The already chaotic summer transfer window has certainly livened up in the past couple of days involving the newly promoted Premier League sides. Sunderland and Leeds United seem to be regularly locking horns over who to buy, with the Black Cats winning many of the battles so far, as seen in Regis Le Bris’ men pipping the Whites to the signature of £30m midfielder Habib Diarra.

On top of that, they are now raining on the Elland Road parade further by nearing a deal to land Noah Sadiki, who was also on Leeds’ radar.

Still, there’s plenty of time for Leeds to iron out deals away from finding themselves somewhat in Sunderland’s shadow, as a whole host of standout names continue to be linked to West Yorkshire.

Leeds' latest transfer business

The panic button won’t be pressed just yet, considering Leeds are already three signings down as they go about building a Premier League-ready team.

But, there are priority positions that are in need of reinforcements still, with Gustavo Hamer notably continuing to be linked to Elland Road to gift Daniel Farke and Co. more numbers down the left wing, and in the troubled number ten position.

On top of that, a brand-new goalkeeper to replace a shaky Illan Meslier is also a must, with a fantastic target now coming to the surface.

As per Leeds Live, the Whites are still monitoring the situation of Brazilian shot-stopper Lucas Perri, and are said to be ‘exploring’ a move, with the likes of AS Monaco also noted as an interested party in the Lyon goalkeeper.

Lyon’s dire financial situation remains up in the air, with Leeds potentially capitalising on their woes to land the 27-year-old for a cut-price deal, but no bid or even talks have occurred just yet.

Why Perri would be a better signing than Sadiki

This could well be seen as a better buy long-term for Leeds than their failed pursuit of Sadiki, with Perri at the top of his game last season in Ligue 1, meaning the Whites could be handed a top-flight-ready ‘keeper very soon, over having to persist with Meslier.

Of course, winning the services of the Congolese international would have been an ideal scenario as Leeds attempt to bolster all over the pitch.

Indeed, Sadiki – when glancing at his career-wide numbers – can slot into various spots on the pitch if needed, with the 20-year-old starlet having played in defence on 12 occasions, while also excelling as a central midfield option.

Yet, at £17.75m – which is the agreed fee Sunderland have reportedly signed off on – it is a risky move, with the up-and-coming Union Saint-Gilloise prospect having to get up to speed with the demands of the Premier League fast.

Further, with Ao Tanaka, Ilia Gruev, and Ethan Ampadu already at Farke’s disposal centrally, a pricey addition here might not be seen as the most pressing capture to make.

Whereas, for a reported £13m, snapping up Perri’s signature should be viewed as a no-brainer to try and get over the line, with the South American ‘keeper even featuring in the Europa League last season for Paolo Fonseca’s men.

Perri’s league numbers (24/25) vs Meslier’s (24/25)
Stat	Perri	Meslier
Games played	33	39
Goals conceded	44	29
Saves	116	65
Goals prevented	+6.05	-2.35
Clean sheets	10	21
Stats by Sofascore

Whilst the table above might initially sway those into thinking Meslier is just about the stronger ‘keeper when staring at clean sheets numbers alone, Perri was in a far tougher terrain last campaign in the French top division, with the Lyon number 23 preventing a whopping 6.05 goals in the process courtesy of his shot-stopping.

On the contrary, his ex-Lorient counterpart had far too many error-strewn displays – irrespective of his 21 clean sheets overall – leaving him with a worrying -2.35 in this regard.

Further lauded as being “the best goalkeeper in the world” by Fonseca last season, this feels like a signing that would make Leeds a far more competitive force when returning to the Premier League, rather than hoping for Sadiki to come good in such a challenging environment.

Better signing than Diarra: Leeds line up move for "exceptional" £30m star

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a star who would be even better than Habib Diarra.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 3, 2025

