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Toni Kroos has hit out at the decision to send off Luis Diaz during Bayern Munich’s win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, insisting that "it wasn't a red card”. The German and Real Madrid legend believes referee Maurizio Mariani was influenced by Achraf Hakimi’s injury rather than the tackle itself. Diaz, however later apologised publicly, while Bayern backed their forward.

Kroos weighs in after Diaz red card sparks controversy

Bayern’s statement 2-1 win away at PSG in the Champions League was overshadowed by a highly debated refereeing decision. Colombian international Diaz, who had scored both goals for Bayern in the first half, was shown a straight red card following a VAR intervention for a tackle on PSG full-back Hakimi. Initially given only a yellow, referee Maurizio Mariani changed his decision after reviewing the incident on the monitor, citing excessive force and danger to the opponent.

Hakimi, who left the field in clear pain and in tears, was later diagnosed with a syndesmosis tear and deltoid ligament damage expected to keep him sidelined for around eight weeks. 

The moment dramatically shifted the tone of the match, even as Bayern held on for a crucial away victory to extend their winning run under Vincent Kompany to 16 straight matches across competitions. The incident has since become the primary talking point across European football, with varying opinions from pundits, former officials and players, and one of the most vocal critics has been the German legend Kroos.

Advertisement'It wasn’t a red card' – Real Madrid legend questions referee’s judgement

Speaking on his podcast, Kroos was emphatic in his belief that the referee made the wrong call. “For me, it’s clear: it wasn’t a red card,” Kroos said, insisting that the referee “let Hakimi’s injury have too much of an influence on his assessment of the play.”

The German argued that the challenge itself, while forceful, did not indicate malicious intent from Diaz. “If Hakimi had gotten up after the challenge, nobody would have reviewed the play.”

Kroos also turned his attention toward the role of the VAR team, suggesting that replay slow-motion angles can distort reality, “In situations like these, the referee should judge the action itself, not the consequences.”

His position echoed the sentiment of several Bayern players, including Joshua Kimmich and Josip Stanisic, who suggested that the injury may have influenced the decision. However, Kimmich admitted upon reflection that “seeing the replay and how he catches him, you can understand the referee showing a red card.”

Getty Images SportRegret and support after a night of mixed emotions

Diaz addressed the incident after the match, posting a message on Instagram that said: “Football always reminds us that in 90 minutes, the best and the worst can happen… I wish Hakimi a quick return to the pitch.”

Bayern boss Kompany expressed sympathy for PSG and Hakimi, citing Bayern’s own past injury experiences with Jamal Musiala, while also defending the Colombian winger. 

“I hope Hakimi recovers soon, it’s terrible. We went through the same thing last year with Musiala. I don’t think Diaz meant any harm; it was just an unfortunate incident in a high-intensity match,” said the Belgian coach.

Despite the controversy, Diaz’s performance before the red card reinforced his growing importance under Kompany, decisive, direct, and ruthless in transition. Kroos then moved to tactical commentary, praising Bayern’s bravery in pressing PSG high and suggesting their superiority would likely have produced the same result, regardless of Hakimi or Diaz's presence. 

"Bayern were clearly superior and could have gone into halftime 3-0 or 4-0 up. I don't think PSG would have created any danger with eleven against eleven," he said.

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Getty Images SportBayern maintain momentum while PSG face injury concerns

Bayern sit top of the Champions League table and will turn their attention to domestic action, where they face Union Berlin next, a fixture Kompany warned could become a “trap game” after the emotional and physical intensity of Paris.

For PSG, the focus is now on recovery and rotation, and Hakimi’s absence adds further pressure on coach Luis Enrique, who is already dealing with Ousmane Dembele’s injury, who also left the pitch earlier in the game due to a calf injury. The French champions need solutions on the flanks, especially with decisive Champions League fixtures still ahead.

