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Harry Kane has admitted he wants to win the Ballon d'Or and compared himself to Manchester City hitman Erling Haaland as the strikers battle for glory. Kane is one goal off matching Pele's international haul and will hope to match or better the Brazilian when England face Albania in their final World Cup qualifier on Sunday night as the Three Lions look to maintain their 100% record.

Getty Images SportKane expected to start against Albania

England have won all seven 2026 World Cup qualifiers following their 2-0 victory over Serbia on Thursday night. Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze netted either side of half time to wrap up another three points at Wembley, as the Three Lions eased to next summer's showpiece.

Thomas Tuchel's men have scored 20 goals in qualifying, of which Kane has netted six, and have the chance to make it eight wins from eight when they face off against Albania on Sunday evening. And with no other out-and-out striker in the squad, the 32-year-old has a great opportunity to add to that haul and go level with Pele for international goals.

Pele scored 77 times for Brazil during a legendary career, while Kane sits on 76 for the Three Lions. The England skipper netted in the reverse fixture, a 2-0 win at Wembley back in March, and will feel confident about his chances of scoring against the Red and Blacks, who are guaranteed a play-off spot following their 1-0 victory at Andorra on Thursday.

Advertisement'To be around a name like Pele speaks for itself'

Kane has confessed that he relishes reaching such milestones, stating: "To be around a name like Pele speaks for itself. Sometimes when you're in it, it's hard to process some of the names you're around or the things you're achieving. You just want to go onto the next one.

"Hopefully to score tomorrow and go level with Pele, who had such an inspirational international career, just shows how far I've come through my career."

Getty Images SportKane makes Ballon d'Or claim with '100 goals' warning

Kane doesn't just have Pele's international goal record in his sights, but the Ballon d'Or, too. Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 accolade, pipping Barcelona star Lamine Yamal to the award after the Frenchman's role in PSG's Champions League triumph over Inter last season.

The Bayern forward, who is England's leading marksman in history, insists he won't win the individual accolade, even if he scores '100 goals this season'. "I could score 100 goals this season but if I don't win the Champions League or the World Cup, you're probably not going to win the Ballon d'Or," Kane said.

"It's the same with Erling Haaland, it's the same with any player. You have to be winning those major trophies. With the way the season is going as a team with Bayern Munich, it looks like we're in great shape.

"It looks like we're one of the favourites for the Champions League, for sure. So that maybe makes the odds a little bit more in my favour. Same with England. I think we're going to go into the tournament as one of the favourites.

"Whenever you are going into a year, like a World Cup year, there is a lot of excitement, a lot of talk, a lot of noise around everything. You have to try and stay focused on the now.

"From my point of view, I've got six more weeks before I get a nice break. I am feeling good. And that break will help for us but hopefully if things go my way for club and country then I'm definitely going to be in the conversation for a trophy like the Ballon d'Or."

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Haaland instrumental in Norway's qualifying campaign

Haaland himself has been in sensational scoring form for both club and country this season. The 25-year-old has scored in all but two games for Manchester City and Norway in the 2025-26 campaign, failing to net in defeats to Tottenham and Aston Villa.

The City star has been rampant for Stale Solbakken's side in qualifying having scored 14 goals with Norway on the cusp of reaching their first World Cup since 1998.

Norway have won all seven matches so far and face Italy in their final round of qualifiers on Sunday night. The Azzurri have won six of their seven games, but would need to win 9-0 in Milan to pip Norway to top spot in Group I.

Halloween might now be over for another year, but that didn’t stop Newcastle United from showing their Jekyll and Hyde tendencies away at West Ham United on Sunday afternoon.

Heading into this tie against Nuno Espirito Santo’s dejected hosts, Newcastle had collected three wins from their last three games in all competitions.

But, regardless of this run of wins, their poor away record in the Premier League this season continued on at the London Stadium, as Nuno was gifted his first Hammers victory as manager, off the back of the Toon collapsing to a 3-1 loss.

Of course, West Ham did have some genuine moments of quality to thank for their much-needed win, as Lucas Paqueta smashed home this sweetly struck equaliser late into the first half.

Yet, they were definitely boosted by a charitable defensive showing throughout from the away side, too, with Nick Pope perhaps wishing he had done better with this opener, in hindsight.

