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Carlos Correa is going back to where it all started.

The Minnesota Twins dealt the three-time All-Star shortstop to the Houston Astros in a blockbuster move before the trade deadline, reuniting him with the team with whom he spent seven seasons and helped win the 2017 World Series.

Correa was reportedly a big fan of the reunion as he waived his no-trade clause to return to the Astros. "I let [the Twins] know there was only one team I would allow that to happen," Correa said.

Astros star Jose Altuve was also pumped about the Correa trade and shared a simple, two-emoji reaction on his Instagram Stories.

On Thursday night, Altuve reposted a graphic of Correa in an Astros jersey who was pointing to his wrist to signal, "It's time." Altuve added two clock emojis in the caption:

It should come as no surprise that the Astros second baseman is excited about the move given that the two were good friends and teammates from 2015 to '21.

Prior to the deadline deal, Altuve said he hadn't spoken to Correa about returning to Houston but did speculate on a potential reunion.

"Correa’s a guy with a lot of history here in Houston," Altuve said Wednesday. "He’s a great player, a great human being, great teammate, so I think anything that happens, I hope it’s the best for him and for us."

يستعد المدرب الألماني توماس توخيل لخطوة لم يسبق لأي مدرب وطني أن أقدم عليها مع منتخب إنجلترا، بعد أن تصدر عناوين الصحف بعد مناقشته إجراء غير مسبق في منتخب الأسود الثلاثة.

ويريد توماس توخيل من لاعبيه البدلاء البقاء في غرف الملابس خلال كأس العالم 2026، حيث يفكر في عدم وضع دكة البدلاء على جانب الملعب عندما تتجاوز درجات الحرارة الحدود الخطرة في الولايات المتحدة والمكسيك وكندا.

ويدرس المدرب الألماني هذا الأمر للحفاظ على لياقة لاعبيه وزيادة تأثيرهم على مقاعد البدلاء في حديثه لـ “بي بي سي”: “إذا كان سيساعدنا على تقديم أداء أفضل في نهاية المباريات فعلينا أن نفكر به”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. كريستيانو رونالدو يستفز ميسي بمقطع ذكاء اصطناعي قبل كأس العالم 2026

وأضاف: “لا أحد يحب هذا، أفضل أن يكون الجميع بجانبي ليشعر اللاعبون بطاقة الفريق، لكنني رأيت فرقاً تفعل ذلك في كأس العالم للأندية، آمل ألا نضطر للذهاب لهذا الحد ولكن ربما نحتاج للتكيف”.

وأكمل: “لا يمكن لعب كرة القدم نفسها عند درجة حرارة 45 درجة كما تفعل عند درجة حرارة 21 درجة”.

واختتم عن حلم تحقيق الفوز ببطولة كأس العالم: “يحلم الجميع بتحقيق إنجاز كبير، لا نعد بالفوز، إلا أن جماهيرنا ستشهد الجهد والالتزام والتفاني الكامل للفريق بأكمله، من الضروري أن يتحلى اللاعبون بالشجاعة في سعيهم نحو اللقب وأن يحافظوا على التركيز والنهج الصحيحين في كل مباراة، ستحدد القرعة الخصوم الذين سنواجههم وسنستعد وفقاً لذلك”.

Southampton were hit with a hammer blow on Saturday when they conceded in the 97th minute to lose to Millwall at The Den in their last Championship game of the month.

After fighting to make it 2-2 through Fin Azaz, the Saints defence fell asleep at a crucial moment to allow Tristan Crama to sneak in unmarked at the back post to score the winner.

It was a brutal way to lose a game of football, but it was also the first loss of Tonda Eckert’s time in interim charge, after four wins in his first four games in the dugout.

The latest on Tonda Eckert's future at Southampton

Football Insider recently reported that the German tactician is in the driving seat to land the role on a permanent basis, thanks to winning his first four matches in the Championship.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

The outlet claimed that the former U21s boss is the leading candidate to take the job from Sport Republic, ahead of more experienced managers who have been on the shortlist, including, but not limited to, Russell Martin.

However, Football Insider added that Eckert will still be given more time before a final decision is made, and that a permanent appointment is not imminent at this moment in time.