Mumbai presented an opportunity for New Zealand, and they rallied around Ajaz to script some serious history

Alagappan Muthu04-Nov-20241:24

Manjrekar: Have to take your hats off to Ajaz

For the majority of the 23.1 overs that they bowled together, Glenn Phillips and Ajaz Patel were in sync. But there was this one moment where one got the other in a little bit of trouble.Phillips, for some reason, decided he needed a warm-up. He’d been holding one end up for most of the three-match series but just after the afternoon drinks break on Sunday, his shoulders needed some loosening up. Ajaz offered to help and quickly regretted it because unlike most bowlers, who lob it into the hands of a team-mate, Phillips just fired one in.Poor Ajaz. He had to track back at top speed to avoid being hit. Finally, he was struggling, like every other spinner that’s ever toured India. Muthiah Muralidaran had to shell out 574.5 overs to scrape the 40 wickets he has in this country. His offbreaks had a habit of playing non-consensual ding-dong-ditch. Those sweet batters. They’d be there one minute and, whether they liked it or not, gone the next.Related

• 'I'm not sure if even we believed it' – The NZ whitewash that came out of nowhere

• Ross Taylor: 'New Zealand outfielded, outbatted and outbowled India'

• WTC final scenarios – India need to beat Australia 4-0 to qualify on their own

• 'We're just a bunch of Kiwis taking on the world'

• Stats – New Zealand Ajaz Patel on a high

Ajaz’s overs count is still in the 100s – 197.1 – and yet he’s already got his name on 32 dismissals. He took a third of that in one innings in Mumbai in 2021, and now another third in one match, ahead of which he had the cheek to thank his hosts for giving him the opportunity to work his magic at the Wankhede again. He was sure they’d have the good sense (aka superstition) never to let New Zealand play a Test here for as long as he was still active.”To be honest, after my ten-for, I wasn’t sure whether I’d get another opportunity to play out here again throughout my career,” Ajaz said last Wednesday, “So I’m very grateful that the BCCI have scheduled a game out here.”So is a country whose entire population can fit inside Mumbai with space to spare. Former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond was following the game as it ebbed and flowed. “I gave a little fist pump when Ajaz went through the gate–” his face broke into a smile at this point, almost as if he was picturing Washington Sundar’s stumps hitting the floor again. “– on that last wicket. I’m absolutely delighted for the players.”ESPNcricinfo LtdThey were delighted for themselves too. Ajaz was lost inside a group hug from two Toms and a Daryl. Matt Henry, from short fine, was running up to join them, but took a detour towards the other spinner who had been fielding at deep midwicket. Phillips received his own group hug and eventually the two group hugs became one long huddle.Henry had dropped a catch off Phillips in the first innings. Even when it happened – with the mistake and its potential repercussions still fresh – New Zealand made sure to pull Henry back from the void. They’d done the same when substitute Mark Chapman dropped a catch just minutes before. This wasn’t just about camaraderie. New Zealand knew that cricket in the subcontinent changes on a dime. So they needed their players to be focused. They understood that catches can sometimes go down but shoulders simply cannot.On Sunday, with Rishabh Pant leading a little recovery and the Wankhede willing him on, Tom Latham stood next to Ajaz and instigated a low-five. Pant vs Ajaz was the whole match and Pant was winning. He was 53 not out and India had gone from 29 for 5 to 92 for 6 and the target was only 55 runs away. But Latham knew his best bet was still his left-arm spinner and so as he began his spell after lunch, he did his bit at lifting him.8:53

Vettori: ‘New Zealand’s win is great for Test cricket’

Four balls later, Ajaz got rid of Pant. He had 4 for 197 on this tour coming into the Mumbai Test. Over the last three days, he’s picked up 11 for 160 and a fairly high-profile admirer as well.”I think he’s just really consistent,” former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori told ESPNcricinfo. “His action is repeatable. The ball he bowls is repeatable. And he gets a lot of revolutions on it. He has a lovely seam position and for him to be consistently be able to put pressure on these great Indian batsmen, I thought New Zealand set some amazing fields to allow that pressure to maintain. All those things in combination put together another incredible Wankhede performance from him.”As everybody was preparing for the presentation, Ajaz was looking up at the stands, raising the ball up high, a smile made all the more visible by its contrast with that incredible beard. He has roots here in Mumbai. He keeps making history here as well.”Everyone knew how hard it was with only two Test match wins [for New Zealand in India] in 80 years and a lot of trying,” Vettori added. “You’d have to go back to the great Sir Richard Hadlee’s era to get one win. So he could only get one win. So for this team to come here to get that first one and then to win a series is probably one of New Zealand cricket’s greatest achievement.”

