All posts by h716a5.icu

The Gunners are showcasing serious ambition this summer, having already completed a host of major signings, and Arsenal are not slowing down with just under two months to go before deadline day on September 1.

Berta to offer "emerging star" in Arsenal swap deal for near-£70m signing

The Italian really wants to bring him to N5.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2025

Arsenal confirmed the arrivals of Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi recently, with the Spaniards poised to be joined by Premier League stalwart Christian Norgaard, who completed his medical earlier this week (David Ornstein).

19/20 – winter

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£81.5m

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£900k

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£156.8m

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£1.8m

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£121.5m

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£59m

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£208m

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£0

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£101.5m

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£65m

Zubimendi’s capture, in particular, was the result of a serious back and forth between Real Sociedad and Arsenal, which seemed to go on for several months, but Mikel Arteta at long last secured his new midfield star last Sunday.

“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team. He will fit in really well and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us,” said Arteta about Zubimendi’s arrival, in official statement.

“The standard he has consistently performed at over the last few seasons for both club and country is exactly why we are so excited to have him with us. We all welcome Martin and his family to the club.”

After Zubimendi and Norgaard, it appears the players most likely to join Arsenal next are currently Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres or Chelsea’s Noni Madueke.

Arsenal are now in club-to-club talks with Chelsea over Madueke after agreeing personal terms (Fabrizio Romano), but supporters are clamoring for Berta to end the club’s search for a new number nine.

The Sweden international, according to various reports, is in advanced talks to join Arteta’s side after also agreeing personal terms, like Madueke, and if Berta has his way, the 27-year-old will be the man to end Arsenal’s pursuit of a prolific goalscorer.

Gyokeres’ 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting over the last two years is a massive draw for Arsenal, not least because of their trouble finding the net last season in comparison to their previous two campaigns.

Arsenal "will" sign Viktor Gyokeres after "positive" Berta talks

Understandably, updates on the 27-year-old’s potential move to north London are coming by the hour.

Football Transfers have chipped in with information of their own, sharing the timeline Arsenal supporters can expect when it comes to finalising a deal for the ex-Coventry City star.

Arsenal want to get Gyokeres over the line in time for their pre-season tour of Asia, with Arteta’s side set to take on AC Milan in Singapore on July 23. Berta has just arrived back in England after jetting out to Portugal for “positive talks” with Sporting, and FT move to reassure fans that Arsenal “will” get a deal done for Gyokeres, even if there is some light work to do on the final fee.

They’ve offered an initial £56 million, plus £4 million in add-ons, for the centre-forward – but Sporting want the £60 million to be a paid as an unconditional fixed fee.

Therefore, just £5 million separates the two sides right now, and there is an expectation that they will eventually reach a compromise, as Arsenal look to seal this deal within the next fortnight.

“We know what we’re doing with him, and where we’re going. He’s comfortable,” says interim coach Trescothick

Matt Roller15-Sep-2024England will continue to take a cautious approach to Jofra Archer’s workloads during their five upcoming ODIs against Australia, after he bowled just 3.3 overs across the drawn, rain-affected T20I series.Archer has been steadily eased back into international cricket this year, playing two T20Is against Pakistan in May before featuring in all eight of England’s matches at June’s T20 World Cup. He did not play at all for Sussex in the second half of the Blast group stages and was managed carefully through the Hundred, twice being rested to the frustration of Southern Brave captain James Vince.Since the end of the Hundred, he has played two matches: one for Sussex in the quarter-final of the T20 Blast, and the other for England in their defeat at the Utilita Bowl on Wednesday night. He was rested for Friday night’s game in Cardiff and would have played in Sunday’s series decider had it not been washed out by the Manchester rain.He has proved why England have invested so heavily in him, since his comeback from the back and elbow issues that have kept him on the sidelines for so long. He was their joint-highest wicket-taker at June’s World Cup, and on Wednesday night provided a reminder of his skills at the death, clean-bowling Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett in successive balls.Related

