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Newcastle United have finally clawed their way out of a mentally taxing summer transfer window that put a dampener on last season’s stunning successes under Eddie Howe’s wing.

Well, it certainly felt that way for much of the market, but the truth is that United have pieced together a talented squad despite the noise from Alexander Isak and, indeed, the last-gasp sale of the Sweden striker to Liverpool for a record-breaking £125m fee.

Now that the distractions of the transfer window are out of the way, Newcastle can work toward restoring their fluency and fizz, that special something that allowed Howe to engineer title triumph in the Carabao Cup and qualification in the Champions League.

For United have toiled thus far, claiming two points from three games in the Premier League and lacking their usual bite in the final third. Saturday’s goalless draw at Leeds United typified that fact, especially in the absence of the suspended Anthony Gordon (and, of course, Isak).

New strikers, anyone?

Newcastle's new strikers

On deadline day, Newcastle signed Yoane Wissa from Brentford for £50m. It had been in the works for a while, and the DR Congo international got his wish at the eleventh hour, bringing plenty of prolific Premier League experience to Howe’s squad.

The 28-year-old scored 19 league goals last season and will be expected to provide a reliable focal point at the front of Howe’s system, especially when flanked with so much robust creative quality.

But in Nick Woltemade, 23, the Magpies have what might be defined a more fitting and long-term Isak heir, the German having arrived from Stuttgart in a club-record £69m package, hailed by the likes of talent scout Jacek Kulig hailing him for his “unique profile”, standing at 6 foot 6 and yet with such deftness and skill on the ball.

Looking at how the two strikers compare, it’s clear that Newcastle have done shrewd work in replacing Isak with two contrasting profiles, each carrying strengths fit for a club of United’s stature.

Matches (starts)

35 (34)

28 (17)

Goals

19

12

Assists

4

2

Shots (on target)*

2.6 (1.2)

1.8 (0.9)

Big chances missed

17

11

Pass completion

79%

72%

Big chances created

3

8

Key passes*

0.8

1.3

Dribbles*

0.4

1.1

Ball recoveries*

2.3

1.9

Tackles + interceptions*

0.8

0.5

Duels (won)*

3.4

4.4

However, neither will likely establish themselves as the standout from the off, not when Anthony Gordon knows that it is his time to step up now that Isak has left for pastures new.

Newcastle hit gold on Anthony Gordon

Gordon might not be in the good books right now, having served one match of a three-game suspension after challenging Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk with his studs up, but he’s one of Newcastle’s best players.

In fact, now that Isak has been sold and as the new boys settle in, he might consider himself to be Howe’s attacking talisman, having proven himself to be one of the deadliest in the Premier League already on Tyneside.

Hailed as a “relentless machine” by journalist Sripad, Gordon notched 22 goal involvements across the 2023/24 Premier League season, winning the club’s Player of the Year for his labours.

Indeed, Liverpool looked to sign the Three Lions winger last summer, and again this year, with recent reports on the matter suggesting that he had been valued in the ballpark of £100m.

Such is Gordon’s quality, with his price tag stretching above that of Wissa and Woltemade, talented players both, but perhaps not on his level.

Ultimately, Gordon is an imperfect forward, but one with so much quality and potential yet reached. He’s already worth a pretty penny, but his commitment to the cause cannot be questioned, and he might now be the cream of Howe’s attacking crop.

Worth more than Wissa & Woltemade: Newcastle hit gold on "exceptional" star

Following the signings of Yoane Wissa for £55m and Nick Woltemade for £69m, it’s proof that Newcastle struck gold signing an “exceptional” £40m star.

2 Sep 2, 2025

Despite already spending big this summer, Manchester City are now reportedly set to hold talks in an attempt to seal one last blockbuster move for Pep Guardiola.

Man City targeting late transfer flurry

After starting the transfer window so strongly with the arrivals of Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri, it looked as though Manchester City had commenced and ended their summer business in clinical fashion early on. Since then, however, Savinho and Ederson have thrown unexpected spanners into the works which could force the Citizens to land at least one more blockbuster move.

Both players missed City’s opening day thrashing of Wolverhampton Wanderers through ill-timed injuries as rumours continue to emerge over their futures. Whether they make swift recoveries in the event of a late summer switch will certainly be interesting to see, however, with Tottenham Hotspur chasing Savinho and Galatasaray already in talks to sign Ederson.