With this in mind, there is still time for Southampton to look elsewhere for their next manager, which is why they should push to hire Brendan Rodgers, who was linked with the role shortly after Will Still’s departure.

Why Southampton should hire Brendan Rodgers

Sport Republic, as they will, need to consider the short and long-term consequences with their next managerial appointment, because there are two elements at play.

In the short term, they need a manager, whether that is Eckert or someone else, who can guide the team up the table and into promotion contention to get back to the Premier League.

However, in the long term, the Saints need a boss who can then guide them to safety in the top-flight, because Martin was unable to do that after winning promotion with the club, which illustrates the importance of hiring a manager who can achieve both tasks.

Rodgers, once described as “world-class” by Gabby Agbonlahor, is a highly experienced Premier League manager who knows what it takes to be successful at that level, having managed Leicester, Liverpool, and Swansea in the top-flight.

Brendan Rodgers (Premier League)
Season (club)	Games	Position
22/23 (Leicester)	28	19
21/22 (Leicester)	38	8th
20/21 (Leicester)	38	5th
19/20 (Leicester)	38	5th
18/19 (Leicester)	10	9th
15/16 (Liverpool)	8	10th
14/15 (Liverpool)	38	6th
13/14 (Liverpool)	38	2nd
12/13 (Liverpool)	38	7th
11/12 (Swansea)	38	11th
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the only season that Rodgers did not have his team competing for a top-half finish was when he was sacked with ten matches to go in the 2022/23 campaign.

His overall history in the division suggests that he has the managerial chops to keep the Saints in the Premier League if they earn promotion, whilst Eckert has no previous experience at that level and would go in as a novice in that respect, just as Martin did.

Meanwhile, Rodgers is also coming off a second stint with Celtic in Scotland, where, as shown in the graphic above, he won four trophies in two full seasons in Glasgow.

The Northern Irish boss won four Premiership titles in four full seasons with the Hoops over two spells with the club, per Transfermarkt, which shows that the experienced manager also knows how to coach a team to win matches on a consistent basis.

That is further backed up by the fact that he won the Championship play-offs to win promotion to the Premier League with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign, before finishing 11th in the top-flight with the Welsh outfit.

Rodgers is, therefore, a manager who has a proven track record of being able to achieve what Southampton need in the short and long-term, whilst Eckert has made a strong start to life in the Championship but does not have a proven record, with no top-flight experience.

"Really great coach" in pole position to be named permanent Southampton manager

The Saints are now edging closer to appointing a permanent manager.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 28, 2025

This is why Sport Republic should push to appoint Rodgers as their new permanent manager, if the former Hoops boss is willing to make the move, because he could be a big upgrade on Eckert with his reputation and proven coaching ability.

Chelsea legend John Terry has made a huge claim about star left-back Marc Cucurella after his masterclass against Barcelona and Lamine Yamal in the Champions League.

Chelsea thrash Barcelona as Marc Cucurella shines

Cucurella delivered the performance of his Chelsea career on Tuesday night, completely neutralizing Barça’s sensation Yamal as the Blues cruised to a commanding 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.

While another teenage sensation, Estevao, grabbed all the headlines with his spectacular solo goal, it was Cucurella’s disciplined defensive work that provided the foundation for Chelsea’s dominant display against the Spanish champions.

The left-back’s ability to lock down his international teammate proved instrumental in suffocating Barcelona’s primary attacking threat throughout the ninety minutes, with Cucurella earning a deserved player of the match award.

Yamal, who finished second in the recent Ballon d’Or voting, endured one of the most frustrating evenings of his early career to date as Cucurella shadowed his every movement.

The Chelsea defender repeatedly intercepted passes intended for the teenage prodigy and forced him into ineffective wide areas where he posed minimal threat, with Cucurella continuing to make his previous doubters look pretty silly.

Beyond his defensive responsibilities, Cucurella contributed going forward too — providing an outlet down the left channel and delivering dangerous crosses into Barca’s penalty area. His energy and work rate exemplified the intensity Chelsea brought to the contest, setting the tone for teammates to follow.

