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They may or may not make the squad to the USA and the Caribbean, but have done enough to get on the selectors’ radar

Danyal Rasool20-Mar-2024Haider AliThere is no evidence that Haider Ali has changed, but he merely served a reminder of what he is like at his best, a seductively clean ball-striker. Having seemingly regressed after a string of low scores over the past couple of years, he was left unpicked at the draft before Islamabad United plumped for him as a late replacement. And two nerveless, unbeaten innings in virtual knockouts for United conjured flashbacks of the kind of player Pakistan thought they were getting with Haider.Earlier in Haider’s career, Pakistan tried to use him up the order, but with a paucity of lower-order hitters at United, he was deployed there, and that now offers possibilities for Pakistan. Competition for places is much less fierce in those lower-middle-order positions, and the upcoming T20Is against New Zealand will be the perfect time for a trial.There’s no reason 23-year-old Haider cannot improve, but if Pakistan think he has turned a corner, they may be disappointed. He failed to reach double-figures in 12 of his last 19 innings, so a clarity of thought around the purpose of Haider will be essential. In him, a side acquires an occasional big-hitter, not a guaranteed run-scorer.Imad Wasim might not be done with international cricket yet•PCBImad WasimImad Wasim last played for Pakistan over a year ago, and has officially retired from international cricket, but it’s difficult to ignore him. A player who effortlessly polarises opinion, Imad’s consistently effective all-round showings this tournament were a throwback to a time when he opened the bowling for a side that won 11 T20I series in a row. Injuries, and a perceived lack of commitment to fitness, have seen his international career fade, but with the bulk of this year’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, the case for one last dance with the international side has only become stronger.His economy rate of 6.60 was matchless – no bowler (minimum 25 overs) came within almost a full run of it – and his ability to nibble away at opposition top orders without being a run-leaker is far too alluring a combination to ignore. Add to that his record in the CPL, where his 61 wickets have come at under 19, and an economy rate second only to Sunil Narine’s in the history of that competition, and he begins to look like a shoo-in.And that’s without talking about his batting. While not a power-hitter by any stretch of the imagination, Imad’s contributions lower down the order kept Islamabad alive through the group stages, and his presence at the death in the final held the tail together.An unretirement then?The mystery with Mehran Mumtaz is how exactly he gets the ball to grip and turn while bowling at near 100kph•PCBMehran MumtazThere are mystery spinners who appear gimmicky, and mystery spinners who offer a function. The mystery with Mehran Mumtaz is how exactly he gets the ball to grip and turn while bowling at near 100kph. Mumtaz, the 20-year-old left-arm bowler, didn’t play much of the PSL, but in the five games he did, he was both captivating and effective. He took five wickets, but it was the economy rate that stood out – 6.63, a smidge over Imad’s.Five games might not be a significant sample size, but if there are questions over Imad’s longevity and fitness, there should be no similar concerns for Mumtaz. He bowls the bulk of his balls in powerplays, and provided significant breakthroughs in all but one game, counting Reeza Hendricks, Shadab Khan and Saud Shakeel among his victims. He remains an unknown quantity to most in Pakistan, but Pakistan have 12 games before the T20I World Cup, and an ideal opportunity to test him.Abrar Ahmed isn’t a red-ball specialist, and proved that again at the PSL this year•Getty ImagesAbrar AhmedThis, perhaps, is the safer and more likely play for Pakistan’s selectors. Abrar Ahmed broke through at the PSL with Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi before injuries wiped years off his career. But when he re-emerged, Pakistan, for some reason, viewed him as a red-ball specialist, handing him his international debut against England in Multan. He made an instant impression, taking five wickets before lunch and since, the six matches he’s played have all come in the Test format.He was viewed as Pakistan’s frontline spinner for the tour of Australia before a pinched nerve in his right leg ruled him out, but at the PSL this year, he demonstrated his T20 nous has not quite deserted him. He was the third-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, taking a wicket every 15 deliveries at an economy rate superior to Usama Mir’s or Mohammad Ali’s, the only bowlers more prolific. He was an invaluable part of the Quetta Gladiators side, bowling his full quota in all ten games. If he can remain injury free over the upcoming swing leading to the World Cup, expect to see him in a green shirt with white ball in hand at some point. Perhaps even in the Caribbean.At the PSL, only Babar Azam scored more runs than Usman Khan, and the latter played four fewer games•PCB/PSLUsman KhanYeah, yeah, we know this is a bit of a cheat. He’s not even a Pakistan player, having changed his affiliation to the UAE in 2022. That he’s good enough isn’t a doubt at the moment – at the PSL, only Babar Azam scored more runs and Usman played four fewer games, scoring two of the PSL’s four hundreds at an average in excess of 107 and a strike rate exceeding 164.But he’s still got 14 months left to qualify for the UAE, and though he was lukewarm about his ambitions to play for Pakistan, there is little doubt Pakistan wouldn’t want to let a player like him slip away quite so easily. It all comes too quickly for this year’s World Cup, but Usman in a Pakistan shirt? Don’t rule it out just yet.

