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Arsenal are widely believed to have all but signed Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi, amid credible reports that they’ve scheduled a medical for the Spain international, but the move appears to be a bit more complex.

Arsenal reportedly set to sign Martin Zubimendi after months of talks

The Mail first shared news of Arsenal’s talks for Zubimendi all the way back in January, following efforts from ex-directors Edu Gaspar and Jason Ayto to strike a pre-summer deal.

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Negotiations have been ongoing ever since, and trusted transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano actually gave his famous ‘here we go’ to the deal way back on May 10.

Now, the BBC and other reliable media outlets share that Zubimendi is set for an imminent medical at Arsenal – strongly suggesting that the player will become Andrea Berta’s first signing as sporting director, bar a complete disaster.

However, Spanish media are beginning to state that his potential transfer isn’t quite so cut and dry.

News outlet Diario Vasco started by saying Zubimendi’s arrival could be delayed until July, mainly so Arsenal and Sociedad can register the transfer on their books as part of the next financial year, and not for 2024/2025.

COPE, meanwhile, claim to have contacted the midfielder’s entourage for clarity over his medical, and they apparently insist that one hasn’t been scheduled.

Zubimendi himself uploaded a photo of himself at Zurriola beach earlier this week too, which is in Spain’s Basque Country, suggesting he isn’t on a plane to London – at least for now.

Real Sociedad speaks out on Martin Zubimendi exit amid Arsenal claims

Speaking to El Desmarque, Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay has now spoken out in regards to reports that Zubimendi is on the verge of joining Arsenal.

The La Liga chief heavily implied Zubimendi’s exit is by no means a done deal, and he sent a subtle message to the Spain star about remaining at his boyhood club.

“We’ve told Martin to go to the national team calmly, to think about it, and we’d like him to stay,” said Aperribay.

“We know there are several options. Something may come to fruition or not. I don’t see it happening in the short term. We don’t see it that way, so we have to wait and see.”

Given the sheer number of reliable media sources who’ve reiterated that Zubimendi appears set to become an Arsenal player, this statement from the Sociedad chief hints that Mikel Arteta’s side could still have work to do.

Zubimendi agreed to join Liverpool last summer before changing his mind at the last minute, so Gunners supporters will certainly be keeping this in mind before celebrating his capture.

Arteta will be praying that his signing does come to fruition, given Zubimendi’s glowing reputation and Arsenal’s need to replace the exit-bound Jorginho.

Celtic are already probing for reinforcements this summer and have now set their sights on a talented gem who could offer a towering presence at Parkhead, per a report.

Celtic look to kickstart summer transfer business

The Bhoys are marching towards the end of the season in style and could finish the campaign with a domestic treble should they defeat Aberdeen at Hampden later this month.

Brendan Rodgers has once again shown his managerial prowess, domestically and in the Champions League, which he will hope can help his case in earning significant backing from the Hoops’ hierarchy this summer.

Looking ahead to the window, Celtic could make a surprise move for Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan to help fill their homegrown quota for European competitions next term.

Scott Bain could leave Parkhead in search of first-team football, and the Lennoxtown academy graduate fits the bill as a club-trained asset ready to step in.

Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter is also on the list at Parkhead, though it remains to be seen whether Celtic will firm up interest in the Norwegian once the window opens for business.

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Despite excitement over potential arrivals, Celtic aren’t assured of their place in next year’s Champions League league phase and need to navigate the final qualifying round to certify a spot in the competition.

Nevertheless, speculating to accumulate has to be the aim for the reigning Scottish Premiership champions. They have enough money in the bank to make a statement, so expect some exciting new faces to strengthen Rodgers’ talented group.

Casting an eye to the continent, Celtic are now in the mix to sign a towering young defender who could add further strength to their backline.

Celtic very interested in signing Veljko Milosavljevic

According to Max Sport, Celtic are ‘very interested’ in giant Red Star Belgrade defender Veljko Milosavljevic as Rodgers looks to add further solidity heading into next season.

For now, the Bhoys have been told the 17-year-old isn’t for sale, which is a stance that could change as clubs from England and France position themselves to sign the Serbia Under-19 international, who stands at 6ft 4.

