O Botafogo tem interesse na contratação de Facundo Pellistri. O atacante tem 21 anos, pertence ao Manchester United e disputou a Copa do Mundo do Qatar pelo Uruguai. A informação foi publicada primeiramente pelo “ge” e confirmada pelo LANCE!.
Os dirigentes alvinegros enviaram a proposta de empréstimo com opção de compra fixada. O jogador não vem recebendo oportunidades no Manchester United e deseja respirar novas ares. Além do Glorioso, o Valencia, da Espanha, também manifestou interesse em contratá-lo.
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Facundo Pellistri é formado nas categorias de base do Peñarol e chegou ao futebol inglês em 2020. Na temporada passada, foi emprestado ao Alavés, da Espanha. Na Copa do Mundo do Qatar, esteve presente nos três jogos disputados pelo Uruguai na fase de grupos.
O Botafogo vem se movimentando no mercado em busca de reforços pontuais para qualificar seu elenco. O clube já acertou as contratações do volante Marlon Freitas, do atacante Carlos Alberto e do zagueiro Segovia.
Nottingham Forest have made an approach for struggling Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz as he continues to push for a return to the Premier League.
Forest are interested in Luiz
Have offered loan with option to buy
Juventus want close to €40m
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Forest have offered a loan move for Douglas Luiz with an option to buy that could become an obligation under certain conditions, according to Matteo Moretto. However, Juventus are demanding €40 million (£34m/$46m) to avoid incurring a loss on the player and to generate funds for the current transfer window.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Juventus signed Douglas Luiz for €51m (£44m/$58m) as a key addition under former manager Thiago Motta. However, poor performances, injuries and Motta's sacking made for a difficult season in Italy. His situation worsened due to disciplinary issues, including failing to report for the opening day of preseason training. Determined to offload him, Juventus even proposed a deal involving Luiz plus cash for Sporting midfielder Morten Hjulmand.
DID YOU KNOW?
Luiz isn’t the only player from Serie A that Forest are pursuing. They are reportedly close to completing the signing of winger Dan Ndoye from Bologna as a direct replacement for Anthony Elanga.
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WHAT NEXT FOR LUIZ AND JUVENTUS ?
Luiz will hope that his future is sorted out soon before the beginning of the new season. Juventus meanwhile will hope to attract more clubs as Tudor does not seem to have Luiz in his plans for next season.
The Mexican national team will face the USMNT in yet another Gold Cup final between the two regional rivals
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El Tri is aiming for back-to-back Gold Cup titlesMexico is chasing its 10th championshipThe USMNT looks to win its eighth titleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Just one step away from lifting the Gold Cup trophy, Mexico manager Javier Aguirre spoke about the significance of such an achievement, calling it a potentially fitting reward for the dedication and unity shown by the Mexican squad throughout the tournament.
“Securing the title would give us momentum and show that the work we’ve done hasn’t been meaningless,” Aguirre said. “We’ve been sharp in training, the group is committed, and there’s a strong sense of unity – almost like a family. Everyone takes pride in wearing the national team jersey.”
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México will face the United States in a new edition of the CONCACAF Clásico. Both teams arrive undefeated so far in the tournament, so it is expected to be a very evenly matched game for regional supremacy.
The 2025 Gold Cup final will be played this Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston. This will be the last official competition match for the Mexican national team before the 2026 World Cup. From then on, they will only play friendly matches, which makes winning the trophy an important goal for Aguirre’s squad.
AFPWHAT LUIS ÁNGEL MALAGÓN SAID
Mexico's goalkeeper spoke about the rivalry between El Tri and the USMNT, saying “We always know that, in the good sense of the word, it’s a war, it’s a clásico, and I think one of the things I’ve learned at América is that clásicos have to be won, so now it’s time to prepare, to recover.”
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AFPDID YOU KNOW?
