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There is a feeling that Manchester United’s recruitment has turned a corner this season, even with Ruben Amorim’s side still languishing in mid-table in the Premier League.

Bryan Mbeumo, for instance, has already scored six times for the club, while Senne Lammens has tasted defeat just once in his first six games in the sticks.

More is expected of both Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko – who have scored only three goals between them – yet there have certainly been reasons for encouragement, not least the Brazilian’s stellar showing away at Anfield.

That almost £250m quartet have made an impact, no doubt about it, with the INEOS regime looking to have learned from the mistakes of the previous summer – and those that came before them.

Sancho vs Antony: Who was the worst signing?

The beauty of Mbeumo is that the former Brentford man – signed for around £71m – has hit the ground running. He is delivering what supporters would have hoped for, and more.

That certainly hasn’t been the case for United forwards of the recent past, with far too many expensive gambles having backfired, not least in the case of Jadon Sancho and Antony.

Starting with Sancho, the £73m man was courted for over a year before arriving in the summer of 2021 for what looked like a knockdown price at the time, having chalked up 107 goals and assists in 137 appearances during his first spell at Borussia Dortmund.

Hampered by an ear infection, the Englishman never really got going right from the off, in truth, overshadowed too by the subsequent capture of Cristiano Ronaldo.

After such a drawn-out saga, there was a muted excitement when Sancho did arrive, while he subsequently produced mere moments of quality, including the opener in Erik ten Hag’s first win against Liverpool.

The 25-year-old – now on loan at Aston Villa – has been truly forgettable, while Antony’s 2022 signing remains regrettable, with United forking out £86m on a player who was valued at around £25m just a year or so earlier.

A Ten Hag favourite at Ajax, the mercurial Brazilian did score in his first three league games, but that was about as good as it got in Manchester for the much-maligned left-footer.

Two statement goals did follow that season against Real Betis and Barcelona in the Europa League, albeit with that only heightening the belief that he is more suited to a league like LaLiga, where he is currently thriving.

He did at least have those moments, alongside his FA Cup strike against Liverpool, perhaps giving him the edge in the wooden spoon battle with Sancho – not least with expectations having been quite so high for the ex-England international.

Cost

£86m

£73m

Games

96

83

Goals

12

12

Assists

5

6

PL Games

62

58

PL Goals

5

9

PL Assists

3

6

Miserable marquee moves have, of course, followed since, but INEOS might well have made the worst of them.

Man Utd's biggest waste since Antony and Sancho

£70m might have been spent on Casemiro in that same summer as Antony’s arrival, but for all his flaws, the ageing midfielder is still an important figure for Amorim.

Rasmus Hojlund, at £72m, is another questionable, costly deal of recent times, although the Dane did at least finish his first season as the club’s top scorer in all competitions.

Looking back to last summer, too, the investment in Matthijs de Ligt is beginning to bear fruit, while, despite a shaky showing against Everton, Leny Yoro still looks destined to be a star of the future.

The same, unfortunately, cannot be said of another high-profile capture from that INEOS-led window, in the form of £50m man, Manuel Ugarte.

Now, the merits of selling Scott McTominay can continue to be debated, although the real issue is that having sold the Scotland star for £26m, the club then spent almost double on what only looks to be a downgrade in the midfield ranks.

Indeed, while McTominay has gone to secure Ballon d’Or nods and Scudetto triumphs, Ugarte has remained a polarising presence at Old Trafford, having struggled right from the off following his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain.

Neglected by Ten Hag, the reunion with Amorim initially looked set to be a fruitful one for the Uruguayan, having memorably put in a standout showing at Anfield in January.

Just four months later, however, the 24-year-old was merely an unused substitute in the Europa League final, having reportedly been given a dressing down by Amorim at Carrington in the wake of that defeat.

Like Donny van de Beek before him, even linking up with a former manager hasn’t helped to spark his United career into life, with Ugarte again notably overlooked during Monday’s defeat to Everton.

In the words of his manager, the £120k-per-week flop is “struggling” right now, with his woes on the ball particularly evident.

Among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues this season, he ranks in just the bottom 15% for progressive passes and the bottom 20% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

The £50m man – who has two goals and six assists in 55 games for the club to date – has only actually started two league games this season, with Amorim favouring the experience of Casemiro ahead of him in that midfield two.

