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The 2024/25 campaign was truly one to forget for everyone involved with Manchester United, as the club registered their worst-ever Premier League finish.

Ruben Amorim’s side ended the year in a measly 15th position, sitting just three spots above the relegation zone, with various issues rearing their head throughout the season.

The Red Devils had a real goalscoring issue during their top-flight campaign, as seen by their measly tally of just 44 goals in their 38 outings – an average of just 1.15 per game.

However, at the other end, things were just as disappointing, as they shipped 54 goals in just 38 matches, ultimately leading to a total of 18 league defeats in 2024/25.

Many of the failures that season were directed that way of one man, with Amorim desperately needing to make the right call on his future during the recent summer window.

The stats behind Andre Onana’s failures for United in 2024/25

After David de Gea’s departure from United back in the summer of 2023, former boss Erik ten Hag decided to delve into the transfer market to bolster his ranks – landing the signature of Andre Onana.

As a result, the Dutchman decided to fork out a reported £47.2m for the Cameroonian’s signature – a deal which could go down as one of the worst in the club’s history.

Upon Amorim’s arrival last November, he decided to stick with the former Inter Milan shot-stopper between the sticks, but he was unable to match the confidence shown in him by the boss.

The 29-year-old featured 50 times across all competitions last campaign, but made nine direct errors that led to goals, many of which came in key moments.

From parried shots against Lyon to misjudging Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort against Nottingham Forest – it truly was a regular occurrence for Onana to drop numerous clangers.

His only appearance for the Red Devils this season came in the Carabao Cup defeat to League Two Grimsby Town – a game that would signal the end of his first-team place at Old Trafford.

Amorim decided to ship Onana out on loan to Turkish Super League side Trabzonspor, with the hierarchy backing him with a new goalkeeper on Deadline Day.

Man Utd have another Onana-esque liability

As a result of Onana’s departure, Senne Lammens was the man chosen to fill the void in the goalkeeping department for United, with the Belgian joining from Royal Antwerp.

At just 23, such a move may have been a daunting task to many, but the youngster has wasted no time in cementing the number one shirt as his own at Old Trafford.

He’s made six appearances for the Red Devils to date, keeping one clean sheet, but his goal prevented xG of 0.2, showcases his immediate impact between the sticks.

Lammens is also yet to register an error leading to a goal after his big-money transfer, with his arrival already solving one of the glaring issues in the squad from last season.

However, not all the new additions have slotted in as seamlessly as the goalkeeper, with full-back Patrick Dorgu unable to be as successful at Old Trafford.

The Dane arrived from Italian side Lecce back in January for a reported £30m, with such a move seeming to end the hierarchy’s hunt for a long-term left wing-back.

However, nearly a year on from his transfer, it’s evident that the 21-year-old simply isn’t at the level required and is now becoming a huge liability for Amorim’s men.

Dorgu has only started seven out of a possible 12 league games to date this campaign, with his latest showing highlighting why he’s been an inconsistent figure in 2025/26.

He featured for 58 minutes in the defeat against Everton on home soil, before being replaced by Diogo Dalot after struggling to make the desired effect at both ends.

Minutes played

58

Touches

40

Passes completed

75%

Tackles made

1

Aerials lost

100%

Crosses completed

0

Possession lost

11x

Dribbled past

1

The youngster was labelled “unreliable” by one analyst, after only winning one tackle, and losing all four of the aerial duels he entered – offering a lacklustre option out of possession.

Even with the ball, Dorgu struggled to impress, only completing 75% of his attempted passes, losing possession a staggering 11 times whilst failing to complete a single cross.

As a result, he’s massively becoming a liability under Amorim, arguably the biggest one since Onana’s lack of form for the club back in the 2024/25 season.

A solution for all parties is desperately needed before the January transfer window, with the club potentially needing to reinvest in the market to solve the problem at left wing-back.

Alongside Zirkzee: Man Utd's "waste of time" must not start again for Amorim

Ruben Amorim has a bold decision to make over the future of one Manchester United flop.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 25, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Em reta final de preparação para o início da temporada 2024, o Santos realizou seu penúltimo treinamento antes da estreia no Paulistão, fora de casa, contra o Botafogo-SP.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Peixe agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Santos

A grande novidade da atividade, que teve os primeiros 15 minutos abertos à imprensa, foi a presença de Alfredo Morelos. Com um dos maiores salários do clube e contrato até agosto de 2025, o colombiano aceitou reduzir seus vencimentos mensais e negocia detalhes finais com a diretoria do Peixe para permanecer na equipe.

