Already thinking about the January transfer window, Manchester United are now reportedly eyeing a fresh move to sign an alternative midfielder to Carlos Baleba.

Man Utd complete late Lammens deal

After much deliberation over whether to sign the Belgian or Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez, Manchester United finally settled on Senne Lammens in a deadline-day deal for Ruben Amorim. Finally putting their goalkeeper struggles behind them, the Red Devils will be desperate for the 23-year-old to hit the ground running at Old Trafford.

After putting pen to paper, the new shot-stopper told United’s official website: “I am extremely proud to be joining Manchester United; it is a real dream come true. The past few years have been an amazing journey; it’s now ended in an incredible destination and hopefully the beginning of something special.

“You can feel the positive atmosphere that is being created here, and I know that I can make a real impact at the club in the coming years. I cannot wait to get to know my team-mates and begin working with Ruben and the coaching staff. This is the perfect place to keep developing, grow together with this exciting team and achieve my career objectives.”

To say that United needed Lammens’ arrival would also be quite an understatement. Andre Onana’s performance against Grimsby Town as United suffered a shock exit in the Carabao Cup was enough for INEOS to step up their search, whilst Altay Bayindir also failed to impress when offered starting opportunities.

League stats 24/25	Lammens	Onana
Starts	30	34
Save Percentage	81.4%	69%
Clean Sheets	7	9
Saves P90	4.23	2.59

Even after welcoming Lammens, however, Manchester United are still not satisfied on the transfer front and have already reportedly turned their focus towards another Belgian talent for January.

Man Utd eyeing Romeo Lavia move

According to The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Manchester United are now eyeing a move to sign Romeo Lavia from Chelsea in the January transfer window. The Red Devils’ search for a midfielder was a fairly open secret during the summer window, but they were ultimately priced out of a move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba.

There’s no guarantee that the African’s price tag changes anytime soon, either, and that could force those at Old Trafford to assess their options. If that does prove to be the case, then Lavia would be an ideal option to turn to in January.

The Chelsea midfielder has been riddled with injuries since arriving at Stamford Bridge, but his quality has been clear every time that he has been fit and firing. Now that Enzo Maresca’s midfield is settled, though, he may struggle for starts and could need Manchester United just as much as they need him.

Dubbed an “elite” prospect by scout Jacek Kulig, Manchester United should take full advantage of Lavia’s Chelsea woes and swoop in when January arrives.

Former Juventus and Netherlands winger Eljero Elia explained after he survived a terrifying car crash on the A4 motorway in Netherlands after wrecking his €300,000 Lamborghini. The 38-year-old’s luxury car collided with two others near Leiden, leaving the vehicles badly damaged. Fortunately, no one suffered serious injuries as police launched an investigation into the incident.

Elia survives terrifying car crash

Elia was involved in a serious three-car collision on the A4 motorway near Leiden on Saturday night. The 38-year-old’s €300,000 Lamborghini was declared a total loss after the crash, which took place at around 9:45 p.m. According to Dutch media reports, Elia’s vehicle collided with two others after traffic ahead of him suddenly came to a halt. Police temporarily closed the motorway for investigation and clean up, with debris littering the area.

AdvertisementAFPEx-Netherlands winger recounts the ordeal

Speaking to , Elia described the frightening sequence of events that led to the crash, saying: “The traffic in front of me suddenly stopped; I couldn’t brake in time.” 

The former winger added that he had been driving on a quiet stretch of the motorway when the traffic unexpectedly came to a standstill. “I tried to brake, but I skidded,” he continued. Elia also revealed that a car ahead of him had failed to switch on its hazard lights, making it impossible to react in time. “The only thing I could do was avoid hitting the car directly behind me. I steered past it a bit, which caused me to hit it more on the side,” he said. “There’s only damage to the cars. That’s it. It could have been worse, anyway." 

The police questioned Elia and another driver at the scene as part of standard procedures. "Everyone was shocked, I told them [police] what happened and then I went home," he added.

Reports in the Dutch media have claimed that authorities are also checking whether alcohol could have been a factor in the collision, though no formal statement has been issued yet. The motorway reopened a few hours later after all vehicles were removed by tow trucks.

