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Leeds United’s promotion to the Premier League means that they have to be ruthless with the players they decide to keep at Elland Road this summer.

Illan Meslier is one player whose future in West Yorkshire remains uncertain, although LeedsLive recently reported that no official offers have been made for the goalkeeper yet.

The outlet added, though, that the French shot-stopper could move on if Daniel Farke does not guarantee him game time next season, amid the club’s search for a new goalkeeper.

Meslier was dropped for Karl Darlow in the run-in at the end of last season, after making three errors that directly led to goals, and it does not seem likely that he will be a frontline option for the German boss.

Leeds, meanwhile, are reportedly set to cash in on another dud who is even more pointless to the squad than Meslier ahead of next season.

Leeds set to sell £11m flop

The former Lorient goalkeeper may end up being second or third-choice if the Whites are successful in signing another shot-stopper, but the club are about to sell a player who is even further down the pecking order in his position.

Transfer Focus

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

According to DeichStube, via Sport Witness, Leeds have agreed a deal with Werder Bremen to sell central defender Max Wober, who joined from Salzburg in 2023 for a fee of £11m, to the German side on a permanent deal.

The report claims that a transfer for the Austria international is in the final stages and is set to ‘imminently’ join the Bundesliga outfit this week on a four-year contract.

It adds that Werder Bremen are set to pay a fee of around £3.4m to sign the left-footed defender from the Premier League side, which represents a significant loss on the £11m that was paid for him two-and-a-half years ago.

Why Wober is less important than Meslier

Cashing in on Wober makes a lot of sense for Leeds this summer because he is even less important than Meslier in regard to Farke’s squad depth ahead of next season. Whilst the Frenchman is currently one of two first-team goalkeepers at the club, the Austrian defender is way down the list of potential centre-back options in a back four.

The former Salzburg star only played 332 minutes of football in the Championship last season, whilst Ethan Ampadu, Pascal Struijk, and Joe Rodon all played over 2,000 minutes.

Leeds have since added Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw from Udinese and Wolfsburg respectively to bolster their centre-back ranks, leaving Farke with Bijol, Bornauw, Struijk, Ampadu, and Rodon ahead of Wober in the pecking order.

This shows that the Werder Bremen target is even more pointless than Meslier, because he is even further down the list of options in his respective position.

As you can see in the table above, Wober also struggled in the Premier League the last time Leeds were there in the 2022/23 campaign after his move from Salzburg, barely winning above half of his duels and being dribbled past eight times in 14 starts.

The Whites were, of course, relegated from the top-flight that term and that may be part of the reason why they have moved quickly to improve their centre-back options by signing Bijol and Bornauw, after seeing how Wober performed when they were last in the division.

Overall, selling him, despite making a significant loss on the £11m that they bought him for, makes a lot of sense, potentially even more so than cashing in on Meslier does.

Huge Rothwell upgrade: Leeds make enquiry to sign "phenomenal" £30m star

Leeds United are interested in signing a star who would come in as an upgrade on Joe Rothwell.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 2, 2025

Manchester United’s business during the ongoing summer transfer window could prove to be crucial in Ruben Amorim’s stint as manager at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have demonstrated with their Premier League finish in 2024/25 that they’re miles behind where they should be, especially given the money spent in recent seasons.

Former boss Erik ten Hag spent in the region of £600m on players in his three summers in the role, with many of his additions failing to impress in England’s top-flight.

The likes of Anthony, Tyrell Malacia and Rasmus Hojlund all arrived during the Dutchman’s tenure at the club, but all look set to depart this summer after falling down Amorim’s pecking order.

Any funds from such departures will likely be reinvested by the hierarchy to help the current boss in his quest for success, with numerous names already on their list this summer.

The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Bryan Mbeumo looked almost certain to be a United player next season, after he agreed personal terms with the Red Devils over a move to Old Trafford this window.

However, despite placing two separate bids for the 25-year-old this summer, no agreement has yet been reached with Brentford, with staff behind the scenes in Manchester said to be growing frustrated.

As a result, attention has been turned to other potential attacking reinforcements, with Southampton youngster Tyler Dibling a key target, according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg.

He claims that Amorim’s side have made an approach for the 19-year-old’s signature this summer, but could face tough competition from fellow English side Tottenham Hotspur.

