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The Premier League is finally back, but things are not looking so great for West Ham United.

Graham Potter’s side were tasked with a visit to the newly promoted Sunderland yesterday afternoon but, instead of picking up some early points, were comfortably beaten 3-0.

The result is a real wake-up call that unless the club do something dramatic in the closing weeks of the transfer window, they’ll be in real danger of going down come the end of the campaign.

Fortunately, it looks like West Ham are keen on bringing in an incredibly exciting talent, someone who could be their new Declan Rice.

West Ham target their new Rice

It would be fair to say that, so far this summer, West Ham’s dealings in the transfer market have been nothing more than fine.

Transfer Focus

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

While the additions of Kyle Walker-Peters, Mads Hermansen and El Hadji Malick Diouf improve the squad, they aren’t really enough for a side that ended last season five points off the drop zone.

Luckily, it looks like the club are keen to make at least one more significant addition to the team as they circle someone who could be their new Rice.

At least that is according to a recent report from Eduardo Burgos, who has claimed that West Ham are interested in Andrey Santos.

In fact, the Spanish journalist has revealed that the Hammers sent Chelsea a €53m offer, which is about £42m, but it was rejected.

As things stand, it appears that the Blues do not want to sell the Brazilian, but if the last few windows have shown us anything, it’s that they will move on most players if the fee is right.

So, while it would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, West Ham should be doing all they can to sign Santos, especially as he could be their new Rice.

How Santos compares to Rice

It should probably go without saying that we are not suggesting Santos is quite on the same level as Rice at the moment, but it might be closer than you’d think, and there are some undeniable similarities between the pair.

The first is, unsurprisingly, where they play on the pitch, as, like the Arsenal star, the Brazilian is someone who thrives as either a central or defensive midfielder and is a monster when it comes to breaking up play and helping out his defence.

For example, while respected analyst Ben Mattinson described him as a “duel monster” who is “brilliant at screening the backline,” talent scout Jacek Kulig arguably went even further and called him a “one-man war machine in midfield.”

However, just like the former Irons captain, the Blues gem is able to match up his tireless running and defensive attributes with an eye for goal and an ability to make things happen at the sharp end of the pitch.

In 34 appearances for Strasbourg last season, the 21-year-old phenom scored 11 goals and provided five assists and was praised by Mattinson for the way he “crashes the box” and his seriously impressive ability to “progress the ball.”

Finally, on top of being so similar to such an incredible international, the Rio de Janeiro-born ace has some sensational underlying numbers to his name.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 3% of midfielders in Ligue 1 for tackles won, the top 5% for non-penalty goals and goals per shot, and the top 8% for dribblers tackled, among other metrics, all per 90.

Tackles Won

2.33

Top 3%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.32

Top 5%

Goals/Shot

0.22

Top 5%

Tackles

3.47

Top 6%

Touches (Def 3rd)

19.99

Top 6%

Goals

0.32

Top 7%

Dribblers Tackled

1.61

Top 8%

Pass Completion % (Long)

80.2%

Top 9%

SCA (Defensive Action)

0.16

Top 9%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.03

Top 10%

Tackles (Def 3rd)

1.48

Top 11%

Tackles (Mid 3rd)

1.61

Top 12%

Tkl+Int

4.48

Top 12%

Touches (Def Pen)

3.40

Top 12%

% of Aerials Won

60.7%

Top 12%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.03

Top 14%

Clearances

2.11

Top 15%

Aerials Won

1.17

Top 15%

These numbers help to justify the image of the Brazilian star as someone who can help snuff out opposition attacks in his half before kick-starting a counter and bringing the ball all the way up the other end.

Ultimately, West Ham need to add some real quality to the side this summer, and while it will be difficult, they should be doing all they can to get Santos, especially as he could be their new Rice.

Potter's own Xhaka: West Ham now targeting "technically gifted" £15m star

The brilliant midfielder could become West Ham United and Graham Potter’s own Granit Xhaka.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 16, 2025

Adrien Rabiot has issued a lengthy farewell message to Marseille fans after his controversial summer exit in the wake of a dressing room altercation.

Rabiot released statement to Marseille fansSpeaks of his love for the clubJoined AC Milan in the summerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The France international has penned a lengthy message to the OM supporters, thanking them for their warm welcome to the city and spoke of the passion and love he felt at the club. Rabiot has since left France and joined AC Milan in controversial circumstances.

