Manchester United are, reportedly, ready to part ways with forward Joshua Zirkzee after an inconsistent stint at Old Trafford.

Impressing across a two-year stint with Bologna in Serie A, helping them qualify for last season’s Champions League, Zirkzee signed for Man United in the 2024 summer transfer window. Getting off to a brilliant start by scoring on his debut against Fulham, Zirkzee has since endured a tough time in the Premier League.

Having become well-known for the brilliance, both on the ball and in his playmaking, he had at Bologna, Zirkzee has struggled to showcase his best form in England.

In his maiden season with the Red Devils, Zirkzee netted just three league goals in 32 appearances. Towards the end of the season, manager Ruben Amorim started sometimes using the 24-year-old as an attacking midfielder in his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.

Across the 2025/26 campaign, however, Zirkzee has made just four league appearances after 10 matches. In those games, the Dutchman has played less than 90 minutes collectively, something that has sparked rumours about his future at the club.

Zirkzee set to leave Man United

According to James Marshment of TEAMtalk, interest from elsewhere in Zirkzee is “growing” ahead of the January transfer window. Supposedly, as many as nine teams both in the Premier League and around Europe are considering a move for the Dutchman.

Joshua Zirkzee’s Man United Career in Numbers

Appearances

54

Goals

7

Assists

3

Yellow Cards

4

Zirkzee’s struggles in front of goal may have hampered his chances in the Man United first team anyway, but over the summer the club signed Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo in what was a complete revamp of their attack, pushing Zirkzee further down the pecking order.

The aforementioned trio are now finding form in Manchester. Amorim’s side are on a four-game unbeaten streak in the top flight, having beaten Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion before drawing with Nottingham Forest.

Although Man United would be willing to let Zirkzee leave, it would appear that the Red Devils are not yet ready to take a huge loss like they are with Jadon Sancho. Instead, the club would reportedly prefer to let him leave on loan “with or without an option to buy”, or for a minimum of £35m.

The hope, presumably, is that Zirkzee, who has been called an “absolute imposter” in the past, could find form somewhere else, with that perhaps leading the team who sign him on loan to permanently acquire him for a larger fee. Where Zirkzee ultimately ends up remains to be seen, but it is hard to see a clear path forward for the Dutchman at Old Trafford.

"Monster" is becoming Man United's own Gabriel

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.

Daniel Farke and the Premier League is never a happy marriage and he already now needs to find a way of saving his skin as Leeds United manager across his side’s upcoming games in November.

Indeed, the Whites were resoundingly beaten 3-0 away at Brighton and Hove Albion over the weekend, as ex-Elland Road star Georginio Rutter came back to haunt the West Yorkshire giants, the day after Halloween.

Next up for Leeds is a huge clash away at Nottingham Forest, which feels like a must-win game, not only so the Whites don’t get dragged further into the early relegation fight, but also so Farke can try to survive another day in the dug-out.

After all, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now just dismissed Vitor Pereira, as fixtures become more and more pressurised for managers all across the bumpy division.

Farke will know he has some decisions to make regarding who he starts down either flank for this crucial tie at the City Ground, with both areas of the pitch becoming a problem for the German in recent weeks.

Leeds' winger issues

Coming up to the Premier League, Leeds had a very frightening attack to try and keep their hands on.

Manor Solomon, in particular, stood out for his gung-ho displays down the left wing for Farke’s title-winners, with a stunning ten goals and 13 assists falling into his lap from 41 Leeds outings.

Thankfully, £18m summer recruit Noah Okafor has shown signs of his brilliance as a Solomon-style replacement, with two goals already next to his name in the Premier League, despite his new side’s overall up-and-down form. That said, they did have to rely on the underperforming Jack Harrison when the Swiss missed a period through injury.

It’s more on the right channel where Farke will feel less at ease, as both Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto – who are EFL superstars in their own right – have failed to maintain fitness so far this season, leading to the German having to shoehorn Brenden Aaronson into a right wing spot regularly.

The heavily scapegoated American did put in a sublime showing on the right channel against West Ham United, as his early goal set Leeds on their way to a 2-1 home victory.

But, that is Aaronson’s only goal contribution in Leeds white from this position on the pitch, with the other ten strikes he has put away for Farke and Co in the past all coming from a more central viewpoint.

Subsequently, the former Norwich City manager might well feel he needs more reinforcements in this spot, particularly with Gnonto also being linked with a January move away from West Yorkshire.

Leeds could sign "special" £23m Gnonto replacement

Leeds showed in the summer that they are willing to splash the cash, with £98m forked out on the likes of Okafor and many more talents.

