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Newcastle United are expected to table an offer for an exciting attacking player this summer, with a £39m bid from another club having already been rejected.

Newcastle preparing for Man Utd clash

The Magpies are back in Premier League action this weekend after their comfortable 3-0 win away to Leicester City on Monday, hosting Manchester United at St James’ Park.

For Newcastle, it is another important game in their quest to qualify for next season’s Champions League, and with their opponents having one eye on the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final clash with Lyon next week, Eddie Howe’s side will be the favourites to prevail.

Jason Tindall is excepted to take charge of the Magpies, with Howe unwell and spending the weekend in hospital.

There are injury problems going into the Man Utd game, which is far from ideal, with a late call set to be made on Anthony Gordon and his chances of starting. However, Alexander Isak is “expected to be fit”, as reported by Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie.

Newcastle set to make offer for £39m ace

According to an update from Vamos Mi Sevilla FC (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are set to make an offer for Sevilla winger Dodi Lukebakio, seeing him as a strong summer target.

The likes of Juventus and Napoli are also credited with interest in the 27-year-old, while Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr saw a €45m (£39m) approach turned down by the player in January.

Newcastle’s chances of signing Lukebakio have seemingly been improved by Sevilla’s apparent stance, with reports claiming that the La Liga side are keen to boost their finances and that a high fee could be accepted.

Lukebakio could be an astute purchase by Newcastle in the summer transfer window, with the Belgian becoming an influential performer for Sevilla.

This season, he has scored 11 goals in 30 starts in La Liga, showing that he can provide reliable end product in his right-sided role as Newcastle look to find a replacement for Miguel Almiron, as well as an upgrade on Jacob Murphy.

While Murphy has enjoyed an impressive campaign for the Magpies, not least through registering 16 goal contributions in the Premier League, he is now 30 years of age and may not hit this level again moving forward.

Newcastle now set to join race for £87m striker with as many goals as Isak

He could replace the Swede.

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 10, 2025

In Lukebakio, Newcastle have a strong option to bring in and provide competition for the Englishman, with the Sevilla ace a 25-cap Belgium international, which is no mean feat.

Counterattacking 77 suggests middle order is his natural berth – even if he doesn’t want to give up first-drop

Vithushan Ehantharajah29-Nov-2024Despite playing 19 Tests together, day two at Hagley Oval was just the eighth time Ollie Pope and Harry Brook have batted together.You’d think a pair who have been locked at No. 3 and No. 5 for the last two years would be finishing each other’s sentences by now, even if the bloke sandwiched between them has been hogging one end. A four-ball duck going into lunch meant partnership-blocker Joe Root was no longer a problem.It was only at the fall of the next wicket – Ben Duckett – that Brook and Pope found themselves together at 71 for 4, New Zealand still ahead by 277 on first innings runs. Over the next 31 overs, they made up for lost time, with an engaging 151-stand that probably made them think “we should do this more often”.Related

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There’s a reason they have not, and it’s because Pope has not been able to stick around for long enough. In fact, eight out of the 32 times Brook has walked to the middle, Pope has been walking the other way.With Pope shifted down to six as the designated wicketkeeper, a union had better odds. Nevertheless, success was not guaranteed.This was only the fourth time they have combined for more than 50 runs, and only the second for a hundred. The first of those was a remarkable 176 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, the pair going at 7.08 an over as England blitzed 506 for 4 on the opening day.Pope was the far more convincing of the two here, more dominant (77 runs to 64) and much less streaky. Glenn Phillips pulled off a stunner of a one-handed catch at backward point, plucking a full-blooded cut out of the air while horizontal to see Pope off. The same Phillips who was responsible for the first of four drops off Brook, who had 18 at the time. Brook finished the day unbeaten with 132 and a pang of guilt.”Brooky, as I was walking off, came and apologised to me,” Pope revealed at stumps. “I was wondering why he made a beeline for me.”A three through the covers off his 62nd ball brought up the century stand with Brook, and also took Pope past 55 – the total number of runs he had managed in the previous series, against Pakistan.Upon returning home from averaging 11 across five innings, he put in the work and consulted England legend Alec Stewart, a long-time confidant at Surrey. It was an open discussion rather than an array of sessions in the nets – “I didn’t get him on the dog stick, he’s too high up for that, I think.” Pope wanted familiar eyes to establish what was going wrong.”It was more about ‘what does it look like when I’m at my best’ because that was a frustrating thing, I wasn’t getting to 20 or 30, to allow myself to go on to that big score.

