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Newcastle United still have just one win to their name in the early Premier League standings.

Yet, that doesn’t tell the full tale of the Magpies’ wobbly start to the season, with Eddie Howe’s men also only losing one game, as the Toon had to settle for another draw on the road against AFC Bournemouth.

In truth, with just four shots registered on the South Coast, the visitors to the South Coast were somewhat lucky to come away from the drab affair with a 0-0 draw still intact, as several of Howe’s first team struggled to get going against the Cherries.

The main Newcastle underperformers vs Bournemouth

While Arsenal and Manchester City would offer up plenty of entertainment on Sunday, it’s fair to say the encounter between Bournemouth and Newcastle was a little lacking on the action front, on the contrary.

Indeed, Nick Woltemade didn’t exactly boost the Toon as they attempted to play on the front foot, with the 6-foot-6 attacker failing to register a single on-target effort at the home side’s goal, before he was hauled off the Vitality Stadium turf with just six minutes remaining.

Another of Newcastle’s new signings, Malick Thiaw, also failed to put in a convincing display, as seen in the German centre-back winning just 50% of his duels, alongside being a very fortunate individual that he wasn’t dismissed with ten minutes left on the clock when clashing with a Cherries shirt, after already picking up a yellow card.

Lewis Miley also failed to grasp his first-team opportunity as Howe made many changes from Newcastle’s Thursday night defeat to Barcelona, but one of Miley’s teammates in the middle put in an even more uninspiring display than the promising 19-year-old, to now find himself on borrowed time under his manager.

The Newcastle flop who is on borrowed time

At least with both Miley and Thiaw, they should have plenty more to give to the Newcastle cause going forward, with the teenage sensation previously showing he belongs in the senior picture, while Thiaw did register four interceptions (per Sofascore) against Andoni Iraola’s men when not finding himself tangled in contentious moments on the pitch.

The same level of patience won’t be extended to Joe Willock, however, with the 26-year-old’s below-par showing on Sunday only strengthening why Howe hasn’t been picking him for some time now.

Willock’s performance in numbers

Stat

Willock

Minutes played

62

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

32

Accurate passes

12/15 (80%)

Key passes

0

Total duels won

6/11

Stats by Sofascore

Last season saw the forgotten ex-Arsenal midfielder only make 11 Premier League starts, with Willock drafted into the XI against Bournemouth owing to some rusty legs after Champions League action.

Based on his passive display, though, Willock will be lucky to reach the same amount of starts he was afforded last season across the remainder of this campaign, with the one-time breath of fresh air at St James’ Park – who once managed eight league goals in just one season – struggling to even trump Nick Pope in terms of touches of the ball.

Indeed, Willock would only go on to amass a lacklustre 32 touches of the ball next to Pope’s weightier 42 (per Sofascore), while also only being able to accurately complete 12 passes all afternoon. In stark contrast, Sandro Tonali, who is a guaranteed starter week in week out centrally, would trudge off the pitch at the end with 49 accurate passes in tow.

It’s a no-brainer, therefore, for Howe to just reinstate both Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes to their usual positions next to Tonali when Arsenal come to town next in league action, with Willock no doubt looking out of his depth if he were handed a surprise second consecutive start against his former employers.

With Howe stating at the final whistle that his team were somewhat careless on the ball, it’s clear that the declining 26-year-old needs to be replaced instantly for the test of Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, having also been handed a low 4/10 rating post-match by journalist Lee Ryder, who noted that Willock looked “miles off it.”

There will be a tinge of sadness at the end of the Magpies right now, considering Willock does have a hefty 18 goals and eight assists up his sleeve on Tyneside from 148 total clashes.

But, it does appear as if the number 28 is staring the end of his Newcastle career straight in the face now, with Howe certainly less keen to hand him significant minutes moving forward after his no-show on the South Coast.

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It’s been a busy international break at Nottingham Forest, but could their weekend opponents Arsenal be the biggest short-term beneficiaries?

Last week, after a public falling out with owner Evangelos Marinakis, Nuno Espírito Santo was sacked as Forest manager, with Ange Postecoglou unveiled as his replacement the following morning.

