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Take out Erling Haaland from the equation, and it’s likely most clubs in European football, Arsenal included, would choose to sign Alexander Isak this summer.

The Gunners have had a long-vested interest in the Swede, dating back to before he was even a Newcastle player.

Sadly, after a campaign in which the Toon’s star man bagged 27 goals in 42 games, he looks like he’s staying in the north east.

Asking prices from £150m to £200m have been touted, making this move nigh on impossible for anyone, let alone the Gunners.

Liverpool are reportedly at the table too and if Arne Slot’s men were to prise the forward away from Newcastle, it would be a colossal kick in the teeth for Arsenal.

Still, there are alternatives, and alternatives that share similar traits to the Swedish superstar.

The latest on Arsenal's hunt for new attackers

With moves for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi set for completion in the not-too-distant future, Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta are getting a move on with their summer business.

Still, a new forward continues to elude them amid ongoing talks to sign Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko.

Arsenal have also been looking at wingers, namely Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace’s playmaking sensation, Eberechi Eze.

Well, what if they could find a player with the ability to play on the flanks and through the middle? That fact is certainly true of Ademola Lookman.

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 Caught Offside, the Gunners are now in active negotiations to sign the Nigerian attacker from Italian outfit Atalanta.

After previous spells in England with Charlton, Everton, and Fulham, Lookman has more than proven himself in Italy and appears to be keen on coming back to the Premier League.

While Arsenal will face competition from Liverpool for his signature, the 27-year-old is said to be valued at around €45m to €50m (£38m – £43m) plus add-ons.

How Ademola Lookman could improve Arsenal

Let’s take you back to the year of 2020 for a moment. Football is being played behind closed doors due to the pandemic and Lookman has just missed one of the worst penalty attempts you will ever see.

A panenka looks great when it comes off, but in this instance, it disgraced and embarrassed a young Lookman.

Since then, the attacker has become “one of the best prospects in Europe”, in the words of former Man City defender-turned pundit Nedum Onuoha.

Why? Well, who could forget the Lookman final, a game where Atalanta won the Europa League in 2024 courtesy of the Nigeria international who scored a stunning hat-trick to seal a 3-0 win over Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.

It was genuinely one of the best individual performances you will see on a big stage and he’s not slowed down since that moment.

During the 2023/24 campaign, Lookman scored 17 goals and supplied ten assists in all competitions. In 2024/25, he was even better in front of goal, netting 20 and registering seven assists.

Undoubtedly one of the most exciting players in Serie A, his rate of productivity in the final third is captivating, but the player’s versatility is also an enormous plus point. Capable of playing on the flanks, as a striker or behind the leading no.9, that versatile nature should be a big box tick for Arteta.

Such an ability to play in a plethora of positions has led data-led website FBRef to proclaim that Bukayo Saka is the third-most similar winger in Europe to Lookman, while Isak is the third-most similar striker. Not bad indeed. But, what makes them alike? We’ve crunched the numbers.

Goals

0.60

0.75

0.31

Assists

0.20

0.20

0.52

Shots

3.24

3.10

3.44

Key passes

2.44

1.34

3.02

Progressive passes

2.98

2.88

3.65

Shot-creating actions

5.41

3.01

6.09

Succesful take-ons

1.48

1.37

2.14

Progressive carries

5.68

2.71

5.00

Blessed with pace, fleet-footedness and low centre of gravity, Lookman possesses a very similar style on the flanks to Saka and his ability to dart in behind and run the channels can draw comparisons to Isak.

That’s certainly seen in the numbers, where the former Fulham man combines the best of both players here.

He’s more potent than Saka in front of goal per 90 minutes but he creates a similar number of key passes. He’s also very progressive with his actions, only slightly falling behind Arsenal’s number 7 for progressive passes but actually ranking higher for progressive carries.

Like Isak, he completes a similar number of take-ons and they’re almost equal for shots taken as well.

So, if Arsenal are not willing to break the bank to sign someone like Sesko or Gyokeres this summer, Lookman could be the next best thing.

It’s a rare opportunity to find someone who combines the best attributes of two of the best players in the Premier League.

£100m star & the "new Haaland" sign: Arsenal's dream summer

Andrea Berta is in for a big summer at Arsenal; here’s how it could play out.

