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Sunderland are now reportedly in pole position to sign a midfield star who Regis Le Bris already knows well ahead of rivals Newcastle United.

Le Bris eyes Sunderland reaction vs Bournemouth

It’s not often that Sunderland have been handed setbacks this season, but defeat against Fulham last time out was exactly that for Le Bris’ side.

Whilst it was just their third loss of the season and there’s no reason to think that last week’s result could derail their strong start, the Black Cats will be eyeing a reaction against Bournemouth.

Three points could take the Black Cats to as high as third if other results also go their way and after 13 games that would simply be remarkable. In many ways, those at the Stadium of Light are replicating the impressive work that Bournemouth have gradually enjoyed since their own promotion.

Le Bris admitted his admiration for the Cherries, saying: “Bournemouth are a good model for us. They way they have built in the last four seasons in the league is really interesting for us.”

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It must be said, however, that Sunderland’s model has so featured more investment and the type of investment that could see them land Matteo Guendouzi ahead of Newcastle in January.

Sunderland leading Newcastle in Guendouzi race

According to TeamTalk, Sunderland are now ahead of Newcastle in the race to sign Guendouzi in 2026 in a deal that could be worth up to £26m. Le Bris knows the Lazio midfielder well from their time together at Lorient and admitted that he’s still in contact with his former midfielder a few weeks ago.

It would be a statement move if the Black Cats landed a transfer target ahead of their rivals, who are backed by the extensive riches of PIF. But that’s the position they find themselves in after such an impressive start to the Premier League campaign.

Minutes

888

1,080

Progressive Passes

45

66

Tackles Won

5

13

Ball Recoveries

43

55

It’s easy to see why Sunderland are chasing a reunion between Le Bris and Guendouzi, given how the Frenchman has compared to star man Granit Xhaka so far this season. The transfer report even states that the Black Cats view Guendouzi ‘as the perfect midfield partner for Xhaka, adding experience and bite to their engine room’.

Previously dubbed a “great professional” by former Hertha Berlin sporting director Arne Friedrich, Guendouzi also has unfinished business in the Premier League after leaving Arsenal under a dark cloud in 2021 and could earn redemption at Sunderland.

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Still searching for their next manager, Middlesbrough are now reportedly serious about hiring Swiss manager Raphael Wicky, who has emerged as an early candidate to take the job.

Unlike other managerial vacancies in the Championship, coaches would be walking into a fairly healthy environment at Middlesbrough. The Teesside club currently sit second in England’s second tier and five points behind leaders Coventry City. As things stand, they will be earning promotion to the Premier League come May.

A lot can still change, however, and Boro must get their next manager right whilst they are in such a positive position. Just who that next manager is remains the question. Steven Gerrard, Tony Mowbray and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink have all been mentioned as early candidates, with Gerrard the most interesting option of the three.

The former Rangers boss recently rejected the chance to return to Ibrox, but is keen to make a return to the dugout for the right job. With Boro on course to fight for automatic promotion in the Championship, it’s tough to pick out a reason why most managers of Gerrard’s calibre wouldn’t want to walk straight into the job before the end of the international break.

Replacing Rob Edwards, who chose to leave for Wolverhampton Wanderers, will be no easy task for any potential candidate. As much as he has ruined his reputation with those in Teesside, the former Luton Town boss certainly steered the club in the right direction and attempted to explain his decision in a recent statement.

Boro fans are unlikely to forgive or forget any time soon, however, and must instead hope that the club’s next appointment continues their push for automatic promotion.

Middlesbrough get serious about appointing Raphael Wicky

As reported by Sports Boom, Middlesbrough are now serious about appointing Wicky after he impressed Riverside chiefs with an unofficial presentation. The Swiss manager is currently a free agent and will be easier to convince as a result, but that’s not to say the 48-year-old isn’t an impressive candidate.

During his time in Switzerland, Wicky won the league and cup double with BSC Young Boys and his 4-4-2 diamond system proved to be incredibly successful. If Middlesbrough fail to hire the likes of Gerrard, then the former Young Boys manager is someone who’d offer them similar experience and success.

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The manager’s style also includes an exciting high press, which could yet help Boro bridge the gap on an exciting Coventry side at the top of the Championship.

