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Liverpool have met a roadblock in their quest for greatness, and this one might prove insurmountable.

Time was when FSG were perceived as being misers, unwilling to fork out for the big targets that Jurgen Klopp wanted to advance his Anfield project.

But after this incredible summer of spending, who can argue against the Liverpool owners’ intent now?

Arne Slot won the Premier League in his first season at the club, finishing ten points ahead of second-placed Arsenal despite relaxing standards early, with the title wrapped up at the end of April.

But Liverpool’s rivals have also spent this summer, intent on dethroning the Reds. Though Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and the like have strengthened Slot’s first team and then some, there have also been several departures.

The latest of which looks set to be Darwin Nunez, who leaves Merseyside with a thick air of untapped promise.

Why Liverpool are selling Darwin Nunez

In all honesty, it doesn’t seem likely that sporting director Richard Hughes would cash in on Nunez and Luis Diaz, who joined Bayern Munich for £65.5m last week, without pre-established plans for some kind of dynamic attacking successor.

Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak is that man. The Athletic’s David Ornstein has revealed that “there’s a very good chance” Isak will leave St. James’ Park this summer, with “his preference being Liverpool.”

Though Liverpool have already signed Ekitike, Isak has proven himself at the highest level, and the Sweden striker could certainly cohabit with Liverpool’s mobile attacking recruit.

The fact of the matter is that Isak’s relationship with Newcastle and Eddie Howe is broken, albeit not irreparable. This is Liverpool’s time to swoop in and sign “the best striker in the Premier League”, as Isak has been named by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher.

There are plenty of variables which could disrupt FSG’s marquee move, however, and not least of which is the Magpies’ £150m valuation of their number nine.

Liverpool begin plan for Isak alternative

According to L’Equipe, Liverpool are considering acting on their long-standing interest in Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola this summer, should a move for Isak fall through.

The left-sided Barcola would be seen as a direct Diaz replacement, and is renowned as one of the brightest talents in French football.

PSG do not want to sell the 22-year-old and have valued him at €100m (about £87m), though Liverpool clearly have the funds, having seen a £110m offer for Isak knocked back last week.

Why Liverpool want Bradley Barcola

Two years ago, Barcola left Lyon and signed for PSG in a €50m package including add-ons. Across the 2023/24 campaign, he started slowly, but came alive last term, notching 42 goal contributions across all competitions (including the Club World Cup).

Renowned for his blistering pace and ability to manipulate tight spaces with quick feet and balletic whirls, Barcola would be a credit to the Liverpool project, instrumental across the Ligue 1 side’s earth-shattering quadruple campaign, winning their maiden Champions League title along with all the goods in France.

Given that Barcola ranks so highly against his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues and is considered to be a statistically similar star to Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, as per FBref, it does feel like Liverpool could hit the jackpot if they complete a deal.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has even declared the Frenchman to be “one of the best left wingers in Europe”, having risen from prospect to prodigy since leaving Lyon for the Parisians.

Barcola’s one of those players best analysed through the eye test, because picking at his qualities through the data diminishes him. Even so, he chalked up quite the impressive return last season.

Raphinha

57

34

25

59

Bradley Barcola

58

21

19

40

Vincius Junior

51

20

17

37

Cody Gakpo

49

18

7

25

Luis Diaz

50

17

8

25

This blooming level of prolificness suggests Barcola could be the perfect Isak alternative, should Liverpool be forced into ending their interest in the 25-year-old.

Barcola might not be a centre-forward (though his dynamism lends itself to alternative roles across the frontline), but he would certainly arrive at Liverpool with the properties to replace Diaz, who Slot used as a makeshift number nine many times last term.

He’s fleet-footed, but there’s also the notion that he has more of a creative capacity than Diaz, and that could be used to establish him as a leading member of Slot’s Liverpool team.

Ekitike will need plenty of creative support as he attempts to find his feet in the English top flight, but then the France forward, 23, has been praised by football scout Jacek Kulig for his talents, the analyst saying, “he could definitely reach world-class striker levels.”

With this in mind, is it truly crucial that Liverpool complete a deal for Isak this summer? Liverpool, after all, have only Cody Gakpo as a senior option on the left wing now.

Rio Ngumoha is an incredible prospect, but he’s only 16 years old; chucking him into the deep end this season could derail the hype train.

