Arsenal summer signing Cristhian Mosquera has piled praise on two Hale End academy gems he’s noticed since his arriving in North London, claiming they boast maturity far beyond their years.

Hale End prospering with conveyor belt of Arsenal sensations

Arsenal’s academy has long been a cornerstone of the club’s identity, and in recent years, it has blossomed into one of the Premier League’s most established talent factories.

Since the rise of England winger Bukayo Saka, whose breakthrough into the first team has been nothing short of spectacular, the academy’s reputation for developing technically gifted, versatile and exciting young players has only grown stronger.

Appearances

270

Goals

73

Assists

71

Bookings

31

Red cards

0

Minutes played

20,448

Saka, who’s about to be rewarded with a brand-new contract which could make him the club’s only £300,000-per-week player, set a very high benchmark for Hale End graduates.

His success has inspired a new generation of starlets emerging from the club’s youth ranks, many of whom are now knocking on the door of the senior squad or making waves in loan spells elsewhere.

15-year-old Max Dowman is chief among them, having just become the second-youngest debutant in Premier League history behind fellow rising Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri.

Ethan Nwaneri

15 years, 181 days

Arsenal

Max Dowman

15 years, 235 days

Arsenal

Jeremy Monga

15 years, 271 days

Leicester City

Harvey Elliott

16 years, 30 days

Fulham

Matthew Briggs

16 years, 68 days

Fulham

Dowman, after coming on against Leeds United, marked his first Arsenal league appearance by winning a penalty for Viktor Gyokeres to fire home in a 5-0 thrashing of the newly-promoted side.

Meanwhile, left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, despite his ongoing battle with Riccardo Calafiori for a starting place this season, established himself as an England international during his breakthrough campaign last term.

The teenager started every Champions League knockout game for Arsenal in 24/25, including both of their semi-final legs against PSG, with Lewis-Skelly making 39 senior appearances in all competitions as a firm regular in Mikel Arteta’s starting eleven.

Sporting director Andrea Berta awarded both Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri with new long-term contracts in the summer to stave off interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, and Mosquera has already been blown away by what he’s seen from the pair.

Cristhian Mosquera piles praise on Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri at Arsenal

Speaking to The Athletic, Berta’s recruit lavished praise on Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, saying the youngsters already “play like they’re 30” and it’s “incredible” to behold.

As Lewis-Skelly fights for his left-back spot, Nwaneri is yet to start a single Premier League game so far this season — but that is testament to the abundance of attacking quality in Arsenal’s squad.

Martin Odegaard’s new injury could free up space for the latter to accumulate more minutes, if Eberechi Eze doesn’t completely steal the number 10 role, but it is important to remember that Nwaneri is still very much in his infancy.

Interestingly, Arsenal chiefs hold very high hopes for Mosquera too, and there is a belief behind-the-scenes that their new defender could soon become one of the best centre-backs in world football.

Hasan Ali not selected in any squad while Hussain Talat drops out of T20Is

Danyal Rasool23-Oct-2025Babar Azam has returned to the Pakistan T20I squad for the first time in nearly a year. He was named in a 15-member squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, as well as the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe which follows. Mohammad Rizwan, who was removed from the captaincy in ODI cricket, keeps his place in the 50-over squad, while wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan and offspinner Usman Tariq come into the T20 side.Babar has not played any T20 cricket since the end of the PSL, after which he was not part of any squad for the shortest format. At the time, Pakistan’s white-ball coach Mike Hesson said he would need to “improve a few things” to earn his way back into the side, with the Big Bash League in December believed to be the tournament Pakistan would use to assess his improvement. It is not yet clear what led to him being fast-tracked back in, but his inclusion means he is, once more, an all-format player for Pakistan.Related

Asif Afridi finally gets his moment, 16 years and 90 deliveries in the making

Deja Vu for Masood as SA's tail wags and Pakistan's plans unravel

Ball not dead, bails knocked off – Why was Mohammad Rizwan not out hit-wicket?

