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Lamine Yamal has been crowned La Liga Player of the Month after a sensational November in which the 18-year-old produced goals, assists and match-winning performances that powered Barcelona to a perfect month in the league. His three goals and three assists established him as the competition’s leading creator, reaffirming his return to form after an injury-ridden start.

Yamal wins La Liga Player of the Month award

Yamal delivered a dominant run of form across Barcelona’s four La Liga fixtures in November, scoring against Elche, Celta Vigo and Deportivo Alaves while adding two assists in the Catalan side’s emphatic win over Athletic Club. Yamal’s standout moments included a two-assist display on Barcelona’s return to Camp Nou and another goal-and-assist performance against Alaves to close out the month.

Yamal's decisive impact in each fixture reinforced the sense that he had fully rediscovered rhythm and confidence after a previously difficult period. The 18-year-old explosive contributions helped Barcelona win every league match during the month, propelling him past rivals including Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann in the final vote for La Liga's Player of the Month for November.

AdvertisementAFPYamal helps Barcelona get back on top of La Liga standings

Barcelona’s strong domestic form was driven in large part by Yamal’s resurgence, placing the Catalans at the top of the La Liga table after 15 rounds. His performances helped calm concerns following a difficult El Clasico loss, which left them five points off Real Madrid, and demonstrated his ability to shoulder responsibility at a critical moment.

Yamal bagged six goals and assists in four games

Yamal’s final November tally of three goals and three assists extended his league-leading creative total to eight assists, underlining a level of productivity rare for a player still in his teens. He had already shown flashes of elite output earlier in the season, but November marked his most consistent stretch yet, with decisive contributions in every match.

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Getty Images SportYamal crucial for Barcelona's crucial winter period

Barcelona now prepare for a tricky away trip to Real Betis, where Yamal’s creativity will again be central to their approach against a top-five opponent. His form will also be crucial as the club shifts focus back to the Champions League, hosting Eintracht Frankfurt in a match vital to maintaining momentum across competitions.

With Kagiso Rabada missing the Kolkata Test with a rib injury, the visitors have bolstered their fast bowling stocks

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2025Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has been added to South Africa’s squad for the second Test against India in Guwahati which starts on Saturday.Ngidi’s inclusion suggests Kagiso Rabada, who missed South Africa’s sensational victory in Kolkata with a rib injury, is a doubtful starter again. The visitors’ other fast bowling options on tour are Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch and Wiaan Mulder.Ngidi joined the team at their Kolkata hotel on Tuesday before their scheduled departure to Guwahati on Wednesday.Ngidi has played 20 Tests in his career so far, but only three since making a comeback in Cape Town against India in January 2024. His last red-ball appearance was the World Test Championship final against Australia in June. He has played just one Test match in India, going wicketless in Ranchi in 2019.Related

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Ngidi does have overs in his legs having been part of South Africa’s ODI and T20I series in Pakistan in October and November. Last week, he played a game for Titans in the CSA T20 Challenge.At Eden Gardens, South Africa’s quicks sent down 40 overs and returned six wickets as the team registered their first Test win in India since 2010. That Kolkata pitch provided enough assistance for the seamers but it is still unclear what the conditions in Guwahati will be like given the venue has never hosted Test cricket before.

Manchester United are now accelerating their move to sign a Premier League star, who’s already been contacted about a move to Chelsea, according to reports.

Man Utd debt breaks $1bn after summer window

It’s not getting any easier for INEOS and Manchester United. After they splashed out over £150m in the summer transfer window, the club’s net debt has reportedly broken the $1bn barrier for the first time. This is despite INEOS taking several controversial cost-cutting measures and highlights just how important it is that United get back into the Champions League this season.

In the club’s first-quarter accounts, which were released on Thursday, their noncurrent borrowings were reported at £481 million ($644m). Add in the £105m from their revolving credit facility, however, and that takes their total borrowings to £268m and their total net debt has grown to £749m ($1.002bn).

Yet, the transfer rumours ahead of 2026 continue to arrive. Reports earlier this week even claimed that Man United have made contact in the race to sign Arda Guler from Real Madrid. The Turkish superstar is reportedly worth £88m, however, and would once again add to the club’s growing debt.

