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A phone call from Bangladesh cricketer Tamim Iqbal brought Mohammad Isam to the scene of the terrorist attack. Here’s what he saw there.

Mohammad Isam in Christchurch15-Mar-20191:25

Bangladesh players in lockdown at team hotel

1.00pm: The Bangladesh team arrives at the Hagley Oval for a training session and, though there’s rain about, they plan to first go to a nearby mosque for Friday prayers and then return for the session. There was a plan to train at the indoor facilities at Lincoln University but then it was decided that the team would not travel that far.1.27pm: Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah completes the pre-match press conference at the Hagley Oval. He is in a rush as the rest of the players are ready to go to the mosque, but he still speaks for nine minutes.1.35pm: I am at the parking lot as the Bangladesh players board the bus. Seventeen members of the touring party, including manager Khaled Mashud, team analyst Shrinivas Chandrasekaran and masseur Md Sohel, are accompanying the players.1.52pm: I get a call from Tamim Iqbal, one of the senior-most cricketers in the team, as I’m leaving the Hagley Oval. He’s calling me for help. “There’s shooting here, please save us.” I first think that he is playing a prank but he hangs up and calls again – this time, his voice starts to crack. He says that I should call the police as there’s a shooting going on inside the mosque where they are about to enter.1.53 pm: My first instinct is to start running towards the mosque. I don’t even stop to think; you can call me an idiot for running towards an active terrorism scene but I knew I just had to go. Partly as a journalist, mainly as a human being.I start running towards the main road, when a lady, also heading out in her car, asks if I need a ride. I tell her what Tamim has told me, and she tells me to hop in. My fellow Bangladeshi journalists Mazhar Uddin and Utpal Shuvro also come along.Getty Images1.56pm: We see the entry to Deans Avenue, where the mosque is located, blocked off by a police car, so we get off in front of the Parkview Hotel on the corner of Deans and Riccarton avenues. I start running towards the mosque when I spot the Bangladesh team bus. There are a few police cars around, and a couple of ambulances. Some people are standing around, wondering what had happened near that intersection.But when I look to my right, towards the entrance of a motel, it becomes clear: There’s a body on the ground, being attended to by paramedics. There’s blood everywhere.2.00pm: I see one man running towards me, crying, and holding his arm. There’s definitely blood on his shirt. People nearby are helping another man to escape, shouting instructions at him. I keep walking fast towards the bus when I see a line of Bangladesh players running away from the bus. I cross the road, and as I get close, Ebadot Hossain grabs me by the arm and tells me to run with them. At this point I still have no idea what actually has happened; I don’t even know if the team was the target of the attack.2.02pm: The players are now on the side of Hagley Park, and someone asks for directions. The ground is to their right, about a 15-minute walk. The players enter the park and start to run, when someone tells them they should walk quickly. Not run.2.04pm: I am walking with Tamim and then I see the players spreading out, too wide apart. I ask Sohel to get them all together. It is impossible but some of them slow down to walk together.It’s no more than a kilometer away but it is the longest few minutes of my life. The players are talking about what they’ve seen – the blood, the bodies. One senior player holds on to me and breaks down. There is very little I can say to him.2.08pm: We reach the Hagley Oval and just run inside. Everyone is taken inside the players’ dressing room where they get to sit finally. They are visibly shaken.2.10pm: We are taken to the Hadlee Pavilion where the rest of the ground staff, NZC staff, etc are being asked to wait.7:16

‘We would have been inside the mosque had we reached 3-4 mins earlier’ – Khaled Mashud

2.45pm: The team, after consultation with the two cricket boards, decides to head to their hotel on Cathedral Street. They are escorted there immediately. The journalists stay behind.3.30pm: While holed up at the Hagley Oval, we keep seeing police cars and ambulances rushing towards the same place I had gone to earlier, near the mosque.5.00pm: The tour is called off by New Zealand Cricket, after consultation with the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the ICC.6.30pm: We are finally allowed to leave the ground, and we head to the team hotel.7pm: Crossing a really quiet Christchurch city centre, we arrive at the hotel in three cars. Manager Khaled Mashud has to take us to their team room where he gives a detailed statement about what had happened, and what the team plans to do next.7.25pm: We head to his room, where we charge our phones. Tamim Iqbal joins us. He is visibly shaken still, and I apologise for not believing him. He gives me a pat on the back, and smiles.8pm: The manager Mashud treats us to dinner, after which we head out to our own hotels. Christchurch, at the start of St Patrick’s Day weekend, is absolutely quiet. It was supposed to be a roaring Friday night. It is likely that the city will never be the same again.10 pm: I’m at a friend’s house for dinner. There’s no appetite, little conversation. The minutes are marked by phone calls updating us with grim news: Another acquaintance gone, the death toll keeps rising.

