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Sunderland are now reportedly in pole position to sign a midfield star who Regis Le Bris already knows well ahead of rivals Newcastle United.

Le Bris eyes Sunderland reaction vs Bournemouth

It’s not often that Sunderland have been handed setbacks this season, but defeat against Fulham last time out was exactly that for Le Bris’ side.

Whilst it was just their third loss of the season and there’s no reason to think that last week’s result could derail their strong start, the Black Cats will be eyeing a reaction against Bournemouth.

Three points could take the Black Cats to as high as third if other results also go their way and after 13 games that would simply be remarkable. In many ways, those at the Stadium of Light are replicating the impressive work that Bournemouth have gradually enjoyed since their own promotion.

Le Bris admitted his admiration for the Cherries, saying: “Bournemouth are a good model for us. They way they have built in the last four seasons in the league is really interesting for us.”

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It must be said, however, that Sunderland’s model has so featured more investment and the type of investment that could see them land Matteo Guendouzi ahead of Newcastle in January.

Sunderland leading Newcastle in Guendouzi race

According to TeamTalk, Sunderland are now ahead of Newcastle in the race to sign Guendouzi in 2026 in a deal that could be worth up to £26m. Le Bris knows the Lazio midfielder well from their time together at Lorient and admitted that he’s still in contact with his former midfielder a few weeks ago.

It would be a statement move if the Black Cats landed a transfer target ahead of their rivals, who are backed by the extensive riches of PIF. But that’s the position they find themselves in after such an impressive start to the Premier League campaign.

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It’s easy to see why Sunderland are chasing a reunion between Le Bris and Guendouzi, given how the Frenchman has compared to star man Granit Xhaka so far this season. The transfer report even states that the Black Cats view Guendouzi ‘as the perfect midfield partner for Xhaka, adding experience and bite to their engine room’.

Previously dubbed a “great professional” by former Hertha Berlin sporting director Arne Friedrich, Guendouzi also has unfinished business in the Premier League after leaving Arsenal under a dark cloud in 2021 and could earn redemption at Sunderland.

Isidor upgrade: Sunderland open talks to sign "unstoppable" £26m striker

Manchester United have managed to get a more consistent run of form together under Ruben Amorim. It took a long time, a year into the Portuguese manager’s reign at Old Trafford, but results have improved in recent weeks, even if consistent performances are yet to follow.

However, one issue United continue to have this season is the fact that they can’t stop conceding goals. The 18 they have let in so far in the Premier League this term are better than just five sides, all of whom occupy 16th to 20th in the top flight.

Despite the defensive frailties, one of the men at the back, Matthijs de Ligt, has been a standout player.

The numbers behind De Ligt's form for Man Utd

It has been a superb second season in red so far for Netherlands international De Ligt. The 26-year-old has been a key man in Amorim’s back three, showing versatility as a central centre-back and a right-sided centre-back.

The Ajax academy graduate has been ever-present in the Premier League. He’s played 90 minutes in all 11 of the Red Devils’ top-flight games, and has surely cemented himself as Amorim’s most trusted defender.

Not only has De Ligt been a colossus at the back, winning 3.55 aerial duels per 90 minutes in the Premier League, but he came up clutch at the weekend. The Dutch defender headed home a stoppage-time equaliser to secure United a late point away to Tottenham Hotspur.

His exceptional performances have not gone unnoticed. Rio Ferdinand, who knows a thing or two about being a top defender for United, was full of praise for the Dutchman recently.

He said De Ligt has been “magnificent” and is “probably the first name on the teamsheet” under Amoirm at the moment.

The defender has been excellent in 2025/26, but it is one of his teammates who could actually be seen as United’s new Nemanja Vidic.

Man United's new version of Vidic

When you think of United’s former captain Vidic, there are a few different things which might spring to mind. He was a colossal defender, and, of course, formed half of that legendary duo with Ferdinand at the heart of United’s defence.

Well, the modern-day version of Vidic under Amorim could be Brazilian legend Casemiro. Of course, he is a midfielder, whereas the former Red Devils number 15 was a centre-back, but there are plenty of similar traits shared by the pair.

Casmeiro, for example, brings a wealth of experience to the United side, which is something Amorim has leaned heavily on this season.

He’s played ten times in the Premier League this season, only missing one game due to suspension after getting sent off against Chelsea.

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The former Real Madrid star is also a leader. Of course, he isn’t the club captain, with that title belonging to Bruno Fernandes. Yet, the 33-year-old is a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, and has played under great managers and alongside great managers.

He certainly brings bags of leadership to United’s squad, just as Vidic did all those years ago.

