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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is personally driving a move for Murillo, with Nottingham Forest’s stance on sanctioning a departure now being revealed.

The Blues have been solid from a defensive point of view in recent weeks, keeping clean sheets in their last three Premier League matches, most recently defeating Burnley 2-0 at Turf moor, with Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah impressing at the heart of defence.

Adarabioyo particularly caught the eye, receiving a SofaScore match rating of 8.6, the highest of any player, courtesy of making six tackles, winning ten of the 12 duels he contested, while also completing a whopping 102 passes, including seven long balls.

Being assured in possession of the ball is an important attribute for any player in a Maresca system, and the manager is now keen on another centre-back who could be an ideal fit in the Italian’s backline…

Maresca now driving Chelsea move for Murillo

According to a report from Caught Offside, Maresca has now personally identified Nottingham Forest defender Murillo as a key defensive target, but it could take a huge offer to get a deal over the line, with the Tricky Trees looking to hold out for up to €90m (£79m).

Forest are hesitant to cash-in on one of their key players, but they could be tempted to sanction a departure if a huge offer is submitted, with some other huge clubs also showing an interest in the centre-back, namely Barcelona and Arsenal.

The Chelsea manager is said to be a fan of ball-playing defenders capable of creating chances from deep, which means the Brazilian could be the perfect fit in his backline, and he recently put in a fantastic display as Forest secured a shock 3-0 win at Anfield.

Liverpool’s struggles continued on Saturday, with Arne Slot’s side falling to a shock defeat against a side that had made a slow start to the season, and Murillo displayed his attacking prowess by opening the scoring just after the half-an-hour mark.

It was a solid all-round performance from the one-time Brazil international, winning five of the six duels he contested, creating one big chance, and making 19 defensive actions, the highest number of any player.

It wasn’t the first time the 23-year-old has put in a top performance against the Reds, receiving high praise after impressing against Slot’s men earlier this year.

As such, Chelsea should undoubtedly pursue a move for Murillo, and it is promising news that Nottingham Forest could now be willing to sanction a departure for the right price.

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Ultimately, reality had to bite. 276 has never been chased at the Gaddafi, and the prospect has become even more unlikely since Pakistan pivoted to rapidly deteriorating spin tracks. South Africa gamely hung around till deep into the middle session, but they had been cut too far adrift, and kept losing too many wickets. Shaheen Shah Afridi polished off the tail after Pakistan’s spinners made early inroads, sealing a 93-run win that breaks South Africa’s record 10-Test win streak.Pakistan’s nerves had been settled at lunch with the dismissal of the dangerous and the dogged – Ryan Rickelton and Dewald Brevis both falling to superb deliveries from Sajid Khan and Noman Ali. Senuran Muthuswamy was trapped in front shortly after the resumption, and for the next half hour both sides appeared to be going through the motions. Kyle Verreynne and Simon Harmer hung around without really making a charge towards the total, while Pakistan’s spin kept plugging away, but without the intensity before the break. Slowly, South Africa edged past Pakistan’s third innings total, the first time since Pakistan have prepared these tracks that the fourth innings has outscored the third.The reintroduction of Afridi broke the game open, though. Coming around the wicket, he found reverse with the ageing ball on the ageing surface, viciously dipping one back into Verreynne that struck him so square Afridi never turned around to confirm the umpire agreed with his assessment that ball was hitting the stumps.Numbers 10 and 11 were easy work for an amped up Afridi, who sensed an opportunity to pad his figures up in a game where his relevance to the side had hitherto been limited. Prenelan Subrayen and Kagiso Rabada had no answer for the swinging yorkers that rattled their stumps, sealing a win that had perhaps been secured when Pakistan ran up a large total in the first two sessions of the first day.Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton gave South Africa hope•Getty Images