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Archer is in England’s 15-man squad for the five-match ODI series which starts in Nottingham on Thursday, though may be rested for one or two of them. He has not played a 50-over game in the last 18 months and while he retains long-term ambitions to play red-ball cricket, he has not played a first-class match since May 2021.”Jofra will have to be managed throughout the series,” Jos Buttler told Sky Sports on Sunday. “He’s played a really good stint now of T20 cricket, but obviously you can only bowl four overs in there. There’s a jump in intensity getting loads up to taking full part in an ODI – and of course, as an England fan, to push those loads up hopefully to get back into the Test arena as well.”Marcus Trescothick, England’s interim coach, said that Archer was “comfortable” with the ECB’s long-term plan to manage his workload. “He knows the plan,” Trescothick said. “It’s discussed long in advance of picking the team on each day. We know what we’re doing with him, and where we’re going. He’s comfortable: he knows what he’s doing.”That’s a bigger structure, in terms of what we’re trying to do with Jofra. You come into the series knowing what we’ve got and what we can do with him. That’s an agreed plan between the coaches, directors, physios and all the different people. We’ll still be managing him [in the ODIs] – exactly the same thing.”Trescothick will be part of all three of England’s tours pre-Christmas, as an assistant coach for the Test series in Pakistan and New Zealand, and continuing to deputise for Brendon McCullum during the white-ball tour of the Caribbean in November. “It’s going to be slightly abbreviated, but I’ll be popping into all of them,” he said.He said that his manner as a coach has been informed by his experience working with McCullum, which he hopes will allow for a smooth transition when McCullum takes charge across formats from January. “I’m directing it in a way that I know will be very similar to when he comes in,” Trescothick said. “He’ll talk the same way, manage in the same fashion, and debrief in the same way.”We’ve spent two-and-a-half years together coaching… It’s not copying it, because I’m putting my own stamp on it, but it’s done in a very similar sort of fashion involving the very similar people in terms of the coaches we have around it. It’s the start of what’s going to go on, and it’ll carry on pretty seamlessly when he takes over in January.”

Leeds United supporters had the chance to see all of the club’s new signings in action on Saturday as they featured against Manchester United in a pre-season friendly.

The scoreline was far from exciting, as the two teams held each other to a 0-0 draw, but Sean Longstaff, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Lukas Nmecha, Gabriel Gudmundsson, and Jaka Bijol all played minutes.

Daniel Farke’s squad is also set to be bolstered by the arrival of defensive midfielder Anton Stach, after the club reportedly agreed a deal worth around £17m to sign the German star from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim on a permanent transfer.

This means that Leeds will have signed two centre-backs, a left-back, two defensive midfielders, and an experienced centre-forward in the summer transfer window.

As Nmecha arrived on a free transfer, Leeds have yet to spend a transfer fee on a new attacker to come in and bolster their side ahead of the Premier League campaign.

The Championship champions have been linked with plenty of forwards, though, and one obvious link that predictably emerged earlier in the summer was one to Aston Villa attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia.

Why Leeds may want to sign Emiliano Buendia

The Argentina international worked under Farke during his time at Norwich City and it was reported in January that Leeds were eyeing up a loan move with an option to make it permanent in the summer, as they were pushing to secure promotion out of the Championship.

That move did not materialise at the start of the year, though, and Leeds have once again been linked with an interest in signing the attacking midfielder to improve their options in the number ten position.

Buendia is a target that makes sense for Leeds because of their need for a replacement, or at least competition, for Brenden Aaronson, as well as Farke’s pre-existing relationship with the player.

The 28-year-old star scored 24 goals and provided 41 assists in 121 appearances for the German head coach with the Canaries, winning the Championship title in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns.

This suggests that Farke knows how to get the best out of the right-footed magician, who thrived as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Norwich in his three seasons there, and that is why this could be a signing that makes a lot of sense this summer.

