It’s only a month away now until Premier League action finally returns to the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland fans have been waiting for this moment to arrive all summer, and with the amount of whirlwind business that has taken place off the pitch this off-season, with high-profile additions galore, it must be hard for the Black Cats faithful not to feel excited at the moment, yet impatient in equal measure.

The latest jaw-dropping arrival was Simon Adingra from Brighton and Hove Albion, with the Premier League-ready attacker joining up with Regis Le Bris’ camp for £18m.

More cash will surely be splashed between now and the opening match of the campaign versus West Ham United, as Le Bris and Co. begin to hunt down some new defensive bodies to strengthen even more.

Sunderland firming up interest in £24m star

In particular, the Black Cats will be looking to add some reinforcements in the heart of defence based on recurring rumours.

Transfer Focus

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

The likes of Duje Caleta-Car, Joe Gomez, and Charlie Cresswell have all been tipped to join the Stadium of Light ranks this summer in this department, with reports even going as far as to suggest that Cresswell could be purchased for around the £18m mark.

However, there is a fresh target has now emerged in this area of the pitch in the form of Bologna titan Jhon Lucumi, with Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio suggesting that the newly promoted side is showing an interest in the imposing Colombian.

That has been followed up by a report from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, with the respected insider revealing that the Black Cats are ready to make an official bid, having been in contact over the last 24 hours or so.

With a reported release clause coming into play at around the £24m region, it will be intriguing to see what Sunderland are willing to fork out to snap up the 6-foot-2 defender shortly, with Lucumi arguably an even bigger talent than the up-and-coming Cresswell.

Why Lucumi is an even bigger talent than Cresswell

Whilst the former Leeds United man is the talk of the town at the moment after a breakout Toulouse campaign and an imperious Euros tournament, he is still a relatively inexperienced figure in the grand scheme of things.

Indeed, when adding up the 22-year-old’s career appearances to date, 39 of his 101 overall clashes have come about in the U21 ranks at Elland Road, with just one meaningful senior season under his belt in a top division in Ligue 1, which came about just last campaign.

On the flip side, the Bologna number 26 has been a mainstay in Serie A for some time now – with a high 94 Italian top-flight contests next to his name – and as can be seen glancing at the table above, his powers haven’t waned whatsoever as a dominant and assured presence in the backline of Vincenzo Italiano’s side.

If anything, he actually managed to trump Cresswell in many different areas of their respective defensive games last season, with Lucumi having been noted for his “ice-cold composure” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Indeed, he averaged more accurate passes per league clash than the Preston-born centre-back, on top of tirelessly registering more ball recoveries as an energetic body at the back.

Further hailed as being “ridiculously impressive” by Mattinson, it does feel as if Lucumi would be better placed to go in and make an impact on the Sunderland side immediately than Cresswell, considering he also excelled in the Champions League last campaign when battling against the likes of Aston Villa with 4.6 total duels won on average in Europe’s elite competition.

Cresswell will undoubtedly find himself back in the English game at some stage, having been rashly discarded by Leeds.

But, in the here and now, Sunderland should attempt to push the boat out more to land the Colombian, as more and more cash is thrown around to help boost the Black Cats’ survival chances.

Better than Diarra: Sunderland racing PL clubs to sign £9m "genius"

Sunderland are now in the race to pick up this brilliant £9m gem.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 14, 2025

After a sensational campaign in the 2024/25 Championship season, Leeds United earned promotion back to the Premier League. The Whites will now look to break the curse of newly-promoted teams in the last two seasons and survive in the top flight, which all six previous sides have failed to do.

To help with their cause, Daniel Farke’s side have had a busy summer transfer window so far. The first addition saw them bring former Manchester City academy graduate Lukas Nmecha to the club. The striker signed a two-year deal at Elland Road after leaving Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg at the end of his contract.

However, the 26-year-old might not be the only centre-forward who switches to Elland Road this summer.

