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T Natarajan makes his first appearance for DC, replacing Mukesh Kumar

ESPNcricinfo staff05-May-20252:39

Martin: Starc’s bounce and angle ‘a challenge’ for Head

Pat Cummins, the Sunrisers Hyderabad captain, has chosen to bowl against Delhi Capitals on a grass-free Hyderabad pitch, in IPL 2025, that is expected to be full of runs.SRH rang in the chases from their XII against Gujarat Titans three days ago. Out went Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has endured a quiet season, and Mohammed Shami, who conceded 48 in three overs before being subbed out. Kerala top-order batter Sachin Baby came in for his first game of the season, while Abhinav Manohar returned to the middle order. There was one change among the overseas players too, with fast bowler Eshan Malinga replacing his Sri Lankan compatriot Kamindu Mendis. Travis Head, who starts on the bench, is likely to be SRH’s Impact player.SRH tweeted after the toss that Reddy missed out due to illness.DC, as has been the case of late, named a bowler-heavy line-up despite batting first, with Ashutosh Sharma ready to come off the bench should the need arise. Left-arm quick T Natarajan, formerly an SRH player, makes his first appearance for DC, replacing Mukesh Kumar.The two teams went into the game with contrasting bowling strategies. SRH picked only one spinner in Zeeshan Ansari, while DC went in with three, in Kuldeep Yadav, Vipraj Nigam and their captain Axar PatelSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Sachin Baby, 4 Heinrich Klaasen, 5 Aniket Verma, 6 Abhinav Manohar, 7 Pat Cummins (capt), 8 Harshal Patel, 9 Zeeshan Ansari, 10 Eshan Malinga, 11 Jaydev UnadkatImpact Subs bench: Mohammed Shami, Harsh Dubey, Travis Head, Rahul Chahar, Wiaan MulderDelhi Capitals: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Karun Nair, 3 Abishek Porel (wk), 4 KL Rahul, 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 T NatarajanImpact subs bench: Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sameer Rizvi, Mukesh Kumar.

Celtic supporters may not have been very pleased with how the summer transfer window ended, but there was plenty of promising work done by the club up to when they signed Kelechi Iheanacho.

Some fans decided to boycott the opening 12 minutes of the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock last weekend. Podcaster John Dykes claimed that it was partly down to the lack of quality recruitment work and the club’s failure to qualify for the league phase of the Champions League.

Despite the concerns of the fanbase, Celtic were still able to muster up three points in their Scottish Premiership clash, thanks to a 96th-minute penalty from one of their new signings, Iheanacho.

The Nigeria international, who joined on a free transfer the day after the summer window officially slammed shut, was the 11th first-team signing made after the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

Brendan Rodgers and the recruitment team will be hoping that supporters will look at the window a little more favourably by the end of the season, if the players brought in kick on and deliver high-quality performances.

The concern, though, will be if they fail to really kick on and prove their worth on a consistent basis, as has been the case for winger Hyun-jun Yang.

Why Hyun-jun Yang is in an awkward position at Celtic

The South Korea international was signed from Gangwon FC for a fee of £2m in the summer of 2023 to bolster Rodgers’ options on both flanks in his first season back in Scotland.

Unfortunately, Yang has been unable to establish himself as a regular starter for the Scottish giants on the wing. He currently finds himself in an awkward position where he does not seem to be fully trusted by the manager.

In fact, the forward was reportedly close to a move to English Championship side Birmingham City on deadline day, only for the Blues to pull out of a deal because they were unwilling to wait for Celtic to finalise their own move for Sebastian Tounekti.

The Hoops, of course, signed Tounekti from Hammarby late on deadline day, but the timing of that move meant that they brought the Tunisia international in and Yang had to remain at Parkhead.

This has left the 23-year-old winger in a position where he knows that the club and Rodgers were willing to let him move on in the summer, yet he now has to stay until at least January.

Appearances

3

Starts

2

Unused substitute

2

Goals

0

Key passes per game

0.3

Big chances created

1

Assists

0

Dribbles completed per game

0.3

As you can see in the table above, Yang has already been an unused substitute in two of the opening five Premiership matches, failing to provide a goal or an assist in the three games he has featured in.

Ultimately, the South Korean attacker has never shown real consistency in his end product in the final third, with seven goals and nine assists in 71 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Yang has shown signs of improvement during his time at the club, progressing from one league goal in the 2023/24 campaign to five league goals last season. However, it has not been enough for him to establish himself as a star in Glasgow.