For one of these two great rivals, this is just another game. For the other? Well, it’s complicated

Osman Samiuddin at Old Trafford15-Jun-2019There were long evenings, even entire months, when some meagre salve could be found for deep wounds in the thought that if you took the batsmen of India and put them together with the bowlers of Pakistan, you would not only be holding a team-sheet that is 100% dynamite, but would also be solving some “issues” in the process. That this was not only to acknowledge cricketing realities but also express an acceptable degree of regret and yearning without being called a traitor.Those evenings weren’t as long ago as they now feel. We cannot reverse generational change, and it doesn’t feel like geopolitical realities can be reshaped right now. But cricketing realities have changed as much, and ahead of the seventh match between India and Pakistan at a World Cup, nobody can say a team of Indian batsmen and Pakistani bowlers would be stronger than either team as a separate entity.India are the stronger batting side. India have the better bowling attack. India have the fitter players. India have the sharper fielders. India have the better wicketkeeper. India have the greats. India have the freakish talents.Backed into a corner and forced to pick from this Pakistan squad? Maybe Mohammad Amir, but only so that the combined team could claim to have that angle of attack (India have no left-arm quick). Mohammad Hafeez. You laugh, but here are his figures for the year at No. 4 and here are those of India’s No. 4s for this year. Fine, you can still laugh, but numbers are numbers.

“I don’t want to say it’s the biggest rivalry in sport, but I saw some stats, you know, which said I think the soccer World Cup final attracted 1.6 billion viewers. Tomorrow likely to get 1.5 billion. It doesn’t get bigger than that”Mickey Arthur, Pakistan coach

And just as India have risen and Pakistan have remained, essentially, Pakistan, and time has moved further away from 1947, and populations have become younger, so too has this rivalry begun to change.Certainly to India’s players it matters less. An amount of bragging points, of course, but as Virat Kohli took great, great pains to point out at his pre-match press conference, it’s about them, not the opponents (and thus the rivalry). Five of the first six questions put to him were basically variations on how to deal with Pakistan, specifically how to handle their unpredictability, their main threats, Amir, yada, yada, yada.Each time, Kohli’s response was the same.”We’re not focusing on the opposition, so no one’s a threat.””Look, as I said, we’re not focusing too much on the strengths of the opposition.””We’re not focusing too much on what the opposition has to do or what they will bring to the table. We need to believe in our strengths.”The seventh question – itself revealing about the rivalry that it took so long for somebody to go there – was about the bigness of the occasion, of the madness of an India-Pakistan game.No sir. Nice try. But refer to the answers above please. This is just another game where have to be really good.Virat Kohli found in an unusual pose while training•AFPPakistan? Well, it’s complicated. Partially, that’s because of the immediate context of this game. This could’ve been South Africa or New Zealand and it would still be as important because they can’t afford to lose this game. They can, but then will have to start relying on other results to stand a chance of progressing to the last four.But over the past two days, a couple of their younger players have let on about the bigness of this contest, acknowledging that yes, it isn’t just any other game. Imam-ul-Haq first, who called it a “big pressure” game, and then Babar Azam, who agreed that doing well against India holds a different meaning.Mickey Arthur appeared initially to be reading from the same script as Kohli had done. It’s another game. Just two points, like every other game at this tournament. But eventually, in responding to a question about what the atmosphere will be like, he slipped.”I don’t want to say it’s the biggest rivalry in sport, but I saw some stats, you know, which said I think the soccer World Cup final attracted 1.6 billion viewers. Tomorrow likely to get 1.5 billion. It doesn’t get bigger than that. It doesn’t get more exciting. I’m telling our players in the dressing room, you could be a hero tomorrow. Your careers are going to be defined by a moment in the game. You do something incredible tomorrow, you’ll be remembered forever.”Here we have it, that age-old equation: game against India = chance to be a hero, a chance to change your life.On reflection, that it holds for Pakistan still, that it is Pakistan trying to use this as motivation and not India, is understandable. A lot of these India players might never play against Pakistan and they’d still be heroes. They have the IPL, Australia and England for that. A lot of these India players could lose and remain heroes because they have the IPL, Australia and England still. A lot of these India players are already heroes. That is now the nature and reality of the most powerful cricket country in the world, off the field for a while, but now on it as well. By dint of simply playing for India means you are more than halfway to being a hero already.Pakistan are the ones scrapping and trying to keep up. They are unequivocally the underdogs here and as long as they keep getting their selections wrong – as they have done so far in this tournament – they will remain the less likely to win. Even getting their selection right is no guarantee of victory.That is the new real, the shift in the crux of this contest – that only if Pakistan win this, if they do find that hero, might we invest some new meaning in this rivalry.

