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Liverpool have lost three games in a row. It’s a marker of how high Anfield has risen over the past decades that this has been met with hysteria across England and dejection across the red halves of Merseyside streets.

By one point Liverpool trail Premier League pace-setters Arsenal, who have already been defeated by Arne Slot’s side this term. Liverpool have broken records with their spending across the summer transfer window, and they won the top-flight title at a canter last year.

But we can’t ignore the tactical imbalances and issues in bedding new players in. Teething problems have lingered far longer than anyone would have anticipated.

Many games have been entertaining, but Liverpool have lost the control and confidence they oozed throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Will Slot rekindle that flame? So many late goals across the past two months, flying both directions, is evidence that improvements are needed.

Defensively and in midfield, Slot’s side have left plenty to be desired. But they are also being let down up top, with the 33-year-old Mohamed Salah’s struggles telling of the need for a new right-sided forward.

Why Liverpool need to sign a Salah heir

Salah has entered his ninth campaign as a Liverpool player, but he has been part of the problem engulfing Slot’s side so far, scoring three goals and supplying three assists across all competitions but drifting through games and lacking even a small measure of his trademark vim and vigour.

Salah has seldom gone through dry spells in front of goal in the Premier League, but his last-minute penalty at Burnley is his only strike since the opening day win over Bournemouth.

Still, he’s one of the greatest forwards in the competition’s history, and the veteran will retain full confidence in his ability to return to form. He practically led Liverpool to the title last year, after all.

Alan Shearer

441

260

Harry Kane

320

213

Wayne Rooney

491

208

Mohamed Salah

308

188

Andy Cole

414

187

It’s painful to consider, but there is also the possibility that Liverpool have extended Salah’s contract by two years so that they can receive a payment from suitors in 2026. There’s a sizeable chance Saudi Arabian outfits will return for the Egyptian King at the end of the season, tempting him with a glinting late-career pay packet.

Should Salah leave, Liverpool will need a high-level replacement, and the English giants appear to have focused their sights on Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.

Well, if Spanish sources are correct, Liverpool have been informed by Bayern Munich that a bid worth €150m (£131m) could be enough to sign the 23-year-old next year. The Anfield side would rather pay closer to €100m (£86m) for Olise’s signature.

Olise was widely regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League when at Selhurst Park, and he has only improved since moving to the Bundesliga.

Though Bayern are looking to bank a pretty penny for the France international’s sale, FSG and Reds sporting director Richard Hughes has shown they are willing to break the bank for the right signing.

What Michael Olise would bring to Liverpool

Olise, crucially, is a proven Premier League star. He left Crystal Palace and signed for Bayern Munich during the summer of 2024 for about £50m, and that looks a real coup for the German giants.

Pundit Micah Richard remarked while Olise was an Eagle that he “is going to be a superstar”. Richards was right. Awe and adoration in south London has been transported and developed over in Germany, with Olise having hit 54 goal involvements from 65 matches with Die Roten, including five goals and six assists from just ten fixtures in 2025/26.

He doesn’t boast the same devastating goalscoring ability as Salah, but Liverpool’s summer investments in Isak and Hugo Ekitike tell of a goalscoring shift back to the centre. In other words, this is the perfect profile to replace the ageing winger at Liverpool, whose underlying metrics are not at the same level as Olise.

Goals scored

0.65

0.39

Assists

0.43

0.50

Shots taken

2.98

3.47

Shot-creating actions

3.85

6.56

Touches (att pen)

8.43

6.32

Pass completion (%)

70.2

80.7

Progressive passes

3.80

7.50

Progressive carries

4.00

5.02

Successful take-ons

1.15

2.48

Ball recoveries

3.00

3.81

Salah has not been at the races this season, but scaling it back across 12 months, the depth of Olise’s top form in Germany is emphasised.

Across all competitions, Liverpool’s star forward scored 34 goals and assisted 23 more, after all.

