Elisabeth Terland was at her clinical best on Thursday night to fire Manchester United into the Women's Champions League proper for the first time, her hat-trick haunting former side Brann and giving the Red Devils a 3-0 win which rendered last week's 1-0 loss in Bergen meaningless.
A lack of ruthlessness condemned Marc Skinner's side to defeat in Norway but there was no such concern in the home leg, with Terland scoring twice inside the first 13 minutes to ease the nerves and put United in total control early on. The first was a gift from Ingrid Stevenik, the Brann defender who scored the only goal in Bergen, but the second was all about Terland's quality header – and the equally brilliant corner delivery by Julia Zigiotti Olme.
It looked like a hat-trick was going to elude Terland, though. She hit the base of the post just before half time and then had a goal ruled out shortly after the resumption, though the call of a foul against her certainly looked harsh. No matter, as the Norwegian certainly wasn't going to give up and she got her reward just past the hour mark, when another excellent finish made it 3-0 and ensured United will be in Friday's league phase draw, ready to make their debut in the Women's Champions League proper for the first time next month.
GOAL rates Man Utd's players from Leigh Sports Village…
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (6/10):
Had very little to do for the most part, but was assured on the ball and in collecting crosses.
Jayde Riviere (7/10):
Did plenty of good work at both ends of the pitch.
Maya Le Tissier (7/10):
Great on the ball and made one of the most crucial interventions any United defender needed to on the night, intercepting a good pass from Gaupset just before it put Eikeland through on goal.
Dominique Janssen (7/10):
Good in possession and positioned herself well to be relatively untroubled defensively.
Anna Sandberg (7/10):
Got forward plenty to be a real asset in attack. Covered well when needed, too.
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Midfield
Julia Zigiotti Olme (8/10):
Ran the show in midfield with a classy display.
Hinata Miyazawa (7/10):
Did a lot of work off the ball that can go under-appreciated but is so important.
Ella Toone (6/10):
Sometimes hesitated with her final decision but most of United's best attacking moves went through her in the first half.
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Attack
Jess Park (6/10):
Had some lively moments in another encouraging performance.
Elisabeth Terland (9/10):
Deadly in front of goal and fully deserving of her hat-trick.
Melvine Malard (6/10):
Quieter than most would've expected her to be, given her excellent form, but did cause Brann some problems still.
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Subs & Manager
Gabby George (6/10):
Slotted in at left-back solidly as she builds her minutes back up after a knock.
Fridolina Rolfo (7/10):
A really lively introduction, with her nearly creating one goal and scoring another just minutes after being introduced.
Lisa Naalsund (N/A):
Injected energy into the game and filled in admirably at right-back as United saw the game out.
Rachel Williams (N/A):
Made her injury return in the final minutes, replacing Terland to allow the Norwegian to have the ovation she deserved, too.
Marc Skinner (7/10):
Didn't change much after what was actually a good performance in the first leg and his XI delivered the result he trusted them to. Subs injected new life into the game to squash any momentum for Brann.
Crystal Palace are no strangers to losing some of their best assets to Premier League rivals.
Wilfried Zaha is the first obvious example that springs to mind, with the Eagles academy star ditching Selhurst Park for Manchester United back in 2013, only to then return to solidify his presence among the Palace greats.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka travelled down the same Zaha path in 2019 when he also relocated to Old Trafford, with Yannick Bolasie also another notable exit to Everton in 2016, when the enigmatic attacker left South London for good, for around the £30m mark.
The departure that could sting the most, however, is the impending exit of Eberechi Eze to Arsenal – no, not Tottenham Hotspur – having been catapulted to star-man status at Selhurst Park over the past few seasons, culminating in a hefty haul of 40 goals and 28 assists being tallied up.
Palace will aim to dress up their wounds quickly, though, as some statement arrivals look to be in the works.
Crystal Palace add £45m star to shortlist
The South London outfit already has targets in mind to fill Eze’s void, with the former Queens Park Rangers midfielder’s move away from the club looking inevitable, even if the destination has been altered.
Reports have suggested that the Eagles could explore bringing in Hwang Hee-chan from Wolverhampton Wanderers to add in some needed firepower, alongside other rumours indicating that the top-flight outfit is edging ever closer to adding Bilal El Khannouss from Leicester City to boost their options in the number ten spot on the pitch.
Away from both of those options, other rumours are circling involving Palace going after Southampton youngster Tyler Dibling.
TalkSPORT has recently revealed that the Eagles are the next Premier League club to enter into the queue for the standout teenager’s services, with Palace going as far as to shortlist Dibling as a potential heir to Eze.
It could cost Oliver Glasner and Co. a whopping £45m to land the Saints prodigy, but this might well be viewed as a worthwhile gamble, with the 19-year-old already possessing the potential to be a bigger talent than the soon-to-be Spurs midfielder down the line.
Why Dibling could even be a bigger talent than Eze
After all, when placing both their career trajectories side-by-side, Eze is a relative slow burner in comparison to Dibling’s explosive ascent.
The London-born midfielder wouldn’t make his debut in the bright lights of the Premier League until he was 22 years of age, while the Saints number 33 already has 33 top-flight clashes next to his name, having made his own first steps in the tough division aged just 18.