Leeds’ next striker target

With Patrick Bamford something of an outcast at Leeds, Joel Piroe is really the only recognised number nine. Signing Nmecha was a necessary call, but their depth up front could be about to get even stronger if this next deal goes through.

Transfer Focus

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

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Now, according to a report from journalist Sebastien Vidal, the Whites are considering a move to sign Al-Hilal and Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Yorkshire side are believed to be ‘in the race’ for the experienced attacker after it was confirmed the Saudi side ‘are open to selling’ their number nine this summer.

However, this will not be a straightforward deal to do. Leeds are set to face competition for Mitrovic’s signature, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur also showing a keen interest. Al-Hilal are said to have set an asking price of £26m for the 30-year-old to return to the English top flight this summer.

Why Mitrovic would be a good signing

If there is one thing Mitrovic will bring to a side, it is goals. He is an experienced number nine and, having already played in the Premier League, knows what to expect upon a potential return to the competition, this time in a Leeds shirt.

His recent form for Al-Hilal has been impressive. The Serbian forward, who first made a name for himself at Belgian side Anderlecht, scored 28 goals and grabbed seven assists in 36 games for the club last season. That included 19 Saudi Pro League goals, placing him sixth in the race for the Golden Boot.

Certainly, a huge advantage to signing the striker is his Premier League experience. He has 38 top-flight goals in 129 games, playing for both Newcastle United and Fulham.

On two occasions, he has scored double-figure goals, including bagging 14 in his final campaign with the Cottagers. That was a season in which Statman Dave called him a “monster” of a striker.

There is certainly a case to be made that Mitrovic would be a huge upgrade on Nmecha. The former Man City striker has experience in the top flight, having played twice in the competition for the Citizens. That, however, is nowhere near the amount of experience the Serbian star has.

On top of that, the 26-year-old, who was born in Hamburg, Germany, struggled last season for Wolfsburg. He played 19 Bundesliga games, but only bagged three goals, and struggled with injuries throughout the campaign.

Generally speaking, there is a stark contrast between each player’s records from the top flight. Nmecha has played five full seasons in top-flight football for both Anderlecht and Wolfsburg.

However, he has just 30 goals in that time, an average of six per campaign.

In the same timeframe, the last five top-flight seasons he has played, Mitrovic has bagged 73 goals. That leaves him with an average of 14.6 strikes per season, a far better success rate than Nmecha’s in the past five seasons.

Mitrovic and Nmecha – last 5 top-flight seasons compared

Season (club)

Mitrovic games/goals

Season (club)

Nmecha games/goals

2018/19 (Fulham)

37 games, 11 goals

2020/21 (Anderlecht)

31 games, 14 goals

2020/21 (Fulham)

27 games, 3 goals

2021/22 (Wolfsburg)

25 games, 8goals

2022/23 (Fulham)

24 games, 14 goals

2022/23 (Wolfsburg)

16 games, 4 goals

2023/24 (Al-Hilal)

28 games, 28 goals

2023/24 (Wolfsburg)

3 games, 1 goal

2024/25 (Al-Hilal)

23 games, 19 goals

2024/25 (Wolfsburg)

19 games, 3 goals

Stats from Transfermarkt

All things considered, Mitrovic would be a huge upgrade on the new Leeds star Nmecha. He is far more experienced in the Premier League and has a fantastic goal record over the past few seasons.

For a fee of just £26m, this is a fantastic market opportunity for the Whites, signing a player who is a genuine Premier League goalscorer.

Related Farke's answer to Sesko: Leeds offered chance to sign £93k-p/w "leader"

Leeds United have the chance to snap up their own Benjamin Sesko with this transfer.

Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Aug 6, 2025

Last season, little was expected of Arne Slot’s Liverpool. In the overtures to the campaign, anyway.

But then Liverpool started playing, started to strut their stuff in a new system. Slot’s side ceded ground in just two of their opening 13 Premier League matches, creating a gulf that proved too wide for the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City to bridge.

