After losing three of his first six Premier League games in charge of Manchester United this season, it’s no surprise that pressure is once again starting to mount on manager Ruben Amorim.

The 40-year-old could only lead the Red Devils to a 15th-place finish last time around, but he was handed the benefit of the doubt after taking the reins midway through the campaign.

However, the hierarchy backed him with over £200m worth of funds to strengthen his first-team squad, but so far, it appears that his attempts have been to no avail.

Questions have since started to be asked about his long-term future in the role, but it’s thought that the hierarchy aren’t yet planning a change of manager despite the recent poor form.

Despite such reports, rumours continue to swirl around Old Trafford, with numerous names constantly touted over a potential switch to take the reins in the near future.

The latest on United’s hunt for an Amorim replacement

Over the last couple of days, former England boss Gareth Southgate has been hugely linked with the role at United – not for the first time, after being touted for the position numerous times in recent years.

The 55-year-old would be a cheap option for the hierarchy, with no compensation fee needing to be paid, given he’s currently without a job after departing the Three Lions role in July last year.

However, he’s not the only manager currently in their sights, with Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner another huge target, according to Graeme Bailey.

The journalist confirmed in recent days that the Eagles are planning to tie the Austrian down to a new contract, but the Red Devils are looking to swoop and secure his services.

He also stated that the 51-year-old could be open to the switch after receiving a lack of funding at Selhurst Park, with the move to Old Trafford undoubtedly a huge jump in his managerial career.

Why United’s latest target would be the next Mourinho

José Mourinho was a manager who divided opinion during his time at United, but his ability to win trophies is something which simply can’t be understated.

The 62-year-old spent two and a half years in the role at Old Trafford, securing two trophies in the form of the Europa League and the EFL Cup – with both trophies coming in the 2016/17 campaign.

He also led the club to their joint-highest league standing since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, ending the 2017/18 season in 2nd place behind Manchester City.

His outspoken nature often drew discontent from the fanbase, subsequently leading to his departure from the Red Devils back in December 2018.

However, the hierarchy could appoint their next version of the manager should they appoint Glasner, with the Austrian possessing a lot of similarities to Mourinho.

In a surprising turn of events in 2024/25, the 51-year-old claimed the FA Cup by beating Manchester City in the final to secure their first-ever major trophy.

He also won the Community Shield against Liverpool back in August, matching the feat achieved by Mourinho at Chelsea before his own move to the Theatre of Dreams.

Games managed

57

Wins

23

Draws

20

Losses

14

Goals scored

88

Goals conceded

68

Points won

89

Points per game

1.6

Win percentage

40.3%

Glasner, who’s been labelled “sensational” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, has also led the Eagles to an 18-game unbeaten run across all competitions – the longest of any side in England’s top-flight.

In his 72 outings in charge of the Eagles, he’s claimed victory in 35 of them, whilst only losing 15 times – further highlighting how impressive he’s been at Selhurst Park.

Such a record has seen him lose six fewer games than Amorim at United, that’s despite taking charge of 23 more outings than the 40-year-old at Old Trafford.

It remains unclear if Glasner himself would be open to making the move to Manchester, but it’s clear that the Austrian would be an unbelievable appointment should Amorim depart.

Given the failures felt since the current boss took charge nearly 12 months ago, it’s crucial that the board make a huge call on his future in the coming weeks, but the appointment is just as important, with Glasner needing to be the number one target.

Amorim upgrade: "Best coach in the PL" would now "love" to manage Man Utd

Manchester United may look to one manager to replace Ruben Amorim in the near future.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 2, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

A semifinal da Libertadores 2023 entre Palmeiras e Boca já é histórica por um fato que acontece do lado de fora do gramado onde o Verdão irá lutar pela sua sétima final de Copa.

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Por conta do racismo sofrido por diversos palmeirenses na partida de ida, na Argentina, na semana passada, diversos coletivos alviverdes se uniram na luta antirracista para protestar contra o crime cometido pelos xeneizes.

A bandeira ‘Fogo nos racistas – Pele preta. Manto verde’, foi pendurada na sacada da ‘Losteria Palestra’, famoso bar que fica na esquina da Caraíbas com a Palestra Itália, em frente ao portão A do Allianz Parque.

continua após a publicidade

A bandeira é do coletivo Zumbi dos Palmeiras, grupo recém formado por torcedores pretos para exaltarem a força da torcida preta do Verdão.

