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Matthew Kuhnemann insists he’s put interrogation of his action firmly behind him as he targets a Test tour of the West Indies mid-year.The left-arm spinner was cleared to continue bowling by the ICC in late February after being reported for a suspect action following Australia’s away triumph over Sri Lanka.Kuhnemann was temporarily suspended from bowling and had a 10-day wait for results after being put through testing by cricket’s governing body.Related

• Kuhnemann cleared of suspect bowling action by ICC

The 28-year-old, who spoke to media on Friday for the first time since the incident, said he was always confident his action would be given the green light. So much so, he used the 10 days to spend some time on the Gold Coast.”It was actually great to have a bit of downtime with my family,” he said. “[The wait] wasn’t as nerve wracking as people may have thought.”When it first happened there was definitely some shock [and] I was very grateful for the support Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania provided.”[But I’ve played] over 100 professional games and had never been questioned … I was always confident that I would be fine.”I’ve had a couple of weeks to sit back and reflect on everything now and move on.”Had tests deemed Kuhnemann extended his elbow by more than 15 degrees, he would have been banned from bowling until he could prove he had remedied the situation.Kuhnemann was Australia’s highest wicket taker in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka with 16 scalps at an average of 17.18. He played through pain after breaking his right thumb in the Big Bash League in January.Kuhnemann said the ICC tests, thumb injury and battles securing a spot for previous state side Queensland had built his resilience.”It is the life of a professional sportsman these days, people might doubt you and whatnot but it’s how you take the doubt and turn it into a positive,” he said. “I’ve never been more confident in my ability as a cricketer.”Over in Sri Lanka that was probably the best time of my career, the ball was coming out beautifully.”Kuhnemann will be hoping to help last-placed Tasmania to a win when they host New South Wales in a day-night fixture in the final Sheffield Shield round starting Saturday.The next goal is a potential stint in England with Durham and a trip to the Caribbean with Australia, who play West Indies in a three-Test series beginning June.”I’ve never been to the West Indies … but it can take some spin,” Kuhnemann said. “If the opportunity comes, I’d love to go over there and play.”

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O Botafogo-PB demonstrou uma nova postura no primeiro jogo da Série C do Brasileiro. Para o meia Marco Antonio, o grupo comprou a ideia de jogo imposta pelo técnico Felipe Surian e teve intensidade na construção do placar no primeiro tempo, marcando duas vezes, e que resultou na vitória por 2 a 1 contra o Operário-PR na noite de quinta-feira, no estádio Almeidão, pela estreia na Série C do Brasileiro.

Marco Antonio foi titular na partida e atuou durante os 90 minutos. O jogador também teve participação no lance que originou uma cobrança de escanteio e saiu o primeiro gol do jogo diante da equipe do Paraná.

– Estamos muito contentes com a nossa vitória e também pelo desempenho atingido. Principalmente na intensidade que tivemos no primeiro tempo. Foi alta o tempo todo e conseguimos construir o placar. Sabíamos que seria de grande importância começar vendendo e conseguimos. Fico muito feliz de estar conseguindo ajudar o time dentro de campo. Isso se passa pela confiança depositada pelo professor. Desde que ele chegou vem implementando o seu método de jogo e nos mostrando como tem que ser feito. Nós jogadores compramos a ideia e tem dado certo – disse Marco Antonio.

Sem tempo para descansar, o Botafogo-PB já embarca nesta sexta-feira para Belém, no Pará. No próximo domingo, no Baenão, o Belo enfrenta o Remo, que vem de derrota no primeiro jogo da Série C para o São Bernardo fora de casa.

– O jogo contra o Remo será muito difícil. Eles têm uma equipe muito qualificada e um fator casa muito forte. Sei bem como é e conheço bem o local de jogo. Mas tenho certeza que estamos bem preparados para fazer uma grande partida e voltar com os três pontos – concluiu o meia, que atuou pelo Remo no ano passado.

