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Leeds United have now made contact over signing a midfield star who’s been likened to Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, according to recent reports.

Daniel Farke Leeds "preparing" for January window

There’s no rest for the wicked and Leeds’ clash against Liverpool at Elland Road represents another tough test for Daniel Farke’s side, who have already squared off against Manchester City and Chelsea this week.

On paper, the visit of the reigning champions should be a daunting task, but Liverpool’s crown has been snatched this season and the Reds find themselves in the middle of a disastrous defence. Leeds, meanwhile, just ran Man City close and swept past Chelsea in shocking fashion. Those at Elland Road couldn’t be facing Liverpool at a better time.

Victory over Slot’s side could take the Whites five points clear of the dropzone if results go their way in a crucial step towards survival as the festive fixtures arrive thick and fast.

Meanwhile, as things progress on the pitch, the 49ers are already “planning” ahead for the January transfer window, according to Farke. The Leeds boss told reporters earlier this week: “I have not one second to think about what could happen, it also depends on injuries and how the players deliver in these upcoming games.

“I spoke in the summer about what he might have liked to sign and this has not gone away, in the background we are preparing but now is not the time to speak about it.”

Related Leeds now prioritising £35m move to sign South American defender ahead of Juventus

He’d be one of their most expensive arrivals.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Dec 5, 2025

On that front, names such as Nilson Angulo have emerged as reported targets. The impressive winger has been dubbed one of Europe’s standout wingers this season and would certainly inject some added spark to Farke’s frontline.

The same can be said for Jens Hjerto-Dahl. The midfielder has been likened to fellow Norway star Odegaard and now finds himself on the radar of those at Elland Road.

Leeds make contact over signing Jens Hjerto-Dahl

As reported by TeamTalk, Leeds have now made contact to sign Hjerto-Dahl in 2026, but face competition from Rangers, Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Tromso midfielder has built up an impressive reputation in Norway for his ability as a goalscoring box-crasher – scoring five goals in 35 games in all competitions this season – and could now get the chance to do that in the Premier League.

Described as “powerful” by scout Kai Watson, Hjerto-Dahl was likened to Odegaard when he was linked with a move to Brighton earlier this month and Leeds should go all out to land his signature.

The towering star certainly fits the physical profile of what’s needed in the Premier League these days, but it remains to be seen if clubs act as early as January.

Farke must unleash "wonderkid" who'd be perfect for Nmecha's new Leeds role

The Rockies are suddenly rolling. After a dismal 9–50 start to the 2025 MLB season, they've won three straight games—all against the Marlins—marking their first series sweep of an opponent in over a calendar year.

Colorado's 12th victory was in turn Miami's 37th loss, and their seventh in their last nine games. With the Marlins in a slump and only 6,261 fans at loanDepot Park on Wednesday afternoon, the Marlins play-by-play announcers' call of the final out was incredibly sad and, frankly, uninspiring.

Have a listen to the play here:

So sad.

The red-hot Rockies are off on Thursday before returning to Colorado on Friday to take on the NL East-leading Mets from Coors Field. The Marlins are also back at it on Friday, taking on the Rays from Tampa's George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Turkey is facing one of the most explosive scandals in its footballing history, with more than 1,000 players, 149 referees and even a top-flight club chairman suspended amid a sweeping illegal betting investigation. What began as an audit has spiralled into a multi-layered crackdown touching coaches, commentators, club executives and foreign betting networks while exposing a deeper crisis in Turkish football and society.

• Gambling scandal jolts Turkish football

  What began as an internal probe by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has now morphed into a far-reaching crisis. The initial revelation that 149 referees and assistants were suspected of betting on matches was shocking enough, but the numbers kept growing until the scandal exploded into the public sphere. Authorities have already suspended 1,024 players from all domestic leagues, shuttered the second and third divisions for two weeks, and arrested eight individuals, including the chairman of a top-tier club. The shock escalated when it emerged that 27 players from the Super Lig which included footballers from giants like Galatasaray, Besiktas and Trabzonspor were among those named. With nearly every club in the top 10 pulled into the inquiry except Fenerbahce, the title race has been thrown into disarray.

  Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akin Gurlek made it clear this was only the beginning. He said new operations could be launched at any time and openly acknowledged that coaches, club executives and even commentators may be pulled into the widening net. Turkish prosecutors are now working with UEFA, Interpol and foreign betting regulators in Montenegro, Cyprus and Georgia to track the international networks used to place illegal wagers.

  "Whoever was involved in cheating, we are chasing them. There will be club chairmen and club executives in the probes … There may be ties between chairmen and referees, coaches and commentators. We are investigating everything," said Gurlek.

