Fabrizio Romano confirms approach for SPECIAL wonderkid
Fabrizio Romano confirms approach made for Kieran Morrison
According to Fabrizio Romano, Wolverhampton have made an approach to Liverpool for Kieran Morrison.
Romano claims that the 18-year-old has also attracted interest from European clubs. But Wolves seem to be the most interested in his services at the moment.
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Morrison is a promising talent and it would certainly be a shame to lose him. He's been training with Arne Slot's first team on a few occasions this season and has been a stand-out player in the club's U21 side.
Having arrived as a 14-year-old from Manchester United, Morrison has been a key player for the club's U18 team and has always caught the eye.
One of his best abilities is his versatility. Morrison can play in a number of different positions and this trait makes him a special talent.
This season alone he's played as a winger on either flank, has also dropped a bit deeper to play in the attacking midfield role and has even featured as a false nine.
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With 11 goal contributions, he's racked up the most for the club's U21 team in the current campaign. So it's evident he's a talented player.
But the pathway into the first team is a difficult one. Given that Liverpool are just on the verge of completing a deal for Florian Wirtz, who plays in similar positions to Morrison, it's not a surprise that he would consider his future.
Wolverhampton is not a bad pathway. Morgan Gibbs-White was able to catch the eye there, coming from the academy system.
However, going down the European route and joining a club in Germany or the Netherlands may offer an even better pathway for Morrison.

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New York Times
17 minutes ago
- New York Times
What Matheus Cunha brings to Manchester United: Confidence, direct dribbling and a striker's instinct
It's fair to say that things haven't quite gone to plan at Manchester United of late. A drab Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, coupled with a 16th-place finish in the Premier League, means that there will be no European football for Ruben Amorim's side next season, sparking fears that a summer overhaul could be compromised without the allure of Champions League nights at Old Trafford. Advertisement In that regard, United's move for Matheus Cunha — after meeting the release clause of £62.5million ($84.4m) in his Wolves contract — is an encouraging flicker of life. The 26-year-old was one of the division's standout performers last campaign, with his 15 goals and six assists accounting for well over a third of his team's goal returns. His quality is evident, but here The Athletic drills into the numbers to see how he could fit into Amorim's plans. First and foremost, with Alejandro Garnacho likely to leave the club this summer, United are suddenly light on impactful options to fill one of the attacking roles behind the striker in the manager's preferred 3-4-2-1 system. Mason Mount and Amad have shown promising signs of stepping up, but both have had their injury troubles, and Bruno Fernandes — should he not to leave the club during the transfer window — needs more reliable support as he has shouldered the creative burden. Cunha fits the bill with his consistent output, versatility and availability. As we can see from the graphic below, he would be comfortable operating from the left-sided No 10 role at United, but is also happy to pick up spaces on the opposite side and play up front as an out-and-out centre-forward. He's also played around 70 per cent of all available Premier League minutes since he joined Wolves two and a half years ago, with only a handful of minor impact injuries and disciplinary issues — which we'll get to later — keeping him out of the squad. Whichever role he plays, Cunha is always keen to get forward — he is one of the most direct attacking players in the top flight. It's a profile that United sorely lack, being over-reliant on the positivity and quality of Fernandes to kick-start moves with more adventurous passing from deep. The scatterplot below outlines the Premier League players who are progressive — or put simply, who move the ball towards the opposition goal — with the highest proportion of their passes and carries. Advertisement Only four midfielders and forwards look forward with their passes more often than Fernandes but most of his team-mates are notably hesitant to move things on with the ball at their feet. Cunha, on the other hand, stands out as a double threat, both a confident dribbler and daring passer whenever the opportunity arrives. A fine example of Cunha's confidence came against struggling Leicester in April as the Brazilian helped himself to a goal and two assists. From a Wolves goal kick, Cunha drops into midfield from his No 10 role and senses the opportunity to run at a stretched defence. His first touch wrong-foots Wilfred Ndidi, before he bursts through the midfield line and bears down on goal, shooting wide from the edge of the box. Though he arguably makes the wrong final decision, that ability to create something from nothing with ambitious dribbling is something that can help United to be more dangerous from fast breaks, as well as to break down man-to-man pressing structures — more prevalent than ever in the Premier League — more effectively. That same game highlighted