INEOS also continue to remain patient with Ruben Amorim, insisting that he’s the man to take the Red Devils back to Europe’s top table. It’s a delicate balance. United need reinforcements, Amorim needs to get the best out of his current squad, and debt must not reach new records.

Bruno 2.0: Man Utd accelerate talks to sign "best CM prospect in the world"

A successor to Bruno Fernandes could be on the cards in 2026 for Manchester United.

ByRobbie Walls 4 days ago

With that said, rather than a move for such expensive targets, United are reportedly looking to sign Sunderland star Noah Sadiki ahead of Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Man Utd accelerating move to sign Sadiki

According to Sky Sports’ Sacha Tavolieri, Man United are now accelerating their move to sign Sadiki after the Sunderland star received contact from Chelsea back in October.

The central midfielder also received contact from United at the beginning of the season in an attempt to get ahead of the chasing pack. As of right now, though, those at Old Trafford find themselves head-to-head against Chelsea in the race to secure the 20-year-old, who joined Sunderland for around £15m in the summer.

It’s easy to see why Sadiki has attracted such interest so soon after arriving in the Premier League. He’s played a pivotal part in Sunderland’s incredible start to the season and it’s the type of rise that their sporting director, Kristjaan Speakman saw coming in the summer.

He told the club’s website after signing the midfielder: “Noah’s enjoyed a great level of experience at a relatively young age, and alongside his drive to improve, this makes him an exciting addition to our squad.

“During his time at USG, he’s played in domestic and European competitions regularly, and the Premier League is a natural next step in his promising career.”

Upgrade on Sesko: Man Utd pursuing "one of Europe's most in-form STs"

The India keeper-batter talks about the work she has put into her batting and what she has learned from the WPL

Hemant Brar28-Apr-2025When Richa Ghosh walked in to bat for Bengal in the rain-affected Senior Women’s T20 Trophy semi-final in November 2022, Himachal needed to bowl only five more balls to force a result. Bengal had to get 14 runs without losing a wicket. A washout would take them into the final.Through a steady drizzle, Ghosh slog-swept the fourth ball of the over into the vacant deep-midwicket stands. Her six did two things: in the time it took the fielder to retrieve the ball, the drizzle got heavier, and with Bengal now needing six off two, Himachal panicked into making some fielding changes. More time wasted.Just when the bowler was ready to deliver the final ball, with Bengal needing five, the umpires decided to call off the game, sealing Bengal’s qualification for the final.Until a few years ago, a six was a rare event in women’s cricket. But the game has undergone a revolution in recent times, and 21-year-old Ghosh is one of the young faces representing that change in India.Since making her T20I debut in 2020, she has hit a six every 20th ball. Among those who have hit at least 20 sixes in T20Is in this period, only Deandra Dottin of West Indies has cleared the boundary more frequently. It is this skill that has got Ghosh contracts in the WBBL and the Hundred.Related

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Blow by brutal blow, Ghosh slays Giants on WPL opening night

