The season may be over, and the fans may still be basking in the glory of Europa League success, but there is still plenty of work for the Tottenham Hotspur board to do in the coming months.

The summer transfer window is set to open in a matter of days, and with Champions League football now secure, Daniel Levy and Co must do everything they can to bring in the best players to support Ange Postecoglou and his squad.

However, it’s not all about incomings, as the club now have a golden opportunity to offload a number of players who simply aren’t good enough.

Specifically, Levy and Co should look to sell someone who’s in real danger of becoming the club’s new Tanguy Ndombele.

Ndombele's Spurs career

Back in the summer of 2019, Spurs were crying out for some midfield reinforcements, and so the club did something quite out of character and smashed their transfer record to bring in Ndombele for around £63m.

There was plenty of excitement around the move at the time, as the Frenchman was coming off a stellar campaign with Lyon, and several prominent journalists were even comparing him to the simply sensational Mousa Dembélé – yes, seriously.

Unfortunately, aside from the good performance here and there, the Longjumeau-born ace never got anywhere near the level that was expected of him, so much so that after just two and a half years, he was sent back to Lyon on a short-term loan.

Ndombele‘s Spurs career
Appearances	91
Goals	10
Assists	9
Goal Involvements per Match	0.20
All Stats via Transfermarkt

After that, he spent a season with Napoli and then another with Galatasary, finally leaving N17 after his contract was terminated by mutual consent, with 91 Tottenham appearances to his name, in which he scored ten goals and provided nine assists.

With his fee, lack of game time and poor performances all taken into account, it’s not hard to see why journalist Paul Brown described Ndombele as “one of the worst signings Spurs have ever made.”

Unfortunately, the club now have another midfielder who could be in a similar conversation, unless they sell him this summer, that is.

The Spurs player who must be sold

Now, while a number of squad members should be sold this summer, the player we are talking about is Yves Bissouma.

Chalkboard

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

Like Ndombele before him, there was quite a bit of excitement around the Mali international’s transfer to Spurs back in 2022, with content creator George Benson describing the deal as “an absolutely brilliant signing.”

However, instead of getting the unreal midfield destroyer who was sensational for Brighton & Hove Albion, the North Londoners ended up with a player who has had more questionable performances than good ones.

For example, while he was undeniably excellent in the Europa League final, he was terrible against his old club on Sunday, earning himself a 4/10 match rating from Alasdair Gold, who rather charitably described him as ‘clumsy.’

It was a similar story away to Fulham earlier in the season when Gold gave him 3/10 and wrote that ‘his use of the ball was dreadful.’

Go back another few months to December, and he put in such a poor display at home to Chelsea – in which he gave away a penalty – that Jamie Carragher slammed him for being “absolutely ridiculous.”

Finally, on top of being unable to string together a number of good performances, the 28-year-old has a sketchy fitness record at best, which has seen him miss 25 games for club and country since moving to N17.

Ultimately, it’s in Spurs’ best interest to say thanks for the performance in the final and sell Bissouma this summer before another season of dismal displays turns him into the modern Ndombele.

Massive Tel upgrade: Spurs ready £38m offer to sign "unstoppable" star

Spurs could sign an upgrade on Tel for £38m this summer.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 27, 2025

Arsenal are ready to spend big this summer and could now gain the upper hand on Chelsea in pursuit of a talented star plying his trade at the Club World Cup, according to a report.

Arsenal ready to make statement signings

The Gunners hope to establish themselves as a frontrunner in the race for the Premier League title and Mikel Arteta is set to be backed this window as high-profile targets are identified at the Emirates Stadium.

In an honest assessment of his former side’s hunt for a striker, Arsenal icon Theo Walcott has pointed out that the club need to pursue someone in Liam Delap’s mould as they search for a new source of goals.

Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are Arsenal’s two main striking targets, and the latter has given his priority to Arteta’s side following an excellent campaign at Sporting.

That development comes in spite of interest from Manchester United, which will undoubtedly provoke optimism among a support desperate to see the final piece of the jigsaw added over the coming months.

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However, it has to be taken into account that signing a forward isn’t the only requirement to exceed their rivals’ points tally next season; you also need an effective foil to maximise attacking output across the board.

With that in mind, Arsenal now have a winger on their radar that they could steal from under the nose of rivals Chelsea, according to reports.

