Liverpool will be glad to see the back of the summer transfer window, even though they have completed one of the most incredible spending sprees in the history of the Premier League.

The Alexander Isak saga has taken its toll on all involved, but Anfield sporting director Richard Hughes won the tug-of-war in the end, bringing the striker to Liverpool from Newcastle United in a record-breaking £125m deal.

It capped a transfer window of incredible expenditure. Liverpool had already broken the transfer record earlier in the summer through the addition of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, signing a range of further quality players.

And though a deal for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi fell through, Slot will feel that his side have enough about them to defend their Premier League title and push for more silverware.

After all, with such staggering firepower, it would take a Herculean effort indeed to knock the Reds from their perch.

Meet Liverpool's new strikers

Some consider Liverpool’s record-breaking signing of Isak to be superfluous. The Anfield side welcomed Hugo Ekitike to the fold for £79m in July, after all.

It was important that Liverpool landed new goalscorers this summer, having months ago decided to cash in on Darwin Nunez, who was plagued by inconsistency across his three years at the club and actually regressed when Slot replaced Klopp last year.

In Ekitike, Liverpool have a top talent who has bagged three goals from his opening four matches under Slot’s wing. Isak needs no introduction. The former Newcastle talisman scored 27 goals last season and is widely regarded to be among the most dangerous strikers in Europe.

And he now plays in Red. Mohamed Salah practically dragged Liverpool to the title last season, so staggering was his prolific contribution, but now there is a more even spread of top-level ability across the frontline, and Isak has what it takes to become the new talisman.

However, there’s one man who often gets overlooked in such conversations, but is actually demonstrating qualities that could see him emerge as Liverpool’s new version of Salah as the Egyptian enters the twilight of his career on Merseyside.

Liverpool's new Mohamed Salah

Salah’s journey since joining from Roma for £34m in 2017 has been something of a lightning-in-a-bottle success story. He broke the record for goals scored in a 38-game Premier League season in his first term under Jurgen Klopp’s management, and then went on to win the Premier League and the Champions League.

Liverpool’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League, Salah scored 34 goals and supplied 23 assists across all competitions last season, and though he’s posted a goal and an assist from his opening three league fixtures of the term, he would be forgiven for easing his output with the likes of Isak and Ekitike now in the mix.

However, might we as a fanbase be too quick to forget about Cody Gakpo? The versatile Dutchman joined from PSV Eindhoven for an initial £35m after his success at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and he has made incremental progress since, scoring 42 goals and providing 19 assists across 132 matches.

Klopp recognised Gakpo’s dynamism as a thing to utilise across a range of berths, but Slot has fine-tuned his countryman’s role, restricting him to more of a left-sided deployment.

This bore dividends last season, with Gakpo instrumental in winning the Premier League, posting 18 goals and seven assists across all competitions.

The £120k-per-week forward might not ever reach the same prolific heights as a peerless superstar like Salah, but he’s been praised in the past for his “special skill set” by Klopp’s former assistant manager Pep Lijnders, so lethal in the final third yet deceptively athletic and creative too.

All-time PL Top Scorers

Player

Apps

Goals

Alan Shearer

441

260

Harry Kane

320

213

Wayne Rooney

491

208

Mohamed Salah

304

187

Andy Cole

414

187

Stats via Premier League

Salah, of course, is one of the finest goalscorers in Premier League history, and the definitive poster boy of the club’s success over the past ten years. Gakpo may not achieve such heights, but he’s showing himself to have the capacity to emulate the superstar in regard to distribution of output.

And having already set up two goals in the Premier League this term, might the 26-year-old be heading toward a more balanced take on the offensive game, something Salah has performed with aplomb over his many years at Liverpool?

Of course, striking on goal and making the net bulge has long been Gakpo’s bread and butter.

In fact, data-driven platform FBref have crunched the numbers and revealed that Gakpo ranked among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for goals scored per 90, underscoring his natural-born sharpness in the box.

That marks another reason why the goalscoring wideman could prove to be the perfect Salah replacement, for if he maintains his current rate, then he will achieve a prolonged run of prolific form in the English top flight, having rarely been fielded as a centre-forward.

Gakpo’s performances for Liverpool in the Champions League last season actually led FBref to list him as one of Salah’s most statistically similar players.

As the Slot machine went from strength to strength across the course of the 2024/25 campaign, so too did Gakpo cement himself as one of Liverpool’s most important players.

