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South Africa last played a Test in Durban in February 2019, and have won only one out of nine Tests here since 2009

Firdose Moonda30-Mar-2022″The national team? Really? At Kingsmead? Will there be tickets?”A lifelong Durban resident had no idea that cricket in South Africa is returning to the before-Covid times and international fixtures are starting to make their way around the usual traps, with fans invited back in. Last week, as South Africa moved to its most lenient restrictions since the start of the pandemic, it was announced that stadiums will be allowed to fill 50% of their capacity (up from a maximum of 2000 people before that) and bars will be open (the sale of alcohol was prohibited at sports venues since March 2020).South Africa haven’t played at Kingsmead since the washed-out ODI against England in February 2020, and haven’t contested a Test here since February 2019, and the pandemic is not the only reason for their absence. In the last decade, the national side has become increasingly disillusioned with the venue, which has lost the pace and bounce it was known for in the 1990s and adopted a slow, low subcontinental flavour. And their dislike of Durban has reflected in the results.Since 2009, South Africa have won only one out of nine Tests in Durban – against India in 2013 – and have lost to India, Sri Lanka, Australia and England; the last three all twice. Indeed, it was Sri Lanka’s win in Durban in 2019 that put them on course to record a first Test series win by an Asian side in South Africa. Bangladesh are playing at the same two places Sri Lanka triumphed in (Gqeberha, which was earlier known as Port Elizabeth, will host the second Test), which is as good an omen as any that they could become the second Asian side to do so.Last time South Africa played a Test in Durban, Kusal Perera took Sri Lanka to an improbable win•Getty ImagesAnd it’s not just the conditions that could play in Bangladesh’s favour. Everything about the circumstances this series is being played in means this is their best chance to overturn a record of six Test defeats, five by an innings, in this country. The first day of the Test will be Graeme Smith’s last as director of cricket as he moves away from an organisation that has done its best to make him feel unwelcome. Smith has a notoriously poor relationship with some of the board members and has just gone through an arbitration process that one insider described as “humiliating” over the findings made at the Social Justice and Nation-Building commission. He takes with him the ability to negotiate with moneyed boards like the BCCI and it’s yet to be seen where that leaves South Africa in the long term. What we do know is that there is no replacement for him yet, and some players are nervous their coach Mark Boucher, who faces a disciplinary hearing in May, could go the same way as Smith.Then there are the immediate concerns affecting the team. South Africa have lost six players to the IPL and a massive chunk of experience has gone with them. Now, four of the top six will have just 13 caps between them with at least one debutant – Ryan Rickelton or Khaya Zondo will come into the side – and none of the seamers has played more than a baker’s dozen Tests. “Maybe the new faces in the team can help us start on the front foot for a change,” an optimistic Keshav Maharaj said, referring to South Africa’s first-Test defeats to both India and New Zealand.It’s been a season that has swung from the highs of a come-from-behind Test series win over India to the lows of a first-ever home ODI series defeat against Bangladesh but Maharaj still assessed the few last months, since South Africa’s tour to the West Indies, as “phenomenal”. He was part of the 50-over outfit that just lost and admitted the team was unhappy with their slip up and keen to make things right in the Tests.”It hurt a lot,” he said. “A lot of us sat in the change room afterwards and tried to reflect on where to go from there. It did break the morale a little bit but every team can’t be on a high forever. They are going to have a bad series but it’s a matter of dusting yourselves off and trying to get back to winning ways.”Apart from Dean Elgar and Keshav Maharaj, there are not many experienced players in the Test side•AFP/Getty ImagesAt least what South Africa have is some players in relatively good form. Keegan Petersen, who was excellent against India before missing the New Zealand tour after contracting Covid-19, has played one first-class game since and scored a century, while Simon Harmer topped the first-class wicket charts including a nine-for on his return from New Zealand.Maharaj is expecting big things from both of them. “Keegan is a very hungry cricketer and I know he wants to build on his amazing performances against India,” he said. “He is in a good space and is hitting the ball nicely so I’m hoping he can step up and lead the batting.” Maharaj also praised Harmer as an “exceptional performer” with whom he is “looking forward to bowling in tandem”.It sounds counterintuitive that South Africa will field two spinners at home – they haven’t done so since 1970 – and Maharaj could not confirm if that would be the case, but it’s possible they might, given the conditions. Although Dean Elgar saw plenty of grass on the Kingsmead pitch, Maharaj said he had never seen grass of this colour at his home ground, which makes it a “difficult pitch to read”.Very few South Africans would have seen the Kingsmead strip recently, so it’s likely to be a surprise to everyone, even the locals who are threatening to take up as much space as they’re allowed to, although historically there’ve been more empty seats at the ground than occupied ones. The odds are in favour of that changing, given how long it has been since international cricket was played in these parts, how many of the Test squad (Maharaj, Petersen, Sarel Erwee, Zondo and Daryn Dupavillon) play their domestic cricket in Durban and how much free time there is for some. School holidays are ongoing and the man who didn’t even know there was cricket has plans of bringing his son to the match. He is eyeing Saturday and no one had the heart to mention there is a 90% chance of rain. It’s too early in the series to start putting a dampener on things.

