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Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has a “long-standing relationship” which could help Spurs seal a high-profile deal for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

After Spurs boss Thomas Frank oversaw his first Premier League game in charge of the club on Saturday afternoon, attention is turning back towards the summer transfer market, and if the north Londoners can strengthen before September 1’s deadline.

Lev and Frank, as widely reported, currently have two targets at the very top of their agenda – Eze and Man City winger Savinho.

Tottenham have opened talks to sign both Eze and Savinho in separate deals (Fabrizio Romano), so it isn’t a case of one or the other, as Spurs look to fill the gaping voids left by Son Heung-min’s departure to the MLS and James Maddison’s long-term injury blow.

According to some reports, City have already rejected a £42 million bid from Tottenham for Savinho, so there is still work to do on that front, and Pep Guardiola isn’t overly keen on letting the 21-year-old leave Eastlands so late in the window.

In Eze’s case, things are actually looking far more positive.

Tottenham want to pay around £55 million for the 27-year-old, a similar fee to their deal for Mohammed Kudus, while Palace are demanding the value of his previous £68 million release clause – which expired on Friday (Ben Jacobs).

However, Arsenal are hesitating over a move for the England international, and this has provided Spurs with a window of opportunity to sneak in and strike a deal for Eze. The player’s agents have also informed Frank’s side that personal terms won’t be an issue, according to talkSPORT.

What’s more, reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold has lifted the lid on a secret weapon that Levy has at his disposal.

Daniel Levy's "long-standing" connection to help Tottenham sign Eberechi Eze

Writing in a detailed transfer piece, Gold reports that Eze’s representatives, CAA Base, could be key.

Levy boasts a “long-standing” productive relationship with the agency, who also have a “strong” presence within Tottenham, and CAA also handled Son’s £20 million MLS-record-breaking transfer.

In light of this and other developments, Gold also states that Tottenham will try to wrap up deals for Eze and Savinho in the coming days to provide Frank with a major double-boost of quality.

The former QPR star is arguably perfect for Spurs right now.

Eze, capable of playing both as a number 10 and in Son’s previous position on the left, bagged 14 goals and 11 assists last season as a key attacking asset under Oliver Glasner – all whilst averaging more shots, key passes and successful take-ons per 90 than any other Palace player in the top flight.

Given Tottenham were once ready to splash £60 million on Morgan Gibbs-White earlier in the summer, Levy would be wise to reinvest that money into acquiring Eze’s signature – if he is indeed serious about challenging for more major honours.

Tottenham Hotspur have made two high-profile additions to their playing squad during the summer transfer window in an attempt to improve Thomas Frank’s squad.

Mohammed Kudus was signed on a permanent deal from West Ham United earlier in the summer, and Joao Palhinha recently joined from Bayern Munich on an initial loan deal.

The Lilywhites will be hoping that the Portugal international can provide a solid presence in front of the back four, sweeping up to win possession back for his side on a regular basis.

There is still more work to be done by Daniel Levy and Frank before the summer transfer window slams shut, though, after the injury to James Maddison.

The England international is set to miss the majority of the 2025/26 campaign after he suffered an ACL injury, which has left Spurs light in the attacking positions.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that the Europa League champions will be “looking at the market” to find a potential replacement for Maddison for the upcoming season.

Why Spurs need to replace James Maddison

The Lilywhites are right to be looking at possible replacements for the former Norwich and Leicester star because his absence will be felt within the squad.

Maddison ended the 2024/25 campaign with a haul of ten goals and 12 assists in all competitions for Spurs, and he has hit double figures for goals in four of the last five seasons for Tottenham and Leicester combined.

The English playmaker has proven that he can deliver goals and assists on a fairly regular basis, and he offered a leadership presence as one of the vice-captains behind Heung-min Son last term.

Maddison’s performances in the Premier League under Ange Postecoglou last season show how important he can be to the team with his contributions at the top end of the pitch from an attacking midfield position.

xG

0.29

Top 4%

Goals

0.45

Top 3%

xA

0.29

Top 4%

Assists

0.35

Top 4%

Chances created

2.03

Top 10%

Successful crosses

1.09

Top 8%

As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old star ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of key attacking metrics, as the English ace provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

These statistics illustrate how big a blow it was to lose Maddison to an ACL injury for most of the upcoming season, because he is an effective attacking force who has proven himself over many years at the top level.

