It was officially confirmed last week that Daniel Levy would be stepping down from his position as Tottenham Hotspur’s chairman, and it was met with mixed reactions.

Some wanted to point to the fact that Spurs were the most profitable ‘big six’ team in the Premier League during his tenure, which spanned over 24 years from March 2001 to the start of this month.

You only have to rewind a few months to the Europa League trophy that Spurs won, ending their 17-year wait for a major trophy, to find one of the highlights of Levy’s time as chairman.

Daniel Levy's expensive Spurs blunders

However, some supporters may point to some of his transfer business over the years as being less-than-impressive, perhaps contributing to the 17-year wait for a trophy.

Levy was not really different to any other chairman, owner, or sports director, in the sense that he made good and bad signings throughout his time at the club.

For example, he sanctioned a potential club-record level deal for Dominic Solanke last summer, signing the English striker in a move worth up to £65m. The 27-year-old marksman scored just nine goals from 10.97 xG in 27 appearances in the Premier League for Spurs last season, per Sofascore.

Solanke is, therefore, yet to show that he is worth a club-record fee for Tottenham, given his lack of quality in front of goal so far, but he is not the only Levy signing who falls into that category.

Richarlison was signed from Everton in the summer of 2022 in a deal that was worth up to £60m, and he has yet to live up to that price tag for the club.

How much Richarlison's market value has plummeted at Spurs

Levy made one of his biggest errors as the club’s chairman when he sanctioned that mammoth transfer for the Brazil international, because the striker’s market value has plummeted in the last three years.

Richarlison, who was once described as a “goalmouth monster” by Ange Postecoglou, has been a frustrating figure in North London, as he has produced moments of quality, like the bicycle kick goal against Burnley this season.

However, those moments have been too few and far between, as the £60m signing has only scored 22 goals in 94 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The former Everton and Watford marksman scored one goal in his first Premier League season with the club and four in the 2024/25 campaign, with 11 goals in his second term, which illustrates his inconsistency in front of goal.

Date	Market value/transfer fee
July 2022	£60m move to Spurs
December 2022	£48m
June 2023	£42m
September 2023	£35m
December 2023	£30m
May 2024	£33m
December 2024	£26m
March 2025	£22m
May 2025 – present	£17m
Valuations via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Richarlison’s market value has been heavily impacted by his inconsistency on the pitch, as his value has dropped by a staggering £43m from £60m to £17m at the time of writing.

The Brazilian attacker could point to injuries, as he has missed 58 games through injury in the last three seasons, but the return of one goal in 27 Premier League games in his first year at the club was simply not good enough.

Spurs should expect more from Richarlison for the money Levy shelled out to bring him to the club, which is why he should currently be considered one of the ex-chairman’s biggest blunders.

As it stands, the £60m deal that was put together to sign the Brazil international from Everton looks to have been a huge overpay by Levy, given that he is currently valued at just £17m.

Forget Bale and Son: Spurs "wonderkid" was Levy's best-ever signing

Tottenham Hotspur hit the jackpot on this star who was an even better Daniel Levy signing than Gareth Bale & Heung-min Son.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 8, 2025

Members of the West Ham squad have made it crystal clear who should be their manager as Graham Potter fights to save his job, with an all-important Premier League clash at the Hill Dickinson Stadium awaiting the tactician this weekend.

Graham Potter given West Ham stay of execution

As per reliable media sources, if Potter’s side fail to impress against David Moyes’ Everton, or title-chasing Arsenal the weekend after, it is likely that David Sullivan and co will hand the 50-year-old his P45.

West Ham’s under fire board are apparently weighing up the prospect of sacking Potter after these next two rounds of fixtures, so his potential replacement could face Brentford at home on October 20 for a more favourable start to his tenure (ExWHUemployee).

Whether they pull the trigger before then could be dependent on how West Ham fare against Moyes on Merseyside, but what is certain is that results cannot continue on this downward trajectory.