Fast bowler Naseem Shah keeps his place in the ODI squad, and returns to the T20 side. He recently excelled in the CPL with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, where Tariq’s performance with champions Trinbago Knight Riders has also been rewarded. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Hasan Ali, who was part of the T20 Asia Cup squad, is not part of any of the white-ball teams, while Hussain Talat drops out of the T20 side.Shaheen Afridi will captain Pakistan’s ODI side for the first time against South Africa in November during a three-match series. Before that, Pakistan play three T20s against them. It is followed by the tri-series from November 17 to 29.Pakistan ODI squad
Shahen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali AghaT20I squad
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq

Newcastle United still have just one win to their name in the early Premier League standings.

Yet, that doesn’t tell the full tale of the Magpies’ wobbly start to the season, with Eddie Howe’s men also only losing one game, as the Toon had to settle for another draw on the road against AFC Bournemouth.

In truth, with just four shots registered on the South Coast, the visitors to the South Coast were somewhat lucky to come away from the drab affair with a 0-0 draw still intact, as several of Howe’s first team struggled to get going against the Cherries.

The main Newcastle underperformers vs Bournemouth

While Arsenal and Manchester City would offer up plenty of entertainment on Sunday, it’s fair to say the encounter between Bournemouth and Newcastle was a little lacking on the action front, on the contrary.

Indeed, Nick Woltemade didn’t exactly boost the Toon as they attempted to play on the front foot, with the 6-foot-6 attacker failing to register a single on-target effort at the home side’s goal, before he was hauled off the Vitality Stadium turf with just six minutes remaining.

Another of Newcastle’s new signings, Malick Thiaw, also failed to put in a convincing display, as seen in the German centre-back winning just 50% of his duels, alongside being a very fortunate individual that he wasn’t dismissed with ten minutes left on the clock when clashing with a Cherries shirt, after already picking up a yellow card.

Lewis Miley also failed to grasp his first-team opportunity as Howe made many changes from Newcastle’s Thursday night defeat to Barcelona, but one of Miley’s teammates in the middle put in an even more uninspiring display than the promising 19-year-old, to now find himself on borrowed time under his manager.

The Newcastle flop who is on borrowed time

At least with both Miley and Thiaw, they should have plenty more to give to the Newcastle cause going forward, with the teenage sensation previously showing he belongs in the senior picture, while Thiaw did register four interceptions (per Sofascore) against Andoni Iraola’s men when not finding himself tangled in contentious moments on the pitch.

The same level of patience won’t be extended to Joe Willock, however, with the 26-year-old’s below-par showing on Sunday only strengthening why Howe hasn’t been picking him for some time now.

Willock’s performance in numbers
Stat	Willock
Minutes played	62
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Touches	32
Accurate passes	12/15 (80%)
Key passes	0
Total duels won	6/11
Stats by Sofascore

Last season saw the forgotten ex-Arsenal midfielder only make 11 Premier League starts, with Willock drafted into the XI against Bournemouth owing to some rusty legs after Champions League action.

Based on his passive display, though, Willock will be lucky to reach the same amount of starts he was afforded last season across the remainder of this campaign, with the one-time breath of fresh air at St James’ Park – who once managed eight league goals in just one season – struggling to even trump Nick Pope in terms of touches of the ball.

Indeed, Willock would only go on to amass a lacklustre 32 touches of the ball next to Pope’s weightier 42 (per Sofascore), while also only being able to accurately complete 12 passes all afternoon. In stark contrast, Sandro Tonali, who is a guaranteed starter week in week out centrally, would trudge off the pitch at the end with 49 accurate passes in tow.

It’s a no-brainer, therefore, for Howe to just reinstate both Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes to their usual positions next to Tonali when Arsenal come to town next in league action, with Willock no doubt looking out of his depth if he were handed a surprise second consecutive start against his former employers.

