Beckham loves him: Man Utd submit £100m+ offer to sign England superstar

Manchester United have now reportedly launched a stunning £100m+ offer to sign an England superstar who has already earned the praise of David Beckham.

Man Utd targeting England superstar

INEOS are looking to make a statement in 2026, having already showcased their spending power by revitalising Man United’s frontline last season. Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha all arrived in an attempt to transform Ruben Amorim’s side.

Now, the focus is turning towards the manager’s midfield. With Casemiro edging past the peak of his powers, Manuel Ugarte struggling in possession and Kobbie Mainoo frozen out by Amorim, Man United have already reportedly drawn up a shortlist of options.

So far, two of the biggest names on that shortlist in the Premier League are Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson. Two of United’s biggest targets, both have enjoyed excellent campaigns so far.

There’s plenty of competition for the two England stars, however, and Champions League qualification is likely to be the key to unlocking any potential move for Man United.

The same can be said for another England star. If it’s not Wharton or Anderson, then it could be Jude Bellingham. Sensational reports are now claiming that Man United have made their first move to sign the Real Madrid superstar ahead of 2026.

A new Amad: Man Utd could sign "one of the best LWs in Europe" in swap deal

Manchester United are plotting a sensational deal for this exciting winger who could be Ruben Amorim’s next Amad Diallo.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 7, 2025

Bellingham is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in world football and would instantly become the best signing that INEOS have made.

Man Utd launch £100m+ Bellingham offer

According to reports in Spain, Man United have now launched an offer to sign Bellingham worth as much as €150m (£131m) in what would break their transfer record. Alas, Real Madrid reportedly believe that the Englishman is worth more than that and have turned the Red Devils down.

Whether INEOS return with a second offer remains to be seen. It would simply be a sensational move for a player who’s already got the approval of Beckham.

Praise does not get much better than that from a Man United point of view, but the idea of watching Bellingham follow in Beckham’s footsteps at Old Trafford very much remains a dream for the time being.

He's "like Reijnders": Old Trafford chiefs pushing Man Utd to sign "elite" star

Shohei Ohtani’s Bold Steal Attempt Thwarted by Phillies Catcher’s Perfect Throw

The Los Angeles Dodgers suddenly don't look so invincible.

The reigning World Series champs were dealt their first loss of the MLB season Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, suffering a 3-2 defeat on a dramatic game-ending call.

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, usually one to step up in big moments, stepped just a little too late during a risky base-running decision in the eighth inning. Ohtani, who recorded a stunning 93.7% stolen base success rate last year, was looking to steal second with two outs and Mookie Betts at the plate.

Ohtani had so far racked up 30 straight steals without getting caught, but that streak ended against Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, who was on top of his game Friday night.

Not the wisest decision there from the three-time MVP.

It was a 1.81 pop time for Realmuto, who underwent knee surgery last season but clearly still boasts a powerful and accurate arm.

"The Ohtani one surprised me a little bit just because Mookie was hitting," Realmuto told reporters after the win.

Realmuto would help the Phillies clinch the win with another clutch throw to shortstop Trea Turner to gun down Dodgers pinch-runner Chris Taylor trying to steal second base in the ninth.

It's Jude Bellingham vs Morgan Rogers! Thomas Tuchel admits close friends face direct battle to become England's World Cup No.10

Thomas Tuchel is ready to pit childhood friends Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers against one another, with the battle on to become England’s playmaking No.10 at the 2026 World Cup. Phil Foden also forms part of that discussion, with the Three Lions’ German coach making it clear that he will not force all of the “best players” into his starting XI.

England rules: Tuchel prepared to make tough decisions

Tuchel has stated on a regular basis across recent international camps that he is prepared to favour collective ambition over individual ability. If that means leaving a few superstar performers on the bench, then those are big decisions that the former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich boss is prepared to take.