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

This move follows a turbulent spell at Marseille, where he had returned to France after five seasons with Juventus. Rabiot's time at Orange Velodrome ended after he and team-mate Jonathan Rowe were placed on the transfer list due to an altercation following a match against Rennes in August.

WHAT RABIOT SAID

Rabiot said on Instagram: "Dear Marseille supporters, before I start my new adventure in Milan I wanted to send you a message. Since the first day I arrived in Marignane, you did not attach importance to my Parisian past, and immediately adopted me as a Marseillais, until I left. Throughout the season you've encouraged, accompanied, carried, applauded. You have been of steadfast support. I felt this fervour, this passion, this love of football that encourages you and makes Marseille a unique city and club in France. I will never forget the atmosphere of the Velodrome. The chants, the cheering and the badge. The joys of celebrations and especially the indescribable feeling of scoring in this stadium. It was an immense pleasure to defend your colours, those of the Olympique Marseille."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR RABIOT?

Rabiot would be forgiven for wanting a quieter life after the drama at Marseille. He's just signed a three-year contract at AC Milan and will be battling for a place in Didier Deschamps' France World Cup squad. 

Injury to Cross in opening over cause concern for England ahead of Test match

Andrew Miller11-Dec-2024Tammy Beaumont issued a reminder of her all-formats prowess with a superbly paced innings of 65 not out from 46 balls, as England sealed their ODI series against South Africa in a T20-style run-chase under the floodlights in Potchefstroom.On a day that was interrupted by a three-hour delay for rain and lightning, and was marred by a worrying first-over back injury for their senior seamer Kate Cross, England overcame a stiff DLS-adjusted target of 152 in 23 overs to win at a canter – with four overs to spare, thanks to Beaumont’s fifth-wicket stand of 90 in 63 balls with Amy Jones, who finished unbeaten on 49 from 36.Having at one stage been resigned to a washout as the conditions closed in, England were forced to win it the hard way, after Marizanne Kapp’s haul of 3 for 24 in five overs included two massive scalps in her opening over: Maia Bouchier, caught at midwicket third-ball for 4, and Nat Sciver-Brunt, who mistimed a cut to point for a second-ball duck.When Kapp then bowled Heather Knight with a snorter in her third over, England were floundering at 25 for 3. But Beaumont, showcasing the even temperament that still makes her such a prized asset in ODI and Test cricket, refused to be cowed by a climbing run-rate. She found key support, initially from Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 22 from 16 balls, and latterly Jones, and the result was effectively sealed when Kapp’s final two overs were repelled with the asking rate already dipping below a run a ball.The win handed England a 2-1 win in the ODI leg of their multi-format tour, having lost the opening match by the same six-wicket margin in Kimberley last week, and put the seal on their overall series win ahead of Sunday’s Test in Bloemfontein, having already taken the T20I leg in a 3-0 whitewash.After winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, England restricted South Africa to 233 for 8 in their 50 overs, although they were made to work for their breakthroughs – principally by Laura Wolvaardt, South Africa’s captain, who cemented her status as the ICC’s No.1-ranked ODI batter with a sparkling innings of 61 from 68 balls, studded with a range of her trademark cover drives.Lightning and rain delayed England’s run chase•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesTheir task was not helped, however, by a troubling incident in the opening over, when Cross – following through after bowling her fifth ball – slumped to the turf in visible pain. She was helped from the field by the physio, with Alice Capsey bowling the final ball of her over, and was later revealed to have suffered a back spasm, which may leave her role in the Test match in some doubt.England had already chosen to rest their fastest bowler, Lauren Filer, after her telling breakthroughs in the second ODI, which left their seam-bowling duties in the hands of Lauren Bell and Nat Sciver-Brunt. Wolvaardt took the initiative in the first ten overs, adding 50 for the first wicket with Lara Goodall, one of four changes to South Africa’s line-up.Bell, however, made the first breakthrough in the final over of the powerplay, when Goodall lofted a length ball to mid-on just moments after a firm clip for four off her pads. And not for the first time in this series, South Africa were culpable in their subsequent slide.Anneka Bosch, another change to the line-up, grew into her role with three lusty hits down the ground before driving too loosely through the line off Capsey – on whom Heather Knight had been forced to rely in Cross’s absence. One over later, South Africa’s sturdy start was looking wobbly at 107 for 3, as Sophie Ecclestone skidded a flat trajectory into Wolvaardt’s pad, and extracted the on-field lbw verdict despite ball-tracker confirming it was a marginal leg-sided call.On 14, Nadine de Klerk reacted too slowly to Kapp’s call for a quick single into the covers, and was beaten by Bouchier’s sharp return to Jones, while Annerie Dercksen’s guilty glance at the umpire arguably sealed her fate when Charlie Dean pinned her lbw for 13 – another decision that was shown to be clipping the bails.At 156 for 5 with 18 overs to come, Kapp and Chloe Tryon had the power and poise to provide the big finish. But both batters fell for two runs in the space of nine balls – Kapp to a misjudged launch to long-on off Capsey for 19, and Tryon to a rush of blood at the end of Ecclestone’s eighth over, as she gave her the charge to be stumped for 20.Masabata Klaas then spooned a limp drive to mid-off to depart for a seven-ball duck, but England’s hopes of a quick kill at 201 for 8 were thwarted by Mieke de Ridder and Nonkululeko Mlaba, who batted out the final 45 balls of the innings to eke out a handy 32-run stand. While Kapp was blowing away England’s top-order, those runs looked crucial. But Beaumont and Jones had other plans.

