Moeen Ali, the England allrounder, has announced his retirement from all internationals.”I’m 37 years old and didn’t get picked for this month’s Australia series,” Moeen said in a Daily Mail interview. “I’ve played a lot of cricket for England. It’s time for the next generation, which was also explained to me. It felt the time was right. I’ve done my part.”Following an international debut in 2014, Moeen played 68 Tests, 138 ODIs and 92 T20Is as an allrounder. He finishes with 6678 runs, eight centuries, 28 fifties and 366 wickets for England across all formats. His last international outing was England’s semi-final loss to India at the T20 World Cup in Guyana.Related
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“I’m very proud. When you first play for England, you don’t know how many games you’re going to play. So to play nearly 300…My first few years were all about Test cricket. Once Morgs [Eoin Morgan] took over the one-day stuff, that was more fun. But Test cricket was the proper cricket.”Even now, I’ve tried to be realistic. I could hold on and try to play for England again, but I know in reality I won’t. Even retiring, I don’t feel it’s because I’m not good enough – I still feel I can play. But I get how things are, and the team needs to evolve into another cycle. It’s about being real to myself.””People forget the impact you make in games. It might only have been 20 or 30, but it was a crucial 20 or 30. For me, it was about making an impact. I know what I brought to the side, on and off the field. As long as I felt people enjoyed watching me play, whether or not I did well, I was happy with that.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Moeen will continue playing franchise cricket, and hopes to be involved in coaching moving forward.”A bit of franchise cricket, because I still love playing. But coaching is something I want to do – I want to be one of the best. I can learn a lot from Baz [Brendon McCullum]. I hope people remember me as a free spirit. I played some nice shots and some bad shots, but hopefully people enjoyed watching me.”Moeen is currently set to play his maiden CPL season in the Caribbean, having signed up as a replacement player for defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors. In terms of franchise cricket over the last 12 months, he has also represented Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, the Joburg Super Kings in SA20 and Comilla Victorians in the BPL.On his greatest moment, he said: “Winning the Ashes and two World Cups was great, but from an individual point of view it was my Test hat-trick against South Africa at the Oval to win us the game. And I’m proud to have the fastest T20 50 for England [16 balls vs South Africa in 2022].”
They might not have the trophies to show for it at the moment, but this Arsenal team are stacked with sensational players.
One of the most impressive is undoubtedly Bukayo Saka, who has taken on the role of club talisman and has become an output machine in recent seasons.
Likewise, Gabriel Magalhaes has developed from a player often labelled as error-prone to one of the most reliable in the squad and someone who knows exactly how to throw his weight around.
So, fans should be delighted that Arsenal are close to signing a player who embodies some of the best qualities of both.
Arsenal close in on game-changing signing
It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say that, in terms of signings, this has been one of the most exciting summers Arsenal fans have had for quite some time.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
For example, the highly-sought-after Martin Zubimendi has finally been announced, alongside the squad-bolstering acquisitions of Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Additionally, the promising Cristhian Mosquera and potentially great Noni Madueke have already undergone their medicals, and the links to Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze persist.
Crystal Palace's EberechiEzecelebrates with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
However, there is still one more player, perhaps the most important of them all, yet to be officially secured, although that might be about to change.
At least that’s according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has confirmed that Arsenal are nearing the final stages of their negotiations to sign Viktor Gyokeres.
The Italian journalist stated the following: “The conversation is still ongoing in London. The agents of the player are still in London to try resolve the agreement between all parties involved.
“Gyokeres is fighting to go to Arsenal. But obviously it’s really important to agree on the add-ons. They are really on it on every single hour, every single minute – Arsenal and Sporting are working on this deal.”
While we will have to wait and see what the overall package comes to, reports elsewhere have made it clear that the base fee will be around £55m, which seems like a fair price for a player of his calibre, especially as he could be described as a hybrid of Saka and Gabriel.
Why Gyokeres is a Saka & Gabriel Hybrid
Okay, we know this might sound a little out there to start with, but hear us out, as even though Gyokeres plays in a different position to both players and has some key differences, he also shares some unmistakable similarities.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their first goal
Starting with Gabriel, for example, the former Coventry City star is a behemoth of a player, and while he might not have the heading ability of the Brazilian, he can certainly use his physique as a size advantage in the same way.
