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In an age of austerity throughout swaths of baseball, the San Diego Padres remain admirably aggressive—and this year is reportedly no different.

The Padres are zeroing in on three All-Star trade targets as Thursday's deadline approaches, according to a Wednesday evening report from Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal of . Per LIn and Rosenthal, San Diego is bidding for Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan, and Athletics pitcher Mason MIller

All three of those players fall in the "young and controllable category." Duran, 28, is a year removed from an 8.7-bWAR season and is making south of $4 million in 2025. Two-time All-Star Kwan is due just over $4 million this year, while Miller is making just $765,000.

"Considering the top-heavy state of the Padres’ farm system, Preller might need to part with elite shortstop prospect Leo De Vries or well-regarded catching prospect Ethan Salas to acquire any of the above players," Lin and Rosenthal wrote.

San Diego is currently occupying the National League's final playoff spot, and leads the Cincinnati Reds by 3.5 games for that honor.

The winger, who has been a steady contributor for the MLS Cup hopefuls, talked to GOAL about his impressive season since returning to North America

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Emmanuel Sabbi knew Vancouver had what it takes from early on. All of the signs were there: a manager in Jesper Sorensen who was locked in and invested, a motivated squad, and a fanbase that was truly willing to get behind the team. 

"When I got here, I saw the firepower we had. It's been next man up mentality since Day 1, since I got here, and we've really shown that, and it looked prevalent early. You know, our coach demands a lot from us," he tells GOAL. 

But could he have ever hoped that they would be playing in MLS Cup? That's less certain. Still, the work has been put in:

"So it's just a testament of hard work, and the reality now is here," he says. 

And it's deserved, in truth. Vancouver started hot, stayed hot, and then got that extra piece in Thomas Muller to take them over the line. Sabbi, meanwhile, has been a mainstay. He tallied double-digit goal contributions with seven goals and three assists for the Whitecaps and has been a steady presence in attacking areas all year. Where that lands him remains to be seen. He has one cap for the USMNT. There could yet be others. But first, there is a trophy to win. And it's a big one.

Sabbi joined GOAL Convo, a weekly Q&A with central figures in North American soccer, and talked about Vancouver's improvement, playing against Lionel Messi, and why he hopes to be in the USMNT conversation in the future. 

• Getty Images Sport
  

  ON PREPARING FOR THE FINAL

  GOAL: You're playing in MLS Cup, a massive final. What's going through your head?

  SABBI: Yeah, I didn't really know what I was coming to. But yeah, I'm here, talked to Jesper [Sorensen] and Ryan Gauld, and got a real gist of what Vancouver is like, and ultimately made my decision to come. And it's been a great season.

  GOAL: What has surprised you the most about playing in MLS?

  SABBI: The pace, honestly. The pace is really, really high here. There are great, tremendous players around and, yeah, it's very pacey here. So I really like that.

  GOAL: Do you think that suits your game?

  SABBI: Definitely. You've just got to get into it, right? I mean, I came, got a little injury, and then just had to get up to speed. And once I got up to speed, it was really amazing to be in MLS.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  ON CONTENDING FOR MLS CUP

  GOAL: When you came into the season, did you in the back of your mind say, 'MLS Cup is a reality,' or when did it start to really hit you that this is a contending team?

  SABBI: When I got here, I saw the firepower we had. It's been next man up mentality since Day 1, since I got here, and we've really shown that, and it looked prevalent early. You know, our coach demands a lot from us. And also, we demand a lot from each other. Honestly, it looks like we would get here from all the games that we've played and how we perform. So it's just a testament of hard work, and the reality now is here. 

  GOAL: What makes Jesper Sorensen so unique as a manager? You always hear from players like, 'oh, this guy, he's, he's laid back,' or 'this guy is he's super tactically driven or focused.' What makes him special?