The Dodgers and Blue Jays delivered a thrilling 2025 World Series that came down to the wire, with Los Angeles coming from behind late Saturday night to capture a winner-takes-all Game 7 for their second straight crown. was on site throughout the Fall Classic in both Los Angeles and Toronto. Here are some of our favorite images from the World Series.

1. Dodgers Win Back-to-Back World Series Titles
2. All Eyes on Shohei Ohtani
3. Blue Jays In First World Series Since 1993
4. Epic Game 3
5. Fans Pack Rogers Centre and Dodger Stadium

Dodgers Win Back-to-Back World Series Titles

The 2025 MLB season concluded earlier this month with the Dodgers defeating the Blue Jays in the World Series. In recognition of the best players from this past season, MLB is announcing the winners of the league’s top honors and awards this week, before the offseason kicks into high gear.

The MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year awards are voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America. A combination of fans, media members, executives, managers, and/or players vote on the other awards. For a closer look at the voting process, click here.

Without further ado, here’s a look the 2025 MLB award winners.

MLB Award Winners 2025

In the most anticipated award of the season, Aaron Judge edged out Cal Raleigh to win his third AL MVP. Both Judge and Raleigh each had exceptional campaigns, but Judge nabs the award after leading the league with a .331 batting average, 1.144 OPS and hitting a fourth-best 53 home runs.

Shohei Ohtani wins MVP for the fourth time and has now won either AL or NL MVP in three straight seasons. Ohtani takes MVP unanimously after hitting 55 home runs, third in MLB, and recording a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts after returning to the mound this season. Ohtani is the second player in MLB history to win MVP more than three times in a career, joining Barry Bonds, who has a record seven MVP wins. 

Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz was named the AL Rookie of the Year over finalists Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony and teammate and shortstop Jacob Wilson. Kurtz led all rookies with 36 home runs in 2025, 15 more than any other rookie this season. Braves catcher Dake Baldwin claimed the NL Rookie of the Year award over finalists Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin and Cubs right-hander Cade Horton.

The Brewers’ Cinderella season didn’t quite end the way they hoped when they were swept by Los Angeles in the National League Championship Series, but manager Pat Murphy has been named the NL Manager of the Year. Murphy has won the award for the second year in a row after leading his team to the No. 1 seed an MLB-best 97-65 record.

Like Murphy, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt has won back-to-back AL Manager of the Year awards. Vogt wins the award after Cleveland pulled off an incredible comeback by erasing the Tigers’ 15.5 game division lead to end up winning the AL Central.

After winning Rookie of the Year last year, Paul Skenes has upgraded to winning his first Cy Young award. The Pirates ace posted a 1.97 ERA during his second season, the best in MLB. Skenes also threw 216 strikeouts, tied for fourth in the league. 

In the American League, Tarik Skubal takes home his second consecutive Cy Young award. The Tigers ace finished second in the league in both ERA and strikeouts, with a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts. Skubal earned 26 of 30 first-place votes, while runner-up Garrett Crochet earned the other four.

Along with these awards, Mookie Betts was named the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award during the World Series.

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No ano em que retornou à elite do futebol nacional, o Ceará foi novamente rebaixado para a Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. Entre erros e acertos ao longo da temporada, a irregularidade é um dos principais motivos da queda alvinegra.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalFCF se pronuncia após rebaixamentos de Ceará e FortalezaFutebol Nacional08/12/2025CearáCeará amarga rebaixamento e descumpre duas metas no anoCeará08/12/2025CearáPresidente do Ceará explica rebaixamento: ‘Faltou equilíbrio’Ceará09/12/2025

➡️ Tudo sobre o Vovô agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Ceará

Sob o comando de Léo Condé em 2025, o time iniciou o ano com o título do Campeonato Cearense. As eliminações na Copa do Nordeste (Bahia) e na Copa do Brasil (Palmeiras), mesmo sendo frustrantes, foram compreensíveis pelos contextos.

A derrota para o Bahia, em jogo único fora de casa, veio com um gol nos últimos minutos. Já o Palmeiras, na ida ou na volta, é uma das equipes mais competitivas do país. Sendo assim, o Ceará tinha no Brasileirão a chance de permanecer e até de garantir futebol internacional em 2026.

