Everton seem to finally be making moves in the transfer market ahead of the Premier League season.

Thierno Barry is through the door, while a move to sign Malick Fofana is edging closer to happening.

David Moyes isn’t finished yet, of course, as there are still several areas which need bolstering heavily.

A new right-back is urgently required, and another centre-back wouldn’t go amiss either. Moyes might be able to call upon Vitaliy Mykolenko on the left side of the defence, but recent news suggests he is closing in on another left-back.

Everton’s search for defenders

Despite their need to improve a backline that conceded 44 times last season, there has been a distinct lack of transfer links.

James Tarkowski looks set to renew his partnership with Jarrad Branthwaite, who will come into the new campaign with a new contract under his arm. But, who could join them?

Well, according to Paddy Boyland of the Athletic, Everton are closing in on a deal to sign Bayern Munich youngster Adam Aznou.

The move will cost the Toffees around £8m initially, which, given his potential for growth, could turn out to be a shrewd move for the club.

Boyland reports that he is “set” to undergo a medical early this week and fly to the USA to join up with the squad on their pre-season tour.

His arrival would add dynamism to the left flank and, over the course of the next few years, the Moroccan defender could be a perfect signing for Iliman Ndiaye.

Why Adam Aznou is perfect for Ndiaye

Last season, Ndiaye finished as Everton’s top scorer with 11 goals, and it was a solid debut introduction to English football for the Senegal international.

If he can kick on from this, Moyes will have a devastating left winger at his disposal who can help fire the Merseyside club into the top half of the Premier League table this term.

The winger also succeeded with 2.1 dribbles last season, while creating three big chances and recording a 24% goal conversion percentage.

By adding Aznou to the squad, the young left-back has the ability to link up well with Ndiaye going forward, and this partnership could cause chaos for the opposition defence.

In 2024, talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed Aznou as a “generational talent” and should he impress at Everton, he will live up to this hype.

Aznou has already made four appearances for Bayern Munich, with one coming at the recent Club World Cup, but it was during his loan spell with Real Valladolid where he shone.

He started ten La Liga games for the club and looked impressive in the final third. Indeed, he succeeded with 1.5 dribbles per game – a 56% success rate – while also averaging 0.5 key passes and registering 0.3 shots per game.

The youngster has also shown defensively. When compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues, Aznou ranked in the top 9% of full-backs for tackles (2.82) per 90, in the top 1% for blocks (2.51) per 90 and also in the top 30% for aerials won (1.11) per 90 during his stint in Spain.

Given his lack of senior appearances, these statistics point towards a trend that Moyes will hope continues at Everton.

Aznou’s stats in La Liga last season

Matches

13

Touches per game

43

Big chances created

1

Successful dribbles per game

1.5

Tackles per game

2.2

Total duels won per game

5.8

Via Sofascore

His ability to go past defenders will aid Ndiaye, who can use the youngster as the perfect foil for attacking success this coming season.

Related Better than Ndiaye: Everton in talks to sign "magnificent" £43m star

As Everton search for reinforcements this summer, the Toffees are in talks to sign a “magnificent prospect”.

Posts ByBen Gray Jul 27, 2025

Pre-season preparations get underway on Monday, although the transfer train has ground to a halt as far as Manchester United are concerned, with Matheus Cunha still the only senior addition this summer – excluding £7m teenager, Diego Leon.

A key crux of the issue appears to be the club’s inability to shift the ‘deadwood’, with manager Ruben Amorim reportedly frustrated at the failure to sell United’s exiled stars, namely Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Marcus Rashford.

That quartet, alongside Tyrell Malacia, have been granted permission to enjoy an extended break, rather than link up with the rest of the squad, with all parties still hopeful of sealing an exit ahead of next season.

Bridges appear to have been burned with almost all of those high-profile figures, none more so than Rashford, with the Englishman still seemingly dreaming of sealing a summer switch to Barcelona.

Should those raft of forwards – including the 27-year-old academy graduate – all be shipped off, it would only further heighten the need for replacements. With that in mind, a potential opening has presented itself to director of football, Jason Wilcox.

The latest on Man Utd's search for a striker

A new name emerged this week amid United’s centre-forward search, with reports indicating that contact has been made regarding a possible move for Aston Villa talisman, Ollie Watkins.

Reportedly available for £60m, the 29-year-old would prove a ready-made solution for the Red Devils, having hit double figures for goals in each of his five Premier League seasons at Villa Park.