In the event that Ederson does depart, which looks likely at this stage, Guardiola could reportedly welcome Senne Lammens before the end of the month. Although the Citizens initially had their sights set on Gianluigi Donnarumma, reports have since emerged that any deal to sign the Italian has become difficult due to Paris Saint-Germain’s £22m asking price.

As a result, City have reportedly turned their attention towards Lammens and hijacking Manchester United’s move to sign the Royal Antwerp shot-stopper.

Meanwhile, when it comes to potentially replacing Savinho, those at the Etihad have shifted their focus towards what would be one of the headline deals of the summer in the closing stages of the window.

Man City set to hold talks to sign Rodrygo

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Manchester City are now set to hold talks to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid, with the Brazilian’s representatives already on their way to commence discussions. Madrid reportedly value the winger at around £87m, but are open to letting him leave before the end of the month.

Another Reijnders: Man City have made £86m superstar their main target

Manchester City have now made this £86m superstar their main summer target.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 18, 2025

Reportedly going head-to-head with Liverpool in the race to sign Rodrygo, City will have their eye on revenge on the Reds after watching on as Florian Wirtz chose Anfield over the Etihad earlier this summer.

What’s more, if City are looking to replace Savinho, then doing so with a star of Rodrygo’s calibre would certainly send a statement of intent around the Premier League. Dubbed “special” by former Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, the 24-year-old is arguably one of the best wingers in the world.

Rodrygo	Real Madrid stats
Appearances	270
Goals	68
Assists	51

In one swoop, City could have the potential to form one of the Premier League’s most deadly partnerships between Erling Haaland and Rodrygo – one which could see them restore their English crown just one year after conceding it to Liverpool.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape 184 for 6 (Markram 62*, Tahir 2-21) beat Joburg Super Kings 152 for 7 (Bairstow 37, Overton 2-20) by 32 runsSunrisers Eastern Cape remain on course for the SA20 three-peat after beating Joburg Super Kings in the Eliminator in Centurion, having recovered spectacularly from three defeats in their opening three games. They will play Paarl Royals in the second qualifier in less than 24 hours’ time to determine who will face MI Cape Town in Saturday’s final.SEC have the advantage of having the most recent experience of conditions up country while Paarl, who played in the first qualifier in Gqeberha, have had to travel. They’ve also lost their last three matches and their best batter, Joe Root, to national duty, so SEC can consider themselves favourites to reach a third final, if not the title itself.While they are a franchise that has often billed themselves as the epitome of an outfit that relies on team efforts, there was one individual who cannot be ignored: Marco Jansen.Even before the match, he was already the leading wicket-taker for this season, and in SA20’s history, and what we might call the only genuine allrounder in this tournament. None of the other bowlers who have taken 10 wickets or more have come close to scoring even 100 runs – Mujeeb Ur Rahman is closest with 55 – and, naturally, none of the batters who have scored 100 runs have taken 10 wickets.In the Eliminator, Jansen also became the joint-leading wicket-taker in the Powerplay, level with Paarl’s Bjorn Fortuin. He removed Devon Conway, the batter who had scored the most runs against him in T20s without being dismissed, in the fifth over when Conway played a leaden-footed tame drive to start JSK’s slide.Jansen did not find himself among the wickets again and the accolades from the Eliminator will go to others but his 12-ball 23, and his role in the 53-run sixth-wicket stand that ultimately proved match-winning with Aiden Markram, deserves special mention and got it from Markram. “It’s small chip-ins (with the bat) that help us a lot,” Markram said. “And then a guy like Marco comes in and whacks it.”Jansen was in in the 17th over, when Tristan Stubbs was bowled by Imran Tahir, and SEC were 131 for 5, with a target under 170 still within JSK’s grasp. They scored 15 runs off the next 11 balls and were 146 for 5 with two overs to go. Arguably, JSK made a tactical blunder by bringing back Lutho Sipamla, whose first three overs had cost 44 runs, but in the absence of many other options, they chose to back a player who has been good for them through the tournament.Jansen made sure he had an ending to forget. He picked his slower ball early and sent Sipamla’s first ball for six and then took 16 more runs off four balls he faced in that over, including ending it with another six. In total, 21 of Jansen’s 23 runs came off the five he faced from Sipamla and his contribution pushed SEC over 180.Markram said at the post-match press conference that he was “hoping for 195-plus”, but in the end 184 proved enough, despite JSK getting off to a good start. Conway and Faf du Plessis put on 40 inside five overs before Jansen dismissed Conway to open JSK up and set SEC on course for victory. According to his team-mates, that is ultimately the thing Jansen does best.”His attitude to win is unmatched,” David Bedingham told ESPNcricinfo before the Eliminator. “If you ask him if he went for 100 runs and took zero wickets in a Test match and scored a couple of ducks, I don’t think he’d care unless we won. His desire to win is why he is who he is. It also helps that he’s super talented. He’s seven foot tall, he bowls quick, he bats well so that also helps. But I think it’s his desire to win that makes him so special.”Markram echoed the idea that contributing to the team is the most important thing to Jansen. “He’s a very quick learner and he absolutely hates losing. He just gets fired up every time he plays and he’s marrying that fired up energy with better smarts,” Markram said.There’s also something else Jansen does before every game which may actually be the secret to his success. “He eats a triple-decker pizza before every game on the bus,” Markram said. “And a Coke. That’s not a joke.”Jansen’s dietary habits aside, if there is an individual who has played the biggest part in SEC’s success, it’s him – which means he is playing the game exactly as he wants to. JSK can only look on in envy, especially after their bowling resources were “decimated”, as coach Stephen Fleming put it.Nandre Burger and Lizaad Williams were ruled out before the tournament began, Gerald Coetzee could only play one game and David Wiese four, while Beuran Hendricks withdrew after the tournament started and was replaced by Sipamla, who finished as their highest wicket-taker. On the eve of the Eliminator, they also lost spin-bowling allrounder Donovan Ferreira to a side strain and du Plessis joked that he was struggling to find 11 fit players to field. He did, but only just.Maintaining a tournament run that lasts for 13 games over four weeks with so many players missing cannot be easy but for JSK, it will also not be an excuse.”I hate looking for excuses, but the turnover was high,” Fleming said. “If you look at our squad, when we first put it all together, it was very strong with South African bowling and overseas batting but it’s not the only reason. You do have to adapt. It is part of franchise cricket. But we just weren’t able to settle enough. I take some responsibility with that as well as we’re trying to find the team that’s going to take us forward: the right batting order. So we were chopping and changing and the whole thing just felt a little bit confusing. We just weren’t good enough.”

