All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

And just like that, Arsenal’s season has come to a bitterly disappointing end.

Mikel Arteta’s side started like a house on fire against Paris Saint-Germain last night, but two goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi were enough to dash their hopes of only a second Champions League final in the club’s history.

Bukayo Saka managed to pull one back late on, but it all proved too much for the visitors, and once again, they came up short when it really mattered and looked utterly bereft of ideas for much of the game.

While it wasn’t a terrible performance from the North Londoners, a few players let themselves down, like Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and another who has to be axed this summer.

Arsenal's poorest performers vs PSG

Like the team overall, Odegaard and Martinelli started the game relatively well last night, with the former forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into an incredible save down low to his left and the latter getting past his markers several times.

However, as the game progressed, both starters began to fade into the background, with The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid claiming the captain put in a “completely anonymous display in the second half,” and the same could be said about the latter.

It might sound overly harsh, but we aren’t alone in this opinion, as Alex Turk of the Express was particularly scathing of the pair.

He awarded the Norwegian a 4/10 and the Brazilian a 3/10, writing that the former ‘goes missing in these crunch games far too often’ and the latter was both ‘invisible’ and ‘not near the level required.’

It’s a damming assessment of their performances, more than justified by some of their statistics, as, across his 95 minutes of action, the captain amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.22, while the former Ituano gem failed in 100% of his crosses and lost 50% of his ground duels.

However, while neither player looked anywhere near their best last night, there is still some clear upside in keeping them for next season, which cannot be said about another of the Gunners’ biggest disappointments from Pairs.

The Arsenal star who has to be axed

While William Saliba and even Mikel Merino looked off the pace last night, neither of them should be moved on in the summer, which cannot be said for Thomas Partey.

The former Atlético Madrid star was absent for the first leg of the tie due to a stupid incident off the ball against Real Madrid, but it would be hard to say he added much of anything to the team in the second leg, bar some rather underwhelming long throws.

For example, while he kept the ball moving fairly well in the first half, he slowly became more and more of a problem in possession, losing the ball at an increasing rate, including for Hakimi’s tie-ending goal late in the second half.

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Again, while it sounds harsh, we aren’t alone in being disappointed with Turk awarding him a paltry 3/10 match rating at full-time, while Catterson-Reid simply described his showing as “so so bad.”

Minutes

95′

Touches

61

Completed Passes

31

Crosses (Accurate)

3 (1)

Long Balls (Accurate)

4 (2)

Shots

0

Ground Duels (Won)

7 (4)

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Lost Possession

19

Dribbled Past

1

Unsurprisingly, the 31-year-old’s statistics more than back up the scathing reviews of his display, as, in 95 minutes of action, he made just 31 passes, misplaced two of three crosses and 50% of his long balls, failed to have a single shot, lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost the ball a staggering 19 times and was dribbled past once.

It was the sort of showing that makes talk of him being offered a new contract seem utterly ridiculous, as with him turning 32 in the summer, there is no reason to believe he’ll improve, let alone maintain his form into next season.

Ultimately, while the team clearly put in the effort at points last night, there were a few too many players who weren’t at the level, including Partey, who should be thanked for his service in the summer and sent on his way.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 7, 2025

It’s fair to say West Bromwich Albion’s season hasn’t gone to plan in the Championship with Tony Mowbray axed after just 17 clashes back at the Hawthorns helm.

Losing the steady presence of Carlos Corberan abruptly has ultimately derailed the Baggies’ promotion push, leaving Mowbray with the tough task of picking up the pieces after the Spaniard walked away for a chance at Valencia.

Unfortunately, the 61-year-old would only pick up a meagre five victories from those 17 games, with the failed promotion chasers now after another new manager to freshen up the stale environment.

Marti Cifuentes has been the main name getting all the buzz, but the second-tier underperformers could now opt to appoint this left-field name instead of landing the Queens Park Rangers boss.

