Newcastle United are said to be “ready” to make a move for an “international” level midfielder this summer, according to a new transfer report.
Newcastle may need midfielder if Tonali leaves
The future of Sandro Tonali at St James’ Park is up in the air currently, with no guarantee that the Italian will still be at the club next, following two seasons there. One report has claimed that Newcastle are willing to listen to offers for the 24-year-old, with bids of around £68.5m possibly being accepted in the summer transfer window amid interest from Man City and Juventus.
Meanwhile, a swap deal involving the Magpies hero and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has also been mentioned, with the Serie A giants happy to let the Serb leave this summer.
Tonali himself played down a return to AC Milan earlier this year, prior to the EFL Cup final victory over Liverpool, saying: “I have never ever spoken about it with my agents. And I know, from experience, that if you don’t get to that point there is nothing. And in any case, I am happy with myself here [at Newcastle]. I have found my line and there is no need to upset it again. I want to win for the Newcastle United fans.”
Newcastle "ready" to sign Saelemaekers this summer
Now, according to Il Messaggero [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are “ready to invest” in Milan midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers this summer, with the 25-year-old out on loan at Roma currently. Milan are believed to value the midfielder at £17m, which is too much for Roma, with the Magpies and Nottingham Forest potentially looking to strike a permanent deal instead.
Whether Saelemaekers is seen as a possible replacement option for Tonali remains to be seen, but there is plenty for Eddie Howe to admire about him. The Belgian has enjoyed a good season out on loan at Roma, scoring six times in Serie A, which is two more than Bruno Guimaraes has managed in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri lauded his quality and versatility earlier in the season, saying: “Saelemaekers is an international player, a good player who can play different roles. I needed him on this wing to execute certain plays, and he is doing well in interpreting what I want from him.”
Saelemaekers could add great energy to Newcastle’s midfield next season and beyond, with Howe no doubt liking the fact that he can shine in various central and wide roles, and he is a 14-cap Belgium international, which is no mean feat alongside some stellar names.
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At 25, there is a lot more to come from him, too, and while £17m could be a steal, his arrival hopefully wouldn’t be at the expense of Tonali, who the Magpies must look to keep hold of.
In a major boost for those in the Midlands, Besiktas are now reportedly willing to listen to offers for a long-term Aston Villa target this summer and the Villans could finally get their man.
All eyes on Bournemouth for Aston Villa
Still battling to squeeze their way into the top five in the final three Premier League games, Aston Villa simply cannot afford anything but three points against a tough Bournemouth side this weekend. Everything is still to play for in the race for European football and anything could still happen. Even sat seventh, Unai Emery’s side should have plenty of hope.
Emery recently spoke about his side’s final run-in and how his side are taking it one game at a time, telling reporters: “Bournemouth, next week. Bournemouth. So, so difficult, Bournemouth. And then, we’ll see. We’ll see. Saturday, finished. Now Bournemouth.
“Before Saturday if we were thinking, ok, the next match is Bournemouth, the next match is Tottenham, Manchester United… if we weren’t winning, forget it! Completely! We have to go to each match and try to win. If we win like today, ok, the next one.”
Following their trip to Bournemouth, Aston Villa will square off against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United to end their season. In many ways, nothing quite represents how much the Premier League has changed more than Villa’s fight for Champions League football coming against two bottom half sides who many tipped to be in the Villans’ position at the start of the campaign.
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Things are likely to get even worse for Manchester United and Spurs if Villa qualify for a place among Europe’s elite too. With Champions League football to offer, those in the Midlands could instantly go in pursuit of major upgrades which may yet include one particular young star.
Besiktas now open to selling "dynamic" Kilicsoy
According to Fotomac in Turkey, as relayed by Sport Witness, Besiktas are now open to selling Semih Kilicsoy with Aston Villa already eyeing a summer swoop to finally land his signature. The 19-year-old first grabbed Villa’s attention last summer and was even reportedly the subject of a rejected offer. Now, a year on, a similar offer could be enough for the Turkish side to bid farewell to their young star.
Described as a “dynamic versatile forward” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Kilicsoy is undoubtedly one to watch. His first full season at senior level was incredibly impressive and since then he has not looked back.
In the current campaign, Kilicsoy has managed four goals and six assists – once again proving his ability to be a consistent outlet from either flank or, indeed, the player leading the line. With plenty of years between now and his peak, the teenager is not one that Villa will want to miss out on.