Veljko Milosavljevic’s season for Red Star Belgrade – all competitions

Appearances

28

Goals

0

Assists

3

Prioritising the future, Celtic are always in the market for talent with sell-on value. While experience is always a bonus, the scope to develop stars of the future is a major avenue towards the club earning significant capital to reinvest.

Carrying the ball from deep, Milosavljevic has completed an average of 1.9 dribbles per match in the Serbian top-flight, illustrating a degree of comfort in possession that would fit Rodgers’ high-octane tactical framework.

Nevertheless, growing competition for his signature will leave Celtic with work to do as they look to convince another prodigious star to commit their future at Parkhead.

The thought of winning regular silverware and competing in European football may well be a tempting one for Milosavljevic, but you get the impression he will also need first-team guarantees.

Manchester United have submitted a £64 million bid to sign a “powerhouse” player ahead of interest from Arsenal and Chelsea this summer, according to a recent report.

Ruben Amorim responds to Gary Neville's criticism

The Red Devils played out a 0-0 draw against rivals Manchester City on Sunday afternoon in what was a dull affair for a Manchester Derby. After the game, former United player and captain Gary Neville stated that United need as many as “five new signings” this summer to help Amorim.

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Neville told Sky Sports: “I do understand why Ruben Amorim’s done that today, with the players he’s got, because he hasn’t got the players to adapt. They need five new players straight away before you even think about the rest of it.

“The three up front are not good enough, and the two wing-backs, they’re not good enough. They need five players. They need to serve him with five players who are good enough in this system to be able to play his system the way he wants.”

Then, speaking in his post-match press conference, Amorim responded by stating that he knows Neville is “critical about everything”: “I understand that Gary Neville is critical about everything. I understand that we are having the worst season in history.

“Manchester City won everything in the past, but this season they are struggling. So, we are not in the best of moments to give the best spectacle to fans. We are not fighting for the big things; it’s different.

“I understand the critical aspect of the players who played in this game in a different way because they were fighting every time for the titles. It’s a different context.”

Man Utd submit £64m bid to sign Viktor Gyokeres despite Arsenal green light

If – as Neville says – United need five new additions, INEOS could be working on one of those potential arrivals already. According to a report from Spain, Man United have made a £64 million bid to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

The report states that United have positioned themselves as one of the teams most interested in signing the Sweden international, but they face competition from Chelsea, as they have also tabled an offer for the striker. Both Premier League teams have made an offer worth 75 million euros, while the player himself has given the green light for Arsenal to sign him, although this report does not mention the Gunners making a bid.

The Red Devils will hope to have an edge in this race, as Amorim worked with Gyokeres at Sporting and seemed to get the very best out of him. United want to sign Gyokeres, who has been dubbed a “powerhouse” by analyst Ben Mattinson, as they believe he will be a huge uprgade on struggling stars Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

The potential arrival of Gyokeres at Old Trafford would surely spell the end for Hojlund, who, despite scoring against Leicester City before the international break, failed to make any significant impact in the Manchester Derby.

It is just three goals in 26 league games this season for Hojlund, who was subbed off on Sunday once again, and Amorim knows that if he has any chance of being a success, he needs to have a striker with a better success rate in front of goal, which Gyokeres has, given he’s got 30 goals in 26 league games.

Liverpool are on the march towards their second title of the Premier League era and Arne Slot is now willing to sweep aside rivals to secure the signature of an elite young talent at Anfield, per reports.

Liverpool aim for exciting summer with league title in sight

Despite a battling display from Everton in midweek, Liverpool prevailed against their rivals in a must-win clash to tick off another important milestone on their journey to becoming champions.

Arsenal may be lingering in the distance, but it would take a monumental collapse for the Reds to avoid taking the crown off a Manchester City side that is beginning a major transition under Pep Guardiola.

Arne Slot won’t want to pass up the opportunity of tempting high-calibre individuals to join him at Anfield, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to hear that Liverpool are keen to bring in Atalanta’s Ederson this summer for a fee in the region of £51 million.

Furthermore, the Reds are set to intensify talks regarding Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo to strengthen their backline, which appears to be a key point of contention amid Virgil van Dijk’s ongoing contract wrangle.

Mohamed Salah hasn’t signed a new deal, while heavy rumours linking Trent Alexander-Arnold with a Real Madrid switch have left a slightly bitter taste as Liverpool cross their final hurdles of the season.

