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AC Milan have stepped up their pursuit of Robert Lewandowski, scheduling a new round of talks with his agent Pini Zahavi as the Barcelona striker weighs his future as his contract nears its end. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic pushing internally to bring the 37-year-old to San Siro and Milan rebuilding under Max Allegri, the Rossoneri sense an opening, but salary demands remain a major hurdle.

• Milan accelerate pursuit as Lewandowski weighs future

  According to , Milan are preparing a fresh approach for Lewandowski, with a new meeting scheduled between sporting director Igli Tare and the striker’s agent Pini Zahavi in the coming weeks. The Rossoneri have made the 37-year-old a priority target for June, convinced that his arrival could transform the club’s rebuild under Allegri. Lewandowski’s contract with Barca runs until June 2026, but uncertainty around his long-term role coupled with the club’s plan to sign a new No.9 next summer has placed his future firmly in play.

  Milan rejected the idea of approaching him last year due to salary constraints, but with Champions League qualification now a central objective, the Rossoneri believe the timing may be right to formalise negotiations. The San Siro hierarchy have already tested the waters with Lewandowski’s entourage. This next meeting is expected to focus on possible salary parameters, with the Pole currently earning €20 million (£17m/$22m) net at Barcelona, almost triple the wages of Milan’s highest earner, Rafael Leao.

  With Barcelona evaluating replacements and Lewandowski keeping all options open, the situation is edging into a crucial phase, one that could reshape the summer transfer market.

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  Ibrahimovic’s influence and Barcelona’s search for a new No.9

  This renewed push from the Rossoneri comes with the backing of their former striker Ibrahimovic, now a senior advisor at RedBird and one of the most influential voices behind Milan’s sporting strategy. He views Lewandowski as the type of elite striker who can immediately elevate the squad, much like his own transformative return to the club in 2020.

  On the Barcelona side, their search for a new striker highlights how the club is preparing for life after Lewandowski. Reports indicate that Harry Kane sits at the top of their shortlist, with the England captain scoring 108 goals in 113 games for Bayern Munich since 2023. Other names include Julian Alvarez, long admired by Barca, and even a dream move for Erling Haaland, described internally as Joan Laporta’s “obsession”. Financial realities, however, mean the Catalan giants are also analysing cheaper alternatives such as Etta Eyong, underlining the scale of the transition being planned.

  Lewandowski’s reduced role this season, a result of injuries and the emergence of Ferran Torres has only added to uncertainty. Despite this, he remains Barca’s leading scorer with seven goals in nine La Liga matches, second only to Mbappe in the Spanish scoring charts.

• Lewandowski speaks out and Milan’s project takes shape

  The ex-Bayern striker has been open about his indecision regarding the next step in his career. While on duty with Poland, he made it clear that he does not intend to rush any decision: “I still don’t know the answer. That’s why I’m not in a hurry, I’m at peace with myself. Even if, for example, the club contacted me now, I still wouldn’t answer that question. Because I also have to feel what’s best for me. Now I’m calm, I’m not in a hurry and, at the moment, I don’t expect anything else.”

  His stance aligns with Milan’s long-term approach under Allegri and Tare, who are intent on recruiting experienced leaders to stabilise the squad. Zahavi’s strong relationship with Milan further strengthens their position. For Milan, landing Lewandowski would represent both a sporting coup and a symbolic statement that their project is entering a new era.

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  The next meeting could shape the summer market

  The Rossoneri's upcoming talks with Zahavi will be pivotal. If the two sides can find common ground on salary structure, potentially through bonuses or multi-year guarantees, negotiations could accelerate rapidly ahead of June. Barcelona, meanwhile, are expected to continue planning for a major reshuffle in the forward department, with the Lewandowski decision acting as the first domino.

  As interest from multiple European clubs quietly grows, all eyes now turn to Milan’s next meeting. The battle for Lewandowski is only just beginning and the outcome could define one of the summer’s biggest transfer sagas.

Tottenham Hotspur face Monaco in the Champions League tonight, looking to return to winning ways after the defeat to Aston Villa on home soil over the weekend.

Thomas Frank’s side will have huge expectations placed upon them in Europe this season, understandably so given their successes in the Europa League last campaign.