Transfer Focus

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

As reported by The Mirror, however, the England international isn’t the only option on Wilcox’s striker shortlist, with the club also considering a move for Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku.

According to the report, United have been offered the chance to sign the 27-year-old for a knock-down price of £35m, with the former RB Leipzig man deemed to be surplus to requirements, amid the signings of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro at Stamford Bridge.

As the piece also notes, the prospect of a swap deal involving the aforementioned Garnacho had been floated, although the Blues are more likely to consider a straight sale instead as they seek to balance the books.

Why Nkunku could be another Rashford for Amorim

If United were targeting the Nkunku of two years ago, there would be undoubted excitement at Old Trafford, with the Frenchman having joined the west Londoners after registering 126 goal involvements in just 172 games at Leipzig.

The man who once hit 35 goals in all competitions in 2021/22 hasn’t been seen in English football, however, with the one-time Paris Saint-Germain man having been unable to recover from an injury-hit start to life at the Bridge.

Struck down with a knee issue during pre-season in the summer of 2023, Nkunku has since gone on to start just 11 Premier League games across the last two campaigns combined, scoring just six top-flight goals in total in that time.

A particular issue has been his inability to nail down a consistent role for himself under Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca, having operated off the left, as a number ten or as a central striker to date – all with little success.

That question mark over whether he is best out wide or centrally is one that has also plagued Rashford, with the United outcast recently stating that he is finding it “more natural” to play as a number nine, despite Amorim’s prior claim that such a role “is not the best one for him”.

Rashford’s last five Man Utd seasons (all comps)
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2024/25*	24	7	3
2023/24	43	8	6
2022/23	56	30	11
2021/22	32	5	2
2020/21	57	21	18
*Not including record at Villa
Stats via Transfermarkt

Rashford is currently out in the cold under the Portuguese coach, having not featured for the Old Trafford side since sitting out the Manchester Derby back in December, with his 30-goal heroics in 2022/23 now looking like a distant memory.

Amorim, and those at United, are seemingly in need of a fresh start without the £300k-per-week man onboard, with there likely to be concern that Nkunku could provide a similarly expensive problem, considering his own £195k-per-week salary.

Interestingly too, Rashford and Nkunku were noted as statistically similar players in the Premier League in 2024/25, as per FBref, with that likeness perhaps a key reason why such a move should be avoided.

Yes, the Nkunku of 2023 would be a worthy Watkins alternative, but the same could very much be said of the Rashford of 2023, in contrast to the one of the present. For both men, it looks like their best days could already be behind them.

Worth more than Gyokeres: Man Utd face Elanga 2.0 as terms agreed for exit

Manchester United look set to offload a player who has failed to impress at Old Trafford.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 4, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur continued their pre-season preparations for the 2025/26 campaign with an interesting split of two games on the same day against Luton Town and Wycombe Wanderers.

The Lilywhites failed to win either match, with a mix of first-team and youth players, as they were held to a 0-0 draw by the Hatters and a 2-2 draw by the Choir Boys.

New signing Mohammed Kudus, who arrived from Premier League rivals West Ham United earlier this summer, played in the goalless draw with Luton, failing to help his team break the deadlock.

One player who was not in action in either of the matches, though, was centre-forward Dominic Solanke, as the club confirmed that he has suffered a minor ankle injury.

The England international is the club’s only senior, natural, number nine option, and he missed 14 games through injury in the 2024/25 campaign, which may leave Spurs wary of going into next season with him as their only natural striker to call upon.

Why Spurs need to sign a new centre-forward

The Lilywhites should be in the market to sign another goalscorer because the team seriously lacked a consistent scorer in the Premier League last term, as evidenced by Brennan Johnson ending the year as the top scorer with 11 goals.

Solanke’s fitness issues are a concern, because of the 14 games he missed last term and the ankle injury he has already sustained in pre-season, but his performances when fit have also been concerning.

The 27-year-old centre-forward did not enjoy a particularly impressive debut season with Spurs in front of goal, as the former Bournemouth attacker failed to hit double digits for goals in the Premier League.

Solanke ended the season with a return of 16 goals in 45 matches in all competitions for the Lilywhites, but he underperformed against his xG of 16.55 and only nine of those goals came in the top-flight.

The English marksman scored nine goals from 10.97 xG in the Premier League and five goals from 5.58 xG in the Europa League for Spurs, which shows that he was wasteful in front of goal.