Chelsea supporters may have been left confused when the team news dropped for the game against Brentford on Sunday, as several stars were left out of the side.

Despite the Blues not being in action again until Thursday, against Legia Warsaw, Enzo Maresca left Marc Cucurella, Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, and Pedro Neto on the bench from the start.

Those decisions contributed to a toothless and uninspiring performance from the Blues, who are now just two points ahead of Aston Villa in sixth place after the weekend’s results.

Chelsea have, now, scored three goals in their last five matches in all competitions, failing to score more than one in any, and their lack of a clinical, reliable, number nine has been an issue.

Christopher Nkunku has scored one in his last 11 matches for the Blues and Jackson, who recently returned from injury, has gone ten games without a goal.

The London giants need a consistent, ruthless, centre-forward to fire them to glory, which is what Manchester City found when they signed Erling Haaland in the summer of 2022.

Why Chelsea need their own Erling Haaland

The Cityzens reportedly agreed a deal worth £51m to sign the Norway international from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, and that has turned out to be a bargain.

To date, the left-footed monster has scored 120 goals and provided 19 assists in 138 matches in all competitions for City, including 84 goals in 94 Premier League outings.

The Norwegian superstar hit the ground running in England, where he was born, with one of the best individual seasons in the history of the Premier League, scoring 36 goals and providing eight assists in 33 starts.

His tally of 36 goals broke the record for the most goals scored in a single Premier League season, previously stood at 34, and led City to the top-flight title.

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old marksman has delivered an exceptional number of goals in every season he has played for Pep Guardiola’s team to date.

The former Dortmund star has also delivered in big games, scoring six goals in eight games against Manchester United and four goals in six matches against Chelsea, to be a difference-maker for City against their rivals.

This is why the Blues must try to find their own version of Haaland in the upcoming summer transfer window, because Nkunku and Jackson’s recent form shows that the club does not currently have a number nine who can be relied on week-in-week-out.

Maresca could be on the right track to finding his answer to the Manchester City superstar, though, as Chelsea have reportedly made a move to sign a new forward.

Chelsea submit bid for prolific striker

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Sporting centre-forward Viktor Gyokeres in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that they have submitted an offer in the region of £64m in an attempt to convince the Portuguese giants to part ways with the Sweden international, but Manchester United have come in with the same bid.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that Chelsea and the Red Devils are now fighting it out to land the former Coventry City and Brighton & Hove Albion striker back to England this summer.

However, the report does not reveal whether or not these two bids of £64m will be enough to tempt Sporting into cashing in on their star forward ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Whether they can sign Gyokeres at that price or if they have to spend a bit more to acquire his services, Chelsea must push to get a deal over the line for the Swedish centre-forward in the next transfer window because he could be Maresca’s answer to Haaland.

Why Gyokeres could be Chelsea's answer to Haaland

As aforementioned, the Blues do not have a reliable, consistent, striker who they can expect to score 20 or more goals every season to fire the team to glory, as City do with their Norwegian phenom.

After a return of 21 goals and ten assists in 46 Championship games for Coventry in the 2022/23 campaign, Gyokeres opted to move abroad to sign for Sporting to take his career to the next level.

That has turned out to be a masterstroke by the 26-year-old marksman because he has scored 86 goals and provided 26 assists in 93 matches for the Portuguese outfit to date.

Gyokeres has also stepped up to perform in the Champions League for Sporting, even scoring a hat-trick whilst up against Haaland earlier this season, which shows that he can compete at the very top level.

The Swedish star, who was described as “unplayable” by former teammate Maxime Biamou, has also delivered exceptionally impressive performances in the Portuguese top-flight in his two seasons with Sporting so far, proving himself to be a lethal finisher.

