After launching a late move to sign Marco Asensio, Aston Villa have reportedly agreed personal terms with another Ligue 1 star in a late transfer flurry for Unai Emery.

Aston Villa open talks to sign Asensio

They’ve left things late, but Aston Villa are finally moving in the summer transfer window. With a matter of days left until the window slams shut, the Villans have opened talks to sign Asensio from Paris Saint-Germain. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Midlands club are pushing to secure a permanent deal following the Spaniard’s successful loan spell in the second-half of last season.

By the time that his loan spell came to an end last season, Asensio had become a fan favourite and scored eight goals in 21 games in all competitions. As such, he was always likely to be a summer target for all involved at Villa Park who made the mistake of falling in love with a loan player.

Alongside Evann Guessand, the former Real Madrid gem would add some much-needed depth to Emery’s attack as deadline day approaches. There’s no denying that his arrival is one that Villa need, having drawn their opening game against Newcastle United 0-0 and then failing to score again in a 1-0 defeat against Brentford.

Aston Villa closing in on "special" £13m former wonderkid; Monchi "confident"

The Villans are closing in on their man…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 29, 2025

After Asensio, they may not be done there, however. Rumours are continuing to emerge that Aston Villa are still targeting further reinforcements as they look to save what has otherwise been a summer to forget. And that has reportedly seen them turn towards another Ligue 1 star alongside Asensio.

Aston Villa agree personal terms with Mikautadze

As reported by French journalist Marc Mechenoua, Aston Villa have now agreed personal terms with Georges Mikautadze and are now in club-to-club negotiations with Lyon after submitting a €25m (£22m) offer. As talks continue, the Midlands club will be desperately hoping to reach a full agreement before Monday’s deadline.

If they can secure a deal worth £22m, meanwhile, then they’d be getting an absolute bargain. When compared to Ollie Watkins last season, Mikautadze more than kept pace – scoring 17 goals and assisting another 11, whilst the Englishman netted 17 himself and created 14 in all competitions.

Described as “electric” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Mikautadze is ready to take the Premier League by storm and potentially form an impressive partnership with Watkins. Welcoming both the Lyon man and Asensio before Monday’s deadline would be a true statement of intent from Aston Villa.

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Abel Ferreira ficou sem falar com a imprensa por cerca de duas semanas, período em que ele ficou suspenso e o Palmeiras instaurou a Lei do Silêncio, encerrada no domingo (16). Assim, a entrevista coletiva após o empate em 0 a 0 com o Internacional, em Porto Alegre (RS), foi um “combo” de assuntos reprimidos. O que mais chamou a atenção, porém, foi sua reflexão sobre seu lugar no futebol brasileiro diante dos acontecimentos recentes, especialmente as ações da CBF, as quais ele estranha por serem direcionadas apenas aos palmeirenses.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasVÍDEO: Abel Ferreira cutuca rival após eliminação do Palmeiras na Copa do Brasil: ‘Não sei quantos títulos ganharam’Palmeiras16/07/2023PalmeirasAbel se diz o maior culpado pela má fase do Palmeiras e resume momento: ‘Chegou a nossa vez de perder’Palmeiras16/07/2023PalmeirasGómez lamenta chances perdidas pelo Palmeiras contra o Inter, mas crê que as vitórias virão ‘naturalmente’Palmeiras16/07/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Há quem diga que entre as reflexões feitas por Abel, seria possível inclusive cogitar que ele estaria questionando sua permanência no Brasil e consequentemente no Palmeiras. Há quem diga, porém, que foi mais um desabafo sobre os tipos de briga que ele vai entrar daqui para frente, uma vez que entende que a entidade máxima do futebol nacional pode não estar agindo de uma forma equilibrada em comparação com os treinadores brasileiros. O português usou o comunicado da CBF após João Martins, auxiliar técnico. questionar o “sistema”.

