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Manchester United have improved drastically in the forward areas this season, though they could now be prepared to offer a platform for Real Madrid star Endrick to shine ahead of the World Cup if circumstances align.

Benjamin Sesko has endured a mixed time since joining the Red Devils. Two goals in 11 matches haven’t exactly set the house on fire, though he has been an impressive presence within build-up play under Ruben Amorim.

Nevertheless, his recent performances have not escaped Gary Neville’s attention, who told NBC Sports that the ‘jury is out’ on whether he will be the right fit through the middle long-term.

He said: “I’m no further forward with him. The jury is out. He’s well off it compared to the other summer signings that Man United made up front in Cunha and Mbeumo.

“He looks awkward, he had a couple of really good opportunities in the first half – when balls got played over the top. And his touch wasn’t quite right.”

Quite clearly, Sesko has the potential to come good. Other than him, Joshua Zirkzee has had limited minutes at Manchester United this season, and he is now reportedly in the sights of Everton with the World Cup taking place next summer.

At this point, it is unclear whether he will be allowed to leave in January. If he is permitted to go, the Red Devils will likely target another forward to pick up the shortfall for the second half of the campaign, even temporarily.

As the transfer window draws closer, Manchester United may now have a plan in place to land a world-renowned talent to bolster their attacking options.

Man Utd target Endrick tells agent he wants loan from Real Madrid

According to The Daily Star, Manchester United target Endrick has told his agents that he will seek a loan move in January, with the only way of that being likely to change if his minutes improve at Real Madrid.

The Brazil international has been frozen out by Xabi Alonso and has played in a single match this season. Aston Villa have also come to the table if uncertainty over his future is set to linger.

Endrick since joining Real Madrid

Appearances

38

Goals

7

Assists

1

West Ham United and Juventus have been mentioned in dispatches as alternative suitors, with the 19-year-old fearful that a lack of games may prohibit his chances of going to next year’s World Cup.

In the scenario where any deal is concluded to send Endrick on loan, Real Madrid want his next club to pay his wages in full for the duration of a spell away from the Spanish capital.

Man Utd are also pushing hard to sign an England international

Mid-season always promised to be an important time of year at Old Trafford, and it now remains to be seen whether they can secure the youngster in a deal that would make headlines across the world.

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.

There were extremely mixed fortunes for the Britons on the continent this weekend. While there was a hat-trick for a certain Three Lions captain, other England internationals came under fire for their disappearing acts, while there were two red cards for us to sink our teeth into.

Every Monday this season, GOAL brings you the latest on British stars abroad, what they're getting up to, who is reaching the greatest heights and who needs to come home. Let's dive in…

Kane off the bench to hit Bayern treble

There would have been a few eyebrows raised among Bayern Munich supporters when it was announced Harry Kane would begin Saturday's match at Stuttgart among the substitutes, with Nicolas Jackson drafted into the starting XI in his place. The visitors led by only a single goal – a delightful flick from Konrad Laimer – by the time the England captain was introduced on the hour mark, while their hosts had already threatened and had a strike of their own ruled out by VAR in the first half.

From the moment Kane took to the pitch, Bayern raced away with the three points. His first contribution was an old-school goal on 66 minutes, finding space around 25 yards out and picking out the bottom corner with a low drive clocked at 128 km/h. Josip Stanisic added a third when his speculative effort trickled through the arms of goalkeeper Alexander Nubel, who is still contracted to Bayern, before Lorenz Assignon's red card for a handball on the line set up Kane's finale. The striker converted from the penalty spot and then guided in a low cross from Michael Olise to ensure the reigning Bundesliga champions ran out 5-0 winners on the banks of the River Neckar.

"It's something I'm not used to, but I did it a couple of times this season," Kane told the press of coming on as a substitute. "The boss wanted to keep me fresh and save energy. I came on after 60 minutes with a couple of other guys and we were able to exploit the space and get the goals. We had a tough battle in the cup midweek and today we faced one of the best teams in the league away, but we looked stronger in the last half an hour and punished them."

Of course, Vincent Kompany was asked to explain this decision in his press conference, to which he said: "I had this change in mind before the game started. We have four games in 11 days. If I start Harry every game and he plays 90 minutes, I'll get questions about why he always plays. Every time we played Stuttgart, we've always grown stronger as the game progressed. I felt the spaces would be bigger when Harry came on, it was a good moment for him to come. And he did what he does."

