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Manchester United may need to get creative to sanction more transfers this summer and could now be offered an intriguing solution to solve their need for more firepower, according to reports.

Manchester United defeat Bournemouth in Premier League Summer Series

The United States has played host to plenty of high-profile football clubs this year and Manchester United were the latest to turn out in front fo adoring locals for a 4-1 victory over Bournemouth in this year’s Premier League Summer Series.

Rasmus Hojlund claimed a much-needed goal in Chicago before strikes from Patrick Dorgu, Amad and Ethan Williams made Matthijs De Ligt’s mishap nothing more than a consolation for the Cherries.

Nevertheless, Ruben Amorim remained coy on Hojlund’s future at Old Trafford despite a sharp performance from the Denmark international in pre-season.

He stated: “I am really happy with Rasmus. I don’t know what is going to happen until the end of the market. The important thing is that Rasmus is scoring goals. He’s connecting really well with the team. He’s improving.

“Again, I don’t know what is going to happen until the market is closed. I’m really happy with the players that we had last season. We looked like a different team today. Let’s continue with that.”

Man Utd make contact to sign Champions League hero who's set to leave PSG

The Red Devils could land an incredible coup…

ByTom Cunningham Jul 30, 2025

There is no secret that the Portuguese manager wants attacking reinforcements, leading to RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko becoming a central target for Manchester United.

Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is another profile the Red Devils would love to have, with the potential for a swap deal involving Alejandro Garnacho floated.

On the other hand, could Garnacho now become part of a different player exchange involving two players who may well be on the move this summer?

Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson offered to Manchester United

According to The Athletic, Chelsea have offered both Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson to Manchester United. Still, it isn’t clear whether they have been proposed as a package or separately in a swap for Garnacho, who is a target at Stamford Bridge.

Labelled “something special” by Tyler Adams, Nkunku hasn’t got going fully in West London after moving to the Blues from RB Leipzig, though he did register 15 goals across all competitions last season.

Meanwhile, Senegal international Jackson is very similar to Alexander Isak, per stats site FBRef, signalling that he could be the man to strengthen the Red Devils’ frontline moving forward.

Jackson, last 365 days, per 90 mins

Isak, last 365 days, per 90 mins

Shots – 3.08

Shots – 3.10

Shot-creating actions – 2.80

Shot-creating actions – 3.00

Non-penalty XG – 0.50

Non-penalty XG – 0.71

Progressive carries – 1.54

Progressive carries – 2.71

Touches in attacking penalty area – 5.72

Touches in attacking penalty area – 6.17

All stats courtesy of FBRef

Earning a similar tally to Nkunku, £100,000 per week striker Jackson notched 13 goals and six assists in 37 outings, helping his side to both the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup.

Garnacho is very much on his way out of Manchester United and it may make sense to try and cut a deal that would see one of Chelsea’s attacking forces immediately enter the void if the Argentina international opts to leave Old Trafford.

Celtic will be in the market to add to their options in the wide department after Nicolas Kuhn officially completed a permanent transfer to Como for a reported fee of £16.5m.

The German forward racked up 13 goals and nine assists from the right flank in the Scottish Premiership last season, which shows the kind of quality that Brendan Rodgers has lost.

On top of that, Portuguese winger Jota may be out until January or February with a knee injury that was sustained against Dundee United back in May.

This means that the Hoops are short out wide, even with the addition of Benjamin Nygren this summer, which is why they are reportedly keen on adding another winger to their squad.

Celtic place star at the top of their wishlist

The Scottish Premiership champions are looking to dip into a rarely-utilised market, for them, as they plot to repeat the masterclass they played with Victor Wanyama by signing another star from the Belgian Pro League.

Transfer Focus

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

According to the Daily Record, Royal Antwerp forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha is at the very top of their wishlist to replace Kuhn during the summer window.

The report adds that the Belgian winger is out of contract at the end of next season and that Antwerp sporting director Marc Overmars has opened the door to sales for players in that situation.

It has previously been claimed that the Hoops have been in talks with the Pro League side to discuss a deal for £5m-rated attacker, and this latest update now suggests that he is a priority target for the Scottish giants.

Why Balikwisha could be a Wanyama repeat

As per the Daily Record, Rami Gershon from Standard Liege in 2013 was the last player the club signed from the Pro League, whilst the last notable signing was the deal to bring Wanyama to Parkhead from Beerschot in 2011.

The Kenya international went on to score 13 goals in 91 appearances for Celtic in all competitions as a central midfielder, before Southampton signed him for a reported fee of £12.5m in the summer of 2013.

