Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is now personally keen on an “extraordinary” goalkeeper as a potential replacement for Emiliano Martinez this summer, according to a report.

Martinez linked with Aston Villa exit

After five memorable seasons in a Villa shirt, it appears as though Martinez’s time in the West Midlands could be coming to an end, with the goalkeeper left visibly upset while waving goodbye to the fans after the final game at Villa Park this season.

With the goalkeeper seemingly heading for the exit door, there have been recent suggestions he could remain in the Premier League, as Manchester United have made an offer, although a move to fellow potential suitors Barcelona could be a more attractive proposition.

Should he depart, it will be a difficult task to replace the 32-year-old, but Emery now believes he has found a goalkeeper capable of doing exactly that.

Aston Villa chiefs now identify £40m Liverpool star to replace Emi Martinez

Aston Villa are in the market for a new goalkeeper as Emi Martinez looks set to leave this summer.

By
Brett Worthington

May 19, 2025

According to a report from Spain, the Aston Villa manager thinks Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin has the experience to take over from Martinez, presumably because he has spent a number of years with one of the world’s biggest clubs.

Lunin has made 61 appearances for Madrid, but there is a feeling his time with the La Liga club could be coming to an end, given a lack of game time this season, and a move to Villa Park could be appealing to the Ukrainian.

"Extraordinary" Lunin could be at the level to replace Martinez

Of course, Villa fans may well be hoping Martinez has a change of heart and opts to remain at Villa Park beyond the end of the campaign, but there are signs the Madrid shot-stopper could be a suitable replacement.

Much like the Argentine, the 26-year-old has experience at the top level, making eight appearances en-route to Real Madrid’s 2023-24 Champions League triumph, and starring in the quarter-final victory over Manchester City.

Remarkably, the Ukraine international achieved a 9.7 SofaScore match rating in the second leg against City after making a number of important contributions.

Lunin’s stats vs Man City 23/24	Number completed
Total saves	8
Saves from inside the box	6
High claims	2
Punches	4

The £73k-a-week Madrid ace also caught the eye earlier in the competition, being lauded as “extraordinary” by CBS Sports’ Nico Cantor courtesy of an impressive performance against RB Leipzig in the round of 16.

With Villa looking to return to the Champions League next season, it would be wise to bring in a goalkeeper who is proven at the highest level, and Lunin clearly fits the bill, given his performances for Madrid.

Manchester United are now ready to step up their efforts to sign an “insane” £64 million player once they complete the deal for Matheus Cunha, according to a recent report.

Man Utd chasing new striker despite closing in on Cunha deal

The Red Devils still have one final Premier League game to play out, but already club chiefs are getting things underway ahead of the summer transfer window opening.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday that United are now close to signing Cunha from Wolves. The Brazil forward has accepted the project on offer at Old Trafford and has also agreed personal terms with the Red Devils. Romano claims only the finer details need to be sorted before the deal reaches the “here we go” stage.

Amorim must now bench Hojlund to unleash Man Utd "genius" in new role

Man Utd are preparing for a season-defining game on Wednesday evening…

1 ByRobbie Walls May 21, 2025

But Ruben Amorim and United want more than just Cunha to add to their front line – according to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, United have also held face-to-face talks with striker Liam Delap after Ipswich Town granted permission for him to travel to Manchester. The young forward has a £30 million release clause, and he is one of a number of targets the Red Devils are interested in signing to play up front with Cunha.

Man Utd ready to step up efforts to sign Viktor Gyokeres

Along with Delap, Viktor Gyokeres is also another option that is under consideration by the Old Trafford chiefs, and according to L’Equipe, relayed by Get French Football News, Man United are stepping up their efforts to sign Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

The report states that the Sweden international wants to resolve his future as quickly as possible, given he is expected to leave Sporting. However, the lack of concrete moves from PSG has now opened the door to United, who will look to make an approach for Gyokeres in the coming days.

It is claimed that the Red Devils are the only team to make serious efforts to try and sign Gyokeres, despite the fact the forward has also been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal and is said to be on their transfer shortlist. This would be a costly purchase for United, as it’s been widely reported that it could cost any interested team as much as £64 million to sign the prolific number nine.

Apps

101

Goals

96

Assists

28

The 26-year-old, who has been labelled “insane” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has been sensational for Sporting CP since moving to Portugal. Gyokeres has netted 39 goals in 33 league games this season, so while he may be an expensive purchase, his goal-scoring record suggests it would be money well spent.

Current number nine Rasmus Hojlund looks set for a move away from United, and if Cunha is being brought in to play just off the striker like he often has done at Molineux then a more clinial finisher will be required up front.

