Category Uncategorized

Leeds United were left disappointed last month as they lost 1-0 to Southampton, thanks to a goal from Adam Armstrong, in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

The Whites narrowly missed out on automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking as they finished third in the division, and still had a chance to finish in the top two going into the final game of the regular season.

They then beat Daniel Farke's former side Norwich City 4-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the play-offs before their loss in the final in the capital.

The Yorkshire-based outfit are now preparing for a second season in the second tier and this means that there will be changes to the playing squad, with players coming in and moving on.

One player who is set to return to Elland Road is attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who is going to be reintegrated into the squad after talks with Farke, having spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Union Berlin in the Bundesliga.

Despite that, the Whites are reportedly looking into a deal to add another playmaker to their group during the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business on Friday.

Leeds United's interest in Championship magician

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop to sign Coventry City attacking midfielder Callum O'Hare on a free transfer.

The English whiz has turned down the chance to sign a new contract with the club and is now set to become a free agent when his deal expires at the end of this month.

At the age of 26, any team wanting to snap up the talented playmaker would not have to pay any compensation to the Championship outfit, and would only need to worry about wages and a signing-on fee.

The report claims that Southampton, who have just been promoted to the Premier League, and Burnley, who were recently relegated from the top-flight, are also keen on a deal for the former Aston Villa prospect.

TEAMtalk adds that Leeds have been keeping tabs on the Coventry star's situation and that they are now 'ready' to join the race for his services this summer.

The outlet states that the club are looking to bolster their attacking options this summer as Crysencio Summerville has attracted interest from Chelsea, Fulham, Brighton, and Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Wilfried Gnonto is reportedly pushing to seal a permanent exit from Elland Road over the coming months, and would like to return to Italy to play in his home country.

O'Hare could now be brought in to potentially replace one of those key stars or to complement them if the Whites keep hold of Gnonto and Summerville.

The free agent target could also come in and be Farke's new version of Todd Cantwell, who thrived under him in the Championship at Norwich.

Todd Cantwell's Championship brilliance for Farke

The German head coach brought the attacking midfielder through from the academy at Carrow Road and gave him his first run of first-team matches in Norfolk during the 2018/19 season.

Norwich won the Championship that year but Cantwell was largely a bit-part player as he only started 18 games and played 24 in total of their 46 league clashes.

He scored one goal and provided two assists in those 24 matches before going on to rack up six goals and two assists in 30 starts in the Premier League the following year.

The Yellows were then relegated from that top-flight at the end of the 2019/20 campaign and that provided Cantwell with an opportunity to drop down to the second tier and thrive as a key player.

That is exactly what he did as the English forward, who operated down the left flank with a license to drift into central positions as a natural attacking midfielder, caught the eye and Norwich won the Championship title again.

2020/21 Championship	Todd Cantwell
Appearances	33
Sofascore rating	7.17
Goals	Six
Assists	Six
Key passes	53
Dribbles completed	53
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Canaries academy graduate showcased his ability to score and assist goals, whilst also providing quality on the ball as a passer and a dribbler.

Farke could now find his next version of the right-footed gem, who currently plays for Glasgow Rangers in Scotland, by landing O'Hare ahead of Southampton and Burnley.

Why Callum O'Hare could be Todd Cantwell 2.0

Firstly, the 26-year-old star could play a similar tactical role for the Leeds boss as he is a right-footed attacking midfielder by trade who could be deployed on the left from the start, but with the freedom to come infield to operate in his favoured – central – area of the park.

He could either start on the flank and come inside to cause havoc in the final third if Summerville moves on from Elland Road this summer, or the Coventry ace could simply play in the number ten role from the start.

The Whites target, who EFL presenter Gab Sutton claimed "offers that bit of stardust", also has the quality on the ball to make a Cantwell-like impact at the top end of the pitch.

O'Hare missed 37 matches due to a knee injury during the 2022/23 campaign but had racked up eight goals and 16 assists in the previous two Championship seasons combined.

The 5 foot 9 magician has come back to fitness this term and caught the eye with a return of six goals sand three assists in just 18 league starts.