Those at his disposal are now fully aware of the rules, with Real Madrid midfielder Bellingham returning to the England fold having missed out on selection in October during his ongoing recovery from summer shoulder surgery. Others have staked their claims to starting berths during the enforced absence of rivals once considered to be guaranteed selections.

AdvertisementGettyEngland's No.10: Bellingham & Rogers go head-to-head

The expectation is that Bellingham will remain a go-to option for the Three Lions when another bid for global glory is opened, but Aston Villa star Rogers – who once lined up alongside Bellingham at U15 level and has started England’s last two games – is still very much in the mix.

Tuchel has said of not changing his system to fit everybody in: “Rather than finding a position for the best players to just have them on the field, it is better to have them in their best position and have a competition. At the moment the competition is between the two of them [Bellingham and Rogers].

“They are friends, it can also be a friendly competition – they don’t have to be enemies, they don’t have to hate each other. They are respectful, they are friends and can fight for the position. Can they play together? Yes, but in a different structure. At the moment it is not time to change our structure.”

Friendly competition: Every shirt is up for grabs

Tuchel added on welcoming Bellingham and Foden back into his plans, with the pair having joined training on Wednesday after being granted extra recovery time on the back of their respective outings for Real Madrid and Manchester City on Sunday: “Why should it be awkward for them?

“We were driving the levels and driving the thing without them. Now they are back and it is their responsibility to contribute to all this. This is what they are doing. The standards are clear.”

He went on to say of ensuring that rivalry inside his squad remains friendly, with everyone aware of what an honour it is to represent their country: “What we are trying is to build a strong bond, an energy, a group to build a brotherhood that everyone wants to join.

“We want to create a competition where if I pull out of a 50/50 situation, the door will be closed as someone else will take the shirt. Not as a threat, but that everyone is keen to come, loves to perform for the country as it is an honour and the last step of elite football – to represent England in a World Cup. It is the pinnacle. This is how it should feel .

“We are absolutely on the way, everyone wants to be part of the camps and nobody has given signals that it is time to rest – and we also wouldn’t accept it. So it is an energy that feeds itself. That is the key – everyone loves to be in camp and enjoys it.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportEngland fixtures: Next up with World Cup qualification secured

England will be back in action on Thursday when facing Serbia at Wembley Stadium. Tuchel’s side have already booked their place at next summer’s World Cup, meaning that he is in a position to rotate and experiment.

Having made faultless progress through qualification – with six victories and as many clean sheets being picked up so far – the Three Lions will complete their schedule for 2025 when travelling to Albania on Sunday.

Disgusted New York Radio Caller Demands Yankees Trade Aaron Judge After World Series Loss

The New York Yankees lost Game 5 and the 2024 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night. The loss may weigh most heavily on Aaron Judge, the pinstripes superstar whose intense struggles in the Fall Classic were capped off by a game-changing error in the fifth inning on a routine fly ball. The rally the Dodgers put forth in that inning would change the course of the game and lead to the Yankees' elimination.

It will be a long offseason for Judge and even longer if he (for some reason) tunes into sports talk radio at any point, because Yankees fans are going to be airing their grievances for the next few months. The airwaves received a fine example of that on Thursday morning, when a disgusted caller demanded the Yankees strip Judge of his captaincy and ship him to Queens to play for the New York Mets after his brutal showing.

This is Pat from East Islip:

"All this talk all morning has been about how Gerrit Cole didn't cover first base. This entire World Series comes down to Aaron Judge. He didn't hit, and in the game he did hit, he dropped a fly ball any Little Leaguer would have caught. He's a disgrace to the Yankee uniform, he should be stripped of his captaincy, and as far as I'm concerned, we should trade him to the Mets."

It's about what you'd expect. Sports fans are never more irrational than after a big loss and this was the biggest loss for the Yankees in over a decade. Judge had a majestic season and will likely end up with another MVP award for his efforts, but many New York fans will only remember his regrettable October performances.

