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Season to begin on December 7 and conclude on January 24 to fit in with Australia’s home Tests

Alex Malcolm05-Jul-2023

Perth Scorchers celebrate their fifth BBL title in 12 seasons•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

The BBL is set for one of the earliest starts and earliest finishes in competition history with the 13th edition of the tournament set to run from December 7 to January 24 and could allow overseas players to stay for the majority of the season, after issues with retaining talent last year.Australia’s men’s home international schedule is the main reason why the tournament will start so early in December and finish on a Wednesday in late January, four days before the school holidays end on January 28.Australia play their first Test of the home summer against Pakistan in Perth from December 14 to 18. The BBL starts with seven primetime games in seven days from December 7 to December 13 but will pause completely for the Perth Test before recommencing on December 19.Australia are also scheduled to play a day-night Test against West Indies in Brisbane starting on January 25. The BBL opted to move the season forward to avoid the finals clashing with that match.Related

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A benefit of the earlier season means that overseas players may be able to participate in more of the tournament. Last season, which was the first after the BBL had introduced an overseas draft, began on December 13 and ran until February 4.But with the South Africa T20 and ILT20 starting on January 11 and 14 respectively last year, and offering far larger salaries to overseas players, the BBL saw a mass exodus of their marquee overseas draft signings mid-season. Faf du Plessis played just seven games for Perth Scorchers and Rashid Khan played just eight for Adelaide Strikers before heading to South Africa. Trent Boult played eight games for Melbourne Stars while Andre Russell played four for Melbourne Renegades before departing for the ILT20 in the UAE. Even Australian Chris Lynn missed the last three games of Strikers season to go to the UAE. Strikers lost their last three matches without both Rashid and Lynn to miss the finals.Faf du Plessis only played seven games in the BBL last season•Getty Images

Dates for the 2023 SA T20 and the ILT20 have yet to be released and the BBL has not moved the season forward specifically to avoid clashing with those leagues. But the head of the BBL, Alistair Dobson, hoped an earlier start and finish to the tournament could mean overseas players can stay for the majority of the season.”We are optimistic again of getting the biggest name players from around the world playing,” Dobson said. “We’re in discussions at the moment with a number of agents given nominations for the draft are open. And early indications are that players are really keen to play again. I think starting a week earlier than we perhaps normally would is a great opportunity for players to come and play most if not all of the BBL season again. Early discussions with agents and players are pretty positive.”A date for the BBL draft is set to be finalised in the coming weeks but it is likely to be held in late August as it was last year and it will be combined with the WBBL overseas draft that is set to take place for the first time.The draft rules, order, and player contract bands are set to be very similar to last year, although there will be some minor modifications to the platinum player salaries depending on how many matches they are available for. A platinum player will earn AUD$420,000, up from AUD$340,000 last year, although that could be reduced to AUD$360,000 if they play less than eight games. The gold band moves to AUD$300,000, silver AUD$200,000 and bronze AUD$100,000.The BBL salary cap has increased to AUD$3 million from 1.9 million as part of Cricket Australia’s new five-year MoU with the Australia Cricketers’ Association.The BBL season has also been reduced in length a year earlier than expected following CA’s new broadcast rights agreement with existing partners Channel Seven and Foxtel.The old agreement is due to expire at the end of 2023-24 and was supposed to include a 56-game home-and-away BBL season (14 games for each team) and a five-team, five-game finals series. But the new deal has been brought forward a year to revert to a 40-game regular season (10 for each team) with just four teams playing finals, which is the same structure as the 2017-18 season.The new structure means that not every team will get to play each other twice. Dobson confirmed that there was no specific formula to work out which teams would play each other twice, with the exception of scheduling two Melbourne and Sydney derbies each.”We deliberately didn’t set any parameters or guidelines around it,” Dobson said. “Given some of the unique considerations this year around venue availability and the shape of the season, we left ourselves with as much freedom as possible to make sure we got the biggest games and the best games in the right slots. We’ll see how this unfolds and how it plays out over the season and whether going forward there are some more guidelines we put around that or whether we just see how it shapes up each season.”It’s been a number of years since we’ve had to have a schedule where not everyone plays each other twice. It was something that we looked at closely in terms of when we got to those final few matchups who played who. But often it wrote itself.”The BBL will have an issue around the finals series with Adelaide Oval and the Gabba unavailable due to the Tests between Australia and West Indies. The BBL is working with both Strikers and Brisbane Heat on alternative venues if they are to host a final.There are only five doubleheaders and no tripleheaders in the schedule. There is also no game on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day but neither have been ruled out as options in the future.

