Manchester United vs Arsenal has become one of the biggest fixtures in the WSL calendar since it was first played in 2019. The most recent meeting between the sides on Sunday afternoon was watched by a crowd in excess of 8,000 for the third year in a row at Leigh Sports Village.
A new Man Utd Women record
Manchester United proudly announced in the days leading up to Arsenal's visit to Leigh that 9,000 had been sold for the fixture between the ambitious Red Devils and the reigning European champions. On the day, that translated into 8,665 fans going through the turnstiles, meaning a new club record for a women's game at the stadium, the primary home of the team. Neither set of fans went home fully satisified, watching a 0-0 draw that saw plenty of midfield action and creativity, but few really clear chances.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThere's something about the Gunners
Every time United have hosted Arsenal at Leigh Sports Village in the last three seasons, more than 8,000 people have attended. Each one, in 2023-24 (8,312), 2024-25 (8,348) and now 2025-26 (8,665), has represented a new record for the club. Intriguingly, games that United have hosted at the stadium against other rivals like Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool are yet to break through the 8,000 barrier. A competitive rivalry against Arsenal has been brewing for a number of seasons, usually competing for the same places in the league table, adding to the appeal, while Gunners fans also deserve credit for typically travelling in bigger numbers than any other visiting side – even those that are geographically closer.
Man Utd vs Arsenal: Why it also marks a wider WSL record
With an official capacity of 12,000, Leigh Sports Village is the largest stadium in the WSL that is not also the primary home for a Premeir League team or a club's male counterpart – i.e not Old Trafford, Emirates Stadium, Stamford Bridge, etc. By welcoming 8,665 fans on Sunday, United broke their own record for the league's biggest attendance for a game played outside one of those men's football stadiums.
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Getty Images SportWhen are Man Utd Women next playing at Old Trafford?
As it stands, United have two WSL games this season planned for Old Trafford – against Aston Villa on November 8 and Manchester City on March 29. Last term, apathy off the back of a disappointing 2023-24 campaign saw just 8,761 people watch an opening fixture against West Ham at the famous stadium, nicknamed the Theatre of Dreams. But the attendance for a Manchester derby towards the end of 2024/25 later exceeded 31,000. United's overall club attendance record for a women's game stands at 43,615, also from a Manchester derby, in November 2023.
Bayern Munich legends Didi Hamann and Lothaur Mathhaus have slammed supremo Uli Hoeness for his harsh criticism of sporting director Max Eberl.
Hoeness makes controversial comments about EberlHamann slams Bayern chiefMatthaus clarifies he doesn't get along with chiefFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Bayern's honorary president caused a stir with his criticism of Eberl after a busy transfer window that saw the German giants miss out on several high-profile targets, including their failed public pursuit of Nick Woltemade. As well as claiming that Eberl is "quite sensitive", Hoeness said that he and fellow board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge will hand over Bayern's business when they have the right people in the right position, which Hamann believes was a dig at the under-fire sporting director. The former player has demanded that the duo sort things out by communicating privately instead of publicly criticising each other. Matthaus, on the other hand, has stated that he found Hoeness' comments embarrassing.
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As well as missing out on the signing of Woltemade, despite reaching an agreement with the new Newcastle striker, the Bavarians also saw Florian Wirtz head to the Premier League despite Hoeness' best efforts to snap him up. Attempts to sign Nico Williams and Bradley Barcola also collapsed, but the German champions were able to splash out £66 million ($88m) to sign Luis Diaz from Liverpool. Bayern hoped to make another big attacking signing but settled for the arrival of Nicolas Jackson on an expensive loan that Hoeness says has no chance of becoming permanent due to the conditions of the £56m ($76m) obligation to buy.
Hoeness warned that granting Eberl's request to buy a player would have been disastrous for the club financially, but his dig about Eberl's sensitivity is what angered Hamann, who feels such public debates will only lead to a breakup.
WHAT HAMANN AND MATTHAUS SAID
Hamann said to : "The statements lead me to believe that the relationship will end in the foreseeable future. I don't know how things should continue after what was said. They shouldn't talk about each other publicly, but rather with each other. These are things they have to resolve at some point."
Matthaus also addressed the issue, saying: "I found most of what Uli said embarrassing. Not only regarding me or Max Eberl, but also his statements regarding Nicolas Jackson's contract details. Hoeness criticises transfer fees, but Bayern itself participates in and contributes to these. That's why I don't know what Uli wants from me. They also took the €30 or €35 million for [Kingsley] Coman from Saudi Arabia. There are many contradictions there. If Bayern didn't need a player, they wouldn't spend €75 million on Luis Diaz. After the departures of [Thomas] Muller, [Leroy] Sane and then Coman, they were suddenly under pressure and signed Diaz and Jackson. Max Eberl should actually be handling the transfers on his own, but ultimately, everything has to be approved from the top."
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Getty Images SportWHAT'S NEXT FOR BAYERN?
Bayern are off to a strong start in the Bundesliga despite the off-field drama around the Allianz Arena. They are in action on Saturday against newly-promoted Hamburg, who have taken one point from their first two games.
