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Will Manchester City end this season by hoisting aloft silverware?

On Saturday, the Sky Blues will compete in a third successive FA Cup Final, this time facing Crystal Palace, firm favourites to win the competition for the eighth time.

However, Erling Haaland was insistent this week that victory at Wembley would not constitute a successful season, simply echoing the message given by manager Pep Guardiola following the semi-final victory over Nottingham Forest.

So, regardless of the result this weekend, a mass-squad overhaul is required at the Etihad this summer, but could the recently dethroned Premier League champions land not one but two top-class midfielders?

Manchester City is targeting a new midfielder

It’s evident that City are hot on the trail of a crop of new central players with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze linked in recent weeks.

Yet, it’s not all about the England internationals as far as Pep and Co are concerned, with a bid now potentially set to be launched for one of the best midfielders in Italy.

Indeed, according to a report by Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City will “submit a formal opening bid” as they attempt to sign midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan.

The 26-year-old joined Milan from AZ Alkmaar for a reported €20m (around £17m) two summers ago, and his impressive performances mean that, according to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, he is now valued at £50m.

Matt Santangelo from That Milan Podcast described the Dutchman as “fantastic”, adding that he’s been “Milan’s best midfielder this season”, while Luca Bianchin of Gazzetta dello Sport believes he is ‘one of the most beautiful players to watch in the world’.

With I Rossoneri down in eighth in Serie A and, following Wednesday night’s Coppa Italia defeat to Bologna, it’s looking very likely that Milan will not qualify for any European competition at all, so they’ll surely be under pressure to sell some key assets, merely adding to the speculation that Reijnders could be on his way to Manchester.

Manchester City's new-look midfield

It’s not just Reijnders because, according to a report by Christian Falk and Phillip Arens of Bild, Manchester City have met with Bayer Leverkusen representatives as they aim to sign Florian Wirtz.

This, though, certainly won’t be an easy deal to get over the line given that, as reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have also ‘made contact’ with Wirtz’s entourage, while TEAMtalk notes that incoming Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso would love to bring him from the BayArena to the Bernabéu too.

Patrick Scherer from Kölner Stadt Anzeiger claims that Wirtz is valued at around €100m (around £84m), reflective of the fact that, as noted by Michael Cox of the Athletic, he is ‘one of the most sought-after talents in world football’, adding that he is a top-class creator and ‘brilliant at finding space’.

What is clear is that Wirtz is a world-class talent and, whoever does manage to sign him this summer, will be getting their hands on a genuine difference maker.

What Man City's midfield and attack could look like in 2025/26

But how would Wirtz, Reijnders and the soon-to-be-returning from injury Rodri all fit together?

Well, let’s assess their respective statistics to help answer this question.

Appearances

44

52

50

Minutes

3,302

4,411

4,327

Goals

16

15

9

Assists

15

5

15

Shots

118

123

84

Shots on target %

44.9%

41.5%

32.1%

Attempted passes

2,170

1,848

4,588

Pass completion %

80%

87.9%

91.9%

Progressive passes

229

267

495

Attempted take-ons

205

92

78

Tackles

38

32

84

Blocks

38

24

32

Interceptions

21

49

34

Ball recoveries

141

143

287

Touches per 90

64

40

107

As outlined by the table, these three players as a midfield trio would work really well together, complementing each other’s strengths.

Rodri is pretty much exceptional at everything, no wonder Man City have missed him so much this season, with the Spaniard’s 107 touches per 90 and 4,588 attempted passes particularly eye-catching.

Wirtz meantime, is the creator in chief, one of only six players across Europe’s big five leagues to reach double-figures for both goals and assists this season, alongside Mohamed Salah, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, Romelu Lukaku and Gaëtan Perrin.

Meantime, the German’s 205 attempted take-ons is also pretty noteworthy, ranked second in the Bundesliga this season for this metric.

Lastly, we come to Reijnders, who is something of an all-rounder, scoring a very impressive 15 goals across all competitions this season, actually taking the most shots of the trio, while his 49 interceptions stands out too, suggesting he’d been an excellent Rodri partner.

