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Centurion reflects on the moment he knew Australia were broken before his own wave of emotions breaks

Andrew Miller14-Jun-20251:53

Steyn on SA’s WTC win: ‘We saw the biggest of the biggest come through’

Aiden Markram’s long walk back to the pavilion at the end of his epic, trophy-seizing century, ought by rights to have been one of the proudest, most self-reflective moments of his life.With a mere six runs still needed for World Test Championship glory, here was his chance to soak in the moment, and stride off the hallowed turf of Lord’s with a salute to all corners. Surely, with 136 fourth-innings runs to his name, Markram knew in his heart of hearts (if not quite in his frontal cortex) that he was the man who had just exorcised some 30 years of South Africa big-stage failure.That wasn’t quite how the man himself allowed the moment to unfold, however.”I wish I could have,” he said. “But that’s me being me when I get out. I’m always angry.”At least looking at the building in front was pretty special. And then, naturally, the walk up [the stairs] was incredibly special. So at least there’s one or two memories from that.”Related

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Markram’s reaction was perhaps the final vestige of South Africa’s suspension of belief. Despite all of the well-worn caveats that the nation has learned to factor into impending glory, the thronging support in the stands had long since abandoned their reticence. Perhaps the biggest clue that the game was up, however, came from the reaction of Australia’s own fielders.Travis Head’s sharp take at midwicket created barely a flicker of recognition. For most people in the crowd, the first inkling that Markram was out came as he clasped his own helmet in agony and turned on his heel. But soon afterwards it was clear, as one by one, the Australians trooped up to shake his hand. It was wonderfully magnanimous in the moment, but their body language wasn’t just beaten, but broken.”I noticed it for sure,” Markram said. “Obviously, it was a great touch from their side. There’s quite a bit of banter had on the field. But all is well that ends well, I guess. It’s always nice to be appreciated from that position.”Perhaps he’s still in a trance, still locked into the duty of delivering an innings that, by every conceivable measure – grandness of occasion, fourth innings, and against a relentless attack of unprecedented quality and longevity – earns it the right to be considered the greatest Test innings ever produced by a South African.”Nothing’s hit me just yet, so maybe that’s a good thing, but something needs to hit me soon, to get out all the emotions, because it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster.”It was Aiden Markram’s third fourth-innings hundred•ICC/Getty ImagesBut there was a moment, as Markram marched through to his century late on the third evening, when the mask cracked and the enormity of his performance seemed ready to engulf him. With a stiff upper lip that would doubtless have earned the approval of the many English public-school boys in the stands, he quickly gulped down his emotions – though not without ducking a request for a close-of-play word to the cameras – and reset himself to perform his duty.”Yeah, it was weird last night. I was pretty emotional,” he said. “From about quarter past five, the game had slowed down. I had a bit of time to look around and see all the fans, the family, all the mates that were there … I was looking at the changing room. I was like, ‘Yes, we are now getting close’, and it caught me off guard. Then the hundred happened, and a couple of tears leaked out that I was trying to fight.”Markram reached the close on 102 not out and, with just 69 runs still to get on the final day, he went on to sleep “horribly”.”I tried to take a sleeping tablet, it didn’t work,” he said. “The mind just couldn’t switch off. But fortunately, today wasn’t ever going to be a full day, so I