Glasgow Rangers’ supporters have seen plenty of sublime strikers perform at Ibrox over the years.
Names such as Ally McCoist, Mark Hateley, Michael Mols and Kris Boyd roll off the tongue and how the new manager would love a goalscorer in this mould for next season at Rangers. The foundation of title wins and European runs, however, comes from an excellent defence, in particular a solid centre-back.
Terry Butcher arrived in Glasgow from England, and immediately became one of the most influential defenders in the club’s history. Richard Gough was next to follow, and he captained the Gers to nine league titles in a row at Ibrox between 1989 and 1997.
Following Gough’s departure, the likes of Lorenzo Amoruso, Craig Moore and Carlos Cueller emerged to continue the club’s ascent, with the latter helping Rangers reach the 2008 UEFA Cup final.
Who can forget David Weir? The former Everton defender was an absolute rock, despite playing until he was 41.
It took a while for the Light Blues to eventually replace Weir at the heart of the defence, but when Connor Goldson arrived in Glasgow during the summer of 2018, he looked every inch the heir to the Scot.
Conor Goldson’s Rangers statistics
Steven Gerrard’s rebuilding job that summer required a centre-back who could cope with the physicality of Scottish football.
Goldson, having played over 100 matches for Brighton and Shrewsbury down south, looked like the perfect signing.
Despite the Light Blues failing to win a trophy during Gerrard’s first two seasons at the club, progress was clear, and this stemmed from an improved defence led by Goldson.
Rangers defender Connor Goldson.
Indeed, he missed just six and two games during those two seasons. Rarely injured and consistently excellent, the Englishman was on the cusp of helping the Gers to one of their finest seasons on record.
Throughout the 2020/21 season, Rangers conceded only 13 Premiership goals, breaking the British record of 15 set by Chelsea 16 years before.
Goldson and Filip Helander were a commanding partnership at the back. The former Brighton star won an impressive 6.6 total duels per game that term – a success rate of 71% – while being dribbled past only 0.2 times per game and making 1.3 tackles each match.
Connor Goldson’s statistics at Rangers
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2023/24
48
0
3
2022/23
38
3
3
2021/22
61
4
4
2020/21
56
8
3
2019/20
52
4
2
2018/19
54
4
0
Via Transfermarkt
This was Goldson at his peak, no doubt about that. He was excellent during the club’s run to the final of the Europa League in 2022, but mistakes began creeping in steadily over the next couple of years.
His lack of pace was a worry, and he was regularly beaten in foot races against faster opponents, notably against Bojan Miovski, who got the better of the defender to open the scoring for Aberdeen in a 1-1 draw back in 2023.
He left last summer, joining Cypriot side Aris Limassol. He was awarded the best defender of the season and perhaps the club sold him prematurely?
It looks as though the Light Blues are showing interest in signing a centre-back from the Premier League. Could Cameron Burgess turn into Goldson 2.0?
Rangers eye move for Premier League defender
Leon Balogun looks set to leave Ibrox and with Rafael Fernandes returning to his parent club, the only centre-backs remaining will be John Souttar, Robin Propper, Clinton Nsiala and Leon King.
With questions over Propper and Nsiala’s lack of experience, it is evident the club need to bring in a solid, reliable, defender this summer.
Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie gave the fans some transfer news when he took to X recently, saying: “Rangers are interested in Ipswich defender Cameron Burgess as they seek to bolster their defence ahead of the new season.
“29-yo has played 18 times in the Premier League this season.”
Burgess may be approaching 30, but with Premier League experience under his belt and the physicality to succeed in Scottish football, it could be a smart move to bring the £2m-rated star north of the border.
If he impresses early on, he could be the natural successor to Goldson at Ibrox. That much is certain.
Why Rangers must sign Cameron Burgess
Scottish scout and analyst, Kai Watson, profiled the centre-back amid rumors that Rangers are keen on signing him.
He said: “Cameron Burgess may not be the most exciting signing on paper but he’ll bring necessary experience to the back, particularly if Balogun departs.
“He’s 6’4, left sided, an Australian international and uses the ball well.”
Across his 18 Premier League appearances for Ipswich Town this term, Burgess has won 3.6 total duels per game – a success rate of 68% – and made 0.9 tackles and 6.9 clearances per game in the top flight.
