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Nottingham Forest’s summer rebuild shows no signs of slowing down.

After manager Nuno Espírito Santo voiced concerns about the lack of movement, the club has roared into action with a series of ambitious signings and bids that underline their intent to become a consistent European competitor.

Dan Ndoye, Igor Jesus, and Jair Cunha have all already arrived at the City Ground, while bids have been accepted for James McAtee and Omari Hutchinson.

Meanwhile, a £25m approach for Manchester City’s Rico Lewis has been rejected, and negotiations continue for forward Arnaud Kalimuendo.

The flurry of activity comes at a crucial time. Forest are preparing for a season that includes European football, a reward earned after finishing seventh in the Premier League last term.

Their place in the Europa League was secured after Crystal Palace were demoted to the Conference League following an unsuccessful appeal to CAS.

Forest kick off their domestic campaign against Brentford on Sunday, and while the opening fixture might come too soon for several of their potential recruits, the scale of their ambition is clear.

Nottingham Forest agree terms with midfielde

At the heart of Forest’s latest negotiations is Douglas Luiz, the Juventus midfielder who could form a partnership with Elliott Anderson in the centre of the park.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Forest have agreed personal terms with the Brazil, with only club-to-club negotiations left to finalise, as they look to bolster their midfield with a new addition.

It is now down to the Tricky Trees to agree a deal with Juventus to bring the former Aston Villa maestro to the City Ground for the 2025/26 campaign.

Analyst Ben Mattinson described him as a “box-crashing 8, who’s press resistant with a good technical base, passing range and ball-striking ability.”

The Brazilian joined Juventus from Aston Villa in a £45m deal but endured a difficult spell in Turin.

He failed to score or assist in 27 appearances and missed 20 games due to injury setbacks.

Used sparingly under both Igor Tudor and Thiago Motta, Luiz managed only six starts last season, while his solitary contribution at the Club World Cup amounted to just 45 minutes of football, per Sofascore.

Juventus are now open to recouping around £30m, with the player himself reportedly eager for a Premier League return.

Why Douglas Luiz is perfect for Elliot Anderson

Despite a subdued stint in Italy, Luiz’s pedigree remains strong, particularly when judged on his final season at Aston Villa.

His statistics then underlined his all-round game.

When compared against Juventus teammates last season, Luiz still showed flashes of quality despite limited minutes.

His 89.5% passing accuracy ranked fifth in the squad, while his 72.2% dribble success rate also placed him among the top five. In 841 minutes of action, he created three big chances and averaged 0.69 key passes per game, per FBref.

These numbers suggest that, given consistent playing time and a role tailored to his strengths, he could rediscover the form that made him such a prized asset in England.

For Forest fans, the prospect of pairing Luiz with Elliott Anderson is particularly enticing. Anderson joined from Newcastle United amid the Magpies’ well-documented struggles with PSR compliance in a deal worth £35m.

The transfer also saw goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos move the other way, while Yankuba Minteh left for Brighton to help balance the books at St James’ Park.

Anderson wasted no time making himself indispensable in Nottingham. He featured in 37 league games last season, contributing two goals and six assists,

His energy, versatility and ability to progress play made him a key part of the side that finished seventh on 65 points. Still only 22, he has caught the eye of England selectors and sits on the periphery of Thomas Tuchel’s squad in a World Cup year.

Statistically, Anderson has placed himself among the most effective midfielders in the Premier League across a range of important metrics.

His dribbling stands out, with the 22-year-old ranking in the 90th percentile for successful take-ons, averaging 1.19 per 90 minutes.

That ability to beat a man allows Forest to break opposition lines and progress play higher up the pitch.

He is equally influential in advanced areas, registering 2.38 touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, placing him in the 86th percentile league-wide. This shows how frequently he arrives in dangerous positions, complementing Forest’s forwards by adding an extra threat from midfield.

Defensively, Anderson is just as impressive. He averages 3.04 tackles per 90 minutes – enough to place him in the 88th percentile.

Alongside that, his reading of the game allows him to contribute 2.51 clearances per 90 (89th percentile), a figure that highlights his commitment to the defensive side of the game.

Perhaps most strikingly, Anderson has proven adept in the air. Despite standing at just 1.79m, he wins 1.85 aerial duels per 90, again ranking in the 89th percentile.

Pairing Luiz and Anderson could provide Forest with one of the most balanced midfields outside the Premier League’s traditional elite.

