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Manchester United are on an improved run of form and could now be set to strike in the market to sign a highly talented midfielder, as Ruben Amorim plots further improvements.

Man Utd deliver stunning win over Brighton & Hove Albion

Consistency has eluded the Red Devils for much of Amorim’s reign at the club. However, they may now be starting to make a positive change on that front after securing a third Premier League victory in quick succession against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Slick signings in the forward areas, such as Bryan Mbeumo, coupled with a renewed feeling of solidity between the sticks courtesy of Senne Lammens, have brightened the mood at Old Trafford, and their firepower proved to be too much for the Seagulls in the end, despite the visitors’ late fightback.

Speaking after their victory on Match of the Day, Amorim urged his side to take the sting out of the game next time after they had to deal with late pressure before eventually sealing three points on home soil.

He said: “We need to be a bit more calm next time. We know the quality of Brighton, they always have hard games and of course they have the capacity to come back but I think in the end – it is part of the game and the most important thing is in the end that we win.”

While Casemiro could be in the final months of his Manchester United career, his contribution, for now, remains pivotal. However, there will come a time when the Brazil international decides to move on to make way for younger talent.

When that happens, the Red Devils will hope to have a contingency plan, and they may be about to put that into practice if recent developments are to evolve.

Man Utd set to target Jobe Bellingham deal

According to The Express, Manchester United are considering a loan move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham amid increasing tension between his father and sporting director Sebastian Kehl.

The 20-year-old has notched two assists in 12 appearances so far this term, though could be set for a surprise switch to the Premier League after a mixed start to life in Germany.

Labelled “a joy to work with” by Tony Mowbray, the England youth international joined Borussia Dortmund for £25 million in the summer and has proven his worth in the engine room, winning 15 duels so far in the German top-flight, per Fotmob.

Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher is also another target for Amorim to add fresh legs in midfield as his side look to pursue a place in the Champions League slots.

Either way, there will be a sense of intrigue among Manchester United supporters as they look to push a deal over the line for Bellingham, someone Mowbray has also showered in praise for his “excellent” all-round abilities.

Man Utd could spend near-£70m on 'new Thiago Silva' in January spending spree

The Red Devils could turn to a Ruben Amorim favourite.

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 25, 2025

Hazlewood will miss the entire series after picking up an Achilles issue and will now target the T20 World Cup for a comeback

Alex Malcolm09-Dec-20251:02

Finch: Neser ‘nailed it’ but selection debate remains

Pat Cummins will return to captain Australia for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide next week but Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the series with an Achilles issue with his recovery now set to focus on getting ready for the T20 World Cup.Usman Khawaja is also expected to be fit and available for Adelaide, with Australia set to announce a 15-man squad on Tuesday featuring Cummins as the only addition. Coach Andrew McDonald gave an update on Cummins and Hazlewood on Tuesday, confirming that the captain was ready to return.Related

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• 'Gutted' Wood out of the remainder of the Ashes, Fisher named replacement

• Mitchell Marsh to retire from Sheffield Shield after this season

• Cummins, Lyon likely for Adelaide, but what about Khawaja?

• Neser five-for trumps England's belated resistance as Australia take 2-0 lead

“His body’s ready to go and barring anything else happening in the next week, I’d be expecting Pat to be tossing the coin and putting the blazer on,” McDonald saidHe also confirmed that Hazlewood would play no further part in the series after suffering an Achilles issue following on from his hamstring strain.”Unfortunately, Josh won’t be a part of the Ashes,” McDonald said. “Really, really flat for him. A couple of setbacks that we didn’t see coming, and we thought he would play a huge part in the series.”It’s a totally separate injury. It’s somewhere lower in the calf to Achilles region. His preparation will then shift towards the World Cup, which is an incredibly important campaign for us.”McDonald said there are no concerns over Cummins’ preparation heading into Adelaide despite not played any cricket since July coming off a lumbar bone stress injury. He added the selectors were very close to picking him in Brisbane.Pat Cummins will return in Adelaide but Hazlewood has been ruled out of the Ashes•Getty Images

