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It’s because of the presidential elections, which means a travel day for Sri Lanka players and officials to go and vote

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2024Are the players just being lazy?
In an era in which even four-day Tests feel like a hard-sell, it does seem weird to have a match that stretches across six days. But no, the reason is that Sri Lanka is holding its presidential election on Saturday. These are the first major polls since the country overthrew its last president in 2022, and so kind of a big deal.And while the New Zealand players are free to relax at any of Galle’s beaches, most Sri Lanka players will be traveling to their electorate to vote. While this is simple enough for someone like Kamindu Mendis – a Galle local – it does represent a challenge for many others.The team is in fact organising a bus for those voting in Colombo, soon after play on Friday. They are expected to vote on Saturday morning and return. Some players must travel even further. Asitha Fernando is going to his electorate near his hometown Katuneriya, roughly 175 kilometres from Galle. Others, such as Lahiru Kumara, will go all the way to Kandy, about 225 km away.In addition to the players, many groundstaff, journalists, commentators, match officials, and board staff will also travel to vote.Couldn’t they have scheduled the Test around the election?
Not really. The Tests were being planned long before the election date was announced. And as New Zealand have a tight playing schedule – this series sandwiched between stints in India – the schedulers say the clash was pretty much unavoidable. Though, given the New Zealand vs Afghanistan match that was supposed to be played in Greater Noida did not see a single ball bowled, perhaps in retrospect they could have rocked up to Sri Lanka a few days earlier.Has this ever happened before?
Rest days were actually pretty common in Tests, right into the 1990s, so this is far from unprecedented (there’s a fact to throw at people who say cricketers had it tougher in decades gone by). In fact, it’s not even unprecedented for Test matches to take a break for an election – the same thing happened in 2008, to allow for Bangladesh’s parliamentary polls that year, also against Sri Lanka. That was the most recent rest day in the game.If the game goes till Monday, won’t it effectively be a day six pitch?
They will, of course, cover the Galle surface and keep it under wraps on Saturday, to prevent the sun and wind from drying it out.Perhaps the players will be fresher as a result?
Again, not really, in the medium term at least. What the boards have actually done is steal a “rest day” from in between the first and second Tests, and plonked it on September 21.There are only two free days between scheduled day five of the first Test, and day one of the second Test. This means there are 10 scheduled Test-match days in a 13-day period, which is normal for a two-Test series.They have been spared having to travel to another venue, however. The second Test will also be played in Galle.

Celtic could still potentially appoint Ange Postecoglou as their new manager for a second time, but it may be dependent on what Martin O’Neill does.

The Hoops are continuing their search for their next boss, with O’Neill coming in as interim boss for the time being, looking to steady the ship and get their Scottish Premiership title challenge back on track.

While many are expecting the Irishman to be in charge for a short amount of time, a new report has suggested that he could remain in the role for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.

Celtic supporters are no doubt divided about who they want to see as their next permanent manager, and how long they want to see O’Neill at the club for that matter, with a host of names being mentioned since Brendan Rodgers departed last week.

Club Brugge boss Nicky Hayen is seen as one of the favourites to come in, having enjoyed league and cup glory in Belgium in the past couple of years. He is far from the only option, with Lee Carsley, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane among those in the mix, too.

How Postecoglou could still make Celtic return

Speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed that Postecoglou could still make a shock return to Celtic at the end of the season when the timing is better for the Australian, meaning O’Neill may need to remain in temporary charge until then.

Postecoglou may not be rushing into a decision right now, as O’Rourke alludes to, but if he knows the Celtic job will become available next summer instead of right now, it may appeal to him.

The 60-year-old enjoyed a hugely successful spell at Parkhead in his first stint as manager, winning two Scottish Premiership titles and Scottish League Cups apiece, as well as one Scottish Cup.

Granted, his stock has fallen after disappointing spells at Tottenham and Nottingham Forest, despite winning the Europa League with the former, but he knows Celtic inside out and would bring an attacking brand of football that went down well with the fans first time around.

