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Manchester United have a conundrum in midfield which needs to be solved sooner rather than later.

Ruben Amorim’s infamous 3-4-2-1 system, which he is insistent on sticking to, operates with a double pivot. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro are his first choices in that role this season.

That has left a few players out in the cold this season, without regular minutes. The two players who have tended to be left on the sidelines are Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte. The England international is yet to start a Premier League game this season, and former Sporting man Ugarte has not been able to get into the side over Casemiro.

It seems as though the Red Devils are targeting a new midfielder who can slot into the side.

Man Utd looking to sign England international

The Manuncian side have already begun a mini-revolution in the centre of the park. They have recently signed young Colombian Cristian Orozco, who will perhaps start in the youth team but could well be considered a first-teamer in the future.

Elliot Anderson is a name who is regularly linked with a move to Old Trafford but he’s not the only England international in the crosshairs of INEOS.

Indeed, according to a report from Football Insider, Atletico Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher is a player the club continue to ‘monitor’ ahead of the January transfer window.

There has been previous interest in the former Chelsea star from Premier League clubs. Crystal Palace wanted him last summer, and Tottenham Hotspur are also interested.

However, Amorim’s side are described as ‘frontrunners’ for Gallagher. As far as a fee is concerned, it has been reported that a bid in the region of £26m could be accepted.

Why Gallagher would be a good signing

The signing of Gallagher could well be a strong addition to United’s midfield. Described as a “warrior” in the middle of the park by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, he would bring Premier League experience.

Indeed, Gallagher has made 136 appearances in the English top flight, for boyhood side Chelsea, as well as loan spells at Crystal Palace and West Brom. That ready-made experience in the Premier League could be vital for Amorim, as he would need little to no adaptation period.

Of course, over the last 18 months, the former Chelsea star has been plying his trade in La Liga for Atleti. He’s played 69 times for Diego Simeone’s side, chipping in with six goals and six assists. That included a strike against Real Madrid in the Champions League last season.

If the Red Devils were to sign Gallagher this winter, he could prove to be the long-term replacement for Casemiro. United’s Brazilian midfielder is out of contract soon, and it seems like he could be on his way at the end of the campaign.

Indeed, he is a hard man to replace. The former Los Blancos star has been a key figure in that midfield pivot for Amorim, making 12 appearances and chipping in with three goals.

That included this effort against Gallagher’s former side, Chelsea, at Old Trafford.

Replacing Casemiro in that United midfield would not be easy for Gallagher. Aside from his potent threat in the final third, the Brazilian, of course, is a master at breaking up play and winning the ball back.

However, when looking at the stats, it suggests that the Atleti star possesses the skills to do just that. For example, he’s averaged 4.12 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes this season, compared to just 3.6 each game for Casemiro.

Gallagher & Casemiro key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Gallagher

Casemiro

Progressive passes

3.73

5.07

Key passes

0.59

0.93

Progressive carries

2.75

0.67

Tackles and interceptions

4.12

3.60

Ball recoveries

4.71

5.60

Stats from FBref

Finding the man who can eventually step into Casemiro’s shoes was never going to be easy for Amorim. Yet, in Gallagher, United may have landed upon the perfect player. He still has plenty of quality on the ball and final third threat, whilst also being an efficient ball winner.

Furthermore, he’s also got energy, something Casemiro lacks. Indeed, he has been described as an “intensity monster” and as “one of the best midfielders in the sport when it comes to running long distances” by one notable analyst on social media.

£26m is a small fee in the current market, and should the Red Devils choose to pay it, they could have finally found the perfect player to replace Casemiro.

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Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has had an incredible impact in a short time at Ibrox, winning his first three Scottish Premiership matches in the dugout.

The Light Blues had only won one of their first eight matches in the division, under Russell Martin and Stevie Smith, which meant that the German tactician took over the club in a difficult position.

His tactical flexibility has been particularly impressive across his first six matches in the dugout for the Gers, as he has been willing to change systems, formations, and the style of play to suit each game.