A history of luxury car accidents

This isn’t the first time Elia’s luxury vehicles have been involved in a crash. Back in 2013, the former Netherlands international’s Bentley was severely damaged in another road incident. Reflecting on that earlier crash, Elia had said: “I was hit in that accident,” insisting that it was not his fault. Known for his flair both on and off the pitch, Elia owned several high-end cars during his playing days across Europe.

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Getty ImagesElia's career and life after football

Elia retired from professional football in 2022 following an ankle ligament injury. During his career, he represented clubs including Juventus, Feyenoord, Twente, Werder Bremen and Southampton, where he scored twice in 17 appearances during his loan spell in the Premier League. Elia earned 30 caps for the Netherlands, scoring twice and featuring in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. Now 38, he lives in Netherlands with his wife Sanne and their three children. 

أعلن مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، برئاسة حسين لبيب بالتنسيق مع جون إدوارد المدير الرياضي للنادي، عن إجراء تعديل جديد في الجهاز الفني للفريق بقيادة يانيك فيريرا.

ويستعد الزمالك لمواجهة البنك الأهلي، المقرر لها يوم الخميس المقبل على ستاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية عشرة لمسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وقرر مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، انضمام أحمد عبد الرؤوف كمدرب مساعد بالجهاز المعاون للبلجيكي يانيك فيريرا المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم.

طالع.. الزمالك يقرر التصعيد عقب إيقاف نبيل دونجا عن المشاركة في السوبر

وتواجد أحمد عبد الرؤوف في مران اليوم الاثنين الذي أقيم على ستاد الكلية الحربية لبدء مهام عمله، استعدادًا للقاء البنك الأهلي المقبل في مسابقة الدوري الممتاز.

وكان الزمالك قد ضمن تأهله إلى دور المجموعات من بطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية عقب الفوز على فريق ديكاداها الصومالي ذهابا وإيابا في دور الـ32 من الكونفدرالية بسباعية نظيفة.

Tottenham Hotspur have made a strong start to the Thomas Frank era, and a win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday would consolidate the feel-good feeling down N17.

However, Bournemouth claimed themselves three points when visiting north London earlier this year, and Spurs failed to make their dominance count in a 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex last week, albeit pulling back from a two-goal deficit.

No such stumbles can be afforded in this one, though Wolves languish in the division’s bottom spot and without a point on the board.

And, moreover, the in-form Richarlison is up against one of his favourite opponents once again.

Richarlison could be key vs Wolves

Dominic Solanke has scarcely had a sniff throughout the opening weeks of the Premier League season, with his injury issues compounded by Richarlison’s resounding form.

The Brazilian, 28, was rumoured to be on the move after lifting the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou, but here he remains, and he’s repaying the faith, with three goals and one assist from four appearances in the top flight so far.

Pundit Alan Shearer has praised the one-time Everton striker for his “phenomenal” start to the campaign, having struggled for form and with injuries over the previous two years in white.

And it would hardly be a surprise to see him continue his purple patch against the Old Gold.

Wolves

12

6

Leicester

15

6

Everton

7

5

Southampton

12

5

Leicester

13

5

Supplementing Richarlison, Xavi Simons might be gunning for a starting berth on the left flank after a promising start to life in London, the 22-year-old playmaker joining from RB Leipzig for £51m in the summer.

However, Frank should unleash Brennan Johnson if he wants to ensure victory against a Wolves backline that is currently there for the taking.

Why Frank should unleash Brennan Johnson

It was Johnson, 24, who bundled in the winning goal as Tottenham defeated Manchester United to lift the Europa League, and after scoring in successive league matches to start the Premier League season, it looked like he might be taking his game to the next level.

However, he was hooked before the hour mark against the Cherries, having made some poor decisions and drifted through a painful defeat. The Welshman is yet to return to the starting line-up.

However, he scored 18 times across all competitions last year and has a natural instinct for goal to combine with his “frightening” pace, as noted by content creator HLTCO, who also described the versatile winger as a “nightmare to defend against”.

With Richarlison seemingly determined to star as Tottenham’s chief goal-getter this term, Johnson could add an impactful dimension by taking his place back on the left flank, ranked as he is among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

And that’s not to say that Simons cannot enter the fray and make an impression, perhaps operating from deep, pulling strings and opening up passing lanes for the goalscoring duo if the Lilywhites need to press for a late winner.

In any case, Tottenham have plenty of tools to secure all three points against struggling Wolves.

