أن عدسات الكاميرا التقطت فينيسيوس وهو يقول “أنا دائمًا! سأغادر الفريق، من الأفضل أن أرحل”.

وعلى الجانب الآخر أفادت الصحيفة، أن ألونسو ظهر بوجه جاد للغاية عندما اعترض فينيسيوس على تبديله، في انتظار باقي تطورات هذا المشهد.

فينيسيوس قدم مباراة رائعة أمام برشلونة وساعد ريال مدريد بشكل واضح على حسم الكلاسيكو في لقاء الأمس، بينما جاء هدفي الميرنجي ضد البارسا عن طريق كل من كيليان مبابي، وجود بيلينجهام.

Despite spending more than £400m in the summer transfer window, Liverpool are now reportedly preparing an aggressive approach to sign another impressive player ahead of Barcelona.

Wirtz knows what he's "capable of" after slow start

For all of Liverpool’s spending, it’s been the old guard maintaining their 100% record at times. Whilst Hugo Ekitike has found his feet right away, Florian Wirtz hasn’t registered a goal involvement since the Community Shield, Milos Kerkez has had weaknesses exposed and Alexander Isak is still getting back to full sharpness.

Out of all those players, Wirtz has arguably received the most criticism. The German become the Premier League’s most expensive player for a brief moment before Isak made his move, but has so far failed to match the physicality of English football.

Glimpses of quality began to emerge against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, but it wasn’t enough to keep his place as Arne Slot dropped his new signing for Alexis Mac Allister in the Merseyside derby. Wirtz, however, is far from worried – telling Sky Germany that he knows what he’s “capable of”.

In the meantime, Liverpool sit five points clear at the top of the Premier League with the only 100% record. If there’s any environment that will gift Wirtz the patience that he needs, it is Anfield and Arne Slot’s side who have remained perfect without his heavy influence.

Even after that slow start, Liverpool are not deterred. In fact, reports are now suggesting that they’re ready to spend big once again on a player who could even combine with Wirtz.

Liverpool planning aggressive Alvarez approach

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now planning an aggressive approach to sign Julian Alvarez and are the best placed side to lure the Atletico Madrid star back to the Premier League ahead of Barcelona.

If Liverpool’s frontline looks dangerous now, then it will look an even greater threat with a player of Alvarez’s quality added. The Argentina international is already a Premier League winner from during his time at Manchester City and has since become Atletico’s leading star.

Appearances

57

Goals

29

Assists

8

With 37 goal involvements in his debut campaign for Atletico, Alvarez proved to be worth every penny of his £81m transfer fee and could soon find himself on the move once again.

Ballon d'Or 2025: Did Mohamed Salah deserve the award ahead of Ousmane Dembele?

European football awaits…

ByTom Cunningham Sep 23, 2025

Diego Simeone will, of course, be desperate to keep hold of his star man. The iconic manager was full of praise for the Liverpool target last season, telling reporters: “Julián is having a great season, we went looking for that player, we need that player, especially at times during the match against Sevilla and today [when] he took on the offensive role. We need those characteristics.”