– Eu conheço o futebol brasileiro melhor do que nunca e já dei aqui declarações muito fortes sobre o que me faz ficar aqui. Não vou tirar uma vírgula daquilo que eu disse. Quando você vê a CBF dar um comunicado somente para a equipe técnica do Palmeiras, para algo que outros treinadores brasileiros fizeram, e só houve um comunicado direcionado para a equipe técnica do Palmeiras, isso me faz pensar profundamente sobre o que eu quero, porque quando eu tiro o celular da mão de um jornalista, é um ato mal feito, pedi desculpas. Um outro jogador, dentro de um recinto, fez a mesma coisa, jogou no chão, e não é igual. Eu reflito sozinho, me faz pensar o que vale a pena e o que não vale. Se não, tenho que dizer “Abel, sempre foi assim, se gosta, gosta, se não gosta…”. Portanto, o que eu tenho que fazer é ajudar os meus jogadores.

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– Fico triste quando vejo entidades apontarem setas somente para um lado, quando vários treinadores tiveram desabafos, que foi o que aconteceu (na coletiva de João Martins depois do jogo contra o Athletico-PR). O diretor do Santos fez isso, o Renato Gaúcho, de forma delicada, apontou o dedo também. O Felipão também… Mas a carta veio endereçada somente com um nome, com um destino. Me faz refletir, talvez eu seja pequeno demais para estar no futebol brasileiro – completou Abel Ferreira.

+ ATUAÇÕES: Veiga decepciona novamente, e Weverton segura empate do Palmeiras com o Internacional

Com a sequência dos acontecimentos das últimas semanas, Abel Ferreira parece ter repensado suas atitudes em relação aos árbitros. Ele, inclusive, disse ao advogado do Palmeiras para ficar despreocupado, que as expulsões e julgamentos não irão mais acontecer. A única coisa que ele prometeu ficar atento é no que vai acontecer em relação ao seu auxiliar João Martins, que foi denunciado ao STJD e deve ser julgado em breve pelo desabafo que fez depois do duelo com o Athletico-PR. O português chegou até a falar em xenofobia entre os seus receios.

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– Embora não pareça, não adianta mais falar com os árbitros, vou deixá-los em paz. Já disse para o meu advogado ficar tranquilo, o Palmeiras pode mandá-lo embora, que comigo não vai ter mais problema nenhum, nem comigo, nem com a minha comissão técnica. Mas infelizmente querem caçar o João pelo que ele falou. O que eu vou ficar atento é o que vão fazer com o João e o que vão fazer com os outros que falaram a mesma coisa que ele. Aí eu vou entender o que quer dizer xenofobia. Eu nunca estive em um país que ouvisse tanto esse termos, nem sabia o que era isso. Xenofobia, racismo, preconceito, violência, nunca ouvi tanto quanto aqui. Não é isso que eu defendo, os valores que eu defendo.

O Palmeiras volta a campo no sábado (22), pela 16ª rodada do Brasileirão, para enfrentar o Fortaleza, no Allianz Parque. O elenco terá uma semana livre de treinos para buscar seu retorno para as vitória. No momento, o Verdão é o sexto colocado na tabela com 25 pontos.

Rathi, who had been penalised after a similar offence in the game against Punjab Kings, now has three demerit points against his name

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2025Digvesh Rathi, who sent Naman Dhir off with a “writing in the notebook” celebration in the IPL 2025 match between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday night in Lucknow, has been fined 50% of his match fee and given two demerit points. His captain Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, was fined INR 12 lakh for his team’s slow over rate in the game, which LSG won by 12 runs.For Rathi, it was the second such offence and penalty under Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct. He was fined 25% of his match fee when he had sent Priyansh Arya back with a similar gesture – and a bit of body contact – in an eight-wicket defeat in Lucknow on April 1. That earned him one demerit point, too. The latest Level 1 code of conduct breach came with a bigger fine as a result, even though he was some distance away from the batter. The offence also earned him two demerit points to go with the one he had from the earlier occasion.According to the IPL Code of Conduct, four demerit points add up to one suspension point, meaning the player will be forced to sit out one match when that mark is reached. Since the demerit points remain on an individual’s record for a period of 36 months, Rathi will have to be careful even in the upcoming seasons.What is Article 2.5?