Balikwisha could be the first player to become a star at Parkhead after moving from the Pro League since Wanyama made that successful transition between 2011 and 2013, based on his form for Antwerp over the past two seasons.

The 24-year-old forward, who was described as a “creative” talent by analyst Will Glavin, racked up 14 goals and nine assists in 59 games in all competitions between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns combined.

Balikwisha (Pro League)	23/24	24/25
Starts	27	12
xG	6.46	2.65
Goals	7	4
Big chances created	6	7
Key passes per game	1.5	1.6
Assists	5	3
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha has delivered 11 goals and eight assists in his last 39 games in the Pro League, outperforming his xG as a finisher in both of those seasons.

These statistics show that he is an efficient finisher who could thrive in a dominant Celtic team, which has won the Premiership in each of the last four years, that creates plenty of chances for him from the wing.

His creative numbers, with at least 1.5 key passes per game, also show that he has the potential to create opportunities for his teammates on a regular basis on the flank, if the youngster can translate his form from Belgium over to Scotland, as Wanyama did over a decade ago.

It is fair to say that Celtic hit the jackpot when they signed Wanyama, who was a key player on the pitch and made the club a fortune, and Balikwisha appears to have the qualities to follow in his footsteps next season.

He's even better than Miller: Celtic circling to sign "tenacious" £9m star

Celtic are reportedly eyeing up a move for a star who is even better than Lennon Miller.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 14, 2025

Therefore, the Belgian whiz could be a shrewd addition from a market the club rarely looks to explore if they can wrap up a deal for him this summer.

أشاد رومان بافليوتشينكو، نجم الكرة الروسية وتوتنهام هوتسبير السابق، بقدرات جناح نادي ليفربول، محمد صلاح، موضحًا أن الدولي المصري لاعب مذهل حقًا.

محمد صلاح يلعب في صفوف ليفربول منذ عام 2017، حيث وقع لصالح الريدز قادمًا من روما مقابل 40 مليون يورو.

وانفجر محمد صلاح مع ليفربول وقاد الفريق الأحمر للفوز بألقاب عديدة وعلى رأسها الحصول على لقبين للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ولقب في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

اقرأ أيضًا .. سلوت يكشف لماذا لا يستبدل محمد صلاح في مباريات ليفربول

وتمنى بافليوتشينكو في مقابلة مع “RB Sports”، أن يلعب صلاح مباراة مع منتخب مصر في الأراضي الروسية ضد منتخب بلاده.

كما اختص بافليوتشينكو عمر مرموش، مواطن محمد صلاح ونجم نادي مانشستر سيتي بالذكر، متمنيًا أن يلعب هو الآخر مع محمد صلاح في روسيا.

وقال بافليوتشينكو: “من الصعب علي الإجابة عما إذا كان سيتم السماح لهما بالمشاركة أم لا، ولكن هناك منتخب وطني وإذا تم استدعاؤهما، فلا يهم من سيواجهون، روسيا أم لا”.

وأضاف بافليوتشينكو في حديثه: ”ربما، رغبة محمد صلاح نفسه سواء أراد ذلك أم لا ستكون حاسمة، لا أعتقد أن الاتحاد الإنجليزي لكرة القدم يستطيع منعه من اللعب في روسيا”.

ويرى بافليوتشينكو، أن وصول محمد صلاح إلى الأراضي الروسية سيحدث صدى كبيرًا، حيث اختتم: “قضي الأمر، إنه أحد أفضل اللاعبين وأنت تريد مشاهدته مباشرة والحضور إلى الملعب، لقد كان ليكون هناك ضجة بالتأكيد إذا حضر إلى روسيا”.