  SABBI: He kind of has everything, honestly: tactically, he's sound mentally, he's prepared for every game. I think all-around, he's a great coach. He helps the young ones as well, as you've seen a lot of young players play and played a big role. So I think all-around, he is a great coach. He helps everyone. He's also into our personal lives. And it's really nice to have a coach like that.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  ON MIAMI

  GOAL: Who is your favorite player?

  SABBI: [Laughs] Lionel Messi. 

  GOAL: You played against Messi in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. What's it like playing against him?

  SABBI: I mean, it's the best player of all time, and you're standing on the pitch with him and playing against him and trying to defend him. And, you know, it's surreal. 

  GOAL: What's your earliest Messi memory?

  SABBI: Honestly, his first goal was insane. And just getting a pass from Ronaldinho like that, and just finishing it the way he did. It's insane. It's incredible to see that he's still doing it today, and yeah, hopefully he doesn't go against us! 

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  ON THE USMNT

  GOAL: You've been capped before. Do you ever think about the possibility of being on the national team again? 

  SABBI: I hope so. My job was to try to have good performances and be consistent. And I hope that, you know, the national team has seen that, that I'm a candidate to try to make my mark there as well. And I'm just grateful for the opportunity to come back and play in MLS and show how good I am and that I'm ready.

  GOAL: Was that part of your decision to come back to MLS, to get a little more visibility? 

  SABBI: Not really. I think the national team looks at all the leagues, honestly. And it was just a different choice for my family and me, and I listened to my family and talked to my agent, and then had a couple of calls with Vancouver, and that's how it became possible.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta issued a rallying cry to supporters. “Be in your seats by 7.30pm,” he commanded.

Fans inside the Emirates Stadium did not disappoint. North London Forever blared out from the sound system and after an intense week in which they’d gone unbeaten against Spurs, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, the fans were very needed.

The Gunners failed to defeat ten-man Chelsea at the weekend and it was a performance that looked tired. Arsenal have enormous squad depth but injuries are already testing this crop of players. As a result, Arteta rang the changes for the visit of Brentford on Wednesday night.

Arsenal may well have secured a 2-0 victory but it was not a vintage performance. It was a display befitting of just how different the starting XI looked.

There were no Bukayo Saka or Eberechi Eze. Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke started instead. With Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba still injured, the responsibilities at the heart of the defence fell to Cristian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie again.

Did they deliver? Well, Arsenal scored twice and kept a clean sheet, so it’s hard to argue against that.

Did Arsenal's midweek starters stake their claim?

Mosquera and Hincapie were rather patched together at the last minute when Saliba sustained a training injury late last week.

The Frenchman has now missed the last two games but for the two summer signings, this was a more composed and easier night than their showing at Stamford Bridge.

Chalkboard

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

Hincapie has been brave and aggressive in both fixtures but Mosquera struggled against Chelsea, notably when it came to progressing the ball. Of course, a Brentford side missing the Premier League’s second top goalscorer in Igor Thiago for over an hour helped their cause, but if Arteta is going to be missing two of the world’s finest defenders, the stand-ins have proven they can more than do a job.

It was in attack where Arsenal perhaps struggled a bit more. While Set Piece FC seem to have become more about scoring from open play, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli didn’t do a huge amount to suggest they should be starting.

Madueke was energetic and effervescent on the right flank, performing four dribbles, two of which were successful, but he ultimately lacked end product, amassing two shots and failing to provide a key pass. Martinelli’s night was even worse. He had only one shot and completed just one dribble.

Odegaard, who stood in for Eze, was also lacking sharpness. The skipper created four key passes but lost six of his seven duels.

For Arteta, he will have been pleased with Mikel Merino, however. The Spaniard scored yet again, taking his goal tally as a centre-forward for the club to ten in 22 outings.

Arsenal have been fortunate that they can rely on their squad depth. They’ve missed Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus in recent weeks but Merino has more than stepped up.

It was the substitutes who changed the game on Wednesday too. Saka, who replaced Madueke, scored the second strike to seal all three points for the Londoners.

