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Amad Diallo has responded to the criticism he received for showing fans the middle finger after Manchester United lost a post-season friendly.

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• United lost friendly to ASEAN All-Star team
• Players subjected to abuse from supporters
• Amad responds after showing middle finger

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United suffered more embarrassment after their poor Premier League campaign and defeat in the Europa League final as they were beaten 1-0 by the ASEAN All-Star team in a post-season friendly in Malaysia. Supporters in attendance at the Bukit Jalil Stadium were heard booing the Red Devils and Amad was later seen making a gesture to fans as he made his way to the team bus.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Amad, one of few United players who will escape the 2024-25 season with some credit for his performances, has now revealed he took exception to fans allegedly insulting his mother and claimed he doesn't regret his actions.

• WHAT AMAD SAID

  Writing on X, Amad said: "I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom.

  "I shouldn't have reacted like that but I don't regret what I did.

  "We had a great time in Malaysia with good people."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR AMAD AND MAN UTD?

  The 22-year-old scored 11 goals in all competitions for United during the 2024-25 season and is expected to be a key player for manager Ruben Amorim moving forward. The Red Devils have another fixture against Hong Kong to take part in on Friday before the squad enjoys a break from playing duties until July, when their pre-season begins.

Looking to take full advantage of his contract situation, Leeds United have now commenced “work” on their move to sign an “outstanding” defensive reinforcement for Daniel Farke this summer.

Leeds transfer news

The Whites have their sights set on Championship promotion but they, more than most, will be well aware just how quickly things can change in England’s second division. With 11 games left and five points between themselves at the top of the league and Burnley in third, those at Elland Road will be desperate to get over the line as soon as possible.

Once potentially over the line, they can turn their attention to the transfer window, where they may have to enjoy their most important summer yet under the 49ers if back in the Premier League.

Leeds have watched on as Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City have all paid the price for their recruitment decisions this season and will not want to make the same mistakes.

Not just Kristensen: 49ers must sell Leeds flop who's cost £525k-per-game

Rasmus Kristensen looks to be on his way out of Leeds United, with another player needing to follow him.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 6, 2025

With that in mind, the Whites have reportedly already got one target in mind. Transfer reporter Graeme Bailey told Sunderland AFC News that Leeds have commenced “work” on signing Dennis Cirkin from Sunderland this summer.

Bailey said: “Keep a close eye on Cirkin. I am told a lot of Premier League clubs have been doing work on him. Chelsea, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, West Ham, Everton and Leeds – he is an outstanding prospect.”

The left-back has just over a year left on his current Black Cats deal and whilst Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has revealed that talks over a new contract are underway, the parties are yet to reach a resolution.

"Outstanding" Cirkin could replace Firpo

By signing Cirkin, Leeds could solve an issue of their own. As things stand, the Yorkshire club are set to lose key defender Junior Firpo on a free deal at the end of the season once his current contract expires. An experienced left-back and Farke’s outright starter, failing to replace Firpo would be a frustrating way to begin any potential Premier League return.

Cirkin, however, is more than capable of easing that blow and stepping up to the Premier League whilst doing so.

Although a more defensive option compared to Firpo, whose output speaks for itself, that may not be a bad thing if Leeds find themselves in the Premier League next season.

As Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich have found out the hard way this season, promoted teams simply cannot walk into the Premier League and instantly step onto the front foot – they need to be far more robust than that. Cirkin, as highlighted by the number of times he has won possession back for Sunderland this season, would have no trouble adapting to that style.

Coasting to the Premier League title at this moment in time, Arne Slot’s Liverpool could also be one trophy down next weekend when they face off against Newcastle United at Wembley in the EFL Cup final.

With the potential for a Champions League success to also be thrown into the mix down the line, it’s very clear that Slot’s first season in the English game has been anything but a learning curve, with the ex-Feyenoord boss taking to the known tricky climate like a duck to water instead.

Still, this approaching summer could be one of upheaval at Anfield, with talk centring in on the Dutchman selling some prized assets in the attacking areas which could include Luis Diaz’s sale.