“There won’t be any match opportunities for Pat, and this is something we’ve done with Pat before, off long layoffs, where we’ve put some time and effort into rebuilding his body,” McDonald said. “He was out at Allan Border Field, whilst everyone was out at the Gabba. So he simulated pretty much what a match will look like out there with multiple spells. So we feel as though he’ll be as best prepared as he can be.”He was well ahead of where we thought he’d be at. And it did create a real live conversation for Brisbane, the skill readiness, the loads, how he was pulling up. It was debated a lot leading into that Test match. So with that in mind, us seeing him further advanced, we feel it’d be really well placed for the challenges of Adelaide, albeit off a long way off. We feel as though the simulation in the nets have got him skill ready.”Meanwhile, McDonald added that Australia still valued spin bowling and the role of Nathan Lyon in their XI despite leaving him out of a home Test for the first time in 13 years. He has missed two of Australia’s last three Tests, however McDonald stated it was because both were pink-ball day-night Tests and the coach was adamant Lyon and spin would have a big role to play in the final three Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.”We just value different things in the pink-ball game, and unfortunately, that meant Nathan had to be squeezed,” McDonald said. “That’s nothing to do with his skill set. Not a reflection on where he’s at from his own performance. It is a reflection on pink-ball cricket and a reflection on the surface that was presented to us.”We still do value spin. The surfaces have pushed us in different directions, and that’s the first game that Nathan’s missed in Australia for a long time.Nathan Lyon will return for the third Test•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

“I think Nath is going to have an incredibly huge impact in the last three Test matches. If you look to what he did at the MCG last year, when the surface became benign, sort of day three onwards, he was able to navigate through and hold an end. And that’s the rhythm we want.”We want the spinner down one end and rotating the three quicks. That’s when we feel like we’re at our best. But you sometimes can’t play in spite of what’s presented in front of you and some of those decisions have been difficult, and they’ve been two pink-ball games that have put us in that position.”The likelihood of Cummins and Lyon returning to the XI in Adelaide creates a further selection squeeze. Brendan Doggett is almost certain to miss out but Michael Neser would be unlucky to be omitted after taking his maiden Test five-wicket haul in Brisbane to help swing the game in Australia’s favour.But it appears likely Australia will go with a first-choice attack with no thoughts of resting Scott Boland given there is only a short four-day turnaround between the Adelaide Test and the fourth Test in Melbourne starting on Boxing Day.”In the pre-planning, which is something we do around the Test matches and work out where the stress points potentially will be, the gap between [Test] one and two and two and three was something we think we could manage, so it would be more than likely the best balanced and available attack for Adelaide,” McDonald said. “We wouldn’t be thinking about [whether] someone would need a rest there, but it’s probably more so in Test match four and five.”McDonald confirmed that his star quick Mitchell Starc had pulled up well following some side soreness during the Gabba Test.”Starcy had a little bit of a hindrance with, I think it was his left side with a bit of a jamming injury there that probably you saw visibly on TV,” he said. “But nothing to worry about. That’s something he’s had before. It was just annoying during the game. But an incredible workload from him with both bat and ball, and he’s pulled up well, which is a real positive for us.”

Tottenham Hotspur centre-forward Richarlison added to his impressive Premier League season so far with a goal against Brentford on Saturday.

The Brazilian marksman scored his sixth league goal of the campaign, in his ninth start, by tapping the ball into an empty net from Xavi Simons’ ball to the back post.

Richarlison, signed from Everton for £60m in 2022, is starting to show that he can be relied upon in the final third, but the same cannot be said of Randal Kolo Muani.

