Advanced talks: £18m+ a year Man Utd star who regrets signing close to exit

A Manchester United star who regrets moving to Old Trafford is in advanced talks to quit this summer, according to a new update.

Players who could leave Man Utd this summer

After an early deal for Matheus Cunha, plenty of talk has been on who INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe will sign next for Ruben Amorim ahead of his first full season in charge at Old Trafford.

Bryan Mbeumo could well be the next to arrive for the Red Devils, however, when it comes to departures, the club may have plenty of work to do.

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INEOS are pushing to secure their target.

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Tom Cunningham

Jun 24, 2025

A number of big Man Utd earners have been linked with exits, including goalkeeper Andre Onana, with Amorim and co looking to bring in a new first-choice shot-stopper.

Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jason Sancho may all be on the search for new clubs after returning from their loan spells at Aston Villa, Real Betis and Chelsea respectively.

Jose Mourinho and Fenerbahce could be the next destination for Sancho, with claims that the winger has accepted a £160,000-a-week offer to move to Turkey and work under the former United manager.

Earlier in the window, AI actually predicted nine players Man Utd could sell for a combined £320m this summer, one of which was midfielder Casemiro.

AI’s predicted Man Utd sales

Fee

Marcus Rashford

£50m

Alejandro Garnacho

£60m

Rasmus Hojlund

£50m

Jadon Sancho

£35m

Antony

£30m

Casemiro

£20m

Andre Onana

£40m

Luke Shaw

£20m

Tyrell Malacia

£15m

The Brazilian reportedly regrets his move to Old Trafford from Real Madrid, despite picking up more than £18m per season and being the club’s highest earner, and a new exit update has emerged.

Advanced talks for Casemiro to leave Man Utd and join Al-Nassr

According to reports from Saudi outlet Sport Jazirah, relayed by Man Utd News, a move to the Saudi Pro League for Casemiro is at an advanced stage.

Negotiations appear to be progressing for the midfielder to join Al-Nassr and play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 33-year-old has just 12 months remaining of his £350,000-a-week Old Trafford deal, and it remains to be seen what sort of fee United could bring in for Casemiro, should he seal a move to link up with Ronaldo once more.

After signing back in 2022, Casemiro has made a total of 125 appearances for Man Utd, contributing to 29 goals and winning the FA Cup and League Cup under Erik ten Hag.

He played a key role in United’s route to the Europa League final last season with five goal contributions in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, however, his days at Old Trafford appear to be numbered.

If he does leave, Amorim could look to bring in a new midfielder, and there have been suggestions that Juventus’ Douglas Luiz is of interest to Man Utd. Richard Rios of Palmeiras is another rumoured target, so Casemiro’s exit may be the starting point of a new midfield addition at Old Trafford.

'Leave the boy alone!' – Nick Woltemade 'laughed less and was withdrawn' amid Bayern Munich transfer drama as Stuttgart star reveals toll of daily speculation

Nick Woltemade's Stuttgart team-mate Deniz Undav has shed light on how the transfer saga amid Bayern Munich's interest has affected the attacker.

  • Undav talks about Woltemade amid Bayern drama
  • Says Stuttgart team-mate was very affected 
  • Stuttgart demanding more than what Bayern are willing to pay
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Undav has broken his silence on the emotional toll of relentless transfer speculation linking his Stuttgart team-mate with Bayern, revealing that the uncertainty left Woltemade "laughing less" and feeling increasingly withdrawn. All summer, Woltemade was heavily tipped to join the Bavarian giants, but Stuttgart have rebuffed all advances.

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    It has been a draining transfer saga involving Woltemade, Bayern and Stuttgart. The Bundesliga champions were intent on bolstering their attack and identified Woltemade as their top target after he scored 17 goals in 33 games in all competitions last season. In fact, at the end of June, reports stated that Bayern had struck a personal agreement with the 23-year-old. It has also been revealed by the German media that Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany had a "secret" video call with Woltemade, which convinced the player of the project at Allianz Arena.

    Even so, Die Roten's first two bids for the player were rejected without much consideration, the second one worth €50 million (£43m/$58m) plus €5m in bonuses, including a 10 per cent sell-on clause. However, Stuttgart remained adamant on not entertaining any offers below €65m (£56m/$75m). Despite Max Eberl, Bayern's director of sport, claiming that the deal for Woltemade was now "off the table", they sent an improved third proposal worth €60m (£52m/$70m) earlier this month. Once again, Die Schwabians stood firm on not entering negotiations and, in fact, ended up increasing their demands, asking for €75m (£65m/$87m).

