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Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche arrived at the City Ground to replace Ange Postecoglou in October and has enjoyed a fairly strong start to life in the Midlands.

The English tactician has won three of his six matches and kept three clean sheets, most recently masterminding the incredible 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, though, the player Dyche knows the most within the Forest squad, Chris Wood, has been unavailable for selection due to a knee injury.

The latest news on Chris Wood's injury

The New Zealand international suffered a knee injury in October that has kept him out of action for over a month, and he is yet to feature under Dyche for the Tricky Trees.

Prior to the Liverpool win, Dyche said: “It is just a settling period (for Wood), it is nothing too serious, it is a grumbling knee. It is serious enough to stop him from loading it; from loading in daily training, but it is settling down.”

This means that it is a case of wait and see for the experienced frontman before he can return to training and Premier League action, after he scored a staggering 20 goals in the top-flight for Forest last term.

The former Burnley man only scored two goals from 2.77 xG in the first eight matches of the current Premier League season, though, per Sofascore, and it will be interesting to see if Dyche can get him back to his best.

Meanwhile, Forest are reportedly eyeing up a January transfer window swoop for Porto centre-forward Samu Aghehowa, who could be the manager’s new version of Wood.

Why Samu could be Dyche's new Wood for Nottingham Forest

The current Tricky Trees striker turns 34 next month and there is no guarantee that he will come back from this knee injury to deliver goals on a consistent basis, which may be why a new striker is on the agenda for January.

Like Wood, who is 6 foot 3, Samu is a physically imposing centre-forward who stands at 6 foot 4 and has the strength and size to compete with Premier League defenders to be the kind of focal point that Dyche wants his number nine to be.

Journalist Zach Lowy once claimed that the Porto marksman can be “one of the best STs in Europe” and his form in Portugal suggests that he is now living up to that praise.

The Spain international scored six goals in nine Europa League matches in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, whilst his form in the Portuguese top-flight has been phenomenal.

Appearances

30

10

xG

14.07

4.98

Goals

19

6

Minutes per goal

119

105

Assists

3

1

Aerial duel success rate

51%

60%

As you can see in the table above, Samu has provided a consistent and clinical threat in the final third for Porto in the Liga Portugal since the start of last season, whilst also winning the majority of his aerial contests in that time.

These statistics suggest that the 21-year-old centre-forward would be the perfect signing for Dyche as his next version of Chris Wood, because he has the physique, the finishing skills, and the aerial ability to be a complete number nine for the Forest boss.

The Spaniard would also have Wood at the club as an experienced mentor for him to continue his development, as the ex-Burnley ace is 12 years his senior and could be an excellent role model to help with his transition to English football.

Therefore, Forest should push hard to get a deal done for the Porto sensation because he could be an excellent addition to the squad as Wood’s natural successor under Dyche.

Gibbs-White would love him: Nottingham Forest looking to re-sign £20m star

This star could improve Forest’s midfield and benefit Gibbs-White

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 24, 2025

Sources have described an incoming Chelsea starlet as another potential superstar, as BlueCo prepare to welcome another Estevao-like talent.

Estevao rise leads Chelsea youth transfer revolution

Estevao has announced himself as one of world football’s brightest young talents since joining Chelsea this summer, producing performances that suggest the Brazilian teenager could become a generational superstar at Stamford Bridge.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed a sensational start to life in English football, scoring five goals and providing one assist in just 740 minutes across all competitions.

Statistically, he’s already surpassed legendary figures at similar stages of their careers, with his goal contributions eclipsing what Lionel Messi and Ronaldo managed in their first seventeen appearances for Barcelona and Manchester United respectively.

Estevao’s finest hour yet came against Barça in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

His breathtaking solo goal left top-level defenders trailing in his wake before the ex-Palmeiras sensation fired into the roof of the net, making him only the third teenager in history to score in each of his first three Champions League starts alongside Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Man City’s Erling Haaland.

Minutes

83′

Expected Goals

0.13

Goals

1

Expected Assists

0.35

Big Chances Created

1

Key Passes

3

Long Balls

1/1

Shots

2

Touches

47

Recoveries

4

Estevao’s Premier League performances have shown similar promise, with the South American’s dramatic last-gasp winner against Liverpool in October sending Enzo Maresca into raptures on the touchline.

Chelsea’s investment in young talent continues to shape their long-term recruitment strategy, with Estevao representing just the beginning of an exciting wave of arrivals.