One could not really find a bigger stylistic shift in world football than going from Nuno to Ange, so it’ll be fascinating to see how Forest set up at the Emirates, given the success they enjoyed last season in big games by sitting deep and counter attacking.

We’re assuming a rather different approach will be on show henceforth.

During his time across North London with Tottenham, Postecoglou’s team were renowned for their high line, most memorably during Spurs’ infamous 4-1 defeat at the hands of Chelsea, in which they went down to nine men but continued playing their way.

Well, as Arsenal look to expose such a tactic come Saturday lunchtime, which member of Mikel Arteta’s squad will help get the best out of their new superstar centre-forward?

Viktor Gyökeres' start to life as Arsenal's number nine

After three Premier League games, Viktor Gyökeres has made a mixed start to life at Arsenal.

In the big away games at Old Trafford and Anfield, the Swedish centre-forward has been nothing more than a peripheral figure, touching the ball a mere 15 times on Merseyside, after enjoying only 19 touches against Manchester United.

However, in between, as Arteta’s side demolished Leeds United 5-0 at home, Gyökeres bagged a brace, the second a penalty but the first a trademark goal, bursting in behind, cutting inside from the left and deceiving Lucas Perri by lashing into the near bottom corner.

As Arsenal supporters who spent the entire summer watching goal completions will know, during his two seasons at Sporting CP, scoring a whopping 97 goals for the Lisbon-based giants, a lot of his goals in the Primeira Liga were just like that.

The problem is, in the vast majority of home matches, opposition teams sit deep and frustrate Arsenal, a challenge they often fail to overcome, resulting in the Gunners dropping points when Everton, West Ham, Brentford and others visited last season.

Well, now that Forest are led by Postecoglou, one would imagine they will not set up in that way, potentially making this the perfect game for Gyökeres, but which teammate will unleash his full potential?

The Arsenal star looking to rediscover his magic

Among many of the issues that inhibited Arsenal last season was the downturn in form endured by Martin Ødegaard.

The £30m midfielder suffered an ankle injury during Norway’s 2-1 victory over Austria on 9 September last year, making his return against Inter Milan in the Champions League on 6 November, but it was clear that he wasn’t 100% fit that night at San Siro, nor for the rest of the season thereafter if we’re honest.

Thus, with most hoping a summer rest would help Ødegaard get back to his best, it was far from ideal that he suffered a shoulder injury against Leeds but, after starting both internationals last week, he’ll be available to take on Forest this weekend.

Last season, the captain contributed just six goals and 12 assists, having registered 11 goals and 12 assists the season before, his most productive campaign in front of goal coming back in 2022/23, when he netted 15 times in the Premier League.

So, could the arrival of Gyökeres help Ødegaard get back to his best?

Well, Norway’s World Cup qualifier this week gave us a sense of what he can still produce, scoring once and bagging two assists for Erling Braut Håland as they annihilated Moldova 11-1 in Oslo on Tuesday.

Ødegaard played some stupendous through balls for Håland at the Ullevål, and his statistics in UEFA World Cup qualifying more broadly underline how productive he can still be.

Shots

16

8th

Passes

400

6th

Accurate passes

357

8th

Acc passes attacking half

258

4th

Big chances created

7

2nd

Key passes

27

1st

Passes to assist

2

1st

Average Sofascore rating

8.76

5th

As the table documents, Ødegaard has been one of the most outstanding players in European World Cup qualifying, central to Norway’s success, Ståle Solbakken’s side having won five out of five so far, scoring 24 goals, thereby on the cusp of a first major tournament since Euro 2000.

His tally of 27 key passes is eight more than Sorba Thomas of Wales and Czechia’s Václav Černý, who are joint-second on the list.

So now, can Arsenal’s club captain replicate this form at club level?

Well, in many ways, Gyökeres and Håland are very similar centre-forwards, with the Swede currently going through a comparable adaptation period that the Norwegian endured during his early months at Manchester City.

Chalkboard

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

So, while there is obviously plenty of clamour for Eberechi Eze to make his full-Arsenal debut, Arteta must get his captain back in the lineup this weekend, possibly alongside Eze, as he will get the best out of Gyökeres, thereby taking advantage of Postecoglou’s kamikaze high line.