The Yankees will not trade him to the Mets, nor will they strip him of his captaincy after he became the first player in pinstripes to earn the honor since Derek Jeter. But, Judge has a long road ahead of him in proving to the fans that his October slump will be a footnote in his venerable career rather than a legacy-defining stretch.

Harry Kane reveals hilarious battles with daughter Vivienne over use of his phone as Bayern Munich striker opens up on family life

Harry Kane has opened up on family life and revealed the battles with his daughter Vivienne over his phone. Kane moved to Bayern Munich in 2023 and lived in a hotel for the first six months of his time in Germany as he initially struggled being away from his family. However, they have since settled in the country with the striker tearing up the Bundesliga.

  • Getty Images Sport

    Kane is thriving in Munich

    Tottenham were forced into the sale of Kane in 2023 as the England captain entered the final 12 months of his contract in north London. A host of Premier League sides, including Manchester City and Manchester United, were both credited with an interest but it was Bayern who won the race to secure his services.

    And Kane has excelled in the Bundesliga having scored freely in Germany's top tier under Vincent Kompany. Earlier this season, Kane made history as he became the fastest player to score 100 goals for a team in Europe's top five leagues, doing so in 104 appearances, beating the record set by Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who both reached the milestone in 105 outings.

    And the former Spurs man is leading the race for the 'Kicker-Torjagerkanone' having scored 12 league goals in his opening nine Bundesliga outings this season. Kane has since opened up about his family life in Germany, including his own battles with daughter Vivienne over his phone.

  • Advertisement

  • 'She enjoys taking pictures'

    In a Q&A on his official Instagram page, Kane rattled through the questions about his phone, which offered an insight into life for the striker. The first question was 'Last photo in your camera roll?' to which the Bayern hitman replied: "The last photo? It's actually me trying to get my phone off my daughter, Vivienne. She had my phone and as you can see, she enjoys taking pictures. That's me trying to get it back off her."

    In addition, Kane was asked the last person he called, answering: "The last person I called was my wife Kate. She's get a German number. We was just catching up. Family stuff, kids stuff. Who's picking up who at what time, just the usual stuff really, yeah."

    Finally, Kane was asked 'What is your lock screen photo?', replying: "My lock screen changes all the time cause again the kids get hold of my phone. This is it at the moment (lock screen of emojis). Vivienne again she loves messing about and that's supposed to be me (points to emoji of a man) a grumpy man and she's got the love hearts at least, and she's got the cat because she loves cats. So, there you go."

  • Getty Images Sport

    'Slowly but surely it starts to feel like home'

    Kane has previously discussed his family life and the struggles that come with being away from his wife and children, including son Henry who was born the same month the Three Lions star left Spurs for Bayern. The striker resided in a hotel for the first six months of his time in Germany, and felt the pressure to perform on the pitch while being away from his family for so long.

    However, they reunited at the start of 2024, and discussed his family with , stating: "They’re in school now and have been skiing the last couple of weekends. Just having that has been great for them. We’ve met a few of the parents at school and made friends with teammates’ wives and kids. Slowly but surely it starts to feel like home.

    "People ask what are the big differences, but a lot of the routine is pretty much the same. You miss friends you have at home or a golf course, but you soon learn about those things here and it becomes part of your home."

  • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

  • Bayern looking to extend remarkable winning run

    After drawing a blank in Bayern's 2-1 win at PSG on Tuesday night, Kane has now failed to score in his last two club outings, and scored in just one of his last four club appearances. The Bavarians return to league duties on Saturday afternoon when they take on Union Berlin as they look to extend their remarkable winning start to the season.

    Kompany has overseen 16 successive victories ahead of Saturday's trip to the capital ahead of the November international break. Bayern will resume domestic duties against Freiburg later this month before a mouth-watering meeting with Arsenal in the Champions League.