Appearances

27

xG

10.97

Goals

9

Minutes per goal

245

Big chances missed

12

xA

1.15

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, the ex-Cherries attacker missed too many ‘big chances’ in the top-flight and was not a reliable goalscoring presence for Ange Postecoglou.

It now remains to be seen whether or not he can step up his game to be the consistent goalscorer that Thomas Frank needs to push the team up the table next season.

That is why the club must sign a new number nine option to bolster their squad, and they are reportedly looking at a forward who would be a big upgrade on Solanke.

Spurs exploring deal for prolific striker

According to CaughtOffside, Tottenham Hotspur are one of a number of clubs exploring the possibility of a deal for Al Hilal centre-forward Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The report claims that Premier League sides Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Spurs are all keen on a possible swoop for the Serbia international during the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that Tottenham want to add new players to their forward line this summer because of Richarlison and Heung-min Son’s declining form, and that they view Mitrovic as a player who can be a viable alternative to Solanke next season.

CaughtOffside adds that Al Hilal are looking for a fee in the region of around €30m (£26m) in order to sanction a summer transfer for the prolific centre-forward.

However, it remains to be seen whether Spurs, Newcastle, or Manchester United are prepared to pay the £26m that is needed to secure his services in the coming weeks.

Why Spurs should sign Mitrovic

The Lilywhites should push to win the race for the experienced number nine before the end of the summer transfer window, because he would come in as a big upgrade on Solanke for Frank.

As aforementioned, the current Spurs number nine has struggled to score goals on a regular basis and has been a wasteful finisher in the Premier League, but that is unlikely to be the case for Mitrovic in North London.

The 30-year-old star, formerly of Fulham, has racked up a staggering 68 goals and 15 assists in 79 appearances for Al Hilal since his move from the Cottagers in 2023.

He also produced a phenomenal return of 111 goals in 206 games for Fulham during his time in England, which shows that he is also a proven and consistent goalscorer in English football.

Mitrovic, who was described as an “absolute monster” by Saudi Arabian news journalist Matt Monaghan, is an experienced and proven goalscorer who could come in to offer far more than Solanke in front of goal in the Premier League next season.

Appearances

28

23

xG

26.60

17.41

Goals

28

19

xG on target

26.26

22.12

xA

2.48

1.33

Assists

5

2

As you can see in the table above, the Serbian marksman has scored 47 goals in two seasons in the Saudi Pro League, outperforming his xG in both of those campaigns.

These statistics show that he is an incredibly efficient forward who can consistently put away the high-quality chances that are created for him, or created by his own movement and play in possession.

Mitrovic also scored 14 goals in 23 starts in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign with Fulham before his move to Saudi Arabia, which shows that he can also be an effective number nine in the English top-flight.

With question marks over Solanke’s ability to be the starting number nine that Spurs need to kick on next season, due to his lacklustre finishing and underwhelming goal return, signing the Al Hilal star for £26m is a move that could make a lot of sense this summer.

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Mitrovic could come in as a huge upgrade on the England international, if he can translate his form in Saudi Arabia over to the Premier League, as he has the potential to offer significantly more to the team in front of goal.

Aston Villa’s pre-season tour to the United States is set to continue with contests against St Louis and Nashville, before the Premier League season then gets underway.

Their last outing in America saw the Villans tussle with Eintracht Frankfurt in a 2-2 score draw, with both Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers getting in on the goalscoring act for Unai Emery’s men in the Louisville heat.

Villa supporters far and wide will hope both Watkins and Rogers stay put at Villa Park for the foreseeable future, past these summer runouts, amid interest in their services popping up from Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea.

On top of that, fans of the West Midlands outfit will also hope more signings come through the door before the transfer window slams shut, with a new £23m attacker reportedly on their radar.

Villa prepare offer for £23m attacker

It has been a quiet window so far on that front, with Marco Bizot the only real notable addition in between the sticks for Emery’s side.

That’s not to say Villa haven’t been linked with some notable names this summer, with recent developments suggesting that Villa are eyeing up a free transfer move for former Everton marksman Dominic Calvert-Lewin, alongside keeping tabs on another attacker in the form of ex-Arsenal striker Mika Biereth.

However, the most exciting rumour of them all has just surfaced, with reports from Italy – via TuttoJuve – suggesting that Villa, alongside Tottenham Hotspur, are very interested in securing a deal for AS Roma’s Matias Soule.