knew it would be fine.”Markram went the full journey in the course of this contest. Way back on that frenzied opening day, he epitomised South Africa’s hunger with his highly-strung display in the slips – first, by being the distraction as he dived across David Bedingham from second slip, then by clinging on as Wiaan Mulder repeated the dose from third, as Kagiso Rabada cranked open the contest with two Australian wickets in four balls.Later that day, his lesser-heralded offspin extracted a well-set Steven Smith for 66, and on the stroke of lunch on Friday, he finally ended Australia’s dogged tenth-wicket stand as Josh Hazlewood holed out to cover.In between whiles, however, he had also fallen for a sixth-ball duck in South Africa’s ropey start to their batting display. And, having made 4 from five balls as captain in Barbados last June, as South Africa’s last appearance in an ICC final fell agonisingly short of glory, he admitted that the urge to stay in the moment was his single biggest driver, when his chance came again to steer his country’s fortunes.Aiden Markram got a well-deserved drink from a friend in the stands•PA Images via Getty Images”I thought a lot about the T20 World Cup last night and how hopeless I felt sitting on the side after getting out,” he said. “I was like, I don’t want to sit there again. So, this gave me a bit of motivation to make sure I stayed at the crease, if I could. But never once thought about the achievements and what would come with it. It was always about just trying to get the job done and trying to win.”That mindset meant that, throughout his game-breaking 147-run stand with Temba Bavuma, there was never any question about backing up his captain’s desire to soldier on, even after his left hamstring gave way just six runs into his critical knock of 66 that spanned three-and-a-quarter hours.”To see his hammy go was obviously a bit worrying,” Markram said. “We got to tea, and he said he felt he could still keep going, but he wanted to know from my side if the twos becoming ones would affect me.”I said, ‘there’s no chance’. It’s about the partnership, staying out there for longer, getting the ball even softer, even older, and that’s exactly what he did. He still managed to run twos and threes, so I think there was a lot of adrenaline there, but he showed a lot of leadership and character. Maybe not the big, big numbers, but the ones that really make a difference, and that was tremendous for us.”Besides being his most important innings, this was also Markram’s third century in five Tests against Australia, a team against whom he is clearly primed to raise his game. “Australians and South Africans are pretty similar,” he said. “They play the game hard, they play the game to compete, they play the game to really win, and it brings out the best in us. It’s just a battle between two teams that really don’t have any interest in losing.”And now, South Africa are the World Test Champions – an accolade earned in spite of the many well-documented brickbats they faced in the build-up, both in terms of their unusual route to this final, as well as the baggage that such a contest brings with it. “It’s as big and as tough as it gets,” Markram said. “All the questions that have been asked in the past have fortunately now been answered.”And now, at the very last, perhaps he’ll get his chance to savour the moment, now that he has lived it to the fullest. The first inkling of this occurred in the moments before the presentation, amid the melee on the outfield, and the tears and euphoria of his team-mates.Markram was beckoned by a familiar face in the stands, and after some initial hesitation, he trotted over to let his personal party begin.”Yeah, that was cool,” he said. “That was one of my mates from school. He wanted me to come over. And I was like, ‘man, I can’t, it’s too busy. It’s chaos’. And then he was like, ‘Oh, here’s a beer’ … and I was like, okay! I’ve had my first one for today, and I’m pretty sure there’ll be a few more.”