  • WHAT DENIZ UNDAV SAID

    Speaking to , Undav said: "Everyone under the sun has spoken out about Nick; podcasts have been made by people you've never seen before. Experts have spoken out, every day. Just leave the boy alone; at some point, enough will be enough. If the issue hadn't been made so big, it wouldn't have been so bad for Nick. It was on Nick's mind, so I don't need to talk nonsense.

    "He didn't act angry or train less well. Sure, he laughed less, was a bit more withdrawn. Now the whole thing is over, everything's been resolved. And after this decision, he seems more relaxed to me – outwardly – again. In the locker room, he was always the same.

    "[Bayern Munich] is the biggest club in Germany, one of the biggest clubs in the world. Nick wanted to take his next step; he's still young. Of course, that's understandable."

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    WHAT NEXT?

    Stuttgart CEO Alexander Wehrle has already publicly confirmed that the transfer saga is now closed, with Woltemade set to remain an integral part of the club's plans for the 2025-26 season. "The file is closed and it will stay closed. Nothing can happen now," Wehrle stated on German TV show . "It's not about winning or losing. For us, it's about our sporting goals. We want to have a successful season with Nick Woltemade. We've said that several times now, and I don't know if people don't believe us when we say it, because people keep asking about it."

Another hijack! Arsenal working to sign €60m Spurs target

Tottenham Hotspur had identified Piero Hincapie as someone worth pursuing in the final days of the transfer window, but are now at risk of losing another target to Arsenal.

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According to transfer specialist , Spurs have put forward a proposal for Hincapie that would begin as a loan and become a permanent deal next summer. The offer of the obligation to buy matches the €60 million (£52m/$70m) release clause in the Ecuadorian centre-back's contract with Leverkusen, but crucially delays paying the amount until 2026. He is thought to want to leave his current club, paving the way for Spurs to also open talks over personal terms.

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However, news quickly followed from that Arsenal are also in for Hincapie and "working" on their own deal. While Leverkusen are holding out for an amount that matches the release clause, it is suggested the Gunners are seeking to negotiate a lower fee they consider a "more realistic market value". This all comes less than a week after Arsenal moved to snatch Eberechi Eze from under the nose of their north London rivals, although it should be said that Spurs are no way near as far along in the process as they were for the England star – when a deal was all but agreed.

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite moving to Argentina at 18 years of age, Hincapie started his senior career at Independiente del Valle in Ecuador – the same club that produced current Chelsea pair Moises Caicedo and Kendry Paez, as well as Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Willian Pacho. He is part of Ecuador's new golden generation, qualifying for successive World Cups for the first time in 20 years. 

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Spurs and Arsenal appear to be offering different deals, so it could come down to whichever Leverkusen find most attractive. The difference with Eze, however, was that the proposals presented to Crystal Palace were matched, giving him a free choice. If Leverkusen have a better offer from one or the other, and are willing to cash in, they could try and persuade Hincapie to go for that option. Right now, Spurs are offering more money, but Arsenal would be handing over cash sooner.

Yuri Alberto revela divisor de águas para fechar com o Corinthians e crava: '1º título vai ser o Paulistão'

MatériaMais Notícias

Com o início da guerra entre Rússia e Ucrânia em 2022, Yuri Alberto tinha a vontade de retornar ao futebol brasileiro, e o seu coração estava dividido entre o Internacional, clube no qual ganhou projeção e tinha o carinho da torcida colorada, ou o Corinthians.

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+ Giuliano vai renovar com o Timão? Veja 40 nomes do futebol brasileiro em último ano de contrato

O atacante disse que sua ida ao jogo do Timão contra o Boca Juniors, pelas oitavas de final da Libertadores, para sentir o calor da torcida corintiana, foi o diferencial para ele aceitar a proposta do Alvinegro e recusar o Inter.

+ Veja as movimentações do mercado da bola no LANCE!

