Lawrence Ostlere is joined by Richard Jolly and Kieran Jackson to discuss the continuing Manchester United turmoil after Bournemouth’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford and the decision to keep Michael Carrick in charge for their next game against Chelsea despite an eight-game winless run.

With no clear succession plan, are the club just buying time ahead of a brutal run of fixtures and the international break?

They debate realistic managerial options, recruitment, squad flaws and discuss whether a long-term rebuild akin to Arsenal’s is possible with the current hierarchy under Ratcliffe and INEOS.

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Kieran Jackson is joined by Lawrence Ostlere after England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane pipped Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to the most prestigious individual prize in world football on Monday night.

After a delayed and drawn-out affair at the London Palladium, a stunned Kane picked up the ultimate accolade after an outstanding season. But was he the right winner in a fiercely close race? How was the night itself, both on-site and via streaming service DAZN? And what does Kane’s win mean for the award going forward? Kieran and Lawrence unpack it all…

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The Ballon d’Or has become increasingly political, with player branding, club lobbying and voting blocs all playing their part. But what should the award recognise? In the latest episode of Copa Independent, Lawrence Ostlere, Miguel Delaney and Richard Jolly debate whether it should go to the best player or the most valuable over a 12-month period — and how much weight should be given to trophies, stats, influence, “magic” and the impact of World Cup years.

The trio assess a wide-open field of contenders for the 2026 award, including Mbappé, Yamal, Kane, Rodri, Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé and Olise, before revealing their own top fives — and their differing picks for the winner. They round things off with a Ballon d’Or quiz.

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