The Dane has already made an impressive start to life in Europe’s biggest club competition, winning one and drawing the other of their first two outings in 2025/26.

However, the meeting against the Ligue 1 outfit will present a tricky challenge, with Sebastien Pocognoli’s side holding Manchester City to a 2-2 draw at the start of the month.

If Frank is to claim another European victory as the Lilywhites boss, he will likely need one of his current first-team members to be on top form in the South of France.

Xavi Simons’ disappointing start to life at Spurs

During the summer transfer window, the Spurs hierarchy made it clear they wanted to improve the options available to them within the attacking midfield positions.

After numerous failed attempts during the window, they decided to fork out a fee in the region of £52m for the signature of Dutch international Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig.

His tally of 19 combined goals and assists across all competitions generated huge excitement, but it’s safe to say his period in North London has failed to take off to date.

The 22-year-old has only registered one assist in his first eight outings for the Lilywhites, with his transfer now starting to be called into question by numerous pundits.

Simons has only created 1.3 chances per 90 and completed just 40% of his attempted dribbles – with the latter of his two stats ranking him within the 44th percentile of all players in the Premier League.

He’s also demonstrated a lack of physicality in England’s top-flight, only being on the winning side of 38% of his duels – with only 27% of players in the division winning fewer.

He desperately needs to find his form to justify his staggering transfer fee, but Frank can aid him against Monaco by starting one other first-team member tonight.

The Spurs player who can finally get Simons firing

Throughout the first few weeks of his time in North London, Simons has operated in a variety of different roles – with most of his playing time coming in an unnatural left-wing position.

Such a situation would likely have contributed to his recent lack of impact in attacking areas, with the manager needing to utilise him in his natural number ten position.

He created nearly double the amount of chances per 90 at Leipzig last campaign, further showcasing the levels he can produce when featuring behind the striker.

The centre-forward department has also been brought into question as of late, with Richarlison failing to back the faith shown in him by the new manager.

Dominic Solanke will certainly have been the number one option for Frank, but the Englishman’s constant setbacks with ankle injuries have prevented him from consistent first-team action.

Such scenarios should see the manager hand loanee Randal Kolo Muani his first start for the Lilywhites in the clash with Monaco later on this evening.

The Frenchman has only made 24 minutes of action for the club after joining from PSG on deadline day, but a European night under the lights could present an excellent chance to stake his claim for a starting role.

Kolo Muani, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by former boss Christian Gourcuff, scored 10 goals in just 22 appearances at Juventus last season – highlighting his clinical ability in the final third.

Such talent within attacking areas could hugely benefit Simons, with the Dutchman having the opportunity to boost his assist tally alongside the Frenchman.

After all, this is a player who, in the words of the Bundesliga website, has the “hallmarks of Thierry Henry’s game”. We’re yet to see that since his move but there is no time like the present.

The big-money addition has completed 1.1 crosses per 90, too, with such numbers playing perfectly into the hands of the loanee who scored three headers last campaign.

Both players have ultimately struggled to match the expectations they arrived with in North London, but that could all change tonight if Frank hands them the chance to start together.

The pair could help the side maintain their unbeaten record in Europe this campaign and bolster their chances of claiming another European title.

Their best CF since Kane: Paratici wants Spurs to sign £87m "freak of nature"

Tottenham Hotspur could try and land a new talisman for Thomas Frank in the months ahead.

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 21, 2025

As New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe prepares to play in his first World Series in just his second MLB season, his father Michael posted quite the memory on Instagram to get fans pumped up.

Volpe is a New York native and grew up as a Yankees fan, and he happened to be present at the team's last World Series parade in 2009.

The shortstop was eight years old in the picture his dad posted of him standing in the first row watching the Yankees celebrate their 27th World Series title.

His dad captioned the photo "2009 World Series parade. 4 more wins!!"

Volpe could be present at this year's World Series parade, but this time on a bus with the rest of his teammates instead of standing as a fan in the crowd. Talk about a (potential) full circle moment.

The Yankees will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 World Series beginning on Friday, Oct. 25 in California.