Scrivens half-century drives run-chase to boost title hopes

ECB Reporters Network26-Aug-2024

Mady Villiers impressed for Sunrisers on her birthday•Getty Images

Sunrisers 189 for 7 (Scrivens 56) beat Northern Diamonds 188 for 9 (Villiers 4-36, Munro 3-25) by three wicketsBirthday girl Mady Villiers equalled her career-best with the ball as Sunrisers beat high-flying Northern Diamonds by three wickets at Chelmsford to move third in the standings.Villiers, who turned 26 today produced spin wizardry to take 4 for 36 and with Sophie Munro’s 3 for 25 lending valuable support, Diamonds were restricted to 188 for 9.Grace Scrivens’ 56 led the chase, sharing half-century stands with Cordelia Griffith and Jody Grewcock (40) as the hosts overcame a late wobble to race home with 12 overs to spare.Diamonds, for whom Sterre Kalis made 36 and Katherine Fraser 34, were left to rue dropped catches in the field, but stay second and on course for the semi-finals.Missing Lauren Winfield-Hill, away at the Caribbean Premier League, and Bess Heath, withdrawn by England, Diamonds opted to bat on a used Chelmsford pitch.Fraser provided early impetus, a cracking pull shot the pick of her four boundaries, while Emma Marlow struck successive fours off Eva Gray. The bowler gained compensation with the wicket of Fraser, caught by Grewcock from the last ball of the powerplay.The visitors advanced to 67 for 1 before Villiers began the host’s fightback, dismissing the tournament’s leading scorer, Hollie Armitage, caught at short mid-on. The dismissal continued Armitage’s recent run of low scores from the Hundred with Northern Superchargers.Villiers wheeled away to great effect, capturing the wicket of Marlow with one which stopped in the pitch, before trapping Rebecca Duckworth lbw.Kalis in company with Beth Langston counter-attacked from the other end with a 60-ball stand of 50, the former mixing powerful driving with some classy cut shots.Both though fell in quick succession Langston becoming Villiers’ fourth victim before Munro, switched to the Graham Gooch end to castle Kalis, the wicket part of a spell of 3 for 11 in seven overs from the quick on loan from the Blaze.Thereafter, a stubborn ninth wicket stand of 28 between debutant Maddie Ward and Katie Levick helped Diamonds to what looked a par score.In a strange quirk all nine Diamonds wickets were taken from the Graham Gooch End.Ward was in the action early in the field catching Gardner to give Rachel Slater the breakthrough.Kalis’ catching would prove less secure an over later, shelling a straightforward chance at first slip to reprieve Griffith on 4, Beth Langston the unlucky bowler.Griffith, who endured a difficult spell with London Spirit in the Hundred, despite the franchise lifting the trophy, celebrated the life by lofting Levick for the first six of the day. However, the introduction of Fraser brought her demise, Griffith skying the spinner’s fourth ball back to the bowler, ending a stand of 53.Scrivens, who had been driving well off front and back foot through the cover region sent another skywards in the following over which Ward got a hand to running to her right but couldn’t hold.Scare survived, Scrivens was soon back to taking heavy toll of the Diamonds’ bowling, hitting Fraser for a towering straight six which accompanied by five fours took her to 50 from 62 balls.The stand with Grewcock reached 60 before Scrivens in attempting to sweep Marlow lobbed a gentle catch to Levick at short fine leg.Villiers was given a present by the visitors when Kalis dropped her at mid-on when she’d made only four, but Sunrisers’ hearts were beating a little faster later in the over when a mix up between the batters saw Grewcock run out for a run-a-ball 40.Villiers fell with 19 needed and Fraser (3 for 37) caused late panic with the wickets of Miller and Gray but Lissy Macleod (23 not out) saw Sunrisers over the line.