Appearances

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34

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0

69

0

Goals

5

0

5

Big chances created

8

0

2

Assists

3

0

0

As you can see in the table above, though, it would be a risky signing because he has not been at his best at the top end of the pitch in the last three seasons, missing the entire of the 2023/24 campaign with an ACL injury.

Instead of taking a risk with Buendia, who may not be able to recapture the form he displayed at Norwich, Leeds may look elsewhere, amid reported interest in another former Canary.

Leeds pushing to sign Brazilian attacker

According to Turkish outlet Fotospor, Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Galatasaray central midfielder Gabriel Sara this summer.

The report claims that the Championship champions and fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are ‘constantly’ pushing to sign the Brazilian talent to bolster their respective midfields.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It adds, though, that Galatasaray are not actively looking to cash in on the left-footed star, and that it will take an ‘incredible’ offer to tempt them into selling Sara, who they claim has won over the supporters with his performances on the pitch.

No price tag is mentioned in this latest report but Fotomac claimed earlier this summer that it would take a fee of around £26m to sign the former Norwich man, amid interest from Manchester United.

It is now down to Leeds to put the money on the table to convince Galatasaray to sell Sara and to beat Aston Villa and Manchester United to his signature, as the £26m-rated star has the potential to be Farke’s new Buendia.

Why Sara could be Farke's new Buendia

Poetically, Farke could find his next Buendia by signing the player Norwich eventually signed to replace the Argentine star as their chief creator.

The Canaries sold him to Aston Villa in 2021 and did not directly replace him until they signed the creative Brazilian from São Paulo the following summer.

As you can see in the graphic above, Sara racked up a staggering haul of 13 goals and 12 assists from midfield in the 2023/24 campaign for Norwich, which was the first time any player hit double figures for both goals and assists since Buendia produced 15 goals and 16 assists in the 2020/21 season.

Like the Argentine whiz, the Galatasaray star is an attacking midfielder who has the quality on the ball to make a big impact in the final third, as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Sara, who analyst Ben Mattinson claimed has a “magical left foot”, joined the Turkish giants off the back of his incredible season in the Championship with Norwich, and enjoyed a strong debut year in the Super Lig.

Appearances

30

Goals

2

Big chances created

12

xA

7.62

Key passes per game

2.3

Assists

8

Pass accuracy

83%

As you can see in the table above, the £26m-rated star did not provide goals on a regular basis, but his creativity was on full display yet again, creating 12 ‘big chances’ for his teammates.

His form for both Norwich and Galatasaray suggest that Sara has the potential to be a huge creative threat for Leeds in the Premier League, with his ability to consistently unlock the opposition’s defence to create high-quality opportunities for the forwards ahead of him.

This is why he could be Farke’s new Buendia, who registered 41 assists for the German at Norwich, and why the club should continue to push for a deal for him this summer.

It is now down to the club to thrash out a deal to bring the left-footed creator to Elland Road this summer, as he could be an exciting addition to the squad.

Farke's own Joelinton: Leeds made contact over deal to sign £22m "monster"

Leeds United have made contact over a potential deal for a star who could be their own Joelinton.

ByDan Emery Jul 19, 2025

Victoria were in command at Junction as Todd Murphy and Fergus O’Neill shared seven wickets

