A new claim has emerged regarding who Norwich City’s next manager could be, with Kim Hellberg reportedly the subject of talks with the club recently.
The Canaries are still looking to bring in the right replacement for Liam Manning, who was relieved of his duties earlier this month, with the 40-year-old sending a classy message to the fanbase.
“I look back on being appointed head coach of my hometown club with great pride. Unfortunately, we were unable to achieve the results or fulfil the plans we set out when we took over in June. Although my time with the fans was brief, I want to acknowledge their outstanding support during a challenging period. They continued to show up in great numbers – unsurprising given their passion and loyalty – and displayed incredible spirit despite understandable frustrations.”
“I would like to thank the players for their efforts throughout my time at the club and wish them all the best, both personally and professionally. The club welcomed me warmly, and the dedication of everyone across all departments never went unnoticed. I am truly grateful for that and I wish everyone associated with Norwich City the very best for the future.”
A host of individuals have been linked with being Manning’s successor at Norwich, including former Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, and now a new update has thrown another name into the hat.
The latest on Jon Dahl Tomasson becoming Norwich City's next manager
Is he the right man for the job?
ByHenry Jackson Nov 16, 2025 Norwich have held talks with Kim Hellberg
According to Sky Sports, Norwich briefly spoke to Hammarby manager boss Hellebrg about taking charge at Carrow Road, but that ship appears to have sailed.
That’s because Middlesbrough are believed to have a verbal agreement in place with the 37-year-old, bringing him in to replace Rob Edwards, who has departed for Wolves.
Hellberg would have been a left-field choice by Norwich, given his lack of experience, but it is easy to see why they have looked at him as a potential strong choice.
The Swede has been lauded as the “brightest football mind” by assistant coach David Selini, highlighting his tactical acumen, and by IFK Varnamo sporting director Enes Ahmetovic for the detail he goes into, and he is at an age where he is likely to bring fresh ideas.
It looks as though Norwich will have to look elsewhere, though, whether it be Tomasson, Gary O’Neil or someone else, and the Canaries will hope that Hellberg doesn’t thrive too much at Boro, assuming he does move there.
Norwich City also had talks with manager who has 100% win record vs Manning
كشفت تقارير صحفية خطة التعافي التي سيتبعها برشلونة مع نجمه لامين يامال، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي بعد إصابة العانة التي يعاني منها منذ فترة والتي جعتله يغيب عن منتخب إسبانيا في المباراتين الأخيرتين بتصفيات كأس العالم 2026.
وكانت عودة لامين يامال في الجلسة التدريبية السابقة قد اقتصرت على التدريب في صالة الألعاب الرياضية، قبل أن يعود للتدريب في الملعب صباح أمس بجانب زملائه في إشارة إيجابية لبرشلونة قبل لقاء أتلتيك بلباو.
بعد خضوعه لعلاج بالترددات الراديوية في 10 نوفمبر، نال جناح برشلونة قسطًا من الراحة ولمدة 72 ساعة، ثم بعد ذلك راحة كاملة قبل أن يبدأ برنامجًا تأهيليًا خاصًا مع اثنين من أخصائي العلاج الطبيعي بالنادي الخميس الماضي.
ووفقًا لصحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، فإن هدف إدارة برشلونة هو أن يتمكن لامين من العودة إلى المباريات خلال 7 أو 10 أيام.
عودة جزئية في بلباو وجاهزية للندن
لم يستبعد النادي مشاركة لامين لبضع دقائق أمام أتلتيك بلباو يوم السبت ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني، وهو اختبار بسيط لهدفه الرئيسي وهو الوصول إلى قمة لياقته البدنية قبل مباراة تشيلسي بدوري أبطال أوروبا.
بالإضافة إلى ذلك، يتطلع لاعب برشلونة بحماس كبير للعودة إلى ملعب كامب نو لكن الأولوية هي تعافيه التام وإذا لم يكن يتحسن بشكل جيد، فلن يعود إلى الفريق، يتابع طبيب بلجيكي متخصص تطور حالة صاحب الـ18 عامًا وقد أجرى تقييمًا له ووافق عليه، ومن المقرر أن يعود إلى برشلونة للعمل مع الدكتور برونا لإعادة تقييم حالته استعدادًا لعودته والمرحلة التالية من العلاج.
