Usman Khawaja has declared himself 100% fit ahead of the third Test in Adelaide but conceded whether he earns a recall is out of his hands.Khawaja missed the second Test in Brisbane after not recovering from the back spasms he suffered in Perth, saying that while he may have been able to push through had the game been later in the series it was too much of a risk early in the contest.Related

• 'May not always pay off' – Green promises to bat positively in Adelaide too

• Weatherald's opening gambit inspires Australia fightback

• Australia could consider Khawaja for middle-order return

• Warner: Head at No. 5 'a worse result' for England

“Obviously hope to play,” he told reporters in Adelaide, where Ashes resumes on December 17. “I don’t really know. Obviously, it’s not my decision. The older I’ve got, the more comfortable I’ve got with things that I can control and things that I haven’t. I feel really good in terms of I’m ready to go. The rest of it is not in my control. So, yeah, we’ll see what happens.”I’m feeling 100%. So unless something else [happens], but I felt 100% before Perth, too. It’s just one of those things. I’ve done everything. That’s why I was training all last week. I was just doing rehab, which sucks because when you get injured, you have to do more, right.”I’ve had a fair bit of load, but it’s obviously what I wanted to just get as much as possible and I’m running at 100% again and again. So everything’s feeling pretty good again.”Usman Khawaja: I can bat anywhere•AFP/Getty Images

Khawaja, who turns 39 next week, went through multiple gym, running and net sessions before, during and since the Gabba Test. He added that he was being extra careful about how much he does on the day he flies into venues, conceding he had felt sore after a delayed six-hour flight to Perth, although insisted the much-talked about rounds of golf had not been a factor. “I’ve always been a professional,” he said.In Khawaja’s absence, Travis Head and Jake Weatherald have combined to produce two impressive stands: the chase in Perth where they added 75 and the first innings in Brisbane where their 77-run partnership put England on the back foot on the second day.But Khawaja backed himself to have a game that could adjust to various tempos, citing his Sheffield Shield form where he had a strike-rate of 62.34 in three matches which puts him just outside the top 10 from those with 200 runs this season.”I’ve got gears when I want them,” he said. “You’ve got to find a way to be consistent for a long period of time, not just over a game or two. So I’ve always been conscious of that. I can go out there and play more shots and I think I’ve been scoring pretty [quickly]. So sometimes the game and the situation dictates that [and] the wickets dictate that. I think I just play the game, what’s in front of me.The option remains for Khawaja to return in the middle order where he batted on his Test comeback in 2022. “I’ve always done really well batting at four or five,” he said. “Normally people that open aren’t as attuned to No. 5 as opening because they’re not as good playing spin. But I’ve proven I’m one of the best players to spin in Australia. So, that’s never been the issue. So I can bat anywhere.”Usman Khawaja did pull up in time for Brisbane, but is ready for Adelaide•Getty Images

Khawaja also joked he was somewhat unconvinced by talk that Head, who flayed an astonishing century in Perth, had “lobbied” to open the batting. “I think Travis said he’d been quietly lobbying. It was more a case of Heady always said, ‘If you need me to open, I’ll open’,” he said.”I had a joke with [Andrew McDonald about it], I was like, ‘Quietly lobbying – that’s one of the quietest lobbyings I’ve heard’, and he had a giggle too and was like, ‘Yeah’. Heady’s a team player, he’ll always open if they need him to open, but it’s not like he was at the back knocking on doors saying, ‘I want to open’.”Khawaja, who has one hundred in his last 45 Test innings and averages 31.84 since the 2023 Ashes, said talk around his position “doesn’t really faze me” although when pressed on whether any of the commentary about him has an effect, he admitted it was impossible to be completely unaware.”Certain things probably do, certain things probably don’t,” he said. “I genuinely don’t read it. I probably get more from vibes and what other people tell me. It’s not like I’m going out and reading the actual thing, it’s the vibe. And some things sometimes just pop up, you can’t hide from it. But yes, certain things do, certain things don’t, but I just don’t see the relevance in talking about it. I just don’t see the point.”As much as people sometimes want to have a crack at me, I love playing for Australia. I’m still very committed. Every game I take the same way as I took 10 years ago. I train hard, I do everything right. For me, it’s more about just being a professional. People can have opinions, that’s absolutely no worries to me. I can’t really sit down and worry about what other people think, especially outside of the squad.”In terms of his future, Khawaja said that “I’m not here to hang around” but added the most important aspect to him was knowing he was still wanted in the team. “I could have retired two years ago,” he said. “I could have retired at any time. But I’m still valued by the team. I’m still asked to be here, to play. So I’m here.”I’m always mindful of the future, too. I always have been. I’m not here to hang around. I’m just here to enjoy my cricket. As long as I’m valued, I’m here. I’m doing my job. And I’ve done quite well over the last few years.”

