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Juventus face fresh uncertainty as contract talks with Kenan Yildiz hit a standstill, with the highly-rated forward demanding a pay rise far beyond the club’s current offer. His dip in form, ongoing knee issues and the team’s faltering attack have complicated negotiations, while top European clubs circle and Yildiz weighs his long-term future amid Juventus' struggle for stability.

Yildiz's drop in form amid contract talks

Juventus entered the post-Igor Tudor phase with renewed expectations under Luciano Spalletti, but the 1-1 draw against Fiorentina again exposed a team struggling to convert potential into performance. Central to the disappointment was Yildiz, a player once heralded as Juve’s next attacking leader, yet now fighting both form and fitness.

Yildiz has scored only goal in his last 12 matches which was a late strike against Udinese in a match Juve were already leading by a goal. The decline is striking when compared to his early-season output where he had produced two goals and four assists in four games. Since then, something has come undone.

Against Fiorentina too, the 20-year-old drifted through the match with little spark. Part of the issue stems from the knee problem he has been nursing for weeks. Yet Juventus continue to lean on him heavily, starting him in nearly every match as he is both important and the team's lack of alternatives.

Spalletti defended him, noting the team’s slow tempo offered “little vertical service” to their forwards, but as reality stands Juventus look blunt, and Yildiz looks burdened.

AdvertisementGettyYildiz's contract demands surplus to Juve's capabilities

Talks over a contract renewal with Yildiz have reached a standstill. The Turkey international signed a long-term deal in August 2024 till 2029 following a breakthrough but the need to renew it again was felt by the club after other European giants started to circle the player.

Yildiz’s current contract earns him around €1.5 million a year, a figure dwarfed by Dusan Vlahovic’s €12 million and far below the salaries of Europe’s elite young talents. According to , his camp is now demanding a raise into the €5-6m range which reflects his growing profile and market value.

Juventus, however, deem the request too steep. A recent meeting between new CEO Damien Comolli and Yildiz’s representatives ended with no agreement, leaving both sides publicly calm but privately frustrated. Giorgio Chiellini summed up the mood with a cautious pause during the Social Football Summit in Turin.

"Yildiz renewal? Calm down. Calm down. Everyone has the will: with balance and calm, everything can be done," said the director of football strategy.

But behind the scenes, balance is proving elusive. With Premier League giants and Real Madrid all monitoring the situation, the Turkish forward knows his value is rising and that a bidding war could exceed €100m next summer. Meanwhile, Juve know losing him would be disastrous for their project.

Injury struggles and a visible dip in form

Yildiz’s downturn in form has coincided with a knee issue that surfaced in late October, diagnosed as patellar tendinopathy, an overuse condition that directly affects acceleration, sharp turns, and explosive movements, all central to his playing style. The first signs emerged ahead of Juventus' league game against Lazio, when Yildiz requested rest due to discomfort in his left knee. The problem became serious enough that he was unable to feature in Spalletti’s debut match in charge, a 2-1 win over Cremonese on October 27.

Although the injury required only a short spell on the sidelines, it has forced Juventus to significantly adjust his workload. Yildiz returned to the squad by early November and was deemed fit enough to feature against Sporting CP in the Champions League, but since then his involvement has been carefully managed, with reduced minutes and a more conservative approach from the medical staff.

Spalletti has acknowledged the challenge of balancing protection and performance, admitting that Juventus “must play in a way that supports players like Yildiz,” while also managing an injury that can quickly worsen under heavy load.

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AFPJuventus' season and Why Yildiz matters

Yildiz’s contract saga comes at a turbulent time for Juventus. The club parted ways with Tudor in October after an eight-match winless run and a slide to eighth in Serie A. Massimo Brambilla filled in briefly before Spalletti was appointed to restore order.

Spalletti has brought structure, but Juventus still look mute in the final third. Despite heavy attacking investment in the summer, performances remain colourless and inconsistent. The draw with Fiorentina symbolised a wider issue of promising players not being unlocked.

