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Tottenham Hotspur kick off their Champions League campaign later this evening as they prepare to welcome Spanish side Villarreal to North London.

The Lilywhites beat West Ham United 3-0 in the Premier League at the London Stadium on Saturday, thanks to goals from Micky van de Ven, Pape Matar Sarr, and Lucas Bergval.

Thomas Frank will have to make at least one change to his starting line-up for this clash with Villarreal, though, because Mathys Tel was not included in the squad for the Champions League.

The former Bayern Munich forward started in the number nine role for Spurs against the Hammers at the weekend, but failed to register a shot on target or a chance created for his side, per Sofascore.

This means that he may well have been dropped from the starting XI even if he had been included in the Champions League squad. Either way, he will not be involved this evening.

Interestingly, the player selected by Frank to replace Tel in the team may have to face off against former Tottenham central defender Juan Foyth tonight.

How Juan Foyth has fared since leaving Spurs

The Argentina international joined Spurs from Estudiantes LP in 2017 and only played 32 times in all competitions before his permanent move to Villarreal in the summer of 2021, after spending time on loan with the Spanish side the season before that, per Transfermarkt.

Foyth did not have much of an impact on the pitch for the club, playing just 16 matches in the Premier League in total, but Villarreal did pay £13m to sign him permanently from them.

At the time of writing (16/09/2025), Transfermarkt value the central defender at roughly £12.9m. This suggests that Spurs and Villarreal got good value out of that deal, as he has not significantly improved or declined in the last few seasons.

Foyth, who scored against Real Madrid back in March, has found a home in Spain, playing 139 appearances in all competitions for Villarreal to date, per Transfermarkt, and appears to be settled since moving on from England.

The Argentine central defender started 17 of his 19 appearances in LaLiga for Villarreal during the 2024/25 campaign, but he was not shy of making the odd mistake.

24/25 LaLiga

Juan Foyth

Appearances

19

Starts

17

Clean sheets

5

Ground duel success rate

56%

Aerial duel success rate

59%

Error led to shot

2

Error led to goal

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Foyth made three errors that led to shots or goals for the opposition, and his team only kept five clean sheets in his 19 outings.

This shows that Spurs can get joy out of their former defender if they put pressure on him and put a team out that can consistently test him with balls into the box and in behind the Villarreal backline.

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With this in mind, Frank could totally embarrass the former Tottenham centre-back by unleashing Richarlison in Mathys Tel’s place in the number nine position this evening.

The Brazil international played 19 minutes off the bench in the 3-0 win over the Hammers on Saturday. Now, he should be named in the starting line-up for the first Champions League match of the season.

Why Richarlison should start for Spurs

Richarlison should come into the team because he is a striker who has the physical and technical attributes to totally embarrass Foyth if the Argentine defender is not at his best.

In terms of being able to test the centre-back physically, the Brazilian forward is a willing runner who can stretch play by running the channels and making darts in behind to cause problems for the entire backline.

The centre-forward has also won 2.3 aerial duels per game, at a success rate of 45%, per Sofascore, which shows that he can hold his own in the air against physical Premier League defenders.

Richarlison is far from just a physical lump who will cause Foyth problems with his running and pure power, though, because he can also be very effective with the ball at his feet when at his best.

The former Everton and Watford attacker won the club’s Goal of the Month award for August, for example, with his stunning strike against Burnley on the opening day.

Richarlison has scored two goals and provided one assist in three starts for Spurs so far this season in the Premier League, per Sofascore, which shows that he has had a strong start to the campaign in front of goal.

In fact, his form over the last 365 days suggests that he has all the tools and form to cause real issues for Foyth in this Champions League clash this evening.

Richarlison vs STs in top 5 leagues & European competitions

Last 365 days

Per 90

Percentile rank

Non-penalty xG

0.41

Top 31%

Non-penalty goals

0.49

Top 25%

xAG

0.18

Top 15%

Assists

0.24

Top 14%

Progressive passes

2.19

Top 25%

Progressive carries

1.54

Top 30%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old number nine ranks highly among his positional peers across the best leagues in Europe when it comes to both scoring and creating goals.

