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In the almost six years since he took the job, Mikel Arteta has helped to utterly reshape Arsenal.

He’s pulled a team out of midtable mediocrity and turned them into serious contenders for the Champions League and Premier League.

Now, part of this transformation is down to his philosophy and tactics, but also to the sensational players he has promoted and signed.

In fact, one of his signings is now undoubtedly one of the world’s best players and arguably Arsenal’s best since the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.

Vieira and Henry's Arsenal legacies

Arsenal signed Vieira from AC Milan in the summer of 1996, after a season in which he sat on the bench watching the Italian giants win the Scudetto.

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However, he certainly wasn’t a bit-part player in North London; he ended his first campaign having made 31 Premier League appearances, and as the years went by, he only became more and more important to the Gunners.

For example, following Tony Adams’ retirement in May 2002, Arsène Wenger made the all-action midfielder the club’s new captain, and in the eyes of many, he is one of the best to ever wear the armband.

By the time the Dakar-born monster left the club for Inter Milan in 2006, he had made 405 appearances, in which he scored 32 goals, provided 47 assists, won three titles, four FA Cups and led the North Londoners on their legendary invincible campaign.

Now, for most clubs, the iconic midfielder would probably be considered their greatest ever player, but for the Gunners, there is only one man who can hold that title: Henry.

The legendary forward joined the North Londoners from Juventus in the summer of 1999, and while it sounds absurd today, he didn’t have the best of starts.

He failed to score a single goal across his first eight appearances for the club and later revealed in an interview that he had to “be re-taught everything about the art of striking” during that period.

Whatever Wenger taught him in those few months must have been pretty special, as he’d end his first season in red and white with a tally of 26 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.

By the time the Les Ulis-born superstar left the club for Barcelona in 2007, he had chalked up a frankly astounding tally of 226 goals and 104 assists in 370 appearances and won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups.

He returned for a brief spell in the 11/12 season, scoring twice in seven appearances.

Overall, when it comes to Arsenal legends, few players can match up with Henry and Vieira, but one of Arteta’s best signings is undoubtedly on his way.

Arsenal's future legend

The good news for Arsenal fans is that the squad is full of players who could go on to become club legends, but when it comes to someone performing at a world-class level, it’s hard to ignore Declan Rice.

The £105m man has been incredible for the club since his move in 2023, but towards the end of last season, and especially this year, it feels like he has taken another step forward.

Whether it’s hunting opposition players to steal the ball from them, marauding up the pitch with it at his feet or creating chance after chance with his outrageous set-piece delivery, the Englishman is operating at a truly unbelievable level.

In fact, he’s playing so well and has become so important in everything the Gunners do that it’s become increasingly hard to disagree with Thomas Frank’s assertion that he is among “the best in the world.”

That might sound hyperbolic to some, but it really, truly is not, and for those still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers.

Rice’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

Corner Kicks

3.15

Top 4%

Assists

0.27

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

2.75

Top 5%

Crosses

4.92

Top 5%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.22

Top 6%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.22

Top 7%

Shots from Free Kicks

0.18

Top 7%

Key Passes

1.92

Top 8%

Switches

0.69

Top 9%

All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals plus assists, the top 5% for progressive carries and crosses, the top 8% for key passes and more, all per 90.

Moreover, something else that will help him reach the levels of Henry and Vieira is his mentality.

The England international is clearly someone who gives everything in every performance, and while he hasn’t got the armband, he is also undeniably a leader and will be a big reason for the Gunners winning anything this season.

Ultimately, while he needs those medals to get the respect he deserves, Rice is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world and will become an Arsenal legend.

Related He's becoming a Saka & Eze hybrid: Arsenal have signed an "agent of chaos"

The increible international has the ability to be as important as Saka and Eze for Arsenal this season.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has weighed into the Jude Bellingham debate and urged the Real Madrid and England superstar to focus on his job and not be distracted by his critics. Tension has developed between the midfielder and Thomas Tuchel, which has primarily focused on player behaviour and squad integration. The situation began in the summer when Tuchel referred to Bellingham's on-field demeanour as "repulsive."