Olise hasn’t cracked the same clinical heights, but he is “one of the best talents in the world”, in the eyes of Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who helped take the ace’s game to the next level.

With Salah having completed only 13% of his dribbles in the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore, averaging a measly 0.9 successful ground duels per match too, there’s been little to write home about, and Slot’s hesitance to deploy Federico Chiesa or Jeremie Frimpong on the right during Liverpool’s big matches makes a telling comment on his thoughts about a big-money signing in the shape of Olise.

Might it be that Liverpool part with their club legend at the end of the season? The news that Hughes is already sounding out a move for an elite talent such as Olise highlights the desire to sign such a player.

And given that he knows the Premier League well, with 36 direct contributions in the competition, the young and ever-improving Olise may well be the perfect addition to ease the fateful day when Salah hangs up his Liverpool boots.

Klopp sold Liverpool star for £9.5m, now he's outperforming Salah & Wirtz

Liverpool must rue selling a star who is outplaying Florian Wirtz and playing like Mo Salah.

ByDan Emery Oct 6, 2025

It felt as if there was an unspoken agreement among Manchester United supporters last season. No matter the on-field turmoil, no matter the new lows reached, the Old Trafford faithful would remain behind manager Ruben Amorim regardless.

Parachuted in mid-way through the campaign, despite his desire to join this summer, the Portuguese coach was almost afforded a free hit last time out, with a notable Europa League run also helping to cloud the club’s Premier League undoings.

That night in Bilbao was drab and disappointing, yet the 40-year-old teased brighter days ahead following the final league clash against Aston Villa. “The good days are coming”, he exclaimed.

Five games into the new season, however, and those ‘good days’ have yet to return. Perhaps the cries for patience need to be heeded, but this all feels very much like more of the same.

There was a willingness to ‘suffer’ in 2024/25, with the proviso that Amorim would get it right after a full summer window, a full pre-season and a full week between games. Four points from four and a Carabao Cup exit would suggest otherwise.

Unsurprisingly, the debate over the ex-Sporting CP man’s future is ramping up – could it be time for a change before too much damage is done?

How Amorim's start to the season compares

The honesty and candour of Amorim’s pre and post-match musings has been to his credit, yet while the one-time Braga boss is able to talk the talk, he has thus far failed to walk the walk.

Steadfast in his refusal to tweak a flawed 3-4-2-1 system, the latest post-Sir Alex Ferguson appointment may well fall on his sword sooner rather than later, having overseen the club’s worst start to a Premier League campaign since 1992.

Of course, that inaugural season in the new-look top-flight saw United clinch the title under Fergie’s watch, but in an era where almost perfection is needed to finish at the summit, the current crop appear so far off the pace.

With the next international break now just three games away, Amorim could be heading for a crucial juncture in his relatively brief Red Devils tenure, with it having been October last year which saw the end of Erik ten Hag.

The Dutchman had actually collected more points this time last year with six from the opening four league games, although with United slumping to 14th in the table, a defeat to West Ham United was the final straw.

Having overseen another extensive summer of investment in the region of £250m, Amorim may also find himself on the chopping block before too long – but just who could replace him?

How Man Utd can replace Ruben Amorim

There is a sense that the INEOS hierarchy have almost jumped the gun with Amorim’s appointment. Rather than taking the approach of employing a safe pair hands in the dugout, while considerable change continues at boardroom level, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co have gambled on the two-time Portuguese title winner and his much-debated back three system.

That risk, so far, has yet to pay off, and while it is still early days in the 2025/26 season, there could well be a desire to nip things in the bud sooner rather than later, instead of simply watching another campaign drift into nothingness.

If a change is to be made in the managerial department, there have been whispers that long-time target Mauricio Pochettino could be in the equation, with the Argentine coach currently at the helm of the United States national team.