Pundit Peter Crouch remarked that the Netherlands star had “gone up a level” under his compatriot’s tactical guidance, and his start to the new season gives the impression that Gakpo’s finest form is still ahead of him, and that when the fateful day of Salah’s departure from Liverpool comes, Slot will find the perfect in-house replacement already playing on the opposite flank.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Sep 5, 2025

Manchester United started the season with a defeat at Old Trafford, but there’s no denying that some semblance of a tactical plan was discernible, and that the Red Devils might just be turning the tide after a wretched year.

Things didn’t go to plan for Ruben Amorim when he replaced Erik ten Hag in 2024, slumping to a 15th-place Premier League finish and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, but the summer transfer business since has held much promise.

In particular, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha look to be terrific signings, both playing well against Arsenal on Sunday. Benjamin Sesko’s second-half cameo also let the Old Trafford fans know that there is a new striker in the building, and one with bucketloads of potential at that.

But defensive frailties have been carried from last season to the current term, and while United are targeting a new goalkeeper, it’s clear that a centre-midfielder would make a world of difference across what is truly a critical juncture in the prestigious club’s trajectory.

Why Man Utd want a midfielder

Casemiro might not be at his career best anymore, but he’s certainly made certain pundits eat their words in rebounding commendably from wretched form to play a part in Amorim’s project.

Still, building up from the back smoothly and slickly isn’t prominent within the Brazilian’s repertoire, and that’s why Amorim has been determined to sign a new ball-playing specialist with a combative side this summer.

Efforts have been taken, if not yet exhausted. Fans hope to see Kobbie Mainoo feature more heavily across the coming year, while Manuel Ugarte continues to be a mixed bag, strong against the ball but unconvincing when in possession.

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba had been tracked, with club-to-club talks even taking place, but the Seagulls’ not-for-sale stance is absolute (for this summer, at least).

The up-and-coming talent is worth a pretty penny, all right, but United feel they would be getting bang for their buck. Look at Declan Rice over at the Emirates Stadium, who cost a staggering sum but has since proved himself to be the lifeblood of Mikel Arteta’s title-challenging midfield.

The clock is ticking, but Man United may yet make a marquee move to seal a promising summer window and ensure their manager has the tools to engineer the badly desired resurgence.

Amorim driving late Man Utd deal

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United are interested in signing Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, with Amorim thought to be personally championing the potential bid, which shows that he the dream target for the head coach.

Baleba had been United’s top target, but that door has indeed been closed, with Wharton earmarked as a fallback who might even prove a better signing than the Cameroonian talent.

Wharton has been reported to be the outfit’s dream target, but if the Eagles were to green-light the sale of their most marketable player, they would likely need to fork out a staggering £100m sum.

What Adam Wharton would bring to Man Utd

Crystal Palace only signed the 21-year-old Wharton from Blackburn Rovers in February 2024 for an £18m fee, but he’s since gone from strength to strength and is now regarded as one of the most exciting English talents out there.

Last season, he was affected by a groin injury that sidelined him for middle of the campaign, but he still showcased his ball-playing quality and athletic style, covering plenty of ground.

Data from FBref conveys it neatly: the data-driven platform reveals that Wharton ranks among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe over the past year for progressive passes, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, and the top 5% for ball recoveries per 90.

His all-action midfield style, underlaid by a potential mastery of the ball-playing side of the game – he’s been described as a “passing machine” by journalist Henry Winter, after all – even suggests that United could sign their own version of Rice by completing this signing.

Like Rice, Wharton has been valued above the nine-digit threshold, with Arsenal signing the Three Lions heavyweight from West Ham United for £105m in 2023, right after he led his side to a rare slice of silverware.

In this way, Wharton shares a likeness with his compatriot. Now 26, the Gunners man is a superstar, but look at how he compares to Wharton compared in 2023/24 against Rice’s closing campaign as a Hammer.

Wharton didn’t quite achieve the same degree of fluency and confidence last year, largely due to injuries, but to have made such a start to his top-flight career at a season’s midpoint, and as a young player, is an incredible feat, and makes Amorim’s desire to seal his signature all the more clear.

He’s not quite so all-encompassing a midfield player as Rice, but Wharton has that maestro tinge to his skill set that is exactly what Amorim needs to advance his transitional play.