For example, he utilised a 3-4-2-1 formation to grind out a 1-0 win away at Hibernian, but then switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation to dominate and thrash Dundee 3-0 in their most recent outing.

On top of improving the results in the short-term, Rohl has also helped some of the players in the squad to show more quality than they did under the previous coaching team.

Youssef Chermiti has been under the microscope since Kevin Thelwell decided to splash £8m to sign the striker from Everton, making him the club’s most expensive signing since Tore Andre Flo for £12m in 2000, but he has shown signs of life under the new boss.

Why Rangers should not give up on Youssef Chermiti

Football Insider recently claimed that pressure was mounting from some fans pushing the club to immediately cash in on the Portugal U21 international when the January transfer window opens for business.

However, the report added that there are no plans in place for the Light Blues to do that, six months on from their £8m deal to sign him, as they hope he can turn his fortunes around at Ibrox.

The 21-year-old centre-forward did not manage a single goal or assist in seven appearances under Martin and Smith before Rohl’s arrival at Ibrox, which is why it is understandable that some supporters have not been pleased with his start to life at the club.

However, Chermiti has delivered one goal and one assist in three league games under the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach, which is more like what supporters should expect from a player signed for £8m.

Minutes

21

77

45

Shots

1

1

1

Goals

1

0

0

Key passes

1

1

1

Assists

0

1

0

Aerial duels won

1/1

2/6

4/5

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese marksman has been fairly effective with the minutes that he has been given under Rohl, with productivity in front of goal and strength in aerial duels on the whole.

This shows why the Light Blues should not give up on Chermiti, yet, because the 21-year-old talent is still learning and developing as a player, and should be given time under the new manager to prove his worth, given his age and inexperience.

Whilst the former Everton centre-forward has shown signs of life under Rohl and has time on his side to improve as a player, there is another summer signing who has been an even bigger waste of money.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Rangers have spent a lot of money on attacking signings in recent seasons and Sam Lammers has arguably been one of their worst, as the Dutchman was signed for £3m from Atalanta in 2023 and scored two goals in 31 matches before leaving the following summer.

Now, Bojan Miovski looks to be on course to be the club’s biggest waste of money since the signing of Lammers, because of his struggles this season.

Why Bojan Miovski looks like a waste of money for Rangers

The Light Blues signed the striker from Girona in the summer for a fee worth up to £4.2m, which means that he could cost more than the Dutchman did, and it appeared to be a sensible signing at the time.

Miovski’s form for Aberdeen, as shown in the graphic above, suggested that Rangers were onto a winner with the Macedonia international, as he had proven himself as a goalscorer in the Premiership in the past.

However, the left-footed forward had also just come off the back of scoring four goals in 24 appearances in all competitions for Girona, per Sofascore, which shows that the Light Blues brought in a striker who had been struggling in front of goal last season.

Given the money that was spent on him and his impressive record at Aberdeen in the past, it was fair to expect that Miovski would hit the ground running as an instant impact signing for the Gers, but that has not been the case.

Youssef Chermiti

25/26

£8m

Danilo

23/24

£6m

Bojan Miovski

25/26

£4.2m

Cyriel Dessers

23/24

£4m

Oliver Antman

25/26

£4m

Mohamed Diomande

24/25

£4m

Sam Lammers

23/24

£3m

As you can see in the table above, the Macedonia international is the club’s third-most expensive signing since the summer of 2023, with only Chermiti and Danilo, who has scored two goals in his last three league games, above him.

Miovski has only scored two goals in 15 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants so far, per Sofascore, with one against Hibernian in the League Cup and one against Falkirk in the Premiership.

On top of his lack of goals, the 26-year-old marksman has lost 68% of his ground duels and 70% of his aerial duels across eight appearances in the league for Rangers this season, per Sofascore, which shows that opposition defenders have found it far too easy to get the better of him.