A record of seven defeats in 18 games in charge of the upcoming World Cup hosts is certainly nothing to shout about, with the post-Tottenham Hotspur period having been distinctly unkind for the 53-year-old, amid his brutal sackings at both Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

That being said, while his time at international level may suggest otherwise, the 4-2-3-1 manager is no busted flush. At Stamford Bridge, for instance, he overcame the chaos to steer the Blues to a respectable sixth-place finish. At the Parc des Princes, meanwhile, three domestic honours were claimed for the Ligue 1 giants.

There was a time, too, when he was even deemed by Ferguson to be the “best manager in the league” – as relayed by MP David Lammy – with Pochettino having been a revelation following his appointment at Spurs in 2014.

Formerly of Southampton, the “genius” coach – as hailed by journalist Alex Keble – steered a youthful side in north London to incremental progress, unleashing an exciting brand of football led by the likes of Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and Dele Alli.

In his five full seasons in charge of the Lilywhites, ‘Poch’ finished no lower than fifth, even while largely operating on a shoestring budget, having secured a top-four finish in four successive campaigns.

While a trophy was elusive, the one-time Espanyol boss did defy the odds to take the club to the Champions League final in 2019, having been harshly sacked by Daniel Levy just a matter of months later. As Keble stated, he was arguably “too good” for Spurs, while he was “so above Levy, the chairman didn’t know what to do.”

With Amorim currently ‘boasting’ a Premier League record of just 31 points from 31 games, Pochettino would undoubtedly be an upgrade in that department.

Indeed, the latter man has won 150 games in the competition from 294 outings, with a points per match ratio of 1.77.

USA

18

1.83

Chelsea

51

1.78

PSG

84

2.15

Spurs

293

1.84

Saints

60

1.45

Espanyol

161

1.22

Still a relatively youthful figure in the coaching world at 53, the experienced coach appears to have missed the boat on numerous occasions when it comes to moving to Manchester, having notably been in the running when both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were fired.

This move has been a long time coming, with Pochettino able to provide that long-term approach alongside the ability to get results at Premier League level in the short-term.

Amorim, it must be said, is a figure to get behind, but this is a results business, and well, the results simply haven’t been up to scratch.

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Ruben Amorim appears intent on sticking with his 3-4-2-1 formation at Man Utd, but could he at least change the personnel within it?

ByRobbie Walls Sep 17, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo deve contar com uma série de novidades para a partida contra o Coritiba. Às vésperas do confronto marcado para este domingo (30), às 16h, e com expectativa de recorde de público na temporada no Nilton Santos, o técnico Bruno Lage ganhou um reforço significativo para encaixar o meio de campo.

+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Líder!

O meia Eduardo voltou a participar do treino nesta sexta-feira (28) e indicou que deve atuar na partida contra o Coxa. Embora ainda participe das atividades com uma pequena proteção no ouvido para evitar possíveis choques e impactos. Porém, isso não impede que o camisa 33 siga sua recuperação de uma lesão no tímpano e vá a campo no jogo válido pela 17ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, às 16h.

O técnico Bruno Lage não contará com Adryelson, suspenso pelo terceiro cartão amarelo, e Luis Henrique, que está com uma lesão no ombro direito e deve ficar longe dos gramados entre três e quatro semanas.

O zagueiro Philipe Sampaio foi liberado do treino desta sexta-feira para acompanhar o nascimento do seu segundo filho, que nasceu no começo da tarde. O defensor, porém, deve ter condições de ser relacionado.

No setor ofensivo, Victor Sá deve ocupar a vaga deixada por Luis Henrique. O Botafogo tende a ir a campo com: Lucas Perri; Di Plácido, Philipe Sampaio (Danilo Barbosa), Cuesta e Marçal; Marlon Freitas, Tchê Tchê e Eduardo; Júnior Santos, Tiquinho Soares e Victor Sá.

O Botafogo lidera o Brasileirão com 40 pontos, 11 a mais que o segundo colocado, o Grêmio. A equipe gaúcha, porém, tem um jogo a menos.