AAP15-Nov-2024Cameron Bancroft’s horror start to the summer continued, dismissed cheaply on a tough opening day for Western Australia’s batters in their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria.On the same day Todd Murphy took four wickets for Victoria to press his claims for the Sri Lanka tour, Bancroft’s misery lived on as he was out for just 12. The former Test opener was the first man out as WA were all out for 167, before Victoria went to stumps at 100 for 2.Marcus Harris was 40 not out at stumps for Victoria, a week after both he and Bancroft lost out to Nathan McSweeney for the vacant spot at the top of Australia’s Test order.Particularly watchful early, Harris’ only two scoring shots in his first 26 balls were nice drives to the mid-off and mid-on boundaries. He then hit three successive fours from Brody Couch’s first over, with a late cut, uppercut and backfoot drive all through the offside.But while Harris at least got a start on Friday at his favoured Junction Oval in Melbourne, there was little joy for Bancroft. He got off the mark by punching a ball to backward-point boundary, and also produced a lovely on-drive off Sam Elliott.In between that he was also dropped in the slips by Harris off Fergus O’Neill, before the quick nipped one back in at him and Bancroft was out lbw. Bancroft’s run of scores in red-ball cricket this summer now reads 0, 0, 8, 12, 0, 16, 3, 0 and 12.It comes after he was the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield over the past two summers, before his form deserted him at the precise wrong moment.Murphy’s 4 for 27 on his 24th birthday came at the right time ahead of this summer’s tour of Sri Lanka. He was the preferred option as Australia’s second spinner in last year’s Ashes, but a fit-again Nathan Lyon has not required support alongside him since then.West Australian Corey Rocchiccioli has since been the leading spinner in the Shield last summer, before taking four wickets in the second innings for Australia A against India A last week. But in the third-last round before selection for the Sri Lanka Test tour, Murphy was able to bag his best figures of the summer.He had opener Sam Fanning caught behind sweeping a ball down leg, before being miserly with the ball for the majority of his spell. The Victorian then ran through the tail and removing Joel Paris, Cameron Gannon and Brody Couch.Rocchiccioli was able to get one wicket for Western Australia before stumps, having Campbell Kellaway caught at cover for 26 when he was beaten in flight.

Douglas Luiz appears to be making the most of an early-season break after holidaying with Vinicius Jr following their Brazil squad snubs.

Luiz joins Nottingham Forest on loanNot included in latest Brazil squad  Enjoys Marbella break with Vinicius JrFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

With both Luiz and Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr not in Brazil's latest squad for their World Cup qualifiers, the compatriots headed off to Marbella during the international break. Footballers play very demanding schedules, so getting breaks where you can is not a bad thing.  

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Luiz has had a tough year following his move to Juventus. A lack of minutes and disciplinary problems marked his time in Serie A, but now he is back in the Premier League after joining Nottingham Forest on loan. Vinicius Jr is almost nailed on to make Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad but midfielder Luiz needs to have a stellar season to feature in Carlo Ancelotti's plans, so getting breaks in could be helpful. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Luiz has 18 caps for Brazil, the last of which came in 2024. If the 27-year-old wants to be at next year's World Cup, he will have to replicate the form that made him a highly coveted player at Aston Villa, where he scored 22 goals in 204 games.  

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Former Vasco da Gama man Luiz will now be focusing on making an impact at Forest when the international break concludes this week. He could make his debut for the club away at Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday. 

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers recently revealed that the Scottish Premiership champions need to add more goals to their team during the summer transfer window.

When asked about what the Hoops need to do before the start of September, the manager said: “I think it’s bringing goals to the squad. Especially when you score four goals, it seems like you’re okay. But we lost an important player in Kyogo [Furuhashi] in January. He brought us a lot of goals. We lost Nicolas Kuhn. He brought us a lot of goals. Matt O’Riley even last summer.

Ligue 1 side Rennes swooped in to sign Kyogo Furuhashi from the Scottish giants for a reported fee of £10m in January, ending a goal-laden time for the striker at Parkhead.

Celtic hit the jackpot with Kyogo Furuhashi

Ange Postecoglou signed the centre-forward from Vissel Kobe in the summer of 2021, and it is safe to say that it was an incredibly successful move for all parties involved.

Kyogo ended his Celtic career with a return of 85 goals and 15 assists in 165 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, which shows that he was prolific throughout his time at the club.

His best season at Parkhead, by far, was when he plundered 34 goals in the 2022/23 campaign for Postecoglou, though, as the Japan international was a goal machine that year.

Whilst it is unrealistic to expect Celtic to find a new forward who can score 34 goals in one season, Rodgers could finally replace Kyogo by signing Federico Chiesa on loan from Liverpool, as the club are reportedly one of the teams chasing a loan deal for the attacker.