Given that Gakpo is more of a goalscoring wide forward, focused on cutting inside and striking on goal, Barcola would provide Liverpool with the perfect contrasting foil, blending flair against economy of movement.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Barcola is viewed as a “world-class player” by those in the FSG offices after all.

So is Isak, but then, Carragher said on The Overlap that he doesn’t “want Liverpool to spend £150m on Isak”, citing such a fee as Kylian Mbappe-level money.

Given that Barcola would be affordable for a much cheaper, though still hefty, figure, Liverpool might want to push ahead with a deal for the PSG man, whose signature might just prove the more fruitful of the two.

Dream Elliott replacement: Liverpool in race to sign "exceptional" £35m gem

Liverpool are reportedly in the race to sign a star who would be a dream replacement for Harvey Elliott.

ByDan Emery Aug 7, 2025

Seamer agrees two-year deal after promoted White Rose trigger clause in contract

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2024Yorkshire have signed Northamptonshire seamer Jack White on a two-year contract after activating a clause in his contract allowing him to move to a Division One club.White, 32, only made his debut in 2020 but has built a strong record, particularly in red-ball cricket where he has taken 114 wickets 25.18.”I’m incredibly honoured and extremely excited to begin this new chapter with Yorkshire,” White said. “Headingley is a special place to play and having had discussions with the coach and the leaders of the club I’m looking forward to continuing to develop my game and playing my part in achieving success for Yorkshire.”Yorkshire finished second in Division Two last season, securing a return to the top flight for the first time since 2022.Gavin Hamilton, general manager of cricket for Yorkshire, said: “We’re delighted Jack has committed his future to Yorkshire. He is a brilliant addition to the team – offering up another dimension to our bowling attack.”He’s someone who puts in the hard work and came into the professional game at a later stage of his development. He is the kind of player and person who will continue to add to our dressing room, and we look forward to working with him at the club.”Northamptonshire said they were “disappointed” to lose White, who was under contract until the end of the 2025 season.”While it is a real shame that Jack has decided to move elsewhere, everyone would like to thank him for his efforts in a Northamptonshire shirt and we wish him the best moving forward,” chief executive, Ray Payne, added.

The three-match series begins at the MCG, with both teams building towards the Champions Trophy

Andrew McGlashan03-Nov-20241:41

Australia look for one final tune-up before Champions Trophy

Big picture: Pakistan’s year-long gap amid chaosAustralia’s top-order bat-off in Tests is front and centre. But before India arrive for the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the men’s international season begins with a white-ball tour by Pakistan. That includes three ODIs and T20Is each, and starts in Melbourne on Monday.For the hosts, this provides the majority of their preparation for the Champions Trophy, with just a one-off game in Sri Lanka to follow in February. They remain largely settled in the format, barring the retirement of David Warner since the ODI World Cup, and are coming off a 3-2 victory in England in September.Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head are missing the series against Pakistan on paternity leave, and Cameron Green is injured. But otherwise, the main names will be on show – at least for parts of the series – as the fast bowlers, in particular, continue to be managed ahead of the Tests. The big three, including Pat Cummins, who remains the ODI captain even though he hasn’t played a game since the World Cup final, are expected to feature in two out of the three matches.Related