That is why Spurs need to find a replacement for him before the end of the summer transfer window, and they are reportedly keen on a star who plays for one of their Premier League rivals, and it is not Morgan Gibbs-White…

Spurs eyeing deal for Manchester City midfielder

According to GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to sign Manchester City attacking midfielder James McAtee this summer.

The report claims that the Lilywhites have identified the England U21 international as one of a number of potential replacements for Maddison, and that the club are now weighing up who to go for.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that teams in Germany and England are also eyeing up the former Sheffield United star, but they have been put off by the £40m price tag on his head.

GIVEMESPORT reveals that McAtee is interested in a move to North London and is currently waiting to see if Spurs are prepared to formalise their interest with an offer.

The outlet states that Tottenham are not put off by the £40m asking price, suggesting that they are prepared to pay the asking price, but they have yet to decide whether or not McAtee is the player they are going to make a big push for.

Why Spurs should sign James McAtee

The Manchester City youngster could be a shrewd addition to the squad as a replacement for Maddison, as he could be the ideal player to fill the gap in the squad.

A potential issue with ‘replacing’ Maddison is that the club also have to be aware that he will, hopefully, return to action before the end of the 2025/26 campaign and will be an option moving forward.

McAtee, at the age of 22, may be happy to play regularly for most of this season before competing with Maddison for a starting role next year and beyond. Whereas an established, 28-year-old, £60m+ signing may expect to start every week even when Maddison is back fit, which could be a difficult situation to manage in the future.

The left-footed attacking midfielder only played 27 matches in all competitions as a bit-part player for City last season, but still managed to find the back of the net seven times.

McAtee, who was described as a “special” player by Pep Guardiola, only started three of his 15 appearances in the Premier League for City, but showed glimpses of the quality that he can offer.

xG

0.74

Top 1%

Goals

0.79

Top 2%

xG on target

0.70

Top 3%

xA

0.21

Top 24%

Assists

0.00

Bottom 3%

Touches in the opposition’s box

5.79

Top 27%

As you can see in the table above, the English whiz ranked highly among his positional peers in per 90 metrics, which shows that he produced quite a lot in his limited minutes on the pitch.

Whether he is able to maintain that output as a consistent starter is still up in the air, but Cole Palmer is the prime example that being a reserve player at Manchester City does not mean you cannot shine elsewhere.

McAtee also scored one goal and provided two assists in five starts at the U21 Euros for England, winning the tournament, during the summer, which shows what he can do when given regular minutes as well.

Frank's answer to Palmer: Spurs enter talks to sign "exceptional" £40m gem

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be about to make another huge move in the market to bolster Thomas Frank’s squad.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 9, 2025

Overall, McAtee’s potential to deliver goals and assists, or at least the xA that should result in assists, as an attacking midfielder in the Premier League could make him a dream signing for Spurs, along with his age meaning that he still has plenty of room left to grow and develop.

Laura Wolvaardt says South Africa go into the contest knowing if they play their best cricket, they can beat Australia

Valkerie Baynes16-Oct-20242:46

Aus vs SA match-ups: Can Schutt trip up Brits?

Australia will give captain Alyssa Healy as long as possible before the match to determine whether she is fit for their T20 World Cup semi-final against South Africa.Healy pulled up with a foot injury while running between wickets during Australia’s win against Pakistan and she watched their final group-stage game against India in a moon boot and on crutches.Healy didn’t take part in an optional training session at the ICC Academy on Wednesday night.Ellyse Perry, who helped stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath during that match to great effect as Australia won a thriller, said on the eve of the semi-final that Healy would be given as much time as possible to recuperate before a decision was made on her availability.Related

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“As it stands, it’s the same thing for Midgie [Healy], the medical staff and the team are going to give her every opportunity and possibility of playing tomorrow night,” Perry said. “I don’t think anything’s changed in that respect. We’ll just have to see in the next 24 hours.”Perry said little had changed in the Australia camp since Healy’s injury, which happened the same night as fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck dislocated her shoulder. Vlaeminck was replaced in the squad by Heather Graham but has remained in the UAE to support the team.”When stuff like that happens and you see things bringing your mate down like injury, it probably just strengthens that resolve to get around each other and be supportive,” Perry said. “But it’s really important to stay consistent and stick to the same processes that we’ve got and maintain that level of emotional consistency. Midge is such an important leader in our group and is still contributing just as much. So not too much has changed.”Laura Wolvaardt: “If we play our best cricket, Australia are beatable”•ICC/Getty Images