– De início, a minha ideia era o Internacional. Foi o lugar onde eu saí, ajudei o clube com a minha venda, a maior da história do Inter. De primeira, era para eu ter voltado para o Inter, mas pensando com a minha família, surgiu a proposta do Corinthians. Estava em São Paulo e ia ter Corinthians e Boca Juniors na Libertadores. O presidente me convidou para conhecer o CT, quando entrei lá… Não tem como, é aqui. Aquela atmosfera toda é diferente – revelou Yuri àThe Players Tribune.

O LANCE! esteve na Neo Química Arena e pegou as primeiras palavras do centroavante antes dele assinar seu contrato de empréstimo.

SONHOS NA CARREIRA

De contrato definitivo até o final de 2027, Yuri Alberto quer solidificar sua carreira com títulos pelo Corinthians, e o camisa 9 acredita que o Paulistão será a sua primeira taça no clube. O clube está nas quartas de final, onde enfrenta o Ituano, em Itaquera.

– Eu creio em conquistar muitos títulos esse ano pelo Corinthians, vou dar a vida. Paulista é um grande passo no início da nossa temporada. Temos que almejar grandes coisas, creio que o primeiro título pelo Corinthians vai ser o Paulista. A equipe merece muito pelo tanto que trabalhamos – afirmou.

+ Veja como ficou a tabela e simule o mata-mata do Campeonato Paulista

Mesmo com o vice da Copa do Brasil na última temporada, o camisa 9 acredita que o Timão vai conseguir chegar novamente na final da competição, e dessa vez faturar o título.

– No resto do ano tem muita competição importante, Brasileirão que eu bati na trave pelo Inter. Agora na Copa do Brasil que perdemos nos pênaltis, mas sentimos, foi palpável. Vamos chegar de novo e vamos conquistar esse título.

Apesar das metas traçadas no Corinthians, Yuri revelou que almeja disputar a Champions League e seu maior sonho segue sendo representar a Seleção Brasileira em uma Copa do Mundo. O centroavante também revelou que Ronaldo Fenômeno é seu maior ídolo no futebol e deseja reeditar parceria com Rodrygo. Ambos atuaram juntos no Santos, e agora seu ex-parceiro defende o Real Madrid.

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Real Betis FINALLY sign Antony! LaLiga club confirm €25m signing of Man Utd flop after impressing during initial loan spell

Real Betis have confirmed the signing of Brazilian winger Antony from Manchester United in a €25 million (£22m) deal. The move includes a 50% sell-on clause on any future profit, ending weeks of tense negotiations over the player’s wages. Antony returns to Betis permanently after a successful loan spell, having revitalised his career in La Liga following a difficult stint at Old Trafford.

Real Betis confirm €25m deal for Antony from Man UtdBrazilian impressed on loan with nine goals, five assistsUnited insert 50% sell-on clause in transfer agreementFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Real Betis and Manchester United reached an agreement that sees the winger leave Old Trafford for good, with the Premier League side refusing to sanction another loan. The deal comes with a significant wage reduction for Antony, who had been seeking compensation for the shortfall, and the Red Devils will not make any further payments to the player as part of the settlement, as per reports.

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Antony endured a difficult time at United following his €95 million (£80m) move from Ajax in 2022, struggling to live up to his hefty price tag. His form improved dramatically at Real Betis, where he managed nine goals and five assists in 26 matches last season on loan. The permanent transfer now offers him the chance to continue rebuilding his career in Spain under Manuel Pellegrini.

DID YOU KNOW?

The 25-year-old winger played a key role in Betis’ run to the Europa Conference League final, though they ultimately lost 4-1 to Chelsea. His direct play and eye for goal won over the Betis faithful, convincing the club to push for a permanent transfer. United, meanwhile, were only ever open to a full sale as part of their squad overhaul under Ruben Amorim.

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The 25-year-old will now look to pick up where he left off and become a key figure for Betis in the 2025-26 campaign. Los Verdiblancos have struggled so far this season as they have managed just one win and two draws in their opening four games.

Permanência de Ceni, reforços e futuro do Reffis: São Paulo reavalia suas rotas após eliminação no Paulistão

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo se reapresenta para treinamentos do elenco na manhã desta quarta-feira (15), mas a terça-feira (14) foi de intensa movimentação no CT da Barra Funda. Pelo menos entre a diretoria do Tricolor e a comissão técnica, que se reuniu para reavaliar as rotas do clube para o restante da temporada, após a fatídica eliminação nos pênaltis para o Água Santa nas quartas de final do Campeonato Paulista, no Allianz Parque.