Rizwan announced white-ball captain; Babar, Afridi, Naseem return

Australia's questions: Opening 'fireworks', filling Green's spot, and more

Shan Masood backs Babar Azam to make strong comeback

Despite the dwindling significance of bilateral ODIs, it still feels extraordinary that Pakistan have not played a game since their last outing of the World Cup nearly a year ago (so the form guide below is pretty irrelevant). Don’t for one minute, though, think that that means any lack of drama. Despite not facing a ball in ODIs during this time, Babar Azam resigned as captain, returned, and then resigned again.Having been dropped during the Test series against England, he’s back for this tour, along with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, while Mohammad Rizwan has been handed the captaincy – at least for this week – as they try to put a side together that can compete in a home Champions Trophy.White-ball coach Gary Kirsten is also gone without having had an ODI during his brief tenure. Jason Gillespie has been handed the job on an interim basis for this tour, creating an unexpected chance to come up against his home nation. It may be something of a trail run, given no coach has been named for the Zimbabwe tour which follows, although it’s understood to be unlikely that Gillespie will be offered the role full-time – and whether he would want it is another question entirely. A few weeks ago, though, it appeared he may be the first coach out of the door, until Sajid Khan and Noman Ali got to work on England.Form guide(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: WLLWW
Pakistan: LWWLLJake Fraser-McGurk has played only two ODIs so far•Getty ImagesIn the spotlight: Jake Fraser-McGurk and Kamran GhulamWant another bat-off? Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk have a chance to stake a claim to be Travis Head’s partner at the Champions Trophy. Fraser-McGurk made his international debut in the two ODIs he played against West Indies earlier this year, where he cracked 41 off 23 balls across two innings. He didn’t feature against England, but will now likely have all three games of this series to show his skills in the longer white-ball format. Fraser-McGurk has only played one game this season, a 50-over outing for South Australia, having been left out of the early Sheffield Shield rounds. But Pakistan have a strong pace attack, and could give his technique a working over.It sent a jolt through Pakistan cricket when Babar was omitted after the opening Test against England, but his replacement Kamran Ghulam started in grand style with a century on debut in Multan. He has a single ODI cap to his name, but that came as a concussion substitute against New Zealand last year when he replaced Haris Sohail after Pakistan’s batting innings was complete, and he wasn’t required to bowl. So, in effect, a game against Australia would be the proper start.Team news: Hardie includedCummins confirmed his first team of the season. Josh Hazlewood (Sheffield Shield) and Cooper Connolly (Australia A) are not available for the opening match. Lance Morris has been added as fast-bowling cover. Aaron Hardie impressed in England, and may have earned an opportunity slightly higher in the order.Australia: 1 Matt Short, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Adam ZampaIrfan Khan will make his ODI debut in the middle order while Pakistan have included four frontline fast bowlers. Mohammad Rizwan was listed at No. 4Pakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Kamran Ghulam, 6 Salman Ali Agha, 7 Irfan Khan, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Mohammad HasnainBabar Azam is one away from equaling Saeed Anwar for most ODI centuries for Pakistan•Getty ImagesPitch and conditionsThe pitch for the Sheffield Shield match last month had considerable help for the quicks, and it’s still relatively early season in Melbourne. The forecast is for a cool and an overcast day, but it’s due to stay dry.Stats and trivia Glenn Maxwell needs 66 runs to reach 4000 in ODIs. Maxwell’s strike rate of 126 is way higher than any of the 20 Australia batters to have scored at least 3500 runs in ODIs, with Warner’s 97 the next best. Babar needs one more century to equal Saeed Anwar’s record for the most ODI hundreds for Pakistan. Pakistan have beaten Australia only twice in the last 13 ODIs between the two sides, with both those wins coming in a home series in 2022. Overall, Australia have a 10-4 win record against Pakistan at the MCGQuotes”It’s a great way to kind of kick into the summer. Some of the young guys, seeing what they’re made of as they’re kind of starting out their international careers. And then in the longer-term context, we’ve got Champions Trophy coming up, which always has a good link into that.”
“We don’t want to prove anything. We’ll just play normal cricket. We will try our best to play against these guys. Yes, Australia is a good side, and they are in home conditions. Only one thing they have is the benefit of a home crowd.”

Derby County have made a seven-figure offer to sign a versatile new player for John Eustace and the Rams have received a response.

Derby’s summer signings so far as Brewster arrives

It has been a productive summer transfer window for those at Pride Park so far ahead of the new Championship campaign. Eight new signings have been made, with former Sheffield United forward Rhian Brewster the latest to arrive.

Patrick Agyemang

Charlotte

£5.8m

Carlton Morris

Luton

Undisclosed

Andreas Weimann

Blackburn

Free

Danny Batth

Blackburn

Free

Rhian Brewster

Sheffield Utd

Free

Richard O’Donnell

Blackpool

Free

Owen Beck

Liverpool

Loan

David Ozoh

Crystal Palace

Loan

The forward left the Blades following the expiry of his contract this summer and has chosen Derby as his next move. Talking after signing, Brewster revealed his excitement to get started.

The striker joins Patrick Agyemang, Andreas Weimann, Danny Batth, Richard O’Donnell, Carlton Morris, Owen Beck and David Ozoh ahead of Eustace’s first full season in charge, and Derby don’t look to be showing any signs of stopping.

Derby make £1m+ bid to sign Sunderland player

According to reports from The Daily Record, relayed by EFL Analysis, Derby County have made a bid worth £1.2m to sign Sunderland midfielder Nectarios Triantis.

