She picked up a shoulder injury recently but will go on to play until the CPL before she goes for surgery

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jun-2025

Hayley Matthews played a crucial role in Melbourne Renegades’ title run last season•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Melbourne Renegades were dealt with a big blow ahead of the WBBL draft on Thursday when their star allrounder Hayley Matthews was ruled out of the upcoming season due to a shoulder surgery. Matthews had been signed as a pre-draft recruit for two years by Renegades, the defending champions, but her unavailability was announced just hours before the draft.Matthews injured her shoulder recently while fielding in the first ODI against England, and she had to sit out of the last two games of the series. She has been playing after that – in the home ODIs against South Africa – and will feature in the subsequent T20I series too, followed by the Women’s CPL in September for Barbados Royals, and will then go for her surgery during the Women’s ODI World Cup as West Indies failed to qualify for the tournament. She won’t be available for the rest of the year after that.”We are clearly disappointed Hayley won’t be with us this season,” Renegades general manager James Rosengarten said. “She’s been instrumental during her time with the Renegades, not just with her performances but with her leadership and professionalism.Related

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“There’s a very close relationship between the Renegades and Hayley and we know it will continue next year and beyond. Hayley loves this club and we share in her disappointment at not being available for this year’s tournament.”Renegades will now have all three overseas slots to fill at the WBBL draft on Thursday in Melbourne.Matthews had played a crucial role for Renegades in their run to lift their maiden title last season. She was their top scorer with a tally of 324 runs and a strike rate of 130.64 and was also their second-highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps, while leaking 6.98 runs an over, again among the best in her team. She was also the Player of the Match in the final against Brisbane Heat with a knock of 69 off 61 and figures of 2 for 24.

Unai Emery gave his honest verdict on Harvey Elliott after he left the Liverpool loanee out of Aston Villa's matchday squad for the third game in a row against Manchester City on Sunday. The Villans clinched all three points against Pep Guardiola's side courtesy of a first-half goal from Matty Cash as they moved up to eighth in the Premier League table, tied on points with reigning champions Liverpool.

Getty ImagesElliott continues to struggle for minutes

After Liverpool spent heavily to sign a host of attackers in the summer transfer window to bolster their title-winning squad, Elliott was allowed to leave on loan as he signed for Aston Villa for the duration of the 2025-26 campaign. With the likes of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak joining Arne Slot's squad, Elliott would have found it difficult to get enough game time at Anfield, but Villa was deemed the ideal place for him to feature regularly.

However, things have not turned out the way the attacking midfielder would have hoped, as he has made just seven appearances for Emery's side across all competitions. Elliott has not featured in Emery's squad for three consecutive Premier League matches, including the win over City, with his last appearance for the club coming in a Europa League clash against Feyenoord on October 2 as an 86th-minute substitute. 

AdvertisementAFPEmery explains selection decision

Explaining his decision to leave Elliott out of the home game against City, Emery told reporters: "In the squad we needed one player to take out and I decided him. I am happy with him, he's training well. His commitment is fantastic, he's a good guy. It was a tactical decision. I spoke with him about it and my advice was to keep going. He's a very good player, only our demands are at a high level and some players and how they are performing last year and this year, are playing in the same position. We signed him because I believe in him. He will need time."

'His performance was not enough'

In the build-up to the game, Emery was also asked about Elliott, and admitted he has not been hitting the neccessary levels of performance to play week in, week out. "I am being very, very demanding myself to choose in each match the player to start and the players on the bench and the subs players, always trying to get the best performance collectively, through individual players," the Villa boss said. "Harvey is a 10 number in our structure, in our shape, and he plays some matches and there is still adaptation to add himself individually in our structure, the task we have. Of course, he is training well, and his commitment is being very well as well, but his performance was not enough (up to this point). At the same time, we have other players who can play as a 10 and they are performing well, and I have different players. This is the main reason he is not playing the last matches minutes, but he has to continue working like he is doing in the training session and of course, getting his confidence in the performance we need through him."

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GettySancho slammed by fans for Emery snub

While Elliott failed to make it to Emery's squad, Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho started on the bench against City and was introduced against City in the 29th minute. Buendia, who provided the assist for Matty Cash's winner, was forced off the pitch with an injury. However, Sancho lasted just 45 minutes as he was called back to the bench in the 74th minute, with Evann Guessand introduced in his place.

