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Los Blancos have invested heavily following last season's disappointment, but it remains to be seen whether they have done enough

Real Madrid are supposed to win the lot every season. And yet, over the course of the 2024-25 campaign, they looked pretty mediocre by their own lofty standards, going trophy-less (unless you count the UEFA Super Cup or FIFA's Intercontinetal Cup). That disappointment led to Carlo Ancelotti being shown the door, with Xabi Alonso installed as his replacement ahead of what proved to be an underwhelming Club World Cup for Los Blancos. 

There is, however, belief around Santiago Bernabeu that things can turn around. Alonso is one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game, a proven winner in Germany, and has the kind of tactical nous to make sense of the puzzle that is Madrid's star-studded squad. 

Restoring glory to Europe's most successful club will be no mean feat, though. Not only are there the usual pressures of being Real Madrid to deal with, but defending Spanish champions Barcelona are again looking mightily good under the tutelage of Hansi Flick. So how will Madrid fare in 2025-25? GOAL aims to answer all the big questions heading into Tuesday's opening La Liga game against Osasuna…

Getty Images SportMood around the Bernabeu

Real Madrid were a mess, by their standards, for the latter half of last season. As Barcelona took off, Los Blancos ran remarkably in place, leading to the exit of Ancelotti as well as a fairly significant squad overhaul to greet the incoming Alonso. 

Madrid subsequently went all in on the Club World Cup, as they bought Trent Alexander-Arnold out of the final month of his Liverpool contract, expedited Dean Huijsen's signing, and delayed Jude Bellingham's shoulder surgery – all with the goal of bringing some silverware back to Spain. The result was an absolute battering at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals – one that saw Alonso admit that he has far more work to do with the squad than he thought. 

There is still a pretty significant Kylian Mbappe-shaped problem to deal with, too. He scored 44 goals across all competitions during his debut campaign in Spain, winning himself the European Golden Shoe in the process, but there are a multitude of questions to be asked as to whether he makes this teamany better. Thus far, with Vinicius Jr and Bellingham's production falling off a cliff last year, it's hard to say that the France captain offers much of a substantial improvement. 

Still, for all of the bad vibes, this is still Madrid, and fans results. There is plenty of debate, however, as to whether they will get them.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTransfer business

Most of Madrid's transfer business was completed ahead of the Club World Cup as they went for broke in the United States, but they have remained active in the market since their disappointing final-four exit. 

Alexander-Arnold is, of course, the marquee signing after he flirted with a Madrid adventure for the best part of a year, though the Blancos had to pay €10 million to have him available at FIFA's summer jamboree. Huijsen, too, is a good piece of business despite the almost €60m cost, with his performances in the U.S. among the most impressive. 

Elsewhere, Argentine teenager Franco Mastantuono looks mightily promising. An attacking midfielder who is bursting with quality, his role in this side is very much up in the air, but odds are Alonso won't be too concerned with having another intriguing midfield prospect on his hands. 

The most curious acquisition so far was that of Alvaro Carreras. Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia seemed poised to make a perfectly agreeable left-back duo this campaign, but Madrid still went out and spent €50m on Carreras, a former academy product who impressed at Benfica last season. Given their need for a new central midfielder to fill the Toni Kroos-shaped hole in the team, it seemed an odd allocation of funds.

In terms of departures, Luka Modric and Luis Vazquez both departed after their contracts expired, while there remains intense speculation around whether Rodrygo will remain in the Spanish capital after he was repeatedly an unused substitute towards the end of last season and at the Club World Cup. There seems to be a new club linked with the Brazil forward every week, and thus would be an immense surprise if Los Blancos don't part with Rodrygo before the end of the window.

Pre-season performances

The dust has now settled on the Club World Cup, and it proved to be something of a mixed bag in terms of Madrid's performances. They looked really good for spells, and Huijsen proved that he should be immediately installed as a starting centre-back. But in their first test – the semi-final meeting with PSG – Los Blancos capitulated, as they found themselves 3-0 down midway through the first half before going onto ship one more goal late on in New Jersey.

That deep run in the U.S. meant the squad were granted an extended holiday after a gruelling 12-plus months, and they did not begin began their preparations for the new season until August 4, just two weeks before their first fixture of the season. A friendly against Austrian side WSG Tirol resulted in a 4-0 win upon Madrid's return to action, with Mbappe netting twice, but that is the only thing close to competitive preparation that the Blancos have enjoyed ahead of the season.