Moreover, Wharton’s high volume of tackles and interceptions makes a telling comment on his defensive ability, as he has the positioning, the timing, and the strength to excel out of possession in the middle of the park.

Of course, there’s been something of a trickling exodus at Selhurst Park this summer, with Eberechi Eze on the cusp of a transfer to Arsenal and Marc Guehi strongly mooted to be headed for Anfield.

Prising Wharton away from chairman Steve Parish won’t be an easy feat by any stretch. Should Parish double down on his stance that Wharton isn’t for sale, expect INEOS and Amorim to retain their intrigue in England’s future midfield star.

If United must play the long game, there’s every chance they will do so. Wharton is worth waiting for; he’s that good.

He's like Baleba: "Extraordinary" £35m star now wants to sign for Man Utd

Manchester United appear to have moved on from Carlos Baleba with a move for another star.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 22, 2025

Over recent years, Tottenham Hotspur have been lucky enough to have multiple top-level strikers on their books, subsequently giving the fanbase numerous incredible memories.

Harry Kane undoubtedly tops that list, scoring 280 times for the Lilywhites – cementing himself as the highest goalscorer in their history, taking the record off the late Jimmy Greaves.

However, other players haven’t been as impressive, with Roberto Soldado struggling to produce the goods during his own stint in the first team in North London.

The Spaniard joined the club back in the summer of 2013, costing a whopping £26m – a figure that was a club record during those years under Daniel Levy.

However, he only scored 16 times in his 76 appearances for the club, leaving two years later for a measly £10m and losing £16m on their previous investment.

This summer, current boss Thomas Frank has made a move to land his own centre-forward, but the player will undoubtedly be hoping to have a similar impact to the former rather than the latter.

What Spurs can expect from Kolo Muani

In a summer transfer window littered with multiple £50m+ additions, Spurs also made various loan deals to help make an immediate improvement to the current squad.

Joao Palhinha was added to the midfield department earlier in the transfer window, joining on a season-long loan with an option to buy from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

However, on deadline day, Frank’s side also clinched the signing of PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani on loan – despite huge rumours linking him with a return to Juventus.

The 26-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at the Serie A outfit, netting 10 goals in just 22 appearances – subsequently getting his career back on track.

He joined PSG in a £76m deal back in 2023, but only scored 11 times in two seasons, before falling down the pecking order – leading to his temporary spells away from the Ligue 1 outfit.

However, he’s showcased in his recent spell in Italy that he’s capable of thriving with regular minutes, registering 70 goals in the professional game over the last five years.

The former Spurs player who’s outscored Kolo Muani

As previously mentioned, the centre-forward position has been a troubled one for Spurs since Kane departed in 2023, with record-signing Dominic Solanke struggling with his fitness since his own move in 2024.

The Lilywhites forked out £65m for his signature, but he’s only managed 16 goals for the club to date – with injuries halting his progress in North London.

The Englishman has been restricted to just 31 minutes of Premier League action so far in 2025/26, opening the door for Kolo Muani to stake his claim for a regular starting role.

However, former strikers at Spurs have also struggled to match the expectations put upon them, given the stature of the club – none more so than Vincent Janssen.

He joined the club in a £18.6m deal from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2016, with such a move generating excitement after the Dutchman ended the previous year as the Eredivisie’s top scorer.

During his first campaign in England, the striker only managed to net six goals – only two of which were in the Premier League – ultimately struggling to match the expectations he arrived with.

Janssen would subsequently be sent out on loan to Turkish side Fenerbahce, a move that would spell the end of his stint with the Lilywhites – only making three appearances upon his return to the club.

Transfer Fee

£18.6m

Wages

£2.75m

Total

£21.3m

Appearances

42

Cost per appearance

£507k

Goals

6

Cost per goal

£3.5m

Assists

4

Cost per assist

£5.3m

Goal involvements

10

Cost per goal involvement

£2.1m

Such failures in England led to former striker Gary Lineker dubbing the Dutchman as “ a poor man’s Roberto Soldado” – a damning statement given the Spaniard’s own failures in North London.

However, in recent years, the 31-year-old has recaptured his best form away from England – now plying his trade for Belgian side Royal Antwerp, helping his current employers qualify for the Champions League.

He registered 13 goals across all competitions in 2024/25, subsequently outscoring new addition Kolo Muani (12) – highlighting his impressive form after his failed stint in the Premier League.