Broken relationship between superstar attacker and boss

Tuchel later apologised for the comments he made, but also stressed the need for Bellingham to "channel" his competitive "fire" towards opponents, not officials or team-mates. This was followed by the high-profile omission of Real Madrid attacker from the October England squad, with Tuchel emphasising "team cohesion" over individual talent, stating "teams win trophies", and this was also set against the backdrop of the him recovering from a shoulder injury. 

The latest incident occurred during the recent World Cup qualifier against Albania where Bellingham, who was voted Player of the Match, was visibly frustrated at being substituted in the 84th minute, shortly after Harry Kane's goal. Tuchel addressed the reaction, reiterating that "behaviour is key" and players must "accept" his decisions for the good of the team, especially given Bellingham was on a yellow card and risked a suspension for a future game. 

And now, speaking at the press conference to formally announce Joshua’s fight with YouTuber Jake Paul, the two-time unified heavyweight champion has urged the former Birmingham City and Borussia Dortmund star to focus on his football.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBellingham falls foul of Tuchel's strict regime 

Joshua said: "Talk to me… What's happened with Jude? Why (Shouldn't he be included in England squad)? "But why? I'm not exactly sure what's going on with the situation but everyone has their own personality. If he doesn't want to talk then that's up to it, if he wants to talk, if he doesn't, I don't understand exactly what's going on, I don't follow soccer, I follow the fight game. What like? Negative? The main thing for him to focus on is getting on that pitch and representing his country and doing a good job. It doesn't matter what you say, that's what we've got to focus on, he's probably just tunnel vision which most people don't understand what it takes to be in Jude Bellingham's position."

Joshua added: "Jude Bellingham is under immense pressure every day of his life, it might just be one of those days, one of those years but let him do what he does on the pitch, that's what we need to focus on."

Wright's forthright views on Bellingham saga

Former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright has also had his say on Bellingham's critics, claiming some aren't "ready for a black superstar" because his confident energy challenges their expectations. Wright has argued that the media "hate that they can't get to him" or control his narrative because he plays abroad. Wright expressed his view with several key quotes. 

Wright said on the Rest is Football podcast: "I don't think they're ready for a black superstar who can move like Jude is moving. They can't touch him." He also commented that Bellingham's demeanour is "too uppity for these people", contrasting it with players like N'Golo Kante, who he described as a "humble black man". 

Wright suggested that the confidence shown by players like Bellingham or Paul Pogba "does not sit well with people". He believes someone like Bellingham "frightens these people because of his capability and the inspiration he can give", particularly because being "outspoken, black, and playing to that level and not caring, that frightens certain people."

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Getty Images SportWorld Cup looming large

The ongoing dynamic between Bellingham and Tuchel has become a major talking point ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with many analysts suggesting how the German boss manages his relationship with the Real Madrid star could define his managerial reign. The core issue revolves around integrating a global superstar's individual brilliance and passionate personality within Tuchel's strict team-first philosophy. 

The draw for the tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico is in December and Tuchel will announce his final squad some time in May next year.

The Baltimore Orioles' match-up against the New York Mets on Thursday included a bit of pregame entertainment that admittedly wasn't for everybody.

Electronic musician Dan Deacon performed his unique rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Camden Yards which, well… you can listen to below. Deacon, who has been meandering down his own psychedelic-esque path of music since the early 2000s, created a kooky, experimental piece that deviated from what one might expect for a standard national anthem performance and immediately elicited polarizing reactions from MLB fans.

Some called it bizarre. Others called it genius. One fan shared a video of Deacon's performance and wrote in the caption, "I think the Orioles have officially hit rock bottom."