Madrid are, then, going into what is a pivotal campaign a little undercooked. Alonso made it clear that his team will need time on the grass to carve out an identity and playing style, and it remains to be seen whether figuring things out in a competitive environment will prove beneficial or otherwise.

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AFPTalking tactics

Alonso wants to play some version of the 3-4-2-1 formation that won him the title with Bayer Leverkusen in 2023. The issue is that this Madrid squad seems grossly unequipped for the task. There aren't enough quality centre-backs or hard-running central midfielders, while only Bellingham is truly capable of playing as a No.10, and he won't be available until October at the earliest while he recovers from his delayed shoulder operation. 

That means Alonso might have to get a little freaky. There will inevitably be an Alexander-Arnold in central midfield experiment at some point given he also has Dani Carvajal available to play at right-back, while the manager also tried a 4-3-3 during the Club World Cup, though he didn't get much success out of it.

The obvious advantage for Alonso is that he is a former Madridista and Florentino Perez's handpicked Ancelotti replacement. That should buy him time, whatever happens

Manchester United have been urged to continue their pursuit of Emiliano Martinez this summer as he can provide the "balance" that Andre Onana cannot.

• Martinez being chased by United
• Talks are not at an advanced stage
• Louis Saha urges club to get deal done

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former striker Louis Saha has claimed that United should continue their pursuit of Martinez throughout the summer window, as they need an upgrade on Onana, who has "made too many mistakes" during his time at the club. Reports, however, suggest that the Red Devils face competition to land the World Cup winner, amid rival interest from Saudi Arabia.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Martinez waved an emotional farewell to the Villa Park faithful at the end of the season but he has yet to confirm a transfer away. United's last move for the player saw them propose a loan deal, but Villa knocked back that proposal. Saha believes that they must find a way to make a more acceptable offer, as Onana has turned in a series of "unacceptable" performances, that are not up to the standards demanded by the club.

• WHAT SAHA SAID

  Speaking to BoyleSports, who offer the latest Premier League odds, Saha said: “Emiliano Martinez is a winner, he's a leader, he's got character. He will definitely provide this kind of balance that sometimes Andre Onana didn’t show last season.

  “Yes, he's a confident goalkeeper, Onana, but he made too many mistakes. It doesn't mean that Emiliano is not going to make any mistakes because that position is very fragile.

  “Last year, I have never seen any goalkeeper go through that at Manchester United or at any of the big clubs, it was horrific to see and I'm sure that he understands what people were saying. I think the competition is going to be healthy. He needs to realise for his career that he needs to do better and that those types of performance are almost unacceptable.

  “We're all human, but some of those mistakes were just not up to his standard and obviously not up to the standard of United. A player who won the World Cup, who has been really an asset for Argentina and for Aston Villa the last three years, I think he's a great goalkeeper.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Martinez may not be United's only stopper target, as they have also been linked with Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who may well be viewed as a more accessible option than the Villa star.

Jasprit Bumrah’s 6 for 61 paved the way for India’s seven-wicket win on the second day of the second Test in Cape Town, helping them level the two-match series 1-1.After South Africa were bowled out for 176 in their second innings, India chased down the required 79 runs an hour after lunch. Lasting just 107 overs, this was the shortest Test ever to produce a result. It was also India’s first Test win at Newlands in seven attempts. Mohammed Siraj, who picked up 6 for 15 to skittle out South Africa for 55 in the first innings, was named the Player of the Match.But before all that, Aiden Markram scored a stunning hundred – 106 off 103 balls. It was the first time in Test history that a batter scored a hundred where none of his team-mates reached 20 in either innings; Kyle Verreynne’s 15 in the first innings was the next best for South Africa. Unfortunately for Markram and stand-in captain Dean Elgar, who retires after this Test, it ended in a losing cause.Related

• SA bemoan 'sad state' of Newlands 'slug-fest': 'All ethics and values of Test cricket go out the window'

• Rohit: Cape Town win 'right up there' with Gabba

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• Stats – Cape Town the shortest completed Test ever

• Rohit calls out ICC for supposed double standards in rating pitches: 'Hope they keep their ears and eyes open'