Chalkboard

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

It is incredibly early on in his Parkhead career, but summer signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha needs to ensure that he does not end up becoming the next Yang for Celtic on the wing.

Why Balikwisha could be the next Yang for Celtic

The Hoops swooped to sign the Belgian forward from Royal Antwerp for a fee of £5m during the summer transfer window to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

Balikwisha, like Yang, is a versatile winger who can play on the left or the right flank. He also showed some promise in the final third with his performances for his former club.

The 24-year-old flanker scored four goals and created seven ‘big chances’ in 12 starts in the Pro League for Royal Antwerp in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that he offered quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals in Belgium.

This is why Balikwisha, as Yang was when he arrived from Gangwon, is an exciting addition to the squad. However, he has yet to show any real drive at the top end of the pitch after two flat performances in the Premiership.

The right-footed winger has been thrown in at the deep end with starts against Rangers and Kilmarnock, playing on the left wing in the former and on the right in the latter, but failed to impress in either outing.

Minutes

65

58

Shots

0

0

Key passes

0

1

Big chances created

0

0

Dribbles completed

0/0

0/1

Crosses completed

0/1

1/2

As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha did not register a single shot on goal and only attempted one dribble, which he failed to complete, in over two hours of football in his first two appearances for the Scottish giants.

Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday has been unimpressed with the winger. The experienced Premiership player said: “I think Balikwisha has started really, really slowly. I’ve never seen a winger turn down one versus one opportunities so much.

“It was exactly what I seen against Rangers and I thought it was the exact same at Kilmarnock at the weekend. I think he’s too passive in terms of getting the ball in one v one situations, turning and passing it back.”

You could put it down to the fact that he is settling into life at Celtic and may have been nervous to really attack those two games, but fellow new signing Tounekti stepped in for his debut against Kilmarnock and delivered four chances created and five dribbles completed, per Sofascore.

As Halliday put it, Balikwisha was too passive in both games and that is a worrying sign because that has been one of Yang’s biggest problems during his time at Celtic, averaging just 0.7 completed dribbles and 0.4 shots on target per game in the Premiership last season, per Sofascore.

The South Korea international’s Parkhead career reached a point where the club were willing to let him join Birmingham, in part because he has failed to asert himself on the pitch to be a consistent performer in the final third.

Worth more than Tounekti: Celtic are brewing the new Reo Hatate at Parkhead

Celtic have a brilliant midfield star who could be the club’s next Reo Hatate in the middle of the park.

ByDan Emery Sep 16, 2025

Hopefully, Balikwisha’s first two appearances for the Hoops are not a sign of things to come, because he will need to offer far more at the top end of the pitch week-in-week-out to avoid becoming the next Yang in Glasgow.

England fans furiously chanted at Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel during their 5-0 win over Latvia in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. The Three Lions booked their place at the World Cup next year with a thumping result in Riga. After missing the Wales friendly through an ankle injury, captain Harry Kane returned to the lineup with a bang as he scored a brace in a dominating performance.

Tuchel furious with Wembley support after Wales friendly

After their 3-0 win over neighbours Wales in the international friendly at home last week, Tuchel took aim at the 'silent' England fans at Wembley as he claimed that the home crowd could have done more to motivate his side. He told after the game: "We had one-and-a-half training days to prepare against a well-trained team and we did very, very well. We had an excellent first half, we were 3-0 up very quickly but it could have been four or five. It was very, very good. Then we couldn’t score the fourth one or the fifth one and the stadium was silent. Silent! We never got any energy back from the fans and I think the players delivered a lot to get more from the fans. “It was difficult to keep everything going in the second half but we did excellent and deserved to win. A step in the right direction. What more can you give in 20 minutes? We didn't let them escape. If you hear just Wales fans for half an hour, it's sad, because the team deserved more support today."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportEngland fans chant back at Tuchel

Now it was the Three Lions fans' turn to give it back to their manager as a large group of English supporters turned up at the Daugava Stadium in Riga to support their team. As England kept scoring goals, the fans were heard chanting: "We'll sing when we want, we'll sing when we want, Thomas Tuchel, we'll sing when we want!" They also jokingly sang: "Are we loud enough for you?" The fans also came up with an X-rated chant, as they sang: "Our support is f*cking sh*t!"