Don’t just take our word for it though, as The Athletic’s Thom Harris referred to the Swedish international as ‘a battering ram of a striker’ earlier this month, and you only need to look at the way he holds off defenders or simply barges past them in any of his numerous goal compilations.
In fact, while he couldn’t finish at the end, the 27-year-old demonstrated his brute strength against the Gunners in the Champions League last season, when he rode the challenges of both Gabriel and William Saliba to get into the penalty area.
Finally, he also has the mentality to match, with reports earlier in the window claiming that he was willing to give up millions to force this move and get the chance to win things at Arsenal.
This is also arguably something he shares with Saka, but the most significant aspect of his game that makes him similar to the Englishman is his output and willingness to put a team on his back.
For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 4248 minutes, the free-scoring “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, put the ball in the back of the net 54 times and provided 13 assists.
In other words, the Stockholm-born machine averaged 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes and was unsurprisingly his team’s most productive player.
While the Hale Ender wasn’t quite as prolific, he was still unreal in the games he played last season, racking up 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances, totalling 2619 minutes.
Saka & Gyokeres’ 24/25
Players
Saka
Gyokeres
Appearances
37
52
Minutes
2619′
4248′
Goals
12
54
Assists
14
13
Goal Involvements per Match
0.70
1.28
Minutes per Goal Involvement
100.73′
63.40′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
That means the mercurial number seven averaged a goal involvement every 1.42 games, or every 100.73 minutes, and was the club’s most productive player, despite missing over three months of the campaign.
Just imagine how dangerous the Gunners could be next season with the two game-changers playing alongside one another.
Ultimately, it won’t be cheap, but Arsenal appear to be onto a winner with Gyokeres, and the fact that he embodies the best aspects of Saka and Gabriel is proof of that.
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Sri Lanka manage three wickets in 44.1 overs after winning toss on gloomy morning
Valkerie Baynes06-Sep-2024Ollie Pope planted his front foot, fixed his eyes on the ball, puffed out his cheeks and cut to the boundary to raise a century that mattered.Every one matters, of course, but with England all over Sri Lanka on the opening day of this third Test and in a series already won, this was personal.Pope’s seventh Test ton, scored against as many different opposition teams in a first for the game, came amid the intense pressure of four previous failures in a series where he is standing in for injured captain Ben Stokes. That role in itself has thrust Pope under greater scrutiny but Stokes’ knowing nod as he applauded the milestone from the changing-room balcony said it all, appreciating a defiant innings that was right up his street.Moments later, with Pope unbeaten on 103 from as many balls, boos rang out followed by slow clapping from a three-quarters-full Kia Oval as the umpires directed the players from the field for bad light for a second time in the day. On this occasion, the decision was final as stumps were called just before 6.30pm with England 221 for 3, Harry Brook the other not-out batter on 8.Earlier, play was halted for nearly three hours. Whether the skies were dark enough or the rain heavy enough to keep players off the field for so long was up for debate but once they returned, Ben Duckett and Pope ensured it was raining runs, the pair sharing a 95-run partnership for the second wicket after Dan Lawrence failed to stake his claim as opener for the longer term with another poor innings in the absence of the injured Zak Crawley.Duckett produced a commanding knock of 86 from just 79 balls before he fell during the afternoon followed by Joe Root, who managed just 13 off 48 balls. But, after scores of 6, 6, 1 and 17 previously in the series, Pope had things covered.Ollie Pope looked relieved upon reaching three figures•Gareth Copley/Getty Images
He and Duckett made up for lost time following the first stoppage, which lasted two hours and 50 minutes spanning the lunch break.Duckett’s wayward ramp off Lahiru Kumara bounced just inside the boundary rope at deep third before disappearing into the crowd rather than clearing fine leg as he apparently intended, but no matter for England. At the other end, Pope looked well set too, thumping Kumara through midwicket with beautiful timing moments later.Duckett continued to toy with Kumara, nailing his next attempt at a ramp shot over the fine-leg fence and guiding a bouncer over deep third for another maximum in the same over.He survived an appeal for lbw two balls later on umpire’s call after Kumara struck him high on the back thigh, but the shot that had been so productive for him – and entertaining for the crowd – proved to be his undoing as Duckett tried to scoop a slower delivery from Milan Rathnayake only for wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal to pouch a