In-form Dom Sibley’s second hundred in three matches spurred Surrey to end a run of five straight defeats with their first Metro Bank One-Day Cup victory of the season, dealing a blow to Leicestershire’s hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stages.Sibley followed his 149 against Warwickshire and 72 versus Nottinghamshire with 105, sharing stands of 138 for the first wicket with Ryan Patel (72) and 111 for the second with Ben Geddes (61) as Surrey totalled 296 for 6. It proved enough despite losing five wickets in the last eight overs.The Foxes were given a chance as opener Sol Budinger maintained his place as the competition’s leading run scorer by hitting 70 from 68 balls and Tom Scriven’s career-best 55 raised hopes of a gripping finish for a crowd of almost 1,400 but ultimately proved in vain, leg-spinner Cameron Steel taking 3 for 48 for the victors.All-rounders Ian Holland, with 2 for 50, and Scriven, with 2 for 51, were the pick of the Foxes bowlers, with 19-year-old seamer Sam Wood taking 1 for 34 on his List A debut.If the Foxes finished well with the ball, the start provided by Sibley and Patel with the bat was comfortably Surrey’s best of the season.Asked to bat first on an overcast morning, Surrey were 51 without loss from 10 overs and were 125 for nothing by halfway, Sibley having gone to fifty from 59 balls with Patel reaching his from 72.Patel suffered an unlucky dismissal. Shaping to hook the tall Wood, he seemed to be hit on the shoulder before the ball deflected off his helmet on to the stumps.Geddes maintained Surrey’s positive start. Dropped by Chris Wright at fine leg on 35 off Liam Trevaskis, he cashed in to the tune of 26 more runs before falling to a catch at deep midwicket off Roman Walker.Sibley had gone to his hundred from 115 balls in the 42nd over with his 11th four but soon miscued to long-off, giving Scriven wickets in consecutive overs after Rory Burns was bowled sweeping.Holland then had Josh Blake caught at backward point and 19-year-old Surrey debutant Ollie Sykes at long-on, a fifth wicket to fall in seven overs with Surrey slipping from 249 for 1 to 286 to 6.The Foxes’ chase suffered a double stumble to leave them 49 for 2 from 10 after Holland picked out deep backward square off James Taylor and Lewis Hill was caught behind off Conor McKerr.Ajinkya Rahane had an escape when he was spilled at cover on four off McKerr, which was beginning to look like an expensive drop by Steel as he and Budinger began to accelerate, the latter passing fifty for the fourth time in five innings, the run including 120 against Essex at Chelmsford. But Rahane could make only 27 before he was caught at midwicket off Patel, the ball perhaps sticking in the pitch a little.Budinger and Peter Handscomb shared a match-winning 113-run partnership against Essex on this ground last year but could add only 48 this time before Budinger holed out to deep midwicket.It felt like a significant moment at 142 for 4 in the 26th, one that was amplified two overs later as Handscomb hit straight to cover, both batters falling to Steel.Trevaskis was bowled by left-arm spinner Yousef Majid and Cox fell leg-before to McKerr. Scriven’s 45-run eighth-wicket stand with Wood, stumped off Steel for 22, kept the contest alive, Scriven hitting two sixes, but 20 off Taylor in the last over was always unlikely and the match ended with Scriven falling to a stunning catch by Patel at backward point as Leicestershire were all out for 279.With three wins from five, qualification for the knock-out stages is still possible, although Group B leaders Warwickshire and Glamorgan both have five wins from five.Both sides wore black armbands and a minute’s silence was observed at the start of the match as the cricket world mourns the loss of great England and Surrey servant Graham Thorpe.

In another world, Blast matchwinner would be lining up for Oval Test; instead he’s off to Finals Day

Matt Roller04-Sep-2024It is not hard to imagine a world in which Ollie Robinson spent Wednesday preparing to lead England’s attack against Sri Lanka at The Oval. Instead, with weeks left to run on his central contract, he spearheaded Sussex’s charge into T20 Blast Finals Day at a sold-out Hove – first with the ball, and then in the field with a bullseye run-out of Liam Livingstone.It was a performance that left Sussex’s captain, Tymal Mills, pushing Robinson’s credentials on the franchise circuit. “Hopefully, he picks up some more T20 gigs off the back of it,” Mills said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with him England-wise in red-ball cricket, but he’s shown he’s a very skilful new-ball bowler.”Even with Jos Buttler missing, Lancashire fielded seven internationals to Sussex’s five but were totally outplayed, with Robinson instrumental. On a fresh, grassy pitch, he struck with the first ball of the match, bowling Phil Salt – returning to his old club – via his pad with an in-ducker, then yorked Keaton Jennings in the seventh over after being swung over mid-on for a pair of sixes.Jennings’ dismissal for 37 sparked a slow-motion collapse of 5 for 14 in four overs, before Livingstone took charge of the game: he twice crunched Mills over square leg, and launched Jofra Archer over long-off. But on 43, after steering to short third, he was sent back by Luke Wood, sprawled at full stretch to make his ground, and was beaten by Robinson’s direct hit.When Archer, playing his first game in the Blast since 2021, rearranged Saqib Mahmood’s stumps, Lancashire had been bowled out for just 114, the lowest first-innings score at Hove in eight years. Brad Currie struck twice with his inswingers, while spinners James Coles and Jack Carson kept the brakes on through the middle – but Robinson was the star.”I didn’t expect to have him much at all in the Blast,” Mills said. “But once it looked like he was getting left out of the England team, he was with us from the start and has been fantastic. He’s been thinking about the game, helping me out in the field, and I can’t speak highly enough of him. It’s been a huge boost to have him.”Robinson is not renowned as the most athletic fielder but was quick to point out on Sky Sports that his direct hit was his second of the season. “He’s in excellent shape,” Mills said. “He’s clearly enjoying his cricket. He’s really committed down here — he’s signed a contract extension for next year — and is in a really good place at the moment.”When Stuart Broad retired at the end of last summer’s Ashes series, Robinson looked like the obvious replacement. Instead, he has played a single Test since, bowling 13 wicketless overs in Ranchi while struggling with a back issue. Even with James Anderson following Broad into retirement and Mark Wood injured, Robinson is nowhere to be seen.There is little doubt about Robinson’s ability – he still has an exceptional Test record, with 76 wickets at 22.92 – but he has often faced questions about his fitness and his desire. It was only last week that Luke Wright, England’s national selector, challenged him to “show that he’s robust enough to be able to stand up to the rigours of Test cricket.”Jofra Archer and Tymal Mills were also in action for Sussex•Getty ImagesIt remains to be seen if Robinson can shake the perception that he has blown one chance too many at Test level. Brendon McCullum, England’s new supremo, has often been informed by his mantra: ‘If you can’t change a man, change the man.’ The implication of Robinson’s non-selection throughout the summer is that the change has been made for good.Either way, this was a promising showing: on an admittedly helpful pitch, Robinson bowled with decent pace, nipped the new ball around and showed his skills to york Jennings. He has 18 Blast wickets at 20.38 this season to supplement 30 at 28.16 in the Championship, and will relish the chance to perform on the big stage at Finals Day next Saturday.This was an exceptional night for Sussex, and the mood at Hove has changed considerably. Only two years ago, they finished second-last in the County Championship with a single win in the season, and won four T20 games out of 14. Now, they are three games away from clinching promotion in the Championship and two away from the Blast title.The County Ground was sold out, and the crowd welcomed Salt and Luke Wells back with pantomime boos as their names were announced on the tannoy. Sussex will not have Archer available at Edgbaston on account of England’s T20I series against Australia – but after this 10th T20 win of the season, they have reason to believe they can break a 15-year wait for this trophy.

