Rangers midfielder Steven Davis could be about to call time on his Ibrox career.
The lowdown
According to Transfermarkt, the 37-year-old’s £13,000-per-week contract is due to expire one week from today.
The Northern Irishman said after the 2-0 Scottish Cup final victory over Hearts on Saturday that he doesn’t know whether he would still be a Rangers player next season, while The Scottish Daily Mail have since reported (via Ibrox News) that fellow Premiership side Motherwell are lining up a move for the £900,000-rated veteran.
Davis first joined Rangers from Fulham back in 2008 following a successful loan spell. Four years later, he left for Southampton, before returning to Ibrox in 2019.
Across those two spells in Glasgow, he has played 344 matches, scoring 25 goals, providing 70 assists and winning eight trophies, including four league titles.
Glasgow World journalist Lewis Anderson has indicated that the coming days could be crucial in determining Davis’ next move.
His understanding is that the veteran midfielder will ‘hold talks with Rangers officials this week over his future’ at Ibrox.
The verdict
How strong is the case to keep Davis around?
He has played 33 games over the course of the season, but he wasn’t a regular starter by any means.
Indeed, Davis didn’t feature at all in the Europa League knockout rounds until the final, when he played 46 minutes, and he only started 13 times in the Premiership.
However, when he has featured, the club’s 2020/21 Player of the Year has shown he can still produce the goods. Rangers partners Heart & Hand said that he was ‘running the show’ in the victory over Dundee United earlier this month, while radio presenter Bill Young dubbed him ‘majestic as always’ for his performance that day.
Perhaps Giovanni van Bronckhorst will decide that it makes little sense to let a dependable player leave and potentially embark on a search for an external replacement, which may consume time and resources, when there is a reliable operator in Davis to call upon.
In other news, Rangers are set to offer this player a new deal
Joyful tour of New Zealand ends in historic defeat, but buoyant mood is the ultimate takeaway
Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Mar-2023There was no big debrief following England men’s 1-1 series draw with New Zealand. The second Test was confined to the annals of history quickly – albeit very high up.Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes spoke of their pride at how the last month had gone: the professional victory in the first Test at the Bay Oval, their commitment to cause on a thrilling final day of the second at the Basin Reserve. As counterintuitive as it may sound on the outside, the message was to take pride in contributing to a spectacle that encouraged so many to attend and even more to tune in.And just like that, they were off. McCullum for a round of golf with his former Blackcaps captain Stephen Fleming, equal parts tune-up for his appearance in the New Zealand Open in Queenstown and tune-in to the wavelength of the CSK head coach, whom hope will look after the Test captain during his forthcoming IPL stint. Stokes himself went back to Christchurch to spend some time with his family. Other players set off on their own jaunts with their partners who have been a noticeable presence on tour, in keeping with a focus on making the players as comfortable as possible. Ben Duckett, off the back of another sound showing upon his return to the fold this winter, headed to Dubai with his partner before he goes back east for the T20I series in Bangladesh. The grind never stops.A lot was made of the bonhomie of this series. These two nations have come up against each other so often in the last few years, across three Test series and two T20 World Cups since the start of 2021. Even friends and family are on a first-name basis with those on the opposition. One such anecdote sums this up: two opponents were play-fighting at a joint-gathering a few tours ago, only for one of the kids to take exception and jump in, unaware the altercation was light-hearted.At the end of the thrilling Battle of the Basin, as both teams’ end-of-tour drinks merged, the number of connections rekindled through County Cricket stints alone were such that you needed the difference in attire – New Zealand were still in their whites, England mostly in training gear – to tell the two groups apart. This match, and others, proved that such inter-squad camaraderie has not affected the competitiveness on the field.Joe Root and Kane Williamson are all smiles at the presentations in Wellington•Getty ImagesTo see James Anderson’s wry smile at the end of his 179th Test with a wry smile, despite having been the last to fall in England’s one-run defeat, said it all. When both he and Stuart Broad were axed for the Caribbean tour last March, one of the reasons given was the need for the dressing-room to grow in their absence. Their status within it was deemed a problem: the two big personalities were supposedly an intimidating presence, particularly when things went wrong with the bat. However England were going to redefine themselves after the Ashes, the presumption at the time was that they would have to do it without two bowlers who had been central to the team’s positivity for most of their careers. Getting rid of them was seen as a solution.Now, both are deemed integral to both England’s present success, and their ongoing transition. Anderson and Broad took 10 wickets apiece in the series (Anderson at 16.80, Broad at 26.10). They threw themselves about in the field (uncomfortably at times), and mucked in with the wider group with renewed enthusiasm. Broad finally got to give the Nighthawk a run-out, while Anderson swapped his reverse-sweep for a charge-and-smack off Neil Wagner to bring England ever closer to the winning post in Wellington. Even if the man himself had been ambivalent about finally hitting the winning runs in a Test match, everyone in the team wanted to see it happen. Alas, the wait goes on.Back in 2014, Anderson was reduced to tears after falling in the final over on the final day at Headingley against Sri Lanka. This time his competitive fires were evident as he questioned the non-awarding of a leg-side wide, moments before he nicked Wagner low to Tom Blundell, but the fact that he could be so phlegmatic after the event was, in its own way, a reflection of a tour quietly being deemed a success.McCullum and Stokes have long preached that England must focus on playing engaging cricket for the masses and let the result take care of itself. And as much as that remains hard to square with the intensity of international sport, the reason for this approach became abundantly clear throughout February. It’s been a while since a group of Englishmen have enjoyed playing Test cricket so much, and even longer since the results have been this good. The two could not be more linked.It is why McCullum asked the group to convene in New Zealand two weeks before the first Test at Mount Maunganui, despite settling for just a two-day warm-up match in Hamilton. His plan, which he workshopped in Abu Dhabi ahead of December’s Pakistan series, was to replicate the sort of off-field VIP treatment he had seen work wonders in the IPL.Related
