Big Delap upgrade: Man Utd make approach to sign "unbelievable" £55m star

As much as a collective team effort is obviously at fault for Manchester United horribly underperforming this season just gone, their woes in attack certainly stick out as a major point of concern.

Rasmus Hojlund would only manage to bag a dire four goals in Premier League action for Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils, whilst another scapegoated striker in Joshua Zirkzee also blew hot and cold throughout the campaign when tallying up just three strikes himself.

Therefore, one summer priority must surely be to bring in a fresh sharpshooter, with Ipswich Town menace Liam Delap once on United’s ever-expanding shopping list subsequently.

Unfortunately for the 15th-placed underachievers, Delap has seemingly chosen Chelsea as his next onward destination over Old Trafford, leaving Amorim’s men to hunt elsewhere.

Man Utd make approach for Premier League striker

Staggeringly, United could get over the rejection of Delap by poaching one of Chelsea’s main strikers.

Indeed, a new report from Football Transfers suggests that United have made an approach for hit-and-miss Blues attacker Nicolas Jackson, with Red Devils technical director Jason Wilcox allegedly playing a big part in wanting to bring the ex-Villarreal man to Old Trafford due to his desire for an athletic centre-forward.

It is also stated further into the report that Chelsea are reluctant to negotiate a sale, but if Delap were to come in and make that starting spot his own, the £55m-rated striker might be potentially more swayed to move to the Theatre of Dreams.

If everything were to click into place for the inconsistent 23-year-old in his new potential location too, he could go down as an upgrade on the much-talked-about former Manchester City ace.

Why Jackson could be an upgrade on Delap

After all, Delap might well be the talk of the town at the moment by bagging 12 league strikes last season, but he’s only ever experienced that one solitary Premier League campaign across his fledgling career.

On the contrary, Jackson has been around for one season longer in the demanding English game, and despite missing a colossal 19 big chances during an up-and-down 2024/25, the Senegalese striker found himself only two shy of the 22-year-old’s total for the Tractor Boys with ten league goals.

Games played

35

30

Goals scored

14

10

Assists

5

5

Shots*

2.3

2.5

Shots on target*

1.4

1.2

Goal conversion %

18%

13%

Big chances missed

24

19

On top of that, the Blues’ number 15 also showed off his sometimes red-hot form in front of goal during his debut season, with a mightily impressive 17 goals and six assists coming his way across all competitions, away from his 13 strikes in Premier League action alone, just bettering Delap’s output.

It will just rest on whether Jackson can become even more clinical donning United red, but he would surely be chomping at the bit to prove any Stamford Bridge doubters wrong if a move is signed off on.

Nicolas Jackson

Of course, there is also surely a worry on Chelsea’s end that Delap’s heroics for Ipswich are just a lightning in a bottle moment, with the bright lights of a new West London environment perhaps working against the potent Tractor Boys number 19.

United will just be praying the “unbelievable” attacker, as he’s been labelled glowingly in the past by pundit Peter Crouch, can hit his stride making the switch up North, making their failed attempts to land the £30m target less painful in the process.

If he manages to come out of his bumpy stint at Stamford Bridge stronger for it, he could be just what United are searching forward to head into a hopeful, new era under Amorim.

Amorim's own McTominay: Man Utd make contact to sign "world-class" £50m ace

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Better than Jota: Liverpool make contact to sign "world-class" £85m star

Liverpool have the luxury of playing out the remainder of the Premier League campaign as champions after they won their second title in the division, and their 20th top-flight title overall.

The Reds officially won the league at the end of last month when they hammered Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in a phenomenal 5-1 victory in front of their own supporters.

Arne Slot came in to replace Jurgen Klopp last summer and has already equalled the number of Premier League titles won by the German in his nine seasons on Merseyside.

However, the former Feyenoord coach may hope for more success in the cup competitions next season and beyond, after his team failed to win either of the domestic cups or the Champions League.

Liverpool manager ArneSlotlooks on before the match

In order to do that, the Dutchman could look to improve the quality and depth of his squad in the upcoming transfer window to target more trophies next term.

This could mean that some players who have featured regularly could be either lesser-spotted in the 2025/26 campaign or sold in the summer, and one star who may fall into that category is Diogo Jota.

Why Diogo Jota's future at Liverpool is uncertain

The Portugal international, who joined the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers almost five years ago, has played 36 matches in all competitions so far this term, despite missing 18 games through injury for club and country.