One of the dangers Vidic brought was his set-piece threat. He scored 21 times for United, with many of those bullet headers from a corner or free kick. Casemiro brings the same threat, and even scored from a corner two weeks ago away to Nottingham Forest.

It is easy to see how there are similarities between Vidic and United’s current number 18. The pair are warriors on the pitch, who bring years of experience and a brilliant and important sense of leadership, too.

Casemiro, described as a “monster” player by Statman Dave, has been crucial at Old Trafford under Amorim. Having a player of his calibre in the squad has certainly been vital to their good run of form in recent weeks.

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Manchester United continue to reap the rewards of this fantastic signing, who could go on to be a future Red Devils captain.

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O presidente eleito do Corinthians, Augusto Melo, segue alimentando a esperança de contratar Gabigol para 2024. O futuro mandatário alvinegro garantiu que o Timão possui condições financeiras para negociar com o Flamengo e pretende conversar com o Rubro-Negro sobre a possibilidade de acertar com o centroavante.

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+ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

– O Corinthians tem total condição, é um jogador que interessa a qualquer clube, tem a nossa característica e por que não? Tentar uma boa conversa, sentar do lado do Flamengo, há interesse dos dois lados. Seria muito bom para o Gabigol respirar novos ares, para o Corinthians ter um investimento desse, em termos de marketing, camisa. A gente vai chegar a um acordo se Deus quiser – afirmou Augusto Melo ao Seleção Sportv.

O Timão não apresentou proposta oficial ao Flamengo nem ao estafe do atleta. Mesmo assim, Augusto Melo voltou a dizer que Gabigol tem “a cara” do Corinthians.

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– Por enquanto, é uma amizade, uma amizade muito bacana. É um grande jogador, um ídolo por onde passou e seria muito interessante ele poder estar nos ajudando em 2024. Eu costumo sempre dizer que o Gabigol é um jogador de personalidade, de qualidade, ele tem as características do Corinthians, tem a cara do Corinthians – comentou Augusto.

+ Veja como ficou a tabela do Brasileirão após a última rodada

Embora tenha elogiado a torcida corintiana, Gabigol tem conversas avançadas para renovar seu contrato com a equipe carioca.

Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso was not too critical of his team's display during the narrow defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday. Alonso says he set up his team to win the midfield battle against Arne Slot's men as he made tactical adjustments in the second half, but lamented their inability to create clear chances at Anfield.

• Alonso's Liverpool homecoming ends in loss

  Real Madrid slipped to a gut-wrenching 1-0 loss to the underperforming Liverpool in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday evening. The visitors came into the encounter on the back of six straight wins, including the 2-1 defeat of Barcelona in La Liga. Meanwhile, Arne Slot's side had lost six of their last eight games, including four on the bounce in the Premier League before ending that run against Aston Villa at the weekend. Los Blancos were the favourites heading into the encounter due to the contrasting form experienced by both teams.

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• Alonso explains what led to Madrid defeat

  Alonso started the game with four midfielders, including Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni, while Federico Valverde filled in at full-back. Alonso opted to tweak his tactics further during the game, with winger Rodrygo taking Camavinga's place. 

  Asked what his aim was by fielding the Frenchman, he said: "A fourth midfielder. We thought Arda could cut inside from the wing, stretching Fede [Valverde]. Then we changed it because Arda had a good touch inside. These are decisions you make during the match.

  "We haven't been able to break through their last defensive line to create clear chances in the box. Fede was carrying a knock, so we substituted him. With Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and Rodrygo, we wanted to create threats. We looked for other combinations. Today we lacked a little something overall, and some details went their way."

  He also admitted that his team committed a lot of unnecessary fouls too close to the Liverpool box, which led the hosts to seize the moment and eventually find the winner through Mac Allister. "And in the second half, everything was very tight, a matter of small details. Those somewhat unnecessary fouls made us lose the initiative." he said.

• Vinicius and Mbappe ineffective against impenetrable Liverpool defence

  Kylian Mbappe had a forgettable evening at Anfield last year, when he missed a penalty and was largely uninfluential as Liverpool romped to a 2-0 win. However, things have been different for the Frenchman this season, as he has already racked up 18 goals in 15 games. On Tuesday, though, his powers were nullified by a fully locked-in Reds backline. Vinicius, who had previously never experienced a defeat against Liverpool, also lost his duel against right-back Conor Bradley comprehensively.

