With the deadline approaching, Aston Villa have reportedly set their sights on a shock late hijack to sign a player who is already in the final stages of a move to Manchester United.
Latest on Aston Villa targets
It’s been a difficult summer for Aston Villa. Not only have they been limited by PSR issues, but they’ve also missed out on targets when they have attempted to welcome incomings – the latest of which being George Mikautadze. Reports emerged that Villa had agreed personal terms with the Lyon forward, before Villarreal swooped in to agree a late deal.
The fact that Unai Emery revealed that he wants two players in every position indicates that Villa could work on further deals before the end of the window, but it remains to be seen just who arrives.
The Spaniard told reporters: “The club are working hard to get our structure as strong as possible with the players in the squad, trying to get two players for each position. There is still work to do, maybe even some players leaving more and we will have to sign and complete the squad with some players.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery watches on.
“The first reason now why we are missing something other in our structure and in our squad with our players because some players left one week or two weeks ago when we were expecting to a deal before.”
Since those words, rumours have suggested that former loanee Marco Asensio could be on his way back to the club, whilst a shock hijack on Manchester United could also take place.
Aston Villa eyeing late Lammens hijack
As reported by The Daily Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Aston Villa are now eyeing a last-ditch move to sign Senne Lammens ahead of Manchester United. Earlier reports from Sacha Tavolieri revealed that the Royal Antwerp goalkeeper is closing in on a move to Old Trafford and the transfer is in the “final stages”. The door, however, is still ajar for Villa to swoop in.
It would be an almighty blow for the Red Devils, but an excellent hijack by Aston Villa. The talented shot-stopper would instantly become the long-term successor to Emiliano Martinez, whose future is far from guaranteed in the Midlands these days.
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The Villans mean business…
ByTom Cunningham Aug 29, 2025
Given how advanced United’s deal reportedly is, though, Villa chiefs will need to act fast if they do want to pull of a sensational hijack. As the deadline approaches, the goalkeeper continues to be one to watch.
They might have lost two games, but it would be hard to describe this summer as anything other than a success for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s side won their other three, and the board have properly backed him in the market thus far.
The likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke all look ready to make a significant impact in the Premier League and beyond this season.
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka,Arsenal's Cristhian Mosquera,Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi,Arsenal's Noni Madueke,Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri andArsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly line up
However, there is still time for the club to make more signings, and one of the players they’ve been most heavily linked with is Eberechi Eze.
However, while the Crystal Palace star would be an excellent signing, it might be wiser for Andrea Berta and Co to go back in for another dynamic attacker linked with the side earlier in the window.
Why Arsenal want to sign Eze
While Arsenal have been linked with Eze before, with stories touting him for a move to the Emirates last summer, the links have been far more substantive and consistent this year.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
In fact, there are plenty of reports claiming that the player is dead set on joining Arteta’s squad, and that the only obstacle is that the club want to sell players first.
Whatever ends up happening over the coming weeks, it’s clear that the Gunners are interested in the Palace ace, and it’s not hard to understand why.
After all, despite playing for a mid-table side at best, the England international was able to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists in 43 games, totalling 3303 minutes last season.
That means the former QPR gem maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.
Crystal Palace's EberechiEzecelebrates with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
On top of that, he also played a key role in the South Londoners’ FA Cup triumph, scoring in the quarter-final, semi-final and final.
However, while all of this is hugely impressive, and we have no doubt that Eze would be a success in North London, Arsenal might be better off going back in for another player they were linked with earlier this summer: Bradley Barcola.
Why Arsenal should sign Barcola over Eze
Now it is certainly the case that links to Barcola have been few and far between this summer, but not nonexistent, as Arsenal reportedly made contact over the French winger back in June.
Liverpool Barcola
Stories since then have claimed that the Paris Saint-Germain star is valued at around £87m, and while that is a massive amount of money, we still think this is a transfer the Gunners should be back in for in a big way.
The first reason relates to the 22-year-old’s seriously impressive output last season.
In 64 appearances for the Parisians, totalling 3927 minutes, the game-changing talent, whom respected analyst Ben Mattinson has dubbed “one of the best LWs in Europe,” scored 21 goals and provided 21 assists.
In other words, the Lyon-born superstar maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.52 games, or every 93.5 minutes, which is almost unbelievable considering the amount of football he played.