A look back at the overs that provided the biggest fluctuations as per ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster in teams’ fortunes

Yash Jha25-Apr-2022
Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai: 20th over

Rahul Tewatia’s miracle finish expectedly finds a place right at the top. The final over of their 190 chase began with Titans needing 19. A set Hardik Pandya at the crease along with David Miller meant they still had a fair chance of getting there.Related

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But it only got worse before it got better: after a wide to start from Odean Smith, Pandya was run-out off the first legal ball of the over. With the equation down to 13 required off three balls, an avoidable overthrow from Smith brought Tewatia on strike. Down to 12 to get off the final two deliveries, the Forecaster gave Titans an 8.07% chance of winning, before Tewatia – not for the first time – did the job against Kings.MS Dhoni plundered 16 runs off the last four deliveries to finish the chase against Mumbai Indians•BCCIMumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings: DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai: 20th over

Super Kings required 17 to win from the final over with four wickets in hand. Dwaine Pretorius had taken two key boundaries off Jasprit Bumrah’s 19th over. MS Dhoni was batting on 12 off nine balls, but importantly, he boasted of a strike rate above 230 against Jaydev Unadkat, who was to bowl the final over. All this combined to give CSK a 22.27% chance of victory.With Unadkat trapping Pretorius lbw first ball, and the incoming Dwayne Bravo taking a single, the Forecaster fell below 7% for the defending champions. Enter Dhoni with 16 to get off four balls. First a six and four took Super Kings’ chances up to 20.47%; it then slipped to 15.69 with four needed off the final ball, but the ultimate finisher finished things off.ESPNcricinfo LtdPunjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore: DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai: 18th over
Kings’ win probability at the start of the over: 22.17%

Maheesh Theekshana and Bravo’s exceptional performances had made Super Kings favourites going into the last three overs. With Titans still 48 away and not much batting to follow, the scales were clearly tilted in favour of Super Kings.That is when Rashid Khan, the stand-in captain for the day, took apart Chris Jordan with 6, 6, 4 and 6 off the first four balls of the 18th over. The over fetched 25 and flipped the game around. Titans now had a just-over 56% chance of going over the line, but there were yet more ebbs and flows – Bravo bowled a brilliant 19th, and Jordan began the final over with two dots to take the equation to 13 off four, with the Forecaster having Titans at 17.05% at this stage. But nerveless Miller sealed the chase with one ball remaining.Evin Lewis and Ayush Badoni smacked 25 off Shivam Dube, as Lucknow Super Giants ended as winners•BCCIDelhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai: 18th over