Kieran McKenna, Burgess’ manager at Ipswich, hailed the defender as “excellent” back in 2022 and there is no doubt he would be a reliable option for the new manager to call upon next term, given his dominant duel success rate that compares well to Goldson’s aforementioned form at Ibrox.
While his passing statistics may not be out of this world, mainly due to Ipswich not having much of the ball during games, he makes up for it by impressing across other metrics.
Indeed, when compared to fellow defenders in the English top flight, the Australian ranks in the top 2% for clearances (7.48), in the top 21% for aerials won (2.57), and in the top 5% for percentage of dribblers tackled (81.8%) per 90 this season.
Although bringing the ball out from the back is important, having a player who is able to get the better of the opposition forwards – both in the air and on the ground – is something that the Gers have struggled with this season.
Propper often struggles with the physicality of strikers from clubs lower down the league table, even though his passing is fairly reliable (88% pass success rate).
Burgess might not be a flashy new signing that will get supporters out of their seats at Ibrox next season. What he will offer is a solidity at the heart of the defence.
Following a campaign of disarray, this is exactly what is required for 2025/26.
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Rangers are looking to sign a few players this summer
Glasgow Rangers went into Sunday’s clash already at Ibrox knowing that the result was more or less immaterial as their second-placed finish has already been confirmed.
Since their city rivals won the Scottish Premiership title at the end of last month, Rangers have known that they cannot finish as low as third and they cannot win the division, leaving the Light Blues stuck in second place with little to play for in the remaining games of the season.
The Light Blues should already be focused on what they need to do in the upcoming summer transfer window in order to turn the tide and compete for the title in the 2025/26 campaign.
A new first-team head coach will be a big part of their plans because Barry Ferguson is currently in interim charge until the end of the season, having come in to steady the ship after Philippe Clement was dismissed earlier this year.
However, the Scottish giants will also know that they will have some difficulties on their hands when it comes to dealing with interest in their stars from elsewhere.
For example, Premier League sides Aston Villa and Leeds United are reportedly lining up moves for Nicolas Raskin, who is valued at £20m by the Gers, ahead of the summer window.
Why losing Nicolas Raskin would be a big blow for Rangers
If Leeds or Villa are able to complete a deal for the former Standard Liege star, losing the Belgium international would be a big blow for Rangers and the next manager to walk through the doors at Ibrox.
Raskin recently won the Player of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year at the club’s awards night, which speaks to how highly the supporters and his own teammates value his performances this season.
The central midfielder has combined impressive play on the ball, scoring two goals and providing nine assists, with dominant defensive work out of possession, making 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 58% of his duels, across 31 appearances in the Premiership.
Raskin also caught the eye with his fantastic performances for the Light Blues in the Europa League before the club were knocked out by Athletic Club in the quarter-finals.
24/25 Europa League
Nicolas Raskin
Appearances
12
Tackles per game
3.7
Interceptions per game
1.3
Ball recoveries per game
7.4
Ground duel success rate
50%
Aerial duel success rate
55%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old dynamo excelled at winning the ball back for his side, with a whopping five tackles and interceptions per game on average, and more than held his own in physical battles.
Raskin
These statistics reinforce how much of a blow it would be to lose the midfielder to Villa or Leeds this summer because of how impactful he can be in both the Premiership and the Europa League.
However, a fresh report has emerged on the club’s interest in a new central midfielder who could come in as a dream replacement for Raskin.
Rangers lining up move for £4m star
According to The Scottish Sun, the 49ers have Basel loanee Metinho at the top of their list of targets ahead of the summer transfer window, once their takeover is finalised.
The report claims that the Light Blues are lining up a move for the central midfielder ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and that he is valued at £4m at this moment in time.
Metinho is currently on loan at Basel from Troyes, having spent the first half of the year at Sparta Rotterdam, and the Gers are hoping to reach an agreement with the French side in the coming weeks.
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The Scottish Sun adds that there is also interest from several teams in the English Championship and that the 49ers want to fast-track a deal for the young star, which could mean that they bring him in before they even appoint a new manager.
Why Rangers should sign Metinho
Rangers must push to sign Metinho ahead of those teams in England because he could come in as the dream replacement for Raskin in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Signing the 22-year-old star from Troyes could soften the blow of losing the Belgium international, should he move on from Ibrox in the coming months.