Barcola vs Eze in 24/25
Players
Barcola
Eze
Appearances
64
43
Minutes
3927′
3303′
Goals
21
14
Assists
21
11
Goal Involvements per Match
0.65
0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement
93.5′
132.12′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
On top of being more dangerous than Eze, we’d argue that, as an out-and-out left-winger, the former Lyon gem is also more of what the North Londoners need at the moment.
With Martin Odegaard looking to get back to his best and Ethan Nwaneri snapping at his heels, the most glaring weakness in Arteta’s side is the ineffectiveness on the left, with neither Gabriel Martinelli nor Leandro Trossard being the sort of players who’d strike fear into opposition defenders.
Ultimately, it might be something of a long shot, but if Arsenal really want to take a massive step forward and closer to Premier League glory this summer, they should go all out for Barcola over Eze.
They've held talks: £78m Eze upgrade open to joining Arsenal this summer
Arsenal are making huge moves in the window despite entering talks to sign Eberechi Eze.
Though Liverpool’s opening Premier League fixture against Bournemouth will have the undivided attention of the club’s supporters, the prospect of Alexander Isak leading the line will linger as an underlying thought in their minds.
The transfer saga has muttered and rumbled like faraway thunder this summer, with the hopes of welcoming “the best striker in the Premier League”, as Isak has been called by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, rising and falling over the weeks.
But with Hugo Ekitike having signed and already scored for Liverpool, the forthcoming fixture against the Cherries will be met with the confidence that Arne Slot’s side have the means to make it a successful start to their title defence, having won the league so confidently last year.
Isak isn’t the only one on FSG’s radar. Anfield’s summer transfer charge has been led by Richard Hughes, and Hughes has used his Italian connections to strike a stunning deal for Parma’s Giovanni Leoni, one of the most talented teenage centre-backs in Europe.
Crystal Palace'sMarcGuehilooks dejected after Newcastle United's Harvey Barnes scores their third goal
With a bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi ongoing, it feels like Liverpool’s work is almost done, but there’s actually a case to be made for another midfielder too.
Why Liverpool need a midfielder
Florian Wirtz might have been called “the best midfielder in the world” by former Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes, but the German ten operates more within the cracks between the front and middle thirds, pulling strings and making stuff happen.
Liverpool must give some thought to those housed behind the German, the industrious pack at the heart of the engine.
Palace outfought Liverpool at Wembley, with Sofascore recording the Eagles to have won 60% of the ground battles. Ryan Gravenberch was absent and Alexis Mac Allister only played 19 minutes off the bench, but the disparity in steel and tenacity was clear.
Liverpool need someone to slot into the anchor and organise and tackle and promote the flow of the build-up play, someone to contrast with Gravenberch in the deep-lying position.
Well, that someone could be Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, with recent reports suggesting that the England international is a long-standing target at Liverpool.
However, Palace value Wharton in excess of £100m, and with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and even Real Madrid all keen on signing the 22-year-old, FSG might want to use their channel of negotiation with Selhurst Park to their advantage, and put in the groundwork that would seal a stunning signing.
After all, Wharton is one of the biggest English talents out there, with enough potential to even outstrip his teammate Guehi.
What Adam Wharton would bring to Liverpool
In January 2023, Crystal Palace signed Wharton from Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, and he has since bloomed into one of the most exciting midfielders in English football.
Instrumental in helping Oliver Glasner’s side toward winning the FA Cup last season, before following that up with a commanding display over Liverpool during last week’s Community Shield, Wharton has been described as a “passing machine” by journalist Henry Winter.
The statistics back that up, no question there. FBref have recorded Wharton to rank among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes and the top 7% for shot-creating actions per 90, emphasising his ability to influence an attacking transition from deep and promote build-up play.
Given that Liverpool’s build-up fulcrum has retreated inward under Slot’s wing, with Klopp and now Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departures reorienting the playmaking focus to the middle lane, Wharton could be perfect for the Merseysiders, finding a role that would allow him to grow into one of the very best in the business, across the world, and become a superstar with the Reds.
In this way, Wharton might actually be a bigger talent than Guehi, especially as he’s nearly four years his countryman’s junior and is already being considered by teams like Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Considering how the Three Lions maestro compared to Slot’s centrepiece, Gravenberch, last season in the Premier League, it’s fair to suggest that a few years under Slot’s tutelage could see him settled as a world-class player, conducting not just as the heartbeat of Liverpool’s team but the England Men’s side too.
