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Sheffield United certainly suffered from a rude awakening on the opening day of the new Championship season.

Bristol City travelled to Bramall Lane with last campaign’s playoff agony at the hands of the Blades still evidently on their mind, as the Robins exposed constant weaknesses from the hosts to run out as unexpected 4-1 victors.

It hasn’t got any better for Ruben Selles with another two defeats smacking his forlorn team in the face, as the ex-Hull City boss now also attempts to welcome in more new signings before September comes around to turn around this dire start to his reign.

The Blades will be hoping that their next James McAtee-level signing is waiting in the wings, as the Manchester City outcast instantly settled into his South Yorkshire surroundings once upon a time to secure promotion.

McAtee's heroics at United

McAtee looks to be on the move this summer away from the Etihad for good, as the 22-year-old finally appears out from the periphery at the Citizens to try and become another side’s leading man.

When he was chucked into the first-team fold at Bramall Lane back in 2022, the silky, 5-foot-10 attacking midfielder was an instant hit, leading to McAtee extending his loan deal with the club to the following season when Premier League action was on the menu.

In total, the England U21s regular would pick up a stunning 14 goals and eight assists from 75 clashes in South Yorkshire, with a hefty 12 of those coming in the second tier as United jumped back up to the big time via automatic promotion.

Selles will still be dreaming of similar promotion heroics this season, even with the defeats piling up early on, with one signing potentially sticking out as a McAtee repeat if it gets over the line.

The "incredible" £10m star who could be a McAtee repeat

As much as McAtee did enhance the attack during his time at Bramall Lane, the priority in the here and now for Selles and Co. might well be to strengthen defensively.

Indeed, in recent weeks, the Championship promotion candidates have been dealt a harsh blow in losing first-team star Anel Ahmedhodzic to Dutch giants Feyenoord, after the Bosnian lined up for 42 contests last season as a key individual.

Therefore, picking up some fresh blood at the back could be integral to their promotion hopes, over needing to add some spellbinding forward players.

That’s where Callum Doyle could come in handy, with SportsBoom previously speculating this month that the Etihad-based youngster is on the United shopping list this summer, alongside a whole host of other EFL suitors.

Norwich City are also being floated about as a party keen on bringing back their former loanee to Carrow Road off the back of him hammering home a sweet strike such as this one he put away with confidence last season, despite predominantly lining up as a centre-back presence.

It could cost any potential suitor around the £10m mark to land the up-and-coming 21-year-old, but this might well prove to be a price worth paying on United’s end if Doyle’s added presence gifts Selles and Co. the boost they desire in the promotion reckoning.

Games played

40

Goals scored

1

Assists

7

Touches*

93.9

Accurate passes*

65.7 (86%)

Big chances created

7

Ball recoveries*

3.9

Clearances*

3.8

Total duels won*

3.8

Clean sheets

5

Doyle certainly showed off a lot of the same class McAtee brought to proceedings in South Yorkshire when plying his trade in Norfolk last campaign, with a standout seven assists picked up when playing his assured game out from the back.

On top of that, he also won an admirable 3.8 duels per contest for the Canaries, with his potential addition to a depleted backline making the loss of Ahmedhodzic sting less.

Hailed as “incredible” by his Norwich teammate Kenny McLean for his unerring ability with the ball at his feet, it does feel as if Doyle is ready for a switch where he shines even further up the EFL’s elite league, much like McAtee was handed in 2022.

History could repeat itself even more if Doyle is the calm and assured warrior who pushes Selles’ men up to those coveted promotion spaces despite such a bleak introduction to Championship life this season, as his senior game is taken to yet another level.

Sheffield United could land the next Rak-Sakyi with move for "special" ace

Sheffield United could gift Ruben Selles his own Jesurun Rak-Sakyi with this summer move.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 6, 2025

West Ham United have the challenging task of hosting London rivals Chelsea in their second Premier League game of the season this evening.