الألم والقلق وتجنب الجراحة
أوضحت مصادر مطلعة للصحيفة الإسبانية أن لامين كان يعاني من ألم شديد وقلق بشأن مدى خطورة الإصابة، لم يُنظر في إجراء عملية جراحية أبدًا ولم يرغب اللاعب ولا من حوله في معرفة أي شيء عن غرفة العمليات، ما فكروا فيه هو استشارة أخصائيين خارجيين وهو أمر بادر برشلونة بترتيبه من خلال استقدام الطبيب البلجيكي الذي يشرف على علاجه حاليًا.
اقرأ أيضًا | برشلونة يتلقى دفعة معنوية قوية قبل مواجهة أتلتيك بلباو
وأكملت الصحيفة أنه رغم رغبة لامين في الإنضمام إلى المنتخب، وصل إلى معسكر المنتخب الإسباني مساء الاثنين، 10 نوفمبر، مُدركًا أنه لن يتمكن من السفر مع “لا روخا”، كان برشلونة قد أبلغه هو وفريقه بالعلاج الذي خضع له يوم الاثنين ولذلك افترضوا مسبقًا أنه سيغيب عن مباريات نوفمبر.
أوضح الأطباء لـ لامين يامال خطورة إصابته وإن لم يُعالجها فقد تستمر لأشهر، يدرك اللاعب هذا الأمر وهو مُركز تمامًا على تعافيه، الأولوية الآن هي التغلب على الإصابة دون أي انتكاس وتقوية المنطقة المصابة.
درس الكلاسيكو
بعد مباراة الكلاسيكو ضد ريال مدريد، قرر لامين يامال تقليل حضوره الإعلامي، وتواجد أقل على منصات التواصل الاجتماعي ولن ينشر الفيديو المُخطط له إلا في حال مشاركته في مباراة تشيلسي، علاوة على ذلك، أنهى علاقته بالمغنية الأرجنتينية نيكي نيكول، وهي علاقة شهدت بعض اللحظات الصعبة في الأيام الأخيرة التي أثرت عليه.
طموح وشغف لا يتوقف
برغم من أن لامين يبلغ من العمر 18 عامًا إلا أنه يملك شغفًا وطموحًا ثابتًا لا يتغير، أن يكون رقم واحد ويقود برشلونة إلى القمة، يُدرك أنه يجب عليه تحسين جوانب روتينه اليومي دون أن يفقد شخصيته التي دفعته إلى هذا الصعود السريع بين الصفوة في منزله الجديد، جهز منطقة للعلاج الطبيعي وأنظمة استشفاء مائية، إيمانًا منه بأهمية كل تفصيل.
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been handed a major injury update on club captain Martin Odegaard ahead of their clash with Tottenham on Sunday.
The Gunners welcome their fierce to the Emirates Stadium for the 198th edition of the North London derby, but Arteta faces perhaps his most challenging selection dilemma of the season after news that Gabriel Maglhaes could be out for at least a month with a thigh injury.
The Premier League leaders enter this weekend’s face-off sitting four points clear at the summit, maintaining their position despite a recent 2-2 draw at Sunderland that ended their remarkable 10-match winning streak across all competitions.
That minor setback pales in comparison to losing Gabriel, who’s been both the cornerstone of their water-tight backline and a major threat from set pieces all season.
Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
Initial medical assessments suggest the Brazilian centre-back could miss anywhere from one to two months of action, potentially sidelining him until mid-January.
Gabriel’s absence creates a massive void at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, with the 27-year-old having been instrumental in the north Londoners conceding just five goals across their opening eleven league matches.
Arteta breathed a sigh of relief when Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori is able to play against Tottenham after his own injury scare, but the Spaniard will still be forced to deploy an unfamiliar centre-back pairing of Cristhian Mosquera or Piero Hincapie alongside William Saliba.
Arsenal’s attacking contingent also faces uncertainty heading into the derby.
Viktor Gyökeres remains doubtful with a hamstring problem he sustained against Burnley, whilst there’s ambiguity surrounding Gabriel Martinelli’s fitness after missing recent games with a muscle issue.