Arsenal prepare bid to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jamie Gittens

According to reports in Spain, Arsenal are preparing a bid to sign Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens, and he is viewed internally as someone who would fit their philosophy to develop talent over the long-term.

Berta and company are ready to put forward an offer that could amount to roughly £42.5 million, while Chelsea have also been heavily linked with Gittens and came close to signing him before the Club World Cup registration window closed. There have even been claims the Blues still want him and could make a new bid in days.

Jamie Gittens in 2024/25 – Bundesliga (FBRef)

Shot-creating actions

73

Goals-creating actions

10

Progressive carries per 90

5.53

Touches in opposition penalty area per 90

5.53

Successful take-ons per 90

3.57

Labelled “fantastic” by Nuri Sahin, the England Under-21 international registered 12 goals and five assists as Borussia Dortmund left it late to secure Champions League qualification.

Bukayo Saka’s injury issues throughout the campaign demonstrated that additional depth is needed for the Gunners to juggle domestic and European endeavours. Taking that into consideration, what better way for Arsenal to secure another talented outlet out wide than to beat Chelsea to Gittens’ signature.

Chelsea’s transfer plans for the summer window are now in full swing, having just reached an agreement for the signing of Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, but their striker search may not be over with the Englishman.

Chelsea could sign second striker after Liam Delap

Earlier this week, Chelsea shook hands on a £30 million deal for Delap, fresh off the back of his 12-goal haul for Kieran McKenna’s relegated side.

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The ex-Man City starlet was a beacon of light in an otherwise dismal Ipswich side, and his £30 million release clause was always going to result in club’s poaching Delap from Portman Road after his excellent 2024/2025 campaign.

Delap had offers from Man United, Newcastle and Everton as well as Chelsea, but the latter jumped into pole position after their qualification for next season’s Champions League, with the striker now set to bolster Enzo Maresca’s forward line.

Maresca knows the centre-forward well from their time together at City, and Delap was academy teammates with Cole Palmer, so the 22-year-old already has plenty of connections at the club and should get settled quickly.

Delap is set to undergo a medical on Monday ahead of his proposed switch to Stamford Bridge, but according to recent reports, he may not be their only new addition up front.

Rank

Team

Points

GD

Man City

71

+28

Chelsea

69

+21

Newcastle

66

+21

6

Aston Villa

66

+7

7

Nottingham Forest

65

+12

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has reported that Chelsea are still “pushing” to sign Eintracht Frankfurt sensation Hugo Ekitike, regardless of Delap’s arrival, following other claims that BlueCo could bring in two number nines before summer deadline day on September 1.

Chelsea’s pursuit of a double-striker deal is described as very possible, especially after their qualification for the Champions League, with player sales also likely to play a key role.

Chelsea in pole position to sign Hugo Ekitike after opening talks

According to CaughtOffside, despite his mammoth £84 million asking price, Chelsea and Liverpool remain interested in Ekitike as we enter the mini-transfer window open from June 1 to June 10.

After opening talks, it is believed Chelsea are currently in pole position to sign Ekitike ahead of Arne Slot’s side, following the Frenchman’s excellent haul of 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances across 24/25.

Despite never quite making it at PSG, the 22-year-old has displayed his obvious quality in the Bundesliga, and those who’ve worked with Ekitike have showered praise on him, so he’s an option worth considering after Delap.

Called an “amazing” talent by French football expert Julien Laurens, Ekitike’s reserve team coach at Reims, Franck Chalencon, has shared exactly what Chelsea can expect from him.

“He’s a very clever player which has seen him to adapt and understand the expectations of professional football,” said Chalencon.

“His main quality? His instinct for goal. It’s very rare that Hugo plays a game without creating a chance himself at any occasion. In front of the goal, his ratio is excellent. But he’s not only a striker, he can play on the wing, too. Very technical. He knows what to do with the ball, when to keep it, when to give it.”

Leeds United have now identified a “world-class” goalkeeper as a prime target to replace Illan Meslier, with Daniel Farke now open to sanctioning the Frenchman’s departure, according to a report.

Leeds planning to replace error-prone Meslier

Speaking back in February, former Leeds man Paul Robinson praised Farke for the way in which he had dealt with Meslier, saying: “He’s a confidence goalkeeper and the manager has been excellent with him. That’s one thing you can ask for as a goalkeeper.”