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Planning in advance appears to be the modus operandi at Liverpool. The Premier League elite will be desperate to position themselves with a chance of claiming the league crown next season, and Slot needs to be on his guard to forego any sign of complacency.

Now, Liverpool have set their sights on a potential star of the future who is also attracting interest from several other clubs ahead of the summer window.

Liverpool position themselves for Vasco Da Gama talent Rayan Vitor

According to TBR, Liverpool are in the hunt for Vasco Da Gama star Rayan Vitor, who is also attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Becoming a long-term target, the 18-year-old has been on the radar at Anfield since he was 16 and was labelled a similar player to former Brazil star Adriano by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.

Rayan Vitor statistics in 2025

Shots

3

Shots on target

2

Pass accuracy

69.2%

Duels won

6

Possession won in final third

3

Heralded for his “powerful” nature by ex-Vasco Da Gama coach Rafael Paiva, Rayan has registered five goals and one assist in 47 appearances for Vasco Da Gama’s senior side and is also a current Brazil Under-20 international.

Unlikely to immediately become a first-team fixture at Liverpool, the winger is deemed likely to move on this summer and would be afforded grace as a slow burner while he continues to develop physically and tactically.

Nevertheless, bringing the versatile talent to Anfield would be a statement of intent as Slot aims to build a dynasty on Merseyside over the next few years.

He came back strongly after a few below-par outings at the start of IPL, with his game awareness and skills making him a match-winner

Deivarayan Muthu25-May-20242:20

Moody: ‘Chakravarthy has grown in confidence with the team’

“How are you feeling?”These were the first words of Varun Chakravarthy’s personal coach to the spinner after he had a bad night at the Eden Gardens, where Punjab Kings pulled off a world-record chase of 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders. It was his worst spell, in terms of economy rate, in T20 cricket.Jonny Bairstow alone hit Varun for 25 off nine balls, including three sixes, on an easy-paced, bash-through-the-line pitch surrounded by small boundaries. At least two of those sixes were mis-hits and most certainly one was parried over the boundary. Varun, however, wasn’t too fussed about it and embraced the chaotic nature of T20 cricket.Related

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“I bowled well, but I was just slightly unlucky,” AC Prathiban, the former Tamil Nadu and Puducherry spinner who works closely with Varun, recalls his charge telling him matter-of-factly after that game.Prathiban was particularly impressed with Varun’s maturity and game-awareness after a chastening outing. Having quickly put that Bairstow blitz behind him, Varun has picked up 12 wickets in five innings since at a strike rate of 9.5 and economy rate of under six. In a rain-hit game against Mumbai Indians at the same venue, where he had been expensive against PBKS earlier, Varun came away with 4-0-17-2, including the prized scalp of Rohit Sharma.”Varun hasn’t changed [his game] much,” Prathiban says. “In one game, the ball lands five yards beyond the boundary; in the other it lands five yards inside the boundary and is caught. Like the [Heinrich] Klaasen wicket in the first qualifier on a bigger ground in Ahmedabad. This IPL season has had many 200-plus totals, and it has been an eye-opener for many bowlers. Varun hasn’t panicked and it’s his game-awareness that makes him a match-winner.””Honestly, Varun’s best ball is the googly, which I think everyone knows,” Prathiban says. “But we wanted to develop the away-going ball for the googly to be more effective. It was entirely Varun’s idea to bring this ball out and we were just trying to make it easier for him rather than complicate it. When everyone waits for the googly, they might play him [like an offspinner], so we wanted to nullify that.”There are other bowlers who have a lot of skills. Varun may not have all of those skills, but he knows when to use his skills. He reads the situation when to bowl the googly or legbreak to that particular batsman.”After KKR’s match against Delhi Capitals, where Varun had claimed 3 for 33, he spoke about the significance of defensive skills in an IPL season where average scores and run rates have shot through the roof.”The defensive ball is the offensive ball,” Varun had told . “I’ve been bowling wide lines and that has also ended up giving me wickets. Nothing was happening when I bowl at the stumps. That’s how much the batters have pushed us.”T20 moves at a frenetic pace. Varun was left behind in 2022. But he has since kept up with it, with both his attacking and defensive skills.Since the start of IPL 2023, Varun has taken 40 wickets in 27 innings at an economy rate of 8.16. No other bowler – fast bowler or spinner – has more wickets than Varun during this period. Having also improved his fitness, Varun had returned to 50-over action after five years, becoming the joint-highest wicket-taker in the most recent Vijay Hazare tournament, with 19 strikes in eight games at an economy rate of 4.27. He was also at it in other T20 tournaments such as the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) and the DY Patil tournament in Mumbai.

