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Tottenham’s 2025 summer transfer window will live in the memory of supporters as their most entertaining in a long while. It was a noteworthy blend of decisive additions and notable setbacks. Their biggest success was hijacking Chelsea’s deal for Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig for around £52 million.

His arrival adds much-needed creativity and flair to the midfield and forward lines, especially taking into account James Maddison’s ACL injury, Dejan Kulusevski remaining out with a knee problem and Son Heung-min’s exit to the MLS.

Tottenham’s summer signings

Price tag

Mohammed Kudus

£55 million

Kota Takai

£5 million

Mathys Tel

£30 million

Joao Palhinha

Loan

Kevin Danso

£21 million

Xavi Simons

£52 million

Randal Kolo Muani

Loan

Despite advanced interest in Morgan Gibbs-White, Spurs were unable to complete a deal after Forest blocked it in very unceremonious fashion, leaving the club without a top target in that role for weeks. Another blow came when Eberechi Eze, who was initially close to joining Spurs, made a dramatic switch to Arsenal late in the window — pulling a major U-turn and leaving Tottenham reeling.

Enquires for £100 million Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers followed, but to no avail (Fabrizio Romano).

However, their capture of Simons negated their previous transfer humiliations, coming as an almighty boost for Thomas Frank ahead of his first ever campaign managing a big six Premier League side.

The pressure on Frank to succeed is nothing like he has ever faced at Brentford, and it was crucial that Daniel Levy, CEO Vinai Vinkatesham, technical director Johan Lange and unofficial advisor Fabio Paratici backed him in the market.

Whilst not a perfect window, with Spurs failing to address their shortage at centre-back as well as not signing a proven left-winger, like they wanted to do (Sky Sports), the Lilywhites still reacted to Dominic Solanke’s potentially serious fresh injury by bringing in Randal Kolo Muani on loan from PSG in a deadline day deal.

It wasn’t your typical Spurs deal for a highly-rated player, either, with Alasdair Gold explaining that their straight loan with no buy option is quite out of the ordinary for Levy.

Yves Bissouma is still widely expected to leave even after the deadline, as the transfer windows in Turkey and Saudi Arabia remain open, with Tottenham believed to have held talks over a potential long-term replacement for him in August.

Tottenham held talks over signing Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace

According to The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton attracted serious interest from N17 at one point.

As per their information, Tottenham and Palace held discussions about Wharton during the two clubs’ lengthy summer dialogue — where they also spoke about Manor Solomon joining Oliver Glasner’s side on loan and, of course, Eze.

In the final weeks of the window, Spurs and Man United apparently asked about the “generational” 21-year-old’s situation, but neither Palace nor the player were interested in entertaining the move.

While the Eagles know that a big move for him in the future is very much possible, it wasn’t a topic for this summer, and even when a transfer becomes more likely, Steve Parish still values the England international at £100 million.

Levy would have to smash Tottenham’s transfer record for a deal to happen as things stand, but Wharton will be hoping to put his recent injury problems behind him by justifying that price tag and battling his way into Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad for 2026.

Allrounders Aaron Hardie and Matt Short have also been named alongside Alex Carey

Andrew McGlashan12-Jan-2025 • Updated on 13-Jan-2025

Australia will be looking to add the Champions Trophy to their collection•ICC/Getty Images

Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been named in Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy after been ruled out of the upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka.Cummins, who will captain the team, is on paternity leave for the birth of his second child, but it was also revealed last week that he was to undergo scans on a troublesome ankle he carried through the India Test series. George Bailey, the chair of selectors, said they were awaiting the outcome of the scans but with the ability to freely amend the squad for the next four weeks there was no imminent rush to make a final call.Related

