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Since leaving Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United side, Marcus Rashford and Antony have played important roles for high-performing sides on the European scene.

Rashford hasn’t been at his rip-roaring best with Aston Villa, but the game-changing winger has still played his part for a side that sit on the cusp of a return to the Champions League, victory at Old Trafford this afternoon standing in his way. He’s scored four goals and provided six assists from 17 games for the Villans.

At Real Betis, Antony looks not like a man reborn but a different player altogether. The right-sided forward became something of a whipping boy for his struggles at the Theatre of Dreams after joining from Ajax in an £86m deal, but has hit nine goals and five assists since moving to Spain in January.

However, these aren’t the only former Red Devils, those having toiled in existing memory at Old Trafford, who have been remade elsewhere, with Scott McTominay forging an incredible campaign for himself over in Italy.

Scott McTominay's Serie A season

Less than a year after leaving Man United and joining Napoli in a £25m deal, McTominay has won the Scudetto and been crowned the Serie A MVP.

It’s been quite the year for the Scotland international, who has long played the bit part at Old Trafford but has been reborn as a bona fide superstar in Naples, the architect of their second league title in three years.

24/25 – Napoli

34 (33)

12

6

23/24 – Man Utd

32 (18)

7

1

22/23 – Man Utd

24 (10)

1

0

21/22 – Man Utd

30 (28)

1

1

20/21 – Man Utd

32 (24)

4

1

19/20 – Man Utd

27 (20)

4

1

The 28-year-old never quite brought it all together in the Premier League, but he’s channelled his innate goalscoring ability and reinforced his underlying metrics, averaging 6.1 successful duels and 4.2 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.

It’s exactly the type of midfield robustness that has been lacking for the Red Devils this term, and McTominay’s success will not have been lost on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

However, he’s not the only former Manchester United star performing under Antonio Conte’s wing right now, and you could stake an argument for Romelu Lukaku having been even better than his Scottish teammate.

Romelu Lukaku has been outrageously good

Lukaku first moved to Italian football in August 2019, signing for Inter Milan in a deal worth £74m, leaving Man United.

He didn’t have a terrible spell at Old Trafford by any stretch, but the 32-year-old, then 25, failed to capture the magic of his time with Everton, who the Glazers paid an initial £75m (rising to £90m), two years earlier.

Scoring 42 goals and adding 15 more assists across 96 matches, Lukaku made inroads in his first year but struggled across the 2018/19 season, only bagging 15 goals from 45 fixtures in all competitions.

He’s been something of a nomad across his storied career, but who can say Lukaku hasn’t left an indelible mark on so many of his clubs?

Now, Napoli have been added to that list, with the number nine’s return of 14 goals and ten assists across the league campaign proving instrumental in the title-winning success. This means that he produced more goals and more assists than the Scottish midfielder, which is why he was even more influential and even better for the Italian outfit.

Football writer Muhammad Butt even took the time to draw praise to Lukaku amid the effusions directed McTominay’s way, hailing the “outrageously good” Belgian for his talismanic role across the campaign, bagging his second Serie A title after winning the 2020/21 edition with Inter Milan.

His goal against Cagliari on Friday night, following McTominay’s acrobatic opener, was certainly ‘outrageous’, and a reminder that he’s not just a poacher.

Here is one of the finest centre-forwards of his generation, and he underscored his legacy with a stunning season under Conte’s wing, a manager who has fallen in love with the nine and sought to make use of his talents across a number of different environments.

McTominay might have won the MVP, but Lukaku will no doubt feel that his prolific season may have warranted the vote angling his way. Ah well, the title will soften that so-called blow.

Not just Garnacho: Amorim must sell Man Utd dud who's a "serious problem"

Manchester United are in need of a serious overhaul this summer, with numerous players needing to be sold.

1 ByEthan Lamb May 24, 2025

Burnley are now set to sign an “outstanding” player in a new £8 million update after promotion to the Premier League, according to a Sky Sports reporter.