MatériaMais Notícias

A quinta-feira (11) foi especial para Rayan. A joia do Vasco voltou a ser decisiva e comandou a virada por 2 a 1 sobre o Fluminense, no Maracanã, no jogo de ida da Copa do Brasil. Autor do gol de empate e peça-chave no lance que originou o gol da vitória, o atacante de 19 anos chegou a cinco gols na competição e assumiu a artilharia ao lado de Kaio Jorge, do Cruzeiro.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasVascoEmocionado, Vegetti se declara ao Vasco e esclarece situação com DinizVasco11/12/2025Futebol NacionalVasco x Fluminense bate recorde de público da Copa do Brasil 2025Futebol Nacional11/12/2025VascoFernando Diniz explica modificações que garantiram virada do Vasco contra o FluminenseVasco11/12/2025

O empate saiu quando Rayan apareceu bem na área para completar o cruzamento de Nuno Moreira. Já no segundo gol, mesmo sem marcar ou dar a assistência, o jogador teve participação crucial: fez bela jogada individual, foi derrubado por Hércules na intermediária e, com rapidez de pensamento, colocou a bola no chão e cobrou a falta rapidamente para Puma Rodríguez. A bola passou por Andrés Gómez no lado esquerdo, que encontrou Pablo Vegetti na área para selar a virada de cabeça.

➡️Vasco x Fluminense bate recorde de público da Copa do Brasil 2025

O gol marcado foi o 20º de Rayan na temporada — no elenco do Vasco, apenas Pablo Vegetti tem mais, com 27, sendo o artilheiro do Brasil no ano. Com a boa fase, o atacante confirma a evolução sob o comando de Fernando Diniz, que valorizou o desempenho do camisa 77.

continua após a publicidade

— O Rayan jogou bem o segundo tempo inteiro. É um jogador muito decisivo. Desde que cheguei aqui procuro fazer com que ele participe ao máximo do jogo. Tem um poder de decisão muito grande junto com Andrés e Coutinho. No segundo tempo ajustamos o posicionamento e ele conseguiu participar mais. Depois que o Vegetti entrou, veio mais para a ponta e foi decisivo para virarmos — disse Diniz.

➡️Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance!

O treinador também explicou sua relação com o jovem e a importância da confiança no desenvolvimento de talentos.

— Jogador de futebol é muito machucado. Perdemos muito talento nessa pressa de achar heróis e vilões. É difícil para mim, imagina para quem tem 19? O Rayan não tinha problema com futebol, tinha problema de confiança e prazer de jogar. A torcida estava hostilizando. Sempre digo: jogador com confiança é bom, sem confiança é ruim. Para quem tem talento, como Rayan, eles vão se destacar — completou.

continua após a publicidade

➡️Coutinho revela fator decisivo para a virada do Vasco sobre o Fluminense

Do outro lado, o técnico adversário, Luiz Zubeldía, também reconheceu a força do atacante vascaíno.

— Me parece que os dois times foram parelhos. O Vasco tem um jogador muito desequilibrante, o Rayan. Às vezes o Vegetti faz o gol e o Rayan faz gol. São jogadores que nos surpreendem — afirmou.

Para acompanhar asnotícias do Gigante da Colina, acompanhe o Lance! Todas as informações e acontecimentos atualizados em tempo real.

