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Coach McDonald says once fit, Stoinis and Green could play together in the XI

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2023Marcus Stoinis is doubtful for Australia’s opening match at the 2023 ODI World Cup, against India on October 8 in Chennai, because of a hamstring niggle he picked up in the first ODI against the same opponent in Mohali last month. Stoinis has not played a match since.”He’s got a slight hamstring complaint at this stage, so that’s why he missed the practice games and he’ll be touch and go for the first game against India,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said in Chennai on Thursday while talking about Stoinis. “We’ve got the main session today and then another hit out tomorrow, so he’ll go through his work there and we’ll see whether he’s available for selection for game one but at the moment he wasn’t fit and available for those practice games.”Cameron Green found some form in the final warm-up match against Pakistan, but McDonald said one of the plans was to have both in the playing XI.”There’s a way that we can fit them both into the one side,” he said. “Over the last 18 months, we’ve had a pretty clear way that we want to build three ways of playing. One of those ways is definitely with all the allrounders and potentially two quicks, and you’ve seen that side in the past 18 months being played, so there is a real possibility that both of those players can be in the same XI and we haven’t ruled that out.”When asked about the other ways, he said: “You can change your batting line-up, you can change the structure of your top order. So behind the scenes, we’re pretty clear on the way that we want to go about it. And that’ll be surface-dependent and clearly body-dependent as well.”The World Cup is a long campaign, there’s no doubt going to be some sore bodies at certain times. We feel as though with [our] squad that we’ve got great flexibility, albeit at the moment obviously Travis Head sitting and where he’s at, that’ll give us greater scope to shift and manoeuvre the side the way that we have over the last 18 months.”Marcus Stoinis last played a game on September 22•Getty ImagesDespite the plethora of fast-bowling options Australia possess, Stoinis opened the bowling in recent ODIs and T20Is, with encouraging success. That gave them the option of holding back one of their frontline quicks in the middle overs, a phase that could be crucial during the World Cup.McDonald added Glenn Maxwell finding form in the warm-up against Pakistan with a quick 77 and eight overs with the ball worked out nicely for them.”Cameron Green got a little bit of time in the middle also and clearly Glenn Maxwell being able to cope with the demands of the game that he played, a significant innings plus being able to back up and bowl as many overs as he did. He has pulled up really well. So a few of those moving parts that we had leading in have unfolded positively for us, which is nice. If you asked me that two weeks ago, I would have been a little bit worried but now everything seems to have come together nicely.”Legspinner Adam Zampa also hasn’t played since pulling up sore in the second ODI in Indore last month but he was not a concern, according to McDonald, and he had missed the two warm-ups more for workload management.Australia will have to wait for an update on Head until October 11 or 12 to have a clearer indication of when he can join the squad in India.

With the summer transfer window approaching, the 49ers now reportedly have the chance to seal a bargain deal to sign a player who previously scored the winning goal against Rangers.

Rangers could land bargain deal

The Gers may have endured a season to forget – resulting in the dismissal of Philippe Clement – but that didn’t stop them from getting one over on arch-rivals Celtic last time out. Defeating the Bhoys late on courtesy of Hamza Igamane’s winning goal in a 3-2 thriller, the Gers at least came away from the Old Firm derby having left their mark.

However, any celebrations won’t last too long, with the Gers already turning their focus towards the summer transfer window and ensuring that they’ve got more than just an Old Firm derby victory to cheer in the Scottish Premiership next season.

The arrival of the 49ers should certainly provide the Scottish giants with a much-needed boost in pursuit of that. And although their first task will be finding a permanent replacement for Clement, recent reports suggest that they could then turn towards a bargain deal.

Rangers News has highlighted that the 49ers have the chance to sign Dejan Ljubicic in a free deal this summer once his contract comes to an end at FC Koln in Germany’s second division, with the Austrian already on the 49ers’ radar.

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A player that the incoming owners already know after previously attempting to seal his signature at Leeds United, Ljubicic looks set to be one to watch when the summer transfer window swings open.

Meanwhile, those at Ibrox are also well aware of the midfielder’s quality, having watched on as he scored the winning goal for Rapid Vienna against Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side in the 2018/19 Europa League group stage.

"Special" Ljubicic could partner Diomande

In Ljubicic, Rangers would be welcoming a defensive midfielder who could provide the foundation for the likes of Mohamed Diomande to thrive further forward. Rangers already reaped the rewards for his attacking exploits against Celtic when he gave them a 2-1 lead over their rivals and could see his full potential unleashed by Ljubicic’s arrival.

