Manchester United have now submitted a £24m opening bid for a “powerful” midfielder, who has been compared to Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.

Man Utd stepping up new midfielder pursuit

Man United could smash their transfer record to get a new midfielder through the door, having set out to bolster their options in the engine room in 2026, and Wharton has been identified as one of their top targets, even though the Eagles are set to hold out for over £100m.

The Red Devils are confident they’ll be able to sign the Englishman, and it is little wonder they are so keen, given the level of some of his performances so far this season.

However, given that the move would be on the expensive side, it remains to be seen whether a deal will be possible, and some cheaper alternative targets have now been identified.

According to a report from Sport Time (via Sport Witness), Man United have now submitted an opening offer of €28m (£24m) for Olympiacos’ Christos Mouzakitis, who has started to attract interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Real Madrid have also made a slightly higher bid, but the Greek club aren’t in a rush to sanction a departure, and they are hoping to receive €40m (£35m) for the midfielder’s services in the January transfer window.

Olympiacos aren’t even willing to listen to proposals of less than €30m (£26m), so if a January deal is going to transpire, Ruben Amorim’s side will have to increase their offer.

"Powerful" Mouzakitis could be low-cost Wharton alternative

The advantage of signing Wharton is that he is already proven in the Premier League, but over £100m is a huge amount to pay for any player, and the Olympiacos star could be an interesting alternative option.

In fact, the 18-year-old has been directly compared to the Crystal Palace star by scout Ben Mattinson, who said: “Mouzakitis is a highly technical #8. As a profile if I was to compare him to someone, I’d say Adam Wharton and Granit Xhaka.”

“He’s that type of left footed #8 who’s tenacious off the ball, incredibly crisp passing through the lines, powerful ball striker, good weight of pass…”

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The starlet, who has made five Champions League appearances this season, also has a keen eye for creating chances, averaging 0.47 assists per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 99th percentile compared to other midfielders.

As such, the seven-time Greek international could be an exciting long-term addition to Amorim’s squad, but Man United should also bring in a midfielder who has more experience at the top level, with Mouzakitis yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s major leagues.

A seam-friendly pitch in Bengaluru backfired on India last year, but injuries to West Indies’ frontline quicks may contribute to a substantial covering of grass on the Ahmedabad surface

Karthik Krishnaswamy and Nagraj Gollapudi30-Sep-20252:10

Chopra: ‘I hope India don’t prepare rank turners’ against West Indies

India could play the first Test of their two-match series against West Indies on one of the greenest home pitches of recent seasons. Two days out from the first Test in Ahmedabad, the pitch had a lush, even covering of grass, and while some of it may get trimmed by the time the match begins, ESPNcricinfo understands 4-5mm could still remain.The primary reason for this grass cover is the composition of the soil. The square at the Narendra Modi Stadium has both red- and black-soil pitches. The pitch for this Test match is a red-soil strip. Red-soil pitches tend to offer excellent bounce and carry when held together by grass. Without this binding, however, they have the tendency to crumble rapidly into dustbowls – the pitch India played New Zealand on in Mumbai last year, where spinners took 34 of the 38 wickets that fell to bowlers, is the most recent example of this phenomenon.Another reason for the pitch looking as green as it did on Tuesday is the rainy weather Ahmedabad has experienced in the last few days, with the pitch under covers through most of Sunday and Monday. It was mostly clear on Tuesday, though, allowing both West Indies and India to train without interruption. There is rain forecast on day one of the Test, but the weather is expected to clear thereafter.Related

