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Transfer rumors, news: Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo wanted by Newcastle
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is a January target for Newcastle United, while Real Madrid could bring Nico Paz back to the Bernabéu. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors and gossip from around the globe.
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TOP STORIES
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TRENDING RUMORS
– Newcastle United are interested in signing Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in January, according to talkSPORT. The 21-year-old expressed a desire to leave Old Trafford in the summer after having fallen out with boss Ruben Amorim, but United blocked any approaches. However, Mainoo continues to be out of the first team, and was not included in the England squad for this month’s World Cup qualifiers. Magpies boss Eddie Howe could test United’s resolve if the midfielder continues to be sidelined. Mainoo has played in three of United’s five games so far, but has only started once, returning to the bench once again for the defeat at Manchester City on Sunday.
– Real Madrid plan to re-sign attacking midfielder Nico Paz next summer, according to Gazzetta Dello Sport. The 21-year-old enjoyed a promising first season with Como in Serie A, scoring six goals, and he has continued that form this term, netting twice in his first three games so far. Los Blancos considered activating their €9 million clause with Paz in the summer but decided he would get more minutes under Como boss Cesc Fabregas. However, they could return at the end of the season to fend off interest from clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur.
– Barcelona are keen on Portuguese forward Cardoso Varela, but Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb are unwilling to let him leave in the next two seasons, according to Mundo Deportivo. Varela’s agent was reportedly spotted at the office of Barca sporting director, Deco. Barça have been long-term admirers of the 16-year-old, who joined Zagreb from FC Porto. Varela, who has only just signed a contract until 2028, has impressed with a combination of pace, dribbling and a dangerous final ball.
– Chelsea are considering a January move for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, TEAMtalk reports. England international Wharton is being lined up for a midseason move by the Blues because of injury concerns over Romeo Lavia. After Palace resisted interest in Wharton over the summer from a number of clubs including Manchester United, they will be resistant to losing one of their key players in the January transfer window.
– Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal are among the clubs monitoring the situation of French midfielder Lucien Agoumé, currently at Sevilla, El Desmarque reports. The dynamic defensive midfielder is attracting interest after having cemented his place in the Sevilla side following a string of impressive performances at the end of last season, and again at the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign. Working hard off the ball, and contributing one goal in his first four games so far, the 23-year-old continues to be watched by scouts across Europe.
EXPERT TAKE
OTHER RUMORS
– Monterrey striker Germán Berterame is attracting interest from clubs in the MLS and Saudi Pro League. The 26-year-old Argentine could be valued at around €10m. (Ekrem Konur)
– In-form defender Jan Paul van Hecke is considering swapping the south coast for the Champions League, with Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur both interested in landing the 25-year-old centre-back from Brighton. (Football Insider)
– Atlético Madrid are hoping to persuade versatile 30-year-old Marcos Llorente to sign a contract extension to 2029 in an effort to fend off interest from Saudi Arabia. (Nicolò Schira)
– Andreas Christensen wants to fight for his place at Barcelona and extend his current contract, which runs out on June 30. The Dane rejected offers from England, Spain, Germany and Saudi Arabia in the summer. (Mundo Deportivo)
– Chelsea are keen to make a move for in-form Juventus midfielder Kenan Yildiz in January, but the Bianconeri are likely to rebuff any interest. The Blues saw a £70m bid rejected in the summer, and the 20-year-old remains a key part of Juve boss Igor Tudor’s plans. (Football Insider)
– West Ham United and Everton are both contemplating reigniting their interest in Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma when the transfer window reopen in January. The 29-year-old rejected the chance to move to Turkey in the summer in the hope of staying in the Premier League, and a move from north London now appears certain. (Football Insider)
– Wolverhampton Wanderers are hoping to secure a contract extension for manager Vitor Pereira. Wolves have endured a poor start to the season, but Wolves executives want to keep 57-year-old Pereira beyond his current contract, which finishes at the end of the season. (talkSPORT)
North Carolina FC announced on Tuesday that it will not compete in the men’s USL Championship next season, and will instead file an application to join the USL’s proposed Division One league that will likely not begin play until 2028.
In a statement, NCFC said that “the application begins a formal process that could bring top-level professional soccer to Raleigh, supported by a long-term stadium plan and strong market infrastructure.”
The USL said in a statement that North Carolina’s franchise agreement ended after 2025, and that “The USL believes Raleigh has strong potential as a future Division One market if it meets the league’s professional standards, including a minimum 15,000-seat, purpose-built soccer stadium that will serve as an anchor for real estate development.”
The decision by NCFC to essentially go dormant for two seasons comes at an awkward time for the USL, which in addition to starting the Division One league that will sit atop the USL Championship, League One and League Two, is also attempting to implement a system of promotion/relegation.
The USL is also in the middle of negotiations with the USL Players Association on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for players in the USL Championship. The current CBA expires at the end of this year.
A source with knowledge of the situation said that all player contracts will be voided following the end of the season, allowing them to become free agents.
This creates a fraught situation for players who had multi-year contracts with North Carolina, as well as injured players who will no longer be covered by health insurance once the contracts are terminated, and will likely have to file workman’s compensation claims. The source estimated that there are around 10 players who will have the contracts terminated prematurely.
