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Leeds United knew that they needed to make additions to their first-team squad after they won the Championship title to earn promotion to the Premier League last season.

The Whites bolstered their team with a host of signings in the summer transfer window, and they have started the top-flight season with competitive performances in most of their matches.

They were minutes away from their third win of the league campaign before Bournemouth equalised in stoppage time at Elland Road on Saturday.

Despite failing to win that game, Daniel Farke will be pleased with where his team is at after six matches in the Premier League, because they are in the middle of the park.

As you can see in the table above, the Whites are midtable in all the right metrics. That is exactly where they want to be as a newly-promoted team, and long may it continue.

Their recruitment work in the summer transfer window has played a key role in their comfortable start to life in the top-flight. Sean Longstaff, in particular, has stood out in recent weeks as a shrewd addition.

Why Sean Longstaff was a bargain signing for Leeds

The Championship champions signed the English central midfielder from Newcastle United in a deal that is worth up to £15m, and that is already looking like a bargain.

Longstaff played 214 matches for the Magpies in all competitions, including 171 games in the Premier League, per Transfermarkt, which meant that the Whites brought in an incredibly experienced player who was ready to hit the ground runing this season.

The 27-year-old star did not need time to adapt to the league or the country. He was able to be brought straight in to contribute, even if Farke opted to remain faithful to Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka at first.

Longstaff’s exceptional performance, as shown in the graphic above, against Bournemouth at the weekend was a prime example of why his experience is important to Leeds.

The experienced star had a bit of everything in his performance. A world-class goal. Creativity. Reliable passing. Combative midfield play in his duels. It was a terrific showing from a man who clearly knows how to perform in the Premier League.

His strike, as shown in the clip above, was a stunning strike to put the Whites 2-1 up in the match, and it was a goal worthy of winning any match. Unfortunately, Eli Kroupi’s last-gasp equaliser meant that it was only worth a point in the end.

£15m is not a gigantic fee in this day and age, given that Leeds paid £20m for Tyler Adams three years ago, and Longstaff’s performances in the middle of the park so far this season suggests that he has been an instant success for the money paid.

As you can see in the table above, the midfield maestro has offered calmness in possession and strength and combativeness out of possession in the middle of the park.

Despite his impressive displays in the midfield for Leeds in the Premier League this season, Longstaff was not the biggest bargain signing of the summer transfer window.

Chalkboard

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

That title belongs to Sweden international Gabriel Gudmundsson, who arrived from French side Lille during the summer window for a fee in the region of £10m.

Why Gudmundsson is an even bigger bargain than Longstaff

The dynamic left-back’s performances for the West Yorkshire outfit since his move to English football suggest that he was an even better signing and a bigger bargain than Longstaff.

A fee of £10m, £5m less than the move to sign the midfielder, is already looking like an incredible piece of business by the club, because he has hit the ground running in the Premier League.

Neutrals who have not watched much of Leeds this season may look in from the outside and question the signing because of his freak own goal that cost Leeds the game away at Fulham, but his performances, on the whole, have been superb.

In fact, TEAMtalk editor James Marshment claimed that the “outstanding” and “tenacious” star is “up there with the best LBs in the PL so far this season”, whilst he also described him as an “absolute bargain”.

It is hard to argue with that assessment when you take into account his all-round performances as a left-back in the Premier League, as he ranks highly among his positional peers in a host of key metrics.

As you can see in the table above, Gudmundsson is among the best in his position in the division at crossing and carrying the ball forward, as well as at tackling, winning duels, and making interceptions.

These statistics show that he is one of the most combative and forward-thinking left-backs in the Premier League, which is why so many supporters have taken to him so quickly.

Gudmundsson, despite never having played in England before, has hit the ground running in the top-flight and become undroppable at left-back for the Whites with his all-action and energetic performances down the left.

This is why he has been an even bigger bargain signing than Longstaff, because he has been as influential on the pitch despite costing £5m less and coming in with less experience.

