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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is expected to have retained the backing of FSG after a woeful start to the 2025/26 campaign, but the credit chequed into the bank is fast depleting as the champions flatter to deceive on the problem-solving front.

Soft, slow and stodgy, this is not the Liverpool we know. Slot’s Liverpool, last year, were a dangerous beast, so incisive and unforgiving as they secured toward the Premier League title.

But, nine losses from 14 matches in all competitions and just two wins from nine in the top flight have eradicated any hopes of challenging Arsenal for the trophy this season.

And it’s put Slot’s job on the line.

Why Liverpool could sack Arne Slot

Liverpool managed to avoid defeat at home against Sunderland on Wednesday evening, but the 1-1 draw, secured when Florian Wirtz’s fleet footwork forced an own goal from Nordi Mukiele late on, smacked of desperation.

You would be hard pressed to delineate Liverpool’s tactical identity under Slot’s wing this season. Their shape in the build-up. Their pressing patterns and attacking strategies.

It is damning that so much has been spent on strikers like Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, and that number nine is a barren patch at Anfield, with the supply line proving ineffective.

Wirtz needs to do better, but there’s no question that he’s a world-class talent with so much potential yet untapped.

However, this breadth of quality at Slot’s disposal means he simply has to work out a formula for results and impressive performances, with both in short supply.

If the Dutch tactician fails to get a tune out of this squad of elite, big-money players, he will eventually be dismissed by FSG, who might already have their sights set on a replacement.

The perfect Slot replacement at Liverpool

Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes know they and Liverpool’s wider project will lose face if they have to dismiss Slot, but if push comes to shove, they might just do so if it means they can appoint Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso.

Alonso, 44, acheived unprecedented success with Bayer Leverkusen, winning the Bundesliga as undefeated champions in 2023/24, claiming the DFB-Pokal title too.

This road led to the Santiago Bernabeu, the Spaniard joining the club he played so much football for during his playing career this summer.

However, Alonso also has quite the connection with Anfield, and given the troubles that are plaguing Los Blancos at the moment, FSG may well be primed to pounce if an opportunity to appoint this exciting Slot replacement materialises.

Liverpool did explore a move for Alonso after Jurgen Klopp announced he would be stepping down at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, but he was in the thick of his Leverkusen tenure and did not feel the time for a step-up was right.

His 3-4-2-1 formation is unconventional, but Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has shown that such a set-up can work out in the Premier League, when in the right hands.

Xabi Alonso’s Managerial Stats
Club	Matches	PPG
Real Madrid	26	2.35
Bayer Leverkusen	140	2.14
Real Sociedad B	98	1.46
Data via Transfermarkt

Given that Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong worked under him in Germany, hitting such staggering heights, it could also prove the perfect appointment to get the best out of Liverpool’s immensely talented playmaker.

Wirtz, 22, has not hit the ground running at Liverpool, but the system has hardly opened its arms for such a player. In fact, most of Liverpool’s top players have foundered this season.

Even so, the German international ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this season for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Alonso will surely get a tune out of a player he described as “a genius” during their time with Die Werkself.

Wirtz once said that “working with Alonso is a dream”. He lived that dream, and he may do so again before long, with the Spanish manager sure to be at the top of FSG’s wishlist, if Slot is indeed sacked in the coming months.

Liverpool ace who's fallen off a cliff looks like "Fabinho in his final year"

Liverpool’s draw against Sunderland illustrated a litany of problems Slot is still dealing with.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 4, 2025

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is personally driving a move for Murillo, with Nottingham Forest’s stance on sanctioning a departure now being revealed.

The Blues have been solid from a defensive point of view in recent weeks, keeping clean sheets in their last three Premier League matches, most recently defeating Burnley 2-0 at Turf moor, with Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah impressing at the heart of defence.

Adarabioyo particularly caught the eye, receiving a SofaScore match rating of 8.6, the highest of any player, courtesy of making six tackles, winning ten of the 12 duels he contested, while also completing a whopping 102 passes, including seven long balls.

