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After Head hit a blazing fifty before lunch, the Khawaja-Smith pair stamped its authority on the day’s fortunes

Tristan Lavalette29-Jan-2025Stand-in captain Steven Smith scored his 10,000th Test run before completing the momentous occasion with a majestic century, while Usman Khawaja reached his 16th ton as Australia were rewarded for an aggressive approach against a spin-heavy Sri Lanka attack on a slow Galle surface.Australia finished the opening day of the series in a dominant position at 330 for 2 with rain ending play after 81.1 overs. Khawaja and Smith have combined for an unbroken third-wicket 195-run partnership to capitalise on the batting-friendly conditions in the perfect start for an Australian side striving for a first series victory in Sri Lanka since 2011.Having averaged 66 in 38 previous Tests as captain, Smith has clearly enjoyed taking the leadership reins with Pat Cummins on paternity leave. He was in sublime form after lunch and reached his half-century in 57 balls before showing patience in the final session as Sri Lanka talisman Prabath Jayasuriya resorted to a defensive leg stump line.As gloomy skies threatened, Smith regained his momentum to notch his 35th Test century. He raised his baggygreen in a reserved celebration with Smith having peeled off three tons in his last seven Test innings.Smith had started the match perched on 9999 runs after agonisingly falling short of the landmark in the fifth Test against India on his SCG home ground.Steven Smith got his third Test ton in Sri Lanka, becoming the most prolific to do so among Australia batters•Ishara S Kodikara/AFP via Getty ImagesBut Smith reached the milestone on his first delivery just before lunch with a flick to mid-on to join Ricky Ponting, Allan Border and Steve Waugh as the only Australians to achieve the milestone. He earned a strong ovation from his teammates and the jovial Australia fans in the terraces as he celebrated with a modest wave of the bat.He almost fell moments later when he offered a return catch to Jayasuriya, who spilt a chance low down to his right. But Smith was almost flawless after that as he donned his baggygreen cap and batted with authority. Much like openers Khawaja and Travis Head in the first session, Smith was quick on his feet and targeted the trio of spinners down the ground.Not having to face tormentor Jasprit Bumrah, Khawaja cut a relaxed figure and played with good intent to end a long drought having gone without a century since the opening Ashes Test in mid-2023.Related

