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Leeds United have conducted phenomenal business over the last couple of years, helping them in their quest to secure promotion from the Championship.

Joel Piroe may have cost a small fortune at £10m in the summer of 2023, but he’s been worth every penny, scoring 29 times in his 85 games since his transfer from Swansea City.

The Dutchman currently sits as the club’s top goalscorer, showcasing his excellent form for Daniel Farke’s side, playing a key role in their success this campaign.

Such form has kept talented youngster Mateo Joseph out of the starting lineup, with Piroe easily the German’s first-choice striker after his recent form, which has seen him net six times in 2025.

He’s been joined in the side by one other player who’s been another phenomenal addition, thriving at the heart of the side and looking to be a bargain, given his cheap transfer fee.

Ao Tanaka’s stats for Leeds in 2024/25

Japanese midfielder Ao Tanaka joined Leeds for just £3.5m in the summer, looking to provide the needed squad depth in the centre of Farke’s squad.

However, he’s exceeded beyond all expectations, becoming a regular in the side, starting every Championship game of the calendar year – showcasing his rise over the last few months.

The 26-year-old has won an average of 1.7 tackles per 90 in the league throughout this season, the joint-most in the squad, with only Jayden Bogle matching his tally.

He’s also managed to win 1.5 interceptions per 90, a figure that is the highest in the Whites’ side, showcasing his crucial ability to regain possession – allowing the likes of Piroe in attacking areas.

Tanaka has also completed 90% of his passes, handing the forwards the ammunition to succeed in the final third, making him the perfect box-to-box midfielder for Farke.

However, despite his importance to the club, he’s still valued lower than one player who’s taken his career to the next level after his move away from Yorkshire.

The former Leeds star who’s worth more than Tanaka

Leeds attackers have often captured the hearts of the fanbase at Elland Road, more than likely being the stars of their success over various time periods.

Mateusz Bogusz could’ve been another player to add his name to the club’s history books, but the Polish star was unable to make a huge impact during his time in Yorkshire.

The attacking midfielder joined the Whites from Ruch Chorzow back in January 2019, originally linking up with the club’s academy setup before having minutes in the first team.

However, he would only feature three times before being sent on various loan spells to Logrones and UD Ibiza but was unable to wriggle his way into Farke’s plans.

As a result, Bogusz would move to MLS side LAFC for a fee in the region of £1m in a deal that would catapult his career into action, potentially leaving the club to rue his departure.

Mateusz Bogusz’s stats for LAFC in the MLS during 2024
Statistics	Tally
Games played	36
Goals scored	16
Assists	8
Pass accuracy	84%
Chances created	77
Successful dribbles	41
Touches in opposition box	122
Stats via FotMob

During his two years in America, the Pole featured 90 times, registering 24 times and 18 assists, leading to journalist Greg Beacham dubbing the midfielder as “dangerous”.

The 23-year-old has since moved to Mexican side, Cruz Azul, for a fee in the region of £8m, with his transfer fee higher than Tanaka’s current market value, with the Japanese star valued at £3.3m by Transfermarkt.

Given Bogusz’s rise away from Yorkshire along with his increase in value, the club may have offloaded the talent too prematurely – having the skillset to add to Farke’s side in their hunt for promotion.

However, he remains a case of what could’ve been for the Whites, with the Polish international showcasing what they have missed out on by not handing him the opportunity in the first team.

Leeds can finally axe Aaronson by starting "superb" star out of position

Daniel Farke could hand one Leeds United a new role at Elland Road over the coming weeks.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Feb 27, 2025

Chelsea have lost their third consecutive game, losing 2-1 against Aston Villa at Villa Park. The Blues took a 1-0 lead through Enzo Fernández, but it was a game of two halves as Villa scored two second-half goals through Marco Asensio, taking all three points on the day.

Enzo Maresca made plenty of tactical tweaks for this game, bringing Reece James into a more permanent defensive midfield role, which allowed Malo Gusto to overlap from right back and Cole Palmer to drift from the right wing.

The Blues held 48% of the ball, but still managed to take more shots than Villa (15). However, the Villans did generate more xG with 2.56, compared to Chelsea’s 2.12 xG, with Unai Emery’s side also creating three “big chances” compared to Chelsea’s two.

So what exactly went wrong in the game, with such a good first half performance, what were the key differences in the second half?

Filip Jorgensen's moment of madness

Filip Jorgensen made a crucial error when the Blues were still tied 1-1 with the Villans in the 89th minute, spilling a well-struck volley into his own net, gifting Asensio with his second goal of the game.