However, Sunderland have actually turned down Derby’s offer for Triantis, who is under contract with the Black Cats until 2027.

The Australian has spent the last 18 months on loan at Scottish Premiership side Hibernian and appears to be surplus to requirements at the Stadium of Light.

Hibernian actually wanted to keep Triantis at Easter Road, with manager David Gray praising the player for his “fantastic season”.

“He is another one who had a fantastic season. You seen how much he improved last year, playing week-in, week out. His parent club have just got promoted to the Premier League and their are conversations going on. Clearly he was a big part of what we done last year and it is a position that we are going to need to fill.”

A versatile player capable of playing as a holding midfielder or centre-back, the 6 foot 2 Aussie is valued at a career-high €1m by Transfermarkt, and it’ll be interesting to see if Derby go back in with an improved bid.

It has certainly been an active summer transfer window so far for Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side, who came third in the Premier League last term, look vastly different to 2024/25. Outgoings have included Jack Grealish to Everton and Kevin De Bruyne signing for Napoli upon the expiration of his contract.

With those departures, there have been some new signings too. One of their marquee additions this summer has been to sign Lyon and French attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki. He cost the Citizens £30m, and is one of the players purchased to help revitalise their attack.

However, it seems like City will not stop there when it comes to signing a new attacker. They have recently been linked to another exciting young forward.

City’s new attacking target

City have been on the hunt for a new attacker over the past few days. One of the names who has cropped up is Real Madrid and Brazil star Rodrygo, with a £85m deal quoted.

Transfer Focus

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

At this stage, it is unclear if that will go through, and City may have identified an alternative.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, City have placed AS Monaco and France under-21 international Maghnes Akliouche ‘to their shortlist’ ahead of a potential move this summer.

He is seen as a cheaper alternative to Rodrygo, with Monaco reportedly asking for £60m earlier in the window. This is an open race, with City set to go head-to-head for his signature with German side Bayer Leverkusen, who view him as their ‘dream target’ this summer.

Why Akliouche would be a good signing

At 23 years of age, Akliouche is becoming a key player for Monaco. Having broken through their academy, he has now firmly established himself as a crucial part of their squad on his favoured right wing, where he shone last term.

In the 2024/25 campaign, the Frenchman played 43 times for Monaco across all competitions. He managed to find the back of the net on seven occasions and provided an impressive 12 assists.

It was the French top flight where Akliouche really stood out. Monaco’s number 11 registered 15 goals and assists in 32 Ligue 1 matches. The best of the bunch was surely this sublime overhead kick against Stade Rennais at the start of the calendar year.

This deal certainly has shades of the move to bring Cherki to East Manchester this summer, and Akliouche could be the second coming of his fellow French star.

Although the former Lyon forward is only a few games into his City career, he has already made a big impression.

He played four times for the Citizens in the recent Club World Cup, where he scored one goal and assisted another.

On top of that, he made 44 appearances for boyhood side Lyon last term, where he scored 12 goals and set up a further 20.

Indeed, both players have been spoken highly of in the past. Football scout Antonio Mango described Akliouche as a “technically beautiful” footballer, with former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf praising Cherki for being “one of the best players already on earth” when it comes to his skilful nature.

On top of that, the stats from last term back up just how close these two players are. For example, the Moncao star averaged 0.71 goal-creating actions and 4.76 progressive carries per 90 minutes. In comparison, City’s new number 29 averaged 0.88 goal-creating actions and 4.67 progressive carries each game.

Passes into final third

3.37

4.27

Passes into penalty area

2.4

3.39

Goal-creating actions

0.71

0.88

Take-ons completed

1.87

2.11

Progressive carries

4.76

4.67

It is easy to see why Akliouche could be considered the second coming of Cherki. Both are left-footed, right-sided players who thrive with the ball at their feet and bring great skill to the pitch.

For a fee of £60m, this could be a perfect Rodrygo alternative for City and an excellent addition to their squad to improve their technical levels.

Dream for Rodri: Pep driving Man City interest in £104m "powerhouse"

Could Manchester City gazump their fierce local rivals as they seek to sign a “powerhouse” midfielder worth £104m who would be Rodri’s dream partner?

