Ruben Amorim has moved to temper the growing optimism around Manchester United as he insisted that the club’s recent upturn in form is no cause for complacency. The Portuguese coach stressed that his team remain "far from perfection", even though they are currently on a five-match unbeaten run and showed signs of improvement before the latest international break.

• A measured rebound, not a revival

  United headed into the international break riding a five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, a sequence that featured a statement victory over Liverpool at Anfield. However, two back-to-back draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur have provided a reality check that there is still enough room for improvement and consistency. Reflecting on the team’s progress, Amorim explained that confidence, born from hard-earned results, has been central to recent performances. Yet his frustration simmered beneath the surface when revisiting their most recent league outing against Spurs.

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  Amorim is cautiously optimistic

  In an interview with Amorim said, "We are playing better, but we are playing better because we have more confidence, and that starts with good results, for example, against Liverpool. We are getting better, but I can share my feeling: when we finished the game against Tottenham and I was coming back to Carrington, I was watching the game and my feeling was frustration, that we are far from perfection. We are far from being the team that can win every game. So I think we have a lot to do."

  The United boss, who is now more than a year into one of the most scrutinised managerial spells in Europe, again pushed back against familiar criticism of his 3-4-3 structure. The formation, he argued, is a convenient scapegoat, one that distracts from the real shortcomings.

  "I've been saying this for many months, that the formation is not the problem," he claimed. "The formation is the start of something, then it's the dynamic, the confidence, the way we play, how competitive we are. If you look at the games we struggled in this season, it was not about the formation for me. It was the lack of intensity. We need to be perfect in this league to win a lot of games."

• Ratcliffe’s support helps, but doesn’t change him

  United slumped to a dismal 15th-place finish in the previous Premier League campaign and were branded directionless. Early in this campaign, the pressure returned after an embarrassing League Cup exit to League Two Grimsby Town. It was an upset that revived doubts about his suitability for the job. Yet Amorim has held onto the backing of senior club figures, most notably part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. While the coach acknowledged that Ratcliffe’s public vote of confidence was vital for the club’s wider stability, he insisted that such endorsements have little bearing on his own approach.

  "It's always really important, but it's more important for the fans to understand that we have a clear path, and we are going to do everything and continue that path no matter what," he said. "To be honest, it doesn't change much for me, because I'm not worried about losing my job. I always have that feeling. But if you remember when Jim gave that interview, it settled down a lot around the club. The noise changed completely. That was really important for the team, and if it's important for the team, it's important for me."

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  A legends’ reunion: Cantona, Beckham, Scholes and Co.

  As United attempt to build momentum, Amorim is preparing an unconventional move to deepen the club’s cultural grounding. According to sources close to the manager, he intends to bring club icons like Eric Cantona, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke into the fold to offer guidance to younger members of the squad.

  The source, speaking to , said: "Throughout his own career, Ruben always loved when former players and legends of the clubs he played for would interact with the team, sharing knowledge, stories, and advice about what it means to represent the club. Coming from Benfica, he understands what real pressure feels like and how to use it to grow, as a man, a player, and now as a leader. He believes these exchanges can help the players make the most of their time at United, both on and off the pitch."

  United currently sit seventh in the Premier League table, only two points adrift of the Champions League qualification spots. After a season without European football, the push to return to continental competition remains a priority. Their campaign resumes next Monday night at Old Trafford, where they host Everton. 