Miovski has no goals and no assists in six appearances under Rohl so far, whilst Chermiti has a goal and an assist and Danilo has scored twice, which shows that he has been the worst-performing striker out of the manager’s three options.

He is five years older than Chermiti, who the club have invested even more money in, which suggests that the Portuguese striker may be preferred as the first-choice option in the mid-to-long-term, because of that investment.

That means that all the pressure is on Miovski to deliver in the short-term and his performances show that he is not doing that, which is why he may be the club’s biggest waste of money since Lammers unless he can turn things around.

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1 ByDan Emery Nov 11, 2025

Shimron Hetmyer had done it three games in a row for Seattle Orcas, but couldn’t on this occasion, against Washington Freedom. That Orcas batting line-up, which had stuttered and stumbled to five losses in a row before Hetmyer took charge, went back to being incompetent as Hetmyer had an off-day, putting up a paltry 82. It took Freedom just 9.2 overs to complete the chase and climb back to No. 2 on the MLC 2025 points table.Freedom won the toss, bowled, and Saurabh Netravalkar struck first ball, sending back Shayan Jahangir. Next over, Glenn Maxwell had Aaron Jones’ number. Netravalkar got rid of Sikandar Raza in the third over. First ball of the fourth, Maxwell sent back Steven Taylor. And Maxwell then finished the powerplay with Kyle Mayers’ wicket, leaving Orcas at 21 for 5 after six overs.Those three wickets gave Maxwell, who finished up by bowling the tenth, figures of 3 for 12 from four, while Netravalkar, who came back to bowl the 16th and got the wicket of Jasdeep Singh, the ninth of the innings, returned 3-13. Jack Edwards was the other major wicket-taker for Freedom, finishing with 3 for 19, including the wicket of Heinrich Klaasen, the only Orcas batter to put up a fight before becoming last man out for a 39-ball 48.The chase was a straightforward one even though Raza saw the back of Mitchell Owen in the third over. By the end of the powerplay, Rachin Ravindra and Mukhtar Ahmed had taken Freedom to 50 for 1, leaving just 37 runs to get from 14 overs. They needed just 3.2 more, as Ravindra scored 32 from 23 before becoming the next batter out, and Mukhtar remained unbeaten on a 21-ball 36.For Orcas, despite the big defeat, the three-match winning run has kept them in the fray for the playoffs. They are still at No. 4, though after nine games, as opposed to fifth-placed MI New York, who are one win behind but with a game in hand.

