Newcastle United are “looking” at a potential move for another attacking player hailed as a “pure baller” this summer, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
Ramsey completes move to Newcastle
The Magpies’ summer transfer window hasn’t been a happy one, with key targets choosing other clubs instead, and the Alexander Isak saga hanging over them.
On the plus side, Newcastle have now completed the signing of Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, with the Englishman looking forward to his new challenge at St James’ Park.
“I’m delighted to be here. It’s been a mad two or three days, but I’m really happy to be here and I can’t wait to get started. This is a big move for me, but as soon as I knew the gaffer was interested and really liked me, it didn’t take much time to decide. His track record of developing players, especially those who have gone on to become internationals here, speaks for itself.
“It was always a tough game playing for Villa against Newcastle – the team is full of energy, so athletic and the fans are so passionate. I feel my game will suit that and I’m excited to be on the other end of it now.”
Now, another gifted young player has also been mentioned as a target for Newcastle, with two weeks of the transfer window remaining.
Newcastle "looking" at move for "pure baller"
Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke claimed that Leicester City ace Bilal El Khannouss is a target for Newcastle this summer, with offers expected to arrive for him from clubs.
“He isn’t letting the speculation effect him at the moment, he started for Leicester in their opening game of the season and got a couple of assists as well. Newcastle have been looking at him while pursuing Jacob Ramsey. They could potentially sign both to strengthen the squad in that position.
“Eddie Howe needs a bigger squad this season with Champions League football to contend with. Leicester are open to selling him and they’ll face a real battle to convince him to stay in the Championship if he does have Premier League offers. It’s one to keep an eye on before the end of the window. I expect offers to come in for El Khannouss before the end of the window.”
Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss in action against Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch.
El Khannouss is a huge talent with so many good years ahead of him, so he could be a superb long-term signing in attacking midfield areas.
The 21-year-old has already bagged two assists in as many games in the Championship this season, while analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as a “pure baller” because of his natural ability.
Shades of Ekitike: Newcastle given "encouragement" to sign £56m striker
Newcastle United are still interested in securing a £56m deal for this striker who is similar to Hugo Ekitike.
ByKelan Sarson Aug 18, 2025
Granted, El Khannouss plays in a similar position to Ramsey, so minutes could be hard to come by initially, especially given the quality already in Newcastle’s midfield. That said, he should still feature plenty, and has the potential to be a future star at St James’.
In a few weeks, Arsenal will begin the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, and their eyes will be riveted on the prize.
Having fallen short in each of the past three seasons, the Gunners know that this is a big one, with Mikel Arteta’s side having gone five years without silverware.
But the improvements have been vast, these recent years. A lack of trophies aside, this has been an incredible resurgence for a giant who had been cast to the wayside before.
Arsenal manager MikelArteta
There’s a strong case for Arsenal’s unfortunate injury record across the 2024/25 term to have impeded them in their pursuit of glory, but Arteta has revised the issues and made some impactful summer signings to take his squad to the next level.
And the months of work have now been crowned by the addition of Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres.
Why Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres
Technically, Gyokeres isn’t yet an official Arsenal player, but the centre-forward has been the subject of an agreed £64m deal that will see him stand as Arteta’s chief goal-getter over the coming years.
The Sweden international scored 97 goals and added 28 assists across 102 matches for Sporting, winning the Liga Portugal in both of his seasons at the club.
Aged 27, he’s in the prime of his career, described by former Coventry City coach Adi Viveash as being a “physical machine”. He has what it takes to become one of the leading Premier League strikers of his era, rivalling the best over the coming years.
1)
Viktor Gyokeres
33
39
2)
Kylian Mbappe
34
31
3)
Mohamed Salah
38
29
4)
Robert Lewandowski
34
27
5)
Victor Osimhen
30
26
5=
Harry Kane
31
26
There’s no question that Gyokeres will be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, but there remains that slight uncertainty, for he has yet to ply his trade in the Premier League.
However, Arsenal are lining up another star who could prove to be an even better signing – and that’s not to Gyokeres’ discredit.
Arsenal agree fee for Premier League star
According to Football Transfers, Arsenal are confident that they will complete the signing of Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze this summer, having agreed to pay his £68m release clause through a series of manageable instalments.
Eze scored the winning goal as Palace won the FA Cup final against Manchester City last season, and has been expected to leave for a new challenge, having already agreed personal terms with the Gunners.
The £100k-per-week talent has also attracted interest from Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, but it’s Arteta’s side who are set to enjoy his qualities next season and beyond, should the finer details of the transfer go through without a hitch.
What Eberechi Eze would bring to Arsenal
Like Gyokeres, Eze is 27, and would provide the Gunners with maturity and completeness of development. The Three Lions star’s 2024/25 season proved to the world that he has what it takes to become a star member of one of Europe’s elite outfits.