Everton Women have pulled off one of the boldest moves of the summer, breaking their transfer record to prise Ruby Mace away from Leicester City. While the club haven't disclosed the exact figure, reports speculate that the deal dwarfs the £100,000 bid Everton saw turned down earlier in the window. The Toffees were determined to get their player, and under ambitious new ownership, they’ve finally landed their marquee signing.

Everton break record for England midfielderMace targets Wiegman recall after transferDerby debut against Liverpool on the horizonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mace, who has signed on until 2027, had just 12 appearances under her belt in Leicester colours following her permanent switch from Manchester City last year. Her rise, however, truly began during her earlier loan spell at the Foxes, where her dynamic style and eye for controlling games in midfield drew admiring glances from scouts across the Women’s Super League. With a year left on her contract at Leicester, Everton moved decisively, ensuring they secured one of England’s brightest young stars before rivals could pounce.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT MACE SAID

Speaking after sealing the move, Mace admitted the whirlwind nature of the deal had barely registered.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It all happened so quickly but I’m really happy to be here,” she told

The midfielder revealed that conversations with Everton boss Brian Sorensen were instrumental in her decision.

"When I spoke to Brian Sorensen, it was about the style of play and the ambition of the club," she added. "Also, just being able to showcase what I can do in a team that, feels to me, like it could be a level up. That's what I need in this point in my career to push forward."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Mace has already worn the Three Lions shirt, making her England senior debut in December 2024 in a narrow win over Switzerland. But she was left out of Sarina Wiegman’s triumphant Euro 2025 squad, a snub she now intends to turn into motivation.

"I want to make my game better. I still have so much to work on but to be given the opportunity to come here and work with amazing players, hopefully that can elevate me," added Mace. "My main focus is on club football now but if that [England] comes too, I'd be really grateful. It's something I want to happen. I have to work hard and really earn my spot there because it is not easy."

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DID YOU KNOW?

The move for Mace marks Everton’s ninth signing of the summer, a clear statement of intent from The Friedkin Group, who took control earlier this year. Determined to push the club forward both on and off the pitch, the owners have backed Sorensen with fresh talent to build a squad capable of competing with the WSL’s elite.

Mace’s journey has already seen her wear several storied shirts. She rose through Arsenal’s academy ranks, breaking into the senior side during the 2020-21 campaign. Stints at Birmingham City and Manchester City followed, before Leicester gave her a stage to truly showcase her potential. Now, the midfielder arrives on Merseyside with added expectations.

Belgian winger Samuel Mbangula says Juventus were “forced” to sell him to raise funds despite a promising season in Serie A.

• Juventus told Mbangula they had to sell him
• Belgian winger opted for Bremen in €10m deal
• 21-year-old personally rejected Forest

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In an interview with , Mbangula revealed that Juventus made it clear they had to sell him to raise funds before his €10 million (£9m/$11m) move to Bremen this summer. The 21-year-old Belgian winger, who enjoyed a breakout season in Turin, revealed that he would have been happy to stay, but the club told him they were 'forced' into the sale.

  Notably, Mbangula was also the subject of serious interest from Nottingham Forest during the Club World Cup, with the Premier League side reaching an agreement with Juventus but not with the player. The winger ultimately turned down the move, instead choosing to join Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga. 

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mbangula’s move to Bremen ends a short but promising spell at Juventus. The Belgian winger joined the Serie A side in 2020 from Anderlecht's academy and soon broke into the Juventus B team. He made his senior debut in last season in the opening game against Como, scoring in a 3-0 win. His big moment came in the 2024-25 season when he scored the winner in a Champions League play-off first leg against PSV. At 21 years and 26 days, he became both Juventus’ and Belgium’s youngest-ever scorer in the knockout stage of Europe’s top competition.