Celtic chiefs readying drastic action in Nicky Hayen pursuit with huge wages on offer

He is reportedly keen on taking charge at Parkhead.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 1, 2025

If O’Neill is only in interim charge for a short time, a different option feels best, though, with Postecoglou potentially mentally tired after a tough year.

Celtic have reached out to hire a "tactically unbeatable" manager – it's not Ange

2025 is the year of Cal Raleigh.

The Mariners catcher has been on an absolute tear this season, launching 38 home runs before the All-Star break and in doing so nearly eclipsing Barry Bonds' first-half home run record of 39. Raleigh then got to participate in the Home Run Derby, with his dad Todd pitching and his brother Todd Jr. catching.

Raleigh, commonly known among MLB fans as "Big Dumper" due to his sizable hindquarters, took home the Home Run Derby trophy, and soon after landed himself an absolutely perfect endorsement deal.

On Wednesday, Honey Bucket, a provider of portable toilets headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, announced that they'd reached an agreement on a new partnership with Raleigh.

"This exciting collaboration brings together two names that stand for grit, reliability, and performance under pressure. Whether it’s behind the plate or behind the scenes at construction sites, community events, and stadiums, both Raleigh and Honey Bucket share one mission: deliver when it counts," the brand said in its release about the partnership.

"Honey Bucket is the name behind the cleanest, most dependable restrooms in the game. As someone who understands the value of showing up prepared every single day, I’m proud to team up with a company that does the same," Raleigh said.

After his historic first half of the season, Raleigh will hope to stay locked in at the plate as he looks to break the record for most home runs hit by a catcher in a single season, while also helping to guide the Mariners to the postseason for the first time since 2022.

Former Inter striker Eder has revealed that Leicester City were interested in signing him in January 2016, but he chose to reject their offer and join Inter instead. He now admits he regrets the decision, as he struggled during his spell in Inter while Leicester went on to win the Premier League

• Eder's career

  Eder moved to Italy at the age of 19 and slowly worked his way up the football ladder before earning a breakthrough move to Sampdoria in 2012. Playing as a second striker behind the main number nine, he settled quickly and became an important part of the attack, scoring 49 goals in 135 appearances. His performances earned him a national team call up from Antonio Conte in 2015, and he was later included in Italy’s Euro 2016 squad. He contributed with his work rate and intelligence in the final third, operating as a second striker behind Graziano Pelle in Conte’s 3-5-2. 

  In 2016, Eder joined Inter, but his time there was disappointing, as he scored only 14 goals in 86 matches. After leaving Europe, he played in China and Brazil before retiring in 2024. 

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  Eder's regret of not answering Ranieri's calls

  Before moving to Inter on loan in January 2016, Eder had the chance to sign for English club Leicester City, but he turned down the opportunity to join Claudio Ranieri’s side. 

  In an interview with , Eder revealed that a deal with Leicester had been completed, but his decision changed after speaking with Inter coach Roberto Mancini and sporting director Piero Ausilio. Asked for a big regret in his career, he named the failed move to Leicester, saying: “I would have played behind Vardy, it was a done deal, but Mancini and Ausilio made me change my mind.”

  Eder admitted he now regrets the choice. When he informed Ranieri that he would not be joining Leicester, the Italian manager responded with class, telling him that he would enjoy himself at the club. Eder still opted for Inter, a decision that would ultimately backfire. He struggled for playing time at the Nerazzurri, while Leicester went on to win the Premier League. Reflecting on the moment, Eder said, “Ranieri replied like a gentleman: ‘If you want to have fun like a child, come to us.’ I went to Inter and played very little. Leicester won the championship.”

• Leicester's miraculous title win

  Leicester City’s 2015–16 Premier League title win remains one of the greatest underdog stories in football history. After narrowly avoiding relegation the previous season, the club entered the new campaign with modest expectations and a squad built on smart scouting rather than big spending. Under Ranieri, Leicester embraced a simple but highly effective style built around defensive discipline, explosive counterattacks and remarkable team spirit.