The 2025 ILT20 will clash with the BBL, SA20 and New Zealand’s Super Smash
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2024Lockie Ferguson, Fakhar Zaman, Shai Hope, Romario Shepherd, Jason Roy and Ibrahim Zadran are among the T20 stars in line to make their debuts in the ILT20 after having been signed by various franchises for the third season of the six-team tournament in the UAE.England allrounders Gus Atkinson and Tom Curran will return to the competition, having played for Desert Vipers in the first season. While Atkinson, who made his Test debut this year, will turn out for Sharjah Warriors, Curran will play for season-one winners Gulf Giants.Ferguson, the New Zealand fast bowler who recently knocked back his national contract, has been signed up by Vipers. Ferguson was snapped up by Sydney Thunder on a US$360,000 platinum contract during the BBL draft, and it is understood he will be available for Thunder for the first half of the BBL until early January before he heads to the UAE to link up with Vipers for the ILT20, which will begin on January 11 and will clash with all of the BBL, SA20 and Super Smash (New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition).ESPNcricinfo LtdFerguson’s recent T20 form is encouraging. In June in Tarouba, he returned figures of 4-4-0-3, becoming only the second bowler to deliver four maidens in a T20I. Then, in the 2024 MLC, he was among the key bowlers for champions Washington Freedom, taking ten wickets in seven games at an economy rate of 7.26.Ferguson will work with left-arm quicks Mohammad Amir and Luke Wood, who both were retained by Vipers. Pakistan batter Fakhar will also join Vipers.Adam Milne, who also rejected a New Zealand central contract, will link up with Warriors. He will reunite with New Zealand team-mate Tim Seifert, who had recently turned down his domestic contract with Northern Districts to pursue franchise T20 opportunities at Warriors. Seifert is currently with Daren Sammy’s St Lucia Kings in CPL 2024. He is then set to turn out for Melbourne Renegades – he has confirmed full availability for the next two BBL seasons – before joining Warriors at the ILT20. Seifert will miss at least a part of the Super Smash, and won’t be in contention for the white-ball series against Pakistan over Christmas and New Year.New Zealand fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn, who had also turned down a contract with Northern Districts at domestic level, will return to Dubai Capitals for the upcoming season. Hope, who made his IPL debut for Delhi Capitals earlier this year, will turn out for their affiliate Dubai in ILT20 2025. In the injury-enforced absence of Imran Tahir, Hope is captaining Guyana Amazon Warriors in the ongoing CPL.Related
ILT20 2025 to start and end in Dubai amid clash with SA20, BBL and BPL
Joe Burns, the former Australia batter who has now moved to Italy, is among Capitals’ new signings. The franchise has also invested in Garuka Sanketh, the 19-year-old Sri Lankan slinger who was with Delhi Capitals as a net bowler in IPL 2024. Sanketh’s release point is believed to be slightly higher than that of Matheesha Pathirana, who worked with Sanketh at Colombo Strikers in LPL 2024.Sanketh, however, is largely untested in T20 cricket, having played just nine games so far while picking up six wickets at an economy rate of just under ten.As for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, they will welcome familiar faces Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who was part of Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning squad during IPL 2024, and Terrance Hinds, who is currently in action for Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL.Afghanistan mystery spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar will work with Sunil Narine at ADKR•ACBGhazanfar, 18, is an Afghanistan mystery spinner who can bowl with the new ball and across phases in T20 cricket. A day before he was unveiled as Knight Riders’ new ILT20 signing, he triggered a South Africa collapse in Sharjah with figures of 10-2-20-3 in an ODI. West Indians Roston Chase and Gudakesh Motie will also join Hinds at ADKR.Meanwhile, Ibrahim, who was the highest run-getter at the T20 World Cup 2024, and Wahidullah Zadran, an uncapped mystery spinner from Paktia, were among Gulf Giants’ latest signings. Wahidullah, who is only 16, is a spinner in the mould of Mujeeb Ur Rahman. He was recognised as the best bowler in the Qosh Tepa National T20 Cup 2024 in Afghanistan.At MI Emirates, Shepherd will reunite with West Indian T20 stalwarts Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo. Shepherd has also played for Mumbai Indians in the IPL and MI New York in the MLC. Itay’s Thomas Draca, who played for Brampton Wolves in the Global T20 Canada 2024, will also work with Shepherd at MI Emirates.The third season of the ILT20 is scheduled to be played in 2025 from January 11 to February 9 in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.Abu Dhabi Knight RidersNew signings: Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Gudakesh Motie, Hassan Khan, Roston Chase and Terrance HindsRetentions: Aditya Shetty, Ali Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Andries Ghous, Charith Asalanka, David Willey, Joe Clarke, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper and Sunil NarineDesert VipersNew signings: Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Fakhar Zaman, Lockie Ferguson and Max HoldenRetentions: Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Luke Wood, Michael Jones, Mohammad Amir, Nathan Sowter, Sherfane Rutherford, Tanish Suri and Wanindu HasarangaDubai CapitalsNew signings: Adam Rossington, Brandon McMullen, Garuka Sanketh, Gulbadin Naib, Jeffrey Vandersay, Joe Burns, Joe Weatherley, Najibullah Zadran, Obed McCoy, Scott Kuggeleijn, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Shai HopeRetentions: Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Dushmantha Chameera, Haider Ali, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell, Sam Billings, Sikandar Raza, Zahir Khan, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Oliver StoneGulf GiantsNew signings: Adam Lyth, Dominic Drakes, Daniel Worrall, Ibrahim Zadran, Mark Adair, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills and Wahidullah ZadranRetentions: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Jordan, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gerhard Erasmus, Jamie Overton, James Vince, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Mohammad Zuhaib Zubair, Rehan Ahmed, and Shimron HetmyerMI EmiratesNew signings: Romario Shepherd, Tom Banton, Fareed Ahmad, Thomas Jack Draca, Ben CharlesworthRetentions: Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Nosthush Kenjige, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar SalamkheilSharjah WarriorzNew signings: Adam Milne, Adil Rashid, Ashton Agar, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Daniel Sams, Gus Atkinson, Harmeet Singh, Jason Roy, Karim Janat, Keemo Paul, Matthew Wade, Virandeep Singh and Tim SeifertRetentions: Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah, Kusal Mendis, Luke Wells, Peter Hatzoglou and Tom Kohler-Cadmore
Recent history suggests that Leeds United are going to find it incredibly difficult to avoid an instant relegation from the Premier League next season.
