Barcelona could be set to lose out on Joao Felix as Benfica's president has confirmed "ongoing" negotiations with the Atletico Madrid attacker.
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MLS Golden Boot leader Cristian Arango has been suspended for four matches for violating the competition's anti-harassment policy.
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Everton are now preparing a fresh offer for a player who is valued at £40m by his current club, according to a new update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Everton "not ready" for new Premier League season
Blues supporters may be growing a little restless at the lack of activity on show at the club this summer, even though The Friedkin Group have made plenty of funds available for David Moyes.
While it is clearly a case of bringing in the right players rather than rushing into deals, Moyes has admitted that Everton are “not ready” for the start of the Premier League season currently, which may cause some alarm among the fanbase.
That’s not to say that the Blues haven’t already conducted some strong business, including Thierno Barry and Carlos Alcaraz, but more new faces are needed if the Merseysiders are to make a genuine impression next season.
Southampton youngster Tyler Dibling has emerged as a hugely exciting target, with the reliable Paul Joyce of The Times reporting that they have seen a £27m bid turned down for the Englishman.
Everton preparing second offer for "special" £40m star
According to Romano on X, Everton are now preparing a new offer for Dibling – one that is likely to be closer to the £40m that Saints reportedly value him at.
The idea of Dibling in a Blues shirt is mouthwatering, with the attacking midfielder one of the few bright sparks for a Southampton team that were comfortably relegated from the Premier League last season.
The 19-year-old popped up with two goals apiece in the league and the FA Cup, catching the eye with his left foot from either a right-sided or central role, both of which have to be areas of focus for Everton this summer.
Dibling has shown that he can excel in the Premier League in a struggling team, so hopefully, he will shine even more alongside superior players than at Southampton.
Everton pushing in race to sign "superb" Douglas Luiz alternative for Moyes
Moyes is still seeking reinforcements.
ByTom Cunningham Jul 31, 2025
If the Blues had Iliman Ndiaye on one flank and the Saints star on the other, it could make for highly entertaining viewing for supporters in their new stadium.
After missing out on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool, Newcastle United are desperately assessing their options in a bid to improve their firepower.
Toon supporters can perhaps rest easy knowing Alexander Isak is likely to stay at St James’ Park but without competent backup – William Osula is still young – they know recruits are needed.
Since that move for Ekitike fell through, the Magpies have reportedly cast their eyes upon the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Julian Alvarez. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also reportedly an option.
Newcastle's Ekitike alternative
Forgetting those names, Newcastle United are also exploring a deal for Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, with the 28-year-old emerging as a serious option after the club missed out on top target Ekitike.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, the Magpies are feeling that a “deal should get done” for Wissa, in spite of having a £25m bid rejected.
Downie reveals that the Toon are set to return with a £30m bid plus add-ons for the centre-forward.
With interest growing from Tottenham and Nottingham Forest as well, Newcastle are weighing their options carefully.
A previous price tag of £50m had been set by Brentford, and that is seen as negotiable by interested parties. Personal terms are not expected to be a stumbling block.
BBC Sport reported that Wissa is keen on a new challenge and eager to play European football, a prospect that may sway him towards St. James’ Park.
Brentford, meanwhile, are being picked apart, and Wissa could be next out the door.
Manager Thomas Frank has left, replaced by set-piece coach Keith Andrews, along with key players such as Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Nørgaard, and Mark Flekken.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is urging patience in the transfer market, stating the club must invest in “the right players” rather than rushing big-money deals.
However, Wissa’s Premier League pedigree, versatility, and recent form make him a standout candidate.
Why Yoane Wissa would be a good signing for Newcastle
After Ivan Toney’s move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli last summer, Wissa stepped up as one of Brentford’s main attacking threats.
Only Mohamed Salah scored more non-penalty goals in the Premier League last season, as Wissa found the net 20 times and added four assists.
Over four seasons at Brentford, Wissa has netted 49 goals in 149 appearances – a consistent return for a player who cost just £8.5m from Lorient.
Among his positional peers – Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak, Liam Delap, Dominic Solanke, and João Pedro – Wissa stands out in several areas.
Data from FBref shows that he has more shot-creating actions per 90 than Solanke, more touches than Pedro or Delap (34.1), and a greater pass completion rate than Isak and Haaland.
His minutes played (3,072) were second only to Isak, demonstrating not only quality but reliability and rubberstamping why European football expert, Zach Lowy, thinks he’s had a “remarkable rise.”
