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.”
He's like Mitrovic: Newcastle now in the race to sign "monster" £26m CF
Newcastle United could soon land this explosive striker who possesses shades of Aleksandar Mitrovic’s game.
ByKelan Sarson Jun 22, 2025
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.
Finance expert Kieran Maguire has shared an exciting update involving Liverpool’s finances for this summer live on the radio.
Liverpool set for busy and expensive summer transfer window
The Premier League champions have already added Netherlands international Jeremie Frimpong to their squad this summer, and his arrival is expected to be the first of many, as Arne Slot looks to put his own stamp on this team despite their successful 2024/25 campaign.
Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong
Arriving after Frimpong through the door at Anfield could be AFC Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, as it’s been reported that the Reds are growing increasingly confident of signing Kerkez. The Hungarian is keen on the move to Liverpool and personal terms are not expected to be a problem.
Florian Wirtz is another name that is on every Liverpool fan’s lips at this moment in time, as the Reds continue to try and strike a deal with Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool’s latest bid, worth £109 million, has been turned down by the German club, as they look to hold out for £126 million, which would be a British-record transfer fee. Liverpool are still expected to sign the attacking midfielder.
Slot's own Huijsen: Liverpool submit concrete bid to sign "complete" star
Liverpool could be set to make a move to land a star who could become their own Dean Huijsen.
By
Ethan Lamb
Jun 5, 2025
The transfer stories don’t stop there for the Reds, as they are also battling Newcastle United to sign Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal from Stade Rennais. Liverpool have reportedly made a concrete offer to sign the teenage defender, but it is unclear how much that offer is worth and if the French side will accept it.
Maguire shares exciting £250m Liverpool finance update
As the Reds continue their assault on the transfer market, finance expert Kieran Maguire has revealed that Liverpool are in an excellent financial position, and if they spent £250 million this summer, it would not be a problem.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
Speaking live on BBC Radio Merseyside, relayed by Empire of the Kop, Maguire said: “Liverpool are in an excellent financial position. They didn’t spend very much in the 24-25 season, and they have the benefits of Champions League football next season. If they spent £250m, that would not be a problem.”
Ten biggest transfer window spends
1.
Chelsea (summer 2023/24)
£391m
2.
Al-Hilal (summer 2023/24)
£298m
3.
PSG (summer 2023/24)
£295m
4.
Real Madrid (summer 2019/20)
£279m
5.
Chelsea (winter 2022/23)
£278m
6.
Chelsea (summer 2022/23)
£254m
7.
Barcelona (summer 2019/20)
£235m
8.
Juventus (summer 2018/19)
£223m
9.
Real Madrid (summer 2009/10)
£218m
10.
Manchester City (summer 2017/18)
£210m
If Liverpool were to spend £250 million this summer, they would move into seventh for all-time spends in a transfer window and sixth for summer transfer windows only, and it would blow their own club record for a single window out of the water.
While they continue to work hard to try and get deals done for Wirtz, Kerkez and Boudlal, there are other players that could become transfer targets as the transfer window goes on. Newcastle’s Alexander Isak is also on their shortlist and has been described as their number one target in this transfer window. However, the Magpies are said to be holding out for at least £150 million for the Sweden striker.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
Isak is not the only Newcastle player that the Reds have an eye on, as it’s been reported that Liverpool are considering an approach to sign Anthony Gordon. The England international is said to be valued at £80 million, so if Isak and Gordon were to move to Anfield, some departures may be needed.
On that note, Federico Chiesa has been linked with a move away, but at this stage it could just be a loan move. Meanwhile, the Reds have turned down Barcelona’s approach for Luis Diaz, as they don’t want to sell the winger for anything less than an astronomical fee.
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.
The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer
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.
Mbeumo's dream CF: Man Utd make enquiry to sign "the next Mbappe"
Manchester United need to sign a new centre-forward this summer.