Leach toils to six-wicket haul but hosts face a challenging final day at Taunton

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay01-Jul-2025

Jack Haynes was in the runs again for Notts•Jack Bird

Somerset 379 (Banton 84, Abbas 3-59) and 4 for 1 trail Nottinghamshire 509 (Haynes 157, Slater 124, Kishan 77, James 66, Leach 6-121) by 126 runsJack Haynes hit his third Rothesay County Championship century of the season to lead Division One leaders Nottinghamshire into a strong position on the third day of the match with Somerset at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.Starting the day on 214 for three in reply to their opponents’ first innings score of 379, the visitors ran up 509 all out, Haynes leading the way with a career-best 157, while Ben Slater fell early for 124, Ishan Kishan made 77 and Lyndon James 66.Jack Leach ended a tough day for Somerset’s bowlers on an unhelpful pitch with hugely creditable figures of six for 121 from 53.2 overs, displaying exemplary accuracy as Notts steadily built a lead of 130. The hosts had to face one over before stumps and closed on four for one, nightwatchman Matt Henry bowled by Patterson-White’s final delivery.Unbeaten on 34 overnight, Haynes’ hundred occupied 176 balls and featured 11 fours and a six. It was just the innings his side required to first stave off any prospect of a significant first-innings deficit and then build what could prove a match-winning advantage.Leach opened Somerset’s attack at the start of play, bowling in tandem with off-spinner Archie Vaughan, and struck an early blow when Slater, having added only eight to his overnight score, aimed a back-foot forcing shot and edged a catch to wicketkeeper James Rew. It proved Somerset’s only success before lunch, despite taking the second new ball at 238 for four.Haynes went to a 92-ball fifty and found a more aggressive partner in Kishan, who quickly dispatched a delivery from Matt Henry over fine leg for six with a vicious pull shot to bring 250 up. On 60, Haynes survived a confident shout for a catch behind off Leach, but it was a rare moment of alarm for Notts as they closed in on Somerset’s total.By lunch, the scoreboard read 322 for four, Kishan having just moved to a half-century off 83 balls, with four fours and two sixes. The deficit was down to 57 and Haynes was looking rock solid on 81.The pattern continued in the afternoon session, Haynes pulling a boundary off Vaughan to bring up the century partnership. Somerset then had two difficult chances to make a much-needed breakthrough as Kishan offered low diving chances to wicketkeeper Rew down the leg side off Kasey Aldridge and Craig Overton at slip off Vaughan.Notts looked set to collect a third batting point when moving to 347 for four with five balls remaining of the 110th over, but Aldridge prevented Kishan from scoring from any of them. It was a minor setback as Haynes went to his eighth first class hundred, and third of the season, with a boundary off a leg-side full toss from Aldridge.The fifth-wicket stand was worth 138 when Kishan edged a delivery from Leach onto his front pad and presented a straightforward catch to Tom Abell at short-leg. The Indian wicketkeeper had faced 128 balls and increased his boundary count to eight fours and two sixes.James had a scare with only a single to his same when edging Leach through the legs of wicketkeeper Rew standing up to the stumps. That was as good as it got for Somerset as tea was taken with Notts 431 for five and leading by 52 runs.The final session saw James go to fifty off 87 balls, with 7 fours, before Haynes brought up his maiden 150, having faced 287 deliveries and struck 15 fours and two sixes. Their century stand followed as Somerset continued to toil in the warm sunshine.Haynes finally fell lbw trying to sweep Leach with the lead just short of 100. Liam Patterson-White was then stumped pushing forward to Vaughan before the tireless Leach made it a five-for, turning a ball from on leg stump to force Brett Hutton to edge to slip.Farhan Ahmed departed to Vaughan for a duck and James edged a drive off Leach to slip, but by then it was Nottinghamshire’s highest ever total at Taunton.

Things weren’t looking so great for Chelsea just a couple of weeks ago.

Enzo Maresca’s side were coming off their third loss on the bounce, and there was some frustration among the fans.

However, thanks to an incredible performance against Liverpool and a last-minute goal from Estevao, things at Stamford Bridge are starting to look up.

The Brazilian wonderkid is the man of the moment after that goal, and that, combined with some of his other exciting cameos, all point towards him being a first-team star come the end of the season.

Chelsea look like they’ve struck gold with the former Palmires gem, but had they been able to keep hold of another sensational talent who left for nothing, they’d have two Estevao-level prospects in the squad today.

The youth stars that got away for Chelsea

Cobham is a powerhouse of an academy, and one that has served Chelsea well over the years, whether by producing players for the first team or ones to be sold for big profit.

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Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

However, as with all big clubs, the Blues have also lost several youngsters who went on to be superstars, sometimes due to poor decisions and sometimes through no fault of their own.

Two players that unfortunately fall into the former category are, of course, Declan Rice and Michael Olise.

The Englishman was famously part of the academy side that featured Mason Mount. He was released in 2013 at the age of 14, joined West Ham United, and then moved to Arsenal in 2023, where he could potentially win the league.

Olise, on the other hand, left the club in 2016 in what was reportedly a “mutual decision,” and has since gone on to star for Reading, Crystal Palace, and now Bayern Munich.

A former Cobham gem who left despite the club’s best efforts was Jamal Musiala.

The German international joined the club’s academy system from Southampton in 2011 but moved to Bayern Munich in July 2019, which netted the West Londoners just £180k.

Unfortunately for Chelsea, something similar happened again last September for a player who could end up being as good as Estevao.