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The defending champions steamrolled past South Africa, with their spinners ruling the roost

Sruthi Ravindranath02-Feb-2025India’s spin bowlers continued to be as brilliant as they’ve been throughout the tournament to take them to their second consecutive ICC Under-19 T20 World Cup title. On the back of the efforts of Aayushi Shukla, G Trisha, Vaishnavi Sharma and Parunika Sisodia – who took nine wickets between them – India restricted South Africa to 82. Trisha then starred with the bat as well, helping chase down a simple target in 11.2 overs to leave a heartbroken South African side in tears at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur.After captain Kayla Reyneke opted to bat, South Africa started strongly in the first over with opener Jemma Botha belting two fours in the off VJ Joshitha. But trouble began as early as the second over with Sisodia having Simone Lourens bowled for a duck, with a skiddy delivery that deflected off the batter’s pads and onto the stumps.India put the brakes on almost instantly after that, but Botha – South Africa’s top-scorer of the tournament – once again displayed her quality, hitting Joshitha for a four down the ground. With Shabnam Shakil’s introduction in the fourth over came the crucial wicket of Botha, thanks to a stunning catch by wicketkeeper G Kamalini, who threw herself to the right to grab a one-hander.One brought two for India, as left-arm spinner Shukla struck first ball in the very next over, having Diara Ramlakan bowled with a straighter one for 3. At the end of the powerplay, South Africa were in trouble at 29 for 3.Kayla Reyneke tries to console her team-mate Jae-Leigh Filander. South Africa came into the final an unbeaten team•ICC/Getty ImagesIndia’s spinners maintained the stranglehold on their opposition, drying up the runs in the middle overs, with no boundaries scored between seven and 14. In that passage, two more wickets fell, with Trisha removing Reyneke for 7 and Shukla taking her second by knocking Karabo Meso’s middle stump.Mieke van Voorst, South Africa’s highest scorer in the game, broke the pressure with the team’s first boundary in 56 balls, and went on to hit a couple more. But Trisha’s double-strike in the 18th over once again pegged South Africa back, with both van Voorst and Seshnie Naidu getting out trying to go for big shots.Related

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Fay Cowling then hit the first and only six of the game, but Vaishnavi recovered very well removing Cowling and Monalisa Legodi, both bowled trying to sweep, in the same over. Sisodia removed Ashleigh van Wyk off the last ball of the innings as South Africa lost five wickets in 14 balls to crumble to 82 all out. India were also superb on the field, especially with their ground fielding, with only one difficult return catch missed by Trisha.India charged at the total from the first over, with Trisha hitting three fours off the first five balls she faced. She took on legspinner Naidu for three fours in the fourth over as well. Reyneke then broke through, having Kamalini caught at long-on, but India did not slow down even then. Sanika Chalke joined Trisha and brought out a classy cover drive off her fourth ball as India mowed down more than half of the total within the powerplay.Trisha was dropped on 38 in the covers in the 10th over, but even a wicket wouldn’t have made much of a difference with India needing just 16 runs. Chalke wrapped it all up for India in the 12th over with a boundary and Trisha finished as the highest-run scorer of the tournament with 309 runs and was named the Player of the Match and the Player of the Tournament.

Manchester United now believe they can strike a deal for an “unstoppable” £40m forward, and they could hijack Bayern Munich’s deal in the process, according to a report.

Man Utd remain keen on new forwards

The Red Devils haven’t been overly busy in the transfer window up to this point, but they have managed to get two forwards through the door, namely Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, with the Cameroon international putting pen to paper earlier this week.

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Speaking about the reason he chose to sign for United, Mbeumo said: “As soon as I knew there was a chance to join Manchester United, I had to take the opportunity to sign for the club of my dreams; the team whose shirt I wore growing up.

“My mentality is to always be better than I was yesterday. I know that I have the spirit and character to reach another level here, learning from Ruben Amorim and playing alongside world-class players.”

However, with Marcus Rashford Barcelona-bound, there are also major doubts over Alejandro Garnacho’s future at Old Trafford, so Ruben Amorim may need to bring in at least one more forward this summer.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, one option the Red Devils have in mind is Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku, as there is a belief they would be able to strike a deal for the 14-cap France international.