Thus far, the Hammers have conceded more goals than any other side in the Premier League, with seven of their 13 goals against coming from corners.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

Bar a surprise 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest prior to the last international break, West Ham have lost all of their league matches, with a stunning right-footed volley from Tyrick Mitchell gifting their last opponents, Crystal Palace, all three points in a 2-1 win at the London Stadium.

West Ham’s managerial shortlist to replace Potter is an intriguing one, with Nuno Espírito Santo, Slaven Bilic, Gary O’Neil, Marco Silva, Sean Dyche and Marco Silva all linked with the hot seat this week.

Nuno is reportedly in pole position for the West Ham job as things stand, owing to his free agent status and the excellent job he did at Nottingham Forest, with Bilic also ready to step in on a short-term basis amid reports he’s already planning his coaching staff (ExWHUemployee).

Bilic is believed to be Sullivan’s personal favourite, and is regularly in contact with the Croatian who was in charge from 2015 to 2017.

The ex-West Brom boss delivered one of West Ham’s highest ever Premier League finishes at the beginning of his tenure (7th), but according to The Telegraph, links to Bilic, or any of the aforementioned managers for that matter, are failing to impress the current Irons squad.

Senior West Ham players tell friends who should be manager

As per their information, as revealed by reliable journalist Matt Law, senior West Ham players have told friends who they think is the right man for the job.

That man is apparently Potter himself, with high-ranking squad members informing their inner circle and family members that they have full trust in West Ham’s current boss to turn things around.

Other players have also spoken about Potter in positive fashion to people outside their close circle, which follows a similar update from Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol, who previously revealed the mood around Rush Green is upbeat.

Things can change very quickly in football. Two promising results against Everton and Arsenal could get the West Ham hierarchy thinking, especially with support for Potter among the players appearing this strong.

However, football is also a results business, and we’ve seen time and time again that the popularity of a manager counts for very little if performances on the pitch are lacklustre.

Potter faces a race against time to prove to outside critics that he is indeed the right man to take them forward, with the mood around East London as toxic as ever right now amid protests against the ownership.

Steep chase looms for visitors despite Foxes stuttering during second innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay13-Apr-2025