Toby Roland-Jones struck twice in as many deliveries to boost Middlesex’s push for a first Rothesay County Championship victory of the season against Glamorgan at Lord’s.Trailing by 271, the visitors responded with an opening stand of 93 between Zain ul Hassan and Eddie Byrom, but were pegged back to 148 for 5 when Roland-Jones bowled Colin Ingram and Ben Kellaway with successive balls.However, Kiran Carlson’s defiant unbeaten 54 maintained Glamorgan’s hopes of staving off defeat, guiding his side to 186 for five – a deficit of 85 – at stumps.Middlesex had earlier declared on 470 for 9, although both Leus du Plooy and Ben Geddes missed out on centuries, falling to Kellaway for 89 and 83 respectively as the Glamorgan off-spinner finished with 4 for 61.Du Plooy, who resumed 15 short of a first ton of the campaign, added just another four to his overnight tally before being undone by a ball from Kellaway that pitched and turned to clip his off stump.Geddes was the more fluent of the pair towards the end of their fifth-wicket stand of 131, slashing Timm van der Gugten twice to the third man fence as he advanced to within sight of his maiden century in Middlesex colours.But Geddes became stuck in a rut, surrendering his wicket to Kellaway with a loose drive that sailed straight to short midwicket before Jack Davies, slog-sweeping the spinner, picked out Byrom diving to his left.Roland-Jones restored some momentum to the innings with a pugnacious 31 from 27 balls, launching Kellaway for a straight six and clubbing Ned Leonard for a trio of boundaries in his first over of the morning.Leonard had the final say by collecting Roland-Jones’ wicket, with Chris Cooke soaring to his right for an outstanding one-handed catch off the outside edge, then adding a stumping to dismiss Zafar Gohar in Kellaway’s next over.However, there was to be no five-wicket haul for Kellaway, bowling unchanged from the Nursery End, as Middlesex declared following a few lively blows by Dane Paterson in order to put their opponents in again before lunch.While the seamers beat the bat several times on either side of the interval, they could not find a way through – although there was a let-off for Byrom with five to his name, steering Roland-Jones to second slip only for the chance to go begging.Byrom capitalised, dispatching successive Ryan Higgins deliveries to the leg-side rope and pummelling a Henry Brookes half-volley through the covers for four more while his partner also found ways to keep the scoreboard moving along.With half-centuries firmly in their sights, though, the opening pair departed in successive overs as Byrom top-edged a sweep off Gohar to backward square and Higgins, who had just switched ends, had ul-Hassan caught behind.That double success galvanised the home side, who struck again shortly after tea when Paterson nipped a ball away to pin Sam Northeast leg before – although height could well have saved the Glamorgan captain on another day.Paterson’s swing continued to cause problems for the batters, with Ingram very much in survival mode and Carlson edging a ball that dropped fractionally short of slip’s outstretched hands.But the Glamorgan pair added 40 before Roland-Jones brought himself back on to break the partnership, knocking back Ingram’s off stump and then dismissing Kellaway, who played on first ball.Carlson continued the battle, bringing up his half-century from 84 deliveries, while Cooke remained alongside him on 16 when deteriorating light prompted the umpires to halt play five overs before the scheduled close.

Arne Slot has built on the successful era under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool incredibly well, winning the Premier League in his first year in charge.

In the summer of 2025, FSG also splashed the cash, spending more than £400m on the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

The Reds currently have an annual payroll of £154,440,000 and pay out just under £3m per week. We have ranked every Liverpool player in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025-26 season, with the help of Capology.

1

Mohamed Salah

£400,000

£20,800,000

2

Virgil Van Dijk

£350,000

£18,200,000

3

Alexander Isak

£280,000

£14,560,000

4

Hugo Ekitike

£200,000

£10,400,000

5

Florian Wirtz

£195,000

£10,140,000

6

Andrew Robertson

£160,000

£8,320,000

=7

Alexis Mac Allister

£150,000

£7,800,000

=7

Alisson

£150,000

£7,800,000

=7

Ryan Gravenberch

£150,000

£7,800,000

=7

Federico Chiesa

£150,000

£7,800,000

=11

Dominik Szoboszlai

£120,000

£6,240,000

=11

Cody Gakpo

£120,000

£6,240,000

13

Jeremie Frimpong

£100,000

£5,200,000

=14

Joe Gomez

£85,000

£4,420,000

=14

Giorgi Mamardashvili

£85,000

£4,420,000

16

Conor Bradley

£75,000

£3,900,000

17

Ibrahima Konate

£70,000

£3,640,000

18

Wataru Endo

£50,000

£2,600,000

19

Stefan Bajcetic

£40,000

£2,080,000

=20

Curtis Jones

£15,000

£780,000

=20

Calvin Ramsay

£15,000

£780,000

22

Rhys Williams

£10,000

£520,000

Here are the top 10 Liverpool earners… 10 Federico Chiesa £150,000 per week

One of four players on £150,000 per week is forward Federico Chiesa. The Italy international arrived in Slot’s first transfer window in charge after being made surplus to requirements at Juventus.

