Liverpool want to beat Arsenal and Barcelona to sign £40m+ star like Vinicius Jr

Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a move for an exciting winger compared to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, with Arsenal and Barcelona also in the mix.

Mohamed Salah’s struggles this season continued on Sunday afternoon, with the Egyptian largely ineffective in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat away to Manchester City in the Premier League.

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has now even called for the 33-year-old to be dropped by Arne Slot, following a dramatic dropoff from last year’s title-winning brilliance.

“The guy is not giving you anything! You could look at it the other way and say: ‘He’s going to be away for two or three months so we may as well try and figure something out now. Why am I going to wait on a guy who’s giving me nothing? I need to be proactive here. I can’t just sit on my hands and let it happen and hope and pray that all of a sudden somebody waves a magic wand and he becomes the Egyptian King again.’

“I absolutely think he needs to do something and my own person opinion, I would sit him.”

Salah’s form is increasingly showing the importance of Liverpool finding a successor to him, and it looks as though Fofana could be a leading option.

Liverpool keen on signing Malick Fofana

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are tussling Arsenal and Barcelona for the signing of Lyon’s Malick Fofana, who has emerged as one of the most talented young attacking players in Ligue 1.

It is claimed that Barca have made contact with the 20-year-old’s agent over a potential switch, but the Reds and the Gunners are showing the “most interest” in him from the Premier League. He could cost as much £44m, with Lyon refusing to budge on their asking price.

It is easy to see why Liverpool like Fofana so much, with scout Jacek Kulig comparing him to Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr, as well as describing him as “magnificent”.

The Belgian is a left winger by trade, so he could be seen as an upgrade or long-term replacement for Cody Gakpo, but he can also shine on the opposite flank, allowing him to provide competition for Salah.

More than Wirtz: £36m Liverpool star is becoming a "serious issue" for Slot

Liverpool were condemned to a fifth defeat in six Premier League matches at the Etihad.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2025

Fofana has already bagged 17 goals and eight assists in 74 appearances for Lyon, and those numbers should only improve as he matures with his end product.

As bad as Salah: Liverpool flop who lost 100% duels vs. Man City must be on borrowed time

Starc uses his favourite combination to give Australia just the day they needed

Pink-ball cricket at Adelaide Oval must be the stuff of Starc’s dreams, and today they added up to career-best figures against an opponent that has traditionally had the better of him

Andrew McGlashan06-Dec-2024It was the roar. Mitchell Starc has celebrated plenty of wickets across his decorated career, but it felt as though this one had a bit more meaning than many. The first delivery thudded into Yashasvi Jaiswal’s pad as the left hander played across it and, for the third time in his career, Starc had a wicket with the first ball of a Test match.The last time a wicket fell to the opening delivery of a men’s Test was when Starc extracted Rory Burns’ leg stump with the opening ball of 2021-22 Ashes at the Gabba. That brought a wild celebration, too, but with the context of this match Jaiswal’s wicket was quite the moment. The noise from a yet-to-be-full Adelaide Oval as he departed was something to behold.There has been a lot said and written both during and after the first Test about Australia’s performance; plenty of it has been fair and balanced – it was a defeat of rare proportions on home soil – but there were extreme views and the usual collection of hot takes among it. Alex Carey talked of some surprise at the reaction, Nathan Lyon said he found parts of it humorous. But the bottom line was, Australia needed a quick response.Related