Burnley seal promotion to the Premier League

The Clarets have managed to live up to expectations and seal their return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. A 2-1 win over Watford and a 2-1 win over Sheffield United during the Easter weekend saw Burnley secure promotion at the expense of the Blades, who have been fighting them and Leeds United for the top two spots in the Championship.

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Burnley’s promotion was confirmed on Monday night after they beat the Blades, and manager Scott Parker paid a significant tribute to his side and how hard they have worked to secure promotion.

Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire: “The ambition and the target at the start of the season was to get back to the Premier League, and we’ve managed to do that, so I’m hugely proud of the squad.

“It’s come down to real, pure commitment from every one of the players, their dedication and the sacrifice that they’ve made, that leads us to this point. In this moment, I explained to the lads, that there is emotion from me because I see the commitment that everyone has brought.

“We live in a world where you win, or you lose, and you get judged, and at the end of the season you’re either promoted or not, and that’s how quickly people will judge it. I‘m just delighted all that work, all that effort, all that sacrifice has been worth it and people can see it. The facts are if you don’t get promoted, people can see it.”

Burnley set to sign 25 y/o in new £8m update – Sky Sports

As the Clarets’ return to England’s top tier is now confirmed, there is now a fresh update on the future of a player who has been key for the Lancashire side this season. According to Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam, Burnley are set to sign Jaidon Anthony from AFC Bournemouth in a deal now worth £8 million.

The 25-year-old joined Burnley on a season-long loan deal from the Cherries last summer, and the Clarets had a way of making the deal a permanent switch. McAdam states that Burnley will now pay £8 million to sign Anthony, instead of the £10m that was reported last year as an obligation with promotion.

Anthony, who has been dubbed “outstanding” by football writer Josh Wyatt for his recent performance against Plymouth Argyle, has scored seven goals and assisted seven in 41 league games this season, as he’s been a key performer in Parker’s side.

Jaidon Anthony’s 24/25 Championship stats

Apps

41

Goals

7

xG

8.08

Big chances missed

6

Shots per game

2.2

Assists

7

xAG

7.43

Big chances created

12

Key passes

1.8

Successful dribbles per game

1.5 (44%)

Anthony worked with Parker during his time with the Cherries, and that relationship is now going to continue at Turf Moor, as Parker will hope his winger can make a difference in the Premier League.

He’s been a good stand-in captain but an erratic batter, and he’ll have to course-correct quickly if the side is to do well in Australia next year

Ian Chappell07-Sep-2024Despite playing a meaningful innings against a moderate Sri Lankan attack, Ollie Pope needs more convincing knocks away from his home ground to prove he’s a substantial No. 3 batter.Otherwise Pope is in danger of becoming the polar opposite of Joe Root – a capable captain with a feel for the job but an inconsistent batter.Root on the other hand is a batter – especially in England – who is as consistent as night follows day, but his captaincy attributes were negligible. Root is currently in imperious form, but he’ll be bordering on 35 years of age by the time the next Australian tour takes place in November 2025.While Root has a passable average in Australia there’s the not so minor fact that in 27 innings he is yet to compile a Test century in the country. Those knocks were all played when Root was at the peak of his powers, so this will probably be his last chance to rectify that anomaly.Related

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On Root’s three tours of Australia, England have lost 13 of the 15 Tests played. England’s former skipper is yet to experience the thrill of victory in Australia, and this is another major hurdle. The scars are unhealed.Batting in the middle order, Pope had a poor last tour of Australia and should be considered a potential weakness. It’s not just his renowned skittishness that should interest the Australian pace bowlers, there are also some technical flaws that can be exploited.The Australian pace bowlers will hope to break the risk-taking opening partnership and bring Pope to the crease early. If they then dismiss Pope quickly it means the ever dangerous Root will be batting while the ball still has plenty of shine. That is a dream situation under Australian conditions.If Australia do cause concerns for Pope, and England are forced to omit him, then the crucial No. 3 spot becomes a revolving door. Currently the English squad is limited in players who are qualified to do a sound job at No. 3. Without Pope, England would also be missing a suitable replacement captain if Ben Stokes suffers an injury.That would be a crucial double blow to England.

