Category Uncategorized

After losing Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer over the summer, Everton will be hoping that Beto and new signing Thierno Barry can provide them with a rich source of goals. Already, Beto is off the mark this season, having bagged in the 3-2 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

As for Barry, he is only a young player, so there should be far less pressure put on him. Yet, the Frenchman is a talented centre-forward who scored 11 goals in 35 La Liga games for Villarreal last term. He can certainly become a top-level striker in the future.

David Moyes would surely love for the strikers to have the same impact at Everton as Romelu Lukaku did.

The numbers behind Lukaku’s Everton success

Initially a loan move before the Toffees made it permanent, Lukaku’s time at Everton was excellent. He lit up Goodison Park for four seasons before joining Manchester United after the stellar performances he put in.

In 166 games for the Merseysiders, he found the back of the net 87 times and chipped in with 27 assists. His minutes-per-goal ratio was strong, too. The Belgian scored once every 160 minutes in an Everton shirt.

Although the weight of goals he scored only increased the further into his career at Goodison Park, it was that initial loan spell in 2013/14 that really showed how much of a success he could be at the club.

In his first campaign as a Toffee, Lukaku bagged 15 Premier League goals and assisted seven more in 31 games, and also scored in his only FA Cup appearance that season.

Averaging 0.7 goal involvements per game was certainly a strong start to life on Merseyside.

Whilst, overall, Moyes would love his two centre-forwards to recreate Lukaku’s impact at Everton, there might be another loan star who could add similar firepower to the Belgian in his debut season over a decade ago.

Why Jack Grealish is Everton’s new Lukaku

It was a hectic summer transfer window for Everton, who secured several new signings to bolster Moyes’ squad. Of course, they brought Barry to the club and permanently signed the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

However, the marquee signing this summer for the Toffees was surely Jack Grealish. The England international signed on loan from Manchester City and has made an incredible start to life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

In his two Premier League starts so far, the 30-year-old has already assisted four goals.

Two of those came in the 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion, with the other couple away to Wolves, including a pass that set Beto up.

Well, Everton’s supporters have certainly taken to Grealish well, although given the start he has made, that isn’t much of a surprise. Toffees supporter and tactical analyst Matt Smith said he has been a “game changer” so far.

Looking at the match stats from the games against Brighton and Wolves highlights Grealish’s impact so far. In both matches, he created three chances apiece, and away to the Old Gold, his off-the-ball work was clear to see. The 30-year-old won 13 duels at Molineux.

Touches

57

61

Passes completed

29/35

33/36

Ground duels won

5

13

Tackles won

3

1

Key passes

3

3

Assists

2

2

Just a handful of games into his Everton career, it is easy to see how Grealish can replicate Lukaku’s impact on loan as the Toffees’ newest talisman. The Belgian striker added firepower in attacking areas through goals and assists, and already, Grealish is doing the same thing.

The fact that Moyes has potentially uncovered Everton’s new Lukaku, in that sense, will be a huge benefit for the club. Life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium could not have started any better for Grealish, and he’d surely love to continue this form.

Friedkin must sell "really poor" Everton star who earns more than Ndiaye

Everton might be better off cutting their losses with one high earner…

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 10, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

A expectativa de solidificar um trabalho que atualmente lidera em disparada o Brasileirão ficou refletida na ação do Botafogono mercado da bola. Ao fim da janela de transferências, o Glorioso celebra o fato de ter mantido seus jogadores principais.

Em contrapartida, desembarcam no clube atletas que são jovens e considerados com potencial para deslanchar com a camisa alvinegra. O objetivo do empresário John Textor foi aparar as arestas para que o técnico Bruno Lage tenha um leque de alternativas.

+ Tiquinho dispara, se aproxima de Cano e entra na briga pela artilharia do ano no Brasil

A garantia de contar com o elenco rendeu momentos desafiadores. Nomes como Adryelson, Eduardo e Tiquinho Soares despertaram atenção do futebol árabe, mas todos permaneceram para tentar levar o Botafogo a títulos importantes.

