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Nottingham Forest are now targeting an “incredible” Europa League midfielder, amid Elliot Anderson continuing to attract attention from some top clubs.

Anderson's City Ground future up in the air

Forest could have their work cut out trying to keep hold of Anderson, given that the midfielder is of major interest to the Premier League’s biggest clubs, with it recently being revealed that Manchester United have identified him as their number one target.

Manchester City are currently the favourites to win the race for the former Newcastle United man, however, with the Blues ready to hijack their rivals, given that Pep Guardiola is a huge admirer, and there is a feeling that a deal could be possible for a fee of £88m.

Alex Crook has also revealed that United would probably have to fork out a club-record fee to sign the England international, with the Tricky Trees in a strong negotiating position, given that he remains under contract until 2029.

With Anderson’s future at the City Ground up in the air, Nottingham Forest have now started to run the rule over potential new additions in midfield, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states they are now targeting Lyon star Tyler Morton.

Morton has put in some eye-catching performances since moving to the Ligue 1 club for £15m in the summer, and he could now be in line for a swift return to the Premier League, with the likes of Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion also keen.

Lyon are reluctant to sell the midfielder, but cashing-in for a higher price than they paid might be too good an opportunity to turn down, considering their financial difficulties, so the door could be open for a move to Forest.

"Incredible" Morton now ready to prove himself in England

The 23-year-old never really managed to make the grade at Liverpool, being shipped out on loan to Hull City and Blackburn Rovers, and never making a Premier League appearance, but he has proven he’s now ready to test himself in England.

The Englishman has emerged as a key player for Lyon in Ligue 1, chipping in with one goal and one assist in 12 outings, while also putting in a solid performance in his most recent Europa League match, with Lyon battering Maccabi Tel Aviv 6-0.

Tyler Morton’s key statistics vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

Number completed

Tackles

4

Interceptions

2

Duels (won)

8 (6)

Accurate passes

60/63 (95%)

Journalist Bence Bocsak is clearly a big admirer of the Wallasey-born midfielder too, saying: “Out of all the young players who left Liverpool this summer I’m absolutely convinced Tyler Morton is the most likely to return. He’s a fantastic footballer. Incredible IQ.”

Nottingham Forest now keen on £117k-a-week UCL defender who may replace Murillo

The Tricky Trees are looking at signing a new centre-back in the January transfer window, amid doubts over Murillo’s future.

ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2025

While Arne Slot’s side making a move would be understandable, with any luck Nottingham Forest will be able to win the race for Morton’s signature, as he could be a fantastic addition to Sean Dyche’s squad.

Tottenham have been given some encouragement over the prospect of signing a Brazil international as his agents work to find him a new club.

Tottenham targeting new attacker in January amid creativity issue

Thomas Frank faces mounting pressure at Tottenham just six months into his tenure, with serious questions surrounding the Dane’s future.

Spurs sit 11th in the table with just 19 points from 13 games, and their home record tells a catastrophic story.

With only one Premier League win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium all season, not to mention 10 home defeats this calendar year, they currently boast the joint-worst record in that regard in the club’s history.

Winless in five matches across all competitions, including losses to Arsenal, PSG and Fulham, their controversial 2-2 draw at Newcastle on Monday evening prevented a fourth straight defeat.

16. Burnley

2

1

4

7

-2

17. Nottingham Forest

2

1

4

7

-5

18. West Ham

2

0

5

6

-9

19. Tottenham

1

2

4

5

-1

20. Wolves

0

1

6

1

-11

Cristian Romero rescued Frank with a dramatic stoppage-time overhead kick. The Argentine scored twice at St James’ Park, his header and acrobatic finish earning a vital point, and his heroics seriously spared Frank’s blushes.

Dressing room unrest is reportedly growing, with reports suggesting players are confused by Frank’s constant tactical tinkering.

Fabrizio Romano shares Thomas Frank update amid mounting Tottenham pressure

The reliable journalist has some information.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2025

Summer signing Xavi Simons symbolises Frank’s struggles. The £55 million playmaker has started just six league games, relegated to the bench for crucial fixtures despite Spurs’ creative drought, and former defender Ramon Vega has accused Frank of “changing his mind every two seconds.”

Frank apparently retains board backing until at least new year, but improvement must arrive quickly.

January reinforcements remain crucial, with FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa heavily linked alongside Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, who has a tantalising £65 million release clause in his contract which will be active next month.

If Spurs cannot win the race for Semenyo amid interest from Man City, then RB Leizpig’s Yan Diomande is believed to be an alternative, with Sky Switzerland’s Sacha Tavolieri reporting they’ve already held advanced discussions on the player’s side.

