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Shakib said he wants to play a full series across formats in Bangladesh to say goodbye to the fans

Mohammad Isam07-Dec-2025

Former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has reversed his retirement from Tests and T20Is, and has said that he wishes to play all three formats. Shakib has not played international cricket in over a year and had announced his retirement from Tests and T20Is last year.”I am officially not retired from all formats,” Shakib said on the podcast, which features Moeen Ali, on Sunday. “This is the first time I’ll be revealing that. My plan is to go back to Bangladesh, play one full series of ODI, Test, and T20, and retire.”I mean, [I can] retire from all formats in a series. So it can start from T20I, ODI and Test, or Test, ODI, T20I. Either way, I’m fine, but I want to play a whole series and retire. That’s what I want.”Related

BCB says door still open for Shakib to play for Bangladesh

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Shakib hasn’t returned to Bangladesh since May 2024, once the Awami League government was dethroned on August 5. Shakib was an MP for that party. He was named in an FIR in an alleged murder case, although he was not in the country at the time. He then went on to play Tests in Pakistan and India. The second Test against India in Kanpur was his last international game.When asked whether he will return to Bangladesh, Shakib said, “I am hopeful. That’s why I’m playing [T20 leagues]. I think it will happen.”Shakib further said that he will not be burdened by results and he wants to “give something back to the fans” for years of support in a home series.”I think when a player says something, they try to stick to their words,” he said. “They normally don’t change it all of a sudden. It doesn’t matter if I play well or not. I might play a bad series after that, if I want to play. But I don’t need to do that.”I think this is enough. It’s just a nicer way to say bye to the fans that they supported me always, give something back to them, playing a home series.”Shakib Al Hasan last played a Test in late 2024•AFP/Getty Images

Ahead of the Kanpur Test in September last year, Shakib announced he wasn’t going to play T20Is anymore, while expressing his desire to play his last Test in the home South Africa series that was scheduled for October.There were some protests and clashes around the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka ahead of the Test series, after which Shakib issued an apology for his silence during the students-led protest which led to hundreds of deaths in July and August.The BCB then dropped Shakib for the Tests against South Africa, mainly because Bangladesh’s interim government couldn’t guarantee his safe exit from the country.Earlier this year, a BCB official said that Shakib was welcome to return to the Bangladesh team. In September, Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Mahmud declared that Shakib would not be allowed to play for the country after Shakib wished former prime minister Sheikh Hasina on her birthday.Shakib, who was elected as an MP from his hometown Magura in January 2024, also suggested that he wasn’t done with his political career when he was asked what legacy he wants to leave. “[I have] done my cricketing part. Maybe political side is left,” he said. “It’s something I want to do for the people of Bangladesh and people of Magura. That was my intention, and it is still my intention. Let’s see where Allah takes me.”

The magnitude of Tottenham Hotspur’s victory over Brentford in the Premier League last weekend cannot be understated. Had the Bees taken the spoils against their old boss, Thomas Frank, the atmosphere down N17 may have become poisonous.

But Spurs rallied after a tough run of results, secured three points, restored the faith that this new system, more pragmatic, better organised, will stop spinning its wheels and start showcasing actual progress.

The magnitude of Xavi Simons’ magnificent solo goal, breaking his duck, cannot be understated, but neither can the fact that some Lilywhites are still flattering to deceive after last season’s inconsistency, and that needs to change.

Spurs' most disappointing players in 25/26

Simons has probably been the most salient disappointment at Tottenham this season, but there is hope that the Dutch playmaker has turned a corner after a standout showing last time out.

However, Randal Kolo Muani’s struggles rage on, the French loanee yet to score in a white shirt. There’s a real player in there, but given Spurs’ attacking problems, Frank will expect more.

Analyst Raj Chohan clearly feels Tottenham need to make a change in the engine room, calling Rodrigo Bentancur a “candidate for worst centre-midfielder at a big six club”.

Bentancur is directly inhibiting Spurs’ central build-up play, but he’s not alone in flattering to deceive, with Pedro Porro’s creativity unable to detract from some really poor defensive displays, lacking awareness and physicality in the challenge.