The latest on Luis Diaz's future at Anfield

Unlike Darwin Nunez who continues to blow hot and cold for the title-chasing Reds, Diaz has been a consistent performer in recent weeks for his star-studded side.

The ex-FC Porto winger could reportedly soon follow the Uruguayan out the door regardless, even as the entertaining 28-year-old now reaches nine goals and four assists in Premier League action this season, off the back of assisting Nunez for a rare top-flight strike against Southampton last time out.

£67m may allegedly be enough for Slot and Co to be tempted into parting ways as the likes of Barcelona line up attempting to pick up the 28-year-old, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold also considering his future at the Merseyside giants.

If Liverpool were to lose their slick number seven very shortly then the Reds may well have the ideal replacement already lined up.

Slot's "sensational" Diaz replacement

There is still some time before the transfer window kicks back into gear, but the groundwork already looks to be in place for the Anfield side to try and secure a statement purchase.

As per a fresh report by Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich are willing to let Frenchman Kingsley Coman leave the building this summer, with Liverpool already establishing contact with Bayern having lodged an enquiry.

Described as “one of the best players in Europe when it comes to wingers” by Julian Nagelsmann, he has enjoyed a distinguished career with the Bavarian titans to date.

That included scoring a Champions League-winning header back in 2021 with Coman surely able to confidently slot into his new team and take on the mantle of replacing Diaz in his stride.

After all, the World Cup winner boasts an impressive 131 goal contributions and counting pulling on Bayern red, with the Paris-born forward’s regular explosiveness down the left flank even drawing direct similarities with the Colombian according to FBref’s similar players tool.

Looking at the table above, even whilst the South American has impressed under Slot, Coman betters his counterpart in many different areas of their respective attacking games over the last year, with the Bayern number 11 trumping Diaz when it comes to total shots on goal, shot-creating actions and lots more.

That’s the case despite Coman only starting 11 Bundesliga games this season under Vincent Kompany, meaning he could also be an inspired pick-up as an impact substitute.

Available for a fee around the £29m mark according to reports, this would represent smart business on Liverpool’s end if a deal could be secured, as Slot prepares to enter into his second season at the Anfield helm with a slight new look to his forward areas.

122 touches, 100% dribbles: Liverpool star is now as undroppable as Salah

Liverpool beat Southampton in the Premier League to move 16 points clear at the summit.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 9, 2025

Milos Kerkez has reportedly left the Hungary camp as the Bournemouth star's Liverpool transfer seems to gather steam.

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• Hungary set to face Sweden & Azerbaijan
• Kerkez left the training camp in Telki
• Liverpool negotiating for the full-back with Bournemouth

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Initially listed in Marco Rossi’s squad for upcoming friendlies against Sweden and Azerbaijan, the young defender’s unexpected departure from the training base in Telki has fuelled the rumour mill. Hungary boss Marco Rossi declined to elaborate on the matter during his press conference, further heightening curiosity surrounding the full-back's situation.

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  WHAT ROSSI SAID

  Speaking ahead of Hungary’s friendly against Sweden, Rossi confirmed that Kerkez be unavailable. "Of course, a few problems can sometimes creep in. For various reasons, neither Milos Kerkez nor Barnabas Varga will be in tomorrow’s match," the Italian told the Hungarian media.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kerkez’s withdrawal from the national setup comes as rumours swirl regarding a high-profile transfer to Liverpool, with Arne Slot having identified the defender as his primary left-back target to provide depth and competition for Andy Robertson. The Merseyside club are in talks with the Cherries, who are believed to be demanding a transfer fee in the region of £45 million ($61m).

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  If the deal is finalized, Kerkez would become Liverpool’s second signing of the summer transfer window, with the Reds having recently confirmed the arrival of Dutch full-back Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen. Additionally, the Merseysiders are reportedly working on a deal to bring in attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, also from Leverkusen.

Manchester United have now held talks with a “sensational” ace in the hope of beating Liverpool to his signature, according to a new report.

Man Utd keeping their transfer options open

As the summer transfer window gets ever closer, the transfer stories begin to heat up, and the Red Devils look to have their eyes set on numerous players who they hope will help improve Ruben Amorim’s team.