In fairness, the overarching scepticism was understandable. Jurgen Klopp had stood down from his revered post, and historic cases of similarity in the Premier League suggested the Reds were in for a rough ride.

But FSG chose wisely when swiping Feyenoord’s shrewd head coach, who indeed won the English top flight in his maiden year and did so with relative ease.

Now, Liverpool are showing ruthless ambition in the summer transfer market as they look to consolidate their position of power over the coming years.

So many bumper deals have been pulled off already, the latest of which is set to be the £79m signing of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, but Luis Diaz’s uncertain future could see another one cross the line.

Liverpool looking to replace Luis Diaz

Liverpool have completed a plethora of exciting signings this summer, and there may well be more still to come. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid, and now Diaz could be on the move too.

The Colombian winger, 28, has just shy of two years remaining on his contract, and Liverpool have not engaged in any concrete talks to extend his stay on Merseyside.

While the outward stance has been that Diaz is not for sale, FSG may have a tacit acceptance that he could be sold, with Bayern Munich pressing ahead and trying to sign him after seeing an opening £58.5m offer knocked back earlier in July.

It goes without saying that Liverpool would need to replace such a crucial part of Slot’s set-up, and while the likes of Real Madrid’s Rodrygo have been touted, the Reds seem willing to head down a shrewder track.

Liverpool open talks for Diaz replacement

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool chiefs are holding talks with the agents of Malick Fofana, who has been linked with a move away from Lyon this summer.

Bayern are also keen on signing the Belgium international, but only if Liverpool bar Diaz’s potential departure this summer. Thus, Liverpool shouldn’t face stiff competition if the various cogs fall into place.

Transfer Focus

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

Lyon would hope to secure as much as €60m (£51m) for Fofana’s sale, but FSG would no doubt hope to sign the 20-year-old for a more modest figure.

Why Liverpool want Malick Fofana

Liverpool want Fofana because, if Diaz leaves, they will need to sign a left-sided forward. But why, specifically, has Fofana been earmarked as an option alongside a superstar such as Rodrygo, who Los Blancos have priced at £87m?

Well, Fofana would come at a cheaper price, and with Cody Gakpo already occupying Liverpool’s attacking left flank, this might be a more prudent move.

Fofana’s term-and-a-half in Ligue 1 has garnered praise. Analyst Ben Mattinson hailed his “explosive” qualities down the wing, and having now completed 62 senior appearances for Lyon after joining from Genk in Belgium, he has scored 15 goals and supplied seven assists.

Moreover, he’s positionally versatile, with this a skill which Slot would put to good use, for he did the same with Diaz last season.

Left winger

55

7

7

Right winger

9

2

1

Centre-forward

7

0

2

Attacking midfield

2

2

0

Though he’s not yet reached full bloom, Fofana has the makings of a prolific winger, and in this way, he could be the perfect partner for Ekitike, who is on the brink of completing his move to Merseyside.

As per FBref, Fofana ranked among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for non-penalty goals, the top 16% for touches in the attacking box and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90, underscoring his burgeoning potency and pace.

In order to maximise Fofana’s potential as a goalscoring winger, playing alongside a “complete forward” like Ekitike, as he has been named by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would only enhance such a quality.

Ekitike might be a striker first and foremost, but he’s also an exceptionally dynamic and intelligent player. Last season, in the German Bundesliga, he created 12 big chances and averaged 1.3 key passes and 4.2 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.

Slot will expect the France talent to add goalscoring threat, but he’ll also expect him to widen the creative parameters of his frontline, utilising that off-the-ball movement and playmaking prowess to enhance Mohamed Salah’s chances, and indeed Fofana’s too.

Further evidence of Fofana’s clinical potential can be found in his conversion rate. Sofascore also record that the young winger has only missed six big chances since arriving in France for the first time in January 2024, and given that he’s scored eight goals, he’s got that natural-born coolness in the final third to make things happen.