Ecuadorian midfielder Kendry Paez, who is currently on loan at sister club Strasbourg, has been tipped for an exciting future, with Kairat Almaty forward Dastan Satpaev and Corinthians left-back Denner also set to arrive in 2026 — alongside Strasbourg striker Emmanuel Emegha.

As well as the aforementioned quartet, Chelsea will welcome Sporting CP sensation Geovany Quenda to London next summer.

Maresca’s side struck a £44 million deal for the winger in March, and he’s already been described by some as one of the most exciting young talents in world football.

Quenda has been on fire this term with five goals and eight assists in 20 appearances, with Chelsea signing Quenda for half of his release clause earlier this year in what could turn out to be a bargain move.

Chelsea have already signed 'the next Cristiano Ronaldo' in Geovany Quenda

That is according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, who also says that those in Portugal are describing Quenda as ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’ in very high praise.

Speaking in a video down at the bottom of a Sky Q&A, Solhekol also reports that there are ‘more Estevaos on the way ‘— referencing Quenda as chief among them.

Commenting on his move to Chelsea, Sporting boss Rui Borges did have a word of caution for the Portugal Under-21 international — namely that this hype could ‘affect his mental state’.

Being compared to Ronaldo brings its own pressure, but from what Quenda has shown already, Chelsea could indeed be about to welcome yet another Estevao to Maresca’s ranks.

He is set to join the team ahead of Yorkshire’s game against Somerset starting September 8

Shashank Kishore04-Sep-2025India opener Mayank Agarwal is set to join Yorkshire on a short-term deal for the remainder of the County Championship.Agarwal, who is expected to link up with the squad ahead of their match against Somerset on Taunton starting September 8, will play three matches in all before returning to India in time for the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. This will be Agarwal’s first county stint.He was most-recently in action at the Maharaja T20 Trophy, Karnataka’s flagship T20 tournament. Prior to that, he was part of an IPL-title winning campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, after being signed as a late replacement for the injured Devdutt Padikkal.Agarwal, 34, is no stranger to England, having been on two tours previously with the Test side – in 2021-22 and for the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023.He had been in line to open during the 2021-22 tour, which India drew 2-2, but was ruled out prior to the series opener due to concussion. He has also been on two tours with the India A team.Agarwal, currently Karnataka’s all-format captain, comes with rich first-class experience. He has 8050 runs in 190 innings at an average of 43.98 with 18 hundreds and 44 half-centuries.In all, Agarwal has hit 1488 Test runs in 36 innings at an average of 41.33, with four Test centuries, including a best of 243 against South Africa. He played the most recent of his 21 Tests in March 2022 against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru.Other prominent Indians to feature in the UK domestic season this year are Khaleel Ahmed (Essex), Tilak Varma (Hampshire), Yuzvendra Chahal (Northants), Ishan Kishan (Notts) and Sai Kishore (Surrey). Jaydev Unadkat is set to join Sussex this month.

Celtic are now considering a January bid to sign Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson, who is also being targeted by bitter rivals Rangers.

Following Brendan Rodgers’ resignation, Martin O’Neill has been keeping things steady at Parkhead, with the veteran manager winning his first three matches in charge, most recently defeating Rangers in the Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden.

Extra-time goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand secured a 3-1 victory for the Hoops, setting up a clash with St. Mirren on December 14th, although O’Neill was none the wiser, given his response when asked if he would take charge of the final.

The interim boss said: “I was 73 on Monday, I’m 94 now! I don’t even know when the final is. I would imagine the club are making inroads to a permanent manager.”

Reaching a final is always cause for optimism, but the 55-time Scottish champions’ league form suggests they need to make improvements in the winter window, currently sitting nine points behind league-leaders Hearts.

Celtic considering January bid to sign David Watson

According to a report from The Herald, Celtic are now considering a January bid to sign Kilmarnock midfielder Watson, with the 20-year-old’s current contract due to expire at the end of the campaign, meaning he is free to negotiate pre-contract terms with other clubs.

The Hoops may have to hijack Rangers, however, with it last month being revealed their rivals have also identified the youngster, who could be Danny Rohl’s first signing, as a transfer target.

Foreign clubs have also expressed an interest in the midfielder, which means Kilmarnock could cash-in this January, although they may also choose to retain him until the end of the season to boost their chances of finishing higher in the Scottish Premiership.