Birmingham City are only a matter of days away from the Championship season starting with a blockbuster home tie versus Ipswich Town, kicking proceedings off in style.

Chris Davies’ Blues head into this encounter with the recently relegated Tractor Boys sky high on confidence after beating Premier League opposition Nottingham Forest 1-0 in their final friendly runout, as the usual suspect of Jay Stansfield proved to be the difference maker with a composed effort in the first half.

It will be intriguing to see how Stansfield copes with the pressures of the second tier week in week out, as Davies and Co. attempt to replicate the success story of their blistering 22-year-old with more youthful purchases before the transfer window is over and done with.

Birmingham plotting move for Premier League starlet

Glancing an eye over Birmingham’s summer activity so far, the new faces in through the door have plenty of experience under their belts.

Combined, both Bright Osayi-Samuel and Demarai Gray boast 181 Championship clashes, on top of the likes of Tommy Doyle and Eiran Cashin entering the building on loan, also being well-versed in what it takes to succeed at the demanding level.

Birmingham looked set to continue this trend by adding in ex-Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom to the camp, but a last-gasp development has now thrown a spanner in the works of this deal, as Ipswich are now set to snap up the EFL-ready marksman at the final hour.

Therefore, Birmingham could now look to clinch a deal for an exciting 19-year-old forward instead in the form of Liverpool starlet Lewis Koumas, with the Mirror recently revealing that the teenage sensation is being eyed up by Hull City, Norwich City, Preston North End, and Wrexham, alongside the Blues also reportedly plotting a loan move for the Reds attacker.

Koumas might well fancy a move to the West Midlands – knowing what has occurred for the aforementioned Stansfield since making the switch from Craven Cottage – with the young Welshman also potentially going down as an even bigger talent than Akpom if he succeeds at St. Andrew’s.

Why Koumas is a bigger talent than Akpom

The Liverpool number 67 has been thrust into the limelight from a very early age, with this well-taken solo effort against Southampton in the FA Cup being his first ever senior strike for the Reds, all while he was only 18 years of age.

Akpom, on the contrary, never took to the pressures of being a young livewire well when on the books of Arsenal, with zero senior goals next to his name for the Gunners, before forging a nomadic career for himself away from the Emirates.