  • Stats – Starc gets to Adelaide fifty, Bumrah to 2024 fifty

They could not, therefore, have asked for a better start than removing the batter who had made 161 in the second innings in Perth. Jaiswal had shown his willingness to get into a duel by suggesting to Starc that he wasn’t bowling fast enough, although in the subsequent press conference spoke of his respect for Starc and thrill of facing him. He had, however, begun Perth with a duck courtesy Starc before making his presence felt. It is shaping as one of the battles of the series.For a little while after the early breakthrough, it appeared as though Australia were losing their way. Scott Boland denied himself a first-ball wicket in his first home Tests for two years when he overstepped having removed KL Rahul – in a bizarre twist Snicko suggested there was no nick despite the batter beginning to walk before the no-ball call. Later in the same over, Usman Khawaja spilled a catch at first slip to give Rahul a second life.Mitchell Starc is a pleased bowler, walking off with a career-best 6 for 48•Associated PressIndia reached 69 for 1 by the final half an hour of the session when Starc returned, having Rahul fending into the gully and then drawing Virat Kohli into edging a rising delivery to second slip in a similar manner to his dismissal in the first innings in Perth. Both Kohli and Starc love Adelaide Oval, but it was the latter who took the honours this time. When Boland trapped Shubman Gill lbw with a full delivery, India were 81 for 4 at the dinner break.On the one hand it was no surprise that Starc was Australia’s main man, but on another it went against the grain. He has a phenomenal record in pink-ball Tests – by the end of innings it read 72 wickets at 17.81, including 4 for 53 in the corresponding Test in 2020-21 – but overall against India in Tests it’s been more of a struggle: before today he had 51 wickets at 38.72 and never more than five in a game. They are comfortably the opponents he’s been least productive against.So, in a sense, it was using one of his favourite combinations – Adelaide and the pink ball – to overcome a more stubborn obstacle. He has been in excellent rhythm this season even if he took some punishment during India’s big second innings in the first Test. “I said last week in Perth, I thought he looked as good as he’s looked in a long time,” Ricky Ponting said on .Midway through the second session Starc returned and for the third time in the day and struck in his opening over in a spell when he trapped R Ashwin lbw with a full delivery which swung back (and also caused some damage to Ashwin’s foot). The movement was again on show when he ripped one through Harshit Rana as he continued producing significant shape with a ball 39 overs old.”Ash’s dismissal was a very good example of why he is so effective with the pink ball,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said. “He’s someone who presents the seam nicely. He obviously uses that other ball very well in setting up batters. When the ball swings back to a certain degree – a lesser degree – the batters can generally figure it out. But when you’re guessing on both sides, it makes him far more effective.”When Starc closed India’s innings by ending Nitesh Kumar Reddy’s boisterous counterattack it gave him new career-best figures of 6 for 48. It bettered the 6 for 50 he took against Sri Lanka, in Galle, in 2016, which in a neat twist was the first occasion he had taken a wicket with the first ball of a Test. With his Jaiswal wicket, Starc became the second bowler to achieve the feat three times after Pedro Collins, who has the wonderfully quirky distinction of removing the same batter – Bangladesh’s Hannan Sarkar – on each occasion.Scott Boland got among the wickets after Mitchell Starc started the collapse•Getty ImagesIt was also notable that Starc’s best analysis came in his 91st Test. Only two frontline bowlers have achieved a new high watermark later in their careers in terms of matches played: James Anderson in his 128th outing and Glenn McGrath in his 103rd.But while 180 all out looked like a job well done, we’d been here a couple of weeks ago in Perth when India were bowled out for 150 leaving Australia with the final session to bat. That did not go well for the hosts and here they not only had to contend with Jasprit Bumrah, but also the night-time session.The outcome was as good as could have been hoped for. Usman Khawaja edged Bumrah to slip – meaning his form remains a watching brief – but the inexperienced Nathan McSweeney, on his adopted home ground, and the under-pressure Marnus Labuschagne made it through to the stumps.McSweeney, who was dropped on 3 by Rishabh Pant, had been goaded by Rana during the early stages of his innings, which appeared to lure him into a pull that wasn’t far from being dragged on, but he retained his composure impressively beyond that, even when the floodlights twice when out in quick succession. As the final half hour approached, McSweeney slotted away consecutive boundaries against Reddy, and in the closing moments pulled the chirpy Rana for another.A day that started with a roar for Starc, ended with cheers for a local star doing the hard yards to make sure Starc’s work didn’t go to waste. Australia needed a good day; they had an excellent one.

Man Utd's "anonymous" flop is rapidly becoming a bigger problem than Dalot

Manchester United’s 15th-place finish in the Premier League last campaign was a glaring example of the mess the club have found themselves in over recent years.

Ruben Amorim was unable to have the desired effect after taking the reins 12 months ago, as seen by their unacceptable standing in England’s top-flight during 2024/25.