1 ByBen Gray Aug 9, 2025

Liverpool made Premier League history with another late show at Burnley. Mohamed Salah converted a 95th-minute penalty to earn the reigning champions three points at Turf Moor. No top-flight team has ever won four games in a row in such dramatic circumstances, with Arne Slot’s side making a habit of securing vital victories as the clock ticks down.

Started the season in style at Anfield

Liverpool opened the defence of their top-flight crown in 2025-26 with a testing home date against Bournemouth. They threw away a two-goal lead in that contest before seeing Federico Chiesa and Salah find the target beyond the 88-minute mark.

AdvertisementGettyDramatic victories over top-four hopefuls

Teenage wonderkid Rio Ngumoha then hit a 100th-minute winner in a five-goal thriller at Newcastle, before Dominik Szoboszlai struck a stunning 83rd-minute free-kick to secure a 1-0 win over Arsenal at Anfield.

Salah held his nerve at Turf Moor

It appeared as though points would be dropped during a visit to Burnley, but a moment of madness from Hannibal Mejbri saw him block the ball with his arm and concede a dramatic penalty. Salah made no mistake when slamming home from 12 yards.

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How Liverpool made Premier League history

Liverpool have become the first Premier League team to “win four consecutive games thanks to winning goals scored in the final 10 minutes or later”. They are certainly displaying the spirit of champions.

Jaker smashed 72 not out off 41 and Rishad bagged three wickets as the hosts were bowled out for their lowest total against Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam20-Dec-2024Bangladesh completed their demolition of West Indies with an 80-run win in the third T20I at the Arnos Vale Ground. It resulted in their first 3-0 win in a T20I series in nearly two years as they capped off a tough West Indies tour with a trophy. After posting 189 for 7, they bowled West Indies out for 109, their lowest total against Bangladesh, with the margin of victory being Bangladesh’s second-biggest in terms of runs.Jaker Ali continued to be their tour’s MVP, signing off with a dramatic, match-winning performance. His unbeaten 72 powered the visitors to 189 for 7, their highest score in the West Indies, before Rishad Hossain helped bowl the opposition out cheaply.Jaker had walked off the ground when he was on 18 after a mix-up with Shamim Hossain. But the TV umpire Zahid Bassarath instead adjudged Shamim as the one dismissed, as he had placed his bat inside the crease after Jaker. It sparked a dramatic turnaround, as Jaker struck six sixes and three fours in his 41-ball knock.Parvez sparks rapid startBangladesh had their best start of the series with the bat. Parvez Hossain Emon, who replaced the injured Soumya Sarkar, went after debutant Jayden Seales and Romario Shepherd in the first three overs. Parvez then launched Alzarri Joseph over wide long-on for his first six, before Litton Das fell for 14, his first double-digit score in six innings across formats.Parvez continued to go after the fast bowlers, blasting Joseph for his second six over long-on. Next ball, though, Justin Greaves caught Parvez at the square-leg boundary after juggling a couple of times. Parvez made 39 off 21 balls, giving Bangladesh their best powerplay (54 runs) of the series.File photo: Parvez Hossain Emon smashed 39 off 21 balls•ICC via GettyJaker’s dramatic re-entryBangladesh were 102 for 4 at the start of the14th over when Jaker struck Gudakesh Motie towards deep midwicket. Spotting Obed McCoy getting injured trying to take the catch, Jaker signalled to Shamim not to take the third run as the ball had spilled away from McCoy.In the next over, Jaker and Shamim had a communication breakdown, with both batters ending up at the striker’s end, while Roston Chase broke the stumps at the bowler’s. Jaker, who ran through the striker’s end, was irate with Shamim. He walked off fuming while the third umpire spotted that he had actually reached the crease before Shamim.The fourth umpire Gregory Brathwaite hauled Jaker, who had taken off his gears inside the dressing room, out to the middle to continue his innings. The distance between Jaker and Shamim, not looking at each other, as they crossed each other near the boundary was immense.Jaker takes full advantageAs if one dramatic run-out was not enough, Mahedi Hasan was also run-out in the same over. Jaker, however, regrouped quickly in the following over, hitting Joseph straight down the ground for his second six. McCoy then conceded 20 runs in the 18th over when Jaker and Tanzim Hasan Sakib struck a six each; Jaker blasted him with a slog sweep, and Tanzim swung him over long-on.Joseph then went for 25 in the last over, with Jaker hitting him for three sixes in the last four balls of the innings. It turned out to be Bangladesh’s best-ever 20th over in a T20I.File photo: Rishad Hossain got three wickets, apart from affecting a run-out•Cricket West IndiesWest Indies in tailspinFor the third game in a row, West Indies lost half their side before reaching 50. After Taskin Ahmed removed Brandon King early, like in the previous two matches, Greaves was caught at long-on off Mahedi. Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran struck a cluster of boundaries before Pooran fell to Mahedi for the third time in the series, bowled off an inside edge for 15. West Indies finished the powerplay on 45 for 3.Rishad sends ’em packingAs if Pooran’s fall was not enough, Charles then seemed slow in reaching the crease while completing the single; Rishad’s throw caught him short. This was two balls after Hasan Mahmud had dismissed Roston Chase for a duck.Rishad further got into the act, with three wickets. The legspinner had Rovman Powell caught behind in the tenth over with a dipping delivery, leaving West Indies on 60 for 6. In his last over, the 15th of the innings, Rishad had Motie caught straight down the ground while Joseph gave a simple catch to Hasan at extra cover. Tanzim and Taskin removed the last two wickets to spark the celebration in the Bangladesh camp.