Com o atacante à disposição, Fábio Carille esboçou um time titular para a partida contra o Botafogo-SP. A provável escalação do Santos tem: João Paulo; Aderlan, Gil, Joaquim e Felipe Jonatan; João Schimidt, Pituca e Giuliano; Pedrinho, Guilherme e Furch.

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Fora dos planos da comissão técnica, Lucas Lima não participou das atividades. O meio-campista vem treinando separado da equipe, no último campo do CT Rei Pelé.

CONFIRA IMAGENS DO TREINAMENTO

Enquanto os jogadores de linha realizaram trabalho de movimentação e troca de passes, os goleiros treinaram saída em lances de bola parada e reposição com os pés.

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Jogadores de linha fazem trabalho de movimentação e troca de passes. #lanceSANTOS pic.twitter.com/UTDUBxoUDW

— Fábio Lázaro (@FabioLazaro_) January 18, 2024

Arzul comanda trabalho dos goleiros do Santos. Saída do gol em lances de bolas aéreas e reposição de bola com os pés. #lanceSANTOS pic.twitter.com/DhgkSQaWQf

— Fábio Lázaro (@FabioLazaro_) January 18, 2024

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Santos

The Oakland Athletics will play their final series in the East Bay this week before the franchise packs up and heads north to their new temporary home in Sacramento next season.

Ahead of the three-game slate against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland Coliseum, A's owner John Fisher wrote a letter to the Oakland fan base that has supported the franchise since it moved from Kansas City in 1968.

"There are millions of dedicated and passionate A's fans, in Oakland and around the world," Fisher wrote. "Countless dedicated staff members and Oakland Coliseum employees have poured their hearts into this team, and their efforts have meant so much to our community. I know there is great disappointment, even bitterness.

"Though I wish I could speak to each one of you individually, I can tell you this from the heart: We tried. Staying in Oakland was our goal, it was our mission, and we failed to achieve it. And for that I am genuinely sorry."

Fisher and the A's aim to move the franchise to Las Vegas by the 2028 season and plan to play in Sacramento for the next three seasons while they are between permanent homes. However, the construction of their proposed $1.5 billion ballpark project in Las Vegas is not yet underway. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported earlier this month that the ballpark design is "sitting at about 50% complete" while Fisher wants to begin construction next spring.

Although their relocation to Las Vegas is not officially official, the A's will indeed play in California's capital city next season at Sutter Health Park, the home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. Per the , the A's plan to lay off over 230 employees in Oakland after the 2024 campaign concludes as they move to Sacramento.

Like many of Fisher's public statements in recent years, his letter to the fan base was not received well by the A's faithful and the general MLB world.

The A's are scheduled to take on the Rangers at 6:40 p.m. PT Tuesday in the series opener. The final game at the Oakland Coliseum will begin at 12:37 p.m. PT Thursday.

Fast bowler confident he’s ready for Test comeback after coming through Sussex return unscathed

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2025

Jofra Archer returned to red-ball action after a four-year gap•PA Photos/Getty Images

Jofra Archer says that the mental challenge of returning to four-day cricket after a four-year absence has been a bigger issue than the physical toil. However, he is confident that his body will be ready for Test cricket if he gets the call-up later this summer.Speaking to Sussex Cricket at Chester-le-Street after the second day’s play, where he had dismissed Emilio Gay lbw for his first first-class wicket for 1,501 days, Archer admitted the experience had been “mentally tough” on a surface that offered very little lateral movement for the bowlers.”I’m glad to just finish a day of four-day cricket,” he said. “Last time I played [against Kent at Hove in May 2021], I just made it to tea, so I’m glad to go all the way today.”When the scoreboard got to 50 overs, I was, like, ‘Jesus, time to come off now!'” he joked. “But it wasn’t too bad. Doing it session-by-session was okay, but the pitch didn’t do much.”Today could have been the longest day I’ve ever had, and not because it’s red-ball cricket,” he added. “I’ve been in the field for two-and-a-half days before, and it still didn’t feel as long as today. When the ball is moving, and you’re getting something off the pitch, it feels a bit more exciting.”However, crucially for Archer’s hopes of getting back into the Test team – for whom he last featured on the tour of India in 2020-21 – his body has so far shown no reaction to the added toil of red-ball cricket.”It felt all right today,” he said. “I’ve been playing for a year, and bowling for two years, including the build-up, so everything is fine.”There have been no restrictions on this game,” he added, when asked if the ECB had requested that he limit his workload. “Whatever I did, I did. Obviously there can’t be a limit if you’re looking at a Test match. They were in the field for a day-and-a-half [in the first Test at Headingley].Related

