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Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak enjoyed a wonderful season for the club last year.

The Swede not only scored 27 goals across 42 appearances in all competitions, but he also helped the Magpies end their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy in the process.

Isak opened the scoring in the League Cup final against Liverpool, immortalising himself among the Toon support.

If Eddie Howe wishes to keep his star man in this sort of form, bringing in a quality winger or two this summer will help massively.

Just who have the Magpies got on their wishlist?

Newcastle could see bid for Premier League starlet accepted

Newcastle have been linked with Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish and even Rodrygo from Real Madrid during the first couple of weeks in June.

All three would be statement signings by Howe, no doubt about that, but is there a more attractive option out there?

Transfer Focus

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

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Indeed, according to Football Insider, the Magpies now know exactly how much it is going to cost to sign Nottingham Forest wideman Anthony Elanga.

The report states that the club had an offer of £35m rejected last summer, but if Howe comes back in with a £15m increase, this £50m bid would likely be accepted by Forest.

Why Anthony Elanga could make Isak even better

Elanga has shone for the club since making the move from Manchester United two years ago and this form has caught the attention of Howe.

If he does make the move north, Isak will be licking his lips.

Last season, wingers Anthony Gordon, Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes registered seven, five and 14 assists respectively across all competitions.

Elanga recorded 12 assists in all competitions last term, with 11 coming in the Premier League alone, more than Gordon and Barnes.

Comparing Elanga with Newcastle wingers (PL stats only)

Metric

Elanga

Gordon

Barnes

Murphy

Goals

6

6

9

8

Assists

11

5

4

12

Big chances created

9

6

8

12

Key passes per game

1.3

1.5

0.8

1.2

Successful dribbles per game

0.7

1.1

0.7

1

The Swedish starlet also created nine big chances in the top flight while also making 1.3 key passes and succeeding with 0.7 dribbles per game. These numbers indicate that he could be the dream winger for Isak, providing him with plenty of chances next term.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the Premier League, Elanga ranks in the top 6% for assists (0.4) per 90.

The winger even ranks in the top 2% for shots on target (54.5%) per 90 and in the top 3% for crosses (6.66) per 90, which places him among the best in the division for these metrics. How exactly does he do that?

Well, it certainly helps that he was one of the fastest players in the entire division throughout 2024/25.

On that evidence, it is no wonder that Statman Dave hailed him as “dangerous” during his first few months as a Forest player, and he has gone from strength to strength ever since.

Linking up with his compatriot at Newcastle ahead of next season could see Howe field a front three of Elanga, Isak and Gordon.

This should be enough to strike fear into most sides in the top flight and, indeed, in the Champions League.

Will the manager shell out £50m for the 23-year-old this summer? Only time will tell.

Related Dream Mbeumo alternative: Newcastle keen to sign "unplayable" £55m winger

With Bryan Mbeumo seemingly on his way to Manchester United, have Newcastle identified a dream alternative described as “amazing”, worth £55m?

Posts ByBen Gray Jun 15, 2025

And so, it all comes down to this. A pivotal game that could not only define a season, but also define the future of Manchester United.

Victory in the Europa League final would see United sneak into next year’s Champions League, providing the benefit of additional funds and an extra negotiating tool for upcoming transfer negotiations.

It would also provide a welcome boost for the early Ruben Amorim regime, a moment to kickstart a tenure that has been largely wretched on the Premier League front.

The Portuguese coach has repeatedly stated that winning the competition would not be enough to “save” the club’s season, although the prospect of potentially finishing empty-handed and in 17th in the table is too grim to ponder.

In truth, the Red Devils simply have to win. The problem is, the same will be true of Tottenham Hotspur, amid the need to end their own 17-year barren run with regard to silverware.

With so much riding on a game of immense magnitude, Amorim and co can’t afford any passengers – something which a certain Rasmus Hojlund is looking like right now.

Rasmus Hojlund's game in numbers vs Chelsea

While Ange Postecoglou took the decision to rest his key men against Aston Villa on Friday – with Micky van de Ven among those left out of the matchday squad at Villa Park – Amorim opted for a different approach at Chelsea, having deployed what could well be his starting lineup for tonight’s clash in Bilbao.

The worry for the former Sporting CP boss will be that despite an encouraging opening, which saw Harry Maguire’s fine finish chalked off for offside, the Red Devils still ended up on the losing side, having again failed to provide that cutting edge in the final third.