Why Celtic should sign Federico Chiesa

If the Hoops can convince the Italy international to make the move to Parkhead on loan, the £150k-per-week star could be a high-quality addition to the squad.

Chiesa primarily plays as a winger but he has also started 87 career club games as a second striker or as a centre-forward, which suggests that he could play through the middle for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

The Italian forward has scored 66 goals for Juventus and Fiorentina, whilst he has also scored seven goals for his country. This speaks to his pedigree and shows the kind of quality that the Hoops would be bringing in.

Chiesa only played 14 times, scoring twice, in all competitions for Liverpool last season, but his form in the 2023/24 campaign for Juventus shows that he has the quality to be a fantastic signing for Celtic.

Starts

25

xG

6.43

Goals

9

Big chances created

12

xA

5.58

Assists

2

As you can see in the table above, the Italian forward, who can play wide or centrally, provided a big threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals in one of Europe’s major leagues.

The 27-year-old star, who was once dubbed “unplayable” by reporter Carlo Garganese, was also incredibly efficient in front of goal, overperforming his xG by almost three goals.

Whereas, Kyogo only scored 10 goals from 14.14 xG in the first half of last season’s Premiership campaign. Chiesa, based on his form for Juventus, could be far more efficient with the chances that come his way if Rodgers provided him with an opportunity to play regularly.

The Italian dynamo is a clinical finisher and creative force who can offer quality out wide or through the middle as a dynamic forward option, who is already proven at a higher level of football than the Premiership.

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ByDan Emery Jul 30, 2025

Therefore, Celtic should be pushing to win the race for Chiesa’s services as he is a clinical forward who could provide a cutting edge to the team’s attack as a Kyogo replacement this summer.

Roberto Martinez insisted "Diogo Jota is with us" after Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the 21st minute of Portugal's first game since the tragic death of the Liverpool star. The ex-Wolves forward and his brother Andre lost their lives in a devastating car crash, leaving the football world in shock.

Ronaldo scores 21st-minute tribute goalTeammates honour Diogo Jota’s memoryFans and players unite in remembranceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ahead of the game against Armenia in Yerevan, teammates and friends ensured Jota’s memory was unmistakably present. Ruben Neves, Jota’s former Wolves colleague and close friend, swapped his usual shirt number to 21, the number Jota wore for his country, as a deeply personal homage.

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The tribute came to life spectacularly in the 21st minute, when Ronaldo scored for Portugal. Aligning perfectly with Jota’s iconic number, the goal was a moving gesture that resonated with Martinez. 

WHAT MARTINEZ SAID

Martinez spoke emotionally about the squad’s determination to honour Jota.

"Diogo Jota is with us. Being able to score in the 21st minute was special. We continue on our journey. I really believe [in coincidences]. Diogo's spirit is with us, it was a sign, in the 21st minute and we scored. We felt Diogo Jota from the first day of the training camp and his strength and motivation." 

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Other teammates joined in the homage. Joao Cancelo performed Jota’s signature video game-style goal celebration, a moment that drew both applause and tears. Fans responded in kind, holding up posters and chanting in honour of the late forward.

The future of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak continues to dominate headlines as he hopes to sign for Liverpool within the month.

Arne Slot has welcomed a range of high-quality signings to his fold since winning the Premier League in his first season in charge, but the cream of the summer crop perhaps lies yet ahead.

Isak was described as “the best striker in the world, bar none” by analyst Raj Chohan for his performances across the recent season, scoring 27 goals across all competitions as United qualified for the Champions League and won the Carabao Cup (against Liverpool in the final).

Liverpool have seen a £120m bid knocked back by the Magpies, and may yet return depending on developments over the coming weeks, with Isak determined to join the Premier League champions.

But this isn’t the only area that sporting director Richard Hughes will need to look at, for Slot needs another central defender if he is to succeed in attacking the many different fronts of the 2025/26 campaign.

