Scott McTominay continues to rewrite the history books in Italy, with the Napoli midfielder being named Serie A’s footballer of the year for 2024-25. The Scotland international has picked up that prize after being joined at a glitzy ceremony by girlfriend Cam Reading. Another individual award for McTominay has allowed him to emulate the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

• Memorable move: McTominay's stunning debut season in Italy

  McTominay moved to Naples in the summer of 2024 when severing career-long ties with Premier League giants Manchester United. He had taken in over 250 appearances for the Red Devils, but was allowed to move on when a £26 million ($34m) transfer offer was tabled.

  The 28-year-old has enjoyed a new lease of life after stepping out of his comfort zone, with any shackles that had been holding him back at Old Trafford being shaken in spectacular fashion. He ended his debut campaign with Napoli as a Serie A title winner and the division’s MVP.

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• History made: Records broken when emulating Ronaldo & Zidane

  McTominay hit 12 goals in Serie A last season, breaking Denis Law’s 63-year record for most efforts by a Scot in a single campaign – with another former United star being passed there. He landed several prestigious prizes at the end of a memorable season.

  Alongside the domestic gongs which came his way, McTominay also became the first Scotsman in 38 years to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or. He ended up finishing 18th in the Golden Ball vote.

  He has since gone on to help Scotland qualify for the 2026 World Cup, netting a stunning overhead kick in a must-win meeting with Denmark, and will be gracing the grandest of sporting stages at international level next summer.

  McTominay will head to that tournament as the reigning Serie A player of the year. He has become the first Scot to win that award and follows in the footsteps of illustrious former title holders such as Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, Kaka, Francesco Totti and Zinedine Zidane.

  McTominay said when collecting his prize: “Coming to Napoli was an easy choice. I came to the right place. It’s sensational, it’s incredible to be here and win this award. Thank you to everyone, the team, the staff, and my team-mates. My bond with Napoli is special; there are so many special places here.”

• Queen of Italy: Reading also embraced by Napoli supporters

  McTominay was joined at the glitzy Gran Gala Del Calcio by girlfriend Cam Reading. She has also been taken to the hearts of Napoli supporters, alongside her free-scoring partner, with the director at asset management firm Fortress Capital being billed as the ‘Queen of Italy’.

  Reading was all smiles as she walked the red carpet with McTominay and joined him on stage for celebratory pictures. She has fully embraced life outside of the UK, with a new culture providing endless opportunities to create lifelong memories.

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• Man Utd return? McTominay generating transfer talk

  There have been suggestions that McTominay is attracting interest ahead of transfer windows in 2026. La Liga giants Barcelona are said to have been monitoring his progress, while a return to Manchester has also been mooted.

  A homecoming at United is, however, considered to be unlikely. Ex-Red Devils star Wes Brown told GOAL recently when asked if McTominay could retrace steps to Old Trafford: “It would be a lot of money for Man United to get him back. I’m so happy that Scott has gone away and done so well – he has done better than so well! He’s been excellent.

  “Would it happen? Probably not. The respect from that getting talked about is unbelievable. What an achievement by Scott, for one. Sometimes when you leave really big clubs, it can be difficult to keep a level going – normally it is a dip. But he’s got better and better. He’s a great lad and he’s determined to do the best he can. I can’t see it happening, but I can understand why there are whispers.”

  McTominay is tied to a contract at Napoli through to 2028, meaning that he and Reading have no need to consider another uprooting of professional and personal lives any time soon.

Aitana Bonmati's season seems to be all but over after she underwent surgery on her fractured fibula, as Barcelona confirmed a lengthy recovery timeframe for the three-time Ballon d'Or winner. She landed awkwardly in Spain’s final training session before the second leg of the Nations League final. Medical tests carried out shortly after the injury confirmed the grim diagnosis, ending any possibility of her featuring in Tuesday’s decisive match against Germany in Madrid.

Barcelona confirm surgery and an extended layoff

Bonmati returned to Barcelona on Monday and underwent surgery on Tuesday morning at the Hospital de Barcelona. In a statement, the Catalan club said the procedure, led by Dr Antoni Dalmau with the supervision of the club’s medical team, had been a success. 

It read: "First-team player Aitana Bonmatí has undergone successful surgery for the transverse fracture of her left fibula. This surgery was performed by Dr. Antoni Dalmau at the Hospital de Barcelona, under the supervision of the Club's Medical Services. The expected recovery time will be around five months."