Being assured in possession of the ball is an important attribute for any player in a Maresca system, and the manager is now keen on another centre-back who could be an ideal fit in the Italian’s backline…

Maresca now driving Chelsea move for Murillo

According to a report from Caught Offside, Maresca has now personally identified Nottingham Forest defender Murillo as a key defensive target, but it could take a huge offer to get a deal over the line, with the Tricky Trees looking to hold out for up to €90m (£79m).

Forest are hesitant to cash-in on one of their key players, but they could be tempted to sanction a departure if a huge offer is submitted, with some other huge clubs also showing an interest in the centre-back, namely Barcelona and Arsenal.

The Chelsea manager is said to be a fan of ball-playing defenders capable of creating chances from deep, which means the Brazilian could be the perfect fit in his backline, and he recently put in a fantastic display as Forest secured a shock 3-0 win at Anfield.

Liverpool’s struggles continued on Saturday, with Arne Slot’s side falling to a shock defeat against a side that had made a slow start to the season, and Murillo displayed his attacking prowess by opening the scoring just after the half-an-hour mark.

It was a solid all-round performance from the one-time Brazil international, winning five of the six duels he contested, creating one big chance, and making 19 defensive actions, the highest number of any player.

It wasn’t the first time the 23-year-old has put in a top performance against the Reds, receiving high praise after impressing against Slot’s men earlier this year.

As such, Chelsea should undoubtedly pursue a move for Murillo, and it is promising news that Nottingham Forest could now be willing to sanction a departure for the right price.

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The impressive international could be Chelsea’s answer to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 21, 2025

The torpedo bat won't be going away anytime soon based on MLB commissioner Rob Manfred's latest comments on the craze.

Baseball's specialized bats which took over the league at the start of the season are perfectly legal per the rulebook but have still stirred up controversy over their unorthodox bowling-pin bat structure.

Manfred spoke in a Q&A with the about the future of torpedo bats and explained why he thought they were "good for baseball."

"They’re absolutely good for baseball," Manfred said. "I believe that issues like the torpedo bat and the debate around it demonstrate the fact that baseball still occupies a unique place in our culture, because people get into a complete frenzy over something that’s really nothing at the end of the day.

"The bats comply with the rules. Players have actually been moving the sweet spot around in bats for years. But it just demonstrates that something about the game is more important than is captured by television ratings or revenue or any of those things, when you have the discussions and debates about it."

Fans are certainly having discussions about it this season after the New York Yankees—who were the first to debut the torpedo bat—unleashed a barrage of homers during opening weekend and went on to make MLB history in their sizzling-hot start.

Baseball bat engineers have even weighed in on the topic and explained the "fallacies" surrounding the literal impact torpedo bats are having on the game.

With every single MLB team interested in getting their hands on the torpedo bat, and with Manfred's latest positive endorsement, the bat seems like it's going to be an intriguing and potentially permanent fixture of the sport moving forward.

It didn’t take long for Game 1 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers to produce its first gaffe.

At the bottom of the first inning, Yankees left fielder Alex Verdugo turned what might have been a single into a triple for Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman after misfielding the ball. 

Freeman hit the ball down the left field line, causing Verdugo to chase it down. It looked like Verdugo slipped in the process and couldn’t play the ball cleanly. Freeman, who is reportedly still dealing with a lingering ankle injury, was thus able to round the bases and leg out a triple.

To make matters worse, cameras caught Verdugo blowing a bubble with his gum just as he committed the mistake.

Fans roasted Verdugo for his embarrassing move.

Yankees' Gerrit Cole was able to keep the Dodgers off the board after Freeman's triple, and the game remained tied, 0–0, after the first inning.