The Gunners had to endure some nervy moments as they beat Olympiacos and made it two wins from two to start their Champions League campaign

Martin Odegaard showed Arsenal what they had been missing as he returned to the starting XI and inspired them to a second successive Champions League victory, with goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka seeing them to a 2-0 win against Olympiacos.

The Gunners skipper was at his sparkling best at times, especially in the first half, and it was his pass to Victor Gyokeres that led to Martinelli opening the scoring when he tapped in from close range after the Swedish striker's effort had come back off the post.

Arsenal then wasted several chances to extend their lead and had to endure a few nervy moments late on before Saka came off the bench to finish the game off, drilling a finish between Olympiacos keeper Kostas Tzolakis' legs after being picked out by Odegaard.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (8/10):

  Wasn't called into action much, but produced one outstanding save in the first half to keep the score at 1-0. Commanded his box well in the second half.

  Ben White (6/10):

  Ran out of steam a bit quite early in the second half, but good to see him back in the starting XI. Got forward well before the break.

  Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

  Put under some pressure in the second half but absorbed it well. Few nervy moments, mainly due to the full-backs around him who looked understandably rusty. Went off after receiving some treatment for what could have been a shoulder injury.

  William Saliba (7/10):

  Similar to his centre-back partner. Put under more pressure than he would probably would have expected. But dealt it with it well.

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (6/10):

  Took a few risks when in possession, but they paid off more often than not. Important minutes from the start for a player who has not had many this season. 

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• AFP
  

  Midfield

  Martin Zubimendi (6/10):

  Used the ball well and got things going when receiving possession from deep.

  Mikel Merino (6/10):

  Nothing spectacular, but solid. Won his duels and got forward when he could. Replaced by Rice before the hour.

  Martin Odegaard (8/10):

  Class above, especially in the first half. Back in the starting XI and Arsenal looked much better for it. Was at the heart of everything good the home side produced, playing a big part in the first goal and setting up the second.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Gabriel Martinelli (7/10):

  Should have scored early on when he put a header one. Did follow up Gyokeres' effort to score soon after, however, and always looked a threat.

  Victor Gyokeres (7/10):

  He'll be disappointed he didn't score because he had the chances. But he and Arsenal will take a lot from this performance. His runs were excellent and he was being found regularly. You can see the chemistry building between him and the team.

  Leandro Trossard (6/10):

  Put a decent chance over in the first half and missed another good one after the break. Bright and lively on the left, showed good strength at times as well, but his finishing was wayward.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Subs & Manager

  Declan Rice (7/10):

  Produced one outstanding line splitting pass to open Olympiacos up. It deserved to lead to a goal, but Trossard couldn't finish.

  Jurrien Timber (6/10):

  Replaced the tiring White and slotted in well.

  Bukayo Saka (8/10):

  Made a big difference after coming on. Set up a great chance for Odegaard and then killed the game off himself when he made it 2-0.

  Eberechi Eze (6/10):

  Played one fabulous cross field pass for Saka.

  Cristhian Mosquera (6/10):

  On for the injured Gabriel.

  Mikel Arteta (7/10):

  He'll be scratching his head at how his side had to wait so long before killing the game. Made some changes and got some important minutes in some players legs, but will be disappointed by the finishing. Another of his substitute's came off the bench to score though.

Australian opener joins Heather Knight, Sophia Dunkley and Paige Scholfield in top £65,000 salary bracket

Valkerie Baynes12-Mar-2025Georgia Voll has capped a remarkable week by securing a lucrative deal with Birmingham Phoenix in the Women’s Hundred draft.Young Australian opener Voll will make her debut in the tournament after Oval Invincibles, Welsh Fire and London Spirit were forced to use their right-to-match to thwart the Birmingham franchise’s bids for Paige Scholfield, Sophia Dunkley and Heather Knight respectively. All four were retained in the top women’s salary bracket of £65,000.Voll made an impressive international debut in December standing in for Alyssa Healy in Australia’s home series against India. In the past seven days, Voll has scored 55 and 99 not out as a late call-up to WPL side UP Warriorz after Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu departed for international duty.Related

