Category: Sport

If former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke “could sign anyone” to play up front for the Red Devils, it would be Liverpool “monster” Darwin Nunez.

Man Utd have struggled in front of goal this season and their wasteful finishing contributed to Erik ten Hag losing his job on Monday.

They missed chance after chance against West Ham on Sunday and on a different day, might have won by three or four goals.

The match was ultimately lost courtesy of a controversial VAR intervention that resulted in a late penalty for the Hammers, with Jarrod Bowen converting to give Julen Lopetegui a priceless win.

While the victory relieved pressure on Lopetegui, it was the last straw for the Man Utd hierarchy and Ten Hag was sacked.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been placed in interim charge of the first team while Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his minions work on appointing Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim as head coach.

Typically for Ten Hag, the Red Devils scored five past Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night to set up a quarter-final clash at Tottenham.

Summer signing Joshua Zirkzee started the match but failed to get on the scoresheet, meaning the young striker still only has one goal for his new club.

Rasmus Hojlund, meanwhile, played the last 17 minutes against the Foxes and only has two goals in nine appearances in 2024/25.

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There is a worrying lack of goals up front and Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres is being linked with a move to Old Trafford alongside Amorim.

He would surely solve the Red Devils’ goalscoring woes but he is not the best striker Amorim could bring in as his first signing.

Nope, it turns out it is Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez, who is a ‘monster of a player waiting to come out’.

This is according to former Man Utd striker Yorke, who says Amorim’s first transfer priority should be trying to “poach” Darwin from the club’s arch rivals.

“If I could sign anyone to come in at number nine for Manchester United, then I would try and nick Darwin Nunez off Liverpool,” Yorke said.

“Again, I know people may scoff at that suggestion, he’s a little bit out of form, and people give him stick, but I’m convinced that there is a monster of a player in there that is waiting to come out.

“He’s got a presence; he’s got something nasty about him and I think he’s a real handful.

“Manchester United need a player who can act as that focal point and give them that presence on the pitch. They need someone with Darwin Nunez’s physical attributes.

“He’s somebody I would try to poach. If I’m looking for a number nine right now, I would take a chance with this guy.

“Ollie Watkins is a great striker, but I think United need someone with a bit more of a physical presence up top.

“I’m convinced that if you played him week-in, week-out, Darwin Nunez would start ripping up the Premier League.”

Darwin – AKA Captain Chaos – did not start in any of the Reds’ first four Premier League matches this season and has two goals in 11 appearances across all competitions.

We are not sure it would be a successful signing but Man Utd even attempting it would be more than enough for us.

👉 READ NEXT: Darwin Nunez is elite, dreadful and too big a project for Arne Slot at Liverpool

Artem Dovbyk did not take part in Ukraine's training session before the game against the Czech Republic in the Nations League. Taras Stepanenko trained with a bandage, but coach Rebrov hopes that all players will be ready for the match.

Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk did not take part in the training session of the Ukrainian national team before the game with the Czech Republic in the League of Nations, reports Suspilne Sport, UNN writes.

Details

Artem Dovbyk reportedly missed the training session of the Ukrainian national team before the match against the Czech Republic in the UEFA Nations League. Dovbyk reportedly arrived at the arena but did not participate in the training.

And Taras Stepanenko, as indicated, trained with a knee brace.

According to coach Serhiy Rebrov, the team has some micro-injuries, but he expects all players to be ready for the game.

Addendum

In October, the national team of Ukraine will play another match in Group B1 of the 2024/2025 Nations League – on October 14, the blue and yellows will play against the Czech Republic in a nominally home match in Wroclaw at the Tarczynski Arena Wroclaw stadium.

Incoming Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim will “100 per cent” bring Viktor Gyokeres with him to Old Trafford, says Tim Sherwood.

Amorim will reportedly replace Erik ten Hag at Man Utd after the club decided to sack the 54-year-old on Monday.

The Dutch manager leaves Old Trafford having won a domestic cup in both his full seasons in charge but recorded the club’s worst finish in the Premier League last campaign.