Thrilling draw as Gloucestershire battle back after Came, Jewell stand

Harry Came fell nine runs short of a second century in the match as Derbyshire were forced to settle for a draw in an exciting finish to their Rothesay County Championship Division Two match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.The hosts declared their second innings at lunch, having progressed from an overnight 364 for three to 526 for six. Graeme van Buuren added 70 to his score before being dismissed for 175, while James Bracey hit a brisk 43.That set Derbyshire a victory target of 316 in a minimum of 67 overs. Came and Caleb Jewell put together an opening stand of 177 in just 31.3 overs before Jewell fell for 83, from 80 deliveries, with 12 fours, and Came for 91, off 118 balls, with 7 fours and 3 sixes.But Gloucestershire refused to buckle and left-arm spinner van Buuren claimed four for 64 to give his side a chance before Anuj Dal (36 not out) and Ben Aitchison batted out for a draw at 296 for eight. Derbyshire took 14 points and Gloucestershire 11.Cameron Bancroft began the day undefeated on 170 in Gloucestershire’s second innings. The captain could add only six before being bowled by Zak Chappell, but could still take immense pride in a match-turning innings spanning almost seven-and-three-quarter hours and 366 balls.Van Buuren was obliged to exercise initial caution as he and Bracey guarded against a collapse. But once the pair had brought up 400, they went on the attack. Bracey smacked a straight six off Alex Thomson to stretch the lead to 207 and followed up with two quick boundaries off Jack Morley.On 134, van Buuren edged Morley just short of Wayne Madsen at slip, but it was all the good fortune the South African needed to reach 150 off 261 balls, with 20 fours.A six over long-on off Thomson brought up the century stand with Bracey, who faced just 56 balls in an entertaining cameo before top-edging an attempted slog sweep off Thomson and presenting wicketkeeper Brooke Guest with a simple catch.It was 498 for six when van Buuren’s was caught at wide long-on off Thomson looking to accelerate towards the declaration. Zaman Akhter hit sixes off two of his first three balls, while Ben Charlesworth also cleared the ropes with a powerful reverse sweep off Morley on the stroke of lunch.Gloucestershire gave the new ball to debutant Todd Murphy when the afternoon session began, hoping the Australia Test off-spinner would make early inroads. With David Lloyd unable to open the batting having been off the field injured on day three, Came partnered Caleb Jewell and soon signalled his side’s intentions with a four and a six in Murphy’s second over.That set the tone for an exhilarating century stand, Came reaching a fluent half-century off 61 balls, with 5 fours and 2 sixes, and Jewell following him to the same landmark, having faced 52 deliveries and hit 7 fours.Came hit a straight six off van Buuren as Derbyshire progressed serenely to 169 without loss at tea, needing a further 147 to win. Came was 87 not out and Jewell unbeaten on 75.Jewell hit the first two balls of the final session from Ajeet Singh Dale for boundaries, but fell to the third, caught at mid-off by the diving Miles Hammond, who produced an even better effort to dismiss Came, one-handed at mid-wicket off Murphy to leave Derbyshire 189 for two.Madsen made 17 before edging an attempted pull shot off Akhter to wicketkeeper James Bracey and Martin Andersson registered a third-ball duck, lbw to Murphy with 104 runs still required. That target had been reduced to 81 when Guest was caught behind off van Buuren for 22.Derbyshire entered the final hour of the match on 249 for five, needing a further 67 from a minimum of 16 overs. Their task increased when Thomson, on 10, edged a sweep to Hammond at slip off van Buuren, who followed up by having Zak Chappell caught at mid-wicket. That finally brought in Lloyd to bat with a runner with 45 needed and Anuj Dal unbeaten on 27.Lloyd made only nine before falling lbw to the inspired van Buuren. But Dal stood firm and Aitchison helped clinch the draw as the game ended with Gloucestershire fielders crowded around the bat.