Sancho was visibly frustrated after being subbed off and appeared to ignore Emery on the touchline before heading back to the bench. The Spanish coach tried to comfort the player, but he was in no mood to listen. The gesture was not appreciated by fans on social media, who called out Sancho's "awful behaviour". The United outcast was also labelled as an "embarrassment". 

The Villans will be back in action next Sunday as they face an out-of-form Liverpool side, who have lost four league games in a row, at Anfield. Elliot is ineligible to face his parent club, but Sancho will hope to earn a place in the starting XI.

After making a slow start in front of goal this season, Newcastle United are reportedly ready to launch a 2026 move to sign a £40m+ striker who just humiliated Real Madrid.

Newcastle's goalscoring problem

It’s only natural that Newcastle are struggling in front of goal. They just lost one of the best strikers in the Premier League for a record deal in Alexander Isak. Replacing the Swede’s output was never going to be an easy task, but replacing his underrated creativity has so far proven to be even tougher.

Whilst Nick Woltemade has so far ticked the box for goals on his own – scoring three goals in his first four Premier League games – the likes of Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga have still struggled to contribute around him.

Minutes

392

269

329

Goals

3

0

0

Assists

0

0

0

In total, Newcastle have scored six Premier League goals. Only Nottingham Forest and bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers have managed less and there’s no denying that it’s a problem that Eddie Howe must solve.

That said, the manager is far from panicking, having told reporters earlier this season: “I’m excited by the team we can be. We have certainly got things to learn about each other and formulas to try and generate that we know will work.

“The biggest thing is the foundation is solid. The team’s playing at strength, but we’re just missing that X-factor that I think will come. With the players that we have, some are guaranteed goals and have done that historically.”

What could certainly help find that “X-factor” is the January transfer window. After such a chaotic summer, the Magpies are reportedly ready to go again in the hope of boosting their attacking options even further this winter.

Newcastle readying Sorloth offer

According to reports in Spain, Newcastle are now readying an offer to sign Alexander Sorloth from Real Madrid in a deal worth €50m (£44m). The Atletico Madrid forward has started just three La Liga games so far this season and may be forced to look elsewhere for consistent game time in the near future.

Newcastle should be well aware of the 29-year-old’s situation after sending scouts to watch him in action against Real Madrid as he scored the equalising goal in a 5-2 thrashing of Atletico’s rivals.

Whether Diego Simeone and the Atletico sanction Sortloth’s exit in 2026 is the big question.

The iconic manager was full of praise for the forward when he scored the fastest hat-trick in La Liga history against Real Sociedad last season, saying: “I was very happy with the team’s first half in general.

“Alex, of course, is a whole different matter. He had a fantastic night, especially those first 45 minutes, where he decisively finished every ball that came his way.”

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If there is a chance for Newcastle, then turning towards Sorloth wouldn’t be a bad idea. He’s a proven striker at the top level these days and has unfinished business in the Premier League after previous struggles at Crystal Palace.

Tottenham Hotspur are now expected to open permanent talks to sign an “incredible” star, who could be their first signing in the January transfer window.

Spurs looking to sign midfielder

Tottenham have made a solid start to the campaign, taking 10 points from their opening five games, with a number of their summer signings hitting the ground running, including Mohammed Kudus, who grabbed two assists against Brighton on Saturday.

Having set up four goals in his first five matches, Kudus has already eclipsed his assist tally from last season, and the winger is not the only new addition who has caught the eye, with Joao Palhinha making an instant impression.

After his side edged a 1-0 win against Villarreal, manager Thomas Frank said of the central midfielder: “He’s a very good player. He stabilised us more in the middle of the pitch. So that helped, definitely … [The players] are working very hard, and that we have a very good foundation to stand on, in terms of our defensive organization.

Consequently, it will come as no surprise that Spurs are now looking to sign Palhinha permanently, according to a report from The Boot Room, which states they are keen to open talks over a deal for the midfielder this January.

The north Londoners have been very impressed by the maestro’s start to the campaign, and they are now set to hold discussions over a deal, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey adding: “He’s exactly what they expected. When he left, he was already one of the Premier League’s best holding midfielders. Watching Palhinha play in that position probably frustrates Manchester United fans, knowing he was available and could have joined them.