Graham Potter will be hoping his team put in a far better showing than they did away to Sunderland last week, when it was they who looked like the recently promoted team.

There were disappointing performances across the entire pitch from the Hammers, and once again, try as he might, Niclas Füllkrug just couldn’t make an impact on the game and looked like he was simply out of his depth at this level.

Fortunately, the German might not have to lead the line for much longer, as West Ham have been linked with an international goalscorer who’d be a huge upgrade.

West Ham could sign Füllkrug upgrade

It hasn’t been the summer that fans would’ve been hoping for after the disappointment of last season.

Transfer Focus

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

While West Ham have certainly made some wise additions to the team in the shape of players like El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mads Hermansen and Kyle Walker-Peters, the squad still feels short on quality.

Moreover, while he can be dangerous, Callum Wilson has a nightmarish injury record and scored a single goal last season.

However, the club may not need to rely on the Englishman to lead the line this season, nor Füllkrug, as it now looks like they may get their hands on the perfect upgrade.

At least that is according to a recent report from Italy, which has touted Artem Dovbyk for a move to the London Stadium.

The report has revealed that AS Roma are considering a swap deal with the Hammers that would see the Ukrainian international head to East London and Füllkrug go the other way, both on loan.

It could be an excellent way for the Hammers to bring in someone they’ve previously been interested in without paying a fee, and at the same time upgrade on the German international.

How Dovbyk compares to Füllkrug

So, when it comes to comparing two strikers, it makes sense to start with their output, as that is what they’ll ultimately be judged on.

Unsurprisingly, when doing so, it’s Dovbyk who comes out way ahead, as in 45 appearances last season, totalling 3195 minutes, he scored 17 goals and provided four assists.

That means the Ukrainian international maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.14 games, or every 152.14 minutes.

Füllkrug, on the other hand, scored just three goals and provided two assists in 20 appearances for the Hammers last season, totalling 877 minutes.

In other words, the German international maintained a less impressive average of a goal involvement every four games, or every 175.4 minutes.

The superiority of the Roma star is not just a one-off, either, as when we compare the underlying numbers for both strikers from the start of 23/24 to the end of 24/25, he once again comes out comfortably on top.

For example, the “sensational” goalscorer, as dubbed by former manager Michel Sanchez, does better in most relevant metrics, such as expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, passing accuracy, shots and shots on target, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.66

0.51

Non-Penalty G+As

0.67

0.62

Progressive Carries

0.76

0.73

Progressive Passes

0.76

2.03

Progressive Passes Received

5.27

4.58

Shots

2.48

2.01

Shots on Target

1.10

0.88

Passing Accuracy

72.5%

66.9%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.96

2.43

Successful Take-Ons

0.43

0.17

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.54

0.37

These numbers help to paint a picture of a shot happy centre-forward who can be trusted to take part in a passing move, but also thrives with the ball at his feet and in situations where he needs to drive into dangerous areas.

Ultimately, it’s clear that Dovbyk would be a significant upgrade on Füllkrug, and therefore, West Ham should absolutely agree to this potential swap deal, and if things go well next season, think about making the loan permanent.

Their new Rice: West Ham submit offer to sign "exceptional" £50m star

The exciting midfield maestro could become Graham Potter’s on Rice at West Ham.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 22, 2025

Head will only be available for three games between the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and a two-Test tour of Sri Lanka

Alex Malcolm18-Oct-2024

Australia’s all-format powerhouse Travis Head has signed to play with Adelaide Strikers in the upcoming BBL season despite a hectic international playing schedule meaning he could only be available for a maximum of three games in between Test commitments.Head, 30, has signed a one-year deal to play for the Strikers, a club he captained to the BBL title in 2017-18 but has not played for since the 2022-23 season. The upcoming five-match Test series against India followed by a Test tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy means Head will only be available for three matches on January 11, 15 and 18.The BBL was hopeful that Australia’s Test stars would be available to give the competition a boost at the back end of this summer’s tournament but despite the window, there are some concerns over player workload coming out of a gruelling high-profile Test series against India and with so little time to prepare for an overseas Test tour in spinning conditions in Sri Lanka.Related

