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Teams settle for enthralling draw after Hampshire’s enterprising declaration

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay01-Aug-2025 Hampshire 293 (Middleton 79, Weatherley 62, Taylor 5-55) and 313 for 7 dec (Gubbins 84, Organ 45*) drew with Worcestershire 249 (Libby 100*, Hose 82, Baker 5-72) and 303 for 8 (Libby 106, Kashif 65)Worcestershire produced a bold and spirited run-chase on the final day at Visit Worcestershire New Road, before the Rothesay County Championship Division One fixture against Hampshire ended in a gripping draw.Chasing a daunting target of 358 in just 53 overs after Hampshire’s enterprising post-lunch declaration on 313 for 7, the home side carried hope of completing one of the Championship’s most dramatic final-day turnarounds.In a match that ebbed and flowed throughout, it was Jake Libby’s second magnificent century of the game, a perfectly judged 106 off 122 balls, that fuelled Worcestershire’s pursuit. With solid support from Kashif Ali (65 from 79) and a string of aggressive cameos down the order, the chase was very much alive deep into the final hour. But with wickets falling, the hosts closed on 303 for 8, 55 runs shy of their target.Resuming on 139 for 2 overnight, Hampshire batted with purpose to build their second-innings lead, despite a short interruption from rain. Nick Gubbins anchored the innings with a fluent 84, while Tilak Varma added 38 and Felix Organ struck an unbeaten 45 from 54 balls.There were contributions all the way down the order, with Joe Weatherley (25), Tom Prest (27), and James Fuller (26) all chipping in to maintain momentum. Ben Allison (2 for 58) and Ethan Brookes (2 for 54) were the pick of the Worcestershire attack, with Taylor, Waite, and Finch each taking a wicket.Hampshire’s declaration just after lunch, setting Worcestershire 358 to win in a minimum of 53 overs, showed real intent, and set the stage for an enthralling afternoon.Worcestershire’s chase got off to a stuttering start when Gareth Roderick was adjudged run out for 4 in the very first over, but from then on, the home side turned the game on its head.Libby and Kashif added a superb 134 for the second wicket in just over an hour and a half. The pair struck the ball cleanly and rotated the strike with authority, bringing up their respective half-centuries in fine style. Libby, who had scored just one previous Championship hundred this season, was timing the ball sweetly and accelerated confidently after reaching fifty.Kashif, too, looked composed, striking six fours and two sixes before falling lbw to Sonny Baker for a brisk 65. At tea, Worcestershire were 61 for 1 from 15 overs, very much in the game.The final session saw drama at every turn. Worcestershire kept pushing with a string of aggressive middle-order contributions. Adam Hose clubbed a quick 25 from 18 balls before being bowled by Eddie Jack, who proved a key figure with 3 for 63. Brookes (12), D’Oliveira (37 off 23), Waite (19), and Taylor (25 from 18) all took the fight to Hampshire’s bowlers, but wickets began to fall regularly.Libby reached a majestic hundred, his 13th for Worcestershire, but was finally bowled by Fuller as he looked to push on, the score 213/5.Still, the hosts didn’t relent. D’Oliveira’s cameo, five crisp boundaries in 23 balls, briefly reignited hopes, but follow the Worcestershire skippers dismissal, Allison and Finch saw the Pears safely through to the close.

Manchester City have now opened talks to sign an “exceptional” Real Madrid player, who has been personally requested by manager Pep Guardiola.

Man City unbeaten in nine after Villarreal triumph

Man City extended their unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions by defeating Villarreal 2-0 on Tuesday evening, with Erling Haaland once again getting on the scoresheet, and the striker is now just one game away from breaking one of Cristiano Ronaldo’s records.

After a turbulent 2024-25 campaign, City appear to finally be rediscovering their best form, having also moved up to second in the Premier League, but it has now emerged that Guardiola is keen to bring in some extra attacking firepower.

Haaland is in the form of his life, but a report from Spain reveals Man City are keen on bringing in another attacking midfielder to provide for the 25-year-old, having opened talks over a deal for Real Madrid star Arda Guler at Pep’s request.