Not Aaronson: 5/10 Leeds star is quickly becoming this season's Bamford

This Leeds United star is on his way to becoming this season’s Patrick Bamford.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 28, 2025

At the age of 26, the Swedish star may still have his best years left ahead of him. This means that the Whites could continue to benefit from his relentless and dynamic displays down the left flanks for many more seasons, making the £10m spent on him an absolute bargain on current evidence.

Manchester United are now expected to make a £60m offer for a “physical beast” in the January transfer window, as a replacement for a current first-team player.

Man Utd looking to bolster defence after shaky start

Man United are yet to keep a clean sheet across the six games they’ve played in all competitions this season, with even League Two Grimsby Town managing to get the better of Andre Onana twice in the EFL Cup second round at the end of August.

Ruben Amorim has tried to address one of the issues by bringing in Senne Lammens at the end of the summer window, but the 23-year-old is yet to start, with Altay Bayindir keeping his place in the starting XI.

It remains to be seen what sort of impact Lammens can make, given that the Belgian is still young, and is yet to prove himself in a major league, having only ever played in Belgium.

Amorim calls up youngster who struggled in League 2 to Man Utd first team training

The Manchester United manager has made a surprising decision ahead of this weekend’s trip to Brentford.

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 24, 2025

As such, the Red Devils have now started looking at other ways in which they can shore things up at the back, and they have now set their sights on a Premier League defender.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Man United are now the club showing the strongest interest in signing Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, who could be brought in as a replacement for Harry Maguire.

Liverpool and two other unnamed top flight clubs are keen on Branthwaite, but United’s interest may well be the most advanced, given that they are expected to make a £60m bid for his services in the January transfer window.

It is unclear whether the Toffees would be willing to sanction a departure, but the 23-year-old wants a big move, and United still have plenty of pulling power.

"Physical beast" Branthwaite could be solid Maguire replacement

A towering presence at 6’5, the Everton defender is slightly taller than Maguire, and could have the ability to succeed at Old Trafford, having been lauded as a two-footed “ball-playing physical beast” by scout Ben Mattinson.

At just 23-years-old, the defender is at the right age to be a long-term success at United, and he has already established himself in the Premier League over the previous two seasons with Everton, with Jordan Pickford left particularly impressed.

Due to a hamstring injury, the Englishman is yet to feature for Everton this season, but he was solid throughout the 2024-25 campaign in the Premier League, averaging a 7.02 SofaScore rating, compared to 6.91 from Maguire.

There are question marks over whether £60m may be a little pricey, given that Branthwaite is yet to establish himself at international level, but he is clearly a talented defender, still in the early stages of his career.

Bruno Fernandes spoke highly of Manchester United's summer transfer business, while reserving special praise for Brazilian attacker Matheus Cunha, who moved to United from Wolves in the last window. Fernandes, being the leader of the pack at Old Trafford, named the unique qualities of each of United's new four signings as the club spent heavily to rebuild the squad under Ruben Amorim.

• Amorim spent heavily in the summer

  Amorim oversaw a nightmare debut campaign at Old Trafford since taking charge of the club in November 2024 as United finished 15th in the Premier League and ended the season without a trophy or a European slot. Naturally, the Portuguese coach approached the summer transfer window aggressively as he spent heavily on four new signings to strengthen the squad. 

  Amorim's focus was more on the attack as he raided Premier League rivals Brentford and Wolves to sign Bryan Mbeumo and Cunha. For the No.9 role, the Red Devils went all out for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko after Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund failed miserably in that position last season. 

  The club also got rid of underperforming Andre Onana as the Cameroonian goalkeeper left Old Trafford after just two years to join Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor on loan. They replaced their first-choice keeper with the highly-rated Belgian custodian Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp. 

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  Bruno hails United's new signings and praises Cunha

  Speaking about the club's latest additions, United skipper Fernandes said: "No, obviously. I think at this club, every time I spoke with anyone who was talking with me, they were asking we need to sign good players and everything else. We need to sign big characters, not good players because at this club, being good players sometimes is not enough because of the pressure, because of the attention we get and everything. I think we brought in players that are very aware of the dimension of the club. You spoke about Cunha. Cunha has that good arrogance to do the good things and the right things, so that's something good. Bryan, also the same. He's not afraid to take the ball, to do his play, to do his things. We brought two players who were aware of the Premier League, also.