Outros jogadores se juntaram ao Glorioso. Ainda em abril, foi acertada a contratação de Diego Hernández. O meia uruguaio foi oficializado no fim de maio e, após um período treinando com seus companheiros, o jovem fez sua estreia em 12 de julho, na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Patronato, da Argentina. Hernández fica até o fim de 2026 no clube.

Outra novidade foi oficializada na última quarta-feira (2). Destaque do Danubio, do Uruguai, e campeão do Mundial Sub-20 com a Celeste, Mateo Ponte assinou contrato até o fim de 2026 e terá o desafio de acirrar a disputa na lateral direita com Di Plácido. O Botafogo procurava uma alternativa para o setor em virtude da lesão grave que Rafael sofreu no joelho esquerdo.

O Lance! apurou que o Alvinegro também fechou acordo com Valentín Adamo. O atacante uruguaio de 22 anos se destacou no Progreso, da Segunda Divisão local, ao marcar nove gols em 19 jogos. Seu desafio é fazer o papel de opção a Tiquinho Soares. O vínculo também é de longo prazo: até o final de 2026.

O Botafogo ainda mantém esperanças em preencher outra lacuna. O angolano Bastos é visto como nome ideal para se tornar alternativa a Adryelson e Cuesta. Como o atleta está livre do mercado desde que deixou o Al Ahli, a diretoria botafoguense tem até 25 de agosto para definir os rumos das negociações.

O clube, porém, não terá Gabriel Brazão. O Glorioso não chegou a um acordo com o goleiro da Inter de Milão e o jovem deve atuar no futebol italiano.

O Alvinegro se empenha para ser certeiro e, gradualmente, traçar a rota até o título.

Tottenham Hotspur sealed a dramatic last-minute summer deal for playmaker Xavi Simons in a £52 million deal from RB Leipzig, with the Dutchman preparing to make an imminent Premier League debut.

Following botched deals for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, Spurs finally ended their summer search for a creative midfielder by signing Simons on a five-year deal with the option of a further two years — one of the longest player contracts in Tottenham’s history.

Appearances

25

Minutes played

2,157

Goals

10

Assists

7

Bookings

5

Shots at goal per 90 minutes

2

Passing accuracy

82.9%

Average match rating

7.32

via WhoScored

Fresh off the back of two seasons impressing in the Bundesliga with Leipzig – initially on loan before signing permanently for them earlier this year – it didn’t take long for Simons to swiftly seal another move, this time to England.

Chelsea appeared set to sign the former PSG sensation at one stage, but their dilly-dallying over a deal handed ex-Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy a chance to hijack the Blues’ talks and sign Simons for Spurs.

In one of his final acts as chair before resigning last week, Levy backed Thomas Frank with the addition of a highly-rated attacker who’s set to step into the injured James Maddison’s shoes.

Simons bagged 22 goals and 24 assists in 78 total appearances for Leipzig, and was a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy before he moved to PSG in his youth.

Bundesliga expert Kevin Hatchard claims that Spurs supporters will be a fan of Simons, but recently hinted at some concerns surrounding his attitude after reports he’s heard in the German media.

With Maddison out until 2026 after rupturing his ACL, and Dejan Kulusevski not named in Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad as he continues his recovery from a knee problem, Simons could prove to be an absolutely vital addition for Frank.

What Rafael van der Vaart has already said about Xavi Simons

Bearing in mind the excitement around his potential debut against West Ham on Saturday, it is worth pointing out what Tottenham fan favourite Rafael van der Vaart has already said about Simons in the past.

Speaking to Studio Voetbal in 2023, the ex-Spurs star was adamant that Simons could be sensational, saying very few players can do what he can do when showed footage of the 22-year-old striking the crossbar.

When asked if he could be world-class, Van der Vaart said:

As well as Simons, fellow new signing Randal Kolo Muani could also play against West Ham, so this is gearing up to be one of the most exciting London derbies against the Hammers in some time.

Mohammed Kudus is also braced for a return to his former club, and it will be very interesting to see the kind of reception he gets.

Sunderland are working hard to make further additions to their squad before the summer transfer window officially slams shut at 7 pm on Monday.

Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie claims that the Black Cats are ‘hopeful’ of agreeing a deal to bring Bologna central defender Jhon Lucumi to the Stadium of Light before the deadline.

The reporter reveals that the club placed a £24m bid in for the Colombia international earlier this week, and they are now looking to press ahead with a move to snap him up.

Lucumi played 32 times in the Serie A and seven times in the Champions League for Bologna last season, so he could arrive as an experienced option for Regis Le Bris to call upon in his backline.

Sunderland eyeing late deal for EFL star

The Black Cats may not be done strengthening their defence even if they are able to land a deal for the Colombian titan, though, as they are also looking at a new goalkeeper.

Transfer Focus

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

According to EFL Analysis, Sunderland are interested in a deal to sign Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson before Monday’s transfer deadline.

The report claims that Le Bris wants to bring in another goalkeeper to compete with Anthony Patterson and Robin Roefs in the Premier League this season, and has identified the Sweden international as a target.

It states that Potters boss Mark Robins has told the club not to sell Johansson before the end of the window, but it remains to be seen whether or not he will get his wish as Sunderland plot a last-gasp move for the colossus.

If the Black Cats can convince Stoke to part ways with their number one, Le Bris could have an even better signing than Lucumi on his hands.

Why Johansson would be a better signing than Lucumi for Sunderland

Lucumi won 60% of his duels in 32 appearances in the Serie A last season, per Sofascore, and could be a dominant defensive force for the club, but he is also prone to errors.

The 27-year-old centre-back made four errors that led to shots, three errors that led to goals, conceded one penalty, and was sent off once. No Sunderland player made as many errors as all of those combined in the 2024/25 Championship, per Sofascore.

That is a bit of a concern because it suggests that Sunderland will be signing a player who could cost them a lot of points through individual errors if those mistakes come at key moments in games.

Johansson, however, is a defensive presence, albeit in a very different position, who would not be as much of a potential liability for Sunderland if they decided to make him their number one.

Appearances

46

3

Save percentage

71%

78%

Clean sheets

14

1

Goals prevented

+10.94

+0.77

Error led to goal

1

0

Penalties committed

0

0

Red cards

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the Swedish star very rarely makes any significant errors and is an unbelievable shot-stopper, preventing nearly 12 more goals than xG expected him to since the start of last season.

For context, Roefs prevented 5.20 goals in the Eredivisie last season and is on -0.05 in his first two Premier League matches, which suggests that Johansson may come in as an upgrade on him as a shot-stopper.

The Stoke star, who has been hailed as “outstanding” by Robins, is an incredibly reliable goalkeeper who can pull off the extraordinary to bail his team out time and time again, as shown by his amazing statistics.

This is why he could be an even better signing than Lucumi, who may be prone to errors and significant mistakes, for Sunderland if they can get a last-gasp deal over the line before the deadline.

Better signing than Disasi: £24m titan is now pushing to join Sunderland

Sunderland would pick up a better buy than landing Axel Disasi by signing this star.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 27, 2025

“We’ve been able to keep ourselves in Test matches on the back of our bowling,” Coley says ahead of Test series in Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jan-2025″It’s a new series, a new opportunity,” West Indies Test coach Andre Coley said ahead of the two-match series in Pakistan.The last series between the two sides, in Kingston in 2021, was drawn 1-1, but West Indies have not won a Test in Pakistan since November 1990. It’s also true that there haven’t been too many of these – only seven since that game – but the best West Indies have done since that 1990 series is a draw, in Multan in November 2006.As such, the series is part of the World Test Championship cycle, but doesn’t mean much for either team in terms of context: South Africa and Australia have qualified for the final, while Pakistan and West Indies bring up the rear, eighth and ninth respectively on the nine-team table. It’s also a chance for Coley to sign off on a positive note before Daren Sammy takes over.Related