The 27-year-old is certainly appreciated at Koln, having earned the praise of manager Gerhard Struber, who told reporters last summer: “Dejan is a player who has performed great for FC in recent years and can help us very, very well on the way back to the Bundesliga. Great. Simply great. The overall package is special. I’m very happy for him.”

Having been wheeling away in celebration at the detriment of Rangers as many as six seasons ago, the defensive midfielder could finally make up for his winning goal by kicking the 49ers era off with a bang at Ibrox.

Change is afoot at Rangers, from the ownership to the management and perhaps a few fresh faces. Whether the Gers’ official Clement replacement decides to welcome the bargain of Ljubicic this summer remains to be seen, however, as they look to make their mark.

Aston Villa enjoyed a rather productive January transfer window. First of all, they managed to sell Jaden Philogene to Ipswich Town for £20m, making a profit on the youngster.

Secondly, they signed two attacking players who could make a big difference between now and the end of the season.

Donyell Malen joined from Borussia Dortmund a few weeks ago, while Marcus Rashford moved to Villa Park on loan from Manchester United, with a £40m buy option inserted into the deal.

Unai Emery’s side are chasing a place in the top four of the Premier League table. Signing Rashford could be an inspired one with regard to that ambition.

Why Aston Villa signed Marcus Rashford

Since Ruben Amorim took charge of Manchester United, Rashford featured just four times under the Portuguese manager, scoring three goals.

It became clear that the Englishman wasn’t going to play a part in Amorim’s system going forward and a move away from Old Trafford could be the best thing to happen to him.

Despite a relatively quiet season by his standards, Rashford has still created four big chances, averages one key pass and has scored four goals in the top flight. That said, despite the fact he’s not been fit and firing this term, this is still a player who has scored 87 Premier League goals.

At Villa, Emery will likely give him more consistent game time and if he hits top form, it could be a wise signing indeed.

The manager may already have a player at the club who is worth way more than Rashford, however.

Aston Villa talent is worth even more than Marcus Rashford

Someone who has been superb during the 2024/25 campaign is another English talent in Morgan Rogers.

The second half of the 2023/24 season saw Rogers begin to make his mark at Villa, scoring three goals and registering an assist in just 11 Premier League games since his move from Middlesbrough.

It was evident Emery had a prodigious talent on his hands, but even he might have been shocked at just how well the Englishman has performed throughout 2024/25.

In August, U23 scout Antonio Mango waxed lyrical about the winger, saying that he was “terrific” and “brave”, someone who has “all you characteristics you want in a young footballer.”

That’s certainly been true of Rogers in 2024/25. With ten goals and five assists already, including a stunning hat-trick against Celtic in the Champions League, the former Boro star has emerged as a key player under Emery. No doubt about that.

Compared to his peers in the top flight, the starlet even ranks in the top 7% for goals per shot on target and in the top 11% for through balls per 90, yet more evidence of his effectiveness in the final third.

These incredible performances over the previous 12 months have seen his market value soar.

Indeed, according to the CIES Football Observatory, Rogers is now currently valued at a staggering £74m, which is a staggering rise, especially considering the Villa Park side paid just £15m to sign him last year.

This also means he is worth nearly double that of Rashford if going by the buy clause in his loan deal, indicating that Emery has hit the jackpot on the 22-year-old sensation.

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By
Charlie Smith

Oct 3, 2025

Phil Parkinson has claimed that Wrexham have "been playing catch up" in the transfer window and has hailed Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Wrexham splashing the cashAiming to compete in the ChampionshipHave signed Nathan Broadhead in club-record dealFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Wrexham have splashed the cash this summer, breaking their transfer record to sign Nathan Broadhead from Ipswich Town in a deal that could be worth in excess of £10 million. He became their ninth summer signing in the process and Parkinson has explained that the club have had no choice but to spend big to stay competitive in the Championship. 

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Wrexham have had three successive promotions, coming out of the National League, and Parkinson believes that, in every season, they have had to lean on Reynolds and McElhenney's vast reserves of cash, and has hailed their willingness to spend as the club prepare for their first season in the second-tier since 1982. 

WHAT PARKINSON SAID

Parkinson told reporters: "The backing [from owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney] is key.

"There's a lot of spending power in the division. Really since day one, because we've moved so quickly as a club, we've always had to work hard to fast-track the quality level to the first team.

"We've always been playing catch up, even in the National League we were behind a lot of clubs development-wise — the structure, academy, players coming through.

"We had to improve the standard and that filters down. The structure behind the first team has become stronger with the formation of the academy a couple of years ago.