The pressure-cooker of Sharjah stadium where a sold-out pro-India crowd of nearly 15,000 saw their side defeated by just nine runs provided Australia with a timely challenge ahead of the knockouts. Afterwards, McGrath made a point of mentioning the on-field support she had received from Perry and Ash Gardner.”It’s always really helpful to be exposed to that kind of pressure and that kind of challenge from an opposition and it felt like a bit of a step up the other night, particularly with the full crowd there and probably not totally supportive of us,” Perry said. “It was a situation we’ve been in before but probably hadn’t been exposed to in this World Cup so far, so I thought the way we rose to that and just adapted to the challenge was awesome and hopefully that holds us in good stead for the time that we’ve got left in this tournament.”South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt, meanwhile, dubbed the replay of the last T20 World Cup final, which South Africa lost at home by 19 runs, as “a massive game for us”. Since then, South Africa have beaten Australia in a T20I, in Canberra this January.That win, Wolvaardt said, had given South Africa confidence, not to mention their three victories in the group stages of this tournament, which were all played in Dubai, where Australia have played just once. South Africa’s only defeat was in Sharjah, to England, who then made a shock exit after losing their last game to West Indies.”It brings back a little bit of déjà vu, just a year ago having to face them in the final,” Wolvaardt said. “A lot has happened since then, though obviously we had the two wins against them earlier this year [one in ODIs, one in T20Is], so I think that just gives a bit of a positive energy in the camp knowing that if we play our best cricket, they are beatable.”And she said her side had grown since then, not just personnel-wise with the retirement of Shabnim Ismail, the departure of long-time coach Hilton Moreeng, and allrounder Annerie Dercksen coming into the side, but through experience also.After the tour of Australia, South Africa lost a T20I series at home to Sri Lanka 2-1, drew 1-1 in India and beat Pakistan 2-1 away.”It’s been a bit of an up and down year for us,” Wolvaardt said. “We’ve played some really good cricket in beating Australia and had a few disappointing series as well. But I feel like we have really hit our stride in this World Cup.”

Early setback leaves form team with ground to make up in highly competitive Group A

Valkerie Baynes04-Oct-20244:54

Takeaways: Does India’s batting need better balance?

How India bounce back from their T20 World Cup upset at the hands of New Zealand will demonstrate the character of the side, Jemimah Rodrigues says.It will also have a huge bearing on their semi-final prospects with Group A – the tournament’s ‘group of death’ – delicately poised just two days in following New Zealand’s 58-run victory in Dubai on Friday and Pakistan’s fightback against Sri Lanka in Sharjah on the opening day.Australia, the defending champions and title favourites, open their campaign on Saturday against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, South Africa defeated West Indies by 10 wickets in the earlier game on Friday to join Bangladesh at the top of Group B, with Bangladesh to play England on Saturday.And it will require some turnaround from India. Bowled out for 102 chasing 161 for victory, none of their batters passed captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s 15 runs from No.3, and only five reached double-figures, including Rodrigues with 13 batting at No. 4. For New Zealand, seamers Rosemary Mair and Lea Tahuhu took 4 for 19 and 3 for 15 respectively.”Today would be the game we would like to forget, because this is a World Cup,” Rodrigues said. “We need to keep moving on and keep picking ourselves up. We can’t stay stuck at this game. We need to pick ourselves up, and I think that will show the character of this team.”We know every game from here is so crucial for us. We know that, but at the same time, we’re going to go one game at a time and just make sure we stick to our process and do our job well. If we can do that, I think we play our best cricket, I think we can win matches.”New Zealand laid the foundation for victory with a 67-run opening stand between Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, who attacked the powerplay, followed by captain Sophie Devine’s powerful 57 not out from 36 balls.Related

