Liverpool’s expeditious start to the summer transfer window has seen the double signing of Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz wrapped up before the end of June, and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is set to follow.

And there’s more yet to come. With a deal agreed for the transfer of Jarell Quansah to the BayArena, Liverpool have upped their interest in Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, who is entering the final year of his contract.

Of course, the Reds still need a striker too.

Liverpool chasing Premier League star

Darwin Nunez’s proposed transfer to Serie A champions Napoli could see efforts on that front doubled over the coming weeks.

Saying that, though, Liverpool love a market opportunity, and are monitoring a right-sided Premier League forward as Federico Chiesa expects to leave Anfield as well this summer.

As per French reporter Sébastien Vidal, in a bid to possibly replace Chiesa, Liverpool are interested in signing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, though they face stiff competition from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

The Cherries have valued the Ghanaian at £70m, a figure none of his suitors are willing to meet, but if that figure can be whittled down, Mohamed Salah would have the perfect understudy to cover him on the right.

This isn’t a priority for Liverpool, but the versatile Semenyo has the perfect profile for Slot’s system and could become the latest jackpot signing from the south coast.

Why Liverpool want Antoine Semenyo

Liverpool have raided a rising Premier League winger from the south coast before. Indeed, Sadio Mane is one of the club’s most iconic modern players, starring under Jurgen Klopp’s wing for many years after joining from Southampton for £35m in 2016.

Semenyo carries certain similarities to the prolific Senegalese, who was a deadly goalscorer but also a fierce advocate of his manager’s vision, working like a machine, covering numerous positions. Klopp once called Mane a “complete” and “world-class” player, and who would argue against him?

Hailed as a “workhorse” and a “duel monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Semenyo has been instrumental for Andoni Iraola’s system at the Vitality Stadium, scoring 13 goals and assisting seven more across all competitions last season.

Mane, let’s not forget, wrapped up his Saints career with 15 goals and seven assists across 43 matches in 2015/16, so, like Semenyo, he wasn’t the finished product and needed that move to a club on a higher rung of the ladder.

As per FBref, the versatile forward also ranked among the top 20% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the English top flight last season for successful take-ons and the top 5% for shots taken per 90, underlining his prowess as a pressure-applying force in front of goal but also a player who can drive play into the danger area himself.

All told, Semenyo is a talented and proven Premier League star who would not only cover Salah but also use his dynamism to cover on the left flank too.

To reach Mane’s level would be difficult indeed, but he’s certainly underrated, and a move to Merseyside could help put his name on the map.

The next Torres: Liverpool preparing huge bid to sign "frightening" striker

Liverpool aren’t messing around in the transfer market this summer.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 23, 2025

England ring changes with T20 World Cup in mind, and land statement victory

Valkerie Baynes06-Jul-2024

Sarah Glenn appreciates that she is part of a “really special” time for England spinners.Her legspin yielded a triple-wicket over in a haul of 3 for 16 as England romped to a 59-run victory over New Zealand in the first of five T20Is which are key to both sides’ preparation for the World Cup in October. The haul came as part of an enviable four-pronged spin attack which took seven of the nine wickets to fall at Southampton. Off-spinner Charlie Dean took 2 for 28 while world No. 1 Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith – playing her 12th T20I but only her third since June 2019 – took one wicket each.”The more the merrier, I love it,” Glenn said. “Linsey has just been consistently performing for a really long period of time now, especially in the powerplay, at the death, and we all just bring something so different and I just felt it was really effective, so it was nice to see us all come together.”With England captain Heather Knight saying on match eve that her side wouldn’t be afraid to experiment during this series as they look to finalise their squad for the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October, Glenn said she felt comfortable in a spin-heavy side.”It doesn’t really change much,” Glenn added. “You’ve just got an extra opinion, which is actually quite nice. If there’s a couple of spinners that might be struggling or anything like that, or you just want some advice, you’ve just got more people to speak to, and we obviously all bring something different. If anything, it’s just more of a strength. We’ve got more people to talk to who might be going through something I’m going through out there, so I think it’s really good.”It’s five games as well, so we’ve got plenty of time to practice those things, but also against a top-quality team, who will put us under the pump, so I think it’s really good prep.”Related