A lively session of cricket had broken out in the morning in Lahore with Brevis taking the attack to Pakistan. The 22-year-old, playing just his third Test match, threatened to pull off the spectacular with a run-a-ball 54 but was unable to sustain such a breakneck tempo on a wearing subcontinent pitch. Noman took back the spotlight that South Africa have been trying to take away from him through the course of this entire game, bringing up his third Test-match 10-for and putting Pakistan on the road to victory. At lunch, they were four wickets off and had 139 runs with which to buy them.Nothing like this target of 277 has ever been chased before in a Test match in Lahore and that record seemed set to continue when the first four overs of Wednesday’s play yielded two wickets and just five runs. Afridi went through Tony de Zorzi’s defence with his third ball and the worry the visitors had about new batters struggling to find rhythm in these conditions came to pass. Tristan Stubbs only lasted eight balls before reverse sweeping Noman to Salman Agha at slip, who now has five catches in the match.South Africa’s overnight 51 for 2 had become 55 for 4 when Brevis walked in. He took a little time to get acclimatised and then, in the 34th over, he charged out to meet a half-volley from Noman and smacked it over mid-off. A slog sweep for six and a heave over midwicket for four followed, giving the young batter all the confidence he needed to trust in his attacking instincts. The battle between Brevis and Pakistan peaked when he hit a no-look six over long-on to bring up his half-century.Noman had been the recipient of most of Brevis’ punishment, but the canny left-arm spinner knew all he needed was one ball in the right area. That came in the seventh over before lunch when a ball fired into the pitch gripped well enough to turn right past the defending batter and clatter into the stumps. Brevis fell for 54 off 54 with six of South Africa’s 10 fours and all of their two sixes in the final innings.That was Noman’s 10th wicket of the match. Sajid, his spin-bowling partner, chipped in with one as well when he dismissed the other set batter, Ryan Rickelton, for 45 off 145 deliveries as Pakistan went to the break consolidating the upper hand they’ve had since the first day’s play.South Africa spent the best part of four days trying to claw back that advantage, and while they took Pakistan the distance, it was a task which proved just a bridge too far, even for the world champions.

MLS has unveiled its 2026 regular-season schedule, which opens Feb. 21 with St. Louis CITY SC hosting Charlotte FC and later features Inter Miami’s debut at Miami Freedom Park on April 4. The league will pause from late May to mid-July for the FIFA World Cup before returning with marquee rivalry matches. Opening Day will feature a full slate of 15 matches over the MLS is Back Weekend.

GettySon vs. Messi on opening weekend

Lionel Messi, Son Heung-Min, and Thomas Muller will begin their 2026 MLS campaigns on opening day. Son and LAFC will face Messi’s Inter Miami CF at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 21, while Müller and Vancouver Whitecaps FC open their home slate the same day against Real Salt Lake at BC Place. Both fixtures rank among the marquee matchups of the MLS is Back weekend.

AdvertisementInter MiamiFreedom Park awaits

The inaugural match at Miami Freedom Park will see Inter Miami CF host Austin FC in the first game at the club’s new 25,000-seat stadium. The venue replaces DRV PNK Stadium as Miami’s permanent home and features upgraded facilities, expanded hospitality areas, and a downtown-adjacent location. The April 4 opener is one of the key dates on the 2026 MLS schedule.

Miami Freedom Park is also the first of three new MLS stadiums set to open in consecutive years, followed by NYCFC’s Etihad Park in 2027 and Chicago Fire FC’s new downtown stadium in 2028.

2026 MLS season to pause for the World Cup

MLS will pause league play from May 25 through July 16 to accommodate the FIFA World Cup 2026, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This break allows MLS players participating in the tournament, as well as fans and venues, to focus on the World Cup experience. Five MLS stadiums will serve as World Cup venues, with additional sites acting as national team base camps.

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Broadcast distribution

All 510 regular-season fixtures in 2026 will stream on Apple TV in more than 100 countries, with no local blackouts, as MLS integrates its package into Apple’s main service rather than a separate Season Pass. Select matches will continue to air on linear partners in the U.S. – including a slate of games on the FOX family of networks – while TSN and RDS will carry select Canadian broadcasts. The change positions Apple TV as the single global home for live MLS coverage next season.

Newcastle United are now believed to be one of the clubs who are battling to complete the signing of Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney.

The Magpies arguably have one of the most complete midfields in the Premier League currently, with the starting options at Eddie Howe’s disposal the envy of many managers.

In Bruno Guimarares, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, Newcastle have a trio who complement each perfectly, playing a big role in their success in recent years.

Bruno’s passion acts as the heartbeat for the Magpies, with the Brazilian such a popular figure from day one at St James’ Park, while Tonali’s box-to-box brilliance is seeing him become a more highly-rated player by the week. Then there’s Joelinton, whose physical prowess is such a potent weapon for his side.

Despite this, there is a feeling that added midfield depth is required for Newcastle, which is why they have been linked with a move for an exciting young talent.

Newcastle looking to sign Hayden Hackney

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown talked up Newcastle’s interest in Hackney, as the Magpies look to beat others to his signature with Howe concerned at his strength in depth.

“Hackney is a top player and he’s somebody I rate very highly. It’s no surprise there is interest in him, I’m told a lot of clubs have been keeping tabs on him, and it seems Newcastle are now one of those clubs. If Hackney was at Newcastle tomorrow, I don’t think he’d get into their midfield, because the options they’ve got in there at the moment are pretty much fixed.