We assess the chances of the teams in Group Three in our County Championship preview

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2021GlamorganTimm van der Gugten gets a congratulatory elbow•Getty ImagesLast season: 6th in Central Group
Director of cricket: Mark Wallace
Coach: Matt Maynard
Captain: Chris Cooke
Overseas players: Andy Balbirnie, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser
Ins: James Weighell (Durham)
Outs: Marchant de Lange (Somerset), Craig Meschede (retired), Connor Brown, Kieran Bull, Charlie Hemphrey, Owen Morgan, Graham Wagg (all released)
After narrowly missing out on promotion in 2019, Glamorgan struggled in the Bob Willis Trophy, finishing bottom of the pile without a win. Their chances of success this season will rely heavily on their two Queensland imports, Marnus Labuschagne and Michael Neser, who will arrive three or four games into the season following the conclusion of the Sheffield Shield: Labuschagne’s 1114-run season in 2019 was the start of his rise to stardom, while the bustling Neser should be a perfect fit for early season conditions.
Andy Balbirnie will fill in for Labuschagne in the early rounds and looked in good touch against Somerset in pre-season, but Billy Root, captain Chris Cooke and the fit-again David Lloyd will have to do heavy lifting with the bat if they are to compete. Marchant de Lange’s departure to Somerset is a significant blow, while Graham Wagg has also left the club: Timm van der Gugten and Michael Hogan remain potent forces, but Lukas Carey and Dan Douthwaite will have important roles with the ball. The promising left-arm spinner Prem Sisodiya should have a chance to impress at some stage.
One to watch: Callum Taylor, 22, is the son of a former Pontypool rugby union player – who gave him the middle name “Zinzan” – and made quite an impression in the BWT. In his first-ever first-class innings, he was on 27 off 46 balls when Glamorgan slipped to 135 for 9 against Northants, and proceeded to hammer 79 from his next 48 in a rollicking stand. He bowls serviceable offspin on top of his punchy middle-order batting, and should play a major role. Matt Roller
Bet365: 66-1KentJack Leaning and Jordan Cox pose in front of the scoreboard after their record stand in 2020•Getty ImagesLast season: 2nd in South Group
Director of cricket: Paul Downton
Coach: Matt Walker
Captain: Sam Billings
Overseas players: Miguel Cummins (April-June), Heino Kuhn
Ins: Nathan Gilchrist (Somerset), Tawanda Muyeye
Outs: Sean Dickson (Durham), Calum Hagget, Ivan Thomas (both released), Adam Rouse (retired)
There’s a feeling among the Kent hierarchy that they have built good depth in their squad and now is the time to start seeing the knock-on effects of competition from within for places. “It’s exciting,” says Matt Walker. “Of course it’s what happens over the next six months that will really tell the whole story. It’s very important that we have that challenge amongst the group. In my experienced that always produces the best cricket.”
The additions of Harry Podmore and Matt Milnes in 2018 and 2019 respectively have bolstered the club’s seam stocks alongside an evergreen and ever-reliable Darren Stevens, who is about to turn 45. But it is the recruitment of West Indies fast bowler Miguel Cummins that could prove a masterstroke and Kent will be keen to make best use of the man who took a five-for against them for Middlesex in the Bob Willis Trophy last year for the first eight Championship games they have him for.
Zak Crawley and Sam Billings will surely miss chunks of the season on England and IPL duty. Their absence should, in theory, be covered by the likes of new vice-captain Daniel Bell Drummond, who enjoyed a strong pre-season and will be captain when Billings is at the IPL, and Joe Denly, whose time with England last summer proved fruitless. Jack Leaning, who joined from Yorkshire last year, and youngster Jordan Cox have also proven themselves more than handy with the bat.
One to watch: Jordan Cox’s 238 not out in an unbroken stand worth 423 with Leaning handed Kent an innings victory over Sussex last August and announced the then 19-year-old Cox as an exciting prospect. If he can kick on this season, it can only mean good things for Kent’s quest for silverware. Valkerie Baynes
Bet365: 10-1LancashireGeorge Balderson was one of a number of young players to come through at Lancashire in 2020•Getty ImagesRelated