Tottenham given Rodrygo boost as agents work on Real Madrid exit

Now, according to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, the north Londoners have been given a boost in their pursuit of Real Madrid star Rodrygo.

It is believed that Tottenham have emerged among the Premier League clubs that Rodrygo would consider joining, with his representatives actively working to secure a January departure from the Bernabeu.

The Brazilian has seen his situation deteriorate dramatically since Xabi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti over the summer, becoming the most high-profile casualty.

Only four of his 15 appearances this season have exceeded 45 minutes, with Rodrygo regularly deployed as an impact substitute and falling behind Arda Güler in the pecking order.

Intermediaries representing the 24-year-old are working diligently to identify potential destinations, with Arsenal and Liverpool already engaged in discussions.

Rodrygo himself has made clear he would welcome moves to Man City, Man United, Chelsea or Tottenham too, though currently only Arsenal, Liverpool, City and Spurs are actively monitoring his availability.

Real value him between £70-79 million, and the Spanish giants ideally want to retain Rodrygo until the summer, when Nico Paz’s expected return will likely accelerate his departure.

It isn’t an easy deal to do by any means, with Spurs potentially needing to break their transfer record whilst fending off elite competition from their rivals.

However, there is little doubt this would be a statement move by the Lewis family as they look to usher in a new era post-Daniel Levy.

Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has revealed he once broke the club's “body fat record”, admitting he has always loved food and struggled to stay within strict limits at the elite level. The veteran says Robert Lewandowski jokingly mocked him over his physique, adding to a brutally honest reflection on his fitness, longevity and the pain he's endured throughout his career.

Szczesny reveals he broke Barca's 'body fat record'

Szczesny opened up about his physical condition during a wide-ranging interview, where he admitted he once registered Barcelona’s highest-ever body fat percentage. The goalkeeper explained that footballers face strict weight clauses and financial penalties, and despite staying inside the weight limit, his body fat result “broke the record.” He also revealed that Lewandowski once mocked him during a Poland camp, highlighting how teammates used humour to react to his surprising numbers.

Szczesny further discussed how he has never been the hardest trainer, but has maintained a consistently high level across an 18-year career. His comments come after an extraordinary period that saw him retire at Juventus, then return months later to join Barcelona as an emergency signing during their goalkeeper crisis. Despite this unusual comeback, the 35-year-old remains a key figure for the Spanish champions, continuing to compete at the highest level.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportPolish goalkeeper admits Lewandowski once mocked him

Speaking to GQ Poland, Szczesny revealed: “Footballers aren't allowed to gain weight. Their contracts include severe financial penalties. I like to eat, and although I manage to stay within the weight limit, I broke Barcelona's body fat record. Once, ‘Robert Lewandowski,’ mocking me in the Polish national team's dressing room, said: ‘How could Szczesny have had such a career with that body?’”

“I've never been a player who trained harder than others, but I've managed to maintain the same high level throughout my 18-year career. I may never have been in the top ten, but I've never dropped below eighth either. If I had played at my absolute best, I would have alternated between tens and sixes, but I maintained eights the whole time.”

Unbearable pain caused his earlier retirement from football

Szczesny also revealed how his career-long arm injury continues to cause him severe pain, even after multiple surgeries and the insertion of metal plates that were never removed. He explained that the issue sometimes becomes so intense during training that he loses feeling in his hands and cannot even hold a water bottle. The goalkeeper admitted this was one of the reasons why he originally retired, saying he had “had enough of this suffering” before being persuaded back into football by Barcelona’s crisis.

He described the pain as unpredictable and particularly bad during demanding pre-season workloads, where the discomfort traveled from his wrist to his elbow “as if everything inside my arm is trying to get out.” Despite that, Szczesny still returned to action and played an entire season “for free”, explaining that his Barcelona salary simply covered the fee he owed Juventus for ending his contract early. The veteran ultimately helped the Catalan giants win La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, cementing his extraordinary yet unexpected comeback.

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Getty Images SportSzczesny no longer No. 1 but future remains open

Szczesny remains under contract with Barcelona until 2026; however, this season, he has lost his starting spot to new signing Joan Garcia, somebody he has claimed boasts an enormous talent. The Catalan goalkeeper is currently No. 1 at Barcelona with Szczesny as his backup until Marc-Andre Ter Stegen returns from his injury.

While it is expected that this could be Szczesny's final season as a professional, the question marks surrounding Ter Stegen's future following his summer fallout with the hierarchy could open the door for the Poland legend to continue on for yet another season.

