Category Uncategorized

Looking to get their summer transfer business underway, Aston Villa have now reportedly made contact to sign a £400,000-a-week defender ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Where Aston Villa stand with PSR

Aston Villa’s biggest concern after missing out on Champions League qualification on the final day came off the pitch rather than in Unai Emery’s dressing room. After missing out, those in the Midlands could now have PSR problems on the horizon which force them to sell at least one key man this summer.

As a result, one name that could be heading for the exit door is Emiliano Martinez. The goalkeeper looked emotional in Aston Villa’s final home game of last season and rumours have since linked the Argentine goalkeeper with a move to Atletico Madrid. Martinez, however, is reportedly waiting for Manchester United this summer.

After they finished sixth to follow up their Champions League qualification in the season prior, there will be plenty of questions about the PSR rules from those at Villa Park, but before they get answers they must find solutions.

He's like Palmer: Aston Villa could have bid accepted for £30m "machine"

Unai Emery is targeting several high-profile players this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 14, 2025

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire delivered an explanation as to how Aston Villa found themselves in hot water financially, saying on Sky Sports: “And remember, Villa have done very well in that competition (UCL). So that will be a plus. And they have sold some players as well, in both the last summer market and the January one.

“But I think there is still a perception that Villa will have to box clever. And of all of the clubs under pressure to sell players by June 30, I guess they’re the ones who are the club that gives the most attention because their spending in the last couple of years before getting into Europe was so extensive.”

Aston Villa make contact to sign Laporte

The Villans seem to be in a defiant mood, however, and could still spend to welcome incomings of their own this summer. According to Spanish newspaper AS via Sport Witness, Aston Villa now made contact to sign Aymeric Laporte from Al-Nassr in an attempt to beat Arsenal to the defender’s signature in the coming months.

The Gunners have also reportedly made contact, as have Athletic Club, Marseille and Inter Milan. In a hectic race, it’s Villa who will hope to swoop in and make an impressive statement by welcoming a five-time Premier League winner.

Signing Laporte won’t come cheap, given that he reportedly earns around £400,000-a-week at Al-Nassr, but he has made it no secret that adjusting to life in Saudi hasn’t been easy.

The experienced defender told reporters last year: “It’s a big change compared to Europe, but in the end it’s all adaptation. They haven’t made it easy for us. In fact, there are many players that are dissatisfied. They do look after us but not enough for my liking. That is to say, in Europe they pay you a good salary, but they take better care of you.”

This summer presents Liverpool boss Arne Slot with an opportunity to strengthen his squad and build on the success endured in his first campaign at the helm.

He’s already managed to claim the Premier League title in his debut year in charge, but will want to make additions to the side to aid their ambitions of retaining their glory next time around.

Handing new contracts to Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk is undoubtedly the best business they will conduct this summer, keeping hold of two of their star men from their title-winning side.

Despite their success in recent months, if they are to have the best chance of being involved in a title race again during 2025/26, they will need to be joined at Anfield by new signings.

With the transfer window rapidly appearing on the horizon, Slot and the hierarchy have already wasted no time in identifying potential additions, with numerous names already appearing on their shortlist.

An update on Liverpool’s hunt for new signings this summer

Over the past few months, Bournemouth duo Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen have both appeared on the club’s shortlist, looking to bolster the Reds’ defensive department.

Both players have starred in the Cherries’ success over the last few months, leading to huge links to a potential double switch to Merseyside during the off-season.

However, attacking options have really been the talking point, with a new centre forward desperately needed – leading to links with Atlanta forward Mateo Retegui, according to Anfield Watch.

Their report states that the Reds’ hierarchy have been keeping a close eye on the 26-year-old’s progress, excelling in Serie A, as seen by his tally of 24 goals and five assists in his 32 outings.

It also claims that the board feel he has the quality to deliver the goods at Anfield, potentially leading the line for Slot’s side and providing the added quality they’ve been hunting for.

Why Liverpool’s target could be Slot’s own Luis Suarez

Luis Suárez is just one talent who’s captured the heart of most during his spell at Anfield, registering 82 goals in his 133 appearances during his three years at the club.

The Uruguayan joined the Reds as an unknown quantity to many after completing a switch from Ajax back in 2013, but his endless goals quickly saw him become a fan-favourite.

From multiple hat-tricks against Norwich City to numerous Merseyside Derby goals, the striker had it all, going down as one of the best forwards to ever play for the club.

His unpredictable nature made him such a hit with the fanbase, potentially having the chance to land their next version of the talisman in the form of Retegui this window.

The Italian has been labelled as a ‘pit bull’ type forward by analyst Ben Mattinson, following the style of Suarez, with both possessing an instinctive nature in the final third – as seen by their respective goalscoring tallies.