“But he is the sort of player they would love to have who can come into the team when needed. Howe has been a bit concerned about the players they’ve got behind those three in there. He’s a very talented player with plenty of room to grow and develop, so he could go into that Newcastle squad with a view to becoming a key player in the future.

“With the three they’ve got in midfield at the moment, he would be going in there to provide depth, and whether that’s what he will be interested in, I’m not sure. But it’s definitely something that would make sense for Newcastle.”

Hackney could be an outstanding long-term addition for Newcastle, acting as a strong squad player before maturing into a key starter over time.

The 23-year-old has shone in a Middlesbrough shirt for years now, making 127 appearances and registering 23 goal contributions, and his former manager Michael Carrick was a big admirer of his.

“He’s grounded, he’s humble, he’s down to earth and loves to learn. He loves the place and he loves the club as well. To have that, added with the talent he has got, it’s the perfect scenario. I think it just shows his consistency really, over a long period of time. It’s not easy when you’re a younger player, but he’s certainly done that.”

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Hopefully, the fact that Hackney wouldn’t have to move far works in Newcastle’s favour, also seeing the club heading in a positive direction under Howe.

Newcastle's "sensational" talent is looking like another Bruno-type player

What could Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim have wished for after enduring a fairly long time without Test centuries? Couple of helpful pitches in Sylhet and Chattogram, perhaps. But those had come and gone. Under pressure, Shanto and Mushfiqur broke free from their barren run on Tuesday on a Galle pitch that allowed them to play freely yet kept them honest to the fact that they couldn’t just play their shots freely.On the eve of the first Test against Sri Lanka, Shanto had pointed out how Galle is at its best for a batter on the first couple of days before the spinners take charge. However, Bangladesh were reduced to 45 for 3 on the first day itself as ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Rathnayake and seamer Asitha Fernando struck early. But Shanto and Mushfiqur added 247 for the fourth wicket, and went back undefeated on 136 and 105, respectively.It was Mushfiqur’s 12th Test hundred, and his first in 14 innings since August last year. His highest score in this period was 40 against Zimbabwe. After play on the first day against Sri Lanka, Mushfiqur recalled his first innings in Galle from 12 years ago, when he got Bangladesh’s first double-hundred in Tests.Related

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“I think I get a pretty good wicket every time I have played in Galle,” he said. “I have seen how some other Tests here had a lot of purchase for spinners. We knew that one of us out of the seven batters had to capitalise on the first two days in Galle. If I am not wrong, myself and [Mohammad] Ashraful batted the whole day here in 2013. It was my plan this time too; I was telling Shanto that we need to bat the whole day.”It was Mushfiqur’s fourth century against Sri Lanka, and his second in the island nation. He said that he had told his younger team-mates about what to expect from Sri Lankan pitches.”After Bangladesh, I [most] love playing in Sri Lanka,” Mushfiqur said. “There is always a sporting wicket, whether it is the red or white ball. If you apply your strength here, you can do well – whether you are a batter, quick bowler or spinner. I was telling this to a few of our young players who are playing their first Test in Galle.”I like to play with wind around. I have to adjust when the newer ball turns a bit, or against the older ball. It is really special to play in Galle. I love batting here.”Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim added an undefeated 247 for the fourth wicket•Associated Press

Mushfiqur, though, acknowledged that he wasn’t as comfortable this time. Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva changed the field several times, often putting catchers in different positions and asking the bowlers to switch from conventional lines. Mushfiqur spent 23 balls in the nineties, before reaching the three-figure mark in the 86th over.”These are not easy runs. I took a lot of time in the nineties, as they were not giving me a freebie,” Mushfiqur said. “It shows that they are a tough side to score against. They made smart bowling changes and field placements. I trust my process when I am batting with control. Usually, we see that our opponents send a fielder to the deep after two or three boundaries. Sri Lanka change their fielding according to the conditions. You have to bat patiently against them.”Mushfiqur insisted that taking plenty of singles allowed him and Shanto to put the pressure back on Sri Lanka. He also praised Shanto, who got to his first Test century since November 2023, for dominating proceedings at the other end without giving a sniff to the opposition.”I think rotating the strike is important – maybe as much as hitting fours or sixes,” Mushfiqur said. “Rotation of strike causes problems for the bowlers, especially when there’s a left-hander and a right-hander [combination] in the middle. It is very important to pick singles as the fielding side have to constantly change their placements. This is why we are always in training so that we remain fit.”Shanto has been in good form for a pretty long time. He has a good Test record. He is a good batter. It was nothing special. I was really impressed by his control factor today. He scored a hundred in Kandy some years ago, but I thought this was the right approach. It is important to play a chanceless innings, when you are mostly in control. It is going to give confidence to the next batters.”Mushfiqur said that Bangladesh must look to take advantage of such a start by batting long on the second day.”It is obviously a satisfying effort. Nobody wants to get any less runs after playing for so many years for your country,” he said. “You can’t get runs in every game, but when you do the right things over and over, hopefully the big score will come soon enough. When it does come around, you have to make sure to make it count. I am not finished yet. I will try to maximize tomorrow.”