The Danish keeper made four saves in the game, but, of course, did have a costly late error which turned one point into zero for the away side. Jorgensen also had a 61% passing accuracy, misplacing nine of his 11 long balls attempted in the game.

The young stopper has been the first-choice in recent weeks, in place of Robert Sanchez – who has made five errors leading to a goal in the Premier League this season – although having also shipped three at the Amex last time out, he’s hardly taking his chance with both hands.

But Jorgensen wasn’t the only player to have a poor performance for the Blues, as another individual was rated even worse by The Standard, earning himself a 4/10 match rating.

Christopher Nkunku's woes continued

Christopher Nkunku has been playing out of position for much of the season. Despite being a more natural attacking midfielder, the Frenchman has had to sacrifice his best position to Cole Palmer, which has seen Nkunku playing as a striker or left-winger.

Stat

Nkunku

Minutes

76

Touches

44

Accurate Passes

23/23

Key Passes

2

Shots

1

Successful Dribbles

1/4

Ground Duels Won

6/13

Tackles

3

Interceptions

2

Despite having 100% passing accuracy in the game, making two key passes and even putting in a shift off the ball, winning six ground duels, making three tackles and two interceptions, Nkunku wasn’t involved enough on the attacking end, often struggling to get himself in the game out on the left wing.

The few times he did receive the ball, he often had to check back inside, slowing Chelsea’s momentum and allowing Villa to regroup defensively. It doesn’t quite seem to be clicking between Nkunku and Palmer, who often prefer to operate in the same areas.

With Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke and even Marc Guiu all missing from the Chelsea front line, Nkunku may be afforded a few more chances, but he is surely operating on borrowed time now, as Chelsea fans’ patience is running thin with the French star.

Maresca can drop Nkunku by unleashing “remarkable” Chelsea ace in new role

Maresca can revitalize Chelsea by unleashing “remarkable” ace in a new role

ByConnor Holden Feb 22, 2025

علق حازم إمام عضو لجنة التخطيط بنادي الزمالك، على تشكيل الفارس الأبيض لمواجهة بيراميدز، في المباراة النهائية لبطولة كأس مصر.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع بيراميدز، في الثامنة والنصف مساء اليوم الخميس، في نهائي بطولة كأس مصر، للموسم الحالي 2024-2025.

وقال إمام خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “ليس بالإمكان أفضل مما كان، أعتقد أن هذا التشكيل أفضل المتاح، دكة البدلاء قوية بتواجد بنتايج، وناصر ماهر ممكن يكون إضافة في الشوط الثاني”.

طالع | تشكيل الزمالك أمام بيراميدز في نهائي كأس مصر.. الجزيري يقود الهجوم

وتابع: “سيف جعفر بدأ يثبت نفسه، لكن لا توجد خيارات كثيرة لدي أيمن الرمادي، والتشكيل نوعًا ما معقول”.

وكان الزمالك تأهل لنهائي كأس مصر، بالفوز 2-1 على سيراميكا كليوباترا، بينما استطاع بيراميدز الوصول للمباراة النهائية، بعد الفوز على البنك الأهلي، برباعية نظيفة.

The Women’s Hundred is set to emulate the men’s competition by introducing a player draft ahead of next summer’s competition.The new system, which will be conducted in conjunction with the men’s draft next year, will replace the existing salary cap for the eight women’s teams, with at least 32 domestic and overseas players set to be picked.Welsh Fire, who finished bottom of the standings in the 2022 season, will be given the first selection, while Oval Invincibles, the two-times reigning champions, will go last.Prior to the draft, each team will be permitted to retain up to four players from their existing squads when the retention window opens in December.A minimum of four players per squad will be signed during the draft, while the teams will be permitted to use one “right to match card” on the night, if they wish to retain a player who had been on their books for 2022, so long as they have a slot available in their squad at the same salary band.Heather Knight, England’s captain who is also in charge at London Spirit, said: “It is brilliant news that the Hundred will be holding the first-ever draft in the women’s game, and it’ll be fascinating to see who is first pick!””We’ve already talked about it as a playing group – it’s really exciting and I think we’ve seen in the men’s game that drafts really get people discussing and debating selection, so it’s great that the women’s competition will be part of that conversation.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The remaining seven players in each squad will be signed on the open market ahead of the new season, although a limit of three centrally contracted England players and three overseas players will apply throughout the process. The men’s and women’s overseas wildcard draft will not take place in 2023.Beth Barrett-Wild, Head of the Women’s Hundred, added: “Introducing the draft represents another landmark moment for women’s sport in this country, as The Hundred continues to break new ground and accelerate professionalism within women’s cricket.”The impact of the Hundred on the women’s game after just two editions of the competition has been enormous, generating unprecedented levels of visibility, making household names of our brilliant female players, and driving performance standards.”The inclusion of a draft going into year three builds on all of this. It demonstrates progress off the field, and also acts to support all eight teams in creating evenly balanced squads on the field, with the aim of delivering the most exciting contest yet for fans to enjoy.”