“It comes naturally to me,” Ghosh, who is currently part of the India side playing an ODI tri-series against Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo, says about her power-hitting skills. “Maybe I got it from Papa, because he too liked hitting sixes. And my idol is MS Dhoni, who is known for his sixes and finishing skills.”Her father, Manabendra, was a club-level cricketer and later a part-time umpire in Siliguri. He would take his daughter along to matches but had no inkling that she was interested in playing the game.”He pushed me into table tennis but I did not like it,” Ghosh says. “When I told him I wanted to play cricket, he got me into to the Baghajatin Athletic Club [in Siliguri]. From there, my cricketing journey started.”Ghosh often travelled to play matches in Kolkata, and to make sure he could accompany her and be available for her all the time, her father closed his business.”When I was first selected for the district tournament, I didn’t have the English willow bat. I had a Kashmir willow and a normal tennis bat. The English willow bat was quite expensive, and Papa had to borrow money to buy one for me.”People would taunt him about what he was doing, but he kept me insulated from all that. Had those things reached me, I don’t think I would have played for India.”At 13, she was playing for Bengal’s Under-19 team, and at 16, she became the second-youngest debutant for India in T20Is.Ghosh, playing for London Spirit, takes a catch to dismiss Northern Superchargers’ Alice Davidson-Richards in the 2023 Hundred•Alex Davidson/ECB/Getty ImagesIn her early days Ghosh dabbled in all three departments: batting, bowling and wicketkeeping. “In fact, I have bowled alongside Jhulu [Jhulan Goswami] when I was young,” she says. “I was a medium-fast bowler and would get lots of wickets lbw or bowled. At the state level, I was told many times to give up keeping and focus more on bowling. But Papa said, ‘Do whatever you want to, but never give up keeping.'”When Ghosh didn’t get to keep or bowl in her first few T20Is, she realised that her ground fielding was well below par.”Only when you play international cricket, you realise how much improvement you need and what’s best for you. When I played for India, I had to decide whether I wanted to bowl or keep. I was confused. So I talked to my coaches, who told me to pursue keeping.”That particular skill remains a work in progress for her. There have been glaring mistakes at times, but also moments of brilliance. While playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2025 WPL, she reminded everyone of Dhoni’s quick glovework, dashing to the stumps to run-out Sophie Ecclestone when UP Warriorz needed one run to win off the final ball at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Dhoni had run-out Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman off the last ball in the same manner at the ground in the 2016 T20 World Cup.At the WPL, Ghosh also had a chance to share the dressing room with another idol of hers: Ellyse Perry. When she made her T20I debut in Australia in 2020, one of the first things she did was take a photograph with Perry.”In Australia, I never spoke to her,” Ghosh says. “But now I can have a proper chat with her. When you see a legend from such close quarters, you also learn a lot. You see how professional she is about her game and her fitness.”The WPL has given Ghosh the opportunity to play alongside her idol Ellyse Perry•Pankaj Nangia/Getty ImagesFitness is an area where Ghosh has been under scrutiny. In 2022, when she was dropped from the ODI squad and for the T20Is in the Commonwealth Games, she actively trained to get fitter.”One thing I worked on was staying at the crease for longer periods. My natural instinct is to see the ball, hit the ball. But if I go in early, say the 12th over of a T20I, I should be able to bat till the end.”That focus also helped her develop her ODI game. Her highest score in the format – 96 against Australia at the Wankhede in 2023 – came from No. 3. After the match, India’s head coach, Amol Muzumdar, said, “No. 3 is the best spot for her.”But after only one more game in that position, Ghosh was back in the middle order – maybe because she can do down the order what no one else in the country has been able to so far. Since the start of 2021, she has the most sixes and the highest strike rate for any batter between Nos. 5 and 7 for India in ODIs.What makes Ghosh unique is her ability to clear the boundary from the get-go. She jointly holds the world record for the fastest T20I fifty (off 18 balls), and has made India’s fastest ODI fifty. Even Harmanpreet Kaur, destructive as she can be, likes to take her time before playing the big shots.Ghosh has won the U-19 Women’s World Cup with India and the WPL with RCB•Matthew Lewis/ICC/Getty ImagesLast year, when asked which player’s style resembled hers the most, Harmanpreet said: “I think the one who can be even better than me is Richa, because her game sense is very good. Even when she was new in the side, she had something special in her.”Like Harmanpreet, Ghosh is equally destructive against pace and spin. Against fast bowlers, she primarily targets straight boundaries, while against spinners, she relies on the slog sweep to clear deep midwicket. Of late she has expanded her range by adding the scoop, the reverse scoop and the reverse sweep to her game, making herself a 360-degree player.Perry was as effusive as Harmanpreet in her praise of Ghosh’s talent during the WPL. “She works so hard on her game, but she is such a natural striker of the ball as well. [It feels] so nice to stand at the other end and see how clean her swing is. The way she accesses different parts of the ground – the paddle shots as well as the brute force down the ground – is so impressive.”In all this, it is easy to forget how young Ghosh is. Last October, she missed the New Zealand ODI series to take her class 12 exams. In five months, she will have an even bigger test: the ODI World Cup at home. Unlike most players in the Indian team, Ghosh has tasted success in an ICC event. In 2023, she was part of the side, led by Shafali Verma, that won the U-19 World Cup in South Africa.”At the U-19 World Cup we got to know what winning a trophy feels like,” she says. “Now the goal is to win a World Cup with the senior team. We always prepare with that in mind, but somewhere we have been lacking a bit. Hopefully we can do it this time.”