South Africa didn’t have a great start to the day. Resuming on 62 for 3, they lost a wicket in the first over itself. David Bedingham was looking to be positive and went for an on-the-up drive against Bumrah only to edge it to the wicketkeeper.Verreynne didn’t last long either. Trying to pull Bumrah, he skied one towards mid-on where Mohammed Siraj took the catch. Bumrah completed his five-for when he had Keshav Maharaj caught at gully, leaving South Africa 111 for 7.Markram, though, seemed to be in a different zone altogether and played some stunning shots on this treacherous pitch. Of his 106 runs, 47 came in the arc between backward point and extra cover. Whenever the India seamers pitched the ball slightly full, he brought out the cover drive. When it was on the shorter side, he got on the top of the bounce and punched it through cover-point, forcing India to put a sweeper cover in place.Markram reached his fifty off 68 balls, and took just 31 more to reach his seventh Test hundred. En route, he smashed Prasidh Krishna for two sixes and two fours in a 20-run over. He and Kagiso Rabada added 51 for the eighth wicket; Rabada’s contribution was 2.He also enjoyed a slice of luck when KL Rahul dropped him off Bumrah on 73. Eventually, it was Siraj who sent Markram back when, going for yet another big hit, the batter holed out to long-off.Rabada fell in the next over, and 14 runs later, the innings came to an end.Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal knew they needed to attack straightaway to deny South Africa a sniff. Not many shots came from the middle of the bat, but they had added 44 in 5.4 overs when Nandre Burger removed Jaiswal. Trying to pull a short ball, Jaiswal slipped and his pad brushed the stumps. While the bails didn’t come off, he was caught at deep-backward square leg.Shubman Gill became a victim of low bounce, and Virat Kohli was caught down the leg side, before Shreyas Iyer hit the winning four.

كشفت تقارير صحفية سعودية، النقاب عن وجهة جديدة بشأن إحدى صفقات الزمالك، التي كان يرغب في التعاقد معها خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية من أجل تدعيم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم.

وكان الزمالك قد أعلن تعاقده حتى الآن مع 5 صفقات هي “الحارس المهدي سليمان والثنائي عمرو ناصر وأحمد شريف والأنجولي شيكو بانزا، والفلسطيني آدم كايد”.

وكان الفرنسي تيدي ليا أوكو جناح نادي لوزيرن السويسري، من أبرز الأسماء التي يضعها الزمالك على رأس أولوياته، حيث جرت اتصالات مكثفة مع وكيل اللاعب والنادي السويسري، قبل أن يتراجع الأبيض عن تلك الصفقة.

طالع أيضاً.. قرار جديد من يانيك فيريرا في معسكر الزمالك قبل مواجهة وادي دجلة ودياً

وحسب ما نشرته صحيفة الرياضية السعودية عبر موقع “إكس”، فإن نادي الرياض يقترب من التعاقد مع الجناح الفرنسي تيدي أوكو (27 عامًا) لاعب لوزيرن السويسري، الذي يملك عرضًا آخر من الزمالك المصري”.

وعلم موقع “بطولات” من مصدر داخل الزمالك، سبب تراجع الزمالك عن التعاقد مع اللاعب الفرنسي تيدي أوكو.

ومن المقرر أن يخوض مباراة ودية أمام وادي دجلة يوم الجمعة المقبل قبل ختام المعسكر المغلق يوم 27 يوليو الجاري، من أجل الاستعداد للموسم الجديد.

نشر الحساب الرسمي لجائزة الكرة الذهبية، البالون دور، عبر منصة “إكس”، مقطع فيديو لنجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، يتضمن إجاباته على أسئلة سريعة تخص عدة أمور.

ويُعد محمد صلاح، نجم ليفربول، ضمن المرشحين بقوة للحصول على جائزة الكرة الذهبية، كأفضل لاعب في العالم لعام 2025.

ويتواجد ضمن المرشحين كذلك لامين يامال، لاعب برشلونة، عثمان ديمبلي نجم باريس سان جيرمان وغيرهم، حيث من المقرر الكشف عن القائمة الطويلة التي تضم 30 لاعبًا يوم 7 أغسطس المقبل.

وسُئل محمد صلاح، خلال المقطع الذي تم نشره، عن أعظم لاعب إفريقي في التاريخ، حيث رد ضاحكًا: “أنا”، قبل أن يضيف: “هناك الكثيرون، ولكن سأقول جورج ويا، كذلك ديدييه دروجبا وصامويل إيتو”.

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد محمد صلاح.. لاعب مصري آخر يوقع عقدًا مع ليفربول

وعن اللاعب الذي كان يفضل اللعب معه، قال: “لم ألعب معه في قمة مستواي، ولكنني سأقول إدين هازارد (تزاملا في تشيلسي)”.