Kent manage only 204 as Middlesex bowlers chip away with regular wickets

ECB Reporters Network04-Aug-2024Joe Cracknell hit 88 as Middlesex coasted to a five-wicket win over the Kent Spitfires in the Metro Bank Cup at Beckenham.Cracknell blitzed the Spitfires with an 82-ball innings included two sixes and ten fours and Robbie White chipped in with 50 as the visitors eased home with 8.4 overs to spare, finishing on 206 for 5.Earlier Kent were bowled out for 204 in 44.4 overs, with Josh de Caires, Henry Brookes and Nathan Fernandes all taking two wickets.Marcus O’Riordan was Kent’s top-scorer with 58, but when he was gone they struggled to put any meaningful partnerships together until Hamid Qadri and Matt Parkinson nudged them over the 200 mark.Kent chose to bat but lost Beyers Swanepoel in the second over, caught behind off Ishaan Kaushal for just 2. Although O’Riordan clouted 20 off the fourth over from Kaushal he was the only Kent batter to score freely.De Caires had Joey Evison lbw for 14 with his second delivery and O’Riordan went in the next over, trapped in front by Luke Hollman trying to reverse sweep. Jaydn Denly tried to slog sweep De Caires and was caught by Cracknell for 10 and Ethan Bamber had Harry Finch lbw for 23.Charlie Stobo had made just 2 when he tried to charge Fernandes and was stumped by Jack Davies and Fernandes then got Jack Leaning for 28 after a sharp diving catch by Sam Robson. Kent’s last realistic hope of a par score went when Grant Stewart edged Henry Brookes behind for 11.Brookes’ next delivery hit Parkinson on the helmet, but after a six-minute delay he was ruled fit to continue. His stand of 40 with Qadri at least gave Kent something to defend, but when the latter went for 25, caught by Fernandes off Brookes, there were still 5.5 overs remaining and as Nathan Gilchrist was run out by a direct hit from de Caires three balls later, Parkinson was stranded on 17 not out.Aside from an early blip when Stewart took two quick wickets, the chase was devoid of any serious drama. Middlesex’s openers had raced to 25 without loss in the third over when Stewart had Fernandes caught by Stobo at first slip for 8.In Stewart’s next over Stobo took another slip catch to remove Sam Robson for 3 but Cracknell responded with an innings of control and aggression that took the game away from the home side. He looked set for a century, only to fall 12 short when he lofted Parkinson to Swanepoel at long-off, but by then Middlesex only needed another 71 for victory.Jack Davies didn’t hang around, cracking 35 before he cut Jaydn Denly to O’Riordan and although Parkinson had White caught behind, a convincing win was sealed when Mark Stoneman drove Parkinson for four in the 32nd over.

On Rohit and Kohli: “Obviously any team would want to have both of them for as long as possible”

Abhimanyu Bose22-Jul-20240:50

Gambhir: Any team would want to have Rohit and Kohli

Gautam Gambhir, whose stint as the new India head coach will start with the tour of Sri Lanka later this month, has had his share of on-field run-ins with Virat Kohli in the past, but said their equation is “between two mature individuals” and not for public consumption. He also said that the two are “on the same page” when it comes to the shared goal of achieving success for the men’s national team.”Good for the TRP, but my relationship is not public,” Gambhir said on Monday when asked about Kohli in his first press conference since assuming his new role. “What kind of relationship do I share with Virat Kohli, I think it is between two mature individuals.”On the field, everyone has got the right to fight for their own team, for their own jersey, and want to come back in a winning dressing room. But, at the moment, I think you are representing India and representing 140 crore Indians and I am sure we are going to be on the same page and try and make India proud.Related

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Axar: When the team needs someone to stand up, they bank on me

“I share a very good relationship off the field and we will continue to do that. But yes, to make it more public what kind of a relationship [we have] I think it is between two individuals.”Kohli and Gambhir had a scrap during an IPL match in 2013, when Gambhir was the Kolkata Knight Riders captain. Later, there was another incident when Gambhir was the Lucknow Super Giants mentor in IPL 2023. Gambhir, while celebrating LSG’s one-run win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, was seen shushing the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, a gesture which Kohli reprised at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium when RCB won the return fixture. Kohli and Gambhir had to be pulled apart by people around them in the end.During IPL 2024, however, the two were friendly with each other in public. When asked about his relationship with Kohli, Gambhir had said “perception was far from reality”. And when Kohli was asked about it during the season, he said: “I hugged Naveen [ul-Haq, with whom he had an altercation in IPL 2023], and then the other day, Gauti came and hugged me… We’re not kids anymore.”Gambhir said that he and Kohli have had discussions in recent times, but didn’t want to divulge the details.”How many chats have I had with him, after my announcement or before my announcement, during the games, after the games – I think sometimes just because we want headlines – it is not important,” Gambhir said. “The most important thing right now is that we both have got to be working extremely hard to make India proud. And that is our job.”He is a thorough professional, he is a world-class athlete, he is a world-class player. I have always said that. I have huge respect for him as a player and it is going to continue. And hopefully we can work together really well.”Gambhir on Rohit and Kohli: “Both those guys have a lot of cricket left in them”•Getty Images Gambhir backs Rohit and Kohli to play 2027 ODI World CupKohli and Rohit Sharma, who retired from T20Is after India’s World Cup win last month, have been picked in the ODI squad for the tour of Sri Lanka, but they are both past 35, and the next 50-over World Cup is only in 2027. How long will they be around? Gambhir has left that decision to the two players but feels they still “have a lot of cricket left in them” if they “can keep their fitness”.”I think they have shown what they can deliver on the big stage, whether it’s the T20 World Cup or the 50-over World Cup as well,” Gambhir said. “One thing I can be very clear of is that both those guys have a lot of cricket left in them. More importantly, with the Champions Trophy [in 2025] and a big tour of Australia [in November 2024], obviously they would be motivated enough. And then, hopefully, if they can keep their fitness, the 2027 [ODI] World Cup as well.”But this is a very personal decision. I can’t say how much cricket is left in them. Ultimately, it’s up to them as well, it’s up to the players. How much can they contribute to the team’s success. Because, ultimately, it’s the team that is important.”But looking at what Virat and Rohit can deliver, I think they still have a lot of cricket [left to play]. They’re still world-class players and obviously any team would want to have both of them for as long as possible.”