A pacey wide man who can also occupy a central role when required, Chiesa has struggled to break into the starting XI but has become a fan favourite.

9 Ryan Gravenberch £150,000 per week

Ryan Gravenberch arrived at Liverpool from Ajax in 2023 and had to remain patient to find a permanent role in the starting line-up during his first season with the club.

Under Slot, Gravenberch has been transformed into the club’s new No.6 and may well be used there for the foreseeable future, with his Anfield deal expiring in 2028.

8 Alisson £150,000 per week

The arrival of goalkeeper Alisson from AS Roma back in 2018 helped transform the Reds under Klopp, with the Brazilian being an ever-present figure during his six-year stay so far.

In total, Alisson has made more than 300 appearances for Liverpool and has kept more than 125 clean sheets.

7 Alexis Mac Allister £150,000 per week

Liverpool picked up the services of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023 after his impressive three years on the south coast.

The Argentine’s current agreement with the Reds is for another three years.

6 Andrew Robertson £160,000 per week

One of the best value-for-money signings in Liverpool’s recent history has to be Andrew Robertson, who cost the Reds just £8m from Hull City in 2017.

The Scot is now into his 30s, though, and with his contract expiring in 2026, Liverpool may soon be without their iconic left-back.

5 Florian Wirtz £195,000 per week

Costing a whopping £116m from Bayer Leverkusen, Florian Wirtz was Liverpool’s record signing for a matter of months.

The attacking midfielder signed a deal worth more than £10m a season and will look to star at Anfield over the next five years.

4 Hugo Ekitike £200,000 per week

Hugo Ekitike was one of two star strikers to sign for Liverpool in 2025, with the Reds paying Frankfurt an initial £69m for the French forward.

He scored on his debut at Wembley in the Community Shield and also netted the first goal of the 2025/26 Premier League season. Ekitike is on £10.4m per season on Merseyside.

3 Alexander Isak £280,000 per week

In what was the transfer saga of 2025, Liverpool eventually splashed the cash on Alexander Isak for a British record £125m.

The forward went on strike at Newcastle to push through a deadline day move to Anfield, penning a six-year contract where he is set to earn a total of £87m.

2 Virgil Van Dijk £350,000 per week

Centre-back Virgil Van Dijk was signed for an eye-catching £75m fee from Southampton in 2018, a figure which some were shocked by at the time.

However, since then, Van Dijk has comfortably repaid the faith shown in him by the Reds, starring at the back at Anfield and winning numerous trophies. His current deal through until 2027 was signed in 2025.

1 Mohamed Salah £400,000 per week

Like Van Dijk, star attacker Mohamed Salah also signed a new two-year deal in 2025. The Egyptian King has helped turn the Reds into Premier League and Champions League winners, becoming a Liverpool legend in the process.

During his eight-year stay, Salah has made more than 400 appearances, scoring over 240 goals.

“That yorker he bowled to Washington Sundar, you just don’t bowl a better ball than that”

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-20252:13

Moody: Ridiculous how far ahead of the rest Bumrah is

“He’s like an antidote, a vaccine that can cure any illness, which a bowling side can have.”That’s Varun Aaron describing Jasprit Bumrah after the Mumbai Indians (MI) seamer produced figures of 1 for 27 in his team’s win against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2025 Eliminator. Bumrah conceded only 6.75 per over in a game where the run rate across 40 overs was 11.20.”If you want wickets, he comes and gets you wickets. If you want to stop runs, he stops runs for you. Man, what a bowler,” Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out. “And the belief he has in his ability. You have an international coach [Mahela Jayawardene] who is obviously panicking because his bowlers have suddenly started to go to the cleaners, and he just turns around and is like ‘just calm down, I’ll do the job for you’. Comes in, runs in, gets hit for a six and then gets .”Related