And that is why his renewal matters far beyond salary. A player they believe can lead the next four to six years of the club’s rebuild. But to retain him, Juventus must offer more than money. They must offer a convincing competitive project, both domestically and in Europe.

Ben McKinney played with textbook orthodoxy and mature assurance in helping Durham to frustrate Essex for much of a sun-kissed day at Chelmsford with the second first-class century of his burgeoning career.The 20-year-old left-hander, so strong in the V between mid-on and mid-off where a large proportion of his 18 fours and two sixes were caressed, faced 228 balls in compiling an elegant 121 to help Durham to 316 for 8 at stumps in the battle to avoid relegation from Division One of the Rothesay County Championship against their fellow candidates.McKinney was joined by captain Alex Lees, who made 94 from 152 balls, in a 134-run second-wicket partnership that looked to have laid firm foundations for a commanding score on a lifeless Chelmsford pitch.But a new-ball burst from Jamie Porter saw three wickets fall in five balls, starting with McKinney’s departure, in the middle of an evening collapse in which Durham crashed from 240 for 3 to 291 for 8 in 22 overs. Porter finished the day with 3 for 63, backed up by New Zealander Doug Bracewell, who took 2 for 67 at the start of his second spell with Essex.Durham’s decision to bat on the green-tinged wicket was justified for a large part of day one. Apart from a bit of nip and spite in the first couple of overs, it became a batsmen’s paradise and Lees and McKinney in particular took full advantage in laying down a solid platform.Lees lost opening partner Emilio Gay with 55 on the board. Lees had just welcomed Bracewell back to Chelmsford for his second stint by taking 13 from his first five balls. But with delivery No.6 Bracewell had Gay flicking the ball off his legs into midwicket’s hands. It was redemption of a kind for Bracewell, who had dropped a regulation chance early on that reprieved Gay in the same spot where the wicket fell.Lees adopted the anchor role initially as McKinney contributed 35 of the partnership’s first fifty, but only 20 of the second. Though McKinney was outwardly the more aggressive, with two notable firmly-struck straight drives for four off Bracewell and Simon Harmer, it was Lees who clocked marginally the quicker half-century.Lees reached the milestone when he drove Noah Thain for his eighth boundary from 75 balls. McKinney needed three more balls to pass his fifty for only the second time this season, though he did it with his 11th four, a well-placed drive off Porter through mid-off.The partnership was finally broken when Lees played down the wrong line to Harmer and was lbw. David Bedingham followed almost instantly, run out to a throw from mid-off by Porter as he looked to get off the mark first ball. McKinney, at the other end, recognised there was no possibility of a run and barely moved a muscle.Harmer thought he had McKinney on 83 with a sharp caught-and-bowled low down, even throwing the ball to the umpire as he celebrated prematurely with team-mates. However, the umpires conferred and confirmed the ball had not carried. To rub salt in the wound, McKinney reached three figures from 156 balls with a four and a six from successive balls off Harmer, both crossing the long-off boundary.Shane Snater switched ends for the first over after tea and induced Colin Ackermann into an inside-edge to the fifth ball to be caught behind. And when Bracewell replaced Snater he had Ollie Robinson strangled down the legside with his third ball.Essex took the second new-ball after 80 overs and required a third one immediately: the original one lasted just two deliveries after Graham Clark pulled Porter’s loosener over square leg for six and knocked it out of shape.The change of balls finally paid dividends as Porter struck in short order, ending McKinney’s stay by bowling him, then having Ben Raine trapped lbw before disturbing Matthew Potts’s stumps

Manchester United are optimistic that Benjamin Sesko will return to action soon, following the striker's withdrawal from international duty with Slovenia due to a knee injury sustained against Tottenham. Meanwhile, Lisandro Martinez has shocked fans by joining up with the Argentina squad for training despite not playing since February, in what the club views as a controlled step toward full fitness.