The Dutchman has racked up over 4,400 minutes for Milan during this campaign, sitting out just one of their 53 matches, and this was due to a suspension, and his availability is certainly a valuable asset so, if Man City are able to assemble these three as a midfield trio, they might just become unstoppable once again.

Florian Wirtz now has representatives in Manchester as Guardiola pushes deal

It’s not one they want to miss out on.

1 ByTom Cunningham May 14, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing an “outstanding” Premier League defender, and there is now a possibility he could join on a free transfer in 2026, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Spurs eyeing new centre-back

Tottenham have conceded 51 goals in the Premier League this season, and while the poor defensive record can partly be attributed to Ange Postecoglou’s attacking philosophy, the numbers are concerning.

With Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero regularly being linked with moves elsewhere, the need to bring in a new centre-back this summer has been exacerbated, and a number of potential targets have been identified.

AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is one of the options, having held talks over a deal for the Spain international earlier this month, while they have also expressed an interest in Barcelona defender Eric Garcia, who could be sold for just £17m this summer.

Related Tottenham now in position to seal "bargain signing" of "interesting" striker

They’re “well-placed” to do a deal.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 27, 2025

Huijsen is not the only Premier League defender Tottenham admire, however, as they are well-known to have made a £70m bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in the January transfer window, and there has now been an update on the 24-year-old’s future.

Taking to X, Romano has now stated that Spurs “remain keen” on signing Guehi this summer, having been on their shortlist “for months”, but there could be competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Chelsea.

This summer could be Palace’s last chance to cash-in for a sizeable fee, with the defender’s contract set to expire in 2026, but there is also a possibility he could leave Selhurst Park on a free transfer next year, if a suitable offer is not received.

Having knocked back the Lilywhites’ £70m bid in the winter window, it is clear Palace value their captain very highly, although reports from elsewhere have stated his price tag could now stand at between £50m – £60m.

Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Bodo/Glimt (h)

May 1st

West Ham United (a)

May 4th

Bodo/Glimt (a)

May 8th

Crystal Palace (h)

May 11th

Aston Villa (a)

May 18th

"Outstanding" Guehi could be ideal Romero replacement

Romero has been pushing for a summer exit, with Daniel Levy cancelling talks over a new contract, so it is clear a replacement may be required this summer, and the Palace centre-back has proven he could be up to the task.

The England international was particularly impressive en-route to the Euro 2024 final, with his performances being lauded as “outstanding” by members of the media, while he has also caught the eye in a Palace shirt.

The former Chelsea man has averaged a 7.07 SofaScore rating in the Premier League this season, ranking him as the third-most consistent performer in the Palace squad, and he has been a key component of the side, making 32 appearances.

Having also been lauded as a “leader” by members of the media, there are clear signs Guehi could be capable of organising Tottenham’s shaky backline, so it is promising news that the north Londoners remain keen on a deal this summer.

Travis Head’s remarkable century in Perth, and his comments that it’s a role he has talked about doing, is posing a tough call for selectors

Andrew McGlashan28-Nov-20252:24

Head innings should not give England an ‘out’

Khawaja – the argument forIf Khawaja was one of the best two opening options before the first Test, then, if he has overcome the back problems, surely he still is a few days later. It was unfortunate timing to get a bad back, but he’s not the first player to suffer that. He got a very good ball from Brydon Carse in the first innings in Perth, which he could only feather to the wicketkeeper.Related