Dibling’s Southampton stats
Age bracket
Games
Goals + Assists
Senior side
44
4 + 3
U18s
42
11 + 5
U21s
27
8 + 6
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Just a mere five clashes into this top-flight journey on the South Coast, Dibling would find the net with some confidence against Ipswich Town, with a further three big chances carved out across his 20 Premier League starts in the league. That reinforces the notion that he is a “special” talent to keep an eye out on, as he was labelled by former U21 coach Adam Asghar.
At a similar point in his own development as a teenager, Eze was making waves in the Championship with QPR, but it would take him a lot longer to get up to speed with the pressures of the Premier League, compared to his 19-year-old counterpart.
His first two campaigns at Selhurst Park would see him collect a reasonable 12 goals and assists from 53 first-team outings, not helped by Achilles tendon issues that derailed his 2021/22 season.
All of this is in the past now, obviously, with Eze going on to be known as an “unbelievable” ace for the South London side, as he was dubbed by Glasner last season, on the way to the Eagles triumphantly lifting the FA Cup in part because of the 27-year-old’s heroics.
While it has taken Eze time to get to the level he is at today, Dibling looks ready-made right now – at just 19 – to take the top-flight by storm, donning Palace claret and blue.
In time, the much-talked-about attacker could be viewed in the same light as Zaha and Eze before him, as the Eagles hope landing Dibling’s signature makes the painful loss of the 12-time England international more manageable.
Crystal Palace eyeing marquee signing of "incredible" £40m Eze replacement
The Eagles have now set their sights on a new target, who could replace Eberechi Eze.
EXCLUSIVE: After his a long-awaited USMNT return, the son the former national team coach hopes for more chances to come
HARRISON, N.J. – It was just before one of the U.S. men's national team's matches at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and Jurgen Klinsmann had wrapped a training session. Tim Howard and Brad Guzan turned for the lockerroom, but a few players wanted to stay on the field to continue their work.
Nick Rimando was there to play in goal, but Klinsmann needed another shot-stopper. He looked around, surveyed the scene and found his 17-year-old son.
"We need help," the then-USMNT boss said. "Hop in."
That was Jonathan Klinsmann's first USMNT training session, if you can call it that. Now, more than a decade later, he can admit that it wasn't particularly great, nor had he done much to earn it. His dad needed a warm body in goal, and he was the best he had at his disposal at that moment.
"I was so young. I had no muscle on me!" Klinsmann told GOAL. "I just remember the speed of the ball. I remember it going right past my head. I ended up somehow saving one. I'm feeling confident, and then Jermaine Jones steps up and rips one right at me. I had it. I had the ball in my hands, but I couldn't hold it. He just hit it so hard. It should have been comfortable, but it was so powerful that it went right through me. Right then, I was like, 'OK, this is different.'"
Klinsmann's path back into a USMNT shirt? Yeah, that's been different, too.
The son of a legendary coach and player, Klinsmann, theoretically, could have had an easy path. Instead, he took a more circuitous route back to the USMNT. It's one that, for many, is still headlined by a tweet he sent as a teenager. Those days are long gone, of course. Much has changed, and life has since sent Klinsmann on his own unique journey through it all.
From college to the Bundesliga to Switzerland to the USL to MLS and, now, finally, after all this time, a starting job in Italy, Klinsmann's path has turned into a story of persistence. At some point at each of those stops, he was benched – if he even got the chance to play at all.
Many times, that's what led to him moving on. Klinsmann's story, generally, is one of a player chasing opportunities that never really went his way. Not until now, at least. He's seized his chance with Cesena in Italy. That earned him a opportunity with the USMNT earlier this month.
That's how he sees things now – as an opportunity. Finally, at age 28, Klinsmann is beginning develop into the player he always wanted to be. Does that result in more USMNT chances going forward? Perhaps, perhaps not. But, after rejoining the USMNT this month, it's worth dreaming.
The goalkeeper picture seems wide open, and so, fresh off his latest national team chance, it might just be worth wondering if, just maybe, those shots from Jones won't be his only World Cup memory after all.
"Going to college and then all of these different spots and just not playing, that gets at you a lot," Klinsmann says. "Over the years, it's been waiting and waiting and waiting and, finally, having a chance to get a string of games to be like, 'OK, this is me.' It was being patient for eight or nine years and now finally being told that you can play.
"I've been playing well enough to get this call, so it all just feels like the culmination of my story, of my career up until now. It's all been about building for years. Being able to put it all together now? It's the best. Coming here tops it all off."
AFP
A love for goalkeeping
Klinsmann gets the question a lot. "How in the world did you become a goalkeeper?" For the uninitiated, his father, Jurgen, was one of the most dangerous attackers the game has seen. He was a World Cup winner with Germany who lit up the Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Premier League during his career. Somehow, his son chose gloves instead of goals?
He laughs about it. Klinsmann actually started as a forward, but was tossed into goal during a stint with Bayern Munich's academy. Throughout his youth, he was lucky enough to find a series of goalkeeper coaches who made the position fun. He never looked back.
"It was quick," Klinsmann recalled. "For me to change, I had to love it, right? I loved scoring goals and I loved being up top, being creative, and I still love it. For me to change positions, I knew right away. It was so much fun. I really liked it."
His father, of course, was supportive. As the years went on, he was also a valuable resource. While club coaches would help him get into the mindset of a goalkeeper, his father would get him into the mindset of a striker.
"He would shoot at me, and it was always fun," Klinsmann recalls. "He doesn't think like a goalkeeper. It's the exact opposite. A coach would say, 'Maybe do this or that' and then dad, from a striker's perspective, would tell me what he's thinking. If I move here, what does that say in his mind? Does he aim somewhere else? Does me doing this switch up his thought process?
