Tag Futebol

Manchester United are working on a proposal that could reach £60m+ to sign a Cole Palmer-like star after Benjamin Sesko.

Leipzig star Sesko chooses Man Utd move over Newcastle

The Red Devils have already splashed the cash this summer with deals for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, but they are now set to go one better with a move for Sesko.

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The towering RB Leipzig striker has chosen to join Man Utd over Premier League rivals Newcastle United and looks set to become INEOS’ most expensive addition of the summer.

Sesko has agreed to a five-year deal at Old Trafford, with United’s opening offer to the Bundesliga side being worth just under £74m.

A proposed move to Manchester has raised some concerns from Sir Alex Ferguson’s former assistant Rene Meulensteen, who drew comparisons to Rasmus Hojlund.

“If he scores in the first three or four games and hits the ground running then he could be the answer for the club, but there’s a chance that won’t happen.

“If you look at Hojlund, he joined Atalanta and performed well alongside the rest of the team and then joined United. The same can be said for Sesko – the Bundesliga is a very different league to the Premier League, so he’ll need to adapt.

“Has Sesko got potential? 100%, but he’s still young and developing and he isn’t the finished article.”

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

The pair have been backed to star at Old Trafford.

ByCharlie Smith Jul 22, 2025

Sesko, Cunha and Mbeumo may well be Amorim’s first-choice front three for the opening day clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford, but by the looks of it, INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe aren’t stopping with the Slovenia international.

Man Utd and INEOS going all out for £60m+ Fermin Lopez

According to a report from Spain, Man Utd are now ‘going all out’ to sign Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez. It is claimed that those on the board at Old Trafford are ‘working on a proposal’ that could hit €70m (£60.1m).

However, it is added that Barcelona ‘doesn’t want to lose one of the most promising players to emerge from its youth system in recent years’, but may need to raise funds through player sales.

Therefore, Man Utd are ‘confident that their sporting project and the possibility of offering him a leading role will entice’ Lopez.

At the age of 22, Lopez is going from strength to strength with the Catalan giants and is now valued at a career-high €50m by Transfermarkt.

Capable of playing as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder or left-winger, Lopez is under contract at the Nou Camp until 2029. In total, the Spain international has made 88 senior appearances for Barcelona, scoring 19 goals and providing 11 assists during that time.

Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand has also been impressed with what he’s seen from Lopez, comparing the Barca man to Chelsea star Cole Palmer.

Everton have now reached an agreement over the signing of a “top” international player this summer, according to a positive claim from journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Who are Everton being linked with signing?

Blues transfer rumours continue to come thick and fast, with Bayer Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha mentioned as a potential option ahead of the return of the Premier League next month.

The 30-year-old’s spell in Germany hasn’t worked out, but he showed what a dominant force he could be in a Fulham shirt, making more tackles than any other player in both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.

Everton are also believed to have made their first approach to sign Aston Villa ace John McGinn, with the Scotland international capable of bringing experience, quality and a winning mentality to David Moyes’ squad. However, the Toffees’ enquiry was rejected by those at Villa Park.

Meanwhile, both Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee have been linked with the Blues, too, fresh off the back of their triumphant European Championship campaign with England’s Under-21s.

Everton reach agreement to sign "top" international

According to a key update from O’Rourke on X, Everton have now reached an agreement over the signing Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers this summer.

While Travers may not necessarily be a game-changing signing for the Blues ahead of next season, he feels like a shrewd addition who can provide competition for Jordan Pickford.

The four-cap Republic of Ireland international was limited to only five Premier League appearances last season, highlighting why a new challenge is likely to appeal to him, potentially at Everton.

Travers is a steady pair of hands who could fill in when needed for the Blues – he has beaten Everton three times before – with Scott Parker his team ethic during his spell in charge of the Cherries earlier in the ‘keeper’s career.

“You looked at times thinking, ‘is he ready for this?’ But we stuck with him. And more importantly, Mark Travers has worked tirelessly. He took the bumps along the way and improved drastically. It’s a sign of a top keeper that in big moments makes big saves. Saves you think, ‘wow he should not have saved that. Over the past three or four months, Travs is coming into the realms of making big saves at big moments. That’s happened over the course of the season.”