“I fully expect discussions about a permanent deal to begin in January once the transfer window opens.”

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ByEmilio Galantini Sep 21, 2025 "Incredible" Palhinha must be signed permanently

On the face of it, a deal shouldn’t be too hard to complete, given that Spurs have the option to make the central midfielder’s stay permanent for £27m, which seems like a very fair fee for a player of his quality.

Journalist Kyle Bonn has spoken particularly fondly of the 30-year-old in the past, praising his passing, work-rate and tackling ability.

Those talents are underlined by the former Fulham man’s performance across several key metrics over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Passes attempted

65.81 (88th percentile)

Pass completion %

90.6% (95th percentile)

Tackles

4.03 (99th percentile)

Aerials won

2.22 (94th percentile)

With a 7.2 SofaScore match rating, the loanee was also Spurs’ highest-rated starter in the 2-2 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, courtesy of winning 10 of the 16 duels he contested.

As such, it is a no-brainer to bring Palhinha in permanently, and Frank will be hoping for a similar performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend.

The Atlanta Braves are 39-31 this season, but that record is still well below their expectations heading into 2024. They've been bit by the injury bug and are now 8.0 games back from the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.

Thankfully, they managed to squeeze by the Detroit Tigers via a 2-1 decision in the first game of their three-game set on Monday night and will try to string together a second straight win tonight.

We're going to dive into everything you need to know to bet on today's interleague showdown.

Tigers vs. Braves Odds, Spread, and Total

Run Line:

Tigers +1.5 (-139)Braves -1.5 (+115)

Moneyline:

Tigers +140Braves -167

Total:

9.0 (Over -105/Under -115)Tigers vs. Braves Probable PitchersDetroit: Casey Mize (1-4, 4.43 ERA)Atlanta: Spencer Schwellenbach (0-2, 6.32 ERA)Tigers vs. Braves How to WatchDate: Tuesday, June 18Time: 7:20 p.m. ESTVenue: Truist ParkHow to watch (TV): Bally Sports South, Bally Sports DetroitTigers record: 34-38Braves record: 39-31Tigers vs. Braves Key Players to WatchDetroit Tigers

Riley Greene: The Tigers' outfielder has been by their best offensive player this season. His 14 home runs is five more than any other player on the roster and his WAR of 3.0 is the best on the team by 2.0. When he gets going offensively, the Tigers are at their best.

Atlanta Braves

Spencer Schwellenbach: The Braves' rookie arm hasn't had a great start to his MLB career. He has a 6.32 ERA through his first three starts, but the good news is he was able to go 6.0 innings against the Baltimore Orioles his last time out. His development will be interesting to watch the next few weeks.

Tigers vs. Braves Prediction and Pick

Instead of betting on a side in this game, I'm going to opt for the total instead and take the UNDER.

Both offenses have been cold of late. Over the last 30 days, the Braves rank 18th in OPS at .687 and the Tigers come in at 24th at .669. Both teams also rank in the bottom half of the Majors in total runs scored in that time frame.

When it comes to pitching, I have faith we're going to see some positive regression from the young Schwellenbach. His 6.32 ERA is ugly, but a 4.43 FIP shows that some of his overall numbers may look reserve than they deserve to.

At surface level, you may think this game is going to produce a ton of runs, but when you dive into some underlying numbers along with recent form, it's clear to me we could see another low-scoring affair like we did on Monday.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke is slowly showing supporters and the wider footballing community that he has what it takes to manage in the Premier League.

It is hard to blame anyone for having doubts over whether or not the German tactician could lead a team to safety in the top-flight, given his record in the division with Norwich City.

Daniel Farke’s Premier League record with Norwich
Stats	19/20	21/22
Matches	38	11
Wins	5	1
Draws	6	2
Losses	27	8
Points	21	5
League position	20th	20th
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Farke won six of his 49 matches in charge of the Canaries in the Premier League before he was sacked after 11 games in the 2021/22 campaign.

However, he has been backed financially in a way that he was not at Carrow Road, which has allowed the Whites to enjoy a solid start to the season.