Du Plessis: MI's counterpunch cost us in last two overs

Delhi Capitals’ (DC) stand-in captain Faf du Plessis pointed out that they lost their momentum in the last two overs when Mumbai Indians (MI) were batting after bowling well for 17-18 overs, which eventually led to their 59-run defeat at the Wankhede Stadium. The loss saw DC knocked out of contention for the IPL 2025 playoffs, while MI booked the last spot.Bowling first, it looked like DC would be chasing an under-par total with MI struggling at 132 for 5 after 18 overs. But Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir hammered 48 runs off the last two overs to take MI to 180 and DC were bowled out for 121 in reply.”I thought we were excellent today in the field. The guys showed great fight. Obviously, not the easiest pitch to bat on, so probably made the bowlers’ job a little bit easier. But still, it’s a very strong batting line-up (of MI), and I thought we were excellent,” du Plessis said after the game. “And then [we] just let it slip there in the last two overs which… momentum is a real thing in cricket. So I thought the way that they counterpunched there to get almost 50 in the last two overs really [cost us]. All that hard work that we did for 17-18 overs, [we] lost that momentum.”Related

  • Opener troubles, missed chances haunt Delhi Capitals' Badani

  • Depth over daredevilry: Suryakumar's solo show saves the day for Mumbai Indians

  • Suryakumar, Santner and Bumrah lead MI into playoffs

DC were under pressure in a must-win situation as they were one point behind MI before this game, and had lost four of their last five matches before Wednesday. They further lost their regular captain Axar Patel to an illness for this match, someone who could have been useful on the Wanhede track, du Plessis said, where left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner finished with 4-0-11-3.”I’m a big believer that you’ve got to make sure you take [momentum] and you never take it for granted,” he said. “So when you’re playing like that and you’re performing well, then everything falls your way. And we could feel like the last couple of games, there was really a fight to try and get that momentum back and not doing the basics well in both departments.”So it shows you that when you’re on top of that wave, you’ve got to make sure you don’t lose it as quickly.”DC were a depleted side against MI, without Axar and their star bowler Mitchell Starc, who didn’t return to India once the IPL resumed after a brief suspension earlier this month. DC fielded as many as five uncapped players compared to MI’s one.”I think if you look at the two teams before today’s fixture, it was a case of David and Goliath. So I enjoy that because it gives guys the opportunity to really play together as a team,” he said. “So credit to them. [Sameer] Rizvi today showed some signs. He’s got some talent there. But when you’re playing against a powerful team like this, you need to be at your best all the time.1:49

Moody: ‘DC bowlers should have used the surface more’

“And unfortunately, all 17-18 overs we were, and then the last two overs I thought we were pretty average. And then with the bat, you would need a good start on a surface like that, and we didn’t get going at all with the bat. So it sums up pretty much our season. We’ve been cold in either batting or bowling the last six or seven games.”And to be in the top four in the IPL, you can’t afford to do that. So probably a fair reflection not to make that top four.”Compared to the five wickets taken by MI’s spinners combined, DC’s spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam managed just one between them, which made them miss Axar even more.”Yeah, I think especially [missed] Axar on a wicket like that,” du Plessis said. “If you look at the way that Mitch Santner bowled, they’re very similar bowlers. To bowl four overs, I think [Santner] only went for ten runs. Axar is that kind of class bowler, international, proven left-arm spinner that on a wicket like that, he would love to bowl in it. But unfortunately, he was very, very sick the last two days.”Starcy, yes, of course [we missed him]. Starc is a fantastic bowler. But I think especially the spinners on a wicket like this, it’s worth gold.”