Jacob Bethell continued his serene start to life in an England shirt by hitting the winning runs in Christchurch

Vithushan Ehantharajah02-Dec-2024Hitting the winning run in a Test match that takes you to a half-century on debut. Walking off alongside England’s all-time leading run-scorer, Joe Root. Sunday was just another of a series of bucket-list moments for Jacob Bethell.Since September, the 21-year-old has enjoyed life in England’s priority lane, ticking off T20I and ODI caps against Australia and West Indies, registering three white-ball half-centuries against the latter. This first against the red was right out of his limited-overs playbook, taking just 37 deliveries, as the tourists chased 104 inside 13 overs to beat New Zealand by eight wickets in Christchurch. They take a 1-0 lead to Wellington.”[It was] a hell of a lot of fun yeah,” Bethell said. “And to walk off with Rooty [who made 23 off 15] at the end there was pretty special.”To come out in the second innings and have a chance to walk off with an England win was at the forefront of my mind and luckily I was able to do that.”Related

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The second-innings speed run was in keeping with how England attack smaller targets. Barring a thick inside edge to get him off the mark, the other eight boundaries were real statements shots. Especially a pull for six on to the grass banks of the Hagley Oval off fellow debutant Nathan Smith.Smith did not take kindly to Bethell’s onslaught, having copped four boundaries off the left-hander in his first over, and went to bouncers. Bethell, however, is no stranger to short-pitched bowling. He was reared on it as a kid born in Barbados and later raised the UK – a scholarship to Rugby School brought him over aged 12 – as a regular target of the intimidatory tactics of bigger kids.”I was very small growing up so I didn’t really get a lot in my half up until I was about 16 or 17 when I got a bit bigger,” he said. “I never had as much power on it but I could still play it well. And now it’s just a decision on whether to hit it on the ground or hit it for six.”Such confidence, delivered with a mixed Bajan and Brummie accent that has a distinctly Welsh feel – which almost makes sense as the crow flies – is why England had no qualms placing him at No. 3. Even his first innings was met with something of a shrug.Conditions were tough, New Zealand’s seamers up and at them. Bethell backed himself, but managed just 10 from 34 balls – only getting off the mark with his 13th, still on one after 26 – before Smith snicked him off. Root’s dismissal then had England reeling on 45 for 3 at lunch on day two.”That’s part of the game, isn’t it?” Bethell said, like he’d been here before. “I saw it [as] if I got through to lunch, it looked like a different pitch after lunch. It does help when you’ve got Harry Brook batting, he makes it look quite easy.

“Since I was a little kid I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket, I remember watching the Ashes, and just any England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it”

“I think it could have been a different story, I battled hard and unluckily didn’t make it through to lunch but another day you get through and go on to make a big one.”Ben Stokes singled out those 34 deliveries after the match rather than the half-century, clearly buoyed by the way someone so young owned his space during those first 49 minutes as a Test batter. “If he sticks to having that attitude, that swagger about him, I’m pretty sure he’s going to be alright,” Stokes said.Bethell’s selection for the tour outright was a huge show of faith, picked as the spare batter despite a first class average of 25.44 from 30 innings – none of which had come higher than No. 5. Not that he was worried.”Pretty much every time I’ve played against better people, I’ve played better,” he said. “Step up to the Hundred, played better. Straight into internationals, played better. I didn’t really have a doubt in my mind that coming into Test cricket that I’d have done well.”The strut, the talk, the arrogance, reinforced by what was only his sixth first-class fifty, could see Bethell retain this new spot for the series. It would require Ollie Pope to keep the gloves and stay at No. 6, meaning Durham wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson, who arrived on Saturday as Jordan Cox’s injury replacement, waiting his turn.England still regard Pope as their No. 3, and the man himself spoke forcefully that he still wants to make the position his own after his innings-saving 77 on day two. It is clear Pope wants that spot back for series against India and Australia next year.Bethell, however, is hopeful he gets a chance to show he can thrive up top, something he wants to do at Warwickshire but has not yet been able to make a solid case for.”I like batting up the order so, yeah, I was really happy that opportunity arose,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to bat in the top four so three is perfect.Bethell his eight fours and a six in his maiden Test fifty•AFP/Getty Images”I think my game is fit to play any style. On Sunday we saw a bit more of an attacking style. I can also absorb a bit of pressure, so I’m sure at times in my career there will be times to do that as well.”As a multi-format batter already, inevitably there will come a time when Bethell is pulled a few different ways. It may already be happening.Following the conclusion of this Test series, he will head to Australia to fulfill his overseas commitments with Melbourne Renegades. And just last week, he was one of 12 English players picked up in the IPL mega auction, earning a maiden gig with Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a tidy sum of £245,000. It will also see him miss the first seven rounds of Warwickshire’s County Championship campaign.He will join England team-mates Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone at RCB. No surprises, though, for guessing who he is most looking forward to rubbing shoulders with.”It’s a bit of a given, isn’t it?” Bethell said, with a wry smile. “Virat! He’s a great of the game so… King Kohli.”Like all young players at the premier franchise competition, he wants to be a sponge. “Any kind of overseas player that’s gone over there has come back with a wealth of experience.”But this first taste of the longest format has him craving more. With an Ashes tour on the horizon – England’s successful 2010-11 tour was his formative series – this format, and this team, are where he wants to truly establish himself.”It’s everything I’ve dreamed of to be honest,” Bethell said of Test cricket. “Since I was a little kid I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket, I remember watching the Ashes, and just any England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it.”And then since Baz [Brendon McCullum] took over with Stokesy, I’ve always watched it on TV and gone ‘how fun that does that look’ and it lived up to expectation. It was so fun.”