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Players not involved in the South Africa ODIs flew out as early as February 27 and were treated to a day of golf in Auckland before heading to the South Island for a week in Queenstown and Arrowtown. Even as cricket entered the agenda in Hamilton, McCullum, who lives an hour or so away near the town of Matamata, went into overdrive on tour-guide duties, with recommendations of things to do and places to visit for players and media. Understandably, only the former got an invite to the barbecue hosted at his place that Sunday afternoon, which was originally supposed to be day three of the warm-up match against an NZC XI at Seddon Park.”It’s been busy,” McCullum said at the time. “A lot of demands on me. It’s not one of my fortes, either, organising things.” But it was an important discomfort to endure for the greater good.Broad, on his fifth tour of New Zealand, spoke of this being the most he had seen of the country beyond “cricket grounds and airports”. “It has been the most enjoyable ten days I have had pre-tour in my whole career, which is Baz’s mantra.”Broad’s words, along Anderson’s smile, highlight a rejuvenation. It’s one thing for newcomers to be enamoured by the trappings of playing cricket at Test level. But for the two men who have been here on more occasions than all but a handful of long-retired legends, it’s a handy reminder of what a privilege this career truly is.That manifested itself in different ways. For all the extra-curricular activities on offer, England’s training sessions were often so intense that the local net bowlers spent most of their time watching from the sidelines rather than offering support, with batters keen to be tested by coaches slinging down from 18 yards instead of club players from 22.When Stokes decided upon picking Anderson, Broad and Ollie Robinson in consecutive matches – with confirmation of their fitness coming via text message on the morning before the Wellington Test – it was a statement in two parts. All three bowlers, no matter how established, wanted to show they could be trusted to go back-to-back ahead of a summer where they’ll be asked to do that with six Tests in 60 days. And that if Matthew Potts and Olly Stone were to be selected, it would be because they were in the best XI rather than as understudies. It was a far cry from previous eras where players were earmarked for specific matches rather than looking at the wares and picking the best team for right now.The competitive spirit of the Test series was plain to see even if it was all smiles off the field•AFP/Getty ImagesTherein lies perhaps the true benefit of this shift among the group as a whole. There are no clear cliques, and an appreciation of the importance of looking out for one another, whether it’s celebrating Harry Brook setting records or getting around Zak Crawley who is enduring more tough periods. And yet those in the XI are desperate to stay where they are.It was after the series that McCullum allowed himself to speak openly about the Ashes on the horizon. For the players, who had always had it in their mind’s eye, it was almost a sense of relief.England’s next Test outing is against Ireland, but Australia are the real acid test. McCullum and Stokes have created a brilliant thing, re-engaging the English public with a format that – until the start of last summer – had been going through the motions and moving further from the national consciousness.Now, though, we will find out how robust the principles of enjoyment and carefree play are, in a series when the individual’s internal emotions will be harder to shield. All this is easier when you’re winning a lot, and occasionally losing in style.So much of the messaging had been to enjoy the pressure, enjoy the struggle, enjoy the days in the dirt, enjoy the grind. The hope from Stokes and McCullum is they have given their charges the confidence to go into the next few months enjoying the anticipation and anxiety of being England’s best hope of winning the urn in eight years.
“The next three or four weeks is going to be about challenging ourselves outside of our comfort zones,” says the middle-order batter
Firdose Moonda21-Nov-2022South Africa’s red-ball batters are trying to make themselves as uncomfortable as possible as they prepare for their three-Test series in Australia next month. All the Test batters, with the exception of white-ball captain Temba Bavuma, who has been given time off, will play in at least one of the three rounds of domestic first-class matches taking place before the squad leaves in early December.For Rassie van der Dussen, who is returning from a finger injury, which sidelined him for over two months, his training is as much about runs as it is about readying himself for a hostile reception in Australia.Related
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“The next three or four weeks is going to be about challenging ourselves outside of our comfort zones,” van der Dussen told ESPNcricinfo at the launch of the SA20 league recently. “When you go to Australia, from a skill point of view, they have some of the best in the world. Their bowlers hardly bowl any bad balls and keep you under pressure. And then, from a pressure point of view, the media, the crowds, it’s those kinds of things you need to expect when you go there, from what I have heard. So the next few weeks will be about pushing myself out of my comfort zone and making sure I address all those factors so, when I get there, I know I have done the hard yards and the uncomfortable yards in practice.”Van der Dussen, like most of the line-up barring captain Dean Elgar and Bavuma, has never played a Test match in Australia. South Africa have not toured Australia over the Christmas-New Year period since the 2008-9 season, when they won a series there for the first time. They have not lost a series in Australia since, but haven’t played Tests there since late 2016.That may suggest South Africa head to Australia with some advantage. But Australia are currently the top-ranked team on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. South Africa sit second, and one of the main reasons for it has been their bowling unit. In the current WTC cycle, South Africa’s attack has the best bowling average (22.98) and lowest strike rate among all teams, taking a wicket almost once every seven overs. Contrastingly, their batting has struggled. Only Bangladesh and West Indies have scored fewer runs than South Africa since July 2021, during which time South Africa have only crossed 300 five times in 19 innings, and gone past 400 just once. They have been bowled out for under 200 eight times and have the fewest number of centuries: two.
