Nottingham Forest are preparing for their first campaign back in European competition since 1996, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side marking themselves out as last season’s surprise Premier League package.

Nottingham Forest now rivalling Chelsea to sign "complete" £25m midfielder

He’s a wanted man…

ByTom Cunningham Jun 20, 2025

Forest were serious contenders to qualify for the Champions League for a large portion of 2024/2025, but they fell just short on a dramatic final day which eventually saw Newcastle United and Chelsea pip them to a place in the top five.

Aston Villa took the final Europa League spot in sixth, meaning Forest ultimately had to settle for a place in the Conference League, and the far less lucrative prize pool.

In any case, Forest certainly weren’t initially tipped to qualify for Europe and end their near-two-decade-long wait to compete outside English shores, so we can safely call last term an undoubted success for Nuno.

It is now the task of Evangelos Marinakis and the Forest board to build upon their excellent campaign in the transfer market, with Forest also under less PSR pressure than this time last year after earning an extra £32.4 million in Premier League prize money.

Their seventh-placed finish and place in Europe means Forest could “fall a decent way short” of the £85 million they’re permitted to lose this financial year without breaching PSR (The Athletic), meaning Nuno’s side have more wiggle room to spend on summer recruitment.

Forest could still be forced to sell star midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, considering the England international has just two years remaining on his contract, and he’s shown zero indication that he’s willing to pen an extension at the City Ground (The Mail).

Gibbs-White’s potential sale, combined with both their league and European earnings, looks likely to fund Forest’s summer transfer window as they gear up for a crucial 2025/2026 campaign.

“Nottingham Forest will look to strengthen,” said ex-Premier League chief scout Mick Brown to Football Insider this week.

“Their recruitment has been excellent recently, and they’re able to bring players into an environment where they all work together for the club.”

Forest are targeting new forwards to complement Nuno’s squad and back the Portuguese with more firepower, as they look to compete on multiple fronts, with Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović a serious option for them.

Nottingham Forest hold talks with Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović

The Serbia international is out of contract next summer as things stand, and if the Old Lady cannot agree to extend their talisman’s deal, he could be allowed to leave for as little as £26 million.

That is according to journalist Rudy Galetti, who also told TEAMtalk this week that Forest have contacted Vlahovic’s representatives for discussions in an effort to tempt the centre-forward with a Premier League switch.

The Tricky Trees are described as favourites to sign Vlahovic, who is very keen on a move to England. Despite interest from Serie A heavyweights AC Milan, Forest stands out as the most “concrete” option for him.

Called a “superstar” striker by members of the Italian media, Vlahovic has hit double figures in every single season since 2020/2021, across spells at both Juve and Fiorentina.

The 25-year-old, who won Serbia’s Footballer of the Year award in 2024, would be a bold statement of intent from Forest, but his reported £200,000-per-week wage demands prove a major obstacle.

Alisha Lehmann’s move from Juventus to Como has been confirmed, with the Swiss embracing a new challenge that “aims to change rules of the game”.

Won Serie A title during season in TurinPenned deal through to 2028 with ComoCombining passions for football and fashionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Former WSL star Lehmann spent one productive season in Turin after moving to Italy in 2024, with Serie A and Coppa Italia titles being captured. After representing her country at Euro 2025, a fresh start is now being made with an independent outfit that matches her ambition and mindset on and off the pitch.

AdvertisementWHAT LEHMANN SAID

Lehmann said after committing to a three-year contract with FC Como Women: “It’s the first time I’ve joined an independent club — not linked to a men’s team. That was an important factor in my decision. It shows that there’s a different way to approach football, and maybe it can inspire others to follow this path. I want to be part of that.

“Here, I can grow both as a footballer and as a person. I want to help the team compete at the highest level, but also inspire a new generation of fans and athletes. F.C. Como Women is a space where you don’t have to choose between being strong on the pitch and being yourself off it. Here, I can be all of who I am – and turn that into something positive, especially for those watching.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Lehmann added on buying into Como’s long-term project: “This club wants to build something that lasts. What immediately struck me about F.C. Como Women was the vision. It’s not just a club that wants to win – it’s a project that aims to change the rules of the game, on and off the pitch. Here, football, identity, style, and ambition come together in a way I had never seen before. I felt like this was the right place to truly express who I am, both as an athlete and as a person.”