"We'd have a game and I'd get scored on and I'd ask him 'As a striker, what do you think?' And then I could go to my goalkeeper coach and go, 'As a goalkeeper, what do you think?' It was so many different perspectives. It was a full circle, and it was all the information I could really need."
Translating that information to the field, ultimately, became a struggle. For years, Klinsmann was desperate for a club to call home and, more importantly, where he could regularly play. That process took some time.
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The long road
After starring for the U.S. U20s and collegiately with the Califnornia Golden Bears, Klinsmann headed for Germany in 2017. He went for a trial. It worked. He signed with Hertha Berlin, and Klinsmann was seemingly on the rise.
Over the next seven years, he played precisely 26 senior soccer games. One came in Berlin, a Europa League appearance against Ostersunds FK. Two came with St. Gallen in Switzerland, both cup games. The rest? Spread across four years with the LA Galaxy, where he was almost exclusively a backup, save for a brief run in his final season.
"It was a lot of cup games where it was like, even if you play well, you probably won't play again. But if you don't play well, you definitely won't play again," he says. "So you go out there and try and have a couple of good games and you feel like, 'Oh man, I can really build on this.' But then you can't. Maybe next year. I had one bad cup game in Switzerland and they were like, 'Well, your year's done.' You'd have to wait until the next season to even have a chance to maybe go in. That happened every single year of my career until Italy."
It was a battle between frustration an perseverance. In the end, patience indeed turned out to be a virtue.
"At the end of the day, I felt like I deserved to play, but all you can do is keep showing up, right?" he said. "From Berlin on, I didn't have any other thought process other than, 'Can I play?' I just wanted to get onto the field. Finally, going to Italy, it's all come together, and I've been able to show what I can do. I've been waiting a decent amount of time to do that."
Enter Cesena, the little club on the Eastern side of Italy that made all of that worth the wait.
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Life in Italy
Klinsmann is no stranger to getting recognized. His last name is usually a dead giveaway. That's not why he gets spotted in Cesena, though.
"It's not the largest of cities," he says, "and I'm the only six-foot-something American guy."
Klinsmann arrived at Cesena in February 2024. They were in Serie C. The club made it clear upon his arrival that Klinsmann wouldn't play right away, which, in Klinsmann's life, was nothing new. Coming off an MLS offseason, he wasn't ready physically.
The second half of the season, then, was largely an extended preseason to prepare him to compete the following campaign. In the midst of that, the club got promoted, giving Klinsmann the opportunity to compete in Serie B.
"The whole risk was that this wasn't, per se, a normal way to do it," he says, "but I saw an opportunity, especially to start playing in Serie B. You can get exposure, experience, all of the different benefits of living in Italy as well."
That off-field life, Klinsmann says, is fantastic. He rarely spends time in his apartment. The food is great. Some of the biggest, best cities in the country are just a drive away. The beach is 30 minutes away and, in the summer, he says, there's no place better.
The big moments, though, come on the field. After taking over as the starter early last season, Klinsmann made 28 league appearances for Cesena as the club finished seventh in the league. This season has started well, and the club is even thinking about promotion.
"When they told me they wanted to make a switch, they said that I had these next few games and not to think about it as a one-and-done," he says. "They said, 'Your teammates and coaches trust you, so trust yourself.' I build on that. From the first game, I just did that."
Those consistent minutes also had Klinsmann dreaming of a potential USMNT return. He'd attended national team camp just once, as an injury replacement in 2018. With a new coach, Mauricio Pochettino, in place and experimentation ongoing ahead of the World Cup, he began to wonder what he could do to take that next step.
"You obviously know that you have to be playing and, going to Italy, it's every week now," he says. "It's a good level, a good league with a good team in front of you and not letting up many goals? You feel like, at a certain point, maybe it could happen. But it's not up to you. You just have to wait and hope and keep focused. You have to keep going if it's ever going to happen."
Then the email hit his in-box.
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More chances on the way?
The original message indicated that Klinsmann had been selected for the provisional squad. It was a sign that he was being seen. A good step, he thought. He was clearly doing the right thing. The real breakthrough came soon after, and the message came from Cesena.
"We played our first game against Pescara away and won 3-1, great result," he recalls. "My team manager pulled me aside while everyone was celebrating in the lockerroom and showed me the official email. It was emotional. The whole team, the coaches, are celebrating because of the result, which was fantastic. But I didn't tell anyone. I called my parents and my girlfriend and those were the only people.
"I just sat on the bus back that night, because it was a decent drive, and I just sat there thinking about it. The whole team was celebrating the win, and I went along with it. I was celebrating something cool, too."
Ultimately, Klinsmann didn't play in the USMNT camp. Pochettino used Matt Freese, the presumptive No. 1, in both games against South Korea and Japan – Freese, in fact, has started eight straight games for USMNT, and previous starter Matt Turner was not in this month's camp. At 28, Klinsmann did not get his first cap.
He hopes there will be a next time, but knows it isn't guaranteed. Either way, it was good to be back, good to know that, finally, after everything, he might just be on the right track.
"It was about giving everything that you possibly have in training every day with the goal of maybe getting called back in," Klinsmann says. "For me, that isn't a guarantee. With the World Cup coming up, you obviously want to get called back in. You don't want to be in a camp or two camps – you want to be in that last camp. It's just knowing that, even if you give it your all, it's still not up to you. But the least you can do is make sure you have no regrets about it."