  Speaking on , Gareth Bale was critical of the star attacking duo. "I think it was that spark that [Thierry] Henry and I were talking about, that we didn't see Mbappe and Vinicius in the final third work a bit of magic and bring Madrid back into the game. It was a bit disappointing that in that final third there wasn't really that kind of quality that you expect from Real Madrid players.

  "It's frustrating, I think they overcomplicate things. Sometimes they just need to try and test the defender. They are clearly faster than anyone else on the pitch. But I think maybe they don't do it because there's no one else in the box waiting for the crosses. Maybe they need that reference number nine." 

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  Alonso wants Real Madrid to 'learn' from Liverpool loss

  It hasn't been a bad start from Madrid by any means this season, having won 13 games out of the 15 they've played. They also defeated Barcelona recently, putting an end to their four-game losing streak against their arch-rivals. However, there is still a feeling that Los Blancos require more time to settle in the new system under Alonso before they can start dominating in the big games. They lost 5-2 to Atletico Madrid in September, but the ex-Bayer Leverkusen gaffer believes the defeat to Liverpool was different, and one his boys could learn a lot from.

  "The match was even, with some details. There was a moment when things went very much in their favor… and there are many ways to lose," he said. "Today's loss is very different from the one at the Wanda Metropolitano. Today, we gave it our all, we competed, the attitude was good. We lacked a few things that we'll have to improve for the future, because there will surely be more matches like this. But today was the most difficult of the Champions League group stage.

  "I don't think we're going through peaks and valleys. The match at the Metropolitano wasn't a good one, but we have to be consistent with our performance, with our approach, with our standards. We don't want to experience peaks and valleys because that kind of pressure creates instability. Today we suffered a defeat in a close and competitive match, and we have to learn from it."

Rangers are looking towards a new manager target who could bring a traditional front two back to Ibrox.

It looked all but guaranteed to be Steven Gerrard. The Liverpool legend was telling Rio Ferdinand all about his desire to return to management and talks were held with Rangers, only for their managerial search to continue after his rejection. Back to square one, Kevin Thelwell’s miserable start to life at Ibrox doesn’t look like ending anytime soon and questions are already surrounding his position as sporting director.

Just where Rangers go from here is the big question. After their main candidate rejected them, the likes of Danny Rohl have already been mentioned as potential alternatives.

The former Sheffield Wednesday boss performed miracles at times in his last role, with circumstances away from the pitch often limiting his resources and disrupting things. Now, in search of his next coaching position, Rangers could yet come calling.

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The German was a candidate before Rangers chose to hire Martin in the summer, so they should know all about his expertise. Whether the Gers choose to turn towards a 36-year-old in their current circumstances remains to be seen, however.

The last thing that the 49ers need is for their second appointment to go as badly as the first. Whilst Rohl is a manager full of potential, Rangers must steady the ship first and foremost which may see them go in another direction. If that does prove to be the case, then a new name could yet take the vacant job.

Raphael Wicky joins Rangers shortlist

As reported by TeamTalk, Rangers are now considering a move for Raphael Wicky. The 48-year-old – 12 years Rohl’s senior – most recently took charge of Young Boys from 2022 to 2024 and maintained a points-per-game record of 1.97. It stands out as his most impressive role, given that he became a Swiss champion and cup winner during his time at the club.

A similar age to Gerrard and a league winner like the former Liverpool man, Wicky could make perfect sense, and according to Transfermarkt would bring a 4-4-2 formation to Ibrox, with the slight tweak of a diamond midfield.

There would be a sense of unknown, but it’s the same kind that Rangers arguably had when hiring an inexperienced Gerrard back in 2019, before he won the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox in 2021.

When it comes to Wicky’s system, Rangers can expect to start with two out and out strikers under the Swiss manager, which could see starts for both Bojan Miovski and Youssef Chermiti as the Gers aim to finally get their attack firing on all cylinders.

So, whilst Wicky doesn’t stand out as the most well-known option, he is certainly an interesting candidate. He is still developing his trade, but doesn’t lack experience as a title-winner and that should hand the 49ers something to consider.

