Celtic’s connection to Ireland is deep-rooted and historic.

The club was founded back in 1888 by Irish Marist Brother Walfrid, with the stated objective of integrating Irish immigrants into Scottish life and society.

To this day, the Hoops remain one of the most popular clubs in Ireland, while many of their greatest-ever players are Irish: Patrick Bonner, Patsy Gallacher, Neil Lennon, Sean Fallon and Aiden McGeady, to name but a few.

Now, could the Scottish Premiership champions be about to add another current Republic of Ireland international to their ranks, one that has the potential to be a superstar?

Celtic's search for a new centre-forward

According to a report by the Daily Record, Celtic are willing to ‘gamble on a permanent transfer’ to sign Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson, if the Seagulls are unable to find another buyer.

Transfer Focus

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

Ferguson spent the second half of last season on loan at West Ham United but, as Hammers supporter Martin Treasure puts it, his stint in East London was a ‘disaster’, making just eight appearances that totalled a miserly 151 minutes, scoring zero goals.

Two years ago, as an 18-year-old, he burst onto the scene by scoring a hat-trick against Newcastle; only three players, namely Chris Bart-Williams, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler, have bagged a Premier League treble at a younger age.

Since 2 September 2023 however, he has scored just three club goals, enduring a 336-day goal drought, so could he move north of the border in an attempt to get his career back on track?

How Ferguson could fit in at Celtic

Of course, Celtic already have one Republic of Ireland international striker in their squad; after a successful six-month loan spell, Adam Idah’s move to Parkhead was made permanent for £9.5m last summer, a fee Amy Canavan of BBC Sport described as ‘eye-watering’.

The 24-year-old has so far scored 29 goals in 72 appearances for the club, most notably bagging a stoppage-time winner in the Scottish Cup Final against Rangers, albeit he’s been unable to cement himself as the undisputed first-choice, despite the departure of Kyōgo Furuhashi in January.

So, let’s assess how the two Irish strikers compare to one another.

Age

20

24

Senior appearances

92

188

Senior goals

17

46

Premier League appearances

68

29

Premier League goals

13

1

Republic of Ireland caps

22

32

Republic of Ireland goals

5

5

Current market value

£21.4m

£5.5m

Peak market value

£55m

£5.5m

As the table outlines, Idah does have more senior experience, which shouldn’t be too surprising as he is four years older, albeit Ferguson is vastly more experienced at Premier League level, also scoring the same number of international goals in ten fewer caps.

What is also revealing is their respective Transfermarkt values, given that they believe Ferguson was worth over £55m in the autumn of 2023, still valued at in excess of £20m right now, despite his decline.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him a “big talent”, Beth Limb of Total Football Analysis is impressed by his ‘all-round game’, while Ryan Kilbane of Football Talent Scout outlines how he boasts ‘clever movement’ and is ‘comfortable with his back to goal’.

In short, not so long ago, everyone was forecasting that Ferguson would go to the top although, since then, as documented by Andy Naylor of the Athletic, injuries have massively hampered his development, citing Alan Shearer, who labelled him a “special talent… that needs to be nurtured”.

Thus, it is clear that Ferguson is a top-quality talent so, if Celtic are able to get a deal done, it would surely be a no-brainer, even if there is obvious risk.

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1 ByBen Gray Jun 17, 2025

This is the earliest they have ever gone out of the competition, triggered by defeats to USA and India

Danyal Rasool14-Jun-2024

It has been a World Cup to forget for Pakistan•ICC/Getty Images

Pakistan have been eliminated from the T20 World Cup 2024 after inclement weather in Lauderhill meant points were split between Ireland and USA. USA have qualified for the Super Eight alongside India from Group A, also sealing their berth in the 2026 T20 World Cup.For Pakistan, though, a torrid tournament culminated in a hasty exit under gloomy skies that epitomised the grim nature of their World Cup campaign. They arrived in the USA with no warm-up games scheduled, and most of their practice sessions were cancelled due to rain. Their unfamiliarity was punished by the home team in their opening fixture as USA pipped them in the Super Over, before Pakistan fell apart chasing 120 against India, losing by six runs.Related