• WHAT SAMUEL MBANGULA SAID

  Mbangula said: "I remain loyal to Juve and hope to be able to watch the match against Next Gen on TV. It's always a celebration. I miss Juventus, and Turin too, but now I've moved on. I would have happily stayed with Juventus, but that's football. The club made a clear statement to me: 'We're sorry, but we need to raise money and we're forced to sell you'."

  The 21-year-old winger also opened up about Nottingham Forest's interest, revealing that he personally rejected the move, adding: “Nottingham had an agreement with Juventus during the World Cup, not with me. In the end, everything fell through, and I’m happy to be in Germany, a league that has brought so many young players to the fore.”

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR SAMUEL MBANGULA?

  Ever since their promotion back into the Bundesliga in 2022, Werder Bremen have continued the upward trajectory. The German club finished eighth in the league last season and will be aiming for a top five finish this year with their new promising signing. They will next face Arminia Bielefeld in the DFB-Pokal first round on August 15 before kicking off their Bundesliga season against Eintracht Frankfurt on August 23. 

Four balls, 20 runs – the wait for MS Dhoni to bat was well worth it for his fans and team-mates alike at the Wankhede on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Apr-2024
19.1, Hardik to Mitchell, 1 wide
Width outside off, Mitchell is beaten as he tries to cut and pick the gap at deep point. Wide signalled, Hardik reviews, but replays confirm it was well outside the marker with the batter making no attempt to move around the crease. The wide stands.19.1, 4, Hardik to Mitchell, FOUR runs
Heaved down the ground, beats Nabi running around from long-on! Brute force.19.2, Hardik to Mitchell, 1 wide
Spears it way outside off in anticipation of the batter moving around, another wide. Challenged once again, wonder why.19.2, Hardik to Mitchell, OUT
Muscled to long-on where Nabi takes an excellent catch on the move. Mitchell stood on off stump and tried to swing cleanly into the leg side, struck it well but couldn’t get the elevation. That ball was travelling.Mitchell must be wondering why they’re all applauding. The noise levels are going up by the second. Wankhede roars. They’re up to applaud a legend. In comes MS Dhoni. The noise has just shot through the roof.19.3, 6, Hardik to Dhoni, SIX runs
What a hit! That’s an MS Dhoni special. Hardik feeds a sweet hit-me length to MS, still has to be hit alright and he clobbers this over long-off.19.4, 6, Hardik to Dhoni, SIX runs
That’s smacked over long-on! Swatted powerfully and disdainfully. Hardik makes the cardinal sin of bowling length, Dhoni has a free swing across the line. It’s a flat hit. Wow, just wow.19.5, 6, Hardik to Dhoni, SIX runs
Make that three in a row! Hardik loses the plot as he goes full searching for a yorker, but ends up bowling a full toss on leg stump and Dhoni simply swats that over square leg. Tremendous bat speed.19.6, Hardik to Dhoni, 2 runs
Looks to heave this slower delivery across the line, gets an inside edge that flies wide of the stumps, Ishan can only half-stop and Dhoni squeezes in a second. What a sensational finish!

Ben McDermott has returned from concussion to steer Hobart Hurricanes to a confidence-boosting seven-wicket BBL win over Sydney Thunder.McDermott, who missed two matches after a training mishap, top scored with an unbeaten 53 from 34 deliveries as his side chased down a target of 151 with 11 balls to spare at Blundstone Arena on Monday night.Related