Yet, the goalscorers were pipped to the man of the match award by someone who’s been on the fringes of things this season.

Arsenal's man of the match against Brentford

The contributions that Saka and Merino came up with were vital but if it wasn’t for the performance of Ben White, this night would have been far more challenging.

For White, this has been a troubling last year or so of his career. Signed for a mega £50m back in 2021, he had established himself as a core member of the Arsenal side.

He was notably described by journalist Tom Barclay as “one of the best prospects in English football” in the summer he moved from Brighton and in the early stages of his Arsenal career he lived up to that, amassing nearly 100 appearances between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Last season, however, things began to unravel. Fellow right-back Jurrien Timber was back from an ACL injury and his form since has been impeccable. In the words of the Standard’s Simon Collings, he is “the best right-back in the Premier League right now.”

What didn’t help White last season were persistent injuries that meant he was never really able to build momentum.

In 2025/26, though, he’s been available all season but has been met with stubborn resistance from Arteta to play him. He’s not the first person to find himself in this position during the Spaniard’s tenure.

Think of the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe or Oleksandr Zinchenko. While they all didn’t do a lot wrong in Arsenal colours, Arteta sought to upgrade them at the earliest opportunity available.

Zinchenko, in particular, has suffered the same fate as White has this season. When the Ukrainian signed for Arsenal from Manchester City he revolutionised the way Arsenal were able to play.

Previously, Arteta’s system saw Tierney flying forward from left-back but Zinchenko was fielded as an inverted full-back, something we now see from both Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori.

During that 2022/23 campaign, Zinchenko and White were vital from their respective roles in defence. They contributed in all phases of play. The former Man City man was finally moved on in the summer, albeit only on loan to Nottingham Forest and if White wasn’t careful, he may have been heading elsewhere too.

But, he revived his career on Wednesday, given just his second start in the top-flight all campaign. The defender’s only previous start came against Manchester United on the opening weekend and since then, Timber has made the spot his own.

When Brentford came to town, White rolled back the years. The 28-year-old was phenomenal, notably providing the assist for Merino’s opener.

He took home the player of the match award and deservedly so for a display in which the England international won more duels (10) and made more tackles (6) than any other player against Brentford. He also made more clearances than any of his Arsenal colleagues (6).

Many have tried and failed to get back in Arteta’s good books. Zinchenko and Ramsdale can testify to that. However, White has showcased that he’s still very much an elite full-back and he should not be dismissed just yet.

With Mosquera having had to limp off the field in the first half with an injury, replaced at centre-half by Timber, it would not be a surprise to see White back in the starting lineup this weekend against Aston Villa. On the evidence of this performance, he is undroppable right now.

Playing better than Saka: Arsenal ready to pay club-record fee for £132m star

The Arsenal target has been having a better campaign than Bukayo Saka this year.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 3, 2025

MLB really put on a show on Tuesday night as not one, not two, but three teams hit walk-offs to win their respective games within the span of just four minutes.

First, at 10:18 p.m. ET, the Detroit Tigers walked off the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the 11th inning thanks to Javier Baez hitting a three-run home run to end the game. Baez celebrated accordingly by flipping his bat before he rounded the bases to the cheers of some very excited Tigers fans.

Then, at 10:20 p.m. ET, the Houston Astros walked off the Kansas City Royals at home after Isaac Paredes hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Fireworks shot off as the crowd went wild to celebrate Paredes's game-winning homer.

The next walk-off happened at 10:22 p.m. ET by the Chicago Cubs, as Justin Turner hit a double in the bottom of the ninth to send two runs home. Nico Hoerner got to score the winning run on his 28th birthday, and he was extremely pumped. Wrigley Field erupted into cheers as he rounded the bases to beat the Miami Marlins.