Bangladesh quick Khaled Ahmed was the star of the show as defending champions Rangpur Riders began their Global Super League 2025 campaign with a narrow but solid win over hosts Guyana Amazon Warriors at Providence.Having opted to bat, Rangpur put up 162 for 5 with contributions from Kyle Mayers, Soumya Sarkar and Iftikhar Ahmed, before Khaled’s four-for and two-wicket hauls from Tabraiz Shamsi and Azmatullah Omarzai mande sure Amazon Warriors fell short by eight runs.Chasing 163, Amazon Warriors lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz cheaply to countrymate Omarzai, but Johnson Charles (40) and Moeen Ali (27) put together 48 runs in five overs to keep the chase on track.Kyle Mayers top-scored for Rangpur Riders•Global Super League via Getty Images

After they were felled in back-to-back overs, contributions continued to come, but none of them were impactful enough. All of Jewel Andrew, Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford and Dwaine Pretorius, the Nos. 4-7, got into double-digits but couldn’t carry on and make a difference.And it was largely because of medium-pacer Khaled, who removed the dangerous Rutherford and Hetmyer in back-to-back overs, the 15th and 17th, and then got Pretorius and Shamar Springer on consecutive balls in the 19th.Omarzai finished it off first ball of the last over by sending back David Wiese that saw Amazon Warriors bowled out for 154.Earlier, Rangpur were slow off the blocks. They were 40 for no loss at the end of the powerplay – Amazon Warriors would get 49 for 1 later – with Saif Hassan going at a run a ball and Sarkar even slower. The impetus came only after Mayers went out and scored 44 not out in 31 balls and there were key lower-middle order contributions from Nurul Hasan (18 in ten balls) and Iftikhar (34 not out in 21).

Over the past couple of seasons, West Bromwich Albion have held a reputation for being a side full of Championship-experienced veterans.

Indeed, during the last campaign, the likes of Kyle Bartley, Jed Wallace, John Swift, and Josh Maja all lined up for the Baggies regularly, with Wallace and Swift alone boasting a mighty 699 career appearances in the EFL’s elite setting.

However, with many of that old guard leaving this summer, Ryan Mason looks to be steering the Baggies in a new direction, with the head coach himself cutting a youthful appearance at just 34 years of age.

Moreover, there is far more youth on show in Mason’s XI’s since taking on the Hawthorns hot-seat, instead of relying on those seasoned heads to get the West Midlands outfit out of trouble.

West Brom's focus on youth

Even the choice to hand Mason the head coach reins was a sign of West Brom going for a fresh approach, having previously had the instantly recognisable face of Tony Mowbray in charge, who has managed all over the second tier.

The decision to hand Mason the manager gig has somewhat worked, with the ex-Tottenham Hotspur coach already four wins down, as he goes about stamping his authority on the West Brom ranks.

Mason has been unafraid to start the likes of 21-year-old Toby Collyer in the middle of the park, who is on loan at the Hawthorns for the season from Manchester United, alongside getting a goal already out of fellow Premier League loan starlet Samuel Iling-Junior, who is just 22 himself.

Even man of the moment Isaac Price – who has three goals and one assist to his name already – isn’t the most vastly experienced presence, with the former Everton youth prodigy only 22 years of age as well, despite his assured nature in the Baggies’ first-team set-up.

Away from the senior scene, the West Brom U21 ranks are also home to some encouraging talents that could soon be ready to break through into the first team fold.

One starlet – in particular – looks to possess elements of both Price’s skilful game, but also ex-Baggies favourite Tom Fellows’ unselfish approach bombing forward.

West Brom starlet is shades of Price & Fellows

It should be noted that Mason should be commended – despite some tricky matches as of late – for how he’s managed to settle into the pressures of the West Brom job without Fellows around.

After all, across the entirety of last season, the homegrown ace would chip in with a bumper four goals and 14 assists in all competitions.

Unfortunately, relegated Southampton would take a fancy to the assist-heavy 22-year-old this summer, leaving Mason with a Fellows-less reality when he took on the challenging gig.

Thankfully, Price has since taken on the baton of being a gung-ho star down the channels, but with his form wavering – posting zero goals or assists since a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth towards the close of August – Mason could be tempted to test out academy sensation Ollie Bostock more regularly, as yet another promising asset emerges in midfield.