Wolverhampton Wanderers need new recruits between now and Monday’s deadline if they’re going to stay in the Premier League.

So far, Vítor Pereira’s team have played two and lost two this season, demolished 4-0 by Manchester City on opening weekend, before another defeat on Saturday, this time at the hands of Bournemouth.

Tuesday’s comeback win over West Ham United in the Carabao Cup may spark reason for optimism, however, not least with man of the moment, Jørgen Strand Larsen, netting twice off the bench to power the Old Gold to victory.

That brace was just the latest headline-grabbing occasion for the Scandinavian sensation, with Pereira’s side perhaps now seeking to replicate that success with another exciting acquisition.

Wolves set for another La Liga recruit

With Matheus Cunha having departed for Manchester United, Larsen will be Wolves’ main man in attack.

He scored 14 Premier League goals last season, a very impressive return, before making the move from Celta Vigo permanent for around £23m earlier this summer.

His importance is why the club rejected a £50m bid for the Norwegian striker from Newcastle United earlier this week, although the Magpies are still hopeful of getting a deal done.

Meantime, it is being widely reported that Ladislav Krejčí is close to joining Wolves from Girona for £26m, set to undergo a medical in the coming days.

However, he is not the only La Liga player seemingly Molineux-bound.

Transfer Focus

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

That’s because, according to a report by the Telegraph, Wolves have ‘agreed personal terms’ with Getafe midfielder Christantus Uche.

The Nigerian international is expected to cost around £17m, with reports in Spain suggesting Getafe are under pressure to sell in order to comply with LaLiga’s squad cost limit regulations, so will Uche soon swap Madrid for the Midlands?

What Wolves fans should expect from Christantus Uche

The 22-year-old has enjoyed an “insane” rise in the last 12 months or so, as per one content creator, given that he was playing for Ceuta in the Primera Federación, Spain’s third-tier, as recently as the 2023/24 season.

His form there earned him a move to Getafe last summer, his top-flight debut coming almost exactly a year ago, making 33 appearances in LaLiga last season, uniquely deployed all over the attacking area of the pitch by manager José Bordalás, utilised as a striker, a winger and an attacking midfielder.

His tally of four goals may not leap off the page, but it’s worth considering the fact that Azulones scored only 34 times as a team, the second-fewest in the division, outscoring only rock-bottom Real Valladolid.

Uche also commenced the new campaign by netting during Getafe’s 2-0 victory over Celta Vigo at Balaídos on the opening weekend, assisting Adrián Liso to score the other goal too, so let’s further examine his importance to Getafe.

Minutes

2,486

8th

Goals

4

3rd

Assists

6

1st

Big chances created

7

1st

Shots

50

2nd

Key passes

29

3rd

Shot-creating actions

78

2nd

Goal-creating actions

10

1st

Progressive-carries

43

2nd

Average Sofascore rating

6.89

6th

As the table documents, Uche ranked in the top three at Getafe last season for all attacking metrics included, top of the pile in terms of assists, big chances created and goal-creating actions, underlining his importance.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout is certainly a fan, describing him as a “superb… box-to-box midfielder”, while elsewhere noting that “passing, physicality and work rate” are his biggest strengths.

So, why would he be such an excellent signing for Wolves?