Kane received a perfect player rating from Germany's premier sports outlet and made team of the week for a sixth time already this season, while Stuttgart counterpart Deniz Undav hailed him as the 'best striker in the world'. "Ice cold in front of goal and good with the ball, that makes him so good. Great player and striker," the former Brighton forward added.

An extraordinary Saturday means Kane has now set a new record of 58 goals in a calendar year, with Bayern still to play three more times before their Christmas break. This is far from a striker in decline.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRashford fires blank on rare Barca start

While Kane has been finding the back of the net from all angles lately, his England team-mate, Marcus Rashford, has now gone eight games without a goal for club and country. Having managed to shake off some rust that had compromised his fitness in recent weeks, he was handed his first Barcelona start since before the November international break for Saturday's trip to Real Betis.

It turned out to be a cracking affair that went down as one of the games of the weekend, with Barca eventually securing a 5-3 win. They went behind early on to a fine strike from Rashford's former Manchester United colleague Antony, though Betis would go into the half-time break 4-1 down following a hat-trick from Ferran Torres and a first La Liga goal from summer signing Roony Bardghji. A late effort from Diego Llorente and a stoppage-time penalty from Cucho Hernandez saw Betis reduce the final deficit to only two goals.

For a match of such chaos, it was surprising that Rashford didn't contribute it. He missed all of his five shots and didn't even come up with an assist, losing his grip atop La Liga's standings to Lamine Yamal, whose tally of seven moved him ahead of the Englishman's six.

Talk of making Rashford's move from United permanent has cooled considerably since mid-autumn, with focus now centred on how Barcelona plan to replace the ageing Robert Lewandowski ahead of the expiry of his contract. Catalan outlet have touted Ferran as a longer-term solution up top, which could theoretically free up the funds needed to keep Rashford, though this isn't referenced in their reporting.

Getty Images SportBattered Bellingham goes missing

The pressure is ramping up on Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso, though he has hardly been helped by the performances of some of his star players. In Sunday's game at home to Celta Vigo, none of them turned up.

Los Blancos' triumvirate of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham are making difficult work of fitting in the same team. It is typically the Frenchman that pulls the rabbit out of the hat to save their skin, but even he couldn't break down a stubborn Celta side.

Nerves jangled around the Bernabeu when the teams went into the break on level terms, perhaps fear creeping in that the hosts would fail to keep pace with La Liga leaders Barcelona. When Williot Swedberg fired the Galicians ahead on the other side of the restart, that shaken home crowd grew restless, and its energy translated to the pitch.

There was fury when Borja Iglesias' elbow to Bellingham's face, which left the midfielder bleeding profusely, yielded no punishment. Minutes later, Fran Garcia was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence after charging into the back of Swedberg. Madrid huffed and puffed in their search for a leveller despite their one-man disadvantage, only for Alvaro Carreras to be sent off for dissent as the game entered five minutes added time. Endrick, an unused sub, was also shown a red card for his protestations on the sidelines.

Swedberg's second of the evening to round off the 2-0 win for Celta saw the Bernabeu turn mutinous, with Madrid now four points behind Barcelona and just one ahead of third-placed Villarreal, who have a game in hand on Alonso's men. Bellingham was roundly criticised by the Spanish press for his loose touch and inability to keep the ball, losing a match-high eight duels. "He's having trouble turning quickly when receiving the ball in midfield," was notable criticism, though he was also praised for upping his work ethic when Madrid went down to 10.

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Getty Images SportMcTominay battles through pain

Another Brit in the wars this weekend was Scott McTominay. The Scotland midfielder complained of muscle discomfort during Napoli's crunch clash against Juventus at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, yet soldiered on and completed the full 90 minutes regardless.

His impact on the game was subdued compared to his usual headline-grabbing exploits, though he still managed to rattle the woodwork and see a free-kick whistle narrowly wide. Instead, it was fellow Manchester United alumni in Rasmus Hojlund who stole the show, with the Dane scoring both of the champions' goals in a 2-1 victory to send them back up to first in the Serie A standings.

Antonio Conte reserved special praise for the ragged McTominay in his post-match presser, claiming the midfielder has stepped up in a 'state of emergency' at Napoli with seven key players, including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, out injured.

"McTominay, like everyone else, is certainly doing something important and extraordinary in terms of understanding the situation, taking responsibility, and growing," Conte said. "It shows in everyone… We played against Atalanta, Qarabag, Roma, Cagliari, and Juventus- strong teams – while we were in a state of emergency. I'm amazed by the enthusiasm and energy the team is putting in. Now we need to rest because Benfica awaits us, and we'll try to prepare better. We need to recharge our batteries."