Pope needs more convincing knocks away from his home ground to prove he’s a substantial No. 3 batter or he is in danger of becoming the polar opposite of Joe Root – a capable captain with a feel for the job but an inconsistent batter

However, Australia’s excellent pace attack is also at a stage where age has a diminishing effect. Only Pat Cummins, who is also a fine captain, will be at the not-so-worrying age of 32. Both Mitchell Starc, who’ll be 35 by the time of the England tour, and Josh Hazlewood, age 34, are at a point where skill declines and injuries have a detrimental effect.Offspinner Nathan Lyon is also in that category, and ageing is more of a concern for bowlers than it is for excellent batters like Root.Meanwhile, Australia received the news they’ve probably been expecting but were dreading: former opener Will Pucovski is most likely going to be missing from their ranks following medical assessment.In form and healthy, Pucovski would be a blessing for Cummins’ team following the retirement of David Warner with his pugnacious skill. Australia now have a season to unearth a suitable replacement for Warner or else they’ll have to continue the unsatisfactory experiment of using Steve Smith as an opener.Unfortunately Pucovski’s technique against short-pitched bowling was laid bare at first-class level. It was absolutely disastrous by 2024, when Tasmanian quick Riley Meredith floored him in a Sheffield Shield match. Pucovski became a concern for any selection panel and by this stage nobody could risk choosing him for Australia.In his current cricketing and mental state it’ll be a blessing if Pucovski is left to continue his rehabilitation in virtual anonymity.In the meantime England is wisely pursuing a policy of choosing players who can have a positive effect under Australian conditions.Whilst this is an admirable policy, England’s bigger priority is for Pope to find consistently good form and cement the crucial No. 3 position. If Pope is still misfiring, then England’s tour in 2025-26 could be another frivolous trip to Australia.

Leading into Australia’s key England clash, he said his Sri Lanka struggles were an anomaly – but his numbers at home say otherwise

Alex Malcolm27-Oct-20222:40

Aaron Finch: ‘Still feel like I’m playing pretty well’

If Thursday’s press conference was a net session, then Aaron Finch was seeing them well and striking them even better.Just 24 hours out from Australia’s must-win game against England at the MCG, Finch copped a probing delivery from a journalist.”What have you made of some of the talk around your position?” The reporter asked directly. The reporter added that former Australian captain Allan Border had suggested Steven Smith should play in place of Finch.”Lucky I pick the team then, isn’t it?” Finch retorted with a smile.”One of,” Finch quickly clarified. “There’s a few of us that sit down and discuss the team. But everyone’s got their opinion, that’s fine. I’ve got no issues with what their personal opinions [are]. I don’t read or listen to any of it personally.”He had presented the full face of the bat to the question. It was struck firmly enough to return the delivery back from where it came quickly.But press conferences aren’t net sessions. Nor are net sessions even close to match situations. But when Finch stepped into the indoor centre at Junction Oval no more than two hours after his press conference, the crisp timing he showed behind the podium eluded him.Nets are never a great indicator of anything for either professional or amateur cricketers, especially indoors. Form in the nets should always be taken with a large grain of salt.But in Finch’s case, it’s hard to ignore. He was facing Australia coach Andrew McDonald and bowling coach Daniel Vettori, a right-left combination in tandem, armed with side arms and near-new white Kookaburras.

“I felt I was playing quite well. And once Maxy [Glenn Maxwell] started to get away, I probably went into my shell a little bit and looked to just get off strike rather than hitting good strong shots out to a deep man.”Aaron Finch on his Sri Lanka innings

