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Now that it’s closed, it would be fair to say West Ham United had a relatively good transfer window this summer.

They didn’t spend an egregious amount of money, and it took them a while to get going, but Graham Potter’s squad is now stronger than it was at the end of last season.

The pick of the signing might just be Mateus Fernandes, who enjoyed a strong first campaign (individually) in the Premier League with Southampton last year.

However, a player sold by David Moyes a few years ago is now being compared to the Portuguese ace.

Reviewing West Ham's transfer window

Alonfside Fernandes, West Ham made a number of exciting additions to Potter’s squad over the summer, such as El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The Senegalese international cost £19m from Czech outfit Slavia Prague, and while that’s no small amount, he’s already proving to be more than worth the outlay.

For example, he impressed in the pre-season, and then, in just three league appearances and one Carabao Cup game, he has racked up two assists from left-back and left wing-back.

On the other side, Kyle Walker-Peters has already shown why a number of teams were keen to sign him, as he’s already registered an assist in three appearances.

Even Callum Wilson, who was a signing that raised plenty of eyebrows, has started life in East London well enough, scoring a goal in the win over Nottingham Forest last week.

These three, plus the highly-rated Soungoutou Magassa and Fernandes, could end up looking like an excellent window come the end of the season.

Although as exciting as the Portuguese ace is, the club has already sold a player compared to him for a sizable loss in the past.

West Ham's original Fernandes

West Ham saw plenty of players come and go over Moyes’ two stints in the dugout, but in this instance, we are talking about Pablo Fornals.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

The Spanish midfielder joined the club in the summer of 2019 for a fee of around £24m and went on to make 203 appearances, totalling 12,221 minutes.

During his time in East London, the “unbelievable” midfielder, as dubbed by journalist Karl Matchett, would score 23 goals, provide 19 assists, play in the Europa League and be a part of the iconic Conference League-winning side under Moyes.

However, minutes were harder to come by in the 23/24 season, and when Real Betis came knocking in the January window, the Hammers were happy to let him leave for around £6.8m – a £17.2m loss.

With all that said, then, where does this comparison to the Irons’ new boy Fernandes come from?

Well, it stems from FBref, which determined that the Portuguese ace has been the fourth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spaniard across Europe’s top five leagues in the last 365 days.

We can gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by examining the underlying numbers in which the pair rank closely.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.25

0.22

Passing Accuracy

80.0%

80.1%

Expected Assists

0.14

0.11

Shots

1.13

1.32

Ball Recoveries

5.62

5.58

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.34

0.28

These include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, ball recoveries, carries into the penalty area, passing accuracy and more, all per 90.

In other words, the 29-year-old looks to be as creative when it comes to passing, and just as effective a carrier of the ball.

Ultimately, Fernandes should be an excellent signing for West Ham, and it’s probably a good sign that he’s as comparable to as big a fan favourite as Fornals.

West Ham starlet looked a bigger talent than Rice & Paqueta, now he's got no club

The former West Ham gem’s career hasn’t gone to plan at all.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 5, 2025

Big picture: Rematch of the IPL 2024 finalThe last time Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) met, it was in the IPL 2024 final. But three games into IPL 2025, they are at the wrong end of the points table. SRH are eighth and KKR tenth, and the only team either of them have beaten is Rajasthan Royals, sandwiched in between at ninth.For defending champions KKR, their whole batting line-up has been fragile. Last season, their opening partnership set games up by averaging 43.9 at a strike-rate of 207. This season they are averaging 15.3 and striking at 100. The batters between Nos. 4 to 8 – which includes the retained quartet of Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell and Ramandeep Singh – are averaging 17.22 and striking at 117.3. They appear to have picked up a vulnerability to the short ball too. Nine of the 12 KKR dismissals to fast bowling this season are to balls pitched between the 8 and 10 metre mark or shorter.SRH have had poor powerplays with both bat and ball. The shots off Abhishek Sharma’s bat have sounded sweet but he has scored only 31 runs in three innings. Against Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals, their batters kept attacking even as wickets tumbled to finish with totals that turned out to be below-par. Their fast bowling was supposed to be an upgrade but they’ve not made an impact in the first six overs. Their powerplay economy (11.4) is the poorest among all teams this year, and even with the quality of Pat Cummins, Mohammed Shami and Harshal Patel, the economy rate (11.7) of their pace attack is in the doldrums. Only RR’s quicks (11.8) have fared worse.Although both teams are facing similar issues, their approaches remain different. Cummins said after the last defeat that SRH will not change their batting plan, while KKR mentor Dwayne Bravo said on match-eve their batters will have to move beyond being aggressive and be crafty. Thursday will show which philosophy succeeds.3:12

Cricinformed: Are Sunrisers selling themselves short?