Plettenberg’s update also claims that the forward could be available for a fee in the region of £55m this summer, despite suffering relegation back to the Championship at the end of last season.

Why United’s £55m target is a bigger talent than Mbeumo

There’s no denying that Mbeumo has been one of the Premier League’s most deadly talents in recent seasons, as seen with his tally of 20 goals during the 2024/25 campaign.

The Cameroonian is more than deserving of a big-money move this window, with United the side pushing the most for his signature despite their recent unsuccessful offers.

The player himself has stated his desire to join Amorim’s side during the off-season, but ultimately, no deal can be completed until a fee has been agreed between the two clubs.

Many supporters will still see Mbeumo as the number one option in attacking areas, but they could land themselves a bigger talent in the form of Dibling, should they choose to pursue a move for the teenager’s signature.

Last campaign was his first at senior level, but he wasted no time in impressing, leading to one Liverpool analyst comparing the forward to Gareth Bale after his display at Anfield.

Such a comparison is no mean feat, given the Welshman was arguably one of the division’s best players a handful of years ago, managing to score 71 goals for Tottenham Hotspur across two separate spells.

Despite also being six years younger than Mbeumo, he’s also managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, further highlighting why he’d be a more exciting talent.

Dibling, who’s been labelled “incredible” by former boss Ivan Juric, managed to register a higher tally of progressive passes per 90, along with a higher pass completion rate – having the ability to aid others within the final third.

He also managed to complete more take-ons per 90, along with an increased tally of carries into the final third, showcasing the direct nature he possesses with the ball at his feet.

The youngster was a constant nuisance to various backlines last season, including the Red Devils’ winning a penalty against them at St Mary’s, contributing to his tally of 2.4 fouls won per 90.

£55m may be seen as a huge investment for such an inexperienced talent, but it’s a risk worth taking given the levels he’s produced at a below-average Premier League outfit.

He’s already proven that he can outperform Mbeumo in numerous key areas, undoubtedly only going to get better too, playing alongside top-level talents for many years to come should he move to Old Trafford this window.

Perfect for Bruno & Mbeumo: Man Utd to make bid for £20m star this week

Manchester United’s summer spending spree shows no signs of slowing down ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 9, 2025

It was an extremely underwhelming season for West Ham United last time out as a low 14th spot in the Premier League pile had to be stomached.

The Hammers would finish in a far more impressive ninth spot the season before, with a Europa League quarter-final even coming their way. But, this short-term success just couldn’t be sustained, leading to David Moyes losing his job, only for Graham Potter to struggle in equal measure when taking on the London Stadium hot seat.

There will be a hope that Potter can turn around West Ham’s fortunes as he prepares for his first full season at the helm, but he will have to try and add to his meagre five wins in charge of the Iron without Mohammed Kudus at his disposal, with the once popular Ghanaian defecting over to enemy lines to join Tottenham Hotspur for £55m.

That £55m injection to the Hammers’ bank account will no doubt be put to good use, especially as Potter and Co chase down an immediate replacement for Kudus.

West Ham make enquiries over £30m ace

Away from looking for replacements for the ex-Ajax attacker, it looks as if that bumper amount will help the Iron bolster all over the pitch this summer, with a move for Slavia Prague’s El Hadji Malick Diouf to join the East London side edging ever closer to completion.

Moreover, it is also being reported that Harvey Elliott is on West Ham’s radar as a potential midfield option, but there is another move in the pipeline that will seriously excite the Hammers faithful as they attempt to sweep this Kudus saga quickly under the rug.

Transfer Focus

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

As per French outlet L’Equipe, West Ham have now been in contact with Leicester City to make an enquiry concerning the availability of Bilal El Khannous. They are joined by both Sunderland and AS Monaco in the race to sign the promising Foxes gem.

Recently on Arsenal’s shopping list for around the £30m ballpark, this would be a significant move on West Ham’s end in trying to win an ideal replacement for Kudus, with the Moroccan attacker ready to explode into life even more in the Premier League.

Why El Khannous could be a dream Kudus replacement

Whilst Kudus did suffer from an off-season last campaign by his high standards – with only eight of his 32 overall goal contributions for Potter’s men coming across the 2024/25 season – he will still be a big hole for West Ham to fill, considering Lucas Paqueta is now the only recognisable number 10 in the Hammers camp currently.