Luiz’s ability to dictate tempo, switch play and resist pressure would allow Anderson to thrive in more advanced areas, where his dribbling, pressing and box arrivals make him a constant threat.

In European fixtures, where possession and control become even more valuable, the partnership could give Forest an edge. Luiz’s Champions League and international experience adds another layer of quality and leadership.

For Anderson, lining up alongside such a seasoned professional would accelerate his development and give Forest a stable core around which to build. If Forest can finalise the deal with Juventus, it would represent a major coup.

Dream for McAtee: Nottingham Forest open talks to sign “world-class” talent

Nottingham Forest are planning for a resounding finish to their summer transfer window.

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 15, 2025

Everton are also credited with an interest in Luiz, but Forest’s project – European football, an ambitious recruitment drive, and a manager eager to impose his identity – may prove more persuasive.

For Nuno Espírito Santo, adding Luiz to a midfield already anchored by Anderson could be the key to competing on two fronts this season.

For Forest supporters, it would be further proof that their club is no longer content with merely surviving in the Premier League.

Kevin De Bruyne scored a second-half penalty to get Napoli back in the game against AC Milan before being subbed off by Antonio Conte in their first Serie A defeat. The Belgian looked frustrated as he walked off and went straight to the bench without acknowledging Conte. The coach said the decision was to bring fresh legs, adding he hoped De Bruyne’s displeasure was with the result, not him.

• Kevin De Bruyne wasn't happy with Conte's decision

  De Bruyne was one of Napoli's standout performers in their clash against AC Milan, orchestrating play from midfield and constantly probing the opposition defence. His most significant contribution came when he won a penalty after being tripped by a Milan defender while making a clever run into the box. The Belgian confidently stepped up and converted the penalty, briefly levelling the score for Napoli and showcasing his composure under pressure. Despite his strong performance, coach Conte chose to substitute De Bruyne around the 73rd minute. The decision clearly frustrated the player, who swiftly exited the pitch, notably bypassed Conte, and sat on the bench looking visibly disgruntled over being taken off at a crucial moment.

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  Conte's has no time to deal with tantrums

  Asked about the changes specifically substituting De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund in the 73rd minute, the coach said: "I tried to bring in fresh players for one-on-one situations because Milan were closing down a lot. I swapped the striker for Lucca and nothing happened… You make substitutions to try and do something good. I think they were the right changes."

  Sharing his take on De Bruyne's reaction, the coach said: "I hope he was upset about the result because if he was upset about something else he's got the wrong person."

  The Italian coach wasn't pleased with the result but defended the team's overall performance blaming the drop in defensive hold on the lack of players and a congested fixture run.

  "We've conceded a few more goals lately, seeing as we did the two goals against Pisa, the two goals today, and the goal against Fiorentina," he said. "Defensiveness has always been our strength, we'll have to be good at improving. Coming here with this performance and playing with this quality against Milan, who are a tough and physically strong team. If they close down, it becomes difficult… It has to give us a good feeling as a team."

• Napoli needs defensive reinforcements

  Napoli’s defence is in crisis with the absence of both Amir Rrahmani, out for several weeks with a muscle injury and expected to return in mid-October, and Alessandro Buongiorno, sidelined for about a month with an adductor injury, leaving the team short of centre-backs. Conte admitted after the Milan game that conceding more goals lately has been a problem and emphasised the need for defensive improvement, especially with only Juan Jesus and Sam Beukema left as fit centre-backs, while other defenders like Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Leonardo Spinazzola and Mathias Olivera are either suspended or fatigued.

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  Conte shifts focus to the Champions League

  Napoli will host Sporting CP in their crucial Champions League match on October 1. With several key defenders injured, Conte is counting on the young players to step up and deliver strong performances to keep the team competitive during this injury crisis.

Real Madrid took to social media to congratulate Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz on his recent Japan Open triumph. The victory sees Alcaraz strengthen his grip on the world No. 1 spot after recently overtaking Jannik Sinner. A passionate Madrid supporter himself, Alcaraz was praised by the club for his remarkable achievement.

• Alcaraz' win in Tokyo

  Carlos Alcaraz defeated American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 to win the Japan Open in Tokyo. With this victory, looks set to end the year as the world's No. 1 in the ATP rankings and becomes only the sixth player in history to win eight titles in a single season.

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• Madrid's congratulatory post

  Madrid's congratulatory message read: "Congratulations on your first victory in the Tokyo Tournament, dear Carlos Alcaraz. We Real Madrid fans are delighted with another triumph for the world number 1."