the positional freedom given to Cunha by Wolves, with him being allowed to drift across the attacking third to affect the game. Later in that first half, he ambles over to the right flank from his starting position on the opposite side, pushing wing-back Nelson Semedo inside. Again, he is quick to look towards goal, taking two touches before swinging a low cross for striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, who diverts the ball just wide. Ten minutes after the break, Cunha is wide on the left receiving the ball after good hold-up play from Strand Larsen. Once more, a couple of touches are all he needs to get the ball out of his feet as he glides towards goal and slides a pass through to the Norwegian to score. Such fluidity and variety of movement was encouraged under Vitor Pereira at Wolves, where Cunha was often the offensive inspiration with his technical quality and off-the-cuff style. But that may need to be curbed slightly at United, where he will likely need to share the limelight with the similarly free-spirited Fernandes. Advertisement Analysis from Mark Carey for The Athletic in March showed both players to be in the top three for overall 'usage rate', a metric that outlines how often a player completes the last action in a sequence for their team. That could be a shot, cross, take-on, pass — successful or otherwise — to highlight how much responsibility each player takes in trying to make things happen. That influence shines through further when we look at the percentage of team actions carried out by players. As we can see below, Cunha was responsible for almost 30 per cent of Wolves' shots on goal last season, and he was similarly talismanic when it comes to receiving the ball in dangerous areas, passing the ball into the box and carrying the ball forward. There's only one ball on the pitch, and United will soon have two players who like to use it as much as they can in the final third. Of course, Cunha could ease the weight on Fernandes' back — and maybe one day step into his role — but the pair will need to be conscious of their positional discipline and selflessness in attacking situations if they are to dovetail as seamlessly as their technical quality suggests they should. One of the other great benefits of signing Cunha is that he has experience of playing in a similar 3-4-2-1 shape under Pereira and Gary O'Neil. But Cunha brings more to his new club than they currently have in that No 10 role, namely two-footed unpredictability, varied running and a goalscorer's instinct around the box. We've already seen how he likes to drop deep to get on the ball, but Cunha is also quick to spot an opportunity to run in behind, as we saw during his match-winning display at Fulham. Wolves settle into their build-up shape, dropping midfielders Andre and Joao Gomes into the back three to tempt the press. Strand Larsen is occupying two centre-backs, which opens up the space for Cunha to exploit. What follows is an example of Cunha's technical ability and composure around the penalty area, as well as his potential to hurt teams with runs from deep. He takes down Mario Lemina's lofted pass perfectly with his right, before lifting a finish over Bernd Leno for the equaliser. Similarly against Ipswich, Cunha is first to react as Strand Larsen falls to the ground after an aerial duel, showcasing those striker instincts that could come in at United. While full-back Harry Clarke appeals for a foul, Cunha manages to steal a march in frame two, before offering himself for the through ball. Advertisement He collects on his left, steadies himself, and powers a shot in at the near post with his weaker foot. Cunha can play up top — he mostly did at Wolves before the arrival of Strand Larsen — but he can also offer support with direct running into the box if the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee aren't finding those spaces. Cunha isn't prolific on his weaker side, having only attempted 26 of his 209 Premier League shots with his left, but the above finish, along with a sensational curling effort from the edge of the box at Anfield this season, underlines that the threat is there. He has drastically overperformed in front of goal this season, with only Chris Wood and Bryan Mbeumo finishing more clinically in relation to their expected goals, helped by a league-leading five goals from outside of the box. But even if Cunha's goal tally drops at United, his positivity and a desire to drag the team up the pitch can only help to inject some conviction into an unconvincing front line. Cunha's up for the @PremierLeague goal of the month! ✨ — Wolves (@Wolves) May 2, 2024 Disciplinary problems are a concern, as Cunha saw the red mist and was sent off against Bournemouth in the FA Cup. He was also suspended after an altercation with a member of staff after a game against Ipswich. Whether United can control those outbursts and integrate him into a harmonised dressing room, will be crucial considerations away from the cameras. On the pitch, however, this is a move that makes sense. There is flair to Cunha's game. He is forward-thinking, flashy and happy to say: 'fine, I'll do it myself'. He also trusts himself from distance, when outnumbered, and on his weaker foot. United need a player high on confidence who is willing to step up alongside Fernandes to stamp some authority on a stuttering attack, and there aren't many others in the Premier League as self-assured as him.


