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Everton are having a busy final month of the transfer window in the hopes of having more success in the Premier League than they did in pre-season. David Moyes’ side were winless across their friendlies and the Premier League summer series despite a strong finish to the league last season.

The latest arrival is England winger Jack Grealish, who has joined the Toffees on a season-long loan. If Grealish manages to revitalise his career on Merseyside, then Everton will have the option to make the signing permanent for £50 million next summer.

Off the back of signing Grealish, Everton have been heavily linked with signing Ipswich’s Omari Hutchinson. Hutchinson has been known to feature in attacking midfield and on the wing, both areas that Everton need to reinforce, and has been notably absent from Ipswich’s recent fixtures.

However, another player might be through the door before Hutchinson, as the Friedkin Group has reportedly bid to sign a new striker for Everton.

Everton make £37m bid to sign Ukrainian striker Dovbyk

Football Insider has exclusively revealed that Everton have submitted a bid for Ukraine forward Artem Dovbyk from AS Roma, who are also owned by TFG. The bid is reported to be worth £37 million, and the player is open to a move to the Premier League.

However, Everton aren’t the only club interested in Dovbyk. The reports also list Leeds United, West Ham, and Sunderland as interested parties, but they are yet to place a bid. Earlier in the window, Dovbyk had been linked with Arsenal, but the London side eventually opted for Viktor Gyokeres.

Dovbyk first gained international recognition after a stellar 2023/24 campaign that saw him lead Girona to European qualification. During that season, Dovbyk registered 34 goals in 39 appearances, and he was picked up by Roma the following January.

The Ukrainian number 11 currently earns £41,000 a week at Roma and might be expecting a pay rise to leave Rome. Any wage demands may be worth meeting, considering he has been described as a “powerful target man” and compared with Dusan Vlahovic and Santiago Gimenez.

Dovbyk and Beto's reliability

If Everton completes the deal for Dovbyk, then they will have two reliable strikers on their hands.

Stats for 2024/25 Season
	Beto	Dovbyk
Goal Involvements Per 90	0.47	0.52
Goal to Xg Difference	-0.2	+0.1

Dovbyk has a slightly better goals-to-game ratio than Everton’s current main striker, Beto; however, both have reasonable rates that are close to or just over a goal involvement every other game.

Both strikers’ Xg difference shows their reliability as well. Beto marginally underperforms his Xg, and Dovbyk marginally overperforms. What this means is that both players take their chances when they are provided with them. They won’t score many unexpected worldies, but if Everton can provide them with chances, they will convert them.

New striker Thierino Barry is more of an unknown quantity. His numbers don’t match Beto and Dovbyk’s, but he is younger and has plenty of time to improve. With two experienced strikers ahead of him, Barry will have less pressure to be an instant success, as when he struggles, the team will still have two reliable strikers.

تحدث ماركوس راشفورد لاعب فريق برشلونة الإسباني، عن مستقبله مع البلوجرانا، حيث يلعب للفريق على سبيل الإعارة لمدة موسم.

وانضم راشفورد لبرشلونة في الصيف الماضي، على سبيل الإعارة من مانشستر يونايتد الإنجليزي، لمدة موسم، ويملك الفريق الإسباني خيار الشراء النهائي مقابل 26 مليون جنيه إسترليني الصيف المقبل.

ويركز راشفورد على تقديم أداء جيد مع برشلونة يضمن له تفعيل خيار الشراء النهائي في عقده، حيث يرغب في الاستمرار بصفوف الفريق الكتالوني.

وقال راشفورد في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية: “أريد البقاء (في برشلونة) لأكبر عدد ممكن من المواسم، سنرى، عليّ التركيز على أداء واجبي ومساعدة الفريق بكل الطرق الممكنة”.

اقرأ أيضًا | برونو فرنانديز يوضح حقيقة اتفاقه للرحيل إلى الدوري السعودي

وأضاف راشفورد: “أتعلم الكثير، إنه أسلوب جديد في كرة القدم، ولكنه يجعلني لاعبًا أفضل، بصراحة، إنها تجربة رائعة، لطالما كنت من أشد المعجبين ببرشلونة، فكل لاعب في سني شاهدهم يلعبون، إنها كرة قدم رائعة”.