And Hughes has a few different options in mind.

Liverpool scouting new defender

Having sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for £35m, Liverpool are light on their feet in central defence, with Joe Gomez’s minor Achille injury exacerbating the situation.

That’s why FSG have shown a vested interest in Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, who has just one year remaining on his contract at Selhurst Park.

Guehi would be the perfect fully-formed addition to join Virgil van Dijk and the rest, but Liverpool will not overpay.

However, previous interest in Dean Huijsen this year emphasises the need for more quality and depth at the rearguard, and Liverpool may turn to an up-and-coming talent who has performed highly on scouting tests.

Indeed, according to Liverpool correspondent Lewis Steele, the Reds have been monitoring the situation of 21-year-old defender Konstantinos Koulierakis, who plays for the German club Wolfsburg.

Koulierakis might not be ready for a starting role, week on week, for Slot’s Merseysiders, but he’s making steady progress and is highly rated.

The Greek talent has also been chased by Aston Villa and Real Madrid in 2025 and has a price tag of €50m (£42m).

Why Liverpool should sign Konstantinos Koulierakis

Described as a “mature and complete centre-back” who belies his youth and inexperience by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Koulierakis is a dynamic defender with the perfect style of play for the Premier League scene, having been likened to Manchester City star Josko Gvardiol.

As per Sofascore, the up-and-comer won 59% of his duels in the German top-flight last year and averaged 4.6 clearances per game, and his fundamental early career development in the Bundesliga could even lead him to become Van Dijk’s next version of Joel Matip.

A cult hero and a crucial part of the Jurgen Klopp era, Matip was forced into an agonising early retirement in December 2023 after injuring his knee against Fulham in the Premier League.

The towering defender joined Liverpool on a free transfer after his contract with Schalke had expired in 2016. What a signing. That assist for Divock Origi in the Champions League final stands out as the apotheosis of his illustrious career, but he provided steely support across eight seasons in total.

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Known for his mazy, physique-belying runs upfield and his slick partnership with Van Dijk, the Cameroonian contributed greatly at Anfield, all the more impressive given that he was signed on a free transfer, Klopp’s second signing after replacing Brendan Rodgers.

Van Dijk once said, “I wish I had Matip’s quality!” That, surely, emphasises the level of ability that Liverpool once had in their defensive ranks, and given that Koulierakis has been considered tactically comparable to Gvardiol, it might be the perfect move to land a new partner for the Dutch skipper in Slot’s side.

The 6 foot 1 Koulierakis gained a wealth of experience in his homeland with PAOK before making the leap over to the German scene one year ago, and he actually has 106 senior appearances to his name across the two outfits, with 14 caps for Greece besides.

Ranked among the top 2% of centre-backs in the Bundesliga last season for switches too, as per FBref, Koulierakis likes to promote expansive passing play and make an impact both with crunching challenges and attacking inspiration.

In that way, he has an offensive side to his game as a central defender that offers slight shades to Matip.

Liverpool would surely prefer to sign Guehi this summer, given his experience and reputation as one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs, but Palace’s stance will make the final comment on that one.

Ibrahima Konate is believed to be hopeful that he and Liverpool might reach an agreement over a new contract, and that he would remain on Merseyside over the coming years, signing this Wolfsburg gem might prove the perfect swoop for the Reds.

Konate and Van Dijk will continue to star as Slot’s recognised defensive partnership over the next few years, but Koulierakis has proven himself to have the potential to thrive at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

And with Real Madrid yet again registering their interest in a player somehow tied to Liverpool, FSG would be wise to forge ahead and get this one over the line as soon as possible, should the pursuit of Guehi prove fruitless.