Newcastle United have come on leaps and bounds under Eddie Howe’s wing, but the Toon have been hit with their fair share of adversity over the past few months.

Backed by PIF, Howe has worked wonders at St. James’ Park, transforming Newcastle from perennial relegation contenders to a force to be reckoned with both at the top of the Premier League and in Europe.

And, to boot, United ended so many years of searching for silverware last season, beating Liverpool at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup and seal their first major domestic honour since 1955.

Liverpool have carried the battle on, however, having pushed throughout the summer transfer window for Magpies talisman Alexander Isak. The Reds landed their man on transfer deadline day, signing him for a record-breaking £125m fee.

It’s a cruel, cruel blow for Howe’s project, no doubt about it. Although that said, Newcastle have recruited well this summer and have equipped themselves with players capable of matching the outfit’s lofty ambitions.

How Newcastle are replacing Isak

Toward the end of the transfer window, Newcastle welcomed Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa to their ranks. There is an exciting contrast to the two forwards, one of whom is experienced and renowned within the Premier League, with the other hailing from Germany, and with a high ceiling ahead of him.

Both of them are talented goalscorers, who will contribute to the latest chapter at this wonderful football club. But neither of them is Isak.

Indeed, Isak’s influence reached beyond that of merely being a prolific frontman. The Sweden international was described by pundit Ally McCoist last season as being “the best all-round centre-forward” in the Premier League, with his lethal finishing merely the endpoint of a dynamic, snappy skillset.

Newcastle have replaced him in the aggregate, but it might be too much to expect either replacement to step up and offer the same level of quality from the get-go.

For Anthony Gordon, this is the perfect chance for him to step up and prove to those of a Toon persuasion that he can adopt the talismanic berth at St. James’ Park.

However, after a testing start to the season, the England international has it all to do, with more misery potentially pulling him away from a place as Isak’s proverbial successor and toward territory occupied by someone like Miguel Almiron.

Anthony Gordon needs to step up

Last season, Gordon left plenty to be desired at Newcastle. The 24-year-old had previously been crowned Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24 after an exceptional breakout season, but interest from Liverpool that summer knocked him out of kilter after the saga came to nought.

Gordon was on the fringes after joining from Everton for £45m in January 2023, but a full pre-season allowed him to grow into his skin and repay the faith, clinching 28 goal contributions across all competitions.

Almiron is fondly remembered for his contribution and passion on Tyneside, but there’s no denying he lacked clarity and incisiveness in the final third, with the lion’s share of his time in England yielding not-so-prolific returns.

Newcastle signed Almiron from Atlanta United in the MLS, enjoying his football for seven years before sending him back over the pond.

Tenacious and lively, the Paraguayan winger lacked bite in the final third, with an incredible purple patch during the 2022/23 campaign serving as the extent of his clinical form in the Premier League. But what form it was, with the maverick swishing this way and that, playing with such gusto as he timed his runs and found the right pockets of space at the right times.

24/25

9

0 (0)

23/24

33

3 (1)

22/23

34

11 (2)

21/22

30

1 (0)

20/21

34

4 (1)

19/20

36

4 (2)

18/19

10

0 (0)

Gordon will hope that he does not follow suit, having only scored six goals in the Premier League last season and starting the current campaign off wobbily, seeing himself sent off during that frantic fixture against Liverpool in August.

He has described himself as a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, and he shares with Almiron a sort of crackling energy when on the ball and in the danger area, one of the fastest players in the Premier League besides.

Howe has been forced into playing the left-sided forward in a makeshift centre-forward berth at times – including the opening weeks of the current campaign – and that has disrupted the player’s fluency, but the fact remains that this is a critical juncture for a player who needs to step up now that Isak has completed his move to Merseyside.

There’s no question that Gordon’s ceiling is higher than Almiron’s ever was. The Three Lions star has been priced in the ballpark of £100m in the past, after all.

And, of course, it’s important to remember Gordon has proven himself and then some within this Newcastle team before, and during a testing time for the club at that.

He is a forward who wears his passion on his sleeve, and though that has at times been to his own detriment, the winger will be determined to bounce back and prove he can lead this new-look frontline over the coming years.

Looking at it from a different, more sobering perspective, Gordon must ensure this campaign does not get away from him too, for if this is the case, his flash-in-the-pan prolific mess in the Premier League might leave him remembered in a similar way to Almiron.

Again, there is confidence from the Toon hierarchy that this will not be the case, but the time for action is now.

PIF have signed Newcastle their own Gabriel in "outstanding" £30m warrior

Newcastle’s summer signing shone vs Arsenal, drawing Gabriel comparisons.

ByWill Miller Sep 30, 2025

Federico Bernardeschi has refuted any suggestion that Cristiano Ronaldo “upset balance” during his time at Juventus. The Portuguese superstar completed a stunning transfer to Turin in 2018 when bringing a record-shattering spell at Real Madrid to a close. He would go on to spend three seasons with the Bianconeri, helping them to five trophies – including two Serie A titles.

Ronaldo's record: Goal tally for Juventus

Juve supporters were delighted to welcome Ronaldo onto their books when a switch that few people saw coming was completed. He had scored 44 goals through as many appearances in the previous season with Real – taking his overall tally for the Liga giants to 450 through 438 appearances. He was still very much at the peak of his powers when heading to Italy.

