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Liverpool’s ambitions of landing a move for Alexander Isak have dragged on throughout the summer transfer window, with a deal to land the forward not yet on the horizon.

The Reds tabled their opening offer last week for the Newcastle United striker, but their £120m offer for the Swedish international was quickly rejected by Eddie Howe’s side.

It’s thought that a fee in the region of £150m could be enough for the Black and White army to part ways with their talisman, who found the net on 23 occasions in the Premier League last season.

With less than a month remaining in the transfer window, Arne Slot’s side don’t have long to complete their business ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

As a result, they may be forced to turn their attention to other targets in the coming days to provide the boss with the depth and quality needed to regain their league crown.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new attackers this summer

There’s no denying that Isak remains Liverpool’s number one target for such an area of the pitch, but other options are constantly being looked at should they fail to agree a deal for his signature.

Luis Diaz has already departed Anfield, with the likes of Darwin Núñez and Federico Chiesa also touted with moves to Serie A to raise added funds for their pursuit.

The money raised from such departures could go towards a move to land Real Madrid star Rodrygo, with the Brazilian once again in their sights, according to Football Insider.

The report claims that the Reds’ hierarchy have identified the 24-year-old as an alternative to Isak, potentially going back in for a move to land the forward in the near future.

However, the article also states he could command another huge fee from Slot’s side this summer, with the LaLiga giants currently demanding over £80m to offload him in the next few weeks.

Why Liverpool’s latest target would be their answer to Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé is a forward who has constantly tormented backlines across Europe in recent years, cementing himself as one of the best attackers in world football.

The 26-year-old joined Real Madrid last summer on a free transfer from PSG, after enjoying a seven-year spell in Paris, which saw him net 235 goals in his 264 appearances.

It all could’ve been so different for the Frenchman, with Liverpool previously interested in his signature before he completed a free transfer to join Real Madrid last summer.

His move to the Santiago Bernabéu has seen him continue his magnificent goalscoring record, finding the net 44 times in his 59 appearances during 2024/25, ending his first season in Spain as the division’s top scorer.

There’s no denying Mbappé is one of Europe’s leading talismen, being a player many sides around the world wish they had at their disposal – but unfortunately, that honour goes to Xavi Alonso’s side.

Whilst a move for the Frenchman to Anfield this window is off the cards, they could sign their own version of him in the form of Rodrygo, with the Brazilian labelled as a similar player by FBref.

When comparing their respective stats from last season, the 24-year-old managed to outperform the world beater in numerous key areas, potentially being a superb addition to Slot’s star-studded side.

Rodrygo, who’s been labelled “world-class” by analyst Ben Mattinson, registered more progressive passes and carries per 90, showcasing the threat he possesses with the ball at his feet.

He also managed to complete more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90, able to provide new signings Hugo Ekitiké and Florian Wirtz with added opportunities, should he also move to Merseyside.

Games played

30

34

Goals & assists

11

34

Progressive carries

5.3

4.6

Goals per shot on target

0.3

0.3

Pass accuracy

86%

82%

Key passes made

2.5

1.3

Passes into final third

3.1

2.3

Carries into final third

4.1

2.9

Crosses completed

3.8

1.1

Progressive passes

5.1

4.3

His dominance over his teammate is further reflected in his higher pass completion rate, whilst completing more crosses per 90, having a superb creative nouse within his arsenal.

Isak will rightfully be the main target for Liverpool over the next few weeks, but it still remains to be seen if a deal can be completed before September 1st.

However, the fanbase shouldn’t worry, with the Brazilian proving he’s more than capable of being a top-quality addition who could provide Slot with an Mbappé-like talent at Anfield.