Um dos organizadores do ato, Crizz Gonçalves, dono do bar ‘O Sobrado’, nos contou o motivo do protesto:

-Eu fiquei indignado com o que passamos lá na Argentina. Organizei os coletivos, lambes e às oito da noite, na frente do meu bar, vamos cantar o hino do Verdão com os punhos cerrados. Aqui racista não se cria! – disse o proprietário do Sobrado.

A bola rola para Palmeiras e Boca nesta quinta-feira (5), a partir das 21h30 (horário de Brasília), no Allianz Parque.

South African expected to be available across formats for the entire season

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2025

Keith Dudgeon claimed eight wickets in his only County Championship appearance for Kent•Getty Images

Keith Dudgeon, the South African seamer, has signed as one of Kent’s overseas players for 2026. The 29-year-old will be available across formats for the full season.Dudgeon joined Kent on a short-term deal at the start of the 2025 summer and played one match – against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, in which he claimed career-best innings figures of 7 for 36 – before a knee injury ruled him out.He will return next April for the start of the County Championship and is also expected to be involved in the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup competitions.”It’s a huge case of unfinished business for me, and I’m sure it seems that way for the Kent fans – I’m so pleased to be a Kent player again for the whole of next season,” Dudgeon said.”Everyone at the club made me feel so welcome in my short time in Canterbury and I have been avidly watching the lads as much as I can from South Africa as I continue to work hard to get back to full fitness. I wish them all the very best for the rest of this year.”I’m looking forward to making more appearances for Kent next summer – including my home debut.”I’d like to thank Adam [Hollioake], Simon [Cook] and the board at Kent for putting their faith in me coming back for 2026.”Although Kent won their first two Championship games, they have since drawn three and lost four to sit bottom of Division Two. Their Blast campaign has been more successful, with four wins and five defeats, but they currently sit outside the qualification spots with four games to go.Simon Cook, Kent’s director of dricket, said: “Keith made a lasting impression on us during his short but sweet time earlier in this season.”He is progressing well in his rehab work after successful knee surgery, and is due to start playing again before Christmas for his domestic side in South Africa, Boland. We’re all looking forward to welcoming back to the group for the whole of 2026.”

There is some magic happening at Comerica Park, as the Detroit Tigers fight to make the postseason amid a sensational second half of the 2024 MLB season.

The Tigers overcame a 3–0 deficit to stun the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, 4–3, in order to keep a firm grasp on one of the final two AL wild-card spots. Following Thursday's victory, Detroit needs just two more wins in their remaining three games in order to clinch a spot in the postseason.

As Jason Foley closed the door on the Rays with a 98-mph fastball to cap off Thursday's win, commentator Jason Benetti delivered an incredible call of the moment.

"A city that doesn't care about the odds has a baseball team to match," Benetti said.

Chills.

Benetti captured the scenes at Comerica Park perfectly, needing just one sentence to offer a fitting description of this year's Tigers squad.

Detroit was a total postseason afterthought at the start of the year and throughout much of the first half of the season. After a slow start, the team is 37–24 since the All-Star break, having turned their fortunes around massively during their unexpected run.

Now knocking on the door of the postseason, it'll be pandemonium in Detroit if they call clinch a berth.

After the dramatics of the first game of the World Series, Saturday’s contest was far more straightforward—that is, until the top of the ninth inning (more on that in a bit). Los Angeles Dodgers hitters jumped on New York Yankees starter Carlos Rodón. The lefty gave up three home runs—including back-to-back jacks to Teoscar Hernández and Freddie Freeman—and he was chased out of the game in the fourth inning. Meanwhile, Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto had one of his best outings of the year, and the final score was Los Angeles 4, New York 2. The win puts the Dodgers up 2–0 in the series.

The Yankees did not go out without a fight, though. After Giancarlo Stanton drove in Juan Soto with an RBI single that struck the third base bag, the next two hitters reached to load the bases with one out. Dodgers closer Blake Treinen struck out Anthony Volpe, then Alex Vesia came in and retired Jose Trevino on one pitch to escape the jam and secure the win.