However, the 48-year-old ultimately lost faith in his goalkeeper, with Karl Darlow being given the nod between the sticks during the promotion run-in, and the manager’s lack of trust in the shot-stopper may have damaged his confidence.

With Meslier’s blunders costing Farke’s side 10 points last season, it would be a huge risk for the manager to persist with the 25-year-old as his number one, and a report from TEAMtalk has revealed the German is now open to a sale this summer.

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It is also detailed that Leeds have now identified Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic as a prime target to replace Meslier, with the Blues making the decision to place the Serbian on their transfer list, and they are open to offers of around £25m.

The Whites have registered their interest in Petrovic, but there is widespread interest in the goalkeeper’s signature, with the likes of Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brenford also keen, alongside some top clubs from across Europe.

The Championship title-winners are seemingly very keen to get a deal done, despite potentially having to do battle with Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen, with the report stating they are now ready to step up their pursuit of the goalkeeper.

"World-class" Petrovic could be ideal Meslier replacement

It is no surprise that Farke is willing to cash-in on Meslier this summer, and there are plenty of indications the Chelsea shot-stopper could be an ideal replacement, with his performances on loan at Strasbourg last season deemed to be at a very high level.

Indeed, manager Liam Rosenior was left enamoured by the Serbia international’s development, saying: “We have seen huge progress from Petro.

“He is a world-class goalkeeper. We see it every day and it is still paying off today.”

It is a bold claim to put the former New England Revolution man in the world-class category, but to a certain extent Rosenior’s assessment is backed up by the underlying data, as his save percentage over the past year has been very impressive.

Statistic

Average per 90

Save %

78.9% (98th percentile)

Clean sheet %

32.3% (76th percentile)

Crosses stopped %

8.4% (82nd percentile)

As such, it could perhaps be considered a little unusual that Chelsea are willing to part ways with Petrovic this summer, but their loss could be Leeds’ gain.

Jemimah Rodrigues and Pooja Vastrakar, both returning after injuries, are fit to play the first ODI on Sunday, Harmanpreet confirmed

Srinidhi Ramanujam15-Jun-2024

Jemimah Rodrigues, back after an injury layoff, is back in the India team•Srinidhi Ramanujam/ESPNcricinfo

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur is all in favour of the points system in multi-format series, saying that it will make things “more challenging”.India’s home series against South Africa begins with the first of three ODIs on Sunday in Bengaluru, following which a one-off Test and three T20Is will be played in Chennai. The points system is not in place for the exchanges.”It’s totally up to BCCI or ICC [to decide],” Harmanpreet said on the eve of the series opener. “But as a player, if these things are there, players are more into the game and players are more pumped up. If the points system is there, it’s more challenging and will be good to have.”Currently, the women’s Ashes series uses a points system with four points up for grabs for Tests (four for a win and two for a draw), and two for a limited-overs match. Whoever finishes with most points win the Ashes. This system was first introduced in the 2013 series in England to keep the whole series relevant.Related

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In 2021, the points system was also used for India’s tour of England, the first time it had been used outside of the Ashes. India lost the series 10-6 on points. India’s last all-format series – against Australia at home in December 2023-January 2024 – did not use the points system with each format treated as separate.It was also the last time India played an ODI as the focus has largely on the next T20 World Cup, to be played this October in Bangladesh.Sunday’s match will only be India’s seventh ODI since the start of 2023 . As far as the next year’s ODI World Cup is concerned, they have already gained automatic qualification as hosts. However, in order to shake off the rust in the format, India had two separate camps in Bengaluru and Mumbai in the lead-up to the South Africa series, playing a few practice games while at it.”We take it as an opportunity,” Harmanpreet said. “Nowadays we are playing more T20 games but ODIs are something that, as a player, you have more time to assess yourself and even the conditions. It’s good for us that we are getting more matches to express ourselves.”It’s good for us that we are getting more time in the middle and getting to play all three formats as players.”There was good news for India ahead of the first match with Harmanpreet confirming that both Jemimah Rodrigues and Pooja Vastrakar were fit for selection. Rodrigues missed the recent tour of Bangladesh with a back niggle, while the nature and status of Vastrakar’s injury were not clear when the BCCI announced the squad.