Spin-friendly Multan awaits WI as Pakistan look to continue home momentum

Jangoo earns maiden Test call-up for Pakistan tour; Motie back

Pakistan to host Bangladesh, England and WI in packed 2024-25

“Once you play a series or a match there’s an opportunity in itself,” Coley said at a press interaction on Tuesday. “It’s not about us creating history, it’s about using the learnings from 2024 and that consistency that was inserted for the last 12 months, being more set around the brand of cricket we want to play.”Different people in the squad who would have missed out on opportunities before can use this as an opportunity to do better and do it in conditions that could be different in some instances.”When you talk about Test cricket, it’s not only the opposition’s skill that provides tests, but the different conditions, different environments, and different game situations provide those tests. And that’s why you want to play at this level and in this format, to test yourself over four-five days. The game could change so rapidly.”The magical eight-run win, scripted by Shamar Joseph, against Australia in Brisbane in January was by far West Indies’ best result in Test cricket last year, but it was one of only two wins for them in the entire WTC cycle so far. And Coley pointed to the inconsistencies of the batters for the team not being able to build on the work by the bowlers.

“It’s time, going forward in 2025, that the batsmen now, having been given certain opportunities to test their skills, to learn and translate those into performances”Andre Coley

“Obviously, Jayden [Seales] back to full fitness, Shamar Joseph making his debut in 2024, Alzarri Joseph… Kemar Roach has been a standout in terms of his leadership, on and off the field, with his skill and mentorship. [Gudakesh] Motie and [Jomel] Warrican have been consistent when given an opportunity,” Coley said, counting off his main bowlers, of whom the two Josephs are not in Pakistan. Anderson Phillip is, and Kevin Sinclair is the third spinner.”We’ve seen a couple of innings where our batters have… Kavem Hodge scoring his first hundred, Alick Athanaze missing out on at least three; there have been instances where we have had significant partnerships from a batting perspective. But they haven’t really been very consistent and put ourselves in match-winning totals.”The standout has been that we’ve been able to keep ourselves in Test matches on the back of our bowling, and what the young bowlers have done. It’s time, going forward in 2025, that the batsmen now, having been given certain opportunities to test their skills, to learn and translate those into performances.”The first Test will be played in Karachi, from January 16, and the second in Multan, from January 24, with West Indies playing a three-day tour game in Islamabad from January 10 to get used to the conditions.

Hold the back page! Hold the front page! Oh, and while you’re at it… hold all the ones in the middle as well! Why? Aston Villa have finally signed a player… that’s why!

On Friday morning, the Villans confirmed the arrival of forward Evann Guessand, joining from Nice for a reported fee of £26m plus up to £4.3m in add-ons.

Before that, Unai Emery had only been able to add Marco Bizot and Zépiqueno Redmond on free transfers to his squad; Yasin Özcan has also joined for around £5.8m, but has instantaneously been loaned out to Anderlecht.

Now though, having belatedly got their first serious signing of the summer over the line, could another be right around the corner?

Aston Villa looking to bolster their squad

If all goes to plan, Aston Villa could play as many as 65 matches next season, certainly considered amongst the favourites to feature in next May’s Europa League Final in İstanbul because, well, four-time winner Emery is their manager.

Thus, ahead of a jam-packed schedule, the Claret and Blue Army need to add depth to their ranks and Guessand certainly does that, with Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic noting that Emery appreciates the fact that he is a ‘versatile attacker’, capable of being deployed in multiple roles.

Now, could they bolster their midfield ranks with a familiar face?

Well, according to a report by Football Insider, Aston Villa are interested in re-signing Douglas Luiz from Juventus.

Transfer Focus

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

The Brazilian only swapped the Midlands for Turin last summer, with la Vecchia Signora paying £42.3m for his signature.

Well, former Juventus player Alessio Tacchinardi believes this move was a “disaster”, given that Luiz has accumulated a miserly 877 minutes in a black and white striped shirt to date, starting just six matches across all competitions.

Thus, the Italian giants are desperate to offload the out-of-favour midfielder, with Filippo Cornacchia of Gazzetta dello Sport noting that a return to the Premier League is his most likely destination, so could he soon call Villa Park home once again?

Why Douglas Luiz's return would be transformational for Aston Villa

During his final season at Villa Park, Luiz was an absolutely pivotal figure in Emery’s team, hence why Juventus were willing to pay such a huge amount to sign him.

Emery himself stated that the Brazilian was “progressing a lot as a midfielder… adding goals”, while Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines praised both his ‘duel-winning capacity’ and ‘press resistance’ when on the ball in possession.

