Vaibhav Suryavanshi has become the flavour of IPL 2025 since his 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Monday lit up the tournament. But behind his rise to stardom, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have tried to create an environment to help the 14-year-old play with freedom while staying insulated from the pressures of playing in a certain way.”He’s been very welcomed,” head coach Rahul Dravid said on on Wednesday. “One of the things we’ve tried to do is make him feel integrated well into this environment. Even after the auction, we had three to four short-duration camps every month leading into the tournament. Vaibhav was there at every one of those camps, getting to know the players and support staff.”The idea was simple: make him feel at home before the spotlight turned his way. “We were conscious of the fact that we wanted him to feel comfortable by the time he came to the IPL,” Dravid said. “We wanted him to know each and everyone of the players, except the foreign players whom he was meeting for the first time. But he’d met all the Indian players, coaches, admin staff and support staff.”Related

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Despite being “shy”, Dravid felt Suryavanshi hadn’t shown signs of being overwhelmed.”I’m sure he’s having conversations and learning from each of those players, whether it’s a [Yashasvi] Jaiswal, [Riyan] Parag, [Dhruv] Jurel or Sanju [Samson],” Dravid said. “He’s built up good connections and friendships with some of the other guys who’ve played a lot of domestic cricket, like Sandeep Sharma. Even Fazalhaq Farooqi.”He’s a shy boy; he’ll take some time to open up, but he’s very comfortable here. At no stage does it feel like he’s intimidated or he’s holding back. There’s been a bit of an effort gone into trying to ensure that he’s comfortable around the group.”Asked how the coaches have been managing a still-maturing young talent, Dravid said the focus has been on not overcomplicating his game.”At this stage, you don’t want to really confuse him with too many things but just trying to allow him to keep it simple and really have some fun and enjoy his cricket,” Dravid said. “Obviously, he likes to play a positive brand of cricket, that’s no secret, and we want to encourage him to do that and set it up in such a way that he can play that form of cricket without worrying about it too much.”5:27

‘Otherworldly’ Suryavanshi wows Bishop, Aaron

What makes him special? “He’s got real good bat speed,” Dravid observed. “He’s obviously got a high back lift, that’s very obvious. A really good hand-eye coordination in terms of judgment of length. What you look for in a young batsman is how quick he is in picking length.”Vaibhav is very quick to pick up anything that’s fractionally short or if it’s really full, he’s really able to capitalise on that. A combination of high back-lift and ability to pick length gives him the power and he seems to have a natural strength which is helpful in these situations.”In explaining their process in handling a young talent like Suryavanshi, Dravid also underlined how RR view their recruitment – less about just age, more about all-round development and readiness.”Not every Under-19 player gets picked by franchises,” Dravid said. “We look at experience, too. Look at someone like Shubham Dubey, or even Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, who were picked later in their careers. Vaibhav wasn’t picked just because he’s young. We felt that with a bit of work, he could succeed at this level.”But amid the soaring expectations, Dravid also made a measured plea to those watching from the outside. “We can’t control how much people are going to talk about him or what the media writes about him,” he said. “It’s just about recognising this is what happens and putting a certain level of support around that and helping him navigate all of this attention while still allowing him the space to be a youngster.”It’s impossible to completely distance yourself from it [attention] 100%. A lot of you [journalists] can play that role as well, if the media can be responsible about how you write about not only his success but also his potential failures. Let’s be realistic, he’s going to go through some ups and downs. We’re also going to have to be mindful of that he’s a young man finding his way as well.”

Sunderland, back in the Premier League in 2025 after an eight-year absence, splashed the cash in the summer transfer window.

The Black Cats made their mark in the window by spending more than £100m on new additions, with the likes of Granit Xhaka and Habib Diarra moving to the Stadium of Light.

However, previously, Sunderland almost signed some legends of the game. From Virgil van Dijk to Kevin De Bruyne, the Black Cats nearly landed these world-class stars.

Sunderland's most expensive signings of all time

Who is the Black Cats’ record addition?

By
Charlie Smith

Sep 5, 2025

10 players who Sunderland almost signed

10

Virgil van Dijk

Between 2013 and 2015, Virgil van Dijk was starring for Celtic, whereas at Sunderland, Gus Poyet was in charge at the Stadium of Light.