Entering what is a pivotal second season for Ugarte, he is showing no signs of being a player for the long term at Old Trafford, with midfield improvements drastically needed in 2026.

To have forked out such a substantial fee for a truly limited player – one described as “embarrassing” earlier this season by journalist Alex Turk – reflects poorly on the INEOS regime, with the ‘struggling’ asset already heading the way of Antony and Sancho as a notable transfer misfire.

Not Lammens: Man Utd flop is becoming their biggest liability since Onana

Manchester United have a player who has massively failed to deliver at Old Trafford since his transfer.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 27, 2025

Ben Jacobs was full of praise for one Manchester United player in their draw with Tottenham Hotspur, comparing him to an Old Trafford treble winner.

Matthijs de Ligt struck deep into stoppage time to rescue Manchester United a 2-2 draw after a dramatic finale at Tottenham. This repeat of the Europa League final in May looked set to go the way of Ruben Amorim’s improving team after Bryan Mbeumo haunted old Brentford boss Thomas Frank with a goal in the 32nd minute.

It sparked boos at half-time from a disgruntled Spurs fanbase which has seen only three home wins in the Premier League in 2025, but the hosts’ turned it around with substitute Mathys Tel able to produce an 84th-minute equaliser.

When Richarlison deflected in a shot by the excellent Wilson Odobert in the first minute of stoppage time, Frank looked set to get the statement home win in the league his five-month tenure had lacked.

Yet wild home celebrations were followed by more late drama as De Ligt powered home a header from a corner in the sixth minute of added time to earn United a 2-2 draw and extended their unbeaten run under Amorim to five matches.

In a dramatic game full of twists and turns, Jacobs picked out one Man United player who enjoyed a display comparable to a former treble winner in the highest praise that he could receive.

Reporter compares Lammens to Schmeichel

Lammens enjoyed an excellent display and was only five minutes away from keeping a clean sheet, only for Spurs to climb back into the game. The two goals didn’t take away from the goalkeeper’s performance, however, with saves from Joao Palhinha and Cristian Romero particularly standing out.

It’s also worth noting that both goals that Lammens conceded suffered deflections, leaving him with no chance in the United net.

Jacobs was one of many to share praise for the summer signing, going as far as to say that he’s Peter Schmeichel “in disguise” following his save from Romero in the second-half.

By the time the full-time whistle sounded, Lammens had made two diving saves and made five recoveries in a solid display. As every game goes by, he’s looking more and more like an excellent signing and the much-needed upgrade on Andre Onana that United have been desperate for.

Amorim’s side are now five games unbeaten in what marks significant improvement on their previous form. Heading into the international break, things are finally looking up for those at Old Trafford. Mbeumo is firing on all cylinders, Lammens is performing and European qualification once again feels like a realistic goal.

Man Utd preparing club-record bid for "world-class" star

Warwickshire 485 (Barnard 108*, Bamber 107, Mousley 75, Davies 52, Critchley 5-171) drew with Essex 602 for 6 dec (Westley 134, Allison 133, Pepper 107*, Walter 86) and 96 for 1 Tom Westley passed fifty for the fifth time in eight Rothesay County Championship innings before rain arrived at Chelmsford to confirm the inevitable draw between Essex and Warwickshire.The rejuvenated Essex captain was 51 not out, with seven fours in his 103-ball innings, to follow his 148 first time round. He had put on 86 in 28 overs with Paul Walter for the second wicket before umbrellas went up and the players scampered for shelter. Walter had contributed 35 to a stand that took Essex’s lead to a nominal 213.The match was effectively over as a contest late on the third evening when Ed Barnard struck the boundary that took Warwickshire past their follow-on target of 453, despite having just one wicket in hand. What had become a damp squib was officially called off at 3.25pm.The 14 points Essex gained kept them just ahead of the relegation places in Division One, while Warwickshire’s dozen points mean they are safely in mid-table.Barnard, meanwhile, gained reward for his overnight effort the morning after when he was left unbeaten on 108 in Warwickshire’s first-innings 485, 117 behind Essex’s 602-6 declared. The remarkably consistent all-rounder’s 123-ball knock took his season’s tally to 815 runs with three centuries. Matt Critchley’s marathon spell of 40 overs for Essex returned figures of 5 for 171.With Dean Elgar absent from the field since day one with a calf injury, Essex promoted Noah Thain to open their second innings. But Essex’s faith in the up-and-coming all-rounder was not fulfilled as Ethan Bamber got one to lift off the pitch and take the outside edge with only two against his name.Westley drove his first ball for four, but was fortunate when he reached 19 that a diving Kai Smith could not cling on to a catch in Beau Webster’s first over.Westley reached his fifty from 103 balls, clipping Hannon-Dalby past an unusual legside field comprising six fielders in a semi-circle between short mid-on and square leg. It turned out to be the last meaningful action before rain set in a 2.24pm.Walter had been comparatively subdued at the other end, though he did strike two boundaries in the last over before lunch that brought up the fifty partnership from a leisurely 18 overs.Barnard, 90 not out overnight, had become the game’s fifth century-maker when he swept Critchley for four from the 114th ball he faced. He had already launched the leg-spinner over midwicket for six during the 23 minutes that Warwickshire’s first innings extended into the fourth morning.Oliver Hannon-Dalby had kept Barnard company the previous evening when the ninth-wicket pair ensured Warwickshire moved safely beyond the follow-on mark. He remained unfazed for 27 balls in total, 15 in the morning, before Westley introduced his occasional off-breaks and had the No11 lbw with his fourth delivery.