McTominay turned 29 on Monday and will be able to celebrate his birthday knowing he remains the best player in Serie A at present. In the longer term, he also has a World Cup showdown with Brazil to look forward to following Friday's group-stage draw. Some life, that.

Chelsea are now the favourites to sign a Brazilian ace who’s also wanted by Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and a deal could be possible for a low fee.

Blues targeting another exciting Brazilian amid Estevao success

Estevao is enjoying an impressive debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, having established himself as an important player for the Blues, with the 18-year-old recently netting the second goal in the 3-0 Champions League rout of Barcelona.

It is clear to see the youngster has left an impression on Enzo Maresca too, with the manager saying: “I feel very lucky to be his coach because it’s exciting, you can enjoy. I’ve said many times that I think the fans pay for their tickets to see players like Cole [Palmer], like Estevao, this kind of player.”

The forward is an example of BlueCo’s recruitment policy of signing younger players paying off, and they are now looking to bring in another up-and-coming Brazilian ace, who has impressed the west Londoners’ sporting directors.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now the favourites to sign Santos defender Souza, despite rival interest from both Bayern Munich and Barcelona, with both European heavyweights already making contact over a potential deal.

The signing of the 19-year-old certainly wouldn’t break the bank at around just €15m (£13m), with the Blues looking to get the move over the line before his value increases considerably.

There is a belief the youngster could go on to become a top full-back or even left-winger, given that he is a very well-rounded player, who is also capable of contributing on the front foot.

Related Chelsea now ready to trigger £44m release clause for "unstoppable" striker

The Blues are looking to sign a new centre-forward, who has been in fantastic form so far this season.

Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 30, 2025 Souza emerging as key player for Santos

The teenager has already made 36 appearances for Santos at senior level, having established himself as an important player, and he has regularly impressed from an attacking point of view, chipping in with one goal and four assists.

Most recently, the starlet helped his side keep a clean sheet as they recorded a routine 3-0 victory over Sport Club do Recife, receiving a 7.7 SofaScore match rating courtesy of making a number of important defensive contributions.

Souza’s key statistics

Number completed

Duels (won)

9 (6)

Key passes

2

Clearances

3

Interceptions

2

With Souza yet to prove himself outside his native Brazil, he would very much be one for the future, and the aforementioned report makes it clear BlueCo are planning to loan the left-back to sister club Strasbourg initially.

During the January transfer window, it may be a better idea to focus on signing players capable of making an immediate impact, with a title race potentially on the cards, and amid Liam Delap’s slow start to life at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have now joined the race to sign “one of the best strikers in Europe”.

With just under 20 minutes to go in the first Clasico of the current campaign at Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso made a double substitution with his side 2-1 up on Barcelona. Federico Valverde accepted his withdrawal with good grace; Vinicius Jr did not. Five times he incredulously asked "Me?!", to the understandable bewilderment of his manager. "Come on, Vini, damn it!," Alonso pleaded. But there was no calming the winger down.

"Always me! I'm leaving the team! I'm leaving!" Vinicius said as he walked off the field and straight down the tunnel. "It's better if I leave, I'm leaving." At this stage, that might well be for the best for everyone concerned, because Vinicius' shameful show of insubordination wasn't the least bit shocking. 

On the contrary, it was entirely in keeping with his combustible character, just another temper tantrum from a player who is now effectively refusing to sign a new contract with the club if Alonso is allowed to continue as coach. Is this, then, a power play likely to pay off for Vinicius? Or might Madrid decide that he's become more trouble than he's worth?…

AFPThe Ballon d'or debacle

Not so long ago Madrid were willing to tolerate Vinicius' egotistical behaviour – and sometimes even support it.

The winger was utterly convinced he was going to win last year's Ballon d'Or and even brought up his seemingly imminent triumph during a heated exchange with Gavi towards the tail end of Madrid's 4-0 loss to Barcelona just two days before the ceremony in Paris. 

It was a rather revealing insight into his mindset. Vinicius clearly felt that boasting about his Ballon d'Or bid while his team were being humiliated on home soil by their most hated rivals was some kind of zinger; that individual glory was somehow more significant than collective failure in a team game like football. But the joke was on the Brazilian – because Vinicius didn't win the Ballon d'Or, and he took it very, very badly.

Even though Rodri made for a most deserving winner of the 2024 Ballon d'Or, Vinicius refused to attend the Manchester City midfielder's coronation.