The 27-year-old, who has been a standout performer for both Enzo Maresca’s side and Spain over these last two seasons, was also awarded a secret contract extension in August to reflect his star player status, according to Fabrizio Romano this week.

Now, Terry has had his say on the former Brighton star in a statement of real praise.

John Terry makes big Marc Cucurella claim after Chelsea masterclass

Speaking on Wednesday, Terry branded Cucurella as one of the best left-backs in the world right now and everything he wants to see in a Chelsea player.

Right now, there is no question that he is one of Chelsea’s most important players, but a time will come when the club must replace him considering he one day wants to return to play in Spain.

According to some reports, Chelsea already have a succession plan in mind.

Journalist Simon Phillips reported earlier this week that Chelsea are trying to convince Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly to join them as a long-term replacement for Cucurella, but for now, the Hale End sensation isn’t keen on going anywhere.

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Manchester United are now reportedly leading Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona in the race to sign Kennet Eichhorn, who’s been compared to the legendary Toni Kroos.

The Red Devils are gearing up for another frantic year of recruitment, with Ruben Amorim’s midfield seemingly taking the focus after INEOS already improved the manager’s frontline last summer.

On that front, names such as Elliot Anderson have already threatened to steal the headlines and there’s no doubt that he’d be an excellent signing. The Nottingham Forest star has recently taken Adam Wharton’s place in Thomas Tuchel’s best England side and is proving to be one of few standouts in a season to forget at the City Ground.

Champions League qualification is of course the aim at Old Trafford this season, but the fact that United proved they can lure top talents to the club without it should be seen as a huge boost in pursuit of Anderson.

He’s not the only one on their reported shortlist, however. Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba is still on United’s radar after they failed to secure his signature in the summer.

The impressive defensive midfielder would solve a problem that Amorim has had since he’s arrived, with Manuel Ugarte failing to live up to expectations and Casemiro edging past his consistent best.

It is also worth noting that, as ever, those at Old Trafford also have an eye on future talent. The task for INEOS is not just to turn United around as soon as possible, but to then avoid another major collapse. And the pursuit of the next Kroos would go a long way towards doing just that.

Man Utd leading race to sign Kennet Eichhorn

As reports relayed by Caught Offside, Man United are now in pole position to sign Eichhorn from Hertha Berlin ahead of PSG and Barcelona after sending scouts. The 16-year-old midfielder is one of the hottest prospects around and has even been dubbed the next Kroos thanks to his ability to dictate play from a deeper role.

Amorim wants to keep him: Man Utd star in January exit talks with deal "likely"

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The impressive teenager is yet to even turn 18, but is already playing an important role at Hertha, having started six of their 11 2.Bundesliga games so far this season. This early experience in itself has only highlighted the talent that the German club have on their hands.

It’s little surprise that Eichhorn has been the talk of Europe and scout Jacek Kulig is one of many to have praised the midfielder – describing him as “technically sharp”, “intelligent on the ball” and “fearless”.

Man Utd offered Vlahovic in January as Juventus name bargain price

Liverpool are reportedly prepared to initiate contract talks with Dominik Szoboszlai, as the club looks to secure the future of the Hungarian. It has been revealed that Arne Slot is eager to tie down the playmaker, alongside teammate Ryan Gravenberch, with the Reds preparing for the long haul.

• Liverpool ready to secure Szoboszlai’s future

  According to Liverpool are preparing to open formal negotiations with Szoboszlai over a new long-term contract. Despite Liverpool’s recent inconsistencies, Szoboszlai has maintained his performance levels and been a benchmark of quality and determination. While summer signing Florian Wirtz continues to struggle, Szoboszlai has started every Premier League and Champions League game this season to cement himself as a vital cog in Slot’s evolving midfield system. 

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• GOAL
  

  Szoboszlai contract update from Romano

  Romano confirmed on Friday evening that Liverpool have begun early talks over a new deal. Writing on X, he said: "Liverpool have started talks over new deal with Dominik Szoboszlai, after exclusive story 2 weeks ago. The plan was clear: Szobo and Gravenberch to discuss new contracts soon, as talks started with the Hungarian. Club super happy + top performances."

