Blaze beat Central Sparks by five wickets at Edgbaston in a last group match which turned out to be a dress rehearsal for a Charlotte Edwards Cup semi-final at Derby on Saturday.A ninth win in ten games left Blaze top of the final table while the defeat saw Sparks drop to fourth after Southern Vipers climbed above them with a bonus point win over South-East Stars at Hove.Sparks were restricted to 138 for eight by an impressive Blaze attack led by Kirstie Gordon (4-0-14-2) and Grace Ballinger (4-1-16-1). After solid contributions from top three Abi Freeborn (39, 32 balls), Davina Perrin (37, 33) and Amy Jones (36, 26), the rest folded as Josie Groves and Heather Graham also each took two wickets.Marie Kelly, on the ground where she learned her cricket, then swept Blaze to victory. Kelly’s classy unbeaten 89 (63) underpinned her side’s progress to 139 for five from 19.2 overs as a Sparks bowling attack which had bowled Vipers out for 98 three days earlier found life much more difficult. It is Blaze who will head to Derby with momentum behind them.Sparks chose to bat but started slowly as Ballinger opened with a maiden. Gordon conceded just a single from her first over as only 25 runs came from the first six overs.Perrin then began to climb into some shots and smote Graham over long off for six to raise the 50 stand from 51 balls. The 17-year-old added five fours to her six before going down the pitch to Groves but finding only Ella Claridge at mid off.Freeborn top-edged a sweep at Sarah Glenn to short fine leg and while Amy Jones settled, she watched a succession of partners find careless ways to get out. Eve Jones and Courtney Webb belted full tosses to fielders and Katie George managed to pull a good-length Graham delivery to mid off.Jones at least kept the innings moving but fell in the penultimate over when she charged and missed at the excellent Gordon who hit Em Arlott’s leg stump two balls later. When Graham knocked out Charis Pavely’s middle stump with the last ball of the innings, seven wickets had fallen for 49 runs in 43 balls.Sparks’ innings having started with a maiden, Blaze’s began even more hesitantly with a wicket maiden in which Teresa Graves chipped Em Arlitt to mid off. Kelly and Kathryn Bryce (27, 32) responded perfectly with a measured stand which passed 50 in 47 balls. Kelly had had an unproductive tournament, amassing just 48 runs in seven innings, but more than doubled that tally in one go as she reached her half-century in 37 balls.The pair added 106 in 86 balls before Kathryn Bryce was stumped at the second attempt by Freeborn off Potts. That triggered a clatter as Sarah Bryce edged Georgia Davis, Pavely hit Graham’s off-stump and Claridge, after striking two important boundaries, sliced Hannah Baker to point, but Kelly saw her side home at her spiritual home.

Turning their attention towards a third addition after Lukas Nmecha and Jaka Bijol, there have now been claims that Leeds United have a “verbal agreement” in place to sign a £20m+ star.

Jaka Bijol: Leeds move "biggest of my career"

It’s been a busy summer at Elland Road thus far. To kick things off, the Yorkshire club welcomed Nmecha in a bargain deal at the end of his Wolfsburg contract and have since spent big for the first time to sign Bijol from Udinese. The defender was officially unveiled as a Leeds player earlier this week and instantly stated that it is the biggest move of his career.

The defender told the club website: “This is a big day for me, for my family and I’m happy to be here. Maybe the biggest one of my career so far, but I’m ready for it.

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“I work for it and that’s why I’m here, because it’s a big challenge for everyone. It’s a big challenge for me, for the club, and we’re getting ready for it together. I think the club and myself are ready for the Premier League.

“I can promise that I will give everything, that I will give everything in every training as well to be ready for the first game of the season and then just go from there.”

At £15m, the deal hasn’t come cheap, but it was one that the 49ers were clearly keen to get done ahead of Leeds’ return to the Premier League in the coming months.

Serie A seems to be where it’s at for the American owners too, amid claims that they’ve returned to Italy’s top flight to strike another agreement.

Leeds have "agreement" to sign £20m Krstovic

According to reports relayed by MOT Leeds, Leeds have now got an “agreement in principle” to sign Nikola Krstovic from Serie A side Lecce this summer. In a deal reportedly worth around £20m, the forward could arrive to boost the Whites’ attacking options alongside Nmecha in the coming months.