Nicolas Raskin
The Brazilian midfielder struggled for game time with Sparta Rotterdam in the first half of the season, starting two of his 12 appearances in the Eredivisie, before a loan move to Basel sparked his campaign into life.
Since joining the Swiss giants, the £4m-rated star has been a key figure in the middle of the park, starting eight of his ten appearances in the Super League, and has caught the eye with his defensive work.
24/25 Super League
Metinho
Appearances
10
Pass accuracy
86%
Tackles per game
3.1
Interceptions per game
1.1
Ball recoveries per game
4.7
Ground duel success rate
69%
Aerial duel success rate
45%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Metinho has averaged 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game, which is more than the 3.6 that Raskin has averaged in the Premiership for Rangers this term, and won an eye-catching 69% of his ground duels.
Clearly, the Troyes starlet still has areas for improvement, including his success in aerial contests in the middle of the park, but he appears to have the raw defensive materials to be an excellent signing for the Scottish giants.
Metinho could be the dream replacement for Raskin by arriving at Ibrox to provide a similar level of defensive quality in midfield by breaking up attacks with tackles, interceptions, and ball recoveries at a similar rate.
In possession, the Brazilian star also ranks within the top 2% of midfielders in the Men’s Next 14 competitions over the last 365 days for progressive carries (3.49) and successful take-ons (1.83) per 90, which shows that he can provide quality as a progressive midfield player as well as being an excellent defender.
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At the age of 22, he is also two years younger than the Belgian star and still has time left on his side to develop and improve further, which is another reason why the youngster could be a fantastic signing for the 49ers to make, irrespective of who the next manager is going to be.
Turning their attention away from a historic League One season and towards the summer transfer window, Birmingham City and Tom Wagner are now reportedly eyeing the chance to sign an Aston Villa gem.
Wagner wants to rekindle Aston Villa rivalry
Whilst attempting to swoop in and sign one of Unai Emery’s most impressive young talents, Wagner has made it no secret that he’s hoping to see Birmingham reignite their rivalry with the Villans in the near future. Back in the Championship and one step away from their rivals in the Premier League, the Blues chief is seemingly desperate to bridge that gap and commence a true battle.
Wagner told reporters earlier this month: “It’s absolutely a top objective. It’s the right rivalry for Birmingham, the right derby for English football, and the right way for each club to achieve its highest potential is by rekindling a rivalry that’s been dormant for too long. When I speak to the true fans on both sides of that rivalry, I get the same reaction, which is that they’d love to see it.”
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Unlike many clubs in the past, Birmingham won’t just be looking to survive in the Championship at the first time of asking. Alongside Wrexham, they’ll have their sights on causing a few upsets and pushing beyond the dropzone and perhaps even mid-table mediocrity if they get their summer business right.
That is the big unanswered question, of course. Just who could Birmingham sign this summer fresh from League One promotion? A number of names have already been mentioned, from Kwame Poku all the way to Torino’s Che Adams who played for the club between 2016 and 2019.
Torino'sCheAdams
Meanwhile, Birmingham may not be afraid to steal some headlines by signing a rival star when the summer transfer window swings open in what would make an immediate statement.
Birmingham eyeing Louie Barry deal
According to GiveMeSport, Wagner and Birmingham have held internal talks about signing Louie Barry from Aston Villa this summer. The young winger will be allowed to leave the Villans on loan in the coming months after having his spell at Hull City cut short courtesy of injury last time out, and a move to St. Andrew’s could yet become an unexpected opportunity.
Although his loan spell at Hull ended in frustration, Barry’s form at Stockport County during the first-half of the season initially caught the eye enough to earn a move into the Championship. Scoring 16 goals in 28 games for the League One side, the 21-year-old earned the praise of football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who described his form as “superb” in December.
Following what turned into a mixed season, Barry has a decision to make in the coming months. If his League One numbers are anything to go by, then the Villa gem could now be ready for the Championship and potentially Birmingham this summer.
Club World Cup hopefuls Benfica are set to raid Wolverhampton Wanderers should they be knocked out of the competition earlier than expected, according to a recent report.
2025 Club World Cup gets underway
The FIFA Club World Cup has been given a makeover this year, with 32 teams now qualifying for a competition that will take place every four years, just like the World Cup. Teams such as Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Manchester City have qualified from Europe, with many other teams from across the globe also participating in the USA.
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The competition got underway this weekend as Inter Miami and Al Ahly played out a goalless draw. Since then, Bayern Munich have thrashed Auckland City 10-0 and Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain have beaten Atlético Madrid 4-0.