It’s stated that the English duo are ready to make an offer of around €32m (£27m) for the Argentine midfielder’s services, with Roma ready to sacrifice Soule to raise funds for their own incoming purchases.

Villa will hope they strike gold by snapping up Soule’s services, with the South American potentially going to be another Rogers-style star for Emery if everything clicks.

Why Soule can be Emery's next Rogers

Of course, nobody would be anticipating that Soule would hit the ground running immediately in England, with even Rogers himself needing a season to get up to speed with the demands of the Premier League.

Indeed, Rogers’ first half season in claret and blue only saw him collect three strikes, before then going on to amass a ridiculous haul of 14 goals and 15 assists in all competitions when at the peak of his powers during his stunning second campaign.

The same will hopefully be expected of the £23m attacker, with Soule just fresh off a breakout season at the Stadio Olimpico, having had to cut his teeth away from Juventus on loan at lowly Frosinone, before then coming into his own in Rome.

Rogers also had those same hurdles to overcome, with the former Manchester City youth product marooned in League One just five years ago when shoved out to Lincoln City, only to now be seen as an “unstoppable” force – as he’s been labelled by Jamie Carragher – that is Champions League established and fearless at the very pinnacle of the English game.

Games played

36

27

Goals scored

11

5

Assists

3

5

Touches*

62.6

50.8

Accurate passes*

31.7 (81%)

26.9 (87%)

Key passes*

2.3

1.9

Big chances missed

6

4

Big chances created

8

9

Across his last two campaigns in Serie A for Frosinone and Gian Piero Gasperini’s men, Soule has displayed similarities to Rogers’ blistering Villa performances, with an eye for goal very much on display by the 23-year-old when lining up for his loan employers during the 2023/24 season, culminating in 11 strikes being powered home.

Yet, his efforts in Rome last campaign also displayed a strength to create chances for teammates around him, with five assists tallied up. He also created nine big chances, suggesting he could reach even loftier heights surrounded by Villa attackers such as Watkins, which also isn’t too far removed from Rogers’ total of 16.

Lauded as being an “unpredictable” talent by football analyst Ben Mattinson, the hope will be on Villa’s end that they unearth another diamond in a similar vein to Rogers.

Capable of also playing down the channels, away from solely lining up as a number ten, there’s even a possibility that the pair can cause havoc together next season, as Villa aim to break into the Champions League positions again.

Aston Villa join race to sign "top" free agent who held talks with Man Utd

Aston Villa have joined United and Celtic in the race…

ByBrett Worthington Jul 28, 2025

Chelsea could be very busy in these final few weeks of the transfer window.

Chelsea plan offer for "world-class" new target in bid to hijack AC Milan

The west Londoners are not done this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 1, 2025

Earlier this week, Enzo Maresca was backed with the signing of Ajax left-back/centre-back Jorrel Hato, who will provide cover for Marc Cucurella whilst also bolstering the heart of Chelsea’s defence.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

In traditional Chelsea fashion, the Netherlands international has agreed a long-term seven-year contract and is undergoing a medical today, before the club announce him as their next major signing of the summer.

Meanwhile, talks remain ongoing for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons, which is taking longer than initially thought.

A report from The Sun, via GOAL, claims that Chelsea have offered multiple players to Leipzig, including Carney Chukwuemeka and Armando Broja, in an attempt to sweeten negotiations, offload players and lower the Dutchman’s overall asking price.

Super agent Ali Barat is heavily involved in these discussions as he tries to facilitate Simons’ potential move to Stamford Bridge, and according to other reports, Chelsea could still move for Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho.

A swoop for the Argentine, who Ruben Amorim’s side are actively trying to sell, is believed to be independent of the Simons deal, with Chelsea in the market for another left-winger after Jamie Gittens (talkSPORT).

This is backed up by The Telegraph’s Matt Law, who’s shared a detailed update on Garnacho to Chelsea this week.

Chelsea expected to bid for Alejandro Garnacho

Accordong to Law, Chelsea have completed extensive background checks into the 21-year-old’s personality profile, and they have zero concerns over his attitude, despite Garnacho’s questionable conduct at Old Trafford.

Chelsea are expected to make a bid for Garnacho too, and Simons’ potential arrival won’t shut the door on him as BlueCo look to tempt the former Atlético Madrid academy ace with a move to London.