Van Dijk's new Matip: Liverpool scouting "one of the most exciting” CBs

Liverpool still need to sign a centre-back this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 2, 2025

Bangladesh haven’t won a game in the last four T20 World Cups, and the skipper wants to end that streak

Mohammad Isam24-Sep-2024Nigar Sultana wants Bangladesh to beat Scotland in their opening match of the women’s T20 World Cup on October 3 and set the tone for the rest of the tournament. Beating Scotland would be a “huge achievement”, she said, since Bangladesh haven’t won a match in their last four World Cup appearances, and have won just one game in five editions.Nigar, however, clarified that Bangladesh were not taking Scotland lightly. “We want to win the first match,” she said. “It will be a huge achievement for the team. The team will get into a flow when that happens. We can then dream of something bigger. We are hungry for it.”Scotland, though, are playing good cricket. Generally teams arrive at the World Cup with a lot of expectations. They won’t let you win easily. They don’t give up without a fight. We are mentally prepared to face those challenges.Related

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“I have played four World Cups but we have never won a game in those editions. The last time we won was in the 2014 tournament [against Sri Lanka]. We have played well in previous editions but playing well only means something when you can win.”Nigar and Bangladesh are dreaming big. They want to challenge England, West Indies and South Africa, the others in their group in the first round, and are hoping to get into the semi-finals.”To play in the semi-final, we have to win against those three teams, too,” Nigar said. “We have different plans against each team. If we can execute our game-plan, then it will good for us. We have defeated South Africa in T20Is [twice in 13 completed matches]. We rarely meet England, only in World Cups, so it might be difficult for them, too. We all know that we have a good spin attack.”The tournament was initially supposed to be held in Bangladesh, but following political unrest in the country in July-August, the ICC relocated it to the UAE.”For a long time, we prepared with the understanding that the World Cup will be held at home,” Nigar said. “It is not in our control, so there’s no point thinking about it anymore. We played in Abu Dhabi in 2021, where the wickets were nice. Sharjah is a new venue for us, but we will play two practice matches, which will give us some idea.”Other teams will face similar challenges, so the faster we can adapt to those challenges, it will help us play better in the tournament’s main matches.”Young Rabeya Khan has been a revelation for Bangladesh in recent times•BCBBatting a concern for BangladeshBangladesh haven’t done well with the bat in their last two home series, against India and Australia, and also lost to India and Sri Lanka in the women’s Asia Cup earlier this year.Giving Nigar confidence, though, are newcomers like Shathi Rani and the uncapped Taj Nehar, who was picked ahead of the more experienced Rumana Ahmed.”Batting is definitely a concern but we saw some improvements among the batters during the ‘A’ team tour [of Sri Lanka],” she said. “We still believe that we can do well as most of our players have also done well in the domestic tournaments. I hope they continue their form in the World Cup.”We included Taj for the middle-order, although she doesn’t have experience. We saw her in the league [Women’s National Cricket League] where she showed good approach and intent. She can play the big shots. If you have followed our recent international matches, we failed in showing intent. Shathi was the highest run-getter in the league. She can go after the bowling, and you can see those in some of her innings. She can use the powerplay quite well. She has proved herself to come at this stage.”Bangladesh have a strong spin attack that includes left-arm spinner Nahida Akter and 19-year-old legspinner Rabeya Khan. Nigar paid a glowing tribute to young Rabeya, who is the team’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is this year [14 wickets in 12 games]. “Rabeya is one of our finest bowlers. She has taken our team to a different level through her contributions in both formats. She is a great fielder. She is good with the bat too but doesn’t take batting seriously. She is maturing slowly. If there’s someone I rely with the ball in tough situations after Nahida, it is definitely Rabeya.”

England are anticipating empty stadiums at October’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, but believe that their upcoming training camp in Abu Dhabi will mitigate the impact of the late change in venue from Bangladesh to Dubai and Sharjah.The ICC confirmed last week that the tournament will no longer be played in Bangladesh after weeks of civil unrest which prompted the prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. England’s squad did not change as a result of the shift but they are expecting a difference in conditions in the UAE – not least off the field, with attendances likely to be low.”It’s going to be a bit different,” Heather Knight, England’s captain, said. “There definitely would’ve been bigger crowds in Bangladesh, having played there in 2014 in the World Cup. We actually got some really good crowds, particularly in Sylhet… It’s become the norm for us to have people around. It is something we’ll talk about, but it’s a World Cup: it shouldn’t take too much to get up for that.”Related

• ICC moves women's T20 World Cup out of Bangladesh to the UAE

• Women's T20 WC: Australia begin title defence on October 5; India vs Pakistan set for October 6