After the first phase of MLB All-Star voting, the Los Angeles Dodgers figure to have plenty of representation across the field at the midsummer classic.

Among the intriguing position battles in the National League is at the hot corner, where Dodgers slugger Max Muncy holds an edge over San Diego Padres star Manny Machado after phase one.

That hasn't sat too well with Padres broadcaster Mark Grant, who addressed the situation during Sunday's matchup against the Cincinnati Reds. In the middle of Machado's at-bat during the fifth inning, Grant began campaigning for his All-Star candidacy, urging fans to submit some ballots with Machado's name on them.

"Let's call it the way it is. Manny Machado is a better third baseman than Max Muncy," Grant said flatly.

In terms of their overall career, there's simply no disputing that Machado has been the superior player. But the All-Star Game doesn't necessarily take into account a career's worth of statistics.

In 2025, Muncy has a .845 OPS with 13 home runs, 55 RBIs and 50 walks in 79 games. The 34-year-old has been on fire in June, too, logging a 1.113 OPS with seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 23 games throughout the month. Machado has recorded similar numbers on the year, logging a .835 OPS with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs.

On paper, it certainly makes sense that there's a close race between the two NL West rivals when it comes to All-Star voting, but Grant suggested that Machado is deserving of the starting spot and encouraged fans to do their part in making that happen.

Former Real Madrid and Spain centre-back Sergio Ramos has departed Mexican side Monterrey following their final game of the season. Monterrey fell to a 3-2 defeat to Toluca in the semi-finals of the Liga MX playoffs, and Ramos has confirmed that he has played his final game for the club. However, the legendary defender has no plans to call time on his playing career.

Getty Images Sport'This is my last game' says Ramos

Ramos moved to the Mexican side earlier this year following his departure from La Liga side Sevilla. The 39-year-old returned to the Spanish outfit in 2023 after his PSG exit but at the weekend confirmed that Monterrey's 3-2 loss to Toluca would mark his final appearance for the club.

"I made it very clear last week. Obviously, yes – this is my last game," Ramos said following the weekend's defeat. Reflecting on the semi-final loss, the experienced defender stated that "losing a semi-final always hurts, especially when you fall just short of a final."

"There’s a lot to assess. We practically gave away the first half. We lacked intensity, rhythm, personality, and control of the ball. You can lose – football works that way – but if you lose, it should be by playing like we did in the second half, not the first, which we gifted to them."

Ramos leaves the club having made 32 competitive appearances in 2025, scoring seven goals and receiving one red card, and is determined to play in Europe once again.

AdvertisementRamos keen to continue playing

And as a free agent, Ramos is free to choose where to play next outside of the traditional winter and summer transfer windows. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has also confirmed that the World Cup winning centre-back has a number of proposals as he assesses his options.

"Sergio Ramos leaves Monterrey as he confirms he’s played his last game in Mexico," Romano posted on his official X account. "Ramos wants to continue playing football, no plans to retire and set to assess proposals. Free agent from now on."

AC Milan have since emerged as a potential destination for Ramos with Italian publication Calcimercato reporting that former Spain star is offering his services to the Italian giants. Ramos is keen to reunite with former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric, who left Los Blancos for the San Siro earlier this year.

Modric has made an impressive start to life in Milan as the Rossoneri look to secure the Scudetto in Max Allegri's first game back at the AC Milan helm.

Getty Images SportRamos a surviving member of Spain's 2010 World Cup winning squad

Ramos is one of four members of Spain's 2010 World Cup winning squad still playing. Winger Pedro is on the books at Serie A side Lazio, while centre-back Raul Albiol plies his trade for Pisa. Juan Mata, meanwhile, moved to A-League side Melbourne Victory earlier this year after a brief stint with Western Sydney Warriors.

Ramos is not looking to follow in the footsteps of compatriots Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who both called time on their career recently. The ex-Barcelona pair both played the full 90 for Inter Miami, who claimed a 3-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps in the 2025 MLS Cup final over the weekend.

Lionel Messi was instrumental in the victory, providing two assists as Alba and Busquets both ended their respective playing spells on a high.

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What trophies has Ramos won?

Ramos has enjoyed a distinguished career for both club and country, which saw him win La Liga five times, the Champions League four times and the Copa Del Rey twice with Real Madrid. In addition, he claimed two Ligue 1 winners' medal during his two-year spell with PSG.