Moreover, there is only really Jarred Bowen who can cause damage down the right now with Kudus off to Spurs, and whilst El Khannouss might not be the most instantly exciting signing when you view his recent relegation blemish, he could be just the versatile spark West Ham need to stitch up their wounds.

Amazingly, despite Kudus costing £55m to sign, El Khannouss would match his ex-West Ham counterpart when looking at their numbers from last season, as a standout three goals and five assists came the 21-year-old’s way, even as the Foxes fell back down to the EFL in depressing fashion.

On top of that, El Khannouss, when plying his trade in Belgium with Genk, would dazzle fans of the Jupiler Pro League side – much like Kudus managed with Ajax – with his constant creativity and eye for goal.

That was notably seen in his high goals and assist tally of 18 from 94 outings. Kudus would register 21 more goal contributions for the Amsterdam giants, in contrast, but the 21-year-old will hope he can reach these Genk levels again and beyond, lining up next to the likes of Bowen in East London.

El Khannouss might not be able to offer another electric body down the right, but he would be able to offer a similar adaptability that Kudus possessed in spades elsewhere, as seen in his promising career haul of three goals and assists when patrolling the left flank.

Once hailed as a “special” talent by football journalist Buchi Laba, on top of also being lauded as having a “killer final ball” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, it does feel as if this could be a sterling deal to secure now, particularly if the likes of Arsenal are also keen.

After all, West Ham were certainly left to feel smug snapping up Kudus when they did, as Liverpool and Newcastle also circled, with El Khannouss the next Kudus-like star who could burst into life at the London Stadium.

West Ham may get Kudus revenge with £35m Spurs target tempted by Irons move

The Hammers have opened negotiations to sign a “phenomenal” player.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 13, 2025

Nottingham Forest have appointed Ange Postecoglou as their new permanent manager after sacking Nuno Espirito Santo. A breakdown in relations with club owner Evangelos Marinakis led to Nuno's exit from the City Ground on Tuesday morning, and Forest have moved quickly to replace him. Ex-Tottenham boss Postecoglou's first game back in the Premier League will come when Forest face Arsenal this weekend.

• Forest appoint Postecoglou
• Sacked Nuno on Tuesday morning
• Ex-Spurs boss returns to Premier League

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Forest confirmed Postecoglou's arrival on Tuesday afternoon. The Australian head coach has signed a two-year contract and has reportedly brought several members of his old backroom team at Tottenham to assist him in his new role at the City Ground.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Forest were said to be looking at several managerial candidates, including United States Men's national team manager Mauricio Pochettino, who previously worked in the Premier League at Chelsea, Tottenham and Southampton. Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva and Oliver Glasner were also in the frame, but Forest have ultimately settled on Postecoglou as Nuno's successor.

• WHAT FOREST SAID

  Marinakis expressed his delight over Postecoglou's appointment in an official statement on Forest's website, which reads: “We are bringing a coach to the Club who has a proven and consistent record of winning trophies. His experience of coaching teams at the highest level, along with his desire to build something special with us at Forest, makes him a fantastic person to help us on our journey and achieve consistently all our ambitions.

  “After gaining promotion to the Premier League, then building consistently season after season to secure European football, we now must take the right step to compete with the very best and challenge for trophies. Ange has the credentials and the track-record to do this, and we are excited he is joining us on our ambitious journey."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Postecoglou ended Spurs' 17-year-long wait for silverware after masterminding their 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the 2025 Europa League final and secured a Champions League slot for the new season. However, the Australian was dismissed as punishment for Tottenham's 17th-place finish in the Premier League, with Thomas Frank drafted in to take his place.

In a move that would see David Moyes get one over on his former club, Everton are now reportedly racing to sign a Premier League talent ahead of rival interest from West Ham United this summer.

Picking up where they left off after welcoming Thierno Barry, Everton have also now signed Mark Travers from Bournemouth. The goalkeeper will instantly replace Asmir Begovic and Joao Virginia to become Moyes’ No.2 behind Jordan Pickford, as the Toffees aim to add quality in depth to their side this summer.

Whilst Travers is unlikely to take Pickford’s place, such is the England international’s importance in Merseyside, he will provide Everton with an impressive backup.