• Kemp, Heath in England's T20 World Cup squad but Filer misses out

England will play their first three fixtures at Sharjah Cricket Stadium (16,000 capacity) and their final group match at Dubai International Stadium (25,000). Neither venue managed to attract big crowds for games which did not involve India or Pakistan during the men’s T20 World Cup in 2021, nor do they regularly stage women’s international cricket.”Some people thrive off the noise and the energy from the crowd, so [it’s about] making sure, individually, that everyone is prepared for potentially what we’re going to get. I don’t think, suddenly, there’s going to be a big rent-a-crowd. But it is what it is, and obviously safety and things like that are probably the most important things,” Knight said.While England have spent the past 18 months planning for a tournament in Bangladesh, doubling down on a spin-heavy strategy, Knight backed the ICC’s decision to shift the venue. “It’s obviously a shame for the Bangladesh team that they’re not going to have a home World Cup,” she said. “But I think it’s probably the right decision… the conditions will be slightly different, but not hugely.”England will arrive in Abu Dhabi on September 13, three weeks before their opening World Cup match, for a training camp. “[That is] the bit that’s a big advantage for us,” Jon Lewis, their head coach, said. “We’ve asked them to prepare wickets that are similar to what you would expect in the two stadiums, so by the time we get to the tournament itself, we think we’ll be really ready.”Dubai and Sharjah have only sporadically hosted women’s T20Is: Sharjah has staged 10 – most recently in 2017 – and Dubai only five, all between UAE and Namibia a year ago. It means that England are relying on data from men’s matches in their preparation, and are wary of going into the World Cup with too many preconceived ideas about conditions.”There’s obviously not been a huge amount of women’s cricket there, so you’re going off men’s stats,” Knight said. Lewis expects the toss to play a major role in floodlit games, as in the men’s T20 World Cup three years ago: “It will be a factor,” he said. “There are some subtle differences in terms of the wickets in Sharjah and the stadium in Dubai.”Lewis and Knight confirmed that England would have selected the same squad even if the tournament had stayed in Bangladesh, and played down concerns that they are one seamer light. “I don’t feel like we are,” Lewis said. “The thing that may be trickier for the spin bowlers is gripping the ball with some dew… but we do know that spin is really effective in the women’s game in general.”Lauren Filer was the only player to feature in England’s home T20Is this summer to miss out on selection, though will travel to Abu Dhabi for next month’s training camp. She was edged out by Linsey Smith, the left-arm spinner, who Lewis suggested covered more bases: “In the Powerplay, she’s a really effective bowler, and then she can bowl through the middle and the death.”Knight described Filer as being “really unlucky to miss out” and was impressed by her performances during the Hundred, despite her only taking six wickets in eight matches. “She bowled brilliantly without taking the wickets that she deserved,” Knight said. “But the squad we’ve picked gives us the most flexibility around potential conditions that we might face.”

Last-minute cash injection of USD $20 million causes ‘outrage and alarm’ among board directors