Head 'happy' to keep opening amid Khawaja debate

Cricket Australia to ask Khawaja for explanation of 's***' pitch comments

Khawaja's back to be examined as Australia float flexible order

Head feared riling England's quicks during Perth onslaught

England are not panicking – yet

Could this be a case of being careful what you wish for? There was a clamour to move David Warner aside before he left the Test stage in early 2024, and since then, Australia have been on a merry-go-round of openers. Clearly, Khawaja does not have masses of time left as a Test cricketer, but you need to be sure before jettisoning his experience: 6055 Test runs at an average of 43.56.Since the 2023 Ashes, it has been more of a struggle for Khawaja. He averages 31.84 in this period, but he’s doing the toughest role in Test cricket. While the runs may not have flowed freely – and let’s not erase that 232 against Sri Lanka from his record, otherwise a lot of players’ performances need to be questioned – he has still been able to soak up valuable time in the middle.For example, in the West Indies earlier this year, he faced over 300 balls – and only two batters survived more in the series. If part of the aim of the top order is to take the sting out of the new ball, start to tire England’s bowlers, and lay a base for the likes of Travis Head to flourish, there’s a role Khawaja can still play.Usman Khawaja averages 50.08 in first-class cricket at the Gabba•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesIt wasn’t as though he had come into the series in poor domestic form: his scores for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield were 69, 46, 0 and 87. Another factor to consider is Khawaja has an excellent record at the Gabba, where he averages 50.08 in first-class cricket at his home ground, and, significantly, 50.20 against the pink ball.It’s also one thing playing the way Head did when there’s a final target to focus on, rather than setting up a Test on the first day or in the first innings. There is also no doubt about Head’s destructive and match-winning abilities at No. 5.There is a middle ground to this. Head could move up to open, and Khawaja could slot in at No. 5, the spot where he returned to Test cricket with twin hundreds against England at the SCG in early 2022. There is also the notion of the flexible batting order, where, for example, Khawaja could open in the first innings but perhaps not in the second, depending on the game situation.Khawaja – the argument againstSometimes there is a course of events that makes an irresistible case. You could easily say that happened with Head’s innings in Perth, especially when the man himself said he had been offering to take up the role since Warner’s retirement.While Head’s innings finished in a flurry of shots, some verging on outrageous, it was the early stages that set things up for him, and suggested he has the game to do it for the longer term. Head was on 3 off 14 balls at one stage, before whipping Gus Atkinson through midwicket for the first of his 16 fours; his first really adventurous shot came when he ramped Carse over the slips in the eighth over. He hadn’t just come out swinging from ball one.Travis Head flourished with a century as opener in the Perth Test•Getty ImagesThere are currently more viable candidates for middle-order roles in the Australia Test side than there are for opening. Two of them, Beau Webster and Josh Inglis, are in this squad – one who was very unlucky to lose his place in the first place, and another who has just scored a rapid century against England Lions. You can throw Mitchell Marsh into the mix as well, even before delving deeper into the Sheffield Shield.So moving Head up to the top does not have to be a case of weakening a strength to strengthen a weakness. Arguably, it is creating an opening where there are stronger options to choose from. Khawaja’s form has left the door ajar, too: one century in 45 Test innings, even when it is a double hundred, is a questionable record.The notion of Khawaja moving to the middle order? That could be seen as kicking the can down the road. Only a few weeks ago, Steve Waugh had criticised selection chair George Bailey for not taking the tough decisions.Khawaja himself knows how sliding-door moments can play out. His window to return to the Test side came when Head caught Covid-19 before the SCG Test in the 2021-22 Ashes. On that occasion, Khawaja made such a compelling case that Australia found a way to keep him in the side. Marcus Harris, who opened at the SCG and made 76 on a tough MCG pitch the game before, has not played a Test since.

They also look thin in the spin department, but in Jasprit Bumrah and a power-packed Indian batting core they have a lot going for them

Hemant Brar20-Mar-2024

Where Mumbai Indians finished last season

With eight wins from 14 games, they finished fourth in the league stage. In the Eliminator, they beat Lucknow Super Giants but lost to Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2.

MI squad for IPL 2024

Hardik Pandya (capt), Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Tim David*, Dewald Brevis*, Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod (wk), Romario Shepherd*, Mohammad Nabi*, Shams Mulani, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Shreyas Gopal, Jasprit Bumrah, Luke Wood*, Gerald Coetzee*, Kwena Maphaka*, Nuwan Thushara*, Akash Madhwal, Arjun Tendulkar, Shivalik Sharma*Overseas players

Player availability – Suryakumar a doubtful starter

Suryakumar Yadav might not be fit in time for Mumbai’s first game. He had surgeries for an ankle issue and sports hernia in the last three months and is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.Related

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• Royals boast big Indian names, but lack of allrounders could prove costly

Jason Behrendorff has been ruled out of the tournament after breaking his leg in the nets. England left-arm seamer Luke Wood has replaced him. Dilshan Madushanka also had to be replaced by 17-year-old South African fast bowler Kwena Maphaka. Gerald Coetzee has joined the squad, but he is still recovering from a groin injury and is unlikely to be available for the first few games.

