Tottenham Hotspur made a big splash in the market on Thursday night when they officially confirmed the signing of Mohammed Kudus from Premier League rivals West Ham United.

The Ghana international has put pen to paper on a long-term contract with the Lilywhites and will be hoping to shine on the Champions League stage next season.

Thomas Frank and Daniel Levy are not done there, though, as they are also looking to bring Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White to North London.

The Guardian reports that his expected £60m transfer to the club has been delayed by Forest’s complaint that Spurs did not have permission to speak with the player, and their complaint around the confidentiality of the £60m release clause in his contract.

It states that the Tricky Trees consider the deal to be off, but the feeling is that their protestations are likely to delay a transfer, rather than derail it.

However, it now remains to be seen exactly how this transfer saga is going to play out, as Spurs hope that they will be able to add him to their squad before long.

What Morgan Gibbs-White could bring to Spurs

The 25-year-old ace could add to Frank’s depth in the attacking midfield department as a player who has already proven his quality in the Premier League with Forest.

However, although it should not be completely ruled out, Spurs supporters should not be expecting a generational talent to arrive at the club in the form of Gibbs-White.

In fact, there is no guarantee that he will come in as a significant upgrade on Tottenham’s current number ten James Maddison, if they are even competing for the same place in Frank’s system.

Their respective performances in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign, despite Forest finishing higher in the Premier League, suggest that he may not be an upgrade on Maddison at all.

Appearances

34

31

xG

6.34

5.83

Goals

7

9

Big chances created

10

6

xA

4.69

5.91

Assists

8

7

Possession lost per game

12.7

10.3

As you can see in the table above, the former Norwich man’s output – goals and xA – was more impressive than Gibbs-White’s, despite playing fewer games and giving the ball away fewer times per game.

These statistics suggest that they are, in fact, fairly similar in what they offer at the top end of the pitch and could provide healthy competition for each other, rather than Gibbs-White, who has only been capped four times by England, coming in as an immediate upgrade.

Meanwhile, Spurs are reportedly interested in signing another English midfielder who is an even bigger talent than the Nottingham Forest attacker.

Spurs eyeing move for English midfielder

According to GIVEMESPORT, Frank has pinpointed Crystal Palace central midfielder Adam Wharton as a ‘leading target’ for the summer transfer window.

The report claims that it will be a difficult deal for the Europa League champions to pull off, but Daniel Levy has been given the ‘green light’ to make more big-money signings to bolster the squad.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that Wharton is now ‘firmly’ in Frank’s sights as the Danish head coach wants to beef up his options in the middle of the park ahead of next season.

The outlet states that the English maestro is an ‘ambitious’ target for the Lilywhites, who are now weighing up whether or not to make a formal approach for the former Blackburn star.

GIVEMESPORT reveals that Palace are set to demand a fee of at least £80m for the left-footed defensive midfielder, and it remains to be seen whether or not Tottenham are willing to spend that much on him this summer.

Why Spurs should sign Adam Wharton

Tottenham should, if they have the funds, splash the cash to bring the Eagles sensation to North London in the weeks to come because he is an even bigger talent than Gibbs-White who is worth paying the extra £20m for.

The 21-year-old is four years younger than the Forest star, yet has already been capped by England and is currently valued at £20m more than him, at £80m.

Wharton, despite his young age, has emerged as one of the hottest midfield properties in the division because of the immense quality that he provides on the pitch at both ends of the pitch.

The left-footed star is a rare talent who combines physicality, athleticism, intelligence, technical ability, and determination. In short, he has everything that you could wish to ask for from a deep-lying midfielder.

Wharton, who was highly praised by Declan Rice last year, averaged 2.7 tackles and interceptions and 5.1 ball recoveries per game in the Premier League last term, without making a single mistake that led to a shot or a goal for the opposition.

To go along with the defensive qualities that the English youngster offers in the middle of the park, the Palace star would be an upgrade on what Frank currently has in midfield from an in-possession perspective.