However, his side have shown glimpses of their quality over the last few weeks, subsequently enjoying a four-game unbeaten run – the joint best of the manager’s tenure.

Players such as Bryan Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro have all stepped up and produced goods, with the trio being involved in the vast majority of their recent efforts.

The same can’t be said for one other first-team member, with questions now starting to be asked about his long-term future under Amorim at Old Trafford.

Diogo Dalot’s decline at United in 2025/26

Just a couple of seasons ago, full-back Diogo Dalot would have been one of the first names on the United teamsheet to many supporters – but he’s massively failed to reach such heights in recent months.

Amorim’s arrival saw the wide switch to a 3-4-2-1 system, which placed a huge emphasis on wing-backs who are able to get up and down – allowing for a positive impact at both ends of the pitch.

However, such a formation doesn’t suit the Portuguese international’s playstyle, with the 26-year-old a more defensive option – as seen by his tally of eight goals in 148 appearances.

His latest outing against Nottingham Forest highlighted his lack of impact, featuring for 68 minutes before being the first Red Devils player to be replaced.

His withdrawal was warranted when delving into his underlying stats, with Dalot being unable to complete any of his attempted dribbles or crosses at the City Ground.

The full-back also only managed to win three of the eight duels he entered, often struggling to deal with the threat posed by Reds winger Dan Ndoye on Saturday.

The United star who’s becoming a bigger problem than Dalot

Given their current unbeaten run in the Premier League, it may come as a surprise to many to see numerous players disappoint and fail to contribute to their recent revival.

However, like Dalot, multiple first-team members have come into question for their lack of impact and disappointing showings over the last couple of game weeks.

Patrick Dorgu was once seen as the starting left-back after his £30m switch last January, but he’s since been dropped to the bench and had to settle for substitute appearances in each of the last four games.

The Dane may now be handed his chance to shine in the weeks ahead, especially after the poor performances produced by Dalot during the winning spree.

Benjamin Sesko was just one of the big-money additions made by the Red Devils hierarchy during the summer, forking out a staggering £74m to RB Leipzig for the centre-forward’s signature.

The Slovenian arrived with huge expectations at Old Trafford after netting 21 goals across all competitions last season, but it’s safe to say he’s yet to reach such heights in the Premier League.

He may have already netted twice in his first 11 appearances, but like Dalot, he failed to deliver and has now gone three games without a goal after scoring two in a row.

Sesko’s showing against Forest last weekend was yet another to forget, as he only registered 21 touches of the ball – the fewest of any player on the pitch.

He also only managed to complete nine passes and lost 100% of the duels he entered – leading to one analyst labelling his showing against Sean Dyche’s side as “anonymous”.

Benjamin Sesko – stats against Forest

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

21

Passes completed

9

Duels lost

100%

Shots on target

0

Possession lost

7x

Dribbles completed

0

Chances created

0

Stats via FotMob

The 22-year-old’s lack of impact was highlighted in his inability to direct any of his efforts on target, subsequently failing to provide the clinical edge Amorim requires in front of goal.

Whilst he’s shown glimpses of his quality to date, it’s clear he’s lacking confidence in attacking areas, which no doubt will be a huge concern to the manager.

Given the amount spent on his signature, many will have been expecting a rapid start to life at Old Trafford, but up to now it’s not meant to be, with Sesko needing to find his feet quickly to avoid being the next in a long line of failed signings at United.

Casemiro isn't the only Man Utd star who has saved his career under Amorim

Manchester United drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 1, 2025

Brandon Nimmo-Marcus Semien Trade Grades: Did Mets or Rangers Win the Deal?

The Mets and Rangers pulled off the first blockbuster trade of the MLB offseason on Sunday, as the two sides are swapping expensive, big-name players to fill needs.

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan reports New York and Texas are finalizing a deal that would send infielder Marcus Semien to Queens in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo. It’s a deal that seemingly came out of nowhere, as neither player was considered a prime trade candidate this winter.

The additions will mark big changes to each team’s lineup. Here’s a look at what each team is getting and who came out on the better end of the deal.