Richarlison was once described as a “goalmouth monster” by Ange Postecoglou. These statistics back that claim from the former Spurs manager up, as the striker has outperformed his xG over the last year.

The Brazilian forward is efficient in front of goal and can punish opposition defenders when they make mistakes, which is why he could embarrass Foyth if the former Tottenham man makes any ‘errors’ this evening.

Richarlison is a striker with the finishing quality to turn ‘errors that led to shots’ into ‘errors that led to goals’. It is now down to Frank, though, to select the forward and to set the team up in a way that can get the best out of him, and to put him in positions to press Foyth into making mistakes.

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It’s been an interesting summer for Arsenal so far this year.

Andrea Berta and Co have been very active in the transfer market, bringing in six new faces for Mikel Arteta so far.

Undoubtedly, the most exciting addition has to be Viktor Gyokeres, who was a lean, mean goalscoring machine for Sporting CP last season, and looked good in the club’s final pre-season game.

However, while he was part of the team that picked up three points away to Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, he didn’t look anything like the goal threat we saw last season.

While he’ll likely only get better as he gets used to the Premier League, Arsenal could help speed things along by signing another international ace they’ve been linked with this summer, an international who could potentially help Gyokeres hit Erling Haaland-esque numbers.

Gyokeres' underwhelming debut

While Gyokeres looked impressive against Athletic Bilbao in the Emirates Cup, scoring a header and coming incredibly close to getting another, he didn’t make a great impression on his Premier League debut on Sunday.

Granted, it was a bad day at the office for most of the side, apart from David Raya and some of the defence, but with the eyes of the league watching him to see if he could translate his sensational goalscoring form from Portugal to England, the Swedish marksman failed.

For example, in his 60 minutes of action, the Stockholm-born international failed to take a single shot – the first time that has happened in a competitive game since his days at Coventry City – was unable to complete a single dribble, played no key passes, lost ten duels and took just 22 touches, which was 25 fewer than Raya between the sticks.

Now, in his defence, there were a couple of occasions when he drove out wide before firing a ball back towards the centre in reasonably dangerous positions only for nobody to get on the end of it, but by and large, it was a debut to forget.

However, given his form over the last few years, Gyokeres will surely find his shooting boots sooner or later, and for their part, Arsenal could bring in a particular player who might be able to help him reach Haaland-esque numbers: Rodrygo.

Why Rodrygo could help Gyokeres explode

Among all the attacking players Arsenal have been linked with this summer, Rodrygo has arguably been the most exciting, and while he is now being touted for a move to Manchester City, there is supposedly still a chance the Gunners can secure his services for around £78m.

Transfer Focus

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

Now, on top of being an exceptional signing in his own right, why would the Real Madrid star be able to help Gyokeres’ goalscoring numbers explode this season?

Well, the first reason is that he’s already proven himself to be a reliable source of goals and assists with the Spanish giants over the last couple of years.

​​​​

For example, across the 23/24 to 24/25 seasons, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

In other words, the often “unstoppable” dynamo, as dubbed by Madrid columist Kiyan Sobhani, was averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes in that period, which is made all the more impressive by the fact he was playing everywhere but his preferred position of left-wing.

Rodrygo’s recent record
Season	23/24	24/25
Appearances	51	54
Minutes	3707′	3452′
Goals	17	14
Assists	9	11
Goal Involvements per Match	0.50	0.46
Minutes per Goal Involvement	142.57′	138.08′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Just imagine the numbers the Swedish goal-machine would be able to put up with the 24-year-old to his left, instead of Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka to his right – they could be Haaland-esque if things click.

Moreover, when we take a look at the former Santos gem’s underlying numbers, it quickly becomes clear that he is elite at getting the ball into dangerous areas through carrying, which for a traditional number nine like Gyokeres could be perfect.

For example, FBref ranked him in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in La Liga last season for carries into the final third, the top 3% for touches in the attacking third, the top 6% for total carrying distance, the top 10% for carries and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, with his record from the last two years being what it is, we know Gyokeres can score goals at a rate few can match, and to help him get close to those numbers again, Arsenal need to bring in a world-class left-winger like Rodrygo.

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Big picture – Can Pakistan bring ODI momentum into Test series?