Callum McGregor and Alistair Johnston ended the season on a disappointing note when they missed their spot kicks for Celtic in the final of the SFA Cup.

Aberdeen took them to penalties at Hampden Park, after a 1-1 draw in regulation time, and the two Hoops stars stepped up to miss from he spot, securing the trophy for the Dons.

This meant that the Bhoys failed to win the domestic treble for the second time in as many seasons since Brendan Rodgers returned to Parkhead, as they also won two of the three available trophies last term.

They did still win the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup, though, in what was a successful campaign for the club irrespective of what happened in the SFA Cup final.

It was also still a successful season for Johnston at right-back despite his penalty miss at the national stadium, as he provided impressive performances down the right flank for the Premiership champions throughout the year.

How Alistair Johnston had a successful season for Celtic

The Canada international combined solid defensive work with a desire to get forward to make an impact at the top end of the pitch to offer a fantastic all-round presence at right-back, both in the Champions League and the Premiership.

Johnston started all ten of the club’s matches in Europe, which illustrates how much Rodgers relied on him, and he ranked first out of all players in the squad with more than one start for tackles (2.8) and interceptions (1.4) per game.

This shows that the 26-year-old star was hugely important to Celtic from a defensive perspective, as he consistently made vital interventions to cut out opposition attacks with tackles and interceptions.

It was not only his form in Europe that caught the eye during the season for the Hoops, though, as the defender also delivered exciting displays from right-back in the Premiership.

Appearances

32

Goals

4

Big chances created

15

Key passes per game

1.5

Assists

10

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.0

As you can see in the table above, Johnston provided a decent goal threat from right-back, whilst also being an incredibly creative figure at the top end of the pitch, with almost one ‘big chance’ created every other game on average.

These statistics, along with his defensive numbers in the Champions League, show how the Canadian star has enjoyed a successful season for Celtic, despite his miss in the final against Aberdeen.

In March, The Athletic reported that Fulham and Ipswich were both plotting summer moves for the defender, which suggests that the Hoops may need to fight to keep hold of him.

This shows that his performances for Celtic have also attracted interest from elsewhere, and a fresh report has linked the club with a move for a player who plays in a similar position.

Celtic eyeing deal for Premiership defender

According to EFL Analysis, Celtic are one of the clubs interested in a deal to sign versatile Dundee star Josh Mulligan in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hoops are set to battle it out with English Championship side West Bromwich Albion to land the Scotland U21 international.

It reveals that the Baggies are already holding talks with the Scottish defender, whilst Celtic’s interest remains just that as it stands, ahead of his expected exit from Dundee.

Mulligan’s contract at Dens Park expires at the end of this month, and he is set to be available on a ‘free’ transfer, although Dundee would be due compensation due to his age.

Whilst West Brom appear to be ahead of the Hoops in the race, due to them already being in talks with the 22-year-old star, Celtic are eyeing up the Premiership star and he could be Johnston 2.0 for Rodgers next season.

Why Celtic should sign Josh Mulligan

At the age of 22, Mulligan could be a terrific addition to the Hoops squad as a long-term signing who could develop and improve with games over the seasons to come.

This means that he could also come in as a back-up to Johnston initially, if the Canada international does not move to the Premier League, because the youngster is at an age where he can bide his time if needed.

However, Mulligan is also a proven performer in the Premiership who could hit the ground running as a replacement for the Celtic star if that is the situation that he would walk into this summer.