Mets Acquire: Marcus Semien

Semien has three years remaining on his contract entering the 2026 campaign. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Mets got older with this deal, but filled a pretty massive hole in the infield. Jeff McNeil has underperformed since signing a four-year, $50 million deal before the 2023 season. He isn’t unusable at second base, but Semien could represent a marked improvement at the position.

Semien is coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons at the plate, but he has more upside than McNeil, and is a far better defender. The 35-year-old won his second Gold Glove in 2025.

The issue here is Semien’s bat, which has gone quiet since he won a Silver Slugger while leading the Rangers to a World Series title in 2023. During that season, he slashed .276/.348/.478, with 29 home runs, 100 RBIs, a wRC+ of 128, and tied a career-high with 6.5 fWAR. In the two seasons since, he has failed to top a .700 OPS.

In 2025, Semien slashed .230/.305/.364, with 15 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a full-season career-low wRC+ of 89 in 127 games. He produced 2.1 fWAR, but most of that came from his exceptional defense at second base, where he had seven outs above average.

Semien just turned 35, and still has three seasons remaining on the seven-year, $175 million deal he signed with the Rangers in December of 2021. He’s under contract through 2028 and will make $26 million in each of the next two seasons, before making $20 million in the final year.

The Mets desperately wanted to improve defensively this offseason. This deal did this. But they’ll need Semien’s bat to improve, or he’ll just be an expensive, aging contract. The good news is, they moved off of Nimmo’s deal, which will make room for Semien’s, and have several different paths to replacing Nimmo in the outfield.

Grade: B-

Rangers Acquire: Brandon Nimmo

Nimmo batted .262/.324/.436 in 155 games this season. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Texas had an aging roster with a lot of money committed to a few players. Semien, Corey Seager, Jacob deGrom, and Nathan Eovaldi were all set to make more than $25 million in 2026. The team is looking to cut payroll. While this deal takes on more long-term money, it cuts the yearly bill down while adding a power bat to the outfield, something sorely needed.

Nimmo has played his entire career for the Mets, and his best full season came in 2022, when he slashed .274/.367/.433, with 15 home runs, 64 RBIs, 102 runs scored, and a 132 wRC+. That 5.5 fWAR season earned him an eight-year, $162 million deal from New York. The former first-round pick has been a solid contributor, but hasn’t quite hit that high since.

In 2025, he slashed .262/.324/.436, with career-highs in home runs (25), and RBIs (92), and a 114 wRC+. Thanks to average to below-average defense in left field, his fWAR was only 3.0. He’s a corner outfielder-only at this point, and his value will largely come from his bat moving forward.

Nimmo is owed $102.5 million over the next five seasons, but at $20.5 million per year, the Rangers will actually save money over the next three years.

After the Rangers non-tendered Adolis Garcia on Friday, they had an opening in the outfield alongside Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter. Texas needed to save money and find a solid outfield bat to fill that role.

Perhaps a knock-on effect of this deal is that moving Semien opens a spot on the infield—and top prospect, shortstop Sebastian Walcott, is almost big league ready. This could be the move that gets him to the majors.

Grade: B

'We'll see' – Harry Kane breaks silence on Barcelona transfer links as he admits Bayern Munich extension talks have yet to begin

Harry Kane has directly responded to reports linking him with a transfer to Barcelona. The England captain has also revealed that talks over a new Bayern Munich contract are yet to begin, at least raising the possibility that his career could take another step, but he insists there is no reason for fans in Bavaria to be worried about an imminent departure.

  • Bayern contract talks yet to begin

    Kane has responded to links with Barcelona while admitting that formal talks with Bayern Munich about extending his current deal have yet to begin.

    "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me," he told . "I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern."

    Crucially, from a Bayern perspective, he added: "There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season."

    His response to a question on whether Bayern fans should worry was: "I don't think so."

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    Barcelona eye Lewandowski's successor

    Kane has been heavily linked with Barcelona as the Catalans weigh up a potential future without Robert Lewandowski, who is out of contract at the end of this season and will turn 38 in August.

    Barcelona have enjoyed tremendous success by putting their faith in the veteran Pole, even at this late stage of his career, and could try to replicate that model with Kane, himself 33 in July.