Amid what was the eighth league game in succession without a win for the Old Trafford side, chances were few and far between, with Amad Diallo coming closest with an effort from the angle late on.

For Hojlund, meanwhile, it represented yet another game this season in which he failed to even register a shot in the top-flight, having merely been a bystander to proceedings at Stamford Bridge.

Indeed, the struggling Dane lost the ball on 13 occasions from his 26 touches, as per Sofascore, having also failed to complete a single successful dribble, alongside recording a 65% pass accuracy rate.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

A particular issue remains the 22-year-old’s desire to engage in needless battles with opposition centre-backs, as he ultimately won just two of his 11 total duels, getting little change out of Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill.

Amorim subsequently stated that he is “really happy” with the former Atalanta man, although perhaps the Portuguese is merely attempting to gee up the misfiring marksman, amid the lack of an obvious alternative through the middle.

Games (starts)

14 (10)

Goals

6

Shots*

1.5

Big chances missed

4

Goal frequency

154min

Assists

2

Big chances created

5

Key passes*

1.3

Total duels won*

36%

Possession lost*

5.4

Indeed, it might be time to consider actually replacing Hojlund with a wildcard solution, even if it would be a risk in a game of such importance…

How Man Utd can replace Hojlund

With just ten goals to his name in 2024/25, including just four in the top-flight, Hojlund is approaching the end of a miserable second season in Manchester, having failed to build on a debut campaign that saw him finish as the club’s highest scorer in all competitions.

Those woes have ensured that it would be worth considering a potential centre-forward replacement for Wednesday night’s clash, albeit with options limited due to Joshua Zirkzee’s recent absence through injury.

The Dutchman has been pictured in training, alongside Leny Yoro and Diogo Dalot, although whether he will be rushed back into the action this evening remains to be seen.

One solution may be to trial Kobbie Mainoo in that role once again, following his surprise start as a striker against Crystal Palace in February, albeit with that experiment failing to work out as the youngster ‘faded after the first 15 minutes’, as per journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

The aforementioned Maguire, meanwhile, should surely only be a last resort in the dying embers of a game, with the Englishman needed to hold the fort defensively, amid concerns over the likes of Matthijs de Ligt.

With that in mind, Amorim may instead need to call upon talismanic skipper, Bruno Fernandes, to slot into a false nine berth, with the 30-year-old yet to be trialled in that role in this 3-4-3 system.

The Portugal star has previously played in that central berth in the past, having notably worked in tandem with Scott McTominay as part of a front two in last year’s FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

A player of invaluable versatility and quality, the playmaking “genius” – as hailed by Erik ten Hag – appears to thrive wherever he is deployed, with such a switch then allowing Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte to offer greater defensive solidity as part of the midfield two.

Fernandes, meanwhile, could then be flanked by two of Alejandro Garnacho, Amad and Mason Mount in the number ten berths, with that fluid frontline potentially able to cause problems for a Spurs side who have endured their own notable woes this term.

A further benefit of that switch would be Fernandes’ ability to drop deep and drag the likes of Van de Ven and Cristian Romero with him, rather than the alternative of Hojlund attempting to engage in a duel with the stellar duo.

As The Athletic’s Jay Harris has noted, ‘with Van de Ven and Romero in the starting XI, Spurs can play thrilling football and look capable of competing for trophies. Without them, they look mediocre.’

Trying to get the better of the centre-back pairing will be vital at San Mames, with Fernandes able to give the two men something more to think about, rather than being content in dealing with the hapless Hojlund.

Yes, it would be a bold call to make such a switch for a final, yet with his performance at Stamford Bridge having been so underpar last time out, Hojlund can’t merely be guaranteed of start simply because of the lack of alternatives.

Man Utd flop who should be "fourth choice" has been even worse than Onana

This Manchester United flop has been an even worse signing than Andre Onana.

ByDan Emery May 20, 2025

It looks set to be a massive summer of transfer activity for Arsenal this year; Mikel Arteta even said as much.

Based on fan sentiment and the number of reports in recent weeks, it’s no surprise that the club’s focus is on rejuvenating the attack, but the midfield also looks like it will be addressed.

Thomas Partey might now be getting a new deal, and perhaps most excitingly, the deal to sign Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi looks increasingly certain.