That prompted plenty of people on social media to come to Deacon's defense, declaring that the Baltimore-based electronic composer is a legend in his own right. Judge it for yourself:

At the same MCG where, two years ago, 90,293 people had cheered for Kohli, this Boxing Day Test has panned out very differently

Alagappan Muthu27-Dec-2024Virat Kohli got booed at the MCG.Sound at this ground seems to bubble up, like in the old cartoons where witches prepare their potions, the pot frothing away with each new ingredient until one of them makes the whole thing explode.The shoulder barge with Sam Konstas happened between overs. It wasn’t caught live, like Mohammed Siraj’s send-off to Travis Head. That noise was full throated and organic and it was dwarfed on Friday when Kohli nicked off for 36 off 86. The crowd knew what had happened. They didn’t need help from replays on the big screen or nudges on social media. The displeasure was instant and it rolled down like thunder.”BOOOOOOOOOO!”India had gone from 153 for 2 to 154 for 4.Related

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Seven balls earlier, Kohli had been involved in a mix-up and India lost their top-scorer of both the innings and the series. Yashasvi Jaiswal looks up to Kohli. At training, he steps off from facing the bowler to gather his inputs. Here he barely looked at him. They were three feet apart, both stuck at the bowler’s end, and he barely looked at him. To be fair, though, the single wasn’t on. Pat Cummins was too close at mid-on. There was incredulity in Australia’s celebrations, and ferocity in everything they did afterwards. Those last five overs to stumps were pure theatre.Mitchell Starc came back into the attack. The slip cordon sprouted extra people. The idea that a ball could ever be left alone seemed increasingly obtuse. And half-an-hour’s play began to stretch to eternity. Eighty-five thousand people added to the occasion as they synced their hands coming together to the bowler’s feet pounding the turf.Kohli had been able to stay in his bubble for the entire time he was in the middle until right this very moment.Right this very moment, it popped.”He was really disciplined today,” Steven Smith said at the press conference. “He was leaving nicely, making the bowlers come to him a bit more, and scoring well through the leg side and when we went short. So yeah, I thought we were in for a bit of a masterclass there. But fortunately, Barrel [Boland] got one to sort of straighten, probably off the line on that fifth, sixth stump. And it probably was one of the only ones he played at.”Two years ago, Kohli had made 90,293 people sing his name here. A sizeable portion of the 172,389 that have come through the gates on days one and two of the Boxing Day Test have felt very differently. The put a big red ball on his nose and bumped subtlety off a cliff. “Clown Kohli” said the headline. Cutting Stuart Broad out feels less petty now.Australia’s tabloids haven’t shied away from saying what they think about Virat Kohli•The West AustralianKohli was name-checked by the head of the local organising committee for LA 2028 to explain how cricket got into the Olympics. He is the third-most followed sportsperson on Instagram after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. More to the point, Australia have seen him as their kind of player. Gifted. Positive. Never-give-up. The respect he used to get here wasn’t grudging. It was genuine and it’s eroded because he hasn’t been making runs; far too busy making errors of judgment. There was one at Melbourne airport when he rounded on Australian media for disrespecting his privacy. Another at the ‘G when he disrespected an Australian cricketer’s privacy by making a beeline straight for him.Kohli was in the middle of turning all of that around. For 35 off 83 balls he was pristine. For the last 1 off 3 he was something else. Shaken. Resigned. Done. He didn’t even look back once he edged the ball. His hands just dropped. He just knew.India needed him in the middle when their best batter of the tour, KL Rahul, was dismissed last ball before tea. There were still seven minutes on the clock for the resumption when he and Jaiswal walked out to the dugout. There has always been an eagerness about this batting. It is supposed to translate as wanting to be out there. But it was coming off wanting it too much. The run-out in the dying stages of the second day’s play against New Zealand in Mumbai. Taking guard way in front of his crease in Perth. Chasing after that one cover drive that was supposed to get him into rhythm.On a Melbourne pitch that wanted to patch things up with the batters after putting them through the wringer for the last two or three years, all Kohli had to do was trust himself; trust his training to come through. And it did. The first thing he did once he made it to the crease was practice this leave. People sometimes do the front-foot push just to get a feel of the hands going through to the line of the ball. He’d done enough of that.He’s still popular in Melbourne, mind you, but the local fans’ patience is running thin•Getty ImagesWhen Kohli got off the mark, Cummins looked down at his hands curiously, as if to figure out just how he could bowl on the pads of one of history’s greatest flickers of the ball. He was responding to length a lot better in this innings, actually shifting his weight back when he had to instead of always lunging forward. Even with his leaves.There were a couple that were wide of off stump but he still shifted his weight back, in response to the shorter length, and pulled his bat up. Then there was another against Cummins that was pitched up and on that fifth stump line. He covered his stumps, pressed forward, and then left. The impact point with the ball on the cover drive that brought him his first boundary was right under his eyes. Reaching for the ball has been his forever problem. He wasn’t doing that here. He could only stomach shouldering arms to 34 deliveries across his five previous innings in this Test series. He did it 21 times here, in just two hours at the crease, and it looked so easy. He looked so good.Then came the run-out. Kohli looks for those rapid singles too. He managed one early in his innings, but that time he’d cushioned his shot and the man at short cover meant to prevent the rotation of strike became redundant. Later in his innings, he nudged one off his toes to the left of midwicket, who try as he might, couldn’t get there, and the right of mid-on.”Been stealing doubles since 2012,” he had said during one of his more dour centuries in the West Indies last year, pointing to the act of how he gets going simply by running between the wickets. The glamour shots look good on the reels but singles and twos are the essence of his batting. The fact that it led to his wicket two months ago and his partner’s wicket now – both resulting in the team’s implosion mere minutes before stumps – must be difficult to digest.Kohli got booed out of the MCG. But it almost seemed like he couldn’t hear them.He had looked so good.