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In recent years, India have tended to play their home Tests on square turners in the pursuit of World Test Championship (WTC) points, with wins (12 points) worth three times as much as draws (four points). But these sharply turning pitches run the risk of narrowing the gap between India’s spin attack – which has been the best in the world for over a decade – and that of the visiting team. This was one of the factors that contributed to New Zealand’s unexpected and unprecedented 3-0 whitewash of India in India last year.India are looking to avoid any repeat of this, against a West Indies team that won a Test match against Pakistan on a square turner in Multan in January.No choice is without trade-offs, though, and seaming conditions weaponise both teams’ pace attacks. Last year’s series against New Zealand began in seam-friendly conditions in Bengaluru, where India were bowled out for 46 after choosing to bat first – their then captain Rohit Sharma later suggested he may have misread the conditions.If West Indies had their original squad to choose from, they could have picked the potent pace trio of Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph and gone toe-to-toe with India. They have, however, lost both Josephs to injury in the lead-up to the first Test. This leaves them with substantially depleted pace resources, with Seales and the allrounder Justin Greaves joined by Anderson Phillip – who has a bowling average of 72.50 after three Tests – and the uncapped pair of Johann Layne and Jediah Blades.India were bowled out for 46 in the first innings of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru last year•BCCIThe weakening of West Indies’ seam attack may well contribute to more grass being left on the surface than it otherwise may have been. India will also be looking to put the visitors’ batting under pressure: West Indies were bowled out for 27 by Australia’s four-man seam attack in their most recent Test match, a day-night game in Jamaica.Apart from Bengaluru last year, the last time India played a home Test in genuinely seaming conditions was in Kolkata in 2017, when fast bowlers took 32 of the 35 wickets that fell during a tense, rain-affected draw against Sri Lanka. That pitch was partly the outcome of weather, and partly India’s wish to have their fast bowlers play on helpful pitches in the lead-up to a tour of South Africa in early 2018.Motera has a surprisingly rich history of pace-dominated Test matches. In the very first Test at the venue, in 1983, the quicks took 34 out of 38 bowlers’ wickets (including a nine-wicket haul for Kapil Dev in the third innings) as West Indies beat India by 138 runs. Wisden’s description of the conditions makes for interesting reading: “a lot of grass had been left on the hurriedly prepared pitch in the vain hope of holding it together”. Vain hope, indeed, because it quickly disintegrated into a surface offering deadly uneven bounce.9:01

Chopra: At home against West Indies ‘should be a relatively easier series for India in this WTC’

In 1996, Javagal Srinath took a match-winning fourth-innings six-for against South Africa on another uneven pitch, though this was a dry, underprepared surface equally conducive to spin.South Africa were the visitors once more in 2008, and this time the conditions worked in their favour. As Wisden put it: “A hot summer in Ahmedabad meant that grass had to be left on the pitch to bind the surface; the curator, former Test cricketer Dhiraj Parsana, insisted he could not remove it without taking the top off. He held his ground, and India won a toss they might have been better off losing. They chose to bat.”Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel ran through India, who were bowled out for 76 in just 20 overs. South Africa went on to win by an innings.Another Motera Test, another green or greenish surface. What kind of storyline will it bring us this time?

Van Niekerk’s 19-ball 41 took South Africa to their second consecutive 200-plus total, which laid the foundation for a 65-run win

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2025

Dane van Niekerk scored a 19-ball 41•Cricket South Africa

Dane Van Niekerk’s late blitz on the back of a sedate half-century from Faye Tunnicliffe helped South Africa beat Ireland by 65 runs in the second T20I in Paarl and take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Opting to bat, South Africa racked up 201 for 5 in their 20 overs. In reply, allrounder Orla Prendergast scored an unbeaten 43-ball 51 while Leah Paul hit 40 off 29 balls, but Ireland could only manage 136 for 3, falling well short.In her comeback series, van Niekerk thrashed a 19-ball 41 in the back half of the first innings, taking South Africa past their second consecutive 200-plus total of the series. She struck three fours and three sixes in her knock. By the time van Niekerk fell to Arlene Kelly, South Africa’s run rate had jumped past ten an over. Chloe Tryon’s unbeaten seven-ball 16 in the final overs took them to 201, as she also broke Lizelle Lee’s record for most sixes by a South Africa batter in women’s T20Is (49).Van Niekerk’s cameo complemented a slower – but equally crucial – knock by Tunnicliffe at the top of the order. She reached her maiden T20I half-century off 40 balls: the majority of her innings was played alongside fellow opener, Sune Luus, as the two put up a 78-run opening partnership to lay the foundation.Aimee Maguire dismissed both of them, as well as captain Laura Wolvaardt, returning 3 for 43 in her four overs.Ireland’s batters were slow in their response, scoring 33 runs in the powerplay despite losing no wickets. Tryon sent back both openers – Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis – as Ireland were reduced to 35 for 2 in the seventh over.Their run-rate never picked up, but Prendergast and Paul stayed solid in the middle to share a 76-run partnership for the third wicket. Paul finally fell for 40, but Prendergast stayed around till the end to bring up her half-century in the final over, off 39 balls. By then, the result of the match was a foregone conclusion.