She went on to say: “I know it’s a young club, but with a very clear sense of purpose. It’s not afraid to do things differently – and to me, that’s a sign of strength. F.C. Como Women wants to become a benchmark in women’s football, not just in Italy but across Europe & the world. It’s a project that blends sport, fashion, culture, and real values – and I believe that’s exactly what women’s football needs right now.”

FC Como WomenDID YOU KNOW?

Nicola Verdun, CEO of F.C. Como Women, said of completing a notable deal for one of the most recognisable players in the women’s game: “We’re thrilled to welcome Alisha to the F.C. Como Women family. She brings not only talent on the pitch but also personality and a true passion for the game. Together, we’ll continue building a club that reflects who we are: authentic, ambitious, and proud to do things our own way.”

The close relative of a “great” Liverpool transfer target has claimed that his move to Anfield this summer is now “basically a done deal”, in an exciting new update.

Florian Wirtz week at Liverpool

The Reds have already brought in Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen since the end of last season, but this week has the potential to be a particularly memorable one at Anfield.

Liverpool appear to be edging closer to the stunning signing of Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz all the time, with fresh reports claiming that he will be in England on Thursday, with his medical and official unveiling taking place on Friday.

While much focus is on Wirtz currently, which is no surprise considering he is seen as one of Europe’s best players currently, a move for Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth is also close to happening.

The 21-year-old has emerged as the perfect left-back to come in and be Andy Robertson’s long-term successor at Liverpool, and now a new update suggests that the transfer is closer to happening than ever.

Liverpool signing Kerkez "basically a done deal"

Speaking to Super Indirektno [via The Mirror], Kerkez’s father, Sebastijan Kerkez, claimed that his son’s move to Liverpool is “basically a done deal”, also discussing the huge influence of sporting director Richard Hughes.

“It’s only Liverpool for us and we’re not going anywhere else and we won’t talk to other clubs. Everything is done between us (personal terms) we just need to sort out some details but it’s basically a done deal. Richard Hughes brought us to Bournemouth, if he said we go to India, then we go to India, everything is agreed, just some little things.”

This is fantastic news for anyone of a Liverpool persuasion, with Kerkez looking tailor-made to thrive in this Premier League-winning team under Arne Slot.

Milos Kerkez’s 2024/25 Premier League stats	Total
Appearances	38
Starts	38
Minutes played	3341
Goals	2
Assists	5
Clearances per game	2.6
Tackles per game	1.4
Interceptions per game	1.2

The Hungarian caught the eye so often with his performances for Bournemouth in 2024/25, standing out as one of the best left-backs in the country and being hailed by manager Andoni Iraola.

“Milos has improved a lot from past season. He has done a great job defensively. I think he’s a player that because of his physical condition arrives so many times to the last third with the ball under control to put good crosses that the number of assists, of good balls he was having, was quite low past season, but this season I think he’s deciding much better. He’s adding quality to his deliveries.”

Big Ekitike upgrade: Liverpool dreaming of signing "the world's best CF"

Liverpool need to sign a centre-forward this summer.

2

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 17, 2025

There is always a risk that any move won’t work out, but assuming he avoids serious injury, the £40m-rated Kerkez looks primed to be a massive player for Liverpool for many years to come.

تحدث الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول عن مباراة أستون فيلا في المباراة التي تجمعهما ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويواجه ليفربول نظيره أستون فيلا مساء اليوم، السبت، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وذلك على ملعب “الأنفيلد”.

ويمتلك ليفربول 15 نقطة محتلًا حاليًا المركز السابع، وهو نفس عدد نقاط أستون فيلا الذي يتواجد في المركز الثامن بفارق الأهداف عن حامل اللقب.

وقال سلوت في تصريحات عبر الموقع الرسمي لنادي ليفربول: “لا أحد يحتاجني لأخبره أن أداءنا الفترة الأخيرة كان صعبًا، ببساطة لم يكن جيدًا بما يكفي لهذا النادي أو لجماهيرنا، وكلما أسرعنا في تحسين الأمور كان ذلك أفضل”.