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It was quite the turnaround for a side whose T20 World Cup in 2023 was over as soon as it had begun with heavy defeats to Australia and South Africa, and who lost all eight games they played – including five T20Is – against England in June and July.But Rodrigues said her side wasn’t necessarily caught off-guard by New Zealand attacking in the powerplay.”They came out with a lot of intent,” she said. “We did create opportunities, but unfortunately we didn’t make the most of them. Then the way we came back after the start was … I mean, not many positives in this game, but still, going forward, we need to have the right approach because the tournament is not over. We need to take some positives from this game and a lot of learnings from this game.”It’s not the easiest of conditions, it’s really hot here in Dubai, but I think we’ve got enough time to get used to the conditions so we don’t give an excuse, like it’s too hot or whatever it is. We just need to do our job and win the match for the team. So when it comes to conditions, I think we are very used to the conditions. It’s got better from the first day we’ve come here. So I think we are very prepared for this and all of us stay in India, so we are very familiar to such conditions.”Rodrigues also said India weren’t rattled by a controversial moment in the 14th over of New Zealand’s innings. India thought they had run out Amelia Kerr, who had hit a Deepti Sharma delivery towards long-off and run a single with Devine. As Harmanpreet Kaur gathered the ball, the batters attempted a second run, just as Deepti took her cap back from the umpire. Harmanpreet threw the ball in and Richa Ghosh broke the stumps with Kerr short of her ground but the ball was deemed to have been dead, sparking heated discussions between Harmanpreet and the India team management with the umpires. As it turns out, Kerr was dismissed two balls later.”We know how important Amelia Kerr’s wicket is and yes, at that moment it felt a little, ‘why didn’t it go in our favour?'” Rodrigues said. “But at the same time, I think we did what we could. We spoke to the umpire, then we had to accept the decision of the umpire and move on. I think that’s what we did really well, that we just moved on from that and we got her out pretty soon. So that worked for us.”

While Arsenal have made their fair share of big signings in summers past, it would be fair to say the way the club has acted in recent weeks is somewhat unprecedented.

Andrea Berta and Co have already secured the services of Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arizabalaga for a combined £65m, and on top of that, David Ornstein has confirmed that Christian Norgaard’s £15m transfer has been completed.

Furthermore, the links to Noni Madueke don’t seem to be going anywhere, and most exciting of all, it looks more like a matter of when, rather than if, the club will announce the signing of Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swedish international could be a total game-changer for the Gunners, and interestingly, if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to sign another dynamic attacker who’s a lot like him.

Arsenal target Gyokeres-esque star

After another season in which Arsenal produced the best defence in the Premier League but still fell short, signing a new striker this summer became a necessity.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

For much of the summer, the forward who looked most likely to join Arteta’s side was Benjamin Sesko. However, since it was revealed that RB Leipzig were asking for up to €100m, which is approximately £86m, the club’s focus shifted to Gyokeres.

The pivot to the Sporting CP star has been rapid, as an agreement on personal terms has already been reached, and talks between the two clubs are progressing, with some reports claiming that the final fee will be up to £70m including add-ons.

Interestingly, the North Londoners do not seem content with just the one forward signing, though, as they are also keen on Ademola Lookman.

At least that’s according to a recent report from The Athletic, which has revealed that Arsenal have held discussions concerning the Atalanta star.

The report claims that while the Gunners are fans of the talented international, they do not want to pay the Italian side’s valuation, which some reports have claimed is as high as £55m.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Lookman’s incredible ability, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’s won comparisons to Gyokeres.

How Lookman compares to Gyokeres

When it comes to Lookman’s similarities with Gyokeres, the first place to start is with the statistical side of things.

According to FBref, the Swedish international was the fifth most similar forward to the Nigerian ace in last season’s Champions League.

The best way to understand how they reached this conclusion is to examine some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely, which include things like goals per shot and shot on target, passing accuracy, key passes and more, all per 90.

Lookman & Gyokeres

Statistics per 90

Lookman

Gyokeres

Goals per Shot

0.18

0.18

Goals per Shot on Target

0.45

0.44

Passing Accuracy

82.2%

80.0%

Key Passes

2.64

2.50

Aerial Duels Won %

33.3%

30.8%

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 UCL Season

However, the similarities go beyond these statistics, as just like the Sporting star, albeit to a slightly lesser extent, the Atalanta star has been “one of the best forwards in Europe” in the words of journalist Oma Akatugba recently.

For example, in the 22/23 season, he racked up a brilliant haul of 23 goal involvements in 33 games, which he then followed up with an even better tally of 27 in 45 games the following year.

Then, last season, for the third consecutive campaign, the “world-class” 27-year-old, as dubbed by journalist John Bennett, continued to blow opposition teams away by producing another 27 goal involvements, this time in just 40 games.

Ultimately, whether it’s down to their underlying numbers or the sheer weight of goals and assists they produce, it’s easy to make comparisons between Lookman and Gyokeres.

Lookman’s recent form

Season

22/23

23/24

24/25

Appearances

33

45

40

Minutes

1858′

2809′

2871′

Goals

15

17

20

Assists

8

10

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.69

0.60

0.67

Minutes per Goal Involvement

80.78′

104.03′

106.33

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Therefore, if Arsenal really want to supercharge their attack this summer, they should do what they can to bring in both of them.