  Szoboszlai and Gravenberch are currently believed to earn around £270,000 a week between them, with both contracts running until 2028. The new deal is expected to extend those terms further by a couple of years and also bring a significant pay rise for both.

• Gravenberch’s rise from undesirable to undeniable

  Gravenberch’s development has been equally impressive. The Dutchman arrived from Bayern Munich for £40m ($53m) and, after a slow start, he has quietly established himself as one of the team’s most reliable performers. The 22-year-old has contributed three goals and two assists in 11 appearances, and he is regarded as one of the most improved players under Slot’s guidance. 

  Meanwhile, Szoboszlai’s performance in Liverpool’s recent 1-0 Champions League victory over Real Madrid was hailed by the fans. He put in a brilliant shift while operating as the engine of Slot’s side, and his teammate Virgil van Dijk reserved high praise as he brought out his best against one of Europe’s toughest opponents. 

  "What you see is what you get from Dom," Van Dijk told reporters. "He is very important. The energy he brings on the pitch is incredible and the quality that he has is outstanding. Like you said, he is learning each and every game and he is developing into the player we all feel like he could be. He is already showing that for the country he is playing for and it is about keeping on doing it for the rest of the season. So far he has had a great start to the season and he has to keep going. Keep your head down and keep performing."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Several contract decisions lined up at Liverpool

  Slot’s new-look midfield has been a work in progress, but the trio of Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister has provided a dynamic foundation. All three are expected to be tied down with fresh deals to fend away suitors, with the Argentine already linked with a move to Real Madrid. This approach is part of a wider strategic overhaul at Anfield as they are prioritising locking down key talents early rather than risking future contract stand-offs; a lesson that they learnt in a bitter way by losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid for just £10m before the Club World Cup. 

  Beyond the midfield, Liverpool have other pressing contract matters to resolve. Centre-back Ibrahima Konate and vice-captain Andy Robertson are both entering the final year of their current deals. Discussions with Konate are understood to be ongoing, while Robertson’s future remains uncertain as the club weigh their long-term options.

  After a brief, turbulent period under Slot, they have begun to find their rhythm again. Liverpool currently sit third in the Premier League table with 18 points from their first 10 matches. They are seven adrift of leaders Arsenal, but within striking distance as the season enters a crucial phase before the festive period. Next up is a monumental clash with Manchester City at the Etihad. Szoboszlai is certain to feature, and his tireless presence coupled with his creative force, will once again be key to Liverpool’s hopes.

Chelsea are prepared to make another move for a “fantastic” BlueCo target after already seeing an offer rejected, according to a new report.

Chelsea enjoy big spending summer but still lack in key areas

Last summer, Enzo Maresca’s side marked themselves out as the Premier League’s second-biggest spenders behind champions Liverpool — splashing north of £280 million on new recruits.

Chelsea balanced out this major squad investment by agreeing a plethora of player sales over the course of the window, so much so that they actually a registered a negative net spend and made a small profit.

Liverpool

£415,000,000

£187,000,000

£228,000,000

Chelsea

£285,000,000

£288,000,000

-£3,000,000

Arsenal

£255,000,000

£9,000,000

£246,000,000

Newcastle

£250,000,000

£152,000,000

£98,000,000

Man Utd

£216,000,000

£68,000,000

£148,000,000

Nottm Forest

£205,000,000

£107,000,000

£98,000,000

Tottenham

£181,000,000

£36,000,000

£145,000,000

Sunderland

£162,000,000

£44,000,000

£118,000,000

Man City

£152,000,000

£53,000,000

£99,000,000

West Ham

£124,000,000

£55,000,000

£69,000,000

via BBC

From a purely business perspective, the summer was an undoubted success, and Maresca watched the likes of teenage sensation Estevao – who just scored a winner against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge – Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho all come in to bolster his attacking options.

However, bar the signing of young defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax, Chelsea finished the window short of new options for their backline.

After Levi Colwill’s ACL injury, which is expected to keep him out for most of 2025/2026, Maresca was clear that he wanted another centre-back and publicly urged the club to sign one before deadline day on September 1.

