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It didn’t start off that way, with Bangladesh reduced to 45 for 3 but there was little joy for Sri Lanka thereafter

Madushka Balasuriya17-Jun-2025

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim’s centuries deflated Sri Lanka•Associated Press

The first hour or so of play on the opening day of the Galle Test belonged to Sri Lanka. But after that, it was all Bangladesh, as Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim struck centuries during an unbroken stand of 247, to seize control of day one.By stumps, Shanto was unbeaten on 136 and had Mushfiqur right behind him on 105 not out. Seamer Milan Rathnayake was the most economical of the Sri Lanka bowlers, his 12 overs going for just 19 runs, but the bulk of the overs were bowled by the spin pair of Prabath Jayasuriya and debutant Tharindu Rathnayake. The wickets were split between Asitha Fernando and debutant Tharindu, but once Shanto and Mushfiqur were set, Sri Lanka rarely caused them trouble.Winning the toss and opting to bat is usually the obvious call in Galle, but this time in particular, with conditions more favourable than usual for batters, Shanto was rightfully chuffed when the toss fell his way. That smile though, had become closer to a grimace when he stood at the non-striker’s end watching a third Bangladeshi batter fall with not even 50 on the board.When Mushfiqur walked out to join him, Shanto himself had faced just three deliveries; it took him only until his sixth though to show that he would not be cowed by the situation, skipping down the track and smoking one back over Tharindu’s head. That set the tone, if not outright aggression and displayed resolute confidence.Najmul Hossain Shanto celebrates his first Test century since November 2023•Associated Press

Tharindu had at that point been building up a head of steam. Mominul Haque had gone after him, but the ambidextrous spinner had the last laugh. And prior to that, he had removed opener Shadman Islam. Shanto though, made it a mission to put Tharindu off his rhythm; he would end the morning session having struck at better than run-a-ball against the spinner, and would continue to target him as a release valve of sorts throughout the day. Of Shanto’s 15 boundaries (14 fours and a six), ten came off Tharindu.Tharindu eventually settled in and brought down his economy rate, but Shanto and Mushfiqur continued steadily on, the run rate always hovering around 3-3.5 an over. The session counters reflected as much – 90, 92 and 110. The last session might have been less, after Sri Lanka began utilising defensive lines for the first hour, but they got tired in the final hour and it allowed Bangladesh to tick along at nearly four an over during that period.Considering the batter-friendly nature of the pitch, an argument could be made for Bangladesh perhaps having been able to go harder at the Sri Lankan bowlers, but even with the pitch taking less turn on day one than what it has in the past, the conventional wisdom in Galle has been to bat first and long, and Bangladesh are set up to do just that.Angelo Mathews receives a guard of honour in his final Test•AFP/Getty Images

Sri Lanka for most of the morning, would not have imagined proceedings ending up like this. The day had begun with a felicitation and a guard of honour for the retiring Angelo Mathews, and then just 4.3 overs into the day’s play, Asitha got one to seam away and catch Anamul Haque’s edge.Tharindu then added to the celebratory mood, grabbing two wickets in consecutive deliveries (across two overs), a dream start to his Test career. But then things took a turn with the experience of Shanto and Mushfiqur coming into play.Sri Lanka too were guilty of perhaps over-bowling the debutant when it was clear he was being targeted, while they could also have possibly refrained from pairing him with Milan, who was creating pressure at one end only for it to be alleviated at the other. For instance, it took until an hour after the lunch break for Jayasuriya to be reintroduced, and by that time, both batters had neared fifties.That said, both Shanto and Mushfiqur batted with clear purpose and it meant that when Sri Lanka erred, they were waiting and ready to capitalise.