Van Dijk previously admitted that he had conversations about signing for the Black Cats during Poyet’s tenure, however, he would instead choose another team in red and white stripes in Southampton.

9

Kevin De Bruyne

In 2011, Kevin De Bruyne was coming through in Belgium with Genk and was wanted by then-Sunderland boss Steve Bruce.

The Black Cats and Aston Villa were battling it out for De Bruyne, but it was Chelsea who won the race. Things didn’t work out for him at Stamford Bridge, however, he did become a Premier League legend with Manchester City.

Kevin De Bruyne record vs Sunderland
Games	5
Wins	4
Draws	0
Losses	1
Goals	2
Assists	3

8

Diego Maradona

Back in 1977, Diego Maradona burst onto the scene as a teenager and would make his Argentina debut.

At club level, the attacker was with Argentinos Juniors but actually wanted to make the move to England and sign for Sunderland. Unfortunately for the Black Cats, Argentina declared Maradona ‘untransferrable’. Daniel Arcucci, who was the Argentinian’s biographer, said:

7

Luis Suarez

Sunderland were on the search for a new striker in 2010 to partner Darren Bent, and that man could have been Luis Suarez.

Suarez was at Ajax at the time and Sunderland sent scouts to watch him, however, they instead signed Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan following the World Cup, with Suarez the villain after his famous handball on the biggest stage.

6

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Sunderland tried to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic on two occasions under Peter Reid in the early years of the iconic striker’s career.

The Swede was scoring goals for fun with Ajax and would go on to star for Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Man Utd.

5

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Reid also tried to sign Ruud van Nistelrooy for Sunderland when the Dutchman was with Heerenveen.

The striker was still young and had a £5m asking price, something which the Black Cats decided against. Van Nistelrooy would then sign for PSV Eindhoven before becoming a Manchester United legend.

4

Diego Forlan

Another former Man Utd striker who could have played for Sunderland was Diego Forlan, who was wanted by former Red Devils teammate Roy Keane during his time as Black Cats manager.

Instead of signing for Sunderland, though, Forlan moved to Atletico Madrid in 2007 from Villarreal.

3

Paul Scholes

The 1996/97 Premier League season was the final one at Roker Park and ended in relegation for the Black Cats.

However, it could have been different if Sunderland managed to sign Paul Scholes from Man Utd. The iconic English midfielder was into his third year as an Old Trafford professional, and he’d never become available even though the Black Cats were desperate to do a deal.

Paul Scholes record vs Sunderland
Games	15
Wins	13
Draws	2
Losses	0
Goals	4

2

Robbie Keane

Arguably one of the most underrated strikers in Premier League history, Robbie Keane could quite easily have been a Sunderland player in 2002.

In fact, the Black Cats agreed a fee with Leeds for the Irish forward, but Keane would turn down a move north, joining Tottenham a year later.

1

Joe Hart

A move to the Stadium of Light for goalkeeper Joe Hart, a four-time Premier League golden glove winner, was on the cards in 2016.

David Moyes was in charge and said the club could have landed the England shot-stopper, however, Hart himself said he snubbed Sunderland, instead signing on loan for Italian side Torino.

Tottenham loanee Joao Palhinha is winning plenty of admirers since joining Thomas Frank on a temporary basis, and parent club Bayern Munich are watching his progress with keen eyes.

Joao Palhinha shining on loan at Tottenham

Spurs’ productive business relationship with Bayern in recent years has yielded another success story thus far in Palhinha, amid reports that Lilywhites legend Harry Kane’s contract includes a £54 million release clause.

Amid mounting speculation that Kane could re-join Tottenham after leaving North London for Bavaria in 2023, especially amid Frank’s public ‘welcome back anytime’ message to the Englishman, Palhinha is already at N17 and seriously enjoying life.

The 30-year-old scored an acrobatic overhead kick to open the scoring in Spurs’ 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday, adding to his ever-growing collection of excellent performances after a 2024/2025 to forget at the Allianz Arena.

Palhinha, after pining for a move to Bayern over what seemed like years, endured a nightmare debut season under Vincent Kompany.

His campaign was marred by fitness issues, illness, suspension and a lack of opportunities — resulting in the Portugal international making just 25 appearances in all competitions with no goals, assists or contributions of note.