New York Mets outfielder Jesse Winker went viral for a hilarious moment in Tuesday’s 6-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Roger Centre.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Winker picked up Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s line drive to left center and threw the ball to Eddy Alvarez at second base to get the out. Guerrero collided with Alvarez at the base and appeared to be safe, according to the initial call.

However, after a Mets’ challenge, the call was overturned and Guerrero was confirmed to be out. 

As Guerrero stood there shaking his head in visible disbelief, Winker walked over, looked him in the eyes and stuck out his hand, offering what seemed to be an olive branch.

Guerrero flashed a wry smile, shook Winker’s hand, and that was that.

It wasn’t exactly the most thrilling moment in baseball, but it still gave fans a good laugh.

After claiming the MLS Golden Boot, Lionel Messi has been named to the MLS Best XI for the second time since joining Inter Miami. The recognition comes after Messi finished with the second-most goal contributions in a single season in MLS history and became the second player in league history to lead the league in goals and assists.

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  A star-studded team

  The squad features six first-time honorees and players representing nine different clubs, with the Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps each seeing two players recognized. The team features multiple award winners, too, including Golden Boot winner (and MVP favorite) Messi, MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair, MLS Defender of the Year Tristan Blackmon, MLS Young Player of the Year Alex Freeman, and MLS Newcomer of the Year Anders Dreyer.

  Freeman is the youngest player named to the Best XI in five years (Brenden Aaronson in 2020), while Dreyer joins Roman Burki and Walker Zimmerman in making the list from a first-year expansion team in the 2020s. Denis Bouanga, meanwhile, became the first player since Josef Martinez to make the team three consecutive times as he joins Dreyer and Messi as the three attackers in the team.

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  Best XI in full

  Goalkeeper: Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC)

  Defenders: Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Alex Freeman (Orlando City SC), Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union)

  Midfielders: Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Evander (FC Cincinnati), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC)

  Forwards: Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)

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  Local flavor

  Four players in the side have played for the U.S. men's national team this year: Freeman, Blackmon, Sebastian Berhalter and Cristian Roldan. All four were in the U.S. squad for the September camp, with Roldan and Freeman returning for the October camp as well. Berhalter, meanwhile, joined Freeman this summer in representing the U.S. on the run to the Gold Cup final.

  Canada, too, is represented by St. Clair, who becomes the second Canadian player to be named to the MLS Best XI in the last decade, following Tajon Buchanan in 2021.

  The five domestic selections are the most since 2015, when there were also five: Luis Robles, Matt Hedges, Benny Feilhaber, Ethan Finlay and Dax McCarty, all American.

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  What comes next?

  Of the Best XI selections, Freeman is the only one not left in the playoffs after Orlando City were knocked out in the Wild Card round. All five deciding Game 3s of the current round will be played this weekend.

Premier League fans will have enjoyed a feast of football after the conclusion of the international break. However, a former player in England’s top-flight calling out Jake Paul may not have been on their bingo card this weekend!

Former Premier League star Curtis Davies claims KO victory over Paddy Kenny

Boxing is a sport that has seen plenty of high-profile crossovers in recent years. On Saturday night, it was the turn of former Hull City defender Curtis Davies and ex-Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Paddy Kenny to pull on the gloves for charity.

The Sun report that Graham Stack was behind the event, one that also saw Jody Morris and David Bentley go head-to-head, among other bouts involving Leroy Lita, Lee Trundle and Greg Halford, but Davies and Kenny grabbed the headlines due to a turn of events in Mayfair that has garnered social media attention.

With both ex-footballers fighting it out looking to raise money for Playskill, Willow Foundation, Helping Hands and Sport In Mind, Davies took the victory ruthlessly, knocking out Kenny in the first round to claim a resounding victory.

Despite showing admirable bravery to carry on after his opponent landed a series of blows, Kenny, a former Republic of Ireland international, was eventually downed after a standing count took place moments earlier, in footage that can be seen below courtesy of The Daily Mail.

Unfortunately, the Sheffield United favourite needed oxygen after suffering the knockout blow. Hopefully, he can recover well following a bruising affair with some noble causes at the heart of the event.

Davies said after the fight: “Really pleased, I’ve worked hard for this, it’s bittersweet, I love Paddy to bits, I didn’t want to have to knock him about, but that’s what we’re here to do. It’s all for charity, yes, but I enjoyed that win.”