The last six teams to have been promoted from the Championship have been relegated in their first season back in the top-flight in the last two campaigns, including Southampton, Leicester, Ipswich, Burnley, Sheffield United, and Luton.
This illustrates the huge gap in quality between the two divisions and shows that the Whites will not find the step up easy, despite their 100-point haul in the second tier.
Daniel Farke, of course, already has experience of how difficult it can be, as his Norwich City side were relegated in the 2019/20 campaign, after they had won the Championship title the previous season.
However, his Canaries team went up alongside Aston Villa and Sheffield United, and both of those teams avoided the drop in their first year back in the Premier League.
There were many reasons that those sides stayed up and Farke’s Norwich outfit did not, but a key player in Villa’s success since their promotion has been all-action midfielder John McGinn.
Why Leeds United need a player like John McGinn
Without meaning to state the obvious, the Premier League is an incredibly high-quality division that requires a high level of both technical quality and athleticism in order for players and teams to shine.
It is not enough to just be technically sound, if you do not have the athleticism to match it, and it is not enough to just have physical qualities, as you need to be technically good enough to compete.
McGinn has been a key player for Villa since earning promotion with the club in 2019 because he has the physical and technical qualities required to be a star in the middle of the park, racking up 203 appearances in the Premier League to date.
The Scotland international has provided a threat at the top end of the pitch for the Villans, with a return of 17 goals and 25 assists in those 203 outings, which shows that he can make a decent impact in the final third from a central midfield position.
McGinn can also compete out of possession with his peers in the top-flight. In the 2024/25 campaign, for example, he averaged 1.5 tackles and interceptions per game and won 4.1 duels per match in midfield.
Leeds need their own version of the Scottish star because they need players who can compete technically and physically in the Premier League, and they are reportedly eyeing a gem who could be Farke’s own version of the Villa ace.
Leeds in talks to sign Ligue 1 star
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Leeds United are in talks to sign Strasbourg central midfielder Habib Diarra to bolster their options in the middle of the park.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Italian reporter stated: “They are in negotiations for the player. He’s really appreciated.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
“Diarra is one of the most appreciated options internally, but it’s not an easy deal because of the valuation, so it’s still complicated to make it happen. But Leeds are trying.”
It was previously reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post that the Championship champions have already had an offer of £22m rejected by the French side for the midfielder, and it remains to be seen exactly how much it will take to secure his signature this summer.
Senegal's Habib Diarra in action against England's Eberechi Eze.
Leeds are in talks, per Romano’s latest update, though, and they will now be hoping to strike an agreement with Strasbourg in the weeks to come.
Why Leeds should sign Habib Diarra
The Whites should be pushing to get a deal over the line for the 21-year-old central midfielder because he has the potential to be Farke’s own version of John McGinn.
Per FBref, the Aston Villa star is the most comparable player to Diarra in the Men’s Big 5 Leagues and European competitions out of all attacking midfielders, based on their respective statistics over the past 365 days.
As you can see in the chart above, McGinn and Diarra excel in similar areas of the game, particularly in possession, and this means that the Senegal international could come in and have a similar impact at Elland Road as the Scottish dynamo has had at Villa Park.
The Leeds target has been a regular for Strasbourg in Ligue 1 in recent seasons, which means that he has already proven himself in one of Europe’s major leagues. Whereas, the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev, and Ao Tanaka have all yet to establish themselves as top-flight players.
Diarra, who scored against England for Senegal in June, caught the eye with his impressive performances in and out of possession in the French top-flight in the 2024/25 campaign.
Appearances
30
xG
3.34
Goals
4
xA
4.27
Assists
5
Recoveries per 90
3.44
Duels won per 90
3.78
Tackle success rate
59%
As you can see in the table above, the right-footed dynamo has similar attributes to McGinn in the middle of the park, as he can deliver goals and assists whilst also winning duels and being efficient as a tackler.
The 21-year-old star, who was described as a “complete” midfielder by analyst Ben Mattinson, can combine solid defensive work off the ball with the potential to be a difference-maker in the final third with his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Senegal's Ismaila Sarr celebrates withHabibDiarraand Cherif Ndiaye after scoring their first goal
Diarra could, therefore, be Farke’s own version of McGinn at Elland Road, and be a Premier League-ready talent for the Whites to put in their starting XI on day one in August.
As aforementioned, Leeds need players who can combine physical and technical qualities if they want to avoid an instant relegation, and signing the Strasbourg star would mean that they have one more of them in the door.
Leeds open talks with agent of "talented" Champions League level star
Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on their second signing of the summer after their permanent deal for Mathys Tel, and the fee Spurs are about to pay for their newest arrival has set a record.