“Varun is focussed on making a comeback to the India team and we’ve been working towards that.”AC Prathiban, Varun Chakravarthy’s personal coach

“100%, this has been Varun’s best year in his career,” Prathiban says. “He hasn’t taken a break in white-ball cricket since the last IPL. Varun even played the Jamia Millia tournament, and he also played a quadrangular T20 tournament with the Tamil Nadu team in Andhra before the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.”If you look at the TNPL, you can speak about the boundaries being small, but you come across quality batters like Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh (Khan), DK (Dinesh Karthik) and Vijay Shankar. Playing various tournaments and 50-over cricket was not to prove a point [that he’s fit] but I feel Varun gets better when he bowls to different kinds of batters on different kinds of pitches.”Despite his stellar run, Varun hasn’t had a chance to add to his six T20I caps – he last played for India in the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. It just so happens that India already have two elite wristspinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. Then, there’s Ravi Bishnoi, who couldn’t make India’s T20 World Cup squad, despite having sealed a remarkable victory for India in a double Super-Over finish at the Chinnaswamy Stadium no less.”Varun is focussed on making a comeback to the India team and we’ve been working towards that,” Prathiban says. “Before the last IPL, he asked me if he can make that comeback. I told him he stands a chance if he gets 20 or more wickets. He has done it in back-to-back seasons now, but selection is not in our control. Playing for India again is the destination for Varun.”Varun could take a big step closer to his destination if he caps the season with his first IPL title, in hometown. His professional cricketing journey had begun right here at Chepauk when he “tortured”, in the words of Stephen Fleming, the CSK batters during his stint as a net bowler in 2018.Post the Covid-19 pandemic, Varun has played two games for KKR in Chennai, but on both occasions his family had turned up in yellow to support MS Dhoni and CSK. With the home team knocked out of the tournament, Varun will have his family swap the yellow for purple and cheer him on to win the (other) purple cap in the final at Chepauk this Sunday.”I’m feeling more responsibility again and [going] back to my home,” Varun told , KKR’s in-house channel, on the flight from Ahmedabad to Chennai. “And this time, hopefully, the people, who all I call, will be supporting for KKR rather than CSK.”

And who holds the record for the most consecutive Tests at the end of which his average has gone up?

Steven Lynch18-Jan-2022 Who holds the record for the most consecutive Tests at the end of which his average has gone up? And what about the opposite record – average going down? asked Muhammad Hashir Hassan Khan from Pakistan

Two batters share the record for improving their batting average in the most successive Tests. Brian Close did so in 11 consecutive matches for England leading up to August 1963, and he was followed by Sarfaraz Ahmed of Pakistan, in 11 in a row to November 2014. Four players improved their average in ten successive Tests: another Pakistani, Mudassar Nazar (up to January 1983), Mike Gatting of England (up to August 1985), the South African fast bowler Andre Nel (to April 2006), and Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews (to December 2014).The opposite statistic was being discussed during the just-completed South Africa-India series, as both Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli seemed to be in ever-decreasing circles, and went into the third Test in Cape Town after 14 successive matches in which their averages had gone down. Kohli stopped the rot at Newlands, but Rahane made it 15 in a row. Only Zimbabwe’s Grant Flower lies ahead – his average dropped in 16 successive Tests leading up to November 2000. Five others match Kohli in going 14 Tests with a declining average: John Edrich (to August 1972), Darren Gough (July 1997) and Alastair Cook (July 2014) for England, Mark Greatbatch of New Zealand (October 1995) and Pakistan’s Azhar Mahmood (May 2001).Scott Boland finished the recent series with 18 wickets at less than ten apiece. Was this a record for the Ashes? asked Peter Daniels from Australia