Curtis Davies calls out Jake Paul after victory over Paddy Kenny

Later on, Davies took the surprise step of calling out world-renowned influencer and professional fighter Jake Paul, alongside signalling his intention to enter the Misfits boxing scene.

Whether his comments were tongue-in-cheek or not remains to be seen, but he said after speaking about his victory:

In his heyday, Davies was a dominant central defender who would offer a physical challenge to any striker in the English football pyramid, and it appears he may have found a new calling in boxing, becoming part of a growing trend of ex-players who have swapped boots for gloves.

Curtis Woodhouse has carved out a successful career in the sport. At the same time, Danny Simpson have been involved in Misfits, creating some intriguing match-ups in a different setting to test out their competitive nature.

Either way, charity was the real winner on this occasion, and money raised will go towards helping vital causes after a momentous night of action in Mayfair.

Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly ready to end his troubled Manchester United spell by formally requesting a transfer in January. The £36 million 2024 signing has fallen completely out of favour under Ruben Amorim, and West Ham United are leading the race to rescue the Dutch striker from his Old Trafford nightmare after a torrid year where he has struggled to find any form.

• Zirkzee to request transfer

  Zirkzee is set to ask Manchester United for a move away when the transfer window reopens in January as per the Daily Star. The 24-year-old forward has endured a miserable stint since joining from Bologna in 2024, managing only seven goals in 49 appearances during his first season before falling out of the Amorim’s plans this term. Red Devils boss Amorim has not made it clear that Zirkzee is not part of his long-term vision, however, the Dutchman has slipped behind new arrivals Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko in the pecking order.

  West Ham United have emerged as frontrunners to secure his signature, according to reports from talkSPORT. The Hammers are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements, having scored just six goals in eight Premier League games and currently sitting second bottom of the table. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo is seeking a striker to complement Jarrod Bowen and lift the team out of their early relegation battle.

  Zirkzee has become increasingly frustrated with his lack of minutes, featuring only four times this season and accumulating just 74 minutes of league football. He has not scored in a Premier League match since December last year, and his peripheral role at Old Trafford has left him “desperate” to secure a move that will reignite his career. United are open to letting him leave either on loan or permanently, with the possibility of a short-term exit leading to a full transfer next summer.

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  Zirkzee's struggles

  Signed as a key part of Erik ten Hag’s rebuild, Zirkzee arrived with high expectations following an impressive season in Serie A but never truly settled into the pace and intensity of English football. Fans initially hoped he would provide competition for Rasmus Hojlund, but inconsistency and low confidence turned him into a peripheral figure long before Amorim’s arrival.

  The arrival of Amorim brought no change in fortunes, as the Portuguese coach has favoured more mobile, high-pressing forwards suited to his tactical system. Zirkzee’s technical ability is undisputed, yet his lack of aggression and efficiency in front of goal have cost him opportunities. His struggles were amplified by United’s turbulent form last season and the pressure surrounding every performance, making it difficult for him to recover lost confidence.

  Despite being on the fringes, Zirkzee has remained professional, continuing to train and maintain a positive presence in the dressing room. After United’s recent 2-1 win over Liverpool, he was seen celebrating enthusiastically with teammates, even putting Bruno Fernandes in a playful headlock. However, while fans admired his attitude, sources close to the player insist that the forward knows he must move on if he is to salvage his international ambitions and reignite his club career.

• World Cup worries

  Zirkzee’s situation has been further complicated by his omission from Ronald Koeman’s recent Netherlands squads. The Dutch national team manager openly criticised the striker’s performances, stating that he was not currently “good enough” to be considered for selection. Koeman specifically highlighted issues with Zirkzee’s decision-making and awareness, saying: “He wasn’t in the preliminary selection because I don’t think he’s good enough at the moment. Scanning when turning or passing often goes wrong.” 

  Koeman’s comments underline the urgent need for Zirkzee to secure consistent playing time ahead of next year’s World Cup, should the Netherlands qualify. The forward believes that remaining on United’s bench will only further damage his prospects of making the squad. A move to West Ham could provide the platform he needs to rebuild his form, especially given the club’s lack of reliable goal scorers.