Kai Havertz’s situation looks particularly concerning after Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann confirmed the midfielder suffered a minor relapse in his recovery from a knee injury, potentially delaying his return until nearer the end of 2025.
Noni Madueke appears most likely to return from the injured quintet, reportedly having come close to making the squad for Sunderland before medical staff opted for caution.
Odegaard’s fitness adds yet another layer of intrigue.
Norway manager Stale Solbakken suggested the midfielder remains “some distance away” from returning, yet Odegaard himself offered more optimism — stating his injury is “starting to look better.”
Of course, neither of these statements offer clarity about his Spurs involvement, but insider HandOfArsenal has some very good news on that front.
Martin Odegaard in contention to play Tottenham after Arsenal update
According to the reliable Emirates Stadium source, there is a ‘possibility’ that Odegaard will be available to play against Tottenham this Sunday — giving Arteta some real encouragement that he could be about to welcome his chief creator back into the fold.
Odegaard’s return would alleviate the creative burden currently shouldered by Bukayo Saka.
As so many attackers deal with fitness issues, Saka has been forced to carry much of Arsenal’s responsibility going forward, so the boost of Odegaard’s potential presence cannot be overstated following what has been a stop-start, injury-ridden 2025 for the player.
The psychological boost of having their captain available once again could undoubtedly be huge as well.
In a match where Arsenal will field an unfamiliar defensive partnership and potentially be without several key attackers, Odegaard’s return would provide some much-needed stability.
The 26-year-old hasn’t played since coming off against West Ham in October, having only just returned from a shoulder problem, so he’ll be dying to take to the field once more in one of Arsenal’s biggest games of the season.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued an apology after he clashed with a television cameraman in the wake of Saturday's disappointing Premier League defeat to Newcastle at St James' Park. Guardiola exchanged words with Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes after the final whistle and was also spotted confronting a camera operator in a bizarre exchange.
Guardiola apologises for behaviour at Newcastle
Guardiola faced the press again on Monday and took time out to apologise for his behaviour on Tyneside. The City boss appeared overcome by frustration at seeing his team beaten by Newcastle in feisty scenes on the pitch at full-time. He addressed the situation at a press conference ahead of his team's Champions League tie with Bayer Leverkusen and admitted he was not proud of his behaviour. Guardiola told reporters: "I apologise. I feel embarrassed, ashamed when I see it. I don’t like it. I apologised after one second to the cameraman. I am who I am. After 1,000 games I’m not a perfect person, I make huge mistakes. It’s not about that. What is for sure, I defend any team and my club, that’s for sure. The reason why is I want to defend my team and my club."
The City boss also explained his chat with Guimaraes, saying: "We have known Bruno for many, many years and every time after the game, even at the Etihad, we talk in the tunnel or wherever we talk, always. I don’t know what happened. Our paths always cross and I always have a good relationship with him. I love it. I’m an emotional guy, I love to talk and move my hands and my arms and everything."
AdvertisementAFPAnother landmark looming for Guardiola
Guardiola is now focused on Europe and a match that will bring up his 100th Champions League game in charge of Manchester City. The 54-year-old says his latest milestone makes him feel old, telling reporters: "I realise I'm getting old. Every game is a milestone. It's good. It means every season we've been there. It's a huge competition. It's special for the players. To challenge yourself with the best teams in Europe is incredible, a huge experience. For the club, in terms of reputation, prestige and financial issues it's massively important."
'One more point' – Pep wants qualification secured
The City boss also insisted that Saturday's loss had already been forgotten about and urged his team to regroup and secure qualification for the next phase of the Champions League. The Cityzens have three wins and a draw from their first four games and Guardiola says the clash with Leverkusen is crucial for his team.
"It’s immediately forgotten. That night, a little thought about what happened. It’s massively important the group stage, we have made incredibly good four games, even against Monaco away we played outstanding. Now we start the last four games, two at home two away, tomorrow against third in the table in the Bundesliga table. A massively important game to finish where we want to finish in the first eight. Win tomorrow and one more point and we qualify for the next round in front of the 24 teams. Tomorrow is important and we focus on what we have to do."
Guardiola was also asked about the defeat to Newcastle and whether it spelt the end of City's title hopes. He responded: "Losing four games in 12, we have to improve a lot. Mathematically, it's possible to win the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup, the Champions League, and the Premier League. You are experienced journalists. Did you hear me talk about quadruples in November, December when we won the quadruple? No. It will not be an exception in this case."