With Howe stating at the final whistle that his team were somewhat careless on the ball, it’s clear that the declining 26-year-old needs to be replaced instantly for the test of Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, having also been handed a low 4/10 rating post-match by journalist Lee Ryder, who noted that Willock looked “miles off it.”

There will be a tinge of sadness at the end of the Magpies right now, considering Willock does have a hefty 18 goals and eight assists up his sleeve on Tyneside from 148 total clashes.

But, it does appear as if the number 28 is staring the end of his Newcastle career straight in the face now, with Howe certainly less keen to hand him significant minutes moving forward after his no-show on the South Coast.

Newcastle now make early approach to sign £40m+ Real Madrid player on loan

The striker is of a similar profile to Wissa.

By
Callum Kemp

Sep 21, 2025

The bottom of the 11th inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Phillies and Dodgers will be remembered largely for one reason: Phillies relief pitcher Orion Kerkering's throwing error that led to the winning run scoring in the form of Hyeseong Kim, ending Philadelphia's season and sending Los Angeles to the National League Championship Series for the second straight year.

But it very nearly could have been remembered for a different sort of mistake, one that was quickly remediated despite being missed in all of the end-of-game chaos.

In his haste to hurry home and score the winning run, Kim seemingly failed to touch home plate.

Fortunately for the Dodgers, Kim quickly realized what had occurred and, after Kerkering's throw sailed past catcher J.T. Realmuto's head to the backstop, doubled back to touch home plate.

It was another what-if moment in an eventful inning filled with them.

Few things in baseball—actually, few things in all of sports—are more exciting than an inside-the-park home run. It's almost impossible for a player to get one without something unusual happening, whether it be a catastrophic miscalculation from a fielder or the ball taking a zany bounce. Point is, if someone tells you that there was an inside-the-park homer, you're going to want to see it.

Tuesday night brought two of those strange round-trippers to Major League Baseball. First, Lawrence Butler of the Athletics casually cruised 360 feet to lead off the game against the Atlanta Braves.

Later, the San Francisco Giants' Patrick Bailey ran very fast to walk off the Philadelphia Phillies after his shot to right-center decided to explore the space far away from any fielder.

They've been playing baseball for a long, long time. So it's a bit surprising to learn that this was the first time in Major League Baseball history that a leadoff inside-the-parker and a walk-off inside-the-parker occurred on the same day.

Considering the fact that baseball teams used to play in bizarrely-shaped playing surfaces back in the day with cavernous power alleys, one would think something like this would have happened before. But considering Butler's scamper was the Athletic's first leadoff inside-the-parker since 1943 and Bailey's was the first walk-off of the variety across all baseball in the last decade … yeah, definitely a rare night.

Legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who is a die-hard supporter of Manchester United, has publicly pleaded with Red Devils legend Rio Ferdinand to approach the team management and offer his help to fix a glaring issue. United blew a one-goal lead to draw 2-2 for the second week in a row away at Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday, missing the chance to move into the top four.

• United's topsy-turvy start to the season

  United staged a remarkable comeback in October after a rocky start to their 2025-26 campaign as Ruben Amorim's side won three successive Premier League matches against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton. It was finally looking like the star-studded attack that the club had assembled in the summer transfer window was finally delivering as they quickly climbed up the table.

  However, the Red Devils have experienced yet another dip in form at the start of November, recording back-to-back draws 2-2 draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. 

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  'Stressed out' Bolt reaches out to Ferdinand

  Eight-time Olympic champion Bolt has admitted to being "stressed out" by United's performances this season. After the Spurs draw, Bolt reached out to United legend Ferdinand with a voice note and pleaded with the former England star to help the club fix a glaring issue.