One thing is clear about Klinsmann – he doesn't give up.
"There are just so many things that I can bring back to my club, that I can work on and that I can now share, too," he says. "It's not only just myself, right? It's these ideas that can change the way you think about goalkeeping a little bit while also staying within yourself and staying the guy that was called up. I had no expectation coming in. I just wanted to be open-minded. This was always a goal of mine, and I didn't give up on it. I always had an eye on it."
Former Napoli chief Pierpaolo Marino has criticised Kevin De Bruyne, accusing the ex-Manchester City maestro of "stepping on Scott McTominay's toes" and hindering the Scot's impact. Marino also added that De Bruyne's current level at Napoli is nowhere near enough to warrant a comparison with the ageless Luka Modric, who has been off to a sensational start for AC Milan.
Modric and De Bruyne mark eras at Madrid and Man City
Modric and De Bruyne brought an end to their illustrious careers at Real Madrid and Manchester City, respectively, after defining an era of midfield dominance at both clubs for 13 and 10 years. Though well past their prime, the two footballing giants have now chosen Serie A as their next destination.
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Serie A careers off to a flier
While Modric joined AC Milan — a club the Croatian maestro passionately supported as a child — De Bruyne was signed by reigning champions Napoli. Both players have made an excellent first impression in their first five Serie A appearances, having earned praise from several former stars who predicted that Modric and De Bruyne would soon emerge as the league’s top two midfielders.
Over the weekend, Napoli and Milan played a closely-contested fixture, which ended 2-1 in the Rossoneri's favour. The victory saw Massimiliano Allegri's side go top of the table, level on points with the Partenopei.
Ex-Napoli chief speaks on Modric and De Bruyne comparisons
Although De Bruyne scored Napoli's only goal, he was substituted in the 72nd minute by Antonio Conte after Pervis Estupinan was shown a red card. The 34-year-old was left visibly frustrated and expressed his disapproval of the decision while coming off, prompting Conte to address the situation.
In the aftermath of the game, ex-Napoli general manager Marino was critical of De Bruyne. "Is De Bruyne still the player he used to be, or is he just a shadow of his former self? So far, he hasn't scored from a free kick or penalty, and according to our colleagues at TuttoNapoli.net, De Bruyne is now a problem for Conte," Marino told .
He added: "If he messes up simple things, then you see that the comparison with Modric, who at 40 has done what De Bruyne hasn't done so far in Naples, is merciless. Napoli changed a midfield that worked very well for De Bruyne, and at the moment, it's not working.
“De Bruyne is stepping on McTominay's toes, who is not performing with goals and finishing like last year, and it's obvious. The problem is significant. Kevin also disputes his substitution because he is convinced that he is making a great contribution. In this Napoli team, he has only made an impact by taking penalties, but you don't need a player of De Bruyne's calibre for that. In my Napoli team, Maurizio Domizzi took penalties, and he took them well."
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When do Napoli and Milan play again?
Napoli will to return to winning ways and open their account in the Champions League when they welcome Sporting CP at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Allegri's troops will hope to stay at the top of the Serie A table when they face a tricky trip to in-form Juventus on Sunday.
Manchester City are looking to cement themselves as the team to beat in the Premier League and they could go some way to doing that if they are able to tempt their latest transfer target to the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City react to Champions League league phase draw
In an eventful week, the Champions League league phase draw is now complete and Manchester City now know who they will face for a place in the knockout rounds of the competition.
From the eight sides they will take on, ties against Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Napoli are the standouts, though the Citizens have landed a favourable run off games on paper and will feel confident they can progress.
Man City’s Champions League opponents
Real Madrid (A)
Borussia Dortmund (H)
Bayer Leverkusen (H)
Villarreal (A)
Napoli (H)
Bodo/Glimt (A)
Galatasaray (H)
AS Monaco (A)
Fixture dates TBC
Speaking after the draw, Pep Guardiola expressed his delight at being able to welcome former Manchester City heroes Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane back to the Etihad Stadium.
He stated: “I’m really pleased he (Kevin De Bruyne) will come back here and of course, we have to beat the teams Napoli and Galatasaray (with Leroy Sane), nice to welcome him back. I’m sure the people will give a great welcome to them, they deserve it.”
Nevertheless, attention turns to their clash against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend alongside transfer activity, and the Citizens are plotting move to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold from Real Madrid.
Admittedly, that may come down the line in January, though it shows that Guardiola’s ambition is through the roof as his side look to get back to dominating English football. Fermin Lopez could also move to the Etihad from Barcelona, and they are lining up another significant play for one of the world’s finest stars amid growing uncertainty over his future at a global superpower.
Man City lining up record Vinicius Junior bid
According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are lining up a £130 million bid to sign Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, given he has two years on his contract left in the Spanish capital.
The Brazil international is at loggerheads with Los Blancos over an extension and Guardiola is ready to swoop in, given his pace and ability to burn past defenders in one-on-one situations.
Man City could bid for £276k-p/w star who called the Etihad "incredible"
The Blues are lining up a shock move for a player Pep Guardiola has praised in the past…
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Dominic Lund
Aug 28, 2025
Similar to their pursuit of Alexander-Arnold, the Citizens may wait until 2026 to move for the winger, who has been nominated for the 2025 Balon D’Or and has previously been labelled “quality” by scout Jacek Kulig.