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That left them depending on other results, most significantly the outcome of this particular game in Lauderhill between USA and Ireland. An Irish win would have kept Pakistan alive, with any other outcome giving USA an unassailable lead over Pakistan in the points tally.Pakistan’s only win so far has been a seven-wicket triumph over Canada. They still have one game left as they play Ireland – who were also eliminated as a result of this washout – on Sunday.However, this does not mean they will have to play the qualifiers to secure a place at the next T20 World Cup, with their current T20I ranking – seventh – sufficient to guarantee a spot at the tournament in 2026, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.This is the earliest Pakistan have ever been knocked out of a T20 World Cup, having played just three games before their fate was sealed. They also suffered group-stage eliminations in 2014 and 2016, but reached at least the semi-finals on every other occasion. No side has reached more finals than Pakistan (England are joint-top with three), and Pakistan won the title in 2009.

The 25/26 season could prove to be Mikel Arteta’s most challenging as Arsenal manager.

The Spaniard has done fantastically well over the last five and a bit years to take the club from mid-table mediocrity to serious contenders in both the Premier League and Champions League.

However, since the FA Cup win in 2020, he hasn’t been able to deliver any silverware, and with fan expectations now where they are, it feels like next season may be make-or-break time.

Fortunately, the board look like they are trying to help him out, as recent reports have linked Arsenal to an outrageously talented winger, someone who is even better than Rodrygo.

Arsenal's winger search

With Arsenal scoring 17 fewer goals than Liverpool and three fewer than Manchester City in the Premier League this season, it was clear that the two priorities this summer had to be a new number nine and a new left-winger to help alleviate the pressure on Bukayo Saka.

Transfer Focus

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

So, it’s not surprising to see the North Londoners linked with a host of talented wide players in recent weeks and months, from Rafael Leao to the aforementioned Rodrygo.

The former enjoyed a pretty strong campaign with AC Milan this season, racking up a tally of 12 goals and 13 assists in 50 appearances, and could be available for around £77m, whereas the latter could cost just as much but did marginally worse, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists in two more games.

In short, either attacker would seriously bolster the North Londoners’ frontline options for next season, but it now appears as if the club are looking at someone else, someone better than the Real Madrid star: Bradley Barcola.

According to a recent report from L’Equipe, Arsenal are one of several teams seriously interested in the Paris Saint-Germain gem.

The report has revealed that, alongside the likes of Chelsea and Bayern Munich, the Gunners have already made an approach for the 22-year-old dynamo, who didn’t start the Champions League final.

The bad news is that the story claims that PSG have no intention of selling the talented winger, but according to stories from earlier in the summer, he has a valuation of around £101m, so there may still be a chance to strike a deal.

It would be an incredibly complicated and costly transfer to get done, but given Barcola’s immense ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Rodrygo.

Why Arsenal's £101m target is better than Rodrygo

If we are arguing that one attacking player would make for a better signing than another, the first place to see how the pair stack up against one another would be their raw output, and when doing that, Barcola comes out miles ahead.

For example, in 59 appearances for the Parisians, totalling 3678 minutes, the utterly superb 22-year-old has scored 21 goals and provided 19 assists.

That means that the Lyon-born machine has been able to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.47 games, or even more impressively, every 91.95 minutes – just imagine that level of output opposite Saka.

In contrast, Rodrygo’s 25 goal involvements have come in 52 appearances, totalling 3425 minutes, and while that is still fantastic, it does come to a worse average of a goal involvement every 2.08 games or every 137 minutes.

The young Frenchman continues to look like the better signing when we take a look under the hood as well, lending credence to analyst Ben Mattinson’s claim that he is “one of the best LW’s in Europe.”

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.97

0.32

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.99

0.51

Progressive Passes

3.97

5.05

Progressive Carries

5.66

5.28

Shots

3.05

2.52

Shots on Target

1.57

0.93

Passing Accuracy

81.7%

85.9%

Key Passes

2.07

2.29

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.11

1.21

Shot-Creating Actions

4.17

4.95

Goal-Creating Actions

0.83

0.42

Tackles Won

0.70

0.65

Blocks

1.03

0.84

Interceptions

0.79

0.51

Clearances

0.50

0.42

Successful Take-Ons

1.40

2.29

Not only does he do better in crucial output-related metrics like expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, but the data also shows he’s far more willing to do the dirty work as well, with him coming out way on top for things like tackles won, blocks, clearances and more all per 90.

This ability to both supercharge the attack while also not leaving his full-back out at sea could make the former Lyon gem the perfect left-winger for an Arteta system.