Newcastle United’s search for a new striker has moved into overdrive.

With Alexander Isak pushing for a move and Liverpool having lodged their first bid, the Magpies appear resigned to a future without their star striker.

Isak’s decision to skip the club’s pre-season tour of Southeast Asia and train independently at Real Sociedad has only added to the growing sense of inevitability.

Eddie Howe’s side are determined to act decisively.

They don’t just want a short-term solution; they want someone who can lead the line for years to come.

The ideal target? A striker who has already adapted to the Premier League, blends physical presence with technical quality, and is ready to shoulder the scoring burden once carried by the Swede.

All signs now point toward a player who checks those boxes, and who has already made a name for himself in England’s top flight.

Latest on Newcastle's search for a striker

According to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle are considering a move for Jørgen Strand Larsen, who enjoyed a standout debut campaign with Wolves.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking in a Q & A on Thursday, the Newcastle insider suggested that Larsen has been ‘described as the ‘dark horse’ from the list of possibles’, with his performances having ‘not gone unnoticed’ at St James’ Park.

The 25-year-old Norwegian scored 14 goals in the Premier League last season, the most ever by a Wolves player in their first season at the club, surpassing the previous record held by Raúl Jiménez.

Larsen joined Wolves from Celta Vigo in July 2024 on an initial loan, with the option to buy. That clause was activated earlier this summer, with the deal believed to be worth £23m.

Despite the club’s modest position in the table, Larsen quickly emerged as a key figure. His goals included a run of three in three during April, which earned him a nomination for the Player of the Month award.

Reflecting on his season, Larsen told reporters: “It’s been a good first season in the Premier League.” I’m proud of what I’ve done. I’ve been able to take the steps quite earlier than I’ve done before.”

As already stated, his performances haven’t gone unnoticed.

Alan Shearer, speaking on Match of the Day, highlighted how Larsen stepped up in the absence of Matheus Cunha:

“The question was how they were going to get on for the four games without their best player [Matheus] Cunha. I actually think they’ve looked a better team.”

“He was a nuisance. His hold-up play was excellent, and I thought his touch and his control were superb.”

The Norwegian international, who has 21 caps and 3 goals for his country, has seen his market value rise to €30m (£26m).

Standing at 1.93m, he has the physical profile of a traditional No.9 but also brings a versatility that makes him appealing to Newcastle as they look to evolve their attack in the post-Isak era.

Why Strand Larsen Might Be a Smarter Fit Than Šeško

Benjamin Šeško has long been admired by Newcastle’s recruitment team. At 1.94m, he draws obvious comparisons to Erling Haaland and fits the club’s typical age preferences.

He scored 21 goals in 45 games for RB Leipzig last season, including 13 in the Bundesliga, and would represent a clear signal of ambition, with prior reports suggesting an agreement had already been struck.

