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For the first time in a long while, Manchester United appear to have acted astutely in the transfer market, having notably snapped up Premier League-proven talents in the form of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Fresh off the back of netting 35 league goals between them for Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively, last term, the £130m+ pairing have scored six times in all competitions in their new surroundings – three of which came at Old Trafford last weekend.

There is a joy in seeing ready-made signings hit the ground running, but so too is there in United unearthing something of a hidden gem.

A player who arrives as a relative unknown, before achieving cult hero status.

Think back to the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, recruited from obscurity in Norway and Mexico, respectively, or even in the current crop, the likes of Senne Lammens and Amad could fall into that category.

In the case of the latter man, the Ivorian has endured a long route to the top at Old Trafford, but now he is truly flourishing.

Amad's long road to becoming a Man Utd star

It was remarkably just over five years ago that the news broke of United’s £19m signing of a teenage Atalanta starlet by the name of Amad, with the then 18-year-old ultimately making the switch in January 2021.

At the time of the announcement on that October deadline day, the youngster had made just three Serie A appearances, totalling only 30 minutes, with the Red Devils gambling heavily on a raw and inexperienced addition.

Despite ultimately making his mark by netting in inventive fashion against AC Milan, the diminutive forward was forced to bide his time under the likes of Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, with the major breakthrough coming amid his stellar loan stint at Sunderland in 2022/23 – following a short spell with Rangers.

With 14 goals and hero status achieved at the Stadium of Light, Amad returned to Erik ten Hag’s ranks in the summer of 2023, albeit with injury curtailing his involvement in the first-half of the subsequent season.

Aside from that FA Cup winner against Liverpool – and a first Premier League goal against Newcastle United – that 2023/24 campaign was something of a write-off on a personal level, with a strong start to 2024/25 quickly halted as he again slid down Ten Hag’s attacking pecking order.

Since the Dutchman’s departure, however, the 23-year-old has gone to a different level under Ruud van Nistelrooy and now Ruben Amorim, producing a string of clutch moments, including goals away at Anfield and the Etihad last term, alongside his late treble at home to Southampton.

Now shifted back to right wing-back this season, amid the presence of Mbeumo, the £120k-per-week wizard is beginning to find his groove, highlighted by his statement early assist away on Merseyside.

Manager

Games

Goals

Assists

Ruben Amorim

36

8

10

Erik ten Hag

24

3

3

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

8

1

1

Ruud van Nistelrooy

4

2

1

Ralf Rangnick

1

0

0

Michael Carrick

0

0

0

Total

73

14

14

It’s been five years or so in the making, but Amad – who is set to head to AFCON later this year – is properly realising his potential in a United shirt.

Perhaps a similar success story could be on the cards?

Man Utd's next Amad in the making

All the focus five years ago was on the £40m capture of Donny van de Beek, alongside the free transfer arrival of Edinson Cavani, with Amad’s announcement something of an afterthought – not least as he didn’t actually make the move until a few months later.

Such a scenario has seemingly been repeated in 2025, with United having quietly confirmed the £6m signing of another teenager, Diego Leon, back in January, with the Paraguayan belatedly joining this summer after turning 18.

Like a young Amad, the rampaging full-back has been signed as something of a project player, more with a nod to the future than with an expectation that he should immediately hit the ground running at Premier League level.

Like Amad too, however – who was even described as “like Messi” in training by Atalanta teammate Papu Gomez – the teenager arrives with a burgeoning reputation, having already scored four times in 33 games for former employers Cerro Porteno.

Comfortable at left-back or left wing-back, the rising star has been hailed for his physical attributes by the likes of analyst Ben Mattinson, who has noted that he “runs like a steam train” down that flank.

Such quality was evident only last week as United’s U21 side saw off Tottenham Hotspur, with Leon surging forward from his left-sided berth, running almost the length of the pitch, before converting for his first goal for the Red Devils.

Unsurprisingly, there is still a rawness to his game – having notably lost the ball nine times from just 31 touches in the recent EFL Trophy defeat to Barnsley, as per Sofascore – but with remarkable pace and power, it might not be long before United’s No.35 is featuring at first-team level.

Indeed, he has been a regular fixture in Amorim’s matchday squads this season, despite not actually making his competitive senior bow, while he has also received a first international call-up from Paraguay.

Paraded on the pitch ahead of the pre-season clash with Fiorentina, the left-footer was no doubt in the shadow of the marquee signings of Cunha, Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, although his time will surely come before too long.