  In the voice note, played on Rio Ferdinand's podcast, Bolt said: "I just watched the United game, one of our biggest problems is when we invite pressure onto ourselves. They're always running back, all we do is invite pressure. Please (Rio), I'm begging you man. Get to the team and say something. You are one of the greatest defenders Man United ever had, please bro, it's stressing me out. I know you have nothing to do with this but tell the guys to pass the ball quicker. Oh my God, bro. They don't know how to defend one-on-one. Shaw is the only one who seems like he understand. All they know is system, lineup and play well. 'They don't know how to step up, push the defender and then go back into your line. I push up (as a defender) and the midfield slots in. Please, Rio, get to somebody."

• 'We're still in this rebuilding phase'

  Unlike Bolt, Ferdinand was less scathing with his analysis of Amorim's side as he said: "There were times against Spurs where it (United's defence) wasn't working as a cohesive unit. We're still in this rebuilding phase and I think that's why we've got to manage the expectations of fans. I've seen some people going off on one, going crazy saying, 'the manager ruined it with his substitutions'. But if he didn't make any subs and we still got the same result, everyone would be going, 'why didn't he change it?'. He's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't sometimes. Arne Slot won the league last year, went to [Manchester] City this year and got it totally wrong. It does happen."

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• AFP
  

  Amorim admits to United's flaws

  Amorim agrees that there is still plenty of work to do to further improve the team's performances, as he told after the Tottenham game: "During the game we felt like the three points were there to take home. But then with everything that happened, Harry Maguire and Casemiro coming off and conceding two goals… we scored again and it's a point. When you cannot win you don't lose, once again we did that. We have so much to grow as a team, because today was our day to win this game. 

  "We need to look at ourselves, we were not pressing with the same intensity, we felt comfortable but we need to understand that if we had more bravery we kill the game. But sometimes this happens, you have a better first half than second. We believe in our capacity to score goals until the last minute. It's a little frustration, but also pride at the response of the players at the response to second goal of Tottenham. This is the tip of the iceberg, we are at the beginning of becoming a strong team, so we have a lot to do."

Australia’s Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, lamented the state of the old pink ball and his team-mates’ lack of situational awareness

Matt Roller04-Dec-2025

Jofra Archer played a valuable hand batting at No. 11 for only the second time in Test cricket•Darrian Traynor/CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

England believe that the chaotic final half-hour at the Gabba swung the opening day of the second Ashes Test in their favour, after Joe Root and Jofra Archer’s unbroken tenth-wicket stand of 61 took them to 325 for 9 under lights.At the scheduled 9pm close, England were 269 for 9 after 68 overs, with Root unbeaten on 111. It was a remarkably similar situation to the opening day of the 2023 series between these teams in Edgbaston, when Ben Stokes declared with Root on 118 to give England four overs to bowl at Australia before the close.The added element of the pink ball – and the opportunity to bowl at Australia under floodlights – strengthened the case for a declaration, prompting David Warner on Fox commentary to say he was “absolutely baffled” that Stokes had not pulled the plug on England’s innings.Related

• Root ton, Starc six as England reach 325 for 9 on opening day in Brisbane

• Crawley settles the nerves as he bounces back from Perth pair

• Starc on left-arm wickets record: Wasim still the GOAT

Steven Smith, who had floated the prospect of opening the batting with two nightwatchers in such a scenario, was at pains to slow the game down as much as possible, and Root remonstrated with umpire Sharfuddoula at Australia’s apparent time-wasting when Travis Head got padded up to spend a single ball under the helmet at short leg.But Root and Archer seized the opportunity to tee off, adding 56 runs in the final six overs of the day in a partnership that Zak Crawley said had changed the mood of the day for England’s players, who watched on from the viewing gallery outside the away dressing room. “We definitely won that last hour,” Crawley said. “We’re positive going into tomorrow.”Joe Root and Jofra Archer added an unbeaten 61 off 44 balls before stumps•Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Archer, batting at No. 11 for only the second time in Test cricket, started the carnage by charging Scott Boland and swiping him over square leg for the first six of the day off the first ball of an over that cost 19 runs. He then swung Mitchell Starc’s full toss over the sprawling Brendan Doggett at long-on, and Root reverse-scooped Boland over deep third in the following over.By stumps, Archer had registered a new Test best of 32 not out, while Root reached 135 overnight. Their stand was England’s first half-century partnership for the tenth wicket since Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson added 66 in the drawn Old Trafford Test in the 2023 Ashes, and their first in Australia since Norman Cowans and Derek Pringle in 1982.Starc, whose six wickets had put Australia firmly on top, was exasperated not only with the state of the old pink ball, but with his team-mates’ lack of situational awareness. “If you have a look at that ball, it’s basically bowling with a tennis ball,” he told SEN radio. “They chanced their arm, there were a few that dropped short. I think there’s a little bit of tactical nous in there as well.