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Healy, the Australia captain who has been battling foot and knee injuries since late last year and was forced to miss the WPL to manage her recovery, went unclaimed after entering the draft with a reserve price of £50,000.Voll is one of three Australians making up Phoenix’s overseas allocation alongside allrounder Ellyse Perry, who was retained, and bowler Megan Schutt, a direct signing prior to the draft.Departing Birmingham for London Spirit, however, is fast bowler Issy Wong, who has endured a difficult time since making her international debut as a 20-year-old in 2022. She represented Phoenix, her home franchise, for the first four editions of the tournament, although issues with her run-up led her to be dropped in 2023, when she made just five appearances, and she played for them only four times last year, taking one wicket in each of those seasons.The poster girl for the 2023 Ashes despite not playing in the series as she battled for form, Wong made the last of her 17 appearances for England to date on the tour of Ireland last September which featured a number of fringe international players while the majority of the senior squad was preparing for their ill-fated T20 World Cup campaign. Spirit picked up Wong for £16,000, the third-lowest price bracket in the women’s competition.Southern Brave, the 2023 champions and last year’s wooden-spooners, used their first draft pick at £36,000 to secure Sophie Devine, who opted out of this year’s WPL and New Zealand’s current home series against Sri Lanka to take a wellbeing break. Devine last played a competitive match on January 24 for Wellington in the Women’s Super Smash. Joining her at Southern Brave will be South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon, who returned to the franchise for £20,000.How they stack up: The women’s Hundred squads for 2025•ECBWest Indies star Deandra Dottin will be back at Manchester Originals on £50,000 having played for the team in 2022 and 2023 after an initial stint with London Spirit in 2021. Young wicketkeeper-batter Seren Smale joins her from Birmingham Phoenix for £36,000.Scholfield’s bumper deal to stay at Oval Invicibles could signal an upturn after her international career stalled shortly after it began. Scholfield was selected for England’s tour of South Africa late last year but returned home without playing a game after she injured her ankle in training.Called up to add firepower to England’s middle order after making her international debut on the Ireland tour, Scholfield scored 190 runs in the Hundred last year, striking at 137.68 with a highest score of 71 off 40 balls. She was also the fifth-highest run-scorer in the domestic T20 competition with 259 runs at an average of 43.16 and strike rate of 140.00.Invincibles’ overseas contingent of Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning and Amanda-Jade Wellington was already settled before the draft. Leaving the Oval side this year after four seasons is off-spinning allrounder Mady Villiers, who was drafted by Southern Brave for £16,000.After two seasons each with Northern Superchargers and Birmingham Phoenix, legspinner Katie Levick heads to Welsh Fire after being snapped up in the £12,500 bracket.Richa Ghosh, the India wicketkeeper-batter, went undrafted after entering with a reserve price of £65,000.In all, 110 overseas and 120 domestic players entered the women’s draft for 29 places on offer, including four overseas spots and 25 for domestic players.Each of the eight teams have two places remaining to be filled by wildcards nearer to the start of the competition on August 5. Those places will be in the lowest salary bracket of £10,000.

South Africa’s last pair survive nervy finish to salvage draw after Bulbulia century