But the Dodgers’ joy was tempered. In the bottom of the seventh, Shohei Ohtani drew a walk to get on base and attempted to steal second. He was thrown out—and was then slow to get up, finally leaving with a trainer, moving his left arm gingerly. He was seen leaving the dugout between innings; Ohtani’s spot in the lineup did not come up again. The broadcast reported that it was a shoulder injury but did not say anything regarding the severity. It leaves a tense situation for the Dodgers: There is no player on either of these rosters whose star power is so bright or whose ability to change a game is so profound. If Ohtani is indeed injured, the rest of this series might look meaningfully different, and that attempted steal may ultimately turn out to be the most important play of this game. 

Here are three other takeaways from the action: 

Carlos Rodón depends on his fastball—and comes up short

Rodón tweaked his pitch mix this year to begin relying on his fastball less. After letting the heater make up roughly 60% of his pitches in each of the last three seasons, Rodón switched to using it less than half of the time in 2024, making up the difference by using his slider and making his changeup into a legitimate offering. But he went back to relying on the heater during Game 2. The Dodgers can be deadly against secondary stuff: They had the highest slugging percentage in baseball both on breaking balls the highest on offspeed pitches. They’re exceptionally patient—they drew more walks this year than any team other than the Yankees—and will lay off anything outside of the zone they do not especially like. So against this lineup in the World Series, Rodón went back to relying on his fastball, which made up 60% of his pitches on Saturday. It was the highest proportion of fastballs that he’d thrown in a game since April. 

The adjustment did not pay off. All three of the home runs that Rodón allowed came on fastballs. Two of the three other hits that he allowed came on fastballs. The Dodgers ultimately had 22 swings on Rodón’s fastball and made contact on 21 of them. Some of these were not particularly bad pitches: The home run to Freeman, in particular, seemed to be located almost perfectly. But such is life against the Dodgers. These hitters are talented enough to make something from whatever you give them. (Keep in mind it’s not just the MVPs: Tommy Edman and Hernández have shown they can hit you just as hard this October.) It can feel all but impossible to game plan for their weaknesses. There are simply too many strengths here. And now Rodón can vouch for that. 

Yoshinobu Yamamoto gives the Dodgers length

Yamamoto had not pitched beyond the fifth inning once since he returned from a shoulder injury in August. But in Game 2 of the World Series, the biggest stage he had ever pitched on in MLB, the righty dug deep and delivered. After struggling with his command in the early going—Yamamoto required 21 pitches to get through the first inning—he was close to pristine for much of the rest of the night. The one blemish on his outing was a home run by Juan Soto. (You simply cannot try to sneak a fastball past one of the greatest young hitters in the game.) But that was the only hit that he gave up all night. He retired the final 11 batters that he saw. Yamamoto pitched into the seventh inning—something he last did in June—and finished with one of his best line scores in months.

The fact that he managed to go so relatively deep into the night may end up being quite important. The Dodgers’ rotation has been so ravaged by injuries that bullpen games have been necessary to get through each of these later playoff rounds. None of their remaining starters are especially known for length. Anything this group can do to save the bullpen could be crucial—both in terms of fatigue and in terms of limiting the looks this lineup gets at them. 

Whither Aaron Judge?

The Yankees slugger and presumptive MVP entered Game 2 hitting 6-for-36 this postseason with 16 strikeouts. (That’s a batting average of .) His performance on Saturday did not help. Judge went 0-for-4. He struck out swinging three times and flew out to right field. 

Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked on Friday night if he would consider dropping Judge below Stanton in the lineup. His answer was simple: “No,” he said. “No.” But that question feels all the more valid now.

Tottenham striker Randal Kolo Muani has suffered a fractured jaw following a clash with Manchester United defender Harry Maguire during Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League draw. The French forward, who was substituted at half-time, has been ruled out of France’s World Cup qualifiers and replaced by Florian Thauvin in the squad after scans confirmed the injury was 'more serious than expected'.