The fact is, although they run the risk of getting their next appointment wrong, Riverside chiefs could also take their side up another level entirely if they get things right.

As things stand, the battle seems to be between Gerrard and Wicky for the job. With both holding similar reputations though, it remains to be seen which direction Middlesbrough head towards.

Middlesbrough make "impressive" manager top target to replace Edwards

Celtic are currently searching for their next permanent head coach after they were rocked by the resignation of Brendan Rodgers last month.

The former Hoops boss decided to move on from Parkhead after a 3-1 defeat to Hearts that left his side eight points adrift of first place in the Scottish Premiership at the time.

As shown in the graphic above, the Northern Irish head coach enjoyed a largely successful second spell with the Glasgow giants, winning four trophies in two full seasons.

Martin O’Neill has been in interim charge of the Hoops since Rodgers moved on from Parkhead, and one manager who has been linked with the permanent role is Lee Carsley.

The latest on Lee Carsley to Celtic

It was recently reported that the Scottish giants are eyeing up the England U21 head coach as a potential replacement for Rodgers in the coming weeks.

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Celtic are said to be long-term admirers of the Irish tactician, who has won two U21 European Championship titles, and that he is one of the names under contention for the job.

However, it was also claimed that Carsley is not one of the frontrunners for the vacant position at this moment in time, which does not suggest that he is likely to arrive in Glasgow in the next few days.

The Hoops board, however, should push to bring the England U21 boss to Parkhead because he could unearth the club’s own version of Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer.

Celtic have their own Cole Palmer in the making

One of Carsley’s biggest selling points is that he has worked with and developed some of England’s finest talents. Per Transfermarkt, he has coached Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke, Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Conor Gallagher. Just to name a few.

Palmer delivered five goals and five assists in 17 matches as an attacking midfield player for the head coach at England U21 level, per Transfermarkt, and he has scored 45 goals in 101 games for Chelsea so far.

Celtic could unearth their own version of the England international in Arne Engels, who could take his game to the next level under Carsley, who was hailed as “refreshing” by midfielder Declan Rice

The England U21 manager typically plays a 4-2-3-1 system, per Transfermarkt, rather than a 4-3-3, which would allow the Belgium international to push on and play as a number ten, providing him with more opportunities to showcase his quality in the final third.

Engels, with ten goals and 13 assists in 52 matches, showed glimpses of his attacking quality in the 2024/25 campaign for Celtic, but he has yet to find the back of the net in the current campaign.

xG

10.05

Top 1%

Goals

9

Top 4%

Shots on target

19

Top 5%

xA

8.46

Top 1%

Assists

6

Top 7%

Chances created

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Top 3%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the former Augsburg central midfielder excelled among his positional peers as an attacking force in the Scottish Premiership last season.

These statistics suggest that Engels can provide a regular threat at the top end of the pitch as an outstanding contributor, just as Palmer has for Chelsea, with 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 matches, per Transfermarkt.

Engels, who assisted the winning goal against Sturm Graz in the clip above, has the potential to thrive as a natural number ten in Carsley’s 4-2-3-1 set-up.

He is also a young player, aged 22, who has time ahead of him to develop and improve, which is the profile of player that the manager has been used to working with throughout his time with England’s U21s.

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Therefore, appointing Carsley, who has shown that he can win trophies with England’s youth team, could help them to turn Engels into their own version of Cole Palmer in the number ten position, because of his attacking potential.

Planning for a career after football is always wise, but that usually comes in the form of punditry or coaching. Gary Neville famously did one far more successfully than the other, whilst Mikel Arteta is now one of the best managers in the world.

Alfie Whiteman has done neither after leaving Tottenham Hotspur, however.

The 26-year-old has retired from football to pursue an entirely different dream. The goalkeeper was part of Ange Postecoglou’s Europa League-winning squad just last season, providing backup for Guglielmo Vicario and Antonin Kinsky, but failed to get a single minute on the pitch.

In fact, the goalkeeper’s last senior appearance came on loan at Swedish side Degerfors IF in the 2021/22 campaign. Playing 21 games in the Allsvenskan, Whiteman kept just two clean sheets and conceded 40 goals in a difficult spell.