The fast bowler conceded his first return from injury was rushed and he has sought outside advice to help his latest comeback

Alex Malcolm02-Oct-2025As Australia allrounder Cameron Green takes his first tentative steps back to competitive bowling this week in the opening Sheffield Shield round ahead of the Ashes, a word of warning has been sounded from across the Tasman.When Green, and team-mate Lance Morris more recently, were discussing the possibility of back surgery with the medical staff at Cricket Australia, the staggering success rate of New Zealand-based surgeons Grahame Inglis and Rowan Schouten was a huge part of why both went down the path of having screws and titanium wire reinforced into their spine.But at the time of Green’s surgery a year ago, one of the very rare examples of a player suffering a setback out of 20-plus success stories globally was another two-metre quick in Kyle Jamieson.Related

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His fracture had reopened at one of the screws in February 2024. “They hadn’t really seen that before or at all, so they were pretty stumped,” Jamieson told ESPNcricinfo.Jamieson, 30, has fought his way back again without going back under the knife and is playing against Australia in Mount Maunganui this week in a T20I series that Green has been rested from to prioritise his bowling return in red-ball cricket.But it’s been a long process to get back to this point after having surgery in February 2023. “What I’ve learned is that just because you get a couple of screws and some wire and stuff in your back doesn’t make you bulletproof,” Jamieson said.”You’ve still got to respect the loading process. You’ve got to work through what the actual issues were and still address them. For me, it was none of that. It was just [a case of] have the surgery, sit and wait and then just go and never really adjust the stuff that was putting you at risk. Then you sort of start chucking loading and red-ball cricket and all these different dynamics into the mix, and it just ended up not being able to hold.”So whilst it gives you a better chance, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee you. So that would be probably be my advice, make sure you sort of dive deep and work out what are the things that are causing it, and what are the things you need to fix. If surgery helps with that process, then great, but it doesn’t give you the right to neglect the stuff that’s causing the issue in the first place.”Cameron Green is set to return to competitive bowling this weekend•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesJamieson’s second journey back has been slow and deliberate. He is still yet to play any red-ball cricket, having rushed back into international cricket only seven months post-surgery in August 2023 and into first-class and Test cricket only two months later. Following the recurrence in February 2024, he did a 10-month rehabilitation before playing again. Green, in comparison, will have gone more than 12 months without bowling a competitive delivery.”We just stripped back my whole body, the way I moved, and really took a deep dive into what are the things that were actually causing it and actually found a whole lot of stuff,” Jamieson said. “Obviously I had the surgery and had some time off, but never really addressed any of the issues around the way my body was sort of stacked up, how I was using it, how I actually activate the right things.”And then mechanically as well, just a couple of shifts to make sure I can actually make the most of my body and use it in the right way, rather than finding ways to compensate to execute the skills that you need.”I kind of got into a really bad pattern of finding a way to try and be effective. But that kind of led to my body not being able to hold up as well. So [it was] a long process, but I’m in a pretty good spot now.”

There was a point last year when the injury happened that I wasn’t playing cricket again. So to be able to, not just get back to playing, but also playing the highest form of the game would be just an achievement in itselfKyle Jamieson on his difficult time