Newcastle's worrying defensive display

Newcastle would have been the definite favourites for this tie during the pre-match build-up, with West Ham going 247 days without a home victory heading into their showdown with Eddie Howe and Co.

Football is very rarely played to the script, though, with the Newcastle defence that looked rock-solid mid-week when comfortably beating Tottenham Hotspur, replaced by a shoddy, error-prone backline at the London Stadium.

It was the exact same defence, too, minus Sven Botman coming back into the first team mix ahead of Fabian Schar. Howe would have very much regretted making this call in first-half stoppage time, when Botman inexplicably placed a cross from Aaron Wan-Bissaka, past his own goalkeeper, to hand West Ham a slim 2-1 advantage.

The Dutchman wasn’t alone in having an off-day at the back, though, with Emil Krafth hooked off at the half-time mark after he had managed to win zero duels or zero tackles, as Howe desperately wished he had Kieran Trippier available in his spot, instead.

Aaron Ramsdale will also feel he’s in with a slight shout to usurp Pope in between the sticks after a clean sheet was picked up by the ex-Arsenal ‘keeper versus Spurs, with the former Burnley stopper an unsteady pair of gloves, again, when he spilt a late effort into Tomas Soucek’s path to tie up the win for the hosts.

He does have some credit in the bank, though, having kept an impressive five clean sheets in the Premier League so far this season, away from his error-strewn showing on Sunday.

Whereas, one of his other teammates defensively remains on a very precarious tight-rope when it comes to being selected in the starting XI, after a campaign full of disastrous performances.

Howe must drop 3/10 Newcastle star

Howe really did experiment with his XI in East London, as the likes of William Osula, Jacob Ramsey, and Anthony Elanga were all thrown into the first-team action at some point during the chaotic clash.

The 47-year-old’s widespread tinkering did very little to turn the game on its head, though, as Dan Burn struggled throughout as a left-back once more.

CB

82

2 + 2

LB

78

6 + 2

In the past, the 6-foot-7 giant has excelled in the left-back spot, as seen in his collecting six goals when selected on the left-hand side from 78 appearances and counting.

But, in the here and now, it’s clear that the ageing number 33 is no longer well suited to a full-back role, with one Newcastle-based content creator’s comments earlier in the season that Burn being selected regularly here is the “stuff of nightmares” very much ringing true against Nuno’s spirited hosts.

Indeed, the Blyth-born defender would offer very little to Howe and Co’s cause in the forward areas, with zero dribbles attempted.

On top of that, Burn would also fail to win a single tackle or a single ground duel during the 3-1 defeat, leading to Newcastle World’s Jordan Cronin handing him a disappointing 3/10 score post-match.

It’s surely the correct time, now, for Lewis Hall to gain more first-team experience in the left-back spot, over Burn, who is showing no signs, as of late, that he’s cut out for this demanding position long term.

Hall was back on the bench, too, at the London Stadium, after a lengthy absence out of the first team fold through injury, as Howe now contemplates ditching his long-standing servant for the promising youngster, as Champions League football returns to St James’ Park mid-week.

Howe can drop Jacob Ramsey by unleashing underperforming Newcastle star

Newcastle travel to the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 2, 2025

The New York Yankees sent some relative shock throughout the baseball world on Friday morning, announcing that they've amended their facial hair policy ahead of the 2025 MLB season.

"We will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward," Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement, citing conversations with players from several eras. "It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy."

While this is great news for current Yankees like Gerrit Cole and Devin Williams, who can now grow out the beards they've rocked in the past, some former players are not as lucky.

Here's a look at five former Yankees who were robbed of growing out their beards while in pinstripes.

5. Gleyber Torres

Gleyber Torres made his major league debut with the Yankees in 2018 and spent seven seasons in the Bronx, earning two All-Star nods in '18 and '19.

The now-28-year-old became a free agent this offseason after New York's World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers—and signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Detroit Tigers.

It looks like growing out his beard was one of the first things he did after signing on the dotted line.

4. Rougned Odor

Rougned Odor burst onto the scene with the Texas Rangers in 2014, knocking in 100+ hits in each of his first six seasons while also sporting quite the lengthy beard.

The second basemen was ultimately traded to the Yankees following the MLB's COVID-shortened 2020 season—and had to ditch his facial hair in the process.