Saiba por que Abel Ferreira voltará a comandar o Palmeiras somente contra o Flamengo

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Abel Ferreira não comandará o Palmeiras nos dois próximos jogos do Verdão. O treinador está suspenso e não poderá estar com o restante da delegação nos jogos contra o Athletico-PR, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, e São Paulo, pelas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil. Com isso, Abel só voltará à beira do gramado no duelo diante do Flamengo, no próximo sábado (8), no Allianz Parque, pelo Brasileirão.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras ‘sobra’ entre os brasileiros na fase de grupos da Libertadores nos últimos seis anosPalmeiras30/06/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras se reapresenta, e Weverton comemora recorde atingido na LibertadoresPalmeiras30/06/2023PalmeirasQue contratação! Em três meses de Palmeiras, Artur quase iguala número de gols feitos em 2022Palmeiras30/06/2023

+ Abel Ferreira deixa aberta a possibilidade de poupar titulares do Palmeiras contra o Athletico-PR

Na partida contra o Furacão, neste domingo (2), o técnico irá cumprir a punição de um jogo de suspensão determinada pelo STJD pelo episódio em que Abel tomou o celular da mão de um repórter na zona mista do Mineirão após o empate com o Atlético-MG. O Palmeiras não deve recorrer da decisão.

Diante do Tricolor, na próxima quarta-feira (5), Abel Ferreira terá que cumprir suspensão devido à expulsão no jogo contra o Fortaleza, na Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador, nas oitavas de final. Na ocasião, o treinador português havia recebido cartão amarelo no primeiro tempo por ter reclamado dos critérios da arbitragem, e na segunda etapa levou vermelho direto. A súmula alegou que Abel teria proferido xingamentos ao árbitro Savio Pereira Sampaio.

continua após a publicidade

Com as advertências recebidas contra o Leão do Pici, o técnico chegou a50 cartões desde que assumiu o comando do Palestra, em 2020. Ao total, Abel Ferreira soma 44 cartões amarelos e oito vermelhos, o que equivale a aproximadamente um cartão a cada quatro partidas (cerca de 26%) em que comandou a equipe alviverde.

+ Palmeiras ‘sobra’ entre os brasileiros na fase de grupos da Libertadores nos últimos seis anos

O auxiliar João Martins deve comandar o Palmeiras nos dois jogos em que o português cumprirá suspensão. Nas 20 partidas em que substituiu Abel, o Verdão somou 12 vitórias, sete empates e somente uma derrota.

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

Abel FerreiraPalmeiras

RR put up 173 on the back of Jaiswal's 75 and Jurel's finishing touches

RCB were sloppy on the field, but the bowlers put in a good shift; only two of the six used went at over nine an over

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-2025

Yashasvi Jaiswal muscles a celebration upon reaching a 35-ball fifty•BCCI

Yashasvi Jaiswal made 75 off 47 balls to carry Rajasthan Royals (RR) to a total of 173 for 4 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first game of IPL 2025 in Jaipur.Jaiswal was able to score so quickly on a slow pitch because he had shots all around the wicket and didn’t always look for the right ball to play them. His first boundary was a prime example of this when he turned a back of a length delivery into something else by charging at Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He made good of his match-up against spin – he averages 169.5 against it since IPL 2023 with a strike rate of 148 – because he was willing to indulge in shots like the reverse sweep and the lap sweep.Just before he was dismissed, Jaiswal played the shot of the day, a scoop off Josh Hazlewood even though the bowler went wide of off stump to deny the leg side to him. While all this was happening, the batters at the other end – try as they might – could only score 47 runs in 49 balls.Sanju Samson had a difficult return to a ground where he’s had a lot of recent success. Three of his last six innings in Jaipur have been half-centuries. This one though was a struggle. He was on 5 off 11 before falling for 15 off 19.RR’s lack of batting depth might be compelling them to be a little more cautious than ideal in T20 cricket and the innings was fizzling out.Dhruv Jurel was 2 off 8 but he rallied alongside Shimron Hetmyer and Nitish Rana to help his team score 47 runs in the last four overs to take them up to 173, which is just shy of the average first-innings score (180) at Sawai Mansingh stadium over the last two years in the IPL.RCB put in a good shift with the ball, only two of the six they used went at over nine an over. Krunal Pandya got through the day with a wicket and an economy rate of just 7.25.

After Okafor: Leeds lead race to sign £43m star who'd bench Piroe & Nmecha

Leeds United’s Championship hoodoo is finally over.