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After a lean series against India, pressure had built on 38-year-old Khawaja but he repaid the faith by perfectly complementing the aggressiveness of Smith and Head, who justified his promotion up the order with 57 off 40 balls.Khawaja unfurled the reverse sweep to good effect and reached his century off 135 balls, celebrating by pumping his fists and taking off his helmet before waving his bat.Usman Khawaja ended his longest streak without a century with a first-day hundred in Galle•Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesIt has been a torrid start to the two-Test series for Sri Lanka, who were particularly sloppy in the field and tardy with their reviews. They were left to rue numerous chances to dismiss Khawaja, including two dropped catches off the bowling of an increasingly flustered Jayasuriya, who destroyed Australia at the venue with a 12-wicket haul in his Test debut in 2022.Khawaja was also lucky on 74 when he edged Jayasuriya through to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, but Sri Lanka did not review the not out decision.Apart from a menacing spell before lunch by legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who turned the ball square having been a surprising inclusion, Sri Lanka’s bowlers were rattled and unable to rein in Australia’s scoring run until restorting to defensive tactics in the backend of the day’s play.But the damage had been done after Australia piled on 261 runs at a rate of 4.35 in the opening two sessions.Head set the tone after Smith had no hesitation to bat when the coin fell in his favour amid stifling humidity and a grassless surface. In a somewhat contentious move, Head moved up from No. 5 at the expense of 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who had made an eye-catching start to his Test career against India.The decision also allowed Josh Inglis, the Western Australia wicketkeeper and a noted player of spin, to make his Test debut at five as a specialist batter. But he’s not been needed so far.Having previously struggled as a middle-order batter in Sri Lanka, Head had success as an opener in India on the 2023 tour and he replicated that in a 92-run partnership with Khawaja. Head’s swift strike rate suggests belligerent batting straight out of the recently concluded Big Bash League, but he played smartly and mostly in orthodox fashion.Head raced to 23 off 13 and showed no mercy, but he did receive some luck on the last ball of quick Asitha Fernando’s opening three-over spell when he was rapped on the pads. Fernando had appealed vigorously, but Sri Lanka opted against reviewing although replays suggested the not out decision would have been overturned.Head reached his half-century off 35 balls, but fell shortly after when he tried to hit Jayasuriya over long-on but mis-hit to Dinesh Chandimal on the rope.The game turned – literally – with Vandersay producing sharp legspin from the get go. He ripped a Shane Warne-esque legbreak to beat Marnus Labuschagne all ends up on his first delivery, while Nishan Peiris had a huge lbw shout on the batter turned down with DRS upholding the decision.Labuschagne on 20 poked Vandersay to first slip as Sri Lanka ended the first session in better spirits. But their mood quickly soured on resumption when Smith smashed Jayasuriya straight down the ground for six and he scored with ease until Sri Lanka changed their tactics.Jayasuriya bowled four consecutive maidens either side of tea, aiming at a leg stump line as a patient Smith continually padded the ball away.The negative lines did lead to umpire Chris Gaffaney giving the Sri Lankans a talking to before the game received a much needed spark as Smith pounced on weary bowling to move into seventh spot on the list of most Test century makers.Sri Lanka took the second new ball but seven balls later rain intervened in a relief for the beleaguered home side.Australia selected a spin-heavy attack with offspinner Todd Murphy and left-armer Matthew Kuhnemann to complement frontliner Nathan Lyon.Mitchell Starc was the sole paceman named with allrounder Beau Webster capable of bowling seam and spin. Scott Boland unluckily was dropped after taking 10 wickets against India in the SCG Test.

Glasgow Rangers have one foot in the play-off round of Champions League qualifiers after they hammered Viktoria Plzen 3-0 at Ibrox on Tuesday night.

Djeidi Gassama continued his electric start to life in Glasgow with two goals on the night, making it four goals in four matches after an impressive opening three outings against Panathinaikos and Motherwell.

Minutes

15

34

83

Shots

1

1

2

Goals

1

1

0

Key passes

0

0

1

Dribbles completed

2/2

0/1

2/3

Cyriel Dessers also scored from the penalty spot and assisted the opening goal for the former Sheffield Wednesday man against the Czechia outfit.

There was also an Ibrox debut given by Russell Martin. Oliver Antman is still unpacking his boxes after a switch from Go Ahead Eagles, yet was able to put in an impressive performance.

Oliver Antman's impressive debut for Rangers

The Finland international did not need any time to settle into life at Ibrox, as he was thrown into the starting XI and heavily contributed to two of the three goals.

It was his driving run, coming inside from the right, that resulted in him being tripped up inside the box, forcing the referee to award the penalty that Dessers scored from.

Antman also delivered a peach of a cross from the right flank to tee up Gassama for his second goal of the night, whipping an inch-perfect ball onto his head.

Whilst the Finnish forward may share the same name as an Avenger, it is another Rangers star who has emerged as their own superhero – Nasser Djiga.

Why Nasser Djiga is the new Rangers superhero

The Burkina Faso international was even better than Gassama and Antman on the night, as he put in a virtually fautless display at the heart of the defence, whilst the two wingers still lost possession and fluffed attacks to go along with their impressive contributions.

Playing Martin’s style of football is not easy. Rangers need players who are mobile enough to recover situations when the team commit turnovers in their own half, as well as players who are confident and composed enough to make passes under pressure.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Djiga showed that he is the perfect central defender for the way that the manager wants to play, as he was a colossus defensively and immaculate in possession.

His best contribution in the match came when the Gers were 1-0 up. Matej Vydra had the ball with time and space to pull the trigger around the penalty spot, but the Wolves loanee seemed to come out of nowhere to make a sprawling, goal-saving, block.