“Hopefully, we take that tenth one early tomorrow and get batting with the sun out. We saw that it [the ball] didn’t do a whole lot, and day two is generally a good day to bat on. If we can get stuck into batting early tomorrow when there’s sun on the wicket – and their balls go soft as well – it could be a good day’s cricket.”Crawley, who had briefly changed back into his whites in anticipation of fielding, said that the situation had been “perfect” for England. “There was no talk of a declaration,” he said. “We were just saying, ‘Go really hard,’ and it was a win-win: if it comes off, then we’ll get 50 runs like we did, or if you got out, then we could have a crack at them under lights.”They’re valuable runs and it would’ve worked out either way… We were pretty happy with [being bowled out for] 260 and having an hour at them at that point, to be honest. We were quite optimistic about that last hour, and then it turned out we batted for all of it. It felt like it was a great chance for us either way – with bat or ball – to seize that last hour.”Australia only bowled 74 overs out of the scheduled 90 on the first day, which Simon Katich described as “an absolute joke”. They risk being docked World Test Championship points if they fail to bowl England out inside 80 overs. “The over rates are what they are,” Starc said. “If we keep taking the wickets, they won’t worry about it.”

da dobrowin： There’s one burning question emerging within Manchester United at present and all are directed at Ruben Amorim – what’s happening with Kobbie Mainoo?

da realsbet： The Englishman was seen as one of the Premier League’s most exciting before the manager’s arrival, but he’s been unable to showcase such talents over the last few months.

He’s mainly been utilised as an impact player, as seen by his tally of six appearances in the league in 2025/25, all of which have come off the substitutes bench, totalling 118 minutes.

Mainoo has gone from an England international mainstay to a player now behind the likes of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte in the pecking order at Old Trafford – a truly unthinkable thought 12 months ago.

His lack of action will no doubt have had an effect on his progress with the Red Devils, which could see him fail to match the expectations of the fanbase who have previously compared him to a former player.

The reasons behind Paul Pogba’s downfall at Man Utd

As a result of his impressive start to life in the United first-team, Mainoo was tipped to emulate the levels produced by midfielder Paul Pogba during his own time at the club.

The Frenchman cost a staggering £89m in the summer of 2016, a deal that still remains a club-record, leading to huge expectations being placed on him to impress at Old Trafford.

He often matched them in the early stages, as he became known for the odd world-class goal, something which he perfectly demonstrated against Young Boys in 2020.

However, his second stint with the Red Devils was far from plain sailing, with the players often coming into question for various aspects of his game during his six years in Manchester.

Pogba often struggled with his fitness at United, even being forced to train away from the first-team squad during Michael Carrick’s temporary spell in charge back in 2020.

The French international was also quizzed over his best position in the side, with his attributes often not fitting the demands of various managers at the club.

It was largely unclear if he was more suited to a deeper role at the heart of the side or a box-to-box role – but ultimately it contributed to his downfall and subsequent exit.

He would leave the Red Devils for a second time in the summer of 2022, rejoining Juventus on a free transfer for the second time in his professional career.

However, a little over three years on from his exit, current boss Amorim may have stumbled across his next version of the fan-favourite in a somewhat unlikely source.

The Man Utd player who’s Amorim’s own Pogba

Despite Mainoo’s availability over the last few months, the United hierarchy have been on the hunt to land a new midfielder to help bolster Amorim’s squad.