Kilmarnock vice-captain Robbie Deas has waxed lyrical about the starlet’s work ethic in the past, saying: “Davey’s fantastic, honestly. He’s one of the hardest workers you’ll ever meet. He’s absolutely fantastic. You see that today, and he’s putting those tackles in later on.”

Not only that, but the Scotland U21 international is already very experienced at senior level, despite his age, making 117 appearances for the Kilmarnock first team, and he has already scored three league goals in 11 outings this term.

As such, there are clear signs Watson could be capable of making the step-up to a club the size of Celtic, but their main priority should be to bring in a permanent replacement for Rodgers.

O’Neill’s solid start has bought Dermot Desmond & co some time, but bringing in a top manager could really help put the pressure on Hearts, with Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen, who has won four league titles in the last five seasons, recently emerging as an option.

Charlie Mulgrew urges Celtic to appoint Jurgen Klopp Charlie Mulgrew shares "big" contract Celtic should now offer Jurgen Klopp

The ex-Celtic star has had his say…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 4, 2025

Elite central midfielders cost a pretty penny in the transfer market in the modern day, but Manchester United are trying to find their next top talent in such an area.

Over the years, the Red Devils have previously been home to numerous incredible talents, with Paul Scholes one of the best midfielders to ever play for the club.

The Englishman made a staggering total of 718 appearances for the club over a 19-year period, subsequently winning every major honour available in the 1990s and 2000s.

He was part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad that often dominated England’s top-flight, subsequently being a part of the squad that managed to win 11 Premier League titles.

However, in the present day, boss Ruben Amorim is yet to taste glory in the division, with the potential moves for numerous players potentially aiding his quest for success.

Man Utd ready big-money bid for new midfielder

Over the last couple of weeks, United have once again been labelled as one of the sides interested in a potential winter deal to land Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s men could look to revisit such a move in the months ahead, with Fabian Hurzeler’s side once again expected to demand a fee in the region of £100m.

However, the Red Devils are likely unwilling to fork out such a fee, especially after rejecting a move for the Cameroonian in the summer after a similar price tag was mooted.

He’s not the only midfielder currently in INEOS’ sights, as Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton has once again appeared on their radar over the last couple of days.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s men are set to make a €100m (£87m) offer to sign the 21-year-old when the winter window opens on January 1st.

It also states that the Eagles don’t want to part ways with their young talent, but could be forced to cash in if a bid of such a nature is to be made in the near future.

How Wharton compares to Caicedo

As previously mentioned, big money is currently being spent in the transfer market on midfield talent – with Moises Caicedo the best example of such a scenario in 2023.

The Ecuadorian international joined Chelsea for a reported £115m two years ago – a then English record – but it has since been broken by striker Alexander Isak.

However, such a deal now appears to be an excellent one despite the mammoth sum forked out for his signature, with the 24-year-old currently one of the best midfielders in Europe.

He was named as the Blues’ Player and Supporters Player of the Season for 2024/25, with clubs like United no doubt wishing they had their own version of the midfielder.

Whilst landing such a player would also cost a pretty penny, the Red Devils fans could get their wish of getting a similar calibre of player if they complete a move for Wharton.

The Englishman has been labelled as a similar player to Caicedo by FBref, with the Palace star even managing to outperform the Blues sensation in numerous key areas.

Wharton has registered more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90 to date, arguably making him a better ball-playing option at the base of the midfield.

Games played

13

12

Goals & assists

2

4

Progressive passes

5.9

5.7

Key passes

1.7

0.5

Clearances made

1.6

1.1

Tackles won

1.2

1.1

Take-on success

43%

31%

Recoveries made

5.8

5.6

Whilst being composed with the ball is key in Amorim’s system, the manager is desperately craving a dominant ball-winner who can sit and conduct the play in front of the backline.

The Palace star has demonstrated just that, even bettering the Chelsea star in that aspect, as seen by his higher tally of tackles won in the middle third of the pitch this campaign.

Wharton’s all-round dominance over the former English record addition is highlighted in his better take-on success rate and higher tally of recoveries made per 90 – which has led to one coach dubbing him the “best English midfielder since Scholes”. It sounds a stretch but given the numbers and clamour from many Three Lions supporters to see him alongside Declan Rice at next summer’s World Cup, it’s easy to see why that assessment has been made.