With Patrick Dorgu yet to nail down that left wing-back berth – and with fellow teenager Harry Amass out on loan – there is a clear route to game time in the coming weeks and months, starting with Saturday’s meeting with Nottingham Forest.

While, like Amad, he may have to bide his time, United could reap the rewards later down the line of having invested in such an exciting teenage talent.

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ByEthan Lamb Oct 30, 2025

Chelsea have now entered negotiations over a deal to sign a rapid new centre-back, and an opening offer is set to be made within weeks.

Blues looking to sign new centre-back despite Cahill comments

With Levi Colwill suffering an ACL injury back in August, the Blues’ offer centre-back options have had to step up to the plate this season, and Gary Cahill has been very impressed with their performances, so much so that he believes his former club don’t need to sign a new defender.

Cahill said: “There has been a lot of noise around this for a long time, but I think the lads that are there are doing a very good job of proving that they don’t need to add to this position,”

“I’ve been very impressed with Wesley Fofana since he’s come back. Touch wood that he stays fit.

“Trevoh Chalobah: look at the job he’s been doing – he’s a bit of an unsung hero. Trevoh is probably the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.

However, while a senior centre-back may not be required, BlueCo are always keen to bring in exciting up-and-coming prospects, and they have now entered negotiations over a deal for Gremio defender Luis Eduardo.

That is according to a report from AS (via Sport Witness), which states Chelsea have now entered talks to sign Eduardo, alongside Premier League rivals Manchester United, with opening offers set to be made in the coming weeks.

The Blues are now trying to ‘accelerate’ their pursuit of the centre-back, given that scouts have been left impressed with his performances, with the 17-year-old well-known for his pace, having reached 38 km/h for Gremio earlier this year.

The speedster has a €60m (£53m) release clause included in his contract with the Brazilian club, although it is unclear whether BlueCo would be willing to shell out such a big fee on a very young player.

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ByDominic Lund Nov 30, 2025 Luis Eduardo impressing at youth level

The teenager is yet to establish himself as a regular starter for Gremio, having made just one appearance for the senior team, but he has put in some eye-catching performances for both club and country at youth level.

Despite being a centre-back, the Corrente-born ace managed to score two goals in seven appearances for Gremio U20s in 2025, while he has also netted three goals in 13 appearances for Brazil U17s.

Eduardo could be one for the future, but Cahill is correct in his assessment that Chelsea don’t need to worry about bringing in a new centre-back anytime soon, given Chalobah’s recent form, most recently netting the opening goal in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Enzo Maresca also has Josh Acheampong and Benoit Badiashile at his disposal as back-up options, and with Colwill still to return, the manager is well-stocked at centre-back.

In an instant blow for new manager Vitor Matos, “top clubs” are now reportedly making moves in an attempt to sign Swansea City’s Harlan Perry, who has been the academy’s Player of the Year for four consecutive seasons.

It’s the last thing that Matos needs, with the pressure on to arrive and turn things around in Wales. As things stand, the Jacks sit 20th and only four points above the Championship’s dropzone with the manager’s debut against Derby County up next.

Upon arriving, the former Liverpool coach shared how optimistic he is that Swansea can turn their season around – telling the club’s website: “Swansea, for me, have always had a style. Something that distinguished the club from all the others.

“Somehow we have got a bit far away from what is the DNA of the club. So it will take steps, it will take a bit of time, but I really believe we can take steps in the right direction.

“For that, we will need everyone, the whole club, all the fans and us all to have the same vision. That’s what I want. I see the fans are still behind and pushing the team, we will need them and I see players who want to change the momentum and we need to find the right idea and the right vision to do it.

“That’s the most important thing. It is clear we need to win games and points, but we need to focus on the process and I really believe if we can play to our best then the more chances we will have to win. That’s the direction we need to have.”

It’s a DNA built from the first-team to the academy, but one that Swansea’s best young player may yet miss as contract concerns continue to emerge.

"Top clubs" now moving to sign Harlan Perry

As reported by Rudy Galetti, “top clubs” are now moving to sign Perry from Swansea in what would be a free deal. The 17-year-old has been the academy’s Player of the Year in the last four seasons, but is yet to sign a professional contract – opening the door for a potential exit.

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The midfielder turns 18 this week – it’s then that clubs will be able to offer him a long-term contract to deal those in Wales a major blow.