West Brom keen admirers of Cifuentes' alternative

Indeed, reports in recent days have suggested that talks have been held between the Baggies and the Hoops over a deal for Cifuentes, with West Brom clearly a fan of what the 42-year-old has managed to achieve to date at Loftus Road.

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But, he isn’t the only face being considered for the vacant job post, with journalist Darren Witcoop taking to X recently to confirm that the Championship side are also ‘admirers’ of current FC St. Pauli head coach Alexander Blessin.

Blessin took over the reins at the German giants from Fabian Hurzeler, with the 51-year-old perhaps following Hurzeler’s career path even more if he too takes the leap to relocate to England.

After all, when glancing at Blessin’s career achievements so far as a manager, he could actually be viewed as an upgrade on Cifuentes, meaning he might well become the main desired target if QPR aren’t willing to sanction a move.

Why Blessin could be an upgrade on Cifuentes

Before looking more in-depth at Blessin’s varied CV as a manager, there are a multitude of reasons as to why West Brom have cherry-picked Cifuentes as a candidate to replace Mowbray.

Last season saw the ex-Hammarby boss transform QPR’s fortunes on the pitch, with relegation looking nailed on at one point under the previous tenure of Gareth Ainsworth, only for Cifuentes to lift the once downtrodden Hoops all the way up to 18th and six points clear of the dreaded drop-zone.

But, the Spaniard has struggled at points this season to kick on, with a sobering 5-0 loss to an already promoted Burnley side more than kicking his side in the teeth last match.

Whilst Blessin has equally had to navigate choppy waters this campaign in the German top-flight (six points above the relegation zone), his overall resume as a manager to date does look slightly more impressive than his counterpart’s.

Most notably, the Stuttgart-born coach was an overwhelming success in Belgium with Royal Union Saint-Gilloise before the Bundesliga beckoned.

FC St. Pauli

33

9

7

17

Union Saint-Gilloise

58

36

12

10

Genoa

33

11

12

10

KV Oostende

65

26

11

28

RB Leipzig (U17s/U19s)

87

56

6

25

Away from some hiccups at his current employers, Blessin has largely been a success wherever he’s been managing all across Europe, with his celebrated 58-game stay at Union SG even seeing him lift the Belgian Cup.

Overall, the West Brom target has steered all of his teams to an impressive 138 victories from 276 career games. To add context, Cifuentes has a lesser 130 from a heftier 321 clashes.

With his expansive 3-5-2 set-up also potentially suiting the likes of wide man Tom Fellows, this might well be a match made in heaven if a move is signed off on, with the Baggies hopeful they can pick up their next Corberan-style figure shortly to put Mowbray’s dismal return firmly in the past.

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ByDan Emery Apr 24, 2025

Celtic do a lot of things right on the pitch and that is why they have had so much success in domestic football over the years, with a treble on the cards this season.

The Hoops are set to win the Scottish Premiership title for the fourth season running and made their way to the final of the SFA Cup with a 5-0 win over St. Johnstone at Hampden Park on Sunday.

Brendan Rodgers has built a relentless team that is hungry to win at every opportunity, which is evidenced by their form this season across all competitions.

It took German giants Bayern Munich to narrowly knock the Hoops out of the Champions League, whilst they have already won the League Cup, and are on course to win the Premiership and the SFA Cup.

Celtic do not get everything right, though, as no club can be expected to be perfect in all areas, and one aspect of the game that they may want to improve is their pathway from the academy to the first-team.

Callum McGregor, 31, is the only academy graduate to have started more than six league games for the club this season, whilst no academy graduate under the age of 26 has started a single league match, and the Hoops have fumbled exciting prospects from their youth set-up in the past.

How Celtic fumbled Karamoko Dembele

Karamoko Dembele joined the Bhoys at the age of 10 in 2013 and, unbelievably, played for the U20 side at the age of just 13, which led to comparisons to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi.