Form guide

Kolkata Knight Riders LWL
Sunrisers Hyderabad LLW

Team news: No major injury concerns

SRH are expected to back their primary XII, but the type of pitch (more on that later) could dictate whether they play Adam Zampa, Wiaan Mulder, seamer Simarjeet Singh or spinner Zeeshan Ansari. Anrich Nortje, KKR’s fastest bowler, is still not match ready.Kolkata Knight Riders: (probable) 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Venkatesh Iyer, 5 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Spencer Johnson, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Vaibhav AroraSunrisers Hyderabad: (probable) 1 Travis Head, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 5 Aniket Verma, 6 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 7 Abhinav Manohar, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Wiaan Mulder/Adam Zampa, 10 Harshal Patel, 11 Mohammed Shami, 12 Simarjeet Singh/Zeeshan Ansari

Big question

Adam Zampa made a return to the IPL on the back of great performances since 2024. In that period, his 50 appearances have brought 76 wickets at a strike rate of 14.3 and economy of 7.7. He is especially useful between overs 7-16 since 2024, where he has bowled 80% of all his overs. Is it time for him to be a permanent fixture in SRH’s line-up?

In the spotlight: Aniket Verma and Andre RussellNitish Kumar Reddy was SRH’s standout domestic player in 2024 and the team has found another exciting talent in Aniket Verma this season. Even with wickets tumbling, Aniket, bought for INR 30 lakh, has found a way to smash bowlers. His 13-ball 36 against LSG was a trailer of what would follow as he went on to hammer a 41-ball 74 against DC. Aniket has been among the most destructive players of spin in IPL 2025, hitting them for a boundary once every three balls, at a strike rate of 238. His 11 sixes against spin is second only to Nicholas Pooran’s 12. With KKR possessing Narine and Varun Chakravarthy in their bowling XI, will Aniket continue his dominance?2:47

Bangar: Don’t see any change in SRH’s approach

Since the end of IPL 2024, Andre Russell has scored only 586 runs in 41 T20 games at an average of 18.9. He also has just nine runs in two innings this IPL. Last season, Russell had given KKR power at the death, averaging 31.20 with a strike-rate of 185. His highest score in IPL 2024 of 64 not out came against SRH at Eden Gardens.

Pitch and conditions: Turn on the cards?

The surface at Eden Gardens has been in focus over the last week. The pitch that was used in the season opener against RCB backfired on KKR, with the captain Rahane asking for something slower that would suit the team’s spinners. Two pitches have been prepared for this fixture, both having very little grass, which suggests the team’s demand may well have been met.

Key Stats: SRH’s dependency on their openers

• KKR won all three games against SRH in IPL 2024: one league game, the first qualifier and the final. KKR have also won eight of the last ten matches against SRH.
• KKR have the second-lowest powerplay run-rate (7.8) this season, ahead of only CSK’s 7.4. They also have the joint worst powerplay bowling strike-rate of 54.
• Travis Head has the second highest strike-rate against fast bowling (206) since IPL 2024 (min. 100 balls faced). Abhishek Sharma has the best IPL strike-rate of 206 for the first ten deliveries of an innings (min. 75 balls)
• Heinrich Klaasen has never been dismissed by Sunil Narine in five IPL innings, scoring 34 runs off 22 balls. Against Varun Chakravarthy, Klaasen has scored 35 runs off 20 balls, but has been dismissed once.
• SRH have an 80% win record when both Head and Abhishek survive the powerplay. It drops to 71% when one of them is dismissed and dips to 17% when both are out.

Quotes

“The bowlers have an attacking plan, but also have a defensive plan. When we are under pressure, you will see our bowlers go to a defensive plan. But when we are also picking up wickets, we will continue to try and pick up more.”
“Our team is suited to play an aggressive style, but we don’t speak about 300 as an expectation that are put on us by other people. We try to play a positive brand of cricket. It’s a strength of ours and we try to double down on our strengths.”

