Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly plotting a sensational move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios and are looking to secure a cut-price move for the young midfielder. The 22-year-old has made 16 La Liga appearances for Diego Simeone's side this season and Spurs have identified him as a potential option to offer some variation to their lethargic midfield options.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet threw a complete game shutout for the first time in his career on Saturday, leading the Red Sox to a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Crochet pitched all nine innings and allowed just three hits, no walks or runs, and struck out nine for the Red Sox. After reaching this feat for the first time, Crochet hilariously admitted he didn't know what to do after notching the final out of the game.
“I didn’t even know what to do when the third out was recorded,” Crochet said after the game, via Christopher Smith of . “I was like, ‘Where do I stand?’"
Crochet, who was recently named to his second straight MLB All-Star Game, called his first complete game shutout "really special." He previously came close to such a game against the New York Yankees last month, but gave up a home run to Aaron Judge in the ninth inning. This time around, Crochet managed to close out the game.
“It was really awesome, really special. Just grateful to get the job done,” Crochet said, via Smith. "… Incredibly satisfying. … Nice to keep the streak going, too.”
With Crochet's performance, the Red Sox extend their winning streak to nine straight games. They are now 52-45 and are 4.5 games back of the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.
Manchester United legend Paul Parker has revealed a "big worry" about summer signing Matheus Cunha. He arrived at Old Trafford with a price tag large enough to command immediate attention and expectations. However, only a few months on from his £62.5 million move from Wolves, the Brazilian forward finds himself with only a single Premier League goal to his name, which came during October’s frenetic 4-2 victory over Brighton.
A glimpse of the player United hoped for
Cunha's rhythm has been disrupted repeatedly, including by a head injury that ruled him out of recent fixtures against Crystal Palace and Everton. It was the second time since relocating to Manchester that he was forced to pause his progress. Despite the interruptions, Cunha’s most recent outing provided encouragement. Facing his former teammates from Wolves, he produced one of his sharpest performances in a United shirt. It was from his incisive work in the final third that Bruno Fernandes swept home United’s opening goal. This display has been seized upon by those who remain convinced that Cunha’s contribution goes far beyond his goal statistics. And among his admirers is former United defender Parker.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportParker’s praise for the Brazilian dynamo
Parker believes Cunha brings an edge and urgency that United have long lacked. Speaking about the 25-year-old’s influence, he offered glowing approval of the Brazilian’s work rate and mindset.
In an interview with , he said: "Cunha has done very well. He is very unselfish in everything he does. He never stops running, and sometimes he might even do too much, but that is just the way he is. His teammates need him and the team needs a player like him, because he gets the other people going. It affects his teammates a lot when he is not playing, so I really think he is important to the team."
Parker went on to compare Cunha to another United icon, while insisting that his performances at Wolves last season demonstrated a level of quality that always appeared too elevated for a struggling side.
He added: "His attitude is great and he never gives up. Man United haven’t had a player like him for a long, long time. He is a bit like Park [Ji-sung] in a way, but quicker. He has made a massive difference. He did amazingly for Wolves and he was too good to be in that team."
The 'big worry' beneath the surface
But alongside his admiration, Parker also issued a warning, one which is rooted not in Cunha’s ability, but in the nature of his personality. He suggested that players who operate with such wholehearted commitment often expect the same from those around them, a dynamic that can become troublesome if teammates fall short of that standard.
He said: "But I am worried about what he thinks about his teammates, because players like him who give everything, they can be very unhappy if his teammates are not good enough. That is a big worry, because I think he is demanding a lot. But in almost every other team, it would never be a worry. It is a very positive sign, but at Man United, with the players he is surrounded by, it can become an issue."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportWhat comes next?
The mood around Old Trafford has improved following the recent victory over Wolves, a result that lifted United to within a single point of fourth-placed Crystal Palace. Head coach Ruben Amorim will know that momentum, something United have struggled to sustain, must now be preserved with another victory over Bournemouth next Monday.
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani crushed a no-doubt home run, a 107.8 mph blast that traveled 419 feet to center field, during the top of the seventh inning of his club's 3–1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.
Ho hum. Business as usual for the reigning National League MVP. But something unique happened as Ohtani's homer left the field of play and landed in the visitor's bullpen at Coors Field.
Dodgers relief picher Kirby Yates was in the midst of throwing his warmup pitches when Ohtani's dinger sailed towards the bullpen. Yates, like a veteran outfielder, tracked the ball and made the catch as if it was a routine pop fly and not a near-110 mph missile off the bat of Ohtani.