It’s difficult to see a road for his return with Webster and Hardie moving up the list and Green set to return later in 2025

Andrew McGlashan02-Jan-2025It has been one of the feel-good stories in Australian cricket over the last 18 months, but not quite a year on from being named the Allan Border Medalist, and giving an acceptance speech for the ages, Mitchell Marsh’s Test career is at a crossroads.”Not necessarily blindsided,” Cummins said of Marsh’s reaction when the news was given to him that he was dropped for the final Test against India at the SCG with Beau Webster handed a debut in his place. With 73 runs in the series and limited impact with the ball, the numbers were not in his favour.Having been informed of the decision before Cummins spoke to reporters, Marsh left the nets having not batted but still signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans who had come in to watch Australia’s opening training session. A very popular team figure, Cummins made a point of mentioning Marsh’s first thoughts on Webster’s inclusion. “The first thing he said was, ‘I can’t wait to see Beau out there and give it a crack’,” Cummins said.Related

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Sydney Tests against India have not been kind to Marsh. In the 2018-19 series he was also dropped for the equivalent fixture having made a one-match return at the MCG where he was booed in what became an often-recalled story of his career. From there he played one Test in four and a half years before his return midway through the 2023 Ashes.In the last few weeks Marsh has looked a shadow of the player who produced a string of match-changing innings since his recall against England. That day at Headingley he was dropped on 12 at slip before racing to a thrilling hundred. Marsh said he played that game as though it was his last, having undergone ankle surgery earlier in the year to give himself a chance of playing Test cricket again. But such was the impact he had he remained for 14 consecutive matches, even forcing Cameron Green to the sidelines early last summer.However, this series he has only once threatened to dominate with the bat, making 47 in the second innings Perth with Australia’s defeat inevitable. At times he has appeared caught between attack and defence.Mitchell Marsh has made just 73 runs across seven innings in the series•Getty ImagesMarsh’s bowling workload has been a regular talking point – since the Perth Test he has sent down just 16 overs – but while Cummins referenced Webster’s capabilities with the ball, for a match where the workloads of the captain and Mitchell Starc will be of particular focus, it is the lack of runs that has cost Marsh his spot.”He was in the side this summer for being a top six batter so that’s generally a guiding principle when you are picking a top order,” Cummins said. “Think when he’s at his best he gets into the side on his batting alone and his bowling’s a bonus.”At 33 it doesn’t have to be the end of Marsh’s Test career, something which Cummins stressed when he confirmed the team, but like Green missing out in England to give him his unexpected return, he will now wait for the cards to fall in his favour. Green will return later in 2025 while Webster has moved ahead of him in the pecking order and, if he can regain bowling fitness, Aaron Hardie will likely soon move up the list.It’s difficult to see a road for Marsh’s return. Australia are likely to get creative with the balance of their side in Sri Lanka in late January, and playing spin is not one of Marsh’s strengths despite his natural power down the ground. It would be difficult to see him being recalled for a World Test Championship final should Australia qualify having just been left out. Being a key part of Australia’s ODI side means he will also miss Sheffield Shield cricket in February and early March.Beau Webster is set to make his Test debut at the SCG•Getty ImagesIt is the second significant selection call Australia have made in the last two Tests following the axing of Nathan McSweeney in favour of Sam Konstas, a move that paid off in dramatic style at the MCG.In contrast to 19-year-old Konstas, Webster is a player who has done the hard yards through domestic cricket to earn a debut aged 31. In 2023-24 he scored 938 runs and took 30 wickets in the Sheffield Shield, a return only bettered by Garry Sobers. He is also one of the best slip catchers in Australia.He has reinvented himself, too, having revived his medium pace during the 2020 Covid lockdowns to a point where it has now overtaken offspin as his primary weapon with the ball.”I don’t think I’d be standing here if I was still wheeling out the offspinners,” Webster said in Melbourne last week. “It’s a part of my game I’ve been really proud to develop in the last four years. It’s taken a lot of hard work early doors from being sore at the start and trying to get my body used to bowling a few overs here and there and then bowling lots and lots of Tasmania.”Now it feels like it’s as important as my batting game and they go hand-in-hand if you’re struggling with the bat you can still contribute with the ball and vice versa.”Webster will have good memories of his most recent outing at the SCG where he helped Tasmania to victory over New South Wales with a total of 110 runs and five wickets in the match.”He’s a special player at the moment,” Tasmania captain Jordan Silk said after that match in late November. “Any time I feel like we’re in trouble, I feel like I can throw him the ball and he just seems to be able to create something.”

استطاع نادي برشلونة قلب تأخره اليوم السبت بهدف أمام ديبورتيفو ألافيس، إلى فوز صعب بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف واحد، ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ14 من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

واحتضن ملعب كامب نو لقاء اليوم، والذي شهد تفوق برشلونة على ألافيس، على الرغم من أن الأخير قدم مباراة جيدة بالفعل.

وتقدم ألافيس في بداية المباراة، لكن برشلونة تمكن من العودة في النتيجة وتسجيل ثلاثة أهداف ليحق النادي الكتالوني الانتصار في نهاية المطاف.