Liverpool striker Diogo Jota

Jota has started 15 games in the Premier League and the Champions League for Slot, which shows that he has been utilised fairly regularly by the Dutch head coach when you factor in his injury absences.

His future at Anfield remains uncertain, however, due to his performances on the pitch and his lack of availability through injury, as he has missed 72 matches through injury since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

Jota, whose last goal came against Everton in April, has been absent for at least 18 games in each of the last three seasons, and this means that Liverpool cannot rely on him to be consistently available each year.

Appearances

25

Starts

15

xG

7.59

Goals

6

Big chances missed

13

Key passes per game

0.4

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, the former Wolves star’s performances on the pitch have also left a bit to be desired, as he has underperformed against his xG and rarely provided much in the way of creativity for his team.

This is further evidenced by his return of zero goals and zero assists in four appearances in the Champions League earlier this season for the Reds, and may explain why journalist Ben Jacobs recently revealed that there is a chance that Jota could be sold this summer.

Diogo Jota scores for Liverpool

Liverpool could seal the forward’s fate by swooping to sign a reported target who has the quality to be miles better than the Portuguese flop for Slot.

Liverpool eyeing up LaLiga sensation

According to Rousing The Kop, working with journalist Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have made contact with Real Madrid to be kept informed on Rodrygo’s situation in the Spanish capital.

The report claims that the Reds want to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch in the upcoming summer transfer window, and are open to signing players in central or wide areas to add to what they already have.

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It reveals that the Premier League champions have been alerted to the potential availability of the Brazil international, who has had to accept a reduced role since the arrival of Kylian Mbappe last summer.

However, the report adds that there is no guarantee that Rodrygo will be available to sign from Real Madrid this summer, but the Reds have made contact to ensure that they will be in the know if that does become the case.

If Liverpool can strike a deal for the forward, who is reportedly valued at €100m (£85m) by the Spanish giants, then they could land an attacker who is miles better than Jota.

Why Liverpool should sign Rodrygo

The Premier League side should pursue a deal for the Brazilian star if he becomes available because he could come in as a big upgrade on Jota ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Rodrygo, as aforementioned, has not been as prominent at the top end of the pitch for Real Madrid because he has to compete with Jude Bellingham, Mbappe, and Vinicius Jr to get the ball in the final third.

Despite that, the 24-year-old star has still racked up 14 goals in all competitions for the Spanish giants this season, as shown in the highlights above.

Since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, Rodrygo has scored 49 goals and provided 27 assists in all competitions for Real. Meanwhile, Diogo Jota has scored 31 goals and assisted 15 for Liverpool in that time, which speaks to the difference in quality between the two forwards.

Appearances

28

42

xG

8.49

6.29

Goals

6

11

Big chances missed

16

3

Big chances created

3

7

Assists

3

7

As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian dynamo has also outperformed the Reds attacker at league and Champions League level in the current campaign, overperforming against his xG whilst Jota has underperformed.

The chart above also shows that Rodrygo, who can play on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward, offers far more than the Portugal international when it comes to progressing play through passes, carries, and successful take-ons.

This means that the £85m-rated star, who was described as “world-class” by Luka Modric, could be miles better than Jota for Liverpool because he has the ability to score and assist more frequently and more efficiently, whilst also offering significantly more in the build-up with his passes and carries.

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Therefore, Slot must hope that the board can wrap up a deal for the LaLiga star if he becomes available this summer, because the versatile forward could be a terrific addition to the squad as an upgrade on Jota.

Eden Hazard 2.0: Chelsea make contact to sign £64m "difference-maker"

Chelsea beat Djurgarden 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in the second leg of their Conference League semi-final to book their place in the final of the competition.

The Blues won 4-1 in the first leg away from home to give themselves a comfortable buffer heading into Thursday night’s clash, and they will now face Real Betis in the final.

Enzo Maresca has the chance to win a European trophy, albeit not the Champions League or the Europa League, in his first season in the dugout at Stamford Bridge.

The former Leicester City boss also has the Blues in fifth place in the Premier League table, which means that they are on course to qualify for the Champions League.

Despite the success that Chelsea have had on the pitch, domestically and in Europe this term, the club are still set to be active in the summer transfer window to bolster the manager’s options across the pitch.