Adam Wharton

7.31

4.03

Rodrigo Bentancur

5.47

2.46

Yves Bissouma

4.79

1.02

Archie Gray

2.06

0.31

Pape Matar Sarr

4.14

2.12

As you can see in the table above, Wharton is significantly better at progressing play with his passes and knitting together moves that result in shots for his side than the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma are, based on his form last term.

This proves that the £80m-rated metronome, who has been called “world-class” by journalist Luke Weaser-Seychell, is a midfielder who combines defensive work with exceptional play on the ball.

Therefore, Wharton could arrive at Spurs this summer as an upgrade on what they currently have at their disposal, which is why they should be pushing to bring him in.

It is also further evidence that he would be an even bigger talent for the club than Gibbs-White, as a more expensive signing who could walk straight into the XI, whilst the attacking midfielder may not find it easy to take Maddison’s place.

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Despite already spending big this summer, Sunderland are now reportedly considering a move to sign a La Liga star who has a release clause worth around £26m.

Sunderland's impressive summer business set to continue

Not many saw it coming, perhaps not even the most optimistic of fans, but Sunderland have so far enjoyed an excellent transfer window. The Black Cats have welcomed as many as six fresh faces, with the likes of Simon Adingra, Chemsdine Talbi, Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra particularly standing out as ones to watch next season.

The latest to be presented as a Sunderland player, Adingra told the club website after arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion: “It’s a pleasure to be here, and I cannot wait to get started. The Club and the project are really exciting. I spoke with everyone and their interest in me made the decision easy – I wanted to be part of Sunderland’s future.

“Playing in the Premier League has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, so to continue doing that is incredible. It’s a big challenge ahead – we’ll be facing top players and strong opponents – but I’m ready for it.”

The talented winger will form part of a new-look Sunderland attack that the Black Cats could see in action for the first time in their pre-season trip to Portugal.

Even as pre-season gets underway, however, those back in Wearside may not be done with their transfer business amid reports that another attacking option could now be in their sights.

Sunderland considering Tsygankov swoop

As reported by Diari de Girona and relayed by Sport Witness, Sunderland are now considering a move to sign Viktor Tsygankov from Girona this summer. The newly-promoted side have received positive scouting reports about the Ukraine international and could now make their move to trigger his €30m (£26m) release clause.

Minutes

1,913

1,097

Goals

2

2

Assists

5

2

Key Passes

33

16

Although the Girona man didn’t enjoy the best output last season, he did outperform Sunderland’s new man in Adingra, which would certainly make things interesting if the Black Cats made their move this summer.

Dubbed “outrageous” at the start of his career by scout Jacek Kulig, a move to the Premier League could be exactly what Tsygankov needs to rediscover his best form in front of goal.

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Meanwhile, as they look to form an underrated frontline, Sunderland could welcome a player who has experienced life in the Champions League. At 27 years old too, Tsygankov should be at the peak of his powers and may well prove to be an instant bargain at just £26m this summer.

As Bayern Munich step up their pursuit of Luis Diaz, Liverpool are now at risk of losing another star man amid reports that one European club are now readying an improved offer for his signature.

Bayern Munich submit opening offer to sign Diaz

With just two years remaining on his current deal, Diaz’s immediate Anfield future has been thrown into doubt courtesy of interest from Bayern Munich. The German giants have reportedly submitted an offer worth just £45m to sign the South American and have unsurprisingly been told that the winger is not for sale, especially at that price.

Given that Diaz, himself, is reportedly keen on the move though, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Liverpool’s stance changes in the coming weeks. If it does, then the Reds could reportedly demand around €80m (£69m) to sanction the Colombian’s exit ahead of next season.

It’s a transfer saga which could force Liverpool back to the market for incomings in unexpected fashion. Just who they would turn to as a replacement for Diaz is the unanswered question, however.

Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon reportedly remains a target following long-standing interest and the Magpies’ decision to sign Anthony Elanga may at least leave the door ajar for the Reds to make their move for the Liverpool-born winger.

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Meanwhile, as interest in Diaz begins to steal the headlines, the exit door could also be about to open for another Anfield star in the coming weeks.