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The victory, Hobart’s second of the season from five matches, lifts them to fifth spot on the ladder, two points outside the top four.McDermott shared an 85-run partnership with the in-form Macalister Wright, who fell late in the chase for 34 from 25 balls.Wright’s knock came on the back of an impressive 36-ball 63 against Renegades and 33 from 19 against Stars.The pair took 22 runs from the two-over power surge taken in the 13th over to get the chase down to roughly a run a ball.Thunder are long odds to make the finals, with just one win from six starts in a 10-games-per-team competition.Earlier, captain Chris Green gave Thunder’s innings a late boost with an unbeaten 33 from just 17 deliveries after coming to the crease at 92 for 6.Thunder lost regular wickets throughout, including English import Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who was run out without facing a ball. Kohler-Cadmore, who has a career strike rate of 140 at an average of almost 30, unsuccessfully took on the arm of Wright in the deep in the fourth over.Chris Jordan, Nikhil Chaudhary and Patrick Dooley shared the spoils for Hurricanes with two wickets each.The experienced Jordan picked up an economical 2 for 20 from four overs, including the wicket of the dangerous Oliver Davies (20 off 17) during the power surge.Chaudhary (2 for 26 from four) had opener Cameron Bancroft (21 from 20) caught and bowled with his spin, then returned in the 15th over to trap Nathan McAndrew lbw.Caleb Jewell (31 from 20) got Hurricanes’ chase off to a strong start but was out in the eighth over to a low outfield catch by Daniel Sams, ruled by the third umpire to have been held just above the grass.

GOAL tells you everything you need to know about a 16-year-old sensation being compared to Zinedine Zidane and Jude Bellingham

Ajax boast one of the most revered and envied talent factories in world football. Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids, Patrick Kluivert, Wesley Sneijder – we could go on and on, but you get the point already. Umpteen stars learned their trade at the prestigious academy in Amsterdam before shining even more brightly at some of Europe's richest clubs.

It won't come as much of a surprise to learn, then, that Ajax may have unearthed another gem in Abdellah Ouazane. What is unusual about their latest discovery, though, is the fact that he's set to leave without making a single senior appearance for the iconic Dutch club – and for Real Madrid no less.

So, who is the latest potential superstar to roll off the Ajax production line? And is he destined to succeed at the Santiago Bernabeu? GOAL tells you everything you need to know about Ouazane below…

• Where it all began

  Ouazane was born in Amsterdam to Moroccan parents and started out playing for local side AVV Zeeburgia, a club known as the "royal supplier" within Dutch footballing circles because of its propensity for producing top players, including Netherlands international Ryan Gravenberch. Just like the Liverpool star, Ouazane was promptly picked up by Ajax, whom he joined in 2016 when he was still only seven years old.

  The young midfielder progressed rapidly through one of the most talent-packed youth sectors in the world and was soon being talked about as one of Ajax's most promising academy products in years.

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• The big break

  Ouazane had a big decision to make last year. Having already represented both Netherlands and Morocco at Under-15 level, he felt compelled to choose between the two nations.

  Just like his older brother Zakaria, who plays for Ajax's Under-19s, he plumped for Morocco – and doing so is already looking like a pivotal moment in Ouazane's fledgling career.

  Morocco included the 16-year-old in their squad for this year's U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and Ouazane shone on home soil, taking home the player of the tournament award after inspiring the Atlas Cubs to victory.

  "He was born in 2009 – people forget that," coach Nabil Baha enthused. "He's a year younger than the others. But he's full of talent."

• How it's going

  Unsurprisingly, Ouazane's sensational displays for – and in – Morocco attracted the attention of scouts from top clubs all across Europe, which obviously put Ajax on red alert.

  They tried desperately to tie down a player that broke into their Under-17s side while still only 15. However, despite their best attempts, it now seems as if Ouazane is going to sign his first professional contract with Madrid rather than Ajax.

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• Biggest strengths

  Ouazane is a multi-talented midfielder with silky dribbling skills and the requisite range of passing to make full use of his impressive vision, as he underlined with the beautiful assist for a sensational Denzel Darko strike that went viral last year.

  This is a young man blessed with quick feet and a deceptive turn of pace that enables him to elegantly elude opponents, meaning he's a threat no matter where he picks up possession.

  He doesn't just dissect defences with his precision passing, either. He's also got an eye for goal himself, with Ouazane netting twice during Morocco's AFCON triumph.

  However, what really marked him out as a special talent during that tournament was his composure under pressure and tactical intelligence, which allowed him to dictate the pace of nearly every game he played in, which led to him winning man of the match in two of his six outings.