What’s new with MI this year?

The captain. Hardik Pandya is back at Mumbai, and as captain, having taken over the role from Rohit Sharma. This is the first time that a current India T20I captain will play under someone else at the IPL. It will also be interesting to see how Rohit fares without the extra responsibility.There are six new overseas players: Coetzee, Maphaka, Wood, Nuwan Thushara, Romario Shepherd and Mohammad Nabi. Thushara, who bowls with a slingy action like Lasith Malinga, recently picked up a five-for, including a hat-trick, in a T20I against Bangladesh. Among uncapped Indians, Shreyas Gopal has been added as a back-up for Piyush Chawla.

The good – Batting and Bumrah

A strong Indian core. Once Suryakumar is available, Mumbai can have an all-Indian top five: Rohit, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar, Hardik and Tilak Varma. With Tim David at No. 6, it is a batting unit that can consistently post, or chase down, totals in excess of 200, as they showed last season. Kishan and Tilak also help with the left-right combination.Hardik said at the pre-season press conference that he is fit to bowl, which lends the side great balance. In Shepherd and Nabi, Mumbai have two more quality allrounders but, as Mark Boucher hinted at, they may field only three overseas players at times.In Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai have a fast bowler who can bowl across phases. After standout performances in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the recent Test series against England, he is expected to lead the way once again.Jasprit Bumrah: a world-class bowler that can plug many holes•BCCI

The not-so-good – Injuries and spin stocks

Mumbai will be hoping Suryakumar does not miss too many games, while Kishan has not played top-flight cricket since November. The biggest blow perhaps is Behrendorff’s absence as he was supposed to be the powerplay specialist. Coetzee’s unavailability early on further robs them of flexibility.Mumbai are thin on spin resources as well. Chawla was a point of difference for them last season; his 22 wickets from 16 games were the fourth-highest in the tournament. But his returns in the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy were not as good: four wickets from seven games at an economy of 8.40. At 35, can he lead Mumbai’s spin attack once again?Kumar Kartikeya has age and form on his side but has not been effective in the IPL. Last season, he picked up five wickets from eight games at an economy of 8.73. Shreyas has played just four matches in the last three IPL seasons.

Schedule insights

In the schedule released so far (March 22-April 7), Mumbai are to play four games. The first two away, against Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad, and the next two at home, against Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals. After the third match, they have a break of five days.

The big question

The left-arm spinner has already earned a call-up to the Test squad, and on Monday he showed just why

Shashank Kishore06-Jun-2022.”This was Saurabh Kumar, speaking to ESPNcricinfo after he was picked to be a stand-by in the India Test squad that toured South Africa at the turn of the year. Broadly, Saurabh was saying that he doesn’t bowl the carrom ball. But there was more; with the addition of the “varrom”, he was saying he doesn’t need to.Saurabh wasn’t being cocky about his bowling. He was only being confident in his ability to trick batters without needing a variation that turns the other way, and that he had enough weapons in his arsenal anyway: clever use of the crease, flight, dip, and all the other elements that make left-arm orthodox spinners a joy to watch.Related

