Manchester United are now said to be weighing up two main options when it comes to strikers this summer, having seemingly narrowed their search with just over a month left of the transfer window.
With The Athletic‘s David Ornstein having already intimated that there’s a “very good chance” current number nine Rasmus Højlund could “move on” as head coach Ruben Amorim looks to install his desired talents, it’s already been well publicised that more new arrivals will likely depend on sales.
That being said, the outlet’s Laurie Whitwell now reports that Man United are homing in on two specific names: Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and Slovenian rising star, Benjamin Šeško.
Which one they decide to go and fully pursue remains to be seen.
#MUFC narrow striker search to Ollie Watkins + Benjamin Sesko. Club in touch on both players to figure out suitability + cost.
Nicolas Jackson ruled out due to Chelsea demands.
Watkins is Premier League proven, Sesko has high potential ceiling.
At present, it’s believed that the club is beginning the process of assessing which of the forwards – both of whom are well-favoured by various English suitors and, indeed, across the continent – is not only the best fit on paper but the most viable option.
Besides the prospective cost of each player, one of the big differences between the two talented attackers is their age profile, with Watkins now well within his peak at 29 and Šeško still just 22 and already showing plenty of promise and a tall ceiling.
According to Whitwell, “No decision has yet been made on which target to advance, but United are in contact on both Watkins and Sesko to establish the potential costs of each deal.” Their suitability for the Portuguese manager’s system is also important.
Stat-wise, Watkins registered 17 goals and 14 assists last season and was one of the most prolific goal threats in Europe the previous term (27G 15A), while RB Leipzig’s Šeško notched 27 involvements in 44 appearances during the 2024/25 campaign, plus five more at international level.
It’s also worth noting that the former is already Premier League proven, having also scored big goals in major tournaments, not to mention having been on United’s radar for a few years now; journalist Samuel Luckhurst and other sources have also claimed that Watkins is “open” to Old Trafford.
Manchester United exploring both Benjamin Sesko and Ollie Watkins. Efforts currently framed around those two, as @lauriewhitwell called.
As reported, Ollie Watkins talks have already taken place. Villa prefer to keep and won’t entertain a sale without a replacement. They value… pic.twitter.com/DotKmEniHI
Once again, however, a key stumbling block for either would be the transfers themselves, with Villa and Leipzig thought to be looking for something in the region of £60 million and £70 million, respectively.
Returning to Whitwell, the Stockport-born Man United correspondent adds that Villa “might look to find an agreement at £40m to £45m” given their Arsenal were unwilling to patch their asking price back in the January window.
United are also said to have quickly moved on from Chelsea’s Nichola Jackson for the very same reason: all three individuals will inevitably come with big fees and wages.
On the other hand, were the Red Devils able to sell the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony – having quoted £50m to Al-Nassr for the currently ousted Brazilian – and quite possibly even Hojlund, they may be able to stretch their budget to afford the likes of highly sought-after Šeško.
He’s been big linked with big money moves since he burst onto the scene at Salzburg.
Obviously, Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee remain in the squad and are still relatively early in their careers full-stop, but it’s fair to say that neither have quite hit the ground running in red.
The England Netball team are returning to Manchester for a key international fixture
Danny Jones
The England Netball team are returning to Manchester city centre for another big international tie at the AO Arena.
With two more tournaments on the horizon, the Vitality Roses will be hitting the road once again to play a trio of matches between two old Imperial nations ahead of the 23rd edition Commonwealth Games getting underway next summer.
As part of the 2025 Vitality International Test Series, England will be facing back-to-back face-offs with New Zealand over the course of less than a week at two different venues, and one of them is our very own AO Arena.
While the final details and timings are still subject to change, the Roses will face NZ – currently the second best rated team on the planet – later this year.
Taking place this winter and spread across the span of four days, England are set for a weekend double-header at the Copperbox Arena in London (15-16 November), before heading up North to 0161 on Wednesday, 19 November for the closer in Manchester.
