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West Ham United fans have been debating the prospect of signing Danny Welbeck on a free transfer, and the supporters are split.

The former Arsenal forward left the club at the end of last season as he was released from his contract.

Injuries derailed Welbeck’s spell in north London and he made just eight Premier League appearances in 2018/19.

The 28-year-old is searching for a club and Hammers supporters are split over the prospect of bringing the England international into the London Stadium.

West Ham have already signed Sebastian Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt but have just Javier Hernandez and Jordan Hugill to support him.

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Some fans believe signing Welbeck would be too much of a risk, while others think he has the required experience to make an impact; he has scored 42 goals in the top-flight throughout his career.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

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Shaun Marsh celebrated his hundred by launching Stuart Broad for six and it is a shot that will take its place in Ashes history

Daniel Brettig03-Dec-2017Sporting careers, however long or decorated, are so often crystallised in collective memory through moments that last a few seconds. These are freeze frames that brook no argument, summing up an athlete’s place in the history of their sport and their nation. For Australia, it’s Cathy Freeman crossing the finishing line at Sydney 2000, Greg Norman falling to the ground on the 15th hole amid his final-day collapse at Augusta in 1996, or Tim Cahill volleying home that screamer against the Netherlands at Brazil 2014.In Australian cricket, Shane Warne is forever bowling Mike Gatting, Steve Waugh always saluting a Sabina Park double century then wiping his brow with the lucky red rag, and Adam Gilchrist whacking the winning runs at the end of the Hobart miracle chase. All these figures had plenty more of their careers to run afterwards, but it was at such junctures that they ensured a place in history to surpass all other moments or arguments.Up until this evening, Shaun Marsh did not possess such a moment or anything like it. He had made four Test hundreds, one of them in Australia, including a century on debut in Sri Lanka in 2011. But for the most part he has been less commonly associated with brief, transcendent moments than long, laborious pub arguments about his place in the Australian team. Always considered one of the nation’s most prodigious talents, ever since making a century as a teenager for Western Australia and earning Waugh’s approval, his on again/off again international career has lacked a unifying moment to end all such debate.Never were the arguments more vociferous than in the hours and days after the selectors named their squad for the Gabba, including Marsh for the eighth time despite dropping him earlier this year in favour of younger players, and ignoring the claims of others who had performed better than him in the opening rounds of the Sheffield Shield. Even when Marsh contributed a serviceable half-century in Brisbane there remained some murmurings about how he had failed to go on from the platform, allowing himself to be fooled by Stuart Broad and leaving the captain Steven Smith to rely on the lower order.That all stopped on day two in Adelaide. A spinal century in Australia’s first innings after being sent in by Joe Root was pivotal enough, but the Marsh moment arrived after he had passed three figures and shaped up again to Broad. Not content with a pair of boundaries, he launched into a length delivery from Broad with all the power, poise and timing of the very best batsmen, launching the sort of straight six that used to have Richie Benaud exclaiming “I’ll get it” in the commentary box. In a trice, Australia’s Villain of Nottingham in 2013 (with the bat) and 2015 (with the ball) was made to turn on his heels, humbled by a helluva shot.The unbridled delight of this sight, for the vast majority of 52,201 spectators at the ground and countless more on television, was so unrestrained as to finally lift Marsh out of the ranks of the debatable and into far more agreeable territory. His innings and its most raucous moment were received in an unconditionally warm way, as a softly-spoken and amiable man provided the sort of memory that many will be able to carry with them for years to come.Shaun Marsh and Pete Handscomb wait to go out to bat•Getty Images”We got a message just before tea that Smithy wanted to up the ante a little bit so they gave us free range for about four or five overs after tea. So yes, it was nice, and nice to get a few out of the middle too,” Marsh said, with typical modesty. “There were a few emotions there. Probably when I got to about 90 I started to get a little bit nervous, but I’m extremely happy to get a hundred for my country and to get a hundred in an Ashes is pretty special.”I haven’t really thought about all the external noise with my selection in the team and I’ve just tried to come in and be nice and relaxed. I’ve felt really good within my game over the last three or four months. I was disappointed with my shot in Brisbane but I felt nice and comfortable up there and nice and relaxed out there in the middle. It was just nice to continue on with a start in this game and get a hundred.”Unaffected as Marsh said he had been by the “external noise”, he was nonetheless conscious of the fact that this was a final chance put his stamp on Tests – at 34, he has somehow evaded the ageist handicap that seems to have called time on the international days of others like George Bailey, Ed Cowan and Cameron White. His good fortune in this was mirrored in escaping, by a few centimetres, the lbw verdict of Chris Gaffaney. Marsh said he had reviewed the decision less for height than line, creating plenty of relief when a reprieve was delivered via Adelaide Oval’s big screen.”I thought it was outside leg more than going over,” he said. “So when I saw the ball had pitched in line I thought I might’ve been in a bit of trouble, so to see it go over the top was good and luck was on my side.