Kolo Muani in the wars

Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United has come at a heavy cost, with Kolo Muani sustaining a fractured jaw in an off-the-ball first-half collision involving Maguire. The 26-year-old France international started his third consecutive Premier League match under Thomas Frank but appeared to struggle after a robust aerial challenge midway through the opening period. Despite attempting to continue, Kolo Muani was visibly uncomfortable and was substituted at half-time for Wilson Odobert.

Initial post-match assessments from Tottenham suggested the injury was minor, with Frank downplaying concerns by describing it as "nothing big." However, further examinations conducted on Sunday revealed the true extent of the damage, confirming a fracture that will require an extended spell on the sidelines. The news is a major setback for both club and country, as Kolo Muani was due to join the France squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

His withdrawal marks another blow in what has been a stop-start season for the forward, who only recently returned to fitness following an earlier thigh injury. The incident compounds Spurs’ growing injury list as they struggle to build consistency in attack.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKolo Muani set to miss more time with Tottenham

For Tottenham, the loss of Kolo Muani represents a significant disruption to their attacking balance at a crucial point in the season. Signed on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in September, the French striker had been gradually building match fitness and integrating into Frank’s system after earlier fitness issues. His versatility and link-up play had made him a valuable asset, particularly with the club still searching for a reliable focal point following Harry Kane’s departure.

Kolo Muani’s absence will test the squad’s depth, with Richarlison and Mathys Tel now expected to share central duties in the coming weeks. Odobert, who bagged an assist in the game, is another option but lacks experience at the highest level. Tottenham’s forward line has already faced scrutiny for its inconsistency this campaign, and losing a player of Kolo Muani’s calibre and experience is an untimely setback as they chase a European qualification spot.

At the international level, Didier Deschamps’ France side also faces another selection headache. Kolo Muani’s injury means one of their most experienced forwards — with 31 caps and nine international goals — will miss the upcoming fixtures. The French Football Federation has confirmed Thauvin as his replacement, further highlighting how Deschamps’ attacking depth has been tested by recent injuries to Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and Marcus Thuram.

Kolo Muani's worrying injury record

Kolo Muani’s latest setback continues a worrying pattern of fitness interruptions that have blighted his season since arriving in north London. The 26-year-old joined Tottenham on a season-long loan from PSG after a successful spell at Juventus, where he scored 10 goals and added three assists in 22 appearances. His arrival was seen as a low-risk, high-reward deal, with Spurs paying a €5 million loan fee and no permanent purchase clause included.

However, his adaptation to the Premier League has been slow. Kolo Muani has made eight appearances in all competitions without scoring in the league, along with contributing just one assist in the Champions League against Copenhagen. His lack of rhythm, compounded by a thigh problem in September, meant it took time to reach full fitness — only for this jaw injury to halt his progress once again.

For a player already battling to prove his long-term value to both Tottenham and PSG, the timing could hardly be worse, as it could also affect his standing in the French national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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Getty ImagesTottenham still optimistic about Kolo Muani's future

Kolo Muani is set for several weeks on the sidelines as he recovers from his fractured jaw, ruling him out of France’s November internationals and Tottenham's clashes after the international break. Spurs' medical team will monitor his recovery closely, but early estimates suggest he may not return to action until late November or early December.

The club remain optimistic that Kolo Muani’s injury will not derail their long-term plans to negotiate a permanent transfer next summer. For now, the Frenchman’s focus will be on rehabilitation duty and returning to full strength.

قدّم البولندي روبرت ليفاندوفسكي مهاجم برشلونة الإسباني تحديثات بشأن مستقبله، في ظل الحديث عن إمكانية رحيله عن الفريق الكتالوني، وخلافة هاري كين مهاجم بايرن ميونخ له.

وينتهي عقد ليفاندوفسكي مع برشلونة بنهاية الموسم الجاري، وتشير التقارير لإمكانية رحيله عن صفوف البلوجرانا، حيث يخطط النادي لرحيله.

وقال ليفاندوفسكي في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية: “سأكون مستعدًا قريبًا لاتخاذ قرار بشأن المسار الذي أريد اتباعه، وسأرى ما هي خياراتي”.

وأضاف: “أنا هادئ، لا أعرف أين سأكون أو ما أريد فعله بعد بضعة أشهر، لستُ مضطرًا لفعل أي شيء، ولستُ في عجلة من أمري”.