David Feeney, who coached the forward at youth level, compared him to the Argentine icon, saying: “I think he is very similar to Lionel Messi. If he has the right guidance, then the sky is the limit for him.”

Dembele went on to make his first-team debut in the Premiership at the end of the 2018/19 campaign, playing 45 minutes off the bench against Hearts, but he only played seven times in the following two seasons and then suffered a fractured ankle in the summer of 2021 that stunted his development under Ange Postecoglou.

After just ten appearances and 133 minutes of action on the pitch for the first-team, Celtic and Postecoglou opted to release the young forward in the summer of 2022.

Dembele joined Stade Brest on a free transfer ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and has spent the last two seasons on loan in England, with Blackpool and Queens Park Rangers, respectively.

Starts

29

13

xG

N/A

1.14

Goals

8

2

Big chances created

15

4

Key passes per game

2.0

1.1

Assists

13

4

As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old attacker has provided quality in both League One and the Championship since the start of last season, scoring ten goals and providing 17 assists.

The left-footed whiz may not have lived up to the Messi comparison yet, but he has still forged a decent career for himself so far and is one that Celtic fumbled before he got the chance to prove himself with regular minutes on the pitch.

Dembele is not the only promising youngster who has been fumbled by the Scottish giants, though. The Hoops had Ben Doak emerge at a similar time and also failed to see the best of his talents at Parkhead.

Why Ben Doak was Karamoko Dembele 2.0

Just like Dembele, Doak came up through the youth ranks in Glasgow and caught the eye enough at academy level to earn a first-team breakthrough at a young age.

The left-footed starlet played 25 minutes over two matches off the bench in the Scottish Premiership at the age of 16 in the 2021/22 campaign under Postecoglou, which meant that he made his senior bow at the end of Dembele’s time at Parkhead.

Unfortunately, however, it was also the end of Doak’s time in Glasgow because he was out of contract at the end of that season and decided to move on to new pastures.

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The Scotland youth international decided to join Premier League giants Liverpool for a compensation fee of just £600k, which meant that the Bhoys lost him on the cheap because they could not get him to commit his long-term future to Glasgow.

Celtic may look back on his time at the club with regret and wonder if they could have done more, with extra game time on the pitch, to convince him to stay.

Doak played ten first-team games for the Reds in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns combined before joining Middlesbrough on loan last summer, thriving in the Championship this season.

Starts

21

Goals

3

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.9

Assists

7

Dribbles completed per game

1.5

As you can see in the table above, the 19-year-old star has racked up ten goals and assists combined in 21 starts in the division, whilst Dembele has managed two goals and four assists for QPR in the same league at the age of 22.

These statistics suggest that Doak, who was described as a “generational” Scottish talent by analyst John Walker, could be an even greater prospect than Dembele, whilst playing in a similar position on the flank.

The Middlesbrough loanee has shown great promise in his performances in the Championship and, therefore, will be another Celtic academy graduate who the club may look back on with regret as they failed to extract the maximum out of his talent before his time at the club was up.

Doak only had 25 minutes on the pitch for the Hoops at senior level and his form for Boro in England suggests that the Scottish giants could have had an incredibly exciting wing talent on their hands if they had managed to keep hold of him back in 2022.

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ByDan Emery Apr 21, 2025

Glasgow Rangers continued their dismal campaign when they were beaten 2-0 by Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership last weekend, failing to shorten the gap to their rivals at the top of the table.

The Scottish giants, excluding penalties, have lost in normal time in five of their last ten matches in all competitions, and have now lost seven times in the league.

Barry Ferguson replaced Philippe Clement earlier this year to become the interim head coach until the end of the season, and results like this are not doing his chances of landing the job permanently any favours.

The Scottish boss has lost two of his five Premiership matches in charge and the team have conceded a staggering 11 goals in those five matches.

Defending has not been the only issue for the Light Blues in recent weeks, or over the course of the campaign, though, as they missing chances has also been a problem, with centre-forward Cyriel Dessers being a serial offender in front of goal.