Tudo sobre

Futebol NacionalVasco

The visitors have a cushion of 522 runs to pick up the eight wickets they need on the final day of the Guwahati Test

Sidharth Monga25-Nov-20252:10

Philander: ‘South Africa playing mind games with India’

South Africa ensured their first series win in India in 25 years by building on their lead for nearly five hours. While the declaration, setting India more than they have ever been set at home, seemed a touch conservative, the visitors went to stumps needing eight wickets on the final day to take away all 12 WTC points from this Test and consign India to their second whitewash at home in 12 months after 12 years of spotless series record.As it often happens in such match situations, the same pitch that South Africa batted on, looking untroubled for 70.3 overs, began to look unplayable in the 15.5 India got to play. Marco Jansen didn’t even bother with swing and seam, and began to bounce Yashasvi Jaiswal before getting him out on the cut shot. Simon Harmer, who has out-bowled the home spinners, continued his dream series with a dream offbreak to bowl KL Rahul through the gate, and came desperately close to getting B Sai Sudharsan out lbw.The day began with curiosity around how much South Africa valued the 12 full points from this match vis-a-vis ensuring they give India no chance to threaten their series lead. Turns out they were in no mood for adventure. Especially as the ball started to turn more consistently in the first session of the fourth day than it had done at any point before. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar got long spells in. Jadeja got Ryan Rickelton caught at extra cover, but then India did what they have struggled to do all Test: get wickets on defensive shots. Jadeja beat Aiden Markram’s outside edge and hit the off stump, Washington got one to bite at Temba Bavuma’s glove and settle in the hands of backward short leg.As three wickets fell for 18 runs, South Africa remained slightly cautious. Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi, though, managed to keep the threat of spin out with their sweeps and reverse sweeps. After Rishabh Pant missed a stumping off Stubbs, the No. 3 batter limited his options to just the sweeps whenever he wanted to force the pace.3:49

Can India’s youngsters grind out a draw?

Stubbs and de Zorzi added 101 for the fourth wicket, 41 of those in sweeps and reverse sweeps. Like Stubbs in the first innings, de Zorzi fell one short of a fifty, beaten on the sweep for a change. It was mid-afternoon and South Africa led by 466, but they still continued to bat at normal pace.Related

Harmer flips Test cricket in India upside down

India suffer 68 balls from hell in a hellish year at home

Jansen reaches great heights and carries South Africa with him

Live: Harmer six-for seals whitewash, India's heaviest defeat

Only after the lunch break did Stubbs get a move-on to try to complete a Test hundred, but even this charge was not frenetic. The team management gave him all the time as he scored 32 from the last 19 balls he faced, taking the lead past the 542 that Australia attained in Nagpur in 2004. He slog-swept Jadeja to go from 88 to 94, but Jadeja slowed the ball down to beat a repeat attempt. Stubbs still was the highest run-getter in the series (163), and would need a big effort from someone in the final innings to be eclipsed.That effort wasn’t coming from the openers. India have done this to many a visiting side – just when everybody thought they had been too conservative with the declaration, the pitch would magically change its nature and wickets would start falling.Something similar happened when Jansen ran in and started bowling short. In the first over itself, he had Jaiswal fending uncomfortably. One didn’t pop up, the other landed just short of second slip. While Jaiswal managed to ramp him once, he fell to his favourite cut shot again. Since Jaiswal’s debut, nobody has scored more Test runs with the cut off fast bowlers than his 291, but no one has got out as often as his seven times. Nobody has played as many false shots as he has on the cut to the fast bowler: 68. He averages 41.57 on the cut against fast bowlers, but has fallen to this shot four times in his last eight innings.3:19

Saba Karim: Spinners need long spell to set up batters

Rahul was more traditional in the route he took to fight for a draw. He scored just 6 off 30 balls, but the 30th was a bewitching dipping, drifting delivery, which had him playing well away from where he thought it would originally pitch. In panic, he turned his drive into a flick, but it wasn’t enough to plug the gap created between his body and his bat. Harmer was again level with Jansen for most wickets in the series: 12.Harmer came extremely close to taking the lead when he appealed for lbw against Sai Sudharsan. In all likelihood, the on-field call for not-out was down to an inside edge, but the replay showed the ball had hit the pad first. However, the ball tracking returned an umpire’s call on impact, saving Sudharsan to fight another day.India somehow survived the rest of the day but it looked like a wicket could fall anytime. South Africa now have six hours to take eight wickets because the light has consistently dipped by 4pm, not allowing any extra play.