Moreover, his efforts in the Europa League last year had something interesting to say about his potential. Fofana scored six goals across Lyon’s continental campaign without missing a single big chance.

There’s so much to like, and given the richness of Liverpool’s squad, which will be richer still once Ekitike’s deal has been wrapped up, Fofana would make a wise decision in entrusting Slot with his development over the next few years.

Their own Zubimendi: Liverpool favourites to sign "generational" £100m CM

Liverpool are reportedly favourites to sign one of the Premier League’s best young midfielders.

1 ByMatt Dawson Jul 21, 2025

England opener to move to Kia Oval for start of Tier 1 county competition

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2024

Danni Wyatt-Hodge will play for Surrey in the new Women’s Tier 1 county competition next season, after transferring her allegiance from Hampshire-based Southern Vipers.Wyatt-Hodge, 33, is currently in action for Hobart Hurricanes in the Women’s Big Bash League, having recently featured in England’s T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE.Last summer, she represented Southern Vipers in the Charlotte Edwards Cup and Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy, as well as Southern Brave, who are also based in Southampton.However, she has chosen to make the move to Surrey for the 2025 season, where she will link up with England top-order team-mates Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey.”I am both excited and honoured to be joining Surrey,” Wyatt-Hodge said. “The club has an incredible history with a culture of success, which I want to contribute to.”I love playing at the Kia Oval and can’t wait to entertain the Surrey supporters. The South East Stars’ positive brand of cricket was an important factor in me joining the club and I’m looking forward to getting started!”Wyatt-Hodge has played 278 England matches since her debut in 2010, at the age of 19, scoring over 5,000 runs across the three formats. She’s England’s all-time leading run-scorer in women’s T20Is with 2,979 runs from 164 matches, at a strike-rate of 127.85.She made her county debut for Staffordshire at the age of 14, but has been based at the Utilita Bowl since 2020. She is also due to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in this year’s WPL, after making the move from UP Warriorz.”We are incredibly excited that Danni Wyatt-Hodge has agreed to commit to Surrey for the 2025 season,” Emma Calvert, Surrey’s Director of Women’s Cricket, said. “Danni’s career speaks for itself, and we believe she will add strength and depth on the field as well as adding to the team off the field.”After chatting to Danni it was clear to see that she will be an incredible fit for our new team. They style of cricket she plays is exactly how we want to go about our business, and I am excited to see what she achieves wearing the Three Feathers.”

It would be fair to say that last season did not go entirely to plan for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side once again failed to win any silverware, and while they made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League, they finished a distant second to Liverpool in the Premier League.

One of the key reasons the Gunners failed to live up to expectations is that Bukayo Saka was out of action for almost four months following hamstring surgery.

There is no doubt that the Englishman is the club’s most important player, as even though he missed so much football, the Hale Ender was still the most effective player in the squad and ended the campaign with 26 goal involvements in just 2619 minutes.

So, fans should be excited about links to an international attacker who’d be a dream signing for the mercurial number seven.

Appearances

37

Starts

30

Minutes

2619′

Goals

12

Assists

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.73′

Arsenal target dream signing for Saka

So far, this summer is shaping up to be a brilliant one 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.

Andrea Berta has made several additions that should solve Arteta’s problems with depth while also adding the likes of Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres, who should be able to come in and become regular starters early next season.

However, even with six new faces through the door already, the Premier League runners-up look deadset on doing more business, and are now supposedly eyeing a move for someone who’d be a dream signing for Saka.

At least that’s according to a recent report from football.london, who have claimed that Arsenal are interested in Ademola Lookman.

The report has revealed that, as things stand, there are a number of people within the club who admire the Nigerian international, who looks set to leave Atlanta this summer.

For some time, it looked like Inter Milan were going to secure his services, but over the last week or so, the Bergamo outfit have made it clear they do not want to sell him to another Italian side, and with his price tag being just £43m, this feels like a deal very much within reach for the Gunners.