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James Coles puts Sussex on front foot with unbeaten hundred

“You can’t have restrictions if you’re potentially going to go in. You put your body through as much pressure, safely, as possible, to put yourself in the best position.”Archer’s return to action this summer was delayed by an injured right thumb that he sustained during the IPL. However, he classified that setback alongside the freak glass cut he received from a broken fishtank back in 2021, calling it more of an “accident than an injury” compared to the career-threatening elbow and back fractures that have chequered his recent career.”If you get cut in the kitchen with a knife, no-one’s going to call it an injury,” he said. “It’s similar with my thumb. I just got hit while batting as we do all the time, but unfortunately it got fractured. If it was my left thumb I could have carried on and no-one would know but, because it was my bowling hand, I had to give it a bit of care.”But injuries are injuries. Nobody gets injured on purpose, no one knows when they will happen … it can be in the gym, or rehab, pre-hab, or whatever. If you’re supposed to get injured, there’s nothing you can do to get away from it.”Asked if he could ever have envisaged a return to first-class cricket during his long lay-off, Archer replied: “Back then, I didn’t have the choice because I didn’t think my body could hold up to it.”Now it’s a different challenge, because I know my body can hold up to it. The mental part of the game [will be tough]. Over the next couple of days, I’m going to have to battle a bit with it, but it’s all good. It’s a new challenge, and I’ll keep trucking along.”

In the lead-up to the first Test against India at Headingley, several adjectives were doing the rounds around the England camp. “Freak” and “beast” were among them, with the odd curse word thrown ahead of them for dramatic effect.It is rare that anything in an England training session elicits such a strong reaction. But two days out from the curtain raiser of this five-match series, Ben Stokes had bowled an 11-over spell.That volume of bowling so close to a Test match is unheard of, just two balls shy of the amount he had bowled against Zimbabwe a month earlier. Those sessions are generally about tapering into the grind of five days. Not for, say, going full tilt, at consistent pace and widening the eyes of those watching on.Related

• Selection in the spotlight as India search for spark at Edgbaston

• Stokes repents in late spell after India capitalise on England's bowl-first call

• Stokes has the last laugh as England's have-a-chase ethos wins big

• Archer return deferred as England name unchanged team for second Test

• Bazball essentials: England tick two out of three boxes

Stokes has always set the standard in training. Since the start of the year, following an operation on his second right hamstring tear in six months, he has also set himself new standards. Having put in the work behind the scenes, this was about getting overs back into his legs ahead of his second competitive match of 2025.The fruits of that intense labour were clear for all to see in Leeds. Stokes bowled 20 overs in the first innings, taking 4 for 66 across three spells of six, seven and seven. The 15 in the second innings – 1 for 47 – was split five, six and four.Throughout it all, he was England’s most threatening bowler. Across both sets of quicks, he produced the most swing, averaging 1.453 degrees, ahead of Chris Woakes (1.118), Brydon Carse (1.074), Mohammed Siraj (0.899), Jasprit Bumrah (0.895) and the rest. The average speed clocked in at 83.9mph, with a high of 88.9mph. All without even a hint of discomfort.”He was incredible,” said Chris Woakes, who managed just one wicket in 43 overs last week. “Without him having played a load of cricket leading into the Test match, for him to come in and do what he did and hit his straps at good pace… I thought he was amazing.””On a good pitch, he looked threatening every time he came on – with newer ball or older.”I think what you saw last week was he was incredibly consistent with what he was trying to do. His relentlessness and his energy on the ball was as good as I’ve seen for a long time. So that’s a good sign for us and for him.”Ben Stokes gets stuck into England training at Edgbaston•PA Photos/Getty Images