“Numbers-wise, we haven’t done what we have wanted to, which is to score more hundreds and get the team to 400-plus, but the Test Championship table shows that we’ve done all right”Rassie van der Dussen
Van der Dussen acknowledged that the numbers have not been up to standard, but he suggested that difficult conditions were somewhat to blame. “If you look at the averages of the batters, it’s not up there. But you have to see the context, in terms of the conditions we’ve played in for the last two years – it’s been very bowler-friendly. For example here (in South Africa) against India and in New Zealand and England.”Numbers-wise, we haven’t done what we have wanted to, which is to score more hundreds and get the team to 400-plus, but the Test Championship table shows that we’ve done all right. We’re sitting second and we will definitely look to improve.”Asked if the line-up’s inability to convert their starts into big scores was an indicator of a systemic problem, van der Dussen moved to quell serious concerns. “I am not worried. I know what we are about as a batting unit. I refer to some characters and backgrounds. I know the types of people we have in our batting line-up and the resilience we’ve shown,” he said. “There’s got to be a time when it’s going to click. We’ve got to keep doing the same things in training, keep doing the hard yards and the uncomfortable work and we’ve got to believe we are one innings away from your next big innings.”It feels like the idea of runs being just around the corner is a line South Africa consistently use. It was used when asked about South Africa’s dearth of hundreds or more recently, Bavuma’s form in T20 cricket and specifically at the recent World Cup. After missing South Africa’s tour to England because of an elbow injury, Bavuma returned to score 70 runs in five World Cup matches, the least among South Africa’s specialist batters, and with the lowest strike rate, apart from Tristan Stubbs (31 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 100.00).Rassie van der Dussen is hoping to get his white-ball place back after missing the T20 World Cup with a broken finger•Getty ImagesVan der Dussen backed Bavuma, and said strike rate could be over-rated at international events, where temperament was more important. “In domestic tournaments, strike rate, boundary count is a big thing. But sometimes the value of a calm head gets overlooked. I think people make too much of it at international cricket,” he said. “In domestic leagues, it’s a big thing, people want to see sixes being hit and a lot of action but when the pressure is on in an international tournament, I believe we need guys with calm heads and clear thoughts.”That’s what van der Dussen hoped that the likes of Bavuma, Elgar and he would provide to a Test squad that heads to Australia without their No.3, Keegan Petersen, who tore his hamstring in the domestic T20 competition. They also have an interim coach, Malibongwe Maketa, following Mark Boucher’s departure. They have added two back-up batters in Heinrich Klaasen and Theunis de Bruyn, who have 13 Test caps between them but have been playing professionally for a decade and eight years respectively.”If you look at the squad, we have guys who have been seasoned domestic cricketers for years and years,” he said. “It’s guys who have been around the block, maybe not in terms of number of Test matches played but we are hardened first-class cricketers and we are going to lean on that going to Australia. We hardly have any youngsters in the batting line-ups so it’s up to us to step up.”Klaasen, Elgar and wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne all warmed up with centuries in last week’s round of fixtures, where van der Dussen made his comeback. He scored 45 and 10 in his first match back and his progress is on track for the first Test in Brisbane which starts on December 17. “I’ve been batting for the last four weeks and I’ve been back to facing full bowlers for the last two weeks. It went better than I expected.”He was also aiming to get his white-ball place back after missing the T20 World Cup as he recovered from a broken finger, and would be in action for MI Cape Town in the SA20 before pushing for a place in South Africa’s ODI squad. “I like to think I will be back in the mix, seeing that I am fit again now,” he said. “I love white-ball cricket and I love the challenge of T20, and the tactical and strategic part of T20.”
Inter president Beppe Marotta has candidly admitted that while a return for former Manchester United and Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho was "mentioned," as the club searched for a new manager, he would have ultimately "regretted hiring him." Marotta praised the "courageous" decision to appoint Christian Chivu instead, highlighting the club's commitment to different values and a forward-thinking approach over relying on big-name managers.
Marotta discusses Chivu appointment over Mourinho speculation
Marotta has revealed that Mourinho's name was among those considered for the coaching role before the "courageous" decision was made to appoint Chivu. Speaking at the executive master's program in "Sports Management" organized by the RCS Academy Business School, Marotta explained why he ultimately favored Chivu, despite Mourinho's illustrious past with the Nerazzurri.
According to Gazzetta.it, Marotta stated: "I'm surprised people were surprised by Cristian's skill. We chose him because he represents important values; he had the courage to go against the grain, even in the media. Some even mentioned Mourinho, who, with all due respect… If I hadn't had the courage, I would have regretted it."
Mourinho, who famously led Inter to a historic treble in 2010, was reportedly a name floated by "some" stakeholders, indicating a natural inclination among some to revisit a successful past. However, Marotta's comments suggest a deliberate decision to move in a different direction, prioritizing new leadership and values.