A new winger could be on the agenda for the Premier League giants as they look to find their next version of Belgian wizard Eden Hazard on the flank.

Why Eden Hazard was a superstar for Chelsea

It is fair to say that the majority of Chelsea’s supporters will think fondly of the diminutive magician when they think back on his career at the club, as he delivered so many brilliant performances for the Blues.

Signed from Lille in 2012, Hazard spent seven years in English football with the club and racked up 110 goals and 88 assists in 352 appearances in all competitions, which illustrates both the quality and the longevity of his career at Stamford Bridge.

As you can see in the clips above, the Belgian dynamo was a superstar for Chelsea because he had the talent to create something out of nothing with a moment of magic.

For all the talk of tactics and systems, which are important, Hazard was the kind of player who could go and win a game on his own by beating several players and creating or scoring a goal, which is just priceless in football.

Eden Hazard’s Premier League career

Season

Appearances

Goals

Assists

2018/19

37

16

15

2017/18

34

12

4

2016/17

36

16

5

2015/16

31

4

3

2014/15

38

14

9

2013/14

35

14

7

2012/13

34

9

11

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the former Lille ace delivered consistent quality in six of his seven seasons in the Premier League, with at least 12 goals in five of those campaigns.

Hazard was the kind of player Chelsea could look to in their lowest moments to drag them out of a hole with an electric run or a top-quality pass or finish, and Maresca could find his own version of the Belgian if the Blues can wrap up a deal for a player they are currently pursuing.

Chelsea make contact to sign Serie A star

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea have made contact with Italian giants Milan over a deal to sign Rafael Leao in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that initial talks are already underway between the two clubs over a move for the Portugal international, and that the Blues are the team with the most advanced interest in him.

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It states that fellow Premier League side Arsenal, who made the semi-finals of the Champions League this season, are also keen on the Serie A sensation, but they are yet to make contact with Milan.

CaughtOffside adds that a fee of £64m could be enough to tempt the Italian side into cashing in on the forward, but it remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea are willing to pay that much for him.

AC Milan's RafaelLeaoreacts

It is now down to the club to ensure that these talks end with a deal agreed for Leao because he is a player who has the potential to be Maresca’s own version of Hazard next season and beyond.

Why Rafael Leao could be Chelsea's next Eden Hazard

Like the Belgian wizard, the Milan superstar is a right-footed forward who typically plays on the left flank, cutting in on his right foot to deliver goals and assists.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig described Leao as a “pure difference-maker” for the Italian side, which is also what Hazard was for Chelsea with his ability to score and create goals out of nothing.

Leao produced nine goals and nine assists in the Serie A last season and, as you can see in the clips above, he showcased his ability to produce magic moments in the final third on a regular basis.

As Hazard did for Chelsea, the Portuguese star has also delivered quality on a consistent basis over several seasons, with at least 12 goals and at least ten assists in all competitions in each of the last four seasons.

Rafael Leao’s form for AC Milan

Season (all comps)

Appearances

Goals

Big chances created

Assists

24/25

48

12

15

11

23/24

47

15

22

12

22/23

48

16

20

11

21/22

42

14

8

10

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Leao has been a difference-maker for the Italian side at the top end of the pitch by providing goals and assists consistently from the left wing.

But it is not just the numbers, which are impressive, that suggest the £64m-rated star could be Chelsea’s next version of Hazard, it is also the style in which he delivers quality for Milan.

The highlights above of his performance against PSG in the Champions League in 2023, for example, are Hazard-esque in the way he was marauding down the left flank, consistently taking on players with dribble attempts to get his team up the pitch.

Leao is a dynamic, exciting, forward who likes to take people on and be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch, and he has the goals and assists for Milan in the past four years to back up his exciting play with end product.

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Therefore, Leao has all the attributes and the play style to arrive at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea’s new Hazard, whilst also having plenty of time left, at the age of 25, to build a similar legacy during his time at the club, if the Blues can strike a deal for him.