When comparing his stats to current striker Darwin Núñez, Retegui has massively outperformed the Uruguayan in multiple key areas, showcasing why he would be a superb option for the Reds this summer.

The Atalanta star, who’s been labelled “one of the best strikers” by The Overlap’s analyst, has massively outscored Nunez, whilst also posting a higher shot-on-target rate – further proving his abilities in attacking areas.

Games played

32

26

Goals & assists

29

7

Goal per shot-on-target

0.7

0.4

Passes completed

77%

70%

Shots on target per 90

1.2

1

Aerials won

1.9

1.4

Aerial success rate

43%

35%

He’s also completed more of his attempted passes, along with more aerials won, handing Slot the all-round centre-forward he’s craved since taking control of the side.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal would set the hierarchy back this summer, he’s proven that he has the tools to be a success in the Premier League and possibly emulate Suarez’s success.

If he manages to get anywhere near the level produced by the Uruguayan at Anfield, he will be a monster hit with the supporters in the club’s attempts to continue their success domestically and push for continental glory.

He'd be amazing with Gravenberch: Liverpool preparing £34m bid for new CM

Liverpool could make a shrewd addition to their midfield this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 4, 2025

In the wake of Liverpool’s leave-it-late victory over West Ham United to move within touching distance of claiming the Premier League, both Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk have alluded to a big summer of investment.

The runaway leaders have surprised everyone in ending Manchester City’s four-peat and leapfrogging Arsenal, who look set to complete their third second-place finish on the trot.

However, Liverpool definitely haven’t been perfect, with several first-team regulars struggling to prove themselves under new management and seemingly heading toward a summer exit.

From an attacking sense, Darwin Nunez is the most likely name to be drawn to mind, but he’s not the only one, oh no, Diogo Jota has also flattered to deceive for months and could be sold this summer.

Why Liverpool should sell Diogo Jota

Nunez has been consigned to the margins all season – the Uruguayan wasn’t even a part of Liverpool’s matchday squad against West Ham – but Jota has been utilised in a more important manner.

However, injuries have managed to scupper Jota’s hopes of a standout season. The 28-year-old has only started 13 Premier League matches all year, with the goals drying up since overcoming setbacks across winter and before.

Indeed, the Portugal international has only scored twice across his past 13 fixtures in all competitions, with the combination of injuries and goalscoring impotence highlighting the need for a new centre-forward.

24/25

32 (21)

9

4

23/24

32 (19)

15

5

22/23

28 (15)

7

8

21/22

55 (39)

21

6

20/21

30 (19)

13

1

Liverpool need to aim for the stars. Some reports claim that Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak is very much the dream target this summer, but at around €150m (£130m), the Reds might need to part ways with more than just Nunez.

Chalkboard

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

Luckily, Slot knows that he has an up-and-coming star who could take Jota’s place and save Liverpool a whole load of money.

Liverpool already have a perfect Jota heir

Who knows how Liverpool’s transfer window will pan out. In fairness, though, there’s every chance that the Reds could launch a stunning move for a player of Isak’s ilk.

Finances are good at Anfield, but those working away in the offices will always look for a shrewd solution if one presents itself, and promoting Jayden Danns through fire sales of Nunez and Jota could be the perfect, resourceful way to take Liverpool forward next season.

Danns, 19, has suffered with a few unfortunate injuries over the past year, ending his January agreement to move on loan to Championship promotion hopefuls Sunderland before he had even kicked a ball.

But there’s no mistaking the teenage striker is one to watch, with analyst Ben Mattinson already pronouncing him to be “a better finisher than Nunez.”

Based on the evidence of the past three years, this isn’t all that hard, but it does highlight the natural ball-striking prowess that Danns can develop over the coming years, having already scored three times for Liverpool across just nine professional appearances.

Serving as Isak’s understudy, for example, Danns could save Liverpool millions and allow them to stock up the war chest through sales of Liverpool’s existing – and struggling – number nines.

With attention needed across various other areas of the park, this might just be the perfect way to keep Slot’s side firing while strengthening across key areas too.

He could surpass Salah: Liverpool ready £130m offer to sign world-class CF

Liverpool are set to break the bank on a new striker this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 14, 2025

Durbar Rajshahi, meanwhile, became the first team to not field an overseas players after they boycotted a game over non-payment issues

Mohammad Isam02-Feb-2025Chittagong Kings’ second-place finish in the BPL points table was the biggest surprise at the end of the tournament’s league phase. They had to win at least two out of their last three games this week, and they ended up winning all three: against Rangpur Riders, Sylhet Strikers and Fortune Barishal.They set up the first qualifier with Barishal, who topped the table with 18 points. Khulna Tigers meanwhile won the race to qualify as the fourth team, after beating Rangpur and Dhaka Capitals in their last two league matches. They were equal on 12 points with Durbar Rajshahi, but Khulna had the superior net run rate.In the eliminator match, Khulna will take on Rangpur who lost their way after making an impressive start to the season. Rangpur lost their last four matches after winning eight in a row. Rajshahi, Dhaka and Sylhet are out.

