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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.

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.

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.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 2, 2025

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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• Getty Images Sport
  

  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.

• Getty Images
  

  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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• Getty Images Sport
  

  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 Manchester United star Christian Eriksen believes that public criticism from club legends such as Gary Neville and Roy Keane is not helping the Red Devils. Ruben Amorim's side have endured another tough start to the Premier League season and the Denmark international feels more realistic expectations are needed from pundits and former players.

Man Utd's struggles continue under Amorim

Former Red Devils including Neville and Keane have refused to hold back in their criticism of United in their role as television commentators and pundits. Amorim's side have endured another tough start to the campaign and currently sit in 11th place in the Premier League table and have already been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by League Two minnows Grimsby. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportEriksen takes aim at ex-Man Utd player pundits

"You see how big the club is, how much people want to be involved with the club, even on the media attention," he told ESPN. "I think even now we speak about United here. It's just the power of the club. Obviously the more opinionated, the more feelings towards the club are negative, the tougher it is, because the fans follow their heroes on the TV and it doesn't help the players at the club. At the same time at United, as a footballer, there's always someone who has an opinion on one or the other, but you're just playing football. You try to focus on that bit, and I think United were good at that. The focus was on the game itself and not so much what people say."

Former Man Utd star calls for more realistic expectations

Eriksen won the FA Cup and the EFL Cup during his time at Manchester United but feels domestic cups aren't given the same importance at Old Trafford than at other clubs.

"It probably depends who you ask. If you ask a fan, they want to be back to winning the league every year for the next 20 years like they did … this time of football it is almost impossible, to do that with so many other clubs having that many good players around. It's tough," he added. 

"I think obviously they want to get back to that to being stable as a top club, but even being there, winning the FA Cup and the Carabao in the last two seasons is something that any other club would be proud of to have done. Then there is also the size and the image and the feeling at United — it's like it's not good enough. I think hopefully that will change. Even the Carabao [Cup] is a small thing, but at that moment it is a big thing."

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Getty Images SportMan Utd aiming for consecutive wins

After beating Chelsea last time out, Amorim's side will aim to make it two wins in a row on Saturday when the Red Devils travel to Brentford in the Premier League.

Leeds United have now opened talks over a deal for an “elite” striker, who is also being targeted by West Ham United, according to a report.

Leeds eyeing new striker amid Bamford and Joseph uncertainty

Leeds have already made one addition at centre-forward this summer, securing the signing of former Wolfsburg man Lukas Nmecha on a free transfer, but it is looking increasingly likely they will have to bring in at least one more striker.

That is because there are major doubts over the futures of Patrick Bamford and Mateo Joseph, with the former admitting he would be open to a move to the MLS, saying: “I think it’s something that, obviously over time I’ve spoke to Michaela [his wife] about it, in terms of playing abroad, and America being one of the options.

“It was something that when I was younger I always wanted to do at some point in my career, to kind of experience it, experience a new country, the living the lifestyle there and also trying myself in a new league.”

Joseph, on the other hand, has a more pressing desire to leave, having decided not to take part in the Whites’ pre-season training camp, with Daniel Farke adding: “He came to me, and to us, and said he wants a new challenge and would like to have a move.”

With two strikers potentially heading for the exit door, Leeds have now set their sights on a replacement, and a report from Italy (via Leeds United News) has revealed they have opened talks over a deal for AS Roma’s Artem Dovbyk.

Despite being a regular source of goals for Roma last season, the Italian club are not overly convinced by the 28-year-old, and they could sanction a departure this summer, should a potential suitor be willing to fork out £30m.

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He is in the top 1% for dribbles.

1

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Henry Jackson

Jul 30, 2025

West Ham are also in the race for Dovbyk, having submitted an enquiry alongside the Whites, so Farke’s side may have to fend off competition from their Premier League rivals.

"Elite" Dovbyk could be upgrade on Bamford and Joseph

In many ways, it is a surprise that Roma don’t have too many qualms about selling the centre-forward this summer, given that he enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in Italy, amassing a combined 21 goals and assists in all competitions.

