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Arsenal have privately refused to rule out signing a former Man City forward for manager Mikel Arteta this summer, with new sporting director Andrea Berta and the Gunners hierarchy set for a key transfer decision.

Arsenal cruise into Champions League semi-finals after Real Madrid win

It’s been a sensational week for Arteta and co, who made history by becoming the first ever side in history to win at the Bernabeu on their first two visits – breaking a record which stood for 77 years.

Arsenal given 50% discount for £280k-per-week forward after opening talks

Andrea Berta could now strike a half-price deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 18, 2025

Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli sealed a stunning 5-1 aggregate win for Arsenal in the Spanish capital, making a serious statement to the rest of Europe that they’re genuine contenders to win this year’s Champions League title.

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A tough test in Ligue 1 champions PSG awaits in the semi-finals, but their tails will surely be up after a potentially season-defining quarter-final tie.

“The feeling that we have is our reality, basically,” said Arteta on the mood around Arsenal after their triumph over Real Madrid.

“And in the feeling that I had before the game, when the players were transmitting and how prepared I could feel the team, that we are ready to compete against anybody. Now we have to continue to do that because I think we have some momentum now.

“Where we finished last year and the way we’re doing it this year, the teams with their eyes on us and the competition, it’s incredible. Big credit to [Madrid}, it was my first time as a coach in that dugout, and today I realised after three minutes in this stadium, anything is possible. They are specialists of creating such chaos and belief, and it’s very difficult to really understand what’s going on in the game and have certainty about how we controlled it. I think they showed a lot of maturity.”

Arsenal refuse to rule out signing Raheem Sterling permanently

Privately, Arsenal are making plans to build the squad further and provide Arteta with new wide attackers.

In the last week, Arsenal have repeatedly been linked with a move for Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman, not to mention Athletic Bilbao sensation Nico Williams, but there is also the matter of Raheem Sterling and his future at the Emirates.

It hasn’t exactly been a dream loan move from Chelsea for the Englishman, who’s seen precious little game time under his former City assistant coach, with Arsenal paying around £163,000-per-week of his £325,000-per-week salary during his temporary stint.

Berta would need to renegotiate contract terms and a fee with Chelsea to make his move permanent, but according to The Mail, as quoted by TEAMtalk, Arsenal have refused to rule out signing Sterling permanently and are yet to inform him of a final decision.

It would be a bizarre call by the north Londoners at this point, considering the 30-year-old boasts just one goal and five assists all season, but it is believed his stay may not be completely off the table, contrary to reports.

Manchester City have a historic summer transfer window ahead of them. The disappointing season they have endured in 2024/25 is almost over, and there is a chase to strengthen the squad in the summer, ahead of the Club World Cup and then the 2025/26 campaign.

It will be all change at the Etihad Stadium next term. Talisman Kevin De Bruyne will leave the club after a decade of success in the famous Sky Blue shirt, including the famous treble in 2022/23. He might not be the only club legend to leave on a free, given that Ilkay Gundogan’s contract is up in a few months.

It means that City will almost certainly sign a new midfielder this summer, and there has already been an update on their targets.

The latest on City's midfielder transfer plans

Well, it is going to be a crucial few months at City, and that all starts with their new director of football, Hugo Viana. The former Sporting CP director, who worked with Manchester United boss Ruben Amoirm, will take over from Txiki Begiristain at the helm in East Manchester.

According to the highly reputable David Ornstein, City’s hunt for transfer targets will “ramp up” now that Viana’s role at the Etihad Stadium is sorted. The journalist has already confirmed two of the De Bruyne replacements they are eyeing up.

City are believed to be targeting Nottingham Forest number 10 Morgan Gibbs-White and Bayer Leverkusen and Germany starlet Florian Wirtz as potential replacements for their outgoing club legend.

There is not a clear first-choice target for the Mancunian side at this stage, and more could well emerge.

However, a deal to sign Wirtz in particular could be an expensive one. Sky Germany reported at the end of March that he could cost as much as £101m if a deal was to be struck.

With that hefty price in mind, perhaps City will be put off any potential deal. This could lead to them turning to an academy star to fill the void left by De Bruyne.

Man City's in-house Wirtz and Gibbs-White solution

There is plenty of attacking talent in the City academy, as you might expect. One of the most exciting players in that group is Reigan Heskey, the son of former England striker Emile and brother of Jaden, another City academy starlet.

Said to possess “Rashford-like ability” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the 17-year-old has made a big impression this term for City’s academy. In 33 appearances across all competitions, he’s amassed an impressive goal tally of 24, as well as grabbing eight assists.

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It is worth noting that Heskey is, by trade, a winger rather than a number 10, like Gibbs-White and Wirtz. The latter can play in a wide area as well, but, if Pep Guardiola wanted to unleash the youngster, he could move Jack Grealish or Phil Foden into a more central role and play Heskey as a left-winger, where he truly excels.

There is no doubt that the teenager, who is an England U17 international, is an exciting talent. He is a tricky winger who excels when isolated against the full-back, thriving in one-vs-one situations. He also has a natural eye for goal, just as his father did.

Football scout Antonio Mango once said that Heskey is a player who “can’t be ignored” any longer by City. His goal involvement numbers this term across academy sides are exceptional, and it really does feel like he is ready to explode in first-team football.