Pundit Rio Ferdinand hailed his “unique” style of play back in March, going on to claim he could “play for one of the top teams” in the world.
A dribble-happy attacking midfielder, Eze’s low centre of gravity, immense core strength and skilled passing game make him a difficult opponent indeed, with so many different ways to hurt his opponents.
Typically used as a left-sided midfielder by Oliver Glasner over the past 18 months, Eze completed 82% of his passes in the Premier League last term, as per Sofascore, while averaging two dribbles, 1.7 key passes and 4.8 successful duels per game, underscoring his roundedness.
Attacking midfield
74
25
11
Left winger
52
9
7
Central midfield
25
6
3
Right winger
3
0
0
His ability to shift, seamlessly, between the left flank and a more central attacking position bespeaks his sharpness and intelligence. Eze, in this regard, could plug two holes for Arteta, with both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli linked with moves away this summer.
While Eze has become more potent over the past few years, he remains a robust physical profile who could dynamise the club’s overall attacking build-up.
As per FBref, he ranked last season among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for successful take-ons and the top 14% for ball recoveries per 90.
There’s no question that Gyokeres would bring to Arsenal a newfound degree of goalscoring quality, but there’s also no doubt that Eze has a skill set so impressive that he could come to nail down a starting berth on the left flank and emerge as one of Arteta’s most trusted lieutenants.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokeresreacts
Will Arsenal’s soon-to-be-sealed striker hit the ground running in England’s top flight? Will he manage to retain that same level of destructive brilliance in tougher conditions, against steelier defenders?
These are the questions, and we shall soon find out. In any case, Eze has built himself up over a number of years in Europe’s highest-quality division, and, of course, with Gyokeres as a target man in the middle, both could enjoy the fruits of each other’s labours.
In Gyokeres, Arsenal will secure the centre-forward they have desired over the past several years. However, Eze might prove to be the better signing, all things considered.
His higher fee reflects that, and so does the consistency for Palace in the Premier League over the past five years, even leading analyst Ben Mattinson to call him a “superstar”.
Worth more than Isak & Gyokeres: Arsenal struck gold on "world-class" star
Arsenal have a bigger talent than all of the high-profile names floating about due to this summer’s transfer window.
Bangladesh’s chances of making the semis took a big hit after they faltered with both bat and ball
Srinidhi Ramanujam10-Oct-2024
Karishma Ramharack took 4 for 17•ICC/Getty Images
Karishma Ramharack’s four-wicket haul and Hayley Matthews’ quickfire 34 helped West Indies coast to an important eight-wicket victory against Bangladesh, in Sharjah. Having chased down the target of 104 in 12.5 overs, West Indies, with their second win in three matches, moved to top of Group B. Three teams from this group are now in contention for the two semi-final spots with South Africa and England also on four points, but the latter have played only two matches.Bangladesh succumbed to their second straight defeat in three matches and their chances of advancing to the knockouts took a big hit. Batting once again hurt Bangladesh as they lost six wickets for 27 runs after they were sent in to bat.Ramharack rips through BangladeshWest Indies used as many as seven bowlers but it was Ramharack who stood out by taking a wicket each in her four overs across different phases of the game. The offspinner struck with her very first delivery when opener Shathi Rani tried to sweep and missed. Shemaine Campbelle took the bails off in a flash to effect a stumping. In her second over, the last one in the powerplay, Dilara Akter moved across to sweep but missed, only to expose her middle stump and be bowled. When Ramharack came out to bowl in the 13th over, she mixed her lines well but kept the ball outside off. She had Sobhana Mostary stumped by making her come down the track to an outside offstump delivery. That ended the 40-run third-wicket stand for Bangladesh.Stafanie Taylor and Hayley Matthews added 52 for the opening wicket•ICC/Getty Images
Just when Nigar Sultana and Ritu Moni were looking to stitch a stand during the death overs, Ramaharack came back and knocked Moni out. Chinelle Henry took an excellent running catch after the batter came down and miscued a lofted shot to deep midwicket. Ramharack finished with 4 for 17.Sultana’s slowdownBangladesh showed positive intent with the bat early on, with the openers charging down as early as the second over to go aerial. Nigar started briskly after the openers fell in the powerplay. She particularly took legspinner Afy Fletcher on and smacked three fours off her second over and moved to 20 off 17 balls. However, once Mostary fell in the 13th over and Fletcher struck twice in the 15th, Nigar, who was on 27 off 27, slowed down despite West Indies’ sloppy fielding. Her next 17 deliveries fetched just 12 runs and eventually, she fell to Matthews in the final over attempting a big heave towards deep midwicket.Matthews steers WI’s chaseBangladesh struggled to pitch the ball up and got punished as they erred on the shorter side. It allowed the West Indies batters to rock back and play their shots. Matthews, in particular, pounced on this opportunity in the powerplay and blunted the Bangladesh attack. After being on a run-a-ball seven, Matthews lined up the left-arm spin of Nahida Akter with a punch off the backfoot, piercing the gap between cover and extra cover. Two balls later, Nahida bowled short again and received the same treatment.Legspinner Fahima Khatun, after having given away just four runs off her first over, bowled short on off stump in the fifth over and Matthews stayed back and punched uppishly to find her third boundary on the off side. Marufa Akter overpitched the last ball of the powerplay, which Matthews drove through cover to bring up her sixth boundary. But she was bowled by a nip-backer from the fast bowler in the eighth over for a 22-ball 34. At the end of Marufa’s over though, West Indies needed just 49 off 72 balls which was taken care of by Stafanie Taylor – before she limped off retired hurt – and Deandra Dottin, who smashed an unbeaten 19 off just seven balls.