The versatile star, who can play as a central or attacking midfielder, has caught the eye as a right-sided wing-back for Dundee in the top-flight.

As you can see in the clip above, his emergence in that position earned him plaudits from multiple pundits due to his attacking drive down the right flank.

Whilst Celtic do not play with wing-backs on paper, their dominance in matches means that Johnston is more or less a wing-back in how high he gets up the pitch and how many touches he takes.

Appearances

34

32

Touches per game

42.6

89.8

Big chances created

9

15

Assists

5

10

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

2.0

Duels won per game

5.2

3.6

As you can see in the table above, Mulligan has the potential to be Johnston 2.0 for the Hoops because he created nine ‘big chances’ and posted similar defensive numbers, despite taking less than half as many touches per game.

The 22-year-old star has shown a willingness to drive forward to make things happen at the top end of the pitch from a wing-back position, and was once compared to Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur icon Gareth Bale, who started out his career as a full-back.

Former teammate Simon Ferry said: “He’s a Rolls-Royce like Gareth Bale – powerful, strong, direct. He’s a machine at that age. He wants to learn, listens to you.”

This shows that Celtic could have another ‘machine’ racing down the right flank to deliver assists next season even if they do cash in on Johnston, because Mulligan has the potential to be a fantastic signing for the club.

Celtic can forget Orjasaeter by signing £5m gem who "wins games on his own"

Celtic can forget about Sondre Orjasaeter by signing this reported transfer target.

ByDan Emery May 28, 2025

Therefore, the Hoops should consider opening talks to land the out-of-contract defender in the summer transfer window to beat West Brom to his signature.

When Liverpool beat West Ham United, responding after losing against Fulham one week earlier, it felt like a corner had been turned. Perhaps that defeat at Craven Cottage was the final twist in the overtures of a certain Premier League triumph.

The ribbons will turn red this season. Later this afternoon, Liverpool have the chance to win the top-flight title against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, should they return to winning ways on the road and second-placed Arsenal fall at Ipswich Town earlier in the day.

Though Mikel Arteta’s attention is almost solely focused on the continental stage, this feels improbable, if not out of the question. In any case, it’s a matter of when, not if, Arne Slot will join an exclusive list of managers to lift the Premier League trophy on their first attempt.

2004/05

Jose Mourinho

Chelsea

2009/10

Carlo Ancelotti

Chelsea

2013/14

Manuel Pellegrini

Man City

2016/17

Antonio Conte

Chelsea

Leicester might be doomed but they still have quality in attack and will look to capitalise on any Liverpool complacency.

Liverpool team news

Trent Alexander-Arnold is back in first-team training after his ankle injury suffered against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield last month.

However, Conor Bradley looks set to reprise his role at right-back, with the under-fire Andy Robertson pushing for a recall after his cameo last week, skewing into his own net off the bench following a mix-up with the skipper.

Joe Gomez remains absent due to an ankle injury, but Darwin Nunez could feature after missing out on Merseyside one week ago.

Nunez might be destined for departure this summer, but his return does boost a Liverpool frontline looking to return to its best.

That’s not to say the Reds have been poor in attack lately, but Mohamed Salah hasn’t scored in five games, Diogo Jota and Nunez are out of sorts and Cody Gakpo hasn’t got going again since recovering from injury.

How Slot can respark Liverpool's frontline

Liverpool looked somewhat back to normal last weekend as they secured victory over West Ham, all but sealing the already overwhelming odds in the title race following Arsenal’s draw at Brentford.

Salah, after renewing his contract, produced a stunning trivela assist for Luis Diaz, the one man in Slot’s attack who is very much on form right now.

However, the Egyptian, 32, will be desperate to return his name to the scoresheet as he looks to build on his haul of 32 goals across all competitions

For whatever reason, it’s not quite clicking for Salah in front of goal. But it will again. With Trent not fit enough to start from the outset, Slot might be inclined to unleash Harvey Elliott in midfield, perhaps replacing Dominik Szoboszlai.

Liverpool enjoy the Hungarian’s tireless running but a more fixed creative point could be the perfect solvent of unfluent play in and around the final third.

Having featured prominently under Jurgen Klopp last year during Liverpool’s injury-hit spell, Elliott has played a reduced part since the spinning of the managerial wheel, yet to even start in the Premier League this year. Still he’s got six goal involvements across the different competitions.