وصرح المدير الرياضي لبرشلونة، ديكو، مؤخرًا: “لا يوجد شرط جزائي في عقد الإعارة في حال عدم التعاقد معه، لدينا خيار الشراء النهائي إذا أردنا، من السابق لأوانه الحديث عن قرارات الموسم المقبل؛ المهم هو رضانا عنه”.

Glasgow Rangers are back in action in the Champions League again this evening as they prepare to take on Viktoria Plzen in the first leg of their third-round qualifier at Ibrox.

The Light Blues will once again be without summer signing Thelo Aasgaard, who has yet to make his debut for the club, after Russell Martin confirmed that he is out injured, alongside Moroccan forward Hamza Igamane.

Signed from Luton Town last month, the Norway international has been injured for all three of the club’s competitive games so far this season, with tonight being the fourth match that he will miss.

There is a new signing who could make his debut for the Scottish Premiership giants this evening, though, as Oliver Antman has arrived on a permanent deal from Go Ahead Eagles.

Rangers have reportedly agreed a deal worth up to £4m to bring the Finland international to Ibrox, but what can supporters expect from the right-sided attacker?

What Oliver Antman could bring to Rangers

The 23-year-old forward is a creative and forward-thinking player who constantly looks to open up the opposition’s defence to create high-quality chances for his teammates.

Sporting director Kevin Thelwell described him as an “exciting talent who has demonstrated great technical ability and maturity at a young age”, which is backed up by his form for Go Ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie last season.

The Finnish wing wizard ended the season with a return of seven goals and 17 assists in all competitions for the Dutch side. It does not take a genius to work out what his main strength is as a player from that haul of goal contributions; he’s a creator.

Starts

28

Goals

6

Key passes per game

1.6

Big chances created

16

xA

6.54

Assists

15

As you can see in the table above, Antman created 16 ‘big chances’ in just 28 starts in the Eredivisie for Go Ahead Eagles last term, which suggests that he could be an incredibly creative force for Martin on the right wing with his deliveries into the box.

However, the winger also only managed six goals from 6.99 xG in those 28 starts. This suggests that Gers supporters should expect a few big misses in front of goal from the forward, who has not proven himself to be clinical with the chances that come his way.

It is also worth noting that Antman is coming over from the Dutch top-flight and has not experienced Scottish football before, which means that there is no guarantee that he can translate his performances over to the Premiership.

If he can adapt to the country and the league, though, then Rangers will have an exciting winger who could create plenty of chances for the team this season.

Transfer Focus

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

The Light Blues, however, could land an even bigger signing for the team than Antman by signing a proven Premiership performer who could come in and hit the ground running at Ibrox.

Rangers have been linked with an interest in Girona centre-forward Bojan Miovski, who left Aberdeen to move to Spain for a reported fee of £7m last year, and the Macedonia international would come in as a terrific addition to the squad if they could get a deal over the line.

Why Rangers should sign Bojan Miovski

Martin and Thelwell should push to bring the left-footed number nine back to Scotland and the Premiership before the end of the summer transfer window at the start of September.

This is because Miovski is a proven star who has been there and done it over multiple seasons in the Scottish top-flight, which means that he would not be a risky signing like Antman, who may or may not adapt to the league.

The 26-year-old star only managed four goals in 22 matches for Girona in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, but his form in the previous two seasons with Aberdeen is what the Gers should be focused on.

Miovski scored 44 goals in 98 matches in all competitions for the Dons during his two-year spell at the club, which is an impressive return that works out at just under a goal every other game.

The £7m-rated centre-forward also proved himself in the biggest games in Scotland. He scored four goals in nine matches against Rangers and three goals in seven outings against Celtic in those two seasons, which shows that the forward stepped up to produce quality against the top two teams in the division.

Miovski has been there and done it against the two Old Firm clubs and has shown that he can deliver in the biggest games, hence why he would be such a huge signing for Rangers.

Cyriel Dessers has only scored two goals in ten games against Celtic for Rangers, compared to the former Aberdeen star’s return of three in seven against the Hoops, which suggests that Martin could increase his side’s chances of winning the Old Firm clashes by signing the Girona forward.

xG

15.60

17.08

xG on target

18.36

17.60

Goals

16

16

Shots on target

36

44

Chances created

27

23

Assists

2

2

As you can see in the table above, Miovski scored 32 goals in two Premiership seasons with the Dons, and he could have scored even more if opposition goalkeepers had not been in top form.

His xG on target (the xG value of the quality of shot taken) was higher than his xG in both campaigns, which essentially means that the quality of his attempts on goal outweighed the quality of chances that were created for him.