He has gone on to be a feared goal machine for a select few clubs after bowing out from North London, as the 2022/23 season for Middlesbrough saw Akpom put away a ridiculous 28 goals from 38 Championship contests.

But, he has also been prone to a barren spell in front of goal across his up-and-down playing days, too, with only five goals falling into his lap for Boro the season before this breakout moment at the Riverside Stadium, on top of only scoring three strikes for ex-employers Brighton and Hove Albion, Hull City, and Nottingham Forest in the Championship.

Therefore, it might not be the worst slice of news if Akpom ends up finalizing a switch to Birmingham’s opening day opponents over linking up with Davies and Co, with Koumas yet to be bruised by the unforgiving nature of the beast, on the other hand.

Indeed, Koumas, who has been labelled as “fearless” by Wales icon Craig Bellamy for his approach play, has shone as a lively and vibrant presence all across his fledgling career to date, with Birmingham a next step that’s unlikely to faze the 19-year-old.

Stoke

49

6

3

Liverpool U18s

24

18

6

Liverpool U21s

21

9

5

Liverpool Youth League

6

2

0

Liverpool

1

1

0

He is also more likely to force his way into Davies’ XI owing to his versatile ability to play as a striker or as a winger down either flank, with a standout 29 goals in the Reds youth picture also in his favour.

Birmingham will be disappointed losing out on Akpom to a second-tier rival, but that woe will soon be forgotten about if Koumas enters the building instead.

Birmingham could now land Zigic 2.0 by signing "extraordinary" forward

Birmingham City could soon sign their next Nicola Zigic by securing a deal for this striker.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 3, 2025

Glasgow Rangers have reportedly submitted an offer worth over £1m in an attempt to sign their latest EFL star for Russell Martin.

Latest Rangers transfer news

The Gers have endured a frustrating start under Martin. After such a promising summer, which has been full of incomings, there was plenty of hopes that a new manager, new owners and a new season would result in the ultimate change. So far, however, that has been far from the case.

"Talented" Rangers player agrees Ibrox departure days after Plzen defeat

He struggled in the defeat.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 14, 2025

Whilst Rangers did find a way past Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday night, it wasn’t without suffering defeat and falling back on their first-leg smashing to sneak in to the next round of Champions League qualifiers.

Outside of European football, things haven’t been much better, either. For the first time since 1989, the Scottish giants have failed to win either of their opening two league games – drawing against Motherwell and Dundee – and Martin wasted no time before airing his particular discontent about their opening day struggles.

Since his scathing review, it remains to be seen whether the former Southampton boss can tame the egos within the Rangers squad as more reinforcements potentially arrive this month.

Rangers submit opening offer to sign Charles

According to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Rangers have submitted an opening offer to sign Pierce Charles worth over £1m but are yet to receive a response from Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls could certainly do with such a sale amid their financial troubles, but Dejphon Chansiri’s failure to respond currently means that any deal is off the table.

Whether the Gers attempt to get a response for a second time remains to be seen. Charles’ sale would reportedly go a long way towards paying staff wages at Sheffield Wednesday, which makes it all the more frustrating for all involved at the club that neither Rangers nor West Ham United have had a reply regarding their offers.

What’s more, it’s easy to see why clubs like Rangers and West Ham are interested in Charles. At just 20 years old, Charles forced his way into Sheffield Wednesday’s plans last season and earned the praise of former boss Danny Rohl, who said: “We have two young, good goalkeepers.

“We have James Beadle who deserves a lot of credit since he arrived last year in the relegation fight, he helped us to get a lot of points. On the other side we have our own goalkeeper with Pierce, who has worked very hard. He is now the number one for his national team and has improved a lot – he deserved it as well.”

Tottenham have a potentially golden opportunity to sign another player after sealing a marquee deal for Mohammed Kudus, and amid the drama surrounding their Morgan Gibbs-White move, with chairman Daniel Levy thought to be prioritising a couple of more areas to reinforce.

£100k-a-week Tottenham star now wants to join elite manager at another club

Spurs need to sell players due to a key UEFA rule.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 11, 2025

Spurs announced the signing of Kudus in a £55 million deal from West Ham late last night, ending the 14-year-long wait for a transfer between the clubs, and the Ghanaian cannot wait to get started.

“It feels great to be here, I’m very happy and can’t wait to start,” he said in an interview with the club’s official channels.

