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Manchester City are seeking to retain their FIFA Club World Cup crown this summer as the tournament takes on a new and exciting format, with 32 teams competing to be named football’s best club side.

After much excitement and intrigue, the revamped FIFA Club World Cup has begun, with stars like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Michael Olise already taking centre stage in the United States.

Pep Guardiola’s side can become the first English team to be crowned the kings of world football on two occassions with a triumph this summer, and only the second side in history to retain the title, after Real Madrid’s three-peat between 2017 and 2019.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 13, 2025

The eight-time Premier League champions’ quest to reach the final, which takes place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13, starts this week on Wednesday June 18 when they take on Wydad AC, who compete in Botola Pro, the top flight of Moroccan football.

City earned their place in this competition via their UEFA Champions League triumph against Inter back in 2023, while Wydad were crowned CAF Champions League winners in 2022 after a heroic 2-0 win against Egyptian side Al-Ahly.

• Watch the FIFA Club World Cup live and on-demand here

Ahead of what should be an action-packed opening fixture for two of the four sides in Group G, here’s everything you need to know on how to watch – and who to be looking out for – when Wednesday rolls around…

Where to watch Man City vs Wydad at the Club World Cup

63 games featuring the world’s best players all in the space of a month and all in one place, for free! Sound too good to be true? It isn’t.

Indeed, FIFA revealed back in December 2024 that the extended Club World Cup will be available for free globally, with the world’s largest sports streaming platform, DAZN, showcasing every game with unique coverage which will finally settle the debate – who is the best club side in the world?

Available globally in 14 languages, DAZN is the only place to truly celebrate the groundbreaking new tournament, with easy access provided to watch the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham competing on the biggest stage.

If you are already a DAZN subscriber, then the Club World Cup action is already included in your membership. For those who haven’t yet signed up, all you need is an email address to register a free account on the DAZN website, with no hidden costs or added fees. You will then be able to watch every game on the DAZN app via your TV, computer, phone or even on your games console.

Man City vs Wydad AC (Wednesday 18 June – Philadelphia – 5pm UK time, midday local time)

• FIFA Club World Cup

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  Watch all FIFA Club World Cup games free on DAZN. The biggest clubs and the best players in the world compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.

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Man City vs Wydad – Who to look out for

Bouncing back from a challenging campaign, City have strengthened their ranks significantly in 2025, with several new signings included in their Club World Cup squad, like Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and perhaps most excitingly of all Rayan Cherki.

All three new arrivals could make their Man City debuts this week, while we are also likely to be treated to more spectacular showings from Omar Marmoush, who has scored eight goals in 22 games since moving to the Etihad Stadium in January.

Marmoush and Cherki could form an unstoppable attack which of course already includes Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland. The 24 year-old will be looking to continue his incredible scoring rate since moving to England, becoming the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goal involvements earlier this year, reaching the landmark with 84 goals and 16 assists in just 94 matches.

As for the underdogs, Wydad are the most successful team in Moroccan football history, winning 22 top flight titles, most recently in the 2021-22 campaign, when they also won their version of the Champions League and Cup Winners’ Cup to complete a historic treble.

Based in Casablanca, they had a poor season by their own lofty standards in 2024-25, finishing third in Botola Pro, but that is not to say they cannot pose a problem to their opponents in Group G this summer.

Undoubtedly their biggest threat is Dutch winger Mohamed Rayhi, who came through PSV’s academy and has been capped at youth level by the Netherlands. Rayhi scored 13 times this season and can play on either flank, but is best cutting in from the left onto his dangerous right foot.

A familiar face to MLS fans will be attacking midfielder Cassius Mailula. The South Africa international spent a year with Toronto FC before joining Wydad last summer, scoring five times and providing seven assists in his first campaign in Morocco. He will hope to be the creative force to unlock Man City’s defence on Wednesday.

Who else is in Group G?

Manchester City will fancy themselves as favourites to top Group G, but there is certainly some stern competition from Juventus, the 36-time champions of Italy, who qualified for this competition courtesy of their four-year UEFA ranking.

With two UEFA Champions League titles to their name, Juve have suffered a slight fall from grace in recent years, failing to win a league title since 2020 and finishing fourth in Serie A this season. Led by Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic and Turkey wonderkid Kenan Yıldız, they can restore themselves as a global footballing superpower with success at the Club World Cup.