• How Saurabh Kumar's perseverance brought him closer to his India dream

• Saurabh Kumar earns maiden Test call-up

• Live blog: Ranji Trophy 2022, quarter-finals

“The more you focus on variations, the less you will focus on the simple things,” Saurabh had continued. “My mantra is: keep it simple, and let the batsmen make mistakes.”On Monday, Karnataka found out just how complicated life can be for batters when Saurabh keeps things simple. Without doing anything fancy, he had them on a string during the Ranji Trophy quarter-final in Alur.It was clear very early that Saurabh wasn’t going to give the batters anything to work with. If they wanted to score off him, they had to take a chance, whether it was to step out and hit him against the turn or to go right back and take him on with the cut. If you were in two minds, he had enough tricks in the bag to nab you.R Samarth and Manish Pandey both paid the price for being indecisive. And it wasn’t like they were trying to find their rhythm. Samarth had blasted his way to a half-century. It wasn’t the typical Samarth who puts his head down and bores bowling attacks into submission. This was a Samarth who had raced off the blocks, punching and cutting fast bowlers the moment they erred. This was Samarth picking up boundaries knowing fully well that the surface had enough in it to keep the bowlers interested all day.Ditto with Pandey. When he came in at 97 for 3, he stood between Uttar Pradesh’s bowlers and a Karnataka collapse. The lower order seemed set to be put to a stern test. But Pandey didn’t seem to have gotten the memo. He made run-scoring look ridiculously easy. He helped Karnataka recover with his typical mix of the unorthodox and the conventional.Pandey and KV Siddharth put on a half-century stand in quick time to briefly put UP on the defensive. The chirp, the extra close-in fielders – they were all gone. The pressure had eased considerably, and Karnataka were on the march again.

Across the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Ranji Trophy seasons, he picked up 95 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 19.29. This included ten five-wicket hauls and a best of 7 for 32.

Saurabh was having none of it, though. From one end, he kept wheeling away, with the intensity of a bowler who had trained specifically for this role: to hold one end up and build pressure for the bowlers from the other end to tap into. The scorecard will say he bagged four wickets. It won’t reveal his hand in the other three.Take the wicket of Mayank Agarwal. For two overs prior to his dismissal in the first session, Saurabh beat Agarwal with his entire gamut of variations. He beat him on the inside edge with the arm ball, and then bowled flatter and got the ball to bite off the pitch to rip past the outside edge. Then he deceived him in flight as Agarwal looked to step out, skip besides the line, and go inside-out. Then Agarwal shaped to cut but played back to a full delivery.Being strangled for runs seemed to play on Agarwal’s mind. It had been a scratchy innings until then, a struggle for timing and rhythm. This wasn’t the Agarwal who races off the blocks and puts the pressure right back on the bowlers.Survival was his primary thought and Saurabh had threatened it more than once. So, when Shivam Mavi came on having already tickled his ribs a few overs earlier, Agarwal tried to look for runs, and in trying to hop back to tuck one away, strangled one to the wicketkeeper. A 57-run opening stand had been broken, and Uttar Pradesh were off the mark belatedly.The secret to Saurabh’s success is in his ability to wheel away tirelessly. This is an aspect that possibly went in his favour when the Indian team management asked for net bowlers. Saurabh has been a constant presence at India’s training sessions over the last two years at home. In February this year, he went a step further. A maiden call-up to the Test squad came his way. It was reward for all the toil over the years, first for Services and then for UP.Saurabh has grown up bowling on damp tracks, on surfaces where he has had to find ways to reinvent himself, because UP’s factory of swing bowlers have tended to hog the limelight. He prides himself on bowling on any surface. If there is a hint of assistance, he is ready to turn an inch into an acre, like he did on Monday.Having played a perfect assist in Agarwal’s dismissal, he had Samarth caught in two minds. Two balls after he was beaten neck and crop, Samarth failed to keep the cut down and point took a dolly. Saurabh was off the mark.Saurabh (second from right, top row) was part of the India A squad that toured South Africa in November-December 2021•Charles Lombard/Getty ImagesHe should have had Pandey soon after too, on 1. Pandey loves to dominate. Saurabh held his end of the bargain by offering him flight, only to deceive him in the air. Half the job was done, but Ankit Rajpoot got too close to the ball at mid-off and shelled the catch. Disheartened? No way. Saurabh continued to wheel away.He would eventually have Pandey play back to an arm ball and nick him off, before dismissing S Sharath first ball as he jabbed at a delivery that turned and bounced. Even at the fag end of the day, he showed the same energy as he did prior to lunch. The moment he saw batters trying to go after him, he cleverly varied his pace. Ask K Gowtham, who advanced down the pitch only to mishit to mid-off.On a day in which only 72 overs were possible, Saurabh bowled over a third of them and went at just a touch over two an over. As well as helping control the game with his economy, he took the wickets that put UP in a commanding position. His overall figures read 29-6-67-4.If India are looking for spinners beyond R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in Test cricket, there’s Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jayant Yadav and… you will have to scratch your head a few times. And then you chance upon Saurabh’s numbers, and it hits you how consistent he has been in domestic cricket.Across the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Ranji Trophy seasons, he picked up 95 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 19.29. This included ten five-wicket hauls and a best of 7 for 32. If such returns haven’t earned him widespread attention, it’s perhaps only because he doesn’t play in the IPL. Public memory, in any case, is short. It can’t have helped that there was no red-ball domestic cricket in India in 2020-21, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.But India’s selectors and team management have kept a close eye on Saurabh, because he has heart and skill, and plenty of both. As he showed on Monday, with his tireless control on a hot day, against a line-up known to dominate spin.If he can bowl UP to victory in the quarterfinals and beyond, he will have taken another step towards his ultimate goal.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is in the market for attacking quality and could now turn to a Premier League star who is high up on his shortlist at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City leave it late to see off Leeds United