Article 2.5 includes any language, action or gesture used by a Player and directed towards a batter upon his/her dismissal which has the potential to provoke an aggressive reaction from the dismissed batter, whether or not any reaction results, or which could be considered to disparage or demean the dismissed batter, regardless of whether the batter him/herself feels disparaged or demeaned (in

It is understood that Rathi was told by the match officials after his first offence about the rule and why he was penalised*. On Friday, Rathi was again pulled up, but he said that he was under the impression that the first time he was sanctioned for charging towards the batter.For the 25-year-old Delhi mystery spinner in his debut IPL season, the latest reprimand came on a day when he had his best night out of the season so far. MI, chasing LSG’s 203 for 8, were in a strong position for the best part of their innings till they lost their way towards the end to go down. Rathi returned 1 for 21, an economy rate of 5.25. None of the other LSG bowlers on show on the night went at under 10 an over. Rathi was named the Player of the Match.Pant, who had another poor day with the bat, scoring 2 in six balls after 17 runs in his three earlier innings, became the third captain to be fined for his team’s slow over-rates in IPL 2025, after Hardik Pandya of MI and Riyan Parag of Rajasthan Royals (RR).*1000 GMT, April 5, 2025 The story was updated with the latest information.

Zafar Gohar, Henry Brookes leave visitors eight down but Middlesex can’t snare final wickets

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay07-Apr-2025

Middlesex 260 (Robson 70, Holden 69, Aspinwall 4-32) and 407 (Holden 184, Geddes 74, Bailey 5-79) drew with Lancashire 359 (Harris 138, Jennings 55, Jones 40) and 262 for 8 (Harris 52, Jennings 49, Wells 47, Jones 44)Lancashire clung on to secure a draw from their gripping Rothesay County Championship Division Two encounter with Middlesex at Lord’s after falling short in their victory chase of 309 from 67 overs.The Red Rose remained within touching distance of that target for most of the final two sessions, thanks to an opening stand of 93 between Keaton Jennings and Michael Jones and Marcus Harris following up his first-innings hundred with 52.Spinner Zafar Gohar took 3 for 64 and Henry Brookes struck twice in as many deliveries to leave the visitors eight down – but George Balderson, with an unbeaten 36, and Will Williams saw out the remaining eight overs as their side closed on 262 for 8.Earlier, Max Holden’s majestic knock of 184, his highest score at Lord’s and second best of his first-class career, enabled Middlesex – who had lost their first three wickets for seven – to post 407 and set up the tense finish.Lancashire’s hopes of forcing victory were boosted by the first ball of the morning, when Tom Bailey (5 for 79) captured one of Middlesex’s four remaining wickets by persuading nightwatcher Brookes to nudge to second slip.However, Holden and Jack Davies applied themselves diligently against the Lancashire seam attack, dispatching loose deliveries to the short boundary as they extended their side’s lead further with a partnership of 69.Holden slammed successive Williams half-volleys to the cover fence to pass 150, while Davies – having survived a series of edges that fell just short of the slips – became Bailey’s fifth victim, patting him tamely into the hands of gully.The home side began to accelerate and Holden made room outside off stump to carve Tom Aspinwall for six – but the left-hander then attempted a repeat of the stroke to Ollie Sutton and holed out to third man, ending his vigil of almost eight hours at the crease.Gohar’s knock of 22 hauled the Middlesex lead above 300 before he was last man out, leaving the visitors two full sessions in which to chase their target at an asking rate of 4.6 per over.Jennings and Jones – who had shared a partnership of 97 first time around – launched Lancashire’s pursuit at a steady pace, picking out gaps in the field and taking boundaries off all of the home seamers.Three successive maidens from Blake Cullen helped to stem the flow of runs and the bowler was unlucky not to remove Jennings when he drove hard and high to mid-on, with Brookes unable to hang onto the chance.Cullen claimed the prize in his next over, though, when the Lancashire skipper chopped on one short of his 50 – and Josh Bohannon soon followed for a duck, bowled by a straight one from Gohar for the second time in the match.Jones’ quest for a half-century on his Lancashire debut was ended as Toby Roland-Jones’ inswinging yorker clattered into his stumps shortly before tea and Ryan Higgins’ impressive reaction slip catch to dismiss Matty Hurst left the visitors four down.Harris continued to whittle away at the target in tandem with Wells but, having just passed 50 for the second time on his Lancashire debut, the Australian reverse-swept Gohar to short third man.Wells took up the baton in a partnership of 66 with Balderson, hammering Brookes over midwicket for six and the pendulum appeared to have swung back in favour of the Red Rose when Cullen returned to have him caught down the leg side for 47.Brookes’ double strike then heaped the pressure back on Lancashire but, despite packing fielders around the bat and mixing the pace of Cullen with some turning deliveries from Gohar, Middlesex could not find another way through.