The final place in Group G has been taken by Al Ain FC, who are based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and compete in the UAE Pro League. They finished 5th this season but gained access to this summer’s action after winning the 2023–24 AFC Champions League.

Could Wydad kick off the Group G action with one of the biggest upsets of all time? Find out on DAZN!

Manchester United have plenty of decisions to make this summer and Andre Onana’s future at Old Trafford may now have taken another twist, according to a report.

Andre Onana's Manchester United future uncertain

On the face of it, Onana is a name that divides opinion across the Red Devils’ support and his inconsistent performances last campaign won’t have won any favour among the undecided.

The Cameroon international conceded 65 times in 50 appearances across all competitions, and a string of high-profile errors have led Manchester United to look at the likes of Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez as a potential replacement.

Shedding light on the rumours, ex-Premier League scout Mick Brown stated: “Man United have made it clear they would like to sign Martinez. They’ll take whatever they can get for Onana, and then they’ll make contact with Aston Villa and see if they can get a deal over the line.

“He’s seen as a huge upgrade on Onana so they’re prepared to take a hit to get things moving. If Man United could swap Onana for Martinez tomorrow, they’d jump at it. Martinez is in his 30s now, but he’s a very capable goalkeeper and they’re not concerned about that.“

Intriguingly, Manchester United have also been given the green light to pursue Porto stopper Diogo Costa, lending credence to the notion that they could be set for a change between the sticks this summer.

Bruno will make him world-class: Man Utd hold talks for "phenomenal" star

Manchester United appear to be making a move in a deal to sign a new talisman.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 28, 2025

Plenty of names may enter the hat to replace Onana if he is moved on, though it remains to be seen how events develop over the next few weeks.

That said, the Red Devils could now have their house in order on that front as Ruben Amorim tries to sort out his goalkeeping situation.

Man Utd could loan out Onana with John Victor lined up

According to The Sun, Manchester United could loan out Andre Onana this summer and sign Botafogo’s John Victor as a replacement for as little as £6 million.

In the case of Onana, Monaco are said to have asked the question over a temporary move, but his £120,000 per week wages have proved to be a stumbling block. The Red Devils would prefer to conduct a deal with a European club over a Premier League rival.

Victor may have a smaller sample size than Onana, but purely for demonstrative purposes, his statistics do stand up to scrutiny when evaluating the consistency levels needed for a Manchester United goalkeeper to succeed at Old Trafford.

Keeping ten clean sheets in 29 appearances across all competitions this season, he could be the man to succeed the Cameroon international, even if there will be difficulties to overcome in sanctioning his exit.

Nottingham Forest have now made an approach to sign an “unstoppable” forward, who is set to be available for a fee of £39m this summer, according to reports.

Nottingham Forest eyeing replacement for Elanga

Anthony Elanga is set to sign for Newcastle United in a £55m deal, meaning Edu Gaspar’s first task as Global Head of Football will be to find a replacement for the winger, although it may not be a quick process.

Speaking about the way in which he goes about making new additions to the Forest squad, Edu said: “You can’t just sign for the sake of signing. It has to be a process that takes weeks and weeks. Right there on my desk, I have reports with over 180 pages on a player. It’s really detailed.

“Physical, technical, and mental profiles, whether they have Premier League experience, whether they’ll be able to adapt. It’s all there. We analyse our weaknesses, where we can improve, where we can invest, and then we go looking for that new name.”

Seemingly PSV Eindhoven’s Johan Bakayoko ticks a lot of boxes for Edu, as Forest have now entered talks over a deal for the winger, who is viewed as a direct replacement for Elanga.

However, the 22-year-old is not the only option on the shortlist, with the Tricky Trees also making an approach to sign Benfica winger Kerem Akturkoglu, according to an update from reporter Kutlu Akpinar on X.

Forest were the “first” team to make contact over a deal for the forward, and they were told that €45m (£39m) would be enough to get a deal done, although there could be competition for his signature.

The Turk has made it clear that the only team he wants to play for in his home country is Galatasaray, but there could be rival interest from within the Premier League, as Sunderland and Everton are also named as potential suitors.