U.S. international Tim Weah has a knack for timing, delivering his first Marseille goal in dramatic fashion on Tuesday. Weah scored the opener against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in the club’s opening Champions League match of the season. The winger was assisted by Mason Greenwood, who found Weah running to his right in the 22nd minute.

AFPOpening his account

Weah had struggled to make an impact in attack for Marseille in his first four matches with the club, registering an xG of 0.01 during that stretch. Some of that was down to shuttling between playing defense and as a winger. But against Madrid on Tuesday, Weah played on the left wing and delivered a clinical finish. 

AdvertisementWatch the goalGetty Images SportBack and forth match

Despite OM taking an early lead, Madrid responded almost instantly, thanks to a penalty from Kylian Mbappe in the 29th minute. 

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Looking ahead

Following the Madrid Champions League match, OM will take on heated rivals Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique this weekend.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin appears to be in a difficult position with his options at striker at Ibrox heading into next week’s transfer deadline.

After the 1-1 draw with St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership last time out, the Gers manager revealed that Hamza Igamane was unable to come off the bench to help the team.

Martin said: “He wouldn’t be on the bench if he’s not fit. So he said he’d done it warming up. We turned down a bid this week, but we’ll assess his injury and I have to trust Hamza so we’ll see what happens.”

The boss went on to speak about Cyriel Dessers’ situation, saying: “I think it happens in football, but I’ll go back to Cyriel (Dessers) again. He’s worked really hard to get fit, hasn’t quite been fit, he’ll probably be fit for Wednesday.

“So whilst he’s made it really clear what his intention would be or what his desire would be, there’s been no problem, none. He trains properly, performs with the team, been great, but everyone’s different.”

It has since been revealed that Lille have had an offer accepted for Igamane, who is now due to depart for £10.4m, which may explain recent links to Bojan Miovski.

Why Rangers are interested in Bojan Miovski

It was recently reported that the Gers are interested in a deal to sign the centre-forward from Girona on a season-long loan deal to bolster their squad.

Their interest in the Macedonia international could be connected to the interest in Dessers and Igamane from elsewhere ahead of next Monday’s transfer deadline, because an exit from Ibrox for either of them would leave the squad short in the striker department.

This is why the 26-year-old star arriving at Ibrox in the coming days could make a lot of sense for Rangers, because would slot into the centre-forward position and fill any hole that could be created by a departure for Igamane or Dessers, or both.

The Girona outcast is also be an attractive target for the Scottish Premiership giants because he is a proven performer in Scotland. During his two-year stint with Aberdeen, Miovski showed that he can score goals on a regular basis in the Scottish top-flight.

xG

15.60

17.08

xG on target

18.36

17.60

Goals

16

16

Shots on target

36

44

Chances created

27

23

Assists

2

2

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed marksman scored 32 goals in two league seasons with Aberdeen, who finished behind Rangers in both of those campaigns, and overperformed his xG when you take his xG on target into account.

These statistics show that he is almost guaranteed to be a reliable goalscorer for Rangers in the Premiership, because he has been there and done it in the division in two of the last three years.

However, on the flip side of it, a season-long loan deal for Miovski would only be delaying the need to sign a permanent replacement for Igamane or Dessers.