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Mats Wieffer

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Neco Williams

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Pedro Porro

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Hugo Bueno

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Matty Cash

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Porro has been well below the standard this season, but he is not alone in struggling to adapt to Frank’s tactics. Indeed, there’s another defender who simply can’t bring it all together at the moment, and in this, he runs the risk of becoming the London club’s new version of Ryan Sessegnon.

Spurs' new version of Ryan Sessegnon

In 2019, Tottenham signed Sessegnon from Fulham for a whopping £25m fee. He had enjoyed a stunning start to senior life at Craven Cottage, but fell by the wayside after incessant hamstring injuries, five in five years down N17.

One half-season loan spell aside, in 2020/21 with Hoffenheim in Germany, the fact that the 25-year-old only made 57 appearances tells much of his problems, unable to reach the potential that was clear for all to see.

Sessegnon is now enjoying a measure of revival back at Fulham, but his door at Tottenham has been closed, and fans may be worried that lightning is striking twice with Destiny Udogie, who has struggled for form this season after a few injury-hit years in the capital.

Udogie, 23, also has a shoddy track record on the fitness front, with Frank confirming ahead of Tottenham’s Champions League tie against Slavia Prague this week that the Italy international is sidelined until the new year after tweaking his hamstring against Brentford.

For a player who was considered by Clinton Morrison on BBC Sport to be “the best left-back” in the country when he broke onto the scene in 2023/24, this is a real concern. Udogie appears somewhat stagnant, having yet to raise his level to the standard that he can surely reach.

There will be heightened fears that this season could become another write-off after this latest blow. Udogie needs stability and a landscape on which he can take forward strides, and having been ruled out for the remainder of the calendar year, Spurs’ left-sided balance has been knocked out of kilter and so have the defender’s chances of restoring full fluency.

Sofascore outline the player’s struggles, and it’s not pretty reading. Udogie has only won 46% of his duels in the Premier League this season, completing 27% of his dribbles and averaging only 0.6 key passes per match. One coach said that he “needs to wake up” from a defensive perspective this term.

So much has been left to be desired by a rising star who has ebbed and flowed and found himself lower on the chart than he would have envisaged a few years ago.

If injuries continue to weigh him down, we may be looking at Sessegnon 2.0 here.

Their new Son: Spurs have held advanced talks to sign a future £100m player

Tottenham are looking to add fresh quality to their attacking flanks in 2026.

1 ByAngus Sinclair 4 days ago

The duo shared an unbeaten 212-run stand at Adelaide Oval after the defending champions slumped to 58 for 3

AAP04-Oct-2025Centuries to Henry Hunt and Jake Lehmann have defending champions South Australia early control of their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at Adelaide Oval.Victoria captain Peter Handscomb’s decision to bowl looked the right call when Mitchell Perry took his third wicket in the morning session, leaving the home side in trouble at 58 for 3.That brought together Hunt and Lehmann, who steadily took the game away from Victoria and at stumps SA were 270 for 3. Hunt carried his bat through the day and scored a grinding 121 from 300 balls, with 10 fours and one six. Lehmann’s 107 from 180 balls, featuring only seven fours on a slow outfield, was his fourth century in as many Shield games going back to last season.Victoria could have had South Australia in even bigger early trouble. Hunt had reached 33 and the score was 114 when he drove at a wide delivery from pacer David Moody and edged straight to Blake Macdonald at first slip. But the chance was grassed and it proved costly for Victoria.It was the slowest of Hunt’s 11 Shield centuries and he said Lehmann’s innings had been pivotal.”The momentum shifted when he came out – his presence at the crease, to put some pressure back on [Victoria],” Hunt said. “To be 270 for 3, that’s almost a perfect day for us.”Perry finished with 3 for 61 from 20 overs while Test quick Scott Boland went wicketless from 18 overs and Fergus O’Neill also failed to a scalp from his 21 overs.

How RCB silenced the crowd at a ground and against a team they’ve historically struggled

Alagappan Muthu29-Mar-20251:32

Rapid Fire Review: Is this RCB’s season?