Already, despite making just one appearance for the West Brom senior side, journalists Johnny Drury and Lewis Cox have hyped Bostock as being a second coming of the brand-new Saints number 18, labelling him as “the next Fellows.”

Based on that whirlwind cameo, he could soon go on to be a surprise regular in Mason’s squad.

Minutes played

1

Touches

5

Accurate passes

2/2

Accurate crosses

1/1

Key passes

1

Total duels won

1/2

Away from only being on the Den turf for one minute, the Wales U19 international would show off a similar keenness to cut open a defence that Fellows used to show in spades in the West Midlands, registering one key pass , despite only amassing a meagre five touches.

With seven goals and four assists also under his belt for both the U18s and U21s, it could well be time for the “magical” youngster – as he was once lauded by academy manager Richard Stevens – to have his breakout moment in the first-team spotlight.

After all, in the debris after the 3-0 defeat to Millwall, Mason spoke glowingly about the Welsh teenager, saying that he is “a part of the squad” now.

In time, he could be as jaw-dropping to watch as both Price and Fellows, with a big career potentially ahead for the 18-year-old.

Now outscoring Maja & Price: West Brom sold "shining example" for just £2m

West Bromwich Albion must now regret letting this attacker go for just £2m.

1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 9, 2025

Marnus Labuschagne’s form, a potential return for Sam Konstas and Beau Webster’s role are all in the spotlight ahead of Lord’s

Alex Malcolm27-May-20254:02

Moody: Can’t expect Hazlewood to come flying off the blocks

Cameron Green’s irresistible form in county cricket has him all but locked in for the World Test Championship final as Australia coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that other selection debates, including whether an allrounder is needed against South Africa at Lord’s, will dictate where he bats.Green, 25, will be unavailable to bowl in the WTC final but is virtually assured of returning to the side as a batter only which will cause upheaval to the order with the selectors open to all possibilities with Marnus Labuschagne, Sam Konstas, Beau Webster and Josh Inglis all appearing in a state of flux depending on how the XI is shaped.Green has not played Test cricket since March 2024 when he batted at No. 4 for Australia in a two-Test series against New Zealand and made a career-high 174 not out in Wellington. He has scored three centuries and an unbeaten 67 across eight innings at No. 5 for Gloucestershire in recent weeks, his first cricket of any form since back surgery last October.Related

Green happy to 'just bat' for now as No. 3 role beckons

Boland: 'I just want to make their decision as hard as possible'

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Labuschagne faces vital outing in search for form

Konstas and Green named in Australia's World Test Championship final squad

Speaking on SEN radio on Tuesday ahead of leaving for the UK, McDonald confirmed that Steven Smith would remain at No. 4 but said Green was capable of slotting anywhere in the top six.”He could be three, he could be five, he could be six, he could open,” McDonald said. “I think he’s got the temperament. He’s got the skill set. He’s got the defensive play as well. I think the higher up the order you go, your defensive skills are a priority. He’s got all bases covered.”Green’s inclusion and where he bats will have a significant flow-on effect. Travis Head will return to No. 5 after opening in Sri Lanka, which will leave Usman Khawaja needing yet another opening partner after cycling through Smith, Head, Konstas and Nathan McSweeney across the last three Test series Australia have played.Webster made an excellent start to Test cricket as Australia’s allrounder at No. 6 against India in Sydney and played well in Sri Lanka. But McDonald confirmed that he was not locked in to play at Lord’s as the selectors mull over whether they need a fifth bowler for a one-off Test final.”There’s an XI on a board, but it’s got some dashes with multiple names in different positions,” McDonald said. “Do we need to play the allrounder depending on the conditions that present? That’ll then shuffle the batting order. We’re quite flexible in our approach to that.”We’ve got roughly what we think it might look like. And then clearly, there’ll be some decisions as we get to the pointy end. And we’ve said before that we only make decisions when we need to.”Cameron Green has scored three centuries in nine innings for Gloucestershire•Gloucestershire County Cricket Club