وكشفت رابطة الدوري الإسباني عن رجل مباراة اليوم، والذي حصل عليه رافينها، العائد من الإصابة بعد غياب خلال الفترة الماضية.

طالع .. ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإسباني بعد هدف لامين يامال في مباراة برشلونة وألافيس

رافينها حصل بجدارة على جائزة رجل المباراة، بعد مستواه المميز اليوم وصناعته لهدفي برشلونة الأول والثاني.

وقدم رافينها التمريرة الحاسمة في هدف برشلونة الأول الذي سجله لامين يامال، ثم عاد الدولي البرازيلي ليمنح كرة الهدف الثاني والذي أحرزه داني أولمو.

وشارك رافينها بشكل أساسي في لقاء اليوم، قبل أن يخرج في شوط المباراة الثاني ليحل محله بيدري في الدقيقة 60.

وتعتبر عودة رافينها بمثابة مكسب كبير لبرشلونة، والذي يعول بشكل كبير على الجناح الأيسر وكان من بين نجوم الموسم الماضي للبرسا.

Astonishing onslaught led by opening pair condemns South Africa to record-shattering loss

Firdose Moonda12-Sep-2025England 304 for 2 (Salt 141*, Buttler 83) beat South Africa 158 (Markram 41, Archer 3-25) by 146 runs England scored their highest T20I total and the third-highest in history; Phil Salt broke his own record as the holder of England’s highest individual score in the format and scored the fastest century by an English batter, off 39 balls as South Africa were whiplashed. England levelled the series 1-1 with their biggest win in this format. The result means Sunday’s match will decide the series.On a belter of track, England hit 30 fours and 18 sixes for a total of 228 runs in boundaries. That made up 75% of their score of 304 for 2, headlined by Salt. He has four hundreds, the most by an England batter and five of their top eight scores. South Africa’s bowlers have never conceded more in a T20I innings and three of their attack are in the top six of the most expensive returns in a match. Kagiso Rabada (0 for 70), Lizaad Williams (0 for 62) and Marco Jansen (0 for 60) were all returning from injuries and though they each had a brief outing in the series opener in Cardiff, this game will be considered their comeback, proper. They won’t be pleased with how they showed up.Among the many things that went wrong for them was discipline as South Africa conceded eight wides and five no-balls and effectively bowled two extra overs at England. All told, South Africa have conceded 772 in the last 75 overs on this tour, across the third ODI and first and second T20Is.Though South Africa have the record for the highest successful chase in this format – 259 for 4 – this was a much tougher task. They needed to score at 15.25 runs per over and, despite reaching 50 for 0 after 21 balls, were never really in the hunt. Aiden Markram’s 41 off 20 balls was his highest score in 18 innings but he lacked support. Bjorn Fortuin’s 16-ball 32 was the next highest score and concerns over the middle order remain.Lhuan-dre Pretorius fell to Jofra Archer for 2•Darren Staples/AFP via Getty ImagesA century in the Powerplay England were on it from ball one, when Salt sliced a full, wide ball from Jansen over point for four. And ball two, when Salt slammed Jansen through fine leg for four more. And ball three, when he cut Jansen in half in his followthrough for a third successive boundary. You get the picture. Jansen’s opening over cost 18, not his most expensive, but joint-third. Rabada’s first over of the innings cost 7 before Jos Buttler took 22 off Williams. Left-arm spinner Fortuin conceded 20 first-up and then Rabada changed ends and got pasted for 20. Buttler reached his fastest fifty in the format off Rabada, off the 18th ball he faced, when he boshed a short ball through square leg. Nineteen-year old Kwena Maphaka closed out the Powerplay in an over that went for 12, as Buttler raced to 65 off 24 balls. Pouring Salt in the wounds While Buttler dominated the first six overs, he was dismissed in the eighth when he swept Fortuin to Tristan Stubbs at deep backward square and left it to Salt to add the spice. He did not disappoint. The over after Buttler was dismissed, Salt laid into Williams, who tried to change his pace and bowl the yorker but neither worked. Salt sent a legcutter over midwicket for six, brought up his fifty off 19 balls off the first attempted yorker and hit the second, which turned into a wide full toss, over extra cover for six more.Related