While a “verbal agreement” is reportedly in place, however, the player himself is reportedly yet to reach a decision regarding an exit away from Lecce this summer, and that decision will ultimately be final.

All involved at Leeds should, of course, be keen to receive the green light from the talented 25-year-old after he scored 12 goals in all competitions for Lecce last summer. If there were any doubts over his ability to perform at the top level then his Serie A record should have helped put those doubts to rest.

After spending big on Bijol, signing Krstovic for an equally impressive fee would send a statement of intent from the 49ers, who will be desperate to help push Leeds away from the dropzone next season.

No Manchester United supporter could’ve envisaged the impact Bruno Fernandes would’ve had at the club after his £47m move from Sporting CP back in January 2020.

The Portuguese international has exceeded all expectations over the last five and a half years, helping the Red Devils claim multiple trophies in such a period.

He’s registered 98 goals and 83 assists in his 290 appearances at Old Trafford, averaging a goal contribution every 1.6 matches he’s appeared in, a truly staggering record for a midfielder.

Fernandes has no doubt been their shining light over recent seasons, managing to register 37 goals and assists this campaign, despite the club finishing in a measly 15th place in the Premier League.

He will want to push the side back up the table next season, but if he is to have any chance of doing so, it’s vital the board back Ruben Amorim in the transfer market this summer.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Hugo Ekitiké has become the main target within the final third over the last couple of days, after it became apparent that Viktor Gyokeres preferred a move to Arsenal over United.

He’s not the only attacker currently on their radar, with a move for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo advancing after the club agreed personal terms with the Cameroonian international.

However, other areas of the pitch have also been of keen interest, with Amorim’s side making progress on a deal to land Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim that the Argentine international is now keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, after the hierarchy made preliminary contacts with his agents in recent days.

It also states that Unai Emery’s side need to sell players to avoid a breach of the division’s PSR rules, which could see them demand a fee in the region of £40m this window.

Why Martinez would be United’s best signing since Bruno

The hierarchy at United have constantly tried to inject quality into the side during recent seasons, as seen with their £70m deal to land Casemiro from Real Madrid back in 2022.

The Brazilian has won five Champions League titles during his professional career, but has been unable to add to such a tally, often being an inconstant figure at the heart of the side.

He’s made 125 appearances for the Red Devils, but has often had to resort to minutes off the bench in recent times, starting just 18 league outings this campaign.

Matthijs de Ligt is another player with elite level experience in Europe’s top five leagues, but like Casemiro, has struggled in England, with injuries massively halting his progress under Amorim.

Both players have the pedigree, but their lack of experience in the Premier League before joining have seen them take time to adapt in order to make the desired impact.

The same can’t be said for shot-stopper Martinez, with the 32-year-old pretty much spending his entire career in the British Isles and starring for various different sides.

His figures from his 2024/25 campaign are evidence of the talent he possesses, offering Amorim that world-class goalkeeper he desires amid Andre Onana’s constant disappointment.

Games played

37

34

Goals conceded

1.2

1.3

Saves made

4

3.7

Save percentage

70%

68%

Pass accuracy

78%

72%

Long pass accuracy

49%

36%

Penalty save percentage

50%

25%

Crosses claimed

1.6

0.6

He’s massively outperformed the Cameroonian in countless key areas, including fewer mistakes leading to goals and a higher pass completion rate, offering the side the option to play out from the back should they need it.

Martinez has also starred at international level, winning the World Cup back in 2022, producing a miraculous save from Randal Kolo-Muani in the closing stages – forever writing himself into Argentina history.

He was named FIFA’s best men’s goalkeeper back in 2024, winning the award for the second time in his career, demonstrating the elite level he’s been performing at for the last couple of seasons.

£40m for such a player would prove to be sensational business, offering an immediate improvement on the current goalkeeping situation at Old Trafford.

If he can replicate the performances produced by Fernandes over recent seasons, he would be worth every penny, pushing the club one step closer to returning to their former glory under Amorim.