  Key players delivered career-defining performances. Vardy scored in 11 consecutive league games, setting a new record, while Riyad Mahrez dazzled with creativity and goals on the right flank. N’Golo Kante dominated midfield with his relentless energy, breaking up play and launching counterattacks. At the back, Wes Morgan and Robert Huth formed a solid partnership, protected by Kasper Schmeichel’s reliability in goal.

  Leicester’s consistency was extraordinary. They lost only three matches all season and regularly punished opponents who underestimated them. As traditional giants like Chelsea, Manchester City Arsenal and Manchester United struggled for form, Leicester maintained momentum and belief.

  Leicester defeated major sides such as Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Tottenham during their remarkable run to winning their first-ever Premier League title. 

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  Eder's latest ambition

  Being part of a sporting miracle like Leicester’s title win is a rare achievement, so it is understandable that Eder regrets missing out. However, he will look to put those regrets behind him as he now aims to earn the necessary licences and use his experience to work toward his ambition of growing into a directorial role.

  "I'd like to be a sporting director, but for now I'm enjoying my family. I would have liked to return to Sampdoria and finish my career there. Every now and then I look back at the goals I scored during that period: what a time," he said.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank privately doesn’t rate two of his Spurs players and a January exit could be on the cards for at least one of them, according to a new report.

Spurs played out a dramatic 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at lunchtime on Saturday, and the match brought with it a reoccurring theme of their season.

The Lilywhites seriously lacked creativity for large portions of the 90 minutes and were even booed off at half-time after United star Bryan Mbeumo handed the visitors a pretty deserved lead. Djed Spence’s “lackadaisical” defending in the build up to their opener, and Pape Sarr’s questionable decision not to clear, were key in handing Ruben Amorim’s side the early advantage.

Frank’s side had chances, testing Senne Lammens after the restart, particularly Cristian Romero from close range, but it looked more than likely the Red Devils would see out a fairly comfortable 1-0 win in the capital at one stage.

However, Frank’s substitutions were on hand to very nearly clinch a last-gasp three points and turn the game on its head.

Mathys Tel fed off Destiny Udogie’s sharp pass into the box to swivel and blast a deflected effort past Lammens, levelling the score and sparking real hope they could actually win the game.

Just minutes later, fellow sub Wilson Odobert set up Richarlison, who guided a deft header into the bottom corner to make it 2-1, with the Brazilian taking his shirt off and celebrating in raptures as the stadium went wild.

Spurs were suddenly on the verge of what looked like a very unlikely win and their first at home since the opening Premier League weekend, but their hearts were broken deep into added time when United defender Matthijs de Ligt equalised from a set piece.

For Frank, their home woes continue, having won just four of their last 20 league games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It doesn’t get any easier for them either, with a North London derby scheduled immediately after the international break and European champions PSG awaiting them in the Champions League just days later.

Off the field, Frank is now getting a good idea of which players he wants to stick with going forward as he continues his slow Tottenham rebuild.

While Richarlison put Spurs 2-1 ahead, you can make a serious case that he was largely ineffective against United, while Dominic Solanke is continuing his slow return to fitness.

Thomas Frank sees Solanke and Richarlison as "expendable" Tottenham players

In the build up to January, Tottenham have reportedly been exploring the possibility of signing a more impactful striker, and Al-Ahli star Ivan Toney is Frank’s “preferred” option.

That is according to Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey, who also reports that Frank views both Solanke and Richarlison as “expendable” Tottenham players.

Veysey adds that one of the duo could be sold to raise funds and make room for Toney, and it’ll likely be the latter.

Richarlison, whose contract expires in 2027, has been repeatedly linked with a Spurs exit in recent months and his form has been criticised — meaning that the 28-year-old may well be sacrificed as Frank eyes a reunion with Toney at N17.

Toney has been free scoring in Saudi Arabia since joining Al-Ahli last year, bagging 41 strikes in 59 total appearances, but his place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad is far from certain.

The former Brentford star, bar one call-up last summer, has been excluded from the Three Lions set up and a loan move back to the Premier League could be the answer ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

Frank, meanwhile, has made no secret of his admiration for the number nine, once joking that he’s worth ‘£100 million-plus’.

