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AZ Alkmaar striker and former Tottenham golden boy Troy Parrott has been linked with a return to the Premier League, but could Spurs take the plunge and re-sign the young star once tipped to emulate Harry Kane?

Parrott has emerged as one of Europe’s most in-form strikers this season, with his prolific displays for AZ and heroic performances for the Republic of Ireland catapulting him back into the Premier League spotlight after rebuilding his career in the Netherlands.

The 23-year-old Dubliner has enjoyed a sensational campaign in the Eredivisie, demonstrating the clinical finishing and all-round game that once made him Tottenham’s most exciting academy prospect.

Parrott started the season in blistering fashion, netting ten goals in his opening seven appearances across all competitions before a knee ligament injury disrupted his momentum at the end of August. Since returning to action, he’s added three more, taking his tally to 13 strikes in just 14 matches this term — one of the best records in Dutch football.

However, it is his recent international exploits which have truly captured attention across Europe.

In November’s World Cup qualifying double-header, Parrott delivered two performances that will live long in Irish football folklore. He scored both goals in a stunning 2-0 victory over Portugal, before producing an even more dramatic display against Hungary.

His hat-trick, including a 96th-minute winner, secured a miraculous 3-2 victory in Budapest and booked Ireland’s place in the World Cup play-offs.

This is a far cry from his spell at Spurs, where he ultimately failed to break into the first-team after successive loan spells in England’s lower tiers. Disappointing stints at Millwall, Ipswich Town, MK Dons and Preston North End yielded just 13 goals in 102 appearances, with Parrott making the bold decision to move permanently to the Netherlands.

Initially joining Excelsior on loan, where he rediscovered his confidence with 17 goals in 32 games, he secured a permanent transfer to AZ in the summer 2024 for nearly £7 million.

The move has proven transformative. Last season, Parrott scored 14 goals in 28 Eredivisie matches, including a stunning four-goal haul in a 9-1 demolition of Heerenveen. His performances helped propel AZ to fifth whilst establishing himself as the league’s joint third-highest scorer.

AZ 4-1 FC Groningen

8.83

AZ 4-1 FC Utrecht

8.40

Ajax 0-2 AZ

7.76

FC Volendam 2-2 AZ

7.19

AZ 1-5 PSV Eindhoven

6.66

via WhoScored

Now, with Parrott in the form of his life, Premier League sides are considering a move.

Tottenham stance on re-signing Troy Parrott amid buy-back clause update

West Ham are among Parrott’s suitors ahead of the January transfer window, and AZ are poised to demand nearly quadruple what they paid for the forward — having slapped a £26 million price tag on his head.

This is now backed up by GiveMeSport and reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, who also share the odds of Parrott re-joining Tottenham.

Unfortunately, for those who’d be keen to see the number nine back at N17, it is bad news.

GMS report that a Tottenham return for Parrott is ‘off the cards’, and it is believed that the north Londoners did not insert a buy-back clause in the deal which saw him join AZ last year. That being said, they do have a 20 per cent sell-on clause, so Thomas Frank’s side could get a decent seven-figure windfall via the likes of West Ham or Fulham if either side manages to strike an agreement.

Spurs’ disinterest in bringing Parrott back comes despite their hunt for a striker.

Dominic Solanke has suffered with injury issues this season, playing just 49 minutes all season, and the England international is apparently set to miss their upcoming clashes against Arsenal and PSG (The Athletic).

Meanwhile, Richarlison has struggled for form, and reports in Italy suggest Roma are eyeing a move for Mathys Tel amid his desire to leave Spurs in January.

Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange — Tottenham’s co-sporting directors — are prioritising the signing of a centre-forward, with Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney believed to be a top target, among others.

However, going by this latest update, Spurs’ potential new striker won’t be Parrott despite his transformation abroad.

Liverpool have much to sort out over the coming weeks.

It’s perhaps a measure of the club’s reputation and the expectation that comes with their football that three defeats in succession have been met with such hysteria from outside and dismay from within.

But Liverpool sit just one point behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, and Arne Slot demonstrated last season, when he led the Reds to the title, his ability to overcome obstacles and create a formidable system.

But after such heavy expenditure, the scrutiny is on the Anfield side.

The players will no doubt have been remonstrated for their error-strewn performances, a consistent problem throughout the campaign, but there’s no question the system needs oiling besides.

Defence, in particular, has been a pressure point for the outfit this season, and all is not right within Virgil van Dijk’s domain.

