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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Newcastle fans have endured a tumultuous summer, but there could be light at the end of the tunnel if Steve Bruce gets his summer targets.

What’s the story?

Bruce is expected to replace Rafael Benitez at St. James’ Park, as the 58 year-old resigned from Sheffield Wednesday on Monday.

And according to The Telegraph, Hoffenheim starlet Joelinton is likely to become his first signing, while The Northern Echo have claimed the new boss has sanctioned a deal for the Brazilian.

Meanwhile, 90min claim Bruce wants Everton duo Yannick Bolasie and James McCarthy.

Bolasie, who played under Bruce while on loan at Aston Villa, could form part of an exciting new front three alongside Joelinton and Miguel Almiron.

Pure entertainment

The one criticism you could fairly level at Rafael Benitez during his Newcastle tenure was that his side was often extremely defensive, even if that was partly down to the lack of attacking options at his disposal.

With Joelinton up front flanked by Bolasie and Almiron though, Bruce would have no choice but to play exciting football, as all three of those players have dazzling skill and excellent pace.

Now, there is a worrying lack of end product as far as Bolaise is concerned – he has scored just twice in 32 games for Everton, and only netted twice in 21 games for Villa last year too.

However, the 30 year-old does possess the type of skill that can embarrass defenders, and he’s not alone.

Bolasie averaged 2.1 successful dribbles per 90 minutes last season, while Almiron managed 0.8 and Joelinton completed 2 every 90 minutes.

To put those numbers into perspective, Rafa’s duo of Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon combined for 2 successful dribbles per 90 minutes last season, the same number Joelinton managed by himself.

With Almiron’s electric pace one has to imagine his number will rise significantly as he adjusts to the speed and physicality of the Premier League (he averaged 2.4 in his final MLS season), and the Magpies would then possess a front three all with the ability to skip past defenders with ease, which inevitably creates space for other forward players.

If Bruce’s plan is to get fans on side by playing rapid, counter-attacking football with a front three that loves to be direct and attack defenders one-on-one, he’s certainly going the right way about it.

The trio combined for just 12 goals last season, so their end product will need to improve massively, but there’s no question they will get fans off their seats, something that didn’t happen at St. James’ Park all too often in the Benitez era, despite his tactical brilliance.

Know your Bash Brothers, look out for the Pope and the must-watch Melbourne and Sydney rivalries

Srinath Sripath18-Dec-2018Big Bash, what’s that like, a fun party?
Sort of, if you’re an Australian kid finding ways to enjoy your summer holidays. Even otherwise, the Big Bash League (the BBL, henceforth) is a city-based T20 tournament that has been a big hit among Australian fans – hardcore and casual – in recent times.A T20 tournament?
Yes, an eight-team tournament like the IPL and others of its kind that’s now into its eighth edition.Ah, so who are these teams?
Two teams each from the two biggest cities – Melbourne and Sydney, and one each from the rest – Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and HobartWhat are they called?
Melbourne’s got the Renegades and the Stars, Sydney Thunder and Sixers, Hobart has the Hurricanes, Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers.Two teams from Melbourne and Sydney, why would that be?
Cross-town rivalries are a big deal in sports across the world, and the BBL is no different. “Derbies” between the two same-city franchises are a big draw.While we are at it, you should totally watch the Melbourne Derby on New Year’s Day. It’s become the BBL’s showpiece fixture, and over 80,000 turn up to watch it at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and television audiences are known to dig it too.These derbies, how many of them are there in a season?
Ok, so make a note. Two Melbourne derbies and two Sydney derbies. The Melbourne derbies are on New Year’s Day (Jan 1) and Jan 19, while the Sydney derbies are on Christmas Eve (Dec 24) and Feb 2.Crowds packed into the MCG for the Melbourne derby•Getty ImagesBig teams mean big stars, right? Are David Warner and Steven Smith playing?
Not yet, no. Those two are still serving their suspensions, although Cameron Bancroft, the third guy in that whole ball-tampering thing, is completing his nine-month ban and will be available for Perth Scorchers from December 30.In any case, Warner and Smith are usually out for the best part of the BBL, since the Australian international summer coincides with it.None of that’s a buzzkill. There’s enough star power for you to keep you interested. Here are some of the biggest draws from different parts of the world.