There’s one other Boxing Day Test, but this one is big too. If South Africa win at SuperSport Park, they will guarantee a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. If Pakistan win, they will keep outside hopes (so outside that they also require an over-rate penalty for South Africa) of getting to Lord’s alive, but more pressingly they will keep a nation on edge for another week.In reality, South Africa have some breathing room because they only need to win one of the next two Tests to get to the WTC final. Even with rain hanging around the Highveld, they’ll fancy their chances against a team that has not recorded a Test win in this country in nearly 18 years and not won a Test outside Asia since beating West Indies in August 2021. But pressure does strange things to players, especially South African players, and Pakistan, despite all the drama surrounding them, are a team who could exploit that.Related

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They went through a rotating door of coaches, selectors and administrators before coming to South Africa and were already in the country when their Test coach resigned, two weeks before the start of the series. Still, the build-up to this Boxing Day Test has had none of the shenanigans of Melbourne, mostly because the two sides were preoccupied with an ODI contest that serves as build-up to the Champions Trophy. Ten South Africa and seven Pakistan players from their respective Test squads were involved in that contest, which Pakistan won 3-0. If momentum is a factor, it is surely with them.South Africa’s batting, in particular, was undone, and worryingly for them three of their top four (Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs) all fell to the offspin of Salman Agha in the first ODI. Conditions are unlikely to suit him at SuperSport Park but the mental scars might be there and Temba Bavuma hopes it will be simple to get over them. “Whether it’s easy, whether it’s hard, we’ve got to find a way to do it,” he said. “Whatever, I don’t know, trauma that was there, you know, guys will have to deal with it.”Bavuma was also quick to remind that the Test space is different as it is where South Africa have more stability and focus with an immediate goal of the WTC final. The opposite might be said of Pakistan, who have won three ODI series in succession and are building towards a home Champions Trophy where they are defending the title.That may mean the teams head into this match with slightly different priorities in terms of their current form but that won’t minimise the sense of the occasion. A Boxing Day Test with plenty at stake, taking place at the same time as another Boxing Day Test, with even more on the line. It doesn’t get bigger than this.

Form guide

South Africa: WWWWW (last five Tests, most recent first)
Pakistan: WWLLLMohammad Abbas last played a Test match in August 2021•AFP

In the spotlight – Aiden Markram and Mohammad Abbas

It feels like Aiden Markram has had a difficult time of it across formats this year but his main difficulties have come in the format he captains in. He only has one score over 30 from 18 T20Is in 2024, and one fifty from six ODIs hasn’t helped his cause either, but his Test form has shown signs of improving. After a century in the New Year’s Test, Markram made fifties in Providence and Gqeberha and is also someone Bavuma says he “leans a lot on” when it comes to tactics and inspiring younger players. Most of all, Markram enjoys the continued support of his team-mates and Bavuma, in particular, who says he “empathises” with what Markram is going through but “that’s what makes elite sport tough. You’ve got to find a way to go through those challenges. And generally, when you get over to the other side, that’s where the satisfaction is.”It’s now or never for Mohammad Abbas who, at 34, is set to make his comeback after three years out of the national side seemingly without explanation. Abbas played 25 Tests between April 2017 and August 2021 and took 90 wickets at 23.02, but was discarded in favour of younger quicks despite excellent numbers on the county circuit. He has enjoyed four fruitful seasons at Hampshire where he has taken 180 wickets at 19.26 and finished among the top 10 wicket-takers in 2022 and 2023, and just outside in 2024. This season, he is the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and has deservedly earned a recall and will hope to make it count. Abbas is 10 wickets away from 100 in Test cricket and if he gets there, will be the 20th bowler from Pakistan to reach the landmark.