Competition	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Serie A	32	12	3
Europa League	11	2	1
Italian Cup	2	3	0

Bamford, on the other hand, has been unable to put his injury problems in the rear-view mirror, while Joseph found the back of the net just three times in the Championship last season, indicating the Ukrainian striker could be a real upgrade.

Having also been lauded as a “fantastic finisher” and “elite target man” by journalist Zach Lowy, there are clear signs that Dovbyk could be capable of firing Leeds to safety next season, so they should undoubtedly pursue a deal if Roma are willing to sell.

It could be the end of his Test career as the Dhaka Test against South Africa was supposed to be his farewell game

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2024

Shakib Al Hasan’s fans show their support for the cricketer outside the Shere Bangla Stadium•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In what could be the end of an illustrious Test career for Shakib Al Hasan, the allrounder has had to make himself unavailable for the first home Test against South Africa. He was unable to make it to Dhaka while traveling from New York earlier this week. Shakib has been replaced by uncapped left-arm spinner Hasan Murad for the first Test starting October 21 in Dhaka, which was supposed to be his farewell Test.Shakib, who was traveling from New York to Dhaka was asked to wait while in transit in Dubai on Wednesday, had expressed uncertainty around returning home because of protests against him in Dhaka amid political unrest. Shakib was initially included in the Test squad and it was supposed to be his farewell game at home, he had said on the tour of India last month.Shakib has not been able to return home in Bangladesh ever since the Awami League’s government resigned after 15 years in early August. Shakib, an MP with the Awami League, was already in Canada at the time for the Global T20 Canada and has not been to his home country since then. He flew to Pakistan for the two-Test series Bangladesh won, he went to the UK to play one first-class game for Surrey in the County Championship in September, before going to India for the two Tests. Unable to return home because of ongoing safety issues, he went to New York where he currently stays. Shakib has been named among 147 people in an FIR for an alleged murder during the unrest.Related

Bangladesh look to begin post-Shakib era on winning note

Amid the drama, new coach Simmons wants Bangladesh to 'focus on the cricket'

Shakib on Bangladesh protests: 'To those of you who were hurt by my silence, I sincerely apologise'

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Shakib's final Test under cloud due to protests against him in Dhaka

Murad, 23, has taken 136 wickets in 30 first-class matches since his debut in 2021, and has already played two T20Is, in the Asian Games last year.”We have been informed that Shakib is unavailable for the first Test,” chairman of BCB’s national selection panel Gazi Ashraf Hossain said in a press release. “He is at the end of his Test career but along with his experience, we still do not have someone of that calibre with both bat and the ball to replace him.”However, Hasan Murad has performed consistently in first-class cricket and has been in our system. He will lend balance to our bowling, especially in home conditions. We believe he has the potential to deliver at this level.”The second Test between Bangladesh and South Africa will be played in Chattogram from October 29.