There was also moment in the 60th minute when John Souttar played a careless pass that put his side in danger, but Djiga used his pace to recover the ball in behind and retained possession with a clever first-time pass to Max Aarons.

He had countless moments like that throughout the game, including one to cover for an out of position James Tavernier in the closing seconds, to prevent the away side from creating anything of note, making numerous blocks and recoveries to keep Jack Butland quiet.

His faultless defensive performance was even more impressive than Gassama and Antman’s exploits on the wing because of how difficult it it to play the way Martin wants to play, which is why it was such a brilliant showing from the defender.

Rangers could unlock Gassama's full potential in move for "offensive" star

Glasgow Rangers could unlock Djeidi Gassama’s full potential in a move for this star.

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Djiga may not be Antman, but the 22-year-old titan could be the Man of Steel for Rangers.

Co-owner Ryan Reynolds could only watch on as Wrexham lost again, succumbing to their third loss of the season as Queens Park Rangers beat them 3-1 on Saturday. Phil Parkinson was critical of his side despite pointing out a few positives. Indeed, the head coach lamented the team's disorganization in defense and believes the backline can do much better.

Wrexham's third loss in opening five Championship games

Wrexham's woeful start to life in the Championship continued with another setback, as Reynolds watched from the stands while QPR secured a 3-1 win at the Racecourse Ground. Parkinson, who might be feeling considerable pressure after three losses in five games, explained why his team have only managed to earn four points in the league so far.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWrexham are Championship's biggest summer spenders but fighting relegation

The Red Dragons came to the Championship on the back of three successive, record-breaking promotions. To say that their rise in English football has been meteoric would be an understatement. Over the summer, Reynolds' team splashed £33 million (€38m/$44m), recruiting as many as 13 players. However, after five games, Wrexham are languishing in 21st position on the Championship table, one spot and two points above the relegation zone. Adapting to the second tier was never going to be a cakewalk, but things are looking more arduous than expected, considering they were the biggest spenders in the Championship.

Parkinson emphasises Wrexham's own mistakes

Speaking to reporters after the loss, Parkinson said: "We've changed the squad around completely. There was always going to be a period at the start where it doesn't go completely as you'd want it. We've got to work this week on the training pitch to put on a performance like we showed at Millwall two weeks ago [when Wrexham won 2-0].

"The previous home games, we looked like we can create chances and score. But the goals we conceded – on one hand, you'll say they were clinical but when we analyse them all, we'll know we could have done better.

"I thought we started the game well and then we had a scrappy period with some mistakes on the ball. The goal really typified that period. We had to clear our lines quicker and be braver in the key moments to keep the ball out of the net. The third goal was just a real killer for us, it knocked the stuffing out of us."

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GettyUp next: Norwich City challenge awaits

The Welsh outfit will be desperate to turn the tables amid an injury crisis, as they prepare to take on Norwich City in their upcoming Championship clash on Saturday, September 20. 

Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr have now submitted an offer for a Manchester United star who is not wanted under head coach Ruben Amorim, according to a recent report.

Amorim confident Bruno Fernandes will have help this season

The Red Devils started their tour of the USA in an excellent manner, as they put in a strong display to earn a 2-1 win over West Ham United in what was their first of three games in the Premier League summer series.

United had captain fantastic Bruno Fernandes to thank for the victory, as the Portugal international netted in the opening five minutes from the penalty spot after a foul on Ayden Heaven. Then, Fernandes doubled their lead through a wonderful curled effort from outside the box to claim their first win of preseason 2025.

Fernandes has been heavily relied upon by United to be their creative force, but Amorim is now confident the arrivals of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo will help the attacking midfielder in the upcoming campaign.

“He will have more help this season.

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“It’s impossible to play all the positions. Last year, I felt sometimes I pushed him back to have more possession in the build-up, and then we missed Bruno near the box. Cunha and Bryan have different characteristics.”