With De Buryne guaranteed to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer, perhaps that opens the door for Heskey’s inclusion in the first team. It certainly would be a very much-deserved opportunity.

Bigger talent than De Bruyne: Man City lead race to sign £87m "superstar"

Manchester City have a huge task in replacing Kevin De Bruyne this summer but have wasted no time in the window.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 8, 2025

The 26-year-old UP fast bowler, who brings variety to India’s attack, has been picked with an eye on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Sep-20241:32

A timeline of Yash Dayal’s incredible redemption

Riyan Parag was in the mood to attack. Having arrived in the second over of India A’s chase of 275 against India B in the first round of the Duleep Trophy on Sunday, the Assam batter hit a six in the following over, bowled by Mukesh Kumar, off just the second delivery he faced. In the sixth over, Parag then short-arm jabbed Uttar Pradesh left-arm fast bowler Yash Dayal over deep midwicket for another six.By the time Dayal came back for his fourth over, Parag had charged and smashed another six off Mukesh, racing away to 31 off 17 balls, with India A on 51 for 1 in seven overs.In pursuit of 275, Parag laid out India A’s plan: be aggressive, no need to ponder at the crease. Dayal went around the stumps and wide of the crease for his first ball of the eighth over. The ball pitched on that attacking length where bowling coaches draw a box or place a shoe at practice. The angle created by Dayal forced Parag to poke at the ball which had started to shape away after pitching. Rishabh Pant completed the catch as Dayal squealed in the departing Parag’s ears.Parag was one of the three wickets Dayal picked up to make early dents into India A batting line-up. Dayal also dismissed Agarwal and Dhruv Jurel, both of whom poked at away-going deliveries, which were bowled from over the stumps.Related

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Pant, Rahul return to Test cricket with Bangladesh series; maiden call-up for Dayal

For Abhimanyu Easwaran, the India B captain, Parag’s dismissal was the turning point. “That was a quality ball,” Easwaran said. “We knew Riyan was going to counterattack although on a pitch like that it was not easy. But he was going really well, which was proving challenging for our [new ball] bowlers. But Yash said he wanted to go around [the wicket] to create the angle which brings both the edges in play. To get the ball to pitch and go away from around is very challenging. It was a great ball to set up the game for us because we weren’t expecting any other [India A batter] to counterattack.”Such smarts have earned Dayal his maiden Test call-up for the upcoming two-match home Test series against Bangladesh, which starts in Chennai from September 19. With an eye on the following five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which will run from November 22 to January 7, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel was keen to have a left-armer in the fast-bowling pack. Hence, in addition to Dayal, they trained their lens on Arshdeep Singh and Khaleel Ahmed, both of whom have represented India in white-ball cricket.As far as Dayal is concerned, it is learned the selectors felt he was very skillful and that he has turned a corner, having worked on his fitness in the last few years. All of this contributed to him playing in the unofficial Test series for India A against England Lions earlier this January besides playing regularly for Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy for the last two years.The logic of picking a left-arm seamer remains the same as ever: he brings variety to the bowling attack with his ability to generate various angles and swing at good speed, which is among Dayal’s primary strengths.Yash Dayal played four-dayers for India A against the visiting England Lions earlier this year•Manoj Bookanakere/KSCAThose who have followed Dayal’s career from close quarters, such as Easwaran and Uttar Pradesh head coach Sunil Joshi, have praised the 26-year-old from Allahabad for his consistency and ability to bowl on all kinds of surfaces. Easwaran, the Bengal opener and an India A regular, who has played with and faced Dayal in the nets, counts the left-armer’s ability to “control” the swing both ways, with the new as well as the old ball, as one of his strengths.”He is a smart bowler. Having control with the swing is a big strength for him,” Easwaran said. “He uses a lot of angles, comes around the wicket and has the ability to take the ball away from the right hander from that angle which [for the batter] is quite challenging.”Easwaran says Dayal also can swing the ball into the right-hander, again with control, which makes him a dangerous bowler. “As well as with the old ball, with a good wrist position, he is able to land the ball on the seam which then can challenge the batter with movement.”Dayal made his first-class debut for UP in the 2018-19 season when he bagged 30 wickets at an average of 24.70. His impressive spells in the 2021-22 Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he was the best bowler for Uttar Pradesh, was noticed by IPL franchise scouts before he got his maiden IPL contract when Gujarat Titans paid INR 3.2 crore after warding off competition from two other teams at the auction. Dayal shared the new ball with Mohammed Shami in the nine matches he played, picked up 11 wickets, and played a role in Titans winning the IPL in their first season.In a chat with ESPNcricinfo before the Ranji Trophy semi-finals in June 2022, Dayal thanked Titans head coach Ashish Nehra for not just teaching him bowling skills but also for making him mentally stronger in the face of pressure in T20s. Such a moment, one that would nearly break Dayal, came in IPL 2023 when his UP team-mate and good friend Rinku Singh ransacked five sixes in a single over to do the impossible.