Games (starts)
20 (16)
35 (35)
Goals
0
0
Assists
2
4
Touches*
45.7
66.4
Pass completion
79%
89%
Key passes*
1.3
0.7
Dribbles*
0.1
1.0
Ball recoveries*
5.1
5.3
Tackles + interceptions*
2.7
3.5
Duels (won)*
3.2
5.0
In spite of his injury problems last season, the metrics reveal Wharton to have made his mark, matching Gravenberch’s athleticism and more than holding his own from a defensive standpoint – even maintaining a steadier creative flow than the Liverpool star, whose incredible form led to being awarded the Premier League Young Player of the Year.
His first foray into the English top-flight yielded even riper results, with Wharton averaging three tackles per game and swiftly turning the heads of the division’s elite members.
Though Guehi has what it takes to become a mainstay in Liverpool’s backline over the coming years, especially once Virgil van Dijk has hung up his Red laces, Wharton, already considered a £100m player, is a “very special player in the making”, as has been noted by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Might Liverpool be looking at Thiago Alcantara reborn in this Eagles prospect? Certainly, he has the flair, finesse and intelligence to head right to the very top.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Though completing a deal this summer might be a stretch too far for FSG, it’s unlikely Wharton’s sale will be sanctioned at all before 2026, and given Liverpool’s long interest in the player, they might be primed to strike in the future, beating a whole host of top outfits to his signature.
Their new Trent: FSG’s key target flying to sign for Liverpool on Thursday
Liverpool are looking to seal a few exciting signings to close the transfer window.
The summer transfer window has been a turbulent one for Newcastle United.
Having worked tirelessly to strengthen multiple areas of the squad, the Magpies remain under pressure to solve their most glaring issue: the centre-forward position.
After a protracted saga with Alexander Isak, Newcastle have found themselves scrambling for solutions.
The opening two fixtures highlighted the depth of this crisis. Despite playing well against Aston Villa and Liverpool, Newcastle lacked a clinical edge.
The situation was made worse when makeshift striker Anthony Gordon was sent off against the Reds, leaving 22-year-old William Osula as the only recognised forward.
For a club intent on challenging at the top end of the Premier League, such frailty up front was unsustainable. That urgency forced Newcastle’s hand.
Out of nowhere, a £69m deal was struck with Stuttgart for Nick Woltemade, the towering 23-year-old who had impressed in the Bundesliga and at the European U21 Championships.
Bayern Munich had bids rejected for the forward earlier in the summer, but conversations with Eddie Howe convinced him that his future lay on Tyneside.
Now in a race against time to complete his medical and join the squad for Saturday’s clash with Leeds, Woltemade has the potential to be transformative.
Yet Newcastle’s ambitions do not stop with the German international.
Reports in Italy suggest the club tested the waters for one of Europe’s most decorated strikers – though the answer was swift and emphatic.
Newcastle make move for top-level striker
According to Calcio Mercato, Newcastle made an audacious approach to the camp of Lautaro Martínez, Inter Milan’s talismanic striker.
Inter Milan'sLautaroMartinez applauds their fans
The response, however, was one of firm rejection. Alejandro Camaño, the Argentine’s agent, did not return the Magpies’ call – a clear indication that Martínez’s focus remains solely on the Nerazzurri.
The refusal is hardly surprising.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Martínez is not only Inter’s captain but also he is a player adored by supporters and widely considered indispensable.
Podcaster Angelo Valdes recently described him as “the best No. 9 in the world,” a sentiment shared by many who have watched his rise since arriving in Serie A.
The timing of Newcastle’s approach is also telling.
Inter are still recovering from a bruising campaign in which they lost the Serie A title to Antonio Conte’s Napoli on the final day and fell to a humbling 5-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
Letting go of their most consistent goal threat was never a realistic proposition, particularly given his contract security and market value of around €95 (£90m) million.
Strong interest remains in Wolves’ Jørgen Strand Larsen and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, though both clubs have shut the door firmly this summer.
In that context, the dream of pairing Woltemade with Martínez might have seemed appealing – but in reality, it was always a step too far.