Starting the campaign with a bang, Vinicius registered a goal and an assist in Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory over Real Oviedo last weekend, but his situation is growing slightly more uncertain as the weeks go by.
Manchester City are no stranger to a statement signing, and manging to push a deal over the line for someone of such a high pedigree would be guaranteed to make global headlines.
Newcastle United’s summer transfer window started with a sequence of failed efforts to sign strikers. They had an extensive shortlist, but found they were repeatedly beaten in their chase for all of them but two.
Indeed, optimists on Tyneside might remark that Newcastle got there in the end, strengthening across the park to give Eddie Howe a refreshed squad to tackle the campaign with.
Losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool cannot be sugar-coated, though; it’s a huge blow. Widely regarded as being among the cream of strikers across the globe, Isak has only made the dominant Premier League champions stronger.
Only a matter of months ago, the thought of Isak’s sale to a team like Liverpool was unthinkable, but it has become a reality for the Magpies, and Howe has been forced to rework his free-flowing frontline.
Having only claimed two points from their first three league matches of the season, blanking in two of those matches besides, Newcastle need their new recruits to settle in quickly, having indeed reached a decision that Isak needed to be sold to Liverpool.
Why Newcastle allowed Isak to leave
Isak has been one of the most clinical goal scorers in the Premier League since his debut in 2022, behind only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah in the goal-to-game ratio.
Premier League – Top Scorers Since 22/23
Player
Apps
Goals (per 90)
Erling Haaland
100
88 (0.88)
Mohamed Salah
111
67 (0.60)
Alexander Isak
86
54 (0.63)
Ollie Watkins
115
50 (0.43)
Bryan Mbeumo
104
39 (0.37)
Data via Transfermarkt
After qualifying for the Champions League and beating Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup last season, the Toon felt they had done enough to prevent Isak from being picked at by the top brass, but the player has been tenacious in his desire to leave for pastures new, even at the expense of his relationship with Newcastle.
PIF entered the transfer window with the insistence that they would not lose their talisman, who was contracted to St. James’ Park for just under three more years.
But his incendiary comments and refusal to play made it hard to warrant his staying in Howe’s squad. Thus, his bond with United has been broken.
Newcastle have at least replaced the 25-year-old with a proven Premier League goalscorer in Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, but it’s club-record man Nick Woltemade who feels to have taken the baton from Isak as he leaves Tyneside and makes his way over to Liverpool.
Why Newcastle signed Nick Woltemade
Newcastle signed Woltemade from Stuttgart for £69m toward the end of August, seeing him replace Isak not just in position but as the most expensive player in United’s history.
Woltemade’s arrival suggested a concession in the battle with Liverpool to keep Isak at St. James’ Park, and while he’s unlikely to bring the same cultured and complete attacking style to Howe’s door from the off, the sky really is the limit when looking at the wider picture.
Data-driven platform FBref has crunched the numbers over the past 365 days and noted that the 6 foot 6 Woltemade bears a likeness to Isak, albeit less lateral with his movements and more of a proficient outlet when in tight situations.
The site record him to rank among the top 1% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and successful take-ons, and the top 15% for progressive passes per 90.
Woltemade might need a touch of work in front of goal, but he has a wider scope than Wissa, who would be expected to provide a consistent stream of goals, having scored 19 for the Bees last year.
There’s no question about Woltemade’s potential. Talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed his “unstoppable” performances with Germany U21s after a terrific year with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, where he scored 12 times from only 17 starting appearances.
However, all this boils down to the brief prowess the 23-year-old has shown and the belief that Howe can grow him into a player of Isak’s ability. He has not yet reached that stage.
Therefore, some might question whether Newcastle have slightly overpaid for the German international. Arrivals were always going to come at a premium for the north east outfit, with all aware of their struggles in identifying and convincing a high-level forward to join their project.
According to Transfermarkt, Woltemade is only worth €30m (equating to roughly £26m), having scored just 14 goals across 70 appearances in the Bundesliga, hitherto sharpening his skills lower down the ladder.
He was integral in winning the DFB-Pokal last season and has shown he has prolific potential within him, but to expect this record signing to arrive and pack as heavy a punch as Isak landed on England’s elite simply isn’t realistic, at least within the early days of his time on Tyneside.
Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade
And this would be highlighted through Isak’s £125m price tag, which in fact stretches roughly £100m higher than the value that Woltemade has been projected to hold.
Had Wissa not been signed, Howe might have found himself with a steeper task in lifting Woltemade up to the height of his ceiling, but when considering the circumstances, this should be viewed as promising stuff from the club.
Still, a combined figure of £124m (including add-ons) puts the pressure on for such players to effectively replace a world-class marksman with two talents in the aggregate.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their second goal
Woltemade, then, might need to start playing like an elite Premier League striker from the moment he walks onto the pitch, and perhaps that could be to the detriment of the German star’s bedding-in effectively at Newcastle.
He is likely to come good, but it may be a difficult start while he gets up to speed. Just look at the criticism Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres has attracted during his early days at the Emirates Stadium. Isak’s fellow Swede is one of the landmark additions of the window but cost £64m, less than Woltemade. That paints the picture of how silly season panned out in the Premier League.
He's outscoring Woltemade: Newcastle must regret selling the original Wissa
Newcastle could do with this striker’s quality after selling Isak to Liverpool.