And it’s not as if he hasn’t demonstrated his capacities when given a shot. As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for all of goals, assists and shot-creating actions, the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 5% for progressive carries per 90.

This perfectly illustrates his ball-playing game and skill in driving into dangerous positions, but most importantly, it underlines his ability to maximise his output when reaching such junctures, something Salah will be eyeing hungrily.

24/25

12 (0)

0

1

23/24

34 (11)

3

6

22/23

32 (18)

1

2

21/22

6 (4)

0

0

20/21*

0 (0)

0

0

19/20

2 (0)

0

0

As you can see, Elliott’s playing a bit part for the first time since his debut campaign, having only featured six times in 2021/22 but starting on four of those occasions before suffering a season-ending injury at Elland Road.

Elliott, described as a “special talent” by Sky Sports’ Neil Mellor, hasn’t played all that much this season, but he has showcased his vast playmaking skills on numerous occasions. For example, Liverpool might have been abject in their Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle United, but subs combined to score a late consolation, the young midfielder expertly playing Federico Chiesa through.

Ultimately, claiming that Liverpool are out of sorts simply isn’t true, having won five of their past six Premier League matches, but fans have been frustrated by the lack of spark in the centre at times this term and Elliott surely deserves a starting berth having been limited to full appearances in the cup competitions.

He’s come up trumps on several occasions, notably scoring the winner in the first leg against PSG, but now the £40k-per-week talent needs a chance to show he can pull strings in the Premier League and bring Salah back into goalscoring form.

Salah doesn’t dribble as much as he used to but he’s hardly averse to an electric burst, and with Elliott’s crisp timing, it could be the perfect tonic for his recent struggles to break the net.

Elliott has acknowledged Salah for “teaching him” over the past several years at Liverpool, and now he has the chance to repay his tutor on what could be a momentous day for the Merseysiders.

Leicester won’t want to repeat some of their dismal displays of late, but if Elliott gets into a creative flow and connects with Salah, the Foxes simply won’t have a say in the matter.

Worth more than Huijsen: Slot has hit the jackpot on Liverpool "monster"

Liverpool hope to employ this star for many years to come.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 18, 2025

Manchester City now find themselves deep in a purple patch of positive form in the Premier League with Pep Guardiola’s bruised side unbeaten through April to date.

City’s latest victory saw them overcome David Moyes’ determined Everton 2-0 at Goodison Park on Saturday, meaning their grip on a place inside the coveted Champions League spots is strengthened even more all the way up in fourth position.

Yet, Guardiola will be all too aware that a rebuild is still needed this coming summer with his team largely underperforming for the majority of the season, with a statement move allegedly in the works to land this sensational midfield star.

Man City preparing to bid for "the best midfielder in the world"

City kickstarted the rebuild in January by signing the likes of Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Nico Gonzalez but with the possibility of players like Kevin De Bruyne exiting, Guardiola will need even more fresh faces in the squad.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

Well, as per reports from Spain, the reigning Premier League champions are preparing to ‘break the market’ to land Barcelona ace Pedri with a staggering £170m bid being prepared.

Indeed, the report states that City are looking at alternative targets away from Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz who could be set to stay in Germany over relocating to England, leading them down this new expensive avenue where a record-breaking move could come to fruition.

Of course, this will be a challenging deal to get over the line, but Guardiola and Co would be able to send shockwaves through the Premier League if the 21-year-old was to leave Catalonia behind for a top-flight adventure elsewhere.

Once heralded as “the best CM in the world” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, Pedri’s unbelievable arrival would undoubtedly improve City centrally, with the 30-time Spain international a big improvement on an ever-waning Ilkay Gundogan.

How Pedri is better than Gundogan

Much like the revered De Bruyne, Gundogan has shown off his obvious class in the top-flight previously for the Citizens, with 62 goals and 42 assists notched up from a bumper 348 appearances.

But, only seven goal contributions have come the ageing German’s way this season across 44 appearances, with a new ace arguably needed in the middle of the park at the Etihad with Gundogan no longer at his vibrant best, alongside De Bruyne exiting Manchester shortly.

This is where the elegance of City’s potential new £170m man could come in handy, with the Spaniard’s “transcendent” game in the midfield areas at the Camp Nou – as he was once lauded by ex-Barca great Xavi – aiding his side’s progression in the Champions League this campaign.

Two of Pedri’s 12 goal contributions for the season have come in the illustrious competition, with the much-talked-about 22-year-old also boasting four goals and four assists in La Liga action this season to trump Gundogan’s unconvincing five assists and zero goal haul in the Premier League.