وأكمل: “في الوقت نفسه، آمل أن يتمكن الجميع من رؤية الجودة التي لدينا هنا وبسبب هذا نكون قادرين على إدراك ليس فقط الإمكانيات المتاحة لدينا ولكن أيضًا ما يمكن عمله للمضي قدمًا إذا استمر الجميع على قلب رجل واحد”.

وأردف: “ليس من السهل أبدًا الخروج من فترة صعبة بالطبع، لو كان الأمر سهلًا كتغيير بعض الأمور لفعلناه ببساطة لكن كرة القدم أو الحياة عمومًا لا تسير على هذا النحو لذلك الخيار الوحيد هو العمل الجاد والثقة ببعضنا البعض وبذل كل ما في وسعنا مهما كان دورنا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | تشكيل ليفربول المتوقع أمام أستون فيلا اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

واستطرد: “لا أبحث عن الإيجابيات في وقت كهذا لأن ذلك لن يكون منطقيًا في نادي مثل ليفربول حيث تكون التوقعات دائمًا عالية جدًا لكن ما أود قوله هو أنه لا ينبغي لأحد أن يقلل من شأن الجهد الذي نراه من اللاعبين على أساس مباراة”.

وتابع :”ما نراه في مركز التدريب هو فريق ملتزم تمامًا على جميع الأصعدة، وهذا لم يتغير عن الموسم الماضي عندما كنا نحقق نتائج مختلفة تمامًا في المباريات المهمة”.

وأوضح سلوت: “لقد كنا متأخرين بنتيجة 2-0 أمام بالاس، وإذا كنا صادقين تمامًا، لم نشعر حقًا بأننا سنعود إلى المباراة ولكن على الرغم من ذلك، كان المشجعون لا يزالون يضغطون علينا، ويحاولون مساعدتنا على إحداث الفارق”.

واسترسل: “لم يكن الأمر كذلك لكن ما حدث يخبرني أن الجماهير الليلة ستكون رائعة مرة أخرى خاصة إذا تمكنا كفريق من إظهار أفضل ما لدينا”.

وأتم: “أود أن أرحب بـ أوناي إيمري ولاعبيه وموظفيه وجماهير ومسؤولي أستون فيلا في أنفيلد لمباراة الليلة”.

Murphy shelved the overspin typical of bowling in Australia and consistently bowled around 95kph with high side spin, and had five wickets to show for it

Alex Malcolm10-Feb-20233:09

Chappell: Murphy bowled tidily but Australia need wickets

Eleven months ago, Todd Murphy had played just one first-class match. He was a contracted player with Victoria, having played in an Under-19 World Cup for Australia, but was biding his time in grade cricket for St Kilda.On March 12 last year, he was playing at Russell Lucas Oval in Ringwood, in Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs. His two victims that day were Melbourne Stars opener Tom Rogers and USA and Hampshire batter Ian Holland.Eleven months on, in Nagpur, Murphy knocked over KL Rahul, R Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujura, Virat Kohli and KS Bharat, in that order, to become the first Australian spinner since Nathan Lyon to take five wickets on Test debut.Related

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Nagpur Test, Day 2: Rohit, Jadeja, Axar give India control

“It’s been a pretty special couple of days and to top it off with a five-wicket haul on debut is more than I ever hoped for,” Murphy said after play on the second day of the Test.He did it while outbowling his mentor Lyon, 13 years, 115 Tests and 460 wickets his senior before the game. He did it having nearly not been selected at all for this Test match.It was a remarkable performance from Australia’s newest cricket hero, unassuming, bespectacled, and affectionately nicknamed “Goggles” at St Kilda.He didn’t do it in the same manner as Jason Krejza had in Nagpur 15 years ago. It wasn’t a host of brilliant big ripping offbreaks while conceding 4.90 an over. He did with outstanding control of length and line. He did get a touch fortuitous with his dismissals of Pujara and Kohli with arguably his worst two balls. But they were reward for the pressure he built with his consistency.It was the reason he was finally selected ahead of Ashton Agar. Australia’s selectors had a preference to play a left-arm orthodox in Nagpur as they had chosen in Sydney against South Africa, both to complement Lyon and match up well against India’s right-hand dominant top order. There was a worry that a second right-arm offspinner would be surplus to requirements.Yet, those in Victoria were shouting to anyone who would listen that Murphy had a far superior record to right-handers in first-class cricket. And so it proved. Murphy’s five victims were all right-handers with a combined total of 58 Test centuries.