Rehan Ahmed made 77 at the top of the order•Getty Images

Leicestershire will take a lead of 382 into the final day of their Rothesay County Championship against neighbours Derbyshire, who will need to pull off the biggest fourth-innings run chase in their history to emerge with a win.Leicestershire were 291 for 8 in their second innings when bad light followed by rain ended play eight overs ahead of the scheduled finish time.Rehan Ahmed hammered 77 off 59 balls in an explosive start to their second innings after Derbyshire had been bowled out for 393, Netherlands international allrounder Logan van Beek taking 4 for 100 to go with his unbeaten 82 on his Leicestershire debut.By the end of the day, however, the scoring rate had slowed considerably, the home side appearing to take a safety-first approach, intent first on avoiding defeat on a pitch that has yielded runs quickly for most of the game.At the start of play, it took only 10 balls of the morning session for Leicestershire to take the ninth Derbyshire wicket as day two centurion Martin Andersson was bowled by van Beek with no addition to his or his team’s overnight score, 138 behind.The second new ball was not yet four overs old yet it took Leicestershire a further three quarters of an hour to claim the tenth, Blair Tickner and Jack Morley adding 47 before a short delivery from Ben Mike had the New Zealander caught at second slip off the shoulder of the bat.Derbyshire thus faced a final first-innings deficit of 91, with which they might have been relatively pleased, having been still 345 behind when their sixth wicket fell on Saturday. By lunch they were much less happy.As was seen in the first innings, Leicestershire’s openers, Rehan and Sol Budinger, took on the bowlers from the off and this time the approach proved highly profitable, putting on 86 in just 13 overs before the interval and another 46 afterwards before Derbyshire could stop them.Rehan led the charge, his range of shots combining the conventional with the improvised in a way that caused Derbyshire’s bowling plans to unravel at a disconcerting pace. Luis Reece, the left-arm seamer, was taken out of the attack after two overs, as was offspinner David Lloyd, summoned after just five overs and dispensed with 12 balls later, having gone for 23 runs.There was no stopping Rehan. Having reached 51 from 32 balls with his 11th boundary just before lunch, he was briefly checked at the start of the afternoon session before a glancing blow on the helmet inflicted by Tickner seemed to galvanise him afresh.Tickner persisted in banging the ball in short, in response to which Rehan persisted in helping it on its way to the boundary until eventually miscueing one to be caught at mid-off.He stood his ground momentarily as Derbyshire celebrated, perhaps querying whether Tickner had exceeded the limit of two balls bouncing above shoulder height in the same over. Nonetheless, his 77 from 59 balls, with 14 fours and a six (off Tickner) had given Leicestershire’s second innings as good a start as they could have hoped for, putting them 223 ahead.The middle session went better for Derbyshire in that they took five wickets but the concession of another 150 runs within it stretched Leicestershire’s lead to 327, already 30 more than Derbyshire have successfully chased in the fourth innings in this fixture’s history.Two more wickets followed swiftly after Rehan’s demise, Budinger falling leg before with no argument to Reece, Ian Holland tickling one down the leg side to be caught behind off Tickner as 132 without loss became 138 for 3.Lewis Hill and Peter Handscomb added 32 before Andersson obtained an lbw verdict that appeared to surprise the Leicestershire captain, Louis Kimber edging behind in Andersson’s next over.After tea, Tickner removed Ben Cox via a leading edge to mid-on, Morley had Hill leg before sweeping, after which Leicestershire’s batting became as conservative as it had at any point in the contest as Derbyshire spinners Morley and Lloyd bowled accurately in tandem.Van Beek and Ben Green added 43 in 19 overs before Morley induced a thin edge from the former, caught behind for 25 from 66 balls, shortly before bad light forced the players off.

MatériaMais Notícias

Por meio de nota divulgada nas redes sociais, Paulo Roberto Falcão declarou que não é mais coordenador esportivo do Santos. Neste mesmo dia, o, agora, ex-representante do clube foi denunciado por importunação sexual. O ex-jogador negou a acusação.

No cargo desde o final do ano passado, Falcão disse que sua saída foi motivada por “recentes protestos diante do desempenho em campo” e declarou que sua atitude teve o propósito de “defender a imagem da instituição”.

+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!

Sobre a denúncia de importunação feita pela funcionária do apart hotel, o ex-coordenador do Peixe negou o ocorrido e se declarou surpreendido com a notícia.

Veja nota divulgada por Falcão, na íntegra:

‘Em respeito à torcida do Santos Futebol Clube, pelos recentes protestos diante do desempenho do time em campo, decidi deixar o cargo de coordenador esportivo nesta data. Meu sentimento, em primeiro lugar, é defender a imagem da instituição. Sobre a acusação feita nesta sexta-feira, que recebi com surpresa pela mídia, afirmo que não aconteceu’.

O Santos também reforçou a saída do coordenador esportivo do clube. A equipe do litoral paulista não se pronunciou sobre as denúncias feitas. Veja comunicado:

‘O Santos Futebol Clube comunica a saída do profissional Paulo Roberto Falcão, que ocupava o cargo de coordenador esportivo desde o dia 15 de novembro de 2022’.

A video posted online by Gary Neville in the wake of a synagogue attack in Manchester has courted controversy and attracted criticism, but it is reported that the former United and England defender will not face any punishment from Sky Sports. Neville remains a prominent public face for the broadcasting giants, with a role being filled as a co-commentator and pundit.

• What Neville said

  Neville, speaking through his LinkedIn account, took aim at “angry middle-aged white men” and offered his take on the trend of Britons fastening St George and Union Jack flags to lampposts and bridges across the country. The 50-year-old spoke out after the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation tragedy, which saw Syrian-born terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie stage a deadly knife and car rampage.