ECB Reporters Network29-Jan-2025Farhan Ahmed was the star again with a five-wicket haul but it was not enough as England Men U19s fell one wicket short of claiming victory in the first Youth Test against South Africa Men U19s in Stellenbosch.Ahmed completed a dominant display with both bat and ball – returning match figures of nine for 181 after his first-innings 90 – only for the home side to snatch a draw chasing 317 to win.Opener Muhammed Bulbulia’s century had South Africa Men U19s on course before spin duo Ahmed (five for 103) and Tazeem Ali (three for 57) inspired a collapse of six for 56 and left the tail with over an hour to bat.Ali eventually broke a stubborn 84-ball ninth-wicket stand when Raeeq Daniels edged to Archie Vaughan at first slip, but with just eight balls left the home side saw it through to the close – albeit in unconventional style.Last man Nqobani Mokoena opted to attack the final over from Ahmed, who had eight fielders around the bat, finding the rope twice including smashing the final ball through cover.The Young Lions had earlier declared at 336 for nine after quick runs from Jack Home (60 not out) before the impressive Bulbulia – who made 88 in the first innings – paced the chase with 114 from 154 balls.Bulbulia fell victim to Ahmed, spooning back a return catch, and the Nottinghamshire 16-year-old all-rounder had his five-wicket haul in the same over when Divan de Villiers was bowled attempting a big shot.Lethabo Phahlamohlaka ushered his side to the draw though, with an unbeaten 46, despite nervously watching Mokoena’s final-ball antics from his haunches at the non-striker’s end.The second Youth Test begins at Western Province Cricket Club in Cape Town on Monday.

Nottingham Forest are now “starting” talks to sign an “incredible” forward, who could be in line to join alongside Bologna’s Dan Ndoye, according to reporter John Percy.

Nottingham Forest closing in on Ndoye's signature

With Anthony Elanga joining Newcastle United, one of Nuno Espirito Santo’s most important tasks this summer was to bring in a new winger, and Fabrizio Romano has revealed a deal is now in place for Ndoye, with the Bologna forward set to travel to England for a medical very soon.

Given that Elanga is well-known for being a “constant direct threat”, it was important for Nuno to bring in a replacement also capable of driving at opposition defences, and the Swiss winger ranks in the 92nd percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year.

Despite the deal for Ndoye recently edging closer to completion, the Tricky Trees remain interested in signing another new winger this summer, and Nuno is now targeting a reunion with one of his former players…

That is according to Percy, who recently reported that Nottingham Forest are now “starting” talks with Fulham over a potential deal for Adama Traore, with the winger emerging as a serious target, given that Nuno is prioritising the additions of new wide men.

Nottingham Forest now "join the race" to sign £50m+ Premier League forward

The Tricky Trees are now in the race for the signature of a forward, journalist Sebastien Vidal has revealed.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 27, 2025

The Fulham forward is regarded as a direct replacement for Elanga, and he could join alongside Ndoye, who is set to sign a five-year deal at the City Ground, having informed Bologna of his desire to leave and play in the Premier League.

"Incredible" Traore could be ideal addition to Nuno's squad

Much like Ndoye, the £65k-a-week Spaniard is a skilled dribbler of the ball, while he also ranks very highly for assists per 90 over the course of the past year, when compared to other wingers and attacking midfielders.

Statistic	Average per 90
Progressive carries	5.08 (86th percentile)
Successful take-ons	2.44 (88th percentile)
Assists	0.36 (89th percentile)

Lauded as “incredible” by journalist Arjun Pradeep, the former Barcelona man is also well-known for his “electric” pace, which could make him an ideal signing for Nuno, given that the manager implemented a counter-attacking style of play last season.

With Forest set to embark on a Europa League campaign in the 2025-25 campaign, it is very important that Nuno has considerable strength in depth, so it would be a smart move to try and get a deal for Traore over the line alongside Ndoye.