On loan at Middlesbrough last season, the Irishman enjoyed an impressive campaign and even earned the praise of former manager Michael Carrick, who told reporters after watching Travers keep a clean sheet against Luton Town: “He’s got a really good character. He’s a good goalkeeper and he’s had to make some good saves for us.

“That’s what we obviously brought him in for and hope for. We don’t want him to have to make saves, but, when needed, and especially today to contribute to a clean sheet, is a big one for us.

Dream Doucoure replacement: Everton open first talks to sign £30m star

After Abdoulaye Doucouré departed Everton following the expiration of his contract, could the Toffees sign a “highly talented” replacement for £30m?

By
Ben Gray

Jul 15, 2025

“Mark made some big saves when we needed him, but he came for some crosses as well, and had a really good presence in the box from set plays and corners, and we needed that. It was a shared contribution and he had to make saves for us which were important.”

As solid as their business has been so far this summer, though, Everton are reportedly not done there. Reports are now suggesting that they’ve joined the race to sign a Premier League rival.

Everton racing to sign Jacob Ramsey

According to The Telegraph, Everton have now joined the race to sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa this summer and have been joined by Nottingham Forest and West Ham in pursuit of his signature.

The Villans are reportedly willing to accept just £30m to sell their academy graduate this summer as they look to solve any further PSR problems at long last.

At that price – plus the fact he’s represented by the same agent as Dwight McNeil which could smooth personal negotiations – Everton should not hesitate to make their move ahead of West Ham and Forest. Ramsey is still very much a player full of potential, especially if he moves past his injury troubles.

Missing 46 games across the last two seasons, Everton and other suitors have every right to be concerned about Ramsey’s injury history. At 24 years old, however, he is still worth taking a gamble on.

A player who Steven Gerrard believed would become “terrific”, Everton should now swoop in and help Ramsey realise his impressive potential.

After the appointment of Thomas Frank earlier this summer, it’s become apparent that Tottenham Hotspur are desperately trying to improve one area of the pitch this window.

Mohammed Kudus has already completed his £55m transfer from West Ham United to join the Lilywhites this summer, but their business appears far from done within the final third.

The Ghanaian will add key goals and assists to the side throughout 2025/26, that’s if his Premier League tally from last year is anything to go by, after he notched eight combined goals and assists for the Hammers.

However, despite Spurs’ tally of 64 league goals last year, it’s evident that further improvement is desired by the hierarchy during the off-season in an attempt to rise up the table.

Numerous names have been mentioned with moves, highlighting the ambition shown by Daniel Levy to avoid a repeat of their dismal league finish in 2024/25.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new attackers this summer

Yoane Wissa is a player who has been firmly on their radar this window, potentially following Frank in joining Spurs from Brentford during the off-season.

The DR Congo international has stated his desire to leave the Bees this summer, opening the door to a move across the capital, but they could face competition from Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest for his signature.

However, he’s not the only forward currently in their sights, with Roma star Mathias Soule also on their radar, according to Italian outlet Radio Radio via Tutto Juve.

They claim that the Lilywhites are preparing a £28m bid for the Argentinian winger, but they’re not alone, with Aston Villa also lurking for the 22-year-old’s signature.

The report also states that the Serie A side may have to raise funds this window, opening the door to a potential move to North London, but fails to mention whether the player would want the move.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be their answer to Rodrygo

Rodrygo has emerged as one of Europe’s leading talents over the last couple of years, starring on countless occasions for European giants Real Madrid.

The Brazilian has registered 270 appearances for the LaLiga outfit, managing to score 68 times, including an infamous double against Manchester City in the Champions League.

However, he looks set to depart this window, seemingly not part of Xabi Alonso’s plans after the Spaniard took the reins from Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Spurs have been named as one of the interested parties in the 24-year-old’s signature this summer, but it appears he’s rejected any move to join the Lilywhites in favour of a bigger move.

Such a decision appears to be a big disappointment given his stature in the professional game, but the supporters shouldn’t be worried if they miss out on his signature.

Fellow target Soule, who’s been dubbed “Messi-esque” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has also been labelled a similar player to the Brazilian by FBref, subsequently showing the talent he possesses.

When delving into their respective stats from the recent campaign, the Roma star managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, offering Frank’s side a cheaper alternative this window.

The Argentine may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but posted a higher goal per shot on target rate, showcasing the added threat he carries in front of goal.