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Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 8, 2025

Chelsea have made a winning start to their Club World Cup campaign.

On Monday night, Enzo Maresca’s team easily swatted aside MLS outfit Los Angeles FC 2-0 in Atlanta, with Pedro Neto breaking the deadlock on the cusp of half time, before Enzo Fernández, teed up by debutant Liam Delap, made the points secure.

The major talking point was all the empty seats at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with around 22,000 in attendance, but this is not a good look in a venue that holds up to 75,000; for context, Atlanta United average around 45,000 in Major League Soccer this season.

Nevertheless, Maresca won’t care about that one jot, as his team prepare to take on Flamengo at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday, after the Brazilian outfit were also 2-0 winners on Monday, beating Espérance Sportive de Tunis in Philadelphia.

Back at home, Chelsea continue to be busy in the transfer market, so are they about to land yet another wide-forward?

Chelsea's search for a new winger

Signing new forwards is clearly the order of the day for BlueCo this summer with Delap already in the door and Hugo Ekitike also touted with a move to Stamford Bridge.

Now, the Blues have another target in mind according to the latest reports.

As per David Ornstein of the Athletic, Chelsea ‘have made a verbal enquiry’ as they seek to sign Olympique Lyonnais winger Malick Fofana.

Meantime, French outlet L’Equipe add that Lyon value the forward at around £50m.

Transfer Focus

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

The 20-year-old began his senior career at Gent, before joining les Gones for a reported fee of £14.5m in January 2024, making 62 appearances for Lyon to date, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him a “magnificent winger prospect”, so could he be set to swap France for West London?

Why Chelsea should sign Malick Fofana not Jamie Gittens

After deciding not to make Jadon Sancho’s loan from Manchester United permanent, paying a £5m penalty fee as a result, Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian reports that Chelsea are ‘prioritising’ signing a right-footed left-winger this summer.

Well, BBC Sport claimed last week that the Blues had seen a £42m rejected by Borussia Dortmund for 20-year-old Englishman Jamie Gittens, who they claim has already agreed personal terms.

But now, are the Blues turning their attention to Fofana, and who is actually the bigger prospect? Let’s find out.

Appearances

41

48

Minutes

2,280

2,790

Goals

11

12

Assists

6

5

Goals – xG

+5

+6.7

Expected assists

4.4

3.5

Shots on target %

54%

40.3%

Progressive carries

157

161

Attempted take-ons

83

232

Take-on success %

39.8%

44.8%

Shot-creating actions per 90

3.43

3.57

Goal-creating actions per 90

0.61

0.45

Average SofaScore rating

7.24

7.05

As the table outlines, Gittens is much more of a prolific dribbler; in fact, across Europe’s top five leagues, only six players attempted more take-ons, according to FBref.com.

However, Fofana is a significantly more of a direct goal-threat, underlined by the fact he registered more assists and a higher amount of expected assists, as well as goal-creating actions per 90 and a better shots on target percentage.

​​​​​​​

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes the Belgian international possesses “enormous potential” and has a “big future ahead”, while Brandon Liss of Total Football Analysis outlines how Fofana likes to hold width on the left side, tasked with taking on opposition full-backs, “working tirelessly” and demonstrating “excellent work rate”.

Meantime, Astorre Cerebróne of Breaking the Lines asserts that Fofana ‘has huge potential’, describing him as an ‘explosive winger​​​​​​​’ who ‘combines well with teammates’ and is a threat in front of goal.

Lyon are currently under pressure to sell and fast because they have been provisionally relegated to Ligue 2 due to financial irregularities, a situation that remains up in the air.

Thus, if Chelsea are able to take advantage of Lyon’s predicament and get a deal done, Fofana is unquestionably a top-class talent.

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3 ByKelan Sarson Jun 17, 2025

Burnley will be striving to return to their Premier League glory days under Scott Parker with the Clarets once a top-flight regular when Sean Dyche was positioned at the helm.

Indeed, the former Turf Moor favourite even steered Burnley to a very impressive seventh place finish come the end of the 2016/17 season, before the close of his up-and-down reign at the club saw relegation down to the Championship served up.

Vincent Kompany failed in his efforts to reinstate Burnley as a Premier League staple when he was in charge, meaning Parker will now be hopeful he can buck the trend, especially if a number of new, impactful signings enter through the door to help him out.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse Burnley's list of summer targets

Unfortunately, the majority of the transfer gossip coming out of Turf Moor currently involves outgoings rather than incomings, with CJ Egan-Riley reportedly closing in on a move away to RC Strasbourg.