Manchester United have a huge summer ahead of them to try and transform their fortunes on the pitch next season and subsequently avoid a repeat of this campaign.

The Red Devils finished in a measly 15th place in the Premier League, with Ruben Amorim unable to transform their fortunes after taking the reins in November following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal.

However, it appears as though the 40-year-old will have some serious money to spend throughout the summer in a bid to improve the current players at his disposal.

He’s already splashed over £60m to complete the signing of Brazilian international Matheus Cunha, with a deal also heading in the right direction for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.

It’s likely that the summer activity won’t end there, which could lead to various big-money additions making the switch to Old Trafford ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, under the watchful eye of sporting director, Jason Wilcox.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions

Warren Zaire-Emery is one of the latest names on their radar this window, with the Red Devils entering talks with PSG over an £85m move for the teenage midfielder.

He’s not the only name mentioned in recent days, as West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus has been of interest after an enquiry was made for the 24-year-old’s signature.

However, another new name has entered the mix over the last few hours, with Newcastle United talisman Alexander Isak appearing on their radar, according to Italian outlet Tutto Juve.

They claim that United have been closely monitoring the Swedish international, potentially plotting a move after he scored 23 times in his 34 league appearances this campaign.

It also states that Chelsea and Arsenal are in the race to land the 25-year-old, but the Magpies are preparing a new contract for the forward, who’s currently valued at around £150m.

Why United’s £150m target would be a better signing than Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres has been a player in their sights over recent seasons, but their interest has skyrocketed after Amorim’s arrival – understandably so given his time with the striker at Sporting CP.

The Swede has registered a staggering 54 goals in his 52 outings in 2024/25, leading to a whole host of English sides being linked with a move for his signature.

Arsenal appeared to be leading the race this window, but it appears as though the Gunners have moved on to different targets, subsequently bringing Amorim’s side back into the picture.

His rumoured £68m fee would undoubtedly tempt the hierarchy given his staggering goalscoring record, but they should look past a move for Gyokeres and put their attention on a deal for Isak.

Whilst the Sporting talisman has registered more goals this season, the Newcastle star has consistently thrived in England’s top flight – having the skillset that would make him an immediate success at Old Trafford.

When comparing their underlying stats from the current season, Isak has dominated, further showcasing why he would be the better option ahead of 2025/26.

The Magpies attacker, who’s been labelled “world-class” by journalist Thomas Hammond, may have been outscored, but has posted a higher goal per shot on target rate – showcasing his clinical edge in front of goal.

How Isak compares to Gyokeres throughout the 2024/25 campaign

Statistics (per 90)

Isak

Gyokeres

Games played

34

33

Goals scored

23

39

Goals per shot on target

0.5

0.4

Pass accuracy

75%

71%

Progressive passes

2.9

2.1

Passes into final third

1.2

0.5

Take-on success

46%

45%

Carries into final third

1.4

1.3

Stats via FBref

He’s also completed more passes and more passes into the final third, having the tools to provide the players around him at Old Trafford with the opportunities to thrive.

Isak has also completed more take-ons and made a higher tally of carries into the final third per 90, having the skillset to create his own opportunities rather than be dependent on other options around him.

The £150m price tag would be a club and English record, but the deal could prove to be worth every penny, especially if he can carry his form from St James’ with him to Old Trafford.

Gyokeres may still be some supporters’ first choice this window, but it’s evident that Isak would be the better option for the Red Devils and Wilcox in their pursuit of rising up the table in 2025/26.