Half-centuries from captain Grace Scrivens, Cordelia Griffith and Jodi Grewcock steered Sunrisers to a maiden Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final appearance as they chased 233 to beat 2022 champions Northern Diamonds by seven wickets in a one-sided semi-final at Headingley.Sunrisers will meet South East Stars in next Saturday’s final at Leicester.Sunrisers held firm in a contest which swung back and forth, with opener Scrivens posting 56 off 73 balls, Griffith 68 off 89 off and Grewcock 63 not out off 68. The latter two posted season’s-best scores as victory was sealed in the 44th over.Diamonds, aiming for a fourth 50-over final in the five-year regional era, posted 232 for 8 thanks to opener Emma Marlow’s measured 63 added to 49 from Sterre Kalis and a late 32 not out from 15 balls for Phoebe Turner.Six of the seven bowlers employed by Scrivens, including herself, struck before she confidently laid the platform for a chase all but finished off by a 134-partnership for the third wicket between Griffith and Grewcock. It was their region’s highest of the season.Having elected to bat, the Diamonds innings was built around a solid start and a blistering end.Marlow shared in two early partnerships of substance – 48 for the first wicket with Lauren Winfield-Hill and 42 for the third with Kalis, who was run out at the end of the penultimate over.When Marlow fell, caught and bowled by new ball seamer Kate Coppack as the score fell to 119 for 3 after 29 overs, Sunrisers put the squeeze on impressively.Coppack was excellent in conceding only 29 runs from her 10 overs, while leg-spinner Grewcock also struck once and was nearly as miserly as she conceded 26 in eight overs.Coppack’s new-ball partner Eva Gray struck twice with her lively seamers, getting Erin Burns caught at mid-off and Abi Glen caught at short third as the score fell to 185 for 7 in the 47th over.Led by Phoebe Turner, Diamonds then counter-attacked as she crashed five boundaries in her cameo, including four of them off Gray as the 49th over cost 20.Key seamer Sophie Munro only bowling two early overs, including the wicket of Rebecca Duckworth caught behind, before leaving the field injured hurt Sunrisers on a sunny Headingley day. But they cruised with the bat.Sunrisers have now won eight RHF Trophy matches this season. In the first four seasons of regional cricket, which started in 2020, they only won six combined.Scrivens shared an opening partnership of 70 in 14 overs with Jo Gardner, which included the former hoisting the off-spin of Australian all-rounder Burns for six over wide long-on.After Gardner had been trapped lbw by Beth Langston for 19, Scrivens reached her fifty off 66 balls – her fourth added to a century in this campaign.Her haul of 514 runs is the second best in the competition.However, the left-hander was trapped lbw by Katie Levick’s leg-spin not long afterwards, leaving Sunrisers 91 for two in the 19th over.From there, Griffith took on the senior role to steer the chase, with one late cut for four off Levick particularly memorable. She also clubbed a Rachel Slater full toss over square-leg for six.By the time she reached her fifty off 64 balls, Sunrisers were all but over the winning line at 181 for two in the 36th over.Grewcock rubber-stamped things with a 54-ball fifty, effectively ending the Diamonds existence given their players will now head to pastures new following the domestic restructure ahead of 2025.Levick trapped Griffith lbw, but it was nothing more than consolatory as Sunrisers get one last dance.

Experimental side captained by Nat Sciver-Brunt made to work before getting home in final over

Valkerie Baynes11-Jul-2024

Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone combined to dismiss Suzie Bates•Getty Images

England mixed it up, put it in a test tube, found themselves under pressure and still came out with a win and an unassailable 3-0 lead in their T20I series against New Zealand.Sophie Ecclestone’s four-wicket haul smothered Sophie Devine’s defiance before Alice Capsey’s T20I career-best of 67 not out saw the hosts win by six wickets with four balls to spare in Canterbury.With two matches left, the hosts could well continue their experimental approach which saw Sophia Dunkley take her chance with a 26-ball 35 returning to the top of the order and sharing a 66-run partnership with Capsey to put England in control. Two quick wickets to Fran Jonas preserved the hope that Devine had given New Zealand but Capsey’s 60-ball innings, and an cool cameo by Freya Kemp of 16 not out from eight balls saw England home as the White Ferns were left to rue a rash of missed chances in the field.Devine interventionFrom Suzie Bates’ stunning straight drive for four off the first ball of the match – bringing up her 10,000th international run – to her 52-run partnership with Amelia Kerr for the second wicket, this was more like the batting performance New Zealand had craved. At the end of the powerplay, the White Ferns were 46 for 1 and Kerr took them past the 50-mark with four off Sarah Glenn’s first delivery, a fuller one which she lifted behind square. But when Ecclestone cleaned up both in a devastating first over, Devine needed to produce the sort of innings that had so far eluded her on this tour.With Georgia Plimmer having fallen for a first-ball duck in the opening over, the spectre of New Zealand’s batting woes loomed large again and, at 63 for 3, it fell to Devine and Brooke Halliday to steady them. Devine received a life on 4 when Charlie Dean couldn’t hold a sharp return catch before Halliday spooned a Glenn delivery straight to Nat Sciver-Brunt at long-on. Devine broke a boundary drought lasting 5.4 overs when she struck Dean for two fours in four balls, swung through square leg and thundered through long-on, but as the wickets continued to fall, Devine would have to unleash if they were to turn 100 for 6 into a defendable total.Kemp made it 106 for 7 with a perfect yorker to remove Hannah Rowe but Devine slammed the first six of the match over long-on two balls later then slog-swept Ecclestone for an even bigger one over deep square leg and drove the next ball down the ground for four. Devine brought up her fifty with the first of three fours in a row off Dani Gibson, smashed down the ground, before slashing past short third and ending the innings with a heave through square leg to walk off with her first half-century of the tour.Ecclestone’s incisionsEcclestone came into the attack and struck with her second ball, Bates chipping straight to Sciver-Brunt at mid-off for a 27-ball 38. Kerr swung her bat in anguish after she was beaten a beauty three balls later, a flighted delivery that dipped then gripped off the pitch and sailed past the inside edge onto the top of middle stump. When Ecclestone splattered Izzy Gaze’s off stump with her arm ball, New Zealand were in all sorts of trouble. That’s when Devine shifted gears but Ecclestone claimed her fourth when Leigh Kasperek tried to match her captain’s hitting and heaved across the line, only to miss and see her middle stump rattled. It was the last ball of Ecclestone’s allocation, giving her 4 for 25, her second four-wicket haul in T20Is and bettered only by the 4 for 18 she took against New Zealand at Taunton in 2018.Alice Capsey’s half-century got England over the line•Getty Images