Life as a goalkeeper and as a professional footballer, Whiteman admitted, was not the dream that he had imagined. The goalkeeper, who left Spurs as a free agent in the summer, recently told The Athletic: “I signed for Spurs at 10 years old. Then I left school at 16 and went straight into this full-time life of football.

“When I was around 17 or 18, living in digs, I just had this feeling inside of, ‘Is this it?’ Getting on the mini bus, going to training, doing the Sports Science BTEC (he also did an A Level in Economics) and going home to play video games. I realised, ‘Oh, I’m not happy here’ from quite a young age.

“The stereotype of a footballer is generally quite true. It’s the golf, washbag culture. I was that young footballer. I wanted the Gucci washbag and I drove the Mercedes. You all just become a reflection of each other. You’re a product of your environment. It’s the way football is in this country; it’s so shut off from anything else. You go to training and then you go home, that’s it.”

Unfulfilled and released from his boyhood club, Whiteman has since gone in pursuit of happiness in the film industry.

Whiteman swaps the football for the camera in stunning change

After earning £1.5m in wages at Spurs, Whiteman has retired from football at 26 years old to become a film director and photographer. The former goalkeeper now works for Somesuch – an award-winning production company – where he plans to take a much more fulfilling career path.

It’s been a long time coming too. During his time sitting on the Spurs bench, Whiteman was working as a runner for directors, photographers and producers in preparation for his dream role. Although the expectancy is for footballers to retire in their 30s, he didn’t wait until then to make the jump.

Although many goalkeepers can boast careers at the highest level, you’ll struggle to find a shot-stopper who’s got his hands on a European trophy and an Oscar, but that’s the dream for Whiteman.

Tottenham Hotspur player salaries 2025/26

Manchester United look to be on an upward trajectory under INEOS and could now submit a sizeable bid for one of the world’s best attackers in January.

Man Utd summer signings deliver again in win over Brighton

Ruben Amorim has endured his fair share of criticism since arriving at Old Trafford. However, he will now feel vindicated in his decision not to change his complex 3-4-3 system after stringing together three consecutive Premier League victories.

Brighton & Hove Albion played some fine football at times at Old Trafford on Saturday. Nevertheless, this sometimes worked to their own detriment, and the Red Devils duly capitalised on a day where Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo were unrelenting.

False dawns have been a frustration in recent years, though this time feels different. There is a togetherness that seems to have been forged after a £225 million transfer spend at the club, and Gary Neville believes Matheus Cunha and Mbeumo’s previous experience of top-flight football has helped drastically amid both making an instant impact since arriving in Manchester.

He told Sky Sports: “With Cunha and Mbeumo, the risk of those signings was removed because in the sense they had played in the Premier League before and they had the hunger to deliver at a different level.

“Mbeumo looks like he belongs. He looks hungry and that he wants to score goals. Manchester United have something to build on. Cunha and Mbeumo will win a lot of matches for Manchester United.”

While the summer arrivals take a lot of the credit, January will be just as important if Manchester United want to make a fist of continental qualification.

Amorim could raid his old club Sporting to sign Ousmane Diomande, though he may also have designs on making a headline signing at the other end of the field.

Man Utd preparing bid for Rafael Leao

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are preparing a bid in excess of £87 million to sign Rafael Leao from AC Milan, while Liverpool and Manchester City are also lurking in the background, hoping to make their move.

Talks have been initiated with his camp, and the Serie A giants are unlikely to sell for any less than what the Red Devils are keen to put forward, and the final decision will be left with him to determine whether a transfer to the Premier League would be a smart move at this stage in his career.

Starting the campaign in fine form, Leao has scored four times in his opening five appearances across all competitions. Veteran AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric described him as a “truly fantastic” asset to the Rossoneri earlier this week, and it is easy to see why when you delve into his underlying numbers.

Fotmob shows that he has placed five of his nine shots on target in Serie A this season, providing evidence that his record in front of the target stems from acute awareness of his surroundings.

Ultimately, Leao is someone who could lift Manchester United into another dimension, though it remains to be seen whether they have the financial clarity to pull off such a move in mid-season.

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