Personal terms shouldn’t be an issue either, with Chelsea believed to be Garnacho’s “first choice” destination should he leave Manchester.

United are under some pressure to sell the winger as we enter the final weeks of this transfer window, with reports suggesting that they’ve slashed his asking price from £70 million to £40 million.

Garnacho racked up 11 goals and 10 assists in 58 appearances for United last season, and won the 2024 Puskas award for a stunning overhead kick against Everton at Goodision Park the year prior.

“He has a lot of personality, he doesn’t give up, and he’s always on the ball. He never gives up in one-on-one situations,” said former Argentina international Javier Saviola at the end of 2024/2025.

“Now he’s adding goals to his game, something he was lacking a bit before, and he’s appearing closer to the box.”

Whilst they have since secured several reinforcements, Leeds United reportedly made an approach to sign an attacking addition who has scored in the Europa League earlier this summer.

Farke: Leeds not "ready for Premier League level"

Like Sunderland, Leeds have returned to the Premier League with plenty of intent. The Whites instantly turned towards the transfer window this summer, welcoming the likes of Sean Longstaff, Jaka Bijol, Lucas Perri and four others in an attempt to build a side ready to avoid instant relegation.

That task will be easier said than done, however, and Daniel Farke has already admitted that his frontline is still short on Premier League quality following a friendly draw against Villarreal.

When it comes to attacking additions, it’s been a frustrating summer for those at Elland Road thus far. The likes of Beto and Rodrigo Muniz have threatened to steal the headlines, but deals for the two impressive forwards are unlikely at this stage. Meanwhile, Leeds and the 49ers also made an early approach to sign a former Premier League winger.

Leeds approached Moussa Djenepo

As reported by Africa Foot, Leeds approached Moussa Djenepo earlier this summer as they looked to swoop in and sign the Standard Liege winger, who earns around £18,000-a-week.

Ultimately, however, that approach proved unsuccessful and the former Southampton man remained a Standard Liege player. Whether that changes as the Whites become more desperate to bolster their attack will be interesting to see, but it’s then that they’ll potentially have to compete against clubs in Saudi Arabia and Iran for Djenepo’s signature.

Djenepo would certainly tick the box for Premier League experience, having previously enjoyed a four-year spell at Southampton and has even impressed on the Europa League stage with Standard Liege in the past – scoring three goals in five games.

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As things stand, however, the 27-year-old is seemingly set to go down as a missed target at Elland Road, as Farke and the 49ers aim to transform Leeds’ attack into one of Premier League quality.

MatériaMais Notícias

Grêmio e Santos se encontram pela estreia do Brasileirãoneste domingo (16), às 18h30, no Estádio Alfredo Jaconi, em Caxias do Sul (RS).

A equipe da casa, o Imortal, está impedida de mandar a partida em seu estádio, a Arena do Grêmio. Isso porque o clube gaúcho está sob punição do Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) por conta da briga nas arquibancadas do jogo contra o Cruzeiro, pela Série B de 2022.

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>Quem vai ficar no G4 e no Z4 do Brasileirão? LANCE! ouve 17 nomes de peso do jornalismo esportivo

Grêmio e Santos vêm de sequências positivas. O Tricolor conquistou a taça do Campeonato Gaúcho sobre o Caxias e venceu o ABC, por 2 a 0, na partida de ida da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil.

Apesar de ter feito um Paulistão abaixo do esperado e acabar eliminado ainda na fase de grupos, o Peixe emendou uma sequência de três vitórias seguidas. A equipe treinada pelo técnico Odair Hellmann derrotou Iguatu (Copa do Brasil), Blooming (Sul-Americana) e Botafogo-SP (Copa do Brasil).

GRÊMIO x SANTOS
Campeonato Brasileiro – Primeira Rodada

Data e hora: 16 de abril de 2023, domingo, às 18h30 (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio Alfredo Jaconi, em Caxias do Sul (RS)
Árbitro: Wilton Pereira Sampaio
Auxiliares: Bruno Raphael Pires e Leone Carvalho Rocha
VAR: Rodolpho Toski Marques
Onde assistir:SporTV, Premiere e em tempo real no LANCE!