Erling Haaland admits that the absence of Kylian Mbappe in Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid handed Pep Guardiola’s side a “psychological boost”, but insists they were “not happy” at seeing the French superstar remain benched. Mbappe saw no game time as City left Santiago Bernabeu with a morale-boosting 2-1 win in elite European competition.

• Why Mbappe sat out Real Madrid's clash with Man City

  Premier League giants City headed to Spain fully expecting World Cup winner Mbappe to pose their defensive unit plenty of problems. He was known to be nursing a knock, but was still included in Xabi Alonso’s matchday squad.

  The France international remained rooted to the bench even when Real found themselves trailing in the second half of a heavyweight encounter. Rodrygo’s opening goal of the evening was cancelled out by Nico O’Reilly and a penalty from Haaland.

  The Blancos opted not to take any risks on Mbappe’s fitness, with the 26-year-old ‘Galactico’ nursing a knee complaint. Alonso needs him fit and firing in what has been a faltering bid for La Liga title honours in 2025-26.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Haaland had been hoping to line up against Mbappe

  Seeing Mbappe among the substitutes – with 25 goals to his name this season – offered a timely shot in the arm to City. Haaland is, however, adamant that they would rather have faced one of the best in the business.

  The prolific Norwegian, who has taken his own goal tally this season to 21 through as many appearances at club level, told : “We know about their injuries, we have a few as well, but they have many injuries and you don't want anyone to be injured, but we expected Mbappe to play.

  “I thought I was going to play against Kylian, so, of course, when a player like Kylian doesn't play, you're not happy because you want to play against the best, but it gives you a bit of a psychological boost.”

  Haaland converted from the spot against Real having won that decisive penalty himself. He was bundled over in the box by Antonio Rudiger and was given the opportunity to step up from 12 yards following a VAR review and advice to the referee for a pitch-side monitor to be checked.

  City’s fearsome No.9 added on the physical tussle that he enjoyed with Madrid’s defence: “[Raul] Asencio was starting to push me and try to beef with me a lot. It's something I like. And, of course, Rudiger as well, we've been having some great battles and today he wanted a bit too much, he pulled me. So, for me, a clear penalty.”

• Notable scalp: City delight in victory at the Bernabeu

  From seven previous visits to the Bernabeu, City had just one win to show for their efforts – a 2-1 success back in February 2020. They suffered a 3-1 defeat at the same venue in February 2025 and were fully aware of how big the challenge they faced was.

  Guardiola had his troops well prepared, though, and they were able to claim a notable continental scalp. Haaland was full of praise for the manner in which City set about downing Madrid – especially after falling behind.

  He said: “It's difficult to come here and the game has loads of transitions. We could have had another goal. I was close on one in the second half, Jeremy [Doku] was close a few times but the game was a bit chaotic. We can't really control it, which is difficult and it's difficult to come here, so in the end, we're super happy.

  “It could have looked completely different today if we didn't win because we lost against Leverkusen, so this win is really important. Now we've got two more games left so we need to finish strong now and hopefully we can be in the first eight because then we're through.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Man City fixtures: Domestic action now the focus

  City have risen to fourth in the Champions League table, but are only one point clear of ninth-placed Liverpool. They will not be back in European action until January 20, with domestic competition – including a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Brentford – taking centre stage through the remainder of 2025 and into the new year.

Brighton owner Tony Bloom says it is "entirely false" that he placed bets on his team's matches since he took over the club. Reports emerged that the British billionaire was the anonymous gambler behind winnings of £52 million ($70m), which allegedly included bets on the Seagulls. Now, in a statement on behalf of Bloom, the Premier League club has responded to these "misleading" claims.