Smeed 94 powers Somerset to Blast glory in record 195-run chase

Toby Albert gives Hampshire the edge until formidable chase, with Dickson and Gregory key to finale

Alan Gardner13-Sep-2025Somerset came out on top in a clash of the T20 Blast titans, pulling off the highest successful run-chase in the competition’s final to overcome Hampshire and claim a record-equalling third title under the Edgbaston lights. Will Smeed blazed 94 off 58 to get Somerset most of the way there, before Lewis Gregory obliterated the tension in the stands by hammering a four and two sixes in five balls to seal victory with an over to spare.Hampshire, whose total of 194 for 6 had been underpinned by 85 off 48 balls from young opener Toby Albert, seemed to be in control as the requirement for Somerset ticked beyond two runs per ball just past the halfway mark. But Scott Currie’s drop of Sean Dickson was to prove crucial, as a fourth-wicket partnership of 88 off 51 dragged the contest back Somerset’s way.Having been asked to bat, Albert and James Vince made up for the early of loss of Chris Lynn with a stand of 97 in 59 balls to put Hampshire in a formidable position. Albert, in particular, produced some audacious shot-making – including four reverse-hit boundaries in the space of six balls – as Somerset were asked to make the highest-ever score in the final of the competition.Their start was given the required fizz by Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who hit one enormous six over the roof of the Hollies Stand and out of the ground, and although Hampshire frequently seemed one good over from shutting the chase down, Smeed and then Dickson – the linchpin in Somerset’s 2023 Blast success – kept landing timely blows. With both teams making their 11th Finals Day appearances, it was always likely to be a tussle for the ages.Victory for Somerset ended the hoodoo for winners of the first semi-final, as they became the first team since Worcestershire in 2018 to lift the trophy after kicking their heels during the second game. It also marked a fifth consecutive triumph for the South Group – though that was confirmed earlier in the day by the exits of Lancashire and Northamptonshire.Toby Albert played some audacious reverse-ramps in his 85•Getty ImagesTKC lands first blow, Baker hits backBatting second on a surface that was being used for the third time in the day meant Somerset knew they had to get a shuffle on. Smeed picked up boundaries in each of the first two overs – Sonny Baker also contributing with five wides from his first ball – and Kohler-Cadmore then took up the cudgels, hammering his fourth ball, a pull off Chris Wood, over the heads of those in the Hollies and out towards the River Rea.Scott Currie’s first delivery also flew all the way, as Kohler-Cadmore unleashed a scything uppercut over deep third. Baker returned, switching to the Pavilion End, only to be thrashed through the covers. But the Hampshire fast bowler showed why he is on England’s radar by splattering Kohler-Cadmore’s stumps with an 88mph yorker to end the opening stand at 46.Smeed carries the fightSmeed had ticked along to 18 off 15 but responded to the loss of Kohler-Cadmore by twice cracking James Fuller through point at the start of the sixth. Tom Abell departed for a duck in the same over, Somerset finishing the powerplay on 55 for 2, but James Rew picked off early boundaries as Smeed bedded into the middle overs.Currie’s return in the 10th saw the back of Rew, chopping on to his stumps, and Hampshire looked to squeeze through the nous of South Africa spinner Bjorn Fortuin. The required rate was approaching 12 an over, but Smeed kept Somerset in touch with back-to-back fours off Fortuin and then a thump off Howell. Then came the crucial drop of Dickson, with Smeed turning the screw in the following over by taking three more boundaries off Fortuin. That meant Somerset finished the 15th over on 136 for 3 – exactly the same score as Hampshire as the same stage of their innings.Sean Dickson played a key hand for Somerset•Getty ImagesFinisher Dickson does it againWith 59 needed from 30 balls, Dickson produced his first flourish by ramping Baker over the keeper for his first boundary. Another driven four followed, and Smeed then crunched Currie into the Hollies to keep Somerset in touch. With dew becoming a factor, the 18th over was to prove decisive as Dickson – who is leaving Somerset for Glamorgan after not being offered a new contract – twice took Benny Howell for sixes, the first an outrageous reverse-swipe that sailed over deep third.Nineteen runs came off the over, leaving Somerset needing 18 from 12, and although Smeed picked out long-off to fall short of becoming the second man on the day to reach three figures, he walked off with the highest individual score in a final. The jig was up for Hampshire, and in came Gregory to ice the chase with a flurry of boundaries and spark a raucous rendition of “Somerset, la-la-la” in the stands.No Lynn-sanity this timeAfter his semi-final heroics, in which he became the first man to score a hundred on Finals Day, Lynn joked that he would be happy to keep batting, with just a 45-minute turnaround to the final: “Got the pads on, let’s go.” He got his wish, with Somerset opting to chase, and duly smoked his fourth ball back down the ground for his 12th six of the day; but he didn’t last much longer, chipping Craig Overton to cover in the third over.But where Lynn’s top-order colleagues had gone missing against Northants, here they stood up. Albert had got going with back-to-back drives for four, in the process overtaking D’Arcy Short at the Blast’s leading run-scorer for the season. After Vince chimed in with whipped sixes off Overton and Jake Ball, Albert signalled the Hampshire charge was well and truly on by taking Migael Pretorius’ only over of the night for 25 with a sequence of 4-6-6-4-4, only interrupted by a wide.Vince then launched Overton for his third six at the start of the sixth over, followed by consecutive fours – which meant eight legitimate deliveries in a row had disappeared to the rope. Even without the Lynn-sanity, Hampshire had piled up 83 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.Albert takes overWith the fielding restrictions relaxed, Hampshire opted for consolidation during the middle of the innings. Albert was the first to fifty, off 29 balls – his sixth of a breakthrough campaign – while Vince also reached the mark in the 12th over, from 32. Three balls later, the partnership was broken when Vince dragged Lewis Goldsworthy to deep midwicket, and Somerset then chipped out another when Ball’s brilliant return catch saw off James Fuller.Hampshire had only scored three boundaries between the start of the seventh over and the midway point of the 16th. Despite the slowdown, Albert decided it was time to jam the gearstick in reverse. Ben Green was twice reverse-swept off the stumps, despite bowling near-yorkers, over and past short third for back-to-back fours, and Albert then did the same to Ball when he went short, slapping another brace of boundaries to move into the 80s.Albert fell at the start of the next over, missing a swipe at Gregory’s change-up to see his off stump rattled. But Howell cleared the ropes twice in a useful cameo at No. 5, as Hampshire equalled Northamptonshire’s total of 194 for 2 (made from 18 overs) in the 2013 final. Somerset needed to set a new benchmark to claim their record-equalling third title. They duly obliged.