Since the arrival of Xabi Alonso, Guler has emerged as a key player for the La Liga side, which means they are extremely reluctant to sanction a departure, but that hasn’t stopped Guardiola’s side recently opening negotiations.

Guardiola is personally keen on the attacking midfielder, as the manager believes he suits City’s style of play, but the Blues may need to break their transfer record to get a deal done, with it being reported the 20-year-old is valued at over £130m.

Man City now rivalling Real Madrid to sign "tremendous" South American defender

Pep Guardiola’s side are battling the 15-time European champions for the signature of a centre-back.

ByDominic Lund Oct 21, 2025 "Exceptional" Guler would be statement signing for Man City

The youngster has been one of the Spanish side’s most important players this season, chipping in with three goals and five assists in 11 matches in all competitions, and he was recently compared to two former Real Madrid stars by Alonso.

The Madrid boss said: “Not just because of his background, but because of the quality he has. He is a mix between Ozil and Guti, because Guti knew how to play close to the box and give the final pass.”

Despite only turning 20 earlier this year, the Turkey international already has plenty of first-team experience, being lauded by Statman Dave as a result of his performances for Fenerbahce during the 2022-23 campaign.

Signing Guler would be a real statement of intent from Man City, but in truth the move seems very unlikely, given that Real Madrid have no plans to let the starlet leave, and he remains under contract until 2029.

Samson returned from his injury while South Africa’s Maphaka took Archer’s spot for RR

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2025Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and put faith in his “powerhouse” batting line-up by choosing to set a total. There were some changes to that XI that’s been putting up those big runs with Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis still to return to the IPL. In their absence, BBL winner, with a century in the final this season, Mitchell Owen, and fast bowler Xavier Bartlett get a go.The break allowed Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson time to recover from his abdomen injury earlier this season and he seemed happy with the way the toss went, saying he wanted to bowl anyway. Samson based that on the way the pitch had behaved during the last match played on it, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, when it was a bit slow to start off.Samson confirmed that RR will continue opening with 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi and it will be him shifting down the order to accommodate the youngster after his record-breaking century at the top of the order. Nitish Rana made way. The other change – along expected lines – was South Africa’s Kwena Maphaka coming in for Jofra Archer who did not rejoin the team for the IPL’s resumption.Rajasthan Royals bowl-first XI: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 3 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Dhruv Jurel, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Kwena Maphaka, 9 Tushar Deshpande, 10 Akash Madhwal, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi
Impact Subs: Shubham Dubey, Yudhvir Singh, Kumar Kartikeya, Ashok Sharma, Kunal RathorePBKS bat-first XI: 1 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 2 Priyansh Arya, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Mitchell Owen, 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Azmatullah Omarzai, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Xavier Bartlett, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Subs: Harpreet Brar, Pravin Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Musheer Khan

KKR have to win every game hereon, while CSK will hope to find some positives as their campaign starts to wind down

Sreshth Shah06-May-20253:02

Cricinformed: KKR spinners fall flat at home

Big picture: Defending champions in a series of last standsFor the past ten days, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have lived by a simple motto: one game at a time. An away win over Delhi Capitals (DC) and a rare home win against Rajasthan Royals (RR) have kept them alive in the IPL 2025 playoffs race. With three games left, KKR must win all of them to reach 17 points, and even then, qualification isn’t guaranteed.While questions remain over their middle-order depth and the use of the fourth overseas slot, KKR have started to turn the tide from difficult situations. In Delhi, it was Sunil Narine’s double-wicket over that halted Faf du Plessis’ momentum and triggered a DC slide. Against RR, Andre Russell dragged them from a stuttering batting effort to a winning total, if only by one run in the end. Varun Chakravarthy continues to pose threats with the ball, while the openers are finding their synergy.Related

Fleming: Mhatre has 'everything that we like about a modern-day T20 player'