'Secret £600m betting syndicate'

Earlier this week, Bloom was accused of running a 'secret £600 million ($800m) betting syndicate' and that some of the accounts used allegedly belonged to a former chief of staff of Reform UK MP Nigel Farage. Moreover, claimed that Bloom is the professional gambler known as "John Doe", who is referred to in a legal case in the United States where investigators are trying to unmask an anonymous gambler on a lucrative hot streak. The Football Association prevents club owners from placing bets on matches or competitions involving their own team. Despite that, Bloom is one of several owners allowed to continue gambling on other tournaments and games as he was included in a 2014 policy permitting such an act. Now, the 55-year-old, who is a professional gambler and runs a £600m-valued ($800m) London-based sports betting consultancy called Starlizard, has tried to set the record straight.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Inaccurate and misleading report'

A statement issued by Brighton on Bloom's behalf states that he has never placed bets on the Seagulls since taking over the club in 2009. He described these allegations as "inaccurate and misleading" and said that lawyers have made contact with The Guardian about their story.

A statement on the club's website reads: "Following an inaccurate and misleading report in The Guardian earlier this evening, I can categorically assure our supporters that I have not placed bets on any Brighton & Hove Albion matches since becoming the owner of the club in 2009. In 2014, in addition to new rules on betting, The FA introduced a policy with quite onerous provisions for owners of football clubs with interests in betting. These provisions allow certain football club owners, including me, to continue to bet on football under strict conditions. In particular, the policy prevents me from betting on any match or competition that Brighton & Hove Albion is involved in. Since 2014, I have always fully complied with these conditions, and all of my bets on football are audited by one of the world’s leading accounting firms on an annual basis to ensure full compliance with The FA’s policy. Lawyers acting on my behalf have this evening directly contacted The Guardian to make my position on this entirely false allegation very clear. Separately, our club is in direct contact with both The Football Association and The Premier League regarding this matter."

The rise of Tony Bloom

To many, Bloom is best known as Brighton's owner, along with being a minority shareholder in Belgian top-flight team Union SG. He is also a minority owner of the Australian team Melbourne Victory and Scottish Premiership side Hearts. For those less accustomed to the Brighton-born businessman, Bloom started out at an accountancy firm, before becoming an options trader, and then he got into gambling professionally. Nicknamed 'The Lizard' for his poker-playing prowess, Bloom launched Starlizard in 2006, with their modus operandi focusing on using data to analyse and predict the outcome of sporting events. The success of that enterprise has allowed him to venture into racehorse ownership and charitable foundations, as well as taking Brighton from League One to the Premier League. This comes a matter of decades after the club nearly went out of existence in the late 1990s. Since then, they have played in the Europa League as well for the first time in their history.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Bloom's Brighton?

Aside from off-field matters such as this, Bloom, who is a boyhood Brighton fan, will be keeping a watchful eye on his team's Premier League clash with West Ham on Sunday. The Seagulls sit tenth in the table whereas the Hammers are third from bottom. A win could see the Albion jump into the top five if results go their way.

The Boston Red Sox have been without marquee offseason acquisition and star third baseman Alex Bregman for over a month now as he continues to work his way back from an injury to his right quad.

Manager Alex Cora spoke to reporters Wednesday and provided an update on when the team is expecting to see Bregman back in the lineup. Cora told reporters that "it looks like" Bregman will be out through the All-Star break, meaning the earliest he could return is July 18, per Tim Healey of .

Bregman was off to a hot start in his first season with the Red Sox. The 31-year-old had a .938 OPS with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 51 games before landing on the IL.

He's missed the last 30 games while on the shelf, and with 17 games to go until the All-Star break, it's possible he could end up missing upwards of 50 games by the time he's ready to return. Cora did not indicate if Bregman would be ready to go immediately after the break, but the team will be on the road against the Chicago Cubs in its return to action on July 18.

The Red Sox are 40-41 on the season, sitting in fourth place in the American League East.

The Yankees have had a tumultuous start following the trade deadline where they reworked their bullpen and acquired Ryan McMahon to help address their need at third base.

On Friday, new Yankees relievers gave up nine runs in three innings which led to a devastating 13–12 loss to the Marlins on a dribbler that brought in the walk-off run. Then, on Saturday, they were shutout by the Marlins 2–0 where they saw unfortunate mistakes on the base paths.