أما عن اللاعب الذي كان يحب اللعب معه ولم يحدث، قال: “هناك جيرارد وكذلك تييري هنري”.

وفيما يخص مدربه المفضل، قال: “لوتشيانو سباليتي (مدربه السابق في روما الإيطالي)”.

وعندما سُئل عن هدفه المفضل في مسيرته، قال: “هدفي ضد مانشستر سيتي في ملعبنا، وكذلك أمامهم (من فوق حارس المرمى) في دوري أبطال أوروبا”.

وعن أكبر ندم في مسيرته، قال: “لا، لا يوجد”، وعن أصعب مدافع واجهه، قال: “هناك العديد منهم، لا أستطيع اختيار أحدهم، سيرجيو راموس؟ نعم، إنه لاعب جيد للغاية، ولكن هناك الكثيرين من المدافعين بالفعل”.

وأخيرًا، البطولة التي تركت أكبر تأثير عليه، قال: “دوري أبطال أوروبا”.

Is Mohamed Salah the greatest African player in history? 👑
We challenged the Egypt and Liverpool star with rapid questions — no time to think, just speak.
⚡ Stay until the end — a few of his answers might surprise you.#ballondor #salah #rapidquestions pic.twitter.com/zVWMjfbtfq — Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) July 18, 2025

West Ham United are looking to pip Manchester United to the signing of a £25m defender after making an approach.

West Ham transfer rumours

The Irons haven’t had the season they would have been hoping for after splashing the cash in the summer under Julen Lopetegui. The Spaniard was dismissed at the beginning of 2025, with Graham Potter the new man in charge at the London Stadium.

Max Kilman

Wolves

€47.5m

Crysencio Summerville

Leeds United

€29.3m

Niclas Fullkrug

Borussia Dortmund

€27m

Luis Guilherme

Palmeiras

€23m

Mohamadou Kante

Paris FC

Undisclosed

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Man Utd

€18m

Wes Foderingham

Sheffield United

Free transfer

Guido Rodriguez

Real Betis

Free transfer

Jean-Clair Todibo

Nice

Loan transfer

Carlos Soler

PSG

Loan transfer

Evan Ferguson

Brighton

Loan transfer

The Hammers have 10 Premier League games remaining and are currently 16 points clear of safety and 16 points adrift of the top four.

As a result, attention behind the scenes is seemingly turning towards the summer transfer window ahead of Potter’s first full season in charge.

West Ham eyeing move for £42m "king of kings" with 19 goals this season

The Hammers have set their sights on a forward who has been prolific in front of goal this season.

ByDominic Lund Mar 10, 2025

A number of players have been linked with moves to West Ham in recent weeks and a marquee forward signing appears to be high on the to-do list after Evan Ferguson’s loan spell from Brighton comes to an end.

Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike is once again a target for West Ham, whereas preliminary contact has been made over a deal to sign Tammy Abraham.

As well as attacking additions, new signings at the back could also be needed, and a new name has now emerged on the Irons’ transfer radar.

West Ham make contact to sign £25m defender

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham have made an approach over a move to sign Genoa defender Koni de Winter.

The Hammers have ‘asked for information’ over a deal to sign the Belgium international, as have top-flight rivals Man Utd and Tottenham Hotspur.

Genoa have reportedly set a €30m (£25m) asking price as they look to make a profit on De Winter, who they only signed permanently from Juventus last year.

Serie A sides Napoli and Roma are also keen on the 22-year-old, who can play as a centre-back, right-back or defensive midfielder. De Winter came through the academy at Juventus and has been called “gifted” by U23 scout Antonio Mango in the past.

A move to West Ham could therefore be one to watch for De Winter, who may end up rivalling the likes of Max Kilman, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Jean-Clair Todibo, should he make his loan deal permanent under Potter.

Wolverhampton Wanderers must bolster their squad this summer if they are to challenge the top half of the table under Vitor Pereira.

It appears as though the manager has done enough during his short stint to maintain the Old Gold’s Premier League status, for another year at least, but an interesting summer window is on the horizon.

Could the Portuguese boss raid another top-flight club for a player who enjoyed an excellent spell at Molineux between 2017 and 2020? Diogo Jota has been linked with a return.

Wolves' interest in re-signing Jota

According to reports from earlier this week, Wolves are showing interest in bringing back Jota to the club after nearly five years away from the Midlands.

It appears as though Liverpool are looking to cash in on the winger, who has missed 93 matches since joining the Anfield side, and Wolves could be the frontrunners.