Team news

Both Keshav Maharaj (groin strain) and Wiaan Mulder (broken finger) passed fitness tests ahead of the match but are not deemed match-fit yet. South Africa have chosen to go in without a frontline spinner – and without spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy – and opted for a 7-4 split. Corbin Bosch, who bowls above 140kph regularly, will debut at his home ground and share bowling duties with Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson and Marco Jansen. Ryan Rickelton has been retained at No.3 with Tristan Stubbs moving to No.4.South Africa (probable): 1 Tony de Zorzi, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Ryan Rickelton, 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Temba Bavuma (capt), 6 David Bedingham, 7 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dane Paterson, 11 Corbin Bosch.Pakistan could follow South Africa’s lead and go all-pace, which would mean no space for Noman Ali, though they would still have Salman Agha at their disposal. In the seam department, then, Abbas, Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad are likely to partner the 21-year old attack leader, Naseem Shah.Pakistan (probable): 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Aamer Jamal, 9 Khurram Shahzad, 10 Naseem Shah, 11 Mohammad AbbasIt has been nearly 18 years since Pakistan won a Test match in South Africa•Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

There has been significant rainfall on the Highveld in the lead-up to this Test match, which has made pitch preparation at SuperSport Park “difficult” in the words of one source. Two days out, the surface was fairly green which is in keeping with its reputation. Centurion is the most seamer-friendly wicket in the country, which also makes it the most difficult for batters. While Bavuma said he has “never played on a flat Centurion wicket”, days two and three are usually good for run-scoring, but with overhead cloud batters will “know that your work is going to be cut out for you and you’re going to have to work hard for your runs.” The match may also be interrupted with thunderstorms forecast for the first morning and afternoon and the second and third afternoon.

Stats and Trivia

• Eight batters have scored Test centuries for South Africa in 2024. It’s their joint-most in a calendar year, and their most in 12 years. They have previously had eight centurions in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
• Pakistan have won two of the 15 Tests they’ve played in South Africa, none since 2007, and none of their three at SuperSport Park. Their two wins have come at St George’s Park and Kingsmead, the grounds that hosted the recent Sri Lanka series.
• Kagiso Rabada is three wickets away from going past Dale Steyn and becoming the leading wicket-taker at SuperSport Park. Rabada has played just eight Tests at the venue and has only taken fewer than five wickets here on one occasion, against India in 2018. He averages just over seven wickets per Test in Centurion.
• Since January 2018, there have been seven Tests at SuperSport Park and a clear advantage for seam bowlers. They have taken 227 wickets at 23.22, compared with 16 wickets at 60.62 by spinners.

Quotes

“We accept and acknowledge the fact that many expectations would have risen on the team. There’ll be pressure that comes with that. But to be honest with you, we’re coming into the series to win the series 2-0. We understand that for us to do that, there’s certain things that we need to do as a team: keep things simple, keep doing the small things right, and allow the results to take care of itself. Obviously, one of those results is qualifying for the WTC final and obviously would like to see ourselves there. But, we’re here now.”
“When I went to Australia, I didn’t get the time to prepare properly. It was my first overseas tour there, and I made mistakes, but also learned what I could change. Here, in similar conditions, I have had the time to prepare and get into a positive frame of mind.”

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.

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Celtic are not narrow focused in their recruitment strategy during transfer windows, as they look at big and small market leagues to source new talent.

This summer, for example, they have signed players from Japan, Norway, Scotland, and England, which shows that they are open to looking all over the globe.

One of the markets they have had success in is Premier League youngsters, with Jeremie Frimpong one of their most notable success stories, as they have snapped up young talent from down south.

Celtic signed the full-back from Manchester City in the summer of 2020 and went on to sell him to Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of £11.5m just 18 months later, as he hit the ground running in Scotland.

Celtic make approach to sign Man City starlet

The Scottish Premiership champions are now reportedly eyeing up a move for a star who could come in as a Frimpong repeat for the Hoops next season.

Transfer Focus

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

According to CeltsAreHere, Celtic have made an approach to Manchester City to sign teenage defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey on a season-long loan deal.

The report claims that the 19-year-old centre-back, who is valued at £4m by Transfermarkt, believes that he needs to test himself at first-team level next season, and the Hoops are interested in giving him the opportunity to do exactly that.

It adds that there is also competition from clubs in the English Championship, but Celtic have European football to offer the defender and that could sway his mind.

Contact has already been made with the Premier League giants over a potential deal, and it is now down to the club to reach an agreement with the Cityzens and with Simpson-Pusey to get a move over the line.

Why Simpson-Pusey could be the next Frimpong for Celtic

Celtic reaped the benefits of plucking a young talent from Manchester City’s academy when they signed Frimpong five years ago, and they could do so again with this centre-back.