GRÊMIO:Adriel; João Pedro, Bruno Alves, Kannemann e Diogo Barbosa; Villasanti, Bitello, Zinho, Cristaldo e Vina; Luis Suárez. Técnico: Renato Gaúcho

Desfalques: Carballo, Lucas Silva, Geromel, Diego Souza, Ferreira, Pepê e Reinaldo

SANTOS:​João Paulo; Nathan, Messias, Eduardo Bauermann e Felipe Jonatan; Camacho, Dodi, Lucas Lima e Daniel Ruiz; Marcos Leonardo e Lucas Barbosa.Técnico: Odair Hellmann

Desfalques: Mendoza, Lucas Braga, Carabajal, Alex, Zabala e Joaquim

continua após a publicidade

England turn to three-spin attack with Atkinson the lone frontline quick in place of Potts and Carse

Matt Roller22-Oct-2024England will field a three-pronged spin attack on a Rawalpindi pitch that Harry Brook believes has been “raked” by local groundstaff in an attempt to bring Pakistan’s spinners into play. Rehan Ahmed has been recalled and will play alongside Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach, with Gus Atkinson also coming into a side in which both Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts miss out.Rehan played three Tests in India at the start of this year but has not featured for England in any format since February. But England believe they will need him as a third spin frontline option this week, with Pakistan going to extreme lengths in an attempt to dry out the pitch in Rawalpindi after their 152-run victory on a recycled strip in Multan.”They’ve had the rakes out, the fans and the heaters on the pitch,” Brook said. “Everyone goes and looks at the wicket and says something different… Hopefully, it’s just like any other Pakistani pitch. It’s good to bat on for the first few days and then hopefully, we can get a bit of turn out of it at the back end of the game.”England XI for third Test vs Pakistan•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe move is a risk, leaving Atkinson and Ben Stokes as England’s only two fast-bowling options at a venue that has historically suited seam over spin. But it has also been among the world’s best for batting since its return to staging Tests in 2019, as England demonstrated when racking up 657 in 101 overs in their famous win here two years ago.”I think the conditions are going to be a little bit different,” Brook said. “We played on an extremely flat pitch here last time. It was awesome to bat on, and we scored a good rate of knots. This game’s probably going to be slightly different. It might turn earlier on: who knows? It might be a good pitch to start with and we get off to a flyer.”The lush square at Rawalpindi may have informed England’s selection, with reverse-swing unlikely to be a major factor this week. In Multan, the strips either side of the Test pitch were cut short and were dry and abrasive by the second Test, enabling England’s seamers to reverse the old ball. This week, there are only three strips cut across the square: the Test pitch and two practice pitches.Brook was out for 9 and 16 to Pakistan’s spinners in the second Test, and predicted Sajid Khan and Noman Ali will play “a massive part” in Rawalpindi. “I’ve spoken to a few of the lads about gameplans and how we’re going to go about it,” he said. “Hopefully, it pays off and I play a big part in the game.”Related

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It was in Pakistan two years ago that Rehan made his international debut as an 18-year-old, taking 5 for 48 in the second innings in Karachi to set up England’s eight-wicket win, which clinched a 3-0 clean sweep. His progress has not been linear since and he was expensive in India earlier this year, taking 11 wickets at 44.00 across three appearances and conceding more than four runs per over.This summer, Rehan was outperformed by his offspinning younger brother Farhan in the County Championship and his returns fell away in white-ball cricket: he was dropped by Southern Brave early in the Hundred after two expensive outings, and was then left out of England’s T20I and ODI squads against Australia in September.But England have been long-term admirers: Rehan was famously a net bowler at the age of 11 and has been in the national set-up throughout his professional career, starting at Under-19s level. He is heading into the second year of a two-year central contract, and has also worked on his batting this summer, with four Championship fifties, and will bolster England’s lower order from No. 9.Carse and Potts are both officially rested, with Atkinson returning after taking match figures of 4 for 145 in England’s innings win in the first Test. Carse has been England’s outstanding bowler of the tour, taking nine wickets at 24.33 across his first two appearances, but has bowled 67 overs in the series and has played back-to-back Tests.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Rehan Ahmed, 10 Jack Leach, 11 Shoaib Bashir.