CSK sign Urvil Patel as a replacement for injured Vansh Bedi

IPL 2025 playoffs scenarios: Seven teams fighting for four spots

But as the finish line starts to get visible, so does the pressure. And now come MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK). It will be visible in the crowd when the yellow matches the purple presence. Their narrow two-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) showed that they’re not down and out just yet in terms of competing. And as five-time champions, they’d be desperate to bring some respectability to their campaign as it starts to wind down.When these two teams met earlier in the season, it was a one-sided affair as CSK managed just 103 for 9 in a game where Narine dominated with both bat (44) and ball (3 for 13). At Eden Gardens, the battle between the slow bowlers could once again prove decisive with quality spinners on both sides, although form isn’t on the side of the CSK pair.The motivations for both sides are vastly different – which narrative will succeed?Form guide: CSK keen to avoid a fifth straight LKolkata Knight Riders WWLLW
Chennai Super Kings LLLLWThe big questionWho should KKR’s fourth overseas player be? Rovman Powell has muscle but has batted too low at No. 8. Moeen Ali as a floater hasn’t given them much while his offspin is rather dependent on match-ups. With a young opening pair expected for CSK, is it prudent to bring in the pace of Anrich Nortje or Spencer Johnson instead?In the spotlight: Ayush Mhatre and Ajinkya RahaneAyush Mhatre, only 17, played a sensational knock for CSK against RCB, missing his century by only six runs. What stood out was his intent. This has been something CSK have sorely lacked this season, especially in the powerplay (run rate of 8.1, the worst of all teams) and his emergence is a silver lining as he strikes at 189 this season in the first six overs, the highest of all players (min. 50 balls) The dimensions in Kolkata aren’t too different from Bengaluru, and he’s got confidence on his side.4:07

Mukund suggests CSK swap Conway in for Curran

Another Mumbaikar, Ajinkya Rahane has been red-hot in the powerplay too, with his own strike-rate of 185 the third-best. Against pace, he has averaged 104.5 too, but has struggled against spin. His strike-rate against spin is only 115 and he averages only 16.9. Rahane has been dismissed by Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Riyan Parag in his last three outings, and will have to up his game against spin if KKR are to avoid another middle-overs performance like the RR game.Team news: Rinku fit for CSK clashKKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit said that Rinku Singh is fit after picking up a niggle against RR. Moeen Ali could keep his place as the floater who bowls offspin. Russell’s batting position will be worth keeping an eye on.Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Moeen Ali, 10 Harshit Rana, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Vaibhav AroraCSK have brought in Urvil Patel as a replacement for Vansh Bedi, and there’s no reason he can’t get a debut right away. The Gujarat batter was the highest six-hitter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25. He also smashed a 28-ball hundred, the joint second-fastest in T20 cricket. However, he is an opener, so CSK will have to decide between giving him an opportunity or keeping the faith in Shaik Rasheed.Chennai Super Kings (probable): 1 Ayush Mhatre, 2 Urvil Patel/Shaik Rasheed, 3 Sam Curran, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 Deepak Hooda, 9 Khaleel Ahmed, 10 Noor Ahmed, 11 Anshul Kamboj, 12 Matheesha PathiranaPitch and conditions: Win toss, bat first?The team batting first has won four of the five completed games this season at the Eden Gardens. The average first-innings score has been 203. The surface, at a glance, looked set to continue the trend of 200+ scores, although there are some concerns of rain, as has been the case all week. This is the same surface as the one where Punjab Kings scored 201 for 4 in a washed-out game.3:35