Worth even more than Kudus: Spurs have struck gold on "phenomenal" talent

Tottenham Hotspur have demonstrated their excellent work in the transfer market in recent years.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 26, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

A CBF decidiu cortar o atacante Antony, do Manchester United-ING, da convocação para os jogos da Seleção Brasileira contra Bolívia e Peru, pelas Eliminatórias Sul-Americanas para a Copa do Mundo de 2026. A decisão do corte vem após novas provas terem sido atreladas à investigação pela qual o jogador passa por ter sido denunciado por agressão a sua ex-namorada. Gabriel Jesus, do Arsenal-ING, foi convocado em seu lugar.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Nesta segunda-feira (4), o caso envolvendo Antony e a DJ Gabriela Cavallin teve um novo episódio. O brasileiro está sendo investigado no Brasil e na Inglaterra por violência doméstica contra a ex-namorada.

Segundo matéria divulgada pelo portal “UOL”, algumas provas que foram atreladas ao inquérito mostram as ameaças e agressões feitas pelo jogador à Gabriela. A DJ conta que a primeira agressão ocorreu no dia 1 de junho de 2022, quando ainda estava grávida de um filho de Antony. O motivo da ação do jogador teria sido uma crise de ciúme, por conta de uma foto postada por Cavallin nas suas redes sociais, em uma boate – o casal estava separado naquele momento.

Em nota oficial divulgada também nesta segunda (4), a CBF explica que a decisão do corte foi em decorrência dos novos fatos que vieram a público e para preservar os envolvidos no caso.

+ Caso Antony: novos registros revelam ameaças, intimidações e agressões físicas

“Em função dos fatos que vieram a público nesta segunda-feira (4/9), envolvendo o atacante Antony, do Manchester United, e que precisam ser apurados, e a fim de preservar a suposta vítima, o jogador, a Seleção Brasileira e a CBF, a entidade informa que o atleta está desconvocado da Seleção Brasileira.”

Na mesma nota, a entidade informa a convocação de Gabriel Jesus, do Arsenal-ING, como substituto de Antony. Segundo a CBF, o atacante já estava em uma pré-lista enviada para a Fifa.

“Para o seu lugar, o técnico Fernando Diniz chamou Gabriel Jesus, que estava pré-selecionado em uma lista de 36 jogadores, enviada à Fifa”.

+ Confira a programação da Seleção Brasileira durante a Data Fifa

Os jogadores convocados para essa Data Fifa já começaram a se apresentar em Belém (PA), onde a Seleção recebe a Bolívia, nesta sexta-feira (8), pela primeira rodada das Eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo de 2026. No dia 12, terça-feira, o Brasil vai até Lima, no Peru, para enfrentar a seleção local no segundo compromisso desse período.

Arsenal managed to offload out-of-favour midfielder Fabio Vieira by the skin of their teeth at the end of the summer transfer window.

The Portuguese was once tipped for a big future by manager Mikel Arteta, after former sporting director Edu orchestrated a £34 million deal to sign Vieira from FC Porto in 2022.

Arsenal’s confirmed summer signings	Price tag
Kepa Arrizabalaga	£5m
Martin Zubimendi	£60m
Christian Norgaard	£15m
Noni Madueke	£52m
Cristhian Mosquera	£13m
Viktor Gyokeres	£55m
Eberechi Eze	£67.5m
Piero Hincapie	Loan

However, while the 25-year-old came to north London with plenty of promise, things didn’t quite go to plan.

Vieira failed to play his way into Arteta’s plans, making 19 of his 22 Premier League appearances off the bench during his debut campaign, even if he did impress at times with a goal and two assists in eight Europa League starts that year.

His game time was even more limited in 2023/2024, thanks partly to groin surgery. Vieira started just two top flight matches all season, and it soon became apparent that the playmaker wasn’t at Arsenal’s required level for their quest to become English champions.

Vieira was sent back on loan to Porto in 2024/2025, where he managed to impress in parts with eight goal contributions in 26 league appearances.

However, it was nowhere near the kind of form which originally prompted Arsenal to splash the cash on him, with the player’s best season to date still that exceptional 21/22 season in the Primeira Liga.

Vieira racked up six goals and 14 assists in the top flight alone that year, and he’s now been given another chance to rediscover that level of quality on another loan spell at newly-promoted Hamburg in the Bundesliga.