It’s been an absolutely frantic last 48 hours at Tottenham, and that isn’t just concerning their dramatic move for Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White after confirming the arrival of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham.

Tottenham talks held with £50m star amid Gibbs-White chase, Frank's a fan

Spurs have discussed another potential deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 10, 2025

Spurs announced Kudus’ signing in a deal worth £55 million on Thursday evening, with the versatile Ghanaian becoming the first player to swap West Ham for the Lilywhites since Scott Parker in 2011.

The 24-year-old has already promised to excite supporters on the field when speaking in his first interview as a Tottenham player, and there was a real expectation that Gibbs-White would immediately follow Kudus to N17.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Tottenham talks for the England international accelerated rapidly on Thursday, with reliable media sources reporting that the 25-year-old was all set to join Thomas Frank’s side and a medical had been scheduled for Friday (Fabrizio Romano).

However, in an absolutely stunning turn of events, Forest put a stop to the deal and are considering legal action against Spurs, over what they perceive to be an illegal approach for their star forward.

While Gibbs-White’s move could still happen, with the expectation being that Forest can’t completely block it, this transfer will at the very least be delayed, as first reported by Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett.

With Tottenham now braced for a legal saga surrounding their potential deal for Gibbs-White, the club do remain in the market for other transfer targets, and they still maintain a serious interest in Brentford striker Yoane Wissa.

Yoane Wissa pushing to leave Brentford amid Tottenham interest

Reports earlier this week claimed that Tottenham have made contact with Wissa’s representatives, with talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook now sharing an update on the situation.

Crook states that Wissa is keen to reunite with Frank at Spurs, and the Congolese centre-forward is now “pushing” for an exit from the Gtech Community Stadium as he seeks a high-profile move.

The 28-year-old is currently in his prime and in the form of his life, having netted 20 goals in all competitions last season, and this has motivated Brentford chiefs to slap a £50 million price tag on his head.

Brentford have already lost a few key men this summer, including Frank, with Christian Norgaard joining Arsenal and Man United still locked in talks over a deal for Bryan Mbeumo.

The Bees will likely dig their heels in when it comes to letting yet another “exceptional player” leave, but Wissa would come as an excellent potential replacement for Richarlison, who’s reportedly attracting interest from Brazil.

Aston Villa have a lot of work to do before their Premier League season gets underway next month with a home tie against Newcastle United.

Several summer departures will likely take place, with Emiliano Martinez reportedly keen on a move to Manchester United, while Jacob Ramsey is attracting interest from Nottingham Forest. But, with their PSR concerns now a thing of the past, plenty of new signings could also arrive through the door soon.