ByMatt Dawson Jun 29, 2025

Durham 194 for 9 (Bedingham 63, Garton 3-41) beat Birmingham Bears 168 (Bethell 50, Davies 47, Raine 5-21) by 26 runsDurham completed a highly productive Vitality Blast raid on the Midlands with a 26-run victory over Birmingham Bears to follow their vanquishing of Leicestershire Foxes the previous evening.The visitors amassed an imposing 194 for nine at Edgbaston as David Bedingham continued his fine form with a scintillating 63 from 27 balls. Dan Mousley underlined his England white-ball credentials with a steel-nerved 4-0-23-2 while George Garton took three for 41.The Bears reply then fell short at 168 all out from 18.4 overs after Ben Raine (3.4-0-21-5) bowled beautifully to take important wickets at important times. Jake Bethell struck 50 (32), his maiden T20 half-century, but the chase petered out as wickets fell too regularly.The result keeps the North Division table very tight with both sides having won two and lost two. Momentum is very much with Durham after successive wins, however, while the Bears nurse back-to-back defeats.After choosing to bat, Durham lost a wicket second ball when Graham Clark chipped Garton to mid-wicket but the early strike worked against the Bears as it brought Bedingham to the crease. The South African smashed Garton for 18 in four balls and thundered to 50 in 21, reaching his half-century with six over mid-wicket in an Aamer Jamal over that went for 25.Alex Lees, the previous evening’s matchwinner at Leicester, contributed just eight to a stand of 60 before missing a slog-sweep at Mousley and falling lbw. Bedingham welcomed Jake Lintott into the attack with six into the pavilion but the wrist spinner’s revenge arrived three balls later when Rob Yates took a stinging catch at extra cover.Lintott also ended Ollie Robinson’s punchy cameo at 25, caught by Bethell at deep mid-wicket. Mousley cramped Raine’s desire to seek out the short leg-side boundary and bowled him. Ashton Turner improvised effectively for 33 (24) before top-edging a swipe at Garton and the Bears reined in the scoring during the closing overs. Just one four arrived in six overs before Matty Potts socked Garton for a six and a four in the last.Callum Parkinson trapped Yates lbw with the first legitimate ball of the Bears’ reply but Alex Davies (47,30) and Mousley (35, 20) gave their side a sound foundation with a stand of 80 in 46 balls. They fell in the space of three balls, however, when Raine won an lbw verdict to even up his personal duel with Mousley and Davies was emphatically stumped off Turner’s first ball.Sam Hain lifted Nathan Sowter to long off before Raine cranked up the pressure with a clever over which cost just five and then bowled Chris Benjamin and Jamal with the first two balls of his next.Bethell reached 50 in 31 balls but sliced to deep backward point off Potts and Hasan Ali hoisted the next to deep mid-wicket. Raine returned to bowl Lintott and then complete the win in glorious style by knocking out Garton’s middle stump.

Aston Villa’s first transfer window of the summer is now officially underway, with club president Monchi given a small chance to recruit new players from June 1 to June 10, with the window then reopening again on June 16 through to September 1.

Aston Villa transfer window challenges amid PSR concern

Villa eventually missed out on qualification for the Champions League during a tense final day battle, but Unai Emery does have Europa League football to look forward to, and there is every chance they can go on to win the competition.

Aston Villa submit bid to sign "unique" £21m defender and receive reply

The Villans have launched a move for a right-back…

ByDominic Lund May 29, 2025

As we’ve seen from Tottenham’s recent triumph against Man United in Bilbao, it would hand Villa a unique route back into the Champions League for 2026/2027, so Emery will be taking their Europa League conquest very seriously.

Rank

Team

Points

GD

Man City

71

+28

Chelsea

69

+21

Newcastle

66

+21

6

Aston Villa

66

+7

7

Nottingham Forest

65

+12

It is set to be a big summer for NSWE, as their failure to qualify for Europe’s most prestigious competition next season makes the next two transfer windows ever so slightly trickier – both financially and in terms of attracting the continent’s best players.

There is also the matter of PSR, with Villa announcing substantial losses of £85.4 million for the 2023/2024 season back in April. Reports even suggest that they may have to sell their women’s team to comply with PSR (The Times), but BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty says that any player sales conducted this summer will be carefully thought out.

“Aston Villa may have to do deals to fend off any lingering PSR concerns, but I think the club are in safe hands with the current ownership and those sales will be smart without weakening the squad,” said McNulty.

“We have even seen Morgan Rogers linked with Chelsea, but I do not see Villa entertaining that sort of deal as they want to push on from what Unai Emery has already achieved.”

Mainstay Villa keeper Emiliano Martínez is a key player who’s been repeatedly linked with the exit door recently, with Espanyol star Joan Garcia recently eyed up as a potential replacement for the Argentine.

Unai Emery rates Joan Garcia "highly" as Aston Villa face Barcelona threat

There are suggestions in Spain that Villa have already made an offer for Garcia, whose contract includes a £25 million release clause, but this is yet to gain traction among reliable media outlets closer to home.

To make matters more complicated, Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media sources also state that Barcelona are thought to be very advanced over a transfer for Garcia – so NSWE may now need to launch a hijack attempt.

Commenting on Villa’s links to the “exciting” 25-year-old, and Martinez’s potential exit, a former chief scout at Villa Park, Mick Brown, has shared what he’s heard on the matter.

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown says that Emery rates Garcia “highly” as Aston Villa plot a move for him, with Martinez looking likely to leave the club.

“Emery and Monchi still have strong connections in Spain,” said Brown.