The state of play in Liverpool's defence

All is not right. Imbalanced and bereft of confidence at the back, Liverpool are littering their displays with mistakes. At the epicentre is Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign and wanted by Real Madrid. The France international’s performances have led Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher to brand him as “absolutely shocking”.

And Van Dijk is not infallible. The legendary Dutchman turned 34 this summer, and while he has still been monstrous as Liverpool’s captain and defensive leader, against Chelsea, he flattered to deceive, with GOAL writing of his faults during both of the Blues’ goals and giving him a 4/10 match rating.

Leoni’s long-term injury is a cruel one; after FSG failed in their late-window bid to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, Liverpool’s centre-half options were already limited, and the young Italian might have earned his fair share of chances to impress.

Now, Slot’s central defensive line is somewhat threadbare, and the rumour mill is already churning, with Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck emerging as a target. However, Sky Germany have since put a dampener on that budding saga, with Bayern Munich’s interest building.

While there’s an anticipation lingering over Liverpool’s interest in Guehi, who becomes a free agent at the end of the season, many feel January reinforcements are needed if the squad are to compete for silverware across the different shoots.

Well, Liverpool might actually have an academy star, gunning for a first-team spot at Anfield, with the quality and confidence to play a part at the senior level this season.

The Liverpool teen who can fix Konate & Leoni blow

Last season, Slot showed he was willing to promote youth at Liverpool when unleashing teenage defender Amara Nallo in the Champions League. But Nallo suffered a nightmarish senior bow, sent off during that defeat to PSV Eindhoven.

Nallo hasn’t featured since, but in Wellity Lucky, Liverpool might find another up-and-coming talent who could earn his keep in Slot’s system this season.

Lucky, 19, is a core member of Rob Page’s U21 set-up, and he has captained the team once already this season. No doubt, the youth has looked at Jarell Quansah’s own ascension from the Reds academy and believes he can emulate his countryman, now playing for Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.

Born in Spain, Lucky has been capped for England U16s but remains open to either nationality as his career progresses. He left Real Zaragoza’s youth academy aged 13 and signed for Liverpool, since featuring 27 times for the U18s and 28 times for the U21s.

Journalist Bence Bocsak has already singled out the “highly-rated” prospect for praise, commenting that he is “composed on the ball” and boasted the highest pass completion of any Liverpool U21 player last season.

It was only this summer that the rising star was awarded a new three-year contract with the club, and the expectation is that he will earn a chance at getting some minutes at the highest level with a continuation of hard work and promising performances.

It was only this week that Lucky stood out for the U21s in their 2-0 EFL Trophy defeat to Crewe Alexandra. Lose though they did, he produced an impressive performance at the back, and Slot may well have taken note.

Minutes played

90′

Touches

111

Accurate passes

88/94 (94%)

Possession lost

7x

Chances created

1

Dribbles

2/2

Recoveries

6

Tackles won

3/4

Interceptions

2

Clearances

2

Duels won

6/6

It’s particularly interesting to note Lucky won all six of his contested ground duels, underscoring his natural composure and timing. Moreover, that crisp possessional play was on full show, with 94% of his passes completed against the League Two opponents.

This all points toward a potential future in Slot’s senior set-up. Liverpool may well be reaching a point at which left-field solutions are required to see the club through to the end of the campaign, and Jurgen Klopp’s success with the aforementioned Quansah emphasises the gains that can be found in adding a youth talent to the ranks when alternative, senior options have been exhausted.

With Konate sent home early from international duty with France this month after sustaining a slight injury issue during the loss at Chelsea the other week, Joe Gomez may be called upon for the forthcoming Premier League meeting with Manchester United.

Gomez is a seasoned professional, but what about the bench? Might Lucky find himself taking a seat among his senior peers? Certainly, it would be a steep risk to throw him right in at the deep end, but the teenager’s underlying data and the noise around his name suggest he might just provide the depth and quality required over the campaign – and maybe beyond.