Tuchel, though, was not bothered by the fans' chants aimed at him as he gave a thumbs-up to the visiting fans. After Anthony Gordon's opening goal in the 26th minute, a section of the supporters chanted: "1-0 to the library."

Kane makes England history

With the double against Latvia, a left-footed strike in the 44th minute and a penalty a few minutes later, helped Kane script another record for England as he went past Nat Lofthouse to become the first Three Lions star to score two or more goals in 13 international appearances. His total goals tally for England now stands at 76 in 113 matches. 

Kane was doubtful for the Latvia after he missed the friendly against Wales last week due to an ankle injury that he picked up during Bayern Munich's final clash before the international break against Eintracht Frankfurt. With Ollie Watkins ruled out with a freak injury before the qualifier, Tuchel was concerned over whom to field as the team's No.9. However, Kane fully recovered in time, featured in the starting and guided his team to a dominating win and secured a World Cup berth. 

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Getty Images SportEngland look a solid unit ahead of World Cup

Tuchel faced criticism at the time of announcing the squad for the October international break, as he overlooked several big names, including Manchester City star Phil Foden, loanee Jack Grealish and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham. However, despite missing some big names, England managed to score eight goals in the two matches they played this month.

With the likes of Eberechi Eze scoring a goal after coming as a second half substitute and players like Marcus Rashford and Jarrod Bowen also able to emerge from the bench, Tuchel is spoilt for choice in the attacking third ahead of the World Cup. With their berth secured, the German coach could consider experimenting with his lineups in the final two group matches against Serbia and Albania in November. 

The stadium is expected to host games during the 2026 Men’s U-19 World Cup and the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup

Firdose Moonda27-May-2025Namibia will host South Africa for a historic first meeting between the two sides to mark the official opening of their new ground in Windhoek. The one-off T20I will take place on October 11.Importantly, it will commemorate the opening of Cricket Namibia’s first official stadium – previously internationals took place at the Wanderers, also in Windhoek, which is a club ground. The new ground will host the matches during the 2026 Under-19 Men’s World Cup and the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup. Namibia is the co-host for the Under-19 World Cup with Zimbabwe and for the ODI World Cup with Zimbabwe and South Africa. The ground has been under construction since 2021 and will have a capacity of 7000. It is also the home of Namibia’s high-performance centre.”This truly is a memorable occasion,” Johann Muller, Cricket Namibia CEO, said in a statement. “The new ground has been a dream for the last four years and has finally materialised. A match against our neighbours, and one of the top cricketing countries in the world, is the perfect way to open this world-class facility.”Despite being neighbours, South Africa have never played an international against Namibia, at bilateral or tournament level, and the trip across the western border indicates the growth in relations in cricket on the continent. South Africa and Zimbabwe are both playing a significant role at the African Cricket Association and there are talks of increased fixtures, such as this one, to grow the game. South Africa will also travel to Zimbabwe for the first time in 11 years later this year to play two Tests and a T20I tri-series.”We are honoured to be part of this historic occasion,” Pholesti Moseki, CSA CEO, said. “Namibia are a competitive side, and this fixture reflects the growing strength of cricket on the continent. As a fellow African cricketing nation and the host of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, we are proud to support the official opening of this new cricket ground, which will be one of the host venues of the tournament.”By the time the match takes place, Namibia will have also competed in the Africa T20 World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, where there are two spots available for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Namibia have played in the last three T20 World Cups, and their highest profile win was over Sri Lanka in Geelong in 2022.

Many Tottenham Hotspur fans would have expected a victory against Bodo Glimt last night, but it wasn’t to be, as they walked away with a 2-2 draw in Norway.

Such a result could have been a lot worse for Thomas Frank, with the Lilywhites trailing by two goals heading into the final 24 minutes of the European contest.

An own goal and a Micky van de Ven effort saved the side from a shock defeat, with numerous players failing to impress in their second Champions League outing of 2025/26.

Numerous players fell way below the levels expected of the Premier League side, with Richarlison, the club’s centre forward for the clash, only registering a total of 10 touches in 90 minutes.

There’s no denying that one former player would have been perfect for their clash last night, with the Lilywhites massively lacking his presence within the final third.

Why Harry Kane would’ve got Spurs out of trouble on Tuesday

Harry Kane is a player who remains close to the hearts of the Spurs fanbase, given his time in North London, where he netted a total of 280 goals during his decade-long spell at the club.

Such a tally is the highest in the club’s history, but they’ve been without his services over the last couple of years after he joined Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.