This wasn’t to be, leaving the west Londoners pretty short of quality in a key area, while Chelsea’s attempts to sign another goalkeeper also faltered.

Maresca is believed to be unhappy with his current Chelsea squad (Simon Phillips), but reports suggest that they’re set to try and back the Italian with a proven defender in January (Pete O’Rourke).

Meanwhile, given Delap will take a while to get back up to speed once he returns from injury, Chelsea are also looking at new striker options for the winter market — who’d come in for a cheap fee, on loan or are possibly already owned by BlueCo (Simon Phillips).

Chelsea could even choose to bring in another winger, specifically Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.

Chelsea to make second Kenan Yildz approach after rejected £61m offer

Fabrizio Romano has already confirmed that Chelsea are “very interested” in Yildiz, and now a report from Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport has shed more light on the situation.

According to their information, Chelsea had a £61m million bid rejected for the Turkey international rejected last summer, but Maresca’s side aren’t resigned to giving up on his signing just yet.

It is believed that Chelsea will make a second approach for Yildiz, with the Old Lady running into some delay regarding his new contract and the Stamford Bridge side sensing an opportunity to take him from Turin.

The 20-year-old was Juve’s star forward last season, racking up 12 goals and nine assists in all competitions, totalling 21 contributions, and he averaged the highest Serie A match rating out of all of his teammates with more than 15 starts (WhoScored).

He’s started this campaign in equally imperious fashion, averaging more shots and key passes per 90 than any other Juve player in the top flight (WhoScored), but Romano says that the Premier League isn’t that tempting for him right now amid renewal talks.

Troy Deeney has slammed Aston Villa’s “ego” problem and called out one of Unai Emery’s key players after their dry spell of form continued last weekend.

Villa winless after opening five games

Very few fans would’ve predicted Villa to be in the Premier League relegation zone after their first five games, but they’re currently occupying 18th place, after drawing three and losing two, scoring just one goal in the process.

Most recently, the Villans came up short at the Stadium of Light, drawing 1-1, despite Sunderland being reduced to ten men in the first half, with Wilson Isidor cancelling out Matty Cash’s opening goal.

The problems have continued to mount at Villa Park, with it subsequently being confirmed that sporting director Monchi is set to leave, in what could be another major blow for Emery, amid widespread speculation surrounding the manager’s future.

As mentioned, one of Villa’s main issues up to this stage has been the failure to score goals, with Ollie Watkins yet to find the back of the net, and Deeney has now singled the striker out for criticism.

The former Birmingham City man said: “The biggest problem is lack of goals, lack of goals from Ollie at this moment in time.

“At this moment in time, you’re the only striker there, you’re the one they’re looking towards and for the start of the season, you’re not delivering.

The talkSPORT pundit also went on to add: “At the moment in time, he just looks off it, he looks comfortable.”

Aston Villa heading for Benteke repeat over "top talent" & it's not Watkins

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Not only is Deeney unimpressed with Watkins’ start to the campaign, but he is also concerned there may be an “ego” problem at Villa, saying: “It’s a weird one. I thought maybe with [Jadon] Sancho and [Harvey] Elliott coming in, there’d be a bit more dynamism to it. But they must not be fit enough as he’s not putting them anywhere near the starting line-up. It’s an ego thing now, a player-driven ego thing.”

“I think the manager is a very, very good manager, but you have to start looking now and saying: Why are the players trying to play inside the pitch? Why is Morgan Rogers not the focal point?”

Watkins needs to start firing after poor start

No one can deny the Villa striker has been a fantastic servant, having picked up 87 goals and 42 assists in 229 matches, but he must start firing sooner rather than later, having once again put in a poor performance against Sunderland.

The England international missed one big chance and touched the ball just 16 times throughout the match, finishing with a SofaScore match rating of just 6.3.

In fairness, the onus isn’t just on the former Brentford man to start improving, with fellow key player Morgan Rogers also failing to register a single goal or an assist this term, while Shay Given has called Emery out for labelling his players “lazy”.

It is a risky tactic for Emery to publicly criticise his players, but he will be hoping for a response from his side when their Europa League campaign gets underway against Bologna on Thursday.