Ronaldo made the expected impact with Juve, breaking the 30-goal barrier in two campaigns for the Old Lady of Turin. He became a centurion once again, with the net being found on 101 occasions through 134 games. CR7 helped Juve to cement their domestic dominance, while also remaining competitive on the Champions League stage.

AdvertisementGettyWork ethic: Ronaldo relentless in his approach

Some stunning efforts were recorded by the Portuguese, including his towering header against Sampdoria in December 2019. Questions were, however, asked throughout his time in Italy of whether he was the right fit for Juve. His relentless pursuit of perfection is also considered to rub club colleagues up the wrong way at times, with not everybody sharing his work ethic when it comes to early morning and late night gym sessions.

Bernardeschi is, however, adamant that Ronaldo was never anything but a positive presence for Juve. He was not always one of the boys, with his celebrity status forcing a somewhat shielded existence to be lived off the pitch, but he was happy to form part of dressing room banter and let his guard down when clear of the cameras that follow his every move.

Ronaldo happy to get involved in dressing room banter

Speaking to , Bernardeschi said: “From a locker room perspective, he’s an exceptional guy. As a player, there’s nothing more to add, he’s sensational. He’s more humble and sensitive than you might think.

“As his team-mate, you must understand that he’s unique, and don’t compare what he does to what you do. If you’re aware of this, you’ll have no problem. He has his routine, he has things you need to know, be aware of. He’s your team-mate, but he’s not like you. If I want to go get an ice cream in Turin with Cristiano, it’s a different story. He laughs and jokes, a truly down-to-earth guy. When I came in, he always said: ‘There’s the stylish Italian’. He laughs and jokes with everyone.”

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GettyRonaldo not to blame for Champions League failure

Ex-Italy international Bernardeschi, who is now on the books of Bologna after spending three years in MLS with Toronto FC, added on Ronaldo supposedly disrupting Juventus’ tactical approach: “No, I don’t think he upset any balance. In the first season after his arrival, we really could have won the Champions League, I truly believe it.

“To say that Cristiano Ronaldo upset the balance within Juventus is not true; it would be hiding behind an alibi. I believe there were several factors that led to the loss of that DNA, that secret of transmitting values. If Juve didn’t win the Champions League with Ronaldo, it’s not his fault, it’s everyone’s fault. Against Atletico, he scored three goals, but everyone else had a wonderful performance. The following season, it was quite the opposite.”

England’s Champions Trophy prospects have received a boost after Ben Duckett was given the all-clear, following a left groin injury sustained during last week’s ODI series against India.Duckett’s form at the top of the order had been one of the positives for England in an otherwise disappointing campaign. He made two half-centuries across the T20I and ODI series, in which England won just one of the eight matches, but contributed regular strong starts in the powerplay, alongside Phil Salt, which whom he made three consecutive fifty stands.However, Duckett appeared to tweak his groin while fielding in the latter stages of India’s innings in the final ODI at Ahmedabad on Wednesday, and was visibly hampered while making a boundary-laden 34 in England’s subsequent innings.However, with England having decamped to the UAE ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign, scans on Duckett’s groin have revealed no significant issue, and an ECB press release declared him “fit and available” for England’s tournament opener against Australia in Lahore on February 22.England are due to arrive in Pakistan on February 18, and the news is a welcome boost given the squad’s other injury concerns. They have already lost Jacob Bethell to a hamstring injury, with Somerset’s Tom Banton drafted into the squad as a replacement, while Jamie Smith has not featured since the third ODI on January 28 due to a calf injury.Ben Duckett was in form during the India tour without converting his starts•Getty Images

There are concerns among the fast-bowling contingent too, with Brydon Carse managing a toe injury and Jamie Overton affected by a hamstring issue. Jofra Archer is also nursing a cut hand.The squad has had to ride out criticism of their training methods, too, with Kevin Pietersen particularly outspoken about their lack of net practice during the ODI series.Renewing his attack on X on Thursday, Pietersen said that injuries are part and parcel of sport, adding that that was not what was stopping “batters from batting against net bowlers and learning the art of playing spin”.However, Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, rejected the “factually incorrect” take on England’s preparations, and insisted that his team was on track to compete strongly at the Champions Trophy.”Guys have come from a lot of cricket and keeping guys fresh is just as important, especially when you have injuries,” he said. “We’ve done lots of training. We have had injuries in the camp so we’ve backed guys off a little bit to make sure we had a fit team.”