Bell-Drummond has much left to achieve after decade at Kent

Parnell to miss Northants opener after quarantine extended

Head, Handscomb turn thoughts to England

Last season (BWT): 3rd in South Group
Director of cricket: Paul Allott
Coach: Glen Chapple
Captain: Dane Vilas
Overseas: Dane Vilas, Jackson Bird
Ins: Luke Wells (Sussex), Jack Blatherwick (Nottinghamshire)
Outs: Brooke Guest (Derbyshire), Toby Lester, Stephen Parry (both released), Graham Onions (retired)
A decade has passed since Lancashire enjoyed Championship catharsis under the captain-coach combination of Glen Chapple and Peter Moores. Since that much-feted title, the club has arguably been better run off the field than on it: three times they have had to bounce back from Division One relegation – most recently, in 2019, when Dane Vilas led the team through an unbeaten promotion campaign in his first season in charge.
Chapple is now head coach, and in 2020 the BWT was all about blooding local talent. Teenage allrounder George Balderson played all five games, while five other players between 19 and 22 made promising debuts; Josh Bohannon and Danny Lamb, in the side for a few years, continued to make strides. And although Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone will miss the first chunk of the season at the IPL, there is core group of established pedigree at Old Trafford – including Vilas, sometime England opener Keaton Jennings, wicketkeeper Alex Davies, former captain Steven Croft, workhorse seamer Tom Bailey and Australia international Jackson Bird (from round three) – to propel a strong Championship challenge. Not to mention Matt Parkinson and Saqib Mahmood, young men champing at the bit after winters spent mulling non-selection by England.
James Anderson is set to miss the opening two rounds as England manage his workload and his availability could make the difference when it comes to pushing for top two – Anderson took 30 wickets at 9.36 in 2019, setting the club up for runaway success. Group Three contains four teams who competed in Division Two two years ago, and Lancashire play six of their first eight games against such opposition.
One to watch: After the departure of the long-serving Stephen Parry, Lancashire have not one but two greenhorn slow left-arm spinners coming through to replace him in Tom Hartley and Jack Morley. Hartley, 22, is the senior man, tall and slender and a feature of both the BWT and Blast sides last year; the pair memorably bowled Lancashire to victory on the final day against Derbyshire at Aigburth.Alan Gardner
Bet365: 9-1NorthamptonshireCharlie Thurston was the find of the season for Northants last summer•Getty ImagesLast season (BWT): 4th in Central Group
Coach: David Ripley
Captain: Adam Rossington
Overseas: Wayne Parnell
Ins: Tom Taylor (Leicestershire)
Outs: Brett Hutton (Nottinghamshire), Rob Newton, Blessing Muzarabani, Tom Sole (all released)
Whether Northants, likes Gloucestershire, will ever get to enjoy the fruits of their promotion to Division One in 2019, after long years stuck in the second tier, remains up for debate. But in what looks a relatively open group, they will once again be aiming to perform above expectations. The departure of Brett Hutton, who re-joined Nottinghamshire after three impressive seasons at Wantage Road, could weaken the attack at Adam Rossington’s disposal, but Ben Sanderson remains a formidable force with the red ball in hand and Wayne Parnell may prove a shrewd overseas recruit – albeit he will miss the start of the season while in quarantine.
The Bob Willis Trophy allowed the introduction of some younger faces, with Charlie Thurston taking his chance to finish as Northants’ leading run-scorer – 357 at 44.62 – and 20-year-old Emilio Gay emerging as a promising top-order option. Ben Curran and Ricardo Vasconcelos look set to start as the opening pair, with Alex Wakely, in his first full campaign since stepping down as captain during 2019, the senior man in a young batting line-up. Tom Taylor, an allrounder with England Lions potential, looks a good signing from Leicestershire, and Gareth Berg is still going strong at 40. The BWT also saw Simon Kerrigan make his comeback after a three-year career hiatus, and the one-cap England spinner could be another feel-good Northants story in the offing.