Following a relatively quiet January transfer window, Fulham could be forced to bid farewell to one star player amid growing contract doubts and a queue of clubs reportedly waiting to land his signature.

Fulham transfer news

There’s leaving it late and then there’s Fulham signing their first arrival of 2025 after the January transfer window, welcoming free agent Willian back to the club for his second stint at Craven Cottage, where the Brazilian will look to repeat his previous impact in West London.

Speaking to the club website for the first time since putting pen to paper, Willian expressed his delight at returning to Craven Cottage, saying: “I’m really happy to be back here. I think it’s a great opportunity again to play for this Club, and I’m fully motivated to get on the pitch and do things well for this Club.

“I’m completely happy, my family’s happy. We are happy to be back, and I think we can do good things until the end of the season, so I can’t wait to start with my teammates and do good things inside the pitch.”

Fulham tried to sign "brilliant" ace who was in West London on deadline day

It was too little too late…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 6, 2025

As one winger arrives, however, another is on course for the exit door. According to reports in Spain, three La Liga clubs have now made contact to sign Adama Traore, who is yet to sign a new Fulham contract despite his current deal coming to an end this summer.

The Cottagers have the option to extend the Spaniard’s deal for another year but that option is yet to be triggered, casting doubts over his future as Villarreal, Sevilla and Valencia form a queue to land his signature.

Of course, a lot can change in a matter of months and Traore could yet stay put but that doubt will only increase as time goes on and there’s no denying that he has become quite the asset under Marco Silva.

"Fantastic" Traore is a unique threat

The Premier League has seen a number of unique assets over the years, from absurdly tall forwards to even more absurd long throw-in takers. Now, Fulham have a unique asset of their own in Traore.

There isn’t a single player in English football – perhaps even in Europe – who shares the same driving power as the winger who has the perfect combination of incredible strength and unstoppable pace. It’s something which can change a game in an instant and something that the Cottagers should look to keep hold of.

Dubbed “fantastic” by Silva earlier this season, Traore should have no reason to depart either. Those in West London are better placed than ever under their manager and could yet cause an upset by challenging for a European place before the end of the campaign, using Traore’s freak athleticism.

So, whilst La Liga may well be forming a queue, they may be forced to wait even longer if Fulham manage to extend their winger’s contract and put to rest any increasing doubt over his immediate future.

واصل فريق الكرة الأول بنادي اتحاد جدة انتصاراته في الدوري السعودي “روشن” بالفوز على الشباب بثلاثية مقابل هدفين.

المباراة التي أقيمت على ملعب استاد نادي الشباب في الجولة 33 من عمر الدوري السعودي للمحترفين “روشن”، وخاض الاتحاد مباراته وهو حاسمًا للقب درع الدوري للمرة الرابعة عشر في تاريخه، قبل الوصول لخط النهاية.

سالم الدوسري يُمدد عقده مع الهلال ويصبح الأعلى أجرًا بين السعوديين

وافتتح الاتحاد التسجيل مبكرًا عبر موسى ديابي في الدقيقة الأولى، وأضاف هدفًا ثانيًا في الدقيقة 34 من الشوط الأول، ولكن الشباب لم يستسلم، ورد بهدف عبر كاراسكو في الدقيقة 48.

وفي الشوط الثاني، عزز الاتحاد تقدمه بهدف سجله ستيفن بيرجوين في الدقيقة 58، قبل أن يقلص الشباب الفارق بهدف ثانٍ عن طريق جوانكا في الدقيقة 67. 

بهذه النتيجة، رفع الاتحاد رصيده إلى 80 نقطة، مؤكدًا تميزه في الدوري بعد أن ضمن التتويج بدرع الدوري السعودي قبل هذه المباراة، بينما تجمد رصيد الشباب عند 57 نقطة، محتلاً المركز السادس في الترتيب.