Napoli readying fresh £48m Nunez bid

According to Caught Offside, Napoli are now readying a fresh offer to sign Darwin Nunez from Liverpool this summer. The Italian giants have already reportedly agreed personal terms with the Uruguay international and are now preparing a bid worth more than €55m (£48m) to secure his arrival ahead of next season.

Like Diaz, however, Liverpool value Nunez at more than £48m this summer. In fact, reports are suggesting that the Premier League champions could demand as much as €70m (£61m) to sanction the South American’s exit. Whether Napoli agree with that hefty valuation remains to be seen.

Whilst there’s no denying that Nunez’s Anfield spell hasn’t gone the way anyone would have wanted, the forward has still had some important moments, with late goals against Brentford and Nottingham Forest particularly standing out.

Ultimately, however, a departure is best for all parties as the Red continue to chase a deal for Hugo Ekitike and, therefore, an instant upgrade on their struggling forward.

Darwin Nunez

Liverpool record (via Transfermarkt)

Appearances

143

Goals

40

Assists

26

Once dubbed “wonderful” by former manager Jurgen Klopp, Nunez now seems destined to leave Liverpool after just three seasons at the club.

He is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for a routine assessment

Shashank Kishore02-Sep-2024

Suryakumar Yadav played the red-ball Buchi Babu Tournament recently•PTI

Suryakumar Yadav has been ruled out of the opening round of the 2024-25 Duleep Trophy to nurse a hand injury he sustained during last week’s pre-season fixture for Mumbai at the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Coimbatore. Suryakumar has been advised rest and is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for a routine assessment.Suryakumar didn’t bat in the second innings of the fixture against TNCA XI last week, after injuring his hand while fielding on the third day. At the time, the Mumbai team management confirmed the move was precautionary keeping in mind his participation in the season-opening Duleep Trophy.Suryakumar, India’s T20I captain, recently expressed keenness to pitch for a Test comeback. Having not played any first-class cricket in over a year, Suryakumar made himself available for the pre-season Buchi Babu Tournament to tune up for red-ball cricket with India slated to play 10 Tests over the next five months, starting with the two-match series against Bangladesh from September 19 in Chennai.Related

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Suryakumar, whose only Test so far came last year against Australia, was named in the India C squad, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, who will be taking on Shreyas Iyer’s India D in Anantapur. India A and India B will simultaneously play the other opening-round fixture at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.Recently, fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik had also been ruled out of the opening round of Duleep Trophy because of illness, and Ravindra Jadeja had been withdrawn, though no reason was provided for him by the BCCI. Navdeep Saini and Gaurav Yadav will replace Siraj and Malik for the India B and C squads respectively.Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy has been declared fit by the NCA. His inclusion was subject to fitness after he was diagnosed with a groin injury that led to his withdrawal from India’s T20I squad to Zimbabwe in July.Revised squads for Duleep Trophy first roundIndia A: Shubman Gill (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat Rawat.India B: Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Yash Dayal, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, N Jagadeesan (wk)India C: Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Abishek Porel (wk), B Indrajith, Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Gaurav Yadav, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Anshul Khamboj, Himanshu Chauhan, Mayank Markande, Aryan Juyal (wk), Sandeep WarrierIndia D: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ricky Bhui, Saransh Jain, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat (wk), Saurabh Kumar

Arsenal have officially announced the signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, taking sporting director Andrea Berta’s summer spending past the £200 million mark – which means exits could be necessary.

Arsenal prepared to bid £55m for star, four-year contract at the ready too

Andrea Berta is swiftly moving on to his next target after Viktor Gyokeres.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 26, 2025

Gyokeres has joined the Gunners for an initial fee of around £55 million, a number that could rise to £64 million with add-ons (The Athletic), after the Sweden international travelled to London this weekend for a medical.

The 27-year-old’s 54 goals in all competitions last season suggests that Gyokeres could be worth every penny if all goes to plan, with the lack of a prolific number nine long viewed as the missing piece of Mikel Arteta’s jigsaw.

However, following their deals for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera on top of Gyokeres, Berta has now spent hundreds of millions on reinforcing Arteta’s squad.