وتابع بشأن وجوده في برشلونة: “يُشجعني حقًا معرفة وجود هذا العدد الكبير من الشباب فوق سن 18 عامًا في برشلونة، إنهم يمنحونني دفعة قوية من الطاقة، أشعر براحة كبيرة بينهم”.

واستطرد: “أتذكر مراهقتي وما كنت أفعله في سنهم، أنا أكبر سنًا من آباء بعض زملائي في الفريق، يعاملونني كأب، إنه أمر مضحك، ولكنه إيجابي للغاية”.

اقرأ أيضًا | تشيزني: رحيلي عن هذا النادي حطم قلبي

وأردف: “كان الموسم الماضي ناجحًا للغاية بالنسبة لي، سجلت الكثير من الأهداف وفزت بالعديد من الألقاب، مما يؤكد أن مستواي كان عاليًا جدًا”.

وأتم: “مسيرتي تقترب من نهايتها، ولكن بينما لا أزال ألعب كرة القدم، أريد أن أستمتع بها إلى أقصى حد، ليس فقط من الناحية الرياضية، ولكن أيضًا من الناحية العاطفية، أريد الاستمتاع باللحظة وتحقيق أقصى استفادة منها”.

وربطت تقارير في وقت سابق بين رحيل ليفاندوفسكي عن برشلونة، وإمكانية انضمام المهاجم الإنجليزي هاري كين للفريق لخلافته في الهجوم.

وبحلول يونيو، سيتبقى عام واحد فقط في عقد هاري كين مع بايرن ميونخ، مع وجود شرط جزائي بقيمة 57 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

هاري كين انضم لبايرن ميونخ بديلاً لليفاندوفسكي الذي غادر صفوف الفريق الألماني لينتقل إلى برشلونة حينها.

Liverpool bounced back from their 2-1 defeat against Manchester United last Sunday, winning in the Champions League away to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Bundesliga side were no match for Arne Slot’s men, who brushed them aside, winning 5-1 in what was a sensational performance in Germany.

The Reds actually went 1-0 down, thanks to a well-taken goal by Rasmus Kristensen. However, an incisive counter-attack from the Reds, capped off by Hugo Ekitike against his former club, soon got them back on level terms.

Two goals from corners soon put Liverpool into a comfortable lead. Firstly, captain Virgil van Dijk headed home Cody Gakpo’s delivery, with Ibrahima Konate scoring a bullet header minutes before the halftime whistle went.

In the second half, it was very much the Florian Wirtz show. Liverpool’s marquee summer signing grabbed two assists, first setting up Gakpo, who scored from yards out, followed by Domink Szoboszlai, to cap off a five-star performance from the Reds.

There were some excellent showings in Frankfurt from those in a Liverpool shirt.

Liverpool’s standout players vs. Eintracht

It was a much-needed win for Slot’s side in Germany, after four defeats in a row. One of the reasons they secured the three points was due to Gakpo’s excellent performance. The Dutchman has been in stellar form of late, and that continued in the Champions League.

The former PSV Eindhoven star was a creative machine for the Reds. He played four key passes and created three big chances, as per Sofascore, terrorising the Eintracht defence all night.

Of course, that creativity came on top of his goal, Liverpool’s fourth of the game.

Another man who stood out was Curtis Jones. The homegrown Liverpool star was rewarded with a well-deserved start in Frankfurt, and he certainly made the most of it.

Jones was a metronome in the middle of the park and had a whopping 140 touches of the ball.

Someone who noticed the excellent performance from the Liverpool pair was Goal journalist Tom Maston. He gave them both a 7/10 for their efforts, explaining that Gakpo maintained his ‘consistent’ showings and that Jones ‘performed admirably’ in midfield.

As well as the duo played, there was a Liverpool star who outperformed them.

Liverpool’s best player in Frankfurt

The huge win for Liverpool represented not only three points but an important performance to help get them out of a terrible rut. However, in amongst that run of four losses in a row, one player stood out amongst the crowd.

That player was Szoboszlai, who once again shone for Slot’s side. The Hungarian midfielder was absolutely everywhere against Eintracht, working hard defensively and later becoming a threat going forward, getting on the score sheet at the end of the game.