Aasif and Jora’s half-centuries set the stage for a decimation of the former T20I world champions

Abhijato Sensarma29-Sep-2025

Aasif Sheikh scored a responsible half-century•Associated Press

As fans clad in red and blue danced in the Sharjah aisles, the result was a foregone conclusion: Zishan Morata was the last man out, caught in the deep by Karan KC, and West Indies had been bundled out for 83. Three days ago, Nepal had never played a T20I series against a Full Member nation. Now, they had sealed it 2-0, with one match to spare.West Indies struggled to move beyond single-digits in the powerplay. Only thanks to a boundary in the sixth over did they reach 16 for 2. By then, Dipendra Singh Airee had scalped the first wicket when he bowled Jewel Andrew (2), while Kushal Bhurtel had taken a stunning catch at cover to send back Keacy Carty (1).Nepal’s vice grip over the scoring rate was the result of their slower balls and full deliveries in the blockhole, with their quicks often marrying the two to great effect. An inexperienced West Indies unit kept mistiming their shots on a pitch where none of their batters, barring Jason Holder’s 15-ball 21, played with any degree of comfort. Eight-three all out represents the former T20 World Champions’ sixth-lowest total. The 90-run defeat is their joint fourth-biggest by runs.Medium pacer Mohammad Aadil Alam – who ended with figures of 4 for 24 – was the next bowler to get on the scorecard, thanks to the biggest point of difference between the two sides: Nepal’s fielding. Nineteen-year-old Gulsan Jha’s diving catch at sweeper cover in the eighth over bettered their previous effort, and sent Kyle Mayers back after a sluggish 6 off 16 balls.The going never got better for West Indies, as they kept losing wickets in the middle overs and found gaps in the field plugged by a Nepal team who threw themselves at the ball. Alam sent back Ackeem Auguste (17) and Amir Jangoo (16) in back-to-back overs. By then, West Indies had slipped to 63 for 5 and the required rate had leaped to above 13.Kushal Bhurtel took three wickets to mop off the West Indies tail•ICC/Getty Images