If Arsenal manage to sign Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze too, with the Eagles reportedly holding out for his £68 million release clause, the north Londoners could end this transfer window spending closer to £300 million.

Taking this into account, and the fact Arsenal currently boast the third-highest wage bill in the Premier League, Berta’s next priority is sealing some departures as well as potentially striking an agreement for Eze.

With PSR lingering in the background, top flight clubs are only permitted a loss of around £105 million over a rolling three-year period. If Arsenal surpass this limit, they face sanctions.

So far, there have been no indications that the club are in any real danger of this, but Berta still needs to monitor the club’s revenues/spending.

Gabriel Jesus gives green-light to leave Arsenal as Flamengo prepare offer

According to South American news outlet RTI Esporte, Flamengo have held talks with striker Gabriel Jesus, and they’re preparing to make an audacious loan-to-buy bid for the Brazilian.

Jesus has apparently gave the “green light” to negotiate a move to Flamengo, and if a move materialises, the clubs would split his £265,000-per-week wages 50/50. Flamengo’s interest comes despite the former Man City star’s lengthy lay-off, with Jesus currently out of action after sustaining an ACL rupture in Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United last season.

With Gyokeres arriving, the 28-year-old will have to compete with both Arsenal’s new signing and Kai Havertz for a place up front once he returns to full fitness, so a temporary move away could suit all parties as Arsenal look to trim their salary books.

Jesus enjoyed a purple patch of form under Arteta last season – grabbing six goals and an assist in all competitions from early December to January after a lot of criticism – with his injury coming at an extremely unfortunate time.

Just as you thought Arsenal’s start to the summer was quiet, they have roared into life over the last fortnight to welcome in a batch of new acquisitions.

Kepa Arrizabalaga has signed from Chelsea (yes, another one), Christian Norgaard has arrived from Brentford and the headline addition so far has been £55m Martin Zubimendi.

The trio have already got to work during the club’s warm weather training camp in La Manga and it’s not long now until the Gunners head to Asia, more specifically Singapore, for their pre-season tour on July 19th.

Before then, Mikel Arteta will hope for more new faces. Here’s the latest on that.

Arsenal's summer transfer window: the latest

This could be a busy old week for Andrea Berta and Co as he aims to bring in a few more fresh signings before that trip to Singapore.

The first is set to be Noni Madueke. Whether you like it or not, the Chelsea winger is due to be announced as an Arsenal player this week after undergoing a medical this weekend.

According to Henry Winter, he looks set be followed through the door by Valencia centre-half Cristhian Mosquera. A deal had gone quiet over recent weeks, but the journalist shared that things should be wrapped up soon.

And then there’s the centre-forward, the elusive striker. Will Viktor Gyokeres finally head to the Gunners?

Transfer Focus

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

Well, things are becoming rather toxic between him and Sporting at the moment. The Swede has regularly told his club that he will never play for them again and has made it clear he won’t attend pre-season training.

Sporting president Frederico Varandas, has since hit back at the striker, saying: “If they [Arsenal] don’t want to pay Viktor’s fair market value, we’re very comfortable with that for the next three years. This strategy is also making it more complicated for the player to leave. Nobody is above the interests of the club. Whoever they are. We’re calm. Everything will be resolved with the market closing, a hefty fine and an apology to the group.”

Sky Sports reports that the Portuguese giants are looking for around £69m, add-ons included. Despite the war of words here, the former Coventry star is still confident of getting his move, so much so that he expects to be in London this week.

That’s according to journalist Graeme Bailey, who said: “Gyokeres considers his Sporting career over, having agreed personal terms with Arsenal. Sources have also told me that he hopes to be in England early next week to complete his move.”

The impact Viktor Gyokeres could have at Arsenal

In recent years, it’s safe to say that Arsenal haven’t exactly got their squad building 100% nailed on.

They’ve signed good players, of course, but since Arteta became Arsenal boss, he has only signed six attackers; Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, Willian and Marquinhos.

It’s hardly an illustrious list of names and therefore, the signing of Gyokeres could transform this Arsenal side.