“Observing everything and competing in the nets and bowling to the Sri Lankans, I took a lot of confidence out of that and reflected and went back, trusted myself a bit more, and thought ‘what I’ve got can be good enough’ and believe in that”Todd Murphy on the Australia A tour of Sri Lanka last year

The disparity in the consistency between the two showed up in ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data. Agar, a ten-year veteran of first-class cricket, landed just 50% of his 132 deliveries on a good length in his nervous Test return in Sydney against South Africa and went wicketless as a result. He also bowled two full-tosses and two half-trackers.Murphy, meanwhile, in just his eighth first-class game, landed 63% of his deliveries on a good length and bowled just the one full-toss and one drag down. His 37 full-length deliveries cost only 23 runs and resulted in a wicket.Lyon only landed 59% on a good length and erred full 43 times, which cost 38 runs. He only picked up the one wicket for the day with Suryakumar Yadav playing a very loose drive to a ball that could have easily been defended. But Lyon did have Ravindra Jadeja dropped at slip by Steven Smith in the final over of the day.It was remarkable how well Murphy adapted to the conditions when compared with Lyon. Murphy’s long-time bowling coach Craig Howard had noted his ability to adapt his bowling to the conditions that were presented.”Howie for me he’s been someone that I’ve always been able to go to and I’ve been able to trust and he knows me as good as anyone and knows what works for me,” Murphy said. “We’ve had a lot of really good conversations over the years about what works in what conditions and we had a good chat the other day about over here and just trusting the skill set that I’ve got.”Batters’ errors contributed to some of Todd Murphy’s wickets, but his lengths contributed to the mistakes•Getty ImagesNagpur’s pitch required faster speeds and a lot of side spin, as Jadeja had shown on day one. It was exactly what Murphy delivered on day two. There are shades of Graeme Swann in his action and there were shades of Swann 2012 in his bowling as he shelved the overspin that is required in Australia – the overspin that has made Lyon so successful in the toughest of offspinning climes at home – and consistently bowled up towards 95kph with high side spin.It is a skill he had honed under Howard at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane on the purpose-made India-style red-clay pitches over many winters. It was one of the laments of the Australian squad that they were not able to train on those pitches prior to this tour for reasons that are not entirely clear and were instead forced to practice on scarified pitches at North Sydney Oval that were not quite the same.His ability to implement it his first Test was quite remarkable. But he credited his Australia A tour to Sri Lanka last year with helping him believe he could produce it at the highest level. “Having a little bit of success over there probably gave me the confidence I needed going back to Australia that I could mix it with first-class cricketers.””Being around some of the guys who had played Test cricket, observing everything and competing in the nets and bowling to the Sri Lankans, I took a lot of confidence out of that and reflected and went back, trusted myself a bit more, and thought ‘what I’ve got can be good enough’ and believe in that.”Murphy operated almost exclusively around the wicket to India’s right-hand batters, rarely pitching outside the line of the stumps and threatening both edges. His length was so good that even Rohit Sharma in the midst of a sublime match-defining century struggled to get down the track to him and never played back to him. Murphy simply asked the batters to defend a good length. It yielded two of his five wickets with Ashwin and Bharat both pinned lbw trying to defend on the front foot.1:11