After snagging the ball, Yates held his glove up in the air in celebratory fashion. Ohtani waved to the bullpen as he headed towards second base en route to touching 'em all.
The Dodgers might want to see if Yates can shag fly balls on his pitching off-days, as he may have potential out there. It wouldn't be the first time Los Angeles had a player add a new skill to his résumé this year.
And as for Ohtani, the red-hot Dodgers slugger now has three home runs and eight RBI in the last four games, all Dodgers wins.
The building blocks of a formidable T20 side are coming together with some big names still to slot in
Andrew McGlashan29-Jul-20250:42
Dwarshuis makes early breakthroughs for Australia
Australia’s build towards next year’s T20 World Cup could not have got off to a better start with the 5-0 sweep over West Indies in which several players staked claims for permanent spots in the team, leaving some potentially big calls for the selectors in the coming months.Cameron Green was player-of-the-series for his performances at No. 4, looking the ideal make-up for a role that can be required to play in various ways depending on the start. Meanwhile, Mitchell Owen made an immediate impact in the middle-order, having been challenged to develop his game away from the opening slot that has brought him considerable T20 league success.Tim David produced the performance of the series with his record-breaking 37-ball hundred, batting higher than has often been the case at No. 5, while Josh Inglis settled in at No. 3. With the ball, it’s difficult to see how Nathan Ellis does now not command a full-time place in the XI while Ben Dwarshuis had a productive series.Related
'It's close to all guns blazing' – Australia plan to power through any T20 scenario
Bailey declares Weatherald 'in the mix' for Ashes
'Not much will change' – Owen plans to bring his T20 approach to ODI cricket
More than a finisher: David soars to new heights
'Warming Heady's seat' – Maxwell expects opening role will be short-lived
“Depth is a privilege to have, and hopefully we can keep building on that,” Australia T20I captain, Mitchell Marsh said. “We saw a lot of guys come in: Mitch Owen, I thought Cam Green was fantastic, Nathan Ellis, again, was outstanding. Everyone played their part. It’s going to be a good challenge for us, but we certainly will welcome a few blokes back in.”Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood are expected to return for the series against South Africa which begins in Darwin on August 10, as could Matt Short if he has recovered from the side strain he picked up early in the West Indies tour. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc will, however, continue to rest ahead of the home summer, so the major calls around the make-up of the pace attack will wait a bit longer.
However, Ellis can’t have done any more to lock himself in as a starter, regardless of who is available, having conceded 7.88 runs an over in a series where runs came at 10.23 overall and he regularly closed out innings at the death. Australia did not concede more than 39 in the final four overs.”He’s been our go-to guy,” Green told ESPN’s . “And I think he’s, real, real close to getting to that main team, if not in it. He’s the guy that we probably go to [in the] sixth over in the powerplay, we always know that’s so tough, especially when they’ve been none down at a couple of games. I think he bowls three at the death for us, so he’s just doing all the hard roles. He seems to thrive in them. He’s got so many tricks up his sleeve, so we’re really pleased with how he’s going.”Head’s return at the top alongside Marsh, who was the one first-choice batter not to make a significant contribution against West Indies, will likely see Glenn Maxwell slip back to the middle-order, where Owen has made a strong start with 125 runs at a strike-rate of 192.30.”In the last 12 months, [Owen has] done a lot of batting at the top of the order, but we wanted to give him that opportunity to play a finishing role and keep building out his game with guys like Travis Head coming back in,” Marsh said. “He was awesome. He’s a ripping kid, took on the challenge, didn’t seem overawed by the occasion of playing international cricket and seems like a pretty calm figure, so that was great.”Owen contributed 12 of the 64 sixes Australia hit in the series – West Indies struck 53 in what became the second-highest tally for a bilateral T20 series – with this latest iteration of the T20 side shaping as the most powerful yet with no thought of a backwards step. Since the start of 2024, Australia are the fastest-scoring team in T20Is.Attack leader: Nathan Ellis was outstanding throughout the series•AFP/Getty Images”I think the way T20 is going, even again tonight, we were in a little bit of trouble and Tim David came out and batted the way he did,” Marsh said at the presentation. “And teams just keep going now. That’s the way the game’s going.”Perhaps the only question is whether, after the series was wrapped up, Marsh should have taken the opportunity to challenge his side to set a target as he kept winning the toss, but it was never considered. “This outfield was obviously super small and as we saw, it was really hard to defend,” he said.The five wins in West Indies make it eight in a row and 12 from 13 completed matches for Australia since the last World Cup in the Caribbean. Since the beginning of 2024, Australia have won 22 of their 26 completed T20Is, although two of those defeats were to Afghanistan and India in the Super Eights which saw them miss the semi-finals.They have 14 more matches over the next six months, with the three against South Africa next month, followed by three in New Zealand in early October. They will then host India for five as part of their white-ball tour ahead of the Ashes. They then have three matches in Pakistan pencilled in as the final lead-up to the World Cup. If the current form line remains, they will be one of the teams to beat come February in India and Sri Lanka.