Let’s cast our minds back two years a moment. In the same week of the 2023 summer window, Declan Rice was putting pen to paper on a club-record £105m move at the Emirates Stadium and Gyokeres was completing his switch from Coventry to Sporting.

Since then, the duo have become two of the best players on the continent. Rice has totally transformed this Arsenal team and it was his performances that propelled them towards the Champions League semi-finals.

No one will forget that night in north London when Arsenal hit three past Real Madrid. Rice was the hero, scoring two stunning free-kicks. It felt like his transfer fee had been paid back in one night, if it hadn’t already.

Rice went on to dazzle in the Bernabeu too, with Rio Ferdinand noting that the England international “stood up against the holders of this trophy” and “ran the show in both games”. The former defender exclaimed that the midfielder has now “put himself in another bracket.”

Well, if Rice was one piece of the puzzle that was missing, then Gyokeres could be the final piece that completes the jigsaw. He could be the Rice-like signing that catapults this Arsenal team to greater things, and by greater things, we mean finally winning a trophy.

Arteta may have the FA Cup to show for his efforts, but the Premier League and Champions League continue to elude him.

Rice has now taken Arsenal close but Gyokeres could help across the finish line. Why? Well, he’s one of, if not the best centre-forwards in Europe right now.

Gyokeres through the years
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2020/21	34	5	1
2021/22	47	18	5
2022/23	50	22	12
2023/24	50	43	15
2024/25	52	54	13
Stats via Transfermarkt.

Forget Alexander Isak, forget Erling Haaland, what the Swedish powerhouse has done over the last two years is nothing short of remarkable.

In 2023/24, the striker bagged 43 goals in 50 outings and went even better throughout the latest campaign, netting a stunning haul of 54 goals in 52 appearances.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that that tally is pretty damn good, and considering how Arsenal struggled in offensive areas of the pitch last season, he could be game-changing.

Arteta’s side didn’t lack creativity. No player registered more expected assists per 90 minutes in the Premier League than Bukayo Saka in 2024/25. As a club, they had the sixth-highest number of shots in the division and produced the fifth-most key passes.

However, despite that, they found it difficult to put the ball in the net. For the first time since 1923/24, the Gunners failed to find a player who scored double figures in the league.

As a result, signing a man who has scored 97 goals at club level over the last two campaigns ought to fix the problem.

Gyokeres might not be a club-record move like Rice was but his impact on the field of play is likely to be just as significant. Dare we smell another Arsenal title charge? Time will tell.

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Arsenal could still change their mind on Viktor Gyokeres.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 10, 2025

Celtic won their fourth game in five pre-season matches on Saturday when they put Premier League side Newcastle United to the sword at Parkhead.

The Hoops ran out 4-0 winners against the Magpies in front of their supporters, thanks to goals from Arne Engels, Johnny Kenny, Hyun-jun Yang, and Liam Scales.

Brendan Rodgers will surely be delighted with the way that pre-season is going for his team, given this impressive result, but there are still more gears for the Hoops to find as they continue to improve their squad with new signings.

Their most recent signing was announced on the morning of the clash with Newcastle, as the club confirmed the arrival of Shin Yamada on a permanent deal from Kawasaki Frontale.

The Japanese centre-forward got the chance to say hello to the supporters at Parkhead on Saturday, but he did not sign in time to be involved on the pitch.

It will now be interesting to see what kind of role the 25-year-old striker plays at Celtic next season, because he has arrived in Glasgow off the back of a frustrating campaign in his home country.

Why Celtic need to revive Shin Yamada

Speaking to the club’s official website as part of the announcement, Rodgers said: “He (Yamada) is a strong player who can score goals and create goals for others and I think he is someone who can definitely add an important dimension to our forward line.”

This suggests that the Northern Irish head coach believes that the Japanese number nine has the quality to make a big impact in the Scottish Premiership for the Hoops next term, despite his form in 2025.

In the 2025 J1 League campaign, Yamada scored two goals in 21 appearances for Kawasaki Frontale, whilst he also only provided one assist for his teammates and created 0.4 chances per game on average.

That does not mean that he is not likely to offer any quality in the final third for Celtic, though, because his form in the 2024 campaign was sensational.