Their answer to Semenyo: Liverpool have a future "best winger in the world"

Liverpool have so much talent within Arne Slot’s squad.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 16, 2025

San Francisco Unicorns fast bowler Haris Rauf has been ruled out of the remainder of MLC 2025 because of a hamstring injury.New Zealand fast bowler Ben Lister has replaced him in the side – Lister played the team’s last league game on July 6, which they lost to Los Angeles Knight Riders to miss out on a top-two finish.A statement from the MLC said that Rauf picked up the injury during Unicorns’ match against Texas Super Kings on July 4. Rauf bowled just one over in that game after injuring himself while fielding in the eighth over of the chase.Related

• Shadab, Rauf to miss revamped Pakistan's T20I tour of Bangladesh

• Fletcher 118 helps Knight Riders scuttle Unicorns' top-two plans

Rauf, the joint-highest wicket-taker of the competition (17) at this stage, chased down the ball driven by Romario Shepherd from mid-off before leaving the field clutching his hamstring. He underwent an MRI scan, which revealed a Grade 1 hamstring strain, which has made him unavailable for the playoffs.The injury also meant that Rauf had to be removed from Pakistan’s squad for their upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, starting on July 20.Unicorns finished third on the table with seven wins in ten games and will play the Eliminator against MI New York on Thursday in Dallas.Left-arm seamer Lister had been training with the Unicorns squad before his maiden MLC appearance in the match against Knight Riders on Sunday. Lister was expensive in that match, taken for 43 runs in 2.1 overs.

كشف مصدر بنادي الزمالك، سبب عدم قيام الجهاز الإداري للفريق الأول لكرة القدم، بإجراء تغيير سادس بعد إصابة أحمد فتوح في الرأس خلال مباراة طلائع الجيش التي أقيمت اليوم في مسابقة الدوري المصري.

وفاز فريق الزمالك على طلائع الجيش بثلاثية مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما على ستاد القاهرة الدولي في الجولة الثالثة عشرة لمسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز، ليرفع الأبيض رصيده إلى 22 نقطة.

طالع | الزمالك يعلن تشخيص إصابة بيزيرا وفتوح وصبحي أمام طلائع الجيش

وقال المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات: “الجهاز الطبي اطمأن على سلامة اللاعب ولم يتم اللجوء للتغيير السادس لأن ذلك كان سيتطلب خضوع أحمد فتوح لبروتوكول طبي خاص بإصابات الرأس والاشتباه بالارتجاج، وغيابه لفترة تتراوح ما بين أسبوع إلى 10 أيام إذا كان الارتجاج خفيفًا وهو ما كان سيبعده عن مباريات الزمالك المقبلة”.

وأكمل: “الارتجاج الخفيف يحتاج وفقا للبروتوكول لمدة غياب من 7 إلى 10 أيام، في حين يحتاج الارتجاج المتوسط من 10 إلى 21 يوم راحة، وفي حالة الارتجاج الشديد أو فقدان الوعي يحدد الطبيب مدة الغياب وغالبًا لا تقل عن 21 يومًا”.

وأتم: “الجهاز الطبي اتفق مع الجهاز الفني على خروج اللاعب وعدم استكمال المباراة دون الحاجة لإجراء تبديل سادس”.

Nottinghamshire batting prodigy Freddie McCann gave more evidence of his considerable potential by posting the third century of his fledgling first-class career to defy Hampshire on day one of their Rothesay County Championship clash at Trent Bridge.In only his 13th innings in the Championship so far, the 20-year-old England Lions left-hander made 138 as the current Division One leaders posted a respectable 333 after being asked to bat first on a pitch that offered plenty of encouragement to Hampshire’s seam attack, with no other batter passing 33.South African quick Kyle Abbott took five for 57 and James Fuller three for 56 but Hampshire let themselves down somewhat by dropping five catches.Hampshire openers Mark Stoneman and Fletcha Middleton had two overs to face at the close, including one from former teammate Mohammad Abbas, the Pakistan fast bowler who is making his debut for Nottinghamshire.McCann, a Nottingham-born product of the county’s academy pathway, scored 154 against champions Surrey in only his second match after making his first-class debut last August, adding 130 against Warwickshire before the end of the season.He hit 15 fours and a six and shared partnerships of 78 with Kyle Verreynne, 71 with Lyndon James and 59 with Liam Patterson-White after his side had been 82 for four at lunch.Four wickets in that opening session had represented a decent return for Hampshire’s decision to put Nottinghamshire in, although it took until the last 35 minutes for the rewards to come.Until then, Nottinghamshire’s openers had endured a torrid time on a green-tinged pitch against some testing bowling from Abbott and Fuller in particular. Ben Slater was dropped twice in the slips off Abbott – on one and nine – and needed treatment for a blow on the forearm inflicted by Fuller. Yet somehow he and skipper Haseeb Hameed pair survived 19 overs for 62.The picture changed with a double-wicket maiden from Fuller that began with Slater caught at extra cover by a leaping Nick Gubbins and ended with Nottinghamshire 63 for two after a cracking delivery with bounce and late movement had Hameed caught behind.The last two overs of the session saw Abbott, nought for 14 from seven overs in his first spell, gain the success he was due as Joe Clarke and Jack Haynes were both leg before, beaten past the inside edge playing forward, four wickets having fallen for 20 runs in 48 deliveries.Nottinghamshire recovered to 195 for five at tea, the only wicket to fall in the middle session that of Verreynne (33), who became a third lbw victim for Abbott, trying to work to leg. Yet Hampshire continued to count the cost of sloppy work in the field with James given a life on one when Fuller could not hold on at third slip off Abbott after McCann had survived what looked a hard chance to gully off Fuller on 18.Nonetheless, Nottinghamshire could congratulate themselves for showing resilience. Abbott always looked dangerous, regularly beating the bat, and in the circumstances it was a superb innings by McCann, back in the side in place of England’s Ben Duckett, who is unavailable.Hampshire’s catching did not improve after tea, with James dropped again on 29, Tom Prest failing to take a regulation chance at first slip off Brad Wheal. To add insult to injury, the spilled ball rolled into the fielding helmet stowed behind the stumps, adding five penalty runs to the total.In the event, James could not add heavily to Hampshire’s pain, falling to Liam Dawson on 33, bowled giving himself room to cut.Patterson-White played well until, having also made 33, he made the unwise decision to shoulder arms to Abbott, with the new ball, who completed the 43rd five-wicket haul of his first-class career when Brett Hutton was caught behind.Wheal dismissed Farhan Ahmed, caught at first slip, before McCann finally fell to a catch on the square cover boundary off Fuller.