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O Fluminense anunciou nesta terça-feira (7) a contratação de Thiago Silva, que retorna ao clube carioca após 16 temporadas. Cria de Xerém, o zagueiro assinou contrato válido até julho de 2026 e vestirá a icônica camisa 3.

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➡️ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

O jogador, que atualmente defende do Chelsea, da Inglaterra, poderá atuar pela equipe de Fernando Diniz a partir do dia 10 de julho, quando a janela de transferências internacionais será aberta. Com isso, o zagueiro estará à disposição da comissão técnica para as oitavas da Copa do Brasil e Libertadores – caso o Fluminense consiga a classificação.

Após disputar três temporadas pela equipe profissional do Fluminense (2006 a 2008), Thiago Silva se transferiu para o futebol europeu, onde se tornou ídolo do Milan, PSG e Chelsea. Pela Seleção Brasileira, disputou quatro Copas do Mundo e duas Olimpíadas.

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A notícia do retorno do zagueiro movimentou as redes sociais. Emocionados, torcedores do Fluminense comemoraram a contratação e elegeram Thiago Silva como “o maior zagueiro do mundo”. Confira a seguir alguns comentários.

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Since taking the job almost six years ago, Mikel Arteta has got an awful lot right at Arsenal.

He’s completely transformed the culture of the club and shown a level of tactical flexibility that most managers could only dream of.

Something else he perhaps doesn’t get enough credit for, though, is how he has kept the team ticking over and evolving.

GK

Bernd Leno

RB

Ainsley Maitland-Niles

CB

Sokratis Papastathopoulos

CB

David Luiz

LB

Bukayo Saka

CM

Lucas Torreira

CM

Granit Xhaka

RW

Reiss Nelson

CAM

Mesut Özil

LW

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

ST

Alexandre Lacazette

The makeup of his team has changed multiple times since December 2019, and he has pretty consistently found upgrades and replacements for players like Aaron Ramsdale, Granit Xhaka, Kieran Tierney and even Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

It now appears that he and the club are planning for the long term as well, with reports suggesting they are closing in on an incredible youngster who could be Bukayo Saka’s eventual heir.

Arsenal close in on Saka heir

Arteta has built a squad full to bursting with international superstars at Arsenal, some of whom people would consider world-class. Yet, when it comes to the club’s most important player, it’s hard to look past Saka.

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After all, on top of already having a frankly ridiculous tally of 76 goals and 73 assists in 280 games, the Hale Ender is the talisman of this side and has become the face of the project.

In other words, the club are going to need an extraordinarily special talent to come in and be his long-term heir when Saka does eventually call it a day.

Fortunately, it looks like the North Londoners might have just found that special prospect.

At least, that is according to a recent report from ESPN, which has revealed that Arsenal have agreed a deal in principle for the incredible winger Edwin Quintero and his twin brother Holger.

The two 16-year-olds are reportedly in London at the moment to iron out the details of the move, with an official announcement to come at a later date.