It was instructive that Woakes, as the leader of the attack, lauded the way Stokes took charge. “We all know what Stokes is capable of, but it’s great to have your leader being able to grab the ball like that and showing you the way sometimes.”This bowling iteration of Stokes has not been around for some time. Indeed, the man himself has sought reminders as to just how effective he was, and could be again.On the eve of the first Test, Stokes revealed he uses the 2020 Cape Town Test as a visual guide to the rhythm he wants to feel again. A late, three-wicket spell on the final day blew away South Africa’s tail to take England to victory. Stokes was flying off the back of a legend-making 2019, at the peak of his powers. That Test he averaged 86.4mph with the ball, with a few deliveries clocking in just over 91mph.None of that has been taken for granted, and the man himself sees no reason why he could not return to those heights. That he has opted out of The Hundred this season is a concession that, aged 34, he will have to park other forms of the game if he is to eke out what is left of himself as a top-tier Test quick.There is an alternate universe where Stokes was not pushed down the all-trades path and became a premier seam-and-swing bowler. Throughout his Durham Academy years, he was often the quickest in a cohort that included Mark Wood. There have even been a few Tests, such as 2017 at Lord’s against South Africa, when Stokes was the quicker of the two.Barring a useful growth spurt gave him that “hard-length trajectory”, Stokes’ craft has been honed through his own graft and experimentation, which has not dimmed.He picks up things quickly, such as the wobble seam that James Anderson taught him last year, even if he does not feel comfortable bringing it out just yet as it still feels weird in the hand. During the previous Test, he served up a couple of dipping slower balls to Rishabh Pant that he had workshopped in advance. The left-hander seemed suitably impressed, particularly with the first, which caught him by surprise, even if he did negotiate them well.A combination of England’s backroom staff have assisted his rebuilding effort: assistant coach Paul Collingwood and lead bowling coach Neil Killeen more involved with the skills, with Pete Sim (physical preperation coach) and Ben Davies (men’s physiotherapist) monitoring the physical side of things. But most of the grind has been lonesome, with Chester-le-Street as his usual base.Allowing that work to be both intense and regular has been the knee surgery Stokes underwent in November 2023. In turn, bad habits have been unpicked.Having played through the pain (unwisely at times), he developed two issues. One was that he could not really work on skills or new tricks because of the need to recover from match to match. The other was developing unwanted kinks due to having to overcompensate for the knee which, while putting strain on other parts of his body, also saw him lose a few strengths.The biggest strength he seems to have reclaimed is his braced front leg. Stokes used to take pride in it, often zooming in on side-shots of his action to show it off to the other quicks.That left leg began bending as the knee deteriorated and became ill-equipped to cope with 10-times Stokes’ bodyweight upon landing. As such, Stokes lost pace, which he tried to make up for with his run-up. Since the start of January 2022, only Kagiso Rabada (113) has bowled more front-foot no-balls than Stokes (82). It’s worth noting Rabada has bowled 184.2 more overs than Stokes during this period.Even pre-existing bad habits began to fester. After spells not bowling, Stokes has a knack of curving his approach to the crease, resulting in a conflict between his upper and lower body.He runs in, moves out towards cover, before jumping in the direction of fine leg. Nothing is aligned and the wrist not quite behind the ball. It usually takes a few sessions to sort that one, but when Stokes was unable to get them in the bank, he just had to deal with it. In turn, he lost the effectiveness of his late inswinger, a vital weapon in his armoury. He ended up developing a less effective one by leaping to the left and cantering his arm to try and bend the ball back in.Ben Stokes claimed 5 for 113 at Headingley•Getty Images

All of these now seem like yesterday’s problems. For the first time in five years, Stokes has started a series on solid foundations.”I can’t remember the last time I was able to work so hard on just technical stuff of bowling in particular,” Stokes said before the series, citing the fact the last few years have been mainly spent on keeping his loads up rather than fine-tuning. “To be able to do some really, really good technical work and getting myself back to sort of where I feel like I was before I had my injuries is really good, because there was naturally quite a few changes that crept into my action.”Alongside a “new” knee and reinforced hamstring has been a hyperdrive with his conditioning. Stokes is never one to do things by halves and this is the latest focus of his addictive personality.When he got into golf, he invested in the best clubs. His gaming obsession led to a set-up to rival those of professional eSport teams. Even cutting down on his alcohol consumption led him to investing in a company that specialises in alcohol-free drinks.Now, fitness is the new obsession. Beyond the tell-tale signs of such a fad – the Whoop watch, monitoring his steps, the Instagram reels of gym sessions replete with unenthusiastic voiceovers – has been a striking streamlining of his physique, reducing the strain on joints and improving suppleness.”You can see the physical state he’s in, he’s in really good condition,” Woakes said. “The injuries that he’s had, he’s probably just doubled down on his fitness to make sure he is in the best shape possible to be able to lead this team at his best.”