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AFPWhat comes next for City?
Man City will be favourites to win on Tuesday as the Cityzens possess a formidable record at home in the Champions League and have gone 23 matches without defeat in the group phase at the Etihad. Guardiola will be eager for his team to bounce back after defeat to Newcastle last time out, particularly as the their next game in the competition is against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Gary Stead can continue to work outside NZC too, like with Andhra in the Indian domestic circuit
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2025
Gary Stead recently also signed with Indian domestic side Andhra, and that commitment still holds•AFP/Getty Images
Gary Stead has rejoined New Zealand Cricket (NZC) as the high-performance coach, just over three months after he had stepped down as the national men’s head coach after a seven-year stint – he ended as the team’s most successful coach. His new role will be “supporting player and coach development, as well as high performance programmes”, an NZC statement said.”New Zealand cricket’s very much been at my heart for the past 30 odd years and to be able to keep contributing to the game I love is really special,” Stead said. “I’m still passionate about coaching and trying to help people learn and improve. If I can pass on some of my skills and experiences to the wider cricket network and in turn help the BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS win on the world stage – than that would be really satisfying.”I’m also appreciative of the opportunity to work outside of NZC to broaden my skills and experiences and hopefully I can bring what I learn back into our cricket environment.”Related
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One such opportunity is to work with the Andhra Cricket Association in India as the head coach of the men’s team, which will continue. Stead also provided interim coaching support to Otago Cricket over the winter pre-season and has been involved in a New Zealand Under-19 camp this month.”Gary’s knowledge and experiences in cricket is immense and the fact he’s still passionate and motivated to give back to the game in this country speaks volumes about his character,” NZC chief high-performance officer Daryl Gibson said. “His role, which is a commitment of three days a week on average over the year, will see him work across much of the high-performance network, allowing our national and domestic coaches, players and staff to tap into his expertise and IP.”Gary is also able to work outside of NZC, such as his recent part-time appointment to the Indian domestic side Andhra for their upcoming four-day competition, an experience which will allow him to further grow his knowledge and experience.”Stead’s highlights as the head coach of the men’s national team included winning the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) title in 2021 and sweeping India 3-0 in India in a Test series last year.Stead first joined NZC as a coach development manager (2004-2009), before becoming an assisted coach at the NZC Academy (2005-06), New Zealand Women’s head coach (2009-12), and Canterbury head coach and director of cricket (2012-18), before he joined the men’s senior team in 2018.
Four defeats from their last five clashes under Daniel Farke mean Leeds United sit just above the dreaded bottom three positions with just one point now separating the West Yorkshire giants from 18th spot.
With games still to come against the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool in recent outings, things look bleak for the manager.
The message remains clear, though. For the time being at least, Leeds will stick by the under-fire German, with journalist Graham Smyth – when speaking on a recent edition of the Square Ball Podcast – stating that he would be “stunned” if a change was afoot, even as Leeds’ form continues to fall off a cliff.
However, football is an ever-changing game. Discussion regarding Farke’s replacements is rife.
The candidates to replace Farke at Leeds
Regardless of Farke seemingly being given the dreaded vote of confidence at Elland Road, he will know he needs to buck up his ideas, especially with the names now being tipped to replace him.
Indeed, Brendan Rodgers’ name continues to float about after he resigned from the Celtic hot-seat, with the FA Cup-winning manager able to boast 139 wins in the Premier League when taking charge of the likes of Leicester City, Liverpool, and Swansea City in the past. He also masterminded an audacious 62-game unbeaten run in charge of the Glasgow giants.
Moreover, Ange Postecoglou – despite his recent Nottingham Forest difficulties – has also been mentioned as a potential replacement for the ex-Norwich City boss.
Postecoglou is no doubt in the running due to his similarities with Elland Road royalty in Marcelo Bielsa, with his swashbuckling approach at the helm of Tottenham Hotspur even resulting in an Europa League triumph occurring.
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Yet, he isn’t the only Bielsa-like figure in the frame to oust Farke, with a former EFL manager perhaps the perfect fit for Leeds right now as they try to beat the drop.
