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Tottenham Hotspur are now expected to open permanent talks to sign an “incredible” star, who could be their first signing in the January transfer window.

Spurs looking to sign midfielder

Tottenham have made a solid start to the campaign, taking 10 points from their opening five games, with a number of their summer signings hitting the ground running, including Mohammed Kudus, who grabbed two assists against Brighton on Saturday.

Having set up four goals in his first five matches, Kudus has already eclipsed his assist tally from last season, and the winger is not the only new addition who has caught the eye, with Joao Palhinha making an instant impression.

After his side edged a 1-0 win against Villarreal, manager Thomas Frank said of the central midfielder: “He’s a very good player. He stabilised us more in the middle of the pitch. So that helped, definitely … [The players] are working very hard, and that we have a very good foundation to stand on, in terms of our defensive organization.

Consequently, it will come as no surprise that Spurs are now looking to sign Palhinha permanently, according to a report from The Boot Room, which states they are keen to open talks over a deal for the midfielder this January.

The north Londoners have been very impressed by the maestro’s start to the campaign, and they are now set to hold discussions over a deal, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey adding: “He’s exactly what they expected. When he left, he was already one of the Premier League’s best holding midfielders. Watching Palhinha play in that position probably frustrates Manchester United fans, knowing he was available and could have joined them.

“I fully expect discussions about a permanent deal to begin in January once the transfer window opens.”

Tottenham plan "irresistible" offer for £68m midfielder amid Thomas Frank belief

The Dane thinks he could be a game-changing signing.

By
Emilio Galantini

Sep 21, 2025

"Incredible" Palhinha must be signed permanently

On the face of it, a deal shouldn’t be too hard to complete, given that Spurs have the option to make the central midfielder’s stay permanent for £27m, which seems like a very fair fee for a player of his quality.

Journalist Kyle Bonn has spoken particularly fondly of the 30-year-old in the past, praising his passing, work-rate and tackling ability.

Those talents are underlined by the former Fulham man’s performance across several key metrics over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

With a 7.2 SofaScore match rating, the loanee was also Spurs’ highest-rated starter in the 2-2 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, courtesy of winning 10 of the 16 duels he contested.

As such, it is a no-brainer to bring Palhinha in permanently, and Frank will be hoping for a similar performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend.

تحدث الدولي الفرنسي أوريلين تشواميني، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد عن مباراة الكلاسيكو عقب فوزه على يوفنتوس في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتمكن ريال مدريد من تحقيق فوز مهم على يوفنتوس، بهدف نظيف، جعله مستعدًا بقوة للقاء الكلاسيكو المقبل أمام برشلونة.

ويواجه ريال مدريد غريمه برشلونة في “كلاسيكو” الدوري الإسباني لأول مرة بقيادة تشابي ألونسو، على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”، في تمام الساعة السادسة والربع مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة، يوم الأحد المقبل.

وقال تشواميني، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “الكلاسيكو؟ نعم، نعلم أنه عندما نلعب ضد برشلونة علينا الفوز، لا يهم ما حدث العام الماضي، نعلم ما حدث ونحن في حالة جيدة الآن”.

اقرأ أيضًا | جولر: تفاجأت بجائزة رجل مباراة يوفنتوس.. ورسالة لـ ألونسو

وعن الفوز على يوفنتوس: “أعتقد أننا بدأنا الموسم بأفضل طريقة ممكنة، كنا نطمح لإنهاء الموسم ضمن المراكز الثلاثة الأولى بـ9 نقاط، والآن علينا مواصلة العمل للفوز بمزيد من المباريات”.

وحول عن صعوبة اختراق دفاع يوفنتوس: “لعبنا ضد فريق جيد، لقد دافعوا بقوة وثبات وهذا ليس بالأمر السهل، كورتوا كان ممتازًا أيضًا، فوز مستحق”.