£23m could soon be added to that spending amount, if Ismael Saibari’s Transfermarkt valuation is anything to go by, with a recent report from the Boot Room linking the Premier League newcomers to the on-fire Moroccan attacker.

At the close of October, the site speculated that a whole host of top-flight outfits were taking a look at the blistering PSV Eindhoven forward, with Aston Villa, Everton, and West Ham named as onlookers, alongside the West Yorkshire side.

Leeds are desperately in need of some additional firepower, and while Saibari has regularly lined up as a central option for PSV, whether that be as a number ten or as a traditional midfielder, he can also cut it as a right or left winger.

His immense goal and assist record in the Netherlands to date will no doubt be further music to the ears of an under-pressure Farke.

Eredivisie games played

77

Goals scored

24

Assists

17

Champions League games played

26

Goals scored

8

Assists

1

After advancing up the youth system in Eindhoven, Saibari has never looked back since entering the first-team fold.

He has a stunning 24 goals and 17 assists from just 77 games in the Dutch top-flight. Staggeringly, eight of those strikes have come just this season, leading to his current manager in Peter Bosz, hailing him as a “special” asset to possess.

With further Champions League pedigree under his belt – which has led to Saibari collecting ten goals from 15 games this season – Leeds could really show they mean business by landing the red-hot 24-year-old’s services this January, as they attempt a revamp of some of their attacking spots shortly.

With Farke further set on what the makeup of his central midfield options looks like, with no number 10 position in fill in his current formation choice, either, Saibari could well be handed one of the wing roles on his potential arrival at Elland Road, as Leeds perhaps puts their money where their mouth is to ensure an immediate return to the Championship is pushed to one side.

Leeds have a "wrecking ball" out on loan who can put DCL on borrowed time

Leeds United have an impressive star out on loan who can put Dominic Calvert-Lewin on borrowed time already at Elland Road.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 3, 2025

Jurgen Klopp stunned fans by appearing in a Germany tracksuit and teasing a “return to the sideline” in a dramatic announcement video, sparking immediate speculation about a comeback to management. However, while the former Liverpool boss admitted the “tingling” of the touchline had returned, the reveal actually involved him confirming a very different role for the 2026 World Cup.

Klopp teases 'return to the touchline'

Klopp sent shockwaves through both Liverpool and German football circles when he released a dramatic Instagram video hinting at a sensational managerial return. The clip showed him pitchside declaring that the “grass underneath my feet” and the “heated atmosphere in the stadium” had awakened something in him, prompting widespread speculation that he was preparing to step back into coaching. The twist arrived only moments later, however, when he revealed the truth: his return to the touchline will be as a pundit for MagentaTV during the 2026 World Cup.

The video continued with Klopp joking about the assumptions surrounding him, stating that many believed they “always knew better,” before adding that he once thought he would never go back to the sideline. His remarks were framed deliberately to tease supporters, especially when he admitted that he felt the buzz again, describing the sensation as “tingling” after two years away from the dugout. But he made clear that this excitement did not signal a managerial comeback, clarifying instead that he would be working pitchside for broadcast coverage in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

An exchange with German host Johannes B. Kerner added to the intrigue, with Klopp enthusiastically confirming he would be part of the network’s team from the very start of the tournament.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKlopp's busy life since Liverpool exit

The announcement arrives less than two years after leaving Liverpool and just weeks after reiterating that he may never manage again. Klopp's post-Liverpool career has been defined by strategic involvement off the pitch rather than front-line coaching. As Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer, Klopp oversees football operations across RB Leipzig, RB Salzburg and New York Red Bulls, shaping their long-term development models. More recently, he joined a specialist DFL group dedicated to strengthening youth development and maintaining the Bundesliga’s global competitiveness, a role he accepted enthusiastically as part of his commitment to the future of German football.

Klopp’s dramatic announcement once again demonstrated the level of fascination that surrounds his future, especially after his legendary spell at Liverpool. Since stepping down in 2024, he has insisted repeatedly that top-level management takes an immense toll and that he may never return, telling The Athletic that although “that’s what I think,” even he cannot predict how he will feel years from now.

The reveal also fuels discussion about Klopp’s long-term intentions and whether the “tingle” he referenced signals an eventual shift back to management at some point beyond 2026. The visual of the ex-Dortmund boss wearing a Germany tracksuit is likely to have created a buzz amongst fans for the German national team, with it having previously been suggested that he might be interested in taking over in the future. But, for now at least, Klopp has committed himself to analysis and advisory roles, maintaining distance from the technical area while still engaging deeply with the game.