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The ball Aaron was talking about was the yorker Bumrah produced in the 14th over of the chase to flatten Washington Sundar’s leg stump and leave him face-down on the floor. At the time, Washington was well-set on a 23-ball 48 and, in B Sai Sudharsan’s company, on course to chase 229 down. But the dismissal, in a four-run over, made GT’s chances of a win plummet from 41.82% to 23.31% on ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster. Apart from being a contender for ball of the tournament, it was a moment from which GT never really recovered.”For him to bowl from that angle is really difficult,” Aaron said. “It’s easier for him to go wide to a left-hand batter but for him to actually target that leg stump of Washington Sundar… Washy was setting up for something wide or something in his arc, but that was just impossible to negotiate.”4:00

How should a batter face Bumrah?

Bumrah’s latest spell left him at the top of the charts for best economy and best average in IPL 2025 (min. five overs). Despite playing four games fewer than the rest of his MI team-mates, he is No. 6 on the wicket-takers’ chart too.While Hardik Pandya called him a “luxury” at the post-match chat on Friday evening, Tom Moody opted for “pure class”.”The challenge every opposition has to Mumbai Indians, and Jasprit Bumrah more importantly, is that the 24 balls he bowls are such a threat,” Moody said. “It’s not impossible but it’s so difficult to get big overs against him. So you’re really playing 20 overs versus 16 to a certain extent. And he is so far ahead of the rest, it’s ridiculous.”The thing with Bumrah is that he’s got that genuine wicket-taking ability just through his pure class. That yorker he bowled to Washington Sundar, you just don’t bowl a better ball than that. That is the absolute perfect leg-stump yorker that’s gone between his legs. At pace. To a batter that’s in. Set.”You see that quite often with a new batter because they still haven’t picked up the pace of the game. This is a batter that’s in and he’s going at 200 strike rate. It just totally blew him away.”

When it comes to the best academies in world football, Arsenal’s Hale End has to rank right up there.

The North Londoners have a proud history of producing some genuine world-beaters like Tony Adams, Ashley Cole and David Rocastle.

This incredible conveyor belt of talent has continued into the present with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri, and Myles Lewis-Skelly all first-team regulars.

Unfortunately, with so many incredible players coming through the system, Arsenal are bound to let some slip through the gaps, which is what happened with Harry Kane.

Worse yet, another star who left the club under Mikel Arteta has recently been compared to the England captain.

Youngsters Arsenal let slip through the gaps

Before getting to Kane, it’s worth looking at a couple of the other youngsters Arsenal let slip through their fingers, like Michael Olise.

Yes, while it’s not as widely known, before he spent time in the academies of Chelsea, Manchester City and Reading, the French superstar spent time with the Gunners.

The only saving grace here is that his potential return to Stamford Bridge a couple of years ago fell apart, as his incredible output of 24 goals and 25 assists for Bayern Munich could have seen the Blues become a genuine title rival.

Sticking with Bayern players, and another youngster the Gunners should have kept hold of was Serge Gnabry.

Now, the German did make it out of Hale End, and even played some games under Arsène Wenger, but following a poor loan move to West Bromwich Albion, the North Londoners sold him to Werder Bremen for around £5m.

This was a huge mistake, as just a year later the Bavarian behemoths came in for him and, following another year out on loan, he would go on to become a serious star for them, racking up 159 goal involvements in 291 games.

Finally, the most infamous example of Arsenal releasing a player too young is the now legendary Kane, who was let go at just 12 years old due to concerns that he simply wasn’t good enough.

Since then, the England captain has made the Gunners regret that decision time after time, with an outrageous tally of 402 goals and 108 assists in 616 games.

Moreover, his record against the North Londoners is outrageous, with him scoring 15 goals and providing two assists in just 21 appearances.

In short, Arsenal got it wrong when it came to Kane, and now, a player who left under Arteta has since been compared to him.

The former Arsenal star compared to Kane

When thinking of former Arsenal players who could have been compared to Kane, your mind might immediately go to someone who was prolific for the club, like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

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However, instead of the Gabonese phenom, the player in question is his former striker partner, Alexandre Lacazette.