In particular, some confidence-boosting attacking additions look to be a priority, particularly if Ollie Watkins ends up joining Martinez as another first-team face to have left the building.

Aston Villa considering move for £60m striker

Watkins does look to have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to who he could pick as his next club after Villa, with it being reported that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are all keen on adding the England international to their respective sides.

Losing Watkins would be a notable blow, but Villa could begin to repair their depleted attack by adding reported target Alejandro Garnacho to their camp from the aforementioned Red Devils, alongside raiding Enzo Maresca’s men when going after a fresh centre-forward purchase.

An update from journalist Ben Jacobs via X indicates that Villa are in the running to land hot-and-cold Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson this summer, with Villa considering his name as they hunt down some more personnel up top.

It’s revealed that Chelsea won’t be pushing the ex-Villarreal attacker out the door – despite his hit-and-miss finishing ability – but they would consider bids if some are forthcoming, with Jackson reportedly available for around the £60m mark.

Transfer Focus

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

How Jackson could be Villa's next Duran

It would be an almighty gamble on Villa’s end to splash out some significant bucks on such an inconsistent performer but there are similarities, not just in the way they arrived in the country, but in their play styles too.

Indeed, the Villans took a risk when they landed Jhon Duran for £18m back in January of 2023, only to be immediately vindicated when he became a clinical hero for Unai Emery and Co.

After all, Duran didn’t dive into the English game boasting the most mind-blowing numbers for Chicago Fire, with only eight goals coming his way from 28 appearances in the Windy City.

Yet, he instantly became a favourite in the West Midlands for his high-octane performances in attack, culminating in a huge chunk of his 20 goals for Villa coming last season when he bagged 12 strikes from just 29 outings.

Goals

7

3

Assists

0

0

Goal conversion percentage

23%

21%

Goal frequency (minutes)

89

79

Shots per game

1.6

2

Chelsea purchased Jackson for around the £32m mark in the same year the Colombian arrived in England, knowing plenty more could come from the 24-year-old in his new location, with Villa already on the receiving end of Jackson’s lethal bursts when he headed home this effort against them during his debut campaign in West London.

Indeed, Jackson fired home a promising 13 strikes in Spain before embarking on this daunting adventure with the Blues, and whilst there have been plenty of grumbles at Stamford Bridge over his wastefulness, he has shown in spells that he can be a deadly and impactful presence on his day, just as Duran has.

Amazingly, despite squandering a costly 43 big chances across his two top-flight seasons at Chelsea, Jackson does still have more strikes next to his name in the Premier League alone than Duran mustered up across his entire Villa Park stint, with 24 goals in 64 league clashes.

Despite that, there are stylistic similarities between the pair, as the numbers showcase.

Shots

3.08

4.27

Shots on target

1.38

1.93

Completed passes

12.3

16.2

Progressive passes

1.54

1.83

Shot-creating actions

2.97

2.54

Successful take-ons

0.73

0.42

Analysing the data, we get a sense that neither are particularly involved in the play in large spells, registering fewer than 20 passes per game.

Likewise, neither striker particularly grabs the ball and takes a player on, completing fewer than one dribble per 90 minutes. Crucially, they both possess the ability to play on the shoulder of the last man and have a gangly playstyle associated with their height. Duran is 6 foot 1, while Jackson is 6 foot 2.

The 24-year-old Jackson might well welcome a fresh opportunity at Villa, particularly when taking in Emery’s transformative powers that worked wonders on the likes of Marcus Rashford last season. He had experienced an equally challenging time at Manchester United before bouncing back well with the Villans, amassing a blistering four goals and six assists in claret and blue.

Moreover, it’s even clearer from the Spaniard’s track record with Duran that he could be the manager to get even more out of a scapegoated Jackson, with the Senegal international once being labelled as a “special” talent by journalist Rahman Osman.

Of course, this move might well backfire if the 24-year-old’s wasteful displays rear their ugly head once more in the West Midlands. But, much like with Duran, it feels like a shot in the dark worth taking.

Better than Ramsey: Aston Villa register interest in £40m "superstar"

Aston Villa could soon win an attacking superstar who is better than Jacob Ramsey.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 17, 2025

انتقد أحمد حسن قائد منتخب مصر الأسبق، أداء لاعبي فريق الكرة بـ الأهلي خلال مباراة اليوم أمام إنبي، في اللقاء الذي جمع بينهما بالدوري المصري.

وانتهت مباراة الأهلي أمام إنبي بالتعادل الإيجابي 1-1، في إطار لقاءات الجولة السادسة من الدوري المصري.