However, due to rules around foreign-born youngsters, the pair won’t actually join up with the squad until August 2027.

Even so, Arsenal fans should be excited about the development as both teenagers are very highly thought of indeed, and Edwin Quintero looks like someone who could become Saka’s successor.

Why Edwin Quintero will be Arsenal's next Saka

Now it should almost go without saying that, due to Saka being the player he is and Quintero still only being 16, there is little to no chance that the youngster would come in to instantly challenge the Englishman in 2027.

However, as the years progress, he could start getting more minutes in the first team, and then, when he’s in his early to mid-20s and the Hale Ender is in his 30s, there could be a real battle there.

That might sound absurd at the moment, and like far too much pressure to be putting on someone so young, but based on what those in the know are saying, Quintero could be something really quite special.

For example, respected analyst-turned-Como scout Ben Mattinson has described the teenager as someone with “the ability to run games and create something out of nothing,” as well as “the vision to pick out runners”, which sounds quite a lot like the Gunners’ talisman.

Moreover, U23 scout Antonio Mango has described the winger as an attacker who “is always looking to make a difference”, who “Likes to play with short pass-and-move principles”, but can still be incredibly “dangerous from distance.”

Then, just to take the hype surrounding the prospect to another level, respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has stated that the 16-year-old is “one of the most exciting prospects I have seen in recent years,” labelling him as a “huge talent” in the process.

Now, while it’s clear that his passing, vision and ability to change games make him appear like a younger Saka, he does also have more of one trait than the Englishman: flair.

In fact, this is something Mattinson has pointed out, claiming he “is so skilful and constantly uses flair to fool defenders”, and Mango has also highlighted his “excellent close-control.”

Ultimately, Saka is and will likely remain Arsenal’s most important attacker for quite some time, but the club look like they have found his long-term heir in Quintero.

Hale End have given Arsenal a future superstar who's like "a young Saka"

The incredible young talent could follow in Saka’s footsteps and become a superstar for Arteta and Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 1, 2025

The start of this season couldn’t have gone much better for Tottenham Hotspur, with convincing wins over Burnley and Manchester City.

However, in the months since, things have really gone off the rails for Thomas Frank and his side.

They currently sit 16th in the Champions League and, following their dismal defeat at the hands of Fulham on Saturday night, 11th in the Premier League.

Frank looked bereft of ideas against the West Londoners, and his team appeared all at sea, including one player who could be in danger of becoming their new Serge Aurier.

Spurs' worst players against Fulham

Aside from maybe Micky Van de Ven for his goalsaving tackle and Randal Kolo Muani for his general play, there were dismal displays across the entire Spurs starting lineup.

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The player who has received the most stick during and after the game is undoubtedly Guglielmo Vicario.

The Italian goalkeeper was the main culprit for the visitors’ second goal, with him rushing out to intercept a long ball, kicking it into danger and then being way out of the penalty area when Harry Wilson curled the ball into the net.

Such a costly blunder, and the fact that the team were 2-0 down in just the sixth minute, led to sections of the home support booing the former Emploi man at every touch.

While not responsible for conceding a goal, Richarlison was another Lilywhites ace who was practically useless on the night.

In his 60 minutes of action, he offered no threat at all, producing an expected goals figure of 0.00 and completing just six of his nine passes.

Moreover, while he took 21 touches, he ended up losing possession nine times, which helps to justify the 3/10 match rating he received from the Standard’s Matt Verri.

It was also a poor showing for Kevin Danso, who was second best to Raul Jimenez throughout the game, and it was his headed clearance that led to the opening goal.

Unfortunately for Frank and the fans, another starter put in a horror display against the Cottagers and could end up becoming the Spurs’ next Aurier if he’s not careful.

Spurs' new Serge Aurier

It was clear that Aurier was a talented player during his stint with Spurs, but what was also clear was that he was error-prone and became something of a scapegoat.

After all, he got sent off on his Premier League debut, and it was his foul that led to Manchester City’s winning free-kick in the 2021 League Cup final.