KKR discover Russell the disruptor

Stats and trivia: Dhoni vs spin This season, KKR have the best economy among spinners (7.6) and the most wickets (31). On the other hand, CSK have lost the most wickets to spin (32) and have the lowest strike-rate (124)However, both Narine and Chakravarthy have struggled at home while bowling first. Narine is yet to take a wicket while Varun has taken only one in three first-innings performances Dhoni has a strike-rate of only 52 against Narine. Against Chakravarthy, Dhoni averages only four runs per dismissal at a strike-rate of 63. KKR’s pacers have struggled at home with a much higher economy (11.1 vs 9.3) and average (35.2 vs 23.6) compared to away games. Jadeja has completed his quota in only one game this season. Noor has taken only five wickets in his last six games.Quotes”In T20 games, I always believe that no team can be taken easily and nobody can be above the game. Obviously, our confidence level, we need to continue with that, instead of thinking of our opposition’s confidence level.”
KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit on suggestions that downtrodden CSK are an easy opponent“It won’t be a complete change in tactics. There are many ways to skin the cat. Adversity will not define us as a team.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared his positive thoughts about the club’s future after an official announcement this week.

Arsenal under pressure to end Premier League title wait

Arteta is currently in the midst of yet another Premier League title race, as he looks to finally topple the rest of England and bring an end to the Gunners’ two-decade-long wait for a domestic crown.

Some pressure has grown on Arteta, given the club’s vast spending since his arrival, with precious few major trophies to show for his efforts, despite coming very close on multiple occasions.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£257m

Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals last year, only to be knocked out by eventual winners PSG, and finished second in the Premier League for the third consecutive year.

With the help of sporting director Andrea Berta, who splashed north of £250 million on eight major signings to bolster Arsenal’s squad, Arteta has shored up key areas to give Arsenal the best possible chance of etching their name on the Premier League trophy for the first time in 2004.

Berta’s arrival was, by some way, Arsenal’s most significant boardroom change to usher in a new era, but major news emerged this week that long-serving vice-chairman Tim Lewis has left the Emirates Stadium after five years.

The 62-year-old’s “shock” exit was first revealed by David Ornstein, and soon after confirmed by the club in an official announcement.

Lewis was “integral” to Arsenal’s rise, but Richard Garlick has now become CEO and Josh Kroenke is set for a more prominent role in what is a real revamp of the hierarchy.

Commenting on the changes upstairs, Arteta shared an emphatic prediction.

Mikel Arteta tips Arsenal for "wonderful future" after boardroom announcement

The announcement of Garlick becoming CEO and Lewis departing has attracted plenty of debate, but Arteta has tipped Arsenal for a “wonderful future” as he welcomes the reshuffle.

Arsenal take on Man City in their next crucial top-flight match, and Arteta has been given a welcome boost with the confirmed involvement of Mikel Merino and Viktor Gyokeres following head-injury scares in midweek.

However, Ben White, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard face late fitness tests which will determine their involvement against Pep Guardiola’s side.

Newcastle United drew a blank against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday, unable to find a breakthrough despite Ezri Konsa being shown a red card for dragging Anthony Gordon to the turf after the hour mark when through on goal.

It’s a tired storyline at this point (we apologise), but there was an Alexander Isak-shaped absence at the front of Eddie Howe’s system, with the Sweden striker on strike as he pushes to secure a move to Liverpool before the September 1st transfer deadline.

Gordon deputised as Newcastle’s number nine, something he has done multiple times in the past, but lacked cutting edge, albeit covering much ground, with Sofascore recording the Three Lions star clocked 9.9km across the contest.

There’s much to look forward to for those of a Magpies persuasion this season, even with the acknowledgement that the summer transfer window has drained the water from the crest of a wave the club rode from the 2024/25 season.

But Gordon is not an out-and-out striker; his best qualities lie elsewhere. For that reason, it’s crucial that Howe solves this quandary in the next two weeks.

Newcastle's ongoing transfer plans

Newcastle have been frustrated in their bid to sign Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, who had removed himself from first-team training in the hopes of signing for the St. James’ Park side. It offers a stark parallel to Isak’s situation.

The noise around a potential move for Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson seems to have been drowned out in recent days, although rumours are mounting regarding a deal for Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos, who already has two goals for Luis Enrique’s side this season.

With Callum Wilson having left the club at the end of his contract last term, it’s clear that signings are still needed up front – even if Isak ends up staying – else the Tynesiders could be blighted in their pursuit of more glory under Howe’s wing.