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Glenn’s three wickets included the vastly experienced batters Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine, upon whom New Zealand rely heavily. Bates top-scored for the White Ferns with 43, but Devine fell for for a duck that she described at the post-match presentation as “horrendous”. In her absence, Jess Kerr was their second-highest scorer on 38 batting at No. 8 as they attempted to chase down a lofty target of 198, after Danni Wyatt’s 76 and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 47 had led England to 197 for 3.England’s margin of victory was their highest in T20Is against New Zealand and could have been even greater were it not for a rash of dropped catches and misfields. But, with the hosts in a buoyant mood, Glenn was confident they could rectify their fielding errors.”Some of them, we made it into a good effort to get there and there were quite a few dives as well,” she said. “There were some simpler catches put down, but I think the fact that we’re getting in powerful positions to give ourselves even a chance of catching those balls is really good for us. If we just keep focusing on that and our intent, it’ll put us in good situations.”England’s spin-heavy line-up required the omission of their strike seamer, Lauren Bell, with the fast-bowling duties instead shared between two allrounders who have only recently made a return to full-time bowling: Sciver-Brunt, whose workload has been managed all summer as she recovers from a knee problem. and the left-armer Freya Kemp, who suffered a back stress fracture on England’s trip to the Caribbean at the end of 2022.In her second England appearance of the summer, Kemp made an unbeaten 26 from 17 balls batting at No. 4 and bowled her full allocation for figures of 4-0-30-1. She bowled during England’s tour of India last December but, after a flare-up, reverted to a batting role for England A in New Zealand earlier this year, against Pakistan in May and in regional cricket.Bates admitted that, despite best-laid plans, New Zealand had been bamboozled by England’s spinners. But she had faith in her side to counter-attack during this series, which moves to Hove on Tuesday.”They’ve got such a clear game-plan,” Bates said. “The powerplay, they use their swing and pace and then Ecclestone, Glenn, Dean come on and really squeeze you and we’ve talked about that, but it’s about executing in the middle. I think today we got ahead of the game slightly in the powerplay and that makes playing the spinners easy. But when you need boundaries they can bowl at the stumps and defend. So we’ve got to be brave to take them on, whether that’s behind the wicket or in front of the wicket and just keep being aggressive.”They’ve probably got one of the best spinning attacks in the world, Ecclestone leading from the front, and when you’ve got an off-spinner, a leg-spinner – Glenny, and Linsey they added today, there’s some world-class players so they’re obviously tough through the middle. If we can keep taking the game on and keep backing our shots, I think we are going to be able to get them in trouble at some point in the series.”

حقق منتخب مصر الثاني الفوز على نظيره التونسي، بهدف دون رد، في المباراة الودية التي جمعت بينهما، ضمن الاستعدادات لبطولة كأس العرب.

واستقبل ملعب هيئة قناة السويس بالإسماعيلية، مباراة منتخب مصر الثاني وتونس في إطار معسكر الإعداد لبطولة كأس العرب.

طالع.. فيديو | أفشة يُسجل هدف منتخب مصر الأول أمام تونس

ونجح محمد مجدي أفشة في تسجيل هدف منتخب مصر الثاني في الدقيقة 30، بعد تمريرة سحرية من مروان حمدي لينفرد بمرمى حارس تونس عبد السلام الحلاوي، ويسدد بقوة في الشباك.

ويستعد منتخب مصر لخوض بطولة كأس العرب، والتي ستقام على الأراضي القطرية في الفترة من 1 ديسمبر المقبل وحتى الـ18 من الشهر ذاته. موعد مباراة منتخب مصر الثاني وتونس وديًا

يستعد منتخب مصر الثاني لمواجهة تونس وديًا، من جديد يوم الثلاثاء المقبل، الموافق التاسع من شهر سبتمبر الجاري، في تمام الساعة التاسعة والنصف مساء بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.

With James Trafford already on his way, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie reports Newcastle United may soon complete another deal to sign a £60m reinforcement and finally kickstart their summer.