“They’ll be speaking to them about the possibility of the deal because they’ve identified this Joan Garcia as one of their options in goal. In normal circumstances, if you’ve got a goalkeeper like Emi Martinez, you’re going to want to keep him.

“But the financial situation they’re in after missing out on the Champions League, and a bit of interference from his agent, mean they might have to sell. There’s been a lot of talk about his future at the club.

“So with that, they’ve already started looking at players who could come in and replace him.

“I don’t know much about the Spanish goalkeeper, but he’s young and Emery rates him highly, so he could well be the one they go for.”

Everton are “keen” on completing the signing of a Premier League player who has been called “phenomenal” and already has a full trophy case, according to Sky Sports.

Everton eyeing shock deal for Liverpool winger

David Moyes knows the importance of the Blues nailing their summer transfer business, at a time when the club needs to kick on in their new stadium and look to become a top-half Premier League team again.

Top-quality new signings are needed, ahead of what supporters hope will be a relatively free-spending window, and Liverpool winger Ben Doak is reportedly the subject of interest from Everton. No senior player has made the move between the two rivals since back in 2002, when Abel Xavier moved from the Blues to the Reds.

Meanwhile, Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill has been linked with a move to Everton, with the 29-year-old enjoying a magnificent season for the Clarets, inspiring them to Championship promotion and registering 24 goal contributions (18 goals and six assists).

Midfield certainly looks like an area of the pitch that the Mersysiders are focusing on, with Rangers ace Mohamed Diomande also mentioned as an option for Moyes’ men. The 23-year-old could add energy and quality in the middle of the park, as well as being a long-term acquisition.

Everton want "phenomenal" Premier League maestro

According to Sky Sports on Monday, Everton are now also “keen” on signing Brighton attacking midfielder Matt O’Riley in the summer window, amid plenty of competition for his signature.

O’Riley could be exactly the type of player the Blues need this summer, possessing guile in attacking midfield areas and creating chances for the strikers.

The 2-cap Dane had a tough first year in a Brighton shirt, with a serious pre-season injury setting him back immediately, and he ended up being limited to only 11 starts in the league.

O’Riley is a class act with a beautiful left foot, though, and he excelled during his time at Celtic, winning four Scottish Premiership titles and being lauded by Brendan Rodgers.

“He has been absolutely phenomenal really in his consistency. I think if we lacked anything as a team, it was probably that. But from an individual perspective his goal return.

“I think someone said he had scored his first goal [of last season] in January of last year. So to look at his numbers now, it’s huge testament to himself because the work he puts in, the focus he puts in every single day at training to improve and be better, that’s clearly been rewarded by his team-mates and everyone else.”

Everton battling West Ham to sign "brilliant" 29 y/o Player of the Year

David Moyes has tried to snap him up in the past.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 2, 2025

Everton should be an interesting proposition for potential signings, considering they are in a sparkly new stadium and Moyes has improved them greatly since coming in, so the hope is that O’Riley sees them as a leading option to move to.

The yin and yang styles dovetailed perfectly after Namibia had looked to be taking charge

Melinda Farrell07-Jun-20244:19

Finch: Berrington showed his experience and class

Scotland were in a wee spot of bother, to say the least.George Munsey and Michael Jones, the openers who had fearlessly faced down England’s fastest bowlers and wiliest spinners before the rains came, were back in the dressing room. Brandon McMullen soon followed.Gerhard Erasmus and Bernard Scholtz were threatening to squeeze the life out of the chase with their right and left-arm spinning combination and, with ten overs left and 87 runs needed, the momentum was shifting Namibia’s way.Related

• Scotland captain admits 'frustration' as rain wrecks finely poised contest

• Berrington and Leask launch Scotland to landmark victory

Matthew Cross attempted to up the ante after a string of dot balls and singles increased the pressure further, but a wild sweep intended to cut the rope was misdirected and he trudged off the field to join the top order as spectators after the ball clattered into his pads.In the three times the two sides had met in T20Is, Namibia had walked away with victory. A fourth would leave Scotland’s hopes of progressing to the holy land of the Super Eights hanging by a fraying thread.Richie Berrington, his right eye blackening from an errant dive in the field, had scratched his way to 5 off nine balls and Scotland were four down, still needing 83 from 54 deliveries, when Michael Leask strode to the crease.Anyone who has seen Leask hold a bat knows he likes to swing it; he swung it magnificently in Bulawayo last July, smashing 48 off 34 to set up Scotland’s victory over Zimbabwe in the ODI World Cup qualifiers. He did the same in losing causes against Namibia and New Zealand at the T20 World Cup in the UAE; his reputation as an aggressive finisher is well earned.