"We've come into this division very quickly and it's important we've brought in Championship standard players to help us on this journey. Also, to help the existing players who have do so well over the last few years."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Wrexham face West Brom this weekend in their first home game of the campaign. 

Meg Lanning’s team also have the desire to embrace the Team Australia aspect of a multi-sport event, which will be a new experience

Andrew McGlashan27-Jul-2022When you are a team like Australia, who have won everything on offer in the last few years, it is probably not a bad thing to have a brand new prize to aim for.In the last four years, Meg Lanning has led her side to two T20 World Cup titles, two Ashes crowns, and an ODI World Cup title alongside other series successes. Their last defeat in any bilateral series came in T20Is, against England in 2017, that were part of the multi-format Ashes.Related

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But as the side enters its new coaching era following the departure of Matthew Mott, the prospect of adding a Commonwealth Games gold medal is an alluring one, and something no one has ever had before. Winning more cricket matches is enough motivation for this team as it looks to continue forging its legacy, but there is also the desire to embrace the Team Australia aspect of a multi-sport event, which will be a new experience.”The first Commonwealth Games medal up for grabs in women’s cricket is certainly something we’re striving for,” Lanning said before team left for their warm-up tri-series in Ireland. “Being part of that bigger Australian team, which is something we really want to embrace. To represent Australia on a really big stage, a new platform for the game to be able to reach a new audience, is something that is really exciting for the sport.”It’s hugely special. I grew up watching a lot of the Commonwealth Games and I just love the team atmosphere.”It was a view echoed by vice-captain Rachael Haynes. “There is a sense that it’ll be a little bit different, it’s almost the unknown,” she said. “I think the team’s just really looking forward to it. To be around a whole group of different athletes and different sports and be a team within a much larger team as well.”Alana King is proving to be a wicket-taking machine•Phil Walter/ICC/Getty ImagesAs it was in New Zealand a few months ago, it would be a surprise if they did not achieve their ambition of gold – although, at some point, there has to be a hiccup in their all-conquering era. A place in the final is a bare minimum expectation even taking into account the jeopardy of semi-finals and the fact the T20 format narrows the margins.Meeting India in the opening match brings back memories of the previous T20 World Cup in Australia, when they stumbled in their first game and were left walking a tightrope for the rest of the competition. We all know how it ended, but it was rarely a serene progression until they cut loose in the final against India at the MCG. “We seem to meet them a lot in the first game of major tournaments,” Lanning agreed.Matches against Barbados – who will include potential match-winners Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin – and Pakistan follow, and though the top two from each group go through there is not much margin for error.While there has been major change in the coaching set-up – and Shelley Nitschke is only interim head coach, although she will be favourite for the long-term position – the playing squad is notable for its stability. It is the same 15 names who were on duty for the ODI World Cup.Long-term injuries to Georgia Wareham and Tayla Vlaeminck continue to be covered with great effectiveness, an allrounder of the quality of Sophie Molineux can’t get on the contracts’ list, and Ellyse Perry is no longer a first-choice in the T20I side.Such is the quality in the Australian ranks, that Ellyse Perry might be forced to reinvent her T20 game•Getty ImagesThose who have taken their chance to fill the gaps already look like mainstays. Darcie Brown is in the race to reach 80mph [it would be fun if she and England’s Issy Wong face off in this tournament] and legspinner Alana King is proving a wicket-taking machine. Tahlia McGrath’s magnificent start to T20I cricket – as part of a stunning re-emergence to the international game – is largely responsible for pushing Perry to the sidelines, which happened before her latest back injury.If Australia reach the final in Birmingham, there is every chance that for the second time in three major tournaments, Perry won’t feature. The hamstring injury at the 2020 T20 World Cup was awful luck, but it is starting to feel like a defining moment in her T20 career. That in itself says so much about Australian cricket and why they are the force they are.Of course, you would not put it past Perry to reinvent herself as a T20 cricketer; there is the motivation of the World Cup title defence in South Africa early next year for starters, and then, in four years’ time, the Commonwealth Games is held in regional Victoria. Will Perry, already 15 years into international cricket, still be part of it by then? Only time will tell, but for many in this Australia side it is well within range.”Hopefully I’m still around to be involved,” Lanning said, no doubt hoping they are defending gold medallists.