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Hannon-Dalby takes four wickets to put visitors in command at Taunton

ECB Reporters Network01-Jul-2024Tom Banton and Tom Abell rescued Somerset from potential embarrassment on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Division One match with Warwickshire at Taunton.The pair came together with the home side 57 for three in their first innings, trailing by 355 runs, and produced a patient stand of 139, Banton making 77 and Abell 61 not out before three late wickets saw Somerset stumble to stumps on 208 for six, Oliver Hannon-Dalby claiming four for 45.Earlier, Warwickshire had extended their score from an overnight 373 for eight to 412 all out, Michael Burgess falling for 147. Migael Pretorius added the wicket of Michael Booth to his four first day victims for figures of five for 104 from 27 overs.Only one over was bowled at the start of play before a heavy shower wiped out play for the session to the consternation of more than 700 schoolchildren granted free admission for the day. An early lunch was taken at 12.30pm, with play resuming at 1.10pm.Somerset’s frustrations of the previous evening continued and an edged four by Booth off Pretorius took the visitors to a fourth batting point at 402 for eight, having been 40 for four at one stage.Booth then took two to third man to bring up a half-century stand with Burgess in 74 balls before Pretorius parted them, Booth edging to Abell at first slip to depart for 31.Burgess had faced 208 balls, hitting 17 fours and three sixes when last man out, skying a catch to Jack Leach at mid-on to give Kasey Aldridge his only wicket.Needing 263 to avoid the prospect of being asked to follow on, Somerset minds might have been on cautiously negotiating the new ball. Instead, Andy Umeed smacked the second delivery of the second over back over Hannon-Dalby’s head for six and then fell to the fourth, edging a low catch to Jacob Bethell at fourth slip.Tom Kohler-Cadmore also looked to attack at every opportunity and had moved to 22 off 35 balls when caught behind pushing half forward to a good length ball from Booth. At the other end, Chris Woakes completed a seven-over opening spell costing just 15 runs.When Tom Lammonby, on 23, edged another catch to wicketkeeper Burgess, playing down the wrong line to Ed Barnard, Somerset were 57 for three and under pressure. Banton clubbed Booth over a short extra cover boundary for six as he and Abell saw them to 80 for three at tea.An extended final session of 43 overs began with Banton playing some delightful shots and bringing up the fifty partnership from 88 balls with a sweetly-timed back-foot shot through the covers for four off Hannon-Dalby.Abell was largely content to play a supporting role as the stand blossomed. Banton reached a 77-ball half-century with a single of left-arm spinner Bethell, having hit 5 fours and a six, only looking vulnerable when chasing wide deliveries.The pair settled for accumulating steadily as the ball became softer and Warwickshire’s bowlers shared the frustrations of their Somerset counterparts over a pitch offering negligible seam movement or turn.Abell survived a scare on 43 when a delivery from Barnard appeared to miss his off stump by a coat of varnish, but by then the partnership with Banton had passed the century mark and early worries in the home dressing room had eased.A late cut off Barnard for his third four took Abell to fifty off 110 balls. Bethell produced a tidy ten-over spell for 23 runs on the unhelpful surface, but neither Abell nor Banton looked seriously troubled in the early evening sunshine.That was until Hannon-Dalby found the outside edge of Banton’s bat for the only slip, Rob Yates to pouch a low chance with five overs remaining in the day. The crestfallen Somerset player dragged himself off, having faced 143 balls, knowing a great chance of a third first class century had escaped him.Hannon-Dalby then struck two more quick blows to remove nightwatchmen Josh Davey lbw and Jack Leach caught behind next ball, as Warwickshire ended the day on an unexpected high.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta could now look to hijack Liverpool’s move for a “world-class” star, who is valued at £85m, according to a report.

Gary Neville urges Arteta to sign new striker

Teams have been successful without out-and-out strikers in the past, with Gary Neville highlighting Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City pre-Erling Haaland as examples, but the Sky Sports pundit has urged Mikel Arteta to sign a new centre-forward this summer.

Neville said: “To not have a recognised striker in the squad: Kai Havertz is half a striker, Gabriel Jesus is half a striker – they can play there. But they do need one or two other forwards who can really be people who can play and lead that line.”

It certainly appears as though Arteta plans to finally pull the trigger on a new striker, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres among the most talked-about potential targets, fresh off the back of impressive campaigns.

Player

Benjamin Sesko

Viktor Gyokeres

League appearances

33

33

Goals

13

39

However, according to a report from BILD (via Sport Witness), Berta is now considering alternative options, given that progress is slow, and a Liverpool target has now entered the frame.

The striker in question is Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, with the report stating Berta could now look to hijack their Premier League rivals’ deal for the 23-year-old, but a deal is likely to be on the expensive side.

