Category Uncategorized

The debate continues over whether Ruben Amorim is the right man to lead Manchester United forward, with the Portuguese’s handling and treatment of Kobbie Mainoo having been repeatedly questioned in recent times.

In the 40-year-old’s defence, his tenure has helped to spark the rise of another young star, in the form of Amad, with the Ivorian speedster shaking off his peripheral role under Erik ten Hag to emerge as a real centrepiece of the new regime.

Indeed, it was just over a year ago that the 23-year-old had to watch on as Ten Hag turned to Antony ahead of him with United chasing the game away at Fenerbahce, with the ex-Atalanta starlet only introduced at the death after the Brazilian was forced off injured.

The Dutchman suggested that he was rewarding Antony for being “better in training”, although there was a sense that he was simply playing favourites, frustratingly overlooking a player who has since racked up 21 goals and assists in just 43 games under Amorim’s watch.

Amad – now set to head to AFCON – has played the fourth-most minutes of any player since the former Sporting CP took charge, as per Transfermarkt, although could his position actually be under threat heading into 2026?

Man Utd hold talks over signing Amad upgrade

The man who scored the opener in Monday’s 4-4 thriller against Bournemouth, Amad jets off to international duty having started 14 Premier League games this season, operating primarily as a right wing-back, or infrequently as a number ten.

That consistent run of game time has actually only yielded two goals and two assists, however, with the £19m signing still having a way to go to really hit those heights from the flanks.

There is always room for competition and reinforcement, not least in a squad that is lacking genuine, suitable options at wing-back, hence why United appear to be stepping up their interest in Cherries star, Antoine Semenyo.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

As reported earlier this week, the 25-year-old is said to be open to making the move to Old Trafford, with United weighing up whether to activate his £65m release clause in January, amid the prospect of utilising him as an attacking wing-back.

That interest has since been followed by claims from transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, with the respected insider revealing on his Youtube channel that both United – and Manchester City – have held talks “this week” to try and get a better grasp of the Ghanaian’s current situation.

Time, it would appear, is off the essence, with champions Liverpool also among the clubs in the mix for his signature.

How Semenyo compares to Amad in the Premier League

As already stated, Amad has perhaps been the biggest success story of Amorim’s tenure to date, notably netting key goals away at the Etihad and Anfield last season, while striking up an exciting partnership with Bryan Mbeumo down the right flank.

That being said, however, the £120k-per-week star’s defensive prowess has been called into question on numerous occasions of late, having beaten at the back post against the likes of Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With his slight frame and small stature, there is a feeling that, for all his endeavour and work ethic, Amad can be got at in a defensive sense, hence why a more physical presence like Semenyo could be just what is needed.

Described as “unplayable” by journalist Ed Aarons, the versatile forward can operate on either flank, through the middle or in a wing-back berth, with his two-footed quality making him such a threat wherever he’s deployed.

As per Sofascore, four of his seven league goals this season have come with his right, such as his equaliser on Monday evening, while the other three have come with his left, making him such a difficult figure to try and shackle for the opposition.

Not only bettering Amad for goals, Semenyo also edges the Ivorian with regard to assists (three), with pundit Chris Waddle now of the opinion that he is the “best winger in the country”.

Subscribe for sharper United transfer and player analysis Want deeper context on United’s transfer debates? Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth player comparisons, tactical reads and transfer insight that helps you weigh choices like Amad vs Semenyo with clear, expert-backed analysis. Subscribe Subscribe for sharper United transfer and player analysis Want deeper context on United’s transfer debates? Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth player comparisons, tactical reads and transfer insight that helps you weigh choices like Amad vs Semenyo with clear, expert-backed analysis.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Such quality was also evident last season under Andoni Iraola, as the ex-Bristol City man registered 16 goal involvements in the league, again bettering Amad’s own return back at Old Trafford (14).