A return of 64 goals and 22 assists for the Reds across 174 matches is a more than respectable return by Jota, but Arne Slot is looking to go in a different direction next season.

Pereira, however, has a player in his first-team squad who might be even better than Jota and is certainly worth more than him in the current market…

The Wolves star who's worth more than Jota

There won’t be many supporters who would want to know what position the club would be in if it weren’t for Matheus Cunha’s efforts in front of goal this term. Across 26 Premier League games, Cunha has scored 13 goals while providing four assists for the Old Gold.

The South American forward scores every 165 minutes in the top flight for Wolves, along with registering 3.3 shots, averaging 1.7 key passes and succeeding with 1.9 dribbles each game.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Add in the fact he has created 12 big chances for Wolves, it becomes clear that Cunha is equally adept at scoring or providing teammates with plenty of opportunities to find the back of the net.

Metric

Cunha

Jota

Goals

13

5

Assists

4

3

Big chances created

12

3

Shots per game

3.3

1.9

Key passes per game

1.7

0.5

Successful dribbles per game

1.9

0.6

Former Man City defender Micah Richards praised Cunha on Match of the Day 2 in November, saying: “His football IQ is absolutely sensational. He’s the one who can unlock the doors. He finds the little pockets of space and makes the right decisions at the right times.

“He’s always scanning where he needs to be and always plays the right pass. He is so key in what Wolves are trying to do. He is the best at everything.”

That importance is shown by his soaring market value. Indeed, Jota is currently worth €45m (£38m), as per Transfermarkt, and Liverpool will be looking for this sort of figure to let him leave Anfield in the summer.

Cunha, on the other hand, is currently valued at €55m (£46m) by Transfermarkt and this value will only keep increasing, especially considering how impressive the Brazilian has been this season for Wolves.

If, and it is a big if, Wolves can keep him for the 2025/26 season, then they have to build a team around the former Atlético Madrid star.

Wolves chiefs have made offer to sign £29m striker this summer for Pereira

Wolves are looking to get ahead of other Premier League teams by making an offer for an exciting striker.

ByBrett Worthington Mar 20, 2025

As rumours continue to arrive regarding Bruno Guimaraes’ future, Newcastle United have reportedly made their first move in the race to sign a potential replacement for their star midfielder.

Newcastle could lose Guimaraes

For the last two transfer windows, Newcastle have been forced to sit back and watch as clubs around them spend big and welcome the reinforcements that they so desperately need.

Now, however, the Magpies could be back in a position to flex their riches and finally free from PSR constraints this summer in what would be a major boost for Eddie Howe.

It must be said though, that freedom may not come without sacrifice. To spend that money, a big-money sale may need to come first, which could see the likes of Guimaraes depart.

The Brazilian has been at the centre of headlines this week amid Arsenal’s reported interest and could yet provide Newcastle with a bitter-sweet moment by leaving to fund their summer reinforcements.

The next Aguero: Newcastle now battling to sign "fantastic" £12m sensation

He’s one to watch…

ByTom Cunningham Mar 15, 2025

Of course, if he does depart then the Magpies will need to go in search of a replacement almost instantly and that may see them turn their attention towards a rising star.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Newcastle have now made their first move in the race to sign Benja Cremaschi from Inter Miami this summer, making checks on the midfielder who’s also a target for Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

At 20 years old, the American could emerge to become an ideal heir to Guimaraes’ midfield throne at the heart of Howe’s midfield. Having featured at the Olympics for USA last summer and featured alongside Lionel Messi in Miami since, Cremaschi is almost ready for the Premier League.

Transfer Focus

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

His ability to play as a defensive, central and attacking midfielder almost mirrors the versatility that Guimaraes provides. Meanwhile, at such a young age, there’s every chance that Howe could mould Cremaschi into his next top midfielder.

"Sharp" Cremaschi has the Beckham approval

If there were any doubts over the midfielder’s ability, then the approval of Inter Miami owner and Premier League legend David Beckham should instantly put those fears to bed.

Speaking about the 20-year-old, Beckham previously told reporters: “As much as I love seeing the players and the team that we have created at Miami, you’ve got Leo, you’ve got Sergio, you’ve got Alba, you’ve got Luis Suarez, when I see them passing around the pitch and all of a sudden they pass to Benjamin Cremaschi, who has come through our academy from a young kid and is now playing with these players, that makes me proud.”

Now, that pride could yet culminate in an impressive sale if Newcastle come calling this summer in search of their next Guimaraes.