After his goal against Honduras, which was his second in this Gold Cup, Jiménez has now reached 41 with the Mexican national team, trailing only Javier Hernández (52) and Jared Borgetti (46).
by 108 runsNorthamptonshire fought back hard after Oliver Hannon-Dalby’s career-best bowling put Warwickshire on top on the second day of their LV=Insurance County Championship tussle at Edgbaston.Hannon-Dalby’s superb seven for 46 sent the visitors all out for just 250 in a match they must win to preserve any realistic hopes of avoiding relegation.That total looks a little under par but Jack White (three for 37) then led a big-hearted effort from Northamptonshire’s bowlers who made the home batters work very hard to reach 142 for four from 55 overs in reply.The match remains in the balance on a pitch which has assisted the seamers throughout. Hannon-Dalby will be on a hat-trick in the second innings when he will be hunting the three wickets he needs to reach 100 in two seasons – he is now on 44 this year to add to last season’s 53.After resuming on the second morning on 200 for five, Northamptonshire lost two wickets to the new ball as Saif Zaib edged Hannon-Dalby behind and Lewis McManus’ 97-minute resistance for 25 was ended by an outswinger by Chris Rushworth.Hannon-Dalby then polished off the tail. Tom Taylor edged to second slip before Simon Kerrigan fell lbw and White played on next ball. When Northamptonshire bat again, for the third time in 27 days, Hannon-Dalby will start his next bowl on a hat trick.Warwickshire also found run-gathering an arduous business. Kraigg Brathwaite, on his home debut, eked nine from 58 minutes before edging a lifter from White. Rob Yates prised 23 from nearly two hours before slicing Luke Procter to second slip.Will Rhodes (44, 92 balls) produced the most assertive batting of the day before skying White to third man. Sam Hain, on his last county appearance of the season following his England call-up, collected a workmanlike 30 that is unlikely to figure in his memoirs then was trapped in front by the impressive White.Fifth-wicket pair Dan Mousley and Ed Barnard survived intact, albeit while adding to the considerable number of play-and-misses in this match, but a strong first hour tomorrow morning would pour belief into Northamptonshire’s bid for a great escape.
United might not be involved in FIFA's rebooted tournament this time around, but their participation in its first edition will never be forgotten
It was early January at the start of the new millennium and normally Manchester United would have been training in sub-zero temperatures while preparing for an FA Cup third-round tie. Instead, they were in Brazil at the height of summer for the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, then known as the Club World Championship.
Teddy Sheringham was diving headfirst into the sea; Gary Neville was playing beach volleyball with locals on the Copacabana; Mark Bosnich was acting out a mock medal celebration to wind up Dwight Yorke and Jaap Stam after beating them in a swimming race.
Phil Neville had insisted to fans at the team hotel that "we're not on holiday", but it certainly seemed like it to the Brazilian press, who asked Sir Alex Ferguson whether his team were taking the tournament seriously enough. "You've got the wrong impression if you think that," he retorted. Later on during his side's stay, Ferguson looked up from outside the team hotel to see his midfielder Nicky Butt flying above him on a hang glider.
The British media corps were even more appalled at the holiday vibes as United had taken the unthinkable decision to not participate in the FA Cup at all so as to be in South America. And so while United will not be partaking in this year's reimagined Club World Cup in the United States, their doomed venture in FIFA's very first edition of the tournament back in 2000 remains seared into the memory of the club, albeit for the wrong reasons…
Country in uproar
It is one of the most bizarre newspaper front pages in memory. had canvassed the opinion of 14 people of interest with diverse positions of power, such as Prime Minister Tony Blair, cricketing great Ian Botham, famous film critic Barry Norman, a soldier from the Falklands War and the widow of a murdered headmaster. The subject matter? United's threat to drop out of the FA Cup in order to play in the Club World Cup.
'Is there anyone left in Britain who does not think Man Utd should be in the Cup?' asked the headline above the slogan 'Save the FA Cup'. That front page is often revisited and ridiculed on social media, but it is a reminder of the shockwaves United had generated by choosing to not play at all in the FA Cup, which they had won a record 10 times and lifted the previous year on their way to completing the treble. And by winning the Champions League, the jewel in the crown, they earned themselves an invite to participate in FIFA’s brand new club tournament.