The ball is the fundamental unit of cricket, and with Warne, each one was a universe of possibilities

Osman Samiuddin10-Mar-2022If Shane Warne never took another wicket after Mike Gatting’s, he would still live on. Not in as many minds, and certainly not as rich a figure, but a ball like that has its own life. It does not go forgotten. The reason it endures and that it was so instantaneously acclaimed is for what it did in the milliseconds of its existence, the mad physics around it, but also because it was legspin as a platonic ideal.This is, of course, a truism. How else do all the great deliveries become great if not by doing something great? But that ball speaks to a fundamental often overlooked in cricket, which is that, broken down, the game is only the sum of the self-contained vignettes each of its individual deliveries represents. Only when stitched together do we then have a match, unto a series, unto a career. Each ball is a world by itself, of limitations and possibilities, and when you walked into the world of a Shane Warne delivery, you walked into a world with no limitations, where possibilities abounded. In this world the ball could, and did, behave in ways unlike any before Warne existed.Think of the circumstances leading to that ball. It was Warne’s first in a Test in England. Hardly anyone at Old Trafford that day would have seen him before. They might have heard of a new blond leggie who had helped win a Test in Colombo and run through West Indies, but few would’ve seen him. Then, without warning, he did .Related

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And if he could do that, then what couldn’t he do every time he walked up to bowl?In the days since his passing, scouring YouTube for his best moments has been a comfort. Quite likely this has been a universal response. A connoisseur will argue that 90-second videos of only wickets falling is to miss the point of Warne. That experiencing Warne without what Gideon Haigh calls the pageant of Warne is to know of Warne but not to feel Warne.That theatre essential. That walk back to his mark, the occasional pause to fix the field or to let doubts fester in the batter, to make them think something is amiss when nothing is. Then the amble in, so utterly lacking in foreboding it was as if Jaws was coming to shore to the title music of . Then there were the traps, with ball but also with manner. The appeals, the gradual massaging of an umpire into his decision; the bluff of the oohs and aahs and smirks and sneers when he beat a bat, but especially when he found the middle of one. As much as Warne’s wickets, everything before and around them is the eulogy.But these videos make two points, the first a complementary one, that these grand and elaborate ploys and plots needed denouements to match and Warne delivered them with truly freakish quality and consistency. But second, that even as one-off deliveries that may never be bowled again, with no build-up or backstory or history, that only ever exist in bite-sized social media clips, these deliveries work. And how.Look back and weep: MSK Prasad is bemused at what has befallen him in Adelaide in 1999•Hamish Blair/Getty ImagesNot long after Gatting at Old Trafford, Warne would bowl Graham Gooch behind his legs at Edgbaston, coming in round the wicket. It is less iconic but notable because it became a leitmotif in the Warne canon: which other bowler, before or since, has bowled as many batters around their legs as Warne?In a way this dismissal is a legspinner’s ultimate flex. Sneaking in behind a batter is peak deception. And to do it, the ball must do what all leggies are supposed to make it do: spin leg to off and preferably big. The conceit is in treating the batter as if he is not there as an opponent: he’s there as a marker, an obstacle around which to find the best route to the stumps. The calibration needs to be so precise, it’s unfathomable: the angle, the spot where it must land, the degree of turn, all so that it misses pads, bat, and backside. In this instance the angles are even more outrageous because Warne, unusually, runs in from between the umpire and stumps.There’s an over to Craig McMillan that is priceless for how Warne sets his trap (Adam Gilchrist’s cackling provides an assist). But the wicket ball is an absolute WTF for the lengths to which McMillan has gone to prevent being bowled behind his legs. Ultimately, as he bat-pads to short leg, he appears to be playing a forward-defensive to a delivery bowled by the square-leg umpire.In no other sport is there an obvious equivalent to what is happening here. A fleeting kinship with football’s nutmeg? There’s greater consequence and a more acute geometry here, as when Warne famously nutmegged Basit Ali. Typical Warne that the tease – chatting with Ian Healy about whether to have pasta or Mexican for dinner (as if he wanted anything other than pizza) to stretch out the tension of the day’s last ball – is as sweet.Something of this mode, of the wrong-way-round-rightness, is elicited by the epic Roberto Carlos free kick against France in 1997. Carlos eschewed the obvious angle for his left foot by swerving the ball like an outswinger round the outside of the defensive wall, rather than curling it like an inswinger round the other side. That free kick was a one-off: Warne did it repeatedly.The best of the genre isn’t strictly of the genre. Poor MSK Prasad receives a Warne delivery from the wicket that doesn’t drift as much as get caught in a late and sudden patch of violent turbulence, pushing the ball down and to the leg side.A quandary. Prasad has taken leg-stump guard and instinct is telling him to pad this away. Training and tradition are telling him to get real, because balls delivered from there are not padded away. That’s not how cricket works. From flight, fight or freeze, Prasad