After that mistake, Jamie Carragher described him as “one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football.”

The Ivorian left the club that summer, and unfortunately, it feels like Pedro Porro could be becoming the new version of him.

Now, to be clear, the Spanish full-back, originally signed on loan by Antonio Conte, is a hugely talented footballer and someone who is capable of delivering a brilliant cross at times.

However, he has become a growing concern for North Londoners over the last season or so, both offensively and defensively, with the game against Fulham a perfect example.

In his 94 minutes on the pitch, he lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost five of eight ground duels, was dribbled past three times, was accurate in just three of 16 crosses, failed in 100% of his dribbles and completed only 62% of his long balls.

Minutes

94′

Ground Duels (Won)

8 (3)

Aerial Duels (Won)

3 (0)

Dribbled Past

3

Crosses (Accurate)

16 (3)

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (0)

Long Balls

8/13

In short, it was a poor attacking display and a truly horrendous defensive one, which more than justifies Verri’s match rating of 4/10 and description of him looking a ‘nervous wreck at the back.’

As if that wasn’t enough, he then proceeded to throw his shirt to the floor and storm off the pitch when the full-time whistle went, in what journalist Mitch Fretton described as “absolute embarrassment.”

It’s this combination of yet another poor performance and the petulance afterward that makes it hard not to think of the former Ivorian international.

Ultimately, Porro is still a talented player and could turn things around, but it’s been some time since fans have seen him at his best, and that display against Fulham was more than worrying.

New Soldado: Frank must bin Spurs flop who had fewer touches than Vicario

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank must drop this flop who is becoming the new Roberto Soldado.

ByDan Emery Nov 30, 2025

This season is shaping up very nicely for Chelsea at the moment.

Enzo Maresca’s side are second in the Premier League and have the chance to cut Arsenal’s lead to just three points on Sunday.

Then in Europe, they sent a warning out to the rest of the sides in the Champions League with their thumping 3-0 win over Barcelona, a game in which Estevao shone once again.

Maresca and Co will have a chance to make Chelsea’s season even better once the transfer window reopens in just over a month, not just by signing players, but by selling one who once looked like Estevao when he was a youngster.

Estevao's sensational start to life at Chelsea

The expectations placed upon Estevao have been monumental for quite some time now, to the point that respected analyst Ben Mattinson labelled him a “future Ballon d’Or winner” months before Chelsea even signed him.

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Since then, the hype surrounding him has only grown, thanks in large part to his fine form in Brazil, where he produced 17 goal involvements in 37 games last season.

Even so, few would have expected the start to this season he has had.

The youngster is not only playing a decent number of minutes, but he’s chipping in with important goals and has already shown a hugely impressive ability to get the fans on their feet.

So far, the 18-year-old has scored five goals and provided one assist for the Blues in 17 appearances, totalling 740 minutes.

That comes out to an excellent average of a goal involvement every 2.83 games, or every 123.33 minutes, which would be commendable for a seasoned veteran, let alone a teenager.

The Franca-born wonderkid has been so effective this year that fans and pundits have actually spoken about him being a particular threat to league-leading Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s game.

However, while Chelsea should be delighted with their new wonderkid, they also need to find a way to sell one of their biggest duds, who once looked like Estevao when he was first breaking through.

The Chelsea flop who needs to be sold

Chelsea have become quite good at moving on players they don’t want in recent years, but even then, a couple remain in the bomb squad who are proving tricky to sell, like Raheem Sterling.

The former Manchester City star joined the club in 2022, and while he’s had moments for the club in which he’s looked excellent, they’ve only ever been that, moments.

Moreover, while his tally of 19 goals and 15 assists in 81 games isn’t terrible, he’s never really put together a string of impressive performances, which is why he was allowed to join Arsenal on loan last year.

Unfortunately, that move only made the situation worse, as he ended up scoring just a single goal and providing five assists in 28 games for the Gunners, and was labelled a “passenger” by journalist Charles Watts.

Since returning to Stamford Bridge, the 30-year-old has been left to train separately from the first team, and with a weekly wage of £325k, that is far from ideal.