India will host the next edition of the Men’s Asia Cup cricket tournament in the T20 format in 2025 as a precursor to the T20 World Cup scheduled in the country in 2026, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) stated in its Invitation for Expression of Interest (IEOI).Since 2016, when the tournament was first played as a T20 event, the Asia Cup has been used as a dress rehearsal for the global event and played in the format in which the World Cup will be held.The 2023 edition, hosted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was held in a ‘Hybrid Model’ as India refused to travel to the neighbouring country and played their matches in Sri Lanka.The 2027 Asia Cup will be held in the ODI format in Bangladesh as the 50-over World Cup is scheduled in South Africa in the same year.The T20 Asia Cup in India and the 50-over continental event in Bangladesh in 2027 will comprise 13 games each as there are 26 matches allocated in the said period.”‘Men’s Asia Cup Tournament’ means the biennial senior men’s cricket tournament organised and administered by the ACC involving designated Members, and shall include participation by the teams from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and one Non Test playing Member of ACC selected through qualifying events,” the ACC stated in its IEOI statement.India are the defending Asia Cup champions, and have won three of the last four editions of the tournament. They beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the final of last year’s 50-overs edition in Colombo.
It is non-negotiable that Tottenham Hotspur need to recruit new signings this summer ahead of Thomas Frank’s first full campaign in charge, with the Dane looking to build on Ange Postecoglou’s historic Europa League triumph.
Frank holds Tottenham talks over signing £300k-p/w ace who's open to joining
The Spurs boss has been discussing him with Lilywhites hierarchy.
1
By
Emilio Galantini
Jun 18, 2025
Spurs’ memorable night in Bilbao at the end of last month ended their 17-year-long wait for a piece of major silverware whilst simultaneously gifting them a spot in next season’s Champions League draw.
Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025
Average match rating
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Their place in Europe’s most prestigious competition has been described as “huge” in terms of their recruitment plans, and it means that chairman Daniel Levy no longer has to adopt a ‘sell to buy’ policy (Sky Sports).
The Lilywhites have already put their European financial windfall to good use, striking a permanent deal for Mathys Tel last weekend for a cut-price £30 million fee, and he’s unlikely to be their last winger signing.
Tottenham have apparently approached West Ham over signing Mohammed Kudus, who they’re prepared to pay £50 million for, whilst the likes of Man City star Jack Grealish, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, Southampton’s Tyler Dibling and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo have all been linked this week.
Grealish’s £300,000-per-week wages are a stumbling block in potential Spurs talks for the England international, while West Ham are thought to want around £65 million for Kudus as well.
Even the teenage Dibling could cost as much as £51 million to prise away from St. Mary’s, so quality wingers with Premier League experience are likely to come at a premium.
The need for another wide player is exacerbated by reports that Son could leave Tottenham this summer, and Mbeumo in particular is believed to be a “priority” target for Frank.
Tottenham have "firm offer on the table" for Bryan Mbeumo
That is according to inews, who also report that Mbeumo has a “firm offer on the table” to join Spurs before deadline day on September 1.
Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after the match
While Man United remain in pole position to sign the Cameroonian as things stand, the Red Devils still need to “significantly” increase their opening bid of £55 million, which has been called nowhere near Brentford’s valuation of their top scorer last season.
inews echo a recent report by Fabrizio Romano that Spurs made Mbeumo’s signing a priority as soon as Frank came through the door, and the 25-year-old is still tempted by the prospect of a reunion with his former manager amid United’s pursuit.
Mbeumo’s 20-goal haul in all competitions last term makes him a very attractive potential signing for Levy, especially considering Son’s links with a move to Saudi Arabia, but other reports claim the Bees value their star man at around £70 million.
“The big praise goes to Bryan,” said Frank during their time together at the Gtech Community Stadium, via The Athletic.
“He has grown more and more to be a key player for us. He works so hard, he’s a fantastic pressing player and can score goals and get assists, but maybe lacked enough goals. He works very hard on his finishing.”