Whilst Matos’ first priority should of course be turning results around, he must also ensure that Swansea keep hold of players with impressive potential like Perry, even if it means selling for a larger profit at a later date.

Instant blow for Matos as "one of Swansea's key players" could now leave

Neymar has revealed why he was "sad and very upset" despite his goalscoring display in Santos' crucial 3-1 win over Sport Recife. The build-up to the game had been dominated by whether or not the 33-year-old would play amid an issue with his knee. The former Barcelona star bagged a goal and an assist but after the match, he took a swipe at the media.

Neymar to the rescue for Santos

Despite a knee issue keeping him out of Santos' 1-1 draw with Internacional earlier this week, Neymar played through the pain in his side's vital victory on Friday night. The former Paris Saint-Germain ace, who has reportedly been advised to undergo an arthroscopy in order to repair a tear in the meniscus region of his left knee, received a standing ovation from his home fans as the Brazilian giants earned an important three points. The result took them up to 15th in the table, giving them a two-point cushion above the relegation zone, although 17th-placed Vitoria and 18th-positioned Fortaleza have a game in hand. While many celebrated the victory, Neymar was not best pleased.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'It was a joint decision'

The former Al-Hilal man appeared to take aim at how his injury has been reported in the press. The forward made it clear that he made the decision to play for Santos after being advised by the club's doctors, rather than defying them. 

"To be honest, it's not okay! People need to know that doctors and I know. These are the people who have to know what happened to make the right decisions. We will never harm my career, we will try to do the best for me. That's what I have to say. People invent many things. I'm sad! Very upset," he said in an interview with Sportv. "I am a human being and no being deserves to listen to the nonsense I heard. You, who report things, have to be very careful. It is very harmful to the mind of a player, who is a human being. I'm happy for today's game. For the goal, for Santos' victory. Seek the three points. About these decisions (to play or not), they are internal. I didn't go over the doctors, it was a joint decision. I was the one who had to take it."

Neymar optimistic about his injury

Neymar, who has had an injury-hit second stint at boyhood team Santos, was optimistic about his conditioning going into the final games of the season. It did not seem like he would sit out the rest of the campaign, with the veteran very much determined to keep Santos in the Brazilian top-flight. 

He added: "Physically I've been doing well, I'm feeling better and better, obviously with this injury now it's sad, it's annoying, but it's nothing that will stop me from doing something, that's why I keep playing. Now it's time to think about Santos and where Santos deserves to be, which is Serie A, and then we'll see what they do. We have been facing a very big difficulty in the fight against relegation, obviously we didn't want that, but now we depend on us. Obviously we know that goal difference is important, that's why I was always demanding the team to try to score goals, respecting the Sport team, but we really wanted this victory, we wanted a bigger balance, because we know that in the end it will be important. Now we have to keep going from here for the better."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Neymar's Santos?

Santos' final two games of the Brasileiro Serie A season involve a trip to 19th-placed Juventude, who are set to be relegated, on Wednesday, before hosting third-placed Cruzeiro four days later. 

When asked if he would be on the field in Santos' next match, Neymar replied: "Absolutely."

Indeed, Santos manager Juan Pablo previously said on the Brazilian icon: "He's a player we need for all three rounds, and he'll help us. He's our leader on the field. He'll be there."

Are Celtic poised to appoint a new manager?

According to widespread reports, Celtic have been given permission to speak to Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy, talks that have taken place over the weekend.

The Frenchman has won both MLS Cup and Leagues Cup in charge of the Black and Gold, very much now the front-runner to take over the reins from Martin O’Neill.

Should Nancy swap Ohio for Glasgow, he would have a big job on his hands to put together a cohesive team, considering the Celts’ current injury crisis and poorly constructed squad.

So, which player is in danger of becoming the new Luis Palma following an underwhelming start to their career in hoops?

Why Luis Palma failed at Celtic

Few players have made such a bright start to their Celtic career only to disappear into oblivion quite as quickly as Palma.

After arriving from Aris Thessaloniki in August 2023, the Honduran made an electrifying start to his time in Glasgow.

He scored four goals in his first eight Premiership appearances, bagging ten goals across his first season all told, including netting against both Atlético Madrid and Feyenoord in home Champions League matches, as well as heartbreakingly seeing a last-gasp winner against Lazio disallowed by VAR too.