The exclusion hurt him, but it gave him a break that he perhaps needed after two years of carrying an intense workload. Now he’s back, and back to his best

Sidharth Monga06-Apr-20251:31

Rayudu: Siraj’s comeback since India omission has been amazing

Mohammed Siraj had been doing well for India in both limited-overs formats for some time when he was left out of their squad for the Champions Trophy. Even in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, Siraj didn’t find a place in the 15-man squad. India wanted a left-arm quick, a tall, into-the-pitch bowler, and the expected conditions put a premium on the extra spinner. There was only one spot left for the traditional seam bowler, which went to Mohammed Shami, who was returning from injury.India were looking for someone who could run through a side when he got on a roll. Siraj had been doing this in 2023, but had gradually become a steady bowler since then. He didn’t have out-and-out bad days, but he didn’t run away with big hauls either. As any proud competitor, Siraj was upset by this exclusion coming hot on the heels of a release from his beloved IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).”To be honest, at the start, I couldn’t digest it,” Siraj said after his second straight Player-of-the-Match performance in IPL 2025, for Gujarat Titans (GT) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Put together international cricket and the IPL, and he won two in all of 2024. Now he has two in four days.Related

• Rayudu: Sai Kishore 'as good as anybody' in the Indian team

• Siraj, Gill and Washington hand Sunrisers fourth successive defeat

• Vettori: 'We understand the ramifications of losing four in a row'

• Nearly man Washington makes rare opportunity count

It will not quite be fair to call his exclusion a blessing in disguise, because there is no guarantee Siraj wouldn’t have done well in the Champions Trophy, but the break it gave him seems to have done him good. Through that break, Siraj followed the classic arc of struggling to come to terms with it before putting in the hard work to try and come back better.”I reached a point when I had to convince my mind that my cricket is not over,” Siraj said. “That I have bigger plans. Okay, this [Champions Trophy] was not in my destiny, but what can I do now? I got my mindset right, I worked on my fitness. I was playing non-stop, so I didn’t have time to reflect on what mistakes had crept into my game. So I worked on it. Now I am enjoying my bowling. The body is fresh, I am not overthinking, I am staying in the present.”It is important to remember that as Shami and Bumrah grappled with fitness issues, Siraj was the one constant in India’s team. He was perhaps denied the break that fast bowlers need to carry out running repairs. Since the start of 2023, only Ravindra Jadeja has bowled more overs for India than Siraj.Mohammed Siraj won his second Player of the Match award in a row•AFP/Getty ImagesNow Siraj already has more powerplay wickets in this IPL – six – than he managed in the entirety of the 2024 season. Again, just looking at wickets is neither accurate nor fair when it comes to T20. It’s his control that has been impressive. In this game – played on a slow and low pitch – Siraj bowled three straight overs in the powerplay. Only five deliveries went fuller than good length. Three of them were just a fact-finding mission in the first over.Once he knew there was no swing, Siraj bowled almost robotically to capitalise on the lack of pace in the pitch. There was no anxiety to go looking for wickets. The result was 11 dot balls to Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, and both their wickets.With the old ball, Siraj drew a hint of reverse swing – he acknowledged the use of saliva to maintain the ball – which has been reinstated in this IPL – helped him pick up two more wickets at the death.In his last game, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Siraj started the match with a sharp bouncer that nearly got Phil Salt out first ball. Only a handful of games in the 18 years of the IPL have started with a short ball bowled in anger. That Siraj was sharp enough from the get-go to bowl one with both venom and direction perhaps said something about his state of mind and body. There is perhaps a freshness to Siraj that makes a case for regular breaks. But now that Siraj finds himself on a roll, GT – and India? – won’t want to miss a thing.

Tottenham are finally looking to "fill the void" left by club legend Harry Kane's departure to Bayern Munich as they target a new striker. Kane left his boyhood club in the summer of 2023 in search of a new challenge as he joined the Bundesliga giants for a record fee. The England international has enjoyed a purple patch since moving to Germany and also won his maiden trophy of his career when Bayern lifted the Bundesliga title in 2025.

