There was a point last season when Liverpool had established a commanding lead at the top of the Premier League yet still failed to earn the respect and, perhaps, fear, of their closest title rivals.

You might have traced it back further. Before a ball had been kicked, BBC Sport’s 30 experts had a go at naming their pick for the league champion. Each of the pundits failed to choose Liverpool, who won the Premier League at a canter, ten points ahead of Arsenal at the finish despite loosening standards across the final four fixtures.

In fact, Stephen Warnock and Fara Williams were the only BBC Sport pundits to declare Liverpool would finish in the top two. Make no mistake, the Reds were hardly expected to challenge for the title after losing Jurgen Klopp, but Klopp left an incredible, dynamic team behind, and FSG bagged Slot gold, having barely dipped into the transfer market.

Is it any wonder Liverpool have attacked the market with such vicious intent? The Merseysiders have spent around £200m this summer and more is yet to come, with striker Hugo Ekitike and Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi both fixed at the top of the shopping list.

In Guehi’s case, Eagles chairman Steve Parish might prove to be too tricky a negotiator, pricing his captain at £50m despite their being just one year remaining on his contract.

But should Liverpool push ahead all the same?

Why Liverpool want Marc Guehi

Liverpool could wrap up their transfer window right now and be content. Who wouldn’t after signing Florian Wirtz for a British-record £116m fee? The German talent, plucked from his heralded position in the Bundesliga, could revolutionise the Anfield side.

But Liverpool would like to pack more quality across other positions. Sporting director Richard Hughes tried and failed to convince Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen to join from Bournemouth in May, but in Guehi, Liverpool might find the perfect alternative.

His leadership and composure, technical qualities and combativeness all see him align with Slot’s vision, especially if a breakthrough cannot be found with Ibrahima Konate, who has 12 months left on his own deal as Los Blancos look to pilfer more talent from Liverpool’s chest.

Jarell Quansah has also been sold to Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £35m.

Liverpool want Guehi, and they want him bad. However, they are open to a variety of options and could hit the jackpot with a certain alternative hailing from the German scene.

Liverpool in race for Bundesliga star

Liverpool have registered their interest in RB Leipzig centre-back Castello Lukeba, who, according to Foot Mercato, is being chased by the Reds, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich.

With a €90m (£77m) release clause, Lukeba wouldn’t come cheap – although it’s unlikely that the suitors would pay such a figure.

However, with the France international open to leaving, Leipzig would be willing to cash in for a more modest sum, for they finished sixth in the Bundesliga last term and thus have no European football to look forward to in 2025/26.

Transfer Focus

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

What Castello Lukeba would bring to Liverpool

When previously discussing Lukeba’s potential transfer to Liverpool, analyst Ben Mattinson said that Anfield would represent the “perfect move” for the defender.

Indeed, Lukeba’s “freak profile”, positively spoken in regard to his athleticism and versatility, bespeaks his suitability in Slot’s system.

And have Liverpool not hit the jackpot many times when raiding the Bundesliga for exciting young prospects?

Wirtz, indeed, is a fine example of this; he might not have kicked a ball on Merseyside yet, but the 22-year-old is destined for greatness.

Lukeba is only 22 and has already demonstrated his qualities superbly across the 2024/25 campaign, ranked among the top 13% of central defenders in Europe’s top five leagues for passes attempted, the top 20% for progressive passes, the top 12% for progressive carries and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, as well as the top 15% for aerial duel success rate, as per FBref.

His energy and hunger to win duels and fend off opposing forwards blends with a sharp technicality that Slot would use to instil calm through Liverpool’s backline. The progressiveness that we can observe through his attacking metrics only emphasises his wide-ranging skill set further.

Bundesliga Stats 24/25 – Castello Lukeba
Stats (* per game)	Lukeba
Matches (starts)	23 (18)
Goals	0
Assists	0
Touches*	65.4
Pass completion	87%
Key passes*	0.2
Dribbles*	0.9
Ball recoveries*	3.2
Tackles + interceptions*	2.0
Clearances*	3.0
Duels (won)*	4.0 (65%)
Data via Sofascore

This “leader”, as he’s been described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would follow Wirtz in being a young Bundesliga talent stepping into Slot’s squad to plug a gap and potentially rise toward the uppermost level of the game.

He has the potential, to be sure. Having already completed 72 appearances for Leipzig after transferring from French side Lyon, where he played 68 times after cutting his teeth in the club’s academy, there’s a wealth of experience which Liverpool could build upon.

Moreover, Lukeba has rebounded from injury setbacks throughout his youthful career in a similar vein to Wirtz, whose ACL injury as a teenager preceded his invincible domestic campaign of 2023/24 with Bayer Leverkusen, when he was crowned the Bundesliga Player of the Year.

Lukeba might not carry quite the same stock, but he’s an immensely talented defender targeted by one of the best clubs in the world.

Following Konate, Joel Matip, Bobby Firmino and more from making his way from Germany to Anfield, this young centre-half could define the coming era on Merseyside, along with Wirtz.