Bhurtel added to his contributions in the field with a three-for that swept up the tail. Holder – the last nominal hope for West Indies – fell to Lalit Rajbanshi in the 17th over, when Jha took his second screamer of the day. Soon after, Bhurtel came back to toss up a legbreak and fount it caught on the outfield once again. This was a day when West Indies kept finding fielders at the rope instead of clearing them.Earlier in the day, Nepal’s own innings had been one of two distinct halves: in the first ten, they did not hit a single six, but opener Aasif Sheikh had established a burgeoning partnership with Sundeep Jora, and a productive powerplay had taken them to 74 for 3 at the midway point of the innings.In the next ten, the pair raced away and put on what would end up being a 100-run partnership. Jora’s 39-ball 63 eventually ended in the 18th over. He had hit five of the nine sixes Nepal hit in the second half of the innings.Sheikh remained unbeaten on 68 off 47 himself. At the other end, Alam’s 5-ball 11 took Nepal’s total to 173. Alam was playing his first match for Nepal after more than three years, having last appeared for them in August 2022. His cameo would become a footnote to his starring role in the second innings.It would also overshadow the efforts of West Indies’ best bowler on the day – their captain Akeal Hosein – who took 2 for 21 and had reduced Nepal to 14 for 2 in the fourth over. However, any hopes of a rally after their loss in the first T20I were soon left far behind, as his team slipped to 83 all out – the lowest total by a Full Member team against an Associate nation – as well as a 90-run loss – the biggest margin by which an Associate team has defeated a Full Member nation.What makes this result more significant is that Nepal have secured it ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers next month, and in the absence of their lead spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who has sat out both matches of the series. Nepal coach, Stuart Law, said Lamichhane excused himself citing personal reasons.Nepal now know they will be favourites to win the third and final match of the series, to be played on Tuesday, having sealed the most significant series win in their cricket history.

They were deemed to have overshot the time limit by four overs and Afridi, Pakistan’s captain, accepted the sanction without contest

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2025

Pakistan won the first ODI by six runs•AFP/Getty Images

Pakistan have been fined 20 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, the ICC said in a statement on Wednesday.Match referee Ali Naqvi imposed the sanction after Shaheen Afridi’s side was found to be four overs short of its target in an innings that ultimately took over four hours to complete. Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct states that players are fined five per cent of their match fee for each over their side fails to bowl within the allotted time.Pakistan had one extra fielder brought into the ring after the 46th over of Sri Lanka’s innings as the first ODI went the distance. Wanindu Hasaranga’s half-century kept the visitors in the hunt until the final over of the contest despite looking like Pakistan would coast to victory after Sri Lanka lost their seventh wicket still 88 runs adrift.Related

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The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Alex Wharf and Asif Yaqoob, with Sharfuddoula acting as third umpire and Rashid Riaz as fourth. Afridi accepted the sanction without contest, meaning no formal hearing was required.The second ODI was supposed to take place on Thursday. However, some Sri Lanka players expressed a desire to leave on Wednesday night following a terror incident in Islamabad, the city they are staying in. It led to a late-night meeting between the PCB chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sri Lanka’s players, who were ultimately persuaded them to stay when the SLC threatened any players who left with disciplinary action. As such the second and third ODI’s were pushed back a day, and the following T20I tri-series, which also includes Zimbabwe, will begin a day later.

This is not the finest version of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United, but there’s no question that the Magpies have made a measure of headway after a tough summer transfer window and a tough start to the season.

It’s been a strange old season for the Premier League so far. Spoils are there for all, but there is also the threat of sunken expectations for many outfits across the division. We are approaching Christmas, and Newcastle are 12th in the standings, yet trail Crystal Palace in the top four by only four points.

Say what you will about United’s lack of eloquence on the field at times – they toiled through the opening half-hour against Burnley at the weekend, and came under the cosh late on against the ten-man relegation contenders – but there remains a spirit and resourcefulness about this team that few rivals can match.

However, improvements are needed, and no mistake, with Anthony Elanga in particular still yet to repay the faith invested in him this summer.

Elanga's start to life at Newcastle

Elanga enjoyed a bright cameo off the bench during Newcastle’s recent draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, but it was a case of one step forward and two steps back when he flattered to deceive from the opening whistle against Burnley.

The 24-year-old has yet to score for the Toon, having filled a long-running gap on ther right wing at St. James Park this summer when signing from Nottingham Forest for £55m.