Cummins to prepare for Test summer in Pakistan ODIs, Marsh and Head on paternity leave

SRH set to retain Klaasen, Cummins, Abhishek

Dates for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka are yet to be locked in but it is understood the first Test could start as early as January 29, and the Australia team has consistently wanted a ten-day preparation period on the ground for an overseas tour. Strikers’ last away game is in Perth on January 18 meaning Head could be forced to travel to Perth the night before potentially leaving for Sri Lanka.Head’s workload overall has become a key consideration for Australia’s selectors and coaching staff since becoming an all-format player in the last 12 months. There were some concerns over his decision to play in the recent Major League Cricket tournament in July on the back of a huge non-stop period of playing that started with the 2023 ODI World Cup and then included five home Tests, a T20I and Test tour of New Zealand, a full IPL and the T20 World Cup.Head is being rested from the ODI and T20I series against Pakistan ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, partly due to the upcoming birth of his second child.But his decision to add some BBL cricket in a period in January will mean his next decent break will likely have to wait until after the Champions Trophy on February and March, but even that may only be short given he will either be retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad at the IPL or bought at the mega Auction.Australia then could play the World Test Championship final straight after the IPL before a Test of the West Indies in June and July.New Strikers coach Tim Paine is aware of the workload Head has but was keen to have him play some BBL matches.”We understand Trav has a hectic international schedule,” Paine said. “But we also know how much he loves getting back in the blue whenever the chance arises and we look forward to our fans being treated to more of his magic this summer.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Bruno Ferreira, de 24 anos, zagueiro do Tocantinópolis, morreu neste domingo,após ter sido vítima de um acidente de trânsito. O incidente aconteceu no último sábado, em Porto Franco-MA. Ele não resistiu a uma segunda cirurgia.Segundo noticiou o “ge”, Bruno trafegava em uma motocicleta, quando foi surpreendido por outra motocicleta que o fechou provocando a batida.

Os dois ocupantes do outro veículo envolvido no acidente tiveram ferimentos graves e foram levados para o hospital local.

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+Quem vai ficar no G4 e no Z4 do Brasileirão? LANCE! ouve 17 nomes de peso do jornalismo esportivo

O defensor estava em sua segunda temporada pelo Tocantinópolis. Bruno atuou como titular apenas em um jogo na temporada passada. Antes da equipe de Palmas, o defensor passou pelo Atlético Amazonense.

Eleintegrou o grupo campeão estadual em 2022, da campanha histórica na Copa do Brasil 2022 (sendo eliminado na terceira fase) e da Série D (queda nas quartas de final), além do bicampeonato tocantinense conquistado recentemente pelo clube.

Nas redes sociais, o Tocantinópolis lamentou a morte do atleta. O clube desejou forças para os familiares e amigos do jogador.

-É com imensa tristeza que informamos o falecimento do nosso zagueiro Bruno Ferreira da Silva. Bruno foi vítima de um acidente automobilístico e infelizmente não resistiu aos procedimentos cirúrgicos. Neste momento de profunda tristeza desejamos forças aos familiares e amigos. Perdemos hoje, além de um atleta com potencial enorme, um grande ser humano. Descanse em paz, Bruno! – escreveu o Tocantinópolis.

continua após a publicidade

Manchester United’s transfer activity this summer could define Ruben Amorim’s tenure in charge at Old Trafford, subsequently needing to make a quick start to the 2025/26 campaign.

The 40-year-old is set to have a bumper budget to spend to improve his squad this window, with the hierarchy set to back him in his quest to take them back to their former glory.

It’s evident after the Red Devils’ 15th-placed Premier League finish this season that an overhaul is needed, with key work already commencing during the transfer window.

The departures of Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof have all been confirmed, freeing up needed money on the wage bill to allow for new investments.