Man Utd hopeful regarding Sesko's return to fitness

Manchester United striker Sesko has been ruled out of Slovenia's crucial World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Sweden after suffering a knee injury during Saturday's 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur. The 22-year-old was substituted after 87 minutes in North London, having appeared to jar his knee following a collision with Micky van de Ven. Although Ruben Amorim admitted post-match that any knee issue "you never know" in severity, early indications suggest the problem is not serious.

United's medical team conducted initial assessments at Carrington, and the prognosis remains cautiously optimistic. The club expects Sesko to make a swift recovery and are hopeful he will be fit in time for Everton's visit to Old Trafford on November 24, immediately after the international break. While he will miss Slovenia's decisive qualifiers, there are no fears that the summer signing faces a long-term layoff, with the club privately distancing themselves from reports of a major setback.

Sesko's injury has nonetheless created some anxiety within the squad, given the timing. Manchester United are already managing fitness concerns involving Harry Maguire and Casemiro, who both came off against Spurs. Maguire's condition remains unclear, though Casemiro has since joined up with Brazil's national team, leaving Sesko as the main absentee for now as the club seeks to avoid further disruptions to Amorim's rebuilding project.

AdvertisementGettyMartinez allowed to train with Argentina

In contrast to Sesko’s short-term issue, Martinez's inclusion in Argentina's training camp represents a longer-term recovery milestone. The defender, who has not played since February following major knee surgery, has been granted permission by Manchester United to join Argentina's European-based squad for conditioning sessions ahead of their friendly against Angola. He will not participate in any matches but will be supported by a member of United's performance staff during his time away.

The move marks a carefully managed phase in Martinez's rehabilitation, designed to reintroduce him into full training environments while limiting physical risk. United believe that working alongside the Argentina group – in a familiar setting and without long-haul travel – will help rebuild his match readiness more effectively than isolated sessions at Carrington.

For Argentina, Martínez's presence provides a morale boost as they prepare for their international fixtures, while for United it signals optimism about his potential return before December. His involvement is seen as symbolic of his nearing full recovery after an injury-plagued spell that has kept him sidelined for much of 2024 and 2025.

Sesko's early struggles and Martinez's injury-riddled past

Martinez's career at Old Trafford has been defined by both brilliance and misfortune. Since his 2022 arrival from Ajax, the 27-year-old has been lauded as one of the Premier League's most technically gifted defenders — yet his tenure has been punctuated by repeated long-term injuries. After fracturing his metatarsal in April 2023, suffering further complications in 2024, and enduring an ACL rupture at the start of this year, Martinez has faced nearly 18 months of interrupted progress. His latest setback, a devastating knee injury against Crystal Palace in February 2025, forced him into an eight-month rehabilitation programme that has sidelined him for almost all of Amorim's tenure.

As for Sesko, his Manchester United career suffered a slow start as the Slovenian struggled to find the back of the net. Despite flashes of quality, his goal return of two league goals has led to scrutiny, given the size of his transfer fee. However, Amorim has publicly defended the 22-year-old, and backed him to settle into a rhythm and help the Red Devils attain the success they have desired for so long.

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Getty ImagesWhen Man Utd could get Sesko and Martinez back

Manchester United are expected to receive further updates on Sesko’s fitness following his medical assessments this week, with optimism growing that he will be available for selection against Everton. The club will continue to manage his recovery closely, ensuring he avoids aggravating the knee issue before returning to full training.

As for Martinez, the Argentina camp will serve as a proving ground for his physical readiness and psychological confidence after such a long absence. Should he complete the break without setbacks, he could be named in United's matchday squad before the end of the month – a significant boost ahead of the demanding December fixture list.

Arsenal look set to go the distance as they fight it out for a Premier League title, though they may now need to fend off interest from Barcelona in captain Martin Ødegaard.