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Chivu's impressive start and tactical philosophy
Chivu, who took over from Simone Inzaghi, has navigated a challenging start to his tenure at Inter, ultimately guiding the team to the top of Serie A and a perfect record in the Champions League. His initial period included three defeats in Serie A, but the team has since recovered impressively.
Under Chivu, Inter are currently in first place in Serie A alongside Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma, demonstrating a rapid turnaround in league form. In the Champions League, their performance has been particularly strong, boasting four wins out of four matches played and conceding only one goal. This triumphant march in Europe contrasts sharply with the earlier domestic stumbles, showcasing Chivu's ability to adapt and motivate his squad.
Marotta's praise for Chivu's "skill" and "courage" aligns with the team's visible progress. Chivu has been credited with introducing a "different football philosophy," which Marotta believes aligns with the club's evolving values. This new approach appears to be focused on developing talent and fostering a collective spirit rather than relying solely on individual star power.
Inter's evolving philosophy: sustainability over big names
Marotta used the platform to discuss the significant changes in modern football, particularly the shift from a "patronage model" to one demanding "sustainability" and "financial balance." He emphasised that the equation "if I spend, I win" is no longer valid, citing PSG as an example of a club that has changed its model from "huge names" to investing in "young talent."
This philosophical shift is directly linked to the decision to back Chivu over a high-profile manager like Mourinho. Marotta highlighted the importance of "motivation multiplied by competence" as the new formula for success. His career path, starting as a "mascot" for Varese and learning to "negotiate" for a tracksuit, underscores his belief in hard work and organic growth, values he sees in Chivu.
Marotta also touched on the increasing complexity of football management, which now involves "criminal, civil, and sports justice codes," and requires "industrial and financial expertise" alongside traditional sporting knowledge. He stressed the importance of leadership that is "courageous, persevering, and must listen," attributes he clearly sees in Chivu.
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Marotta's personal reflections on a long career and San Siro's future and modern stadium concepts
During his address, Marotta shared personal anecdotes from his extensive career in football. He recalled a pivotal moment in 1983 when then-Inter president Pellegrini offered him a junior manager role, an offer he declined. "If I had accepted, I wouldn't be president today," he mused, emphasising the importance of timing and managing career progression calmly.
He also recounted a difficult decision during his time at Sampdoria where he had to fire a "very dear friend," Gianfranco Bellotto, to bring the club back to Serie A. This story illustrates the tough choices leaders often face, prioritising the club's objectives over personal relationships.
Marotta concluded his speech by addressing the contentious issue of San Siro's future. While acknowledging the "bitterness and nostalgia" for old romantics, he stressed the necessity of a new, modern stadium for Inter's future. He entered San Siro for the first time in 1966 and described it as a "vessel of enormous emotions," but argued that innovation and modernity are paramount.
"Renovation was unthinkable, and so it ended up being demolished. But it must be done," he asserted. Marotta highlighted the need for a stadium that prioritizes "security, which is lacking; hospitality, so you can be there all day with entertainment of all kinds; and a sense of belonging. Having your own home." He projected the financial benefits of a new stadium, contrasting Inter's current €80 million (£68m/$88m) per year from matchdays with Real Madrid's goal of exceeding half a billion.
A significant update has now emerged regarding Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Manchester United, with a Champions League side pushing hard to sign him.
Mainoo’s stock has fallen over the past 12 months or so, having burst onto the scene at Old Trafford, and he is struggling for playing time this season.
Ruben Amorim has recently spoken honestly about the Englishman’s future, admitting that he rates him but also needs to keep other players happy.
“No, like a lot of guys, he wants to play more. I didn’t have a conversation with him before the window closed – I did this week. Because I don’t want Kobbie Mainoo thinking that I was having any conversation with him just to hold on to him. I don’t want that feeling.
“I believe a lot in Kobbie, but some of you think that Kobbie Mainoo is already done (the finished article). I think he can do so much better, he can improve a lot. I think for some guys it is enough (their talent), but for him it is not enough. Maybe it’s not fair, but I think I’m helping Kobbie Mainoo, and that’s it. He will have opportunities like the other guys.”
Mainoo has been linked with a move away from United in the January transfer window, and now a fresh update has emerged regarding his future.
Napoli in advanced talks to sign Mainoo
According to a new report from TEAMtalk, Mainoo’s representatives are in “advanced discussions” with Napoli over a loan move from Manchester United in January.
It is also stated that Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester City also “continue to monitor” the £45,000-a-week ace, but “Napoli’s wage pledge and option clause have vaulted them to pole position.”
It has been sad to see Mainoo fail to kick on at United, having looked such a special talent, but it simply appears as though Amorim doesn’t think he is right for his system.
That’s not to say that the Red Devils manager doesn’t consider him a talented footballer, however, with the 40-year-old lauding him back in September.
“Maybe it’s not fair, but I think I’m helping Kobbie Mainoo and that’s it. He will have opportunities like the other guys. If I feel during the week that he’s the best player to play, he’s going to play and I proved that already to every player here. I believe a lot in him. I have the same thing [opinion] that you have and that is a top, top player, but he can be so much better, so I’m focused on that.”
Endrick tells Real Madrid he wants January exit amid Man Utd interest
The Red Devils could have to face competition to land the coveted young star.