Al-Nassr submit bid to sign £52m Man Utd forward

As Amorim looks to gel Cunha and Mbeumo into the United team, the Red Devils have now been presented an opportunity to sell a player who is no longer needed. According to Foot Mercato, Al-Nassr have made an offer to sign Antony from Manchester United.

The report states that it is unknown how much Al-Nassr have offered, but United are holding out for a fee of €60 million for the Brazil international, which is roughly £52 million. Antony is under contract at Old Trafford until 2027, but he spent the second half of last season on loan at La Liga side Real Betis.

The 25-year-old, who earns a weekly wage of £200,000 at United, scored nine goals and recorded five assists in 26 games for Real Betis, but that form has done nothing to earn him a chance under Amorim. In fact, it was well publicised at the start of the summer transfer window that United are looking to sell Antony alongside other players such as Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, who has now joined Barcelona.

Antony’s 24/25 La Liga stats

Apps

17

Starts

15

Goals

5

xG

2.87

Shots per game

2.5

Chance conversion

12%

Assists

2

Big chances created

8

Key passes per game

2.2

Antony has been at United since the summer of 2022, when he joined for a hefty price tag from Ajax, as former manager Erik ten Hag wanted to link up with the winger once again. However, the Brazilian failed to make the same impact as he did in the Netherlands, as he scored just 12 goals over three seasons.

Celtic’s hectic pre-season schedule continues.

First, Brendan Rodgers’ side enjoyed victories over both Queen’s Park and Cork City, with Johnny Kenny the only scorer at Lesser Hampden, before young defender Colby Donovan was the late match-winner at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday.

After that, the Hoops travelled to Portugal, defeated 3-2 by Estrela da Amadora in Seixal, just outside Lisbon, on Saturday; Reo Hatate and Adam Idah the goalscorers.

So, before facing Portuguese champions Sporting CP at Estádio Algarve on Wednesday, could the Celts add another Portuguese player to their squad?

Celtic's latest transfer target

Somewhat surprisingly, just three Portuguese players have ever played for Celtic and, as the table below notes, two are in the current squad.

Jorge Cadete

Sporting CP

1996-97

49

Jota

Benfica

2021-23 & 25-present

99

Paulo Bernardo

Benfica

2023-present

77

Jorge Cadete made an enormous impact at Celtic in the late-90s, scoring 38 goals in 49 appearances for the club, before being sold to Celta de Vigo.

Meantime, Jota and Paulo Bernardo remain key figures in the current Celtic side, even if the former is sidelined long-term due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, so could another Portuguese youngster be about to arrive?

Well, according to a report by Portuguese newspaper Record, Celtic are ‘fighting’ to sign Flávio Nazinho this summer, with Roma and Real Sociedad amongst those also interested.

Nazinho is a 21-year-old left-back who began his senior career at Sporting CP, his debut coming against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in November 2021.

Transfer Focus

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However, after only accumulating 11 appearances for the Green and Whites, totalling 383 minutes, he joined Cercle Brugge, initially on loan, before the deal was made permanent for €1m (£860k) last summer.

Well, since then, according to Football Transfers, his value has increased exponentially, now worth around £3.2m, so could he join yet another side whose home kit prominently features green?

Why Flávio Nazinho would be a success at Celtic

The young defender’s career has really taken off since moving to Cercle Brugge, making 62 appearances for the Green and Blacks, a key figure as they qualified for a UEFA group stage for the very first time.

One content creator labelled him a “very exciting” full-back who is “quick” and “doesn’t shy away from a tackle”.

Meantime, Ross Pilcher of the Daily Record believes he would be the perfect deputy to Kieran Tierney at left-back, given the returning hero’s injury record, with Rodgers searching for a reliable back-up, following Greg Taylor’s move to PAOK.

Could Nazinho be just that? Well, let’s assess his statistics in last season’s Jupiler Pro League to find out.