Tottenham Hotspur will desperately want to make amends in the Premier League this season, after falling way below the high expectations they’ve set for themselves in recent times.

The Lilywhites ended the 2024/25 campaign in a measly 17th place, sitting just one place above the relegation zone – which ultimately cost Ange Postecoglou his job.

Such a departure has allowed Thomas Frank to take the reins in North London, taking the next step in his managerial career, after spending seven years in charge at Brentford.

The Dane has already added Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha to his ranks, but it’s likely that added reinforcements will be targeted before the September 1st deadline.

As a result of his ambitions in the market, numerous players have emerged on their radar in recent days, with the hope that they can join the club with just a couple of weeks left in the window.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Manchester City star Savinho has become a surprise target for Spurs in recent days, potentially leaving his current side after just one season at the Etihad Stadium.

It’s been reported that the 21-year-old would be open to a move to join the Lilywhites this summer, with Pep Guardiola’s side currently demanding around £60m for his signature.

However, the attacker isn’t the only Premier League talent currently in their sights this window, with Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze also being considered, according to GIVEMESPORT.

The report claims that talks have already been held between the player and Frank’s side, with Arsenal also firmly in the race for the 27-year-old’s signature this summer.

It also states that the manager is a huge fan of the player who’s also keen on a move to join the Lilywhites, with the Englishman having a £60m release clause within his current contract at Selhurst Park.

Why Spurs’ £60m target is better than Gibbs-White

Spurs’ hunt for new additions in the attacking department could’ve easily been solved by now, had they completed a deal for Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White.

The hierarchy decided to trigger his £60m release clause in his deal at the City Ground, with the 25-year-old even set for a medical earlier in the summer window.

However, whilst a move seemed a formality at one stage, Reds’ owner Evangelos Marinakis intervened in such a deal, voicing his displeasure over an alleged illegal approach for his signature.

Such a move was put on hold, which cast doubt over a deal to sign Gibbs-White, leading to the England international penning a new three-year deal with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.

As a result, other options have had to be considered in North London, leading to their potential move to sign fellow Englishman Eze in the coming weeks.

When comparing his stats to those of Gibbs-White from the most recent campaign, the FA Cup winner managed to outperform him in multiple areas, offering a better option for Frank’s side ahead of 2025/26.

Eze, who’s been labelled “sensational” by talkSPORT’s Rory Jennings, posted more goals and assists along with more shot-creating actions per 90, possessing more of a threat when in front of goal.

Games played

34

34

Goals & assists

16

15

Key passes made

2.1

1.6

Passes into opposition box

1.4

1.3

Take-on success

49%

40%

Progressive carries

2.4

2.1

Shot-creating actions

4.7

3.7

Fouls won

1.8

1.2

He also completed more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90, able to provide more chances to other attackers around him in North London.

The Palace star’s dominance over Gibbs-White is further highlighted in his take-on success rate and progressive carries completed per 90, having the tools to take the ball into dangerous areas on a more consistent basis.

Missing out on the Forest star will undoubtedly be a huge disappointment for the Lilywhites fanbase, but the hierarchy can’t rest on their laurels for the remainder of the window.

A deal for Eze would be an excellent piece of business, undoubtedly handing the side a better option in attacking areas, allowing the club to have the best chance of success in 2025/26.

Their answer to Eze: Spurs to trigger release clause of "elite" £22m star

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a move for a star who could thrive in North London.