وقال أحمد حسن في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “أرى أن هناك شيئًا خاطئًا، ومجموعة اللاعبين على أعلى مستوى، لكن الشوط والأداء كانا باهتين، وتحية لفريق إنبي على أدائهم المميز”.

وأوضح: “الأهلي يفتقد الروح والشراسة، ويبدو أن اللاعبين لا يتحدثون مع بعضهم داخل الملعب، وهناك العديد من الأمور الخاطئة في أداء الأهلي”.

وأكمل: “لا ينقص لاعبو الأهلي شيء من حيث الإمكانيات، لكن على أرض الملعب لا توجد هوية واضحة أو أسلوب لعب مميز، وحتى عندما كان الأهلي ليس في أفضل حالاته في السابق، كانت هناك شراسة وروح قتالية، وكان الجمهور يتوقع دائمًا أن يسجل الأهلي هدفًا في الوقت الضائع، لكننا لم نشعر بهذا اليوم”.

واستطرد: “في الدقيقة الأخيرة، جراديشار هو من يخرج لاستلام الكرة من خارج منطقة الجزاء ويقوم بإرسال عرضية، بينما كان من المفترض أن يكون هو داخل المنطقة”.

طالع | موعد مباراة الأهلي القادمة في الدوري بعد التعادل مع إنبي

وواصل: “الروح قد تعوض النقص الفني، لكنها غائبة عن لاعبي الأهلي، رغم أن اللاعبين الحاليين لا ينقصهم شيء”.

وأتم: “هناك شيء خاطئ وغير مفهوم، واللاعبون يبدون غير قادرين على بذل الجهد المطلوب، وهل السبب الضغوط؟ هل هم لا يتدربون بشكل جيد؟ لا أجد إجابة واضحة”.

Fulham have now approached the agents of an “incredible” player over a potential move to Craven Cottage, but it may take an offer of £34m to get a deal done, journalist Orazio Accomando has revealed.

Cottagers set sights on new midfielder

The Cottagers are yet to make any additions to their squad this summer, but the recent news that Kenny Tete is set to sign a new deal is a bonus, given that the Dutchman had been linked with a move to Everton.

In terms of potential new arrivals, Marco Silva appears to be particularly keen on strengthening his midfield options this summer, having identified a number of targets over the past month.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Nadiem Amiri

Mainz

£15m

Kalvin Phillips

Manchester City

£21m

Joao Palhinha

Bayern Munich

£25m

Rocco Reitz

Borussia Monchengladbach

£17m

Having solidified themselves as a Premier League club, the west Londoners may now be in a position to be a tad more ambitious with their targets, and they have now made an approach for a 2025 Champions League finalist.

That is according to an update from Accomando on X, with the reporter stating that Fulham have now submitted an enquiry over a deal for Inter Milan star Hakan Çalhanoğlu, making contact with the midfielder’s agents.

Inter aren’t willing to let the maestro leave on the cheap, however, with the Italian club set to hold out for a fee of €40m (£34m), which may be prohibitive for fellow potential suitors Galatasaray, who are only willing to offer €15m (£13m).

Leeds leading Fulham in race to sign £8.5m defender alongside Bornauw

Leeds United are now in a race to sign a defender who has been impressing in Germany.

ByBrett Worthington Jul 1, 2025

The 31-year-old “wants” to join Galatasaray, but the Turkish champions may find it difficult to win the race for his signature if a bidding war breaks out, with Manchester United also expressing an interest.

Çalhanoğlu could be "incredible" coup for Fulham

It would be a real statement of intent if Fulham were able to sign a 2025 Champions League finalist, particularly one who played a major role in the Italian side reaching that stage of the competition.

The Inter star was a key player throughout the campaign, regularly providing goals and assists in all competitions, despite often featuring in a deep-lying role.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Serie A

29

5

6

Champions League

12

4

2

Italian Cup

4

2

0

The Turk is also vastly experienced at international level, scoring 21 goals in 97 outings for his country, including a remarkable effort at Euro 2024.

Turkey assistant manager Daniele Russo was subsequently left impressed by the Germany-born midfielder, saying: “It goes without saying that he is an incredible player. He is also very good at protecting his young teammates.”

As such, Çalhanoğlu could be a statement signing for Fulham this summer, but Galatasaray and Manchester United’s interest could pose a problem.

As The Friedkin Group look to kick on with their £150m spending spree, Everton have reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive winger who scored 33 goals last season.