James Trafford set to join Newcastle

While the narrative around Newcastle’s transfer window has so far been failure, that could be about to change. The Magpies are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign long-term target Trafford in what could be the start of their summer finally turning around.

After Trafford, those at St James’ Park are likely to shift their focus back towards their frontline. Although their need for a striker has been somewhat eased by the fact that Callum Wilson has put pen to paper on a new deal, they’ve still got their sights set on signing a new right-winger.

Just who that will be is the question. Already this summer, Newcastle have been rejected by Bryan Mbeumo and then by Joao Pedro, who now looks set to join Premier League rivals Chelsea. It’s rejection that they will be frustrated by given their Champions League place, but rejection that they must move on from.

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Alternatives mentioned so far includes Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott. The 22-year-old enjoyed an excellent U21 Euros tournament – winning Player of the Tournament as England won the competition for a second time under Lee Carsley. Now available for around £50m, Newcastle could make their move.

If not Elliott, however, then it could still be one long-term target who one reporter now expects to complete a move to St James’ Park this summer.

Keith Downie now expects Elanga to join Newcastle

As reported on his YouTube channel, Sky Sports’ Keith Downie now expects Newcastle’s deal to sign Elanga “will get done” this summer with the Swede happy to swap Nottingham Forest for Tyneside.

Downie said on his YouTube channel: “All the noises are that Elanga is the number one choice. Of course, that was Bryan Mbeumo, but it’s now been moved to Elanga, and I can see him being perfect for Eddie Howe’s style.

“I feel that deal will get done. Newcastle aren’t in competition with anyone and they know that they are close in terms of the fee. I think the player would be happy to move here from what I’m being told. And it’s a case of Newcastle coming up with the numbers.”

“They offered £45m last week but Forest want £60m. I feel if Newcastle split the difference and offered £52-53m, they’d get the deal done, and I’d hope there will be some movement on that in the next few days. I expect Newcastle to come back in with an improved bid if they haven’t already.”

After missing out on Mbeumo and then Pedro, signing Elanga would be seen as a huge success for Newcastle who would be turning their fortunes around on the transfer front with the addition of both the Forest star and Trafford.

After a snail-pace start to the summer transfer window, things are starting to move apace for Arsenal, whose first-team squad is shaping up ahead of pre-season.

Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta are working hard to identify and sign a new centre-forward, but there are variables at play, and we must wait for concrete advancements over the coming weeks.

Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, who has emerged as a top talent at RB Leipzig, appear to be the biggest priorities, having been earmarked and tracked for several months now.

The Gunners have a longer-standing interest in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, but Isak is the cream of the striker crop, and he’s been priced at an exorbitant £200m.

Berta may yet turn to a left-field option. Indeed, interest in Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins has been revisited.

The latest on Ollie Watkins to Arsenal

Watkins is a long-time target at the Emirates, with a £40m bid even being tabled for the Aston Villa striker back in January, but for Unai Emery’s side to emphatically reject it.

Arsenal fans might want a striker with a bit more panache and fanfare surrounding their name, but the England international, 29, is proven in the Premier League and dynamic in his performances, both prolific and creative.

Furthermore, he’s been the focus of extensive profiling by the Gunners data analysts, also hailed by podcaster Rohan Jivan as “one of the best CFs in Europe”.

What, then, is Arteta to do? Watkins is valued at £60m, which puts him in a similar bracket to Gyokeres; Sesko would cost more, and Isak is indeed more expensive still.

Having scored 35 goals and supplied 23 assists across the past two Premier League seasons, it’s clear that Arsenal would bag themselves an upgrade in number nine with this man.

However, for all Watkins’ quality, and the shrewdness that his signing would be laced with, Arsenal are also targeting another forward who would represent a far more exciting deal, even though he’s not really a number nine.

Arsenal ready to pay for superstar

According to Spanish publication AS, Arsenal are ready to pay a significant figure to sign Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who has started the Xabi Alonso era on the backbenches.

The Spanish giants would be open to cashing in on the 24-year-old this summer, and AS claim that Arsenal could secure his signature with a bid worth €90m (£77m).