The West Yorkshire outfit are 15th in the table with eight points in seven games after two wins, two draws, and three defeats, which is a respectable return for the newly-promoted outfit.

Farke is now hoping to emulate the success that Marcelo Bielsa had in the top-flight in the 2020/21 campaign after his side were promoted to the big time.

Ranking Marcelo Bielsa's best Leeds United teams

The Argentine head coach initially joined the club in the summer of 2018 and led the team to a third-placed finish in the Championship, but watched his team lose to Derby County in the semi-finals of the play-offs.

It was a terrific first season at Elland Road for Bielsa, even if it ended in disappointment for the club in the play-offs, but the best was yet to come for the manager.

In the 2019/20 campaign, Leeds racked up 93 points with 28 wins and nine draws in the Championship, ten more points than they managed in the previous season, to earn promotion to the Premier League and the second tier title.

It is, therefore, fair to say that Bielsa’s team in his second season was better than the one he had in his first, as they won ten more points to earn promotion.

However, that promotion-winning team was not the best side that the Argentine tactician had during his time at Elland Road, because of what was achieved in the Premier League the following season.

20/21 Premier League	Leeds	League rank
Points	59	9th
Non-penalty xG	52.5	4th
xG	55.6	6th
Goals scored	62	6th
xGA	57.9	16th
Goals conceded	54	14th
Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Leeds were fun to watch as a free-scoring newly-promoted side that fired their way to a top-half finish in the top-flight, which turned out to be Bielsa’s best achievement in his time in West Yorkshire.

He was sacked after picking up 23 points from 26 Premier League games in the 2021/22 season, which should rank as his worst team, followed by his first season, then his second one, and the ninth-placed finish in the top-flight as his best side.

The team in the graphic above was his most-used starting line-up in the 2020/21 campaign in the 4-1-4-1 formation, including stars like Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.

With Farke and his team looking to emulate the success that Bielsa’s team had in their first season in the big time, would any of the club’s current stars make it into that best XI?

Chalkboard

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

As good as Luke Ayling was, and as much as he was a terrific servant for the Whites, there is a case to be made for Jayden Bogle walking into that Bielsa side in the 2020/21 campaign on current form.

Why Jayden Bogle would walk into Marcelo Bielsa's best team

There were some question marks raised over the English full-back’s ability to make the step up to the Premier League this season, because of the Sheffield United team that he was a part of in the 2023/24 season.

Bogle played 34 of his side’s 38 league matches at right-back as the Blades conceded a staggering 104 goals, per Sofascore, the most by any team in a 38-game top-flight season.

However, the 25-year-old star’s start to the current campaign suggests that he is more than capable of delivering quality performances in the Premier League, winning the club’s Player of the Month award for August.

Bogle has started all seven of the club’s matches in the Premier League this season and Leeds rank fifth in the division for xGA (7.9), per FBref, which shows that he is currently part of one of the best defensive units in the division.

Whereas, as aforementioned, Leeds were 16th in the top-flight for xGA with Ayling as their first-choice right-back in Bielsa’s best team at Elland Road.

Premier League	Luke Ayling (20/21)	Jayden Bogle (25/26)
Appearances	38	7
Assists	0	0
Tackles per game	2.9	3.0
Interceptions per game	0.9	1.6
Clearances per game	2.0	2.9
Dribbled past per game	1.0x	1.1x
Possession lost per game	18.6x	11.7x
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Bogle’s current defensive numbers topple Ayling’s in the 2020/21 campaign, which may be part of the reason why Farke’s defence is performing better than Bielsa’s did.

On top of that, Ayling did not deliver any assists in that season in the Premier League, which means that Bogle’s current lack of assists in the top-flight should not go against him in this debate.

The former Blades star, who was dubbed “sensational” and a “massive signing” by pundit Micah Richards earlier this year, also delivered more goals and assists combined (ten) last term than Ayling did in the 2019/20 promotion-winning season (eight), per Sofascore, which suggests that he has more potential to excel as an attacking force.

Therefore, there is a genuine case to be made that the 25-year-old star is good enough in the present day to walk into Bielsa’s best team in the ninth-placed Premier League finish.

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Oct 7, 2025

Hopefully, the current campaign will be a success, with a similarly impressive league finish, and fans will be talking about which players would make it into Farke’s best team in the future.

Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer has, during an exclusive chat with GOAL, been charged with the task of picking his favourite FIFPRO legend from a selection of global icons. The England international has made that XI himself in 2025, but he has also been casting an eye over historic selections. Ronaldinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Andres Iniesta and Steven Gerrard are among the superstars to have been pitched against one another.

FIFPRO World XI 2025: Who made the team?

Palmer is already a PFA Young Player of the Year winner. He was also named England’s Men’s Player of the Year in 2023-24, made the Conference League Team of the Season last year – as Chelsea captured that European crown – and won the Golden Ball at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Palmer hit 25 goals during his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, bringing him to the attention of a global audience, while finding the target on 18 occasions in the 2024-25 campaign. Those exploits have been recognised with inclusion in the latest FIFPRO Men’s World XI.

He has made that star-studded team alongside Gianluigi Donnarumma, Virgil van Dijk, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Jude Bellingham, Pedri, Vitinha, Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal.

Champions League title holders Paris Saint-Germain dominate that side, unsurprisingly, with France international forward Dembele now a Ballon d’Or winner. Palmer can be rightly proud of getting the nod.

In the years to come, he will hope to earn more selections and build his own legacy. If he can do that, at just 23 years of age and with a long-term contract being committed to at Stamford Bridge, then a day may come when he is ranked alongside some of the best to ever do it.

AdvertisementWatch Palmer pick his favourite FIFPRO superstarWorld Cup winners & Premier League legends go into battle

In the present, Palmer has rattled through a few icons and selected his personal favourite – with World Cup winners and Premier League icons figuring prominently in that either/or battle.

Palmer’s initial selections were as follows:

Iniesta vs Kaka: Iniesta

Zidane vs Gerrard: Zidane

Ronaldinho vs Modric: Ronaldinho

De Bruyne vs Xavi: De Bruyne

At the semi-final stage, Iniesta edged out Zidane and Ronaldinho prevailed against De Bruyne. Brazilian icon Ronaldinho took the ultimate crown, with his fellow Barcelona icon Iniesta having to settle for a runner-up finish.

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GettyPalmer transfer: What does the future hold?

It may be that Palmer ends up on the books at Camp Nou at some point in the future, with Barca forever in the market for the best players on the planet. The England international has been urged to leave himself open to such offers.

Former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet told GOAL recently: “I always encourage the English players to go abroad. One thing that they miss is to see something different. I always said when we played in England, as soon as a foreign player started playing the football you play anywhere else in the world, it’s ‘that one cheats, that one goes down’. Okay, the word cheat probably was right, but we play like that all over the world. I want to say to the English players ‘go to Spain, you wouldn’t last five minutes because they go down every 20 seconds’. You need to learn that game as well and another country. I think it is always a good learning situation.

“It’s individual, though, because the Premier League is the best – that is non-negotiable. I don’t care what anyone says. Spain had a moment when it was close to the Premier League, only because [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo were there. Now, there is no comparison. You are in the best league in the world, so I imagine that for players to go from the best to somewhere else is difficult. I would say if it is a top team, a Real Madrid, then you must. You will have an incredible and unique experience, not only in football but also in life. You will learn from that for the future, forever. I would like to see those quality players go to other places and enjoy that.”

Palmer is currently sidelined with a groin injury. He has not figured for Chelsea since being forced out of a Premier League clash with Manchester United on September 20. He has no need to go under the knife, with the threat of surgery being fended off, but the Blues playmaker remains a few weeks away from making a return to action.

Celtic’s dominance in Scotland has continued under Brendan Rodgers, and the Northern Irishman has worked with a number of star players at Parkhead during his two stints as manager who have gone on to bring in huge transfer fees for the Hoops.

But who is the club’s record departure? Here’s a look at Celtic’s most expensive sales in their history, as per Transfermarkt, with a detailed look at the top 10.