For a little while on Friday, Josh Hazlewood held all the power and he had the good sense to use it indiscriminately. He produced two wickets and nine dots with his first 12 balls.For a little while, a little earlier, Rajat Patidar held all the power and he had the good sense to use it indiscriminately. He gave up all of his stumps to one of India’s best spin bowlers and did not care one bit. He had lined up Ravindra Jadeja. He felt in no danger whatsoever. That inside out cover drive went to the boundary like it was racing to meet an appointment.For a little while, a little later, Virat Kohli held all the power and he had the good sense to use it indiscriminately. He was walking over to his mark at long-on and a whole host of people – many of them wearing yellow – were going crazy for him. When he looked up, waved, touched his heart and raised his hand in a thumbs up, a crowd that is famously partisan started chanting his name.Related

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• Fleming: 'No home advantage at Chepauk'

• Hazlewood: 'This is probably the freshest I've been in a long time'

All of this happened at a ground and against a team that Royal Challengers Bengaluru have historically struggled. But by the end of the night, they conquered both the place and the opposition. They recorded the biggest win, in terms of runs, by a visiting team against Chennai Super Kings at MA Chidambaram stadium.Fast bowlers have had to stomach all manner of evils as T20 cricket has progressed, to the point that they have been forced to admit that for their own survival they had to give up the very thing that makes them so special. Their speed. Their ego. Their gravitational pull.The new ball, though, reminds them that they matter. And Hazlewood is so good with it. Seven of his 16 wickets at the 2023 ODI World Cup were the result of his work within the first 10 overs, including a peak performance in the semi-final where his first spell – 6-1-12-2 – left South Africa – a side that scored over 400 earlier in the tournament – at 28 for 4. By then, he was pushing through on adrenaline. At the start of this IPL, he said he was feeling fresh. In Chennai, he was pure fire. His dismissal of Ruturaj Gaikwad left CSK at 8 for 2 chasing 198. The entire ground was drowning in silence. Kohli, and one billion people, slumped the last time an Australian fast bowler did that. Here he (literally), and eight million people (figuratively), leapt on top of Hazlewood and took a piggy back ride.Josh Hazlewood gave RCB a cracking start with the ball•Associated PressThe war cry that always goes up at the Chinnaswamy stadium had found its way across the border. “Arr-Cee-Bee! Arr-Cee-Bee.” The enemy had breached the gates. Chepauk had fallen. And the worse was to come. When DRS revealed the spike on Deepak Hooda’s edge, several pockets of RCB fans celebrated it with not screams or claps but with something deeply synonymous with the CSK fan base – whistles.RCB have waited for 17 years to win against this team in this place and they were very aware of it.”Yeah, it was actually at breakfast,” Phil Salt, their newest member, said at the post-match press conference. “Some sort of an article came up on my phone, and it was all the things that have happened since RCB beat CSK here. [We had] a pretty light-hearted conversation. There wasn’t too much in it. But yeah, it’s a good win.”To beat the champions in their home ground, and then come here, which is a very, very tough place to come and get a win, we’re really happy with the fact that we’re sitting two games, four points, obviously with a boost in the net run rate as well. But we’re very aware of how good a side CSK are, especially at home, so we’re pleased.”It is not easy to spot a captain’s influence on a T20 game. But it is possible to spot what it does to their own game. In Patidar’s case, the extra responsibility is bringing the best out of him. In three previous matches at Chepauk, he had made only nine runs. He made nearly six times as many from just tonight – though did have the benefit of being dropped on 17.Patidar’s presence through much of the RCB innings prevented R Ashwin and Jadeja from finishing their full quota of overs. They bowled just five, and were taken for 59 runs. The dressing room was in awe of their leader.”I think he’s brilliant in all areas, if I’m being honest with you,” Salt said, “I think the batting is right up there with the best around. I’ve not seen anybody hit spin the way that he can. Obviously, he rode his luck a little bit tonight, but that’s the game. You get that in patches.”And then you come to his captaincy, and he’s a cool head and very calm under pressure. He’s got very good cricket brain. He thinks about the game very deeply. As I’ve already said, the way that he spun the bowlers around tonight to make sure that we’re keeping the pressure on at all times. There’s not much more you can ask for. There’s a reason he’s got a [Player] of the Match trophy as well.”RCB had done such a number on CSK at Chepauk that when the living embodiment of both this place and this team finally made his way out at No. 9, he took strike with a slip and short leg crowding him. At the end of the match, his coach felt compelled to get up close and personal with the pitch, a member of the ground staff in tow. Stephen Fleming’s next stop was the press conference. He left it in a huff with echoes of “Arr-Cee-Bee! Arr-Cee-Bee!” still ringing in the air.