Capitals mounted an impressive recovery in their season-opener: they were 113 for 6 after 14 overs in reply to Mumbai’s 177, and needed 56 to win from the last five overs with Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel in the middle. That is when the seventh-wicket pair took 28 runs from the next two overs, as Capitals’ chances climbed from 13.40% to 54.58% with three overs left.But Mumbai’s half-chance was quashed in the 18th over, where both Lalit and Axar feasted on Daniel Sams. They combined to pick 24 off him, as Lalit hit 6 and 4, while Axar cracked two sixes, thus leaving Capitals with just four to get off 12 balls. Eventually, the job was done when Axar clipped Bumrah with ten balls left.Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai: 19th over

Chasing 211, Super Giants were still 34 adrift of the target with just two overs to go. But by then, Super Kings had bowled out Bravo and Pretorius, and had a tricky decision to make: risk one of the spinners bowling with a wet ball due to the dew present, or try and find some other alternative. Still, given the steep asking rate, the Forecaster had Super Kings as 92.14% favourites.The alternative they found was Shivam Dube, who hadn’t bowled on the day yet.His first ball saw Ayush Badoni get down on one knee and pummel one over square leg for six. Two consecutive wides gave further hope to Super Giants, and Evin Lewis belted 4, 4, 6 off the last three balls to make it a 25-run over. With only nine runs left to get it in the final over, Badoni hit a six after two further wides, as he and Lewis took them over the line with three balls to spare.

The Mets will be without Pete Alonso next season, as the All-Star first baseman agreed to sign with the Orioles on a five-year, $155 million deal. A homegrown player, Alonso had spent his entire career in New York with the Mets up until this point, and will now be departing for Baltimore.

This is the second major loss for the Mets in free agency this offseason. Earlier this week, All-Star closer Edwin Díaz left the Mets for the Dodgers, where he signed to a three-year, $69 million contract.

Not only did the Mets fail to re-sign Alonso, but they didn’t even make him a formal offer according to beat reporters Anthony DiComo and Joel Sherman. Per Sherman, the Mets never made an offer to Alonso because he began getting bids with more dollars and years than was in their “comfort zone” to offer him.

This is a significant changeup from a year ago, when owner Steve Cohen outbid everyone to sign Juan Soto to a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal. This time around, the Mets didn’t even offer Alonso an extension because his price was getting too high.

Cohen previously apologized to Mets fans at the end of their disappointing 2025 season, taking accountability for the team failing to make the postseason a season after a National League championship series appearance. The Mets started the season with the best record in MLB at 45-24, and even as they tailed off during the summer, they still had over a 90% chance of making the postseason in early September. Ultimately, an eight-game losing streak in September as well as losing five of their final eight games cost them the chance to play October baseball.

While the Mets are looking to rebound from that disastrous ending, letting Díaz and Alonso walk isn’t making many Mets fans optimistic. After all, Alonso was a bright spot for New York, slashing .272/.374/.524 for 170 hits, 87 runs, 38 home runs and 126 RBIs. He led the team in RBIs and doubles and finished second in batting average, slug rate, hits and home runs while making another All-Star Game.

Instead, the Mets will be going in a different direction with several areas of their team in 2026. They’ll hope their decisions pay off, or Cohen might be typing another apology come the end of next September.

Borussia Dortmund winger Julien Duranville is reportedly on the verge of a January exit after manager Niko Kovac delivered a dismal assessment of the teenager's current standing in the first-team picture. The coach admitted that "others are better" than the Belgian starlet, despite his long-awaited return to full fitness following a nightmare run of injuries.

Duranville yet to play this season

The highly-rated 19-year-old was once tipped for a bright future at the Westfalenstadion when he joined from Anderlecht in 2023. However, his time in the Bundesliga has been defined more by the treatment table than his performances on the pitch. He has made just 27 appearances in all competitions since then and is yet to make a senior appearance for the club this season. The last time he played was a brief appearance against Real Madrid in the Club World Cup during the summer after a season in which he started two of 12 Bundesliga appearances and two of his nine games in the Champions League.