With contacts between Arsenal and the player’s entourage having taken place since the end of the 2024/25 season, there’s a real feeling that developments could soon take place, should Rodrygo continue to drift on the periphery with Los Blancos.

Why Arsenal want Rodrygo

Hailed as a “world-class superstar” by Luka Modric, Rodrygo is one of the most talented players in the world but has been routinely ferried over to the right flank to accommodate the likes of Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.

At Arsenal, he would have no such issues. Bukayo Saka holds down the fort quite well in that area, and with Gabriel Martinelli’s future up in the air, Rodrygo could prove a stunning upgrade.

Rodrygo – Real Madrid Stats by Position (24/25)

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Right winger

31

8

5

Left winger

12

6

6

Centre-forward

9

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

Remarkably, the Brazil international far outstrips his performances on the right when fielded as a left winger. The issue, of course, is that his opportunities in his favoured position have been few and far between.

His fascinating blend of creative quality, link-up play, and indeed a natural eye for goal, make the £207k-per-week winger the perfect player to slot in alongside Saka, with such remarkable talent sure to leave fans more excited than a deal for Watkins, as crucial as bringing such a striker in may be.

Indeed, while Rodrygo only scored six times in La Liga last season, he missed just one big chance, as per Sofascore. It was hardly a year which demonstrated the full scope of his skill set, but it did succeed in showing a deep-rooted aptitude in the final third.

Arsenal need this. They need goals across the park, not just from a centre-forward such as Watkins. Moreover, they need a player like Rodrygo who can balance his contribution. And as per FBref, the South American star ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues in 2024/25 for pass completion, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90.

Thus, we have a forward who could dynamise Arteta’s frontline, promoting possession-focused control and driving play forward himself.

If Arsenal are to raise their level next season and bring home some silverware, they need not just the goalscoring quality that someone like Watkins would bring but also the big-game ability of a serial winner such as Rodrygo.

His Champions League record speaks for itself, more still his rise at perhaps football’s most gargantuan outfit in Real Madrid.

Watkins, as discussed earlier, is more than just a goalscorer. Mobile and rounded, he ranked among the top 3% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last term for assists per 90. Given Rodrygo’s prevailing clinical edge, you can only imagine the kind of partnership which could be struck.

But such a duo would be charged by Rodrygo’s skills, his passion and capacity to become one of the best wingers in the Premier League.

Sure, Watkins is talented, and has big-game experience of his own, but could anyone honestly say he matches Rodrygo, a true ‘superstar’ indeed who would lead Arsenal to heights previously unimaginable.

And that, naturally, is without even imagining how Saka’s world-class talents could elevate both players, and vice versa.

Arsenal are on the verge of making a flurry of brilliant signings which truly could bring Arteta’s project into a new sphere, one geared for an abundance of silverware that is befitting his elite-class unit.

Watkins would provide the Londoners with the focal presence they crave, but in Rodrygo, Arsenal would land a player capable of laying down the gauntlet against any of the finest players across the globe.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 4, 2025

The BCCI will be awarding the T20 World Cup winning India squad a bonus of INR 125 crore (USD 15 million approx.). Board secretary Jay Shah made the announcement in a post on X, a day after India won a thrilling final against South Africa by seven runs in Barbados.”I am pleased to announce prize money of INR 125 Crores for Team India for winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024,” Shah posted. “The team has showcased exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and support staff for this outstanding achievement!”The ICC had already announced a cash prize of USD 2.45 million for the winners of this World Cup and an additional $31,154 for each match won (for every team), excluding the semi-finals and finals. The ICC’s cash prize is the highest in the history of the men’s T20 World Cup, a jump up of USD 850,000 from the USD 1.6 million England had won in 2022.Overall, all teams stand to receive more prize/participation money from this tournament than previously. The total prize money for the tournament more than doubled from USD 5.6 million in 2022 to USD 11.25 million this year, meaning an increase in awards for all 20 participating teams.As runners-up, South Africa won USD 1.28 million (up from USD 800,000 in 2022), while the losing semi-finalists Afghanistan and England received USD 787,500 (up from USD 400,000 in 2022) each.