The lengthy timeline rules her out of Barcelona’s crowded December schedule and throws her availability for key Champions League fixtures into doubt, including the quarter-finals set for late March.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSpain’s title defence hit hard as Germany smell opportunity

Spain will attempt to defend the Nations League crown they won in 2024 without their most influential performer in the middle of the park. Bonmati had started Friday’s first leg in Germany, a hard-fought 0-0 draw in which both sides cancelled each other out for long periods. Her absence leaves a significant creative and tactical void, particularly against a Germany side with fresh memories of suffering at her hands last summer. 

During the 2025 European Championship semi-finals, Germany held Spain to a stalemate deep into extra time before Bonmatí finally broke through, outwitting Ann-Katrin Berger to send La Roja to the final. That wound remains raw for the Germans, who now see an unexpected opening with Bonmati forced out of Tuesday’s second leg at the Metropolitano Stadium. Spain, for their part, are desperate to avoid finishing the year empty-handed after losing the Euro 2025 final to England on penalties. Another title slipping away would cast a bleak shadow over a squad that has prided itself on being the dominant force in the women’s game in recent years.

Barcelona’s injury woes deepen ahead of critical fixtures

Bonmati's midfield partner, Patri Guijarro, is also sidelined with a stress fracture in her right foot, leaving manager Jonatan Giraldez suddenly without his two most experienced central players. League fixtures against Tenerife and Levante, Champions League clashes with Benfica and Paris FC, and a Copa de la Reina tie against Alaves are set to arrive thick and fast in December. In fact, all five games come before Liga F breaks for winter, meaning the squad must play on without two of their most trusted leaders.

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Getty ImagesBlow to Champions League aspirations

Bonmati got injured as Barcelona were building momentum in this season’s Champions League group stage. With three wins and a draw from their opening four matches, they sit in a commanding position and are well placed to reach the knockout rounds. They only dropped points on English soil during a contentious 1-1 draw away to Chelsea. The memory of the 2024-25 Champions League final defeat to Arsenal continues to linger at the club. In that match, despite long stretches of dominance, Barcelona were undone by Stina Blackstenius’s late strike, handing the Gunners their second European crown nearly two decades after their first. 

For now, the focus shifts entirely to Bonmatí’s recovery. The next five months will require patience, resilience and careful management. Both Spain and Barcelona know they cannot replace what Bonmati brings, and they can only hope she returns in time to influence matches at the business end of the season, especially when European silverware could be up for grabs. 

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There is growing optimism among Australia’s selectors that captain Pat Cummins will “play a major part” in the Ashes but there is still no decision on his availability with less than five weeks to go before the opening day of the series.Chair of selectors George Bailey was also very confident that Cameron Green would be fully fit and available as an allrounder for the first Test after “conservative” management of his side soreness saw him ruled out of the ODI series against India and he also confirmed that Beau Webster was a lock for the first Test squad after equally careful management of his rolled ankle.Related

• Cummins says he's 'less likely than likely' to play in the first Ashes Test

• Green ruled out of ODI series against India with side soreness, Labuschagne called up

• Konstas wins the battle, Boland wins the match for Victoria

There was no update on Cummins’ progression despite coach Andrew McDonald suggesting late last week that a decision would be made on Friday regarding the skipper’s fitness for the first Test. Cummins then spoke on Monday and said he was “less likely than likely” to be fit for Perth and would need a minimum of four weeks of bowling to be ready.Bailey had no further information on whether Cummins had started bowling, but suggested there were positive signs in his training progression over the past week.”I actually have no further update on that from when I think the last time Pat spoke,” Bailey told reporters in Perth on Saturday. “It’s progressing. He’s building up. He’s optimistic about it. I think actually the more he’s done over the last few days, the more optimistic he’s become but I categorically don’t know if he’s bowled a ball.”We know time is getting short and there’s permutations around that, not just around the back, but other factors as well. It’s positive. [We’re] really confident that he’s going to play a major part. Hopefully it’s the first Test. If not, then we’ll pick it up.”Bailey confirmed that Steven Smith would captain Australia if Cummins were to be unavailable. Smith has arrived in Sydney from his home in New York and is set to play the next two Sheffield Shield games for New South Wales after missing the opening two rounds.Bailey added he would catch up with Smith when Australia’s ODI squad reaches Sydney on Friday but noted that discussions on the batting positions of Smith and Green in the Test XI would be had at a later date.Cameron Green remains on track to play two more rounds of Sheffield Shield cricket•Getty Images