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Sean Markus Clifford
Nov 4, 2025
A loan move to Napoli means that Mainoo’s United career isn’t over, giving fans some hope that he has a future, but as things stand, it is hard to see him becoming a key figure with Amorim at the helm.
Carrington's "best talent" is a big Sesko upgrade in the making at Man Utd
Brian Cashman did not watch the playoffs last year. It was the first time in seven seasons, and only the fifth since he took over as New York Yankees general manager in 1998, that his team did not make it to October, and as a consequence, he found himself with less time than ever.
“I was too busy being audited,” he says wryly.
Whether the 82–80 record, the club’s worst since 1992, sparked a reckoning depends on whom you ask. In the days after a season that led fans to call for owner Hal Steinbrenner to sell the team, wear FIRE CASHMAN T-shirts to Yankee Stadium and boo manager Aaron Boone, the decision makers—among them Steinbrenner; Cashman; Boone; assistant general manager Mike Fishman; vice president of baseball operations Tim Naehring; vice president of player development Kevin Reese; and special assistants Brian Sabean, Jim Hendry and Omar Minaya—gathered at the organization’s offices in Tampa.
The week after the meetings, Steinbrenner said he had told his executives, “I want you to challenge everything, all of our philosophies, all of our practices, but more importantly, in a respectful way, I want you to challenge each other. I want you to critique each other. Check your egos at the door.”
Steinbrenner described the meetings as productive. “At times it got a little dicey, but it was respectful the entire time,” he said. “And there wasn’t one stone we left unturned, from health of the team, what we’re doing in the clubhouse, clubhouse culture, what we do in the weight room, analytics, pro scouting, biomechanics, is there enough communication between everybody.”
Underneath the stones they found a variety of answers. Captain and right fielder Aaron Judge lobbied for more contact and athleticism. Naehring wanted to balance the lineup and add players with more level swing paths. Minaya believed they had gotten too pull-happy. Assistant hitting coach Casey Dykes thought the answer was just improved health.
“Some good convos,” Judge says. “Some bad convos.” Did his calls with Cashman get contentious? “I think it’s just us both being passionate about what we believe,” Judge says. “I think that what it comes down to is he listened to us, he did what he thought was best and now we’re in this position.”
The changes the organization made were powerful enough to get the team to the World Series, which begins on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but subtle enough for Cashman to insist he was right all along.
“We executed our philosophy [in 2023],” he says. “But then I think that, because we had a poor season, the philosophy was challenged. So we stayed true to our philosophy, which has consistently paid off for us for feels like 30 years, but the philosophy was questioned and challenged and dissected and turned upside down and inside out, by outside and inside forces. And we stayed the course.”
He adds, “We’re either going to double down on everything we do and how we do it, or make some adjustments. And for the most part, we doubled down on most of what we do.”
As he speaks, on the cusp of the World Series, does he feel vindicated? He rejects the question. He knows how this goes. If the team wins, they’ll all be heroes. “If it doesn’t,” he says, “Then it goes into the same category of all the other teams that tried and failed, right?”
A few dozen feet away, the team’s most obvious adjustment takes batting practice, ripping line drives to center field. It all comes back, everyone agrees, to Juan Soto.
“We knew he was one of the elite guys in the game,” says Hendry. “You put him together with Judge, and you just saw things that go back to Ruth and Gehrig, and Mantle and Maris.”
In their first year as teammates, Judge and Soto combined for 99 home runs and 253 RBI. / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The Yankees had tried to acquire Soto from the Washington Nationals at the 2022 trade deadline after Soto rejected a 15-year, $440 million extension offer and GM Mike Rizzo “put him up for auction,” says Cashman. But he found the price too high, and Soto went to the San Diego Padres instead. Cashman tried again a year later, when both the Yankees and the Padres were within a few games of .500 and were waffling about whether to buy or sell. In the end both opted for some bargain shopping, and both finished 82–80 and missed the playoffs.
So as the season wound down, the Yankees turned their attention to who would make up the next year’s team. That process included consulting with present stars. DH Giancarlo Stanton says he had some opinions and he shared them, but he does not wish to share them now. He does acknowledge, though, that at times in the past he felt the lineup was unbalanced.
“Seven, eight righties,” he says. “And when they bring in a guy [with a batting average against] of .130 off righties, it makes it harder.”
Judge is willing to be a bit more specific.
“It was just how they valued players and what players they were going after,” he says. “I think numbers tell a certain story, and you gotta use analytics and numbers like that, but it comes down to: You gotta have good players. You gotta have good people. And I think that's where going out and getting Juan Soto; getting a guy like [left fielder Alex] Verdugo who plays good defense, hits for a high average; getting a guy like [third baseman] Jazz [Chisholm], who’s an athletic player that can do so many things; [righty] Marcus Stroman, a guy who’s gonna give you quality starts—I think that just helped put us in a good position.”
Judge adds, “I didn't do much. I think I was just the squeaky wheel that was making some noise, but that’s hats off to [the front office]. They’ve been working hard for us to get us in this position.”
On Dec. 5, the Yankees traded three pitching prospects to the Boston Red Sox for Verdugo. Two days later, they finalized the biggest deal of the offseason: their best young pitcher, Michael King, top pitching prospect Drew Thorpe, two other strong young pitchers and backup catcher Kyle Higashioka for Soto and glove-first center fielder Trent Grisham. They committed to paying Soto $31 million for 2023, the highest salary ever for a player in arbitration, and they took the chance that they will lose him when he becomes a free agent at the end of this season. He is expected to pursue a deal of well over $500 million.