Spurs eyeing new move for striker target

Now, the club are reportedly looking at a deal for another number nine who could come in as an instant upgrade on the PSG loanee next month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are readying a new move to sign Crystal Palace centre-forward Jean-Philippe Mateta in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Lilywhites are looking to take advantage of his stalling contract talks with the Eagles to swoop for him ahead of the second half of the season.

It adds that Spurs made a “cheeky” offer to sign the France international to bolster their squad in the summer, and now they are lining up another attempt to bring him to North London.

Football Insider reveals that his contract discussions with Palace have reached a deadlock, which has opened the door for Thomas Frank and Fabio Paratici to swoop.

Why Spurs should sign Mateta

Spurs should push to sign Mateta from the Eagles because he would come in as an upgrade on Kolo Muani, who has been disappointing this season.

The Lilywhites signed the France international on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer transfer window, with no option or obligation to buy included.

Tottenham may be glad that they did not include an obligation to make the deal permanent because his form in the Premier League so far this season has not been good enough.

Kolo Muani has scored no goals, missed three ‘big chances’, and failed to assist any goals in eight appearances and six starts in the top-flight, per Sofascore, for Spurs, which shows that he has not offered enough in the final third.

Meanwhile, Mateta has scored nine goals in all competitions for Crystal Palace, per Sofascore, including a return of seven goals in 14 outings in the Premier League.

As well as offering more of a threat in front of goal than Kolo Muani, his international teammate also offers more to the team as a physical presence in the centre-forward position.

25/26 Premier League

Mateta

Kolo Muani

Appearances

15

8

Shots on target per game

1.5

0.1

Goals

7

0

Assists

0

0

Ground duel success rate

41%

34%

Aerial duel success rate

40%

37%

Duels won per game

4.1

3.2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Mateta is better in his physical duels, holding the ball up for the team and scrapping to keep possession, whilst also being a superior goalscorer.

Journalist Rory Smith said the striker is “like original Ronaldo” last year, as he started tucking in his shirt to give himself the classic centre-forward look, which is still the case in the present day, and his goalscoring record backs up such a comparison.

The 28-year-old marksman scored 17 goals in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign and 19 goals in the 2023/24 season, per Sofascore, proving why, in the words of Como scout Ben Mattinson, he is “one of the best strikers in the Premier League.”

He is a prolific scorer, like the legendary Brazilian who scored 318 club career goals (Transfermarkt), who rocks the classic tucked-in shirt with style and substance, which could make him a real fan favourite in North London.

With Kolo Muani struggling for form in the Premier League and due to return to PSG at the end of the season, signing a proven Premier League star in the prime of his career could be a brilliant move by Paratici to provide Richarlison with competition in the number nine position.

So, if a January deal is viable, Spurs should push to get a deal done for the French powerhouse, who has the quality to be a difference-maker with the goal threat that he can offer in the second half of the season and beyond.

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Manchester City are probing in the hunt for reinforcements and could now lodge a record bid for a star who is keen to work under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

Coming back from the international break, the Citizens would’ve been keen to continue their recent winning form in the Premier League as Arsenal and Chelsea continue to push for title glory, though a defeat away to Newcastle United probably wasn’t in the script.

Despite having their fair share of openings, Manchester City couldn’t make them count and were punished by Harvey Barnes, leaving Guardiola’s men third in the table and seven points behind Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.

Of course, there is a long way to go before any prizes are handed out. However, Ruben Dias believes the Citizens will recover swiftly after their frustrating defeat, citing Newcastle’s excellent home record as a factor behind the result.

He told BBC Sport: “It was difficult in all ways for both teams. It was a very intense game and chances both sides. We had loads of chances and didn’t score more and we have to do better there. They scored theirs and we have to do better.

“Everyone knows how strong they are at home. First game after internationals is a tricky one and we fought as well as we could. It’s always a period of adaptation. We simply have to do better.”

In the face of a frustrating evening, Manchester City face a swift turnaround before clashes against Bayer Leverkusen and Leeds United this week, offering two chances for redemption after a rude introduction to life after the international break.