Odor hardly looks like the same person with a clean-shaven face.

3. Kevin Youkilis

Known for his funky batting stance, Kevin Youkilis was also known for his signature goatee during his nine-season stint with the Red Sox.

As Boston tried to reset after their disastrous 2011 collapse, the three-time All-Star was traded to the White Sox in April 2012. He spent one season in Chicago before signing with his former rival Yankees—knowing he was also signing away his precious bristles.

2. Robinson Cano

Robinson Cano was on track to be a lifelong Yankee after spending his first nine seasons with the club that signed him in 2001. He made his debut in 2005 and played in the Bronx until '13 before the Seattle Mariners snatched him away the following offseason with a 10-year, $240 million contract.

Cano went on to have stints with the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and Atlanta Braves. The eight-time All-Star grew his beard out at every junction.

1. Johnny Damon

Could we go anywhere else with No. 1?

Johnny Damon's luscious locks and filled-out beard are what made the Red Sox' leadoff hitter such a fan favorite during his time in Boston. The center fielder was an integral part of their curse-breaking 2004 World Series championship run, hitting two home runs—including a grand slam—in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees.

Unfortunately for Sox fans, Damon went on to sign with the Yankees just two years later to the tune of a four-year, $52 million contract. Unfortunately for Damon, the hair and the beard had to go.

The 52-year-old has since grown his wool back out as he continues his post-baseball career, making appearances on shows like and—while also playing in exhibition games with the Savannah Bananas.

Birmingham City have been outlining their exciting vision for the future of the club, and that could include bringing home-grown superstar Jude Bellingham back to his roots. England international Bellingham left his boyhood team in 2020 when joining Borussia Dortmund, and is now on the books of Real Madrid. He could retrace steps to the West Midlands at some stage.

Retired shirt number: When Bellingham left Birmingham

Bellingham made his debut for the Blues aged just 16 years and 38 days. It did not take long for his potential to be noted, with heavyweight outfits from across Europe lining up to make a play for his signature. Manchester United were among those to be left disappointed.

The talented youngster made just 44 appearances for Birmingham before heading to Germany, but still saw his No.22 shirt retired – proving how highly he was regarded. He could not have imagined back then that an opportunity to grace that jersey again could present itself.

Birmingham are, however, daring to dream big. They have unveiled plans for a stunning new 62,000-seater stadium. That project, which comes at the cost of £1.2 billion, is intended to help propel the Blues to the top of domestic and continental games.

AdvertisementStunning design: Birmingham reveal the Powerhouse Stadium

Securing promotion out of the Championship and into the Premier League represents one of the first steps down that path, and success of that kind could eventually lead to the Blues being in a position to re-sign local hero Bellingham.

Chairman Tom Wagner admits as much, saying of bringing Bellingham back to what will be known as the Powerhouse Stadium: "I think Jude is the greatest player on the planet today and we haven’t seen anywhere near his full potential yet. Not just as a player, but also what he can do for a community, what he can do as a leader. If we can provide him with a platform to achieve his full potential, well that’s a great story. It’s a great Birmingham story, it’s a great England story and a great homecoming story."

The promotional video for Birmingham’s grand stadium project features a number of familiar faces, including Bellingham. In that, the 22-year-old says "oh wow" when seeing the impressive structure. He goes on to ask: "When’s it going to be ready?"

After it is pointed out to him that construction will take around "five years", Bellingham stares into the distance deep in thought – in a hint at him considering an emotional return to where it all began.

Brady on board: Birmingham want NFL games

Birmingham have the backing to make anything possible, with their Knighthead ownership group pumping considerable funding into the club. They also boast NFL legend Tom Brady as a minority investor. The seven-time Super Bowl winner could help to bring competitive American football to the West Midlands in the future.

Wagner has said of the Blues’ stadium venture: "The ground will definitely have a naming-rights deal, ideally before we even put a shovel in the ground. We have an ambition to host any and all events, like NFL, international global football for men and women.

"[We expect it to be] the most environmentally-sound stadium that will ever be built. Maybe we look like modest lunatics to be [unveiling these plans] while we are in the Championship but we feel very good about where we are."