وبشأن وجود تغييرات في خط الوسط، أتم: “كل لاعب في ريال مدريد يعرف ما عليه فعله، إذا لعبت في الوسط مع أردا وجود (بيلينجهام) أعلم أنني سأبقى في الخلف لفترة أطول، ولكن إذا كان كامافينجا موجودًا، يُمكنني تدوير المركز أكثر، لدينا فريق يضم لاعبين رائعين في خط الوسط”.

One Newcastle United star has been left gutted after what he describes as a personal “setback” in the 3-2 Premier League loss to Liverpool.

Howe addresses Isak’s Newcastle future after Liverpool defeat

Much of the focus around Newcastle’s meeting with Liverpool on Monday evening centred around the future of Alexander Isak, with the forward once again absent from Eddie Howe’s side.

The Reds have been looking to sign the striker this summer and have even had a £110m bid turned down by those at St James’ Park, with Isak looking to force a move to Anfield.

On the pitch, Newcastle battled back from Anthony Gordon’s red card and were 2-0 down to Arne Slot’s side, but goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Will Osula looked to have won the Magpies a point before 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha came off the bench to snatch victory deep into stoppage time.

Asked about Isak after the defeat, Howe admitted he and his team need “clarity” regarding the striker’s future.

“I’ve not been party to talks on this for a long time now. I’ve been preparing the team and giving all my energy to the players that want to play for Newcastle. I think that is where my energy is best put at the moment. We want clarity, we want to move forward, we want the narrative to change because we’re in the start of the season now.

“We’re into the action and we’ve got to get results, and we’ve got to try to focus on what we can control. We’ve given two really, really good performances, we’ve ended up with one point. That’s tough for us to take, especially in this moment where you’re looking for positives to cling to. But we battle through and we now go on to Leeds.”

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ByLewis Thompson Aug 26, 2025 Newcastle star Gordon apologises to Van Dijk

Meanwhile, taking to social media platform Instagram, Gordon apologised to his Newcastle team-mates and Virgil van Dijk for the challenge which cost him a red card in Monday night’s defeat.

Sent off after a VAR review shortly before half-time, Gordon said:

Starting in a central role with Isak still out, Gordon will now miss games against Leeds United, Wolves and Bournemouth, returning to Premier League action against Arsenal at the end of September.

Sunderland marked their return to the Premier League with a statement 3-0 win over West Ham. While some of the new signings, like Granit Xhaka, put in excellent performances, it was the players who got promoted that won them the game.

Following goals from Eliezer Mayenda, Daniel Ballard and Wilson Isidor, manager Regis Le Bris spoke about their significance to the team: “It’s really important for two reasons at least, the first one they showed they can step up today. We’ll see later, but today it was the case. At the same time, they are really important because they keep the identity of the club and the way we worked last season.”

One of the ways Sunderland were most impressive against West Ham was defensively, with the London side only managing shots that valued a total of 0.56 xG.

However, Le Bris is looking to strengthen his defensive unit even further as the club readies a second bid for their top centre-back target.

Sunderland is not giving up on signing Lucumí

Sunderland are planning to put in a second bid for Bologna centre-back Jhon Lucumí. Le Bris’s side previously placed a bid worth just over £24 million for the Colombian, which the Italian side rejected.

The bid that Sunderland placed was equal in value to the release clause that Lucumí’s contract previously held. This clause expired in mid-July, and the Black Cats are now expected to place a bid of higher value, according to Italian reports, via Sports Witness.

Bologna have already sold Lucumí’s centre-back partner, Sam Beukema, to Napoli this summer, and there are reports that because of this, the club see Lucumí as unsellable. The report goes on to say that Bologna are hoping to extend the defender’s contract, but as a “contract renewal appears complicated”, the Serie A side may be willing to let Lucumí go for a high enough bid.

On the personal side of the deal, Lucumí is reportedly “keen” on the move, and Sunderland already has a history with Lucumí’s agency, as he is with Wasserman, who also represent three current Sunderland players – Simon Moore, Dennis Cirkin and Dan Neil.