A primeira decisão da cúpula são-paulina foi definir a manutenção de Rogério Ceni como treinador. Parece óbvio, mas a gestão Julio Casares sofreu grande pressão por parte de conselheiros, sócios e parte da torcida, após o tropeço.

+Corinthians quer meia do Internacional, negociação de Marinho tem reviravolta… O Dia do Mercado!

Com nomes como Dorival Júnior livres no mercado, figuras importantes entre os cardeais tricolores queriam a troca no comando.

Dois pontos fazem a diretoria de Casares optar por seguir com o ex-goleiro. O primeiro é o entendimento de que o alto número de contusões impossibilita uma avaliação mais clara do seu trabalho.

O segundo é a blindagem que o nome de Ceni traz. Mais do que ‘proteger’ a diretoria, o eterno ídolo são-paulino é visto como uma figura essencial para evitar o alastramento de crises internas, em um momento considerado delicado, seja pela eliminação ou fatores extra-campo, como o caso Pedrinho, afastado após acusação de agressão contra a ex-namorada.

‘Ruim com ele, pior sem’, virou um mantra. Ceni foi elogiado internamente pela forma como lidou com a imprensa em situações como a do volante Luan, que vive impasse na renovação do contrato, cujo término acontece no final do ano.

+ Confia os jogos e simule resultados do Brasileirão-23 na tabela do LANCE!

PERMANÊNCIA DE TÉCNICO PASSOU POR PROMESSAS DA DIRETORIA

Segundo fontes ouvidas pelo LANCE!, Ceni e seus companheiros de comissão também aceitam continuar pela confiança que possuem na diretoria. E há uma crença que alguns pontos expostos na reunião serão cumpridos.

O mais fundamental deles passa pela contratação de reforços. Por mais que as exigências do treinador no final da última temporada tenham sido atendidas, com a chegada de peças que deram velocidade pelos lados ao time, o Paulistão mostrou que há deficiências.

Publicamente elogiado, Luciano não correspondeu na função de ser o articulador das jogadas de ataque. Ceni e a diretoria entendem que não tem como fugir do óbvio: será preciso investir em uma contratação considerada de peso para essa função de elo entre meio-campo e ataque.

Ou seja, haverá a abertura dos cofres para o reforço renomado que chegará com grande status para ser criador e definidor de jogadas.

Outras posições avaliadas por Ceni, como zaga e mais peças de ataque, até pela súbita ausência de Pedrinho, serão avaliadas pela diretoria, mas não devem ser nomes de impacto. Virão do trabalho de observação nos estaduais.

Por fim, o mais espinhoso tema da reunião foi a situação do Reffis e do grande número de contusões que assombrou o Tricolor. Casares já falou em reuniões anteriores que uma avaliação mais completa dos setores do clube ocorreria após o término do Estadual. Dispensas e contratações para o departamento médico são avaliadas e podem acontecer até o final desta semana.

'He's struggled' – Why Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to win a trophy in Saudi Arabia as Portuguese GOAT goes in search of title and goals record with Al-Nassr

Dwight Yorke has dived into the reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to lift silverware with Al-Nassr and what the future holds for the 40-year-old.

  • Yorke opines on CR7's 'struggles' in Saudi
  • Claims 40-year-old's goals won't be enough to win titles
  • Expects Al-Nassr to come 'very close' to winning silverware
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The iconic former Premier League striker elaborated on why Ronaldo's stint in Saudi Arabia has been a failure from a collective standpoint, despite netting over a century of goals with Al-Nassr since joining in January 2023. Yorke believes "Ronaldo's goals are no longer enough" and accused his team-mates of not contributing as much as the Portuguese does.

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    Ronaldo has netted an incredible 101 goals in just 114 games for Al-Nassr to further prove his unprecedented longevity. In two-and-a-half seasons with the Saudi giants, the ex-Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid forward has failed to win major silverware. Indeed, Al-Nassr have finished runners-up twice and third once in the Saudi Pro League, while they lost to Al-Hilal on penalties in the 2024 King Cup final. Last week, Al-Ahli beat them, once again on penalties, in the Saudi Super Cup final to extend Ronaldo's quest for a title.