23/24 Championship	Callum O'Hare
Appearances	31
Starts	18
xG	4.06
Goals	6
Big chances created	4
Assists	3
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the mercurial playmaker was efficient in front of goal as he outperformed his xG by roughly two goals in the division.

O'Hare also fired in four goals and one assist in three starts in the FA Cup, which meant that he ended the campaign with ten goals and four assists in 21 starts in all competitions.

Alongside Aaronson: Leeds must bring back star who's "too good" for the EFL

The Whites should bring the impressive central defender back to Elland Road next season.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 12, 2024

Therefore, the out-of-contract wizard could come in and be Farke's new Cantwell in an attacking midfield or wide position at Elland Road next season, as he is another versatile English playmaker who can offer quality as a scorer and a creator of goals at Championship level.

Back home in South Africa, Rhodes says the administrative chaos is affecting the side’s on-field performances

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Sep-2020

Jonty Rhodes will join Sweden as their head coach in November•Hindustan Times via Getty Images

Jonty Rhodes has signed up as head coach of the Sweden national side. According to a statement form the Swedish Cricket Federation, the move is part of the board’s broader plans to invest in junior cricket and high performance in the country. The statement also said, “Cricket is the second fastest growing sport in Sweden seeing a 300% increase in participation over the past two years.””I am really excited to relocate to Sweden with my family and work together with the Swedish Cricket community. This opportunity has come at a perfect time and I am grateful to be able to invest my energies in a completely new environment. I can’t wait to get started,” Rhodes was quoted as saying by .Rhodes, currently serving as the fielding coach of Kings XI Punjab in the IPL in the UAE, will join his new side in November and be based in Stockholm.”Our growth targets and key areas are directed toward junior cricket and high performance. Jonty will play a pivotal role in lifting our players as well as assisting in securing quality coaching framework for the future sustainability of the game,” Benn Harradine, sports director of the Swedish Cricket Federation, said. “I am delighted to have him as part of our small and ambitious team.”Rhodes’ move means that, for now, he is lost to his own country’s cricket board at a time when CSA has appointed a wide variety of coaches across the national structures.Recently, he had expressed concerns about the mounting administrative chaos in South Africa, a factor he felt was responsible for the results that the national team produced on the field. “The same mistakes are being made and there is not much accountability. It saddens me,” Rhodes told PTI. “It does impact on-field performance. Even though we have some great players, we have been lacking consistency in performance because of inconsistency off the field.”He was also vocal about the racial issues that continue to haunt his country, pointing out the difficulties that black children faced while growing up in South Africa.”This white privilege still extends and carries on generation after generation, it is difficult for young black children coming up in a disadvantaged community to have a better life than their parents just because of lack of facilities,” he said. “People keep asking me about white privilege and I keep saying that I grew up in a regime that was totally designed to ensure I had the best opportunity.”So, there is racial inequality, some people call that racism, and there has to be a level playing field.”

With the IPL finally due to start from September 19, the Delhi Capitals side assembled in Mumbai on Thursday before the squad departs for the UAE. And, according to a PTI report, three other teams – Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders – have already reached Dubai as the T20 tournament continues to gather steam.The Capitals players arrived in batches, keeping in mind the safety protocols against Covid-19. Led by their captain Shreyas Iyer, the others who landed were Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw.Despite being away from the game for more than five months, Rahane – who is a part of the Capitals for the first time – wanted to ensure the side was “very positive” after the time out.”There is no doubt that it will be a challenging trip for everyone involved,” he said. “But like everyone else, I’ve spent these last few months focusing on my physical and mental health, and taking care of my family. So the time I’ve managed to spend with them has put me in a positive frame of mind. However, this IPL will be a very different experience for all of us, and we need to make sure that we are all very positive when we hit the ground running. The key is to take one step at a time.”Young opening batsman Shaw, who hit 99 in a tied game against the Kolkata Knight Riders last season, was looking forward to gelling with his team-mates and utilising the training sessions available in the UAE.”We know people have a lot of expectations from us, but our focus will be on making the most of the training sessions we get in the UAE, and re-creating that fantastic team environment which made us so successful last year,” he said. “We also have the chance to gel with the new players and then set our sights on the IPL season.”The Kings XI, KKR and Royals players, who were already tested multiple times before departure, will now undergo a six-day isolation period with testing on day 1, 3 and 6. If they clear all the tests, they will be eligible to enter the tournament’s bio-bubble and start training.Subsequently, the players and support staff will be tested every fifth day of the tournament