“I want to be number three, I want to keep trying to make it mine. I’ve had too many low scores there but I’ve also managed to put together some good knocks this year batting at three. It’s a job I want to do going forward”

“We talked about having that calmness at the crease. When I’m playing well there’s that clarity in how I want to play, not trying to rush my way to 20 or 30.”There were cuts over the slips – most of them deliberate – including one from a front-foot square driving position that forced him to readjust after the ball bounced more than expected. He pounced on any width, a sound gameplay given how diligent New Zealand’s seamers had been with their straight lines. On a Friday littered with rogue pull shots, his were immaculate.Did he seem calmer? A bit. Though perhaps even that is all about perception. What might seem skittish and chaotic at No. 3 is brave and proactive at No. 6, especially given the situation that greeted him at the crease. Pope, however, declared he would have done little different had he walked out in the fourth over – when Zak Crawley was dismissed – instead of the 22nd.”If I was batting at three, I’d have tried to play exactly the same way as today. The biggest difference at three is you set the tone a lot more, if you play well you can put your team in a really strong position.”The fun thing at six, you might come in a 350 for 4 and it might be your job to push the game forward. [Or] you can get your team out a tricky situation. Both roles are good fun, just slightly different.”Different roles, different requirements. But it does seem Pope’s natural disposition is for either progressing a good situation or – as he did here – counterattacking out of a bad one. A thoroughbred greyhound has not won Best In Show at Crufts in 67 years, but let it loose into a final bend and watch it rinse a retriever.While that is a tad reductive, it is worth noting Pope was reared as a six. It was from that position he flourished for Surrey at the start of his career, with 885 runs, four centuries and an average of 68.07.Pope cuts the ball away behind square•Phil Walter/Getty ImagesA Test debut against India at Lord’s arrived in the 2018 summer – at No. 4. His maiden innings ended up being the first time he had batted in the opening 20 overs of a first-class match. He will empathise with Jacob Bethell walking out at No. 3 in Christchurch for the first time in his professional career.As tedious as it may be to repeat, an England side with Root batting at three makes the most sense. It would allow Pope to move to No. 5 when Jamie Smith returns to take the gloves back at seven.The one barrier to such a move? Well, Pope.”I want to be number three, I want to keep trying to make it mine. I’ve had too many low scores there but I’ve also managed to put together some good knocks this year batting at three.”It’s a job I want to do going forward and I think my skillset is still developing. It’s definitely a job I want to keep doing.”Given he began out of position and rarely settled thereafter, you can understand why he wants to continue at three. And on paper, he’s doing well enough; despite the Pakistan aberration, the average at first drop is 40.28 from 47 innings, since he pitched for the gig when Ben Stokes became Test captain. Half of the six centuries he has there have come this year, while this half-century took him past 3000 career runs.Ironically, Pope building on this opening knock may scupper his hopes of fully locking down that No. 3 as his own. Though Ollie Robinson arrives into the country on Saturday afternoon to replace the injured Jordan Cox, England may decide to leave Pope as their wicketkeeper to give them a longer look at Bethell.Stokes and Brendon McCullum have shown they are not afraid to get funky with their selections. And shifting Pope to a place where his natural energy flows unencumbered falls right in that bracket.