According to reports from , Duranville’s camp is actively exploring options for a loan move in the winter transfer window. The decision comes directly off the back of Kovac’s public explanation for the winger's continued absence, a statement that has effectively frozen him out of the squad for the foreseeable future.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKovac gives blunt reality check

When pressed on why Duranville continues to be omitted from matchday squads despite recovering from his latest muscle injury, Croatian coach Kovac offered a response that left little room for interpretation. Kovac did not hide behind fitness concerns or tactical jargon. Instead, he pointed to the sheer weight of competition at a club of Dortmund's stature.

"We are at BVB and there are really good players at BVB," Kovac stated when asked about his absence for last weekend's game against Hoffenheim. "He is too, but the others are better."

Kovac's verdict highlights the immense challenge the player faces in trying to dislodge the likes of Karim Adeyemi, Julian Brandt and Maximilian Beier, who have established themselves as Kovac's preferred options in the wide areas.

The report highlights that Duranville’s time at Dortmund has been severely hampered by recurring setbacks. Since his move from Anderlecht, the winger has been plagued by muscle injuries that have stunted his development. A move back to Anderlecht in January has been considered, though Werder Bremen have been identified as a possible destination.

Cole Campbell also wants out

Duranville is not the only young talent looking for the exit door as Kovac looks to trim his squad. Cole Campbell, the 19-year-old American forward, has also reportedly submitted a request to leave in January.

Like Duranville, Campbell has found his opportunities limited and feels his development is stagnating in the Regionalliga with the reserves. He has reportedly grown frustrated with the lack of perspective in the first team and wants to prove himself at a higher level elsewhere.

With multiple young attackers expressing dissatisfaction with their game time, Dortmund face a potential reshaping of their attacking depth in January. Kovac appears willing to sanction these departures, prioritising a tighter group of players he feels he can rely on to deliver immediate results.

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Following the fallout from the Champions League draw against Bodo/Glimt, where defender Nico Schlotterbeck criticised the substitutes for a lack of intensity, manager Kovac is under pressure to field only those players who can meet the physical and tactical demands of his system.

For Duranville, the coach's verdict is final for now. While his talent is acknowledged, the "others are better" comment confirms that his immediate future lies away from Dortmund. The January window will likely see him depart in search of the minutes he cannot find at the Westfalenstadion.

Tazmin Brits’ match-winning 89-ball 101 against New Zealand in the women’s ODI World Cup on Monday night has placed her in the top five of the ODI rankings for women batters, where she is joined by Ash Gardner, who scored a century of her own, 115 in 83 balls, also against New Zealand at the World Cup, last week. Gardner is at No. 5.For Brits, it was a jump of two spots, while for Gardner, there was a seven-spot gain. Smriti Mandhana, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Beth Mooney remain the top three, but the rise of Brits and Gardner has pushed down Ellyse Perry, Laura Wolvaardt, Amy Jones, Hayley Matthews, Alyssa Healy and Marizanne Kapp.Also on the rise are Sophie Devine, up seven places to No. 8, and Sidra Amin, who has moved up three positions to joint No. 10 with Chamari Athapaththu. Amin is in sixth place on the World Cup run-scorers’ table following her 81 against India.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

For the record, Brits, Gardner and Devine are the only century-makers at the World Cup so far, and Devine is currently the leading run-scorer, despite New Zealand losing both their games in the tournament, with 197 runs in two innings. Gardner is a distant second with 115 runs.It was the fifth century in 2025 and fourth in five innings for Brits. Her prolific run-scoring form took shape in April when, in her first ODI of the year, she scored 109 against India in Colombo.Five games followed without a three-figure score, though there was a 57 against West Indies in Cave Hill in June, but then came the magical sequence of 101, 101*, 171*, 5 and 101, the blip coming against England in South Africa’s World Cup opener. No woman has scored five centuries in ODIs in a calendar year before Brits.

While their performances last year and at the start of the season suggest otherwise, West Ham United do have a talented squad.

The likes of Freddie Potts, Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters are all good to great players who will help move the East Londoners away from a Premier League relegation scrap as the season goes on.