This suggests that Miovski, who was once dubbed a “complete number 9” by journalist Josh Bunting, is a ruthless and clinical striker who can more than make the most of the chances that come his way.

All of this put together is why the Macedonia international would be an even bigger signing for Rangers than Antman, because he is a Premiership and Celtic proven goalscorer who can hit the ground running as an instant star.

Rangers could unlock Gassama's full potential in move for "offensive" star

Glasgow Rangers could unlock Djeidi Gassama’s full potential in a move for this star.

ByDan Emery Aug 5, 2025

Antman may need time to adapt to the league and the culture in Scotland, and there is no guarantee that he will be able to do that, which is why he is a far riskier signing who may not be able to bring the level of quality that Miovski would guarantee.

Memphis Depay’s record-breaking brace saved Netherlands from an embarrassing setback in Lithuania, but Rafael van der Vaart was far from impressed.

• Depay’s double rescued Netherlands in shaky win
• Rafael van der Vaart blasted the Dutch players
• Depay became the national team's all-time top scorer

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Netherlands international Van der Vaart has launched a scathing attack on the national team following their nervy 3-2 World Cup qualifying win in Lithuania. Speaking on , the ex-Tottenham and Real Madrid star insisted the players "should be ashamed of themselves" for their complacent performance, which saw them throw away a 2-0 lead before half-time.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The severe criticism from a respected former player highlights the growing unease surrounding the Dutch team's performances under Ronald Koeman. Despite securing a vital three points to remain top of Group G, the manner of the victory exposed a mental fragility and "nonchalance," according to Van der Vaart. His public condemnation, particularly of midfielder Jerdy Schouten, intensifies the pressure on a squad that was also held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Poland just days earlier.

  Despite the team's poor performance, Depay's double in the match took his international tally to 52 goals, officially making him the Netherlands' all-time leading goalscorer by surpassing Robin van Persie's previous record of 50.

• WHAT VAN DER VAART SAID?

  The former Ajax star said: "First of all, you should be utterly ashamed. Of course, you want to get off to a good start in a game, and that's what they managed. And then you let it slip away. That says something about the nonchalance that everyone seems to possess.

  "Schouten does nothing at all. Everyone thinks: it'll be fine, it'll be fine, and no one intervenes. And that's almost like refusing to do your job." 

  He called it "a miracle" that Schouten was allowed to play on, adding: "I'm actually a fan of his, but today was dramatic."

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• AFP
  

  WHAT'S NEXT?

  While Netherlands are in a strong position to qualify for the World Cup, the pressure is mounting on Koeman and his players to deliver a more convincing and professional performance. Another lacklustre display will only amplify the scrutiny from pundits and fans alike.

Play three fast bowlers or three spinners? Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir will have to make that call when they sit down to finalise India’s XI for the first Test against Bangladesh, starting on September 19 in Chennai.ESPNcricinfo has learned that the Chepauk pitch will be a red-soil one, with quality bounce and carry. The burning hot temperatures in Chennai, though, are bound to ensure spin will play the dominant hand as the Test grows old. However, the fast bowlers, it is understood, are expected to pose danger throughout the game as the pitch and the conditions are expected to facilitate reverse swing, too.India are likely to play five bowlers, with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja being certain starters. The contenders for the fifth spot are Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep and Yash Dayal, the only left-arm seamer in the squad.Related

• Gambhir: Having Bumrah in the team 'really an honour'

• Can Rahul's middle-order move take him to the top in Test cricket?

• Rohit: 'You want your best players to play all games, but that's not possible'

• Rishabh Pant, and a Test return 629 days in the making

• Shami: 'Don't want to rush and risk getting injured again'

Incidentally, the last time India played three fast bowlers in a home Test was also against Bangladesh, in Kolkata in 2019. In fact, it is also the only home series since the launch of the World Test Championship where India loaded their XI with three fast bowlers. With the focus on getting a positive result and securing one of the top two positions on the WTC points table, thus ensuring a berth in the final, host teams have relied on their strengths. In India’s case, it has meant playing two seamers and three spinners.The thought of playing a third fast bowler also emerges from India keeping an eye on the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, which starts in Perth on November 22. While Mohammed Shami, who is on the cusp of regaining match fitness, is expected to join Bumrah and Siraj for that, the selectors are keen to identify at least three more fast bowlers for the squad.There has been some chatter about whether India would use the Bangladesh series, and even the New Zealand series that follows, as a preparation ground for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. And whether the BCCI would instruct the curators to prepare seamer-friendly pitches. However, it is learned no such message has been sent by the board or the team management.The nature of the pitches at Chepauk has completely changed since the last time India played a Test here – the first two Tests of the England series in 2021. England won the first Test on the fifth day on a pitch that the curator had promised would be a “typical Chepauk pitch with an English look”.R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja are certain starters•PTI