=1

Matt O’Riley

£25m

Brighton

2024

=1

Jota

£25m

Al-Ittihad

2023

=1

Kieran Tierney

£25m

Arsenal

2019

4

Moussa Dembele

£19.7m

Lyon

2018

5

Nicolas Kuhn

£16.5m

Como

2025

6

Odsonne Edouard

£14m

Crystal Palace

2021

7

Kristoffer Ajer

£13.5m

Brentford

2021

8

Virgil van Dijk

£13m

Southampton

2015

9

Victor Wanyama

£12.5m

Southampton

2013

10

Jeremie Frimpong

£11.5m

Bayer Leverkusen

2021

=11

Liel Abada

£10m

Charlotte FC

2024

=11

Kyogo Furuhashi

£10m

Rennes

2025

=11

Josip Juranovic

£10m

Union Berlin

2023

=11

Fraser Forster

£10m

Southampton

2014

15

Aiden McGeady

£9.5m

Spartak Moscow

2010

=16

Stuart Armstrong

£7m

Southampton

2018

=16

Mark Viduka

£7m

Leeds

2000

18

Stiliyan Petrov

£6.5m

Aston Villa

2006

=19

Ki Sung-yueng

£6m

Swansea City

2012

=19

Adam Idah

£6m

Swansea City

2025

Here's a detailed look at Celtic's top 10 sales… 10 Jeremie Frimpong £11.5m to Bayer Leverkusen, 2021

Jeremie Frimpong has had one of the more impressive post-Celtic careers, as his £11.5m move to Bayer Leverkusen has certainly worked out for the Dutchman.

Frimpong was a key part of the Leverkusen side which went unbeaten in their double-winning season in 2023/24, as well as reach the Europa League final, which proved to be their only defeat of the campaign.

Not only did Celtic receive a handsome fee following Frimpong’s departure, but they also had a 30% sell-on fee is in his Leverkusen contract, where he was sold to Liverpool for £30m in 2025.

9 Victor Wanyama £12.5m to Southampton, 2013

Celtic really found a gem in powerful central midfielder Victor Wanyama, making a huge profit on the fee they paid Beerschot in 2011, with Southampton paying £12.5m to take the Kenyan to the Premier League.

Wanyama made more than 90 appearances for Celtic in his two-year stay, starring in the Champions League before moving to the south coast.

8 Virgil van Dijk £13m to Southampton, 2015

Yet another player to depart for Southampton in the top 10 list is Virgil van Dijk, who is now regarded as one of the best centre-backs of the modern era.

The Hoops signed Van Dijk in 2013 from FC Groningen, and after winning back-to-back titles in Glasgow, he caught the eye of the Saints, who were managed by fellow Dutchman Ronald Koeman.

The south coast side paid £13m to lure Van Dijk to St Mary’s, before they received a then-world-record fee for a defender when Liverpool came calling in late 2017.

7 Kristoffer Ajer £13.5m to Brentford, 2021

Signed as a teenager after a trial with Celtic in 2016, Kristoffer Ajer grew into one of the best defenders in the Scottish Premiership.

The Norway international won three trebles in a row with Celtic between 2018 and 2020 before leaving the club in 2021 for London and Brentford. The Bees spent an initial £13.5m to bring him to the Gtech Community Stadium.

6 Odsonne Edouard £14m to Crystal Palace, 2021

One of Celtic’s record signings, Odsonne Edouard scored goals for fun at Parkhead after joining permanently from PSG.

In total, Edouard scored 87 goals in 179 games for the Hoops and was too good for the division when he left for Crystal Palace on deadline day in the summer of 2021, with the Eagles sealing a £14m deal.

5 Nicolas Kuhn £16.5m to Como, 2025

Nicolas Kuhn was Celtic’s high-profile transfer saga in the summer of 2025, with the Hoops not exactly splashing the cash despite receiving £16.5m for their star winger.

Serie A side Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, struck a deal with Celtic for Kuhn, who spent just £3m on the forward in January 2024.

4 Moussa Dembele £19.7m to Lyon, 2018

Another free-scoring French striker who brought in plenty of money was Moussa Dembele, who left three years before Edouard in 2018.

Dembele netted 51 times in 94 Celtic appearances and went on to be successful in a Lyon shirt. The Ligue 1 side paid close to £20m for the striker, with Celtic making a handsome profit in the process having signed him for around £500,000.

3 Kieran Tierney £25m to Arsenal, 2019

Kieran Tierney holds the record as Celtic’s joint-most expensive sale, as well as the outright record for an academy player, with the boyhood Hoops fan bringing in an eye-catching £25m in his move to Arsenal back in 2019.