Cheltenham acclaims double-century stand that slams door on Glamorgan
ECB Reporters Network01-Jul-2024Miles Hammond and Cameron Bancroft both scored brilliant hundreds to illuminate the Cheltenham Festival as Gloucestershire assumed control on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Division Two match against Glamorgan.Having been shot out for 179 on the opening day and conceded a first-innings deficit of 18 after dismissing Glamorgan for 197, the home side found themselves under pressure when Timm van der Gugten reduced them to 17 for 2 second time around. But Hammond and Bancroft turned the tables by staging a mammoth third-wicket stand of 201 in 36.1 overs as the pitch flattened out and overhead conditions improved, in the process slamming the door shut on Welsh ambition.Hammond raised an enterprising 121, while Bancroft finished unbeaten on 159 from 221 balls and helped add 170 for the fourth wicket with James Bracey, who posted 90 not out from 117 balls as Gloucestershire reached the close on 388 for 3, a commanding lead of 370 with two days still to play.Cheltenham-born Hammond has a special affinity with the festival, having registered his maiden hundred at the College Ground in only his fourth first-class match in 2018. His fifth Championship hundred was a classy affair indeed, the elegant left hander adopting a positive approach to provide delighted festival devotees with rich pickings the like of which they dared not imagine when 17 wickets fell on the first day.Driving fluently almost from the get-go, Hammond saw off the threat posed by van der Gugten and flourished, going to a 53-ball 50 with his ninth four, a flowing drive through long-on at the expense of Marnus Labuschagne. As he grew in confidence and conditions improved, so he expanded his repertoire, a trio of audacious slog-sweeps netting him three sixes at the expense of Mason Crane and Dan Douthwaite, who suffered horribly and were withdrawn from the attack.Hammond’s second 50 occupied just 41 balls and, as the crowd rose to acclaim his second hundred of the season, he sank to one knee and delivered a fist pump before raising his bat in acknowledgment and receiving a heartfelt hug of congratulation from Bancroft.Cast in the role of chief support, the Australian also played with assurance, timing the ball beautifully and going to a 70-ball half century in the grand manner, pulling Douthwaite over the square leg boundary for six, a shot that also brought up the 100 partnership.Adept at finding the gaps and rotating the strike, Bancroft proved the perfect foil to Hammond, who was in his pomp as the 200 partnership came up off 216 balls. All good things come to an end though, and Kiran Carlson, the seventh bowler deployed by Glamorgan skipper Sam Northeast, broke the partnership in his first over from the Chapel End, Hammond skying a catch to mid-on, having accrued 17 fours and a quartet of sixes in a sparkling innings spanning 110 deliveries.Although Bancroft’s advance to three figures was a rather more sedate affair, his contribution was every bit as important, confirming as it did the dominance of bat over ball for the first time in the contest. His hundred occupied 143 balls, included a six and 10 fours, and was greeted with much glee by Gloucestershire supporters.Aware of the need to bat on and put the game beyond Glamorgan’s reach, Bracey played responsibly, reaching 50 from 68 balls, while Bancroft went to 150 via 211 balls as Gloucestershire stamped their authority in a final session that yielded 165 runs without loss.Resuming on 133 for 7 in the morning, Glamorgan were 46 behind and with plenty of work still to be done if they were to achieve the minimum requirement of first-innings parity. In the event, they were indebted to Crane who, when it was needed most, staged a forthright innings of 44 from 56 balls and dominated a progressive stand of 52 in 10.1 overs with Andy Gorvin for the ninth wicket to put his team in credit.Marchant de Lange struck an early blow for the home side, wicketkeeper Bracey claiming his fifth catch to remove van der Gugten, before Beau Webster hastened a swift termination, having Gorvin held at point via a leading edge and then enticing Crane to hole out to Ajeet Singh Dale at long-on. The Australian finished with impressive figures of 5 for 17 from 10.1 overs with four maidens, while de Lange backed him up with 3 for 44.