On top of that, the striker has only scored four goals in 25 matches for Giorna since the start of last season and would need to find his confidence in front of goal again, which may be a struggle in a Rangers team that is currently in a difficult place after three draws in three league games.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Rangers are one of a number of sides interested in a deal to sign Villarreal’s £4m-rated centre-forward Karl Etta Eyong to bolster their attacking options.

Transfer Focus

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

It was also reported that the Gers were in talks with Villarreal over a potential permanent deal for the forward, although there has not been any recent updates on that, and he could be an even better signing than Miovski.

Why Rangers should sign Karl Etta Eyong

Whilst Miovski has the potential, given his form for Aberdeen in the past, to be an exceptional addition to the squad in his own right, Etta Eyong could be a better signing because of his recent form and the structure of the possible transfer.

Signing the Villarreal star, who is only 21, on a long-term deal as part of a permanent transfer could be a much better move for the club than a short-term loan for Miovski, because it could sort out the team’s striker problem for multiple seasons, rather than just one.

By signing Etta Eyong, if all goes well, the Gers would not have to invest millions in another new striker next summer. Whereas, Miovski going back to Girona, or going elsewhere, at the end of his loan would mean that the Light Blues would be back at square one and needing to find another forward.

The Villarreal starlet’s performances at youth and senior level in Spain in the last 12 months or so also suggest that he could hit the ground running with confidence behind him, which may not be the case for Miovski due to his struggles in Spain.

Minutes

90

90

Shots on target

1

2

Goals

1

0

Key passes

0

2

Assists

0

1

Pass accuracy

80%

80%

Possession lost

4x

8x

As you can see in the table above, Etta Eyong has made a strong start to the current LaLiga campaign with a goal and an assist in two matches, with the assist coming against Miovski’s Girona side.

Meanwhile, the Macedonia international did not register a shot or a key pass in 45 minutes against Rayo Vallecano before being left out of the squad for the defeat to Etta Eyong’s Villarreal, per Sofascore.

The £4m-rated star, who was described as a “powerful” striker by writer Kai Watson, also scored 18 goals, finishing 25% of his chances, in 29 starts in the Spanish third tier for Villarreal’s B team in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he can also score goals consistently when given regular game time.

Etta Eyong scored goals against Leeds and Arsenal in pre-season before starting the LaLiga campaign on fire for Villarreal, and all of these statistics suggest that he has the quality to be a quality operator up front for Rangers.

Euro club make approach to sign Rangers flop who's worse than Igamane

A team in one of Europe’s major leagues has made an approach for a Rangers forward who is even worse than Hamza Igamane.

ByDan Emery Aug 26, 2025

This is why Etta Eyong would be an even better signing than Miovski for the Gers, because he is in-form and currently playing better in the same league, and would arrive on a permanent basis instead of as a loan player.

Archie Vaughan and Kesh Fonseka add important runs as spinners loom as key fourth-innings weapon

ECB Reporters Network28-Jan-2025Thomas Rew’s run-a-ball 71 helped England Men U19s to take a 255-run lead into the final day of the first Youth Test against South Africa Men U19s in Stellenbosch.Leg-spinner Chad Mason claimed four for 97 – his 26 overs more than double than any of his team-mates – as the Young Lions reached the close at 275 for eight.Captain Archie Vaughan (44) and Kesh Fonseka (43) made key contributions at the top of the order while Jack Home was unbeaten on 34 and primarily tasked with extending his side’s lead in the morning.South Africa added a handy 50 runs for the final two wickets this morning to be bowled out for 319 and a lead of 20 runs.Farhan Ahmed finished with innings-best figures of four for 78 and his spin partnership with Tazeem Ali and Vaughan looms as important on the final day.Mason was the mainstay of the home attack today and after he made the initial breakthrough of Ben Dawkins (33), well caught by Muhammad Bulbulia at first slip, he also got the key wicket of Rew who had counter-attacked to reach his half-century from 54 balls.

