Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has insisted that he never said he wanted to leave the club in the summer ahead of signing a new contract at the club. The World Cup winner was heavily linked with a move to Atletico Madrid but instead committed his future, whilst also being appointed club captain.
Romero hits back at exit suggestions
Reports throughout the summer claimed that Atletico were eyeing a swoop to sign the World Cup winner, but he ultimately shocked and delighted fans in equal measure by signing a new long-term contract and being appointed club captain. Now, he has hit back at suggestions he wanted to leave.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesA key player
Romero is perhaps the most important cornerstone of the club's project under Frank, with the Argentina international playing every minute of every game thus far this season. He scored in the UEFA Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain, and also has a Premier League assist to his name.
Romero's fierce rebuke
Romero has hit back at any suggestion that he wanted an exit ahead of the club's Champions League clash with Villarreal.
He told reporters: "I never said I wanted to leave the club. Nothing came from me in that effect. It is important what the manager and president say. I am very happy here, it is like a family. I like the manager. I like the way we work, the way we train. Always things can improve but I think everyone here at all levels are taking the right steps to improve. I am very happy here."
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Getty Images SportAll eyes on more European glory
Spurs are, of course, playing in the Champions League this season after their Europa League triumph last season. Romero won Player of the Match in the final, and will be out to help guide Spurs to the Wanda Metropolitano for this season's showpiece; the club have unfinished business there, having lost the 2019 final to Liverpool in the same stadium.
Celtic have had a strong start to the Scottish Premiership this season, winning both their opening games with clean sheets and sitting comfortably with an early four-point lead over Rangers.
Celtic have made numerous additions to their title-winning team, including Arsenal’s Kirean Tireny on a free transfer. Additionally, Brendan Rodgers has continued the pattern that his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, started and has once again delved into the Japanese market to bring in Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, who become the 7th and 8th Japanese players to join the club this decade.
Rodgers had also planned on bringing in Go Ahead Eagles winger Jakob Breum, but that deal now seems to have been indirectly foiled by their rivals.
Rangers scupper Celtic transfer hopes
Former Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers.
In July, a move for Breum looked likely. Celtic had begun negotiating a price, the player and agent were ready and willing, and the Go Ahead Eagles director spoke candidly about their willingness to sell for the right price. Fast-forward to the present, and Go Ahead Eagles are looking less inclined to sell.
The main reason for this is that the club has received a £6.6 million cash windfall, which means they don’t have to sell Breum if they don’t want to. Last season, the winger registered 15 goal involvements in 26 league appearances, which is likely why the club are inclined to keep hold of him.
In a bitter twist for Celtic, it’s now being reported by Football Insider that a significant factor in Go Ahead Eagles’ reluctance to sell Breum is because of the money they received from Rangers when they signed Oliver Antman.
Rangers brought Antman in from Go Ahead Eagles on Monday for an initial fee of £3 million. This income, partnered with the £3.6 million that the Eagles will receive from their qualification to the Europa League, has changed the Dutch side’s financial situation to the point where a sale of Breum is no longer necessary and attractive.
While it’s almost certain that Rangers had no idea that their deal would scupper Celtic’s move for Breum, it will likely be a cherry on top of the Antman signing that many Rangers fans will take some joy from.
Celtic's next move…
It’s a pain to have a long-term transfer target fall through, and that pain is only exacerbated by Rangers’ involvement, but there is still plenty of time left in the window for Celtic to get their winger.
One other issue that has arisen from the Antman/Breum debacle is that Football Insider also report that Celtic were waiting on the signing of Breum to green-light a sale of Hyunjun Yang to Norwich City. With the season underway, Celtic don’t want to be left shorthanded and so were waiting for their new signing before Yang on. This will now have to wait until they secure an alternative.
One player that Celtic may now go for is Brondby winger Clement Bischoff. TeamTalk had reported earlier this week that Bischoff was a player on the radars of both Celtic and Sunderland. Celtic would have to be willing to spend more than they had planned to spend on Breum, however, as Brondby want £6.3 million for the 19-year-old.