  • WHAT YORKE SAID

    Speaking to , Yorke said: “I work on the Saudi League and follow it comprehensively. Cristiano Ronaldo still scores a lot of goals, but his goals are no longer enough, whereas in the past, they were sufficient to win major competitions. This is certainly true in that league. I don't think his team-mates are contributing as much as he has. He has big names and good players around him to really win the league. But for some reason, Al Hilal are the ones dominating the Saudi League.

    “He's struggled with Al-Nassr for a number of years. But as you know, he will go to the very end because he's continued chasing these goals. He was a serial winner in the past, but he hasn't been able to win any major competition there, and that must be eating away at him.

    “They have come close and had an opportunity to win a major competition but just haven't been able to get it over the line. But, you know, he's got Sadio Mane and those type of guys alongside him, so they really should be closer. But they come unstuck every time they come up against Al Hilal, who dominate the league, and somehow, they haven't been able to overcome them. That's the biggest challenge, and I'm sure he will want to win it.

    “He's been given a two-year contract extension, so he's got another two years, including this year, to really try and do something. They're desperate, and he is desperate to win something major because wherever he's been, he's won, hasn't he? So he will not want that to slip without him winning a major cup. I expect them to come closer this season. I really do. With the signings, and they continue to try and add to the squad, I expect them to come very close.

    “He's doing everything. He's still scoring on a regular basis. I'm not sure how many goals he got last season, but he's got quite a bit for both club and country.”

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    WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

    After signing a fresh two-year renewal in the summer, Ronaldo will be aiming to lay his hands on at least one major trophy in the Middle East. His goal-scoring prowess remains intact as he scored in Al-Nassr's 5-0 trashing of Al-Taawoun on Friday in the first league game of the 2025-26 season. The Portuguese legend will next be seen in action on September 14 against Al-Kholood.

Botafogo se planeja para lançar uniformes da Reebok no início do Brasileirão

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo vem se planejando para lançar seu novo uniforme no início do Brasileirão de 2023. A Reebok é a fornecedora de materiais esportivos do clube desde novembro do ano passado e está produzindo os mantos alvinegros.

O objetivo do Glorioso é estrear seu novo uniforme antes do segundo turno do Brasileirão. A empresa está na parte final do desenvolvimento e espera concluir todos as etapas do processo nas próximas semanas.

+Botafogo anuncia acordo com a Reebok: relembre as fornecedoras do clube neste século

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+Botafogo apresenta nova logomarca do programa de sócio-torcedor Camisa 7

A marca estadunidense estava há cerca de 20 anos sem desenvolver camisas de times brasileiros e agora retorna para produzir os novos uniformes do Glorioso. Na época, John Textor cogitou optar pela Adidas por conta de algumas ideias de padronização do empresário. A empresa, no entanto, não apresentava números tão expressivos de resultado para os alvinegros.

+Botafogo anuncia instalação de lojas com produtos do clube no Nilton Santos

O contrato entre Botafogo e Reebok é válido por três anos. O anúncio da parceria gerou muita repercussão nas redes sociais. Os torcedores estão ansiosos pelo lançamento do novo uniforme.

Marc Guehi's failed Liverpool transfer was a blessing in disguise – all parties will benefit from Crystal Palace captain staying put after deadline-day drama

The England defender is upset at the deal collapsing, but he and the two clubs involved stands to benefit from it in the long run

You'd have thought the main story on deadline day would have been Liverpool smashing the British transfer record for the second time in one window to finally secure Alexander Isak from Newcastle. Instead, it was the deal that the Premier League champions didn't get over the line that has dominated the headlines and discourse.

With a few hours to spare before the window closed, Liverpool reached a long-awaited agreement with Crystal Palace to sign Marc Guehi, who the club were actively looking to sell as he entered the final 12 months of his contract with little desire to pen an extension. By around 4pm, three hours ahead of the deadline, he was undergoing a medical at the Merseysiders' London headquarters.

Alas, Palace pulled the plug even after a deal sheet had been submitted to the Premier League after failing to procure a replacement. Their top target, Igor Julio of rivals Brighton, opted to join West Ham on loan instead, scuppering Guehi's chance to move to Anfield for at least the majority of the 2025-26 season.