There has always been plenty of goodwill for Marsh in the Australian cricket establishment

“Six months ago I wasn’t sure whether I’d be back here. I always dreamt of getting back in. I went away to England, had some really good fun playing there [for Yorkshire] and tried not to think about it too much coming back to our summer, and just tried to play cricket and score as many runs as I could for WA. Just really happy I’ve got this last chance and happy with the way it’s going.”There has always been plenty of goodwill for Marsh in the Australian cricket establishment, whether it is to do with his parentage – father Geoff, a long-time lieutenant of Allan Border and dependable opening batsman for state and country – or the easy power and timing so evident when he bats at his best. What has also helped is the conviction of the selectors that Marsh’s best is good enough to dominate at international level. Save for a stroll to 182 against the West Indies in Hobart two years ago, Marsh’s other Test hundreds had all been made in circumstances of some difficulty, none more so than that made alongside Smith against South Africa at Centurion in 2014 when he was recalled following that summer’s Ashes sweep.As the coach Darren Lehmann had put it after the Gabba Test: “He’s one of the class players. His record in the county season was excellent, his JLT Cup form was unbelievable and he’s got 50 or 60 and he got 90 against Hazlewood, Starc and Cummins on a wicket at Hurstville. He’s in good form and we’d like a little bit of experience there. We think he can do that, he’s played vital knocks for us at various stages throughout his career, we hope we’ve got him at the right time and he can do it again.”Such hope was mirrored in another mature-age selection, that of the 32-year-old Tim Paine as wicketkeeper and No. 7 batsman. Paine’s role on day two should not be underestimated, as he showed the expansiveness he has added to his batting via Twenty20 experience in an innings that helped wrest the initiative from England after Pete Handscomb’s more halting contribution. Marsh was thus left to play in his unhurried manner, for the kind of productive seventh wicket stand seldom seen for Australia since the exit of Brad Haddin, now the team’s fielding coach.Shaun Marsh launches Stuart Broad for sixThis was always going to be a critical area for the Australians, given how much Haddin influenced the 2013-14 series with the bat and how badly the middle and lower orders had let the team down in recent times. Marsh’s calmness and Paine’s verve were an excellent combination, before Pat Cummins added to his already considerable stature with another considered contribution from No. 9.Together they allowed Marsh to go to his hundred with a pull shot that could only have been honed on the bouncy WACA Ground, before enrapturing Adelaide by depositing Broad over his head. In assessing how Marsh had changed the dynamic for Australia’s middle order, England’s coach Trevor Bayliss offered a summary that not even the left-hander’s most strident critics could argue with. “Shaun’s been a quality player for a lot of years and he’s shown that today. He’s certainly added something to their team.”Whether or not he becomes a figure to rank with those mentioned above is still open to question. But for now, the cricket public can actually sit back and simply do what many have always wanted to: enjoy the man bat.