Australia’s incredibly impressive newcomer Scott Boland finished with 18 wickets at 9.55. Only four men have had a lower average in an Ashes series in which they took more than 12 wickets – and all of them were in the 19th century, when pitches were less trustworthy and batting techniques more rudimentary – although some might say England’s haven’t improved much since then!Top of the list is the Yorkshire and England slow left-armer Bobby Peel, who took 24 wickets at 7.54 in the three-Test Ashes series of 1888. Another left-arm spinner, Lancashire’s Johnny Briggs, took 17 at 7.76 in 1886. The Surrey seamer George Lohmann claimed 16 at 8.56 in Australia in 1886-87, while his Australian opposite number Charles “Terror” Turner had 17 at 9.47 in the same low-scoring series (the highest total in the two Tests was 184).Just behind Boland comes the Surrey and England offspinner Jim Laker, who reaped no fewer than 46 wickets in the 1956 Ashes series at an average of 9.60. That included 19 victims – the Test record – in the fourth match at Old Trafford. No other bowler has averaged under ten in an Ashes series in which they took at least 13 wickets: England’s Richard Ellison comes next, with 17 at 10.88 in the last two matches in 1985.Has there ever been an instance of more than one batsman being dismissed for a pair in the same Test match? asked CJ Marland from New Zealand

There have been four Test matches to date in which three batters from the same side have bagged a pair. The first was in Auckland in 1954-55, in the match in which New Zealand slumped to 26 all out against England, the lowest total in Test history: Matt Poore, Ian Colquhoun (a king pair) and John Hayes were all out for 0 in both innings.It happened next to England, against Australia in Adelaide in 1974-75, when Dennis Amiss, Derek Underwood and Geoff Arnold all bagged pairs, then to Pakistan against Australia in Perth in 1978-79 (Majid Khan, Wasim Bari and Sikander Bakht). The most recent occasion came in Chandigarh in 1990-91, when Marvan Atapattu, Rumesh Ratnayake and Graeme Labrooy all made two noughts for Sri Lanka against India. There have been exactly 50 other Tests in which two members of the same side bagged a pair.There is one other Test that contained three: at Headingley in 2014, Lahiru Thirimanne and Dhammika Prasad bagged pairs for Sri Lanka, while Jimmy Anderson collected one for England (his second innings nonetheless lasted 81 minutes and 55 balls, and Sri Lanka won when he was dismissed by the fifth delivery of the last possible over). There are 18 further Tests in which a batter from both sides collected a pair.Paul Stirling (left) has a little over 600 runs more than team-mate Kevin O’Brien in T20Is•ICC via GettyKevin O’Brien is on the verge of completing 2000 runs for Ireland in T20Is. Has anyone from a non-mainstream country made more? asked Sean Griffiths from Ireland

Kevin O’Brien has so far scored 1973 runs for Ireland in T20Is, which puts him in 15th place on the overall list. His compatriot Paul Stirling is above him – he’s currently sixth on the list with 2606 runs. Just above O’Brien at the moment is Mohammad Shahzad of Afghanistan, with 2015 runs. All the others with more runs come from long-established Test nations. It remains to be seen whether O’Brien will add to his tally. His 38th birthday is fast approaching, and he was omitted from Ireland’s T20I squad for their recent matches in the United States.Apparently one of the relations of England’s new wicketkeeper Sam Billings is a world champion – in what sport? asked Robin Downing from England

The Kent wicketkeeper-batter Sam Billings received England cap No. 700 before the last Ashes Test in Hobart. Slightly confusingly, he’s actually the 699th man to play an official Test for England; the Glamorgan opener Alan Jones was recently presented with cap number 696 by the ECB, to mark his one and only appearance for England, against the strong Rest of the World side at Lord’s in 1970.Billings’ cousin, Tom, has been the world champion is the sport of rackets (sometimes spelled racquets) since 2019, when he won the title in Detroit. He succeeded Bermuda’s James Stout, who had beaten him in the 2017 final. For more details about Tom, click here.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Newcastle United’s Premier League season has yet to get going so far this campaign, with positive results often followed up by a disappointing defeat.

Indeed, after getting the better of Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the middle of September, Eddie Howe’s Magpies then went on a stretch of form that saw defeats happen at the hands of Barcelona and Arsenal in both the Champions League and top-flight, before returning to winning ways in league action against Nottingham Forest at the start of October.