Dom Sibley batted for more than four hours for his third century of the season to ensure there was no last-day embarrassment before Surrey lifted aloft the Vitality County Championship trophy following an attritional draw at Chelmsford.Surrey savoured the traditional champagne-spraying celebrations for the third successive year after a season in which they won eight of their 14 matches. However, apart from Sibley’s 189-ball 125, they were comprehensively second best against Essex as underlined by the fact they only collected two bonus points from the game.Sibley’s innings was a mixture of forcefulness, chiefly through the covers, and watchfulness as he dominated half-century stands with Dan Lawrence and Josh Blake before he was sixth man out with Surrey still nominally 143 runs shy of making Essex bat again.The finale to the Championship season petered out in comedy as Essex bowlers changed bowling styles before handshakes were exchanged at 4.10pm with Surrey 267 for 7.Essex, bowling sensibly at the time, had taken three wickets in 10 overs in the morning to introduce a little frisson to proceedings, but the game meandered towards the draw that had been inevitable since rain washed out all but 111 minutes’ play on the first two days. The draw meant Essex finished fourth, two points behind one-time title contenders Somerset.Yousef Majid extended his nightwatchman duties by just over half-an-hour on a cold, grey morning before he tried to play Harmer to leg but popped up a catch in the opposite direction to short extra cover.Jamie Porter’s sequence of four successful maidens was broken when Sibley drove him straight back so fiercely it almost cut the bowler in half on its way to the boundary. He was equally aggressive against Harmer, coming down the wicket and swiping him past midwicket for another of his 17 fours.Ryan Patel had already been missed at slip by Ben Allison, fielding in place of the injured Dean Elgar, before he was unbalanced by Porter and departed lbw. Ben Geddes did not last long, beaten by one from Harmer that turned and jagged back his off-stump.Sibley dominated the first fifty of the fifth-wicket stand with Dan Lawrence amid a flurry of pushed and well-placed boundaries. Lawrence contributed just 14 of them, and 27 of the 75 runs they eventually put on before Shane Snater trapped him lbw.Runs dried up at that point: seven came off 43 balls and 10 overs passed without a boundary before Sibley stroked back Sam Cook for his 14th four to reach three figures from 168 balls. He celebrated by going down on one knee and launching Matt Critchley out of the ground over long leg for only the second six of the match.However, Critchley gained a measure of revenge when Sibley drove uppishly towards mid-off where Cook took the catch. Harmer was eventually rested and his replacement, Tom Westley, struck with his sixth ball as Ollie Sykes’s debut lasted two balls.With little enthusiasm from the participants, the first over after tea, bowled by Westley, took eight minutes to complete – and 16 minutes for three overs of spin – with questions about changing the ball and sundry other time-wasting manoeuvres.To enforce the sense of farce pace bowler Cook came in off three paces to send down six balls of spin and spinners Critchley and Harmer took the new-ball with a variety of medium-paced dibbly-dobblies to an equally unfamiliar slip cordon of Cook, Porter and Allison.

Tottenham are continuing to reshape their squad ahead of Thomas Frank’s first full season in charge of the Lilywhites, and it could soon be a case of one in, one out as midfielder Yves Bissouma is told he’s free to go.

Related Player's camp in talks with Tottenham, Frank convinced he'd join Spurs

The Dane is personally confident they can secure his signature.

Posts 2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 18, 2025

Spurs could be forced to sell at least one overseas star this summer due to UEFA Champions League squad rules and their current abundance of non-locally trained players, according to a recent report from the Telegraph, and they have a few options to choose from.

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

Son Heung-min, Bryan Gil, Manor Solomon, Richarlison and Cristian Romero, alongside Bissouma, have all been linked with moves away from N17 this summer. A couple of them could realistically follow goalkeeper Josh Keeley out of the door, with the Irishman on the verge of a reported £1 million move to Luton Town (Alasdair Gold).

Romero has attracted serious interest from Atlético Madrid for months, even if we’ve seen reports of a move to La Liga die down recently, while both Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon appear to be prime candidates for the chopping block after spending 2024/2025 out on loan elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Richarlison is a wanted man in both Brazil and Saudi Arabia, with journalist Leonardo Lacenda recently reporting that Vasco de Gama president, Pedrinho, personally phoned the striker recently.

“It’s happening! President Pedrinho, accompanied by a member of the Vasco leadership, contacted Richarlison directly through a phone call,” said Lacerda, via Bolavip.

“The goal was to get a closer look at the striker’s situation, as he’s unlikely to remain at Tottenham next season. In addition to Vasco, the striker is attracting interest from Fluminense, Flamengo, and Palmeiras. Two Saudi Arabian clubs have also entered the fray—Al Ahli and Al Ittihad.”