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The German club are thought to be holding out for a fee of £85m, which means a deal for the Frenchman would be more costly than Sesko or Gyokeres. Consequently, the former Paris Saint-Germain man is unlikely to be viewed as a priority target.

"World-class" Ekitike could be ideal Sesko alternative

It has previously been revealed that Sesko is Arteta’s preferred striker target, but there are signs that Ekitike could be an ideal alternative option, given the level of his performances in the Bundesliga last season.

The 23-year-old outperformed the Slovenian in front of goal, finding the back of the net 15 times, while also registering eight assists, leading to him being dubbed as “world-class” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The Frankfurt star is also just one year older than Sesko, meaning he could be a long-term solution for Arsenal in attack, while Gyokeres is considerably older than the Bundesliga duo, having recently turned 27.

The only thing that may deter Arsenal from making a move is Ekitike’s huge price tag, with a fee of £85m far too high for a striker yet to prove himself at the top level over a consistent period, but he could be a solid signing if Frankfurt lower their demands.

Leeds United are now set to sign another defender and this time for a fee of under £500,000, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

Leeds announce Gudmundsson on four-year deal

With Junior Firpo exiting Elland Road, Leeds needed to bring in a new left-back, and they have wasted no time in their pursuit of Lille’s Gabriel Gudmundsson, with the defender signing a four-year contract on Tuesday.

The fee is thought to be in the region of €12m (£10m) although the club’s announcement does not disclose the true figure, after the 26-year-old completed his medical checks on Monday.

Gudmundsson is not the only left-back set to make a move to Elland Road, however, with Romano recently taking to X to reveal the Whites are on the verge of signing a defender from a rival Premier League club.

The transfer expert states that Manchester City’s Jayden Lienou “will join Leeds United” for a package amounting to under £500k, with the 17-year-old set to link up with the U21 team to begin with.

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Andrew Taylor and Adam Underwood are said to have been “key” to securing a deal for Lienou, and the deal now appears to be completely agreed, suggesting that an official announcement could be imminent.

Leeds’ opening Premier League fixtures

Date

Everton (h)

August 18th

Arsenal (a)

August 23rd

Newcastle United (h)

August 30th

Fulham (a)

September 13th

Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)

September 20th

Gudmundsson and Lienou are savvy signings for Leeds

Lienou has been showing some promising signs at youth level, most notably scoring a remarkable solo goal for Wales a little over a year ago, showcasing his quality on the front foot.

However, at 17-years-old, the Welshman is clearly one for the future, and Gudmundsson is more likely to make more of an instant impact at Elland Road, given that the Sweden international is vastly experienced.

The Malmo-born defender made nine appearances in the Champions League last season, and his performances across the campaign clearly impressed journalist Joe Donnohue, who described the full-back as a “fun” player and a “risk-taker”.

The former FC Groningen man also caught the eye in an attacking sense during his time with the Dutch club.

Given that Firpo was well-known for his attacking contributions, Gudmundsson could be an ideal replacement for the Dominican Republic international, while Lienou’s performances at youth level indicate he could also be a savvy signing with the potential to become a prototype modern day attacking full-back.

ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB is likely to reject NOCs to several all-format players for upcoming franchise tournaments

Danyal Rasool13-Jul-2024

The PCB is set for a collision course with some of the biggest names in Pakistan cricket after deciding to refuse an NOC to Naseem Shah for the Hundred.ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB is likely to reject NOCs to several all-format players for upcoming franchise tournaments. While the Global T20 League in Canada has not yet been officially sanctioned by the ICC – without which the PCB cannot issue NOCs to centrally contracted players – it is believed Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam will not be allowed to play there either way, with workload management likely cited as the reason.The immediate implications of the decision mean The Hundred’s Birmingham Phoenix will lose out on Naseem next month, while Afridi, Rizwan and Babar will be unavailable for the Global T20 League Canada. Neither tournament directly clashes with any international cricket Pakistan play, but with a busy upcoming schedule for the national side, it is understood the PCB wishes to see their all-format players rest up ahead of Pakistan’s two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which starts on August 21.Related