The Indian spinners were disgruntled by what turned out to be a flat surface. By the second Test, the default setting was restored and England failed to cross 200 in either innings as local hero Ashwin scored a century and picked a five-for and Rohit scored a majestic 161 to help India level the series.The key difference between the two surfaces in 2021 was the nature of the soil. The pitch for the first Test comprised purely red soil and did not break until late in the match. The pitch for the second Test, though, had a base layer comprising red soil and a top layer of black cotton soil, which started to crumble under the sun, allowing Ashwin, Jadeja and debutant Axar to dominate.Three years later, though, the surface at Chepauk is different. Of the nine pitches on the square, three are made of red soil brought from Mumbai. The Mumbai variant, used at the Wankhede stadium, is known for aiding true bounce for both fast and spin bowlers. India started their training on both red- and black-soil pitches available on the square at the MA Chidambaram stadium, but on Monday, they practised exclusively on a red-soil pitch. Bangladesh, who arrived in the city yesterday, have so far trained on a black-soil pitch.The chances of India playing a third fast bowler are higher in Chennai than in Kanpur, the venue for the second Test. The Green Park pitch, which is made of black soil, has generally been a turning track.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is attempting to have his say on the club’s summer recruitment plans, and the Italian has his eyes on one player in particular to reinforce a key area of the squad.

Chelsea ready to offer six-year deal to £45m player, talks "now advancing"

The west Londoners could make their next signing soon.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 27, 2025

Maresca’s side want to strengthen a number of areas before their manager’s second full season in charge at Stamford Bridge. Over the last week, Chelsea have been holding talks with Borussia Dortmund officials over Jamie Gittens, and it is believed by some that a deal could soon be done.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Alongside Gittens, Chelsea are reported to still be in the market for another centre-back, which perhaps indicates that at least one of Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah, Renato Veiga or Tosin Adarabioyo could be sold.

Even after their £30 million deal for Liam Delap, there are many suggestions that Chelsea could look to sign a second new striker as well, following widely reported talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over a deal for Hugo Ekitiké.

As well as this, Chelsea could still bring in another goalkeeper. As per journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea are looking to sell both Djordje Petrovic and Robert Sanchez this summer, with a move for AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan not completely off the table despite failing to reach an agreement before the Club World Cup.

Barcelona keeper Marc-André ter Stegen has been linked in the past week too, so their hunt for a shot-stopper could still be one to keep an eye on.

Enzo Maresca asks Chelsea to sign Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa

According to journalist Christian Martin, speaking to DSports, £150,000-per-week Aston Villa number one Emiliano Martínez is now said to have major admirers at Chelsea, including Maresca.

Maresca is “asking” Chelsea to make a move for Martinez, and goalkeeping coach Willy Caballero has also given his seal of approval to the potential transfer.

“They want him as their starting goalkeeper,” said Martin.

“Enzo Maresca is asking for him, Willy Caballero, who is part of the coaching staff and trains the goalkeepers, has already given his approval. For now, Chelsea is a very reliable and precise option.”

The Argentine World Cup winner boasts both top-level quality and proven experience on the biggest stages. After becoming a leader at Villa, there is every reason to believe the 32-year-old could be tempted by the prospect of Champions League football next season and becoming Chelsea’s new number one.

Unai Emery’s side are also under pressure from PSR to sell big-name players before the start of the next football financial year, which begins on July 1, so a deal could well be had here.

Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant made short work of a target of 97 to get India off to a winning start at the T20 World Cup 2024

Karthik Krishnaswamy05-Jun-20242:03

Flower on New York pitch – ‘Bordering on dangerous’

New York’s second match as a T20I venue was a lot like its first: low-scoring and brutal. Two days after South Africa bowled Sri Lanka out for 77 here, India bowled Ireland out for 96. A different strip was used for this game, but the bounce was just as inconsistent, and batting just as difficult, if not outright dangerous.India’s selection was spot-on – they picked four fast bowlers including Hardik Pandya, and two spin-bowling allrounders to lengthen their batting, which meant they left Kuldeep Yadav on the bench. They didn’t need all that batting in the end, as Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant helped them cross the line with 46 balls remaining, but the packed pace attack proved extremely useful. Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik picked up 8 for 81 between them, extracting seam movement and up-and-down bounce right through an Ireland innings that lasted just 16 overs.As good as those performances were, though, this match will be remembered for the conditions. Batters from both teams took body blows – Rohit retired hurt on 52, soon after being struck on the arm – and by the time India wrapped up their win, their thoughts may have gone ahead to June 9 at the same venue, and what kind of pitch they may have to play Pakistan on.Arshdeep sets the toneThe first two overs gave enough of a clue of how this pitch would behave, with both Arshdeep and Siraj extracting inconsistent bounce. One ball from Arshdeep – seam-up rather than a slower ball or cutter – bounced a second time before reaching wicketkeeper Pant, but most of the inconsistency was up rather than down, with one ball forcing Pant into a leaping, overhead, goalkeeper-style save.

Extra bounce brought India their first wicket, Paul Stirling top-edging a heave across the line at the start of the third over.By the end of that over, Arshdeep had taken out both openers. He was finding ways to mix up his stock inswinger to the right-hander with balls that kept going with the left-armer’s angle across them, and one of these away-slanters bowled Andy Balbirnie, as he stayed leg-side of the ball and tried to steer one down to third.Ireland collapseBy the end of the powerplay, Ireland were still only two down, but Harry Tector had already been hit on the glove and the thigh pad and was batting on 1 off 10. That became 4 off 15 before a nasty short ball from Bumrah hurried him, and he ended up gloving the attempted pull into his helmet and then to the fielder at short extra-cover.By then they had also lost Lorcan Tucker, bowled trying to drive a nip-backer from Hardik.Hardik Pandya showed some form•Getty Images

India kept getting the length ball to nip around and the short-of-length ball to climb, and Ireland kept losing wickets. Even the introduction of spin didn’t stem the collapse, as Barry McCarthy was caught and bowled by an Axar Patel ball that stuck in the pitch. At 50 for 8, Ireland were in danger of falling short of their lowest T20I total – 68 against West Indies during the 2010 edition of this tournament.They eventually crossed that mark, with Gareth Delany’s risk-taking coming off – where that of his team-mates’ mostly didn’t – in a 14-ball 26 that carried Ireland to 96.Rohit and Pant finish the jobRohit and Virat Kohli came out swinging – perhaps they reckoned that the new ball and powerplay field restrictions gave them the best chance of quick runs – and came away with contrasting outcomes.Kohli fell early, caught on the deep-third boundary while charging at Mark Adair and looking to slap him over the covers.

Rohit enjoyed two slices of early luck – Balbirnie put down a tough chance at second slip in the first over, off Adair, and an inside-edge in the second over, off Josh Little, ran away for four past the stumps – and carried on to score his 30th T20I fifty. The pitch remained treacherous, and Rohit’s control percentage hovered in the 40s for most of his innings, before climbing to 51 by the time he retired hurt. But he hit some telling blows too, most notably two trademark pulls off successive balls from Little that brought up his 599th and 600th sixes in international cricket. Before that, he also went past 4000 runs in T20Is.Pant looked more fluent than Rohit, indeed as fluent as anyone could have looked on this pitch, and hit three sixes and two fours while scoring an unbeaten 36 off 26. He took a hit to the elbow and one to the shoulder, and his response to the latter blow summed him up as a cricketer and character: he finished the match off the next ball, reverse-scooping McCarthy for six over the wicketkeeper.

Negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen are trundling on, but there’s a willingness from each party to see Liverpool sign Florian Wirtz in the coming weeks.

To be sure, this is a dizzying deal, but one which will provide Liverpool with a truly elite creative player, hailed by former Leverkusen man Patrick Helmes as “probably the best midfielder in the world.”

The thing is, Wirtz, 22, is pretty good. Sure, this is silly money, but is there honestly a player out there worth forking out a British-record sum for, barring, maybe, Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak?