With their sights set on further upgrades, Manchester United have now reportedly leapfrogged Liverpool in the race to sign a Premier League rival who’s worth £70m.

Man Utd's 2026 transfer plans

Victory over Sunderland at least bought Ruben Amorim more time, but there’s no denying that the pressure is still on. Such results should be a formality at a club of Man United’s stature and, simply put, they have been anything but since the former Sporting Club boss arrived. That said, INEOS’ transfer plans suggest that they’re still ready to back their manager.

The impact of their spending has already been on show this season, too. Senne Lammens made his full debut against Sunderland and instantly silenced the noise that has been surrounding United’s No.1 role for a number of years. Meanwhile, Benjamin Sesko has now discovered his golden touch – scoring twice in his last two games.

Those at Old Trafford will be the first to admit that there’s still plenty of work to be done, especially when 2026 arrives. The investment into Amorim’s squad must continue and may yet even feature another shot-stopper.

Aiming to overhaul the position completely with Lammens and one other star, the Red Devils have reportedly shown interest in signing Marc-Andre ter Stegen from Barcelona when he returns from his current spell on the sidelines.

The experienced goalkeeper would come with hefty wages, which should act as a warning sign after previous mistakes, but may add invaluable experience to Amorim’s dressing room.

He’s not the only option in that department, though. United have also been linked with Emiliano Martinez again. The Aston Villa goalkeeper came close to joining the club in the summer, before they chose Lammens instead. Now, after competition for the summer arrival, United could reportedly go back in for the World Cup winner.

Signing proven Premier League players seems like a route that INEOS could look to go down after Cunha and Mbeumo, with Martinez already linked and an attacking star now also on Man United’s radar.

Man Utd jump ahead of Liverpool in Semenyo race

As reported by Caught Offside, Man United now hold stronger interest in Antoine Semenyo than Liverpool and INEOS have identified the Bournemouth winger as a player who is “well worth” paying for.

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The impressive forward has enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign – scoring six goals and assisting another three in seven Premier League games. It’s the type of form that so often leads to a big move, but Bournemouth are unlikely to sell for a bargain price. Reports have even gone as far as to suggest that the Cherries value their star man at £70m.

Naturally, Semenyo’s current form has also earned him some fairly high praise from those around the Premier League. And that includes from Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool ace Jamie Redknapp.

The pundit said after the Bournemouth winger scored in a recent comeback win over Fulham: “It was a hard night to play football but it didn’t matter to Semenyo. He just glides across that surface. An incredible, unique talent. So fantastic to see.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Red Bull Bragantino se reencontrou com a vitória ao bater o Cuiabá por 2 a 0, com gols de Thiago Borbas e Talisson, no Nabi Abi Chedid, pelo Brasileirão.Com o placar, o Massa Bruta é o 4º colocado, com 35 pontos. O Cuiabá aparece na 9ª posição, com 28 pontos.

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+ Veja a tabela do Brasileirão

Calendário

Na próxima rodada, o Bragantino visita o Cruzeiro, no Mineirão. O Cuiabá mede forças contra o Grêmio, em Porto Alegre.

O jogo

Se o Bragantino tinha a posse de bola sem criar perigo, o Cuiabá dava sustos no contra-ataque. Primeiro Cafu saiu na grande área, driblou Capixaba e parou em Cleiton. Pouco depois, Deyverson, na cara do goleiro e perdeu a chance do jogo.

O Massa Bruta só teve chance na metade da etapa inicial, quando Thiago Borbas exigiu boa defesa do goleiro Walter.

Na etapa final a efetividade falou mais alto a favor do time de Bragança. Após a sobra na grande área, Thiago Borbas soltou o pé e estufou a rede.

Com a obrigação de sair para o ataque, o Cuiabá pressionou e tomou conta do meio-campo. A melhor oportunidade veio com Deyverson. No rebote de Cleiton, o atacante chutou fraco e o goleiro salvou com o pé.