Yet, despite pushing Ange Postecoglou closer to the cliff-edge with that 2-0 victory, the Toon slipped to a third Premier League loss of the season away at Brighton and Hove Albion last time out.

It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom, however, with Nick Woltemade sticking out once more as an ice-cold finisher under pressure.

It was his stylish back-heel that nearly kick-started a late comeback on the South Coast, only for Danny Welbeck to secure a brace.

The stats that make Woltemade one of the best in the Premier League

There was an unbelievable pressure on the German’s shoulders when relocating to Newcastle, with £69m splashed out on him to be one of Alexander Isak’s flashy replacements.

He hasn’t been paralysed with any fear since joining, with that delicate finish finding the back of the net against the Seagulls.

That means he has four goals from just five Premier League outings so far, which has led writer Thomas Hammond to hail him as an “incredible” talent to watch.

Despite Newcastle wobbling in form, the 6-foot-6 menace has the highest goal conversion rate (42.9%) in the Premier League so far this season with a hope surely on the Bremen-born striker’s end that the goals keep on coming, but they result in more wins being put on the board, as well.

Possessing an enormous frame, but a delicacy in possession of the ball, Woltemade’s profile is like very few in the game and he’s immediately started demonstrating why PIF spent so much to bring him to Newcastle.

The clinical number 27’s attacking display was definitely a crumb of positivity to take away from the 2-1 loss. Indeed, not everyone in Newcastle’s forward line had the same level of end product.

His teammate up top in Anthony Elanga, on the other hand, was dished out with far more criticism at the final whistle than glowing comments.

The Swede was one of the most creative in the division last season, registering 11 assists in the Premier League but since relocating to the north east, has yet to score in his first 11 outings. He has also registered just one assist.

It’s safe to say Newcastle’s summer business has been rather hit or miss, but Woltemade isn’t the only success story from their latest round of recruitment.

Newcastle "monster" is another Woltemade-type player

Away from Elanga failing to settle on Tyneside, other more senior members of the Magpies team are continually letting Howe down so far this season.

Chalkboard

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

Joelinton springs to mind as one example, with the Newcastle boss not fazed whatsoever when hooking the Brazilian off at half-time after another sub-par display was put in against Fabian Hurzeler’s men.

Moreover, Dan Burn struggled again in the left-back spot versus the Seagulls, squandering possession 18 times in total, alongside surprisingly winning just one aerial duel.

While Burn and Joelinton look to be on their way out as members of the St James’ Park old guard, Malick Thiaw looks ready to become a starter for many years to come at his new employers, as another Bundesliga gem has been unearthed.

Thiaw has been so impressive so far that even Fabian Schar has had to sit out contests recently for the Magpies’ “monster” – as he has been previously labelled by journalist Martino Puccio – to gain a starting spot.

Woltemade has made that lone striker spot his own, but Thiaw – also signed from German shores – has made that central defensive berth his own too. Now, the pairing are two of the first names on Howe’s team sheet.

Games played

5

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

43.6

Accurate passes*

28.8 (87%)

Ball recoveries*

3.6

Clearances*

4.2

Total duels won*

4.4

Clean sheets

1

Much like his colossal teammate, Thiaw has stood out as a battler already for Howe and Co, winning four aerial duels against the Seagulls, perhaps ensuring that the scoreline only stayed at 2-1 in the home side’s favour.

But, also, as Woltemade has displayed, the rock-solid number 12 is very much comfortable with the ball at his feet, with his well-rounded nature from the get-go, even seeing Newcastle-based blog Mouth of the Tyne state that he is “one of the signings of the summer.”

At just 24 years of age, and at a modest £30m cost, it’s hard to go against that statement, with both Thiaw and Woltemade surely looking to cement their presences as reliable first-teamers in matches to come.

Newcastle can forget Elanga by unleashing 19-year-old "star in the making"

Eddie Howe could have a surprise Anthony Elanga replacement up his sleeve in this exciting 19-year-old talent.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 20, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O confronto entre Grêmio e Botafogo, válido pela nona rodada do Brasileirão, já tem estádio definido. Na manhã desta sexta-feira (7), o governador do Espírito Santo anunciou, por meio do “X”, que a partida acontecerá no dia 16/06, às 18h30, no Estádio Kleber Andrade, em Cariacica.