Evin Lewis’ masterful innings could signal the way for a West Indies revival in the 50-over format

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Sep-2017Evin Lewis had The Oval standing to give him appreciative, deafening applause.Unfortunately, Lewis could not raise his bat to acknowledge the full house. He could not even raise his back off the stretcher, as it happened. Lewis had just knocked himself out by punching a perfect off-stump yorker from Jake Ball into his right ankle. The power of the stroke flattened Lewis, leaving him with what was later confirmed as a hairline fracture that will end his tour.It also erased the possibility of Lewis becoming the second West Indies batsman after Chris Gayle to record an ODI double-century, as he retired hurt 24 runs short of the landmark.It would not be stretching the imagination to say Lewis might have got their with another four hits. The diminutive opener had leaped from 100 to 176 in 36 deliveries. Seven of those were sixes. There were also four fours. Lewis was finally playing like the T20 batsman we have come to know: a manic, mean, six-hitting machine, with an electrifying tempo.But here Lewis showed he is much more than a showboat. West Indies had lost Gayle, Shai Hope and Marlon Samuels half an hour into their innings. Virtually everyone believe this was going to be a one-sided contest once again. Lewis proved them all wrong.His innings was full of determination. He had made use of the short lengths that Chris Woakes and Ball attacked him with at the top-end of the innings, allowing him to get out of the blocks confidently. The challenge for Lewis and West Indies has been to convert the starts, to build momentum. Stuart Law, West Indies’ coach had remarked on Tuesday that his batsmen loved strutting their muscle in first 15 and final 10 overs. In the crucial middle overs, West Indies had lacked the tactical nous to pace the innings.Lewis and Jason Mohammed might not have envisaged they were about to start the rebuild. Lewis had just 250 runs in 17 previous ODIs this year. But Mohammed has been one of the better batsmen coming in for West Indies, in fact the second best this year with 424 runs before this match. Neither man allowed the pressure to climb, which happens fast when your team is 33 for 3.Not only did they rotate strike regularly but they were hungry to create opportunities. Lewis was especially proactive, defeating not just the loose delivery, but also being aware of the narrowest of divides to push through the vacant space. The partnership steadily flourished and crossed the 100-run mark, thus establishing a platform.

This was the first time West Indies had recorded two 100-plus partnerships against a top-ranked country in ODIs since 2004

Even after Mohammed was out, Lewis’ concentration did not wave. In his captain Jason Holder he found another willing and hungry partner. Teams, not least England, have begun to consistently chased 300-plus targets, so West Indies ought to think 350. But Lewis was not looking too far ahead. He played the situation.He got his hundred with consecutive fours against Woakes, who was trying to fire short deliveries into Lewis’ hips, only to be pulled past the rope. Lewis punched his right hand and yelled with joy. It was only the second century by a Windies opener since the 2015 World Cup – both were by Lewis.Amazingly, in his previous 19 innings Lewis had crossed the half-century just once, when he scored 148 against Sri Lanka last November in Bulawayo. Lewis must believe he can score big if he gets a start. In 14 T20I innings, he has four 50-plus scores: 100, 91, 125 not out, and 51.The century did not drain Lewis. It motivated him further. His reflexes had not grown tired. Woakes delivered a sharp bouncer to his head, but Lewis ducked swiftly out of danger at the last moment. The fact that England wanted him to play a rash stroke was not lost upon the Trinidadian. He would not yield.Surprisingly, Lewis had not yet hit a six and the match was 40 overs old. He was undeterred. With Holder delivering big blows at the other end, Lewis understood he did not yet need to switch on Beast Mode. But soon he would unbuckle himself and enjoy some range hitting along with his captain. He reached 150 in no time, in fact his third fifty came in just 26 deliveries.His success rubbed off on the team, too. Unlike in Bristol, when West Indies folded their tent with more than 10 overs still to go once Gayle had been run out, here they were switched on. One revealing statistic: in Bristol, West Indies batsmen ran just three twos; there were 19 doubles at The Oval. This was also the first time West Indies had recorded two 100-plus partnerships against a top-ranked country in ODIs since 2004 against South Africa. All this allowed Lewis-Holder to smash a record 87 runs in the five-overs segment between 41 and 45, which set up a challenging total – albeit one England overhauled with the help of Duckworth-Lewis-Stern.Regardless of the result, Lewis should bookmark his Oval epic. Can he make this a habit now? Many talented young men have shown the spark over the last two decades only to fade away quickly.It could be a moment of awakening for Lewis and other young West Indies batsmen in one-day cricket: that you can play time, rotate the strike, play purposefully before unleashing the power they are known to possess. With the right mindset, the right strokeplay, the right decisions, things can fall into place.