Diego Simeone has openly admitted that he wants to manage Inter once he leaves Atletico Madrid, insisting his long-held ambition to take over the Nerazzurri "will happen one day." The Rojiblancos boss made the revelation ahead of Atleti's Champions League clash with Inter, fuelling speculation over his future as pressure rises in Madrid and admiration grows in Milan.

• Simeone opens up on his love towards Inter

  Ahead of Atletico decisive Champions League meeting with Inter, Simeone created headlines by revealing his desire to manage the Italian giants in the future. The Argentine coach discussed both the match and Inter’s strengths, while simultaneously acknowledging his emotional connection to the Nerazzurri from his days as a player. His comments arrived at a delicate moment for Atletico, who have been inconsistent in Europe, struggling for momentum despite a handful of strong results and needing to protect their home advantage.

  In the build-up to the fixture, Simeone analysed Inter as one of the most complete sides in the competition and highlighted their attacking structure, depth, and character. At the same time, he contrasted Inter’s Champions League dominance – a perfect 12 points – with Atletico’s mixed league-stage campaign, which includes emphatic wins but damaging defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal. The pressure surrounding Atleti’s European fate, combined with Simeone’s remarks about his long-term future, ensured his comments rapidly became the focus of media attention in both Spain and Italy.

  The backdrop of Simeone’s remarks also includes growing scrutiny over Atletico’s season trajectory, with injuries to key players and fluctuating performances adding uncertainty. Inter’s arrival in Madrid heightened the sense of urgency for Atlético, who must secure positive results to stay on track for the knockout rounds. In that context, Simeone’s admission about his dream job became as significant as his tactical assessment of the match ahead.

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• AFP
  

  Simeone 'will' coach Inter 'one day'

  When asked directly about his future ambitions, Simeone made his intentions clear, stating: "It doesn’t depend on just me, but in my coaching career I can imagine myself managing Inter one day." He reinforced that belief by adding: "I think it will happen one day."

  During the same press briefing, Simeone showed deep admiration for Inter’s current side, offering a detailed breakdown of their quality. He said: "Inter play very well, they have character and a very clear attacking pattern. They have an incredible squad. They dominated the entire match against Milan, had scoring opportunities and could’ve won. They certainly played to win. As for in the Champions League, their numbers speak for themselves.

  "For a team like Inter, losing the derby means putting it behind you straight away and moving on, because this is a very strong side, the favourites to win the Scudetto, and will go far in the Champions League too."

  "Every match is important for us, regardless of the opponent. We are in the ascendant phase of our campaign. We’ve got to improve in various areas, but we are aware of that and working on it."

• AFP
  

  Chivu's work at Inter praised by Simeone

  Simeone’s connection to Inter stretches back to his playing days, when he played a pivotal role in their 1997–98 UEFA Cup triumph, leaving a legacy built on leadership, discipline, and relentless competitiveness. His bond with the Nerazzurri has remained strong, with fans fondly remembering the midfielder who characterised their late-90s spirit alongside stars like Ronaldo and Javier Zanetti. That affection, combined with Simeone’s own admiration for the club, has kept his name attached to Inter speculation for more than a decade.

  Inter, now coached by Cristian Chivu, are regarded as one of the continent’s best-built sides and remain unbeaten in the Champions League this season. Simeone refused to outline what Chivu has changed tactically, saying: "It is difficult to explain what you can see every day, so I won’t come here and tell you how Chivu has changed Inter." However, he made it clear that he respects their development, their structure, and their Scudetto-favourite status under the former Inter defender.

  Chivu’s appointment marked a new era for Inter after Simone Inzaghi’s departure to Al-Hilal, and results have quickly vindicated the decision.

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• Simeone has contract at Atletico until 2027

  Simeone remains under contract with Atletico Madrid until 2027, meaning any move to Inter will only materialise once a vacancy opens or if the Argentine initiates a departure. With Inter thriving under Chivu and competing for major honours on multiple fronts, no immediate managerial change appears likely. Nevertheless, Simeone’s comments will intensify long-running speculation and ensure his name remains linked to the Nerazzurri job whenever an opening emerges.