Major League Baseball held the Speedway Classic Saturday which pitted the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves in the middle of the track at Bristol Motor Speedway. The first-ever MLB game in the state of Tennessee started in a rain delay which allowed the Fox broadcast crew plenty of time to discuss the happenings across the league as they waited out the weather. As part of the broadcast crew, Yankees legend and Hall of Famer Derek Jeter didn't hold back on the team's recent struggles.

"They make way too many mistakes. Way too many mistakes," Jeter said Saturday. "And you can't get away with making that number of mistakes against great teams, it just doesn't happen. They had a baserunning mistake today, we saw the guy get thrown out at home plate.

"You can't continue to do it. You have to clean it up. I mean, it's that simple, there's no excuses. You have to play better. If you don't play better, you're not going to go very far."

Unfortunately for the Yankees, their AL East rival Red Sox won Saturday which moved them ahead of New York in the division standings by half of a game and into the AL's top wild-card spot. With many new deadline additions, it will take some time. After winning the final three games of their four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays during the week, the Yankees dropped the first two in Miami. They have a chance to avoid the sweep in a Sunday matinée at LoanDepot Park.

Thomas Frank has changed the dynamics at Tottenham Hotspur, and though it’s been a tough start to the campaign for the Londoners, we are perhaps seeing shoots of success.

Spurs had only won once across eight matches before Frank challenged his former club, Brentford, and came away with the spoils, thus reviving a fight for European contention. There is much ground still to cover this season, but defeat on home turf against the Bees would have made things tricky indeed.

There was something to be observed about Tottenham’s attacking play, with their xG total against Brentford coming in at 2.18, their highest in the Premier League since the season opener against Burnley in a 3-0 win.

But what about the defending? Tottenham have not been as compact and well-drilled at the rearguard this season as may have been anticipated when Frank was appointed. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, elite centre-backs both, have more to give.

Spurs' defensive record under Thomas Frank

Before keeping his protege, Keith Andrews, out, Frank watched on as Tottenham conceded 15 goals across five Premier League matches, failing to win any of those games.

At times, Spurs have been something of a shambles at the back. Some of the defending against Fulham just over a week ago would be a case in point.

What is the source of this struggle? Structural problems? A taint lingering from the erratic Ange Postecoglou era?

The main thing is that many of the goals Tottenham have shipped this term have been avoidable – though, aren’t they all?

Tottenham put in an improved defensive display, but Romero and Van de Ven and the rest need to work harder still if they are to rival some of the sternest Spurs defences in modern times. Think Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. Think Ledley King.

For now, Frank must make do with what he has got, but come next season, he may find he has the north London club’s next version of King ascending to first-team action.

Spurs' new version of Ledley King

King was quite the defender. Rivalling Harry Kane for the crown of Tottenham’s finest academy graduate of the past three decades, he broke into the first team in 1999, playing the sum of his career at White Hart Lane.

Harry Redknapp once hailed King as “an absolute freak”, so powerful and tenacious in the defensive third.

The former England international was sharp-witted and boasted that rare ability to time things to perfection, his defensive skillset operating on some unerring internal stopwatch.

To have a new prospect emerge and emulate the club icon would be a difficult thing indeed, but in Luka Vuskoic, ENIC Group might just have their man.

Tottenham signed Vuskovic in 2023 and have handed him to Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga on a one-year loan deal. The 18-year-old is thriving in Germany, showing he has the talent to rival someone like King down the line, perhaps even with a more robust and promising skillset than someone like Van de Ven.

Van de Ven can score goals, alright, but so can Vuskovic, the teenage talent showing in Germany this year that he has something of a penchant for the spectacular.

A rare profile, Vuskovic ranks among the top 3% of central defenders in the Bundesliga this season for goals scored, the top 9% for chances created and the top 1% for aerial duel success rate per 90, as per FBref. He has what it takes to be a superstar.

The Premier League is regarded by many to be the toughest league in the world, but it’s interesting to note that Vuskovic is perhaps playing slicker stuff than Spurs’ athletic centre-back, and that bodes well for his future in London.