For country, meanwhile, Ramos was part of the Spain squad that won Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, and was a key member of the side that won the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Andres Iniesta scored a extra-time winner 15 years' ago as La Roja got the better of the Netherlands.

And Spain are looking to win football's showpiece in North America next summer and were drawn against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H in Friday's World Cup draw.

“Eventually the pressure kept on building in the second innings and we couldn’t capitalise,” says India’s stand-in captain Rishabh Pant

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-20253:22

Philander: Bavuma ‘a wonderful inspiration’

“I am not a stats man, I am a win man,” Simon Harmer said when asked by Murali Kartik in the post-match presentation about his returns: his 8 for 51 is the best by a South Africa spinner in a Test in India and second only to Dale Steyn’s 10 for 108 back in 2010.The other South Africans at Eden Gardens could say the same. They started the third day staring at a crisis. They fought their way out of it with the bat, led by Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch, and then had Marco Jansen first and then Harmer running through the opposition.All India had in front of them was a target of 124. They only got 93.Related

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“A game like this, you can’t dwell into it too much, because… we should have been able to chase this score, but eventually the pressure kept on building in the second innings and we couldn’t capitalise,” Rishabh Pant, standing in as captain in Shubman Gill’s absence, said. “Definitely there was help in the wicket, a [target] of 120 can be tricky on these kinds of surfaces, but at the same time, as a team we should be able to soak in the pressure.”He pointed to the morning session when South Africa, resuming on 93 for 7, added 60 more runs. “That was the turning point,” Pant said. “Temba and Bosch had a brilliant partnership in the morning and that got them back in the game and that hurt us too much at the end of the game.”Bavuma isn’t the sort to talk big, so he kept it simple.”It was about awareness. Second innings, I didn’t change too much. Fortunately I have played in India before, so I kind of understand the little bit of adjustment that you need to make, and luck also plays a part,” he said of his innings of 55 not out, the only half-century in a game where no innings touched 200.

“Very exciting. We want to be a part of these games and be on the right side of the result. We tried to hold on to our nerves as much as we could. It was tough for us and we needed the bowlers to exploit what was there and the guys did that beautifully”Temba Bavuma

“The captaincy, you are only as good as the players. That I give it to them. Batting, I am just comfortable with myself. And technique: not to worry about trigger and all those types of things. I stand as still as I can, watch the ball. I have a decent understanding of my game. I have come here to India wanting to do well. Not the greatest of records when it comes to these conditions. There’s a bit of that exuberance from my side to see myself doing well in these conditions and implement all the little things that I’m trying here, and keep contributing for the team.”The partnership with Bosch, I think with Marco as well at the end of the day [yesterday], just gave a little bit of impetus. The wicket played a bit better this morning, wasn’t as extreme. We tried to stay in the game as much as we could. It is not all the time that you score 120-125 and that’s a winning score. I think it was a case of staying in the game and keep believing.”Contribute he did, and then turned to his bowlers.3:40

Did India let South Africa off the hook in the morning?

“Very exciting. We want to be a part of these games and be on the right side of the result. We tried to hold on to our nerves as much as we could,” Bavuma said. “It was tough for us and we needed the bowlers to exploit what was there and the guys did that beautifully. We were able to change our bowlers frequently and that worked for us.”If Harmer is to be believed, the conditions got a bit tougher for him on the third day.”Today, I felt it probably got a little bit flatter as the ball got softer. It wasn’t exploding as much. I was asking myself some really hard questions,” he said. “Nice to contribute. I have been here before and it was a dark place, losing [three out of four Tests in 2015]. So to get here, to be behind the eight-ball again, and for the team to fight the way they did, shows where this group is and what they are capable of and the belief that they have.”I knew I needed to bowl well. I think it was the same when we were batting – it felt like we were one partnership away from getting ourselves into the game. It was the same with ball in hand. We knew we were one partnership away from getting really close. I just needed to try and put as many balls in the right areas and trust that the wicket would do its bit.”

Tottenham Hotspur will feel hard done by after salvaging a draw against Newcastle United on Tuesday evening, having come unstuck after Anthony Gordon dispatched a controversially won penalty for the home side.