Tottenham preparing bid for £30m colossus wanted by Napoli, Milan and Inter
Spurs could scupper Antonio Conte in the race for his signature.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 21, 2025
Spurs missed out on FC Copenhagen starlet Roony Bardghji earlier this week, with Barcelona ultimately winning the race for his signature, but Thomas Frank is still expected to be backed with more forward additions.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
One of their key aims before deadline day on September 1 is signing another proven winger, and one who could replace Son Heung-min if he does in fact leave the club for Saudi Arabia after 10 years.
“Son will get a big-money contract if he moves to Saudi Arabia,” said ex-Lilywhites scout Bryan King to Tottenham News recently.
“Everyone else who has gone there has received a big-money offer, so why would a player of Son’s stature not receive that same kind of offer.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Tottenham receive a similar fee for Son as they did for Harry Kane. Son has been at Tottenham for 10 years, and he’s been a marvellous servant to the club. He has one year left on his contract, and Tottenham could cash in, as could the player.”
West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus, Man City outcast Jack Grealish, Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo have all been linked recently, as has Lazio’s Gustan Isaksen, with Frank reportedly very keen to sign the Dane (Lalaziosiamonoi.it).
However, they could also bolster their ranks with fresh young defensive talent, and that is expected to be the case with Kawasaki Frontale gem Kota Takai.
The 20-year-old, standing at a towering 6 foot 4, is apparently on the verge of joining Spurs from the J-League.
Tottenham agree £5 million fee to sign Kota Takai
Tottenham will pay around £5 million to sign Takai, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, and this is apparently a J-League “record” for a Japanese player from that division.
Sharing further background on their surprise move for the talent, which practically came out of nowhere, reliable journalist Alasdair Gold has claimed that Takai was personally identified by technical director Johan Lange as a promising young player for the first-team, and one who could make a similar impact to the likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr after a brief settling in period.
Takai has already won four senior caps for Japan at international level, and captained Kawasaki against Yokohoma F. Marinos back in April – a game where he also got on the scoresheet in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
He also played a key role at the back for Kawasaki in their run to the Asian Champions League final, beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the semi-finals before they eventually lost out to Al-Hilal.
Since Mikel Arteta took charge of Arsenal in December 2019, he’s got more things right than wrong.
After all, the club were languishing in tenth place when he was handed the reigns, and he has turned them into perpetual challengers in the Premier League and now the Champions League.
Moreover, while he has made his fair share of dud signings – see wingers from the blue half of West London – he’s been key to securing some of the team’s current stars, like Declan Rice, Gabriel Magalhaes and David Raya.
However, when it comes to one player who was arguably allowed to leave too easily, many fans will point to Granit Xhaka, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club are now looking to sign someone with plenty of similarities to the Swiss international.
Arsenal transfer news
Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other midfielders linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, like Martin Zubimendi and Morgan Rogers.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former received the Fabrizio Romano ‘here we go’ treatment on Saturday morning, so he looks like he will be on his way to the Emirates in the summer, and given his vast experience with Real Sociedad and Spain, £51m feels like a fair deal. treatment on Saturday morning
On the other hand, Rogers remains a rumour at this stage, but with 14 goals and 14 assists to his name in 52 games this season, his reported £100m valuation doesn’t feel too absurd.
Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers
However, neither of these players could really be described as being similar to Xhaka, unlike Andrey Santos.
Yes, according to a recent report from France, Arsenal are now incredibly interested in signing the Chelsea ace, who’s currently on loan with Racing Club de Strasbourg.
The report claims that French giants Paris Saint-Germain are also keen to secure the Brazilian’s signature this summer but that the Gunners are ‘hard at work’ to bring him to the Emirates.
A price is not mentioned in the story, but according to a report from last month, the midfielder could be available for around £43m.
RC Strasbourg'sAndreySantosin action
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Santos’ ability and potential, it’s one Arsenal should be fighting for, especially as he shares some key similarities with Xhaka.
How Santos compares to Xhaka
So, before looking at some of the other reasons Arsenal might want to sign Santos this summer, what about his game makes him similar to how Xhaka was at his best in North London?
Arsenal'sGranitXhakacelebrates scoring their fourth goal
Well, the first thing is that, like the Swiss international, the Brazilian talent has the ability to play deeper as a six but is currently thriving as a more box-to-box midfielder who’s involved in everything from defence to attack.
For example, respected analyst Ben Mattinson claimed the Blues gem has “everything you want in a CM,” from “top tackling ability” to a real level of “composure in front of goal.”
We can see this in his underlying numbers, as according to FBref, the 21-year-old sits in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals and tackles, showing that he really can do both parts of the role incredibly well, as the former Gunners’ ace did in his final campaign in England.
Furthermore, if underlying numbers aren’t your cup of tea, then he’s got the raw output to back up the praise he’s received for his attacking prowess as well.
Santos’ 24/25
Appearances
33
Minutes
2934′
Goals
10
Assists
5
Goal Involvements per Match
0.45
Minutes per Goal Involvement
195.6′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In just 33 appearances for Les Bleu et Blanc, totalling 2934 minutes, the 5 foot 11 “duel monster,” as dubbed by Mattinson, has scored ten goals and provided five assists, coming out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.2 games, or every 195.6 minutes.
Ultimately, Santos would play second fiddle to Rice for a while, but given how incredibly well he has played in France this season, he would be the perfect backup.
Andrey Santos Chelsea
Therefore, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him, as he might just be their next Xhaka.
He's a dream for Saka: Arsenal doing lots of work to sign £67m "monster"
The sensational striker would be a game-changer for Arsenal.