Quando o empate do Cuiabá estava maduro, o Massa Bruta matou o confronto. Em rápida troca de passes, Talisson recebeu açucarado na grande área e bateu no cantinho de Walter, 2 a 0.

BRAGANTINO 2 X 0 CUIABÁ

Local: Nabi Abi Chedid, Bragança Paulista (SP)

Data-Hora: 27/8/2023 – 11h

Árbitro:Bruno Mota Correia (RJ)

Auxiliares:Rodrigo Figueiredo Henrique Correa (RJ)e Thiago Henrique Neto Correa Farinha (RJ)

VAR:Gilberto Rodrigues Castro Junior(PE)

Público/renda: pagantes/R$

Cartões amarelos: Quintero, Thiago Borbas, Realpe, Juninho Capixaba (BGT),Marllon, Raniele (CUI)

Cartões vermelhos: –

Gols:Thiago Borbas (9’/2ºT) Alisson (37’/2ºT)

RED BULL BRAGANTINO: Cleiton; Aderlan, Realpe, Léo Ortiz e Juninho Capixaba; Quintero (Luan Cândido, ao 0/2ºT), Matheus Fernandes, Helinho (Matheus Gonçalves, aos 11/2ºT), Gustavinho (Talisson, aos 31/2ºT) e Sorriso (Vitinho, ao 0/2ºT); Thiago Borbas (Alerrandro, aos 33/2ºT). Técnico: Pedro Caixinha.

CUIABÁ: Walter; Matheus Alexandre (Pitta, aos 39/2ºT), Marllon, Alan Empereur e Rikelme (Ronald Lopes, aos 39/2ºT); Raniele, Denilson (Lucas Mineiro, aos 27/2ºT) e Fernando Sobral (Fillipe Augusto, aos 18/2ºT); Wellington Silva, Jonathan Cafu (Emerson Ramon, aos 26/2ºT) e Deyverson. Técnico: Antônio Oliveira.

In the world of football, the threshold for what constitutes as ‘young’ seems to be constantly evolving. As the sport progresses, the age at which players are making their senior debuts is getting significantly younger.

Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha is the latest teenage star to burst onto the scene, and his dramatic late winner for the Reds on debut will go down in history.

But where does he rank for youngest ever scorers? Fortunately, when it comes to ranking the top 10 youngest Premier League goalscorers, there’s no ambiguity – the facts and figures are all at our disposal. So, without further ado, here are the 10 youngest scorers in Premier League history.

Rank

Player

Age

Date & Opponent

1

James Vaughan (Everton)

16 yrs, 270 days

Apr 2005 v Crystal Palace

2

James Milner (Leeds)

16 yrs, 356 days

Dec 2002 v Sunderland

3

Wayne Rooney (Everton)

16 yrs, 360 days

Oct 2002 v Arsenal

4

Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool)

16 yrs, 361 days

Aug 2025 v Newcastle

5

Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)

17 yrs, 113 days

Aug 2004 v Blackburn

6

Michael Owen (Liverpool)

17 yrs, 143 days

May 1997 v Wimbledon

7

Andy Turner (Tottenham)

17 yrs, 166 days

Sep 1992 v Everton

8

Federico Macheda (Man Utd)

17 yrs, 226 days

Apr 2009 v Aston Villa

9

Lewis Miley (Newcastle)

17 yrs, 229 days

Dec 2023 v Fulham

10

Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)

17 yrs, 247 days

Nov 2024 v Nottingham Forest

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ByLewis Thompson Jun 15, 2024 10 Ethan Nwaneri 17 years, 247 days v Nottingham Forest (2024)

Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri announced himself on the Premier League stage when grabbing his first goal in the competition four months shy of his 18th birthday.

Incredibly, Nwaneri had made his debut over two years prior to this, coming on as a late substitute during a Gunners win at Brentford in September 2022.

Now a part of the first team at the Emirates Stadium, Nwaneri has already shown a knack for goalscoring, with cutting inside onto his left turning into something of a trademark already.

Nwaneri’s first-time finish against Nottingham Forest was his fourth of the 2024/25 season for Arsenal, with three coming in the EFL Cup before breaking his Premier League duck.

9 Lewis Miley 17 years, 229 days v Fulham (2023)

Lewis Miley quickly emerged as a fan favourite on Tyneside after signing his first professional contract for Newcastle United in February 2023.

The technical midfielder became Newcastle’s youngest Premier League debutant when he appeared as a substitute in his side’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on the 2022/23 season’s final day.