Newcastle United have not been at the races this season. Wheeling off quickly at times – mostly at St. James’ Park – but suffering from dismal away form that is pulling Eddie Howe’s squad away from their potential.

We all know this, and Howe most of all. However, identifying solutions and then finding the right answers can be two wholly different things in football.

But the English tactician has done so countless times across his four years on Tyneside, adapting and overcoming obstacles that fall into his path.

Take, for example, the fumbled signing of Chris Wood from Burnley in 2022. One of the first to establish this new PIF era, the Kiwi striker flattered to deceive.

Remembering Chris Wood's time at Newcastle

Wood is one of the most consistent Premier League strikers of his time. Something of a journeyman, he has nonetheless enjoyed success throughout his career, truly coming into his own over the past several years with Nottingham Forest.

However, a brief stint at Newcastle stands as a blot on the copybook. Howe purchased the New Zealand star from Burnley for £25m in January 2022, right at the start of this new era.

Sometimes, it’s just not your day. And Wood simply didn’t click in black and white. The veteran goalscorer only scored five times across 39 appearances before leaving for Forest on loan and then making the move permanent.

Pundit Tam McManus said that he looked “a bit lost” at St. James’ Park, and the one bit of solace from the misfire of a signing was that Newcastle were otherwise going from strength to strength, and they signed Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad after realising Wood wasn’t going to make the grade.

Of course, no one would deny that Wood is a top-class Premier League striker. He was one of the most prolific in the division last season, after all.

But this only emphasises the blunder on Newcastle’s part, one they would not wish to repeat.

For the most part, they haven’t. Newcastle’s success under Howe’s wing has been a product of care and accuracy in the market. But they don’t always get it right, having signed the new Wood this summer.

Newcastle's biggest disaster since Chris Wood

Maybe there’s just something that isn’t working for ex-Forest stars moving to Newcastle.

Anthony Elanga has not been a success since joining the club from the City Ground for £55m this summer, yet to score or assist across 16 appearances.

Renowned for his “special ability” on the ball, as said by Nuno Espirito Santo, the Swedish winger simply hasn’t succeeded in translating his physical strengths over to St. James’ Park.

It’s not just his output causing concern. As per Sofascore, Elanga has succeeded with only 17% of his attempted dribbles in the Premier League this season. For a player whose standout skill is his fleet-footedness on the ball, this isn’t good enough.

Elanga, 23, must be afforded more time, but given the desperate need for an efficient right winger in recent years at the club, his woes have been a concern, salvaged only by the ever-industrious Jacob Murphy’s consistency.

He’s still relatively young, and he has proven himself capable in the Premier League across the past two terms with the Tricky Trees.

But the early readings are not all that promising, with analyst Raj Chohan picking up on the winger’s poor form and claiming that the deal was a “massive overpay” on PIF’s part.

While he is young and with much potential still untapped – unlike Wood – Newcastle expected bang for their buck when filling a hole on the right wing.

If Elanga doesn’t improve quickly, the Toon are going to need to dig back into their pockets.

Bigger liability than Pope: Howe must finally bin Newcastle "legend"

Newcastle need to make some changes going forward.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 28, 2025

The Baltimore Orioles led the Cleveland Guardians 6-2 when Nolan Jones came to the plate to lead off the top of the 7th. The Guardians outfielder ripped one down the line for what might have been an extra-base hit.

First baseman Ryan Mountcastle made a diving stop and popped up in time to make a throw to first. While pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano had hustled over to cover the bag, Jones got there first and Mountcastle's throw hit him right in the stomach.

Jones immediately crumpled to the ground, but based on how quickly he recovered and was able to have a laugh about it, you can be certain where the baseball hit him.

Will Manchester City spend big this summer?

Back in January, the Sky Blues spent a reported £180m, that’s more than the other 19 Premier League clubs combined, acquiring five new players, namely Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Juma Bah and Vitor Reis.