  "And then we brought a very young goalkeeper and a centre-forward, they hit the ground flying (running). Obviously, we know Ben will be judged by scoring goals or not. But a part of that, he's been doing great, whatever he's being asked to do. He's got his goals already, and I think now it's going to come more and more because he's more than capable of scoring goals. Senne came probably with the intention of being the number one. He had to wait for his moment. The moment came and he was ready for that. So this is what this club is about. You come, the moment will be there straightaway and you have to take it."

• 'Sometimes I get upset with him in training'

  Fernandes added: "I think these four players were very good in taking that opportunity of ‘I want to be the one that is playing every week’. When we speak about Cunha, the thing of having the arrogance to say ‘give me the ball, I want to play, I want to make things’. With time, sometimes it won't be good for people because I've been through that. He always wants the ball, he's always doing this, he's always doing that. But for us, on the inside, we want this Cunha. We want you to take the risks, to shoot, to take people on, to create. 

  "Bryan, the same. ‘Bryan, just get your shots on’. Sometimes I get upset with him in training because he's like, one touch more, one touch more and everything. I say, ‘Bryan, you don't need that. You can one touch and shoot because you're more than able to do that. You did that against us when you were at Brentford! You just have to make it for us now. The shirts have changed, but you're the same player so we need that from you. Ben is very eager to learn and that's very good from someone that has done very well in the Bundesliga and everything, came with the biggest, probably like the price tag and everything. But in his mind, he's like, I want to learn, I want to become better. Then on the weekends, he transforms himself into a different person on the pitch. He's someone that is like, ‘I know what I have to do. I want to score goals. I'm going to get into the box, I'm going to get into duels. I'm going to win my headers’. And that's very important for us."

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  Man Utd eyeing major milestone

  The Red Devils are on a roll after beating Sunderland and reigning champions Liverpool in back-to-back Premier League matches, a feat that was never achieved in the Amorim era until this October. The English giants are now aiming to build on this success and pick up a third consecutive victory when they face Brighton at home on Saturday, a feat the club has not accomplished in 49 games. That winning run came during games in February 2024, when they beat Wolves, West Ham, and Aston Villa, which was part of a larger winning streak under former manager Erik ten Hag.

Arsenal continued their strong run of form in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Greek outfit Olympiacos and picked up their second win of the campaign.

The Gunners ran out 2-0 winners in the end, and while they could have scored plenty more, the visitors put up more of a fight than some would have been expecting.

With that said, almost everyone who featured for the hosts put in a strong showing, including someone who could end up becoming a new Bukayo Saka for Arsenal.

Saka's rise at Arsenal

Saka was handed his Arsenal debut by former manager Unai Emery back in November 2018. He came off the bench in a game away to Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava, and then made his full debut for the club a few months later at home against Qarabağ.

However, while the Hale Ender showed some real promise early on, he didn’t make all that many appearances under the now Aston Villa coach.

In fact, before Arteta was appointed in December 2019, the dynamic winger had made just 16 appearances for the first team, most of which came on the left-hand side, either in left midfield or at left-back.

Fortunately, the 24-year-old began to be moved over to the right more in the following campaign, and by the start of the 2021/22 season, he was well and truly established as the Gunners’ first-choice right-winger.

More than that, though, the youngster would then develop into the team’s most important attacking outlet, a role he still fulfils to this day, as reflected in his incredible numbers.

For example, despite still being only 24 years old, the talismanic winger has made 269 appearances for the North Londoners to date, scoring 72 goals and providing 72 assists.

Unfortunately, with him being so key to the club’s attacking threat, the last couple of years have seen opposition teams double and triple up on him, making it far harder for the incredible talent to create opportunities for Arteta and Co.

The good news is that Arsenal have added more quality to the side to help mitigate that problem, including someone who could be like a new Saka for the side.

The Arsenal star becoming a new Saka

Arteta and Andrea Berta did well to add a few new attacking talents to this Arsenal squad over the summer, from the direct and tricky Noni Madueke to the versatile and mercurial Eberechi Eze.