The search for answers also took him away from New Zealand Cricket for advice. He found Auckland-based couple Chelsea Lane and Matt Dallow. Lane, an Australian, was the head performance therapist for the Golden State Warriors during their NBA Championship winning seasons of 2015 and 2017, working with some of highest profile athletes on the planet including Stephen Curry. Dallow, Lane’s husband, competed for New Zealand in two winter Olympics in the bobsled before transitioning into being a performance coach in track and field.”They’ve done a huge amount of work in rebuilding athletes and biomechanics and just how to stack up your body properly,” Jamieson said. “They advise on everything, right from how my body’s moving, what my gym program looks like, what the [bowling] load numbers look like.”I have reflection and review processes with them after pretty much every day that I bowl, my sort of weekly, monthly calendar is mapped out with them, my total load tracking is done through them. So I’m pretty much fully through them at the moment, and then apply it into the different cricket environments that I end up in.”It has worked so far. Jamieson got through the Super Smash and a domestic 50-over return last summer before four Champions Trophy matches and two T20Is in Pakistan. He also played two PSL matches and four IPL matches without any issue.Kyle Jamieson is still some way off a potential return to red-ball cricket•AFP/Getty ImagesThe beginning of the home white-ball summer against Australia and England are the next challenges to tick off but a red-ball return is still some time away.”I’m building up my loads towards red-ball cricket,” Jamieson said. “But we’re in a daily discussion around how are you pulling up, where are you at. With my history and where I’m at on the comeback trail, we probably just want to be a bit more respectful of that, and always analysing where I’m at.”A rare winter at home while fully fit, due to the birth of his first child Archie, has put him in a different head space about what his future may look like.”I’ve sort of been wrestling with that little bit of late over this winter now that I’ve moved from a returning athlete to now just a performing one,” Jamieson said. “And probably in the past I have looked far ahead with long-term goals but it’s something now that I feel like is quite hard for me to do.”If I get too far ahead of myself, I probably neglect the things that I need to do that make sure that tomorrow I’m safe and able to do my job. So at the moment, I’m very much only looking to the rest of this year with a little bit of an eye on that T20 World Cup.”Red-ball cricket would be nice. There was a point last year when the injury happened that I wasn’t playing cricket again. So to be able to, not just get back to playing, but also playing the highest form of the game would be just an achievement in itself. But I just want to play cricket really. That’s probably the biggest part. I’m not really too fazed on where it is or what form it is. I just want to be playing cricket and doing what I love.”

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has offered his thoughts on Xavi Simons and his performances in training, while addressing the decision to bench him in Spurs’ last four matches.

Thomas Frank set for Brentford reunion amid poor Spurs run

Spurs welcome Brentford to north London on Saturday, desperately needing to end a dismal run that has seen them plummet to 11th in the Premier League table with just 19 points from 14 games.

Frank’s side approach this clash winless in their last five league outings, including three defeats.

Cristian Romero’s dramatic late overhead kick salvaged a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United in their last match, with a controversial VAR penalty to Newcastle denying them all three points.

Their home form has completely collapsed too, with the club now going six consecutive league matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without a single victory.

Premier League home form table

Team

Wins

Draws

Losses

Points

GD

16. Burnley

2

1

4

7

-2

17. Nottingham Forest

2

1

4

7

-5

18. West Ham

2

0

5

6

-9

19. Tottenham

1

2

4

5

-1

20. Wolves

0

1

6

1

-11

That shocking run includes 10 home defeats throughout the entire calendar year of 2025, matching the club’s worst-ever records for home losses in a single year.

Most concerning was their last appearance on home soil, where Fulham raced into a two-goal lead within the opening six minutes before securing a 2-1 victory.

The final whistle brought a cacophony of boos ringing around the stadium, aimed squarely at Frank and his struggling squad.

The ghosts of their 4-1 capitulation at Arsenal last month continue to haunt the team. During that humbling derby defeat, Tottenham managed an expected goals figure of just 0.07, one of their lowest outputs this season, highlighting their serious lack of creativity which has become a concern.

Injury problems compound Frank’s difficulties.

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Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski remain sidelined, robbing Spurs of crucial attacking impetus, with James Maddison not expected back until the new year. Meanwhile, Yves Bissouma also has no set return date yet.

The Lilywhites really need Simons to step up right now after his marquee £55 million move from RB Leipzig, but the Dutchman has scarcely been given a chance lately.

Simons’ highlights in a Spurs jersey are few and far between, with the ex-PSG sensation putting in a Player of the Match display against FC Copenhagen in the Champions League and notching an assist against West Ham way back in September.

That is, however, the sum of his contribution this season, with the ex-Eredivisie starlet attracting criticism.

Thomas Frank makes Xavi Simons training claim in response to Tottenham snubs

Simons could end up costing the club £125 million when factoring in wages, agent’s fees and other add-ons over a potential seven-year contract, but to be fair to him, it’s hard to justify that price with limited game time.

Speaking in his latest press conference, Frank addressed why he hasn’t been starting for Simons for Tottenham lately — claiming it is down to a matter of form with alternatives and different personnel for contrasting matches.

The Dane also shared how Simons has been impressing in Tottenham training lately, so it is absolutely not a question of work ethic.

With the pressure on Simons to perform, Saturday sets the perfect stage, and he could become a hero by helping to arrest the club’s barren home form through a convincing display against Frank’s former club.