He betters Isak in key areas: Liverpool make the "next Mbappe" a key target

Liverpool are interested in signing a new striker this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 1, 2025

It is fair to say that the opening game of the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season did not go exactly how reigning champions Celtic wanted it to.

The Hoops had to battle hard to break the deadlock against a stubborn St Mirren side that sat in and defended well in a low block for the majority of the game.

However, substitute Luke McCowan was able to finally break through by firing in a shot from the edge of the box that deflected into the bottom corner in the 87th minute.

They were a fortunate deflection away from dropping two points on the opening day of the season, though, which Brendan Rodgers will not have been pleased with.

The summer transfer window is still open for a few more weeks and there could be further incoming business for the Hoops, who appear to need attacking reinforcements.

One player whose future in the starting XI remains uncertain, due to potential transfer activity, is Adam Idah, after his dismal showing against St Mirren.

Why Adam Idah's starting spot is in danger

The slow nature of Celtic’s recruitment work this summer has provided the Ireland international with a big opportunity to show the manager that he has what it takes to be the main number nine this season.

Unfortunately, though, he failed to step up against St Mirren on Sunday, as the former Norwich City attacker put in an incredibly wasteful showing, as you can see in the graphic below.

It is fair to say that the Irish number nine has not done enough to prove that he has the clinical finishing to be a reliable goalscorer for the Hoops this season, as further evidenced by his 19 ‘big chances’ missed in 19 Premiership starts last season.

This is why Idah’s starting spot in the team is in danger because he needs to show that he can be ruthless with the chances that come his way in games.

xA

2.60

Top 11%

Chances created

19

Top 25%

Pass accuracy

76%

Top 19%

Assists

0

Bottom 3%

Touches in the opposition’s box

144

Top 9%

Possession won in the final third

14

Top 15%

However, as you can see in the table above, the Ireland international also has a lot of creative qualities that sometimes go under the radar because of his finishing struggles and a few touches that go awry.

Idah is not perfect, that is obvious, but he is also not useless for Rodgers. His creative statistics from the 2024/25 league season suggest that the Hoops need to surround him with clinical finishers who can make the most of the chances that he creates.

The former Canaries star still needs to improve his finishing and show that he can be relied upon by Rodgers in front of goal, but the manager can do his bit to help the forward unlock his true potential by bringing in goalscoring midfielders around him.

This is why the Northern Irish boss should be pushing the board to get a deal done for Go Ahead Eagles star Jakob Breum before the end of the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

Celtic have had multiple offers turned down for the Danish midfielder, who is valued at £5m by the Eredivisie side, and they should stump up the cash required to bring him to Parkhead to unlock Idah’s creative potential.

Why Celtic should sign Jakob Breum

One of the many reasons why the Hoops should pay up to bring Breum to Glasgow before September’s transfer deadline is that he is a versatile star who could be used in a host of different positions by Rodgers.

The Denmark U21 international has started 11 matches or more as a central midfielder, a right winger, an attacking midfielder, and as a left winger in his club career to date, which means that he can play across the frontline behind Idah or another striker.

At the age of 21, Breum would also come in as a young player with the potential to grow and develop throughout his time in Glasgow. This means that he would be a signing for the here and now as well as for the future, given his scope to improve further.

His performances for Go Ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie during the 2024/25 season also suggest that he has the quality to come in as an ideal signing for Idah.

Breum, who was nominated for the young player of the season award in the Netherlands, is a ruthless finisher who has the potential to make the most of the Irish forward’s creativity.

xG

6.27

Top 8%

xG on target

8.35

Top 5%

Shots on target

22

Top 7%

Goals

10

Top 5%

xA

5.60

Top 8%

Assists

5

Top 17%

Chances created

44

Top 7%

As you can see in the table above, the Danish forward ranked incredibly highly in a host of goalscoring metrics in the Dutch top-flight, as he outperformed his xG with both the quality of his shots and his goal tally.

These statistics suggest that the 21-year-old star, who was described as an “exciting” talent by Sport Republic video scout RDF Tactics, would be the perfect attacking midfielder to unlock Idah’s potential as a creator.

As aforementioned, the Irish striker was one of the most creative forwards in the Premiership last season, but was not rewarded with the assists that he deserved. Breum is a player who could finish off the chances that Idah creates, based on his form last term.

Along with being able to provide quality as a finisher, the £5m-rated star also ranked highly for his own creative output, and could create high-quality opportunities for Idah, to help him overcome his finishing woes.

Celtic could repeat Hooper masterclass by signing "extraordinary" £7m star

Celtic could find their next Gary Hooper with a swoop to sign this target from the lower league in England.

1 ByDan Emery Aug 6, 2025

Overall, Celtic should be pushing to sign the Go Ahead Eagles star because he has the potential to be an attacking signing that could complement Idah’s style of play, potentially helping the Irishman to keep his place in the XI.