Most Goals & Assists – 25/26 PL

Player

G/A

Erling Haaland

20

Bruno Fernandes

12

Igor Thiago

11

Antoine Semenyo

10

Phil Foden

9

Morgan Rogers

8

Hugo Ekitike

8

Pedro Neto

8

Harry Wilson

8

Richarlison

8

via FBref

The beauty two of Semenyo’s talents is that he can combine this relentless attacking threat with a vital defensive contribution, notably ranking in the top 4% of Premier League wingers for aerial duels won per 90 this season, as per FBref, having also been dribbled past just 0.7 times per game, as per Sofascore.

For comparison, Amad averages just 0.67 aerial duels won, far below Semenyo’s 2.60 average, having been dribbled past 0.9 times per game in 2025/26.

Of course, there is the prospect of deploying Amad one side, with the £65m man on the other, although if Amorim is looking for a more balanced approach to make it a straight fight between the pair, should a deal be struck, it would seemingly be Semenyo who comes out on top.

Related Man Utd star was treated like Mainoo, now he's as undroppable as Fernandes

One Manchester United star has shown there could be light at the end of the tunnel for Kobbie Mainoo…

Posts ByRobbie Walls

Daren Powell was outstanding during the Twenty20 and ODIs against England © Getty Images

Hampshire have beaten off competition from Glamorgan to sign West Indies pace bowler Daren Powell. The deal is subject to approval from the West Indies board, but he is expected to be available for the County Championship match against Durham starting on July 20 and his stay would include the Friends Provident final in August.Powell was one of the key performers during West Indies one-day series win against England, taking 4 for 40 in the deciding match at Trent Bridge, and will join up with Hampshire after completing the quadrangular series in Ireland.”We are delighted to sign an international bowler who’s shown some great qualities in the West Indies tour,” said Hampshire’s team manager Paul Terry. “He’ll add depth and extra fire power to the squad. He’s keen, enthusiastic and willing to come and learn from county cricket, so hopefully it’s set for a win win situation.”Shane Warne, Hampshire’s captain, had initially hoped that Stuart Clark would return following a successful early-season spell, but he is committed to Australia ahead of the Twenty20 World Championships.

Allen Stanford addresses the media at the unveiling of the Stanford 20/20 Super Star squad © Joseph Jones

Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle have been included in a Stanford 20/20 Super Star team which will take on South Africa in a one-off Twenty20 international in November. The teams will battle it out for a massive US$5million prize at the Stanford Cricket Ground in St John’s, Antigua, the venue which hosted the recently concluded Stanford 20/20 tournament.Apart from Sarwan and Gayle, the squad also includes Marlon Samuels and Pedro Collins. Sarwan led Guyana to the Stanford 20/20 title on Sunday, scoring an unbeaten 49 as Guyana beat Trinidad and Tobago by five wickets in a thrilling encounter. The 20-member line-up also has notable performers like Travis Dowlin, the Player of the Match in the final, Kieron Pollard, the Trinidad and Tobago batsman who scored 83 in the semi-finals, and Tonito Willet of Nevis, whose undefeated 86 against Antigua was also the highest individual score of the tournament.Kelbert Walters, William Perkins and Kieran Powell, three of the outstanding young players in the tournament, will also train with the squad to gain experience.Squad Carlton Baugh, Pedro Collins, Esuan Crandon, Narsingh Deonarine, Mervyn Dillon, Travis Dowlin, Andre Fletcher, Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Dennis George, Wavell Hinds, Rawl Lewis, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Nelon Pascal, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor, Tonito Willett
Reserves Kelbert Walters, William Perkins, Kieran Powell