Friedkin planning £150m spending spree

After already signing Thierno Barry, Mark Travers and Carlos Alcaraz, Friedkin are reportedly looking to make further statements this summer by completing a £150m spending spree. As part of that spree, David Moyes wants to sign a new right-back, a new No.6 to replace Abdoulaye Doucoure, a No.8 and a right-winger ahead of next season.

To that end, there are already several targets who could fulfill that quota. James McAtee reportedly remains Everton’s top target this summer and he could solve their No.8 problem. Meanwhile, an offer has reportedly been made to sign Juventus’ defensive midfielder, Douglas Luiz in what would be an excellent addition.

That would instantly be two tasks ticked off the list for the Toffees and two ideal additions. McAtee, in particular, would be one to watch after he showed glimpses of his talent at Manchester City even as he was denied consistent opportunities last season.

Earning the praise of Pep Guardiola when he did feature, the City boss told reporters after the young midfielder scored a hat-trick against Salford City: “I am so happy for him, he is a special player. A hat trick is not easy. He has an incredible sense in front of goal, he has the right tempo, he changed the rhythm to score and I am very happy for him.”

After potentially ending their midfield search, meanwhile, Friedkin could yet welcome their most impressive signing yet in the form of a clinical winger.

Everton enter race to sign Daizen Maeda

According to TeamTalk, Everton have now entered the race to sign Daizen Maeda from Celtic alongside Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford and West Ham United this summer. Whilst the Japan international won’t come cheap at £25m, his numbers suggest that such a fee could quickly prove to be an impressive bargain.

Appearances

51

Goals

33

Assists

12

With 33 goals to his name in all competitions as Celtic strolled towards another Scottish Premiership, it’s no surprise that Maeda found himself at the centre of praise.

Brendan Rodgers told reporters when asked about the winger: “If you are a young player coming through and want to give your honesty to the game, work, intensity and everything. No cheating, no nothing – even away at St Mirren, the penalty we got last week he tried to stay on his feet – he’s so honest to the game. Natural isn’t it? He’s been absolutely brilliant.”

Everton bang in the race to sign "terrific" star who Moyes personally wants

He’s on the move this summer.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 18, 2025

Maeda has the quality for the Premier League, there’s no doubting that, and Everton should do everything to land his signature this summer.

تفاعلت جماهير كرة القدم عبر منصة “إكس”، وبينهم جماهير فريقه ليفربول، مع النجم المصري محمد صلاح ومدى أحقيته بالتتويج بالكرة الذهبية “بالون دور” لعام 2025، قبل إعلان اسم الفائز بالجائزة.

ويقام حفل الكرة الذهبية اليوم الإثنين في العاصمة الفرنسية باريس، والذي يشهد منافسة 30 لاعبًا على الجائزة المرموقة.

محمد صلاح جناح ليفربول، بين المرشحين للجائزة هذا العام، ويرى عدد كبير من الجماهير أنه الأحق بالتتويج بها بالفعل.

وكان الإسباني رودري لاعب خط وسط فريق مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، هو الفائز بالكرة الذهبية في العام الماضي.

وجاءت تعليقات الجماهير عبر منصة “إكس” على النحو التالي: 

“بعيدًا عن الكراهية والتمييز! محمد صلاح هو الأحق بهذا التكريم!، ولكن لأنّه إفريقي، كثيرون يغضّون الطرف عن مدى عظمة ما يقدّمه مو”.

Away from tye hate! And discrimination! Mo is best Suitable for this Accolade! But since his African many people close their eyes to how Goated Mo gas been…. — NARVIC (@NarvicOfficial) September 22, 2025

“حقق صلاح أفضل موسم فردي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على الإطلاق، إذا لم يفز بالكرة الذهبية اليوم، فهذا يؤكد الاشتباه في تحيزه ضده، في سياق متصل، ساهم ديمبيلي بـ 48 هدفًا الموسم الماضي، بينما ساهم صلاح بـ 57 هدفًا في دوري أقوى، إن لم يحصل عليها، فهذا يُعد جريمة بحق كرة القدم”.

Salah had the greatest individual Premier L season of all time.

If he doesnt win the Balon D’or today only confirms the suspected bias vs him.

For context Dembele had 48 goal involvements last season Salah had 57 in a harder league

Crime against football if he doesnt get it👍 pic.twitter.com/j8qa49CFkP — John O Sullivan (@Corballyred) September 22, 2025

“كما نقول، جائزة الكرة الذهبية هي جائزة فردية، لكن صلاح ليس هذا العام فقط بل في الأعوام السابقة، أظهر أنه يستحق الفوز بها لعمله، داخل الملعب وخارجه”.