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  What comes next?

  Manchester United are expected to listen to offers for Zirkzee once the January window opens. While Amorim appreciates his professionalism, he has prioritised other attacking profiles more suited to his tactical setup. The Red Devils are reportedly open to both permanent and loan exits, depending on the terms of any offer that arrives.

  For West Ham, the deal presents an opportunity to revitalise their faltering frontline and secure a striker with proven experience in top European leagues. Early discussions suggest the Hammers could propose an initial loan with an option to buy, giving Zirkzee the chance to prove himself in a less pressurised environment. Sources indicate that personal terms are unlikely to be a major issue, as the Dutchman is eager to play regular football again.

Arsenal have become a far smarter club when it comes to the transfer market over recent years.

Mikel Arteta and Co have overseen a host of incredible additions to the squad that have turned them from a mid-table side into consistent Premier League and Champions League contenders.

Yet, the North Londoners lag behind their rivals when it comes to the selling side of transfers.

However, at least they don’t lose future stars for nothing anymore, like they did with a current world-class talent who is playing as well as Bukayo Saka.

Youngsters Arsenal released too soon

As with all big clubs, there are a number of international superstars that Arsenal let go as youngsters, only to regret that decision later.

However, unlike a lot of other clubs, they have gone on to re-sign one of them in a statement deal: Eberechi Eze.

The club released the summer arrival as a teenager and after spending time with Fulham, Reading and Millwall’s academies, he’d finally get a professional contract with QPR, where he’d be spotted and signed by Crystal Palace in the summer of 2020.

During his time south of the river, the Greenwich-born dynamo would rack up a brilliant haul of 40 goals and 28 assists in 169 appearances, which was enough to convince his former side to bring him home.

Another player who came back to North London after being released by Arsenal, although to the wrong side, is Harry Kane.

Released after just one season with the Gunners, the young Englishman would go on to join Tottenham Hotspur a few years later, and by the time he left the capital, he had scored 280 goals and provided 63 assists in 435 games.

The England captain is now tearing it up for Bayern Munich, and he’s not the only former Arsenal prospect doing so.

The former Arsenal youngster now looking like another Saka

There are actually two former Arsenal gems plying their trade for Bayern alongside Kane, and one of them is, of course, Serge Gnabry.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

However, while getting rid of the German international was a mistake, the Gunners did at least get a fee for him, which they did not for Michael Olise.

Yes, before spending time in the academies of Chelsea, Manchester City, and Reading, the dynamic youngster spent a short period at the famous Hale End of the North Londoners, before leaving for nothing.

It was during his time with Reading that Crystal Palace spotted him, and in 2021 he earned an £8m move to the South London side.

During his three seasons with the Eagles, the French international scored 16 goals and provided 25 assists in 90 appearances, which caught the attention of Bayern, who agreed to pay £50m for him last summer.

Now, when we say that the 23-year-old is playing ‘like Saka’, we don’t necessarily mean in playstyle, but more in how important he is to his team from an output perspective.

For example, despite missing almost four months of action last year, the Englishman still racked up 26 goal involvements in just 37 appearances for Arteta’s side.

In comparison, the former Eagles star scored a staggering 20 goals and provided 23 assists in 55 appearances, totalling 3842 minutes.

In other words, he averaged a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 89.34 minutes, and as he’s already racked up seven goal involvements in seven games this season, it would be fair to say Oliver Glasner has been proven more than right when he claimed the Frenchman was “one of the best talents in the world.”

Ultimately, Arsenal have a brilliant team this year, but just imagine how dangerous they’d be with Saka and Olise in the squad.

Saved by Martinelli: 5/10 Arsenal man was even worse than Merino vs City

It was a game to forget for Mikel Arteta and this Arsenal star.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 22, 2025

Liverpool have been warned that Florian Wirtz could leave in January, as Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is keeping tabs on his former Bayer Leverkusen apprentice. The German arrived at Anfield amid huge fanfare this summer for a staggering £116 million ($153m). The 22-year-old was supposed to be the creative spark to define Arne Slot’s new era. But ten games into his English journey, the German wonderkid is already under the microscope for his ordinary performances, and the pressure is mounting fast.