However, Newcastle aren’t only looking at the front of the ship. In fact, the club have held talks with one of their Premier League rivals as they weigh up a move for a rising talent at the other end of the field.

Newcastle in talks to sign Premier League prospect

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle are among the growing list of clubs to have made an enquiry to Manchester City regarding the potential transfer of Rico Lewis.

Lewis, 20, has already been the subject of a formal approach from Nottingham Forest this month, which is believed to have totalled €30m (£26m).

Transfer Focus

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

A versatile and technically gifted player, Lewis is held in high regard by Pep Guardiola and his staff, who would like to keep him on the books.

Why Newcastle want to sign Rico Lewis

Newcastle look to have succeeded in their efforts to rebuff summer interest in Tino Livramento, mainly from Manchester City, but that doesn’t mean they are against signing someone from Pep Guardiola’s brood.

Lewis is a top talent, with Guardiola even remarking back in 2023 that the England U21 international is “one of the best I’ve ever trained by far.”

A trophy-rich start to life as a professional has seen Lewis, who has featured 95 times for the senior side, foster his natural qualities at the highest level, but it’s unlikely he’ll earn the minutes he craves across the coming years if he remains at the Etihad Stadium.

However, at Newcastle, he could become a superstar; after all, journalist Antonio Mango has remarked in the past that he’s “born to play football.”

25/26

1

66′

24/25

44

3,160′

23/24

27

1,608′

22/23

23

1,428′

With greater responsibility handed to him by Howe, the ball-playing defender, who is versatile and has played a number of fixtures as a midfielder, could become Newcastle’s next version of Gordon, who joined from Everton in January 2023 but had previously been a member of Liverpool’s academy, discarded before making gains through his formative years.

Against Aston Villa, Newcastle showed themselves to be organised and structured in defence, persistent and tenacious in the press, eager to spark a swift transition. Blunt? Sure, but United remain one of the best-coached teams in the league, with enough talent to surge past the perfunctory opinions of a drop-off after a testing window.

Did Newcastle not struggle for the best market last summer? How did that go? Howe knows what he’s doing, all right, and if he signs a youngster like Lewis, also praised for his “exceptional” ability by Guardiola, he could will and guide him toward stardom, as he did with Gordon.

Gordon, indeed, claimed Newcastle’s Player of the Year award after the 2023/24 campaign, notching 22 goal contributions across the Premier League campaign and leading journalist Henry Winter to note he’s a winger who is “thrilling to watch” and “scares defenders.”

Gordon has been such an important part of Newcastle’s rise over the past few years, and he stood up and took centre-stage in the absence of Isak on Saturday, underscoring his commitment to the cause.

In Lewis, Howe could land his next protege, one who shares his countryman’s tactical fluidity and is rooted in his completeness of style, with Sofascore noting that he completed 91% of his passes in the Premier League while also winning 59% of his ground duels, which is highly impressive for a young talent regularly pitted against the division’s finest wingers.

There’s plenty of competition for his signature, but then that was the case with Gordon too, and Lewis would be wise to recognise the shrewdness in joining Howe’s system, with the manager proficient in growing uncut gems into sparkling stars.

An Elanga repeat: Newcastle are "going to sign" £35m star in coming days

Newcastle United fans would be over the moon with this £35m signing.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 17, 2025

عاد كايلور نافاس، حارس مرمى نادي ريال مدريد السابق، لتذكر ثلاثية دوري أبطال أوروبا التاريخية والتي حصل عليها مع الفريق الملكي السنوات الماضية.

نافاس أمضى سنوات عديدة في صفوف نادي ريال مدريد، وحقق خلالها ألقابا عديدة ومن بينها الحصول على لقب دوري أبطال أوروبا ثلاث مرات متتالية في أعوام 2016 و2017 و2018 وفي إنجاز غير مسبوق.

وغادر نافاس صفوف نادي ريال مدريد في نهاية المطاف عقب نهاية موسم 2019، حيث وقع مع باريس سان جيرمان.