West Ham have been told that they missed their chance to sign Jose Mourinho as their head coach, but they have signed the next best option in Nuno Espirito Santo, who has replaced Graham Potter at the helm. The Hammers made a disastrous start to the 2025-26 campaign as they lost four out of their first five Premier League matches and were languishing in 19th position.

• Nuno replaced Potter after terrible start to new season

  Days after his sacking as Nottingham Forest boss, Nuno Espirito Santo returned to the Premier League as he replaced Potter at West Ham. The 51-year-old's stock was at an all-time high after he marshalled Forest to a seventh-placed finish in the top tier last term, while they flirted with Champions League qualification for much of the campaign. Ironically, the Portuguese's last game in charge of the club was a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Potter's Hammers at the City Ground.

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• Getty
  

  Mourinho was linked with West Ham job

  After Fenerbahce parted ways with Mourinho at the start of the season, the legendary manager was briefly linked with a move to West Ham as they continued to struggle under Potter. However, by the time the club actually sacked the English coach, Mourinho was no longer available as he returned to his homeland and took charge of Benfica. 

• West Ham told Nuno was next best option after Mourinho

  Speaking to , former West Ham and England star Joe Cole said of Nuno's likelihood of reaching Europe with his new side: "Well, I don't think it'd be a European spot, but to safety, certainly. I think he'll do a good job. I don't believe the way that the club handled or treated Graham Potter was correct. But unfortunately, it seems to be par for the course for not just West Ham, but a lot of football clubs. The way that head coaches are sort of up there with a target on their back, with not as much control as you probably need to implement your vision. And Graham Potter can certainly walk away from that club and say, 'I didn't get the time, I didn't get the backing.' 

  "Nuno coming in, on the other hand, I think, is a very smart appointment by the club. I think he’s the right man. Once Joseph Mourinho wasn't available, I would have probably gone for Nuno – Nuno or Sean Dyche. Someone who understands the league, and somebody who was very strong in the areas that West Ham needed to improve – the defensive unit, defending set pieces. So, Nuno or Sean Dyche – it would have been a pick between those two for me."

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  Nuno's difficult start to life at West Ham

  Despite Nuno's arrival at the club, West Ham are yet to end their winless run. In his first match in charge, the Hammers held Everton to a 1-1 draw, but went down 2-0 against Arsenal last weekend. The club will hope that they register their second win of the season after the international break when they take on Brentford on October 20.

Marcus Rashford's stunning volley proved to be a consolation goal for Barcelona, who were hammered 4-1 in Seville. The defeat was compounded after Robert Lewandowski missed a penalty, but Sevilla were well worth the scoreline and it was only a fine performance from Wojciech Szczesny which kept the scoreline down.