But, there have been a few names in the air to excite Burnley fans regarding incomings, with Zian Flemming now a permanent part of Parker’s camp after a bright loan stint, alongside the newly promoted side showing a keen interest in the Swedish leagues when it comes to 20-year-old forward Abdoulie Manneh.

But, one of the freshest reports involving the Clarets sees them allegedly chasing down the services of £10m Union Berlin right-back Josip Juranovic alongside Daniel Farke’s Leeds United.

Journalist Graeme Bailey revealed a development recently, stating that Burnley are one of four Premier League clubs – which includes Fulham and West Ham United alongside the Whites and the Clarets – keeping close tabs on the attack-minded full-back.

Juranovic’s eye for an assist could see Burnley win their best option down the right flank since Kieran Trippier donned a Clarets strip, with the now Newcastle United man first earning his stripes in the Premier League on the books of the Lancashire side.

How Juranovic can be Burnley's best right-back since Trippier

It might well be forgotten about now that Trippier began his journey in the top-flight with the Clarets, considering his name is now synonymous with the elite division.

Indeed, the Magpies veteran has notched up a mammoth tally of 203 games in the Premier League, with a healthy 38 assists also coming his way across that stretch of clashes.

But, whilst his consistent heroics at St James’ Park have seen him win multiple England call-ups alongside lifting a solitary EFL Cup, his sturdiest overall career total of assists still stands with Burnley, with 37 coming his way from 185 games.

Juranovic will be aiming to come in and be as explosive down the right channel for Parker’s men, therefore, with the Zagreb-born defender already proving across his varied career to date that he can cut open a team for fun much like Trippier at his peak.

Juranovic’s G/A numbers by club

Club played for

Games

Goals

Assists

Hajduk Split

165

3

13

Union Berlin

62

4

6

Celtic

53

6

3

Legia Warszawa

41

2

10

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Looking at the table above, it’s clear Juranovic has been able to thrive when launched into some tough domestic divisions previously, with a high ten goal contributions coming his way from 62 games at his current employers in Berlin, alongside also starring in Scotland, Poland and his native Croatia.

Off the back of this, he should be able to come in and succeed in the Premier League, with his performances for Croatia on an international stage even seeing European football expert Zach Lowy label the 29-year-old as “immense.”

Further capable of lining up as a winger, a centre-back or a midfielder if needed, he could also be a perfect utility body for Parker to depend upon, away from potentially being Turf Moor’s second coming of Trippier.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson May 19, 2025

On Wednesday evening, it was the bright lights of the colossal arena that is the Bernabeu for Arsenal. On Sunday afternoon, it was a more intimate stage. This time it was Portman Road.

The scene was less glamorous, less dramatic, but it was another impressive win for Mikel Arteta’s side nonetheless.

Although Liverpool are the runaway leaders in the Premier League, the Gunners do still have something to play for.

Lose on Sunday, and the Reds would have wrapped up the title. Lose on Sunday, and the chasing pack in the race for the Champions League would have caught up.

Well, they did not suffer defeat. Instead, Arsenal were in a rampant mood, seeing off Ipswich 4-0 to cement their place as the division’s second-best team.

Arsenal's biggest statement makers on Sunday

Arteta’s men may well be in the semi-finals of the Champions League and second in the league but it’s safe to say this hasn’t been the rosiest of seasons for those at the Emirates Stadium.

Ever since Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury in December, their league form has deteriorated and hasn’t been consistent whatsoever.

Well, Saka is back and he’s already making inroads into the most difficult campaign of his senior career.

A goal in Madrid on Wednesday was followed up by another dazzling display in Suffolk this weekend, registering the pre-assist for the opening two goals, scored by Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli.

Saka was also on the end of a horrible tackle from Ipswich left-back Leif Davis, one that saw him receive a red card.

While Arsenal’s no.7 was able to carry on, he was substituted in the second half and was seen on the bench with strapping and ice wrapped around his ankle. Let’s hope that’s not a nasty injury.

Saka was certainly at his best, as too were the aforementioned Trossard and Martinelli.

The former was the scorer of two well-taken goals while the latter made it two in two, darting onto the end of Mikel Merino’s clever flick to find the net.

There was even time for a late Ethan Nwaneri deflected goal, putting the icing on top of the cake.

In truth, it was a perfect all-round display from the team but one key performer in red and white rather went under the radar.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Arsenal may have finally replaced Granit Xhaka

Back in 2023, Arsenal decided to cash in on their enigmatic midfielder Granit Xhaka.