Byron Buxton put on a show for his bobblehead day at Target Field.
The Minnesota Twins outfielder hit for the cycle during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, doing so for the first time in his career. Buxton began the cycle by hitting a triple during the bottom of the second inning. He added a ground rule double in the third, and hit a single in the fifth.
With three quarters of the cycle done, Buxton completed the cycle by hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Overall, Buxton has compiled five hits, three runs and two RBIs—all on his bobblehead day. It will be hard to find a more special bobblehead day than this one.
Buxton's complete cycle marked the first hit for the cycle by a Twins player since 2019, and the first hit for the cycle by any team at Target Field. The Twins currently hold a 12-3 lead over the Pirates, and are on track to earn their 47th victory of the season.
لم يتفق داني ميرفي، لاعب نادي ليفربول السابق، مع تصريحات نجم الريدز الحالي، محمد صلاح، والتي عبر فيها عن غضبه من وضعه الحالي مع النادي الإنجليزي.
محمد صلاح خرج عن صمته عقب تعادل ليفربول مع ليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز أمس السبت 3-3، وقام بانتقاد مدربه آرني سلوت، موضحًا أن العلاقة بينه وبين المدير الفني الهولندي قد انتهت.
ويتواجد محمد صلاح خلال الفترة الأخيرة على مقاعد بدلاء ليفربول، مما جعل الدولي المصري يصرح بغضبه الكبير من وضعه الحالي مع النادي الإنجليزي.
ويعتقد ميرفي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ميرور”، أن محمد صلاح قد وضع ليفربول في موقف محرج بهذه التصريحات، موضحًا أن ابن الـ33 عامًا كان عليه التحدث مع إدارة النادي الإنجليزي حول وضعه الحالي بدلًا من الإدلاء بتصريحات أمام وسائل الإعلام.
أقرأ أيضًا .. مهاجم تشيلسي السابق منتقدًا محمد صلاح: لم يحترم سلوت وزملاءه في ليفربول
وقال ميرفي: “نعلم أن هذه ردة فعل عاطفية لا تجدي نفعًا، على كل شخص أن يواصل الكفاح من أجل مكانه ومن أجل الوصول إلى مستوى معين، لا أعتقد أن محمد صلاح هو اللاعب الوحيد الذي يحدث معه ذلك، يتعرض العديد من اللاعبين الكبار الآخرين لانتقادات لاذعة وبعض الجماهير تلجأ إليهم، ويتعرضون للانتقاد”.
وأضاف: “هذا ليس صحيحًا، قد تشعر بالغضب وقد تشعر بالإحباط، وقد تكون عاطفيًا، لقد قدم محمد صلاح أشياء رائعة للنادي وعليك أن تبقي الأمر سرًا داخل جدران النادي”.
وأوضح: “كان على محمد صلاح التحدث مع إدارة النادي، اطرق باب المدير الفني، اذهب وتحدث مع الرئيس التنفيذي أو أي شخص آخر قد تحتاج إليه، اذهب وانظر إلى الملاك وافعل ما عليك فعله، عبر عن إحباطك”.
واختتم ميرفي في تصريحاته عن محمد صلاح: “بفعله هذا يسبب مشكلة للمدير الفني والفريق ويجعل كل الأمور تدور حوله، لا يمكنك فعل ذلك سواء كنت توافق على استبعاده أم لا، لا يجب أن تتعامل مع الأمر بهذه الطريقة”.
The 2025 All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta couldn't be decided in just nine innings. Instead of the typical extra innings we'd see in any other game, we got another Home Run Derby to finish off the night.
Each league got to send up three batters who each got three swings apiece. Whichever side had the most total homers would win the game. The National League came out on top of the swing-off thanks to three homers from Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber. In total, the NL had four homers compared to three for the American League after the even 6-6 contest.
Here are the full results from each player who participated in the swing-off. Remember, they only had three swings to hit as many long balls as they could.