Over the course of the following campaign, Miley would go on to play 26 times for the Magpies, including two away games in the Champions League against PSG and Borussia Dortmund, plus a home tie versus AC Milan.

His first professional goal came in December 2023 in a 3-0 win over Fulham at St James’ Park. That knee slide in front of the Gallowgate End must have felt pretty sweet!

8 Federico Macheda 17 years, 226 days v Aston Villa (2009)

Once hailed as being Manchester United’s future star at Old Trafford, Federico Macheda burst onto the scene with a goal on his debut against Aston Villa in April 2009.

He was just three days younger than Miley when his two-touch strike made it 3-2 for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side after Cristiano Ronaldo had already bagged a brace.

Macheda’s goal essentially sealed the Premier League title for Man United on that day and he would go on to score the winner against Sunderland a week later. However, the Italian striker would only score five more goals for United.

Queens Park Rangers, Doncaster Rovers and Birmingham City were among a host of clubs who would welcome Macheda on loan from United, until his permanent transfer to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Cardiff City in 2014.

Since then, Macheda has played most of his football in Greece for Panathinaikos, scoring 36 goals in 106 appearances.

7 Andy Turner 17 years, 166 days v Everton (1992)

From one slightly unknown to an even lesser-known one:

Andy Turner became the youngest player to score a goal in the Premier League during its inaugural season in September 1992. The overall record, which has only been surpassed four times, stood for five years until a more recognisable 17-year-old named Michael Owen broke it.

The London-born Irishman’s goal came late in a 2-1 home win for Tottenham Hotspur against Everton. Throughout his 16-year career, Turner played for over 15 clubs. The attacking midfielder had loan spells at Wycombe Wanderers, Huddersfield Town and Southend United, along with stints at Crystal Palace and Wolves.

In a 2018 interview with Spurs, Turner mentioned that he runs a non-league academy in the Midlands. He also leads an educational academy under the Pro Direct Academy banner in Birmingham and was once the Under-13 academy coach at Port Vale.

6 Michael Owen 17 years, 143 days v Wimbledon (1997)

Like Turner, Michael Owen was once the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer for a period of five years.

Owen rose through Liverpool’s academy and the FA’s School of Excellence, where he broke numerous England youth goalscoring records. He played a key role in Liverpool winning their first FA Youth Cup in 1996 before joining the first team under Roy Evans and then Gerard Houllier.

In the penultimate game of the 1996/97 season, Owen scored on his debut as a substitute in a 2-1 defeat to Wimbledon, cementing his name in top-flight history.

The following season, the English forward was named PFA Young Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season. Owen also became the first Liverpool player and only the fourth Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or in 2001. He scored 158 goals in 297 appearances for Liverpool before moving to Real Madrid in 2004.

Injuries plagued Owen’s career, limiting him to one season at Real Madrid, where he scored 13 goals in 36 appearances. He later played for Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City before retiring in 2013.

5 Cesc Fabregas 17 years, 113 days v Blackburn (2004)

One of the greatest, most technical midfielders to ever grace the Premier League is also one of its youngest-ever goalscorers.

Cesc Fabregas moved from Barcelona to Arsenal in September 2003 for just shy of £3 million. He made over 200 appearances for the north London club before returning to his beloved Barcelona.

Shortly after becoming Arsenal’s youngest-ever first-team player at the age of 16, Fabregas scored his first Premier League goal in a 3-0 win over Blackburn in August 2004, poking home from a Gilberto Silva header in a game that saw Arsenal go a record 43rd top-flight match unbeaten.

The Spaniard had further success at Chelsea and Monaco before retiring at Como, the side he now manages in Italy’s Serie A.

4 Rio Ngumoha 16 yrs, 361 days v Newcastle (2025)

After signing for Liverpool from Chelsea’s academy in the summer of 2024, Rio Ngumoha quickly impressed those on Merseyside, beocming the second-youngest appearance-maker in the Reds’ history at the beginning of 2025.

He had to wait for his Premier League debut, though, but when it came against Newcastle United, Ngumoha made an instant impact. Sent on in injury time by Arne Slot after Liverpool surrendered a two-goal lead with a player advantage, the teenager calmy slotted home the winner ahead of his 17th birthday.

3 Wayne Rooney 16 years, 360 days v Arsenal (2002)

A name that needs no real explanation to emphasise his prolific goalscoring rate as a youngster.