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By then, South Africa were clueless. Maphaka tried a slower ball and Salt sent it over short leg, then he went short and Salt pulled fine, and even when he got it on a good length, Salt sent it down the ground. He took England to 166 for 1 at the halfway stage. When Rabada returned, to bowl the 13th over, Salt took advantage of two free hits as the senior seamer struggled for rhythm, then reached his century off the second. And Salt wasn’t done there. When he stepped outside his stumps and sent Williams over square leg for six, he became the holder of the highest individual score for England in T20Is. He survived when Maphaka thought he had caught Salt at wide long-on with a relay catch but replays showed Maphaka’s heels were on the boundary cushion and he conceded another six. Salt finished on 141 not out from 60 balls, the seventh-highest score in a T20I. ESPNcricinfo LtdAn Archer hat-trick but not the traditional way Jofra Archer was rested from the rain-reduced first T20I but roared back and played a part in each of the first three South African wickets. After South Africa got off to a decent start with 50 runs in the first 3.3 overs, they were starting to hit their stride. Ryan Rickelton took 16 runs off the first three balls of Archer’s second over and thought he had four more when he viciously swiped at the fourth ball but Liam Dawson at short midwicket pulled off the ultimate intercept to end his innings. Rickelton was dismissed for 20. Three deliveries later, Archer’s slower ball had the better of Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who top-edged a slog-sweep and was caught at short third. South Africa were 53 for 2 after five overs. They already needed a massive effort to hunt down the target but with Dewald Brevis at No.4, they would have still believed.Brevis hit the first ball he faced, from Sam Curran, for four but then tried to send Curran over mid-wicket and miscued. Archer was at mid-on and barely had to move to complete the catch which left South Africa 57 for 4 in the Powerplay and the game all but gone. Archer did get a third, when he returned in the 12th over, with South Africa 115 for 5. Jansen played a legcutter straight back to Archer who had to get down low and then recover from the ball busting out of his right hand as he clutched it in his left to complete the catch. And for good measure, he took two more catches, to dismiss Tristan Stubbs and Kagiso Rabada.Curran aims for the moon Super-duper slow (aka the moon-ball) is the Sam Curran way and he was the pick of the English bowlers as he used his change-ups well. While Curran bowled some deliveries at around 47mph, he had Brevis caught off a quicker one and Donovan Ferreira was deceived by a short ball. Ferreira tried to hit a cross-batted slog but skied the ball over Buttler, who did well to run back and take the catch. Curran finished with 2 for 11 in two overs with an economy of 5.50. Only Will Jacks, who took two wickets in his only over and conceded two runs, had a better return with 2 for 1.

He only took six wickets in the two Tests against Sri Lanka, at a 30-plus average, but don’t let that fool you

Andrew Fidel Fernando10-Dec-2024Exhale. Switch off for a minute. Remind yourself that you need to keep your technique tight. Thank whichever god(s) you believe in that he was too fast for you to edge the balls you poked your bat at in the last over. And pray that that was the last over of his spell.This, roughly, is what would have gone through the mind of any Sri Lanka batter who had had to face a new-ball over from Kagiso Rabada over the past two weeks. He didn’t go hunting for wickets. There was no desperation in his bowling. In the channel outside off stump, on a good length or just short of it, and almost always quicker than 140kph – this is where he lived. And the man never left the house.Related

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The best you can really do is survive him. Other bowlers have weaknesses. Rabada has more than 300 Test wickets at an average of less than 22. He will never stop coming at you. Second spell in the day, his speeds are still up. Third spell, those balls are still zipping through in the channel. They are whizzing away sometimes, jagging back at other times, and you play at your peril.He’s been around for so many years, and is already a grandmaster of his craft. The only reason it feels weird to say this is because hasn’t hit 30.If you looked at his return in this series you might surmise he’d been off the boil a little. He picked up only six wickets at an average of 32.33. Four of those wickets were of Dimuth Karunaratne, whom Rabada took out in every innings. If you didn’t watch a single ball of the series, or know anything about Karunaratne, you might wonder if that stat was a flex or a crutch.But take a look at Rabada’s economy rate of 2.77 – the best for any bowler who took at least one wicket all series. In fact, his economy rate of 2.93 in this World Test Championship cycle is the best among its top 17 wicket-takers. Also, Karunaratne is by far the most prolific opening batter Sri Lanka has produced, and has played nearly 100 Tests. He plays spin much better than he plays fast bowling. But the man has made at least five year-end ICC Test XIs. This is not a soft target.Rabada has the best economy rate among the top 17 wicket-takers in this WTC cycle•AFP/Getty ImagesMarco Jansen and Dane Paterson claimed more wickets than Rabada in this series, and both took five-wicket hauls. Good for them. They bowled well, and deserved their big moments. And yet neither was as relentless or as accurate as Rabada. You look through his spells for the series, and you can’t remember a bad one. There was one occasion in this series when he bowled a six-over spell, conceded 33 runs, and took only one wicket. During that period, he’d had a batter dropped at second slip, and at least two of the fours he gave away came off edges. That was as bad as it got.Some bowlers, it is said, have a high ceiling. Rabada also has a very high floor.”I think it’s just one of those series where I guess the balls that he was bowling were unplayable,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said, trying to explain Rabada’s lack of wickets. It’s hard to disagree here; there was no shortage of plays-and-misses against him.”I never know what to really say to KG,” Bavuma admitted. Bavuma is as thoughtful a captain as Test cricket has right now, and he’s hinting at a profound reality. How do you instruct a cricketer of such vast and obvious greatness? “All he wants to know is when is he bowling and how many overs I see him bowling. And the rest, I mean, he reads the game.” To some extent, you envy Bavuma. What a joy it must be to have a bowler this uncomplicated to call on. One of Rabada’s other superpowers, by the way, is that he breaks down infrequently for a quick who bowls as fast as he does.If you are tempted to wonder whether Rabada is losing his gift for taking wickets, please consider that in this World Test Championship cycle, the man averages 17.07 and has a strike rate of 34.8. If South Africa make the WTC final next year, as they seem likely to do now, no player has contributed more to that feat than Rabada. And across Test cricket’s vast history, there has never been a more penetrative great bowler. Among players with more than 150 Test wickets, Rabada has the all-time best strike rate, of 39.1.It may be true what Bavuma says. Rabada is so good that sometimes even the best batters struggle to as much as edge his deliveries.