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“I want to give him a little bit of space at the back end of the Border-Gavaskar; obviously baby pending,” Bailey said. “We’ll work through that with Pat and obviously the selection panel and the medical team…but I know he’s very keen.”Hazlewood, meanwhile, hadn’t quite recovered in time from the calf injury that ended his series but should be able to take his place in the one-day side.Allrounders Aaron Hardie and Matthew Short, the latter who scored a 54-ball 109 for Adelaide Strikers two days ago, have also been included in the 15-player squad.Hardie is not currently bowling for Perth Scorchers in the BBL due to injury while Josh Inglis is also recovering from a calf strain he picked up while sub fielding during the Test series.Nathan Ellis has tipped out the likes of Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett to be the fourth pace bowler behind the big three.”This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series,” Bailey said. “It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan.”Alex Carey also finds a spot after making a successful return to the ODI side against England last year with scores of 74 and 77 not out having previously lost his place after one game of the 2023 World Cup. He could play as a specialist batter, as he did once in the England series, but also provides wicketkeeping back-up for Inglis.Adam Zampa is the one frontline spinner but will be supported by Short and Glenn Maxwell.Among younger players who featured against Pakistan earlier in the series, where Australia lost 2-1, Jake Fraser-McGurk has not made the cut amid an extended lean run which has included a top score of 26 in eight innings for Melbourne Renegades. Cooper Connolly, who was selected for the Sri Lanka Test tour, also can’t find a space.Australia will play a one-off ODI against Sri Lanka on February 13 before heading to Pakistan and discussions remain ongoing as to whether there will be another warm-up game. They are grouped with England (February 22), South Africa (February 25) and Afghanistan (February 28).The first semi-final will take place in Dubai on March 4 with the second in Lahore on March 5 following confirmation of the hybrid model due to India not traveling to Pakistan. The final will be on March 9, in either Dubai or Lahore depending on whether India qualify.Australia squad for Champions TrophyPat Cummins (capt), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Edson Álvarez limped off with a hamstring issue that could sideline him for a month.

• Mexico will face South Korea on Tuesday
• Hirving Lozano came on in the 60th minute
• Aguirre admitted his side didn’t deserve to win

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mexico settled for a goalless draw against Japan in a friendly at Oakland Coliseum, leaving head coach Javier Aguirre with more questions than answers as the 2026 World Cup cycle continues.

  The “Vasco” was blunt in his post-match remarks, admitting the Asian side deserved the result. 

  “It was a preparation game, but we weren’t better than our opponent,” Aguirre said. “We didn’t deserve to win. They made it difficult, pressed with intensity, and the draw was fair. It wasn’t spectacular, but matches like this help us evaluate where we are.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Japan dictated much of the first half, forcing goalkeeper Luis Malagón into key saves and even requiring Johan Vásquez to clear a shot off the line. Mexico’s night worsened in the 28th minute when captain Edson Álvarez exited with a hamstring injury, later replaced by Erik Lira.

  Although Hirving Lozano’s introduction in the second half injected energy, Mexico still struggled to break down Japan’s organized back line. To make matters worse, César Montes was shown a red card after VAR review, leaving to finish the game with 10 men. Despite the numerical advantage, Japan couldn’t find a breakthrough either, and the score remained 0-0.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT JAVIER AGUIRRE AND HIRVING LOZANO SAID

  Aguirre acknowledged Japan’s superior pace and physicality. 

  “They surprised us with their speed and intensity. Most of their players are in Europe, so their rhythm is different. We gave away the first half, not because of attitude, but because they outplayed us," he said. 

  Still, he noted positives in the second half, pointing to missed chances from Lozano, Germán Berterame, and Lira.

  Meanwhile, San Diego FC forward Hirving Lozano shared his thoughts on returning to the Mexican national team. 

  “I really wanted to come back to the national team. Thank God I was given the opportunity, Javier gave me the opportunity, and I have to make the most of it. I need to work hard, perform well, and keep pushing forward,” he said.

  It had been over a year since Lozano last featured for , with his previous appearance coming in 2024. 

  “This is a very good squad, it has very important and very talented players. I think we’re facing a team that is always at the World Cup and that now has some great players,” he added.

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• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO?

  Mexico will now turn their focus to South Korea on Tuesday, while Japan will face the United States that same day.

Tottenham Hotspur continued their preparations for the 2025/26 campaign with a trip to Reading to face the League One side in a friendly on Saturday.

Thomas Frank’s side beat the third tier outfit 2-0 on the day and there was a second-half debut for new signing Mohammed Kudus, who created four chances and assisted a goal.

The left-footed forward arrived from fellow Premier League side West Ham United earlier this month, and caught the eye with an impressive showing in his first outing for the club.