    The former Tottenham Hotspur star is believed to have a release clause in his Bayern contract set at €65 million ($75m/£57m). It makes Kane eminently affordable in this market and could secure the No.9 position at Barcelona for the next three or four years. The only catch is that the clause has to be activated by Kane himself, obviously requiring him to be at least a little unsure about his future in Munich, and it needs to be done by the end of January.

    Local reports in Barcelona have claimed that Kane is "considering" the idea.

  • Kane's consistent message about Bayern

    Kane has openly said multiple times how happy he has been, and continues to be, with Bayern.

    "I've said throughout my whole career, I'm not someone who likes to think too far ahead. I'm extremely happy here," he told in April of this year.

    "I think we have a fantastic team, fantastic coaching staff and I just feel like whilst I feel like I'm in the best condition, I wanna play at the highest level possible, and this is as high as it gets, So I know a lot can change in football in a short space of time and things can happen, but ultimately my focus is here. I'm not thinking about any other league or any other team. And with football, I like to just go the flow and at the moment the flow is here at Bayern Munich."

    Just last month, Kane told the that he considers Bayern his "second home". 

    He said: "We've got a great chance for all the trophies this year. Whenever you start a season with Bayern, you're favourites. We haven't had great cup runs since I've been here so we want to try and put that right. Then in the Champions League, it's still early stages but ultimately it's about trying to win the competition. And going into the World Cup, you want to be at your best.

    "Bayern are known around Europe every year as one of the best and one of the favourites to win the Champions League. I wanted to test myself at that level and I’ve loved it on and off the pitch. It feels like my second home now. I'm enjoying every moment of it and hopefully it continues."

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    Barcelona need urgent decision from Kane

    Given Kane's comments about being happy where he is, it doesn't give Barcelona the best chance. That could feasibly change if Bayern contract talks aren't forthcoming, although his current terms don't run out until 2027 and, like the player himself said, there is "no rush" on that front.

    Conversely, Barcelona need it to be a rush because of the deadline in the release clause activation. But whether there is enough time for that when Kane's mind is firmly on the remainder of the season with Bayern and then the summer's World Cup with England, feels unlikely.

Nepal recall Mohammad Aadil Alam and Sundeep Jora for West Indies T20Is

Lalit Rajbanshi, who missed the Top End T20 series in Australia, is also back in the side

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2025Nepal have recalled allrounder Mohammad Aadil Alam and middle-order batter Sundeep Jora for the historic three-match T20I series against West Indies in the UAE later this month. This will be Nepal’s first bilateral series against a Full Member.Alam last played for Nepal in August 2022, and Jora in June 2024. Rohit Paudel will lead the squad, which was announced last week; Dipendra Singh Airee will be his deputy. The bowling attack will revolve around legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane. Left-arm spinner Lalit Rajbanshi, who missed the Top End T20 series in Australia last month, is also back in the side.”We are confident and positive,” Paudel said. “The last two years of exposure playing against Test nations has also brought good experience, and the team is balanced with the presence of Jora and Aadil Alam.”Related

Five uncapped players in Akeal Hosein-led WI squad

In April 2024, West Indies A had toured Nepal for a five-match T20 series, which they won 3-2. For the upcoming series, West Indies have included five uncapped players in their squad, and will be led by Akeal Hosein.The series starts on September 27, with all three games to be played in Sharjah. After that, Nepal will head to Oman for the Asia and East-Asia Pacific Qualifier for the 2026 T20 World Cup.Nepal squad for West Indies T20IsRohit Paudel (capt), Dipendra Singh Airee (vice-capt), Aasif Sheikh (wk), Sandeep Lamichhane, Kushal Bhurtel, Lokesh Bam, Kushal Malla, Mohammad Adil Alam, Aarif Sheikh, Sundeep Jora, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Gulsan Jha, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sompal Kami, Shahab Alam

Inside Shakira's £12.5m mansion that Lamine Yamal could be about to buy

What were you doing at 18 years old? Lamine Yamal is lighting up the world stage and gradually marching towards football’s throne left behind by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He is the most talented star that Barcelona’s La Masia academy has uncovered since Messi and could be about to use that stardom to move into a stunning £12.5m mansion.