Leeds could hire "elite" manager with shades of Bielsa
Ultimately, Leeds have never quite been able to move on from Bielsa, even if Farke has been able to deliver a Championship title, much like the revered South American.
Against all the odds, though, after clinching the Championship title, Bielsa would take Leeds all the way up to a dizzy ninth position in the Premier League in his first season in the top-flight.
Ex-Arsenal great Thierry Henry even labelled the current Uruguay boss as “extraordinary” during his full-throttle stay in England.
It would, of course, be unrealistic to expect Leeds to climb to such heights in the here and now, but the Whites could look to replicate the success of Bielsa’s reign in charge by going after his former Elland Road deputy in Carlos Corberan.
Corberan was a first-team coach at Leeds alongside Bielsa, with the enigmatic 70-year-old even hailing the Spaniard as “very talented” during their spell together.
He has since lived up to those kind words in charge of both Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion as a first-team manager, with one Baggies youngster in Fenton Heard, even describing Corberan as being “football mad”, much like Bielsa.
Games managed
209
Wins
86
Draws
56
Losses
67
Goals scored
276
Goals conceded
241
The similarities don’t just come to a halt at their shared high-energy, 24/7 approaches to being a manager, with Corberan also transforming the fortunes of both the Terriers and the Baggies when at their respective helms.
In both dug-outs, Corberan turned Huddersfield and West Brom into genuine promotion contenders after inheriting a messy situation, with the West Midlands outfit actually bottom of the Championship when he took over, only to lead them to within a point of the playoffs two months into his tenure.
No doubt working so closely alongside Bielsa during his formative stages as a coach helped shape Corberan, with scout Petar Petrov even hailing the now Valencia boss as “elite” during his time at the Hawthorns for being able to push his team unexpectedly to that “next level.”
This sounds strikingly similar to Bielsa’s time at Leeds, too, as he transformed Patrick Bamford and Kalvin Phillips into unexpected Premier League regulars, alongside finally clinching promotion.
Often favouring a 4-2-3-1 formation, too, which is what Farke was known for during his promotion heroics, this could be a radical appointment that just clicks, as Leeds pray they can move up the division, sooner rather than later.
He's got a "bit of Bielsa": Leeds could sack Farke for "mental" 4-3-3 coach
A Bielsa-style change of manager could keep Leeds in the Premier League
Back injuries among Australian fast bowlers is nearing epidemic levels, with Queensland teenager Callum Vidler the latest in the list, ruled out of the Australia A white-ball tour of India and the start of the domestic summer with a partial stress fracture.Fresh off the news that Test captain Pat Cummins has a hot spot and Cricket Australia contracted quick Lance Morris is undergoing back surgery, there had been hopes of accelerating Vidler’s progression given the promise he showed in the Sheffield Shield final in March following his performances in Australia’s Under-19 World Cup victory last year.He was set to play in the white-ball portion of Australia A’s tour of India later this month and had been preparing by playing three T20 matches in the T20 Max in Queensland for his club side Valley.Related
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But scans late last week detected a partial fracture in his L3 vertebrae. Queensland general manager of high performance Joe Dawes confirmed that Vidler has to now undergo a rehab process but there is no time frame on his return.”Callum experienced some back pain during training and promptly reported it,” Dawes said. “Unfortunately, the scans came back confirming a stress fracture so he will spend some time recovering and then start a rehab plan. He’s naturally very disappointed but accepts that injuries are part of the game. We’ll work closely with him to ensure he has the best recovery to get him ready for a return to cricket.”Australia A had already lost Morris and his replacement Brody Couch from the red-ball portion of the series with India. Couch had suffered a side strain but is expected to be right for the start of the Shield season with Western Australia while Morris is out for a year.South Australia’s Henry Thornton was called in as Couch’s replacement for the red-ball matches in India and will now remain on for the three white-ball matches as weekVidler, 19, impressed with his performance in the Shield final last March when he bagged 4 for 64 and 1 for 60 while showcasing impressive pace on a sluggish Karen Rolton Oval pitch. He is part of the quartet of quicks from his Under-19 group, which has Tom Straker, who was also selected for the Australia A white-ball team to tour India, Mahli Beardman and Charlie Anderson. Beardman is currently recovering from stress fractures while Anderson has had significant back issues in the recent past and is being carefully managed.The injury leaves Queensland thin in terms of their fast-bowling stocks just a week out from the start of the Dean Jones Trophy.