Captain remains 114 not out after contributions from Bartlett and Renshaw against Yorkshire

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2022Tom Abell’s third LV= Insurance County Championship century of the season led Somerset to 262 for 5 on the opening day of the match with Yorkshire at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.The skipper ended the day unbeaten on 114, having faced 217 balls and hit 14 fours and 2 sixes. Other important contributions came from Matt Renshaw (43) and George Bartlett (46).Matthew Waite was the pick of the Yorkshire seamers, with 2 for 35 from 16 overs, while former Somerset off-spinner Dom Bess took 2 for 29 from 18.It was decided before the start not to employ the suggested 4.30pm finish on day one because of the forecast extreme heat and to stick to the normal hours of play. In the event, much of the morning session was played under cloudy skies and during the lunch interval it started raining.Somerset had progressed to 25 in the seventh over when Tom Lammonby, on four, edged a drive off Jordan Thompson to Tom Kohler-Cadmore at first slip.Kohler-Cadmore, bound for Somerset next season, was making his first Championship appearance of the summer for Yorkshire following a long battle to overcome the effects of concussion, which saw him sidelined until the Vitality Blast campaign.Renshaw made a confident start and looked in good touch, but began to encounter problems when Waite produced an excellent seven-over spell from the River End. He beat the Australian twice in the 19th over and then pinned him lbw for 43, with a ball that nipped back in his next, before ending the stint, which included four maidens, with figures of 1 for five.Abell spent 29 balls on 11, studiously attempting to lay the foundation for a meaningful first-innings total.By lunch, the Somerset skipper had progressed to 21, with Bartlett unbeaten on 15 in a total of 99 for two from 28 overs.The resumption was delayed until 3.30pm by rain, with 20 overs lost and tea set for 4.30pm.Abell and Bartlett brought up a half-century stand off 67 balls before the latter was dropped on 26 by Kohler-Cadmore, two-handed low to his left off Shannon Gabriel with the score 127 for 2.Abell reached a solid fifty off 101 balls, with his seventh four, a leg-glance off Matthew Revis,By tea, the Somerset pair had added 98 and taken the total to 164 for 2 from 42 overs. Batting was looking comfortable with the sun shining.The final session comprised 34 overs and began at 4.50pm. It saw Bartlett bring up the hundred partnership with a four to fine leg off a loose ball from Bess.Making good use of the square cut, Bartlett hit 8 fours in his 87-ball innings before, with the total on 197, he top-edged a pull shot off Waite to be caught by Revis at long leg.Kohler-Cadmore atoned for his earlier error with a stunning one-handed catch, diving to his left at slip, to help Bess dismiss Lewis Goldsworthy and at 210 for 4, Abell’s staunch work was in danger of being undone. His response was to dig in again on 80 before cutting loose with two swept sixes in the first three overs sent down by off-spinner Jack Shutt.James Rew fell to another sharp Kohler-Cadmore catch off Bess after Abell had reached a 198-ball hundred with a two off his former colleague.

Former England star Paul Merson has slammed Enzo Maresca for benching key players in Chelsea's goalless draw against Brentford.

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Maresca slammed for poor team selection against BrentfordPalmer and Jackson did not startBlues were held to a goalless drawFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The attacking pair of Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer were missing from Maresca's starting lineup last Saturday as the Blues took the field in the Premier League. While both players were introduced in the second half, Chelsea failed to break the deadlock as they were held to a goalless draw. Maresca's strange team selection did not go down well with ex-Arsenal star Merson, as he slammed the Italian coach for prioritising the Europa Conference League over Champions League qualification.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT PAUL MERSON SAID

In his column for , the 57-year-old wrote: "I couldn't believe the team Enzo Maresca put out at Brentford. When that team came out, I was flabbergasted. It was pathetic. Chelsea have won the Champions League. This is the Europa Conference League – and he's resting players for it? Getting into the Champions League has to be the be all and end all. They have to be in it. If they come sixth in the Premier League and win the Europa Conference League, it would be a shocker. A shocker.