However, one area of the team that the Hammers have consistently failed to address is up top, with neither Niclas Füllkrug nor Callum Wilson good enough to lead the line.

Fortunately, West Ham are now being linked with an inform number nine who could end their striker curse and was even linked to Harry Kane as a youngster.

West Ham target Füllkrug and Wilson upgrade

Before his injury, Füllkrug had made seven appearances for West Ham this season, in which he failed to score or assist a single goal, which makes news of his likely departure in January rather welcome to most fans.

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Wilson, on the other hand, has been able to find the back of the net twice, in fact, but even so, he has hardly blown anyone away in his nine appearances so far this season, and with his injury record being what it is, he cannot be relied upon.

So, with all that in mind, it’s clear that the East Londoners are in desperate need of a new striker once the window opens, and fortunately, that might happen.

According to a recent report from Turkey, West Ham are among several sides interested in man of the moment, Troy Parrott.

Alongside the Hammers, the report claims that Everton, Leeds United and Stuttgart are keen on signing the Irish international from AZ Alkmaar, who want at least €30m for him, which is about £26m.

It could be a tough transfer to get over the line, but with how well Parrott has played in recent years, and how much of an upgrade on Füllkrug and Wilson he’d be, it’s one worth fighting for.

Why Parrott would be massive upgrade on Wilson & Füllkrug

It’s the obvious place to start, but it’s also the most important: Parrott would be a huge upgrade on Wilson and Füllkrug because he’s simply the better goalscorer.

For example, while the two West Ham strikers have just two goals between them this season, the Irishman has already racked up an astounding tally of 13 goals and two assists in 14 appearances, totalling 928 minutes.

That comes out to a sensational average of 1.07 goal involvements every game, or one every 61.86 minutes.

Parrot’s 25/26

Appearances

14

Starts

11

Minutes

928′

Goals

13

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

1.07

Minutes per Goal Involvement

61.86′

Points per Game

2.21

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Such an incredible rate of return makes the claim of one analyst, made over five years ago, that he was “reminiscent of Harry Kane” as a youngster look rather reasonable today.

It’s not just this season that the former Tottenham Hotspur gem has been on fire, though, as he ended last season with an excellent haul of 20 goals and five assists in 47 games.

With that said, the second reason he’d be an excellent upgrade on the Hammers’ ageing forwards is that he’s still just 23 years old, and therefore has plenty left in the tank.

Moreover, while he did have some injury problems early on in his career, he has not missed more than nine games for club and country in any of the last three campaigns.

Finally, as was made quite clear over the last week or so, the Dublin-born game-changer is someone for the big occasions.

For example, he scored both goals in Ireland’s 2-0 win over Portugal, and then followed that up with what is already a legendary hat-trick against Hungary, securing the country’s place in the World Cup play-offs.

Moreover, his third goal was practically the final kick of the game, suggesting he isn’t someone to flap under the most immense of pressure.

Ultimately, while it might be difficult to get ahead of the other interested parties, West Ham should be doing all they can to sign Parrott in January, as he might be the man to end their striker curse.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 15, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are a club still in transition after Thomas Frank’s appointment in the summer, with the full extent of his system yet to be witnessed by the supporters.

The Dane was appointed on a three-year contract after Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal, with the 52-year-old only able to win five of his first 11 Premier League outings.

He’s only managed one league triumph on home soil to date, with such an issue needing to be addressed if the Lilywhites are to have any hope of finishing within the top four.

However, some of the players currently in his first-team squad have also done themselves no favours, leading to criticism of the manager for his team selection at times.

As a result, numerous players could be pushed closer to the exit door, potentially creating the additional funds needed to help build on the activity in the summer transfer window.

The Spurs players who could depart during the January window

Yves Bissouma is a player who has constantly been touted with a move away from Spurs in recent times – even before Frank took the reins back in the summer.

The Malian appeared to have burnt his bridges early on with the new boss, after being left out of the UEFA Super Cup final due to various disciplinary problems.