£87m may seem a mammoth sum for such a young talent, but it’s evident that the Englishman has bags of ability, but not to mention the potential to improve further in the years ahead.

If he can replicate such numbers at Old Trafford, he would certainly become a fan-favourite, potentially emulating Scholes in helping the club create new history in the Premier League.

Cunha & Mbeumo hybrid: Man Utd keen to trigger release clause for PL star

Manchester United could sign another attacker who’s like a hybrid of Cunha and Mbeumo

ByJoe Nuttall 2 days ago

It seemed for an age that his bowling exploits were capped by physical ailments but in Manchester, the Stokes of old turned up and made things happen

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes celebrates his five-wicket haul•Getty Images

The raise of the ball was done with all the enthusiasm of a man lifting a plunger out of a blocked toilet.Ben Stokes’ fifth five-wicket haul, completed on day two of the fourth Test against India, means only he, Ian Botham, Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis have taken as many alongside scoring at least 10 centuries. No cricketer should be shy of entering that kind of club. But Stokes looked a little sheepish.You could understand where Stokes was coming from to an extent. It was likely a mix of not wanting to take the glory – his modus operandi since assuming the Test captaincy – and a tinge of embarrassment that it had been a long time coming. His last five-for, against West Indies at Lord’s – came back in September 2017.Related

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A few weeks on from that career-best 6 for 22, Stokes stayed up late in Bristol and, well, you know how that one went. And that, along with plenty of other situations, many beyond the allrounder’s control, has made days like these seem further away.It seemed his bowling exploits were capped. Some of those have been physical ailments and so, by proxy, all have been mental.But this 5 for 72 has, for now, kept India to 358 and allowed England a handy run out under the sun to trail by just 133 at stumps on day two. It also puts Stokes top of the pops with 16 dismissals this series. And moreover, back in a groove that, up until the last month, had seemed lost to the annals.Three batters trimmed off. Two bumped. Always threatening. Never knowingly under-bowled. All this signposted a return to the Stokes of old. Namely the one he was across 2019 and 2020 – a period he reckons was his peak.2:17

Crawley: ‘Owe it to myself to have a few good performances’

Funnily enough, there were no five-fors during this stanza. But even that was not necessarily about the 41 dismissals at 27.70 across both years, but the skill, control and durability across 368.1 overs.There are a specific 2.2 overs at the end of the final day of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands in January 2020, that Stokes rewatched heading into this summer. Desperate to recapture the perfect rhythm, high pace and immaculate lengths distilled in that match-winning spell of 3 for 1.”I used Cape Town as a visual thing for me,” revealed Stokes in Leeds, ahead of the series opener. “To look back at and go, like, ‘what was I doing there’? Because that’s when I felt really good.”Zak Crawley was in the cordon five years ago, taking a juggling blinder to give Stokes his second of that set, and was in prime position here to admire the similarities.”There’s so many similarities to that,” Crawley said at stumps on Thursday. “He was bowling quickly back then. He’s got that pace back now. And the way he just gets that away movement from the right-hander, that zip, which is as much as anyone in the world really. He gets that bounce.”He’s a proper wicket-taker and he can make things happen and that’s certainly the case when I first came into the side back then (2020). And he seems to have got that back now, which is a phenomenal effort considering the injuries he’s had and, well, he’s a little bit older now.”This summer, Stokes’ average speed – 135.38kph – is the third-fastest he has registered in a home season since 2019. His control evident from the shift from day one to day two, earning his final three wickets for just 25 in 10 overs.Day two boasted the highest degree of swing of any day this series, so Stokes pushed his length forward. Of Wednesday’s 14 overs, 19.7% were full (within 6.25m of the stumps) and the dismissal of Shubman Gill, his opposite number, was at the shorter limit of that threshold. Thursday’s Stokes went further, with 32.2% to fashion what swing there was into a weapon. Shardul Thakur skewed his drive to a diving Ben Duckett at gully, then Anshul Kamboj played down what became the wrong line for Stokes’ fifth.Arguably the more impressive milestone for Stokes had come on day one, ticking over the most he has ever bowled in a series, currently. It will certainly be the most meaningful to him.Previous roles as an enforcer or “break glass for match winner” quick meant he was kept to cameos. But he has always had the skills. The problem soon became his body. Thankfully, we appear to be through the tunnel.0:49

What makes Crawley and Duckett click as a pair?