"This is Legia Warsaw, no disrespect to them but they won't beat Chelsea over two legs. You have to beat Brentford. If they had won that game, then beat Ipswich at the weekend, they would have Champions League football in their hands with six games to go. And then look at what happened when those subs like Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson came on. They dominated Brentford. But now, they are right up against it. Chelsea might have to finish ahead of Manchester City to qualify for the Champions League, in an era when every team that finished ahead of City won the Premier League."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Merson added: "Maresca won't win me over until the end of May. People tell me that Chelsea are doing well, but they've got one of the biggest squads in the world and they aren't even close to winning the Premier League. Man City and Arsenal have dominated the Premier League the last two years and Chelsea are a million points off the title in the year they drop off. And these players are going to be together for the next six or seven years because of their contracts.

"It's madness, absolutely madness. Six big-money players are currently out on loan because they aren't playing so it might be an absolute disaster if they do not get Champions League football next season. And winning the Conference League? Come on. There are two or three teams in this competition that I've never even heard of. I went to Stamford Bridge and watched them play FC Noah!"

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

The West London club are scheduled to face Legia Warsaw on Thursday away from home in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final fixture.

Ollie Pope described his “relief” after recording his second Test hundred, and first on home soil, in the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, saying that he hoped his innings of 145 could be the start of a more consistent period of run-scoring for England after a difficult 18 months.He also paid tribute to Joe Root, his partner during a 187-run stand that formed the bedrock of England’s reply to the daunting first-innings total of 553 posted by New Zealand. Root was quick to embrace Pope when he reached the milestone shortly after lunch, before going on to bring up a breezy century of his own – his second in successive innings, fourth of the year and 10th since January 2021, leading Pope to described him as “England’s greatest-ever” batter.Pope was recalled to the side at Lord’s last week having been dropped following the 2021-22 Ashes, and also promoted up the order to No. 3 – a position where he had never previously batted in first-class cricket. His hundred was his second in Tests, his first since January 2020, and came almost four years after his debut.”It hasn’t been the easiest ride over the last year or so,” Pope said. “A few tough tours away, didn’t play a massive amount last summer. Once I got over the line, it was a relief but I was just so happy. You have to take in those moments, which is something I’ve come to realise over the last year or so.”I’ve tried to get into this mindset of whatever good cricket I’m playing, I don’t want to look too far ahead or behind. ‘Play where your feet are’ is the saying we’ve got at the minute. You don’t want to look at the bigger picture too much because that stuff isn’t going to help you in the middle.”But at the same time, 25 Tests, it’s a great honour to have played that many Tests, but I want to be performing more consistently than I have over the last year or so. But I also feel I’ve learned a lot about my game and Test cricket and hopefully I can take forward and use this as a starting point with the bank of knowledge I’ve gained already.”Alex Lees and Ollie Pope played with attacking intent on the third morning•Getty Images

Pope said that the emphasis placed on enjoying the game by England’s new Test captain, Ben Stokes, and coach, Brendon McCullum, had helped free him up. He was twice out cheaply at Lord’s and survived being dropped on 41 on the second evening in Nottingham, but continued to look for scoring opportunities throughout his innings, which eventually ended via a top-edged pull to deep backward square – a shot that had twice brought him six.”You’re going to get out somehow and I think that’s allowed me to play my game and give me a bit more confidence, and start seeing everything in a little bit more positive light, in the Test arena, because that’s what I do for Surrey and that’s what has brought me a lot of success,” he said.The aggression shown by England, initially during a stand of 141 between Pope and Alex Lees – who scored his first Test half-century – and then the third-wicket association between Pope and Root, meant they piled on 383 runs in 88 overs, a run rate of 4.35 that reflected perfectly the Stokes-McCullum mantra and allowed them to put pressure back on New Zealand with two days left in the game.”The good thing at Trent Bridge is the outfield is rapid so it’s amazing to bat on,” Pope said. “So once you do get in – I think I was 11 off 40-odd – suddenly you get a few away and then the scoreboard can just race away. That’s something I always had in my mind. It might not happen to that extent at other grounds, but it was always in the back of my mind that if there was a tricky little period if I could get through that then there might be a couple of bad balls you could capitalise and get the score really moving forward.”While Pope’s progression to his hundred was accompanied by the odd flutter of nerves – even on such a docile pitch – there was a far jauntier air about Root skipping to three figures. His 116-ball century was his fastest in Tests, and he cruised on through the evening session to finish the day on 163 not out.Related