Dawid Malan, Zak Crawley set hosts on way to 193 for 5, the highest score of the men’s tournament since 2023

ECB Media15-Aug-2025Northern Superchargers 193 for 5 (Malan 58, Crawley 45) beat Birmingham Phoenix 157 for 9 (Bethell 48, Livingstone 46*, Potts 3-26, Lawes 2-23, Rashid 2-26, Duffy 2-31) by 36 runsAn absorbing game in front of a capacity Leeds crowd finally went the way of Harry Brook’s Superchargers, who claimed top spot outright in the men’s Hundred following another scintillating batting performance against Birmingham Phoenix.In pursuit of the Superchargers’ 193 for 5 – the highest score in the men’s tournament since the 2023 season – a magnificent partnership of 80 in just 42 balls between Phoenix’s Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell briefly threatened to upset the odds, but the brilliance of Adil Rashid, who removed Bethell caught-and-bowled with 87 still needed from 38 balls, ultimately swung the momentum back to the home team.Livingstone kept swinging after Bethell’s departure but Rashid’s guile was too much for the Phoenix hitters. In a game dominated by the bat, on a flat pitch with a lightning fast outfield, it was the great legspinner who once again proved to be the difference, outfoxing Livingstone with his 17th delivery to settle the contest.The Phoenix top order again failed to fire, with three wickets falling in the powerplay – two of them to the excellent Matthew Potts, who finished up with three. Phoenix now face an uphill task to qualify for the latter stages of the competition.With the bat, the Superchargers’ superb top four were yet again irrepressible. Zak Crawley and Dawid Malan continued their fruitful opening partnership, adding 67 in 31 balls – Crawley was particularly savage on anything wide, racking up six fours and two sixes in his 23-ball stay – before Michael Pepper and then Brook took centre stage.Brook opened his account with an outrageous scoop for six off his first ball, and finished with 31 from just 14 deliveries as the home side added 40 in the last 20 balls.With three wins in four, Andrew Flintoff’s team are emerging as one of the teams to beat in this year’s tournament.Rashid, named the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “I thought we played exceptionally well. We put a great score on the board, which allowed us bowlers to go out there and attack to take wickets. We’ve got world class players all the way through and great firepower in the middle order.”I know their batters are going to come hard at me, so I need to be unpredictable and mix it up. It’s useful for me because I’ve bowled to a lot of these boys in the nets, so I know their strengths and weaknesses as well, which all plays a part. You’re always learning every day, and hopefully I’ll keep learning until the day comes when I hang up the boots.”

England's incredibly memorable 2025 is now in the books after the Lionesses closed out their 'homecoming' series on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Ghana. Sarina Wiegman's side have been taking their European Championship trophy around the country over the last couple of months, showing off the silverware while entertaining the fans who celebrated its return home as excitedly as the players themselves. They've certainly done the latter as of late, bouncing back from defeat to Brazil to finish the year with three successive wins.

But England's four friendlies since Euro 2025 have not been a vanity project. With qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup to begin in the New Year, thus starting a new cycle for the back-to-back European champions, Wiegman has been using this opportunity to rotate and experiment, sussing out who is ready to step up and play a key role as attention turns to the next major tournament while also addressing some of the minor issues in her squad.