As you can see in the table above, the Chelsea target has fired in an unbelievable 59 goals in 59 appearances in Liga Portugal since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, which shows that he can find the back of the net on a consistent basis if provided with enough service.

Gyokeres has also outperformed his xG in both seasons, which speaks to his ruthless nature in front of goal, and this suggests that he would thrive in a team that creates plenty of chances, as Haaland has with Man City.

He has a Haaland-esque goal return in all competitions for Sporting, as well as outperforming him with his hat-trick against Man City earlier this term, and that is why he could be Maresca’s answer to the Cityzens star.

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It is now down to the club to ensure that they can beat Manchester United in the race to sign the striker, who previously played for Ruben Amorim, to bolster their squad and provide them with their own ruthless, clinical, and consistent number nine to compete in the Premier League next term.

After a disappointing season, Manchester City are preparing to spend big in the summer.

Back in January, the Sky Blues spent a reported £180m, that’s more than all other 19 Premier League clubs combined, recruiting five players, namely Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah.

However, it appears as though this certainly won’t preclude the Citizens from spending big in the summer too.

So, does Pep Guardiola have his eye on a “world class” winger who some are labelling a potential Ballon d’Or contender?

Manchester City's first-choice winger target

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City have made Barcelona winger Raphinha their ‘priority target’ this summer, with Guardiola identifying him as their ‘ideal solution’ on the left-wing, while Chelsea and Al-Hilal are also interested.

The Brazilian, who joined Barça from Leeds United for £49m in July 2022, has been absolutely on fire this season, scoring 30 goals and registering 22 assists across all competitions.

In the Champions League specifically, the 28-year-old has equalled Lionel Messi’s tournament record for most goal involvements in a single season, requiring one more against Internazionale, or perhaps in the final itself, to surpass it.

This form has not gone unnoticed, with analyst Ben Mattinson labelling Raphinha a “world-class player”, while Julia Ranney of the Athletic notes that he is amongst the ‘top contenders’ to win the Ballon d’Or, actually currently the bookies’ favourite to do so.

So, he certainly will not come cheap but, given Barça’s ongoing, well-documented financial issues, perhaps a huge offer could tempt them to cash in.

Jack Grealish's Manchester City future

Guardiola is expected to oversee a major squad overhaul this summer; Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker are already confirmed departures, but many more are expected to follow, with Jack Grealish amongst those in the shop window.

This is the England international’s fourth season in Manchester and has been his least productive, as the table below outlines.

As the table outlines, Grealish has endured a second successive miserable season at the Etihad, a key cog in the machine during the treble-winning campaign, but very much a peripheral figure more recently.

Earlier this season, Grealish went 392 days without a club goal in any competition, ending this barren streak by converting a spot-kick during an 8-0 demolition of Salford, an unused substitute for Manchester City’s last two Premier League matches, as well as nine of the last 15 fixtures he has been available for.

Richard Jolly of the Independent believes Grealish has gone from being ‘one of the most exciting attacking players in world football’ to now a player ‘who is neither exciting nor attacking’, hence why he is widely expected to be moved on this summer.

So, it probably goes without saying that Raphinha would be a major upgrade on the left wing, but let’s lay out the numbers to emphasise this assertion.

Unsurprisingly, Raphinha – who Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley described as “Europe’s best player in 2024/25” – comes out on top for every single metric we could find when compared to Grealish this season.

Thus, if the Sky Blues were able to lure the Brazilian back to England, it would be a major coup, and could be the statement signing they require to reinstate themselves as title favourites again.

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Leeds United are said to be interested in completing the signing of a “brilliant” Celtic player this summer, according to a new transfer update.

Leeds eyeing signings amid title push

The Whites have secured promotion back to the Premier League, following a scintillating run of form in the Championship that included a 4-0 win at home to Bristol City on Monday evening.

Daniel Farke’s Leeds side know that victory away to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday will seal the title, too, with their superior goal difference over Burnley meaning the Clarets’ result at home to Millwall will ultimately be meaningless.

Amid all the promotion positivity at Elland Road, the club continue to work on new signings for when the Whites are back in the top flight, with Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone mentioned as a potential upgrade to Illan Meslier and Manor Solomon expected to join permanently.

Bournemouth full-back Max Aarons is another rumoured target for Leeds ahead of next season, with the Englishman spending the second half of the current campaign on loan at Valencia, and possibly not having a long-term future with the Cherries.