Ruben Amorim put his weight behind Luke Shaw after the Manchester United defender got sidelined yet again with another injury setback.

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• Shaw has picked up a hamstring injury
• Will remain out of action for an indefinite time
• Amorim lent his support to the injured left-back

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Shaw had recently made promising strides in his recovery, coming off the bench in three consecutive matches following a prolonged absence since February. Unfortunately, just as he appeared to be on the path to regular action, a hamstring injury struck on the eve of United’s crucial clash against Arsenal. This latest setback means Shaw is now facing another extended period on the sidelines with no definite timeline for his return.

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  The England international’s injury history has been a troubling one. Over the past nine months, Shaw has managed to start just a single match – the Euro 2024 final. In that time, three separate muscle injuries have curtailed his progress, with the most recent blow leaving both the player and his team frustrated.

• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Amorim addressed the situation with empathy and optimism, commending Shaw for his dedication to recovery.

  "What I can say since I arrived, I see him in the medical department working a lot in the gym, working a lot on the pitch, we control the load during the games, during the trainings, he was losing weight, so he was doing everything," he said when speaking on Amazon Prime.

  "If he continues to do that behaviour, he’s a top, top player and we need him. No matter how long he will need, I will be with him, we will help him to return, not just Manchester United but your national team needs a guy like Luke Shaw, so we are here to help him."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  A disappointing 2-0 defeat to Arsenal has left the Red Devils languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table in the 11th spot. The upcoming clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday will be pivotal as United seek to rebuild momentum.

Chelsea have informed another midfielder that he is free to leave with Trevoh Chalobah, as new head coach Enzo Maresca continues his summer clearout.

Trevoh Chalobah left out of Chelsea pre-season with exit possible

The versatile defensive ace has been regularly tipped for the Stamford Bridge exit door, despite his resurgence under Mauricio Pochettino at the back end of last season.

Talks ongoing with £50m Chelsea star tempted to join elite European club

He’s attracted to this possible move.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 25, 2024

Chalobah started seven of their final 10 Premier League matches last season as Chelsea managed to seal qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League thanks to a late run of great form, amending their torrid start to the 2023/2024 campaign.

The 24-year-old was praised by some Chelsea supporters as a crucial component in that last-gasp surge to the European places, with life-long season ticket holder Bart Barrett telling GOAL that Chalobah was their best defender during the club's last 15 matches.

However, this wasn't enough to convince Todd Boehly, or his co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who have put Chalobah up for sale before summer deadline day on August 30.

Chalobah fears he's being forced out of Chelsea after being left out of their pre-season tour, according to The Guardian. It is also believed that Chalobah is now prepared to leave Chelsea after this development, amid interest from London rivals Crystal Palace, West Ham and Fulham.

A graduate of the Cobham academy, the Englishman is also a boyhood Chelsea fan, so some supporters are understandably frustrated with his treatment by the club recently.

Chelsea have told Chalobah that is free to leave this summer, and are prepared to do a deal for around £25-30 million. This could be deemed a bargain for interested sides, considering his Premier League experience, age and the fact he still has four years remaining on his contract.

Cesare Casadei told to find new club alongside Chalobah

Chalobah could well join the likes of Malang Sarr, Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Ian Maatsen, Michael Golding, Omari Hutchinson and Lewis Hall in leaving the club, with fellow midfielder Cesare Casadei now in a similar situation.

