Premier League

Rashford’s loan to Aston Villa not embarrassing – Amorim

£40m Striker: Man Utd, Liverpool In Transfer ‘Tug Of War’

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has dismissed suggestions that Marcus Rashford’s loan move to Aston Villa is embarrassing or humiliating, emphasizing that such transfers help players grow.

Rashford recently joined Villa on a six-month loan after being deemed surplus to Amorim’s plans. The Premier League rivals will cover 75% of the forward’s £365,000-a-week wage and have the option to buy him for £40 million in the summer.

Following United’s 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, Amorim addressed questions about loaning Rashford to a club higher up the league table.

“It’s not embarrassing. When you loan a player—and I don’t know, I think it’s not official—when you loan a player, you expect him to play and to improve, so there’s nothing humiliating there,” Amorim stated.

He added, “I understand the question, but I’m just focused on my players, that’s all. So when the window closes, I will be really focused on just our team and improving our team.”

Amorim also hinted at potential transfer activities before the window closes. “We will see. There is one more day; let’s wait until the window is closed,” he said.

Premier League

Nwaneri barred from senior dressing room, Arteta reveals

Arteta urges Arsenal to banish painful history with Bayern

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has explained that 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri is not permitted to prepare for matches in the senior dressing room due to safeguarding regulations.

Despite enjoying a breakout season with impressive performances across the Premier League, Champions League, and Carabao Cup, Nwaneri must adhere to rules that require players to be 18 or older to share a dressing room with the senior squad.

Arteta highlighted how the rules affect Nwaneri’s matchday preparations. “Ethan cannot be in our dressing room still, which is unbelievable. He needs to get dressed somewhere else, even on match day,” Arteta said.

The manager also spoke about the bond between Nwaneri and fellow young talent Myles Lewis-Skelly. “When you see those two walking next to each other, talking to each other, there is a bond there and a chemistry there,” he remarked.

Arteta added, “I imagine for them it is special because at the moment they are still in different dressing rooms [at the training ground]. So to have somebody close to him that has that trust, that confidence, that link, I think it is lucky. They are very lucky to have each other.”

As Nwaneri continues his development under Arteta, the safeguarding restrictions are a reminder of his youthful age despite his rapid rise in professional football.

Premier League

Premier League confirms “significant progress” in testing semi-automated VAR offside technology

The Premier League has announced that “significant progress” has been made in the testing of semi-automated VAR offside technology in recent weeks.

Despite initial plans to implement the system earlier in the season, its deployment was delayed due to readiness concerns. Clubs had unanimously voted to adopt the technology nearly a year ago, aiming to reduce offside check times by an average of 31 seconds.

Tony Scholes, the Premier League’s chief football officer, provided an update on Tuesday, saying, “We are still testing it but we are making significant progress.”

Scholes added, “We’re in a different place to when I spoke to managers just over Christmas; we’ve made a lot of progress in this area. Now I’m hopeful that at some point this season we will be able to introduce semi-automated technology, but I repeat the points I’ve made a number of times. We are not going to introduce it if we’ve got any doubts at all with regards to its operation.”

The system was initially expected to be rolled out “after one of the Autumn international breaks,” but updates on its progress had been scarce, raising doubts about its arrival this season.

Scholes emphasized the importance of ensuring the technology operates flawlessly before its official introduction.

Premier League

Tottenham defender Dragusin sidelined for the season with ACL injury

Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin is set to miss the remainder of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee during the club’s Europa League clash against Elfsborg.

The 23-year-old will undergo surgery and is expected to be out for at least six months, with recovery timelines for ACL injuries sometimes extending up to a year.

In a statement, Tottenham confirmed that Dragusin “will be assessed by our medical team to determine when he can return to training.”

Having started 21 of Tottenham’s past 23 matches, Dragusin has been a vital part of the defense since his arrival from Genoa in January 2024 for £25 million.

The Romania international expressed determination to bounce back stronger, writing on Instagram:

“Football doesn’t just teach you how to win – it teaches you how to fight when things get tough.”

Dragusin joins a growing list of sidelined Tottenham players, including Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, and Cristian Romero.

To bolster their defensive options, Spurs recently signed Austrian defender Kevin Danso on loan with a £21 million purchase option. Additionally, the club’s £70 million bid for England defender Marc Guehi was rejected by Crystal Palace, though they secured 19-year-old attacker Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.