Wayne Rooney captured headlines worldwide when his 25-yard stunner for Everton in October 2002 ended Arsenal’s 30-game unbeaten run in the Premier League. At just 16 years old, Rooney’s iconic goal marked the beginning of arguably the greatest-ever Premier League legacy.

Rooney moved to Manchester United after just two seasons with the Toffees. He scored over 200 Premier League goals during his illustrious career before transitioning to management. He is the current manager of Plymouth Argyle in the Championship.

2 James Milner 16 years, 356 days v Sunderland (2002)

James Milner was just four days younger than Rooney when he scored his first Premier League goal against Sunderland in December 2002.

As a childhood fan of Leeds United, Milner began his career as a teenager there, making 48 appearances over two seasons.

Known as one of the most versatile footballers in Premier League history, Milner has excelled for multiple clubs, including Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton.

Ahead of the 2024/25 season, Milner only needs 20 more top-flight appearances to equal Gareth Barry’s record of 653. He has played in 22 seasons, 46 different stadiums and had 280 teammates during his Premier League career.

He has also won every English domestic trophy, as well as the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup with Liverpool.

1 James Vaughan 16 years, 270 days v Crystal Palace (2005)

James Vaughan is the Premier League’s youngest-ever goalscorer, but couldn’t quite follow in the footsteps of those who had gone before him.

Vaughan made history on his debut when he scored Everton’s fourth goal in a 4-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace at Goodison Park in April 2005. The result moved Everton four points clear of Liverpool in the race for Champions League qualification.

Everton reached the third qualifying round of the Champions League the following season but lost out to Villarreal. Ironically, Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League triumph meant they made it to the group stages for the following season’s competition via the qualifiers, where they reached the round of 16 before losing out to Benfica.

As for Vaughan, his record-breaking goal at the age of 16 was a highlight in a career that promised much but was hampered by injuries. He made just six appearances for Norwich City before joining Huddersfield in 2013. Vaughan also represented Sunderland, Wigan, Bradford and Tranmere before transitioning into a role off the pitch.

In March 2024, Vaughan was made the head of academy recruitment and player pathways at Everton. It seems likely that his record won’t stand forever in this day and age, but for now, it remains a remarkable achievement.

It is hard to describe the summer transfer window as anything other than a disappointment for Leeds United after they failed to make any further additions to their squad on deadline day.

Speaking ahead of the deadline, Daniel Farke said: “In defence and midfield, goalkeeper position and full-back position, we’ve done really good business. But we spoke quite open and honest about it, we would need to add some more quality up front. We need to stay awake until the last hour of this window.”

Journalist Graham Smyth added that the German head coach claimed that it would be “difficult” for the Championship champions to avoid relegation if they did not strengthen their attack in the final days of the window.

The same reporter noted after the deadline passed that the day was a “disaster” for the 49ers, who failed to back their manager with what he felt they needed to avoid relegation.

Leeds have only scored one goal, a penalty against Everton, in three Premier League matches so far, and there are big concerns over the quality of their frontline.

The Whites were linked with plenty of attackers heading into the deadline, but they were ultimately unable to land Facundo Buonanotte or Harry Wilson.

How Leeds failed Farke this summer

Leeds may well go on to achieve survival and enjoy a fantastic first season back in the Premier League, but it is worrying when the manager states outright that it will be difficult to avoid the drop without signings and the club fail to bring any players in.

The Whites were reportedly hopeful of signing Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion in the final few days of the window, after he scored five goals on loan at Leicester City in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore.

However, Chelsea, despite their vast resources and the incredible talent they already possess in attacking areas, decided to sign the Argentine youngster on a season-long loan to compete with Estevao, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Jamie Gittens, Tyrique George, Andrey Santos, Joao Pedro, and Enzo Fernandez for a starting berth in the attacking midfield positions.

After their move for Buonanotte fell through, Leeds entered into talks with Fulham over a permanent deal to sign Wales international Harry Wilson to bolster their squad.

Appearances

35

25

xG

3.38

4.21

Goals

4

6

Big chances created

5

2

Key passes per game

0.7

0.8

Assists

6

1

The left-footed star, who scored ten goals in the last two Premier League seasons combined, did not end up at Elland Road on deadline day, though, because the Cottagers pulled the plug.

Fulham reportedly had a late change of heart and decided to keep Wilson as part of their squad after a deal for Tyrique George from Chelsea fell through for them.

This meant that Leeds ended the day without any reinforcements to their attack, and that they ended the window with Noah Okafor as the only attacking signing who was signed for a transfer fee.

The situation is what it is now, though, and Farke has to work with what he has to achieve what he feels is now unlikely – survival. One of the players he is tasked with getting the best out of is Wilfried Gnonto, who is currently worth more than both Buonanotte and Wilson.