Many Liverpool fans will likely be hoping that Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak will be playing Premier League football in red next season, but it doesn’t look likely.
The Magpies are third in the standings with five games to play, two points ahead of sixth-place Aston Villa, who sit just outside the Champions League-qualifying zone.
Newcastle – Remaining Premier League Fixtures
Date
Opponent
League Position
26/04/25
Ipswich Town (H)
18th
04/05/25
Brighton (A)
10th
10/05/25
Chelsea (H)
7th
18/05/25
Arsenal (A)
2nd
25/05/25
Everton (H)
13th
Having beaten Arne Slot’s side in the Carabao Cup final and set to restore their place at Europe’s elite table, Newcastle hold all the cards, and they aren’t willing to sell, even listing Isak north of £150m.
FSG, quite rightly, won’t entertain such talk and are gearing up to turn their attention elsewhere.
Newcastle striker Alexander Isak
After all, Liverpool will bring in a new number nine this summer, with Darwin Nunez all but confirmed to have entered the final weeks of his Merseyside career.
Liverpool set to sell Darwin Nunez
It’s been clear for several months, Liverpool having rejected winter approaches from Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League due to the importance of keeping the title-challenging squad together.
Fabrizio Romano has now updated the situation, claiming that Liverpool’s plan is to sell their club-record signing, Nunez having scored just seven goals across 42 matches for Slot’s Reds.
Nunez has only started once in the Premier League since Boxing Day, scoring in a win over bottom club Southampton last month.
Having missed 53 big chances in the Premier League since his 2022 arrival, Nunez hasn’t responded to Klopp and Slot’s tactics and can’t shake the erraticness from his final play, thus consigning him to a bittersweet exit, leaving disappointed but with a winner’s medal around his neck.
Liverpool'sDarwinNunezreacts
Isak may well be out of reach, but Liverpool are open to looking elsewhere. Now, news has emerged that FSG are in for a somewhat left-field forward.
Liverpool lining up Nunez replacement
As per Caught Offside, Liverpool are interested in signing Brentford’s star man, Bryan Mbeumo, this summer.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
In fact, the Champions Elect have received a boost in their pursuit, with Brentford – who are believed to be open to offers – willing to discuss Mbeumo’s sale for the right price this summer.
Mbeumo, 25, has been one of the Premier League’s standout forwards this season and is also being tracked by Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
Brentford's BryanMbeumolooks dejected after the match
The Cameroon international supposedly has a £50m price tag, something that has caused Newcastle United to pull out of the race.
Why Liverpool should sign Bryan Mbeumo
Mbeumo has proved over a number of years his capacity for goals and success in the Premier League, having been involved in 68 goals across 131 divisional outings.
This year alone, the versatile forward has netted 18 goals and laid on six assists across 32 top-flight appearances, a haul bettered only by Salah, Isak, Erling Haaland and Chris Wood.
Bryan Mbeumo – Brentford Stats by Position (24/25)
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Right winger
28
14
6
Centre-forward
6
4
1
Attacking midfield
1
0
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
Though he’s principally a right-sided forward, Mbeumo has been known to play as the focal frontman and has done so to a prolific effect.
We’ve seen throughout the campaign Slot’s willingness to reshape typical widemen – like Luis Diaz – into central attackers, and who’s to say it hasn’t worked out? Liverpool are on the cusp of the title, after all.
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
Affectionately described as a “mini-Salah” by talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy, Mbeumo carries the air of a goalscoring forward who brings much more to the table.
As per FBref, Mbeumo ranks among the top 8% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for goals scored and the top 12% for crosses made per 90.
This takes a step toward underscoring Mbeumo’s dynamism, chiefly a goalscorer but also willing to hang wide and whip crisp deliveries in.
The 32-year-old Salah might be staying put for the next couple of years, but he won’t be around forever. The Bees forward could eventually take the veteran’s berth in the years to come.
But for now, he’s more than capable of taking Nunez’s place as Liverpool’s centre-forward, perhaps sharing the berth with Diaz and Diogo Jota.
Given that Mbeumo has only missed eight big chances in the Premier League this term, having scored a whopping 18 times, fans won’t need to worry about Nunez-esque profligacy to hinder Liverpool in their efforts to retain their expected title.
Bryan Mbeumo celebrates for Brentford
But like all great forwards, those capable of starring for a top-performing outfit such as Slot’s Liverpool, Mbeumo isn’t a one-trick pony either.
He’s averaged 1.8 key passes per top-flight fixture and has created 16 big chances. He might take his share of set-pieces, but this denotes a ranged approach to his play that very much aligns with the role Salah performs with such matchless aplomb.
Analyst Ben Mattinson has recently dubbed Mbeumo as “one of the most deadly players in transition in the Prem,” further evidence – if you needed it – that he’s perfect for this Reds team.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot
Slot arrived in the Premier League with a reputation for being more ball-focused than his Anfield predecessor, but title-surging Liverpool only rank third in those standings with a 58% average.
This is, of course, not counter-attacking football, but Slot commands one of the deadliest teams in world football when on the break, making that final statement on the myriad reasons behind why this would be a good deal to end Nunez’s frustrating stay and sign the perfect Salah heir at the same time.
Firmino 2.0: Liverpool make "one of the best STs out there" a top target
FSG are going to reward Arne Slot’s Liverpool with a new centre-forward this summer.
