Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand is on Manchester United‘s transfer shortlist, while N’Golo Kanté is being targeted for a return to Europe. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TOP STORIES

– Amorim expects Man Utd transfer requests in Jan.
– Madrid’s Alonso on Vini Jr. Clásico furore: ‘Subject closed’
– Liverpool’s Arne Slot refuses to give update on contract talks

TRENDING RUMORS

– Manchester United are weighing up a move for Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand, according to TEAMtalk. The Red Devils are continuing to assess the transfer market ahead of plans to strengthen manager Ruben Amorim’s midfield in January. It is reported that Hjulmand, 26, could be acquired for half of the fee that United would be expected to pay to sign Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton or Nottingham Forest‘s Elliot Anderson, with recent reports indicating that either could require an offer worth between £100 million and £120m to secure. Hjulmand, who has previously been linked with Juventus, has been on United’s shortlist for a long time.

– Paris FC are dreaming of signing Al Ittihad midfielder N’Golo Kanté, reports Foot Mercato. The 34-year-old is yet to extend his contract with the Saudi club, and newly promoted Ligue 1 side Paris FC see it as a “golden opportunity” to bring him back to Europe. Kanté has made six starts in the Saudi Pro League so far this season, and he will enter the final 18 months of his deal in January. He won one Premier League title with Leicester City and another with Chelsea, where he also won the UEFA Champions League, before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2023. He also wont he 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, for whom he last appeared in November 2024.

– A move for Bayern Munich center-back Dayot Upamecano is being considered by Internazionale, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. It is believed that the France international is yet to communicate a desire to stay put at the Allianz Arena, and the Nerazurri are “poised to make a move” if an opportunity arises to land him. The 27-year-old is set to enter the final 18 months of his contract in January, while Lazio‘s Mario Gila is seen as a potential alternative.

– Multiple clubs are lining up to sign Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee in January. TEAMtalk reports that West Ham United are among five Premier League teams keen on a move for the 24-year-old, but they are facing competition from Europe, with Sevilla and PSV Eindhoven also interested. Previous reports have indicated that the Red Devils would prefer to keep their squad together beyond the next transfer window, but with the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, Zirkzee wants to play regular minutes to have a chance of being selected in the Netherlands‘ squad for the tournament.

– Clubs in the Premier League are interested in Palmeiras forward Vitor Roque, according to Diario AS. The 20-year-old left Barcelona for a fee of €25m in February and he has hit form again upon his return to Brazil, scoring goals in 27 league matches. His performances are believed to have caught the attention of clubs in Europe, but teams in England‘s top flight are “favorites” in the race for him.

EXPERT TAKE

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Zirkzee, Mainoo facing uncertain futures at Manchester United

Rob Dawson says Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo are hoping for new clubs in the transfer window.

OTHER RUMORS

Arsenal are considering an approach for Bayern Munich attacking midfielder Lennart Karl, with the Emirates Stadium hierarchy willing to back manager Mikel Arteta in January. (CaughtOffside)

Liverpool are planning to hand new contracts to midfield pair Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai. (Fabrizio Romano)

Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher “remains an option” for Manchester United in their search for a midfielder. (Fabrizio Romano)

Jadon Sancho could be set to return to Manchester United in January, with Aston Villa “unimpressed.” with his recent performances during his loan spell. (Football Insider)

West Ham are reluctant to part ways with midfielder Lucas Paquetá in January. (Football Insider)

Juventus, Internazionale, and Roma are interested in a potential move for Genoa midfielder Morten Frendrup who has also been approached by teams in the Premier League. (Nicolò Schira)

Aston Villa and Leeds United are among the teams interested in PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder Ismael Saibari. (TBR Football)

Napoli, Sevilla, and Real Betis are looking at Club America winger Brian Rodríguez. (Ekrem Konur)

Talks over a new contract are set to take place between Sassuolo and forward Armand Laurienté. (Nicolò Schira)

It was a regular net session at a cricket academy in New Delhi, but the excitement among the young girls in their colourful jerseys was unmistakable. They now have a sparkling new source of inspiration after the Indian women’s team stunned favourites Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-final on Thursday.

Batter Jemimah Rodrigues delivered an unbeaten 127 as India chased down a record 339 at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, securing a spot in Sunday’s final against South Africa.

“There is always that one moment that inspires a generation,” said 19-year-old Armeet Kaur, a batting all-rounder for the Delhi state team. “Jemmy’s innings yesterday was exactly that. It’s going to change things.”