The light was seen by Stokes back in 2023. An overdue left knee operation after the ODI World Cup cleared up what was threatening to become a chronic mess. And though two right hamstring tears in six months followed, the lessons from that first procedure – specifically, how much easier rehabilitation was with a sleeker physique – had already been learned.The biggest benefit for Stokes has been around recovery. Not only have performances been backed up, but the speeds have been consistent. The first innings averages tell the story; 134.3kph (Headingley), 135.59kph (Edgbaston), 136.71kph (Lord’s) and 135.2kph here.The gap between Lord’s and Manchester is probably the most insightful as far as where Stokes is at right now.After bowling 44 overs in the victory at Lord’s, including 20 on day five to help bag that 201 lead, Stokes spent the next few days in bed. As such, when it came to training on Monday at Emirates Old Trafford, he was ready to get back on the grind, even if he was still feeling a little tired.Two days out from the first Test at Headingley, Stokes had wowed his team-mates by bowling a mammoth 11-over stint. And while he was not going to do the same here, he did want to get the wheels turning. Unfortunately, the Manchester weather got in the way.Instead, Stokes beasted himself on Tuesday. After a gym session in the morning, he bowled in the Trafford Cricket Centre – Lancashire’s onsite indoor nets – which is by no means the done thing for a bowler on the eve of a match because the indoor surface is unforgiving on the joints. Not only did Stokes get through that, he followed it up with a long batting stint. Then he sent down 24 of the first 114.1 overs of this match.Without question, Stokes’ renewed fitness drive has allowed him to stitch together a series like this. He sensed it himself, which is why after 11.2 overs against Zimbabwe, back in May, he felt he did not need to play for Durham or England Lions to be right for India.At the same time, all this has come with a bit of balance. Captaincy, at least from the outside, feels a little easier. Given the fear at the start of his tenure centered around marrying those duties with his all-action nature, he seems to be at his most switched on while carrying the bowling burden.It’s worth noting that on day three at Lord’s, when Brendon McCullum sent over bowling consultant Tim Southee to suggest Stokes cap a spell at seven overs, Stokes had already decided that was that. He knew he had run that particular race. That he went on to bowl 9.2- and 10-over spells two days later owed more to a sense he had the wares to crack the game open than simply indulging a hero complex. Vindication of both came with the removal of KL Rahul in the former and a belligerent Jasprit Bumrah in the latter.On the subject of balance, Stokes seems to have found a sweet spot. The graft away from the field to allow the gut-busting on it is tempered in various ways. Though he stopped drinking alcohol as he recovered from a hamstring operation at the start of the year, he sups the occasional drink as a reward following a satisfying day’s play. Everything in moderation, including moderation.At 34, you might term this all as growth, and in some ways it is. Of a man getting better attuned with his body and still developing a greater affinity for the craft of bowling.It used to be said of Stokes that it was hard to discern what kind of allrounder he was, beyond one with an appetite for big moments. Detractors would say that was down to neither-here-nor-there numbers with bat and ball.Now, entering the twilight of his career, Stokes is, emphatically, a bowling allrounder. And that’s not because the batting numbers are taking a dip, but because he has never been a more complete bowler than right now.

Past history counts for little, says coach Ratnayake, as co-hosts return to action after two-week hiatus

Madushka Balasuriya10-Oct-20251:26

‘Sri Lanka are excited about the big stage’

It’s been a longer wait than most for Sri Lanka between their first and second games this World Cup. Since playing the tournament opener on September 30, a wash-out against Australia means their match against England on Saturday comes after a near two-week gap. So unsurprisingly, they are a side that’s itching to get back out in the middle.Against England though they’ll be up against a side they’ve beaten just once in WODIs in 18 attempts. But for coach Rumesh Ratnayake, dwelling on such records makes little sense.”The last meeting will be tomorrow,” said Ratnayake on the eve of the game. “So those are the things which we will encourage them with just before the match. But in our preparation we talk of the present, and we talk of the present team and where they are and what we can do.”What our strengths will be against them, and where we are going to bowl – if it is bowling – at a particular batter at what stage. So we have broken it into three stages, that’s just an example. And even in our batting, I think what we want most is patience and discipline.””That’s what we lacked maybe against India, not deliberate, but it needs more focus so that it could be established.”Coming into this game, Sri Lanka have had a fair bit of time to ponder on that defeat to India. Having had the hosts reeling on 124 for 6, they let the game slip. But even so, a chase of a target a shade under 250 should not have been beyond them.After that game skipper Chamari Athapaththu had not held back in her assessment of her side’s shortcomings, calling on her batters to shoulder more responsibility going forward. And in the build-up to this game, plans surrounding their batting have featured heavily.Related