Crystal Palace stunned Liverpool by cancelling Marc Guehi’s £35 million ($47m) deadline day move to Anfield, with Palace chairman Steve Parish revealing his side's maiden European campaign was the key factor. Parish stressed that keeping the England captain was crucial for the Eagles’ season, despite the allure of a big-money transfer, highlighting the unique circumstances behind the dramatic last-minute U-turn.
Guehi's dramatic Liverpool transfer collapse
Liverpool had agreed terms with Crystal Palace on a £35m fee plus a sell-on clause to sign Guehi, with the England international even starting his medical in London on September 1. However, the Eagles failed to secure a suitable replacement, with Brighton’s Igor Julio choosing a loan move to West Ham instead. Palace manager Oliver Glasner, determined to retain his talisman, reportedly threatened to resign if Guehi was sold without a replacement, pushing the board to pull the plug mere hours before the 7pm deadline day cut-off. Additionally, Palace were preparing for their first-ever European campaign in the Conference League, which heightened the stakes of retaining their captain.
The collapse left Liverpool disappointed but planning to return next summer when Guehi will be a free agent, as his Crystal Palace contract expires in June 2026. Guehi had been willing to make the move, and personal terms on a five-year contract were reportedly agreed.
“It’s a difficult decision,” Parish told . “It’s as simple as that these things are never black and white. I decided in the end that, based on the advice that I got and with what I think, that we would have a better season if we kept Marc.”
He added: “We don’t guess about these things. If you look at it rationally, if you look at what is worth the place in the Premier League, the fact that we’re in the Conference League for the first time in our history, this is a fairly unusual set of circumstances in which to keep a player. If we were fighting between the difference of 10th and 14th, if that was going to be the difference between keeping Marc and letting Marc go, then probably we would have said: ‘Right, we should take the money."
Prioritising Conference League and Premier League stability, Crystal Palace chose to retain leadership on the pitch rather than gamble on a last-minute replacement. The chairman's statements also show that the board considered long-term planning and squad cohesion critical in making such a significant decision in the dying embers of the transfer window.
Guehi tracked by Liverpool and other clubs
Guehi’s contract situation has put him in high demand even before next summer’s transfer window, with multiple elite clubs reportedly interested. Liverpool are expected to remain key contenders, particularly with uncertainty around Ibrahima Konate's contract, who will also become a free agent in 2026. Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich are all tracking Guehi as a potential free transfer target, giving them an advantage since they can open pre-contract negotiations from January 2026.
The centre-back’s importance at Selhurst Park was emphasised by the failed attempts to replace him, showing the scarcity of experienced defensive options on the market. Crystal Palace’s decision also demonstrates how managerial influence – Glasner’s opposition in this case – can directly impact transfer dealings. Despite the collapse, Guehi remains a highly-coveted defender, with his leadership and Premier League experience making him a priority for Europe’s top clubs.
Even with Liverpool having missed out this time, the Reds are highly likely to return next summer and will hope the chance to continue in the Premier League will convince the England international to move to Anfield. Meanwhile, foreign clubs have a potential edge, as Guehi can legally begin discussions with them mid-season. This situation sets up a high-stakes race for the 25-year-old centre-back, with implications for both domestic and continental competition.
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Guehi crucial to Crystal Palace's 2025-26 ambitions
Crystal Palace will focus on navigating their first European campaign while ensuring Guehi remains fit and motivated. Liverpool are likely to monitor the player’s contract situation closely, aiming to secure him in the summer transfer window without paying a fee. Meanwhile, the broader European landscape, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich, will continue evaluating Guehi’s availability, preparing for the January 2026 pre-contract period that could reshape defensive plans across multiple top clubs.
The Eagles' board must also plan for future transfer windows, ensuring they have contingency options in case other key players attract late interest. Success in the Conference League and the Premier League will partially depend on keeping leadership stable, a decision now exemplified by retaining Guehi. The dramatic deadline day twist serves as a reminder of how quickly football plans can change, with both short-term results and long-term strategy influencing transfer choices.
Under past tenures, Everton weren’t exactly known as the most easy-on-the-eye watch.
Indeed, under Sean Dyche, the football was often a struggle to be entertained by, with just 21 goals finding the back of the net under the unpopular 54-year-old’s reign.
Now, however, with the likes of Jack Grealish leading the way under David Moyes, the Premier League side are a far more captivating sight to behold, with several striker options also available to the Scotsman that should see the goals continue to flow.
Moyes' striker conundrum in 2025/26
There was a drastic change in attack during the off-season.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin didn’t pen a new deal at the club after an injury-ravaged few years on Merseyside, culminating in the long-serving Toffees servant swapping the blue half of Liverpool for Leeds United on a free transfer.
To fill this huge void, Moyes and Co would swoop in for rising Villarreal star Thierno Barry, with the Frenchman costing a weighty £27.6m to get through the door.
While he is yet to get off the mark for his new Premier League side from his first three league clashes, the hope will be that the “menacing” forward, as he was labelled by U23 scout Antonio Mango, can grow into becoming a lethal finisher on English shores with time.
Indeed, he tallied up a standout 61 goals previously playing in Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland.
After all, Beto would regularly spurn chances towards the start of his up-and-down spell. Now, however, he’s the main man Moyes relies on up top, with two goals already next to his name this season.
Still, it could be deemed a risk to just rely solely on these two attackers to deliver the goods, with a homegrown Barry already up Everton’s sleeve. He’s now potentially ready for senior opportunities to boost their options.