After scores of 5 and 0 in the first two ODIs, Smriti Mandhana regained her touch in the series decider as she cracked her third ODI century of the year, helping India beat New Zealand by six wickets and take the three-match series 2-1. She was ably supported by first Yastika Bhatia (35) and then Harmanpreet Kaur (59 not out) as India put on a chasing masterclass in Ahmedabad.Batting first, New Zealand rode largely on Brooke Halliday’s career-best 86 off 96 balls as she lifted her side from the depths of 88 for 5 in the 24th over to 232 all out in 49.5 overs. Teams batting first won both ODIs in the series, but India were having none of it as the top order shone through in the chase as they romped home with 34 balls to spare.Mandhana had fallen to the outside-the-off-stump trap twice in two innings in this ODI series. In the first game, she carved Jess Kerr to backward point. Two days later, she did it again, chipping it straight to point for a duck. So, when Mandhana came out in pursuit of New Zealand’s target of 233, she was circumspect to the point that in the first three overs, she shouldered arms to at least five balls. She was ready to be patient and build her innings. The move paid dividends.Mandhana has had a good 2024 in ODIs, having scored two centuries and a half-century in six innings coming into this game. On Tuesday, she played the patient game. She was on 9 off 26 balls at one point, but did not throw it away. She had a slice of luck when she seemingly inside-edged a Lea Tahuhu full-length delivery on to her pad in the third over. Replays later suggested the ball had hit her pad first and had New Zealand reviewed, she would have been out. It was the luck Mandhana needed, and she did not look back.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

At the other end, Shafali, though, had no such luck. She got going with two crips fours, but was caught down the leg side after a faint nick in the fourth over.Mandhana was joined by Bhatia in the middle and the two kept their composure in the chase. Mandhana struck her first four in the ninth over, a swivel-pull against Sophie Devine, followed by a chip down the ground off Eden Carson. Bhatia also struck a few smart boundaries. They added 76 runs for the second wicket before Bhatia was caught and bowled by Devine.Harmanpreet walked out at No. 4 and with a platform set, the two went about their innings calmly. Mandhana brought up her half-century with a short-arm jab through midwicket and soon started finding the fence with more regularity. Harmanpreet, too, was wary initially but soon found the measure of the surface and the runs started flowing from both ends. They brought up the 50-run stand for the third wicket in the 31st over.Harmanpreet did go down with cramps not long after, but that was not going to stop her. She unleashed an array of drives and pulls with Mandhana also going after Devine. Harmanpreet reached her half-century off 54 balls while Mandhana got to her century, the eighth of her career, off 121 balls with a push down the ground. She fell without adding another run, cleaned up by Hannah Rowe, but the job was done by then.Jemimah Rodrigues walked out and immediately got four fours away as India could see the finishing line. She fell lbw to Fran Jonas with India needing a run, and Harmanpreet fittingly finished off the chase in the 45th over.Brooke Halliday hit three sixes despite tiring in the heat•BCCI

Earlier, Halliday braved the scorching Ahmedabad heat as she strung important stands with Izabella Gaze and Rowe, before Tahuhu smashed an unbeaten 24 off 14 balls to get New Zealand past the 230-run mark.It was a much-improved Indian fielding show on display in the third ODI. They had dropped as many as six catches in the second ODI, to go with multiple misfields, as they went down heavily. But they came out as a unit on a mission on Tuesday, led by the two usual fielding stars, Radha Yadav and Rodrigues, as they frustrated the New Zealand openers, Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, in the powerplay.Rodrigues was into the act in the third over as she almost effected a run-out after a stunning save at short extra-cover, with Bates having to dive full length to just about make her crease. Rodrigues’ brilliance came to the fore in the seventh over again when there was a spot of miscommunication between the two batters and this time Bates was caught well short of her crease despite the dive.Plimmer had, meanwhile, started to find the hang of the red-soil surface. She got her boundary-counter running with a solid on-drive off Renuka Thakur before piercing the gap between mid-off and cover off the same bowler. Saima Thakor was also driven for two fours in three balls in the sixth over, but she bounced back with the wicket of Lauren Down, removing her with a gentle length ball that tailed away late and caught her outside edge.Devine, the star of the second ODI, looked ominous from the get-go, striking two authoritative fours within her first seven balls. But she was undone by a stunning wrong’un from Priya Mishra as she went back to a delivery that she ideally should have been forward to, and the ball crashed into her middle stump.Deepti Sharma was named the Player of the Series•BCCI

Halliday, though, looked the part all the way. She got off the mark with an elegant off drive, but regular wickets at the other end pinned New Zealand down. Plimmer was removed by Mishra, who induced a thick outside edge, with Deepti Sharma taking a sharp catch at slip – she was guilty of dropping three catches in the second ODI.New Zealand then lost half their side when another miscommunication ensued between Maddy Green and Halliday, with the former stuck in the middle of the pitch. Rodrigues was again in the thick of things at point.Halliday had to do the repair job, and she found an ally in Gaze. Halliday struck her first six in the 38th over off Mishra, and soon reached her sixth ODI fifty with a flick in the 40th over.Gaze fell chipping a full toss meekly back to Deepti for her first wicket, but Halliday and Rowe carried on by adding 47 off 41 balls for the seventh wicket. Halliday, who was spent by that time, put her foot on the pedal, even showing off a few innovative reverse hits and paddles. She managed to generate enough power to clear the ropes twice – once off Harmanpreet Kaur and then off Deepti – but fell in the 46th over caught at deep midwicket.Rowe fell soon after but Tahuhu smashed two fours and a six to help New Zealand end on a high. Eventually, they were well below par.