Why Woltemade would have thrived with Lautaro
While the Argentine international may be out of reach, Newcastle’s recruitment of Woltemade still provides intriguing possibilities.
Standing at 1.98m, the German forward offers a physical presence that contrasts with Martínez’s dynamism and low centre of gravity.
Both, however, are effective in their own right, and a comparison of their output last season reveals the distinct qualities they could bring to a top-level side.
Matches Played
31
28
Goals
12
12
Assists
3
2
Progressive Carries
34
31
Progressive Passes
68
62
Martínez’s pedigree is undisputed. At 28, he boasts 70 international caps for Argentina, with a World Cup winner’s medal from Qatar 2022.
Across 336 appearances for Inter Milan, he has delivered 154 goals and 51 assists – a record that speaks volumes about his consistency.
Statistically, Martínez excels in areas beyond pure goalscoring.
Lautaro-Martinez
He averaged 2.39 progressive passes per 90 and 2.70 shot-creating actions, while his defensive contribution – 1.05 tackles per 90 – illustrates his work rate out of possession.
He is not the archetypal penalty-box poacher but a complete forward capable of linking play and setting the tone with his pressing. By contrast, Woltemade is still carving out his identity.
His 12 goals in 28 Bundesliga appearances for Stuttgart last season marked a breakthrough, and his performances at the U21 European Championships confirmed him as one of Germany’s most promising attacking talents.
His statistical profile highlights his potential versatility: 1.72 progressive carries per 90, 2.89 progressive passes, and an eye-catching 4.38 shot-creating actions.
His 50% shot-on-target rate was also superior to Martínez’s, suggesting efficiency when chances came his way. The differences extend to physicality and style.
Where Martínez relies on sharp movement and explosive bursts in the box, Woltemade thrives on aerial duels, hold-up play, and the ability to bring others into the game.
At nearly two metres tall, he offers a target-man option that Newcastle have lacked, particularly useful when matches become attritional.
His weakness, however, lies in defensive contribution – registering just 0.56 tackles per 90 compared to Martínez’s 1.05.
For Howe, this presents both challenges and opportunities.
Integrating a young striker into the Premier League is no easy task, but Woltemade’s profile complements Newcastle’s existing attacking talent.
Newcastle duo Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy
Should Isak depart – as appears inevitable – a partnership between Woltemade and another dynamic forward could provide the balance required to keep Newcastle competitive domestically and in Europe.
What this episode ultimately reveals is Newcastle’s growing ambition. Contacting the representative of one of the world’s premier strikers may have ended in rejection, but it signals intent.
Coupled with the acquisition of Woltemade, alongside earlier arrivals such as Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw, Aaron Ramsdale, and Anthony Elanga, the Magpies are determined to push forward despite setbacks.
Bruno will love him: Newcastle open talks to sign "£100m-plus footballer"
Newcastle could make an ambitious late move, much to the benefit of Bruno Guimaraes.
كشفت صحيفة سبورت المقربة من نادي برشلونة اليوم الأحد، عن حقيقة رحيل روبرت ليفاندوفسكي عن صفوف البلوجرانا عقب نهاية هذا الموسم.
ليفاندوفسكي ينتهي عقده مع برشلونة بنهاية الموسم الجاري ولم يتم التوصل إلى اتفاق حتى الآن حول توقيع عقد جديد، حيث يخوض الدولي البولندي موسمه الرابع مع البارسا.
وقدم ليفاندوفسكي مستويات متميزة مع برشلونة خلال السنوات الماضية، ولعب ابن الـ37 عامًا دورًا كبيرًا في حصول الفريق الكتالوني الموسم الماضي على ثلاثية الدوري الإسباني وكأس السوبر الإسباني وكأس ملك إسبانيا.
وذكرت الصحفية، أن الاتجاه الأقرب لإدارة برشلونة هو عدم تجديد عقد ليفانكوفسكي وترك مهاجم بايرن ميونخ السابق يغادر في صفقة انتقال حر.
وأضافت أن برشلونة يدرس وبشكل جدي إمكانية تجديد عقد ليفاندوفسكي عقب نهاية هذا الموسم، ومن ثم بيعه بمقابل مادي إلى أحد الأندية السعودية، لكن اللاعب يفضل الانتقال إلى نادي أوروبي بالفعل.