However, if recent reports are to be believed, the club could also be looking at a potential alternative to the Spaniard, someone who could also replace Partey.

Arsenal transfer news

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth reviewing the situation with both Partey and Zubimendi.

Transfer Focus

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

Regarding the latter, news initially came out back in January that Arsenal were close to agreeing a deal to sign him in the summer, and while there have since been reports from Spain claiming that he could go to Real Madrid, other stories have reaffirmed the original news that he should be on his way to the Emirates for £51m.

Partey, on the other hand, looked like he was set to depart the club upon the expiration of his current contract in the summer, but that changed last week.

Ahead of the game against Crystal Palace, The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed that the club now wanted the midfielder to remain and were set to enter negotiations over a new contract with him.

However, with reports now linking the team to Hugo Larsson, re-signing the Ghanaian might not be necessary.

Yes, according to a recent report from the print edition of SportBild in Germany, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in signing the Eintracht Frankfurt star.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Manchester City and Liverpool are also keen on the young midfielder, who’s valued at £51m by his team.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get done, but given Larsson’s ability and potential, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he could be an ideal Partey replacement.

Why Larsson could replace Partey

So, the first argument for why Larsson could prove to be a good Partey replacement is also one that could be used to argue for him being an alternative to Zubimendi: his age.

At just 20 years old, the Swedish international is 11 years younger than the Gunners’ number five and six younger than the Sociedad star. Now, while that’s not a massive advantage compared to the Spaniard, who is still in his prime years, it is against the Ghanaian .

For example, research conducted by The Athletic revealed that central midfielders tend to peak at around 25 years old, so while the Frankfurt gem has years to keep getting better, the former Atlético Madrid ace is undoubtedly approaching the end of his career, and considering his usually dire injury record, this might make handing him a new deal particularly foolish.

Furthermore, besides being substantially younger, the “transitional monster,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, also looks just as good when we look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

For example, according to FBref, he comes out ahead in plenty of relevant metrics, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key passes, shots on target, shot-creating actions, blocked shots and passes, errors leading to goal, ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.19

0.15

Progressive Passes

4.70

6.09

Progressive Carries

0.64

1.14

Shots on Target

0.38

0.26

Key Passes

0.85

0.63

Shot-Creating Actions

2.33

2.07

Goal-Creating Actions

0.13

0.48

Tackles Won

1.06

1.77

Blocked Shots

0.42

0.26

Blocked Passes

1.19

0.59

Interceptions

1.06

1.18

Errors Leading to a Goal

0.04

0.15

Dispossessed

0.42

0.52

Ball Recoveries

4.58

4.43

Ultimately, while he might not be the most exciting name out there, Larsson looks like he could be an incredible player in the future, so instead of a Zubimendi alternative, Arsenal might be wise to sign him as well and then not offer Partey a new deal.

He'd revive Odegaard: Arsenal racing to sign £70m goalscoring "powerhouse"

Martin Odegaard could do with some additional firepower with him at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 1, 2025

Openers impress, but tactical errors, spin struggles, and lack of pace-bowling allrounders remain key issues for Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam02-Jun-2025

Have Bangladesh finally found their T20 openers?

Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain are still a work in progress, but they have shown the T20 attitude the Bangladesh openers have previously lacked. They are willing to go after good bowling attacks in the powerplay, and as they showed in the third T20I on Sunday, can take their partnership deep too. Tanzid has been on a six-hitting spree against UAE and Pakistan, while Parvez now has two good knocks in five games.Parvez Hossain was Bangladesh’s highest run-scorer of the series•AFP/Getty Images

The team management lacks pragmatism

Bangladesh’s team management appeared to misread the team’s needs in Lahore. In near-perfect batting conditions in which Tanzid gave them quick starts in all three games, the think tank kept sending captain Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy ahead of in-form hitter Jaker Ali. It seemed like they weren’t willing to innovate. Litton and Hridoy struggled to keep the openers’ momentum, and then left too much to do for the rest of the batters. Jaker, who is skilled at finding boundaries regularly, would have benefitted from being promoted up the order with a few extra overs to play. Hridoy was out of touch, and Litton seemed confused with his role, whether to drop anchor or go on the attack.