With the Premier League title race hotting up, Guardiola may now have an ace up his sleeve as the Citizens look to make up ground with their competitors at the top of English football.

Man City willing to submit record Desire Doue offer

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are willing to submit a record offer for Desire Doue worth over £158 million and they see him as an ideal solution to provide pace and creativity within their forward line.

Intriguingly, the France international is keen to work with Guardiola due to his ability when developing talent, and contact has already been made with his representatives to try and open lanes to complete a deal.

Making a solid start to the campaign, Doue has registered three goals and three assists in eight appearances across all competitions, though his contract in Paris is set to run until 2029, meaning his current employers hold the cards in negotiations.

Man City are brewing their own homegrown Erling Haaland

Manchester City appear willing to smash their transfer record to land the man in question and are said to be in an encouraging position, though it remains to be seen whether they can edge themselves past Luis Enrique’s hardball stance to bring in another premium option in the wide areas.

“We could have finished the game earlier but we stuck to the demands of the situation. Our mentality is to always win.”

Mohammad Isam11-Sep-20251:38

Should Bangladesh have finished it earlier?

Towhid Hridoy has defended Bangladesh’s approach during their chase against Hong Kong, suggesting that the goal was to play “smart cricket” and win first, instead of focusing on their net run-rate.Bangladesh knocked off the 144-run target in their Asia Cup opener in 17.4 overs, but at the post-match press conference, Hridoy was repeatedly asked if the team could’ve finished the game earlier, to perhaps show a statement of intent.”We wanted to ensure that the match doesn’t slip away from us,” Hridoy explained. “We tried to end the game early but I couldn’t connect the ball that well. I think the result is more important than finishing one or two overs earlier. You (the media) would have had something to say had we lost today.Related

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Litton leads the way as Bangladesh overcome Hong Kong

“We could have finished the game earlier but we stuck to the demands of the situation. Our mentality is to always win. I think we played smart cricket. We could have finished two or three overs earlier, but we could have lost one or two more wickets. We must prioritise partnerships. We tried to hit more boundaries, but it didn’t happen.”Bangladesh batted at 8.28 runs per over to reach the target with 14 balls to spare. To go above Afghanistan’s NRR of 4.70, they needed to reach the target in less than 12 overs. Bangladesh’s captain Litton Das said in the presentation ceremony that the pitch didn’t support consistent big hitting, and that the size of the Abu Dhabi ground also forced them to rotate the strike more.”So, should we have gone to the ground to lose against Hong Kong? Our target was to win. Every team can have their day in T20s. Maybe we could have finished earlier had I struck a few more boundaries,” Hridoy said.”We want to beat Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, so run-rate isn’t what we are worried about at this stage. We don’t want to complicate matters so early in the tournament.”

In today's baseball, throwing in the upper 90s is much more commonplace than it was even just a decade ago. Bullpens are stacked with fireballers and starters don't throw nearly as many innings as they used to, so there's no need to hold back on the mound.

Add in better training programs, breakthroughs in surgeries and recovery and new nutrition habits and it's no surprise that pitchers are throwing harder than ever.

That's not to say that there weren't incredibly powerful hurlers throughout the years. Nolan Ryan was clocked at 100 mph but was subject the old standard of radar tracking (at home plate). Many believe that if Ryan was clocked using today's standard (about 10 feet before home plate), his fastest pitches would come in somewhere around 108 mph.

And of course Randy Johnson exploded a bird while on the mound. We're not entirely sure how fast that ball was moving, but Johnson and his Diamondbacks catcher at the time (Rod Barajas) estimated it was around 100 mph.

Bob Feller participated in an early speed test where he threw a baseball against a racing motorcycle going 86 mph. Feller didn't release the ball until the motorcycle was already 10 feet or so ahead of him, but his pitch still crossed the finish line first. Early estimates suggested that ball was going over 100 mph. No wonder they called him 'Rapid Robert.'