Sultans, who are bottom of the PSL table, have been left frustrated by the loss of a home game

Danyal Rasool27-Apr-2025

Multan Sultans have been left unhappy by the schedule change•PCB

Multan Sultans will play one fewer game at home after the PCB announced their clash against Karachi Kings on May 1 will be played in Lahore instead. It is one of two games affected by a reschedule, with Sultans’ home match against Quetta Gladiators pushed back by a day to May 11.The PCB said the decision was taken due to “operational ease and recent heatwaves in certain parts of the country”. Multan, the warmest of the four cities hosting the tournament, was due to host both of the rescheduled games in the afternoon, one of which will take place in Lahore while the other moves to the evening.However, Lahore has also been affected by extremely hot weather, with temperatures only about 3 degrees cooler on average than Multan. Further exacerbating logistical challenges was the departure of more than two dozen members of the production crew hailing from India earlier this week, in the wake of deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two countries.ESPNcricinfo has learned the decision has left Sultans feeling extremely frustrated. In talks with the PCB, Sultans proposed moving the game against Kings to May 6 in a bid to ensure they did not lose the advantage of playing at home. However, Kings objected to that proposal, saying it would disadvantage them. Had the game been played on that day, Kings would have played three games at three different venues across five days. They argued it left them with no rest for five days in a row, with each day a match or travel day.It was left to the PCB to mediate, who ended up deciding to stick to the original date for the Sultans-Kings game. Sultans are understood to be upset that the decision was communicated to them fait accompli, providing no further window for discussion or negotiation, and depriving them of a game at home against Kings. The PCB has defended its position, acknowledging Sultans’ disappointment but maintaining any alternate schedule would have resulted in fixture disruption for more teams.Sultans, who made each of the last four PSL finals and won the tournament in 2021, have endured a horror first half to the PSL. They sit bottom of the table, having lost five of their first six games, and likely need to win all remaining matches to have a realistic chance of making the playoffs.

Now that it’s closed, it would be fair to say West Ham United had a relatively good transfer window this summer.

They didn’t spend an egregious amount of money, and it took them a while to get going, but Graham Potter’s squad is now stronger than it was at the end of last season.

The pick of the signing might just be Mateus Fernandes, who enjoyed a strong first campaign (individually) in the Premier League with Southampton last year.

However, a player sold by David Moyes a few years ago is now being compared to the Portuguese ace.

Reviewing West Ham's transfer window

Alonfside Fernandes, West Ham made a number of exciting additions to Potter’s squad over the summer, such as El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The Senegalese international cost £19m from Czech outfit Slavia Prague, and while that’s no small amount, he’s already proving to be more than worth the outlay.

For example, he impressed in the pre-season, and then, in just three league appearances and one Carabao Cup game, he has racked up two assists from left-back and left wing-back.

On the other side, Kyle Walker-Peters has already shown why a number of teams were keen to sign him, as he’s already registered an assist in three appearances.

Even Callum Wilson, who was a signing that raised plenty of eyebrows, has started life in East London well enough, scoring a goal in the win over Nottingham Forest last week.

These three, plus the highly-rated Soungoutou Magassa and Fernandes, could end up looking like an excellent window come the end of the season.

Although as exciting as the Portuguese ace is, the club has already sold a player compared to him for a sizable loss in the past.

West Ham's original Fernandes

West Ham saw plenty of players come and go over Moyes’ two stints in the dugout, but in this instance, we are talking about Pablo Fornals.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

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The Spanish midfielder joined the club in the summer of 2019 for a fee of around £24m and went on to make 203 appearances, totalling 12,221 minutes.

During his time in East London, the “unbelievable” midfielder, as dubbed by journalist Karl Matchett, would score 23 goals, provide 19 assists, play in the Europa League and be a part of the iconic Conference League-winning side under Moyes.

However, minutes were harder to come by in the 23/24 season, and when Real Betis came knocking in the January window, the Hammers were happy to let him leave for around £6.8m – a £17.2m loss.

With all that said, then, where does this comparison to the Irons’ new boy Fernandes come from?

Well, it stems from FBref, which determined that the Portuguese ace has been the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spaniard across Europe’s top five leagues in the last 365 days.