Appearances

25

Goals

0

Assists

0

Bookings

2

Red cards

1

Minutes played

986

via Transfermarkt

Since making the move to Spurs, Palhinha has stood out as, arguably, their best signing of the summer so far.

Frank has started the ex-Sporting Lisbon star in all but two of Tottenham’s eight matches in all competitions, with Palhinha dominating midfield and getting on the scoresheet in his full start away to Man City.

Spurs ran out 2-0 victors at Eastlands, largely thanks to Palhinha’s imperious display, and the midfielder currently ranks fourth in the Premier League for most tackles made per 90 on average, according to WhoScored.

Palhinha has added both steel and dynamism to Frank’s midfield, with ex-chairman Daniel Levy managing to negotiate a £27 million buy option in his loan from Bayern.

Bayern Munich make Joao Palhinha stance clear amid electric Tottenham start

According to journalist Ben Jacobs earlier this week, Palhinha is keen to seal a permanent Tottenham move next year, and was personally insistent on the option to buy.

Now, as per German news outlet BILD, Bayern have made their stance crystal clear on Palhinha amid his electric start to life at Spurs.

The website reports that, despite his excellent form right now, Kompany’s side won’t lose any sleep over Palhinha leaving, and are actually hopeful that Tottenham will sign him permanently next year.

The Portuguese is not in Kompany’s long-term plans, with Bayern preferring he seals an indefinite move away to get him off the wage bill and bring in some much-needed funds.

Palhinha is rolling back the years under Frank right now, with his current form reminiscent to that of his time at Craven Cottage.

The ex-Fulham star was “absolutely sensational” under Marco Silva, and judging by his quality in the Tottenham engine room, London appears to be agreeing with him.

Chelsea are expected to be active in the January transfer market after failing to tick off a few key transfer aims during the summer window.

Enzo Maresca’s side spent the majority of the summer reinforcing their attack as a key priority, with Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Buonanonotte all coming in to bolster Chelsea’s forward options, while teenage Brazilian sensation Estevao also finally arrived after a previously agreed 2024 deal.

Chelsea’s summer transfers (permanent only)
Incoming	Outgoing
Joao Pedro	Noni Madueke
Jamie Gittens	João Félix
Jorrel Hato	Djordje Petrovic
Liam Delap	Lesley Ugochukwu
Dario Essugo	Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Mamadou Sarr	Renato Veiga
Estevao	Armando Broja
Kendry Paez	Carney Chukwuemeka
Alejandro Garnacho	Mathis Amougou
	Basir Humphreys
	Kepa Arrizabalaga
	Marcus Bettinelli
	Christopher Nkunku
	Alfie Gilchrist
	Lucas Bergstrom
	Ben Chilwell

While they also signed Jorrel Hato from Ajax, the Dutchman is reportedly viewed as a left-back to cover Marc Cucurella — which is a position he starred in for the Eredivise side under Francesco Farioli last term.

Chelsea were in the market for a more natural central defender too, even before Levi Colwill’s ACL injury blow, having attempted to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth prior to his Real Madrid move.

As per journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea remained on the prowl for a centre-back long into the window, but couldn’t quite find the right profile.

Chelsea would like to sign Marc Guehi, but he's "dead set" on joining Liverpool

In a new Substack update, Phillips reaffirms this, whilst also sharing news on their links to Crystal Palace star and former Cobham academy ace Marc Guehi.

The 25-year-old, since leaving Stamford Bridge in 2021, has become an established Premier League star and England international. Elite clubs have the chance to sign him for free next summer when he leaves as a free agent, which comes as a very enticing prospect, with Liverpool, Man City, Real Madrid and Barcelona all eyeing a 2026 move for Guehi.

Chelsea are believed to be major fans of Guehi too, as per Phillips, but they’ve practically thrown the towel in already considering he’s “dead set” on joining Liverpool.

The Three Lions stalwart very nearly made the move to Anfield on summer deadline day, but Palace reportedly backed out of the deal at the last minute, despite authorising a medical and submitting a deal sheet.

Chelsea losing out on Marc Guehi would be a blow

Unless Guehi performs a U-turn in the coming months, it appears Maresca is set for an early 2026 summer transfer blow.

He has become one of the Premier League’s most dependable defenders at Selhurst Park, combining composure in possession with pace and strength in one-on-one duels. Chelsea’s back line has looked unsettled in recent seasons, with recurring injuries and inconsistency, and Guehi’s presence would have provided exactly the kind of stability Maresca’s backline has been lacking.