• Tottenham yet to replace Kane

  Tottenham have not yet filled the gaping hole left in their attack when Kane exited for Bayern in 2023. They did sign a few attacking players, with Dominic Solanke joining the club last year, while Randal Kolo Muani was signed on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the last transfer window. In between they also lost Heung-min as another Spurs legend exited Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after his contract expired in the summer. Thomas Frank also has Richarlison in his ranks but the Premier League side have not found an ideal replacement for the England captain, who used to score for fun during his time in north London.

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  Spurs eye move for nine-goal striker

  In a search for a prolific scorer, Spurs are ready to explore the transfer market once the January window opens. According to , the English side are keen on signing FC Porto star Samu Aghehowa. The youngster is widely considered to be one of the brightest prospects in Europe. Aghehowa enjoyed a stellar debut campaign in Portugal last season as he scored 27 goals across all competitions and provided three assists. In the 2025-26 campaign, the 21-year-old has scored nine goals in 15 appearances in all competitions.

  In Frank's system – a manager who has a reputation for nurturing quality forwards, as he did at  Brentford with Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins – Aghehowa is considered to be a perfect fit and someone who can end their attacking woes as Spurs finally look to replace Kane in their frontline. 

• Chelsea in race to sign Aghehowa

  Earlier this month, reported that Chelsea are also keen on signing the striker and will provide Tottenham with fierce competition to secure the youngster's transfer. The Blues were linked with a move for the Spanish hitman in the summer of 2024 and had even agreed to pay £35 million ($44m) to secure his transfer, but the move collapsed at the last moment after Aghehowa failed his medical test, after sustaining an ankle injury. The youngster returned to Atletico Madrid before being shipped off to Porto, where he has thrived.

  The report further added that former Chelsea manager and current Porto president Andre Villas-Boas is ready to sanction a move for Aghehowa. His current deal at the Liga Portugal side runs until 2029 and has a €100 million (£88m/$116m) release clause. However, Villas-Boas could let him leave for €80m (£70m/$92m) as he considers it to be an "irresistible deal". The report also claims that Porto are ready to sell the striker in the upcoming January transfer window due to financial pressure, and the club believes that is is well covered in the centre-forward position and feels that the management will be able to find a suitable replacement for Aghehowa within the roster.

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  Spurs' nightmare in north London derby

  Frank's side suffered a shocking 4-1 loss at the hands of eternal rivals Arsenal on Sunday as they slipped down the Premier League table. Eberechi Eze, who was also linked with a move to Spurs in the summer before Arsenal hijacked the move, scored a brilliant hat-trick.

  The Spurs boss was understandably unhappy at the end of the game as he said: "That [lack of creativity] has been an ongoing theme that we are working hard to improve. It doesn't look good today or against Chelsea. We need to keep working on it. There were a lot of things in this game we need to do better. We are four months into it and they are further in their journey as a team and that was very obvious today. Of course, there will be noise. We played against our biggest rivals and we lost badly. But we keep noise out and we focus. I know this tam is very competitive. I know this team is competitive and we showed that against Man City and PSG. Of course, it looks bad today and it was not good enough."

Fast bowler has taken cautious route to recovery after knee surgery but says he’s nearly ready for action

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2025Mark Wood says he is “quietly confident” that he will be fit and ready to perform in the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21.Wood was England’s leading wicket-taker in their 4-0 loss in the 2021-22 Ashes and blew Australia away with his pace to be named player of the match at Headingley in the 2023 series. But he has not bowled in a competitive match since the Champions Trophy in February, missing the entire English summer after surgery on his knee.He had initially targeted the fifth Test of England’s Test series against India for a potential comeback and was seen bowling with international team-mates in the nets throughout the summer. However, he reported swelling which required fluid to be drained from his knee. A similar setback saw him miss out on Durham’s County Championship run-in.Wood is due to arrive in New Zealand next week where he will join up with England’s white-ball squads and step up his rehabilitation, though he will not feature in a competitive match. He has been bowling in the heated marquee at England’s training base in Loughborough in recent weeks, and believes he is in a “good position” ahead of the Ashes.”It was a frustrating summer,” Wood told the podcast. “I didn’t get to play any cricket and my knee, at times when you think that you’re just about ready to play, it was not just quite there.Related