The sum is significantly less than the R815 million from last year

Firdose Moonda20-Sep-2025Cricket South Africa has reported a profit for a second successive financial year after three previous years of losses at their AGM on Saturday. They announced a profit of R238 million (approx US$13.7 million), significantly less than the R815 million from last year (approx US$ 45.6 million) but substantial after a season in which their only profitable incoming tour was four T20Is against India.Last summer, CSA also hosted Sri Lanka and Pakistan, which are typically loss-making series, but generated revenue from a combination of broadcast income, ICC disbursements and the addition of seven new sponsors.They also boasted increased interest in South African cricket with viewership of matches at one billion in 107 countries, earning CSA R707 million (approx US$40 million). The rest of their income was derived from R378 million in ICC distributions (approx US$21 million) and R125 million in sponsorships (approx US$7.2 million). Income from the SA20 was not itemised in this year’s report.Their biggest expense was the running of professional cricket including players salaries, hosting matches and upkeep of facilities which amounted to R1.3 billion (approx US$75 million). CSA maintains reserves of R1.42 billion (approx US$82 million) which their integrated report said will “provide a stable foundation for the future.”The report also included details of the country’s stadiums, which are being upgraded for the 2027 World Cup. Among the more notable developments so far is that The Wanderers and SuperSport Park have new high-definition LED floodlights while George’s Park has refurbished seating and a new scoreboard.Drop-in pitches are also still in development around the country. “The upcoming 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup represents an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the best of South African cricket. Preparations are already well underway,” Pearl Maphoshe, chairperson of the board of directors, said in a statement. “This tournament must be more than a sporting event. We are focused on ensuring it leaves a meaningful legacy through infrastructure improvements, youth development, environmental accountability and shared national pride.”With 2027 preparations underway, South Africa do not host any Tests this summer but will begin their World Test Championship (WTC) title defence on a full tour to Pakistan next month. That will be followed by an all-format tour of India before the SA20 kicks off on Boxing Day. The only men’s international cricket this summer will be five T20Is against West Indies in January-February 2026. In the absence of any Test fixtures, the mace will be taken on a country-wide trophy tour next week.

The step up from the Championship to the Premier League is a difficult one to make, as Leeds United have found out so far this season with 11 points from 11 games.

Joel Piroe is a player who perfectly illustrates the gap between the two divisions. He was the top goalscorer in the second tier with 19 goals last season, yet he has no goals in five Premier League games and has been an unused substitute five times, per Sofascore.

As Daniel Farke learns more and more about his players in the top-flight, other stars from the 2024/25 campaign may end up losing their place in the starting line-up, as Piroe did.

Club captain and starting defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu has started all nine of his appearances in the Premier League this season, but he is not undroppable.

Why Ethan Ampadu is not undroppable for Leeds

The Wales international has been a fantastic player for the club since his move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, leading the Whites to the title as captain last term.

Ampadu is not undroppable, though, as some of his performances in the number six position for Leeds in the Premier League have left a little bit to be desired from, most recently against Nottingham Forest.

Vs Forest

Ethan Ampadu

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

76%

Possession lost

15x

Tackles won

1

Ground duels won

3/7

Aerial duels won

1/2

Fouls committed

3

Dribbled past

1x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh midfielder lost the majority of his ground duels and was dribbled past as many times as he completed a tackle, which shows that it was a bit too easy for the Forest midfielders to get the better of him.

Per FotMob, Ampadu ranks within the bottom 40% of midfielders in the division for being dribbled past (four times) and the bottom 39% for aerial duel success rate (50%). This shows that his issues against Forest were not isolated incidents.

With this in mind, Farke could improve the robustness of his midfield by ruthlessly dropping the skipper to unleash Anton Stach in a new role as the number six.

Why Leeds should play Anton Stach over Ethan Ampadu

Per Transfermarkt, all of the German midfielder’s starts in the Premier League this season have been as a central midfielder or as an attacking midfielder. That is despite the fact that he has more starts in his career (138) as a defensive midfielder than in any other role.

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AllLeedsTV presenter Oscar Marrio, who claimed Stach “was cooking” earlier in the season, recently noted that the 6 foot 4 star “excelled” for Hoffenheim as a number six, earning him a comparison to Arsenal star Declan Rice.

Stach’s defensive output as a central midfielder in the Premier League so far this term suggests that he does have the potential to offer more security in front of the defence than Ampadu has.

