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Growing more and more desperate for defensive reinforcements amid continued injury setbacks, Manchester City are now reportedly entertaining the possibility of signing one particular addition as soon as the January transfer window.

Man City transfer news

Even after returning to winning ways for the first time in seven games last time out, Man City didn’t escape their battle against Nottingham Forest unscathed, with Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji suffering ill-timed injuries. With Pep Guardiola short on options once again just when he managed to turn a corner with the 3-0 victory, the Spaniard will be desperately awaiting the January transfer window.

On that front, the rumours are already coming thick and fast. The likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Viktor Gyokeres have recently stolen plenty of headlines regarding potential moves to the Etihad Stadium in 2025 in two deals that would go a long way to returning City to the summit of English football.

They’re not the only names to have been mentioned, however. According to GiveMeSport, Manchester City are now entertaining the possibility of signing Juma Bah as soon as January. The central defender is currently on loan at Real Valladolid from AIK Freetong, but the Citizens could attempt to cut that spell short to boost their defensive options in the winter window.

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Having lost 6 of their last 8 matches, Man City will need to ask big questions of their established stars, including Kyle Walker

ByBen Gray Dec 6, 2024

Still just 18 years old, Bah would likely be seen as someone who can add depth rather than the solution to City’s defensive problems. At such a young age, the teenager would be a wise investment given Guardiola’s proven success when developing the next top stars. So whilst Bah would be entering quite the storm at the Etihad, the calm that follows could potentially result in an impressive rise.

"Promising" Bah is one for the future

With the likes of Kyle Walker and John Stones part of an ageing backline, the addition of a future star in the form of Bah would represent the type of transfer genius that we’ve become familiar with from Manchester City. The Citizens could instantly ease their future concerns by welcoming the teenage sensation, who was described as “promising” by EuroFoot after an impressive display for Valladolid.

If the Premier League champions are to make their move in the January transfer window, it will be interesting to see just how much of a part Bah plays. The last thing that City should do is disrupt his development and leave him confined to the reserves, and if that is to be the case, they should allow the defender to at least complete the season at Valladolid and continue to steal the headlines.

Emilio Gay top-scores for Northants with 65 but hosts struggle to contain opponents in final session

ECB Reporters Network22-Apr-2022Adam Lyth and Dimuth Karunaratne shared an opening partnership of 73 as Yorkshire seized control of their LV= Insurance County Championship game against Northamptonshire.The pair quickly built on their side’s first-innings advantage of 92 at Wantage Road, having bowled Northamptonshire out for 204 as rookie all-rounder Matthew Revis and off-spinner Dom Bess shone with the ball.Revis – who began his career as an opening bat – took 3 for 45, his best first-class performance, while Bess tied up one end for most of the afternoon, returning miserly figures of 2 for 31 from 22 overs.Emilio Gay produced some classy shots to top-score with 65, but Northamptonshire were unable to contain their opponents in the final session, with Lyth extending the White Rose lead to 177 as they closed on 85 for 1.Despite losing nightwatchman Matt Kelly – who skied a hook off Jordan Thompson into the wicketkeeper’s gloves – in the second over of the day, Northamptonshire made swift progress.Gay and Will Young (33) bustled along at four-and-a-half an over until Steven Patterson’s miserly spell stemmed the flow of runs and Revis then weighed in with two quick wickets. He sent Young’s off stump flying to break the partnership of 55 and then persuaded Saif Zaib to nibble at a ball that slanted across the left-hander in his next over.Bess had his first delivery swept to the boundary by Rob Keogh – but the spinner eventually got his man to an identical shot just before lunch as Revis raced from backward square to clasp a magnificent catch over his shoulder.However, Bess initially missed out on the scalp of Gay, put down by Lyth at slip on 40, and he and Luke Procter put together an industrious stand of 49 to wipe out any fears about the follow-on.Procter dug in, with infrequent attacking strokes – although one of those, when he decided to give Bess the charge, caught his partner at the non-striker’s end a nasty blow on the left wrist.Although fit to continue, Gay was soon back in the pavilion anyway, flicking a flighted Bess delivery into the hands of leg slip and Lewis McManus followed, caught low off Revis.Procter battled on, finishing with a gritty undefeated 38 – enough to scramble a batting bonus point before Haris Rauf and Thompson took the new ball and cleaned up the tail.The home seamers struggled to establish control, though, leaking runs as Karunaratne and Lyth sped past 50 inside the first nine overs of their second innings.Procter’s medium pace produced an eventual breakthrough, piercing the Sri Lanka captain’s defences, but George Hill accompanied Lyth to stumps.