Such an area of the pitch has been brought into question over the last couple of months, with claims that the side have often been overrun in that department – subsequently leading to their dismal league standing last season.

However, it appears as though the 40-year-old has somewhat put an immediate fix to the issue, as his side have claimed four wins in their last six outings across all competitions.

Amorim has even claimed back-to-back wins for the first time in his tenure over recent weeks, highlighting that he’s finally starting to realise what his best starting eleven is.

Despite fixing the midfield issue, he already has his next Pogba in the form of forward Joshua Zirkzee – a statement that may come as a surprise to many supporters.

Whilst the pair operate in hugely different positions during their respective periods with the Red Devils, they both possess serious similarities in numerous key areas.

Upon his arrival at Old Trafford in the summer of 2024, many questioned the Dutchman’s fitness levels – even citing that he looked overweight despite scoring the winner against Fulham on his debut.

Despite being labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, he’s struggled to nail his place down after Amorim’s arrival, with uncertainty around his best position undoubtedly at the forefront of the manager’s mind.

The 24-year-old even stated that he sees himself as a 9.5, often liking to drop deeper and affect the player, rather than operating as a poacher like Benjamin Sesko.

Joshua Zirkzee – PL stats (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

32

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

72%

Shots taken

1.8

Chances created

0.8

Dribble success

38%

Aerials won

29%

Times dispossessed

2.8

Stats via FotMob

Such a playstyle likely contributed to the Red Devils’ measly tally of just 44 league goals last season, with Zirkzee suffering with a lack of action after the club’s £200m spending spree.

He’s so far only featured for 74 minutes during 2025/26 to date, leading to huge rumours about a potential exit away from the Theatre of Dreams in January.

It’s a real shame to see his move to England fail to hit the heights many anticipated, but it’s further evidence of his similarities to Pogba, given his own demise in the Premier League.

Both are evidently more suited to the Italian top-flight rather than the Premier League, with the recruitment team desperately needing to learn from such examples going forward.

Related Man Utd's "homegrown Osimhen" at Carrington looks like their new Rashford

Manchester United already have a star who could reach phenomenal levels in the near future.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Oct 23, 2025

In recent years, Newcastle United’s recruitment has told a clear story – one of wide players redefining the club’s attacking identity.

From the chaotic final days of the Mike Ashley era to Eddie Howe’s meticulous rebuild, the evolution of Newcastle’s wing play mirrors their rise from relegation favourites to European contention.

Once reliant on isolated flashes of brilliance from players like Allan Saint-Maximin, the modern Newcastle has prioritised structure, pressing, and precision.

The arrivals of Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes, and most recently Anthony Elanga have transformed the team’s threat on the flanks.

Each signing reflects a calculated balance: proven Premier League pedigree complemented by a willingness to nurture elite young prospects.

Howe’s wingers are no longer luxury players – they are the engine of the team.

Their pressing triggers Newcastle’s high-intensity game, their runs dictate tempo, and their final-third output defines the side’s ceiling.

It’s no coincidence that when Gordon and Barnes hit form, Newcastle’s results often follow.

And while injuries have at times disrupted rhythm, the depth and quality of the Magpies’ wing options have arguably never been stronger.

Why Gordon is so important to Newcastle

Gordon has become the embodiment of Howe’s footballing philosophy – industrious, fearless, and ruthlessly efficient.

Since arriving from Everton in 2023 for around £45m, the 24-year-old has evolved from a raw, energetic prospect into one of the Premier League’s most complete wide players.

Gordon’s game thrives on intensity.

His pressing metrics are among the best in Newcastle’s squad, and his ability to combine tireless defensive work with a direct attacking output has made him indispensable.

Last season, he registered nine goals and seven assists across all competitions – numbers that underline his evolution from a counterattacking winger into a high-volume chance creator.