Sporting boss Amorim quickly emerged as the frontrunner for the job, though it has been reported that the club’s hierarchy also discussed Max Allegri, Edin Terzic and Xavi.

There has been no shortage of rumours linking Sporting players to Man Utd with their head coach set to make the move.

Sporting’s best player is undoubtedly Gyokeres but there are some terrific talents at the club, including centre-backs Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande and 17-year-old winger Geovany Quenda.

Sweden international Gyokeres is one of the best goalscorers in world football and has found the back of the net 41 times in 2024.

That scoring touch would not go amiss at Man Utd, with their misfiring players contributing to Ten Hag’s sacking.

They were incredibly wasteful in Ten Hag’s final match – a 2-1 loss at West Ham on Sunday – and young strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have struggled to adapt to the Premier League.

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Gyokeres – who has a 100 million euro (£83m) release clause – would likely have no such problems having thrived for Coventry City in the Championship before moving to Portugal.

The Red Devils might be reluctant to let Amorim raid his former club given their struggling ex-Ajax stars, but Gyokeres is someone the Portuguese coach will surely pursue.

Arsenal and Manchester City are also reportedly interested in the 26-year-old but former Tottenham and Aston Villa manager Sherwood believes Amorim’s appointment means Man Utd are leading the transfer race.

“He [Amorim] will know,” Sherwood told Sky Sports. “The little detail – what he will learn in training about these guys.

“He needs to then decide, what do I need in January?

“Does he bring in Marcus Edwards with him? That boy is a superstar. He went from Tottenham [Hotspur] to Sporting.

“Do we bring Gyokeres? He’s absolutely on fire at the moment. I would suggest 100 per cent that boy comes in because they’re [United] starved of centre-forwards.

“They’ve got Hojlund, they’ve got Zirkzee, who’s not a centre-forward anyway, but they’ve got to get him out before they can bring players in, and that’s the problem.”

Man Utd are yet to announce the appointment of Amorim and it has been reported that his first match in charge will not be until November 24 when the Red Devils face Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

Assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy is in interim charge until Amorim’s notice period at Sporting finishes and inspired a 5-2 win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

👉 READ MORE: Man Utd submit ‘offer’ after Amorim demands ‘unsatisfied’ star; ‘priority’ is one reason for ‘refusal’

Maksym Dombrovskyi became the European vice-champion in weightlifting among young people in the category up to 89 kg. The athlete showed a result of 348 kg in the total biathlon – 156 kg in the clean and 192 kg in the jerk and jerk.

Ukrainian Maxim Dombrovsky won a silver medal at the European Youth Weightlifting Championships. This was reported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, UNN reports.

Details

Maksym Dombrovskyi won the title of European Vice-Champion among youth (U-23) in weightlifting in the weight category up to 89 kg.

The Ukrainian athlete showed the following results: he lifted 156 kg in the snatch and 192 kg in the clean and jerk. Following the results of the biathlon, Dombrovsky became a silver medalist at the European Championships with a total score of 348 kg.

Ukrainian weightlifter sets record at European Youth ChampionshipsOctober 27 2024, 11:56 PM • 15646 views

Arsenal legend Paul Merson has warned incoming Man Utd head coach Ruben Amorim that he is taking “five steps up” from Sporting.

Amorim will replace Erik ten Hag as Red Devils head coach after the Dutchman was sacked on Monday.

Ten Hag’s final match in charge was a 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday which left Man Utd 14th in the Premier League with three wins, two draws and four losses from their opening nine top-flight encounters.

Several managers have been linked with the Old Trafford job but Amorim quickly emerged as the frontrunner following the 54-year-old’s departure.

The Portuguese has won two league titles with Sporting and masterminded a Europa League knockout stage victory over Arsenal in 2023.

Managing Man Utd is a different kettle of fish and former Arsenal midfielder and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Merson has warned Amorim that he is taking “five steps up”.

“He’s done amazing at Sporting,” Merson told Sky Sports. “This is going to be different. No disrespect. They play against Porto and Benfica and that’s it.