From a frustrating lack of activity a few weeks ago to a new piece of news seemingly dropping on the hour, this summer is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting one for Arsenal.
Instead of second-guessing Mikel Arteta’s vision following a third successive second-placed finish in the Premier League last year, the board are doubling down on their support for the Spanish manager.
It’s not even pre-season yet, but the club has already announced Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Christian Norgaard is expected to be announced any day now.
Moreover, after years of fans crying out for it, the North Londoners are finally reinforcing the attack, with Viktor Gyokeres looking like the man to lead the line and Eberechi Eze being able to fill in off the left as well as in attacking midfield.
Yet, that’s not all, as reports are now linking Arsenal to another Premier League star, someone who’d be loved by the Swedish and English stars.
Arsenal eye attacker to help Gyokeres and Eze
The big topic of discussion regarding Arsenal’s transfer dealings over the last few days has undoubtedly been Gyokeres.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
After months of deliberation over who was going to be the club’s new number nine, it looks like the Sporting CP star is the man, as he’s reportedly agreed personal terms with the Gunners and the Lisbon outfit appear ready to accept an offer of around £70m.
Things are marginally less advanced with Eze, as while he has supposedly agreed terms with the North Londoners and is incredibly keen on making the move, less progress has been made with Crystal Palace.
Stories from earlier this week claimed that Andrea Berta and Co are preparing to make an offer of £60m in three £20m instalments, but it remains to be seen if the Eagles accept anything less than the 27-year-old’s £68m release clause.
That’s not all, though, as the Premier League runners-up have also been linked with another attacking dynamo, Bryan Mbeumo.
Yes, on the latest episode of The Athletic FC Podcast, journalist David Ornstein revealed that Arsenal have “explored” a move for the Brentford star this summer.
If this is a move the Gunners are still keen to complete, they may need to hurry things along, as Manchester United remain incredibly eager to bring him to Old Trafford.
Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after the match
In terms of how much he’d cost, reports from earlier this summer claimed that the Bees want a fee in excess of £65m for their star attacker.
It would undoubtedly be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but given Mbeumo’s ability, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a dream teammate for Eze and Gyokeres.
Why Gyokeres and Eze would love Mbeumo
Well, the first and arguably most crucial reason Gyokeres and Eze would love playing alongside Mbeumo is his output.
Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo
After all, goals win games, and he sure scores a lot of them.
In 42 appearances this season, totalling 3577 minutes, the Bees’ “mini-Salah,” as dubbed by pundit Jason Cundy, scored 20 goals and provided nine assists.
Appearances
42
Starts
39
Minutes
3577′
Goals
20
Assists
9
Goal Involvements per Match
0.69
Minutes per Goal Involvement
123.34′
That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or one every 123.34 minutes.
Just imagine how many assists Eze would be able to chalk up playing behind the Cameroon international, and for Gyokeres, he’d make full use of the 25-year-old’s creativity.
Moreover, the sheer weight of goals the former Troyes gem scores would force opposition defenders to pay him a great deal of attention, which in turn should help free up more space for the Swedish hitman to operate in.
However, it’s not just the output that would make the Avallon-born ace a great teammate for the former Coventry City star, but also his versatility.
Brentford's BryanMbeumocelebrates scoring their first goal
For example, while the United target does spend most of his time off the right, he can play up top, or even as a second striker, which means he’d be able to fill in for the Stockholm-born goal machine when he’s in need of a rest.
This would help prevent him from burning out in what is likely to be an incredibly intense season for the North Londoners next season.
Ultimately, while it may be unlikely, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Mbeumo, as well as Gyokeres and Eze, this summer.
The Brentford star’s proficiency in front of goal and positional versatility could help them play even better.