Fabrizio Romano has shared some transfer news out of Tottenham in what is a big boost for Thomas Frank, with chairman Daniel Levy adding to their short list of summer signings ahead of an imminent deadline day.

Spurs have just four days to bolster Frank’s squad in the desired areas, as Levy attempts to back the Dane before a very long and arduous campaign where the Lilywhites will be competing on four fronts.

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They’ve made an excellent start to the new Premier League season, rounding off impressive wins against newcomers Burnley and heavyweights Man City in the past fortnight, but injuries to key players have partly prompted a late scramble for new recruits.

James Maddison is set to miss a large portion of 2025/2026 after rupturing his ACL in pre-season, while Dejan Kulusevski could be out until much later in the year as he continues his recovery from a knee problem.

Radu Dragusin also suffered an ACL injury back in the winter, and the Romania international still isn’t ready for selection.

Tottenham’s confirmed summer signings

Price tag

Mohammed Kudus

£55 million

Kota Takai

£5 million

Mathys Tel

£30 million

Joao Palhinha

Loan

Kevin Danso

£21 million

As a result, Tottenham have been in the market for a new centre-back, number 10 and winger over the past few weeks, with club legend Son Heung-min also waving an emotional goodbye to the club earlier this month before joining LAFC.

Spurs were in talks to sign Savinho from Man City, but Pep Guardiola’s side appear to have blocked the move despite the Brazil international’s extreme eagerness to move down south for more game time.

Their search for a playmaker hasn’t been plain sailing either, with Levy missing out on both Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White in spectacular, dramatic fashion this window alone.

However, according to reports, Tottenham’s mission to sign a new number 10 could now be coming to a close.

In the last 48 hours, Spurs began talks over hijacking Chelsea’s deal for RB Leipzig sensation Xavi Simons, who was a former member of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy before switching to PSG’s youth ranks.

The 22-year-old has been dazzling in Germany with Leipzig for two years, making his move there permanent in January, but he’s now set to join the Lilywhites after successful talks.

Xavi Simons signs Tottenham contract after "overnight" agreement

According to Romano, following an “overnight” agreement, Tottenham are set to sign Simons in a deal worth £52 million, with his medical already completed and contracts now penned.

The Netherlands international, who can also play on the left, will provide Frank with versatility, attacking flair and proven quality in the final third.

Despite suffering an ankle ligament injury at the start of 24/25, Simons still managed 11 goals and eight assists over 33 appearances in all competitions, with Bundesliga expert Kevin Hatchard previously sharing exactly what Frank can expect from his newest arrival.

India’s newly appointed T20I vice-captain has suggested that only the openers’ roles will be fixed

Sreshth Shah20-Jan-20253:12

Axar: Shami’s return a ‘big positive’

All of India’s batters apart from their openers can expect to have flexible roles in the T20I line-up. Axar Patel, India’s newly appointed vice-captain in the format, suggested this could be the case in his press conference ahead of the five-match T20I series against England.The series is set to kick off in Kolkata on Wednesday, with Chennai, Rajkot, Pune and Mumbai to host the remaining T20Is.Related