Why Cyriel Dessers has cost Rangers this season

The Nigeria international joined the club from Cremonese in the summer of 2023, signed by Michael Beale, and has failed to offer consistency in his finishing in front of goal over the past two seasons.

Dessers missed a whopping 29 ‘big chances’ on his way to 18 goals in the Premiership and the Europa League last term, and he has missed 26 ‘big chances’ in those two competitions so far this season.

Minutes

90

90

88

Shots

1

12

4

Shots on target

0

9

1

Big chances missed

0

5

2

Goals

0

1

0

Duels won

1/11

4/8

3/8

As you can see in the table above, the experienced forward has been particularly wasteful with the chances that have come his way in the last few matches, scoring one goal and missing seven ‘big chances’ from 17 shots on goal.

Dessers missed two huge opportunities to find the back of the net in the 2-0 defeat to Hibernian, which could have changed the game to either put Rangers ahead to pull it back to 2-2 to set the team up to find a winner late on.

His missed chances mean that the Gers often fail to capitalise on the pressure they put on opposition defences, which then provides them with more opportunities to go up the other end and score – as Hibs did last weekend.

That is why Dessers’ wasteful finishing, which has been a theme throughout his Ibrox career, has cost the Light Blues this season, and why the club must address that position in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Scottish giants, however, once let go of a young prospect who has since developed into being an upgrade on the Nigerian forward in the present-day – Ryan Hardie.

Why Rangers sold Ryan Hardie

The centre-forward came up through the academy system in Glasgow and first broke into the senior side when Rangers were in the Championship in the 2014/15 campaign, scoring two goals in five league matches.

Hardie went on loan to Raith Rovers in the following season and scored an eye-catching six goals in ten Championship games, before spending time at St Mirren and Raith Rovers on loan in the second tier in the 2016/17 season – scoring nine goals in 34 matches.

His impressive form as a young striker out on loan led to him being a part of Steven Gerrard’s first-team squad in the first half of the 2017/18 campaign, playing seven Premiership matches but only being on the pitch for 55 minutes.

His lack of minutes on the pitch led to him spending the following 18 months on loan at Livingston, a season of which was in the Premiership. He scored seven goals in 21 Premiership matches for the relegation-threatened side in the 2018/19 campaign.

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However, Hardie’s form on loan at Livingston was not enough to convince Gerrard that he had a long-term future at Ibrox under him, which led to a permanent move to Blackpool in England for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2019.

This meant that the Scottish attacker moved on from Glasgow after a return of two goals in 17 first-team matches for the club, spread across multiple seasons and leagues, but the Gers may, now, look back on him as one that got away from them.

Why Ryan Hardie is an upgrade on Cyriel Dessers

Hardie, who scored a winning goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup earlier this season, currently plays for Plymouth Argyle, who he signed for six months after joining Blackpool.

In his time with the English side, the former Rangers academy graduate has scored 72 goals and provided 23 assists in 243 matches in all competitions, helping the club to go from League Two to the Championship.

His Transfermarkt value has soared from £214k at the time of his Gers exit in 2019 to £1.5m at the time of writing, an increase of 601% – showing that the Scottish giants did not get maximum value out of him.

Since Plymouth were promoted to the second tier in England, Hardie has provided a reliable presence in front of goal to give his team a fighting chance of staying up, most recently scoring a brace in a 2-1 win over Norwich City last weekend.

The 28-year-old marksman, who was dubbed “incredible” by former boss Ian Foster, has been delivering quality for a team challenging at the bottom of their respective league, whilst Dessers has been less-than-impressive in front of goal for a team that should be challenging for titles.

Starts

55

46

Goals

20

28

Big chances missed

22

44

Shots per game

1.9

2.5

Shots

142

167

Big chances created

7

10

Assists

7

6

As you can see in the table above, Dessers has missed twice as many ‘big chances’ as Hardie, despite starting fewer matches, but only scored eight more goals.