It remains to be seen how much money Amorim will have at his disposal, but it appears as though he’s set to spend big in his hunt for success at the Theatre of Dreams.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this window

Work has rapidly been done within United’s attacking department, with PSG’s Gonçalo Ramos being a name mentioned over a move to join the Red Devils, with the French side open to his departure.

They’ve also made progress on a deal for Juventus star Dušan Vlahović, with talks being held with the Serie A outfit over a potential deal for the Serbian international.

However, despite the work being conducted elsewhere, the club appear to be extremely close to landing a deal for Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, according to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook.

He’s reported that Amorim’s side are on the verge of signing the 25-year-old attacker after they made their latest bid in the region of £60m earlier this week.

Crook also confirms that talks are progressing nicely between the two clubs, with only minor details needing to be ironed out before a deal is agreed.

Why Mbeumo would be a better signing than Cunha for United

Earlier this summer, Matheus Cunha completed his move to join United after being firmly on their radar for many months after his success at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Brazilian joined in a £62.5m deal after registering 15 goals and six assists for Vitor Pereira’s side in the Premier League throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

His versatility, being able to operate in an attacking midfield role or centre forward role, makes him an excellent fit for Amorim’s system, hopefully being a player who can catapult them to future success.

Cunha’s experience in England could prove to be vital in their ambitions next campaign, but he will need added reinforcements within the final third if the Red Devils are to take a step in the right direction.

However, he could be about to land just that in a move for Mbeumo in the coming days, with the Cameroonian showcasing his talents in England’s top-flight this season.

When comparing the pair’s respective figures from this season, the Brentford star has massively outperformed Cunha in various key areas – highlighting why he would be a better addition.

Mbeumo, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, has registered more goals and achieved a better shot on target accuracy rate, demonstrating his clinical ability within the final third.

Games played

38

33

Goals & assists

27

21

Shot on target accuracy

43%

40%

Goal per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Take-on success

47%

44%

Carries into final third

2

1.4

Crosses completed

5.3

4.9

Aerials won

32%

31%

He’s also completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted, whilst posting more carries into the box per 90, showcasing the direct nature he possesses with the ball at his feet.

The Cameroonian’s dominance doesn’t end there, completing more crosses and winning more aerials per 90, handing Amorim an all-round dangerous option in attacking areas.

Should the deal be completed in the coming days, it would certainly improve the options currently at the manager’s disposal, something which he’s greatly craved as of late.

The prospect of Mbeumo and Cunha linking up together is certainly an exciting one, handing the club the platform to build on ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

He's perfect for Mbeumo: Wilcox opens talks to sign £35m star for Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to make a move for another young gem this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 25, 2025

Liverpool have found out their fate for their title defence in 2025/26. The Premier League fixtures were confirmed on Tuesday morning, with Arne Slot hoping to lead his team to the title for the second year in a row.

With Florian Wirtz set to join soon, and the experience of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk in the squad, they have an exciting side. Indeed, those players and their teammates will begin the title defence on Friday, 15th August, at home to Bournemouth. Their first away trip will see them travel to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United.

It has already been a busy summer at Anfield, and things will now only ramp up with the announcement of the fixtures.

Liverpool's latest transfer target

Liverpool’s 2025 summer window has started quickly. They already have Jeremie Frimpong in the door, and seem set to add Wirtz and Milos Kerkez from the Cherries, sooner rather than later. Then, the attention can turn to their next reported target.

Transfer Focus

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

The highly reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed on YouTube, via Caught Offside, that the Reds hold “concrete interest” in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike. Romano explained that Reds ‘are involved in the story’ for the Frenchman this summer.

However, the deal can’t progress yet, because Liverpool ‘are waiting to find a solution for Darwin Nunez’, who will leave the club this summer.

Once that transfer has gone through, a move for Ekitike might speed up. The Mirror recently quoted his price at £60m, so it is safe to assume the Merseysiders will need to pay somewhere in that region.