Nottingham Forest join race to sign "fantastic" £50m+ Elanga replacement

Newcastle are still pushing to sign Elanga.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 7, 2025

"Unstoppable" Akturkoglu could be fantastic signing for Forest

Once lauded as “unstoppable” by U23 football scout Antonio Mango, the Benfica star was a regular source of goals and assists last season, picking up 22 goal contributions in the Liga Portugal alone.

With Forest set to embark on a European adventure, Nuno Espirito Santo will also be keen to bring in players with experience in the biggest competitions, and the 26-year-old also caught the eye in the 2024-25 Champions League, netting four goals.

Considering the former Galatasaray man has predominantly featured at left-wing throughout his career to date, it is unclear whether he would be viewed as a direct replacement for Elanga, but he could be a fantastic addition to the squad nonetheless.

Not only that, but Forest should be in a strong position to beat Sunderland and Everton to Akturkoglu’s signature, given that European football will be on offer at the City Ground next season.

While there have been more than a few bumps in the road, Chelsea have built a team stuffed with talented players in recent years.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandes, and Pedro Neto are all brilliant internationals who could be part of a special project at Stamford Bridge.

However, when it comes to the crown jewel of the Blues’ ambitious project, one name jumps out: Cole Palmer.

Since joining the Pensioners in 2023, the young Englishman has scored 41 goals and provided 28 assists in 96 appearances, and so fans should be delighted about reports linking the club to someone who could be their next Palmer.

Chelsea's summer so far

As they have in years prior, Chelsea have mainly focused on signing younger players this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, Liam Delap is still just 22 years old, Joao Pedro is only 23, and Jamie Gittens turns 21 next month.

Add to those three premier signings the additions of Mamdou Sarr and Dario Essugo, and it’s clear that the West Londoners are still committed to primarily bringing in young talents with high ceilings.

Yet, while the afformentioned players are all incredibly exciting, it would be hard to describe them as the next Palmer, which isn’t the case for Ethan Nwaneri.

Yes, according to a recent report from The Athletic, Chelsea are very much interested in the Arsenal gem.

The report claims that after attempting to sign him in 2023, the Blues are monitoring the teenager as talks over a new deal with the Gunners are currently failing to bear fruit.

Additionally, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano revealed that the West Londoners will move for the Hale End product if he doesn’t agree to a new deal with the Premier League runners-up, and with his current one ending next summer, he’d then be available for nothing at the end of next season.

If BlueCo can mastermind a situation where they can bring the Englishman to the Bridge for free, then that would be incredible, as he’s valued at £64m by Football Transfers, and has the potential to be another Palmer.

Why Nwaneri could be Palmer 2.0

There are a few reasons why Nwaneri could be the next Palmer, and the first is that it would be another example of Chelsea signing a young talent from a ‘big six’ side.

Moreover, as Manchester City must massively regret losing such an incredible player to one of the rivals, we do not doubt that Arsenal would feel just as bad about losing the Hale Ender.

The second reason is that both players occupy similar positions on the pitch.

Since making his way to West London, the former City prospect has primarily played in an attacking midfield role, with his second most played position being on the right wing.

This mirrors the Enfield-born gem’s experience in North London, as since making his debut for Mikel Arteta’s side, he has primarily played in two positions: on the right wing and as an attacking midfielder.

However, the 18-year-old has spent more time on the wing, which is good news for Maresca and Co, as that means he’d likely be happy to play there at the Bridge, with Palmer in the number ten role.

Furthermore, while we haven’t seen as much of the North Londoners’ young phenom, what we have witnessed suggests he could be as dangerous as the Pensioners’ talisman.

For example, in just 1378 minutes, across 37 first-team appearances last season, the dynamic “monster,” as dubbed by podcaster Adam Keys, scored nine goals and provided two assists.

In other words, he produced a goal involvement on average every 125.27 minutes, which for someone of his age is undeniably incredible.

Finally, if you still aren’t convinced that the Arsenal gem could reach the same levels, then just listen to his former coach, Dan Micciche, who boldly placed him in the same “tier” as him, along with some other future superstars.