Player
Team
League
Swing-Off Home Runs
Brent Rooker
Athletics
American League
2
Kyle Stowers
Miami Marlins
National League
1
Randy Arozarena
Seattle Mariners
American League
1
Kyle Schwarber
Philadelphia Phillies
National League
3
Jonathan Aranda
Tampa Bay Rays
American League
0
Pete Alonso
New York Mets
National League
N/A (swing-off decided)
The AL had a 3-1 lead before Schwarber stepped to the plate and went 3-for-3 which put the NL on top heading into the final two batters. Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda followed Schwarber with an opportunity to tie things up or give the AL the lead before the NL's final batter, Pete Alonso. Aranda hit a ball just off the top of the wall in right field for a close call, but wasn't able to go deep, which ended the thriller with the NL on top.
Schwarber was named the All-Star Game MVP for the swing-off performance. What a way to end the festivities.
When asked whether Manchester United had seen the best of him yet, £74m man Benjamin Sesko had the perfect response – “there’s loads to come”.
Speaking after netting his first Old Trafford goal in the Premier League win over Sunderland prior to the international break, the Slovenian striker didn’t appear to be getting carried away, despite having scored in two games in succession.
And rightly so, considering the nature of his price tag, with the ex-RB Leipzig sensation still having plenty to prove following his summer arrival from Germany, albeit with the recent signs having certainly been more promising.
Amid a post-Sir Alex Ferguson era that has been littered with short-term, problematic fixes in that centre-forward berth, alongside expensive gambles such as Rasmus Hojlund, the Red Devils simply need Sesko to deliver the goods over the next few years.
Thankfully, there is at least a new wave of talent brewing in the academy to potentially rival the 22-year-old moving forward, with the club’s new number nine in waiting already shining at Carrington.
While it may not carry the same weight as United’s famed number seven, there is still a level of pressure and scrutiny that comes with being the club’s number nine – a jersey that started the Premier League era in the hands of cult hero, Brian McClair.
The selfless Scotsman – who scored 101 goals in all competitions during his 11-year stay at the Theatre of Dreams – notably relinquished that status to marquee signing, Andy Cole in 1995, following the free-scoring Englishman’s arrival from Newcastle United.
In truth, it is hard to look past Cole as the best of the lot, with the one-time Arsenal man memorably forging that partnership with Dwight Yorke, helping to spearhead Alex Ferguson’s side to treble glory in 1999.
The successor to Cole then came a few years after his 2001 exit, in the form of Louis Saha, with the Frenchman lauded by Gary Neville as among the most underrated players in Premier League history, having previously “destroyed” him during his Fulham days.
Craven Cottage would prove to be the destination for United’s next number nine, Dimitar Berbatov, with the fleet-footed Bulgarian eventually departing for west London in 2012, following four fruitful years in Manchester that included claiming the Golden Boot in 2010/11.
The less said about the next recipient, Radamel Falcao, the better, considering his forgotten, one-season stint, while Anthony Martial’s two spells with the jersey showcased a mix of genius but also frustrating inconsistency.
The Frenchman had seen that status initially removed in 2016 following the statement signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with the enigmatic Swede scoring 28 times during his solitary full campaign in red, despite having arrived at the age of 34.
Romelu Lukaku, by contrast, didn’t quite live up to the billing, departing after just two turbulent years that did at least yield 42 goals in 96 games, before the number nine returned to Martial.
The most recipient was of course Hojlund, who initially arrived as the new number 11, although last term saw the Dane score just ten times in all competitions, before being shipped off to Napoli.
|
Ranking Man Utd’s PL No.9s |
|---|
|
1 – Andy Cole |
|
2 – Dimitar Berbatov |
|
3 – Louis Saha |
|
4 – Brian McClair |
|
5 – Zlatan Ibrahimovic |
|
6 – Anthony Martial |
|
7 – Romelu Lukaku |
|
8 – Rasmus Hojlund |
|
9 – Radamel Falcao |
Sesko, hopefully, will far exceed Hojlund’s impact in Manchester, although he might not be the future number nine…
Having arrived with Hojlund still on the books, Sesko unsurprisingly opted for the vacant number 30 shirt, having previously worn it for both Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg during his stints in Germany and Austria.
With number 11 also what the new United man wears for his country, perhaps he is gunning for Joshua Zirkzee’s jersey instead, rather than the now vacant number nine.
Perhaps, if things go to plan, the successor to Hojlund could well emerge in the form of academy sensation, Chido Obi, with the 17-year-old having already made a fine impact at Carrington since his arrival from Arsenal last summer.
Described as a “goalscoring machine” at the Gunners’ Hale End academy by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Obi has translated such form to Manchester over the past 12 months or so, scoring 12 times in just ten U18 games, alongside netting five goals in 11 outings in the U21 setup, as per Transfermarkt.