So, let’s outline his importance to Villa during the 2023/24 season, a campaign which saw the Claret and Blue Army end up fourth, their highest top division finish since 1996.

Minutes

4,185

3rd

Goals

9

4th

Assists

10

3rd

Shots

57

4th

Completed passes

2,353

2nd

Key passes

70

1st

Passes into final 3rd

190

1st

Progressive passes

228

2nd

Shot-creating actions

152

1st

Big chances created

13

3rd

Tackles

72

1st

Interceptions

28

4th

Blocks

37

4th

Ball recoveries

221

1st

Touches

3,069

2nd

Average SofaScore rating

7.27

2nd

As the table documents, Luiz was key to everything Aston Villa did across all competitions and across the entire pitch, ranked in the top four for every metric included, ranging from goals and shots to chances created and all the defensive metrics, namely tackles, ball recoveries, interceptions and more.

Luiz’s nominal replacement Amadou Onana was good if unspectacular last season, but David Michael of BBC Sport believes Villa massively missed the ‘control of midfield’ and ‘set-piece delivery’ that Luiz provided.

Thus, should he return, one would assume the “world-class” Luiz – as noted by Adam Gilks – would immediately do so as a starter, but it’s unclear whether the same can be said for Guessand.

Speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Lars Sivertsen was not particularly excited about Guessand’s arrival at Villa, labelling him “fine” given that he did not boast an “incredible” goal-scoring record in Ligue 1, forecasting he’ll be little more than a “squad addition”.

Given the performances of Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins, with Donyell Malen, Leon Bailey and others vying for minutes in attack too, the Côte d’Ivoire international is unlikely to be thrown in for a debut from the start against Newcastle on the opening weekend.

Luiz though, assuming Villa are able to finalise his potential return quickly, would be a transformational addition to Emery’s first-choice starting lineup, so they should surely take advantage of Juventus’ desperation to cut their losses.

Unplayable with Guessand: Aston Villa keen on signing £40m “special talent”

Aston Villa are in the market for another new attacker after signing Guessand

ByJoe Nuttall Aug 7, 2025

استقر الجهاز الفني لـ منتخب مصر الشباب تحت 20 سنة لكرة القدم، بقيادة أسامة نبيه، على قائمة المنتخب المقرر مشاركتها فى كأس العالم من 27 سبتمبر الجاري إلى 19 أكتوبر المقبل في تشيلي.

ويشارك منتخب مصر للشباب في البطولة التي تستضيفها تشيلي، حيث أوقعته القرعة في المجموعة الأولى بجوار تشيلي ونيوزيلندا واليابان.

طالع.. خاص | كأس العالم يحسم مصير أسامة نبيه مع منتخب مصر للشباب

ويعسكر حاليًا منتخب الشباب في مدينة كوينتيرو المتواجدة على سواحل المحيط الأطلنطي غرب تشيلي، وتبعد ساعتين عن سانتياجو بالأتوبيس.

ويترأس البعثة حمادة الشربيني عضو مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة، ويضم الجهاز الفني للمنتخب، أسامة نبيه مدير فني وعلاء عبده المدرب العام وأيمن طاهر مدرب حراس المرمي ودكتور أحمد ابو عبلة رئيس الجهاز الطبي وأحمد سامح المعد البدني وزياد شعراوي محلل الأداء وأحمد ممدوح وأحمد محروس وعباس حسانين في التأهيل والتدليك والعلاج الطبيعي وعلاء سعيد مدير العمليات.

ويتدرب المنتخب بشكل يومي صباحًا ومساء ًمنذ وصوله إلى تشيلي، وسط جدية ورغبة وإصرار من اللاعبين على تحقيق طموحات الجماهير في البطولة والتى يستهلها بلقاء اليابان 27 سبتمبر ثم نيوزيلاندا 30 سبتمبر وتشيلي 3 أكتوبر المقبل.