Sri Lanka have lost five fast bowlers to injuries or illness, while India will be boosted by the return of Rohit, Kohli and Kuldeep

Madushka Balasuriya01-Aug-20242:45

Rohit: Gambhir very clear on what he wants to do

Big picture: SL hit by injuries and illnessSri Lanka just can’t catch a break. While still reeling from the almost comical nature of the defeat in the final T20I, one which handed India a 3-0 series sweep – and possibly a multitude of nervous breakdowns to those watching, their preparations for the ODI leg have been hampered significantly by the injury or illness-related absence of no less than five of their fast bowlers.This has meant that the uncapped Mohamed Shiraz and Eshan Malinga have been called up to hopefully – keeping all fingers and toes crossed here – provide support for the only other fit seamer in the squad in Asitha Fernando, and the all-round stylings of Chamika Karunaratne.The one silver lining in all this is that it might, however briefly, take their minds off the last two times these sides met in a 50-over contest, where Sri Lanka collectively scored 105 runs. In fact, across their last four ODI meetings, Sri Lanka have failed to reach triple digits on three occasions.Related

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That said, their best course of action might be to not put too much stock in the results of these upcoming games. Their next major ODI tournament is the World Cup in 2027 – they did not make it to the 2025 Champions Trophy – so focusing on the process and looking to put in place the right foundations may be the right play for the time being.In terms of recent form, Sri Lanka have had success in ODIs this year against Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, but their last ODI win against India was back in July 2021. That result had brought an end to a five-match losing streak against India – in fact, each of Sri Lanka’s last three ODI victories against India have come in service of disrupting five-game losing streaks. So if you are looking for a straw to clutch onto, Sri Lanka’s current losing streak to India in ODIs stands at six. Something’s surely gotta give, right?As far as India go, this is just the next step in a pristinely mapped-out path to the Champions Trophy. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are back in the fold, with the team’s primary focus on ironing out kinks and settling into a nice team combination. You also imagine they will be quietly hoping for a sterner challenge than what was on offer in the T20Is.Form guideSri Lanka LWLWW (last five ODIs, most recent first)
India WLWLWIn the spotlight: Pathum Nissanka and Kuldeep YadavIt’s clear that Sri Lanka are still struggling to rectify their longstanding middle- and lower-order struggles; much of their recent success has been borne out of top-order contributions. The primary source of this has been Pathum Nissanka. His 497 runs across six ODIs is comfortably the most by any batter in the world this year. Not just that, his strike rate of 122.41 is also the best among those with at least 200 runs. Sri Lanka will need Nissanka at the top of his game if they are to challenge this well-rounded Indian outfit.Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir share a light moment during training•Ishara S Kodikara/AFP via Getty ImagesWith the action moving from Kandy to Colombo, the balance between bat and ball should also shift. The Khettarama has traditionally been one where scores of 300 or more are on the rarer side, with spin tending to play a pivotal role. Enter Kuldeep Yadav, who played an important part in India’s recent T20 World Cup triumph but sat out the T20Is against Sri Lanka. While Ravi Bishnoi and, particularly, Riyan Parag impressed in his stead, Kuldeep will be keen to make his mark on the tour.Team news: Rohit, Kohli, Kuldeep returnSri Lanka’s fast-bowling contingent is in disarray, but with the wicket likely to favour spin they may opt to go in with just the two frontline seamers. Provided they want an extra spin option, Dunith Wellalage might be preferred over Chamika Karunaratne.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis, 3 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 4 Kamindu Mendis, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Janith Liyanage, 7 Dunith Wellalage/Chamika Karunaratne, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Mohamed Shiraz/Eshan Malinga, 11 Asitha FernandoIndia’s top order picks itself, but it’s lower down where there may be some experimentation. With Hardik Pandya not part of the ODI series, one of Shivam Dube and Parag will fill in as a batting allrounder. If Parag gets the nod, India might have the luxury of playing three frontline seamers, meaning one of Khaleel Ahmed and the uncapped Harshit Rana could get a game.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Rishabh Pant/KL Rahul (wk), 6 Shivam Dube/Riyan Parag, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Khaleel Ahmed/Harshit Rana, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mohammed SirajPitch and conditions: Rain in the airIf the recent Lanka Premier League is to go by, the conditions for batting might have improved in Colombo compared to recent years, but there is still a fair amount in it for the bowlers, particularly the spinners. But getting a complete game on Friday might be tricky, with pockets of heavy rain expected throughout the day.Stats and trivia: India’s dominance Only Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan among Full Members have a worse win-loss ratio against India over the past ten years than Sri Lanka. In that time India and Sri Lanka have played 24 ODIs, with Sri Lanka winning just three. Kohli’s 2594 runs are the second-most by an opposition batter against Sri Lanka in ODIs. Sachin Tendulkar sits atop the list with 3113. Since the start of 2023, no batter has more runs in ODIs than Nissanka’s 1648.

