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Manchester United continue to eye a move for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, with the Seagulls star’s thoughts of joining the Red Devils clear.

Baleba was a strong target for the Red Devils during the summer transfer window, with Ruben Amorim eyeing a move for a natural Casemiro replacement, ahead of his contract expiring next summer.

But in the end, the 21-year-old decided to remain at Brighton for the time being, where he was compared to Leicester City legend N’Golo Kante by Adam Virgo when he joined in 2023.

“For me, he’s not a Caicedo, he’s not like that at all. For me he’s more like an N’Golo Kante, in terms of his power and his pace to get around, he covers so much ground. He can certainly be slightly better on the ball, so he’ll have to adjust his game in that way but Brighton always do their due dillegence in terms of finding players of this age. He’s a typical Brighton signing.”

There is every chance that Baleba leaves Brighton sooner rather than later, though, potentially even in 2026, and a new update has dropped regarding United snapping him up.

Baleba "clearly" wants to join Man Utd

Speaking to TEAMtalk, transfer insider Dean Jones claimed that Baleba “clearly wants” to seal a move to Man Utd, but they won’t pay £100m for his services.

“It is being talked about again that Baleba is a priority target, but it has to be stressed that they [United] are not paying £100million for him any time soon. The player clearly wants the move, and their attempt to turn his head in the summer has worked, but his form has actually been worse since then, and so I do not see United going close to the level Brighton value him at.

“The message remains clear that United want a midfielder in January and also a midfielder in summer. So they are working on targets that are attainable in each of those, and the ones from the Premier League seem unattainable in January. That’s how the picture is for now.

“Obviously, these things can change, but Baleba is going to have to be very patient here because a lot is going on. United do still like him; they do still think he would suit the role, but his form and valuation do not match up at the moment. And on top of that, Brighton don’t want to sell him in January.”

Baleba may not have necessarily found top form this season, possibly because of his head being turned by a move to United, and he should continue to be looked at as a leading option to be Casemiro’s successor.

Forget Bruno and De Ligt: Man Utd "monster" is looking like a new captain

This Manchester United star is now looking like captain material for Ruben Amorim this season.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 17, 2025

The Cameroonian has been hailed as “wonderful” by Alan Shearer, and his box-to-box midfield brilliance could add so much to the Red Devils’ side, coming in as a long-term signing with world-class potential.

No Casemiro; Guehi & £100m "monster" sign: Man Utd's dream XI after January

The Ajax fairytale of Erik ten Hag and Marc Overmars will not be rewritten. Both the former manager and director, who were the key architects of Ajax’s dream Champions League run in 2019, have declined offers to return, with Overmars confirming that his chapter with the Eredivisie giants is 'over.'

• Ten Hag turns down return to management

  According to , Ten Hag, who managed the Dutch giants from 2017 to 2022, decided against a return to Amsterdam despite holding discussions with sporting director Alex Kroes. Reports say that the Dutchman concluded that ‘the conditions were not right for a successful partnership’ and therefore declined.

  Ten Hag, who is currently a free agent after being sacked by Bayer Leverkusen just three games into his tenure in September, had been heavily linked with a sensational return to Amsterdam. Ajax were eager to bring back their most successful manager in recent years following the dismissal of John Heitinga last week. The 55-year-old also reportedly rejected an approach from Premier League side Wolves, who are looking for a new manager after sacking Vitor Pereira. 

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  Overmars closes door on Ajax return

  Earlier, the former Ajax director had also ruled out a comeback. Speaking to , Overmars confirmed that he was approached to make a return to Amsterdam but claimed that his chapter with the Eredivisie giants is 'over.'

  "That's happened once before, and now again, and by several people," he said. "By whom? Yes, they're people in important positions, but I'm not going to say who, because then it would just become another political game internally. For me, it's over."

  Overmars resigned in February 2022 following revelations of inappropriate behaviour. His exit marked the end of an era at Ajax, a period when he and Ten Hag built a vibrant young side featuring Andre Onana, Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, which famously reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019. However, that fairy tale run ultimately marked the breakup of Ajax’s golden generation, as key players soon departed for major clubs across Europe. 