Manchester United’s struggles in recent years have been difficult for the fans to process, especially given the success previously endured in previous generations.

The Red Devils ended last season in a record-low 15th place in the Premier League, with Ruben Amorim unable to have a positive impact during his first season in the role.

As a result, the club have now failed to win a single league title since the 2012/13 season campaign, with Sir Alex Ferguson the last manager to finish top of the table.

Their inability to secure top-flight glory hasn’t been through a lack of trying, especially as seen by their spending in the transfer market, which has seen over £800m spent in the last four years.

One player has remained ever-present despite the heavy spending in the market, arguably still being Amorim’s key man in the club’s hunt for sustained success.

The stats behind Bruno’s success in 2025/26

Bruno Fernandes is a player who has constantly impressed during his near six-year spell at United, with the midfielder being the shining light throughout last campaign.

Despite the struggles, the Portuguese international notched a total of 37 combined goals and assists, which no doubt saved the club from a relegation battle.

In 2025/26, the 31-year-old has been forced to operate in a deeper midfield role, but it hasn’t stopped the fan-favourite from producing some incredible numbers in the Premier League.

Bruno has created 3.1 chances per 90 in England’s top-flight to date, with such a tally higher than any other player in the division after the first 15 games of the season.

He’s also registered 2.8 shots per 90 and made 6.1 recoveries per 90, highlighting his efforts at both ends – subsequently placing him in the top 10% of midfielders in the league.

United’s latest showing against Wolves further showcases how impressive he’s been in 2025/26, with the club captain notching two goals and an assist in the 4-1 triumph.

Bruno also completed 55 passes, whilst creating five chances for his teammates, with both of the aforementioned tallies the highest of any player on the pitch at Molineux.

The United star who’s showing shades of Park

Ji-Sung Park was just one player who was a key part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad over a sustained period, with the South Korean star a massively underrated player at Old Trafford.

During his seven years in Manchester, the midfielder racked up a total of 205 appearances in all competitions, often featuring in a variety of different positions.

He often started out wide, in the number ten or even a number eight position, often handing Ferguson a versatile option across numerous key areas of the pitch.

Park registered 55 combined goals and assists during such a time, with his best strike arguably being against Wolves at Old Trafford back in the 2010/11 campaign.

During his time managing Park, Sir Alex often paid the South Korean countless compliments, even once labelling him as the “ultimate professional” due to his attitude and reliability.

However, since his departure in 2012, the club have lacked a player of his stature, but Amorim does currently have a similar player in the form of Mason Mount.

The Englishman has struggled to nail down his place in the United first-team since his £60m move from Chelsea in 2023, with injuries often plaguing the 26-year-old.

However, the 2025/26 season has given him a new lease of life, with the midfielder already racking up 12 Premier League appearances this season and catching the eye with his displays.

He’s already netted three goals to date, including one against Wolves on Monday, subsequently repaying the faith shown in him by Amorim in recent months.

Like Park, he’s often featured in countless positions at Old Trafford, including a number eight role and a number ten – with the midfielder now looking like a crucial part of the squad.

Amorim has also sung his praises in recent times, dubbing him a “proper footballer” and saying that he “believes in him a lot” – highlighting the faith he has in the Englishman to succeed.

His recent showing against Wolves, in which he scored, has showcased why he’s as important as Bruno, with Mount completing 90% of the passes he attempted at Molineux.

He also completed 100% of the long balls he attempted, whilst also making five recoveries and being fouled three times – often providing a constant nuisance to the opposition.

Mason Mount – stats against Wolves
Statistics	Tally
Minutes played	85
Touches	46
Pass accuracy	90%
Long balls completed	100%
Goals scored	1
Recoveries made	5
Fouls won	3
Touches in opposition box	2
Stats via FotMob

Mount’s ability in front of goal over recent weeks has certainly given the manager food for thought, which could see the former Chelsea star now be a key member of the side once again.

He and Bruno have clearly struck up a superb partnership at the heart of the side, which could be crucial in any success achieved during the Amorim tenure.

Mount’s similarities to Park are there for all to see, with the midfielder now having the chance to back up the manager’s faith, just as the South Korean did at Old Trafford in years gone by.

100% pass success & 100% duels won: Man Utd star is as undroppable as Bruno

Manchester United have unearthed another star after yesterday’s win over Wolves at Molineux.

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