Sometimes a press conference comes around and you just need to fly under the radar; that’s never been more apparent than at Tottenham Hotspur in the last six months.

As Spurs celebrated the Europa League, Ange Postecoglou triumphantly declared that season three is always better than season two. He was sacked just weeks later.

For Thomas Frank, he’s also found out that perhaps just staying quiet is the best form of approach in the media. Last week, he was asked about the club’s failed move for Eberechi Eze.

“Who’s Eze?” That was Frank’s reply, and although he said it with a wry smile and to make a joke, it’s come back to bite him.

He found out just who Eze is on Sunday as the boyhood Gooner scored a devastating hat-trick to seal a 4-1 win for Arsenal over their distraught neighbours.

Spurs came to frustrate but in doing so, failed to come up with any inventive attacking play. Their creativity was abysmal, and if it wasn’t for a brilliant yet flukey Richarlison strike, they’d have left the Emirates Stadium without a goal.

What went wrong for Spurs at the Emirates

On paper, Frank’s game plan in north London on Sunday made sense. They were the only team in the Premier League this season not to lose on the road. The Dane clearly knows what he’s doing when Spurs play away.

Yet, against Arsenal, if you’re putting all 11 men behind the ball, then it does rely on you frustrating your opponents for longer than the 36 minutes it took for Leandro Trossard to score the opener.

To Frank’s credit, Spurs had sucked the life out of the Emirates during the opening half an hour. Arsenal created openings, notably when Declan Rice was played in by Eze, but the visitors frustrated and made it difficult to play between the lines.

Yet, once the floodgates opened, there was no stopping Arsenal, particularly as Spurs had a total lack of creativity once again.

Despite scoring courtesy of Richarlison, they failed to create a single big chance, had just three shots and provoked only a solitary save from David Raya. Arsenal, by contrast, had 17 shots. Worryingly for Spurs, the home side simply wanted it more.

There were several folks in white to blame. In attack, Wilson Odobert and Mohammed Kudus were completely marked out of the game by Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori. Richarlison, for the most part, was bullied by William Saliba and Piero Hincapie. The Brazilian only completed five passes all evening and won just one of his five aerial duels.

In defence, Bukayo Saka regularly had the beating of Destiny Udogie down Arsenal’s right flank while Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were uncharacteristically poor. Van ve Ven notably completed just 71% of his passes and won only six of his 13 duels.

But, the biggest culprit of all was a man who, ironically, was sent off during the international break. He’s becoming something of a Serge Aurier to Frank.

Spurs' new Serge Aurier

Mention Aurier’s name around those at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and it’s likely to send a shiver down spines.

Signed for £23m in August of 2017, he arrived at White Hart Lane from PSG after a rough time in France, where he was handed a suspended prison sentence for assaulting a police officer.

“You will see the real me,” he declared upon arrival. Well, if the real Aurier was a gluttony of mistakes, we certainly did.

The Ivory Coast international had another tricky stint at Spurs, but this time it was all unravelling on the pitch, rather than off it.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Where to even begin with the mistakes? The right-back committed a hat-trick of foul throws against Crystal Palace in 2018. While that may not have cost Spurs greatly, his clumsiness meant that he always had a moment of madness in him.