Then there's Roger Clemens, who earned the nickname "The Rocket" for his 98 mph heater. Clemens maintained his high velocity well into his late 30s and won seven Cy Young awards.

However, these players were anomalies. Not the norm. Go back to just 2007 and you'll see a stark contrast on the mound. For example, in that 2007 season, the fastest average fastball speed was 97.6 mph (it belonged to Jonathan Broxton).

In 2025, Broxton and his 97.6 mph heater would be tied for 28th in MLB. Eight different pitchers currently average at least 99 mph on their fastballs. Three of them (Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran and Seth Halvorsen) average more than 100 mph.

So let's take a look back at the fastest pitches in MLB history, or perhaps more accurately, the fastest pitches of the statcast era.

The Fastest Pitches Ever Thrown in MLB History

Player

Speed (MPH)

Year

Aroldis Chapman

105.8

2010

Aroldis Chapman

105.7

2016

Ben Joyce

105.5

2024

Aroldis Chapman

105.4

2016

Aroldis Chapman

105.2

2016

Aroldis Chapman

105.1

2024

Aroldis Chapman

105.1

2016

Aroldis Chapman

105.1

2016

Aroldis Chapman

105.1

2016

Jordan Hicks

105

2018

Aroldis Chapman

105

2016

Jordan Hicks

105

2018

Aroldis Chapman: Bringing the Heat Since 2010

Nicknamed the "Cuban Missile," Chapman made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 31, 2010. Just one month later, on Sept. 24, 2010, he threw the fastest recorded pitch in MLB history: a 105.8 mph fastball.

Since then, he's thrown nothing but gas for the Reds, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Red Sox. Chapman is an eight-time All-Star, a two-time World Series winner and a Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year award winner.

And he doesn't appear to be slowing down (or losing any velocity) with age. Despite now being 37-years-old, Chapman still routinely throws 100+ mph and is currently the Red Sox's closer.

How Pitch Velocity Is Measured

In the 1940s, there were some efforts to clock pitch speed, mainly due to Feller's incredible fastball. His motorcycle-radar test was a pioneering effort at the time, but it doesn't really hold up today.

This is because the ball speed was measured by timing the ball as it hit a barrier 60 feet away, but this severely underreported velocity as the ball will lose anywhere between five and 10% of its speed from the time it leaves the pitcher's hand to when it crosses the plate.

By the 1970s, radar guns were pretty commonplace in baseball. They provided much more consistent readings of speed, but it all depended on where the ball was being tracked. More often than not, it was at home plate, where the pitch was at its slowest.

MLB implemented PITCHf/x in all ballparks by 2008, which used triangulation to track both pitch speed and break. At this point, all pitch speeds were normalized to the 50-foot release point as well, making all of them comparable.

Now, MLB uses Statcast. Statcast uses Doppler radar and Hawk-Eye to track pitches' speed, exit velocity, spin rate and more.

Every pitch is now measured at release, making Chapman's 105.8 mph pitch truly the fastest verified throw in MLB history.

Jude Bellingham inherited the No.5 shirt when joining Real Madrid and continues to look every inch the natural successor to Zinedine Zidane in that iconic jersey. World Cup-winning Frenchman Zidane once starred as a ‘Galactico’ for Los Blancos, and Bellingham is doing likewise. The England international delivered a couple of outrageous tricks during Real’s goalless draw with Rayo Vallecano.

• Blank for Los Blancos: Real frustrated by Vallecano

  That result has done Xabi Alonso’s side few favours, with two dropped points on the road allowing Clasico rivals Barcelona to close within three in the ongoing battle for La Liga title honours. Real continue to lead the way for now, but the chasing pack are bunching up behind them.

  Bellingham did his best against Vallecano to ensure that Los Blancos found an attacking spark. When it comes to posting a blank in the goal-getting department, the finger of blame cannot be pointed squarely in his direction, with the 22-year-old midfielder once again showcasing his creativity.