Well, Uche is accustomed to playing for a struggling side, given that Getafe ranked second-bottom for average possession in LaLiga last season (41.2%), above only Espanyol.

During his own penultimate season in LaLiga, Strand Larsen also scored just four goals for Celta Vigo, before increasing that total to 13 prior to joining Wolves, and all available evidence suggests that Uche is capable of producing a similar increase.

Having seen the success that Tuesday’s Carabao Cup hero has enjoyed at Molineux to date, Wolves should well aim to repeat the trick with another exciting LaLiga import.

Romano: £26m star now set for medical with deal sealed ahead of Wolves move

The Old Gold are set to land their man…

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 26, 2025

SA20 commissioner talks up SA20’s investment in local cricket, saying “We see ourselves as very different to the ILT20. We’re a South African league, with a majority of South African players”

Firdose Moonda08-Jan-2025T20 franchise leagues that do not field a majority of locally based players are “not good for the game”, according to SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith.Speaking ahead of the league’s third season, which, once again, clashes directly with the UAE’s ILT20, Smith argued that what sets the SA20 apart is how rooted it is in the South African system and what it does for the country’s cricket.”We see ourselves as very different to the ILT20. We’re a South African league, with a majority of South African players and our ultimate goal is to benefit South African players,” he said at the captain’s day press conference in Cape Town. “We’ve been built up against ILT20, so it’s very difficult for me to not come across like I’m bad-mouthing them, but I do feel like a league like that is not good for the game; that there’s that many international players required to build a team; there’s no investment back into local cricket. That is a challenge for the world game and something that needs to be managed going forward.”Related

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ILT20 2025: Are MI Emirates favourites again? Who are the players to watch out for?

South African cricket and SA20 learn to co-exist

ILT20 announces development tournament ahead of second season

ILT20 2025 to start and end in Dubai amid clash with SA20, BBL, BPL

While the SA20 follows an IPL-style model that allows for teams to field four internationals per XI, the ILT20 allows a maximum of nine internationals. All six SA20 squads are restricted to 19 players, must contain a minimum of 11 South African players and international places in the squads are limited to seven. They are also required to contract a rookie player, a South African under the age of 22 who has not been contracted to the tournament before. The ILT20 requires that at least two UAE players are included in the playing XI and four in the squad overall, and that squads contract two players from Associate nations, who do not get any special provision in the SA20.For Smith, the SA20’s focus is on developing as much local talent as possible while also offering international players the opportunity for tough competition. “We’re a Full Member nation. Our priority is to put on a global league, but to benefit South African cricket. That’s important for us,” he said. “What we have focused on is building the SA20 to the point where we are now being recognised as one of the biggest leagues outside the IPL. That’s important for us, and that’s the feedback we’re getting. And what we’ve seen from a player group is that this is where players want to play because it’s competitive, there’s good crowds, the standard of cricket is good, and this is the place to come and challenge yourself.”The SA20 has already attracted the likes of Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan – who played a season at the ILT20 and then returned to South Africa – Trent Boult, and some of England’s most high-profile Test players for this season, Joe Root, Johnny Bairstow and (before he was injured) Ben Stokes. But several players have also made the move from the SA20 to the ILT20 such as Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Adil Rashid and Phil Salt, and there have been and may yet be instances where players whose teams are knocked out of one tournament fly across to play in the knockouts of the other. Smith described that as a situation the league does not have “control” over.

What they do manage is their own initiatives, both in the four-week period that the tournament takes place and outside of that. This year, the SA20 started a schools league for both boys and girls that ran from September 2024 and will conclude in March. They have hired former national assistant coach Vincent Barnes to work on the project, which includes over 500 schools. They have also run camps for Under-19 women’s cricketers ahead of the age-group World Cup but talk of a women’s SA20 has gone quiet after the WPL moved into the January-February window from 2026. ESPNcricinfo understands that over the next 18 months, the SA20 will look at how to develop a women’s competition but for now will continue to work with younger players.”There’s a lot of really cool grassroots programmes that we’re putting in place that hopefully will unearth some incredible talent on both the girls and boys side,” Smith said. “Our franchises are also starting to build academies and scouts and do things on the ground which will really benefit the ecosystem. We’re hoping in the next coming two to three years that you’ll really see the impact of SA20 at the grassroots level.”For its part, the ILT20 launched a development tournament ahead of its second season, which ran in Dubai and for which more than 300 local players signed up to the draft.The other measurable comparison between the two leagues is fan engagement. Last season, the SA20 boasted ten sold out matches and 70% of the overall tickets available were sold while the ILT20 reported a 300% increase in stadium attendances.For Smith, public support for the SA20 is one of the standout features which makes the competition “an established product now that has elevated itself to probably the biggest league outside of the IPL.” “I’ll never forget seeing you know the fan bases and the colours of each team being supported,” he said. “The feedback we get globally is when people tune in, they see a happy South Africa in summer with full stadiums and incredible cricket.”