Bangladesh must identify their best T20 bowlers

Bangladesh had several injuries before and during this T20I series. Shoriful Islam pulled his groin after bowling three balls in the second game, while Mustafizur Rahman was injured in the IPL, before the Pakistan series. Taskin Ahmed’s ankle trouble has kept him out for the last two months, while Nahid Rana opted out of the series due to personal reasons.With a number of players unavailable, Bangladesh will have to identify a T20 bowling attack. Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Hasan Mahmud were expensive in the three matches against Pakistan, while Shoriful looked to be moving the new ball well. Mustafizur effectively won Bangladesh’s only game in their last six outings, but the injury ruled him out in Pakistan. The question should also be asked now, whether Bangladesh want Rana for every format.Mahedi Hasan played just one game•AFP/Getty Images

The spinners struggle in batting conditions

The absence of Shakib Al Hasan has left a significant void in Bangladesh’s spin attack which now struggles in batting-friendly conditions. The bowling unit was on dominant at home and in the West Indies last year, with Mahedi Hasan single-handedly restricting the opposition batters on slow and low pitches. However, he struggled against UAE’s Muhammad Waseem and Asif Khan. It’s concerning that team’s premier spinner featured in only three out of six matches.Rishad Hossain has also leaked a lot of runs across the last two series, often missing his lengths. Rishad had an excellent 2024 – especially in the T20 World Cup where he was one of the top wicket-takers – but he failed to hit his stride so far this year. Bangladesh’s spinners have also been vulnerable to slog sweep, which suggests a need to rethink their line of attack.

The hunt for fast bowling allrounders

While there are plenty of spin bowling allrounders in the Bangladesh T20 team, there is a clear lack of fast bowling allrounders. Mahedi, recently named as Litton’s deputy, is an offspinner who bats in the middle order. So does Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Rishad has a similar role, although his batting hasn’t lived up to expectations.The issue, however, is that Bangladesh’s domestic cricket currently lacks any such prominent names. Tanzim has shown the potential to be a handy allrounder provided he can keep his core skills intact, while the BCB should also consider bringing back Mohammad Saifuddin into the mix.

The 121 against West Indies showcased something important in his pursuit of greatness

Alagappan Muthu22-Jul-20231:17

Dasgupta: Kohli wants to prove certain things to himself

Virat Kohli blah blah. Intent blah blah blah. Control blah blah. Legend blah blah blah. Words only go so far. Actually, wait… Yeah, it’s possible if you tie all the web pages and column inches, tweets, reels and various painted messages on various human bodies together, you could make a walkway that reaches Mars. The man has been the ultimate muse for 14 years – 15 this August – and 500 games.Brash and loud in 2008. Cool and confident in 2012. Broken and unsure in 2014. Walking talking vindication, also in 2014. Then, for the longest time, perfectionSeventy-six international hundreds. The easy gag is to say it’s 2x Viv Richards or 3x VVS Laxman. But that’s basically because he has played a lot more innings. And there’s the actual rub. He became too good to ever be dropped; often he was too good to even be injured. His fitness is as crucial to his longevity as his form.Related

• West Indies steady after Kohli's first away Test ton in five years

• Virat Kohli's battle with himself

• Jadeja dismissal: right decision made despite DRS 'glitch'

All that combined with this era, where cricket’s cup has runneth over, has given Kohli plenty of chances to influence history, considerably more than all the legends from the past. Of course, by the same token, hundreds of bowlers from every corner of the world could have also reduced him to a footnote. It was a 50-50 battle.Kohli tipped the odds in his favour with his focus. The game gets his juices flowing. The desire to win pushes him further. And soon enough he is in the zone. Or to use a term that is common among gamers, the flow state. It denotes a period where you function at 100. The challenge heightens your senses. The information they send up to the brain is processed quicker and as a result every move you make is the right one and you keep making them over and over again.Hobart 2012. Mohali 2016. Perth 2018. Birmingham 2018. Melbourne 2022. Kohli’s flow state has spanned a decade, minus the Covid years. And while everything feels amazing when you’re in the middle of this high, the moment you lose it, your whole life goes for a toss and it’s all you can do to try and get it back.Kohli, for example, began “faking his intensity.” It didn’t work. So he has started paring his game back. Sacrificing the pretty cover drive that fetch him four runs for the leave that ensure he stays at the crease. Karthik Krishnaswamy wrote a brilliant piece in the aftermath of the first Test about how a lot of his big runs now are coming at a slower pace. This is perhaps because he has figured out how to do well whether he is switched all the way on or just half the way on; how to work within the limitations he is all of a sudden having to deal with.The century in Port-of-Spain wasn’t quite the same as the half-century in Dominica. He middled 94% of the balls he faced and came away with a strike rate close to 60. But this wasn’t flow state Kohli. Honestly, the coolest thing he did – until the second morning at Queen’s Park Oval when his shots alone seemed immune to the horribly slow outfield – was the running between the wickets. The stump mic even caught him saying “been stealing doubles since 2012”.And yet, these runs have offered India the platform to push for an away win. Also, unlike on the first day, when the cameraman had to prod a section of the crowd to yell and clap – that had to be the most celebrated legbye in the history of Test cricket – they brought authentic joy. The square drive that took Kohli to his century had the dressing room up on its feet and the crowd dancing in the aisles. He had been hinting at three-figures for almost the entire length of the innings even though a lot of it was hard graft, and that on its own was a triumph. This 121 – and the 76 in the previous match – probably won’t make his career highlights but they must have reinforced a truth. Even at less than 100, he is scary good. He doesn’t need the flow. He never has to chase it ever again.