South Africa will want to finish the job here, with only win one out of this and the next Test needed
Firdose Moonda28-Dec-2024A return of 6 for 52 should not be described in terms other than glowing, but even Marco Jansen will tell you that none of the four deliveries he got wickets with at SuperSport Park on day three of the first Test against Pakistan on Saturday were a true reflection of his abilities.”I’ve struggled the whole game, to be honest,” he said after the day’s play. “I feel like I’ve not been as consistent as I should be – if that makes sense – regarding line and length. Everything wasn’t clicking.”That assessment applies to parts of the bowling in all three completed innings so far. In Pakistan’s first, Kagiso Rabada was by far the most threatening of South Africa’s attack but went wicketless, while Corbin Bosch admitted some of his wickets came off balls the batters didn’t need to play at.Related
Abbas, Shahzad give Pakistan hope of defending 147
In South Africa’s first innings, Pakistan were at times listless, and offered too many boundary balls to Aiden Markram initially, and Bosch later on. Then, in Pakistan’s second innings, Rabada and Dane Paterson struggled for rhythm initially, and Bosch was off the mark before Temba Bavuma turned to Jansen to make something happen.Jansen’s fifth ball was short and wide, and Babar Azam, who had just got to his fifty, could not resist. He slashed it to deep point, where Bavuma had positioned Bosch, and Jansen received his first post-Christmas gift. Two overs later, Mohammad Rizwan got a short ball angling down leg and followed it with a half-hearted pull to be caught behind. In the over after that, Salman Agha drove leaden-footed at a full, wide ball. There are questions to be asked about all three batters’ shot selections, but South Africa always expected them to choose those kinds of strokes.”We know most of their batters like to play a positive brand of Test cricket. So we know that if we stick to our lines and lengths, they might leave one or two [balls], but their tendencies are they’ll go at one,” Jansen said. “We always knew that we’re in the game, and we always knew that something’s going to happen.”The most comical was yet to come when Saud Shakeel, on 84, was the recipient of a full toss that struck him on the pad, as he missed an attempted flick. Shakeel was hit under the knee roll, which says something about where Jansen planned for the ball to pitch before he got it a little wrong.Toni de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs were dismissed late on Day 3•AFP/Getty Images”I wanted to go for the yorker, but I probably missed it by a shin’s length,” Jansen said. “At the end of the day, people can say what they want. [But] he missed it, and it’s a wicket. So I’m happy for that.”There was laughter all around when Jansen said that, which is a reflection of how entertaining this Test has been, although the quality of cricket has sometimes been questionable. Because both sides have provided some underwhelming cricket, it created a contest, albeit perhaps not an elite one. That was saved for the last 40 minutes, when Pakistan’s seamers, while defending only 147, dished up spicy opening spells as the clouds gathered overhead to gawk on South Africa’s increasingly knotted nerves.Three of their top four were dismissed to the new ball being bowled on the right lengths, which was just short of a good length, even as the Pakistan quicks also took advantage of the extra bounce and nip on offer. Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs have all had their last say on this match, and South Africa could not be too unhappy with what happened to them.”The three wickets they got were three good balls, so it’s not like we threw our wickets away,” Jansen said. “That’s not to make it seem better. But as long as they get us out with good balls, there’s only so much you can do as a batter. You can only play what you see – you can’t pre-empt or pre-meditate what you want to do – because on this pitch, you’re going to get yourself in trouble.”
“Once the ball gets older, it gets a lot easier to bat, and it’s a nice scoring ground. So with the new ball, [it is] definitely going to move sideways, and then the odd ball will shoot up and the odd ball will also keep low”Marco Jansen on the SuperSport Park pitch
If Jansen ends up batting in the chase, that might mean South Africa are in some trouble, although they bat deep and he has a plan.”My mental point of view is to be as disciplined as possible for as long as possible. We know that with the new ball, it moves quite sharply here – especially in the second innings of the game,” he said. “Once the ball gets older, it gets a lot easier to bat, and it’s a nice scoring ground. So with the new ball, [it is] definitely going to move sideways, and then the odd ball will shoot up and the odd ball will also keep low.”From my perspective, if the ball shoots up, just get your hands out of the way, and then if the ball keeps a bit low, just stay nice and tight in terms of your bat next to your pad. Those two are the difficult ones to keep out. The balls that move sideways, we’re used to that, so I think those are going to be the challenges for tomorrow.”Explained in those purely cricketing terms, it sounds as though South Africa have a good grasp of what is required of them. But there will be much more than just bat vs ball going on on Sunday. There is the expectation of securing this win to reach next year’s World Test Championship final, and the pressure of being South African in a chase. You may think there is also some cushioning because South Africa only need to win one out of this and the next Test. But putting themselves in a must-win situation at Newlands will come with its own set of mind games.South Africa will want to finish the job here, but for that, they will need the kind of steel that has not yet been on display at SuperSport Park. But with so much at stake, it may be time for something we’ve not seen so far.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may not be happy with Andrea Berta’s transfer talks to offload a “sensational talent”, with the Gunners believed to be locked in exit discussions after a meeting in the last 48 hours.