“We gave up a lot,” says Cashman, “And it was a one-year deal for a lot of money, and it was a big chess move, no doubt about it, that was designed to increase our chances—and it did.”
You don’t have to be a terribly good scout to identify Soto—a 25-year-old four-time All-Star who has had the fifth-highest WAR by a hitter since his 2018 debut—as a target, but he offered more than just moments such as the 10th-inning three-run home run that last week propelled the Yankees to the pennant.
“We looked in the mirror and said, ,” says Naehring, listing the qualities: “Control the zone, damage, with a lot of strikeouts.” Indeed, from 2021 through ’23, no other team had more hitters than the Yankees’ 15 with less than four at bats per strikeout and an isolated slugging average of more than .175. And most of those were righthanded; Soto, Verdugo and Chisholm, added from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline, all bat from the left side.
“Obviously swing and miss is big in our game right now, the industry,” says Naehring. “Here’s a guy that controls the zone, bat-to-ball, a more level swing that still has damage and power, can basically utilize the whole field—so things that we want to continue to get better with, better than the industry itself, he’s the poster child for.”
By the end of the season’s opening series, a four-game sweep of the Houston Astros in which the Yankees averaged 5.25 runs per game, Minaya says he knew they were onto something. “We were working the count, but we were hunting early,” he says. “[Soto] doesn’t give up an at bat. That’s contagious.” Dykes says he thinks Soto’s level of dedication spread quickly. “It’s almost like an accountability piece,” he says. “You know that you better be focused, too.”
“He is laser-focused, every pitch of every at bat, which, to me, is something that players learn from, gravitate to, so there’s a big residual value there,” says Naehring. In fact, he has noticed as he tours the minor leagues: All of a sudden, a lot of Yankees prospects have adopted Soto’s batting stance, down to the way he turns his front toe slightly inward, and his shuffle, the dance he does on close pitches. Naehring hopes they will pick up elements of the at bats Boone likens to a “war.”
In the meantime, the big-league Yankees are enjoying it. “He just wears the pitchers down,” says Stanton. “It doesn’t matter if he gets out. He’s having a tough at bat. He’s having a stressful at bat. And those are the things that you can’t fully understand unless you're in the game—the stress to get him out, and then you gotta deal with Judge, and then you gotta deal with everyone behind.”
Everyone behind has been more dangerous than in years past, too. Judge, who missed 42 games last year after tearing a ligament in his right big toe, hit well when he played last year but was notably better this year. He fell 10 points of batting average short of the Triple Crown and will almost certainly win the American League Most Valuable Player award. Shortstop Anthony Volpe dropped his power numbers but improved his batting average. Second baseman Gleyber Torres struggled for much of the 2024 season but fixed his swing in the second half and has been nearly unstoppable in the playoffs, leading off eight of the Yankees’ nine postseason games by reaching base. And Stanton, after hitting .191 last year—easily the worst mark of his career—has been October’s most fearsome creature, with a 1.179 OPS in the playoffs.
Some of that improvement is surely due to the new players the Yankees added. And some is likely because these were always good players, and eventually they would play well again. “I just felt like the noise was inaccurate, and it just became emotional,” Cashman says. “I thought at the end of the day, we had some individuals that didn’t perform up to expectations, and we had a lot of injuries, and that’s really what derailed us, and it was as simple as that.”
Real Madrid's big guns went missing, and Los Blancos failed to conjure up any Champions League magic in Tuesday's 1-0 loss to Liverpool. Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, in particular, were kept curiously quiet as Madrid saw their perfect start to their European campaign end in fairly unremarkable circumstances against Arne Slot's struggling Reds.
Liverpool were on the front foot early, and established control of the game. Madrid threatened in spurts, with Vinicius Jr venturing down the left, but they were otherwise kept at arm's length and relied heavily on Thibaut Courtois to keep them in the game. He obliged, of course, as the Belgian tallied five saves in the first half alone, and ensured that the game was scoreless at the break.
Courtois was at it again in the second period as he twice denied the home side from corners. But he was eventually beaten when Alexis Mac Allister nodded home Dominik Szoboszlai's wicked free-kick.
This would usually, of course, be the time when Madrid turn things on, and they did offer a bit more fight. Mbappe got more involved and Vinicius scampered down the wing, but chances came at a premium. The closest they came was an Mbappe shot that glanced narrowly wide of the post.
Substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold returned from his long injury layoff in front of his former fans – and the boos rained down. But he, like most of Madrid's star names, was kept quiet.
GOAL rates the Real Madrid's players from Anfield…
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Thibaut Courtois (9/10):
Had an absolutely ridiculous game between the sticks. Unfortunate to be beaten, in all honesty.
Federico Valverde (7/10):
Started at right-back ahead of Alexander-Arnold. Didn't connect much in midfield, but did his job defensively.
Eder Militao (7/10):
Was up for the fight, made a few crucial blocks, and did his job for the most part.
Dean Huijsen (6/10):
Given some problems by Ekitike, and was pulled around here and there. Put in one particularly silly challenge that led to a booking.
Alvaro Carreras (6/10):
A bit mixed. Equipped himself well against Salah early on, but struggled in the second half.
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Midfield
Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):
A bit of a mixed showing against the roaming Wirtz. Kept the German quiet at times, but also swept his legs on a fair few occasions.