Appearances

38

21

Goals

19

2

Minutes per goal

107

573

Big chances missed

14

8

Key passes per game

0.7

0.4

Assists

3

1

As you can see in the table above, Yamada scored a whopping 19 goals in 38 league games in 2024 before his decline in form in the first half of this year.

If Celtic can revive the striker and get him back to his best at the top end of the pitch, Rodgers could have a lethal and prolific centre-forward on his hands.

The Hoops are also in the market to add more quality to their options out wide, and they are reportedly pursuing a deal for a star who could help Yamada to get back to his goalscoring best.

Celtic in talks to sign new winger

According to the Daily Record, Celtic remain interested in a move to bring Royal Antwerp forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha to Parkhead before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that talks over a deal to sign the Belgian attacker have been ‘ongoing’, as Rodgers looks to bolster his options on the flanks after Jota’s injury and Nicolas Kuhn’s move to Como.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that Royal Antwerp boss Stef Wils has revealed that it is “possible” that the 24-year-old will complete a transfer away from the club ‘soon’, opening the door to a move to Parkhead.

The Daily Record adds that Balikwisha, who is reportedly valued at £5m, has been a long-term transfer target for the Hoops, and they are in talks to finally get a deal over the line.

It also reveals that Royal Antwerp are keen to cash in on the Belgian winger this summer because his current contract with the club is due to expire at the end of next season.

Why Yamada would love Balikwisha

Yamada could be one player who would be happy to see the Scottish Premiership champions secure a transfer for the Pro League attacker this summer, because the flanker could be perfect for the striker.

As aforementioned, the Japanese marksman needs to improve his form in front of goal after a frustrating year so far, and he will need wingers who can create high-quality chances for him in order to do that.

Balikwisha missed 29 matches with muscle injuries during the 2024/25 campaign, which limited his game time, but the 24-year-old talent still caught the eye with some impressive performances.

The Belgian whiz was described as a “creative” talent by analyst Will Glavin and his underlying numbers in the Pro League last season support that claim, as he scored four goals and provided three assists in 12 starts for Royal Antwerp.

xA

0.22

Top 33%

Assists

0.31

Top 22%

Successful passes

34.99

Top 15%

Chances created

1.99

Top 29%

Touches

60.61

Top 24%

Penalties won

0.08

Top 7%

As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha ranked highly among his positional peers in the Pro League in a host of key possession-based and creative metrics.

These statistics suggest that he has the potential to be a highly influential performer for Rodgers as a creative threat on the left flank if he can stay fit and start regularly, as he is able to create high-quality chances on a regular basis for his teammates.

That is also why Balikwisha could help to revive Yamada next season because he has the creative quality to provide the striker with enough opportunities for him to get back on the goal trail.

Whilst it will still be down to the Japanese striker to finish those chances, by the law of average, the more chances that are created for the forward the more likely he is to start scoring goals on a regular basis again.

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Therefore, Yamada will surely be hoping that these talks with Antwerp lead to Celtic doing a deal with the Belgian side for Balikwisha, because he could be the perfect winger to play alongside him at Parkhead next season.

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Australia vs Sri LankaSharjah, 2pm local timeAustralia squad: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla VlaeminckSri Lanka squad: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilshari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Sachini Nisansala, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika KumariRelated

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Wise beyond her years, Alice Capsey is forever learning