Allrounder questions

Green’s withdrawal from the ODI squad after experiencing side soreness raised concerns, but Bailey said that scans had cleared him of injury and played down any worries about his availability to play as an allrounder in the first Test.”It is minor and it’s conservative, and I think this decision probably ensures that we do have enough time to make sure,” Bailey said. “We put so much time and energy into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an allrounder. So for the sake of, he was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway, the way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively.He’ll keep his plan of playing Shield [round] three and Shield four. I’m not across what overs there will be in that, but the plan will remain, and that should provide pretty good time that he’d in a good place to be ready to bowl.”Green’s minor injury aside, his return to bowling and the form of Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald had led to public conversation about whether Webster could be squeezed out of Australia’s XI for the Ashes.Webster has missed Tasmania’s opening two Shield matches due to a rolled ankle, although he wanted to play in the second game against Western Australia. He was urged not to by Bailey who gave the strongest endorsement yet that Webster would be a key part of Australia’s Ashes plans.”Last time he rolled his ankle, I think about five weeks later, he had a bit of a soft tissue injury,” Bailey said. “[We] just sort of [took] Beau through the journey of let’s work back from Sydney, rather than up to Perth. For the sake of one extra week, get it right, launch yourself into into Shield three.”I think [his] allround package has been really important. He’ll be in Perth. Everyone can relax.”Marnus Labuschagne is primed for a recall but debates over the batting order will continue•Getty Images

Signs positive for Labuschagne

Bailey stopped short of guaranteeing Labuschagne’s return to the Test side but he had seen both his Shield centuries in person this summer and was impressed by what he watched.”I thought out of everything that he’s played, I really liked the innings in Adelaide,” Bailey said. “I liked the intent, I liked the movement, liked the way he built the partnerships. It’s a nice bowling attack South Australia have got, so he’s batting nicely. We know he’s a quality player. We know there’s a hell of a lot of class there.”To see him putting the runs up that has been really pleasing. And long may it continue.”Bailey noted Weatherald’s match-winning innings of 94 on a difficult surface in Hobart as another sign of his quality. He also thought there were positive signs in Sam Konstas’ 53 against Victoria on a tricky pitch at Junction Oval and added that the intense scrutiny on his domestic returns were “probably not helpful” given he’s in a “learning” phase of his career.Bailey also confirmed that Australia’s squad for the last three matches of the T20I series against India was still being finalised but there was a strong possibility that Travis Head, Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott will all be released to play in the fourth Shield round.Josh Inglis looks set to miss the entire ODI series against India after suffering a setback with his calf injury eight days ago as he ramped up his running but there is confidence he will be fit for the entire T20I series. There are no plans at this stage to send him to play Shield cricket despite being in the Ashes frame as a reserve batter and reserve wicketkeeper.The squad for the first Test will be named in early November after the conclusion of the third round of Shield matches.

The West Indies allrounder’s power hitting earned her a draft spot with Brisbane Heat

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2025

Inspired by Jamaica’s great sprint queens and thinking of her compatriots impacted by Hurricane Melissa, Chinelle Henry has pledged to deliver on her big-hitting reputation as Brisbane Heat’s trump WBBL draftee.The 30-year-old hopes to follow West Indies team-mates Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin in making waves in Australia, selected by Heat to provide late innings big-hitting and medium pace.Henry was training in Antigua and then flew to Australia through Miami when catastrophic winds up and storms caused at least 28 deaths and wrecked homes and businesses in Jamaica.”Every time I pick up my phone .. it’s the first thing I see and there’s not really much I can do but send support,” Henry said on arrival in Brisbane on Monday, ahead of Sunday’s season opener.”It’s a really hard time for people in Jamaica who’ve lost a lot due to this hurricane and now it’s about how we regroup as a country.”Henry has played 57 ODIs and 65 T20Is for the West Indies and admits choosing cricket over track and field or soccer was the “correct choice”.But the former sprinter has been influenced by her country’s sprint stars as much as its cricketers, with Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce leaving a mark.”Track and field … that was my first love,” she said. “But dad was always playing and just dragging me along and somewhere along the way it developed. I’m really proud to be here today [representing Jamaica].”This year in all T20s across the Women’s Premier League (WPL), internationals and Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), Henry has a strike-rate of 155.95, the third-highest of anyone with at least 300 runs.”That’s [power hitting] the reason why I’m here, why the team signed me,” she said. “Walking out on the field … whatever’s going to happen, I’ll stick to my style.”Henry will team up with Indian star Jemimah Rodrigues, who broke Australian hearts with a match-winning knock in the T20 World Cup semi-final, at Heat.She expects India’s title on home soil to supercharge the women’s game and has faith West Indian cricket can rise again.”Every time we have a game or series, that’s the first comment,” she said when asked to assess the state of the game in her country.  “Our cricket’s not what it used to be [but] every time we put on that maroon we fight for the badge.”It’s about trusting and believing in the process to getting back to that team that everyone was so used to talking about.”Heat, who finished as runners-up last season, start their season in a rematch of that final with Melbourne Renegades at Allan Border Field on November 9