Leeds have hit the jackpot with Wilfried Gnonto

The West Yorkshire outfit paid a fee of £3.8m to sign the versatile forward from Zurich back in the summer of 2022, and he is now worth significantly more than that.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Leeds targeted Buonanotte and Wilson to bolster the team in the positions that Gnonto plays for the Whites, but the Italian youngster is worth even more than both of them, per Transfermarkt.

The Chelsea loanee is valued at £17.3m and the Wales international is valued at £13m by Transfermarkt, which shows that both players are highly valued players, thanks to their respective performances in the Premier League in recent seasons.

Gnonto may still be waiting for his first goal contribution in the Premier League this season, but he is an exciting young talent who has the potential to develop into a terrific option for Farke if he can hit his stride in the top-flight.

At the age of 21, the Leeds forward still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve as a player, with every match in the Premier League another piece of valuable experience for him.

Gnonto, who was hailed as “electric” by Statman Dave when the Whites were last in the top-flight, has already shown plenty of signs of progression throughout his career at Elland Road, as illustrated by his soaring market value.

September 2022

£3.8m move from Zurich

March 2023

£15.8m

December 2023

£13.8m

May 2024

£13.8m

December 2024

£15.8m

May 2025

£19m

As you can see in the table above, the Italy U21 international is currently valued at around £19m by Transfermarkt, which means that he is worth even more than both Buonanotte and Wilson.

This also shows that Leeds have hit the jackpot with the 21-year-old starlet because his value has soared from £3.8m to £19m in the space of three years, suggesting that the club could make a gigantic profit on him in the future if they ever decide to cash in.

Gnonto’s next step is to show that he can deliver consistent quality and consistent all-round performances in the Premier League with Leeds this season to help them avoid the drop, and to show that the club did not need the attackers that they targeted in his position.

The Italian ace produced nine goals and six assists in 26 starts in the Championship last season, per Sofascore, and may be able to provide a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals if given the chance to start regularly in the top-flight this term.

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The forward has departed Elland Road.

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Irrespective of what happens this season, though, Leeds have undoubtedly hit the jackpot with Gnonto, who is an incredibly valuable asset for the club at this moment in time.

Manchester United have now identified a “strong leader” from Bayern Munich as one of their priority targets, and his agent has made contact over a potential deal, journalist Christian Falk has revealed.

Man Utd looking to sign defender alongside Baleba

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba has quickly risen to near the top of Man United’s shortlist, and they are now confident they will be able to get a deal for the Cameroonian over the line, but central midfield is not the only position in which they are keen to strengthen.

Indeed, a formal move has now been made for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, but it could be difficult for United to win the race for the Englishman, given that reigning Premier League champions Liverpool are known to be interested too.

Not Baleba: Man Utd now submit £69m offer to sign "spectacular" midfielder

The Red Devils have tabled a bid for a central midfielder.

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 13, 2025

As a result, the Red Devils may be forced to move on to alternatives, and they have now identified a new priority signing, according to Falk, who recently told CFBayern that Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano is one of their key targets.

In fact, Upamecano’s agent, Moussa Sissko, has now offered a number of Premier League clubs the chance to sign his client, including Man United, as reaching an agreement on a new deal with the German club has proven to be difficult.

The 26-year-old’s current contract is set to expire next summer, which means the Bundesliga champions are at risk of losing him on a free transfer, and they are hesitant to let the negotiations drag on for too long, which could pave the way for an exit.

"Strong leader" Upamecano could be exactly what Man Utd need

United legend Roy Keane has been extremely critical of United captain Bruno Fernandes in the past, with the Irishman saying: “I would take the captaincy off him 100 per cent. I know it’s a big decision, obviously they changed the captaincy with Maguire, but Fernandes is not captain material.”

A lack of authority on the pitch is arguably a big reason behind the Red Devils’ demise, which means the Bayern defender could be an ideal addition to the squad, given his leadership capabilities.

After watching the Frenchman play for Bayern against Celtic in the Champions League, UEFA observer Michael O’Neill said: “He was strong defensively, won all his duels, was great in possession and a strong leader.”

The former RB Leipzig man has also performed well across some key defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs.

Statistic	Average per 90
Aerials won	2.88 (83rd percentile)
Tackles	1.87 (78th percentile)
Interceptions	1.54 (88th percentile)

As such, the £166k-a-week star’s strong defensive showings and leadership skills could make him the ideal addition to Ruben Amorim’s backline.