It may be that BCB president overplayed the seriousness about the alleged “Issues” between the two senior players

Mohammad Isam03-Mar-2023When Tamim Iqbal tapped Shakib Al Hasan’s gloves upon his entry, the full-house crowd roared in delight. Bangladesh were 9 for 3 in the second over. Their defense of a proud home record was going up in smoke. This was the 72nd time that Shakib and Tamim were batting together in an international, but the first time since BCB president Nazmul Hassan broke the news last week that the two senior Bangladesh cricketers don’t talk to each other.So obviously the tap of the gloves, or the time Tamim took a catch off Shakib’s bowling in the first ODI, or the times they spoke in the field generally as two team-mates do – they all drew a lot of attention. Some of those moments have become memes already. But they were tepid, not really viral material.Because really this is a bit of a non-issue. It grabbed headlines last week because the BCB president spoke in detail about Shakib and Tamim not talking to each other for a few years. Hassan called the row an open secret, but one that bothered the other players. He said Bangladesh’s dressing room was uncomfortable.Related

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• Report: Roy, Curran seal England's series with 132-run victory

In a very leaky inner circle, these incidents, rumours, half-truths come out quite often. Never, though, has the public heard about a Shakib-Tamim fight, or anything remotely close to it. Their fallout was indeed an open secret to those close to the game, but ESPNcricinfo understands that this has been going on for so long that not many are aware when it even began.Some believe that Tamim and Shakib never really had a flash point; they simply drifted apart. They don’t hang out in the same circles now but there was a time when they were friends. Shakib had written an entire column on Tamim in 2010.Tamim’s measured press conference on the subject drew him a lot of praise. He said that he could have avoided it by saying “no comment” but needed to make things clear to the public and fans. It was a good move, but it led to some very confusing follow-up quotes from the BCB chief Hassan.On February 27, Hassan addressed the issue again, this time saying he only heard about the row in the media, even though until February 25, when he brought up the topic, it was never reported on, not even on social media.”Quite simply, I didn’t see any problem in the dressing room even three years ago… previously, I was always with the team. I have heard about the bad environment in the dressing room from outside. It is mostly heard from the media. The media people say it the most,” Hassan said. “It was all well during the World Cup last year in Australia. What I heard is what Tamim also said. I asked them if there’s a problem, they assured me that it won’t affect the cricket. That’s what I said in the interview. Tamim also said the same thing.”BCB president Nazmul Hassan fronts up to the media•BCBHassan added that the reason he came out with the news was to reduce the players’ discomfort. He wanted to “end this topic” and “bring the attention back to cricket”. Except he also appears to be the one who made it public.”Everyone in the media knew about it,” Hassan said. “So many people asked me about it. I didn’t like this rumour running around. It was making everyone uncomfortable, even for the players.”I started to hear that the dressing room environment isn’t good. I didn’t see a problem during the T20 World Cup. But something must have happened. I used to hear that Shakib and Tamim are close friends.”Something happened between them that the dressing room environment has become uncomfortable. The other players are afraid of talking to each other. They hesitate. They feel that if I talk to Shakib , the other will think I am in his camp. Similarly, they think that if I talk to Tamim, someone will feel bad.”For what it’s worth, both Shakib and Tamim have made it clear their relationship won’t affect the side’s performance. Even Hassan said as much. “I don’t know what the problem is,” Hassan said. “I didn’t ask them what the problem is. They told me that it won’t affect the cricket so half my work is done. They are playing together after a long time. Tamim missed the India series, and wasn’t around for the T20Is as well. I don’t think there will be a problem. They are all professionals and matured. They won’t harm the team.”But on March 2, between the first and second ODI, Shakib had reportedly stood up Hassan when the board chief wanted to meet him. Hassan played down the snub.”There was only one reason why I came here [to the team hotel],” Hassan said. “I could not meet Shakib during my first visit to the team hotel before the first ODI. That’s why I came today at Shakib’s request. Actually, I came here to see everyone and give them courage. I talked with him [Shakib] on the phone. After he learned that I was about to visit [the team hotel], he called me and said that he was elsewhere.”He told me, ‘Come after 9pm.’ And I replied, ‘Look, it’s okay as you are busy. I don’t have much to say [to Shakib and others]. I just dropped by and I will just have a few words with them. I will talk to you over the phone later at night.'”Tamim and Shakib couldn’t quite save Bangladesh in the second game. They added 79 runs for the fourth wicket, but the 327 chase needed them to stay for longer. By losing the second game against England, Bangladesh lost their first ODI series at home in seven years. England are a great white-ball team with plenty of firepower, even in subcontinent conditions. But one wonders whether Bangladesh were better off without the Shakib-Tamim topic being brought up just two days before this big series.