2nd day
Scorecard
A marathon innings of over nine hours saw Martin van Jaarsveld, two runsshort of his career best of 238, still at the crease when the Titanseventually declared their innings closed at 524 for 4.Zander de Bruyn was out early but Godfrey Toyana and Van Jaarsveld then tormented the Western Province bowlers who had toiled hard on a Willowmoore Park pitch that had little to offer for the bowlers.A shock followed for Graeme Smith as he was dismissed first ball of theWPBOL innings. Andrew Puttick and Herschelle Gibbs put on 40, whileAshwell Prince stroked a quick 50. Four quick wickets however left WPBOLon 125 for 5 when bad light stopped play early.2nd day
Scorecard
Neil McKenzie and Ahmed Omar, the debutant, notched up crucial fifties as the Lions managed to get a lead of 40 in their first innings. With the pitch at Goodyear Park playing true, the Eagles bowlers took another 36 overs to capture the final four wickets. Deon Kruis the star with the ball taking 5 for 40 and was ably assisted by Victor Mpitsang (3 for 35).The Eagles second innings had one small hiccup, the early loss of David Jacobs, but Gerhardus Liebenberg (65) and Boeta Dippenaar got them back on track. Ryan Bailey failed to score but an aggressive Morne van Wyk (59) and Dippenaar (52 not out) saw the Eagles to 190 for 5 at stumps.2nd day
Scorecard
A brilliant undefeated 173 from Arno Jacobs saved the Warriors as they were bowled out for 349. Andrew Tweedie, the man who wrapped up the Warriors tail, helping himself to four wickets.There were several problems for the Dolphin batting as they faced up to the pace attack of Makhaya Ntini, Mornantau Hayward and Tyron Henderson. Fifties from Imraan Khan and Lance Klusener restored some pride but by stumps theDolphins had struggled to 201 for 7.

Otago 231 for 3 (Gaffaney 69, Lawson 62*, Cumming 57) drew with Wellington 482 for 9 dec
Scorecard
Only 39 overs of play was possible on the final day at Wellington, as the matched petered out into a draw. Craig Cumming, Chris Gaffaney and Robert Lawson helped themselves to half-centuries. But the loss of an entire day’s play didn’t help matters and the result was a foregone conclusion.Canterbury 215 (Fulton 90, Wiseman 65, Orchard 5-10) and 136 for 3 (Stewart 78) drew with Northern Districts 434
Scorecard
Auckland 316 drew with Central Districts 268
Scorecard

Pakistan outclassed United Emirates (UAE) by a huge margin of 208 runs in their second match of the Khaleej Times Under-15 Asia Cup at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Monday.Opener Suleman Ali blasted eight fours and four sixes in scoring 91 off just 77 deliveries as Pakistan amassed 322 for six in their quota of 40 overs after winning the toss, according to details available here.Hosts UAE, in reply, were restricted to 114 for five.Besides Suleman, Salman Akbar also excelled in making 63 off 59 balls. His knock was laced with six hits to the fence.In was a great recovery by Pakistan youngsters after Fayyaz Ahmed and skipper Fazal Mohammad Khan had perished without a run on the board.Suleman, named Man-of-the-Match, and Adnan Raza (29 off 39 balls, two fours, two sixes) shared a third wicket stand of 81. Salman then joined Suleman in adding 114 for the fourth wicket before the latter was stumped.Pakistan’s innings ended on a high note as Sardar Nawaz slammed four sixes and as many fours in an unbeaten 59 off mere 23 balls. The unfinished seventh wicket partnership between Sardar and Owais Ahmed (24 off 12 balls, three fours, one six) realized 68.On Sunday, Pakistan achieved an easy 10-wicket victory over Oman. Meanwhile, fast bowler Omar Khaliq has been ruled out of the Under-15 Asia Cup with a groin injury. He will be replaced by paceman Zain Shahnawaz who will leave for Dubai on Tuesday.Omar sustained the injury during Pakistan’s 10-wicket victory over Oman in the opening match of the Super League in Abu Dhabi.Pakistan will play Sri Lanka on Dec 18 in Sharjah.ScoreboardPAKISTAN UNDER-15:Fayyaz Ahmed lbw b Qasim 0Suleman Ali st Farhan b Sharan 91Fazal Khan c Farhan b Qasim 0Adnan Raza c Farhan b Pranav 29Salman Akbar b Sharan 63Raza Ali Dar run out 28Sardar Nawaz not out 59Owais Ahmed not out 24EXTRAS (B-2, LB-2, W-19, NB-5) 28TOTAL (for six wkts, 40 overs) 322FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-0, 3-81, 4-195, 5-224, 6-254.DID NOT BAT: Mansoor Amjad, Nasir Ahmed, Mohammad Jamshed.BOWLING: Qasim Zubair 7-1-40-2 (2w); Sufiyan Javed 4-0-35-0 (2nb, 7w);Wasim Bari 2.5-0-22-0 (2nb, 1w); Ramveer Rai 4.1-0-23-0 ((1w);Pranav Arora 7-1-50-1; Rameez Shahzad 2-0-25-0 (3w);Sharan Kumar 6-0-41-2 (3w); Owais Hameed 4-0-29-0 (2w);Prashant Rao 3-0-53-0 (1nb).UAE UNDER-15:Sharan Kumar b Nasir 2Farhan Siddiqui c Adnan b Raza 15Ramveer Rai b Mansoor 33Owais Hameed lbw b Jamshed 10Shehan Dharmasena run out 15Rameez Shahzad not out 7Qasim Zubair not out 0EXTRAS (B-1, LB-4, W-23, NB-4) 32TOTAL (for five wkts, 40 overs) 114FALL OF WKTS: 1-22, 2-69, 3-71, 4-106, 5-108.DID NOT BAT: Prashant Rao, Sufiyan Javed, Pranav Arora, Wasim Bari.BOWLING: Nasir Ahmed 6-1-24-1 (1nb, 5w); Mohammad Jamshed 7-1-20-1 (10w); Sardar Nawaz 3-1-12-0 (1nb); Raza Ali Dar 6-2-13-1; Mansoor Amjad 6-1-16-1 (2nb, 1w); Suleman Ali 4-1-10-0 (3w); Fayyaz Ahmed 4-0-7-0; Salman Akbar 4-1-7-0 (4w).MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Suleman Ali

Ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble has still not recovered fully from hisshoulder injury and would be out of action for another two months.BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele said on Wednesday that the bowler couldnot be selected for the the triangular one-day series with Zimbabweand West Indies as he was not match fit.”We are in touch with him but he is still not match fit and is ruledout for the next two months,” Lele said after announcing a 14-memberteam for the June 23-July 7 tri-series.Kumble, who underwent an operation on his bowling arm, is also likelyto miss the tour of Sri Lanka from July 15 to September 2, he said.Selection committee chairman Chandu Borde spoke very highly of Kumbleand said, “once Kumble comes back into the side, I think the Indianteam will be one of the formidable outfits in the world. He andHarbhajan (Singh) can form a deadly combination and no country cantake a leg spin-off spin combination lightly,” he said.

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic extended their lead at the top of the Premiership table with a 2-1 win in the Old Firm clash on Sunday.

It was a horror start for the Hoops as Aaron Ramsey put the hosts in front early on. Josip Juranovic was caught out from a ball in behind as he allowed Ryan Kent to breeze past him to tee up the Welshman for his strike.

Postecoglou’s men were able to turn it around before half-time, though, as Tom Rogic equalised quickly after the opener as he reacted quickly in the box to sweep the ball into the net. Cameron Carter-Vickers then fired home just before the break as he pounced on a loose ball to make it 2-1.

The second half was a tense affair as both sides pushed and pulled throughout the 45 but Celtic were able to hold out for the three points.

Despite the positive result, one player almost cost Postecoglou on the day – central midfielder Reo Hatate. The Japan international did not raise himself to the high standards the majority of the team set on the pitch.

Against the ball, he offered nothing. As per SofaScore, he lost 100% of his duels on the pitch as he failed to win a single individual battle. He made zero clearances, interceptions, blocks, or tackles throughout the match as he was unable to keep up the physicality of the occasion.

Ally McCoist noted in the Sky Sports commentary that he was “absolutely spent” in the second half as Aaron Ramsey raced past him down the wing with ease, with Postecoglou taking him off not long after that incident. This illustrated how sluggish he looked at Ibrox as he struggled with the pace of the game.