Despite sitting at opposite ends of the table, Manchester City dug deep to see off Daniel Farke’s Leeds United in a dramatic clash on Saturday afternoon that helped to narrow the gap on Arsenal and Chelsea in the top-flight standings.

Phil Foden’s early and late strikes were enough to seal the deal. However, Guardiola will be frustrated at surrendering a two-goal lead when it appeared his side were in cruise control.

Either way, Foden made it clear that he and his teammates were ‘delighted’ with the end result as the Citizens avoided dropping points in back-to-back fixtures after the conclusion of the international break.

He said: “When there was a short break, the manager got us together, and we adapted to their formation. We had a few half-chances, and finally, I’ve found a bit of space and found the bottom of the net.

“There are still things we can improve. We’re delighted with the result. The title race is never straightforward. There are always ups and downs and periods where you can’t seem to get going, and we’ve had that. The belief and togetherness came through at the end.”

For some, an overreliance on Erling Haaland is something Manchester City need to be cautious of moving forward, hence they may now make a move to sign Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo as he is available for £65 million.

Looking to scale up in all areas, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson could be at the centre of a transfer battle between the Citizens and Manchester United. In other news, he isn’t the only player Guardiola is willing to fight over.

Manchester City have Everton's Iliman Ndiaye high on their shortlist

According to Foot Mercato, Manchester City have Everton attacker Iliman Ndiaye high on their shortlist after his excellent start to life in the Premier League this campaign.

Scoring four times and notching an assist in 15 matches across all competitions, the Senegal international is also wanted by Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, with the trio all keen to bolster their frontline once the transfer window opens.

Man City now frontrunners to sign "world-class" £80m star, Pep's a big fan

There has been a new update on City’s pursuit of a new forward, who Pep Guardiola has dubbed “extraordinary”.

ByDominic Lund Nov 27, 2025

Labelled “top drawer” by Jamie O’Hara, initial contact has been made for the Rouen-born man as Guardiola steps up his hunt for invention, even if Ndiaye is unlikely to be an out-and-out alternative to Haaland.

Over a long Premier League season, his ability to operate almost anywhere in a front four is a commodity most managers would love to have, especially given he has created 15 chances in the top-flight circa 2025/26, per Fotmob. Based on that, it’s perhaps no wonder previous reports have suggested he is valued at £70m.

Now, it remains to be seen whether they can push a deal over the line as Guardiola seeks reinforcements in order to further Manchester City’s title challenge.

Neymar is all set to visit the 'miracle doctor' in Brazil in a bid to overcome injury and make it to Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad in North America next summer. Neymar has struggled for fitness throughout the calendar year; however, he saw a late resurgence into the season as he scored and helped Santos avoid relegation, finishing 12th in the Brazilian top division league.

• Neymar's late resurgence at Santos

  In his final four games for Santos at the business end of the Brazilian Serie A season, Neymar scored five goals and provided one assist as his boyhood club won their last three matches of the campaign and successfully saved relegation. The late resurgence included a hat-trick for the Brazil icon, which came in Santos' 3-0 win over Juventude.   