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Amazon Prime VideoPremier League promotion: Birmingham in 2025-26

Wagner added that the development would “change this city forever” and could be used 365 days a year. A striking stadium will form part of a wider £2.5-3 billion ‘Sports Quarter’ that boasts housing, shops, offices, hotels and other entertainment facilities. Wagner added: "We are putting the city and the club on a trajectory towards greatness. It will be a place where the world’s best want to perform."

Birmingham are currently sat 11th in the Championship table, ahead of a return to action against Norwich on Saturday, but are only four points adrift of the play-off places and may yet form part of the promotion picture in 2025-26.

If Leeds United end up getting rid of an under-fire Daniel Farke in the near future, they will need to heed a lesson of years gone by.

As was seen after Marcelo Bielsa’s exit – who lifted the Championship title aloft much like the German – the grass isn’t always greener when you dismiss an under-pressure manager in the Premier League.

Indeed, a flurry of managers in the form of Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce all didn’t work, which culminated in relegation.

The West Yorkshire giants would then land Farke to pick up the pieces, but even he will know he is on thin ice now regarding his job security, with four defeats picked up in the Premier League from his last five league clashes.

Leeds hang just one point above the dreaded drop zone, with Farke’s atrocious record in the top division of just nine wins from 60 matches, not doing a lot to raise spirits.

He hasn’t been helped, arguably, by some unconvincing transfers coming through the door in the summer, with Leeds splashing out £98m on some hit-and-miss purchases.

Where Perri ranks among Leeds' recent signings

The West Yorkshire outfit’s spending power was somewhat pushed to the background when weighed up next to fellow promoted side Sunderland, who sit eight points better off than Leeds, owing to £162m being forked out.

Still, Leeds have managed to steal some headlines with their own notable business, with Noah Okafor already two goals down donning his new white strip, after leaving AC Milan behind for a fresh adventure in the Premier League.

In much the same vein as Sunderland landed Premier League experience centrally with Granit Xhaka, Leeds also went down the shrewd, top-flight-calibre route themselves when acquiring Sean Longstaff’s services, with journalist Daniel Storey even going as far as to hail the capture of the Newcastle-born star for just £12m as “one of the best signings in the Premier League”.

Unfortunately, though, as Leeds have grown accustomed to over recent years when landing duds such as Luis Sinisterra and Rasmus Kristensen, they have also fallen victim to some underwhelming signings from the summer just gone, with Lucas Perri – in particular – sticking out as a costly blunder already in between the sticks.

Even the most casual observer of the Championship last season would have known that Leeds were far from satisfied with the amount of errors Illan Meslier was making in goal, during a crunch promotion run-in, with pundit Adrian Clarke stating last season that the error-prone Frenchman “has to go” if Premier League action was back on the menu.

The Championship title-winners listened to Clarke’s advice, with all signs pointing in the direction that picking up Meslier’s replacement in Perri for £13.9m from Lyon was a smart use of money, considering Meslier’s fellow compatriot had an encouraging ten Ligue 1 clean sheets under his belt when making the switch to England.

Games played

6

Goals conceded

12

Goals conceded*

2.0

Saves

12

Touches*

43.7

Accurate passes*

20.5 (58%)

Clean sheets

2

Unfortunately, though, under the intense heat of being near the foot of the Premier League, Perri has largely crumbled, with moments of “superb” goalkeeping, for which he was praised by journalist Graham Smyth after clawing away a goal-bound effort against Nottingham Forest, often then met with moments of Meslier-like indecision.

Consequently, Perri has now let in a concerning 12 strikes from six Premier League games, among other worrying numbers, with the outstanding ‘keeper they thought they’d obtained from Lyon yet to come to the forefront.

Purchased for a steep £13.9m, this is an almighty concern that he doesn’t look all that much of a notable upgrade on his former Lorient counterpart, with former Leeds player Jon Newsome even coming out after the crushing 3-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest to state that Perri looks like a “waste of funds”.

Journalist Adonis Storr has also been openly critical of Perri by stating that he always “parries straight to opponents”, which led the Tricky Trees to have a field day against the ropey Brazilian.

If Perri remains this unconvincing in goal in the long run, Leeds will find it hard to beat the drop, with one of his defensive teammates at the City Ground also in with a worrying shout to be one of the Whites’ worst bits of business from their recent bumpy Premier League history.