There’s no denying that the hierarchy made the right call in allowing Janssen to depart the club, with his transfer certainly one to forget given his lack of tangible impact.

However, Kolo Muani will be hoping to not emulate his disappointing spell in North London, undoubtedly wanting to hit the ground running in the clash against West Ham United on Saturday night.

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ByEthan Lamb Sep 11, 2025

أعلن الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم هوية الحكم الذي سيتولى مسؤولية إدارة مباراة فريقي ريال مدريد وخيتافي، مساء الأحد، وذلك ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

ويستضيف ملعب “كوليسيوم ألفونسو بيريز” مباراة ريال مدريد وخيتافي، في خضم منافسات الجولة التاسعة من الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26.

ويحتل ريال مدريد المركز الثاني في جدول الدوري الإسباني برصيد 21 نقطة، بفارق نقطة عن برشلونة الذي تصدر بشكل مؤقت عقب فوزه القاتل في الجولة نفسها على جيرونا هدفين لهدف.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ألونسو يوضح موقف مبابي من المشاركة أمام خيتافي في الدوري الاسباني

في حين أن خيتافي لديه 11 نقطة ويحتل المركز الثاني عشر في جدول الدوري الإسباني، في الوقت الحالي.

وحسبما نُشر عبر الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم، فإن الحكم خوسيه لويس مونويرا مونتيرو سيتولى إدارة مباراة ريال مدريد وخيتافي، مساء الأحد، في خضم لقاءات الليجا.

في حين أن حكم تقنية الفيديو في المباراة المذكورة بين ريال مدريد وخيتافي، سيكون بابلو جونزاليس، حسبما أعلن الاتحاد الإسباني في البيان نفسه.

The match will be played on a red-soil pitch, which has plenty of grass cover

Abhimanyu Bose31-Mar-20252:09

How do PBKS contain red-hot Pooran?

Big pictureSunrisers Hyderabad racked up 286 for 6 in their first game of IPL 2025. All eyes were on them when they came up against Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) inexperienced bowling attack, with 300 being the buzzword. But a death-bowling clinic before the death overs from LSG stopped them in their tracks. Punjab Kings (PBKS), in their first game of the season, posted 243 for 5 – the second-highest total of this year. Now they, too, are up against LSG.LSG allrounder Shardul Thakur has made repeated calls for pitches that aid bowlers, and he will be happy to play at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, arguably the most bowler-friendly venue in the IPL. However, being at home is not necessarily a good thing for LSG, as they have a fifty-fifty record there. The in-form Nicholas Pooran, despite three seasons with the franchise, does not enjoy playing at this ground, averaging less than 25 and managing a high score of 42 in 14 matches.Related

Thakur: 'All bowlers want is a fair chance'

Reverse swing for Arshdeep or drier ball for Chahal – Punjab Kings have to decide

New loyaltiesIn his three years with the franchise, Marcus Stoinis was LSG’s third-highest run-scorer. But on Tuesday, he will turn out against his old team, hoping to quickly gain form for his new franchise PBKS, who shelled INR 11 crore for him at the auction.Fast bowler Yash Thakur is another ex-LSG player in PBKS’ ranks. But it is unlikely that he will get to play on Tuesday.2:26

Cricinformed: What has made Pooran such a T20 force since 2024?