Berrington’s sweet spots are square of the wicket, leaning on the back foot and lacing the ball through point with a kind of ferocious finesse, or timing his sweeps and slog-sweeps with the precision of an atomic clock

But coming into this tournament his form was somewhat patchy. Across six innings in Scotland’s series against UAE and the tri-series with Ireland and the Netherlands he had scored 81 runs, passing 20 just once. At Kensington Oval, his captain and his country needed him to unlock the best he had.Leask has a kinetic, frenetic energy, both on and off the field; a “hyper dafty who puts his heart on his sleeve” is how he describes himself. He’s a friendly chatterbox and a cricket badger who is, at the very least, as fiercely proud of his Scottish heritage as anyone in the squad.You see it in the field as he attacks every ball and screams encouragement, when he’s appealing for an lbw or celebrating a wicket, a jack-in-the-box bursting with fireworks.But the ignition spark is hard to find as he begins his partnership with Berrington and the required run rate is climbing steadily.Berrington is Leask’s polar opposite in character and style. Scotland’s captain is measured and reserved; he speaks softly and is a shrewd observer of people and match situations alike. When he does speak, his team-mates listen and he inspires fierce loyalty among them. He’s borne the responsibility of being the most public face of cricket in Scotland through the game’s most tumultuous off-the-field turmoil and has done so with a quiet dignity.Richie Berrington and Chris Greaves celebrate victory•AFP/Getty ImagesTheir contrasting personalities are epitomised by the way they bat. Leask is a v-man, his slender frame generating colossal power through a straight bat as he plunders the ball in front of the wicket. There is nothing of fancy or fuss, just the sheer bloody-minded determination to send the ball packing to another time zone.Berrington’s sweet spots are square of the wicket, leaning on the back foot and lacing the ball through point with a kind of ferocious finesse, or timing his sweeps and slog-sweeps with the precision of an atomic clock.In the 13th over it was Berrington who dropped the hammer and dropped to one knee, the favoured slog-sweep launching Tangeni Lunganeni’s over the deep-midwicket fence. The next ball was lofted over the covers for four and the momentum marching Namibia’s way paused and looked back over its shoulder.What it saw was Leask, locked and loaded and always trigger-happy. The merest hint of width was all he needed to smash the shackles and the ball from Erasmus into the Bridgetown sky and over midwicket to land on the groundsman’s shed. At least it was still in the Caribbean time zone.Light and dark, night and day, Berrington and Leask yin-and-yanged Scotland towards victory. They found gaps in their own peculiar ways and ran hard to eliminate the deadly dots.Scotland had been under significant pressure•Getty ImagesIn their individual fashions, they took to David Wiese, Namibia’s Super Over bowling hero against Oman four days earlier; laser calibrated, Berrington’s swipe across the line that crossed the rope between two boundary riders was bookended by a brace of Leask bludgeons over his beloved deep-midwicket for six.The longest blow of the afternoon was Leask’s, of course, a 101-metre monster off Ruben Trumpelmann over wide long on. It was into the wind, it was in the stands and the crowd was in a delirious rapture.When he holed out four balls later the damage was done, his 17-ball 35 ensuring momentum was encamped in Scotland’s corner, wrapped in the Saltire and taunting Namibia .The shiner didn’t impede the skipper’s vision as he sealed the chase with a final, emphatic, six that catapulted Scotland to the top of Group B. From there they can glimpse the knockouts on the far horizon; it will take more heroics to bring them more sharply into view.But if ever there was inspiration to be found, a reminder that the sum is greater than its parts, Scotland can find in the deeds of their own odd couple. The classy Berrington and the mighty Leask.

He’s lost three Ranji finals, his body aches and he is a sitting minister – but Tiwary has not stopped dreaming of that elusive title yet

Shashank Kishore04-Jun-2022For the past year, Manoj Tiwary, a sitting minister for youth affairs and sports in West Bengal, has visited his constituency in Shibpur, near Howrah, four days a week. The only exceptions have been for a short while in February-March, for the league phase of the Ranji Trophy, and now, for three weeks, ahead of the quarterfinals.Bengal have made the knockouts for the second straight season. In March 2020, they came heartbreakingly close to winning their first title since the 1989-1990 season, when they had beaten a star-studded Delhi. That 1990 season is remembered for Sourav Ganguly’s grand entry in the final, at the expense of his older brother Snehasish, and current coach Arun Lal’s rich run of form.Two years since the Saurashtra heartbreak, Bengal are trying go one step further and make up for what they couldn’t in Rajkot two years ago. It’s this itch of trying to get his hands on silverware that has kept Tiwary going, despite a wonky back, aching knees, and broken cartilages.Playing the politician – Manoj Tiwary on his campaign run•Manoj TiwaryThe 45-minute drive from Tiwary’s residence in upscale DC Dey Road in EM Bypass to his office at the Secretariat building takes him past Eden Gardens. The glass facade outside the iconic venue has a small photo of the Bengal Ranji champions in a small corner. He wants to put the current team’s photo there.Related

• Experienced Tiwary, talented Shahbaz combine to keep Bengal's hopes alive

• Karnataka's Manish Pandey: 'This is where I look forward to coming back the most. I'm at my best here'