The hosts took the lead in the 11th minute after a clumsy challenge from Ronald Araujo on Isaac Romero, referee Alejandro Muniz Ruiz initially failed to give the penalty, but pointed to spot after reviewing the challenge on the pitchside video, and Alexis Sanchez sent his former Arsenal team-mate Szczesny the wrong way to give Sevilla the lead. 

The conditions in southern Spain were sweltering, hitting 33 degrees, and it was the hosts who were on fire, doubling their lead in the 37th minute, courtesy of a well-taken finish by Romero after Joules Kounde had been caught in possession. But Barcelona game themselves hope deep into time added on in the first-half, when Pedri picked out Rashford who timed his run to perfection and fired an unstoppable shot past Odysseas Vlachodimos. 

And while Hansi Flick's side were improved in the second half, Lewandowski fired his penalty wide in the 77th minute and the league champions conceded two further late goals to slump to a demoralising 4-1 defeat. 

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan in Seville…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Wojciech Szczesny (8/10):

  Making his third appearance as he continues to cover for the injured Garcia and was well beaten by Alexis Sanchez's penalty, but made stunning saves  throughout the match. The margin of defeat would have been much wider if not for his heroics.  

  Jules Kounde (5/10):

  Sanchez caused him massive problems and was at fault for the second goal after being caught in possession inside his own half. He tried, in vain, to claim he was fouled. Poor afternoon. 

  Ronald Araujo (5/10):

  Was clearly at fault for the early penalty. A clumsy challenge, and the referee initially waved away the shout from the hosts, but it was given after pitchside video review. He was fuming, but a penalty was the right call. Substituted at half-time. 

  Pau Cubarsi (6/10):

  Important to remember he's still young and finding his way and deserves credit for hardly making a mistake all game. 

  Gerard Martin (4/10):

  Was given a torrid time throughout the first-half as Barca were overrun on both wings and through the middle. Hooked at half-time, replaced by Alejandro Balde.

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  Midfield

  Frenkie de Jong (5/10):

  Did his best to find pockets of space, but was well shepherded by the Sevilla midfield. Had one of those days where everything he tried failed to come off. 

  Pedri (6/10):

  Stunning pass to set up Rashford late in the first-half and was a constant attacking threat whenever he got on the ball, but this was nowhere near often enough. 

  Dani Olmo (6/10):

  Barely put a foot wrong, but was well below-par. Will consider his shift to have been solid but, like so many of the visitors, nothing worked for him on the day. 

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Marcus Rashford (8/10):

  Squandered a wonderful opportunity in the 43rd minute, through on goal he fired it wide when he really should've scored. But made amends in time added on in the first-half, firing home a stunning volley. Remained a positive attacking presence for Barca all match, but couldn't stop a dismal defeat.

  Robert Lewandowski (4/10):

  A diabolical afternoon, fired his penalty wide and his finishing was poor throughout. A dire day at the office, which he'll be keen to forget in a hurry. 

  Ferran Torres (5/10):

  Replaced in 69th minute by Roony Bardghj. Only managed one touch in the opposition box. 

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  Subs & Manager

  Alejandro Balde (6/10):

  Brought on on the 52nd minute and his positive run into the box won a penalty for Barcelona after he was fouled by Adnan Januzaj.

  Eric Garcia (5/10):

  An uncomfortable afternoon for him, made little impact after being brought on. 

  Roony Bardghji (5/10):

  Was brought on in the 68th minute and was a real live wire, but wasted a gilt-edged chance to equalise with just a few minutes to go. 

  Hansi Flick (5/10):

  Will argue the huge number of injuries his side had to deal with was to blame for the defeat. But his team played without any real urgency and were out-played for large swathes of the match. Has plenty to ponder after that shocking performance.

While they haven’t gone quite as big as they have in windows prior, it’s been a good summer of business for Chelsea so far this year.

The Blues have made a massive amount of money selling players deemed no longer good enough and replaced them with a host of exciting talents like Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jorrel Hato.

However, it would probably be fair to say that some fans were left a little disappointed by the club not signing Xavi Simons last week, and instead opting for Alejandro Garnacho.

However, those supporters might soon forget all about the new Tottenham Hotspur star, as Chelsea appear to be closing in on someone who’d be a significant upgrade.

Chelsea target Simons upgrade

According to a recent report from Si Phillips, as relayed by Caught Offside, Chelsea remain incredibly keen to sign Fermin Lopez before the window shuts.