• From Bundesliga glory to Merseyside misery

  Wirtz is facing the toughest test of his young career, with warnings coming thick and fast that his Premier League adventure could be cut short and a stunning reunion with Alonso at Real Madrid may be on the horizon. When the Spanish manager took over Bayer Leverkusen in 2022, Wirtz was still recovering from a serious cruciate ligament injury. Under the Spaniard’s guidance, he transformed into one of Europe’s most electrifying midfielders who could turn any game on its head. His numbers spoke volumes: 18 goals in his first full season under Alonso, followed by another 16 in the next, driving Leverkusen to a historic Bundesliga title and halting Bayern Munich’s dominance. 

  But since landing in Merseyside, things haven’t clicked. Despite flashes of his magic, including two dazzling assists in Liverpool’s 5-1 Champions League demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt, Wirtz has struggled for rhythm in the unforgiving world of English football. Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Brentford summed up his situation as he was hauled off late in the game after another ordinary performance. 

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  Hamann warns Real Madrid may come calling

  Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has now issued a startling warning suggesting that Wirtz could find himself loaned out to Real Madrid as early as January to rediscover his confidence.

  Speaking in an interview withhe said: "Top players didn't get loaned in the past. A loan was for players who didn't get a game, but the top players didn't get loaned. It probably started with Philippe Coutinho a few years ago, when he went for 140 million or something to Barcelona. And a year later he was loaned out to Bayern Munich.

  "I wouldn't rule anything out in today's world, especially in football. It's been reported that Xabi Alonso has asked Real Madrid to keep an eye on Florian Wirtz’ performances and what he does at Liverpool, I reckon it could be true. Because we know how fondly he talks of him. He was the reason they won the league, they won the cup. He was the heartbeat of the Bayer Leverkusen team with Granit Xhaka, and yeah, they keep an eye on him. He's too good to fail at Liverpool, but it's been about 10 games now. You can never rule anything out."

  Taking cue from examples from his time as a player, Hamann added, "In my time, Juan Sebastian Veron came to Manchester United as potentially the best midfielder at the time. He lasted one season. So you can never rule anything out. It'll depend on what happens in the next few weeks. But as I said, at the moment I wouldn't rule anything out, and if Real Madrid are keeping an eye on him, it could happen."

• Hamann lauds Wirtz's courage for choosing Liverpool over Bayern

  Hamann also reflected on the choices that brought Wirtz to Liverpool, suggesting that a more straightforward route to glory might have been available if he had signed for Bayern Munich.

  "Wirtz could’ve had success at Bayern, but I liked that he didn't choose the easy way; he could have gone to Bayern, won the league, and perhaps played a decent role in the Champions League," he said. "If he had gone to Munich, I think it would have given them a better chance to be successful in the Champions League, even though they are doing well at the moment. He's a tough kid, and as I said, one or two games can make all the difference. I still haven't given up."

  While Hamann’s assessment was laced with caution, another former star, Dimitar Berbatov, offered a very different view. Speaking on Presents, the ex-Manchester United striker, who also made the jump from Leverkusen to England in 2006, urged patience and faith in the young midfielder.

  "I love him. He’s a fantastic player," he said. "He will be unbelievable, trust me. Hopefully, he will be patient. Hopefully, he’ll have good people around him, agent, family, whatever. Hopefully, the coach sees his quality like everybody sees him. I’m sure that everybody sees his quality, and they’ll give him that time that he needs to fit into the team. And I guarantee you, he’s going to be a success."

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  Can Wirtz turn it around?

  For Slot, patience is wearing thin. After a flying start to the campaign, where they picked up seven straight wins that had fans dreaming of another title push, Liverpool’s form has nose-dived. The Liverpool boss knows that restoring confidence in Wirtz could hold the key to turning the season around. After being dumped out of the Carabao Cup, the Reds face a testing Premier League clash against Aston Villa, followed by a blockbuster Champions League showdown with Real Madrid, the very club that could soon come calling for their faltering star.

Russell Martin has survived another day as Rangers manager.