وأوضح تاأن ليفاندوفسكي يفكر كذلك في اعتزال كرة القدم بشكل نهائي، أو تجديد عقده مع برشلونة لمدة عامين حيث تضغط عائلة اللاعب وبالأخص زوجته لكي يبقى في إقليم كتالونيا.
Manchester United are in deadline day contact to sign a £45m “machine” who is similar to former Red Devils midfielder Scott McTominay.
Man Utd agree deal to sign new goalkeeper for Amorim
Ruben Amorim looks set to welcome at least one new signing on deadline day, with an agreement now reached for Man Utd to sign Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
United will fork out a total of €21m (£18.2m) to sign Lammens after shaky starts to the season from both Altay Bayındir and Andre Onana.
After Lammens’ transfer goes through, Man Utd’s summer spending will jump to more than £220m, the majority of which have been spent on attackers, and it looks as if INEOS are exploring a late loan move for a midfield target.
Man Utd incomings
From
Fee
Bryan Mbeumo
Brentford
£71m
Benjamin Sesko
RB Leipzig
£66.4m
Matheus Cunha
Wolves
£62.5m
Senne Lammens
Royal Antwerp
£18.2m
Diego Leon
Cerro Porteno
£7m
Man Utd in contact to sign £45m Conor Gallagher
According to reports coming out of Spain on deadline day, Man Utd have enquired with the agents of Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher.
Signed from Chelsea in 2024, Gallagher is under contract until 2029, however, the Red Devils have made contact to see if there is the possibility of a loan.
The La Liga giants want to include a £45m obligation to buy in a temporary deal, although Man Utd would prefer a straightforward loan deal.
Midfielders similar to Conor Gallagher
Club
Gavi
Barcelona
Sandro Tonali
Newcastle
Scott McTominay
Napoli
Bruno Guimaraes
Newcastle
Boubacar Kamara
Aston Villa
Gallagher, dubbed a “machine” has certainly made an impression under Diego Simeone, with the Atletico Madrid boss praising the Englishman earlier this year.
“When we think of him we think of his youth, energy and intensity in the game. He also strikes the ball very well. It’s never easy for players coming from England to adapt to the Spanish championship, to the language. He has competed very well in different places and in positions where he doesn’t feel more comfortable.
“He will evolve, he has room for growth. He is very intense in offensive and defensive play, he brings a lot to us.”
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ByAlex Caple Jul 24, 2025
As can be seen, Gallagher has been likened to former United midfielder McTominay, who has starred for Napoli after leaving Old Trafford.
A move could be one to watch, but INEOS need to act fast and potentially accept Atletico Madrid’s demands.
GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including Pulisic's continued dominance
There’s no slowing Christian Pulisic right now, and we’re running out of superlatives for the American star. Simply put, he’s a man in form.
Pulisic was once again the headliner in this weekend's slate of Americans Abroad, as the AC Milan star added a goal and an assist to his recent tally. With that, he's up to four goals and two assists in just four Serie A matches. Make no mistake about it: the U.S. men's national team star has been the league's best player to start this 2025-26 season.
He wasn't the only one with an assist this weekend, which turned out to be a fairly productive one for the USMNT stars in Europe. Gladbach's Joe Scally put on a show in the weekend's most chaotic game. Patrick Agyemang added another helper to his tally, too. And then there was Brenden Aaronson, who set up a goal, too, to silence some of the critics over in Leeds.
With USMNT camp looming, several Americans stepped up as the European season really gets into full swing heading into October.
GOAL looks at the major takeaways from this weekend's Americans Abroad.
AFPPulisic steals the show
Sunday was a statement game for Milan. Riding a strong start to the season, Milan had a date with Napoli, another Serie A contender. Win and maybe the world would believe and Milan was for real. Lose? Well, same old Milan.
In those types of games, it's vital that a team's best player steps up. That happened on Sunday, as Pulisic led from the front by playing his part in both goals.
The first was a picture-perfect assist just three minutes in.. It came after he broke free on the left-hand side, showing off his pace to drive the ball forward. Then came the pass, a ball right across the goal line to Alexis Saelemaekers that left little more than a tap-in.
Pulisic then got a goal of his own before the first half was over, netting his fourth goal in just three games. It proved vital. A second-half red card to Pervis Estupinan also handed Napoli a penalty but, despite the man disadvantage, Milan held onto the 2-1 lead after Kevin De Bruyne buried that spot kick with 30 minutes remaining in the match.