MatériaMais Notícias

Um dos destaques da Seleção Brasileira feminina de futebol na estreia dos Jogos Olímpicos, a goleira Bárbara falou sobre o desejo de conquistar a medalha de ouro em sua última participação em Olimpíadas. Segundo a atleta, chegar ao time canarinho “é muito difícil”.

– É minha quarta e última Olimpíada e espero que seja com a medalha de ouro. É muito difícil chegar até a Seleção, mas permanecer é bem pior. Quem já passou por aqui e quem ainda está aqui sabe bem disso. A primeira luta é para estar aqui, e mais uma vez eu estou tendo essa oportunidade de disputar mais uma – disse Bárbara ao site da CBF.

+ Veja a tabela e os jogos das Olimpíadas

RelacionadasOlimpíadasBernardinho se emociona com desfile do filho na Olimpíada e entrega ‘segredo’ de família: ‘samba no pé’Olimpíadas23/07/2021OlimpíadasTiro com arco, remo e cerimônia de abertura… Veja o resumo do dia nos Jogos OlímpicosOlimpíadas23/07/2021OlimpíadasLetícia Bufoni não esconde ansiedade por estreia nos Jogos OlímpicosOlimpíadas23/07/2021

Na goleada sobre as chinesas, Bárbara fechou o gol brasileiro e fez grandes defesas ao longo dos 90 minutos. A goleira também aproveitou para elogiar o trabalho da treinadora Pia Sundhage.

-No decorrer do tempo, a gente vai ganhando experiência. E, com esse novo trabalho que está sendo proposto, estamos renovadas. Acredito que a gente chega com uma metodologia totalmente diferente e tenho certeza que a gente vai em busca dessa medalha de ouro – disse Bárbara, que completou:

-As atletas já se conhecem, temos algumas meninas novas, com pouca experiência, mas um talento enorme, que vieram para agregar. Mas a Pia estar no comando hoje, modificando de forma tão profunda o trabalho que fazíamos, eu tenho certeza que é o nosso grande diferencial nessa Olimpíada.

+Veja as melhores fotos da Cerimônia de Abertura dos Jogos Olímpicos de Tóquio

Aos 33 anos, a goleira relembrou as últimas edições dos Jogos Olímpicos e falou sobre as tristezas que teve ao não conquistar o título. Segundo ela, porém, estas lembranças dão a oportunidade de conquistar o objetivo agora.

-Em 2008, entrei logo no primeiro jogo, quando a Andreia se machucou. Pude jogar, ir até a final e conquistar a medalha de prata. Lembro como se fosse hoje. E, nos últimos Jogos, em 2016, quando não conseguimos chegar à final… isso é uma parte dolorida para mim.

– Ficou um desejo, uma sensação de que podíamos mais, de que podíamos ter chegado à final, e isso deixa uma angústia no peito. Tem esses dois lados. Mas a lembrança que não é tão boa nos dá a oportunidade de retornar em busca daquilo que deixamos para trás – finalizou Bárbara.