As a result, the potential signing of Yoane Wissa has drawn comparisons with former Magpies fan favourite Demba Ba.
The Senegalese forward, who arrived from West Ham in 2011, became a cult hero at St. James’ Park after firing 16 goals in the 2011/12 season, forming a lethal partnership with Papiss Cissé and helping Newcastle to a fifth-place finish.
Like Ba, Wissa would arrive from a fellow Premier League club and is known for his instinctive movement, sharp poaching instincts, and ruthless eye for goal.
The same data from FBref shows that while Ba scored 16 and assisted twice in 2,721 minutes during his most prolific Premier League campaign, Wissa bettered those numbers last season, scoring 20 goals and notching 4 assists in 3,072 minutes.
Ba averaged 1.39 shots on target per 90 in that 2011/12 season, while Wissa registered 1.26 per 90 in 2024/25, slightly lower, but still consistent with the profile of a reliable finisher.
Importantly, Wissa also outperformed his xG, underlining his sharpness in front of goal.
However, there are some caveats.
At 28, Wissa doesn’t fit Newcastle’s preferred age profile of 24 and under, and he may miss part of the 2025/26 season due to AFCON duties with DR Congo.
Still, for a club that needs ready-made depth up front and a player who knows how to find the net, Wissa ticks plenty of boxes.
Given the departure of Callum Wilson and other targets like Calvert-Lewin being considered, Wissa presents a compelling blend of Premier League experience, positional intelligence, and proven end product.
If Newcastle can negotiate the fee down, Wissa could well become the Magpies’ new Ba – an underrated Premier League poacher with the potential to light up St. James’ Park.
He's Bruno Guimaraes 2.0: Newcastle considering move to sign £50m "machine"
Newcastle could consider a move for an English midfielder
ByRoss Kilvington Jul 22, 2025
ESPNcricinfo’s live analysis and updates on England v Australia
Daniel Brettig25-Jun-2019
He stayed unbeaten on 97 to see Capitals cruised home in a potentially tricky chase; Pant chipped in with 46
The Report by Mohammad Isam12-Apr-2019Shikhar Dhawan was denied a maiden T20 century, but Delhi Capitals would gladly take the two points that took them to their fourth win of the season. That he missed out on the landmark was because Colin Ingram decided to launch Piyush Chawla over long-on with Capitals needing five off eight deliveries.Kolkata Knight Riders, who slumped to their second straight defeat, should’ve ended with a bigger score than their 178 for 7. Promoted to open in place of the missing Sunil Narine, Shubman Gill notched up his second IPL half-century, a 39-ball 65, to set it up for the box-office boy Andre Russell.The Jamaican posted his sixth 40-plus score, making 45 off 21, but a slowdown in between, partly because of Nitish Rana’s struggles against spin, played a hand in the final total. It was soon after this stifle that Capitals carefully used Kagiso Rabada, and unleashed him later against Russell, who had his revenge this time around. Yet, there was a lingering feeling that Capitals would’ve gladly taken a chase of 179.Then in the chase, Dhawan, who has been sluggish so far in the tournament, pottering around in the Powerplay to put immense pressure on the middle order, came out flying high and swatting short deliveries to the square boundaries. He was helped in no small measure by Rishabh Pant as they won by seven wickets.Gill’s setup for late flourishJoe Denly fell first ball to an Ishant Sharma peach, an inducker sneaking through the gap to flatten off stump. This had little effect on Gill, whose balance and poise left an indelible mark. He added 63 with vice-captain Robin Uthappa, during the course of which they played some classical shots.Uthappa, who slapped a Keemo Paul free-hit over long-on for the Capitals’ first six, made 28 before being caught magnificently by a leaping Pant off Rabada’s bouncer in the ninth over. Gill however kept up the pressure on the Capitals, reaching his first fifty of the season off 34 balls. He fell in the 16th over when he picked out short fine-leg off Paul.But Russell can’t take it deep
Russell had more than seven overs to give the Knight Riders a great finish. He waited for stability before teeing off. He launched Rabada for three off his four sixes – two of which were swatted disdainfully to the square leg boundary off quick bouncers. But Chris Morris removed him with ten balls to spare, and with Carlos Brathwaite failing to make the most of it, the Knight Riders had to settle for a middling total.Shaw shows the way
It may go unnoticed, but Prithvi Shaw’s two sixes off Lockie Ferguson in the second over had a multiplier effect on the chase. The first of those was smacked over the cover fence, while the second was more of a mishit off a top-edged pull. This start, however, got Dhawan going in the opening partnership that was terminated in the third over when Dinesh Karthik plucked an outstanding catch diving full length to his right.Chase guided by Dhawan
Shreyas Iyer fell in the sixth over to put more pressure on Dhawan, who also had a reprieve when he was given not out on a review, despite snicko showing a small spike. However, with the onfield decision being not out and there being considerable doubt, he was reprieved. From thwre on, Dhawan was a man possessed.At the other end, Pant pasted Kuldeep Yadav for a one-handed six over long-off, and then matched Dhawan with his sweeps and pulls. Just when he looked set to finish it off, over-aggression got the better of him as he skied a one-handed slog to Nitish Rana on 46. Dhawan, however, wasn’t going to be denied.