Jesse Lingard is set to be available as a free agent with the former Manchester United forward quitting FC Seoul. Lingard, now 32, confirmed that Wednesday’s AFC Champions League meeting with Melbourne City will mark his final appearance for the club he joined in February 2024, a move dubbed the biggest in K League history.

Lingard prepares for final outing with Seoul

Lingard's departure concludes a tenure that brought no trophies but did lift FC Seoul back into competitive relevance. During his debut season, he played a pivotal role in steering the capital side to fourth place in the K League, their best finish since 2019, while the most recent campaign ended with the team in sixth. Across 66 matches, Lingard recorded 18 goals and 10 assists, figures that underline his steady influence after a turbulent chapter in his career. 

Lingard enjoyed a surge of individual recognition this year, most notably during a blistering run in July. Over four league matches, he scored twice, took home two Man of the Match honours and earned a Player of the Week award. That form ultimately earned him the division’s Player of the Month trophy, his first major individual accolade in South Korea. 

His improved performances also translated to continental competition. In a crucial AFC Champions League Elite clash away to Chinese champions Shanghai Port, Lingard orchestrated a 3-1 victory almost single-handedly. He broke the deadlock with a clinical finish shortly after half-time and, even after Mateus Vital pulled the hosts level, the midfielder responded by supplying a pinpoint cross for Lucas Silva to restore Seoul’s lead. He wrapped up the night with another crisp strike, sealing three points that strengthened Seoul’s position in the eastern standings. 

AdvertisementLingard's message of gratitude

Lingard confirmed his exit through a heartfelt message on social media, reflecting warmly on a journey that revived his spirit as a footballer. In his statement, he revealed that talks with the club had led to a mutual decision to part ways after the 2025 season, acknowledging that walking away was far from easy.

He wrote: "After positive discussions with FC Seoul, we have mutually agreed that I will be leaving the club at the end of the 2025 season, with my final game on December 10th. This wasn’t an easy decision. My time in South Korea has been unbelievable — the football, the atmosphere, and the passion around this club have been top-class. The love, support and the appreciation you have shown towards me for these last 2 years has been truly amazing. Playing football here has been an unforgettable experience and one I will always value. I want to thank FC Seoul, my teammates, the staff, and everyone associated at the club for trusting me and welcoming me from day one. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to play for such a massive club."

A career of highs, lows and reinvention

Lingard’s decision to leave Seoul marks the latest twist in a career defined by early promise and abrupt setbacks. He left Manchester United in 2022 after 22 years at Old Trafford, during which he played 232 times and scored some of the club’s most memorable goals of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. His trophy cabinet includes the FA Cup, Europa League and League Cup. 

But after leaving United, Lingard’s fortunes nosedived. A short stint at Nottingham Forest after a brief revival at West Ham produced just 20 appearances before he departed at the end of his one-year deal. Eight months passed with no club willing to take him on, forcing him into the unfamiliar position of a free agent fighting for relevance. And then he decided to join FC Seoul in the far East. It was a bold step into a new culture and a new league at a time when he desperately needed a fresh start. Yet the early weeks were harsh. Lingard was visibly short of fitness and was subsequently sidelined by a meniscus injury. However, with time, he turned around his fortunes and was even handed the armband on a few occasions. 

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Getty ImagesWhat comes next?