Of course, not a single representative from Real Madrid turned up either. "It is obvious that the Ballon d'Or and UEFA do not respect Real Madrid," an unnamed source told . "And Real Madrid is not where it is not respected."

As hissy fits go, it was pretty hysterical, the unintentional irony almost overwhelming. Madrid and Vinicius felt disrespected – and yet it was they who had disrespected Rodri.

Still, at least a Ballon d'Or boycott was something that los Blancos could easily get behind. Vinicius' very obvious personality clash with Alonso is far more problematic for Florentino Perez & Co.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe arrival of Alonso

Alonso is a likeable leader – as Bayer Leverkusen double-winners would attest – but the Spaniard does not have anything like the same laissez-faire approach to man-management or team tactics as his predecessor as Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, whose father-like relationship with Vinicius and the other Brazilians in the Bernabeu dressing room undoubtedly played a part in the Italian's appointment as Selecao coach.

Consequently, the arrival of Alonso was always likely to ruffle some feathers at Real – at least initially – but that wasn't considered a bad thing. The feeling was that after a disastrous final season under Ancelotti, Madrid's superstars would benefit from less freedom and more structure.

Kylian Mbappe is certainly thriving under the new boss. The Frenchman won the European Golden Shoe last year, with 31 goals in 34 Liga games, but his strike-rate has actually improved this season, while there's also a greater dynamism about his all-round play.

Mbappe is now, without a shadow of a doubt, the leader of Madrid's attack, as well the club's poster-boy – which was Perez's plan all along. It's why he invested so much time, money and effort in convincing Mbappe to leave Paris Saint-Germain for Madrid.

The knock-on effect, though, is that Vinicius no longer feels as appreciated as he once did at the Bernabeu.

Getty Images SportRising tensions between player and coach

Vinicius' current contract expires in two years' time and it could yet be renewed. However, whereas an extension was considered a given as recently as last season, the forward's future is now shrouded in uncertainty – and Vinicius' strained relationship with Alonso is the reason why.

The first signs of tension between the two appeared during the Club World Cup, when Alonso informed Vinicius that he would not be starting the semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain, which did not go over well at all with the forward.

In the end, Vinicius started the game in East Rutherford – but only due to an injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold, and even then the 25-year-old was less than impressed at being deployed 'out of position' on the right wing. Vinicius nonetheless played his part in Madrid's strong start to the 2025-26 season. 

However, it quickly became clear that he was not happy with being occasionally rotated and regularly subbed by Alonso. With 13 minutes to go in the 2-0 win over Espanyol on September 20, Vinicius was replaced by Rodrygo. He responded by waving his arms around in disbelief before throwing a water bottle to the floor in frustration.

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Getty Images Sport'I won't make a big deal out of something small'

Vinicius and his entourage would likely disagree vehemently, but he's actually very lucky that he has a coach as composed as Alonso, who has handled his childish conduct with the same kind of class he exuded during his playing days.

After the Espanyol outburst, Alonso pointed out that Franco Mastantuono, who had come off at the same time as Vinicius, was disappointed by his withdrawal too.

"Franco said to me, ‘Are you taking me off?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ Something similar happened with Vini, but it happens to everyone," Alonso rather reasonably explained. "But I'm very happy with Vinicius' performance. The only thing he was missing today was a goal.

"It’s true that he came off the pitch when he was feeling best, so I could have waited a bit to replace him, but I understood that we needed fresh players to maintain control. The schedule is demanding and we have to keep going like this."

When Alonso was pressed on the matter again just a couple of days later, he struck an even more empathetic tone.

"I've been a player too," he pointed out on the eve of his team's game against Levante. "When I was substituted, it wasn't always the nicest moment. So, [frustration], it's normal, it's natural.

"We talked about things after the game, as I like to be close to the players, and I won't make a big deal out of something small."

Vinicius, though, is evidently incapable of such restraint.

Celtic appear to be inching ever closer to finally appointing their long-term successor to Brendan Rodgers, who resigned last month after a loss to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

Martin O’Neill has been in interim charge for the Hoops since Rodgers left the club, and oversaw three wins in four matches before the international break, including a 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock last time out.

The experienced boss may not manage another game for the Scottish giants, though, as Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy appears to be on his way to Parkhead.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reports that the French manager has been given permission to speak with the club this weekend to discuss a move to Glasgow.

If Nancy does take over at Parkhead, he will be looking to build on the success that Rodgers, as shown in the graphic above, achieved during his second stint at the club.

The Columbus Crew tactician should also look to build on some of the good work that O’Neill has done in his interim spell, as the experienced boss has got the best out of Johnny Kenny.