One to watch: Jack White, a 29-year-old seamer from Cumbria, made his first-class debut last summer and claimed an impressive 13 wickets at 20.00 from four games. Plucked from the club scene in the North West, he is looking to follow in the footsteps of Sanderson and Richard Gleeson as late-blooming talents who proved their worth at first-class level with Northamptonshire. AG
Bet365: 33-1SussexJames Kirtley and Ian Salisbury will split head-coaching responsibilities at Sussex•Sussex County Cricket ClubLast season: 6th in South Group
Director of cricket: Keith Greenfield
Coach: Ian Salisbury
Captain: Ben Brown
Overseas players: Travis Head (Australia – end of April onwards), Stiaan van Zyl (South Africa – full season)
Ins:
Outs: Laurie Evans (Surrey), Danny Briggs (Warwickshire), Luke Wells (Lancashire), Harry Finch, Will Sheffield (both released)
Under new management with Ian Salisbury taking over from Jason Gillespie in the first-class and one-day formats (James Kirtley will be T20 coach), Sussex will be looking to overcome a disappointing couple of years, having narrowly missed out on promotion in 2018 then dropping to sixth in Division two in 2019.
There is a sense that the club is still building towards bigger things, highlighted by the hook for their membership drive: “A New Beginning”. A maiden first-class five-for to left-arm seamer George Garton against Essex last year showed off his promise and he has enjoyed a good pre-season with 3 for 35 and an unbeaten 33 in a friendly against Surrey. Jack Carson, the 20-year-old Irish offspinner and teenage paceman Henry Crocombe were also among the wickets in that drawn match.
Both pre-season friendlies – Sussex also drew at Hampshire – had to be moved after a bug infestation damaged the outfield at Hove. As a result, their opening fixture against Lancashire has also been switched, to Old Trafford. Experienced captain Ben Brown scored heavily in pre-season, as did 22-year-old Tom Haines, who notched a century at Surrey and 72 against Hampshire.
One to watch: With a Test squad place beckoning, Ollie Robinson is focused on taking that next step. With proven wicket-taking ability, amassing 137 wickets across 2018 and 2019 plus another 14 at 12.50 in the Bob Willis Trophy, he’ll also benefit from having spent months training with England’s squads over the past year. VB
Bet365: 12-1YorkshireYorkshire’s Jordan Thompson in his delivery stride•Getty ImagesLast season: 1st, North Group
Director of Cricket: Martyn Moxon
Coach:Andrew Gale
Captain:Steve Patterson
Overseas players:Duanne Olivier, Mathew Pillans
Ins:Dom Bess (Somerset)
Outs: Ed Barnes (Leicestershire), Jared Warner (Gloucestershire), James Logan (released)
Yorkshire topped their group last season, only to be the group winner that missed out to Essex and Somerset for a place in the final. Their chief executive Mark Arthur consoled members at the Zoom annual general meeting by pronouncing that Yorkshire’s squad was the strongest he had known in nearly a decade in the job.
That is tantamount to predicting a Championship win and to get that they initially have to finish in the top two of the opening group without Dawid Malan, who will miss eight matches because of an IPL deal. Joe Root’s presence in the early games will be cheering, but of longer-term significance will be whether Gary Ballance can score heavily after missing 2020 with a stress-related illness. If not, expectations will fall to a large degree on Harry Brook.
The two overseas players are post-Brexit oddities: Duanne Olivier, a one-time Kolpak, carries hostility, but Mathew Pillans’ presence as an overseas player now his ancestral visa is disqualified is a mere convenience. Dom Bess brings spin-bowling quality assuming he puts his India ups and downs behind him and he will aim to get the weight of runs once provided by Tim Bresnan. If three bowling allrounders – Jordan Thompson, Matthew Waite and Matthew Fisher – kick on then spearheads Ben Coad and David Willey should not be short of support.
One to watch: Jordan Thompson, a seam bowling allrounder, made a strong impression in the BWT, averaging 47 with the bat and 16 with the ball, and now has to try to carry such impressive figures forward as the Championship heads back towards normality. David Hopps
Bet365: 7-1