However, last season, Palma very much found himself no longer in Brendan Rodgers’ plan, seeing a miserly 267 minutes of action before being loaned out to Olympiacos for the second half of the campaign.

After scoring just one goal in 12 appearances for the Greek giants, he joined Lech Poznań on loan this summer, and is seemingly loving life in Poland.

To date, Palma has scored six goals for the Railwayman, on target against both Rapid Wien and Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League, producing this rather iconic celebration after netting against Widzew Łódź during a 2-1 Ekstraklasa victory at Stadion Poznań in September.

Lech, who have won two of the last four Polish titles, have a €4m (around £3.5m) option to buy Palma at the end of the season, but this would shatter their current transfer record of €2.3m, paid to sign Yannick Agnero from Halmstad earlier this year.

Nevertheless, after a promising start to his Celtic career, Palma appears to have no future at Parkhead, but who could become the latest exciting attacking signing to depart as quickly as they arrived?

Celtic's next Luis Palma

Having left themselves woefully short in attacking areas, Celtic rather went on a trolley dash towards the end of the transfer window.

Benjamin Nygren, who joined back in June, has looked excellent so far, while both Sebastian Tounekti and Kelechi Iheanacho have shown promising signs, but the same cannot be said of Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

The winger had been on Celtic’s radar for a long time, his move to Glasgow delayed by 12 months due to injury, belatedly arriving from Royal Antwerp for a reported fee of £5m.

However, so far, the 24-year-old has not justified that price tag, as the table below documents.

Minutes

317

22nd

Appearances

12

14th

Goals

0

16th

Assists

2

5th

Big chances created

1

15th

Key passes per 90

0.4

13th

As the table highlights, Balikwisha has made very little impact so far, yet to score for the Celts, while registering two assists, these coming against Motherwell and Partick Thistle.

Of his 12 appearances, only two have come from the start, included in the lineup for his first two Premiership matches against Rangers and Kilmarnock, thereby not starting a game since 14 September.

Upon his arrival, then-manager Rodgers labelled him a “really talented, exciting player” who “loves to attack and can play both sides”, while scout António Mango was also impressed by his form at Antwerp, describing him as a “terrific talent”, albeit Celtic supporters have seen very little of this to date.

As well as changing clubs recently, Balikwisha has made a big decision regarding his international future, switching his allegiance from Belgium to DR Congo, a request approved by FIFA earlier this month.

He was thereby included in Sébastien Desabre’s squad for the first time ahead of this month’s fixtures, an unused substitute as the Leopards beat Cameroon 1-0 in their World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday night.

This means, alongside Tounekti of Tunisia, Balikwisha is set to be absent for Celtic during the Africa Cup of Nations, meaning he has seven matches in which to kick-start his career at Parkhead before that tournament commences in Morocco.

However, should Nancy arrive, this may be bad news considering that, across all 136 matches in charge of Columbus Crew, the Frenchman always deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation, a shape that does not contain any wingers, which is exactly what Balikwisha was signed to be.

Thus, similar to Palma, there is clearly a talented player in there, albeit the early signs are, despite a sizable transfer fee, Balikwisha is not going to fulfil his potential at Celtic.

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Ahead of the start of the second half of the baseball season, the Pittsburgh Pirates are set to trade veteran infielder Adam Frazier to the Kansas City Royals, according to a report from Robert Murray of

In return, the Pirates are receiving 28-year-old middle infielder Cam Devanney, who has been playing for Triple-A Omaha in Kansas City's organization. It's a one-for-one trade.

The 33-year-old Frazier was in his second stint with the Pirates, after beginning his career in Pittsburgh. He is batting .255 this season with three home runs, 21 RBI and seven stolen bases in 235 at-bats. Frazier, of course, played for the Royals a season ago, so it's a reunion between Kansas City and the longtime infielder.

Frazier hit just .202 last season in Kansas City, which was his only season with the team.

It would be fair to say that, on paper anyway, last week was Arsenal’s toughest so far this season.

Therefore, Mikel Arteta’s side should be pretty happy with seven points from nine in games against Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

However, while the North Londoners were exceptional in the first two encounters, they were uncharacteristically poor away to the Blues, and that has understandably taken the shine off somewhat.

Moreover, while there were underwhelming performances across the pitch for Arsenal, one player in particular was really disappointing and currently looks miles off what fans saw last season.