• Alcaraz's love for Madrid

  Hailing from the region of Murcia, Carlos Alcaraz is a passionate Real Madrid fan. He has often been spotted attending their matches alongside key figures at the club. Many supporters draw parallels between Alcaraz and Madrid, believing he embodies the same flair and determination that have defined the club’s rise to the top.

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  Madrid's upcoming challenge

  Alcaraz will be hoping his beloved Madrid can bounce back from their defeat to rivals Atletico when they face Kairat Almaty in the Champions League.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has revealed that he is sweating on the fitness of Ao Tanaka after the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal at The Emirates on Saturday.

Speaking after the game, the German head coach explained: “After a tackle in the first half, he had problems with his MCL.

“He kept going and I hope it’s not too bad. I hope the assessment is not too bad. There are a few concerns that it would be an injury but it’s normally positive that he could play further on. But we will have to assess him and we will see how long it takes to get him fit and back to full fitness.”

Farke says that he hopes that it is not a bad injury for Tanaka, and that feeling may be compounded by a similar injury to club captain Ethan Ampadu last week.

The Wales international is due to be out until after the international break, at least, with an MCL injury that was sustained against Everton on the opening day.

That injury to the skipper allowed Ilia Gruev to test himself at Premier League level against the Gunners on Saturday, but he was unable to impress with his showing in midfield.

Why Ilia Gruev may not be the answer for Leeds

Speaking ahead of the clash with Arsenal, Farke revealed that Sean Longstaff is more suited to playing as a number eight instead of as a replacement for Ampadu in the number six role, which is why Gruev was then selected against Arsenal.

Unfortunately, though, the Bulgaria international failed to show the defensive strength and quality that was needed to protect the back four, in what turned out to be a hammering by Mikel Arteta’s side.

The left-footed maestro only started 20 times in the Championship last season, per Sofascore, and won 52% of his duels in the second tier as Leeds largely dominated games with the ball.

Gruev’s lack of physicality meant that there was always going to be a question mark over his head going into the Premier League season, and his performances in the first two games have not changed that.

As you can see in the table above, the former Werder Bremen star has only won one of his four duels in 103 minutes of action in the top-flight to date.

His lack of physicality was on display in the 5-0 defeat to Arsenal as he only won one duel in 90 minutes against a side that was constantly attacking his half of the pitch, which shows that he was not offering enough protection in front of the back four.

The Championship champions are now reportedly keen on bringing in another option in that area of the pitch who could come in as an upgrade on Gruev.

Leeds eyeing move for Bundesliga midfielder

According to Monday’s edition of Bild, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds United are one of the teams in the race to sign Borussia Monchengladbach defensive midfielder Julian Weigl.

The report claims that the Premier League side and Al-Shabab FC are both contenders to land a deal for the Germany international before the end of the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that the Bundesliga outfit are set to allow him to move on before the deadline after the player requested to be allowed to explore a move elsewhere.

Sport Witness relay quotes from Gladbach director Roland Virkus explaining the situation: “The important thing was: He asked us to release him for talks. We are also in talks. That’s the way it is. That doesn’t mean he won’t return to the squad if they fail. That’s open. It was important for Julian to be able to hold talks with the clubs.”

It is said that Weigl is available for a fee of around £5m, amid interest from Leeds and Al-Shabab, and it is now down to the 49ers to get a deal done for the German star.

Why Leeds should sign Julian Weigl

Off the back of the injuries to Ampadu and Tanaka, securing a cut-price deal to sign Weigl from Gladbach as an upgrade on Gruev in the number six position could be a shrewd move by the club.

The 29-year-old star is a natural number six who could slot into that role at the base of the midfield when Ampadu is unavailable, or off the bench when needed.

Speaking about Weigl’s style of play, defender Marc Bartra once said: “He is very similar to Busquets. He dictates play from midfield and helps us a lot when we lose the ball, it looks like he always has everything under control. He really reminds me of Busquets a lot, even if there is obviously still some distance between the two of them.”

As someone who played alongside Busquets at Barcelona and Weigl at Borussia Dortmund, Barta is possibly the best-placed person to make such a connection, and it speaks to the profile of player that Leeds would be signing.

The German ace could be Farke’s own Busquets at the base of the midfield as an upgrade on Gruev who can offer more to the team out of possession in what is set to be a scrap to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

As you can see in the table above, Weigl ranked highly among his positional peers in the Bundesliga last season in a host of defensive metrics, including his success rate in duels on the deck and in the air.