What an extraordinary, abject spectacle this series is turning out to be

Andrew Miller18-Dec-2021At 5.10pm local time, Joe Root and Dawid Malan strode back out to the middle of the Adelaide Oval with a three-hour century stand in the bank, a Test match (theoretically) in the balance and an Ashes campaign to be rescued, right there and then.Within a further three hours, the Ashes had turned to dust, and James Anderson’s and Stuart Broad’s emotional reunion under the floodlights had instead become a rabbit-hunt in the headlights.Despite the delicious prospect of a quick kill and the enforcing of the follow-on almost on the stroke of sunset, Australia’s seamers instead put their search for wickets on hold to indulge in a spell of bunny-bashing. When you’ve claimed four prime wickets for 19 runs in some of the most pristine batting conditions of the series, a team is entitled to trade 16 tail-end runs (England’s joint-third-highest stand of the innings) for the chance to leave a lasting impression on their opponent’s battered carcass.A diet of bouncers, right into the ribs and on one occasion, Broad’s jaw, was then followed by the inevitable sight of David Warner and Marcus Harris sprinting off the pitch after England’s tenth-wicket tenderising had finally come to an end. Where’s the need to go again when you are so far ahead of the game?And as night follows day, not long after 9.30pm, Australia’s openers had posted their highest first-wicket Ashes partnership in four years and 15 innings, at which point England abandoned the zip-around-in-the-gloom policy that had dictated their selection for this match, and turned instead to their Test-match everyman, Root – for whom it is not enough simply to carry the entire team’s batting all year. All of a sudden he is considered the only spinner worth his salt in the entire country.Related

Text snub: How Australia came close to losing more bowlers

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Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green and Nathan Lyon step up with devastating effect