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Anteriormente, a partida iria acontecer no Alfredo Jaconi, em Caxias do Sul, mas já tem mudança confirmada. No segundo turno, o jogo também será em campo neutro, já que as duas equipes fecharam um acordo.

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The Pakistan captain praises Babar’s work ethic and hopes he can continue his form on his comeback to the T20I side

Danyal Rasool02-Nov-2025

Salman Agha has been batting with Babar Azam since their Under-16 days, so it’s not surprising that, now in their 30s, they are attuned to each other’s rhythm. It was in evidence during Pakistan’s T20I series decider against South Africa on Saturday when, joining hands at a tricky phase in the chase, they went about the task at hand.”Babar and I have known each other for a long time,” Agha said. “When you know someone so well, it feels easier batting together. We’re experienced enough to know the asking rate wasn’t extremely high.”Perhaps there never was a time when Pakistan were not in control of the chase, but when the wicket fell to bring their captain to the crease alongside Babar, the perch from which they dominated the game had begun to wobble. Pakistan were scoring at about a run a ball into the eighth over, with Agha taking his time to settle, and the asking rate at the 8-an-over mark.”Singles and doubles would have been enough to win the game,” Agha said. “That’s what we were doing, and we knew we’d get an over like the one against Baartman [where we hit four boundaries], and that almost finished the game.”Related

Babar 68, Shaheen three-for headline Pakistan's 2-1 series win

Three of those boundaries came off the bat of Babar, who, by then, had smoothly moved gears and was beginning to approach vintage Babar territory. The third, a trademark Babar cover drive, brought him his first T20I half-century in 18 months, and his 40th T20I score over 50, a record.But it was earlier in the innings that the former Pakistan captain showed signs he was prepared to play a different kind of knock. When the parsimonious George Linde fired one into his pads, he got down and swept him crisply away for four. One of the weaknesses of Babar’s batting portfolio is his discomfort playing the sweep, but he deployed it several times early in his innings, and to great effect.For Agha, it is his desire to adapt and improve that stands out most in what he admires about his old friend. “You may all be fans of his batting, but I’m a fan of Babar’s work ethic. The way he prepares, I have not seen anyone prepare as well as he does in international cricket. Whether he’s performing or not, his preparation is always spot on.”He knows he needs to bring new things into his game. That sweep shot, which you do not normally associate with him, got him a number of runs today. He understands this stuff because he’s such a big player, and he recognises he needs to take things to the next level. I really hope we see this kind of Babar in future, because if he performs, we’ll definitely win matches. That’s a good sign for us.”It left the crowd – at over 32,000, officially the biggest in Pakistan’s history – content as they made their way to the exits, having waited until Babar’s innings finally came to an end. By then, the outcome of the game was all but certain, even if a little tremor at the end took the game to the final six deliveries.”We’re all delighted for Babar. The whole country is. In big games, big players step up. He did that today, and I really hope he continues along this vein and we see this Babar perform in the next four or five years.”We’ve won both matches comprehensively. The bowlers kept them under par, and that’s what we discuss in team meetings. Score above par and keep other teams below par. The bowling did their job and it was an easy chase in both games.”The mood in the Pakistan camp is a lot brighter than it might have been earlier in the week. The series started with a limp performance that allowed South Africa to take a 1-0 lead in Islamabad. It seemed, after some of the progress seen during Pakistan’s Asia Cup run to the final, that the problems of old had begun to resurface. But Agha pushed back against “a prevailing narrative” that this T20 side he has now led for the best part of a year is doing poorly.”You can spin it anyway, but we played the Asia Cup final, won the tri-nation series and the West Indies series. We scored big runs in those series. Here, we prepared relatively low scoring pitches because going forward, we’re playing a World Cup in Sri Lanka. I don’t think we’ll have 170-180 type matches. It’ll be the 140-150 kind of pitches. And those are the kinds we need to prepare for.”There’s a narrative that this team is not performing well. We only lost the away Bangladesh series in the last few months and the Asia Cup final. The narrative is this team’s performance isn’t great, but if you talk factually, our performances have been great, and our winning ratio [since the end of the PSL] is 70% [66.6%]. That’s the winning ratio of the best teams in the world.”