This camp, which began with a record-breaking 8-0 thumping of China at Wembley on Saturday before concluding in Southampton with victory over Ghana, has featured plenty of intrigue then, as was the case in October. That has only been intensified by the absences that have forced Wiegman to hand out even more opportunities, with Leah Williamson, Hannah Hampton, Alex Greenwood, Jess Carter, Michelle Agyemang and Lauren James among those missing this time.

So, before attention does turn to that qualifying campaign for the World Cup, and the need to pip Spain to top spot in their group to secure an automatic berth through to Brazil, what was there to be learned from the Lionesses' last camp of 2025? GOAL picks out the winners and losers from England's final games of the year…

• Getty Images
  

  WINNER: Lucia Kendall

  After emerging as one of the stories of England's previous camp, thanks to her incredibly impressive debut in the win over Australia, Lucia Kendall again grabbed the headlines as the Lionesses closed out 2025, and in a very special way.

  Named in Wiegman's starting XI as England played at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium, the Saints' first-ever Lioness broke the deadlock after just six minutes, sparking wonderfully wholesome celebrations from a player who spent 10 years with the club on the south coast. "She was so happy and she celebrated as if it was a Champions League final," Wiegman said with a laugh after the game. "Good for her!"

  That goal was the highlight of another very composed and solid performance from Kendall, who has shot up the midfield pecking order over the last few weeks. The Aston Villa star has an eye for goal, is excellent in her individual duels and offers accuracy on the ball, all of which is complemented by a maturity that belies her 21 years. She could have a real role to play moving forward.

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• Getty Images
  

  LOSER: Chloe Kelly

  After being the star of the show at Euro 2025, Chloe Kelly's luck just isn't in so far this season. It felt like she was going to come into this campaign with plenty of momentum, after that tournament and the superb end to 2024-25 she enjoyed at Arsenal. But having seemingly come through a period where she was nursing a knee problem, the winger limped off in the early stages of Tuesday's win with a problem that seemed to affect that same knee.

  "She felt something with her knee that didn’t feel right. She could walk but it just didn’t feel right," Wiegman explained after the game. "For her, it’s sad because she had a start and she was playing and then she had to go off. Of course, you want to be available at all times and you don’t want to have those niggles, but that’s just the way it is now and what she has to sort out is: What is it? And just assess that and try to get back as soon as possible and get consistency. That’s what she wants too, but you have to take it as it is."

  With just three starts for Arsenal this term, Kelly has not had the rhythm she needs to be at her best so far in 2025-26. This latest setback isn't going to help her in her quest to get there, either.

• Getty Images
  

  WINNER: Taylor Hinds

  After making her England debut in the last camp, it felt like Taylor Hinds really stated her case to be the Lionesses' starting left-back this week. Niamh Charles got the nod when the European champions hosted China at Wembley, and while the Chelsea star did little wrong in that 8-0 thrashing, Hinds put in a really impressive display when she was granted the opportunity to play against Ghana a few days later.

  Only Aggie Beever-Jones, the Lionesses' starting No.9 on the night, and Beth Mead, who replaced Kelly early on, played more key passes in Southampton than Hinds, while no England player won more ground duels than her seven in what was an all-action display. With her natural left foot, a very capable right and some brilliant deliveries from set pieces and open play also on show, Hinds really does look ready to fight hard to be Wiegman's first-choice in a left-back role which has been so problematic for the manager.

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• Getty Images
  

  LOSER: Laura Blindkilde Brown

  After making an outstanding start to the new Women's Super League season with Manchester City, Laura Blindkilde Brown appeared primed to continue that into these final two England camps of the year. However, to the surprise of many, she wasn't handed the opportunities by Wiegman that were expected.

  Tuesday actually brought about Blindkilde Brown's first minutes of this 'homecoming' series, with her an unused sub in England's first three games post-Euro 2025. She looked good in the 30-minute cameo in Southampton, too, reinforcing the belief held by many that she should've been given more game time across these friendlies.

  However, with Kendall shining, Missy Bo Kearns winning a couple more caps and Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone still having a stronghold on the midfield in Wiegman's first-choice XI, Blindkilde Brown seems to have fallen down the pecking order for now.