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano highlighted the influence of Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, one of the marquee summer signings in MLS who has taken control of the Herons’ midfield. Miami will look to bounce back Saturday at Chase Stadium against the New England Revolution after a midweek 5-3 loss to the Chicago Fire.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  De Paul a key piece

  World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul has wasted little time making his mark in MLS. The 31-year-old midfielder, on loan from Atlético de Madrid, joined Inter Miami this summer and has emerged as a vital part of the Herons’ midfield while also serving as a trusted on-field ally for Lionel Messi.

  Mascherano praised De Paul’s versatility and intelligence, stressing that his value goes beyond numbers.

  “For us, the most important thing is performance on the pitch,” Mascherano said. “He has a gift – in many situations it’s not about how much you run, but how you run. Rodrigo has given us a lot since his arrival. He brings versatility and personality.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  De Paul by the numbers

  De Paul has featured in nine league matches, tallying four assists and scoring once during the Leagues Cup, a tournament in which Miami eventually reached the final. His arrival has helped stabilize a midfield that lost Federico Redondo (to Spain’s Elche) and Benjamín Cremaschi (to Italy’s Parma) earlier in the year.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Miami without both Messi and De Paul?

  Questions remain about availability for upcoming MLS fixtures, as both De Paul and Messi have been called up by Argentina for October friendlies. The schedule could affect Inter Miami’s pending match with Atlanta United, set around the same time as Argentina’s game against Venezuela in Miami.

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  New England is next

  Winless in their last two matches and chasing the top spot in the Eastern Conference, Miami will try to bounce back on Saturday, when they face the Revolution.

Manchester United are now considering a move for a “sensational” midfielder who is also being chased by Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, having pulled out of the race for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba.

Man Utd eyeing midfielder after EFL Cup disaster

Since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, there have been some difficult moments for Man United, but being knocked out of the EFL Cup by Grimsby Town is without doubt a low point, with the League Two side progressing after winning on penalties.

In Ruben Amorim’s post-match interview, the manager made it clear that the best side won on the night, despite an improved second-half performance, with Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire leading the fightback.

With Andre Onana making yet another error leading to a goal, following on from a key mistake from Altay Bayindir on the opening day against Arsenal, bringing in a new goalkeeper should undoubtedly be one of United’s key objectives in the final days of the transfer window.

However, Amorim has also been keen to bring in a new central midfielder throughout the summer, with Baleba previously emerging as a major target, before the interest was ended, in light of Brighton’s high asking price.

Now, Man United are in the race for another midfielder, according to a report from The Boot Room, which states they are considering a move for Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, after deciding against pursuing Baleba.

Man Utd "very optimistic" they'll sign £22m colossus "in the next two days"

The Red Devils believe they will be able to finalise a deal for an “elite” Manchester City target very soon.

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 27, 2025

A number of Premier League clubs are in the race for Gallagher, with Crystal Palace believed to be keen admirers, and it has been widely reported that Oliver Glasner’s side have already made contact, as have Newcastle United.

Newcastle were said to be leading the race for the midfielder earlier this summer, with Howe well-known to have wanted him for years, but there are indications that United could now be willing to hijack the move.

"Sensational" Gallagher could be solid signing for Man Utd

In truth, the 25-year-old, who Atletico paid £33m for last summer, wouldn’t be the flashiest of signings, but he has impressed Diego Simeone since arriving in Spain, with the manager saying: “He is a hard-working player who has quality and a good ability to arrive in the area from deep and who never fails to give everything in every ball.”

There are also indications the Atletico maestro could have the personality to succeed at Old Trafford, with reporter John Cross praising the central midfielder for his “sensational” attitude during his time with Chelsea.

That said, the former Crystal Palace man probably shouldn’t be brought in as a direct alternative to Baleba, given that he has predominantly featured in a central or attacking midfield role throughout his career, while the Brighton star has a more defensive mindset.

Not only that, but Man United’s number one priority before the transfer deadline should be to sign a new goalkeeper, after Onana made yet another blunder against Grimsby.