By 9.45pm, however, Root had shamefully failed to emulate his previous pink-ball bowling figures of 5 for 8, and England had been reduced to bowling for run-outs, to set the seal on a day of rock-bottom ignominy.Is it possible that we are in the midst of witnessing England’s worst-ever Ashes challenge? With two days to come, two more sessions of Aussie run-harvesting, and two more trials by twilight up the sleeve for Mitchell Starc and Co., it’s eminently plausible. What an extraordinary, abject spectacle this series is turning out to be.Of course there’s mitigation, there always is. The build-up to this particular series has been indescribably tough – the lab-rat lifestyle of cricket in Covid times could hardly be less conducive to a cheery team environment. Four years ago, the squad was at least able to pop down to a local dive and indulge in a spot of beer-fuelled headbutting to loosen a few intra-squad tensions.But the cricket itself… even allowing for the rain that wrecked the series build-up, and six years of white-ball priorities that wrecked the County Championship schedule, and the glut of fast-bowling injuries that wrecked England’s best-laid plans, and a post-pandemic financial imperative that has sucked the joy from the act of playing sport for a living … there’s still no excuse for the spineless surrender that England served up in an afternoon session, a passage of play that could not have been more critical to the team’s ambitions in the series they claim to hold most dear.And it all began, dare one say it, with England’s golden child himself. Criticising Root for a lack of application in this year of all years is rather like accusing the Pope of fallibility (no, not Ollie Pope … we’ll come to him later too). And yet, as Root himself telegraphed as he threw back his head and bent his bat over his brain in self-admonishment after nibbling an edge from the lanky seam of Cameron Green, he knew all too well that he’d given it away once again. He had reached his seventh fifty in his last seven Tests in Australia, and his eighth in 11 all told, but it needed to be converted to that elusive hundred – instead that missing statistic looks set to condemn him to the tenth defeat of his career Down Under, and his sixth out of seven as captain.Joe Root looks on before walking out to the middle•Getty Images”It’s pretty frustrating and disappointing to get back within touching distance of them,” Malan, England’s top scorer with 80, said afterwards. “We can talk about the guys that failed, but ultimately one of Rooty or myself should have gone on and got a big hundred there. We’ve been found short as a batting unit, compared to the Australian unit, and that’s something we need to do better from this next innings onwards.”Most worryingly for England’s hopes of staging a fightback, however – at Melbourne, Sydney or Hobart, let alone in the next two days – the ball that derailed their innings wasn’t even the one that prised Root from the crease. Rather, it was the one that Green served up four balls earlier, a bona fide snorter that hit the seam and climbed past the edge, as a bowler of Green’s height is wont to achieve on occasions. His next ball, at the start of a new over, also climbed dramatically, and suddenly Root was playing a different game, rushing his hands to meet the anticipated point of impact rather than playing each on its own merits, under the eyes, down through the cordon, as he had done with such sangfroid all morning long.What happened next was a credit to Green’s ability to make things happen, of course, and further proof that Australia have found themselves a truly tantalising talent, but tall bowlers extracting bounce is hardly a mystery weapon in Australian conditions – that tactic, over and above outright speed, was the making (and the subsequent breaking) of England’s victorious tour in 2010-11, as well as their last most forgettable visit three years later.But Root needed to know that the moment would pass, that hanging tough through a torrid passage of play was a fair trade-off for the serenity that beckoned on the other side of Green’s spell – he’s spent long enough watching David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne live on their wits to know that. Instead Root jabbed with hard hands at a ball he had no reason to engage with, and as he dragged his year’s tally of 1606 runs back to the pavilion, his replacement at the crease was pure wide-eyed panic.Suddenly, there were demons everywhere. Malan had been intermittently skittish during his 138-run stand with Root, including a brace of inside-edged drives off the seamers and more than a few wild cuts against Nathan Lyon’s spin. But at least his captain’s controlled presence at the other end had emboldened him to go for his strokes, and make his own decisions about the risk-reward they entailed.Now, suddenly, everything was on his shoulders. With Ben Stokes devoutly runless for his first 24 deliveries, priming himself for his Headingley-lite finale, Malan too was crammed back into his shell. His second ball of this new partnership was a low edge to slip, and as Lyon began to hound his technique from round the wicket, his only two scoring shots for three overs were another snick past the slips and a madcap single to cover … which brought him back into the firing line of the returning Mitchell Starc…”Out here, you have to have the intent to score, to put the pressure back on the bowlers,” Malan reflected afterwards. “It’s also identifying certain periods of the game where the Aussies are going to attack you and trying to counter that. Looking back, I probably should have left that ball and hopefully could have still been batting but that’s a learning curve for myself.”But Malan didn’t leave that ball – a not-so-juicy half-tracker that was too tight for the cut shot that he had played so effectively one ball earlier. And nor did Pope (the fallible version) learn from a reprieve at short leg off Lyon, as he cantered down the track two balls later in a desperate bid to smother the spin before it engulfed him, and picked out the same fielder.It was his second extraction by Lyon in as many innings, and having been similarly tormented by R Ashwin last winter, Pope’s average against offspin has now plummeted to 15.57, compared to a serviceable 36.20 against the quicks. It’s a blindspot that England’s most exciting Test prospect seems no closer to resolving, as his career progression remains in stasis, almost two years on from his breakthrough hundred in Port ElizabethNathan Lyon claims the wicket of Ollie Pope•Getty ImagesChris Woakes at least showed proactivity until he too was spooked by the one that didn’t quite behave – another big turner from Lyon inducing a flat-footed poke two balls later – which is more than can be said for the haunted Jos Buttler, whose first-day drops meant that he began his innings in serious arrears – and at no stage did he ever look like clearing his debt.Another hard-handed jab sent Buttler on his way for a 15-ball duck, which is the fourth time he has batted so long for no runs – more than any other Test cricketer since 1991. Far from being liberated by his proven white-ball derring-do, Buttler seems paralysed by the expanse of Test cricket’s possibilities, like a stoned astrology student contemplating the limitless reach of the stars in the night sky.At least, on that note, it was another pretty sunset for England to contemplate as they sat on the balcony and watched their old stagers get duffed up. The optics of England’s actual cricket, however, are looking pretty hideous.