• Australia – Glenn Maxwell
  (Melbourne Stars), Chris Lynn (Brisbane Heat), apart from a horde of young talent

• Afghanistan – Mujeeb ur Rahman (Brisbane Heat), Rashid Khan (Adelaide Strikers)
  (Cheat code: Mujeeb’s the first male player born in the 21st century to play international cricket)

• Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka fans, so what if none of your compatriots are playing? Join the Nepalese in rooting for Sandeep Lamichhane (Melbourne Stars)
• England – Joe Root, Jos Buttler (both Sydney Thunder) Jofra Archer (Hobart Hurricanes)
• Pakistan – Usman Shinwari
  (Melbourne Renegades)
  (PS: This other Usman will probably get you more excited)

• West Indies – Dwayne Bravo (Melbourne Stars)
• New Zealand – Brendon McCullum (Brisbane Heat)
• South Africa – Colin Ingram
  (Adelaide Strikers)

Aaron Summers bowls on his T20 debut against Melbourne Renegades•Getty ImagesIt’s not just your Gabba and your MCG where the Big Bash will be played. From Renegades’ Marvel Stadium in Melbourne and Thunder’s Spotless Stadium to – for the first time in the tournament’s history – Gold Coast’s Metricon Stadium, the Big Bash spreads its wings far and wide across Australia.Know your Bash Brothers, the powerhouse opening pair for Brisbane Heat – Lynn (of “Lynnsanity” fame) and “Baz” McCullum. A nickname that’s borrowed from ’90s American Baseball, these two have proved a huge hit among Heat fans over the years.And talking of baseball, watch out for 22-year-old Hurricanes quick Aaron Summers, who switched from baseball to cricket when he was 13, and has already clocked 150 km/h on the speed gun last year. Summers might be just one T20 match old, but he already has a Pakistan Super League contract. Loves his KFC zingers, delivers some with the white ball in hand too.There’s a new Pope in town – Australia’s next big spin-bowling hope, Sixers’ Lloyd Pope is a wristspinner who impressed with his bag of tricks at last year’s Under-19 World Cup. He is set for his Big Bash bow this time.If you’re an Australian kid reading this, Big Bash isn’t all that far from backyard (or street) cricket at all: there will be “hills” or “flats” this year instead of the toss. Who needs coins when you have bats?And if you’re from England and want to watch your big superstars in action, most of the games provide some terrific morning viewing. Who doesn’t like cricket with their cornflakes, or nice distraction when in the office (don’t worry, we won’t tell the boss).Before you go, know that there are kids who grew up supporting a Big Bash side now old enough to play for one: Sydney Thunder’s Jason Sangha, for one, Australia’s batting hope like bowling’s Pope.

Also: who took the most number of matches to score a century in ODIs?

Steven Lynch06-Nov-2018Milind Kumar scored 261 in his team’s 372 last week. Is this the highest percentage of any team’s innings? asked Vinay Goyal from India

Milind Kumar’s 261 last week, in Sikkim’s innings victory over Manipur in their Ranji Trophy match in Kolkata, represented 70.16% of the total of 372, and rescued Sikkim from 15 for 5. Rather surprisingly, perhaps, there have been 37 higher all-out innings in first-class cricket in which one batsman has contributed a higher percentage of the runs.Highest of all is 83.43%, by Glenn Turner, in the course of making 141 out of Worcestershire’s 169 against Glamorgan in Swansea in 1977 (the next-highest score was 7). Next comes Gerrie Snyman’s 230 out of 282 (81.56%) for Namibia against Kenya in an Intercontinental Cup match in Sharjah in 2007-08.Only two players have made a higher percentage of the total while scoring more than Kumar’s 261. Vijay Hazare scored 309 in the Rest’s total of 387, as they followed on against the Hindus in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1943-44, which represented 79.84% of the innings total, while Bert Sutcliffe made 385 of Otago’s 500 (77%) against Canterbury in Christchurch in 1952-53.There have been two higher percentages than Turner’s in innings in which not all the wickets went down. In a tour match against the Australians at The Oval in 1938, the Surrey opener Laurie Fishlock made 93 in a total of 104 for 1 (89.42%), while at Trent Bridge in 1913, George Gunn hit an undefeated 109 of Nottinghamshire’s 129 for 3 (84.5%) against Yorkshire.Was Imran Tahir the fastest bowler to reach 150 wickets in one-day internationals? asked Brent Matthews from South Africa