Team news and likely XIIsWith PBKS’ batting line-up stacked with right-handers, LSG could be tempted to bring in one of their left-arm spinners in Shahbaz Ahmed or M Siddharth in place of Abdul Samad. LSG could also consider swapping Aiden Markram to give his compatriot Matthew Breetzke a chance at the top of the order, but Breetzke’s form has also been indifferent, with no half-century in his last ten T20 innings.Lucknow Super Giants (probable): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 David Miller, 7 Shahbaz Ahmed, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Prince Yadav, 11 Avesh Khan, 12 Digvesh RathiWith the Ekana Cricket Stadium generally favouring spinners, PBKS could think of an additional slower bowler in Harpreet Brar to support Yuzvendra Chahal and Glenn Maxwell. This could mean that Vijaykumar Vyshak, who put on an excellent display of death bowling after coming on as an Impact Player against Gujarat Titans (GT), will have to make room.Punjab Kings (probable): 1 Priyansh Arya, 2 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Azmatullah Omarzai, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Shashank Singh, 8 Suryansh Shedge, 9 Marco Jansen, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal, 12 Vijaykumar Vyshak/Harpreet BrarBig questionVyshak’s death bowling ensured GT didn’t chase down 244 against PBKS. But he is the only player who can make way for an extra spin option. Will PBKS stick with the seamer who kept GT’s left-hand batters quiet with his wide yorkers, especially with the prospect of having to bowl to Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant, or will they go with what conditions dictate?In the spotlight: Rishabh Pant and Glenn MaxwellAfter becoming the most expensive player in IPL history, Rishabh Pant has had a challenging start to his LSG stint. A six-ball duck in his first match followed by a run-a-ball 15 has seen him come under the scanner. Things are unlikely to get easier for him in Lucknow, where the conditions tend to favour the bowlers.Glenn Maxwell’s third stint with PBKS did not get off to the best of starts, as he was out for a golden duck against GT. But he has a good record against Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi, and will be looking to make the most of the favourable match-ups.Rishabh Pant hasn’t have a great start with Lucknow Super Giants•BCCI

Pitch and conditionsThe match will be played on a red-soil pitch, which is expected to have a lot of grass covering to keep the seamers interested. The average first-innings score here in T20s since 2023 is 169, so this is not going to be a run-fest.Stats and triviaSince the start of 2004, Pooran is the only batter in T20s to score over 500 runs at No. 3 with an average of 45-plus and a strike rate of 160-plus. Pooran has also hit the most sixes (200) in T20s in that period. His closest competitor is Heinrich Klaasen with 121. Pooran’s 49 sixes in the IPL during this time are also the most for any batter. David Miller is just 36 runs away from 3000 IPL runs.Next three fixturesLSG will host Mumbai Indians next, before travelling to Kolkata to take on Kolkata Knight Riders. They then return home to face GT.After two away games, PBKS will host Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in Mullanpur in their next two fixtures, before hitting the road again to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad.Quotes”I think that compared to other grounds, there will be a little more help for bowlers at the Ekana. It is a big ground and our bowlers have the skills to make use of that. So I think it will be a high-scoring match, but not as high-scoring as you’d get in Hyderabad.”
“We have to weigh up what we’re going to need the most: whether we’re going to need to try and get a little bit of tail with the older ball or whether we’re going to need to give our world-class spinner a dry ball to make an impact within the last ten overs of the innings.”

New-look opening pair set stage before middle-order put big runs on the board against visitors

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Apr-2025Essex (Cox 117, Walter 95, Critchley 45* Westley 40) vs Surrey Jordan Cox made sure his name remained on the England selectors’ radar with the ninth first-class century of his career, and fifth inside a year since joining Essex, as reigning champions Surrey toiled under bright Chelmsford skies.The 24-year-old Cox was on the cusp of an England debut in New Zealand last autumn before suffering another injury setback. But a swashbuckling 117 from 148 balls in the opening Rothesay County Championship match of the season can only have helped his cause ahead of a year in which England face first Zimbabwe and then India and Australia.His powerful innings overshadowed an otherwise excellent 95 from makeshift opener Paul Walter. The 30-year-old left-hander, better known for his big-hitting exploits in T20 cricket, fell just short of what would have been only his third red-ball century.Walter’s stands of 78 with rookie opener Charlie Allison and 100 with Cox, along with Cox’s 92 with Matt Critchley, underpinned an Essex total of 356 for 4 on the first day against a Surrey pace attack devoid of the likes of Gus Atkinson, Dan Worrall and Tom Lawes. Kemar Roach added some respite with 2 for 54 from 18 overs.Essex had won the toss and elected to bat on a benign green-top in front of a bumper home crowd of 2,370.Walter set the tone by marching to his fifty from 58 balls when he turned James Taylor off his legs for a single. He had dominated the first hour as Allison marked his first-class debut in look-and-learn mode. The 20-year-old, replacing Dean Elgar at the top of the order while the South African becomes used to the idea of being a father of twins, took 38 balls before hitting his first boundary, a square drive off Matt Fisher that took his score into double figures.The first-wicket stand ended when Dan Lawrence entered the Surrey attack and with his fourth delivery had Allison lbw for 25, playing down the wrong line, much to the delight of the former Essex man.Where Walter had been dominant in the opening stand, he became becalmed in the fifties either side of lunch as Tom Westley briefly took centre stage. The Essex captain rolled his wrists to turn Taylor through midwicket for four and later thick-edged Lawrence past a despairing slip.Westley contributed 40 towards a 48-run second-wicket stand before turning Roach into short midwicket’s hands. Walter added just five to his total in that 16-over partnership but then opened his shoulders and square-cut the first ball after Westley’s departure for his 10th four.There was greater equality between the third-wicket pair with Walter and Cox trading blows. Some of Cox’s hitting was effortless with no discernible back-lift, most notably his ninth boundary, a drive that scorched past mid-off, and brought up his half-century from 77 balls.The century partnership was reached with a single from Walter, but two balls later he gave Fisher his first Surrey wicket since the winter move from Yorkshire, when mis-hooking to Ben Foakes diving full-length down legside. Walter’s innings had lasted 172 balls and included 14 fours.Cox took up the cudgels immediately after tea, hitting Roach to three different parts of the boundary in an over. There was a strange incident just before Cox reached three-figures when he appeared to hit Foakes with his bat as the ball lobbed towards the wicketkeeper. No censure ensued and the century duly arrived with a straight drive off Lawrence for his 18th four.Cox added three more boundaries before he was beaten for pace by Roach to end a stay of a tad over three hours.It was just left to Critchley to confirm Essex’s domination as the sun went down with three successive fours off the expensive James Taylor and reach the close on 45 not out.