Chelsea and Lionesses star Lucy Bronze has spoken out about her diagnosis with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

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Bronze talks about life with autism and ADHDSays diagnosis has helped her footballing careerDescribes autism as her 'superpower'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bronze has described her autism and ADHD diagnosis as her "superpower" after revealing she was first diagnosed four years ago. The 33-year-old says the diagnosis was not a surprise as she "always knew about in a way" and believes her autism has helped her footballing career.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT BRONZE SAID

She told : "How I process things, being super-focused. People always say, 'Oh, you're so passionate about football.' I don't know if I'd say I'm passionate, I'm obsessed. That's my autism, it's my hyper-focus on football. Something that is really good for ADHD and autism is exercise. Having that focus, something to do, keeping moving. Training every day is amazing for me. Some of the other girls will be like: 'Are you sure you're 33 because you don't stop?' All the things I have because of autism have worked in my advantage."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Bronze has enjoyed phenomenal success throughout her career. She has won titles with club sides Liverpool, Manchester City, Lyon, Barcelona and Chelsea, claimed victory at Euro 2022 with England and made it to the World Cup final with the Lionesses in 2024. Bronze also finished as runner-up at the 2019 Women's Ballon d'Or. She has inspired millions through her exploits on the pitch and is now hoping to make a difference away from football by raising awareness and trying to remove the stigma around autism and ADHD.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BRONZE

Bronze's Chelsea are currently in the middle of a run of four games against Manchester City. The two teams face off again in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday and then meet again in the WSL on Sunday. The Blues were victorious in the Women's League Cup final on Saturday.

GOAL selected the 50 best footballing talents from around the world born on or after January 1, 2005 – but are they living up to their potential?

Since NXGN's launch in 2016, GOAL has profiled the 50 best footballing wonderkids on the planet on an annual basis. Some of those recognised for their talent as teenagers are now household names, but others have not yet realised their potential.

So, after the NXGN 2025 list was revealed, check out where the stars of 2024 are now:

Every NXGN list

Dembele, Tielemans & 2016's best wonderkids

Mbappe, Donnarumma & 2017's best wonderkids

De Ligt, Kluivert & 2018's best wonderkids

Haaland, Sancho & 2019's best wonderkids

Saka, Rodrygo & 2020's best wonderkids

James, Oberdorf & 2020's best women's wonderkids

Pedri, Ansu Fati & 2021's best wonderkids

Le Tissier, Bennison & 2021's best women's wonderkids

Bellingham, Musiala & 2022's best wonderkids

Dumornay, Fowler & 2022's best women's wonderkids

Gavi, Garnacho & 2023's best wonderkids

Shaw, Thompson & 2023's best women's wonderkids

Caicedo, Moultrie & 2024's best women's wonderkids

Getty Images Sport50Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland)

2024: The young brother of Real Madrid star Jude, Bellingham was enjoying an eye-catching first season at Sunderland in the Championship having departed boyhood club Birmingham City the previous summer.