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“In our batting, the girls are really up to it and wanting to do well,” Ratnayake said. “That’s a huge plus because they know it’s a big stage. Sometimes we need to bring it down and say it’s just another match. But they are excited about this big stage. To capitalise on that, to maximise on that, they need to have runs on the scoreboard. They are aware of that. They are also aware that somebody, at least one or two, should bat till the end.”One of the more prevalent themes across this tournament, particularly for matches played in Colombo, has been a tendency for batting to get easier as the innings has gone on. This has left a lopsided run-scoring burden on lower order batters towards the end of an innings. For Sri Lanka, who lack any real batting prowess beyond the top seven, Ratnayake feels they will need at least one batter to take it deep to ensure they effectively exploit conditions at the tail-end of the innings.”We actually spoke about this in detail, about how those coming lower down the order – even below number seven – need to score more. Our main responsibility, is that top seven needs to score the most runs. We’re addressing it differently, because even in the last game no one scored even 50 – not that 50 would have been enough.”We’ve spoken about how you need to bat deep – at least one of the top six needs to hang around. It’s because none of those batters hung around that we were unable to chase down India’s score.”What we have learned from the spinning wickets is about those who have scored runs. Like [Beth] Mooney. Her batting discipline, her focus, and the ability to do what was needed in those situations. So we need to learn from that.”The extra preparation time leading up to this game has also allowed the Sri Lankans to extensively analyse this England side, weaning through their strengths and weaknesses and how exactly to make use of any advantages they might have over such an experienced outfit.”England is a very experienced side, even though they don’t have left-handers they are quite well equipped, so we understand their strengths, we know what they’re strong at and we’ve seen them do it all so to speak, and we believe that we are ready to sort of counter-attack that and do the best we can in the best way we could.”With our coaches, we scrutinised every batter of the English team – not just their top seven, we analysed their top nine. But the time for observing is over, now we need to take ownership of the situation, and go out there and perform.”

Celtic are spending the international break hunting for a new manager and have now found their number one candidate, someone who already has internal approval at Parkhead.

Brendan Rodgers’ departure from the Scottish Premiership champions last month provoked plenty of drama as the Bhoys languished eight points behind Heart of Midlothian in the table.

However, Martin O’Neill has steadied the ship with three victories from four matches since taking interim charge, the highlight being a 3-1 triumph over Rangers to reach the Premier Sports Cup final.

At 73 years of age, the former Aston Villa boss has been linked with an extended stay in Glasgow, and few would argue that he isn’t deserving of a run until the end of the season.

Conversely, O’Neill admitted that he will simply be at the club for as long as he is required, maintaining that he will be informed of developments concerning the Hoops’ manager search at some point during the international break.

He said after the Bhoys defeated Kilmarnock on Sunday: “I have to go back down to London again, I’m going to go into a darkened room and come out on Thursday and say, ‘has this really happened. So I should imagine at some stage or another during the course of the next week, whether it be tomorrow, whether it be Saturday or Sunday of next week, that somebody will let me know what’s happening.”

Despite the brief club football pause, Celtic supporters will be desperate to know of latest developments from Parkhead, and they may now be ready to move for a successor to O’Neill.

Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is Celtic frontrunner

According to The Scottish Sun, Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is the shock frontrunner to take over at Celtic after the Major League Soccer outfit bowed out at the playoff stage of the competition against Cincinnati.

His strongest rival for the post is Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen. However, Nancy’s assistant Kwame Ampadu is a close friend of Hoops recruitment chief Paul Tisdale, and the latter even managed his son Ethan (now of Leeds United), providing Nancy with the backing in the boardroom.

Wilfried Nancy’s managerial record

Columbus Crew – MLS Cup winners (2023), Leagues Cup winners (2024)

Matches – 132 Wins – 71 Draws – 32 Losses – 33

CF Montreal – Canadian Championship winners (2021)

Matches – 79 Wins – 38 Draws – 16 Losses – 25

Ampadu Sr is said to be almost certain to go to Celtic with Nancy, who is known for his firebrand 3-4-2-1 formation which launches attacks from everywhere and has earned comparisons to Ange Postecoglou during the Bhoys’ managerial search.