  The 52-year-old also opened up about Ajax's struggle this season and said that it 'pains' him to see the club struggling.

  "The current situation at the club is very painful for me. I find it difficult to talk about it," Overmars said.

  "I worked there for 10 years, minus two months, and we built something wonderful together. Seeing how things are going now, and everyone just killing each other, is heartbreaking. The respect I get from the supporters is great, and I find it truly wonderful. It's true that I couldn't have imagined it would go this way. I don't read much these days, but I heard there were eight managers after Erik. Well, that's a Dutch record, I think."

• Ten Hag’s turbulent managerial spell since Ajax

  After leaving Ajax in 2022, Ten Hag took charge of Manchester United, where he initially enjoyed success by ending the club’s six-year trophy drought with a Carabao Cup win, followed by the FA Cup next season. However, his clashes with Cristiano Ronaldo and later Jadon Sancho strained his position at the club and among United fans. His failure to make progress in the Premier League or European competitions eventually led to his dismissal in October 2024. 

  His next stint as manager was with Bayer Leverkusen, which lasted just two league matches before his sudden sacking in September, leaving his managerial reputation in question. 

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• AFP
  

  Ajax’s crisis deepens amid search for new manager

  Ajax’s poor season has increased the pressure to find a new manager. The Amsterdam club sit fourth in the Eredivisie, 11 points behind leaders PSV after 12 matches. They have only five wins so far and lost 2-1 to Utrecht in Fred Grim’s first game as interim coach. In the Champions League, they are bottom after four straight defeats.

  Meanwhile, sporting director Kroes has also said he will step down, with his final task expected to be appointing a new permanent manager. According to reports, former Wolfsburg boss Paul Simonis is among the frontrunners for the role. Ajax’s next fixture is at home against Excelsior on November 22.

The Cincinnati Reds took on the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. In the bottom of the first inning Matt McLain hit a home run to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. And yet McLain didn't even get the biggest cheer in the Cincinnati dugout during the half-inning.

That honor went to pitcher Andrew Abbott, who wasn't even scheduled to pitch until Wednesday. The reason? The news reached the dugout that Abbott was going to his first All-Star game.

The news was made official in a tweet from MLB less than an hour later.

Abbott made his MLB debut in 2023 and started 46 games in his first two seasons. This year he is 7-1 with a 2.15 ERA and has thrown one of the only six complete game shutouts in MLB this season. He's given up one or fewer runs in 12 of his 15 starts this year.

It was Zampa’s first breach of the ICC’s code of conduct in a 24-month period

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2025Australia legspinner Adam Zampa has been reprimanded for the “use of an audible obscenity” during the first ODI against South Africa in Cairns on August 19. It was his first offence in a 24-month period and he was given one demerit point for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.The incident occurred in the 37th over of South Africa’s innings, when after a misfield and overthrow while he was bowling, Zampa was heard using “inappropriate language” over the stump microphone on the television broadcast.He was charged under article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “use of an audible obscenity during an International Match.” There was no need for a hearing with the match referee Andy Pycroft as Zampa admitted his mistake and accepted the sanction. Level 1 offences have a minimum penalty of a reprimand and a maximum of a 50% fine of a player’s match fee, along with one or two demerit points.Australia lost the first ODI to South Africa by 98 runs. Zampa took 1 for 58 in ten overs in the game. The second and third ODIs are in Mackay on Friday and Sunday. Australia won the preceding T20I series 2-1.

It would be fair to say that the atmosphere around Tottenham Hotspur is not a positive one at the moment.

Thomas Frank’s side might be sixth in the Premier League, but the performances so far this season have been hard to stomach, none more so than the one against Chelsea on Saturday.

Despite being at home, the North Londoners were utterly toothless, bereft of ideas, and the player who best encapsulated their dire display was summer signing Xavi Simons.