Although it might not have looked like it as the players cavorted on the Copacabana in their swimsuits, United were in an unenviable position. They felt that they had to honour the invitation and play in the Club World Cup in order to appease the English FA, who were bidding to host the 2006 World Cup. Ferguson and chairman Martin Edwards felt a huge weight of responsibility for the team to play at the tournament, despite it coinciding with the third round of the FA Cup.
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'No-win situation'
It is a wonder that the FA did not simply postpone their cup tie until later in the month. Ferguson, however, was concerned about player burnout and the effect it would have on his side in the title race.
"We can't go for them all," he said. "We can't play in the FA Cup and in Brazil. That would be impossible. We're in a no-win situation here. The criticism we would have received if we hadn't gone would have been unthinkable – and that's a Scotsman speaking!"
United's players felt deeply uncomfortable with the whole affair, as David Beckham later revealed: "We were looking forward to going to Brazil, looking forward to playing clubs from all over the world. But nobody was happy about missing out on the FA Cup. It didn’t feel right not to defend the trophy. Perhaps we could have been given a bye through to the fourth round while we were away and joined when we came back, I don’t know. That was for the FA and the club to sort out."
As it turned out, United had nothing to fear as they ended up romping to the Premier League title, finishing 18 points clear of Arsenal. But not taking part in the FA Cup was a sleight from which the oldest knockout competition in the game's history has arguably never really recovered from.
Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now
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Ferguson's regret
Whenever people ask why the FA Cup has lost its mystique, with teams now often rotating their squads to prepare for the next league game, United's no show in 2000 will always be brought up. And understandably so; if the biggest team in the country at the time couldn't be bothered to even enter it, then why should anyone else care?
"It turned out to be a disaster for us," Ferguson later admitted. "We did it to help England's World Cup bid and that was the political situation. I regretted it because we got nothing but stick and terrible criticism for not being in the FA Cup when really, it wasn't our fault at all. The Football Association and the government felt that playing in this tournament would help England's bid to host the 2006 World Cup. There was a lot of undue criticism – but it was a great two-week break."
As it turned out, the fact that United did play in Brazil hardly helped the World Cup bid, as England finished third out of the four hopeful nations, only earning five of a potential 24 votes in the first round of voting and just two in the second round, behind South Africa and eventual winners Germany.
Ferguson, meanwhile, was wearing his rose-tinted spectacles when looking back so fondly on the tournament, given it turned out to be a truly humbling experience for his side.
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Beckham's temper strikes again
The local press painted United as arrogant from the off and felt that they were not giving the new tournament the respect it deserved. Still, the team were given a strong reception when they arrived at the airport in Rio de Janeiro. There was predictable fanfare for Beckham, with one woman telling a local newspaper: "If that Spice Girl isn’t careful, someone here in Rio is going to steal her husband!" There was also an unusual group who made the effort to greet United: Fans of Flamengo, the big rivals of Vasco da Gama who would be facing the Red Devils in Group B.
United's first game, however, came against North American champions Necaxa of Mexico at a sparsely-attended Maracana. It turned out to be a thrilling game, a 1-1 draw that included two saved penalties, a late equaliser from Dwight Yorke and a red card for Beckham, who had kicked out at Jose Milian shortly before half-time. "The dismissal revived the doubts raised over Beckham's temper when he was sent off when playing for England in the 1998 World Cup – and once again left his team-mates a man short," read the s match report.
To make matters worse, the referee was Argentine. The foul was much clearer than the one on Diego Simeone 18 months earlier, but, as ever, Ferguson defended his star man: "It was a 50/50 ball and they both had their feet in the air. The Mexican players tried to get him sent off and the referee has reacted to that. It was particularly poor, I don't think we'll see him in many big games again." Yorke, who had made amends for spurning his penalty by levelling the game, added: "Everyone here is against us."