  However, Neymar is still recovering from his chronic injury issues and is now planning to work on his condition to get fully fit and earn a recall in the Brazil squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup next summer.

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• Getty Images
  

  Neymar to consult 'miracle doctor'

  Neymar will soon undergo a partial arthroscopic meniscectomy on his left knee. further reports that the 33-year-old will soon consult a famous Brazilian physiotherapist, Eduardo Santos, who is known as 'Dr. Miracle' for his ability to treat patients in record time, often using unconventional methods.  

  Graduated from PUC (Pontifical Catholic University) in Belo Horizonte, Santos holds a master's and doctorate in sports medicine, and for years, he headed the medical department of Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG. He has also worked at Vitesse in the Netherlands and Zenit in Russia.

  Some of his high-profile patients include Hulk, Oscar, Philippe Coutinho and, more recently, Manchester United's Matheus Cunha and Vanderson. Santos is currently in England,  working closely on the recovery of Fulham star Rodrigo Muniz. In 2015, after former Brazilian defender David Luiz was ruled out for eight to 10 weeks, Santos miraculously made him play his next match within 10 days. 

• Ancelotti's warning to Neymar

  Despite Neymar working hard to regain his full fitness ahead of the World Cup, Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti recently issued a warning to all Selecao stars. The Italian coach said: "There are many players who are very good, I need to choose players that are 100%. It's not just Neymar, it could be [Real Madrid forward] Vinicius. If Vinicius is at 90%, I'll call up another player who is at 100%, because it's a team that has a very high level of competence, especially up front. Up front, we have really many good players." 

  He added: "If we talk about Neymar, we have to talk about other players. We have to think about Brazil, which can be with Neymar or without Neymar, with other players or without other players. The definitive list we will make after the FIFA date in March. I understand very well that they are very interested in Neymar, I want to clarify that we are in December, the World Cup is in June, I will choose the team that will go to the World Cup in May. If Neymar deserves to be, if he is well, better than someone else, he will play in the World Cup and period. I don't owe anyone a debt."

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  Neymar cast doubts on Santos future

  After Santos' final game of the season, Neymar told reporters that he is not certain whether to continue at the club after his current deal expires in a few weeks. The Brazil star said: "I came for this, to try to help the best way I can. These have been tough weeks for me. I thank those who were with me to lift me up. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have played these matches because of these injuries, this knee problem. I need to rest and then we will have this knee surgery. I do not know, really. I don’t know. I need some days now, I need to rest, disconnect then decide my future. For sure my priority always goes to Santos."  

MLS commissioner Don Garber has publicly encouraged Mohamed Salah to consider a move to the United States amid escalating uncertainty over the Liverpool star’s future. With his relationship with manager Arne Slot fractured and interest growing across the Atlantic, Garber urged the Egyptian to speak directly with Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller to learn how transformative MLS life can be.

• Salah's links with MLS amid Liverpool fallout

  Salah’s future has been thrown into fresh doubt after a turbulent season at Liverpool, where a public breakdown in relations with Slot has sent shockwaves through Anfield. With Saudi Pro League interest strong and MLS teams unexpectedly entering the picture, the uncertainty has given rise to global debate about his next step.

  MLS commissioner Garber has now added fuel to the discussion by directly inviting Salah to consider the American league as a serious option. His public remarks came as rumours linked the Egyptian icon with a potential move to ambitious clubs such as San Diego FC or Chicago Fire, both of whom may have the financial structure and an open marquee-player slot to attempt such a deal. Whether Salah is indeed open to the idea remains unclear, but the commissioner’s comments have thrust MLS into the conversation.

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  MLS comimmisioner urges Salah to discuss MLS life with Messi and Muller

  Speaking about Salah's uncertain future, Garber made his stance clear, telling reporters: “Obviously, if [Salah] ever decides to come to Major League Soccer, we’d welcome him with open arms. I’d say he should reach out to Leo [Messi] and reach out to Thomas Muller and see how happy they’ve been and how successful they’ve been and how much they’ve really embraced being in Major League Soccer.”