اقرأ أيضًا .. المصائب تتوالى.. إصابة لاعب ليفربول وغيابه عن منتخب بلاده في التوقف الدولي

وقال نافاس في مقابلة مع قناة ”Tudn” عن ثلاثية ريال مدريد في دوري أبطال أوروبا: ”ثلاثية دوري أبطال أوروبا؟ كان إنجازًا لا يصدق ولقد صنعنا التاريخ”.

وأضاف نافاس في حديثه: “لم أحاول أبدًا التركيز على هذه الأمور؛ بل حاولت الاستمتاع بها. أركز دائمًا على الإيجابيات وما يعود بالنفع علي وعلى عائلتي، لو سمحت لنفسي بالشعور بالاستخفاف والتذمر ربما لم أكن لأبذل قصارى جهدي، أفكر في أمور خارجة عن إرادتي”.

ويرى نافاس أن كريستيانو رونالدو أفضل من ليونيل ميسي، حيث أوضح حارس المرمى: “لو خيرت، أعتقد وخاصةً بسبب اللحظة التي عشتها والوقت الذي قضيته معهما، لاخترت كريستيانو رونالدو”.

ورشح نافاس جميع اللاعبين للانتقال إلى الدوري المكسيكي، حيث اختتم: “إنه دوري رائع ويشهد مباريات تنافسية. إذا انضم كبار اللاعبين إلينا سينمو الدوري، وسيكون رائعًا للجميع”.

نافاس كان قد وقع هذا العام مع نادي بوماس الذي يلعب في الدوري المكسيكي.

After their dismal Premier League season in 2024/25, it’s no surprise that Manchester United have spent big in the transfer window in an attempt to hand Ruben Amorim the tools for success.

The 40-year-old could only achieve a 15th-placed finish after taking the reins from Erik ten Hag in November, finally having the opportunity to make his own mark on the side this summer.

He’s taken action and cleared out the deadwood within the first team squad, before splashing over £130m on the additions of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha – arriving from Brentford and Wolves, respectively.

Benjamin Sesko could be another player to make the move to Old Trafford, after the 22-year-old agreed personal terms with the Red Devils after making a £74m bid for his services.

However, despite the prospect of the Slovenian making a move to link up with Cunha and Mbeumo, Amorim clearly wants more additions, making key moves in other areas of the pitch as a result.

The latest on United’s hunt for additions this summer

Douglas Luiz is a player who reemerged on United’s shortlist earlier this week, with the Juventus midfielder set to depart his current side before the end of the window.

The Brazilian is also on the radar of Everton and Nottingham Forest this summer, with the Serie A side demanding a permanent transfer rather than a loan move.

However, another midfielder has emerged on their shortlist in recent days, with Brighton and Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba a player in their sights, according to L’Equipe.

They claim that Liverpool and Arsenal are also interested in a move for the 21-year-old before the end of the window – which finishes on the 1st of September.

Despite the interest from elsewhere, the report claims that the Red Devils are currently the side in pole position for his signature, with a £100m transfer fee mooted – a figure that would be a club record.

Why United’s £100m target would be perfect for Bruno

Bruno Fernandes ended the most recent campaign with 38 combined goals and assists for United last season, by far and away the most in the first-team squad.

Such a tally undoubtedly pushed the side away from any relegation battle, whilst helping them reach the Europa League final – in which they fell at the final hurdle against Tottenham Hotspur.

The Portuguese international has been a consistent presence in the side since his arrival back in January 2020, making 290 appearances for the club, often featuring in an attacking midfield role.

However, he may struggle to feature in a deeper role next season, with Cunha and Mbeumo expected to operate in the number ten roles behind the striker.

He will subsequently have to feature as part of the central midfield department, potentially benefiting massively from the potential addition of Baleba in the next few weeks.

The Cameroonian would be the perfect ball-winning option that could allow the 30-year-old to still cause havoc with the ball at his feet within the attacking areas.

Baleba, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, made 2.3 tackles per 90 last season, along with 1.4 interceptions – having the talent to break up the play at the heart of the side.