Whilst it would be a different deal, given that this would be a loan rather than a permanent one, it is still a move that could benefit the Hoops as it would provide them with a talented left-footed centre-back option to call upon.

Simpson-Pusey, who was dubbed “impressive” by analyst Ben Mattinson, won the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award in the 2024/25 campaign for his superb performances at U21 level, and is reportedly regarded as one of the biggest prospects in the U21 set-up in England.

The teenage starlet earned six first-team appearances for City in the 2024/25 campaign, which is six more than Frimpong ever made for the club, and he made his full Champions League debut in a 4-1 defeat to Sporting, as Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick.

Minutes played

90

Clearances

2

Interceptions

1

Blocks

1

Duels won

4/5

Dribbled past

0x

Pass accuracy

95%

As you can see in the table above, Simpson-Pusey’s individual performance in and out of possession was more than respectable, despite the scoreline, which looked worse than it was for the defender because his teammates gave away two penalties.

The English youngster is yet to prove himself at first-team level on a regular basis, just as Frimpong hadn’t when he moved to Parkhead, but his development to date suggests that he has big potential, given his emergence in the senior side under Pep Guardiola and his U21 achievements.

Therefore, this could be a high-risk and high-reward signing for the Hoops, as they would be bringing him in without really knowing how he will adapt to playing senior football on a regular basis.

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The club once took that risk with Frimpong, when they signed him from Manchester City’s U21 side, and they could hit gold with the Cityzens academy once again by sealing this deal to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ defensive options.

He may not go on to make the club millions in profit, as the Dutch international did, but Simpson-Pusey could be another City youngster to hit their stride at Parkhead.

Colin Ackermann’s recovering 96 plus ex-New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner’s impressive all-round contribution in his first game post-Test retirement earlier this year maintained Durham’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup hopes as they beat Hampshire by 144 runs at Gosforth.Ackermann led the fightback from 183 for 7 to 257 all out, hitting five sixes in 98 balls, while debutant overseas signing Wagner added 33 before taking 2 for 18 from six overs with the new ball as Hampshire slumped to 113 all out.Hampshire started the day second in Group A with four wins from five games but suffered a second defeat, while Durham won for the third time in six to maintain their hopes of a top-three finish for knockout qualification. Seamer Paul Coughlin also struck three times.Wagner, 38-years-old, has signed a short-term deal with Durham for the remainder of the season. This was his first appearance of any kind since his 64th and final Test, at home against South Africa, in February.While Hampshire started well with the ball and in the field, Durham finished strongly with the bat to give themselves a workable total on a competitive pitch at South Northumberland Cricket Club.England Under 19s quick Dom Kelly – 3 for 48 from 10 overs – removed both Durham openers. Michael Jones was caught behind and Ben McKinney sharply caught at cover by captain Nick Gubbins, who had elected to bowl first.Durham skipper Alex Lees was also caught behind off a top-edged sweep at Felix Organ’s off-spin, and the hosts were 56 for 3 in the 16th over.Hampshire’s fielding also contributed to a strong start. The Gubbins catch was followed by the run out of Scott Borthwick at the striker’s end from square-leg, Kyle Abbott with the throw, as the former England man stuttered going for a single.Further departures of Bas de Leede, Hayden Mustard – bowled by Abbott and Kelly – and Coughlin strengthened Hampshire’s hand at 183 for seven in the 42nd over.But Durham’s fightback was equally impressive on a bright but blustery day. Ackermann and Wagner shared an eighth-wicket 62 inside eight overs. The left-handed Wagner struck the ball nicely in a vital 27-ball knock and supported Ackermann, whose innings was well paced.Ackermann reached 50 in as many balls. Of his five sixes, three were hoisted handsomely down the ground off seam late in an innings which ended with him narrowly missing out on a deserved century. Abbott’s figures indicated Durham’s revival. The former South African seamer conceded only 11 runs in his first eight overs but 23 in his final two.In reply, the early signs were good for Hampshire as openers Gubbins and Fletcha Middleton shared 40 inside eight overs. But Wagner battled back, as he has so often done through a stellar career.After Coughlin had Gubbins caught behind, Wagner got Middleton caught at slip and Tom Prest caught behind – both driving – as the visitors slipped to 45 for 3 in the 11th.Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t recover as Coughlin caused further problems. He had Toby Albert caught behind and Felix Organ caught at slip, while Ben Brown drilled de Leede to mid-off in between as Hampshire crumbled to 69 for six in the 17th.From there, their task was forlorn. Off-spinner George Drissell then claimed two of the last four wickets to fall, while Joseph Eckland was brilliantly caught at backward point by a diving McKinney off Daniel Hogg’s seam.De Leede claimed the winning wicket when he bowled Brad Wheal in the 27th over.