Why Sunderland might make Lucumí their club-record signing

Six of Sunderland’s top ten most expensive transfers have come in this window, and if they sign Lucumí, that number will rise to seven. The first bid they placed for the Colombian would have made him the club’s second most expensive player, and depending on the increase in value of the second bid, he could become the club’s record signing.

Last season, Lucumí stood out in Serie A as a ball-playing centre-back who excelled at stopping opposition counter-attacks. For Serie A centre-backs, he ranked in the top 9% for passes completed per 90 and accurate long balls per 90. Additionally, Lucumí averaged just over six ball recoveries per 90, which was in the top 4% of centre-backs. This means that when his side lost possession, he was often there to rectify the situation.

After the opening match, West Ham boss Graham Potter spoke about Sunderland’s performance and somewhat dismissively said, “It wasn’t a result – with the greatest respect – of Sunderland pushing us back and playing well. It was an action, a cross from 30 or 40 metres we should be happy to defend.”

While Sunderland didn’t dominate possession, only having 37% of it, they got the result from well-executed moments and hitting West Ham on the break.

Lucumí’s skill set will allow them to pull off this kind of result more often, as he is both accurate and progressive with the ball, allowing his team to counter quickly, and he specializes in stopping opposition counter-attacks, which will allow his team to exploit them in the transition of play.

Bangladesh batter Litton Das has accepted that he was dropped from the ODI squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy because of his poor form. Bangladesh announced their squad on Sunday morning and later that day Litton smashed an unbeaten 125 off 55 balls for Dhaka Capital against Durbar Rajshahi in the BPL.”The Champions Trophy selection wasn’t in my control,” Litton said after his performance. “The selectors took the call. They decide whom to play. My job is to perform. I haven’t been able to do that. I think I was a bit upset about it. I have the same mindset before and after the game today. The day has already passed. I have played a good knock but it’s in the past. I start from zero again. I will keep working hard, let’s see what happens next.”I was given a clear message. Maybe not from the selectors but it is easy to find out why I wasn’t picked in the team. I was dropped because I wasn’t performing. There’s nothing to hide about it. Basic, normal.”Related

• Rangpur ride to seven in seven; Litton, Usman and Saifuddin put on a show

• Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan slam tons to take Dhaka Capitals to record total

• Litton and Shakib left out of Bangladesh's Champions Trophy squad

Litton hasn’t made it out of single digits in his last seven ODI innings and his previous 50-plus score was in October 2023. “Fans will support me but then when I don’t do well, people will be negative. That’s not really my concern,” he said. “I am focused on what I need to do. I haven’t been playing well, so I need to improve my game. I won’t change overnight, so I have to keep trying. People will love it when I score runs.”I am not out there to prove to anyone. I only look for improvement. I don’t think I was playing well for the last few months. I will try to become more consistent from this point, especially after this innings.”Litton began the BPL season poorly with scores of 31, 0, 2 and 9 before making 73 and 125 not out in consecutive games. The hundred helped Dhaka Capital end a run of six consecutive defeats.His unbeaten 125 contained 10 fours and nine sixes and his 241-run opening stand with Tanzid Hasan was the second highest partnership in men’s T20 cricket. Litton credited Shahin, a member of the Dhaka support staff who has given him throwdowns for years, for helping him out of his rut.”Shahin has been working in the [Dhaka Capital]) team. He has worked with Comilla Victorians for the last three years … He helps me in training all the time, and passes on information from time to time. He is capable of pointing out a batter’s mistake. That’s why I thanked him. But listen, please don’t make a news that he has now become a coach.”Litton believes Dhaka’s 149-run win against Rajshahi will help them perform better in the second half of the BPL season. “We have a good team but we haven’t been able to click so far. I think today was the first time we performed as a unit, both with bat and ball. We still have five matches left. Two teams are at the top, while the rest are around the same points. I think our run rate will improve after this game. We got our rhythm going. I don’t know if we can win the next games, but we feel more confident.”

With Alexander Isak pushing for a move away from Tyneside, Newcastle United are faced with the difficult task of replacing one of the Premier League’s most technically gifted forwards.