“He is a smart bowler. Having control with the swing is a big strength for him”Abhimanyu Easwaran on Yash Dayal

Talking to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the franchise he joined in IPL 2024, Dayal said that one over brought him “face to face with reality”, and taught him several things. Dayal was the standout bowler for RCB, who bounced back after torrid first half to make the IPL 2024 playoffs, where they lost the Eliminator.Dayal said Saurav Chauhan, his RCB team-mate and Gujarat batter, had told him to enjoy pressure and that proved telling ultimately.A nerveless Dayal dismissing MS Dhoni with a slower delivery to seal a playoff berth for RCB, after having been clobbered out of the stadium for a monstrous six, was a mark of how far he’d come between the two IPL seasons.Standing about six feet tall, Dayal runs in the mould of his idol Zaheer Khan, the last Indian left-arm fast bowler who played Test cricket regularly. Dayal’s average speed is in the 130-135 kph region and he also has both a sharp bouncer and yorker to ally with his swing. The Indian team management brought Dayal in as a net bowler and used these skills to prepare them for the white-ball series at home against West Indies in early 2022. Earlier this year, Dayal was part of the set of fast bowlers shortlisted by selectors to be awarded development contracts by BCCI.Yash Dayal dismissed MS Dhoni at the death to put RCB in the IPL 2024 playoffs•AFP/Getty ImagesHaving been an India selector between 2020-22, Joshi, who since has worked as UP coach, has followed Dayal’s progress closely. The selection panel, which Joshi had been part of, had also included Dayal in the set of targeted pool of domestic fast bowlers the BCCI could look after in terms of fitness and growth with guidance from the National Cricket Academy.”Yash has shown the keenness to improve as a bowler,” Joshi said. “I remember him being on the bulkier side, but now he has shed a lot of weight and is fit. He played back-to-back Tests for India A in January against England Lions and followed that up by playing Ranji match against Andhra immediately. That showed the commitment from his side.”Around mid-January, during the first part of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, Joshi had been alerted by Agarkar to keep Dayal free for the England Lions series with the plan of having him play two unofficial Tests. Joshi was not surprised. “Bowling-wise, Yash is consistent in his lengths, both in red-ball and white-ball formats,” Joshi said. “Among the left-arm fast bowlers currently in India, he is bowling really well, is tactically sharp. He can bowl long spells, doesn’t drop speeds and has a brilliant slower delivery. And he has shown that hunger to do well that has impressed me the most. Yash is very sincere, honest and has a good work ethic now.”Only 14 left-arm fast bowlers have played for India so far in Test cricket. Since Zaheer retired in 2014, only T Natarajan and Jaydev Unadkat have played Test cricket for India. The selectors and Indian team management believe a left-arm fast bowler can make a difference as part of the fast-bowling attack. Dayal’s call-up is a signal that the selectors believe he is ready to be in the mix.

Former Australia allrounder explains what the visitors need to do, to not only survive but also thrive in India

Alex Malcolm05-Feb-20232:11

India’s unparalleled home dominance

Australia’s batters are trying to cram for the India exam during a nearly week-long training camp in Bengaluru. The test of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel on a spinning surface likely awaits them in Nagpur.It’s an exam former Australia allrounder Shane Watson has faced before. One he freely admits he was challenged by. He went on four Test tours of India and scored a hundred in Mohali. That was in 2010 facing Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha as an opener at the peak of his powers.Ashwin and Jadeja in 2013, batting in the middle order on some rank turners, was an entirely different proposition. If Watson had his time again, he would think differently and play differently.Related

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Ravindra Jadeja 'hadn't felt the sun for about five months'

Battles to watch: Lyon vs Pujara and Kohli, and Ashwin vs Warner and Smith

Will Todd Murphy get a chance to shine in India?

