Dean Huijsen has revealed that Jose Mourinho is demanding more from him after the Real Madrid defender played another important role in the 2-1 Champions League victory over Inter Milan.Huijsen has es...
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F09%2Fimago1082586972h-6aa0f5420763c500422245.jpg)
Liverpool face a late fitness worry before their Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid after Cody Gakpo missed training as a precaution, potentially opening the door for Bradley Barcola to make his first start.
Manchester United boss Michael Carrick (Picture: Getty) Jaap Stam has urged Michael Carrick to get Joshua Zirkzee back in the Manchester United team after a summer move away from Old Trafford fell through. The Red Devils were open to offloading Zirkzee in the summer transfer window amid interest from multiple Italian clubs. Juventus and Napoli both expressed interest in the Netherlands international but favoured a loan deal whereas Manchester United wanted a standard sale. Zirzkee also attracted interest from Everton on transfer deadline day but at that point United had ruled out a deal given they were unable to sign a replacement. Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro's football newsletter Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Sign up now for free. Manchester United had high hopes for Zirkzee following his £36.5m move from Bologna in 2024 but the 25-year-old has scored just five goals across the last two Premier League campaigns. Carrick appears to have reservations about Zirkzee and is yet to give the Dutchman any minutes from the bench this season. But Old Trafford legend Stam is confident his compatriot Zirkzee can ‘still do well’ for Manchester United and says he was one of the reasons Carrick ‘didn’t need to sign a striker this summer’. Manchester United outcast Joshua Zirkzee (Picture: Getty) ‘It looks as if Manchester United are dealing with transfer windows in stages,’ Stam told Betfred. ‘We had the attack last summer, midfield this summer and defence possibly next summer, but I believe you always have to look at the areas that need strengthening at the time. ‘I don’t think they needed a striker this summer because I believe in Sesko and I think [Joshua] Zirkzee can still do well for United. Old Trafford legend Jaap Stam (Picture: Getty) ‘I would have liked to have seen a new winger signed this summer because I think they’re crucial for the style of play that United have. ‘Marcus Rashford has stepped in and done really well, but can he keep that up? Bryan Mbeumo sometimes plays on the right, sometimes he plays down the middle, so I would have brought in a winger with a lot of pace that can create something. ‘Defensively, the players in that area have played together for years and years, so I think they needed to add something new and I would have done that straight away if the opportunity was there.’ Liverpool summer signing Bradley Barcola (Picture: Getty) Stam’s winger of choice for Manchester United would have been Bradley Barcola, who completed a stunning £123m move from PSG to Liverpool. Barcola helped the Ligue 1 giants win back-to-back Champions Leagues and was part of France’s star-studded World Cup squad over the summer. ‘Liverpool got Bradley Barcola from PSG and like I’ve said previously, I would have liked Man United to have signed a winger during the summer transfer window,’ Stam added. ‘He’s the type of player we could have done with because he’s got tremendous pace and he’s unpredictable in the way he plays. ‘But Manchester United have their own thoughts on how they want to approach the transfer window, so who am I to say who they should have signed and who they shouldn’t.’ Carrick’s United mark their return to the Champions League on Thursday night against Azerbaijani minnows Shabah. The Red Devils then return to Premier League action on Sunday with a Manchester derby against Enzo Maresca’s City. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
With the Champions League as the main objective for Bayern Munich, Harry Kane is eyeing the Ballon d'Or following what he catalogued as his "by far" best personal season. Harry Kane stands as one of the frontrunners to capture the 2026 Ballon d’Or following a historic 2025-26 campaign that cemented his place among the most prolific individual seasons in soccer history. While reiterating his commitment to winning the UEFA Champions League, the English superstar has turned his attention to individual accolades following what he called “by far” his finest professional year. Demonstrating elite form in front of goal, Kane concluded the 2025-26 campaign with 73 total goals, marking the second-highest single-season tally in history. The haul saw him surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s 69-goal mark from 2011-12, trailing only Lionel Messi’s record 82-goal campaign that same year. However, falling short in both the Champions League and the 2026 World Cup has left the award race tightly contested. Speaking with TNT Sports on Monday, Kane assessed his chances of claiming the Ballon d’Or while reflecting on his personal achievements: “Of course, now it is out of my hands, it is down to the voters and the people who decide it. The season I had was my best season by far, and we’ll have to wait and see.“ On Tuesday, France Football unveiled its 30-player shortlist for the honor, with Kane featuring as one of four Bayern Munich representatives alongside Dayot Upamecano, Luis Diaz, and Michael Olise. “I’m happy that I am in contention, so we will have to wait and see,” he concluded. Nominated for the 2026 Ballon d’Or ⬇️@HKane@FCBayern@England#ballondor pic.twitter.com/gBPwTpQCHf— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026 Throughout the 2025-26 domestic campaign, Kane dominated German soccer by helping Bayern sweep every domestic trophy available, securing the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and DFL-Supercup titles. On the international stage, Bayern fell in the Champions League semifinals to PSG, while Kane led England to a third-place finish at the 2026 World Cup, marking the Three Lions’ best tournament run since winning the title in 1966. The Champions League: Kane’s primary objective Kane’s move from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich in 2023 represented a clear statement of intent to compete for Europe’s premier honors. Entering the 2026-27 campaign, his fourth season with the Bavarian giants, the English striker has identified the Champions League as the club’s ultimate objective. Reflecting on recent European setbacks, Kane made his expectations clear: “We’re really close. I think last year was the finest of margins – to go out to a team who has won the Champions League back to back. We’re coming into this season now saying that it needs to be our year.“ During his debut season in Germany in 2023-24, Bayern suffered a 4-3 aggregate elimination against eventual champions Real Madrid in the semifinals, followed by a quarterfinal exit to eventual finalists Inter Milan by the same aggregate scoreline the following year. A dramatic 6-5 aggregate loss to eventual champions PSG in last season’s semifinals once again left Bayern on the threshold of the final, with Kane expecting the 2026-27 campaign to mark their breakthrough.
A domestic double winner, the Bundesliga Player of the Season and the leading assist provider at the FIFA World Cup: Michael Olise's 2025/26 campaign was certainly one to remember. With several game-winning moments to match his remarkable numbers, the Bayern Munich winger has every reason to be eyeing the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