Autor dos três gols da vitória do Novorizontino sobre o Corinthians por 3 a 1, na Neo Química Arena, Jenison comemorou o fato de voltar a marcar após um ano de jejum e comentou a situação de Yuri Alberto, atacante do Timão que foi barrado por Mano Menezes e começou o duelo no banco de reservas.
continua após a publicidade
– Passar muito tempo sem marcar é muito complicado, a gente vê o Yuri Alberto aí, que conseguiu marcar um gol depois de um longo tempo, mas é isso, todo camisa 9 vai passar por um período assim, mas a gente tem que continuar trabalhando e não desacreditar – disse Jenison.
➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians
➡️ Novorizontino passeia em Itaquera, e Corinthians amarga quarta derrota seguida no Paulistão
Em má fase neste início da temporada, o camisa 9 corintiano perdeu a vaga entre os titulares após a chegada de Pedro Raul, contratado junto ao Toluca, do México, por 5 milhões de dólares (R$ 25 milhões).
continua após a publicidade
No entanto, ele foi o responsável por anotar o único gol da equipe do Parque São Jorge no duelo, depois de permanecer quatro rodadas sem balançar as redes.
O próximo compromisso do Corinthians é na quarta-feira (7), contra o Santos, às 19h (de Brasília), na Vila Belmiro, pela sexta rodada do Paulistão.
Jesse Lingard hit a major personal milestone in FC Seoul’s 3-1 defeat to Gimcheon Sangmu, scoring a sharp, improvised finish to reach double-digit league goals for the first time in his career — and celebrated with a brand-new dance. The ex-Manchester United attacker shone despite the loss, continuing his remarkable late-career revival in the K League.
Lingard scores 10th K-League goal of the season
Lingard struck just before half-time, twisting his body brilliantly in a tight pocket of space before firing a precise right-footed finish into the net to level the match at 1-1. The former England international then pulled out a new dance celebration as the goal marked his 10th of the K League season — the first time in his career he has ever hit double figures in a regular league campaign. Despite his milestone and lively performance, Seoul collapsed late on and fell to a 3-1 home defeat.
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Debuts new dance celebration after equalizer
Lingard: From Old Trafford to the K-League
Lingard’s journey from Old Trafford to Seoul is one of the most unexpected career arcs of the modern era. Once a Manchester United academy graduate who scored in FA Cup finals and danced on the World Cup stage with England, Lingard found himself adrift after leaving United in 2022. A difficult year at Nottingham Forest was followed by nearly eight months without a club, with failed training spells, collapsed talks, and no concrete contract offers that matched his expectations or ambitions.
By early 2024, Lingard reached a breaking point and decided to sign for the South Korean giants.
His start, however, was rocky. Lingard lacked fitness, struggled for minutes, and even received stinging public criticism from manager Kim Gi-dong, who questioned his work rate and commitment. Soon after, a meniscus injury required surgery, threatening to derail his entire K League adventure. But the setback became a turning point. Lingard returned sharper, hungrier, and fully bought into Seoul’s demanding style of play.
However, soon he had become so influential, on and off the pitch, that he was named temporary captain, a rare honour for a foreign player. Shirt sales exploded, attendances surged, and the “Lingard Zone” was created in the stadium to satisfy fan demand. More importantly, his performances steadily improved.
By the 2025 season, Lingard was no longer a novelty or a marketing figure; he was FC Seoul’s heartbeat. His achievement of reaching double-digit league goals for the first time at age 33 is a testament to his revival. Far from fading out of relevance, Lingard has reinvented himself in East Asia as both a leader and a star attraction.
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FC Seoul up against Shanghai Port up next
Lingard’s milestone suggests he remains central to FC Seoul’s tactical approach, and the club will continue to lean on him during the final stretch of the K League season. Seoul must address their late-game collapses to maximise the 33-year-old’s classy attacking output.
FC Seoul will be up against Chinese side Shanghai Port on Tuesday in the AFC Champions League Elite as they look to remain in the top eight of Group A heading into the final two matchdays.