These statistics show that he can be a dominant defensive force against opposition players at the top level, whilst Gruev was not outstanding physically in the Championship and has struggled with the physicality of the Premier League so far.

Weigl, who started 33 games in the Bundesliga last season, per Sofascore, is an experienced campaigner who has played for Farke in the past and has proven himself in one of Europe’s major leagues.

This is why he could come in as a fantastic bargain signing for £5m as an upgrade on Gruev due to the defensive and physical qualities that he can bring to the number six position as a Busquets-esque figure.

Gnonto upgrade: Leeds ready to pay £30m to sign "menacing" new star

Leeds United are reportedly willing to splash the cash to sign an upgrade on Wilfried Gnonto.

2

By
Dan Emery

Aug 25, 2025

This is why Farke should be pushing the club to get this deal done before the deadline because he could be an experienced alternative to Ampadu at the base of the midfield, as a strong and dependable option who can be relied upon as a defensive force.

Chelsea, once again, appear to be collecting all the wide-attackers they can get their hands on.

On deadline day, in a deal that had been in the pipeline for months, the Blues confirmed the signing of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United for a reported fee of £40m.

This summer alone, the Blues had also already added Estêvão Willian, Jamie Gittens, João Pedro and Kendry Páez to their ranks, all players who like to be deployed just behind a centre-forward, either out-wide or centrally.

However, is this continued mass summer spending actually blocking the pathways for Cobham’s most talented youngsters, one in particular who is still at the club, despite very nearly leaving?

Will Alejandro Garnacho improve Chelsea?

Despite the fact this transfer had been on the cards since May, it remains unclear where Garnacho will fit in at Chelsea.

As already alluded to, they have an abundance of attacking options, particularly in Garnacho’s favoured left-wing position, with Gittens starting there on the opening day of the Premier League season against Crystal Palace, while Pedro Neto has got the nod for the two subsequent matches.

So, when extrapolating Garnacho’s Premier League statistics from last season and comparing them to Chelsea’s players, how does the Argentine international compare? Let’s find out.

As the table outlines, among Chelsea players last season, only the now departed Noni Madueke registered more progressive carries than Garnacho, but the 21-year-old isn’t much of a clinical finisher, as underlined by his goals – xG figure, certainly more of a high volume shooter, but without much accuracy.

Thus, it remains to be seen whether or not Garnacho will actually improve Chelsea, so should Enzo Maresca prioritise giving minutes to a home-grown academy graduate?

Chelsea's next Cobham superstar

On deadline day, it appeared as though Tyrique George would become the latest Chelsea academy graduate sacrificed to help the club comply with the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules.

Fulham had agreed a £22m fee to sign the teenager, with George even completing a medical ahead of a move to Craven Cottage, only for them to pull the plug on the deal at the eleventh hour, signing Kevin from Shakhtar Donetsk and Samuel Chukwueze on loan from AC Milan instead.

Thus, George has returned to Chelsea, and this could turn out to be an absolute blessing.

Football analyst Ben Mattinson is certainly a fan, comparing him to a “young Callum Hudson-Odoi”, praising his “excellent ball manipulation” and outstanding “ball-striking” ability, asserting that he is “one of the very best in the world” in his age group.

It is easy to forget just how good Hudson-Odoi was when he first burst onto the scene, with the Blues famously rejecting a £70m bid from Bayern Munich for his services back in 2020, eventually selling him to Nottingham Forest for £3m three years later.

Well, George could be even better, after enjoying a breakout season last time round, accumulating 1,154 senior minutes, scoring his first-ever Premier League goal against Fulham on Easter Sunday, also netting against Legia Warszawa in the Conference League and during the 3-0 demolition of Espérance Sportive de Tunis at the Club World Cup.

Most of his minutes came in the Conference League, a key figure across the Blues’ 15 matches in the competition, with Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelling him one of England’s “most interesting” young talents, forecasting that he has a “big future ahead”.

Thus, especially given that they were prepared to sell him to Fulham, one has to be concerned about where George’s minutes will come from, but Maresca should prioritise giving him opportunities, given that he has a higher ceiling than Garnacho in particular.