“He’s coming in to manage one of the biggest clubs in the world. We’ve seen it with Ten Hag: brilliant at Ajax, come to Man Utd, win one, draw one, lose one and you’re under pressure. There’s a lot of work to be done. This is five steps up.

“Will Amorim be different to the managers who have gone before? I don’t know if he will. He’s managed in Portugal, done everything right, his team did very well against Arsenal last year. But this is different. It’s hard to explain.

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“We’ve seen with all these managers, you’re under severe pressure every game. As a football team they’re nowhere near those heights. One of the biggest football clubs in the world with a just-above-average football team. I can’t emphasise enough how far they are behind the big boys at the moment.”

Merson adds that Man Utd are miles off challenging for the Premier League title. Asked what Amorim’s first priority should be, he replied: “Getting the players to understand the way they want to play.

📣 Is Ruben Amorim the right man for the job? Give us your thoughts Below The Line…

“I watch Man Utd play and there hasn’t been identity there for a long time now. He has to come in, get his ideas across and start playing as a team.

“They don’t press together. He has to get everybody understanding the way he wants to play. I don’t think anyone could sit there and tell me what Man Utd were trying to do. Chelsea against Newcastle, you know what they’re trying to do. That manager has been in there two or three months.

“They’ve got to learn how to walk first. There are going to be some great times in the next two or three months where they play scintillating football and win games but it’s going to be up and down. I don’t know how long it is going to take but it won’t happen overnight on a consistent basis.”

The 4th round of the Nations League match between Ukraine and the Czech Republic will take place in Wroclaw. The list of 22 players of the Ukrainian national team who were included in the application for the game has been published.

A list of 22 players of the Ukrainian national football team who were included in the application for the match of the 4th round of the League of Nations between Ukraine and the Czech Republic has been published, UNN reports with reference to the UAF.

Details

Today in Wroclaw, Poland, at the Tarczynski Arena Wroclaw stadium , the match of the 4th round of the 2024/2025 Nations League in Group B1 Ukraine vs Czech Republic will take place (the match starts at 21:45 Kyiv time).

The application of the national team of Ukraine for the match against the Czech Republic has been announced (by numbers):

1. Heorhiy Bushchan, 2. Yukhym Konoplya, 3. Bohdan Mykhailichenko, 4. Maksym Taloverov, 5. Oleksandr Svatok, 6. Taras Stepanenko, 7. Mykhailo Mudryk, 8. Heorhiy Sudakov, 9. Roman Yaremchuk, 10. Mykola Shaparenko, 11. Artem Dovbyk, 12. Anatoliy Trubin, 13. Ilya Zabarnyi, 14. Vitaliy Buyalsky, 15. Ivan Kalyuzhny, 16. Oleksandr Nazarenko, 17. Vladyslav Vanat, 18. Oleksandr Tymchyk, 19. Oleksiy Hutsulyak, 20. Oleksandr Zubkov, 21. Dmytro Kryskiv, 22. Mykola Matvienko.

Of the players in Wroclaw, Valeriy Bondar and Vladyslav Kabaev were not included in the application.

Football: Dovbyk misses Ukraine's training session before match with Czech RepublicOctober 14 2024, 05:37 AM • 13241 view

According to reports, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a ‘big fan’ of Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane and wants to sign him next summer.

Former Manchester City winger Sane is out of contract at the end of this season and is attracting interest from several Premier League clubs.

He has 50 goals and 51 assists in 183 appearances for the German giants, scoring three in eight under Vincent Kompany this season.

Michael Olise’s summer arrival means the 28-year-old is yet to start a match in the Bundesliga or Champions League in 2024/25. His only start came against Mainz in the second round of the DFB Pokal.

His lack of minutes do not appear to be putting Arsenal off, however, with German transfer experts Christian Falk and Michel Schroeer (via iMiaSanMia) revealing he is on the Gunners’ ‘list’ of targets for the 2025 summer transfer window.

It is claimed that Arsenal boss Arteta ‘is a big fan of the winger’ having worked with him during his time as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Man City.