He notably gave away a penalty against Leicester City in December 2020 from which Jamie Vardy scored, but his most costly blunder came against Manchester City in the 2021 Carabao Cup final when he committed a needless foul on Raheem Sterling. The end result was a free-kick from which Pep Guardiola’s side scored the winner.

Speaking at full-time, Jamie Redknapp commented: “Aurier does well to start with – he follows the one-two and then just makes the most ridiculous and rash decision, which we see him do so often. Just stand up, don’t dive in, don’t give the foul away – elementary mistake.”

It wasn’t the first time the Ivorian had attracted criticism during his time in England. Two years prior to that moment, Rio Ferdinand stated: “As a defender I have never really rated Aurier. He’s rash and he’s let his team down far too often.”

Simply a giant liability in that Spurs team of back then, unfortunately, Frank has found another rash and unreliable figure in his team; Rodrigo Bentancur.

The Uruguayan was signed for £22m from Juventus in January 2022 and has featured 131 times for the Lilywhites since.

However, while he’s flirted with some impressive performances here and there, for the most part, he’s been a letdown.

He has become a symbol not only for Spurs’ lack of creativity but their lack of robustness and dynamism from the middle of the park. Despite that, he has started nine times of the 12 Premier League games Spurs have competed in this term.

The fact of the matter is that he shouldn’t be starting with that regularity.

Tottenham presenter Hollie Agombar called him “a lucky boy” after a studs-up challenge on Chelsea’s Reece James at the beginning of the month saw him avoid a red card. In the words of the Daily Mail’s Kieran Gill, it was a “terrible” challenge.

Things went from bad to worse when Spurs visited Arsenal on Sunday. The tone was set when he brought down Saka on the edge of the box in the first half and was brandished with a yellow card as a result.

While he was nowhere to be seen as Mikel Merino clipped a delightful ball into the box for Trossard’s opener, he was particularly poor for Eze’s first.

Minutes played

66

Touches

27

Accurate passes

16/17 (94%)

Key passes

0

Shots

0

Dribbles

0

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

2

Duels won

0

The attacking midfielder skipped beyond Bentancur all too easily as the Uruguay international went to ground inside the area.

He was handed a 3/10 match rating by The Standard as a consequence, with the publication writing he was ‘doing nothing to give Spurs some much-needed control’. The very fact that Guglielmo Vicario received 15 passes – six more than Palhinha and Bentancur combined (9) – in the first half said it all.

All that said, it’s perhaps no surprise that analyst Raj Chohan has described him as a “candidate for worst centre-midfielder at a big six club”.

Like Aurier, he’s a major underperformer. He’s a liability and a player that Frank cannot trust. He shouldn’t be starting regular games for Spurs any more.

Fewer touches than Vicario: Frank must drop 3/10 Spurs dud after Arsenal

Thomas Frank has numerous glaring errors he needs to address at Tottenham Hotspur after the Arsenal defeat.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 24, 2025

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are both part of the squad for the ODIs in Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-20258:14

Aakash Chopra: Didn’t see Gill’s appointment coming this soon

Shubman Gill has been appointed India’s new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma, and will lead the side in the three-match series in Australia starting on October 19.Rohit has been picked in the ODI squad as a batter and, along with Virat Kohli, is set to represent India again for the first time since the 2025 Champions Trophy in March.The selection panel, headed by former India fast bowler Ajit Agarkar, met on Saturday in Ahmedabad, where India won the first Test of the series against West Indies by an innings and 140 runs. The reason behind the captaincy change was that the selectors wanted Gill to settle down well before the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. It is understood the decision was taken collectively by Agarkar in coordination with India head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.Related