It is a serious shame that things have not worked out for the former England international, as before his move south, he was one of the best players in the league.

For example, during his time at the Etihad, he scored 131 goals and provided 86 assists in 339 appearances and won four league titles.

He was even a brilliant player for Liverpool, making his debut in the 11/12 season, but making his name in the 13/14 season, when, like Estevao now, he was just 18 years old.

In that season, the Kingston-born phenom managed to rack up an incredible tally of ten goals and seven assists in 38 appearances, totalling 2535 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 149.11 minutes.

Appearances

38

17

Minutes

2535′

740′

Goals

10

5

Assists

7

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

149.11′

123.33′

It wasn’t just the goals, though, as, like the Brazilian, he was a serious threat with the ball at his feet, thanks in part to his speed and close control.

Ultimately, Sterling will go down as a legend of the Premier League, but for the sake of all parties, Chelsea need to sell him in January, even if they barely get anything.

The original Estevao: Chelsea lead race to sign "best player in the world"

Chelsea could sign the original Estevao for a mega-money fee.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Paul Skenes was a guest on Late NIght with Seth Meyers on Tuesday night. Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher, was there to promote MLB The Show 25 on the day it was announced he was one of the three cover athletes along with Elly De La Cruz and Gunnar Henderson.

Meyers made sure to cover a number of topics during the interview, including, but not limited to the 11-year old who recently found Skenes's one-of-one rookie card (which Meyers really wants to see), his stoic meme from when he won rookie of the year, the though process behind his mustache and even his relationship with Livvy Dunne.

Meyers showed the clip of Skenes messing around on gymnastics equipment and he ended up finding out that was actually a rather frustrating experience for the professional athlete. Not because it was embarrassing, but because he couldn't get out of that foam pit.

“The ball pit was genuine frustration," said Skenes. "I was genuinely pissed off. Those things are like ten feet deep. I’m tall, I’m not that tall. I’m just trying to throw the balls out, trying to get out. There’s nothing to grab onto."

Meyers joked that he must have been in there for hours, but Skenes reiterated his exasperation. "I was working up a sweat in the middle of November. It was pretty frustrating.”

So there you have it. Before you consider dating a gymnast keep in mind that they might encourage you to jump in a foam pit and it will be very difficult to get out. No matter how nice your mustache might be.

Visitors only need 25 minutes on fourth morning to claim much-needed win

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Essex 504 (Cox 132, Critchley 123, Harmer 53) beat Sussex 204 (Coles 52, Porter 4-30) and 261 (Coles 108, Alsop 72, Critchley 4-41) by an innings and 39 runsEssex needed just 25 minutes to secure only their second victory of the season in the Rothesay County Championship when they beat Sussex by an innings and 39 runs at Hove.James Coles completed his third successive Championship hundred, but Sussex were bowled out for 261 in their second innings and suffered their first Championship defeat at Hove since May 2022.”I think that was our most complete performance of the season,” Essex skipper, Tom Westley, said. “At a crunch time, with where we are in the table, to turn up and play like that is testament to everyone in our changing room: 24 points and a win is massive for the club and hopefully we can take that into the last four games, starting against Warwickshire next week.”We don’t want to make excuses about injuries – we probably haven’t played anywhere near our ability through the season and it has been challenging getting our strongest XI at times, so it was nice here to bowl them out for 200 in the first innings and then throughout the game everyone chipped in.”Sussex’s cause at the start of the final day was pretty hopeless with 55 still needed to make Essex bat again and only three wickets in hand. But at least Coles, 99 not out overnight, was able to follow up centuries against Durham and Warwickshire by reaching his seventh first-class hundred, when he cut the fourth ball of the first over of the day from Matt Critchley to the boundary.Coles was ninth out for 108, when he slog-swept Simon Harmer and top-edged to Jamie Porter at backward square leg. He’d faced 214 balls, hitting 14 fours and a six.Harmer had made the breakthrough in the second over when Ari Karvelas tickled a ball down the leg side and was well caught by Michael Pepper.The end came when Critchley bowled Henry Crocombe for 2. The legspinner finished with 4 for 41 and played his part in an excellent performance by Essex, who will fancy their chances of climbing the table in the remaining four games now they have a full-strength bowling attack available again, having controlled this match from the first session.Sussex’s head coach, Paul Farbrace, said: “It’s been hugely disappointing. In the three years I have been here it’s comfortably our worst performance in four-day cricket. We never got into the game. We played poor shots with the bat and made poor decisions throughout.”Apart from James Coles and Tom Alsop in the second innings we haven’t batted anywhere as well as we can, there were a lot of soft dismissals and our bowlers haven’t done much better to be fair, we didn’t play Division One standard cricket which is really frustrating and disappointing.”It’s on me and the rest of the coaching staff as much as the players to reflect and then get into the right mindset for next week’s game at Scarborough. Ollie Robinson had an injection in his groin on Wednesday and won’t be available until the back end of the One-Day Cup.”