South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock is set to rejoin Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad in Bengaluru on Thursday, two days ahead of their must-win fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). There had been some uncertainty surrounding de Kock’s return until Tuesday evening. He has since confirmed his availability for the last leg of the tournament that will run from May 17 to June 3. However, England allrounder Moeen Ali has opted out of the remainder of IPL 2025 due to personal reasons. Moeen is believed to communicated his decision to the KKR management on Wednesday night.KKR are also awaiting an update from West Indies batter Rovman Powell, who is nursing an unspecified injury that may hamper his participation. Powell had been in Dubai along with the rest of KKR’s West Indies contingent, while being in close consultation with the medical staff. ESPNcricinfo understands the franchise is looking at signing at least one short-term replacement.All other overseas players, including Quinton de Kock and Spencer Johnson, whose availability had been a slight doubt, have arrived in Bengaluru. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter, was the last of their confirmed overseas signings to arrive in Bengaluru.Andre Russell and Sunil Narine were among the first batch of overseas players to arrive in Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon. The pair is believed to have boarded a mid-morning flight to Bengaluru from Dubai, where they’d been stationed ever since BCCI decided to suspend the tournament temporarily due to border-tensions between India and Pakistan. Their onward travel to the Caribbean had been put on hold in anticipation of a resumption.KKR are set to train at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday and Friday in the run-up to the season’s resumption on Saturday. KKR are currently sixth, with five wins and a no-result in 12 matches. They need to win both their remaining matches and hope several other results go their way to have slim chances of making the playoffs.

The Royals captain will remain in Jaipur and will continue his rehab with the franchise’s medical staff

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Rajasthan Royals (RR) will be without captain Sanju Samson for their away match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday. This is the second successive IPL 2025 match that Samson will miss after suffering an abdominal injury during RR’s Super Over defeat to Delhi Capitals (DC).”Samson is currently undergoing recovery and will remain at the team’s home base (Jaipur) with select RR medical staff,” the franchise said in a statement. “As part of his ongoing rehab process, he will not be travelling to Bangalore for the upcoming match against RCB. The team management is monitoring his progress closely and will take a game-by-game approach regarding his return to action.”Related

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In Samson’s absence, Riyan Parag will continue to captain RR. Earlier during the tournament, Parag had also stood in as captain when Samson was recovering from the finger injury he had sustained during the T20I series against England. As captain, Parag has 105 runs in four games at a strike rate of 147.88Samson had started the tournament as a pure batter with 66 off 37 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad and continued to get starts. In his last game against DC, he scored 31 off 19 balls before retiring hurt. He did not return to bat in the Super Over.In Samson’s absence, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who enjoyed a sparkling debut, will likely open with Yashasvi Jaiswal once again in Bengaluru.

Arsenal are now expected to rival Liverpool for the signature of an “elite” player, who Declan Rice is a big fan of.

Gunners lay down marker with victory against Nottingham Forest

The Gunners suffered an early setback in the Premier League title race at Anfield before the international break, with Liverpool emerging as 1-0 victors, but they got right back on track against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium.

A Martin Zubimendi brace either side of Viktor Gyokeres’ third goal of the season ensured the north Londoners picked up all three points, sending Mikel Arteta’s side back to the top of the Premier League table.

As expected, Arteta’s side have looked particularly impressive from a defensive point of view up to this point, with Dominik Szoboszlai’s arguably unstoppable free-kick the only goal they have conceded in the opening four games.

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However, there has now been a suggestion that Arteta remains keen on strengthening his backline even further, with a report from The Boot Room revealing Arsenal are now expected to rival Liverpool for the signature of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

Arne Slot’s side are still the favourites to sign Guehi, despite missing out on a £35m deal during the summer transfer window, but there could now be stiff competition for the centre-back’s signature, with a whole host of Europe’s top clubs, including Chelsea, also keen.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “He is a fantastic person and everyone who meets him relays that fact – I was told by one high ranking Premier League executive that signing him is one of the ‘least risky’ transfers that anyone could do.

"Elite" Guehi would provide incredible depth for Arteta

Arteta is already blessed with a number of top-quality options at centre-back, with William Saliba and Gabriel forming a formidable partnership, which led to the Gunners boasting the best defensive record in the Premier League last season.

Having also signed Cristhian Mosquera in the summer transfer window, there are doubts over whether signing another defender is necessary, but the Crystal Palace star clearly has the ability to be a success at the Emirates Stadium.

Lauded as an “elite” centre-back by writer Eddie Gibbs, the 25-year-old is now an established England international, picking up 25 caps, with Statman Dave recently singing him out for praise for his performance in the 5-0 victory against Serbia.

The Englishman, who Rice is a big fan of, scored his first goal for the Three Lions in the thrashing, while he has also made a flying start to the season at club level, particularly impressing in a 3-0 victory against Aston Villa.

Guehi stats vs Villa

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That said, it could be very difficult for Guehi to displace Saliba or Gabriel in the starting XI, so a move to Anfield could make more sense, especially if Ibrahima Konate doesn’t sign a new contract.

Manchester United are in the market for late deals and could be set to earn some much needed capital to invest into their squad by sanctioning a key departure, according to reports.