The Londoners are deemed ‘a serious option’ for Sane, ‘unlike Newcastle United‘, should he leave Bayern as a free agent at the end of 24/25.

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Football Insider also reports Arsenal’s interest in the Germany winger. Former Manchester United and Tottenham scout Mick Brown, who apparently ‘remains very well-connected within the game’, says Arteta’s side “are very interested in him”.

“They’re certainly among the interested clubs,” Brown said.

“He’s fantastically effective, he’s got explosive pace and he’s still only 28, it’s a good age.

“I’ve often wondered why Man City let him leave, and why no clubs in England had tried to sign him before he went to Bayern.

“But now with his contract situation, I’d expect to see him move.

“Arsenal are very interested in him, from what I’ve been told. He can play on the left and provide cover for Saka which they desperately need.

“Now, they’re not the only club interested. We’ve spoken about Newcastle before and there are others.

“But they [Arsenal] are certainly keen and I think it’s one they’ve been working on in the background for a while.

“Not only would he add quality to their side, but he brings winning experience too which is always something clubs like Arsenal are looking to bring in.”

Meanwhile, Graeme Bailey writes for The Boot Room that Arsenal are not as keen as others are letting on.

Arsenal have played down suggestions they have held talks about a deal for Leroy Sane, TBR Football understands.

We understand that whilst Sane is a player they are aware of and that Mikel Arteta knows well, he is not currently seen as a priority for the club.

Sane’s people are starting to speak to clubs around Europe – putting work in and letting them know he is a free agent.

However, Bayern remain hopeful he will sign a new contract in Munich.

If Sane is to depart Bayern in 2025, Sane’s people have made it clear he will only join a Champions League side.

Aston Villa and Newcastle are monitoring his situation but the finances required to sign him would likely rule them out of the race.

Particularly Newcastle, who continue to contend with Financial Fair Play regulations which forced them to sell talented duo Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson in the summer.

Arsenal player Oleksandr Zinchenko presented his autobiographical book Believe. The publication describes the footballer's journey from Shakhtar's academy to playing for top English clubs.

Ukrainian footballer Oleksandr Zinchenko, who plays for London's Arsenal, has released his autobiography entitled "Believe," UNN reports.

"My book Believe. It has been a privilege to tell my story, from my teenage years playing amateur football to the honor of playing for two of the best teams of the modern era. I hope you enjoy an honest and insightful look at the game I love," Zinchenko wrote on his Instagram.

On Amazon, the paperback costs 21.21 pounds (about 1134 UAH).

The autobiography describes the stages of Zinchenko's football career: from his beginnings in Shakhtar's academy to signing for Manchester City in 2016, where he won four league titles in six seasons. His move to Arsenal and his contribution to the team's achievements are also discussed.

Recall

Earlier, Zinchenko statedthat he was ready to serve in the army if he was mobilized.

According to reports, Liverpool are looking at FC Barcelona for a winger to replace Mohamed Salah, who has entered the final year of his contract.

Salah‘s long-term future at Liverpool is in doubt as his current contract is due to expire at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are in the same boat and it remains to be seen whether the three players will commit their futures to the Premier League giants.

Salah has established himself as one of the best forwards in Premier League history, so he will be sorely missed if he leaves Liverpool next year.

The 32-year-old remains at the top of his game as he’s grabbed six goals and five assists in his nine Premier League outings this term, so it will be difficult for Liverpool to replace him.

Liverpool are already being linked with several potential replacements and Barcelona standout Raphinha is a player understood to be on their radar.

READ: Could Liverpool ‘break with convention’ and bid £200m for Cole Palmer to test Chelsea?

The Brazil international previously shone for Leeds United in the Premier League. Amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, he left the West Yorkshire outfit during the 2022 summer transfer window as Barcelona paid around £50m to sign him.

Raphinha has consistently shone for Barcelona in recent seasons, but he was heavily linked with an exit in the summer as the Spanish giants looked to free up funds for signings.

The 27-year-old stuck around and has been one of the best players in La Liga this term. He has six goals and six assists in his eleven league appearances.

Raphinha’s superb form has not gone unnoticed as Man Utd and Newcastle United have recently been mooted as potential destinations. A report claimed Xavi demanded the winger ‘to replace’ Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

However, a report in Spain claims Liverpool are ‘threatening’ Barcelona as head coach Arne Slot is ‘convinced and fixated’ on Raphinha, who is an ‘ideal replacement’ for Salah.

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It is said that the ‘pressure continues to mount’ from Liverpool as they are ‘willing to make a major offer’ to sign Raphinha. While the player and club are against a move, it’s claimed that the Reds are ‘providing a litmus test’.

‘Sources close to the player indicate that his commitment to Barcelona is total and that he has not expressed any interest in changing teams. On the contrary, the Brazilian feels valued at the club and is convinced that he can continue to contribute to the growth of the team in the coming years.

‘With the winter transfer window around the corner, Salah ‘s situation could trigger a major move in the market. If the Egyptian finally leaves Liverpool , it is likely that the English club will intensify its interest in Raphinha.

‘Even so, the answer from Barcelona seems already well defined. Flick and Deco want Raphinha to remain a key piece in the project, both on and off the pitch and are not considering giving in to Liverpool’s interest.

‘The English threat then looms as a litmus test for Barcelona’s commitment to its current sporting project. For the Blaugrana team, Raphinha is a fundamental pillar, and he will make it known in the face of any possible move by Liverpool that tests his determination.’

Brovary has allocated UAH 1.5 million to support Olympians and develop sports. The funds will be used to reimburse athletes' travel expenses and help participants of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Brovary City Council has decided to increase funding for the program of physical culture and sports development by UAH 1.5 million. The funds will be spent, in particular, to compensate athletes for traveling to competitions and to provide financial assistance to Brovary residents participating in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, UNN reports.

The City Council's decision to increase funding for the physical culture and sports development program by UAH 1.5 million is an important step in the right direction. Investing in sports and the health of our community is always a priority. We see how an active lifestyle and sports have a positive impact on the younger generation, improve health and support community unity. Thanks to this decision, we will be able to improve the material base of sports facilities and support sports events that motivate Brovary residents to be physically active

– Ihor Sapozhko, the mayor of Brovary, told UNN in an exclusive commentary.

In turn, Dmytro Rozhkov, head of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports of the Brovary City Council, told UNN that 250 thousand hryvnias are planned to be spent on training and compensation for athletes to participate in sports events at the national and international level.

"We already have a number of applications for these competitions and we just want to compensate the athletes for their expenses. These funds are likely to be enough until the end of the year," he said.

In addition, according to Rozhkov, another UAH 1.25 million will be spent on providing financial assistance to improve social and living conditions and rehabilitation for athletes participating in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

These are our Olympians and Paralympians. Our Olympic athletes are Lyudmila Olyanovskaya, Artur Felfner, Alina Grushina-Akobiya, Dmitry Lovchinsky, and our Paralympic athletes are Lyudmila Danilina, Ilya Yaremenko, and Alexei Fedina. This is their money. I have previously proposed and will continue to propose to the commission, which will then make the final decision, that the medalists – Lyudmyla Danylina and Ilya Yaremenko – be allocated 200 thousand UAH each, and Olyanovska, Felfner, Hrushyna-Akobiya, Lovchynsky and Fedina – 100 thousand UAH each for participation, and their coaches – 100 thousand UAH each

– Rozhkov said.

Recall

Out of the six athletes from Kyiv region who defended Ukraine's honor at the Olympic Games in Paris, four represented Brovary. Ukrainian wrestler Alina Grushyna-Akobiya from Brovary in the 57 kg weight category made an incredible comeback in her first fight at the Olympic Games in Paris and snatched the victory in the last seconds. However, in the second fight, she lost to 2016 Olympic champion Helen Maroulis,

Earlier, the mayor of Brovary, Ihor Sapozhko , saidthat it is important for the community to develop sports. According to him, more than ten thousand boys and girls attend various sections in the Brovary community, regularly participate in regional, national and international competitions, and return with victories and prizes.