The left-back fell out of favour at the Emirates and made the surprise move back to Celtic Park in 2025 on a free transfer.

2 Jota £25m to Al-Ittihad, 2023

After a memorable loan spell from Benfica, Celtic activated their option-to-buy clause to sign Jota in 2022.

However, after another impressive campaign at Parkhead, the Portuguese winger attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ittihad making him their club-record signing for £25m. Things didn’t work out for Jota with Al-Ittihad, signing for Rennes a year later before re-joining the Hoops.

1 Matt O’Riley £25m to Brighton, 2024

Also top of the charts as Celtic’s most expensive sale is midfielder Matt O’Riley, who cost the Hoops a tiny fee in comparison to what they sold him for this past summer.

Signed from MK Dons, O’Riley starred at Celtic Park and won his first caps for Denmark as a result, with Brighton spending £25m on his signature in 2024.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United dynasty went down like a lead balloon after the legendary manager called it a day back in 2013.

Nothing can take away the incredible, matchless success that the Scotsman forged down at the Theatre of Dreams over so many years, but United have never quite been the same since, still searching for their first Premier League and Champions League titles in this post-Fergie world.

A revolutionary, one of the greatest managers in the history of football, Sir Alex will have been among those to have smirked on Sunday evening, when that glorious final whistle rang across Anfield and it was confirmed: the Red Devils had beaten Liverpool in their own backyard.

Ruben Amorim’s had it tough since replacing Erik ten Hag in 2024, but this was a staggering achievement, with the summer signings coming together and producing strong showings on Merseyside.

This new batch of talent might just have the minerals to turn things around at Old Trafford, and if United wish to return to even the outer reaches of their former glory, they will need to start pulling off consistent transfer success in a similar vein to Ferguson in his heyday.

Ranking Fergie's greatest Man United signings

How could we start anywhere other than with Cristiano Ronaldo? One of football’s greatest players, CR7 arrived as a boy from Sporting Lisbon in 2004, for a £12m fee, before growing into a superstar and claiming the Ballon d’Or, before Real Madrid came calling and he left for a record fee.

With 145 goals from 346 appearances, three Premier League titles and a maiden success across an incredible career of triumph in the Champions League, the Portugual legend was fashioned by Ferguson, hailing the manager as his “football father”.

Ronaldo was hardly the extent of Ferguson’s transfer market success, though. Eric Cantona deserves a mention. Swiped from Leeds United for a shrewd £1.2m fee, the combative forward would prove one of the most influential additions in Premier League history, with such strength and style and flamboyance on the field.

And, perhaps the club’s greatest player of the Premier League era, Wayne Rooney, is a further example of Sir Alex and his coaching staff’s talent radar and insistence on securing their quarry, having poached him from Everton for about £26m when he was only 18 years old. The rest, of course, is history.

The list could go on and on, and likely makes for rueful reading if you are of a United persuasion, for such deals have truly been few and far between over the past decade.

There have been one or two, though. Bruno Fernandes is inarguably the best piece of business United have pulled off in a long time, and there would have been a place for the Portuguese Magnifico in many of Man United’s finest squads of the past.

But, while INEOS have faced their share of criticism since Sir Jim Ratcliffe first took his seat in the Old Trafford head office, they might just have pulled off a signing this summer that could be the best since those halcyon days of the past.

Man United's potential "all-timer"

Manchester United supporters have been treated to some of the finest players the Premier League has ever hosted, but there’s no denying that, in spite of the staggering spending over the past ten years, few have pulled their weight.

Well, perhaps that is now changing, with Amorim’s side putting in quite the performance to sink Liverpool in their own backyard, Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire bagging the goals.

And, though his wait for a first goal in a United shirt rages on, Matheus Cunha looks every bit the superstar signing he promised to be when joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £62.5m in July.

He worked like a dog, making six recoveries, winning five duels and completing both of his attempted dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Given that the 26-year-old Cunha’s work rate had been questioned at times during his career at Molineux, it’s fair to say he is looking to quash such claims now that he has arrived at the club of his dreams, showing few – if any – signs of such hesitance or reluctance this term.