Aaronson 2.0: Phil Hay saw no way back for Leeds flop, now he's "ruthless"

Leeds United have built up a six-point gap between themselves and the bottom three in the Premier League after their 2-1 win over West Ham United last week.

Three wins, two draws, and four defeats in nine matches is a respectable return for Daniel Farke’s side after their promotion from the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign.

Prior to this season, the last six teams to have been promoted from the Championship had all been relegated at the first attempt, which illustrates the size of the task ahead of the Whites.

Not only did that mean that Leeds needed to recruit well, which they have with the likes of Noah Okafor and Sean Longstaff, but they also needed some of their stars from last season to make the step up.

The Whites did not recruit an entire new starting line-up and bench to bolster their squad for the Premier League, instead hoping that some of their players could bridge the gap.

One player who is still looking to convince supporters that he is good enough for the top-flight is Brenden Aaronson, who has revived his Leeds career.

How Brenden Aaronson has revived his Leeds career

In the summer of 2022, Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta swooped to sign the American attacking midfielder from RB Salzburg for a fee of £28.5m to bolster the club’s options for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

Aaronson scored one goal from 3.86 xG in 36 appearances in the division that season, earning himself the lowest Sofascore rating (6.51) in the entire division, as he made the website’s ‘Worst Team of the Season’.

The USA international opted to go out on loan to Union Berlin for the 2023/24 campaign, rather than remain at Elland Road to fight for promotion from the Championship, at which point the writing appeared to be on the wall for his career at the club.

However, Aaronson returned to the club after his loan spell and Farke revealed that he was “desperate” to help the team, and that he would need to win his place by working hard.

The American was met with some “boos” from supporters, per reporter Graham Smyth, in pre-season, but he then went on to feature in all 46 Championship games as Leeds racked up 100 points, scoring nine goals.

This shows that he proved to Farke, with his performances in training and in matches, that he could be a reliable player for the head coach, and that has carried over to the Premier League.

Appearances

9

xG

1.62

Goals

1

Key passes

9

Big chances created

3

xA

1.27

Assists

0

Duel success rate

52%

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has not set the Premier League alight with his performances, with one goal in nine games, but he has been a solid performer and has been unfortunate not to register any assists.

Overall, it is fair to say that the 25-year-old has revived his Leeds career, after it looked all-but-finished when he joined Union Berlin on loan, thanks to his hard work and performances on the pitch.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Aaronson, though, was not the first member of the current first-team squad who revived his career after being sent out on loan by the club. Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson.