“What-if?” planningEngland made sweeping changes in a piece of “what-if?” planning ahead of the T20 World Cup, as it was described at the toss by Sciver-Brunt, standing in as captain for Heather Knight, who sat out alongside Danni Wyatt and Lauren Bell. That made way at the top of the order for Dunkley to play her first T20I since March. Kemp returned after her unbeaten 26 and 1 for 30 playing again as an allrounder in the opening T20I in Southampton while making her comeback from a back injury. Bell made way for fellow seamer Lauren Filer in the other change, which was in keeping with a theme Knight painted ahead of the T20I series where she said England would look to try different combinations and tactics with a view to needing to adapt to changing conditions in Bangladesh.Having been dropped after England’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year, Dunkley scored 15 in her only other appearance of this visit by the White Ferns, in the third ODI in Bristol. Here she had another chance to show what she could do ahead of the T20 World Cup and the spotlight intensified here when Maia Bouchier fell on the first ball of the run-chase, pinned lbw by Rowe. In Rowe’s next over, Dunkley powered a big six over long-off, then helped herself to three fours – and 15 runs in all – off Devine’s second over, which was the last of the powerplay and ended with England comfortable on 50 for 1. But when left-arm spinner Jonas entered the attack, she had two wickets in two balls, Dunkley cramped by a full ball which drifted in and chopping onto her stumps and Sciver-Brunt to an lbw decision that would have been overturned had she reviewed with ball-tracking showed it was missing leg stump.Capsey, Kemp get the job doneThat left England needing 73 runs in 10 overs and Capsey made the most of her chance when she was pinned on the front pad attempting a reverse sweep off Kasperek and successfully reviewed, the ball shown to be going down the leg side. Amy Jones survived two dropped chances, put down on 11 by Plimmer at long-off and Devine at mid-off on 18 with England needing 28 off 17 balls. Capsey slammed Kerr over long-on for six next ball so that when Jones was run out, the equation was 22 needed from 15.Yet another chance went begging when Maddy Green failed to hold in the deep and Kemp capitalised, cleverly reversing Kasperek to the boundary through short third and smashing the next ball down the ground to leave England with five to get off the last over. They got there with four balls to spare via a streaky four by Capsey off a Jonas misfield.

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.

Premier League 24/25 – Top Goalscorers
Rank	Player	Apps	Goals
1.	Mohamed Salah	38	29
2.	Alexander Isak	34	23
3.	Erling Haaland	31	22
4.	Chris Wood	36	20
5.	Bryan Mbeumo	38	20
Data via Premier League

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.