Graeme Smith backs Ganguly; CSA more cautious but open

Nagraj Gollapudi and Firdose Moonda21-May-2020

Getty Images

Is Sourav Ganguly a dark horse to replace his countryman Shashank Manohar, the outgoing ICC chairman?Ever since it emerged that Manohar would not stand for another term after his tenure ends with the ICC annual conference in July, the general perception was ECB chairman Colin Graves was the frontrunner to take charge as the new chairman of the global cricket body. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic stalling world cricket, the BCCI has taken the opportunity to test interests from several Full Members on whether they would support Ganguly.On Thursday, the former Indian captain got a firm thumbs-up from Cricket South Africa, whose representatives said “strong leadership” was necessary at ICC and Ganguly was “best positioned” to be at helm.CSA, however, backtracked somewhat* in an official press release issued later in the day, saying it did not want to “anticipate any candidates who may be nominated for this important position”.In 2016, Manohar became the first independent chairman of the ICC. The position of chairman had come into being in 2014 when N Srinivasan, another former BCCI president, had assumed that position unelected, though.In 2018, Manohar, the only candidate to file nomination, was re-elected unanimously by the ICC Board. As per the ICC constitution, Manohar is eligible for a third and final term. However, it appears as if he has decided to not take it up. That said, there remains speculation about whether Manohar might extend his term by a few months if asked by the ICC Board as world cricket grapples with the pandemic.It is understood that the ICC Board is yet to finalise the nomination process after which eligible candidates can pitch their hat in the ring. To be eligible, candidates needs to be a current or past ICC Director (one who attends the ICC Board meetings as a representative of the respective country).The 15 directors who sit on the ICC Board then are allowed to nominate one candidate. Nominees with two or more votes become eligible to contest the election. As it stands, the elections will happen at the ICC annual conference, which is scheduled tentatively for mid-July.Ganguly became eligible when he attended his first ICC Board meeting, in late March, via video conference. On May 28, he is once again scheduled to attend the next Board meeting where members would discuss the next step in contingency planning on resumption of cricket.Getty Images

‘He has the credibility’
On Wednesday, Ganguly led the BCCI team along with Jay Shah (BCCI secretary) and Arun Dhumal (treasurer) in their talks with CSA, who were represented by Jacques Faul (acting chief executive) and former South African captain Graeme Smith (Director of Cricket). After the meeting, Smith was unequivocal about his support for Ganguly should the former India captain contest the ICC chairman elections.”The president (sic, chairman) of the ICC now becomes a very key position going forward in terms of how the game can progress, and progress at the right level,” Smith said on media tele-conference on Thursday. “It would be great to see a cricket man like Sourav Ganguly get into the president (chairman) role of the ICC.”Now it’s even more important to have someone in a role that can provide leadership to cricket; that understands and can navigate the challenges in the game today. Post Covid-19 and with the things that are going to come our way, we need to have strong leadership and I feel like Sourav Ganguly is best positioned for that at the moment. I know him well. I feel that he has got the credibility and the leadership skills and is someone that can really take the game forward.”Smith’s comments come on the back of negotiations between the two boards for a three-match T20I series in South Africa in August. India have shown “willingness” to tour subject to relaxation of travel restrictions. The meeting itself was a result of discussions between Ganguly and Smith over the past few months. Incidentally, Smith had even delivered the 2018 edition of the Jagmohan Dalmiya lecture, organised by the Cricket Association of Bengal, of which Ganguly was president at the time.Smith is the second person from the player fraternity to talk up Ganguly for the role. Recently, former England captain David Gower said he would not be surprised if Ganguly became ICC head in future. Gower said one had to be a “deft politician” to “run” the BCCI.”Sourav has the toughest task imaginable in charge of BCCI, but so far I would say the signs are very good. He has listened, given his own opinion and has pulled strings gently,” Gower said on the fan chat show recently, organised by . “He is a very, very good man and has those political skills. And if you do a good job as BCCI chief in the future, who knows? Being head of ICC is an honour… but look at where the power is. BCCI is definitely the bigger job.”Getty Images