England the heavyweights in Group B

Tournament form guide: After warming up with victories against Bangladesh and Scotland, Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka lost their tournament opener to Pakistan in Sharjah. Australia, not surprisingly, beat England and West Indies in the warm-ups, after batting first in both games.News brief: Sri Lanka are in a spot, having lost their opening match to lower-ranked Pakistan, that too by being restricted to 85 for 9 in a modest chase of 117. They will now play a day game against Australia in the heat of Sharjah – the same as their first game – so team changes may not be no the cards. Sri Lanka will have to pull up their socks on the field after putting down three catches, which cost them heavily on Thursday. Australia might go spin heavy too, like the teams did on the opening day, and they have enough allrounders to do that.Australia have never lost to Sri Lanka in T20Is, the last of which came in the 2023 T20 World Cup that saw Sri Lanka on the receiving end of a ten-wicket drubbing. Australia will, however, not want to be “Atha-ed”, what Alyssa Healy said is being smashed by Chamari Athapaththu.Player to watch: Player of the Tournament in the 2023 edition, Beth Mooney has had a few low scores in the lead up to the tournament, not managing to go past 15 in her five T20I innings. She did score 50 in the England warm-up, but she would want a big score in the main tournament too, along the lines of her unbeaten 99* off 54 balls in the Women’s Hundred not too long ago for Manchester Originals. A strong start with Healy at the top could flatten Sri Lanka early, batting first or second.Bangladesh put down four chances in their tournament opener against Scotland•ICC/Getty Images

Bangladesh vs EnglandSharjah, 6pm local time Bangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani, Disha Biswas England squad: Heather Knight (capt), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni WyattTournament form guide” In what is a ‘home’ World Cup for Bangladesh, they started things off on a positive note, with a 16-run win against Scotland, after they had also beaten Pakistan in the second warm-up. England started their warm-ups with a 33-run loss to Australia, before beating New Zealand by five wickets.News brief: Bangladesh now run into a much stronger side in England, who are more aggressive than their 2023 version, and are carrying spinners aplenty for this edition. England also have a fully fit team to choose from. Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith has returned, and also present are Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn and Alice Capsey, with her handy part-time offbreaks. England are likely to go with three frontline spinners for a pitch that aided turn and didn’t see much bounce.Bangladesh were restricted to 119 for 7 by Scotland in the opener, and scoring bigger or quicker against England will be a lot tougher. Bangladesh were the worst fielding side on the opening day, having put down four chances, and they will have to tighten that aspect if they want to think about beating England for the first time in women’s T20Is. This is an evening game, yet not as much dew is expected in Sharjah compared to Dubai, which might have been the reason why Pakistan opted to bat in the evening game here on Thursday.Player to watch: Ecclestone is, without doubt, England’s best spinner, but don’t take your eyes off legspinner Sarah Glenn. She has been England’s second-highest wicket-taker since the end of the 2023 T20 World Cup, with a tally of 26 just behind Ecclestone’s 29. But Glenn has gone for much fewer runs per over with an economy rate of 5.27, compared to Ecclestone’s 6.25. A handy bat down the order, this will be the third T20 World Cup for Glenn at the age of just 25.

The Sheffield Shield’s leading allrounder Beau Webster has produced a timely century while Brad Hope posted his second Shield ton as Tasmania batted the entire third day against Victoria at the Junction Oval.Tasmania piled up 527 for 9 on a turgid surface to take a 99-run lead into the final day with Jordan Silk making 84 and No. 9 Kieran Elliott also making his highest first-class score of 63. But the surface is offering very little for the bowlers and it will be difficult for either side to produce a result.On a day when news emerged that Australia’s Test allrounder Cameron Green is facing a grim diagnosis on his injured back, Webster put his name up in lights scoring 113 to start the new Shield season as he finished the last. It was his 12th first-class century and his fifth in his last 22 Shield innings. He has averaged 69.94 in that time and made six other half-centuries including an unbeaten 97. Last summer he became only the second player behind Garry Sobers to score more than 900 runs and take more than 30 wickets in a single Shield season.But these runs came in a game where both sides have piled up more than 428 in their first innings and only 18 wickets have fallen in three days. Webster wasn’t getting too carried away given how placid the pitch is.”It’s a nice one to cash in on,” Webster said post play. “I’m batting well. I feel like I’ve been batting really well for 18 months now, and I’ve got a routine down pat. Whatever the conditions offer, I feel like I’ve got a game plan that can have some success.”He did note, however, that the media speculation surrounding Green was hard to shut out.”It’s hard to ignore,” Webster said. “It sits everywhere, all through the media, whether he’s going to bowl or not, or bat or not, or surgery and things like that. But there’s a lot of other good allrounders around the country, and lot of allrounders that have had good performances in the last 12 months. Hopefully I can just keep doing what I’m doing and if they see something they like, and I get an opportunity, I’ll jump at it and grab it with both hands hopefully. But not reading too much into it though.”Silk played with typical class and composure in a 149-run stand with Webster before Hope then cashed in.Hope made an unbeaten century as Victoria tried everything to find a wicket. Having removed Silk and Webster with two excellent deliveries from Sam Elliott and Fergus O’Neill respectively there was precious little support from the surface otherwise. At one stage late in the day, O’Neill bowled with the keeper up and eight catchers in front of square on either side of the pitch with a sole fine leg.Hope and Tasmania No. 9 Kieran Elliott shared a 127-run stand in the afternoon to take the score beyond 500 as Victoria took a third new ball. The partnership was finally broken by the new ball as Hope edged behind for 111. Elliott fell shortly after for 63.