How Johnny Kenny could fit in Wilfried Nancy's set-up

The Ireland international has scored four goals in four matches under O’Neill in recent weeks, having only scored two goals in his first 17 appearances for the club in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that the former Shamrock Rovers star has stepped his game up since Kelechi Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury last month, as he has shown that he can be relied on to score goals for the Hoops.

Kenny has been playing as the sole number nine in a 4-2-3-1 system for O’Neill, after playing a similar role in a 4-3-3 set-up for Rodgers, but Nancy’s preferred formation, per Transfermarkt, is a 3-4-2-1.

Diego Rossi, who is a similar profile of player to Kenny in terms of his build and attributes, has typically been deployed as one of two second strikers operating behind a focal point centre-forward in that 3-4-2-1 shape, although he has also played as part of a front two in a 3-5-2 or a 4-4-2.

As you can see in the table above, Rossi has thrived in that role under Nancy in the last two seasons, racking up 40 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.

Kenny, therefore, could look to thrive as one of the two players behind a starting number nine, as he perhaps lacks the physicality to play as the focal point on his own in that system.

With this in mind, the Hoops could land an upgrade on him as an out-and-out centre-forward by signing a Premier League player who is a reported target.

Celtic eyeing move for Premier League striker

According to 67HailHail, Celtic are monitoring Brighton & Hove Albion centre-forward Evan Ferguson ahead of a potential swoop for his services in the January transfer window.

The report claims that he was linked with a move to Parkhead in the summer transfer window before the Ireland international, understandably, opted to sign for Serie A side Roma on loan.

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It adds that his loan spell with the Italian giants could be cut short, though, in January because of his struggle for form, with no goals in ten matches so far.

Celtic are keeping tabs on his situation with a view to chasing a deal to sign him on loan for the second half of the 2025/26 campaign to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

Despite his struggles with Roma this season, which is why he may become available in January, Ferguson could arrive as a dream first signing for Nancy at Parkhead.

Why Evan Ferguson would be a dream first signing for Wilfried Nancy

The Ireland international would come in as a dream first signing because he could be the focal point that the French head coach needs to play his 3-4-2-1 formation with the Hoops.

Celtic, since they sold Adam Idah in the summer, do not have a physical and imposing centre-forward who can act as a focal point, as Kelechi Iheanacho and Johnny Kenny are both more suited to playing with another striker or as a second striker behind a number nine.

Ferguson, standing at 6 foot 2, can provide that natural number nine presence to lead the line as the centre-forward in a 3-4-2-1, acting as an upgrade on Kenny as the main number nine.

In fact, former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker once likened him to Manchester City’s monstrous forward Erling Haaland. He said: “I do see a hint of Haaland about him, his stature, his movement, his youth and stuff like that.”

He has a physically imposing presence that could make him a handful for Premiership defenders to deal with, whilst his career so far also suggests that he could offer more quality than Kenny as an out-and-out number nine.

As you can see in the table above, Ferguson has 26 more caps and eight more goals than Kenny, who is older than him, for Ireland, whilst he has also scored eight more top-level goals.

The Brighton loanee has struggled in the Serie A this season, undoubtedly, but he managed six Premier League goals each season as a teenager in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, per Sofascore, which is no mean feat.

The 21-year-old marksman, whose finishing was hailed as “phenomenal” by James Milner, has shown incredible promise in the Premier League and at international level for Ireland, whilst Kenny has never played at a level above the Premiership and is yet to be capped by Ireland, although he is in the current squad.

This suggests that Ferguson would be an upgrade on his international teammate as an out-and-out centre-forward, potentially taking his place or forcing Nancy to unleash him in the Diego Rossi role behind Ferguson.

"I will step aside" – O'Neill says no talks with Celtic board over permanent role

He’s had his say.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 14, 2025

Overall, the Brighton striker would be a dream first signing for the French boss, should he take over at Parkhead, because of the role that he could play in the team, and the quality that he could bring to the pitch.

A look ahead to the auction, highlighting a few significant trends that could be in play at the event

Nagraj Gollapudi23-Nov-202412:15

Pant? Rahul? Which Indian player will get the big bucks at the auction?

Will there be a 25-crore buy?