Konstas made 73 not out and Beau Webster made an unbeaten 46 as Australia A chased down 168 with six wickets to spare

Alex Malcolm09-Nov-2024Sam Konstas signalled he is a player for the future, even if he might not be ready for the first Test, making an outstanding unbeaten half-century to guide Australia A home in a tricky run chase at the MCG after Dhruv Jurel and Prasidh Krishna gave India A hope while putting their hand up to play in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Konstas, batting at No. 4 in this match for the first time in his short career after appearing to be removed from the Test opening calculations, made a composed 73 not out alongside Beau Webster, who made an unbeaten 46, to guide Australia A to a 2-0 series win after slumping to 73 for 4 chasing 168 in the fourth innings.Earlier, Jurel made his second half-century of the match while Prasidh made 29 as India’s tail wagged with contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Tanush Kotian ensuring Australia A had a tricky chase after the game threatened to finish early on day three.Prasidh then struck twice in the opening over of the fourth innings with Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft falling for ducks in consecutive deliveries. Nathan McSweeney only made 25 as Australia A slumped to 48 for 3 and 73 for 4 before Konstas and Webster combined for an unbeaten 96-run stand to win the game.Australia’s A chase got off to a disastrous start and Australia’s selectors did not get the final pieces of information they were hoping for from Harris and McSweeney. Harris played a half-committed drive to a very full ball and was given out caught behind off the inside edge. His luck from day two might have evened out as it was not entirely clear whether he hit it. Bancroft’s horror run of form continued when he was hit on the toe by a cracking yorker and given lbw. It was tight to leg but probably hitting. Bancroft has scored 29 runs in eight first-class innings so far this season, including four ducks, with any hopes of a Test recall completely dashed for the time being.McSweeney looked organised in his last bid to convince selectors he is worthy of opening the batting in the Perth Test. He hardly made an error in his 69-ball 25. But he was undone by a cracking delivery from Mukesh Kumar that angled into off and nipped away to catch the edge.Konstas, 19, then showed the composure and the batting craft that has so many astute judges in Australian cricket cooing. He weathered the storm with resolute defence and then began to expand as the ball got softer and Kotian came into the attack. He unfurled a cracking pull shot off Prasidh and then skipped out to Kotian several times to bang him over the top down the ground. He also sat back and punched him through the off side. He didn’t get sucked into playing at balls outside his leg stump when a short leg and leg gully were set for him.He lost Ollie Davies for a brisk 21 when his New South Wales team-mate misjudged the length from Kotian completely and was bowled attempting an ambitious cut shot.Webster settled after a nervy start and hit the ball with trademark power to help ease the pressure of the chase. The pair rattled along, striking 13 boundaries and a six between them. They scored fast enough for the umpires to extend play with an extra half-hour to win the game on the third night. Konstas only gave one life, with substitute Abishek Porel dropping him at deep square with 15 runs to win.Dhruv Jurel made 68 in the second innings•AFPEarlier in the day, Jurel was once again the fulcrum that held India A’s batting together with another outstanding knock. There have been three 50-plus scores in the match and he has two of them. His 68 was the key to giving the visitors a total to defend in spite of four wickets to Corey Rocchiccioli and three to Webster.Unlike the first innings though, he did need a large stroke of luck. Early in the morning, on 25, he uppercut Scott Boland to deep third absentmindedly with a fielder placed there for that exact shot. Ollie Davies had to run forward and dive but he spilled the difficult chance offered despite getting two hands to it. Had that been held, India A would have been 85 for 6, leading by just 23 and in danger of losing before lunch.Thereafter, the momentum swung in India A’s favour. Jurel and Reddy shared a pivotal 94-run stand to give their side a chance. Jurel’s class shone through again. He pounced on anything short or overpitched and was rock solid in defence. While his team-mates have looked all at sea against the extra bounce at the MCG, Jurel has looked right at home with a game tailormade for Australian conditions.Reddy played his best innings of the tour to-date, striking five fours and a six in a key supporting role. Australia A struggled to penetrate given they were a bowler down after the loss of Michael Neser on day one.But just as Jurel got a stranglehold on the game, he holed out to deep square off Rocchiccioli to open the door to the tail. Three overs later, Reddy fell to Webster for the third time in four innings. It was also the third time he was bounced out, gloving one to the keeper trying to hook to fine leg.That left India A 162 for 7 with a lead of just 100. But the last three wickets added 67 to ensure Australia would have a tricky chase. Kotian and Prasidh frustrated the bowlers with an entertaining and vital 49-run stand. They struck nine fours and a six between them. Kotian posted the fourth-highest score of the match, making 44. Prasidh’s innings was bewildering. He consistently backed away but slapped the ball with power both sides of the wicket in a breezy 29. He eventually fell to a sensational diving catch at deep midwicket by Konstas.Kotian added 28 with Mukesh Kumar who scored just 1 before miscuing one to mid-off. Rocchiccioli wrapped up the innings with his fourth wicket, pinning Mukesh plumb lbw.