It’s still early in his Spurs career, but so far, the Dutch international has been a massive disappointment and should therefore be dropped for another young talent who could perhaps offer a little more urgency.

Simons' start to life at Spurs

Perhaps in part due to missing out on Eberechi Eze, there was a tremendous amount of excitement in the Spurs fan base when Simons was announced.

After all, he’s long been considered one of the most exciting young attackers in European football and, at one point, looked destined to join Chelsea.

Unfortunately, it would be fair to say that the 22-year-old has come nowhere close to justifying the hype so far this season.

In 12 appearances for the club, he has failed to score a single goal and has provided just one assist, which came in his first appearance, away to West Ham in gameweek four.

With that said, while that is a poor return, could it be that the former PSV Eindhoven gem is simply someone who starts seasons a little slower than most?

Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

For example, in his first 11 games for RB Leipzig last year, before he got injured, the Amsterdam-born gem managed to score three goals and provide two assists.

Likewise, the campaign preceding that saw the youngster rack up an even better tally of four goals and five assists in his first 12 matches, excluding the curtain-raising DFL-Super Cup.

Therefore, while it would be nice to say that Simons is doing what he does every season and will therefore eventually come good, that is not the case.

Therefore, Frank should keep him on the bench for now and look towards the academy for a temporary solution.

Spurs' Simons solution

With Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison still out, Frank could and probably should look to the likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar-Sarr to start ahead of Simons.

Chalkboard

However, there is another, far bolder option, one he could go with for the ‘easier’ games, or as a first option from the bench ahead of the Dutchman.

That option is Hotspur Way’s most exciting prospect since Mikey Moore: Luca Williams-Barnett.

Now, the first argument one might put forward here is that the Englishman is too young.

However, that would carry a lot more weight if the suggestion was to start the youngster in game after game, but that is not the case.

Instead, it might be worthwhile for Frank and the club to use the youngster as a substitute more often, and then potentially against the weaker teams, hand him a start.

After all, at 17 years old, he is two years older than Arsenal’s Max Dowman, and according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, is “one of England’s best talents”.

Moreover, when you take a look at his form for the youth sides, it’s clear that he’s way beyond that level now and more than deserving of more senior football.

For example, in 11 games for the junior side this season, he has scored eight goals and provided seven assists, which is an average of 1.36 goal involvements every game.

Last season, he was even more effective, scoring 20 goals and providing 12 assists in just 23 appearances, which works out to an average of 1.39 goal involvements per game.

Ultimately, even if it is not from the start, Williams-Barnett has earned the right to play some meaningful minutes for Spurs this season.

Moreover, picking him over Simons could be the wake-up call the Dutchman needs to start playing to people’s expectations.

Spurs have signed a frightening young talent who can end Kolo Muani's stay

Tottenham have some painful attacking teething problems under Thomas Frank.

3

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 3, 2025

South Africa’s quicks probed away after Verreynne raced to his first Test century at home

Firdose Moonda06-Dec-2024If Kyle Verreynne was going to get a hundred, he was going to have to get there quickly.South Africa were down to their last wicket, a player of much experience but little of it defending, and Sri Lanka’s quicks were finding late movement and extracting good bounce. Verreynne was 19 runs away. The second chance he got, he leapt out of his crease to hit Prabath Jayasuriya over the covers for six. Thirteen more to get.With four balls left in the over, Verreynne wanted to keep strike and swept hard to midwicket but a decent bit of fielding denied him the second. Dane Paterson had to face the next three balls. A couple of solid blocks and a push to the leg side meant he survived to put Verreynne back on strike. Sri Lanka put all nine fielders on the boundary, inviting one, tempting two and daring anything more. Challenge accepted.Related