Following the record bids at the IPL 2024 mini auction by KKR and SRH to buy the Australian pair of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins respectively, there is an anticipation that the INR 25-crore ceiling might be broken this time.There are two likely reasons this could happen. Firstly, Rishabh Pant. Pant is listed in the first set of marquee players that will ring in the auction on Sunday. He will be among the most sought-after players because several teams are on the lookout for an Indian captain-cum-wicketkeeper. Pant is the first big-name India player to come up in an auction in a long time, and the expectation is that the teams with the biggest purses – PBKS (INR 110.5 crore), RCB (INR 83 crore) and LSG (INR 69 crore) – will bid for him.Then there is DC (INR 73 crore), the franchise Pant played for since 2016 and led since 2021 until last season. Pant opted to head to the auction after retention talks with DC failed, which he recently clarified had nothing to do with money. DC still have the option to buy him back as they have two right-to-match (RTM) options available. And it is the modified RTM rule that might just escalate the bids.

How will the modified RTM rule impact the bidding?

When it has been used in the past, the RTM option allowed franchises to buy back a player by simply matching the price at which that player was sold at the auction. But in the modified RTM rule, which will be in play at this mega auction, if the previous franchise wants to use the RTM card, the franchise that makes the final bid will be given an additional opportunity to raise their bid. In case that happens, the original franchise will need to match that bid using the RTM card to secure the player.Related

• Iyer, Pant, Rahul among marquee players to kick off auction

• IPL retention FAQs: What is the modified RTM rule?

• Pant, Starc, Rahul and others in line to earn big

• England players in the auction: Five things to look out for

For example, say any franchise apart from DC has made a final bid of INR 18 crore for Pant. DC decide to use the RTM. The other franchise then decides to hike their final bid to INR 25 crore. DC, to buy back Pant, will need to match that price or lose out.Officials at franchises have pointed out that the new RTM rule gives no assurance that a team can get back a player at a fair price. Consequently, several franchises have retained at least five, or in the case of KKR and RR, the maximum of six players.ESPNcricinfo has learnt that a few franchises suspect the RTM rule is also responsible for some big-name players opting to head to the auction after receiving an assurance from another franchise that they would be paid a bigger price.

Impact Player – a hot buy

The Impact Player rule was a significant factor in record totals being smashed in IPL 2024. Most Impact Players were predominantly Indian. Many of those were also uncapped. In 2023, Dhruv Jurel announced himself initially as an Impact Player at RR. In 2024, the success of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma at PBKS, or the massive INR 8.4 crore CSK paid acquire power-hitter Sameer Rizvi, were examples of how seriously franchises were paying attention to having a player who can be earmarked as the Impact Player.Sameer Rizvi could get a lot of attention at the mega auction•BCCIThis time around, too, franchises will be on the lookout for uncapped Indian names for the role. A few players that could potentially attract a significant bid include Ashutosh and Rizvi, who are back at the auction, Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Robin Minz, and Karnataka batter Abhinav Manohar.

Uncapped players that could attract strong bids

The quality and importance of uncapped Indian players have grown as franchises have been investing in scouting and in helping these players grow. Importantly, the players are now looked at from a long-term perspective. The success stories of Rinku Singh (KKR) and Tilak Varma (MI) are the two recent examples of uncapped players graduating into top performers, who now play for India.In addition to the names listed for Impact Player role, here’s a short list of uncapped players who are likely to fetch strong bids at this auction: Harpreet Brar, Nehal Wadhera, Anshul Kamboj, Rasikh Salam, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Gurjapneet Singh.

Davey Johnson, former Major League Baseball player and manager, died on Friday. He was 82.

Johnson played 13 seasons in the majors, spending the majority of his career with the Orioles, where he was a stalwart at second base. He was a part of two World Series championship teams in Baltimore, in 1966 and ‘70, and was named an All Star four times.

After leaving the Orioles, Johnson spent a few seasons with the Braves, hitting alongside Hank Aaron, before stints with the Phillies and Cubs, as well as a brief stay with the Yomiuri Giants of NPB.

Just six years after his playing career, Johnson got his first shot as a manager, taking over the top job for the Mets in 1984. He found notable success in Queens, including a World Series championship in 1986. He also became the first NL manager in history to lead his team to at least 90 wins in his first five seasons at the helm.

After his time with the Mets came to a close, Johnson briefly led the Reds, Orioles and Dodgers before leaving the game in 2000. He would return in 2011 to lead the Nationals.

The Orioles celebrated the life of Johnson with a statement.

West Ham United have now submitted an offer of around £20m for a “natural goalscorer”, with Nuno personally a big fan.

West Ham targeting new striker with Fullkrug heading for exit

It has recently been revealed that Niclas Fullkrug is heading for the exit door this winter, having struggled to find the back of the net consistently since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, scoring just three goals in 28 appearances for West Ham.