Another challenging question about retention for RCB is around fast bowler Yash Dayal, who has not played any cricket since IPL 2025 final

Nagraj Gollapudi14-Nov-20258:48

Chatter: Will ownership change result in new name for RCB?

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to release England allrounder Liam Livingstone ahead of the auction for IPL 2026.Livingstone, who was picked for INR 8.75 crore (US$ 1.04 million approx.) at the 2025 auction, scored 112 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 133.33 with just one half-century. He also picked up two wickets in the nine overs he bowled at an economy rate of 8.44. Since then, Livingstone captained Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred, and was their leading run-scorer (241 at a strike rate of 155.48) and took the second-most wickets for them (seven at an economy rate of 7.36). He also scored 260 runs at a strike rate of 176.87 and returned six wickets in Lancashire’s run to the semi-finals of the T20 Blast.The presence of Australian power-hitter Tim David along with West Indies allrounder Romario Shepherd means RCB already have enough options for the finisher’s role. David had a strike rate of 185.14 for his 187 runs last IPL, while Shepherd scored 70 runs off the 24 balls he faced (strike rate 291.66) in IPL 2025. Releasing Livingstone, as a result, could help RCB head into the auction for the next season with a stronger purse.Related

• IPL 2026 live – Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Pathirana, among big releases

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The other potentially challenging question for RCB about retention concerns fast bowler Yash Dayal. The left-arm fast bowler from Uttar Pradesh, who picked up 13 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of 9.59 last IPL, played a major hand in RCB pulling through high-pressure moments across the season. In the final, Dayal finished with impressive figures of 3-0-18-1. However, he has not played any cricket since then and skipped the UPT20 League recently.The deadline to finalise releases is November 15.

In an attempt to get one over on their rivals, Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping close tabs on Ajax youngster Jorthy Mokio, who’s already been a given a guarantee by Manchester United.

The Lilywhites have set their sights on getting back into the Premier League’s top six and much more in the coming years. The departure of Daniel Levy was completed with that ambition in mind and this weekend’s North London derby against Arsenal hands Thomas Frank the perfect opportunity to prove that he’s the right man for the job.

An unexpected victory over Arsenal, who sit top of the Premier League, would see Tottenham move to within five points of their rivals to continue what has been a solid start.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Sunday’s clash, Frank shared how excited he is to take charge of the fixture for the first time in the Premier League, saying: “Super excited. Of course, before I stepped into the club, of course, I knew about the north London derby, but it’s when you are in it, you sense it and feel that this is important.

“You feel it from the fans, you feel it from the staff members, the players, the people that have been working here for years. This is the big one.

“I always say the next game is the most important game and we always have that, but I’m very, very, very aware there are two games in a year that are even more important – and this is the first of them. We are ready, we are up for it, we are looking forward to it and we will do everything we can to win.”

It’s not just Arsenal that Spurs are looking to get one over on, however. Away from the pitch, they could also beat Man United to the signature of rising star Mokio.

Tottenham keeping close tabs on Jorthy Mokio

According to Caught Offside, Tottenham are now keeping close tabs on Mokio, who is looking to leave Ajax in 2026. The 17-year-old has also attracted the interest of Man United, who are already reportedly preparing a project which will offer him a guarantee of game time.

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The Red Devils are currently the reported favourites to sign the defensive midfielder, but Tottenham’s presence at least gives them a fighting chance to land the latest Ajax sensation.

A well-connected source told Caught Offside: “Manchester United are leading the chase for Jorthy Mokio. They are already working on a project that could offer Mokio guaranteed minutes and a clear development path.”

Dubbed “special” by scout Jacek Kulig, Mokio has already got his name in the history books at Ajax and could now be on his way to the Premier League to make his mark once again.

Spurs have their own Saka & he's "one of the biggest talents in Europe"

Manchester United hold “concrete interest” in signing Scott McTominay, with the midfielder also being targeted by Barcelona, and Napoli’s stance on sanctioning a move has now been revealed.