But there are growing doubts over whether Šeško will end up at Manchester United instead, as well as whether he is actually the right man for the job. For starters, the Slovenian’s numbers don’t surpass those of his Norwegian counterpart.

Strand Larsen outscored Šeško in league competition last season – 14 goals to Šeško’s 13, despite playing in a less dominant team and having far fewer chances created for him.

According to data from FBref, Šeško’s underlying stats also suggest that there is still room for growth.

His non-penalty expected goals (npxG) last season was 8.4, with 11 non-penalty goals scored – a good conversion rate, but not exceptional.

Larsen, by comparison, ranks in the 99th percentile for shot-on-target percentage at a remarkable 61.1%. His npxG per shot (0.19) places him in the 84th percentile, indicating smart, high-quality shot selection.

He also ranks highly for aerial involvement, underlining his all-round centre-forward credentials. There’s also the matter of adaptation.

Šeško would require time to acclimatise to the intensity of the Premier League, while Larsen has already proved he can deliver.

Financially, the move for Larsen also makes more sense. Šeško is tied to a long-term contract at Leipzig until 2029, and the German side are unlikely to sell for anything less than £60–70m.

In contrast, Wolves may be willing to negotiate a deal closer to the £25m they paid, especially if Newcastle structure their payments creatively.

Strand Larsen’s profile – similar to Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest) or Ante Budimir (Osasuna) – may not sound glamorous, but it’s highly effective.

His hold-up play would complement Newcastle’s wide runners like Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga, while also giving them an added dimension from set-pieces.

Newcastle won’t rush into a decision and are likely to explore both options thoroughly. But if they’re after an immediate impact, a proven Premier League scorer, and a more affordable route to replacing Isak, Jørgen Strand Larsen might just be the smarter bet.

Newcastle enquire for £33m Sesko alternative who made the Ballon d'Or top 30

The Magpies could take full advantage of the situation.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 31, 2025

Sri Lanka captain also explains why they’ve been hard to come by

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Sep-2024It’s the batters, batters, batters. Right through the series, Sri Lanka have emphasised that it was their batting order that was letting the side down. Four innings in, with Sri Lanka never having got close to 350, with none of their top seven having got to triple-figures, captain Dhananjaya de Silva has reiterated the importance of top order runs again.In the first Test, Sri Lanka were 72 for 5 in the first innings. In the second Test, they were 83 for 5 in the first innings. Here’s where de Silva believes they lost.”Our batters have to score runs, and that’s the biggest issue we’ve had, ” he said. “Those who got starts didn’t turn them into hundreds and 150s. If you look at Joe Root on their side, he’s consistently made runs and it’s around him that others made runs. That’s what someone on our side needs to do as well, so we can get to 300 or 350. First-innings runs are what’s crucial to victory.”Related

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England eye summer sweep, Sri Lanka an Oval repeat

The only Sri Lanka batter to make serious runs on tour has been Kamindu Mendis, who batting at No. 7 has made scores of 113 in Manchester and 74 at Lord’s. He arrives at his sixth Test with a batting average of 78.87, having made six fifty-plus scores in nine innings, and having gone onto triple-figures on three of those occasions.Sri Lanka would have been tempted to shunt him up the order for this match, given not only his form, but the fact that he bats in the top and middle order frequently for domestic sides. But they will leave him where he is, for now, de Silva said.”I think if Kamindu plays well down there there’s no reason to change what he’s doing and put him in trouble. If he’s scoring there, it’s good for his career as well. In the future, maybe we will talk to him, about his plans as well and see what changes we can make. But right now we’re thinking of him as a No. 7.”The remainder of the batting order, even those on their third tour of England, have struggled badly against England’s seamers meanwhile. A lot of this has to do with their discipline, de Silva said.”They [England] have a lot of control in addition to their experience. They have great control of line and length and we don’t get many loose balls in England. We need to be prepared for that and our plans have to take that into account. That’s just what you get in England. In the two previous matches they didn’t let us execute our plans. That’s why they were successful.”Root, who has made 350 runs in four innings so far in the series, has also helped pound Sri Lanka to a 2-0 scoreline. Earlier this week, Dimuth Karunaratne spoke about Sri Lanka needing to go back to square one with their planning for him. De Silva hopes they’ve now got something together that will surprise Root, at the very least.”It’s not that our plans against him didn’t work – he just very quickly recognised what we were trying to do and countered it. That’s what world class players do, and that’s why he scored runs. We’ve hopefully come up with something now that he won’t expect.”