On top of that, Guehi is a homegrown player who knows the club inside out. Having risen through Chelsea’s academy, a return would have been seamless.

Alas, Chelsea may need to look elsewhere, as the “sensational” Guehi sets his sights on a move to Merseyside.

Everton have splashed the cash on the brand new Hill Dickinson Stadium, costing the Toffees an estimated £750m.

Under new owners in the Friedkin Group, those on Merseyside also splashed the cash in the transfer window in 2025, with Jack Grealish being the marquee signing, arriving on loan from Manchester City.

Everton's most expensive sales of all time

The Toffees have received some huge fees over the years.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 3, 2025

But who is Everton’s record signing? Here’s a look at the club’s 20 biggest additions in their history.

Rank

Player

Fee

Signed from

Year

Gylfi Sigurdsson

£45m

Swansea City

2017

Tyler Dibling

£42m

Southampton

2025

Richarlison

£40m

Watford

2018

Amadou Onana

£33m

Lille

2022

Romelu Lukaku

£28m

Chelsea

2014

Alex Iwobi

£28m

Arsenal

2019

Yerry Mina

£27.2m

Barcelona

2018

Thierno Barry

£27m

Villarreal

2025

Beto

£26m

Udinese

2023

Jordan Pickford

£25m

Sunderland

2017

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

£25m

Chelsea

2025

Michael Keane

£25m

Burnley

2017

Yannick Bolasie

£25m

Crystal Palace

2016

Moise Kean

£25m

Juventus

2019

Jean-Philippe Gbamin

£25m

Mainz

2019

Ben Godfrey

£25m

Norwich City

2020

Davy Klaassen

£23.6m

Ajax

2017

Allan

£22.3m

Napoli

2020

Andre Gomes

£22m

Barcelona

2022

Theo Walcott

£20m

Arsenal

2018

Here is a detailed look at Everton's 10 biggest signings… 10 Jordan Pickford £25m from Sunderland

Jordan Pickford is one of seven players Everton have spent £25m on, and arguably the most successful.

The goalkeeper has been first choice for the Toffees and England during his time on Merseyside and could well finish his career at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

9 Beto £26m from Udinese

Costing slightly more at £26m was striker Beto, who swapped Serie A and Udinese for a shot at the Premier League with Everton.

The Portuguese striker even scored on his debut 24 hours after putting pen to paper on a Toffees deal which is set to expire in 2027.

8 Thierno Barry £27m from Villarreal

Another forward who arrived for a big fee was Thierno Barry. Following Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s departure from Goodison Park, Everton acted in the 2025 summer transfer market to sign the French forward.

Villarreal recieved £27m, whereas Barry signed a four-year deal on £45,000-a-week.

7 Yerry Mina £27.2m from Barcelona

After just six months at Barcelona, defender Yerry Mina joined Everton in 2018, costing the Toffees in excess of £27m.

The Colombia international spent five years at Goodison Park and left upon the expiration of his contract in 2023 for Italian side Fiorentina.

6 Alex Iwobi £28m from Arsenal

Alex Iwobi ended up costing Everton £28m in 2019, with the versatile midfielder spending four years on Merseyside before he was sold to Fulham.

The Nigerian made more than 100 appearances for the Toffees, who recouped £22m of the fee when Iwobi moved to Craven Cottage.

5 Romelu Lukaku £28m from Chelsea

Clubs have spent more than £300m on Romelu Lukaku during the Belgian’s career to date, and his first big-money move was to Everton back in 2014.

Chelsea sold the striker after a successful loan spell on Merseyside, and Everton would go on to make a huge profit when selling Lukaku to Man Utd for £75m in 2017.

4 Amadou Onana £33m from Lille

Another player who Everton made money on was midfielder Amadou Onana, who had a brief two-year spell at Goodison Park before joining Aston Villa.

Onana set Everton back £33m, but in 2024, they were receiving £50m from those at Villa Park.

3 Richarlison £40m from Watford

Richarlison swapped Watford for Everton in 2018, and the Brazilian striker scored more than 50 goals for the Blues in 153 games.

A £40m fee proved to be worth it for the Toffees, who cashed in on the forward four years later, with Tottenham paying them an initial £50m.