The Bangladesh captain isn’t keen on making personnel changes though. He just wants mindset changes

Mohammad Isam25-Feb-2025Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has said that the same group of players should be given more opportunities to be “responsible for the team’s performance” in future ICC tournaments. The comment comes after Bangladesh’s early exit from the Champions Trophy following which their senior players have come under fire.Shanto started the post-match press conference on Monday by saying that they need to make “changes”. “I have said it a lot of times in the past, but we [have] made the same mistakes over and over again,” he said. “We have to focus on how we want to improve our batting. I hope after this tournament, we will make some changes as a batting unit, which will bring improvement in our batting.”That had everyone on alert. Bangladesh have been crying out for a fresh approach in ODIs so there was some hope that the captain himself was about to address the issue. However, Shanto later clarified that he meant the changes should be within the mindset of the existing batting group, and not changes in personnel.”We have to be more responsible for the team when we go out to bat. We cannot keep chopping and changing [personnel]. We have to keep giving our existing resources more opportunities. I think we are taking it lightly. We have to be more responsible.”Related

BCB to talk to Simmons to continue as Bangladesh head coach

Pakistan and Bangladesh look – or hope – to sign off on a positive note

Bracewell's best, and a rare twin failure for Williamson

Ravindra, Latham and Bracewell book New Zealand's semi-final spot

Ravindra and Bracewell win the middle overs to knock out Bangladesh

Shanto also threw his weight behind Mushfiqur Rahim, who has been struggling for runs. The former Bangladesh captain has managed just one fifty in ODIs since the end of the 2023 World Cup and averages a tick over 31. He was dismissed for a first-ball duck against India before falling to a rash shot against New Zealand for 2.There were thoughts that Mushfiqur could be replaced by the incoming Mahmudullah, who missed Bangladesh’s first game of the Champions Trophy due to an injury, with Jaker Ali taking the gloves. However, instead of swapping the two veterans, Bangladesh dropped Soumya Sarkar from the top of the order with Shanto going one slot up. “There’s no auto-choice in this team,” Shanto said. “Soumya bats in the top order, Riyad [Mahmudullah] bhai plays in the lower-middle order. Keeping Soumya would have forced us to make a lot of changes in the line-up. We needed Riyad bhai given how he batted in the last four or five innings.”I wasn’t worried about Mushfiq [Mushfiqur] last five innings. His wicketkeeping was very important. We have seen his contribution to the team over the years. He didn’t score runs in the last two or three matches but I am sure he can come back in the next game.”Mushfiqur Rahim has managed just one half-century in his last nine ODIs•ICC via Getty ImagesBangladesh’s biggest issue on Monday was handing four wickets to offspinner Michael Bracewell as they lost their way in the middle overs. Their approach of playing very defensively, coming under pressure and trying to hit their way out looked questionable as they accumulated about 30 overs worth of dot balls. Shanto admitted that Bangladesh, who finished on 236 for 9, were well short of a par score.”It was a good wicket, worth at least 280 to 300 runs. I think (Bracewell) bowled well but we fell to some soft dismissals,” he said. “We made the mistakes with the bat. We could have batted better against him on this wicket. There was some poor shot selection. We could have planned better, which wouldn’t have given him so many wickets. He bowled well but we made some poor executions.”We have room for improvement. We don’t score 300-plus totals regularly. The number of dot balls was mainly because we lost wickets in a cluster in the middle overs. Maybe, if we had two big partnerships, we wouldn’t have suffered so much today. We have to build the habit of scoring 300 runs regularly. For that, we need better practice wickets.”

“We only win at home. We don’t win regularly in overseas conditions. We have to find out how we can do well in ICC tournaments”Najmul Hossain Shanto

Bangladesh’s sub-par batting in both the group-stage matches against India and New Zealand again brings into question whether they are prepared for ICC tournaments. Shanto said that they have to find a way to show improvement at the highest level, rather than just waiting for a team performance, once in a while.”We only win at home. We don’t win regularly in overseas conditions. We have to find out how we can do well in ICC tournaments,” Shanto said. “We need a collective improvement. There are days when the top order is doing well, another day only the middle order is doing well. There are days when we field well. It is a haphazard situation. I think only a collective performance can help us do well against big teams in these tournaments.Shanto stood by his pre-tournament declaration that Bangladesh were targeting to win the Champions Trophy. He said that the team had the same desire but their collective efforts didn’t match the dream. “I think the whole team dreamt of winning the Champions Trophy. If we don’t dream big, how can we play?” he questioned. “We are here to win, not just to compete. We didn’t get the desired result. We can’t just be dreaming of a big result, we have to play accordingly too. Our focus is on the next match now.”

Harry Kane is "being taken for granted", according to former England international Joleon Lescott, with the Bayern Munich striker only managing a 13th-place finish at the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The Three Lions captain finished outside of the top 10, as Ousmane Dembele was named the best player on the planet, despite netting 41 goals last season and breaking his trophy duck with a Bundesliga title triumph.