“I’m a very direct winger, strong, very good in taking players on and creating chances, so there is a lot of flair in my game.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

“I like to entertain the fans as well. That’s what football is about – it’s putting a memory in the heads of the fans that they have when they go back home, and after the money they’ve spent to buy a ticket. Although there is also a lot of seriousness and competitiveness in the game, I still think it’s a sport I try to enjoy as much as I can and give the fans something to enjoy too. I hope fans are going to really enjoy what I’m going to bring to the team here.”

Kudus was set to be followed by Gibbs-White, following a round of quick-fire talks which accelerated in absolutely rapid fashion.

Surprise reports emerged on Thursday that the Lilywhites were suddenly in advanced negotiations for the England international right after Kudus, and it didn’t take long for Levy to make significant progress, with Spurs prepared to pay his £60 million release clause.

Tottenham were thought to be closing in on a sensational double deal worth £115 million after developments in the last 24 hours, with Levy making a serious statement whilst backing new manager Thomas Frank to the hilt.

However, after a stunning twist, Nottingham Forest are now ready to take legal action against Tottenham after alleged illegal conduct over the England international’s transfer – with the deal considered to be off, at least for now.

Forest are likely unable to put a complete halt to the signing (Rob Dorsett), but it’s now been significantly delayed.

Elsewhere, Spurs are planning to strengthen other areas of midfield, and they have their eyes on an intriguing option.

Douglas Luiz "very keen" to join Tottenham as Juventus green-light exit

According to journalist Graeme Bailey and TBR Football, £138,000-per-week Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz is being actively targeted by Spurs, following the Old Lady’s decision to green-light his exit this summer.

The Brazil international has found life difficult in Turin since his switch from Aston Villa last year, and he’s believed to be eyeing a return to the Premier League already, specifically to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Luiz is apparently “very keen” to join Tottenham and his representatives are pushing to get him that desired move, coming after Spurs allegedly held talks with them recently.

However, the former Man City man is just one of a few midfield targets being considered, as Levy apparently wants to sign a holding midfielder and new number six after their ambitious deals for Kudus and Gibbs-White.

The 27-year-old suffered from both injury problems and a subsequent lack of game time under Thiago Motta and Igor Tudor last term, but his final season at Villa Park demonstrates that he’s capable of seriously strengthening Frank’s options.

Luiz bagged 10 goals and 10 assists in 53 total appearances for Unai Emery’s side across 2023/2024, with the South American potentially coming as a dynamic replacement for Yves Bissouma in midfield, who’s attracting reported interest from Fenerbahce.

Birmingham Phoenix put themselves back into the knockout positions in the Hundred with an important win at Edgbaston, knocking Trent Rockets out of this year’s competition in the process.Tim Southee claimed a five-wicket haul, to restrict the Rockets to 118, before Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell helped the Phoenix to overtake Northern Superchargers in third with a measured chase.”It was a pretty good performance,” Southee said. “I think the bowlers assessed the conditions well and then the way the batters went about it towards the end, Bethell and Livingstone knocked it around and chose great options. So, I think it was a pretty good all-round performance.”I think we have had really good consistency over the last few games and have got to know each other a bit better. Obviously, Adam Milne and I have played a lot of cricket together, but for everyone else it’s great to have that experience of playing a few games together.”We adapted to conditions as quickly as possible, which helped us tonight and the surface offered us a little bit which we tried to get as much out of as we could.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The Phoenix won the toss and chose to bowl, which proved a great decision from Moeen Ali, as his pace attack put on an exhibition of swing and seam bowling at the start of the first innings. The dangerous quartet of Tom Banton, Alex Hales, Joe Root and Rovman Powell were dismissed in the first 30 deliveries, as the Rockets fell to 22 for 4.Tom Alsop – making his debut in The Hundred – and Pakistan international Imad Wasim rebuilt for the visitors with a fifty partnership, before Imad was retired out on a run-a-ball 29, to be replaced by Chris Green. The Australian allrounder returned for the Rockets, replacing the injured Rashid Khan, but he was to last just five balls before being removed by Adam Milne, who took a well-deserved wicket.Alsop reached his half-century, and was then dismissed by the excellent Southee, who finished with 5 for 12 and momentarily thought he’d taken a hat-trick before being denied by an overturned LBW decision.Trent Rockets set Phoenix 119 to win, and Ben Duckett got the chase off to a flying start with 30 from 16 before Rockets came firing back at them. Luke Wood dismissed Duckett and Jamie Smith in consecutive balls to put the breaks on Birmingham’s fast start.Moeen Ali and Livingstone steadied the ship for a while before the impressive John Turner (2 for 17) removed captain Moeen and Dan Mousley.Livingstone and Bethell celebrate after taking the Phoenix home•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