From bubble breaches to game postponements to the tournament being indefinitely suspended, here’s what happened between February 19 and March 4

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2021February 19A day before the start of the sixth season, a player from Lahore Qalandars tests positive for Covid-19 and is displaying symptoms. He is put into isolation for ten days.February 19One night before the opening match, Peshawar Zalmi coach Daren Sammy and captain Wahab Riaz breach the bio-secure bubble in place for all teams in Karachi hotel by meeting with their franchise owner Javed Afridi, who was not part of the bubble. The pair are told to go into a three-day quarantine and must return two negative tests before they can return to the team.February 21After Zalmi file an appeal with the PSL’s event committee for a concession, Sammy and Wahab are allowed to reintegrate with the squad, despite not having served the three-day quarantine period. The pair have returned two negative tests within 48 hours. The results of the second test arrive in the morning, delaying Peshawar’s departure for the stadium. Riaz later leads his side to a loss against Qalandars, with Sammy in the dugout.Related

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March 1The game between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators is first delayed and then postponed to the following day after Fawad Ahmed returns a positive test. A statement from United says that Ahmed, who had begun showing symptoms, was put into isolation two days ago. That suggests it was on February 27, which means he would have gone into isolation soon after taking part in his first game of the season – against Zalmi. Rapid-fire tests are carried out on all other members of United and Gladiators, all returning negative tests.March 2All players and officials undergo PCR tests. The rescheduled game goes ahead and the PCB says it will not conduct testing every fourth day, instead of weekly as previously planned.Tom Banton took to Twitter to share news of his Covid-19 test•AFP via Getty ImagesMarch 2Two more players – including Tom Banton – and one support-staff member return positive tests. The PCB holds a meeting with franchises to reassure them and reiterates its message that players must stick to the protocols. The board says it is happy that their bubble protocols are secure, although it does acknowledge “life in a bubble is very difficult and managing it is also very tough. This is happening in other different sports in the world – NFL, NHL, Formula 1 or Australian Open – breaches do happen but that doesn’t mean the bubble is weak or there are loopholes.”March 3Franchise owners and the league’s management hold a meeting to chart a way forward for the league after the positive tests. One option discussed is to forego the Lahore leg and play out the entire season in Karachi. At least two franchises raise strong objections to that idea. The PCB also announces that it will offer vaccines to all players and officials.March 4Three more players test positive, and news comes in that Australian Dan Christian is leaving the tournament due to the Covid-19 cases. Soon after, the PCB says it is postponing the league with immediate effect. The board says the new cases were not from any of the teams who played in Wednesday’s double-header matches, which rules out players from Karachi Kings, Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Sultans or Quetta Gladiators.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo voltou a vencer o Boavista neste domingo (31), dessa vez no Estádio Nilton Santos e por 2 a 0, e conquistou o título da Taça Rio do Campeonato Carioca. Com o resultado, o Alvinegro garantiu vaga na Copa do Brasil de 2025. Tchê Tchê, cobrando pênalti, e Kauê foram os autores dos gols da partida.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

O Botafogo entrou em campo com muitas mudanças, a mais importante delas sendo a volta de Luiz Henrique já como titular. Mais que o desempenho – bastante satisfatório nas condições apresentadas – os retornos de LH, Jeffinho e Patrick de Paula, assim como as boas atuações de Matheus Nascimento e Kauê, são excelentes notícias para a sequência da temporada.

⚽COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

A primeira etapa foi intensa, com boas chegadas de ambos os lados, mas sem muita efetividade. O Botafogo foi melhor desde o início, controlando a posse e levando perigo com Luiz Henrique pelo lado direito. O Alvinegro, no entanto, pecou no último passe e em algumas tomadas de decisão, além de finalizações sem muito capricho.

Depois do intervalo, o Glorioso seguiu em cima e conseguiu um pênalti logo aos dois minutos da segunda etapa. Tchê Tchê cobrou e abriu o placar para o Botafogo, que ampliou com Kauê, em ótima assistência de calcanhar do Matheus Nascimento, pouco tempo depois. O restante do jogo foi bem controlado pelo Alvinegro, que pouco levou sustos.