Kudus cleverly cut the ball back for Luka Vuskovic to wrap the ball into the far bottom corner, whilst it was also his corner that led to Will Lankshear’s goal.

It was an excellent first showing by the former Hammers star against Reading, but he was not the only ‘new’ player to catch the eye as the scorer in the post above has created excitement among Spurs supporters.

Tottenham agreed to sign the centre-back from Hajduk Split in 2023 but had to wait until this summer for it to officially go through, and he looks to be an exciting talent.

Why Luka Vuskovic is an exciting talent

Vuskovic got Spurs fans excited with his performance against Reading on Saturday, as the central defender scored and assisted a goal from the heart of the defence.

Supporters may also be excited about the 18-year-old talent because of his performances on loan with Westerlo in the Belgian Pro League during the 2024/25 campaign.

Incredibly, the teenage defender ended the season with a haul of seven goals and two assists in 36 league appearances as a centre-back for the Belgian side, suggesting that his attacking exploits against Reading were not a surprise to those who knew about his talents.

24/25 Pro League	Luka Vuskovic
Appearances	36
Goals	7
Assists	2
Tackles + interceptions per game	1.6
Error led to shot	1
Penalties committed	1
Ground duel success rate	57%
Aerial duel success rate	69%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Vuskovic did not make tackles and interceptions at a particularly eye-catching rate, but he was dominant in his duels on the ground and in the air.

Whilst these statistics, in terms of his goal output and dominance in duels, are largely impressive, the Croatia international is yet to prove himself at the top level, as he has only been capped once by his country and has yet to play in a major league.

Overall, Vuskovic is a player who supporters can get excited about for the future, but they may also have to be realistic about what his role could be in the short-term, given his lack of experience at the top level.

Meanwhile, Spurs are reportedly interested in signing another player in his position who could come in as an even bigger talent for Frank to work with.

Spurs lining up move for Italian defender

Speaking on the Last Word on Spurs podcast, as relayed by The Boy Hotspur, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed the club are eyeing up a potential swoop for Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini.

The reporter said: “Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the Italian defender Giorgio Scalvini during the summer transfer window. The 21-year-old is highly rated across Europe, and he’s on the radar of multiple clubs this summer… He is likely to cost around €60 million (£52m).”

Transfer Focus

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

However, Jacobs did not reveal whether or not Spurs are prepared to meet Atalanta’s £52m asking price, or if they are likely to make an official approach for the Italy international, but they are seemingly lining up a move if they decide to act on their interest.

They could face competition for his signature if they do decide to make a move for him, though, as Newcastle United have also been linked with an interest in the 21-year-old colossus.

If Tottenham are able to strike an agreement with the Serie A outfit for the £52m-rated star, Frank could have an even bigger talent than Vuskovic to work with.

Why Scalvini is an even bigger talent than Vuskovic

Scalvini is three years older than the Croatian defender but was already playing in a major league and had been capped multiple times by Italy at the age of 18.

He made his debut against Germany at the age of 18 and was capped three times by his country before his 19th birthday in December 2022, whilst the centre-back also made his Serie A debut at the age of 17.

Scalvini played over 50 games in the Serie A before turning 20 and has played 89 times in the division to date, despite missing 58 matches through injury in the last two seasons combined.

The 21-year-old star, who was once described as a “dominant” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has proven his quality in one of Europe’s major leagues and been capped eight times by Italy, whilst Vuskovic has played once for Croatia and is yet to play a minute of football in a major European league.

In fact, as you can see in the post above, Atalanta described him as a “19-year-old veteran” in his second season at first-team level, whilst posting some of his impressive highlights whilst playing in the Serie A as a teenager.

Scalvini started 31 games in the Serie A in the 2023/24 campaign, before missing the majority of last term through injury, and showcased his defensive qualities with 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game and a 56% duel success rate.

This means that he made more than twice as many tackles and interceptions per match as Vuskovic did whilst playing in the Belgian Pro League last season, which is not one of the top five major European divisions.

Overall, Scalvini would arrive at Spurs as an even bigger talent than the Croatian centre-back because of the quality of his performances in the Serie A, as well as his exposure to top level football, domestically and internationally, at a similar age to the Tottenham man.