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• AFP
  

  Audit finds 371 professional referees hold active betting accounts

  The magnitude of the scandal has left the country stunned. In Istanbul’s traditional hubs of football gossip fans admit they have been left speechless by the scale of wrongdoing. The TFF's own audit uncovered that 371 out of 571 professional referees held active betting accounts, including one official who had placed more than 18,000 wagers alone.

  Sociologists and commentators argue the crisis mirrors wider issues within Turkey. The scandal broke at a time when Turkey is already grappling with politically charged anti-corruption probes, and many citizens believe football is simply reflecting the country’s broader problems. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has insisted that the crackdown proves no one is untouchable under Turkish law, yet critics argue that suspicions and political tensions have clouded the investigation’s integrity.

  Meanwhile, pay levels and financial pressures, once assumed to be the cause, appear to be only part of the story. Some referees were even encouraged to join betting platforms linked to influential business groups, raising uncomfortable questions about oversight, conflicts of interest and how deeply embedded gambling culture had become within the sport.

• Players deny accusations as Turkish football comes under strain

  Several high-profile players, including national team defenders, denied ever betting and were later cleared. FIFA-certified referee Zorbay Kucuk filed a criminal complaint to assert his innocence, insisting he had never placed a single wager.

  Turkey’s refereeing community, already historically targeted by fans, coaches and club owners, now faces public distrust like never before. Past incidents, from physical attacks on referees to public accusations from managers like José Mourinho, have only amplified the sense that the entire officiating system is fragile and vulnerable.

  Turkey’s top clubs have publicly backed the crackdown, calling it a chance to “clean” the sport. Yet among supporters, scepticism runs deep. With Turkey ranked high on global organised crime indexes, many fear the investigation might end with a few high-profile arrests while the core problems remain untouched.

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• AFP
  

  Turkish federation's fight to rebuild trust on the global stage

  The scandal arrives at a time when Turkish football should have been enjoying renewed optimism. The national team’s Euro 2024 run, co-hosting duties for Euro 2032, and a surge of big-money transfers had created a sense of revival. Instead, the sport is now grappling with a crisis that threatens its integrity at the most fundamental level.

  The TFF has quietly asked FIFA for an emergency transfer window to help clubs cope with mass suspensions, signalling just how disruptive the fallout has been. Meanwhile, UEFA is monitoring the situation closely, wary of the integrity risks posed to European competitions. As the legal dust settles, the investigation could reshape Turkish football for years to come, determining which clubs face relegation, which officials receive lifetime bans, and which executives are prosecuted.

Could Daniel Farke be the next Premier League manager in line to face the sack?

While Leeds United have picked up a promising three wins so far in the Premier League, fans of the Elland Road giants will also feel that there’s been a lot of other games this season where their side have been outplayed, with their 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday falling into this category.

The Seagulls tallied up 14 shots on Lucas Perri’s goal compared to Leeds’ weak five on Bart Verbruggen’s largely untested net, as Fabian Hurzeler’s confident hosts never looked in danger of slipping up throughout their comfortable 90 minutes.

Farke will surely have to ring the changes for Leeds’ next Premier League clash away at Nottingham Forest to try and lift his side to bounce back, and to also save his skin, with Brenden Aaronson at risk of dropping out despite scoring a week prior.

Aaronson's poor performance vs Brighton

Aaronson wanted to kick on in the Whites’ first team picture away at the Amex, having been an exhilarating watch throughout Leeds’ 2-1 home win against West Ham United, with his bundled-in opener after three minutes nearly upstaged by an insane solo strike sailing in.

Yet, the Jekyll and Hyde American was way off it on the South Coast to add to Leeds fans’ frustrations surrounding his inconsistent performances.

Come the close of the match on Saturday, Aaronson failed to complete one single successful dribble from two attempts, failed to hit a single meaningful shot at the home side’s goal, and also only won a weak three duels from the ten he attempted.

It’s night and day from his high-octane showing against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, where he was 100% successful with all his dribbles, on top of winning a hefty eight duels.

Patience must be extremely thin; therefore, when it comes to Farke choosing to pick Aaronson week in week out, knowing that an unbelievable display is often followed up by the number 11 putting in a disastrous no-show.

But, Aaronson is not the only underperformer in the German’s bad books.

Farke must drop 4/10 Leeds star

Brighton ran the Leeds defence ragged all afternoon long, as Jayden Bogle continually failed to lay a glove on the rampaging Diego Gomez, who would finish the one-sided match with two Premier League goals next to his name.