Of course, there is still plenty of work to be done before a new successor is appointed, and O’Neill will hold talks with the club hierarchy in the coming days to ascertain whether he will stay on for an extended period in charge.

Celtic could sign a Premier League winner in January for £500k

Either way, there are exciting days ahead for Celtic supporters that could culminate in a permanent hire being made after a lengthy search.

Dropped catches haunt West Indies as New Zealand take a 481-run lead on third day

Shashank Kishore04-Dec-2025Centuries from Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra underpinned New Zealand’s domination on Day 3 in Christchurch, as the hosts transformed a modest 64-run advantage into a towering lead that now feels insurmountable.The pair’s third-wicket stand of 279 ensured a potentially gripping third day went flat halfway through. West Indies merely went through the motions, sitting back and hoping for a declaration to bring them some relief from being run ragged. This was New Zealand’s highest partnership against West Indies since 1987 – surpassing Martin Crowe and John Wright’s 241-run stand.Things could’ve been a lot different had they caught better.Ravindra’s innings began under a cloud of uncertainty. On 8, Kemar Roach grassed a sumptuous flick at midwicket as he threw himself at the ball one-handed. On 14, Kavem Hodge put down a regulation catch at slip, leaving Justin Greaves to wear the frustration of being the unlucky bowler twice in two overs. The charmed streak continued when another thick outside edge flew over the slips on 17.For the first half hour after lunch, Ravindra seemed to live on borrowed time. But once he survived that turbulent spell, the tentativeness gave way to assurance, and the elegance that has come to define his best batting was out in full glory. He raced to 176, before being knocked over late in the day by an Ojay Shields yorker.By stumps, New Zealand had added 395 to lead by 481. For the record, West Indies will have to achieve the highest successful chase to win at Hagley Oval – 285 is the highest fourth-innings score chased down at this venue.Before Ravindra arrived, Devon Conway and Latham played a solid first hour, focusing on crease occupation in a bid to lay a strong platform. Latham left well early on, while Conway exhibited his artistry – playing the cover drives and on-drives – early in the innings.Rachin Ravindra hit 27 boundaries in his 185-ball stay•Getty Images

Roach moved the ball away appreciably early on to have Conway in a hint of trouble, while Jayden Seales got the ball to lift off a length to have Latham looking scratchy early on. The first 17 overs produced just 35; Latham survived a thick edge that raced between second slip and gully on 29.Conway set himself in, and was out slashing to deep point for 39 as Hodge plucked a superb catch while moving halfway in from the ropes. Initially off balance, Hodge back-pedalled to complete the catch. One wicket became two when Roach had Kane Williamson nicking behind with a perfect out-swinger.Having got off the mark with a top-edge for six off Greaves, Williamson was troubled by his late movement before Roach had him in the last over before lunch, with New Zealand effectively 164 for 2. The spell after lunch was perhaps West Indies’ best chance to get into the game as they routinely created chances, only for them to be grassed.If the first session was about the hard grind, the second was about accumulating and pressing home the advantage. Ravindra didn’t take long to march into the 40s, and even got into a bit of a scrap with Seales. The pair brought up their century stand off just 126 deliveries, with Ravindra’s enterprise allowing Latham to also open up after getting past his half-century.Latham was particularly punishing square of the wicket on both sides, with the cuts and pulls, as he pounced on a tired attack that kept pounding the ball in even as the surface appeared to have lost a lot of the venom seen on the first two days. Latham brought up his century first, while Ravindra got there with a pull through midwicket – his second successive century.After he passed a hundred, as West Indies went defensive, Latham brought out the inventive batter in him – scooping and paddling his way to a couple of boundaries. It seemed inevitable the pair would bat through, but a lapse in concentration late in the day saw them fall in back-to-back overs. But even those two wickets were no consolation for West Indies as they face an uphill battle for survival.

Perhaps to be expected of this modern-day Manchester United team, the recent five-game unbeaten run was merely a false dawn, as Ruben Amorim’s tenure reached another low on Monday evening.

That wet and miserable night at Grimsby is arguably the nadir of the Portuguese’s year in charge, although the latest loss to Everton could well run it close, following what was simply a lifeless performance from the hosts at Old Trafford.