There’s a case to be made that Rodrigo Bentancur had infringed play in the box, but the tussle was waged between two players – one of whom was the 6 foot 7 Dan Burn – and there’s also a case to be made that Bentancur was pulled to the floor by the Newcastle defender.

Even as Cristian Romero’s brace rescued his side, Thomas Frank will know the pressure valve has not been released, and he still has much to prove if he is to cement his managerial berth in north London.

Frank's struggles at the Spurs helm

Tottenham have been something of a mixed bag in the Premier League this season. Their home performance woes have spilt from last year into the current term, with the defeat to Fulham meaning three have been lost on the bounce in the top flight.

Tactically, Tottenham are not creating enough. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are sidelined, have been since the summer, but this is no excuse for the stunted playmaking quality that has been on show. Spurs’ players are not maximising their own skillsets.

Frank is a more pragmatic manager than Ange Postecoglou before him, but his Brentford side still produced clinical and concise attacking play.

Man City

2nd

26.7

Chelsea

4th

24.0

Arsenal

1st

23.5

Crystal Palace

5th

22.7

Liverpool

8th

22.2

(18) Tottenham

11th

12.6

Now, much has been left to be desired in his Lilywhites team, and ENIC Group could be forced into cutting off their new manager and replacing him with a summer target.

Indeed, Daniel Levy (remember him?) interviewed Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, as per TalkSPORT, who confirm that he has his sights set on a move up the ladder, albeit with a preference to see out the season.

Given the depth of Tottenham’s interest, this could be a deal revisited. And anyway, it’s not like the Spanish tactician has done anything to deter suitors this year.

Why Iraola is a better stylistic fit

Iraola is a young manager, but he has taken to the Premier League with ease, inculcating his aggressive, attack-focused football at the Vitality Stadium and recording Bournemouth’s highest-ever points total (56) last year.

He has transformed Bournemouth from a band of hard-batting, relegation-contending troops to an easy-on-the-eye attacking force, so intense and energetic. The fact he boasts a superior points-per-game record to Frank in the Premier League only adds fuel to the argument.

It’s a style of football that feels tailor-made for a club like Spurs. To dare is to do, after all, and one of the biggest criticisms of Frank’s tactics has been a pragmatism and lack of creative ambition.

The Spaniard has even been generously named “the best coach in the Premier League” by journalist James Horncastle for his impact on the south coast, and though the Cherries are struggling for form right now, with four losses from five outings, there’s little question that he has laid out his credentials at the top.

Talented players like Xavi Simons are struggling. Tottenham are in a rut. Could Iraola provide the solution? His ability to adapt – evidenced after a summer exodus – could also play favourably into a north London outfit who have undergone a fair amount of chopping and changing in recent years.

It is not yet time for ENIC chiefs to push for a managerial change, but Frank will know that he will soon be on borrowed time if unable to prove that his tactical vision is slowly taking root at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Should push come to shove, Iraola may well prove the perfect replacement, his self-defined “rock and roll” brand of football aligning with Spurs’ free-flowing identity.

The new Son: Spurs prepared to pay £65m to sign "world-class" talent

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to fork out a hefty sum to land a new attacker for Thomas Frank.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

Former USMNT star Brad Friedel has, in an exclusive interview with GOAL, explained why “workaholic” Mauricio Pochettino could walk away from international management after the 2026 World Cup. The Argentine tactician holds the honour of leading the United States into another major tournament on home soil, but inevitable questions are being asked of his future.

Pochettino contract: When USMNT deal ends

Ex-Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss Pochettino stepped into a prominent post on American soil in September 2024. He was charged with the task of ensuring that a so-called ‘Golden Generation’ of talent is ready to fulfil undoubted potential on the grandest of stages.

That process has not been without the odd challenge, but the USMNT are confident that they can compete with the very best in the business when the global elite descend on their own backyard. Pochettino is only under contract until the World Cup finals come to a close.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportStay or go: What will Pochettino do after the World Cup?

Coaches in international football tend to work on tournament cycles, with clear beginnings and ends to any given era being easy to find, so will Pochettino follow that trend and bow out when his current deal comes to a close – regardless of how the U.S. fare next summer?