When compared to Mitch Marsh, who was batting in the next net, facing assistants Michael Di Venuto and Andre Borovec in the same fashion, the difference in the quality of the timing, movement patterns and balance was stark.Finch admitted on Tuesday that his innings against Sri Lanka in Perth had been poor. On Thursday, he called it an outlier.”I think it’s an anomaly in my career,” Finch said. “It’s just one of those days. I hit a really nice pull straight to the fielder, and then an off drive in the same over straight to the fielder.”I felt I was playing quite well. And once Maxy [Glenn Maxwell] started to get away, I probably went into my shell a little bit and looked to just get off strike rather than hitting good strong shots out to a deep man. I was trying to get off strike [by hitting] in the ring, which is never easy when you’re facing a world-class spinner like [Maheesh] Theekshana.”And that’s probably what I will change next time. I think I was probably one or two boundaries away from being back to a run-a-ball and it probably looks a little bit different there.”There is an argument that Finch’s innings, as slow as it was, did play an important role in helping lay a foundation for Australia’s middle order. He was 20 off 24 when Maxwell entered and he had kept his gun middle-order matchwinner away from the new ball in the powerplay and his less preferred match-up of Lahiru Kumara. It allowed Maxwell to face the spin of Dhananjaya de Silva and Wanindu Hasaranga in his first two overs. He smashed 22 off his first six balls to reduce the equation to 73 off 60 and relieve any pressure Australia were feeling.”We identified early in the game or in our powerplay when the ball was zipping around a bit that we didn’t want to try over-attack and expose the middle order too early, because then you risk going two or three down in the powerplay,” Finch said. “Then it’s a struggle to get the game back into a position where you can get home a little bit more comfortably.”So it’s just that middle part. I think straight after the 10-over timeout, there was only a wide off an over, so a lot of dot balls there. But I still feel like I’m playing pretty well.”Therein lies the problem for the Australian captain. It’s a sound strategy to be buying yourself time in the powerplay in this World Cup when the seamers are dominating as the new ball has seamed, swung and bounced prodigiously, particularly in Perth and Melbourne. But Finch’s inability to accelerate beyond that places a huge burden on those around him, particularly in home conditions.Aaron Finch’s knock against Sri Lanka was the slowest innings of 40 or more balls ever at Men’s T20 World Cups•AFP/Getty ImagesFinch, and Australia’s selectors, have been quick to point to Finch’s T20I numbers this year to suggest he remains in decent form in the format despite retiring from ODI cricket after a string of low scores. Since March, he has made three half-centuries in 14 T20I innings, averaging 30.91 and striking at 124.49.There was also a strong belief that he would be fine in home conditions having experienced more troubles away. But the opposite is true. He has actually had a lot more success away than at home recently. Since the start of 2020, he has scored six half-centuries in 23 innings, averaging 37.75 and striking at 138.42 overseas. At home he has been struggling. In 14 matches he strikes at just 98.45 and averages 19.61 with one half-century against West Indies this month on the Gold Coast.His innings against Sri Lanka, the slowest of any consisting of 40 or more balls in Men’s T20 World Cup history, was not an anomaly in that context.He has been working tirelessly to find a method to neutralise the lbw threat that has plagued him throughout his career, and he has succeeded having only fallen twice to it in T20Is since the start of 2020 and never in Australia. But in doing so he seems to have completely neutralised his scoring ability off both feet.Finch was asked by another journalist if he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.”I don’t feel any more pressure than I ever have,” Finch said. “The only pressure is the expectation you put on yourself. “Another well-timed response to another probing verbal delivery. But in the end, he needs his bat to do the talking.

It’s 200 matches and counting for MS Dhoni in the IPL. Here’s a quick quiz to test your knowledge of his illustrious career in the league

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2020

We’ve known for more than a year that Kyle Tucker would be the prize free agent this offseason. Now it’s time for him to find a new home.

Tucker spent the 2025 season with the Cubs after they swung a huge deal to land him from the Astros last December. It was pretty much understood from the jump that his time in Chicago would be short, as the Cubs have no plans to ink him to the kind of contract he’ll surely land on the open market.

The 28-year-old four-time All-Star missed a chunk of the season while dealing with a calf injury and a small fracture in his right hand. That certainly impacted his numbers. In 136 games, he slashed .266/.377/.464, with 22 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases. His wRC+ of 136 was good, but also his lowest mark since 2022, and he produced 4.5 fWAR. He has only played in 214 games over the past two seasons, but remained mostly healthy for the prior three years.