• Life in politics: Tiwary, Dinda on being MLAs in West Bengal

• Saha 'not willing to play' Ranji Trophy knockouts for Bengal

• Ranji knockouts: Mumbai are doing Mumbai things again

“This desire to win the Ranji Trophy is still burning bright, it’s that strong sense of achievement and purpose that has kept me going” Tiwary tells ESPNcricinfo. “Growing up, I dreamt of leading Bengal to the title. That couldn’t happen. I then wanted to simply be part of a winning team. We came so close in 2020, but there’s still some unfinished business. I hope we can do it this time. That is my biggest motivation at this stage of my career.”Tiwary has been part of three finals now. In the first in 2005-06, he saw Bengal losing because of a 14-run first-innings deficit to Uttar Pradesh. In 2006-07, they suffered stage fright against Mumbai’s might; Tiwary’s two substantial contributions were the only positives for Bengal in a 132-run defeat.In 2019-20, Tiwary battled with an injured finger after copping a blow trying to evade a short ball. Until the eve of the final, he was withering in pain and had to take painkillers to take the field. Pulling out wasn’t an option, and so he took the field against Saurashtra with pain.”I wanted to play, come what may,” he says. “I have had so many injuries in my career over the years that pain had become second nature by then. I knew if I keep thinking of pain even now, I’m not going to do myself or the team any justice. I did whatever it took to be ready. And similarly, over the last two years, I haven’t let injuries and niggles come in the way of my training.”Even for someone as determined as Tiwary, his body gave him signs to slow down. Late in 2020, a knee injury while in the middle of a weight-training session flared up when his cartilage broke into two fragments. “It was a two-inch piece that broke and was floating inside,” he says. “I took injections to manage the pain and play, but it was really painful. While batting, it hampered my feet movement. I just couldn’t move.”Tiwary gave up playing 50-overs cricket that season to keep himself ready for the Ranji Trophy. Once it became evident the first-class season was going to be a non-starter, he started thinking of other avenues. One of them was IPL commentary in Bengali. While he enjoyed the preparation and the “fun of it”, it “wasn’t the same as playing in it.”Tiwary during his regional IPL commentary gig for Star Sports in Bengali•Manoj TiwaryThis was around the time he got a call from Mamata Banerjee, the current chief minister of West Bengal, to contest in the elections. Over the next four months, he poured in hours and hours of campaigning, often starting at 6am and going on well past midnight, only to repeat the same routine for 45 days at a stretch. It all came to fruition when he was elected as a Member of Parliament from Shibpur, the place he grew up near Howrah.Playing active role in politics while also being a cricketer is unheard of. There have been numerous examples of Indian cricketers entering politics post their playing days – Navjot Sidhu, Kirti Azad and Mohammad Azharuddin come to mind immediately. Tiwary felt he could manage his time well, and the pandemic only helped him set routines that have helped.”I still go through all the files, keep track of work that has been initiated in the constituency, and keep monitoring progress through my team of assistants,” he says. “I’m never switched off that way, even if I’m far away, like now in Bengaluru. I’ve set a routine and my team ensures most things are up to speed. They don’t come to me for every little thing. That allows me to also stay focused on cricket.”Amid his training sessions and constituency work, Tiwary ensures the evenings are free to spend time with his young family. While on tour, it’s his chance to catch up with his mates, many of whom look up to him as an elder brother, for advice. Tiwary, on his part, keeps things light.”You don’t want to keep things too process oriented all the time,” he says. “We enjoy a bit of downtime on tour. We enjoy doing things we like, we bond well. The team spirit and atmosphere within the camp is really good. The previous campaign got us all so close together. We’re a young team and as a senior player, it’s my duty to help them and guide them along the way. I know we’re on the right track. Yes, we didn’t win the trophy two years ago, but if we keep doing what we’ve done so far, it’s just a matter of time.”

Matchwinner Mignon du Preez says England win gives South Africa belief they can go all the way