25/26 Premier League

Ampadu

Stach

Tackles won

23

15

Duels won

39

49

Duel success rate

57%

60%

Aerial duels won

8

17

Aerial duel success rate

50%

85%

Dribbled past

4x

1x

Fouls committed

16

14

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the £17.4m signing from Hoffenheim has outperformed the Welshman in duels, particularly in the air, and has been harder to get past for opposition midfielders.

These statistics suggest that Stach, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, could be well-suited to sitting in as the number six in Farke’s 4-3-3 system to provide a physical presence in front of the back four.

Ampadu’s struggles aerially and in allowing players to dribble past him as the number six have been evident, which is why dropping him from the line-up to unleash Stach in a new role, albeit one he has played a lot elsewhere in his career, could be a good move.

That also does not mean that the captain has to completely lose his place in the team. Farke could play the former Chelsea man as one of the two midfielders ahead of Stach, to see if that is a more successful dynamic.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have already had an excellent start to their season, but no moment so far has been as electric as superstar Shohei Ohtani's walk-off home run on Wednesday night.

With the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves tied 5-5 at the bottom of the ninth, Ohtani positively nailed one out to center field, much to the enjoyment of every fan going home with his bobblehead that night.

After the fact, the much-lauded two-way star said he wanted to "live up to the expectations of all the fans today and make sure I perform"—and that he most certainly did.

Even those watching at home couldn't believe they had just witnessed the superstar's second career walk-off homer—and the Dodger's eighth straight win.

Take a look at some of their reactions below:

Shohei Ohtani belted his first home run of the season Wednesday in Tokyo, but it came with some controversy as the announcers, and even Ohtani, weren't sure it should have been a home run after the umpires reviewed it.

Ohtani, who had 54 dingers last season, crushed a ball to right center in the fifth inning of the Dodgers-Cubs game in Japan. At first it looked like it hit off the top of the wall and would be a double, but then umpires quickly motioned that it was a home run. They then reviewed the play and a fan was seen getting a hand on the ball.

Here's how that played out:

Here's how the review process went:

That did look like it might not have made it over the wall if it wasn't for the fan. But it was indeed ruled a home run and it looks like Ohtani is ready for another huge season.

Chelsea’s opening goal in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal on Sunday should have been disallowed under IFAB Law 11.

Arsenal unable to take all three points against ten-man Chelsea

With Moises Caicedo being shown a straight red card after fouling Mikel Merino in the first half, the Gunners would’ve been expecting to pick up what could be a crucial three points at Stamford Bridge, but the hosts refused to lie down.

In fact, Trevoh Chalobah opened the scoring for Enzo Maresca’s side just after half-time, although the north Londoners were ultimately able to come away with a point, as Mikel Merino was able to level things up just over ten minutes later.

Speaking after the game, Maresca made it clear he had no problem with Caicedo being given his marching orders, although he did question why Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur was not sent off for a similar challenge last month.

However, Mikel Arteta may have complaints of his own, with VAR being accused of going “completely blind” and missing Enzo Fernandez in an offside position during Chalobah’s opening goal.

IFAB’s Law 11 describes offside offences, and Fernandez’s position battling against Cristhian Mosquera certainly meets the criteria for ‘interfering with an opponent’.

A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:

interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or interfering with an opponent by: preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball or clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball

However, the goal stood and Maresca’s side managed to hold out for a draw, despite having ten men for most of the game, so Arteta arguably has a right to feel aggrieved the Gunners were unable to extend their lead at the top.

Arsenal should have taken three points regardless

Although there is a case to be made that Chalobah’s goal should’ve been ruled out, Arsenal will be kicking themselves, given that Caicedo’s early red card presented them with a golden opportunity to pick up a victory.

Arteta concurs that it was two points dropped, saying after the game: “I think overall it’s been a really positive week because the difficulty was immense.

“But I have this flavour that today we should have and we could have won the game and we haven’t. That’s a learning point from it.”

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That said, the north Londoners shouldn’t be too disheartened, as getting a point at Stamford Bridge is still a good result, and they have a healthy lead at the top of the Premier League table, currently sitting five points clear of Man City.