Ganguly has BCCI support
ESPNcricinfo understands that Ganguly would be the clear first choice to replace Manohar even among BCCI members. Srinivasan is another eligible candidate, although he doesn’t qualify to be elected as a representative (over 70 years old) under the existing BCCI constitution.Insiders say even Shah could be nominated as the BCCI’s candidate, although for that he would first need to attend an ICC Board meeting. Anurag Thakur is the other eligible candidate, having attended ICC Board meetings as former BCCI president. However being a minister in the Indian government automatically disqualifies Thakur, the elder brother of Dhumal, as per the ICC constitution.Ganguly was elected BCCI president last October, but his tenure technically ends in July after which he would need to undergo a three-year cooling off period. The same is applicable to Shah, who was previously an office bearer at the Gujarat Cricket Association. However in his case, it could not be confirmed when his cool-off period would start.A month after taking charge Ganguly’s administration approached the Supreme Court requesting the constitution be amended and norms concerning an office bearer’s tenure be relaxed. The court is yet to hear the matter.Neither Ganguly nor the BCCI has made any public comments on whether he would interested in contesting the ICC chairman’s position. The one person who could be surprised if Ganguly were to enter the fray would be Graves. Last December, the trio of Ganguly, Shah and Dhumal had travelled to London to meet the ECB hierarchy giving the impression that the BCCI would back Graves’ nomination.However, the BCCI has been desperate to retain its powerful position at the ICC Board, something it feels has been lost since Manohar became ICC chairman. In recent months, various cricket boards including Cricket Australia, CSA, New Zealand Cricket have had face-to-face discussions with BCCI wanting to explore bilateral engagements to boost their commercial revenue with an India tour.A person privy to the discussions BCCI has had with various boards said if Ganguly decides to contest, he could “sail through”. This person said that most Full Member boards outside of the ECB, PCB and possible Cricket Ireland would support a BCCI candidate. One has already said that in public now.Faul said that CSA was open to supporting BCCI, which it said had played a “leadership role” at the ICC. “We’ve always worked with closely with India and I think India must play a leadership role when it comes to the FTP and a responsible one for that matter,” Faul said. “Our engagement with Sourav has been very positive and he has shown willingness to help us.”We have checked this with the leadership of South African cricket if we would support an Indian candidate and at this stage, we would. But we also have to look at the integrity of the whole process. I don’t think there are any nominations, no candidates that I know of, so they are still in the process.”From a CSA point of view, we don’t see any problems supporting an Indian candidate. To be fair, we’ve got to look at who is nominated, bring it back to the board, and there’s got to be a mandate.”Hours after the comments of Smith and Faul went public, CSA sent out a release quoting its president Chris Nenzani.”We must respect both the ICC protocol and our own protocol in deciding which candidate to back,” the release said. “There have been no candidates nominated as yet and once such nominations have been made the Board of CSA will take its decision in terms of its own protocol and give the chairman the mandate to exercise his vote as an ICC Board Director accordingly.”We have the highest regard for the opinions of our Director of Cricket, Graeme Smith, who is a well-respected figure in world cricket and has already made an immense contribution in fulfilling his mandate to make our cricket teams world leaders again.”At the moment we don’t want to anticipate any candidates who may be nominated for this important position to lead the game we all love.”*GMT 18.45 The story was amended to include CSA’s official statement.

MatériaMais Notícias

A segunda-feira (28) foi de movimentação intensa no que se refere a composição de elenco do Santa Cruz. Enquanto o clube anunciou a chegada de dois reforços, também publicou em seu site oficial o encerramento do vínculo de outros três jogadores.

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalConfira os resultados de sábado da Série CFutebol Nacional26/06/2021Futebol NacionalSérie C: Santa Cruz e Jacupiense empatam no ArrudaFutebol Nacional21/06/2021Fora de CampoEm apresentação oficial, técnico do Santa Cruz recria meme de Cristiano Ronaldo: ‘Cerveja não… Água’Fora de Campo16/06/2021

>Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

Com relação as contratações, o Santa informou sobre as adições do zagueiro Victor Oliveira, nome que estava disputando a Série B pelo time do Sampaio Corrêa, bem como do meio-campista Maycon Lucas que jogou no primeiro semestre com a camisa do Linense.

Por sua vez, o zagueiro Hebert, olateral Julinho e o atacante Adriano ‘Michael Jackson’ não fazem mais parte do plantel segundo ratificou comunicado oficial do Santa Cruz. Ao todo, os nomes dispensados fizeram nove compromissos pelo clube do Arruda sendo dois de Julinho, três de Hebert e quatro jogos de Adriano sendo que nenhum deles chegou a balançar as redes.