Advertisement

• Watch Bellingham deliver Zidane-esque tricks

• Bellingham leaves Real's rivals chasing shadows

  At one point, Bellingham collected possession in the middle of the park. His first touch appeared to have got away from him, but his second calmly scooped the ball over an onrushing opponent, onto his head and away into space. Zidane was once famed for a similar move that saw him glide beyond rivals.

  Another eye-catching moment for Bellingham saw him drift wide on the left flank. He stood up a Vallecano star, moved the ball from one foot to the other, and disappeared down the line. The only thing lacking was a final delivery that allowed the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior to find the target.

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  New role: Bellingham playing deeper for Madrid this season

  Alonso had suggested when taking the reins at Santiago Bernabeu that he would be looking to drop Bellingham deeper in his plans, with the Englishman no longer required to operate as a No.10. He is, however, very much capable of filling that role when required.

  He spoke of his pride at taking the No.5 shirt when heading to the Spanish capital – having seen Zidane previously win La Liga and Champions League titles in it – with the exploits of an all-time great being emulated. Bellingham has registered three goals for Real since returning from summer shoulder surgery and is back in the England squad ahead of their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

Tottenham Hotspur are stuck in a cycle of repeated mistakes, time and time again struggling to establish a winning formula on home turf and struggling also to weave Thomas Frank’s tactics into their identity.

Much has been made of Spurs’ attacking problems this season, but defensively, there are imbalances too. The north Londoners’ xGD (Expected Goals Difference) stands at -6.8, marking them 18th in the division for that metric.

Despite adding a range of talented additions to their ranks after winning the Europa League last season, the residual issues that stemmed from a torrid Premier League campaign remain, and Frank has to show that he has what it takes to wipe out the recurring patterns that are threatening an exciting season.

The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons were welcomed to the ranks, but Frank has yet to pull it all together

The potential Frank replacements ENIC should consider

It has been reported that Frank is not under immediate pressure in the Tottenham hot seat, but after picking just two points up from his past five outings, the Spurs boss will know that results need to improve, especially with the win over Burnley in August standing as a lonely win down N17.

Kudus might be the joint-top assist maker in the division so far, but Tottenham’s creativity is a big concern, and ENIC Group may have the perfect replacement they can fall back on.

Back at the start of the summer, ESPN reported Tottenham had whittled their shortlist down to two candidates, Frank being one, Fulham manager Marco Silva being the other.

The Portuguese tactician is a well-seasoned Premier League manager, having led 221 matches across four different tenures.

Known for establishing stability and a clear tactical vision, the 48-year-old has earned his share of praise, with pundit Jamie Carragher among those to suggest Silva may well be a tailor-made fit for the Lilywhites.

Why Carragher has "always seen" Silva at Spurs

Carragher remarked on The Overlap this week that he has “always seen Silva at Tottenham”, with his blend of pragmatism and shrewd ideas potentially instilling the secure and balanced foundations the club have been lacking in recent years.

Implementing a 4-2-3-1 formation, Silva, whose Cottager side beat Tottenham away from home only last weekend, seeks to strike a balance between possession-based play and counter-attacking football, with both sides of that coin on show against Spurs.

There is an emphasis on overlaps and wide play that could also give rise to Kudus’ qualities. The Ghanaian – who England fans will be threatened by at the 2026 World Cup next year – has made a positive start to life in north London, but there’s a sense that there is more to come from the versatile wideman.

As per FBref, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 3% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for successful take-ons per 90.

Mohammed Kudus – Premier League Stats 25/26

Match Stats (* per game)

#

Matches (starts)

13 (13)

Goals

2

Assists

5

Touches*

52.4

Shots (on target)*

1.5 (0.5)

Accurate passes*

20.9 (87%)

Chances created*

1.6

Dribbles*

3.1

Ball recoveries*

5.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.9

Duels won*

6.5

Data via Sofascore

Kudus needs to score more, and he also needs to make more of his inherent creative skills. Silva’s system could help achieve this.