****

That, ultimately, is what drives Stokes. Not explicitly the desire to be the best bowler he can be, or the fittest he can be, but being the best possible leader for his team.There is plenty at stake in this critical period of his Test captaincy, with the challenge of India and Australia ticked off by next January. Stokes’ availability throughout it all is integral to England’s hopes across both challenges as an allrounder to help balance an XI and provide for a bowling attack that requires his gumption as much as his guidance.Ahead of this week at Edgbaston, it is worth recalling England’s victory over India here back in 2018. Then, Stokes was the quickest bowler in both innings, eventually finishing the match with a spell not unlike his South Africa blitz two years later, taking 3 for 15 in 4.2 overs.That is the next frontier for Stokes, the bowler, to reclaim. Headingley showed the skills and durability remain. Rediscovering the fire and fury of old will take a little longer.

It would be fair to say that Chelsea have not had the best of starts to the season.

Enzo Maresca’s side picked up seven of nine points in the Premier League prior to the international break, but dropped two against Brentford on Saturday.

Now, it was a heavily rotated side, but there was enough talent in the starting lineup to collect three.

One of the worst performers was summer signing Jamie Gittens, and while it might sound harsh, he should be dropped ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Gittens' disappointing display

Now, to be clear, there were several Chelsea players who really let themselves down on Saturday, but when it comes to the most disappointing display, it’s hard to look past Gittens.

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The club paid Borussia Dortmund around £48m for him in the summer in the hope he’d be able to come into the team and make the left-hand side more direct and more dangerous.

Unfortunately, he flattered to deceive in his appearances before the international break and, against Brentford, he looked somewhat out of his depth.

It might sound overly harsh, but we aren’t the only ones who were left unimpressed, as the Express’ Charlie Malam awarded him just 4/10 on the day, writing that he ‘faded out’ after the first 20 minutes.

Unsurprisingly, while it may sound harsh, such an appraisal of the 20-year-old is more than justified by his statistics.

In 56 minutes of underwhelming action, the Reading-born ace amassed a combined expected goals plus assists figure of just 0.04, took just 17 touches, played a single key pass, had one shot, didn’t attempt a single dribble and was offside twice.

In all, it was a terrible showing from Gittens, and considering how much of a step-up in quality Bayern will be, Maresca has to drop him for another of Chelsea’s young wingers tomorrow night.

The Chelsea ace who should start in place of Gittens

While some might view it as being too soon, Maresca should look to start £40m man Alejandro Garnacho against Bayern.

Now it’s undoubtedly the case that the young Argentine should have tracked Fabio Carvalho for the equaliser on Saturday, but when it came to the offensive side of the game, he offered so much more than Gittens in such a short amount of time.

For example, while he didn’t get the assist, it was his driving run and ball into the penalty area that directly led to Moises Caicedo’s thunderous strike in the second half.

Moreover, while there are certainly questions over this temperament that may well be answered this season, the 21-year-old’s footballing ability is undeniable.

For example, despite being just 20 years old at the start of last season and playing for a historically terrible Manchester United side, the Madrid-born gem was able to score 11 goals and provide ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3568 minutes.

Garnacho in 24/25
Appearances	58
Minutes	3568′
Goals	11
Assists	10
Goal Involvements per Match	0.36
Minutes per Goal Involvements	169.90′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

That means the “superstar” in the making, as dubbed by journalist Liam Canning, maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or 169.90 minutes.

Moreover, with a goal in the 2024 FA Cup final, against Manchester City, the dynamic attacker has proven he can handle the biggest of stages.

Ultimately, Gittens may well come good for Chelsea, but he has flattered to deceive thus far, and with Garnacho making an impact in just 11 minutes of action, he should get the start against Bayern tomorrow night.

Offer made: Chelsea submit proposal to sign "exceptional" Tottenham player

The Blues have come forward to sign a player from one of their major rivals.

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 15, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur’s final signing of the summer transfer window, striker Randal Kolo Muani on loan from PSG, is poised to make his imminent Premier League debut against West Ham on Saturday.

The Frenchman’s versatility will be invaluable for Thomas Frank, with Kolo Muani able to play on both the right and left-hand side, though it appears he’ll most likely be used as an alternative to centre-forwards Richarlison and Dominic Solanke.