É com essa mudança intensa de peças para o técnico Roberto Fernandes que o Santa segue buscando sua primeira vitória na Série C do Campeonato Brasileiro. A próxima oportunidade de acabar com esse jejum será no sábado (3) às 19h (de Brasília) recebendo em Recife o Paysandu.

Alejandro Garnacho reportedly insisted on returning early to Manchester United training after guiding Argentina to Copa America glory.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Garnacho starred with Argentina in Copa AmericaHeaded back to Carrington earlier than expectedUnited staff were impressed with his commitmentWHAT HAPPENED?

According to the the 20-year-old winger, who played a pivotal role in Argentina's success, requested to return to training at Carrington sooner than expected. Despite the physical and mental toll such high-stakes competitions can take, Garnacho chose to forgo an extended break in favour of preparing for the Community Shield which speaks volumes about his professionalism.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Although Garnacho started the Community Shield clash against Manchester City on the bench, his impact on the game was undeniable. Introduced in the 59th minute, Garnacho turned the tide in United's favour by scoring in the 82nd minute, giving his team a crucial lead. The goal earned him a place in the history books as he became the youngest United player to score in the Community Shield since George Best achieved the feat in 1965.

DID YOU KNOW?

Garnacho's performance in the Community Shield was not an isolated incident. Last season, the young winger played over 400 more minutes than any other teenager in the Premier League, showcasing his importance to Erik ten Hag's squad.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR GARNACHO?

With the Premier League season opener against Fulham just around the corner, Garnacho is expected to start the match. His early return to training and impactful performance in the Community Shield suggests that he is more than ready to take on the challenges of the new season. United fans will be eager to see if Garnacho can build on last season's successes and continue his upward trajectory as one of the most exciting young talents in world football.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano says Wolves are now finalising the details of a deal to sign one promising young midfielder, who's going on quite an upward trajectory.

Gary O'Neil praised after impressive debut season at Wolves

The Old Gold have been very impressive under head coach Gary O'Neil this season, despite Saturday's FA Cup heartbreak to Coventry City, coming after the Englishman was brought in to replace Julen Lopetegui last year.

Wolves could unleash “impressive” academy star to ease Neto’s injury

Gary O’Neil has a huge attacking dilemma to solve.

ByTom Lever Mar 15, 2024

Wolves finished 13th in the league last season, but so far, they're on course to better that and could even seal a European qualification spot – as O'Neil's side contend with the likes of Brighton, West Ham, Newcastle and potentially even Man United for a place in the Europa League as things stand.

Few could've envisaged the stellar job from O'Neil, and there have even been suggestions that he's one of the league's best managers this season.

“A new contract for O’Neil will be well deserved," said journalist Dean Jones to GiveMeSport recently.

Matheus Cunha

7.25

Pedro Neto

7.02

Mario Lemina

6.92

Hwang Hee-chan

6.91

Pablo Sarabia

6.89

"I think the Manager of the Year award will be given to whoever wins the title because there will be major narratives around that, whether it’s Klopp, Guardiola, or Arteta lifting the trophy. But outside of that, you would have to say O’Neil has done an immense job and certainly has achieved more than people expected from him.

“Wolves have to give him a new deal; otherwise, he will be poached in no time. At the start of the season, fans said they needed to get rid of him, but now I bet they would be gutted if he left.”

The 40-year-old was originally seen as a bit of a step down from an elite, trophy-winning boss like Lopetegui, who's won trophies at the highest level and even managed clubs like Real Madrid.

However, Wolves' popular head coach has proved doubters very wrong overall, with there even being some putting O'Neil's hat in the ring to manage England sooner rather than later.

The Midlands side will also be planning for the future under O'Neil, as reports suggest Wolves are keen to offer their manager a new contract and keep him for the foreseeable.

From transfers to the overall structure of Wolves, Jeff Shi and co must do their utmost to convince O'Neil that he can build a winning side over the years to come.