💫Como decimos, el #BallonDor es un premio individual, pero Salah ha demostrado no este año, sino anteriores que debería ganarlo por su trabajo, dentro y fuera de los terrenos de juego. pic.twitter.com/CwYvdvekl2 — 🔴 Esto Es Anfield #Liverpool (@estoesanfield_) September 22, 2025

اقرأ أيضًا | لابورتا: أنتظر فوز لاعب برشلونة بـ الكرة الذهبية.. وحضور الحفل ضرورة احترامًا للجميع 

“لا يوجد لاعب آخر يستحق الكرة الذهبية أكثر من صلاح بسبب العمل الجاد الذي يبذله في كرة القدم”.

no other player deserves ballondor more than salah the hard work he puts into football #BallonDor l pic.twitter.com/20PVuNozKR — ONYX (@ONYXVXV) September 22, 2025

“إذا كانت الكرة الذهبية تُمنح بناءً على النجاح الفردي في الموسم، فمحمد صلاح هو الفائز الوحيد”.

If the Ballon D’or is given out on individual season success.

Mohamed Salah is the only winner. pic.twitter.com/5gdjjCDxsR — Samuel (@SamueILFC) September 22, 2025

“بغضّ النظر عن نتيجة حفل الجوائز التسويقي اليوم، نحن جميعًا نعرف من يكون محمد صلاح حقًا”.

No matter the outcome on the marketing award show today we all know what Mohamed Salah is. pic.twitter.com/uRupzeFm47 — Moby (@Mobyhaque1) September 22, 2025

“بين عامي 1990 و2006، مُنحت 17 جائزة كرة ذهبية، ولم يُمنح أيٌّ منها لفائز بدوري أبطال أوروبا، بناءً على هذه السابقة، من الطبيعي أن ننظر إلى أفضل من قدّم موسم فردي، وهو محمد صلاح، إنها جائزة الكرة الذهبية التي يستحقها بجدارة”.

Between 1990 and 2006, 17 Ballon D’ors were given out, not a SINGLE one of them went to a Champions League winner. Based on this precedent you’d naturally look at the best individual campaign, and that was Mohamed Salah. It is rightfully his Ballon D’OR pic.twitter.com/b61yxLd0YH — Sibi (@SibiLFC) September 22, 2025

“أتمنى أن يحصل صلاح على الكرة الذهبية تقديرًا لجهوده الموسم الماضي، كان بلا منازع أفضل لاعب في العالم، لكنه سيحتل المركز الثاني أو الثالث لأن كل شيء مُرتب، وهذا أمرٌ مُخزٍ، كيف لا يفوز بها؟ إنها فرصته الأخيرة برأيي، صلاح رقم 1”.

I would love for him to get the ballon d’or for his efforts last season. He was by far the best player in the world but he will finish 2nd or 3rd because the whole thing is fixed an its a disgrace. How in the hell can he not win it, its his last chance in my opinion. SALAH NO:1 — Anthony Wright (@Bigt2704) September 22, 2025

“لو كانت كرة القدم عادلة، لكان صلاح قد فاز بالكرة الذهبية منذ زمن، إنه يجري وكأن إقامته تعتمد على ذلك، ويسجل الأهداف كما لو كان يسدد رسوم الدراسة، ويبتسم وكأنه يعلم أن المدافعين عاجزون عن إيقافه، نادراً ما يغيب عن المباريات؛ فهو دائم الجاهزية والقوة، رجل خلوق بحق”.

If football were fair, Salah would already have a Ballon d’Or.

The man runs like his visa depends on it, scores like he’s chasing school fees, and smiles like he already knows defenders can’t stop him.
Barely misses games; Always fit and strong.

A Decent man. — Bitterkola Vendor (@BitterkolaVendo) September 22, 2025

“بغضّ النظر عمّا سيحدث اليوم، يمكنني القول إنني شاهدت واحتفلت بمحمد صلاح وهو يقدّم أفضل موسم في تاريخ الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ليضمن الكأس في أنفيلد”.

Independente do que acontecer hoje, eu posso dizer que vi e celebrei Mohamed Salah fazendo a melhor temporada da história da Premier League para garantir o troféu em Anfield. pic.twitter.com/dO9YShSjUF — Central Liverpool Brasil (@central_lfc_br) September 22, 2025