When Juan Soto got $765 million from the Mets, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. landed $500 million from the Blue Jays, Tucker had to be thrilled. He’s likely in line for a 10-plus year deal in the $400 million range that will likely pay him at least $35 million a year, and potentially more.

Here’s a look at four potential landing spots for Tucker in free agency.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Most MLB fans are going to hate this, but it’s the fit that makes the most sense. While the Dodgers are undoubtedly a juggernaut, their biggest offensive weakness was in the outfield during the 2025 campaign. L.A.’s left fielders combined to produce -2.4 WAR, led by Michael Conforto’s brutal season (-0.7). Teoscar Hernandez (1.5) also had an average campaign after signing a big contract in the offseason, while Any Pages (3.8) broke out before falling apart in the postseason. Adding Tucker would allow the Dodgers to shift Hernandez to left field, where he belongs, and shore up the only weak spot in the team’s lineup. And, let’s be real, they won’t have an issue affording his massive deal.

San Francisco Giants

The Giants have been looking to add a top left-handed bat for years. They got one by trading for Rafael Devers, but the team’s offense collapsed after that addition before finding some footing late in the season. Still, San Francisco finished 22nd in OPS (.697), 25th in batting average (.235) and 19th in home runs (173). The Giants have about $137 million committed to players for 2026, giving them plenty of room to bring in Tucker, and he’d fit perfectly in right field immediately. A lineup that includes Tucker, Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, and Bryce Eldridge would pack a ton of punch and potentially be good enough to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West.

New York Yankees

Cody Bellinger opted out of his contract, and Trent Grisham is hitting free agency, which means the Yankees will lose 63 home runs from their outfield. Over the past few years, they’ve missed on adding the top bats available, most notably in losing out on Juan Soto and having to watch him walk across town to the Mets. Tucker’s left-handed swing would do damage at Yankee Stadium’s short porch. In 16 games as a visiting player, he has four home runs, but only a .698 OPS and a 98 wRC+. I feel safe in saying that wouldn’t hold long-term. He’s a fit now and in the long run as a star to pair with Aaron Judge.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies face the prospect of losing Kyle Schwarber in free agency, and there’s a chance they will entertain trading Bryce Harper. If either happens, they’ll need a left-handed bat to replace them. Enter Tucker, who fills a huge need at the plate and in the field. Philadelphia’s outfielders struggled in 2025, as none of them produced more than 1.7 WAR, and Nick Castellanos finished underwater at -1.0. Schwarber, Harper, and Trea Turner played at or near their expected levels, but the rest of the offense dragged behind. More punch is needed, even if they keep their two biggest bats. Tucker’s presence would make everyone better.

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Após a vitória sobre o Pyramids, do Egito, que garantiu o Flamengo na final do Intercontinental de 2025, o meia Giorgian De Arrascaeta destacou a maturidade do elenco rubro-negro e a preparação para mais um desafio histórico. O clube carioca enfrenta o Paris Saint-Germain na próxima quarta-feira (17), às 14h (de Brasília), valendo o título do torneio.

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➡️ Danilo aponta favorito entre Flamengo e PSG para final do Mundial: ‘Obviamente’

Segundo o uruguaio, o momento agora é de foco total na recuperação física e mental do grupo, que chega ao fim de uma temporada extremamente desgastante.

– A gente tem que pensar em nós, descansar e chegar o melhor possível para esse jogo, que com certeza vai ser um grande jogo. Por tudo o que vivemos neste ano, foram quase 80 partidas, enfrentando equipes europeias e sul-americanas. É um Flamengo pronto para tudo – afirmou Arrascaeta.

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➡️ Veja os gols de Flamengo x Pyramids: Léo Pereira e Danilo marcam de cabeça

O jogador também ressaltou a experiência do elenco como um dos trunfos do time na decisão. Apesar do cansaço acumulado, o jogador acredita que o grupo saberá lidar com a pressão de uma final internacional.