Leeds dud fast becoming one of their worst signings

In Perri’s defence, at least he has two clean sheets next to his name to have something to smile about.

On the contrary, fellow summer arrival Jaka Bijol is yet to collect a Premier League clean sheet from his limited opportunities in Farke’s first team mix, having been branded as “monstrous” centre-back by Como scout Ben Mattinson when plying his trade for Udinese.

Winning 4.8 duels won on average last season per Serie A clash, the hope would have been that Bijol would instantly get up to speed with the high intensity of the Premier League and be the gritty warrior Leeds need to comfortably survive.

After all, he cost even more than Perri to obtain at the £15m mark, with only Anton Stach and the aforementioned Okafor costing more this summer at £17.4m and £18m, respectively.

While Stach has that sweetly struck free-kick against Wolverhampton Wanderers to hold onto, and his Swiss counterpart has those two Premier League strikes also in his favour, Bijol’s start to life in England has been strangely stop-start.

Indeed, the Slovenian centre-back has only managed to line up for three Premier League clashes to date this season, with many wondering whether Leeds had made an almighty error splashing the cash on Bijol, only for him to warm the substitutes bench behind Pascal Struijk.

However, Farke might well have been better placed to leave the shoddy number 15 on the bench for the foreseeable future, when analysing his disastrous Premier League appearances so far, as Bijol was caught ball-watching for Forest’s decisive match-winner on Sunday afternoon.

Perri is hardly loving life under scrutiny at Elland Road, knowing he now has an out-of-sorts Bijol in front of him, with Leeds last keeping a clean sheet in league action when Struijk partnered Joe Rodon, and the Slovenian was left rooted to the bench.

Minutes played

90

82

Goals conceded

3

3

Touches

89

79

Accurate passes

81/86 (94%)

65/71 (92%)

Tackles won

0/0

1/1

Interceptions

0

1

Clearances

3

4

Blocked shots

0

0

Ball recoveries

6

1

Total duels won

1/3

4/6

At their current rate, with 20 goals already leaked, Leeds could be on their way to conceding even more goals than the 78 strikes they gave up during the 2022/23 season when relegation was on the cards.

That same season, Leeds had to put up with a weak Robin Koch in defence, who once cost £12m from Freiburg in another shambolic defensive purchase.

At his current downward slope, Bijol is likely to be remembered more for being a Koch-like blunder than a bright spark like Okafor, with the Slovenian having to buck his ideas up soon, or be viewed as £18m that was rashly chucked away.

Thankfully, he does have time on his side to rewrite his Leeds narrative, as Perri and Bijol hope the slide can be eventually arrested, with or without the manager that brought them to this country remaining in the dug-out.

Fewer touches than Perri: Farke must ditch Leeds flop who's Meslier 2.0

Daniel Farke has a new Illan Meslier figure to worry about at Leeds United.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 10, 2025

Back in December, the Athletics handed Luis Severino the largest guaranteed contract in franchise history—a three-year deal worth $67 million. Just one game in, that investment already is paying dividends.

Severino dazzled the Seattle Mariners in six innings of scoreless ball Thursday in the A's 4–2 loss at T-Mobile Park. In those six frames of work, Severino allowed three hits and four walks but didn't yield a single run while also notching six strikeouts. And one of those strikeouts featured one of—if not —nastiest pitches of this young 2025 season.

With two runners on base and two outs in the sixth inning, Severino worked a 2-2 count against Seattle slugger Rowdy Tellez. After Tellez fouled one off, Severino froze him with an absolutely lethal backdoor sweeper. The pitch started well outside the zone but broke in, settling into catcher Shea Langeliers's mitt right on the outside corner.

"I knew I had enough in my back pocket to reach back and throw some nasty pitches,” Severino told MLB's Martin Gallegos after the game. “In my head, that was my last hitter. So, I was like, ‘I’m going to throw everything I’ve got.’ I just wanted to throw the nastiest stuff that I had.”

Langeliers agreed with the right-hander's assessment.

"Going back and watching it, it got back to the zone, but it felt like it would have hit a right-handed hitter,” the catcher said. "That’s how far out to my left it was, and then it came all the way back. It was crazy. … I would say that’s up there for the nastiest pitch I’ve ever caught."

The A's would go on to lose that game 4–2 on Opening Day but rebounded for a 7–0 win on Friday.