simple catch.Pope stepped up, top-edging Kumara over the keeper’s head for six, followed immediately by four through backward point to raise his fifty from 58 balls.After a relatively quiet period which yielded just four runs in as many overs and coincided with the introduction of Angelo Mathews, Pope broke through again, driving Mathews through the covers for four. He then chanced another boundary between slip and gully with his heart in his mouth for a moment before the gap was pierced.Root was caught at fine leg by Vishwa Fernando to give Kumara his second wicket but England remained in total control.The day began with Sri Lanka trying to make good on Dhananjaya de Silva calling correctly at the toss for the third game running. After perilous twin flashes at Asitha Fernando deliveries outside off stump and a fortuitous inside edge off the same bowler which travelled all the way to the fine leg boundary, Duckett was assertive, a clip off his toes through square leg off Vishwa much more assured.Lawrence, meanwhile, was yet to score after facing 10 balls in five overs and finally made it off the mark when he turned Kumara to square leg and ran two to ironic cheers from the stands.Duckett raised the tempo when he despatched Rathnayake for consecutive fours over extra cover but the contrast continued with Lawrence, who dropped his head and spun on his heel in the direction of the changeroom even before his mess of a pull shot off Kumara had dropped into the hands of Pathum Nissanka at gully. Lawrence’s 5 off 21 balls came after scores of 30, 34, 9 and 7 in the series.Pope back-cut a short, wide delivery from Rathnayake for four to get going almost immediately and punished a Kumara short ball for six over deep backward square before Duckett struck two fours in three balls off Rathnayake to move to 48 and brought up his fifty by crashing Vishwa through the covers and running three.But it was safe to say it was Pope’s day.
England indebted to rookie as Sri Lanka’s bowlers probe away on rain-truncated day
Andrew Miller22-Aug-2024England 259 for 6 (Smith 72*) lead Sri Lanka 236 by 23 runsAsitha Fernando produced a compelling display of all-purpose seam and swing bowling, while Prabath Jayasuriya chipped in with two bewilderingly brilliant deliveries in an otherwise steady display of left-arm spin, as Sri Lanka fought gamely to stay in touch on a gloomy second day of the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford.By the close, England were indebted to their rookie keeper, Jamie Smith, who justified his promotion to No. 6 with a hard-earned 72 not out, his third half-century in five innings since taking over from his Surrey team-mate Ben Foakes at the start of the summer. Harry Brook added another fifty of his own as England recovered from a dicey 125 for 4 to close on 259 for 6, with a slender lead of 23 in the bank.As had been the case throughout the West Indies series earlier in the summer, the impression after two days of action is that England should yet close out this contest with some ease, but the quality and spirit of the visitors’ bowling has forced them to graft with rather more diligence than might have been the case in previous incarnations of the Bazball era. Asitha in particular was superb throughout his 14 overs, spread across three key spells, including an incisive mid-innings bout of reverse-swing that belied the dank conditions.After sweating under the covers for several hour during a rainy morning in Manchester, the Old Trafford pitch was ripe for seam bowling when play finally got underway at 1.15pm, and Asitha was primed to cash in. With his bustling approach and a commitment to a full length, he posed problems from the outset, under still-dense cloud cover and with the floodlights in full beam.His performance went into overdrive from the first ball of his second over, when Dan Lawrence was pinned on the pad and given out lbw by umpire Paul Reiffel. Although that decision was successfully overturned, with the ball shown to be skimming over the bails, the information was stored away and perfectly processed by the bowler.Two balls later, and now with Ben Duckett on strike, Asitha fired the ball in a good two feet fuller, and was this time the successful reviewee, with the ball shown to be both pitching on and hitting leg stump as Duckett was turned inside-out on his attempted flick across the line.And in his very next over, Asitha served up the piece de resistance of his new-ball spell, an exceptional wobble-seam delivery, pitching half a foot fuller than the Lawrence ball, and straightening off the pitch to smash into the top of Ollie Pope’s off stump. England’s captain was gone for 6, and at 40 for 2 in the ninth over, England had a bit of a rebuild to undertake.Root is no stranger to skinny top-order scorelines, of course, and as he bedded in for the long haul, it was Lawrence who initiated England’s counterattack, with a brace of forceful whips through the leg side as Asitha strayed in length. But, having scored just four of his 30 runs through the off side, his vulnerability in the channel was superbly exploited by Vishwa Fernando, who nicked him off after a change of ends, using the breeze from the James Anderson End to push a lifter across his bows