O’Keefe: Todd Murphy will be a superstar

His other three were helped by batter errors. Rahul chipped a drive back to him on the opening night, while Pujara played a rare sweep to a ball way outside leg and picked out short fine. Kohli was caught down the leg side playing well wide of his body with Alex Carey taking an outstanding juggling catch unsighted as part of an excellent day behind the stumps.But while the batters’ errors contributed, Murphy’s lengths contributed to the mistakes as all three were stuck playing from the crease.Murphy also benefitted from the tireless work of Scott Boland. The inexperienced Victorians were undeniably Australia’s best two bowlers on a tough day in the field. Yet, inexplicably, they only bowled in partnership for one spell of eight overs in the first session. From overs 38 to 45 they bowled eight overs, three maidens, and combined for 2 for 18 with Murphy removing Ashwin and Pujara, after Rohit and Ashwin had taken 40 runs off the first 13 overs of the morning against Lyon and Pat Cummins.Boland had figures of 9-4-7-0 after his brilliant six-over burst. But he would only bowl eight more overs through the day, which included having Jadeja dropped at slip, a really tough chance low to Smith’s right, and Axar Patel nicking him just short of second.Murphy, too, could have had Jadeja twice. With India on 224 for 5, he hit Jadeja on the front pad as the left-hander stretched out to defend. The lbw appeal was turned down and the review came up umpire’s call on impact. It was going on to hit the middle of middle. Then, with Jadeja on 60, late in the day, he conjured a thick edge as Jadeja tried to cut the wrong length, but it was too thick for Carey to grasp and it rebounded off his gloves over Smith at slip.Australia have found a diamond in the rough in Nagpur in Murphy, and possibly the spin-bowling heir to Lyon. But on his first two days in Test cricket, he looked more like the master than the apprentice.

Middle order failing to fire, absence of three members of Test squad, Maxwell’s relatively late withdrawal hurt winless London Spirit

Matt Roller04-Aug-2021Few pundits backed London Spirit for the title in the inaugural season of the men’s Hundred but nobody whose memory stretched as far back as 2008 was willing to write them off. Playing in blue from head to toe, with Shane Warne as head coach and an unfancied squad? There were enough parallels with the Rajasthan Royals side that won the first-ever IPL to suggest they might just pull something improbable out the bag.But five games into their first season, the Spirit have been the Hundred’s weakest side. They are the only side in the men’s competition yet to win a game, and were thrashed in their fourth and final home fixture (one was a washout) by Northern Superchargers on Tuesday night. The table is still tight enough that they are mathematically in the running, but any realistic chances of qualifying for knockout stages have dissipated.Their first three defeats were all tight, with each game going down to the final set of five balls. At Edgbaston, they were just short of par in setting Birmingham Phoenix 145 to win, and in the home losses against Trent Rockets and Southern Brave, they were two boundaries away from getting across the line.Related