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Though the GLT20 awaits official ICC sanction, the Pakistan players drafted were fully expected to be allowed to play the league; Afridi is scheduled to travel to Canada shortly, with the tournament officially slated to begin on July 25. Naseem, meanwhile was set to earn £125,000 for his time at The Hundred, which starts on July 23.This doesn’t necessarily mean no NOC requests will be entertained, with the latest NOC repressions likely to only affect those considered all-format regulars. Usama Mir, who had his NOC denied last month for the T20 Blast, will be allowed to play The Hundred, as will Haris Rauf.The NOC rejections are set to go further than just the leagues over the next month. Pakistan have a virtually non-stop cricketing schedule from October to May the following year. They play three Tests against England at home that month, followed by limited-overs series in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, a Test series in South Africa, a home Test series against the West Indies, a home tri-series featuring South Africa and New Zealand, a home Champions Trophy, and the PSL. It is understood the PCB will entertain no NOC requests during that period for all-format players, which coincides with a spate of T20 leagues.The three-year central contracts the PCB and the players signed last year allowed for two overseas franchise leagues per year, as long as those tournaments did not clash with the player’s international commitments. While the contracts do state the PCB has the right to refuse NOCs if they feel it is in the best interests of Pakistan’s international obligations, the decision to withdraw the players from leagues which do not directly clash with international cricket is set to cause discontent among players affected, and questions around whether the allowance made in central contracts is being respected in spirit.The past month has seen an uneasy quiet take hold after Pakistan’s disastrous T20 World Cup campaign which saw them exit in the first round. Initial reports suggested PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi wanted to enact “major surgery” on the side, but no immediate ramifications followed in the wake of the exit. Of late, however, there have been signs that events are beginning to gather speed, with Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq sacked from the PCB selection committee.

Johnny Grave, the chief executive of Cricket West Indies, hopes that memories of the team’s bio-secure tour of England in 2020 will help to advance the narrative about Test cricket’s revenue-share model, in the wake of his remarks earlier this year that the current system is “completely broken”.Speaking at Lord’s during MCC’s inaugural World Cricket Connects symposium – a gathering of many of the sport’s most influential players, administrators and media representatives – Grave expressed his hope that West Indies would once again prove a competitive force, just as they were in winning the first Test of the 2020 tour in Southampton, as well as each of their last two home series against England, in 2019 and 2022.But, he said, in the wake of CWI’s reported outlay of US$2 million to fulfil their tour of Australia in January and February, the onus was on cricket’s Big Three – India, England and Australia – to find a better means of propping up the economies of the sport’s less financially secure nations, rather than just sending their own teams on endless overseas tours, from which the host boards are able to replenish their coffers.”We don’t get any money at all from the Australian market, or from that tour, so it’s a double-whammy,” Grave said, in the wake of a Test tour on which West Indies again exceeded expectations with their thrilling series-levelling win at the Gabba in January.”There are a number of measures to ensure this competitive balance, and ensure that the three formats thrive. I think the easiest thing to do is say, well, this format doesn’t make money or isn’t sustainable in this market or that country, but if the game works together and has a collective mindset, there is plenty of money to go around to ensure the game can thrive.”Grave cited India’s ongoing T20I series in Zimbabwe, featuring a new-look team led by Shubman Gill, only days after their victory in the T20 World Cup in Barbados, as proof that the BCCI “cannot do more for the world game” in a pure playing capacity. Instead, he welcomed the suggestion voiced last year by Richard Gould, his counterpart at the ECB, that the time may be coming for touring teams to be paid a fee for fulfilling their overseas engagements.”Do we need to play more contextual, meaningful cricket? Absolutely,” Grave said. “But I think Richard’s point around being open to sharing revenue is a massive positive, because when we are talking about sharing revenue we are talking about three countries.Ben Stokes and Jason Holder hold microphones as they talk into a broadcast camera during the Covid series in 2020•Getty Images