Why Ekitike could help Salah break more records

At just 22 years of age, Frankfurt superstar Ekitike has garnered himself a fantastic reputation, having shone in the 2025/25 campaign. Football scout Antonio Mango once called him a “gem” of a footballer while journalist Graeme Bailey has outlined how some think he could be “the next Mbappe”. It is easy to see why.

The Frenchman, who came through the Reims academy, where he was born, managed to score 22 goals and grab 12 assists across all competitions last season.

He played 48 games and was a really important part of a Frankfurt side that finished third and qualified for the Champions League.

Indeed, Ekitike comes with a great pedigree in Europe, too. Of his 34 goals and assists last term, seven came in the Europa League, which included a goal away to eventual winners, and Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.

If the Reds are able to get this deal over the line, Ekitike could become the perfect player alongside Salah. The Liverpool legend was sensational yet again last season, winning the Golden Boot with his 29 goals and picking up 18 assists, too.

With 87 assists to his name in the Premier League and no signs of slowing down, there is a realistic chance that the man lovingly dubbed the “Egyptian King” by the Anfield faithful could climb higher up the list of all-time most assists in the English top flight.

Ryan Giggs currently tops it with 162 assists, so Salah has some way to go, but matching his assist total from 2024/25 next season will see him climb to fourth and go far ahead of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

Ekitike could be the perfect player to help get him there. His underlying stats on FBref from last season are those of a true goalscorer, with 0.53 goals per 90 minutes ranking him in the top 19% of Bundesliga forwards.

The Frenchman is a complete centre-forward, and wouldn’t just help boost Salah’s assist numbers. He is a chance creator too, averaging 1.55 key passes each game, which places him in the top 12% of Bundesliga forwards. With Salah’s eye for goal, they could form a deadly duo.

There is no doubt that Liverpool’s investment this summer has been huge, but in many ways, it has to be in order to compete for the Premier League title again. Perhaps, for just £60m, Ekitike could be the missing piece in their side.

It will be fascinating to see how this move develops, but one thing is for sure: the Frenchman could form a superb partnership with an all-time legend of the Premier League.

He'd be elite alongside Wirtz: £130m star is now Liverpool's no.1 target

Liverpool may not be done with their big spending yet

By
Joe Nuttall

Jun 18, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now ready to make an “unbelievable” star their club-record signing, with Thomas Frank identifying him as a prime target, according to a report.

Tottenham eyeing new forward amid Son uncertainty

Heung-min Son became the first Tottenham captain to lift a major trophy in 17 years last month, with his side prevailing over Manchester United in the Europa League final, but there have been suggestions the South Korean’s time at N17 could be coming to an end.

That is according to journalist Matt Law, who said: “I mean, certainly after the last game of the season, he left people with the impression, both in the dressing room and around the staff, that he might have played his last game for Tottenham.

“The way he said his goodbyes for the summer did leave people with the impression that he thought he could go.”

As such, one of Frank’s most important tasks this summer could be to bring in a replacement for the forward, and the new Spurs boss has now identified a Premier League attacker as a prime target.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham are now ready to make Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze their club-record signing by shelling out £68m for the forward, who Frank believes is capable of thriving out wide.

Tottenham now in talks to sell "phenomenon" after bid in the last few days

Daniel Levy and Johan Lange could ship out a few interesting names this summer.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 27, 2025

Crucially, Eze would be keen on a move to N17, despite widespread reports from elsewhere suggesting that Arsenal have now joined the race for his signature, and Spurs would be willing to make an upfront payment of £45m to get a deal over the line.

Palace are open to receiving the remaining £23m in installments, with a total package of £68m making the England international the Lilywhites’ new club-record signing, having previously signed Dominic Solanke from AFC Bournemouth for a fee of £65m.

"Unbelievable" Eze could be ideal Son heir

The timing could be right to let Son leave, with the South Korea international finally getting his hands on a trophy, and there are signs the Palace star could be an ideal replacement, given the level of his performances for the South London outfit.