Chalkboard

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

However, when it comes to the player who has the best chance of embodying some of the things that make Saka such a star for this team, it has to be Viktor Gyokeres.

Now, some of you will rightly point out that the pair play in different positions, and that, as things stand, the former Sporting CP star has not scored as many goals as some would’ve hoped.

Yet, there are still elements in his game that are similar to the Hale Ender’s, most notably his gravitational effect on the game.

That might sound like an odd way to talk about a footballer, but this essentially means that, just as the Englishman has spent the last few years being double and triple-teamed by defenders, the Swedish international is already dragging opposition defenders all over the pitch this season.

He might not be scoring with the regularity that some would like, but the 6 foot 2 “powerhouse”, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, is already starting to make the right runs, get into the correct positions, and this, combined with the fact that he has a lethal shot on him, means that defenders cannot leave him alone.

This was on full display on Wednesday night, particularly for the first goal, as his charge towards the penalty area saw two defenders converge on him and left space for Gabriel Martinelli to tap the ball into the back of the net after his shot was saved.

Just imagine the gravitational impact he’s going to have on defenders when he’s up to speed and putting away the chances so many know he can.

Ultimately, Gyokeres isn’t on the same level as Saka and has plenty of differences in his game with the Englishman.

However, he is one of the few players capable of striking a similar level of fear into opponents and one of the few attackers who’ll force them to converge on him.

Outclassed by Odegaard: Arteta must drop Arsenal dud who lost the ball 14x

Arsenal secured a 2-0 win over Olympiacos in the Champions League.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 2, 2025

Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were beaten 2-1 by 10-man Bayern Munich in the Champions League at Parc des Princes on Tuesday. Luis Diaz scored both goals in an impressive first half but then saw red just before half-time for a reckless challenge on Achraf Hakimi. PSG hit back after the break, pulling one goal back through substitute Joao Neves, but Bayern managed to hang on for all three points.

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  Bayern beat PSG despite red card for Diaz

  Bayern dominated an incident-packed first half and will wonder how they made it to the break only 2-0 ahead. Diaz needed less than four minutes to break the deadlock, firing home after Lucas Chevalier had blocked a shot from Michael Olise following a quick counter.

  The German giants kept getting in behind PSG and saw Aleksandar Pavlovic fire narrowly wide and Serge Gnabry hit both posts with one shot before Diaz bagged his brace. This time he caught Marquinhos napping, nicking the ball off the dawdling Brazilian's toes and then slotting another strike home.

  Josip Stanisic thought he’d made it 3-0 just before the break but saw his effort ruled out for offside, before Diaz went from hero to villain. The Colombia international lunged in two-footed on Achraf Hakimi in a challenge which saw the PSG star helped off the pitch in tears and the referee brandish the red card for Diaz after a VAR check.

  The dismissal saw Vincent Kompany take off the influential Gnabry at half-time for Tom Bischof, with the new man booked almost immediately after arriving. PSG went on to enjoy plenty more possession but struggled to work Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal initially.

  Goncalo Ramos and Joao Neves were sent on as Luis Enrique tried to find a way back into the game and the breakthrough eventually came. Neves halved the deficit on the volley after a great ball in from Kang-in Lee with just 15 minutes of normal time remaining.

  The goal gave PSG hope and the chances continued to come. Neves headed another opportunity wide as PSG kept on pushing for an equaliser but Bayern clung on for a huge win against the defending champions.

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• The MVP

  Diaz was Bayern's best player in the first half but his senseless red card ended his claims for the MVP award. Instead it goes to Bayern team-mate Dayot Upamecano, who was rock-solid in the heart of the backline, particularly during the second half when the visitors played a man down and faced all sort of pressure from the defending European champions.

• The big loser

  Marquinhos deserves a mention for an error-strewn game but there's no doubt that Diaz overshadowed the Brazilian with his needless red card. Bayern were absolutely cruising heading into the break with a 2-0 lead and having also seen PSG lose talisman Ousmane Dembele to injury. Diaz had played a starring role for Bayern but a reckless and needless foul on birthday boy Hakimi looks to have caused a serious injury to the PSG defender and left Bayern having to play the second half a man down. The Colombian will also now face a suspension in the Champions League which will be a blow to Bayern ahead of their next fixture in the competition against Arsenal.