These statistics suggest that the Scottish striker would currently have more goals than the Nigerian forward if he had been presented with the consistent stream of huge openings that Dessers has had in the Premiership over the past two seasons.

Hardie has proven his worth with Plymouth in the Championship, becoming a regular scorer in the English second tier, and has done so in a team that has not created many ‘big chances’ for him – compared to the amount Rangers create for their forward.

Therefore, the former Gers gem could have been an upgrade on Dessers if he had stayed at the club because of his ability to find the back of the net at an impressive rate without missing as many ‘big chances’ as the Beale signing, who is consistently letting his side down.

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ByRobbie Walls Apr 8, 2025

The biggest game of the season so far is on the horizon, ahead of Thursday’s clash with Lyon in the Europa League, yet for those of a Manchester United persuasion, attention is already beginning to turn toward the summer transfer window.

As manager Ruben Amorim has already stated, even winning Europe’s second-tier competition would not be enough to “save” their season, with major surgery needed to the squad once again over the coming months.

Club legend Gary Neville stated after the dour Manchester derby that he feels United need at least “five new players straight away” to help give Amorim a fighting chance, while even the former Sporting CP boss has stated that he is keen to bring in “one or two big players”, ahead of next season.

Work is likely to already be underway in that regard, with rumours currently rife over just who will be on their way to Old Trafford. Might Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, be among them?

Latest on Man Utd's pursuit of Matheus Cunha

If Cunha had been auditioning for Amorim and co earlier this season, he certainly couldn’t have done much more to impress, with the Brazilian inspiring the hosts to a 2-0 win at Molineux on Boxing Day.

The 25-year-old memorably scored directly from a corner – while teeing up his side’s second goal – in what was an all-action display on the night, with scout Mick Brown stating that he “fits the system perfectly”, in relation to Amorim’s 3-4-3 set-up.

With 13 goals to his name for the Old Gold this season, Cunha has unsurprisingly caught the attention, with reports earlier this week suggesting that United have now joined Arsenal and Nottingham Forest in the race for his signature.

As per the report, there has already been ‘initial contact’ between the Red Devils and the player’s agent, ahead of a possible summer move, with the option there for United to trigger the forward’s £62.5m release clause.

The player himself has already confirmed that he wants to “take the next step” in his career, with it yet to be seen whether that ‘step’ will lead him toward the Theatre of Dreams.

Regardless of whether or not the one-time RB Leipzig star does move to Manchester, it could be argued that Amorim already has his own version among the current Red Devils ranks.

Man Utd already have their own Matheus Cunha

As the aforementioned Brown has stated, what sets Cunha apart is that he is “not a one-trick pony”, with the respected insider listing a variety of traits which make him such a worthwhile investment:

Those are all attributes which the Old Gold hero seemingly shares with a certain Amad Diallo, with the pair noted as similar players among those in their position in the Premier League this season, as per FBref.

Indeed, not only are both men remarkably versatile – amid their ability to feature centrally, or on the flanks – but they both have that knack for making things happen for their respective sides, with Amad ranking in the top 15% for shot-creating actions per 90, while Cunha ranks in the top 19% in that regard.

The pair are also adept at beating their man when in possession, with the 22-year-old United starlet ranking in the top 21% for successful take-ons per 90, while his Wolves counterpart ranks in the top 19% for that same metric.

Games (starts)

17 (12)

32 (29)

26 (24)

Goals

2

12

13

Scoring frequency

492 mins

204 mins

165 mins

Big chances missed

1

6

2

Assists

0

7

4

Big chances created

1

7

12

Key passes*

0.4

0.9

1.7

Pass accuracy*

76%

82%

78%

Successful dribbles*

1.5

2.0

1.9

Possession lost*

7.0

11.8

16.7

Defensively too, there is also a likeness in their ability to lead the press from the front, with Amad ranking in the top 23% for interceptions made, while Cunha ranks in the top 19%. In essence, neither man gives their opponent a moment’s peace.