Anthony Elanga’s Premier League Career
Season	Apps	Goals	Assists
24/25 – Forest	38	6	11
23/24 – Forest	36	5	9
22/23 – Man Utd	16	0	1
21/22 – Man Utd	21	2	2
20/21 – Man Utd	2	1	0
Data via Transfermarkt

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

Chelsea securing qualification for the Champions League next season means Enzo Maresca will be able to entice a greater calibre of players to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Of course, that hasn’t exactly been a problem over the previous year or two, but returning to Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2022/23 should give all at the club a massive boost of confidence.

The rumour mill has already begun as several players have been linked with a move to the Blues and the window isn’t even open yet.

Indeed, Marc Guehi is reportedly a player routinely linked with a move to Chelsea and this may accelerate following their fourth-place finish in the Premier League.

Maresca is also looking for another striker or two. Victor Osimhen appears to be a key target, as does Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap. The latter is available for a fee of just £30m due to his club’s relegation from the top flight.

Another player has emerged as a potential signing recently, however, as Brighton and Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro is the latest attacking player to be linked with a move to Chelsea.

Chelsea eyeing move for Joao Pedro

According to reports from Brazil last week, the Blues have made an offer worth £51m to sign the Brazilian. It appears as though the club are attempting to ‘speed up negotiations’ in a bid to have him ready for the upcoming Club World Cup which begins in June.

Pedro wasn’t involved in Brighton’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur on the last day of the Premier League season following a ‘training ground altercation’ with teammate Jan Paul van Hecke.

The Seagulls look certain to cash in on him sooner rather than later, with the Blues jumping to the front of the queue.

Since joining the club in the summer of 2023, the 23-year-old has registered 40 goal contributions in just 70 matches – 30 goals and ten assists – which represents an excellent return.

This season has been particularly productive, netting ten goals in 27 league games, and these helped the Seasiders to an eighth-place finish in the top flight.

It would be a smart signing by Maresca to bring the former Watford man back to London. He knows the Premier League and, as evidenced over the previous two seasons, knows where the back of the net is.

Money will be available for the manager, that’s for sure. But should a chunk be spent on Pedro? Or is there another option out there which might be a better long-term signing?

Chelsea have held talks over Pedro alternative

Maresca is in the market for a new centre-forward this summer and the one player he appears to be most serious about is Benjamin Sesko.

The youngster has been a target for quite some time, but now Arsenal have joined the list of potential suitors.

Sesko has a reported release clause worth £67m, and they will have to act swiftly amid reports that Arsenal are now in talks about securing a move for the RB Leipzig striker.

Journalist Simon Phillips claims that the Blues are also working hard behind the scenes to secure a move for the Slovenian international.

“The new info I have is that Arsenal are now really pushing for Benjamin Sesko as well as Chelsea,” said Phillips.

“Both clubs have held talks and laid down some groundwork to sign him. Arsenal also really like Viktor Gyokeres, but there’s a split internally there as to which striker they want to push for.”

Benjamin Sesko’s Budlesiga stats for RB Leipzig

Metric

2023/24

2024/25

Goals

14

13

Assists

2

5

Shots on target per game

0.8

0.9

Successful dribbles per game

0.5

1.2

Big chances created

1

5

Via Sofascore

Pedro may have 89 Premier League appearances under his belt, but the sheer raw talent of Sesko means he could be the better signing of the two.

Why Chelsea must sign Benjamin Sesko this summer

The 21-year-old made his mark at Austrian side RB Salzburg, enjoying a breakthrough season in 2022/23, scoring 18 goals in 41 appearances for the club.

This secured him a move to the German Bundesliga with Leipzig, and he hasn’t looked back since. Across 87 games for the club, he has scored 39 goals and grabbed eight assists, working out as a goal every 2.2 matches.

Following a late-season goal splurge during his debut season in Germany, U23 scout Antonio Mango hailed the striker as a “monster” for his performances in front of goal.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig even hailed Sesko as “the new Erling Haaland” back in May 2021, and while he might not be at that level just yet, his trajectory has been trending upwards ever since.

