Roy Keane has always been happy to share his opinions of those he’s played with and against throughout his career, and his verdict on the toughest midfielders of his era is no different.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football back in 2019, the Manchester United legend was asked to reflect on the standout midfielders he faced during his playing days.

Rather than reaching for the obvious superstar names, he singled out three players who gave him more than just a hard time during one of the most thrilling eras in Premier League history.

It says plenty about the players in question, given Keane’s well-documented rivalry with former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira.

What Roy Keane Said About His Toughest Opponents

It’s a distinctly British trio that Keane singled out over the likes of Vieira, with the Irishman explaining exactly what made facing them such a challenge:

The 55-year-old, who retired in 2006 before moving into coaching and punditry, didn’t hold back on just how physical those battles could get. “And, again, Gary was pretty nasty. Batty was nasty. People always remember me kicking people – a lot of these lads were kicking me! I was just retaliating over the years, that’s all.”

All three built reputations as combative, tenacious midfielders. Batty was renowned as one of the hardest tacklers of his generation, particulary in his time with hometown club Leeds United. Lee offered a physical, box-to-box presence, and Speed combined a tireless work-rate with genuine quality across two decades at the top level.

Trio Starred For Kevin Keegan at Newcastle

All three players were key figures for Newcastle, with Lee and Batty featuring in the late Kevin Keegan’s side of the mid-1990s, which came agonisingly close to ending their long wait for a league title, finishing just four points behind Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United in the unforgettable 1995/96 title race.

The Magpies famously led by as many as 12 points before United reeled them in, with Batty and Lee part of the engine room that kept “The Entertainers” competing at the top of the table throughout that campaign.

It remains the closest Newcastle have ever come to Premier League glory.

A popular WWE Superstar may have wrestled their final match for the company after being written off television last month, according to a new report.

Former four-time women’s world champion Bayley last wrestled on WWE television when she lost to Lyra Valkyria at Saturday Night’s Main Event on the 18th of July.

On the following episode of WWE Raw, Bayley was seemingly eliminated from storylines when Lyra claimed to have run the 37-year-old out of the promotion.

Why WWE Wrote Popular Superstar Off Television

According to eWrestlingNews, the company opted to remove the legendary Superstar from television as she had not yet signed a new contract.

Curiously, Bayley has wrestled for WWE since, most recently appearing on a live event in her home state of California on July 26th.

However, far from wanting to clear up speculation about her future, the veteran has played into the rumours on social media. She recently took to Instagram, reposting a fan’s ‘Where’s Bayley’ sign to her story on the platform.

Even more controversially, Bayley posted a video hinting that she may join rival promotion All Elite Wrestling [AEW]. The clip showed her training alongside current AEW star Mercedes Mone (previously Sasha Banks in WWE). The montage was also set to a song entitled ‘All In’, which is the name of one of AEW’s biggest pay-per-view shows.

If she is simply trying to hype up her eventual return to WWE, it appears that officials within the company weren’t aware of the plan. Per a report from WrestleVotes on Fightful Select, the video did not “land well with everyone” and it was viewed by some backstage in WWE as “eyebrow-raising.”

Much-Loved WWE Superstar Yet To Decide on Their Future

Ultimately, though, the decision of whether she remains with WWE lies with Bayley herself. Per the latest reports, a new contract remains on the table and the choice of whether to re-sign is said to be “entirely up to her.”

Bayley signed her first WWE contract in December 2012, ultimately making it to the main roster four years later. It is believed that her current deal still has several months to run, meaning that, should she decide to leave WWE, she likely won’t be able to debut elsewhere until early 2027.

WWE has left the door open for Bayley to return, with a natural storyline with Valkyria waiting if she does commit to a new deal.

Manchester United have no interest in allowing Bruno Fernandes to leave the club this summer despite interest from Galatasaray, GIVEMESPORT sources understand.

Fernandes’ future has been in the spotlight throughout the summer, with the Red Devils’ midfielder having a year left on his contract. He previously turned down a mouth-watering £65 million contract proposal to join Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal last summer.

The 31-year-old later insisted that he wanted to stay at United because of the difficult situation they found themselves in. His team finished 15th in the previous campaign, and he told Wayne Rooney that he didn’t want to jump ship during a crisis.

Last season, the Old Trafford outfit bounced back and sealed Champions League qualification after finishing third. INEOS handed Michael Carrick the managerial job full-time and these factors were thought to have led to Fernandes staying put and even signing a new contract.

Galatasaray Ready Offer For Man Utd’s Fernandes

via Reuters

GIVEMESPORT sources understand that Galatasaray are ready to test the waters with an offer of £42.8 million including add-ons for Fernandes. The Turkish giants are prepared to offer the Portugal international a lucrative four-year contract.

Fernandes has not indicated to United he wants to leave to date, and the club are not looking to engage with any club over a sale. Their stance is that he is not available for any price with just days until the new campaign begins.

The Portugal international remains Carrick’s most important player heading into his first season as permanent head coach. A release clause in his current contract, worth £55.6m, expired in July, meaning interested clubs must now make offers for the player.

Man Utd transfer targets

Given that Fernandes turned down a more lucrative offer from Al-Hilal last year, it might not be a hugely concerning situation for the Red Devils. He has the chance to captain Carrick’s team in a new Premier League era, which is perhaps the most open it has been since the now-departed Pep Guardiola arrived at Manchester City back in 2016.

INEOS Need To Get Fernandes Future Sorted

Galatasaray’s interest in Fernandes is a wake-up call for United to sort out their skipper’s contract. While his current deal does include the option of a further year, heading into a season with his future still the subject of speculation is something INEOS should look to avoid.

Perhaps the higher-ups are prepared to part ways next summer but it doesn’t make much sense given he’s just enjoyed the best season of any post-Sir Alex Ferguson player. His record-breaking assist numbers prove he is the one whom they should be looking to build the team around.

Carrick made his feelings clear during pre-season when asked about Fernandes’ future (via BBC Sport):

United are in a strong negotiating position but so far there has been no agreement over an extension for Fernandes. He’s been with the club since January 2020, arriving from Sporting CP in a £68m deal.