Hidden Man Utd boardroom figure set to help them win race to sign £100m gem

United believe they have an advantage over the other suitors.

By
Brett Worthington

Mar 26, 2025

Southampton’s Tyler Dibling is a player who has been on United’s radar for a while now, but it appears that the Premier League side are ready to step up their interest. It is being reported that United are now ready to sign Dibling, as other teams circle with interest, but they may have to pay as much as £100 million to get the young Englishman to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils see Dibling as someone who can become their new right wing-back as well as possibly operate as one of their number 10s.

But he is not the only player who is on their radar for becoming their new right wing-back, as the Red Devils are willing to battle Barcelona to win the race for Givairo Read, who currently plays for Feyenoord. He could cost United just £20 million this summer.

Man Utd battling Liverpool in the race to sign Frimpong

But if the 20-time Premier League champions are willing to pay more, then they may turn their attentions elsewhere. According to TBR Football, Man United have held talks over the signing of Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen but face a strong battle to secure his transfer.

Liverpool are keen on signing the Dutch international as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, but they now face competition from United and Man City, who have both held talks with Frimpong’s camp in recent weeks.

It doesn’t say how those talks went or what they were focused on, but it is another sign that Amorim wants to strengthen his right-side this summer.

United see Frimpong, who has been dubbed “sensational” by The Guardian columnist Dominik Diamond, as a perfect fit for their right wing-back role. Frimpong has played a similar role at Leverkusen, where he scored nine goals and recorded seven assists in 31 Bundesliga games last season as Leverkusen were crowned league champions.

Frimpong’s potential arrival at Old Trafford would see him replace Diogo Dalot, who has come under scrutiny throughout different times of this 2024/25 campaign. Frimpong’s ability to get up and down the pitch, as well as create and score goals, makes him the ideal player Amorim wants in his team, but it is going to cost the Red Devils £40 million plus to get a deal over the line.

Rio Ferdinand has called on his former club Manchester United to pursue the signature of Victor Osimhen instead of Viktor Goykeres.

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• Ferdinand: United need a No.9 with "experience"
• Red Devils battling Arsenal for Gyokeres
• Manchester club scored just 44 goals in the PL last year

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  In an interview with Mirror Sport, Ferdinand heralded the 26-year-old Nigerian as the right solution to United's lack of firepower up front. Osihmen's track record in France, Italy, and Turkey, makes him the more proven prospect according to the United legend. The Napoli striker spent last season at Galatasary where he bagged 37 goals in 45 games in all competitions. That output dwarves the seven league goals shared by the inexperienced pair of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in the 2024-25 season.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United have rekindled their interest in Osimhen, but are widely tipped to be competing with Arsenal for Gyokeres' services. The Swedish striker has a reported release clause of £85m, while Napoli's asking price of £63m for Osimhen was met by Al-Hilal. The Nigerian decided against a move to the Middle East, opening the door for United.

• WHAT RIO FERDINAND SAID

  Ferdinand said: "[Man United need] a centre-forward with experience. That's it. I think United can go and get a lot of players and get loads of stuff. But I think it's been evident that Hojlund came in for huge money and hasn't hit the ground running, has struggled really. Zirkzee hasn't done much better than him, really.

  "So, I think you need someone in all the good teams you see. They normally have at least one of the attacking players, normally the number nine. And you go, actually, yeah, I can pin my hat on him. I can rely on him.

  "And I think Hojlund's lack of experience has been a big factor. So, a striker, I don't want any striker. I think I've said it on my podcast many times. I think a striker with experience, knows his right way around the football field, who the young ones they've invested in, like Hojlund and Zirkzee and Chido [Obi] can learn from."

  On Gyokeres, he added: "I think Gyokeres, everyone's talking about him. Again, I think if I'm looking at the market now and I had to pick him or Osimhen, I'd probably pick Osimhen because of that experience.

  "And he's shown he's done it in multiple leagues now. And he's done it internationally as well. I think he's a top-class number nine who, again, the young players will be able to learn from. I'm not saying that Gyokeres would fail. I'm just saying that if I had a preference, I would go there."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR VICTOR OSIMHEN AND VIKTOR GYOKERES?