However, he also thrived with the ball at his feet, completing 88% of the passes he attempted, with 3.7 of which being into the final third, allowing Bruno to be provided with the opportunity to impress once again in 2025/26.

His talent on the ball is further highlighted by his tally of 58% of take-ons completed, whilst also possessing an excellent long-range strike that saw him find the net on three occasions last time around.

Whilst £100m appears to be a mammoth sum of money for a player with just two years’ experience in England’s top-flight, it’s a signing that would massively bolster the options at Amorim’s disposal.

If he can thrive in and out of possession like he has at the AMEX, it would be the perfect signing for Bruno, who can still thrive despite dropping into a deeper role next campaign.

Amorim can get Sesko firing at Man Utd by signing 'one of the world's best'

Manchester United could yet continue their heavy spending under Ruben Amorim this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 7, 2025

Sunderland have their eyes on a move to sign a “terrifying” £50m+ star after picking up Chelsea forward Marc Guiu on a season-long loan.

Sunderland signing Marc Guiu on loan from Chelsea

The Black Cats have been extremely busy in the transfer market ahead of their Premier League return, spending more than £125m on eight new players.

Habib Diarra

Strasbourg

£30.5m

Simon Adingra

Brighton

£21m

Enzo Le Fee

Roma

£19.4m

Noah Sadiki

Union Saint-Gilloise

£15m

Granit Xhaka

Bayer Leverkusen

£13m

Reinildo Mandava

Atletico Madrid

Free

Chemsdine Talbi

Club Brugge

£18m

Robin Roefs

NEC Nijmegen

£9m

Eight will soon become nine as well, with Guiu arriving in the North East on Sunday afternoon to seal his move to the Stadium of Light for the 2025/26 season.

Guiu will therefore rival Wilson Isidor and playoff final scorer Eliezer Mayenda for a starting centre-forward spot in Regis Le Bris’ side, with Sunderland’s first game against West Ham United on Saturday August 16.

After the 19-year-old, though, Sunderland are looking to bolster their attacking ranks even further and are now being linked with an ambitious move for another Bundesliga star after landing Granit Xhaka.

Sunderland keen on £50m+ Lois Openda

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg on Saturday, Sunderland are showing an interest in RB Leipzig striker Lois Openda.

However, with Leipzig stars Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko also linked with moves to the Premier League, it could be a tricky deal to persuade the Bundesliga side to sell.

Earlier in the window, it was claimed that Leipzig placed a €60m (£52m) asking price on Openda’s shoulders, with the “terrifying” forward under contract until 2028.

Arriving in 2023 from Lens, Openda, a Belgium international, has scored 41 goals in 90 appearances for his current employers. The 25-year-old was linked with a move to Tottenham last year which resulted in Spurs pundit John Wenham hailing the speedy striker.

“I watched Openda in the Champions League a couple of times this year and I was impressed. He has a real mix of pace and excellent finishing ability. He looks like someone who could also play out wide.”

A £50m+ transfer would smash Sunderland’s transfer record, which has already been broken this summer, so a move could be one to keep an eye on following Plettenberg’s update.

Celtic have been fairly busy in the summer transfer window as they look to improve their squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign getting underway next month.

However, there have not been many big splashes in the market for Brendan Rodgers and his side, as the £2m deal to sign Benjamin Nygren is the most they have spent on one player so far.

The Hoops have brought in Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan, and Callum Osmand on free transfers, and brought in Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura in from Japan alongside the move for Nygren.

Celtic may have more work to do yet in the transfer market, potentially with bigger deals made to improve the team, after they were hammered 5-1 by Ajax in their most recent pre-season friendly.

After the match, Rodgers claimed that Celtic need to improve the squad if they really want to be ambitious and progress as a club, which shows what he thinks about what needs to happen in the coming weeks.

You do not just need to bring in big-money players from abroad to significantly improve the squad, though, as the Hoops have had success in the domestic market in the past, perhaps most notably with Scott Brown.