Related Better signing than McGinn: Everton holding talks over "world-class" star

David Moyes is looking to sign a midfielder or two this summer at Everton

Posts ByRoss Kilvington Jul 11, 2025

It remains to be seen what the fee for Travers’ services will be for Everton, but he should arrive for a relatively cheap amount in the modern game, allowing plenty of funds to still be available for players seen as key starters before the window slams shut at the end of next month.

The fixtures for the tenth season of the WBBL have been announced with the Gabba added to the stadium series

Andrew McGlashan08-Jul-2024

Adelaide Strikers will open the tenth season of the WBBL as they aim for a hat-trick of titles•Getty Images

The WBBL faces a potential squeeze on overseas player availability with the tenth season of the tournament starting just seven days after the T20 World Cup finishes in Bangladesh, but the reduced length of the competition will see a higher proportion of games in the evenings at primetime with greater use of technology.Nominations are currently open for the overseas draft which is expected to take place in early September – some clubs have already taken advantage of the new option to sign a player on a multi-year deal before the draft – and CA remains confident it will have a strong hand of overseas names, but the increasingly busy schedule may yet see some top stars consider their options.England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, who made a late entry into last season’s competition with Perth Scorchers, told the BBC she won’t be making herself available this year.The WBBL has been trimmed to a 40-game regular season with three finals in a bid to manage the workload of the game’s leading players, but this season it has faced schedule pressure at both ends. Australia and India start a three-match ODI series four days after the final on December 1 while England face South Africa from November 24 which overlaps with the finals although Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk have committed to full seasons with Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat.”Clubs are working really hard in the market at the moment with players and agents,” Alistair Dobson, the head of the BBL, told ESPNcricinfo as the WBBL fixture list was unveiled. “Obviously the calendar for players in the women’s game is really busy at that time of the year, particularly this year.”We are excited about the players who have signed and think over the next month or two we’ll get a sense from players as to how they are preparing for the World Cup and their appetite to come quickly to Australia, whether that’s at the start of our competition, or perhaps a couple of games in which is certainly possible as well. We know the competition is still one of, if not the, most appealing for players around the world and we are expecting big names to be there again.”Gabba joins stadium seriesThe tournament’s stadium series has been expanded and brought forward as Cricket Australia looks to replicate the crowd growth experienced in the WPL and the Hundred.A standalone match will be played at the Gabba for the first time – the WBBL was last played there in 2019 as part of a double-header with the BBL – while there will again be two games at the MCG and SCG. Adelaide Oval will also stage its third game of the season having hosted an opening-day double-header on October 27, which includes defending champions Adelaide Strikers launching the tournament with a rematch of last year’s final against Brisbane Heat.Ellyse Perry starred at the SCG last season•Getty Images