Matches Played

38

Minutes

2,703

Shots

69

Progressive Carries

129

Progressive Passes

105

Statistically, he ranks in the top 10% of Premier League wingers for successful dribbles and progressive carries, while his xG involvement continues to rise each season.

More importantly, Gordon delivers in the biggest moments. Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Gordon has 17 goals and assists in 19 games against the Big Six.

While Saint-Maximin once dazzled without structure, Gordon combines flair with purpose.

He tracks back, presses intelligently, and executes Howe’s transitions with precision.

His chemistry with Lewis Hall on the left flank has been one of Newcastle’s most consistent attacking outlets – a pattern of overlaps, cut-backs, and diagonal switches that stretch even the most disciplined defences.

Even with competition from Barnes, Gordon remains the benchmark.

His relentless energy has set the tone for Newcastle’s pressing identity and his versatility gives Howe invaluable tactical flexibility.

For a club with a long and complex relationship with wingers, Gordon feels like the culmination of a decade of searching.

He’s not just a player who excites – he’s one who defines the team’s identity. But might Howe and co have another similar exciting talent?

Newcastle star looks "like Gordon" out on loan

While Gordon and Elanga headline Newcastle’s present, Antonio Cordero represents their future.

The 18-year-old Spaniard, signed from Málaga in the summer, is widely viewed within the club as one of the brightest young attacking prospects in Europe.

Cordero’s path to St James’ Park reflects Newcastle’s growing ambition in youth recruitment.

He turned down interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona to join Howe’s project, signing a five-year deal in 2025.

Before his move, he made 60 appearances for Málaga, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists — including a dramatic last-minute equaliser in the Segunda División play-off final that sealed the club’s promotion.

Now on loan at KVC Westerlo in Belgium’s top division, Cordero has featured five times this season, albeit for just 81 minutes – a concern Newcastle’s development staff will monitor closely.

The priority remains clear: regular senior minutes to accelerate his transition from prodigy to professional. Cordero’s style mirrors that of Gordon – fast, direct, and relentlessly positive on the ball.

Able to play on either flank but preferring the left, he combines low-centre balance with intelligent off-ball movement.

That reputation is backed up by 17 youth caps and four international goals since debuting for Spain’s U19s against Germany in 2024.

Former Newcastle sporting director Paul Mitchell called him an “exciting talent,” while analyst Ben Mattinson described him as “like Gordon.”

If nurtured correctly, Cordero could offer Howe the same dynamism Gordon brings, but with an added layer of creativity and unpredictability – an attacking wildcard Newcastle have often lacked against low blocks.

His arrival continues a clear pattern.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Alongside Elanga, and Barnes, Cordero embodies Newcastle’s dual approach: building a squad capable of immediate success while investing in players who can define the next decade.

From the unpredictable brilliance of Saint-Maximin to the refined relentlessness of Gordon, Newcastle’s wingers tell the story of a club reborn.

Newcastle are brewing the homegrown Elanga in 18-year-old "huge talent"

Newcastle’s attack has struggled this season, but rising star could be the future spark they need

ByWill Miller Oct 17, 2025

County Championship 2026 will be played in three blocks of matches starting in April, June and August

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2025

Haseeb Hameed holds the Championship trophy aloft•PA Photos/Getty Images

Player representatives have reiterated their fear of burnout in the wake of the full fixture release for the 2026 domestic season in England and Wales.Following the announcement of the County Championship and One-Day Cup schedules on Thursday, the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) was particularly critical of the period from late August to late September, which comprises six rounds of Championship fixtures and the 50-over final.The 2026 Rothesay County Championship will be played in three blocks of matches – with each side playing a total of 14 times after counties rejected a proposal earlier this year to cut the number of first-class games to 13, a decision which had already raised the ire of the players’ union.Related