Guehi is, unsurprisingly, said to have been furious for having this opportunity denied at the very last minute. In the immediate aftermath, there will be heartache and regret that he maybe didn't handle the situation better – acting a model professional in contrast to Isak and Yoane Wissa, who did get their respective moves on Monday evening – but there are still silver linings. In fact, Guehi could still stand to hugely benefit from how this saga has unfolded.

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    Opens European doors

    The Premier League's grip on the global market has never been tighter. According to , nine of the top 10 spending clubs for the 2025 window hailed from England, with Bayer Leverkusen – who sold Florian Wirtz to Liverpool for £117 million ($157m), among others – the only exception.

    Had Guehi's move gone through, Palace would have pocketed £35m ($47m). In isolation, that's not an overly extravagant sum to part with for a player in the final year of his contract, but that still seemed too hefty an investment for the elite clubs on the continent to throw their respective hats into the ring for.

    report that Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus are among the teams who 'expressed an interest' in acquiring Guehi, though couldn't stump up the cash needed to trigger an exit this year. Per those statistics from , Barca, infamously hampered by financial restrictions, ranked 80th on their list of summer spenders, with Bayern coming in at 39th and Juve at 18th. Three of the world's biggest sporting institutions were outspent considerably by newly-promoted Sunderland.

    If Guehi indeed doesn't sign a new deal at Palace, he will be able to freely negotiate with foreign clubs in January, potentially pocketing a more lucrative signing-on bonus for his troubles of staying at Selhurst Park a little while longer. These elite sides are becoming more inclined to poaching from the Premier League's mid-table, and there won't be shortage of suitors at home or on the continent for his services.

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    Guaranteed minutes for World Cup charge

    Guehi formed a crucial part of the England core that reached the Euro 2024 final last summer. He only missed one match, their 2-1 win over Netherlands in the semi-finals, due to suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards. On that occasion, he was replaced in the starting XI by Ezri Konsa, before being reinstated in place of the Aston Villa defender for the final.

    However, he has scarcely featured for the Three Lions under Thomas Tuchel, playing in only one of the German's four games in charge thus far. Ironically, Konsa appears to be the new lynchpin, starting three of those matches, while Dan Burn has started alongside him in two. Part of this is down to a lack of luck, with a head injury sustained in May's FA Cup final ruling Guehi out of England's June internationals.

    Regardless, the competition for places at centre-back is on. Konsa, Burn, John Stones and Jarell Quansah are the other centre-backs that have been called into September's squad, while it's difficult to rule out Harry Maguire's prospects of being on the plane next summer given his previous importance to England and resurgent reputation at Manchester United.

    Tuchel clearly has his favourites, as demonstrated by calling up his former Chelsea player Reece James over Trent Alexander-Arnold and bringing Ruben Loftus-Cheek back into the international fold for the first time in six years. If Konsa is really the manager's top option, then Guehi's best chance of wrestling back his place will be through consistent game time as a starter. That could have transpired at Liverpool, but with Ibrahima Konate also fighting for minutes, he could have been in and out of Arne Slot's line up in a season where he needs maximum exposure.

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    Short-term loss

    Much has been made of Liverpool's extraordinary transfer window, one which culminated with signing one of the best strikers in the world to take their spending over the £400m mark. Regardless, they were still lackadaisical when it came to closing a deal for one of their other primary targets.

    The club's pursuit of Isak was complex given the numbers involved and Newcastle's public stance that they were not interested in selling him. In the case of Guehi, Palace were openly telling the world they needed to cash in. Chairman Steve Parish said after their Community Shield victory over the Reds on August 10: "For players of that calibre to leave on a free, it's a problem. No doubt about it, unfortunately."

    Liverpool started formal talks with Palace soon after that meeting at Wembley, while at the same time wrapped up a deal for Italian wonderkid Giovanni Leoni. It shouldn't have taken them nearly three weeks to come to an agreement on a fee. Whether Palace should have had a successor for Guehi lined up before deadline day is another issue, but the Reds' top brass needed to be in control of their own situation, and instead they ceded it to Parish.

    It's not necessary for the clubs at the top of the food chain to 'win' every transfer dealing. If they get their target at a price that seems fair, that's all that matters. Unfortunately for Liverpool, they 'lost' both the player and the deal at a time where they needed another body for their backline.