Time Magazine
32 minutes ago
- Time Magazine
Pete Hegseth Talked a Big Game to Indo-Pacific Allies—but Trump Mistrust Runs Deep
Against the backdrop of U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance's jaw-dropping polemic against European democracies at February's Munich Security Conference, this was a welcome return to sense, if not sanity. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a powerful though measured speech at Singapore's IISS Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday, pointedly calling out 'Communist China' for its 'massive military build-up, … grey zone tactics, and hybrid warfare,' while also hailing the strength and importance of America's regional alliances and using the word 'peace' 27 times. 'President Trump is a leader of peace, a man of peace, a force for peace,' Hegseth told the scores of Asia-Pacific defense and military chiefs crammed into the ballroom at Singapore's Shangri-La Hotel. 'And together, we will achieve that peace through strength.' Hegseth repeatedly called the Indo-Pacific 'our priority theater' and, in a marked departure from Vance, actually praised European nations for hiking defense spending as an example that their Asian counterparts should emulate. 'It was quite surprising that he used Europe as a reference in terms of GDP [defense] spending,' Micael Johansson, president and CEO of the Swedish arms manufacturer Saab, told TIME. 'But it was a good speech and more collaborative than I had expected.' As Hegseth described it, American defense policy was now that Europe's security would be left to Europeans, while the U.S. was focusing its rebuilt military might—augmented by a $1 trillion defense spend next year, a 13% year-on-year rise—on the Indo-Pacific. This would focus on boosting America's forward force deployment, helping allies and partners strengthen their security capabilities, and rebuilding defense industrial bases including within friendly nations. 'A strong, resolute, and capable network of allies and partners is our key strategic advantage,' said Hegseth. Hegseth also unleashed several broadsides against China, accusing strongman President Xi Jinping of having 'ordered his military to be capable of invading Taiwan by 2027,' with the former Fox News anchor warning that an assault on the self-ruling island—which politically split from the mainland following China's 1945–49 civil war—'could be imminent.' These remarks drew the inevitable rebuke from Beijing, which issued a statement saying Hegseth 'vilified China with defamatory allegations' that were 'filled with provocations and intended to sow discord.' Beijing also warned that Washington 'must never play with fire on [the Taiwan] question,' which is 'entirely China's internal affair.' Notably, China's defense minister stayed away from the annual security summit for the first time since 2019. Admiral Dong Jun was rumored to have been under a corruption investigation amid a sweeping purge of high-ranking PLA officers, though latest reports suggest that he's been cleared. The Chinese delegation that did attend treated Hegseth's accusations with scorn. 'He used a very strong, harsh tone, which surprised me a little, and it's unconstructive and hypocritical,' says Prof. Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Beijing's Tsinghua University. 'Because the U.S. is imposing high tariffs on regional countries, so how can you expect them to partner with you against another economic power?' Indeed, Trump's internecine global trade war was the glaring elephant in the room. Asked about the 'reciprocal tariffs' imposed in April, Hegseth joked: 'I am happily in the business of tanks, not trade, and I will leave that discussion to the man who knows how to do it best.' Which was the ultimate takeaway for the brass hats present. Hegseth's statement of commitment to the region and working with allies was broadly welcomed but hedged by the chaotic approach of the guy he reports to. Indeed, Hegseth showed his hand when he admitted: 'My job is to create and maintain decision space for President Trump, not to purport to make decisions on his behalf.' Delegates in Singapore were only too aware that today, more than during any other U.S. administration, power rests with just one man, whose constant policy flip-flops— embarrassing Zelensky before lambasting Putin; ripping up one Iranian nuclear deal before seeking another; hiking and pausing tariffs—have conjured a bevy of TACO, 'or Trump always chickens out,' memes as well as the impression that American words have never been cheaper. 'I'm quite sure it's just talk,' one European delegate said of Hegseth's speech. A Bangladeshi military officer agreed: 'It still feels like Trump is a more inward-looking than global President.'


Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
Scoop: Apple to appeal EU requirement to share info with tech rivals
Apple filed an appeal to the European Commission's specifications around how the company complies with its interoperability requirements, which compel it to share user information with outside developers as part of the Digital Markets Act, per a source familiar with the situation. Why it matters: Apple continues to push back forcefully against requirements imposed by the DMA, which the company has said forces it to give up its intellectual property and compromise user privacy. The deadline to appeal this particular requirement was May 30. How it works: The interoperability requirements are meant to give other device manufacturers and app developers access to Apple features that are normally exclusive to Apple products, including WiFi pairing and notifications on non-Apple smartwatches and headsets. Apple and Meta were the first companies to be hit with DMA fines in April, as Axios first reported. Apple put out a report last December arguing that the DMA's interoperability reports could be abused and expose private user information. What they're saying: "We design our technology to work seamlessly together, so it can deliver the unique experience our users love and expect from our products. The EU's interoperability requirements threaten that foundation, while creating a process that is unreasonable, costly, and stifles innovation," an Apple spokesperson told Axios. "These requirements will also hand data-hungry companies sensitive information, which poses massive privacy and security risks to our EU users." Per the Apple spokesperson, as allowed under the DMA's interoperability requirement, companies including Meta, Google, Garmin and Spotify have requested from Apple user notification content and stored WiFi networks, "giving them the ability to access personal information that even Apple doesn't see." The spokesperson added, "In the end, these deeply flawed rules that only target Apple—and no other company—will severely limit our ability to deliver innovative products and features to Europe, leading to an inferior user experience for our European customers." The other side: Companies that rely on the App Store to distribute their products have welcomed the DMA's requirements of Apple, saying they are long overdue for developers and other businesses to offer customers better features on their apps and devices.