In 2025/26, with the Club World Cup included, the 32-year-old has been nothing short of phenomenal, scoring 20 times and registering four assists – subsequently having the creative nous to produce the goods at key moments.

He’s registered 12 goal contributions in his last five matches across all competitions, further highlighting his ability to cause carnage within the attacking department.

To highlight his creative ability, he’s registered three more combined goals and assists than the Lilywhites first-team have managed in the same time period – with Frank certainly wishing he was able to call upon the Englishman.

However, a reunion could prove to be on the cards in the near future, with rumours linking the talisman with a sensational return to his boyhood club in the not-too-distant future.

Despite his impressive form away from the club, the Dane does have the ability to rely upon one player who showcased his talents massively against Bodo Glimt last night.

The Spurs player who’s emulating Kane under Frank

There’s no denying that the showing of Spurs in Norway yesterday was way below the expectations of the fanbase, with the front line coming under fire for their lack of impact.

As previously mentioned, Richarlison failed to produce any meaningful contributions, after only completing two passes all game and missing one big chance in the process.

Brennan Johnson was another player who struggled to make the desired impact, subsequently failing to complete a single dribble or cross during his hour-long display.

The Welshman has come under fire from the fanbase once again, not for the first time, after previously having to delete his social media accounts following abuse from supporters online.

However, it wasn’t all bad for Frank’s side in Norway, with right-back Pedro Porro managing to impress during the draw – undoubtedly being one of the shining lights in the disappointing showing.

The Spaniard managed to register an assist for Van de Ven’s effort, now holding an impressive record that highlights the creativity he possesses despite his defensive role.

He’s now registered 18 assists since the start of 2023/24, a number which is the highest of any Premier League defender across all competitions in the same time period.

It’s that ability to create goal-scoring opportunities at will that has seen him emulate Kane. Truth be told, the Lilywhites have missed not just the English striker’s goalscoring exploits but also his assist-making.

Indeed, the centre-forward registered 63 assists during his time in north London, with a whopping 17 of those coming in one campaign (2021/22). So good was Kane at playmaking that former teammate Matt Doherty once said: “That period under Antonio [Conte], he had a better passing range than [Kevin] De Bruyne at the time.”

Safe to say, Porro’s creativity is pretty damn good too, and he’s helping to void the creative void left behind by Kane.

However, despite the full-back’s tangible success, his underlying numbers were just as impressive on Tuesday evening, including his ability to register 78 touches during the contest.

Porro also completed 40 passes last night, 13 of which were into the opposition’s third – further showcasing the creative ability he possesses in his locker.

Numbers such as three chances created and 100% dribbles completed also add to his talents in possession, but he still managed to produce impressive figures without the ball, too.

Minutes played

90

Touches

78

Passes completed

40

Passes into final third

13

Chances created

3

Tackles made

2

Recoveries made

2

Dribbles made

100%

The 26-year-old made two tackles during the draw, whilst also making two recoveries and one interception – arguably being the perfect all-round fullback for Frank’s system.

Questions may be asked about his display, but there’s no taking away from his ability to create chances and get the side out of trouble when they’re void of ideas in attacking areas.

Should he continue his impressive assist record, there’s no reason as to why he can’t be a crucial member of Frank’s squad in the Dane’s hunt for success during his tenure in North London.

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

Tottenham Hotspur managed to rescue a 2-2 draw last night, but some players failed to catch the eye.

3 ByEthan Lamb Oct 1, 2025

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is in the spotlight in England after seeing his team suffer four straight defeats in all competitions. The results have brought talk of a 'crisis' at Anfield under the Dutchman, particularly after a big-spending summer transfer window, but the Liverpool boss is remaining calm and has plenty of experience of coming under pressure from the media.

Liverpool in crisis after Man Utd defeat

Liverpool were beaten again on Sunday as bitter rivals Manchester United earned a 2-1 win at Anfield and their first victory over the Reds on their home turf since January 2016. The defeat followed on from losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Galatasaray which have seen Slot and his team come in for plenty of criticism. Liverpool's struggles come after a summer where the club spent over £450 million ($603m) on new players intended to push the squad to another level of dominance, including record buy Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

Yet big-money buys Wirtz and Isak in particular have failed to live up to their lofty price tags, with both players yet to score in the Premier League for their new team. Club stalwarts Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have also frustratingly struggled in the early weeks of the season just months after penning lucrative new contracts to keep them at Anfield.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSlot not bothered by media scrutiny

Slot has come in for plenty of media scrutiny but is remaining calm in the face of the criticism, according to the . The ex-Feyenoord boss "has even conceded privately that the Dutch media are much harder" than the English press, although it remains to be seen if he will change his mind if results fail to improve and difficult questions continue to arrive. 