While currently sidelined with injury, the Ivorian had dazzled prior to that at Old Trafford, notably chalking up six goals and six assists in 22 league outings, while averaging 1.8 key passes per game. That creative spark is mirrored by the Brazil international who averages 1.7 key passes per game, having registered 17 goals and assists thus far.

There is the prospect of having the two men operating in tandem in United’s forward line next term, although even a deal for Cunha can’t be secured, Amorim can rest safe in the knowledge that he has is own “sensational” talent – as described by journalist Liam Canning – to call upon.

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ByRobbie Walls Apr 8, 2025

With the January transfer window only a few weeks away, Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl will already be thinking about the positions that he wants to strengthen in.

There are several areas of the squad that could do with improvement ahead of the second half of the season, given that the Gers are nine points adrift of first place, and attacking midfielder is one of those positions.

Thelo Aasgaard was brought in from Luton in the summer transfer window, as one of 12 arrivals, and the number ten has failed to deliver regular quality on the pitch, with as many red cards (one) as goals (one).

The Norway international has produced one goal and one assist in 22 appearances, per Transfermarkt for Rangers, and his assist was a simple pass to Djeidi Gassama, who raced forward and scored from distance against Dundee.

Rangers told to sign Championship star in January

Now, the Light Blues have been predicted to make a move to re-sign one of their former players, who would arrive at Ibrox as an upgrade on Aasgaard.

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Speaking on Clyde Superscoreboard, as relayed by The Scottish Sun, Livingston first-team coach Marvin Bartley has tipped Rangers to bring Joe Aribo back to the club in the January transfer window.

When asked about a possible deal, Bartley said: “I think that is one that could happen.”

“When a player enjoys somewhere, and obviously he had to leave because it was a really good offer that he got down the road, and he has not played as much football as he wanted to play. He is still a really, really good footballer and did well for Rangers. I wouldn’t be massively shocked if he came back in January.”

The Scottish Sun explains that Aribo is reportedly set to leave Southampton, whom he joined from Rangers for £10m in 2022, and could be available for a fee of £1.5m, amid interest from teams in Turkey.

Why Rangers should bring Joe Aribo back to Ibrox

For a fee of £1.5m, a deal to bring the Nigeria international back to Ibrox seems like a no-brainer on paper, because he still has plenty left to give at the age of 29 and has already proven himself in a Rangers shirt.

Plenty of players, most recently Steven Davis, Leon Balogun, and Allan McGregor, have returned for second spells in Glasgow, so it is not out of the ordinary for the club to re-sign one of their former stars.

Aribo’s current availability, as he has not started a league game for Southampton this season, provides the Light Blues with the perfect chance to bring him back for a fraction of the fee they raked in for him in 2022.

The left-footed star is a proven performer in Scottish football. During his time at Ibrox, the 29-year-old midfielder scored 26 goals and provided 25 assists in 149 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that the £70k-per-week ace offered a regular threat at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Ibrox giants, whilst playing as a central midfielder, as an attacking midfielder, or on the right wing.

21/22

8

6

20/21

7

4

19/20

3

8

Total

18

18

As you can see in the table above, Aribo was as impressive at scoring goals as he was at creating them in the Premiership during his three season stint in Glasgow, which shows that he knows how to deliver quality in the top-flight.

Aasgaard, however, has failed to show that he has what it takes to be a consistent and reliable performer for Rangers in any competition, let alone the Premiership, which is why Rohl should be looking for an upgrade on him in January.

Aribo, who Ezri Konsa said has a “languid” style, has scored nine goals in 111 matches for Southampton to date, per Transfermarkt. He has not been as prolific as he was for the Gers, but 53 of those games came in the Premier League against high-quality opposition.

However, returning to the Premiership could reignite his career because it is a level that he is comfortable at and knows how to perform in, as evidenced by his time with the Gers before he moved to England.