It could still be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but Lookman has proven he’d be worth the effort, and we can’t help but think he’d be a dream addition to the team for Saka.

Why Lookman would be a dream for Saka

There are three primary reasons Lookman would be a dream signing for Saka, and the first relates to his positional versatility.

While the former Everton ace has spent plenty of time playing up top and as a second-striker over the last year or so, he is just as capable of playing off the left and right, which means he’d have more opportunities to form an understanding with the Hale Ender, and crucially, he’d be able to cover for him when he needs to rest.

However, more important than his ability to play across the frontline is his ability to create and score goals.

For example, in just 40 appearances last season, totalling 2871 minutes, the “world-class” attacker, as dubbed by the BBC’s John Bennett, was able to score 20 goals and provide seven assists.

In other words, the former RB Leipzig star maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.48 games, or every 106.33 minutes, which isn’t too far off what the Gunners’ talismanic number seven managed.

Finally, there is an enormous amount of pressure on the North Londoners to get over the line and win something this coming season, and so Saka will want teammates he’ll be able to rely on to perform in the biggest games.

Fortunately, we’ve already seen that the Wandsworth-born monster is capable of doing just that, as he scored a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final against a Bayer Leverkusen side who were unbeaten at that point.

Ultimately, thanks to his versatility, effectiveness in front of goal and ability to rise to the occasion, Lookman would be a dream signing for Saka.

Therefore, Arsenal should be doing what they can to bring him to the Emirates this summer.

Arsenal can hand Arteta his own Isak-level signing in £100m Eze alternative

The incredible international could be a real game-changer for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 6, 2025

Jude Bellingham is edging closer to making his return to the Real Madrid team after stepping up his recovery from injury.

• Bellingham recovery accelerating
• Could return to full Madrid training imminently
• Los Blancos stars on international duty

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The English midfielder had been carrying a shoulder injury for over a year following a dislocation against Rayo Vallecano in November 2023, but following the Club World Cup, he underwent surgery to fix the long-term issue. Bellingham has since followed a "special recovery plan" to help get him ready for the new season as soon as possible, and it looks like it might be paying off. Initial reports suggested he would be out until the end of October, but he may well return sooner than expected.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to , Bellingham is preparing to return to the training pitch on Monday and will make the first significant step back towards pulling on the famous white jersey again. Despite this speedy progress, Madrid are insistent that they will not take any risks with his fitness. explained that there is a "zero risk" policy when it comes to Bellingham's fitness and Los Blancos will be hoping to navigate the opening months of the season without their star midfielder.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  With Bellingham out for at least another month, he will miss the club's opening La Liga fixtures and a couple of Champions League clashes. With the first El Clasico of the season scheduled for the end of October, Bellingham will be in a race to be fit for a potential title deciding fixture.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MADRID?

  With most of their squad away on international duty, Madrid will only have their full squad back in training later this week. They will then have a couple of days to prepare for next weekend's clash against Real Sociedad.

To say it’s been a busy summer for Chelsea this year would be quite the understatement.

While most of the Premier League were enjoying a break, Enzo Maresca’s side were competing in and winning the Club World Cup.

It was just as busy off the pitch for the Blues, as the board sold several players like Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga, while also bringing in stars like Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens.

Moreover, with just over a month of the window remaining, the West Londoners look set to do more business, with Jorrel Hato the latest player set to join the club, and if reports are to be believed, they could also bring in another international ace who’d be an even better signing.

Chelsea target better signing than Hato

At the moment, it looks like Chelsea are getting close to signing RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons, but the player closest to making the move to Stamford Bridge is undoubtedly Jorrel Hato.

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 Dutchman’s move to the club received the “here we go” treatment from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano yesterday afternoon, who revealed the fee is set to be in excess of €40m, which is about £35m.

There is no denying that in signing the highly-rated 19-year-old, the Blues have improved their defence for the present and future, but it also appears as if they are interested in another star who’d be an even better signing.