Best batter: Mohammad Naim

Mohammad Naim had the most impact as a batter after his century guided Khulna to a crucial win against Rangpur. Naim pummeled an unbeaten 111 off 62 balls, including seven fours and eight sixes.Dawid Malan was also in great form for Barishal, hitting a couple of sixties this week and an unbeaten 16-ball 37.What would be most encouraging for the Champions Trophy-bound Bangladesh team, is the form of Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon. They played some destructive knocks this week, with Tanzid hammering seven sixes in his 58 off 37 balls against Khulna. He finished the tournament with 485 runs at a 141.39 strike-rate, and hit 36 sixes – the most by a Bangladeshi batter in the BPL. He also finished the league stage as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.Parvez’s 75 off 41 balls against Barishal included a four and eight sixes, which helped Chittagong to a score of 206.Khaled Ahmed returned a four-wicket haul against Sylhet Strikers•Chittagong Kings

Best bowler: Faheem Ashraf

Faheem Ashraf’s resurgence, including figures of 5 for 7 against Sylhet, played a huge role in his Pakistan return to the Champions Trophy side. He now has 20 wickets for Barishal, second only to Taskin Ahmed who finished the competition with 25 wickets at an average of 12.04.Chittagong got the full service of their local pacers when Shoriful Islam and Khaled Ahmed both took four-wicket hauls against Sylhet. Left-arm quick Mrittunjoy Chowdhury took four wickets against Rangpur, while offspinner SM Meherob also registered a crucial four-wicket haul against Sylhet.

Unusual plays

Rajshahi became the first team to play without overseas players, breaking the BPL’s rule in the process. Their overseas players refused to appear against Rangpur on January 26, after the team owners missed several pay deadlines.Barishal bowled out Dhaka for just 73 runs, the lowest total in this edition, beating Rajshahi’s 80 all out against Chittagong.Chittagong meanwhile were at the other end of the batting scales, becoming the first team to get four 200-plus scores in the league phase. They also struck 17 sixes in their last game against Barishal, breaking their own franchise record in the season.Akif Javed has taken 19 wickets at an average of 14•Rangpur Riders

Starlets who caught the eye

Akif Javed, the uncapped Pakistani left-arm fast bowler, was the most impressive young player during the league stage. He has taken 19 wickets averaging 14, with an economy rate below seven.Mahidul Islam Ankon and Shamim Hossain were impressive young big-hitters, with high strike-rates having scored more than 200 runs lower down the order. Tanzid had already caught the eye with his big scoring in the top order while fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib was Sylhet’s only shining light.

First impressions were encouraging on South African cricket’s quest for renewal

Firdose Moonda10-Jan-2023There were people. For the first time in three years, Newlands was filled with thousands of fans. And not just any kind of fans. Happy fans.This is not a dog-bites-man story, but actually worth stating loud and proud up front because prior to this, the opening night of the SA20, there have been more than 1000 very difficult days in South African cricket. Unhappy days. And unhappy people.The tough times started right here, at this ground, in December 2019 when a new CSA leadership was unveiled amid administrative chaos. In the weeks and months and years that followed, pretty much everything that could go wrong, on and off the field, did go wrong and public confidence in the game shrivelled and shrunk. Even the most dedicated supporters took up residence in negative town and talk on their streets was that nothing could interest them in anything CSA did ever again. But 20,000 of them were lured back into Newlands on Tuesday afternoon, two weeks before January’s pay-day, and rumour has it the same number will turn up at Kingsmead on Wednesday and in Gqeberha the day after.They liked what they saw in Cape Town. People smiled and took selfies as they slowly found their seats in the afternoon sun. Young children, still on school holidays, came in with their parents, and would doubtless be permitted a later-than-usual bedtime. As had been the case just before the pandemic silenced our stadiums, the crowd was diverse in age, gender and race – a heartening sight considering the polarised state of the game outside of this tournament. And then they sang.Related

• Teams divided over SA20's provision of deciding playing XI after the toss

• Explainer – What's different about the SA20? Did SA really forfeit ODIs for the new league?