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Like Pope, he benefited for a drop in the slips – Tim Southee only able to tip a slashed top edge up and away for four. But he remained unruffled, rubbing in the pain for Southee when threading him between three fielders stationed in the covers later in the afternoon for one of his 25 fours. His hundred came up via an under-edged swipe to fine leg, producing a sheepish shrug and a carefree grin as he celebrated with Pope.When he moved to 150 late in the evening session with a wristy whip off Southee, it brought a shake of head in disbelief from his captain on the England balcony. An unorthodox slap down the ground followed, loaded with Kevin Pietersen-levels of disdain. “Shoes off if you love Joe Root”, came the slightly baffling chant from the stands, as several hundred England supporters stood holding their footwear aloft in salute.”We’re seeing England’s greatest ever,” Pope said, when asked about the experience of batting alongside Root. “You don’t want to necessarily replicate what he does but try to learn as much as I can off of him. Whether that’s him throwing balls at you for 20 minutes at the end of the session, which he’ll always happily do, and if he sees something – even from the mindset point of view, trying to pick his brains as much as I possibly can, especially while he’s in this amazing run of form.”The relentless nature of what he’s doing is something I can really learn off. He wants success for his team-mates as much as they do themselves, so it’s a great attribute.”

Manchester United’s transfer strategy in recent years has seen them come under fire, wasting hundreds of millions of pounds on players who simply aren’t up to the level required of the Premier League.

Former boss Erik ten Hag is partly to blame for their recruitment, spending over £600m on new additions during his tenure in charge at Old Trafford.

In an attempt to combat their recent woes, Dan Ashworth was brought in from Newcastle United a couple of months ago but has already left his post after a fallout with Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The 53-year-old was only in the role as Sporting Director for five months, overseeing the last transfer window under Ten Hag that saw another £200m splashed before his dismissal.

However, it was one deal before he moved to the North West that may look to be a mistake, especially considering his unforgivable errors in the latest outing.

Andre Onana’s move to Manchester United

The summer of 2023 saw various areas of the pitch undergo an overhaul to try and build on the third-place finish achieved during the season prior.

Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount both arrived to provide added firepower in attacking areas, with the pair costing the hierarchy over £120m in the process.

However, the departure of fan-favourite David De Gea left a huge hole between the sticks that desperately needed filling ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Spaniard, who made 545 appearances for the Red Devils, was let go at the end of his contract by Ten Hag, who opted to sign Andre Onana for £47m – believing that the Cameroonian would be a better fit in terms of playing out from the back.

Whilst there’s no denying that the 28-year-old has produced some impressive moments, his errors will always be the ones that are remembered, especially when they contribute to a defeat.

His errors against Nottingham Forest last night were unforgivable, leading Ruben Amorim to his first defeat on home soil since his appointment at the end of last month.

Onana was unable to keep out efforts from Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood, leading them to a second consecutive defeat. As a result, Amorim already has a huge task on his hands.

It could have been made easier had the club completed a deal for another goalkeeper, rather than opting for a move to land the Cameroonian. Here is who they could have signed instead…

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

Expand Collapse Man United's Onana alternative

After losing such a key member in De Gea, the job of replacing the Spaniard was always going to be a tricky task, placing huge expectations onto his replacement – which ultimately ended up being Onana.

The move undoubtedly came about after his time playing under Ten Hag at Ajax, reuniting the pair – a common theme with the majority of the additions during his time at the helm.

However, during the same period of the goalkeeping overhaul, there were numerous reports linking Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a big-money transfer to Old Trafford.

The Belgian, who’s previously been dubbed as “world-class” by journalist Harri Burton, featured in the Premier League for Chelsea, before joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2018.

During his glittering career, the 32-year-old has won six league titles to date, undoubtedly cementing himself as one of the best ‘keepers in the world over recent years.

Thibaut Courtois’ stats for Real Madrid

Season

Games

Goals conceded

Clean sheets

2018/19

35

48

10

2019/20

43

32

21

2020/21

51

44

21

2021/22

52

46

22

2022/23

49

49

17

2023/24

5

0

5

2024/25

16

14

6

Stats via Transfermarkt

Since his transfer to the Bernabeu, Courtois has also helped the Spanish giants to win two Champions League trophies, producing a Man of the Match display against Liverpool in the final back in the 2021/22 season.

Given his massive success as a player, coupled with Onana’s recent mistakes, the club may have wished they had forked out the added money needed to secure the services of the Belgian.

His experience at the top level, coupled with his winning mentality would’ve added the leadership and quality needed to end their recent run without a Premier League title.

However, he will remain as one who got away, leaving United supporters with a case of what could’ve been had they signed him instead of the current number one.

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Manchester United suffered a second consecutive defeat under Ruben Amorim last night.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Dec 8, 2024