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➡️ Quando começa a Série B de 2026? Veja participantes

Só que o Campeonato Brasileiro é cruel. É difícil, é longo e é punitivo. O Alvinegro errou em diversas partidas e viu bons pontos escaparem. A equipe até se recuperava em outros momentos, mas a inconsistência não é premiada na Série A.

➡️ Presidente do Ceará explica rebaixamento: ‘Faltou equilíbrio’

Números que explicam o rebaixamento

Uma prova da irregularidade do Vovô é que o time não conseguiu vencer duas partidas seguidas em nenhum momento deste Brasileirão. Quando parecia entrar de vez na briga por vaga na Copa Sul-Americana, uma derrota trazia de volta a preocupação com a zona de rebaixamento.

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A defesa fez sua parte e foi a sétima melhor (40 gols), mas o ataque foi o segundo pior (34) desta edição. Outro dado negativo é que o clube teve a terceira pior campanha como mandante (26 pontos). A falta de repertório ofensivo ficou nítida em certos jogos.

É fácil falar depois que chega dezembro, mas os reforços do meio do ano não tiveram o impacto necessário. O Ceará poderia ter feito mais e poderia ter jogado um futebol melhor, porém não pareceu acreditar nessa capacidade.

➡️ Ceará amarga rebaixamento e descumpre duas metas no ano

Foi assim que, mesmo dependendo de seus próprios esforços para escapar, a equipe não venceu um alternativo Palmeiras na Arena Castelão e caiu. Estar no Z4 somente em uma rodada já é o bastante para um cruel rebaixamento. E é, sem dúvidas, uma lição para os próximos anos do clube.

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Lawrence Butler of the Athletics went to extreme lengths to not hustle during a game against the Tigers on Tuesday. Butler came to the plate with one on and no out in the bottom of the eighth in a tie game and hit a towering pop fly.

Butler, who came into the game hitting .208 on the season, swung at the first pitch he saw and popped it up so high the announcer to commented it would have been a "home run in a silo."

A dejected Butler wandered around home plate waiting for the ball to be caught. Except it wasn't. None of the Tigers were able to settle under it and it dropped halfway between home plate and the pitcher's mound.

The ball had been in the air for approximately seven seconds by the time it dropped and all Butler had done was haphazardly walk towards the dugout. Pitcher Troy Melton picked the ball up and fired it to second to get the lead runner and then it was thrown to first for a double play as Butler had basically shut it down as soon as he hit the ball.

Butler recently told an interviewer that he was "fed up" with umpires because they "don't give a f—."

Compare this to what happened in the Red Sox-Orioles game on Tuesday. David Hamilton hit a pop fly with two outs and everyone ran hard. When the ball dropped Hamilton ended up on second with a two-run double.

Amazingly, neither play affected the outcome of either game. The Red Sox were already winning and never gave up a run and the Athletics ended up winning in the 10th inning.

Butler even worked a walk in a six pitch at-bat to set up the walk-off walk and got to celebrate with his teammates.

Manchester United have improved drastically in the forward areas this season, though they could now be prepared to offer a platform for Real Madrid star Endrick to shine ahead of the World Cup if circumstances align.

Benjamin Sesko has endured a mixed time since joining the Red Devils. Two goals in 11 matches haven’t exactly set the house on fire, though he has been an impressive presence within build-up play under Ruben Amorim.

Nevertheless, his recent performances have not escaped Gary Neville’s attention, who told NBC Sports that the ‘jury is out’ on whether he will be the right fit through the middle long-term.

He said: “I’m no further forward with him. The jury is out. He’s well off it compared to the other summer signings that Man United made up front in Cunha and Mbeumo.

“He looks awkward, he had a couple of really good opportunities in the first half – when balls got played over the top. And his touch wasn’t quite right.”

Quite clearly, Sesko has the potential to come good. Other than him, Joshua Zirkzee has had limited minutes at Manchester United this season, and he is now reportedly in the sights of Everton with the World Cup taking place next summer.

At this point, it is unclear whether he will be allowed to leave in January. If he is permitted to go, the Red Devils will likely target another forward to pick up the shortfall for the second half of the campaign, even temporarily.

As the transfer window draws closer, Manchester United may now have a plan in place to land a world-renowned talent to bolster their attacking options.

Man Utd target Endrick tells agent he wants loan from Real Madrid

According to The Daily Star, Manchester United target Endrick has told his agents that he will seek a loan move in January, with the only way of that being likely to change if his minutes improve at Real Madrid.