The Bangladesh government is making last-ditch attempts through the United Nations (UN) to keep hosting rights for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup. Asif Mahmud, the youth and sports adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, said that it will speak to the UN about the countries that have put out travel restrictions on their citizens travelling to Bangladesh.On Saturday, the ICC informed the participating boards that it is still monitoring the situation in Bangladesh, and that it will consider all options, including moving the tournament elsewhere. As it stands, the governments of Australia, the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), India and New Zealand have either asked their citizens not to travel to Bangladesh or discouraged them from doing so.ESPNcricinfo has learned that the BCB considers this as its biggest barrier to the hosting of the tournament. Travel bans or restriction announcements can only be lifted by the respective governments, and cricket boards have little influence over them.”There are travel restrictions for some countries and so we will speak with the United Nations,” Mahmud said. “There are some issues regarding security and infrastructure and we will talk in this regard with professor Yunus [chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government]. He is a sports lover and hope that he can resolve the matter.”Related

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• Anamul recalls 'sleepless nights' after losing close friend in student protests

• Bangladesh in turmoil: how will cricket be impacted?

• BCB set to meet new sports head as calls for reform grow louder

The uncertainty regarding the World Cup comes at a time when the BCB is also going through a major crisis. Their president, Nazmul Hassan, also the former sports minister, has gone missing since the fall of the Awami League government on August 5. Several directors, who have direct or indirect political connections, are also untraceable.Mahmud said that he had discussed the possibility of an interim body to run the BCB, but he was aware of the board’s need for autonomy in its decision-making.”The BCB president is missing. Of course, for a federation to function, all of its organs need to work. The president holds an important responsibility and he is absent. The BCB is an autonomous federation and we cannot give them any decision.”We have suggested to the BCB directors to look at how to resolve the issue within the ICC’s legal framework. They will report to us later on whether to appoint someone for an interim period. We will continue the process in this regard.”We want to make required changes but at the same time we need to follow a process. We don’t want to change the person; rather, we want to change the system so that whoever comes in by following that system, corruption cannot come in and we want to take steps so that we can make a permanent solution.”

‘We lack in planning’ – Former BCB secretary calls for change

There is a growing call for reform in the BCB within the cricket community in Bangladesh, with former BCB general secretary Syed Ashraful Huq also joining in.Huq, who is regarded as one of the main architects of Bangladesh cricket, especially for his involvement in bringing ICC Full Membership to the BCB in 2000, said that the BCB’s functioning has been disappointing.”The BCB needs reform,” Haq said. “We gained Full Membership in 2000 but apart from some infrastructural development, we haven’t seen much improvement in our performance in the last 24 years. BCB doesn’t own a cricket ground, for instance. We lack in planning, and even when we have a plan, nobody has delivered on it.”BCB officials don’t lack in experience. Many of the directors are involved for 20-30 years, so their failure is quite disappointing.”

MatériaMais Notícias

da apostaganha： Presente na entrevista coletiva após a goleada sofrida pelo Santos para o Fortaleza, o coordenador técnico Alexandre Gallo explicou a situação de Marcos Leonardo, que está fora dos treinos e jogos enquanto define futuro no clube.

da imperador bet： – Conversamos com o representante e o atleta e da nossa parte temos uma definição. Está definida a parte do Santos e esperamos contar com ele a partir de segunda-feira, nos treinamentos, de uma maneira efetiva. Porque se isso não acontecer, o Santos vai tomar as precauções. Nós temos um departamento jurídico bastante competente. Mas de maneira nenhuma queremos levar para esse lado – disse o representante do clube.

+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!

Diante da má situação do Peixe na tabela do Brasileirão, Alexandre Gallo afirmou que conta com o centroavante e declarou que a equipe não quer qualquer ruptura com o jovem jogador.

– Os valores colocados não atendem ao nosso presidente e ao Comitê Gestor. Nosso atleta tem que estar apto e pronto para nos ajudar. Esperamos colher somente coisas positivas. Conversei com ele e disse que nos últimos 30 anos não deixamos de vender nenhum jogador do Santos que seja protagonista do time. Hoje ele é um jogador da Seleção Brasileira. Eu sei o que passa na cabeça dele. Não queremos nenhum tipo de litígio, queremos o Marcos Leonardo em campo – concluiu o coordenador.

OUTRAS RESPOSTAS DE ALEXANDRE GALLO NA COLETIVA:

PRESENÇA NA COLETIVA

Esse é o posicionamento que a gente tem que ter quando rola alguma coisa que sai do natural. Como nosso treinador, eu estou há quase 72 horas no clube. Estarei aqui sempre que a coisa não estiver correta. A preocupação existe e ela é grande, mas isso não nos tira a vontade de lutar e seguir firme. Estamos seguindo um novo trabalho com uma comissão nova. A gente tem conversado muito sobre futebol. Após o primeiro gol, o time deu realmente uma apagada, mas tecnicamente é com o nosso treinador. Nós confiamos muito nele.

COMO PODE AJUDAR NESTE MOMENTO

Efetivamente eu passei muito mais situações difíceis que eles. Primeiro, o atleta precisa muito mais da cabeça do que das pernas. Identificamos que temos um elenco para não estar na zona de rebaixamento. Temos um elenco para brigar pelo título? Isso também não tem acontecido. Nós entendemos que hoje temos um elenco, hoje muito desfalcado, para estar em uma situação melhor. Precisamos cuidar mesmo da cabeça. Tivemos uma queda no psicológico da equipe. O time psicologicamente sentiu um pouquinho, nós não esperávamos. Isso faz parte do futebol e, da minha parte, minha função é mostrar para eles que, como a vida, amanhã podemos recomeçar muito melhor. Tem um turno pela frente para sairmos dessa situação.

ATUAÇÃO DO SANTOS NO MERCADO

Esse foi um dos fatores que atrasou entendermos tudo que está acontecendo. Qualquer palavra que eu te der aqui pode complicar a situação (da negociação), mas o time está no mercado. O Santos está no mercado e correndo muito para passar alguma novidade em breve.

da apostebet： Manchester City are now interested in a surprise move to sign a £35,000-a-week player from Chelsea, according to a new report.