The bouncy South African legspinner Imran Tahir took his 150th ODI wicket (Alex Carey) during the demolition of Australia in Perth over the weekend. It was his 89th match, which equalled the South African record, held by Allan Donald and Morne Morkel (Morkel’s haul includes eight in three games for the Africa XI; he took 91 matches to reach 150 for South Africa alone). Three bowlers have reached 150 ODI wickets even quicker: Saqlain Mushtaq of Pakistan needed only 78 matches to get there, Australia’s Brett Lee 82, and Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka 84.What’s the highest score by anyone on Test debut? And how many people have scored 150 or more? asked Kiran Chavan from India

The highest score by anyone on their Test debut remains 287, by England’s Reginald “Tip” Foster, against Australia in Sydney in 1903-04. There have been four other debut double-centuries: Jacques Rudolph made 222 not out for South Africa against Bangladesh in Chittagong in 2002-03, Lawrence Rowe 214 (and 100 not out) for West Indies v New Zealand in Kingston in 1971-72, Mathew Sinclair 214 for New Zealand v West Indies in Wellington in 1999-2000, and Brendon Kuruppu 201 not out for Sri Lanka v New Zealand in Colombo in 1986-87. And, turning to the women, Michelle Goszko made 204 on her Test debut for Australia, against England in Shenley in 2001.In all, 22 men have marked their Test debut with an innings of 150 or more. Goszko is the only woman.Michelle Goszko is the only woman to have made more than 150 runs on Test debut•Getty ImagesWho took the longest, in terms of matches, to score a century in one-day internationals? And take five wickets in an innings? asked Simon Kember from England

Two South Africans lead the way here: Shaun Pollock finally scored a century in his 285th one-day international (190th innings), while Mark Boucher got one in his 220th match (160th innings). Next is a rather surprising name: Steve Waugh didn’t make an ODI century until his 187th match (167th innings). Six other players had at least 100 innings before scoring a century: Elton Chigumbura (159), Arjuna Ranatunga (144), Angelo Mathews (115), Brendon McCullum (109), John Wright (103) and Sunil Gavaskar (100).The longest wait for an ODI five-for is 268 matches, by Yuvraj Singh, who finally took 5 for 31 for India against Ireland in Bengaluru during the 2011 World Cup. It was the 144th match in which he’d bowled. Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh (156) and Prosper Utseya of Zimbabwe (154) bowled in more innings than Yuvraj before registering a five-for.Virat Kohli scored 453 runs in the recent ODI series against West Indies. Was this a record for a bilateral series? asked Tamal Datta from India

There have been eight higher aggregates in bilateral one-day series, but I don’t suppose Virat Kohli will be too upset by that, as he still sits on top of the list: he made 558 runs in six matches, at the whopping average of 186, in South Africa earlier this year. Second on the list is Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman, who made 515 runs in five matches in Zimbabwe, also in 2018.The most in any multi-team ODI series is 686 runs, by Greg Chappell, in 14 matches in the World Series Cup in Australia in 1980-81 (the tournament also included India and New Zealand). The World Cup record is 673, by Sachin Tendulkar, in 11 matches for India in the 2003 tournament.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Ruben Amorim insists he cannot wait to see Manchester United's 'special' Leny Yoro play after his return to training.

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• Yoro is back in training
• Working with a "small group"
• Amorim excited to work with him

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Yoro has been working his way back from a cruel injury blow sustained in the summer. The Frenchman joined from Lille but has yet to make his competitive debut; he played in a pre-season friendly against Arsenal after his arrival but was injured in the first half. At the time, he was expected to be out until October, but scans revealed the injury was worse than initially feared.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yoro did not manage to play in a competitive fixture under Erik ten Hag but he could get the chance to make his debut under Ruben Amorim soon. The new United boss has revealed his excitement at the prospect of working closely with the Frenchman, who is still only 19.

• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Amorim told reporters: "I think he is a special talent, we have to be careful in this first moment, we didn’t have too many trainings together, he is training not alone but in a small group. He is really fast, a modern defender, and that is really good when you want to press high and leave strikers one against one. He is really good with the ball. We have to be careful but I am really excited to see Leny Yoro play."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United face Arsenal in midweek before they take on Nottingham Forest, the league's surprise package, at the weekend.

West Ham are believed to have verbally agreed a five-year deal with a "ridiculously good" target, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

West Ham transfer news

The Hammers have already brought in some key names this summer, from Max Kilman to Luis Guilherme, and it looks as though Leeds United winger Crysenscio Summerville will be the next player through the door. A deal has reportedly been agreed, with a £25m+ move expected to come to fruition sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, Villarreal striker Alexander Sorloth is one of many attacking players to have been linked with a move to the London Stadium. The 28-year-old was on fire in La Liga last season, scoring 23 goals in the competition, not to mention also registering six assists, showing that he is more than just a goalscorer.

Borussia Dortmund marksman Niclas Fullkrug is also considered a strong target for West Ham, having helped his side get to the Champions League final last season, as well as scoring twice for Germany at Euro 2024 earlier this summer, despite not starting a single game.

Lens centre-back Kevin Danso has been linked with a move to the Hammers, too, as Julen Loptegui looks to add more depth at the heart of his defence, despite having already secured the impressive signing of Kilman from Wolves. The 25-year-old started 30 games for the French side in Ligue 1 last term, averaging 3.8 clearances per game.

West Ham agree five-year deal with "ridiculously good" ace

According to Plettenberg on X, West Ham are now closing in on the signing of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with a verbal agreement in place over a long-term deal switch for the Manchester United defender. Technical director Tim Steidten has tabled a £10m bid, although the Red Devils want up to £18m.

Wan-Bissaka may have his detectors, in terms of his technical limitations as an attacking right-back, but he could still be an excellent signing for West Ham, not least because of his defensive expertise.

The Englishman has been renowned for his one-on-one ability up against opposition wingers for many years, with Tottenham ace James Maddison calling him "ridiculously good" in that area of his game.

Wan-Bissaka would represent a younger option than Vladimir Coufal, and while he hasn't always reached the expectations of him at a club the size of United, West Ham could be the perfect club for him to showcase his quality, as was the case at Crystal Palace before his move to Old Trafford.

The Blaugrana moved nine points clear the week after winning El Clasico, but their lead is now down to one having played a game more than Los Blancos

On October 26, Lamine Yamal admitted that he and his Barcelona team-mates believed themselves to be "the best team in the world". One could easily understand why. At the time of his revelation, Yamal was standing inside Santiago Bernabeu, where Barca had just routed Real Madrid 4-0 – only three days after battering Bayern Munich 4-1 at Montjuic.

There was a swagger about Hansi Flick's side; no side in Europe was playing with such self-confidence. "We've proven that we can beat anyone," Yamal proudly declared.

That still remains the case but, right now, Barca also look capable of losing to anyone. After going nine points clear of Madrid by beating city rivals Espanyol the week after the Clasico, the Blaugrana's lead is down to one after a rotten run of results against mid-table teams.

So, has Barca's bubble burst? Is Hansi's honeymoon in Catalunya over? Or is this just a blip for the Blaugrana?

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  Risk versus reward

  Flick's Barcelona play a dangerous game. An incredibly high line allows them to put opponents under serious pressure, but it also leaves them vulnerable to the well-timed counter-attacks on account of the acres of space they leave in behind their backline. As far as Flick is concerned, though, the risk is very much worth the reward. The Clasico was a case in point.

  Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged beforehand that Barca's high line was a problem that he needed to solve. He said he had a plan in mind but, whatever it was, it clearly didn't work, as Madrid simply couldn't cope with the Catalans and Flick's forwards ran riot as a result, with the revitalised Robert Lewandowski, Yamal and Raphinha all on target.

  Flick had successfully squeezed the life out of the reigning European and Spanish champions, and it was even reported afterwards that he had told his players during the interval, "Anyone who drops back a metre, I'll substitute them!"