Trinity Rodman has received a contract offer from DC Power of the Gainbridge Super League that reportedly exceeds what the Washington Spirit or the NWSL can match. The U.S. forward’s contract with the Spirit expires next month, and negotiations over an extension have stalled. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has stressed her league will fight to keep the American star.

ImagnSubstantial contract offer

Multiple outlets report that Rodman’s representatives have spoken directly with Berman while also holding discussions with European clubs. According to , they are evaluating an offer from DC Power that exceeds what the Spirit can provide under the league’s salary cap. Negotiations have reached an impasse because NWSL teams are unable to match offers from clubs operating outside the cap structure.

Berman stressed in her NWSL Final presser on Thursday that the league hopes to retain the star forward. 

"We want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her," she said. 

Rodman has more than delivered during her time in NWSL, scoring 23 goals. The 23-year-old is also reportedly drawing interest from European clubs. 

AdvertisementImagnSalary cap debate intensifies amid competition

The situation highlights a key structural difference between the two leagues. The Super League, sanctioned as a Division I competition and operated by the USL, does not use a salary cap or player draft, giving clubs full control over roster building and allowing all players to become free agents when their contracts expire.

That stands in contrast with the NWSL’s hard salary cap – set at $3.3 million per team for 2026 and not expected to reach $5 million until 2030 under the current CBA – which limits how much clubs can offer in contract negotiations. Berman defended the NWSL's use of a salary cap and pointed to the league's growth in its current number. 

"The NWSL has raised the salary cap tremendously in the last four seasons, almost quadrupled in the last four years," she said. 

ImagnRodman decision represents watershed moment

The outcome of Rodman’s contract negotiations is expected to influence future deals for top American players. In recent years, several high-profile U.S. players have moved abroad – including Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea, as well as Naomi Girma and Lindsey Horan – and Rodman now represents one of the most closely watched cases.

Unlike those players, Rodman has a domestic alternative capable of outbidding her current league. The Spirit and DC Power share facilities owned by D.C. United, and the Power also share ownership ties with the MLS club, creating an unusual scenario in which Rodman could remain in the same market while moving to a different league.

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Getty Images SportChampionship match outcome precedes decisive offseason

Rodman will first focus on leading the Washington Spirit in Saturday's NWSL Championship in San Jose before making any decisions about her future. 

Razzak collected his nomination papers to stand as a director candidate from the Khulna division on October 6

Mohammad Isam27-Sep-2025Former left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak has resigned as a Bangladesh national selector after deciding to contest in the upcoming BCB elections. Razzak, 43, collected his nomination papers to stand as a director candidate from the Khulna division on October 6.Razzak played 13 Tests, 153 ODIs and 34 T20Is for Bangladesh, and remains the third-highest wicket-taker for his country in ODIs. He is one of 61 nominations for the 23 directors’ position that will be contested in the upcoming BCB elections.The general members body, known as the councillors, will elect 23 of the 25 board directors, and the BCB president will be elected from that pool of 25 to serve a four-year term. The most prominent candidates are the incumbent BCB chief Aminul Islam and Tamim Iqbal, who have both announced that they will contest for the board president.”I had the honour of playing for the national team for 14 years and the privilege of serving as a national selector for over four years,” Razzak, who has been a selector for the Bangladesh men’s team since 2021, said in a statement. “I believe the time has come for me to step down from this position to explore the possibilities of contributing to the game that has given me so much, on a larger scale if the opportunity presents itself. I feel this is the right thing to do.”Following Hannan Sarkar’s resignation in February last year, Razzak was one of two members in the selection panel alongside chief Gazi Ashraf Hossain.Reflecting on Razzak’s tenure as a selector, Ashraf praised his colleague. “He was an invaluable member of the panel and brought his undoubted experience and vision to the selection process,” Ashraf said. “We thank him for his contribution and wish him the very best for the future, which we hope will remain closely connected with Bangladesh cricket.”

Over the last couple of years, Manchester United have shifted their focus in the transfer market to landing young talents who can make an immediate and long-term impact at the club.

Such a strategy may prove to be a risky one, but the benefits massively outweigh the negatives, with the huge development and room for profit no doubt a real contributing factor.

Leny Yoro joined the Red Devils in a £52m deal from Lille last summer, with the Frenchman seen as a huge addition for the backline in their attempts for Premier League glory.