India vs Australia: one classic after the other

“One thing I didn’t really do [in India] was just accept what I had at that moment in time, instead of trying to be someone else,” Watson told ESPNcricinfo. “I was thinking, ‘Should I use my feet this time to get out and cover the ball from spinning or should I sit deep in the crease’, instead of going, ‘Well this is what I’ve got right now, and this is the best way for me to try and have success.'”For me, it was going away from using cross-bat shots off the back foot in particular, which is one of my strengths outside of turning conditions.”Using a straight bat to be able to hit off the back foot through the off side or the leg side. I wish I had got that through my head and then developed that instinct earlier because it’s much lower risk. All the good players, especially from India, very rarely do they use cross-bat shots, especially for a pull shot. They’ll hit it with a straight bat to be able to hit it through the leg side.”Ravindra Jadeja has just returned from a long injury lay-off with a seven-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy•PTI Jadeja looms large over Australia’s right-handers Watson fell to Jadeja’s left-arm spin in Delhi during the 2013 series, when Jadeja snared seven wickets in the match, and has played with him at Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. Watson believes Jadeja’s pace and unrelenting accuracy make him a huge threat to both edges in turning conditions.”Facing him when the ball is turning compared to when the ball is not turning is just chalk and cheese,” Watson said. “It’s like you’re facing a different bowler when the ball is turning because he’s flatter, he’s faster, he’s accurate all the time. He’s always at the stumps.”One will turn or one will skid through. He’s very hard to be able to work through as a right-hander, to find a method that’s going to not just survive but also score runs.Obviously Australia has got some really good players of spin in there with Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. They’ve got a number of lefties as well which will negate Jadeja a bit more with the ball just turning in. If I had my time again, I would definitely play with a straighter bat to Jadeja.”Axar Patel has taken 39 wickets in six home Tests•BCCIAxar is a known unknown to Australia Axar has terrorised visiting Test teams in India with his variety of left-arm spin since bursting onto the scene against England in 2021. No Australian has faced him in Test cricket yet. Watson faced Axar in the IPL and found him a different proposition to Jadeja, yet equally uncomfortable.”Axar’s angle is what makes him really hard to line up,” Watson said. “I didn’t face him in Test cricket but I always found him really difficult to play even in T20 cricket because of his release point. He’s not low round arm, but he’s round arm and he bowls from quite wide on the crease, and with the angle that the ball comes in I was never able to really line it up. And then if the ball is turning it just seems like the ball is turning a lot more because of the angle.”It’s different to Jadeja because Jadeja is normally a bit closer to the stumps and he doesn’t create as much angle with the ball coming into the right-hander from his release point.”Axar is at the stumps all the time. It’s going to be pretty challenging. He’s a fair bit taller and his release point is still pretty high. But you don’t feel like his bounce is a threat as much because he does get balls to skid through.”The guys playing are going to have to get used to that angle and find a way to be able to line that up. Once the guys line it up they’ll be okay, but it can take a bit of time to work that out.”Ashwin’s amazing skill an ever-present challenge Australia will have at least four left-handers in the top seven. They could possibly play five if Cameron Green isn’t passed fit and Matt Renshaw retains his place at No.6 after returning to Test cricket in Australia’s previous match against South Africa in SydneyIn Watson’s experience, Ashwin’s skill level and control makes him dangerous against Australia’s right-handers as well, especially if there is bounce and sharp turn.R Ashwin has 50 wickets in eight Tests against Australia in India•AFP via Getty Images”It’s a bit easier as a right-hander but when the ball is turning and sort of jumping out of either the rough or the fresh part of the wicket, he’s relentless,” Watson said. “He hardly gives you a free ball to be able to score off.”He’s incredibly skilled. It’s not just getting the ball spinning with the occasional one that’s not going to turn. He’s got a lot of variations through his flight and pace that he still can land exactly where he wants. So even as a right-hander, when the ball’s not turning that much it’s a much easier challenge. I just batted on off stump and hit straight to the leg side knowing that unless one really explodes and I get caught at bat-pad, I’m not really exposed to that.”Whereas when the ball is turning, coming back into my stumps, it’s much more challenging to be able to try and cover that ball coming in when there’s plenty of guys around the bat.”Proactivity is the key Watson admits he didn’t need to be that proactive during his Mohali century because of the quality of the surface.”It was a really nice wicket,” Watson said. “The ball didn’t really turn much. I was facing a lot of Harbhajan Singh in that innings and I was able to be really patient. It was quite a slow hundred. At that moment in time, I wasn’t being proactive against spin, I was just waiting for a loose ball.”It makes it easier when it’s a truer wicket. Whereas the other times I’ve been in India, even in the first session there’s been times where the ball has spun out of the fresh part of the wicket, which makes more opportunities for the bowler to get you out. But it’s also harder to just try and be patient and wait for a loose ball because you’re really just a sitting duck waiting for them to get you out.”While Watson is an advocate for Australia’s batters to find their own method and stick to it, he believes the blueprint is there from the way some of his team-mates played on past tours to India.”The guys who have done it the best are the ones who are either really quick on their feet and get down and cover the spin, and or they’re really good at just getting back and allowing the ball to spin and then playing the ball,” Watson said.”I think of Damien Martyn who did incredibly well in that 2004 series, especially in Chennai where he played back and allowed the ball to spin. I think about Matt Hayden’s transformation as a player of spin where he’d either sweep or as soon as the ball was slightly flighted he would use his feet and hit dead straight. Michael Clarke was a great player of spin. His ability to be able to use his feet to get out when the ball was slightly flighted, then when it wasn’t to get back deep in his crease to let the ball spin, those are the guys who had the most success when the ball was turning quite extreme.”They’ve got a good method but they are proactive to be able to get off strike, get down the other end, but also put pressure on the bowler.”But being proactive all the time, every ball in Test matches, it takes a lot out of you physically but especially mentally because you’ve got to be really sharp all the time.”

They knew bowling first in Chennai would offer no help so they shifted their plans to do their best to contain England

Varun Shetty06-Feb-2021A lesser known facet of home advantage is how quickly you can gauge that you might be in trouble. After losing the toss on a pitch where they were also looking to bat first, it was clear that India were already looking to be conservative with their bowling plans.Ishant Sharma began on Friday with two slips and a gully, not the customary combination of three, and Jasprit Bumrah was already moving catchers from the off side into the leg side a few balls into his first over. It was clear from the first session of the match – there wouldn’t be too much assistance, and the edges weren’t likely to carry. Even R Ashwin, who will be India’s primary line of attack in this series, had to switch between plans in that early session.Related

• Ben Stokes resolves 'to take a few runs with me' in calculated but short-lived assault