Ultimately, if Chelsea have the chance to sign Nwaneri for free next summer, they should take it, as, alongside Palmer, they’d have two of the most exciting talents in the country.

Forget Pedro: 8/10 Chelsea star showed why he's Maresca’s "best player"

Chelsea confidently progressed through to the final of the Club World Cup with this star standing out once more.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 9, 2025

There are a number of players within the Glasgow Rangers squad at Ibrox who are facing uncertain futures at the club during the summer transfer window.

The likes of Nicolas Raskin, Mohamed Diomande, Hamza Igamane, and Cyriel Dessers have been linked with moves away from the club, as European sides are looking to snap them up.

However, at the time of writing, the Scottish Premiership giants have not accepted any bids from teams for any of their star performers this summer.

One player who does look set to be on his way out of Ibrox, though, is central defender Robin Propper, after FC Twente and Rangers agreed a fee for the defender, who is now negotiating an exit with the club.

There are also players in the squad who have not been linked with moves away, yet they may still be playing for their long-term future under Russell Martin during pre-season.

Oscar Cortes’ 18-month loan deal finally turned into a permanent transfer, for a reported fee of £4m, this summer, but it remains to be seen if he has a future at Ibrox.

Why Oscar Cortes may not have a future at Ibrox

The Colombian forward first arrived in Glasgow on loan from French side Lens in the January transfer window in 2024, and spent 18 months on loan at the club before his permanent transfer became official at the start of July.

However, injury issues have plagued his career in Scotland to date. Cortes has only played 16 times in competitive games for the Light Blues so far, including just 11 appearances in the entire 2024/25 campaign.

This means that Martin cannot rely on the winger to be available on a regular basis for the Gers moving forward, until the 21-year-old gem proves that he can avoid injuries for a prolonged period of time.

For now, there is no guarantee that he can be relied upon as a starter because he has only been available for 16 games in the last 18 months, which is simply not enough.

As concerning is the fact that his performances on the pitch have also left a lot to be desired, as you can see in the table above, as he did not deliver any goal contributions in the Premiership last season.

Cortes was given opportunities when fit and available, as shown by the fact that he started 40% of his appearances despite his injury issues, but did not repay the faith shown in him with quality performances.

This is why the former Lens man, who can play on the left or the right flank, may not have a long-term future at Ibrox unless he can turn his career around by keeping fit and delivering quality displays on the pitch.

A fresh report linking Rangers with interest in another right-sided attacker does not spell good news for Cortes, though, as the club could land an upgrade on him.

Martin pushing Rangers to sign Premier League winger

According to Football Insider, Glasgow Rangers are interested in a potential swoop to bring Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to Ibrox from Crystal Palace this summer.

The report claims that Martin is the driving force behind the club’s eagerness to secure a deal with the Premier League side for the 22-year-old attacker, as he would like to work with the gem next season.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Martin tried and failed to sign him on loan from Palace during his time in charge of both Swansea and Southampton in the English Championship, which shows that Rak-Sakyi has been a long-term target for the former Norwich defender.

Football Insider adds that Rangers would like to bolster their options in the wide areas, particularly after Vaclav Cerny returned to Wolfsburg after his loan spell at the club, and that they are keen to bring the Eagles youngster, who is valued at up to £10m, in on loan for next season.

It now remains to be seen whether Martin will finally get his wish at the third time of asking, or if he will fail in his pursuit of a deal for Rak-Sakyi once again in his managerial career.

Why Rak-Sakyi would be an upgrade on Cortes

The 22-year-old English winger would arrive at Ibrox as a big upgrade on Cortes if the club can strike a deal with the Premier League side to sign him on loan.

Rak-Sakyi’s availability, first and foremost, would make him an upgrade on the Colombian. The former England U21 international played 36 times for Sheffield United in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, which means that he played 21 more games than the Rangers flop managed.

This suggests that the Palace attacker is far more likely to be available for Martin to select on a week-to-week basis next season, as he does not have as bad of a recent injury history as the ex-Lens flanker.

Rak-Sakyi, once dubbed “remarkable” by Roy Hodgson, would also join Rangers as an upgrade on Cortes because of the quality that he can provide whilst playing on the right wing, cutting in on his left foot to provide a big threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side.