Joe Rodon also looked way below his usual standards, but the Welshman definitely has enough credit in his bank this season alone to demand he’s still in the first team frame, having popped up with two goals from the back.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

81

Accurate passes

73/78 (94%)

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

3

Blocked shots

0

Ball recoveries

6

Total duels won

1/3

On the contrary, his centre-back partner on the South Coast in Jaka Bijol, is yet to establish himself as a fan’s favourite, and he certainly won’t have endeared himself to the hardened West Yorkshire masses with his ropey showing against Hurzeler’s runaway hosts.

Indeed, away from spraying the ball about with some assurance, the brand-new Leeds’ number 15 struggled to contain the likes of Danny Welbeck throughout, leading to just one duel being won.

On top of that, Bijol would also fail to go in for a single tackle, leading Brighton to find it easy when carving open the away side’s frail defence at will.

Moreover, the former Udinese man very much lacked the pace and determination to track back when Yankuba Minteh and the aforementioned Gomez ran riot, with Pascal Struijk perhaps the better-suited centre-back option for this showdown.

Leeds fans had been crying out for their £15m summer recruit to start more games, but after his 4/10 afternoon against Brighton – which is the low score that was handed to him post-match by Leeds Live’s Isaac Johnson – he will surely be dropped back down to the bench, for the Dutchman to return to the XI.

Farke will pray that the changes that are made spur his team on to a rare away win against Nottingham Forest next, with a loss at the City Ground only pulling Leeds even closer to the relegation zone.

Farke can unleash Stach by dropping Leeds star who's "not good enough"

Leeds United boss could bring Anton Stach back into the starting line-up by dropping this star.

ByDan Emery Nov 1, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Boca Juniors eliminou o Palmeiras nos pênaltis, nesta quinta-feira (5), e garantiu vaga na final da Libertadores. Após empate no tempo normal em 1 a 1, com gols de Cavani e Piquerez, a decisão foi para os pênaltis, que favoreceram os argentinos, que marcaram quatro vezes contra apenas duas dos brasileiros. Raphael Veiga e Gustavo Gómez perderam para o Verdão, já Cavani perdeu para os Xeneizes.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras afasta zebra e goleia o Barcelona de Guayaquil na estreia da Libertadores FemininaPalmeiras05/10/2023PalmeirasQual é a maior goleada da história do Palmeiras?Palmeiras05/10/2023PalmeirasBares do Allianz Parque fazem campanha antirracista pré-Palmeiras x Boca: ‘Pele preta, manto verde!’Palmeiras05/10/2023

+ Veja tabela da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

Com a vitória nos pênaltis, o Boca enfrenta o Fluminense na final da Liberta, que acontece no dia 4 de novembro, no Maracanã.

+ Você quer trabalhar no seu clube do coração? Matricule-se no curso Gestor de Futebol e entenda como!

CINCO LANCES QUE MARCARAM O DUELO

> CERA SEM FIM! O jogo não tinha dois minutos e o goleiro Romero, do Boca Juniors, já demorava uma eternidade para repor a bola. Assim como qualquer bola parada era motivo para pausar a partida e seu ritmo. A torcida desanimava no mesmo passo.

> CAVANI DESENCANTA! Enquanto o Palmeiras tinha enorme dificuldade para chegar perto da área do Boca, o time argentino aproveitava o nervosismo adversário para crescer. E deu certo. Numa dessas escapadas, Merentiel se livrou de Gómez e cruzou na medida para Cavani, que estava em jejum, abrir o placar.

continua após a publicidade

> CRIAS MUDAM O JOGO! Logo na volta do intervalo, Abel Ferreira fez o que toda a torcida pedia e colocou a molecada para jogar. Endrick e Kevin entraram nos lugares de Artur e Marcos Rocha. O efeito foi imediato e com 15 minutos o Verdão jogou mais do que todo o primeiro tempo.

> UM A MAIS E EMPATE! O Palmeiras estava muito melhor no jogo e ficou ainda mais quando Rojo foi expulso pelo segundo amarelo. Em um “ataque contra defesa”, Piquerez armou um chute de fora da área e Romero aceitou. 1 a 1 na semifinal.

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> VEIGA E GÓMEZ PERDEM PÊNALTI! Dois dos principais jogadores do Palmeiras nos últimos tempos foram os responsáveis por desperdiçar as cobranças de pênaltis do time. Já o Boca, que perdeu com Cavani, fez os outros quatro e venceu a decisão.