Annesha Ghosh at the WACA Stadium23-Feb-2020“Shosholoza
Ku lezontaba
Stimela si qhamuka e South Africa
Stimela si qhamuka e South Africa…”
The media centre at the WACA, like most press boxes in cricket stadiums around the world, denies its occupants many aural pleasures that lay at the heart of the game’s visceral appeal. On Sunday night, when South Africa’s women beat England for the first time at a T20 World Cup, the best part of the sounds of South Africa’s historic victory remained on the other side of the glass. One of the few that consistently penetrated through the gaps of its two doors was verses of “Shosholoza”, emanating from the Bradman Room, adjacent to the media centre.”That was the main song we were singing all through this game,” said Mapumi Mabuza, general manager (stakeholder relations) at Brand South Africa, a government-owned agency, who was among the 60-strong South Africa contingent in the Bradman Room, singing away, raising toasts. “It’s like an anthem of unity. Used back in the day by migrant labourers, South Africans sing it to encourage each other, cheer them on. And it seemed to have worked for our girls today, in the presence of such a strong South Africa support.”I found out recently from the high commissioner that the estimate [of the number of South Africans living in Australia] is about close to half a million. A lot of them have lived here for a while, some have come here for work. For our girls to win for the first time… it’s a proud, proud day for all of us present here, and back home too.”ALSO READ: Du Preez holds nerve in 100th T20I to seal thrillerAs celebrations among the Brand South Africa revellers picked up, Mignon Du Preez, barely catching her breath back from the thrill of the six and four she struck off the last two balls to seal South Africa’s chase, went about a string of post-match interviews near the boundary overlooked by the Bradman Room.In the lead-up to the game, too, much of the focus had been on du Preez. In a career spanning over 13 years, with more than 200 international caps across formats and appearances in all six editions of the T20 World Cup prior, du Preez, a former captain and senior batter in the side, was to become the first South African woman to play 100 T20Is. It was fitting therefore that standing atop a national record, she should go down on a knee to reflect for a moment after top-edging the third ball in the last over, with the six putting South Africa one run shy of victory.”Everybody who knows me knows that religion is very important for me, so before I go to bed, I say, ‘God gave me the story and he got me on the bus, now play for him’,” du Preez said after the match. “And in that moment also, I just said, ‘Please, just be with me. And thank you for being with me before, when I hit the six, because that was probably the hard part but now stay with me to make sure that and finish it off for the team.'”In her 99 T20I matches prior, only three times had du Preez struck the winning runs. Here then was an opportunity for her to not only make her milestone match a historic one for her team, but to also overcome an opponent that thwarted their progression to the final and semi-final in the last two world tournaments.

This will give us the boost we need to go one step further than the semi-finals and take a World Cup trophy home. We know we’re good enoughMignon du Preez

“I’ve played enough games in my career to be able to step up in crucial moments and I think to finally do that and contribute to the team is really special,” du Preez said. “It’s nice to finally beat them in an ICC tournament. This is the seventh one I’ve played in and we’ve never got close before. To put that behind us and move forward is really exciting.”We’ve always known how strong we are and that within the team we have match-winners but we had a monkey on our back. This will give us the boost we need to go one step further than the semi-finals and take a World Cup trophy home. We know we’re good enough, we just have to play well and enjoy it.”South Africa’s landmark win also coincided with the WACA recording its highest attendance – 2008 – for a women’s match. Sunday’s figures surpassed the combined numbers from Saturday’s double-header (ticketed as one game) by a count of four, the spectators including a strong travelling contingent from the UK, including families of players and members of the Barmy Army.The turnout at the WACA on Sunday was only a fraction of the 16,000-plus attendance at the Sydney Showground Stadium, where India stunned defending champions Australia two days earlier in the tournament opener. However, South Africa sinking a higher-ranked England has only underscored just how closely contested a world tournament this could be, and just how important for teams to hold their nerves.”At the halfway…she [Dane van Niekerk, the captain] said she wants every batter that walks into the crease tonight to bat themselves and know they’ve got a job to do and they can finish it off,” du Preez said. “The way she and Kappy [Marizanne Kapp] set the example, the brilliant partnership [of 84 for the second wicket] in the middle, that definitely got us close to what we needed.”We know we’ve got batting depth. I think it’s important for them to take it as deep as possible. And every batter that walked into the crease just know that you have the ability and you can win a game for your country.”

The New York Mets have been blessed with one of the best pitching staffs in baseball this season—and now they will have a starter at the All-Star Game to prove it.

Mets pitcher David Peterson has been named to his first All-Star team, Major League Baseball announced Thursday afternoon. Peterson will replace San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray, who is in line to start Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A 29-year-old native of Arcadia, Calif., Peterson is in his sixth season with New York. He is 6–4 this year with a 3.18 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 102 innings pitched, and he is one of just six National League pitchers to throw a shutout this year.

He will join first baseman Pete Alonso, pitcher Edwin Diaz and shortstop Francisco Lindor as the Mets' representatives in Cumberland, Ga., Tuesday.

New York is currently 53–40—one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East race.

It would be fair to say that the last week or so hasn’t been ideal for Arsenal.

Yes, Mikel Arteta’s side are still top of the Premier League, but a draw away to Chelsea and then a defeat at the hands of Aston Villa have diminished their lead to just two points.

Moreover, while they certainly weren’t terrible against the Villans, they failed to make the most of their chances.

One player who has received quite a bit of criticism from the fan base in the aftermath is Martin Odegaard, and if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to bring someone in who could be bad news for his place in the team.

Arsenal target Odegaard upgrade

With the transfer window now less than a month away from reopening, Arsenal have a chance to reinforce their squad, and the good news is that they’ve already been linked with a host of brilliant players.

Transfer Focus

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

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For example, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has once again been touted for a £70m move to the Emirates, as has Nottingham Forest’s £79m Murillo.