Currently ranked fourth themselves in the World Netball world rankings, England enter these series following a successful international season last term, which saw them lift their inaugural Vitality Netball Nations Cup, beating current world number ones Australia for just the third time in history.
The games against the ‘Silver Ferns’ will also serve as a rigorous rehearsal for the second annual Vitality Netball Horizon Series, where they’ll play four more games with Jamaica; a pair will be held at the Coppebox and the final two will be played away in Kingston.
Last year’s tournament came to the AO as well, with England losing to the Jamaicans by 61-53 in the decisive match. Safe to say there are scores to be settled, and they will be even more prepared for the multiple rematches.
A Nations Cup to their name will certainly help boost confidence.
Jess Thirlby, head coach of the Vitality Roses, is already getting hyped up ahead of the competition.
“Securing high-level, high-intensity series against the world’s best teams is always top of the agenda, not least as we build towards a back-to-back major tournament year with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2026 and the Netball World Cup in Sydney in 2027 just around the corner.
“We have both a long-standing rivalry with Jamaica, which we saw the renewal of last year in the hotly contested Vitality Netball Horizon Series, and a more recent competitive rivalry between ourselves and the Silver Ferns, serving up many tight contests.
“Both series will help test us and enhance our preparations for 2026, whilst also allowing our athletes to make their mark in front of our incredible fans.”
VITALITY INTERNATIONAL SERIES 🏀 ROSES VS SILVER FERNS!
Presale tickets will be available to Three+ mobile members from 10am on Tuesday, 5 August, via the venue’s own early access window from the same time on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, general admission goes live from Thursday, 7 August, with tickets once again for what is set to be an exciting day of family-friendly sporting action available from 10am.
Featured Images — Press images/AO Arena (supplied)
Sport
Stockport County issue statement condemning ‘deeply concerning imagery’ featuring club crest
Danny Jones
Stockport County have issued a statement addressing inappropriate and divisive political imagery featuring the club crest recently shared online.
The Greater Manchester side was alerted to the situation this week and quickly released a decisive comment condemning the content that appeared on social media.
Updating the fan base on Monday afternoon, 29 July, the League One team shared the important and well-received response across their official channels, reminding their fan base that not only are they a non-political entity but that the beautiful game is for everyone.
It reads as follows: “Stockport County has been made aware of instances where our club crest has been used without permission on political propaganda, including deeply concerning imagery that promotes hate and division, such as the unauthorised display of our crest alongside anti-LGBTQ+ symbols.
“We want to be unequivocally clear: Stockport County Football Club is, and always will be, a politically neutral organisation. We do not endorse, support, or affiliate with any political party, candidate [referring to one specific individual in this instance], or ideology.
“Our club crest is a registered trademark and a symbol of unity, community, and the collective passion for football at Edgeley Park.
“It represents all our fans, staff, players, and the wider Stockport community, regardless of their individual political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion, or any other characteristic.”
They assure that the club, which is made up of all kinds of ethnicities, genders and sexualities, is “no place for hate, discrimination, or exclusion of any kind at Edgeley Park or within our community“, adding that they are “committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and safe.”
For context, below you’ll find just one example of the unsanctioned and potentially inflammatory iconography exposed via Facebook marketplace, which features the Stockport County badge alongside an image of former UKIP leader and Reform UK MP, Nigel Farage.
The statement goes on to reinforce that “any unauthorised use of our crest, particularly in a political or hateful context, is a misuse of our intellectual property and fundamentally goes against the inclusive values we uphold.”
“We will take all necessary steps, including legal action where appropriate, to prevent such unauthorised use of our club crest and protect our brand integrity.”
They sign off by stating, simply: “We urge all supporters to respect the Club’s neutrality and help us maintain an environment where everyone feels welcome and united by their love for County.”
On the upside, the defiant Stockport County stance was met with plenty of praise and support, with Hatters and football lovers in general commenting, “My community club”, “Not a fan but well done county”, “Keep politics out of football, especially that lot. Top club statement”, just to quote a few replies.
SCFC seem to be getting lots of things right at the moment.
Danny Jones -
29th July 2025 