Matches (starts)

14 (14)

11 (11)

Goals

3

2

Assists

0

0

Clean sheets

4

2

Touches*

68.1

79.2

Accurate passes*

52.1 (91%)

51.0 (86%)

Chances created*

0.1

0.6

Dribbles*

0.3

0.3

Recoveries*

3.7

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

2.2

1.5

Clearances*

3.3

8.8

Duels (won)*

3.1 (48%)

7.5 (67%)

Errors

2

1

The fact that Van de Ven has won less than half of his duels in the Premier League this season is an indicator that he needs to do more to stop the rot that has spread.

But such rot is in its early stages, and can be dealt with. Frank has options for the rest of the term, but adding Vuskovic to the mix could inject that King-like presence to help take the project to the next level.

Anylst Ben Mattinson described him as a “freak athlete” and a “freak talent” with a “scary ceiling,” so the echoes between him and King are underscored there.

Whether the Croatian talent adapts to life in the Premier League remains to be seen, but the signs are promising. He could be a centre-half who ends up overtaking two top stars in Van de Ven and Romero, scratching a similar ballpark to someone like King.

Kolo Muani upgrade: Spurs prepare move for "one of the best CFs in the PL"

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in a deal to sign a centre-forward who could be an upgrade on Randal Kolo Muani.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 8, 2025

Arsenal are well-stocked all over the pitch and boast one of the finest squad depths in England, yet they continue to be linked with high-profile transfers ahead of January.

Arsenal overcome Brentford to go five points clear

On the pitch, Mikel Arteta’s side maintained their commanding lead at the Premier League summit with a professional 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

The victory extended their unbeaten streak to an incredible 18 matches across all competitions, with Arteta seriously rotating his squad following a recent demanding triple-header against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Eberechi Eze were all rested from the starting lineup, but the Gunners’ strength in depth showed with Ben White and Noni Madueke combining brilliantly down the right throughout.

The opener arrived early on when White delivered an inviting cross that found Mikel Merino, who powered a header past Caoimhin Kelleher for his fifth goal of the campaign.

The Spaniard, who Arteta never expected to be the proficient going forward, has now netted 21 times in 2025 for club and country, showcasing his remarkable goalscoring form.

Arsenal suffered a blow before the interval when Cristhian Mosquera limped off with an ankle injury, compounding their defensive concerns with both Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba already sidelined. Timber then replaced the injured defender as Arteta juggled his limited centre-back options.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews introduced Igor Thiago, Mikkel Damsgaard and Jordan Henderson from the bench after an hour, while Arteta countered by bringing on Saka and Eze.

Arsenal controlled proceedings but missed several opportunities to seal the contest earlier.

Arsenal hold new talks with Juventus star who Alonso has recommended to Real Madrid

The Gunners are ‘captivated’ by him.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 3, 2025

To add further injury worry after Mosquera, Arsenal’s arguable player of the season, Declan Rice, departed late with a calf problem, with Arteta now sweating over his fitness ahead of a hectic Christmas schedule and the clash with Aston Villa.

Saka finally made the points safe in stoppage time, latching onto Merino’s perfectly weighted pass before finishing past Kelleher despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the effort.

Given Arsenal’s injury curse which has plagued them since last season, sporting director Andrea Berta will be attentive to any unmissable transfer market opportunities.

Enter Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who is reportedly up for sale this winter after playing a bit-part role under Xabi Alonso.

Rodrygo expresses wish to join Arsenal as agents open talks

Arsenal have already been linked with a move for the Brazil international heading into January, following exploratory talks over a deal last summer.

The 24-year-old has managed just three La Liga starts this term, making the vast majority of his appearances off the bench, with Rodrygo believed to be in the process of finding a new club.

That is according to TEAMtalk and reporter Graeme Bailey, who also state that Rodrygo has ‘expressed a wish’ to join Arsenal among four other Premier League sides he’s also interested in.

Crucially, though, the ex-Santos star’s agents have apparently reopened talks with Arteta’s side, who also ‘pushed hardest’ to sign him in the summer window.