We can gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by examining the underlying numbers in which the pair rank closely.

Fornals & Fernandes

Statistics per 90

Fornals

Fernandes

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.25

0.22

Passing Accuracy

80.0%

80.1%

Expected Assists

0.14

0.11

Shots

1.13

1.32

Ball Recoveries

5.62

5.58

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.34

0.28

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

These include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, ball recoveries, carries into the penalty area, passing accuracy and more, all per 90.

In other words, the 29-year-old looks to be as creative when it comes to passing, and just as effective a carrier of the ball.

Ultimately, Fernandes should be an excellent signing for West Ham, and it’s probably a good sign that he’s as comparable to as big a fan favourite as Fornals.

Related West Ham starlet looked a bigger talent than Rice & Paqueta, now he's got no club

The former West Ham gem’s career hasn’t gone to plan at all.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 5, 2025

Much focus is on Liverpool’s potential incoming signings on deadline day, but two players could also seal permanent moves away from Anfield.

Liverpool want Isak and Guehi on deadline day

It is threatening to be a memorable end to the summer transfer window for the Premier League champions, with Alexander Isak set to join in a British transfer record move from Newcastle United.

The Swede has been a key target for Liverpool all summer long, and it finally looks as though they will get their man, reportedly agreeing a £130m switch, beating the transfer record paid for Florian Wirtz earlier in the window.

Meanwhile, the Reds are also targeting a move for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, but the Eagles aren’t making it easy for them to sign their captain.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner has made it clear that they will only sell the England international if a replacement is brought in on time, but owner Steve Parish may not want to lose him for free next summer.

Away from Isak and Guehi, there is also outgoing business to ponder before the window slams shut, with a key update emerging in that respect.

Liverpool duo could depart before window closes

According to the reliable Paul Joyce of The Times on X, Joe Gomez and Harvey Elliott could leave Liverpool on deadline day, with the former potentially off to AC Milan and the latter being monitored by Aston Villa.

Gomez and Elliott are great squad options for the Reds, so them staying would be no bad thing, but there is also sense in allowing them to leave.

On £125,000-a-week-combined, the pair are far from regular starters for Liverpool, and if Guehi does arrive from Palace, Gomez’s minutes will likely become even more limited, despite an impressive late cameo in Sunday’s vital 1-0 win at home to Premier League title rivals Arsenal.

Related Liverpool close to deadline-day agreement to sign 25 y/o star with Isak

What a day this could prove to be for Reds supporters.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Sep 1, 2025

Should the duo depart, it would take Liverpool and FSG’s sales to over £200m this summer, with the likes of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Jarell Quansah among the most expensive departures.

Liverpool’s summer sales

Club joined

Fee

Luis Diaz

Bayern Munich

£60.6m

Darwin Nunez

Al-Hilal

£45.9m

Jarell Quansah

Bayer Leverkusen

£30.3m

Ben Doak

Bournemouth

£19.9m

Caoimnhin Kelleher

Brentford

£12.8m

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Real Madrid

£8.6m

Tyler Morton

Lyon

£8.6m

Nat Phillips

West Brom

£3m

Opinion on Elliott is likely to be more split than Gomez, given his age, but Wirtz’s signing has pushed him further down the pecking order, and he is at a point in his career where he needs to be a star player at a club.