Mohammed Kudus

£55 million

Kota Takai

£5 million

Mathys Tel

£30 million

Joao Palhinha

Loan

Kevin Danso

£21 million

Xavi Simons

£52 million

Randal Kolo Muani

Loan

The latter didn’t play in Spurs’ 1-0 defeat against Bournemouth prior to the international break due to a niggling ankle problem, and while Frank suggested that Solanke could be back this weekend, it is definitely wise to have another option up top considering Richarlison’s fitness issues last season.

Kolo Muani has played the vast majority of his 269 total senior appearances as a striker, and there is reason for supporters to be excited by his arrival.

During his best-ever campaign to date in 2022/2023, the 26-year-old racked up an impressive 23 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt, and this stellar form earned him a £76.4 million move to Ligue 1 heavyweights PSG.

While it hasn’t worked out for him in the French capital, Kolo Muani’s head-turning loan move to Juventus last term, where he managed 10 goals and three assists in 22 outings, showcases a player of serious attacking quality.

On the international stage, Kolo Muani has always maintained the faith of Didier Deschamps, even amidst his PSG exile, with the forward bagging semi-final goals against Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and Spain in Euro 2024.

The former Nantes sensation has also been a long-time target for the Lilywhites. Tottenham attempted to agree a deal for Kolo Muani in January before his switch to Juve, and ex-Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was personally pushing for him in the winter, according to club insider Paul O’Keefe.

Now, the Spurs recruitment team have got their man, but unfortunately for Frank, there is no option to buy Kolo Muani at the end of his loan spell if he manages to pull up trees in north London.

This is seen as quite an ‘un-Spurs like’ condition of the Kolo Muani deal, and pundit John Wenham has fired a warning to Tottenham over agreeing to a straight loan.

Tottenham sent Randal Kolo Muani warning as "frustrating" claim made

Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham says thatTottenham are taking a “risk” by just signing Kolo Muani on a dry temporary deal, calling it a “frustrating” development and explaining that other sides could outbid them next year.

While there is an argument that Tottenham face not being able to hold on to Kolo Muani, the fact he’s arrived at N17 for essentially zero cost for the entire season is still a big boost for Frank.

Spurs need strength in depth if they’re to finish in the top four and contend for major trophies, and Kolo Muani is exactly the calibre of player to help them do this.

And that was all she wrote. Another transfer window done and dusted, and despite some late-stage drama, Liverpool must be rather pleased with their market activity over the past couple of months.

With the clock winding down on deadline day, Liverpool felt they were honing in on a statement signing for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, but Oliver Glasner had other ideas, refusing to subscribe to the sale of his star defender without an adequate replacement welcomed to Selhurst Park.

Guehi, 25, had completed his medical in FSG’s London complex, and the submission of a dealsheet was all that stood in the way of his move to Merseyside.

It’s a blow, for Guehi is one of the finest centre-halves in the Premier League, but Arne Slot still has top-class options in the position, with sporting director Richard Hughes having warded off interest in Joe Gomez and signed Giovanni Leoni, 18, from Parma for £30m.

And though Liverpool missed out with that one, their lob certainly didn’t fall wide of the mark in regard to Alexander Isak, who is very much a member of the Premier League pace-setters.

Why Liverpool signed Alexander Isak

Liverpool did it. After receiving the fondest of farewells at St. James’ Park, Liverpool welcomed Isak from Newcastle United for a British record £125m fee.

It’s certainly been one of the most unsavoury transfer sagas in recent memory, but Liverpool and FSG and the supporters won’t care a jot, not now that they have welcomed a player who pundit Jamie Carragher hailed as “the best striker in the Premier League” last season.

The 25-year-old scored 27 goals across all competitions and landed the winning strike as Newcastle beat Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup in March, instrumental in guiding Eddie Howe’s side back into the Champions League.

Liverpool might have already signed Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in a £79m deal this summer, but Isak gives Slot the complete set in the final third, a clinical striker and skilled in linking up with his teammates.

Exciting times ahead for the Anfield side, not least because Isak will find an almighty bunch of players to combine with, the likes of Mohamed Salah and co.

And, of course, German playmaker Florian Wirtz, whose record-breaking £116m transfer fee lasted all of two months.

Liverpool have hit the jackpot on Florian Wirtz

In May, transfer rumours concerning Wirtz began to intensify. Manchester City and Bayern Munich joined Liverpool in a race for the 22-year-old, and it was Slot’s side who secured the prized signature, underscoring a shift in the European power rankings.