However, while both Brazilians would undoubtedly have an impact on Arteta’s side, neither one could be described as a potential rival, upgrade or replacement for Odegaard, unlike Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to recent reports from Italy, Arsenal have reignited their interest in the Turkish wonderkid.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Gunners have once more made contact to find out what would be needed to make this deal happen.

However, while a potential price is not mentioned in the story, other reports from last month claim that a fee of around £88m could be enough to tempt Juventus into selling.

It would therefore be a costly and potentially complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, Arsenal should fight for him, especially as he could provide real competition for Odegaard, if not outright replace him.

How Yıldız compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to point out is that while Yıldız is primarily viewed as a winger, he could easily become more of a ten over time.

After all, while he has spent plenty of time out wide, his most-played position is second striker, and given his third-most-played position is attacking midfield, the idea of him dropping a little deeper does not feel far-fetched.

Moreover, the youngster already possesses one of the key characteristics of the best tens: the ability to both score and assist goals with relative ease. There is a reason European football writer Danny Corcoran has suggested the youngster has “Mbappe-like ability.”

For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 3520 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.47 games, or every 167.61 minutes.

He has somehow become even more dangerous this season, scoring six goals and providing five assists in 19 appearances, totalling 1533 minutes, which is a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 139.36 minutes.

Yıldız’s vs Odegaard

24/25

Yıldız

Odegaard

Appearances

52

45

Minutes

3520′

3447′

Goals

12

6

Assists

9

12

25/26

Yıldız

Odegaard

Appearances

18

11

Minutes

1457′

516′

Goals

5

0

Assists

5

2

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For comparison’s sake, Odegaard scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes, last season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.

This season, in the period he has been available, the Norwegian international has provided two assists in 11 appearances, totalling 516 minutes, which is an average of one every 5.5 games, or every 258 minutes.

With it clear that the Turkish gem is more of an attacking threat than the Gunners’ captain, what else makes him a player that Andrea Berta and Co cannot miss out on?

Well, as his output would suggest, he is, in the words of content creator Alex Moneypenny, someone “capable of the spectacular.”

Whether that’s a goal from distance, a mazy run that ends in a chance or just some tidy footwork that gets his team on their way, the Regensburg-born talent is an attacker who can seemingly do it all.

This is unsurprisingly reflected in his underlying numbers as well.

Yıldız’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Goal-Creating Actions

1.22

Top 6%

Shot-Creating Actions

6.10

Top 8%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.46

Top 9%

Carries into Penalty Area

3.41

Top 11%

Shots on Target

1.46

Top 12%

Successful Take-Ons

3.17

Top 12%

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 UCL

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Champions League for goal-creating actions, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for expected assisted goals, the top 11% for carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Yıldız, as he’s got the ability and potential to replace Odegaard and become a world-class ten.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 6, 2025

There has been an obscene amount of cash flying to and from Premier League bank accounts over the last few years, with transfer records tumbling all the time, even in a post-pandemic world and the era of PSR.

Four Premier League clubs received record transfer fees in the summer of 2025.

So which players have gone for club-record sums?

Rank

Club

Player

Sold to

Fee

Liverpool

Philippe Coutinho

Barcelona

£142m

Newcastle

Alexander Isak

Liverpool

£125m

Brighton

Moises Caicedo

Chelsea

£115m

West Ham

Declan Rice

Arsenal

£105m

Aston Villa

Jack Grealish

Man City

£100m

Everton

Romelu Lukaku

Man Utd

£90m

Chelsea

Eden Hazard

Real Madrid

£89m

Tottenham

Gareth Bale

Real Madrid

£85.3m

Man City

Julian Alvarez

Atletico Madrid

£81.5m

Man Utd

Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid

£80m

Brentford

Bryan Mbeumo

Man Utd

£71m

Bournemouth

Dominic Solanke

Tottenham

£65m

Wolves

Matheus Cunha

Man Utd

£62.5m

Crystal Palace

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Man Utd

£50m

Fulham

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Al-Hilal

£50m

Nottingham Forest

Brennan Johnson

Tottenham

£45m

Leeds United

Georginio Rutter

Brighton

£40m

Arsenal

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Liverpool

£35m

Sunderland

Jordan Pickford

Everton

£30m

Burnley

James Trafford

Man City

£27m

All 20 Premier League clubs' record signings

From Manchester City to Ipswich Town, here’s a look at each Premier League club’s most expensive signing.

ByBrogan Clasper Sep 4, 2024 Arsenal: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain £35m to Liverpool, 2017

Given the amount of cash Arsenal have splashed in more recent years, it is perhaps a surprise that their record sale dates as far back as this.

However, the Gunners have been perennially poor sellers, particularly under Arsene Wenger, though he received a pretty cool £35m when Liverpool came calling for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017, just months after the midfielder helped Arsenal to the FA Cup.

Considering Oxlade-Chamberlain only shone in brief glimpses at Anfield, Arsenal can put this down as a fine piece of business.