United view Bayern Munich as the frontrunners in the race for Nkunku’s signature, as he has already given the green light for a move to the Allianz Arena, but Amorim’s side could hijack the deal.

A deal should be doable for a fee in the region of £35m – £40m, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealing the forward is nearly certain to depart Stamford Bridge.

"Unstoppable" Nkunku needs to leave Chelsea

The 27-year-old was largely limited to appearances as a substitute in the Premier League last season, and with the Blues signing the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens this summer, he is likely to fall even further down the pecking order.

While the Frenchman hasn’t exactly set the world alight at Chelsea, journalist Zach Lowy lauded him as “unstoppable” during his time with RB Leipzig, with the former Bundesliga star showcasing his attacking talents across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns.

Given that he flourished during his previous stint in Germany, a move to Bayern Munich may be more tempting for Nkunku, and having failed to adapt to life in the Premier League, it would not be a major blow if Man United missed out.

تلقى جافي لاعب فريق برشلونة الإسباني، صدمة قوية عقب خضوعه لجراحة في الركبة، إثر الإصابة التي يعاني منها.

وأعلن برشلونة أمس الثلاثاء، أن جافي خضع لعملية جراحية في الركبة وسيغيب لمدة تتراوح من 4 إلى 5 أسابيع (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

جافي لعب آخر مباراة له في 23 أغسطس الماضي ضد ليفانتي، وبدأ يشعر بعدم راحة في الركبة التي خضعت للجراحة.

وأختار جافي بالاتفاق مع الطاقم الطبي لبرشلونة، الخضوع لعلاج تحفظي على أمل أن تتحسن حالته ويستعيد لياقته بصورة طبيعية.

وفي نهاية الأمر استقر الجهاز الطبي لبرشلونة على ضرورة خضوع جافي لعملية جراحية، وهو ما حدث بالفعل.

وبحسب ما ذكرت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، دخل جافي غرفة العمليات متوقعًا غيابه لمدة أربعة أو خمسة أسابيع، ولكن الطبيب الذي أجرى الجراحة وجد أمرًا غير متوقع.

وكانت ركبة جافي اليمنى أسوأ بكثير مما كان متوقعًا، واضطر الطبيب إلى خياطة الغضروف الهلالي الداخلي للمحافظة عليه، وهكذا امتدت فترة غيابه من أربعة أو خمسة أسابيع إلى أربعة أو خمسة أشهر.

وأوضحت الصحيفة أن الخطوة التالية تمثلت في كيفية إبلاغ جافي بحقيقة الوضع، وانتظروا حتى إفاقته بصورة كاملة من التخدير، وحين علم بالأمر كان في حالة انهيار، متذكرًا إصابته الأولى.

وكان جافي محاطًا بأفراد أسرته وحظي بدعم كبير من أليخاندرو إيشيفاريا (أحد المقربين من الرئيس لابورتا ونادي برشلونة)، وقد ظل رفقة اللاعب في مستشفى برشلونة حتى وقت متأخر.

كما حرص هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة على تقديم الدعم لجافي بعد أن علم المدرب بخطورة الإصابة، للاطمئنان عليه ودعمه في محنته.

At long, long, long last, Arsenal have their striker. The Gunners have arguably needed one for the last two years, but after several months of searching, the answer has arrived.

On Saturday evening, they announced the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres who put pen to paper after signing for around £64m.

It ended a saga that became rather toxic, particularly at the Sporting end. Gyokeres reportedly told his former employers that he’d never play for the club again after a breakdown in relations.

The Swede felt that the Portuguese side had broken the agreement they had that he could be sold for a particular fee.

Anyway, the attacker has finally got away from Lisbon and will now call London his home, bringing with him an abundance of goals. He scored 54 times in 52 outings throughout 2024/25.

Had that move fallen through, then Andrea Berta did have other options.

Arsenal's striker options this summer

Before Berta decided to go all in on Gyokeres, Slovenian powerhouse Benjamin Sesko was widely thought to be Arsenal’s number one choice.

They’ve been looking at the RB Leipzig striker for the best part of 18 months but things unravelled over the summer of 2025.