MatériaMais Notícias

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São os casos específicos do zagueiro Luizão e do meia Igor Gomes, cuja renovações contratuais estão emperradas e podem fazer com que a dupla deixe o Tricolor sem nenhuma compensação, situação minimizada pelo treinador. Confira no vídeo acima.

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Tottenham Hotspur and Daniel Levy are advancing to sign a new international forward at the peak of his powers.

Tottenham transfer rumours as Ange prepares for Chelsea

Spurs and Ange Postecoglou have had a season to forget in the Premier League this year, sitting in the bottom half of the table for large parts of the campaign.

As a result, Postecoglou is being repeatedly linked with the Tottenham sack, with the likes of Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva and Mauricio Pochettino being linked as potential replacements for the Australian.

However, behind the scenes, early groundwork work is also being laid in north London regarding summer signings while Postecoglou prepares his side to take on Chelsea.

Chelsea (away)

April 3rd

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Frankfurt (home)

April 10th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Frankfurt (away)

April 17th

Talks have been held over a move to sign Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah, whereas offers have reportedly been submitted for Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri and Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg.

In attack, Spurs have been linked with Chelsea attacker Noni Madueke and Southampton gem Tyler Dibling.

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ByCharlie Smith Mar 27, 2025

Now, it looks as if a move for an international winger is on the cards.

Tottenham advancing to sign Gustav Isaksen with Spurs readying £33m bid

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Spurs are advancing in a deal to sign Lazio attacker Gustav Isaksen.

The Denmark international, who was linked with a move to Celtic earlier this year, has come on to the radar in north London and Tottenham are now willing to bid €40m (£33.3m) to sign Isaksen.

Lazio have been on the search for a winger of their own for next season in Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa, and by the looks of things, a move to England for Isaksen is a possibility.

The 23-year-old began his career with FC Midtjylland before moving to Lazio in 2023 in a deal worth more than €13m. He’s gone from strength to strength in Italy, seeing his Transfermarkt valuation increase from €5m to a career-high €20m in just over two years.

Isaksen, who can play anywhere across the front three but is primarily a right-winger, has made 39 appearances in all competitions this season and has contributed to 10 goals. He was also once called a “flamboyant winger” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who compared Isaksen to Leroy Sane.

Now, by the looks of things, a move to Spurs for Isaksen is one to keep an eye on ahead of the 2025/26 season, with Tottenham willing to splash the cash on a winger who is yet to ply his trade in England.

Chelsea’s hunt for a striker has been going on for nearly 12 months now, with boss Enzo Maresca targeting a new centre-forward ever since his appointment during the summer.

Countless players have been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge over the past few months, with Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney just two of the names thrown into the mix.

However, the Italian is yet to land the talisman he craves in West London, potentially providing a huge boost in their chances of returning to Premier League glory in the coming years.

The summer will provide a fresh opportunity to delve back into the transfer market to try and finally end their pursuit, with owner Todd Boehly needing to get his chequebook out once again.

It’s crucial that the Blues land a player who would provide an upgrade on the options currently at Maresca’s disposal, dropping one player down the pecking order as a result.

Nicolas Jackson’s stats for Chelsea in 2024/25

Senegalese forward Nicolas Jackson joined Chelsea back in the summer of 2023, looking to cement his place as a regular starter for the Blues at the top end of the pitch.

Fast-forward 18 months, the 23-year-old has certainly done just that, scoring 26 times before his injury lay-off and becoming Maresca’s number one striking option.

However, there’s still been a few question marks around his goal-scoring ability due to his wasteful nature in the final third, as seen by his tally of 15 big chances missed with only two players managing more in the league this campaign.

Jackson has also been dispossessed 1.7 times per 90 to date, often struggling to make the ball stick, with the club desperately needing a focal point to take them to the next level.

Undoubtedly, a proven goal scorer in today’s market is likely to cost a fortune, but the club have already made a huge mistake in allowing one talent to leave for a bargain fee.

The talisman who’s scored 89 goals since leaving Chelsea

Chelsea’s academy setup has provided numerous stars over the years, handing numerous managers the opportunity to be a success during their spell in charge at the Bridge.

However, players are also offloaded to balance the books, with striker Dominic Solanke one of those who falls into such a category – departing in a £3m deal to join Liverpool in 2017.