  However, while his tactics definitely worked a treat, the final scoreline unquestionably flattered the visitors. Their performance was impressive and their victory fully deserved but, lest anyone forget, Madrid created plenty of chances (their xG was 1.48 to Barca's 2.58) and it would have been a very different game had Kylian Mbappe been capable of timing a run.

  And what we're starting to see in recent weeks is what happens when Barca's pressing and high line malfunction.

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  'Everyone can play better'

  Barca were only beaten 1-0 by Real Sociedad on November 10 and they were undeniably robbed of a legitimate goal by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) – but even the controversy surrounding an erroneous offside call on Lewandowski couldn't disguise the abject nature of the Blaugrana's performance at the Anoeta.

  It was a similar story in their following Liga outing, against Celta Vigo. Barca were held to a 2-2 draw after conceding twice in the final six minutes following the dismissal of Marc Casado, but Flick was the first to admit that they'd been awful all evening.

  "It wasn't just the last 10 minutes," the German told reporters. "It was the whole match. We played a really bad game. We have to be honest. We made a lot of mistakes, also in the first half, and we weren't confident with the ball. We didn't play the football we're used to. We were lucky with some situations and in the end we got a point and we have to react because it can't be repeated.

  "These are things that can happen but we have to look forward. The least bad thing is that it's only one match and we got a point, but we're not happy and neither are the players. Everyone can play better than today."

  The problem is that very few have in the past couple of games and Barca have seen a massive lead in La Liga almost completely wiped out.

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  'Many things we're doing wrong'

  In fairness to Barca, they really should have beaten Las Palmas on Saturday. As Flick pointed out, they created more than enough chances to do so: "We had 70 percent possession and 27 shots." On another day, they could have won handily – instead of losing 2-1 at home to a team that hadn't beaten Barca away from home for 53 years.

  However, the Las Palmas loss isn't being dismissed as nothing more than a freak result, given it's hardly happened in a vacuum. Barca have now dropped eight points in their last three games and tough questions are now being asked of a team that is experiencing its first poor run of form under Flick.

  "We’re lowering the level of what we were doing," captain Raphinha confessed to after seeing his equaliser on Saturday fail to prove the catalyst for a much-needed come-from-behind win. "There are many things we are doing wrong.

  "I’m angry. I don’t care much about my goal, I only cared about the victory and we didn't win, so I'm not satisfied."

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  'Have to reconnect'

  Flick is in no doubt that Barca can turn things around, though, starting with Tuesday's tricky trip to Mallorca. "I believe in the players," he said. "I have faith in them."

  The former Bayern Munich boss also denied that the squad is suddenly suffering from some sort of collective crisis of confidence. However, Flick did not dispute allegations that his team is no longer exhibiting anything like the same intensity and cohesion as before. At a time when Barca should be improving as a number of key men return from injury, they're actually looking increasingly disjointed.

  "When I started here I already told them that there would be no excuses," the German said. "It is normal that some players when they return from injury are not at their highest level, but if we play as a team we should be able to beat anyone. But if some players are disconnected, it will not go well.

  "The defence is not just about the four players at the back. Players alone cannot win games. It’s always about the team. We need to have good connections in defence and attack. We have to change, we have to defend better. We have to go back and reconnect." And sooner rather than the later.

The Bundesliga giants have ripped off an impressive run of results of late as they prepare to face Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker

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Bayern Munich's desperate search for a manager to succeed Thomas Tuchel feels like a lifetime ago. After confirming back in February they would part ways with their head coach, the club were unable to appoint a successor until the end of May.

The 'godfather of gegenpressing' Ralf Rangnick was heavily linked with the job. A humiliating reunion with Julian Nagelsmann was touted. An even more humiliatingly reconciliation with Tuchel before he walked out the Allianz Arena doors was briefly on the table.

Alas, their attempts to bring in a German candidate who knew the Bundesliga inside out proved fruitless. Attention then surprisingly turned to Vincent Kompany, who had just overseen Burnley's meek relegation from the Premier League and proclaimed his readiness for the challenge of winning promotion from the Championship for a second time.

It was a gamble based on promise and potential. The Clarets' 2022-23 campaign was built on a young and newly-assembled team playing pretty football, before living and dying by those principles the following season. So far, Bayern have benefitted from Kompany's 'tweaked' approach and newfound discipline.