Handed a bizarre advantage following Idrissa Gueye’s slap on ex-United man, Michael Keane, the Red Devils contrived to slip up against their ten-man opponents, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall firing in a deserved lead on the hour mark.

Despite having ample time and opportunity to get back into the game, the Red Devils barely threatened Jordan Pickford’s goal from then on, albeit with the Englishman making one notable save to deny Joshua Zirkzee’s goalbound header.

The Dutchman, to his credit, came as close as anyone to getting the home side level on the night, but that should not overshadow what was another desperate display from United’s number 11.

The 24-year-old wasn’t the only INEOS signing under the microscope against the Toffees – far from it – but his performance certainly warrants further scrutiny.

Joshua Zirkzee's dismal Everton display in numbers

On a different day, the £36.5m man might have been the hero had his well-taken header evaded the sprawling Pickford, with the striker’s last Premier League goals having actually come against the Merseysiders almost a year earlier.

As it is, Amorim is left to reflect upon a largely limp showing from Zirkzee in attack, with the ex-Bologna man’s woes only heightening the frustration regarding Benjamin Sesko’s absence.

Sesko – with just two goals for United to date – hasn’t been perfect, but even amid his struggles at Spurs, he was still a handful, a physical outlet whom Amorim’s side can look to.

Zirkzee might be a self-described ‘nine and a half’, but at 6 foot 4, he should be doing far better, notably losing the ball on 12 occasions from just 35 touches.

Far too frequently, the struggling forward dallied in possession or produced an errant touch or flick, looking distinctly uncomfortable with his back to goal.

The caveat to that, of course, is that he had featured for just 90 minutes in total this season prior to that, with there likely to be an element of ring rust for a player handed just his first league start of 2025/26.

That being said, on a wider focus, this remains a striker who has scored just three top-flight goals since signing back in the summer of 2024, with United again left looking desperately short at the top end of the pitch.

Problems at the other end also persist, however, with the backline looking particularly erratic.

Amorim must bench Man Utd's "best in the world" star

Much of the blame for Monday’s defeat lies at Amorim’s door, with the 40-year-old’s failure to release the handbrake and shuffle his system having been desperately evident, as his side toiled for an equaliser amid their second-half dominance.

In the ex-Sporting CP man’s defence, however, he must have been scratching his head at the laboured showing of those on the pitch, with Leny Yoro notably putting in a tame effort to try and prevent Dewsbury-Hall from converting.

That weak act – which was followed by another weak stop from the previously impressive Senne Lammens – came amid a largely frustrating display from the young Frenchman, with Harry Maguire’s absence felt again in the back three.

Yoro’s pace and recovery speed is a useful tool, although he has the tendency to be bullied up against a physical forward line, winning just two of his five ground duels, as per Sofascore.

Perhaps more frustrating were his woes in possession, losing the ball on ten occasions, while failing to really drive forward from his right-sided role, even with ample time and space afforded to him.

Yoro – 25/26 PL stats
Stat (*per game)	Record
Games (starts)	12 (8)
Goals	0
Assists	0
Key passes*	0.3
Pass accuracy*	88%
Successful dribbles*	0
Tackles*	1.0
Interceptions*	1.0
Total duels won*	58%
Aerial duels won*	72%
Dribbled past*	0.4
Stats via Sofascore

Unlike last term, when the 20-year-old was a central figure in United’s Europa League charge, he appeared hesitant to get forward, rarely attempting to burst into space to support the likes of Amad ahead of him.

There is an argument to suggest he may need to shift to a left centre-back role, having thrived there in the second half of last season, although with Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez and Ayden Heaven already in contention there, Amorim surely can’t make that switch.

Currently ranking in the bottom 2% of European centre-backs for blocks, the bottom 9% for clearances and the bottom 27% for aerial duels won per 90, as per FBref, the ex-Lille starlet certainly isn’t thriving as expected, having previously been described as the “best in the world” for his age by Rio Ferdinand.

Options at right centre-back really are quite limited – particularly in the absence of Maguire – although Amorim may have to consider relocating Noussair Mazraoui, and shifting Yoro back to the bench.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

As Ferdinand suggested, the France U21 international is a massive talent, but United and Old Trafford are yet to see the best of him.

Worse than Bruno Fernandes vs Everton: Amorim must bin Man Utd's 3/10 flop

This Man Utd star struggled in the 1-0 home defeat to Everton

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By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 25, 2025