The Gunners made some bold moves in the summer to drastically improve their squad depth, though Mikel Arteta has still had his fair share of injury frustration to contend with.

Nevertheless, good news is in the post for the Arsenal boss after he confirmed Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Ødegaard could be set to return before the North London derby clash with Tottenham Hotspur on the other side of the international break.

Norway international Ødegaard’s injury problems have been frequent over the last few years, forcing the Spaniard into a tactical rethink, with Eberechi Eze featuring as a right-sided midfielder at times despite being a central player by trade.

Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice offer plenty of control in the engine room, which will prompt many to kickstart conversations over the direction Arteta’s side are heading.

Should the Gunners maintain their Premier League form, they will be on course to claim a first title since 2004. Momentum is likely to carry them through that pursuit, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see as few changes made as possible domestically to ensure there is continuity in roles across the pitch.

That could be bad news for Ødegaard, who may take time to get up to speed after his injury, and he could now have a totally different proposition to factor in as he navigates a potentially momentous campaign.

Arsenal set monster demand amid Barcelona interest in Ødegaard

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona are looking to convince Martin Ødegaard to leave Arsenal, though

Andrea Berta is set to demand a ‘significant’ sum that could squeeze La Blaugrana’s transfer and wage budget.

Labelled “phenomenal” by Arteta, the 26-year-old is viewed as someone who could revolutionise the La Liga giants’ midfield, which isn’t surprising due to his contribution of 41 goals and 40 assists in 205 appearances for the North Londoners.

Barcelona will need to weigh up where else they can spend and, as a result, are most likely to try and sign the former Real Madrid prodigy in the summer of 2026, given they have no intention of dipping into the January window for reinforcements.

Convincing Ødegaard to move back to La Liga will be difficult, though the player is aware that his career could be in need of a next step later down the line, making for an intriguing potential saga.

Arsenal's next Martin Odegaard could already be at the club

Either way, Berta has the bit between his teeth on this one and if the Gunners’ captain is eventually allowed to leave the club, he will go for an absolute premium.

Harry Brook has challenged Zak Crawley and Jordan Cox to back up their performances in the Hundred in order to break into his England white-ball set-up.Brook, whose Northern Superchargers were knocked out of the Hundred on Saturday night after their Eliminator against Trent Rockets was abandoned, took over from Jos Buttler as England’s limited-overs captain in April. He now faces a tight turnaround before the first of their three ODIs against South Africa starts on Tuesday at Headingley, followed by three T20Is against the same opposition.He has spent the last three years playing Test cricket alongside Crawley, and is understood to have pushed hard for Superchargers to sign him on a lucrative £120,000 deal in March’s draft. Brook’s advocacy was rewarded by Crawley’s 280-run season, which left him third in the men’s run charts ahead of Sunday’s final, behind only Cox (327) and Buttler (283).Crawley has played 59 Tests but only eight ODIs – most recently in December 2023 – and is uncapped in T20Is. Cox, meanwhile, won three ODI and two T20I caps last year and was a surprising omission from next month’s squads after his recent form – not least for England’s three T20Is in Ireland, from which Brook, Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith have all been rested.Related

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“Everybody’s in the mix: whoever does well,” Brook said on Saturday night. “He [Crawley] obviously has the attributes that we’re talking about: putting pressure on the bowlers with their good and bad balls; he can manipulate the field really well; he’s good against fast bowling and he’s good against spin. He’s got all the attributes to play white-ball [cricket] for England.”It’s the same with everybody. Everybody’s been talking about Jordan Cox: he’s obviously an unbelievable player, alongside Creeps. You’ve just got to keep on doing it, and be as consistent as you can for a long period of time… It’s good to have competition [for places].”Brook has hardly had a day off since the start of England’s international summer in May but said that he has managed his time well during the Hundred: “I’ve said a million times that England cricket gets my priority. I’ve been trying my best throughout this competition to stay as fresh as I can for England.”Northern Superchargers had never previously qualified for the knockout stages of the men’s Hundred, missing out on Net Run Rate last year, and were denied the chance to reach the final for the first time by the rain on Saturday night. Brook has now won 10 out of 14 completed matches as captain since taking over ahead of last season, and remained upbeat.”It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get through – but that’s cricket,” he said after Rockets progressed to Sunday’s final by virtue of a higher group-stage finish. “We’ve had an unbelievable season. This comp’s been so much fun, playing with some really good lads and alongside Fred [head coach Andrew Flintoff] who is an absolute legend, so I’ve had a lot of fun.”

Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Thomas Frank amid the mounting pressure surrounding his position as Tottenham boss.

Thomas Frank facing sack calls after underwhelming Spurs start

The north Londoners have failed to impress under Frank lately and are winless across their last five games in all competitions.

Much has been made of their lack of creative spark going forward too, not to mention their dire home form.

Tottenham have lost 10 home games in the Premier League alone this calendar year, their joint-worst record in club history, with Spurs also losing 10 in 1994 and 2003 respectively.

Only bottom-side Wolves, who appear destined for relegation to the Championship, have a worse record on their own patch this season.

16. Burnley

2

1

4

7

-2

17. Nottingham Forest

2

1

4

7

-5

18. West Ham

2

0

5

6

-9

19. Tottenham

1

2

4

5

-1

20. Wolves

0

1

6

1

-11

Granted, their problems at home this year stretch back to Ange Postecoglou’s final half a season in charge, but the Australian notably had fewer options to play with during one of the worst injury crisis’ Spurs had ever seen.

Frank was backed with a £171 million transfer war chest in the summer window, including a deal for highly-rated young playmaker Xavi Simons, yet Tottenham’s head coach has relegated him to the bench in each of their last four outings.

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Frank’s constant tinkering has also drawn criticism, with ex-Lilywhites defender Ramon Vega recently telling talkSPORT that this will be affecting the players’ rhythm.

Vega went on to suggest that Frank doesn’t have the bottle to manage a club like Spurs, while sections of the fanbase also call for his dismissal early doors.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has already been linked with the Tottenham job, but Romano has now provided his own update on Frank’s future at N17.

Fabrizio Romano shares Thomas Frank update out of Tottenham

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano says that Spurs are monitoring Frank closely amid the growing fan unrest, but there are no immediate plans to replace him as yet.

Frank is poised to take on former club Brentford this weekend, and nothing but a win will do at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to convince some supporters that he is indeed the right man for the job.

Spurs have another crucial home game just a few days later when they face off against Slavia Prague in the Champions League, two very winnable games that could seriously help to change the mood.

They also travel to Nottingham Forest on December 14 before their final match pre-Christmas against Liverpool in north London, with Frank hoping for a vital points swing to get them nearer the Champions League places.

January is right around the corner as well, and reports suggest that Tottenham are intent on signing a new attacker to provide that much-needed extra threat going forward.

Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Thomas Frank amid the mounting pressure surrounding his position as Tottenham boss.

Thomas Frank facing sack calls after underwhelming Spurs start

The north Londoners have failed to impress under Frank lately and are winless across their last five games in all competitions.

Much has been made of their lack of creative spark going forward too, not to mention their dire home form.

Tottenham have lost 10 home games in the Premier League alone this calendar year, their joint-worst record in club history, with Spurs also losing 10 in 1994 and 2003 respectively.

Only bottom-side Wolves, who appear destined for relegation to the Championship, have a worse record on their own patch this season.

16. Burnley

2

1

4

7

-2

17. Nottingham Forest

2

1

4

7

-5

18. West Ham

2

0

5

6

-9

19. Tottenham

1

2

4

5

-1

20. Wolves

0

1

6

1

-11

Granted, their problems at home this year stretch back to Ange Postecoglou’s final half a season in charge, but the Australian notably had fewer options to play with during one of the worst injury crisis’ Spurs had ever seen.