2 ByEthan Lamb Aug 12, 2025

شهد لقاء باريس سان جيرمان ضد برشلونة على ملعب مونتجويك في دوري أبطال أوروبا تألق النجم الشاب سيني مايولو.

وأحرز سيني مايولو هدف التعادل لباريس سان جيرمان بتسديدة رائعة في شباك تشيزني، قبل نهاية الشوط الأول ليثبت جدارته مجدداً بالحصول على ثقة لويس إنريكي.

وعاش الشاب الفرنسي أعظم لحظات مسيرته كلاعب شاب حتى الآن بتسجيله هدف ضد إنتر ميلان في الفوز الكاسح بخماسية نظيفة في نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، وسجل ضد بريست في فبراير 2025 في مباراة فاز فيها باريس سان جيرمان بسباعية نظيفة.

واستغل النجم الشاب غياب كل من عثمان ديمبلي وديزري دوي وخفيشا كفاراتسخيليا ليتألق ويفرض نفسه بقوة في خط هجوم باريس سان جيرمان.

أقرأ أيضاً.. “بكل بساطة”.. كوندي يوضح سر خسارة برشلونة أمام باريس سان جيرمان

وعلق مايولو بعد نهاية المباراة في تصريحات نشرتها “راديو مونتي كارلو” الفرنسية: “سجلوا الهدف الأول لكننا لم نستسلم وحافظنا على هدوئنا”.

وأضاف :”كنا نعلم أنه يجب علينا تقديم أداء قوي للعودة والفوز بهذه المباراة، هكذا نحن، لدينا هذه الهوية كفريق، لدينا عقلية عدم الاستسلام مهما حدث، المدرب يساهم يومياً معنا”.

وحول هدفه الذي سجله اليوم ختم مايولو تصريحاته: “إنه نتاج جهد جماعي، نونو مينديز أحدث فرقاً كبيراً باختراقه، حاولت ألا أكون متسللاً، سيطرت على الكرة وسددت لكنه جهد جماعي قبل كل شئ، أنا لست زعيم عصابة بين شباب باريس، نحن في نفس العمر أو يفصلنا عام واحد، نحاول أن نكون معاً، إنه لفخر أن نرى الشباب يشاركون في هذا النوع من المباريات، نعمل كل يوم والمدرب يثق بنا”.

Tottenham are now targeting a Premier League star who’s rejected several attempts from his club to agree a contract extension, according to a fresh report, with the player also very keen to play in the Champions League.

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Posts 2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 30, 2025

Spurs have a few key areas of Thomas Frank’s squad they still wish to strengthen before deadline day on September 1.

After missing out on Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White in bizarre fashion, the north Londoners remain in pursuit of fresh attacking options to instill some much-needed creativity.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

According to some reports, Tottenham have held talks with intermediaries over an audacious move for Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, which would potentially require chairman Daniel Levy to shatter the club’s transfer record (AS).

A new number six is also possible, if Spurs make room in their squad by selling a midfielder (Alasdair Gold), with reliable media sources confirming that Bayern Munich and former Fulham star, Joao Palhinha, is on their list of targets.

Another area to look out for is at centre-half, despite Frank’s current abundance of defenders.

Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Radu Dragusin and Luka Vuskovic are on Tottenham’s books right now, but the latter two may not be solid options to call upon ahead of the new season.

Vuskovic is still raw and could go out on loan again, as is the case with Ashley Phillips after he sealed a return to Stoke City, while Dragusin is still in recovery from a crushing ACL injury.

Tottenham were forced to utilise teenager Archie Gray as a makeshift centre-half amid their injury nightmare under Ange Postecoglou last season, and Frank will be very keen not to suffer the same fate as his predecessor.

Spurs are believed to remain contenders for Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi as a result, coming after they had a mammoth £70m offer rejected for the Englishman in January, but he isn’t the only Premier League stalwart on Levy’s agenda.

Tottenham eye Brighton contract rebel Jan Paul van Hecke

According to Voetbal International and reporter Joost Blaauwhof, Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke is attracting interest from N17 too.