Super agent in talks for £30m star to join Arsenal, it could be done in days
He’s trying to seal a north London move for his client.
Leeds United appear to be turning their attention towards targets at the top end of the pitch after signing three defenders to bolster their options at the back.
Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, and Sebastiaan Bornauw have arrived at Elland Road to improve Daniel Farke’s rearguard, whilst striker Lukas Nmecha has also joined on a free transfer.
The Whites are now ready to target players in the attacking areas of the pitch in order to build a team that is capable of avoiding an instant relegation from the Premier League.
Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Symth recently revealed that the Championship champions have made contact with the agents of Feyenoord winger Igor Paixao.
The reporter then added that the Whites are willing to pursue a deal for the Brazilian forward in spite of the fact that he is currently rehabbing from an injury.
What Igor Paixao could bring to Leeds
If Leeds can follow up on this interest by getting a deal over the line for the Feyenoord sensation before the end of the summer transfer window, Farke could have an exciting left winger at his disposal.
Igor Paixao for Feyenoord.
The 25-year-old flanker ended the 2024/25 campaign with an eye-catching haul of 18 goals and 19 assists in 47 appearances in all competitions for the Dutch side, which included 16 goals and 14 assists in the Eredivisie.
Paixao is a right-footed left winger who likes to cut inside from the left to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis, which he did to great effect in the Netherlands last season.
Leeds need a player who brings those qualities to the team after Manor Solomon returned to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season, after he spent the term on loan at Elland Road.
Appearances
34
39
xG
10.56
8.15
Goals
16
10
Big chances created
12
21
Assists
10
12
Key passes per game
1.7
1.8
As you can see in the table above, Paixao has the potential to offer similar levels of quality to the Israel international as a scorer and a creator of goals, albeit he is more geared towards scoring than creating in comparison to the Spurs winger.
However, the Brazilian has not played in a European league outside of the Netherlands and there is no guarantee that his form will translate over to England, as Luis Sinisterra has produced eight goals and three assists in 51 games in the Premier League since his move from Feyenoord.
This is why the Whites could land an even better player for their attack amid their interest in a star who has already proven themselves in England.
Leeds hopeful of signing Premier League striker
According to LeedsUnitedNews, the club have made ‘progress’ in their pursuit of a deal for Fulham centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz ahead of next season.
The Whites are interested in adding the Brazilian marksman to their squad to lead the line for them in the Premier League, and are continuing to pursue a move for the Cottagers ace.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
This latest report claims that Leeds are ‘hopeful’ of concluding a deal for the 26-year-old number nine, who has indicated that he would be interested in a move to Elland Road.
It states that Muniz wants to be the main man if he moves to a new club, having played second fiddle to Raul Jimenez at Craven Cottage last season, and that could work to Farke’s advantage.
LeedsUnitedNews adds that the club are stepping up their efforts to sign the Fulham attacker, who has been valued at £50m this summer, and are ‘edging closer’ to a deal.
Why Muniz would be a better signing than Paixao for Leeds
Whilst Paixao would be an exciting signing for Leeds, because of the numbers he put up in the Netherlands last season, Muniz would be an even better signing for the club because he is a proven Premier League talent.
As aforementioned, there is no telling how the Feyenoord attacker will adapt to life in England. There is no guarantee that he will deliver 18 goals and 19 assists for Leeds, given Sinisterra’s struggles after making the same switch from Feyenoord to West Yorkshire a few years ago.
Fulham's RodrigoMunizcelebrates scoring their third goal
This means that he would be a risky signing for the club to make, but with the potential to be an excellent addition, whilst Muniz would be a fairly ‘safe’ move for the Whites to complete this summer.
The Fulham striker has been there and done it in the Premier League, proving that he can score goals against the standard of defenders in the English top-flight, which is why he would be such a crucial signing for Leeds.
Appearances
26
31
Starts
18
8
xG
8.72
5.81
Goals
9
8
Minutes per goal
179
121
Big chances created
2
1
Assists
1
1
Duel success rate
39%
52%
As you can see in the table above, Muniz has scored 17 goals in just 26 starts in the division since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, rotating with Jimenez at Craven Cottage.
Leeds could offer him the chance to be the main man, starting almost every game if fit and available, and that could provide him with the opportunities to hit double figures for goals, given his impressive output in limited minutes at Fulham.
These statistics show why Muniz is an even better player for Leeds to target this summer because he has a track record that suggests that he can hit the ground running and deliver quality on a regular basis in the Premier League.
Personal terms done: Leeds in talks to land bigger signing than Longstaff
Leeds United have agreed personal terms with a star who would be a bigger signing than Sean Longstaff.