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Matthew Mott, England’s head coach, says he hopes that Josh Hazlewood was joking about the prospect of Australia manipulating an early exit for the T20 World Cup defending champions, but admits his team can do little else but focus on victory against Oman on Thursday and hope the ongoing debate about run-rate calculations ends up falling in their favour.England were a distant second-best to Australia in their meeting in Barbados last week, and having endured a washed-out opening fixture against Scotland – who have since won two from two – they are no longer in control of their destiny in Group B, a situation which echoes their tame and early exit from the 50-over World Cup in India before Christmas.Even England’s own back-to-back victories over Oman and Namibia may not be sufficient to overturn their sizeable NRR deficit to the Scots – a point which Hazlewood highlighted when he suggested that Australia could be tempted to “knock it around and drag it out” when they themselves face Scotland in Group B’s final match in Antigua on Sunday.Such a tactic would echo Steve Waugh’s infamous go-slow against West Indies at the 1999 World Cup – when the target for elimination on that occasion had been New Zealand – but it would come with the risk of a two-match ban for their current captain, Mitchell Marsh, if Australia were deemed by the umpires to have contravened Article 2.11 of the ICC’s code of conduct, which pertains to the “inappropriate strategic or tactical” manipulation of matches.But Mott, who coached Hazlewood during his time at New South Wales, played down the comments as an example of his “tongue-in-cheek” sense of humour.”I think I know Josh pretty well and I know his integrity,” Mott said. “He has got a very good sense of humour and I am hoping it was very much tongue-in-cheek. I actually don’t think it is ever going to play out. Having grown up in Australia, and the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore. I am very much hoping it was an offhand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.”Either way, the potential for a run-rate rumpus is the sort of distraction that England could do without, given their lack of fluency in the tournament to date. Even before the Scotland match was abandoned, they had been notably off the pace with the ball in conceding 90 wicketless runs in ten overs, and the pressure to perform to the standard expected of defending champions is ramping up again, especially in light of their grim display in their 50-over defence last year.Related

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“Regardless of any outside noise about qualification, run-rates, all that sort of stuff, essentially, we’ve got to win this game and we’ve spoken a lot about that,” Mott said. “We’ve played good T20 cricket for a while now. It didn’t quite come off against Australia last game but I think we’ve got our structure in place, we’re really confident. Those who saw us train yesterday, you can see a buoyant group, up and about, that’s ready for the challenge ahead.”To offset any run-rate shenanigans, England need to beat Oman and Namibia by a combined margin of 117 runs (or the equivalent when chasing), thereby hauling their net run-rate above Scotland’s, so that only a surprise defeat of Australia can prevent them from progressing. But first things first, England must defeat a team that Scotland themselves saw off with 41 balls to spare in a pointedly fast finish in Antigua on Sunday.”We’re treating this game with Oman in isolation,” Mott said. “They’ve got our full attention. If we get into a position where we’re in a dominant position and can push hard, we will. If we have to scrap and fight and get the two points, we will as well. So, we’ll just keep an open mind, as we always will.”But essentially, we want to play that brand of cricket. I think we had glimpses of it the other day. I thought we started well with the bat, but to get a full performance in is really important. Get that on-field confidence. I think we’re really close, but obviously it’s been a bit of a disjointed tournament so far.”

Last season, Liverpool won the Premier League. And they are acting like it. We haven’t even reached July, but FSG have already signed Bayer Leverkusen duo Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong as well as Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.

It’s a time of great excitement for those of a Reds persuasion. However, Arne Slot’s squad aren’t without their foibles.

Falling in the Champions League’s last 16 against eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain was a bitter pill to swallow, and that frustrating result was followed by defeat against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.

PSG deserved their victory and the Magpies did too. It was one stretch too far for the Merseysiders, who had already exceeded expectations to take a commanding lead that was indeed defended in England’s top flight.

Depth proved Liverpool’s issue. Slot was loath to enforce rotation last term, and the trickling-out of some of the side’s fringe players – like Jarell Quansah, with Harvey Elliott and Darwin Nunez soon to follow – illustrated that.

Quansah is signing for Bayer Leverkusen, and with Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain as Real Madrid lurk (again), Liverpool need a new centre-back.

Liverpool chasing new centre-back

There’s one man who stands above other Liverpool defensive targets right now: Marc Guehi. The Crystal Palace defender is just one year away from free agency, and FSG are starting to circle.

Though Tottenham Hotspur saw a £70m bid rejected for the England international only last January, Palace chairman Steve Parish will know that time is running out if he wishes to recuperate some funds from his prized defensive asset.

Some reports suggest Liverpool are closing in on Guehi’s signature, but in all likelihood, there will be something of a pause in the Anfield offices now that the bulk of the club’s summer activity has been sealed pronto.

It would be wise, then, for sporting director Richard Hughes to closely assess the market for potential alternatives. If reports are to be believed, such a player has been identified.

Liverpool identify Guehi alternative

According to Caught Offside, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has been earmarked by Richard Hughes and Co as a potential option in central defence, though this would be a contentious move indeed.