Regardless of what Ipswich Town’s situation entails come the end of the gruelling Premier League campaign, there are a number of key players who could soon be heading for the exit door in search of glamorous pastures away from Suffolk.
Liam Delap is the obvious name that springs to mind, with the ex-Manchester City striker being tipped to move away from Portman Road for a high £40m amidst interest from the likes of Newcastle United, having bagged a superb ten top-flight strikes this season.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapapplauds fans after the match
This would make Ipswich some significant profit, considering he was only picked up for £20m last summer, with Delap’s name potentially topping the most expensive departures in the club’s history list consequently.
The Tractor Boys have been here before when it comes to selling on a promising asset for big bucks, with Kieran McKenna and Co initially hurting from the potential departure, but then will bounce back as the club have done in the past.
The most notable sales in Ipswich's recent history
Of course, a lot of Ipswich’s notable sales in recent years have come about when they were languishing in the EFL, with £40m an unheard-of figure competing in the lower depths of the Championship and League One.
But, the Suffolk side would have still been pleased with themselves when they let centre-back star Tyrone Mings join AFC Bournemouth for £8m back in 2015.
After all, Ipswich had acquired the services of Mings for just £10k in December of 2012, having seen lots of promise from the young defender when he was previously on the books of non-league Chippenham Town.
This isn’t the only time Ipswich have sold on a promising youngster for a hefty amount, with former youth product Connor Wickham leaving Suffolk behind for Sunderland for a fee around the £8.1m mark in 2012, after scoring 15 goals for the Tractor Boys from 72 appearances.
Delap might well eclipse that amount before he then heads on a new mission, but he isn’t the only star in McKenna’s current camp that could make his club a fortune.
Ipswich star could be their next big sale
McKenna has been loyal to a number of stalwarts that have been with the club since their days in League One, with Sam Morsy still gaining first-team minutes here and there this season, alongside the likes of Nathan Broadhead and Conor Chaplin.
But, the one who has oozed the most class since making the step-up has been Leif Davis, with the deal to pick up the ex-Leeds United man for just £1m continuing to look like a masterstroke of a decision.
The left-sided “animal” – as he was labelled in the past by ex-boss Scott Parker – has picked up a breathtaking 48 goals and assists from 117 total games, with four of those contributions coming as Davis took the leap up to the daunting top flight.
Off the back of his continued excellence, the 25-year-old’s transfer value has soared way above the price the Whites let him leave for, with his valuation now currently standing at a bumper £21m as per Transfermarkt. Amazingly, that is a gigantic 2000% increase from his previous £1m price tag.
1. Leif Davis
£21m
2. Omari Hutchinson
£18m
3. Jacob Greaves
£17m
4. = Jaden Philogene
£12.5m
4. = Jack Clarke
£12.5m
That ever-rising amount – with Davis worth a lesser £12.5m just last November – means he is the club’s current biggest asset away from Delap, with the sale of both of these stars this summer a disaster in the making.
Ipswich will be boosted by the fact the ex-Leeds man did sign a new deal in October of 2024 but will feel they could be ultimately powerless, especially if a higher-up suitor waves around lots of cash for Davis.
His value has soared 100%: Ipswich have struck gold on the new Darren Bent
Ipswich Town could soon sell their new Darren Bent on for some mega bucks.