Arsenal's underwhelming starters vs Chelsea

Starting at the back, and while he has arguably been one of Arsenal’s players of the season so far this year, Ricarrdo Calafiori looked way off the pace on Sunday evening.

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Aside from a well-timed last-man tackle on Estevao in the first ten minutes, the Italian looked far shakier defensively than he has all year, losing two of the three tackles he made and getting a silly yellow card when he lost Reece James.

It wasn’t much better going forward either, as the former Bologna man failed to deliver a single cross for the attackers to get onto, and was understandably hooked at the interval.

Things didn’t go much better for Eberechi Eze, as following his hat-trick last weekend and assist against Bayern, the former Crystal Palace star was utterly ineffective at Stamford Bridge.

In fact, while it sounds harsh, it would be a fair assessment to describe him as anonymous on Sunday, as was Gabriel Martinelli, whose most significant contribution was a shot from outside the penalty area in the first half.

Finally, while they were not terrible, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie were clear downgrades on the Gunners’ usual partnership.

Moreover, on top of being less defensively solid, it was clear that they were less confident starting together, which massively impacted the team’s build-up.

With all that said, there was another Arsenal star on Sunday who looked way off the pace, and unfortunately has done all season.

The Arsenal star who has taken a step back

Unfortunately for Arteta, the poor performances on Sunday evening were not limited to the starters, as Myles Lewis-Skelly’s cameo off the bench was one to forget.

The Hale Ender was sent on to replace Calafiori after the Italian picked up his silly yellow card, but just nine minutes into the second half, he got one himself.

That moment sort of summarised the teenager’s display, as while there were a few moments of quality, like a run through the middle of the pitch towards the end, he largely struggled.

He offered little going forward and looked less than secure defensively and in possession, so much so that there were more than a few occasions when you could see Rice getting frustrated with him, notably when under no pressure at all, the youngster played the ball straight to a Chelsea player on the left-hand side of the pitch.

Unsurprisingly, the watching press were not hugely impressed with the youngster, with Arsenal writer Charles Watts awarding him just a 5/10 match rating at full-time.

Lewis-Skelly’s game v Chelsea

Minutes

45′

Expected Assists

0.01

Interceptions

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (2)

Aerial Duels (Won)

3 (0)

Fouls

1

Key Passes

0

Dribbles

0

Shots

0

All Stats via Sofascore

That might sound harsh, but his statistics justify it; in his 45 minutes, the 19-year-old produced an expected assists figure of just 0.02, lost 50% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial duels, didn’t play a single key pass or cross and committed one foul.

The worrying thing is that Sunday was not the full-back’s first poor performance of the season, as he also looked the weakest of the club’s starters against Bayern.

With that said, it would be unfair to blame this entirely on the youngster, club insider Hand of Arsenal, dubbed a “future captain,” as he’s just not been given enough game time.

One of the things that allowed him to play as well as he did last year was that Arteta picked him time and time again, in turn building his sharpness and understanding of the team’s rhythm.

Therefore, while it’s true that Lewis-Skelly has taken a step back this season, fans shouldn’t worry too much, as more games on the horizon should give him more opportunities to play and rebuild that sharpness.

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Napoli have opened initial talks to sign Freiburg’s fast-rising midfielder Johan Manzambi as he is advancing in his standout Bundesliga season. The 20-year-old Swiss talent has emerged as one of the league’s most complete midfielders, attracting interest across Europe. With no release clause and a contract until 2030, Freiburg hold full control, but Napoli are pushing.

• Manzambi wanted: Napoli move early for Freiburg starlet

  Napoli have officially held initial discussions over a potential move for Freiburg midfielder Manzambi, who has become one of the Bundesliga’s most eye-catching breakout performers this season. reports that the Italian giants have positioned themselves strongly in the race, with Manzambi’s rapid rise pushing him toward the summer transfer market spotlight.

  The 20-year-old has become a regular starter under coach Julian Schuster, delivering mature, high-impact displays in central midfield. With two goals and three assists across 15 appearances so far, Manzambi has been central to Freiburg’s attacking sequences, and his profile has naturally drawn the attention of clubs across Europe.

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• Freiburg hold firm

  The report describe Napoli’s interest as “the most concrete” so far. The Serie A side reportedly view Manzambi as a key part of their long-term plans and have already opened conversations regarding a potential future deal. However, Freiburg hold all negotiating power with Manzambi is contracted until 2030 and does not have a release clause, meaning only a major offer would force the club to consider a sale.