2025: Having been moved back into midfield after playing much of last season as a forward, Bellingham has taken his game to new levels in 2024-25 as the Black Cats chase promotion to the Premier League. Top clubs in England and around Europe continue to keep tabs on his progress.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport49Nestory Irankunda (Adelaide United)

2024: Having emerged as the top talent within Australia's A-League thanks to his powerful attacking play and rocket-launcher of a left foot, Irankunda had already agreed a record-breaking transfer to Bayern Munich and earned a first international call-up from the Socceroos.

2025: Irankunda spent his first six months in Germany playing for Bayern's reserve side in the third tier before completing a loan move to FC Zurich in January as he looks to gain experience of top-flight European football.

Getty Images Sport48Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami)

2024: Cremaschi had emerged as one of the best young players in MLS after striking up a strong on-field relationship with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, with his form having earned him a first call-up to the senior United States squad.

2025: The midfielder was a rotational member of the Miami squad in 2024 as they won the MLS Supporters Shield but is expected to take on an even bigger role under new coach Javier Mascherano.

Getty Images47Sverre Nypan (Rosenborg)

2024: Having been dubbed 'the next Martin Odegaard' within Norway, Nypan was already a regular in the Rosenborg line-up, and was just beginning a campaign that would end with him providing 15 combined league goals and assists from midfield in just 28 appearances.

2025: Arsenal and Manchester City were among the clubs who attempted to sign Nypan during the January transfer window but he has instead opted to stay with Rosenborg until the summer before considering his next move.

Crystal Palace are now keen on signing a “brilliant” attacker who is available on a free transfer, according to a report.

Palace improving

After a concerning start to their Premier League campaign, Palace’s results have picked up in recent weeks, collecting eight points from their last four outings.

Most recently, the Eagles played out a 2-2 draw with reigning champions Manchester City, indicating they have turned the corner under the helm of Oliver Glasner. However, the manager may still be keen to strengthen his squad this January.

As it stands, Glasner’s side are only just above the bottom three, meaning their improved form will need to continue if they are to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle towards the back end of the season.

Crystal Palace in talks to sign "talented" Championship ace in Eze repeat

The Eagles are looking to repeat their transfer genius.

1 ByTom Cunningham Dec 6, 2024

To make sure they avoid the dreaded drop, Palace have started to run the rule over potential January signings, and it was recently reported that they believe Man City’s James McAtee will be available this winter, most likely for a fee of around £20m.

McAtee is not the only player on the shortlist, as the Eagles are said to have made an approach to sign Chesterfield striker James Berry-McNally, who is valued at around £5m by his current employers.

Brighton (a)

December 15

Arsenal (h)

December 22

Bournemouth (a)

December 27

Southampton (h)

December 30

Chelsea (h)

January 5

Palace targeting Ryan Kent

It is clear that Glasner is looking to strengthen his attacking options this winter, and another target has now entered the frame, with reports from Spain detailing that Palace are among the teams interested in signing free agent Ryan Kent.

However, there is set to be stiff competition for Kent’s signature, as Ipswich Town and Leicester City are also said to be keen on the winger, who most recently played for Fenerbahce.

Given the Englishman’s contract status, he is available on a free transfer, which makes him an attractive option for the three Premier League clubs, who are all looking to add depth to their squads.

The 28-year-old is also well-liked due to his versatility in attack, which allows him to play on the wing and in more central roles.

It is fair to say the winger was unimpressive during his time in Turkey, picking up just one goal and two assists in 19 appearances in all competitions, but he could yet be a decent signing for Palace.

The former Rangers man was exceptional during his time north of the border, weighing in with 33 goals and 56 assists in 218 appearances, so if he is able to get back to that level, he will almost certainly improve the Eagles.

Once hailed as “brilliant” by journalist Josh Bunting, Kent has proven he is capable of making the step up to the Premier League in the past, so it is exciting news that Palace are in the race for his signature, particularly considering it is a low-risk move.

One team has the best scoring rate in the powerplay; the other has the best bowling average in the same phase

Himanshu Agrawal07-Apr-20222:06

Do Gujarat need an extra spinner? Does Odean Smith keep his place?