Leeds United made a late approach to sign an “unbelievable” midfielder who the 49ers Enterprises know well, but he turned down a move to Elland Road.

Evans defends Leeds' transfer window

Leeds’ managing director, Robbie Evans, has made it clear he was happy with the business that got done during the summer , despite admitting that deadline day was a “bad day at the end of a good window”.

Evans said: “When we set out back in May, we had certain targets as far as key positions, key profiles, you know, estimates of the maximum available spend to get towards. And we checked all those boxes. So we brought in all the key players. Got them done early, all the key additions for Daniel,”

However, it is difficult to ignore the fact that deadline day was a distinct failure, as the Whites failed to get a deal for Fulham’s Harry Wilson over the line, with it being widely reported the Cottagers pulled the plug on the move right at the end of the window.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Sep 10, 2025

Wilson was being targeted to bolster Daniel Farke’s wide options, but it has since emerged that bringing in another central midfielder was on the to-do list in the latter stages of the summer, despite already signing Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Leeds made a late approach to sign Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin, a club also owned by the 49ers Enterprises, but he turned down a move to Elland Road, with the 24-year-old keen to fight for his future at Ibrox.

The Whites made initial contact over a deal, but the move did not advance, and they ultimately didn’t manage to bring in another central midfielder, which could be an issue in the coming weeks, given the injury issues Farke is being forced to deal with.

Missing out on "unbelievable" Raskin could be blow for Leeds

The Belgian was left out of the Rangers squad for their recent 0-0 draw against Celtic, amid doubts over his future, which was a blow for Russell Martin, given that the maestro has previously caught the eye against the Gers’ bitter rivals.

Alex McLeish lauded the Rangers star for an “unbelievable” performance against the Hoops last season, and he has impressed considerably from a defensive point of view over the course of the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

4.11 (99th percentile)

Interceptions

1.50 (87th percentile)

Blocks

2.15 (99th percentile)

As such, the five-time Belgium international being uninterested in a move to Leeds is disappointing, especially given Farke’s ongoing injury problems.

It remains to be seen whether Leeds reignite their interest in Raskin, but it could be a relatively costly operation if they do, with the Scottish side thought to be demanding at least £25m.

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Entretanto, além do ponto a ser relevado do uso de equipe mista, pensando na Copa do Brasil, a comissão técnica do Furacão deu um ‘gostinho’ de ascensão ao meia Dudu por ter relacionado o jogador de 17 anos de idade, pela primeira vez, para um duelo da equipe principal.

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Cria do CT do Caju, ele não escondeu a felicidade com o que ele classificou como a ‘realização de um sonho’. Além do agradecimento, ele frisou que seguirpa buscando mostrar o seu melhor futebol para receber cada vez mais oportunidades semelhantes no Athletico:

– É um momento muito especial para mim, é a realização de um sonho. Vejo isso como reconhecimento do meu trabalho e como uma oportunidade de mostrar que estou pronto para ajudar o Athletico. Pois esse é o meu objetivo, ajudar esse clube que tanto fez por mim.