• All-round Willey, bowlers combine to leave Spirit winless

• Warne self-isolating after returning positive Covid-19 test

“There was a sense of frustration in the fact that we didn’t get over the line having felt that we’d played well for the majority of the game,” Eoin Morgan, their captain, said on Tuesday about the defeat to the Brave . “To not capitalise on our opening partnership was really frustrating.”I think throughout tournaments, and group stages, you will be beaten by better sides. There are very few instances when sides go unbeaten throughout a tournament. Where the problem for us lies is that the previous two games we played, we played well for the majority but in clinical parts of the game, we didn’t finish the job and that’s hurt us.”Perhaps the most puzzling aspect of their struggles has been the fact that the squad they assembled does not look like it was built with the long term in mind. While some sides have openly admitted that their draft strategy was to assemble a group that could develop over a number of years rather than simply targeting success in the Hundred’s first season, the Spirit picked a number of veterans and looked – to borrow terminology from the NFL – like a ‘win-now’ team.Their middle order, which has failed to fire throughout their four defeats, has not pulled its weight despite the wealth of experience within it. At 34, Morgan was the junior man from No. 4-8 in Tuesday’s defeat, with Joe Denly (35), Ravi Bopara, Mohammad Nabi and Roelof van der Merwe (all 36) coming in behind him. All five have struggled badly for form: Zak Crawley made more runs in his only innings of the tournament than any of those five managed across four innings each.Of course, there are mitigating factors for the Spirit, most notably the absence of three members of England’s Test squad in Crawley, Dan Lawrence and Mark Wood – who did not even link up with the Spirit for the first two games, instead focusing on his preparation for the first Test against India.Zak Crawley made 64 in his only innings of the tournament•Getty ImagesAll three players were signed as part of the draft in October 2019, rather than through the separate Test player mechanism. None of them held a red-ball central contract at the time – Crawley and Lawrence were both uncapped – and while it was not out of the question that they might miss some games due to inclusion in a Test squad in future seasons, the Spirit were unfortunate to miss all three simultaneously for the majority of this year. To make matters worse, one of the two games for which Crawley and Lawrence were both available was washed out.”I think every team has gone through it, losing players, particularly their Test guys,” Morgan said. “It’s been challenging, but other sides have found a way. We’ve recruited well, we just haven’t managed to get over the line.”We haven’t done a lot of things wrong in the previous games that we’ve played. Every game we’d played had gone right down to the wire but to be up there with the pace, you’re doing a lot of positive things. Today [against the Superchargers], we were just beaten.”Their overseas players have been something of a letdown. Mohammad Amir was among the world’s leading T20 seamers at the time of the initial draft, and while they were under no obligation to retain him, the Spirit could not have expected his form to tail off as dramatically as it has; his 77 balls in the competition to date have cost 132 runs, and he has taken only three wickets.Nabi’s offbreaks have been economical but he is yet to contribute with the bat, while Josh Inglis has struggled to translate his T20 Blast form with Leicestershire into runs in the Hundred. Their biggest miss was Glenn Maxwell, a relatively late withdrawal and the best batter in their initial squad by a long way – his offbreaks would also have helped the balance of the side.But the upshot is that the Spirit are the first men’s team facing a post-mortem into a season that has represented something of a false start. Mason Crane and Blake Cullen have shown flickers of promise with the ball, but positives for future years have been relatively hard to come by. Warne, who missed their last two games after testing positive for Covid-19, tweeted from self-isolation that their defeats against the Rockets and the Brave had been “embarrassing” – his verdict on the season to date is unlikely to be any more favourable.

da brdice： Celtic have been incredibly busy in the early weeks of the summer transfer window as they look to bolster their squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

da bwin： Kieran Tierney and Ross Doohan have already been unveiled as new additions to the team, with both players set to officially join as free agents at the start of next month.

As you can see in the graphic above, the Scotland international is returning for a second spell at Parkhead, having left the Hoops to join Arsenal in the Premier League in the summer of 2019.

Celtic are also set to complete the signing of FC Nordsjælland winger Benjamin Nygren, who is due to put pen to paper on a contract that could last five years.

Brendan Rodgers is also in the market to land a senior number nine, after a deal for young Fulham forward Callum Osmand, having been left with just Adam Idah since Kyogo Furuhashi left the club in January.

Celtic sold the Japan international to Rennes for a reported fee of £10m at the start of the year, ending what was a very successful time for him in Glasgow.

Celtic hit gold with Kyogo Furuhashi

The Scottish Premiership giants paid a fee of £4.3m to sign the attacker from Vissel Kobe in the summer of 2021, with Ange Postecoglou at the helm, and it is fair to say that they got their money’s worth.

Kyogo went on to rack up 85 goals and 19 assists in 185 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops in three-and-a-half years at Parkhead before his move to France in January.

That included a stunning return of 34 goals in the 2022/23 season, as you can see in the clips above, and these statistics show that the club hit gold by snapping him up for a fee of just £4.3m.

Kyogo also stepped up for the Light Blues in big moments during his time in Glasgow, as evidenced by his haul of eight goals in 17 games against Rangers.

Kyogo Furuhashi favourite Scottish opponents

Opposition

Appearances

Goals

Hearts

14

11

Rangers

17

8

St Johnstone

11

8

Aberdeen

13

7

St Mirren

13

6

Dundee

8

6

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Hearts are the only team the Japanese striker scored more goals against for Celtic than Rangers in his time at the club.

Taking all of this into consideration, and the £10m fee they got for him in January, it is clear to see that the Hoops hit the jackpot by signing Kyogo in 2021.

The Scottish giants did not sign another striker to take his place in the January window, but they are now reportedly eyeing a star who would be a dream replacement for the Japan international.

Celtic confident of deal for Premier League striker

According to Football Insider, Celtic are confident that they will be able to win the race to sign Brighton & Hove Albion centre-forward Evan Ferguson this summer.