Man City closing in on three new signings

da fazobetai： As they did in January, City are expected to be very busy this summer, as Pep Guardiola eyes several incomings as well as outgoings. City have already announced the signing of Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The deal is thought to be worth around £31 million with £5 million in add-ons, after Guardiola identified him as the player to solve their left-back problems.

Related After Reijnders: Man City to submit bid for Mahrez 2.0 "in the next hours"

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Posts ByRobbie Walls Jun 4, 2025

And the Blues have also agreed a deal worth £46.3 million with AC Milan to sign midfielder Tijjani Reijnders. The Dutch international underwent his medical on Sunday, and he is now expected to sign a five-year deal before the Club World Cup.

The final player City are trying to get in before Tuesday’s deadline is Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki. It was claimed last week that discussions have been held over a deal, and they are now close to agreeing a deal for around £35 million. His potential arrival at the Etihad could see him become the man to replace Kevin de Bruyne, who has now departed the Blues.

Man City lining up surprise move to sign £35k-p/w Chelsea ace

While City work on deals to get players in before the start of the Club World Cup, they also have their eyes on players they would like to sign further into the summer transfer window. Now, according to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, City are lining up a move to sign goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea.

The Blues want to bolster their goalkeeper options for next season, given that Scott Carson is now leaving the club following the end of his contract. Bettinelli has been identified as a replacement, as City feel his character makes him ideal to be their third-choice keeper.

Leading up to the summer transfer window, there has been a lot of talk about the future of current number one Ederson, who has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. That has yet to progress, but it seems it could be all change in the goalkeeper department at the Etihad Campus.

Marcus Bettinelli’s Premier League record

Apps

7

Goals conceded

20

Clean sheets

0

The 33-year-old, who earns £35,000 a week at Chelsea, has been at Stamford Bridge since July 2021. He joined the club on a free transfer from Fulham, and in those four years, he has played just one game for the Blues, and that came in the FA Cup in the 2021/22 campaign. The goalkeeper is under contract until 2026.

Bayern Munich are set to launch a renewed attempt to sign Luis Díaz from Liverpool, with a second offer reportedly on the cards. While Díaz remains with the Liverpool squad during their pre-season tour in Asia, discussions surrounding his potential departure have intensified behind the scenes.

Bayern remain determined to sign DiazWilling to test Liverpool's resolvePreparing improved bid for the ColombianFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After being approached by both Bayern Munich and long-time suitors Barcelona, the 27-year-old has informed the Reds of his preference to leave in this transfer window. The Catalans had reignited their interest in him but ultimately diverted their efforts toward signing Marcus Rashford after being told Liverpool would demand a high fee, one the Spanish club was unwilling or unable to meet due to financial limitations.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to Bayern are now poised to present a new formal offer in the region of €75 million (£65m/$88m) for Díaz, a sum just short of the €80m (£69.5m/$94m) that had been informally discussed between Liverpool and the player as a suitable valuation. The Bundesliga side has set a hard cap of €80 million and are unwilling to exceed that amount. To bridge the gap, Bayern are proposing the inclusion of a sell-on clause. According to German outlet , this would allow Liverpool to profit from any future sale of the Colombia international.

TELL ME MORE

Bayern are “very optimistic” about completing the transfer within the next seven to 10 days. Díaz’s agent, Raul Costa, reportedly spent several days on Merseyside before the player departed for the club’s Asia tour, laying the groundwork for a potential deal by holding preliminary discussions with Liverpool officials. The Bavarians had an earlier bid worth approximately £57m (€66m/$77m) turned down. However, their persistence suggests they are confident of eventually landing the winger.

DID YOU KNOW?

Liverpool have publicly maintained their stance that Diaz is not available for transfer. Yet, much like the unfolding situation involving Alexander Isak at Newcastle United, there are signs that this firm position may soften if a significant offer arrives, particularly one with creative add-ons that protect the club’s long-term interests.

Should Diaz be sold, Liverpool would almost certainly look to replace him with another high-profile forward, especially Isak. Sources suggest that the Swede is intrigued by the prospect of a switch, particularly after being informally approached by the reigning Premier League champions, who are prepared to break the British transfer record to secure his signature.

Manchester United are set for a huge summer transfer window if they are to rise up the table and be a success in the Premier League throughout 2025/26.

The Red Devils finished in a measly 15th position last time around, registering their lowest points tally and finish since the division formed back in 1992.