2 Tyler Dibling £42m from Southampton

Everton splashed the cash on teenage attacking midfielder Tyler Dibling in 2025, and the Toffees will be hoping he can go on to prove his worth on Merseyside.

Making the youngster the club’s second most expensive signing of all time appears to be a gamble, but there’s no denying Dibling’s creative ability.

1 Gylfi Sigurdsson £45m from Swansea

Top of the list as Everton’s record signing is Gylfi Sigurdsson, with the attacking midfielder costing a whopping £45m.

The Iceland international never really lived up to the billing, though, and after making more than 150 appearances, left as a free agent in 2022.

Manchester United star Diogo Dalot has responded to viral fan Frank Ilett – known as TheUnitedStrand – who vowed not to get a haircut until the Red Devils win five games in a row. After United’s back-to-back victories over Sunderland and Liverpool, the Portugal full-back playfully admitted the team hopes to “give him that haircut” with three more consecutive victories needed.

Man Utd fan's 'five-win challenge' nearing end?

Dalot has weighed in on the now-famous challenge taken up by long-time United supporter Ilett, who promised not to cut his hair until the Red Devils won five matches on the bounce. The fan’s pledge, made in October 2024, went viral as United continued to struggle for consistency under then-new manager Ruben Amorim. Before this week, the team had failed to string together even two league wins.

However, a recent upturn in form has reignited Ilett’s hopes of a long-overdue haircut. Amorim’s side followed up a 2-0 home victory over Sunderland before the international break with a dramatic 2-1 win away to Liverpool — their first back-to-back Premier League triumphs under the Portuguese boss. The result, sealed by a late Harry Maguire header, set social media buzzing with fans joking that Ilett might finally see the inside of a barber’s shop.

Following the win, United’s official TikTok account joined in the fun, replying to one of Ilett’s viral videos with the message: “We have an encouraging update.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDalot hopes Ilett gets haircut soon

Speaking to after the match, Dalot couldn’t hide his amusement when asked about Ilett’s unusual vow. “Let’s see! Hope we can give him that haircut!” the Portuguese full-back said with a smile.

Dalot then turned his focus to maintaining consistency after a mixed start to the season. “But we have to go game by game. Obviously, we know this is a very difficult league, we have tough games and, of course, we have to go after that consistency that we have lacked because we have already shown in the past that we can compete against any team in the world.”

The 25-year-old Portugal international added: “We get to the big games, we get to have good performances. Now it’s trying to make it happen every game. We now have the next game at home and that’s what’s important to us.” His comments struck a balance between humour and determination, underlining the squad’s desire to build on a promising run.

Ilett’s challenge invited abuse last month at Old Trafford

Ilett, a lifelong United supporter, first made headlines last year when he declared he would not get a haircut until the club won five games in a row. In January, Ilett nearly reached his goal when United won three in succession, only for a defeat to Crystal Palace to end the streak and with it, his hopes of a haircut. Despite that setback, he remained committed to the challenge, insisting it was meant to “spread positivity” among fans during difficult times. His lighthearted defiance even continued through an unfortunate altercation at Old Trafford last month when he was confronted by a fellow supporter during a Chelsea match – an incident he later described as “weird but isolated”.

Now, with United seemingly turning a corner under Amorim, Ilett’s patience could finally pay off. Their recent wins have revived optimism around Old Trafford, as players like Maguire and Dalot have stepped up amid renewed defensive stability and spirit. While a long way remains before five straight victories are achieved, Ilett’s growing hair has become a quirky rallying point for fans yearning for consistency — and perhaps even a new lucky charm for the team’s fortunes.

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Instagram/XIlett wants a Man Utd player to give him the haircut:

The Red Devils host Brighton on Saturday, followed by tricky away fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur a week later. Three wins from those matches would extend their streak to five and fulfil Ilett’s promise over a year after it began. Ilett has already joked that “the perfect ending would be one of the players to cut it at Old Trafford”.

However, for Amorim and his players, the focus remains firmly on performances. After months of inconsistency, back-to-back victories have given supporters and players alike a sense of renewed purpose.

Russell Martin accepted full responsibility after another dismal Rangers performance ended with a 1-1 draw at Falkirk, but it may not be enough to save his position at Ibrox.