ويستعد المنتخب للقاء الفريق الأول بنادي سانتياجو وديًا وذلك بعدما أرجأت أرضية الملعب السيئة لقاءه الودي الأول بالمعسكر مع منتخب بنما والذي اتفق مدربا المنتخبين على عدم خوضه لأن الملعب سيئ، ولا يصلح للعب إطلاقًا، وذلك حرصًا على سلامة اللاعبين قبل أيام من انطلاق البطولة الرسمية.

وحرص حمادة الشربيني على الاجتماع مع اللاعبين ومطالبهم بالتركيز في البطولة والالتزام الكامل بتعليمات الجهاز الفني، مشددًا على ثقته الكبيرة في إمكاناتهم وقدرتهم على إسعاد المصريين.

وقال الشربيني إنه متفائل جدًا بالروح القتالية التي يتسم بها الأداء إلى جانب حالة النظام العام التي تسيطر على أجواء المعسكر.

وأرسل حمادة أنور مدير المنتخب القائمة المعتمدة من الجهاز الفني استعدادًا لـ كأس العالم للشباب بشكل رسمي وتضم 21 لاعبا هم: قائمة منتخب مصر لكأس العالم للشباب

عبد المنعم تامر وأحمد وهب وأحمد منشاوي حراس المرمى، أحمد نائل وأحمد عابدين وعبد الله بوستنجي ومعتز محمد ومؤمن شريف ومهاب سامي وأحمد كاباكا ومحمد السيد وأحمد وحيد وسيف سفاجا وسليم طلب وتيبو جيبريال ومحمد عبد الله وعمر سيد معوض وحامد عبد الله وعمرو بيبو  وعمر خضر ومحمد هيثم.

وفي قائمة الانتظار، يتواجد كل من: أحمد شرف وياسين عاطف تحسبًا لأي ظروف طارئة.

Dhananjaya de Silva hopes that his Sri Lanka team-mates can earn more opportunities in county cricket through their performances in England, which he believes would be particularly beneficial to their batters.Counties have been allowed to field two overseas players in their XI in each format since 2021. A relaxation of visa criteria has enabled a series of players with minimal or no international experience to win deals, yet Sri Lanka’s squad have largely found themselves overlooked – in part because of their touring commitments.Vishwa Fernando is the only member of the 18-man touring party to feature in the Championship this year, playing three matches for Yorkshire after making two appearances for Durham at the end of last season. Dimuth Karunaratne (three games for Yorkshire) and Asitha Fernando (two for Nottinghamshire) have also featured previously.Related

• Pope's truth: Captaincy may be an honour, but batting remains the future

Dinesh Chandimal revealed in Manchester that he has been trying to secure a county contract without success. “The last few years, I wanted to get a county deal,” Chandimal, who has scored 15 Test hundreds, said. “I didn’t get it so far. If I can do well in this series, hopefully I will be picked by one of the counties. It is my dream to play a season of county cricket.”Speaking ahead of Thursday’s second Test at Lord’s, Dhananjaya confirmed his own aspirations to play in the Championship. “Playing in these conditions will be better for the batsmen,” he said. “We are only getting the chance while we’re touring here. But if the batsmen can play county [cricket], it’ll be nice for them.”Sri Lanka have a three-month gap in their international schedule after the Champions Trophy, which could allow their Test players to feature in the early stages of the county season. Wanindu Hasaranga, who is not part of their Test squad, has twice signed for Manchester Originals in the Hundred but has been denied No-Objection Certificates by SLC.Dhananjaya said that Sri Lanka have prepared well for the second Test and will make two changes, with Pathum Nissanka – who has thrived in ODIs this year – and Lahiru Kumara replacing Kusal Mendis and Vishwa Fernando. “Overall, Pathum is the best batter in the country at the moment,” Dhananjaya said. “He has a good mindset and he has a good technique.”He also played down the absence of Mark Wood, suggesting that Chris Woakes had been harder to face. “The speed is not troubling me, but the line and length,” Dhananjaya said. “The opening bowler, he bowls in one area for 20 to 30 balls and that’s the problem we have: with the swinging ball, not the pace… if the plans work here, we’ll get on top.”

Liverpool weathered waves of mockery last summer as they moved on from Jurgen Klopp’s shocking departure from his manager’s post by opting against any meaningful investment in the transfer market.