GettyHistoric goal hauls for Kane

Kane, who walked away from Tottenham in 2023 as the club’s all-time leading scorer, has maintained remarkable individual standards in Germany. He is a back-to-back Golden Boot winner in the German top-flight, with his overall record for Bayern standing at 98 goals through 103 appearances in all competitions. He has already found the target on 13 occasions this term – including two hat-tricks – through seven fixtures.

His historic haul of goals for England has been taken to 74 from 104 caps, with a reputation as one of the finest No.9s to ever play the game being enhanced. His exploits do not, however, always receive the recognition they deserve. That was the case again when another Golden Ball was handed out in Paris.

AdvertisementDoes Kane get recognition he deserves?

Reacting to Kane’s 13th-place ranking – with the 32-year-old having hit 70 Bundesliga goals through 67 appearances in the German top-flight – two-time Premier League title winner Lescott told podcast from Sky Bet: "I don’t want to sound disrespectful, but people don't necessarily tune in to watch Harry Kane. There’s the talent, but the fundamentals of his game are ridiculously high, a lot like [Bukayo] Saka, but if its people basing it on who they want to see, it’s not Kane. What he's done and what he has achieved is definitely taken for granted. Since he’s been at Bayern Munich, he’s scored more goals than games."

Getty Images SportDembele & Gravenberch earn high praise

While being of the opinion that Kane should have finished higher in the Ballon d’Or vote, Lescott has no complaints with the overall winner. Dembele – who has joined an exclusive club of Golden Ball, Champions League and World Cup winners – fended off competition from Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal to land the most prestigious of awards.

Lescott said of the France international forward, who helped Paris Saint-Germain to three trophies in 2024-25, being given that nod: “Ousmane Dembele’s record from the turn of the year is insane. He's found the perfect coach for him. You have to respect the manager for [his work out of possession] because that is not something you teach. Something has to convince you that is what is needed.”

Another player that former Everton and Manchester City defender Lescott has been impressed with is current Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch. The Netherlands international struggled to make the expected impact at Bayern Munich, but the ex-Ajax star is thriving at Anfield.

Lescott said of the 23-year-old, who has made the No.6 spot his own in Arne Slot’s title-winning squad on Merseyside: "There's an argument for [Gravenberch being the best number six in the world right now] because of his contribution, goals and assists and he's been in a title winning team. He was arguably their best player last year, so he definitely should be considered. If you're one of the best in any position in the Premier League, you are going to be considered the best or one of best in the world.

"I like [Moises] Caicedo – he’s top, but Gravenberch controls the game, he's able to control how they attack, sustain attacks where Caicedo doesn't have that ability in my opinion, just yet."

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What next for Kane, Gravenberch & Dembele?

Gravenberch has helped Liverpool to make a faultless start to their 2025-26 campaigns in the Premier League and Champions League. They already hold a five-point lead at the top of the English top-flight table.

Dembele is nursing an injury that he picked up on international duty, ruling him out of PSG’s immediate plans, while Kane remains in red-hot form for Bayern and will be looking to enhance his goal tally when Vincent Kompany’s side play host to Werder Bremen on Friday.

Chelsea have pulled off a dramatic late move with very little clues in the build-up, with BlueCo’s latest transfer deal seemingly coming out of nowhere.

Enzo Maresca’s side, once again, have been one of the Premier League’s busiest clubs in terms of incomings and outgoings. The west Londoners have shaken hands on 23 transfers in total, including exit deals and pre-agreed transfers prior to this summer, but that number doesn’t even factor in their various loan deals for the likes of Aaron Anselmino and Marc Guiu.

Joao Pedro

Noni Madueke

Jamie Gittens

João Félix

Jorrel Hato

Djordje Petrovic

Liam Delap

Lesley Ugochukwu

Dario Essugo

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Mamadou Sarr

Renato Veiga

Estevao

Armando Broja

Kendry Paez

Carney Chukwuemeka

Alejandro Garnacho

Mathis Amougou

Basir Humphreys

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Marcus Bettinelli

Christopher Nkunku

Alfie Gilchrist

Lucas Bergstrom

This number also includes their latest new arrival, winger Alejandro Garnacho in a £40 million deal from Man United, as Chelsea finally reached an agreement after weeks of talks with the Red Devils.

The Argentine bagged 11 goals and 10 assists in all competitions last term, with Garancho arriving at Chelsea after the club completed extensive background checks on his character/personality (Matt Law), not to mention an eight-year scouting mission.