Perhaps what’s most frustrating is that Elanga was profiled extensively ahead of the ultimate acquisition; indeed, Newcastle tried and failed to sign the pacy winger in 2024.

He is talented enough and has enough Premier League experience to turn things around, but this is becoming something of a problem for Howe’s side, who need his speed and creativity and fluency down the right flank.

Analyst Raj Chohan said the £100k-per-week talent has been “a massive overpay”, and on the basis of the evidence over the past few months, this may be on the money, as it were.

Matches (starts)

38 (31)

15 (6)

Goals

6

0

Assists

11

1

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.6)

0.5 (0.2)

Pass completion

78%

81%

Key passes*

1.3

0.5

Big chances created

9

1

Dribbles*

0.7

0.3

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

0.5

Duels (won)*

3.0 (45%)

1.7 (36%)

Sadly, Elanga wasn’t the addition the Magpies seem to have blundered on, with another making the Sweden international shine in comparison.

Newcastle "wasted their bag" on summer signing

Since Howe and PIF changed the narrative on Tyneside, Newcastle have been widely praised for their shrewd and calculated transfer business.

However, that reputation was knocked askew this summer, with Alexander Isak forcing his way over to Liverpool and a multitude of targets rejecting the Toon.

Howe did end up packaging his squad with a range of players, but Jacob Ramsey might be shaping into the worst of the lot, having arrived from Aston Villa for a £40m fee in August.

Like Elanga, Ramsey played from the opening whistle against the Clarets, and though Elanga left something to be desired, the former Villan star struggled to provide even a measure of his quality on an afternoon that demanded a big performance, such is the competitive nature of Howe’s squad.

The aforementioned Chohan remarked that Newcastle “wasted their bag” on the English playmaker this summer, who has already endured a continuation of the injury problems that had plagued him at Aston Villa, limiting him to just two starting appearances, the second of which may lead to a return to the bench, overshadowed by Joe Willock against a Burnley side who were afforded too much time and space.

Chronicle Live were quick to draw attention to Ramsey’s poor performance, branding the 24-year-old with a 5/10 match rating and criticising the needless concession of a late penalty which set up a nervy finish.

Minutes played

89′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

73

Shots (on target

1 (0)

Accurate passes

56/60 (93%)

Chances created

1

Dribbles

1/2

Recoveries

8

Tackles

1/2

Duels won

4/5

He was tidy enough and resilient in defence, notably winning four of five contested duels against Burnley and showcasing his athleticism with eight ball recoveries, but Ramsey was purchased for his flair and initiative on the ball, and it was a fine representation of neither.

While there’s a sense at the club that Joelinton is winding down after a long and tireless career of service, there have been more than a few murmurs pertaining to Howe’s desire to bring Elliot Anderson back home, and a move such as that would only hinder Ramsey in his hopes of nailing down a starting berth, especially given that he is contesting with Willock already for minutes.

While both Elanga and Ramsey have what it takes to raise their level at St. James’ Park, Howe will be determined to kick on after a testing start to the season and match, maybe even eclipse, last season’s trophy-winning success, qualifying for the Champions League too.

The importance of achieving their goals mean that Newcastle can take no prisoners, and must be ruthless in upgrading the squad to a level that sits comfortably alongside the game’s heavyweights both in England and across Europe.

Given that technical director Ross Wilson has suggested that Newcastle have money to burn heading into 2026, should they decide that signings are needed, someone like Ramsey must be a bit concerned for his role in the outfit, having completed a start that has left much to be desired.

He's the next Bruno Guimaraes: Newcastle to launch move for £30m "monster"

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Wolverhampton Wanderers have now held exit talks over another key player as well as Joao Gomes, who has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United.

Wolves could be set to lose Joao Gomes in January

Gomes has recently emerged as a transfer target for United, with Ruben Amorim’s side keen to bring in the Portuguese midfielder this winter, and a €50m (£44m) fee has been touted.

It would certainly be a risk for the Old Gold to sell one of their key players, considering their Premier League status is already under major threat, having taken just two points from their opening 12 matches.