The Swiss came off the back of a career-best haul of nine goals and seven assists in all competitions so losing him was a bitter blow.

Xhaka’s Premier League career at Arsenal
Season	Games	Goals	Assists	Yellow cards
2016/17	32	2	2	5
2017/18	38	1	7	10
2018/19	29	4	2	10
2019/20	31	1	2	10
2020/21	31	1	2	7
2021/22	27	1	2	10
2022/23	37	7	7	5
Figures via WhoScored

Unsurprisingly, his departure turned out to be key, even if Edu and Co did decide to sign Declan Rice that summer.

Xhaka was a vital component of the team that came so close to winning the league and his departure harmed the left-hand side of Arsenal’s attack.

No longer was Martinelli – a man who registered his own career best figures of 15 goals – being fed by his partner in crime. It left him to look rather average out on that left wing.

Well, in 2025, it looks as though Arteta has finally found the club’s new Xhaka in Merino.

The Spaniard had a pretty mediocre and troubled start to his career in the capital. Within days of his arrival, he sustained a shoulder injury, ruining his integration period at Colney.

While he did find the net in games against Liverpool and Brentford, we were not seeing the best of the former Real Sociedad man.

It’s remarkable, therefore, that it took a change in position for Merino to be unlocked fully. The game was that one against Leicester. Kai Havertz was out for the season and Arsenal needed a hero. On came Arsenal’s summer signing, having never played as a centre forward, to score twice.

Since then, he’s been exceptional in that striker berth, notably scoring against Chelsea and finding the net in that incredible 3-0 win over Real Madrid at the Emirates a few weeks ago.

Not just content with scoring goals, Merino has been a creative force too, demonstrating the type of traits Arteta has been crying out for since Xhaka left London behind.

While much of the Spain international’s good work has come as a striker, he’s also making an impact in midfield now, registering a cracking assist for Martinelli’s goal at Portman Road and supplying both of Arsenal’s goals in Spain a few days ago.

It’s that ability to ghost into the box that made Xhaka such a hit in his final campaign at Arsenal and is consequently the same attribute now making Merino a firm fan favourite.

In the words of Arsenal writer Charles Watts, the first half was a “45 minute clinic from Merino” who was “outstanding”.

Well, over the course of his 57 minutes on the field, he had 33 touches, won a whopping ten duels and completed six tackles, more than living up to a rather specific tag he was given upon arriving last summer.

Indeed, he was hailed as a “duel monster” by Gunners content creator Adam Keys, having been the only player in Europe’s top seven leagues to win over 300 duels last season.

So, it may have taken Merino several months to get up to speed after his £31.6m move but he’s now showing exactly why Arteta was so keen to sign him. At long, long last, it would appear Arsenal have someone capable of filling the Xhaka-shaped hole in the team.

Not just Trossard: 8/10 Arsenal ace produced his best game all season

Arsenal secured a convincing 4-0 win over Ipswich Town earlier on this afternoon.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 20, 2025

Switzerland and Como Women's ace Alisha Lehmann has been selected as one of the torch-bearers for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The former Aston Villa and Juventus star moved to Como in the summer, and has now been picked to run a key part of the symbolic relay, an honour bestowed on a rare few professional athletes at the events.

• Lehmann announces selection

  Lehmann has been confirmed as one of the torch-bearers for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will take place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in February of 2026. The Switzerland star joined Como in the summer from Juventus, and is one of the most followed female players on Instagram, as she boasts a staggering 16.1 million followers at the time of writing. She has, thusly, been announced as "the forward who will lead the way". 

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• Flame to travel across Italy

  Lehmann's route has yet to be announced, but the relay is already underway. It began in Greece, having been lit in Ancient Olympia, as a nod to the history of the Olympic games, and will now travel across Italy. At the time of writing, the torch is in Lamia, a city in central Greece. It will enter Italy on December 5, in Roma, and will travel across the country before eventually reaching Milan on February 4. There are a total of 60 stages to the relay.

• Getty
  

  Lehmann's season

  Lehmann has actually struggled immensely on the pitch this season. While she has made six appearances for Como, she has only completed 90 minutes once, and has yet to score or provide an assist. Nevertheless, she retains an immense social media following, and is one of the most marketable stars in the female game. 

  She explained in the summer that she joined Como due to a desire to "lead the movement" of expanding the women's game, but her form has yet to match her ambition. 