>Transforme qualquer TV em Smart e assista aos jogos do seu time do coração quando quiser!

– Foi uma honra estar com os meus companheiros e comissão. Agradeço ao clube pela confiança e vou continuar trabalhando forte para ir conquistando meu espaço. Como disse, estou aqui para ajudar no que for preciso e mostrar minha gratidãoaoAthletico – completou o jogador que, no último mês de abril, foi titular da Seleção Brasileira no título do Sul-Americano Sub-17, realizado no Equador.

Harry Brook says no amount of money will get between him and giving his all as England’s new limited-overs captain, as he pledged to put franchise cricket on the backburner for the good of English cricket.Brook, 26, was named as Jos Buttler’s successor on Monday, a role which will furnish one of the team’s premier all-format batters with extra responsibility by putting him in charge of a much-needed refresh. After a challenging period in the ODI and T20I formats, with T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy disappointments in the space of nine months, the first year of Brook’s tenure will require clarity alongside sharp improvement, with another T20 World Cup to come next February in India and Sri Lanka.Running parallel to Brook’s first year as captain are major Test series against India and Australia. A vital cog in the red-ball side – Brook is ranked No.2 in the ICC’s Test batting rankings, behind fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root – he will be integral to those challenges. It speaks to where Brook’s head is at that, even with his new role, he values success in this winter’s Ashes above lifting 2026’s T20 World Cup. The Ashes tour is viewed as integral to the legacies of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes with the Test side, with Brook fully in alignment as a senior member of the Test core, who has occasionally operated as vice-captain.Related

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• Harry Brook pulls out of IPL for second year running

“It’s the Ashes, I think,” Brook said at his Headingley unveiling on Wednesday, when asked to pick between the two. “I know I’ve taken over the white-ball captaincy, but the Ashes is the pinnacle of cricket for me still.”Already stretched across formats, something will have to give – and Brook has decided that will be franchise cricket. While in keeping with March’s decision to pull out of an IPL deal worth £590,000 with Delhi Capitals for the second year running, earning himself a two-year ban, it is a cost he is willing to bear for the good of his country.”Definitely not at the minute,” Brook said when asked if there was a figure that would make him rethink his franchise stance. “I just want to play cricket for England, represent my country like I have over the last few years and hopefully have a big impact on the side moving forward.”It’s my priority – England is the way forward for me and franchise cricket can almost take a step back for a little while. At the end of the day I enjoy playing cricket for England more than anything else so, yeah, to lose a little bit of money here and there I’d take that any day to play for England.”I haven’t completely given up franchise cricket. But in the near future, I don’t see a way with the schedule that I’m going to have much time to play on the franchise circuit.”Harry Brook chats to the media at his Headingley unveiling•PA Photos/Getty Images

Brook has yet to be informed of his IPL ban by the BCCI, but accepts it is “fair play” given the rules brought in for the 2025 season. His absence from 2024’s edition owed to the death of his grandmother, having missed England’s Test tour to India at the start of the year when she fell ill.This time around, Brook cited the need to “recharge after the busiest period in my career to date”. And though forgoing IPL riches is a luxury he can afford, with 18 months still to run on a lucrative ECB central contract – now supplemented by a captaincy bonus – the need to recuperate has merit.Since the start of last summer, Brook has played 50 matches, 38 of them spread across three formats for England, including two ICC events. Only five men, at the time of writing, have played more international cricket during this period.During this stretch, he sat out a home T20I series against Australia and the eight-match white-ball tour of the Caribbean which bled into the New Zealand Test tour at the end of 2024. And though Brook anticipates further gaps will have to be created in his schedule, finding them will be tougher as captain.England’s summer comprises six Tests (starting with a one-off meeting with Zimbabwe ahead of the India series) and 12 white-ball fixtures (against West Indies and South Africa) before an ODI tour of Ireland in late September. After two to three weeks off, a limited-overs tour of New Zealand begins in late October, ahead of the five-match Ashes, followed by a white-ball warm-up tour of Sri Lanka leading into the T20 World Cup.The vast quantity of cricket gives Brook plenty of sympathy for his predecessor, Buttler, who often led weakened squads during the busiest parts of the calendar. “It was hard on Jos. I think he didn’t really have the best players at all times, and hopefully we can have that moving on forward.”As one of those “best” players whose availability was scuppered by all-format demands, Brook’s biggest challenge will be balancing his workload alongside leadership. The Ireland series, for example, made up of three matches across five days in September, has already been earmarked as one to sit out. But Brook concedes these could provide valuable opportunities to further instil his standards and methods early in his reign.”That Ireland series, potentially [is one to miss], but I might want to play. Because it’s my first year, I might want to keep around the lads and keep them in high spirits.”It’s a lot of cricket. And I’m looking forward to it. The Ashes is going to be mega. But we’ve got a lot of cricket before that. That’s probably where the odd week off here and there, maybe missing the odd series, wouldn’t be a stupid thing.”Domestically, Brook confirmed he will play in the Hundred, as captain of Northern Superchargers, and “a game or two” for Yorkshire in County Championship in May ahead of the Zimbabwe Test, which begins at Trent Bridge on May 22. A training session at Headingley on Wednesday morning was only his second since returning from the Champions Trophy at the start of March.As for his own form, could captaincy help Brook overcome a lean patch that culminated in just 47 runs from three innings at the Champions Trophy? He certainly thinks so, pointing to last September’s five-match ODI series against Australia when, standing in for an injured Butter, he averaged 78.”This might sound a little bit stupid, but I think when you’re captain it almost wants to make you win a little bit more. That’s not me saying when I’m not captain I don’t want to win. I’m a very competitive person anyway, I hate losing at anything. Hopefully, I can bring that competitiveness and have it in a good way around the group.”