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Fresh off a solid start to their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win over Man United at Old Trafford, Arteta could still see a host of deals conducted at the Emirates Stadium ahead of deadline day on September 1.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetaduring a lap of appreciation after the match
Unfortunately for the supporters who wanted to see Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze link up with Arteta, that dream appears to be on the verge of collapsing.
Tottenham have verbally agreed a deal for Eze after Arsenal’s reported hesitation to move for the England international, with the club apparently deciding not to move, partly due to their desire for Ethan Nwaneri to get more minutes this season (talkSPORT).
Meanwhile, it is now believed that winger Leandro Trossard is on the verge of signing a brand-new deal at Arsenal, following previous reports that Berta could move for another left-winger if the Belgian leaves.
Given he is set for a salary increase, but the actual length of his deal hasn’t changed, it is unclear exactly what Arsenal’s plans are for the long-term when it comes to bringing in an eventual replacement for the 30-year-old.
However, in the meantime, Arsenal’s focus could be purely focused on outgoing transfers.
Fabio Vieira, Karl Hein, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior have all been linked with moves away from N5 in the last few weeks.
Stuttgart remain in lengthy talks for Vieira, which now centre around the possibility of a loan deal that includes an obligation to buy for £17 million, dependent on certain conditions.
Zinchenko has attracted interest from Italy and Turkey, with some reports suggesting that the Ukraine international has already discussed a move to Fenerbache with José Mourinho (Sabah).
Arsenal in talks to offload with FC Porto to offload Jakub Kiwior
According to GiveMeSport, following a meeting on Monday with FC Porto, Arsenal are also locked in talks over letting Jakub Kiwior depart for the Primeira Liga on loan.
The Poland international deputised brilliantly for the injured Gabriel at the back end of 2024/2025, impressing with some solid performances, but Kiwior is firmly a squad player under Arteta.
GMS report that Porto are pushing to sign Kiwior on a temporary deal, including an obligation to buy for 2026, with the major obstacle in negotiations believed to be the 25-year-old’s wages.
Francesco Farioli’s side want Arsenal to cover the majority of his salary before agreeing a move. It is interesting to note that, given just how highly Arteta rates the player, the Spaniard may not be keen to lose a reliable member of his squad.
Kiwior has also been called a “sensational talent” during his time in N5, but Portugal could now be beckoning.
Kevin De Bruyne’s emotional Etihad return lasted just 25 minutes as Napoli boss Antonio Conte sacrificed him following Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s red card in a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Manchester City. Conte admitted both he and De Bruyne were left “disappointed” after cutting short his appearance on a night City striker Erling Haaland made more history.
De Bruyne’s Etihad return cut short
The Belgian international De Bruyne was welcomed back to City with banners, chants, and a hero’s ovation, but his much-anticipated return ended in frustration. Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo was dismissed after a VAR check in the 21st minute, forcing Conte to reorganise. De Bruyne, visibly dejected, was the player withdrawn for Mathias Olivera.
Napoli boss Conte admitted it was a painful choice to replace De Bruyne so soon into his Etihad comeback.
“The devil is in our midst, it was the only thing I could do at that moment. It wasn't just the boy who was disappointed, we deprived him of the satisfaction of playing in his old stadium, but above all me, having had to lose a player like him,” Conte said post-match. He stressed that depriving De Bruyne of playing time against his former club hurt him as much as the player.
Discussing Haaland's opening goal, Conte added: "The only thing we could have done with 10 men was wait and counterattack, but instead we conceded from an attempt to press high. We need more maturity and understanding of the moments, we were excessively generous."