Manchester United look for Ruben Amorim turnaround

To put it bluntly, Ruben Amorim hasn’t endured the tenure he would’ve liked at Old Trafford so far and his misfortune was only compounded further courtesy of a disastrous EFL Cup exit to Grimsby Town in midweek.

Losing out on penalties, the Red Devils boss has been left under pressure by club chiefs, with reports emerging that Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner could be in the frame to take over at Manchester United if results don’t improve.

Wayne Rooney has been critical of the former Sporting boss and claimed that the defeat at Blundell Park could prove to be a ‘breaking point’ for Amorim, citing his belief that he will find it difficult to turn around the malaise at the club.

He stated on his own show: “There’s a pressure at Manchester United which he will never have felt before. When you’re not winning games it can start to get to you, and it looks like it was a breaking point for him.

“There’s just a little bit too much rotation going on and players getting a little bit lost. When they lose the ball there’s massive gaps and spaces and it’s a carry on from last season. If it carries on like that, then unfortunately I don’t see how it moves forward.”

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Transfers could be pivotal to a turnaround, and Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher could be set for an Old Trafford move, albeit sales will be necesarry to pulling any further moves off.

If recent reports are to be believed, they could now be set to hasten that process.

Rasmus Hojlund set for Napoli medical

According to Il Mattino, Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund is set to undergo a medical at Napoli in a deal that will see the Red Devils inherit around £37.2 million once his initial loan move goes through.

If the Serie A champions secure qualification to next campaign’s Champions League, the agreement will convert into an obligation to buy, meaning Amorim’s men will receive the full amount quoted.

Across his time at Old Trafford, Hojlund has struck 26 times in 95 appearances in all competitions. Nevertheless, Benjamin Sesko’s arrival has pushed him down the pecking order and an exit has been all but ratified.

Alejandro Garnacho’s move to Chelsea for £40 million will offer Manchester United the chance to make another marquee signing, if they can push negotiations over the line at this late stage, though it remains to be seen when both deals officially go through.

Either way, Amorim is in need of help to bolster his squad and funds generated from Hojlund’s exit will go a long way to achieving that feat.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may not be happy with Andrea Berta’s transfer talks to offload a “sensational talent”, with the Gunners believed to be locked in exit discussions after a meeting in the last 48 hours.

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Fresh off a solid start to their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win over Man United at Old Trafford, Arteta could still see a host of deals conducted at the Emirates Stadium ahead of deadline day on September 1.

Unfortunately for the supporters who wanted to see Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze link up with Arteta, that dream appears to be on the verge of collapsing.

Tottenham have verbally agreed a deal for Eze after Arsenal’s reported hesitation to move for the England international, with the club apparently deciding not to move, partly due to their desire for Ethan Nwaneri to get more minutes this season (talkSPORT).

Meanwhile, it is now believed that winger Leandro Trossard is on the verge of signing a brand-new deal at Arsenal, following previous reports that Berta could move for another left-winger if the Belgian leaves.

Given he is set for a salary increase, but the actual length of his deal hasn’t changed, it is unclear exactly what Arsenal’s plans are for the long-term when it comes to bringing in an eventual replacement for the 30-year-old.

However, in the meantime, Arsenal’s focus could be purely focused on outgoing transfers.

Fabio Vieira, Karl Hein, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior have all been linked with moves away from N5 in the last few weeks.

Stuttgart remain in lengthy talks for Vieira, which now centre around the possibility of a loan deal that includes an obligation to buy for £17 million, dependent on certain conditions.

Zinchenko has attracted interest from Italy and Turkey, with some reports suggesting that the Ukraine international has already discussed a move to Fenerbache with José Mourinho (Sabah).

Arsenal in talks to offload with FC Porto to offload Jakub Kiwior

According to GiveMeSport, following a meeting on Monday with FC Porto, Arsenal are also locked in talks over letting Jakub Kiwior depart for the Primeira Liga on loan.

The Poland international deputised brilliantly for the injured Gabriel at the back end of 2024/2025, impressing with some solid performances, but Kiwior is firmly a squad player under Arteta.

GMS report that Porto are pushing to sign Kiwior on a temporary deal, including an obligation to buy for 2026, with the major obstacle in negotiations believed to be the 25-year-old’s wages.

Francesco Farioli’s side want Arsenal to cover the majority of his salary before agreeing a move. It is interesting to note that, given just how highly Arteta rates the player, the Spaniard may not be keen to lose a reliable member of his squad.

Kiwior has also been called a “sensational talent” during his time in N5, but Portugal could now be beckoning.