Mitchell and Young hit half-centuries for New Zealand, while India lost three wickets in two overs just before stumps

Sidharth Monga01-Nov-2024

Ajaz Patel struck twice in two balls at the fag end of the day•BCCI

Stumps Ravindra Jadeja bowled 22 unchanged overs in the oppressive heat and humidity of Mumbai to pick up his 14th Test five-wicket haul and help bowl New Zealand out for 235. However, India threw away the advantage with the loss of three wickets in the last two overs of the day to end at 86 for 4.Jadeja had to work much harder for his wickets than New Zealand did at the fag end of the day. It included bowling through the whole middle session, during which Washington Sundar, who took four wickets, went off the field to rehydrate, and the batters got drinks almost every three overs.Jadeja’s was a timely intervention, as Daryl Mitchell and Will Young, half-centurions both, threatened to run away to a big total on a pitch that showed enough signs – with puffs of dust and variable turn – that it was going to be a nightmare for the side batting last. Mitchell and Young added 87 runs in a fourth-wicket partnership that looked under more threat from dehydration than the bowling.The collapse from 159 for 3 to 235 all out brought some respite for India, playing to avoid their second-ever series whitewash at home (of two or more Tests) and also vital WTC points. However, the last two overs – Yashasvi Jaiswal bowled to a reverse-sweep, the nightwatcher Mohammed Siraj burning a review, Virat Kohli running himself out – were a downer for them.Virat Kohli was run out looking for a quick single•BCCI

That’s because they had got into a desirable position after Tom Latham won another important toss and got the right to bat in the best batting conditions of the match. He led New Zealand’s initial progress even though he lost Devon Conway to Akash Deep from around the wicket. A pace attack missing Jasprit Bumrah was only going to go so far. R Ashwin came on to bowl as early as the eighth over, the last time of the day he would be considered the likeliest spinner to get wickets.Latham scored 28 off 44 before a vexing one-two from Washington sent him back. From a near identical spot, with near identical seam orientation, Washington beat the inside edge one ball and the outside edge next ball to take out top of off stump. For the third time in three times of asking, Washington hit the off stump of Rachin Ravindra with a near identical delivery to leave New Zealand delicately poised at 72 for 3.The half-an-hour to lunch was a nervous period for Young and Mitchell as both their edges were threatened regularly. Post lunch, though, the pitch settled down for an hour and a bit. With the temperature hitting 37 degrees, the high humidity of the coast and little breeze, this session tested everybody’s fitness. The batters got a drink every couple of overs to go with iced towels or ice packs around their necks.Every now and then, the ball turned if Jadeja slowed it down, but he was looking for quick turn. Young and Mitchell, though, looked at ease. The sweeps and reverse-sweeps were employed to good effect, but Young also danced down the wicket to languidly loft the ball. This was Young’s first fifty of the series even though he has given the impression he has been the most comfortable batter on either side.Ravindra Jadeja acknowledges the cheers after his 14th Test five-for•BCCI

Washington, Siraj and Ashwin bowled from the other end, but Jadeja kept going from his. Towards the end of the session, he got what he wanted: turn at high pace. Now he was in it. Young edged to slip one that turned at 94kph. Three balls later, Blundell saw one pitch on leg and hit off at 92kph. Puffs of dust started making more regular appearances.Now Jadeja took full control. He kept attacking the stumps with subtle changes of pace and the occasional undercutter. He took out Glenn Phillips with one that didn’t turn to go past Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma into the list for top-five wicket-takers for India.India began the final session with Jadeja and Washington again, something that will hurt the competitor in Ashwin. Jadeja wasted little time to dismiss Ish Sodhi and Matt Henry in the same over. Sodhi fell to one that turned and stayed low, and Henry was bowled on the off to Jadeja’s slowest wicket-taking delivery: at 90kmph.Whatever the support staff did to Mitchell during the tea break worked wonders as he found enough energy to hit three sixes in three Washington overs after having struggled to run during the middle session.Mitchell didn’t farm the strike with the No. 10 for company, but eventually made a mental error by guiding a flat delivery straight to slip just like how coaches do during catching drills. Not before having scored 82, though. Ajaz Patel, on whom lay the onus to improve dramatically from Pune, hit a six before padding up to one that didn’t turn, giving Washington his fourth wicket.Daryl Mitchell celebrates his fifty•Getty Images