Everton's "prolific" homegrown Barry
The high-flying Toffees do have a distinguished reputation for unearthing top gems through their academy in attack, with Moyes the manager who first handed Wayne Rooney a senior shot on Merseyside way back in 2002.
He also had a part to play in Ross Barkley’s rise up the ranks to senior stardom, with Omari Benjamin hopeful he can be the next in line for some first-team chances up top, having lit up the youth pitches at Everton for some time now.
Initially scoring goals by the bucket load at Arsenal in the U18 fold – with 18 strikes next to his name from 33 clashes – the 19-year-old Welshman has since made the switch to Everton and been equally as lethal.
Barry would very much be seen in the same clinical light when firing home ten goals in total for the Sochaux B team, with Benjamin even going as far as to be labelled a “prolific” threat by Arsenal youth reporter Jeorge Bird, before settling into life on Merseyside swimmingly.
Benjamin’s for Everton by position
Position
Games
Goals
CF
12
7
LW
4
1
LM
2
0
RM
2
1
RW
1
1
AM
1
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
As can be seen glancing at the table above, the 19-year-old has slotted into many different roles for the U21s and excelled, with the centre-forward spot his obvious preference overall, as seen in him bagging seven of his ten efforts to date from this position.
However, he can also line up down the left or right wing if needed, much like Barry, who has a sterling record of 14 career goals down either of these flanks.
Moyes might boldly want to insert Benjamin into his first team plans shortly; therefore, with this versatility, a standout attribute of his varied game, away from his red-hot goalscoring ability.
Yet, it could also be seen as a huge gamble to throw another raw and inexperienced striker into the mix, with Barry already very much a work in progress.
The former Villarreal number 15 will just need to shake off that first goal burden sooner rather than later, with Benjamin perhaps offering competition down the line as the revamped Everton attack aims to entertain supporters all season long.
Imagine him & Grealish: Everton may have Baines 2.0 in 19-year-old starlet
Everton’s next Leighton Baines could be a perfect partner to Jack Grealish down the left flank
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has teased international team-mate William Saliba about Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes, with two French defenders locking horns again in a bid to establish domestic dominance in the English top-flight. That crown currently resides at Anfield, but a thrilling start to the 2025-26 campaign suggests that north London heavyweights are ready to compete for major honours once again.
Liverpool have stumbled after flying start to the season
Liverpool burst out of the blocks again this term, with a flurry of late goals seeing them rewrite the history books while collecting five successive wins in Premier League competition. Said success came on the back of an elaborate spending spree in the summer transfer window that saw deals for the likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak smash records.
The wheels have come off slightly since then, with Liverpool suffering three straight defeats in all competitions. Those setbacks have come against Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea across domestic and Champions League action. Arne Slot’s side have been knocked from the loftiest of perches as a result.
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Arsenal have moved ahead of defending champions
Arsenal, who have finished as Premier League runners-up in each of the last three seasons, have moved to the summit. They are only one point clear of the chasing pack, having picked up 16 through seven matches, but are daring to dream of securing a first title since the fabled ‘Invincibles’ of 2003-24.
Saliba will have an important role to play for the Gunners if they are to sustain a bid for ultimate glory, with the classy centre-half integral to Mikel Arteta’s plans. He is, however, happy to play down expectations for now – especially when indulging in playful banter with an international team-mate.
When signing autographs for fans at France’s international squad base at Clairefontaine, Konate was handed a picture of him holding the Premier League trophy. With Saliba by his side, the Liverpool defender quipped: “Hey Wilo, it's you, right?” Saliba responded with: “No, no, it's you for this year. Konate added: “It's for you this year.” Saliba hit back again with: “No, it's Liverpool again! We have to put pressure on them.”
Konate nursing a knock on World Cup qualifying duty
It remains to be seen whether Konate will be fit enough to line up for France in their upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland. He was replaced during the second half of Liverpool’s dramatic 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Reds boss Slot told reporters afterwards: “I don't know if it's a big injury, but I do know that he limped. And I asked him, and he said, 'I feel my quad a little bit'. But, for me, all alarm bells go off because in another sprint, then you never know if that is going to go good, so it was already a substitution I had in mind for maybe a little bit later, because the right centre-back has a lot of ball possession, and we all know that Ryan (Gravenberch) is good in there. So it might be okay and he went off early enough, but it was clear that I had to take him off because he was limping.”
France boss Didier Deschamps said when waiting for his squad to report for national team duty: “There are still injuries. I don't have any additional information. We'll have an update when the players arrive. The observation is that for the vast majority, they arrive tired. They arrive from one week to three matches. I will have to spread out the playing time more than in September. They are all fit to play.”
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Next up: Premier League tests for Liverpool & Arsenal
France have no need to take fitness gambles as they are fast closing in on qualification for next summer’s World Cup. Club bosses will also be eager to ensure that no risks are taken on players that will be required to slot straight back into the fold when returning to their domestic bases.
Liverpool have a crunch clash against old adversaries Manchester United to come on October 19, with Konate required for that contest, while Arsenal will return to Premier League action after the international break with a short trip to London neighbours Fulham.
Win at Turf Moor and Liverpool remain in pole position four matches into the Premier League campaign. While it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, Arne Slot’s side have collected nine points from nine thus far.
Burnley might be newly promoted, but they gave Manchester United a tough game before the international break and won previously against Sunderland on home ground. But Slot’s Redmen are different beasts, and will expect to secure victory once again.