Dimitar Berbatov has thrown his weight behind Liverpool's struggling star Florian Wirtz and insisted that the German will emerge as an "unbelievable" player for the Reds. The 22-year-old, who was hailed as one of Europe’s brightest playmakers at Bayer Leverkusen, endured another difficult weekend in the Premier League as he was subbed off late during Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat at Brentford, extending a run of sub-par performances.

• Wirtz struggling to adapt at Anfield

  Liverpool’s £116 million ($154.4m) summer signing from the Bundesliga is struggling for consistency and form at Merseyside. Wirtz dazzled with two assists in a 5-1 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last week, but under the Premier League’s unrelenting spotlight, the midfielder has yet to find his feet. 

  After being crowned English champions in May, expectations were sky-high at Anfield. Their record summer spending spree, which was aimed at securing back-to-back titles, has, however, been followed by an erratic start. Defensive lapses, particularly from set-pieces, have left Arne Slot exasperated. Meanwhile, long-ball counters continue to expose Liverpool’s backline. The usual fluidity has been missing in attack, while injuries to key men like Alisson Becker, Alexander Isak, Jeremie Frimpong, and Ryan Gravenberch have further shredded Slot’s options, forcing him to constantly reshuffle. To make matters worse, even the talismanic Mohamed Salah has looked short of his lethal edge.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Berbatov urges for patience with Wirtz

  Amid the misery and disappointment, Wirtz has become an easy target, especially due to his hefty price tag. However, former Manchester United striker Berbatov, who knows a thing or two about adapting to the Premier League after his own move from Leverkusen to Tottenham in 2006, has firmly voiced his support in favour of the German. 

  Speaking on the podcast, Berbatov said: "I love him. He’s a fantastic player. He will be unbelievable, trust me. Hopefully, he will be patient. Hopefully, he’ll have good people around him, agent, family, whatever. Hopefully, the coach sees his quality like everybody sees him. I’m sure that everybody sees his quality, and they’ll give him that time that he needs to fit into the team. And I guarantee you, he’s going to be a success."

• 'Overcome the fear'

  Berbatov described Wirtz as a rare talent and praised his vision and match-reading capabilities. He even compared the youngster’s stature and style to one of football’s finest maestros Luka Modric, while defending his lean body structure. 

  "The way he sees football, how he looks for the space, how he knows how to position himself, the touches on the ball, the improvisation, the eye for the pass and for the goals," he said. "Of course, someone can argue that his physique is not that great for the Premier League. But then you can easily see the great players of his position, like Modric, also the same build. Modric. F***ing monster. It’s unbelievable. So give him time. I think he’s going to be unbelievable for Liverpool."

  Few players embody football patience like Berbatov, as the Bulgarian reflected on his own struggles, drawing parallels with Wirtz’s current situation. 

  "The same process was happening when I went to Leverkusen," he said. "In the beginning, it didn’t work out quite well. I needed to be patient. In Spurs, again, new environment, again, new people, new language, new everything. Again, the things were taking slowly to happen for me. I was thinking, maybe I need to go back.