The report claims that they believe that they can strike a deal to land him on a season-long loan ahead of Premier League teams Everton and Nottingham Forest.

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

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It adds that Rodgers is pushing for the club to sign the Ireland international to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch for the 2025/26 campaign.

Former scout Mick Brown explained why the Hoops are a good option for the striker, telling Football Insider:

“Celtic can offer attractive opportunities to players like Ferguson. They’re going to be playing in the Champions League and competing for trophies, which would be valuable experience for a player of his age.”

It is now down to the club to agree a deal with Brighton before convincing the striker that a move to Parkhead is the best next step in his young career.

Why Celtic should sign Evan Ferguson

The Hoops should sign the Premier League youngster this summer because he is a talented number nine who is more valuable than his 2024/25 campaign suggests.

On the face of it, signing a striker who just scored one goal in 23 games for Brighton and West Ham combined is not too appealing. However, it is worth keeping in mind that a knee injury kept him out from April to August last year, which meant that he missed all of pre-season and played catch-up all season.

Ferguson’s form in the previous two Premier League seasons for Brighton, with a pre-season under his belt, suggest that he has the potential to be a dream replacement for Kyogo at Parkhead.

Possibly the biggest problem Kyogo had at the end of his Celtic career was his finishing, as he missed 46 ‘big chances’ in his last 18 months, scoring 27 goals in that time.

The Brighton youngster, whose finishing was hailed as “phenomenal” by James Milner, has shown that he has the quality to be very efficient in front of goal at Premier League level in recent years.

Evan Ferguson’s Premier League career

Season

xG

Goals

Differential

22/23

5.67

6

+0.33

23/24

3.97

6

+2.03

24/25

1.36

1

-0.36

Total

10.29

13

+1.89

Stats via UnderStat

As you can see in the table above, Ferguson outperformed his xG in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns for the Seagulls, which speaks to his ability to find the back of the net effectively at the very top level.

These statistics show that the potential is there for him to come in as an upgrade on what they had with Kyogo in the number nine position, because he is a clinical finisher who may not miss as many ‘big chances’ as the Japan international.

The Premier League forward would also bring more physicality to the table than Kyogo, as he has won 44% of his aerial duels in the 2023/24 campaign – when he last played regularly.

Whereas, the former Hoops marksman won 33% of his aerial battles this season in the Premiership, and 26% of them in the 2023/24 campaign, which suggests that Ferguson would be more effective as a target man for the team to hit when they need to play a longer pass to break a press or clear the ball from danger.

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Overall, the 20-year-old attacker’s finishing quality and physical attributes could make him a dream replacement for Kyogo, as well as being an upgrade on him. The largest sticking point could well be a price tag, however, with Transfermarkt valuing him at £21m.

“I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but things [like that are] as a player I cannot control,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2025Ajinkya Rahane, 37, hasn’t played a Test in two years now, but has reiterated his “hunger and passion” for the game and red-ball cricket, even though he has “got no response” from the selectors.”I still want to play Test cricket,” Rahane, currently in London, told Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton in an interview with Sky Sports. “I’m really passionate about playing Test cricket. I’m enjoying my cricket at the moment.”I’m here just for a few days. I carried my trainers and my training clothes so that I can keep myself fit. Our domestic season is starting, so preparations have just begun.”When asked about the challenges of making a comeback, particularly with the team management placing greater emphasis on younger players following the Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Rahane said his focus remains on “controllable things.”New captain Shubman Gill has taken over Kohli’s No. 4 spot, with vice-captain Rishabh Pant slotting in at No. 5. Of the old guard, KL Rahul appears to be the only one still firmly in the selectors’ plans. Despite the stiff competition, Rahane remains unfazed, reaffirming his dedication to domestic cricket as he works toward a comeback.Since losing his Test spot, Rahane has led Mumbai in two straight Ranji Trophy seasons, winning their 42nd title in 2023-24, while they finished runners-up in 2024-25. He was also part of Mumbai’s title-winning Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20) squad.Rahane hit 467 runs in 14 innings at an average of 35.92 in the 2024-25 Ranji season, with one fifty and a hundred. He was the highest run-getter for Kolkata Knight Riders during a disappointing IPL 2025, where they finished eighth out of ten teams. Rahane hit 390 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 147.27.”For me, it’s all about focusing on the controllable things,” Rahane said. “Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but things [like that are] as a player I cannot control. I got no response. As a player all I can do is keep playing cricket, keep enjoying the game, give my best each and every time. I love playing Test cricket, love playing red-ball, it’s a passion. The love for the game keeps me going.”