As you can see in the table above, the £10m-rated star ranked incredibly highly in a host of key attacking metrics in the Championship last season, although he was unfortunate to rank lowly for assists given how many high-quality chances he created.

Rak-Sakyi scored seven goals and provided two assists in 22 starts in the division for Sheffield United, which is nine more goal contributions than the zero Cortes produced for Rangers in his ten outings in the Premiership.

Therefore, Rangers could land a big upgrade on their £4m winger by signing the Palace winger this summer, both because of his potential to be available with greater regularity and because of the quality that he can offer at the top end of the pitch.

Raskin repeat: Rangers racing to sign £9m "set-piece specialist" at Ibrox

Rangers are reportedly interested in a deal for a star who could be their next Nicolas Raskin.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 14, 2025

Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has shared news live from outside St James’ Park on Friday afternoon after Liverpool’s opening bid for Alexander Isak was rejected.

David Ornstein revealed earlier on Friday that the Magpies were swift to refuse the Reds’ first official offer for the Swedish superstar, which is believed to be in the region on £110m-£120m.

There are rumours Isak has already agreed personal terms on a move to Anfield, and Downie, speaking live on Sky Sports, has now revealed the next steps.

Second Liverpool bid being prepared "as we speak"

“We expect Liverpool to come back in with a second formal offer, they’re preparing that formal offer as we speak. But Newcastle standing firm, rejecting the first one,” said the North East based journalist.

He continued: “This could be the biggest transfer of the summer. It would be a Premier League record if Liverpool were to get their man.”

There has of course been plenty of conversations around how the Swede would fit with Hugo Ekitike, who arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal worth £79m if add-ons are met.

BBC tactics writer Alex Keble has suggested using Isak as the out and out number nine, with the Frenchman deployed from the left.

One thing is for sure, Isak would bring the guaranteed clinical finisher Liverpool thought they were buying with Darwin Nunez three summers ago.

The Uruguay international, who is expected to depart this summer if Isak joins, scored five Premier League goals last season from 5.8 expected based on the quality of his chances. Newcastle’s star man on the other hand managed 23 strikes from an expected goals of 20.3, and he has now out-performed his xG in all three of his seasons in England.

Isak is thought to be training alone in Spain in a bid to be ready for his big switch, with Newcastle captain Kieran Trippier commenting on the situation earlier this week: “Alex has got a thigh injury – that is the reality.

“Personally, I think there is no point him coming out here if he can’t play in any games.

“He is doing rehab. But we have to do what we have to do with the players we have got, Sean Neave came on and done very well, young kid who has done well.

“We have tough games coming, but we stick together now as a team, and hopefully Alex will come back when he is fully fit.”

Carlo Ancelotti fired a warning to Neymar regarding his selection in Brazil's World Cup squad after he admitted that the Santos star is not guaranteed a place in his plans for next summer's tournament. Since taking charge of the Selecao earlier in the summer, Ancelotti has omitted Neymar from his squads for the June and September international breaks.

• Why wasn't Neymar picked in Brazil squad?

  Neymar was one of several household names to be left out of the Brazil squad for their most recent round of the World Cup qualifiers. While the head coach had explained that the attacker was overlooked due to fitness issues, the 33-year-old contradicted the coach's statement by claiming that he was left out due to technical issues.

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  Ancelotti's issues warning to Neymar

  Ancelotti has now warned Neymar that he could be left out of the final Selecao squad for the World Cup and his selection will entirely depend on his physical condition. The Italian coach also revealed the positions he would deploy the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star in.

• What did Ancelotti say about Neymar's selection?

  Speaking to , the Italian coach said: "We are not going to observe how Neymar plays, obviously. Everyone knows his talent. In modern football, to take advantage of his talent, the player has to be in good physical condition. If he is in his best physical condition, he will have no problems being in the national team. Everyone wants Neymar in the national team in good physical condition. I spoke with him, and I said 'you have time to prepare in the best way to be there and help the team try to do their best in the World Cup.'"

  He added: "I spoke with him. He came to the hotel before the game against Paraguay [in June] and we talked about it. [I would select him] as an attacking midfielder or striker. He has to play centrally, he can't play on the outside because modern football needs forwards who have physical quality, it's very important. He can play as an attacking midfielder without problems."