Transfer Focus

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

More than that, though, Phillips has revealed that, in recent hours, the Blues have received encouragement from the player’s camp, which indicates he may well inform Barcelona that he wants to leave.

While that would undoubtedly help grease the wheels of any potential deal, the deal would still be a costly one, with other reports from today claiming that the Catalan giants would want a fee of up to €90m to sell, which is approximately £78m.

While that is an enormous sum of money, Lopez is an extraordinary talent and may well be worth it, especially as he’s an upgrade on Simons.

How Lopez compares to Simons

Simons and Lopez are both relatively young attacking talents who can play and thrive either on the wing or in attacking midfield, which makes comparing them a pretty straightforward affair.

If we start with their output, it quickly becomes very apparent that the young Spaniard is the more dangerous player.

In 46 appearances, totalling just 2039 minutes, the “creative” star, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored eight goals and provided ten assists.

That means he managed to average a goal involvement every 2.55 games, or every 113.27 minutes, which is undeniably impressive for someone his age.

On the other hand, the Flying Dutchman scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in 33 appearances, totalling 2763 minutes, for Leipzig.

Now, that does result in a better average of goal involvement every 1.73 games, but that was largely due to him making fewer appearances than the Barcelona star.

When you look at minutes played, his average shoots up to a far less impressive figure of a goal involvement every 145.42 minutes.

Things do not get much better for the Lilywhites’ new star when we examine their underlying numbers either.

Here, the “spectacular” Spaniard, as dubbed by former manager Xavi, comes out ahead in most relevant metrics such as expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, crosses into the penalty area, goal-creating actions, tackles won and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.71

0.47

Non-Penalty G+As

0.75

0.57

Progressive Passes

5.05

5.80

Progressive Passes Received

7.90

7.61

Progressive Carries

2.26

3.51

Shots

2.81

2.26

Shots on Target

1.14

0.92

Passing Accuracy

82.2%

78.1%

Key Passes

1.88

2.10

Passes into the Final Third

4.19

3.26

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.32

0.22

Goal-Creating Actions

0.54

0.51

Tackles Won

1.32

0.83

Blocks

1.02

0.87

Successful Take-Ons

1.72

1.45

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.97

0.80

In other words, the El Campillo-born maestro appears to be the more dangerous and creative outlet, while also being more willing and able to contribute to the defensive side of things.

Ultimately, Simons is certainly a talented player, but Lopez appears to be better in almost all metrics; therefore, Chelsea should do everything possible to sign him before the window closes.

Their own Gyokeres: Chelsea make late move to sign "aggressive" £69m star

Chelsea could snap up their very own Viktor Gyokeres with this late £69m swoop.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 1, 2025

There might be a lot of negative noise circling around Tyneside, but it’s important to remember that the transfer window is just over one week away from closing, and Newcastle United are quietly piecing together a squad capable of challenging at the forefront once again.

Eddie Howe will likely have cast his team’s minds back to last summer, which culminated in frustrations after bids for Premier League stars Marc Guehi and Anthony Elanga proved fruitless.

Nonetheless, the Magpies flew last year, finishing fifth and thus re-entering the Champions League, also winning the Carabao Cup after beating Liverpool at Wembley.

But there’s no question that it’s been difficult, and that welcoming a few more talented players to the fold is paramount if United are to thrive this season.

Who Newcastle could still sign

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has revealed that Newcastle have narrowed their centre-forward search down to a few select profiles, with Alexander Isak still AWOL and desperate to sign for Liverpool before the transfer deadline.

Yoane Wissa remains the primary target, but Brentford are hardly rolling over, fighting to keep their talisman on the books.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen is on the radar, as is Atletico Madrid’s wantaway striker Alexander Sorloth.

While there is confidence that this conundrum will be wrinkled out in short time, there’s no question that it has had a potentially detrimental effect on Howe’s seasonal preparations.

And at the end of the day, it is Howe and it is the squad and it is the fanbase that has been rocked by this unsavoury saga.

Newcastle, in spite of it all, have signed well this summer, and could complete a positive window if they get a forward over the line.

However, there might be room for a defensive signing too, with sights set on a Premier League star.

Newcastle exploring move for Premier League star

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are set to sell centre-back Axel Disasi before the end of the transfer window, and a growing number of suitors – including Newcastle – are attentive.

Priced at £30m by the Blues, the France international is also on the radar of Napoli and several Ligue 1 clubs, with Wolverhampton Wanderers having held initial discussions over a possible transfer.