What a win for Newcastle United on Saturday evening. They beat Manchester City 2-1 at St James’ Park to pick up a huge three points, propelling them up the Premier League table.

Remarkably, it is the first time they have beaten the Citizens in the top flight since 2018/19, a game which they also won 2-1.

There were chances for both sides in the first half, with Harvey Barnes having a couple of opportunities which he squandered. The Citizens also came close through England international Phil Foden, but his shot fizzed wide.

It was Barnes who ended up giving the Magpies the lead in the second half. It was a smart finish from the winger, playing a one-two with Bruno Guimaraes before firing first time past Gianluigi Donnarumma to put his side a goal ahead.

City equalised moments after, thanks to a deflected strike by Ruben Dias. However, a 70th-minute goal from Barnes gave Newcastle the lead from close range. St James’ Park waited with bated breath as VAR checked an offside, but it was given and Eddie Howe’s men held on for all three points.

There were standout performances across the pitch for the Magpies, but Guimaraes and midfield partner Sandro Tonali were two standouts once again.

How Guimaraes and Tonali performed vs. Man City

It was another commanding performance from the Newcastle midfield pairing of Guimaraes and Tonali. The Brazilian grabbed an assist for the first goal, linking up with match-winner Barnes in a slick move, to help give his side the lead.

Indeed, the former Lyon midfielder stood out to Lee Ryder, the chief Newcastle writer for the Chronicle. He gave Guimaraes an 8/10 for his efforts in the middle of the park, describing his second-half display as “superb.”

However, it was not just the Magpies’ number 39 who shone in midfield. Tonali, described as “one of the best midfielders in world football right now” by Ryder, was completely dominant, especially out of possession.

It was a wonderful performance without the ball from Newcastle’s midfield general Tonali. The Italian worked hard all night long, winning 100% of his tackles, making seven recoveries and winning six duels, as per Sofascore. He also managed 47 touches of the ball and created one chance.

It was a typically dominant midfield showing by the pair, but they were arguably not the best Newcastle duo on the pitch against City.

Newcastle's best duo vs. Man City

As well as Guimaraes and Tonali performed, Newcastle fans might have been left more impressed with Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento.

The Magpies’ first-choice full-back pairing were back in the starting lineup together, and were “the best players on the pitch” according to journalist Andy Sixsmith.

It was certainly not an easy day for either of them. Livramento was up against the tricky Jeremy Doku, but kept him quiet, winning two tackles and making eight recoveries.

As for his compatriot Hall, he ensured Rayan Cherki had his work cut out, winning six from seven duels and making three recoveries.

Touches

45

40

Pass accuracy

85%

79%

Ball recoveries

3

8

Duels won

6/7

3/4

Clearances

3

3

Their performances stood out to Ryder. He gave the pair of them 9/10s for their efforts, explaining the right-back gave the Magpies “a different dimension” and the left-back “made a monumental difference” to the side.

It is easy to see how this pair could be the new version of Guimaraes and Tonali for the Magpies. The England internationals, who are both likely to stake a claim as part of Thomas Tuchel’s squad in the summer, are already fan favourites at St James’ Park.

Their quality speaks for itself, as they showed against City. The manner in which they coped with the Citizens’ tricky wide men was impressive, and their on-ball quality was obvious against Pep Guardiola’s side, too.

Livramento is just 23 years of age, and Hall is 21. They’ve already demonstrated high levels of ability, and could certainly become even more important than Guimaraes and Tonali, the longer they build up this full-back partnership.

Celtic are keen to appoint a permanent successor to Martin O’Neill and now look to be well down the road in that regard, as fresh details over Wilfried Nancy’s arrival and potential backroom team emerge.

The Bhoys enjoyed a productive weekend of Scottish Premiership action, even if it was a little fortuitous, claiming a dramatic last-gasp victory over St Mirren before Heart of Midlothian lost out at Aberdeen to narrow the gap at the top of the table.