While their deal for Garnacho had been meticulously planned and thought out, the same cannot be said for Brighton starlet Facundo Bounanotte.

We’ve heard precious little about any prior interest from Chelsea in the 20-year-old, but Maresca has now added to his contingent of former Brighton players with a temporary deal for him.

Chelsea agree deal to sign Facundo Bounanotte on loan from Brighton

As per Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media sources, Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Bounanotte on loan, hijacking Leeds United’s long-awaited deal for him in the process.

This also comes after Tottenham hijacked Chelsea’s move for Xavi Simons, with Bounanotte potentially coming as an alternative to the Dutchman.

Whilst not of the same calibre, past praise for the player should have supporters fairly intrigued – as Bounanotte has been likened to footballing icon Lionel Messi.

Former England opener declines Notts contract to take up opportunities in MLC and CPL

Matt Roller17-Feb-2025Alex Hales is set to skip both the T20 Blast and the Hundred after signing a deal which will see him represent Knight Riders franchises in both Major League Cricket and the Caribbean Premier League.Hales, 36, retired from international cricket in 2023 but has continued to play franchise cricket around the world, and became the second-highest run-scorer in T20 history earlier this month. He has played for Nottinghamshire since 2008 but has recently relocated to Dubai and will not return to the club this summer after opting not to sign a new contract.The decision will put Hales’ long-term association with Trent Bridge on hold, though he has not ruled out a future return. He has called the venue home throughout his professional career and is the leading run-scorer for both Notts (in the Blast) and Trent Rockets (in the Hundred), winning titles with both teams.Last year, Hales missed six of Nottinghamshire’s 14 group games in the Blast to fulfil a contract at the Lanka Premier League but the ECB has since tightened regulations on No-Objection Certificates (NOCs). As a result, signing a contract with either Notts or Trent Rockets would likely have rendered Hales unable to play overseas throughout the English season.Related

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ESPNcricinfo has learned that he will instead take up an offer from the Knight Riders franchise, which will see him play for their Los Angeles and Trinbago teams in MLC and the CPL respectively. Depending on final dates, he may also return to the LPL in between the two tournaments, or alternatively feature in the new European T20 Premier League in Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.Knight Riders own four teams around the world – Los Angeles, Trinbago, Kolkata and Abu Dhabi – and several players have represented them in two or more territories, including Sunil Narine and Andre Russell. Venky Mysore, their chief executive, has previously suggested that players signing year-round contracts with an IPL franchise would be “nirvana” and Hales’ move appears to be another step towards that.”The last 17 years playing at Trent Bridge for Notts have been an absolute pleasure, and it remains my favourite place in the world to play cricket,” Hales said in a statement. “Some of my best memories have come in a Notts shirt, and some of my closest friendships in the game have been made in that home dressing room.”Having spent more and more time playing around the world in recent years, heading back to Trent Bridge has always been something I’ve looked forward to. But given the current landscape of the global game as well as having recently moved abroad, unfortunately I won’t be able to return this season… Hopefully I will be able to return at some point in the future.”Mick Newell, Notts’ director of cricket, said that Hales would be welcome to return to the club if his schedule allows in future. “While he won’t be joining us this summer, we are by no means closing the door on him making a return to Notts at some stage in the future, and his achievements mean he will forever have a place in Trent Bridge history,” Newell said.”Both his life and the global cricketing landscape have changed immeasurably since he made his debut 17 years ago. We appreciate the challenge he has faced in balancing his personal life, having recently married his South African fiancée and moved abroad, with the opportunities that a player of his calibre earns across the globe.”Hales will become the second Englishman to feature in MLC after Jason Roy, who terminated his ECB incremental deal early in order to play in the first season. Roy featured for Knight Riders again last year but has not been retained for 2025, and is likely to play for Surrey throughout the Blast season.He will still require a “No Objection Letter” from the ECB to play overseas but is not anticipating any issues, despite recent changes in the board’s policy. Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, told talkSPORT in December: “If [players] choose not to have a contract with a county and they want to be a complete global freelancer, that’s fine.”The changes – which Gould said are designed to “defend our game” from the threat of franchise cricket – played a role in James Vince’s decision to quit first-class cricket this season in favour of the Pakistan Super League. Tom Kohler-Cadmore will also play in the PSL, and has therefore been renegotiating his Somerset contract accordingly.