Matches (starts)

32 (26)

31 (25)

Goals

11

10

Assists

11

12

Shots (on target)*

2.2 (1.1)

2.5 (1.3)

Pass completion

85%

82%

Big chances created

12

17

Key passes*

2.3

1.8

Dribbles*

2.5

2.6

Ball recoveries*

4.5

3.6

Tackles + interceptions*

1.1

1.3

Duels won*

4.4

5.2

Liverpool want bang for their buck, and they’ll get it with Wirtz, whose prowess as an attacking midfielder with elite ball-carrying skills allows him to play across a variety of roles, including out wide or in a more focal attacking berth.

It’s been a while since the Reds have had such a profile. Maybe you’d have to date back to Philippe Coutinho to find a player on Wirtz’s technical level, or somewhere similar.

Liverpool want Coutinho 2.0

Dominik Szoboszlai is an attacking midfielder, but he’s more industrious and workmanlike in his football, only clinching 15 goals and 14 assists from 94 Liverpool appearances since joining from RB Leipzig in a £60m deal.

What Slot wants is Coutinho 2.0, with Liverpool selling the Brazil sensation to Barcelona way back in January 2018 for a £142m fee. Jaw-dropping. That facilitated the transfers of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, effectively creating a base from which Jurgen Klopp achieved his illustrious successes.

Hailed by Klopp as a “world-class” player in his final full season at Anfield, Coutinho played an instrumental role in Liverpool’s meteoric rise, so prolific and influential, a cut above for much of his stay.

However, after his sale, Liverpool’s midfield reverted to a more focused and pragmatic style, albeit growing into something more dynamic over the past few years.

Wirtz has been picked out as the man to take the baton. Liverpool are confident they will seal the signing of the German international, but in football, as with life, you just never know.

That’s why FSG are ensuring they have a contingency plan.

Liverpool hold talks with Wirtz alternative

As per The Athletic’s ever-reliable David Ornstein, Liverpool have held talks with Lyon star Rayan Cherki, performing due diligence on a range of targets in case the bid for Wirtz falls through.

In fact, it’s understood that Slot left his holiday and flew to the south of France to have a face-to-face chat with the French talent, who is also being courted by Manchester City in a £25m deal after their withdrawal from the Wirtz race.

If Liverpool are to pip Man City to the 22-year-old, who will cost in excess of €30m (£25m), they will need to be quick about it, with Pep Guardiola looking to seal the deal in the coming days.

What Rayan Cherki would bring to Liverpool

Cherki is one of the most talented players in the world, one of the most gifted and skilful. The caveat is that he’s been tagged with a bad-attitude reputation, but his performances across the past year do speak of a new maturity.

With 32 direct goal involvements from 44 matches in all competitions this term, it’s clear Cherki is the real deal, even regarded by data analyst Ben Mattinson as “a Ballon d’Or level talent.”

Located centrally or toward the right wing, the left-footer is a creative menace with the ability to score a goal with standout finesse. Moreover, he appears to have reached a new level in regard to his output.

24/25

44

12

20

23/24

39

3

9

22/23

39

5

6

21/22

20

2

4

20/21

30

4

4

19/20

13

3

2

Such qualities suggest he would bring a Coutinho-esque style to Slot’s Liverpool, especially when you see the underlying data.

As per FBref, Cherki ranked among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for assists, shot-creating actions and progressive passes, as well as the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90.

Such metrics suggest Cherki is not only a playmaking wizard but a willing driver of the ball himself. Indeed, his flashy footwork and balletic twirls have foiled many Ligue 1 and Europa League backlines this term, something Coutinho produced at Liverpool.

So then, where are we with all this? Well, it’s improbable Liverpool would hijack Man City’s move for Cherki if indeed they reach an agreement with Leverkusen for Wirtz, and while that should happen, every day without a breakthrough is another day for Merseysiders to fret over that dreaded and sinking possibility.

However, if it were to happen, Liverpool could score an absolute blinder in stealing Cherki from Citizen clutches. Truly, he’s got the X-factor about him that players seldom possess. Wirtz is one of those rare geniuses, and Coutinho, back in his heyday, was another.

Salah's new Mane: Liverpool consider making big bid for £80m "nightmare"

Liverpool are prepared to sign a new winger after completing a deal for Florian Wirtz.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 2, 2025

It feels like the walls are starting to close in on Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Australian might be two favourable games away from a Europa League Final, but there can be no denying that domestically, at least, this season has been nothing short of a horror show.

In the Premier League, for example, his side have lost 18 games, which may have been relegation form in seasons past.