Finally, with FBref placing him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and the top 9% for progressive carries, fans can expect the PSG phenom to get them on their feet on a regular basis, especially as U23 scout Antonio Mango described him as having “devastating pace.”

Ultimately, while Rodrygo would still be an excellent signing for Arsenal this summer, Barcola appears to be better in every way, and therefore, the club should be doing all they can to secure his services.

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Everton’s transfer business is starting to ramp up after a slow start to the window. Carlos Alcaraz is set to join on a permanent basis following a loan spell last season, while defender Kenny Tete is looking like the next summer arrival.

David Moyes is also looking at signing a new centre-forward or two during the window. Villarreal star Thierno Barry is a player who could be close to sealing a move to Everton in the coming weeks.

These players will improve the current squad, but the newest player that Moyes is showing interest in would certainly trump them all.

Everton make enquiry for Ligue 1 sensation

With Moyes eager to bolster his first-team squad ahead of Everton’s maiden season at their new stadium, a marquee arrival would signify a statement of intent.

According to TEAMtalk, Everton have now made an enquiry about Lyon starlet Malick Fofana amid Lyon’s relegation from Ligue 1.

This decision could see the French side selling off their finest talent, something the Toffees have taken into consideration. They initially wanted £42m for the winger, but this fee might be dropped due to their financial crisis.

As many as ten Premier League clubs want to sign the youngster, indicating that Moyes has plenty of competition.

By landing the Belgian starlet, Moyes could sign Everton a bigger talent than Iliman Ndiaye.

Why Everton must sign Malick Fofana

Like Fofana, Ndiaye was at a Ligue 1 club before moving to Everton last summer. During his first season in the Premier League, he scored nine times, showcasing his talents on the big stage.

When compared to his peers in the top flight, Ndiaye also ranked in the top 6% for successful take-ons (2.52) and in the top 12% for interceptions (0.74) per 90. If he can build on these statistics next term, Ndiaye will be one of the club’s finest players.

There is no doubt that Fofana could be a bigger talent, however. The 20-year-old scored 11 goals and grabbed six assists for Lyon last term, enjoying a stunning breakthrough season in France.

Hailed as a “game-changer” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Fofana was at his best in the Europa League last season.

Malick Fofana’s stats in the Europa League last season

Goals

6

Assists

1

Big chances created

1

Key passes per game

1

Goal conversion percentage

50%

Scoring frequency

86 minutes

Via Sofascore

Indeed, when he was compared to his peers in Europe’s secondary club competition, Fofana not only ranked in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (1.05) per 90, but the winger also ranked in the top 1% for both progressive carries (7.88) and for touches in the opposition penalty area (8.23) per 90 for Lyon.

These statistics prove that he is among one of the finest young wingers on the continent, hence why so many clubs are keen on signing him.

Ndiaye has shown that there is plenty of value to be had in France, impressing at the Toffees since making his switch from Ligue 1 last year.

Fofana is certainly a bigger talent than the current Everton star, especially as he has plenty of years left before he hits his peak.

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With the Premier League fixtures having now been released, the countdown to the new season is officially on.

Of all 20 clubs, few have been handed a trickier start to the campaign than Arsenal, who will begin the new season against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 17 August.

After that, they also face Liverpool at Anfield, Manchester City at home and Newcastle at St James’ Park, all in their first six fixtures, so Mikel Arteta will be extra-eager to get his new signings in quickly, so could it be all change in his midfield department?

Arsenal targeting a new midfielder

While the Gunners desperately need to add in attack this summer, they are not neglecting their midfield either, with Martin Zubimendi ready to be announced as a new signing from Real Sociedad.

The Spaniard has been in London over the week to finalise his switch to the Premier League side and he could be joined in the English capital by another midfielder.

According to a report by TBR Football, Arsenal have ‘made an enquiry’ to Paris Saint-Germain, as they target a move to sign Warren Zaïre-Emery.

They cite Thierry Henry, who managed the 19-year-old with France’s youth teams, who asserts that “the sky is the limit’ for the “magnificent” midfielder, adding “I have never seen a player that young so mature”.

The French international, who joined PSG as an eight-year-old, made his senior debut against Clermont Foot in August 2022, accumulating 124 appearances for les Rouge-et-Bleu to date, most recently starting their Club World Cup defeat to Botafogo at the Rose Bowl on Thursday night.