The Swede’s blend of elegance, close control, and clinical finishing has made him a central figure in Eddie Howe’s system. Now, with Liverpool preparing a formal bid, Newcastle are already planning for life without their star striker.

In searching for a successor, Newcastle are looking for someone who shares Isak’s key qualities and possesses the potential to develop into one of the league’s leading strikers.

The forward they’ve identified ticks those boxes…

Latest on Newcastle's search to replace Isak

The bombshell news broke on Thursday that the Magpies’ main man is intent on leaving the club, having thus far failed to commit to a new deal at St James’ Park.

With that in mind, Newcastle are preparing to present their long-term project to Benjamin Šeško, the 21-year-old Slovenian striker currently at RB Leipzig, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Transfer Focus

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

After monitoring his progress since his RB Salzburg days, and previously attempting to sign him in 2022, the club are once again pushing to secure his signature.

With Leipzig finishing seventh in the Bundesliga and tumbling out of the Champions League early, the timing aligns perfectly.

His contract runs until 2029, but a £60m bid, down from the £85m figure previously quoted, could now be enough to secure his services.

Why Šeško is the perfect Isak replacement

With Isak’s departure appearing increasingly likely, Šeško is seen as the ideal successor. Standing at 194cm, he matches Isak’s physical presence but adds an impressive mix of speed, agility, and strength.

Despite operating in a Leipzig side that underperformed last season, his displays in the Bundesliga only strengthened his reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting young centre-forwards.

Owing to his blend of pace and a towering frame, football talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him the “new Erling Haaland” – though Šeško’s style is notably more measured and refined.

While his overall numbers may fall short of Isak’s, they paint the picture of a striker not just keeping pace with the Premier League star, but exceeding expectations in less favourable circumstances.

The comparisons between the two are striking.

As per Transfermarkt, Šeško scored 21 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions last season, including 13 in the Bundesliga. Though he registered fewer total goal involvements than Isak (18 vs. 29), his efficiency in front of goal was impressive.

He scored 11 non-penalty goals from 8.4 expected, a sharp overperformance that suggests a striker with strong finishing instincts.

That ability to convert is reflected in his other shooting metrics.

According to data from FBref, Šeško averaged 2.5 shots per 90, compared to Isak’s 3.1, and put 43.9% of them on target, a touch higher than Isak’s 43.2%. Though he operates with slightly lower volume, the Slovenian is equally efficient, a valuable trait for a forward potentially operating in a Newcastle team that created fewer clear chances than some of their top-six rivals last season.

Šeško’s pace also adds a key dimension. At Salzburg, he was clocked at 36.11 km/h — one of the fastest top-level strikers in Europe.

In terms of buildup and link play, he’s still developing.

The same data showed that he averaged 15.7 completed passes per 90 with a 67.6% completion rate, lower than Isak’s 17 passes at 75.3%. But he’s competent at holding the ball up and offers glimpses of becoming a more rounded playmaker, something reflected in his 1.74 progressive passes per 90 and 1.93 shot-creating actions.

Perhaps most importantly, he appears ready to take the next step. Though he hasn’t agitated for a move, reports in Germany suggest Šeško views a switch to the Premier League as a logical progression.

Arsenal had previously shown strong interest, preferring him to Sporting’s Viktor Gyökeres due to his age. However, they stepped back, paving the way for Newcastle to step in and pitch themselves as the perfect platform.

There’s also a stylistic harmony between Šeško and Howe’s approach. Like Isak, he offers vertical threat and mobility, capable of drifting into wide channels to stretch defences and creating space for others.

His pressing numbers are low (just 0.11 tackles in the attacking third per 90, compared to Isak’s 0.23), but his energy and willingness to learn could suit the high-intensity demands at St James’ Park.

With Chelsea target Xavi Simons already edging toward the Leipzig exit and interest in Loïs Openda growing, it feels like the Bundesliga club are bracing for change.