Liverpool’s season went from bad to worse at the weekend, with Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest condemning Arne Slot to a 3-0 Anfield defeat and a fifth loss in six Premier League matches.

Though FSG retain the faith in the Dutch coach, who so confidently won the league title last season, it’s clear that results and performances need to improve quickly, else the Reds will find themselves shackled to mid-table and a campaign of misery.

It’s also clear that sporting director Richard Hughes will consider making another signing this January, having overseen a summer transfer window in which Liverpool paid over £400m on new players, and Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has been earmarked as the perfect fit.

However, Liverpool don’t have a bottomless pool of resources, and it may be the other end of the field which requires attention.

Liverpool ready to sign centre-back this winter

It almost feels absurd to think Liverpool need to spend in January after their record-breaking summer, but there’s no question that Liverpool would become threadbare if, say, Virgil van Dijk succumbed to a months-long injury setback.

Ibrahima Konate’s form has gone beyond the pale, and Liverpool’s full-back system is plumbing to imbalanced depths that were surely unfathomable after an ostensibly satisfactory spending spree.

That’s why Liverpool are considering a winter bid for Marc Guehi, having seen a deal for the Crystal Palace centre-half fall through on transfer deadline day at the start of September.

According to reports from Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Liverpool remain in pole position to sign Guehi and will be emboldened to learn that the Eagles are setting their sights on Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande as his replacement.

Reports from Spain in the last 24 hours corroborate those claims, suggesting that things are ‘practically a done deal’ and that ‘after several months of negotiations, the agreement appears to be almost finalised’.

Guehi is out of contract at the end of the season but Palace are expected to accept offers of £35m in January should one arrive.

While FSG would be wary of paying out for a player who can be snapped up for free only months down the line, Guehi is a rare talent, and Liverpool desperately need a defender.

Why Liverpool should sign Guehi now

Liverpool have already strengthened at centre-back this year through the £27m signing of Giovanni Leoni. The former Parma defender is only 18, but he’s among the most exciting talents in the world. He is also sidelined for nearly a year after rupturing his ACL on his Reds debut.

The uncertainty around Konate’s contract, and the Frenchman’s abject performances this year, emphasise the need for more depth, and Guehi has already been profiled extensively; he’s the man for the job.

The 25-year-old has played an instrumental part in Palace’s rise under Oliver Glasner’s wing, winning the FA Cup and then the Community Shield. The Londoners are currently fifth in the Premier League, with two losses from 12 games.

Liverpool, conversely, can’t stop losing, and they are leaking goals and lacking any semblance of security at the back. Guehi would fix that. Not only is he a “monster in defence”, as has been noted by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, but he is also among the most dynamic and intelligent modern centre-halves out there.

His range of passing is exactly what Liverpool need. Van Dijk is getting old, and Konate is hardly a convincing proponent of play-out-from-the-back football.

This is outlined by FBref’s data. According to the digital platform, the Three Lions star ranks among the top 9% of centre-backs in the Premier League this season for progressive passes and the top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90.

This underscores Guehi’s confidence on the ball, and that’s exactly what Liverpool need, with analyst Raj Chohan saying that, partnered with Conor Bradley on the right side of the defence, the “build-up combination is horrible”.

Guehi, meanwhile, is two-footed and a driver of Glasner’s progressive vision in possession. He is also proving himself to be a more stable and convincing defender.

Though Konate remains a convincing aerial battler, his overall game has left so much to be desired, with errors rife and sure to be disabling any kind of confidence from his teammates.

He has actually been criticised by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher for being at the epicentre of all of Liverpool’s woes. Not quite, but there’s no denying he’s the weakest link in a fragile backline, and Slot cannot afford to persist with him for the duration of the campaign, not if he wishes to salvage things.

While Semenyo would be a neat addition, it’s true that Liverpool could crumble, truly, if they suffer a damaging defensive setback. Moreover, Rio Ngumoha has shown his class already this term and will be convinced that he has more to offer over the coming months.

Whether Liverpool opt to go this way or that this summer remains to be seen, but there’s no question that the Anfield side need to pull off a change or two, else they will flake away and be condemned to a truly disastrous campaign.

Guehi would ease the concerns and then some. The plan was to bring him over this summer, and the plan remains to seal his signature come the end of the season. Why not now?

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