Rohit Sharma enjoyed some early luck as Will O’Rourke dropped him at long leg, but his attacking mindset meant he had committed too much to a forceful shot when Henry seamed one ball away. The Rohit that went to England in 2021 would have had time to bail out, but now he just edged it to second slip.Jaiswal and Shubman Gill weathered the storm to assuage fears of a repeat of what happened in Pune. They even began to dominate the bowling in a 53-run second-wicket stand. Then, with about ten minutes to stumps, Jaiswal was beaten on the reverse-sweep, the first time he has got out to the shot in Test cricket having tried it 14 times previously for 36 runs. Ajaz then bowled perhaps his best delivery to Mohammed Siraj first up, pitching on leg and hitting off. For some reason, though, Siraj decided to review it.Amid the DRS drama, Kohli walked in for the first time this series without an applause for the wicket preceding him. Part-time spinner Ravindra tried the old left-arm-spinner-full-toss trick but Kohli got past the lethal delivery – it had been his downfall in the previous Test – with a boundary. However, he couldn’t get the better of his own instinct of running with the shot despite hitting the ball firmly enough to mid-on. The only way Kohli could survive this was if Henry misfielded or missed. He did neither.

Glasgow Rangers supporters were able to see a number of their new signings in competitive action for the first time against Panathinaikos at Ibrox on Tuesday night.

Emmanuel Fernandez was an unused substitute and Thelo Aasgaard missed the match through injury, but Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell, Djeidi Gassama, and Nasser Djiga all made their debuts for the Scottish Premiership giants.

Russell Martin’s side secured a 2-0 win in front of their home supporters to take a strong lead over to Greece next week, and new signing Gassama introduced himself with a bang by scoring the second goal shortly after coming off the bench in the second half.

The former Sheffield Wednesday forward brilliantly cut inside from the left flank to rifle a shot into the back of the net from range, and fans will hope that that goal is the first of many.

Whilst the likes of Gassama and Findlay Curtis caught the eye with their goals, there were also some Rangers players who struggled against Panathinaikos.

Kieran Dowell was one of those strugglers under the lights at Ibrox on Tuesday night, and it remains to be seen if he has a future in Glasgow beyond this summer.

Why Rangers should sell Kieran Dowell

The Scottish Sun reported earlier this month that the English attacking midfielder is one of a number of players who the club are looking to cash in on before the end of the transfer window.

Dowell spent the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan with Birmingham City in League One in England, after it was deemed that he was not good enough for the Gers squad in January, but he is now back in Glasgow and has been utilised by Martin.

The Rangers head coach opted to select Dowell as a starter against Panathinaikos on Tuesday, but the left-footed dud’s performance did not reward Martin for his faith in the former Norwich man.

A theme of the midfielder’s career at Ibrox to date has been a lack of conviction in the final third to really influence matches with goals and assists, which was the case once again.

Vs Panathinaikos	Kieran Dowell
Minutes played	75
Shots on target	0
Big chances missed	1
Key passes	0
Big chances created	0
Duels won	5/7
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Dowell failed to create any chances for his teammates and did not work the keeper with any shots in 75 minutes of action on the pitch for the Light Blues.

The 27-year-old flop has only scored two goals and produced two assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants to date, which shows that he rarely makes a difference in front of goal as an attacking midfielder or right winger.

Dowell has simply not done enough in a Rangers shirt to suggest that he should have a long-term future as a regular under Martin, and his performance on Tuesday did not change that.

This is why the club should be looking to move on from him this summer, and they could take a big step towards doing so by signing a replacement for him in the form of Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

Why Rangers should sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Earlier this month, it was reported that Martin is pushing the club to secure a loan deal for Crystal Palace youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi this summer.

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The Gers boss wanted to sign the English winger during his time in charge of both Swansea and Southampton, but failed, and is hoping that this will be the third time lucky in a loan swoop for the forward, who is valued at £10m by the Premier League side.

Rangers could finally replace Dowell and ensure that they can afford to move on from him this summer by signing Rak-Sakyi to be the left-footed right winger in the team this season.

The English dud operated as a right-sided attacker against Panathinaikos, in the role that Vaclav Cerny played during his time on loan at Ibrox next season, and the Palace youngster would be an ideal signing to come in and play in that position.

He is a left-footed winger who likes to cut inside onto his favoured foot to make things happen at the top end of the pitch, as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side.

The 22-year-old wing wizard racked up an eye-catching haul of 15 goals and nine assists for Charlton in the 2022/23 campaign, along with seven goals and two assists in all competitions for Sheffield United last term.

24/25 Championship per 90	Jesurun Rak-Sakyi	Percentile rank vs wingers
xG	0.32	Top 13%
Goals	0.36	Top 11%
xA	0.18	Top 22%
Assists	0.10	Bottom 46%
Chances created	1.51	Top 31%
Dribbles completed	2.44	Top 7%
Touches in the opposition box	7.69	Top 2%
Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Palace loanee shone in the final third in the Championship for the Blades, ranking highly among his positional peers in a host of key attacking metrics, as he scored goals and created chances at an impressive rate.

These statistics suggest that Rak-Sakyi, who was once dubbed “remarkable” by Roy Hodgson, has the potential and quality to come in and offer far more than Dowell has in the final third for the Gers, given that he scored more goals for Sheffield United last season than the English dud has managed in two seasons at Ibrox.