The away team sensed it was their chance to build the pressure with the ball in the chase and they began to restrict Phoenix’s scoring opportunities, before Luke Wood released the pressure with a no-ball free-hit that Bethell deposited into the stands to give the home side some breathing room.Bethell (38* off 29) and Livingstone (30* off 32) then took Phoenix home with a half-century partnership, as they chased it with seven balls to spare.With one game left each, the result leaves three teams with a chance of joining Oval Invincibles in the knockout rounds – Phoenix, Southern Brave and Northern Superchargers. Defeat for Trent Rockets means that, like London Spirit, Manchester Originals and Welsh Fire, their tournament is over.

Liverpool have announced the signing of Florian Wirtz, issuing an emphatic statement to the Premier League and Europe that Arne Slot’s side are at the top and they are there to stay.

The German international was one of the most sought-after players in the world, with Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid all keen, but he chose Merseyside as his destination, with Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes wrapping up the £116m deal this weekend.

The playmaker, who scored during an unforgettable career opening with Bayer Leverkusen, is aiming to win the full gamut of major honours at Anfield, and he certainly has the capacity to do so.

However, all this fanfare around Wirtz has somewhat drowned out the exciting deal for Milos Kerkez, who is all but confirmed as a new member of Slot’s squad.

Why Liverpool signed Milos Kerkez

Liverpool lost Trent Alexander-Arnold at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, the vice-captain running down his contract to sign for Real Madrid on a free transfer.

And now the Reds could be set to lose their other long-serving full-back in Andy Robertson, who, aged 31, has been on the decline and is entering the final year of his contract. La Liga’s Atletico Madrid are currently hoping to bring him over to Spain.

Luckily, Liverpool have already acted to bring in Kerkez, who hasn’t officially signed but is on the verge of leaving Bournemouth for Anfield, with a £40m fee agreed.

Hailed as “an elite player” who notably thrived when pitted against the likes of Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka last season, Kerkez is the perfect profile for the role of a modern full-back, balanced, steely in defence and a tireless runner.

He will provide Slot’s high-flying system with a new dimension down the left channel, potentially even proving the perfect partner for another Premier League star on FSG’s radar.

Liverpool line up new winger

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are still keen on signing Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon, despite bagging Wirtz already this month.

Valued at £75m, the 24-year-old winger was of a vested interest to the Anfield side last summer, but Newcastle found a different way to navigate around their PSR problems.

However, Liverpool are back in contention now and sporting director Richard Hughes is keeping a close eye on developments, joined by Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea. That said, Bailey is convinced that the England international favours a move to Liverpool over the Londoners, as it is his dream destination.

Bringing Gordon back over to Merseyside would likely be dependent on the future of Luis Diaz, who has been linked with Barcelona and suitors over in the Saudi Pro League.

What Anthony Gordon would bring to Liverpool

Gordon left his home city to sign for Newcastle in a £45m deal back in January 2023, ending his career beginnings with Everton.

Signing a former Toffee would always come laced with a certain contentiousness, but Gordon is actually of a Liverpool persuasion, released from the club’s academy when he was 11 years old.

Athletically dynamic and versatile, Gordon’s best years lie ahead of him, and he would prove the perfect Diaz replacement if the Colombian is indeed sold this summer, having shown his potential across the 2023/24 season when notching 28 goal involvements across all competitions and winning United’s Player of the Year award.

Last season, the return hasn’t been quite so rich, Gordon posting six goals and five assists in the league, but his trademark energy and enthusiasm were very much on show throughout.

Though the Three Lions man didn’t quite reach the same heights last term, he still gave a good account of himself for a Magpies side who qualified for the Champions League and won the Carabao Cup.

Matches (starts)

35 (34)

34 (28)

Goals

11

6

Assists

10

5

Shots (on target)*

2.3 (0.9)

1.7 (0.6)

Pass completion

82%

81%

Key passes*

1.6

1.5

Big chances created

16

6

Dribbles*

1.5

1.1

Ball recoveries*

3.6

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

1.1

Duels (won)*

5.3 (49%)

4.4 (52%)

His eye-catching defensive contribution and determination in the duel highlight just how Gordon could not only benefit from Kerkez’s attacking qualities but also aid the Hungarian from a defensive perspective.