As he prepares for his final bow on Wednesday night, Lingard once again stands at a career crossroads. The free-agent market beckons, and while the next step remains uncertain, his two-year stint in Seoul has re-established him as a player capable of influencing matches. Teams across the English football pyramid that are looking to strengthen in the January window suddenly find a Premier League veteran in the market. He should have offers, if not from the top-flight, but more likely from the lower divisions. 

Ireland leave Bangladesh with a 2-0 Test series defeat but their 26-year-old allrounder has impressed with his batting ability

Mohammad Isam23-Nov-2025In the aftermath of their 217-run defeat to Bangladesh, Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie was still proud of the fight put up by Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey and Jordan Neill on the fifth day in Dhaka.The visitors batted 59.3 overs on Sunday, holding Bangladesh up till almost the tea break, when Hasan Murad removed Hoey and Matthew Humphreys with successive deliveries. Nobody could remove Campher though. He made an unbeaten 71 having faced the greatest number of balls by an Ireland batter in the fourth innings of a Test match (259). Hoey was second on the list with 104.”[Curtis Campher] is someone that is hard to get out when he is in his bubble,” Balbirnie said. “He is very determined not to get out even when he is in the nets. He has such a strong defense, he showed that today.”Bangladesh were pushed to a little bit of an extreme, bowling 100 overs for the first time in the fourth innings at Shere Bangla National stadium. Campher played a big part in that.Related

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“If he puts his mind to it, he can do it,” Balbirnie said. “It is a shame that no one from the top and middle order could hang around for long enough. I think the batters showed fight today, to bat till just before tea on the fifth day. We were behind the game a lot. Bangladesh deserved to win the series 2-0.”Balbirnie also talked about Hoey and his recently-developed skillset as an allrounder: “I play with Gavin in club cricket in Dublin. I have known him since he was a kid. His dad was an Irish international in the 1990s. He was a legspinner as well. I think [Hoey] has only been bowling legspin since [Covid] lockdown, so it’s been five years. He was a seam bowler [earlier].Andy Balbirnie was candid about Ireland’s inability to bat for long periods•ECB/Getty Images

“So to have that skillset in this short time is really impressive. He will get better and better from experiences like this. We have to make sure that he gets enough overs under his belt. We need to have our spinners develop consistency so that we do well in these conditions.”Ireland had some hope of batting the day out and coming away with a draw. “[There were expectations] probably just before Murad took the two wickets,” Balbirnie said. “There was a small bit of excitement in the dressing room at that drinks break. Credit to the Bangladesh spinners. They don’t miss their line and length too often. They test batters a lot. The two wickets in two balls put an end to that [hope] pretty quickly. It was an enthralling day’s play. I think Curtis can be proud of his work today.”The fact that the Test match stretched to the fifth day was also a tribute to the type of pitch prepared for the encounter. “A lot of us had seen the West Indies ODI series. We were a bit nervous coming here,” Balbirnie said, referring to pitches that had, on one occasion, witnessed fifty overs of spin in the first innings. “When we arrived, we thought [the pitch] would break up quickly, but it held together. There was turn, but it wasn’t every ball. It was a good cricket wicket. I thought it was a pretty fair wicket. We had two good wickets over the two Tests.”Balbirnie was also candid about what Ireland hoped for from the series. “We had won three Tests in a row before coming here, so there was confidence in the group,” he said. “We had to manage our expectations. You are coming to places that have experienced cricketers.”We are trying to get that consistency. Our top-order didn’t fire for the last two games. Bangladesh’s top-order showed us how to do it – to bat for a long time and get big hundreds. [Their batting] was the big difference. We weren’t competitive against Bangladesh for longer periods. They showed their class over the nine days,” he said.

It happened with surprising speed, and the new BCB president Aminul Islam has plenty to do to improve the state and image of Bangladesh cricket

Mohammad Isam02-Jun-2025The change in the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) presidency unfolded at an unusual and dizzying pace over the weekend.The country’s sports ministry stripped Faruque Ahmed of his BCB directorship on Thursday following a no-confidence motion tabled by his fellow directors, precipitating his exit as board president after just nine months. Aminul Islam was then appointed as the ministry’s next man on the board and the BCB directors elected him the next president by Friday afternoon.The speed with which the sports ministry completed the process was impressive. It isn’t often that a government body sends out a notice – removing Faruque as its board representative – at 10pm on a Thursday night (Friday and Saturday are the weekend days in Bangladesh).It isn’t common for the BCB directors to act with such initiative either. They submitted a no-confidence motion against Faruque to the ministry on Thursday evening, held video conferences to approve the ministry’s notices regarding Faruque and Aminul later that night, and called an emergency meeting for Friday. Seven of the eight BCB directors who signed the no-confidence motion weren’t this active during Nazmul Hassan’s 15-year presidency.What was in the letter of no-confidence against Faruque?There is no provision for a no-confidence motion in the BCB constitution, but the sports ministry took the letter into consideration when removing Faruque. The three-page letter was released on social media on Thursday evening, hours after Faruque had refused to resign as president.Related