Frank was backed with a £171 million transfer war chest in the summer window, including a deal for highly-rated young playmaker Xavi Simons, yet Tottenham’s head coach has relegated him to the bench in each of their last four outings.

Frank 'intent' on signing £70m forward as Tottenham dealt crushing Semenyo blow

The Dane needs attacking quality.

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Frank’s constant tinkering has also drawn criticism, with ex-Lilywhites defender Ramon Vega recently telling talkSPORT that this will be affecting the players’ rhythm.

Vega went on to suggest that Frank doesn’t have the bottle to manage a club like Spurs, while sections of the fanbase also call for his dismissal early doors.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has already been linked with the Tottenham job, but Romano has now provided his own update on Frank’s future at N17.

Fabrizio Romano shares Thomas Frank update out of Tottenham

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano says that Spurs are monitoring Frank closely amid the growing fan unrest, but there are no immediate plans to replace him as yet.

Frank is poised to take on former club Brentford this weekend, and nothing but a win will do at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to convince some supporters that he is indeed the right man for the job.

Spurs have another crucial home game just a few days later when they face off against Slavia Prague in the Champions League, two very winnable games that could seriously help to change the mood.

They also travel to Nottingham Forest on December 14 before their final match pre-Christmas against Liverpool in north London, with Frank hoping for a vital points swing to get them nearer the Champions League places.

January is right around the corner as well, and reports suggest that Tottenham are intent on signing a new attacker to provide that much-needed extra threat going forward.

INEOS splashed the cash in the summer transfer window to provide Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim with more quality at both ends of the pitch.

Senne Lammens was brought in from Royal Antwerp, to replace Andre Onana, and has prevented 1.51 xG across five appearances in the Premier League so far this season, per Sofascore.

£62.5m was also spent on the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Brazil international scored his first goal for the club last month in the 4-2 win against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Bryan Mbeumo has arguably been the most successful addition to the squad. Since his £71m move from Brentford, the left-footed star has scored five goals and provided one assist in 11 Premier League games for the Red Devils.

Whilst Cunha and Mbeumo both arrived from other English clubs as known quantities, the club were also willing to splash the cash on more of a gamble, with Benjamin Sesko.

The Red Devils spent £66.4m to sign the Slovenia international from RB Leipzig in the summer to replace Rasmus Hojlund, and he has had a mixed start to life at Old Trafford.

Why Man Utd need to sign another centre-forward

Sesko has scored two goals in 11 appearances in the Premier League since his big-money move from Germany, and both of those goals came in his first seven outings.

The 22-year-old marksman scored his first goal for the club against Brentford in September, before netting his second goal against Sunderland in a 2-0 win at Old Trafford.

Sesko scored 13 goals in 33 matches in the Bundesliga in the 2024/25 campaign for Leipzig, per Sofascore, so it was always going to be a tough ask for the striker to hit the ground running as a goal machine in the Premier League.

The Slovenian forward, as shown in the graphic above, has missed more ‘big chances’ than he has managed goals scored, which suggests that he needs to improve his efficiency in front of goal if he wants to be the main number nine for Amorim.

Minutes

90

30

Shots

3

0

Goals

0

0

Key passes

0

0

Big chances created

0

0

Ground duels won

0/0

0/7

Aerial duels won

0/3

2/2

As you can see in the table above, Sesko struggled in his last two appearances for United before the international break, losing the majority of his physical duels without offering any significant threat in the final third.

The former Leipzig star’s mixed start to his career at Old Trafford may explain why the club are reportedly looking to add another player in his position in the winter market.

Man Utd chasing deal for another Bundesliga striker

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are one of a number of clubs chasing a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund centre-forward Serhou

Guirassy.

The report claims that he has a release clause in his contract with the German side that will allow him to be sold for a fee of roughly £44m to a ‘select group of elite clubs’ in the January transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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It adds that Arsenal, Manchester United, and PSG are all in the race to sign the Guinea international, but it remains unclear if any of those three teams fall into the group of clubs that can activate that release clause.