  She said: “It sends the message that being strong, ambitious and expressive can all go hand in hand; that’s important for the future of the sport,” says Lehmann, who likes the club’s “female-first mentality” and apparent ethos.

  “We’re in a moment where women’s football can define itself on its own terms, and independent clubs like Como Women have the opportunity in leading the movement. [It] isn’t just about winning matches. It’s about building something that lasts. This is the first time I’ve joined an independent club. That was a big part of my decision. It shows there is a different way of doing things.”

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• What comes next?

  It is not yet clear when Lehmann will run her leg of the relay but fans will be clamouring for the site of both the Como ace, and the historic Olympic flame. 

Australia’s T20I captain has a series against India starting on Wednesday but could return to Shield cricket after that

Andrew McGlashan27-Oct-20253:26

McGlashan: ‘Marnus has done everything asked of him’

The door remains open for Mitchell Marsh to return to Test cricket in the Ashes, with Australia head coach Andrew McDonald saying he’s batting “as well as he has for a long period of time”, while Usman Khawaja has endorsed his Queensland team-mate Matt Renshaw as the best option to partner him in the first Test.Speaking ahead of the T20I series against India but with much of the focus on the Ashes, McDonald said the selection panel would be confident picking a player out of white-ball cricket to face England, but added there could be a window for Marsh to return to the Sheffield Shield when it overlaps with the first two Tests.McDonald’s view is consistent with what was first stated back in April when the chair of selectors said Marsh’s Test career wasn’t over after his axing against India in January. In recent weeks the notion of a recall has gained traction amid Marsh’s impressive ODI and T20I form, which has brought 555 runs in his last ten innings.Related

Webster hopeful he doesn't get 'squeezed out' of Australia's XI for Perth Test

Marsh laughs off Ashes question as serious India task awaits

Renshaw makes swift Sheffield Shield return for final round of Ashes selection race

What does Pat Cummins' absence mean for Australia?

“We would be comfortable picking someone, and if you want to put a name to it, Mitch Marsh, out of white-ball cricket, if we felt like that was going to benefit the Test team,” McDonald said. “He’s the captain of the white-ball team. It’s very hard for him to vacate and balance out Test preparation, if he was to be in the window for that.”We feel he’s batting as well as he has for a long period of time. And when he got dropped last summer, I think he was one of our highest averages from Headingley [in the 2023 Ashes] to that point. He hit a bit of a flat patch there, and we felt it best at that time to bring Beau Webster in.”Marsh, Australia’s T20I captain and stand-in ODI leader, has played down the prospects of a Test return with varying degrees of humour over the past month, starting with a simple “no” in New Zealand when asked if he was thinking about to, to saying he’ll be “six beers deep” by lunch on day one having got tickets for the opening Test.”We still haven’t given up on Mitch Marsh’s Test career,” McDonald said. “So what would the prep look like for him? It would have to be through white ball or maybe some Shield cricket after white ball if he isn’t in that first squad and then [he] he can press his claim through that.Mitchell Marsh’s immediate priority is the T20I series against India•Cricket Australia via Getty Images”There’s Shield [rounds] five and six also when we’re playing the Test matches, where players that aren’t in the first Test will obviously go to work then.”Western Australia play a day-night game against South Australia from November 22 and then face Victoria in the final round before the Big Bash break. Marsh played two Shield games last season before the India series, where he was then dropped after six single-figure scores in seven innings.It’s unlikely Marsh would be an all-round option, having shelved his bowling and not done any since late last year against India.Meanwhile, Khawaja believes that Renshaw is ready to return to Test cricket as the selectors ponder over who will open in Perth. Sam Konstas is the incumbent alongside Khawaja, having done the job in the West Indies but has just one fifty in four Shield innings so far this season after his lean returns in the Caribbean.Marnus Labuschagne could yet take the role if both Cameron Green and Webster make the XI but Khawaja would prefer him to return at No. 3.”I think our best line-up has Marnus three, [Steve] Smith four and [Travis] Head five,” he said ahead of Queensland’s match against New South Wales at the Gabba. “I know if Renshaw is picked, that he is in the best space right now to have a crack at Australia again and be ready to score runs. Obviously, I am a little bit biased because he is my opening partner and a friend of mine, but he’s been there and done it. He has scored 184 for Australia.”He hasn’t done himself any harm with the way he has played in the last three matches in the one-dayers [against India]. He has taken the pressure on really well and looked the part, which he always does whenever he goes to the next level. You feel like he is one guy that really belongs at the next level.”