The bowlers shared the wickets around and kept Zimbabwe to 152 for 7, before the opening pair made light work of the target
Shashank Kishore13-Jul-2024
India had plenty to cheer about in Harare•Associated Press
Zimbabwe’s most-assured batting effort wasn’t enough to mount a challenge against India’s young IPL stars. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill made light work of a 153-run target, sauntering home in just 15.2 overs in a sensational exhibition of intent-laden batting of the kind we hadn’t seen in the series so far.Where Zimbabwe hit all of 10 fours in their 20 overs, Jaiswal and Gill smashed as many in their first four overs en route a ten-wicket thumping that delivered an unassailable 3-1 lead for India with one more game to play on on Sunday.India’s fifth-bowlers shine after Zimbabwe’s solid foundationZimbabwe had lost at least two wickets in the powerplay in each of the three T20Is in the series before this game. Today, though, Wessly Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani rode their luck to add 63 in 8.4 overs to give them a platform.A determined Wessly Madhevere did the job in the powerplay•Associated Press
In the third over, Marumani was dropped by Shivam Dube at mid-on while on 3. He also benefited from an overthrow that went to the boundary in the same over, and Marumani appeared to change gears after the reprieve by going after debutant Tushar Deshpande, who conceded 21 off his first two overs. Gill quickly turned to spin inside the powerplay and they managed to rein in the scoring; eventually an effort to up the ante against India’s part-time bowlers, who needed to fill the fifth-bowler’s quota, got Marumani.Off Abhishek Sharma’s fourth ball, he looked to pull and ended up hitting it towards the longest part of the boundary where Rinku Singh was waiting at deep midwicket. This allowed Gill to bring on Dube from the other end in a bid to get the fifth-bowler’s quota out of the way, but he too struck – in his first over, he had the other set batter, Madhevere, pulling a short ball to Rinku at deep square leg.Abhishek could have had a second wicket in T20Is, but for Ruturaj Gaikwad shelving a dolly at extra cover to reprieve Brian Bennett. The missed opportunity didn’t cost India much though.Raza to Zimbabwe’s rescueRaza needed to rescue Zimbabwe as they had suddenly lost 4 for 33 after the solid opening. Having been guilty of running out Jonathan Campbell, Raza’s industry kept the runs ticking until he flicked the switch with five overs remaining.Tushar Deshpande claimed Sikandar Raza for his first international wicket•Associated Press
On 21 off 17 at that point, he launched Washington Sundar over deep midwicket for a 90-metre six, and then went after Khaleel Ahmed in his next over, hitting a four and a six. Overs 16 and 17 produced 31 as Zimbabwe charged towards 160. That they fell eight short was thanks to two excellent overs from Deshpande, who dismissed Raza for his maiden international wicket, and Khaleel. Zimbabwe had a competitive, if not match-winning, total.Jaiswal and Gill make merryIndia’s chase was kickstarted with Jaiswal hitting three fours off left-arm seamer Richard Ngavara in the first over. Jaiswal was in no mood to stop there, hitting Tendai Chatara for four more fours off his first over, the third of the innings. The seamers kept giving him width and he kept crashing them away through point, alternating between hitting them along the ground and playing the full-blooded cuts. India raised their fifty in just 3.5 overs with Jaiswal contributing 39.Jaiswal got to his half-century off 29 balls, and then unfurled one of the shots of the day when he sent Raza inside-out over extra cover. Having been beaten in flight, he quickly adjusted to loft him through the line and bisect the tiny gap between deep cover and wide long-off.Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill put on 156 runs for the first wicket to finish the job themselves•Associated Press
Gill then took over, helping himself against Faraz Akram’s gentle seam-ups in a exquisite display of hitting-on-the-up. Gill’s second straight half-century, off 35 balls, was mellow in comparison to Jaiswal but effective nonetheless.As the match raced towards the finish line, the only point of interest was if Jaiswal could get the 17 of the 18 remaining runs needed to get to a hundred. He couldn’t; ended up 93 not out, having displayed his full range in an exhilarating display reflecting the type of intent that won India the T20 World Cup last month after 17 years.
It’s set to be a busy summer transfer window at Newcastle United.
Ahead of the Toon Army’s Champions League return, Eddie Howe will want to bolster his squad, to avoid the mass injury crisis he endured during the Magpies’ last continental campaign two seasons ago.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe
James Trafford is poised to arrive from Burnley for £40m, thereby seemingly taking over from Nick Pope as the number one goalkeeper, but could Newcastle be about to make some attacking additions too?
Newcastle targeting a new right-winger
As reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Newcastle have had a £45m bid rejected by Nottingham Forest for winger Anthony Elanga.
Meantime, speaking on the Totally Football Show, Daniel Storey outlines how Newcastle actually bid £5m more for the Swedish international last summer, who has since enjoyed a “really good season”, and that owner Evangelos Marinakis “will have absolutely none of that”, believing that the “proven, young” winger is worth closer to £60m.
So, with this deal seemingly unlikely to come to fruition, Steve Kay of Football Transfers claims that the Magpies are ready to submit a bid worth £50m to West Ham for winger Mohammed Kudus.
They add that Howe has identified the Ghanaian as a ‘key target’ amidst his ‘uncertain future’ in East London.