Twelve-year-old Ridhima Chaudhary was star-struck. “It made me feel like I have to play like them,” she said.

The sixth-grade student revealed that she’s already training towards that goal — three hours a day, five days a week. “My parents also say that the cricket academy is as important as school,” she added.

Coach Sumit Poria described the victory as a “turning point” for women’s cricket in India. “The way the crowd cheered for the team — it’s a boost like nothing else before,” he said.

While infrastructure has improved over the years, a win like Thursday’s “will go a long way in convincing parents” to support their daughters pursuing cricket seriously, Poria noted.

Prize purse exceeds men’s

The eight-nation tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, has already broken records.

Data released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and streaming platform JioHotstar showed the first 13 matches drew more than 60 million viewers — five times higher than the 2022 edition.

The India–Pakistan clash earlier this month became the most-watched women’s international match ever, with 28.4 million viewers.

That’s still a small figure for the world’s most populous nation, but it shows the rise in popularity of women’s cricket.

India, twice runners-up, are chasing a maiden title in the 50-over World Cup that now boasts a record $13.88 million prize purse — eclipsing even the men’s total from two years ago.

In New Delhi, the excitement is tangible. Replica women’s team jerseys sold out online just hours after India secured their final berth.

The popularity is being matched by economic clout.

The wider sports market is booming in India, with its estimated value to surge to $130 billion by 2030, according to a 2024 report by Deloitte and Google.

The 2023 launch of the Women’s Premier League generated about $700 million in franchise and media rights for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The move toward pay parity, pushed by then-BCCI secretary and now ICC chairman Jay Shah, has further boosted the women’s game.

Very big moment

“The rise of digital platforms has transformed sports consumption… occurring alongside a growing diversification of India’s sports fans,” the Deloitte report said.

And women are a key part of that.

“Women’s sports are on the rise,” it said. “Fans are increasingly interested in women’s sports.”

Whether or not India lift the trophy on Sunday, the young cricketers at Delhi’s training nets say the impact is already beyond measure.

“When I started playing six years ago, there were only the men to get inspired by,” said 18-year-old Ishita Singh. “But now there’s the women’s team too.”

Veteran Indian sports journalist Sharda Ugra called the win “a very big moment”.

“It will make the game leapfrog another level in India in terms of attention and being a viable career option for so many girls who want to take part in sport,” she said.

“Already there is a mass of talent burgeoning in women’s cricket in India. This will make that five times bigger, whatever happens in the final.”

India’s women cricketing stars, including Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, have become household names, attracting major sponsorships and wide media coverage.

There is a big market to tap into.

“Women now comprise 236 million fans — or 36 precent — of the fanbase,” the study estimated.

“This debunks the notion of a male-only fanbase — and (shows) women’s fast-growing influence in sports.”

TORONTO — With everything on the line Saturday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers plan to start Shohei Ohtani on short rest in Game 7. A final decision had not been made as of late Friday night, but the team is leaning in that direction.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said in a news conference after his team’s 3-1, season-saving win in Game 6 that every pitcher except Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be available.

That includes Tyler Glasnow, who was lined up to start Game 7 but came out of the bullpen to record the final three outs in Friday’s Game 6. It includes Roki Sasaki, who faced seven batters. And it includes Ohtani, whose easiest path to pitching has always been to open the game, rather than coming out of the bullpen.

Ohtani pitched six innings and threw 93 pitches in Game 4 and would be taking the mound on three days’ rest. Ohtani has previously made one start on three days’ rest, but that was after completing only two innings in a prior start in 2023. Every other major league start for Ohtani has come on five or six days’ rest.

Because of the two-way rule, though, starting Ohtani ensures he can remain in the game as the designated hitter after he exits as a pitcher. If he were to come in as a reliever and then exit with the game ongoing, Ohtani would have to play in the outfield to bat again. Closing the game — like he did to finish the 2023 World Baseball Classic for his native Japan — is also an option, but it is further complicated by having to juggle warming up while batting or running the bases.

The Blue Jays will start Max Scherzer in Game 7 and, to some extent, have every pitcher available other than Kevin Gausman. That includes 22-year-old phenom Trey Yesavage, who dominated the Dodgers in Wednesday’s Game 5, striking out 12 while throwing seven innings of one-run ball. Saturday would have qualified as Yesavage’s bullpen day. Instead, he could pitch the decisive game of the 2025 season.

“If the people who make the decision think it’s a good idea for the team,” Yesavage said, “then I’m all for it.”

ESPN’s Jeff Passan contributed to this report.