Representing England in this competition are Chelsea and Man City, who previously won this competition back in 2023. Chelsea get their tournament underway on Monday as they face Los Angeles Football Club, while City have to wait until Wednesday when they play against Wydad Casablanca.
Benfica eyeing Pereira if booted from Club World Cup
Benfica are participating in the competition and are preparing for their opening match against Boca Juniors on Monday. Ahead of that game, The Sun reports that should Benfica flop in the Club World Cup, they will make a move for Wolves’ Vitor Pereira.
Bruno Lage is currently the manager of the Portuguese side, someone Wolves know well, given his time at Molineux. The 49-year-old is under growing pressure following last season’s performances, and should they be knocked out early, club president Rui Costa is ready to move for Pereira.
This news comes at a time when Wolves have already seen big-name players such as Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri leave to join Manchester United and Manchester City, and now their manager could be on the way out.
Vitor Pereira’s Premier League record
Games
22
Won
10
Drawn
3
Lost
9
Points
33
Points per game
1.50
Pereira arrived at Molineux in December 2024, taking charge of 25 matches, and in that time oversaw an excellent turnaround which saw Wolves go from destined for relegation to a comfortable finish at the end of the season.
The Portuguese has won 10 of his 22 Premier League matches in charge, which led to pundit and former Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer heaping huge praise on Pereira, stating what he has done has been “incredible”.
“He really has done an incredible job, the whole atmosphere on the pitch and off the pitch.
“He’s given everyone belief and confidence, made them more solid at the back. All over the park, they’re better, so he’s done a great job.”
Molineux chiefs are reportedly scrambling to tie the manager down and ward off any interest from Benfica, but fans may have a new team to root for in the revised Club World Cup given the impact it could have in the West Midlands.
Arsenal find themselves in the midst of their most important transfer windows for years and could now beat Manchester United to a statement addition, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Arsenal pushing to sign an elite striker
Make no mistake, Mikel Arteta faces the biggest transfer window of his reign in charge of the Gunners as his side bid to become Premier League champions after pushing their rivals all the way in recent times.
Without doubt, bringing a striker in at the Emirates that is capable of producing defining moments is the Spaniard’s central priority. However, Jack Wilshere doesn’t believe signing a number nine alone will solve all the Gunners’ problems.
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Of course, injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus hampered Arsenal’s title charge last term. Nevertheless, Arteta is crying out for an old-school centre-forward to take his side to the next level.
Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has emerged as a central target for the Gunners. Arteta is personally keen to sign him, but finances may hinder the signing of the Brazil international, who could form a statement pursuit for the club alongside their efforts to land RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
Why Arsenal need a new striker this summer
Kai Havertz
Appearances – 36 Goals – 15
Gabriel Jesus
Appearances – 27 Goals – 7
Bolstering other areas will also be in the pipeline for Arsenal, though it can’t be emphasised enough how important a striker is to their tilt at claiming the Premier League title.
Now, reports have emerged suggesting they could have an advantage in the race for one of Europe’s most prolific marksmen.
Romano: Arsenal hold advantage in race to sign Viktor Gyokeres
Taking to social media platform X, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Sporting Clube de Portugal star Viktor Gyokeres would favour a move to Arsenal over Manchester United this summer.
The Sweden international is still firmly on the radar despite the Gunners’ advances to sign Sesko, and the Red Devils now feel it is ‘unlikely’ they will bring the former Coventry City star to Old Trafford.
Commended for his “fantastic” development by Niko Kovac, the Stockholm-born man registered an incredible 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25.
Viktor Gyokeres doing his trademark celebration.
Giving his ‘priority’ to the Gunners, Gyokeres, valued at £67 million, is now in clear sight for Arsenal as they desperately search for an elite striker to become the missing piece of the jigsaw under Arteta. Moving forward, it appears they have a good chance of pushing a deal over the line.