CaughtOffside reports that the Red Devils are ones to watch in the race to land the Bundesliga centre-forward because Amorim wants more experienced options in his frontline.

Sesko, 22, is still in the early stages of his development and Guirassy could be viewed as an experienced number nine who could offer a huge upgrade in the immediate term.

Why Man Utd should sign Serhou Guirassy

At the age of 29, the Dortmund centre-forward would arrive at Old Trafford as the experienced striker that Amorim wants to bolster his squad with, as he would be ready to come in and make an instant impact.

It can sometimes be the case with young players that they have the technical qualities and potential to be an incredible player in the future, but they do not have a tight grasp of the nuances that come with delivering consistently at the top level.

Guirassy, being 29 and having been around the block, has tightened up his game and is focused on output, scoring and assisting goals, which is reflected in his statistics compared to Sesko’s over the past 365 days.

His statistics when it comes to scoring goals and creating goals are far more impressive than the young Slovenian’s, which is understandable given the difference in experience between the two players.

The Dortmund striker was even described by German legend Lothar Matthaus as “one of the best strikers in Europe” back in March, which speaks to how much he has impressed in German football.

Appearances

30

33

Goals

21

13

Minutes per goal

124

185

Big chances missed

21

10

Conversion rate

23%

19%

Big chances created

7

5

Assists

2

5

As you can see in the table above, the United transfer target scored eight more goals than Sesko in the Bundesliga during the 2024/25 campaign, despite playing three fewer matches.

The experienced centre-forward has also scored seven goals in 15 appearances in all competitions during the current season, per Sofascore, whilst the Red Devils marksman has only scored twice since his move from Leipzig.

Therefore, United could immediately improve their starting line-up by bringing the Dortmund striker in to be a huge upgrade on Sesko, given that their respective performances over the past 18 months suggest that he would offer significantly more as a goalscorer.

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This is why INEOS should push to beat Arsenal and PSG to the signing of the Bundesliga star to add more goals to the team for the second half of the season, whilst also providing Sesko with an experienced mentor to help him improve in the long term.

Middlesbrough have made a manager with “an impressive CV” a top target to replace Rob Edwards, and it would be a “significant coup” if they can get a deal done.

Edwards confirmed as Wolves boss as Middlesbrough receive £3m

Wolves confirmed the appointment of Rob Edwards as their new head coach on a three-and-a-half year deal on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old left the Riverside and agreed a contract until 2029 with Wanderers after they sacked Vitor Pereira earlier this month. It is reported Boro will receive around £3million in compensation after Edwards only joined them in June on a three-year contract.

Edwards, who managed Luton in the Premier League, begins a fourth spell at Wolves after making 111 appearances as a player as well as enjoying time as a coach and interim boss. He will be joined by assistant head coach Harry Watling after the pair worked together at Middlesbrough, with the rest of his backroom staff to be confirmed in the near future.

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi said: “I know Rob very well and I have seen his growth in different jobs. He’s a very good person, he knows the club very well, he knows the city, the fans and he is very talented.

“When he was a youth coach here, he showed his tactical awareness, but after he took first-team jobs he started to grow his own identity, character and leadership.

“We need to refresh the whole club with a new coach’s philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that. We are at a new chapter for the club and Rob will be a key piece of that.”

For Boro, it is now about finding a swift replacement as they aim to continue their Championship promotion push without Edwards.

Middlesbrough make Steven Gerrard a top manager target

As reported by Rousing the Kop and journalist Graeme Bailey, Steven Gerrard is among the top targets for Middlesbrough to replace Edwards.

Steve Gibson is a long-term admirer of the former Rangers and Aston Villa boss, who is out of work after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January.

Gerrard almost returned to Ibrox last month and is open to a return to the dugout, with a move to the Riverside something that could appeal to him.