Not set to turn 18 until next month, the teen marksman had previously scored 32 goals in just 21 recorded games for Arsenal’s U18s, with United having pulled off a real coup by prising him from their top-flight rivals.
While chances have yet to come at first team level this season, the Denmark U20 international did make eight senior appearances in 2024/25 under Amorim, namely producing a lively cameo in the FA Cup against Fulham.
On another day, the £4m-rated starlet – who has scored three goals so far this term – may well have walked away with a goal during that night at Old Trafford, having been denied from the angle by a fine save from Bernd Leno.
Subsequent appearances showcased that the raw forward still has plenty of work to do to establish himself in the senior side, although he did score twice against Hong Kong during the post-season tour.
Hopefully, with Hojlund out of the equation – and with Joshua Zirkzee looking more suited to a number ten berth – Obi can begin to challenge Sesko more directly in the months and years to come, with Amorim certainly needing competition at the top end of the pitch.
Currently the club’s number 32 – albeit while wearing the nine in the U21 ranks – the former Gunners gem will be pushing to secure a promotion in the years to come.
Considering his sky high potential, he looks destined to be United’s next number nine.
Man Utd already sold Hojlund 2.0 who's "one of the best ST's in the world"
Selling a striker who’s now flourishing in Serie A? Manchester United know all about that…
By
Robbie Walls
Oct 15, 2025
As if Nuno Espírito Santo’s job at West Ham United isn’t already hard enough, he’s now been dealt a fresh injury blow.
Just before heading out on international duty, German forward Niclas Füllkrug reportedly tore his thigh while training with the East Londoners.
While it’s not clear when the 32-year-old will be back, it is clear that he won’t be available for at least a few Premier League games.
Fortunately, there are a few options Nuno can choose to solve this issue, including handing someone their first start for the side.
How West Ham can replace Fullkrug
The most apparent solution to Fullkrug’s injury, though the least inspiring, is to simply start Callum Wilson in his place.
Chalkboard
After all, the Englishman is an out-and-out striker with Premier League experience and has already scored a goal this season.
However, even though he’s scored, the former Newcastle United ace hasn’t looked particularly threatening or fit for the Hammers, and there is no guarantee he’ll score again since he only found the back of the net once in 22 games last season.
So with this in mind, it might make sense to move the far more prolific Jarrod Bowen back down the middle for a few weeks.
However, while this might not be the worst idea in the world, the Hammers’ incredible talisman can have a greater impact on proceedings and play to his strength when starting on the right.
Moreover, if he is down the middle, Nuno may have to throw the 19-year-old Luis Guilherme in at the deep end on the right, which doesn’t feel wise.
Finally, the manager could also potentially move Crysencio Summerville up top, as he looked a real threat in the game against Everton.
Yet, in doing this, Nuno would once again be significantly weakening his wide areas, as the Dutchman looks incredible out wide and is building a real understanding with El Hadji Malick Diouf.
How Nuno can fix West Ham's Fullkrug blow
While it seems there are significant drawbacks to every solution for Nuno, there is one last option he could try that may well prove to be the best: starting Callum Marshall.
Yes, with Fullkrug out of the picture and Wilson a less-than-inspiring stand-in, the manager should be bold and hand the academy gem his first competitive start for West Ham.
Granted, some might argue that the 20-year-old is still too young to be entrusted with a responsibility, but he already has a decent amount of experience for someone his age.
Appearances
46
Minutes
2841′
Goals
10
Assists
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.30
Minutes per Goal Involvement
202.92′
For example, he spent last season on loan with League One side Huddersfield Town, scoring ten goals and providing four assists in 46 appearances, totalling 2841 minutes.
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.28 games, or every 202.92 minutes, and while that might not sound overly impressive, it’s important to remember it was his first proper season of regular first-team football.
Moreover, he clearly made a significant impact during his time with the Terriers as he was named the club’s Player of the Year for his efforts.
On top of looking good on loan last season, starting the “natural goalscorer,” as dubbed by former Huddersfield boss Michael Duff, would also allow Bowen and Summerville to remain on the wings.
In other words, the youngster’s inclusion in the team will see the rest of the attack continue to perform at its best, which could help him get his name on the scoresheet for the first time in claret and blue.
Ultimately, it would, of course, be something of a risk to start Marshall, but considering everything and the other options, it certainly seems like a risk worth taking for West Ham and Nuno.
West Ham make Toney decision after being offered different striker who "fits the bill"
The Al-Ahli forward has been linked with a loan move to East London.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Oct 16, 2025