Why Dan James was the original Brenden Aaronson

A year before the American was signed by the Whites, Marcelo Bielsa and Orta swooped to sign James from Manchester United for a fee of £25m to bolster the team’s options out wide.

The Wales international scored four goals and provided four assists in 34 matches in the Premier League in his first season at Elland Road, per Sofascore, but ended the campaign with a new manager in Jesse Marsch.

Despite starting three of the first five league games at the start of the 2022/23 campaign, James was then sent out on loan to Fulham in the summer of 2022, and claimed that he made the move because he “wanted to play games”.

After that move was confirmed, journalist Phil Hay almost wrote off the winger’s chances of continuing his career at Leeds in the future. He wrote: “I don’t think I see Dan James coming back, or it feels like a long shot. James is 24. He’s not especially young and Leeds have essentially said to him that they can do without him this season.”

You can see where Phil Hay was coming from. Leeds were willing to let a player they signed for £25m a year earlier join another Premier League team on loan.

However, the Whites were relegated from the Premier League that season and Fulham did not opt to sign James permanently, which led to him emerging as a star under Farke in the Championship.

The Wales international scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in 40 appearances in the second tier in the 2023/24 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that his performances paid back the faith that the German head coach showed in him.

Appearances

40

36

xG

10.0

10.46

Goals

13

12

Conversion rate

16%

12%

Big chances created

13

16

Key passes per game

1.4

1.3

Assists

7

9

As you can see in the table above, James delivered consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in his two seasons in the Championship under Farke, with 25 goals and 29 ‘big chances’ created.

The winger claimed last season that he wants to be “ruthless” and has a “ruthless” mentality, which is evidenced by his impressive goal return, as he outperformed his xG in both of those seasons.

James has yet to score a goal in the Premier League so far this season, but he has started three of his six appearances and is a key member of the squad.

His revival of his Leeds career, which looked on the ropes after his move to Fulham in 2022, pathed the way for Aaronson to follow in his footsteps after being in a similar position a year after James’ remergence at Elland Road.

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Leeds United are considering a January move for this exciting star, who could be Daniel Farke’s next Sean Longstaff.

1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 28, 2025

James was the original Aaronson and now both players are brilliant examples for the club to show future players that there is always a chance to revive their careers, if they are willing to put the hard yards in to be reliable on the pitch.

Alex Bregman Destinations: Best Landing Spots for Three-Time All-Star in Free Agency

Alex Bregman is back on the market a year after he waited until February to sign with the Red Sox. Given how he performed in 2025, it’s unlikely he’ll be sitting around as long this offseason.

Boston inked Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract shortly before spring training in 2025. That caused a whole lot of drama for the organization, but their newly acquired All-Star did his job while staying above all that. As part of his deal, he was allowed to opt out after one season. He exercised that right on Monday.

In 114 games, Bregman slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs. His .821 OPS was his best since 2019, and he produced 3.4 fWAR and a wRC+ of 125. All of those numbers might have been better had he not dealt with a midseason quad injury.

Bregman should be a hot commodity this offseason. He had a bounce-back season, and at 31 he’s still young enough to have productive years ahead of him.

Boston Red Sox

A return to Beantown makes the most sense by far. Yes, Bregman opted out of his deal, but that’s not because he didn’t have a successful partnership with the Red Sox. He’s a perfect fit there, especially with Rafael Devers gone and a great group of young players around him. He’s a veteran with two World Series rings who can help guys like Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer grow. Boston would be wise to shell out the money to bring Bregman back.

Detroit Tigers

This is another obvious fit due to his history with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. Detroit had Colt Keith, Andy Ibáñez, and Zach McKinstry playing third base this year, so Bregman would be a significant upgrade. Gleyber Torres might be back in free agency, but if he’s not, the Tigers will need to reshuffle their infield and add to it. Bregman has had decent results at Comerica Park during his career. He has a slash line of .242/.309/.475 with six home runs and 18 RBIs in 24 games. That works out to a wRC+ of 112.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners got very little out of their corner infielders early in 2025, which made landing two at the trade deadline vitally important. Seattle succeeded, adding Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor, both of whom are set to hit free agency. Enter Bregman, who would fit the team’s approach and be a great fit, hitting in front of or protecting Cal Raleigh. He has spent a lot of time in Seattle thanks to his years with the Astros, though he hasn’t hit well in pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park. Bregman has played 53 games there and hit .259 with five home runs and 17 RBIs, with an underwhelming wRC+ of 95.