At just 20, he’s racked up nearly half a century of appearances at Old Trafford and is likely to remain a key member of Ruben Amorim’s squad for the foreseeable future.

However, with January rapidly on the horizon, the hierarchy look set to make yet more additions, which could see numerous other youngsters take the jump to move to Manchester.

Man Utd’s hunt for new additions in January

Elliot Anderson is the player who has mostly been linked with a move to join United this winter, with the 23-year-old seen as the club’s marquee addition for the upcoming window.

However, his potential move to Old Trafford would likely be a club-record one for Amorim’s men, as current employers Nottingham Forest are currently demanding £100m for his signature.

Such a price tag is to be expected given his recent rise, which has seen him cement himself as a regular starter in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad in 2025.

However, he’s not the only youngster in their sights, with AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit another talent the hierarchy are considering, according to CaughtOffside.

Their report states that the Red Devils have already reached out to the Dutch outfit over a move for the 19-year-old star, with a £25m price tag currently being mooted for his services.

The article also claims that local rivals Liverpool are also interested in a move for the teenager, but it remains to be seen where the player himself would prefer to move.

How Smit compares to Scott McTominay

United’s academy setup has often produced numerous top-level talents, with midfielder Scott McTominay just one player who has placed himself in that bracket.

The Scottish international rose through the ranks at Old Trafford, before making himself known to the supporters in the first team ranks – subsequently racking up a total of 255 appearances for the club.

However, last summer, the hierarchy decided it was best to move him on and cash in on his services, with the club offloading him to Napoli in a deal worth a reported £25m.

Such a decision has massively backfired, with the midfielder scoring 13 times in all competitions last season, resulting in the 28-year-old winning the Serie A MVP award for 2024/25.

He’s carried his phenomenal form into his international career as of late, even scoring a remarkable bicycle kick against Denmark this week to secure Scotland’s place at the 2026 World Cup.

His move away from Old Trafford has made him an elite-level talent, but the club could be about to land their next version of the star with a move for Smit in the coming months.

The Dutch youngster has also made a name for himself in recent months, as he’s already registered six combined goals and assists in his 19 appearances across all competitions.

He’s become a box-crashing midfielder who likes to pop up with a goal or an assist, something which McTominay has done excellently since his transfer away from his boyhood club.

Smit, who possesses “superstar potential” according to Ben Mattinson, has also completed 88% of the passes he’s attempted – resulting in 2.1 chances created per 90 this campaign.

Games played

19

Goals & assists

6

Pass accuracy

88%

Chances created

2.1

Successful dribbles

1.2

Dribble success

50%

Recoveries made

6.3

Tackles in final third

0.9

Other figures, such as 1.2 successful dribbles per 90 and a 50% dribble success rate, further showcase his talent in possession, which makes him a huge threat in attacking areas.

Out of possession, the youngster has also thrived, subsequently making 6.3 recoveries per 90 and 0.9 tackles per 90 in the final third of the pitch – numbers which could add a new dimension to Amorim’s side.

£25m for a youngster with Smit’s quality and potential is an excellent deal, but the Red Devils board will need to act quickly to avoid missing out to Liverpool.

If he can replicate McTominay’s incredible nouse for goals and assists within the final third, it would be a phenomenal piece of business that could take the club to the next level in the years ahead.

Next Carrick: Man Utd want to sign "one of the best CMs in the PL" for £60m

Man United could enhance the quality of their midfield with the signing of another Michael Carrick.

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 19, 2025

The Chicago Cubs are in Japan this week for the MLB's Tokyo Series, playing several exhibition games from the Tokyo Dome before kicking off the regular season against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

Ahead of their contest against the Yomiuri Giants on Sunday, Cubs infielder Justin Turner spotted two young fans sporting fake beards—an ode to the signature flowing facial hair that he's kept throughout his career—and ended up making their day.

The 40-year-old went over to them, gave them two signed baseballs, and took a photo with them.

Check out that awesome interaction:

A two-time All-Star and a World Series champion with the Dodgers in 2020, Turner signed with the Cubs last month on a one-year, $6 million deal. He's also currently the most endorsed MLB player with 20 active deals—which may explain how he has fans not only nation-, but worldwide.