• Root: 644 runs (and counting) in three Tests

• England dominate after Root's second double-century of 2021

• As it happened: Ind vs Eng, 1st Test, Chennai, 2nd day

It is, quite simply, what you must do as a bowling team in the first few days on pitches like these, and in conditions like these. On the balance of it, India could feel relatively happy at England’s scoring rate: 263 on the first day, 292 on the second, and with an intention to bat at least an hour into day three.”The plan on such wickets should be to bowl with discipline,” left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem said at the end of day two. “If you try to look for wickets on this pitch, you tend to give runs. So the plan was to stay as disciplined as possible and if the batsman becomes adventurous, then you might create some chances. As a team, and for myself, that was the plan.”1:23

Nadeem explains the difficulties of bowling in Chennai

Joe Root had said at the end of the first day that England were looking to score in the region of 600, a total that is still within their sights. And one, to go by Ben Stokes’ post-day comments, that they weren’t necessarily looking to score by the end of day two.”No. Before anyone asks – there was no thought whatsoever of a declaration tonight.,” Stokes said. “That would be stupid, if we won the toss and batted first. You just get as many runs as you can out here in India. If we can bat for another hour in the morning we’ll be very happy with that.”That is the flip side: England’s argument is that the worst of this pitch will come when India bats; an argument that is the basis of them being, by quite a way, in pole position in this Test.”Generally wickets don’t get any better here in India, especially when the heat blazes on it and you put 90 overs on it a day,” Stokes said. “It’s going to get drier, break up, deteriorate. Just because we’ve got big first-innings runs, it doesn’t give us the right to bowl them out twice as we hope to do. We’ve still got a lot of hard work to do as a bowling unit. It’s tough to take 20 wickets anywhere. But out here 20 can be hard to come by. We know we have a big challenge ahead.”To stay No. 1 on the Test Championship table, India need to win this four-match series by a two-game margin; while staying alive in this Test will take a herculean batting response, defeat would only occur if England are able to bowl them out twice. It is a patience game they were willing to play, as Nadeem pointed out, and one that they executed with relative success given how the day, and Stokes’ innings in particular, had begun.India are certainly under the pump in Chennai, but they are not out of the Test match•BCCIHaving come out on the better side of a couple of half-chances, Stokes’ decision to use attack as a form of defence – “decided I’d rather get caught at deep square than spooning one up to short leg” – not only bore quick runs, but only added merit to the theory that the surface bore no batting demons. With an increasingly confident Root at the other end, and the enterprise that England’s lower order is known to provide, things could have been a lot worse for India than 555 for 8 at 3.08 – a scoring rate that nearly matches their first-innings rate when they lost in Chennai in 2016.”[Root’s] recent form is really good and he’s been sweeping really well. To bowl to him you need plans, to stay tight on the stumps and not provide width,” Nadeem said. “Every spinner has problems when a batsman starts sweeping you, but at the same time you have to stick with your line and length and wait for your time. Wait for the batsman to make a mistake. That’s what we were doing.”England’s innings tapered off following Root’s dismissal, from which point their scoring rate until stumps was exactly 3. The wickets of Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer, England’s two lower-order enforcers, off consecutive Ishant deliveries played a significant role in that.”They were crucial because he dismissed Buttler and Archer, back-to-back. On a pitch like this, you get uplifted as a team when that happens. They were important wickets because they might still have been six-down and had a frontline batsman at stumps. Now we’re bowling to two bowlers, so in some ways that’s an upper hand,” Nadeem said.And that is the other thing with knowing you’re in trouble – any sort of upper hand you see can only be relative. At this point in the Test, England have done everything they wanted to do, and are continuing to set the tone. But India won’t mind too much that it is not a rapid one.

Newcastle United had midfield star Bruno Guimaraes to thank yet again on Saturday as the dependable Brazilian bailed his inconsistent Premier League team out once more.

Without the South American popping up with a last-ditch effort, the Magpies would have likely had to make do with a disappointing share of the points versus Fulham.

In the right place, at the right time, to sneak an effort home after a William Osula shot nearly caught Bernd Leno out, Guimaraes has only further cemented his reputation as a Newcastle “talisman” with his heroic moment, as Match of the Day pundit Michael Carrick glowingly labelled him when assessing the dramatic 2-1 win.

Away from the beloved Toon captain, though, it isn’t entirely rosy in the Newcastle midfield ranks at the moment, with Joelinton showing visible signs of rust.

Joelinton's decline at Newcastle

When looking over some of Newcastle’s recent, modern greats, Guimaraes’ fellow compatriot is surely right at the top of the list as one of the Toon’s most loved talents.

Indeed, the £40m battler has now tallied up a mammoth 232 games for Howe’s men, with 31 goals and 21 assists also coming his way, per Transfermarkt. Still, Newcastle won’t want to be bogged down by living in the past too much, with the number seven looking to be “nowhere near his best” so far this campaign, according to Magpies-based reporter Mark Douglas.

It has been a sad decline for the 29-year-old so far this campaign, with both Sandro Tonali and the aforementioned Guimaraes remaining at the very peak of their powers. In stark contrast, Joelinton doesn’t even have a single goal or assist next to his name so far this season in the Premier League, after collecting a weighty seven goal contributions last campaign.

Eddie Howe is clearly frustrated with his stalwart’s drop-off in form, having hooked Joelinton off at the half-time mark against Brighton and Hove Albion in the middle of October. Moreover, while Guimaraes stole the limelight versus Marco Silva’s men, his waning counterpart only managed to muster up one weak effort on Leno’s net.