Wolves close to finalising detail for Matheus Mane

Signing some of Europe's most up-and-coming rising prodigies could do wonders to sway O'Neil, with Romano now claiming Wolves are finalising a deal to sign Matheus Mane.

The midfielder, who currently plies his trade with Rochdale in non-league, is just 16 years of age but has done enough to earn a call to their academy.

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United have already made their way to the United States for their preseason tournament, and they may have a special visitor.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Man Utd travel to the US for preseasonGary Oldman to visit the Red Devils in LAJulia Roberts could also make wayGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester United are scheduled to play three friendlies during their preseason tour in the United States, with the first two matches against Arsenal and Real Betis set to take place in California. As per the Daily Mail, the Red Devils are set to be visited by Oscar-winning Hollywood actor Gary Oldman during their stay in Los Angeles.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Daily Mail has speculated that the British actor won't be the only A-lister to visit Ten Hag's team with known Manchester United supporter Julia Roberts also expected to make time to visit the 20-time Premier League champions during their Stateside trip. Last year, the Pretty Woman star made her way to New Jersey ahead of United's friendly against Arsenal.

DID YOU KNOW?

Oldman is a known fan of the Red Devils, having grown up admiring Manchester United legend George Best. The Darkest Hour actor, who most recently starred in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, also visited Old Trafford earlier this year when United took on Everton.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

The Red Devils are set to take on Arsenal at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 27 before they take on Real Betis on July 31.

Southampton are one of several sides already planning their summer business, and they are now eyeing up a move for one of the Football League's brightest talents.

Southampton planning for top flight status

Though they have been unable to keep up with the top three in the Championship this season, Russell Martin's Southampton side still have a serious shot at promotion come the end of the season, with the play-offs looming large for the Saints.

The highest points tallies in Championship history

Leeds and Burnley recently made second-tier history.

ByCharlie Smith May 17, 2025

Currently fourth in England's second tier, they sit 15 points clear of seventh placed Hull City, meaning that a spot in the play-off semi-finals is almost mathematically certain with just eight games left of the season.

Should they bounce back to the top flight at the first time of asking, it would represent a major success but would need them to step back into the transfer market in order to ward off the threat of immediate relegation once more.

To that end, they have already begun drawing up their list of targets, with one man's name at the top.

Saints join battle for attacking reinforcement

As per HITC, Southampton are one of several clubs pursuing a move for Karamoko Dembele, the former Celtic youth sensation who is currently contracted to Stade Brest in France but is spending the campaign with League One side Blackpool.

Always offering plenty of promise coming through the ranks at Celtic, his time in Glasgow fizzled out and he looked to rebuild his career elsewhere. At Blackpool, he seems to have found a natural fit for his talents, and is beginning to show his early promise once more.

Still just 21-years-old, Dembele has grabbed 6 goals and 11 assists from midfield this season, helping Blackpool into the fight for a play-off place come the end of the campaign.

Karamoko Dembele 23/24

Appearances

32

Goals

6

Assists

11

Shots on target (per 90)

1.5

Fouls won (per 90)

2.62

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley is a huge fan of Dembele, and has helped him shine for the Tangerines this season. He was particular effusive in his praise after his side's 2-0 win over Bromley in the FA Cup earlier in the campaign.

"He was a real handful in the first half,” he told the media. "He plays the game in a unique way, and has football personality. He will take the ball in any situation and can make things happen.

"He’s exciting and can be beautiful to watch. What we need to do now is help him to build durability where he can produce that for longer periods of the game”.

And HITC add that Brest could be tempted to cash in on their asset, with clubs from around the Premier League and Championship showing an interest in the young attacker. They claim that Fulham, Brentford, Wolves, West Ham United and Everton are all among those 'keeping tabs' on Dembele, while the Championship interest is represented by Saints, Leeds United and Leicester City, all of whom could be in the Premier League themselves next season.

While Southampton may face a melee for his signature this summer, should they be able to offer regular game time to the youngster they may well have an advantage in the race to sign him.