Yes, while it might be somewhat surprising, the 34-year-old is the forward who has been compared to the Bayern ace, and it stems from FBref.

They compare players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then create a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, have concluded that the Englishman was the fifth most similar forward to the Frenchman over the last 365 days – before his move to NEOM SC in the Saudi Pro League.

We can gain a better understanding of just how this conclusion was reached by examining some of the underlying numbers in which the pair ranked closely.

Lacazette & Kane
Statistics per 90	Lacazette	Kane
Non-Penalty Expected Goals	0.51	0.50
Progressive Carries	1.05	1.09
Goals per Shot	0.19	0.16
Expected Assists	0.21	0.21
Live Passes	22.4	23.4
Blocks	0.57	0.60
Carries	18.3	19.4
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

These include metrics such as, but not limited to, progressive carries, goals per shot, expected non-penalty goals, blocks, expected assists and more, all per 90.

Now, nobody would try to claim that the former Gunners ace, who left the club for nothing in 2022, is as good a player as the former Spurs star.

However, on top of the statistical similarities, he enjoyed something of a career revival upon his return to France, and before he left for Saudi Arabia.

For example, in his first season back with Lyon, the dangerous “goal machine,” as dubbed by former teammate Sokratis, scored 31 goals and provided six assists in 39 games, which he then followed up with 22 goals and five assists in 35 games the season after, before racking up 19 goals and three assists in 42 games last year.

Ultimately, it was probably right to let Lacazette leave when he did, but we can’t help but wonder if Arteta and Co wish they had kept hold of him for just a season or two longer, given his form over the last few years.

Arsenal fans gave £60m ace the Madueke treatment all summer, now he's set to star

The Arsenal star could be in for a career revival this season.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 19, 2025

The Manchester Derby may have lost its sense of glitz and glamour in recent years, not least for those of a Manchester United persuasion, although this is a fixture that has often provided a headline-grabbing moment.

Be it the image of Michael Owen tearing away in celebration, with a furious Mark Hughes watching on from the touchline. Be it Paul Scholes’ last-gasp header – and that subsequent Gary Neville kiss.

Be it even Amad Diallo lofting the ball over Ederson before squeezing home from the angle last season, sparking a rare highlight in an otherwise dour tenure for manager Ruben Amorim.

The Portuguese coach – who has lost just once in five meetings with Pep Guardiola – is in need of similar magic on Sunday afternoon. That said, the Red Devils head to the Etihad to face a Manchester City side who are actually below them in the Premier League table.

The hosts are amid something of an injury crisis, although United have issues of their own…

Latest Man Utd team news

How do you solve a problem like Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount?

Yes, Amorim confirmed the frustrating news on Friday afternoon that both men will be absent for Sunday’s tussle, albeit while having failed to provide an update on just when the pair can be expected to return to action.

In the case of Cunha, the Brazilian was forced off on the hour mark in the most recent 3-2 win over Burnley, appearing to pull his hamstring just days after playing the full 90 minutes in the drab penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby.

The other part of a fluid forward line in the early weeks of the season, excluding fellow new recruit Bryan Mbeumo, had been Mount, with the Englishman notably starting the first three league games of the campaign. For context, he started just eight top-flight games in total last term, and only five the year prior.

Unfortunately for United’s number seven, he too was withdrawn against the Clarets in what looked to be a cautionary move, although the news of his confirmed absence marks yet another setback in his stop-start Old Trafford career. Indeed, it was the Etihad which halted his early progress under Amorim back in December.

Usual ever-present Diogo Dalot has also been ruled out after sustaining a muscular injury during the international break, yet the major concern is likely to be how to reconfigure the forward line in Cunha and Mount’s absence.

How Amorim can replace Cunha and Mount

With Dalot forced to watch on from the sidelines, the expectation would be for Patrick Dorgu to slot in at left wing-back, while a decision will need to be made on either the returning Noussair Mazraoui or the aforementioned Amad on the opposite flank.