Yet Slot is not stranger to being in the spotlight. He faced plenty of criticism during his time in the Eredivisie and was called a "snake" after leaving AZ to join Feyenoord. Slot even has a tactic to deal with the current negativity which was inspired by cyclist Lance Armstrong. The Liverpool boss reportedly likes to smile at the camera when he's under pressure in the same way that Armstrong used to try and demoralise rivals when he was struggling for form.

Fans blast Slot's post-match comments

Slot admitted defeat to Manchester United was "hard to take" but went on to dub the Red Devils a "long ball team" after seeing defender Harry Maguire head home a late winner to secure a 2-1 victory at Anfield. Slot also seemed baffled that Ruben Amorim chose not to start Benjamin Sesko on Sunday, but his comments have not gone down well with supporters who have criticised his reaction to the defeat.

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Big decisions looming for Slot

Slot now faces some big calls when it comes to some of his underperforming stars as he bids to get his team back on track. The Liverpool boss has already been told to drop Salah by former defender Jamie Carragher. He said on : "I don't think Salah should be like a Virgil van Dijk where it's like 'first name on the teamsheet'. Liverpool have got two away games – in the Champions League at Frankfurt and then they go to Brentford.

"I don't think Salah should start both of those games. He should always start at Anfield because Liverpool will be on top, around the edge of the box and more often than not he scores in those situations today. But I do think in the away games and helping your full-back, I don't think Salah should be starting every game right now, certainly away from home, with the form he's in."

Slot may also be tempted to bench Isak after a disappointing start to life at Anfield following a summer move from Newcastle. Slot does also have Hugo Ekitike available, although he has not started any of the team's last three league games. Yet Ekitike boasts a record of five goals and one assist in 11 appearances for the Reds this season and will be eager to return to the starting XI.

Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe may have a busy few years ahead of them in the transfer market when it comes to new signings.

There could be even more players moved out in a shake-up to the squad, which may allow the Red Devils to bring in fees for a number of stars. But who is the most expensive departure from Old Trafford?

Here are Man Utd’s most expensive sales in their famous history with the help of news reports and Transfermarkt, as well as a detailed look at the top 10.

Rank

Player

Fee

Sold to

Year

Cristiano Ronaldo

£80m

Real Madrid

2009

Romelu Lukaku

£74m

Inter

2019

Angel Di Maria

£44.3m

PSG

2015

Alejandro Garnacho

£40m

Chelsea

2025

Mason Greenwood

£26.6m

Marseille

2024

Scott McTominay

£25.7m

Napoli

2024

Dan James

£25m

Leeds

2021

David Beckham

£24.5m

Real Madrid

2003

Morgan Schneiderlin

£24m

Everton

2017

Memphis Depay

£21.7m

Lyon

2017

Antony

£21.6m

Real Betis

2025

Dean Henderson

£20m

Crystal Palace

2024

Chris Smalling

£18.1m

AS Roma

2020

Daley Blind

£18.1m

Ajax

2018

Jaap Stam

£16.35m

Lazio

2001

Danny Welbeck

£16m

Arsenal

2014

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

£15m

West Ham

2024

Anthony Elanga

£15m

Nottingham Forest

2023

James Garner

£15m

Everton

2022

Juan Sebastian Veron

£15m

Chelsea

2003

Here’s a detailed look at Man Utd’s top 10 sales… 10 Memphis Depay £21.7m to Lyon, 2017

Memphis Depay arrived at Old Trafford in 2015 to significant fanfare, though he was unable to repay the faith shown in him by compatriot Louis van Gaal as his transfer never worked out.

He was shipped out to Lyon just 18 months later in a deal that worked for all concerned. Man Utd got a deal rising to over £20m by way of a transfer fee, while Depay found his feet in Ligue 1 to reclaim his status as a fine attacker within European football.

9 Morgan Schneiderlin £24m to Everton, 2017

Man Utd signed midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton in 2015, but the Frenchman struggled to break into Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho’s first-choice lineups.

Schneiderlin made less than 50 appearances for United and was sold 18 months later, with the Red Devils at least receiving a sizeable £24m fee for his services following his departure to Everton.