Of course, Gordon is hardly a blunt-edged attacking instrument himself, explaining himself to be a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, owing to his electric pace and a directness that Liverpool have seen plenty of before through Diaz’s showings.

The wide forward’s ability to stretch lines is truly something to behold. Moreover, Gordon’s running would help create creative space for Kerkez, who finished the 2024/25 league campaign ranked among the top 12% of positional peers in the Premier League for progressive carries and the top 20% for crosses made per 90, as per FBref.

We must, at this point, trust FSG’s judgment. Diaz is clearly one of the best wingers in the world but in Gordon, the perfect heir could be found. Were an ageing Robertson the one partnering him on the flank, fluency might not be in full swing, but given that Liverpool have all but wrapped up a deal for Kerkez, there’s plenty of reason to be excited.

The fact that Gordon wants to join the club only adds substance to the argument to bring him over. Currently off on holiday with Liverpool’s Curtis Jones, you wonder if the subject has been discussed.

As rumours of a move for Alexander Isak linger in the air too, might Slot have a vision of these two forwards combining under the Anfield lights for many years to come?

In any case, Gordon would be a brilliant long-term investment for Liverpool, especially as he will find a fearsome partner in Kerkez supplying him from behind.

Better finisher than Isak: Liverpool in the race to sign £60m "powerhouse"

Liverpool are looking to sign a new centre-forward this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 21, 2025

As Sunderland prepare for life back in the Premier League, they have suffered a blow this week with news emerging of Jobe Bellingham’s pending exit, but the Black Cats are acting quickly and have already found a Premier League talent to replace him, according to a recent report.

Bellingham set for Borussia Dortmund move

Since arriving at the Stadium of Light in July 2023, Bellingham has been a breath of fresh air for the Black Cats. While the midfielder didn’t manage to score as many goals in the 2024/25 campaign as he did in the 2023/24 season, his overall performances were very consistent and helped Sunderland seal a return to football’s biggest league.

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Despite that accomplishment, Bellingham has been weighing up his future in the last couple of weeks. The 19-year-old is under contract until 2028, but there has been significant interest in a possible transfer this summer, particularly from Germany.

Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig were two teams who made a move to sign Bellingham, but the young Englishman has decided to follow in the footsteps of his brother and make a move to Borussia Dortmund. Bellingham wants to join Dortmund, and now, according to Keith Downie, Sunderland are in advanced negotiations and are set to sell the midfielder for £25 million.

Sunderland want to sign £3m Wolves ace as Bellingham replacement

So as the Black Cats work on selling Bellingham to Dortmund, the club’s hierarchy already have a player in mind when it comes to replacing him. According to TEAMtalk, Sunderland are interested in signing Tommy Doyle from Wolves this summer.

The report states that the Black Cats want to strengthen the spine of their team as they prepare for life back in the top flight, and Doyle has been earmarked as a potential arrival. Sunderland tried to sign the 23-year-old on loan back in the January transfer window, but ultimately failed.

Now they want to try again, but this time on a permanent basis, as Doyle has been told by Wolves that he is free to leave the club. The midfielder has fallen out of favour under Vitor Pereira, failing to make five of the last nine Premier League matchday squads.

Tommy Doyle’s 24/25 Premier League stats
Apps	24
Starts	3
Assists	1
Interceptions per game	0.2
Tackles per game	0.5
Balls recovered per game	1.8
Clearances per game	0.5

Wolves have put a £3 million price tag on Doyle’s head, but the Black Cats are not the only team chasing the former Man City man, as Sheffield United, whom Sunderland beat in the play-off final, are also interested in a deal, as well as Wrexham, who are playing in the second tier next season.

But Sunderland may hold an advantage – Doyle has the same agent as current Sunderland defender Luke O’Nien, who has been key for the club for a number of seasons now, perhaps smoothing negotiations along.

Indeed, it is claimed that Sunderland are in the box seat to sign Doyle, who was dubbed “unbelievable” by former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil. He’s played over 50 games in the Premier League, so his mixture of top flight experience and youthful exuberance could go a long way to replacing a departing superstar.