The WBBL returned to major stadiums last season and the final at Adelaide Oval saw 12,379 attend although crowd growth still lags behind what has been achieved in England and India.The stadium series fixtures will include a Sydney derby between Sixers and Thunder on November 10 and a Melbourne head-to-head between Stars and Renegades on November 15.”The introduction of the stadium series to the WBBL last year was a great success,” Dobson said. “Think it showed when we put the best cricket league in the world for women in the best cricket stadiums in the world we get a great product. The crowds loved it, the players loved it and our broadcasters loved it.”We took a lot from that, we’ve added a big game at the Gabba; Brisbane Heat at the Gabba is iconic. We’ve brought them a week or so earlier than last year which means the games are even more likely to be live and the way we promote those games will be a big focus for us.”The final three days of the regular season will overlap with the Australia-India Test in Perth, including a game at the WACA immediately after the second day’s play at nearby Optus Stadium. CA sees this as an opportunity to cross-promote and feed off the audience of the Test.The reduced length of the competition also means significantly fewer games in the tougher-to-sell weekday afternoon timeslot.Third umpire at every gameThe inconsistent availability of TV umpires was in the spotlight last season with several incorrect decisions that were visible to viewers but not able to be checked on the field. With the reduction in matches there will be an enhancement in the broadcast facilities with a third umpire in operation at every game for line calls such as run-outs and stumpings. ESPNcricinfo understands that there will also be an increase in matches with the DRS available although it won’t cover every fixture.Full WBBL 2024-25 fixture listOctober 27: Adelaide Strikersvs Brisbane Heat, Adelaide Oval (1.10pm)
October 27: Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Sixers, Adelaide Oval (4.40pm)
October 27: Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Stars, WACA (5.30pm)
October 28: Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder, Blundstone Arena (6.10pm)
October 29: Sydney Sixers vs Adelaide Strikers, North Sydney Oval (6.10pm)
October 30: Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Renegades, Allan Border Field (6.10pm)
October 31: Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes, North Sydney Oval (7.15pm)
November 1: Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder, North Sydney Oval (3.45pm)
November 1: Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars, North Sydney Oval (7.15pm)
November 2: Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes, CitiPower Centre (11.30am)
November 2: Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers, CitiPower Centre (3.00pm)
November 3: Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes, CitiPower Centre (10.10am)
November 3: Melbourne Renegades vs Adelaide Strikers, CitiPower Centre (1.40pm)
November 5: Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat, WACA (5.10pm)
November 6: Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Sixers. Blundstone Arena (6.10pm)
November 7: Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat, WACA (2.05pm)
November 7: Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Renegades. WACA (5.35pm)
November 8: Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers, CitiPower Centre (11.00am)
November 9: Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars, CitiPower Centre (3.00pm)
November 9: Brisbane Heat vs Adelaide Strikers, Gabba (6.15pm)
November 10: Hobart Hurricanes vs Perth Scorchers, SCG (10.10am)
November 10: Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder, SCG (1.40pm)
November 11: Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Renegades, Karen Rolton Oval (5.40pm)
November 12: Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers, Drummoyne Oval (6.10pm)
November 13: Hobart Hurricanes vs Adelaide Strikers, Blundstone Arena (6.10pm)
November 14: Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat, North Sydney Oval (3.30pm)
November 15: Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Thunder, MCG (3.45pm)
November 15: Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades, MCG (7.15pm)
November 16: Adelaide Strikers vs Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Oval (3.00pm)
November 17: Melbourne Stars vs Brisbane Heat, Drummoyne Oval (1.55pm)
November 17: Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers, Drummoyne Oval (5.25pm)
November 19: Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers, Karen Rolton Oval (5.40pm)
November 20: Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars, Drummoyne Oval (6.10pm)
November 21: Sydney Sixers vs Perth Scorchers, Blundstone Arena (3.45pm)
November 21: Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Renegades, Blundstone Arena (7.15pm)
November 22: Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Stars, Allan Border Field (7.10pm)
November 23: Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Thunder, CitiPower Centre (10.00am)
November 23: Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes, WACA (5.30pm)
November 24: Melbourne Stars vs Adelaide Strikers, CitiPower Centre (10.00am)
November 24: Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers, Allan Border Field (7.05pm)
November 27: The Knockout
November 29: The Challenger
December 1: The Final (Reserve day December 2)

The domestic season may have only ended a couple of days ago, but there’s no rest for the wicked, and the powers that be at Arsenal will already be hard at work ahead of the summer transfer window.

New Sporting Director Andrea Berta will be keen to prove his worth as soon as possible by making the right additions to get the club over the line in the Premier League and maybe even the Champions League next year.

However, the Italian will need to get his skates on, as the last few weeks have seen Liverpool making significant moves in the market, with the seemingly imminent signing of Florian Wirtz being the most impressive signal of intent.

Fortunately, if reports are to be believed, the Gunners are now looking at another high-profile international who could be their answer to the German star.

Arsenal looking at former Premier League forward

With this summer feeling like the most important since Arteta’s appointment in 2019, there have unsurprisingly been a slew of incredible players linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Nico Williams and Jamie Gittens.

Transfer Focus

The former has been a target for the Gunners for over a year now and has a release clause worth around £50m in his current contract, which may well prove to be value for money, as in 45 games for Athletic Bilbao this season, he has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists.

Likewise, Gittens has enjoyed a pretty impressive season with Borussia Dortmund this year, scoring 12 goals and providing five assists in 48 games and could be available for about £46m.

However, for a player to be Arteta and Co’s answer to Wirtz, they’ve got to be seriously special and capable of changing games for the team, someone like Julian Alvarez.

According to a recent report from Spanish outlet Marca, Arsenal are among a number of clubs keen on the Atlético Madrid star.

In fact, while the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona are credited with an interest in the Argentine, the report makes it clear that the Gunners are currently leading the pack and are ‘are now the strongest bidder for his services.’