Maston was certainly left impressed with the Liverpool number 8’s performance. He gave the midfielder an 8/10 for his showing and said that Szoboszlai ‘grew in stature as the game wore on’.

Indeed, the midfielder has some real standout stats after his strong night in Frankfurt. He was flawless when it came to duels and dribbles, and managed a 100% success rate for both.

As for passing, he completed 95% and created five chances.

Szoboszlai key stats vs. Eintracht
Stat	Number
Touches	122
Passes completed	105/110
Opposition half passes completed	76/83
Ball recoveries	7
Key passes	5
Big chances created	3
Duels won	2/2
Dribbles completed	2/2
Stats from Sofascore

Jack Sear, the editorial assistant for This Is Anfield, claimed that the Hungarian has been “Liverpool’s player of the season so far.” It is hard to disagree with him, given his performances across the campaign.

The 24-year-old has had a productive season when it comes to goal involvements. He has five to his name this season, including that vital free kick against Arsenal to secure a huge three points for the Reds.

On top of that, Szoboszlai’s versatility has been key. Naturally, of course, he operates in midfield, playing an attacking role and one with more defensive responsibility. But, he’s shone at right-back too this season.

Sear’s claim that the Hungary star has been the Reds’ key man this term is certainly not far-fetched. With Slot’s side now looking to build on this win, Szoboszlai will be key in the coming weeks.

Mac Allister upgrade: Liverpool preparing huge offer to sign £69m "monster"

Arne Slot’s Liverpool midfield is malfunctioning this season.

1

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Oct 21, 2025

Manchester United have been boosted by the news that key centre-back Lisandro Martinez has returned to full training after a long injury absence.

After a concerning start to the season, things really feel like they are falling into place for the Red Devils, following three wins in a row in the Premier League, including memorable victory away to rivals and champions Liverpool.

Ruben Amorim has overcome a hugely testing period and now feels like the right man to take United forward, and having as many players available as possible can only be a good thing, with one game a week this season and no European football helping in that respect.

One player who Amorim has had to do without for many months is Martinez, with the Argentina World Cup winner not featuring since damaging knee ligaments at the beginning of February, in a cruel blow for the defender.

The 27-year-old is arguably United’s strongest centre-back, so not having him available for such an extended period of time has been far from ideal, but ahead of the trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, some great news has emerged regarding his fitness.

Martinez to return to Man Utd action in November

Taking to X on Thursday, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Martinez is now back in training for Manchester United, aiming for a return on the pitch in November.

This is fantastic news for anyone of a United persuasion, with Martinez’s tenacity, quality and winning mentality such a loss over the past eight months or so. It has also left Amorim delighted, with the manager saying: “It’s really good. He gives use that edge in every training session, that is also really good for us.”

The Argentine is a hugely popular figure at Old Trafford, playing with so much passion, and Casemiro has heaped praise on him as a character.

“Licha is on the final straight. He is a soldier who works so hard. He is always in the gym working hard. He is a machine that works so hard. He is one of those players that loves to work hard. It is a pleasure to have him here, he works so much. We arrived [today] at 9am and it is now 4pm and he continues working.”

Where Lisandro Martinez ranks among Man Utd's highest-earning players

It is clearly going to take Martinez some time to get back to his very best, given the severity of his injury, but assuming he makes a full recovery and returns as the player of old eventually, he can continue to be a huge player for United for years to come.

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He is tailor-made to thrive in Amorim’s back three, bringing the ball out with quality and purpose, and he even has the characteristics to potentially be a future captain of the Red Devils if Bruno Fernandes moves on before him, endearing himself to the fans with his love for the club.

Celtic booked their place in the final of the League Cup on Sunday after they beat their Glasgow rivals 3-1 after extra time at Hampden Park.

Martin O’Neill was in the dugout for the second time as he continues to manage the side until the club can find a permanent replacement for Brendan Rodgers, who resigned last week.

The Northern Irish head coach moved on from Parkhead after winning four trophies in just over two seasons in his second spell with the Scottish Premiership giants.

Rodgers decided to tender his resignation after successive league losses to Dundee and Hearts, which left Celtic eight points adrift of first place in the league at the time.