Eduardo Camavinga (6/10):
Up for the scrap in midfield, and went into his 50/50s, but was a bit too easily surpassed.
Jude Bellingham (5/10):
Struggled to assert himself on the contest. Made a few mistakes and overhit some passes. Short of his best.
Arda Guler (5/10):
Never really in the game, and he didn't have much room to operate.
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Attack
Kylian Mbappe (5/10):
Quiet until the last 20 minutes, when he had a few nice touches. Put one wide and was clattered by Van Dijk a few times. Disappointing, all said.
Vinicius Jr (6/10):
Dangerous early, and got as much as he gave against Bradley. Could have done with some help.
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Subs & Manager
Rodrygo (6/10):
Offered some attacking intent down the right, but never found the killer ball.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (5/10):
Booed relentlessly by an amped up crowd. Didn't touch the ball much.
Brahim Diaz (N/A):
No time to make an impact.
Xabi Alonso (5/10):
Started his strongest XI, but couldn't get a performance out of them. Madrid were outplayed throughout, and would have been on the end of a heavy defeat had Courtois not been so effective. Not his best night.
Chelsea toppled Liverpool last weekend and Moises Caicedo was the star of the show, and he has since responded to comparisons between himself and Stamford Bridge icon N’Golo Kante.
Caicedo's excellent form continues in Chelsea's win over Liverpool
West London was home to some fantastic scenes last Saturday night as Enzo Maresca claimed a sizeable victory over Liverpool to alleviate pressure on his shoulders after a run of three Premier League matches without a win.
Estevao took the plaudits after his last-gasp winner to settle the scoring. However, there was no doubt that Moises Caicedo was the best player on the pitch against the reigning champions.
Not only did the Ecuador international deliver a stunning strike to open the scoring. His all-action display and 11 defensive contributions, per Fotmob, earned him serious praise from fans and pundits alike on a day where Chelsea moved seventh in the top-flight standings.
Speaking about his wonderstrike, Glenn Hoddle couldn’t help but wax lyrical at the former Brighton & Hove Albion man’s ‘absolutely sensational’ technique and execution.
He said: “Absolutely sensational from Caicedo.That first touch is excellent, takes [Alexis] Mac Allister out of the game, he goes to hit it, sees there’s no Liverpool player coming towards him, and what a strike to keep it in that top corner. Wonderful goal.”
Continuing his impressive start to the campaign, Caicedo has hit the goal trail for Chelsea with three strikes in his first nine encounters across all competitions, becoming the Blues’ joint-top scorer in the top-flight.
Ranking as the West Londoners’ most expensive ever signing at £115 million, there has always been a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders, but how does he feel about comparisons between himself and Stamford Bridge great N’Golo Kante? It’s time to find out.
Is Moises Caicedo better than N'Golo Kante?
Speaking in a recent interview, Caicedo admitted that he still has a long way to go to match Chelsea icons Kante and Claude Makelele, claiming that he is only striving to improve his game week by week.
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Undoubtedly, Chelsea have a rich history of midfield talent and Caicedo is another who has regularly gained rave reviews from supporters, who will make their own minds up on comparisons between some of their finest recent players.
Either way, he is certainly someone who is pulling all aspects of his game together at the right moment for Maresca, and supporters will expect plenty more where that came from as the Blues look to find the Champions League slots.
Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho cited the likes of Scott McTominay and Raphael Varane as proof of his "history" of working with young players and developing them into great sportsmen. The Special One, in a press conference on Friday, claimed that Benfica "will surely add one or two players who can help strengthen the squad", before adding that "if there's someone who likes to promote young players, I'm one of them."
Back where it all began – Mourinho's surprise return to Benfica
After being dismissed by Fenerbahce following their failure to qualify for this season’s Champions League 'league phase', Mourinho made an immediate return to management by taking charge of Benfica – the club where his managerial journey began back in 2000. His return to Estadio da Luz hasn't been spectacular so far. The Eagles have lost the two Champions League games that Mourinho has overseen since coming back; a 1-0 loss to former club Chelsea followed by a 3-0 defeat to Newcastle United means that Benfica have faced three successive defeats in Europe's premier club competition, jeopardising their chances of qualifying for the knockouts.
However, Mourinho is yet to taste defeat domestically. He has won two games and drawn as many in the Liga Portugal, complemented by the 2-0 win over Chaves in the third round of the Taca de Portugal.
Following Benfica's 0-0 draw against Porto, Mourinho claimed that a few players in the squad are "suffering from low confidence." "Right now, the team is suffering from low confidence," he said following the stalemate earlier this month. "I found three, four, five players with a self-esteem crisis. It's one thing to need tactical concentration, another to need inspiration for something more. I told the players that on the bench I felt what they felt on the field: we want to win, but we can't lose."
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Mourinho laments not getting a chance to work with Kerem Akturkoglu
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Mourinho lamented the fact that he couldn't get to work with Akturkoglu, one of the best players in the Portuguese top-flight last season. The 27-year-old Turkish attacking midfielder swapped Benfica, the club Mourinho now manages, for Fenerbahce, the club Mourinho was sacked by shortly before his return to Portugal.