Sussex reach 47 for 1 with only 16 overs possible on first day in Bristol
ECB Reporters Network27-Apr-2023
Marchant de Lange made the breakthrough for Gloucestershire before rain arrived•Getty Images
Gloucestershire’s misfortune with the weather continued as only 16 overs were possible on the opening day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match with Sussex at Bristol.Having seen their opening home game against Yorkshire washed out without a ball bowled and then been denied a probable victory at Worcester by rain, the hosts suffered more frustration when covers were brought on at the Seat Unique Stadium with little more than an hour played.Sussex had reached 47 for 1 when the drizzle started. As forecast, it turned into heavier rain by early afternoon and further saturated an outfield that was soft at the outset. Umpires Billy Taylor and Mark Newell took the decision to abandon play for the day at 3.15pm, by which time there was standing water on several areas and seagulls wading on the covers.What action there was saw Marchant de Lange strike an early blow after Gloucestershire had won the toss, Sussex opener Tom Haines being snapped up at gully by Miles Hammond looking to play a wide delivery off the back foot.Haines departed for 3 with the total on 9 in the third over, Ali Orr having already lifted Tom Price for a six over midwicket from the 11th ball of the match.Price, fresh from a maiden century and a hat-trick on the same day at Worcester, was not at his best, conceding 19 from his initial three-over spell from the Ashley Down Road End. De Lange was more accurate and ended his opening stint from the Pavilion End with figures of 1 for 5 from five overs, including three maidens.Orr had hit Price for another boundary off a no-ball and greeted the seamer’s switch of ends with a superb driven four through extra cover.Ajeet Dale was the third Gloucestershire bowler used and he sent down five tidy overs for ten runs having replaced Price.The floodlights were already on when play ceased at 12.05pm and, although the rain was light to start with, ground staff aware of the forecast for an afternoon deluge quickly brought on the heavy covers. Orr was unbeaten on 31, having looked in good touch, while Tom Alsop was 11 not out.
Newcastle United are among a host of “sharks” circling to sign an “elite” player in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.
Newcastle transfer news
A recent rumour has claimed that the Magpies actually once looked to sign Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah when he was still a teenager back in 2011, long before he became one of the best players in the world. It was a transfer that failed to materialise, though, acting as one that got away.
In terms of new potential business for Newcastle, Paulo Dybala has emerged as a rumoured target, as they look to match his release clause at Roma this summer. The Argentine is now 31 years of age, however, and has never quite reached his potential, so there would be a risk in signing him despite his relatively cheap exit clause arond £10m.
Paulo Dybala for AS Roma.
Meanwhile, there has been plenty of talk surrounding Sandro Tonali’s future at St James’ Park, with a summer move to Juventus mooted in some quarters. Their current midfielder, Douglas Luiz, has been mentioned as being part of a swap deal involving the Magpies hero.
Victor Osimhen ended up not leaving Napoli on a permanent basis last summer, instead spending the 2024/25 season on loan at Galatasaray, and he has also been talked about as a possible incoming at Newcastle at the end of the season. That surely depends on what happens with Alexander Isak, however, as they look to hold on to their star striker.
Newcastle pushing to sign "elite" player
According to A Bola [via Sport Witness], Newcastle will go back in for Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande this summer, having already sent scouts to watch him in the past, also holding talks for the £50m-rated defender in 2024.
The 21-year-old is wanted by a host of top clubs, however, with Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Juventus all mentioned in the report.
Sporting centre-back Ousmane Diomande.
A new centre-back has to be near the top of Eddie Howe’s wishlist this summer, and in Diomande, he could have a wonderful option to bring in, having been described as an “elite” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
The Ivorian’s quality in possession is highlighted by his passing statistics this season, with the centre-back completing 94.5% of his passes in the Primeira Liga in 2024/25 to date.
In comparison, Dan Burn (90.7%) and Sven Botman (88.3%) are behind him in that area of their game, so Howe and Paul Mitchell may feel that he can make Newcastle a more technically superior team moving forward.
Ousmane Diomande’s Primeira Liga stats this season
Total
Appearances
20
Starts
18
Minutes played
1613
Goals
1
Assists
0
Aerial duel wins per game
2.7
Clearances per game
2.1
Pass completion rate
94.5%
Diomande is still at the start of his career, too, despite already appearing 87 times for Sporting – he has also started eight Champions League matches this season – so he could be a mainstay of Newcastle’s defence for years to come.
There’s no question Stamford Bridge has enjoyed progress under Enzo Maresca’s tactical guidance this season, but the last few months have exposed holes in the Blues squad.