He did win ten duels, in all fairness, but with Joelinton edging towards being 30 years of age next year, it could soon be an apt time for Newcastle to be on the hunt for some more midfield reinforcements, with the likes of Joe Willock, too, in reserve no longer cut out for the bright lights of the top-flight.

Rumours are circulating that Howe and Co. have their eye on one particular EFL star to boost their midfield options, as a dream Joelinton heir is potentially in the works.

Newcastle plot move for special star

Ross Wilson will view January as the perfect time to try and tie down some of the Toon’s best assets, as well, with talk now centring on the new Newcastle sporting director attempting to iron out an extended contract for Guimaraes.

Reports also suggest that Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney is on the agenda, with TBR Football recently revealing that the Premier League outfit is monitoring the tenacious Boro ace ahead of a potential January move, alongside top-flight rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Crystal Palace.

If Newcastle are searching for fresh blood to eventually replace Joelinton, they would strike gold in landing Hackney, with the “special” 23-year-old – as he was once labelled by analyst Ben Mattinson – very much capable of a fierce strike like the relentless Brazilian, as seen in this superb effort being rifled home last season.

With 111 Championship appearances now under his belt, and with two goals and two assists heading his way this season for Rob Edwards’ men, it really does feel as if Hackney might be the revamp Howe and Co. need centrally, so they don’t have to depend on a diminishing Joelinton as much.

Games played

12

Goals scored

2

Assists

2

Touches*

80.4

Accurate passes*

52.0 (87%)

Key passes*

1.7

Ball recoveries*

5.3

Total duels won*

4.1

Staring at the above table in great detail further shows off Hackney’s obvious similarities to those of Joelinton, with 5.3 ball recoveries averaged per Championship clash definitely backing up Edwards’ claims that his number seven is a talent with “loads of energy”.

At his Toon prime, that was what Joelinton was very much known for. Yet, he pales in comparison here right now, with only 3.9 ball recoveries averaged on his end in the league above.

Of course, it’s a risk to assume that Hackney will immediately be as forceful in the Premier League. But, it could be a gamble worth exploring, rather than holding out hope on Joelinton returning to his intimidating peak.

Newcastle star who's in “form of his life” is as undroppable as Guimaraes

This Newcastle United star has now made himself as undroppable as Bruno Guimaraes after another fine display on Saturday.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 26, 2025

Thomas Frank is clearly a clever man. The Tottenham Hotspur manager is a bona fide tactician, and he has credentials in the Premier League after lifting Brentford into the top flight and keeping them there with a flourish.

But the Danish coach’s skills haven’t yet translated to Tottenham, not in the same manner, not with the same snap and grace.

Tottenham are 11th in the league standings, and they have two points from their past five matches. Home ground misery has spilt from last season into the new campaign, and this is forming the crux of a general air of frustration that may threaten Frank’s tenure if he does not find a solution quickly.

Much has been made of the north Londoners’ creative problems this season, but Frank’s resilient and organised defensive structure is also leaving something to be desired, prompting Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici to start searching for reinforcements.

Spurs searching for a defender

Frank’s well-ordered system lends itself to stability in the Premier League. He is not known as an attack-centric coach, but the rises of Bryan Mbeumo, Ivan Toney and Yoane Wissa bear testament to his man-management skills and tactical expertise across the board.

But it’s clear that Tottenham need more high-quality depth at the rear, with questionable recruitment in recent years leading to a lopsided outfit that quite simply doesn’t boast the wider quality to challenge at the very top of the division.

Premier League 25/26: Highest xGA
Club	Goals Conceded	xGA
Burnley	28	28.8
West Ham	28	23.1
Nott’m Forest	22	21.3
Leeds	26	19.7
Tottenham	18	19.5
Data via FBref

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are talented centre-halves, but the pool is shallow beneath them, and that’s why Tottenham are gearing up for a winter raid on a Premier League rival.

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham are preparing an ambitious £40m bid for Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who has been among the standouts for Fabian Hurzeler this season.

The Dutchman is physical and technically dynamic, and given that he is contracted to the AMEX until 2027, now represents the perfect time to strike.

What Van Hecke would offer Spurs

Van Hecke, 25 years old, has been at Brighton since signing from NAC Breda in 2022, spending his first two years out on loan and since featuring 107 times across all competitions. He was immense last term, earning praise for his “unbelievable season” from his manager.

You may have seen Van Hecke’s name crop up in recent days. He netted a brace during Brighton’s frantic 4-3 defeat to winning machine Aston Villa, emulating both Romero and Van de Ven in that regard.

Standing at 6 foot 2 and with a limber frame, the Netherlands native is fast becoming one of the most dynamic and athletic centre-backs in the Premier League, ranking among the top 5% of positional peers in the division this season for goals scored, the top 21% for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

This underscores both his athleticism and proactivity on the ball. In this, he shares traits with Romero, who has scored three times but also assisted two goals across all competitions this year.

But the central point here is that Van Hecke is good enough to start; he would not move to the capital and play under Frank only to languish on the fringes.

Romero is the captain and a real talismanic force for a squad in need of guidance, but given Van Hecke’s enterprising passing and willingness to run, might he threaten countryman Van de Ven’s place in the starting line-up?