It is hard to deny that the former Leicester City boss had a successful return to Parkhead on the whole, given that he won four trophies in two full seasons, but it was far from a perfect spell.

In fact, there are several players within the current first-team squad, and possibly out on loan, who may benefit from his departure from Celtic.

The players who may benefit most from Rodgers leaving Celtic

Luis Palma and Maik Nawrocki were both sent out on loan this summer, having been signed in Rodgers’ first transfer window in the summer of 2023, after rarely featuring last season.

The duo combined for four starts in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, per WhoScored, and may wonder if they now have a future at Parkhead when they return from their loan moves.

Palma, for example, has four goals and three assists in ten league games for Lech Poznan on loan, per Sofascore, and could provide Celtic’s attack with an injection of quality next year.

Meanwhile, in the current squad, Paulo Bernardo is one player who may benefit from a clean slate under the next head coach, after falling out of favour under Rodgers.

Paulo Bernardo (Premiership)

24/25

25/26

Appearances

28

2

Starts

13

1

Goals

2

0

Big chances created

5

0

Key passes

31

0

Ground duel success rate

58%

33%

Aerial duel success rate

54%

0%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Portugal U21 international has barely featured after showing promise last term, which is why the change in management may benefit him.

The Celtic player who has benefitted the most from Rodgers’ departure, though, appears to be Callum Osmand, who did not play a single minute under the Northern Irishman.

O’Neill has brought him off the bench in the last two games, against Falkirk and Rangers, and he scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup semi-final.

The 19-year-old centre-forward may also be pleased to hear who the Scottish giants are looking to appoint, as they are keen on a boss who could be perfect for him.

Celtic considering move for £5m manager

According to Football Insider, Celtic are considering a move to appoint Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna as their replacement for Rodgers.

The report claims that the Northern Irish head coach has emerged as one of the club’s key targets, alongside the likes of Kjetil Knutsen and Craig Bellamy.

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However, he has a £5m release clause in his contract with the Tractor Boys, which has left the Hoops to consider their options for now.

Speaking to Football Insider about the prospect of Celtic landing McKenna, reporter Pete O’Rourke said: “He is one of the most highly regarded young managers in the country as well.

“He would fit all of the criteria that Celtic are looking for in that respect. It’d be a huge coup if Celtic were to land Kieran McKenna.”

Why Kieran McKenna would be perfect for Callum Osmand

Swooping for the Ipswich manager to replace Rodgers in the coming days or weeks could be great news for emerging Celtic star Osmand, for several reasons.

McKenna has an impressive history in youth coaching. Per Transfermarkt, he worked as a youth coach for Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur before stepping into first-team management with the Tractor Boys.

This suggests that he wants to develop and work with young players, which is great news for a 19-year-old prospect like Osmand, who could be identified as a player with big potential by the boss.

As you can see in the clip above, Osmand grabbed his first senior goal for the Hoops on Sunday with brilliant movement to get ahead of the defenders to slide a cross from Kieran Tierney into the back of the net.

McKenna’s style of play at Ipswich has revolved around left-back Leif Davis providing creativity with his deliveries into the box from the left flank, which would provide Osmand with plenty of similar opportunities to score.

McKenna’s two promotion-winning seasons

Leif Davis

22/23 League One

23/24 Championship

Appearances

43

43

Big chances created

12

15

xA

N/A

10.54

Key passes per game

3.1

2.9

Assists

14

18

Stats via Sofascore

Davis, as shown in the statistics above, was an incredibly creative force down the left flank for Ipswich in their two promotion-winning seasons under McKenna, assisting an eye-catching 32 goals in 86 matches.

This suggests that the Northern Irish head coach would build his attack around Marcelo Saracchi or Kieran Tierney’s creativity, which may not be a bad way to go, given Tierney has already delivered four assists in all competitions this season, per Sofascore.

That would ensure that Celtic have a constant supply of creativity down that side, with crosses coming into the box for strikers to attack, which could provide Osmand or Johnny Kenny with chances to score more goals.

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Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 2, 2025

Therefore, McKenna could be the perfect appointment for a player like Osmand, after his breakthrough goal, because of his coaching background and the way his team creates chances to score goals.