He’s failed to make a single appearance since Frank’s arrival, also struggling with injuries – which makes him an almost certainty to depart the Lilywhites in the winter.

Brennan Johnson is another player who could be pushed closer to the exit door in North London, something which may come as a surprise six months ago after netting the winner in the Europa League.

The Welshman has since lost his starting role in 2025/26, with Mohammed Kudus subsequently becoming the manager’s number one choice off the right-hand side.

He’s struggled to win his place back in the starting eleven of late, even being sent off in the Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen – further highlighting his lack of positive impact under the new boss.

The Spurs player who Conte was “very happy” to sign

Antonio Conte’s tenure in charge of Spurs was a memorable one for all the wrong reasons, with the Italian unable to get the best out of the crop of players at his disposal in North London.

The Italian spent just under 18 months at the helm in North London, but was unable to secure any silverware and often became known for his inability to succeed in the role.

The 56-year-old even produced a remarkable rant after the clash with Southampton in May 2023, massively digging out the quality of players and criticising their lack of quality.

It ultimately spelt the end of his time in charge of the Lilywhites, leaving the club after achieving a 53% record – but without any silverware to show for his efforts.

However, he was handed key funds to make changes he desired, as seen by the £60m move to sign Brazilian striker Richarlison from Everton in the summer of 2022.

The Italian was extremely pleased with such a move at the time, even stating that he was “very happy” to land the frontman to help bolster the options within the final third.

However, three years on from his transfer to join the Lilywhites, the 28-year-old has struggled to make himself a fan-favourite and has often struggled to produce the goods.

Frank has continued to show faith in the forward during the early stages of 2025/26, but it’s so far been to no avail – especially when delving into his stats from the ongoing season.

He may have scored four times in his 12 Premier League appearances to date, but the fanbase have grown frustrated with his lack of clinical edge – often missing more chances than he’s scored.

Richarlison – PL stats (2025/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

11

Goals scored

4

Pass accuracy

63%

Dribble success

50%

Aerials won

42%

Big chances missed

5

Fouls committed

1.5

Touches per 90

31

Stats via FotMob

Richarlison has also been alien at the top end in numerous matches, as seen against Bodo Glimt in September, where he only registered a total of 10 touches in his 90-minute performance.

At present, he only has 18 months left on his current deal at the club, which could see them run the risk of losing him for nothing if they refuse to sell him in January.

However, the Brazilian certainly hasn’t done enough to warrant a new deal, nor has he been clinical enough to maintain the backing of Frank in the centre-forward role.

Given the circumstances, the hierarchy desperately need to offload Richarlison in January and invest the money wisely in a new talisman to help the Dane in his quest for success at the club.

Related Kudus upgrade: Spurs to make club-record offer for "world-class" £70m star

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Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

Ezri Konsa has been linked with a move away from Aston Villa, with Liverpool keen on him, and now a fresh update has emerged regarding his future.

The 28-year-old has matured into such an important player for the Villans, becoming a key starter and coming right into the prime years of his career.

In fact, Konsa will even be hoping of starting for England at the 2026 World Cup, with he and John Stones likely to battle to play alongside Marc Guehi in the right-sided centre-back spot for the Three Lions.

Worryingly, the Englishman has been linked with various clubs in recent weeks and months, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City mentioned as potential options for him.

Konsa isn’t out of contract at Villa until the summer of 2028, and now a new update has dropped regarding his future at the Premier League club.

Key latest on Konsa's Aston Villa future

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown claimed that Aston Villa won’t even entertain the idea of allowing Konsa to leave in the near future, with the player himself happy at the club.

“Aston Villa have been an example in recent years of how to build a team. It’s a testament to Villa’s recruitment that so many of their best players are attracting interest. The players they’ve brought in, like Konsa and Rogers for example, have reached new levels since they arrived and proved to be very important players for them.