Haaland and Doku seal City’s win
City apitalised on their numerical advantage in the second half, as Haaland struck his 50th Champions League goal in just 49 matches, breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record. While Doku added a dazzling solo effort to wrap up a 2-0 victory, with Phil Foden calling Haaland “unbelievable” and praising his teammate’s relentless form.
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AFPEmotional tribute from City fans
Despite the brief outing, De Bruyne was serenaded by City fans before, during, and after the game. The Belgian, who won 19 major trophies in his decade at the club, completed a lap of honour post-match with former teammates. The club have already confirmed plans for a statue in his honour outside the Etihad.
City shift focus to a Premier League showdown with Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday. Napoli, meanwhile, return to Serie A duty against Pisa, with Conte urging his side to build on the positives he saw before the red card. The defeat leaves the Italians needing to recover quickly in their Champions League campaign.
There might be a lot of negative noise circling around Tyneside, but it’s important to remember that the transfer window is just over one week away from closing, and Newcastle United are quietly piecing together a squad capable of challenging at the forefront once again.
Eddie Howe will likely have cast his team’s minds back to last summer, which culminated in frustrations after bids for Premier League stars Marc Guehi and Anthony Elanga proved fruitless.
Nonetheless, the Magpies flew last year, finishing fifth and thus re-entering the Champions League, also winning the Carabao Cup after beating Liverpool at Wembley.
But there’s no question that it’s been difficult, and that welcoming a few more talented players to the fold is paramount if United are to thrive this season.
Who Newcastle could still sign
The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has revealed that Newcastle have narrowed their centre-forward search down to a few select profiles, with Alexander Isak still AWOL and desperate to sign for Liverpool before the transfer deadline.
Yoane Wissa remains the primary target, but Brentford are hardly rolling over, fighting to keep their talisman on the books.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen is on the radar, as is Atletico Madrid’s wantaway striker Alexander Sorloth.
While there is confidence that this conundrum will be wrinkled out in short time, there’s no question that it has had a potentially detrimental effect on Howe’s seasonal preparations.
And at the end of the day, it is Howe and it is the squad and it is the fanbase that has been rocked by this unsavoury saga.
Newcastle, in spite of it all, have signed well this summer, and could complete a positive window if they get a forward over the line.
However, there might be room for a defensive signing too, with sights set on a Premier League star.
Newcastle exploring move for Premier League star
According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are set to sell centre-back Axel Disasi before the end of the transfer window, and a growing number of suitors – including Newcastle – are attentive.
Disasi
Priced at £30m by the Blues, the France international is also on the radar of Napoli and several Ligue 1 clubs, with Wolverhampton Wanderers having held initial discussions over a possible transfer.
Though Newcastle eased their defensive worries with the signing of Malick Thiaw, there remains a desire to continue to strengthen with European football on the cards once again, and the versatile Disasi could be a shrewd addition.
Why Newcastle should sign Axel Disasi
In August 2023, the now 27-year-old Disasi joined Chelsea from AS Monaco in a £39m package, and he has since played 61 times for the Londoners, scoring five goals and winning a Conference League gold medal last season.
Naturally a central defender, Disasi was deployed as a right-back for much of last season, and his aptitude in the moonlit role showed, for he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 17% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for aerial battles won per 90 (data via FBref).
Described as a “monster” of a defender by journalist Rahman Osman, Disasi was a part of the staggering influx of signings upon Todd Boehly’s takeover of the west London club.
However he’s struggled after a promising start, and spent the latter half of last season out on loan with Aston Villa.
If Newcastle were to succeed in signing Disasi before the end of the month, they might find that such astute business marks their own version of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi being added to the ranks, with the England international one of the Toon’s top targets in recent years.
Newcastle failed with four bids for the 25-year-old last summer, the last of which totalled a whopping £65m. Now, Guehi looks like he’s headed for Liverpool, but Disasi could ease the blow somewhat, having also found himself cast out of Stamford Bridge, first on loan and then permanently.
Crystal Palace'sMarcGuehilooks dejected.
This is what happened to Guehi, who left Chelsea in 2021 after graduating from their Cobham youth academy, signing for Crystal Palace in an £18m deal after a successful loan spell with Swansea City in the Championship.