Aston Villa: Jack Grealish £100m to Man City, 2021

After guiding Aston Villa to promotion and then Premier League survival, it had seemed just a matter of time before Jack Grealish would take the next step in his career.

To the Villans’ credit, they kept hold of the Englishman’s services for a further year, but could not say no to champions Manchester City, who came forward with a British-record nine-figure bid in the summer of 2021.

Grealish was part of City’s treble-winning side in 2022/23, while Villa have gone from strength to strength in his absence, and took part in the Champions League alongside Man City in 2024/25. Grealish’s departure may have been bittersweet, but things have worked out pretty well for the Midlands outfit.

Bournemouth: Dominic Solanke £65m to Tottenham, 2024

Bournemouth broke their own transfer record in 2024, but not before receiving the largest sum in the club’s history for one of their players.

Dominic Solanke’s move to Tottenham Hotspur cost the north Londoners £65m – eclipsing the £40m they received from Manchester City for Nathan Ake in 2020.

The Cherries responded to Solanke’s departure by signing Evanilson for just over £40m from FC Porto.

Brentford: Bryan Mbeumo £71m to Manchester United, 2025

Brentford have been pillaged in recent years with Ivan Toney heading to Saudi, Yoane Wissa making his move to Newcastle and Bryan Mbeumo – the biggest of the lot – heading to Manchester United in a colossal £71m deal in the summer of 2025.

Mbeumo was one of the Premier League’s standout players in 2024/25, scoring 20 top-flight goals. That tally of goals richly deserved a move and he duly got one.

Brighton: Moises Caicedo £115m to Chelsea, 2023

Moises Caicedo was subject to interest from Chelsea and Liverpool in the summer of 2023, with the Ecuadorian selecting the Blues as his next destination after Brighton & Hove Albion accepted mammoth bids from both clubs.

Despite approving a £111m transfer to the Reds, Chelsea decided to go one further by structuring a deal that could yet rise to £115m.

It was reported that £15m of that total is in appearance-related add-ons.

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2 ByStephan Georgiou Aug 23, 2024 Burnley: James Trafford £27m to Manchester City, 2025

James Trafford enjoyed a remarkable campaign with the Clarets during their promotion-winning season in 2024/25.

The goalkeeper kept a whopping 29 clean sheets. Quickly becoming one of the best English stoppers around, Man City paid a £27m fee to bring him back to the club where he grew up.

Sadly for Trafford, he was quickly displaced when the Citizens brought in Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Chelsea: Eden Hazard £89m to Real Madrid, 2019

Chelsea have had a history of receiving handsome transfer sums for players in recent years, and while Eden Hazard is undoubtedly one of their better stars within the last decade or so, the £89m they received upfront from Real Madrid turned out to be a terrific steal.

The deal to send the Belgian to the Santiago Bernabeu – which came off the back of Hazard guiding Chelsea to Europa League glory – could have reached over £150m. However, given the Blues legend only featured 76 times in an injury-ridden four-year spell in Madrid before retiring, we highly doubt many of the add-ons were ever activated.

Still, it is comfortably the highest fee Chelsea have received – it is most closely rivalled by Kai Havertz’s move to Arsenal for £65m.

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ByFreddie Taylor Oct 13, 2023 Crystal Palace: Aaron Wan-Bissaka £50m to Man Utd, 2019

Manchester United’s spending spree in 2019 features multiple times in this list as they parted with nearly £150m that summer alone. A decent chunk of that went on bringing in Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace for £50m.

The six years that have followed have not been too rosy for the club nor the player, with the Red Devils making a significant loss on the full-back when selling him to West Ham United ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Eagles have often been resolute when it comes to high-profile interest in their players, and recently had their resolve tested once more in 2024 as Newcastle threatened to eclipse the sum received for Wan-Bissaka while seeking to add Marc Guehi to their squad.

Everton: Romelu Lukaku £90m to Man Utd, 2017

It has all been downhill for Everton since selling Romelu Lukaku in 2017, when he linked up with Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

However, Everton did manage to secure a princely sum for the striker, with United paying the Toffees an initial £75m in a deal that included a further £15m in add-ons.

It is unclear how much of these were activated, but Everton have struggled on and off the pitch since, finishing in the top half just once since the turn of the decade and remaining out of Europe since the year of the Belgian’s departure – all while being under scrutiny for their finances amid a number of transfer flops.

Fulham: Aleksandar Mitrovic £50m to Al-Hilal, 2023

Fulham were one of the many victims of the Saudi Pro League’s raid on European-based footballers. Their riches were too much for Aleksandar Mitrovic to ignore in the summer of 2023 – and they nearly took manager Marco Silva along with them.

However, Fulham have remained a solid top-flight club after comfortably surviving in their first season back with Mitrovic in 2022/23.

They have invested the reported £50m fee paid by Saudi champions Al-Hilal for the Serbian’s services wisely, with Rodrigo Muniz among those to shine at Craven Cottage.