ByDan Emery Jul 17, 2025
Again, that is not to say that Paixao will be a bad signing, as they could both arrive and form a lethal partnership at the top end of the pitch, but there appears to be far less risk attached to a move for the Fulham striker.
Manchester City now want to sign a “world-class” £67m full-back, and he could join alongside Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer, according to a report.
City making progress in Ait-Nouri pursuit
Man City have set their sights on signing a new left-back this summer, with Pep Guardiola perhaps not overly convinced by Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly, and there has been a recent update in their pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Ait-Nouri.
Indeed, reliable reporter David Ornstein has now revealed that City “expect” to complete a deal for the Algerian this summer, although there is still work to be done before they are able to strike an agreement with their Premier League rivals.
"World-class" star now pushing to join Man City quickly; £59m+ offer needed
There has been a development in Man City’s pursuit of a key target…
ByDominic Lund Jun 3, 2025
Ait-Nouri’s arrival would leave Guardiola fairly well-stocked at left-back, given that Gvardiol and O’Reilly featured in that area regularly throughout the 2024-25 campaign, but a new report has suggested the manager could be keen to bring in another full-back who can play on both flanks.
According to GiveMeSport, Man City now want to sign Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso, with the Italian being shortlisted by Guardiola, who has also personally requested the defender in the past.
Manchester City managerPepGuardiolabefore the match
It could be difficult to agree a deal for Cambiaso, with his current employers making it tricky to enter talks, but the full-back, who was valued at £67m back in the January transfer window, remains of interest to the Blues.
Guardiola’s side are confident about sealing the arrival of Ait-Nouri, but the Juventus star could join regardless of whether they complete a deal for the Wolves man, given he can play in a back four or five on both sides of the defence.
Cambiaso putting in "world-class" performances for Juventus
The 25-year-old is particularly impressive in an attacking sense, as highlighted by his dribbling ability, which is important for City, considering they are likely to be the main aggressors in the majority of the Premier League games they play next season.
Journalist Zach Lowy has also been left particularly enamoured by the Italy international’s ability to create chances for his teammates in the past, singling him out for praise last April.
That said, with Gvardiol and O’Reilly already on the books, and the move for Ait-Nouri seemingly advancing well, there are doubts over whether the full-back would be a necessary signing for Man City.
£67m is a huge asking price for any player, and it may be wise to invest the money into other areas of the squad, perhaps between the sticks, having been keen on signing an Ederson replacement for quite some time, and City have a number of options in mind.
In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Gus Poyet has backed Enzo Maresca to get Chelsea challenging for a league title next season.
Blues still on track for Champions League qualification
It has been a mixed season for the Blues, with qualification for the Champions League still very much in their grasp, although their task has been made much more difficult after the disappointing 2-0 defeat against Newcastle United last weekend.
If Maresca’s side do manage to get over the line, the campaign is likely to be viewed as a success, although their heavy spending under BlueCo ownership means they should have loftier ambitions in the future.
After a trophy-laden period under the ownership of Roman Abramovich, the west Londoners are yet to win a trophy since the arrival of Todd Boehly, which is something that will need to change in the very near future.
A better signing than Osimhen: Chelsea in talks to land the "next Haaland"
Chelsea appear to be making moves to land a star who would be better than Victor Osimhen.
1 ByEthan Lamb May 14, 2025
That is according to former Chelsea man Poyet, who gave his thoughts on Maresca’s first season in charge, in partnership with BetBrain.
The 57-year-old said: “I think for him, Chelsea winning the European competition will be the platform to build on for next season. It’s always important winning a trophy for Chelsea and you cannot lose that.
The Uruguayan also suggested that while it would be a success to win the Europa Conference League, the Blues will need to start competing for major honours next season, saying the manager will know how: “Winning the European competition would be amazing. With all respects to them, two years ago they were young.
“They’re not young anymore, they’ve already played 80 games in the Premier League, so next year there is no excuses. They have to be better and they have to be more competitive? How? Well, the coach knows better than me what he needs.”
Maresca must start competing for major honours
Few would have predicted Maresca winning the Premier League in his first season at Stamford Bridge, and should his side manage to seal a top-five finish, it will be fantastic to return to the Champions League after a two-year absence from the competition.
However, Blues fans have become accustomed to success over the years, having won two Champions Leagues in the Abramovich era, and merely qualifying for Europe’s elite competition shouldn’t become the norm.
Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta celebrates with the trophy and teammates
Although there may be some concerns about the form in the second half of the season, there has been some cause for optimism of late, with Chelsea securing crucial victories over the likes of Liverpool and Fulham.
Not only that, but BlueCo have already started work on potential summer signings, having identified some exciting targets in a range of different positions, so there is a clear ambition to kick on next season and challenge for the league.