The Italian, who spent last season on loan at Leicester City and worked under Maresca, signed from Inter Milan for around £12.6 million plus £4.2 million in potential add-ons (Sky Sports).

Casadei has made 11 appearances in total for the senior team since joining in 2022, but it now appears he doesn't have a future in west London either. According to HITC, Chelsea have told Casadei that he is free to find a new permanent club this summer, and he's thought to be attracting interest from Serie A.

Fabrizio Romano shared news on Thursday that Fiorentina have contacted Chelsea over Casadei's availability, and are set to decide whether to press ahead with formal transfer talks this week.

FIFA have announed the shortlist for the shortlist of nominees for The Best Men's Player award with Vinicius Junor and Rodri set to go head-on again.

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• The Best FIFA Men's Player award nominees revealed
• Vinicius and Rodri headline as Ballon d'Or rivalry renewed
• Messi, Mbappe, Bellingham and Haaland also nominated

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid star Vinicius lost out on the Ballon d'Or last month to Manchester City's Rodri in controversial circumstances, which led to the European champions pulling out of attendance for the prestigious award ceremony in Paris at the last minute altogether and hitting out at those who didn't vote for him. The Brazilian will now get his shot at revenge against the Spanish midfielder as the two headline the nominees list for The Best FIFA Men's Player award for 2024.

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  FIFA released the list of nominees just before midnight on Thursday with Vinicius joined by Real Madrid colleagues Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Federico Valverde and Dani Carvajal, as well as the retired Toni Kroos. Also on the list is Rodri's Manchester City team-mate Erling Haaland and Spanish compatriot Lamine Yamal. The other nominees are three-time The Best award winner and defending champion Messi, and Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Ballon d'Or voting system came under a lot of scrutiny with journalists playing the key role in determining the winner as Rodri won the prestigious award over Vinicius. However, the voting system for The Best FIFA Men's Player award will be equally weighted between votes from the fans, the current captains and coaches of all women’s and men’s national teams, and select media representatives.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Best FIFA Awards ceremony is set to take place in January as the award takes into consideration the entire calendar year unlike the Ballon d'Or, which considers the season prior. A date has not been revealed for the ceremony, however, voting for fans will remain open on FIFA.com until 23:59 CET on December 10, 2024.

Oh to be Mason Mount.

Snapped up by Manchester United from rivals Chelsea last summer on a £55m deal and handed the club's famed number seven shirt, the Englishman went on to endure a miserable debut season at Old Trafford, featuring just 20 times in all competitions amid a string of injury woes.

Subsequently out of the international fold and with no clear role at United amid the emergence of compatriot Kobbie Mainoo, the 25-year-old will have a lot to do in 2024/25 to change the narrative regarding his 'disaster' purchase.

Things may not get any easier for the former Blues star, however, if Erik ten Hag moves to strengthen his midfield ranks even further this summer…

Latest on Man Utd's transfer search

With Joshua Zirkzee already in the door, United have continued their summer squad overhaul with the signing of Lille starlet, Leny Yoro, with it looking as if the Premier League outfit have fended off rival interest from European champions, Real Madrid, for the 18-year-old's signature.

Following that impending deal, Football Italia have reported that the club are set to turn their sights toward another Frenchman, amid claims that United – as well as Liverpool – are in line to hold talks over a deal for ex-Juventus playmaker, Adrien Rabiot.

The 29-year-old – who was part of France's Euro 2024 squad – has seen his departure from the Old Lady now officially confirmed following the expiry of his contract with the Serie A giants at the end of June.

How Rabiot compares to Mason Mount

There may be a collective sigh among United fans amid this latest link to Rabiot, with rumours having been rife over a possible move for the rangy left-footer back in 2022, only for the deal to collapse due to the player's reported wage demands.

Quite whether anything would be different this time around remains to be seen, although the prospect of snapping up such an experienced figure on a free may prove hard to turn down.