Dan Serafini, a former Major League Baseball pitcher for six teams over seven seasons from 1996 to 2007, was found guilty Monday of killing his father-in-law in June 2021.

According to a Facebook news release from the district attorney's office in Placer County, Calif., Serafini was convicted of both first-degree murder and attempted murder—the former of his father-in-law Gary Spohr and latter of his mother-in-law Wendy Wood. He is also guilty of first-degree burglary.

Police arrested the 51-year-old Serafini in Oct. 2023 after an investigation that took more than two years. During that time, Wood—who survived Serafini's '21 attack—died by suicide.

A report on the verdict from Doc Louallen of ABC News said prosecutors labeled the attack "financially motivated."

Serafini pitched for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres during his career, as well as in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, in Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League, and for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo is a planning a serious overhaul of his squad as he makes ‘big plans’, according to a former Hammers employee.

West Ham battling relegation with January crucial

The Hammers find themselves embroiled in a desperate fight for Premier League survival following one of their most turbulent campaigns in recent memory, with the January transfer window representing a potential lifeline for Nuno’s struggling side.

Currently languishing in 18th with just 11 points, they’ve endured a nightmare start that saw Graham Potter dismissed after recording the second-worst win percentage of any West Ham boss in Premier League history.

Recent form under Nuno has offered some encouragement, but the Portuguese faces an uphill battle to drag his squad away from the relegation zone.

West Ham play Man United in a vital clash tonight, which has been made all the more important by Leeds United and Nottingham Forest’s victories this week, with Nuno desperate not to let the points gap at the bottom grow any further.

Securing a striker has also emerged as the club’s absolute priority ahead of the winter window.

Niclas Füllkrug’s disastrous spell appears destined to end after just 18 months, with the German international managing only three goals since his £27 million arrival from Borussia Dortmund.

His agent publicly admitted a January departure “makes sense,” and West Ham have already begun identifying replacements.

Union Saint-Gilloise forward Promise David is a very solid candidate in this regard.

West Ham hold talks with £20m star who has the same agent as Kyle Walker-Peters

The Hammers already have a productive relationship with his representatives.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 3, 2025

The imposing 6 foot 5 striker has notched 34 goals in 63 appearances for the Belgian champions and could be available for just £17.5 million, representing excellent value for the east Londoners, who are reportedly in pole position after making contact.

West Ham also want a new defender and midfielder, according to insiders like ExWHUemployee, and this has been backed up by another former worker of the club.

Nuno making 'big plans' at West Ham in transfer revelation

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-West Ham senior scout Mick Brown has claimed that Nuno is making ‘big plans’ for the transfer market and wants to bolster an array of key positions.

Brown went on to claim that West Ham also have their eyes on a centre-half, midfielder and a top goalscorer, so there is a lot of work for David Sullivan to contemplate if they manage to stay in the top flight.

In terms of the budget for January to pull off this overhaul, West Ham may not have much to play with, as reports suggest they’re set to operate with limited spending power.

For Nuno to realistically get his wish, it’ll likely be over multiple windows, but that will again be dependent on West Ham’s standing come May.

This week, an anti-diversity purge throughout the United States government targeted one of MLB's most beloved figures in Hall of Fame infielder Jackie Robinson.

Robinson—the first Black man to play American or National League baseball in the 20th century—served in the army from 1942 to '44, attaining the rank of second lieutenant. On Tuesday, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the Department of Defense had deleted an article covering Robinson's military service.

A day later, the department sent ESPN two highly contradictory statements regarding the removal. The first defended the decision—chalking it up to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's broader anti-diversity program.

"As Secretary Hegseth has said, DEI is dead at the Defense Department," the statement read. "Discriminatory equity ideology is a form of woke cultural Marxism that has no place in our military. It divides the force, erodes unit cohesion and interferes with the services' core warfighting mission. We are pleased by the rapid compliance across the Department with the directive removing DEI content from all platforms. In the rare cases that content is removed—either deliberately or by mistake—that is out of the clearly outlined scope of the directive, we instruct the components and they correct the content accordingly."

DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, not “discriminatory equity ideology,” as the statement implies.

The second, clearer statement, expressed appreciation for Robinson's service while continuing to defend the Trump Administration's anti-diversity policies.

"Everyone at the Defense Department loves Jackie Robinson, as well as the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Marines at Iwo Jima and so many others—we salute them for their strong and in many cases heroic service to our country, full stop," the updated statement read. "We do not view or highlight them through the prism of immutable characteristics, such as race, ethnicity or sex. We do so only by recognizing their patriotism and dedication to the warfighting mission like ever [sic] other American who has worn the uniform.

"… We are pleased by the rapid compliance across the Department with the directive removing DEI content from all platforms. In the rare cases that content is removed—either deliberately or by mistake—that is out of the clearly outlined scope of the directive, we instruct the components and they correct the content so it recognizes our heroes for their dedicated service alongside their fellow Americans, period.”

Initially, as Passan pointed out, the department did not repost the article; it was eventually reinstated without a URL that referenced diversity, equity and inclusion. Passan went on to outline the specifics of Robinson's military service.

Per Passan, MLB—which retired Robinson's number throughout the game in 1997—was looking into the matter before the article's reinstatement. Robinson, who championed several Republican causes in his life, died in 1972.

Wayne Rooney scored a sackful of brilliant goals during his illustrious career and he's proven he hasn't lost any of his world-class talent, despite turning 40 a few weeks ago, after scoring a thrilling overhead kick on popular TV show A League of Their Own. Rooney famously scored an iconic bicycle kick against Manchester City in 2011 and has rolled back the years during filming of the sports-based comedy panel gameshow.

• Rooney thrills the crowd with overhead stunner

  Rooney thrilled the watching studio audience after receiving a pass from host, comedian Romesh Ranganathan, he controlled it with his first touch, with the second he lifted the ball above his head and then acrobatically spun backwards and fired the ball over his head and into the (empty) net from a few yards out. The audience roared their approval and Rooney was quickly joined in celebrations by Ranganathan and his team-mates on the evening, fellow ex-pro Jamie Redknapp and comedian Alex Brooker. 

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• Watch Rooney's bicycle kick brilliance

• Rooney rolls back the years

  Rooney’s goal on the brought back memories of another overhead kick he scored during his playing days, a stunning strike for United against rivals City. The former England striker scored 253 goals during playing days at United, but his sensational goal against City in February 2011, at Old Trafford is etched in football history as one of the Premier League's most iconic. The score was level at 1-1 in the Manchester derby when the moment of magic arrived in the 78th minute. A cross from Nani was deflected high into the air, and with his back to goal, Rooney launched himself into an acrobatic bicycle kick. The ball soared into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Joe Hart stunned. Rooney himself admitted it wasn't his best game, but his pure instinct and spectacular technique produced a goal that secured a crucial 2-1 victory for United on their way to winning the league title that season. The strike was later voted the best goal in Premier League history. 

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  Public spat with Virgil van Dijk

  After taking time to consider his stinging comments, Rooney has conceded he was wrong to claim Virgil van Dijk had "downed tools" after signing a new deal at Liverpool. The row had threatened to boil over as the pair clashed live on TV, but Rooney has moved to cool the disagreement and also offered Van Dijk advice on how to get the champions' faltering season back on track

  Rooney, speaking on , said: "My job now is to give my opinions, and I like to think I'm straight and honest with my opinions and how I feel. The one thing where I maybe went a bit too strong is where I said he’s downed tools since he signed his new contract – that's a big thing to say, and maybe I was wrong on that. But from a performance level, from what we’ve seen from Van Dijk, I don’t think he's been at that level this season, and I said I’m sure as captain he'd be speaking to players, taking them out for food, which he said he has done. Clearly if he's felt he’s done that, if he had to do that, there’s something not right."

  He added: "As champions, you can’t lose four games in a row. If you lose one game, there’s questions, and if you lose four in a row, there’s something not quite right. I think getting involved too much in the outside noise – that’s our job (as pundits), focus on your game. As a younger player, I’d be looking at Van Dijk and how he reacts to this – how is it going to help them? You have to get on with your game and speak internally."