In a last-minute summer deal, Arsenal managed to agree a loan exit with Hamburg for Vieira, and the versatile creative ace once very similar to club captain Martin Odegaard is now in danger of becoming a real waste of club funds.

Vieira’s Arsenal contract expires in 2027, but luckily for the Gunners, sporting director Andrea Berta made sure there was a way to make some money back off him in 2026.

Arsenal could be set for record-breaking Fabio Vieira windfall after news

According to German news outlet BILD, Hamburg’s deal for Vieira includes an option to buy worth £17 million, and if activated, it would break a record.

Indeed, Vieira could become Hamburg’s most expensive signing in history, but the caveat is that Merlin Polzin’s side might not have to pay their £346,000 loan fee if he becomes a regular starter for them.

In any case, Arsenal could still recuperate half of the transfer fee they paid for Vieira, but it depends on Hamburg making a big decision. The deadline for Polzin and co to take up his £17 million buy option is the middle of May in 2026, right after the end of the Bundesliga season, and Arsenal will be hoping he can impress in the meantime.

Yudhvir Singh came in for RR, who will finish last out of the ten teams if they lose to CSK

ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2025Despite losing eight out of nine games while chasing, Rajasthan Royals (RR) continued to stay with what has been the right thing to do: chase. It shows they don’t see the batting as a problem, but are rather seeking to chase fewer runs. They made one change to their side, leaving Fazalhaq Farooqi out for Yudhvir Singh. That left only three overseas players in their bowl-first XI, leaving the door open for an IPL debut for Lhuan-dre Pretorius when it is time to chase.Chennai Super Kings (CSK) didn’t make any change to the side that played the last game. MS Dhoni said he was happy with the way the batting was shaping up for the next season.Both the sides were on six points, but CSK had a game in hand. That means a win on Tuesday will avoid what could be CSK’s first-ever bottom-placed finish in an IPL. This is RR’s last game, so even a win won’t guarantee them the dubious distinction.RR’s coach Rahul Dravid said the season could have looked different if they had not lost all of their close finishes. They have ended up on the wrong side of five close games, including one tie at the same venue when it appeared they had the chase wrapped up.Chennai Super Kings: 1 Ayush Mhatre, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Urvil Patel, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Dewald Brevis, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 Anshul Kamboj, 11 Khaleel AhmedImpact Player options: Matheesha Pathirana, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna GhoshRajasthan Royals: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 3 Sanju Samson (capt. & wk), 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Dhruv Jurel, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7, Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Kwena Mphaka, 9 Yudhvir Singh, 10 Tushar Deshpande, 11 Akash MadhwalImpact Player options: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Shubham Dubey, Kumar Kartikeya, Ashok Sharma, Kunal Rathore

Aston Villa’s start to the Premier League season has been anything but smooth.

Off-the-field uncertainty dominated their summer, and the hangover has been felt on the pitch.

The club only recorded their first league win of the season against Fulham on Sunday, lifting them out of the bottom three and into 16th place.

Their negative goal difference reflects a side still finding its rhythm, and the early results suggest that pressure is quickly building on Unai Emery’s squad.

The turbulence began with financial concerns. Villa’s transfer activity was clouded by PSR restrictions, which made it unclear whether they could reinforce without significant sales.

Star goalkeeper Emi Martínez came close to leaving for Manchester United, while Ollie Watkins also attracted interest from other top-flight clubs.

Somehow, Villa kept hold of both – as well as their brightest talent, Morgan Rogers – but the distractions were evident.

Rogers himself did little to dampen speculation, hinting in one interview that a move could be on the horizon.

Late in the window, Villa scrambled to bring in reinforcements, completing deals for Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho on deadline day.

It was a clear attempt to steady the ship and add creativity ahead of a campaign that will also see them compete in the Europa League.

A sixth-place finish last season raised expectations, but early form suggests off-field issues have seeped into the squad’s performances.

Why Morgan Rogers is synonymous with the malaise

No player better symbolises Villa’s current struggles than Rogers.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder enjoyed a breakthrough last season, making 54 appearances across all competitions, including 37 in the Premier League, where he produced eight goals and 11 assists.

That form subseuqently saw him win the PFA Premier League Young Player of the Year award.