As Manchester United prepare to head into the defining game of their season on Wednesday night, a key dilemma for manager Ruben Amorim to contemplate is the centre-forward berth, amid the continued woes of young Rasmus Hojlund.
Despite showcasing flickers of life with goals against Bournemouth and Athletic Club in recent weeks, the 22-year-old has still scored just ten goals in all competitions this season, with just four of those coming in the Premier League.
The Europa League – or European competition in general – has been a welcome solace for the Dane following his £64m switch in 2023, although even his 11 goals on the continent to date should not cloud Amorim’s judgement considering the wretched campaign that the former Atalanta man has endured.
Against Chelsea on Friday night, for instance, the struggling striker won just two of 11 duels and lost the ball on 13 occasions, with there a very real debate to be had over whether the former Sporting CP boss can find a wildcard solution to replace the club’s number nine in Bilbao.
As for the long-term, meanwhile, Hojlund’s woes have indicated that signing an upgrade is essential this summer. On the evidence of recent reports, that work has already begin, amid the speculation surrounding Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap.
Latest on Man Utd's interest in Liam Delap
While a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers man Matheus Cunha appears to be edging ever closer to an agreement, the suggestion is that United are also looking to raid the Premier League for young Delap, following an encouraging first campaign in the top-flight.
Cunha, Delap, Amorim
Despite playing his part in a side that has slipped back into the Championship under Kieran McKenna, the 22-year-old has still managed to rack up 12 league goals thus far, with no player back at Old Trafford even reaching double figures, by contrast.
Reportedly available for just £30m this summer amid the presence of a relegation clause in his contract, the England U21 star represents an affordable option ahead of next term, with The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell outlining that talks have already been held with the player regarding a move.
As per Whitwell, however, the Red Devils are set to face competition from the likes of Chelsea, with Delap set to engage in negotiations with a number of suitors before making his decision.
The suggestion is that the club could afford to sign both Cunha and the former Manchester City starlet, even if Champions League qualification is not secured. That said, might it be worth stretching the budget just a little further?
Man Utd chasing Delap alternative
Having signed Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in successive summers, the decision to plump for another young striker like Delap could prove another mistake for those at Old Trafford, with the club simply needing to get it right in the centre-forward department.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast
According to reports in Spain, the Red Devils are seemingly in the mix for a prolific alternative, amid claims that they are among the Premier League clubs to have made an approach for Sporting sensation, Viktor Gyokeres.
As per the report, while it is Arsenal who remain in the ‘best position’ to sign the 26-year-old, United are said to have emerged as a ‘strong competitor’ of late, amid the forward’s prior relationship with Amorim.
Sporting Club's Viktor Gyokeres.
The suggestion is that the former Coventry City man will end up back in England this summer, with Fabrizio Romano having outlined in recent days that he could be available for around €65m (£55m),
That extra £25m, in relation to Delap, would prove worth the investment for a player who could prove to be the next Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Viktor Gyokeres
Why Gyokeres could be the new Van Nistelrooy
It is not too difficult to argue that not since the days of Van Nistelrooy have United truly had a reliable goalscoring presence at the club, with the clinical Dutchman chalking up 150 goals in 219 games in all competitions, including 95 in just 150 Premier League outings.
Signed from PSV Eindhoven in 2001 for a then British-record fee of around £19m, having seen a deal collapse a year earlier due to injury, the beloved striker hit the ground running in a United shirt, having scored twice on debut against Fulham.
In truth, the then-24-year-old had picked up where he left off in his homeland, having netted 77 times in just 90 games for PSV, after previous stints with Den Bosch and Heerenveen.
Any fears over whether he could cut it in English football were swiftly eased, with Van Nistelrooy proving that a goalscorer of that ilk can deliver the goods wherever they are plying their trade.
Hopefully, the same can be true of Gyokeres, with the “ball-striking monster” – as hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson – enjoying a similar record to what Ruud recorded at PSV, having netted 96 times in just 101 appearances in Lisbon.
Viktor Gyokeres’ record for Sporting CP
2024/25
Competition
Games
Goals
Assists
Liga Portugal
33
39
8
Taca de Portugal
6
4
3
Champions League
8
6
0
Allianz Cup
3
4
0
Supertaca
1
0
2
2023/24
Competition
Games
Goals
Assists
Liga Portugal
33
29
9
Taca de Portugal
6
6
4
Europa League
9
5
2
Allianz Cup
2
3
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
Like Van Nistrelrooy too – who provided 20 assists in Eindhoven, as per Transfermarkt – the former Coventry hero can also create chances for others too when leading the line, having chipped in with 28 assists of his own.
In essence, Gyokeres is the complete striker, possessing that ability to lead the line on his own in impressive fashion, much like Van Nistelrooy was able to do in Sir Alex Ferguson’s 4-5-1 formation in the early 2000s.