Carlo Ancelotti's side picked up a vital three points that could see them lock up the league title before the day's finished.
With Carlo Ancelotti resting most of his big guns, Brahim Diaz got the job done for Real Madrid, scoring one goal and assisting another as Los Blancos breezed past Cadiz to move within touching distance of regaining La Liga.
Eder Militao came closest for Los Blancos in the first half, his 30-yard effort stinging the palms of the sprawling Jeremias Ledesma. Ancelotti's side looked a more assertive side after the break, and Diaz provided the crucial moment, spinning his man before firing a guided effort into the top corner from outside the box.
Diaz set up the second, too, cutting back for Jude Bellingham, who got on the scoresheet within five minutes of being substituted on. Dani Carvajal could have put the game beyond doubt with 10 minutes remaining, but fired over with the goal gaping. Joselu made up for his miss, though, completing a sweeping counter-attack to seal a convincing 3-0 victory in second-half stoppage time.
Madrid are now playing a waiting game. If Barcelona drop points against Girona in the Catalonian derby, they will be league winners by the end of the day.
GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Santiago Bernabeu…
The Dutchman arrived at the club on a mission to put an end to player power, but one man alone can't fix a culture that has been brewing for a decade
It began with Alejandro Garnacho turning up late for breakfast during Erik ten Hag's first pre-season tour as Manchester United manager. Then Cristiano Ronaldo started leaving matches early, even when he was supposed to come on as a substitute. The Portuguese later gave an unauthorised and explosive interview to Piers Morgan, firing shots in all directions, including at his manager. Then Marcus Rashford was late for a team meeting and dropped from the starting line-up.
A blissfully quiet few months with little to report on in the form of dressing room politics then passed, only to be followed by one negative story after another to greet the new season. First Jadon Sancho didn't train hard enough and when he was bluntly told so, fired back in an angry social media post. Days later, Antony was accused of violence against women and took a leave of absence to deal with the allegations – which he denies.
Anthony Martial turned up at training at the wrong time before Rashford visited a nightclub after the humiliating defeat in the derby by Manchester City in October. Three months later, Rashford missed training after a wild drunken night out in Belfast and lied to the club about his whereabouts. Then, on the lower end of the scale, last Saturday, Garnacho liked a tweet criticising Ten Hag after the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
Exhausted just reading the long list of misdemeanours committed by United players in the last two years? Then imagine how Ten Hag must feel having to deal with them…
Getty Only Ferguson had control
When Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge of United, dressing room leaks to the media were extremely rare, and any dissent was quickly and brutally stamped out. Ruud van Nistelrooy was forced out after disagreeing with being benched for the League Cup final; Roy Keane was hounded out for a critical piece of analysis on David Beckham was sold to Real Madrid once Ferguson had concluded he had lost his focus due to his celebrity lifestyle.
No player, no matter how talented or influential, was above the manager or the club, and the team continued to be successful after each high-profile departure. The show went on, with Ferguson the only star who could not be disposed of. To the ruthless Glaswegian, making sure he, and not the players, ruled the club was a non-negotiable.
"If the day came that the manager of Manchester United was controlled by the players – in other words, if the players decided how the training should be, what days they should have off, what the discipline should be, and what the tactics should be – then Manchester United would not be the Manchester United we know," he told the . "It creates power for the players – that is very dangerous. If the coach has no control, he will not last."
AdvertisementGetty Revolt began with Moyes
When Ferguson retired in 2013, United not only lost the mind that had won them 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues, they lost that sense of control. His first successor David Moyes, for example, got on the wrong side of players just weeks into the job. According to Rio Ferdinand, it all stemmed from him banning them from eating chips the night before games. Ferdinand said Moyes' reactive tactics had also rubbed the players up the wrong way.