  Whether Gyokeres ultimately ends up in Manchester or London, it appears the Swede's future resides in England. Should United fail to pip the gunners to his signature, they have a fantastic second option in Oshimen who has solidified his status as one of Europe's most prolific strikers, regardless of the league he finds himself in.

GOAL brings you details of all of Chelsea's fixtures for the 2025-26 Premier League season

Chelsea will be looking to build on a successful first season under Enzo Maresca when the Premier League returns in August.

The Blues qualified for the Champions League and also won the Europa Conference League in 2024-25, but those triumphs are not enough to satisfy a club with such a rich history when it comes to winning silverware.

West London's finest will have to show plenty more on the pitch and will be desperate to start the season on the front foot if they are to close the gap to title holders Liverpool and rivals Arsenal above them.

GOAL brings you the full month-to-month breakdown of all of the Blues' Premier League matches in 2025-26.*

• AUGUST

  Date	Kick-off time (UK)	Fixture
  17/08/2025	14:00	Chelsea v Crystal Palace
  23/08/2025	15:00	West Ham v Chelsea
  30/08/2025	15:00	Chelsea v Fulham

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• SEPTEMBER

  Date	Kick-off time (UK)	Fixture
  13/09/2025	15:00	Brentford v Chelsea
  20/09/2025	15:00	Man Utd v Chelsea
  27/09/2025	15:00	Chelsea v Brighton

• OCTOBER

  Date	Kick-off time (UK)	Fixture
  04/10/2025	15:00	Chelsea v Liverpool
  18/10/2025	15:00	Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
  25/10/2025	15:00	Chelsea v Sunderland

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• NOVEMBER

  Date	Kick-off time (UK)	Fixture
  01/11/2025	15:00	Tottenham v Chelsea
  08/11/2025	15:00	Chelsea v Wolves
  22/11/2025	15:00	Burnley v Chelsea
  29/11/2025	15:00	Chelsea v Arsenal

When will we next see Erling Haaland?

On Monday, it was reported that the Norwegian striker ‘will see a specialist’ after suffering a rather nasty-looking ankle injury during Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Bournemouth in the FA Cup.

As reported by Jamie Jackson of the Guardian, Haaland is expected to be back in time for the Club World Cup, but whether or not he’ll be able to feature again in the Premier League this season remains unclear.

Manchester City seeking to sign world-class striker

Given that the 24-year-old has scored 120 goals in 134 appearances for the Sky Blues, averaging a goal every 94 minutes, you may think signing a new striker would be low down on Man City’s list of priorities. Well, you’d think wrong, it would seem.

Transfer Focus

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

As reported by TEAMtalk, Manchester City are ‘interested’ in signing striker Jonathan David this summer, but face competition from Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United, who have all ‘expressed interest’.

David is out of contract at current club LOSC Lille, and is widely expected to depart les Dogues as a free agent in the summer.

Since joining Lille from Gent for a reported fee of €30m (£25m) five years ago, the Canadian has scored an impressive 107 goals in 225 appearances, winning a Ligue 1 title, while 12 of his goals have come in the Champions League.

So, where would he fit in at Manchester CIty?

How Jonathan David would improve Manchester City

Man City not only already have the goal machine himself Haaland, but they also signed Omar Marmoush for around £60m in January.

The Egyptian proved to be the match-winner by the South Coast on Sunday, his fifth goal in 11 Man City appearances so far, most notably bagging a hat-trick against Newcastle in February.

Nevertheless, if Man City can get their hands on David, they must grasp this opportunity with two hands.

Paul Almeida on Twitter describes David as ‘world-class’, while European football expert Zach Lowy labels him ‘one of the best young strikers in Europe’.

Meanwhile, Joe Callaghan of the Guardian notes that David often saves ‘his best for the biggest stage’, so let’s analyse how he compares to Marmoush this season.

As the table outlines, Marmoush is actually having a better season than David, scoring two more goals to date, but, as noted by Anantaajith Raghuraman and Elias Burke of the Athletic, this is the best form of the Egyptian’s entire career.