Chalkboard

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

The sensible selection might well be to propel the Ivorian speedster back into the forward line, having thus far looked somewhat uncomfortable operating as a right-wing back.

Indeed, both he and Mbeumo have looked to operate in similar areas, a fact showcased none more so than on the opening day against Arsenal, as they got in each other’s way inside the area.

Amorim may be better served utilising Amad as one of the two number tens, with Mbeumo in a false nine role, then leaving the likes of Joshua Zirkzee, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes as an option to fill the remaining void.

Benjamin Sesko, of course, may be in the equation, although with the Slovenian yet to fire in his embryonic United career, it could be viewed as too much of a gamble to unleash him from the off.

GK

Altay Bayindir*

RCB

Leny Yoro

CB

Matthijs de Ligt

LCB

Luke Shaw

RWB

Noussair Mazraoui

CM

Kobbie Mainoo

CM

Casemiro

LWB

Patrick Dorgu

RAM

Amad

LAM

Bruno Fernandes (C)

ST

Bryan Mbeumo

*confirmed to start

The former RB Leipzig man is a risky inclusion, although in Amad, Amorim knows what he’s getting, having seen the best of the diminutive left footer against City last season.

Having first won the penalty after cleverly drawing a foul from Matheus Nunes late on in that 2-1 victory, the £37m signing then produced a moment of magic to complete the comeback, having latched onto Lisandro Martinez’s ball before, well, you know the rest.

Following that statement performance, the 23-year-old drew notable plaudits from a certain Gary Neville watching on, with the United legend even drawing comparisons between the winger and the great Wayne Rooney, due to the pair’s street footballer vibe:

Such praise has also been followed up by Rooney’s former teammate Louis Saha, with the Frenchman noting that Amad has “the same dedication” and “the same desire” as the likes of ‘Wazza’, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs.

Rooney at his pomp was simply a menace in the derby, not just for that overhead kick stunner, having scored 12 times in 31 career meetings with the Etihad side, as per Transfermarkt.

Like a rampaging bull leading the line, the ex-England skipper appeared to relish the big occasion. On the evidence of the last few seasons, so too does Amad.

And so, with the wing-back experiment yet to take off, and with both Cunha and Mount in need of replacing, Amorim surely must turn to the former Atalanta starlet to provide that relentless, Rooney-esque fight from the front.

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Manchester United certainly made some questionable decisions during Erik ten Hag’s tenure.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 12, 2025

West Indies have named a largely unchanged squad for their upcoming ODI series in Ireland and England. Shimron Hetmyer, currently in action at the IPL, is absent from the group that beat Bangladesh 3-0 in December, with Jewel Andrew returning to a 15-man touring party.Shai Hope will captain the side, with Brandon King and Evin Lewis likely to form the opening combination ahead of Keacy Carty at first drop. Shamar Joseph and Matthew Forde are both fit after withdrawing from the Bangladesh series, while Amir Jangoo will hope to win a run in the side after his 79-ball hundred on debut in St Kitts.West Indies will head into the three-match series against Ireland, starting in Dublin on May 21, sitting ninth in the ICC’s ODI rankings after finishing 2024 with series wins over Bangladesh and England, as they push for automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe.Related

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“These matches form a critical component towards the 2027 World Cup and there are signs of the team building consistency following the series sweep against Bangladesh and the win over England late last year,” West Indies head coach Daren Sammy said. “We expect the conditions to be challenging but we are creating a culture and mindset which emphasise playing the brand of cricket that is taking us closer to some of our overall objectives.”West Indies have also made some changes to their backroom staff, with Ravi Rampaul replacing James Franklin as the team’s bowling coach. Former Ireland allrounder Kevin O’Brien will join the coaching team for the Ireland leg of the tour.After three games at Clontarf Cricket Club, West Indies will move on to England for three more ODIs, starting at Edgbaston on May 29. That series will be followed by three T20Is, for which West Indies have yet to confirm their squad.West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (capt), Jewel Andrew, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Amir Jangoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd