One player still on the books at Manchester United has been told that his Old Trafford “career is over” by a former Red Devils midfielder.

Players who could leave Man Utd in 2026

2026 could be another busy year at Old Trafford in regards to incomings and outgoings, with Ruben Amorim and INEOS continuing to make their mark in Manchester.

The Red Devils have four players out of contract at the end of the season, one of which is midfielder Casemiro.

Players out of contract at Man Utd in 2026

Harry Maguire

Casemiro (option until 2027)

Tom Heaton

Tyrell Malacia

Man Utd have the option to extend that by a further 12 months, however, Amorim and INEOS seemingly clashing behind the scenes regarding the Brazilian. Amorim wants to keep Casemiro whereas INEOS want him to take a pay cut from his current £350,000-a-week wage.

There are also numerous loanees away from Man Utd who could seal permanent exits at the end of the season. Rasmus Hojlund is at Napoli, Marcus Rashford is at Barcelona, Jadon Sancho is at Aston Villa and Andre Onana is with Trabzonspor.

United could look to move the quartet out on a full-time basis, with options to buy inserted in Rashford’s move to the Nou Camp and Hojlund’s move to Napoli. Now, another one of the four has been told he has no future at the club by a pundit.

Man Utd now racing Arsenal to sign "complete" £45m Bundesliga attacker

He’s scored more goals than Sesko this season.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025 Strachan tells Onana his Man Utd “career is over”

Former Man Utd midfielder Gordon Strachan, speaking to Esports News relayed by The Manchester Evening News, feels that Andre Onana “has played his last game” for Man Utd and would be “shocked” if he played for the Red Devils again.

Onana’s Man Utd contract is worth £120,000-a-week and there is no option to buy for the Turkish side at the end of the season, with the ‘keeper’s Manchester deal not expiring until 2028.

United forked out just under £50m on Onana back in 2023, but after numerous errors at Old Trafford and Amorim now having Senne Lammens, a permanent exit could make sense for all involved next year.

Forget Anderson: Man Utd in talks to sign "world's most underrated footballer"

نجح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول في تحقيق فوز مهم على حساب وست هام يونايتد، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وواجه الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، نظيره وست هام يونايتد، اليوم الأحد، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، على ملعب “ويمبلي”.

ونجح الريدز في تحقيق فوز ثمين على حساب وست هام يونايتد، بنتيجة 2/0، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات البريميرليج.

واضطر وست هام إلى اللعب منقوصًا، منذ الدقيقة 83 بعدما طُرد اللاعب لوكاس باكيتا لحصوله على بطاقة حمراء، حيث كان الأمر في البداية مقتصرًا على بطاقة صفراء بسبب اعتراضه على الحكم نتيجة تدخل نيكلاس فولكروج على دومينيك سوبوسلاي.

اقرأ أيضًا | نونو سانتو: الخسارة أمام ليفربول ليست خطوة للوراء.. ويجب أن أتحدث مع باكيتا

وحاول لاعبو وست هام تهدئة باكيتا والذي استمر في معارضته للحكم، الذي أشهر البطاقة الصفراء الثانية ثم الحمراء، ثم صفق له اللاعب ساخرًا وهو يغادر الملعب.

وعلق محللو “سكاي سبورتس” على سلوك باكيتا ووصفوه بأنه “عنيف” وهو ما رفضه اللاعب البرازيلي، وكتب عبر حسابه على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “إكس”: “من السخيف أن تتأثر حياتك ومسيرتك المهنية لمدة عامين دون أي دعم نفسي من الاتحاد”.

وأكمل: “ربما يكون هذا السلوك السخيف مجرد انعكاس لكل ما تحملته، ويبدو أنني مضطر للاستمرار في تحمله! أنا آسف إن لم أكن مثاليًا”.

وأضاف: “أتفهم أنني مضطر الآن لأداء دور الشرير، من الصعب عليّ التعايش مع كل ما حدث في حياتي وصحتي النفسية، سأواصل محاولة تجنب التأثر أكثر، هذا لا يبرر طردي وأعتذر للجماهير وزملائي في الفريق عن ذلك”.

وتلقى باكيتا 36 بطاقة صفراء وبطاقة حمراء واحدة في 133 مباراة خاضها منذ انضمامه إلى وست هام، كما سجل 22 هدفًا وقدم 14 تمريرة حاسمة.

Eu entendo que agora eu tenha q parecer o vilão, é difícil conviver com tudo oq foi causado na minha vida e no meu psicológico! Seguirei tentando com que eles não me afetem ainda mais
Isso não justifica a minha expulsão e por isso peço desculpas aos fans e meus companheiros! 🏝️🎉 https://t.co/12t071CxT1 — Lucas Paquetá (@LucasPaqueta97) November 30, 2025

Liverpool have now launched their first approach to sign a much-needed right-back target, who could arrive at Anfield or in North London as a free agent.

Arne Slot admits shock at "ridiculous" Liverpool form

It has been a disastrous run for Liverpool, with their 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest proving to be their most shocking result yet. After eight defeats in 11 games, the champions are on course for one of the worst title defences in Premier League history, despite spending over £400m in the summer.

With PSV Eindhoven up next, Arne Slot has admitted just how shocked he’s been by his side’s form and went onto describe it as “ridiculous” in his pre-match press conference.

The Champions League has often been a saving grace for Liverpool this season. Their victory over Real Madrid last time out proved to be somewhat of a false dawn before their Premier League return, but the Reds now have the chance to pick up where they left off in Europe, at the very least.

They will, however, be without an out-and-out right-back yet again following Conor Bradley’s injury to join Jeremie Frimpong on the sidelines. It is a problem that Liverpool must solve and one that could yet see Zeki Celik arrive.

Liverpool launch approach to sign Zeki Celik

According to TeamTalk’s Rudi Galetti, Liverpool have launched an approach to sign Celik in a transfer battle with Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, all of whom have made contact.

The right-back is on course to become a free agent when his contract expires next summer and could yet provide a solution for Slot by finally replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 28-year-old, at the peak of his powers, recently earned the praise of Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella, who told reporters: “He’s the perfect player for any coach.

“Celik is professional, reliable, does his job wherever you play him. In a locker room it is always needed to have guys like him.”

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 25, 2025

The AS Roma man is also capable of playing centre-back in what would kill two birds with one stone for Slot, who currently has just three senior centre-backs to choose from which includes the injury-prone Joe Gomez.

Instead of Gakpo: Liverpool can unlock Isak by unleashing homegrown Semenyo

This season is shaping up very nicely for Chelsea indeed.

On the domestic front, Enzo Maresca’s side managed to keep Arsenal within touching distance by holding them to a 1-1 draw on Sunday despite Moises Caicedo being sent off in the first half.

Then, in the Champions League, their thumping 3-0 win against Barcelona last week has stood them in good stead to qualify for the next round.

Moreover, and especially in that game, Estevao has started to really show what he is capable of, so fans should be excited about reports linking Chelsea to another star winger who has been compared to the Brazilian.

Chelsea target an Estevao-type winger

Even though there were pretty high expectations for Estevao coming into this season, few would have predicted him to have started as well as he has.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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For example, in the Premier League, he provided an assist on his first start against West Ham United and then scored the winner against Liverpool.

In the Champions League, he has been even better, racking up three goals in five appearances, of which only three have been starts.

So, with how well he has been performing, it’s less surprising to hear that the club are now interested in a player who has been compared to him: Harvey Barnes.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are said to be incredibly keen on the Englishman.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the Blues have already submitted an offer of around €60m for the player, which is about £53m.

However, there are two problems: Manchester United have made the same offer, and the Toon do not want to sell.

It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Barnes’ ability and output, one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he has been compared to Estevao.

How Barnes compares to Estevao

Now, while they are both wingers plying their trade for huge clubs in the toughest league in the world, fans might find it hard to see why Barnes would be comparable to Estevao.

After all, last season he didn’t do all that much for Newcastle, and so far this season the Brazilian has been a breath of fresh air for the Blues.

However, while he is not getting as much attention as he perhaps should, the English “menace,” as dubbed by journalist Mikey Stafford, has been on fire for the Toon this year.

For example, in 20 appearances across all competitions, totalling 996 minutes, he has scored seven goals and provided two assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.22 games, or every 110.66 minutes.

Moreover, his close control and technical ability are far better than most think, as his sensational goal against Brentford demonstrates.

Finally, FBref also lists the Blues’ Brazilian gem as the eighth-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the former Leicester City star in the Champions League this season.

The best way to understand how that conclusion was reached is to look at some of the underlying metrics where the pair ranks closely.

Barnes & Estevao

Statistics per 90

Barnes

Estevao

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.73

0.70

Progressive Carries

5.17

5.59

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.34

0.29

Shot-Creating Actions

3.44

3.79

Goals per Shot on Target

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 UCL

These include things like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shot-creating actions, crosses into the penalty area, progressive carries and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while they certainly have their differences, Barnes is showing shades of Estevao in his game this season and on top of that, has rediscovered his goalscoring ability.

Therefore, so long as the price does not get ridiculous, Chelsea should do what they can to sign him once the window opens.

Related Chelsea star who saved Caicedo is their "most underappreciated player"

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 30, 2025

“Our relationship with that particular hostile country is the same”

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2025

ICC/Getty Images

For the fourth consecutive Sunday, an India team may choose not to shake hands with a Pakistan team.India Women meet Pakistan Women in Colombo on October 5 in the ongoing Women’s World Cup. On Wednesday, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia did not rule out the possibility that Harmanpreet Kaur’s team could take cues from Suryakumar Yadav’s.”Whether there will be handshakes, whether there will be hugging, I cannot assure you of anything [at] this moment,” Saikia told the BBC’s podcast. “I cannot forecast anything, but our relationship with that particular hostile country is the same. There is no change in the last week.”Related

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India refuse to accept Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi

India’s men played Pakistan three times at the recent Asia Cup and chose not to shake hands at the toss and after the game. That tournament also ended in acrimony after India refused to accept their Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who is Pakistan’s Interior Minister in addition to being the PCB’s chairman and the ACC’s president. Naqvi, for his part, refused to cede the handing over of the trophy to anyone else. The standoff caused a 90-minute delay to the post-match presentation, at which no trophy was ultimately lifted.Saikia said the team would play to the “regulations of cricket”.”India will play that match against Pakistan in Colombo, and all cricket protocols will be followed,” he said. “I can only assure that whatever is in the MCC regulations of cricket – that will be done.”There have been no indications yet from the women’s teams themselves as to how they will negotiate the politics around their match on Sunday.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vasco derrotou o Marcílio Dias por 3 a 1, nesta terça-feira (27), pela Copa do Brasil. Com a vitória, o Cruz-Maltino garantiu classificação à segunda fase da competição e embolsa “bolada” milionária.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Vasco

Apenas com a participação na primeira fase, o time carioca arrecadou R$ 1,47 milhão. O clube faz parte do “Grupo 1”, segmento formado por participantes da Copa do Brasil que disputam a Série A do Brasileirão.

+ Veja os gols do Vasco sobre o Marcílio Dias, pela Copa do Brasil

Após a classificação no torneio, o Vasco arrecada mais R$ 1,785 milhão. Os valores da primeira e segunda fase somados chegam a R$ 3,25 milhões.

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A próxima etapa da competição nacional será disputada em partidas de ida e volta, previstas para acontecerem entre os dias 6 e 13 de março. O Cruz-Maltino aguarda o vencedor do confronto entre Água Santa (SP) e Jacuipense-BA, nesta quarta (28), para conhecer seu próximo adversário.

💰 Premiação da Copa do Brasil 2024:

Primeira fase: R$ 1,47 milhão (Série A) R$ 1,312,5 milhão (Série B) e R$ 787,5 mil (demais clubes)
Segunda fase: R$ 1,785 milhão (Série A), R$ 1,47 milhão (Série B) e R$ 945 mil (demais clubes)
Terceira fase: R$ 2,205 milhões
Oitavas de final: R$ 3,465 milhões
Quartas de final: R$ 4,515 milhões
Semifinais: R$ 9,45 milhões
Vice-campeão: R$ 31,5 milhões
Campeão: R$ 73,5 milhões

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Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilVasco

Head coach believes 50-over struggles are in a category of their own as attention shifts to Perth

Cameron Ponsonby01-Nov-2025

Brendon McCullum oversees a training session during England’s ODI series•AFP/Getty Images

Brendon McCullum conceded that England “clearly need to improve” in one-day cricket after they fell to a 3-0 clean sweep against New Zealand. ‘Go harder’ has been the mantra of this England team, with Harry Brook imploring his side to double down in their efforts with the bat after his side’s first collapse in Mount Maunganui a week ago. Two matches and two further batting failures later, however, McCullum has reset the party line and called for England to adopt a more considered approach.”Harry’s said before that we need to put pressure back on the bowlers, and there are times when we do need to be a little braver and put some pressure on the bowlers,” McCullum said following the defeat in Wellington. “And then there are other times where we’ve got to adjust to their lengths and lines.”Not necessarily in a high-risk sort of way but just by being brave enough – whether that’s coming down the wicket or moving around the crease – just get things going a little bit more and bounce off one another.”Across the series, England lost 11 wickets in the opening 10 overs of the innings, compared to New Zealand’s four, and were bowled out in all three matches. Their innings in Wellington was their longest of the trip, batting for 40.2 overs before they were all out.”I think when we’re confronted with good, flat wickets, we’re a very, very good cricket team,” McCullum said. “I think we play a high-octane style of cricket and those conditions suit us. When the wickets have a little bit in them and they’re a bit more challenging, whether that be spin or seam or swing, we probably can’t quite adapt our tempo quick enough.Fewest runs by a team’s top four•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“We’ve got some talented players but, unfortunately, our performances at the moment in this form of the game aren’t quite up to scratch and we need to rectify that.”England’s top order combined for an historically poor series, managing just 84 runs between the top four, the lowest tally in one-day international history. Of the top six, only Brook, Joe Root and Jos Buttler made a score of 20 across the three matches.McCullum, however, does not believe it is a concern heading towards the Ashes, where Australia are expected to serve up similar styles of wickets. In the longer format, he argues that England have been able to counter different conditions well.”I like to separate it,” McCullum explained. “I think in T20 cricket we’re going really well and in Test cricket we have a pretty decent idea of where we’re at – and I think we’ve performed reasonably well, albeit we have a huge challenge ahead of us.Related

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“One-day cricket is clearly the area we need to improve, and my comments are more directed at one-day cricket. I think when we do come across the trickier conditions in Australia and Test cricket, we have a pretty good understanding of how we’re going to go about it. It doesn’t guarantee us anything but it gives us a level of confidence going into that series.”He also believes that, despite a number of players experiencing a poor run of scores, the likes of Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Root will be “better for the run” after getting a number of games under their belt.”They’ve marked centre a few times and gone through the process and I’m sure they’ll be better for it. With the prep that we’ve had with the other Test guys who’ve been here for a while too, we’ll have no excuses come Australia.”McCullum identified Jamie Overton as England’s “huge win” for the tour, after the bowling allrounder contributed with the bat in all three matches and put together his finest performance in ODI cricket in Wellington, scoring 68 runs and taking two for 32 with the ball.”I think there’s times when we think he’s a better player than he does,” McCullum said. “And on this tour he’s fully believed in the player he can be at this level. There’s not too many players around the world who can bowl 140kph, field the way he does and hit the ball as cleanly. It’s been a huge series for Jamie…he’s incredibly well liked within the group and we’re all delighted for him.”England’s next competitive fixture will now be in Perth, with the long-awaited Ashes series finally around the corner after years of build-up.”I’m proper excited,” McCullum concluded. “We’re incredibly respectful of the challenge Australia is going to present us and we know how hard that tour is going to be.”It’s going to require a team to stay together right throughout, to be as strong as we can to try and block out any of the outside noise. But we’re very respectful of who we’re coming up against, we’re so excited to get over there and we can’t wait to get started.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has just over a month to go until he will have the opportunity to make his first signing since arriving at Ibrox to replace Russell Martin.

The German tactician came through the door well after the summer transfer window had been and gone, after sporting director Kevin Thelwell provided Martin with a host of signings.

Rangers, as shown in the graphic above, had a high turnover of players in and out of Ibrox after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign, under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson.

Unfortunately, though, Martin was unable to get a tune out of the squad after those changes in the summer and was eventually sacked last month after a run of five wins in 17 games.

With Rohl now in the building, the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach will have time to assess those summer signings and decide where he wants the club to strengthen the squad when the January transfer window opens.

One of those Martin and Thelwell signings whom the manager may deem needs to be replaced in the winter is experienced central midfielder Joe Rothwell.

Why Rangers need to replace Joe Rothwell already

Rangers swooped to sign the 30-year-old midfielder from Premier League side Bournemouth on a permanent deal during the summer window for Martin, who had worked with him on loan at Southampton in the 2023/24 campaign.

Unfortunately, the English lightweight has flopped at Ibrox, on current evidence, and is yet to play a single minute of action in the Scottish Premiership since Rohl came through the door.

He was ill and unavailable for selection against Dundee last time out, but the midfield flop was an unused substitute in the wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian in the manager’s first two matches in the dugout.

This means that Rangers have now won one of the eight league matches he has played in and won all three of the games that he has not featured in so far this season.

Tackles

7

Bottom 29%

Interceptions

8

Top 29%

Duels won

16

Bottom 27%

Duel success rate

47%

Bottom 37%

Aerial duels won

4

Bottom 29%

Possession won in the final third

1

Bottom 18%

Ball recoveries

22

Bottom 40%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has struggled off the ball throughout the Premiership campaign, ranking poorly among his positional peers in the majority of the key defensive metrics, aside from interceptions.

On top of his defensive woes, the Englishman has no goals and one assist in eight appearances in the league, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered outstanding quality on the ball to make up for his defensive deficiencies.

This is why Rohl may already be considering replacing Rothwell in the January transfer window, and why the midfielder has been an unused substitute in the last two league games that he has been available for.

Rangers eyeing move for Premiership midfielder

The Scottish Premiership giants may be able to replace the former Bournemouth and Southampton flop amid reported interest in a star who plays in his position.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to TEAMtalk, Rangers are one of the clubs exploring the possibility of a deal to snap up Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues are in talks over a possible move for the Scotland U21 international, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season.

It reveals that Rohl is a big fan of the midfield starlet and wants to add him to his squad in the winter market, with the Gers looking to seal a cut-price deal due to his contract situation.

However, TEAMtalk adds that Hearts, Aberdeen, and unnamed clubs in the English Championship are also keen on signing the £1.5m-rated Kilmarnock star, which means that there is plenty of competition for his signature.

Why Watson would be an upgrade on Rothwell for Rangers

Thelwell could land a huge upgrade on Rothwell for Rohl if he is able to beat the likes of Aberdeen and Hearts to the signing of Watson ahead of the second half of the season.

For a start, the Scotland U21 international is ten years younger than the English flop. He has far more years left ahead of him to develop as a player and offer quality on the pitch for Rangers than Rothwell does.

This also means that there is the potential for his value to grow so that he could be sold on for a profit in the future, like a Hamza Igamane or Calvin Bassey, and that may not be the case with the Bournemouth man, as he is in the latter stages of his career.

In terms of the here and now, Watson could come in as an upgrade on Rothwell from an offensive perspective. The Scottish star has scored three goals in 12 Premiership matches this season, after netting four last term, with the Rangers dud yet to get off the mark at Ibrox.

The Scotland U21 international, who Kilmarnock commentator Andrew Milligan claimed has “no ceiling”, would also come in and offer a huge upgrade on the English flop defensively.

Appearances

12

8

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.1

1.9

Clearances per game

0.9

0.1

Duels won per game

6.0

2.0

Ground duel success rate

51%

46%

Fouls won per game

2.3

0.1

Blocks per game

0.5

0.1

As you can see in the table above, Watson has excelled out of possession in comparison to Rothwell in the 2025/26 campaign, making far more defensive contributions at a more efficient rate.

It is, therefore, easy to understand why Rohl is such a big fan of the Kilmarnock star and why he wants Thelwell to get a deal over the line for him when the January transfer window opens.

Watson’s offensive and defensive statistics suggest that he would arrive at Ibrox as a huge upgrade on Rothwell, who has struggled since his move to the club, and provide the likes of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin, and Mo Diomande with genuine competition for the midfield spots.

Thelwell let Rangers star go for £0, now he'd walk into the XI over Aasgaard

This former Rangers star who was released by Kevin Thelwell would walk into the current team over Thelo Aasgaard.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

Christian Pulisic’s impressive season for AC Milan has hit another setback, with manager Massimiliano Allegri revealing the American is expected to miss this weekend’s Serie A matchup against Lazio. The winger, who scored the decisive goal in Milan’s derby win over Inter, withdrew from training on Wednesday due to muscular discomfort, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming fixture.

Getty Images SportPulisic is unlikely to play

At his prematch news conference, Allegri said Pulisic “is unlikely to play,” while noting that there were still two days for the situation to change. He added that the rest of the squad is in good condition. Pulisic missed training on Wednesday after reporting muscular discomfort, prompting Allegri to be cautious given the American’s recent recovery from a hamstring issue.

“Pulisic is unlikely to play, although there are still two days until the match and anything can happen,” Allegri said according to ESPN.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRecent injury history

The timing is particularly frustrating for Milan, as Pulisic had only recently returned to full fitness after a hamstring injury suffered during U.S. national team duty in October. He made a substitute appearance in Milan’s 2-2 draw with Parma on Nov. 8 before starting and scoring the winner in the derby against Inter on Nov. 23. With seven goals and two assists in just 10 appearances across all competitions this season, Pulisic has been instrumental to Milan’s strong start despite missing four games earlier in the campaign.

Impact on Milan's tactical approach

The timing of the setback underscores Pulisic’s rise as Milan’s attacking catalyst since his €20 million ($22 million) move from Chelsea. His versatility under Allegri this season has made him a central piece of the system, with no player in Serie A producing more goal contributions than Pulisic since his arrival in 2023 (48, tied with Inter’s Lautaro Martínez).

Losing Pulisic against a well-organized Lazio side would be a significant blow to Milan’s attacking options and could force tactical adjustments, especially with the Serie A title race tightening at this stage of the campaign.

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Getty ImagesWhat's next for Milan?

Milan currently sit second in the Serie A table with 25 points, level with Napoli and just two points behind leaders Roma, making the Lazio fixture crucial to their title aspirations. 

Real Madrid explored the prospect of bringing Achraf Hakimi back on a free transfer in 2026, banking on his stalled renewal with Paris Saint-Germain and strong emotional ties to the club. But everything changed after Kylian Mbappe’s exit opened huge salary space at PSG, leading the Moroccan star to make a dramatic U-turn and sign a long-term extension in Paris instead.

• Madrid’s plan for 2026 return collapses after PSG intervene

  After spending years in Madrid's youth academy, Hakimi left the club in 2020 to join Inter after a positive spell on loan at Borussia Dortmund. He has since blossomed into arguably the best right-back in the world, having since joined PSG and helped fire the French team to Champions League success last season. Naturally, Madrid fancied bringing the Morocco star, who made 17 senior appearances for Los Blancos, back to the Santiago Bernabeu, and with his contract expiring in 2026, there was a period they had high hopes of luring him.

  At the time, Hakimi’s renewal talks with PSG had stalled, and Madrid had privately informed him years ago that if he ever completed his PSG contract and became a free agent in 2026, the Bernabeu doors would be wide open. With relations between Real Madrid and PSG strained, a no-fee return was viewed as the only viable path. That possibility dramatically shifted after Mbappe left and PSG suddenly had significant financial room to manoeuvre, setting up the turning point that derailed Madrid’s plan, according to .

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• AFP
  

  PSG shift strategy and give Hakimi an offer Madrid couldn’t match

  The Moroccan future was headed towards a free-agent crossroads until the Ligue 1 giants acted decisively. Mbappe’s departure freed up enormous wage capacity, allowing PSG to table a package Madrid simply could not compete with. The offer, strengthened by Luis Campos’ sporting project and Luis Enrique’s influence in the dressing room, convinced Hakimi to rethink his future and sign a long-term deal in February of this year.

  From PSG’s perspective, retaining one of the world’s best right-backs became a cornerstone of their post-Mbappe rebuild. Hakimi, already deeply integrated into the Paris squad and the club’s long-term vision, chose stability in Paris over sentiment in Madrid.

• Injury recovery, Murcia visits & strong ties to Madrid remain

  Throughout this saga, Hakimi has been recovering from the ankle injury suffered after Luis Diaz’s heavy challenge in the Champions League. PSG allowed him to continue treatment in Murcia, where he works closely with Salinas and the Innova Clinic team. He was recently seen on a rolling mobility device at the CAF awards after winning the 2025 African Player of the Year.

  His regular appearances across Spain in recent weeks also kept speculation alive. Hakimi’s visit to Real Madrid's 2-2 draw against Elche in La Liga last week, where he watched former Madrid academy striker Alvaro Rodriguez score and mimic Hakimi’s “penguin” celebration. Despite his PSG renewal until 2029, those emotional links remain intact. Just as telling: he met his close friend Mbappe after the Elche match.

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• AFP
  

  Renewal to 2029 ends Madrid hopes but connection endures

  With Hakimi now tied to the European champions until 2029, Madrid’s long-standing plan to re-sign him has effectively ended. The club always knew that negotiating with PSG’s hierarchy was nearly impossible and once a free transfer was off the table, the window closed.

  For PSG, Hakimi will be a central figure in Enrique’s evolving project, expected to return from injury ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations window. For Madrid, it is the story of a reunion that seemed increasingly possible until PSG’s post-Mbappe rebuild swept him firmly back into the Paris project.

  Even so, his repeated presence in Spain, his Madrid academy past, and his affection for the club ensure that his relationship with Los Blancos will always remain part of his identity even if the comeback will no longer happen.