This is a young team. Todd Boehly’s scattergun spending approach hasn’t quite been streamlined yet but there have been signs of refined focus over the past year.
The issue is that Cole Palmer is currently out of sorts, and Chelsea’s frontline is suffering as a result.
The recruitment team are going to be called into play, no doubt, but Chelsea need to rid the team of several pieces of deadwood too.
Who Chelsea need to sell this summer
Sadly, it hasn’t worked out. In 2023, Chelsea signed Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £52m, but injuries and a struggle to identify his best position have left the Frenchman with only six starts and three goals in the Premier League this term.
Bayern Munich were reportedly interested in completing a move in January, but it didn’t come to fruition. Nkunku may well be sold at the end of the season, with Maresca backed to put more of his own flair on the team.
Maresca named Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka to be among the most probable permanent departures before the winter market. Chilwell did leave, but only on loan to Crystal Palace. Expect both to be gone next term.
Then of course, the goalkeeping department requires something of an overhaul, with both Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen enduring something of an error-stricken crisis this season.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is producing solid stuff out on loan with Bournemouth, but reports from February have suggested Chelsea have compiled a four-man shortlist ahead of the off-season and will act.
It’s clear the Blues need a new centre-forward to jockey with Nicolas Jackson. Nkunku might be off, while Joao Felix has only scored once in eight games on loan at Milan, and after failing to hit the ground running in London, it’s unlikely he will feature prominently next year.
Truthfully, this is a squad in transition and will need more facework if the loftiest heights are to be reached. There’s a player above all the aforementioned who must be cut from the books this summer, and like Felix, he’s not even a part of Maresca’s set-up right now.
Not just Nkunku: Chelsea's forgotten man is on borrowed time
Nkunku has flattered to deceive, sure, but he’s still got the potential to spark his career back to life at the highest level, perhaps back in the Bundesliga with Bayern.
Chalkboard
However, the same can’t be said for Raheem Sterling, whose regression over the past several years has reached its nadir at the Emirates with Arsenal.
Raheem Sterling for Chelsea
Chelsea signed him from Manchester City in a deal worth £47.5m in the summer of 2022, and though Sterling impressed in flashes, Maresca’s arrival spelt the end of his west London journey.
Last season, under Mauricio Pochettino, Sterling served an important role, indeed scoring eight times from only 22 starts in the Premier League. But the cracks were starting to show, the wear and tear from an unrelenting career beginning to catch up with him.
He was severed from the first-team reckoning, with the club’s Italian head coach making it clear he wanted a different profile of winger. Arsenal handed him a lifeline, bringing him in on loan late in the day on summer’s transfer deadline day. You’re about to see the best of me, he cried. That hasn’t been the case.
It’s not worked out at Arsenal, with his failure to nail down a starting berth in spite of the Gunners’ injury crisis rather damning.
Reporter Ed Aarons has noted that he’s “struggling” and it’s difficult to see a positive way out for Sterling at either London club.
Limited to just six starts across the Premier League and Champions League, the five-time league winner has registered just one assist. He hasn’t scored. Moreover, Sterling is averaging only 1.5 duels and 0.7 dribbles per game in the top flight, underscoring his athletic depletion.
24/25
Arsenal
12
0
1
23/24
Chelsea
31
8
4
22/23
Chelsea
28
6
3
21/22
Man City
30
13
5
20/21
Man City
31
10
7
19/20
Man City
33
20
1
18/19
Man City
34
17
9
17/18
Man City
33
18
11
His decline has been a gradual thing. Growth and regression are not linear in football, and Sterling has played an almighty amount of football even at 30 years old.
Indeed, having played 391 Premier League matches, Sterling is the fourth-highest active appearance holder in the division, behind James Milner, Ashley Young and James Ward-Prowse.
He will return to Chelsea at the end of the season and is contracted until 2027. His value is plummeting – Transfermarkt record the England international is presently worth just £19m – but given he pockets £350k per week, he must be sold for the greater good of the club.