The Englishman was once seen as a player with huge potential in West London, scoring countless times at various youth levels, before notching seven goals during his first professional loan at Vitesse.

His lack of first-team action with his boyhood side would lead to his departure, having the opportunity to impress under Jürgen Klopp at Anfield, scoring just once before a permanent move to Bournemouth a year later.

The move to the South Coast would kickstart his career into life, registering 77 goals for the Cherries during his six years at the Vitality, which saw him notch 19 goals in his final season at the club during 2024/25.

Such form led to a club-record £65m move to Tottenham Hotspur last summer, offering a replacement for Harry Kane, and wasting no time in impressing – as seen by his tally of 11 goals in all competitions for the Lilywhites, taking his tally to 89 goals since leaving the Blues.

Games played

29

24

Goals scored

11

9

Progressive passes

2.1

1.4

Take-on success

35%

34%

Carries into final third

1.2

1.1

Aerials won

1.9

0.7

Aerial success rate

43%

33%

The aforementioned figure is also higher than that of current first-team star Jackson, outscoring the Senegalese international but also outperforming him when delving into their respective stats in 2024/25.

Given his rise to stardom, coupled with his ability to find the back of the net at the top level, it’s safe to say the Blues made a huge mistake in allowing him to depart the club – with their loss now Spurs’ gain in their own hunt for European success.

Jackson has been a solid option in recent times, but if the Blues are to progress to the next level under Maresca, it’s pivotal that a new striker is signed this summer – missing a trick by allowing Solanke to leave with the 27-year-old possessing all the tools to be their leading talisman going forward.

Chelsea let Cobham "wizard" leave for £0, now he's even better than Palmer

Todd Boehly has even wanted to bring this top talent back to Stamford Bridge.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 3, 2025

Already set to be without the suspended Matheus Cunha, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly been handed a well-timed boost in the form of one returning player from injury.

Wolves injury news

The Midlands club haven’t been without their injury issues this season, which has far from helped their pursuit of Premier League survival. Without the likes of Hwang Hee-chan, and Jorgen Strand Larsen at times, among others, Vitor Pereira has been forced to form makeshift frontlines and often fall back on the quality of Cunha to take Wolves to vital points. Against Everton, however, it will be the Brazilian watching on from the sidelines.

After scoring a sensational goal to level things up against Bournemouth in last weekend’s FA Cup clash, the forward had a moment to forget when he headbutted Milos Kerkez and left the referee with no choice but to hand him his marching orders.

Now set to be without Cunha for games against Everton, Southampton and West Ham United, Wolves will be desperately hoping to welcome back the further firepower reports are suggesting they could.

According to Molineux News, Rodrigo Gomes has now returned to Wolves training and could yet be in contention to make his comeback from injury in a crucial clash against Everton this weekend.

He earns more than Cunha: Pereira must sell "lightning quick" Wolves flop

The Wolverhampton Wanderers flop should be let go in the summer window.

ByDan Emery Mar 5, 2025

The Portuguese winger has missed the last four games in all competitions, including against Bournemouth last time out, and is now set to return at the perfect time amid Cunha’s suspension.

If there was ever a time for the summer signing to prove his worth, it is in the next three games as Wolves look to take a vital step towards survival with just 11 Premier League games remaining. Having scored just two goals so far this season, it would be the perfect time for Gomes to add to his output.

"Dynamic" Gomes can finally make his mark

After scoring nine goals and assisting a further eight for Estoril Praia on loan from Braga in Portugal last season, Gomes represented an impressive signing by Wolves last summer. Since then, however, the 21-year-old has very much looked like a young player still adjusting to one of the highest calibre divisions in European football.

Now reportedly set to return from injury, he could finally replicate his Estoril Praia form and become the star that Wolves will so desperately lack without Cunha. Having been dubbed an “exciting signing for Wolves” who’s both “dynamic and “direct” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the young winger could be one to watch in the closing months of the campaign.

Whether Gomes comes straight into Pereira’s starting side remains to be seen, but having such an option from the bench at the very least should hand those in the Midlands some much-needed attacking depth.