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First ball, Verreynne stepped across his stumps and sent Asitha Fernando over deep midwicket. Six away. The field stayed out. He tried for two to long-on but hit the ball too hard and to give Paterson potentially four balls. The field came in. Asitha greeted Paterson with a short ball that he just about ducked under. He smiled. The South African change room forced some smiles. Verreynne looked away. Then he met Paterson in the middle to discuss the next steps. Someone misunderstood.As Paterson miscued to mid-on, Verreynne set off, then realised he had to go back, the throw came in wide and missed but was misfielded so he went for the run again. Safe. The field went back out. Asitha went short, Verreynne thought long, cleared the front leg and swung over deep backward square. He ran the length of the pitch, arms aloft, before removing his helmet to take his signature bow for his first Test hundred at home. Paterson punched his bat and the air in delight and then lifted Verreynne off the floor. Job done. And it only took six balls.”This morning, I was on 40-odd and I didn’t really expect that I’d be close to getting a hundred,” Verreynne said afterwards. “I thought maybe if I can get 70 and those guys can contribute like 20 or 30, it’ll be quite a good morning. So yeah, I was really, really pleased that I managed to get there.”3:45

Takeaways: Why, Pathum Nissanka, why?

More so because none of Verreynne’s two Test centuries or three fifties before today had come at home. “I haven’t had a long Test career but I’ve scored most of my runs overseas, so it’s quite nice to add that to my career and get over that hurdle.”A bigger one was about to come because if South Africa wanted wickets, they were going to have to do it slowly. St George’s Park is known to be best for batting on the second and third days, even with grass on the pitch, even with clouds overhead, and especially if the westerly is blowing. At first, South Africa’s seamers made it look much more difficult.Kagiso Rabada found late movement and Marco Jansen, bowling from the end where there was more bounce, tested the batters with his height and lifters. In the six overs before lunch Pathum Nissanka was beaten three times and edged Rabada twice while Dimuth Karunaratne had to get out of the way of two balls from Jansen headed towards his helmet and survived an lbw shout off a third.Paterson, included as the third seamer, was exceptional in his first spell, which included three maiden overs and cost only 11 runs. He targeted the stumps, forced the batters to play and stalked the edge but there was no reward. Rabada got some in his second spell, when he changed ends and Karunaratne played a loose stroke, and should have another but David Bedingham juggled and dropped Nissanka on 11. South Africa had to wait 28.4 overs before another wicket came.In that time, they tried pretty much everything they could in the absence of an extra bowler and without getting too experimental. Jansen attempted a short-ball assault with a short fine in place in an attempt to bounce batters out, Keshav Maharaj operated by crowding the batters with close-in fielders and all the bowlers apart from Paterson changed ends to see how to make things work for them.Kagiso Rabada got the first wicket for South Africa•AFP/Getty ImagesThey all found something and in total, according to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, South Africa’s attack either beat the beat or induced an edge in 47 of the first 50 overs. They just don’t have the wickets to show for it and they don’t actually mind too much.”I know in South Africa in the last couple of years, Test cricket has been quite a quick game but it’s generally a hard toil and you get rewards later on in the game for things you do now,” Verreynne said. “In chats in the huddles and at the drinks break it was to just keep doing what we’re doing. The biggest strength is just trying to keep things simple. Test cricket works in funny ways. We’ve done a lot of investing today so hopefully we’ll get rewards for all of that tomorrow. It’s just about trying to stay nice and patient on a wicket like that and not get too funky.”None of this can be written without a nod to Sri Lanka’s excellent application, particularly Nissanka’s handling of the short ball, and the restraint they showed outside the off stump. After reckless strokeplay in the first innings in Durban, their disciplines were much improved in the second innings and they struck the balance between defence and attack perfectly at St George’s Park.But for Dinesh Chandimal being drawn forward by Paterson and Nissanka giving Maharaj the charge when he was 11 away from a century, their shot selection was smart, and although both camps labelled the state of play as in the balance, Sri Lanka, with seven wickets in hand, may feel slightly ahead.Not yet, said Verreynne, at a venue where the slow burn is to be appreciated, especially because things can speed up towards the end.”There’s still three days to go and we certainly feel that if we keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll come out on the right side,” he said. “It’s just about sticking to what we’re doing and staying nice and patient.”