Wirtz hasn’t had the most electrifying start to life in England, playing a neat assist for Ekitike in the Community Shield but yet to register a goal contribution across three Premier League fixtures. Still, his world-class potential is undeniable, hailed by sports media professional Cristian Nyari as a “truly generational talent”.

Former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes has even called him “the best midfielder in the world” for his efforts in his homeland, winning the 2023/24 Bundesliga Player of the Season after playing a talismanic part in winning the top flight undefeated in Xabi Alonso’s system.

Wirtz at Leverkusen (all comps)

Season

Apps

Goals (Assists)

24/25

45

16 (15)

23/24

49

18 (20)

22/23

25

4 (8)

21/22

31

10 (14)

20/21

38

8 (8)

19/20

9

1 (0)

Stats via Transfermarkt

Wirtz has much still to give, but there’s little question that he has what it takes to become the defining player of the era ahead at Liverpool, perhaps even more so than a superstar striker such as Isak.

FBref’s data delineates Wirtz’s wide range of quality, as he ranks among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and progressive passes, the top 4% for through ball and successful take-ons, and the top 11% for assists per 90.

Slot has proven himself over the past 12 months at Liverpool to be one of the most tactically astute coaches in the business, and there’s every faith that he will fashion Wirtz into one of the biggest hitters the Reds have seen.

His market value certainly attests to that.

Wirtz was Liverpool’s record signing until Isak came along, but CIES Football Observatory values actually demonstrate that the German is regarded as having a higher ceiling, boasting a market figure of as high as £152m.

Isak, while still regarded as one of the most lucrative players in the game, amid his £125m move, comes in at a peak value of £100m. Given that the Sweden forward has already enjoyed three years on Premier League pitches, scoring at a clinical rate throughout, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that Wirtz might prove to be the cream of the crop after settling into life in a new sphere.

Even without lighting up the Premier League over these first few weeks, Wirtz has showcased an underlying tenacity and robustness, with Sofascore recording that he has won 55% of his ground duels and averaged 1.7 tackles per game.

The goals will come, and the assists too. Of course, when working behind a focal outlet such as Isak, there’s sure to be plenty of optimism around Wirtz’s capacity to dazzle, his creative skill feeding through to the world-class goalscorer.

Market Movers

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In any case, what really matters is Liverpool have landed two of the finest footballers in the game, and Slot now has all that he needs to make it a season for the ages on Merseyside.

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Sunderland have made a solid start to life in the Premier League and could now be about to make a late swoop for a rapid forward.

Sunderland see off Brentford in dramatic fashion

Harnessing the power of their home support, Sunderland claimed their second victory of the league campaign under Regis Le Bris after Wilson Isidor’s last-minute winner over Brentford maintained their 100% record at the Stadium of Light.

Despite going behind courtesy of Igor Thiago’s header, Enzo Le Fee converted from the spot before the Black Cats’ fanbase were sent into raptures in stoppage time.

Speaking post-match, Le Bris praised his side for their resilience after taking advantage of the fine margins that presented themselves on a day of ecstacy in the North East.

He stated: “Three points, another tough game with fine margins. I think the first half was positive, we controlled this part of the game without creating many chances or scoring, I think it was the main regret of the first half.

“Second half was totally different – more chaotic, more open. I’m happy because these two sides of the performance are really important, you can be well-organised and feel that we can control this part.”

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With focus quickly shifting to deadline day, Sunderland are lining up a late bid for FC Midtjylland winger Dario Osorio, who is also attracting interest from Ligue 1 outfit Lille.

On the same token, the Black Cats have submitted an offer for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Joey Veerman and there is a good chance that he could sign on the dotted line once all is said and done.

Making late moves, Sunderland now have a striker in their sights that would add an element of pace to their forward line if they can pull off a deal.

Sunderland "keen" on RB Leipzig striker Lois Openda

According to Florian Plettenberg on X, Sunderland have made their interest known in RB Leipzig forward Lois Openda, who is also wanted by the likes of Juventus and Aston Villa before the window slams shut.

His current employers are set to demand a fee near the £35 million mark for his signature, and Philipp Hinze has added to these reports via the social media outlet, claiming Openda may be able to leave on loan with a mandatory purchase option.

Sporting’s Conrad Harder has been billed as a Leipzig replacement for the Belgium international, who has registered 41 goals and 18 assists in 93 appearances for the German top-flight outfit.