Leeds keen on signing "brilliant" attacker

According to an update from The Boot Room‘s Graeme Bailey, Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda is a summer target for Leeds, as they look to strengthen in the final third. He is valued at £25m.

It is claimed that the Whites have “watched” the Japanese star in action, but they are far from alone in that respect, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brentford, Fulham, Crystal Palace and West Ham all getting a mention.

Maeda would be an interesting option for Leeds, possessing blistering pace and end product, having scored 62 goals in 154 appearances for Celtic, as well as registering 27 assists. The 27-year-old is also a five-time league champion, winning four Scottish Premiership titles with the Hoops and one with Matsumoto Yamaga in his homeland, and Brendan Rodgers is a big admirer.

“He’s been absolutely brilliant wherever he’s played, however he’s played, he’s had an amazing season. He earns every penny and we feel as a club he deserves more. He doesn’t give away much, other than saying he’s very happy.”

The step up from the Scottish Premiership to the Premier League is huge, so there would be a risk element in Leeds making a move for Maeda, but the level of interest in him from some of the biggest clubs in the country suggests many believe he is good enough to make the jump.

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Still only 27, the 23-cap and four-goal Japan international is at a great age to come in and be a key man for several years – he also knows Ao Tanaka well from international duty and he could help him settle – so it is a deal the Whites should look to strike.

An “unbelievable” Premier League player is now at the “top” of Tottenham Hotspur’s list of targets to replace Cristian Romero in the summer, according to former goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

Romero heading for the exit door

At the end of April, it was revealed Romero has informed Tottenham that he wants to leave this summer, amid interest from La Liga giants Atletico Madrid, who have been working on a deal for the centre-back for several months.

With Daniel Levy open to selling the defender, it is now looking increasingly likely he will be on the move this summer, and Spurs’ performance in the Premier League is unlikely to do them any favours when it comes to holding on to their best players.

A 2-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace is the latest poor result for Ange Postecoglou’s side, in what has frankly been a terrible Premier League campaign, with the Lilywhites sitting in 17th place, having now lost 20 matches.

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Bizarrely, Tottenham still have a chance to make a success out of the 2024-25 season, however, as a triumph in the Europa League final would end their 17-year trophy drought, while also securing qualification for next season’s Champions League.

Speaking to Tottenham Hotspur News, Robinson has now revealed that victory in the Europa League could be crucial when it comes to attracting their top target to replace Romero, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

Robinson said: “With Romero leaving, it’s looking more and more likely day by day that he’s going to move on. So you could argue that Tottenham are already a centre-half short.

“Guehi would be top of the list if they can beat anyone else to his signature. But without Champions League football, finishing 16th, potentially 17th in the Premier League, is that an attractive proposition? Or can Newcastle offer Champions League football and a better salary? And that’s where Tottenham are at the moment. There’s so much hanging on their Europa League success.”

Guehi could be "unbelievable" Romero replacement

Guehi showcased exactly why he is at the top of the shortlist on Sunday afternoon, putting in a commanding performance in his side’s 2-0 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The centre-back made 14 defensive actions throughout the match, the highest number of any player, while also winning six out of the seven ground duels he contested, which secured the 24-year-old an 8.3 SofaScore match rating.

Not only that, but the £60m-rated England international has now established himself at international level, most notably making six appearances for the Three Lions at Euro 2024.

Anthony Gordon lauded Guehi as “unbelievable” in light of his performances at the Euros, and having followed that up with an impressive campaign for Palace, there is every indication he could be a fantastic replacement for Romero.

The transfer window is just around the corner, and as Mikel Arteta told the press just last month, it’s set to be a massive one for Arsenal.

The Gunners failed to get over the line in any competition this year, and while injuries have played their part, one of the team’s most significant problems, which most agree on, is their lack of a truly clinical striker.

So, it’s not been surprising then, that in recent weeks, the North Londoners have been heavily linked with several top-class number nines, perhaps none more than Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, who could be available for around £70m.

However, the club seem intent on revolutionising the entire attacking unit, and reports have now touted another superstar for a move to the Emirates, a star who’d be a dream teammate for the Swede.

Arsenal's attacking transfer targets

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other attacking talents who’ve been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Daizen Maeda and Jamie Gittens.

Transfer Focus

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

The former has been enjoying a simply spectacular campaign north of the border with Celtic, in which he’s scored 33 goals and provided 12 assists in 48 games and best of all, he could be available for just £25m.