Big pictureOn the one side is the muscle of Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, on the other the precision and reliability of Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan and Lockie Ferguson.Welcome to Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans, a battle that could, even with more than three-fourths of the season still remaining, turn out to be the tastiest of this IPL – a proper T20 side full of big hitters against an attack boasting pace, seam, swing, spin and variations.Live in the USA

You can watch the match live on ESPN+ in English and in Hindi.

Kings boast the highest powerplay run rate of all teams this season – 10.94 – and Titans the best bowling average – 10.71 – and the second-best economy rate – 6.25 – in the same phase.Titans are unbeaten after two matches, having won their first game while chasing and the second while defending a total. Both wins were both hard-fought, and they’ve found a different hero every time they’ve needed one so far.Kings have endured a more eventful ride – they hunted down 206 with an over to spare against Royal Challengers Bangalore; then their ultra-aggressive batting approach came unstuck against Kolkata Knight Riders; and then they defended 181 Chennai Super Kings at the Brabourne Stadium, where they play Titans in their fourth fixture.Friday’s clash, then, might pit the most fearsome hitting team in the league against its most incisive bowling attack. Who will come out of it unscathed?In the newsA niggle restricted Varun Aaron to just one over in Titans’ last match against Delhi Capitals. In case he hasn’t recovered, the team could replace him with Darshan Nalkande, Yash Dayal or Pradeep Sangwan, the latter two of whom offer a left-arm option.Rashid Khan belts out an appeal•BCCILikely XIsPunjab Kings: 1 Mayank Agarwal (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Shahrukh Khan, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Odean Smith, 8 Arshdeep Singh, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Rahul Chahar, 11 Vaibhav Arora.Gujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Matthew Wade (wk), 3 Vijay Shankar, 4 Abhinav Manohar, 5 Hardik Pandya (capt), 6 David Miller, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Varun Aaron/Yash Dayal/Darshan Nalkande/Pradeep Sangwan, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Mohammed Shami.Strategy punt Titans’ new-ball spearhead Shami has had a difficult time against Kings opener Shikhar Dhawan in T20s. Across 11 innings and 66 balls, Dhawan has taken him for 103 runs without being dismissed. Mayank Agarwal, meanwhile, has only ever faced three balls from Shami. Agarwal has taken first strike in all three of Kings’ matches so far; on Friday, there might be a case for Dhawan to take strike instead, assuming Shami bowls the first over, to try and maximise his favourable match-up. Shubman Gill has faced 21 balls of spin this season, and scored 45 runs off them, without being dismissed – which translates to a strike rate of 214.28. Three are three spinners who have got him out twice each – the most – in IPL. Rahul Chahar, however, has dismissed Gill twice in three innings in the IPL, so there could still be a case for Kings to use their legspinner early on as an attacking gamble.Stats that matter Kings have smashed 33 sixes so far this season, the second-most behind Rajasthan Royals’ 36. Meanwhile, the opposition captain Hardik Pandya is just one away from 100 IPL sixes. Shami will be up against one of his former IPL sides, having represented Kings for three seasons from 2019 onwards, when he took 58 wickets at 22.82 for them. From IPL 2017-20, Ferguson managed only three wickets in 83 balls while conceding 10.98 runs an over at the death. Since 2021, his record in the last four overs has improved dramatically: five wickets in 60 balls and an economy rate of 8.70.

Over the last couple of years, Manchester United’s transfer business has left a lot to be desired, often seeing them waste a huge amount of money on players who have failed to impress in the Premier League.

The club’s top five additions have all each set them back upwards of £75m, but not one of the big-money signings now appears to be worth the fees splashed out for their respective services.

Paul Pogba still remains as the Red Devils’ record signing, costing £89m during the summer of 2016, just a handful of years after being released by the club after coming through the academy.

The Frenchman made another 226 appearances during his second spell at Old Trafford before once again being let go at the end of his deal, rejoining the Italian side on a free in 2022.