Nevertheless, Pep Guardiola does not plan to stop there, so does he have his eyes set on a new winger?

Manchester City's wide-attacker target

Much of the transfer chatter as we approach the summer has surrounded the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz. While Wirtz can play out wide, he’s more of a no.10, and thus, the Citizens may need someone else to take on that berth instead.

Well, according to a report from Spain, Manchester City remain “interested” in signing Rodrygo, who is valued at €100m (around £85m) by Real Madrid.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

As noted by Graham Ruthven of Total Soccer Show, Real Madrid lack balance when Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé are all deployed as a front three, forecasting that one will ultimately be “sacrificed”, with Rodrygo the most likely candidate.

Nevertheless, this is not to diminish the Brazilian’s talent, with his manager Carlo Ancelotti labeling him a “special striker”, while teammate Luka Modrić described him as a “world-class superstar”.

Nevertheless, with Felipe del Campo of Radio Marca claiming Rodrygo is considering leaving Real Madrid, could he be on his way to Manchester?

What Rodrygo's arrival would mean for Jeremy Doku

Given their positional and stylistic similarities, should Rodrygo swap the Bernabéu for the Etihad, this could be bad news for Jérémy Doku.

The Belgian hadn’t started any of the Citizens’ last five matches, making him a surprise inclusion in Guardiola’s lineup against Wolves on Friday night but he repaid the manager’s faith with an eye-catching performance, teeing-up compatriot Kevin De Bruyne for the night’s only goal.

Nevertheless, more broadly, Doku’s form this season has been mixed, scoring just six goals across all competitions, the most recent of which came during the 6-0 demolition of Ipswich in January.

Rodrygo, on the other hand, has continued to produce impressive numbers, in spite of the fact Real Madrid remain dysfunctional, as the table below highlights.

As the table outlines, Rodrygo would represent a clear upgrade on Doku, coming out on top when it comes to goals, assists, shooting and chances created, even if the Belgian’s dribbling numbers are admittedly superior.

This shouldn’t be too surprising though, given that, as noted by Adrian Clarke of the Premier League, Doku might just be the ‘best dribbler in the world’, having registered more progressive carries (189) than anyone else across Europe’s top five leagues this season, according to FBref.com.

On the other end, Martina Alcheva of World Soccer Talk praises Rodrygo’s ‘versatility and work rate’, while Sive Vishwa of Breaking the Lines notes he is a ‘vital player for Real Madrid’, in terms of ‘pressing’, goal contributions and ‘unlocking defences’, believing the Brazilian to be ‘one of the hottest prospects in world football’.

Thus, if Man City get the opportunity to snap up Rodrygo this summer, they should absolutely do so, as he would improve any team he joins, potentially elevating the Sky Blues back to a level where they’re dominating the Premier League once again.

Romano: Man City to "advance" for £100m star; personal terms not an issue

Fabrizio Romano has provided an update…

By
Tom Cunningham

May 5, 2025

Nottingham Forest have now been presented with an opportunity to beat Inter Milan and Bayern Munich to the signing of an “explosive” forward, but they will have to act quickly, according to a report.

Forest set to bolster attacking options

Despite the 2-1 loss away at Aston Villa last time out, Forest remain in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League next season, which means they should be able to compete for the signatures of some of Europe’s top forwards.

Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres is one of the most high-profile targets, and the Tricky Trees are now willing to offer winger Jota Silva as part of an exchange deal for the Sweden international, who is attracting widespread interest ahead of the summer window.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have also identified targets from within the Premier League, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha and Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez of interest, having reportedly submitted a £50m bid for the Uruguayan striker, who looks set to leave the Reds.

£25m release clause: Nottingham Forest join hectic race for "superb" star

They could trigger his release clause.

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 7, 2025

Not only is Nuno keen to bring in a new striker, but the manager is also looking at signing a new winger, and a report from Italy has revealed Nottingham Forest have an opportunity to beat Bayern Munich and Inter Milan to the signature of Marseille’s Luis Henrique (via Sport Witness).