Put simply, Rangers need more goal contributions from the right wing position, given the lack of quality that Dowell offers in that role, and that is why they should be pushing to bring Rak-Sakyi in to replace him.

That would then free up the space in the squad, with the likes of Gassama and Aasgaard also coming in the door, to allow the club to move on from the former Norwich and Everton man without worrying about how it affects the depth of the squad for the 2025/26 campaign.

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Manchester United have now opened talks with the agent of a “real leader”, who would be keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, according to a report.

Amorim needs to hit the ground running next season

Despite admitting it was always going to be “tough” to join Man United mid-way through the 2024-25 campaign, former Man United man Ashley Young believes Ruben Amorim needs to make a fast start to the 2024-25 campaign.

However, Amorim has a very particular style, meaning new personnel will be needed if his side are to kick on next season, and there has been a strong desire to bring in a new forward, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo emerging as a major target.

The Red Devils are hoping to get a deal for Mbeumo over the line as soon as possible, and having reportedly now struck an agreement, they can perhaps afford to turn their attentions towards strengthening other areas of the squad.

With Casemiro now 33-years-old, Amorim is looking to bring in a long-term replacement for the Brazilian, and an approach has been made for Richard Rios, while another midfielder has also emerged as a potential target.

According to a report from L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Man United have now opened talks with the agent of Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso, in order to assess whether he would be willing to make a move to Old Trafford this summer.

Tolisso is said to be keen on the move, which could make it easier for United to orchestrate a deal, although he is unwilling to force an exit.

"Real leader" Tolisso could be exactly what United need

Roy Keane has been critical of the lack of leaders at Man United for quite some time, with the former midfielder saying: “You need characters, you need leaders, I keep repeating myself every week on here. That’s what you need from a group of players.”

As a result, it would make sense to bring in players with more of a presence in the dressing room this summer, and the Lyon star could fit the bill in that regard, having been described as a “real leader” by Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca.

Not only that, but the £90k-a-week maestro is clearly a very well-rounded midfielder, having performed very well across some key attacking and defensive statistics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.28 (96th percentile)

Assists

0.17 (84th percentile)

Blocks

1.98 (97th percentile)

Aerials won

2.10 (93rd percentile)

Tolisso could be a solid signing for Man United this summer, but there may be some slight concerns about his age, with the central midfielder set to turn 31 before the new Premier League season gets underway.

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta terça-feira (18), o São Paulo enfrenta o Puerto Cabello pela segunda rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana. Diferente da má fase que o Tricolor tem vivido nos últimos dias, a equipe venezuelana segura um ótimo retrospecto de jogos nesta temporada.

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De todas as partidas que o adversário tricolor enfrentou neste ano, 12 no total, só foi derrotado em uma. No caso, contra o Tolima, na estreia pelo torneio continental. O Tricolor, por sua vez, está abalado desde o empate sem gols com o Ituano, pela Copa do Brasil, e a derrota na estreia da Copa Sul-Americana, contra o Botafogo, no último sábado (15).

Com 21 brasileiros, levantamento aponta os jogadores sub-23 mais valiosos do mundo; veja lista

Veja tabela da Copa Sul-Americana

No Campeonato Venezuelano, o Puerto Cabello é líder da competição, com28 pontos somados. São onze a mais que o segundo colocado, no caso, o Deportivo Táchira. Outro ponto que chama atenção é quanto ao saldo de gols.

Ao todo, foram 23 gols marcados e somente cinco sofridos. Tal número chama mais atenção quando comparado aos gols marcados pelo São Paulo nesta temporada. Com 16 partidas disputadas até o momento, o Tricolor balançou as redes 26 vezes, mas foi vazado 12.

Uma curiosidade que chama atenção é quanto a idade do adversário do clube do Morumbi. A equipe venezuelanafoi fundada em 2011 e só começou a ter um time profissional em 2014. O duelo na casa são-paulina é o primeiro da equipe de Rogério Ceni pelo continental neste ano – tendo em vista que a vitória contra o Tigre, na estreia, aconteceu na Argentina. Esta será a primeira vez que o Puerto Cabello jogará fora do seu país de origem.

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Como o LANCE! adiantou, o Tricolorestá há três partidas seguidas como mandante sem gols. Além do empate com o Ituano, teve a derrota por 1 a 0 contra o São Bernardo e o empate com o Água Santa. A última vez que algo parecido aconteceu foi em 1987.Estes levantamentos foram realizados pelo historiador Alexandre Giesbrecht, do portal ‘Anotações Tricolores’.

Ou seja, para romper esta marca e não deixá-la maior que a de 1987, terá que balançar as redes contra uma equipe que quase não foi vazada neste ano. Além destes números negativos, o Tricolor terá mais um problema pela frente: dois novos desfalques no ataque.

Para o confronto desta terça-feira (18), o Tricolor não deve contar com David – que se machucou contra o Botafogo, além de Erison – ambos sofreram estiramentos. Erison, inclusive, foi o responsável pelos dois gols contra o Tigre, na última vitória do Tricolor desde o retorno às competições.