His European contribution was also vital: four goals and three assists helped Villa reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

That productivity feels like a distant memory this term. Rogers has looked short on confidence and, crucially, short on decisiveness in possession.

In the defeat to Bologna, he played the full 90 minutes but registered 50 touches, completed just ten of 24 passes, and failed to record a shot on target. He attempted two dribbles and succeeded with neither, while losing possession a staggering 29 times.

For a player once celebrated for his dynamism and flair, those numbers are the starkest evidence yet of his current malaise.

The sense among supporters is that Rogers has become too predictable. Opponents now know his threat and actively look to smother him.

Some Villa fans have called for him to be dropped, suggesting that a spell out of the spotlight might help him rediscover his spark.

His recent form for England, where he registered an assist against Serbia, shows the talent is still there, but he has not been able to translate that into club form.

Aston Villa's Rogers replacement waiting in the wings

Waiting in the wings is Jadon Sancho.

The 25-year-old winger arrived on loan from Manchester United on deadline day, carrying a market value of around £25m.

This is a long way from the £125m peak valuation that this “crazy talent” – in the words of scout Jacek Kulig – held in 2020.

Matches Played

26

Goals

8

Assists

11

Progressive Carries

114

Progressive Passes

178

His fall from grace has been steep.

At Chelsea last season, his loan spell ended so unconvincingly that the club even paid United to release them from the obligation to make the move permanent.

Now at Villa Park, Sancho has featured three times, though he was an unused substitute in the win against Fulham.

This loan could represent the last chance for him in English football.

He will hope to reignite his career under Emery, with the Europa League providing additional opportunities for minutes and form.

His past record shows what he is capable of: a £73m transfer to Manchester United in 2021 was fuelled by dazzling performances at Borussia Dortmund, where his creativity and ball-carrying made him one of Europe’s hottest properties.

Internationally, Sancho still harbours ambitions of returning to the England setup, having already been capped 23 times.

With Thomas Tuchel putting together his squad for the World Cup, a run of form at Villa could put him back in contention.

More immediately, his arrival puts direct pressure on Rogers. If Emery decides to rotate, Sancho could step straight into the starting XI, offering pace, invention, and – if he can recapture even some of his Dortmund-era form – a cutting edge Villa desperately lack.

For now, Emery has been cautious, perhaps waiting for Sancho to fully adjust.

But the contrast between Rogers’ wastefulness and Sancho’s potential upside is difficult to ignore.

In many ways, Sancho embodies Villa’s gamble: if he thrives, he could spark their attack into life; if he fails, it could be another symbol of a club whose questionable off-field decisions continue to cloud their season.

Aston Villa heading for Benteke repeat over "top talent" & it's not Watkins

Aston Villa face echoes of the past as one of Unai Emery’s crop hints at an exit

ByWill Miller Sep 22, 2025

Leeds United could make a move for a “relentless” striker “in future windows”, with manager Daniel Farke thought to be personally keen.

Farke keen on striker with jury still out on Calvert-Lewin

Farke is likely to be happy with the start his side have made to the Premier League campaign, having collected four points from their opening three matches, most recently earning a hard-fought draw against Newcastle United at Elland Road.

However, the Whites were less impressive in the EFL Cup, being dumped out of the competition at the second round stage by a youthful Sheffield Wednesday side, with summer signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin making a disastrous debut.

The former Everton striker squandered a whopping four big chances at Hillsborough, while also missing the crucial penalty in the shootout, which resulted in a SofaScore match rating of just 5.3, the lowest of any player.

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As a result, the jury is very much still out on Calvert-Lewin, and Joel Piroe didn’t exactly fare much better, recording a pass-completion rate of just 53% against Wednesday, resulting in a 5.4 match rating.

Consequently, according to Graeme Bailey, the Whites could make a make for another striker, with the transfer expert revealing Norwich City’s Josh Sargent is still of interest, saying: “Leeds should have just done Sargent and [Emi] Buendia. To be honest, they still might, if Farke is still around!

“It was crazy he stayed in the end. He is very good. He has honestly improved so much in terms of hold up play.

“Even with Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin now there, he is perfect for Leeds longer-term. One to keep an eye on in future windows.”

Leeds’ interest appears to stem from Farke, given that a future move hinges on the German remaining at Elland Road, which suggests the manager is personally an admirer of the centre-forward.