While no price is mentioned in the report, he reportedly has a £126m release clause, but this might prove a tad steep.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Alvarez’s immense ability, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he could be Arsenal’s answer to Wirtz.

Alvarez could be Arsenal's answer to Wirtz

The first thing to clear up is that, yes, both players primarily play in different positions, with Alvarez generally starting up top and Wirtz in midfield, but both players have proven themselves to be quite versatile.

The former Manchester City star has played off the right and left, as a second striker and even in midfield a number of times in his career.

Likewise, the soon-to-be Liverpool star has made appearances as a second striker, striker and winger before.

On top of this, even though the Atleti star is more of a goalscorer than the German, he has also proven himself to be a creative outlet.

For example, according to FBref, the 25-year-old, who has “the ability to change games out of nowhere,” per analyst Ben Mattinson, sits in the top 2% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions from live passes, the top 5% for passes completed, the top 6% for passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Alvarez’s 24/25
Appearances	54
Minutes	3705′
Goals	29
Assists	7
Goal Involvements per Match	0.66
Minutes per Goal Involvement	102.91′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Finally, and this is perhaps the most crucial similarity of them all, the Calchín-born superstar has proven he is capable of becoming a team’s most important and talismanic attacker.

In his first season with Atleti, with the pressure of a big price tag hanging over him, the “world-class” forward, as dubbed by City content creator It’s LB, has scored 29 goals and provided seven assists in 54 games, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games.

Ultimately, if Liverpool are going to sign Wirtz this summer, Arsenal need to make their own statement addition to their attack, and Alvarez looks to be the perfect candidate.

He's a lot like Isak: Arsenal make contact to sign £42m Havertz upgrade

The incredible goalscorer would be great for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 27, 2025

Penny for the thoughts of the mass of detractors who thought Arne Slot would fall by the wayside after taking over at Liverpool. Replacing Jurgen Klopp was an impossible task, after all.

Liverpool have done anything but stumble, somehow leaping forward to win the Premier League in Slot’s first season, so dominant and so far clear of Arsenal and Manchester City.

However, not all of Anfield’s first-teamers managed to cover themselves in glory, on an individual basis at least. Club-record man Darwin Nunez is the most obvious pick, having scored seven goals across 47 Premier League games, starting just one league fixture since Boxing Day.

Nunez will leave this summer, most probably, with suitors emerging from Spain and the Saudi Pro League. However, FSG could go one further and cash in on Diogo Jota too.

A high-level number nine is at the top of the shopping list, remember.

The latest on Diogo Jota's future

Jota is not be nailed on for a sale this summer (unlike Nunez), but he may well find himself lacing new boots come September, with Liverpool reluctant to offer their marksman a new contract; his current deal expires in June 2027.

Liverpool signed Jota from Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 2020 for a fee rising to £45m. He’s since become one of the deadliest goalscorers around, with Jamie Carragher even claiming last year that the Portuguese star is “the best finisher” the Reds have had in the Premier League, surpassing the great names you can instantly draw to mind.

But Jota has been uncharacteristically profligate this year, with Sofascore recording his xG (expected goals) total at 7.92, meaning with a six-goal return, he has underperformed.

Injuries, an incessant plague throughout his Liverpool career, appear to be catching up with the 28-year-old.

24/25

26 (14)

6

4

23/24

21 (14)

10

4

22/23

22 (12)

7

4

21/22

35 (27)

15

6

20/21

19 (12)

9

0

Saudi suitors are keen, and cashing in on both stars could prove priceless, for it would allow Liverpool to move for their top target at centre-forward.

Liverpool prepare bid for touted striker

As per Spanish sources, Liverpool are preparing an official bid for Hugo Ekitike, but will need to act fast, with the Eintracht Frankfurt forward one of the most sought-after stars of the summer.

It’s understood FSG would be willing to pay €80m (about £68m) for the French talent, but maybe not meet the Bundesliga club’s €100m (£85m) valuation, as has been reported in Germany.

The problem, naturally, is Liverpool aren’t alone in their bid, with Conference League winners Chelsea also keen on a deal and reported to hold the lead in the race, with Sky Sports claiming they are ‘putting in the most effort’.