But scorn has since been silenced, with Arne Slot leading Liverpool to the 2024/25 Premier League title before handing the mic to sporting director Richard Hughes, whose dealings in the summer transfer window have been as impressive as they have been merciless.

What is next season’s objective? The retention of the Premier League? Winning the Champions League? The quadruple? FSG’s strategems are likely not so single-minded, with the ambitious scope of Liverpool’s spending instead indicating a desire to be named among the favourites of such competitions for many years to come. Year in, year out.

Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong are full-backs who will drive that vision, providing dynamic width for Slot’s side, and Giorgi Mamardashvili will challenge Alisson for the spot between the sticks.

However, Florian Wirtz is unquestionably the cream of the club’s window thus far.

What Florian Wirtz will bring to Liverpool

Liverpool have signed Bayer Leverkusen’s star man for a fixed £100m fee, which has the potential to rise to a British-record £116m.

Wirtz is only 22, but he’s already achieved greatness in his German homeland, winning the 2023/24 Bundesliga title with Leverkusen, who toppled Bayern Munich after so many years and did so without falling to a single defeat.

Oh, and he picked up the division’s Player of the Year award. Wirtz is a mobile number ten with a tendency to drift out onto the left, but he’s a fearsome weapon with standout technical quality, awareness, and vision that sets him apart from the rabble.

Will his ability translate to the Premier League? This, of course, is the million-dollar question which has proved insoluble for many high-profile arrivals who at first promised so much.

But Wirtz is different, with a robust physical profile and the makings of a superstar. Furthermore, he could find himself playing with one of the world’s best strikers, who Liverpool have not given up hope of signing this summer.

Liverpool still interested in superstar striker

Liverpool are interested in signing Alexander Isak. But for all the noise, those in the Newcastle United camp are adamant that the Sweden striker is going nowhere unless an offer is made to the tune of £200m, as per The Telegraph.

This feels unrealistic, it must be said. However, TEAMtalk have since followed the national paper’s claim by revealing Isak is keen on the move to Anfield, and that Liverpool would be tempted to lodge a £150m bid, including add-ons.

This is certainly one to keep an eye on, but it’s worth reiterating that the Magpies do not want to sell and will not roll over after sealing their spot in next year’s Champions League.

Why Liverpool should sign Alexander Isak

If the finances check out, there’s a growing sense Liverpool will pursue a deal.

Isak was named “the best striker in the world” by analyst Raj Chohan after his exploits last season, scoring 27 goals from 42 matches in all competitions as Newcastle returned to the Champions League and won the Carabao Cup, beating Slot’s side in the final and netting.

Mohamed Salah was the only man to outscore him in the Premier League, and with the Egyptian and Wirtz leading the supply line next year, now that Trent Alexander-Arnold has moved to Real Madrid, Reds fans could be in for a treat.

The 25-year-old Isak appears to have shaken from his game the injury issues that plagued him at times throughout his career. Now he is mature. Now, Isak has developed not only his technical quality but his strength and athleticism and durability too.

Alexander Isak – Past Five Seasons (league only)
Season	Apps	Goals	Assists
24/25 – Newcastle	34	23	6
23/24 – Newcastle	30	21	2
22/23 – Newcastle	22	10	2
21/22 – Sociedad	32	6	2
20/21 – Sociedad	34	17	2
Stats via Transfermarkt

Coming off the back of his personal best season, the Toon talisman is ready to take the step up in his career and realise his potential, joining a Liverpool side who have a vacant spot at number nine.

Well, not quite yet. Darwin Nunez is in the process of transferring to Serie A champions Napoli, and Isak would be a stunning upgrade on the wasteful Uruguayan, for pundit Alan Shearer has aptly named his boyhood club’s main man a “world-class assassin”.

While Isak’s quality stems from his goalscoring aptitude, he is differentiated from his positional peers through his slick movements, pacy and powerful and attuned to the processes of his opponents.

Likewise, it would be easy to categorise Wirtz as a sharp playmaker with an eye for goal, but he’s so much more. You’d hope so, in fairness, for a British-record fee.