McDonald was then pressed on whether it was a decision between Konstas and Labuschagne to open the batting, if Green batted at No. 3 and Webster remained.”If you require the allrounder in the conditions that would then lend itself to a decision around the top order, and then if you don’t require it, then clearly you’ve got other options,” McDonald said. “And that’s not to dismiss the fact that Beau Webster can be a bat only as well. It’ll just be how much we prioritise the bowling element of that.”We’ve got some players coming out of the IPL. We’ll see them in front of us when we get to England and make some assessments on what their capabilities will be for the Test match. At the moment, everyone’s tracking well, so I think depending on how you look at it they’ll be able to cope with whatever loads are put in front of them.”Inglis’ form is also a consideration. He made a century on Test debut as a batter in Sri Lanka and continues to score runs in all forms and all conditions. He could also bat at No. 6 if an allrounder was not selected. Chair of selectors George Bailey had previously suggested that Inglis could open but that would seem unlikely given he has never done that role in first-class cricket and has only batted higher than No. 5 seven times without once reaching 50.Marnus Labuschagne’s position is under scrutiny•Getty Images

The Marnus Labuschagne questionIt does leave Labuschagne vulnerable despite being Australia’s incumbent No. 3 since 2019 and averaging 46.76 across 57 Tests with 11 Test centuries. But he has not scored one in his last 29 Test innings and averages just 28.33 across this WTC cycle.McDonald was asked whether Labuschagne could open in the WTC final given he has never opened the batting in Test cricket but he did not give a definitive answer. Labuschagne has made 0, 4 and 23 in his three innings for Glamorgan over the last fortnight but will not play again before the side is selected for the WTC final.”You watch the dismissals and it’s isolated incidents that you don’t know what he’s doing in the background, how it looks in the nets, how he’s moving,” McDonald said. “That’ll be the key part of all of it is to see where they’re at in front of us and what those sort of last seven days of prep look like to make good decisions for us.”Labuschagne has opened 15 times in first-class cricket, averaging 34.84 with two centuries including one for Glamorgan in May 2024.The need to settle the opening pairThat record is the same as Konstas’. Despite the hype and his extraordinary start to Test cricket, the 19-year-old averages 34.89 from 30 innings with only two centuries. He has also never played first-class cricket in England although he has been on an Under-19 tour to the UK. McDonald was pleased with how Konstas’ offseason had gone after working on some minor technical changes.Sam Konstas drives one in the nets•Getty Images

“He feels as though they’re in a good place at the moment,” he said. “The last couple of weeks in Brisbane he’s been going well. Tough conditions up there with Dukes balls and overheads and seaming conditions. He’s got a great future ahead of him. He’s on a journey, I think George Bailey said that, to discover what is the best version of himself and we hope that we can accelerate that across the journey.”McDonald confirmed that the selectors are keen to settle on an opening combination sooner rather than later with the home Ashes in mind later in the year.”We had some moving parts last summer,” McDonald said. “It’s not ideal, in particular, for Usman. So in an ideal world we want a combination that you go that’s our opening combination for the next period of time.”Hazlewood vs BolandThe other major selection question ahead of the WTC final is a choice between Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland as the third seamer. That decision may also influence the need for an allrounder given Hazlewood’s injury worries of late, but he has returned to India to play in the remainder of the IPL before heading to England after some concerns with his shoulder.”Everything was good when he left here,” McDonald said. “He had a good hit out last week on Tuesday and Thursday. Intensity was really, really good.”I think [RCB have] got a game tonight, their last game at the tournament before the playoffs. If he plays in that, fantastic. If they hold him back for whatever reason for the finals, that’s also a bonus to us.”

Midfielder Marshall Munetsi has urged Wolves to take their Carabao Cup form into the Premier League following a third-round win over Everton.

The 29-year-old opened the scoring before Tolu Arokodare made sure of victory three minutes from time to earn Vitor Pereira’s side a second win over top-flight opposition in the competition.

It has been a different story in the league, though, with Wolves having lost their opening five matches to sit rooted to the foot of the table.