With an opening foray into the Champions League looming on Wednesday evening, when Liverpool will host Atletico Madrid, subtle rotation is to be expected, and Curtis Jones will play no part after picking up an injury in his last outing.
However, Jeremie Frimpong has returned to team training and will hope to challenge Dominik Szoboszlai, the hero two weeks back, for a starting berth at right-back.
There is also, of course, the anticipation of Alexander Isak’s arrival. Isak joined Liverpool from Newcastle United in a record-breaking deal on transfer deadline day, and many across the country will keep an eye on the striker’s potential debut.
However, the 25-year-old is likely to be benched, having played little football for several months. Hugo Ekitike will deputise in his stead, and Florian Wirtz will target the match as one which seems fit to get him up and running after his £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
Why Liverpool should relocate Wirtz
Wirtz has so far played in a central role for Liverpool, standing proud of the deeper-lying midfielders and looking to weave together the different lines for Slot’s side. It’s been a steady start, but not the barnstorming introduction many anticipated after his British record move from Germany.
However, the 22-year-old is clearly one of the most talented footballers in the world. You can see it in the way he deftly touches the ball, you can see it in his snappy, seamless movements, his vision and artistry in creation.
But the opening games of Wirtz’s Premier League career left plenty to be desired, and Liverpool might find that their expensive recruit has more success in a wider berth, taking on defenders and creating and cutting inside and shooting.
Stats via Sofascore
Against Arsenal, improvements were made. Especially in the second half, Wirtz started to loosen up, moving with an ease of gait that gave rise to his fleet-footedness and ability to take on and beat his man.
Such skills are transferable, of course, not just limited to a central attacking midfield role. And for that reason, perhaps Liverpool might want to unleash Wirtz from a left-sided position this term, with £45m man, Cody Gakpo, shifting into the number nine spot that will soon become Isak’s.
Slot should unleash Gakpo in the Isak role
With Isak unlikely to start from the beginning at Burnley, Slot might fancy solving his Wirtz problem by fielding Gakpo in a more advanced attacking position, alongside Ekitike.
Then the German playmaker could shift out to the left, with Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch working in the middle (should Szoboszlai reprise his right-back role, he could advance to the middle in possession, thus compacting the midfield).
Gakpo scored 18 goals across all competitions last season and is one of the most accurate shooters in the Premier League, with pundit Peter Crouch even remarking last year that he had “gone up a level” in Slot’s system.
Isak rocks the boat somewhat, and Liverpool’s forwards will be dished out varying degrees of match action across the season. Gakpo won’t start every match, but he should start here, against Burnley.
For much of August, Isak wandered across the cold tundra of footballing No Man’s Land, having rebelled at Newcastle and removed himself from Eddie Howe’s pre-season preparations. Many times did it seem that the Sweden international would be kept from his dream move to Merseyside.
But he’s here now, and Liverpool are much better for it. However, the fact that Slot has such strength in depth bears testament to FSG’s determination, and indeed the longer-spanning reach of their quiet tenacity, with Gakpo also a showcase in that regard.
Liverpool signed Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in late December 2022 after his exceptional performances with the Netherlands at the Qatar World Cup. Man United thought they were signing him, but Liverpool swooped and landed their man.
And he’s improved by the season, with a goal and two assists from three Premier League appearances this term, further evidence that Slot has created a version of the player who is capable of getting better and better.
Early though the term is, Gakpo has been a menace, with data from Sofascore revealing him to have averaged an absurdly high 9.3 duels across his top-flight fixtures so far, also making six key passes and all the while through a heat map that highlights a deeper starting point than was typical last season.
And what does that mean? Well, Wirtz’s involvement is likely a defining factor. Last year, Szoboszlai played a more industrious role from number ten than the German, working overtime to pack energy and initiative into Slot’s hard-working team.
Wirtz is a more advanced player, flashier and full of flair. Liverpool are recalibrating. Lopsidedness and unfluent motions have been pinpoints of criticism for the Reds across their opening matches, and yet they have nine points from nine. They stand atop the pile and have beaten Arsenal and Newcastle and Bournemouth.
Perhaps moving Wirtz out wide, where he has played and starred before, would help this imperious outfit hit an even stronger stride. Gakpo, after all, is a natural goalscorer and would still be able to work from outside to in in a duel-striking role with Ekitike.
Wirtz – Career Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals (assists)
Attacking midfield
163
48 (55)
Centre-forward
15
7 (7)
Right winger
11
4 (3)
Left winger
9
2 (3)
Central midfield
5
0 (3)
Data via Transfermarkt
Has Slot envisaged such a scenario? It certainly seems likely, else why would Liverpool have broken the bank for forwards such as Isak and Ekitike?
When fitness permits, Isak will play many matches from the number nine berth, leading the line for Liverpool. There he will score goals in their droves, adding not just goalscoring potency but a unique take on the centre-forward’s craft.
However, with Ekitike firing on all cylinders and Isak in need of soft integration for the time being, Liverpool might want to avoid throwing caution to the wind, especially when someone like Gakpo would be ready to stand in and help shape a new system.
The Dutchman is his own player; he is not Isak. Gakpo would not play Isak’s positional role in mimicry, but offer his own take, thus allowing Slot to create a new style from which multiple players can settle into the same seat and keep it all afloat.
To put it all in a nutshell: Liverpool are rather good, and have so many different ways to achieve their title-winning ambitions.
Not Quansah: Liverpool have lost their own Guehi in "generational" talent
Liverpool must wish they still had this talented player in their ranks.