Ismat Alam’s century on debut and Rashid Khan’s six-for bookended a day of dominance for Afghanistan, who will come back on the fifth and final day needing just two wickets to seal the match and the series against Zimbabwe.Ismat, who had come into the Test with a first-class average of 92 and had converted all four of his fifties at the level into centuries, also converted his maiden Test fifty into a century to help Afghanistan finish on 363, setting Zimbabwe 278 to win.After that, it was all Rashid magic as he ran through Zimbabwe, who fought back with a gritty fifth-wicket stand between captain Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza, but in the end Afghanistan were in a winning position at stumps.Zimbabwe had a bright start in their chase of 278. Ben Curran hit two late cuts as Zimbabwe took 12 runs off Fareed Ahmad’s first over. Seven runs came off the next over before the Afghanistan bowlers found more discipline and started to dry out the runs. While there was some movement on offer with the new ball, the fast bowlers could not really threaten the Zimbabwe openers.Spin was introduced in the tenth over in the form of Zia-ur-Rehman and the left-arm spinner struck in his third over. Joylord Gumbie had reverse-swept him for four off the first ball of the over, but when he went for another reverse-sweep he ended up gloving the ball behind to first slip.From there on in, it was the Rashid show for Afghanistan. He first got one to spin in from the rough outside off to knock Curran over. In the next 37 balls, Zimbabwe managed just 14 runs and Takudzwanashe Kaitano released the pressure by authoritatively pulling Fareed for a six over backward square leg.Rashid then changed ends and drew the top edge from Kaitano as he went for a sweep. Abdul Malik ran across from slip to take the catch down the leg side, giving Zimbabwe another breakthrough just before tea.Blessing Muzarabani walks back with his career best innings figures of 6 for 95•Zimbabwe Cricket

In the third over of the final session, Dion Myers slashed at a wide delivery from Rashid and got a thick edge for four, but Rashid hit back by trapping him in front with a wrong’un, for his 400th international wicket.At 99 for 4, Zimbabwe were in trouble but the senior pair of Raza and Ervine combined to frustrate Afghanistan with a 58-run stand. They were watchful and kept the runs ticking with plenty of singles in the absence of close-in fielders. They hit just the one boundary in a partnership that lasted 19 overs.Rashid finally broke through, although it had little to do with his bowling. Raza, ever so watchful until then, was tempted into a drive as Rashid threw down a half-volley outside off, but he couldn’t get it over the cover fielder, much to his frustration.Sean Williams, nursing a back injury from the first day of the Test, was next on Rashid’s radar, as he got another one to spin in from the rough outside off to crash into off stump with Williams missing a sweep. That completed Rashid’s fifth Test five-for in just eight games. One ball later, he darted in a quick, flat legbreak that spun past the outside edge to crash into Brian Bennett’s off stump.In the next over, Zia trapped Newman Nyamhuri, as Zimbabwe lost three wickets in seven deliveries, still 100 runs away from their target.Ervine fought on for Zimbabwe, hitting Rashid for two boundaries either side of the wicket in the next over before depositing Zia over midwicket. He took Zimbabwe past 200 with a cover drive and hit another boundary down the ground – a misfield at long-on that helped him to a second half-century in the match.Soon after, Zimbabwe’s No. 10 Richard Ngarava pulled up holding his calf, and with lights fading, it brought on stumps with Zimbabwe still needing 73 and Afghanistan two wickets from victory.Afghanistan began the day 205 runs ahead and scored quickly with Ismat and Rashid finding the boundary regularly. But the latter failed to get out of the way of a Blessing Muzarabani bouncer and gloved a catch behind to give him his maiden Test five-wicket haul.Ismat carried on, hitting three fours in four overs after Rashid’s dismissal, and went past Ibrahim Zadran’s 87 in 2019 for the highest score by an Afghanistan batter on Test debut. With Zimbabwe spreading the field, he was forced to slow down but with Yamin Ahmadzai for company, he brought up his century and celebrated with a series of fist pumps. The celebrations were worth it after he had fallen for a two-ball duck in his maiden international innings.He fell on 101, miscuing a pull off Muzarabani, after which Afghanistan added just seven runs.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to attempt a bid for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, with Lilywhites chiefs now holding an intriguing theory behind-the-scenes.

A move for the 27-year-old has been brought to the very forefront of Thomas Frank’s transfer plans, especially after the Dane lost star playmaker James Maddison.

Maddison is expected to miss a large portion of 2025/2026 after rupturing his ACL in a pre-season draw against Newcastle nearly two weeks ago, so Spurs’ glaring need for a new playmaker has now intensified.