• Brevis, Stubbs, Ferreira among players who could light up SA20

The SA20 organisers have spent significant resources on the entertainment and brought out two of South Africa’s best-known performers for an otherwise low-key opening ceremony. Sho Majozi, a rapper, and Master KG, famed for the lockdown hit “Jerusalema”, performed on a stage just outside the newly built office development at the ground while dancers did their bit in front of the embankment. A clutch of pre-converted MI Cape Town supporters, with branded azure blue caps, flags and t-shirts, joined them, complete with all the right moves. The fireworks in the day time only managed to blend in with the bright blue sky and were lost on just about everyone but the presence of the who’s who of South African cricket was not.On the grass embankment, a fenced-off area functioned as a makeshift commentary box. Graeme Smith, now in his role as the league’s commissioner but who has worn hats from national captain to director of cricket, was swamped by autograph-hunters. Smith has found himself loved and hated in equal measure over the last three years – for saving South African cricket after the terrible Thabang Moroe era, and for suspicions that he fostered a boys’ club of sorts in the national team (which was also implied at the Social Justice and Nation-Building hearings), but he still commands an audience. AB de Villiers was around too, and had a similar reception. But the biggest response was reserved for the men on the field. Specifically, the one we’ve called “Baby AB”, now known as DB: Dewald Brevis.He lived up to his reputation as the next big thing in South African innings with a match-winning knock in the tournament opener, after it seemed local players would be outshone. Cape Town’s own George Linde was tasked with bowling the first ball of the new competition and would never have played in front of a crowd this big at home. His first two deliveries went well but this third was threaded through extra cover by Jos Buttler. He conceded eight in total and then switched ends to bowl the fourth over, where he conceded nine more.Jofra Archer picked up a wicket in his first over on comeback•SA20In between that, Jofra Archer made a much-awaited comeback to competitive cricket, after 18 months on the sidelines, and he could not have asked for a better start. He removed Wihan Lubbe with his third ball, after swinging the first and zoning in on the toes with the second, and finished with a wicket maiden. The oohs and aahhs were admiring but probably also a little anxious. Remember that Archer will be part of the England ODI squad that plays South Africa in World Cup League matches later this month and if he’s already getting his speeds up to 145kph, how dangerous might he be then?The English performers continued to give South Africa plenty to worry about as Buttler found his groove with ramps and lap shots and then Olly Stone took out both his and Dane Vilas’ middle stumps. David Miller provided a reminder of what South Africans can do with a 31-ball 42, including a glorious six over long-on off Sam Curran, but became the first of Archer’s two-in-two. But then South Africa’s new names dominated.Brevis and Ryan Rickleton, both talked about as batters who should have been in the Test squad in Australia, made the target look small as in the president’s suite some of the national rugby team, including scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, looked on. They batted with a freedom South African players have not had for the last three years, unshackled from the burdens of controversy and to some extent, expectation.A sunset walk around the ground revealed that as much as people were paying some attention to what was going on in the middle, they weren’t paying that much. This is, after all, a tournament that’s about more than cricket and many of the people at Newlands were enjoying the other things on offer. They were catching up with their friends, eating too many hot chips, queuing at the bars and every now and then appreciating a big hit. So far, so successful then as the SA20 officially starts.

Also, just why India’s set batsmen need to carry on during twilight come the Adelaide Test