chooses the last.Even as the ball then hits the stumps behind him and Healy is starting to celebrate, Prasad is unmoved, staring at the spot the ball landed on – around a sixth-leg-stump line. How did it land there, his mind is failing to process, and where has it gone, it is asking. And how did it get spun the ball. Somebody who had never seen cricket could watch a big legbreak from Warne and understand immediately it was an elite athletic feat, sexy and dangerous, compelling and superior, unique and evolutionary. A single Warne legbreak was the game’s gateway drug.As time passed that spectacle became rarer, though not extinct. The most vivid occasions were against left-handers, where, because Warne was at them from round the wicket, and that TV cameras mess up depth perception, some of those balls looked like they were breaking at right angles.Like with Andrew Strauss at Edgbaston, which nearly made it as the ‘s ball of the (21st) century. It would have done, probably, had Strauss not appeared as discombobulated as Prasad had been. Granted, Strauss did not freeze, but in displaying the worst footwork since Elaine Benes hit the dance floor, he tarred the delivery a smidge with his own cluelessness.Not that better positioning helped, as Shivnarine Chanderpaul once discovered at the SCG. He understood the ball’s intentions from the line, so preposterously far outside off that Chanderpaul would need a visa to play it. He knew this was going to spit back into him. Having figured out the length and leaned forward, he changed plans and nimbly shifted his weight on to his back foot. Until this moment – 71 off 67 balls – Chanderpaul’s plans against Warne had worked. Until ball 68, when Mike Tyson’s famous musing about plans came to mind: “Everybody has a plan until they get hit.” Or bowled by Shane Warne.This was a central truth about Warne. Not only did he always have a ball that punched through the opponent’s plans, he had one that punched through his own. As when he pulled off a near-exact replica of the Chanderpaul delivery in bowling Saeed Anwar in Hobart three years later.Like Chanderpaul, Anwar was set. Like Chanderpaul, Anwar knew as soon as the ball left Warne’s hand what it was going to do. Like Chanderpaul, he half stepped out but smartly leaned back, with aspirations to cut. Like Chanderpaul, those aspirations were swiftly turned to crud. Like Chanderpaul, he was bowled. Unlike Chanderpaul, this was the one time Anwar looked inelegant with bat in hand.Hobart heist: in 1999, Saeed Anwar was bowled by one that torpedoed in at a right angle almost, after pitching way outside off•Getty ImagesThere’s an even more cartoonish quality to this ball, an unreal defying of natural laws. For starters, it breaks the width of the Thames to hit leg stump. And ordinarily, when a ball lands on a pitch, it loses speed. This is science and we all signed up to science to understand how the world works. All except this ball. This ball springs off the pitch faster than it landed, so fast that it doesn’t hit leg stump, it knocks it clean out of the ground. A ball produced by a spinner, with the consequence of one produced by a fast bowler.What elevates this ball, though, is Richie Benaud. Prior to it, there’s a commentary preamble from Mark Taylor about the plans Warne might be working on against Anwar. Those plans are binned as Warne switches to round the wicket and bowls this ball. Only Benaud can process and articulate: “Whatever Warne was planning, he has suddenly produced a ball entirely different from the others he has bowled and it has ripped back.”Which is to say, whatever else you had been watching, or not, whatever Warne plan you might have intuited, however much you knew about the game, if you watched this one ball, then you saw everything you needed to and you didn’t need to know anything else.Except this last thing: the flipper. In later years when Warne stopped bowling it, he started relying on the bastardised slider. Not the legbreak that didn’t turn – let’s call that the bluffer – which did for poor Ian Bell at Lord’s and fooled even Benaud. The real slider got Andrew Flintoff later that same innings.Neither was a patch on the flipper, which seemed a hellish delivery to bowl, let alone bowl well. The flipper, Warne would explain, required the ball to be released from an actual snap of the fingers, which was difficult but totally apt because it was presaging magic. Unlike Warne’s big, showy legbreak, this was proper illusion. Batters saw that Warne had dragged it down, except he hadn’t. Batters saw a long hop, or one short enough to cut or pull, except it wasn’t. Batters saw it go straight and it did, except straight never felt so pretzelian.It would be cruel to pick any of Daryll Cullinan’s malfunctions; candy from kids Benaud said of one. It would also be impossible to pick just one. The one that got Richie Richardson, the world’s introduction to it? Cullinan one, two or three? Ian Bishop, ’96 World Cup, a place in the final on the line? Let’s go Alec Stewart, usually such an expert judge and executor of the cut, getting it so wrong at the Gabba. Not as short as he saw, not the legbreak he saw, not as slow as he saw.The flipper also didn’t care for science, such was its acceleration on landing. This question sounds wrong, but it isn’t: has a ball ever beaten batters for pace so comprehensively and so consistently as Warne’s flipper?Nothing does justice to the world of Shane Warne – to the world of a single Warne delivery – as watching these deliveries again the last week has made clear. Maybe they bring some succour. Maybe from them we see that even if Warne had lived long beyond last Friday, these deliveries could not be bowled again by anyone other than him. That even if he is now no longer of this world, we live on gratefully, eternally in his world. Rest in Peace, King.