Tottenham Hotspur recorded possibly their most impressive win of the season on Tuesday night as they beat Copenhagen 4-0 with ten men in the Champions League.
Thomas Frank’s side hit a seasonal high of eight ‘big chances’ created throughout the game, which shows that they were incredibly effective offensively.
Micky van de Ven scored the pick of the goals with his incredible solo run from one box to the other to score his sixth goal of the season, making him the club’s top goalscorer in all competitions.
Randal Kolo Muani led the line for Spurs as their number nine and was unable to get on the scoresheet, but he did provide an assist for Wilson Odobert’s goal.
The PSG loanee has yet to score in seven appearances for the club, per Sofascore, and has missed three ‘big chances’ in front of goal in that time.
It, therefore, remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to retain his starting spot once Dominic Solanke is fit and available for action.
Why Dominic Solanke may be on borrowed time at Spurs
The England international has been out of action since August with an ankle injury, and is expected to be back and available for selection by the end of November.
Solanke will have to compete with Richarlison and Kolo Muani for a place in the starting line-up when he is back, and he may need to improve upon his form from his first season with the club.
The Lilywhites made him their club-record signing for a fee of £65m when they signed him from Bournemouth in the summer of 2024, but he has yet to justify that outlay.
Solanke scored 16 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which was a decent return. However, his performances in the Premier League left a little bit to be desired.
Appearances
27
Starts
25
xG
10.97
Goals
9
Big chances missed
12
Minutes per goal
245
xA
1.15
Assists
3
As you can see in the table above, the English centre-forward underperformed his xG by roughly two goals and missed three more ‘big chances’ than goals scored.
A goal every 245 minutes for a club-record signing, who should be in the prime of his career at 27, does not suggest that Spurs have had much value for money so far.
Football Insider recently reported that Frank has been disappointed with the striker’s performances and injury problems, which does not bode well for his future in North London.
That report and Solanke’s underwhelming statistics, given the money paid for him, suggest that he may be on borrowed time with the Lilywhites.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Kolo Muani’s start to life in England has been fairly unimpressive, with no goals in seven games, but Spurs do have another striker on the way who could end Solanke’s career in North London.
18-year-old centre-forward Mason Melia is due to arrive at the club to complete his move from St. Patrick’s Athletic when the January transfer window opens for business, after a deal was agreed in February before his 18th birthday.
Why Mason Melia could end Dominic Solanke's Spurs career
Frank will have a decision to make on the teenage marksman for the second half of the season, because he will have the option to bring the Irishman into the first-team squad.
Given that the Danish head coach is reportedly unimpressed by Solanke, the January transfer window would also provide Spurs with an opportunity to shuffle the pack by attempting to move their club-record signing on from the club.
With Kolo Muani and Richarlison already at the club, Melia’s arrival at the start of 2026 would mean that Frank has enough options in the number nine position to part ways with the English striker.
Whether or not Melia is ready to make the step up to the Premier League with Spurs remains to be seen, but his performances at a young age in Ireland have been impressive.
The 18-year-old marksman, who only turned 18 in September, has scored 25 goals in 98 appearances in all competitions for St. Patrick’s Athletic at first-team level to date, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has plenty of senior experience despite his age.
Melia’s composure in the clip above for one of his goals against Cork City is evidence that he has maturity and composure that belies his years. This suggests that he may be able to handle the pressure that would come with stepping into the first-team with Spurs next year.
Appearances
35
Starts
29
Goals
13
Minutes per goal
199
Conversion rate
15%
Big chances created
5
Assists
3
As you can see in the table above, the teenage centre-forward has scored 13 league goals for his club in the 2025 campaign, averaging a goal every 199 minutes, which is more impressive than Solanke’s aforementioned minutes per goal rate last season in the Premier League.
Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke
Melia, who was described as “relentless” and a “hidden gem” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has yet to prove himself in a major league, like the Premier League, but his goal output and composure at such a young age in Ireland are incredibly promising.
Tottenham clearly saw big potential in him, hence why they agreed to sign the forward in February, and Frank will have the chance to assess him up close in January when he arrives in North London.
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If Melia is able to impress the manager and fight for a place in the first-team squad, it could be the end of Solanke’s career at North London, for all the reasons mentioned above.