Most notably, the 27-year-old led the Eagles to their first-ever major trophy by scoring in the FA Cup final against Manchester City last month.

Not only that, but the “unbelievable” Palace talisman has proven himself to be a fantastic dribbler of the ball over the past year, while also placing highly for assists per 90, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Assists

0.28 (80th percentile)

Shot-creating actions

4.69 (82nd percentile)

Successful take-ons

2.33 (86th percentile)

As such, it is clear to see why Tottenham are willing to make Eze their record signing, and it is exciting news that he remains keen on a move across the capital.

It’s not long until silly season begins, with that weird hinterland between the end of the 2024/25 campaign and the opening of the summer transfer window already affecting Liverpool.

Only, the recent rumours that Florian Wirtz is on Anfield’s radar as Arne Slot works with sporting director Richard Hughes to determine the best strategy to strengthen his title-winning side this summer.

Once upon a time, such a signing would have indeed felt absurd for the Reds, but this is a new era on Merseyside and it’s one to keep an eye on, to be sure.

How much Wirtz may cost Liverpool

Liverpool fans have been getting themselves acquainted with Wirtz this week. The Bayer Leverkusen star is being anticipated to leave this summer, and, yes, he’s on FSG’s watchlist.

The problem, naturally, is that Manchester City are also keen on signing the German playmaker up, with The Athletic even revealing on Wednesday that the Premier League behemoths have held talks with Wirtz’s representatives

Bayern Munich are still in the driving seat, but this is proving to be an open race, one which could end with the 22-year-old at any of the destinations.

Wirtz, who has plundered 31 goal contributions this year after winning last year’s Bundesliga Player of the Season as an invincible champion, would likely cost Liverpool €150m (about £126m) to prise away from Leverkusen.

As with Alexander Isak, it would be foolish not to have an alternative lined up; luckily, FSG do at that.

Liverpool's dream Wirtz alternative

Liverpool clearly fancy a new playmaking midfielder, and though Wirtz is the cream of the crop, Xavi Simons isn’t far behind him.

Simons has gone from strength to strength in the Bundesliga, no longer one of the pack at Paris Saint-Germain and instead a “superstar” who is “destined for greatness,” as has been claimed by analyst Ben Mattinson.

The 22-year-old has been a key presence for RB Leipzig over the past two seasons, scoring 20 goals and laying on 23 more assists over 70 appearances.

Back in March, it was revealed that Liverpool were preparing a £67 bid for Simons, and while that didn’t materialise, the interest is genuine and he’s got his sights on the Premier League. Last Slot would love to work with his countryman, who would fit right into his midfield.

This is something of a Dutch revolution, after all. Simons is destined for the Premier League, insofar as he wants to join and has the skill set to flourish on English soil.

Like Wirtz, Simons is comfortable across a wealth of attacking positions, perhaps even more so. This season, he’s flitted back and forth from left wing and a more central attacking position, effective from both vantages.

So then, a young and right-footed playmaker with a dynamic approach. He ticks many of the same boxes as Wirtz, and he holds his own from a technical standpoint too.

Matches (starts)

30 (24)

24 (24)

Goals

10

9

Assists

12

7

Shots (on target)*

2.5 (1.2)

1.9 (0.8)

Pass completion

82%

83%

Big chances created

17

12

Key passes*

1.9

2.1

Dribbles*

2.7

1.3

Ball recoveries*

3.6

5.2

Tackles*

1.1

1.1

Duels won*

5.3

5.4

Honestly, there isn’t all that much to differentiate the two playmakers. Maybe Wirtz pips Simons, but the Netherlands international has got more than enough to make a real impact on Slot’s side.

Indeed, given that Leipzig would be seeking out a smaller fortune for his sale too, it’s something of a no-brainer given the size of the rebuild that is needed this summer.

If you needed a further illustration of the little magician’s ability, FBref have laid out even more of Simons’ impressive data from the 2024/25 campaign.