The “hottest striker in Europe” right now, as per ESPN’s Mark Ogden, the one-time Brighton and Hove Albion asset is in simply blistering form. A reunion with Amorim could represent the dream alternative to chasing Delap, even if it comes at a greater cost.
Man Utd submit bid to sign "unplayable" star who's more deadly than Cunha
Manchester United have submitted a bid to sign a star who would be amazing with Matheus Cunha.
The answer to India’s search for 20 wickets may lie in their world-class wristspinner, who could sow doubt in England’s minds in a summer of warm weather and flat pitches
Sidharth Monga29-Jun-20252:01
How might India shape their attack for second Test?
This was always going to be the big test of the new leadership team of captain Shubman Gill, coach Gautam Gambhir and vice-captain Rishabh Pant. The captain and the coach have said all the right things on this England tour. Gill has said he is prepared to play four tailenders in order to take 20 wickets as cheaply as possible. Immediately after the defeat in Leeds, Gambhir reiterated the first priority is to take 20 wickets.Related
India to make the Bumrah call 'at the very last minute'
Bumrah returns to nets, bowls full tilt during India's optional training session
Prasidh fell short by going short but is eager to make amends
With India trailing, will Jasprit Bumrah play at Edgbaston?
Gambhir calls for patience as Bumrah's blunting leaves attack exposed
The XI India put out at Headingley was along expected lines. The presence of Shardul Thakur in the squad was going to give them a better bowling option than Nitish Kumar Reddy did in Australia while still giving them someone who could hold a bat at No. 8. However, neither of the two facets materialised. Thakur scored 1 and 4, and was asked to bowl just 16 overs out of 182.4 that India sent down. In the first innings, Thakur wasn’t called upon to bowl before the 40th over. He was neither a wicket-taking threat nor able to plug the run flow in the 16 overs he bowled.The problem is, this in itself was a bold move for India if you had seen them in Australia. There was one Test in Sydney when they went in with three fast bowlers plus three allrounders in Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, but never with five proper bowlers. On top of that, this “bold” move coincided with collapses of 7 for 41 and 6 for 31.While the lower order has given the management every opportunity to take the wrong message from Headingley, bringing in a batting allrounder or sticking with Thakur is not going to improve India’s chances of taking 20 wickets at Edgbaston. To give themselves an opportunity to win Test matches, India must now give up on lower-order runs and play four proper bowlers plus Jadeja. Instead of stacking up the batting for more runs, they need to lighten the batters’ load by dismissing the opposition cheaper. They need to live in a world where 471 and 364 should be enough to win a Test despite the Bazball pitches and the new Duke’s ball that goes soft sooner than it used to and swings less.Whether the replacement bowler for Thakur is a fast bowler or a spinner should depend on the conditions, but the unusually dry English summer and the general flatness of English pitches during the Bazball era are crying out for a bit of wristspin. In another team or in another era, Kuldeep Yadav would have been a premier Test spinner, but he has found himself behind two generational spinners who are capable of scoring Test hundreds.Kuldeep Yadav has 56 wickets at 22.16 after 13 Tests•Getty ImagesThe good thing is that Kuldeep is still only 30. He averages 22.16 after 13 Tests, and is in his prime right now. He does more in the air than fingerspinners do, and can turn the ball both ways where fingerspinners need natural variation from worn-out surfaces to bring both edges into play. England played a staggering 39 reverse-sweeps against Jadeja in Leeds, the most played off any single bowler since ESPNcricinfo started keeping ball-by-ball records. It is not a shot so easily played off a wristspinner.Kuldeep has done well against this batting unit recently. He took 19 wickets in four Tests when England toured India in 2024, including a Player-of-the-Match performance in the last Test in Dharamsala. Although these were Indian pitches, they didn’t turn as much as they have tended to in recent times. Kuldeep holds an edge against England that can create that slightest bit of apprehension, which is anathema to Bazball. In the unlikely scenario of a green seamer being rolled out, India can go to one of the two extra seam bowlers in the squad.In an ideal world, India will have Nos. 8 and 9 who can hold their own with the bat, but they can’t keep jeopardising their chances of taking 20 wickets for these extra few runs. While not a quick scorer, Kuldeep can be a stubborn partner for a top-seven batter. He is not completely off India’s minds either: he has been bowling a lot in the nets, and also on the side pitches at Leeds during every session break.Twenty years since arguably the greatest and most competitive Ashes series of all time, there are more than a few echoes. England’s batting coach now is Marcus Trescothick, who heralded a similarly quick-scoring approach in 2005. The pitches then and now are similarly good for batting. England’s talismanic allrounder, Andrew Flintoff, was their leading wicket-taker 20 years ago; now his spiritual equal, Ben Stokes, looks like their best bowler. The opposition’s lead fast bowler will miss two Tests, just as Glenn McGrath did back in 2005.The leading wicket-taker then, with 40 wickets, was a wristspinner, the king of spin, Shane Warne. The time, then, might be ripe to unleash the best wristspinner in cricket since Warne and Anil Kumble.