Whoever you are as a batter, the Player of the T20 World Cup has a delivery to deal with you
Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Jul-2024An angled-in length ball that zips away to clip the stumps, a series of pinpoint yorkers tailing in, a wicked offcutter, a floater into the toes, a nasty throat-high bouncer, a whole over in the channel – whoever you are, if you have held a bat and you tried to hit a cricket ball with it, our guy has something that will shake you.The ambit of this article is to discuss Player of the Tournament Jasprit Bumrah’s exploits in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. But how to hem player in to parameters? No bowler can be all things to all humans. Bumrah comes close.The obvious starting points are the aesthetic marvels. In the final, his third ball, angled in to Reeza Hendricks, pitching on a line that suggested it was heading for middle and leg, darted deviously away to catch off stump two thirds up. This is, on first sight, perhaps the ball of the tournament – the Koh-i-Noor that glitters in India’s crown. Hendricks, bless him, had no chance. It is likely no other batter in this tournament would have done either.Related
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South Africa were winning, then came Jasprit Bumrah
You take that delivery, bleach the players’ clothes, put red dye into the ball, take the vast majority of the TV viewership away (sorry Test cricket, we wish you were more loved), and that off bail still does its wild somersaults. The bat still finds itself prodding balefully down the wrong line. The bowler still wheels away beaming.You could cut together a highlights reel for any bowler at this T20 World Cup, and as wonderful as many have been (Rashid Khan, Anrich Nortje, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Arshdeep Singh all had great tournaments), none have a collection of spectacular deliveries that quite have the dazzle of the Bumrah gems.If one magic ball in a major final is not enough, how’s a reverse-swinging full delivery to slip between bat and pad and graze leg stump in the 18th over (see you later, Marco Jansen)? In the semi-final, how’s a perfectly pitched offcutter to draw Phil Salt into a big shot down the ground, before spitting it past the inside edge and into the stumps? Or ball to Babar Azam on a spicy New York deck, angled in, pitched back of a length, making a mess of the batter’s decision-making, ending with a neat catch to first slip? How to match such a set for variety? For charisma?No matter what your skills are as a batter, Bumrah can find a way past your defences•Pankaj Nangia/ICC/Getty ImagesBut say you’re a sceptic/curmudgeon/pragmatist/bore. Sure, these were great deliveries, but were they not a mere handful of balls over the course of a month-long event?Not to worry. Bumrah’s got you covered.He may make more raids into the realms of the unplayable than most bowlers, but where Bumrah lives, where he has built a body of work, is by being unhittable. In this World Cup, largely played on bowler-friendly tracks, Bumrah took this bowling virtue to an extreme. No other bowler from a side that played in the Super Eight had a better economy rate than his 4.17. Of the 124 runs he conceded off 178 balls bowled, 32 runs were “not in control” by ESPNcricinfo’s measures – 26% of the runs he conceded.Bumrah had 15 wickets of his own in this tournament, but the data suggests that his magnificent control also created wicket opportunities for team-mates. Arshdeep, Bumrah’s most-frequent collaborator at the top and tail of an opposition innings, finished with 17 dismissals, equalling Farooqi’s tournament-high tally.
If you are of the inclination to wade way into nerd territory and look up economy rates by innings phase, you would be no less staggered by his domination. In the three World Cups played this decade (Bumrah missed the 2022 edition, but let’s give other bowlers a chance), Bumrah is the most economical powerplay bowler, the most economical death bowler, and the third-most economical middle-overs bowler.There is no portion of a T20 innings in which Bumrah is not the best option. So it turned out in Saturday’s final, when captain Rohit Sharma went to Bumrah right after Axar Patel was clobbered for 24 runs in the 15th over. Bumrah generally comes on later than the 16th, but with six immaculate balls, he conceded just four against two batters running riot, and hampered the opposition’s stride.We know roughly why Bumrah is so good. There are a variety of physical phenomena at play here: for a bowler who is as sharp as he is (140kph range), his release point is further forward than most, which means batters have a fraction less time to gauge length. He puts so much backspin on his fuller deliveries, they travel further in the air before pitching. Batters frequently play for balls in the slot, when they are getting yorkers or low full tosses instead.And then there is the control and the creativity. If Bumrah can’t beat you with pace or skill, he could still outthink you. At worst, he can dry up your runs.In the three-format age, no bowler has reaped skills from one, and sown their seeds so gloriously into the others. He has top-order Test wickets with slower balls, bowled Test-match lines and lengths to spectacular effect in T20s, and developed a host of transferable bowling skills such as reverse swing, plus the mental agility to know which drawer of delights to open at which time.Whoever you are, Bumrah’s got something that will shake you.