Heading into Saturday's clash with arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund, Bayern have pieced together a run of seven-successive clean sheets, all the while maintaining the extra attacking edge they had hoped for under their new boss.

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  Inherited problem

  Many of Bayern's struggles under Tuchel came from a lack of cohesion both on and off the ball. There was plenty of firepower in the ranks, though seldom the teamwork needed to do an appropriate enough job in both boxes.

  It was the task at the defensive end which gave the German coach most problems. Having been famed for tightening up Chelsea's leaky backline so quickly they won the Champions League within five months of his arrival, Tuchel was under pressure to do the same in Munich, only to find solutions lacking. With his job on the line, Tuchel lobbied for the January arrivals of Eric Dier and Sacha Boey to try and steady the ship. There was short-term promise, but nothing more.

  Bayern's recruitment, once near-faultless, all of a sudden was viewed as disastrous. Their bank-breaking deal to bring in Kim Min-jae, the 2022-23 Serie A Defender of the Year and a Scudetto-winner with Napoli, appeared to have backfired after a string of calamitous performances, which eventually led to Tuchel blaming the South Korean for their 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals. Questions also remained over Dayot Upamecano, who hadn't kicked on as hoped at club level despite some more promising displays with the France national team.

  Tuchel's second and final season at Bayern ended in European heartache and a third-place Bundesliga finish behind runaway, superhuman leaders Bayer Leverkusen – acceptable – and surprise package Stuttgart – less acceptable.

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  Controversial sale

  Kompany's remit was clear. He had to instil an attacking identity, lean on youth a little bit more, and sort out the messy defence. In essence, he had to improve left for him by Tuchel, who handed over the keys to the club with the willingness of a realtor who had duped a none-the-wiser couple into buying a haunted house.

  Reshaping the back four saw Bayern move for Stuttgart's Hiroki Ito and finalise Dier's permanent signing on a free transfer after his initial loan from Tottenham. Josip Stanisic's return from title-winners Leverkusen also bolstered Kompany's options, and the promise to move Joshua Kimmich back into midfield opened up other avenues for his positional rivals at right-back.

  Baby steps were appreciated by supporters in Bavaria, only for the club to tip away that goodwill when they chose to sell Matthijs de Ligt to Manchester United – a decision so unpopular that over 60,000 people signed a petition protesting this call.

  "We all want Matthijs de Ligt to stay at FC Bayern Munich!" the petition read. "He has proven that he's a world-class defender, probably the best in our squad. There is a reason why he was elected as our best player in the 2022-23 season. Furthermore, he is only 24 years old and has a bright future ahead, which he is going to use to fulfil his huge potential.

  "Despite his young age, Matthijs is already very mature and has a great mentality which will definitely make him a leading figure in defence and probably a competitor for captaincy in some years. His ability to speak English, German and Dutch fluently would help him a lot for that. When 19, he led Ajax to the Champions League semi finals as captain.

  "Selling Matthijs de Ligt would be an absolutely horrible decision and we would definitely regret it. That's why we use our voice to call attention that we will NOT make this mistake!"

  Those pleas, however, fell on deaf ears, and De Ligt joined Noussair Mazraoui in swapping the Allianz Arena for Old Trafford.

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  Kompany's revolution

  There were a few teething issues for Bayern to begin their first season with Kompany at the helm. With Michael Olise joining from Crystal Palace and the sensational Jamal Musiala more involved in build-up, their attacking upside was quickly realised, but was counteracted and balanced back out a little by their limit-pushing offside trap.

  How sustainable the team's aggressive pressing was became another factor for consideration. A new manager bounce, albeit one to open a campaign rather than midway through it, produced an uptick in attacking urgency and movement on the ball, but not off of it in the other direction.

  Nonetheless, Kompany was swiftly praised for his efforts in establishing a new identity, even if much of the team's core remained the same from the previous term. The cons listed against the Belgian upon arrival in southern Germany were regarding his strict man-management and gung-co carelessness, yet these concerns eased through the opening months of his tenure.

  There were some notably high-scoring wins to boot too, including a 9-2 mauling of Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League and successive victories by five goals in September Bundesliga matches, and by the time they met Barcelona at the end of October, talk was bubbling over their prospects of conquering Europe.