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From the beginning of his presidency, however, Faruque had reportedly been told not to engage with BCB directors who were seen as Hassan loyalists. This left Faruque with only one or two directors to work with, causing problems among the board initially.In the no-confidence letter, Faruque was portrayed as an authoritarian, with Chandika Hathurusinghe’s sacking as Bangladesh’s head coach used as an example. Faruque was criticised for questioning Hathurusinghe’s position in his first press conference as BCB president. Bangladesh were playing a Test series in Pakistan at the time, but Faruque had brought up Hathurusinghe’s future at a board meeting on October 17, attended by the nine other board directors and CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury. This is when the decision to sack Hathurusinghe was made.The same directors were known for their complicity in Hassan’s unilateral decision-making during his long term as BCB president. There were numerous instances of Hassan’s loyalists instructing other directors to approve certain decisions instantly at the time. Occasionally, a board director would question Hassan and was usually admonished. Whether it was the umpiring and corruption scandal in 2016, the clipping of selectorial independence, or Hassan’s direct interference in team matters, no director spoke against him.The BCB directors also accused Faruque of “exercising his power” to bring teams like Durbar Rajshahi and Chittagong Kings into last season’s BPL. Rajshahi’s player payment issues are well documented, with the government having to intervene. However, there was no mention of Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, another board director, and his role in the decision-making during last season’s BPL in the no-confidence letter.The BPL fiasco dented Faruque’s reputation. Rajshahi’s local players skipped a practice session and their overseas players missed a match over the issue of unpaid wages. The BCB couldn’t convince the Rajshahi owners to make payments for weeks and government intervention was needed to help the overseas players get out of the country after they were locked into their Dhaka hotel for days.Faruque Ahmed (second from left) was the BCB president for nine months•Tahmid Amit/Jamuna TVAnother major issue was Faruque’s alleged interference in the men’s team. Whenever he was asked about the team, he referred questions to the captain and the coach. The directors accused him of interference, but they hadn’t raised this issue during his presidency. Faruque, interestingly, is widely regarded as Bangladesh’s best chief selector of all time.It is also important to note that after August 5, when the Awami League-led government fell and fled the country, the BCB became a weaker body than it was. It was seen as one of the flagships of the Awami League, with innumerable links to the party. So, when the protests against Shakib Al Hasan having a farewell Test in Dhaka began last October, the BCB couldn’t do much. Shakib, a former Awami League MP, had become a villain of sorts, and the student protests were firm on not letting him play in Dhaka. The usually powerful and influential BCB couldn’t guarantee his entry and exit through their government connections.Why was Faruque made president?During his press briefing on Saturday, sports adviser Asif Mahmud said Faruque had been recommended to him by those he had consulted last August after the protests had brought down the Awami League government. ESPNcricinfo understands Faruque was one of several candidates for the BCB presidency at the time but the interim government wanted someone with a clean image. Faruque’s reputation had grown when he resigned in protest over BCB’s changed selection policy in 2016.That was after he was reappointed chief selector in 2013 following his success in the role from 2004 to 2007, when he brought in the likes of Tamim Iqbal, Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim to the national team. Faruque had a short international career, even leading Bangladesh in the 1994 ICC Trophy. He was a prolific run-getter in domestic cricket, before taking on the selection role in the early 2000s.Aminul Islam, BCB’s new president, may have to clean up the board’s image first•BCBWhat next for the BCB?Faruque’s successor Aminul could use his experience to stabilise the BCB. He is an administrative stalwart, having worked in the ICC as a development manager for the last eight years. He also worked at the ACC for many years. Aminul has played a developmental role in numerous Asian nations: he was one of the first coaches to take cricket to China. He has worked in professional set-ups in both Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne, where he now resides.Leading a cricket board, though, will be more complicated especially when the organisation is going through turbulence. Bangladesh’s problems on and off the field mean morale is at an all-time low. The men’s national team has slipped to No. 10 in ODIs and have been struggling in T20Is. They won three overseas Tests last year but drew 1-1 against Zimbabwe last month. There are two ongoing investigations into the BPL and the Dhaka Premier League. On top of that, the BCB directors are restive.Aminul has already impressed many in the board with a presentation on his first day in office. He said he had come to play a “memorable T20 innings”, suggesting he would not be in the position for too long but wanted to make an impact.His focus could also swing back to cricket, as he’s known as a pure cricketing man in Bangladesh. There’s a lot depending on him in the coming months. Many may think the board elections will be his priority, but with Bangladesh cricket lurching from one scandal to another, Aminul may have to clean up the board’s image first.