  "But when I was thinking like this, then my other, not personality, but my other me, was telling me 'No, no, no, no. You see what happened in Leverkusen. Just be patient. Keep working. You have the quality. You deserve to be here. You wanted something to change. Now you’re here. Now be stubborn. Be patient. Keep working. Not sitting. It’s not going to fall like this on your lap. Work smart or hard. Try to know when, which when, and work. And it will happen'. You basically want to go to your safe place, your safe environment. But you need to have that motivation and that ambition in you as well to overcome the fear. So my ambition was bigger than my fear."

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• AFP
  

  Slot searching for a spark

  Slot knows he must reignite belief within a squad that looks a shadow of last season’s champions. They looked sharp early in the campaign, with seven straight wins to open the season. But inconsistency has since crept in, exposing defensive gaps and creative fatigue. With crucial fixtures looming, including Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, Aston Villa in the league, and Real Madrid in the Champions League, Slot will be hoping that Wirtz can rediscover his Bundesliga brilliance. All the fixtures are at home, and this should act as a springboard for the Reds to revive their spiralling season. 

Newcastle United’s 2-0 Premier League win over Nottingham Forest just before the international break isn’t the only cause for optimism at St James’ Park currently.

Indeed, in a development that happened across the break, Eddie Howe’s side has now appointed a new sporting director in Ross Wilson, with the Scotsman leaving the recently defeated Tricky Trees behind to take up this post, having also previously been in the position at Rangers.

Seen as a notable part of the City Ground jigsaw that clinched European football last season, Wilson will be aiming to emulate that success on Tyneside.

He will have a big role to play in how Newcastle assert their dominance in transfer windows moving forward as well, having previously been the man to bring Anthony Elanga – who is now donning Magpies black and white – to Forest for just £15m.

One of his first notable bits of business at the Toon could see him try to poach a Premier League striker.

Newcastle considering move for new striker

Over the summer, the striker market dominated the transfer window with Alexander Isak’s late move to Liverpool having an almighty domino effect.

That saw Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa head to St James’ Park, but with the latter still yet to take to the field owing to an injury, another striker could be sought in the January window.

Indeed, according to Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder, Howe could be handed some funds this winter if he needs it, with Brentford attacker Igor Thiago reportedly catching the eye as Wilson attempts to lay down a marker.

Said to be catching the eye of scouts already this season, after a nightmare debut campaign in England, it is stated that Thiago remains on the Newcastle radar, even with Woltemade and Wissa through the door.

Thiago might well fancy his chances of rivalling Woltemade from the get-go if he were to up and leave the Bees for a new adventure on Tyneside, with the Brazilian displaying a similarly clinical edge to that of the 6-foot-6 powerhouse.

How Thiago could rival Woltemade at Newcastle

Woltemade’s signature being confirmed this summer would have instantly excited those of a Toon persuasion, as the big bucks had been splashed out on an attacker who had been entrusted to fill Isak’s sizeable void.

The Bremen-born striker would cost an eye-watering £69m to pick up, with the German moving to St James’ Park just fresh off a blistering 13-goal season in the Bundesliga for ex-employers Stuttgart.

He hasn’t disappointed since relocating to English shores, either, with pundit Danny Murphy going as far as to say he makes “all the right decisions” under pressure.

Despite amassing just 11.5 accurate passes per Premier League match to date, the gigantic German is already demonstrating that the Midas touch he discovered at Stuttgart in front of goal has followed him to the Toon, with three top-flight goals tallied up from just four outings in the unforgiving league.

Further bagging a goal in the Champions League, it’s safe to say it has been a dream start to life in black and white for the 23-year-old, who has had to lead the line as Newcastle’s main marksman with Wissa sidelined through injury.

However, despite all his glowing praise, he may feel intimidated by Thiago potentially rocking up to Tyneside, based on the ex-Club Brugge attacker’s own red-hot form for Keith Andrews’ side.

Even before looking at their side-by-side numbers, the South American – despite coming in at 6-foot-2 next to his huge counterpart – has staggeringly won more duels on average this season, with 5.3 per clash, next to Woltemade’s four.