Meantime, Jacob Steinberg and Will Unwin of the Guardian note that Kudus’ contract contains an £85m release clause, although he could be available for closer to £60m, given the Hammers’ ongoing concerns surrounding Profitability & Sustainability rules, with Tottenham also looking to do a deal with their fierce rivals.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
So, could Kudus swap the East End for the North East?
Why Mohammed Kudus would be a success at Newcastle
Since joining West Ham from Ajax for a reported fee of £37m two summers ago, Kudus has scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists in 80 appearances for the Irons.
West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus
His performances have come in for widespread praise, with host Dan Woffenden labelling him “electric”, while Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines describes him as an “explosive, skilful player”, adding that he possesses a “great burst of acceleration”, while his direct dribbling means he has the potential to become a “world-class winger”.
Adam Scully of Total Football Analysis agrees, asserting that Kudus’ primary attribute is ‘undoubtedly his dribbling ability’, impressed by his ‘sumptuous talents and low centre of gravity’.
Well, statistics from the Premier League since the Ghanaian’s arrival certainly back up these observations.
1st
Mohammed Kudus
221
Mohammed Kudus
208
2nd
Jérémy Doku
169
Jérémy Doku
201
3rd
Matheus Cunha
140
Morgan Rogers
160
4th
Luis Díaz
140
Iliman Ndiaye
143
5th
Eberechi Eze
140
Eberechi Eze
138
6th
Anthony Gordon
133
Rayan Aït-Nouri
137
7th
Bruno Guimarães
132
Matheus Cunha
137
8th
Raheem Sterling
132
Mohamed Salah
137
9th
Alejandro Garnacho
131
Omari Hutchinson
137
10th
Jordan Ayew
130
Antoine Semenyo
135
As the table outlines, since arriving in the Premier League, Kudus has topped the charts for attempted take-ons both seasons, while only Jérémy Doku, Eberechi Eze and Matheus Cunha have also featured in the top ten both times.
This goal against Freiburg in the Europa League is rather reminiscent of former Newcastle United hero Hatem Ben Arfa.
During his time on Tyneside, the Frenchman scored 14 goals in 86 appearances, but his occasional flashes of brilliance made him, as noted by Louise Taylor of the Guardian, ‘the sort of footballer fans adore’, praising his ‘exquisite touch… superior vision, perfect balance and elusive movement’.
Meantime, Jean-Baptiste Caillet of Opta’s the Analyst asserted that he was ‘France’s best dribbler since Zinédine Zidane’, while Peter McVitie of Goal will always remember his ‘dazzling firepower’ and ‘awesome displays of skill’.
All of Ben Arfa’s talent was never made more abundantly clear than during this goal against Bolton Wanderers in April 2012.
Fair to say, Kudus and Ben Arfa – both left-footers who can operately centrally or on the flanks – share similar characteristics. Both could be described as precocious talents, who are occasionally unstoppable but often lack consistency.
Thus, if Elanga proves unattainable, Newcastle should do all they can to snap up Kudus, given that the Ghanaian would get Geordie supporters off their seats, if nothing else!
He'll take Isak to new levels: Newcastle set to launch bid for £60m star
Newcastle are hoping to make an attacking signing after missing out on Joao Pedro.
نجح منتخب ألمانيا في مصالحة جماهيره بالفوز ضد أيرلندا الشمالية بثلاثة أهداف لهدف واحد، خلال اللقاء الذي جمع بينهما ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.
وكان سيرجي جنابري قد افتتح التسجيل لصالح منتخب ألمانيا في الدقيقة السابعة، قبل أن يتعادل إيساك في الدقيقة 34 لأيرلندا الشمالية، وانتهى الشوط الأول بالتعادل الإيجابي بين المنتخبين بهدف لمثله.
وفي الشوط الثاني نجح منتخب المانشافت أن يسجل هدفين متتاليين، جاء الهدف الثاني عن طريق نديم آميري في الدقيقة 69 وفي الدقيقة 72 يحرز لاعب ليفربول فلوريان فيرتز الهدف الثالث من ركلة حرة رائعة.