– Com certeza, é um grupo muito mais maduro, com muitos jogadores experientes. Estamos já no final da temporada, com um pouco de desgaste, mas é mais um jogo em que a gente tem que caprichar – completou.

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➡️ Carrascal destaca força do Flamengo e não vê PSG favorito: ‘Confiança’

Ao ser questionado sobre o significado de conquistar o título intercontinental, Arrascaeta foi sincero ao falar da dimensão emocional que a taça representa para o clube e para a torcida rubro-negra.

– Não tem como explicar o que a gente pode sentir se conquistar essa taça – disse o jogador.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Flamengo

Flamengo e Paris Saint-Germain prometem protagonizar um grande espetáculo, reunindo tradição, estrelas internacionais e estilos de jogo distintos. A expectativa é de um duelo equilibrado e de fortes emoções, com o Rubro-Negro buscando escrever mais um capítulo histórico em sua trajetória.

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He put on a dominant performance in his first innings of the season while Kurtis Patterson also made an excellent century

AAP29-Oct-2025

Steven Smith issued an ominous warning to England ahead of the Ashes, slamming 118 for New South Wales in his first game of cricket in more than two months.Fresh off a six-week stint in New York where he didn’t pick up a bat, Smith looked in imperious touch as he helped NSW to 349 for 5 in the Sheffield Shield against Queensland.Related

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After the opening day’s play at the Gabba was washed out through rain, Kurtis Patterson also hit 122 while youngster Will Salzmann impressed with 65 while opening.The only sour point for NSW was Sam Konstas being bowled middle stump for 10, leaving a ball from left-armer Hayden Kerr that angled straight into his wickets.Konstas is now essentially no chance of retaining his spot as Australia’s opener, and could benefit from a summer out of the spotlight in the Shield.But there is no question mark over Smith’s form heading into the first Test in Perth on November 21, where he will captain Australia in place of the injured Pat Cummins.Smith played out 21 dot balls to start his innings on Wednesday, but from the moment he on-drove Sam Skelly to the boundary to get off the mark, the right-hander looked on.A flurry of drives and pull shots followed, with the 36-year-old treating the Gabba as his playground and looking every bit at his best three weeks out from the first Test.Sam Konstas was bowled by Hayden Kerr•Getty Images

Some 86 of his runs came in boundaries, including a big six down the ground of Mitchell Swepson when he charged the legspinner and took him on.Three boundaries came in three balls at one stage off quick James Bazley, with the first two crunches through the covers and the last a classic straight drive.Once renowned for being a cricket nuffy who perhaps trained too much, Smith insisted last week he now needed only two hits in the nets to prepare for a summer.And by the time he drove Tom Straker to bring up his century off 158 balls on Wednesday, the proof of that was clear and England had been put on notice.Smith was eventually well caught by Matt Renshaw at gully, but by then he looked well placed to set himself up for a big Ashes summer.Arguably Australia’s best-performing batter in Ashes history aside from Don Bradman, Smith has hit 12 career centuries against England and averages 56.01.His runs on Wednesday came as England’s ODI side collapsed on Wednesday across the Tasman, all out for 175 in a five-wicket defeat to New Zealand.Smith’s century also overshadowed the superb innings of Patterson. The former Test batter found form following a lean start to the Shield season, after his late-career revival last summer was one of the best stories of Australian cricket.Patterson cover-drove superbly and hit 14 boundaries in total, before being caught behind trying to drive Marnus Labuschagne late in the day.For NSW to win this match they will likely need to score big and only bat once, while Queensland’s hopes are effectively gone through Smith and Patterson’s 202-run third-wicket stand.

Sean Dyche has now personally requested the signing of a “fantastic” Istanbul Basaksehir defender Jerome Opoku at Nottingham Forest, and his current club may be tempted to cash-in.

Reinforcements may be needed in the January transfer window, given that Forest are looking like they could be involved in a relegation battle this season, although there has been an uptick in results since Dyche arrived just under a month ago.