Boehly ditched Chelsea's own Alexander Isak in "unbelievable" talent

The talented international could have an excellent season away from Chelsea.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 6, 2025

An assistant to the agent of striker Viktor Gyokeres has revealed that Manchester United agreed a higher fee than what Arsenal paid for the Swedish hitman. The Gunners won the race to sign Gyokeres earlier this year having been linked with the former Sporting striker and now-United star Benjamin Sesko. However, Sporting would have preferred to sell to United, who offered more for the player than Arsenal.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Gyokeres turned down Amorim reunion

  Arsenal won the race for Gyokeres, who went on strike to force through a move to the Emirates in the summer transfer window. The Gunners agreed a reported £64 million fee with Sporting for the powerhouse Sweden international, who scored 39 league goals last season.

  Many felt Gyokeres would opt for a move to Old Trafford, where he'd have reunited with former Sporting boss Ruben Amorim. The 27-year-old, though, favoured a move to the capital, turning down the opportunity to link up with the Portuguese boss once more and moving to the Gunners. 

  Meanwhile, Manchester United ended up splashing out £74m to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig instead, adding the forward to the squad along with fellow new attackers Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

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• 'United offered a higher transfer fee'

  Jonathan Chalkias, an assistant to Gyokeres' agent Hasan Cetinkaya, has now claimed that Sporting would have preferred to sell the forward to United, claiming that the Premier League powerhouse had agreed to pay over the odds for the former Coventry man.

  "There were crazy amounts offered from Saudi Arabia. We're supposed to act in our best interest," Chalkias told the Studio Allsvenskan podcast via the Daily Mail. "Do we have also have a percentage (of any fee)? Of course. It's a lot of money. Maybe Viktor should respond to that some day.

  "I don't think we pressured him once to accept the offer. At the end of the day, money comes and goes and this move to Arsenal brings us a lot of marketing. They (Sporting) had concluded a deal with Manchester United behind our backs, that was a problem. United offered a higher transfer fee."

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  Gyokeres faced criticism from Sporting supremo Varandas

  Gyokeres' efforts to force a move away from Sporting over the summer also drew criticism from Sporting President Frederico Varandas, who condemned the 'strategy' of the player and his entourage in order to secure a summer transfer. Varandas had threatened to hand Gyokeres a 'hefty fine' for his perceived lack of respect towards the defending Liga Portugal champions.

  "If the geniuses who are devising this strategy think that this puts pressure on me to make it easier for him to leave, not only are they completely wrong, but they are also making it more complicated for the player to leave," Varandas said.

  "No one is bigger than the club."

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• Agent hits back at Sporting president

  Chalkias, though, hit back at Varandas' criticism, stating: "If (Hugo) Viana were still at Sporting, the deal would have been done within an hour. Everything was written but we didn't have time to start a legal battle. I don't understand how a player who scored so many goals and won three trophies didn't deserve more respect.

  "The industry is about trusting people. The sacrifices we made were probably the turning point in getting the deal done. They offered him to Real Madrid, made headlines with Madrid and even United, but from day one there was a commitment to Arsenal."

  Gyokeres has made an indifferent start to life at Arsenal having scored just three league goals in his opening seven appearance for the Gunners, two of which came in a resounding home win over Leeds back in August.

  Arsenal return to action after the international break against Fulham on Saturday, October 18th, while Manchester United face a huge clash at Anfield against bitter rivals and defending Premier League champions Liverpool.

On Sunday afternoon, Alexander Isak will sit on the bench at Burnley’s Turf Moor. Perhaps he will be introduced in the second half, playing 20 or 30 minutes of football for his new club, Liverpool.

The main thing is that Liverpool prevailed in their summer-stretching bid to sign Newcastle United’s talisman, completing the highly-charged transfer on deadline day for a British-record £125m fee, not long after the Reds had broken the previous record when signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m.

Liverpool’s summer spending spree was conducted with the view from the FSG offices that it would be something of a one-off, a remarkable statement of strength that would secure Anfield’s future for many years to come.

And though some felt the deal was somewhat unnecessary after Hugo Ekitike joined from Eintracht Frankfurt earlier in the summer, it was absolutely right that Liverpool pushed hard to land the signature of one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards.

How Isak compares to Premier League strikers

Liverpool spent more this summer than any team had spent before across a single transfer window, and now Arne Slot’s side are expected to deliver: they must defend their Premier League title; they must battle against the continent’s finest for a seventh Champions League triumph.

Isak will help in the pursuit of all that. The 25-year-old scored 27 times for Newcastle last season and has emerged over the past few years as one of the best strikers in world football, so intelligent and influential and clinical in front of goal.