PRIMEIRO TEMPO

Apesar da enorme festa da torcida antes de o jogo começar, o Palmeiras desde o apito inicial deu sinais de que não estava embalado e de fato não evoluiu na primeira etapa. O lado esquerdo ficou “cego” e o direito não se entendeu no ataque nem na defesa. E foi por ali que Merentiel superou Gómez e cruzou na medida para Cavani desencantar. Dali em diante, bateu o desespero no Alviverde, que não soube o que fazer e ainda foi presa fácil para a catimba dos argentinos. O time foi para o vestiário sob pedidos de “raça” das arquibancadas.

SEGUNDO TEMPO

Com a entrada de Kevin e Endrick nos lugares de Marcos Rocha e Artur, o Palmeiras melhorou demais e proporcionou um “ataque contra defesa” na segunda etapa. A expulsão de Rojo também ajudou, e logo em seguida Piquerez conseguiu empatar com um gol de fora da área. Mais crias entraram no decorrer da etapa final e a superioridade foi aumentando, mas a bola batia em tudo o que era possível e não entrava. Além disso, a arbitragem deu apenas cinco minutos de acréscimos mesmo com toda a cera argentina. Com o empate, a decisão foi para os pênaltis.

OS PÊNALTIS

O Boca começou perdendo com o desperdício de Cavani, defendido por Weverton. No entanto, o Palmeiras não aproveitou a oportunidade de sair na frente e perdeu com Veiga, que foi seguido por um erro de Gómez, em péssima cobrança. Já os argentinos não perderam mais nenhum e fecharam as penalidades com 4 a 2. Kevin e Piquerez salvaram a safra para os palmeirenses.

O QUE VEM POR AÍ

Eliminado, o Palmeiras perde a chance de disputar sua sétima final de Libertadores e agora foca nos compromissos do Brasileirão, último campeonato que resta no ano. Neste domingo (8), o Verdão recebe o Santos, na Arena Barueri, às 16h (de Brasília). Atualmente, a equipe de Abel Ferreira é a quarta colocada com 44 pontos, oito atrás do líder Botafogo.

FICHA TÉCNICA
PALMEIRAS 1 (2) x (4) 1 BOCA JUNIORS
Local: Allianz Parque, em São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora: 5/10/2023, às 21h30 (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Andres Matonte (URU)
Assistentes: Nicolas Taran (URU) e Martin Soppi (URU)
VAR: Leodan Gonzalez (URU)
Público e renda: 40.398 torcedores/R$ 4.974.909,22
Cartões amarelos: Luis Guilherme, Raphael Veiga, Gustavo Gómez e Rony (PAL) Romero, Figal, Equi Fernández e Pol Fernández (BOC)
Cartões vermelhos: Rojo, aos 21’/2ºT (BOC)
Gols: Cavani (22’/1ºT) (0-1), Piquerez (27’/2ºT) (1-1)

PÊNALTIS

BOCA JUNIORS: Cavani (perdeu), Valdez Rojas (marcou), Valentini (marcou), Figal (marcou), Pol Fernández (marcou)
PALMEIRAS: Raphael Veiga (perdeu), Gustavo Gómez (perdeu), Kevin (marcou), Piquerez (marcou)

BOCA JUNIORS: Romero; Advíncula, Figal, Rojo e Fabra (Saracchi, aos 36’/2ºT); Pol Fernández, Medina, Equi Fernández e Barco (Valentini, aos 22’/2ºT); Merentiel (Valdez Rojas, aos 9’/2ºT) e Cavani. Técnico: Jorge Almirón.

PALMEIRAS: Weverton; Marcos Rocha (Kevin, no intervalo), Gustavo Gómez, Murilo e Piquerez; Zé Rafael (Fabinho, aos 32’/2ºT), Gabriel Menino (Flaco López, aos 22’/2ºT) e Raphael Veiga; Mayke (Luis Guilherme, aos 32’/2ºT), Artur (Endrick, no intervalo) e Rony. Técnico: Abel Ferreira.

Tudo sobre

Boca JuniorsLibertadoresPalmeiras

Making his first move as sporting director, Ross Wilson and Newcastle United have now reportedly agreed a deal to sign a young defender ahead of rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Eddie Howe backs "great" Ross Wilson appointment

With the focus now firmly back on domestic football after the conclusion of the October international break, Eddie Howe has had his say on Wilson’s Newcastle arrival.

The former Bournemouth boss, who has worked with both Dan Ashworth and Paul Mitchell at the club, has now backed the new sporting director ahead of the Magpies’ trip to face Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.

The former Nottingham Forest man arrives to calm the storm in Newcastle’s transfer department, which endured the most chaotic summer window. Whether that means reinforcements for Howe remains to be seen.