It’s shown that he ranks among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for touches, the top 6% for ball recoveries, the top 12% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for through balls, the top 12% for passes attempted and the top 13% for progressive passes per 90.

Truly, he’s one of the best passers out there. Given that Simons has scored more goals than he’s assisted this season, moreover, there’s even more excitement sure to be emanating from the Reds camp, whose pursuit of Wirtz could lead them to Simons, and it’s hard to suggest they’d be significantly worse off for it.

He’s withheld from mentioning him until this point, but Trent Alexander-Arnold’s expected move to Real Madrid demands a new elite-level playmaker to bolster Slot’s squad.

With a deal for Jeremie Frimpong reportedly in the closing stages, Liverpool have moved swiftly to secure competition for Conor Bradley. But neither full-back represents the one-of-a-kind creative quality of Trent.

Slot is actually clever to be shifting the playmaking focus into a more conventional number ten berth. Whether this gambit proves to be a success remains to be seen, but if Wirtz and Simons are the targets, it’s hard to envisage all that much going wrong for the Premier League champions.

It’s an exciting time to be a Liverpool fan.

A dream for Salah: Liverpool moving to sign "the world's best midfielder"

Liverpool boss Arne Slot’s season will be rewarded in the transfer market this summer.

2 ByAngus Sinclair May 15, 2025

Crystal Palace and Steve Parish are now trying to persuade an “unplayable” attacker to join them ahead of rival interest from Aston Villa, who are currently ahead in the race.

Crystal Palace putting plans in place for the summer window

The Eagles saw their seven-game unbeaten run come to an end on Saturday as they were beaten 5-2 by Manchester City. Oliver Glasner will perhaps not be totally disappointed by the result despite the manner of their collapse, as his priority will be the FA Cup semi-final in just under two weeks time.

Crystal Palace eyeing move for "sensational" £20m maestro; Glasner's a fan

Palace are in the race to sign a midfielder, alongside a number of other Premier League clubs.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 10, 2025

Despite there still being a lot to play for, Palace and their hierarchy are already putting plans in place for what looks like a busy summer transfer window. Signing a new centre-back appears high on their list, as Marc Guehi could be on his way out of the club. The Eagles have been linked with a move for Victor Lindelof, who looks set to leave Manchester United at the end of the campaign when his contract expires.

However, he is not their only option, as Palace are believed to have made contact over a deal to sign Kevin Lomonaco from Independiente De Avellaneda – he could cost the South Londoners as little as £5 million this summer.

As well as having eyes on strengthening their defence, Glasner wants to add more quality in other areas of the pitch too, as the Eagles are interested in signing Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland. They are not alone in this race, as several top teams from England and abroad are also chasing the young Englishman.

Crystal Palace want to hijack Aston Villa deal for Rashford

The Premier League side also want to improve their attack, and according to The Sun, Crystal Palace are lining up a move to sign Marcus Rashford from Man United if Aston Villa do not sign him, with Steve Parish and co. regularly monitoring Rashford’s performances while out on loan.

The Midlands side do have the option to sign the Englishman for £40 million at the end of his stay there, but the Eagles leadership are keeping an eye on the situation and are interested in talking to the player and trying to persuade him to move to Selhurst Park.

A source goes on to state that Palace are aware that they would have to keep hold of their better players, such as Jean Philippe-Mateta, Adam Wharton, Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr, to convince the forward to sign from Old Trafford.

A return to United has not been ruled out for Rashford, who has been dubbed “unplayable” by BBC writer Raj Chohan in the past, while a move abroad could also be on the cards, as Paris Saint-Germain are keeping an eye on his situation as well. The 27-year-old has enjoyed a rather successful spell at Villa Park so far, but it remains very much up in the air what he plans to do with his career next.