Victory against Namibia will ensure progress to the Super Eights and no points or run rate are carried over to the next stage
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-20244:28
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Australia have the opportunity to plot England’s downfall at the T20 World Cup 2024 and could jeopardise their rivals’ prospects of qualifying for the Super Eights by resting players in their final group-stage match against Scotland.Andrew McDonald, their coach, repeatedly insisted on Monday that his players are focused on their game against Namibia in Antigua on Tuesday night. If they win, Australia will qualify for the Super Eights with a match to spare. With their seeding in Group 1 of the Super Eights predetermined, they would then enter Saturday’s fixture against Scotland with no pressure on the result.”[Against] Namibia, we need a win to guarantee ourselves a way through,” McDonald said about the prospect of resting players against Scotland. “And then after that, once we’ve firmed up that qualification, then we can start to look at that potential if we feel like it’s necessary… we know if we win this one, then we get the ‘Q’ next to our name.”Related
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England are defending T20 world champions but have just a single point from their first two games: a washout against Scotland and a comprehensive 36-run defeat to Australia on Saturday. It leaves them needing to register convincing wins over Oman and Namibia to overturn a net run-rate (NRR) deficit to Scotland, who have already beaten both teams.Scotland have the added advantage of playing the final group game, putting them on the right side of an information asymmetry with England. Hypothetically, they could find themselves in a scenario where Australia set them, for example, 200 to win – but both teams would know that Scotland might only need to score 150 to keep their NRR ahead of England’s and thereby qualify for the Super Eights.”We’re not really focused on England and where they’re at,” McDonald said. “We played them, we’ve moved past them and we’ll do what’s important to us within those [remaining] games… England have clearly got their own work to do in the next couple of games.”We were put in a similar situation in the last T20 World Cup [in 2022] where we had to chase the net run-rate. It’s always difficult, you’re always dependent on other results and it’s not a nice situation to be in. But that’s for them to work through, not us.”McDonald said that he believes NRR is the best possible tie-breaker: “I don’t think there’s any other way of really doing it. It creates interest.” But he hinted at some frustration that Australia’s record will be wiped clean in the second league phase, as well as the fact that winning Group B would not affect their status as second seeds [B2] heading into the Super Eights.Josh Inglis is one of the squad players who could potentially have an outing against Scotland•Getty Images
“The only thing is that you don’t carry your NRR through to the Super Eights, which is a little bit interesting. The whole tournament starts again. I would have liked to have seen the benefit of the early rounds, and what you were able to do in the early rounds, even right down to the seeds. We’re seeded No. 2. We can’t change that seeding, so it doesn’t change what happens in the Super Eights for us.”In football’s World Cups, teams in the same group play the final round of fixtures simultaneously to avoid situations where sporting integrity could be compromised. That has been a norm ever since a 1982 match – known as the Disgrace of Gijón – which saw West Germany and Austria collude on a result which suited both teams.Asked if cricket could consider a similar system, McDonald drew a comparison with Australian Rules Football: “You’d have to have a rolling schedule, wouldn’t you, to work out what was going to happen and unfold? I know other sports do that now: they don’t lock away their later rounds until they’ve seen the first part of the season.”That’s probably more an AFL lens on that. But I think sometimes you’re a beneficiary of that position, and other times you’re not. So, whatever unfolds, there might be a way for teams to work out whether they’re going through the Super Eights or not.”Australia could play five times in 10 days if they reach the final in Barbados on June 29, and McDonald said their management are conscious of player workloads ahead of Tuesday’s fixture. “We’ve got a short turnaround from the England game into this one. There’s travel involved… we believe that whatever XI we put out there, it’s going to be very, very strong.”Clearly there’s a great challenge there for teams to navigate through the Super Eights: game, travel, game, travel, game. It’s going to be difficult in how you manage your resources and make sure they are ready to perform with short turnarounds. There’s a bit of an art to that. It may not necessarily be a locked XI through that period for teams. But they’re hypotheticals: we’ve got Namibia in front of us first.”
Newcastle United have begun negotiations for a “perfect” player ahead of a move to the club this summer, with things expected to “accelerate” next week.
Howe realistic about Newcastle's summer business
Magpies supporters will hope to see various new faces arrive at St James’ Park in the summer transfer window, but the club now have to be sensible when it comes to adhering to financial rules.
Speaking after the final game of last season, Eddie Howe made it clear that it won’t necessarily be easy for Newcastle to snap up numerous established stars on big money.
Newcastle United manager EddieHowebefore the match
That’s not to say that Newcastle won’t do any significant business, and Howe is thought to be calm about the situation at the club, with the likes James Trafford, Ousmane Diomande, Anthony Elanga and Dusan Vlahovic being linked with moves.