Philadelphia Phillies

Speculation is swirling that the Phillies could try to move Alec Bohm this winter. It wouldn’t be shocking if that were the case. The 29-year-old has one year left on his contract and produced a wRC+ of 105 and 1.7 fWAR in 2025. Bregman would present a sizable upgrade both offensively and defensively. The Phillies were run out of the playoffs by the Dodgers in the NLDS and need more punch in their lineup. Bohm has a lifetime postseason OPS of .666, while Bregman has 19 career postseason home runs. It would be costly to add him, and Philadelphia is going to have to shell out a ton to bring Kyle Schwarber back. But if the Phillies are serious about challenging the Dodgers, adding Bregman would make a strong statement.

VÍDEO: Melhores momentos de Avaí 0 x 2 Santos pela Série B

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O Santos venceu o Avaí por 2 a 0 nesta sexta-feira (26), na Ressacada, pela segunda rodada da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. Assista aos melhores momentos da partida no vídeo acima.

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Avaímelhores momentosSantosSérie B

Motie's four-for puts Amazon Warriors in third successive CPL final

Gudakesh Motie’s four-wicket haul thwarted St Lucia Kings and propelled Guyana Amazon Warriors into the final of CPL 2025. It is their third successive title clash, having won the competition in 2023 and finishing runners-up to Kings last year.Amazon Warriors were helped to 157 thanks to a lower-order assault from Dwaine Pretorius (17 off eight balls) and Romario Shepherd (21 off eight), which helped them take 41 runs in the last four overs. That still looked a par score, at best, with Kings having to chase under lights. But a disciplined bowling show from Amazon Warriors, with just two extras conceded, and Motie’s strikes reduced the opposition to 48 for 7, almost a point of no return.Chasing 158, Kings were rocked thrice in the first three overs with Pretorius dismissing Tim Seifert and Ackeem Auguste, while Shepherd accounted for Johnson Charles. Roston Chase and Aaron Jones consolidated after that and Kings were 37 for 3 after the powerplay – not too far runs-wise from Amazon Warriors’ 45 for 1 after six overs.That is when Motie was introduced and he sliced through the batting in the middle overs. Chase’s ungainly heave across the line saw him bowled. On the next ball, Tim David played completely down the wrong line to be out for a first-ball duck. Imran Tahir then got into the act in the next over to castle Jones.

When Kings’ captain David Wiese holed out to long-off in Motie’s second over, their innings was truly in freefall. That they managed to come close to their target was down to Khary Pierre’s maiden T20 half-century. After Kings were reduced to 85 for 8 at the start of the 14th over, Pierre and Tymal Mills hit at least one boundary in the next four overs to give Amazon Warriors a minor scare.Pierre got to his fifty in 28 balls to get coach Daren Sammy, hoping for a miracle, on his feet. The hopes dipped when Pierre fell next ball, but Mills kept Kings’ slim chance alive by taking 13 off Shepherd’s last over, the 19th of the innings.Pierre’s stingy spell earlier in the evening had seen Amazon Warriors struggle to force the pace in the middle overs of their innings. While the left-arm spinner went for just 15 runs in the powerplay, Ben McDermott and Quentin Sampson managed to score 29 off the three non-Pierre overs. The brakes on scoring were applied when Wiese had McDermott chop on.Shai Hope batted through the middle for 32 off 29 balls while the rest of the middle order fell for single digits. When Moeen Ali fell to leave Amazon Warriors 107 for 6, it seemed the night would belong to the defending champions. But a final flourish followed by a batting failure meant they now have to defeat Trinbago Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 on Friday to harbour hopes of an encore.