Mohamed Salah is known for his success in the final third, but Isak has actually been scoring at a more prolific rate since joining Newcastle from Real Sociedad in 2022, and the overload of creative quality at Slot’s disposal suggests the Swede will only go from strength to strength on Merseyside.

However, as already suggested, there are some who maybe feel that a record-breaking bid for Isak was superfluous, especially with Slot already having an Isak-esque talent in the ranks.

Liverpool already sold an Isak-esque talent

Sadio Mane was considered an irreplaceable part of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, and he was, but FSG hit the jackpot in signing a positional successor in Luis Diaz, who proved instrumental in winning a horde of silverware across his three-and-a-half years at the club.

A left-sided forward by trade, Diaz was regarded as a “magical” player by the likes of Liverpool reporter Matt Addison, not quite hitting the same clinical heights as Mane before him but still contributing crucially throughout his spell at the club.

And last year was his best of the bunch, posting 17 goals and eight assists across the campaign. While consistent performances as a striker were bound to raise his output, Diaz still played the role extremely well, never goal-hanging and instead adding a dimension to Liverpool’s build-up play and altogether widening the scope for the likes of Salah and Cody Gakpo, who both enjoyed terrific campaigns in front of goal.

Long regarded as one of the most electric and direct wingers in the Premier League, Slot opted to refashion Diaz into a centre-forward last season, with Darwin Nunez toiling in front of goal.

And the results reinforced that decision, just one of a myriad of tactical enforcements that have established Slot as a Premier League champion and “one of the best coaches” in the world, as remarked by analyst Joe Baker.

Isak arrives at Liverpool as an upgrade in regard to being a centre-forward, but Diaz offered something very distinctive, a blend of sharp-paced athleticism and nifty tricks on the ball, all translatable to an unnatural berth at number nine.

After all, Diaz ranked among the top 3% of positional peers in the Premier League last season for non-penalty goals scored per 90, statistics courtesy of data-led platform FBref.

This much-improved focus in the final third, combined with a dynamic approach to the physical side of the game, led FBref to liken Diaz to Newcastle’s Isak, who had been named by pundit Ally McCoist as being “the best all-round centre-forward” in England.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland might have more of a predatory instinct in front of goal, but you can see why Liverpool invested such an effort into signing Isak, who brings more to the table, who will carry something of Diaz’s style of play through the campaign.

Diaz was an immense and perhaps even underrated member of a multi-title-winning Liverpool side, but he appeared to have been pining for a transfer, first looking toward Barcelona and then Manchester City and the Saudi Pro League too, before eventually completing a move to Bayern Munich, where he is thriving.

It’s the news that Pep Guardiola’s side had come close to signing him that perhaps rankles some within the Reds fanbase, with Liverpool proposing to the Sky Blues a scenario in which City signed the Colombia international and Liverpool got Julian Alvarez in return upon realising that Diaz wanted to join their domestic rivals.

Diaz’s desire to leave Liverpool and join a domestic rival underscores a further similarity between his case and that of Slot’s new focal frontman, and let’s just be grateful that he was at least willing to remain at the club and continue to ply dutifully toward the outfit’s goals.

The versatile forward, in any case, served Liverpool extremely well, and though he carried some similarities to Isak, there’s no question that Liverpool fans and those involved at the club will consider the arrival of the Sweden star a significant upgrade and a fantastic deal, even though Isak’s signature came at such a premium.

FSG have already sold Liverpool's homegrown Zubimendi for just £15m

Former Liverpool player is now starring as a deep-lying playmaker reminiscent of Zubimendi.

By
Will Miller

Sep 12, 2025

England manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed how captain Harry Kane delivered a rousing speech to his team-mates after Tuesday's emphatic 5-0 win over Latvia in World Cup qualifying. Kane scored twice in the win as the Three Lions booked their place at World Cup 2026 with two games to spare. Tuchel's side also have a perfect record in qualifying so far, winning all six games and are yet to concede a single goal.

• England heading to the World Cup

  England became the first European nation to book their spot at World Cup 2026 after beating Latvia in Riga. Tuchel has enjoyed a flawless start as England boss since taking over from Sir Gareth Southgate and will now be targeting glory in North America, Mexico, and Canada next summer. Captain Kane will likely be key to England's hopes of success after adding two more goals to his international collection on Tuesday. That's now 76 from 110 appearances from Kane for England, with his two goals also ensuring another slice of history for the captain as he's now scored more than once for the Three Lions for the 13th time in his career. 