Man United have set out to sign a new central midfielder in 2026, and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has now emerged as a major target, having registered their interest in signing the England international earlier this week.

With Anderson becoming as an important player for both club and country, however, it is likely to take a huge bid to get a deal over the line, and Forest are set to hold out for a fee of around £100m – £120m.

It remains to be seen whether the Red Devils would be willing to smash their existing transfer record to sign the 23-year-old, but if INEOS deem the deal to be too expensive, there could be a much more affordable alternative option.

Man Utd now hold "concrete interest" in Scott McTominay

Indeed, Anderson is not the only British midfielder being targeted by Man United, with a Caught Offside source revealing they hold “concrete interest” in signing Napoli star McTominay, with the Scot really kicking on since leaving Old Trafford.

It could take a bid of at least €50m (£44m) to tempt the Italian club into a sale, although it is also feasible they will be unwilling to sanction a departure at all, having not even set an asking price, given the midfielder’s importance to Antonio Conte’s side.

The 28-year-old is happy at the Italian club, meaning it is unlikely he will agitate for a move, but there is certainly no shortage of top clubs lining up to get a deal done, with Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United also being named as potential suitors.

Lauded as “sensational” by broadcaster David Tanner, the Scotland international has taken his career to the next level since making the move to the Serie A, playing a major role in Napoli winning the 2024-25 league title.

The Lancaster-born midfielder had the most prolific season of his career in front of goal, finding the back of the net 12 times in 34 games, while also providing six assists, and the United academy graduate already has two Champions League goals to his name this season.

That said, it could perhaps be viewed as a step backwards to re-sign their former player, given that he never managed to reach similar heights during his time at Old Trafford, regularly receiving criticism for his performances.

As such, Ruben Amorim may be better off focusing on alternative targets, and there is certainly no shortage of exciting options, with the likes of Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Javi Guerra and Alex Scott all on the shortlist.

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What a signing he could be for the Red Devils.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Nov 4, 2025

Do not pinch yourself, Sunderland fans, your beloved team does actually sit in a mind-blowing fourth position in the early Premier League standings right now.

Ever since Regis Le Bris’ transformative appointment last summer, the Black Cats have found themselves slowly but surely rising to absurd new heights, with a dramatic promotion via the playoffs, now being met with an incredible five victories from their opening nine top-flight contests.

The Wearside underdogs even got the better of Chelsea last time out in the Premier League to secure that amazing top-four position, as a last-gasp Chemsidine Talbi effort left Robert Sanchez rooted to his spot.

The Black Cats’ away end was anything but stationary, though, as flailing arms galore were seen at Stamford Bridge, as the hardened travelling masses try to grow used to their side competing with the big boys, and even beating them.

It’s been quite a breakneck journey for Le Bris and Co. since the ex-Lorient boss was handed the Stadium of Light reins back in the summer of 2024, with the Black Cats very much putting the transfer market to good use in signing some fantastic gems over the last year or so.

Sunderland's best signings since Le Bris joined

There would have been plenty of apprehension in the air when Le Bris was first announced as Sunderland boss, as the then-Championship underachievers gambled on a managerial option that had never taken charge of an EFL game before.

Thankfully, their left-field thinking paid off, with Wilson Isidor undoubtedly sticking out as one of the Frenchman’s finest bits of business since moving to England.

Already, Isidor has shown he can cut it in the Premier League with four top-flight strikes next to his name, with the sweetest effort of them all arguably being this instinctive effort that got the ball rolling for Le Bris’ men in West London.

With 13 Championship goals also under his belt, which ensured the glory of promotion was achieved, he is certainly a firm fan’s favourite now, after also being seen as an out-there purchase when initially joining the ranks on loan from Zenit St. Petersburg.

Isidor’s fellow compatriot in Enzo Le Fee is also in this conversation, with Le Bris flexing his Ligue 1 connections to bring in the ex-Roma midfielder in January, proving to be a crucial moment in their hunt for promotion.