While Arsenal have plenty of talented players in their squad, there is one star who most fans would now class as their best: Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End icon has become a lean, mean output machine in recent seasons, as even though he missed over three months of action this year, he ended the campaign with a sensational haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.

Unfortunately, Mikel Arteta’s options for off the left have not been nearly as effective, with Gabriel Martinelli chalking up 16 goal involvements in 51 games and Leandro Trossard doing marginally better with 20 in 56 games.

So, with that in mind, it’s hardly been a surprise to see the club linked with a host of brilliant left-wingers in recent weeks, with one of the most notable links being to Rodrygo – although recent reports have now touted a player compared to the Brazilian and Saka for a move to Arsenal this summer.

Arsenal transfer news

As mentioned, the last few weeks and months have seen Arsenal linked with many talented left-wing options, from the versatile Xavi Simons at RB Leipzig to the soon-to-be free agent of Leroy Sané.

Transfer Focus

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

Yet, one of the names that has caused the most excitement among the fans, and understandably so, has been Rodrygo.

The 24-year-old has won all there is to win in the club game with Real Madrid, and according to most reports from the last month or so, could be available for around £85m unless something changes with new boss Xabi Alonso.

However, with the required fee being so high, it’s unsurprising to see the club continue to be linked with other options, and now someone who has been compared to Saka and the Brazilian has reentered the frame in a big way.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have retained their intense interest in Nico Williams.

In fact, the report has now revealed that the Gunners are ‘very close to signing’ the Athletic Bilbao star, despite the La Liga side’s desire to keep him for another season.

The report has revealed that for the North Londoners to get their man, whom Arteta has made ‘a priority,’ they’ll have to pay his release clause, which, according to stories from earlier this week, stands at about £50m.

While it would be a lot of money to spend on a 22-year-old, it would be more than worth it thanks to his ability and the comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo.

How Williams compares to Saka & Rodrygo

So before addressing the other reasons why Arsenal might want to sign Williams this summer, it’s important to examine these comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo and where they come from.

In both cases, they stem from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, and then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each.

In this instance, it was concluded that the Brazilian was the most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spaniard across the last 365 days, while the Englishman was the tenth most similar.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.35

0.32

Non-Penalty G+As

0.45

0.51

Progressive Carries

5.32

5.28

Shots

2.43

2.52

Shots on Target

0.86

0.93

Expected Assists

0.19

0.20

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.31

1.21

Shot-Creating Actions

5.05

4.95

Blocks

0.90

0.84

The best way to understand how these conclusions were reached is by looking at the underlying numbers in which the players rank closely, which, in the case of the Real Madrid star, include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

For the Gunners’ gem, the metrics in which he’s incredibly similar to the Bilbao star include things like tackles won, clearances, carries into the penalty area and non-penalty goals per 90, suggesting he can do some of the defensive work the Englishman so often carries out for the Gunners.

Non-Penalty Goals

0.23

0.26

Tackles Won

0.81

0.78

Clearances

0.41

0.42

Carries

31.4

32.7

Carries into the Penalty Area

2.61

2.66

Aerial Duels Won

0.50

0.52

On top of these flattering and incredibly encouraging comparisons to two of the best wingers around, Arteta and Co should also be going all out to sign the 22-year-old “level-raiser,” as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, because he’s a reliable source of goals and assists.

For example, since the start of last season, the Pamplona-born dynamo has scored 19 goals and provided 25 assists in 82 appearances, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.86 games.