كشفت تقارير صحيفة عن وقوع حادث مروع تسبب به حارس مرمى الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بأحد أندية الدوري الإيطالي الكبيرة.

ونشرت صحيفة “لا ريبوبليكا” أن حارس مرمى الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي إنتر ميلان، تسبب في دهس رجل مسن بسبب قيادته للسيارة بسرعة شديدة.

وقالت الصحيفة إن حادثة مروعة وقعت في إيطاليا تتعلق بجوزيب مارتينيز، حارس مرمى إنتر ميلان، إذ دهس الحارس رجلًا مسنًا على كرسي متحرك بسيارته، مما أدى إلى وفاته على الفور.

وقعت المأساة في تمام الساعة 9:30 صباحًا في فينيجرو بالقرب من مدينة كومو، وباءت كافة عمليات الإنقاذ بالفشل وتوفي الرجل، البالغ من العمر 81 عامًا في الحال.

اقرأ أيضًا | ماتيو لاهوز يناقض تصريحاته بشأن لقطة مثيرة للجدل لـ برشلونة أمام ريال مدريد

ووفقًا للتحقيقات الأولية، من المُحتمل أن يكون الرجل قد عبر الطريق المعاكس عن طريق الخطأ، مما تسبب في الحادث.

تم استدعاء طائرة إسعاف كومو، وسيارة إسعاف تابعة للقطاع الطبي في سارونو وقوات كارابينيري إلى موقع الحادث.

وكشفت الصحيفة أن حارس الفريق الإيطالي البالغ من العمر 27 عامًا لم يُصب بأي أذى لكنه شعر بصدمة بالغة جراء الحادث.

واختتمت أنه تم إغلاق الشارع لمزيد من التحقيقات بينما ألغى إنتر المؤتمر الصحفي لكريستيان كيفو ولن يشارك جوزيب مارتينيز في مباراة الفريق ضد فيورنتينا المقرر إقامتها غدًا.

Talk about a baptism of fire for new Arsenal Sporting Director, Andrea Berta.

Edu Gaspar is no longer in charge of the Gunners’ recruitment and Berta has been dealt a tough hand, needing to sign Mikel Arteta his elusive striker.

No pressure then, Andrea, we only need you to find a player capable of winning the Premier League and Champions League.

Last term was a golden opportunity for the Londoners to end their 20-year wait for a league title, but a succession of injuries and inconsistent performances saw Liverpool romp to the crown, ultimately winning the division by ten points.

It was a rough old year for Arsenal but let’s forget about that for now. The 2025/26 campaign is already around the corner, although Arteta’s side face a tough start against Manchester United.

So, the need for a striker has only been heightened. Can Berta get one across the line? Here’s what Arsenal’s dream summer could look like if everything goes according to plan.

The new arrivals £100m winger & new striker sign

Arsenal haven’t quite been as gung-ho as their rivals Liverpool and Manchester City so far this summer but they have all but confirmed three new arrivals already.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to arrive from Chelsea in a £5m deal, replacing Neto as the club’s second-string goalkeeper. They have also agreed a move to bring in Brentford captain Christian Norgaard as Berta goes about improving the midfield ranks.

Speaking of midfielders, the most exciting addition of the summer so far is Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, set to join in a move worth just over £50m.

But, what does the rest of the window hold? Well, Arsenal fans are certainly dreaming of the attacking ranks being bolstered.

Let’s start with the striker, shall we? Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres are the two centre-forwards in the club’s crosshairs but who arrives very much remains up in the air.

Gyokeres is a devastating attacker, someone who’s coming off the back of a campaign in which he found the net on 54 occasions in 52 outings. He is the ready-made option, someone who could fire the Gunners to the title.

Yet, it might well be that Arsenal prefer the project striker, someone in the mould of Sesko who appears to have all the raw attributes to become a genuinely elite player.

Transfer Focus

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

Described as “the new Haaland” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Slovenian is tall, powerful, quick and has an immense shot on him. That being said, he did only score 21 goals in 2024/25, some way behind Gyokeres.