This is principally down to Anfield juggling a number of different deals – deftly, it must be said – but certainly urges action if this race is to be won.

What Hugo Ekitike would bring to Liverpool

Ekitike, 22, left Paris Saint-Germain as an exciting prospect to make a name for himself in Germany. Frankfurt has proved the dream hothouse for him, with those such as analyst Ben Mattinson regarding him as “one of the best strikers out there.”

His half-season with Die Roten in 2023/24 looked unsuccessful until something clicked at the business end, Ekitike posting four goals and an assist across the final five games of the league season.

This year, he’s hit another gear altogether, scoring 22 goals and adding 12 assists across 48 matches in all competitions, honing his clinical ability while flourishing a multi-faceted skill set which has likely been the arresting factor in convincing Liverpool’s data analysts.

Availability is also a strong suit, Ekitike missing just one game of the concluding campaign with a slight knock. This, of course, leaves him diametrically opposed to Jota in that regard, making a significant case for a transfer switch in the coming months.

Conversely to Jota, Ekitike’s finishing leaves something to be desired, but that hasn’t stopped him forging an almighty campaign for himself in Germany, hitting seven goal involvements from 12 Europa League matches too.

But finishing can be improved. Jota scored seven goals across his final Premier League season for Wolves, missing 12 big chances.

What matters is that Ekitike covers the span of expectation and then some. Indeed, his performances suggest he is the dynamic, rounded striker needed at Liverpool, one who would certainly prove an upgrade on Jota.

Goals scored

0.53

0.45

Assists

0.28

0.23

Shots taken

4.00

3.84

Shot-creating actions

3.55

2.78

Touches (att pen)

6.88

7.30

Progressive passes

1.86

2.56

Progressive carries

3.27

2.78

Successful take-ons

1.83

0.83

Ball recoveries

3.06

3.09

Tackles + interceptions

0.81

1.66

Above we have a collation of the two forwards’ data from their respective league campaigns. Ekitike, as you can see, has outperformed his Portuguese counterpart across almost every metric, with his potency a direct product of his desire to get into the box.

Let’s turn our attention to the players’ respective ball-carrying data. Ekitike is also far more mobile, demonstrating an energy and silkiness which could aid Liverpool in transition, for Jota is more likely to linger in the danger area than actually contribute to the transition himself.

Jota is regarded for being a dynamic player, but Liverpool may well have unearthed a forward even more protean in their attacking application, and much younger besides.

And given that the wellspring that is Jota’s striking ability has seemingly dried up, it might be worthwhile to cash in after five years of praisable service on Merseyside, bringing in a fresh face to spearhead the Slot era as it truly hits its stride.

Not just Trent: World-class Liverpool star must not play for the club again

Liverpool are ready to make a series of sales in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 26, 2025

Looking to splash the cash once again this summer, Chelsea could reportedly kill two birds with one stone by including one of their young loanees in a swap deal to sign an instant upgrade.

Chelsea take one step into Conference League final

Whilst their Premier League form has sparked plenty of concern in recent months, Chelsea are continuing to thrive in the Europa Conference League in which they are expected to stroll to victory. Putting on another show in their semi-final first leg, Enzo Maresa’s side eased past Swedish outfit Djurgarden 4-1 thanks to goals from Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke and a brace from Nicolas Jackson.

After watching on as his side took one step into the Europa Conference League final, manager Maresca told reporters: “It was the perfect night, an important semi-final and it is a good result. We need to be focused on the second leg.

“The first 70 minutes was good but then in the last 20 minutes we dropped a little bit, but we cannot drop, we cannot relax, because otherwise, it is complicated. We have done a good job but now we need to finish the job at home.”

Chelsea prioritising move for Barcelona star after news of £55m exit clause

The west Londoners are very keen.

ByEmilio Galantini May 1, 2025

It’s in the final on 28 May that the Blues could square off against Real Betis in Poland. The La Liga side also won the first leg of their tie – defeating Fiorentina 2-1 – and will be looking to step into the final before causing a potential upset.

Occasions made for match-winners, those at Stamford Bridge have already reportedly set their sights on a summer swap deal to welcome another player who would be just that.