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✅O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

O Botafogo encerra o Campeonato Carioca com a conquista da Taça Rio e vira a chave de vez. Na quarta-feira (3), às 19h, o Glorioso recebe o Junior Barranquilla no Nilton Santos, na primeira partida da fase de grupos da Libertadores.

Tudo sobre

BoavistaBotafogoCampeonato CariocaTaça Rio

Newcastle United were unable to make it three Premier League wins in a row last night, as Eddie Howe’s men secured a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

After a drab first half with little to shout about for both sides, Bruno Guimaraes’ second-half strike put the Magpies ahead with just under 20 minutes remaining.

Anthony Gordon’s penalty with just a handful of minutes remaining put the hosts ahead once again, but for the second time in the contest, Cristian Romero managed to find a leveller.

The point takes Howe’s men up a place to 13th in the Premier League, but it could have been a whole lot better had his side managed to hold on for all three points.

Despite numerous positive showings, a handful of the players selected to start the game failed to impress, which could lead to numerous changes ahead of the weekend.

Newcastle’s poor performers against Spurs

For the third game in a row, Joelinton was handed a start at the heart of the Newcastle side, this time partnering Lewis Miley and Sandi Tonali, with the latter coming into the starting eleven.

However, the Brazilian was unable to repay the faith shown in him by the manager, with such a showing one to forget for the Magpies’ number seven on Tyneside.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but only managed to come out on top in just 27% of the duels he entered, whilst being dribbled past on three occasions.

Joelinton wasn’t alone in struggling to deliver at St James’, with winger Jacob Murphy also struggling to provide his usual impact off the right-hand side of the attack.

The Englishman was largely unable to deliver in the final third, as seen by his measly tally of just three crosses completed, doing so at an accuracy rate of just 30%.

He also only managed to complete 50% of his attempted dribbles and completed just 16 passes before being substituted for Anthony Elanga with just over 20 minutes remaining.

The Newcastle star who needs to be dropped after Spurs

Home games against Spurs have often been a formality for Newcastle, as seen by the club’s recent record against the Lilywhites over the past couple of seasons.

Howe’s men had won four in a row against the North London outfit at St James’, but his men were unable to add to such a record during their lacklustre showing last night.

The inability to secure all three points was no doubt down to the disappointing showings from numerous players, with the aforementioned duo just two of the stars who failed to deliver.

However, they weren’t alone in struggling to match the expectations of the supporters, with winger Harvey Barnes unable to replicate his recent showings in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old has now started four league games in a row, with his two-goal game against Manchester City undoubtedly keeping his place in the starting eleven.

He’s now failed to score in each of the last two outings, including against Spurs, with winger Gordon now deserving of a start after his goal off the bench.

However, Barnes’ performance before his teammate’s arrival onto the pitch was certainly below par, which will no doubt contribute to the manager’s thinking.

The winger featured for 66 minutes on Tyneside last night, but could only muster 30 touches of the ball and made just ten passes, six fewer than Aaron Ramsdale, as he struggled to make the desired impact on proceedings.

He also only managed to complete one of his attempted dribbles and one of his crosses, which further highlights his struggles within the final third of the pitch.

Minutes played

66

Touches

30

Shots taken

2

Dribbles completed

1

Crosses completed

1

Possession lost

12x

Duels lost

75%

Passes into final third

2

Barnes massively struggled to find any of his teammates during the draw, as seen by his tally of 12 times possession lost – ultimately being wasteful when in possession.

The attacker was just as poor without the ball, often being dominated by the opposition, subsequently losing 75% of the ground duels he entered against Thomas Frank’s side.

As a result of his performance, Barnes was handed a measly 6/10 match rating by The Express journalist Lee Ryder – further showcasing his struggles against Spurs.

After such a showing, Howe will no doubt want to shuffle his pack on Saturday against Burnley to attempt to get their recent winning run in the Premier League back on track.

Gordon will no doubt be chomping at the bit after his goal, which could result in his compatriot being dropped after his recent flurry of starts in the North East.