Klopp's previous experience as a pundit

Klopp’s return to punditry marks his first major broadcast role since the early 2000s, when he revolutionised German football television during the 2006 World Cup as an analyst for ZDF. His screen-based tactical breakdowns, delivered alongside Kerner, were widely praised for their clarity and innovation, helping bring modern tactical analysis into mainstream German broadcasting. That first punditry era even earned him a German Television Award and helped establish him as one of the sport’s most promising tactical minds before he became a coaching superstar.

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GettyCould Klopp actually make a managerial return?

Despite Klopp's insistence that he does not miss coaching, moments like this announcement show that stepping away from the dugout has not fully removed his emotional connection to the pitch. The upcoming Liverpool vs Borussia Dortmund legends match at Anfield in March 2026 — where Klopp is expected to attend as LFC Foundation ambassador — has further fuelled talk of a symbolic temporary sideline return.

Klopp will also spend the first half of 2026 preparing for his role with MagentaTV, where he is expected to be part of the core punditry team from the opening match on June 11 in Mexico. His World Cup coverage is likely to include pitchside analysis, in-depth tactical breakdowns and live reaction to Germany’s performances under Julien Nagelsmann. The 58-year-old will also continue overseeing the Red Bull football group and fulfilling his newly adopted responsibilities within German football governance, and it doesn't appear likely that he'll be returning to the dugout on a full-time basis anytime soon.

Sean Manaea and the New York Mets are in agreement on a three-year, $75 million deal that keeps the left-handed starting pitcher in the front of the team's rotation.

Manaea, who signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Mets that included an opt-out last season, declined a $13.5 player option in November to become a free agent this year. Now, he's back on a larger, long-term deal. 's Jeff Passan was the first to report Manaea's new, $25 million per year deal with the Mets. The deal is pending a physical according to Jon Heyman of the.

He started 32 games for the Mets last season and posted a 3.47 ERA with a 12-6 record. He had four starts in the playoffs where he pitched 19 total innings through the Mets' run to the NLCS and went 2-1.

Manaea, 32, returns to New York's rotation that features Kodai Senga and David Peterson. The Mets brought in Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes this offseason.

Now, Manaea's new deal helps complete the rotation after the team won the Juan Soto sweepstakes where the superstar outfielder agreed to come over from the Bronx for the largest contract in professional sports history. Soto signed a massive 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets on Dec. 8.

تحدث طارق العشري، المدير الفني السابق للاتحاد السكندري، عن تصريحات حسام حسن، المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر، الأخيرة، التي أثارت جدلًا واسعًا عقب فوز الفراعنة على الرأس الأخضر وديًا.

وقال طارق العشري، عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “المفترض أن يقوم حسام حسن بإغلاق سمعه وبصره عن كل ما يدور حوله، خاصة على صعيد السوشيال ميديا، لأنه بالتأكيد مطّلع على ما يُكتب”.

وواصل: “أنا شاهدت مؤتمره الصحفي، وكان واضحًا أنه متضايق جدًا من الانتقادات التي وُجهت له ولكن من مهام المدير الفني أن يتقبل الوضع، خصوصًا فيما يتعلق بالإعلام، وأن يترك الملعب هو الذي يتحدث عنه”.

طالع.. محمد بركات ينتقد حسام حسن بعد تصريحاته الأخيرة: حسن شحاتة لم يفعل ذلك.. وهناك متربصون وتابع: “أنا أحد المدربين في منظومة التدريب في مصر، وكلنا نتمنى نجاح الكابتن حسام، لأنه يمثل المدرب المصري ونجاحه هو نجاح لمصر كلها ولو عدنا بالتاريخ سنجد أن كل نجاحات المنتخب جاءت على يد مدربين مصريين، مثل الكابتن الجوهري، ثم الكابتن حسن شحاتة الذي حقق إنجازًا إعجازيًا بحصد ثلاث بطولات متتالية”.

وأشار: “هؤلاء المدربون كانوا يعرفون كيف يركزون مع فريقهم من أجل القادم، لأن القادم دائمًا هو الأصعب”.

وواصل: “الجماهير المصرية كلها تنتظر المنتخب، وتريد رؤيته دائمًا في صدارة البطولات، المنتخب معتاد على الوصول لبطولة إفريقيا، لكن الجماهير تطمح لرؤيته ضمن المربع الذهبي على الأقل، منتخب مصر اسم كبير، والجماهير المصرية كلها تتابعه وتدعمه”.

وأتم: “والآن، بعد أن نجح الكابتن حسام في قيادة المنتخب للوصول لكأس العالم وإلى كأس إفريقيا، نريد أن نظهر بالمستوى الذي يليق باسم مصر”.