Gittens, on the other hand, could cost up to £51m, but as he’s still just 20 years old and has managed to rack up a stellar haul of 12 goals and five assists in 46 games for Borussia Dortmund this season, he looks like he’d be worth it.

However, to really get the most out of Gyokeres and take the club’s whole attack to another level, the Gunners will need to sign a true superstar, someone like Rodrygo.

Yes, according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal are one of a few Premier League sides keen on the Real Madrid star.

Alongside the North Londoners, the report has revealed that Liverpool and Manchester City have contacted the player’s representatives and remain in contact today.

In terms of how much the winger might cost Arsenal, a report from earlier this week claimed that he could be available for around €100m, which is about £85m.

It would be an incredibly costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Rodrygo’s immense ability, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be ideal for Gyokeres.

Why Rodrygo would be a dream for Gyokeres

So, to keep things simple, there is one primary reason why Rodrygo would be a dream teammate for Gyokeres, which all others stem from his output.

For the Swedish goal machine to make the most of his incredible finishing ability, he’s going to want to have someone as effective as Saka to the left of him, and that could be the Brazilian.

For example, in 50 appearances this term, the “world-class” attacker, as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has scored 13 goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.17 games.

In comparison, Leandro Trossard has produced 18 goal involvements in 53 appearances, and Gabriel Martinelli has produced 15 in 48, which comes out to an average of one every 2.94 and 3.2 games, respectively.

Moreover, besides having far better raw output than the North Londoners’ current left-wing options, the 24-year-old has some seriously impressive underlying numbers to his name.

According to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for carries into the final third, the top 2% for pass completion and passes blocked, the top 4% for progressive carrying distance, the top 9% for shot-creating actions from take-ons and more, all per 90.

Finally, despite his age, the Osasco-born dynamo has seen it all and won it all at club level, with two Champions League titles, three La Liga titles and a handful of other cups to his name, so while some of Arteta’s other options might struggle to step up on the biggest stages, it’ll just be another game to the Real star.

Ultimately, thanks to his brilliant output, impressive underlying numbers and the immense amount of experience he has at his age, Rodrygo would be a dream teammate for Gyokeres and Arsenal should do what they can to sign him.

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Manchester United have been in talks to sign a £34m star who embarrassed Andre Onana in the Europa League.

Amorim comments on Man Utd future after Europa League final defeat

The Red Devils’ season hit another major low point on Wednesday evening, with Ruben Amorim’s side losing 1-0 in the Europa League final against Tottenham.

Brennan Johnson’s goal just before half-time proved to be the winner in Bilbao and leaves Man Utd planning for next season without any Champions League football.

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1

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Robbie Walls

May 22, 2025

Failing to win the Europa League will have a negative impact financially on United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, whereas transfer targets may not want to move to Old Trafford without European football on offer.

The future of Amorim has also been a talking point following the final whistle in Bilbao, and the Man Utd boss even offered to quit if the club and fans don’t think he is the right man for the job.

“In this moment, it’s a little bit of faith. So let’s see. Like I said before, coming here before in the flash, I am always open. If the board and fans feel that I’m not the right guy, I will go the next day without any conversation about compensation.

“But I will not quit again. I am really confident in my job and, as you can see, I will not change nothing in the way I do things.”

It promises to be an intriguing few months at Old Trafford in what is Ratcliffe’s first summer transfer window as co-owner, and by the looks of things, they have moved for a star who they faced in the Europa League this season.

Man Utd hold talks to sign £34m Cherki from Lyon

According to Sky Sports reporter Patrick Berger, sharing news on X just minutes before Wednesday’s final, Man Utd have held talks with Lyon over a deal for attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki.

Those discussions were held when the Red Devils faced the Ligue 1 side in the Europa League quarter-final, with Borussia Dortmund also keen on the 21-year-old.

An attacking midfielder who can also play on either wing, Cherki has enjoyed a fine individual season with Lyon, which has seen his Transfermarkt valuation rise to a career-high €34m.

Called a “wizard” amid links of a move to Spurs, Cherki even embarrassed Andre Onana against Man Utd by capitalising on the goalkeeper’s mistake to score a stoppage time equaliser for Lyon.

A two-footed, versatile attacker, Cherki is thought to be valued at £34m by Lyon this summer, but missing out on Champions League football could have an impact on any potential transfer.