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Whilst Vuskovic may go on to be an incredibly impressive centre-back for Spurs in the future, Scalvini is a young centre-back who has proven that he has the quality to make an instant impact, whilst also being one for the future.

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.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta and his ‘scattergun’ approach to the transfer window continues, with a fresh report claiming that discussions are now being held over a marquee Serie A star.

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Berta operates a different transfer strategy to his predecessor, Edu. Rather than identifying one key target to seriously pursue, the Italian is known to work on numerous deals simultaneously before landing on the best one for a key position.

“The best way of describing it is that Andrea Berta’s approach is different to Edu. If he was going to a party, he would lay out three or four outfits, try them all on and finally decide what to wear,” said reliable journalist Ben Jacobs on talkSPORT recently.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

“With this race for a number nine, what’s happening is that both deals, for Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, are being advanced or ‘tried on’ before a bid is made. Andrea Berta is out in the market, effectively lining up both deals, whereas Edu tended to pick one and be very meticulous, and then discreetly try and get it over the line, often with a series of bids.

“It was either a very smart tactic because Arsenal had confidence that they would get that man, or it dragged on, and we got more summer sagas. We won’t see that with Andrea Berta.”

This was echoed by Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg last month, who revealed that Berta held talks over “numerous” transfer targets for the wide area.

Recent reports from Turkey state that one of the many wingers on Berta’s Arsenal radar is Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.

Yildiz was said to have emerged as a “prime” Arsenal target recently, and a further update has now come to light on their interest.

Arsenal in discussions with Juventus over signing Kenan Yildiz

As per news outlet Juve FC, the Turkey international commands a valuation of around £85 million, following an excellent 2024/2025 campaign where he finished the Serie A campaign as the Old Lady’s best-performer by average match rating, according to WhoScored.

It’s also reported that Arsenal have entered discussions with Juventus over signing Yildiz, despite their unwillingness to sell the 20-year-old, as they also try to tie him down with a new deal which could run until 2031.

Juve view Yildiz as a future star and cornerstone of Igor Tudor’s team, while the player himself isn’t exactly chomping at the bit to leave either, despite some contact made with his “close” circle.

The Turk is currently starring at the Club World Cup for Juve, scoring in their 5-0 win over Al Ain, and with £97 million worth of prize money on offer to the victors, Tudor won’t want to lose one of his star men before the tournament ends.

Aston Villa are pushing hard to sign an “exciting” £25m La Liga star, having now submitted a proposal, according to a report.

Villa set sights on new goalkeeper

Emiliano Martinez may well have signed off in the worst possible way in a Villa shirt, having been dismissed for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund at Old Trafford, before his side went on to lose 2-0 against Manchester United in controversial fashion.

However, the goalkeeper will, of course, be fondly remembered, should he decide to move on, given everything the Villans have achieved in recent years, securing a second European campaign on the spin despite the defeat against the Red Devils.

Not only that, but there have been hints that Martinez could remain at Villa Park beyond the end of the campaign, with Unai Emery simply saying “no way” when asked whether the Argentine has played his final game for the club.

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That said, while Emery clearly retains hope of keeping hold of the shot-stopper, Villa and Monchi’s pursuit of potential replacements suggests there is concern the 32-year-old will move on during the upcoming window.

According to a report from Spain (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa are now pushing hard to sign Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia, having submitted a proposal, but there is likely to be fierce competition for his signature from some top clubs.

Indeed, Newcastle United, Barcelona, Arsenal, Napoli and Bayer Leverkusen have also made proposals for Garcia, and with all the aforementioned clubs set to take part in next season’s Champions League, it could be difficult for the Villans to win the race.

The Spaniard, who has a reported asking price of £25m, is set to meet with his agent later this week, in order to choose his next club, having set his sights on joining a top side, so a decision could be on the horizon very soon.

"Exciting" Garcia could be solid Martinez replacement

Having proven himself with Espanyol, scout Ben Mattinson believes the Spanish shot-stopper is now ready to make the move to a top club, saying: “An uber-athletic keeper with dominant cross claiming, composure on the ball, standing at 6’3” tall, García is an exciting keeper ready for a step up.”