Sidharth Monga11-Dec-2020No spinner in the Indians’ XI
That the Indians chose to play neither offspinner R Ashwin nor left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav in this match could mean one of three things. Let’s start with the most dramatic possibility first: India are toying with the idea of four quicks in Adelaide. If they are indeed thinking along those lines, it is not without merit. In seven day-night Tests in Australia – four of which have been held in Adelaide – spin averages close to 50 per wicket despite an impressive average of 26 for the home spinner Nathan Lyon. Among the visiting spinners to struggle, the most prominent name is Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah. Thus, it can perhaps be argued that there might still be something in there for playing a spinner of the pedigree of Ashwin, but equally there might be a case for not playing any except that it could leave India with a long tail.The other reason could be that India saw enough of Ashwin and Kuldeep in the first warm-up to decide on Ashwin for Adelaide and have left this second match for those who need more practice. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah required overs under belts and some long-format rhythm, while Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj could still be in a contest for the final spot in the pace attack. Umesh Yadav, though, remains the frontrunner for the third seamer’s slot.The third – and worrying – reason for India could be to manage the workload of Ashwin, who wasn’t at his fittest during the IPL. With Ravindra Jadeja already struggling with a hamstring injury and concussion, India could do better than to have to cotton-wool their only experienced spinner.Set batsmen need to carry on
During the 63-run second wicket partnership between Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill that went at nearly ten an over, the ball hardly moved off the pitch before one that suddenly seamed back in a couple of feet to bowl Shaw. But by about the 20th over and close to the twilight period, the ball had started to do plenty. In the first 40 minutes of the second session, it seemed all Australia needed to do was to land the ball at the right place; from 72 for 1, the Indians eventually lost eight wickets for 51 runs.If day-night Test cricket has taught us anything in its brief history, it is these variables: there can be the pockets of play – usually once it starts getting dark – where bowlers can run away with the game in a session. The only way to get through these phases has been for set batsmen to continue playing through, as new batsmen find it extremely hard to start in these conditions.Wriddhiman Saha takes a diving catch in the outfield•Getty ImagesRishabh Pant or Wriddhiman Saha?
It has emerged that Saha didn’t play ahead of Pant in the first tour game due to any preference, but because Pant had woken up with a sore neck. However, Saha had used that opportunity to score a match-saving half-century, showing he too can bat in Australia. That possibly resulted in a bat-off between the two wicketkeepers today, as Pant scored five and Saha nought. The big gloves went to Pant, but Saha pulled off a stunner in the field, running back to take one over his shoulder.Head injury protocols
When Cameron Green hit Jasprit Bumrah on the head, Bumrah immediately signalled to everyone he was fine and tried to wave away the medical attention. The umpires had to step in and ask the Indian medical staff to come and check on Bumrah and his helmet. This is a significant event coming on the heels of a concussion to Jadeja during the first T20I on the tour, for which he was tested only during the innings break. He was allowed to bat for four balls against high-quality fast bowling with a possible concussion. And if Bumrah would have had his way, he would have refused immediate attention today. Rather than leave this protocol up to the player, testing them after every blow to the head should be mandatory.Shami, Bumrah look dangerous
It was a little surprising when both Bumrah and Shami played neither the last two T20Is nor the Test warm-up in the week gone by, but that was result of a well-earned trust between Virat Kohli and his fast bowlers. They wanted some rest, and were given their dues. And when they came back on the park for this three-day fixture before the first Test that begins on December 17, both looked in ominous form.The pink ball was moving under lights, and they hardly bowled any loose deliveries. The pitch made them look sensational, but their pace was up, the seam movement was pronounced and even long spells were bowled. Fortunately for the pair, it rained for long enough when it was time for their spells to end, thus giving Shami an extended break to provide further nightmares to the batsmen, as he ended up bowling 11 overs on the trot. Whoever the third – and fourth, if needed – quick might be for India, the top two showed they were ready.While Bumrah scoring his maiden first-class fifty and walking out to a guard of honour from his team-mates was the highlight of the day, the bowling form – 20 overs between them for 62 runs and five wickets – of him and Shami might be India’s biggest positive from the day.

It’s shaping up to be a sensational season for Arsenal this year.

With nine games played in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side sit atop the Premier League table, six points clear of Manchester City and seven points clear of Liverpool.

Moreover, while the Gunners look impossible to score against at the moment, there is a real sense that the team could still move up a gear or two.

Even then, several Arsenal players are performing at levels fans have not seen before, including one big-money signing who is emulating Jurrien Timber’s rise.

Timber's rise at Arsenal

Arsenal made a number of impressive signings in the summer of 2023, including David Raya, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz.

Chalkboard

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

Yet the player fans probably knew the least amount, due to him not playing in England, was Timber, who moved to the Emirates from Ajax for a fee of around £38m.

Unfortunately, the supporters wouldn’t learn much about their new defender during his first season at the club either, as he suffered an ACL injury in the opening game against Nottingham Forest, which kept him out until the final match of the campaign.

Fortunately, the Dutchman didn’t miss anywhere near as many games last season and, as a result, made an incredible impact on the team, primarily by being solid as a rock on the right-hand side.

However, this year has seen the Utrecht-born monster take yet another step forward in red and white, as, in addition to being an elite lockdown defender, he has also become a genuine attacking threat.

For example, in just nine Premier League games, the 24-year-old has scored two goals and provided two assists.

Moreover, according to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of full-backs in the league this season for non-penalty expected and actual goals, shots on target and through balls, the top 6% for passes into the penalty area, and more, all per 90.

Goals

0.26

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.26

Top 1%

Shots on Target

0.64

Top 1%

Through Balls

1.03

Top 1%

SCA (Shot)

0.51

Top 1%

Passes into Penalty Area

1.79

Top 4%

GCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.13

Top 4%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.90

Top 4%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.13

Top 4%

xG: Expected Goals

0.23

Top 7%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.23

Top 7%

Progressive Passes

6.41

Top 7%

In all, Timber has become an all-action full-back who excels in all facets of the game, and as a result, it’s almost impossible to disagree with analyst Ben Mattinson’s claim that he is “one of the best Emirates-era signings.”