Warwickshire retire Birmingham Bears moniker for revamped T20 Blast

Counties reject plan to cut Championship fixtures

Each county will play six matches during the first seven-week block, with all matches during that period starting on a Friday. A mid-summer block will be staged in June with each county playing twice while the third block of matches begins on August 20 with each team playing six times. The final round begins on September 24.Daryl Mitchell, the PCA Chief Executive, said he “feared” for that latter part of the season.”Unfortunately, the County Championship schedule does raise concerns with player burnout with mental and physical dangers attached to an overly intense end to the season following the conclusion of The Hundred,” Mitchell said.”The reduction of just one game could have gone a long way to resolving a period that does not look manageable for the majority. I already fear this section of the season.”This is through no fault of the schedulers, but the decision by the county Chairs to not allow for sufficient minimum standards regarding time between games has meant we have a period of 12 days of Championship cricket in just over two weeks with some lengthy travel for the majority.”Nottinghamshire will open their County Championship title defence at Somerset while Leicestershire and Glamorgan, both back in Division One for the first time in more than two decades, host Sussex and Yorkshire respectively in the opening round from April 3.Nottinghamshire won their first Championship trophy for 15 years and seventh overall when their South African wicketkeeper, Kyle Verreynne, hit a six to secure a batting bonus point and top spot in Division One on the penultimate day of the 2025 season.Lancashire, winners of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup Women’s Competition and the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup, will begin their 50-over title defence away to Durham on April 11 ahead of a historic first professional Roses clash with Yorkshire at Emirates Old Trafford on April 25.Yorkshire, the 2025 Metro Bank One-Day Cup Women’s League 2 champions, begin life as a Tier 1 side away to Somerset after their elevation to the top flight was brought forward by one year following a restructure of the women’s domestic competition ahead of last season.Men’s One-Day Cup champions Worcestershire Rapids will begin their 2026 campaign at home to Derbyshire Falcons on July 24, with groups randomly drawn and each county playing once against every team in their group.Gloucestershire, Kent Spitfires, Lancashire, Leicestershire Foxes, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Notts Outlaws, Somerset, Surrey and Warwickshire make up Group A while Group B comprises Derbyshire Falcons, Durham, Essex, Glamorgan, Hampshire, Middlesex, Sussex Sharks, Worcestershire Rapids and Yorkshire.The One-Day Cup Women’s final will be played at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton on Saturday, September 19 followed by both the men’s final at Trent Bridge and the Women’s League 2 Final at Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol the following day.Ellie Threlkeld holds the One-Day Cup aloft•ECB via Getty Images

The second season of the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup will involve 37 counties vying for a place on finals day at Emirates Old Trafford on August 29, including inaugural champions Lancashire Thunder.The opening round, from April 26, features 28 counties before the nine Tier 1 counties – Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire Thunder, Somerset, Surrey, The Blaze, Warwickshire and Yorkshire – enter the competition in Round 3 from June 21.Two all-Tier 1 ties have been confirmed for Round 3 with The Blaze at home to Durham and Yorkshire hosting Somerset.The PCA noted favourably a significant reduction in back-to-back games across men’s and women’s T20 fixtures, announced on Tuesday, down from 54 in 2025 to just six next season.Olly Hannon-Dalby, the PCA Chair, believed that holding the men’s Blast Finals Day ahead of the Hundred along with an improved schedule and less travel represented significant progress.”For the first time in a number of years, I feel the men’s Blast will have the energy and priority within the schedule to show everybody just how great this competition is,” he said. “The Vitality Blast lining up on an equal platform with men’s and women’s teams is something I’m very passionate about and is absolutely the right way to grow the game. We’ve seen the success in The Hundred and double headers should be an opportunity to attract bigger crowds for all.”But he echoed Mitchell’s concern over the Championship schedule.”At a time when many counties have threadbare squads, to start six four-day games and a 50-over final in the space of five weeks is so far from optimum it is something that needs addressing,” Hannon-Dalby said.”We will actively be canvassing opinion on how we could avoid this congestion in the future with options such as starting the season slightly earlier or ending it later. Conversations need to continue to prioritise the wellbeing of its players.”