Moyes had never taken on a club of United's size and was ill-equipped to cope with big-name players and the constant scrutiny he was under. His successors, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, should have been much better prepared given the enormous institutions they had worked, at including Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter and Chelsea.
Getty Mourinho's toxic atmosphere
However, both the Dutchman and the Portuguese struggled to impose their authority on United. Van Gaal's rigorous training regime meant he got off on the wrong foot with many players and his larger-than-life personality, coupled with his habit of saying exactly what he thought and never biting his tongue, alienated them too.
Mourinho's old-school methods and dictatorial personality won over some players such as Ander Herrera, but severely annoyed others, none more than Paul Pogba. The Portuguese would also call out players who he felt had underperformed, especially Luke Shaw and Martial.
When Mourinho was eventually sacked and replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, there was a notable difference in the vibe around the training ground. The toxic atmosphere Mourinho had forged had vanished, and the positive vibes between manager and squad led to a massive upswing in results in the Norwegian's first few months in charge.
GettyRefusing the armband
But Solskjaer eventually fell victim to United's lawless dressing room, and when the positive early results began to dry up, it dawned on him that there was a dearth of big characters who could help galvanise the other players.
He has revealed that several players refused to be captain in certain games and did not even have the courage to inform the manager themselves, getting their message across through intermediaries instead. The Norwegian also complained of the group splintering off.
"When you have a group you need everyone to pull in the same direction. When things didn't go right, you could see certain players and egos came out," Solskjaer told last year.
"Some players felt they should’ve played more and weren’t constructive to the environment. That’s a huge sin for me. When I didn’t start games, I wanted to prove to the manager he’d made the wrong decision. Now, a lot of players aren’t like that. Agents and family members get into their heads and tell them they’re better than they are because they have a vested interest. It’s a disease of modern football."
Containing Virat Kohli in the first 15 deliveries and attacking Rohit straight up will be key to New Zealand gaining advantage over India, when the teams contest in a five-match ODI series in February next year, according to former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson.India’s top-order has shown superiority in the shorter formats, and they proved it again during the recently-concluded home series against West Indies. Kohli and Rohit in particular have been instrumental in setting up and chasing down big targets over the last few years, especially at home.However, Hesson felt both batsmen could be challenged in swinging conditions in New Zealand, although the host bowlers will have to work hard, especially against Kohli. “The key thing is if you can contain Virat Kohli in the first 10-15 balls where he has to take some risks to get his innings underway then that will provide opportunities,” Hesson told ESPNcricinfo. “How you do that is dependent on the surface. But, if we found a magic formula, I’m sure it would be circulated all around the world very quickly.”Hesson also warned that New Zealand would need to have plans for Rohit. “Rohit Sharma is in incredibly good form at the moment and has been for a long time. The thing with Rohit is that once he is in, once he gets himself set, he generally dictates the outcome of the game. It’s making sure that the new-ball bowlers can attack Rohit early on whether it’ll be with swing or with some other variations wide outside the crease or whatever.”New Zealand had blanked out India 4-0 at home in 2014 in an ODI series, which also featured a tie in Auckland. Hesson, the then coach, predicted a 3-2 series score in favour of the home team for the upcoming series. “I think it was 4-0 last time with a tie. I think it’ll be 3-2 [this time]… it’s going to be tight… I think Black Caps 3-2.”New Zealand are currently the third-ranked ODI side, one behind India, but Hesson pointed out that Kane Williamson’s men would need to quickly sort out a couple of key issues for them to arrive at next year’s World Cup as favourites.”I think there are a couple pieces of the puzzle the Black Caps would be keen to find out before the World Cup. Who is the allrounder? Who provides that balance? A lot of options there. From a bowling point of view, who’s going to take wickets in the middle overs when it’s flat? I think if they can get that sorted then the side’s looking very good.”
The Arizona Diamondbacks and star second baseman Ketel Marte have agreed to a six-year extension through the 2030 season, which includes a player option for 2031, according to a report from Jon Heyman of the
Marte's deal includes a guarantee of $116.5 million, with salary escalators that could help him reach $149.5 million over the life of the agreement.
Marte's deal is the second extension of the day involving stars at the position. Earlier on Wednesday, the Boston Red Sox agreed to an eight-year extension with rookie Kristian Campbell.
The 31-year-old Marte has spent nine of his 11 seasons with the Diamondbacks, and is a career .280 hitter with 143 home runs and 515 RBIs. Marte is hitting .273 so far this season, and is coming off a year where he hit .292 with 36 home runs and 95 RBIs en route to being named to the National League All-Star Team.