"I liked Benfica’s squad so much that I wanted to take one of their most important players," he said. "And I did everything I could to sign that key player. Perhaps one of the reasons I left Fenerbahce so early was precisely due to the frustration of not being able to bring in the Benfica player I considered fundamental to my way of thinking about the game. And it’s with great regret that, indirectly, I ended up contributing to Benfica’s squad being different. My fault. I did everything possible to have that player with me. In the end, I didn’t have him – neither at Fenerbahce nor at Benfica."
Mourinho demands January signings to boost league hopes
The Portuguese manager publicly voiced his requests to Benfica, urging the club to invest in the upcoming winter transfer window in a bid to not only strengthen the squad, but also their hopes of winning the Liga Portugal.
"It’s true that I like Benfica’s squad and many things about the club," he said. "It’s also true that you know me – my characteristics as a coach and as a communicator. Obviously, when facing Benfica, I also wanted to take a bit of pressure off my side and put a bit more on Benfica, including in terms of history, tradition, stature, and familiarity with Champions League matches.
"But it’s also true that I believe – and so does the structure working with me at Benfica, as well as the candidates and the fans – that we are missing something. And that “something” isn’t 10, 15, or even five players, because sometimes all it takes is one player of a specific profile, or one who brings more experience, or has qualities others don’t. Often, just one or two players are enough to improve a team and its whole dynamic.
"In January, Benfica will surely add one or two players who can help strengthen the squad. If there’s someone who likes to promote young players, I’m one of them. If there’s someone who has a history of working with players like Varane at 18, McTominay at 18, [Petr] Cech at 18 – then that’s me. In our current squad, we have this type of young players; some will reach great heights, others perhaps not as much. There’s no contradiction in that.
"I’m optimistic that, domestically, we’ll stay close to our rivals until January. Perhaps even ahead of them. Who knows? But we’ll be right there fighting for the title. And I’m absolutely convinced that once we get our first three points in the Champions League, hopefully against Bayer Leverkusen, but we also have Ajax, we’ll put ourselves in contention and fight until the end for qualification."
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Mourinho eyeing Portugal national team role?
Joao Diogo Manteigas, one of the presidential candidates ahead of the club's upcoming elections, claimed earlier this month that Mourinho had his sights set on the Portugal national team coaching job. "Mourinho isn't going to stay at Benfica for two, three, or four years. Who doesn't know that Mourinho wants to be the national team coach?" Manteigas conceded. "Who doesn't know in the industry? The other candidates may not know, but those who work in the industry, who doesn't know that Mourinho spoke with Pedro Proenca to discuss a possible appointment to the national team?"
Roberto Martinez, the current coach of the Portuguese senior side, is tied to the job until the 2026 World Cup. Although he fired Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. to Nations League glory over the summer, failure to land the biggest prize of them all next year could see the Portuguese Football Federation opt against renewing the former Everton and Belgium national team manager's contract. Such a scenario could open the doors for Mourinho to take over the reins of Portugal.
“I always thought I’d come back to the national team. I was thinking that one day it would happen. I think it’s a natural consequence of my career,” Mourinho said after Benfica’s 3–0 victory over AVS in his first game back in charge last month.
Tottenham Hotspur star James Maddison has nominated a Chelsea icon for the Premier League Hall of Fame, ahead of Jermain Defoe and Teddy Sheringham.
2025 Premier League Hall of Fame vote underway
Voting for the 2025 inductees into the Premier League Hall of Fame is now underway, with the fan vote now closed, and the results have been shared with the existing 24 members, who for the first time will get the final say in who joins them.
The likes of Alan Shearer, Steven Gerrard and Sir Alex Ferguson are among the current members, with all the legendary former players and managers allowed to choose who else is inducted, ahead of the big reveal in early November.
Cesc Fabregas, Sol Campbell and Jermaine Defoe are among the players that have been shortlisted this time around, with the ex-Tottenham striker sitting 10th on the all-time top scorers list, which should stand him in good stead to be inducted.
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Fellow former Tottenham striker Teddy Sheringham is also among the nominees, having found the back of the net 146 times across a very successful career in the Premier League, but Maddison has snubbed both former Spurs players in favour of a Chelsea legend.
In a video on the Premier League’s TikTok account, the former Leicester City man said: “Eden Hazard, got it! For me, one of the best players to ever play in the Premier League. Got his shirt on my wall and probably my favourite one on there. So I’ll go with Edwin (van der Sar) and Eden Hazard, I’m happy with that.”
Hazard undoubtedly among the Premier League's greatest players
2024 inductee John Terry has previously spoken fondly about playing alongside Hazard, describing the Belgian as an “absolute superstar” and praising his ability to take games by the scruff of the neck, despite showing little interest in pre-match tactical instructions.
The enigmatic Chelsea legend is well-known to not have been the best of trainers, but he certainly came alive on match day, chipping in with 85 goals and 57 assists in 245 games, during a highly successful spell with the Blues.
Season
PL appearances
Goal contributions
2012-13
34
22
2013-14
35
21
2014-15
38
24
2015-16
31
8
2016-17
36
21
2017-18
34
16
2018-19
37
31
The 34-year-old won two league titles and the 2014-15 Premier League Player of the Season award during his time at Stamford Bridge, so there can be no denying that his Hall of Fame nomination is fully merited.
As such, it is no surprise that Maddison has suggested Hazard should be inducted in 2025, but Tottenham fans will no doubt be hoping that Defoe can win the battle, given the Englishman’s exploits in north London.