Bavuma overcomes nerves to bring up his third Test hundred

Before the second innings in Durban, the South Africa captain had 22 fifties but only two hundreds to his name

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Nov-2024Yes, it is a bowlers’ era, and sure, this is not the strongest South Africa batting order there has ever been, but eventually people are going to look across your stats, find the column under “Hundreds”, and check.Temba Bavuma is aware of this. Painfully aware.Before the second innings at Kingsmead, he had only two trips to triple figures, compared to 22 fifties. The rock to throw at him is that this is a poor conversion rate, even if many of those fifties came in difficult match situations. Both his team-mates and his opposition, for example, have praised his first-innings 70, for having taken South Africa from a truly modest total to a halfway-respectable 191, given the conditions.Related

  • Leap and joy: Stubbs and Bavuma's centuries add colour to festive Kingsmead

  • SA quicks leave SL on the brink after Stubbs, Bavuma tons

Still, that column on the stats page has eyes on it. And on Friday, at Kingsmead, he raised the count to three, hitting 113 against Sri Lanka. Will people wonder how he has been doing as captain and see that he averages 54.22? Will they wonder how many of his innings have come at No. 6 and lower (51 off 103 innings, by the way), and reason that these are not positions where centuries are harder to come by? Perhaps not many will. Hundreds are kind of a big deal.”Getting to a three-figure mark is always a lot more satisfying, personally,” Bavuma said, about making centuries vs important fifties. “When you bat in positions where the team is in trouble, and you get to a 50 to 60, I guess it’s good in terms of getting the team into a competitive position. But once you’re able to go over, you really get the team into a strong position.”Hundreds are a currency as a batter as well, I guess that increases that value. There’s obviously a lot of confidence that comes from scoring a hundred, and I think in terms of the batting line-up we’re getting to a stage where we’re starting to believe that in each innings, someone is able to go and get a hundred, so it’s good to add to that confidence.”

“Getting to the three-figure mark was quite nerve-racking. I went over to him and said, ‘Stubbo, please get me on strike. I can’t wait on this end'”

Bavuma’s approach to the hundred was fraught, however. Between getting to 80 and getting to triple figures, there was an edge that dropped short of the slips, a ball that jumped up and hit him on the glove, plays and misses, and an lbw shout and a review to the shot (it came off his glove) he got to triple figures off. Bavuma had, in fact, been asking for the strike.”I think I’m not too good when I get to the 80s and 90s. I’m going to try and get there [to a century] as soon as I can. They had the second new ball as well, and there was still something on offer for the bowlers. I was always looking to score.”Then, obviously, getting to the three-figure mark, it was quite nerve-racking. Against the spinner [Prabath Jayasuriya], I got one off the first ball, and then the next two balls Tristan Stubbs blocked. I went over to him and said, ‘Stubbo, please get me on strike. I can’t wait on this end.’ He was able to do that, so I was always going to play that shot.”The shot was a paddle sweep, and he just managed to get a glove to the ball before it hit him on the pads in front of the stumps.”It was a bit high risk, but the way the spinner was bowling, I was thinking of getting to that three-figure mark and then kind of starting again.”Sri Lanka reviewed that lbw, shout, but Bavuma had known he had got enough on it. He politely waited for the big screen to show the little spike as the ball brushed his glove.Then he celebrated his third hundred.

Yankees Star Aaron Judge Wins Third AL MVP Award After Another Outstanding Season

Aaron Judge put forth yet another magnificent season for the Yankees in 2025, and he’s been rewarded with his third AL MVP award.

Despite fierce competition in the form of Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, Judge earned his second consecutive MVP and third of his career. The New York superstar hit 53 home runs and led the league in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, and OPS+. His 137 runs also ranked first in MLB.

Judge’s efforts helped lead the Yankees to a 94–68 regular season. New York advanced past the wild card round by beating the rival Red Sox in three games, but fell to the Blue Jays in the divisional round.

The 33-year-old slugger has been considered one of the best hitters in baseball for years now and this season proved no exception. For much of the season he was the primary, and occasionally only, source of offense for the pinstripes. He was so dangerous that, in addition to all his league-leading hitting stats, he also ranked first in intentional walks with 36. Judge was rewarded earlier this year for his efforts with his seventh All-Star nod.

What’s more, Judge shook off whatever remained of the perception that he struggled in postseason baseball with a strong playoff run. The Yankees’ slugger batted .364 against Boston in the wild-card round and .600 against Toronto in the divisional, totaling 13 hits and seven RBIs in seven games played. It wasn’t enough to push the Yankees over the finish line and return to the World Series but there’s no question Judge delivered upon the promises of another great regular season.

Judge becomes the 16th player in MLB history to win back-to-back MVP awards with his 2025 win. Another historic achievement for the big hitter.

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