However, the transfer window in January 2020 allowed for needed incomings and outgoings, with one player starring at the club after his big-money move that winter.

Manchester United’s transfer window in January 2020

The aforementioned window saw the £68m arrival of midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Portuguese side Sporting CP, with the hope of transforming the heart of the side.

Nearly five years on, it’s safe to say that the 30-year-old has exceeded expectations, registering over 250 appearances, becoming the captain under various managers at the Theatre of Dreams.

The Portuguese has achieved a total of 83 goals and 73 assists in the process – an average of a contribution every 1.6 appearances he’s played in Manchester.

Fernandes has often been the constant source of attacking quality over the last couple of years, undoubtedly cementing himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in world football.

He wasn’t the only arrival that window, with Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo on loan for 12 months from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua – looking to provide that added quality in attacking areas.

The former Watford ace scored five times in his 19 appearances between January and the end of the campaign, fulfilling his dream of featuring for the club he supported as a boy.

However, despite the arrivals, numerous players also departed Old Trafford during that period, including one player who has impressed since being given the boot by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The player who has matched Fernandes in 2024/25

Ashley Young was often a utility man during his time at United, starring in attacking and defensive areas during his nine-year spell in the North West.

He featured over 250 times in the process after joining from Aston Villa in the summer of 2011, originally as a left-winger – notably demonstrating his talents in the meeting with Arsenal in which they won 8-2.

However, given his age, he ended up dropping further back into a full-back position, before being sold for just £1.2m to join Italian side Inter Milan during the aforementioned window.

Fast-forward nearly five years, the former England international now plies his trade for Sean Dyche’s Everton, making ten league appearances in 2024/25 despite being 39 years of age.

Despite his age, he’s still managed to impress, registering three assists in the Premier League, the same tally as Fernandes – with the Portugal international failing to meet expectations in recent weeks.

Games played

10

12

Minutes played

875

1019

Assists

3

3

Assists per 90

0.31

0.27

Short pass accuracy

89%

88%

Take-on success

50%

45%

The former Red Devil star has also registered a higher pass completion rate than the attacking midfielder, whilst completing more of the take-ons he’s attempted – showcasing his attacking nature despite his defensive role.

There’s no denying that the club made the right call in allowing Young to depart given his age, but it’s a signal as to how disappointing the club captain has been since the start of the campaign.

New boss Ruben Amorim will be hoping to get the most out of his compatriot, looking to surpass Young’s tally in the process and allow the 30-year-old to be at the forefront of the club’s revival.

Man Utd may regret losing "magic" PL star who's now outperforming Fernandes

The Premier League ace didn’t make a single appearance for Manchester United.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2024

Victorian premier Andrews said there will be no crowd cap at the venue, which can hold up to 100,000 spectators

AAP09-Mar-2022Shane Warne will be publicly farewelled at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, home to many of his greatest sports moments, later this month.Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed the MCG as the venue for a state memorial service on March 30 to honour the Australian legend, who died suddenly due to heart attack in Thailand last week.Related

Shane Warne – 1969 to 2022: full coverage

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'Dad, this doesn't feel real' – Warne's family's pain and loss

“There’s nowhere in the world more appropriate to farewell Warnie than the ‘G,” Andrews tweeted on Wednesday.The MCG was the stage of the legspinner’s famous Ashes hat-trick in 1994 and the 700th Test wicket on Boxing Day in 2006, his final series before he retired from international cricket.Ticket information for the evening event is yet to be released, but the premier said there will be no crowd cap at the venue, which can hold up to 100,000 spectators.”It’ll be a very big event. It will be a celebration of his life as it should be,” Andrews said.Autopsy results showed that Warne died from a suspected heart attack, confirming the death was due to natural causes with no signs of foul play.Deputy director of Samui Hospital Songyot Chayaninporamet said the autopsy showed Warne, 52, died of a “congenital disease”.Following his death on the Thai resort island of Koh Samui, Warne’s body was taken by ferry to the mainland city of Surat Thani on Sunday. It was transported to Bangkok on Monday night and was being prepared to fly home to Melbourne, according to media reports.Warne’s family issued a statement on Monday describing the night of his death on March 4 as the beginning of “a never-ending nightmare”.