Bruno Fernandes is staying. Matheus Cunha is joining. Bryan Mbeumo could be next. The future of Manchester United could perhaps be a brighter one…

Of course, Red Devils supporters have been down this road before, with ‘winning the window’ rarely translating into on-field success – just look back to 2021 and the statement signings of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The difference this time, however, is that Ruben Amorim and co appear to be ready to raid the Premier League for ready-made solutions, hence their pursuit of Cunha and Mbeumo, with the club having far too often looked abroad for reinforcements over the last decade or so.

As the MEN’s George Smith noted, amid Cunha’s arrival, United had not signed a proven top-flight attacker since prising Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in 2018, with Romelu Lukaku having joined from Everton a few months earlier.

Those deals aren’t exactly shining examples, although in the case of Lukaku, his return of 42 goals in 96 games has certainly aged well, not least considering Rasmus Hojlund has scored just 26 times in 95 outings in all competitions.

Hopefully, both Cunha and Mbeumo – should the latter sign – can replicate and exceed the Belgian’s return at Old Trafford, with United wise to be continuing this approach of looking closer to home for new additions.

Man Utd keen on signing another Premier League star

The bombshell news that Mbeumo is keen to join Amorim’s side came following the news that United had lost the race for Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, with the Englishman opting to reunite with former Manchester City youth coach, Enzo Maresca, at Chelsea.

Transfer Focus

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

Amid that potential setback, The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell has reported that the club are considering centre-forward alternatives, namely Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen and Antoine Semenyo, with Amorim also keen on acquiring an ‘athletic No.8’, while a new wing-back could also be ‘on the agenda’.

The search for new options on the flanks may have seen United turn toward another top-flight talent, in the form of Brighton and Hove Albion’s Pervis Estupinan, with reports in Spain indicating that the Ecuadorian has emerged as a ‘priority’ target.

The belief is that while the 27-year-old is attracting interest from a long list of suitors, it is the Red Devils who are showing the ‘strongest interest’ at present, having ‘set their sights’ on the full-back.

This comes amid prior reports which suggested that INEOS had actually held talks over a move for the £15m defender, with any potential deal ensuring Amorim could land an immediate upgrade on January arrival, Patrick Dorgu.

How Estupinan compares to Dorgu

It is undoubtedly still early days in Dorgu’s United journey, having signed from Lecce on a £30m deal in January, although it hasn’t exactly been plain sailing, not least when considering the 20-year-old’s red card against Ipswich Town in February.

There have been notable bright moments – including winning a penalty in the 4-1 thrashing of Real Sociedad at Old Trafford – yet the promising Dane is yet to truly convince, with club legend Gary Neville including him among those who are “not good enough” among the current crop.

The addition of Estupinan to bolster that left flank could then represent the perfect upgrade, with the experienced star recognised as “one of the best left-backs in the Premier League” by manager Fabian Hurzeler.

While the 2024/25 campaign ended in the attack-minded full-back providing just one goal and one assist in the league, he had previously registered 15 goal involvements in the two seasons prior to that, across all competitions.

For comparison, the young Dorgu has so far registered no goals and just a solitary assist during his brief time in Manchester, after previously racking up only five goals and two assists in 57 games in Italy.

While the winter signing’s age must be factored in, it is also worth noting that Dorgu did actually play as a winger on occasion in Serie A, with it yet to be seen if he can provide that much-needed end product.

As indicated above, while the current United man is certainly not too far behind across a string of metrics, it is Estupinan who comes out on top in numerous key areas, including tackles and interceptions, ball recoveries, successful dribbles and pass accuracy, emphasising his quality at both ends of the pitch.

It’s not to say that Dorgu should simply be cast off so soon into his time in English football, yet at just 20, the jury is out on whether he can be a consistent, regular performer at Premier League level.

As journalist Samuel Luckhurst suggested after the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, the left-footer arguably looked ‘out of his depth’.

With that in mind, a rival or competitor to the Denmark international is certainly needed this summer – by signing the Seagulls star, Amorim may even be getting himself an immediate upgrade.

He's outscored Mbeumo: Man Utd weighing up bid for £40m Delap upgrade

Manchester United are preparing a move for a star who could thrive at Old Trafford.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 4, 2025

Cursory comments regarding Newcastle United’s wealth must be frustrating for the Toon faithful, and indeed the powers that be at St. James’ Park.