He also managed to complete more key passes and more passes into the opposition’s box per 90, highlighting the creativity he possesses over the Real Madrid star.

Soule’s dominance is further reflected in his higher tally of crosses completed and aerials won, having the tools to provide Frank’s side with a more all-rounded talent within the final third during his quest for success.

£28m for a player of his talents could prove to be a huge bargain, especially given the chance he has to develop further in North London, given his tender age.

If he can continue on his current trajectory, he could surpass the levels achieved by Rodrygo, allowing them to forget about a move for his signature and be the club’s own version of the superstar.

A better deal than Gibbs-White: Spurs open talks to sign £87m superstar

Tottenham still need to make a few more signings in the summer transfer market.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 29, 2025

Messi was largely contained by Charlotte and Miami looked rudderless without suspended striker Suarez on the pitch

Lionel Messi missed a penalty and the wheels quickly came off for Inter Miami as they slumped to a second straight 3-0 defeat, falling Saturday night to surging Charlotte FC.

Miami started well, pushing higher up the pitch than usual and creating early chances. Jordi Alba forced Kristijan Kahlina into a point-blank save in the sixth minute, and the Herons continued to press until earning their first MLS penalty of the season in the 31st minute.

With regular taker Luis Suárez suspended for his role in a Leagues Cup brawl against Seattle, Messi stepped up. The 38-year-old tried a Panenka, but Kahlina read it all the way. Seconds later, Charlotte punished the miss when Idan Toklomati capped off a blistering counterattack to put the hosts ahead.

Toklomati wasn’t finished. Early in the second half, Wilfried Zaha sliced through Miami’s defense on the flank and set up the Israeli striker for his second. In the 84th minute, Zaha drew a penalty from Sergio Busquets and, in a show of generosity, handed the ball to Toklomati to complete his first MLS hat-trick.

The result put Charlotte into the record books with a ninth consecutive league win, matching the MLS mark. Miami, meanwhile, are now winless in three of their last four.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Bank of America Stadium.

• Goalkeeper & Defense

  Oscar Ustari (5/10):

  Not much he could do on either goal, and wasn't challenged to make saves otherwise. 

  Ian Fray (4/10):

  Made one strong run in the second half, but was largely ineffective, especially when lined up against Zaha. Subbed off for Marcelo Weigandt in the 70th minute. 

  Tomas Aviles (3/10):

  The first goal was out of Miami's control as it came in a counterattack, but the second was inexcusable as Toklomati split past both centerbacks with ease. Was sent off in the 79th minute after picking up a second yellow as he tried to grab Charlotte's striker. 

  Maxi Falcon (4/10):

  Same as Aviles and not as effective as usual. Didn't respond when needed. 

  Jordi Alba (6/10):

  One of Miami's few bright spots, connected on four key passes and almost scored in the opening 10 minutes. 

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  Midfield

  Rodrigo De Paul (5/10):

  De Paul was one of the world's best box-to-box midfielders before arriving at Miami, and for whatever reason, he continues to be used wide by coach Javier Mascherano. He was largely accurate on his passing, but was invisible when it came to performing the way a wide player should – creating off-dribble and penetration. 

  Yannick Bright (4/10):

  Didn't help Miami stop the counterattack on the first goal and didn't have his usual impact in the center of midfield. Pulled for Noah Allen after 55 minutes. 

  Sergio Busquets (3/10):

  Connected on 87 percent of his passes, but none of those served as a spark on attack. Eliminated any chance of a rally for Miami by fouling Zaha in the box to concede a penalty.

  Telasco Segovia(4/10):

  The only wide player on the pitch to start the game for Miami, Segovia followed suit when it came to the poor showing from the midfield. Outside of one shot on target, he was invisible before being pulled for Daniel Pinter. 

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  Attack

  Tadeo Allende (5/10):

  Quietly, the best player on attack for Miami, and had two shots on target – but couldn't get past a determined Kahlina.

  Lionel Messi (3/10):

  As pedestrian as he's ever looked in MLS, this was a poor outing from the legend – his second in a row following an equally quiet showing in the Leagues Cup. His missed penalty changed the momentum, giving Charlotte a spark. Despite Miami largely controlling possession, Messi never got going. Without Suarez to worry about, Charlotte put two to three bodies on Messi with every touch and dared his teammates to do the scoring. That strategy was effective.