Four points separate the top two heading into a busy schedule, with Celtic holding the advantage of a crucial game in hand against Dundee United days after they collide with the Edinburgh side in a blockbuster clash at Parkhead in a couple of weeks.

From a position of real uncertainty, the Bhoys have edged their way back into title contention and will hope to capitalise as Hearts continue to falter, albeit O’Neill made it clear after their win in Paisley that he isn’t sure how much longer he will be in interim charge alongside Shaun Maloney.

He said: “There’s relief as much as anything else, but you enjoy winning football matches – that’s what it’s about. It keeps confidence alive as much as anything else and keeps momentum going.

“At this minute, I haven’t heard anything more. I would reckon I would probably be on the plane for Rotterdam and maybe not much longer. If the board announce a new manager in the couple of days, I will walk into the sunset.”

O’Neill looks likely to be in charge for Celtic’s trip to face Feyenoord on Thursday in the Europa League and could be in situ for their match against Hibernian on Sunday. However, it doesn’t look like he will be sticking around for long after that.

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Wilfried Nancy set to add four new faces to Celtic backroom staff

Previously, it became clear that Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is set to take over at Celtic after his side bowed out of the MLS Cup playoffs, though there has since been quiet over the details of his arrival.

Now, PLZ Soccer report that Nancy is set to begin his journey at Parkhead from the start of December, if not before then, with the Bhoys’ home clash against Dundee on the third day of the month likely to be his first game in charge.

Four of Nancy’s own staff are set to take on new roles in Glasgow over the next week, should their contracts be signed off, with Dermot Desmond sparing no expense making the new boss feel at home in the face of recent fan pressure. Kwame Ampadu is likely to be one of the new faces following his work alongside the 48-year-old in the United States.

Wilfried Nancy’s record at Columbus Crew
Matches	136
Wins	71
Draws	32
Losses	33
Trophies	MLS Cup (2024)

It remains to be seen whether Maloney will form part of the Frenchman’s backroom team after his sterling efforts during his period as interim assistant.

Celtic fans have had to wait nearly a month to find out the identity of their new permanent manager, though they will be relieved to see that the hunt for a new boss is finally nearing an end.

MatériaMais Notícias

Técnico do Santos, Fábio Carille afirmou que o time é “candidato fortíssimo” ao título da Série B. Após a vitória do Peixe por 2 a 0 sobre o Avaí, nesta sexta-feira (26), o treinador concedeu entrevista coletiva e colocou o clube como favorito a ser campeão da Segundona e a buscar o acesso à Elite do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Peixe agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Santos

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– Somos um candidato fortíssimo ao acesso e ao título. Temos que manter a humildade aqui dentro. Faltam 36 rodadas, mas se continuarmos com esse nível de concentração até o fim, certamente vamos conseguir igualar o nível – afirmou Fábio Carille.

Além disso, o técnico elogiou o desempenho de JP Chermont, autor do primeiro gol do Santos na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Avaí. O lateral-direito de 18 anos foi titular pela primeira vez e de destacou na partida na Ressacada, válida pela segunda rodada da Série B.

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– Acompanho o Chermont desde a Copinha, assisti alguns jogos do estádio e outros da tv. Esses jogadores mais jovens têm que escutar os mais experientes porque eles têm caráter. Temos Gil, Pituca, Giuliano, Guilherme. Temos muita gente para ajudar – comentou o treinador.

Questionado sobre o atraso do time no início da partida, Fábio Carille responsabilizou a Polícia Militar de Santa Catarina. O Santos teve de entrar em campo durante a execução do Hino Nacional Brasileiro, sem seguir o protocolo da CBF. Segundo o técnico, a escolta do ônibus da equipe até o estádio não foi bem feita.

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– Muito chato entrar no campo com o hino tocando. Chegamos tarde aqui, a Polícia não fez um trabalho legal, a escolta não foi bem. Coisa chata, tínhamos programado. Falamos com eles, mas não respeitaram o que pedimos. Foi muito chato, acho que a CBF tem que intervir nisso. Foi muito chato, temos que estar atentos. A CBF é quem cuida disso. Tem que ter sabedoria e saber que não é mais assim – explicou Carille.