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    Swapping profit for shot at success

    One way or another, Palace have shot themselves in the foot. Guehi is not going to sign a new contract, and they will either lose him in January on a cut-price deal or in summer 2026 for nothing at all. For a mid-table club with European aspirations to lose such an asset in these circumstances is concerning, yet it may well be cancelled out by another layer of incompetence.

    Oliver Glasner reportedly threatened to stand down as manager if Parish sanctioned the sale of Guehi without acquiring a replacement. The squad barely has enough centre-backs for his 3-4-3 situation as it is, and keeping Guehi will make them a better team in the short term while there is now no escape from their need to do some forward planning.

    Parish is both the winner and loser here. It shouldn't have got to this point to keep Glasner, now forever a club legend for delivering the FA Cup and leading Palace into Europe for the first time, in his post. The Austrian is a top-level manager who will surely be inundated with offers over the next couple of years, and in lieu of Guehi, he is now the most valuable person at Selhurst Park. But you can't help but feel the chairman must feel some level of regret at not selling to Newcastle in 2024 for £65m, or to Tottenham at the peak of their injury crisis last January for £70m.

Spain player ratings vs Bulgaria: Lamine Yamal is an inspiration! European champions make a statement with thumping win in first World Cup qualifier as Mikel Merino, Marc Cucurella and Mikel Oyarzabal all score

Yamal was a constant thorn in Bulgaria's side as La Roja, who were slightly wasteful, rolled over their desperately sorry opponents.

Spain began their World Cup qualifying campaign in thrilling style with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Bulgaria in Sofia. 

First-half goals from Mikel Oyarzabal, Marc Cucurella and Mikel Merino fired La Roja to a comfortable victory, making it just one defeat in the past 70 World Cup qualifiers for the 2010 champions.

But it was 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, marking his 22nd international appearance, who was Spain's prominent attacking threat on right-hand side, displaying the talent and temperament which could earn him the headlines at next year's World Cup. 

GOAL rates Spain's players from Vasil Levski National Stadium…

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Unai Simon (6/10): 

Barely troubled all evening. Was scrambling for one shot early in the first-half, but that was it. Practically a night off. 

Pedro Porro (7/10): 

Made a crucial block midway through the first-half, deflecting a shot onto the post. Was untroubled apart from that and was a threatening presence upfield. 

Robin Le Normand (6/10): 

Booked for a clumsy challenge with Aleksander Kolev. Subbed at half-time after a comfortable first 45 minutes. 

Dean Huijsen (8/10):

Cool, calm and composed. Impressed with some delightful long-ball passes from the back and displayed express pace when covering. 

Marc Cucurella (7/10):

An absolute peach for his first international goal. He barely even cracked a smile after the goal – a sign of Spain's dominance. 

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Pedri (7/10):

A confident evening, with acres of space to roam into, maybe only disappointed he didn't create more. 

Martin Zubamendi (7/10):

Provided the assist for Oyarzabal's opening goal. A busy presence across midfield and would have impressed his new boss Mikel Arteta. 

Mikel Merino (7/10):

Perfectly-timed leap to powerfully head home Spain's third. Enjoyed an easy evening, able to pick his passes at will. 

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Lamine Yamal (9/10):

A constant threat on the wing, with endless energy and trickery, he ran Bulgaria ragged. Provided the assist for Merino's goal. 

Nico Williams (6/10):

A relatively quiet night playing the attacking left role as Spain's main thrusts came down the right. Didn't put a foot wrong all game. 

Mikel Oyarzabal (8/10):

Great touch and finish to bag the first goal inside five minutes. A constant threat around the box. 

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Pau Cubarsi (6/10):

Came on at the start of the second-half, replacing Le Normand and enjoyed one of the most comfortable games he'll ever play. 

Rodri (6/10):

Made a very welcome return for La Roja, playing the final half hour after serious injury playing for Man City. Some neat touches, but little impact. 

Dani Carvajal (6/10):

Another player delighted to be returning after an extended absence. Very little opportunity for him to shine. 

Dani Olmo: (5/10):

Replaced Williams in the 71st minute and showed great willing in wide positions, but failed to find that crucial pass. 

Jesus Rodriguez (5/10):

Made his debut, replacing Yamal in the 79th minute. Will merely be pleased with having a few touches of the ball. 

Luis de la Fuente (7/10):

The only complaint the manager will have is that his side failed to score more goals. Will be pleased to see key stars return to international duty following injury. 

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