Indeed, according to the Athletic, it looked for all the world as though Sesko would be their first choice this summer. In March, Jason Ayton, Edu’s interim successor, was going to head to Germany in a bid to make headway on a deal. But, towards the back end of that month, the dynamic changed after Berta’s arrival at Arsenal.

That trip to Germany was canned and Gyokeres’ name came into contention with Berta a big fan of the player. With support from the owners, the club decided to explore the conditions of both deals.

Unfortunately, Sesko’s salary expectations and associated commission meant that the cost of any deal was too high. Consequently, they focused on Gyokeres and here he is.

Via The Athletic, also considered this summer was Ollie Watkins but they had reservations over his age. Former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez was also on the agenda.

Indeed, the Atletico Madrid star’s name was discussed behind the scenes before they focused their attention on Gyokeres. That was probably a smart move considering some reports valued the Argentine at around £142m this year.

Still, he’d have been a remarkable signing had the club gone in that direction instead.

How Viktor Gyokeres compares to Julian Alvarez

While the Sesko move fell apart due to finances, the Gunners will be enormously content with the deal to bring Gyokeres to the Emirates Stadium.

Lavish fees have been spent in England this summer and you only need to look at the £79m fee Liverpool have paid for a project striker in Hugo Ekitike to know what Arsenal have got a better bargain here.

The Portuguese top-flight will have its doubters but the hierarchy in north London have paid just over £60m for a player who bagged 50 plus goals last season.

Even if he scores half that number in Arsenal colours this forthcoming campaign, he will have been a good signing. After all, Mikel Arteta’s men just need goals. For the first time since the 1923/24 campaign, no player in red and white scored double figures in the league. Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz endured lengthy injury spells but it makes for grim reading nonetheless.

There are some concerns surrounding the tactical fit of Gyokeres in this Arsenal team. We’re not attempting to bash this move, he’s a great signing, but despite the Swede’s power and height – he stands at 6 foot 2 – only around 12.5% of his shots came with his head and he didn’t score a single header in the league last term.

If Gyokeres finds a way to over 20 goals next season then few will care how they come but it does explain why Arsenal were looking at other options too, notably Alvarez.

Premier League-proven, the World Cup winner has been described as a “monster” by Argentine journalist Pablo Gonzalez and remarkably as “the best forward in the world” by reporter Roy Nemer.

His stock is incredibly high and his numbers in Spain last campaign demonstrate why. While Alvarez’s goalscoring record paled in comparison to Gyokeres, he did find the net on 29 occasions and at a higher level too. He also registered eight assists in all competitions.

While concerns surround Gyokeres’ ability to translate his form in Portugal to the Premier League, there will have no such doubts about Alvarez. He’s already dazzled for Manchester City at this level.

Goals

0.49

1.07

Assists

0.21

0.27

Shots

2.90

3.72

Pass success %

78%

72%

Key passes

1.88

1.81

Passes into penalty area

3.38

0.79

Progressive passes

3.40

1.87

Shot-creating actions

3.94

4.50

Progressive carries

2.50

3.89

In 2023/24, his final campaign under Pep Guardiola, the 25-year-old netted 19 goals and assisted 14, demonstrating that he is the complete package.

He’s also been there and done it all despite his age. He’s won the English top-flight on two occasions, he’s won the FA Cup, he’s won the Champions League, he’s won Copa America twice and of course, he’s got his hands on the World Cup trophy.

Despite being 25, Alvarez has quite the CV and there is no doubt that he’d have really taken Arsenal to the next level under Arteta’s wing.

Still, with Gyokeres, a 50-goal striker arriving through the door, few can complain when the club’s main problem last term was scoring goals.

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ByAngus Sinclair Jul 25, 2025

Things have really kicked into gear for Arsenal over the last couple of weeks.

After watching their rivals bring in star player after star player, the Gunners have finally bolstered Mike Arteta’s squad with the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard.

Moreover, the Premier League runners-up appear incredibly close to securing the services of goalscoring extraordinaire Viktor Gyokeres.

Andrea Berta and Co aren’t done there either, as reports are now linking the club to a midfield machine who’d be incredible at the Emirates, even if his arrival could be bad news for Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal target midfield maestro

The main thing Arsenal need to add to the team this summer is attacking flair, goals and dynamism, so it’s hardly been a surprise that some of the most exciting links in recent weeks have been to players who possess all of those traits, such as Morgan Rogers.