In a case of the pot calling the kettle black, Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois has blasted Atletico Madrid for complaining about referees after loss.

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Real Madrid win after controversial Alvarez callSimeone complains about the referee's decisionCourtois 'fed up of victimhood' by Atletico MadridFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Real Madrid have done what they do best in the Champions League: persevere. Los Blancos survived city rivals Atletico Madrid's onslaught at Wanda Metropolitano as the hosts took an early lead via Conor Gallagher and dominated the clash. However, Carlo Ancelotti's side were able to drag the game into a penalty shootout, which Los Blancos won as Julian Alvarez saw his spot kick disallowed for a 'double kick'.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone later criticised the referee's decision to review Alvarez's penalty and claimed that his Argentinian striker did not initiate double contact with the ball during his spot kick. Real Madrid keeper Cortouis has now hypocritically claimed that he is 'fed up' with the Rojiblancos' 'victimhood', just weeks after his side launched a campaign against La Liga referees for not giving decisions in their favour.

Getty Images SportWHAT COURTOIS SAID

Speaking to the media, Courtois said: "I'm always fed up with that victimhood, always crying over things like that. Referees don't want to benefit a team, neither in Spain nor in Europe; they saw it clearly, and they called it that way. They're human, and with technology, they saw it clearly. If you're winning 1-0 in the first minute and don't go for the second, that's the fault of their game.

"In the end, it was a lottery. I felt like it was a double, and I told the referee. It's not easy to see, and it's bad luck for them. Then it was bad luck for me that Correa didn't get it out. We didn't play our best game, but we got through, and that's what matters."

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WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

Ancelotti's side have now booked their place in the Champions League quarterfinal, and they will now take on Mikel Arteta's Arsenal on April 8. However, before that, they will have to contend with the challenges of La Liga as they remain second on the table despite Barcelona having played one game fewer than them.

Manchester United have been told why signing World Cup winner Paul Pogba for a third time would be “too much of a risk”.

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Frenchman available as a free agentAbout to complete 18-month doping banRed Devils warned off possible approachFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

France international Pogba is about to complete an 18-month doping ban. He is available as a free agent after seeing his contract terminated by Serie A giants Juventus. The 31-year-old midfielder has been linked with clubs across the world.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Many potential suitors will, however, need to be convinced by Pogba’s fitness before putting any terms in place. Ligue 1 side Marseille – who already have ex-United forward Mason Greenwood on their books – have distanced themselves from a deal as a result.

DID YOU KNOW?

There has been talk of Pogba potentially joining Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, but their 2025 MLS campaign is already underway and they cannot afford to carry any passengers. The same is true for Premier League heavyweights United, in what has been a hugely disappointing 2024-25 campaign.

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Getty ImagesWHAT MIKAEL SILVESTRE SAID

With the Red Devils not in a position to take any risks, even with no transfer fee involved, former United defender Mikael Silvestre has told of his fellow countryman potentially heading back to Old Trafford: “No, I wouldn’t be tempted to sign Paul Pogba on a free transfer if I was Manchester United. I like Paul a lot but I wouldn't because it's going to be expensive and you don't know physically how long it’s going to take him to get up match fitness.

“Even though he’s been out of the game for 18 months, before his ban, he wasn’t really playing that much at Juventus. He’s had a couple of injuries. It's too big of a risk (to sign Pogba). If you were signing him and he was in peak fitness, he had been playing regular football, with a perfect body and mind, then it would be a no brainer, but, after what he's been through as well, it's extremely difficult for him. I wouldn't be in favour of Manchester United bringing him back to the club again.”