Like Disasi, Guehi is confident on the ball and dynamic from an athletic standpoint. As you can see below, he was instrumental in the Eagles’ success last season, joining his French positional peer in winning a major trophy too.
Matches (starts)
34 (34)
Goals
3
Assists
2
Touches*
64.9
Pass completion
84%
Big chances
5
Key passes*
0.5
Ball recoveries*
4.3
Dribbles*
0.4
Tackles + interceptions*
2.6
Clearances*
4.6
Duels (won)*
4.9 (59%)
Errors made
2
Guehi is, of course, held in a higher regard, but Disasi might just need a change of scenery and a new home at St. James’ Park to rediscover the form out in his homeland that convinced Chelsea to pay the big bucks to bring him over the Channel.
Given that Jamal Lascelles missed the entirety of last season due to injury and Emil Krafth only clawed back from a lengthy stay in the infirmary in February, existing only on the fringe of Howe’s plans thereafter, it would seem that adding Disasi to the mix could help Newcastle toward their goals.
Disasi would be a welcome addition, potentially adding that extra bit of quality that Howe’s side will need if they are to make further progress after such success last year.
Higher ceiling than Wissa: Newcastle in talks to sign £80m CF this week
Newcastle United are in talks to sign a star who has an even higher ceiling than Wissa.
Real Madrid's performance manager, Antonio Pintus, has detailed what makes Luka Modric a unique talent at 40. The coach explained that the AC Milan star's professionalism and dedication are key, but it's his 'different mentality' and relentless hunger for victory that truly separates him and fuels his remarkable longevity at the top level.
Pintus hails Modric
The beloved midfielder is still going strong despite his age, having joined Milan after a sensational 13-year period at Madrid in which he won six Champions League trophies and four La Liga titles. Pintus has explained the key factors behind Modric's remarkable longevity, stating that the Milan player's unique mentality is what separates him as a "great champion." In an interview with , Pintus, who worked with the Croatian for several years in Madrid, insisted he is not surprised by the 40-year-old's immediate impact in Serie A.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesPintus on Modric's 'rare' dedication
The highly-respected coach dismissed the idea of a single "secret" to Modric's enduring fitness, instead pointing to a combination of elite habits. Pintus detailed the midfielder's meticulous approach to his career, which formed the foundation of his success at the highest level.
"I don't think there's a real secret, but rather a combination of factors," Pintus explained. "Luka has an extraordinary level of professionalism: he takes great care of his training, nutrition, recovery, and above all, he has a mentality that pushes him to never settle. He's a rare example of sporting longevity, the result of daily dedication."
Getty Images Sport'The difference lies in mentality'
While acknowledging Modric's physical attributes, which were maintained through comprehensive training, Pintus believes the Croatian's mindset is his most powerful weapon. He identified Modric's hunger and work ethic as the true driving force behind his ability to compete at the top at 40 years of age.
"I agree," Pintus said when asked if mentality was the key. "The difference between a great champion and a champion often lies in mentality. Modric has a desire to work, a predisposition to fatigue, and a never-ending hunger for victory. These, even more than his physicality, are the driving force behind his longevity."
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Getty Images SportWhat next for the evergreen Modric?
Having played a staggering 63 matches for Real Madrid last season, Modric has shown no signs of slowing down since his move to AC Milan. The veteran has made a seamless transition to Italian football and is set to start his fourth consecutive Serie A game for the Rossoneri. With his fitness and desire unquestioned, Modric is expected to remain a central figure for Milan as they compete for domestic honours. Milan will travel away from home this Sunday for their Serie A fixture against Udinese. They stand fifth on the table with two wins and one loss this season so far.