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• Cook calls on England to back Pope for Ashes

“I got knocked back a couple of times, but in the tent it’s been going well. I’ve had the speed gun out and the pace is getting up there, so I’m building nicely into New Zealand first, and then the Australian leg.”Hopefully, I’m in form, bowling well in the practice games and in the nets, and can put my hand up for that game [in Perth]. The rehab hasn’t just been a straight curve. It’s been a bit up and down, but I’m in a good position now where I’m hoping to kick on for that game.”I never want to give an answer where I say, ‘Yes, I’m pumped, I’m ready’. But I’m in a confident place at the minute and feeling a lot more positive, so I’m quietly confident.”Wood said that his rehabilitation from knee surgery has been different to previous elbow and ankle injuries, and described the process as “annoying”. He explained: “You keep thinking, ‘I’m nearly there’ and you’re just about to press the trigger to play. The fifth Test against India, I was so close, and then when I was at my top speed, my knee swelled up so I had to have it drained.”Then again at the back end of the year with Durham, I was so close to playing a game, but again, I just kept getting this slight swelling. The ECB, with what was coming up, were like, ‘Look, it’s a risk we don’t need to take.’ Thankfully, the last few times I’ve bowled, there hasn’t been that swelling there. It’s much more positive.”Wood has also spent some of this summer building his coaching credentials for his post-playing career, including a short stint with the England Lions. He is studying for his Level Three coaching qualification in the same cohort as several former England players, including Steven Finn, Chris Jordan, Sarah Taylor and Chris Woakes.

Newcastle United supporters are frustrated at the moment, and justifiably so.

Only last weekend, Eddie Howe’s side put in a herculean performance, a display of great resilience and strength, to see off Manchester City in the Premier League.

But that was at St. James’ Park, and the Magpies’ issues on the road deepened against Marseille in the Champions League, going ahead through the in-form Harvey Barnes but succumbing to defeat after two second-half strikes from Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

As Barnes goes from strength to strength, with three goals from his past two Premier League matches too, Anthony Gordon’s struggles on Tyneside have been accentuated.

The England international is among the most talented players in Howe’s squad, but he’s not been at the races this season.

Anthony Gordon's form for Newcastle

Gordon took some time to get going at Newcastle after joining from Everton for £45m in January 2023, but he thrived across the 2023/24 campaign, winning the club’s Player of the Year after recording 11 goals and ten assists in the Premier League.

Last season was a testing one for the 24-year-old on an individual level, though, and he’s sunk deeper into his struggles this season, yet to score or assist in the Premier League.

Though Gordon is impressing in front of goal on the continent, he’s been out of sorts as a whole this season, with Newcastle blogger Thomas Hammond saying “a summer sale is looking more and more favourable” given clubs like Liverpool have been interested in the £100m-rated winger in the past.

There’s a tenacity and will to win embedded in Gordon’s footballing brain, but this has led to some questionable decision-making, with the £150k-per-week talent sent off three times across 120 appearances as a Magpie.

And with Barnes getting better and better, it could be that PIF look to cash in on their profitable asset going forward. After all, if he continues to struggle, his market value will only depreciate.

Against Marseille, Howe opted to field Gordon as his central striker. This is nothing new, but the versatile forward toiled away. Considering the different variables, there might be cause for Gordon to be sold, especially when considering another Newcastle star’s form this season.

The Newcastle star who could end Gordon's stay

Since arriving on Tyneside at the end of August, Nick Woltemade has been a revelation for Newcastle.

The 23-year-old completed a club-record move from Stuttgart to St. James’ Park after establishing himself as one of German football’s most exciting up-and-coming strikers, and while Howe’s side have problems, six goals from his first 16 games for the club suggest the jackpot has been struck.