However, given that the central midfielder’s value will decrease if Rob Edwards’ side are unable to avoid the drop, it could make sense to cash-in and re-invest the money into other areas of the squad.

Gomes is not the only Wolves player who could be moving on in January either, as revealed by the Tenias Que Haber Tirado podcast on X, who state that Celta Vigo are now “considering the return” of former player Fer Lopez, who only arrived at Molineux in June.

The La Liga club have held talks over a loan move in the upcoming transfer window, which could make sense for all parties, given that Lopez hasn’t exactly made a flying start to life in the Premier League…

"Incredible" Lopez yet to prove himself in England

Wolves would’ve had high hopes after signing the attacking midfielder in the summer, considering the rave reviews from former coach Paul Grainger, who said: “I have seen some of the best players in the world play football. I have never seen a footballer like him. He was literally incredible. From the first day, I knew he was going to be a superstar.”

However, the 21-year-old is yet to reach those lofty heights, having started just one Premier League game this season, which was the 3-1 home defeat against Leeds United, and the youngster hasn’t received any minutes since the 2-0 defeat against Sunderland last month.

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What a great signing he would be.

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In fairness, the Spaniard was one of very few players who impressed against Leeds, setting up the Wanderers’ only goal in style, and he is still young and adapting to life in the Premier League, so it would be way too early to sanction a permanent move.

However, if Lopez isn’t a part of Edwards’ plans, there is little reason to keep him around, and a loan move could make sense for all parties in the January transfer window.

Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United has finally shown glimpses of lift off over the last couple of weeks, with the first-team squad now adapting to the demands of his 3-4-2-1 system.

Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, his future at Old Trafford was massively up in the air, especially after only being able to register a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

However, he maintained the backing of the board, with such a decision now proving to be the right one, especially if their recent run of form is anything to go by.

The Red Devils remain unbeaten in each of their last five outings, winning three in a row in the process, leading to the 40-year-old claiming the division’s Manager of the Month award.

However, one player who joined the club during the off-season has somewhat struggled to make the desired impact in recent weeks, leading to question marks around his future.

What former Man Utd players have made of Sesko’s start at the club

Benjamin Sesko joined United in a £74m transfer from RB Leipzig, with the fanbase having real expectations on the centre-forward to change their fortunes in the final third.

The Slovenian has already featured in 11 league outings to date, but has only managed to find the net twice, failing to score in any of the last four matches in the Premier League.

Given his lack of goals, questions have been asked about the 22-year-old’s role at Old Trafford, with many former players voicing their concern over his struggles in England.

Former right-back and now pundit, Gary Neville, spoke about Sesko early this month and gave an honest review on the youngster’s start to life at the club.

The 50-year-old stated: “The jury is out. He’s well off it compared to the other summer signings Manchester United made up front, like Cunha and Mbeumo.

“He looks awkward. He had a couple of good opportunities against Forest, but his touch wasn’t quite right. For £80 million, you can say he’s young and settling in, but you still want to see a bit more.”

He wasn’t the only former Red Devils first-team member to speak out on the striker’s lack of form at present, with Peter Schmeichel also questioning the big-money transfer.

The former goalkeeper said: “You spend £70 million-plus on Sesko, when we don’t have the number six we should have, and there’s the goalkeeping position as well.

“Why did we bring someone in that we didn’t need? Because the head of recruitment [Christopher Vivell] comes from Leipzig and he’s got to make a mark.”

However, Wes Brown has jumped to Sesko’s defence in the last couple of weeks, with the Englishman offering a more open-minded view on his early months in Manchester.

He claimed that: “The quality in wide areas is very good now, so this season can be a positive one for Manchester United. I think Sesko has all the attributes to score plenty of goals for Manchester United. He is mobile, good in the air and with his feet, so it all bodes really well for the club.”

If he is to reach the heights many anticipated earlier this summer, he will definitely need time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, with Amorim needing to show patience in the talisman.

The United star who’s becoming INEOS’ worst signing

Despite Sesko needing time to prove his worth at United, the same can’t be said about numerous other talents who were brought to the club by INEOS in recent years.