When striker Bojan Miovski tapped in after 41 minutes, the travelling supporters again turned their ire on the Gers boss and there were repeated chants against the former Southampton manager before and after John McGlynn’s side deservedly levelled in the 73rd minute through substitute Henry Cartwright.

Afterwards Gers fans sat down to attempt to stop the team bus leaving but they were dispersed by police. Images showed that Martin was escorted out of another part of the stadium by security guards before reportedly leaving in a car.

The Ibrox side are in eighth place with one win in seven William Hill Premiership fixtures, 11 points behind leaders Hearts and nine behind Celtic and Martin, who described the chants as “character building”, was asked if he was getting enough from the players.

He said: “They’re giving us everything they’ve got. I think they’re really trying. So I have to take responsibility for it, not them.

“There’s been some really honest discussions with them in the dressing room, some frustration with them and each other, but ultimately I’m the one in charge of the team, so I have to accept responsibility. We haven’t had enough wins on days like today, so it’s been a frustrating period.”

Related Kris Boyd slams "embarrassing" thing Martin had Rangers do in Sturm Graz defeat

It was another night to forget.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Oct 3, 2025

Martin conceded the backing of the Ibrox board is not infinite but remains confident that he can get it right.

He said: “I think it’s the same everywhere. Just this club is intensified and the scrutiny is much higher, the noise is much louder.

“So every draw we’ve had has felt like a defeat because of the stature of this club and what it means and what we have to try and fight for.

“So I can’t answer your question really, you’d have to ask the people above me.

“I feel that the players and the staff are really behind me. I felt really supported by everyone else above me as well, and I can’t dictate whether that changes or not.

“I have to just try and focus on winning football matches (and we can do that) because of what I see every day with the players, how invested they are in it, how hard they run.

“If I felt any differently, I would feel differently here. It probably wouldn’t hurt as much, but I know they’re really trying.”

Martin "on the brink" of Ibrox sack

And Ben Jacobs reports on Sunday evening that Martin “is on the brink of being sacked” the Gers board “expected to make an imminent decision”.

Steven Gerrard and Danny Rohl are both “appreciated” in Glasgow’s South side having been on the shortlist before Martin took charge.

Joshua Zirzkee’s agent has been blasted for "choosing the money" when it comes to his client, with Manchester United considered to have "become a cesspool". Netherlands international Zirkzee moved to Old Trafford in the summer of 2024, when having other options to consider at the time, and has tumbled down the pecking order with the Premier League heavyweights.

• Goals & assists: Zirkzee's numbers with Man Utd

  He was considered to be a cut-price option for the Red Devils at the time of his arrival, but still moved to England in a deal that could be worth €42.5 million (£37m/$50m). Little return has been seen on that investment so far, with Zirkzee recording seven goals and three assists across his debut campaign with United.

  The Dutch forward has failed to register a goal contribution of any kind through four appearances this season, leading to more uncomfortable questions being asked of his value to the collective cause. Regular game time is proving hard to come by amid fierce competition for places from the likes of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko – who were all snapped up in the last transfer window.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Wrong choice: Man Utd decision questioned

  Another move for Zirkzee is now being mooted, with a return to Italy being speculated on for a man that impressed with Bologna after leaving Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich for Serie A in 2022. He is being urged to push for a change of scenery, with his representatives being accused of making the wrong call when accepting an offer from United – a club that has been stuck in a transition loop for some time.

  Franco Ordine, one of the analysts discussing Zirkzee’s situation with , has said: "The question isn’t whether he’s a fraud or a great player, but he took the wrong path. He ended up at a club that’s become a cesspool, just look at how [Rasmus] Hojlund was reborn in Naples. The agent chose the money instead of thinking about his client’s career."

• January transfer: World Cup dream to think about

  Zirkzee is said to be mulling over his options ahead of the January window as he has international aspirations to think about in a World Cup year. The claims: "Confidential understands the player is deeply frustrated at his situation, and a move in the January transfer window is seen as absolutely crucial if he is to force his way back into the reckoning for the Netherlands’ World Cup squad next summer. He has been left out of Ronald Koeman’s squad for the qualifiers against Malta and Finland.

  "Napoli desperately wanted Zirkzee in the summer but United had no interest in allowing him to leave, and the Italians pivoted to his rival for the No 9 shirt last season, Rasmus Hojlund, on a loan with an obligation to buy. Juventus were another club who were very interested in signing Zirkzee on loan, while PSV Eindhoven wanted to take him back to the Netherlands."