New Hundred role will run concurrently with existing duties at Derbyshire
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-2025Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s head of cricket, is set to combine his duties at the club with a new role as director of cricket at Northern Superchargers.Derbyshire finished rock-bottom of the County Championship in 2024, with one win in 14 matches in Division Two, and failed to reach the knock-outs in either the T20 Blast or the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.However, Arthur’s managerial experience, which includes a recent stint as Pakistan’s team director, has proven attractive to Superchargers, where he will work alongside the men’s and women’s head coaches, Andrew Flintoff and Lisa Keightley.He will advise the Hundred teams on recruitment and offer support to the head coaches, but Derbyshire insist his role at Superchargers will be “largely hands-off”. He will remain with the county during the Metro Bank One-Day Cup which runs concurrently to the Hundred.”Derbyshire remains my primary focus and I’m committed to achieving our goals of bringing success to the club,” Arthur said. “We encourage all of our players and coaches to develop their skills in new environments and this is another example of that.”As a club, our personnel are in demand and that’s a testament to the work being done behind the scenes, and we are confident results will soon come on-field.”Ryan Duckett, Derbyshire’s chief executive, added: “Mickey remains fully committed to Derbyshire, he lives and breathes the club and we hope that he can use this opportunity to showcase the quality Derbyshire has.”It’s been a positive winter, with Mickey, Wayne [Madsen] and Zak [Chappell] lifting silverware overseas, while Harry Moore and Pat Brown have represented us within the England setup recently.”Our squad has been working hard over the winter, and this will ramp up even further over the next couple of months to give us the best possible chance of success in 2025, with an exciting summer ahead.”
New Zealand white-ball captain will play alongside Nathan Smith at The Oval
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2025Surrey have filled the main gap in their T20 squad with the signing of New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner for the majority of the Vitality Blast season. Santner is available for eight group-stage games and the knockouts in September, if Surrey qualify.Batting allrounders Dan Lawrence, Cameron Steel and Will Jacks were Surrey’s spin options in the Blast last year, but the addition of Santner brings them a frontline option with more than 200 appearances in the format. Surrey have been losing semi-finalists two years in a row, and have not won the trophy since its inaugural season back in 2003.Santner, who recently became New Zealand’s white-ball captain, will arrive in London after the IPL, where he is due to play for Mumbai Indians. He will miss the end of the group stages on international duty but should be available for the knockouts in September. He is also likely to feature in the Hundred again this year, having spent last season with Northern Superchargers.Related
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“I’m really looking forward to connecting with the players and coaching staff at Surrey,” Santner said. “I’ve heard quality things about the environment and have thoroughly enjoyed playing at the Kia Oval previously. I’ve been fortunate to play against many of the squad so it will be great to share the same changing room and play some entertaining cricket.”Alec Stewart, who remains involved with Surrey’s recruitment in his new role as a ‘high performance cricket advisor’, said: “Mitch will bring quality and experience to the Surrey side. He’s a proven international cricketer who plays T20 cricket all over the world and has built an excellent skillset.”Santner will play alongside his international team-mate Nathan Smith at The Oval, with Smith due to play in both the County Championship and the Blast from the start of May until the end of the season, around his New Zealand commitments.
Manchester United have secured their first signing of the summer, agreeing a pre-contract deal for highly-rated Colombian midfielder Cristian Orozco, who will officially join in July after he has turned 18. The club have also handed a trial to Senegal U17 captain Mouhamed Dabo, signalling their intent to reshape midfield options for both the present and future.
Man Utd to sign Orozco next summer
As per the , United have secured the services of 17-year-old Orozco from Fortaleza after his performances at youth international level caught the eye. The teenager helped Colombia reach the CONMEBOL U17 Championship final earlier this year. In a deal similar to the one that saw Paraguayan left-back Diego Leon recently join, he will move to Old Trafford once he turns 18 and is expected to begin in the youth setup before pushing for senior minutes.
AdvertisementRed Devils also set to hand trial to Senegal U17 captain
Alongside Orozco’s arrival, Senegal U17 captain Mouhamed Dabo has been given a trial with United. The Be Sport Academy talent is seen as a player with leadership qualities and potential to develop into a future first-team option. African scouting and recruitment efforts previously unearthed Malian midfielder Sekou Kone, who arrived in Manchester last year.
Getty Images SportAmorim wants to strengthen midfield depth
Ruben Amorim has been keen to add energy and depth to a midfield that has faltered this season. Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo have struggled to consistently impose themselves, while Bruno Fernandes has often been moved out of his best attacking role. Casemiro’s recent red card against Chelsea and current suspension further underlined the need for reinforcements in squad depth.
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AFPMan Utd looking to build a young core under INEOS
Orozco will complete his move in July, with staff set to monitor his progress closely in the academy. Dabo, meanwhile, must impress during his trial period to earn a permanent contract. Both moves highlight United’s push to build a younger core under Amorim while planning beyond the current campaign.