It seems a matter of when and not if Yamal will win the Ballon d’Or. The teenager finished as high as second in the 2025 competition, with Ousmane Dembele’s Champions League win with Paris Saint-Germain enough to give him the edge.

In 2026, however, Yamal could become the youngest-ever player to win the coveted award. And if recent months are anything to go by, European football will be well aware of the winger’s place at the top.

He recently stole the headlines in controversial fashion once again. This time, it was rivals Real Madrid who were left angered when Yamal seemed to suggest that their players rob and moan ahead of the El Clasico. In the end, it was those at the Bernabeu who got the last laugh as Madrid secured a 2-1 victory and the teenager failed to score or assist.

Thrust into the headlines at just 18 years old, it’s no real surprise that Yamal hasn’t acted with the greatest maturity at times. Like most top players, that will come with age – especially under a manager like Hansi Flick.

In the meantime, the world will continue to stay at his feet and his €17m-a-year (£15m) pay cheque will continue to arrive as he sets his sights on a stunning mansion.

Inside Lamine Yamal's potential £12.5m mansion

In a recent Instagram post, Yamal seemed to confirm plans to buy a £12.5m mansion which was previously owned by popstar Shakira and former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique. The stunning property initially featured three separate buildings when built in 2012, spreading across 3,800 square feet.

It included both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, private tennis courts and a recording studio used by Shakira, but has been up for sale since Pique and the singer split in 2022. Now, although one of the smaller buildings has been sold following an initial £12.5m market listing, Yamal could land the mansion for £9.5m.

Gerard Pique for Barcelona

Reports have suggested that the Barcelona star plans to move into the property with his cousin and a close friend, before renovating it to his own lifestyle.

Other reports have claimed that the mansion includes six bedrooms, five bathrooms and a view which looks over the Mediterranean. So, all in all, it’s fair to say that Yamal can’t have many complaints.

It’s another string to the bow of football’s next biggest star, who is wasting no time before spending the money gained from his recent Barcelona contract. Although, it does remain to be seen whether he puts Shakira’s recording studio to use…

Where Yamal ranks in 2026 Ballon d'Or Power Rankings

Howe must cash in on Newcastle flop who had achieved "legendary status"

Newcastle United have a tough run of fixtures to contend with for the rest of November, before the bumper Christmas schedule weighs heavily on the calendar.

Indeed, the up-and-down Magpies have a tricky home clash with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City up next, as Eddie Howe no doubt worries already as to how his porous defence will deal with a free-flowing Erling Haaland.

Then, it’s back-to-back away fixtures at Marseille and Everton in the Champions League and Premier League, with Howe, presumably, under even more intense pressure if he fails to pick up a win or two across this stretch of contests.

Far too many players Howe has relied on over the years have failed to deliver the goods across recent matches, with many of those underperformers also falling into the high earners bracket at St James’ Park.

Assessing Newcastle's current wage bill

Newcastle’s highest earner currently continues to lead by example for the most part in club captain Bruno Guimaraes.

Understandably, during losses on the road against West Ham United and Brentford, the Brazilian wasn’t at his liveliest.

But, the £160k-per-week “talisman” – as he has been recently labelled by Michael Carrick – does still have three goals next to his name this season, when bailing his topsy-turvy side out of some sticky situations, which included this wonderfully taken strike breaking the deadlock against Nottingham Forest last month in a much-needed 2-0 win.

The same adoration isn’t being extended to Joelinton and Anthony Gordon – who both take home a hefty £150k-per-week pay packet – with the pair notably struggling in league action this season. Neither player has scored a single goal or registered an assist from a combined 16 Premier League outings.

Thankfully, Nick Woltemade has lived up to his club-record £69m price tag, and his high £132.5k-per-week wage, on the contrary, with four league goals already next to his name.

There will be some grumbles about Anthony Elanga’s £55m fee and £100k-per-week wage, though, with the ex-Manchester United attacker dubbed a “massive overpay” by analyst Raj Chohan, with the Swede yet to show off his exhilarating best on the wings. He remains goalless so far on Tyneside.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The likes of Elanga and Gordon are not the only players being hounded.