Rogério Ceni começou a ter seu posto de treinador questionado de forma inédita pela maior torcida organizada do clube, a Independente – que pela primeira vez, pediu sua demissão. Ou seja, terá que atravessar mais esta dificuldade para sair com a vitória – vista como essencial. A pressão é forte sob todas as perspectivas.

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is widely believed to be targeting Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze after sealing a deal for Viktor Gyokeres, but sporting director Andrea Berta has now been handed an imminent deadline in pursuit of the playmaker.

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Despite already signing winger Noni Madueke from Chelsea, whilst boating the likes of Martin Odegaard and Ethan Nwaneri for the number 10 role, Arsenal have shortlisted Eze as a top target for the last month of the summer window.

Those within Arsenal view Eze as a different style of attacking midfielder to Odegaard, and one who can deliver goals from that position, whereas their club captain excels more at making goals for others (Sky Sports).

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

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

25/26 – summer

£208m

A move for the 27-year-old, who bagged an excellent 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, was always seen as a separate signing to Madueke, but is still versatile enough to provide cover on the wings if need be.

In a real boost for Berta, multiple reports have claimed that Eze is very keen on joining Arsenal before deadline day on September 1, so personal terms are unlikely to be an issue.

As well as this, the Gunners remain in constant contact with Eze’s camp, as they have been for a while (Fabrizio Romano), so it appears that Arsenal do still have the financial scope to bring him in after spending north of £200 million already this window.

However, it is important to note that Berta and co are keen to secure some outgoings first.

Eze’s contract includes a release clause worth an initial £60 million, plus bonuses which would take it to £68 million, but intriguing updates in the last few days have revealed that it actually expires on Friday.

Arsenal make Eberechi Eze decision after Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta talks

Specifically, the clause will no longer be valid by 23:59pm on Friday evening, so Arsenal have a matter of hours to decide whether they want to trigger it or not.

According to talkSPORT and journalist Ben Jacobs, they’ve already made their call, with Arsenal informing Palace they have no plans to activate Eze’s £60m buyout before the weekend.

This means that Arsenal will have to enter a negotiation, and Oliver Glasner’s side are free to demand as much as they please for their £100,000-per-week star, who averaged more shots at goal, key passes and successful take-ons per 90 than any other Palace player in the Premier League (WhoScored).

Jacobs also reports that Eze has spoken directly to both Arteta and Berta about joining Arsenal, and the former QPR star is “sold” on a move to the Emirates, but they may now have to sell a player first.

In terms of price, their plan was always to go beneath the clause anyway, so nothing has changed much in the eyes of Arsenal’s recruitment team.

They apparently value Eze at below £60m, with Arsenal hoping to pay a similar fee to that of Anthony Elanga’s £55 million transfer to Newcastle.

علّق لاعب فريق كريستال بالاس، إيدي نكيتياه، على تسجيله هدف الفوز القاتل ضد ليفربول في مباراتهما عصر اليوم السبت، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف كريستال بالاس نظيره ليفربول في الجولة السادسة من الدوري الإنجليزي على ملعب “سيلهرست بارك” حيث خسر حامل اللقب بهدفين لهدف.

وكادت المباراة أن تنتهي بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدف لمثله، قبل أن يتمكن إيدي نكيتياه من تسجيل هدف فوز قاتل لصالح كريستال بالاس في الدقيقة 95.

وقال نكيتياه، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “هدفي؟ حسنًا، لقد حاولت الحفاظ على هدوئي، نجحت في اللمسة الأولى وسددت الكرة ببراعة، أثق بنفسي بكلتا قدميّ، كان الإنهاء رائعًا بقدمي اليسرى، مع بعض التوتر في انتظار تقنية الفيديو”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. سلوت بعد خسارة ليفربول القاتلة: كان على الحكم التدخل بعد هدف كريستال بالاس الثاني

وأضاف: “احتفال جماهيرنا؟ هذا ما تشتهر به ويظهر تماسك الفريق، نؤمن دائمًا بقدراتنا، كان لا يزال هناك وقت للعب، قال المدرب لنا (حافظوا على هدوئكم وستتاح لكم فرصة أخرى)، لحسن الحظ فعلنا ذلك”.

وواصل: “لا توجد فرق كثيرة قادرة على صناعة هذا الكم من الفرص ضد ليفربول، لذلك فقد استحقينا ثلاث نقاط بجدارة، نحن نتعامل مع كل مباراة على حدة، لدينا مجموعة جيدة جدًا، وسنواصل العمل الجاد ونسعى لتحقيق المزيد من النجاح لجماهيرنا”.

واختتم: “اللاعبون في حالة جيدة جدًا، نعتقد أننا قادرون على الفوز في كل مباراة وقد أثبتنا ذلك اليوم، هذا ليس أقل مما يستحقه اللاعبون، لا نستسلم أبدًا، ولا نتوقف عن الإيمان”.