Though Newcastle eased their defensive worries with the signing of Malick Thiaw, there remains a desire to continue to strengthen with European football on the cards once again, and the versatile Disasi could be a shrewd addition.

Why Newcastle should sign Axel Disasi

In August 2023, the now 27-year-old Disasi joined Chelsea from AS Monaco in a £39m package, and he has since played 61 times for the Londoners, scoring five goals and winning a Conference League gold medal last season.

Naturally a central defender, Disasi was deployed as a right-back for much of last season, and his aptitude in the moonlit role showed, for he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 17% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for aerial battles won per 90 (data via FBref).

Described as a “monster” of a defender by journalist Rahman Osman, Disasi was a part of the staggering influx of signings upon Todd Boehly’s takeover of the west London club.

However he’s struggled after a promising start, and spent the latter half of last season out on loan with Aston Villa.

If Newcastle were to succeed in signing Disasi before the end of the month, they might find that such astute business marks their own version of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi being added to the ranks, with the England international one of the Toon’s top targets in recent years.

Newcastle failed with four bids for the 25-year-old last summer, the last of which totalled a whopping £65m. Now, Guehi looks like he’s headed for Liverpool, but Disasi could ease the blow somewhat, having also found himself cast out of Stamford Bridge, first on loan and then permanently.

This is what happened to Guehi, who left Chelsea in 2021 after graduating from their Cobham youth academy, signing for Crystal Palace in an £18m deal after a successful loan spell with Swansea City in the Championship.

Like Disasi, Guehi is confident on the ball and dynamic from an athletic standpoint. As you can see below, he was instrumental in the Eagles’ success last season, joining his French positional peer in winning a major trophy too.

Premier League 24/25 – Marc Guehi

Stats (* per game)

#

Matches (starts)

34 (34)

Goals

3

Assists

2

Touches*

64.9

Pass completion

84%

Big chances

5

Key passes*

0.5

Ball recoveries*

4.3

Dribbles*

0.4

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

Clearances*

4.6

Duels (won)*

4.9 (59%)

Errors made

2

Data via Sofascore

Guehi is, of course, held in a higher regard, but Disasi might just need a change of scenery and a new home at St. James’ Park to rediscover the form out in his homeland that convinced Chelsea to pay the big bucks to bring him over the Channel.

Given that Jamal Lascelles missed the entirety of last season due to injury and Emil Krafth only clawed back from a lengthy stay in the infirmary in February, existing only on the fringe of Howe’s plans thereafter, it would seem that adding Disasi to the mix could help Newcastle toward their goals.

Disasi would be a welcome addition, potentially adding that extra bit of quality that Howe’s side will need if they are to make further progress after such success last year.

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Posts ByWill Miller Aug 23, 2025

The full list of players retained by IPL franchises ahead of the IPL 2025 auction