A "legendary" star must be ditched by Newcastle

Elanga will also surely have the benefit of patience on his side, with the 23-year-old only 17 games down for his new employers. In time, the hope will be that the expensive £55m purchase does come good.

Whereas, in the case of Joe Willock, the peak of his Newcastle career looks to be very firmly behind him now, with his drop-off in form on Tyneside a very concerning tale.

Towards the start of his Newcastle playing days, Willock perform the role of a bright spark in front of goal from the midfield ranks expertly, much like Guimaraes now provides Howe and Co.

Staggeringly, he scored in seven straight Premier League matches during his initial loan spell from Arsenal during the 2020/21 season, as Willock lived up to Mikel Arteta’s words of being a “special” talent.

Ex-Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell even went as far as to state that Willock had achieved “legendary stats” at St James’ Park with this unbelievable goalscoring run, further hailing the number 28 as “god-like” to the Tyneside masses.

Games played

133

Goals scored

10

Assists

9

Transfer fee

£25m

Wage per week

£80k-per-week

Willock has, arguably, become a victim of his own successes at Newcastle, with the former Arsenal midfielder only managing to cough up two more goals across 133 games, away from exploding onto the scene with a breakneck eight goals during his first 14 outings.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has simply labelled the 26-year-old as a major “disappointment” over the past couple of seasons, with only 100 minutes of Premier League action handed his way this campaign, really bringing into view his lavish £80k-per-week wage.

Wildly, that means summer arrival Malick Thiaw earns less than Willock, despite being an ever-present part of Howe’s defensive unit in the Premier League so far this season, with the German only banking a £70k-per-week salary.

It’s far from the most uplifting story seeing the decline of Willock in real time, but if Howe is to turn around his side’s fortunes right now, he will have to consider shelving the EFL Cup-winning midfielder for good very soon, alongside other previous regulars who have now fallen off the horse.

Everton enter race to sign £88m South American "machine" with Newcastle

The Toffees need a creative spark.

1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 16, 2025

مواعيد مباريات مجموعة الأرجنتين في كأس العالم 2026 

كشف الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” عن مواعيد مباريات كأس العالم 2026، دور المجموعات، والتي تنطلق في شهر يونيو المقبل.

وأجرى “فيفا” قرعة كأس العالم أمس الجمعة، حيث تستضيف الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، المكسيك، وكندا، منافسات المونديال في نسخته الجديدة بوجود 48 فريقًا للمرة الأولى في تاريخ المسابقة.

ويتواجد منتخب الأرجنتين حامل لقب النسخة الماضية، في المجموعة العاشرة، رفقة منتخبات الجزائر والأردن والنمسا.

كان منتخب الأرجنتين بقيادة مدربه ليونيل سكالوني، ونجمه ليونيل ميسي، قد توج بكأس العالم 2022 في قطر على حساب المنتخب الفرنسي.

طالع مواعيد مباريات كأس العالم 2026 مواعيد مباريات مجموعة الأرجنتين في كأس العالم 2026 

الجولة الأولى

مباراة الأرجنتين ضد الجزائر

تلعب المباراة يوم 16 يونيو 2026 في تمام الساعة 9 مساءً بتوقيت أمريكا (الساعة 4 فجرًا بتوقيت مصر، يوم 17 يونيو)، في كانساس.

مباراة الأردن ضد النمسا

تلعب المباراة يوم 16 يونيو 2026 في تمام الساعة 12 صباحًا بتوقيت أمريكا (الساعة 7 صباحًا بتوقيت مصر يوم 17 يونيو)، في سان فرانسيسكو باي آرينا.

الجولة الثانية

مباراة الأرجنتين ضد النمسا

يوم 22 يونيو 2026 في تمام الساعة 1 ظهرًا بتوقيت أمريكا (الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر)، في دالاس.

مباراة الأردن ضد الجزائر

يوم 22 يونيو 2026 في تمام الساعة 11 مساءً بتوقيت أمريكا (الساعة 6 صباحًا بتوقيت مصر يوم 23 يونيو)، في سان فرانسيسكو.

الجولة الثالثة

مباراة الجزائر ضد النمسا

يوم 27 يونيو 2026، في تمام الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت أمريكا (الساعة 5 فجر يوم 28 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في كانساس.