The Brazil international has been frozen out by Xabi Alonso and has played in a single match this season. Aston Villa have also come to the table if uncertainty over his future is set to linger.

Endrick since joining Real Madrid

Appearances

38

Goals

7

Assists

1

West Ham United and Juventus have been mentioned in dispatches as alternative suitors, with the 19-year-old fearful that a lack of games may prohibit his chances of going to next year’s World Cup.

In the scenario where any deal is concluded to send Endrick on loan, Real Madrid want his next club to pay his wages in full for the duration of a spell away from the Spanish capital.

Man Utd are also pushing hard to sign an England international

Mid-season always promised to be an important time of year at Old Trafford, and it now remains to be seen whether they can secure the youngster in a deal that would make headlines across the world.

The J&K fast bowler has been on an upward trend since the last season’s Ranji Trophy

Ashish Pant29-Aug-2025All the attention on the second day of the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy game between North Zone and East Zone was on Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, who are playing their last competitive match before heading off to the Asia Cup. But it was Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi, who made everyone sit up and take note by bagging a five-wicket haul, which included four wickets in four balls.”I had not seen Nabi bowl earlier,” Arshdeep said after the second day’s play in Bengaluru. “The first time I saw him was at the [North Zone] nets, and I think in his first ten balls, he must have taken some seven wickets. That’s when I realised, this lad is special. The ball comes out of his hand really nicely. The work he has put in in domestic cricket, everyone has seen it today. I think he will take a lot of wickets in the future as well.”The third session of the quarter-final between East Zone and North Zone was moving at a sedate pace. East Zone wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra had just been dismissed, but Virat Singh was looking fairly unhurried on 69, and having seen off long spells from Arshdeep and Harshit, would have harboured hopes of going to stumps unscathed.Related

Auqib Nabi, Prithvi Shaw and others who have lit up the Ranji Trophy

Padikkal, Jagadeesan key as depleted South Zone face formidable North

Abdul Samad expects new approach to take him where he hasn't gone before

Ankit, Rasheed added to South Zone squad for Duleep semi-final

Arshdeep fine-tunes red-ball skills by learning to enjoy the 'boring times'

All that changed around 4.15pm when, in the 53rd over of the innings, Nabi decided to show why he finished the 2024-25 Ranji trophy season as the highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers.He first flattened Virat’s middle stump with a pacy length ball. The next delivery, he got one to skid through low and trapped Manishi, who shouldered arms, lbw. Mukhtar Hussain faced the hat-trick ball and got nowhere close to the sharp inducker that rattled his off and middle stumps. Hat-trick.That signalled the end of Nabi’s eighth over, but he was not yet done. On the first ball of his next over, he had Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal caught behind to become just the fifth Indian bowler to claim four wickets in four balls in first-class cricket. Not long after, Nabi trapped Mohammed Shami in front to claim his ninth five-wicket haul in just his 30th match.Nabi had figures of 0 for 23 in seven overs in his first spell; in his second, he returned 5 for 5 in 3.1 overs. East Zone, who were on 222 for 5 midway through the 53rd over, lost 5 for 8 in 22 balls to be bowled out for 230. Nabi’s spell helped North Zone take a 175-run first-innings lead and a firm grip on proceedings.”When we went into the tea break, the coaches told us that it’s all gone a bit flat, so they asked us to show some enthusiasm, and that’s what we did”, Nabi told ESPNcricinfo. “I am feeling very good. This is a rare record, four in four, but more importantly, I got my team a first-innings lead.”When I started my spell, I was bowling well. I beat the bat a number of times, and I felt I was a bit unlucky. I try and pick up wickets; if that doesn’t work, I try and contain the batters. Today, I just tried to put the ball in one place, and it worked. There was a nice breeze blowing across the ground in the evening and I got help from that.”The second day was not just about Nabi the fast bowler. In the morning session, he also smashed 44 in 33 balls, including four fours and two sixes, taking North Zone to safer shores after they had slipped to 308 for 7. He added 66 runs for the eighth wicket with Kanhaiya Wadhawan, with North Zone finishing on 405.Auqib Nabi picked up four wickets in four balls•PTI “When you bat well, it helps build your confidence and carries it forward,” Nabi said. “It shows in your bowling and fielding. It [my innings] was crucial for the team. I work a lot on my batting. I practice a lot.”It’s been a sensational year-and-a-half for Nabi. Before the start of the 2024-25 Ranji season, he had 46 wickets in 20 matches. By the end of the season, he had almost doubled his tally. He picked up 44 wickets in eight matches – the second-most in the season – striking at 30.47, which included six five-fors. Nabi’s sensational form coincided with J&K qualifying for the Ranji knockouts for the first time in five years. While they narrowly missed out on a semi-final berth, the 28-year-old earned his maiden Duleep Trophy call-up.J&K recorded eight wins in last year’s Ranji season. One of those wins came against Mumbai, which had several international players in the XI, including former Test captain Rohit Sharma. Nabi took six wickets in that game, dismissing the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube and Shardul Thakur. It was a performance that gave Nabi plenty of confidence.”As a bowler, as a cricketer, that was a very important match for us,” he said. “Almost half of the Indian side was playing. The motivation is different when you bowl to good players. And we also had great preparation. Our board got us to Mumbai a week before the match to acclimatise to the conditions and that helped.”Nabi hails from Baramulla in Kashmir. His father is a teacher in a government school and one of his biggest supporters. But the cricket facilities in Baramulla are almost non-existent. The closest ground from his home is in Srinagar, over 50 kilometres away. Did that deter him at any point growing up? ” goal India matter nahi karta. [If your goal is to play for India, these things don’t matter],” he says. “It doesn’t matter if you have limited resources. You have to use them. You can’t make excuses. You have to keep improving if you want to play for your country. And that’s my goal… to wear the India whites.”

Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho has reportedly held transfer talks with three Turkish clubs amid his latest underwhelming loan spell. Sancho was included in Ruben Amorim's bomb squad in the summer before he secured a loan move to Aston Villa. However, he has struggled for minutes under Unai Emery and is already thought to be contemplating another change of scenery.

• Sancho's woes deepen at Aston Villa

  Sancho's career has been on a downward trajectory ever since he clashed with ex-United boss Erik ten Hag and was banished from the first team at the start of the 2023-24 campaign. In January 2024, he was sent back to his former club Borussia Dortmund on loan, but he returned to Old Trafford that summer.

  He was then shipped off a season-long loan to Chelsea, but failed to revive his form and the Blues decided against signing the winger permanently from United.

  The Red Devils were unable to find any permanent suitors in the summer after relegating Sancho to the 'Bomb Squad', and he eventually signed for Villa on loan. The England international has only started three games for the Villans to date and questions are being asked about his future once again.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Is Sancho heading to Turkey?

  According to , Sancho and his representatives were spotted in Istanbul during the international break, where they held meetings with officials from three Turkish Super Lig giants, Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Galatasaray. The meetings took place at a luxury hotel where each club presented their long-term vision and plan to the English winger.

  At the moment, it is unclear which club is leading the race to sign the United outcast permanently in the January transfer window, but the report adds that Sancho is prepared to take a major pay cut. He currently earns £13 million per season under the terms of his United contract, but is willing to slash it down to £7-8m.

• Dortmund remain interested in Sancho

  Earlier this month, reported that Sancho's former club Borussia Dortmund are also plotting a move for the winger in the January window and United will be willing to sell if they can agree on a fair price. Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl and CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke remain admirers of the 25-year-old despite his recent poor run of form, but the main problem lies in his integration into the squad. The last time Sancho appeared in the Black and Yellow, Edin Terzic was the head coach. Now, under Niko Kovac, it is not yet known how Sancho could be deployed since the former Bayern Munich boss is not a fan of classic wingers. Moreover, the club are concerned about Sancho's physical condition, which has been a key reason behind his struggles at Villa Park.

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  Sancho told to fix his attitude

  Last month, Premier League legend Alan Shearer questioned Sancho's on-field behaviour and attitude as the Newcastle icon told : "I don't know what's going on with Jadon Sancho in terms of his training or his life, but he's got an opportunity at Villa now, and if it doesn't work out here, people will look back and say, 'Hang on, you've been given so many opportunities.' You can only have so many. It hasn't worked out yet for him, but there's only one way around it and that is hard work. Get your head down, get your attitude right, and if you do that, things will turn around."

  Aston Villa are due back in Premier League action on Sunday, away at Leeds.