At least that is according to a recent report from BBC Sport, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s interest in Marc Guehi.

The report claims that alongside the likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, the Blues have registered an interest in the Crystal Palace star since the end of the season.

In terms of how much the England international would cost, the story states that the Eagles want around £40m, which could prove to be great value, especially as he would likely be a better signing than Hato.

Why Guehi would be a better signing than Hato

Okay, so the first thing to say is that, like plenty of others, we do feel confident that Hato will be a great addition to Chelsea’s squad this summer, as he’s young, highly promising and already has an impressive amount of experience under his belt.

However, there are still a few reasons why we think that this summer, Guehi would end up being the better acquisition.

The primary one actually relates to experience, as while the Ajax gem has an impressive tally of 111 senior club appearances under his belt, the Palace star dwarfs that with a whopping 216 across his stints with the Eagles, Swansea and Chelsea.

Appearances

216

111

Goals

8

4

Assists

4

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.05

0.11

National Team Caps

23

6

Moreover, you have to take into account the competition in which most of those appearances were made, as according to Opta Analyst, the Premier League is comfortably the toughest in world football.

In contrast, the Eredivisie comes in as just the tenth toughest, behind the likes of Brazil’s Serie A and Portugal’s Primeira Liga.

On top of the simple fact that this means the Englishman has been playing far more challenging games, it also means he should be able to adapt to playing for the West Londoners quicker, as he does not have to change leagues or take a step-up.

Then, while the fact that the 19-year-old has already won six senior caps for the Netherlands is certainly promising, it once again pales in comparison to the 23 won by the former Blues gem, especially when you consider he played a key role in the Three Lions’ run to the final of the European Championship last year.

Finally, while it’s good to invest in promising young players, Maresca and Co need signings who can help them win things over the next couple of seasons.

So, it’s crucial that, at 25 years old, the “sensational” Palace ace, as dubbed by Steve Parish, is just two years from reaching his peak, whereas it could be another seven years until the Rotterdam-born ace hits his, according to research carried out by The Athletic.

Ultimately, Hato is a great signing, but due to having more quality experience and being closer to his peak years, Guehi would likely be a better signing for Chelsea this season.

Better than Garnacho: Chelsea agree personal terms to sign £61m target

Chelsea could seal a better signing than Alejandro Garnacho.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 31, 2025

كانت إصابة جافي لاعب خط وسط برشلونة بمثابة ضربة موجعة للبارسا، أما بالنسبة للنجم الإسباني فقد عانى من انتكاسة غير متوقعة.

وكان يعتقد بأن جافي سيغيب عن الملاعب لخمسة أو ستة أسابيع فقط قبل خضوعه لجراحة تنظير المفصل، لكن إصابته الشديدة في الغضروف المفصلي قد تطلبت خياطة جراحية مما أدى لتمديد فترة تعافيه لأربعة أو خمسة أشهر.

وكلفت إصابة جافي برشلونة الكثير حتى الآن، حيث خسر الفريق لاعبا أساسيا في خط الوسط ولاعبا محبوبا في غرفة الملابس أيضاً.

ونظراً لطول فترة إصابة جافي، فإنه يسمح لبرشلونة بالتعاقد مع بديل حيث تعطي اللوائح الحق للبلوجرانا بتعزيز صفوف الفريق عندما يغيب لاعب لأربعة أشهر على الأقل كما حدث مع تشيزني العام الماضي عندما غاب مارك تير شتيجن.

أقرأ أيضاً.. رد ناري من دي لا فوينتي على فليك بشأن تجاهل إصابة لامين يامال

ووفقاً لصحيفة “الماركا” الإسبانية فإن موقف برشلونة يبقى واضحاً بأنه لن يتعاقد مع أي لاعب جديد، وهناك عدة أسباب تدفع النادي لاتخاذ هذا الموقف.