• Tough but fair: selectors have prioritised future over sentiment

• Gill inherits the wealth of India's Rohit-Kohli era

“Obviously at some stage you got to start looking at where the next World Cup is,” Agarkar said at a press conference in Ahmedabad. “It’s [ODIs] also a format which is played the least now, so you don’t get that many games to actually give the next guy, or if there is going to be another guy, that much time to prepare himself or plan. We are two years away still, might look like a long time, but we don’t quite know how many one-day games we might play. Closer to the World Cup we might end up playing a little bit more than what we have, but the last one-day game we played was what, 8th or 9th March in Champions Trophy, and the next one we play is in October 19th, so it is a bit of a challenge with one-day cricket at the moment … It is very difficult to have three different captains for three formats, in terms of not just selectors but more importantly even for the coach, to plan with three different people is never easy.”Gill, 26, now holds formal leadership roles in all three formats as Test and ODI captain and vice-captain of the T20I team. “Hopefully not, he is still quite young,” Agarkar said when asked about the risk of Gill burning out given his workload. “We hope there is no burnout. It is true there is a lot of cricket coming thick and fast over the next few months in particular. We will try and manage it as best as we can, but you also want to, like I said, give the guy enough time to try and prepare going into that next World Cup, which is 24 months away, but may not be that many games, so we want to give him the best possible chance.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Rohit, 38, was India’s full-time ODI captain from December 2021. Overall, he led India in 56 ODIs, winning 42, losing 12, with one tie and another no-result. He led India to the 2018 Asia Cup title as stand-in captain, and then to the 2023 Asia Cup title as full-time captain. Under his leadership, India made the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. His tenure culminated in India winning the Champions Trophy.Gill had also become India’s Test captain following Rohit’s retirement from the format in May ahead of India’s tour of England this summer. In his maiden series as Test captain, Gill led India to a 2-2 draw in England, and finished as the highest run-scorer with 754 runs at an average of 75.40.With Rohit and Kohli both retired from Tests and T20Is, the upcoming ODI series in Australia will be their first international appearance in more than seven months. After the three ODIs in Australia, their next opportunities to play for India are in the three-ODI home series against South Africa in November-December and against New Zealand in January.India play three ODIs in Australia on October 19, 23 and 25, followed by five T20Is from October 29 to November 8.

Sri Lanka will hope his form and class doesn’t taper off, like it did for some of the promising young batters in the last 10 years

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Jan-2025To start with, the whole idea just feels off. A sober stock-take on the career of Kamindu Mendis at the beginning of only his second serious Test year? Yah, who asked for this?So much more fun to be stuck in that Kamindu Mendis fever dream. An average of 74 after 17 Test innings? Uff! Five hundreds out of nine 50-plus scores? Yes please. All 1110 of his runs from No. 5 or lower? That’s the stuff. And have you seen how this brother flicks even the fastest Test bowlers through the air over square leg? Right off his toes, sometimes all the way for six.But there are potentially universes where worse things happen. In one of the more cursed timelines, there might exist a pre-series column focusing on Kamindu, in which there is significant bringing back to reality, a ruining of the vibe, a killing of the buzz.Related

Australia, Sri Lanka and a touch of the dramatic

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Uncapped Dinusha and Udara in SL squad for Australia Tests

Such a column might point out that Kamindu had his first less-than-stellar series in South Africa, where he averaged an unusually human 26.50 across four innings. He got some excellent deliveries from South Africa’s quicks, but there did also seem to be a tiny weakness to the shorter ball in the channel, angling across him from the right-arm seamers.There could also be warnings. Kamindu is not the first Sri Lankan batter to emerge in the last 10 years from whom greatness was expected. Many of those expectations haven’t quite panned out, with several batters unable to consolidate careers after starting well, and others plataeuing earlier than expected. There is the not wanting to thrust the mantle of greatness on him too early, but also the hard facts of middle-order runs needing to be scored if Sri Lanka are to improve, and Kamindu being pretty well-placed to score them.Or perhaps that column would draw attention to the greatest buzzkill subject of all – the Test schedule. Tests, the only format in which Kamindu has truly excelled at international level, are in short supply for Sri Lanka this year. Following this two-match series against Australia, there is a two-Test series against Bangladesh mid-year, and then nothing on the books until the middle of 2026, when Sri Lanka travel to the West Indies. Sri Lanka’s next World Test Championship cycle features exactly 12 Tests – the minimum required.(In the second Test of this Australia series, Dimuth Karunaratne is set to play his 100th Test. It may ultimately not matter how consistently Kamindu scores big runs, it seems unlikely he can play 100 Tests if Sri Lanka average only six matches a year.)Such a column might conclude that although Kamindu has had the best possible start to his Test career, the year ahead may be the definitive one for him. For starters, anyone who has had a year like Kamindu’s 2024 will now have had their technique pored over by opposition analysts and coaches. Bowlers will come with theories on how to get him out. Too often in the last 10 years, opposition bowlers have been right about young Sri Lanka batters.Beyond this, another exam. With Sri Lanka’s Test schedule likely to dwindle, there is also now the heat to become a more productive limited-overs player. Kamindu’s domestic T20 career in particular suggests that he has the range and skill to become a success in white-ball cricket, but he is yet to crack the shorter formats in international cricket.It is not often that a batter who has scored more than a thousand Test runs in the previous calendar year has this many hurdles still to overcome. But cricket’s sands are shifting, and these are the breaks.On Kamindu’s side is his obvious talent for expanding his game. But also, the fact that the next challenge is one he should relish – playing two Tests in his home town, in the format he has already made a name for himself in. He also averages 123.33 in Galle, after three Tests there.But Australia’s tall fast bowlers will have watched the footage from South Africa, and will try him where they think he is weak. And this next step is where many Sri Lanka batters have stumbled.Or so at least that column would say.