The homegrown Estevao Chelsea lost

Unfortunately, the homegrown Estevao Chelsea lost for nothing is none other than Liverpool’s latest wonderkid, Rio Ngumoha.

The 17-year-old joined the Reds’ academy set-up from the West Londoners in September of last year.

Unlike with Rice and Olise, for example, the club made every effort to keep him in the capital, but it just wasn’t enough, and he made his way to the North West for nothing.

However, while the Blues have not yet received anything for the youngster, they will eventually be paid; it’s just that, at the moment, the amount has not been decided upon by a tribunal.

Whatever it ends up being, though, the club would likely prefer the youngster, as he’s already looking like a homegrown Estevao.

Liverpool U18s

10

3

Chelsea U18s

9

2

Liverpool U21s

9

2

Liverpool first team

6

1

Liverpool youth league

6

1

For example, in the game against Newcastle United, he came off the bench late on to score a last-minute winner that would have had a similar impact on the fans as the Brazilian’s did last weekend.

Moreover, the “phenomenal talent” as dubbed by his former youth coach, Saul Isaksson-Hurst, is looked upon as one of the game’s future stars.

According to one analyst, he is “one of the best young wingers in Europe”. At the same time, Ben Mattinson has praised him for being a “technical dribbler with an explosive burst of acceleration,” which makes him “dangerous in 1v1s” and sounds a lot like the Blues’ new young superstar.

Ultimately, it is still early in both their careers, so it’s hard to be completely sure how they will fare going forward. However, as things stand, it looks like Ngumoha could be a genuine rival to Estevao in the coming years.

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The world-class Chelsea star could become a legend under Enzo Maresca.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 9, 2025

Arsenal are braced for another Premier League title challenge with Liverpool, and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher suggests an emerging leader in their squad could be crucial.

Arsenal agree William Saliba deal in huge boost for Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta was boosted by the official announcement of a new deal for star defender William Saliba earlier this week.

The Frenchman, who’s been a vital component of Arsenal’s title-chasing side since the beginning of 2022/2023, was attracting serious interest from Real Madrid. Los Blancos even approached him in the summer window, but Saliba was clear that he wanted to remain at the Emirates Stadium (HandOfArsenal).

Appearances

5

Minutes played

319

Clean sheets

2

Tackles made

8

Interceptions

3

Ground duels won

24/34

Aerial duels won

12

Clearances

20

via Footy Stats

Saliba’s contract was due to expire in 2027, and sporting director Andrea Berta took a hands-on role in new contract negotiations as he eventually convinced the 24-year-old to agree fresh terms (Charles Watts).

Saliba’s new deal expires in 2030, committing him to Arsenal for another five years, with Berta praising the “incredible” defender after the Gunners confirmed his extension.

Arteta’s side take on Olympiacos in the Champions League tonight, with the Greek Super League champions travelling to North London and could face off against Arsenal’s newly-committed star in Saliba.

The France international is slowly being reintegrated into the starting eleven after recovering from an ankle injury, having started their 1-1 draw with Man City and Carabao Cup win over Port Vale, but was dropped to the bench for Arsenal’s dramatic victory at Newcastle.

Summer signing Cristhian Mosquera has seriously impressed whenever he’s asked to fill in for Saliba, and that is an avenue Arteta may well go down again in Europe tonight as he looks to avoid any more fitness issues with his star man.

Alongside Saliba, another defender has been vital to Arsenal’s success in recent years.

That man is, of course, Gabriel.

According to some reports, Saliba and Gabriel made a pact to remain at Arsenal and challenge for major silverware, with the Brazilian also signing a contract extension earlier this year.

Jamie Carragher admits he was wrong about Arsenal star Gabriel

He’s been just as crucial to Arsenal’s defensive prowess as Saliba, and their partnership is widely viewed as one of Europe’s best.

Largely thanks to the duo, Arteta’s men have conceded the fewest goals of any Premier League side in each of the last two seasons.