However, this was something of a rarity, given that Vitinha, João Neves, and Fabián Ruiz are firmly Luis Enrique’s first-choice trio; those three were deployed for all nine Champions League knockout phase fixtures, as well as the Club World Cup opener against Atlético Madrid last Sunday.

So, could the teenager be tempted to swap Paris for North London in search of more regular game time?

The latest on Arsenal's midfielders

As reported by David Ornstein and James McNicholas earlier this week, Martín Zubimendi has traveled to London to ‘complete the formalities’ ahead of joining Arsenal, with the Gunners paying his £51.7m Real Sociedad release clause.

Meanwhile, it is now just over a week until Thomas Partey’s contract expires, with Matteo Moretto of ESPN claiming that the Ghanian international is now ‘expected to leave’ this summer, with Elis Buse Araç of Turkish outlet X Sports reporting that both Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray are ready to make an offer.

Partey made 52 appearances last season, starting 45 matches across all competitions, including 31 Premier League games as well as 11 in the Champions League, underlining that he was a pivotal figure who would need replacing.

Given that Jorginho has already joined Flamengo, putting in excellent performances for them at the Club World Cup, the arrival of Zubimendi alone will not be enough, so could Zaïre-Emery fill Partey’s void?

Well, let’s assess how the young Frenchman and Partey compare.

Appearances

52

50

Minutes

3,946

3,029

Passes Attempted

52.9

70.9

Passing accuracy %

89.8%

93.3%

Passes forward

12.1

13.9

Duels contested

7.5

9.2

Duels won

3.9

4.4

Interceptions

1.3

1.1

Ball recoveries

4.4

6

Touches

66

88

As the table outlines, Zaïre-Emery comes out on top for pretty much every metric included on a per-90 basis, passing, ball recoveries and duels, something Arteta will certainly like the sound of.

Transfer Focus

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

Jacob Whitehead and Peter Rutzler of the Athletic describe the teenager as a ‘promising prospect’, praising his ‘ability to survive physically’ at such a young age.

Meantime, Beth Limb of Total Football Analysis outlines that Zaïre-Emery is best when deployed ‘on the right side of the two-man midfield’, always showcasing a ridiculous ‘amount of composure’, which could see him slot into the Partey role alongside Declan Rice perfectly.

Thus, if Zaïre-Emery does agitate for a move away from European champions PSG this summer, Arsenal should do everything they can to convince him they are the right destination.

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Who have these teams beaten on their way to Barbados, when was the last time they won a global title, and, most importantly, what’s the weather forecast for the final? This and more in ESPNcricinfo’s FAQs

Abhimanyu Bose28-Jun-20241:28

What type of conditions will Barbados offer?

So India and South Africa it is. How many times have they met in ICC finals? Or a knockout match?This will be the first time that the two teams meet in the final of a men’s ICC tournament. India and South Africa did meet in the 2014 T20 World Cup semi-final, which India won.Can they be called the two best teams in this tournament?Well, one can say that the two most in-form teams have made it to the final. Both India and South Africa are unbeaten in the tournament, and both teams topped their respective groups in the group stage and the Super Eight, although South Africa have an extra win under their belt given India’s washout against Canada.Whoever wins the final will be the first team to win a men’s T20 World Cup unbeaten.Which team has taken the tougher route?South Africa registered wins over Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Nepal in the group stage before beating USA and England in the Super Eight. They faced West Indies in their final Super Eight match, knowing that a defeat would knock them out, but eked out a three-wicket win in a tight contest that was shortened by rain.Related