Gerrard has never managed in the Championship, with his most successful period as a manager coming in Scotland, winning the league title with Rangers.

Club

Games

Points per game

Rangers

192

2.15

Aston Villa

40

1.18

Al-Ettifaq

55

1.33

The 45-year-old primarily plays an attacking 4-3-3 system and is closing in on 300 games as a manager. Could that benchmark come at the Riverside?

“You are looking in great shape.”Prasidh Krishna didn’t know those words would unsettle Joe Root and play a key role in his dismissal for 29 in an eventful middle session on Friday, when England fell off the tracks and handed the controls of the Oval Test to India.Root had walked in with England in command at 129 for 2 after Zak Crawley fell attempting a pull off Prasidh, giving the tall fast bowler the first of his four wickets of the innings. Prasidh, along with Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj, had started to stem the run flow as the weather slides shifted from sunny in the morning to cloudy in the afternoon.The very first ball Root faced, a rising delivery from good length, he was rapped on the glove by Prasidh. Two balls later, a wobble-seam delivery straightened to beat Root’s defence. It was then, possibly, that Prasidh said those words to him.Related

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Next ball, Root hit a square-driven four and uncharacteristically sent verbals at Prasidh, forcing umpire Kumar Dharmasena to intervene and talk to Prasidh. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill joined the group as the umpire cautioned Prasidh for undue aggression in a chat that went for more than two minutes. For the next few overs, Dharmasena continued to follow Prasidh’s movements closely as the Indians and Root exchanged a few words.Prasidh conceded he was surprised at Root getting rattled. “I don’t know why Rooty [reacted],” he told the BBC’s . “I just said, ‘you’re looking in great shape’ and then it turned into a lot of abuse and all of that.”The plan to distract Root by engaging him in a verbal duel, Prasidh admitted, was hatched by the visitors ahead of the Oval Test. “That was the plan, but I didn’t expect the couple of words I said to get such a big reaction from him,” he said at the media briefing.Prasidh said he enjoyed being “aggressive” and it was just the “competitive edge” that had caused what he described as “banter” between Root and him.”That’s just who I am when I’m bowling, when I’m enjoying [my game],” he said. “If it means that I have a bit of a chatter with the batter… and it does help me when I can get under the nerves of the batsman and get a reaction from them. But I love the guy that he is. He is a legend of the game and I think it is great when two people are out there wanting to do the best and be a winner at a given moment.”England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick did not want to read too much into India’s plan to rattle Root, who has been England’s highest run-maker this series.”I think they made a comment, didn’t they?” Trescothick said after the day’s play. “He [Prasidh] obviously tried to get after him [Root] and spark him up a little bit. Maybe they have seen him play so well over the last couple of games that India tried a different approach, and Joe bit back, as sometimes he does. Normally, he is the sort of guy who just laughs and giggles and allows things to happen, but today he just chose a different route. Everyone has their own method of dealing with that sort of approach, and today Joe bit back.”1:44

‘Disappointed, but it is what it is’ – Trescothick on dropped catches

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series has been a neck-and-neck tussle with the teams going at each other and, consequently, there have been a fair few volatile exchanges between the players.While at Lord’s, Gill took notice of England’s openers Crawley and Ben Duckett walking out to the middle 90 seconds late at the start of the hosts’ second innings, England captain Ben Stokes sparked a controversy at Old Trafford by questioning the decision of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to continue batting for their centuries in the final hour of the final session despite the match headed for a draw.On Friday, there was another incident that could have sparked something bigger had Duckett decided to react aggressively after Akash Deep put his arm around the opener after dismissing him. It was a “strange” move, Trescothick said, on Akash Deep’s part.”He didn’t really say too much. Strange, really. I don’t think you really need to be putting your arm around someone, but nothing was really said, was it? You just don’t really see it. We were chatting on the balcony there and I know many good people playing in county cricket would have said something or dug the elbow in, or something like that.”