In possession, he did very little to justify his inclusion. Although his shot led to the opening goal, his effort was poor and should have been held by Allan McGregor as the 40-year-old gifted it to Rogic. Via SofaScore, he failed with all of his attempted crosses and long passes, whilst also failing to create a single chance.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

This means that he did nothing on or off the ball to contribute to the team and that is why the £14.5k-per-week dud almost cost his side with a poor display and was lucky that his teammates were able to bail him out with an excellent team performance. Postecoglou will surely be hoping that he can quickly get over this poor display and get back to his best sooner rather than later.

AND in other news, £3m wasted: Celtic had a shocker on £7.9k-p/w “loner” who rinsed Desmond for 129 weeks…

Cynical gamesmanship or well-meaning attempt to improve the spirit in which cricket is played? The answer to that question probably depends on whether you like – or hate – England or Australia more. But if it was England’s intention to improve relations between the sides when they invited their Australia counterparts for a drink in the dressing rooms at the end of the Cardiff Test, it may well have backfired.Certainly, some in the Australian dressing room were underwhelmed by the invitation. Going in the face of modern convention – in recent times, at least, the sides would only meet for such a drink at the end of the series – it has been interpreted, coming moments after a heavy defeat, as antagonistic. Nobody likes a gloater.What is not disputed is that Alastair Cook, the England captain, invited Michael Clarke, the Australian captain, and his team into the England dressing room immediately after the game was completed. Nor is it disputed that the Australia team did not accept. Everything else is open to interpretation.

James Anderson on…

Stuart Broad: “He hardly bowled a bad ball. He hasn’t bowled badly in recent months but you just sometimes forget how dangerous he can be when he snaps into that slightly fuller length. He was always trying to find the outside edge and at pace with the bounce that he gets, he can be unplayable at times. It was great to see him in that sort of form.”
England’s balanced attack: “It probably is the best balanced attack we’ve had since Flintoff retired. It’s great to have Ben Stokes at No. 6 to bring us that four seam option and with him and Mark Wood bowling so fantastically it eases the burden on me. Moeen bowled brilliantly throughout the Cardiff Test, too, which is a big help.”
England’s positive approach: “We did exactly what we talked about: we took the positive options throughout. We were in trouble a couple of times with the bat but Joe Root did what he has been doing for a year and with the ball we kept asking questions of them.”