Darwin’s return as an international venue for the first time in 17 years has been confirmed with the hosting of two men’s T20Is between Australia and South Africa in August while India will tour for eight white-ball matches in 21 days ahead of the men’s Ashes which begins in late November.Cricket Australia confirmed their home international schedule on Sunday which will see the men’s team in action from mid-August, a couple of weeks after completing a tour of West Indies, with three T20Is and three ODIs against South Africa stage in northern Australia across Darwin, Cairns and Mackay, the latter hosting Australia’s men for the first time.Related

• Darwin to host Australia A-Sri Lanka A series

• Ashes 2025-26: CA schedules Brisbane day-night Test after Perth opener

• Darwin set to host international cricket after 17 years

Darwin last staged international cricket in 2008 when Australia played Bangladesh. Its return means the men’s team will play in all state and territories during the 2025-26 season.Northern Australia is also due to host a two-Test series against Bangladesh later in 2026 – which has been moved from March 2027 due to the 150th anniversary Test at the MCG – with Darwin in contention for one of those games alongside Cairns, Mackay and potentially Townsville.India, who were beaten 3-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this season, will tour from mid-October for three ODIs and five T20Is before the Ashes, the fixtures for which had already been confirmed, starts on November 21 in Perth.The India series will also begin in Perth with the first ODI on October 19. Starting in the west is the preferred option to avoid a short turnaround into Perth matches with lengthy flights. One of the five T20Is will be staged on the Gold Coast in Queensland. There is also a larger gap between the India white-ball games and the start of the Ashes compared to they very short turnaround between the Pakistan and India series this season which gives a better chance of a full-strength home side being selected.Prior to India’s arrival, Australia will make a brief trip across the Tasman in early October for a three-match T20I series against New Zealand with those dates still to be confirmed.Following the Ashes, which concludes in early January, there will again be a window for multiformat players to appear in the BBL, dates for which will announced later in the year but it will fill largely the same window as the 2024-25 season.It is hoped that availability may extend to the finals before the T20I squad begins preparations for the T20 World Cup which will be staged in India and Sri Lanka from mid-February, although that will depend how much of a lead-in the Australia hierarchy decide on with an away series against Pakistan set to provide build-up. This summer, a number of internationals missed the BBL finals due to a training camp in Dubai ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests series.Australia A are also set for an extensive schedule, which will be confirmed at a later date, which is expected to feature a home series in the middle of the year. They are also due to tour India, with those dates to be announced by BCCI, as part of a new reciprocal arrangement for A tours across the men’s and women’s game.There are also expected to be Australia A fixtures against England Lions who will tour concurrently with the start of the Ashes series.

Australia Men 2025-26 home schedule

vs South Africa
August 10: 1st T20I, Darwin (N)
August 12: 2nd T20I, Darwin (N)
August 16: 3rd T20I, Cairns (N)
August 19: 1st ODI, Cairns (D/N)
August 22: 2nd ODI, Mackay (D/N)
August 24: 3rd ODI, Mackay (D/N)vs India
October 19: 1st ODI, Perth Stadium (D/N)
October 23: 2nd ODI, Adelaide (D/N)
October 25: 3rd ODI, SCG (D/N)
October 29: 1st T20I, Canberra (N)
October 31: 2nd T20I, MCG (N)
November 2: 3rd T20I, Hobart (N)
November 6: 4th T20I, Gold Coast (N)
November 8: 5th T20I, Gabba (N)Men’s Ashes (previously announced)
November 21-25: 1st Test, Perth Stadium
December 4-8: 2nd Test, Gabba (D/N)
December 17-21: 3rd Test, Adelaide
December 26-30: 4th Test, MCG
January 4-8, 5th Test, SCG

Manchester City’s 4-0 opening day success over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League now feels like an awfully long time ago.

Indeed, since Pep Guardiola’s men romped home to a resounding victory at Molineux, the Citizens have tasted defeat two times in quick succession, with Tottenham Hotspur proving to be their kryptonite once more in a 2-0 home loss, before travelling to Brighton and Hove Albion and coming unstuck late on in a 2-1 defeat.

This poor start to the season, after a topsy-turvy 2024/25 campaign, will be seriously worrying to those who fill out the Etihad week in, week out, who will now be fearing a defeat in the Manchester Derby later on today.

Suffering those two defeats on the spin does look to have jolted City into life as to what they could do when transfers are back in play, with one new defensive target already reportedly on their shopping list who could soon call Gianluigi Donnarumma a teammate at the back.