Leeds United have a huge task on their hands in the 2025/26 Premier League season. They will be looking to defy the odds and survive relegation from the English top flight, which is not something the last six promoted clubs from the past two seasons have managed.

The Whites, who were centurions with their points tally in the Championship last season, will be relying on the quality already in the squad, coming from the likes of Ethan Ampadu. However, they have also been busy in the transfer market, too, with Jaka Bijol the headline signing so far.

Yet, the Yorkshire outfit do not seem to be done just yet, when it comes to incomings. Reports in the last couple of days suggest they are set to strengthen in midfield.

Leeds' latest midfield target

Daniel Farke’s side have already got Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff in their sights. The Guardian have recently reported that a £12m deal, including add-ons, is a real possibility, with personal terms easy to agree.

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However, the Magpies’ academy graduate is not the only midfielder Leeds are targeting.

German news outlet Bild are reporting that they are ‘very interested’ in signing Hoffenheim midfielder Anton Stach.

The Bundesliga side are said to be reluctant to sell but ‘willing to discuss a suitable offer’ if Leeds submit one. However, they are standing firm on their price.

Hoffenheim are demanding at least £17m from the Whites to do a deal, explaining that they need to ‘dig deep into their pockets’ to sign him.

Why Stach would be a good signing

Stach would bring to Leeds two crucial things you need to help survive in the Premier League. They are experience, which he has plenty of, being 26 years of age, and physicality. Given that he stands at 6 foot 4, it is safe to assume he can handle the physical nature of the league.

As for the experience aspect, the German midfielder is a key part of the Hoffenheim side. He made 39 appearances last season, with six of those coming in the Europa League. That included a group stage appearance against Tottenham Hotspur, a game in which he scored.

One of the interesting things about Stach is his versatility. Whilst he is a midfielder by trade, described as an “anchor” by football scout Antonio Mango, the 26-year-old can also slot in at centre-back. Last term for Hoffenheim, he played as a defensive midfielder 26 times and at the heart of his side’s defence on 13 occasions.

That is similar to one of Leeds’ most important players, Ampadu. The Welshman is also a versatile footballer and played a similar role to Stach last term. He slotted in at centre-back 16 times and the base of the midfield 13.

The value of having a player with this profile in your squad was highlighted by Farke back in December. He described Ampadu as “my most important player”, showing just how crucial he is to the side. For Leeds to have two players of that profile would surely serve them well.

Indeed, not only are they similar in this sense, but Stach and Ampadu have similar numbers on FBref. Both are progressive players, with the German averaging 5.3 progressive passes each game compared to the Leeds star’s 4.17 progressive passes per 90 minutes.

On top of that, look at the similarity between their ball recovery numbers. Stach averages 5.96 per game compared to Ampadu’s 5.08. They are neck and neck.

Progressive passes

5.3

4.17

Tackles and interceptions

3.9

2.83

Blocks

1.64

1.02

Progressive carries

1.15

1.02

Ball recoveries

5.96

5.08

Aerial duels won

1.85

2.4

If Leeds get this deal over the line, Stach could switch to Elland Road and become, in many ways, the second coming of their number four, Amapdu. Farke has made it clear that this profile is important, so having two players with that versatility would be a huge benefit.

For just £17m, a deal for this “fantastic” player, as Mango called him, could be one of the bargains of the summer.

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