“It was Cooky’s idea,” James Anderson confirmed. “After the New Zealand series we had a beer after each game and we found that that was quite an enjoyable thing to do. Just to chew the fat after a hard Test. It didn’t matter if we won or lost. We still did it at Headingley after we lost. So Cooky went and asked. We were all happy to do it. I don’t know why they didn’t come in.”Clarke said he discussed the idea with the Australia coach and senior players before responding. “When Cooky approached me after the game I was a little surprised, to be honest,” he said. “It hasn’t happened too many times in my career no matter who we have played after the first Test. Normally we do it after a series.”I spoke to Darren Lehmann and a few of the senior players to get their views. They were of the opinion – like me – that at the end of the series we’ll have a drink with England. If they ask us again at the end of this match, we’ll worry about it then. For us it’s not a big deal and I’m sure for England it’s not a big deal either.”The invitation comes at the same time as England embrace a new, aggressive style of cricket and after they have spoken of playing “with a smile on their face”. While they have not specifically said they will not “sledge” they were notably quieter in Cardiff this year than they had been in the earlier matches of the summer of 2014 when the Sri Lanka players were notably unimpressed by their antics.Yet now, inspired, in part at least, by the refreshing attitude of the New Zealand side, who played a hard but good-spirited brand of cricket, England have reasoned that, to appeal to a wider fan base and to engage with a general public that seemed underwhelmed by their Ashes success in 2013, they have to do more than win. Their focus has moved away from talk of fighting and battles and more to enjoyment and the expression of skills. They appear, at first glance, to have embraced the new approach with the zeal of a recent convertBut it’s not hard to understand Australia’s cynicism towards England’s new approach. Until very recently, England gave as good as they got in terms of gamesmanship and sledging. It was, after all, only a year ago that James Anderson was accused – though subsequently cleared – of “crossing the line” in an off-field incident with Ravi Jaedja. It remains to be seen if this is a passing phase – a ploy, even, to show-up Australia’s more brusque approach – or a meaningful change.Certainly Peter Siddle, who may well come into the team for the second Investec Test at Lord’s, is unconvinced. “It’s my fifth Ashes series and it’s the first time anyone has ever gone to have a drink after one Test match,” he said. “So it’s a little bit of an interesting story.”Especially coming from Jimmy Anderson. You know what Jimmy is like. After the Oval last time we had a drink and he said ‘I don’t know why we do this, I can’t stand it’.”I’ve played four Ashes series and we’ve never had a drink after a Test match until the very last one so I don’t think anything is going to change there. It’s always a hard, aggressive match and obviously after the game it’s move on to the next one and get prepared to go again. But at the end of the series, we’ll be happy to have a drink.”Perhaps, in the grand scheme of things, such issues matter little. Perhaps it is more important to note that Moeen Ali, sore after his exertions in Cardiff, did not train at Lord’s on Tuesday, but is said not to be a risk for the second Test. Perhaps it is more important to note that Mitchell McClenaghan, New Zealand’s left-arm fast bowler currently playing for Middlesex, was among the net bowlers helping England prepare for the on-going challenge of facing Mitchell Johnson and, fitness permitting, Mitchell Starc.Or perhaps, after a few years where the image of the game has been tarnished by on-field posturing and childish sledging, it is refreshing that teams are beginning the reflect on their behaviour and the actions they can have on the next generation of cricket lovers. These are very early days in England’s conversion. It remains to be seen whether it takes root.

‘Until recently, Whatmore was understood to be the board’s top choice, the only hitch being his interest in the position of India coach. With that now out of the way, the path appears clear for Whatmore to take over here’ © AFP

Dav Whatmore arrives in Pakistan on Wednesday hoping to push further his credentials as the next coach of Pakistan. Whatmore will be interviewed by the PCB on Thursday as a potential candidate for the position, the third Australian the board has interviewed this week.Earlier in the week, Richard Done, the ICC high-performance manager and former New South Wales fast bowler, and Geoff Lawson, former Test cricketer, were also interviewed. Lawson yesterday visited the national team’s conditioning camp currently underway in Abbottabad, meeting with senior players and officials.One of the three will become Pakistan’s coach though Zakir Khan, director operations PCB and a member of the three-man committee to find a coach, stressed again the decision will not be taken in haste.Khan didn’t confirm that an appointment will be made by July 1, the date set by chairman Nasim Ashraf, to announce a new coach to succeed the late Bob Woolmer. “It is premature to give an exact date right now. After the interviews of the three, our committee will compile a report and present our choice to the chairman, who will take it to the ad-hoc committee. Only then will a decision be made,” Khan told Cricinfo.The board has been tight-lipped about its preferences from the three in recent days. Khan said that the interviews had gone well and that all three had excellent qualifications. “They were shortlisted because of their qualifications and on the basis of past achievements.”Until recently, Whatmore was understood to be the board’s top choice, the only hitch being his interest in the position of India coach. With that now out of the way, the path appears clear for Whatmore to take over. But the board is said to be impressed by Done as well, and he would seemingly fit in with some officials’ wishes that the new coach be a low-key personality willing to prove himself internationally with Pakistan.Meanwhile Javed Miandad, former captain and three-time coach, continued his criticism of the board’s policy for selecting a coach by pointing out that Lawson had not officially applied for the position.Miandad disagreed with the board’s decision to publicly advertise the vacancy and invite applications arguing that no coach of substance would apply in such a way. Lawson made clear before arriving in Pakistan that the board had contacted him and not the other way round.Miandad told , “Now I ask the PCB: where does it stand? Instead of considering the applications of those candidates who have applied for the post, it is contacting those who did not apply.”