Transfer Focus

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

The Aston Villa star could be available for around £70m this window, and while that is undoubtedly a lot of money, it’s easy to see why teams, such as the North Londoners, might be willing to pay it.

After all, the 22-year-old was able to amass an imposing tally of 29 goal involvements in 54 appearances.

However, with that being his first full season in the Premier League, there are still a few questions over how he might fare in the long run, questions which are not present for another of the Gunners’ targets: Eberechi Eze.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal remain intensely interested in signing the Crystal Palace star.

Moreover, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are now closing in on an agreement to sign the Englishman, which would see them pay an initial £45m of his £67.5m release clause, with the rest coming in playing-related add-ons.

In all, it looks like it could be a fantastic deal for Arsenal and Arteta, but one that might spell trouble for Odegaard.

Why Eze could be bad news for Odegaard

The first reason Eze could be bad news for Odegaard next season is a simple one, but arguably the most important: his output.

In his 43 appearances for Palace last season, totalling 3303 minutes, the 27-year-old “duel monster,” as dubbed by reporter Simon Collings, scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists, and did so almost exclusively from attacking midfield.

This means the former QPR gem was able to average a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes for a team that, at their best, is a mid-table side.

Appearances

43

45

Minutes

3303′

3447′

Goals

14

6

Assists

11

12

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.40

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

191.5

In contrast, the Gunners’ captain was only able to score six goals and provide 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes.

In other words, the Norwegian international averaged a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes, in a team that finished second and made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

However, it goes deeper than the statistics, as one of the most concerning elements to the former Real Madrid gem’s campaign last season was how he disappeared in some of the biggest games.

For example, The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid claimed he put in a “completely anonymous display in the second half” of the game away to Paris Saint-Germain, while content creator Connor Humm argued that he may as well have “sat in the stands he was that non-existent” in the first leg.

In stark contrast, the Greenwich-born monster scored in the quarter-final and semi-final of the FA Cup, before scoring the only goal in the final, and leading his side to historic glory.

Ultimately, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Eze this summer, as he’d undoubtedly bring goals and excitement to the team, even if that’s at the expense of Odegaard.

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6 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 9, 2025

There’s a lot going on down Anfield Road this summer, and there’s more yet to come for Liverpool’s Arne Slot as the Premier League-winning manager pieces together a squad capable of sustaining title charges across so many years.

Few predicted Liverpool would be crowned champions after Jurgen Klopp stepped down from his post, but the Merseysiders proved a cut above their rivals to win the title at a canter. However, now is the time for investment, having spent nominally in last summer’s market.

Whether the Reds manage to offload Darwin Nunez and bring in a flashy new striker remains to be seen, but there’s little question that Jeremie Frimpong, who has already signed, and Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, who are on the verge, will improve the Merseysiders and then some.

It’s all going swimmingly, but Liverpool will be frustrated by their failure to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, the centre-back instead signing for Real Madrid last month in a £50m deal.

Why Liverpool wanted Dean Huijsen

Analyst Ben Mattinson remarked last season that Huijsen was “the most in-demand centre-back in the world”, and after such an impressive breakout campaign with Bournemouth, it’s clear to see why.

The archetypal modern centre-half, Huijsen, only 20 years old, can do it all, defending with steely tenacity and spraying balls forward with the artful elegance of a midfield maestro.

As per FBref, he ranked among the top 7% of Premier League positional peers last term for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 4% for interceptions and blocks per 90.

With Virgil van Dijk approaching the autumn of his illustrious Liverpool career, the left-sided Huijsen would have been the perfect fit, but instead Liverpool will have to turn their attention elsewhere.

The Spain international is off the cards, then, but FSG may yet authorise a move for an up-and-coming defensive star.

Liverpool enter race for new CB

According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Liverpool have joined Chelsea in the race for Benfica centre-back Tomas Araujo, who has an €80m (£68m) release clause in his contract.

The 23-year-old might be higher on Chelsea’s list at the moment, but that’s not to say Liverpool won’t accelerate their plans in the coming weeks, once other areas of the field have been dealt with.