Not that Liverpool would care if they got the job done. Branthwaite, 22, is also attracting interest from Chelsea and Manchester United after revealing a desire to move clubs in March after being overlooked by Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel.

Everton believe their star defender is one of the most talented in the business, and as such have slapped a £70m price tag on his name.

What Jarrad Branthwaite would bring to Liverpool

While Guehi’s contract situation would likely see him prove a more cost-efficient solution for Liverpool, Branthwaite is an incredibly fearsome protector, and he’s left-footed besides.

Returning from a successful loan spell with PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2023, Branthwaite has since become a star member at Everton, playing 65 matches in the Premier League, winning the club’s Players’ Player of the Season for 2023/24.

It might seem ludicrous to think that Liverpool and Everton would do business on the transfer front, but the Hill Dickinson Stadium side are interested in Ben Doak, who is valued at £30m.

Tough-tackling and shrewdly talented on the technical front, the 6 foot 5 star is bound to earn himself a move to a club competing in the Champions League sooner or later, and Liverpool could do a lot worse, especially as Slot’s first-class coaching would prove the perfect way to develop Branthwaite’s ball-playing game.

That said, it’s not all that bad as it is. Indeed, looking at Branthwaite’s metrics in the top flight last season when contrasted with Guehi’s, you begin to see that maybe moving for the Everton man wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.

Matches (starts)

30 (28)

34 (34)

Goals

0

3

Assists

1

2

Clean sheets

8

11

Touches*

51.9

64.9

Pass completion

83%

84%

Key passes*

0.1

0.5

Ball recoveries*

3.1

4.3

Dribbles (success)*

0.1 (60%)

0.4 (86%)

Tackles + interceptions*

2.1

2.6

Clearances*

6.3

4.6

Duels (won)*

3.9 (63%)

4.9 (59%)

As you can see, Branthwaite is more accurate in the duel than his positional peer while also producing a shedload more clearances on average. He’s far less mobile, but a 60% dribble success rate does point toward a latent ball-carrying ability that could be hammered into shape over at Anfield.

It’s important to remember that Branthwaite operates in a system which actively dampens ball-playing expansiveness, and that, even so, he has maintained a decent degree of passing success, almost as accurate on the ball as Guehi, if less progressive with his distribution.

And anyway, the hulking Blues star is just a phenomenal defender, strong as an ox and sturdy as steel. Talent scout Jacek Kulig has even gone as far as to declare him “an absolute monster” for the Toffees.

Could Branthwaite make the leap? The gulf on Merseyside is chasmic, after all.

Well, though it’s difficult to pull meaningful passing data from his Everton efforts last term, for Sean Dyche and David Moyes both employ counter-attacking and somewhat pragmatic styles, he still finished the year ranked among the top 20% of centre-backs for assists and the top 13% for switches, as per FBref, almost indicating a Virgil van Dijk-like approach to passing.

Hailed as an “incredible” part of Everton’s team by reporter Joe Thomas, Liverpool would certainly ruffle a few feathers if they got this one over the line in the coming months.

But if the Eagles play hardball and efforts to sign Guehi prove fruitless, this Englishman might just be the perfect alternative. And who knows, maybe he’d even prove the better signing.

He'd be Wirtz 2.0: Liverpool stand a "chance" of signing the "next Mbappe"

Liverpool believe they have a good chance to sign a star who would be a Florian Wirtz repeat.

1 ByDan Emery Jun 26, 2025

He suffered a side strain while batting during the game against England and was forced to retire hurt