Callum Wilson has been the man leading the line as of late, and the Englishman has impressed, bagging a brace in the 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth, but there are also question marks over his long-term future at the London Stadium.

Given that Wilson is set to turn 34 in February, and his contract expires at the end of the season, it would be a shrewd move to bring in a younger striker, and the Hammers are desperate to sign at least one new centre-forward in the upcoming window.

That is according to a report from Hammers News, which states West Ham have failed with an opening bid of £20m for Al-Hilal striker Marcos Leonardo, with the Saudi Pro League side adamant they won’t sanction a departure.

However, the Irons may return to the negotiating table with another offer, such is their determination to get a deal done, with Nuno personally a big fan of the Brazilian, who was linked with a move to Nottingham Forest during the manager’s time in charge there.

Nuno has made bringing in a new striker the number one priority for the January transfer window, and if the Hammers were able to get a deal for the 22-year-old done, they would be signing a player in red-hot form.

West Ham and Tottenham get Ivan Toney response after holding discussions

The Al-Ahli striker is fielding enquiries ahead of January.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2025 "Natural goalscorer" Leonardo on fire in Saudi Arabia

Indeed, the Al-Hilal star has been fantastic since the Club World Cup in the summer, scoring four goals in five matches in the new-look competition, and he has since impressed considerably domestically too.

Marcos Leonardo’s goalscoring record

Appearances

Goals

Saudi Pro League

6

6

AFC Champions League

5

3

King’s Cup

3

2

The former Santos man also earned high praise from scout Jacek Kulig courtesy of very impressive attacking numbers during his time in Brazil.

With Fullkrug heading for the exit door, West Ham undoubtedly need to bring in a new striker this winter, and Leonardo could be capable of leading the line for Nuno’s side for years to come.

Three World Cup semifinals, breaking a streak, a famous farewell and more

Omkar Mankame31-Oct-2025

India won the semi-final after completing the highest chase in Women’s ODI history•Getty Images