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After a string of narrow victories, South Africa hammered Afghanistan by nine wickets in the semi-final to march into the final.India, meanwhile, began their campaign with wins over Ireland, Pakistan and USA. Their perfect record in the group stage was marred by rain, as their game against Canada in Lauderhill was washed out. India started the Super Eight stage with big wins against Afghanistan and Bangladesh and capped it off by beating Australia.In the semi-final, India put in another comprehensive performance to down England by 68 runs.In terms of opposition, it could be argued that India faced tougher teams, having to overcome Pakistan, Australia and then England in the semi-final, but South Africa were seriously tested in most games but still found a way.Okay, so why is this final a big deal for South Africa?Well, it is a historic occasion for South Africa because it is the first time they will be competing in the final of a men’s World Cup, ODI or T20. In fact, apart from winning the inaugural Champions Trophy in 1998, South Africa have not made the final of any ICC men’s tournament.They have come close on many occasions, reaching the semi-finals in five ODI World Cups (1992, 1999, 2007, 2015, 2023) and two T20 World Cups (2009 and 2014) before this year, but for the first time they have got to within one win of the title.And why is it important for India?While India won the first ever T20 World Cup, in 2007, they are without a World Cup title since 2011 and their last ICC silverware was the 2013 Champions Trophy. They have come close since, reaching the final of the T20 World Cup in 2014, and the semi-finals in 2016 and 2022, as well as the semi-finals of the 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cups. They also finished runners-up in the two World Test Championship finals – in 2021 and 2023. Last year, they were unbeaten en route to the final in a home ODI World Cup, but faced heartbreak in the final. Less than 12 months later, they have a chance to heal some of those wounds and end their barren run in global events.When was the last time a World Cup was held in the West Indies?The 2010 T20 World Cup was the last one hosted by the West Indies. That year’s final, between England and Australia, was also played at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.So what do we know about the pitch and conditions?Well, this will be the ninth match of the tournament at the venue. The first game here went to a Super Over, but there haven’t been any close contests here since.The teams batting first won three of the next four completed matches at the venue, and Scotland had raced to 90 for no loss in 10 overs against England before that game was called off. The last two matches in Bridgetown had West Indies and England bowling USA out cheaply and completing comfortable chases.South Africa haven’t played here this tournament, but India have had one game here – a 47-run win over Afghanistan.Wind, is that going to be a factor?It could be windy, with wind gusts predicted at 35 kmph from the east, going up to 45 kmph. But it probably won’t have as much of an influence as it did in Gros Islet when India took on Australia.The India-England semi-final was affected by rain. What’s the Barbados weather forecast looking like for the final?According to AccuWeather, there are some showers expected, so we may face interruptions. There is a roughly 50% chance of precipitation in the morning between 4am and 9am, but that comes down to roughly 30% between 10am (the scheduled toss time) and 1pm, when it goes up again to roughly 50%. There will be 190 minutes of extra time allotted on Saturday to try and complete the game. Both teams need to bat at least 10 overs for a winner to be declared.So there is a reserve day?Yes, the final does have a reserve day. The match will only go into Sunday if at least 10 overs each is not possible on Saturday even with extra time. The game, if already underway, will pick up from where it left off on Saturday, not start from scratch.Like match day, the scheduled start of play on the reserve day is 10.30am local time. There are some showers forecast for Sunday too, though the forecast for match hours is relatively better (about 20% chance of rain) than what’s expected overnight and later in the day.What happens if we can’t get a result even after the reserve day?If the weather prevents the match from being completed even on the reserve day, both teams shall be declared joint-winners.And what happens if it’s a tie?A Super Over will decide the result, and if that also ends in a tie, there will be another Super Over and so on until a result is achieved.If the Super Over is abandoned because of poor weather after a tied game, the two teams will be declared joint winners.

Birmingham City have already stunned League One with the quality of transfer they can get through the door, meaning the Championship could see the Blues go after even more exciting and bold talents.

Indeed, Chris Davies’ men sent shockwaves through the third tier when obtaining the services of Jay Stansfield for around £15m, with that high fee going on to be justified when he bagged 19 league strikes on the way to Birmingham being crowned champions.

Therefore, the ambitious Blues could now try and bring in even more dazzling faces up a division to replicate this success story, with the likes of Che Adams being linked with a stunning return to St. Andrew’s.

The last time Birmingham competed at this level culminated in them falling through the relegation trapdoor, but one deal involving ex-Manchester United ace Tahith Chong still sticks out from memory, considering his star quality was on show throughout his short-lived Blues stay.

Chong's memorable Birmingham spell

Chong would initially only join Birmingham on loan, but the ex-Manchester United academy product went on to permanently call St. Andrew’s his home after impressing in the Championship.

His output across the 2022/23 season stuck out in particular, with Chong ending his sterling individual campaign by collecting a hefty tally of four goals and five assists from 40 clashes, even as his new employers finished in a flat 17th position in the overall league standings.

Losing Chong to Luton Town that off-season would prove to be a costly sale as Birmingham finally fell to League One after years of teetering on the edge, whilst the 25-year-old began to make a name for himself in the Premier League with the Hatters.