Premier League 25/26 – Van de Ven vs Van Hecke
Stats (* per game)	Van de Ven	Van Hecke
Matches (starts)	13 (13)	14 (14)
Goals	3	3
Assists	0	0
Touches*	69.2	86.4
Accurate passes*	53.2 (91%)	62.6 (87%)
Dribbles*	0.3	0.1
Ball recoveries*	3.7	3.1
Tackles + interceptions*	2.3	2.5
Clearances*	3.5	5.1
Duels (won)*	3.4 (51%)	5.6 (60%)
Errors	2	1
Data via Sofascore

Van de Ven simply isn’t winning enough duels this season. He is an elite athletic profile and a force to be reckoned with, but there is gas in the tank he is not burning right now, and a true challenger for his starting spot could jumpstart him into action.

Then again, Van Hecke does have the quality to nail down a berth, with former striker Pierre van Hooijdonk actually describing him as a “positively crazy” defender, something that can work in your favour as a centre-back, if harnessed effectively.

This Romero-esque player could prove a jackpot signing for Tottenham if signed, not only deepening Frank’s options but also enriching the quality of a team that has more to give.

Spurs star is becoming Frank's own version of Kane & he's not even a forward

This Tottenham star is becoming a talismanic force for Frank’s side.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 5, 2025

It is not controversial to say that Tottenham Hotspur have struggled in the Premier League this season, though, adopting a glass-half-full mentality, it could also be suggested that Thomas Frank’s project, in its infancy, has the potential to be a success.

However, we need to see a more synergised frontline and a sharper overall build-up strategy. Spurs have struggled for stable home form and fluency in their creativity this season, and that has formed the crux of their struggles.

Many players have flattered to deceive, but Johnson’s poor performances have perhaps gone somewhat under the radar as Frank continues to hand the Wales international a second-string role.

Brennan Johnson's struggles at Spurs

In keeping with the wider narrative at Tottenham, Johnson has ebbed and flowed since joining the club from Nottingham Forest for around £47.5m in 2023. However, he will be desperate for an uptick in form after a tough start to the Frank era, peripheral after scoring 17 goals across all competitions last year.

Johnson may have an eye for goal, but Frank clearly doesn’t fancy him as a regular starting option for the Lilywhites at the moment, with the Welshman only starting three of the past 11 fixtures in the Premier League.

Despite scoring in both of Tottenham’s opening league outings, he has offered very little in regard to ball-carrying and creative metrics, clinical when afforded space in the danger area but offering very little else for an outfit desperate for more dynamism.

See below for how Johnson’s data from the top-flight terms matches up against the form of Mohamed Kudus, and you’ll get a sense of why Frank is loath to give him a starting berth.

Premier League 25/26 – Mohammed Kudus vs Brennan Johnson
Stats (* per game)	Kudus	Johnson
Matches (starts)	13 (13)	13 (6)
Goals	2	2
Assists	5	0
Touches*	52.4	17.8
Shots (on target)*	1.5 (0.5)	0.4 (0.2)
Accurate passes*	20.9 (87%)	6.7 (70%)
Chances created*	1.6	0.4
Succ. dribbles*	3.1	0.2
Ball recoveries*	5.1	0.9
Tackles + interceptions*	1.9	1.1
Duels won*	6.5	1.8
Data via Sofascore

This isn’t good enough. Johnson has the physicality and electric nature to provide much more. After all, he has been hailed by content creator HLTCO in the past for his “frightening” pace and directness down the flank, right or left.

But time is surely running out for him to nail down a regular starting berth. He’s unlikely to displace Kudus, and while most Lilywhites have left something to be desired this season, there’s a lot of quality there.

And there’s more still to come, with an out-on-loan star sure to be eyeing a place above Johnson in the north London pecking order next season.

The Spurs star who could replace Johnson

Analyst Ben Mattinson has described Mikey Moore as a prospect with “superstar potential”, having taken his first steps in Tottenham’s first team last season, scoring his first senior goal in the Europa League and racking up two assists besides across 19 matches in all competitions.

Moore is currently sidelined with a muscular injury, approaching one month since last playing in the Scottish Premiership, and though he struggled to impose himself throughout the early weeks of the campaign, Rangers’ abject form made it difficult for the youngster to hit the ground running.

His natural potency in the final third and underlying athleticism suggest that he might be the perfect Johnson heir, especially since he is comfortable playing across both flanks.

Spurs writer James Harris has even said that he could “bring back the old Aaron Lennon” to north London, so dangerous and dynamic when running with the ball.

Lennon racked up 364 appearances as a right winger for Tottenham, and pace and potency were staples of his game. Like Moore, he was an incredibly direct winger; though he offered far more from a creative standpoint than, say, Johnson, there’s a sense that Moore might share the retired England star’s protean threat.

Though it hasn’t been plain sailing for Moore in the highlands this season, it’s probably fair to say that the experience has toughened him up some, and that could prove instrumental in nailing down a starting spot down the line at Tottenham.

Already, he is showing that he has more in his locker than Johnson, a wider and more threatening array of skills.

Expect big things from this kid in the future, even if that comes at Johnson’s expense, it will help elevate Frank’s project.