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In recent years, India have used Axar to good effect as a floater. It’s a reflection of his improvement with the bat – having averaged 21.26 and struck at 131.25 in all T20s until the end of 2022, he has upped his performances significantly, averaging 30.32 and striking at 145.62 since the start of 2023 – and his versatility, with India, Delhi Capitals and Gujarat sending him out in a variety of situations. He has scored six half-centuries in these last two years, from Nos. 3, 4, 6 and 7.Over recent months, India have used not just Axar but also Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar and Rinku Singh as floaters with varying levels of success.”Batting wise, it’s not just with me, but we spoke in 2023-24 itself that the openers are fixed, but everyone from Nos. 3 to 7 have been told that they can come into bat anytime, in any situation. It is not just that one batter will bat at a particular position,” Axar told reporters on Monday. “Our middle order will come to bat depending on the match situation, what kind of bowlers are bowling at the time, which match-up works well.”We’ve spoken about that, how we can all be floaters, be it coming in early or obviously finishing. This is not just for me, but for everyone from No. 3 and below, especially if they are in good touch in the nets. We will adjust accordingly. In T20Is, how you use your batters is so crucial, so this is an important factor in batting.”‘As part of the leadership group, you have to learn to take harsh decisions’•Associated PressAs Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy in T20Is, Axar felt he would have to to learn to take difficult calls. It is a topic he has discussed with the support staff too.”It has just been a day, but as part of the leadership group there is an extra responsibility,” Axar said. “The T20I side is settled, so there’s not much pressure, but there are small decisions that need making and during the game I need to work closely with Suryakumar.”As part of the leadership group, you have to learn to take harsh decisions. We have spoken about sharing our genuine opinions and that will help build trust in this group.”The T20I format is such that it is so fast that you have to make decisions quickly, so the larger conversations [with the coaches] is about how to do that.”India’s immediate focus is on ODI cricket, with the Champions Trophy looming, but T20Is will assume greater significance once that tournament ends. Defending champions India and Sri Lanka are set to co-host the T20 World Cup in February-March 2026. Apart from these five matches against England, India don’t have too many T20Is lined up before they embark on their title defence: currently, they are scheduled to play three T20Is in Bangladesh in August, and five at home against South Africa later in the year.”The World Cup is coming up in a year so how we approach leading up to that, we want to try it from now itself. That’s the main target,” Axar said. “Momentum is a big thing because if you start well, you can carry it. We finished 2024 well so we want to carry the momentum into this series too.”But we’ve discussed that the past is past, however, we want to move ahead with the positives we gained from there. We have taken forward the points that brought us success.”Transition is also something happening, across all formats, but that’s a call for the selectors and captain to take.”

Manchester United look set to have a new-look attack for 2025/26, with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo on course to feature in the two forward roles behind a striker under Ruben Amorim.

Cunha was the first addition through the door at Old Trafford after INEOS triggered the Brazilian’s £62.5m release clause at Wolves. Speaking after signing, Cunha said:

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Taking the No. 10 shirt from Marcus Rashford, Cunha will be looking to have a big impact in his first season as a Red Devils player after hitting double figures for goals in the last two Premier League seasons at Molineux.

AI predicts how many goals and assists Cunha will record for Man Utd in 2025/26

In 24/25, Cunha bagged 15 goals in 33 league games, while also registering six assists in a Wolves side that finished on the same points as Man Utd.

ChatGPT has predicted Cunha to bag 18 Premier League goals, ‘matching or slightly beating his Wolves output, underpinned by strong support from midfield’.

That figure, with cup competitions, could rise to 22, assuming he is regularly involved in the EFL Cup and FA Cup under Amorim.

In regards to assists, Cunha could register nine assists in the Premier League and 12 in all competitions as he is ‘likely to flourish as a secondary creator’ under Amorim.

Premier League

18

9

All competitions

22

12

AI predicts how many goals and assists Mbeumo will record for Man Utd in 2025/26

Meanwhile, with Mbeumo also moving to Manchester from Brentford, Amorim will have another attacking star with an excellent Premier League record.

The Cameroon international had his best ever season in front of goal during 24/25, scoring 20 goals and providing eight assists in 38 top flight games.

ChatGPT has predicted Mbeumo to find the back of the net 17 times in the Premier League, while matching his 24/25 tally of eight assists. ‘Designed for high creativity and goal-chances’, it is claimed that Mbeumo may alternate at times under Amorim, adjusting to life at a bigger club.

Premier League

17

8

All competitions

21

10

In all competitions, Mbeumo has been backed to score 21 times and provide 10 assists, meaning in total, the two Man Utd signings could contribute to 65 goals over the 25/26 campaign, something which Amorim and the Red Devils would be delighted with.

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.

A week is a long time in football, and Tottenham Hotspur are currently a testament to that.

While the Lilywhites’ domestic campaign has been an utter disaster this year, the fans probably don’t care at the moment, and following their impressive win on Thursday night, they are now in the Europa League final.

However, while the players and supporters can dream and look forward to that game, the board need to continue their preparations for what has to be a massive summer of transfer business.

It seems they are doing just that, as once again, reports have come out linking them to Bournemouth’s star defender Dean Huijsen for £50m, though thanks to an incredible youngster on their books, they may not need to sign the Spaniard at all.

Why Spurs want Huijsen

So, before we get to the player Tottenham could promote instead of splashing the cash on Huijsen, it’s worth taking a moment and looking at why they reportedly want to sign the Bournemouth star in the first place.

One of the most significant reasons will be the seriously impressive speed at which he’s adapted to and come to thrive in English football.