Athletics rookie Nick Kurtz had himself a night Friday as he powered his team to a 15-3 win over the Houston Astros.

He smacked four home runs out of Daikin Park in Houston, becoming the first rookie in MLB history to hit four homers in one game. It wasn't just the long ball, either. He wrapped up the night a perfect 6-for-6 from the plate with eight RBIs, 19 total bases and six runs scored.

The No. 4 pick in the 2024 MLB draft set plenty of firsts with his historic night, making a case for the best single-game performance ever. Here's a list of the feats Kurtz accomplished with his massive game:

First rookie in MLB history to hit four home runs in one gameFirst player in MLB history to finish a game with at least six hits, six runs and eight RBIsTies a single-game record for total bases (19, Shawn Green)Ninth game in MLB history with six or more runs scored (first since 2004)First player in MLB history with at least four home runs, six hits and eight RBIs in one gameBecomes the 20th player in MLB history with four home runs in one gameFirst player in A's history with a four-homer gameSecond A's hitter with at least five hits and three homers in a game (Jimmie Foxx, 1932)Second game with at least six hits and four homers in MLB history (Shawn Green, 2002)First player in MLB history to have a game with at least four homers, five extra-base hits, six hits, six runs and eight RBIs

Quite the night for the 22-year-old slugger. The wild evening continues what's been an amazing stretch for Kurtz. Per the A's, he's leading the American League in nearly every batting stat over the month of July, including batting average, OPS, home runs and RBIs.

His four home runs gives him 23 on the year. He's now slashing .305/.374/.686 with 56 RBI alongside the 23 dingers.

Look how close he was to becoming the first player ever to hit five home runs in a game, too:

“If he’d had just a little bit of the support framework, it would have made all the difference”

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2025The widow of Graham Thorpe, the former England and Surrey batter who took his own life in 2024, believes that he would still be alive if he had received better support from the ECB after his dismissal as England batting coach.Speaking to the talkSPORT podcast Head Before Wicket, Amanda Thorpe said that had Graham not been suddenly cut off from the game following the 2021-22 Ashes, “it is really clear [to me] that he would still be alive”.”If he’d had just a little bit of the support framework there to lean on a bit to just transition a bit more, it would have made all the difference,” she said.Related

• Thorpe struck by train; family confirms he 'took his own life'

• England to pay tribute to Graham Thorpe during Old Trafford Test

• Oval Test to feature 'Day for Thorpey' in commemoration of Thorpe

Thorpe died in August 2024 after being struck by a train, an inquest was told, with his family confirming that he took his own life following a battle with depression and anxiety.Thorpe’s removal as England batting coach came in the wake of a 4-0 Ashes defeat in Australia, on a tour severely affected by Covid restrictions. After the final Test in Hobart, police were called to the team hotel to investigate reports that Thorpe had lit a cigar indoors.Amanda Thorpe said her husband “was really teetering on the edge on that tour” and he was “absolutely gutted” by the incident. “He went round on the flight back and apologised personally to every person on that tour,” she said.The coroner’s report into Thorpe’s death concluded that there were “shortcomings” in the healthcare provided, but did not criticise the ECB’s decision to terminate his employment, noting it had “funded treatment, hospital stays and extended his health treatment insurance”.The ECB paid for ten online counselling sessions, but Amanda Thorpe described this as “woeful”.”As he went through these sessions, it was clear that he wasn’t coping. He was getting worse. We really did ask for help. I knew he needed more help than that. And, it wasn’t forthcoming.”An attempt by Thorpe to take his own life in 2022 was unsuccessful but left him severely unwell. “It was too late, basically, after the crisis [in 2022], he was very ill. He nearly lost his life. He had a stroke. We don’t know how that affected his brain after that.”The ECB might say, well, we didn’t know how ill he was. Although the doctors he was under did know, but then they sort of said, oh, but there’s confidentiality. There’s got to be some connection [between the ECB and their doctors].”Last summer, during the Oval Test between England and India, the second day of the match was dubbed a “Day for Thorpey” in order to celebrate his life, as well as raise funds and awareness for the mental health charity Mind.An ECB spokesperson described Thorpe as “a deeply admired and much-loved person”.”His loss has been felt deeply across the cricketing community and far beyond, and our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with his wife Amanda, his children, and all those who loved him.”Graham’s passing is a heart-breaking reminder of the challenges many face with mental health. His death was examined by a coroner; the inquest was held earlier this year with full support from the ECB.”We have met with Amanda to discuss her concerns and have been in regular contact with her and the wider family.”