  He also warned that MLS would not interfere with Liverpool's active contract: “I’ve seen some rumors about Mo Salah. We very much believe in the sanctity of a contract; that’s an American business dynamic. Mo’s under contract to Liverpool, people we know. It’s a great team.”

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  Salah's explosive fallout with Slot at Liverpool

  Salah’s link to MLS is emerging at a time when the Egyptian star is enduring the most challenging season of his Liverpool career. His fallout with Slot, punctuated by being benched for three straight league games and excluded from the squad against Inter Milan, has reshaped the narrative around his future. With his contract running until 2027, his next step hinges on whether he and Liverpool consider reconciliation possible or whether a major transfer becomes inevitable.

  The Saudi Pro League retains strong interest and has historically offered enormous financial packages to lure the forward. MLS, meanwhile, represents a different kind of appeal: lifestyle, market expansion, and the chance to follow the Messi blueprint, which has elevated the league’s visibility worldwide. 

  Yet the obstacles are considerable as MLS clubs must navigate salary-cap regulations, Designated Player slots, and competitive balance rules, all of which complicate deals of this scale. Even Inter Miami, who famously engineered the Messi signing, are believed to be prioritising other positions, making a 2026-style roster reconstruction more feasible than a 2025 splash for Salah. Still, given Salah’s global influence, MLS will not simply dismiss the idea.

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• MLS still an unlikely destination for Salah

  For MLS, the next step is simply to monitor the situation while maintaining an open line of invitation should Salah push for a move away from Liverpool. Garber's comments are intended to position the league as a viable destination without breaching contractual respect, leaving the decision firmly in the player’s hands. If Salah does explore the option, conversations with Messi, Müller and other European imports may prove influential.

  Liverpool, meanwhile, must resolve the deepening rift between Salah and Slot as the club enters a crucial phase of the season. Whether he stays or departs could depend on performances, dressing-room dynamics, and Liverpool’s stance ahead of the January window. Should relations continue to deteriorate, Salah could face a pivotal choice between staying in Europe, accepting a Saudi mega-offer or starting a new chapter in MLS.

South Africa left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba was handed a demerit point for breaching the ICC’s code of conduct during the match against India at the Women’s World Cup.The incident occurred in the 17th over of India’s innings, when Mlaba, after dismissing Harleen Deol, waved goodbye to the batter, which an ICC release on Saturday noted, “could have provoked an aggressive response”Mlaba was judged to have breached Article 2.5, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”Related

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On-field umpires Jacquline Williams and Kim Cotton, third umpire Candace le Borde and fourth umpire Sue Redfern levelled the charge. Mlaba admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Trudy Anderson. The sanction also included an official reprimand.Mlaba will carry this demerit point into a 24-month period. When a player reaches four or more demerit points within this period, they can be suspended for one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first.South Africa clinched a thriller against India on Thursday, chasing down 252 to post their second win in three games of the World Cup. Mlaba picked up 2 for 46 in the game.

Bangladesh made three other changes to the side that played Sri Lanka while India went in unchanged

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-2025

Litton Das missed out of the India game because of a side strain•Getty Images

Toss Jaker Ali, Bangladesh’s 12th T20I captain, won his first toss and chose to bowl in the Asia Cup Super Fours match against India in Dubai. Jaker stepped into the role – and also took over the wicketkeeping gloves – with Litton Das ruled out with a side strain.With Litton out, Parvez Hossain Emon came back into the side and is expected to open alongside Tanzid Hasan, with Saif Hasan moving down to No. 3. Bangladesh made three other changes from the XI that beat Sri Lanka on Saturday, all to their bowling attack. Out went the offspinner Mahedi Hasan and seamers Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, and in came legspinner Rishad Hossain, fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and the seam-bowling allrounder Mohammad Saifuddin, who plays his first match of the tournament.India were unchanged as expected.India: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit BumrahBangladesh: 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Saif Hasan, 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Jaker Ali (capt & wk), 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mohammad Saifuddin, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Tanzim Hasan Sakib