So, does this mean Milan is for real? Quite possibly. Pulisic, himself, appeared to allude to higher expectations for the club.
"It sends a message for sure,” Pulisic told CBS Sports Golazo after the result. “That we’re a good team, we’re a strong team, you know we can score goals, but we can defend like this. And we have a good spirit and I think it shows a lot for sure.”
As long as Pulisic is in this form, the answer is probably "yes." Right now, Milan have Serie A's most undefendable player. Pulisic proved that again on Sunday.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportScally's big attacking day
The questions about Joe Scally are almost universally on the attacking side of the ball. One performance doesn't answer those questions, of course, but the right back showed he can be a factor on that end of the pitch Saturday.
Scally provided two assists in Borussia Monchengladbach's 6-4 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in what was surely the weekend's craziest game. While Gladbach were, in general, horrific defensively, Scally made some uncharacteristic contributions on the attacking end, setting up Gladbach's first and last goals from a right wingback position.
With the U.S. switching to a similar five-at-the-back look last camp, Scally's place seems far from guaranteed. He isn't traditionally an attacking presence. There are also options like Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten and even Tim Weah or Yunus Musah that can fill roles in those wide spots. Scally has a fight to earn a World Cup spot, even with his own versatility.
Those assists help.
Getty Images SportAn assist for Agyemang
In truth, a bulk of the credit goes to Ben Brereton Diaz. It was his touch and long-range finish that made the goal what it was, earning Derby County a 1-1 draw with Wrexham. But Patrick Agyemang's part in it has to be acknowledged, too, as he provided an assist that offered a good glimpse into what he can offer for his new club.
Agyemang's assist was a flicked on header, one that put Brereton Diaz through. From there, the Chilean international did the rest. Yet, it was Agyemang's play that helped Brereton Diaz make something out of nothing. That, at his core, is what the American forward can do: make things happen from nowhere due to his unique combination of physical and mental skillsets.
After making the big move to the Championship this summer, Agyemang is just getting started. This was his first start and just his third appearance but, in those three appearances, he's already provided two assists. Despite lacking fitness and sharpness, Agyemang is finding a way to impact games, which is a good sign for a player that will experience a crazy learning curve in his first season abroad.
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AFPRichards and Palace stand tall again
Over the last year or so, Liverpool have generally ran rampant through the Premier League. Few teams have given them problems. After this weekend, though, there's no arguing that Chris Richards and Crystal Palace are the biggest thorn in Arne Slot's side.
After already toppling in the Community Shield, Palace took it to Liverpool again, netting a late winner to earn a 2-1 win. Richards, again, was generally solid, although his inability to clear did lead to Liverpool's goal. Outside of that, though, the Palace defense was near perfect, effectively silencing stars Mohammed Salah and Alexander Isak throughout the game.
It continues Palace's insane run of form. The club has not lost a competitive match since April, claiming two trophies since while pushing all the way up to third to start this new Premier League season. In total, the run extends 18 games in all competitions. The continuing rise of Richards has played a big part in that, as the defender continues to impress alongside fellow stalwarts Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix in defense.
Defensively sound and talented enough in attack to scare even top sides like Liverpool, Palace are one of the Premier League's most dangerous teams.