  Manzambi joined Freiburg’s U19 setup in 2023, earned promotion to the senior team within a year, and has now become one of the Bundesliga’s most intriguing young midfielders, a trajectory that has not gone unnoticed in Naples.

  ’s report indicates that Manzambi has received “numerous transfer offers”, but Napoli have moved fastest and with the clearest intent. Their scouting department has closely monitored his development, especially his ability to operate as advanced midfielder, a versatility that has made him invaluable to Freiburg.

  With Kevin De Bruyne sidelined for months after recent injuries, Napoli see Manzambi as a dynamic midfield presence who can fill multiple roles. In his breakout season, Manzambi has shown an impressive blend of physicality, awareness, and attacking instinct.

• Bundesliga moments drawing attention across Europe

  Manzambi’s rise has unfolded during a turbulent yet compelling season for Freiburg. His header from a corner against Bayern, giving his side a shock 2-0 lead before the champions roared back to win 6-2, was a major highlight. The Swiss midfielder’s early-season form has mirrored Freiburg’s resurgence under Schuster, and he has become a reliable figure despite his age.

  His versatility has allowed him to seamlessly fill defensive, central, and attacking midfield roles, prompting analysts to describe him as one of the Bundesliga’s most complete young midfielders. Napoli scouts are leading at this stage, but more Premier League and Bundesliga clubs are expected to join the conversation as the summer window approaches.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Napoli pursuit continues

  While Napoli are pushing early, Manzambi’s current focus remains with Freiburg, meanwhile, preparing for a decisive run of games in the Bundesliga as they seek European qualification. With the club holding a contract until 2030, they are under no pressure to sell, meaning any bidder must make a substantial offer to test their resolve.

  Napoli plan to advance talks in the coming months, particularly ahead of the summer window, when they aim to strengthen their midfield after key injuries. For now, Manzambi’s performances in Germany will dictate the tempo of negotiations, with every strong display increasing his value and widening interest.

A former England international, who played Premier League football, has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape. The suspect, who is said to have represented the Three Lions in the 2010s, was detained when passing through Stansted Airport following an allegation from an ex-partner that is now being investigated by the relevant authorities.

• Suspect apprehended at Stansted Airport

  Police have announced that the player in question has been bailed pending further inquiries. He was apprehended by security when being stopped at Stansted. Border Forces stepped in at passport control.

  reports that the former Premier League performer was wanted by police over a “non-recent allegation of attempted rape reported by a former partner”. He was stopped from boarding a flight with a budget airline on November 30.

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• Getty
  

  Allegation made by former partner

  A source told The Sun, with efforts being made to avoid causing a scene in a very public place: “He was walking through passport control when he was discreetly pulled aside by Border Force. There was clearly an issue and he was led away.”

  A complaint is said to have been lodged by the player’s ex-partner several weeks ago. Essex Police subsequently opened an investigation. Officers from that constabulary are said to have been alerted to possible movement, allowing them to descend on Stansted Airport and make an arrest.

• Suspect held in police custody

  The one-time England international will have been held behind bars after being taken to a local police station, as he waited for his solicitor to arrive. Fingerprints, a DNA sample and mugshots have been taken – as is standard procedure in a case of this type.

  It is reported that the suspect was held in custody for “several hours” before being released on bail as inquiries continue. The player at the centre of the investigation is said to have “attended recent public events”, leading to confusion as to why he has only now been arrested when passing through an airport.

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• Getty
  

  Statement from Essex Police

  An insider for The Sun added on decisive action that was taken over the weekend: “It’s bizarre that he was arrested at the airport when he has been quite visible in public recently.”

  The complainant is said to have been “interviewed by specialist sex crimes officers and offered counselling and support”. A spokesperson for Essex Police has said, with the suspect unable to be named for legal reasons: “A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape and has been bailed to a date in late February 2026 while we continue our inquiries.”