Still, he’s got incredible potential and if reports are to be believed, personal terms have already been agreed between player and club. Arsenal need a striker and Sesko could be their man.

Elsewhere, a winger appears to be on the agenda for Arteta and Co. Positive talks have reportedly been held to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid but it remains a difficult deal to do.

If the Gunners had it their way, then Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon would be a dream alternative. Arsenal are interested but with an alleged £100m asking price, this is an incredibly unlikely deal.

That said, he’s Premier League proven and in the process of amassing 44 goal contributions in the last two seasons, he is one of the most dangerous wingers in English football.

Games

48

42

Mins played

3,869

2,946

Goals

12

9

Assists

16

7

Arsenal need another winger; they need competition for Martinelli, and in Gordon, they’d seal a remarkable coup.

The outgoings Bye-bye Trossard

If the club are going to fund two big additions to the forward line then they will need to sell smartly.

Jorginho has already departed on a free transfer, although Norgaard and Zubimendi look to be the replacements there.

But, who could fetch some cash? Well, Oleksandr Zinchenko is one of the names on the chopping block. Linked with Borussia Dortmund last January, he’s caught the attention of the German club again this summer, while AC Milan are also looking at him.

Having played just 522 minutes in the league last season, he’s certainly expendable and must finally be given the boot this summer.

Another departure could be Leandro Trossard. The Belgian appeared in more games (56) than any other Arsenal player in 2024/25, proving his dependability as far as availability is concerned.

However, he had a disappointing campaign on the whole, scoring just ten goals in those outings. At the age of 30, he’s beginning to get on and has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia this year.

Getting a decent transfer fee for the winger could be decisive in Arsenal’s efforts to spend big on new forward players.

The contract renewals Saliba pens new terms

The biggest news as far as renewals are concerned this summer is that Brazilian colossus Gabriel has penned new terms at the Emirates Stadium.

But, who could join him? Well, the news that Myles Lewis-Skelly has signed extended terms has certainly gone down well, with reports suggesting that he’s now one of the highest-paid teenagers in world football.

Four players – Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli – see their deals expire in 2027 and while that feels like a long time away, they could depart for a cut-price fee or run their deals down if Arsenal aren’t careful.

We’re not suggesting Saka could leave on a free for one minute but it’s vital that Berta gets extensions sorted for him, Saliba and Martinelli, in particular.

Saliba has attracted the interest of Real Madrid and we all know what happens when they come calling. Trent Alexander-Arnold, we’re looking at you.

So, getting the French defender tied down could be one of the biggest pieces of business Arsenal do all summer. They simply cannot afford to let him leave.

Tying that in with the arrival of a new winger and a striker would ensure the Gunners end the transfer window with an almighty bang. Wouldn’t that be a bit special, eh?

Better than Williams: Arsenal open talks to sign ex-Spurs player for £50m

The dynamic winger could provide Arsenal with another avenue of attack next season.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

Celtic’s pre-season plans are starting to take shape, but will they get any new signings over the line before then?

On Monday, the club announced a green and white hoops Clásico, facing Portuguese champions Sporting at Estádio Algarve on 16 July, before confirming they’ll also take on Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden 12 days earlier.

With trips to Cork, Como and now the Algarve already in the calendar for July, from a destination perspective, this is poised to be an exciting pre-season schedule for the Celtic support, but will they have a new midfielder to assess by then?

Celtic's continued interest in Lennon Miller

As has been widely reported, Celtic remain interested in midfielder Lennon Miller, with French outlet L’Équipe reporting that the 18 year old is valued at around £7.5m by Motherwell, amid interest from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

On Monday evening, Miller made his full-senior debut for Scotland, assisting Ché Adams’ second goal during the 4-0 demolition of Liechtenstein at Rheinpark Stadion, with his performance earning rave reviews.

Thomas Duncan of BBC Sport noted how the teenager exuded calmness while, speaking during the BBC’s coverage, Celtic legend Scott Brown said that “Lennon is really special…nothing fazes him”, adding that he undoubtedly has the quality to break into the Celts’ first team.

Transfer Focus

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

However, with countless other clubs courting Miller this summer, should Celtic turn their attention to another midfield target instead?

Celtic's dream Miller alternative

As previously reported last week, Celtic have ‘already initiated’ talks to sign midfielder Demir Ege Tıknaz.

As Mustafa Akgün of Karabük Postası outlines, Tıknaz spent last season on loan at Rio Ave from Beşiktaş, but the Portuguese club have an obligation to buy for around £4.2m, planning to do just that before selling him for roughly double that amount.