The 24-year-old is at a good age to be a long-term success at Villa Park, and he was an indispensable member of the Espanyol starting XI last season, appearing in all 38 of the Spanish side’s La Liga outings.

It will be a concern for Villa that so many other top clubs are in the race for the Espanyol star, but it was recently revealed that he has set his sights on being a regular starter, rather than playing second fiddle to another goalkeeper.

As such, if Martinez moves on this summer, a move to Villa Park could appeal to Garcia, given that a starting spot will be up for grabs.

Last month, Liverpool officially confirmed that Mohamed Salah had put pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension with the club to extend his stay at Anfield.

The Egypt international’s deal was due to expire this summer, making him a free agent, but he has decided to commit to the Reds until the summer of 2027.

Salah has scored 33 goals and provided 23 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool so far this season, which illustrates how big of a boost this news was to Arne Slot.

The forward told the club’s official website: “Of course I’m very excited. We have a great team now. Before also we had a great team. But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football.”

The news of his new contract at Anfield also means that the right-wing position has been locked down for next season, as Salah’s form suggests that he will be the first-choice in that role for Slot for another two years.

Who plays on the left side of the front three on a regular basis in the 2025/26 campaign remains up for debate, though, as does the future of Luis Diaz.

Why Luis Diaz could move on from Liverpool

Earlier this week, CaughtOffside reported that Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal are eyeing up both Diaz and Darwin Nunez for moves in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The outlet claimed that Slot would rather keep hold of the former Porto star, but that the club would be prepared to cash in on him if an offer of £67m comes in for his services.

It revealed that Al Hilal are ready to pay big to land the winger, who has also been of interest to Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, this summer, which means that his future at Anfield is currently up in the air.

Luis Diaz (Premier League)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

37

33

xG

11.88

9.99

Goals

8

12

Big chances missed

13

9

Big chances created

5

8

Assists

5

5

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Diaz’s output has improved in the Premier League in comparison to last term, after he struggled in front of goal in the 2023/24 campaign.

Liverpool, however, may also see this as inconsistency from a 28-year-old forward who should be in the prime years of his career, and may wonder if it is sustainable or if his finishing will revert to type next year.

Therefore, the club could decide that now is the right time to cash in on him for £67m, amid interest from Saudi Arabia, whilst his value is high off the back of a strong season.

Liverpool would need to have a top-quality left-wing option to replace him, though, and their interest in a Ligue 1 star could be the end of Luis Diaz.

Liverpool eyeing move for Ligue 1 star

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Lyon forward Malick Fofana in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Reds and fellow Premier League side Arsenal are the two main suitors for the Belgium international, as they look to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

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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It reveals that Liverpool are planning a swoop to sign the 20-year-old starlet, as they look to take advantage of Lyon’s ‘financial problems’, whilst the likes of PSG, Juventus, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United are also said to be eyeing him up.

CaughtOffside adds that the Reds are serious about a move for the Ligue 1 sensation, who is valued at roughly £42m by the French outfit, and that they are looking at him amid doubts over the future of Diaz and Diogo Jota.

With this in mind, FSG swooping to sign Fofana from Lyon in the summer transfer window could spell the end of Luis Diaz’s career at Anfield.

Why Malick Fofana could be the end of Luis Diaz

If the Reds complete a deal to sign the 20-year-old star from Lyon this summer, the club could be even more open to cashing in on the Colombian forward amid strong interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Having turned 20 at the end of March, Fofana is a young player with plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, which would make him a long-term addition for the club. He is eight years younger than Diaz and could, therefore, provide more to the team over the next five or six years, or more.

Last month, talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed that the forward has “enormous potential” and a “big future ahead”, and that is backed up by his impressive performances for Lyon at such a young age this season.

Despite being a teenager for the majority of the 2024/25 campaign, Fofana has featured regularly in both Ligue 1 and the Europa League, and chipped in with more than ten goals across both competitions.

Malick Fofana (24/25)

Ligue 1

Europa League

Appearances

28

10

xG

3.72

2.17

Goals

5

6

Big chances created

5

1

Assists

4

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the £42m-rated star has scored 11 goals and provided five assists, and outperformed his xG by roughly five goals.