Ultimately, while some fans may prefer the bigger name in Rodrygo, it looks like Arsenal are on track to sign one of the most exciting wingers in the game in Williams, and given his age, there is plenty of scope for him to get even better.

Their answer to Cherki: Arsenal close in on first summer signing for £38m

The incredible prospect could be sensational at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 5, 2025

New Rangers manager Russell Martin is willing to sell a “brilliant” player in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer update.

Martin eyeing first signings as Rangers boss

The Martin era at Ibrox is officially underway, with the former Southampton boss hoping to bring plenty of success back to the club, having had to watch rivals Celtic dominate the Scottish Premiership over the past decade or so.

The 39-year-old is clearly extremely excited to get started, admitting as much soon after his confirmation as Rangers’ next manager: “It’s an incredible feeling. I’m really grateful to the board, to Patrick (Stewart), to Kevin (Thelwell), for their faith in me. It’s been a tough and rigorous process and it’s taken some time, but that’s what you expect when you want to be manager of a club of this stature, size and expectation. I’m desperate to get started and I’m excited about what’s to come.”

It’s now a case of Martin being backed in the transfer market, with the Englishman signing players who he sees as ideal for him, and Southampton midfielder Flynn Downes could reportedly be his first addition. He knows the player well from his spell in charge of Saints, and he could add quality in possession, having completed 90.8% of his passes in the Premier League in 2024/25.

That said, some current Gers players could depart before next season gets underway, and a key update has dropped regarding one individual.

Martin could sell McCauslandAccording toThe Daily Record,Ross McCausland's Rangers future is up in the airbecause Martin is considering listening to offers for him.It is stated that Championship side Cardiff City are the latest club to show an interest in signing him this summer, with the 22-year-old preferring to stay put at Ibrox.

It’s ruthless from Martin, should he dispatch of McCausland in the summer window, considering the Northern Irishman is a talented young player who has been lauded by Lee McCulloch in the past.

“McCausland was absolutely brilliant. Bubbly, has pace, technical first touch. Tremendous. Playing in this cauldron, given the magnitude of this game, he looked full of confidence. I think the fans really took to him. He really gave the stadium a lift.”

However, McCausland was limited to only four starts in the Scottish Premiership last season, suggesting he isn’t seen as a key man moving forward, so the club do have a big decision to make this summer.

The new Lundstram: Martin wants to make £18m star his first Rangers signing

As Russell Martin starts his overhaul of Rangers’ squad, could he sign a “class” midfielder in a deal reminiscent of John Lundstram’s move to Ibrox?

ByBen Gray Jun 8, 2025

He only has two years remaining on his current deal, so time is running out before his price tag starts to drop, and if Martin feels like he is an expendable figure, moving him on now makes the most sense.

Manchester City’s mass-squad overhaul continues.

In January, the Sky Blues spent around £180m, which was more than the other 19 Premier League clubs combined, recruiting Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah.

Nevertheless, Pep Guardiola’s spending spree is not forecast to stop there, with the Sky Blues seemingly planning to splash the cash this summer too.

With Man City stalwarts Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne, possibly alongside others too, on their way out, do they have their eye on a “ridiculously talented” forward?

Man City's potential new attacker

According to a report by Foot Mercato, Gabriel Sara is one of Manchester City’s ‘top targets’ this summer, claiming that initial contact has already been made between the club and the player’s entourage.

Born in Brazil, Sara began his career at São Paulo, before spending two seasons with Norwich City in the EFL Championship, making 96 appearances for the Canaries, scoring 21 goals and registering 17 assists, leading analyst Ben Mattinson to describe him as “ridiculously talented”.

Thus, he earned a big-money move to Galatasaray last summer, the Turkish giants paying a reported £15.3m to secure his services, the highlight of his time in İstanbul being his goal during the Intercontinental Derby victory over Fenerbahçe at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in September, with Okan Buruk’s team currently on course to a domestic double.

So, would Sara be a good signing for Man City, and how would he fit into Guardiola’s team?

Why Man City could be targeting the new Bernardo Silva

As referenced earlier, Walker and De Bruyne are already confirmed departures from the Etihad this summer, but there could be more, with Bernardo Silva a prime candidate.

Since arriving from Monaco for a reported fee of £43.6m eight years ago, Silva has made 399 appearances for the Citizens, set to become only the 12th player in club history to reach 400 against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night.