City's potential transfer business

It will be interesting to see if the former Paris St. Germain goalkeeper gets the nod to start over James Trafford against Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils, having now sealed a move to England.

Guardiola might well favour his new recruit over the young Englishman, considering City have conceded four goals across their last two defeats, with one effort conceded against Spurs all Trafford’s own making.

The Spaniard might also have a move for Marc Guehi up his sleeve to further improve his defensive personnel, with Football Insider recently revealing that City could soon beat Liverpool to the signature of the Crystal Palace centre-back.

Amazingly, the leaky former Premier League champions might even be able to snap up Guehi on a free transfer, with it going down as a big coup to snatch the England international away from the reaches of Anfield for nothing.

Just fresh off scoring his first-ever England goal during the international break, Guehi will hope he can land a bumper move in the near future to the likes of City, having seen a deadline-day move to Liverpool heartbreakingly fall through.

However, the inconsistent Citizens might well be brewing their own homegrown version of Guehi right now, who has been showered with some very high praise already, despite only being 17 years of age.

Man City's own homegrown Guehi

After all, the sparkling success story of Rico Lewis in the first team picture at the Etihad is enough to give City great confidence in the next generation of talents coming through, with Lewis recently penning a new contract at his boyhood club that takes him to 2030.

By that point, City academy starlet Stephen Mfuni will be hoping he’s making waves in the senior picture himself, having already been branded as “one of the most talented teenage CBs in world football” by scout Jacek Kulig last year.

Kulig further expands to state that Mfuni is both “dominant” and “elegant” with his general play out from the back, with the teenager now hopeful he can be a similar Lewis-style revelation in the City first-team and perhaps save Guardiola and Co. some hassle in the market by further being a Guehi-like presence.

After all, the in-demand Eagles defender is also a well-rounded player in his own right at Selhurst Park, having had to wrestle with the difficulties, too, of being a promising youngster himself at Chelsea.

He boasts an 85% pass accuracy in the Premier League this season, also matched by his ability to win four duels on average per clash as a dominant force aerially.

Mfuni’s U19 Euros numbers

Stat – per 90 mins*

Mfuni

Games played

3

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

85.0

Accurate passes*

68.3 (92%)

Key passes*

1.7

Ball recoveries*

2.7

Clearances*

3.7

Total duels won*

4.3

Stats by Sofascore

Mfuni has also displayed this same forceful presence in the air when heading home a recent goal in U18 action versus the Red Devils last season, with his overall numbers for the England U19s in the recent U19 Euros – as seen above – further showing off a talent that’s both calm on the ball but fierce in a battle, much like the soon-to-be out-of-contract warrior.

Of course, it would be foolish to anticipate that Mfuni would be able to come into the first-team picture right away and be as confident as Guehi, with the 25-year-old having to fight hard himself to become a Premier League-established star, as seen in his top-flight debut not coming until he was 21.

Yet, the hope will be – down the line – that the teenage sensation can be City’s own homegrown version of Guehi, regardless of whether Guardiola and Co. get their hands on the 6-foot titan or not.

Related Guardiola now wants Man City to sign "fantastic" £69m star to replace Silva

Pep Guardiola personally wants him to sign…

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Sep 13, 2025

Lamine Yamal has reportedly felt discomfort in his pubic area once again after the Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain. The 18-year-old was sidelined for three weeks due to the same injury and now his participation against Sevilla and his presence in the Spanish national team is doubtful.

Yamal played full game against PSG

After returning from the national team in September, Yamal missed three weeks of club football due to pain in the pubic bone. The Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) management of his injury left Barca fuming, and manager Hansi Flick expressed his frustration publicly, gaining support from sporting director Deco. However, after returning from injury, he featured for a few minutes against Real Sociedad before recording a full-fledged outing against Luis Enrique's PSG three days back. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportYamal to miss national team action as well

According to , the club has indicated that Yamal might once again miss two to three weeks of action. This means he may be sidelined for the Sevilla game and may not be able to travel with the squad to Nervion. Moreover, he could miss the national team camp for the two World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria. Communication has been established between Barca and the RFEF.