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  Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bob Costas is retiring from baseball play-by-play broadcasting after an iconic 44-year career, according to a report from Andrew Marchand of , which was confirmed by Costas.

Costas, who is enshrined in Cooperstown as a broadcaster for his legendary career, told that he would prefer to formally address his status at a later date, but did confirm that he was in fact retiring. Costas's final MLB call was when the New York Yankees won Game 4 of the ALDS against the Kansas City Royals on Oct. 10 to clinch a spot in the ALCS.

The 72-year-old Costas will still be seen from time-to-time on MLB Network, where he will serve in an emeritus role as a studio analyst. Costas has been MLB Network's lead play-by-play announcer since the network's inception in 2009.

Costas's contract as a play-by-play announcer with MLB Network was up at the end of the 2024 season, but he made his decision that this would be his final year prior to the season beginning, according to Marchand's report.

Costas began his play-by-play career 44 years ago, and has called three World Series and 10 league championships in his career.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is believed to be privately unimpressed with summer signing Xavi Simons.

Simons’ arrival for £52 million in the summer window brought serious excitement with it, especially after James Maddison was ruled out for the majority of 2025/2026 with an ACL injury he sustained in pre-season.

With Dejan Kulusevski also still on the recovery trail from a knee problem, which forced him to miss Tottenham’s Europa League triumph, Simons was viewed as the answer to Frank’s shortage of creative options in the final third.

However, it has been a slow start for the Dutchman.

Thus far, Simons’ only goal contribution has come from a dead-ball situation, with the 22-year-old setting up Pape Sarr to head home from a corner away to West Ham in September.

This was during Simons’ Premier League debut for his new side, but since that glorious moment at the London Stadium, the ex-PSG sensation has largely struggled to make an impact.

His north London numbers are in stark contrast to his final campaign at Leipzig. Simons bagged 17 goal contributions in just 25 top flight outings, all while averaging a solid two shots on goal per 90 minutes.

Frank has repeatedly stood up for Simons when asked about his dwindling form by the media, with the Spurs head coach even making a comparison to Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz.

There have even been suggestions that Simons isn’t actually a playmaker at all, and Frank apparently needs to realise this sooner rather than later.

Perhaps the forward’s best position is out wide.

Simons played seven of his last 2025 Bundesliga matches for Leipzig on the left — a position which Frank has also utilised him.

The former La Masia gem was used as a winger against West Ham, Wolves, Everton and Villarreal in the Champions League, but again, he struggled to contribute in the final third.

How Thomas Frank really feels about Xavi Simons at Tottenham

In any case, he needs to start delivering sooner rather than later, with Dutch analyst Johan Derksen criticising the attacker on Vandaag Inside this week.

Derksen believes that Simons is “failing” at Tottenham and Frank is “unhappy” with his summer signing, going on to state that he lacks the speed and strength to succeed in England.

There is still plenty of time for the Netherlands international to adapt, and you can make a serious case that all the comments aimed his way are pretty harsh considering he only arrived a couple of months ago.

There is a settling in period for some foreign players, but the same cannot be said for Dominic Solanke.

According to other reports, Frank has seen enough of the experienced Premier League striker, despite Solanke playing just 49 minutes in total since the Dane arrived.

Thomas Frank makes Dominic Solanke decision with January exit possibility revealed

Frank now unimpressed by £140k-p/w Tottenham star, may replace him in January

The Spurs boss doesn’t fancy one of his players, who Ange Postecoglou described as “fantastic.”

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 27, 2025

Brian Gutiérrez has become a top target for several Liga MX clubs this winter, as his newly obtained Mexican passport would allow him to play without occupying a foreign-player slot. GOAL previously reported that Chivas are preparing an offer for the midfielder, and now America and Monterrey – two of Liga MX's richest clubs – are also in the running.

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  Three Liga MX giants circle the 22-year-old midfielder

  América and Monterrey have intensified their pursuit of Gutiérrez and are considered slightly ahead of Chivas, according to reporting from Tom Bogert. All three clubs view him as a high-upside addition who would arrive without foreign-player restrictions.