Transfer reporter Dean Jones has even gone as far as to label Silva a “genius”, with his subtle and nuanced approach to the managerial game something Spurs may need to adapt to different situations and rediscover their fluency both in defence and attack.

Whether Tottenham decide to cut their ties with Frank down the line will be a matter of time and perserverance, but should an upswing fail to materialise, Silva could be the shrewd successor to finally take this team to a sustainable level at the top.

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Edwin Díaz is returning to free agency after turning down the qualifying offer from the Mets, which was worth $22 million. As such, he’ll be free to sign with any team entering his age-32 season.

Díaz could return to the Mets, where he’s played since 2019, but there will certainly be other teams in the mix to sign the talented reliever on the open market. After all, Díaz is a three-time All-Star and a two-time Hoffman Reliever of the Year award winner, and he’s coming off one of the best seasons of his career.

In turning down the qualifying offer, Díaz is signaling that he’s in the market for a long-term deal. He could be in line to make close to, if not more than Tanner Scott received from the Dodgers last offseason, when he signed a four-year, $72 million deal.

So, where could Díaz end up signing? Let’s take a look at a few fits for the veteran reliever.

New York Mets

A return to Queens would make plenty of sense for both sides. It doesn’t come as a surprise that Díaz turned down the qualifying offer, but that is in no way an indication that he doesn’t want to continue playing in New York.

The Mets’ bullpen would be relatively barren without Díaz owning the ninth inning. As it stands, the team has just three relievers under contract for the 2026 season: A.J. Minter, Richard Lovelady and Brooks Raley. They’ll certainly address the position in the offseason, and Díaz will be at the forefront of their scope.

Díaz has had a somewhat up-and-down tenure with the Mets, but he had a 1.63 ERA with 98 strikeouts and 28 saves last season. And with Steve Cohen still desperate to assemble a winner in Queens, letting Díaz walk doesn’t seem like a move that would help the organization achieve its goal of winning a World Series.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays made a run to the World Series with Jeff Hoffman at closer. Díaz would be a significant upgrade over Hoffman, who blew seven saves in 2025 and had a 4.37 ERA. Díaz is one of the most established closing pitchers in MLB, with 253 saves in his career. The 31-year-old didn’t blow a single save last season, and having him out of the bullpen in Game 7 could’ve been exactly what Toronto needed against the Dodgers.

Spending big hasn’t been a concern for the Blue Jays, who have been willing to dole out hefty contracts in order to compete with likes of the Dodgers and Yankees, among others.

Hoffman is still under contract for another two years, but it may make more sense for him to return to the setup role in which he’s previously excelled. In 2023 and ‘24 with the Phillies, Hoffman was one of MLB’s best relief pitchers. He logged a 2.28 ERA across 122 appearances and even earned a trip to the All-Star Game in ‘24.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers will likely be in on a number of this offseason’s biggest free agents as they look to continue their reign. The bullpen was by far their biggest cause for concern in 2025, and bringing in the reliable arm of Díaz would instantly help to alleviate their woes.

Of course, that would mean the Dodgers have nearly $40 million allotted to two relievers annually in Scott and Díaz. If Scott can return to form after leading MLB with 10 blown saves last year, Los Angeles would have the league’s most formidable one-two punch to handle the late innings, in addition to their top-tier starting rotation.

If money isn’t an issue, and it isn’t, the Dodgers should not balk at the idea of bringing Díaz to Hollywood. The idea of competing for championships alongside some of the biggest stars in MLB is anything but a tough sell, so it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Díaz pitching at Dodger Stadium in 2026.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs have plenty of relievers hitting free agency this offseason, so they’ll certainly be in the market for new bullpen arms. The tandem of Danny Palencia and Andrew Kittredge was effective in 2025, but they could elevate the bullpen in a big way by bringing Díaz on board.