مباراة الأردن ضد الأرجنتين

يوم 27 يونيو 2026، في تمام الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت أمريكا (الساعة 5 فجر يوم 28 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في دالاس.

Cummins says he's 'less likely than likely' to play in the first Ashes Test

Australia captain Pat Cummins says he is “less likely than likely” to play in the first Test against England as he begins running for the first time following his back injury with less than six weeks to go before the series starts in Perth.Cummins’ back has been almost a daily talking point in Australia since it was revealed he has a lumbar bone stress issue in early September. He has not bowled a ball since Australia’s last Test series in the Caribbean in July.Speaking at Kayo Sports’ Summer of Cricket Launch in Sydney on Monday, Cummins was sober about his chances of playing in the first Test in Perth against England on November 21.Related

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“I’d say probably less likely than likely,” Cummins said. “But we’ve still got a bit of time.”I’m running today and running kind of every second day, and each runs a little bit longer, and then we get into bowling prep next week. So I’m probably a couple of weeks away before actually putting on the spikes and bowling out on the turf. But it’s been a good couple of weeks. Each session feels better and better.”Cummins was asked how long he would actually need to prepare his body to play in a Test match.”You’d want probably at least a month in the nets,” he said. “If you are to play in a Test match, you want to make sure you are right to bowl 20 overs in a day and you don’t have to think about it. Four weeks is pretty tight, but I think somewhere around that mark.”Cummins added his back was feeling better having taken a long time to settle after the lumbar bone stress was initially diagnosed.But he outlined that even going from low level running to bowling is going to be a slow process as he needs to do specific gym work to reactivate his bowling muscles and see how his back responds before heading to the nets.”It’s kind of a little bit stiff, just probably a little bit from the injury but then also because it hasn’t been used for a while,” Cummins said. “Each session you do a little bit of run and make sure you pull up alright. So I’m actually feeling really good at the moment. A few of the symptoms hung around for a little bit longer than I would have liked but they’re all gone now. I’m just trying to kind of increase the workload and make sure body’s responding.”Some of the gym work becomes a bit more bowling prep work. So you do a lot more kind of getting your muscles ready, side holds to try to simulate that. Maybe some med ball work, but trying to kind of transition before you actually go into the nets and start bowling.”Pat Cummins says ‘he’s less likely than likely’•Associated Press

Australia coach Andrew McDonald said last week that a decision on Cummins’ availability for the first Test would likely be made on Friday following a week of increased running and gym work. But the coach was confident his skipper would play a part in the Ashes even if he wasn’t ready for the first Test. Cummins was cautious about specifying how many Tests he could play in the series.”I think it’s a bit early to know,” Cummins said. “With these things it’s pretty hard to go from not bowling or anything at all to suddenly playing five Tests. First steps are trying to kind of give us a shot at being right, and then we’ll work it out a bit closer to time.”Cummins admitted he had some level of frustration surrounding the timing of the injury and the prospect of missing part of the Ashes series.”Some days I’m kind of annoyed because it’s the Ashes, and it’s a big summer and then other days I’m kind of realistic,” Cummins said. “I’ve had the last seven or eight years of almost uninterrupted home summers, so I felt like I’ve had a really good run as a fast bowler.”Someone like Josh [Hazlewood], he’s been a little bit more unlucky, so maybe it’s my turn. But it’s such a big summer ahead. Obviously, you want to be in a mix, even with the India One-Day series and T20 series, I wish I was part of that. But it’s not to be. It’s part of cricket. You’re going to get injuries.”Cummins was confident that the injury would not affect him long term given Australia has huge period of cricket looming in 2026 and 2027 beyond this summer’s Ashes and T20 World Cup.”It’s a back injury that I haven’t had for about seven or eight years, and I’ve played a lot of cricket between that,” he said. “So if anything looking back when I was, say, 20 years old and I had this injury, I was a bit worried about what my body could actually handle. But I know in myself that if I get it right, do it properly, when I come back I shouldn’t have to worry about it all. And hopefully I can play as much, even more cricket than I had previously in the last few years.”

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