How will Sunderland respond to their Craven Cottage setback?

Unfortunately, for the Black Cats, their return to the Premier League after the international break was rather subdued, as Regis Le Bris’ men slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham.

They could put things instantly right, though, with a welcome return to home soil up next versus AFC Bournemouth, with the Wearside giants yet to lose at their beloved Stadium of Light so far this season in league action.

The games come thick and fast after this clash with the Cherries, too, with a Tyne-Wear Derby even on the menu as an early Christmas treat in mid-December.

Before you know it, the January transfer window will also reopen, as Sunderland already begin to be linked with some high-profile captures.

Sunderland looking to spend more big money

Le Bris will be hopeful that Wilson Isidor can break his four-game goalscoring duck when Andoni Iraola’s men come to town.

If he does continue to fire blanks, though, Sunderland could be prepared to splash the cash on a flashy, new striker recruit in January, as AC Milan forward Santiago Gimenez begins to be tipped for a move to England, for around the £26m price range.

He, of course, isn’t the only Serie A talent on the Premier League newcomers’ agenda, however.

Indeed, the main rumour rumbling on, heading into the bumper window, is Matteo Guendouzi potentially returning to England with the Black Cats, with a £26m move also being reported on for the Frenchman to link back up with his ex-Lorient manager in Le Bris.

There is a slight spanner in the works, though, with Italian journalist Enrico de Lellis stating – via a relayed report from Sport Witness – that the Lazio star isn’t keen on joining the newly promoted side, even with an offer allegedly being on the table for his services.

De Lellis said: “Guendouzi has an offer from Sunderland, but the player doesn’t want to go there.”

Transfer Focus

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

The Mackems could well have to battle it out with Antonio Conte’s Napoli for his signature, as per further words from de Lellis, but fighting it out with some elite clubs in the past hasn’t stopped the Black Cats from landing other statement signings, as Le Bris aims to land his next Le Fee in Guendouzi.

How Guendouzi can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

Once allegedly on the radar of Arsenal, Le Fee would end up being a major coup of a loan signing for Le Bris and Co. during their promotion heroics last season.

Le Fee’s classy displays – which included this goal being expertly put away during the tense run-in – gave the Black Cats just that extra bit of pizazz to seal a dramatic return to the Premier League, as the French boss now hopes Guendouzi’s arrival can gift Sunderland another calm and controlled performer, like Fee, in their ongoing bid to punch above their weight in the top-flight.

Like his fellow compatriot, though, who struggled to get going at Lazio’s fierce rivals in AS Roma, Guendouzi hasn’t always had it his own way during his bumpy career.

He was discarded by Arsenal at the close of the 2021/22 season for his “petulance” often getting the better of him, as per the words of ex-Gunners defender Lee Dixon.

Thankfully, since his Emirates departure, Guendouzi has managed to turn into a goal-and-assist machine in Serie A with 16 goal contributions collected, with an expectation he will return to the Premier League and be capable of delivering on the big stage, much like Le Fee showed off when he converted a penalty against Brentford in late August.

He has also put his hot-headedness, which became his undoing in North London, to better use in Italy, with an energetic 4.3 ball recoveries averaged per Serie A clash this season, backing up claims that he is a “monster” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Amazingly, Guendouzi’s high ball recovery numbers put him on the same pedestal as another of Arsenal’s reinvigorated ex-roster in Granit Xhaka, who has 4.6 ball recoveries averaged next to his name. Le Bris will surely be champing at the bit at the prospect of both his ex-Lorient youngster and his standout captain battling it out together from the centre of the park, away from any Le Fee comparisons.