Of course, Chong will now be plying his trade in League One next season with Matt Bloomfield’s side after back-to-back relegations, but Birmingham will hope they can win an equally exciting attacker from another top-flight outfit soon by sealing this standout loan capture.

Birmingham could sign their new Chong

Whilst the Blues did fork out an excessive amount to land Stansfield, they also utilised the loan market effectively the summer before lifting the League One title, as seen in Ben Davies collecting 20 clean sheets on loan from Rangers.

Birmingham could strike gold again in this department by landing Aston Villa forward Louie Barry – as per reports by GIVEMESPORT – with the young forward, regardless of his Villa connections, chomping at the bit to succeed in the Championship if snapped up by Davies’ men after setting League One alight whilst on the books of playoff-chasing Stockport County.

Games played

23

Goals scored

15

Assists

2

Big chances missed

6

Big chances created

5

Much like Chong – who must have felt restless about his lack of senior chances at Old Trafford when arriving to Birmingham – Barry would instantly show those back at Villa what he was about by ripping up the third tier for Dave Challinor’s promotion chasers this season, resulting in the 21-year-old picking up an eye-catching 15 goals from just 23 clashes.

It will all just rest on whether the “incredible” attacker, as Declan Rice once openly praised him, can take to the league above swimmingly in a Blues shirt, having failed to register a single goal or assist when leaving Stockport behind last campaign when joining Hull City temporarily.

Yet, everything just clicked into gear for the Dutch-born 25-year-old when he was pushed into the deep end in the West Midlands, even though he had only collected a weak two goals in total for former loan employers Werder Bremen and Club Brugge.

Therefore, Birmingham might well just be the ideal next environment for Barry as he attempts to advance his game, regardless of whether a cross-city switch would be controversial or not.

The only difference between Chong and Barry here will be the fact that the explosive 21-year-old will be expected to come in and help the Blues rise in the EFL, away from the former loan menace being a bright spark during some gloomy recent times for the blue half of Birmingham.

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Nottingham Forest have now made an approach to sign a Champions League “gladiator” for free, according to a recent report.

Ins and outs expected as Forest prepare for Europe

The first part of the summer transfer window has just closed, but that doesn’t mean clubs are not actively working on transfers in time for when the window reopens again on Monday June 16. Forest are expected to be very busy this summer, as they prepare for European football and look to continue their fine 2024/25 form into the new campaign.

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2

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Already the Reds have agreed to let one player leave the City Ground, as Fabrizio Romano has reported that Lyon have reached an agreement with Forest to sign goalkeeper Matt Turner. The French side are willing to pay €8 million, which is roughly £6.7 million.

He may not be the only exit on the cards, as it’s been reported that Newcastle United have made contact with Forest over signing Anthony Elanga. The Magpies tried to sign the Sweden international last summer but failed, and they are now looking to wrap up a deal 12 months on.

The Reds are of course also working on incomings, and while they work on a potential deal for midfielder Douglas Luiz, they are also keeping an eye on Lucas Cepeda from Chilean top flight side Colo-Colo. The winger is said to have a release clause of just £4 million and is interested in making the step up to a major European League.

Nottingham Forest submit offer for Reinildo

Forest just announced their retained list this week and revealed Harry Toffolo would be leaving following the expiration of his contract. It now appears as though the club have already found his potential replacement, as according to reporter Ben Jacobs, Forest have submitted an offer to sign left-back Reinildo on a free transfer.

The 31-year-old currently plays for Spanish giants Atlético Madrid and has done so since January 2022. The defender’s contract has been extended to the beginning of August, so he can participate in the Club World Cup for Atlético. But after that, he looks set to leave the club, and as well as Forest, Sunderland and Leeds have made approaches over a potential deal, as well as teams from Saudi Arabia.

The 49-cap Mozambique captain, who has been dubbed a “true gladiator” by scout Jacek Kulig, has struggled to be a regular in Madrid. He finished the 2024/25 campaign having played 29 games in all competitions, 19 of which came in La Liga, regularly from the substitutes’ bench.