The "extraordinary" talent – as hailed by fellow Frenchman, David Trezeguet – could represent a real threat to any hopes Mount has of cementing a role for himself in the centre of the park, with Rabiot also able to operate in a left-eight role, or just in front of the back four.

The current United man has endured a woeful last two seasons for both the Red Devils and Chelsea after contributing just ten goals and assists in all competitions in that time, with the departing Juve star, meanwhile, racking up 25 goal involvements since the start of 2022/23.

Where Rabiot also excels is in his ability to surge forward from deep when in possession, notably ranking in the top 14% among his European peers for progressive carries per 90, while Mount ranks in just the top 31% in that regard – as per FBref.

The physical presence that the former Paris Saint-Germain man can offer would also prove incredibly valuable, showcased by the fact that the 6 foot 4 ace ranks in the top 11% for aerial duels won per 90, while the man he could replace ranks in just the top 45% for that same metric.

Equally, while Mount was forced to watch on from afar as the Three Lions reached the Euro 2024 showpiece, Rabiot was a central part of an albeit underwhelming Les Bleus squad that made it to yet another major tournament semi-final. The 48-cap international started five games in Germany, notably registering two tackles and interceptions per game, while averaging two key passes per game as an indication of his quality both in and out of possession.

A figure who has regularly performed at the elite level over the last decade or so, the free agent could then represent the final nail in the coffin for Mount's brief United career, with undoubted merit in following up the Yoro coup with this high-profile pursuit.

Man Utd want "outstanding" England ace who could be their own Rice

Manchester United are focusing on midfield recruits.

By
Matt Dawson

Jul 16, 2024

Barcelona are confident of finally nailing down the long-term future of Ronald Araujo as they expect the defender to sign a contract extension.

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• Araujo linked with Barcelona exit
• Expected to sign a contract extension
• Defender working on recovery from injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The centre-back's future at the Spanish side has been in doubt for some time, with Manchester United and Bayern Munich said to be monitoring his situation. However, Araujo now appears likely to sign a new deal with Barcelona, reports, with the club expecting him to put pen to paper before the end of the season.

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  Araujo's current deal with Barcelona expires in 2026 and the Catalan club are prepared to meet with his agent in the coming weeks to wrap up an extension. New coach Hansi Flick has praised the 25-year-old having seen him in training, saying earlier this month: "He’s fantastic. The passes he makes are incredible." Flick's trust is reported to have made the defender warm to the idea of signing an extension.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Araujo has been a key figure in the Barcelona backline, having made 150 appearances for the club. The defender suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Uruguay at the Copa America in July and had to have an operation on the issue, keeping him out of action so far this season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARAUJO?

  Before settling his future, Araujo will hope to be back in action before long as he continues his recovery.

  "We’re not putting pressure on him," Flick said. "He’s progressing well. He’s improving, he’s increasing the intensity in training, but we won’t put pressure on him because the injury is considerable. But the way I see it, he’s on the right track."

The legendary striker has followed in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's footsteps by quickly generating a wave of positivity at Old Trafford after a grim period

If nostalgia is a drug, then Manchester United are addicts. Every aspect of the club is consumed with the past. The Old Trafford faithful chant about Andy Cole and Eric Cantona each week, and it has been said that some players are upset that supporters only want to sing about the former greats rather than members of the current squad. Their merchandising department also know that United fans can't get enough of days gone by, recently launching a new range of adidas Originals celebrating George Best, after reissuing the 1991-92 home and away kits with great success.

The players who were a part of United's greatest eras are all too happy to oblige, and media companies roar them on. Amazon Prime made a three-part series about the 1999 treble win this year and Disney is in discussions with the club about making more documentaries about the good old days. Gary Neville and Roy Keane are on the Overlap every week telling well-worn tales from the dressing room and about Sir Alex Ferguson's fiery temper, and the shows are immensely popular (1.3 million views for a recent episode with Peter Schmeichel).