Spain coach slams Flick

Spain national team head coach Luis de la Fuente has hit back at Flick's fuming comments over Yamal's injury management by the national team officials. The 64-year-old had previously stated that he is not interested in what the Barca coach says. And now, he has criticised the German over a lack of empathy. He said: "I was simply surprised by those statements because he was a national team coach, and I believed he had that empathy. Likewise, I say that he was a coach and knows how we players behave. That's what surprises me, that a former coach would have that opinion. We're playing for the World Cup, that's what's really important. The rest isn't important."

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Getty Images SportWhat can be Barca's front three in Yamal's absence?

In Yamal's absence, Flick might be forced to use Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford and 2025 Ballon d'Or nominee Raphinha on the wings to help the lone Polish forward Robert Lewandowski up front. He has used a similar tactic in previous games and might switch back to the same against Sevilla. Other options on the flanks can be Ferran Torres or Roony Bardghji.

David de Gea will go down as one of Manchester United’s greatest-ever goalkeepers in their history – undoubtedly exceeding all the expectations placed on him after joining in the summer of 2011.

The Spaniard racked up 545 appearances for the Red Devils over a 12-year period, subsequently keeping 190 clean sheets – the most by any player in their history.

He also won five major trophies, including a Premier League title in his second year at the club, with Ruben Amorim wishing he was able to rely on such a talent in 2025.

Former boss Erik ten Hag decided in the summer of 2023 that the player was no longer part of his plans, subsequently releasing him at the end of his contract at Old Trafford.

Such a decision was an unpopular one with the fanbase, even more so a couple of years on, after the performances of the player who was brought into the club to replace him.

Andre Onana’s time at Manchester United

In the summer of 2023, United forked out a fee in the region of £47m to sign goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan, with the Cameroonian seen as the player to take the club up a level.

However, his spell in Manchester has been nothing short of a disaster, contributing to nine errors leading to goals – the most of any player in England’s top-flight since his arrival.

He’s not been used in any of the Red Devils’ Premier League outings so far this campaign, with his only outing coming in the Carabao Cup second round defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town.

The Cameroonian was arguably at fault for both of the Mariners’ goals, before being unable to prevent the hosts from claiming a shock victory in the penalty shootout.

Senne Lammens has been brought in to provide added competition between the sticks, but the hierarchy have already sanctioned the departure of their Onana upgrade.

The former United star who is an upgrade on Onana

Alongside Onana, Altay Bayindir is also another option on the books for United, subsequently filling the void left by the Cameroonian since the start of the new campaign.

The Turkish shot-stopper has made three league appearances to date, conceding four times, only achieving a 55% save percentage, leading to their recent addition of Lammens.

However, despite the three options currently at Amorim’s disposal, he certainly would’ve benefitted had the hierarchy kept hold of Dean Henderson a couple of years ago.

After climbing through the ranks at Old Trafford, the ‘keeper was sent on various loan spells – with his latest being at Nottingham Forest during the 2022/23 campaign.

Whilst he kept six clean sheets at the City Ground, it wasn’t enough to catapult himself into the first-team setup – subsequently joining Crystal Palace in a £20m transfer in the summer of 2023.

Such a transfer has come back to bite the Red Devils, with the Englishman taking his career to the next level at Selhurst Park with regular game time in the last few seasons.

When comparing his stats to those of Onana from last season, he massively outperformed the United flop in key areas – not to mention winning double the amount of trophies too.

Games played

38

24

Saves made

2.7

2.5

Clean sheet percentage

29%

26%

Save percentage

70%

66%

Short pass accuracy

99%

98%

Errors leading to goals

0

6

Defensive actions (outside box)

1.1

0.6

Trophies won

2

0

Henderson, who’s been described as “incredible” by one analyst, made more saves per 90, whilst also producing a better clean sheet percentage rate – subsequently offering a more consistent option between the sticks.

His dominance is further reflected in his higher pass completion rate, whilst also registering fewer errors leading to goals – numbers which could provide a more reliable option for the Red Devils.

To rub salt into the wounds, his price has soared since his departure, with FootballTransfers now valuing the former academy graduate at £25m – a figure higher than the one they sold him for two years ago.

Given his form away from Old Trafford in recent times, it’s safe to say the club made a mistake in allowing the shot-stopper to depart the club – with their loss now Palace’s gain.

The Red Devils have spent a whole heap of cash trying to replace De Gea in recent years, but it’s evident that they would’ve been better off keeping hold of Henderson.

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1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 5, 2025