Therefore, it’s massively encouraging to see another one of Arteta’s big-money signings start to emulate him in certain ways this season.

The Arsenal star emulating Timber

There are plenty of Arsenal players having stellar campaigns so far this season, but someone who’s been a big surprise in the best way possible has been Riccardo Calafiori.

The Italian international joined the club in the summer of 2024, and while he did so with plenty of fanfare, he did not have the best of debut seasons in red and white.

In fact, across the whole campaign, the former Bologna star made just 29 appearances, totalling 1497 minutes, which was almost entirely down to his truly dreadful injury record, which saw him miss 30 games for club and country and spend 175 days on the sidelines.

24/25

175

30

23/24

4

2

22/23

53

15

21/22

73

18

20/21

118

33

19/20

43

5

18/19

291

75

It was so bad, and Myles Lewis-Skelly did such a good job in his place that there were doubts over whether he’d actually be able to hold down a place in the team, or if he would suffer injury after injury before being shipped off, akin to what happened with Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Fortunately, this year has been completely different, and as things stand, he’s already made ten appearances for the first team, totalling 791 minutes, and is yet to miss a single game through injury.

This comeback is one of the similarities he shares with Timber, and the second is that, on top of simply being available, he’s also been absolutely incredible for the team this year, both defensively and especially going forward.

For example, he’s already scored a goal and provided two assists, and his underlying numbers, like the Dutchman’s, are sensational.

According to FBref, the £120k-per-week monster ranks in the top 1% of full-backs in the league for total shots, the top 4% for expected goals, the top 7% for goals plus assists, the top 10% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and more, all per 90.

On top of the incredible numbers, the Rome-born wildcard is also one of the most entertaining players to watch in the league.

Shots Total

2.20

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.13

Top 1%

xG: Expected Goals

0.25

Top 4%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.25

Top 4%

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.26

Top 4%

GCA (Shot)

0.13

Top 4%

Goals + Assists

0.39

Top 7%

npxG + xAG

0.31

Top 7%

SCA (Shot)

0.39

Top 7%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.65

Top 7%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.50

Top 7%

SCA (Defensive Action)

0.13

Top 10%

Assists

0.26

Top 13%

npxG/Shot

0.11

Top 16%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.39

Top 16%

Goals

0.13

Top 19%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.13

Top 19%

Passes Completed (Medium)

18.78

Top 19%

For example, the freedom given to him by Arteta and his subsequent roaming approach to the game have led him to being described as a “wild horse on the loose” by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean and “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment” by journalist James Benge.

Ultimately, while he had a poor start to life at Arsenal, Calafiori has exploded into life this season, and, like Timber, has become one of the most indispensable players in Arteta’s squad.

Not Eze & Gyokeres: Arsenal pair look like the best since Bergkamp & Henry

Aretat has helped to create Arsenal’s best duo since Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 27, 2025

Newcastle United were unable to make it three Premier League wins in a row last night, as Eddie Howe’s men secured a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

After a drab first half with little to shout about for both sides, Bruno Guimaraes’ second-half strike put the Magpies ahead with just under 20 minutes remaining.

Anthony Gordon’s penalty with just a handful of minutes remaining put the hosts ahead once again, but for the second time in the contest, Cristian Romero managed to find a leveller.

The point takes Howe’s men up a place to 13th in the Premier League, but it could have been a whole lot better had his side managed to hold on for all three points.

Despite numerous positive showings, a handful of the players selected to start the game failed to impress, which could lead to numerous changes ahead of the weekend.

Newcastle’s poor performers against Spurs

For the third game in a row, Joelinton was handed a start at the heart of the Newcastle side, this time partnering Lewis Miley and Sandi Tonali, with the latter coming into the starting eleven.

However, the Brazilian was unable to repay the faith shown in him by the manager, with such a showing one to forget for the Magpies’ number seven on Tyneside.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but only managed to come out on top in just 27% of the duels he entered, whilst being dribbled past on three occasions.

Joelinton wasn’t alone in struggling to deliver at St James’, with winger Jacob Murphy also struggling to provide his usual impact off the right-hand side of the attack.

The Englishman was largely unable to deliver in the final third, as seen by his measly tally of just three crosses completed, doing so at an accuracy rate of just 30%.

He also only managed to complete 50% of his attempted dribbles and completed just 16 passes before being substituted for Anthony Elanga with just over 20 minutes remaining.

The Newcastle star who needs to be dropped after Spurs

Home games against Spurs have often been a formality for Newcastle, as seen by the club’s recent record against the Lilywhites over the past couple of seasons.

Howe’s men had won four in a row against the North London outfit at St James’, but his men were unable to add to such a record during their lacklustre showing last night.