8 David Beckham £24.5m to Real Madrid, 2003

After coming through the Carrington academy, David Beckham turned himself into a global superstar during his 11 years as a professional at Old Trafford.

The wide midfielder, known for his crossing and set-piece ability, looked to be heading to Barcelona in 2003 before Real Madrid swooped in and made him a Galactico for £24.5m.

Man United: Top 10 No 7s – ranked

Some of English football’s biggest names have worn Manchester United’s No 7 shirt. Here are the 10 best as Mason Mount follows in their path.

ByAlex Caple Jul 14, 2023 7 Dan James £25m to Leeds, 2021

Speedy winger Dan James moved to Old Trafford from Swansea City in 2019 after impressing in the Championship, and would go on to play more than 50 times for United in all competitions.

Two years later, though, the Red Devils sold the Wales international for a fee of £25m to rivals Leeds United, where he remains on the books.

6 Scott McTominay £25.7m to Napoli, 2024

After progressing through the academy, versatile midfielder Scott McTominay spent seven years as a professional with Man Utd, winning two trophies and popping up with some important goals.

In 2024, though, the Red Devils cashed in on the Scotland international, with Napoli spending £25.7m – a sum which helped Man Utd comply with FFP.

5 Mason Greenwood £26.6m to Marseille, 2024

Forward Mason Greenwood came through the Carrington academy and looked as if he would go on to become a Man Utd regular before he was suspended in 2022.

Amid the uncertainty surrounding his football career, the Red Devils loaned Greenwood out to Getafe before selling him permanently to Marseille in 2024 for a fee of £26.6m.

4 Alejandro Garnacho £40m to Chelsea, 2025

Alejandro Garnacho was Man Utd’s big-money exit in 2025, joining Premier League rivals Chelsea after a period of ups and downs and Old Trafford.

As a homegrown player, the winger’s departure was seen as pure profit, which went towards the Red Devils bolstering their attacking ranks on deals for Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.

3 Angel Di Maria £44.3m to PSG, 2015

Big things were expected of Angel Di Maria after Man Utd signed him from Real Madrid for just under £60m in 2014, but the Argentine failed to live up to the hype and his Old Trafford stay lasted just 12 months.

Di Maria would eventually sign for Paris Saint-Germain, where he would spend the next seven seasons following a £44.3m move.

Man Utd's most expensive signings of all time

A number of their additions haven’t lived up to expectations.

ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025 2 Romelu Lukaku £74m to Inter, 2019

Striker Romelu Lukaku has commanded huge sums in transfer fees during his career, with Man Utd paying Everton a huge £90m with add-ons to sign him in 2017.

The Belgian blew hot and cold at Old Trafford and was on the move again in 2019, but at least the Red Devils received an eye-catching £74m fee from Inter, to not lose too much on a deal.

1 Cristiano Ronaldo £80m to Real Madrid, 2009

Top of the list as Man Utd’s record sale is iconic forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who got his dream £80m move to Real Madrid in 2009 after six starring years at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo grew into a global superstar under Sir Alex Ferguson and won nine major honours with the Red Devils in what was a golden period for the club.

Jack Grealish still has a lot of work to do if a return to Manchester City is to become a reality, claims Sky Blues legend Sergio Aguero. Grealish has shone thus far in his loan spell at Everton, for which Aguero was full of praise for, but he branded any talk of a swift return to the Etihad as "premature" for the winger, who has yet to force his way back into the England squad under Thomas Tuchel.

Grealish on great form, but talk of Man City return too soon

Grealish has been a revelation since arriving at Hill Dickinson Stadium, registering one goal and four assists in seven matches and earning himself the Premier League Player of the Month award for August. The crowning moment of his Toffees career so far came when he scored the winning goal deep in stoppage time against unbeaten Crystal Palace last time out.

Iconic Cityzens striker Aguero praised Grealish for “finding his football again” but emphasised that it is too early to speculate over a return to the Etihad, where the 30-year-old had found himself as somewhat of an outcast for the last two seasons.

This makes particular sense in the context where it is the very freedom Grealish is afforded at Everton under David Moyes, which has likely been one of the contributing factors to his great strides in performance levels. The player himself has suggested that he was somewhat restrained from showcasing his true abilities during his time at City, and so Everton appears to be the perfect environment in which he can flourish at present.  

AdvertisementGettyAguero speaks on Grealish and Man City return speculation

Speaking to Stake, Aguero said: “That type of forward-looking statement would be premature to make [that Grealish’s form will lead to a Man City return]. 