The 6 foot 6 star is far more than just a goalscorer, of course, and his ability to drop deep and influence across different areas of the pitch suggests that Woltemade could play alongside Yoane Wissa when the DR Congo star returns to fitness.

And he’s thriving for Germany too. Woltemade is nailing down his claim for the number nine spot ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America, having posted four goals from his past three matches for his nation.

Hailed as a “world-class talent” by content creator Adam Pearson, Woltemade cannot be expected to haul all this weight by himself each week. He needs players like Gordon to step up.

But with Barnes establishing himself as United’s clear-cut left winger and Wissa soon to enter the equation as he nears the end of the recovery from a knee injury that has kept him out since signing for the club from Brentford last year, there’s a sense that Gordon may find regular minutes from the outset hard to come by down the line.

Woltemade is not a winger, of course, but he does bring many dynamic qualities to the table that emphasise his protean attacking ability. As per data-led site FBref, the German ranks among the top 9% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90.

His knack at finding space to shoot and then doing so clinically is the staple of his skillset, but Woltemade is also a menace in that he has different creative and athletic attributes that help him transcend his striking role.

Could we see a scenario in which Woltemade plays alongside Wissa, flanked by Barnes and Anthony Elanga? It might be the case, and with Newcastle eager to strengthen across the park next summer – notably with a deal for academy product Elliot Anderson in the pipeline – there’s a case to be made that Gordon’s days on Tyneside could be numbered.

He has, of course, proven himself at Newcastle before, but time is running out for Gordon to reestablish himself as one of Howe’s talismanic forwards, and while Barnes appears the most direct threat to his place in the starting line-up, Woltemade’s continual growth adds another chapter to the story.

PIF have signed an "explosive" talent who can end Gordon's Newcastle career

Newcastle United already have an exciting attacker up their sleeve who can end Anthony Gordon’s stalling Magpies career.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 27, 2025

There were a number of records made in Headingley as England scripted another memorable win

Sampath Bandarupalli24-Jun-2025371 – The target England chased down at Headingley. It is the second-highest fourth-innings chase for England in Test cricket and the second-biggest by any team against India. The highest was when England chased down 378 against India in 2022 at Edgbaston.ESPNcricinfo Ltd350 – The runs England needed to score at the start of the fifth day’s play. Only one team has successfully chased a higher total on the last scheduled day of a Test match – 404 by Australia against England on day five of the 1948 Headingley Test.1 – India became the first team to lose a Test match after scoring five individual centuries. Only once before has a team lost a Test with four hundreds – Australia against England in Melbourne in 1928.835 – Runs that India aggregated in the Headingley Test, the fourth-highest to end up on the losing side. The previous highest for India in a losing cause was 759 against Australia in 2014 in Adelaide.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 – Number of Test matches with 350-plus totals in all four innings. The previous two such instances came in the Ashes – in 1921 in Adelaide and in 1948 in Headingley.1673 – Runs aggregated by England and India at Headingley, the highest for any Test match between the two sides. The previous highest was 1614 runs in Manchester in 1990, which ended in a draw. The 1673 runs are also the fifth-highest aggregate for any Test match not to end in a draw.5 – Number of successful 300-plus chases in the fourth innings at Headingley. The only other venue with more than two successful 300-plus chases is Durban’s Kingsmead with three.ESPNcricinfo Ltd149 – Ben Duckett’s score is the highest by any batter in the fourth innings of a Test match against India, bettering Joe Root’s 142* at Edgbaston in 2022.Duckett’s 149 is also the second-highest score by an England opener in the fourth innings, behind Mike Atherton’s 185* against South Africa in 1995.188 – The opening partnership between Duckett and Zak Crawley is the fifth-highest in the fourth innings of a Test match. It is also the second-highest for England, behind the 203 by Atherton and Graham Gooch against Australia in 1991.12 – Batters to have ended on the losing side despite scoring hundreds in both innings of a Test match, Rishabh Pant joining the list after the Headingley Test. The last of the previous eleven was Brendan Taylor against Bangladesh in 2018.