Premier League

33

11

4

18

Europa League

12

7

3

2

FA Cup

2

1

0

1

League Cup

5

4

0

1

Total

52

23

7

22

So it’s not been surprising to see reports linking the club to potential replacements again in recent weeks, including one candidate who could be something of a Mauricio Pochettino repeat.

Tottenham's manager search

Before getting to the man in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other names that have recently been touted for moves to N17, such as former player Scott Parker.

The former midfielder has just led Burnley to a record-breaking promotion to the Premier League, his third overall, but it would be fair to say that this feels like an appointment that would upset more fans than it would please, considering how he’s got on in, the top-flight previously.

However, a name that might inspire more hope in the Lilywhites faithful is Marco Silva.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

The Portuguese manager has been in the Fulham hot seat since July 2021 and, to his credit, has done a marvellous job, turning what has been a yo-yo club in the past into a comfortable mid-table side.

Yet, when it comes to managers overachieving with their club this season, it’s impossible to overlook Andoni Iraola, and it seems like Spurs aren’t.

According to a recent report from the Mail Online, there is a feeling at the club that Postecoglou will be axed regardless of what happens in Europe and that the Spaniard would be among the leading candidates to replace him when a decision is made.

It would be a bold, exciting, and potentially risky appointment, but the club should follow through with it, especially as it would feel similar to Pochettino’s hiring.

Why Iraola could be Poch 2.0

So, while it might sound like a reach, there are some clear reasons why hiring Iraola could be something of a Pochettino repeat.

For example, like the Argentine with Southampton, he would be moving from a club he’s transformed from relegation fodder into a genuine top-half contender in Bournemouth.

Moreover, unlike Parker, for example, the Spaniard, who analyst Ben Mattinson claims is “one of the best in the league,” has an evident dedication to playing entertaining, exciting football – his side has scored just nine goals fewer than second-place Arsenal – like Poch, but not to the point of self-sabotage, as Postecoglou has been prone to in the past.

On top of that, he’d be coming in to help build something in North London with a squad that has some more senior stars in it but plenty of young and tremendously exciting prospects as well, like Mikey Moore, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray.

Last but not least, before the current USMNT boss was handed the reins in N17, he led former side Espanyol to two surprising mid-table finishes in La Liga, which saw him get the job on the south coast.

Likewise, before making his way to Dorset, the Cherries boss built quite a reputation for himself in Spain, helping guide perennial underdogs Rayo Vallecano to an unexpected promotion in 2021.

Ultimately, Iraola has the CV, the playing style and the potential to be a sensational appointment for Spurs, and the fact that his hiring could so closely mirror Pochettino’s is just the icing on top.

Their new Lucas Moura: Ange has struck gold on "generational" Spurs talent

The promising youngster could be great for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 23, 2025

The South Africa quick on his injury setbacks, a difficult IPL 2024, turning down a CSA contract, and more

Melinda Farrell19-Jun-2024Anrich Nortje is used to feeling the heat on the field but he’s struggling with Antigua’s sultry days, which crank up the heat until a thunderstorm breaks, offering sweet – if brief – relief, before the sauna steams up once more.A day before South Africa’s first Super Eight match in the men’s T20 World Cup 2024, against USA, he’s staying inside the team hotel, nestled by the pale sands and calm turquoise waters of Antigua’s east coast.”This place is too hot,” he laughs. “There’s optional training and maybe a meeting or two left, but otherwise, maybe a little bit of a swim. But yeah, it’s just very hot so I’m trying to be fresh as possible for tomorrow.”Nortje has the added challenge of trying to keep a baby cool. He’s been joined on this tour by his wife, Michaela, along with his daughter, Amelia, who was born exactly 13 weeks earlier, just days before Nortje left South Africa for the IPL.Related