Still only 21, Sesko has plenty of time to reach the level of Haaland, that’s for sure. Judging by the statistics, he could certainly turn out to be a better signing for Chelsea than Pedro this summer.

Indeed, according to FBref, Sesko has registered more goals and assists (18 vs 16) than the Brazilian across their respective domestic leagues.

Furthermore, he has also registered more shots per 90 (2.5 vs 1.94), boasts a higher successful take-on percentage (52% vs 33.7%) and wins a higher percentage of aerial duels (58.8% vs 48.8%) per 90 this season.

Transfer Focus

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

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In the Bundesliga, Sesko averaged a goal every 185 minutes for Leipzig during 2024/25, while registering 0.9 shots on target per game.

In comparison, Pedro averaged a goal every 195 minutes for the Seagulls, while averaging 0.7 shots on target in the Premier League during the same time period.

Not much to choose between, but on paper, Sesko would be the perfect long-term option for Chelsea and Maresca given his high ceiling for development.

That’s not to say Pedro wouldn’t be a good signing, but if the Blues are going to be spending northwards of £50m on a striker, bringing in one who has better potential makes perfect sense.

The Blues face competition from Arsenal, but this might not pose much of a problem for Maresa, who will be keen to entice the Slovenian to Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks.

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Chelsea secured Champions League football after a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest this afternoon.

Posts ByEthan Lamb May 25, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is in the market for a potential new manager this summer, with Ange Postecoglou likely to leave after a disappointing season.

Ange Postecoglou facing Spurs exit regardless of Europa League

News sources across the British media, including Mirror journalist John Cross and The Telegraph’s Matt Law, have heard from their sources that Spurs could part company with Postecoglou, even if they win the Europa League.

Tottenham now "ready to sell" £50m-plus star and replace him with 24 y/o

Spurs are hatching a plan to reshape the squad.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 23, 2025

It would be quite a feat for the Australian to clinch Tottenham’s first piece of silverware in 17 years amid a campaign blighted by injuries, protests from supporters and potentially their worst ever Premier League season to date.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

The Lilywhites face this year’s fairy-tale overachievers Bodo/Glimt in the Europa semi-finals, a side nobody expected to get this far, and Postecoglou’s men are the overwhelming favourites to reach this year’s final in Bilbao.

However, even in the event that Postecoglou keeps good on his promise by winning a major trophy during his second season in charge, something he confidently predicted right at the start of 2024/2025, Spurs’ torrid domestic form and lack of backing from fans could mean he still parts company.

Levy has the likes of Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and Brentford’s Thomas Frank on Spurs’ managerial shortlist to replace Postecoglou, according to reports,

Further abroad, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has previously shared news of Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi attracting admirers from within Spurs, but it will be very hard for Levy to prise the Nerazzurri boss away from Italy.

The dissatisfaction around N17 right now after this tepid campaign has caused tensions in the stands to reach boiling point, so Levy and ENIC are under real pressure to get this next appointment right, make smart investments into the squad and turn Tottenham’s fortunes around.

Tottenham now eyeing Burnley manager Scott Parker

As per The Mail and journalist Mike Keegan, a new name is now on Tottenham’s growing list of linked head coaches – Burnley boss Scott Parker.

The former Lilywhites and England midfielder amassed 63 appearances for Spurs during his playing days, and has since gone on to enjoy some successful stints during his managerial career – guiding both Fulham and Burnley to Premier League promotion.

Bar a failed stint at Jupiler Pro League side Club Brugge, the 44-year-old has showcased some promise in his early career as a tactician, and it is believed Tottenham are fans of Parker as a manager.

He’s also attracted praise from his peers, with Man City boss Pep Guardiola branding him one of English football’s new “innovative” coaches back in 2021, while former Tottenham left-back Ryan Sessegnon called Parker a “top coach” when he was linked with the hot seat four years ago.

“He’s a top guy, top man and a top coach. He’s just an all-round great guy,” explained Sessegnon.

“He obviously has a philosophy of play and sticks to it and all the players are buying into that. Recently, it hasn’t been so good for them in terms of results, but I think the performances and effort is still there.”