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Therefore, Aribo could return to Ibrox as a big upgrade on Aasgaard in the number ten position as a player who can deliver goals and assists, to win crucial points for the team, on a regular basis, whilst the Norwegian has struggled on both fronts.

One player still on the books at Manchester United has been told that his Old Trafford “career is over” by a former Red Devils midfielder.

Players who could leave Man Utd in 2026

2026 could be another busy year at Old Trafford in regards to incomings and outgoings, with Ruben Amorim and INEOS continuing to make their mark in Manchester.

The Red Devils have four players out of contract at the end of the season, one of which is midfielder Casemiro.

Players out of contract at Man Utd in 2026

Harry Maguire

Casemiro (option until 2027)

Tom Heaton

Tyrell Malacia

Man Utd have the option to extend that by a further 12 months, however, Amorim and INEOS seemingly clashing behind the scenes regarding the Brazilian. Amorim wants to keep Casemiro whereas INEOS want him to take a pay cut from his current £350,000-a-week wage.

There are also numerous loanees away from Man Utd who could seal permanent exits at the end of the season. Rasmus Hojlund is at Napoli, Marcus Rashford is at Barcelona, Jadon Sancho is at Aston Villa and Andre Onana is with Trabzonspor.

United could look to move the quartet out on a full-time basis, with options to buy inserted in Rashford’s move to the Nou Camp and Hojlund’s move to Napoli. Now, another one of the four has been told he has no future at the club by a pundit.

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ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025 Strachan tells Onana his Man Utd “career is over”

Former Man Utd midfielder Gordon Strachan, speaking to Esports News relayed by The Manchester Evening News, feels that Andre Onana “has played his last game” for Man Utd and would be “shocked” if he played for the Red Devils again.

Onana’s Man Utd contract is worth £120,000-a-week and there is no option to buy for the Turkish side at the end of the season, with the ‘keeper’s Manchester deal not expiring until 2028.

United forked out just under £50m on Onana back in 2023, but after numerous errors at Old Trafford and Amorim now having Senne Lammens, a permanent exit could make sense for all involved next year.

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Some of the best players in the world are in football’s engine room, possessing an array of qualities, whether that be protecting their defence, dictating the flow of the play or creating goalscoring opportunities for teammates.

With such a range of playing styles across the midfield spectrum, working out the best in this position can be an unenviable task. But we have given it a go anyway, with plenty of star power in this list of the top 15 midfielders in the world today.

Ranking factors

To help rank the players in order, we have considered the following criteria:

Current form – how well a player has performed in the past few months Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their teams’ performances Role – how unique their skillset is Reputation – what others say about them

Rank

Player

Age

Club

Nation

Pedri

22

Barcelona

Spain

Jude Bellingham

22

Real Madrid

England

Moises Caicedo

24

Chelsea

Ecuador

Declan Rice

26

Arsenal

England

Vitinha

25

PSG

Portugal

Rodri

29

Man City

Spain

Jamal Musiala

22

Bayern Munich

Germany

Federico Valverde

27

Real Madrid

Uruguay

Dominik Szoboszlai

25

Liverpool

Hungary

Joao Neves

21

PSG

Portugal

Scott McTominay

28

Napoli

Scotland

Bruno Fernandes

31

Man Utd

Portugal

Kevin De Bruyne

34

Napoli

Belgium

Martin Odegaard

26

Arsenal

Norway

Florian Wirtz

22

Liverpool

Germany

15 Florian Wirtz Liverpool and Germany

Florian Wirtz had a magical couple of seasons with Bayer Leverkusen, which resulted in Liverpool spending an initial £100m on his services in 2025.

Despite often playing behind the main strikers, Wirtz is still a goal machine in attacking midfield. Still a youngster at 22, it is frightening to think where Wirtz could go if he can stay injury-free and adapt to the demands of English football.

However, so far, he has struggled in the Premier League, showing signs of brilliance in the Champions League.