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  Turning point

  In the battle of the exciting upstarts who we didn't know if they were the real thing or not, Barcelona prevailed. That's putting it lightly, actually. They smashed Bayern 4-1 at their temporary home on the Montjuic mountaintop.

  Barca – coached by ex-Bayern boss Hansi Flick and undertaking his own redemption arc – scythed through their visitors again and again, while Kompany's side failed to beat the hosts' devilish offside trap. A competitive first half was followed by a one-sided second, and the head coach was punchy with his assessment when speaking to German media after the final whistle.

  "There are no excuses," Kompany said. "What's important is that we learn from this game. This game won't decide our season. Why there was such a big difference between the first and second half is something we need to look at."

  Ironically, this may have actually turned out to be the game which decide Bayern's season, in a twisted and convoluted sense.

Fulham look set to build upon last season's 13th-place finish in the Premier League by bringing new attacking talent to Craven Cottage this summer.

Fulham launch bids for forward players

The big news concerning Fulham's transfer activity has been their pursuit of Arsenal winger Emile Smith Rowe. A recent report from BBC Sport suggested that the Gunners had rejected an initial offer for the player, with the Cottagers now weighing up whether to renew their efforts and put in an improved bid for the 23-year-old.

Fulham "weighing up" second bid to sign £60,000-p/w Palhinha replacement

The Cottagers just lost their star man to Bayern Munich…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 18, 2024

Fulham have also held a long-standing interest in Besiktas talent Semih Kilicsoy. It was reported at the start of July that the west London outfit had opened talks with Besiktas over a potential transfer after scouting the 18-year-old for many months. It was suggested that Marco Silva's side had submitted an opening bid in the region of €20million (£16.8million) for the player.

The Cottagers have not been alone in their interest in the Turkey star, with Aston Villa also making an approach for Kilicsoy. The most recent development out of Turkey has seen the Villans table a fresh €30milllion (£25million) offer to sign the striker.

With the promise of European football potentially proving too enticing for Kilicsoy to turn down, Fulham may have to look towards other targets. With the Cottagers already in communication with Besiktas, it appears that the club could be making a move for another of the Süper Lig outfit's stars.

Fulham return for another Besiktas star

As relayed by Sport Witness, the Turkish press are now claiming that Fulham are showing an interest in Besiktas youngster Mustafa Hekimoglu. The outlet states that the Cottagers have been following the attacker for a considerable time and they are now preparing an official offer.

With the west London club having already made contact for Kilicsoy it is reported that they will use these existing links to step up their pursuit of Hekimoglu. Whilst many of the Craven Cottage faithful will be disappointed to see their club miss out on Kilicsoy, his teammate could end up being an even bigger talent.

Despite having just 6 Süper Lig appearances to his name, the 17-year-old has impressed at youth level scoring 5 goals in 12 games for Besiktas Under-19s last season. Hekimoglu also got his first taste of European football last season when he came off the bench in Besiktas' Conference League victory over FC Lugano back in December.

Hekimoglu has also enjoyed a successful career on the international stage, making a number of appearances for Turkey's youth sides. The forward most recently represented his country at under-18 level, where he scored in a 10-1 demolition of Jamaica.

The teenager has spent the majority of his career playing as a central striker, but has been deployed as both a left and right-winger when needed.

Whilst it is highly unlikely that Hekimoglu will step straight into the first team at Craven Cottage, there is every chance that he can continue his upward trajectory and become a regular fixture at Fulham in the not-too-distant future.

Barcelona sporting director Deco says it is "nice" to see Lamine Yamal compared to Lionel Messi, but insists the winger is a "unique" talent.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Yamal compared to Messi amid Barca heroics
• Was subject of reported €250m PSG offer
• Deco spoke out on young winger's future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 17-year-old's rapid rise to stardom with Barcelona and Spain has resulted in many comparing him to club legend Messi, heaping more expectation on him. While Deco, who played with the Argentine icon at Camp Nou, sees no problem with the comparisons, he says there is something different about the academy hero.

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  WHAT DECO SAID

  "I don't think comparing him to Leo is a problem for him, but rather a source of pride for him. I don't know if it's good or bad, it depends on him. He's growing and I don't see it as a problem," he told .