The recruitment department have also binged on nostalgia, getting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back as interim coach in 2018 and then handing him a long-term contract, before signing Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021. They indulged their love for the past again in 2023 by signing Jonny Evans. The arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS was expected to put a stop to this indulgence, but even the new co-owners could not resist and sanctioned Erik ten Hag's appointment of Ruud van Nistelrooy as assistant coach.

And now Van Nistelrooy is the club's head coach, albeit only for a few weeks before Ruben Amorim takes charge. With chants of 'Ruud, Ruud, Ruud' echoing around, Old Trafford has been transported back to the mid-00s. And boy does it feel good.

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  Euphoric start

  Van Nistelrooy looked destined for the top job at Old Trafford as soon as he joined Ten Hag's staff in the summer and even though he is relatively inexperienced and left his last role with PSV Eindhoven after just one year, there was great enthusiasm from fans on social media when he was named interim coach. The enthusiasm turned into euphoria after the Red Devils crushed Leicester City 5-2.

  It was the archetypal performance from an out-of-form team who have just parted with their manager and it looked like a real burden had been lifted. Having missed a series of glaring chances in Ten Hag's last game against West Ham, everything United touched turned into goals. It brought back memories of United's 5-1 win at Cardiff City in Solskjaer's first game as interim boss following the sacking of Mourinho.

  Everyone at Old Trafford – save for the travelling Leicester fans – was grinning ear to ear, including Ferguson. Van Nistelrooy said "it's always great" to see his former manager, who had wished him luck before the game. He was conveniently glossing over his bitter fallout with the Scot 18 years previously after being left on the bench for the League Cup final, but this was not a night to bring up bad blood. It was a love-in, a celebration of United's rich past that was just the tonic after a grim last few months, if not years, under Ten Hag.

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  Beware the nostalgia trap

  The positive vibes felt a lot like the early days of Solskjaer's reign, when United won eight games in a row in all competitions and the Norwegian rode a wave of optimism, healing the wounds from Jose Mourinho's tense final weeks in charge. The mistake United made was to misinterpret that incredible run as a sign that Solskjaer was a genuinely gifted manager and not just the right man at the right time. Instead they fell right into the nostalgia trap by making Solskjaer Mourinho's permanent successor,

  The wheels were already starting to come off when Solskjaer signed his permanent contract on March 28, 2019, suffering a first Premier League in three months by losing at Arsenal and then getting knocked out of the FA Cup by Wolves. Having won 14 of their first 17 games under Solskjaer, they went on to win just two of their next 12, losing eight times.

  Solskjaer did go on to guide United to back-to-back top three finishes, something no other manager has done since Ferguson, but it was clear he was largely being kept on due to his ties to the club as a player and the fact he had won them the Champions League in 1999. The Norwegian talked a good game when it came to United's history and identity, but he was a poor in-game coach.

  Buying a 36-year-old Ronaldo, who Solskjaer had played with, was the ultimate nostalgia trip. "It felt so right but turned out wrong," was how Solskjaer put it. Within two months of Ronaldo's return, the Norwegian had been sacked. Little more than a year later, Ronaldo was gone too.

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  Free hit

  The good thing about United's arrangement with Van Nistelrooy is that it is certain to only be temporary. The Dutchman's presence restores a feel-good factor to the club but this time the club hierarchy cannot get carried away by good results. Amorim is on his way at the end of the month regardless of how the former striker fares and the next three games, all at Old Trafford, are a free hit.

  Win them all and Van Nistelrooy will boost his chances of joining Amorim's coaching staff or getting a permanent job elsewhere. Even if he loses the next three, it will not damage his status among fans and the onus will still be on Amorim to clean up the mess.

  Amorim was the only candidate United interviewed after deciding that they would sack Ten Hag and a club source emphasised that the 39-year-old represents "a notably different profile" to the other United managers that have sat in the Old Trafford dugout. That could be interpreted as a message that the Portuguese, who was also described as "a proven winner" and "the best young coach in Europe", is at the cutting edge of modern coaching and will be able to successfully diagnose United's problems while creating a winning formula.