They haven’t yet fired as a combination, and with the USA leg over and conditions getting better for batting, India may need more from them

Sidharth Monga21-Jun-20241:21

Kumble: India unlikely to change Kohli-Rohit partnership against Bangladesh

At this T20 World Cup 2024, India have made it clear they want to be flexible with their batting order – with one caveat.”Besides the openers, none of the guys’ positions are fixed as such,” Rohit Sharma said ahead of their game against Pakistan in New York. “We want to be very flexible in that and the message has been given to them very clearly about it, that only the openers will stay stagnant unless it’s a Super Over or it’s a five-over game. But otherwise, the openers will stay the same.”Related

• Struggling Bangladesh in fight for survival against Bumrah & Co

Rohit and Virat Kohli have been India’s constants at the top of the order, and so far they’ve put on stands of 22, 12, 1 and 11. This wasn’t a matter of concern to the team management in the first round, because the openers were getting out early, looking to play aggressively, and those losses weren’t a dampener on the rest of the batting order, with the challenging surfaces of the USA not calling for power-hitting.Now, though, with pitches in the Super Eight stage getting better to bat on, with conditions calling for a little more inventiveness and power, there might be a bit more concern around Rohit and Kohli.India have some breathing space, having opened the Super Eight with a win, but two familiar scenarios played themselves out in that match against Afghanistan. Rohit scored six off nine deliveries from the left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi and got out to him. Since 2022, he has struck at just 120.12 against left-arm pace, a variety of bowling he will likely face in India’s remaining matches. Bangladesh, their next opponents in their Super Eight group, have Mustafizur Rahman, and Australia Mitchell Starc.Then the offspinner Mohammad Nabi rocked up and bowled through the powerplay without conceding a boundary to either Rohit or Kohli, both right-hand batters, conceding nine off 12 balls to the pair. Eventually, it was the left-hand batter at No. 3, Rishabh Pant, who innovated against Nabi and salvaged the powerplay for India.Kohli looked in better touch than Rohit, and batter for longer, but that is not necessarily a good thing in T20s. An opener batting into the ninth over and going at a run a ball on a pitch that isn’t treacherous can be counterproductive. You could even make the argument that an opener getting out for a single-digit score having faced single-digit balls is better than a run-a-ball 24.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have put on 22, 12, 1 and 11 in India’s four matches so far•ICC via Getty ImagesThen, in case you feel out of form, how do you play yourself into form in a tournament with such a short turnaround between matches? Perhaps that’s why both Rohit and Kohli turned up for optional nets in the one-day gap India had between the Afghanistan and Bangladesh matches, this after having travelled from Barbados to Antigua on the evening of the Afghanistan match.Batting coach Vikram Rathour was asked whether he was happy India were winning even without any major contribution from Kohli so far. Rathour said he wasn’t. “I’m not happy. I would love if he gets going and scores more runs,” he said. “But yeah, it is good that when you are challenged at times and you know the guys who are not getting too much of batting in India sometimes, they are the ones who put up scores. Our middle order came to play. So it was good to see.”Bangladesh can test India with left-arm pace and spin so it will be a challenge for the openers again. “They’re a good unit. They have a lot of guys who can [challenge us with] spin bowling and they are good in certain conditions,” Rathour said, but he wasn’t speaking in the context of India’s openers. “And these conditions do suit them a little as a team because the wickets seem to have a bit of help for the spinners and they do have spinners in their team. But again, in this format I think every team is a tough team.”I don’t believe there is any contest in T20 cricket which is an easy contest. It might look like [it] in the end, I mean today [against Afghanistan] we won by almost 50 runs, so it looks easy but I’m sure when the game was on it felt pretty tight.”That last bit tells you a lot about how the contest felt in the first half of India’s innings. Kohli and Rohit are among the greatest batters India has produced. They take pride in continuing to earn their places in the side, and set an example with their work ethic. This is surely not the time to second-guess the combination India have gone with. And they have the batting depth and the bowling attack to make up for any shortcomings at the top of the order.Still, the openers will want to be at their best by the time they face bigger opponents. They don’t want Rohit’s proclamation about their being the only constants turn into famous last words.