from his left-arm angle.Jamie Smith gets on top of a pull•Getty ImagesDespite the conditions, Sri Lanka were able to find some appreciable reverse-swing off a typically abrasive Old Trafford pitch, meaning that Root and Brook had to be on their mettle even as their 58-run stand clipped along at more than five an over. Milan Rathnayake, Sri Lanka’s first-day hero, was picked off for three fours in an over as he strained for that swinging full length, but it was Asitha’s return to the attack that would prise the most vital wicket of the day.Root had reached 42 from 56 balls in another understated display of touch and timing when he was undone in expert fashion, climbing into a wider line from Asitha while still playing for the inswing that had been the feature of his over to that point. This ball, however, held its line and skidded straight on, and Dinesh Chandimal scooped up the low edge to leave England wobbling at 125 for 4.Brook, however, kept the foot down in his familiarly forceful manner, driving with heavy timing whenever the ball was over-pitched, and working the gaps well, with Sri Lanka’s field still veering towards the defensive given England’s reputation for boundary-hunting. He duly rattled along to a 59-ball half-century, his 14th in just 25 Test innings, and if it was beginning to feel as though something special would be needed to dislodge him, then Jayasuriya obliged shortly after tea.Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner had been diligent without being threatening for much of his day’s work, when out of the blue, he served up something unplayable: a perfectly pitched ripper that gripped and bounced on middle and leg to clip the top of off. Brook could only blink in astonishment – as, indeed, would Chris Woakes, some 18 overs later, when he fell in near-identical fashion, to almost the only other spinning delivery to deviate from the straight all day.Between those two moments, however, there was Smith, with the third fifty of his fledgling career, and unquestionably the hardest-earned yet. He was forced to graft against the swinging ball early in his innings, although one massive straight six off Jayasuriya signalled his refusal to be cowed, but it was the mid-point of his innings that displayed his savvy – in particular a relative grind through the 40s, after Rathnayake had induced two inside-edges in the space of three deliveries with his probing fourth-stump line outside the rookie’s eyeline.Woakes was the ideal ally for a defensively minded rebuild, as England – a batter light in Ben Stokes’ absence – focused on batting long, rather than rushing into a lead. Sri Lanka’s tactics arguably failed to adapt to the dominance that their bowlers were exerting in this period, although in reducing the pair to a run-rate of less than three an over in their 52-run stand, they succeeded in keeping themselves in the game.And when the light began to fail, only minutes after Woakes’ extraction, there was never any thought of Sri Lanka bowling spin in the gloom for the sake of filling out the overs, as had been England’s approach at the same stage on day one. Dhananjaya de Silva marched his players straight off for the pavilion, with six wickets in the bank, and the prospect of a night’s rest for his quicks before they continue their quest to stay in touch with a quietly engrossing contest.
As pre-season gets underway, West Ham United have reportedly made contact to sign a much-needed striker to get their summer transfer business going once again.
West Ham's search for a striker goes on
After Michail Antonio and Danny Ings both left the club earlier this summer, West Ham have just one senior striker to call on as pre-season approaches. And even then, that’s 32-year-old Niklas Fullkrug, who scored just three Premier League goals in his debut campaign at the London Stadium last time out.
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ByDominic Lund Jul 8, 2025
Whilst Daniel Cummings has arrived from Celtic, the 19-year-old lacks first-team experience and may not be able to fall back on his excellent record at youth level in Scotland to earn a place in Graham Potter’s squad. Instead, the West Ham boss simply must turn towards the transfer market in the coming weeks.
As concerns arrive over their lack of incomings, it could also be bad news for those at the London Stadium going the other way amid recent reports surrounding Mohammed Kudus. All signs are pointing towards a big-money departure, with rivals Tottenham Hotspur preparing a second bid to improve on their initial £50m offer.
Losing the winger would be an undeniable blow, especially to a direct rival in Spurs, but what Kudus’ exit could provide West Ham is the funds to finally kickstart their own summer business.
If that does prove to be the case, then Potter may finally welcome a solution to his striker problems just when pre-season is getting underway.
West Ham make contact to sign Pinamonti
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, West Ham have now made contact in the race to sign Andrea Pinamonti from Sassuolo this summer. The Italian striker looks set to leave the Serie A club after returning from a successful loan spell at Genoa, in which he scored 11 goals in all competitions.