“One country cannot play any more cricket, cannot do more for the world game than they are doing, and that’s the BCCI. England have been fantastic, they have toured us pretty much every year, bar a few, since 2017. Is there more they could do for us? Not really. So at that point you have to look at the model and the finances, and for leaders of the ECB, Australia and India to be even talking about it, I take it as a positive indication of a shift in mindset that needs to happen.”England’s vulnerability to the fragmenting international game was made abundantly clear in the Covid-blighted summer of 2020, when West Indies were instrumental in “keeping the lights on”, in the words of the then-ECB chief executive Tom Harrison.By agreeing to play their three scheduled Tests behind closed doors and in bio-secure environments at Old Trafford and Southampton, West Indies helped fulfil the ECB’s contractual obligation to Sky Sports, with each Test valued in the region of £20 million. This in turn helped mitigate the ECB’s losses that still ended up being in the region of £100 million.”I think what Covid proved was that you can’t play against yourselves, and that you need to have opposition,” Grave said. “The better that opposition is, and the more balanced the game is, the better the product is, because then there’s genuine jeopardy.”In Covid everyone had to come together. The fact that we were coming here and generating no revenue was irrelevant. We were trying to save the game, because none of us knew whether the game as we knew it would ever happen again.”West Indies’ Test tour comes just weeks after the completion of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. Despite the hosts falling short of the semi-finals after a tight loss to South Africa in St Lucia, the sense of togetherness and expectation was palpable from a set of big-name players whose greatest financial opportunities still come on the T20 franchise circuit, but whose restored faith in CWI has been a notable aspect of Grave’s era as chief executive.Related

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“We’ve had to find balance, which was initially struck by speaking to the players in a respectful way and creating two windows, in the IPL and the CPL,” Grave said. “We then tried to have balance and flexibility with our players in how we schedule bilateral cricket – we rarely play over that Christmas and New Year period because it’s important for our players to be at home with their families – while we’ve also tried to create windows for them to go to other leagues where the calendar has allowed it.”So it’s all about balance. And at the moment Darren Sammy and Rovman Powell, the leaders of our T20 team, have really got those players focused.”Now the attention turns to the Test series against England, starting with a first Test at Lord’s – a venue that West Indies haven’t frequented since 2017.”It’s probably the pinnacle Test series that we play, it’s the barometer of how the team are developing,” Grave said. “We’re coming off a high, obviously it’s a long gap since that amazing day at the Gabba, and for a number of the players this will be the first time they’ve ever played at Lord’s.”They’re playing for the Richards-Botham Trophy, the ultimate example of friendship and camaraderie between England and West Indies. So being here it’s always special, but I think for our players to hopefully announce themselves to the English audience with a Test series at Lord’s is fantastic.”

Liverpool exceeded expectations when they won the Premier League last season, but Darwin Nunez struggled to perform at the expected level throughout.

The 26-year-old striker is a maverick, for sure, but he’s also erratic and chaotic and often incapable of harnessing and channelling his skills into something coherent.

With Luis Diaz’s future looking more certain to exist outside of Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich both vying for his signature and receiving plenty of encouragement, Liverpool might not want to cash in on Nunez.

However, the Uruguay international is in talks to join Napoli, and selling him may well be for the best.

Why Liverpool should sell Darwin Nunez

When Liverpool signed Nunez, they purchased a young and exciting striker who had just come off the back of a 34-goal campaign with Portuguese giants Benfica, scoring twice against Liverpool on Europe’s elite stage.

Klopp, perhaps, had a glint in his eyes when watching the Uruguayan run rampant over many of Europe’s finest; maybe the savvy tactician saw the reincarnation of Luis Suarez in Benfica’s man.

Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Nunez has flattered to deceive for much of his time on Merseyside, even if he’s shown flashes of the quality that convinced the German manager to fork out an initial £64m fee from FSG’s coffers.

He is expected to depart this summer, and while a popular figure, Nunez hasn’t succeeded in emulating his iconic countryman.

What Liverpool need is a striker who embodies some of Suarez’s qualities but also has experience competing consistently at the very highest level.

Liverpool eyeing Darwin Nunez upgrade

As per TEAMtalk, Slot’s dream signing for the rest of the summer is Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, even if a deal would be extremely difficult to complete.

After the Magpies sealed their place in next season’s Champions League, The Athletic’s David Ornstein claimed there was “no chance” he would leave St. James’ Park. This has since been corroborated by the news that he has been valued at an eye-watering £200m.

Recent events will rightly halt any immediate developments, but Liverpool may well make a concerted effort to challenge the Magpies for their star man later in the transfer window.

Why Alexander Isak can be the new Luis Suarez

Isak has played for Newcastle across three seasons, and he’s improved incrementally.

A shoddy fitness record has been left in the past, with the Sweden star’s athleticism and strength having come on leaps and bounds. His application even led Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher to hail him as “the best striker in the Premier League” last season.

24/25

42 (41)

27

6

23/24

40 (36)

25

2

22/23

27 (18)

10

3

In the Premier League, Isak played a monumental part in guiding Eddie Howe’s side back into the Champions League, sealing their place on the final day of the 2024/25 campaign.