Inter are in contact over a deal for Henrique, but they are unwilling to match Marseille’s valuation, deeming a fee of €25m (£21m) to be fair, while the French club are looking to receive €30m – €35m (£26m – £30m)

As such, either Forest or Premier League rivals Newcastle United could move ahead in the race for the Brazilian, should they be willing to table a bid of at least £26m, but they will need to move swiftly, with Inter trying to get a deal done before the end of May.

"Explosive" Henrique could suit Nuno's system

Much of the Tricky Trees’ success this season can be put down to Nuno’s style of play, which relies on hitting their opponents with pace on the counter-attack, as confirmed by Anthony Elanga after the recent 1-0 victory against Manchester United.

“It is about attacking the space and getting to the opposite goal as quick as I can. I saw the space and I believe I’m one of the fastest players in the league.”

Elanga has been a key player for Forest this season, and there are clear signs Henrique would also be a perfect fit in Nuno’s system, having been lauded as “explosive” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also praises the winger for his pace.

The 23-year-old’s attacking output has also been impressive this season, with seven goals and five assists to his name in Ligue 1, so Forest should do their utmost to ensure they win the race for his signature.

Potentially replacing the struggling Andre Onana, Manchester United are now reportedly eyeing a bargain deal to sign a former Newcastle United shot-stopper for Ruben Amorim this summer.

Man Utd targeting Onana replacements

Whilst there was a brief spell at the start of the season that Onana looked to have put any problems in the past, mistakes have since crept back into his game under Amorim, who must replace his goalkeeper. The former Inter Milan man must be part of a ruthless clear-out at Old Trafford, with several names already linked with a summer switch to Manchester United to act as a replacement.

Onana has struggled ever since arriving last season and found himself at the centre of criticism from the likes of Gary Neville following some disappointing displays.

Development: Man Utd hold positive talks with "strong" £68m star over move

He’d be an instant upgrade.

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 5, 2025

The Manchester United legend slammed the goalkeeper after he made a mistake against Aston Villa last season, saying: “That was a pathetic passage of play. McGinn’s delivery was awful and then Onana makes a mess of it. Onana is getting on my nerves, slowing the game down and then keeps giving it away. Catch it and stay in your box!”

If recent reports are anything to go by too, Manchester United have seen enough. Recent rumours have even indicated that the Red Devils are interested in bringing David de Gea back to the club in what would be a sensational deal. Of course, it was Onana who initially came in to replace the Spaniard two seasons ago.

Meanwhile, other names such as Mike Maignan have also threatened to steal the headlines. The AC Milan goalkeeper is arguably one of the best in his position and his reported price tag reflects that, sitting at an eye-watering £67m ahead of the summer.

Whether the Red Devils can afford such a deal is the big question. The reality is that they could be forced to turn their focus towards a bargain deal to replace Onana this summer.

Man Utd eyeing Freddie Woodman bargain

According to The Sun, Manchester United are now eyeing a bargain deal to sign Freddie Woodman from Preston North End this summer. The former Newcastle shot-stopper is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, which could allow those at Old Trafford to swoop in and land a free transfer.

The 28-year-old has been in excellent form in the Championship this season and may have done enough to earn a move back to the Premier League for the first time since leaving St James’ Park on a permanent deal in 2022. Having kept as many as 17 clean sheets in the current campaign, Woodman is far from the young goalkeeper who struggled to establish himself at Newcastle.

In recent years, Woodman has instead found himself at the centre of praise at Preston, including from Ryan Lowe. The former manager told reporters after the shot-stopper kept his 16th clean sheet of the 2022/23 campaign: “Freddie made some fantastic saves and that’s 16 clean sheets for him now, which is brilliant.

“He’s got a gashed eye and had three or four stitches at half-time, but there was no way we were going to get him off the pitch.”