The new Son: Spurs prepared to pay £65m to sign "world-class" talent

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to fork out a hefty sum to land a new attacker for Thomas Frank.

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 3, 2025

With their trade for quarterback Geno Smith in the rearview mirror, the Las Vegas Raiders appear set to keep him around.

The Raiders are signing Smith to a two-year extension, according to a Thursday afternoon report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Smith, 34, was previously set to enter free agency after the 2025 season.

Per Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter, the extension will pay Smith up to $85.5 million with $66.5 million guaranteed.

Smith spent 2020 to '24 with the Seattle Seahawks, who traded Smith to Las Vegas on March 13. With the Seahawks, the West Virginia product completely rejuvenated his NFL career.

He threw 30 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 2022—a year in which he was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year. He followed that up with a 20-touchdown, nine-interception performance in 2023 that garnered him another Pro Bowl nod.

Smith's traditional numbers weren't overwhelming in 2024, but he remains a reliable option at his position—and the Raiders seem to agree.

Bangladesh coasted home in just 13.1 overs, achieving their third-quickest T20I chase

Abhimanyu Bose01-Sep-2025Bangladesh surged to a 2-0 lead in their three-match series against Netherlands with another comfortable win in the second T20I in Sylhet. Netherlands’ batting failed once again, failing to punish the hosts for some sloppy fielding, and seven of their batters were dismissed for single-digit scores as they slumped to 103 all out.Nasum Ahmed, who replaced Rishad Hossain for this game, finished with three wickets, while Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman continued their wicket-taking form with two apiece.Tanzid Hasan then hit an unbeaten half-century as Bangladesh romped to victory in 13.1 overs, making it their third-quickest chase in T20Is (where overs weren’t reduced).Nasum deals early double-blowEven though Max O’Dowd flicked the first ball for a boundary, it was a cagey start for Netherlands, including a missed run-out chance when Mahedi Hasan failed to collect a throw cleanly at the non-striker’s end in the first over with Vikramjit Singh short of his crease.Nasum’s introduction in the third over brought Bangladesh their first breakthrough, and then another.It was more poor execution of shots than the quality of bowling that brought about the wickets, as O’Dowd skied a half-tracker to mid-on and Teja Nidamanuru miscued a cut off another short ball to short third to give Nasum two in two.Vikramjit kept the boundaries coming, cover-driving Mahedi and sweeping Nasum fine before punching the left-arm spinner through point.But he tried to ramp a slower ball from Taskin in the sixth over, got cramped for room, and ended up spooning a catch to short third.Bangladesh sloppy in the fieldTaskin could have had his second off the next ball when Shariz Ahmad skied the ball attempting a swipe across the line but Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who had taken a good catch off the previous delivery, slipped at deep third and spilled the chance.Bangladesh’s sloppiness in the field continued next over, when they failed to capitalise on a mix-up: Towhid Hridoy first tried to run to the stumps from extra-cover, with the ball, and then sent an underarm throw off-target.But Netherlands couldn’t capitalize as Scott Edwards failed to clear mid-on in the ninth over, with Parvez Hossain Emon taking a good catch running back to give Mustafizur his first wicket.Where Bangladesh let simpler chances go, Saif Hassan produced a moment of brilliance to leave Netherlands five down in the tenth over. He dived to his right to stop a flick from Shariz, leaving non-striker Noah Croes, who had set off for a single before turning back, short of his ground with a direct hit.Taskin Ahmed was among the wickets again•BCBDutt resists, but bowlers have final sayFive became six next ball as a Tanzim bouncer cramped Shariz, who could only glove it behind down the leg side.Sikander Zulfiqar, brought into the XI to bolster Netherlands’ batting, made just two before Mustafizur hit the top of his off stump for his second wicket of the evening.Taskin and Nasum then added to their tallies before Aryan Dutt hauled Netherlands past 100, hitting the only six of the innings off Taskin in the process. But he bottom-edged Mahedi onto his stumps as he tried to go for another big shot, ending Netherlands’ innings on 103 with 2.3 overs left unused.Dutt top-scored with 30 and was one of only three Netherlands batters to record double-digit scores.Emon navigates tricky powerplayBangladesh openers rode their luck in the first couple of overs, with Emon top-edging a reverse-sweep over the keeper and missing out on a conventional sweep.But they enjoyed pace on the ball, with both Emon and Tanzid launching medium-pacer Kyle Klein over mid-off for boundaries.Emon was given out lbw off Paul van Meekeren, but he survived upon reviewing and responded by whipping him behind square leg for four and launching him down the ground for Bangladesh’s first six.However, Klein struck in the final over of the powerplay as Emon lost shape trying to hit a length ball down the ground and ended up edging behind.Tanzid, Litton finish the jobEmon’s wicket came during a spell of 15 balls without a boundary, and Litton broke it with a reverse-sweep behind point off Daniel Doram.When O’Dowd was introduced in the ninth over, Tanzid welcomed him with a six down the ground. In the next over, Tanzid tried to go down the ground again off Doram and was given a life with O’Dowd spilling the chance at long-on.Tanzid slogged O’Dowd over midwicket for a four and a six in his next over, the 12th of the innings, and brought up his half-century off 39 balls in the 13th. The rest of the chase was a formality, and Tanzid sealed the win with a slap down the ground.