When that question was put to Friedel, the ex-USMNT goalkeeper – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “That’s a great question. I’m quite close with one of his assistant coaches. I think that because he has had to come in and change the culture in the States, if they do well then I could see him staying for another cycle.

“I know he is a guy that likes to build, he likes to have continuity and stability. But he also likes to know that he has quality. I don’t know what he thinks of the next four years on his paper, of what’s going to happen when – as happens with national teams – a few people age out, and are the wrong people ageing out to be successful for the next four years.

“It’s a really good question. I would probably say this: If it doesn’t go well, probably ‘no’. If it goes incredibly well and they win it, I don’t think he stays. If it’s somewhere in the middle and it’s good and building, then I think there is probably a chance. That would be my guess.”

Premier League return? What Pochettino misses

Pochettino has admitted that he intends to head back to club management at some stage, telling : “The Premier League is the best league in the world. Of course I am missing it. I am so happy in America but also thinking one day to come back to the Premier League. It's the most competitive league.”

On missing the day-to-day interaction of working at domestic level, with international camps often months apart, Friedel added on Pochettino’s professional drive: “He’s a workaholic, and his whole staff are. I can say from personal experience, not at the senior level but the U19 national team, you do miss the day-to-day because you are scouting and meeting with people and talking a lot more than you are on the pitch.

“I can see how any manager, especially on the younger side, would miss club management. When the tournament comes around, then you want to be nowhere else except for there because it’s the big stuff. I can see two things. I can see, one, big clubs wanting him. And two, I can understand him wanting the day-to-day because he is a workaholic and very good at his job.”

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Getty/GOALWorld Cup focus: Pochettino and USMNT looking at draw

Pochettino’s stock remains high, so there is every chance that a “big” club will come in for him during the summer of 2026. Teams around the world will be assessing their options at that stage, with many opting for a change in the dugout.

The USMNT will not be worrying themselves about interest from afar just yet, though, as collective focus there is locked on the group stage draw for the 2026 World Cup – which is set to take place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on December 5.

Using Evangelos Marinakis’ extensive portfolio of clubs to their advantage, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly willing to meet one target’s price-tag this summer in pursuit of boosting their attacking options.

Nottingham Forest plotting statement summer

With just six games to go in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest sit third and four points clear of Manchester City in sixth, who are on course to miss out on Champions League football. And whilst there will still be some nerves around the City Ground, the fact that fifth will still be enough to secure a place among Europe’s elite should give them more than enough of a safety net.

Nuno Espirito Santo recently delivered his verdict on the positive Champions League news, albeit whilst reiterating that it will not change the approach that Nottingham Forest take.

The manager told reporters in the build-up to his side’s game against Everton: “It’s in our hands. It opens one more space so there is more contenders but for us it doesn’t change anything. Our approach will be the same. I think we have a great opportunity to achieve something great.”

Bringing European football back to the City Ground would leave Espirito Santo’s name cemented in the history books, but this season’s success may yet just be the start of a special era.

He's outscored Wood: Nottingham Forest now plotting move to sign £80m star

He’s a wanted man…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 11, 2025

Qualification for next season’s Champions League would mean that a place in Nottingham Forest’s squad would suddenly be among the most attractive in the Premier League and that has already seen a number of targets lined up ahead of the summer transfer window.

Names as big as Victor Osimhen have even been mentioned on Forest’s radar, whilst they could also look towards South America for incomings.

Nottingham Forest willing to meet Clayton's valuation

According to Record, as relayed by Sports Witness, Nottingham Forest are now willing to spend in the race to sign Clayton this summer. The impressive centre-forward is currently on loan from Vasco da Gama at Rio Ave – a club also owned by Marinakis – in a deal that is expected to become permanent when the summer transfer window arrives.

Of course, if that does prove to be the case then Forest’s pursuit should become far easier thanks to Marinakis. The Greek owner could use his place at both sides to help connect any potential deal this summer, which would reportedly be worth around €10m (£9m) – a price Nottingham Forest are willing to pay.

26 years old and at the peak of his powers having scored 17 goals and assisted a further two in all competitions so far this season, Clayton could quickly turn into the bargain of the summer if he carried over his form from Portugal to the Midlands.

Given that Chris Wood is now 33 years old and Taiwo Awoniyi remains unconvincing too, Nottingham Forest could make their move to sign the forward at the perfect time.