Nagraj Gollapudi16-Jul-2024No sooner had India beaten USA on June 12 in the 2024 T20 World Cup at the Nassau County International stadium in New York than cricket’s first fully modular stadium was being brought down, packed and folded up. Cranes were at the venue before both teams had left, to remove the four drop-in pitches, with workers ready to dismantle the stands, to be returned to Las Vegas Formula One, from where most of the infrastructure had been borrowed by ICC.The New York project was among the most ambitious the ICC has undertaken with the venue built from scratch in 106 days. However, questions have hovered over the USA leg, where 16 of the 55 World Cup matches were hosted, almost from the moment the tournament began. Now the ICC Board, which meets this weekend in Colombo, will zoom in on several of those questions, in particular the claims that costs of the US leg significantly overshot the original budget, why that might have been the case, and who should be held responsible for it.According to one board director, the ICC Board had initially approved a budget in the range of US $40-50 million for the USA leg of the tournament. Though ESPNcricinfo has not been able to independently verify that amount, the director said in that initial estimate, $15 million was meant for operational expenses and roughly $30 million for the construction of the temporary stadium outside New York City.However, on the eve of the World Cup, T20 World Cup USA Inc, the US-based entity created by the ICC’s commercial arm IBC (ICC Business Corporation) to run the US leg, sent in a request for an additional $20 million. This “outraged and alarmed” a number of board directors, according to a second director, not least the fact that the request was made at the last minute. Why, the director asked, were no red flags raised with the board at any stage before the request?According to one official who was involved in the organising and running of the tournament, however, the $20 million T20 World Cup USA Inc sought was not additional budget, but to support cash flow: “T20 Inc had to pay people and needed a cash injection as a loan.”Several directors expressed reservations about the inflated expenditure leading to the request for the loan, among them CWI President Dr Kishore Shallow, ICC deputy chairman Imran Khwaja and Pankaj Khimji who is one of the three Associate directors on ICC Board. Other heads of Full Member boards also had their concerns. Khimji is believed to have sent an email last week to the ICC calling for an investigation into the US leg.Many of the fans who attended the T20 World Cup’s US leg were of subcontinent origin•Getty ImagesThe CWI were the main hosts of the T20 World Cup, after the ICC had stripped USA Cricket of its powers to be the co-host, due to the board being mired in governance and finance issues. That meant that T20 World Cup USA inc. effectively became the Local Organising Committee for the USA leg. The new company was registered as a not-for-profit company and is independent of the ICC. Former Australian Football League player Brett Jones, who had a rookie contract with Western Australia and held several roles in state cricket, was appointed its CEO with broadcast industry veteran Peter Hutton as the chair. Former West Indies batter Adrian Griffiths, a former ICC senior manager for umpires and referees, was heading the operational side.The original plan was for both a CWI-appointed LOC and T20 World Cup USA Inc. to work together, but more than one official involved in operations said that “all communication had broken down” between the two as the tournament progressed.The questioning is not going to be restricted to the US leg alone. Some directors on the ICC Board are expected to highlight the hits to the image of the tournament because of the questionable quality of pitches at some venues, as well as empty stands during the Caribbean leg. Despite the surfaces having been kept fresh, the slow and uneven nature of the pitches as well as the outfield raised immediate questions about whether they were conducive to T20 cricket.One example was the first semi-final at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba where South Africa beat Afghanistan on a surface which the latter’s head coach Jonathan Trott criticised as “not the pitch that you want to have … a semi-final of a World Cup.”One person who has played a key role at all ICC events over the past two decades is Andy Atkinson, the global body’s pitch consultant, who usually visits the shortlisted venues months in advance to ensure the quality of the surfaces and outfield. Atkinson, it is learned, was not to be seen during this World Cup, raising concerns as to who exactly was in charge.Related

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Another issue was the swathes of empty seats around the grounds in the Caribbean starting with the tournament opener at Providence stadium in Guyana where West Indies played Papua New Guinea, watched by sparse crowds. That game was a day match, the timings of which were mainly responsible for the low turnouts across the Caribbean leg.Day matches were arranged with the Indian broadcast market in mind, with the broadcaster keen to beam the games – especially those involving India along with both semi-finals and the final – at prime time in India: 8pm in India meant 10.30am starts in the Caribbean. While that was a clear deterrent, officials point out CWI had the largest marketing budget of any T20 World Cup to promote the event in the Caribbean alone.It is customary for the ICC Board to review each global tournament, but in this case, there is a sense that questions need to be answered and accountability to be apportioned. As such, all eyes will be on CWI, as the main hosts of the tournament, as well as senior ICC management.In 2021, when the ICC finalised USA as tournament co-hosts along with West Indies, the plan was to exploit the untapped market in America which has a young and growing diaspora from the subcontinent. With the International Olympic Committee including cricket as part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, the US leg was, in theory, a dress rehearsal.On that front, more than one director said the ICC had been successful in achieving some “mileage”. But questions around the marketing spend on the US leg are justified. A key indicator of its success will hinge on whether the game broke through beyond an already captive audience of subcontinent origin.Most of the answers will likely come during the October round of ICC’s quarterly meetings when the audited accounts for the World Cup will be ready for the ICC Board to refer to.

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.

Expand Collapse

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.

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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

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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

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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.