Tottenham were already in the market for number 10 and failed with a once-very advanced move for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White last month. Daniel Levy originally planned to head into the new season with both Maddison and Gibbs-White, but Frank’s now got neither at his disposal for their opening Premier League game of the season against Burnley on Saturday.

As Levy and technical director Johan Lange attempt to end the summer transfer window on a high, they’re set to make a formal bid for Eze to solve Tottenham’s shortage of attacking options.

“Tottenham are set to make a bid for Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze,” wrote talkSPORT earlier this week.

“Spurs view the England attacker as a No.10 and their pursuit is separate to the club’s interest in Manchester City winger Savinho as a result.

“Spurs are hoping to move quickly and have been told by Eze’s camp terms will not be a problem. Eze is open to the move, and wants to both play Champions League football and ideally stay in London.”

A move for the England international, who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, is very much alive.

Eze’s £68 million release clause is believed to expire on Friday, but it is likely irrelevant, as Tottenham want to pay a similar fee to that of Mohammed Kudus – who they signed for around £55 million earlier in the window.

Tottenham hold behind-scenes Eberechi Eze theory amid Crystal Palace talks

This is backed up by TEAMtalk, who also report that Spurs are growing in confidence when it comes to potentially completing a deal.

The outlet states that Eze is likely to have already “played his last game for Palace”, with Levy and co working on a plan to make a “quick breakthrough” in negotiations to sign the ex-QPR star.

Tottenham also theorise that they’ve put together the frameworks of a deal for Eze which will satisfy Palace and chairman Steve Parish, even if there is a £13 million gap in valuation between the clubs right now.

Even if their initial approach for him gets snubbed, Spurs will follow up in quick fashion.

By all accounts, Eze is worth this late-window effort.

The Eagles superstar was, by some distance, their standout attacking asset last term – bagging 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions – including the FA Cup-final winning strike against Man City.

His goal against City at Wembley ended Palace’s history-long wait for a major trophy, so Eze is absolutely no stranger to the big occasion.

If Levy is serious about winning the Premier League and Champions League, which he pledged was the case earlier this year, Eze is exactly the kind of primed, proven player that Tottenham need to be signing.

Real Madrid were expecting Eduardo Camavinga to return from his injury setback against Real Sociedad this weekend, but he won't be a part of the squad.

• Camavinga nearing full recover from ankle injury
• Will not travel with Madrid squad to Sociedad
• Could mark his return against Marseille next week

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• Eduardo Camavinga injury update: Return delayed for Real Madrid

  Real Madrid will travel to the Anoeta for this weekend's La Liga clash against Real Sociedad without the services of Camavinga, who is currently recovering from an ankle injury he suffered in August. However, have revealed when the French midfielder could mark his return to the pitch.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Camavinga was expected to be available from the start ahead of the commencement of La Liga last month, but suffered an ankle injury during training. While Los Blancos have full faith in the former Rennes prodigy's talent, the midfielder has become extremely injury-prone. Although he will most likely miss the clash against Real Sociedad, efforts are being made to ensure he completes full recovery in time for the Champions League opener against Marseille on September 16. Given Camavinga's recent fitness history, Madrid are being extremely cautious and are unwilling to rush his return. 

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Camavinga could make only 35 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid last season. He suffered four different injuries in the 2024-25 campaign, forcing him to miss 33 games. This season, he has already missed the first three games. As surprising as it may seem, he is yet to play under new head coach Xabi Alonso.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  Madrid are currently leading the league with nine points from their first three games. They are tied with Athletic Club, the only other team to register maximum points in August. Alonso will hope his troops can maintain the early momentum against Sociedad on Saturday. 

Since taking the job over five years ago, Mikel Arteta has helped to transform Arsenal.

He’s taken the club from one languishing in mid-table looking downwards to one that’s a genuine contender in every competition they take part in.