Former Bayern Munich technical director Marco Neppe is certainly a fan, saying: “He is so brave. His skillset is dangerous for every opponent. He can change the momentum of a game just by having an idea nobody expects, and suddenly everything is different. He is a game changer.”

His ability to shift momentum through a range of skills that ensure those against him never know what’s coming next is perfect for Isak, whose shifty, lateral movements, pulling out wide or piledriving right through even iron-clad defences, will end in space perfect for a well-placed through ball.

Indeed, the German international ranked among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Bundesliga last year for through balls, the top 5% for progressive passes and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref – and that’s just one part of his skill set.

The fact is, Liverpool already have one of the finest frontlines in world football, but now they have packaged it with Wirtz, and Isak could now follow.

The Scandinavian goalscorer is proven as one of football’s deadliest marksmen, but he’s so much more and could take that momentous leap by joining the party down Anfield Road.

Perfect Gordon alternative: Liverpool hold talks for "explosive" £43m star

Liverpool are looking to sign a new winger this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 20, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers finished their 2024/25 season with a 1-1 draw against Brentford on Sunday.

This result meant the Old Gold finished 16th, 17 points clear of the relegation zone. Vitor Pereira’s opening few months have been largely promising, but there must be some improvements made to the squad during the summer transfer window.

Several players failed to shine against the Bees, however, which could impact their futures.

Wolves' best and worst performers against Brentford

Marshall Munetsi scored a screamer to rescue a point for the Molineux side, and it was an excellent overall display.

He lost possession just seven times and succeeded with 100% of his dribbles during the game.

Sadly, with a move to Manchester United on the horizon, Matheus Cunha looks to have played his final game for the club but he did put in a decent display, registering five total shots while delivering nine crosses into the box as he looked to make the difference.

Wolves vs Brentford – Key Statistics
Metric	Highest-Ranked
Accurate passes	Yehor Yarmolyuk (53)
Key passes	Goncalo Guedes and Rayan Ait-Nouri (3)
Tackles	Joao Gomes (8)
Shots on target	Matheus Cunha (3)
Ground duels won	Joao Gomes (14)
Via Sofascore

Elsewhere, Rayan Ait-Nouri, who also may have played his final game for Wolves, struggled throughout. Not only did he give the ball away for Brentford’s opener, the defender also lost the ball nine times before being subbed off in the 65th minute.

The worst performer, however, was Goncalo Guedes, and it is almost certain that the Portuguese forward will be on his way out of Molineux this summer.

Why Wolves must sell Goncalo Guedes this summer

Guedes was deployed as a lone centre-forward against Brentford, but failed to make an impression in the final third.

The former Valencia man lasted just 65 minutes. During his time on the pitch, he registered two shots off target, succeeded with three of his six dribble attempts and completed only 20 passes.

There was a moment that left the manager “furious” in the words of Old Gold reporter Liam Keen, when Munetsi cut the ball back but the Portuguese made a mess of the chance and sent it wide.

Across his 29 league matches this season, Guedes scored just twice while grabbing four assists and if Pereira is aiming to take the club into the top half of the Premier League table next season, he should not be the main attacking option, particularly when Cunha departs.

He’s lacked so much pizazz in the final third, notably recording a goal conversion percentage of just 7%, while he averaged 0.5 key passes per game, created two big chances and averaged just 0.3 shots on target per game in the top flight.

Those are hardly the statistics of a player who can make a difference for the club in the final third next season, and this must ensure his departure in the coming months.

Dubbed as “lightning quick” by European football expert Andy Brassell upon his arrival at Molineux, it’s fair to say that he failed to live up to his massive £27.5m transfer fee.

With two years left on his current contract at the club, now is the perfect time for Pereira to cash in on him when the transfer window opens.

It is unlikely he can recoup the near £30m that was spent on him, but any decent fee would bolster the club’s transfer kitty, no doubt about that.

With Cunha departing too, Pereira must bring in another attacker or two.

Wolves can sign their new Raul Jimenez with "extraordinary" £29m star

Wolves will need to replace Matheus Cunha this summer

By
Ross Kilvington

May 25, 2025