Gabriel’s threat from set pieces has also got Arsenal out of jail on numerous occasions, with the 27-year-old — after his winner against Newcastle — bagging more goals than any other defender in the Premier League since he made his debut in 2020 (18).

Speaking to Sky Sports (via The Metro), Carragher has made an admission about Gabriel in praise of the ex-Lille star — claiming he was wrong about Saliba being on another level to his centre-back partner.

The ex-Liverpool defender also praised Gabriel as an emerging leader in Arsenal’s side.

While Carragher has taken more time to hand Gabriel his well-deserved praise, the South American’s quality has never been lost on Arteta, who called the defender’s performances “undeniable” as far back as September last year.

Celtic are now in talks to sign a versatile defender who has been compared to Hoops star Alistair Johnston.

Celtic on course to sign Balikwisha

It could be a busy last week of the transfer window for those at Parkhead, with Hoops supporters voicing their frustrations at the lack of signings in the club’s 0-0 Champions League qualifier against Kairat Almaty.

Boost for Rodgers: The new signing Celtic want to make alongside Balikwisha

This is music to the ears of Hoops supporters.

ByHenry Jackson Aug 22, 2025

So far this summer, Celtic have spent just under £4m on seven new players, whereas they received an initial £16.5m by selling Nicolas Kuhn to Como. Brendan Rodgers admitted after the draw in midweek that Celtic “need” more signings before the September 1 deadline.

“We need to improve the squad. There was clarity around that for a long time. So we see that. I think supporters see that. We certainly do in football. We need to improve. This is a performance club. This is a club that has to perform. And that starts on the field. You do that with getting the very best players you possibly can to allow you to perform.”

The Hoops have been heavily linked with Royal Antwerp forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha and now look set to sign the Belgian. Taking to X on Saturday, Sacha Tavolieri said:

It isn’t just Balikwisha who the Hoops are after, though, with defensive additions also on the agenda.

Celtic also in talks to sign full-back Marcelo Saracchi

According to journalist Cesar Luis Merlo, Celtic are interested in signing Boca Juniors full-back Marcelo Saracchi. It is claimed that the Hoops have “opened negotiations” for Saracchi, with a potential loan-to-buy option on the cards.

The 27-year-old is primarily a left-back but can also play as a right-back or left midfielder when required so would offer plenty of versatility to Rodgers’s squad.

A Uruguay international, Saracchi has previous experience in Europe, playing in the Champions League for RB Leipzig. He has also turned out for Turkish side Galatasaray and Spanish outfit Levante before moving to Boca Juniors in 2023.

Since then, Saracchi has made more than 50 appearances for his current employers, scoring four goals and registering five assists.

Alex Telles

Botafogo

Alistair Johnston

Celtic

Valentin Barco

Strasbourg

Renan Lodi

Al-Hilal

Ridvan Yilmaz

Besiktas

As can be seen, Saracchi has also been compared to Johnston among other impressive full-backs, so he could be the competition Rodgers is after for the Canadian and Kieran Tierney, possibly filling in for the right-back who will be out for three months with a hamstring injury.

The LSG captain said they were “20-25 runs short” after making 171 at the Ekana Stadium

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-20252:13

Rapid Fire: How big a concern is Pant’s form?