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  Subs & Manager

  Noah Allen (5/10):

  Came on for Bright but didn't change much in the contest. 

  Daniel Pinter (4/10):

  Made his MLS debut after starring in MLS Next, which is always a great moment. But ineffective otherwise. 

  Marcelo Weigandt (4/10):

  He was worse than the player he replaced.

  Javier Mascherano (2/10):

  The best managers find a way to get their teams back on track after an embarrassing defeat, yet Inter Miami sustained their second-straight 3-0 loss. That's unacceptable considering the 14-day break the club had between losing the Leagues Cup final and this match. Mascherano's relationship with Messi will likely keep him in this job, but the manager looked tactically out of his depth.

Manuel Neuer claims Bayern Munich's 3-1 win against Chelsea in the Champions League opener was more than just a win, but rather a "crowning achievement" for the team. The Bayern goalkeeper believes they have improved as a squad and the result is a testament to it. The 39-year-old also completed his 100th Champions League victory with a win over the Premier League side.

• Manuel Neuer's 'insane' performance against Chelsea

  Neuer was solid in Bayern's Champions League win over Chelsea, making key saves and commanding his area with experience and calm. He helped maintain a strong defensive shape, limiting the London club's chances and playing a crucial role in Bayern's confident start to the campaign. The 39-year-old's performance showcased why he remains one of the top goalkeepers, contributing significantly to the team's victory, with coach Vincent Kompany labelling his performance "insane."

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  The key points behind Bayern's dominance

  Neuer expressed his happiness after Bayern's win, praising the team's strong form and momentum. He acknowledged the challenge of facing the Club World Cup champions and emphasised the importance of building on this victory.

  "When you're a Bayern Munich player, you always want to win. For us, the greatest thing is to play in the Champions League and win it," he said. "That's why it's always a distant goal. You have to try to do your homework. The game against Chelsea isn't homework, but rather a crowning achievement, the way we played today. We crushed them here at home. But in the new league format, we're first playing to get into the top eight. Then you want to progress in the knockout rounds toward the final."

  Neuer added: "You're playing against a Premier League team, against a team that, in some ways, played similarly to Augsburg in the second half away from home. These are examples from the Bundesliga that you can then translate to the Champions League. We showed there that we also have to fight. That was an important factor today. Nevertheless, we were also the better team in terms of playing skills. We were simply cooler with the ball."

• Manuel Neuer bags his 100th Champions League Victory

  Neuer joined Bayern in 2011 after making his mark at Schalke, where he debuted in the Champions League in 2007. Known for standout moments like saving penalties against Real Madrid in 2011-12, he went on to anchor Bayern’s 2013 Champions League triumph. Now celebrating his 100th win in the competition, Neuer’s consistency and clean-sheet record cement his place among the greatest goalkeepers in Champions League history.

  Asked about his 100th Champions League victory, the German goalkeeper said: "It's a nice number. But it's much more important to have won these victories with the team. We celebrate together."

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  Bayern's focus now shifts to the next challenge

  Kompany's side have little time to savour this victory as they must quickly reset and sharpen their focus to face another crucial league challenge against Hoffenheim on September 20, before they face Cypriot side Pafos in their next Champions League outing.

West Bromwich Albion kicked off the new Ryan Mason era with a victory at the Hawthorns last time out as the former Tottenham Hotspur coach picked up a debut three points as a rookie manager.

The Baggies just about edged past opponents Blackburn Rovers on the intense opening day in the Championship, as Isaac Price proved to be the difference-maker between the two sides with an early first-half effort.

Former West Brom manager Valerien Ismael could only watch on with a grimace from the opposing dug-out as he was undone by the 33-year-old, who was helped by Aune Heggebo putting in a standout performance during his first outing donning Baggies blue and white.

Heggebo's standout debut for West Brom

While Price stole the limelight with the only goal of the day, Heggebo did play a key role in the ex-Everton youngster lapping up the plaudits.

Indeed, the Nordic attacker was alert to the action unfolding around him after a long throw-in from Darnell Furlong caused confusion, leading to West Brom’s £4.7m summer buy laying it off to Price to tap a shot home.