Newcastle talks underway to sign James Trafford
Writing on X on Monday morning, Romano claimed that Newcastle are in talks with Burnley over the signing of goalkeeper Trafford, with “next week” looking likely to see huge strides made regarding a move.
It would be a huge surprise if Trafford wasn’t a Newcastle player come the start of next season, with the Englishman likely to come straight in as an upgrade on Nick Pope – reports earlier this month revealed he is happy to accept the Magpies’ terms.
Trafford enjoyed a fantastic season with Burnley, being hailed by pundit Don Goodman: “On individual performance, it would be difficult to have a more perfect month than James Trafford. He didn’t concede a goal in any of Burnley’s six games in January and he was the hero at Turf Moor against Sunderland, saving two late penalties to keep his team’s unbeaten run intact.
“Burnley’s defensive stability is going to be the key in their bid for promotion and Trafford is central to that.”
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Still only 22 years of age, Trafford has the ability to be a great player for Newcastle for around a decade, and possibly even be seen as England’s future No.1, so there are no negatives to the Magpies signing him at his widely reported £30m price tag.
Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes has been a player who has thrived at Old Trafford over recent years, undoubtedly being the shining light in the first team squad.
The Portuguese international managed to register 37 combined goals and assists in the 2024/25 campaign, by far and away the highest tally in Ruben Amorim’s side.
Since his arrival back in January of 2020, the 30-year-old has notched 98 goals and 83 assists, averaging a contribution every 1.15 games he’s featured in – a simply staggering feat for a midfielder.
However, there’s only so much the former Sporting CP talent can do alone, desperately needing added reinforcements if the side are to rise up the Premier League table next campaign.
Work is already underway behind the scenes, as evidenced by the addition of Matheus Cunha, but further signings are expected between now and the end of the transfer window.
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Over the last couple of days, midfielder Douglas Luiz has reemerged as a potential addition, with a move away from Juventus expected after starting three league games last season.
He’s not the only Juventus star on their radar, with striker Dušan Vlahović also a player in their sights, with the Serbian available at a cut-price of just £15m this summer.
Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic
However, work has also been done elsewhere, resulting in progress being made on a deal to secure Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra, according to one Spanish outlet.
They claim that the Red Devils are set to make a bid for the Spanish U21 this week, after he made 36 LaLiga appearances throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
It also states that the 22-year-old could be available for as little as £20m this summer, but numerous sides such as AC Milan are also in the race for his signature.
Why United’s £20m target could be perfect for Bruno & Mbeumo
After Cunha’s subsequent transfer to join United, fellow Premier League attacker Bryan Mbeumo has been a player hugely linked with a move to Old Trafford.
Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after the match
The 25-year-old has been the subject of two separate offers from Amorim’s side this window, but no agreement has yet been reached for the Cameroonian’s signature.
Mbeumo has already stated his desire to join the Red Devils, but no deal can progress if a fee isn’t agreed with Keith Andrews’ side, who are demanding a package totalling £65m.
However, his tally of 20 league goals last season showcases the threat he possesses within the final third, undoubtedly handing Amorim the talent he needs within attacking areas.
Should he complete any move, a deal for Guerra would also aid the forward, whilst also being perfect for Bruno and bolstering the ranks at the Theatre of Dreams.
The Spaniard’s arrival would allow the club captain to operate in his more natural number 10 role, having more of an impact in such a position as seen by his tallies from 2024/25.
He also has the tools to provide Mbeumo with the tools to thrive, as seen by his tally of 4.8 progressive passes and 4.2 passes into the final third per 90.
Javi Guerra’s stats for Valencia in LaLiga (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
36
Goals & assists
6
Progressive passes
4.8
Passes into final third
4.2
Take-ons attempted
2.7
Carries into final third
1.5
Tackles won
1.7
Stats via FBref
Guerra, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by journalist Zach Lowy, also attempted 2.7 take-ons per 90, along with 1.5 carries into the final third – showcasing his ability to get the ball into the opposition’s defensive third.
Out of possession, the youngster had also won 1.7 tackles per 90, winning 46% of the tackles he entered, having the ball-winning capability that the heart of the side has been lacking in recent months.
The £20m fee touted for the LaLiga star would be an excellent piece of business, having the potential to build on his early success in the professional game, given his tender age.
Should he carry his skillset over to England, he would be a phenomenal signing, having the ability to allow Bruno and fellow pending addition Mbeumo to thrive in the process.
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