It’s worth noting that Benfica do not want to sell their prized defender, but if Liverpool are serious, they may be able to tempt the player to push for an exit before the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

What Tomas Araujo would bring to Liverpool

Liverpool wouldn’t have just made themselves known as suitors for Huijsen because many of their divisional rivals had registered interest; the Reds’ data-driven approach would have seen the Dutch-born talent profiled extensively.

He is indeed off the cards, but Liverpool could sign a similar player in Araujo, who has been hailed for his “magnificent” rise to prominence in Portugal by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Having graduated from Benfica’s academy and having completed a season-long loan with Gil Vicente in 2022/23, Araujo has now completed 68 senior matches with the Eagles, winning the Taça da Liga last season (effectively the Portuguese version of the League Cup).

Limited to just 20 appearances across all competitions in 2023/24, having returned from his promising loan spell, Araujo has now become a mainstay in Benfica’s first team, going from strength to strength to attract the attention of Liverpool.

And when collating his data from the 2024/25 campaign with Huijsen’s, you begin to see that Liverpool could actually strike gold in signing this second choice, for he matches up with the Spaniard nicely indeed.

Matching Huijsen across ball-playing metrics, Araujo has also proved himself to be more accurate in the duel and more active across tackling and intercepting areas, albeit making far fewer clearances than his fellow Iberian.

Curiously, Araujo also recovered more balls, which speaks highly of his athleticism and energy, covering ground. This would be especially important in the Premier League, which is played at a higher pace than the Liga Portugal.

And furthermore, Araujo is also a capable right-back, playing out wide when the situation demands it. The fruits of this can be found in his 0.6 dribbles per game, also maintaining a crispness in his passing while creating openings for his teammates in a similar vein as Huijsen.

He might not have the goalscoring advantage on Real Madrid’s new recruit, who already is an expert at using his rangy frame in the box, but then he has shown on occasion an ability to find the back of the net with a leaping effort.

A balanced defender who has proven his ability to shake things up on the biggest stage, Araujo is the real deal. Across the 2024/25 Champions League season, he ranked among the top 17% of central defenders for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for tackles per 90 (FBref).

Given Liverpool’s pressing need for more depth and quality in the rearguard, especially with Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain and Jarell Quansah linked with a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, Araujo could be the perfect fit.

The Benfica star’s ball-playing and -carrying strengths indicate a style which Huijsen has performed so well in the Premier League, so now it’s up to FSG to steal ahead of Chelsea in the transfer tussle.

Perfect for Isak: Liverpool told £75m bid for PL star will be accepted

Liverpool may need to sign a new left-sided forward this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 14, 2025

Winner goes through to the final four, loser goes out

Firdose Moonda22-Jun-20241:26

Bishop: WI batters have to play freely against South Africa

Match detailsWest Indies vs South Africa
North Sound, Antigua, 8.30pm localBig picture – Semi-final spots up for grabsIt isn’t actually called a quarter-final, but for all intents and purposes, it is. West Indies and South Africa meet in the T20 World Cup 2024 with the winner set to go through to the final four and the loser set to go out.Tickets still available for crunch game

Additional tickets have been made available for the T20 World Cup game between West Indies and South Africa. They are priced at US$ 45 and can be purchased online at tickets.t20worldcup.com or at the counter at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

What may be lurking in the back of South Africa’s mind is how close five of their six games so far have been. They have snatched victories from the unlikeliest of scenarios and seem to be riding a wave of good fortune that they have failed to catch in tournaments past. They will be the first to admit that they are yet to put together the perfect game, but they boast a perfect record. Six out of six wins means they are once again being spoken of as champion material. Could this be the year South Africa finally win a T20 World Cup? West Indies might have something to say about that.The co-hosts were unbeaten through the group stage too. Though they lost to defending champions England in the Super Eight after that, they are still on track to achieving what they set out to: re-establish West Indies as a powerhouse by competing strongly and (hopefully, for them) winning a third T20 World Cup. If they score 160 and win by 52 runs, they could even go past England and top Group 2. For now, it all hinges on how they do in this match and though West Indies may take heart from sweeping South Africa 3-0 before the tournament, it’s worth remembering that that was a second-string South Africa side. The real test is now.Form guideWest Indies WLWWW
South Africa WWWWW1:44

How can West Indies contain Quinton de Kock?