Ruben Amorim was unable to work his magic after being appointed back in November, but this window presents him with the chance to make his desired changes at Old Trafford.

The likes of Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof will all depart at the end of the month, raising key funds in their pursuit of landing key targets.

With the window reopening on Monday, it allows the club to add to the signing of Matheus Cunha, with multiple additions needed if they are to have any chance of pushing for European football.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions

All areas of the pitch are expected to be subject to investment as the hierarchy looks to hand Amorim with the tools he needs to be a success at Theatre of Dreams.

Hugo Ekitiké, Richard Rios and Ronald Araujo are just three names thrown into the mix over recent months, but as of yet, no deals have yet been agreed for any of the aforementioned talents.

However, serious moves have been made to land Copenhagen star Rooney Bardghji before the end of the transfer window, that’s according to GIVEMESPORT’s latest update.

They claim that the Red Devils have held talks with the Danish side over a move for the 19-year-old, who’s previously scored against United in the Champions League.

It also states that he’s seen as one of Europe’s most promising stars, but has endured somewhat of a dismal spell with injuries, only making six appearances in 2024/25.

Why United’s latest target would be a more exciting signing than Mbeumo

Over recent weeks, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo has been the most likely star to make the move to join United and further aid Amorim’s attempts in the final third.

The Cameroonian has starred in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, scoring 20 times in his 38 appearances, undoubtedly being the shining light in the Bees’ side.

Such a record has led to the Red Devils’ keen interest, even making a £55m bid for the attacker, but it was swiftly rejected with a £70m price tag mooted.

They face huge competition from Tottenham Hotspur for his signature this window, with the Lilywhites potentially having the edge given the appointment of his former boss, Thomas Frank.

However, given the interest from elsewhere, it’s led to a move for Bardghji, with the Swedish youngster a more exciting and upcoming talent than Mbeumo, with Amorim needing to pursue a move for his signature.

The teenager, who’s been labelled “very special” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, hasn’t had the opportunity to showcase his talents this campaign, but has previously demonstrated the elite-level talent at his disposal.

In the 2023/24 campaign, he thrived in the Champions League, completing 90% of the passes he attempted and creating 1.9 chances per 90 – highlighting his ability to provide for teammates in attacking areas.

Games played

9

Goals scored

1

Pass accuracy

90%

Chances created

1.9

Dribbles completed

3.8

Dribble success rate

75%

Shots taken

2.8

He also managed to complete 3.8 dribbles per 90, at a completion rate of 75%, posing a real threat with the ball at his feet and starring in a competition Mbeumo has yet to be in his career.

Bardghji’s effort against United in such a period is evidence of the brilliance he’s able to produce when featuring on the pitch, having the potential to explode into a top-level talent when injury-free.

Given his tender age, he has bags of time to reach his full potential and build on the impressive start he’s made to his professional career at Copenhagen.

Should he move to United, he would hand Amorim a new dimension, certainly offering a more exciting signing than the Brentford star, given the levels he’s produced and the room he still has to grow over the next few years.

Amorim's next Amad: Wilcox considering Man Utd bid for "special" £38m star

Manchester United could be about to land a star who can emulate Amad Diallo’s success.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 18, 2025

Century stand between second-wicket pair puts Essex on front foot before rain arrives

ECB Reporters Network26-Sep-2024

Dean Elgar passed 1000 runs for the season•Getty Images

An unbeaten century second-wicket stand between Dean Elgar and Tom Westley before the rains came brought champions Surrey back down to earth after their week-long celebrations.Surrey completed their third successive Vitality County Championship win in their last game against Durham but were on the back foot during the 28-and-a-half overs possible until persistent heavy rain drove the players off the pitch nine minutes before lunch. By that time, Essex, who won the toss, had reached 116 for 1 with Elgar and Westley hitting an under-strength Surrey attack to all corners of Chelmsford in a stand worth 112 in 26 overs.Westley had started circumspectly but accelerated the more the partnership became entrenched. He had 11 boundaries in his 52 from 78 balls. Elgar, who passed 1000 runs for the season during his 54 from 88 balls, had started brightly before handing the initiative to his captain.Play started promptly but only after groundstaff had started pumping 4500 litres of water off the playing area from 6.30am. The operation started all over again just as they were settling in for their lunch break with play called off for the day at 2.30pm.Under heavy clouds but with some sunshine interspersed, Essex got off to a disastrous start with Robin Das lasting just six balls before he hung his bat out to Tom Lawes and helped settle whatever nerves Josh Blake might have had behind the stumps. Blake, who posted an unbeaten century at Chelmsford in the Metro Bank Cup earlier in the summer, was one of three first-class debutants for Surrey, batsman Ollie Sykes and spinner Yousef Majid completing the triumvirate.Elgar dominated the first fifty of the stand with Westley contributing just 13 to that point. The South African took three boundaries off Kemar Roach early on, two of them driven crisply through the covers. His seventh four, flicked to fine leg off Dan Lawrence, took him to four figures in his first year at Essex; a single off James Taylor carried him past fifty for the ninth time this season.Westley, who passed 1000 runs for the first time in his career last season, accelerated as the clouds turned threatening and the rain approached. He reached his sixth fifty-plus score of the year – as well as passing 700 runs – shortly after the pair’s century stand had been marked.Westley’s half-century took 76 balls, two fewer than Elgar’s, with three of his 11 fours coming in a frenetic six-ball spell against Taylor and Lawrence that was followed two balls later by four leg byes. The best of some well-placed shots from the one-time England batter was a sharp pull backward of square off Taylor