Rashid Khan and Nicholas Pooran set to move teams to align with other global franchise ties
Matt Roller19-Feb-2025The Hundred’s incoming investors are already wielding their influence on the tournament, with several teams using a revamped recruitment system to sign players who represent their new partners’ other overseas franchises.The new ‘direct signing’ model allows each team to sign two players – one men’s, one women’s – among their retentions before next month’s draft. New joint-venture agreements are still being thrashed out but ESPNcricinfo has learned that several teams are already leaning on their partners’ global networks to recruit talent for the Hundred’s ‘transitional’ 2025 season.Rashid Khan has agreed a deal with double-defending champions Oval Invincibles, having played for their new co-owners Reliance’s teams in the ILT20, SA20 and MLC. Manchester Originals have been discussing a short-term deal for Nicholas Pooran, who plays for their new joint-venture partners RPSG Group’s IPL franchise, Lucknow Super Giants.Southern Brave, where the GMR Group are taking over, are working on a deal to bring in Faf du Plessis, who they signed in November for the IPL franchise they co-own, Delhi Capitals. Elsewhere, Welsh Fire are in talks with Steven Smith – who plays for new partners Washington Freedom in MLC – and hope to finalise his signing before Sunday’s deadline.Steven Smith is in talks with Welsh Fire•Major League CricketRashid and Pooran’s deals are particularly notable because they played for other Hundred teams last year: Trent Rockets and Northern Superchargers respectively. Rashid was the first pick at the Hundred’s inaugural draft back in 2019 and has been retained ever since, but is instead moving to The Oval.”The point of the direct signings was to attract high-end, better-quality overseas stars and I can only see it as a positive,” Daryl Mitchell, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) told ESPNcricinfo. “There will be regulations in place, but there are always going to be relationships in cricket – long-standing ones in some cases.”Mitchell said it was “par for the course” for players to extend their links with global franchises, though he encouraged the ECB to pay close attention. “The way that players move has been going on in cricket for a long time. There are always relationships that are already established between directors of cricket, list managers or coaches with certain agents and certain players.”Related
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The ECB has raised top men’s salaries from £125,000 to £200,000 for 2025 to ensure that the Hundred can compete with MLC and the CPL (which overlaps) for talent. The PCA criticised incremental increases to lower salary as showing a “lack of respect” for domestic players in December and are pushing for further increases when new owners are fully ensconced in 2026.The moves represent the latest step in a gradual shift towards a global contracting network in the T20 franchise world, though others will play against teams affiliated to their own IPL franchise. Trent Boult, who has played for several Reliance teams, has signed for Birmingham Phoenix, while David Miller, Pooran’s LSG team-mate, is set to join Northern Superchargers.The same dynamic is not yet affecting English players, who cannot move directly from one team to another without relying on the uncertainty of the draft. But the ECB have previously told prospective investors that they may be able to lock in England players on multi-year contracts in future years, meaning some could move teams based on their associations with IPL franchises.
“There is an obvious opportunity for collaboration.”Manchester Originals chair James Sheridan on their new partnership with Lucknow Super Giants
Players have represented franchises across multiple leagues ever since Kolkata Knight Riders made the unprecedented move to buy the Trinidad and Tobago CPL team a decade ago. But the trend has accelerated in recent years, especially after the 2023 launches of both the ILT20 and SA20, where IPL owners are heavily represented.”If you take a very long-term worldview, maybe, at some point, it wouldn’t be crazy to see some kind of roll-up of these teams and a combination of these tournaments,” James Sheridan, who chairs Manchester Originals, said last week. “That would need tectonic plates to shift quite a lot. But it wouldn’t surprise me if, in 10 years’ time, we are looking at something like that.”Sheridan suggested that the Originals, the Super Giants and Lancashire will create “joint development activities” in the years to come, but cautioned: “Contracting isn’t as straightforward as people might think in franchise cricket. You’ve got auctions, you’ve got drafts… But there is an obvious opportunity for collaboration.”Insiders believe that the Hundred teams whose new owners do not have links to other franchises overseas will face challenges when recruiting in future as a result. This applies particularly to Rockets – who have signed Marcus Stoinis after losing Rashid – and Phoenix, with the pull of Lord’s playing in London Spirit’s favour under their new Silicon Valley co-owners.The Hundred’s eight franchises are valued at nearly £1 billion between them•Getty Images for ECBKane Williamson was announced as the Spirit’s new men’s captain this week, and his deal also covers a stint with Middlesex, who are MCC’s tenants at Lord’s. Some host counties are keen for closer alignment in personnel with their Hundred teams, both in domestic and overseas players, which Mitchell believes has already started to happen.”The reality is that over the last four or five years, there are probably elements of county players aligning with Hundred teams,” Mitchell said. Is that likely to continue? I’d have thought so. The host counties are potentially going to be in control of the budgets of both the county and the Hundred teams as well.”Mitchell said the PCA’s priority is to ensure that players retain confidence that Hundred squads will be picked on merit. “Over the next 12-18 months, it’s about making sure there are guard-rails in place to make sure players are picked on performance and that everyone’s got a fair shot of getting an opportunity.”The ECB will retain overall control of the Hundred but is forming a new committee with representation from each franchise, which will discuss issues like recruitment. There is a growing expectation that the draft could be tweaked or revamped after this season, with an open-market system and an auction both raised as potential alternatives.The influence of new owners in recruitment has largely been confirmed to the men’s Hundred so far, with the women’s franchise circuit still in a nascent phase. Amelia Kerr (Manchester Originals) and Laura Wolvaardt (Southern Brave) were both confirmed as direct signings last month, with the Originals also retaining Beth Mooney.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca fears Liverpool may be “impossible to catch” after seeing the Reds invest £446 million ($603m) during the summer transfer window of 2025. Arne Slot’s side were already reigning Premier League champions and a faultless start has been made to the new season as domestic rivals worry about how to stage their own title challenges.