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Oct-20241:06

Mumbai Indians make Bumrah their top retention

Mumbai Indians5 players retained: Jasprit Bumrah (INR 18 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (INR 16.35 crore), Hardik Pandya (INR 16.35 crore), Rohit Sharma (INR 16.30 crore), Tilak Varma (INR 8 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 45 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 1
Players eligible for RTM: One uncapped player
Big players not retained: Ishan Kishan, Tim David
Top takeaways: Hardik has been named MI captain for IPL 2025, while Jasprit Bumrah has become MI’s top paid retention for the first time. The big challenge for MI was to retain their marquee Indian players within the INR 75 crore and they have managed to do that and keep their core intact heading into the IPL 2025 mega auction.Sunrisers Hyderabad5 players retained: Heinrich Klaasen (INR 23 crore), Pat Cummins (INR 18 crore), Abhishek Sharma (INR 14 crore), Travis Head (INR 14 crore), Nitish Kumar Reddy (INR 6 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 45 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 1
Players eligible for RTM: Only one uncapped player
Big players not retained: Washington Sundar, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Top takeaways: Heinrich Klaasen is the most expensive player retained at INR 23 crore, ahead of Virat Kohli and Nicholas Pooran at INR 21 crore each. SRH have retained three overseas players, the most among the ten teams.Chennai Super Kings5 players retained: Ruturaj Gaikwad (INR 18 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (INR 18 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (INR 13 crore), Shivam Dube (INR 12 crore), MS Dhoni (INR 4 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 55 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 1
Players eligible for RTM: One capped or uncapped player
Big players not retained: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Mahesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande
Top takeaways: Dhoni retained as an uncapped player at a cost of only INR 4 crore from CSK’s purse. This is because the IPL revived a rule, which had been scrapped in 2021, that allows an Indian player who hasn’t played international cricket for five years to be considered as an uncapped player.Royal Challengers Bengaluru3 players retained: Virat Kohli (INR 21 crore), Rajat Patidar (INR 11 crore), Yash Dayal (INR 5 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 83 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 3
Players eligible for RTM: One uncapped player and two capped players, or three capped players
Big players not retained: Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Faf du Plessis, Cameron Green
Top takeaways: RCB have retained only three players, the second fewest among the team teams after Punjab Kings. Virat Kohli is the top retention, which raises the question of whether he will return as captain.Delhi Capitals4 players retained: Axar Patel (INR 16.50 crore), Kuldeep Yadav (INR 13.25 crore), Tristan Stubbs (INR 10 crore), Abishek Porel (INR 4 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 73 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 2
Players eligible for RTM: One uncapped player and one capped player, or two capped players
Big players not retained: Rishabh Pant, David Warner, Anrich Nortje
Top takeaways: Rishabh Pant was not retained by DC, which means they need a new captain for IPL 2025, unless they buy him back at the auction and make him captain, which appears unlikely. DC are paying their capped retained players – Axar, Kuldeep and Stubbs – a total of INR 43.75 crore, which is less than the aggregate deduction from their purse (INR 47 crore).Kolkata Knight Riders6 players retained: Rinku Singh (INR 13 crore), Varun Chakravarthy (INR 12 crore), Sunil Narine (INR 12 crore), Andre Russell (INR 12 crore), Harshit Rana (INR 4 crore), Ramandeep Singh (INR 4 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 51 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: None
Players eligible for RTM: None
Big players not retained: Shreyas Iyer, Mitchell Starc, Phil Salt, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana
Top takeaways: Russell emerged as a late confirmation for KKR, and Rinku Singh has become their top retention for the first time. They have not retained their title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer and the most expensive player ever in IPL history, Mitchell Starc, who bowled match-winning spells in Qualifer 1 and the final last year. KKR are one of two teams – along with Rajasthan Royals – to have retained the maximum of six players, but they have paid only INR 57 crore for them, while the amount deducted from the purse is INR 69 crore.Rajasthan Royals6 players retained: Sanju Samson (INR 18 crore), Yashasvi Jaiswal (INR 18 crore), Riyan Parag (INR 14 crore), Dhruv Jurel (INR 14 crore), Shimron Hetmyer (INR 11 crore), Sandeep Sharma (INR 4 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 41 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: None
Players eligible for RTM: NA
Big players not retained: Yuzvendra Chahal, Jos Buttler, R Ashwin
Top takeaways: RR have gone batting heavy with their retentions, keeping five batters and only one bowler. They are one of two teams – KKR being the other – to retain the maximum of six players. Jurel gets a massive boost with a retention price tag of INR 14 crore.Gujarat Titans5 players retained: Rashid Khan (INR 18 crore), Shubman Gill (INR 16.50 crore), Sai Sudharsan (INR 8.50 crore), Rahul Tewatia (INR 4 crore), Shahrukh Khan (INR 4 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 69 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: One
Players eligible for RTM: One capped player
Big players not retained: Mohammed Shami, David Miller
Top takeaways: With Mohammed Shami sidelined by injury for a prolonged period, GT have no fast bowlers among the five players they have retained.Lucknow Super Giants5 players retained: Nicholas Pooran (INR 21 crore), Ravi Bishnoi (INR 11 crore) Mayank Yadav (INR 11 crore), Mohsin Khan (INR 4 crore), Ayush Badoni (INR 4 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 69 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 1
Players eligible for RTM: One capped player
Big players not retained: KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Quinton de Kock, Krunal Pandya
Top takeaways: LSG will need to name a new captain for IPL 2025 after not retaining KL Rahul. Pooran is the second-most expensive retention along with Kohli, after Klaasen at INR 23 crore.Punjab Kings2 players retained: Shashank Singh (INR 5.5 crore), Prabhsimran Singh (INR 4 crore)
Purse remaining for auction: INR 110.5 crore (out of INR 120 crore)
Right-to-match (RTM) options at auction: 4
Players eligible for RTM: Four capped players
Big players not retained: Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada
Top takeaways: PBKS have retained the fewest players – two, both uncapped – and therefore have the largest purse at the auction. They will need a new captain and pretty much an entire squad for IPL 2025.