After slipping up in the second-tier playoff final to Southampton at the close of the 2023/24 season, the Whites had to dust themselves down and go again, and they did just that, with 100 points successfully accumulated last campaign as the Championship title came to Elland Road.

The best possible start to life back in the big time has also just greeted Daniel Farke’s men, with new recruit Lukas Nmecha the difference maker from the penalty spot to hand Leeds a narrow 1-0 win over Everton.

There will be no resting on their laurels, however, as the Premier League newcomers look to add even more exciting signings while the busy transfer window remains open.

Leeds lead race for £43m sensation

After all, the dust has barely settled on that Monday night success, and yet Leeds are very near to completing signing number nine of a full-on summer.

As reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, via X, Leeds are set to announce the signing of AC Milan winger Noah Okafor for a fee around the £18m ballpark.

This capture really should boost a Leeds attack that did manage to register 21 shots on goal against the Toffees, only to be thankfully bailed out by Nmecha’s calm approach from the penalty spot.

A new striker addition could also be on the cards in the form of FC Nantes ace Matthis Albine, with Caught Offside revealing that Leeds are among the frontrunners for the Frenchman’s services, having already held talks with the 22-year-old, who is also keen on moving to West Yorkshire.

Nantes' Matthis Abline shoots against Brest.

Despite stealing a vast majority of headlines after the Everton game, Nmecha could well find he’s been upgraded on if the €50m (£43m) striker does seal a switch to England shortly, on top of Joel Piroe also feeling less secure about his first-team minutes moving forward.

How Abline compares to Piroe & Nmecha

It might well feel cut-throat to insinuate that Piroe and Nmecha will fade into the background if Abline were to arrive at Elland Road imminently.

Indeed, the German has just got Leeds up and running in the unforgiving terrain of the Premier League, while his Dutch counterpart collected the Championship golden boot accolade last campaign when firing home a clinical 19 strikes.

However, both do display some worrying deficiencies in their attacking games that could hold them back from being the lethal heroes Leeds need to help survival be reached, compared to their new French target, who scored stunning strikes like this last season in Ligue 1 with ease.

Despite powering home those 19 strikes, Piroe would still manage to squander 13 big chances in the Championship – as per Sofascore – which could prove to be costly in a fight against the drop. He’s already shown signs of rust at the intimidating level, too, with an unmemorable 27 touches of the ball registered against Everton, before being taken off by Farke.

Moreover, Nmecha is just fresh off a season that was riddled with injuries at Wolfsburg, culminating in just three efforts being powered home when he was fit enough to line up for 19 Bundesliga clashes.

Away from Piroe and Nmecha displaying many downsides, however, Abline will be raring for the challenge of the Premier League if a pricey move gets off the ground before September’s deadline, having fired home a career-best total across the 2024/25 campaign for Nantes.

Abline – 24/25 Ligue 1 stats

Stat (*per game)

Record

Games

34

Goals

9

Big chances missed

6

Assists

2

Big chances created

6

Key passes*

0.8

via Sofascore

Last campaign saw Abline fire home a large chunk of his overall 16 goals for Nantes, with 11 strikes tallied up as Luis Castro’s men survived comfortably in the French top-flight in 13th spot.

The “unstoppable” forward – as he has been hailed by journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos – could well grow into even more of a lethal attacker performing for the relegation-threatened Whites, therefore, knowing now what it takes to be a dependable hero in a battle against relegation.

Throwing Abline into the mix would give Farke plenty of options in attack, with the “instinctive” finisher – as he has also been lauded by analyst Ben Mattinson – no doubt craving the tag of being Leeds’ main man week in week out, at the expense of both Piroe and Nmecha.

Based on all the evidence noted, he will certainly have a persuasive case on his side to be the Whites’ starter up top.

"Deal to be finalised soon" – £17m league winner has decided to join Leeds

The Whites are set to sign a “magnificent” player.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 19, 2025

Game
Register
Service
Bonus