The source added that per the current CBA, NCFC players with multi-year contracts will get two months severance.
A club spokesperson told ESPN that NCFC “will follow the CBA and we’ll do everything we can to go above and beyond” in terms of aiding players.
NCFC’s chairman, Steve Malik, who has owned the club since 2015, also owns the NWSL’s North Carolina Courage, and has been attempting to build a soccer-specific stadium in the Raleigh area that should be shared by both teams since 2019. But despite some getting regulatory approvals, as well as acquiring the needed land, so far Malik hasn’t been able to secure the needed public financing for the stadium project to move forward.
The men’s team has also been plagued by poor attendance, averaging just 2,550 fans per game during the regular season. This ranked 21st out of 24 teams in the USL Championship. NCFC drew just 2,005 fans to last weekend’s playoff game against Loudon United.
NCFC has been in existence since 2006, having started life in the USL as the Carolina RailHawks, then moving to the North American Soccer League in 2009, and then returning to the USL in 2017. Malik moved the club down to USL League One in 2021, but then returned to the USL Championship in 2023.
NCFC is scheduled to play Rhode Island FC in the conference semifinals this Saturday.
THE CHAMPIONS!
We are back with some UEFA Champions League action as we get Matchday 4 underway with some great matches, such as Liverpool vs. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bayern Munich and Juventus vs. Sporting CP.
Enjoy our live updates for all of Tuesday’s matches.
Pakistan defeated South Africa by two wickets following Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha’s fifties to chase down a 264-run target in the first ODI at the Iqbal Cricket Stadium, Faisalabad, on Tuesday.
Chasing a modest 264-run target, the home side were made to do hard yards by South Africa’s bowling attack as they knocked the winning runs with just two balls to spare, while losing eight wickets in the process.
Pakistan got off to a solid start to the pursuit, courtesy of an 87-run opening partnership between Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman.
Right-arm spinner Donovan Ferreira inspired South Africa’s comeback by dismissing both the openers in his successive overs as Pakistan slipped to 102/2 in 17.3 overs.
Saim scored 39 off 42 deliveries with the help of four sixes and a six, while Fakhar smashed six boundaries, including two sixes, on his way to a 57-ball 45.
Pakistan then suffered another setback to their pursuit as star batter Babar Azam fell victim to Bjorn Fortuin in the 20th over after scoring a mere seven off 12 deliveries.
With the scoreboard reading 105/3 in 19.5 overs, middle-order batters Rizwan and Agha launched an astounding recovery by knitting an important 91-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
During their partnership, Pakistan were looking set to clinch the victory comfortably, but Rizwan’s dismissal off Corbin Bosch in the 39th over caused a stir in their run chase.
Following his dismissal, the Green Shirts lost three more wickets at an alarming rate, including that of another set batter, Agha, and consequently slipped to 252/7 in 48 overs, needing a further 12 runs from as many deliveries.
Agha remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with 62 off 71 deliveries, studded with seven fours and a six, while Rizwan made a 74-ball 55, featuring six fours.
Following the middle-order collapse, all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz took the reins of Pakistan’s pursuit and scored a run-a-ball nine.
The left-handed batter, however, perished on the third delivery of the final over, with one run still required.
Incoming batter Naseem Shah survived an lbw scare off Bosch and ran the decisive run to steer Pakistan over the line.
For South Africa, Bosch, Ferreira and Lungi Ngidi took two wickets each, while George Linde and Fortuin chipped in with one apiece.
Pakistan’s newly-appointed captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, won the toss and put the visitors into bat. His decision proved beneficial as the Proteas could only manage 263 before being bowled out in 49.1 overs.
South Africa, however, had a contrasting start to their innings as their openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Quinton de Kock registered a 98-run stand.
Saim Ayub provided the home side with a much-needed breakthrough in the 16th over, dismissing Pretorius, who made a 60-ball 57, laced with seven fours and a six.
De Kock was then involved in a brief 43-run partnership for the second with Tony de Zorzi before both perished in the span of six deliveries, bringing the total down to 147/3 in 27.4 overs.
The 32-year-old opener remained the top-scorer for South Africa with 63 off 71 deliveries with the help of six fours and two sixes.
Following the back-to-back setbacks, skipper Matthew Breetzke and debutant Sinethemba Qeshile (22) briefly stabilised South Africa’s batting charge with a 44-run partnership for the fourth wicket, but Mohammad Nawaz denied the visitors a comeback by dismissing the latter in the 34th over.
Qeshile’s dismissal sparked a match-defining collapse, which saw South Africa lose four more wickets – including that of their captain Breetzke – and consequently slipped to 228/8 in 43.2 overs.
Breetzke made a notable contribution to South Africa’s total with a 54-ball 42, featuring two sixes and as many fours.
All-rounder Corbin Bosch then added valuable runs at the backend for the touring side with a gutsy 41 off 40 deliveries before falling victim to skipper Shaheen in the penultimate over.
Abrar Ahmed and Naseem jointly led Pakistan’s bowling charge with three wickets each, followed by Saim with two, while Nawaz and Shaheen chipped in with one apiece.
NCFC won’t play USL Championship next season
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