His efforts against the Riversiders didn’t go unnoticed, either, with Heggebo actually winning himself a place in the Championship Team of the Week off the back of the former Brann attacker also winning 11 duels in the hard-fought win, as per Sofascore.

But, there will be a worry that he won’t cut it at the intimidating level when it comes to actually picking up the goals, having only fired two weak efforts at the Blackburn goal on Saturday.

This is where Mason could dip his toes back into the market to win himself an EFL-ready goal machine, with a £7m attacker potentially on his radar.

West Brom could look at signing £3m attacker

Over-relying on Heggebo to deliver the goods does feel as if it could backfire on the Baggies, particularly if the pressure is ramped up on the Scandinavian forward’s shoulders in the intense heat of a promotion race.

This is where Wycombe Wanderers’ Richard Kone could come to the rescue, with the former non-league striker turned EFL gem piquing a lot of interest in the Championship this summer regarding his availability, having been allegedly subject to a £7m bid in recent times from Luton Town.

The 22-year-old striker has experienced quite the rapid rise from the non-league pitches of Essex to leading the line for the Chairboys with some venom.

However, despite his form, he could be available as cheap as £3m now, according to football journalist Ron Walker, which might well even spur the Championship side into making a bid.

His explosive track record in the EFL automatically makes him an upgrade on Heggebo, who is still learning the ropes of the English game, with EFL-oriented pundit Gabriel Sutton even labelling Kone’s heroics in front of goal at Adams Park as “extraordinary.”

While the table above does look to swing initially in the favour of Heggebo, Kone is only 26 strikes shy of matching his counterpart’s goal tally for Brann, with his exploits last season for Wycombe making him look ready-made for a step-up in quality.

A blistering 21 of those efforts would come near the very top of League One last season, with the brand-new Baggies number 19 only registering 11 goals all of last year in the Nordic top-flight, on the contrary.

Further dubbed as a “mentality monster” by football writer Kai Watson, Kone should be able to take the pressures of the Championship in his stride if his League One prowess is anything to go by.

Heggebo could be forced to take a back seat if Kone were to join, however, but he shone in a more subdued role on the opening day anyway, as West Brom tries to fire in the goals no matter who scores them to seal promotion.

"Extraordinary" West Brom star's camp speaking to new club, they can afford him

Ryan Mason will be sweating over his exit.

By
Henry Jackson

Aug 8, 2025

Ruben Amorim's position as boss is hanging firmly in the balance according to former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster, who also says Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner may not be best-suited to take over. United have made a woeful start to the season and the heat is firmly on the beleaguered Portuguese boss, who is desperate for results to improve, despite the win over Chelsea last weekend.

• Amorim on the brink?

  It has been an awful start to the season for Manchester United, coming hot on the heels of a disastrous campaign last term. The Red Devils finished 15th, their worst finish in the Premier League era, and they lost the Europa League final to Tottenham in Bilbao. This season has brought more misery, they were dumped out of the League Cup by League Two Grimsby and below-par performances have turned the heat up on the Portuguese boss.

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  Foster makes big call on boss

  Foster, who was signed to United for five years believes Amorim is living on borrowed time, but doesn't believe Crystal Palace's highly-rated manager Oliver Glasner will necessarily be the first choice to replace the Portuguese, if United decide to pull the trigger. Glasner led the Eagles to FA Cup glory last year and his side sit fifth in the Premier League, but his team set-up could prove to be a stumbling block.  

• Foster sees bleak future for Amorim

  Foster said on the Fozcast: "I think he has got a couple months left, probably. He'll go through a bad little run of two or three or four games in a row where he loses and eventually they'll go, 'Right, we've had enough now, it's obviously not working'. I just watch them, and I don't really see any kind of cohesion. Somebody who would be good for Man United is Glasner. He's only got nine months left on his contract at Palace. My only worry about it is that Man United are so sick and tired of playing three at the back. If they go and get Glasner and he goes, 'Right, I'm playing three at the back,' they'll go, 'Nah, come on mate. This isn't going to work.' For this guy to have lost five star players though and for Palace still look like they've got better. They're fifth in the league."

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  All eyes on Amorim

  There's a queue round the block to replace Amorim, and while Glasner is a favourite with the bookmakers, Gareth Southgate, Marco Silva and Mauricio Pochettino are named among the other contenders. It's a big one for Amorim away at Brentford at the weekend.