For example, despite only turning 20 in April and this being his first campaign in the country, the Amsterdam-born monster has made 33 first-team appearances for the Cherries, in which he’s scored three goals and provided one assist.

On top of that, the former Juventus gem has also made two appearances for the senior Spanish side and played a significant role in them making it to the Nations League final.

Last but most certainly not least, the highly-sought-after defender also boasts some genuinely impressive underlying numbers, with FBref placing him in the top 3% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty expected goals plus assists and interceptions, the top 4% for clearances, the top 5% for sho-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.15

Top 3%

Interceptions

1.97

Top 3%

Clearances

7.05

Top 4%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.12

Top 5%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.61

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

1.45

Top 8%

Total Shots

0.73

Top 16%

Progressive Passes

4.67

Top 17%

In short, Huijsen is an exceptionally promising young centre-back, but Spurs might be better off not signing him this summer, as they look to already have a bigger talent on the books, albeit out on loan.

Spurs' bigger talent than Huijsen

While some out there might think we are talking about the promising Ashley Phillips, who just spent the season on loan with Stoke City, they’d be mistaken.

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Instead, you’ve got to go just a little further out to Belgium, where Luka Vušković is spending the season on loan with KVC Westerlo alongside fellow Spurs loanee Alfie Devine.

So, why do we think the incredibly exciting young Croatian might be a bigger talent than Huijsen? Well, we’ll break it down into two areas: his defensive abilities and offensive abilities.

Starting with the former then, and despite only turning 18 in February, the 6 foot 6 “monster of a CB,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has been incredibly effective at the back for his side this season.

According to FOTmob, he sits in the top 7.8% of centre-backs in the league for aerial duels won, ball recoveries and blocks and the top 22.2% for overall duels won – which is undeniably outstanding for someone so young.

Then, when it comes to his attacking prowess, he’s in a league of his own.

For example, the “crazy” talent, as dubbed by Mattinson, has managed to score seven goals and provide three assists in 34 games this season, which for a centre-back is incredible, and works out to a goal involvement every 3.4 games.

Appearances

34

Goals

7

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Ultimately, while it’s impossible to be certain until he plays in England, it does appear that Spurs have already signed a bigger talent than Huijsen in Vušković.

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A reliable reporter has now revealed that Wolverhampton Wanderers could sign an unwanted Chelsea player this summer, according to a new report.

Wolves step up transfer plans as they eye a new striker

Vitor Pereira’s arrival at Molineux has been a breath of fresh air for the Midlands side, as he’s helped guide the club away from the relegation zone, and they now look set for a comfortable finish in the Premier League.

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It looks as though Wolves are set to lose talisman Matheus Cunha this summer, as he is closing in on a move to Manchester United. Therefore, a replacement or replacements will need to be found, and the Premier League side are wasting no time in identifying targets.

According to Caught Offside, Wolves have registered their interest in signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Everton, as he is set to leave the Toffees on a free transfer once his contract comes to an end.

But he is not the only forward on their radar, as the Midlands side are also interested in signing Jamie Vardy, once again a player who is set to become a free agent, as he’s confirmed he will be leaving Leicester City after 13 years at the club.

Chelsea’s Joao Felix is another option that is being considered, as he’s been told he can speak to interested clubs. However, the Portugal international would likely cost a large sum of money, despite his struggles in England.

Reliable reporter suggests Wolves could sign Dewsbury-Hall

Felix is not the only Chelsea player the Midlands side are looking at, as according to reporter Ben Jacobs, via Molineux News, Wolves could look to sign Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from the Blues this summer.

Jacobs was speaking on The Wolfpack Podcast about who could be of interest to Wolves heading into the summer, and he revealed that Dewsbury-Hall could be a target.

“I think Wolves and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is going to be one to watch, from what I understand.

“Because Chelsea may be willing to sanction a sale. Dewsbury-Hall may be looking for regular game time, with a view to somehow kind of forcing himself into the England setup. Wolves could be one to watch there. I’m not aware yet of any significant out-and-out attackers who Wolves are specifically looking at.”

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s Premier League stats

Apps

71

Goals

3

Assists

5

Dewsbury-Hall, who has been dubbed “sensational” by former Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers, only joined Chelsea last summer in a deal worth £30 million. However, the midfielder has hardly kicked a ball at Stamford Bridge, despite being so important for Enzo Maresca with the Foxes, playing just 12 games in the Premier League, with his most minutes coming in the UEFA Conference League.