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  No formal offers yet

  While scouting and conversations have occurred, none of the clubs have submitted an official bid. Chivas initially made contact, but negotiations slowed, allowing América and Rayados – both backed by significantly larger budgets – to gain ground, per .

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  Gutiérrez opens the door to representing Mexico

  The Chicago Fire playmaker, born in Illinois to Mexican parents, recently completed his Mexican passport process. Reports indicate he hopes to represent El Tri in the future. However, with the 2026 World Cup approaching, competition in Mexico’s midfield is fierce, and Álvaro Fidalgo currently holds the inside track among late-cycle candidates.

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  Breakout MLS season boosts his market value

  Gutiérrez enjoyed one of his best campaigns in 2025, scoring nine goals and adding three assists across 29 MLS matches. A product of Chicago’s academy, he also featured for U.S. youth national teams and made two senior-friendly appearances this year – but a switch to Mexico remains very much on the table.

Manchester United’s work in the transfer market over the last couple of seasons has certainly been brought into question, amid the big money spent and lack of impact produced by some players.

The Red Devils hierarchy have spent upwards of £800m on new additions since the summer of 2022, but the signings have been unable to catapult the club to any Premier League glory.

Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try his luck in the role at Old Trafford, with the 40-year-old already spending just shy of £250m in his first 12 months at the Theatre of Dreams.

Big names like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu have all arrived under his guidance, but it’s evident that the manager still wants added reinforcements.

With January now just around the corner, he’s already started to rack up a shortlist of talents, with more transfer business expected to take place in the coming months.

United’s early work ahead of the January transfer window

Over recent weeks, United have been linked with a plethora of new options in multiple areas of the pitch to try and sustain their positive start to the season.

A new forward could well be on the cards for Amorim, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo just one player they’re said to be considering at present.

However, he will cost a pretty penny this winter, with his current employers currently demanding a fee in the region of £65m to part ways with the Ghanaian international.

Semenyo isn’t the only attacker being eyed up by Amorim, with Borussia Dortmund star Karim Adeyemi another option that’s being discussed ahead of the winter window.

According to German outlet BILD, the 23-year-old is said to be unhappy with the lack of progress in contract talks, which could open the door to a move to Old Trafford.

The report claims Amorim’s side are closely monitoring the situation at present, but like Semenyo, it could cost a small fortune, with the Bundesliga setting a £70m asking price for his signature.

Why United’s £70m target would be a Sesko repeat

During the summer transfer window, United finally ended their pursuit for a new talisman, after forking out a reported £74m on the signature of Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian international arrived from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, with such a move generating huge excitement within the fanbase – no doubt due to the nature of the transfer fee.

However, his start to life in Manchester has been far from ideal, with the 22-year-old only able to find the back of the net twice in his first 11 top-flight appearances.

It’s safe to say he’s presented an inconsistent figure at the top end of the pitch, often struggling to make the desired impact after his mammoth transfer to Old Trafford.

He will certainly need time to settle into life in England, but as seen with Rasmus Hojlund, the professional game is a cutthroat business and it can be unforgiving.

However, they could be about to land a similar talent in Adeyemi this winter, with the German replicating Sesko in joining the Red Devils from a Bundesliga side.

The winger is also an inconsistent figure, as seen by his tally of two goals in ten appearances, with both of his efforts coming back-to-back, just like Sesko managed in the Premier League.

Adeyemi is a rapid forward who loves to get in behind the opposition backline whenever possible, which has led to former boss Edin Terzic labelling the 23-year-old as a “roadrunner”.

His underlying stats do showcase his quality at present, even resulting in analyst Ben Mattinson dubbing the youngster “world-class” despite his inconsistent nature.

The forward has completed 2.3 dribbles per 90 in the Bundesliga to date, whilst also notching 6.8 touches in the opposition’s box per 90 – highlighting his all-round threat in attacking areas.

Adeyemi has also registered 2.8 shots per 90 this campaign, showcasing his ability to add the end product to his mazy runs when taking on the opposition.