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In India, he faced heat of another kind, a batting paradise of a tournament where bowlers saw their economy rates balloon, none more so than Nortje. In six matches for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, he took seven wickets from 22 overs at an average of 42 and economy of 13.36. But he is circumspect in reflecting on the tournament, which was a major stepping stone in his return from a back injury which sidelined him for more than five months.”It was about finding ways to get better over there,” Nortje said. “And the training after the games was good, working with the coaches there at Delhi, with [bowling coach] James Hopes. I wasn’t worried much about what the scoreboard did at that stage.”Nortje’s cheerful and smiling demeanour is a stark contrast to his reputation as one of the world’s most ferocious fast bowlers, capable of melting speed guns with deliveries in the mid-150kph range. But it kept him grounded when dealing with the latest and most severe of the string of injuries that are a result of pushing his body to the limit.”It’s definitely been tough on everyone, but the time off was great. Starting again was about getting to the right intensity. The medical team did a really good job to assure me that everything was fine with the stress fractures. I played a few games back home, trying to push as much as possible, as soon as possible, and when I was cleared to go ahead, full out.”The lower back stress fractures struck last September, just before South Africa’s ODI World Cup campaign in India. Before he was ruled out of the squad, Nortje was considered one of the team’s key strike weapons, as he had been in all formats since making his international debut in 2019. That year, too, he was also ruled out of the World Cup in England due to a shoulder injury.The times between injuries have been spectacular. From June 2021 to the end of IPL 2023, Nortje took 86 wickets in 61 T20 matches at an average of 18.83, easily the best of 42 fast bowlers to take 75 or more wickets in the same period. If you include spinners, only Wanindu Hasaranga had better returns with 145 wickets at 18.03. His combination of searing pace and venomous late swing made him one of the hottest T20 properties in the world.Nortje took 7 wickets from 22 overs at an average of 42 and economy of 13.36 in IPL 2024•BCCIBut this latest layoff forced Nortje to make a difficult decision, opting to forego the security of a contract with Cricket South Africa (CSA) in order to maintain control over the amount of international cricket he plays. He is keen to make it clear that he had, and has, the support of CSA.”It was my decision. It was just to see how my body goes. I hadn’t had a stress fracture since 2010 and I just had a little bit of ‘nervy’ in the back, so I just wanted to take the time to play when I can, play when I know I’m ready, rather than having to play every series or every whatever is coming up.”So to make that decision on my own according to my body has been good so far. Still happy with the decision, and it’s more just for me to have the calmness and to know that, if I need a break for a week, if I need a break for a month, then I can do that.”The most immediate thing that has a question mark around would probably be the one-dayers, having a Champions Trophy coming up at the start of next year. So that would be the big question mark on how we’re going to go about that. So far, things have been going good, but they’re still chats that I need to have with Cricket South Africa, which I haven’t had. I haven’t really made a decision on what’s going to happen with one-day cricket in the next few months. So we’ll take that as it comes. But for now, it’s obviously focusing on the World Cup and trying to get through this and bring the trophy back home.”Nortje’s impact on South Africa’s success in the T20 World Cup illustrates why CSA is happy to accommodate him. He is their leading wicket-taker of the tournament, and joint second overall, with nine throughout the group stage, conceding just 70 runs at an average of 10.66 and an economy rate of 4.37. The contrast to his returns in the IPL is striking.Nortje pulled his lengths back in the US, where South Africa have played all their matches until now. In fact, 59.38% of his deliveries have been short or short-of-length balls compared to 38.64% at the IPL. Those shorter deliveries have accounted for six of his wickets at an average of 7.83.

“Every game is a big game, but once you start worrying about the next game I think you lose a little bit of focus on what you have to do now. We’re in it to win it”Nortje and South Africa’s focus is crystal clear

This was not so much a preconceived plan as it was a response to pitches that offered plentiful assistance off the surface.”So far, the wickets have been sort of try and build your best delivery, with what we’ve had in the last few weeks. It’s obviously been low scores, but still just trying to put the ball in the right place.”It’s just a case of what’s working on the day. We played three games in New York, so I suppose it was probably copy-paste for those three games, but now it’s changing every game again, with different venues most of the time. So you try and find out and see what’s happening in the first few overs, and then try and adapt to that. I’m sure the lengths will be different, but it’s not really about going out before the game and saying, this is the length, or that’s the length, just about finding it.”If South Africa make the semi-final, their unwelcome tag of never yet playing in any men’s World Cup final will inevitably surface, but Nortje is not phased by any historic hoodoo.”We do know that it is a World Cup and it is a big occasion. I don’t think anyone is downplaying that. It’s not just another game. Every game is a big game, but once you start worrying about the next game I think you lose a little bit of focus on what you have to do now. We’re in it to win it. We’re really focused and well prepped to go all the way.”And for Nortje, that means the handbrake is off.”I don’t think there’s any holding back. The stress fracture, all of that from the injury, has been fully healed. I’m very happy with that, and it’s just about what we need to do to win and whatever I have to do to get to that stage, I’ll do it.”