Given how far down the pecking order Dewsbury-Hall is, he is likely a player who could be moved on by the Blues this summer, as they look to recoup their money and bring in a replacement.

Glasgow Rangers lost for the third time in six league matches as they were beaten 2-0 by Hibernian at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Goals from Dylan Levitt and Martin Boyle either side of half-time secured all three points for the away side in front of a frustrated home support.

Barry Ferguson is in interim charge until the end of the season and this current run of results in the league is not doing his chances of landing the job permanently any good.

The Scottish boss has to be ruthless with his team selections in the final weeks of the 2024/25 campaign, and one player who should be dropped after the Hibernian loss is Mohamed Diomande.

Why Mohamed Diomande should be dropped

The Ivorian attacking midfielder lined up as the number ten behind Cyriel Dessers at Ibrox on Saturday and failed to offer enough in possession to make a difference in the match.

Diomande did not register a key pass or a shot on target, with one shot that was blocked, in 75 minutes on the pitch before Ferguson decided to withdraw him from the field.

The left-footed whiz did win four of his eight duels – holding his own in physical battles – but that did not make up for his complete lack of impact at the top end of the pitch, which is why the manager should take him out of the starting XI.

Diomande, however, was not the worst player on the pitch for Rangers. Dessers was even worse than the former Danish league star and must finally be dropped from the team.

Why Cyriel Dessers must be dropped

The Nigeria international has started each of the last six league matches and played all bar two minutes of those games, resulting in three defeats for Rangers.

Ferguson must, now, finally take him out of the starting XI after another dismal display at the top end of the pitch from the former Cremonese marksman, who had even fewer touches (24) than goalkeeper Jack Butland (33) yet still managed to spurn more than one opening to score.

Dessers was even worse than Diomande because he was incredibly wasteful in front of goal in the defeat to Hibs, missing two ‘big chances’ without creating a single chance for his teammates.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Unlike the midfielder, the Nigerian forward also failed to hold his own in his physical duels, losing five of his eight battles, which shows that the Hibs defenders had an easy afternoon against him.

Minutes

90

90

88

Shots

1

12

4

Shots on target

0

9

1

Big chances missed

0

5

2

Goals

0

1

0

Duels won

1/11

4/8

3/8

As you can see in the table above, Dessers has struggled across his last three starts in the division against Celtic, Dundee, and Hibernian – scoring once from 17 shots.

Seven ‘big chances’ missed and one goal in his last two appearances tells a worrying story for Rangers, as their number nine is not good enough in the vital moments to be a reliable figure in front of goal for the club.

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Therefore, Ferguson must be ruthless and drop Dessers from the starting line-up to show that consistently missing huge opportunities is not rewarded with more playing time.

As David Warner prepares for his final Test, a look back at some of the key moments of his career