  "In the end, everyone has their own story, there is no comparison. But I understand that at Barca players are compared, football is always like that. What can't be done? It will be done. What shouldn't be compared? There will be comparisons. We can't say things because in the end it's football, it's emotion, it's passion, it's normal for people to talk, to compare, to remember… But Lamine is unique, it's his life, he has his life story and the only thing he has is the coincidence of being in the same club as Leo and of being precocious in his appearance although in different situations.

  "Leo arrived at a club and entered into a dynamic of a more established team and Lamine is being part of a revolution, of a reconstruction of the club. They are different moments. But it's nice, when you compare it's because you have something good. I don't think comparing him with Leo is a problem for him but a source of pride for him. I don't know if it's good or bad, it depends on him. He's growing and I don't see it as a problem."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Euro 2024 winner had the chance to follow in Messi's footsteps when Paris Saint-Germain reportedly offered to pay €250 million (£208m/$265m) to sign him, but Barcelona rejected the offer.

  "It's normal that a player like Lamine or others that we have should arouse the interest of clubs, it's normal," Deco added when asked about PSG's interest. "We know what the market is like and what the clubs are like. Lamine is very young but he is very mature for his age. I imagine and see that he is happy to be here. With everything he has at Barca ahead of him, I would dare to say that it is very difficult to change to another club. And it's not because I'm a Barca fan or because I'm the club's sporting director. A player who has Barca and who can have a spectacular history at the club, I don't think he would change for another, but that is something that is up to us.

  "We are very happy with Lamine, he has to be valued like the others and he must build his history. We are calm, there is no concern in this sense but the club has to do what it has to do. There is nothing else. No matter how many contracts and clauses you have, the most important thing is that the players feel happy and comfortable and are eager to make history at the club, that is the most important thing."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

  Yamal has been ruled out for up to three weeks with an injury, meaning he will not feature for Spain in the upcoming Nations League matches. He could also be unavailable when Barcelona take in a trip to Celta Vigo in La Liga on November 23.

It was another Premier League campaign that saw Arsenal come agonizingly close to ending their two-decade title drought last season.

However, while Mikel Arteta's side couldn't quite get over the line, there were plenty of positives, including Leandro Trossard's impressive goalscoring form.

The Belgian international really stepped up as Gabriel Martinelli struggled to find form, but based on recent reports, the Gunners might be about to sign his replacement in a player who has starred at the Euros this summer.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from The Athletic, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams, and if they are to sign a wide player this summer, the Spaniard is 'Arteta's preference.'

Alongside the North Londoners, the report has confirmed that Chelsea and Barcelona are also keen on landing the talented winger in the coming weeks.

No price is mentioned in the story, but according to a report from Caught Offside last month, his release clause stands at €58m, which is about £49m.

It wouldn't be a cheap or easy transfer to get over the line, but given his recent performances and massive promise, signing Williams seems like a no-brainer – even if it's detrimental to Trossard's place in the team.

How Williams compares to Trossard

So, based on how last season went for Arsenal, if they were to get their hands on Williams this summer, then his primary competition out on the left next season would probably be Trossard.

In which case, how do they compare? Well, from a pure output perspective, the Spaniard comes out on top.

In his 37 appearances last season, he scored eight goals and provided 19 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.37 games for the Basque club.

In contrast, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star scored 17 goals and provided two assists in 46 matches for the Gunners last season, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 2.42 games. While that's still impressive, it doesn't quite hold up to the young prospect.

Okay, so how about their underlying numbers? Is it another victory for the "mind-blowing" 21-year-old, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango?

Indeed it is, as in the majority of metrics per 90, such as non-penalty goals and assists, progressive carries, progressive passes received, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, aerial duels won, and ball recoveries, the Pamplona-born gem comes out on top.

In his defence, the Waterschei-born star comes out on top for non-penalty expected goals, assists, and progressive passes, but that's about it.

Ultimately, considering Williams comfortably outperforms Trossard in raw output and underlying numbers, signing him as an upgrade on the Belgian seems like a brilliant idea.

However, with how spectacularly he has played at the Euros over the last few weeks, that could be easier said than done.

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