The 54-year-old has made a solid start in the Premier League, collecting four points from his opening three games in charge and signing off before the international break with a 3-1 win against fellow strugglers Leeds United, which could be an important result come May.

The former Everton boss has experience in relegation battles, having managed to guide the Toffees to safety in the 2022-23 campaign, while also stabilising Burnley in the Premier League, so Evangelos Marinakis should have full trust in his manager as we approach the January transfer window.

Sean Dyche requests signing of Jerome Opoku

Given Dyche’s impressive start, Marinakis may be willing to back him this winter, and the Nottingham Forest boss has now personally requested the signing of Istanbul Basaksehir defender Opoku, according to a report from Africa Foot (via Sport Witness).

The 27-year-old has attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs as of late, with Everton making an offer in January, while Fulham are also in the race, so the Tricky Trees may have to fend off competition from elsewhere to secure his signature.

Such is the level of interest in the centre-back, he could become ‘one of the hottest topics’ of the upcoming window, and the Turkish club may be tempted to cash-in, given that his current contract is set to expire in 2027.

The Basaksehir defender hasn’t played in England since a spell at Plymouth Argyle in the 2020-21 campaign, at which point he received plaudits from manager Ryan Lowe, who described the 6 foot 5 colossus as “fantastic”.

Since then, the Ghana international has gone on to establish himself as an important player for Basaksehir, making 14 appearances in all competitions this season and helping his side keep clean sheets in three of their last four matches.

Opoku is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top leagues, meaning it would be a risk for Nottingham Forest to make a move, but Dyche knows what it takes to avoid relegation from the top flight, so if the manager wants to make the Basaksehir star his first signing, Marinakis should back him.

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign midfielder Dyche called "terrific"

In an early boost for Celtic, Club Brugge boss Nicky Hayen is reportedly open to replacing Brendan Rodgers in Scotland as the Bhoys step up their chase for their next manager.

Those in Glasgow were thrown into chaos when Rodgers resigned and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond had his say in brutal fashion on Monday night. Since then, a number of potential candidates have already been mentioned and veteran manager Martin O’Neill has enjoyed his first win as interim boss.

After thrashing Falkirk 4-0 to get back to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership, O’Neill told reporters: “I’m really pleased to win the game in the manner we did, and we played some delightful stuff. Could have scored a couple of more goals, too.

“I’m hoping some of the players have played today are old enough to know who I am, some of the younger lads I wouldn’t be totally sure. They see this man stepping into the dressing room and think ‘what’s happening here?’.

“I’m delighted, satisfied in the sense I thought we played very well. My anxiety has calmed somewhat, and it was really nice to win. When you get a few goals in front you can perhaps enjoy the last 10 or 15 minutes, and it kind of brought me back.”

Alas, the Northern Irishman will know more than most that the true test awaits this weekend when Celtic square off against Rangers in the Old Firm derby. With a place in the Scottish League Cup final up for grabs, the Bhoys should be desperate to get one over on their rivals.

Meanwhile, as the action continues on the pitch so does Celtic’s managerial search. So far, Parkhead chiefs have drawn up a shortlist which includes Craig Bellamy, Robbie Keane and Club Brugge boss Hayen among others.

Nicky Hayen now open to becoming Celtic manager

As reported by Belgian newspaper Nieuwslabd, Celtic now have concrete interest in Hayen and have got serious about the Brugge manager, who is also open to a move elsewhere.

Rodgers upgrade: Celtic have "kamikaze" title-winning manager on the radar

Celtic have a manager on their radar who could come in as a big upgrade on Brendan Rodgers.

ByDan Emery Oct 29, 2025

The report claims that the Bhoys would have to pay a hefty compensation fee if they did go all in on the 45-year-old, but he may prove to be worth every penny.

Having held Celtic to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League last year before thrashing Rangers 9-1 over two legs in the qualifiers back in August, Glasgow should already know all about Hayen’s quality.

Whether Celtic decide to push on and secure his arrival remains to be seen, however. He is certainly a strong candidate for the job, but is far from the only name in the running to replace Rodgers.

One Celtic star has just made himself undroppable