Palencia and Kittredge could work out as setup men, getting Chicago to the ninth inning for Díaz to shut the door on opponents.

The Cubs haven’t had a stable closer since Craig Kimbrel in 2018. They’ve tried to swing big at closer in the past, but the results haven’t been there. They landed Ryan Pressly in a trade with the Astros ahead of the ‘25 season, but he quickly lost the closer’s role and struggled in his lone year in Chicago. Diaz could be the long-term solution to their long-standing problem out of the back-end of the bullpen, though he’d come at a significant cost.

Tottenham’s first transfer window with their new-look, reshuffled boardroom will be a very intriguing one, and a striker is believed to be at the very top of their priority list.

Ever since replacing Ange Postecoglou in the summer, new manager Thomas Frank has been starved of a reliable focal point up front.

Dominic Solanke, who Spurs signed for a club-record £65 million fee last year, has struggled with injury problems that have limited his involvement to just 49 minutes so far this campaign. The Englishman suffered a ‘minor’ ankle problem at the beginning of 25/26, which eventually required surgery, and he’s still on the comeback trail.

Solanke is set to miss this weekend’s pivotal North London derby against Arsenal and won’t be available for their crunch Champions League tie against PSG either, with Frank forced to rely on the out-of-form Richarlison, who’s attracted criticism for his inconsistency.

The Brazilian is a shoo-in to start against PSG next week given Mathys Tel wasn’t named in Frank’s 22-man Champions League squad. Tel, according to some reports, is said to be ‘unhappy’ in London and keen to leave Spurs in January, with Roma taking a serious interest in the Frenchman (La Gazzetta dello Sport).

Solanke’s fitness woes, Tel’s dissatisfaction and Richarlison’s form have fueled speculation that a new striker could arrive at the turn of the year, and Spurs are being linked with a few interesting names.

Chief among them is Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney, who scored 20 Premier League goals in his best campaign at Brentford whilst working under Frank.

The tactician has apparently held ‘direct’ talks with Toney about a January move to Spurs, according to some reports, while others believe that the Lilywhites are in pole position to sign him at the turn of the year after ‘preliminary’ negotiations (TEAMtalk).

While links to the 29-year-old are rife given his obvious connection to Tottenham’s manager, co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are considering other options.

Tottenham eye 'dream' move for FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa

As per TEAMtalk, FC Porto talisman Samu Aghehowa is a ‘dream’ target for the club.

Sources believe the 21-year-old, who’s bagged nine goals in 14 appearances already this season, fits perfectly into Frank’s long-term vision. Spurs’ boss is also said to have ‘repeatedly’ emphasised his desire for a physically imposing, mobile striker capable of pressing aggressively and connecting play.

Insiders within Tottenham’s recruitment structure apparently think of Aghehowa as the “younger, longer-term” striker successor they genuinely desire, despite ongoing interest in Toney as a potential 2026 alternative.

Standing at a lofty 6 foot 4 with surprising pace for his height, the Spaniard has even been compared to former Chelsea star Diego Costa during his prime years, thankfully not the version we saw at Wolves.

However, this all being said, a January move appears very unlikely.

Portuguese sources state that Porto are refusing to entertain winter offers, especially as they pursue a first Primeira Liga title in six years. President Andre Villas-Boas has reportedly informed intermediaries that Samu is not for sale “at any price in the winter”, casting major doubt on Spurs’ ability to prise him away mid-season.

Porto have also set an £71 million asking price for Aghehowa, meaning the north Londoners may have to fork out a new club-record fee. With that in mind, Frank and Lange will apparently continue to monitor Aghehowa’s development whilst maintaining Toney as a backup option.

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Chelsea once came ‘very close’ to signing the forward, and he’s a player with ‘huge potential’.