اقرأ أيضاً.. بـ3 غرز.. هالاند يتعرض لحادث قوي قبل مباراة النرويج ومولدوفا
وكان يوليان ناجيلسمان قد بدأ لقاء اليوم بتشكيل مكون من: أوليفر باومان، أنتوني روديجير، أنتون، روبن كوخ، لويلينج، جوشوا كيميتش، باسكال جروس، روم، سيرجي جنابري، فلوريان فيرتز ، نيك فولتمايد.
وكان منتخب ألمانيا قد تعرض لخسارة مفاجئة في المباراة السابقة بهدفين نظيفين، قبل أن يحقق أول ثلاث نقاط عن المجموعة الأولى ليصعد للمركز الثالث برصيد ثلاث نقاط وبذلك يحقق المانشافت أول انتصاراته بعد تعثره في آخر أربع مباريات.
Sunderland supporters will be trying to hold back their excitement ahead of the new Premier League season finally kicking off.
There’s no guarantee in place that signings galore will improve your chances of staying afloat in the tricky division, with Ipswich Town picking up 14 total purchases last season and still managing to fall through the relegation trapdoor.
But, the star-studded quality of signing Sunderland is managing to attract makes being giddy quite hard to contain, with the standout £20m purchase of Enzo Le Fee getting the ball rolling this summer, whilst a £30m deal for Habib Diarra to join from Strasbourg edges ever nearer to completion.
Reinildo is also set to join the Stadium of Light ranks after allowing his Atletico Madrid contract to expire, with plenty more notable names being tipped to call Wearside their fresh home shortly.
Atletico Madrid'sReinildoMandava before the match
Transfer latest at Sunderland
Most Sunderland supporters would have been initially apprehensive about all the business being conducted in this hectic transfer window, considering the window opened with both Jobe Bellingham and Tommy Watson deserting the Stadium of Light.
Now, however, the mood has flipped, with the likes of Georgian superstar Georges Mikautadze being tipped to join Le Bris’ enthused ranks alongside those already named, on top of an alleged £17m bid being lodged by the Black Cats to snap up Nantes attacker Matthis Abline.
The most intriguing purchase of them all could soon come in the form of Almeria goal-machine Luis Suarez moving to England, with reports from Spain now suggesting that Sunderland have enquired about landing the explosive attacker.
Such a deal would result in the Black Cats having to fork out £21m, with the La Liga 2 side upping their transfer valuation off the back of Suarez’s impressive 2024/25 offering.
It could even be argued that snapping up the clinical Colombian would see the newly promoted side land an even bigger talent than Diarra, despite the Senegal international costing Sunderland a club-record £30m to snap up.
Why Suarez could be a bigger talent than Diarra
After all, whilst Diarra was able to boast four goals and five assists from the midfield areas last season for Liam Rosenior’s men, Suarez’s numbers up top for Almeria in another demanding European setting are an even more majestic sight to take in.
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Indeed, the “crazy” South American – as he was once labelled by talent scout Jacek Kulig – would take La Liga 2 by storm with his devastating goalscoring prowess.
That was seen in him collecting 27 of his bumper 31 strikes in the second division, away from also netting four of those efforts in the challenging Copa Del Rey when facing off against opponents from La Liga.
Games played
41
Goals scored
27
Scoring frequency
135 mins
Assists
8
Big chances missed
27
Staggeringly, Suarez would also chip in with eight assists across his 41 La Liga 2 outings, which is three more assists than Diarra managed in the heart of Strasbourg’s midfield, with the hope that the dangerous Almeria marksman can offer up similarly deadly displays when leaping up to the Premier League.
He could instantly displace Wilson Isidor on his arrival, therefore, considering the Frenchman blew hot and cold last campaign with just 13 Championship goals next to his name, away from Suarez wreaking havoc in the Spanish second division.
On the contrary, it doesn’t feel as set in stone that Diarra would instantly dive into Le Bris’ XI – irrespective of his lofty price tag – with Dan Neil already at the Frenchman’s disposal centrally who collected five goal contributions himself last season in league action, alongside Le Bris also possessing the star-quality of Le Fee who could kick on even more up a division.
Whilst Diarra will no doubt go on to be a success story under the ex-Lorient manager’s wing if Le Fee’s trajectory is anything to go off of, it does appear as if Suarez could really burst into life even more as a terrifying goalscorer on Wearside, with his blistering introduction into the English game perhaps helping the Black Cats to maintain their fraught Premier League status.
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