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  Kane's World Cup speech revealed

  Kane has been leading by example in World Cup qualifying, scoring six goals in six games for England, but also had some motivational words after his team clinched their spot in next summer's tournament. Tuchel revealed how he spoke to his team-mates after the victory: “I need to enjoy this moment. I can feel it in the dressing-room. It is a very special moment. It’s not daily business that you qualify for a World Cup. We will then think about how this affects our next camp. Harry just gave a speech when he said that everyone will be ready to keep this thing going in November, that no-one will step back and take this thing for granted. They feel they’re building something. Maybe it will give us the chance to try some stuff and manage minutes, but I can assure we will stay competitive no matter how we organise these two (qualifying) matches."

• England to experiment ahead of World Cup?

  England still have two more games to play in Group K but qualification may allow Tuchel to experiment and rotate his squad. Big names including Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish all missed out on the latest call-up and Tuchel has previously warned his players he is willing to leave some of his most talented players at home as he aims to find the best mix. England's penultimate World Cup qualifier is due to take place on November 13th against Serbia at Wembley before the Three Lions wrap up their campaign away to Andorra three days later.

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• Kane looks ahead to World Cup 2026

  Kane has already looked ahead to next summer's tournament and feels Tuchel is building an exciting team. He told the : "We’ve had a great start to the qualifying campaign. People just expect us to qualify but you still have to go out there and do it. The performance against Serbia (a 5-0 win in Belgrade last month) was at a really high level and that’s the standard we have to set for all the games going forward. Of course there’ll be tougher games on hopefully that run to winning the World Cup. We’re at the start of a mountain – there’s a long way to climb and there’ll be a lot of ups and downs along the way. What we’re building with the new coach (Thomas Tuchel) is that togetherness because once you get to that tournament, you’re going to be with each other for six, seven weeks so you have to be able to get along with each other.

  "Tuchel has a great record in major tournaments. That’s what it comes down to. There’s a lot of great teams – us being one of them – but ultimately it’s about who can pull it together at the right time. Tournaments are about moments. We got to two finals through big moments and stepping up and obviously we fell short in the final moment but that gives us confidence that we can be there and just take that extra step."

A manager who Jurgen Klopp once described as “incredible” is now the leading contender to replace Graham Potter at West Ham United.

Potter under serious pressure after Crystal Palace defeat

Potter would’ve been hoping the 3-0 victory at Nottingham Forest could be a turning point in the season, but there has been a return to the mean since the end of the international break, with West Ham suffering defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.

Fabrizio Romano has since confirmed that the West Ham hierarchy have started looking at new managers, saying: “Internal talks are taking place with eventual replacements being assessed. Decision could follow soon.”

A number of managers with Premier League experience have been identified as potential targets, including Gary O’Neil, Slaven Bilic, and Sean Dyche, but it has since emerged that a different manager is now the frontrunner for the job.

West Ham now weigh up concrete approach to sign £17m England international

West Ham now weighing up concrete approach for £17m England international.

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 21, 2025

That is according to a report from The Mirror, who reveal that West Ham are seriously considering parting ways with Potter, following their terrible start to the Premier League season, collecting just three points from their opening five games.

Nuno Espirito Santo is named as the leading contender to replace Potter, with the former Nottingham Forest boss being dismissed by Evangelos Marinakis earlier this month, despite leading the Tricky Trees to Europe for the first time in 30 years.

The upcoming fixture against Everton is likely to be crucial in deciding Potter’s future, with the Toffees set to travel to the London Stadium next Monday night.

"Incredible" Nuno could be major upgrade on Potter

Potter has experienced success in the Premier League in the past, impressing enough at Brighton & Hove Albion to get the Chelsea job, but the 50-year-old’s performance in his last two roles leaves a lot to be desired.

During his time at Stamford Bridge, the Englishman averaged just 1.42 points per match, lasting less than seven months, before going on to struggle considerably at West Ham, receiving widespread criticism from the fans after the recent defeat against Spurs.

Nuno, on the other hand, is vastly more experienced in the Premier League, with Klopp once praising the Portuguese manager for the work he did at Wolverhampton Wanderers, saying: “Nuno’s doing an incredible job. They are a talented team, the quality is big. It’s really rare, but apart from two or three games they played exactly the same three players in the last line the whole year, that’s unbelievable.”

The Sao Tome-born manager, who favours a 4-2-3-1 system, subsequently went on to be a success at Forest, averaging 1.48 points per match and guiding the Tricky Trees to a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League last season.