Chelsea considering Gittens swap deal

According to Christian Falk and Caught Offside, Chelsea are now considering a swap deal to sign Jamie Gittens, which would see Carney Chukwuemeka complete a permanent move to Borussia Dortmund. The 21-year-old has spent the season on loan at the German club and could now reportedly be used in the Blues’ attempt to sign Gittens.

Chelsea are certainly serious about Gittens too, with contact already reportedly made with the talented winger from Cobham as they prepare to make their move for a player valued at a hefty €50m-€60m (£43m-51m). Whether that contact is enough to convince Gittens into a return to England for the first time since leaving Manchester City as an academy graduate remains to be seen, however.

Praised for his “amazing” form by football talent scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season, Gittens has since scored 12 goals and created another five in all competitions in the current campaign.

By contrast, despite being dubbed “talented” by Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl, Chukwuemeka has scored just once in all competitions whilst on loan in Germany.

Using Evangelos Marinakis’ extensive portfolio of clubs to their advantage, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly willing to meet one target’s price-tag this summer in pursuit of boosting their attacking options.

Nottingham Forest plotting statement summer

With just six games to go in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest sit third and four points clear of Manchester City in sixth, who are on course to miss out on Champions League football. And whilst there will still be some nerves around the City Ground, the fact that fifth will still be enough to secure a place among Europe’s elite should give them more than enough of a safety net.

Nuno Espirito Santo recently delivered his verdict on the positive Champions League news, albeit whilst reiterating that it will not change the approach that Nottingham Forest take.

The manager told reporters in the build-up to his side’s game against Everton: “It’s in our hands. It opens one more space so there is more contenders but for us it doesn’t change anything. Our approach will be the same. I think we have a great opportunity to achieve something great.”

Bringing European football back to the City Ground would leave Espirito Santo’s name cemented in the history books, but this season’s success may yet just be the start of a special era.

He's outscored Wood: Nottingham Forest now plotting move to sign £80m star

He’s a wanted man…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 11, 2025

Qualification for next season’s Champions League would mean that a place in Nottingham Forest’s squad would suddenly be among the most attractive in the Premier League and that has already seen a number of targets lined up ahead of the summer transfer window.

Names as big as Victor Osimhen have even been mentioned on Forest’s radar, whilst they could also look towards South America for incomings.

Nottingham Forest willing to meet Clayton's valuation

According to Record, as relayed by Sports Witness, Nottingham Forest are now willing to spend in the race to sign Clayton this summer. The impressive centre-forward is currently on loan from Vasco da Gama at Rio Ave – a club also owned by Marinakis – in a deal that is expected to become permanent when the summer transfer window arrives.

Of course, if that does prove to be the case then Forest’s pursuit should become far easier thanks to Marinakis. The Greek owner could use his place at both sides to help connect any potential deal this summer, which would reportedly be worth around €10m (£9m) – a price Nottingham Forest are willing to pay.

26 years old and at the peak of his powers having scored 17 goals and assisted a further two in all competitions so far this season, Clayton could quickly turn into the bargain of the summer if he carried over his form from Portugal to the Midlands.

Given that Chris Wood is now 33 years old and Taiwo Awoniyi remains unconvincing too, Nottingham Forest could make their move to sign the forward at the perfect time.

Aston Villa have expressed their interest in signing an African attacker who prefers an assist to scoring a goal.

Rashford and Asensio starring for Aston Villa as NSWE eye permanent moves

Into the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain and pushing for another top-four finish in the Premier League, it has been a positive start to 2025 for Unai Emery’s side.

The Spaniard was backed by NSWE in January with loan deals for Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio from Manchester United and PSG respectively. Both have starred in recent weeks for Villa, and there have already been claims that Villa are plotting a permanent move for Asensio that could be worth £25m.

With Rashford, it is believed that Villa are best placed to sign the forward on a full-time basis. Those in the Midlands have a £40m option to buy, and ex-scout Mick Brown thinks Villa are in pole position to sign Rashford.

“Marcus going out on loan has been a win-win. There was no way his situation at Man United was going to improve, so from that point of view he’s gone away and improved his position. There’s never been any doubt about Marcus’ talent, and now he’s found a platform to display that.

“Aston Villa have gained from it because they were brave enough to take him on loan. Now, I think they’ll be in the best position to keep him on a permanent deal even though there’s going to be interest from elsewhere.”