Premier League champions even stronger
With Slot overseeing little business across his debut campaign on Merseyside, huge moves were made after capturing the English top-flight crown. Liverpool drafted in the likes of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez during an elaborate spending spree.
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Perfect start leaves rivals playing catch-up
Liverpool have started the new campaign with five successive wins, leaving them five points clear at the top of the table, and Maresca – who has Chelsea sat sixth – admits that the Reds may soon race out of sight.
Maresca in Premier League title admission
The Italian tactician said of trying to put his Blues squad in contention: “If they [Liverpool] continue in this way I think it is impossible to catch them, not just for us, but for all the clubs. They have been doing a fantastic job since last year, and the players they have decided to buy shows the intention of the club to go again for the Premier League and the Champions League, and that is quite clear.”
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Will Palmer require surgery after injury?
If Chelsea are to compete, then they will need Cole Palmer at their disposal. He was forced out of a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Manchester United with a groin injury, but Maresca is confident that surgery can be avoided.
He said when asked about the possibility of England international Palmer being forced under the knife: “The medical staff, they didn’t mention to me about surgery. I don’t know if in the next days or the next weeks, but I don’t think so, to be honest. But we need to protect Cole, 100%. Because of the Club World Cup, and we never stopped, we need to manage and protect different players, and Cole is one of them.
“Now we have a meeting with the medical staff and decide the best solution for him. It is not an injury which is black and white. It is an injury which on some days you can be better and the pain disappears, and sometimes you can be worse so that is why we have to manage it day by day.”
South Australia’s triumphant cricketers are setting their sights on an historic double. After soaking up their success in winning the one-day title, Nathan McSweeney’s team now want a long-elusive Sheffield Shield.McSweeney led SA to its first one-day title in 13 years with a comprehensive 64-run defeat of Victoria at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night. The double of a winning a one-day crown and the Shield in the same season has been achieved 11 times – but never by SA.Related
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Western Australia (five times), NSW (four times) and Victoria (twice) have completed the double. But McSweeney knows his adopted state, for so long the proverbial whipping boys of the domestic scene, may never have a better chance than now.”It’s a little bit of a monkey off the back,” McSweeney said after collecting the inaugural Dean Jones Trophy. “We’ll enjoy it but there’s a bigger picture – there’s a Shield final to play. Everyone loves winning. And for us to get a taste of it, hopefully it kick-starts us – I don’t think we’ll get sick of it.”SA haven’t won a Shield since 1995-96 but currently lead the four-day competition and are in prime position to host the final. With two games remaining, offering six points for each win, McSweeney’s team hold an 11-point break from next-best NSW. And McSweeney believes SA’s 50-over success will feed into the four-day format.
States to complete domestic double
Western Australia: 5 (1976-77, 1977-78, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24)
New South Wales: 4 (1984-85, 1992-93, 1993-94, 2002-03)
Victoria: 2 (1979-80, 2018-19)
*Domestic one-day tournament started in 1969-70
“It has obviously been a long time between titles,” he said. “The players we’ve got in our stable now have shown over the last couple years that we can do it.”It’s just, unfortunately, we had a bad hour in a Shield game or we had a bad hour in a one-day game and it has taken us out of the competition. We’re getting a little bit more consistent, as seen in the Shield table as well. So hopefully it’s the start of some strong years and it’s not just a one-off.”McSweeney said Ryan Harris, who replaced Jason Gillespie as SA’s head coach for this season, deserved much credit.”Something Ryan Harris has brought in to us is the belief,” he said. “We have defended 160 twice this year in the one-day comp. We got bowled out for 90 in the last Shield game and won. From positions that we shouldn’t be winning, we are. It’s a massive hats off to Ryano and the coaching staff.”