“Jack has found his football again, proven by his latest tally of assists and that massive goal against Palace that allowed Everton to take home the win.” 

Grealish is likely to at least make a physical return to the Etihad on Saturday, though he will not be allowed to play for Everton against City due to the Premier League’s rules surrounding loan players.

Former manager Guardiola had his say on the Englishman in his press conference on Friday: "Obviously he is there. The impact has been massive from day one. He got minutes and minutes and this is what he wanted. The decision we had with him, because he's a lovely guy, but he's back to real business and he's playing every game.

"They're the rules. When I will be a CEO or president of a big institution in England maybe I will change it. If he played it would be nice, but I don't have any opinion."

Man City are on the rise, but Arsenal team to beat – Aguero

As the Premier League returns following the international break, Aguero also spoke of what he expects from City this season ahead of the visit of Grealish’s Everton to the Etihad.  

“It's still the first few rounds of the Premier League, so it's early to make predictions,” he said.

“Liverpool, for one, looked strong at the start of the season with many wins – some of them close to the final whistle. But then their results began to decline. So that's why we'll have to wait to see how each game turns out.

“Arsenal are the team to beat, just like they've been for the past few seasons. Man City are on the rise and once more close to the top.

“As I usually say, the team that is the most consistent will take the trophy. That's what always happens. The last few years have given us many examples of teams holding on to the top spot for many weeks and then losing steam at the end.”

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Getty Images SportGrealish will aim to secure World Cup spot – then future may become clear

Though we will not see Grealish in action on Saturday, it will be interesting to see how Everton fare without their talisman, who is already a key component of how the Toffees have played this season.

Seeing Everton struggle in the ex-City man’s absence would, if anything, only serve to reinforce the idea that he is currently in the right place. For the Sky Blues, he was just a single component of a squad which was in great need of refreshing anyway. At Everton, he is front and centre of everything.  

That is not to say that a return to play for Guardiola next season is impossible. There is certainly a version of reality where Grealish stays consistently at the top of his game for the entirety of the season, earning a spot on the plane for the 2026 World Cup at the expense of the likes of Man City star Phil Foden. Should that happen, the Catalan may feel that he has no choice but to give Grealish another chance. But that all remains speculative for now.

Key tailend innings puts Lancashire on back foot before legspinner seals contest

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-May-2025 Northamptonshire 238 (McManus 53, Balderson 4-55) and 273 (Sanderson 65, Zaib 50) beat Lancashire 276 (Harris 121, Hurst 59, Conway 3-48, Procter 3-70) and 165 (Harrison 4-32) by 70 runs Legspinner Calvin Harrison turned the game with a decisive spell of four for 32 as Northamptonshire fought back to seal their first Rothesay County Championship win of the season against Lancashire.Harrison, on a short-term loan from Nottinghamshire, dismissed Marcus Harris and Josh Bohannon in quick succession after the pair had guided the Red Rose county to 116 for two – almost halfway to their 236 victory target at Wantage Road.That triggered a rapid collapse, with seven wickets falling for 28 to leave Lancashire, pre-season favourites for promotion, winless and bottom of the Division Two table.Earlier, tailender Ben Sanderson blazed a remarkable 65 from 28 balls – his maiden half-century and the second fastest in the county’s red-ball history – sharing a ninth-wicket stand of 81 with Liam Guthrie as Northamptonshire rallied to post 273 in their second innings.With their overnight lead at 102 and four wickets intact, the home side adopted a positive approach from the start as Saif Zaib hammered Anderson Phillip through the covers for successive fours.Harrison took his cue from Zaib, hitting three boundaries as they built a partnership of 49 and the left-hander advanced to his half-century, having spent almost three hours at the crease overall.When Tom Bailey slanted one across to have Zaib caught at slip, just two balls after Harrison had fallen lbw to Will Williams, Lancashire might have begun mentally preparing for the run chase – but Sanderson had other ideas.Having survived a sharp chance to gully with just four to his name, Sanderson went on the offensive with a combination of straight drives, square cuts and slashes over the slips, as well as flaying Williams past long-on for six.He also heaved Bailey over the rope to lift Northamptonshire’s advantage beyond 200 and a flurry of four boundaries from a single Bailey over brought up the 36-year-old’s maiden 50 in his 112th game of first-class cricket.A miscued pull off Phillip that looped to deep square leg eventually sent Sanderson back to the dressing-room, accompanied by warm applause before Guthrie holed out for 16 in the bowler’s next over.That left the visitors to chase 236 and Keaton Jennings seemed in a rush, hitting a trio of leg-side fours in the first over after lunch only to be fall victim to a smart catch by James Sales at square leg off Guthrie.Opening partner George Bell soon followed, snapped up at short midwicket by Zaib and, with over 200 still required, Bohannon and Harris had to maintain their composure and regroup.Harris, who had top-scored with a hundred in the first innings, looked well set for another big score as he lifted Lancashire’s total into three figures with a clinical cover-driven four off Sanderson.The pair added 83 but Northamptonshire’s decision to bring Harrison on before tea paid dividends as the leg-spinner prised out both the set batters, with Harris (43) lured down the track for a stumping and Bohannon (41) leg before pushing forward uncertainly.Those dismissals sandwiched that of Matty Hurst, who lost his off stump to a beauty from Harry Conway – and Harrison struck again in the first over after the interval, turning one to bowl Luke Wells through the gate.Conway and Sanderson collected a wicket apiece and Phillip’s top edge provided Harrison with a routine return catch for his fourth scalp before Guthrie (three for 34) had Williams caught behind to end Lancashire’s late resistance.