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  'We'll be a team'

  Renowned for always playing a 3-4-3 formation and using wing-backs, Amorim will play a very different style of football to Ten Hag and to Solskjaer. His fresh eyes should serve the team well and Diogo Dalot believes he will be a great fit.

  "He's obviously a fantastic coach, young mentality but he knows what he wants," the full-back told . "Very demanding, that's what I can expect and I think that's a perfect match for a club like this. The standards are really high. I hope it can be a really good match and I wish for us to win together. We are going to be a team. We have to work with each other and we will help him in some ways and I am sure he will help us."

  Dalot's words could be interpreted as a dig at Ten Hag, whose authoritarian tendencies rubbed a few players up the wrong way. United did indeed look like much more a team in Van Nistelrooy's first game, even though the tactics and ideas were rather similar to what Ten Hag had offered. That is no criticism of Van Nistelrooy, who had just two days to prepare for the game and knows he will not be sticking around for very long.

Sunderland supporters will hope Regis Le Bris' appointment in the Black Cats hot-seat means attacking football could be on the menu next season, having been tortured by goal-shy displays for large portions of last campaign.

The Wearside outfit would only muster up 52 goals in total from 46 league clashes, with Sunderland's top scorer in the league playing in the striker positions in the form of Nazariy Rusyn only managing a meagre two goals all season long.

The brand-new Frenchman in the managerial dug-out could look towards bringing in a fresh centre-forward as a priority this summer, therefore, as a free agent continues to pique the Championship club's interest.

Sunderland must go back in for prolific free agent

Divin Mubama is now officially a free agent, walking out of his boyhood club West Ham United at the close of June, with a new adventure now on the horizon for the prolific attacker.

Sunderland could well be his next onward destination, therefore, with the second-tier side previously interested in the 19-year-old gem, but BBC Sport journalist Nizaar Kinsella is now speculating that a move to Europe could be on the cards for the former Hammers youngster instead.

Le Bris' men will want to advance to the front of the queue to sign Mubama regardless of this new development, however, knowing that they need more firepower up top next season, ahead of what they hope is a far brighter campaign on the whole at the Stadium of Light.

What Mubama could offer Sunderland

Mubama signing on the dotted line for the Black Cats could be reminiscent of Jermain Defoe's move to Wearside if everything clicks into place for the young star in his potential new surroundings, with Defoe also leaving West Ham behind early into his fledging career, before becoming an iconic figure to Sunderland fans.

If Le Bris and Co are successful in convincing Mubama to play in the Championship next season, the hope will be he can finally be the deadly striker Sunderland need up top – as Defoe was – with the 19-year-old a cool and composed finisher playing in the youth ranks for the Hammers.

From 109 games in total across his early career, which included 18 senior appearances in an attempt to cut his teeth in the first-team mix, Mubama has bagged a mightily impressive 57 strikes along the way, with the demands of the second-tier now potentially his first challenge away from the London Stadium.

Defoe also walked away from the luxuries of West Ham when still in the infancy of his playing days, despite also being known as an ice-cold finisher of chances with 40 goals from 104 games, to test himself and succeeded with flying colours wherever he ended up at.

The journeyman centre-forward would bag 37 goals on the books at Sunderland even when his career was beginning to fizzle out, notching up an incredible 162 top-flight strikes in total from 496 matches across an esteemed career, with his decision to walk away from the club he started out as a wide-eyed teenager paying off.

Mubama will hope he goes on to be remembered in a similar vein, with his exploits scoring strike after strike on youth pitches even seeing him be described as "incredible" by West Ham Academy manager Kenny Brown last year.

There will be some disappointment from the Premier League club's end that they couldn't tie down their homegrown product to a new extended deal, but Sunderland will hope they can swoop in and make Mubama a prolific striker in the senior game, ahead of a thrilling Championship season to come.

Le Bris could ditch Sunderland ace who earns more than Bellingham

Regis Le Bris will want to stamp his authority onto his new Sunderland side, with some major decisions needing to be made.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 29, 2024