Murmurs of a Son Heung-min exit, after links with a move to Saudi and Los Angeles FC, have gone fairly quiet – but the same cannot be said of Bissouma.

Last week, it was reported that a Fenerbahçe representative flew to London for talks with the midfielder (Yağız Sabuncuoğlu), with the Telegraph stating he’s a likely high-profile sale before deadline day on September 1.

Tottenham tell Yves Bissouma to leave with Joao Palhinha talks held

Now, journalist Graeme Bailey has shared more on the 28-year-old’s future in a piece for TBR Football.

It’s claimed that Bissouma is informed that he’s free to leave Spurs in the coming weeks, even if he’ll only do so for the right offer, but Tottenham are already moving for a potential replacement in the form of £166,000-per-week Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha.

The former Fulham star sealed his long-awaited move to the Allianz Arena last summer for an initial £43 million, but his switch has been far from plane sailing. The 30-year-old’s debut season at Bayern was marred by injury and a lack of playing time, with a return to the Premier League already on the cards.

Bailey reports that Tottenham have held new talks with Palhinha’s representatives in the last week, so the Portugal international is emerging as a serious option to succeed Bissouma after a few impressive years at Craven Cottage.

As Manchester United look to balance their books this summer amid early incomings, Al-Nassr could now reportedly offer INEOS their biggest payday of the window in pursuit of an attacking ace.

Man Utd readying summer clear-out

With Matheus Cunha already signed and Bryan Mbeumo reportedly likely to follow suit, Manchester United will have little choice but to clear some room in Ruben Amorim’s squad.

In what feels like a never-ending cycle, the Red Devils must rebuild once again and, in doing so, show the door to any unwanted stars in a ruthless summer plan.

Among those heading for the exit door is likely to be Rasmus Hojlund. The struggling striker has never truly made his mark at Old Trafford, despite costing an eye-watering £72m in 2023. Now, two years on, Inter Milan have reportedly come calling for his signature in a deal that could eventually cost around £38m.

Whether Hojlund, himself, accepts a summer departure may be another question, though. The young forward told Danish media when questioned about his Manchester United future this week: “I have a contract until 2030, so I expect to play for Manchester United. I’m looking forward to going on a summer vacation, and then I’m fully dedicated to the project that’s underway.

“I know I can’t get much out of reading things. I know what the facts are, and that is that I have a contract with Manchester United until 2030. I expect to play there, so I’m just getting ready for some summer vacation and then hopefully a good pre-season.”

Man Utd submit bid for once-£57m ex-Man City ace who’s desperate for move

He won six Premier League titles at Manchester City.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 7, 2025

Whilst Hojlund is keen to stay put, however, the same can’t be said for another struggling Man United star, who could yet hand the Red Devils an impressive financial boost on his way out.

Al Nassr now eyeing Garnacho swoop

One player who has looked almost certain to be heading for the exit door ever since Amorim arrived is Alejandro Garnacho. In Amorim’s first Manchester derby, the Argentine found himself dropped alongside Marcus Rashford. The latter soon left on loan and went on to thrive at Aston Villa. Garnacho, however, stayed put but things have not become better in recent months.

Now, according to The Mirror, Al-Nassr could hand INEOS their biggest payday of the summer by signing Garnacho. The Saudi giants have been pursuing a move to sign Luis Diaz from Liverpool, but may turn towards the £50,000-a-week winger if the Premier League champions remain reluctant to sell their South American star.

If that does prove to be the case, Amorim may well be glad to see the back of the winger after Garnacho publicly disagreed with his decision to start Mason Mount in his place in the Europa League final.

Since then, Amorim has reportedly told the young winger to find a new club in front of the rest of his teammates in a public dressing down. Unless anything dramatic happens at this stage, Garnacho’s exit is one that would be best for all parties.