South Africa blown away for 72 to go down by 342 runs – the heaviest defeat in men’s ODIs

Matt Roller07-Sep-2025Jacob Bethell cracked the first hundred of his professional career as England thrashed South Africa by a record margin in Southampton. Bethell’s 110 off 82 balls, a timely reminder of his immense talent, was more than South Africa’s batters managed between them as Jofra Archer ran through their top order in a blistering new-ball spell to set up a thumping consolation win.At 21, Bethell became the second-youngest England player to score a men’s ODI hundred and set the platform for a huge total in a 182-run partnership with fellow centurion Joe Root, who hardly broke a sweat. South Africa were never likely to chase 415 even if Temba Bavuma – who strained a calf in the field – had been fit to bat, but after a dramatic collapse it took a last-wicket stand of 15 for them to surpass their lowest-ever ODI score of 69.Archer struck with his second ball, a loosener which Aiden Markram edged behind, but there were no more of those across an opening burst of 4 for 10 in seven overs. He had Ryan Rickelton nicking behind, Matthew Breetzke top-edging while trying to leave one alone, and Tristan Stubbs caught in the slips as he cranked the pace up to 93mph/150kph.

SA fined for slow over rate

South Africa were fined 5% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over rate. They were one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. As per Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined 5% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

It was a searing spell which had South Africa’s batters hopping around, with Stubbs and Corbin Bosch both wearing blows on the body. Archer was well backed up by Brydon Carse, who had Wiaan Mulder caught off the top edge and Dewald Brevis edging to third slip, before Adil Rashid mopped up the tail. It could have been even worse but for two dropped catches.Harry Brook, England’s captain, hailed the “ultimate performance” from his side, while Bavuma promised a debrief after “a poor showing” in which things went “terribly wrong” for South Africa. “A display like that doesn’t do us justice,” he said, before sheepishly lifting the series trophy.Bethell’s twin failures in England’s fifth-Test defeat to India at The Oval sparked countless column inches, which highlighted the low volume of cricket that he has played this summer. He acknowledged on Sunday morning that he could have played more, but his 76-ball hundred underlined that he is a special talent whose rapid promotion to this level is deserved.Jofra Archer ripped the heart out of South Africa’s batting•Philip Brown/Getty Images

South Africa had the chance to inflict England’s first home whitewash since 2006 after sealing the series at Lord’s on Thursday but were completely bereft of intensity. They rested Lungi Ngidi and were uncharacteristically sloppy in the field: Breetzke made a hash of a very simple chance off Jamie Smith at cover, but Nandre Burger’s drop of Bethell on 44 at mid-on proved particularly costly.Retaining his spot at No. 4, Bethell took the initiative early in his innings by attacking Keshav Maharaj. He punished the short ball, launched three straight sixes, and reached three figures with a rasping cover drive, celebrating his first senior century in his 141st innings across first-class, List A and T20 cricket by running towards the pavilion with his arms outstretched.Bethell has now made at least 50 in four of his six ODI innings this year, and this hundred confirmed his status both as an automatic pick in England’s white-ball teams and as one of the world’s most exciting young batters. If he can continue his form on a tour to New Zealand in late October, he could yet displace Ollie Pope as England’s No. 3 for the first Ashes Test in Perth.Related

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Root played in Bethell’s slipstream, reaching an effortless hundred – his 19th in ODIs, six more than any other England batter – in 95 balls. It was vintage Root: he hit only six boundaries but scored 50 singles, 10 twos and two threes to run South Africa ragged. For the second ODI series in a row, they conceded 400-plus in a dead-rubber after going 2-0 up with a game to spare.England made their best start of the series after being asked to bat first by Bavuma, reaching 59 in the ninth over before Ben Duckett’s international summer ended with a top-edged pull to midwicket. Smith looked in fine touch, racing to his second half-century of the series, before he swung Maharaj straight to long-on for 62 two balls after the drinks break.South African heads dropped during Bethell and Root’s vast stand, and even two quick wickets in the 41st over – Bethell stumped charging Maharaj, and Brook run out for the second time in the series while attempting a casual second – could not slow the scoring rate, as Jos Buttler and Will Jacks ensured a strong finish.Buttler belted 62 not out off 32, launching Maharaj back over his head, scooping Mulder for six and turning a ramp off Burger into a late deflection for four. Jacks’ straight six off Burger doubled as a forewarning for the government’s emergency alarm test, which set off a flurry of phones in the stands; a loft over cover took England past 400 for the seventh time in ODIs.South Africa’s bowling effort was summed up by them conceding 27 extras, including 19 wides, while Burger’s analysis – 0 for 95 off 10 – was the most expensive in their ODI history. Codi Yusuf only narrowly avoided the feat himself in conceding 80 from his 10 wicketless overs of medium pace – the most by a South African debutant in ODIs – then became the second of Rashid’s three victims.