  He began by saying: “Seeing the news last night and the news this morning dominated by the horrific attacks within the Jewish community, just a mile from here.” He then turned his attention to the ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ flag movement – co-founded by Andrew Currien, a close ally of Tommy Robinson – and went on to say: “When I was driving to Salford City last night, going down Littleton Road, I seen probably 50 or 60 Union Jack flags. And on the way back I went down the parallel road, Bury New Road, which has got the Jewish community right at its heart and they're out on the streets, defiant, not hiding or in fear. Funnily enough on one of my development sites last week there was a Union Jack flag put up and I took it down instantly.”

  Neville added: “I just kept thinking as I was driving home last night that we're all being turned on each other, and the division that's being created is absolutely disgusting. Mainly created by angry, middle-aged white man, who know exactly what they're doing.”

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Stance of Sky Sports

  Said comments generated lively debate, with Sky Sports reportedly being threatened with boycott action. Their company guidelines state: “Talent and contributors should be aware that social media communities are public forums and should not undertake activity that brings either the programme or Sky into disrepute.” The reports that “the pundit is not expected to face any action”.

  This is not the first time that Neville has shared his opinion on political matters, having previously spoken out against working conditions in Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup and condemned the behaviour and leadership of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

  Reform UK MP Lee Anderson is among those to have responded to Neville, saying: “I believe in free speech but on this occasion just shut up. You had no problem in playing in front of the England flag. And the middle-aged English men you talk about are the same type of men that paid your wages.”

• Neville refutes unpatriotic claims

  Neville refuted any suggestion that his comments were unpatriotic, saying: “I played for my country 85 times, I love my country. I love Manchester and I love England, but I've been building in this city for 15 to 20 years and there's no one put a Union Jack flag up in the last 15 to 20 years, so why do you have to put one up now? Quite clearly it's sending a message to everybody that there's something you don't like.

  “The Union Jack flag being used in a negative fashion is not right and I'm a proud supporter of England, Great Britain, of our country, and I'll champion it anywhere in the world as one of the greatest places to live. But I think we need to check ourselves, bring ourselves back to a neutral point, because we're being pulled right and left and we don't need to be, at all.”

  He added: “Brexit has had a devastating impact on this country and the messaging is getting extremely dangerous. All these idiots out there spreading hate speech and abuse in any form, we must stop promoting them. We must stop elevating our voices towards them and it needs to stop now, and get back to a country of peace, love, harmony and become a team again.”

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Co-owner of Salford with Beckham & property empire

  Neville, who is a co-owner of League Two side Salford City alongside fellow Class of ‘92 graduate David Beckham, boasts a sprawling property empire in Greater Manchester. The Mail states that claims of Sky being “bombarded with demands” to remove Neville from his role are “unfounded”.

Inter midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has advised the club’s younger players to limit their phone usage, warning that it can negatively impact their performances. The Armenian midfielder believes that spending time on phones in the gym or locker room affects players’ awareness and connection with their teammates on the pitch. He also pointed out that this issue extends beyond football, describing it as a wider problem affecting the younger generation as a whole.

Mkhitaryan aims to lead Inter youngsters

Having won Serie A with Inter and reached two Champions League finals, the 37-year-old is a trusted senior star for new coach Christian Chivu and his team. With the club now looking to build a younger squad and lower the average age under new ownership, the veteran midfielder has valuable advice to pass on to Inter’s emerging stars.

AdvertisementAFPVeteran midfielder issues advice

In an interview with , Mkhitaryan outlined the dangers of using phones inside the club’s facilities, explaining how it can negatively impact players’ performances. 

He said: “If you look at the night sky, you see so many stars. If you focus on just one, you can't see the others. The same thing happens with your phone: if you only look at it, you can't see what's going on around you. That's why I don't like it being used too much in the locker room or the gym. This also affects performance: then on the pitch, you lower your head, you only look at the ball and you don't see your teammates. This is an illness for many kids; it goes far beyond football.”