Andrew McGlashan31-Dec-2023January 5, 2007David Warner makes his professional debut in a T20 for New South Wales against Queensland. He scores 20 off 11 balls batting at No. 6.January 11, 2009Age 22, Warner makes his international debut in a T20I against South Africa before having played a first-class match. He smashes 89 off 43 at the MCG, including consecutive sixes off Dale Steyn to go to a 19-ball fifty. “It was just like you were out there with Gilly [Adam Gilchrist] when Gilly’s in one of those moods,” captain Ricky Ponting said. “It was pretty entertaining stuff, pretty special clean sort of striking.”March 5, 2009Warner is handed his first-class debut for New South Wales alongside Mitchell Starc. He bats a No. 6, hitting 42 off 48 balls and sharing a stand of 80 with Usman Khawaja, who is unbeaten on 172.January 18, 2009Ten days after that game, Warner has his ODI debut in Hobart. He falls for 5, but in his next match in Sydney he makes 69 off 60 balls albeit in an Australia defeat.March 29, 2010Scores his maiden T20 hundred with 107 off 69 balls for Delhi Daredevils in the IPL.October 2011Hits back-to-back T20 hundreds (135 off 69 balls and 123 off 68 balls) for New South Wales in the Champions League.December 9, 2011His Test debut had come a week before in Brisbane, but he was a central figure on what became an epic match in Hobart. He carried his bat for 123 in Australia’s second innings but came up agonisingly short of victory when Nathan Lyon fell to give New Zealand the game by seven runs.David Warner celebrates the fourth quickest century in Tests, against India in 2012•Getty ImagesJanuary 13, 2012In his fifth Test, Warner flays 180 off 159 balls against India at the WACA with his century off just 69. “I was actually looking at my strike rate and I said this ain’t Test cricket, this is something different,” Warner said. “It’s just how I approach the game. I show intent, and it came off today.”June-July 2013Warner is suspended by Cricket Australia after an altercation with Joe Root in the Birmingham Walkabout bar following the Champions Trophy match at Edgbaston. He then misses the first two Tests of that summer’s Ashes after being sent on the Australia A tour of Zimbabwe to find form before being recalled at Old Trafford.January-December 2014In nine Tests during the year, Warner scores 1136 runs at 63.11 with six centuries, including back-to-back tons in Adelaide against India. It remains his most prolific year average-wise (except a lone Test in 2020) and the most hundreds he has scored in a calendar year.March 29, 2015Is part of the Australia side that wins the ODI World Cup with victory over New Zealand at the MCG.David Warner at his first press conference a week after the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town•Getty ImagesJanuary-December 2016In ODI cricket, he scores 1388 runs at 63.09 for the year with seven centuries, the most by an Australian in a calendar year.March 22, 2018The most controversial episode of Warner’s career, where he is one of three players banned for the sandpaper ball tampering incident in Cape Town on what had already been a hostile tour of South Africa where he had been involved in a stairway altercation with Quinton de Kock in Durban. Warner, along with Steven Smith, is handed a year’s ban (Cameron Bancroft gets nine months) but it also comes with a lifetime leadership ban.June 1, 2019Warner makes his comeback to international cricket at the start of the ODI World Cup where he hits an unbeaten 89 against Afghanistan and goes on to amasses 647 runs at the tournament with two centuries.July-August, 2019Averages just 9.50 in the Ashes series as he is tormented by England’s quicks, especially Stuart Broad, from around the wicket. It’s the lowest average in history for an opener with at least ten innings in a series.There’s no doubt who won this contest late in David Warner’s career•Getty ImagesOctober 27, 2019Hits his maiden T20I hundred against Sri Lanka, meaning he has centuries in all three international formats.November 29, 2019Warner plunders an unbeaten 335 against Pakistan in Adelaide, the second-highest score for Australia in Test cricket behind Matthew Hayden and one run ahead of Mark Taylor and Don Bradman. “You grow up knowing what those milestones are,” he said. “Forever you talk about Donald Bradman. I remember Michael Clarke at the SCG declared on 329 not out. They’re things that you look at the history books and say, ‘how did they get there – that’s a long time in the middle’. I managed to go out there and do that, but it takes an incredible amount of patience which I surprised myself.”November 14, 2021Is named Player of the Tournament as Australia win the T20 World Cup for the first time with victory over New Zealand in Dubai. Scores 53 off 38 balls in the final.December 8, 2022Warner angrily withdraws his attempts to have the lifetime leadership ban overturned when the appeal panel insists on holding the hearing in public. “Some things are more important than cricket,” he said. “They want to conduct a public spectacle to, in the panel’s words, have a ‘cleansing’. I am not prepared for my family to be the washing machine for cricket’s dirty laundry.”David Warner scaled new heights against Pakistan in 2019•AFPDecember 26, 2022Becomes just the second player to mark his 100th Test with a double-century with his first hundred in nearly two years. “When your back’s against the wall, you can only look to move forward, that’s how I’ve always been,” he said. “It was emotional, it was hard out there, it was draining. The build-up, the articles… but to come out here and just back myself and look to score, have that intent, which was probably missing from the last 12 months. It was a magical moment and so proud to do it in front of my family and friends.”June 4, 2023Ahead of the World Test Championship final and the Ashes, Warner outlines his plan to retire after the Sydney Test against Pakistan in early 2024. “I’ve always played every game as if it’s my last,” he said. “That’s my style of cricket. I enjoy being around the guys, I love being part of the team, trying to be that ball of energy in the group. I want to just keep working as hard as I can to get there.”November 19, 2023Finishes as Australia’s leading run-scorer (535 at 48.63) in the ODI World Cup as they take the title with victory over India. Having also won the WTC earlier in the year, he is among the group of Australians to have held global titles in all three formats.