Shades of Suarez: Liverpool can forget Isak by signing 'world's best CF'

Liverpool saw an official bid for Alexander Isak rejected by Newcastle on Friday.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 2, 2025

Ibrahim Zadran and Mujeeb Ur Rahman miss out as they are still recovering from injury

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2024Afghanistan have made two additions to the squad that beat South Africa in Sharjah in September, for the ODI series against Bangladesh at the same venue in November: opening batter Sediqullah Atal and left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad come into a 19-man squad. Ibrahim Zadran, who is recovering from an ankle surgery, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, sidelined by a right phalanx (hand) sprain, are not yet fit to play.Atal, who has six T20I caps to his name, has been in top from at the Emerging Teams Asia Cup T20 tournament, with scores of 52, 95 not out and 83. Noor makes a comeback off a stellar Caribbean Premier League performance where he was Player of the Series for his table-topping 22 wickets for St Lucia Kings.Afghanistan Cricket Board chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil said: “Ibrahim Zadran is currently undergoing rehabilitation and continues to recover from the surgery he recently had. Mujeeb Ur Rahman also remains unavailable due to ongoing treatment.”However, Noor Ahmad is back in the squad, and we have included a promising top-order batter in Sediqullah Atal, who has impressed everyone with his consistent top performances.”Afghanistan play Bangladesh in three ODIs overall, from November 6 to 11, which will serve as part of the team’s build up to the Champions Trophy in February 2025. In their previous assignment, the three ODIs against South Africa, Afghanistan created history with their first series win against an opposition ranked in the top five of the ICC rankings.Afghanistan squad for Bangladesh ODIsHashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Abdul Malik, Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik.
In: Sediqullah Atal, Noor AhmadAfghanistan vs Bangladesh series schedule Nov 6, 1st ODI, Sharjah Nov 9, 2nd ODI, Sharjah Nov 11, 3rd ODI, Sharjah

England’s 2019 World Cup-winning coach will not return in 2025

Matt Roller03-Dec-2024Trevor Bayliss has left his role at London Spirit in the Hundred after his men’s team finished bottom in 2024. Bayliss replaced the late Shane Warne as men’s coach ahead of the 2022 season, when Eoin Morgan captained them to the play-offs, but his team have won only three games and lost 11 in the last two years since Morgan’s retirement.Bayliss’ side were particularly poor in 2024, losing seven of their eight matches with a scrappy three-wicket win over Welsh Fire the only exception. Their top picks at the draft, Shimron Hetmyer and Andre Russell, managed 216 runs between them, and Dan Lawrence was unable to get them out of a rut as captain.The Spirit’s struggles in the men’s Hundred were only emphasised by the success of their women’s team, who won the title for the first time under Heather Knight and Ashley Noffke. Noffke has since signed an extension for the 2025 edition, though has lost assistant Ali Maiden to Birmingham Phoenix.”We’d all like to thank Trevor for his considerable efforts across the last three seasons,” Fraser Stewart, London Spirit’s general manager and the MCC’s head of cricket, said in a statement. “He initially joined us in difficult circumstances and led the side to a strong finish in 2022, but the team hasn’t been able to replicate that success since.”As a group, we’re desperate to see London Spirit competing at the right end of the table and we think a new approach may be of benefit to our chances. Trevor leaves Lord’s with our best wishes and our gratitude.”Related

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Bayliss’ stock has fallen as a coach of late, five years on from his England side’s triumph in the 2019 50-over World Cup. He was replaced as Punjab Kings coach by Ricky Ponting earlier this year, though has been retained as Sydney Thunder coach for the upcoming Big Bash League season despite overseeing their last-placed finish in 2023-24.London Spirit have already advertised for Bayliss’ replacement, with a first-round deadline of December 11. James Foster and Paul Collingwood are both potential contenders, having spent time working under Bayliss as assistant coaches, and an appointment appears likely to take place before the completion of the Hundred’s ongoing sales process.The second-round deadline for bids from private investors (for 49% stakes in the Hundred’s eight teams) is December 9, with London Spirit expected to attract the highest offers. Interested bidders for the Spirit are understood to include at least two IPL franchises in Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, as well as the Manchester United co-owner Avram Glazer.