Mkhitaryan's warning for Espositio

Inter's 20-year-old striker Pio Esposito has received widespread praise for his performances this season, though his agent has urged fans and media to temper expectations. Mkhitaryan echoed those sentiments, expressing concern that the young forward is facing too much pressure too soon.

“Yes, too much [expectations], and I don't like it. He's a 20-year-old with great potential, but he needs the right amount of time," he added. "We can't overdo the expectations, otherwise we'll ruin him. Everyone has to take their own path, calmly, and you'll see that Italy will soon enjoy this treasure.”

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Getty Images SportInter's challenge this season

After a slow start to the season in which Inter have already lost two of their first six matches, Mkhitaryan will hope to use his mentality and leadership to help the team get back on track in the title race. They are currently three points behind leaders Napoli.

Liverpool have done it. When all is said and done at the end of the transfer window, which closes at 7pm this evening, Arne Slot’s side will have welcomed Alexander Isak to their ranks.

Isak, 25, has fought to leave Newcastle United and sign for the Premier League champions for many weeks, and after weeks of interminable waiting, now has his wish. Isak will sign for Liverpool.

27 goals for Eddie Howe’s Magpies last season, the Sweden striker is an unstoppable force, so many ways to hurt his opponents. However, FSG don’t seem content with merely the record-breaking man, and plan for more before the window slams shut.

Liverpool planning D-day business

When Marc Guehi scored a looping strike at Villa Park on Sunday evening, he celebrated with the passion and weight of a player set to jump ship.

Liverpool want the centre-back, but they are also ready to move for a new winger to complement Isak, with transfer insider Matt Thielen revealing Richard Hughes has received an offer from AC Milan for Liverpool to sign Rafael Leao as a part of the deal that could see Joe Gomez sign for the Italians.

Valued at £86m and also targeted by Arsenal this summer, the Portuguese winger, 26, would truly be the icing on the cake for the Redmen, adding with Isak quality of the highest class to Slot’s frontline.

What Rafael Leao would bring to Liverpool

Leao has been remarked to be “one of the best left wingers in the world” by analyst Ben Mattinson, and while Milan struggled throughout the 2024/25 campaign, he stood proud as a shining light, scoring 12 goals and supplying 13 assists across the campaign, 50 matches all told.

A consistently menacing forward season upon season, Leao is electric-paced and utterly terrifying when on the ball and hurtling down the flank. FBref data records that he ranks among the top 4% of wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90.

His world-class credentials and staggering price tag suggest that Liverpool could make an instant repeat of the deal that saw them land Isak by getting it done on D-day.

25/26

1

1

0

24/25

50

12

13

23/24

47

15

14

22/23

48

16

15

21/22

42

14

12

20/21

40

7

6

19/20

33

6

2

In fact, Leao has actually been described by Milan coach Stefano Pioli as looking like “the early Thierry Henry”, and that’s something that has been attributed to Isak over the past several years too, having been likened to the Arsenal and Les Bleus legend last season, bringing such flair and destructive quality to the final third.

While Leao has yet to unearth and maintain truly jaw-dropping levels in front of goal, he has the talent, all right, and might just reach that giddy level of his game with a move to Merseyside.

Rangy and robust, he’s the real deal and would provide Liverpool with the perfect contrasting skill set to Cody Gakpo on the left flank.

Similar to Isak in some ways, he would work wonders alongside the Scandinavian star, supplying and interchanging in seamless synergy.

In Isak, Liverpool have signed one of the finest centre-forwards in the business, but if they manage to wrap up a move for Leao too, there’s surely going to be no stopping the Anfield side, chock-full with world-class quality.

As good as Szoboszlai: £40m star dropped his best game in a Liverpool shirt

Liverpool dug deep to defeat title rivals Arsenal to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 31, 2025

أشاد لاعب نادي ليفربول، بزميله في الفريق محمد صلاح، موضحًا أن الدولي المصري أسطورة حقيقية في النادي الإنجليزي ويتعلم منه الكثير.