Unbeaten 53 seals victory in rollercoaster clash with Essex after James Wharton, Shan Masood fifties

ECB Reporters Network06-Aug-2024A nerveless List A career best of 53 not out from Dom Bess guided Yorkshire to a crucial win in a rollercoaster Metro Bank One-Day Cup clash with Essex as they chased 244 to win by three wickets at Scarborough and maintain their qualification hopes.Both sides encountered batting problems in an enthralling contest played on a competitive pitch.The Vikings fell from 102 for 2 to 184 for 7, losing Shan Masood for 58 and James Wharton for a career-best 71 off 89 balls. Seamer Shane Snater impressed with three wickets for Essex, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a fourth defeat in five matches in Group B.After losing three early wickets having been inserted, Robin Das and Luc Benkenstein made 67 off 92 balls and 68 off 94 respectively in Essex’s 243 for 9, which saw new-ball pair Ben Cliff and Ben Coad claim three wickets apiece for Yorkshire, who have now won three from five.Coad also contributed 26 not out in an eighth-wicket stand of 60 inside nine overs with Bess, who hit six fours in 55 balls.Essex opener Feroze Khushi played on to Cliff in the fourth over to start this contest before further wickets fell shortly afterwards as Essex fell to 27 for 3.Nick Browne miscued Coad to midwicket and captain Tom Westley slashed Cliff to point.Das and Benkenstein rebuilt with caution, though Das pulled Matthew Revis for six and ramped Cliff for four over the wicketkeeper’s head.Das reached his fifty off 67 balls, and by the time Benkenstein followed him to the same milestone, off 71, Essex were 150 for 3 in the 32nd over.But, in the following over, Das picked out deep cover off the seam of Revis, ending a fourth-wicket partnership of 125.The good work of Das and Benkenstein would be undone by the loss of four wickets for only five runs in 12 balls as left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty, Coad and Cliff all struck.Benkenstein’s departure came in a damaging spell which saw Essex crumble to 190 for 8 in the 42nd over.Moriarty had a reverse-sweeping Noah Thain brilliantly caught by a diving Wharton at deep backward point before Coad had Benkenstein caught at wide mid-on in that collapse.Ben Allison’s useful unbeaten 27 gave Essex something to work with, and he was one of four batters to post career-best scores alongside Benkenstein, Das and Simon Fernandes with 18.Essex’s hopes were raised when Yorkshire slipped to 18 for 2 inside seven overs of their reply. Snater claimed both wickets – Harry Duke smartly caught at second slip above his head by Thain and Fin Bean caught at mid-on.Masood and Wharton then shared 84 in similar fashion to the earlier Benkenstein-Das alliance – composed but not becalmed.Masood’s 46-ball fifty was his third in succession in this campaign, while Wharton pulled Aaron Beard’s seam for six to reverse the pressure.But the pendulum was about to swing again, as the Vikings lost four wickets for 21, including Masood, to slip to be 123 for 6 in the 31st over.Westley’s off-spin accounted for Masood lbw and Will Luxton caught at cover before Snater returned to bowl George Hill with an angled-in beauty and Richards removed Revis.Wharton pulled a couple of sixes in his 79-ball fifty to keep home hopes alive. But when he was brilliantly caught at mid-on by a leaping Browne off Thain’s medium pace, the Vikings were 184 for 7 in the 40th over and under the cosh.But, in keeping with the day’s flow, the game wasn’t over.Bess, having shared 61 with Wharton, played the guiding hand in partnership with Coad. He worked the ball expertly – to delight the majority of a 3,113 crowd – and reached his fifty with the winning hit off Allison.