However, he has had to make numerous unpopular and difficult decisions during his tenure, such as terminating Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s contract in 2022.

It was the right thing to do, but it’s impossible to deny that the team could have used someone as prolific as he once was over the last few years, which could explain reports linking them to a certain attacker from the continent.

Arsenal target free-scoring forward

As things stand, this summer is shaping up to be quite exciting for Arsenal.

Transfer Focus

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

The club have already announced the signings of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Noni Madueke.

Moreover, Spanish centre-back Cristhian Mosquera is set to be announced any day now, and Andrea Berta and Co seem to be finally nearing the end of their hunt for Viktor Gyokeres.

And yet, the Premier League runners-up don’t appear to be done yet, as they’re now looking at another prolific attacker from Europe, someone who could be Arteta’s new Aubameyang.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal are one of several teams interested in Ademola Lookman.

The report has revealed that the Gunners have enquired about the player, who is also a target for Inter Milan.

While the competition could be a problem, the money involved is unlikely to be, with the report revealing that Atalanta want just £43m for their star attacker.

It’s still a sizable sum of money, but given Lookman’s ability and record, one worth paying, especially as he could be Arsenal’s new Auba.

Why Lookman could be Arteta's new Auba

While it might seem like an odd comparison to make, there are several similarities between Lookman and Aubameyang that make it easier to see how the former could be Arsenal’s new version of the latter.

The first couple, and certainly the most surface-level, are that the Nigerian international would be joining the Gunners from a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues and doing so at a similar point in his career.

When the Gabonese put pen to paper in North London, he was 28 years old, and in just over two months, the Atalanta ace will be as well.

The next similarity, which is more concrete, is that, like the former North Londoner, the 27-year-old star is more than capable of playing out wide or straight down the middle.

Likewise, during his time at the Emirates, the Laval-born goal machine spent a great deal of time playing off the left, as well as up top.

Finally, and this is the most critical comparison of them all, the London-born ace has become an output monster in recent seasons, just as the former captain was for most of his time in N5.

For example, across his 118 games for the Bergamo outfit, totalling 7538 minutes, the “world-class” attacker has scored 52 goals and provided 25 assists.

Appearances

33

45

40

Minutes

1858′

2809′

2871′

Goals

15

17

20

Assists

8

10

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.69

0.60

0.67

Minutes per Goal Involvement

80.78′

104.03′

106.33

That means the 29-capped international has averaged a goal involvement every 1.53 games or every 97.89 minutes since joining the Serie A side.

For comparison’s sake, the former Arsenal star scored 92 goals and provided 21 assists in 163 appearances, totalling 12868 minutes during his time in red and white, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or every 113.87 minutes.

Ultimately, they may not be exactly alike, but there are some undeniable similarities between Lookman and Aubameyang, and most crucially, the Nigerian superstar could have a similar impact at Arsenal that the Gabonese ace once had.

He's a dream for Xavi Simons: Arsenal expect to sign £55m star "soon"

Arsenal could seal a dream partnership by signing Xavi Simons and this centre-forward.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 21, 2025

Manchester United have now made contact with the agents of a £34m star, who’s “the best in his role in the world”, journalist Orazio Accomando has revealed.

Man Utd lacking cutting edge in attack

Man United’s 2024-25 campaign was one of their worst in modern history, but they still managed to create 400 chances in the Premier League, the sixth-highest total in the top flight.

Those figures suggest that a lack of cutting edge in attack is the real issue, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee scoring just seven goals between them, so it is little wonder the Red Devils are now stepping up their pursuit of a new striker.

However, Ruben Amorim may also be keen to relieve the burden of creating chances which currently rests on Bruno Fernandes, with the Portugal international directly involved in just under half of the 44 Premier League goals United scored last season.

As such, an approach has now been made for a new creative midfielder, with Accomando taking to X to reveal Man United have now made contact with the agents of Inter Milan star Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who is looking to leave the Italian club this summer.