Pedri vs Gundogan – last 365 days

Stat (per 90 mins)

Pedri

Gundogan

Shot-creating actions

4.53

3.61

Attempted passes

78.87

77.57

Pass completion %

87.5%

90.2%

Progressive passes

10.14

6.34

Progressive carries

2.32

2.51

Successful take-ons

1.23

0.73

Touches in attacking penalty area

1.57

2.85

Progressive passes received

3.87

3.74

Stats by FBref

Looking at the table above, whilst Gundogan does have the better of Pedri in terms of pass completion statistics, it appears that the Barca number eight plays with a lot more intent and purpose than his former Borussia Dortmund counterpart when roaming forward, with a high 10.14 progressive passes averaged per contest across the last year.

This alone would be music to the ears of the likes of Omar Marmoush and Erling Haaland back in Manchester, knowing that Pedri could unlock a defence at a moment’s notice with a killer pass.

With Pedri also noted as being similar to Bernardo Silva’s wonderful game at the Etihad, according to FBref, this feels like a switch that would allow City to enter into a new chapter with confidence sky-high, even if that comes at a cost of having to wave goodbye to esteemed servants such as Gundogan.

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Posts ByBen Gray Apr 19, 2025

The Namibia batters are having their best year in T20Is and will be playing in front of a packed house at their new stadium

Firdose Moonda10-Oct-2025Some neighbours in the cricketing world won’t even shake hands anymore but others will go across the border to inaugurate a new stadium, albeit with a mish-mash side. South Africa’s experimental T20I squad is in Namibia to play a one-off match at the newly minted Namibia Cricket Ground and will finish their fixture about 13 hours before the Test side kicks off their World Test Championship title defence in Pakistan.Regular T20I captain Aiden Markram is standing in as Test captain in place of the injured Temba Bavuma, so he will not be in Windhoek. Neither will be Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen or Kagiso Rabada. All that may give Namibia, who recently qualified for a fourth T20 World Cup, hopes of pulling off a great upset. But this game is not so much about the result as it is a celebration for Cricket Namibia, who have built its first stadium under its own banner and will no longer need to rent facilities.The match is a sell-out, with Namibians as keen to see their own team as some of the superstars next door, and this is what they have to look forward to.Related

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De Kock’s comeback South Africa’s enigmatic wicketkeeper-batter, as described by coach Shukri Conrad, has decided to come in from the cold and make himself available to the national team again. Quinton de Kock only officially retired from Tests (and still is) and ODIs but his T20I status has been unknown since last year’s World Cup final. He was South Africa’s leading run-scorer at that tournament, and fourth overall, and seemed to have a lot more to give, but the pressures of international cricket took its toll. De Kock went silent, according to former white-ball Rob Walter, until he didn’t. He reached out to Bavuma and then Conrad in the last few months and is back in the fold.Exactly what caused de Kock to change his mind is not known, but it may have to do with staying relevant in big T20 leagues. His price of R2.4 million in the SA20 was less than an eighth of Dewald Brevis’ record of R16.5 million, for example, and the importance of strong international performance for league value can be seen globally.This year, de Kock had a poor SA20 (159 runs in eight innings with one fifty) and IPL (152 in eight with a best of 97*) but a good MLC, where he was the third-highest run-scorer. Most recently, he played in the CPL, where he scored 208 runs in nine innings with two fifties. After the Namibia T20I, he will play white-ball cricket in Pakistan as South Africa plan for next year’s T20 World Cup, but he will have to earn his place for that.Namibia recently qualified for the 2026 T20 World Cup•Zimbabwe CricketThe new Don in chargeBefore this month, Donovan Ferreira had never captained any professional team in any format but he has since been announced as a stand-in T20I skipper. Ferreira was appointed as red-ball captain of Titans, the domestic team based in Centurion, and has led them in two games so far this season. In their opening match against Boland, he scored a century in the first innings and 70 in the follow-on but could not prevent a nine-wicket defeat. In their second game against North-West, he scored a first-innings 71 and is currently the competition’s third-highest run-scorer but Titans lost badly again. Now he will have to shift gears back to his “heater” role in the shortest format and will be keen to show off his six-hitting skills in his first international game in charge.Namibia on a batting highBatting is also the big strength of the home side, who topped 230 twice in the Africa T20 qualifiers and had two centurions. Playing against South Africa will be a step up from Malawi and Nigeria but Namibia will hope to continue a good year batting-wise. In 2025, they have a collective strike rate of 153.02, the highest in their history. In their first outing at the new home venue, they will want to live up to their boundary-hitting reputation and give the home crowd plenty to cheer.Coetzee’s chance to reclaim a regular spotIn Kwena Maphaka’s injury-enforced absence, Gerald Coetzee will lead the attack with an eye on making his case for the more permanent spot in the first-choice side. Coetzee’s attributes – aggressive, quick, good bouncer – all merit a place in the team but a country laden with options and his own history of injury has meant he finds himself in a queue for a spot. He hasn’t been part of a T20 World Cup squad and with the next one four months away, he will want to stake his claim. Coetzee has Nandre Burger, Lizaad Williams, and Andile Simelane as other seam contenders, while Bjorn Fortuin and Nqabayomzi Peter will make up the spin contingent.