Minutes

1,172

185th

Progressive passes

25

37th

Shot-creating actions

53

66th

Goal-creating actions

7

34th

Tackles

36

87th

% of dribblers tackled

68.8%

17th

Take-on success %

57.7%

29th

The table outlines that Nazinho is a well-rounded player, ranking generally highly in terms of passing, chances created, tackling and take-ons.

This is despite his limited minutes due to a hamstring injury, as well as the fact that he was playing for the team that ultimately finished third-bottom, only retaining their top-flight status by beating Patro Eisden Maasmechelen in a play-off; Nazhino scoring during the second leg at Jan Breydelstadion.

​​​​​​

When Jota arrived at Celtic, he had failed to make the breakthrough at Benfica and then endured a miserable loan spell at Real Valladolid, before only flourishing once he was signed by Ange Postecoglou.

Well, Nazinho has a lot more senior experience right now than Jota did when he first joined four years ago, suggesting the full-back could be the next young player to burst onto the scene in Glasgow’s East End.

Celtic could land better winger than Balikwisha in "electric" £3.5m star

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It is no secret that Arsenal are actively in the market for a new attacking player or two for Mikel Arteta this summer, with the Gunners now urged to make a move for one highly-rated forward who’s reportedly on Andrea Berta’s list.

Arsenal targeting new winger with "numerous talks" held

Bukayo Saka’s lengthy injury absence midway through 2024/2025, combined with uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of Leandro Trossard, has seemingly pushed Arsenal into considering the signing of a winger.

Arsenal talks could advance in "next few days" as Berta eyes £59m signing

The Gunners have been in contact this week.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 5, 2025

The Belgian is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract in north London, and there are even some suggestions that Arsenal would also entertain suitable bids for Gabriel Martinelli, who is valued at around £50 million, so Arteta’s wide options could look slightly different by the time we reach 2025/2026.

In terms of potential incomings, talks have been held over a deal for Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who is considered the “dream signing” by Arsenal in that position, but negotiations are proving complicated due to wage demands (Florian Plettenberg).

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

That being said, Rodrygo is by no means their only option, with Berta holding “numerous talks” over many targets, including Atalanta star Ademola Lookman.

The Nigerian is reportedly valued at around £42 million, which could prove to be a bargain considering his exploits in Serie A over the last two seasons.

Lookman’s devastating performance in the 2024 Europa League final ended Bayer Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten run, and he’s fresh off scoring 20 goals in all competitions for Atalanta over the season just gone.

Multiple reports have claimed that Arsenal have held talks over a move for Lookman, with club legend Ian Wright now urging Berta to seal a deal.

Ian Wright urges Arsenal to sign Ademola Lookman after alleged talks

Speaking on the Wrighty’s House podcast this week, the N5 icon expressed his admiration for Lookman’s journey to the top, branding him a “top” player.

Wright also urged Arsenal to sign Lookman before the start of next season, explaining exactly why he believes the African would do an excellent job under Arteta.

“I’m going to go with Ademola Lookman winning the African Player of the Year in respects of that man’s journey,” said Wright.

“I remember him from Charlton, it didn’t work out, £10 million to Everton, then moving all over the place, the journey from loan to this, then I think that’s one of the most devastating performances I’ve seen in any final with that hat-trick he scored.

“I hope we can buy him, Arsenal. I would love someone like him to come back to the Premier League and say, ‘listen, I have unfinished business here, so I am going to help Arsenal win the league’.

“But I just admire his journey, and now he’s recognised rightly as a top player, unbelievable.”

With the transfer window now open, Vitor Pereira has reportedly asked Wolverhampton Wanderers chiefs to sign a Brazilian defender who has a release clause worth £22m.

Matt Hobbs leaves the club

Whilst Wolves will be keen to get their summer business underway as soon as possible, especially after losing Matheus Cunha and watching on as Rayan Ait-Nouri attracts interest from Manchester City, the departure of Matt Hobbs may delay things. Without their sporting director, the Midlands club are set to restructure behind the scenes ahead of Pereira’s first summer in charge.