Fofana also ranks within the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Men’s Big 5 Leagues and European competitions for progressive carries per 90 (6.69) over the last 365 days, which illustrates how effective he is at getting his team up the pitch through dribbles.

Diaz, meanwhile, ranks in the top 32% with 4.17 progressive carries per 90 in that time, which suggests that the Lyon star could immediately provide more to the team as an outlet to get the ball up the pitch and into dangerous positions.

Fofana’s finishing this season, outperforming his xG by more than five goals, also suggests that the potential is there for him to provide a similar goal threat if Liverpool’s other forwards can get him into high-quality positions on a regular basis.

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Therefore, Liverpool signing the Lyon star could be the end of Diaz at Anfield because he is an incredibly talented player, who plays in the same position, and the club could bring him in as the long-term option on the left flank, leaving the door open for a move to Al Hilal for the Colombian star.

Celtic are on the march to another potential domestic clean sweep, but could now face a battle on their hands to retain a talented young star, per reports.

Celtic take one step closer to a domestic treble

Hampden was literally a sea of green last weekend as Celtic fans packed out the national stadium on Sunday to witness their side batter St Johnstone 5-0 to reach the Scottish Cup final.

Brendan Rodgers now stands effectively one game off becoming the first ever Hoops manager to win three trebles in charge at Parkhead. They only need one point this weekend away to Dundee United to seal a fourth successive Scottish Premiership title.

In essence, Celtic have one match left this campaign that carries direct jeopardy. However, the thought of post-split clashes such as their trip to Tannadice followed by a meeting with Rangers the week after leave enough motivation for the champions to retain a healthy fire in their belly.

Come the summer, Rodgers’ priority will centre around securing Champions League-calibre additions to bolster his side ahead of the final qualifying round.

Crystal Palace youngster Jesse Derry is a target for Celtic following his refusal to sign a new contract at Selhurst Park. On the same token, Stoke City winger Million Manhoef is on the Bhoys’ radar, though may cost £10 million to bring to Glasgow’s east end.

Celtic fumbled the next Dembele when "generational" star left on the cheap

Celtic fumbled another Karamoko Dembele when they lost Ben Doak on the cheap.

ByDan Emery Apr 22, 2025

While incomings are always on the agenda, it would be negligent to rule out the fact that several departures could occur at Parkhead this summer to make room for fresh blood.

Further down the food chain, Celtic could now be set to lose a talented young star in a scenario that fans have seen unfold all too often in recent years.

Celtic could lose Dara Jikiemi to Nottingam Forest

According to Football Insider, Celtic could lose young defender Dara Jikiemi to Nottingham Forest after the Premier League outfit set their sights on bringing the 15-year-old to the City Ground.

Following some excellent performances at club level that led him to captaining Scotland’s Under-15 side earlier this year, he could become the latest in a long line of youngsters who have departed Lennoxtown to move on before making a sustained first-team breakthrough.

Ben Doak, Rocco Vata, Daniel Kelly, Liam Morrison and Cameron Harper are just a handful of prodigious stars who have left the Scottish champions in recent years while at a young age, enjoying a mixed degree of success south of the border and further afield.

Brexit has made Scottish soil a hotbed for scouts from English clubs due to tightened rules over signing EU-based players while they are under the age of 18. Celtic aren’t immune to this and will routinely face challenges in keeping hold of young talent for years to come.

Having made his Test debut earlier this year, the Bengal fast bowler is ready to go again after recovering from dengue fever