Celtic hit the jackpot with Scott Brown

The Scottish Premiership giants hit the jackpot with the central midfielder because they snapped him up from one of their league rivals and he went on to be a legend for the club.

Celtic reportedly paid a fee of around £4.4m to sign the midfield star from Hibernian in the summer of 2007, and that remains the biggest deal between two Scottish teams in history.

It was a deal that turned out to be well worth the money for the Bhoys, though, as Brown went on to play a staggering 618 matches for the club in all competitions, scoring 46 goals and providing 63 assists from the middle of the park.

The former Celtic captain won ten Scottish Premiership titles and 12 domestic cups in his time at Parkhead, whilst he also won the Player of the Year in the league in both 2009 and 2018, which shows that the midfielder enjoyed an incredibly successful time on the pitch.

Celtic struck gold by splashing the cash on the Scotland international because they were signing a young player who had already proven his quality in the division with Hibernian, which meant that he was able to hit the ground running as a proven star.

He did not need any time to adapt to the league or the country, and that made Brown a fantastic short-term signing, which then laid the foundation for him to go on to be a phenomenal long-term signing for the Scottish giants.

The Scottish star was not a player who was then sold on for millions in profit but they more than made back the money they spent on him through the trophies that he helped the team to win over the years.

Celtic have long-term interest in Premiership star

The Premiership champions could repeat their Scott Brown masterclass by splashing the cash on another midfielder from a fellow Scottish team this summer.

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According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are long-term admirers of Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller, who looks set to be on the move in the coming weeks.

The report claims that Serie A side Udinese are leading the race to land the Scotland international’s signature, as they are preparing a fresh bid to sign him.

It adds that Bologna and unnamed clubs from Germany are also interested in signing the 18-year-old starlet, and it is said that a move abroad currently appeals to the player.

The Scottish Sun claims that he has a price tag of £5m, which means that the Hoops will need to break the Scottish record that was set by the £4.4m move for Brown if they are to beat the likes of Udinese and Bologna to his services this summer.

Why Celtic should sign Lennon Miller

Celtic must push to convince Miller to turn down interest from clubs abroad to complete a Scottish record transfer for £5m this summer because he could be a fantastic addition to their squad.

The Scotland international turns 19 in August and this means that the Hoops would be signing a central midfielder who has plenty of time left ahead of him to replicate the kind of success Brown had at Parkhead.

Whilst he may not go on to play over 600 matches for Celtic, as the club’s model is to develop and then sell players, Miller could still enjoy a lengthy career in Glasgow before potentially moving on in the future.

As Brown did when he arrived from Hibernian, the teenage central midfield star could hit the ground running at Parkhead as a player who has already proven his quality in the Premiership, after an impressive 2024/25 campaign that led to him earning a senior Scotland call up.

24/25 Premiership

Lennon Miller per 90

Percentile rank vs midfielders

Tackle success rate

68%

Top 28%

Duels won

5.84

Top 36%

Duel success rate

53%

Top 31%

Interceptions

1.38

Top 14%

Ball recoveries

6.52

Top 10%

Blocks

0.48

Top 28%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, Miller was among the best in his position in the Premiership when it came to making defensive interventions last season, ranking highly in a host of key defensive metrics.

To go along with his excellent work out of possession, the £5m-rated star also scored two goals and provided eight assists from the middle of the park, which shows that the youngster can offer a threat at the top end of the pitch as well as being combative and effective off the ball.

These statistics show that Miller, who has been hailed as “ridiculous” by pundit James McFadden, is a fantastic box-to-box player who has the potential to impact games by contributing in and out of possession in the Premiership, much like Brown did during his time as a player in Glasgow.

At the age of 18, the Scottish maestro also has plenty of time to grow and develop as a player, which means that Celtic would be signing him for the future as well as for the here and now.

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Posts ByRobbie Walls Jul 23, 2025

Therefore, the Hoops could repeat the masterclass they played with Brown by paying £5m to sign a proven Premiership star and fantastic young talent this summer.