With Brentford and West Ham reportedly chasing his signature, it looks as though the 26-year-old is destined to swap Italian football for the Premier League one way or another before the end of August. Given how he impressed at Genoa last time out too, Pinamonti is not someone that either side will want to miss out on.
Minutes
2,850
790
Goals
10
3
Assists
1
2
Expected Goals
7.7
2.2
A player who U23 scout Antonio Mango once believed would be a “great” signing for Inter Milan, Pinamonti has actually been called similar to Fullkrug by Football Transfers and could now get the chance to rediscover that path towards the top courtesy of West Ham.
The Hammers, meanwhile, would be signing an instant upgrade on goal-shy Fullkrug if they managed to fend off any interest from fellow Premier League side Brentford this summer.
أعلن أسامة نبيه، المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر تحت 20 عامًا، عن القائمة المختارة لمعسكر تشيلي ضمن الاستعدادات للمشاركة في كأس العالم للشباب.
ومن المقرر أن تستضيف تشيلي بطولة كأس العالم للشباب تحت 20 عامًا، خلال الفترة من 27 سبتمبر حتى 19 أكتوبر 2025.
طالع.. خاص | سبب استبعاد ثنائي ليفربول وآرسنال من معسكر منتخب مصر للشباب
ويتولى قيادة الجهاز الفني لمنتخب مصر أسامة نبيه كمدير فني، ويعاونه علاء عبده مدربًا عامًا، ومحمد عمر النور مدربًا مساعدًا، وأيمن طاهر مدربًا لحراس المرمى.
ويأتي المعسكر ضمن سلسلة من التجمعات التحضيرية، بعد مباراتين وديتين أمام المغرب، انتهت الأولى بالتعادل 1-1، والثانية بالتعادل السلبي، لتعزيز الاحتكاك الفني قبل الانطلاق إلى المونديال.
القائمة ضمت 19 لاعباً ينتمون إلى 8 أندية محلية بالإضافة إلى 4 لاعبين ينشطون في أندية في ألمانيا وإنجلترا وسويسرا. قائمة منتخب مصر تحت 20 سنة
حراسة المرمى: عبد المنعم تامر (زد) – أحمد وهب (المصري) – أحمد منشاوي (الاتحاد السكندري)
الدفاع: أحمد نايل (حرس الحدود) – أحمد عابدين (الأهلي) – عبد الله بوستنجي (زد) – معتز محمد (حرس الحدود) – مؤمن شريف (الاتحاد السكندري) – مهاب سامي (إنبي)
الوسط: أحمد خالد كباكا (زد) – محمد السيد (الزمالك) – أحمد وحيد (غزل المحلة) – سيف سفاجا (إنبي) – سليم طلب (هيرتا برلين الألماني) – تيبو جابريال (ماينز الألماني)
الهجوم: محمد عبد الله (الأهلي) عمر سيد معوض (الأهلي) حامد عبد الله (إنبي) – عمرو “بيبو” (أراو السويسري) – ياسين عاطف (الأهلي) – عمر خضر (أستون فيلا الإنجليزي) – أحمد شرف (المصري) – محمد هيثم (الأهلي)
The start of Newcastle United’s pre-season fixture list is fast approaching.
Eddie Howe’s team will be back in action on 19 July, taking on Celtic at Parkhead, and 10,000 Georgies will be joining them in Glasgow for the game, which should make for quite the atmosphere.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe reacts
In the meantime, the Magpies have been busy in the transfer market, looking to bolster their squad ahead of a return to the Champions League, so will it be a busy week of unveilings on Tyneside?
The latest on Newcastle's transfer activity
As has been widely reported, Anthony Elanga is on his way to the North East to complete a £55m move from Nottingham Forest.
The winger scored six goals and registered 11 assists in the Premier League last season, now set to become the Magpies’ second-most expensive signing of all time, behind only his Swedish international teammate Alexander Isak.
Newcastle are far from done there though, because, according to a report by GIVEMESPORT, they are ‘working to sign’ and ‘remain hopeful’ of landing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi.
The report adds that Howe wants to ‘prioritise the addition of a centre-back’, while Chris Waugh of the Athletic documents that those inside the club believe the England international ‘would be an ideal addition’, noting their long-standing interest, having unsuccessfully bid for Guéhi both last summer and in January.