His goals counted for plenty, with the 23 strikes put away in the Premier League bettered only by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

However, Isak also ranked among the top 16% of positional peers competing across Europe’s top five leagues last term for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

His all-encompassing attacking game even suggests that he could become Slot’s own version of former Redmen superstar Suarez, who, incredibly, posted 82 goals and 32 assists across only 133 appearances.

Suarez might have reached his career zenith at Barcelona, but who can argue against him being in a different stratosphere to the rest of the Premier League when he plied his trade on Merseyside?

Suarez was a devastating finisher, to be sure, but he was so much more than a simple goalscorer. Steven Gerrard once said the marksman “had everything”, and named him the best forward he had ever played with.

The iconic Anfield skipper went into further detail about exactly what set Suarez apart from his positional peers: “He could embarrass you, even with stuff that I don’t think that he knew he was doing. He was a ricochet merchant, he would run over you, he’d dominate you and bully you.”

Given the stage-by-stage progress that Isak, still only 25, has enjoyed in England, there’s certainly a good chance that he could reach the level of Liverpool’s one-time South American talisman, bringing a “world-class” striking ability, as has been praised by pundit and Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer, to Slot’s squad.

But then, as the aforementioned FBref data suggests, Isak might also thrive in link-up situations, bouncing off the creativity of stars such as Salah and Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool in a deal rising to a British-record £116m.

After all, the £120k-per-week number nine created 11 big chances in the Premier League last season, as per Sofascore, emphasising just how creative and intelligent he is in his attacking play.

Suarez perhaps reached the highest level of any forward to have ever played in the Premier League when he was at his apex. Many would contest such conjecture but it’s an argument that would hold at any table.

In Isak, Liverpool might just find the perfect, belated successor, and Slot might secure his perfect new centre-forward.

The next Van Dijk: Liverpool plot talks for "immense" £40m Guehi upgrade

Liverpool are stepping up their search for a new centre-back…

ByRobbie Walls Jul 2, 2025

Sunderland are on the hunt for Premier League-level reinforcements and have entered the race for a prolific striker from one of Europe’s top five leagues, according to a report.

Sunderland set out stall to consolidate in the Premier League

Beating the drop will be the immediate priority for Regis Le Bris on Wearside, who will have to plan for life without duo Tommy Watson and Jobe Bellingham following their moves to Brighton & Hove Albion and Borussia Dortmund, respectively.

Despite receiving criticism, Kristjaan Speakman has explained that playoff final hero Watson’s departure being public was to promote transparency with supporters following the club’s decision to speak openly about his move to the South Coast.

Why is this relevant? Well, it could be a sign of things to come moving forward, which will hopefully lead to news surrounding incomings sooner rather than later.

Sunderland now want "exceptional" £37k-p/w star who could cost £30 million

The Black Cats are probing on the market.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jun 13, 2025

Ishe Samuels-Smith is said to be on the Black Cats’ radar following his rise to prominence in Chelsea’s youth ranks. Meanwhile, Wolverhampton Wanderers star Tommy Doyle could also pitch up in the North East, circumstances permitting.

Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga has a £1.2 million release clause Sunderland are keen to take up. Nevertheless, recent reports suggest Le Bris may be looking to add to his pool of offensive options rather than prioritising a move for a defender.

Sunderland eyeing move for Sassuolo star Armand Lauriente

According to AS Roma Live, Sunderland are in the race to sign Sassuolo striker Armand Lauriente, and it would cost around £17 million to bring the 26-year-old to Tyneside.

Roma, Bologna, Fiorentina and Marseille are also interested in the former France Under-21 international, who will find himself playing Serie A football once again next season after his side claimed the Serie B title.

Labelled “amazing” by Jacek Kulig, Lauriente registered 19 goals and six assists in 34 appearances across all competitions and is now regarded as a hot property across Europe.

Intriguingly, the versatile forward has previously worked with Le Bris at Lorient, which may explain why the Black Cats have come to the table despite stiff competition from elsewhere.

The Premier League is the toughest in the world to crack, especially as a newly-promoted side, so it is interesting to see Sunderland set the bar high in their search for attacking potency.

Now, it remains to be seen whether they can tempt Lauriente with the prospect of starring for a returning force in the top-flight.