Bumble on hot tubs, mascot races, community engagement, and treading on egg-shells
David Hopps23-May-2022A familiar voice will be missing when the Vitality Blast begins its 20th year. David Lloyd, the commentator who has symbolized the tournament’s distinctive mix of deadly serious sport with a little fun on the side, will no longer play a leading role.Lloyd’s commentary career came to an abrupt end over the winter – he became collateral damage when the debate over racism and Azeem Rafiq was at its most feverish. He made some private observations about the challenges of integrating Muslim players into club cricket, pertinent yet trenchantly expressed. That confidence was broken, Rafiq bared his soul in his appearance before the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee in November and wheels began to turn. Apologies were made on all sides, understanding reached, wounds healed, but a few days before Christmas, Lloyd’s “retirement” was announced.If he is bitter about the circumstances of his departure, he is wise enough, human enough, to leaven it with good humour. He also knew deep down that the tone of cricket commentary was shifting and, as his 75th birthday loomed, it was not playing to his advantage, not even to one of the finest raconteurs the game has ever known.”I grew up with Elvis and the Stones and there was a poor man’s Elvis at the time called PJ Proby who was most famous for splitting his trousers on stage,” he mused. “He once had a No. 1 hit with a song called ‘I Apologise’. He’d make a fortune now.”I will miss working on the Blast incredibly, just as much as Test cricket, but it is a different age and you can’t get away from that fact. And it’s not my style to watch your Ps and Qs. Somebody else can do that.Related
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“My first T20 game was down at Hove with Charles Colvile. It reminded me so much of how 40-over cricket had taken county cricket by storm a generation earlier. The counties backed it up with gimmicks and at that particular one there was a fun fair. Charlie was always saying ‘all the fun of the fair’, it was one of his fall-back lines, and he said to me ‘I see the screamer’s here’. I said: ‘Is she really? I’ve not seen her for ages’. Imagine doing that now.”The hot tubs stay in my memory. The Worcester one was full of models and I had to go and chat to them. At Leicester they made it a more mature hot tub and it was bubbling up to which I said ‘Is that a machine or is it you?’ Different times.”Lloyd tells how the pressure on commentators used to be the reverse.”When Mark Nicholas went to Channel 9 years ago, he thought he was doing fine. Then the call came through on the red phone, a direct line to Kerry Packer. The big boss. The man who caused the explosion in one-day cricket. Mark thought that he was doing great and was summoned to see him. ‘I want you to entertain me,’ said Packer. ‘You’re boring me rigid.'”Anything went and that has been unbelievably reined in. You were encouraged then to take it to the limit. Take a risk. Now you have to be PC. I was on egg-shells a bit by the end. There was more of a danger of a call from upstairs.”Lloyd’s love affair with cricket remains as strong as ever. He is as proud a Lancastrian as ever, and is excited to be part of Lancashire’s in-house coverage, Lancs TV, this summer, but he now lives in North Yorkshire on the other side of the Pennines. The rural life suits him.He has made a miniature cricket ground in his back garden, big enough to stage an U-13 game, complete with old-fashioned pull roller, groundsman’s hut and a wooden bench where he can tell old stories till the end of time. “I’m getting some tins for the scoreboard,” he said, with a relish that is impossible to resist. There has always been a touch of eccentricity in Bumble. It is what gives him his life force.Consider this for an eccentric notion. David Lloyd – with the weight behind him of 407 first-class matches and 288 List A games, over 21 seasons, spells as a first-class umpire and England coach, and rounded off with a 22-year commentary stint that made him one of the most loved figures in English cricket – thinks the Blast is a better T20 tournament than the IPL.No wonder he often used to go to the pub in disguise.”I think the Blast is the best T20 competition in the world – not for its quality necessarily, but for its longevity, the joy that it brings to spectators in the UK culminating in one of the greatest days in the cricket calendar – Finals Day – which I used to dread. Fourteen hours, full on, with a mascot race when I didn’t have a clue what they were doing and the Hollies Stand where they don’t know what day it is from 10 o’clock in the morning.Performing as Johnny Cash, alongside Andrew Flintoff’s Elvis, during Finals Day at Edgbaston in 2017•Getty Images”I have worked on the IPL, but it is a private enterprise and benefiting already wealthy people. The T20 Blast is for the people and bringing money into the game. That’s a major factor for me in saying it is the best. The IPL fits an Indian audience because the players are Gods out there, but it is deadly serious. If I am doing a T20 game I’ll have a hoot. Blokes messing up and having a laugh, although serious enough that everyone cares about the outcome. I embraced the competition straightaway and could see that it is fun and entertainment.”Now the Blast is under pressure, part of a county game that feels under siege. Attendances were at record levels before the disruption caused by Covid, but since then the Hundred has been heavily marketed and a few county officials are looking at advance Blast ticket sales this summer with a little concern. The future of the professional game in England is impossible to predict.”The Hundred is fun and has brought new interest. But the problem is it doesn’t fit, it messes up too many other things. If you look at the three main players – ECB, Sky, BBC – ECB like it because it brings a shed-full of money, Sky’s viewing figures are high, and it gets the BBC into the game, a game that is short and that fits their schedules. But it kills county cricket.”Lloyd’s fondest memory of the Blast is the climax to the 2010 final when Hampshire’s Dan Christian called for a runner then inadvertently ran a leg-bye off the last ball himself. Somerset’s fielders could have pulled off a run-out, but nobody wised up to it and if the umpires hadn’t eventually called dead ball, the players might still have been out there, 12 years later.”I am commentating but, in my head, I am umpiring as well. Somerset look demoralised and eventually the umpire had to call dead ball because they didn’t appeal for the run-out. It reminded me of a similar occurrence at Derby when Ole Mortensen did exactly the same. Pete Willey was umpiring and he told a fielder to throw the ball to the keeper, and take the bails off. There was a matter-of-fact appeal. That’s out. ‘What?’ said Ole. He could swear a bit. ‘I’m in, he’s in, he’s in, we’re all in.’ ‘Yeah, but you should be in at that end.’Michael Vaughan is interviewed by Lloyd as he takes part in the mascot race•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesChat to Bumble about cricket and, in between a torrent of old tales from his playing days – Ken Higgs never having a shower, and David Steele nipping off the field during a South Africa tour because he had just spotted a mate in the crowd he hadn’t seen for years were among those that spilled into his mind on this occasion – it is not long before his bugbear about the pace of the game gets an airing.”When they started T20, the players themselves were unsure about it so it was a bit of a softly-softly approach and it was seen as a bit of a giggle. But it was a quick game. You had to be out there quickly as a batsman. Now the players have just said they’ll take as long as they want because there is no punishment, they’ll just swan around.”It was a better game when you had to get in to bat. You should have a ticking clock and if they don’t get to the crease in time, just bowl. The Laws of the Game say that when the bowler gets to the end of his run the batsman has to be ready. I’d add to that, if you’re not ready, just bowl.”I am perplexed that players don’t understand that the game needs pace. Everything has improved out of sight except the pace of the game. I’d implore players to put it right. I would think that umpires are told to cajole and try to move things on, but there is no comeback when they don’t. There are many reasons why cricket isn’t on terrestrial TV, but one of the reasons is the length of time it takes – they can’t schedule it. It has to finish on time.”There was still a chance to nudge him gently away from a string of tales of an old Derrick Robins tour of South Africa, and back to the Blast.One of his wishes is to see a Roses T20 match at Scarborough – although it will only happen if he volunteers to stump up the fall in revenue as a result. “That’s my favourite cricket ground in the world. I used to love the barracking when I played there for Lancashire. ‘Get back over’t bloody Pennines!’ Bluey Bairstow would march into our dressing room, telling us what pubs we’d be going to afterwards and how we’d all finish up in the chip shop.”A more feasible wish is simply for the counties to fill the grounds. He is influenced by too many low-key Blast nights at the more quiescent counties, where building up an atmosphere on commentary has been a thankless task. He watches non-league football at York City these days, but he also cares deeply for his home-town club, Accrington Stanley, one of the most famous names in football history, where the chairman, Andy Holt, “does community”. And, for Bumble, community matters.”People rubbish the Hundred and defend the Blast but, having done matches at Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Northants, there are 3,000 there. Market it better. Get your bars and hospitality working, have a fan zone before the game: £2.50 a pint, two live bands, if we win it’s a £1 a pint – just like we do at Accrington Stanley. Fill your ground, somehow. Your players deserve it. Get them into the ground. It’s a great night.”ESPNcricinfo LtdBumble picks his ‘Entertainers XI’1. Alex Hales
“An assassin, made for T20. Big levers and hits it a long way.”2. Luke Wright
“Reminds me of the old comedian Norman Wisdom, and he comes from Sussex as well. Little cheekie chappie, fantastic longevity.”3. Aaron Finch
“He once hit two simultaneous sixes at Old Trafford and hit the top of The Point. Extraordinary. A happy-go-lucky, powerful cricketer.”4. Samit Patel
“Never far away from a disaster. Great watching him. And he has lovely touch, power and supreme confidence with bat or ball.”5. Liam Livingstone
“He is from Cumbria. A tough lad. If there’s any bother he’ll sort it out.”6. Moeen Ali (captain)
“One of my favourite cricketers. He makes me chuckle. He reminds me of a league cricketer – he gives it a tonk, he bowls a bit and enjoys what he’s done. He is a terrific human being.”7. Andrew Flintoff
“I’m not leaving him out. More comebacks than Frank Sinatra. And one of the great crowd pleasers.”8. Shahid Afridi
“Another one to fill grounds. He thinks every ball should be hit for 10.”9. Phil Mustard (wicketkeeper)
“Got to have ‘The Colonel’ behind the stumps. I think he comes from a foreign country. Pick him up on the stump mic and you hadn’t a clue what he was saying.”10. Mark Wood
“There’s little more exciting than an ability to bowl at 150kph. And he’s a tee-totaller: just imagine how quick he’d be if he had a drink.”11. Luke Fletcher
“Epitomises county cricket. A complete throwback to when I played. Sweating and kicking, and looks like he gets a bit thirsty, but knows what he’s doing.”
A Phillies fan went viral for all the wrong reasons earlier this month when a home run ball close their seat was snatched by another fan who returned to his seat to give the ball to a young fan he attended the game with.
The fan who initially sat closer to the ball took exception to the move and marched over to the group to get the ball back. The man who initially ended up with the ball relented and passed it back in what was an awkward exchange. You can watch the moment below:
The internet, and even ESPN's anchors, had their day going off on the woman for her lack of perceived ballpark etiquette. It all worked out in the end, as the young fan who had the ball taken was given a new ball and a prize pack from the Marlins staff. Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader, who hit the controversial home run, sent him home with a signed bat too.
Nick Castellanos, another Phillies outfielder, weighed in on the moment with a different approach in an appearance on the podcast.
"Whenever I'm playing catch or I go, I always aim for a kid," he said via . "You always have that ambitious adult sometimes that will come and grab it but when I see that I don't just see a ball. I see a very frustrated lady for years that probably felt like she was getting the s— end of the stick. And now this thing happened, and she's like, 'I'm not finishing second here. I need this for me.'"
Betts and Castellanos discussed that the public doesn't know what's going on with the angered woman and maybe she was trying to get the ball for someone else. It's nice to see them giving a stranger the benefit of the doubt because you never know when someone else is having a bad day, but you have to hope that bad day doesn't impact a memorable moment for a young fan.
A different, closer angle of the moment came out where you can hear the fan arguing, "that was ours, you took it from me, that was in my hands." She probably didn't think the moment would gain as much steam as it did, especially to the point where players on the team she roots for are discussing it. The internet definitely let her have it, but it seems like Castellanos is giving her the benefit of the doubt.