Also dubbed “sharp” by former Fulham defender Tim Ream, it’s clear that Cremaschi is one to watch in the MLS this season before he potentially has a big decision to make regarding his future.

Potentially destined for the Premier League, Cremaschi could quickly solve a pending problem for Howe at St James’ Park this summer.

Everton have been linked with a move for Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear, and it looks as though the Friedkin Group aren’t stopping there.

Latest Everton news

According to a recent rumour, the Blues have identified Kinnear as a leading option to bring in behind the scenes, having no doubt been impressed with the job he is doing at Elland Road currently.

While a deal to bring him to Goodison Park is far from done, discussions have been held between the two English clubs, as they look to come to an agreement that benefits all parties.

In terms of other Everton-related transfer news, the Blues have been linked with a move for Tammy Abraham in the summer transfer window, with the Englishman currently on loan at AC Milan from Roma. It remains to be seen if Dominic Calvert-Lewin will leave Goodison Park at the end of the season, but a replacement needs to be lined up if he does.

Meanwhile, Burnley centre-back Maxime Esteve has been mentioned as a potential successor to Jarrad Branthwaite, should he depart soon. The 22-year-old has been an immense performer for the Clarets this season, ensuring that they have conceded just nine goals in the Championship prior to this weekend’s action.

Friedkin eyeing big appointment for Everton

According to a fresh update from Everton News, the Friedkin Group want to make ambitious backroom changes at Everton, with the club’s owners “ready to put in place a new ‘Footballing executive team’ which will include a CEO and a new sporting director.”

David Weir is mentioned as an option to come in from Brighton, but the Seagulls “have played down his willingness to leave the South Coast”, and Dan Ashworth and Dougie Freedman are also mentioned as sporting director targets to come in and work alongside Kinnear.

It is so encouraging to see Dan Friedkin looking to take Everton in the right direction, in what feels like such a crucial period in the club’s history, as they prepare for life at a new stadium.

For too long under Farhad Moshiri, the club didn’t feel like it was running smoothly, but these reported plans about a ‘Football executive team’ are exciting.

One report has claimed that Everton are in advanced talks to bring Weir back to the club, following a great playing career there, but Ashworth would represent an intriguing alternative.

While the Englishman quit his role at Manchester United in no time at all last year, that could easily be more of a slight on Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who Ashworth may simply have struggled to work with. He is a highly thought of sporting director who excelled at Newcastle United, playing a key role in the Magpies getting back into the Champions League under Eddie Howe.

Related Everton plotting summer move to sign "great" UCL winner who may replace DCL

He could be on his way back to the Premier League…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Feb 20, 2025

Similarly, Freedman is also making waves at Palace, bringing in the likes of Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Michael Olise in recent years, so he stands out as another great option, and it looks as if ambitious moves for Ashworth or Freedman are ones to watch.

Spinner replaced by Lewis Hill after declining to sign extension

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2022

Callum Parkinson has been stripped of the Leicestershire captaincy after declining to commit to a contract extension.Parkinson, who took over from Colin Ackermann midway through the 2022 season, is contracted to the club until the end of next season but Leicestershire said in a statement that he “does not currently consider himself to be in a position to commit to a contract extension”.Instead, they have appointed Lewis Hill as their captain for the County Championship, after two seasons leading the 50-over team in the Royal London Cup. “Whilst disappointed with the decision, Parkinson has offered his full support to Hill and the club,” Leicestershire’s statement added.Parkinson, 26, was mentioned as a prospective England spinner after taking 50 Championship wickets at 29.04 in the 2021 season, though his returns dipped last year. He has also been a key player for Leicestershire in T20 cricket, and is the club’s all-time leading wicket-taker in the format.Claude Henderson, Leicestershire’s director of cricket, said: “Firstly, we want to congratulate Lewis on his new role. We have full belief in his abilities to lead Leicestershire to success moving forwards.”We also want to thank Callum for his duties during 2022, as well as for standing firmly behind both Lewis and the club. Although we are disappointed Callum can’t commit at this stage, the club will continue to have conversations with him to try and ensure his future lies with LCCC.”Hill said: “It’s a really proud moment for me to be selected as captain of Leicestershire. I’ve loved my two seasons skippering the 50-over side, so I’m really excited for the challenge ahead.”I want to continue the good work Callum led last year. He’s still going to be an important player in our team, and I know I can draw on his experience whenever required. There are promising signs within the squad and we’re all fully focused on delivering success in the County Championship next season.”