Reinildo’s 24/25 La Liga stats
Apps	19
Starts	10
Clean sheets	4
Interceptions per game	0.8
Tackles per game	0.9
Balls recovered per game	2.7
Clearances per game	1.7
Duels won per game	2.6 (49%)

With Toffolo leaving and Alex Moreno returning to Aston Villa, it means Forest don’t have a recognised natural left-back in their squad, and therefore, there may be some urgency in beating the likes of Leeds and Sunderland to the signature of Reinildo, especially given his experience in European football.

Rohit Sharma was effusive in his praise for his bowlers after India successfully defended 119 – despite looking like they wouldn’t be able to at various points – against Pakistan on a New York pitch where “140 was a good score to fight”.”We didn’t bat well enough,” Rohit said on the host broadcast after the game. “Halfway through, we were in a good position, 80 for 3 [81 for 3]. You expect guys to stitch partnerships, but we didn’t put enough partnerships there.”I thought we fell 15-20 short. We spoke about how every run matters on a pitch like that. We were looking at 140, but I thought the bowlers can [do], and did, the job for us.”Related

• Boom will always shake the room

• India defend a record low as head-to-head reaches 7-1

• Rohit, Bumrah and the art of defending

• Kirsten bemoans Pakistan's 'poor decision-making'

• Bumrah spearheads India's defence of 119; Pakistan on brink of elimination

Jasprit Bumrah cracked the game wide open for India in his third over, the 15th of the Pakistan chase. With Pakistan needing a straightforward 40 off 36, he beat Mohammad Rizwan’s swing to hit timber, and that was the twist in the tale.Then, in the penultimate over, with Pakistan needing 21 off 12, he conceded just three while picking up the wicket of Iftikhar Ahmed to leave Arshdeep Singh with 18 to defend. Bumrah finished with figures of 4-0-14-3 to earn his second straight Player-of-the-Match award.As for Pakistan, they went from 80 for 3 at the start of the 15th to 113 for 7 after 20 to fall six short.”We felt we were a little under par,” Bumrah said. “When the sun came out, the wicket got a bit better. So we had to be disciplined with what we were trying to do. I tried to keep it simple, the wicket got better, and the swing was less. So I tried to hit the seam as much as I can. I just tried to be clear with my plan and focused on my execution.”Rohit talked up India’s “never-say-die” attitude on a New York surface he felt was “good” compared to those in the earlier games. “With only 119 on the board, we wanted to make early inroads, which we didn’t,” he said. “Halfway through, I got everyone together. We said if things can happen to us, it can happen to them as well.”Bumrah aside, India also had key bowling contributions from Hardik Pandya (2 for 24), Arshdeep (1 for 31), Mohammed Siraj, who gave away 19 runs in four overs, and the spin twins – Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja – who conceded 1 for 21 in four overs between them.Axar, in particular, bowled an excellent 16th over that went for just two runs, even though the match-up of bowling to Imad Wasim, a left-hand batter, could have worked against him.”Absolutely! That’s what’s required in a tournament like this,” Rohit said of his bowlers. “We need everyone to show up. Those little contributions make a huge difference. Whoever had the ball in hand wanted to make a contribution for the team.”Bumrah is going from strength to strength. We’ve seen him over the years what he can do, I’m not going to talk too much about him. We want him to be in that kind of mindset till the end of the World Cup. He’s a genius with the ball, we know that, but hats off to the other guys as well.”

Liverpool made mincemeat of the Premier League’s finest in 2024/25, winning the title in Arne Slot’s first season at the helm.

Such was their dominance that a late-season sojourn over in the Gulf states was permitted while rivals worked toward positive finishes to the term.

This wasn’t the case for the Anfield side; far from it. However, 2025/26 will bring a new campaign and Liverpool are acting like it, using their pull, heightened by the recent success, to sign Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, as well as Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.

Liverpool like to pluck exciting talents from their divisional rivals, and this summer is proving no different. Indeed, with a fee agreed with Leverkusen for the £34m sale of Jarell Quansah and Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain as he enters the final year of his contract, Real Madrid lurking, is it any surprise that sporting director Richard Hughes is hoping to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi?

Why Liverpool target players like Kerkez & Guehi

Liverpool might have broken the British transfer record this month (should Wirtz’s fixed £100m fee be expanded by the £16m in add-ons), but the Merseysiders tend to walk down a less-beaten path, signing up-and-coming talents from clubs settled lower down the Premier League ladder.

Take Andy Robertson, for example, signed from Hull City for just £10m back in 2017. He’s since solidified his name among the division’s all-time great full-backs.