The three-match series could give an indication of Chapman’s ability to fit into WIlliamson’s World Cup spot

Deivarayan Muthu16-Aug-2023Kyle Jamieson is finally back
After having recovered from back surgery, fast-bowling allrounder Kyle Jamieson is set to play his first international game in more than a year and first T20I since March 2021. With Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, and Blair Tickner all not part of the UAE series, this is Jamieson’s opportunity to prove his fitness and be the enforcer in the attack.Related

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Jamieson’s tall frame and propensity to generate extra bounce has been a point of difference for New Zealand’s attack in Test cricket and ODIs, but he is yet to crack the shortest format. He has played eight T20Is so far, conceding almost ten runs an over. Can he remedy those numbers and fare better in what will be his first white-ball international away from home?NZ’s next gen is here
Auckland legspinner Adithya Ashok and South Africa-born Otago batter Dean Foxcroft are the new faces in New Zealand’s squad for the three-match T20I series in the UAE.Ashok, 20, has played only 15 List A and 19 T20 games so far, but he has already been earmarked to become a future star for New Zealand. Ashok has a big-turning wrong’un in his repertoire and will slot in straight for senior legspinner Ish Sodhi, who is currently with Trent Rockets in the Hundred. Having recently played club cricket for Colchester & EECC in Essex, Ashok will have to quickly adjust to the Dubai conditions, where dew is usually a major factor.”I still don’t think it has sunk in,” Ashok told NZC media in the lead-up to his potential debut. “It’s slowly sinking in…things like getting my kit and training – that’s when it starts to feel a bit more real. It’s a kid-in-the-candy-store type vibe and it was really cool, special moment for me. Also being away from home and things like that it’s pretty cool to go on a journey where it’s not like it’s quite expected as well, so the surprise is really pleasant.”Foxcroft, 25, had thought that his New Zealand career was over when he was locked out of the country when Covid-19 hit. What was supposed to be a six-week visit to South Africa eventually turned out to be a frustrating two-year-long stay because of the pandemic. Foxcroft is now on the brink of making his long-awaited international debut for New Zealand after having dominated the most recent Super Smash T20 tournament with his big-hitting and quickish offspin. Foxcroft has also had T20 – and T10 – exposure outside of New Zealand, with stints in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Oman D10 league.Adithya Ashok has played 15 List A and 19 T20 games so far•ICC via GettyChapman’s chance to push his WC case
The last time Mark Chapman batted for New Zealand in a T20I, he played a blinder in Rawalpindi, his 57-ball 104 forming the centerpiece of a successful chase of 194 against an attack that included Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan. That innings put Chapman in New Zealand’s ODI World Cup frame. With Kane Williamson unlikely to start the World Cup for New Zealand, a batting spot is up for grabs. If Chapman produces similar powerful performances in the UAE and the UK, he could be a contender for that slot in India.UAE are a familiar opponent for Chapman. Overall, he has played six matches against them – all for Hong Kong – scoring 336 runs, including an unbeaten 124 in Dubai in 2015.More international exposure for UAE
It’s not often that UAE get to host two Full-Member nations in a span of two months. After making West Indies work hard for their 3-0 ODI series win in June earlier this year, UAE are gearing up for the New Zealand challenge with some new faces as well as old ones.Allrounder Mohammed Faraazuddin and left-arm fingerspinner Jash Giyanani are the two newbies in the side, with the selectors rewarding them for their good performances for the A team in the ACC Men’s Emerging Cup in Sri Lanka. But there is no room for legspinner Karthik Meiyappan.Fingerspin-bowling allrounder Aayan Afzal Khan and captain Muhammad Waseem, who were both in action in the recently concluded Global T20 Canada, are among the UAE players to watch out for in this series.