Games

11

Goals

3

Assists

4

Games

10

Goals

8

Assists

1

Ahead of the summer, NSWE and Villa have been identifying new targets, and they may have found a star in the making who is catching the eye across Europe.

Aston Villa make approach for 18 y/o attacker Rodolfo Aloko

According to reports from Spain, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are one of the clubs circling to sign Rodolfo Aloko, who is currently plying his trade in Croatia with NK Kustosija.

The 18-year-old is primarily an attacking midfielder but has been described as a very fast and powerful striker who is difficult to stop when at full speed.

Villa have seemingly made an approach by expressing their interest in Aloko, however, they are not alone, with RB Salzburg and PSV Eindhoven doing the same. Sevilla have also scouted Aloko in action for Benin and are thought to be ahead in the race, with the attacker in and out of Kustosija’s first team and reserves.

Monchi sends scouts as Aston Villa race to sign "special" Galatasaray star

He’s a wanted man…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 2, 2025

It is added that Aloko actually enjoys assisting more than scoring goals and that Kustosija will want a ‘decent fee’ to part ways with their talented African over the coming months.

By the looks of things, a move to Villa for Aloko could be one to keep an eye on, where he may join the likes of Rory Wilson in the club’s academy looking to eventually progress into the first team.

The standout numbers from the final day of the Test series in Christchurch

Sampath Bandarupalli11-Mar-202413 Consecutive Test series without a defeat for New Zealand at home before losing to Australia. New Zealand’s last series defeat was in a three-match series against South Africa in March 2017. New Zealand played 13 two-match Test series at home between the two series defeats, winning in ten while another three ended in a draw.210 Runs scored by the Australia batters at No.6 and lower during the fourth innings. These are the most by any team’s No.6 and lower batters in a successful fourth-innings chase, surpassing the 190 by Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in 2017.7 Consecutive Test wins for Australia against New Zealand in New Zealand. It is the joint-second longest winning streak against the home team in Test cricket. England won each of their first eight Tests in South Africa between 1889 and 1899, while New Zealand also won their recent seven Tests in Zimbabwe (since 2000).ESPNcricinfo Ltd15-1 Australia’s win-loss record while chasing a target against New Zealand in Test cricket. The 2011 Hobart Test was the only time Australia lost while chasing against New Zealand in Tests. The 279-run chase in Christchurch is now the highest that Australia chased successfully against New Zealand.247 Runs scored by Australia after the fall of the fourth wicket in the chase. These are the third-most runs scored by any team after losing their fourth wicket in a successful fourth-innings chase in Test cricket. The previous highest for Australia was 244 against Pakistan in the 1999 Hobart Test, where they were 125 for 4 in a 369-run chase.98* Alex Carey’s score in the Christchurch chase is the second-highest by a wicketkeeper in a successful fourth-innings chase in Tests. Adam Gilchrist’s unbeaten 149 against Pakistan in 1999 in Hobart is the highest.ESPNcricinfo Ltd140 Partnership runs between Mitchell Marsh and Carey is the third-highest in a successful fourth-innings chase in Tests for the sixth or lower wicket. The highest is 238 between Justin Langer and Gilchrist for the sixth wicket against Pakistan in 1999.2 Individual scores by No.7 or lower batters in a successful fourth-innings chase in Tests higher than Carey’s 98 not out in Christchurch. Gilchrist’s 149 not out against Pakistan came while batting at No.7, while Gilbert Jessop scored 104, also at No.7 against Australia in 1902 at The Oval.3 Instances of Australia successfully chasing a target of 250-plus runs since 2008. During this period, Australia lost chasing 250-plus targets on 25 occasions, while another four ended in a draw. Johannesburg 2011 (310), Birmingham 2023 (281) and Christchurch 2024 (279) are those wins. Pat Cummins hit a boundary to close the chase in all three instances.