Chelsea wonderkid Estevao Willian, who continues to make an impressive contribution during a productive debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, has been urged to replicate a key quality that Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal possesses. The Brazilian teenager is being tipped to reach the very top after making an immediate impact in English football, with there still plenty of potential for him to unlock.

Messinho has settled quickly at Stamford Bridge

Estevao, who is sometimes known as ‘Messinho’ (Little Messi) in his homeland, has adjusted seamlessly to the demands of life in west London. He linked up with the Premier League heavyweights in the summer of 2025 having faced Chelsea at the FIFA World Cup. A transfer from Palmeiras was completed after turning 18.

Many have struggled down the years to master top-flight competition in England, with the pace and physicality of the game proving too much for some. Estevao has, however, been putting his creativity and work rate to good use. A first competitive goal for the Blues came his way in dramatic circumstances when netting a 95th-minute winner in Chelsea’s clash with reigning Premier League champions Liverpool.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALPoyet sets Estevao a Yamal-related challenge

Former Blues midfielder Gus Poyet is among those to have been impressed by Estevao. Speaking in association with , the ex-Uruguay international told GOAL when asked if the Brazilian sensation can become the next South American superstar: “He has potential. He has got everything. I think he can be incredible and top, top, top class.

“Now he needs to do it all the time. Now we are talking about Lamine Yamal and when you are looking at him, it’s every game – every game doing something, even with the national team. When somebody does it at that level all the time, or most of the time, then you are there. He has got the potential to get there. Now he needs to do it all the time, which I hope is possible.”

Will teen sensation Estevao reach the top?

Poyet’s fellow former Blues star – Champions League-winning coach Roberto Di Matteo – previously told GOAL when asked how far Estevao can go: "Let’s not overwhelm him with pressure, but he’s going to be a top player! You can see that he is so advanced in his football development.

I saw him before the international break and he looks like a 15-year-old! You look at him and think ‘you are playing already?’ Amazing skills, technically, he’s fast, unpredictable, can go outside and inside. Very good attitude. He’s quite advanced for his age. Ancelotti loves him in the Brazil national team.

"He’s got a very good family around him as well, his parents have moved over with him. He’s got good management around him so I have no doubt that he’s going to grow and become a top player, a world top player."

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GettyBrazilian wonderkid has surprised himself in England

The man himself is pleasantly surprised at how quickly he has settled with new employers, telling of that process: “It's happening very quickly, and I'm already getting a lot of opportunities there, more than I even expected at Chelsea. But I think it's the result of the hard work and dedication I've maintained in training.

“[Enzo] Maresca has a lot of confidence in me to play, even arriving in a new league, in a new country. I try to repay that on the field by giving my all. And this adaptation has been incredible. I thought it would take a little longer to adapt, because of the climate and the language. But, thank God, it's happening very quickly. I'm already getting used to the language well.”