If Nkunku is sold this summer, Chelsea will need to invest in more depth and quality across the frontline, doubly so if Sterling is freed from the books.
However, such things need to happen. Chelsea are at a critical juncture and must act with incision – luckily, say one thing for Boehly, he’s never been without ambition.
£100m star in the making: Chelsea have struck gold on "incredible" signing
This Chelsea talent is beginning to show the club what he can do for Enzo Maresca.
Manchester United are in desperate need of an overhaul to allow Ruben Amorim to be a success during his time as the club’s manager.
The 40-year-old has only had one transfer window to make his impression on the side, undoubtedly needing a whole summer to part ways with players he doesn’t see in his plans, funding any new additions in the process.
However, his time at Sporting, where he won two league titles, is evidence he has the pedigree to achieve Premier League glory should the hierarchy decide to back him in the market.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimapplauds fans after the match
Wholesale changes may be needed to the playing squad, especially considering their lowly league position of 13th place, with the Red Devils’ only chance to win a trophy now down to the Europa League.
Should Amorim achieve such a feat in the coming months, he would follow in the footsteps of one manager who claimed the title during his own time in charge at Old Trafford.
José Mourinho’s time as Man Utd manager
José Mourinho was appointed as United manager back in the summer of 2016, signing a three-year deal, winning the Community Shield against Leicester City in his first competitive game in charge.
The former Chelsea boss won two other trophies during his first season at the helm, winning the EFL Cup against Southampton, whilst claiming the Europa League title with a 2-0 triumph over Ajax.
However, his time in the post would come to a sour end, with many criticising his style of play, leading to Mourinho’s iconic rant stating he had won more Premier League titles than the other 19 managers combined.
He would eventually be sacked in December 2018, with three trophies next to his name, putting him up there with the most successful managers in the role after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
The 62-year-old was given license to spend to aid his quest, with Amorim desperately needing to offload one of his additions at the next available opportunity.
The player who Amorim needs to offload at Man Utd
After his own appointment in November, Amorim has already demonstrated that he’s not afraid to be ruthless, something which United have desperately needed, excluding Marcus Rashford from his first-team plans.
The 40-year-old stated that his attitude needed to improve for him to consider reinstating him to the side, but subsequently loaned him to Aston Villa in the closing stages of the January window.
Manchester United's MarcusRashfordduring training
If he is to be a success at the Theatre of Dreams, he needs to continue in the same vein, finally offloading defender Victor Lindelof in the summer after his lack of impact in recent times.
The Swede joined under Mourinho’s guidance back in the summer of 2017, costing a whopping £31m, aiming to provide an immediate and long-term fix at centre-back.
Whilst he’s been a valuable member in certain phases of his career in the North West, with Mourinho dubbing him their “best player” at one stage, he’s unfortunately dropped down the pecking order in recent seasons with injuries hampering his progress.
Lindelof has only made nine appearances in 2024/25, only featuring twice since Amorim’s arrival – with his contract set to expire at the end of the current season.
2017/18
29
0
0
2018/19
40
1
1
2019/20
47
1
1
2020/21
45
1
2
2021/22
35
0
2
2022/23
35
0
0
2023/24
28
1
1
2024/25
9
0
0
Total:
268
4
7
Given his lack of impact, coupled with his £120k-per-week contract, the boss needs to be brutal and allow the 30-year-old to depart the club for a new adventure – opening the door to a potential signing in that department in the coming months.
There’s no denying he’s been a loyal servant to the club, making over 250 appearances for the Red Devils, but ultimately, he’s no longer at the level required for a side pushing at the top of the table.
His earnings are also way too extortionate for his value to the current first team, with the Swede likely to be one of various departures between now and next season as Amorim looks to kickstart the United revolution.
Cost £13m, now worth more than Dorgu: Man Utd hit jackpot on "monster" star
In a period of poor transfer dealings, Manchester United have struck gold on one signing.