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  When is Neymar next playing for Santos?

  The superstar will be back in action for Santos this Sunday as the club face Atletico Mineiro in a Brazilian Serie A clash. He will hope to stay fit in the coming months and prove himself to his international manager.

Sunderland’s rapid-fire business so far this summer has certainly entertained those watching on.

To date, the Premier League newcomers have welcomed in eight fresh faces that have cost an alleged £140m in total, with their ninth purchase now in the offing as a deal to bring in Marc Guiu on loan from Chelsea for the season edges nearer to being completed.

With Regis Le Bris also now tied down to a contract until 2028 in the Stadium of Light dug-out, this summer has been an extremely smooth operation for the most part, with Jobe Bellingham’s exit to Borussia Dortmund also swiftly forgotten about.

Guiu might not be the only striker addition signed off on before September’s looming deadline, however, as a deal to bring in an experienced free-agent forward might also be on the cards.

Sunderland made ambitious move for free agent

Sunderland could well be looking to add in more Premier League experience to their ranks, away from Guiu’s addition, with Granit Xhaka the only presence in their squad who has tasted the harshness of the division previously.

They have certainly tried to bring in some seasoned heads, with a new report from talkSPORT revealing that the Black Cats had lined up an ambitious play to bring Dominic Calvert-Lewin in on a free transfer, after his Everton contract had expired.

Unfortunately for Le Bris and Co., despite their obvious ambition being on full display, the injury-prone striker has decided to keep his options open for the time being, in the hope that a team higher up the Premier League standings decides to gamble on his free agent services.

After all, if he were to wrestle free of his injury concerns and get back to his Toffees goalscoring peak, he would be a real asset to Sunderland, or any other side, as the Wearside outfit potentially battle against the drop.

He could even become the Black Cats’ next iteration of Darren Bent, with Bent’s goalscoring exploits on Wearside somewhat slipping under the radar, much like Calvert-Lewin’s best days on Merseyside have been shoved to one side amid his constant issues in the treatment room.

How Calvert-Lewin could be the next Bent

Unfortunately, when strikers go off the boil, it often receives the most attention.

Bent’s playing days would unfortunately fizzle out by the time he was lining up for lowly Burton Albion in the Championship, but he will still be well remembered at the Stadium of Light for being an absolute menace at the peak of his powers.

Of course, his most infamous strike for the Wearside club would come against Liverpool in 2009, as a beachball inexplicably got involved with play, but he would score another 35 goals donning Sunderland red and white, away from this bizarre moment in isolation.

Bent would close out his esteemed career with 106 Premier League efforts next to his name. Calvert-Lewin is only 49 strikes shy of matching that bumper amount, despite being dismissed as an injury-plagued, wasteful presence in recent seasons.

The 11-time England international was even once viewed as a “monster” in front of goal – as he was labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – for the Toffees before his career at Moyes’ side unravelled, with his output during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons in the top-flight seeing him bag a clinical 29 strikes.

Both the campaigns in question saw Everton comfortably sit in mid-table, but his reasonable seven goals during the 2023/24 season had a far more pivotal impact on proceedings, resulting in the Merseyside outfit surviving in 15th spot.

The concern will be whether or not Calvert-Lewin can wriggle free of those consistent knocks to be that same impactful presence for Le Bris’ men, with Guiu no doubt boosted subsequently by having such an experienced figure by his side as he learns and grows out on loan.

Bent’s goalscoring heroics for the Black Cats once upon a time enabled mid-table finishes in the Premier League to be a regular occurrence.

The Sheffield-born forward will hope he can offer up the same for his potential new employers as they boldly reenter the promised land.

Better signing than Xhaka: Sunderland make £26m "warrior" their top target

Sunderland is still interested in the prospect of landing this £26m star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 6, 2025

Peter Schmeichel has shared his disappointment at Manchester United's recent acquisition of Senne Lammens. The legendary shot stopper has said he believes the Red Devils should have gone after Aston Villa's Emi Martinez or recent Manchester City signing Gianluigi Donnarumma, rather than the inexperienced Belgian. Schmeichel went as far as to say he had "never heard" of Lammens before the deal.