A win for either team will secure their place in the semi-final, and depending on the margin, South Africa could also be knocked out

Srinidhi Ramanujam14-Oct-2024

Nothing but a win will do for West Indies when they take on England•ICC/Getty Images

England vs West IndiesDubai, 6pm local timeEngland squad: Heather Knight (capt), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni WyattWest Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (capt), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle (wk), Ashmini Munisar, Afy Fletcher, Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Qiana Joseph, Zaida James, Karishma Ramharack, Mandy Mangru, Nerissa CraftonTournament form guide: England are the only team in this group to remain unbeaten, having overcome Scotland, Bangladesh and South Africa. They are top of Group B with six points.West Indies beat Bangladesh and Scotland after falling short to South Africa in their opener. With four points, they occupy third spot, behind South Africa.News brief: Barring a couple of extreme scenarios, which will see both West Indies and England go through, this will be a virtual knockout game, with the winner directly advancing to the semi-finals. South Africa have one foot in the semi-final, but aren’t quite there yet, as England can still get into the next stage with a loss against West Indies, provided their margin of defeat is small enough: a one-run loss if the first innings total is between 97 and 134 or a two-run loss if they are chasing between 61 and 96; if England are batting first, they can afford to lose with one or two balls to spare only.England can still qualify for the semi-finals with a loss, provided their margin of defeat is small•ICC/Getty Images

West Indies will hope Stafanie Taylor is available for their final group game. The experienced Taylor, who opened against Bangladesh, was forced to retire hurt after ten overs in the small chase. Captain Hayley Matthews later said Taylor had been nursing a knee problem through the tournament: “She knows how to manage her body pretty well. She’s a crucial part of our lineup, but once again, she’s a fighter, and I don’t think any of our doctors of physios would have her out here if she wasn’t up for the challenge.”The last time these two teams played each other, England chased down 136 inside 15 overs to post a seven-wicket win over West Indies, at the 2023 World Cup, in Paarl. Overall, West Indies have won only eight of the 28 T20Is played against England.Player to watch: Sophie Ecclestone will be the main threat in England’s four-spin attack that has worked well for them. The tall left-arm spinner has been economical, having leaked just four runs an over in the tournament and picked up four wickets in three innings. England will rely on her ability to keep the run-rate down and provide crucial breakthroughs.

Celtic find themselves linked with several options in the hunt for a striker, but further movement to address their forward line may depend on outgoings, according to a report.

Celtic's mission to retain Daizen Maeda this summer

For the first time in a while, Celtic have an abundance of striking options, albeit it is hard to determine whether they have the quality that Brendan Rodgers requires to navigate another campaign where his side will hope to compete on multiple fronts.

Callum Osmand, Johnny Kenny, Adam Idah, and incoming new boy Shin Yamada have added variety in the final third. Still, there is no doubt that reflections on the summer window would be vastly altered if Daizen Maeda were to depart before the close of play.

Despite operating on the wing for most of his time in Glasgow, the Japan international played centrally on a frequent basis last season and rounded off a magnificent campaign with 33 goals across all competitions.

It always felt unlikely that he would last the duration of the market period without drawing attention, which has been the case amid interest from Leeds United, Brentford and others in his situation, albeit this came earlier on in proceedings.

Fenerbache have also been cited as admirers of Maeda and were known to be in the running. However, like many of Celtic’s high-profile departures, they tend to occur towards the end of the transfer window when clubs begin to realise they need to conduct business fast.

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The Bhoys generally follow a similar policy regarding new additions. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see this topic of conversation come to life again over the next few weeks, and reports suggest this saga may be far from complete.

Celtic line up potential contingency if Daizen Maeda were to depart

According to TEAMtalk, Celtic have set their sights on Wycombe Wanderers striker Richard Kone as a potential replacement for Maeda, should the latter succumb to interest later in the window.

Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and West Ham United are reportedly monitoring his situation, while Brentford are clued in following their early groundwork on his unique profile.

Daizen Maeda in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

51

Goals

33

Assists

12

Richard Kone in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

52

Goals

21

Assists

5

Turning to the market, Celtic have identified Kone as a potential source of goals to replicate Maeda and scouted him on three occasions last season, even if a deal may prove tricky amid Wycombe’s stance on letting the Ivorian head elsewhere.

Setting out their stall, the third-tier outfit could demand £7 million for the Ivorian striker, which is said to be a figure the Bhoys are unwilling to pay unless they were to utilise funds generated by sales.

Brentford, Crystal Palace, Norwich City, Toulouse and Union Saint-Gilloise have been enticed by Kone, who managed to direct 40 of his 99 shots on target last season in League One.

Plates are beginning to spin for Celtic, but it is fair to say a fair level of complication stands in the way of being able to land the prolific 22-year-old, who has been labelled someone with a ‘huge amount of potential’ by West Ham insider ExWHUEmployee amid the Hammers’ interest in him.