The inability to secure all three points was no doubt down to the disappointing showings from numerous players, with the aforementioned duo just two of the stars who failed to deliver.

However, they weren’t alone in struggling to match the expectations of the supporters, with winger Harvey Barnes unable to replicate his recent showings in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old has now started four league games in a row, with his two-goal game against Manchester City undoubtedly keeping his place in the starting eleven.

He’s now failed to score in each of the last two outings, including against Spurs, with winger Gordon now deserving of a start after his goal off the bench.

However, Barnes’ performance before his teammate’s arrival onto the pitch was certainly below par, which will no doubt contribute to the manager’s thinking.

The winger featured for 66 minutes on Tyneside last night, but could only muster 30 touches of the ball and made just ten passes, six fewer than Aaron Ramsdale, as he struggled to make the desired impact on proceedings.

He also only managed to complete one of his attempted dribbles and one of his crosses, which further highlights his struggles within the final third of the pitch.

Harvey Barnes – stats against Spurs
Statistics	Tally
Minutes played	66
Touches	30
Shots taken	2
Dribbles completed	1
Crosses completed	1
Possession lost	12x
Duels lost	75%
Passes into final third	2
Stats via FotMob

Barnes massively struggled to find any of his teammates during the draw, as seen by his tally of 12 times possession lost – ultimately being wasteful when in possession.

The attacker was just as poor without the ball, often being dominated by the opposition, subsequently losing 75% of the ground duels he entered against Thomas Frank’s side.

As a result of his performance, Barnes was handed a measly 6/10 match rating by The Express journalist Lee Ryder – further showcasing his struggles against Spurs.

After such a showing, Howe will no doubt want to shuffle his pack on Saturday against Burnley to attempt to get their recent winning run in the Premier League back on track.

Gordon will no doubt be chomping at the bit after his goal, which could result in his compatriot being dropped after his recent flurry of starts in the North East.

Better than Anderson: £70m "monster" is now open to joining Newcastle

Newcastle plan on signing a new centre-midfielder in 2026.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 2, 2025

“The Australian white-ball captain remains open to the prospect of playing Test cricket,” a WA Cricket statement said

Andrew McGlashan08-Dec-2025

Mitchell Marsh made a rare Shield appearance recently•Getty Images

Mitchell Marsh will retire from the Sheffield Shield at the end of this season, meaning in all likelihood he has played his final first-class match for Western Australia, but the door is ajar to add to his 46 Test caps in the Ashes.Marsh made a rare Shield appearance for WA last week against Victoria at the MCG where he scored 4 and 9. But his involvement in the T20 World Cup, where he will captain Australia through February and the start of March, will overlap with the resumption of the competition after the BBL, then he will be part of the IPL with Lucknow Super Giants.”It has been an honour to play Sheffield Shield cricket for WA,” Marsh, who made his Shield debut as an 18-year-old said in a statement. “Right now I am deeply committed to the group and the [Perth] Scorchers. Playing for WA has been a huge part of my life and I plan to give back in any way possible long into the future.”Marsh was an outside chance of featuring in the Ashes if there had been injuries or loss of form, particularly if things had started badly for Australia, on the back of an impressive run of performances in recent ODI and T20I series with the selectors valuing his skills against pace bowling.The final part of the WA Cricket statement said: “The Australian white-ball captain remains open to the prospect of playing Test cricket.”Australia coach Andrew McDonald has previously said they would be willing to pick Marsh for Tests without him playing red-ball cricket and confirmed on Tuesday that Marsh remained available for this season although suggested it would not be the case beyond that.”He is available for Test match selection, which is exciting for us,” McDonald said. “I don’t want to put words in Mitch’s mouth, but I assume that if he’s retired from first-class cricket, that he would potentially look at Test cricket retirement, also at the end of the season. But as I said, I can’t speak for him, but that would be my assumption.”Having been out of Test cricket for four years, Marsh made an outstanding return during the 2023 Ashes when he scored a century in his comeback match at Headingley and went on to average 46.87 in a 10-game stretch, during which he won the Allan Border Medal.However, he lost form during last summer’s series against India and was dropped for the final match at the SCG. His bowling has also taken a backseat as he manages his body.In the Sheffield Shield for WA, Marsh has scored 2744 runs at 29.50 and claimed 82 wickets at 29.48.”Mitch embodies everything about what it means to be a Sheffield Shield player for Western Australia,” WA head coach Adam Voges said. “From playing alongside him to coaching him in more recent times, he’s given his all for his state.”It’s been a privilege to watch him progress from Sheffield Shield to being a very successful player at international level for Australia. He’s an outstanding character on and off the field and it’s been a pleasure to play a part in his journey.”Marsh is currently only full-time captain of Australia’s T20I side, but has led the ODI team in their last two series against South Africa and India since the Champions Trophy in the absence of Pat Cummins.