“So Konsa, for example, has impressed at Villa and got himself into the England team. That only invites more interest, because he’s playing on a bigger stage, attracting more eyes on his performances, and that leads to more speculation. So Villa then have a hell of a job behind the scenes trying to keep him at the club.

“From what I’m told, they’re not massively concerned about his future, because by all accounts he’s happy at Villa and he’s been a crucial part of their success. Emery has no plans to let him go because of how important he is to Villa, and I think Villa will be confident that they can keep him. Even with teams like Liverpool or Chelsea looking at him, that won’t chance Villa’s position.”

This will come as a relief to Villa supporters, with Konsa arguably now one of the first names on Unai Emery’s team sheet, recently being hailed as “excellent” by Troy Deeney.

Aston Villa now join race to sign "insane" £35m former Bayern Munich striker

The Villans are looking to sign a centre-forward, with Unai Emery keen on greater strength in depth in attack.

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 28, 2025

As mentioned, he now feels like he is at his peak, which should remain the same for another three or four years or so, and if Villa are to continue heading in the right direction, they cannot afford to sell their best players to teams who are higher than they are in the table.

Liverpool learn true price for Ezri Konsa as PSR forces Aston Villa's hand

Former Manchester United defender Danny Simpson has boldly claimed that he could not see Harry Kane turning the Red Devils down if they were to make another play for the England captain in 2026. Kane is currently on the books of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, but has exit clauses in his contract that can be triggered in upcoming transfer windows – with a return to the Premier League being speculated on.

Kane transfer clause: £57m enough to do a deal with Bayern

Kane bid farewell to his homeland in 2023 when severing career-long ties with Tottenham as the club’s all-time leading scorer. He has broken his trophy duck in Germany, becoming a title winner at the Allianz Arena, while plundering more than 100 goals for Bayern.

The 32-year-old is a firm fan favourite in Munich, but questions continue to be asked of what his future holds. It has been suggested that an offer of around £57 million ($75m) would be enough to enter into talks regarding a shock deal.

Unsurprisingly, a retracing of steps for Kane is being mooted – with Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goals record still in his sights. Spurs have the option to match any offer for a product of their academy system, while United hold long-standing interest in the most prolific of No.9s.

AdvertisementAFPCould Kane join Man Utd? Prediction from ex-Red Devils star

The Red Devils have invested in faith and funds in Benjamin Sesko, but opportunities to sign players of Kane’s ilk are few and far between. They may be tempted to join the hunt for a once familiar foe if a scramble for his signature is sparked.

Simpson, who won the Premier League title with Leicester after stepping out of the fabled youth system at Old Trafford, told when asked if Kane could end up in Manchester – with Dutch star Robin Van Persie having previously joined the Red Devils in a bid to win silverware that had proved elusive at Arsenal: "I don’t know where else he could go, if I’m honest. He can’t go to City. He can’t go to Arsenal. I can’t see him turning Manchester United down.

"He can come back, and get the goals record. I’d love to see it. I said it when he was leaving Tottenham, I’d love to see him at Manchester United. It’s a good fit. If that’s an option I’d 100% go for it.

"He could help Sesko as well. Sesko would understand not playing every game, learning under Harry Kane, and not having that pressure. He’s won his trophies at Bayern now, so if he comes back and gets Manchester United back up to the top of the Premier League, he could be a Manchester United legend like when Van Persie came."

Kane warned off move to Old Trafford

While Simpson would like to see Kane at the so-called ‘Theatre of Dreams’, not everybody is convinced that said path should be trodden. United have struggled for consistency across several campaigns – finishing 15th last season while missing out on European qualification.

With those issues in mind, former Tottenham midfielder Gus Poyet told GOAL recently when asked if Kane could return to the Premier League somewhere outside of north London: "If he goes to Man United, I won’t talk about Harry Kane anymore in my life! People talk about Man United, but this is not Man United in the last few years. He won’t go to Arsenal. The rest, I don’t know. I think people would take him back at Spurs as the player he is and the legend that he is. If he can go back and help the team in a certain way, score goals and get the record, it would be amazing. I’m not sure what will happen. Maybe he won’t go back. It’s very personal, so let’s see."