The Dutchman’s form last season prompted a call to the Netherlands international team, whilst also winning Brighton’s Player of the Season award following a stellar 2024/2025.

Brighton, for their part, are desperate to agree an extension and have made ‘several’ new deal offers. Fabian Hurzeler’s side were even prepared to table a record-breaking new contract by making van Hecke the highest-paid player in their history.

However, the 25-year-old has no interest in committing his future, and he’s firmly set his sights on a move away.

According to Voetbal, Tottenham are eyeing a move for van Hecke alongside Newcastle, with the former NAC Breda sensation dreaming of moving to a Champions League side.

Tony Bloom and co have priced van Hecke at around £43m, which could be seen as amazing value considering both his age and proven top-level experience. Just two years remain on the player’s current contract, though, so there is scope for Levy to even whittle down this price tag.

كشف إيرلينج هالاند، نجم نادي مانشستر سيتي، أنه كان يتابع السيتيزن عن كثب منذ أن كان لاعبًا في صفوف ريد بول سالزبورج وكذلك مع بوروسيا دورتموند.

هالاند يمضي موسمه الرابع مع نادي مانشستر سيتي ، حيث انضم اللاعب إلى صفوف السيتيزن خلال صيف عام 2022 وذلك قادمًا من نادي بوروسيا دورتموند مقابل 75 مليون يورو.

وانفجر هالاند بالفعل مع مانشستر سيتي بشكل كبير وسجل الدولي النرويجي العديد من الأهداف مع النادي الإنجليزي على مدار السنوات الأربعة الماضية.

أقرأ أيضًا .. “الرغبة في الانتقام”.. هالاند يوجه رسالة قاسية للاعبي مانشستر سيتي قبل الديربي

وكشف هالاند عن سبب اختياره التوقيع مع مانشستر سيتي، وذلك في تصريحات إلى شبكة سكاي سبورتس.

وقال هالاند: ”أتابع مانشستر سيتي منذ زمن لا أعرفه بالظبط، على حد ما أتذكر خاصةً مع بيب جوارديولا الآن، وعندما كنت ألعب في ريد بول سالزبورج وبوروسيا دورتموند كنت أتابعهم”.

وعن سبب التوقيع مع مانشستر سيتي اختتم: ”أحيانًا، شعرت أنهم ربما يفتقدون وجود المهاجم في منطقة الجزاء، ثم فكرت أنه سيكون من الرائع أن أكون هناك، فقط لأُنهي جميع الفرص التي تتاح لهم”.

With Habib Diarra signed and Reinildo also on his way, Sunderland are now reportedly battling against Paris Saint-Germain to secure their third arrival of the summer.

Sunderland set to sign Diarra and Reinildo

Just when Leeds United believed they were in the driving seat, Sunderland came bustling in to steal Diarra from under their noses. Outbidding the 49ers, those at the Stadium of Light are reportedly set to secure the midfielder’s signature for a club-record fee of £30m. But they are not done there – far from it, in fact.

After Diarra, the Black Cats have turned towards La Liga and Atletico Madrid to agree a deal for Reinildo Mandava. The left-back is set to become a free agent at the end of next month, allowing Sunderland to swoop in and secure his signature.

Both incoming arrivals signal Sunderland’s intent. None of the last six promoted teams have survived at the first time of asking in the Premier League, but the playoff winners are spending as though they’re in the mood to finally put an end to that trend.

Diarra particularly stands out between the two. The former Strasbourg midfielder gave English football a glimpse of his talents against the Three Lions earlier this month when he scored Sengal’s second goal in a 3-1 win. Now, 20 days on, he’s set to become a permanent feature in the Premier League.

There’s still plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, however, and the Black Cats could yet reportedly turn back towards La Liga for yet another reinforcement.