Manuel Ugarte was signed for a reported £50m from PSG last summer, but his move to Old Trafford has fallen way below the expectations many had upon his arrival.

The Uruguayan was seen as the perfect ball-winning option at the heart of the side, but he’s struggled to cement his place in the starting eleven under Amorim.

It’s evident that the manager currently doesn’t trust the 24-year-old at present, with the boss currently selecting 33-year-old Casemiro ahead of him in the pecking order.

Given his tally of just two starts in the league throughout 2025/26, it would be a surprise to no one if he was sold in January, with the club needing to recoup as much of their investment as possible.

However, he might not be alone in that aspect, with forward Joshua Zirkzee another player who has struggled with the expectations after his own move 18 months ago.

INEOS forked out a reported £36m for his signature last summer, but the Dutchman has massively struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old featured in 49 matches across all competitions last season, but was only able to register a measly tally of seven goals – an average of one goal every seven games.

This season has been a new low for the Dutchman, with the attacker only making four appearances in the league under Amorim – none of which have been from a starting position.

During those outings, he’s only featured for a combined total of 82 minutes, with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha ahead of him in the pecking order.

His struggles may be down to his own confusion, with Zirkzee even stating that he sees himself as a 9.5, often liking to drop deeper and affect the player – with the manager’s system just not suiting his playstyle.

Games played

32

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

72%

Shots taken

1.8

Chances created

0.8

Dribble success

38%

Aerials won

29%

Times dispossessed

2.8

His performances have unfortunately fallen way below what many expected last summer, leading to one analyst dubbing him as “terrible” after being hooked before half time against Newcastle United.

Given his lack of impact, there’s no denying that his move to Old Trafford has been a failure, with the board desperately needing to offload him in the upcoming window.

Whilst Sesko has had his own doubters in recent months, Zirkzee is on another level in terms of failures at the club – potentially going down as one of their worst dealings in the last couple of years.

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England scored 153 runs in the 28 overs of the middle session to hurt India

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2025

Harry Brook made a 91-ball ton after coming in at 106 for 3•Getty Images

Tea A stunning partnership worth 195 between Harry Brook and Joe Root put England on the cusp of a series-sealing win at The Oval. India had taken control of the fifth Test when Brook walked out to bat at No. 5 with 268 runs still required, but he seized the moment with an audacious 91-ball hundred, his tenth in Tests and his first in the fourth innings of a match.Brook was given a life late in the morning session, picking out Mohammed Siraj at long leg with a miscued pull shot only for Siraj to tread on the advertising toblerone on the boundary rope. Rather than prompting a change in approach, the reprieve led Brook to double down, slapping India’s seamers around as he raced to 38 off 30 balls at lunch.If he rode his luck at times, his attacking intent worked in his favour: soon after lunch, Prasidh Krishna drew a thick outside edge which flew away between the solitary slip and gully, with the field spread to try and keep a lid on England’s scoring. He continued to bludgeon anything short through the leg side, but rotated the strike with ease through the afternoon.

Brook’s celebrations are typically restrained but he showed his emotion when sprinting back for two to reach three figures, pumping his fists, swishing his bat and throwing his head back in relief. He was out seven balls later, losing his bat as he attempted to swipe Akash Deep for a third boundary in a row, but the damage had been done.Root, meanwhile, played in Brook’s slipstream, ticking over with few qualms and occasionally freeing his arms – including belting Ravindra Jadeja back over his head for four, and swinging a high full toss over midwicket. India could not dislodge him, reviewing unsuccessfully after Siraj trapped him on the pad on 88, and he responded with back-to-back boundaries to reach 98.India’s session was personified by the exhausted Akash Deep: he attempted to stop a boundary by sticking out his boot, only to divert the ball back over the rope, and then lost his footing when Jacob Bethell skewed a caught-and-bowled chance back to him. Siraj kept charging in, bowling 17.1 overs in the first two sessions, but could not conjure up another game-breaking moment.