Matt Roller20-Jun-2024Brandon King is a doubt for the rest of the T20 World Cup after suffering a side strain in West Indies’ match against England in St Lucia on Wednesday night.King raced to 23 off 12 balls to get West Indies off to a flying start, including a towering 101-metre six off Reece Topley which flew with the wind over the midwicket boundary and necessitated a replacement ball.But he was injured while facing his 13th ball, having charged down the pitch attempting to hit Sam Curran through cover. King took one further step then crumpled over and was forced to retire hurt after receiving treatment from a member of West Indies’ medical staff.He did not field in England’s run chase, with Shimron Hetmyer replacing him as a substitute fielder, and Cricket West Indies confirmed he had been diagnosed with a side strain. “Brandon King has suffered a side strain and will not return to the field of play in this evening’s match,” CWI said.He has travelled to Barbados for West Indies’ Super Eight game against USA on Friday, but they are still awaiting the results of the MRI scans from the CWI medical team.Side strains tend to take several weeks to heal fully, making King a major doubt for the rest of the World Cup with only 10 days remaining before the end of the tournament. Captain Rovman Powell admitted that King’s injury was a “worrying” sign for his side.”Yes, a little bit worrying but hopefully he can pull through for the next game,” Powell said after England cruised past West Indies. “We know how important a player he is for us.”While King has not been at his best so far, with a top score of 34, it would be a significant blow to lose a senior player who stepped in as captain against South Africa last month while Powell was at the IPL.West Indies have five players on standby for the World Cup: Andre Fletcher, Kyle Mayers, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh Jr. and Matthew Forde. Mayers is the most likely replacement, having been widely considered unfortunate to miss the initial cut, though Fletcher is another contender as a top-order batter.

Birmingham City sent out a statement of intent last summer when they spent a reported fee of £15m to sign Jay Stansfield from Fulham after their relegation from the Championship.

They smashed the League One transfer record to land the England U21 international on a permanent deal, after he had spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at St. Andrew’s.

Stansfield still has a long way to go before he lives up to that huge price tag, though, after he scored 19 goals in 37 League One matches this season, including nine goals from the penalty spot.

Despite having the English forward on their books, Birmingham are also reportedly in contact with Rennes to strike a deal for Japanese striker Kyogo Furuhashi, who scored ten goals in 22 league games for Celtic in the first half of the season, and he is not the only striker they want to sign.

Birmingham eyeing up Bundesliga striker

According to GIVEMESPORT, the League One champions will not be satisfied by just signing Kyogo to bolster their attack, as they want another forward as well.

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The report claims that Holstein Kiel centre-forward Shuto Machino has emerged as a target for the Championship side, after he caught the eye in the Bundesliga this term.

It states that the Blues want to sign the Japan international to further add to Chris Davies’ arsenal, which could include Stansfield, Kyogo, and Machino if all things go to plan before the end of the summer transfer window.

GIVEMESPORT does not reveal how much it would cost to sign the Japanese marksman, but Birmingham could land an even better striker than Stansfield by landing a deal for him in the coming weeks.

Why Birmingham should sign Shuto Machino

The Blues should push to sign the 25-year-old striker from the German team, after their relegation from the Bundesliga, because he could come in as an even better forward than the former Fulham youngster.

Whilst Stansfield is three years younger and has the potential to develop and improve in the years to come, the Japan international appears to be the superior option in the here and now for Birmingham.

Machino, who was described as a “true goalscorer” by manager Marcel Rapp, ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of 11 goals in 32 Bundesliga outings, outperforming his xG of 6.43.

Stansfield, meanwhile, scored ten goals from 10.44 non-penalty xG and 19 goals from 18.32 xG overall in League One, which suggests that the Holstein Kiel forward could be more ruthless in front of goal as a finisher.

Appearances

32

37

Non-penalty goals

9

10

Big chances created

5

6

Dribble success rate

63%

35%

Ground duel success rate

44%

36%

Aerial duel success rate

39%

12%

As you can see in the table above, the Birmingham star scored one more non-penalty goal and created one more ‘big chance’, whilst playing five more matches in the third tier in England, compared to Machino’s output in the German top-flight.

Whilst playing at a higher level, the 25-year-old forward also provided more to his team out of possession by winning a much higher percentage of his physical duels, particularly in the air, which suggests that he would be an upgrade on Stansfield when it comes to duelling with centre-backs.

Overall, Machino’s qualities in and out of possession appear to place him in a better position to be a star as the main number nine for Birmingham in the Championship next season.

That could mean that Stansfield ends up playing on the left flank, where he made eight appearances this term, more often for the Blues, in order to fit Machino and Kyogo, if all goes well, into the starting XI.

Better signing than Poku: Birmingham close in on landing £8m star

Birmingham City might not be landing Kwame Poku, but they’re closing in on an exciting signing in attack anyway.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 24, 2025

If all of these signings are completed, then Davies could have plenty of high-quality options to pick from when it comes to selecting his starting line-ups.