Newcastle, meanwhile, are ready to capitalise — seeing Šeško not just as a replacement for Isak, but a long-term centrepiece for their next phase.

Newcastle's most expensive sales of all time

A look at Newcastle’s 20 most expensive departures.

By
Charlie Smith

Oct 5, 2025

Teenage sensation Chloe Ainsworth continued her scintillating start to the WBBL, helping Perth Scorchers to a 74-wicket win over the ladder-leading Sydney Thunder.Ainsworth claimed figures of 2 for 15 at Drummoyne Oval on Tuesday night, as Thunder were all out for 97 in the 20th over in pursuit of Scorchers’ 171 for 7. The seamer set the win up for Scorchers, taking 2 for 4 from her opening two overs.The result ended the Thunder’s four-match winning streak and helped heavyweights Scorchers climb from fifth to second on the WBBL ladder.It came amid some drama, with one of Drummoyne Oval’s light towers going out early in Thunder’s chase. Umpires stopped play to ask if both teams were happy to continue, before Thunder captain Phoebe Litchfield opted to stay on with the bat.”I don’t think I would like to be batting out there with Ainsworth out there firing, but that’s the umpire’s call,” Thunder coach Lisa Keightley said on afterwards. “And they gave it to the players, so that is interesting.”Already behind in the chase after Ainsworth’s wickets, Litchfield and Heather Knight offered the Thunder a brief hope with a 32-run third-wicket stand. But when Litchfield was caught off Amy Edgar the innings unravelled.Earlier, Sophie Devine helped set up the victory with 48 from 34 balls, turning around her run of two straight ducks before Tuesday night, alongside India’s Dayalan Hemalatha who made brisk 41 off 26 balls after not passing 13 in her first five innings.Devine pulled Sammy-Jo Johnson for one six, cut her for four the next ball and provided a deft late-cut to send Shabnim Ismail to the deep-third boundary. She was bowled by Ismail later in the same over, but with the assistance of Mikayla Hinkley Scorchers’ win had been set up.Devine has been one of the world’s best batters for more than a decade, but Ainsworth showed on Tuesday night why she could soon enter Australian calculations.The 19-year-old had last year’s WBBL MVP Chamari Athapaththu caught in the first over, before removing her opening partner Georgia Voll in her next over. She also should have had Hannah Darlington caught in the deep late, only for the chance to be dropped by Lilly Mills.Ainsworth’s wickets saw her add the duo to a high-profile list of victims this season, including Meg Lanning, Annabel Sutherland, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Alice Capsey. She has now taken nine wickets at 12.88 this season, after taking 15 at 19.66 in her rookie campaign last year.

قام الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، بتسليم نادي بيراميدز شهادة المشاركة في بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال، موقعة من السويسري جياني إنفانتبنو رئيس الاتحاد الدولي.

ويشارك نادي بيراميدز للمرة الأولى في بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال، بعد تتويجه ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا في الموسم الماضي 2024-2025.

ووفقًا للمركز الإعلامي لنادي بيراميدز، تسلم نادي بيراميدز شهادة المشاركة في النسخة الجديدة من بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال التي ينظمها الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، فيفا، موقعة من السويسري جياني إنفانتبنو رئيس الاتحاد الدولي.

طالع | إجراء جديد من فيفا قبل مواجهة بيراميدز وأوكلاند سيتي في كأس إنتركونتيننتال

ويلتقي بيراميدز مع أوكلاند سيتي، في التاسعة من مساء غد الأحد، على استاد الدفاع الجوي، في الدور الأول من بطولة كأس إنتركونتيننتال.

وسلم مسئول الفيفا، الشهادة لنادي بيراميدز وتسلمها ممثلا عن النادي، المهندس عمر مدحت المدير التجاري، ومصطفى طنطاوي مدير إدارة الإعلام والاتصال المؤسسي.

تجدر الإشارة إلى أنه في حالة فوز نادي بيراميدز وتأهله، إلى دور ربع النهائي من بطولة الإنتركونتيننتال، سيواجه فريق الأهلي السعودي في جدة، يوم 23 سبتمبر.