He was on his way to becoming one of the forgotten men of West Indies cricket, but has now been named in their World Cup Qualifier squad
Deivarayan Muthu08-Jun-2023Johnson Charles became the forgotten man of West Indies cricket after their – and his – second T20 World Cup title in 2016. Since the end of that tournament and the start of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, Charles had played just five T20Is.But, after strong returns in CPL 2022, he returned to West Indies’ T20I set-up and earlier this year, and smashed a 39-ball hundred in Centurion – the fastest by a West Indian in men’s T20Is, bettering Chris Gayle’s 47-ball effort.Charles, however, wasn’t supposed to travel to the UAE with West Indies’ ODI squad for the ongoing three-match series, but Devon Thomas’ suspension opened the door for an unexpected comeback in the format.Related
PCB might postpone WI series to avoid clash with PSL
Sammy's checklist: get Russell, Narine, Hetmyer back
In his first ODI in almost seven years, Charles scored a 19-ball 24 and followed it up with a match-winning 47-ball 63 in the second ODI, indicating that he is by no means finished, and shouldn’t be forgotten.Charles’ main strength is still intact: clear the front leg and swat the ball to the leg side. But he has also expanded his game by hitting with similar power down the ground and through the off side. The new-found range was on display on a hot and humid evening in Sharjah on June 6.”I just had to work on the basics,” Charles said after the second ODI. “It’s not much, but just trying to keep my balance and not trying to over-hit the ball and having a strong base. And hit the ball where it has to be hit and that’s what I’ve been working on.”The Daren Sammy impactCharles 2.0 appeared at CPL 2022, where he tallied 345 runs in nine innings at an average of 43.12 and strike rate of 133.20 for St Lucia Kings. His coach was Daren Sammy. Charles and Sammy go back a long way. Sammy was Charles’ first T20I captain and they went on to win two T20 World Cup titles together. Charles has a stand named after him at St Lucia’s Beausejour Stadium, which has been renamed in Sammy’s honour.Charles hailed Sammy’s leadership skills after West Indies wrapped up a 2-0 series victory against UAE with one game to go. “Not just mine. It [Sammy’s leadership] has a positive impact on everybody’s performance because he’s an inspirational leader,” Charles said. “So that positiveness will run down on the other guys, and it will definitely push us to bring out our best.”Positiveness is definitely up there as No. 1, and inspirational. These are the two main things about his coaching that I could highlight right now.”UAE are currently ranked 19th in ODI cricket and their team is in flux, with Robin Singh recently ending his role as director of cricket following a prolonged lean patch, and Mudassar Nazar taking temporary charge of the team. Charles, though, insisted that West Indies haven’t taken UAE lightly, and are pleased with their own progress in the lead-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup qualifier, which is set to start in Zimbabwe on June 18.Darren Sammy and Johnson Charles go back a long way•Sportsfile via Getty Images”People could say what they want, and people make their judgements,” Charles said. “It’s fair enough but we know we never take any opposition for granted. So, saying that, it’s very nice we came up with a series win. Two out of two so far, and you know I find that the team is gelling very well as a unit. We’re definitely playing to our strengths and working on that and playing to how we want to play in the World Cup qualifiers and going forward. So, I think that we’ve played well, and we’ve definitely not taken them for granted. So, that’s a good thing.”Since CPL 2022, Charles has had a good run in franchise T20 leagues. Notably in the BPL 2023 final in February, where he cracked an unbeaten 79 off 52 balls from No. 4 to give Comilla Victorians their fourth title. He even earned a call-up to Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad for IPL 2023, but didn’t get a game.”Going back to the basics and trying to get them right all the time; if not, then most of the time,” Charles said of the change. “That has been working for me [in T20 cricket] along with the positive mindset. Yes, I just lapsed a little bit [in the second ODI in Sharjah] and that cost my wicket and you know it [hundred] is going to come.”Charles was on Thursday added to West Indies’ ODI squad for the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe*, replacing injured spinner Gudakesh Motie. And although Kyle Mayers, fresh off an IPL stint with Lucknow Super Giants, is set to partner Brandon King at the top, further contributions in the oppressive Sharjah heat could put him contention for a starting spot.Not many gave Charles a chance to return to the West Indies side, but he is now the only man from the XI that beat England in the T20 World Cup final in 2016 to be involved as a player with this current team.*1955 GMT – This story was updated with news of Charles’ call-up