The club released a statement on Hobbs’ exit, which read: “Wolves can confirm that sporting director Matt Hobbs has left the club by mutual consent as part of a wider restructure of the football department.

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“Hobbs, who joined Wolves in 2015, has spent the past decade working across a number of key football roles at the club, including chief scout, head of recruitment and most recently as sporting director.

“The club extends its sincere thanks to Matt for his contributions throughout his time at Wolves and wishes him the very best for the future. Further updates on the new football leadership structure will follow.”

Of course, it’s not the only change taking place in the Midlands. Having already lost Cunha to Manchester United, reports are now indicating that Wolves are likely to lose Ait-Nouri to Manchester City in the coming weeks.

Losing arguably their two best players in the same summer, Wolves must now get things right on the incomings front. Pereira will be desperate to see his first season in charge build on the progress that he’s already made at Molineux and that means a mid-table finish instead of another nervy relegation battle.

The one positive is that Wolves should have money to spend and money that Pereira is already reportedly keen to put to good use.

Pereira asks Wolves to sign Renan

According to UOL, as relayed by Molineux News, Pereira has now directly asked Wolves to sign Robert Renan, who he worked with during his time in Saudi Arabia and at Corinthians. The 21-year-old defender now reportedly has a release clause worth £22m at Zenit St. Petersburg and, after spending the season on loan at Al-Shabab, could yet be on his way to the Premier League.

Games

25

Wins

13

Draws

5

Defeats

7

Still just 21 years old, Renan has found himself at the centre of impressive praise for how he’s risen through the ranks in recent seasons. That includes from U23 scout Antonio Mango, who praised the defender for his “great mobility and acceleration” in 2023.

Two years on from that praise, the young centre-back has only upped his game, which could leave him in line for his biggest opportunity yet. Pereira knows him well and Wolves have money to spend, which means that Renan’s arrival could make perfect sense for all parties this summer.

Having reportedly requested the Brazilian’s arrival, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Pereira gets his wish at Wolves in the coming months.

Arsenal are set to reach out for talks with a highly-rated forward, with one key issue thwarting Barcelona and their attempts to sign the player.

Andrea Berta plans summer rebuild at Arsenal

This highly-anticipated summer transfer window at Arsenal will be sporting director Andrea Berta’s first since his appointment in late March.

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Much has been made of Berta’s arrival after 12 fruitful years working for Atlético Madrid, where he orchestrated some high-profile deals and made a real name for himself as an astute operator in La Liga.

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

Mikel Arteta and Berta are set to work in tandem on the club’s transfer plans ahead of a potentially more successful Premier League title challenge next campaign, and some reports suggest that the Gunners could splash up to £300 million on new signings, in what would be a major rebuild.

Left-back Kieran Tierney is set to join Celtic when his contract expires, while Jorginho is also in line to leave on a Bosman in July as things stand. Arsenal are working to extend Thomas Partey’s contract, but there is no guarantee they will reach an agreement on terms, with ESPN reporting the Ghanaian will have to take a pay-cut.

Oleksandr Zinchenko will be put up for sale by Arsenal as well, and back-up keeper Neto is set to return to parent club Bournemouth when his contract expires.

With uncertainty surrounding the long-term futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard right now, there is also a firm belief that Arsenal could look to sign a new winger on either flank, not to mention a main man to lead the line.

It is set to be a busy debut summer for Berta in N5, and a diverse range of targets are being linked, especially in the attacking areas. It is no secret that Arsenal need a prolific forward to lead the line, which was made all the more evident by Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus’ long-term injury absences.

Arsenal set to contact Ademola Lookman as obstacle thwarts Barcelona move

Versatile Atalanta star Ademola Lookman could be Arteta and Berta’s solution, following another excellent Serie A campaign, where he’s bagged 18 goals in all competitions.