"Relentless" Sargent off to a flying start in the Championship

The Whites were interested in bringing in Sargent during the summer transfer window, at which point it was revealed he was valued at around the £21m mark, but the American’s stock may well have risen since then, having made a fantastic start to the campaign.

The 25-year-old has already scored five goals in just four Championship games, which places him at the very top of the goal-scoring charts in the second tier.

The USA international has also received plaudits for his work-rate from Tony Pulis, who said: “He is one player out of the Championship you look at that stands out – he would certainly suit me as a manager because of his attitude and his determination – I think it’s relentless. He gives every effort to help his football club in every game they play.”

Calvert-Lewin still has plenty of time to put things right after a slow start, but if the Englishman is unable to find his feet at Elland Road, a January move for Sargent would make sense.

Nottingham Forest chief Evangelos Marinakis is set for crunch talks with under-fire boss Ange Postecoglou over the tactician’s long-term future, coming after a dismal start to life for Nuno Espirito Santo’s replacement at the City Ground.

Ange Postecoglou's job under threat after 2-0 Newcastle defeat

Reports in the build up to their 2-0 loss to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park claimed that Postecoglou’s job could be under threat if Forest tasted defeat up north, and this could now be realised.

Second-half goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Nick Woltemade slapped Postecoglou with his fifth loss from seven games in charge, and the Australian remains winless after making the worst start of any Forest manager for 100 years.

Arsenal 3-0 Forest

Premier League

Swansea 3-2 Forest

Carabao Cup

Burnley 1-1 Forest

Premier League

Real Betis 2-2 Forest

Europa League

Forest 0-1 Sunderland

Premier League

Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland

Europa League

Newcastle 2-0 Forest

Premier League

The pressure is well and truly on Forest’s new manager after stepping into the shoes of fan favourite Nuno, who guided the Tricky Trees back to Europe for the first time since 1995 last season.

Since Nuno’s departure, Forest have been on a downward trajectory, with Postecoglou confirming that he’s set for crunch Marinakis talks over the international break.

It is believed that Marinakis already has potential replacements in mind for Postecoglou, who could become the shortest-reigning manager in Premier League history if Forest decide to take action immediately after Newcastle.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is emerging as a “prime candidate” to succeed the 60-year-old, according to TEAMtalk, but it is very debatable whether the Austrian would leave Selhurst Park midway through 2025/2026 for what appears to be a volatile project.

Glasner is out of contract at the end of this season, as is Fulham’s Marco Silva, and The Mail’s Tom Collomosse also reports that the latter is a long-term target for Forest.

However, any approach for Silva is apparently unlikely to happen before the conclusion of 2025/2026.

Marinakis pictured close to Benitez amid Nottingham Forest manager search

That being said, another coach who’s readily available now and wants a return to England is former Liverpool, Newcastle and Everton boss Rafael Benitez.

As reported by Collomosse, Marinakis was spotted in “close proximity” to Benitez during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over OIympiacos last week, and while the Spaniard was there in his role as a technical observer for UEFA, he’s apparently keen on coming back to Britain for work.

Clubs

Tenure

Matches in charge

Titles/achievements

Real Valladolid

1995-96

25

Osasuna

1996

9

Extremadura

1997-99

92

Segunda promotion

Tenerife

2000-01

46

Segunda promotion

Valencia

2001-04

162

La Liga X2

UEFA Cup

Liverpool

2004-12

350

Champions League

FA Cup

UEFA Super Cup

Internazionale

2010

25

FIFA Club World Cup

Supercoppa Italiana

Chelsea

2012-13

48

Europa League

Napoli

2013-15

112

Coppa Italia

Supercoppa Italiana

Real Madrid

2015-16

25

Newcastle United

2016-19

146

EFL Championship

Dalian Professional

2019-21

38

Everton

2021-22

22

Celta de Vigo

2023-24

33

Benitez also has good relations with the Marinakis family, so this could be one to watch, even if the Champions League-winning boss hasn’t worked in management since leaving Celta Vigo in 2024.

His last job in the Premier League was also his disastrous spell at Everton, though you can make a case that it was always doomed to fail given Benitez’s ties to Liverpool.

Benitez, after a glittering career at some of Europe’s top clubs, is regarded as a “world-class manager” by his peers, but he’d be taking on an almighty task to steer Forest back up the table amid the toxicity right now.