وتمكن محمد صلاح من صنع التاريخ وسجل هدفًا في انتصار ليفربول على أستون فيلا بهدفين دون رد أمس السبت بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب أنفيلد.

ودخل محمد صلاح تاريخ ليفربول، بعدما وصل إلى 250 هدفًا في كافة المسابقات مع النادي الإنجليزي في إنجاز كبير.

وقال برادلي في مقابلة مع موقع ليفربول الرسمي عن محمد صلاح: ”هو أسطورة في هذا النادي وشخص أحاول أن أتعلم منه الكثير كل يوم من خلال اجتهاده في التدريبات اليومية في صالة الألعاب الرياضية وما شابه، إنه لاعب رائع وأعتقد أنه أظهر ذلك، لقد كان رائعًا واستحق التسجيل عن جدارة”.

وعن الانتصار على أستون فيلا، أضاف: ”نعم كانت مباراة صعبة، أستون فيلا فريق جيد، أنا سعيد جدًا بالأداء وسعيد جدًا بالفوز، من الجميل العودة إلى سكة الانتصارات بعد أسابيع صعبة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. جيرارد عن مطالب إقالة سلوت من تدريب ليفربول: هراء مطلق

وحول سيطرة ليفربول في لقاء الأمس وتمكنه من الانتصار بسهولة أوضح برادلي: ”أعتقد أنه كان أداءًا مهيمنًا، لعبنا بشكل جيد في بعض الأحيان وحتى عندما لم تكن الكرة بحوزتنا شعرت أننا كنا مسيطرين، أداء جيد وفوز جيد”.

وعودة ريان جرافنبرج ليشارك في خط الوسط من جديد بعد تعافيه من الإصابة: ”نعم، إنه أمر رائع، إنه يدعمني أكثر ويساعدني ومن الجيد عودة ريان، من الواضح أنه لاعب مهم بالنسبة لنا، لذا من الجيد عودته، ومن الجيد تحقيق الفوز”.

وضغط ليفربول الكبير على أستون فيلا: ”أعتقد أن هذا الأسلوب يناسبنا أكثر، كلما حاولت الفرق اللعب ضدنا يكون ضغطنا من أفضل ما يمكننا فعله، لقد كان مناسبًا لنا أكثر الليلة وأعتقد أن الضغط كان رائعًا من الأمام مع هوجو إيكيتيكي ومحمد صلاح ونحن اللاعبين ندعمهم من الخلف، كان ذلك رائعًا، وأعتقد أن هذا هو ما حدد مسار المباراة”.

واستكمل: ”نعلم أنها كانت أسابيع صعبة، لكننا نعلم بالنظر إلى غرفة الملابس، أن لدينا الكثير من اللاعبين المميزين وكنتم تعلمون أنها مسألة وقت فقط قبل أن نتمكن من قلب الأمور، لحسن الحظ كان ذلك أمس، ولكن في الوقت نفسه إنه فوز واحد فقط، علينا أن نواصل العمل الآن ولدينا مباراتان حاسمتان قبل فترة التوقف الدولي، لذا علينا أن نتعافى الآن ونستعد لها”.

وقال برادلي: ”من الواضح أن اكتساب الثقة أمر جيد، فقد كانت مسيرة صعبة للغاية هذا الموسم، العودة إلى سكة الانتصارات أمر جيد للثقة ومن الواضح أننا سنكون مستعدين لمباراة الثلاثاء الآن، وهي مباراة حاسمة أخرى”.

وعن عدم تسجيله لأي هدف مع ليفربول: ”بصراحة ربما كان بإمكاني التسديد بضع مرات أخرى، لكن آمل أن يأتي الهدف قريبًا، أعتقد أنني ومحمد ودومينيك سوبوسلاي تعاوننا بشكل رائع على الجانب الأيمن، نأمل أن نواصل ذلك الآن في المباريات القادمة”.