Without Le Fee’s added star quality, the Black Cats might well have come up short in their goal to finally return to the Premier League, with two assists picked up from their three cagey playoff matches, resulting in the number 28 being seen as an ice-cold customer on Wearside in tense moments.

Le Fee entering the building on loan and then staying put permanently arguably paved the way for Sunderland to be very ambitious this summer, with faces such as Omar Alderete leaving the glamour of La Liga behind for a chance at Premier League success with Sunderland, a wild thought when the Black Cats were once marooned in the second tier.

Of all the standout purchases this summer, Granit Xhaka is surely the one that sticks out the most, with the Swiss international a regular once upon a time at Arsenal, before becoming a Bundesliga-winning warrior with Bayer Leverkusen.

It almost felt too good to be true; therefore, when the 33-year-old battler ditched Germany for Sunderland this summer, with there surely being a catch along the way.

Yet, Xhaka has proven to be a fine wine on his return to England, with the £13m summer buy currently ranking fifth in the division for big chances created (four), despite being in the supposed twilight years of his career.

Chipping in with three assists, too, it must still be hard for Sunderland fans to come to terms with the spectacular talents their side can now convince to move to Wearside, with Le Bris commenting after the Chelsea win that his brand-new captain is “setting the standards” for everyone around him.

While Xhaka is rightly stealing the headlines for being a masterstroke of a signing, there is another figure who has slipped under the radar, who could be deemed as an even better signing that Le Bris has pulled off, away from the number 34’s wild return to England.

Sunderland's best signing under Le Bris

If Xhaka were to have an off-day, the Frenchman thankfully has fellow midfield talent Noah Sadiki to call upon, with the summer signing from Belgium yet another face who has been “incredible” this season, as he was recently labelled by journalist James Copley.

In the heart of defence, though, Sunderland are arguably not blessed with the same levels of depth, with an ageing Luke O’Nien perhaps not cut out for the pressures of the Premier League, in reserve.

Thankfully, ever since his £9.5m arrival to the building during the action-packed summer transfer window, Nordi Mukiele has been a trustworthy component of Le Bris’ side in this spot on the pitch, with the assured number 20 already being referred to as a “colossus” by journalist Andy Sixsmith, off the back of him looking near faultless since entering the Black Cats ranks.

While Xhaka has also looked equally imperious and confident, he already knew all the rhymes and rhythms of the unforgiving division, having been put through the wringer at Arsenal.

Games played

7

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Touches*

65.1

Accurate passes*

32.6 (81%)

Tackles*

3.0

Ball recoveries*

3.7

Clearances*

7.4

Total duels won*

7.3

Clean sheets

3

Mukiele, on the other hand, only knew Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga before his switch, but has since stepped up to already be seen as an undroppable part of Sunderland’s unfolding success story, as can be seen by looking at his phenomenal Premier League numbers to date.

Amazingly, despite the ex-Gunners midfielder also holding a fierce reputation for being a “monster”, as he was once labelled by Arsenal-based writer Connor Humm while still at the Emirates, Mukiele has managed to win more duels on average this season with a commanding 7.3 duels conjured up, next to Xhaka’s slightly lesser 6.2.

To further back up the argument that Mukiele is Le Bris’ best bit of business since leaving Lorient behind for Wearside, the 27-year-old has also been vital so far this season with his ability to be adaptable and versatile for his team’s cause, with a goal even coming his way against Wolverhampton Wanderers in mid-October, when drafted out to a right-back spot to fix some injury concerns.

Landing such a committed character for just £9.5m, which is also cheaper than the modest amount forked out to win Xhaka, surely means he is a frontrunner to be seen as Le Bris’ smartest move since becoming Sunderland manager, with Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley even stating last month that he “can’t believe” the Premier League newcomers managed to pick him up.

The concern, too, with their captain is that he is 33 years of age, with more seasons on the agenda where he’s running himself into the ground – past this campaign – perhaps a tall order.

Whereas, Mukiele has time on his side, with a hope that his full-blooded efforts just continue on, as Sunderland strive to remain near the top of the Premier League tree for as long as possible, courtesy of their never-say-die number 20.

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