On Saturday, the Gers reached the League Cup quarter-finals, managing to win 2-0 at Ibrox, although a Glasgow derby at Hampden on 2 November is probably far from what they need right now.

The question though still remains; will Martin be in charge by then?

Well, to avoid becoming the shortest-serving permanent manager in Rangers’ history, breaking Pedro Caixinha’s record, Martin would still need to be at the helm for the visit of Braga in the Europa League on 27 November, which appears unlikely considering he is yet to win a Premiership match in five attempts, leaving them second-bottom, ahead of Sunday’s trip to Almondvale.

Thus, surely 49ers Enterprises, who took over the club in the summer, are considering potential replacements, so a future “elite manager” should be top of their wish list, not the obvious front-runners.

The favourites to replace Russell Martin at Rangers

Ever since it became clear that Martin was not going to last particularly long in Govan, amid widespread protests against him and chief executive officer Patrick Stewart present throughout the weekend win over Hibs, two obvious front-runners have emerged, both with Merseyside connections.

Steven Gerrard would be the populist choice, with many supporters wanting to see him return to Ibrox, having managed the club for 194 matches between 2018 and 2021, re-establishing Rangers as a force in European football, as well as leading them to their sole Premiership title since 2011, stopping Celtic’s pursuit of ten-in-a-row.

A key figure in Gerrard’s success in Glasgow was then-assistant Michael Beale, who returned to Ibrox as manager himself in 2022, lasting just 43 matches before being hounded out.

The pair did briefly reunite in Saudi Arabia, working together at Al-Ettifaq before Gerrard was unceremoniously sacked in January, so could the 49ers get the band back together?

The other leading candidate is Sean Dyche, who has also been out of work since January, dismissed by Everton earlier this year.

Having taken charge of 557 games as a manager, of which 332 have come in the Premier League, the former Burnley boss is surely one of the most experienced coaches Rangers could attract, and he has proven himself adept at getting the best out of whatever he has to work with, something the current occupant of the Ibrox hot seat certainly is not doing.

However, rather than playing it safe, Rangers should be bold and appoint a future “elite manager” who is currently out of work.

Rangers' dream Russell Martin successor

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Jordi Cruijff, son of the legendary Johan, asserted that “all the best managers were midfielders”, a claim supported by a study from The Athletic, which found that ‘almost half of coaches with a professional playing background were midfielders’.

Well, a man looking to reinforce that stereotype is Michael Carrick – formerly tipped to replace Gerrard in the hot seat by Charlie Adam back in 2021.

After spending 12 years at Manchester United as a player, he retired in 2018 and worked under José Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjær as an assistant coach, placed in interim charge for three matches in 2021, overseeing victories over Villarreal and Arsenal, as well as a draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

After leaving Old Trafford, Carrick returned to the North East, where he was born and raised, appointed Middlesbrough manager in October 2024.

As the table below documents, his time on Teeside was generally pretty successful.

As outlined by the table, Carrick led Boro into the Championship play-offs in his first season, having taken over with the side 21st, before they were beaten 1-0 by Coventry City in the semi-finals.

He also guided them to the EFL Cup semi-finals, actually defeating Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg at the Riverside, but eighth and then tenth place finishes in the Championship saw him sacked and replaced by Rob Edwards during the summer, who has made a flying start in fairness, with Middlesbrough currently top of the table.

Nevertheless, Carrick earned plenty of praise, labelled a future “elite manager” by one analyst, while Jack Manship of Total Football Analysis was impressed by his ‘eye-catching’ brand of football, praising Boro’s ‘organisation’ and ability to attack quickly.

Meantime, Solskjær has backed Carrick to be a future Manchester United manager one day, describing him as a “winner”, forecasting he will be a top-class coach in the near future.

Thus, while Carrick is out of work, Rangers should surely do everything they can to convince him to take over in Glasgow, successfully taking a chance on Gerrard back in 2018, even more of a rookie himself at the time, so a young coach with fresh ideas is surely exactly what they need.

Imagine him & Raskin: Rangers must rue selling £6m "left-footed Yaya Toure"

As Nicolas Raskin underlines his importance at Rangers, imagine him alongside the “left-footed Yaya Touré” sold for £6m by Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

By
Ben Gray

Sep 24, 2025