Munetsi calls for Wolves to carry form into Spurs clash

Munetsi said the win over Everton was a confidence boost and wants Wolves to use it to inspire an upturn in their league form, starting against Tottenham on Saturday.

He told the club website: “It’s an amazing feeling. It’s something we have been really pushing for.

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BySean Markus Clifford Sep 22, 2025

“Obviously, in the league things haven’t been going well for us, but I think (against Everton) the coach wanted us to really work on our physique, to try to dominate the game.

“We also have a big game coming up on Saturday that we need to really maximise. We need to build from this and try to work our way up the ladder in the league.

“It also builds up the confidence in the group. We have to build on this.

“We know it’s not going to be an easy game, but with the way we did (against Everton), I think it’s going to be massive for us to take maximum points there.”

Defeat for Everton left them on a run with three games without victory. James Garner came close to equalising on a couple of occasions, hitting the crossbar and having a long-range effort saved by Sam Johnstone.

He told the Everton website: “We just weren’t at the races. I think when we brought the subs on we were a much better team and we looked like we could maybe go on and get something out of the game.

“But then, obviously, the second goal goes in and then the game’s kind of closed from there. But, yes, I know we need to do better.”

Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al-Hilal are prepared to offer Harry Kane a mind-boggling package worth £261 million on a three-year deal, according to Bild. The Bayern Munich superstar has been in rip-roaring form in the first two months of the 2025-26 season, breaking records and scoring goals at will. His future has been a constant subject of speculation, with rumours of a Premier League return.

• Saudi heavyweights dream of landing Kane's services

  According to a report from , Saudi giants Al-Hilal are prepared to make an "unbelievable" offer worth £261 million (€300m/$352m) to Bayern Munich talisman Kane. Journalist Christian Falk report Kane "was and is" still on the radar of Al-Hilal and the club are in position to table a three-year proposal to the former Tottenham Hotspur forward.

  "They've been after him for a while. They wanted him when Bayern were involved. They actually wanted to hijack the deal back then, but Bayern had already agreed on it. They must have put an unbelievable offer on the table," said Falk on his podcast . "I heard Al-Hilal wanted to pay Harry Kane 100 million a year if he played there. For a three-year contract – not bad."

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  To stay or go: Kane's future at Bayern unclear

  Trophies and collective success were the biggest pieces of motivation that led Kane to depart Spurs and join Bayern in the summer of 2023. However, with the jinx well and truly broken at the end of last season after Die Roten lifted the Bundesliga trophy, Kane could be tempted to return to the Lilywhites and chase Alan Shearer's all-time Premier League record of 260 goals, a figure he is shy of by just 47 goals. 

  The 32-year-old's future has been the subject of constant speculation, with the rumour mill suggesting a reunion with Spurs could materialise next summer, with Manchester United also keeping tabs on the striker. Barcelona, too, have been linked with the prolific striker. Those rumours have been fuelled by a fresh report from last month, revealing that Kane has a secret £57 million (€65m/$76m) release clause, which will remain active next summer so long as the in-form No.9 expresses a desire to leave Allianz Arena in winter.

• Kane the most lethal forward this season

  Kane has been in absolutely rip-roaring form, already netting a staggering 17 goals in his first nine games this season. This incredible goalscoring run has made him the fastest player to reach 100 goals for a single club in one of Europe's top five leagues, achieving the milestone in just 104 games. Remarkably, that’s one game fewer than Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who both took 105 games to reach the same landmark with Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bayern determined to keep hold of Kane

  "My family are totally here. You know, I think in football, in life, you never know what's around the corner. But for me, I'm really happy here in Munich. My family has settled down. My kids are loving it here in school, so yes, this is my life here for the foreseeable future," Kane said back in May.

  "I love the manager. I love the team here. I think we're only just getting started, to watch the movie, a really successful period for this club, and I want to be a big part of that. So who knows how many years, but for sure, I want to be here for a while."

  Sporting director Max Eberl recently revealed that "a collaboration beyond 2027 is absolutely conceivable", with Bayern ready to go to any length to ensure their heroic forward stays put in Bavaria for the long-term.

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