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) started IPL 2025 with two big totals in away games – even though one resulted in a very slim loss – but when they got to Lucknow for their first home game, they fell “20-25 runs short” after they were put in to bat because they are “still assessing” the conditions at the Ekana Stadium and captain Rishabh Pant said he is “still figuring out a lot of things for the team.”LSG managed 171 for 7 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) and saw the visitors chase that down in just 16.2 overs with eight wickets in hand.”Definitely [our total] wasn’t enough, we were like 20-25 runs short but that’s part and parcel of the game,” Pant said after the game. “It’s our first home game so still assessing the conditions.”LSG went for a track on the slower side, but it came back to bite them after they were asked to bat by PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer. The hosts stuttered to 35 for 3 in the fifth over as Pant fell for a third low score of 2 off five balls to follow a duck and 15 in the first two outings, and finished the first six overs with just 39 on the board, their slowest powerplay of this IPL.”Definitely it’s always going to be tough to get a big total when you lose early wickets, but that’s how the game progresses every day, like you can’t control everything,” Pant said. “Each and every player is trying to take the game forward from there.”When it was time for LSG to defend their below-par total, Pant used three overs of spin – two from Digvesh Rathi and one from Ravi Bishnoi – hoping that the slowness of the track would get him success, but only Rathi got the wicket of Priyansh Arya while Bishnoi was taken apart for 15 runs by Prabhsimran Singh.”The idea was to get a slower wicket because we felt that it was a home game, it’s going to stop a little bit. And I think when you were bowling slow into the wicket, they were still sticking in but we weren’t good enough on the given day. We going to learn from it and move forward.”LSG now have two losses from their first three games but have three more home games out of their next four to get used to the conditions at Ekana.”It’s early in the tournament, can’t say much, still figuring out a lot of things for the team but hopefully it’s going to come nicely for us.”2:11

Aaron: Bishnoi needs to take more responsibility

After Prabhsimran set the base with a 34-ball 69, Iyer sealed his side’s second straight victory, staying unbeaten on 52 off 30 balls. Nehal Wadhera, who was not out on 43 off 25 at the other end, said “all the credit” went to Iyer for the way he is leading them.”All credit goes to the way he’s captaining us and also the way he is boosting our confidence and the way he was telling me things, like, ‘play your natural game, just go with the flow,’ and I just love playing like that,” Wadhera said.Wadhera came on as an Impact Player, in place of Yuzvendra Chahal after he had bowled out, and said he didn’t even know when he reached he ground that he was going to play and was carrying just the one kit for the day. Wadhera was bought by PBKS after playing for two seasons for Mumbai Indians, and is now under a new captain and a new coach, Ricky Ponting.”He’s one of the best coaches I have ever worked under,” Wadhera said. “I’ve never heard any negative talk ever from his mouth and that’s the best thing about him. He just talks positive and when a coach gives you such positive remarks, that automatically boosts your confidence.”

Newcastle United reached new levels of success under Eddie Howe’s wing last season, but there’s no denying that they have been buffeted by the summer transfer window.

It’s been a testing period for those of a Toon persuasion, but it’s important to acknowledge the trophy-winning success of 2024/25, having won the Carabao Cup and qualified for the Champions League through the Premier League.

And while Newcastle failed to win their opening game of the new league campaign, they played well at Villa Park and left with a point, having lacked the presence of an out-and-out frontman, Anthony Gordon deputising at number nine.

Gordon is a fantastic player who will continue to star for the Tynesiders over the coming years, but he’s not a goalscoring striker.

Newcastle, as is no surprise, need to sign replacements up top, with the truant Alexander Isak showing no desire to return to Howe’s squad.

Newcastle searching for Isak replacement

Newcastle signed Isak from Real Sociedad for a club-record £63m fee in 2022, and he has since gone from strength to strength to be regarded as “the best striker in the Premier League” by the likes of Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher.

But he’s headed for the exit, it would seem, having intimated to the Newcastle hierarchy that he has no intention of rejoining Howe’s squad, and only wants to sign for Liverpool.

Newcastle need to sign two strikers, though. There is optimism that a deal will be concluded for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, but the DR Congo striker was never considered Isak’s potential replacement, and instead, an upgrade on Callum Wilson.

The likes of Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and long-time transfer target Goncalo Ramos are on the club’s radar, but whether either are deemed appropriate to succeed Isak remains to be seen.

However, there’s another Premier League talent who has been earmarked, with discussions between the clubs rumoured to be in the works.

Newcastle in talks for new striker

As per David Ornstein of The Athletic, Newcastle are holding discussions over the possible signing of Jørgen Strand Larsen via intermediaries.

The Norwegian frontman spent last season on loan at Molineux but only became a fully-fledged Wolverhampton Wanderers player at the beginning of July.