Most Assists in Premier League History (defenders)

#

Player

Apps

Assists

1.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

259

64

2.

Andy Robertson

308

60

3.

Leighton Baines

420

53

4.

Graeme Le Saux

327

44

5.

Kieran Trippier

204

38

Data via Premier League

And how could we forget Gini Wijnaldum? The Dutchman was the industrious, metronomic heartbeat which kept Klopp’s system ticking, purloined from Newcastle United after their relegation to the Championship.

Shoutout Xherdan Shaqiri, too.

The point is, Liverpool run their club intelligently, identifying players proven in the Premier League and with plenty of scope for growth. Manchester United, with their Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, may well have taken a leaf from their rival.

While FSG are in a position to sign superstars like Wirtz, they haven’t lost track of their roots: Kerkez, signed for £40m, is evidence of his, hailing from the south coast, while the 24-year-old Guehi would also align with this tried-and-tested Merseyside method, having been at the centre of transfer rumours in recent days that suggest Liverpool would be willing to pay £50m to snap him up.

Slot will have had his say in identifying such players, looking to bring them to Anfield, but he is benefiting somewhat from the club’s prowess when Klopp was at the helm. Certainly, there’s one star in particular who aligns with the discussed method who should be the barometer from which to judge an addition’s success.

Liverpool have struck gold on Premier League signing

Like Kerkez and Virgil van Dijk before him, Alexis Mac Allister has proved a stunning signing for Liverpool, joining the club from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth £35m two years ago.

His first term, the Argentina international, who was instrumental in his nation’s 2022 World Cup triumph, filled in as a holding midfielder after the Anfield side failed in a bid to land Moises Caicedo; since, with Slot in charge, he’s moved back into a more expansive midfield role, winning silverware in both seasons on Merseyside.

One constant, however, has been Mac Allister’s brilliance in the centre of the park. The 26-year-old has only gone from strength to strength after switching the Seagulls for the Liverbird, with pundit Joe Cole even declaring him a “superstar” who “can play anywhere”.

Alexis Mac Allister in the Premier League (LFC)

Stats (* per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

33 (31)

35 (30)

Goals

5

5

Assists

5

5

Touches*

74.2

55.8

Pass completion

88%

87%

Big chances created

3

6

Key passes*

1.4

1.3

Dribbles*

0.5

0.5

Ball recoveries*

5.9

4.2

Tackles + interceptions*

4.1

3.3

Ground duels (won)*

5.0 (50%)

4.3 (50%)

Data via Sofascore

Take a look at the table above. What do you see? Curiously, Mac Allister has shifted roles under Slot, less active and frenetic in his play, calmed into a controlling force which channels the flow of the coach’s ball-playing vision.

The South American star perhaps said it best himself: “In terms of the change, perhaps with Jürgen I played as a lone five [holding midfielder]. So, the position was very different. I was much more defensive than anything else.

“So, the system has changed a little, but the main ideas are the same. I think perhaps the big change is in having that patience to have longer periods of possession and dominate games more and obviously that creates more chances.”

It’s certainly showcased through the metrics: as per FBref, Mac Allister ranked among the top 20% of midfielders in the Premier League last year for goal involvements, the top 16% for progressive passes, the top 14% for shot-creating actions and the top 13% for tackles per 90.

He’s the real deal, having ballooned in value and technical quality since making the leap. It’s a rise that Slot and co will no doubt hope Kerkez will follow, and Guehi too, should he sign from Palace this summer.

The fiesty midfielder’s progress at Liverpool has even impelled Real Madrid to come knocking on the door, with reports earlier in the year suggesting Florentino Perez would be willing to fork out some €90m (£76m) for the maestro, who has been earmarked as a potential long-term successor to Luka Modric’s soon-to-be vacant locker at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Naturally, this puts him in a much higher bracket than Kerkez and Guehi, but we must caveat that with a firm ‘for now’, as the ball-playing specialist may yet find his new and potential teammates to be rivalling him on the financial scales down the line.

Liverpool know their stuff, work with a calculated eye to sign up-and-coming Premier League stars and bring them up to elite status, when certain other high-station clubs then come sniffing around for fully developed product.

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Mac Allister is a perfect representation of that, and soon Kerkez and perhaps Guehi will be too.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 27, 2025