Manchester United are now showing serious interest in signing an £85 million midfielder from a Club World Cup side, according to a recent report.

Man Utd chasing multiple strikers amid search for new front three

The current focus at Old Trafford remains on completing the signing of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, but once that deal is done, United will switch their attentions to completing the rest of their new-look front three with a new number nine.

A better move than Ekitike: Man Utd preparing bid for "top-class" £44m ST

Manchester United appear top be making more moves for a striker ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 23, 2025

Rasmus Hojlund looks as though he could be moved on by the Red Devils this summer to make way for a new striker. Indeed, reports have already emerged that Hojlund has given the go ahead to join Inter Milan.

Meanwhile, United are assessing their options for who could replace the Dane. Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres looked to be one of their preferred targets, given his connection with Ruben Amorim, but they have now moved onto other targets.

Hugo Ekitike is a player who has emerged as a strong candidate to become United’s new number nine in recent weeks. The Premier League side have held talks with his representatives over a move to Old Trafford, although it’s claimed that Eintracht Frankfurt would want around £85 million.

But there are also two new names in the frame, as reports over the weekend revealed United are interested in signing Moise Kean from Fiorentina, after he scored 19 goals in Serie A last season, and United are seriously considering a move to sign Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa.

Man Utd showing serious interest in Richard Rios

As well as signing a new centre-forward, it’s been well publicised that Amorim wants a new midfielder, and they may now have found their ideal target. According to reports relayed by The Express, Man United are interested in signing Richard Rios from Palmeiras.

Rios is now a concrete target for the Red Devils, as they are seriously interested in a transfer, but a move will have to wait until after Palmeiras’ Club World Cup campaign has come to an end.

The report states that United are likely to prioritise signing a defensive midfielder this summer, as captain Bruno Fernandes is set for a deeper role next season, given the arrival of Matheus Cunha and the potential arrival of Mbeumo.

Rios, who has been described as a “ball-carrying machine” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, has been at Palmeiras since March 2023. The 25-year-old has become a key performer for the Brazilian side, as shown in the Club World Cup, where he’s played and started both games so far, drawing with Porto and beating Ahly SC.

Richard Rios’ Club World Cup stats
Apps	2
Starts	2
Minutes per game	89
Total shots	1.5
Touches	43.0
Key passes	1.0
Passing accuracy per game	18.5 (77%)
Interceptions per game	3.0
Tackles per game	2.0
Balls recovered per game	5.5
Total duels won	7.0 (54%)

It is reported that Rios has a staggering £85 million release clause in his contract, which could be considered a lot for the Red Devils. Either way, signing Rios may have to be put on hold until they balance the books and move a few of the unwanted players on first. Rios’ potential arrival at Old Trafford would see him join Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer as the defensive-minded midfielders in the squad.

Russell Martin was officially unveiled as the new head coach of Glasgow Rangers earlier this month, and he is tasked with bringing glory back to Ibrox.

The Light Blues have not won the Scottish Premiership title for four years and ended the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy to show for their efforts.

Martin and Kevin Thelwell must build a team that can challenge Celtic for the title next season, and there is already work going on behind the scenes to bring in fresh recruits.

Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale, Leicester’s Conor Coady, and Swansea’s Harry Darling are just a few of the reported targets that the Gers boss is looking to snap up from the English market that he is familiar with.

Whilst they are in the market to improve the defence, with those two centre-backs and a goalkeeper, Rangers must also bolster their attacking options before the window slams shut.

They confirmed earlier this summer that Ianis Hagi’s contract would not be renewed, making him a free agent this summer, and his exit will leave a hole to fill.