Seven matches into his Premier League career with United, Cunha has yet to break his duck. This is something he will hope to rectify swiftly, but it’s perhaps a measure of Cunha’s quality that he has not faced the criticism of some other big-money signings in the Premier League this season.

The principal reason is that the Brazilian forward has played with gusto and clarity, and given that he ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe for non-penalty goals scored per 90 over the past 12 months, it’s surely just a matter of time until he finds his form in front of goal.

25/26

7

0 (0)

24/25

33

15 (6)

23/24

32

12 (7)

22/23

17

2 (0)

This has all been picked up by those of an Old Trafford persuasion, with writer Wayne Burton claiming he’s got the “potential to be an all-timer”, with such quality that he might even be “the best player we’ve had since Fergie retired”.

There is certainly something nostalgic about watching Cunha romp about the final third, and when he starts to add goals to his game – and he will – the silky striker might just find himself stepping up as Man United’s main man.

Their finest since Fergie retired? It’s too early to tell. But there’s no question that he has the talent and the desire to hit elusively high heights as Amorim’s project starts to get going.

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Manchester United have had some sensational midfielders over the years. Two of the players who spring to mind are Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick. The England pair formed a crucial midfield pivot in the later years of Sir Alex Ferguson’s dynasty.

Of course, Scholes was a graduate of the United academy and had plenty of success before Carrick signed for the club in 2006. Once they were playing together week in, week out at the Theatre of Dreams, they formed one of the best midfield pairings in the Premier League.

United have long been searching for a midfielder who possesses as much class as Scholes Carrick did. Kobbie Mainoo is someone who would surely fit that bill.

What Scholes has said about Mainoo

Life under Ruben Amorim this season hasn’t been easy for Mainoo. The 20-year-old has been continuously overlooked, which is strange given the pedigree he comes with, built up in such a short amount of time.

His astronomic rise under Erik ten Hag began with a spellbinding performance on debut away to Everton.

Mainoo’s technical brilliance was on show then, picking up the ball off the back four with ease and carrying forward to progress play.

Mainoo stats on PL debut vs. Everton

Stat

Number

Touches

61

Passes completed

38/46

Ground duels won

3/5

Aerial duels won

2/3

Ball recoveries

3

Long balls completed

2

Tackles won

1/1

Stats from Sofascore

He continued to shine in that United midfield, with Scholes someone who heaped praise on him.

The United great said, “I remember that calmness” Mainoo had on the ball, before going on to admit, “I just couldn’t believe such a young player could do that.”

Mainoo’s excellent performances were capped off last summer. He started and shone in the Euro 2024 final, which England lost 2-1 to Spain.

Given his quick rise and obvious talent, it is baffling that he continues to get ignored for a starting spot by Amorim.

Incredibly, United have a midfielder in the academy who might be even more like Carrick and Scholes than Mainoo, however.

United’s Carrick and Scholes hybrid at Carrington

The Red Devils are no strangers to incredible midfield talent. Of course, Scholes and Carrick are two of them, and Mainoo is the current example, but the likes of Paul Pogba certainly fit into the category.

Well, the next off the incredible production line at Carrington could well be Jim Thwaites. The 17-year-old has shone in the centre of the park for United’s under-18 side this season, under another midfield great, Darren Fletcher.

This season, sitting at the base of the midfield for Fletcher’s team, Thwaites has played six times in the under-18s Premier League. He’s started all of those games, skippering the side once and chipping in with a couple of goals.

Speaking of those strikes, and ones in the past, Thwaites is a bit of a specialist when it comes to free kicks. Look at this effort against Manchester City in what turned out to be a 4-2 defeat for his side.

The United youngster rifled home the set piece into the top left corner, with an inch-perfect effort.

That goal itself showcases Thwaites’ excellent ability. You can’t take a free kick like that without possessing technical brilliance. It is easy to see why he can be such a good controller in midfield, pulling the strings for his side.

In fact, coach Seb Ostergren was full of praise for the youngster. He said Thwaites is like a “hybrid between Scholes and Carrick,” noting he has the “line breaking forward passes” of United’s former number 16 and the “switches” of their academy graduate.

Thwaites is certainly a talent United fans can get excited for. At just 17 years of age, he knows how to make things tick in the centre of the park.

Once he gets used to the pace of senior football, he could become a huge asset for the club.

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