The Nigerian, who scored a hat-trick in last year’s Europa League final to win Atalanta the trophy and end Bayer Leverkusen’s historic 23/24 unbeaten run, has predominantly played as a second striker under Gian Piero Gasperini this term.

However, he’s also starred as a traditional centre-forward across 24/25, whilst being used out-wide occasionally, and this could really appeal to Arteta.

CaughtOffside report that Arsenal are planning to hold talks with Lookman, with a “serious obstacle” threatening Barcelona’s attempts to sign the 27-year-old. The Catalans’ financial problems mean they’re unlikely to afford his expected £55 million price tag, opening the door for Berta and other elite English sides to tempt him.

The African could be a versatile alternative to Matheus Cunha, who is believed to be on the verge of joining Man United (Fabrizio Romano). Called a “top player” by Gasperini, a move back to the Premier League appears to be a serious option for him.

Liverpool are on their way to becoming Premier League champions and could soon have more positive news to share with their supporters as they hold an advantage in the race for an exciting midfielder, per reports.

Liverpool gear up for summer window after Salah announcement

Liverpool fans were treated to the news on Friday that Mohamed Salah has signed a new two-year extension at Anfield following months of speculation over his future.

The Egypt international has become an iconic figure among supporters and a talisman under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, who will now hope to convince Virgil Van Dijk that he should follow his counterpart’s path.

In essence, rectifying internal issues is the first step towards squad planning for next season. Looking towards the market, Liverpool are reportedly in pole position to sign Nicolo Barella from Inter Milan for a fee in the region of £87 million.

Defensively, Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo is on the Reds’ wishlist as Slot aims to bolster his side to fight on all fronts. With the Premier League title on the way, showing ambition in pursuing premium stars will be the main priority once the off-season comes around.

Liam Delap is another player that Liverpool want to sign as Ipswich Town veer closer to relegation. Nevertheless, Chelsea are also pursuing a deal that could amount to £30 million.

Scouts wowed: Liverpool now stepping up push to sign 14-goal Feyenoord star

He could replace Luis Diaz.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 10, 2025

Undoubtedly, competition is set to be fierce this summer among the Premier League elite. Manchester City, Arsenal and others will want to rebuild to provide a sustained title charge, so Slot and FSG will have their work cut out in pushing agreements over the line.

Having said that, Liverpool may have a key advantage over Pep Guardiola’s men as both sides fight tooth and nail to sign one of Europe’s brightest midfielders.

Liverpool confident of winning Xavi Simons race

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool feel they can beat Manchester City to sign RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons due to the strong Dutch contingent they already have present at Anfield.

Slot, Van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch are part of the Reds’ fabric, which they feel can entice the Netherlands international to opt for Merseyside over other destinations.

Xavi Simons’ key Bundesliga statistics in 2024/25

Goals

7

Assists

5

Chances created

42

Touches in opposition box

67

Completed dribbles

25

Duels won

107

Valued at just over £60 million, Simons could potentially come in as a replacement for Luis Diaz, while Manchester City are eyeing the 21-year-old as a long-term successor to Kevin De Bruyne.

Labelled “amazing” by ex-teammate Dani Olmo, the Amsterdam-born man has registered eight goals and six assists across all competitions, featuring either in attacking midfield or off the left flank.

Now, the onus is on Liverpool to push a deal over the line. Fresh blood is needed to maintain the hunger for silverware in years to come, and Simons would be a statement signing to bolster the ranks.