Liverpool head into the Champions League tonight against PSV Eindhoven looking like a bruised animal once more.

Last time out at Anfield, Arne Slot’s Reds were convincingly beaten by Nottingham Forest in the Premier League in a 3-0 loss, with the match preceding this humbling defeat on home soil also seeing the Merseyside giants lose by the same emphatic scoreline, away at Manchester City.

Thankfully, the Champions League has been a temporary sanctuary for the reigning Premier League champions, as was evident in their 1-0 win against Real Madrid, the last time they did battle in the illustrious competition.

Therefore, Liverpool will be hoping they can lick their wounds again and beat their Eredivisie opponents later on this evening.

If form doesn’t pick up, though, the January transfer window will be a very apt time to try and find upgrades on the underperformers consistently letting the side down…

Transfer latest at Liverpool

Despite their poor form as of late, the Reds will still see themselves as a significant superpower in any transfer window to come.

After all, a colossal £415m was spent just this summer on a raft of new signings, with fresh rumours now indicating that the Slot and Co. could be prepared to drop another £123m on Bayern Munich ace Michael Olise.

Moreover, Antoine Semenyo remains in their sights as another attacking signing that could boost a side let down by the likes of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz to date.

On top of signings to add to their attacking arsenal, Liverpool are also allegedly looking to do battle with Real Madrid over the services of midfield talent Vitinha, according to emerging reports from Spain.

Indeed, the report elaborates that the La Liga giants are preparing a €150m (£131m) bid for Luis Enrique’s prized asset.

Yet, Liverpool are keen to accelerate a deal, as well, by matching the Los Blancos’ amount, ensuring they could actually eclipse the £125m club-record capture of Alexander Isak.

A next step to the Premier League is noted as being very appealing for the Portugal international, if a statement move were to whir into motion.

Vitinha’s arrival at Anfield might not be the news Ryan Gravenberch wants to read, however, with the classy Paris Saint-Germain number 17 a clear upgrade on the Dutchman, as the 23-year-old has noticeably struggled as of late.

Why Vitinha is a clear upgrade on Gravenberch

Alongside the vast majority of his teammates, Gravenberch has suffered from a notable dip in his performance levels in recent matches.

Transfer Focus

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

Once labelled as being “vital” to the way Liverpool tick earlier in the season by ex-Reds midfielder Steve McManaman, the former Ajax prodigy turned Anfield first-teamer struggled to be an influential presence in back-to-back defeats at the hands of City and Forest, with only four ground duels won in total across 14 attempts, as per Sofascore.

To make matters worse, the underperforming number 38 would also fail to notch up a single key pass, leaving him on just the one paltry assist for the campaign.

While Gravenberch has shown visible signs of decline, Vitinha has continued to stand out on some pressurised stages for Enrique’s men, with this wonderful move – which was kickstarted by the 25-year-old’s fierce burst of pace – in last year’s Champions League final, just one reason why his national team manager in Roberto Martinez has glowingly labelled him the “best midielder in the world.”

In league action for PSG, too, this season, he blows his immediate competition out of the water, with one goal and six assists from 12 games – among other numbers – sticking out immediately to Slot, as he attempts to make Liverpool a vibrant and attractive watch in attack this campaign, again, rather than sticking by their current stifled appearance.

Games played

12

10

Goals scored

1

3

Assists

6

1

Touches*

113.8

74.8

Accurate passes*

98.2 (94%)

54.8 (89%)

Key passes*

1.5

0.7

Big chances created

6

2

Ball recoveries*

4.9

3.5

It’s not just in the attacking department where Vitinha could improve the downbeat Reds, with the 5-foot-8 playmaker also averaging 4.9 ball recoveries so far this season in Ligue 1, next to Gravenberch’s lesser 3.5.

Of course, the Premier League is a different kettle of fish altogether from the French top division, which PSG consistently dominate.

But, Vitinha has actually shown off his swagger against Liverpool at Anfield, with the “incredible” midfield general – as Enrique has also labelled him – dictating play during PSG’s slim 1-0 away win in the Champions League last campaign when amassing a ridiculous 103 accurate passes.

Worryingly, his Dutch counterpart receded into his shell, with zero accurate dribbles registered, and possession was lost a costly 12 times.

The one-time Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee won’t be moving to England on the cheap, but it could be a splurge worth signing off on, as Slot attempts to reinvigorate his options all over the pitch.

Perfect for Isak: Liverpool make £122m sensation their "dream target"

Liverpool need to make changes in the transfer market once again.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 25, 2025