India beat New Zealand by 40 runs2nd semi-final, Potchefstroom, World Cup 2005India stormed into their maiden World Cup final with a convincing 40-run win, knocking out defending champions New Zealand. Asked to bat first, India were rocked by two early wickets before Anjum Chopra and captain Mithali Raj steadied the innings through a 66-run stand. After Chopra’s fall, Raj continued undaunted and led India to 204 for 6 with an unbeaten 91.Mithali Raj’s knock took India into their maiden World Cup final•Getty ImagesNew Zealand’s chase unravelled swiftly. They lost two wickets for just 13 runs before Nooshin Al Khader struck twice in her very first over to deepen the crisis. Despite Maria Fahey’s fighting 73, India’s bowlers kept their discipline to script a historic entry into the final.India beat Australia by 36 runs2nd semi-final, Derby, World Cup 2017A rain-reduced semi-final. A Harmanpreet Kaur hurricane. A performance that transformed women’s cricket in India. In a 42-over contest, Harmanpreet’s unbeaten 171 off 115 balls was pure theatre – measured at first, monstrous later. She walked in at 35 for 2 and walked out with Australia shell-shocked. Her first fifty took 64 balls, the next two came in just 43 combined. India ended at 281 for 4; Harmanpreet had single-handedly redrawn the boundaries of what was possible.Harmanpreet’s epic 171 not out was studded with 20 four and seven sixes•Getty ImagesAustralia’s response was spirited. Elyse Villani’s fluent 75 gave them hope before a collapse saw them lose 6 for 43. Alex Blackwell’s late charge threatened a miracle, but Deepti Sharma bowled her for 90 off 56. The win sent India into the final at Lord’s and inspired a generation back home.India beat England by 1 wicket1st ODI, Nagpur, 2018The first meeting between India and England since their thrilling 2017 World Cup final ended in another nail-biter. England, batting first, slipped from 71 for 0 to 124 for 6 before Fran Wilson (45) and Danielle Hazell (33) took them to 207. Smriti Mandhana’s 86 set up India’s chase beautifully at 166 for 3, but a middle-order collapse left them teetering at 190 for 9.It took an unbroken last-wicket stand of 18 between Ekta Bisht and Poonam Yadav to steer India home with five balls to spare, sealing a thrilling win for the World Cup runners-up over the reigning champions.Jhulan Goswami celebrates the winning hit•Getty ImagesIndia beat Australia by 2 wickets3rd ODI, MacKay, 2021Big runs, baffling drops, bold catches, missed run-outs, a collapse, a front-foot no-ball ruling out a wicket, and… a record chase. India had come agonisingly close to snapping Australia’s record winning streak in the previous match, but faltered at the finish. This time, they held their nerve.Batting first, Australia rode on half-centuries from Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney, plus a rapid 32-ball 47 from Tahlia McGrath, to post 264 for 9. In reply, Shafali Verma and Yastika Bhatia’s century stand powered India to 160 for 1 inside 30 overs. A fightback from Australia reduced India to 208 for 6, and the tension deepened when the equation came down to four runs off the final over with two wickets in hand. Jhulan Goswami’s lofted drive off Nicola Carey finally broke Australia’s 26-match streak – a moment to savour for the veteran.Deepti Sharma runs out Charlie Dean backing up at the non-striker’s end•Getty ImagesIndia beat England by 16 runs3rd ODI, Lord’s, 2022India’s first ODI series win in England since 1999 led to tears on both sides – the Indians over the end of Goswami’s exemplary two-decade career and Charlie Dean at the thought of taking her side so close only to be undone in this way. The anticlimactic finish occurred in the 44th over, when running in to bowl the fourth ball, Deepti noticed Dean backing up too far at the non-strikers’ end and ran her out to claim the final wicket.Earlier, fifties from Mandhana and Deepti had taken India to 169 after being reduced to 29 for 4 inside the first hour. In reply, England were four down inside 12 overs and writing was on the wall at 65 for 7. Dean stitched partnerships of 38, 15, and 35 with the remaining batters but she was caught short with England 16 adrift.Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur take a moment off during their big stand•BCCIIndia beat South Africa by 4 runs2nd ODI, Bengaluru, 2024Four centuries – a first in a women’s ODI – and 646 runs in total. The game had everything, and it ended with a last-ball finish that went India’s way. Asked to bat first, India piled up their third-highest ODI total – 325 for 3 – with Mandhana and Harmanpreet smashing 136 and 103 not out respectively. South Africa, reduced to 67 for 3, seemed out of the contest until Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp’s 184-run partnership took the game deep.It was down to ten required off the final over. Pooja Vastrakar conceded five off her first two balls and then struck twice in the next two. With five needed off the last delivery, Wolvaardt, finally back on strike, was deceived by a back-of-the-hand slower one.Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues kept India going•ICC/Getty ImagesIndia beat Australia by 5 wickets2nd semi-final, DY Patil, World Cup 2025India ended Australia’s latest World Cup juggernaut by producing the highest successful chase in women’s ODI history. Opting to bat, Australia were cruising towards 350, thanks to Phoebe Litchfield’s exuberant maiden World Cup hundred, and half-centuries from Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner. But India’s bowlers struck late, taking 8 for 118 to restrict them to 338.India were 60 for 2 after the powerplay when Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet began a yin-yang partnership that saw the team finding the fence regularly. Once the captain fell, Rodrigues carried on to an epic unbeaten 127, supported by quickfire cameos from Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, and Amanjot Kaur, to help India book their place in another World Cup final.

The stands will be inaugurated ahead of India’s next World Cup game, against Australia on October 12

Edited PTI copy07-Oct-2025

Former India captain Mithali Raj and wicketkeeper-batter Ravi Kalpana will have stand named after them at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The stands will be unveiled on October 12 ahead of India’s women’s ODI World Cup match against Australia.The decision was taken after India opener Smriti Mandhana made the suggestion to Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh during the chat in August.”The ACA’s tribute to Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana reflects a deep commitment to honouring the trailblazers who have redefined women’s cricket in India while inspiring the next generation to dream bigger,” the ACA said in a statement.”Smriti Mandhana’s thoughtful suggestion captured a wider public sentiment,” minister Lokesh said. “Translating that idea into immediate action reflects our collective commitment to gender parity and to acknowledging the trailblazers of women’s cricket.”Raj, a former India captain and a stalwart of women’s cricket, holds the record for the most runs in women’s ODIs. She scored 7805 runs from 232 ODIs at an average of 50.68 with seven centuries.In 89 T20Is, she scored 2364 runs with 17 fifties at 37.52, while in 12 Tests, Raj scored 699 runs in 19 innings at 43.68 with a highest score of 214, the best for an India batter in the format. She retired from all formats of the game in 2022, bringing down the curtain on a career that spanned 23 years.Kalpana played seven ODIs between 2015 and 2016, and her rise to the India team has inspired several cricketers from the region, such as Arundhati Reddy, S Meghana and N Shree Charani.