McCullum’s coaching career has moved quickly since he retired as a player

ESPNcricinfo staff12-May-2022December 2015
McCullum announces he will retire from international cricket at the end of New Zealand’s home summer, ahead of the T20 World Cup in India. “I’ve loved my opportunity to play for, and captain, the Blackcaps, but all good things have to come to an end, and I’m just grateful for the wonderful experience of playing for my country,” he says.February 2016
McCullum signs off from Test cricket with a 54-ball hundred, the fastest in Test cricket, against Australia in Christchurch. “As a good team man, it would be nice to be remembered,” he says. “As a guy who played for the right reasons and who, if in doubt, was prepared to take the positive option.”June 2016
Delivering the annual MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture at Lord’s, McCullum criticises the “casual” approach of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, a year after giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court against his former team-mate Chris Cairns who was later cleared of all charges. “If we are to get rid of the scourge of match-fixing, a robust governing body is essential,” he says.May 2018
In an interview with the Cricket Monthly, McCullum suggests that T20 will supersede Tests. “I firmly believe that Test cricket won’t be around in time, because there’s only so many teams that can afford to play it,” he says. “And whilst we all adore Test cricket, and for me it is the purest form of the game – I’m loyal to it – I’m also a realist that people are turning up and watching T20.” He continues to play for various franchises around the world including Lahore Qalandars, Trinbago Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore.November 2018
McCullum calls time on his stint at Lahore Qalandars after enduring two difficult seasons as captain. Qalandars finish bottom of the league on both occasions as McCullum struggles with the bat. In the first year, he manages just 93 runs in seven innings; in the second, his 218 runs in ten innings come at a strike rate of just 110.65. “A big thank you to Lahore Qalandars for the past two seasons,” he says. “Today we have parted ways but I leave with fond memories and friendships. I wish you all the best in the future.”Brendon McCullum takes a lap of honour in his final home game in the BBL•Getty ImagesFebruary 2019
After going unsold at the IPL auction and enduring an underwhelming season for Brisbane Heat, McCullum calls time on his career in the Big Bash. “I will continue to play T20 cricket in 2019 in various competitions around the world and will then look to transition into a coaching career,” he says.August 2019
McCullum announces he will retire from all cricket after the Global T20 Canada. “As much as I’m proud of what I’ve achieved in my 20 years of professional career – more than I ever could have dreamed of when I first entered the game – I have felt the drive to keep going harder to maintain in recent months,” he writes in a statement. He hits 36 off 22 balls in his final innings, days before his team Toronto Nationals refuse to take the field due to unpaid wages.Ten days later, he is unveiled as head coach of both Knight Riders franchises: Trinbago in the CPL and Kolkata in the IPL, taking over from Simon Katich and Jacques Kallis respectively.September 2019
Trinbago finish fourth in the six-team group stage in CPL 2019 following back-to-back title-winning seasons. They beat St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the eliminator but fall short against Barbados Tridents in the second qualifier, placing them third overall.September 2020
McCullum’s TKR side win all 12 of their games in CPL 2020, including an eight-wicket win against St Lucia Zouks in the final. “You could take this team anywhere around the world they’ll be highly competitive against any franchise that plays T20 cricket,” he says.KKR’s Brendon McCullum and Abhishek Nayar look on•BCCINovember 2020
Eoin Morgan, McCullum’s close friend, replaces Dinesh Karthik as KKR’s captain midway through the group stages but the team finishes fifth in IPL 2020, missing out on the playoffs on net run rate.April 2021
KKR start the season with five defeats in seven games before the tournament is put on hold because of the worsening second wave of Covid-19 in India. “It’s very, very disappointing,” McCullum says. “A saying that I’ve used throughout my career is that if you can’t change a man, change the man. So we’ll probably have to make some changes and try and bring in some fresh personnel who will hopefully take the game on a bit more.”August 2021
McCullum misses the CPL because of “personal reasons and Covid-related travel restrictions” and is replaced as Trinbago’s head coach by Imran Jan. He continues to work as a broadcaster as well as a coach, primarily for Spark Sport in New Zealand.October 2021
The IPL resumes in the UAE and McCullum’s KKR side charge to the final, winning seven out of nine games before falling to Chennai Super Kings at the final hurdle. “We’ll walk away with our heads held high,” he says.May 2022
With KKR struggling in IPL 2022, winning five of their first 12 games under new captain Shreyas Iyer, McCullum emerges as a candidate for one of the vacant England coaching roles, with new managing director Rob Key splitting the jobs down format lines. Initially linked with the white-ball role, he is appointed as England’s new Test coach. “I am acutely aware of the significant challenges the team faces at present, and I strongly believe in my ability to help the team emerge as a stronger force once we’ve confronted them head-on,” he says.