In the spotlight – Alzarri Joseph and Marco JansenAlzarri Joseph has the same number of tournament wickets as Anrich Nortje – 11 – at a slightly higher average (13.81 compared to 12.90) but a slightly better strike rate. Joseph has taken a wicket once every 11 balls at the tournament – and Nortje once every 13 balls – and is rightly seen as West Indies’ biggest threat with the ball.Joseph has only played two T20Is against South Africa, and in the last one took a series-winning 5 for 40 to seal a seven-run win. Four of the five batters Joseph dismissed in that match – Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen – have been part of South Africa’s XI in every game at the World Cup thus far. On his home ground, Antigua, he will have even more motivation to attempt to repeat the feat.Related

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With Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Ottneil Baartman all shining at different stages of the competition, Marco Jansen has flown under the radar despite being an important part of South Africa’s progress. The economy rate of 5.90 includes bowling mostly in the powerplay and is South Africa’s second-lowest after Baartman (though Jansen has played one more game). Though he has gone wicketless in all but one match, Jansen has been match-winning in other ways. Against England, he was tasked with the game’s penultimate over and conceded just seven runs, leaving Nortje 13 to defend. Crucially, he has adapted to conditions when some of his team-mates have not, and he is yet to be given a chance to show what he can do with the bat.Team news – West Indies have choices to makeShai Hope’s unbeaten 39-ball 82 opening the batting against USA may mean West Indies do not have immediate cause to bring in Kyle Mayers, who has replaced the injured Brandon King in their squad. It’s an interesting call to make because Mayers has the advantage of knowing the South African players well, from his time at the SA20, and of being West Indies’ second-leading run-scorer in the pre-World Cup series played against South Africa last month. Their other decision will be in the make-up of the bowling unit – whether to include an extra seamer in Romario Shepherd or stick to the offspin of Roston Chase.West Indies (probable): 1 Shai Hope/Kyle Mayers, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Rovman Powell (capt), 5 Andre Russell, 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Romario Shepherd/Roston Chase, 8 Obed McCoy, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh MotieThe last time South Africa played in Antigua, they opted for two spinners and left Baartman out, and may consider that combination again. However, Tabraiz Shamsi was expensive against USA, which could open the door for the other left-arm spinner in the squad: Bjorn Fortuin, who has not had a game thus far. It’s more likely South Africa will stick to what they like best, with an unchanged batting line-up and one of Shamsi or Baartman.South Africa (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi/Ottneil Baartman, 11 Anrich Nortje1:43

Will Kyle Mayers open against SA?

Pitch and conditionsFrom South Africa’s match against USA earlier in the week, North Sound seemed good for run-scoring. That was a day game and this is a night fixture, though, so there may be a slight difference. There have been two night games played at this venue in the tournament: Australia chased down 73 against Namibia inside six overs and scored 100 runs inside 12 overs when they beat Bangladesh in a rain-affected game on Friday. Rain, in fact, may be the biggest concern for the teams with the forecast not great during the day on Sunday, but the precipitation probability decreases to 17% in the evening.Stats and trivia The head-to-head record between these two teams is equal: Played 22; West Indies won 11; South Africa won 11. In T20 World Cups, they have met four times, and South Africa have won three. West Indies’ only victory came in 2016 There have only been three totals of over 200 at the T20 World Cup so far and West Indies have one of them. They scored the highest total of the tournament with their 218 against Afghanistan in the group stage. South Africa have batted first four times in six matches and average 146 Nicholas Pooran is the tournament’s top run-scorer at the moment with 227 runs; Quinton de Kock is in third place, 40 runs behindQuotes”It’s important for us to continue in this vein because we see what’s at stake now.”
“This team believes that we can be really great as a unit. Obviously, with the last World Cup [in India] bowing out in the semi-finals… it’s both the character and there’s a lot of hurt. So, we just take it one game at a time and focus on trying to get the results to go our way and not looking at the negatives, just trying to highlight the positives as much as possible.”