Better than Anderson: £70m "monster" is now open to joining Newcastle

Newcastle plan on signing a new centre-midfielder in 2026.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Dec 2, 2025

Manchester United are building for the future under Ruben Amorim, and he now appears to have made key decisions on two of his most high-profile Old Trafford stars.

The Red Devils have made a reasonable start to the Premier League campaign and could well make a push for the European slots if they can maintain momentum, though that is something that will be challenged over the festive period due to the African Cup of Nations.

Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are set to depart next month, leaving roles to be filled in the squad during a busy schedule that is set to be fraught with intense action.

Still, Premier League sides have known the competition is part and parcel of their squad planning, making it an issue they should be able to handle without the need for mass panic.

Signings in January will be important and there is an obvious need for midfield reinforcements, especially with Casemiro drawing closer to the end of his contract at Old Trafford.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes is the latest name on Manchester United’s list, and discussions are said to be progressing well over a potential move to work under Amorim’s stewardship in January.

Rob Edwards has signalled his desire to keep the Brazilian at Molineux. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped the Red Devils making tracks, even if there could be a twist in the tale regarding the state of play on their engine room, courtesy of Fabrizio Romano.

Fabrizio Romano delivers contract update on Casemiro and Maguire

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has confirmed that Amorim wants both Casemiro and Harry Maguire to stay at Manchester United, providing they reduce their wages in line with the club’s new salary structure.

He said: “My understanding is that the situation of Casemiro is a really similar situation in terms of strategy to Harry Maguire.

“Casemiro and Harry Maguire are out of contract in the summer of 2026 and for Manchester United, they are two really important players, especially now.

“We have to say congrats to Casemiro. In this video let’s focus on Casemiro, because he’s been able to change his situation at Manchester United.”

Later, he added: “So now the desire is from Man United, obviously, to continue with Casemiro, but in different conditions. So the salary he has right now is a salary that Manchester United don’t want to pay in the future, not because of Casemiro or Maguire, but because they want to change the salary structure.”

Between them, a pay packet of £540,000 per week is a major chunk of the Red Devils’ wage list, and with both edging closer to the twilight of their respective careers, it may be worth looking at younger reinforcements as their contracts look set to expire.

Man Utd progress in talks to sign £40m+ midfielder who gives "everything"

The Red Devils could be closing in on a deal to sign a talented Premier League star.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 23, 2025

Conversely, experience is vital and cannot be understated. Over the coming months, it would be a smart decision to tie down both stars if they can agree to a wage reduction.

It's been a rough week for Minnesota Twins infielder Jose Miranda.

Miranda saw himself sent down to to Triple-A after a committing a costly baserunning gaffe against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. As if the demotion wasn't bad enough, shortly after joining the St. Paul Saints, Miranda was placed on IL after he sustained a hand injury while shopping at Target.

According to , Miranda injured his hand while handling a case of water at Target. The case slipped from his hand, and he "felt pain" when attempting to grab it before it fell to the ground.

Miranda will be sidelined for at least another week while recovering from the shopping-induced injury. He'll hope to get his 2025 campaign back on track when he returns to the Saints' lineup. He had yet to even suit up for a game with the Triple-A squad before being shelved with the injury.

Miranda, 26, had struggled throughout his first 12 games this season. He slashed .167/.167/.250 with one home run, five RBIs and 13 strikeouts across 36 at-bats. In 121 games last season, he registered a .763 OPS with nine home runs and 49 RBIs.

Mauricio Pochettino took a gamble on Reyna, and the midfielder delivered a Man of the Match performance as the USMNT opened November camp with a win.

CHESTER, Pa. – To say Gio Reyna is under pressure is putting it lightly. Everyone knows what’s at stake for him, especially after so long on the sidelines. He needed a moment this camp – something that showed why he could, and maybe should, be at the World Cup next summer. It took four minutes for him to deliver it. His opening goal was the moment of the match on Saturday, but it wasn’t the only one as he helped lead the U.S. to a 2-1 win over Paraguay at Subaru Park.