Real Madrid are not reportedly giving up on William Saliba as Los Blancos prepare a delegation to negotiate with Arsenal for the French defender. Xabi Alonso's focus has shifted as concerns grow over their current defensive depth, following a troubling display against Paris Saint-Germain in New Jersey during the Club World Cup.

• Alonso wants to strengthen his defence
• Konate & Saliba are among the options
• Real ready to send officials to London to negotiate

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to one name who is firmly on Real Madrid’s shortlist is Arsenal’s Saliba. The 23-year-old centre-back made a lasting impression during Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in April, a performance that has reportedly catapulted him to the top of Madrid’s defensive wishlist. Although Saliba’s current deal with Arsenal runs until 2027, the Spanish side is undeterred. The club sees Saliba as a cornerstone figure who could lead their next generation of defenders, and they're preparing to open formal talks with both Arsenal and the player.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Fresh developments from multiple sources, including IndyKaila, indicate that Real Madrid are preparing to dispatch a delegation to London to initiate direct negotiations with Arsenal and Saliba’s camp. While the Gunners have consistently maintained a firm stance that the defender is not for sale, Madrid’s interest appears to be intensifying.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Should Real Madrid fail in their pursuit of Saliba, Liverpool’s Konate remains another viable alternative. The French international is entering the final year of his current contract at Anfield, and thus far has resisted Liverpool’s attempts to tie him down to a new deal. With the defender potentially available on a cut-price deal this summer, or for free next year, the club sees an opportunity to strike a smart piece of business. However, the Merseyside outfit is reportedly making a concerted effort to retain Konate, with a new contract offer on the table.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  Even if Real Madrid manage to secure one of their French targets this summer, neither Arsenal nor Liverpool can afford to breathe easy. According to reports from , the Spanish champions could pursue both Konate and Saliba, albeit across two successive summer windows, as they look to completely refresh their ageing defensive ranks.

Maharaj was set to be in the XI for the first ODI against Pakistan but limped off just before the toss

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2024

Keshav Maharaj picked up a five-wicket haul in his last Test outing•Associated Press

South Africa have been left sweating over the fitness of Keshav Maharaj ahead of their last two Tests of the ongoing World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. Maharaj was seen limping off during warm-ups ahead of the first ODI against Pakistan on Tuesday because of a groin strain. It is understood that Maharaj was in the XI before he sustained the injury right before the toss and was replaced by Andile Phehlukwayo. He will have a scan on Wednesday.After the three-match ODI series, South Africa face Pakistan in two Tests, needing just one more win to be assured of a top-two finish to qualify for the WTC final next year. Maharaj is a key component of South Africa’s Test side, often their lone specialist spinner in the XI, with Aiden Markram offering support with his part-time offspin. Maharaj bowled them to a win against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha earlier this month, returning 5 for 76 on the last day to trigger a collapse.Related

WTC final scenarios – SA need one more win for guaranteed top-two finish

Fractured toe puts Anrich Nortje out of T20Is against Pakistan

While the severity of Maharaj’s injury is yet to be ascertained, this adds to the long list of injured South Africa bowlers. Anrich Nortje was ruled out with a fractured toe ahead of the T20Is against Pakistan; Gerald Coetzee and Lungi Ngidi are out until January with groin and hip issues respectively; Nandre Burger has been ruled out of the summer with a stress fracture of the lower back; Wiaan Mulder is in a race to be fit for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan after breaking a finger against Sri Lanka.Dane Piedt and Senuran Muthusamy are the spinners in contention for the Boxing Day Test, if Maharaj is ruled out. Batting allrounder Neil Brand, who bowls left-arm spin, and legspinner Shaun von Berg also made Test appearances this year for South Africa. Left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who last played first-class cricket in 2021, could be in with an outside chance.