Sunderland racing to sign Gasiorowski

Having already agreed a deal to sign Reinildo from Atletico Madrid, those in Wearside have seemingly returned to La Liga for another talent. According to reports in Spain, Sunderland are now racing PSG to sign Yarek Gasiorowski from Valencia, who are willing to let their centre-back leave below his huge €60m (£51m) release clause.

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Up against PSG and Brighton & Hove Albion, Valencia’s willingness to sell the 20-year-old for around €25m (£21m) rather than demanding his £51m release clause should hand Sunderland a major boost, but would still take their spending upwards of £50m for the summer.

A player with “immense potential” according to scout Jacek Kulig, Gasiorowski would slot straight into Sunderland’s plan to mix players who are on the rise and those who are more established – joining Reinildo and Diarra.

Whether the Black Cats can fend off interest from PSG and Brighton remains to be seen, however, in what would be another impressive signing.

Kieran Tierney is back at Celtic.

On Tuesday, the club officially confirmed Tierney’s return to Parkhead, re-joining on a free transfer, six years after he departed Glasgow initially, heading for Arsenal.

Safe to say, Celtic supporters are excited to see the beloved left-back bedecked in green and white hoops again, but could Brendan Rodgers now land a winger to play in front of the returning hometown hero?

Celtic chasing a new winger

So, with Tierney through the door and the Bhoys chasing more recruits, who’s up next at Paradise?

Transfer Focus

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

Well, according to a report by RMC SPORT, Celtic are ‘back in the race’ to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha this summer, adding that ‘discussions regarding personal terms’ have already begun.

The Hoops have a long-standing interest in the winger, with Royal Antwerp general manager Sven Jaecques admitting that they had been negotiating with both Celtic and Stade Rennais last summer, only for Balikwisha to suffer an injury that curtailed these talks.

Well, as outlined by Manuel Meza of Sports Illustrated, Balikwisha now has just one year remaining on his contract with Antwerp, hence why the Belgian outfit ‘are looking to cash in’, especially after they failed to qualify for Europe, defeated 2-1 by Royal Charleroi in a Jupiler Pro League play-off at Bosuilstadion last month.

According to Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old is worth around £5m, having been valued at close to double that as recently as December 2023, so could he be on his way to Glasgow?

How Michel-Ange Balikwisha would improve Celtic

A Belgian U21 international, Balikwisha made his professional debut for Standard Liège, before joining Royal Antwerp in 2021, making 141 appearances for the Reds, scoring 29 goals and registering 17 assists.

He was a key figure in the Antwerp side that won the league and Coupe de Belgique double in 2022/23, Antwerp’s first Belgian title since 1957, before scoring against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League the following season.

Balikwisha’s career has been blighted by injuries in more recent times, requiring knee surgery in January 2024, before making just 17 appearances this season due to a torn thigh muscle, albeit he started each of Antwerp’s final 11 fixtures of the campaign.

So, let’s assess his statistics.

As the table shows, Balikwisha generally ranks very highly for all the attacking metrics included, which is very impressive considering that he missed seven matches due to injury during the 2023/24 campaign, as well as the fact that the Jupiler Pro League is the eighth-strongest division in the world, according to Global Football Rankings.

Analyst Ben Mattinson describes him as a “two-footed” left-wing who is certainly “capable of beating a defender” both inside and out, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes he operates best as an “inside forward”, praising his “pace, dribbling and finishing” as his main attributes.

Thus, one can certainly envisage Balikwisha and Tierney linking up well together down the Celts’ left-hand side. The Scot was simply sublime in green and white last time, registering as many as 37 assists. Safe to say he was one of the best left-sided players in the whole country.

Now, with the returning hero bombing down the left flank again, as is very much his want, the Belgian would be given the license to cut inside and get shots away.

On paper at least, it sounds like they would form a devastating duo.

Celtic can forget about Kvistgaarden with move to sign "gifted" £0 striker

With Celtic seemingly set to miss out on signing Mathias Kvistgaarden from Brøndby, they should instead go for a “gifted” free agent.

By
Ben Gray

Jun 10, 2025