However, Arsenal will need a minimum £70 million to strike a deal, with a loan appearing unlikely as things stand.

Berta and co, meanwhile, are believed to be monitoring his situation closely, which isn’t hard to see why given their bad luck with injuries, not to mention the uncertainty surrounding Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

The latter wingers are both out of contract in under two years, and with no sign of an extension for either, Arsenal need to think about long-term succession planning.

Rodrygo’s £282,000-per-week salary would put him in line with Arsenal’s highest earners, so it is an expensive transfer to pull off beyond just his club fee.

That being said, Rodrygo is also a player of proven quality, having racked up 68 goals and 53 assists in under 300 appearances for Los Blancos.

While they are still some way from being the finished article, Chelsea have built a squad full of incredible players over the last few years.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella, and probably even Enzo Fernández would be able to get into most Premier League teams.

However, at the same time, West Londoners also have more than a few players who are arguably holding them back, with Tosin Adarabioyo perhaps the most obvious example over the last few weeks.

The former Fulham star has been at the centre of more than a few dire defensive performances for Chelsea, so it’s not all that surprising to see reports linking them to someone who’d be a dream upgrade.

Chelsea target Tosin upgrade

While talk of a title race might be a tad premature for Chelsea this season, they are most certainly in a race for the Champions League place.

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

With that in mind, it’s unsurprising to see them linked with a plethora of talented players ahead of the transfer window reopening next month.

For example, the Blues are among several Premier League sides who have shown real interest in RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and have also been linked with Juventus’ Kenan Yıldız.

However, while hugely talented, neither of those exciting wingers would help solve the West Londoners’ defensive problems, nor send Tosin packing, unlike Castello Lukeba.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea have maintained their intense interest in the French centre-back.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the Blues are now ready to submit a bid of up to £52m for the player in the coming weeks.

Interestingly, while the 22-year-old has a release clause worth around €80million in his contract, which is £70m, the report claims that Leipzig may be willing to cash in on the player for that £52m fee in January.

However, it might not be all that straightforward, as the story also states that Bayern Munich are keen to make a mid-season move for the highly rated defender.

In all, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Lukeba’s ability and potential, one Chelsea should be pursuing, especially as he could send Tosin packing.

How Lukeba compares to Tosin

Now, when it comes to midfielders, forwards and wingers, it can be relatively straightforward to compare players, as more often than not, their goals and assists are going to be what matters most.

However, when it comes to defenders, and centre-backs in particular, it can be a little trickier, and as a result, you have to go into more detail, you have to take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Unfortunately for Tosin, doing so demonstrates just how far ahead of him Lukeba is.

Lukeba vs Tosin

Statistics per 90

Lukeba

Tosin

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.10

0.02

Progressive Passes

4.17

2.90

Progressive Carries

0.83

0.48

Key Passes

0.33

0.00

Shot-Creating Actions

1.25

0.48

Goal-Creating Actions

0.17

0.00

Blocks

1.92

0.65

Interceptions

1.58

0.97

Clearances

5.67

6.77

Successful Take-Ons

1.00

0.00

Ball Recoveries

5.67

2.58

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 League Season

For example, according to FBref, the Frenchman comes out on top in the vast majority of relevant metrics, including, but not limited to, blocks, interceptions, and ball recoveries, all per 90.

In other words, as analyst-turned-scout Ben Mattinson puts it, the Frenchman is a “defensively exceptional” centre-back.

However, his advantages over Tosin extend to more than just his ability off the ball.

For example, the “outstanding” titan, per Mattinson, also comes out on top in metrics like progressive passes and carries, shot and goal-creating actions, key passes, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Essentially, the Leipzig star is someone who can snuff out an opposition attack and then, either through his carrying ability or range of passing, kickstart one for his own side.

Ultimately, from every conceivable angle, it’s clear that Lukeba would be a massive upgrade on Tosin and, therefore, Chelsea should do all they can to sign him in January.

Related Gittens upgrade: BlueCo convinced they must sign £87m star for Chelsea

The sensational superstar in the making would be an incredible signing for Chelsea, but bad news for Gittens.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes 4 days ago