Well, speaking on the Athletic FC podcast, Crystal Palace correspondent Matt Woosnam believes the club captain could leave Selhurst Park this summer, mainly due to the fact he has just one year remaining on his contract, valued at around £60m.
Palace’s summer plans are somewhat on hold at the moment, as they wait to find out whether or not they’re allowed to compete in the Europa League; a decision is belatedly expected this week.
Meantime, Arsenal are attempting to sign Eberechi Eze for around £67.5m which, should he depart, would increase the Eagles’ determination to keep hold of their other star player Guéhi.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Nevertheless, with Liverpool also seeking to sign the centre-back, it appears very possible that he could be on the move, so will the 24 year old end up on Tyneside?
Why Guehi would be a better signing than Elanga for Newcastle
Guéhi’s performances have earned widespread praise, with then-England manager Gareth Southgate describing his displays at Euro 2024 as “exceptional”, starting six of the seven matches last summer, including the final at Olympiastadion in Berlin.
England defender Marc Guehi
Meantime, Nathan Jackson of Total Football Analysis notes that the 24-year-old stands out for all defensive metrics, while Sam Tabuteau of Breaking the Lines praises his ‘resilience’ and ‘composure’, asserting that he is impressive both in and out of possession.
This would be such a transformational addition for Howe, given that he had very few options at centre-back last season, largely due to Sven Botman’s injury issues, with Dan Burn alongside Fabian Schär by far the most-used partnership.
So, let’s see how Guéhi compares to Newcastle’s current central defenders.
Guéhi vs Newcastle centre-backs (PL 2024/25)
Stats (per 90)
Guéhi
Schär
Burn
Botman
Appearances
34
34
37
8
Minutes
3,060
2,938
3,330
414
Pass accuracy
84%
85%
89%
89%
Tackles
1.8
1.2
1.1
2.7
Aerial duel success %
54%
44%
66%
61%
Ground duel success %
63%
48%
50%
71%
Interceptions
0.9
1.4
0.7
1.1
All statistics courtesy of Squawka
As the table outlines, when compared to Schär and Burn in particular, Guéhi’s statistics are very impressive.
The fact Botman made just eight appearances skews the data somewhat, boosting his per-90 statistics, while it will come as a surprise to no one that Burn comes out on top in terms of aerial duels.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehiin action
Nevertheless, as well as being a top-class player, Guéhi would be transformational for Newcastle because centre-back is such an obvious area of need.
At the other end of the park, Elanga too will be a shrewd addition, but Howe’s team have scored plenty of goals without him.
Jacob Murphy continues to exceed all expectations, enjoying a career-best campaign in which he scored nine goals and supplied 14 assists in all competitions. Meanwhile, Anthony Gordon has been deployed on the right wing on occasion too and is a fine player himself, now a regular part of the national team.
So, while Elanga’s arrival is certainly worth getting excited about if you’re a passionate member of the Toon Army, getting Guéhi over the line might be the key bit of business.
Newcastle set to "prioritise" new striker signing after Elanga and Trafford
Leeds United have made a number of signings to improve their defensive unit ahead of their return to the Premier League against Everton next month.
The Whites have brought in Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, and Sebastiaan Bornauw for the back four, Lucas Perri between the sticks, and Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach in the defensive midfield positions.
However, it is now time for the Championship champions to focus on additions in the attacking areas of the pitch, as Lukas Nmecha, on a free transfer, has been their only forward signing so far.
It had been reported that Leeds are closing in on an agreement with Feyenoord to sign Brazilian winger Igor Paixao for an initial fee of £28m, as per journalist Sebastien Vidal.
However, Fabrizio Romano has since given Marseille the ‘Here We Go’ treatment, despite an improved bid by the Whites, which means that the English side look set to miss out on him.
This suggests that Daniel Farke and his recruitment team will have to look elsewhere to strengthen the attack, as the 25-year-old star seems destined for France now.
Why missing out on Igor Paixao is a blow for Leeds
The Brazilian star is a left winger who had the potential to be a real difference-maker for the West Yorkshire outfit at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League next season.
Paixao’s form in the Eredivisie and in the Champions League last term suggests that he had all the tools to arrive at Elland Road as an exciting piece of business.