Even so, he is on the Magpies’ shortlist, though it would take a considerable offer to convince Wolves to part with the goalscorer, who has been valued at around £65m.

Why Newcastle want Strand Larsen

The 6 foot 4 Strand Larsen proved an industrious and effective outlet for Wolves last season, standing firm and tall as a focal point from which the likes of Matheus Cunha could use to create and link play together.

Strand Larsen’s 14-goal, five-assist return across the Premier League campaign bespeaks his potential, having only the year before plied his trade in Spain with Celta Vigo.

His 60% success rate in hitting the target put him among the top 1% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for that metric, and with a bit more confidence behind his powerful strikes, there’s every reason that the Norwegian could be fashioned into a superstar at St. James’ Park.

With the likes of Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga blending their blistering speed and dynamic movements down the flanks, the Old Gold centre-forward would not need to play the flashy role under Howe’s tutelage, but rather, provide Newcastle with a clinical presence in the final third.

Gordon has spoken of his struggles last season, but how he has since rekindled the fire in his belly and is ready to return to the form that saw him crowned Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24, having notched 21 goal involvements in the Premier League.

Matches (starts)

35 (34)

34 (28)

Goals

11

6

Assists

10

5

Shots (on target)*

2.3 (0.9)

1.7 (0.6)

Pass completion

82%

81%

Key passes*

1.6

1.5

Big chances created

16

6

Dribbles*

1.5

1.1

Ball recoveries*

3.6

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

1.1

Duels (won)*

5.3 (49%)

4.4 (52%)

That kind of electric dribbling and unrelenting chance creation bodes well for a striker of Strand Larsen’s ilk, especially when Toon legend Alan Shearer has already singled him out as being a frustrating adversary for Premier League defenders.

After one display against Ipswich Town, Shearer said: “He was a nuisance. His hold-up play was excellent and I thought his touch and his control were superb.”

Such coolness in the final third would allow Gordon to shift in and play neat one-twos so he can strike on goal himself, too. And what’s more, the same could be replicated with the rip-roaring Elanga on the alternate wing.

Elanga, 24, has declared himself to be “one of the fastest players in the league,” and after two years of work under Nuno Espirito Santo in a counter-attacking Forest side, he will have perfected the art of swift transitional play.

This should see him dovetail into Newcastle’s first team, having impressed on his league debut for the outfit on Saturday, completing 23 sprints, winning five duels and making two key passes.

It’s clear, however, that Elanga works better with a strong forward in the centre – see his connection with Chris Wood at the City Ground, for example – and Strand Larsen could surely play that role, brawny, aerially efficient and composed with the ball at his feet.

While Strand Larsen doesn’t appear to be the first-choice pick for Newcastle as the end of the transfer window looms large, he’s proven in the Premier League and stands below a high ceiling indeed. He would be a credit to the squad, completing an exciting and multi-faceted frontline.

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Harry Kane has delivered an update on how his German lessons are going, with the Bayern Munich superstar still in the process of becoming bilingual. The England captain stepped out of his professional comfort zone in 2023 when completing a move to the Allianz Arena. His communication skills are improving, but there is still work to be done on the linguistics front.

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Having become Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer, Kane sought a new challenge once it became apparent that major silverware would be difficult to come by in his homeland. He opted to go trophy-chasing with Bayern.

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A first major honour of his career was secured last season, when becoming a Bundesliga title winner, with Supercup success being savoured since then. Kane has done much of his talking on the field, with remarkable individual standards being maintained in Munich.

Back to school: Language lessons being taken

He is, having relocated alongside his wife and children, doing his best to communicate with those around him in their native language. That is not a quick or easy process, with the 32-year-old striker happy to admit that he is still far from fluent.

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Asking about how his schooling is going when it comes to learning a new language, Kane told his channel: “The German is okay. I’ve got a lesson after training today. Just getting back into it. I pick up some words now and then and can understand a few things, but just have to keep practising.”