Arsenal left it late to secure a 1-1 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, with Gabriel Martinelli coming off the bench to equalise in added time. The result leaves the Gunners five points adrift of early table-toppers and reigning champions Liverpool having won three, drawn one and lost one of their opening five matches this season.

With just under ten minutes on the clock, Arsenal went behind after a smooth City breakaway. Tijjani Reijnders led a counter attack right through the centre of the pitch, teeing up Erling Haaland to finish from close range.

The hosts scarcely troubled their visitors during the opening 45 minutes, and Mikel Arteta sought to make amends by bringing on Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze for the start of the second half. The latter forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into a save with a neat half-volley soon after coming on, much to the delight of a frustrated home crowd, while David Raya produced a low stop to keep out Haaland at the other end.

Heading into seven minutes of added time, there seemed little hope of Arsenal finding a leveller, but one move changed everything. Eze picked out the run of Gabriel Martinelli over the top, and the Brazilian produced a piece of magic to dink Donnarumma and snatch a point for the resilient Gunners.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates…

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David Raya (6/10):

Made a smart stop to keep out Haaland in the second half though had no chance getting to the Norwegian's opener.

Jurrien Timber (5/10):

Usually a lock-down defender, Timber will probably happy to see the back of the rejuvenated Jeremy Doku. Taken off for Martinelli late on with Arsenal chasing a goal.

William Saliba (5/10):

Made his first start on return from an injury sustained in last month's defeat at Liverpool, which may have explained why he was so tentative with his indecisive defending leading to City's early strike.

Gabriel Magalhaes (5/10):

Pushed high into the City half leaving Saliba hugely exposed for Haaland to break the deadlock.

Riccardo Calafiori (6/10):

One of Arsenal's most progressive players with his willingness to get forward, both overlapping down the line and underlapping inside.

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Martin Zubimendi (6/10):

A calm head in the storm, getting his head up to keep possession ticking. Unfortunately, he was still second-best to compatriot Rodri in this department. Taken off for Mosquera in stoppage time at the end of the second half.

Mikel Merino (5/10):

Offered very little in the midfield battle and was withdrawn for Eze at the break.

Declan Rice (5/10):

So often has Rice come up trumps in these huge games for Arsenal that we now expect the outrageous from him in them. Alas, this was a quiet performance by his standards.

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Noni Madueke (6/10):

Arsenal's brightest performer in what was a pretty turgid first half. Sacrificed at half-time for Saka.

Viktor Gyokeres (3/10):

Stuck out like a sore thumb in the worst way possible. Couldn't get the ball to stick to him, couldn't connect with his team-mates and fluffed his lines on the rare occasions he was within striking distance.

Leandro Trossard (5/10):

A surprise starter when the lineups were announced, and you'd have forgiven Arteta for hooking the Belgian. More of a source of inspiration in the second half, at least. Withdrawn for Nwaneri for the closing stages.

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Bukayo Saka (6/10):

Introduced at the break for Madueke, marking his own comeback from injury. Gave the Gunners that initial shot in the arm as hoped but couldn't sustain that impact.

Eberechi Eze (8/10):

Dropped out of the starting lineup but was restored to the XI for the second half. Like Saka was positive to begin with, faded away, before blossoming again with an incredible assist for Martinelli.

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

Subbed on for Timber in hope of reproducing his heroics off the bench at Athletic Club on Tuesday, and there was an even more dramatic finale on this occasion. Excelling as a 'finisher' for this deep squad.

Ethan Nwaneri (N/A):

Brought on for Trossard for the last few minutes.

Cristhian Mosquera (N/A):

Came on in stoppage time for Zubimendi.

Mikel Arteta (6/10):

Got the starting lineup wrong with so many conservative choices, though did rectify this after only 45 minutes of football.