Reyna's goal came early and, for the oft-discussed midfielder, it surely felt good. Played in by a Max Arfsten cross, Reyna made no mistake with his header, smashing it off the crossbar and in to set a tone for both himself and his team.

"It wasn't perfect. Just honestly happy to be back playing with this group, with this staff," Reyna told Turner Sports after the game. "It was my first header ever, actually. I've been training [on that] at my club, Gladbach, because I'm pretty tall and feel like I can jump pretty well. It's just about timing and technique. So it's starting to pay off." 

Paraguay, however, fired right back, taking advantage of a USMNT breakdown to equalize at one apiece in the 10th minute. Alex Arce, the 30-year-old veteran, provided the finishing touch of a Miguel Almiron assist, one that came as a result of several defensive mishaps on the U.S. side. From there, though, the U.S. settled down before, ultimately, getting their winning goal late on from a familiar goalscorer: Folarin Balogun.

Reyna was once again involved, although he won't technically be credited with an assist. His ball in, though, deflected off a defender and straight to Balogun, who made no mistake in netting his third goal in as many starts for the U.S. Reyna acknowledged he's developed off-the-field chemistry with the U.S. striker. 

"We both can just do a bit of everything," Reyna explained. "I think we just try to get working in training and just speak honestly. I think communication is the most important thing between us. And we have a really, really good relationship, on and off the pitch. So it's eye contact, little things that we've grown to know, to get, get each other, get to know each other. So, yeah, it's great to play with him. Makes my life easy, and I try to help him out too." 

Another win for the U.S., then, who are now unbeaten in four. They've won three of those four and, despite having an obviously weakened lineup, Saturday was the latest of those three. The big story isn't the result, though; it's Reyna, who changed the game on Saturday and offered a reminder that he might just be a player who can change games when they matter more next summer.

GOAL rates the USMNT's players from Subaru Park…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Matt Freese (5/10):

  Nothing he could do on the goal. Had little to do otherwise.

  Sergino Dest (6/10):

  Got forward a whole lot and got back a whole little – which is typical for Dest. Effective, but there were hefty gaps defensively on that right-hand side.

  Joe Scally (6/10):

  Speaking of that right-hand side, he was a bit too high at points, given the player next to him, but he grew into the game. Misread the ball on Paraguay's goal, although he wasn't the only one to break down on that sequence. Still, there were positive signs worth remembering that could lead to Pochettino trying this again.

  Miles Robinson (6/10):

  Lost Arce on the goal as the final breakdown on that goal. Was okay otherwise, particularly on the ball as he grew into the game.

  Tim Ream (7/10):

  Lack of pace was exposed a few times against an athletic Paraguay team. Hit a few stunning cross-field passes, though, and was rock solid outside of that goal sequence.

  Max Arfsten (8/10):

  Fantastic cross in on Reyna's goal. Showed plenty of ability going forward, as he generally does from that wing back role.

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  Midfield

  Tanner Tessmann (7/10):

  In a word? Tidy. Nothing overly crazy, but he was clean on the ball and decent enough defensively. Certainly handled the physicality well.

  Cristian Roldan (6/10):

  Had one great chance that forced a decent save. Not wildly dynamic, but did provide consistency and stability in that midfield spot.

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  Attack

  Gio Reyna (8/10):

  Great header on the goal, which surely felt much-needed. Could have pressed a little better on Paraguay's response, but there's no doubting his ability to impact the game on the attacking side. That popped up again late when he helped set up Balogun's big finish.

  Brenden Aaronson (6/10):

  Got absolutely mauled all through the first half, but kept getting back up. Had a few good moments on the ball, but was generally knocked down before they turned into much.

  Folarin Balogun (8/10):

  Didn't get much service throughout, but did press hard. Was finally rewarded with a good bounce to him for his goal, which was taken well.

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  Subs & Manager

  Alex Freeman (6/10):

  Certainly known for his attacking skill, but did bring a bit more stability on the right once he was thrown into the match. Got into a bit of a scrap at the end, but was nowhere near his fault.

  Diego Luna (7/10):

  Typical from Luna, who made his impact by nearly getting an assist.