Confira outras respostas de Fábio Carille após vitória do Santos sobre o Avaí, pela Série B:

– A minha satisfação é enorme. A oportunidade de voltar, contratar bons profissionais e jogadores. Se faz muito pela qulalidade, com jogadores experientes que querem algo na carreira. Início bom, mas temos que melhorar em todos os jogos.

– Vitória consistente, time concentrado o tempo todo. Sabemos a ideia do Avaí de atacar no primeiro tempo a favor do vento, nos portamos bem. Voltamos concentrados, rodamos a bola. No primeiro gol do Chermont ficamos muito com a bola. Estou muito feliz.

– O Morelos está dando uma resposta melhor, é visível que emagreceu. O Furch sentiu uma leve dor no púbis, chega uma hora que não aguenta. Temso a preocupação, tanto pela saúde dele, como por queimar uma substituição no segundo tempo. Tudo muito bem programado.

– Elogiei muito o time no intervalo, gostei do que vi. Não é fácil jogar contra o vento, o João não trabalhou, elogiei bastante no intervalo. A nossa preparação foi toda em cima deles. No segundo tempo, jogando a favor do tempo tivemos mais oportundiades. Conseguimos dois gols e uma vitória importante.

– Para minimizar os erros, saíamos atrás de tudo. Com dois ou três dias, tivemos as melhores informações possíveis (sobre Escobar). Desde o primeiro dia mostrou que é um lateral aceso, vivo. Também joga com a perna direita. Muito contente, ótimo profissional e certamente nos ajudará a correr atrás dos objetivos.

Tudo sobre

Fabio CarilleSantosSérie B

Tottenham Hotspur have submitted an official bid for Ferran Torres, with Barcelona chiefs now in a debate over whether to sell the forward.

Spurs’ interest in a new forward may stem from the fact they have struggled in front of goal at times this season, perhaps partially due to Dominic Solanke’s absence, recording an xG of just 0.10 across the entire match in the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea earlier this month.

Not only that, but it would be fair to say some of the summer signings haven’t hit the ground running, with Randal Kolo Muani failing to find the back of the net in his opening eight matches across all competitions.

Pundit Johan Derksen has also been very critical of Xavi Simons, saying: “That Simons, he is physically incompetent. In England, they are all skilled on the ball and can all play football, but you also need physical strength.

“Tijjani Reijnders has that, and so do the guys at Liverpool, but Simons is getting lost in the onslaught. Simply because he is physically incompetent.”

Although it is still early days for Simons and Kolo Muani, it is no surprise Thomas Frank & co want to bring in a new forward this January, and they have now made an official approach for a La Liga star.

Tottenham submit offer for Ferran Torres

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham have now submitted an official offer for Barcelona star Torres, with club chiefs now debating whether to cash-in, given that they could do with generating funds, in light of their financial situation.

Spurs’ proposal amounts to €65m (£57m), which is tempting, but there are hints that the north Londoners may even be willing to offer more, as they are ‘determined’ to get a deal done, even if the La Liga club reject the opening offer.

Barca are yet to make a decision about the Spaniard’s future, but if they do end up being willing to sanction a departure, the 25-year-old could be a statement signing for Frank’s side.

Having initially struggled to make an impact at the Camp Nou, the former Manchester City man has developed year-on-year to become an important player, chipping in with seven goals in all competitions already this season.

Ferran Torres’ goal record by season

La Liga appearances

Goals

2021-22

18

4

2022-23

33

4

2023-24

29

7

2024-25

27

10

2025-26

11

5

Should he continue scoring at the current rate, the Spain international, who has been lauded as “world-class” by Xavi, is on course to have his best season yet, so it is understandable that Barcelona are hesitant about cashing-in.

However, should Tottenham be able to get a deal done, Torres could be the ideal addition to Frank’s squad, not least because the manager’s current options are struggling, with Mathys Tel on just two goals in all competitions this term.

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