Shashank Kishore04-Sep-2024On a pleasant Bengaluru afternoon, after working up a sweat during an intense training session, India fast bowler Akash Deep is on his phone to check scores of the first Rawalpindi Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh.He’s aware he could be in contention for India’s home Tests against Bangladesh later in September, and wants to see how their batters are faring. Watching cricket that is relevant to his immediate assignments has been Akash’s night-time routine lately. During the day, he’s been ramping up his bowling workloads and training hard.”I haven’t played any competitive cricket since the Bengal T20 League in June,” Akash tells ESPNcricinfo ahead of the Duleep Trophy from September 5 in Bengaluru and Anantapur. Dengue fever had sidelined him for three weeks until mid-July, but he’s done the work since to get himself ready in time for India’s home season, and hopes to add to his maiden Test cap that he earned against England in Ranchi this year.”I was on complete bed rest for those three weeks. When I came back to bowl, I realised the body takes time to get back into rhythm. You can do as much gym work as you want, but unless you bowl, those bowling muscles don’t open up.”Akash, 27, is just four seasons old in first-class cricket, and he’s made a strong impression as a skiddy bowler who can dart the ball both ways. When he was spotted by former Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary during a club game in Kolkata in 2018, Akash caused both “hair-raising excitement” – in Tiwary’s words – and frustration because of his tendency to bowl “four good balls and two hit-me balls.” A conversation with India fast bowler Mohammed Shami in Kolkata was a turning point.”He spoke to me about his issues with fitness, what he did to improve, how he came back from injuries,” Akash says. “That chat gave me perspective. I used to bowl mid-130s, but after following his advice, I worked on my fitness and I realised slowly I could bowl long spells without being tired.”In red-ball cricket, I’ve been focusing on consistency. How long can you land the ball on the same spot? Sometimes when there’s nothing in the wicket, you can tire out. My focus has been on building my endurance to bowl long spells and remaining consistent because you need to keep up the pressure and not leak runs.”As a fast bowler, I keep discussing with so many coaches. It’s about building up to get wickets in Tests. The formula doesn’t change, A good ball is a good ball at both club level and international level. My job is to keep hitting the five-to-seven metre mark, keep it there. The more you can bowl there, the more successful you will be.”These habits earned him three wickets in his first hour as a Test cricketer: Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley in the bag before he was six-overs old in Ranchi. As he reflects on those emotions now, Akash has put the giddy high of his Test debut behind him.”When you work hard and come this far, there’s a feeling from within that that I need to do a lot more to stay here. That’s my thinking. I feel I needed to work harder, so that I can play a lot many more Tests.”The journey to his India cap has been tough. In 2015 his father and brother, both of whom were unwell, died in the span of two months. It was then that he considered leaving home for Kolkata to play cricket seriously.”A lot has changed but I think of my dad,” Akash says. “I wish he’d seen me play Tests. Whenever I’m low or in need of that extra push, I think of him. It gives me the strength to get even better.”Akash Deep with his family on the day of his Test debut•BCCIAkash comes from Sasaram, a town in rural Bihar, where in 2007 his entire neighbourhood pooled in money to rent a generator and a TV to watch India play Pakistan in the T20 World Cup final. Sixteen years later, they were gathered around a giant screen outside his house to watch one of them play for India. Akash’s mother and sister, though, were rushing to Ranchi at a few hours’ notice, to watch him get his Test cap from Rahul Dravid.”Growing up, people in our village used to scold us whenever we talked about cricket,” he says. “All we kept hearing was it won’t feed us. No one had ever done anything that could be considered a big achievement. No history of sports, no proper grounds or infrastructure. But when I went back home after my Test debut, I saw kids playing with such joy and parents actually encouraging them. If because of me, awareness in my town has gotten better, what more can I ask for?”Akash is earnest and articulate. He attributes this to his mentors and expresses gratitude towards those who have helped him.”Arun Lal, he’s done so much for me,” Akash says, when asked about those he looks up to. “It’s amazing how some people come into your life. At a time when I didn’t believe in myself, he’d tell me how I’m the best and how I had everything to succeed. Those words to a nobody were very encouraging.”He believed in me more than I believed in myself. That motivated me to learn. When I made my Test debut, I called him to get his blessings. He said, ‘I knew this would happen, I told you five years ago.’ If you’re at five, he’ll build you up to be 10 on 10.”There’s determination to Akash and a hunger that leaves little room for complacency. He knows he’s just getting started. “I feel every stage I’ve got chance, I’ve tried to perform well. But I don’t feel I’ve achieved a lot. As a person there’s no age to learning. If I get into this mindset that I’ve achieved, then that (hunger) dies. I want to just stay fit, keep playing, focusing on that and not think of what I’ve done.”My mindset is simple. The next match I play is the most important match of my life.”