Mary Jung got a pretty amazing Mother's Day present on Sunday.

Her two sons, Josh and Jace, faced off in the Texas Rangers-Detroit Tigers game. This is a matchup that doesn't happen all that often, so for the Jungs to compete against each other on Mother's Day made the holiday even more special for their family.

Mary Jung delivered the game ball at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday as the announcer told the whole stadium about her two sons playing in the game. She and her husband sported split jerseys with one half representing the Rangers and the other half representing the Tigers.

She was interviewed during Sunday's game and shared how heartwarming the game was for her.

"My heart is just exploding," Jung said. "I mean, I couldn't ask for a better Mother's Day gift to watch them. We're all in the same place to begin with. But, to watch them live their dream, do what they love to do, I couldn't be more proud."

It really can't get much better than this.

A New York Mets' ball boy wasn't having the best night during his team's win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, as cameras caught his embarrassing gaffe that has since gone viral on social media.

In the bottom of fifth inning, Mets' Jared Young fouled off a fastball from Nats pitcher Jake Irvin, and the ball bounced off the boards and back onto the field. The Mets ball boy chased after it onto the grass, but on the way he lost his balance and tumbled forward before appearing to totally face-plant on the field.

Following that unfortunate moment, Mets gameday host Mike Janela reported some good news: Mets' closer Edwin Diaz apparently checked on the ball boy after his slip-up to make sure he was okay and in good spirits.

"I can report that after the next half inning, Edwin Diaz came out from the bullpen to check on and laugh a lot with the ball boy here. The Mets vibes remain pristine," Janela wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

All class from Diaz.

In part due to Diaz's small gesture, the ball boy can walk away from the hapless incident with his head held high. The Mets went on to win 5-0 in the second game of their series against the Nats.

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s Crystal Palace future is in doubt with an insider revealing the player and his agent are “testing the waters over a move”.

The 28-year-old has grown into such an important player for the Eagles, helping them win the FA Cup last season and already scoring six goals in 12 Premier League appearances this time around.

In fact, former Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino has called the Frenchman Palace’s “most improved” player in the recent past, and in fact of all time, hailing his impact leading the line at Selhurst Park.

“Again, Mateta, in my opinion, is probably the most improved player I’ve ever watched, I’ve ever seen. I’ve watched Mateta two years ago and the one I’m witnessing now, completely different.”

Mateta’s rise has unsurprisingly seen him linked with a move away from Palace of late, and now a new update has shared some concern for the Eagles.

Jean-Philippe Mateta eyeing Crystal Palace exit

Insider Mick Brown reports that Mateta is “testing the waters” over leaving Palace, as he eyes a new challenge.

Palace must do all they can to convince Mateta that staying put is best for his career, with the Eagles certainly doing enough of late to suggest as much, not least sealing FA Cup glory last season.

That said, the France international may look at Eberechi Eze leaving for Arsenal in the summer, and Marc Guehi continually being linked with a move to Liverpool, and feel that now is the right time for him to move on.

Arsenal now eyeing another Crystal Palace star as contract talks in danger

He’d be an excellent addition.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 22, 2025

Palace supporters will desperately hope this isn’t the case, as will manager Oliver Glasner, but at 28, he will know that he has reached a key point in his career, in terms of sealing one big move before he passes his peak.