Marmoush ranks fifth across Europe’s top-five leagues, as well as second in the Bundesliga, when it comes to goals – xG, which is obviously great, but suggests his form may not be as sustainable as Man City might like.

David, meantime, has been a regular, reliable goal-scorer for many years now, as the table below outlines below he has been more prolific than City’s big January signing.

As outlined, this season is the first time ever that Marmoush has outscored David in a single-season; there’s still time for that to change too of course.

The Egyptian has enjoyed a meteoric rise, plying his trade in the Regionalliga Nord, Germany’s fourth-tier, as recently as 2019/20, as well as the Zweite Bundesliga the year after, the same season David won Ligue 1 with Lille.

David, on the other hand, has produced very consistent goal-scoring numbers ever since he first burst onto the scene at Gent in 2018, so a massive club in Europe is going to sign a top-class centre-forward for free this summer, but will it be Man City?

Better than Hugo Larsson: Man City make £50m star their top summer target

He could cost Man City upwards of £50m

By
Joe Nuttall

Apr 1, 2025

England midfielder Jordan Henderson has attracted the interest of Ligue 1 giants Marseille but they face competition from Nottingham Forest for his signature.

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• Marseille is interested in signing Henderson
• Forest also open to signing veteran
• Englishman could leave Ajax in free transfer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The English midfielder could leave Ajax this summer as a special clause in his contract allows him to cancel it in mid-July, which the Daily Mail reports has attracted the interested of Marseille and Forest.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Henderson, who won the Premier League and Champions League with Liverpool, was an important part of Francesco Farioli’s Ajax side as they missed out on the Eredivisie by one point on the final day of the season. With the World Cup coming up in less than a year, Henderson could be tempted by Marseille's offer of Champions League football to boost his hopes of staying in Thomas Tuchel’s plans.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Henderson left Liverpool in the summer of 2023 to join Saudi club Al-Ettifaq, but six months later ended up joining the Amsterdam club.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MARSEILLE AND HENDERSON ?

  With Roberto De Zerbi keen to add more depth with Marseille playing in Europe next season, Henderson could prove to be a valuable addition with his experience alongside Mason Greenwood and Adrien Rabiot. Henderson, 35, will hope to have more clarity on Marseille this season as this season could be crucial for his hopes to feature in next year’s World Cup.

Barcelona are keen on signing a left-winger this season as Hansi Flick has demanded another starter on the left-side with plans to shift Raphinha to the No. 10 spot. They are fully invested in striking a deal for Nico Williams, however, their deal has now hit a snag and Liverpool winger Luis Diaz is re-emerging as an option for the Blaugrana.

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• Barca reignite interest in Luis Diaz
• Williams deal has a hit a snag for Barca
• Diaz spotted partying with Dani Olmo

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona had a spectacular 2024/25 season offensively as Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Lamine Yamal hit new heights in terms of goal contributions. However, Flick is keen on changing up the set-up of the side heading into next season as he wants the Brazilian winger to move into the No. 10 position. They have been interested in striking a deal for Athletic Club's Williams; however, their move has hit a sudden snag, and they are now considering other options.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Liverpool winger Diaz had been Barcelona's first option this summer in terms of a winger; however, they soon dropped their interest in the Colombian after understanding that Williams was open to a move away from Athletic Club. Mundo Deportivo has now revealed that Barcelona have now reignited their interest in Diaz after Williams' transfer snag.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It had been reported that Barcelona sporting director Deco was the one who had been pushing for the deal for Diaz this summer ahead of Williams; however, Flick is said to prefer the signing of the Spain international, who is younger than the Colombian. However, Deco believes that the signing of Williams, who is a close friend with a number of Barcelona players, would be detrimental to the squad dynamics. However, the same could now be the case with Diaz as Barcelona star Dani Olmo was spotted on holiday with the Colombian star winger.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  The Catalan side are still set to pursue the deal for Williams heading into July; however, Flick's side are continuing to keep tabs on Diaz heading into next season. It is likely that a move for Diaz will only come to fruition if the deal for Williams falls through.