The offspinner showed her versatility with the ball but it was not enough to take RCB past Capitals

S Sudarshanan11-Mar-20242:53

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If a picture could capture agony and ecstasy in one frame, it was that final moment of the match between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday night.Richa Ghosh was down at the non-striker’s end after a sprawling dive. She had willed every ounce of power from her body, but fell inches short. Shreyanka Patil was at the other end of the pitch, with the stumps disturbed and the ball lying close by. She did not want that moment to happen. Both had their heads buried on the ground, tears flowing uncontrollably.And not too far off from the two were the Capitals players – relieved and full of smiles. They were hugging each other, sharing high-fives and jumping with joy. They had managed to secure a playoffs spot for the second successive season, this time with a one-run win against RCB, who are still in contention.Capitals were faced with yet another thrilling contest – twice in two games now. They had come out at the wrong end the last time, but not this time, despite RCB being in command for the last half hour. So they knew what Ghosh and Patil were going through.Ghosh’s heroics helped RCB get close after they needed 40 from 18 balls. She exhibited her power and big-hitting chops to score a 29-ball 51 – skills that make her indispensable in India’s T20I set-up as a finisher. That RCB got so close was also down to Patil’s spell earlier in the evening.Related

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Patil showed why she is rated highly in T20 cricket by picking up 4 for 26. She had an economy rate of 6.50 when the opposition scored at just over nine – a creditable feat in itself.A niggle had kept her out of RCB’s first two games of the Delhi leg. She was “fighting it out to be match fit” in the past few days, according to her captain Smriti Mandhana, and returned to the XI on Sunday. The match was not played on the centre wicket, which meant one square boundary was shorter (46m) than the other (63m), and Capitals had raced along to 55 for 1 in seven overs when she was brought into the attack.Patil had switched to being an offspiner – having tried her hand at fast bowling, legspin and wicketkeeping – after seeing there weren’t too many of those in the Karnataka Under-14 trials, and one of her strengths right from those days was her pace. Earlier, most spinners in the women’s game focussed on slowing the pace down. But Arjun Dev, Patil’s coach and mentor, made her understand how she can use it effectively.3:14

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That Patil is one of the smartest spinners in the Indian circuit is an open secret. She provided an early glimpse of those smarts with her first wicket, when she varied her pace to catch the batter, Meg Lanning, no less, off guard. With the shorter boundary to the off side, she started from around the stumps, but erred by tossing one up outside off at 73kph. Lanning, who came into the game on the back of three successive fifties, duly lofted it over mid-off to pull the first punch. Patil responded by using pace to her advantage and slipped in the next one at 84.7kph on a length while getting it to spin in a touch. Lanning went back for the pull but missed it and was hit on the back leg, adjacent to middle.Most of Patil’s wickets on the evening were about dangling the carrot with a flighted ball before slipping in the quicker one to outsmart the batter. That Mandhana always bowled her with the longer boundary to the leg side made her job a little easier, allowing her to concentrate on one-upping the batter. Like she did when Jemimah Rodrigues backed away to go over the off side and was met instead by a yorker that she couldn’t get under.A ball later, Rodrigues tried to move towards off to sweep one past short fine leg. But Patil slipped in a very full ball, catching her by surprise. Rodrigues could only drag it back onto her stumps. That dismissal helped RCB end the 97-run stand between Rodrigues and Alice Capsey for the third wicket.Patil then struck twice in the last over. Capsey was on 48 and was in a belligerent mood at the start of the over. Her first instinct was to charge down the track to attack the spinners, and if not, just stand and loft them over the infield. With the field up on the off side, Capsey backed away to a length ball that landed outside off. But it kept coming in and she couldn’t make any contact and was bowled. Patil had fired it in quicker at 86.5kph.Three balls later, she enticed Jess Jonassen out of the crease with a flighted one to have her stumped. Thanks to Patil’s three wickets in two overs, RCB only gave away 38 runs in the last four overs and kept Capitals to 181 for 5.Patil earned special praise from her captain after the game: “Sometimes when you lose, you don’t credit it enough, but Shreyanka’s last two overs were brilliant, the way she bowled, especially the last over,” Mandhana said. “She was not dropped but she had a niggle. A player of her quality, there is no choice of dropping her. She showed a lot of character after the niggle she had.”Patil was inconsolable after the finish. The tears didn’t stop even when she shook hands with the players and walked towards the dugout. Patil and RCB still endure an agonising wait for playoffs qualification.