Celtic wrapped up their fourth title in as many seasons last weekend when they beat Dundee United 5-0 at Tannadice Park in the Scottish Premiership.

An own goal from Ryan Strain put the Hoops 1-0 up early on in the match, before two goals apiece from Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah made sure of the victory.

The Scottish giants now have four matches left to play in the league with little to play for but pride and to extend their points total, as well as using the games to warm up for the SFA Cup final.

Brendan Rodgers’ side are due to face Aberdeen at Hampden Park in the SFA Cup final at the end of this month, knowing that a win would mean that they have completed the domestic treble this season.

It has been a terrific season for the Hoops, who also made it to the play-off round of the Champions League, and some of their signings in the last summer transfer window have contributed to that.

Celtic decided to splash the cash, after Matt O’Riley’s move to Brighton & Hove Albion, with a club-record swoop to sign Arne Engels from Augsburg for a reported fee of £11m.

Why Arne Engels has been a successful signing for Celtic

The Belgian midfielder had only started 13 of his 32 appearances in the Bundesliga for Augsburg in the 2023/24 campaign, which meant that the Hoops were breaking their transfer record to sign a young player who had yet to prove that he could perform consistently as a regular starter.

It was a gamble that has already paid off for the Scottish giants, though, as Engels has enjoyed a terrific debut season at Parkhead, nailing down a place as an influential figure in midfield for Rodgers.

The 21-year-old talent has scored ten goals and provided 12 assists in 48 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops this term, which shows that he has made a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

It is worth adding that eight of those ten goals have come from the penalty spot. Of course, you still have to score from 12 yards, but it does suggest that the midfielder does not carry a huge goal threat from open play.

Starts

22

9

Big chances created

11

3

Key passes per game

1.7

1.8

Assists

5

3

Tackles + interceptions per game

0.8

2.4

Duel success rate

48%

59%

As you can see in the table above, Engels has provided consistent quality as a creator for his teammates with 14 ‘big chances’ created in 31 starts in the Premiership and the Champions League combined, whilst also holding his own in physical duels.

These statistics show that the Belgium international has been a successful signing for Celtic because he has hit the ground running as a star for the Hoops.

However, the Scottish giants could land an even bigger talent than Engels by swooping to sign one of the reported transfer targets ahead of next season.

Celtic's interest in Premiership star

The Scottish Sun recently revealed that Celtic had an offer turned down for Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller in the January transfer window.

It was claimed that the Hoops and Italian side Udinese had bids rejected for the Scotland U21 international, who remained at Fir Park for the second half of this season.

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The outlet added that Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise are lining up a swoop for the Scottish starlet in the upcoming summer transfer window, with a fee of £5m said to be on the cards.

Celtic must, now, press ahead with another attempt to sign the Motherwell sensation when the summer window opens for business, because he has the potential to be an even bigger talent than Engels for the Bhoys.

Why Miller is an even bigger talent than Engels

Firstly, Miller is three years younger than the Belgian midfielder, who plays in the same position as him, and has already established himself as a regular starter in the Premiership.

He has started 48 matches in the Scottish top-flight since the start of last season, which shows that the teenage gem already has plenty of experience in the league despite his age.

This also means that he has even more time left ahead of him to develop and improve as a player in comparison to Engels, as he has established himself as a star at first-team level at a much younger age.

Miller’s performances in the Premiership for Motherwell, including his stunning assist against Celtic last season in the clip below, also suggest that he could offer even more than the Belgian ace in the short-term as well.

The Scottish ace, who has been hailed as “ridiculous” by pundit James McFadden, has the quality to offer a similar level of creativity whilst providing more to the team out of possession.

Appearances

31

28

Big chances created

11

10

Key passes per game

1.7

1.6

Assists

5

6

Tackles + interceptions per game

0.8

3.1

Ball recoveries per game

2.5

6.5

Duel success rate

48%

52%

As you can see in the table above, Miller, despite playing for an inferior side at Premiership level, has only created one fewer ‘big chance’ in three fewer appearances.

The Motherwell dynamo has, however, won the ball back far more frequently for his side and come out on top in a higher percentage of his duels with other midfielders.

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Therefore, Celtic could land an even bigger talent than Engels by signing Miller because he has performed as well as the Hoops star in possession, whilst doing more for his team defensively, and is three years younger than him.

It is now down to the club to get a deal over the line for the teenage starlet, who could develop into a star for the Scottish giants next season and for many seasons to come.