• Schmeichel disappointed at Man United's goalkeeper situation

  The Premier League legend made the comments to through Sky Bet. He suggested Martinez is "exactly the kind of goalkeeper" United should have in their team, while questioning if Lammens' one season of top-flight football in Belgium would prepare him for the pressure of the No.1 shirt at Old Trafford.

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  United sign Lammens instead of Donnarumma or Martinez

  The 23-year-old signed at the close of the summer transfer window, making the switch from Royal Antwerp to Manchester for an initial fee of €21m (£18m/$25m), as Andre Onana was shepherded out on loan to Trabzonspor. Despite a summer of speculation and a notable absence in Aston Villa's 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, Martinez remained in Birmingham. Donnarumma made several key stops in last week's Manchester derby for the Red Devils' fierce inter-city rivals, Man City. The Champions League and Euros winner joined the Sky Blues for a reported €35m (£26m/$41m). With United now left with Lammens and Altay Bayindir as their goalkeeping options, the Dane thinks it's unclear who Ruben Amorim's number one keeper will be going forward.

• What Schmeichel said

  Schmeichel said, "We should have signed Emi Martinez. In fact, we should have gone for Gianluigi Donnarumma when we had the chance. With Martinez, everything was lined up, and that felt like really good news, because he’s exactly the kind of goalkeeper Manchester United should have."

  On Martinez, the United legend added: “He’s proven at the very highest level. He does all the basics brilliantly, but beyond that, he provides real leadership. He’s the sort of goalkeeper who makes strikers think twice. That presence is vital.  So it was hugely disappointing to hear the deal fell through for financial reasons.”

  On Lammens, Schmeichel said: “As for Lammens, I’ll be honest, I’d never heard of him until the link came up. I know his stats are excellent across the top ten European leagues. But that was with Antwerp in Belgium, in a team that finished fifth. He saved four out of eight penalties, but recruitment based purely on stats is risky. Stats don’t show how you react after a mistake, or how you cope with the pressure of Manchester United. That pressure is unlike anywhere else in football. Lammens could turn out to be the best signing ever – but right now, it feels like a hopeful one, and that’s not what United need at this moment in time. If we’d signed him alongside Martinez, that would have made perfect sense: a proven World Cup winner as number one, with a talented young keeper developing behind him."

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• AFP
  

  Lammens in line for Old Trafford debut against Chelsea

  The young Belgian can make a huge statement on Saturday. He is expected to be in goal for the Red Devils' Premier League clash with Chelsea. If Lammens can lay down a marker, he could well put a nagging issue for Amorim to bed, and maybe make an admirer out of United's greatest ever goalkeeper. 

Manchester United players are "astonished" by their woeful start to the 2025-26 campaign as the dressing room spirals into disharmony. United have lost three out of their first six league matches and are currently placed 14th in the table, a place above where they finished the 2024-25 season. Questions have been raised about Ruben Amorim's system and his future has also come under the scanner.

• Man Utd's woeful start to new season

  After a nightmare campaign in the 2024-25 season, United spent heavily on rebuilding their squad in the summer window, as they made key additions to their attack by signing players including Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko in a bid to turn things around under Ruben Amorim. However, things have not gone as planned, as they have lost three out of their first six league matches, including the latest 3-1 loss to Brentford and have also crashed out of the Carabao Cup in the second round after losing to fourth-tier side Grimsby Town. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Man Utd stars 'astonished' by results

  According to , the Red Devils stars are astonished by their performances in the new campaign as there was a sense of optimism among the players after a successful pre-season in the US. Manager Amorim's future at Old Trafford has also come under the scanner as the club have managed to pick just 34 points from 33 Premier League games he has coached in since November 2024 and have won just nine. 

• Red Devils told to appoint to appoint Southgate

  Former Chelsea and England star Joe Cole feels that ex-England boss Sir Gareth Southgate could be the “perfect” man to take over at Old Trafford if Amorim were to lose his job over the coming months. Cole cited building a new culture and understanding the club and its demands as key aspects in which the former England manager may have excelled more than Amorim.

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  Will Xavi be Man Utd's next manager?

  Per , ex-Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is reportedly "studying" the Premier League and will be ready to replace Amorim at Old Trafford if United come calling.