ويعد السبب الأول أن سوق الانتقالات محدودة للغاية وتقتصر على اللاعبين المجانيين فقط الذين قد ينضمون في صفقة انتقال حر ولا توجد بدائل مناسبة.

ولا يرغب هانز فليك ولا الإدارة الرياضية في ضم لاعب لمجرد التعاقد معه ولا يوجد لاعب يناسب احتياجات برشلونة، ويعد اللعب المالي النظيف عاملا آخر.

ويعتقد برشلونة أن لديه ما يكفي من عمق خط الوسط لتغطية جميع اللاعبين حتى عودة جافي في عام 2026، ويمكن حتى الدفع بلاعبين مثل إريك جارسيا في خط الوسط إذا لزم الأمر لذا لن يتم التعاقد مع بديل لجافي.

Alick Athanaze dropped in only change to squad that lost 2-1 in Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2024Shimron Hetmyer has been handed a recall to West Indies’ ODI squad for the three-match series against England, which starts in Antigua on Thursday. Hetmyer replaces Alick Athanaze in the squad as the only change from the touring group that has just returned from Sri Lanka.Hetmyer last played ODIs in December 2023, when he was part of the team that beat England 2-1. He missed the Sri Lanka tour for personal reasons, having recently finished fifth on the run-scorers’ list at the CPL.Athanaze had been one of the incumbent openers, but lost his spot to Evin Lewis for the third ODI against Sri Lanka, in Pallekele. Lewis, making his first ODI appearance in more than three years, made an unbeaten 102 from 61 balls as West Indies finished the series with a consolation win on DLS.Shai Hope will captain the group, which also includes 17-year-old batting prodigy Jewel Andrew, who made his debut at the end of the Sri Lanka series.ESPNcricinfo LtdEngland have already arrived in the Caribbean for their third limited-overs tour since 2022. They will be led during the ODI leg by Liam Livingstone, with Jos Buttler continuing his rehab following a calf injury that has kept him out since July.”Playing against England always provides a new challenge and reignites a rivalry that the players and the people of the Caribbean are eager for,” Daren Sammy, West Indies head coach, said. “Somehow, we West Indies always find a way to raise our game when we face England.”This rivalry goes back for decades, and after defeating them last year at home for the first time in a long time in an ODI series, we’re ready to face the challenge of a strong England squad again. It’s always special to play at home, where the local support brings energy and passion to every match. With our sights set on qualifying for the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2027, we’ve selected a balanced squad that will no doubt push and compete with one of the best teams in the world.”Antigua’s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium will host the first two ODIs, before the series moves on to Barbados. It will be followed by five T20Is, played at the Kensington Oval and the Daren Sammy National Stadium in St Lucia.West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (capt), Jewel Andrew, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr

There is supposedly a “good chance” that Dele Alli heads to Wales as a free agent, with Wrexham and Swansea both being credited with interest.

Ex-England international released by ComoProven performer but lacking a sparkLinked with ambitious Championship teamsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ex-England international Dele finds himself without a club after seeing his contract at Como terminated. He made just one substitute experience during a troubled spell in Serie A, which ended in a red card being picked up, and has been alarmingly short on game time across the last two-and-a-half years.

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Another fresh start is now being speculated on, with the 29-year-old expected to return to his homeland after flopping in Italy. With memories of what he once produced at Tottenham beginning to fade, Dele faces the prospect of having to step away from top-flight football.

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Teams in the EFL are said to be mulling over an approach, with Wrexham, Swansea and West Brom all in the mix. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are pulling the strings at SToK Racecourse, while Luka Modric and Snoop Dogg form part of the ambitious Swans’ ownership team.

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Explaining what happens next, report: “There is a very good chance that Dele Alli ends up in the Championship and that could very well be in Wales. Wrexham have shown an interest, they know there is a talent there and Phil Parkinson wants quality in this squad. But there is interest elsewhere in Wales with Swansea also keen. Alli knows he needs to pick the right club and there are a few in the Championship.”