The former Cortiba starlet racked up an eye-catching haul of 16 goals and ten assists in 34 appearances in the Dutch top-flight for Feyenoord, which shows that he can offer quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
As well as shining domestically, Paixao also produced impressive performances for his side in the Champions League across 11 appearances last term.
xG
0.97
Top 46%
Goals
2
Top 35%
Shots on target
7
Top 26%
xA
1.39
Top 24%
Chances created
20
Top 6%
Successful crosses
9
Top 6%
Assists
4
Top 4%
As you can see in the table above, the Leeds target ranked highly among his positional peers, particularly as a creator, as an offensive threat from the left wing in the competition.
Overall, the £28m-rated star appears to be a forward who could have won points for the Whites by scoring and creating decisive goals in games, although there are doubts, of course, over whether or not his form in the Netherlands will translate to other countries.
Whilst they may have to watch him shine in France, Leeds are reportedly keen on another Brazilian attacker who could be an even better signing this summer.
Leeds in the hunt to sign Brazilian midfielder
According to Fanatik, Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign central midfielder Gabriel Sara from Turkish champions Galatasaray this summer.
The report claims that both the Whites and Aston Villa are in the ‘hunt’ to bring the left-footed star back to England, 12 months on from his exit from Norwich City.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds, though, that Galatasaray want to keep the 26-year-old playmaker heading into the 2025/26 campaign, which means that it will not be an easy deal for the club to do.
Fanatik does reveal, however, that the Super Lig side have set a price tag of around £30m for Sara, and that they will not entertain any offers that fall below that threshold.
Galatasaray'sGabrielSarashots at goal Andreas Hillergren
It now remains to be seen whether or not Leeds, or Aston Villa for that matter, are willing to pay the £30m that it is going to take to prise him away from Istanbul.
Why Gabriel Sara would be a better signing than Igor Paixao
Sara could be a better signing for the Whites because he is more likely to hit the ground running at Elland Road than Paixao would have been, as the Feyenoord winger has never played in this country before and would have needed time to adapt to the language and the culture.
The Galatasaray star, however, spent two years at Norwich in Norfolk and speaks English fluently, which means that he is already used to the language, the culture, and the style of English football, albeit he played in the second tier.
AZ Alkmaar's Sven Mijnans in action with Galatasaray'sGabrielSara
His quality on the pitch also makes him an exciting target for the West Yorkshire outfit, as he is a creative midfield star who could create plenty of chances for the attackers at Elland Road.
Sara, who was hailed as “exceptional” and a “joy to watch” by reporter Connor Southwell, has been a consistently brilliant creator of goals for both Norwich and Galatasaray in the last two seasons, shining in English and Turkish football.
Appearances
46
30
Goals
13
2
Key passes per game
2.6
2.3
Big chances created
16
12
xA
11.93
7.62
Assists
12
8
As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian maestro has created 28 ‘big chances’ in the last two league seasons combined, which has led to him racking up 20 assists.
These statistics suggest that the former Canaries Player of the Season would be an incredibly influential figure at the top end of the pitch for Leeds, as a star who has the experience and the quality to hit the ground running in England.
Sara, as shown in the clip above, also provided a goal threat during his time with Norwich. That has not translated over to Turkish football, having scored twice last term, but it does show that the potential is there for him to deliver goals as well as assists when he is at his best.
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It is his English experience, his title success at Galatasaray, and his incredible creative quality, though, that could make him an even better attacking signing than Paixao would have been, albeit in a different area of the pitch.
Last season, the Hammers endured a nightmare campaign, finishing 14th in the Premier League, sacking Julen Lopetegui after just 20 league matches in charge, albeit things didn’t improve very much after Graham Potter’s appointment.
West Ham United manager GrahamPotter
Thus, Potter comes into the new campaign under pressure to deliver quickly, but his squad has, so far, been weakened during the summer, meaning the Irons need new recruits and fast.
West Ham United's search for a new midfielder
Both Lopetegui and Potter tried countless different central midfield combinations throughout last season, without ever discovering the winning formula, as the table below highlights.
Tomáš Souček
38
33
76%
Lucas Paquetá
36
28
69%
Edson Álvarez
31
23
54%
Carlos Soler
33
15
40%
Guido Rodríguez
24
16
32%
James Ward-Prowse
16
13
30%
Andy Irving
11
1
5%
As the table documents, Tomáš Souček aside, West Ham never landed on a reliable, every-game starting midfield, with a rotating cast of characters deployed during the generally dismal campaign.