West Ham have spent a number of seasons in Europe in recent times, winning the UEFA Conference League in 2023, and there are clear indications Nuno could be capable of bringing European nights back to the London Stadium.

Manchester United’s Jess Park has been named the Women’s Super League Player of the Month for October, capping a dazzling start to life at Old Trafford after her summer move from Manchester City. Meanwhile, City’s Andree Jeglertz was crowned Manager of the Month, as his unbeaten side continued their charge towards the top of the WSL table.

• Park wins prize

  Park has made an instant impact at Manchester United since her cross-city move from Manchester City, and her performances throughout October have earned her the WSL Player of the Month award. The 21-year-old midfielder played a starring role in United’s 1-1 draw against reigning champions Chelsea, completing the most dribbles and duels in the match. She then followed that up with a brilliant two-goal cameo off the bench in a 4-1 comeback win against Everton, where she was named Player of the Match.

  Her energetic style has already made her a fan favourite at Old Trafford, with Park also ranking in the WSL’s top 10 for goal-creating actions and successful take-ons this season. While her October ended on a disappointing note after suffering a delayed concussion that ruled her out of the England squad, her influence on United’s attack has been undeniable. Park’s rapid adaptation under Marc Skinner highlights her potential to become a cornerstone of United’s midfield for years to come.

  This recognition marks Park’s first individual WSL honour since making her professional debut, further solidifying her status as one of English football’s brightest young stars. The award was voted for by a mix of supporters and a panel of experts, with Park edging out fellow nominees including Lynn Wilms, Jana Fernandez, Lize Kop, Iman Beney, and Aoba Fujino.

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  Jeglertz wins as well

  Manchester City head coach Jeglertz also received recognition for an exceptional 30 days, being named WSL Manager of the Month for October. His side continued their perfect league form, extending their winning streak to five matches after victories over Arsenal and Liverpool. The month began with an 88th-minute winner from Iman Beney in a thrilling 3-2 win over Arsenal, followed by a resilient 2-1 comeback at Anfield thanks to late goals from Beney and Fujino.

  Under Jeglertz’s guidance, City have emerged as one of the most entertaining and dominant attacking teams in the league. His blend of tactical flexibility and composure under pressure has been key to maintaining their title challenge, as they ended October just one point behind Chelsea. As of the international break, City’s 17 league goals made them the most prolific team in the WSL.

  Jeglertz’s success also marks a significant personal achievement for the Swedish coach, who only took charge earlier this year. Competing against strong nominees such as Jocelyn Precheur of the London City Lionesses, the City boss’s leadership has reinforced his growing reputation as one of Europe’s most forward-thinking managers in the women’s game.

• Kirsty Hanson wins Goal of the Month

  The Goal of the Month award went to Aston Villa winger Kirsty Hanson for her spectacular strike against West Ham United on October 5, 2025. With the game finely balanced at 0-0, Hanson exchanged a quick short corner with Lynn Wilms before driving toward the edge of the box and unleashing a thunderous left-footed effort into the far top corner. The goal was a defining moment for Villa, sealing their first WSL win of the season in a 2-0 triumph.

  Hanson’s strike showcased her trademark combination of power and precision — a reminder of her attacking quality and importance to Carla Ward’s team. The Scottish international’s moment of brilliance beat out several impressive nominees in the public vote, including Wilms’ stunning free-kick from the same game. The award adds another highlight to Hanson’s season, reinforcing her status as one of the WSL’s most technically gifted forwards.

  The October awards collectively underline the growing depth of talent in the women’s game, from Park’s emergence as United’s creative spark to Hanson’s goal-scoring heroics and Jeglertz’s tactical excellence at City. Each winner played a defining role in shaping one of the most competitive months of WSL football this season.

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  What comes next?

  Both Manchester clubs will aim to carry their momentum into November as the WSL title race intensifies. For United, Park’s form could prove crucial as Marc Skinner’s side looks to close the gap on the top three while maintaining attacking consistency in her absence. Her eventual return to action will be eagerly awaited, given the impact she has already made in red.

  Manchester City, meanwhile, will look to maintain their strong run under Jeglertz as they continue to challenge Chelsea for top spot. With attacking stars like Beney and Fujino hitting form, the Joie Stadium outfit appear well-equipped for a sustained title push. Elsewhere, Aston Villa will hope Hanson’s wonder goal sparks a resurgence after a slow start to the campaign.