  Aidan Morris (6/10):

  Didn't get too many touches after replacing Roldan

  Timothy Tillman (6/10):

  Created a dangerous moment soon after coming on, so kudos to him, especially considering the fact that he was a late call-up.

  Ricardo Pepi (5/10):

  Had a golden opportunity, but took one too many touches to allow Paraguay time to block it away.

  Sebastian Berhalter (N/A):

  Came on late to replace Aaronson. Shoutout to him for jumping right in to defend Freeman, though.

  Mauricio Pochettino (7/10):

  Threw out a strong lineup and was rewarded with a win. He'll be happy with plenty of what he saw, which is the big goal of this camp, isn't it?

Manchester United are reportedly staring at a major financial headache ahead of next summer, with the club set to miss out on around £10 million ($13M) due to the scheduling of the 2026 World Cup in North America. The global showpiece event, kicking off on June 11, 2026, just 18 days after the Premier League season concludes, has thrown United's pre-season blueprint into disarray.

• 2026 World Cup wrecks Man Utd's plans

  According to the the Red Devils had hoped to embark on another money-spinning post-season tour, similar to their lucrative visits to Malaysia and Hong Kong this summer just gone. That trip, which came right after the conclusion of the campaign, earned the club a tidy £10m windfall. But those plans are now off the table as there simply won’t be enough time between May 24 and the start of the World Cup for the club to travel, train, and recover adequately. The decision is already being described internally as a logistical nightmare, and one that could potentially have knock-on effects on both finances and fan engagement.

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  Friendlies in Saudi Arabia?

  Summer tours are not just about fitness, but they’re an essential revenue stream. Financial margins are tighter than ever at Old Trafford, especially after missing out on European football, and United are desperate to recoup as much as they can.  The club’s commercial department has spent the last few weeks running simulations on whether the World Cup could completely saturate football interest in the U.S. market. The final, which is scheduled for July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, falls right around the time United traditionally kick off their own pre-season tours. This has led United to consider whether they should pivot towards the Middle East, another region where the club has historically drawn massive crowds and sponsorship interest. 

  Talks are reportedly underway to see if a mid-season friendly in Saudi Arabia can be organised, which could bring in a hefty payday. There is indeed a growing appetite to return to Asia next summer, particularly after three consecutive pre-season tours in the United States as part of their £60m ($78m)-a-year deal with Snapdragon. United’s failure to qualify for this season’s Champions League cost them approximately £100m ($130.5m) in potential revenue, including a £10m penalty paid to Adidas, triggered by the performance clause in their record kit deal. That financial strain has put added pressure on the commercial and operations teams to maximise income from every opportunity, including global fan tours.

• Man Utd back in form after struggles

  While meetings and discussions are underway in the boardroom, things on the pitch are finally showing signs of recovery. After a shaky start that saw United win just two of their first seven games, Amorim’s men have stabilised, going four league matches unbeaten following a dramatic 2–2 draw with Nottingham Forest. The Portuguese boss has slowly moulded United into a more cohesive, hard-working outfit by making little tweaks to his preferred 3-4-3 formation, and they are finally reaping the rewards. The team sits eighth in the table, but only two points behind second-placed Manchester City, proof that progress is being made.

  "Ruben’s got a very clear idea. It’s a lot more flexible, the idea, than what people give it credit for," Jason Wilcox said in an interview on the club’s podcast. "We’ve got to start with the end in mind and understand that the game model, how Manchester United are, is really important.  

  "We have to pull the jigsaw pieces together and put the jigsaw pieces together. We would love to have all the pieces in place where we can see a very clear picture, but whilst we’re building the picture, it’s even more difficult when you lose some football matches, because people start questioning things. But myself and Ruben, Omar, the ownership, we’re really clear on the direction of travel, and this is really important."

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  Tottenham next: A chance for redemption for Amorim

  Next up is a blockbuster away clash with Tottenham Hotspur, the same side that denied United silverware in last season’s Europa League final. For Amorim's men, it’s not just about revenge, but it’s about maintaining momentum in a campaign that has demanded resilience. They struggled in the early months but have finally resurrected themselves on the back of a sensational October. The Red Devils will be eager to get another three points and mount a meek title challenge before the international break sets in.