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GettyKane contract: Bayern extension has been mooted

Kane has won the Bundesliga Golden Boot in each of his two seasons with Bayern. He has found the target on 107 occasions through 112 appearances. His contract is due to run until 2027, with an extension to those terms having also been mooted, but transfer speculation has been dominated by teams in England and La Liga giants Barcelona.

Under-fire Forest manager Ange Postecoglou launched into a passionate defence of his managerial career and believes he will never be accepted in England, despite his track-record of winning trophies. Postecoglou goes into Saturday's clash with Chelsea knowing another defeat could cost him his job, just weeks after taking over from the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo.

Clock ticking for Postecoglou

Postecoglou only took the helm at the City Ground last month and is currently winless after seven games, the worst start by a Forest manager in over a century, which has led to speculation about his job. This follows his departure from Tottenham where he won the Europa League in May, but was dismissed shortly after following Spurs’ 17th-place finish in the league – the club’s worst Premier League placing. But Ange sees it a different way and believes people’s minds are already made up on him, despite landing another piece of major silverware. He said: "I guess from my perspective, I just don't fit. Not (talking about) here. Just in general. If you look at it through the prism of: I'm a failed manager who is lucky to get this job – I know you're smirking at me and that's what's being said and I can find the print where that's being said – then of course it looks like this manager is under pressure. There is an alternative story. I came to the Premier League two years ago, I took over Tottenham – 'Spursy Tottenham'. I was told by the chairman at the time: 'This club has to win a trophy. We've tried to bring winners in, Jose (Mourinho) and Antonio (Conte) and it hasn't worked, we need something different.' I was slightly offended by that as I see myself as a winner."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDid final focus hamper league progress?

The Aussie boss has pointed to the many mitigating factors last season which worked against him and, ultimately, led to Spurs finishing in lowly 17th place. A clearly frustrated Postecoglou said: "If I have to explain why we finished 17th, it doesn't have to be too in-depth. Just look at the last five or six different team sheets in the league last year to see who I prioritised, who was on the bench and who I was playing. The last game against Brighton, the players were out for two days partying – which I sanctioned because I felt they deserved to. So we finished 17th, if people think that's a reflection of me and my coaching, then people are looking at it through the prism of: I just don't fit. So we get to the current space where there's a different story to tell that maybe I'm maybe not a failed manager who was lucky to get this job – but maybe I'm a manager where if given time, the story always ends the same. At all my previous clubs it ends the same: me with a trophy."

Postecoglou is feeling the heat at Forest

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis will have a decision to make if he watches his side lose another game, but Postecoglou is doing his best to stay positive, despite the mounting issues. He said: "The flip side is I'm really still excited about the opportunity here. That's how I'm embracing it. I have a group of young players who are willing to change, that's the first thing. I'm heading down that road. The rest of it? I'm not going to waste my time or my energy worrying about that. Whether it's internal or external I couldn't care less. At the end of the day, I will do what I think is the right thing to do to bring success to this football club and that's what I'm focused on. Of course there's pressure. There's pressure anyway. So if we win on the weekend, the pressure is there. There's always pressure. There's a difference between pressure and saying that somebody should lose their job after five weeks. I mean, I only just found an apartment to move into, which may be a bad decision on my behalf. I should have stayed in temporary digs. That's how early it is. So there's a difference."

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Getty Images SportIs Ange relishing facing Chelsea?

There’s no respite for Postecoglou, as Forest host Chelsea this weekend, a team he lost to four times while manager of Tottenham. The Forest boss said: “It's always important to win the next game irrespective of what's happened previously. It's no different tomorrow. We're facing a very good opponent but we're here at home which is good and looking forward to the challenge of it. A good couple of weeks training with the guys who were with us here. We had a few on international duty but they came back in good condition and ready to play."