The prospect of the German linking up with Sesko at Old Trafford is certainly an exciting one, with the pair potentially able to aid one another and transform the club’s frontline.

£70m would be another huge investment, but it’s one that could prove to be worthwhile if he can replicate his recent numbers produced in the Bundesliga this campaign.

Their new McTominay: Man Utd in talks to sign £25m future "superstar"

Manchester United look set to make a move for a star who could emulate Scott McTominay.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 21, 2025

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has reignited the drama surrounding Barcelona's Negreira case, as Los Blancos' chief pointed to the perceived injustice in Barca's "best sporting era" coinciding with alleged payments of more than €8 million to referees over a 17-year period. Perez also cited the clear imbalance in red cards issued to the two clubs during the period, stating that the situation is "not normal".

• Perez reopens Barcelona's Negreira scandal controversy

  Speaking at the latest Assembly of Representative Members, Perez used his speech to attack several major bodies, including UEFA, La Liga and, especially, Barcelona.

  As reported by the Real Madrid president took the opportunity to reopen the controversy surrounding Barca’s referee scandal, where La Blaugrana were accused of paying approximately €8.4m (£7.3m/$9.7m) to referees in the Spanish top flight within a 17-year period, between 2001-2018.

  The ‘Negreira case’, as it is often known, begun following accusations in 2023. Jose María Enríquez Negreira was formerly vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees (TCA) of the Spanish FA (the RFEF). Negreira received these substantial payments from Barcelona, which the club claimed was in a consultancy capacity as Negreira offered refereeing reports and advice. Both the club and Negreira have denied accusations of bribery being involved, but a case into sporting integrity is still ongoing.

  Perez has now relaunched the controversy amidst his claims that the situation is “not normal” and coincides with sporting success in a manner which the Los Blancos chief questioned in his speech.

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  Perez questions Barcelona and refereeing scandal in fiery speech

  "It’s not normal that Barcelona has paid the vice president of referees more than €8m for at least 17 years, whatever the reason," Perez denounced before the members. "I repeat: whatever the reason, it’s not normal."

  He continued to say that Enríquez Negreira held "a key position in the refereeing hierarchy," responsible for referee promotions and demotions. "A period that coincides, coincidentally, with Barcelona’s best sporting results in our country," added Perez.

  Perez used charts and data to back up his claims. "Real Madrid had a net balance of two red cards in 2021,” he explained. "And Barcelona, 61 red cards. That’s a difference of no less than 59. On the other hand, during the same period, the balance in Europe is almost identical: +12 for Barca and +13 for Madrid.

  "Bayern and Dortmund have the same balance, and so do the major leagues. The red card balance during the Negreira period at Barcelona was +49 and at Real Madrid, -1. Draw your own conclusions."

• 'Who is going to forget it?'

  "Real Madrid is the only club that has appeared in the trial. Four presidents have maintained millionaire payments for 17 years to the vice president of referees,” he stated.

  He also pressurised the stance of the TCA president: "Fran Soto has asked us to move on and forget the ‘Negreira case.’ Who is going to forget it? The reality is that they [the referees involved] are still there. It’s a situation that prevents them from acting with neutrality.

  "How is it possible that, before the Copa final, the match referee said that referees were going to take action against our club? Before a Copa del Rey final? He should have been removed, and no measures were taken."

  The president concluded by pointing towards La Liga’s role in the Barcelona match which was going to be held in Miami. "Not even their captain, Frenkie de Jong, thinks it’s normal," he claimed about the proposition to hold an official match in the US. "And it’s also not normal that La Liga supports two teams, Barcelona and Villarreal, who receive additional financial incentives for playing in Miami. And yet we have to listen to Mr Tebas trying to compare this with the NFL."

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  Barcelona's refereeing controversy goes on

  The fact that Perez has taken such a high-profile opportunity to speak out on the case shows its continued importance to the Madrid president at Barca’s arch-rivals.

  He feels that the case questions the integrity of La Liga and is not willing to hear La Blaugrana’s explained reasoning for the situation occurring. Whether Barca, La Liga or the TCA will respond to the outburst remains to be seen.