14 Martin Odegaard Arsenal and Norway

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has had to battle back from numerous injury setbacks over the last 12 months.

In a way, his temporary unavailability to Mikel Arteta’s side only served to prove how vital he is to the Gunners, who suffered creatively during his absence in attacking midfield.

Labelled as “world class” by Paul Merson, the Arsenal star possessed the maturity and level of talent that handed him the captaincy, and could yet be the man to lead the Gunners to their next trophy under Arteta having continued to improve at the Emirates Stadium.

13 Kevin De Bruyne Napoli and Belgium

Kevin De Bruyne may well be past his peak, but he is still showing his world-class ability after leaving Man City for Serie A champions Napoli.

The 34-year-old still has what it takes to be a leading figure, whether that be at club or international level, and has already scored numerous goals and registered assists for his new employers.

12 Bruno Fernandes Man Utd and Portugal

Bruno Fernandes has been Man Utd’s shining light in recent memory, with the Portugal international arguably the only world-class player on the books at Old Trafford.

At his best in an attacking midfield role, Pep Guardiola has even called Fernandes one of the best creative players he has ever seen.

11 Scott McTominay Napoli and Scotland

Scott McTominay has shown Man Utd what they have been missing after leaving Old Trafford for Napoli in 2024.

The Scotland international starred in his first season in Italy, being named Serie A’s Most Valuable Player after helping Napoli to the title. His displays were even recognised at the 2025 Ballon d’Or, where he finished 18th and his sensational bicycle kick helped Scotland reach the World Cup.

10 Joao Neves PSG and Portugal

Joao Neves’ first full season at the Parc des Princes couldn’t have gone any better, playing regularly under Luis Enrique and lifting all there was to be won, including the Champions League.

The ball-playing midfielder was key to PSG’s success in Europe and has continued to star in the French capital, making his initial £50m move from Benfica look a real bargain.

9 Dominik Szoboszlai Liverpool and Hungary

As part of a relentless Liverpool side, Dominik Szoboszlai has become a giant in the Reds midfield. The Hungarian improved on his goal threat from his first season at Anfield, coming amid a slight change in position, showcasing his versatility in a more advanced role under Arne Slot.

Now looking right at home in England, Szoboszlai is on the path to greatness on Merseyside, with his manager labelling him as “unbelievable” amid his role in Liverpool comfortably sauntering to the Premier League title.

8 Federico Valverde Real Madrid and Uruguay

A versatile and clinical technician, Federico Valverde hardly looks out of place among the best in the game following his recent performances for Real Madrid.

An almost guaranteed starter for one of the best teams in the world, there’s little to suggest there is anything other than the highest respect from his manager, Carlo Ancelotti.

In fact, the Italian has dubbed the Uruguayan as “the most complete player in football”. As of now, it is difficult to picture a Real Madrid side succeeding without him, as displayed through his vital winner against Athletic Club as the team’s title bid looked set to fall flat.

7 Jamal Musiala Bayern Munich and Germany

Jamal Musiala’s rise to stardom in Germany has been a rapid one, while his prominence in a Bayern Munich side, of all sides, is an illustration of his current status in the game.

Being able to dominate games for the Bavarians or on the international stage for Die Mannschaft is a sign of his rightful place at the elite level.

Statistically one of the best chance creators in the league from midfield, Musiala will hope to continue to blossom under the wing of Vincent Kompany, having worked his way up to the top in a short space of time.

6 Rodri Man City and Spain

2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has unfortunately suffered some injury issues, but he is perhaps the epitome of someone who shapes how his team plays and performs, as illustrated by his long unbeaten run when starting for Manchester City, which came to an end after the 2024 FA Cup final.

Man City’s form – and season – fell apart following the Spaniard’s layoff, and there is arguably no player as good as he is in his position of defensive midfield. But having been out for so long, he perhaps relies on returning to top form to reclaim his place as the best midfielder in the game.