Hitting a top speed of 38.86 kilometres per hour in the Bundesliga last term, per their official website, Openda is deemed a similar player to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior by Football Transfers’ comparison algorithm, coming as a result of his ability to race in-behind.

Reinforcements in the forward areas are on the agenda for Sunderland and a move to bring the talented forward to Wearside would be a fitting end to a strong window for the Black Cats.

Newcastle United are now less than a week away from their new Premier League season getting underway with a tough lunchtime trip to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.

The Magpies’ last friendly outing before the competitiveness of the top flight kicks back in saw Eddie Howe’s side lose 2-0 to Atletico Madrid on home turf, with the defeat stinging that little bit more when Anthony Gordon hobbled off with a worrying knock.

Thankfully, it has since been revealed that the ex-Everton winger only sustained a twisted ankle, meaning he should be fine for the bumper list of games ahead.

He won’t be joined by Alexander Isak for the opener at Villa Park, with Newcastle continuing to state that their superstar Swede is not for sale, even as interest from Liverpool persists.

However, away from this ongoing Isak saga, a new face could soon pull on the Toon black and white in the West Midlands.

Newcastle agree terms with £35m star

Howe does have some Isak replacements up his sleeve.

It has been widely reported now that the Tyneside outfit have hit-and-miss Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson in mind to enhance their attacking personnel, alongside the Premier League side further keeping tabs on Porto attacking sensation Samu Aghehowa.

However, away from targets up top, Newcastle are edging ever closer to signing a new face at the back.

Indeed, the services of £35m-rated AC Milan centre-back Malick Thiaw are set to be sealed in the forthcoming days.

Sky Sports’ Keith Downie has revealed, via X, that the Toon are on the verge of sealing a deal for the Germany international, who is travelling to St James’ Park on Sunday night and is set to undergo a medical on Monday morning ahead of signing.

It’s reported that Newcastle have agreed a fee of £30m plus £4.3m in add-ons.

Newcastle might well hit the jackpot with the 24-year-old in the same way they struck gold with Sandro Tonali, with the 5-foot-11 midfielder now a Premier League under Howe’s wing, after initially making waves in Italy.

How Thiaw can be Tonali 2.0

Tonali was a landmark addition for the PIF project at Newcastle, remarkably costing even more than Thiaw at a hefty £55m. Still, there are no lingering regrets from Newcastle’s perspective about that bumper deal, as the Italian heads into his third straight Toon season this upcoming campaign.

The 25-year-old enforcer closed out his celebrated time at the San Siro with Milan by registering seven goals and 13 assists from the midfield ranks, with that same drive to push forward and join in with attacks following him to St James’ Park.

Last season, in particular, saw Tonali come into his own donning the famous Toon strip, with six goals and three assists tallied up in all competitions as a livewire presence, which was matched by his relentless energy to win 4.9 ball recoveries per Premier League outing.

Howe has even gone as far as to compare his 25-year-old to the likes of San Siro great Andrea Pirlo for his stylish displays.

Now, in a repeat of that Tonali move – bringing in a player from Milan – Thiaw will be hopeful that he can follow in the Italian’s footsteps by being a similar whirlwind success on English shores.

Thiaw at Milan

Stat (* = per game)

22/23

23/24

24/25

Games played

20

21

22

Goals scored

0

0

0

Assists

0

1

0

Touches*

60.9

65.4

66.2

Accurate passes*

46.4 (88%)

51.4 (92%)

53.5 (94%)

Tackles*

1.6

1.6

1.1

Interceptions*

0.6

0.6

0.7

Total duels won*

4.6

4.1

3.7

Clean sheets

5

5

7

Stats by Sofascore

Much like Tonali before him, Thiaw has grown into a comfortable and complete performer for Milan as he matures, having just completed a season in the hustle and bustle of the Serie A where he averaged an unerring 94% pass accuracy per game.

He might well be able to offer Howe something fresh and different at the back, therefore, away from over-relying on the ageing duo of Dan Burn and Fabian Schar, with Thiaw also held in high regard at ex-employers Schalke when dubbed as a “calm and collected” presence by former boss Christian Gross.

It will, of course, be a leap into the unknown for the rising German, having become used to the rhythms of the Italian top-flight.

Yet, Tonali arrived with similar hype attached to his name from Italy and has passed all his examinations with flying colours. Thiaw will hope he has a similarly straightforward ride ahead, having also been hailed as “top-class” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

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