India have placed their faith in a tried and tested core group to defend their Women’s Asia Cup title. All the players selected were part of the 17-member squad for the ongoing T20I series against South Africa, with Amanjot Kaur and Shabnam Shakil missing out.Shweta Sehrawat, Saika Ishaque, Tanuja Kanwar, and Meghna Singh have been picked as travelling reserves when India travel to Sri Lanka, the team they beat in 2022 and the team who will host this edition of the tournament.India’s batting looks solid with Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana at the top and captain Harmanpreet Kaur to follow. Richa Ghosh and Uma Chetry are the wicketkeeping options. Pooja Vastrakar and Deepti Sharma’s all-round skills should also help the team management fill in the other spots and balance the XI based on conditions.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

India’s first match of the Asia Cup will be against Pakistan on July 19. They will take on UAE and Nepal in the group stage in the bid to make the knockout stages. Dambulla will host all 15 games of the tournament, including the semi-finals and the final.Related

• India favourites, but don't count out Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

• Women's Asia Cup 2024: Key contests, the return of Nepal, and everything else

• Expanded Women's Asia Cup to be played in Dambulla from July 19

• India to play Pakistan on opening day of women's Asia Cup after schedule tweak

India are currently hosting South Africa in a multi-format tour and are trailing 0-1 in the T20I series after sweeping the ODI series 3-0 and winning the one-off Test. The Asia Cup will provide preparation for them ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October.India Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (Capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajeevan Sajana

Nottingham Forest are set for a quick summer turnaround and are now closing in on a triple signing to bolster squad depth at the City Ground, according to a report.

Nottingham Forest eye extra bodies to juggle upcoming schedule

Despite a valiant push for a top-five finish and subsequent Champions League qualification, Nuno Espirito Santo will be the first to admit that his side ran out of steam towards the end of the Premier League season.

Two wins in their final six top-flight matches wasn’t enough to guarantee a shot at Europe’s elite competition, but a place in the Europa Conference League was still a magnificent outcome in the end all things considered.

Nevertheless, making sure they have enough to go the distance now appears to be the priority ahead of next term, and the Tricky Trees’ pursuit of Manchester City star Jack Grealish could grease the wheels for an exciting ride over the next few months.

On the flip side, Morgan Gibbs-White is reportedly wanted by the Citizens as part of a swap deal involving both England internationals, illustrating that high-profile interest in key performers is never far away after a campaign to remember.

Nuno has made it clear that a new winger could be brought in at the City Ground, judging by recent signals, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in and Freiburg wide-man Ritsu Doan also in the discussion.

Nottingham Forest in advanced talks for £18m+ star similar to Vinicius Jr

The Tricky Trees have a transfer ace up their sleeve…

By
Sean Markus Clifford

May 31, 2025

Rennes captain Adrien Truffert could come in to widen Nottingham Forest’s pool of options at left-back. On the same token, centre-back could be an area where work occurs amid links to Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah.

Wasting no time on recruitment, the Tricky Trees are now close to a triple deal that could see both their forward line and rearguard concerns addressed.

Nottingham Forest poised to sign trio of Botafogo stars

According to The Athletic, Nottingham Forest are set to sign Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha and Cuiabano from Botafogo in a triple deal to kickstart a busy summer in the East Midlands.

Jesus is a striker by trade and can also operate on either flank, while Jair is a central defender and Cuiabano is a left-back capable of roaming further forward when needed.

Labelled the “complete package” by Tim Vickery, Jesus has been capped four times by Brazil and is the star performer of the trio, as Sky Sports report he is “one of the most exciting strikers in South America”.

Brighton & Hove Albion saw two bids turned down for Cuiabano earlier this year, but he too appears poised for a move to the City Ground. Off the back of Botafogo’s title-winning success last term, Nottingham Forest have spied an opportunity to offer three of their key assets a shot at Premier League stardom, which many will herald as astute business if even two of them hit the ground running next term.