واختتم: ”إنه أسبوع حافل بالأحداث، بدأ أمس وقد أنجزنا المهمة، لكن لدينا مباراتان هامتان قادمتان الآن، يوم الثلاثاء ثم ضد مانشستر سيتي في نهاية الأسبوع، نتطلع إلى ذلك ونتعافى الآن ونأمل أن نقدم أداءً جيدًا”.

Premier League title winner Danny Simpson has, during an exclusive interview with GOAL, explained why he will be avoiding a boxing match with ex-Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney. Simpson has stepped into the ring, while Rooney is a big fight fan, but no clash will be organised there due to close friends occupying very different weight classes.

Rooney back on punditry duty after coaching flops

Simpson formed part of United’s academy ranks when Rooney made his way to Old Trafford in 2004 as the most expensive teenager in world football at the time. Simpson made his competitive debut for United in 2007, with Rooney well on course to becoming the club’s all-time leading goalscorer by that point.

Rooney ended his United career with 253 goals and moved into management once he hung up his boots. Coaching endeavours have not played out as planned, with testing spells being taken in at Derby County, D.C. United, Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle. The former England captain is now back on punditry duty.

AdvertisementGettySimpson explains why he will avoid Rooney fight

While stepping away from competitive sport, Rooney has hinted in the past that he would welcome the opportunity to lace up a pair of gloves. Simpson has already trodden that path, having faced YouTuber Danny Aarons in an exhibition bout that ended in a split decision draw.

Quizzed by GOAL on whether he would like to face off against Rooney, Simpson – speaking in association with – said: “Not Wazza, no! He’s a little bit bigger than me! He’s definitely a different weight and he’d have me out of there in one round! I’d give it a go in sparring. I’d spar with him, but I don’t think I’d put myself on the main stage with him. He is strong and I have seen him box a little bit. I’d definitely stay away from his weight class.”

Hearn & KSI react to Rooney's boxing wish

Simpson, who claimed the Premier League crown with Leicester in 2026, had previously told iFL TV in September 2024: “I’m seeing him next Saturday because we’ve got a charity game at Old Trafford against Celtic. Listen, I’d have a go with Wazza. He’s a boxer, I know he is. He’s been around it, everyone’s got to back themselves, so why not?”

While Simpson has changed his tune, Rooney has explored potential routes into the ring. Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn told the Peter Crouch Podcast: “Rooney can fight, I’ve spoken to Wayne. When Wayne has a drink, he’ll message me and he’ll start going, ‘I’ll fight him and I’ll fight him,’ and I get excited. Sometimes I get a message from Wayne saying, ‘Make me vs so and so, make that fight.’ I’ll look at it in the morning and go, ‘This is massive’. So I’ll message him back, ‘Few glasses of red or [are you serious?]’. Then he won’t reply and I’ll go, ‘Damn.’ But Wayne can fight.”

A spot on one of the cards for Misfits Boxing has also been discussed, with KSI saying of those proposals: “I think he's probably going to have to lose a bit of weight before he gets into the ring. But if he's actually serious about wanting to fight, then Misfits have their arms wide open.”

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Getty/GOALKenny offer & documentary series: Next up for Rooney

Ex-Sheffield United and QPR goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has offered to provide opposition for Rooney after facing questions from the United great about his role in Manchester City’s dramatic Premier League title win in 2012 – with it Kenny that conceded Sergio Aguero’s iconic stoppage-time winner. He has told Boxing Social: “He keeps hammering me about that Aguero goal, so I think me and him need to sort it out in the ring. 13 years on, he’s still saying I let the goals in! It might have looked like I let them in but I didn’t!”

No imminent return to management appears to be on the cards for Rooney. Simpson has suggested that a role should be found for a club legend back at Old Trafford – in a coaching capacity – while the United icon is also preparing to star in a fly-on-the-wall documentary series from Disney+ alongside wife Coleen and their four sons.