Manchester United’s summer could be defining for Ruben Amorim in his tenure at Old Trafford, needing a huge summer to transform his fortunes at the club.

The 40-year-old has already wasted very little time in the transfer market, completing a £62.5m deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Matheus Cunha.

After scoring 15 Premier League goals this campaign, the Brazilian will likely improve the options currently at the club, helping the manager in his quest to take them back to their former glory.

However, he will likely need to be joined in the attacking third by numerous other additions, with Jason Wilcox attempting to work his magic during the off-season.

Various other players have been mentioned with a potential switch to Old Trafford ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, with the Red Devils in desperate need of an overhaul.

The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers

Given United’s measly tally of 44 league goals this season, it’s clear that additions are needed in such a department to transform the situation currently unfolding at the Theatre of Dreams.

Players such as Callum Hudson-Odoi, Dušan Vlahović and Jean-Philippe Mateta have all been mentioned as targets this window, but no deals have yet been agreed for any of the aforementioned stars.

However, another player has entered the mix over the last couple of days, in the form of Bryan Mbeumo, with the Brentford forward edging closest to a move, according to German journalist Christopher Michel.

He claims that the Red Devils are becoming “optimistic of finalising” a deal for the 25-year-old for the start of their pre-season ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

It’s also reported that Thomas Frank is trying to hijack a deal for the £70m star, looking to take the Cameroonian with him to North London after being appointed Tottenham Hotspur manager.

Why United’s £70m target could be incredible alongside Ekitike

United’s hunt for new additions has seen no sign of slowing down in recent days, with Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké firmly in their sights, according to Sky Germany.

They claim that the Red Devils have made contact with the Bundesliga side over a move for the 22-year-old star, who’s registered 22 goals across all competitions in 2024/25.

It’s also reported that the French international has a €100m (£84m) release clause in his deal, but they face a battle with other Premier League sides, with Arsenal and Chelsea also in the race for his signature.

It remains to be seen if the club would be able to fork out such a fee for the Frankfurt talisman, especially after completing a deal for Cunha and edging closer to a move to land Mbeumo.

However, it’s a move they should pursue, with the Bees attacker having all the tools to form a deadly combination with Ekitike within the final third at Old Trafford.

The Cameroonian, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by one analyst, may have scored 20 league goals this season, but he’s also demonstrated his creative nature throughout the 2024/25 season.

He’s registered 3.7 progressive passes and 1.9 key passes per 90, having the skillset to provide Ekitike with the ammunition needed to succeed in front of goal should he move to Manchester.

Games played

38

Goals & assists

27

Progressive passes

3.7

Progressive carries

3.4

Key passes made

1.9

Passes into opposition box

1.6

Crosses completed

5.3

Take-on success

48%

Mbeumo has also registered 1.6 passes into the opposition box per 90, whilst completing 5.3 crosses per 90, with his ability to cause carnage certainly aiding other attackers at Old Trafford.

£70m may appear to be another massive investment from the hierarchy, given the early business conducted this summer, but it’s one that would add a different dimension to Amorim’s attack.

The prospect of the Bees’ star partnering the French star alongside Cunha in the final third is certainly an exciting one, with the trio single-handedly hoping to push the club back up the table next campaign.