Ben Littlemore of Transfermarkt labels Silva an ‘unsung hero’, adding that he was absolutely pivotal to Man City’s success under Guardiola. However, this season, the Portuguese international has endured a sharp decline, with Adam Drury of Goal believing his time is up at the highest level.

Thus, he could leave the club this summer, but would Sara be a good replacement? Well, let’s compare the duo to find out.

Appearances

41

44

Minutes

3,196

3,454

Goals

2

4

Assists

8

4

Shots

72

43

Take-on success %

64.7%

42.5%

Progressive carries

23

125

Progressive passes

66

157

Pass completion %

82%

87.1%

Big chances created

12

8

Ball recoveries

53

109

Average Sofascore Rating

7.19

7.18

As the table outlines, Sara and Silva are stylistically very similar, on top of the fact that they’re both diminutive and left-footed.

Of course, Sara has a long way to go to be as good as Silva, lagging behind in terms of progressive carries, progressive passes, pass completion percentage and ball recoveries, although the Brazilian has created more chances and been successful with a higher proportion of his take-ons this season.

It’s also worth considering the respective level at which the duo are currently playing at: Global Football Rankings believe the Premier League to be the strongest division in the world, with the Süper Lig down in 18th place.

Nevertheless, Sara is still only 25 years old, and appears as though he would slot into a Guardiola team nicely.

Best signing since Haaland: Man City consider move for £85m "genius"

Man City are looking to make a move for a teenager who is one of the best in Europe

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 25, 2025

Everton are close to embarking on their new era at Bramley Moore Dock and David Moyes has now told the club that he has a new top target in his sights this summer, per reports.

Everton look to make a summer window statement

The Friedkin Group’s arrival coupled with Goodison Park’s upcoming emotional farewell has created a mixture of excitement and reflection among Everton supporters heading into next season.

Above all, their loyal fanbase feel a sense of relief that their club is finally on the up after years in the doldrums on and off the pitch. Financial struggles and relegation battles have threatened their Premier League safety, but there is hope those circumstances could now be a thing of the past.

David Moyes has decisions to make while rebuilding his squad and won’t have an infinite sum of money to plough into reinforcements, though it is expected that a healthy chunk will be available to invest in fresh blood.

Taking matters into his own hands, Everton have positioned themselves to sign Albert Gudmundsson once his loan spell at Fiorentina comes to an end and the Iceland international may be available for £20 million.

Related Everton emerge as shock contenders to sign £30,000-a-week Liverpool ace

This would steal plenty of headlines…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Apr 16, 2025

Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis is another candidate to strengthen the Toffees’ forward line, albeit he may cost a pretty penny due to retaining an £80 million release clause.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks sure to exit the club this summer and it would be a surprise if Armando Broja were to be retained, leaving a void for one or two prolific marksmen to enter the fold during the beginning of a new era.

Now, Moyes has identified his preferred choice to lead the line and is plotting a potential double swoop that will have supporters on the edge of their seat.

Everton want "superstar" to join Liam Delap under Moyes

According to reports, Everton want Evan Ferguson and Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap to come in as a two-part solution to bolster their slim options in attack, with the gaffer personally demanding the signings from the club’s board.

Referencing the former, Moyes has put Ferguson to the club as his top target and there is scope that he could be available for significantly less than his reported £45 million valuation.

Evan Ferguson vs Liam Delap – Premier League 2024/25 statistics

Evan Ferguson

Goals

1

Assists

0

Shots on target

3

Chances created

5

Aerial duels won

9

Liam Delap

Goals

12

Assists

2

Shots on target

30

Chances created

24

Aerial duels won

53

Evidently, both have endured contrasting fortunes this campaign, but Ferguson’s early promise has saw him net 17 goals in 80 appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion, bursting onto the scene with some exemplary performances.

Labelled a “superstar” by Micah Richards, his spell on loan at West Ham United hasn’t worked out, but Moyes clearly holds optimism that he can get the Irishman back firing after his struggles with form and injury.

Everton want Ferguson in addition to Delap, which would be a mouthwatering prospect for supporters as the club move towards a new era.