Having broken their transfer record to welcome Nick Woltemade and replace one of the world’s best strikers in Alexander Isak, PIF certainly proved that they’re willing to spend without PSR issues in the way and that has reportedly seen Wilson spring into action from the off.

Newcastle agree deal to sign Kenchington

According to Craig Hope of the Daily Mail, Newcastle have now agreed a deal to sign Josh Kenchington from Barnsley in Wilson’s first move as sporting director. The England U15 centre-back also had interest from Tottenham Hotspur, but is seemingly set to make the move to Tyneside in the near future.

Likened to Manchester City star and multiple-time Premier League winner John Stones by Hope, Kenchington now has the chance to follow in the England international’s footsteps from Barnsley to the top flight.

Newcastle are brewing a bigger talent than Gordon who's "similar to Mbappe"

One youngster could surpass Anthony Gordon as Newcastle’s next star under Eddie Howe

ByWill Miller Oct 16, 2025

Comfortable on the ball and already over 6ft, there is understandable excitement around the young defender’s arrival. Those at St James’ Park aren’t afraid to hand young players opportunities when they’re ready, either, with the likes of Lewis Miley already benefitting from that.

Although he is unlikely to be in and around Howe’s first-team for a few years yet, Kenchington is certainly one to watch at youth level. If he proves to be anywhere near as talented as England star Stones, then Newcastle will have an undeniable gem on their hands. As first moves go, Wilson may have just pulled off an inevitable bargain.

Former Rangers manager Ally McCoist feels the club’s new owners, staff and Russell Martin “underestimated” the size of the task at Ibrox before the head coach was sacked.

Martin lasted just four months in charge and paid the price for a poor start after Sunday’s 1-1 William Hill Premiership draw with Falkirk.

Rangers only won five out of 17 games under Martin with their sole league victory coming courtesy of a stoppage-time winner at Livingston. A Champions League exit was followed by defeats in their opening two Europa League games against Genk and Sturm Graz.

Martin was appointed soon after an American consortium secured a majority stake in Rangers but the new-look board now face another major decision.

McCoist: 49ers and old Gers staff made fatal error

McCoist said on TalkSPORT: “We’re sitting eighth in the table and we have a negative goal difference so there’s no surprise at all.

“I think probably the new owners and certainly the old management staff probably underestimated the size of the job.

“There’s a lot of people maybe just look a little bit at Scottish football and say ‘Celtic and Rangers will win their games and that’s it finished because that’s what they do’. But football is a lot more difficult than that.

“I just think that aligned to really poor, really poor business in the transfer market in terms of recruitment.

“It’s easy to blame the manager and that’s where the buck stops, we all know that’s what happens, but the players have got to take some of the responsibility as well. Some of the defending…

“The goals Rangers lost in midweek (against Sturm Graz) were incredible.

Kris Boyd slams "embarrassing" thing Martin had Rangers do in Sturm Graz defeat

It was another night to forget.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 3, 2025

“Rangers look like wee boys. Falkirk out-ran Rangers, they out-fought Rangers and that can happen occasionally but it’s been happening on a regular basis. It’s not good enough.

“The away games. They’ve been to St Mirren, Motherwell, Falkirk, Livingston. It’s not as if they have been to Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen. These are games you are expected to win.”

Boyd: Thelwell's transfer business not good enough

Another former Rangers striker, Kris Boyd, expanded on McCoist’s main point and believes questions will be asked of the likes of sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

“Scotland’s a difficult place to play football,” Boyd told Sky Sports News.

“There’s a lot of people, especially down south, that think it’s easy, it’s not that good. And sometimes the football isn’t that good, you can’t get away from that.

“But it’s a difficult place to play because both clubs in this city demand that you win. Both can’t win at the same time and when you’re not winning, you come under huge scrutiny.

“And that’s where Rangers are at right now because not only Russell Martin hasn’t delivered. There’s a lot of people within the football club failing to deliver in their duty right now as well, and the focus will turn on them.”

Boyd added: “There’s fingerprints from other people over some of the signings that have arrived at Rangers.

“When you think of (Youssef) Chermiti, for £9million, you’ve got to be looking for more. You’ve got to be looking for somebody that’s going to come in and start and have an impact. You’re more or less looking for the finished article, not a project.

“Rangers recruitment, they’ve tried to hit the jackpot with every single signing, bringing them in, giving them an opportunity to try and move them on for bigger money.

“You need to have a core at this football club that allows you to build from within, and that has been lost.”

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.

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.”