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Manchester City are preparing for another tilt at the Premier League title and could now be set to fight some of Europe’s heavyweights to sign a premium talent, according to a report.

In surprise fashion, the Blues suffered an early exit from the Club World Cup after a 4-3 defeat to Al Hilal in the last 16 and all focus at the Etihad Stadium will now revolve around potential incomings and outgoings.

Addressing what squad changes could occur in the aftermath of the tournament, Daily Mail’s correspondent Jack Gaughan believes up to eight players could leave Manchester City to make way for reinforcements under Pep Guardiola.

He stated: “I think there could be as many as eight going if you include Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips.

“They’ve got to get rid of four foreign players because of the homegrown problems they’ve got in the Champions League. If they don’t, Guardiola is going to have to leave people out of the squad and he doesn’t like doing that.”

Of course, a large part of why there are plenty who are now at risk of leaving the club is due to their spate of arrivals between January and the summer, but who else could join Manchester City if all goes to plan?

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ByDominic Lund Jul 3, 2025

Amid doubts over Ederson’s future, Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is wanted by Guardiola in what would be a landmark change of the guard between the sticks.

However, it appears that Manchester City aren’t just looking to strengthen for the immediate term and a young midfielder has now crept onto their radar after some impressive recent displays.

Manchester City keen to sign AZ Alkmaar star Kees Smit

According to Manchester City News, Manchester City are one of many clubs keen on AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit after his breakthrough campaign that has led to the Netherlands Under-19 international claiming the UEFA Under-19 European Championship player of the tournament.

Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United provide domestic competition for his signature, while Real Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Marseille are keeping close tabs on the continent.

Kees Smit in the Eredivisie – 2024/25 (Fotmob)

Chances created

23

Successful dribbles

10

Touches in opposition box

40

Duels won

53

Recoveries

59

Journalist Graeme Bailey added some context to the situation, stating: “Kees Smit is a player, a real player I am being told and Manchester City know all about him. Will he leave this summer? That is the question but I think there is a real chance and City do like him – one to keep an eye on.”

Last campaign, Smit registered an impressive tally of ten goals and seven assists in 43 matches across all competitions, combining his exploits with Alkmaar’s senior side and second string.

While still in the infancy of his career, the Heiloo-born man is a talent on an upward trajectory and Manchester City will hope to convince him that the Etihad is the best place to continue his development.

Hazlewood has recovered from a minor calf strain and will join the squad before the first T20I against England

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Sep-2024A hamstring injury sustained in the Hundred has denied Nathan Ellis the opportunity to nail down a spot in Australia’s T20I side, ruling him out of the rest of their series against Scotland and the eight subsequent white-ball games in England.Ellis was targeting the Scotland series as a rare chance to lead Australia’s attack, with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins rested and Josh Hazlewood out with a calf niggle. But Cricket Australia announced on Friday that he had not recovered from his hamstring tendon injury in time to be considered for selection and would fly home imminently.The timing of the injury – picked up while playing for London Spirit in the Hundred – is particularly frustrating for Ellis. He has played 17 T20Is, including three appearances at the 2024 T20 World Cup, but his opportunities have generally depended on at least one of the ‘big three’ quicks being rested.Riley Meredith, who played his first international match since 2021 on Wednesday in Australia’s thrashing of Scotland in the first T20I, will stay with the squad as cover. It has left Somerset expecting to be without Meredith on T20 Blast Finals Day on Saturday, which takes place between the second and third matches of the England series.Hazlewood has landed in England ahead of Wednesday’s first T20I at the Utilita Bowl. “[He] will join the squad in Southampton having recovered from a minor calf strain,” a CA spokesperson said. Ellis was also due to feature in the five-match ODI series against England, which starts on September 19, with a replacement yet to be named.Meredith could, in theory, be released to play for Somerset on Finals Day – which takes place at Edgbaston on Saturday – but the club’s captain Lewis Gregory said after their quarter-final win on Thursday night that they were not expecting to have him available. Somerset do not have any players in England’s T20I squad, so will otherwise have their full squad at their disposal.