Thiago vs Woltemade in 25/26

Stat (* = per game)

Thiago

Woltemade

Games played

7

4

Goals scored

4

3

Assists

0

0

Touches*

26.6

26.5

Total duels won*

5.3

4

Stats by Sofascore

The table above only reinforces the notion that Thiago would be able to rival Woltemade for a starting spot if he were to join in a blockbuster January switch, with the 24-year-old managing to bag one more Premier League goal so far this season than his ex-Stuttgart rival, albeit from three more contests.

Thiago would also be unafraid to ruffle feathers and snatch the German’s starting spot from him, having had to take on the pressurised position of being Brentford’s standout attacker this summer, in the wake of Bryan Mbeumo and Wissa both departing the Bees.

It does feel somewhat unrealistic that Newcastle would go all in for Thiago, having already spent significant cash on the likes of Woltemade.

But, clinching a deal for the Brazilian as Wilson’s first signing would certainly start his sporting director tenure off on a spectacular note.

Related Howe favourite could be given the boot after Wilson's arrival at Newcastle

Newcastle are expected to shift their transfer strategy after appointing a new sporting director.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 12, 2025

Developing plans for a buy-out of Manchester United could include the return of one of the club's most celebrated former stars after Eric Cantona was named as a potential ambassador if the Glazer family decide to sell-up. And while those planning a mega-money bid haven’t officially announced their interest, talk of Canton’s return has excited United fans.

• Return of King Eric?

  Cantona remains a terrace hero at Old Trafford and his name is still sung regularly by the Stretford End faithful. His return would be celebrated, even if it was only in an ambassadorial capacity. The Frenchman arrived in 1992, bringing flair, leadership, and a winning mentality that helped United secure their first league title in 26 years. He went on to win four Premier League titles and two FA Cups with the club, showcasing technical skill, creativity, and the ability to score important goals. His charisma, combined with his famous upturned collar and confidence, resonated with fans, earning him the nickname "King Eric".

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Who calls the shots at Old Trafford?

  Man Utd's ownership structure is a unique blend of majority control by the Glazer family and significant minority ownership by Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS group. The Glazers initially took control of the club in 2005 through a leveraged buyout, and retain a majority stake, while Ratcliffe and INEOS acquired a 28.94 per cent stake in the club in February 2024, becoming the largest single shareholders and gaining control of football operations. Ratcliffe has also injected $300 million for infrastructure improvements and, while the Glazers still hold overall control, Ratcliffe's influence on the club's direction is substantial. 

• How close are the Glazers to selling up?

  Despite recent claims by Turki Al-Sheikh, a Saudi Arabian government official, Man Utd deny being in advanced talks for a full takeover. Al-Sheikh's initial social media post said: "The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor. I hope he’s better than the previous owners." He later clarified he wasn't the potential investor, nor were they from his nation. Al-Sheikh is believed to be referencing a UAE-based consortium and have approached club legends, including Cantona about potential involvement. 

  Ben Jacobs, speaking to United Stand, said: "It is in no way near as advanced as El Sheikh has implied, nor have the Glazers had any direct contact yet. There’s no guarantee this even develops into anything, but Cantona is one of the names who has been approached."

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• AFP
  

  Next steps for takeover hopefuls

  The Glazer family has previously entertained offers, including Sheikh Jassim's ultimately unsuccessful £4.79 billion bid for 100 per cent of the club in 2023, they seem content with the current arrangement with Ratcliffe's INEOS group holding a minority stake and controlling football operations. And there is a  ‘drag-along’ clause, activated in August 2025, which allows the Glazers to force a sale of Ratcliffe's shares if they receive a 100 per cent offer before February 2027, provided the share price is above $33. After that date the Glazers can accept any offer, which could see Ratcliffe lose money. 

  And Man Utd face a massive test this weekend when they face their north west rivals Liverpool in a derby clash at Anfield. United come into the game on the back of a win against Sunderland, but Arne Slot’s Liverpool have lost their last three matches and are desperate for a win after losing top spot to Arsenal in recent weeks.