Rohit Sharma has retired from Test cricket with immediate effect, meaning India will need to name a new full-time captain almost immediately after the end of IPL 2025, with India’s five-Test series in England scheduled to begin on June 20 at Headingley.”Hello everyone I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format,” Rohit, who had retired from T20Is after India won the T20 World Cup last year with him as captain, said in a post on social media on Wednesday evening.Rohit retires with 4301 runs in 67 Test matches, averaging 40.57 despite the poor recent run. He scored 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries over the years, with a best of 212, against South Africa in Ranchi in October 2019.Related

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• Gambhir: India should not play Pakistan at all

Roger Binny, the former India allrounder and current BCCI president, paid tribute to Rohit.”Mr Rohit Sharma’s impact on Indian cricket transcends records and statistics,” Binny said in a statement. “He brought a sense of calm and assurance to the team – both as a player and as a captain. His ability to stay composed under pressure and to consistently put the team’s needs above his own made him a truly special player and leader. Indian cricket has been fortunate to have a figure like Rohit – someone who upheld the highest standards of professionalism and sportsmanship. He leaves behind not just a remarkable playing record, but a culture of discipline and selflessness that will inspire future generations.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

As recently as Tuesday, Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach across the three international formats, had said in response to a question on the future of senior pros Rohit and Virat Kohli that “Till the time they are performing, they should be a part of the team. When you start and when you end is your individual decision. No coach, no selector, no BCCI can tell you when you should call it quits. If you perform, then why 40, you can jolly well play till 45, who’s stopping you?”Rohit’s decision comes after poor home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand late last year and then a horror tour of Australia across December 2024 and January 2025, where he crossed 50 just once and averaged 10.93 from eight Test matches. India won both the Tests against Bangladesh, but were swept 3-0 by New Zealand under Rohit’s captaincy, and then lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia 3-1.Rohit missed the first and last Tests on that tour of Australia, the first to be at home in India for the birth of his child, and the last, in Sydney, where he “stood down”. At the time, he had stressed that it was just that, a reaction to his poor batting form, not a “retirement decision”, and that he was not “going to take myself out of the game”. Jasprit Bumrah is currently India’s designated vice-captain and led in the first and last Tests in Australia in Rohit’s absence.Speaking to ” during the Test match, Rohit had said, “I sat out of this match because runs are not coming off my bat. There is no guarantee runs won’t come five or two months down the line. I have seen a lot in cricket that life changes every second, every minute, every day.”I have confidence in me that things can change, but at the same time I have to be realistic as well. So life won’t change by what people with a mic, pen or laptop write or say. They can’t decide when we should retire, when we should sit out, when we should captain. I am a sensible man, mature man, father of two kids. So I know what I need in life.”5:13

Kumble on Rohit’s Test retirement: ‘You know when it’s time and you don’t regret it’

Immediately after returning from Australia, Rohit played a one-off match for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy in January after the selectors in coordination with BCCI made it mandatory for contracted players to feature in domestic cricket. Rohit’s batting woes continued as he made 3 and 28 against Jammu & Kashmir.While the selectors decided to keep him as India’s captain for the Champions Trophy, Rohit was aware success in the ICC event wouldn’t guarantee his spot in the Test format. And, so, despite his leading India to the title in March, Rohit decided to bring the curtains down on his Test career.The development comes with little over a month to go for the start of India’s five-Test tour of England on June 20. The selectors are expected to finalise the Test squad in the coming weeks, but with Rohit retiring, the biggest question for the Ajit Agarkar-led panel would be naming the next Test captain.Bumrah is an option but putting that responsibility on a fast bowler, particularly one who has just returned from injury might not be easy. He shouldered a heavy workload during the Australia tour and was diagnosed with a stress reaction on his lower back, resulting in his being unable to bowl in the second innings of the final Test in Sydney. Bumrah missed the Champions Trophy thereafter and only resumed playing since April in the IPL where he represents Mumbai Indians.