It could well be a deal that’s hard to pull off, but Sunderland’s ambition has previously been rewarded in Le Fee, who joined the ranks permanently in the summer for £19.3m.

For around £6m more, this feels like a transfer fight worth persisting with.

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

Sunderland are reportedly keen on a move for a striker who could come in as an upgrade on Wilson Isidor.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 27, 2025

He has moved around the batting order of late, but being a finisher looks like Maxwell’s role in India and Sri Lanka next year

Andrew McGlashan17-Aug-2025

Glenn Maxwell reverse sweeps over short third•Getty Images

Ahead of the deciding T20I against South Africa in Cairns, Glenn Maxwell was asked whether having retired from ODIs had given him pause to consider an overall end date for his international career. The answer, delivered in good spirits, was a succinct “No.”If he so desires, next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka would be a fitting stepping-off point for one of the format’s great players. It’s difficult to believe he could go for two more years even though the 2028 edition will be co-hosted by Australia, alongside New Zealand.Related

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On Saturday evening he showed what he can still bring with the bat, expertly guiding an uncertain chase over the line with a masterful unbeaten 62 off 36 balls, having earlier snaffled a match-changing catch at long-on to cut off Dewald Brevis’ destructive innings. When calling time on ODIs, Maxwell cited being unable to sustain 50 overs on the field but, as a couple of recent parried boundary catches have reinforced, he remains capable of spectacular moments.Australia are shaping up well ahead of the World Cup and Maxwell will be a vital component of their bid to win the title for just the second time, in all three facets of the game. His offspin is a crucial cog in the balance of the side and could well be a powerplay option at the World Cup.With Australia tweaking their batting order in the last two series against South Africa and West Indies, Maxwell has moved around the line-up. He made 47 off 18 balls opening in St Kitts last month and was used in three different spots in this latest series. There will likely always be a degree of situational flexibility, but No. 6 and 7 looks like his home for the World Cup tilt.There are times with the bat when Maxwell looks uncomfortable and there will, as ever, continue to be moments that exasperate: the “oh, why did you do that, Maxi?” shot. But then there are the times, such as the decider against South Africa, when he gets it spot on and everything comes off.Glenn Maxwell has produced some spectacular pieces of fielding in the last few weeks•AFP/Getty ImagesThe way he backed himself to finish the chase was a window into a brilliant mind. Declining singles – even, briefly, when a very capable No. 8 in Ben Dwarshuis was with him – and trying to read what Lungi Ngidi would bowl in the final over as he won the game by reversing a full toss over short third having turned down runs off the previous two deliveries to leave four from needed two.”I was thinking about doing it probably the ball before,” Maxwell said. “[But] I just felt like he was going to bowl a slower ball the ball before so I could knock it into midwicket for two. As soon as it was pace on, I realised I’d probably made a mistake in not going. I hit it too well to get back for two so I was like, that’s fine, I’ll hit one of the last two balls, hopefully for four. I just felt like he wasn’t going to go to the slower ball.”Even though I was able to get one off him earlier, I didn’t think it was going to be as easy. I think the point was just a little bit finer. I thought I needed pace on to get it there. As soon as I saw it coming out of his hand, I was just like, get any bat on it and it’s going to travel. Got the ball I wanted and was able to execute.”Explaining his tactics when Dwarshuis came in during the 14th over, with Australia needing 51 off 37 balls, Maxwell said it was so he could take advantage of the shorter boundary with the wind.”I wanted to control that over as well as I could and then trust [Dwarshuis] from the other end where he had a few more options,” he said. “I think if I had taken a single the first ball [with him] just starting his innings, it might have been tough for him to get going or get off strike straight away.”I thought it might have been a bit of a risk if I was at the non-striker’s end for five balls of that over hitting to the shorter side as a right-hander. In the end, I think I got 11 off it, which is a win. It kept the momentum going. From then on, I trusted him basically [at] both ends.”When Maxwell took 15 off Kagiso Rabada’s final over – launching a six from a free hit after a huge beamer had slipped out of Rabada’s grip – the game looked decided with Australia needing 12 off 12. However, Corbin Bosch provided a twist with a double-wicket maiden in the 19th over. But Adam Zampa had done his part by surviving two deliveries and Maxwell had the strike. He knew exactly what he needed to do.