The maestro is eager to return to his home country and sign for Galatasaray, but the Turkish champions are unable to offer more than €15m (£13m), with Inter looking to hold out for a figure close to €40m (£34m).

Man Utd now willing to trigger £8m release clause for Casemiro replacement

The Red Devils are prepared to make an offer for a midfielder, who could be brought in to replace Casemiro.

1 ByDominic Lund Jul 1, 2025

Fulham have also made contact over a deal for Çalhanoğlu, and if a bidding war breaks out, Galatasaray could find it very difficult to get a deal over the line.

Çalhanoğlu impressing in Serie A for Inter Milan

The 31-year-old has been a regular source of goals and assists for Inter over a number of years, picking up 70 goal contributions in 182 appearances for the Italian club, indicating he could provide support to Fernandes in attack.

However, the Inter and Turkey star has most commonly featured in a deep-lying playmaker role, where he has flourished, according to Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella, who said: “Hakan has been the best in his role in the world in recent years.”

The 2025 Champions League finalist is in doubt over his ability, having also ranked himself alongside some of the world’s best midfielders, saying: “I’m not far from De Bruyne or Modric. Maybe in this period, those who play in the Premier League have more visibility.”

Having never played in the Premier League before, a move to Old Trafford would provide Çalhanoğlu with the opportunity to prove himself as one of the best in the world, although United should be cautious about paying £34m for a 31-year-old.

After failing to negotiate a new contract with Abdoulaye Doucoure, Everton watched on as the Frenchman departed and are now reportedly eyeing his potential replacement in a £25m deal.

Everton must replace Doucoure this summer

For all his experience and important moments to match, Everton failed to offer Doucoure a new deal in Merseyside in a decision that they’ll be desperate not to regret this time next season. The veteran midfielder spent five years at the club in a spell full of ups and downs, from being dropped by Frank Lampard to thriving under Sean Dyche and David Moyes.

Doucoure was the man who scored the goal to keep Everton afloat in the 2022/23 campaign and he was the man who battled Curtis Jones in what proved to be his final-ever Merseyside derby. A Frenchman turned scouse, there is no denying that replacing his influence will not be a simple task for the Toffees this summer.

Saying goodbye to the fans, Doucoure said at the end of last season: “Hi Evertonians – just wanted to share this message with you that I’m going to leave the football club at the end of the season.

“After five wonderful years, my time at Everton came to an end. Everton means a lot for me. Obviously the past five years it’s been hard but I will always remember my time as a dream for me, to play for Everton Football Club.”

Everton fighting Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland for free agent signing

The Toffees are lining up a bargain transfer…

1 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 11, 2025

It’s a decision that Everton must now justify by signing a younger, improved model this summer and, to their credit, they could do exactly that by welcoming one particular midfield star.

Everton eyeing £25m Yarmolyuk deal

As reported by Caught Offside, Everton are now eyeing a summer swoop to sign Yegor Yarmolyuk from Brentford, who value their young midfielder at just €30m (£25m).

The 21-year-old is represented by the same agent as Everton left-back Vitalii Mykolenko and could now join his countryman in Merseyside to hand Moyes his Doucoure replacement. Joining Everton in pursuit of his signature, however, are Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United.

Minutes

1,450

2,564

Progressive Passes

3.91

2.88

Tackles Won

1.74

0.98

Ball Recoveries

7.02

5.26

More robust than Doucoure whilst also outperforming the Frenchman when progressing play last season, there’s even an argument to be made that Yarmolyuk would be an upgrade on the former Everton man rather than just a replacement.

At just 21 years old, the Ukraine-born midfielder has already found himself at the centre of praise and that includes from Ben Mattinson. The analyst dubbed the Brentford star “underrated” and “physical” back in January and could now watch on as he swaps West London for Merseyside.

In a deal that would reportedly cost around £25m, the Toffees could commence their summer business with an absolute bargain whilst instantly replacing Doucoure in the process.