Jude Bellingham is feeling “really good” after bringing his goal drought at Real Madrid to a close. The England international midfielder was on target for the Blancos in a Champions League win over Juventus, with the 22-year-old opening his account for the 2025-26 campaign after recovering from summer shoulder surgery. There is now the promise of much more to come.

Delayed start: Shoulder operation kept Bellingham sidelined

Bellingham went under the knife after turning out at the FIFA Club World Cup. His last outing there came on July 9. He did not figure for Real again until September 20, with his start to the new campaign being delayed. Six appearances were taken in without finding the back of the net.

The Three Lions superstar was, however, back on target in European competition. Real needed inspiration from somewhere when trying to break down stubborn resistance from Serie A giants Juve. Vinicius Junior provided that spark when twisting and turning inside the box. His shot cannoned back off the post, but fell kindly for Bellingham to bundle home from close range.

AdvertisementGettyRelief for Bellingham: Goal account opened for the season

Relief poured out of Bellingham as he delivered his trademark celebration, with end product in the final third an important part of his game. His last goal for Real came at the Club World Cup in June. He had found the target just twice through his last 23 appearances for the Blancos.

Bellingham told of getting off the mark in 2025-26: “It's a great feeling, a long time now since I've scored, a lot of time out and dreaming of that moment, back in the Champions League and against a big team. To score a winner, here at home, it's unbelievable. I felt comfortable, really good. To play well was important, and to score the winning goal helps the team a lot.”

Real are confident that Bellingham will continue to move through the gears, allowing him to get back to his very best. Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois claims to already be seeing signs of that, saying of an important goal against Juve: “It's what I like about that kind of player. Vini makes his move, and [Jude] is there, watching for the second ball. He's getting back to his best level. He had a great game.”

Bellingham dip: Reaction to 2024-25 campaign

Bellingham registered 23 goals across his debut campaign in Madrid, helping Real to La Liga and Champions League titles. His output dipped to 15 efforts last season, with the plan being to kick on again this term.

Bellingham added: “I didn't think last year was a disaster. [It was] still 15 goals, 14 assists, but I know the general feeling was that it was worse. But I was a part of that, how we didn't play as well last year.

“There were still good moments, but not the level I want to play at, not the level like the first year. Now I've had my shoulder surgery, a new manager [Xabi Alonso], he's got that shape, how we want to play. You have to learn from it.”

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AFPEl Clasico: Date with Barcelona next up for Bellingham

Alonso has been accused of rushing Bellingham back into action, with it originally suggested that he could be out until November. The Blancos boss is, however, impressed by what he has seen from a key part of his plans.

Alonso said: “Independently of the goal, Jude had a very complete game. It was difficult, there wasn't much space, Juve sat deep. I liked the game he played in Getafe and I liked his game today a lot, and he scored a goal, too. He was competitive, he won a lot of balls, he got into positions in the box. He's a player who can cover ground, he's versatile, he has different qualities, and he knows how to get into the box, that's why he's one of the most complete players in the world.”

Real will need Bellingham to be at his best in their next game as, having maintained their 100 per cent record in Europe, they are preparing to face Clasico rivals Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.