While several divisional rivals have struggled to direct their hosepipe stream of transfer funds over the past several years, Newcastle have been diligent and calculated under the wing of Eddie Howe.

However, last summer’s window left plenty to be desired. In that regard, it’s all the more remarkable that Howe led his Magpies to glory in the Carabao Cup and sealed a place in next season’s Champions League proper after finishing fifth in the Premier League.

With talisman Alexander Isak expected to stay put now that Newcastle have registered themselves for a return to Europe’s elite stage, focus has turned to a right-sided forward.

However, Newcastle have already hit a bump in the road on that front.

Newcastle's search for a right winger

The overload of reports on the matter has made it clear for a while that Newcastle have held a vested interest in Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, one of the Premier League’s standout stars last season.

Mbeumo finished fourth in the goalscoring charts, no doubt contented with his placement given the calibre of those ahead of him, and he would have added quite the dimension to Howe’s brood, had he not rejected interest from Newcastle and a host of further suitors.

The reason? Mbeumo has chosen Manchester United as his desired new stomping ground, in spite of the Red Devils finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, another interested party.

Newcastle have missed out on Mbeumo, but they could yet secure a fantastic new winger. They might even have the perfect fit, having profiled him one year ago.

Newcastle strengthen interest in winger

According to The Northern Echo, Nottingham Forest are on alert as Newcastle gear up to reinforce their interest in Anthony Elanga, who was the subject of a rejected £50m bid on transfer deadline day in August 2024.

The Tricky Trees would expect negotiations to start in a similar ballpark, though in truth, United would perhaps need to pay north of that figure, having held initial discussions this year to discuss the possibility of a deal.

While fellow Premier League forwards Joao Pedro and Antoine Semenyo are on PIF’s radar, the 23-year-old Elanga is felt to be Howe’s leading target.

What Anthony Elanga would bring to Newcastle

Nottingham Forest signed Elanga from Manchester United for a fee of £15m in July 2023, with the young forward earning scant opportunities at Old Trafford.

Two years on, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone willing to testify that the star’s decision was a bad one, instrumental in the club’s rise into European competition last year and in staving off relegation during 2023/24.

Still only 23, remember, the Sweden international could become a bona fide star in the years to come, with a transfer to Howe’s Newcastle sure to spark an acceleration of development.

His blistering speed and powerful athleticism even suggest Elanga could bloom into Howe’s new version of Allan Saint-Maximin, though perhaps one who offers a tad more by the way of clinical output.

As per FBref, Elanga ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for goal-creating actions and the top 3% for crosses per 90.

He didn’t rank that highly across ball-carrying metrics, but do not let this fool you: Elanga is one of the most electric wingers in England, simply reduced in his intensity due to Nuno Espirito’s pragmatic tactics (often hemmed in, Forest ranked 18th for possession with a 42% average).

He’s got that “X-factor pace”, all right, as was agreed by Sky Sports pundits Andy Reid and Jamie Redknapp. And in that regard, Newcastle could unearth their new version of Saint-Maximin, one who could offer more of a clinical threat than the fleet-footed Frenchman.

Saint-Maximin’s qualities have earned him cult status on Tyneside, with reporter Pete O’Rourke also noting his own “X-Factor” quality, having been hailed as a real “box of tricks” due to his frightening speed and dribbling prowess.

While his £23m transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli back in 2023 was bittersweet, Howe clearly knew what he was doing, however, with the winger posting 13 goals and 21 assists across 124 matches at Newcastle, a contribution rate of only 0.28.

Elanga, conversely, has been far more prolific in Nottingham, heaving an almost identical haul of 11 goals and 21 assists for the City Ground side, but doing so across just 82 fixtures in all competitions, a rate of 0.39.

Though Elanga wouldn’t bring the innate goalscoring quality of Mbeumo to the Newcastle fold, he could definitely make a big difference, promoting creativity and taking his athletic qualities into a more fitting park, with Howe’s expansive system allowing him to roam and find the likes of Isak in the middle.

Transfer Focus

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

Of course, given that he only missed six big chances in the Premier League last term, converting six more, as per Sofascore, there’s every reason Howe could fashion this talented up-and-comer into a rip-roaring sensation, one bursting with completeness and layers befitting of a place in one of the most exciting projects on the continent.

Big Wilson upgrade: Newcastle hold talks for £50m "proper quality" ST

Newcastle need to complement Alexander Isak with some fresh firepower next season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 7, 2025