Liverpool now eyeing Mateta deal amid fresh Crystal Palace contract concern

كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية رد فعل نادي ريال مدريد تجاه التصريحات التي أدلى بها رئيس نادي برشلونة، خوان لابورتا، تجاه نظيره فلورنتينو بيريز، في ظل حرب الحديث الدائرة بين الطرفين.

كان فلورنتينو بيريز، رئيس ريال مدريد، قد شن هجومًا على برشلونة قبل أيام، خلال اجتماع الجمعية العمومية للنادي الملكي، حيث اتهم البلوجرانا بالاستفادة من التحكيم.

ولم يصمت خوان لابورتا إزاء تصريحات فلورنتينو بيريز، حيث أدلى بتصريحات اليوم ردًا على رئيس ريال مدريد، حيث رأى أن الفريق الملكي لديه هوس بـ برشلونة (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وذكرت إذاعة “كادينا كوبي” الإسبانية أن ريال مدريد لا ينوي الرد على التصريحات الخاصة بـ خوان لابورتا، إذ هناك اعتقاد بأن فلورنتينو بيريز قال ما يتعين عليه قوله في الجمعية المذكورة.

وأوضحت أنه بناءً على ذلك، لن يتم الإدلاء بأي تصريحات جديدة، لتستمر الحرب الباردة بين ريال مدريد وبرشلونة، ليس فقط داخل الملعب، ولكن خارجه كذلك.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in action in the Premier League this weekend as they prepare to welcome London rivals Fulham to North London on Saturday night.

Spurs are looking to bounce back from successive defeats to Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in their last two games, losing 5-3 to the French giants in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The Lilywhites have not won in the Premier League since they beat Everton 3-0 at the end of October, with one win in six in all competitions since, which is why it is so important for Thomas Frank’s team to win this weekend.

They will have to get one over Fulham in order to do so, though, and it is a club that they have many connections to through players who have played for both.

Ranking Fulham players who have played for Spurs since 2010

Counting all players who played for Spurs since 2010, there have been ten players who either played for Fulham before or after their time in North London.

Perhaps most notably, given that Dimitar Berbatov left Tottenham in 2008, is central midfielder Mousa Dembele, who played 240 matches for Spurs between 2012 and 2018, after signing directly from the Cottagers.

1

Mousa Dembele

2

Scott Parker

3

Clint Dempsey

4

Joao Palhinha

5

Carlos Vinicius

6

Lewis Holtby

7

Paulo Gazzaniga

8

Manor Solomon

9

Josh Onomah

10

Ryan Fredericks

As you can see in the table above, academy players like Ryan Fredericks and Josh Onomah rank at the bottom, with several less notable Spurs players before the top four.

It is hard to say anyone other than Dembele should be at the top, given that the Belgian star, renowned for his ability on the ball, is the only player on the list to play more than 100 games for the club, with 240, per FBref.

He was once ‘irreplaceable’ for Spurs, as shown in the post above from 2018, and Frank can unearth his own version of the midfielder by playing Lucas Bergvall on Saturday night.

Why Lucas Bergvall could be Tottenham's next Mousa Dembele

One of Dembele’s most notable attributes during his time with Spurs was his dribbling. Speaking about his former international teammate, Youri Tielemans once said: “His dribbling was amazing, you just couldn’t take the ball off him.”

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He was brilliant at carrying the ball up the pitch from the middle of the park, and Bergvall is a central midfielder who can offer similar qualities for Spurs in the present day.

Per FBref, the Sweden international ranks within the top 9% of his positional peers in the Big 5 Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for progressive carries per 90 (2.30) and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.55).

This shows that he is one of the most productive dribblers among central midfielders in Europe, which is why he could develop into being Frank’s own version of Dembele in the middle of the park.

Bergvall, like the Belgian, does not carry a huge goal threat, having scored once in the Premier League this season, but he can get the team up the pitch with his ability to drive forward with the ball at his feet.

The Swedish star, who was dubbed a “generational talent” by the club’s head of scouting Rob Mackenzie, started as part of a box midfield against PSG earlier this week, but playing further up the pitch ahead of Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur restricted how much he could drive from deep.

Therefore, unleashing him in a midfield three against Fulham on Saturday could allow him to provide supporters of both teams with a reminder of a player who once starred for them.

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ByDan Emery Nov 28, 2025

Bergvall only attempted one dribble, which he completed, against PSG, and playing him further back on the pitch to use as a threat in transition could help Spurs to win their first Premier League game of the month this weekend.