The 20-year-old, who is currently with the Türkiye national team squad in America for friendlies against the United States and Mexico, is reportedly being courted by many big European clubs, including Celtic and Sporting CP, so the Scottish champions will need to act fast.

In an interview with the Athletic, Tıknaz compared himself stylistically to Sergio Busquets, stating “I always want to have possession… I’m kind of a playmaker”.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout compares him to another Spaniard, namely Rodri, labelling him a midfield “anchor”, praising his “passing, vision and football IQ”.

Analyst Ben Mattinson agrees, stating that Tıknaz ‘reads the game well’, praising his ‘timing of tackles​​​​​​​’ and ability to ‘steal the ball’.

As a result, according to Aryan Suraj Chadha of Goal, he has become one of the most ‘sought-after talents across Europe’, making 33 appearances for Rio Ave of the Primeira Liga this season, scoring four goals and registering two assists.

Nevertheless, the key question remains. How does he compare to Miller? Well, let’s find out.

Appearances

33

39

Minutes

2,340

3,398

Goals

4

4

Assists

2

8

Big chances created

2

12

Tackles won (per 90)

2.1

1.8

Interceptions (per 90)

1.7

1.3

% of ground duels won

51.1%

57.9%

% of aerial diels won

53.1%

41.2%

Possession lost (per 90)

7.3

17.4

As the table outlines, while Miller is more of an all-rounder and an attacking threat, Tıknaz does come out on top for the vast majority of defensive metrics, namely tackles, interceptions and aerial duels, giving away possession significantly less frequently too.

So, while Miller is unquestionably a big talent, possibly to such an extent that Celtic will ultimately miss out on him, the Hoops should therefore make signing Tıknaz a priority.

Celtic set to sign 14-goal star who'd be Moussa Dembele 2.0 for Rodgers

Celtic are set to complete a deal for a young star who could be a repeat of Moussa Dembele.

ByDan Emery Jun 9, 2025

Liverpool are set for a summer that could see some statement arrivals link up with Arne Slot at Anfield and they are now closing in on yet another high-profile capture, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Liverpool finally lift the Premier League trophy

Admittedly, Liverpool took their foot off the gas after being crowned Premier League champions, but that is only a natural consequence of securing glory with several matches left to spare.

Nevertheless, Arne Slot has given a positive overview of potential transfer business at Anfield as the Reds begin to put the wheels in motion to defend their status as top-flight holders.

He stated on prospective arrivals: “I don’t know if it’s going to be a lot but we know, the club, Richard (Hughes), the ownership, we are all aligned on what we are trying to achieve.

“It is already very, very positive that we kept Mo and Virgil and a few others that we are trying to sign look positive.”

Bayer Leverkusen duo Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong could be on their way to Liverpool. Both deals look to be edging closer, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is headed out of the club after his last appearance on Sunday against Crystal Palace.

Romano: Liverpool lead race to sign another 21 y/o defender after talks

The update comes courtesy of Fabrizio Romano.

1 ByHenry Jackson May 25, 2025

Contact has also been made between the Reds and Viktor Gyokeres’ camp amid rumours that Liverpool are set to go all out for a number nine once the window opens.

Contrary to recent times, FSG are set to use their licence to probe in the market as Slot’s men attempt to compete on both domestic and European fronts next campaign.

Now, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Liverpool have reached an agreement on personal terms with a proven Premier League performer.

Romano: Liverpool reach personal terms 'agreement' with Milos Kerkez

Speaking via GIVEMESPORT on Monday morning, Romano has confirmed that Liverpool are closing in on Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez after finding an ‘agreement’ on personal terms with the Hungary international.

He stated: “My information, guys, is that Kerkez already has an agreement on personal terms with Liverpool. So just about some small details to be clarified.

Milos Kerkez’s Premier League statistics in 2024/25

Goals

2

Assists

5

Chances created

36

Tackles won

26

Successful dribbles

22

Recoveries

169

“And then Liverpool are in contact with Bournemouth. Liverpool are still working on this one. So not only Wirtz, not only Frimpong, also in active conversations for Kerkez, and this week, the conversations will continue to get the deal done.”

Deemed to be on the move for a fee of £45 million, the 21-year-old has registered two goals and six assists in 41 appearances across all competitions, putting himself in the shop window for a switch to one of England’s elite clubs.

Liverpool need a long-term competitor for Andy Robertson and Kerkez is one of the best around in that respect. Now, it remains to be seen whether the finer details can be thrashed out to bring him to Anfield.