  They go on to claim that: "There is no doubt that Zirkzee’s frustration has escalated significantly in recent weeks, and now his only chance to salvage a season that could cost him a spot at the World Cup appears to be by trying to secure a move away in January."

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• Getty
  

  Limited opportunities as Amorim fights for his future

  Zirkzee was in high spirits before the 2025-26 campaign got underway, telling : "The group, for me, is just, I don’t know, there’s such a good vibe. We’re all invested in something. You can really tell that we really want to make sure that we’re not doing what we did last season. Also, outside the pitch, there’s some good vibes. We’re doing a lot of team bonding. I feel we’re much closer than we were last season, and hopefully we can translate all of that onto the pitch and share it with you, you know, the rest of the world who’s supporting United.

  "It’s not, of course, just going to be all sunshine. I think this group is ready for that, to be honest. We have some great guys, experienced guys, young guys. There’s a hunger in this team. There’s even a bigger hunger I think from our manager, from our coach. So it’s up to us to just keep improving and also enjoying what we’re doing."

  More inconsistency has been endured by United, leading to pressure mounting on Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim. Zirkzee appears to have little role to play in another rebuild, meaning that a return to Italy could be negotiated early in 2026.

They may have won last time out, but things aren’t looking great for West Ham United.

The East Londoners have lost two of their three Premier League games so far and sit just a point above the relegation zone.

Unsurprisingly, then, a number of managers have been linked with Graham Potter’s job, including Frank Lampard.

The former Chelsea legend may well be a good replacement, but if the Hammers really want to take a step forward, they should be bold and hire another legend of the game.

Why Graham Potter should be fired

It’s not even been a year since West Ham decided to hire Potter, and while some may argue it’s therefore too soon to fire him, the results would suggest otherwise.

The former Chelsea boss has managed 23 games since getting the job and somehow managed to win just six, losing 12 and drawing the other five.

In other words, he has an average of a point per game in East London, and on top of that, he’s not even delivered the slick, attacking and entertaining football fans hoped he would.

Games

23

Wins

6

Draws

5

Defeats

12

Goals Scored

29

Goals Against

36

Points per Match

1.00

The Irons have scored 29 goals during his tenure, which is an average of 1.26 per game and conceded 36, which comes out to an average of 1.56 per game.

In contrast, his predecessor, Julen Lopetegui, averaged 1.18 points per match while he was in charge, and David Moyes before him averaged 1.49 points per match and won a European trophy.

Whichever way you look at it, Potter’s role as manager of West Ham United feels untenable, and it would surely be better for the club to look for his replacement now, rather than let this drag on.

With that said, there are better candidates than Lampard, including one legendary former player who is currently out of a job.

The manager West Ham should hire over Lampard

Now, there is every chance Lampard would be a good hire for West Ham, as for all the criticism he’s received over the years, he appears to be doing a good job with Coventry City, winning two and drawing two games this season.

Manager Focus

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However, with that said, the former Chelsea star doesn’t feel like a particularly ambitious target for the Hammers, unlike the manager they should be going after: Xavi.

Yes, the coach the Irons should be going all out for is none other than the Barcelona legend, and while some may scoff at such a target, he’s been out of work since leaving the Catalan side last year, and with the continual growth of the Premier League, why couldn’t the club make a tempting proposal?

Not only would the 45-year-old be a hugely exciting and image-changing hire, but he’s also a far better candidate than many others that have been linked in recent weeks, including Lampard.

For example, during his tenure with the Spanish giants, he oversaw 143 games, of which he won 91, drew 23 and lost just 29, averaging 2.07 points per game.

Games

143

Wins

91

Draws

23

Losses

29

Goals Scored

280

Goals Against

158

Points per Game

2.07

Moreover, “the best manager in the world,” as Joan Laporta dubbed him, made sure Barca played an attacking and exciting brand of football, which saw them score a whopping 280 goals, or 1.95 per game.

Finally, he is also a proven winner, overseeing the club’s first La Liga win in four years in the 22/23 season and winning the Spanish Super Cup in the same season.

Ultimately, it would be a difficult task, but West Ham should be doing all they can to convince Xavi that this is a project he should be taking up, as he’d be a monumental upgrade on Potter and a better option than Lampard.

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