In truth, the Irons have never replaced Declan Rice who, as outlined by Roshane Thomas of The Athletic, is one of the best players in the club’s modern-day history, so succeeding him was never going to be easy.
Well, as they search for their best midfielder since Rice, Dave Fraser of The Sun is reporting that West Ham ‘are set to battle’ Everton for the signature of Douglas Luiz, adding that both clubs are ‘desperate’ to bolster their midfield options.
The Brazilian international joined Juventus from Aston Villa for a reported fee of £42.35m only 12 months ago, but this move has not gone to plan, with ex-Juve player Alessio Tacchinardi stating that this transfer has been a complete “disaster”.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Luiz made a miserly 27 appearances for la Vecchia Signora, featuring in just 17% of their minutes, hence why that aforementioned report notes that I Bianconeri are willing to sanction a permanent sale, so could he soon swap Turin for East London?
How Douglas Luiz would improve West Ham
Despite a nightmare campaign in Northern Italy, the reason Juventus signed Luiz in the first place is due to his excellent form at Aston Villa.
During five seasons in the Midlands, Luiz made over 200 appearances, with Adam Gilks stating that he’d become “one of the best sixes in the Premier League”, succinctly labelling him a “world-class” defensive midfielder.
He was awarded Aston Villa’s Supporters’ Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season in 2022/23, before arguably enjoying an even more impressive season the following campaign.
Jacob Tanswell and Mark Carey of The Athletic noted that he created more than 50 chances during the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, the most of any player at the club, praising his ‘influence’ over all facets of the team, citing Unai Emery, who stated that he is “progressing a lot as a midfielder… adding goals and… being demanding”.
Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz
So, would he really be the Hammers’ best midfielder since Rice? Let’s compare the pair to find out.
Goals
0.3
0.2
Assists
0.2
0.1
Shots
0.9
0.8
Chances created
1.6
1
Big chances created
0.3
0.08
Passes attempted
59.2
57.3
Pass completion %
89.36%
88.05%
Duels contested
8.7
7.9
Duels won
4.5
4.6
Tackles
1.8
2.2
Interceptions
0.7
1.8
Ball Recoveries
5.6
9.2
Touches
73.7
71.3
Average Sofascore rating
7.27
7.19
As the table outlines, when comparing Luiz’s final season at Villa to Rice’s last year at West Ham, it is the Brazilian who comes out on top pretty much across the board.
Luiz boasted better statistics when it came to all the attacking metrics, goals, assists and chances created, as well as all the passing numbers, while the out-of-possession statistics were admittedly more even.
Nevertheless, what is clear is that, in the right environment, Luiz is a top-class Premier League midfielder, so could a move to West Ham, which would see him back in claret and blue, revitalise both his career and the Hammers alike?
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ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2024Jasprit Bumrah is the new No. 1 Test bowler in the world, following his match haul of six against Bangladesh in Kanpur. He replaces his India team-mate R Ashwin – the Player of the Series against Bangladesh – at the top of the rankings. India also have a big mover on the Test batting rankings, with Player of the Match from the Kanpur Test, Yashasvi Jaiswal, moving to third after just 11 Tests.Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, the Player of the Series in his side’s 2-0 sweep of New Zealand in Galle, also moved up among bowlers, to joint-seventh after just 16 Tests.Among other significant moves on the Test rankings, India’s Virat Kohli is back in the top 10 among batters, moving up six places to sixth after his 47 and 29 not out in Kanpur, Sri Lanka’s eight-Test-old Kamindu Mendis is up to No. 11 following his unbeaten 182 in the second Test in Galle, and Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz is up to fifth among allrounders – that makes it two Bangladeshis in the top five, with his illustrious team-mate Shakib Al Hasan holding his spot at No. 3.ESPNcricinfo LtdESPNcricinfo LtdThis is Bumrah’s second stint at the top of the Test table. He had moved up to No. 1 in February this year, becoming the first ever India fast bowler to top the Test rankings. Before Bumrah, the highest ever ranked Indian pace bowler was Kapil Dev, who got as far as No. 2 in 1979-80 in the ICC’s retrospective rankings. In February too, Bumrah had displaced Ashwin at the top.Now, Ashwin, on 869 rating points, remains a single point behind Bumrah.