Why losing Ianis Hagi is a blow for Rangers

Allowing the Romania international to move on from Ibrox was a bold decision and one that means the Gers have lost a proven Premiership performer who provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Hagi, who returned to the fold under Philippe Clement during the first half of the 2024/25 campaign, after spending the previous year on loan at Alaves in Spain, caught the eye with his performances off the left flank or as an attacking midfielder.

The 26-year-old, as shown in the clip above, stepped up in big moments for the Scottish giants and Martin is going to need to find another wide attacker who can make a similar impact at the top end of the pitch.

Losing a quality player on a free transfer also means that the Gers may need to make sales in other positions in order to raise the funds to sign a replacement, as it will not be easy to find a star of Hagi’s quality.

Starts

16

Goals

4

Big chances created

6

Assists

5

Key passes per 90

2.5

Assists per 90

0.3

As you can see in the table above, the Romanian magician was particularly impressive as a creator, but also showed his class as a goalscorer for the Light Blues.

This is why it is so important for Martin to recruit a new winger, or attacking midfielder, who has the potential to deliver goal contributions on a regular basis next season.

With this in mind, the former Scotland international should push the club to seriously pursue a deal to sign one of their reported transfer targets, Leeds United ace Largie Ramazani.

Rangers' reported interest in Largie Ramazani

At the start of this month, TEAMtalk claimed that Rangers are interested in a swoop to sign the Belgian winger from the Championship champions during the summer transfer window.

The outlet reported that the Scottish giants have ’emerged’ as possible suitors to land the former Almeria flanker, who signed for Leeds for a fee of £10m in the summer of 2024.

Transfer Focus

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

It added, however, that Rangers were simply monitoring the situation and that a transfer was not at any advanced stage, to which there has not been any update in the subsequent few weeks.

TEAMtalk claimed that Daniel Farke had not made a final decision on the attacker’s future at Elland Road, because he would like to see how the winger does in pre-season before making the call, which suggests that the Gers may have to play the long game with Ramazani.

If the Light Blues can eventually get a deal done for the Belgian star, whether that is a loan or a permanent move, then Martin could have a brilliant replacement for Hagi in the building, as he is also a left-sided attacker who can also play centrally.

Why Rangers should sign Largie Ramazani

Martin should sign Ramazani for Rangers as a perfect replacement for the Romania international because his performances for Leeds in the 2024/25 campaign suggest that he has the potential to explode as a regular starter in Scotland.

The former Manchester United academy graduate first made a name for himself with Almeria, scoring 22 goals in 128 matches, before his move to Leeds last year.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig even compared him to Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior and described the Belgian sensation as an “explosive” forward who can be a “counter attacking weapon” for his team.

Ramazani did not get too many opportunities to showcase that quality in the Championship this term, starting seven of his 29 appearances, but the 24-year-old whiz caught the eye in his limited minutes on the pitch.

Non-penalty xG

0.54

Top 2%

Shots on target

1,84

Top 2%

Goals

0.69

Top 2%

Assists

0.23

Top 20%

Chances created

1.50

Top 32%

Dribbles completed

2.07

Top 15%

As you can see in the table above, the Leeds winger ranked very highly among his positional peers in a host of key attacking metrics as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Ramazani ended the season with six goals and two assists in the league, despite starting just seven times, which speaks to the kind of quality he could provide Rangers with if they give him an opportunity to play week-in-week-out as a starter.

This suggests that the Gers target could perfectly replace Hagi, as another right-footed forward who can play off the left or centrally in a number ten role, whilst he can also play on the right if needed.

Ramazani has the quality, as shown by his spell in Spain and his impressive performances in limited game time in England, to fill the hole that Hagi’s release has left at Ibrox.

He's Jelavic 2.0: Rangers ready bid for "complete" £6m star

Rangers could be set to make a bid for a new striker who could be the club’s next Jelavic.

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 14, 2025

It is now down to Martin and Thelwell to seal a deal for the Whites attacker if Farke decides to make him available for a transfer in the coming weeks.

Manchester United are now preparing a cut-price offer to sign a £60 million striker who Arsenal are in the lead for, according to a new report.

Hojlund edges closer to Man Utd exit as Red Devils eye new attackers

There are expected to be a lot of changes at Old Trafford this summer, but none seem as important as strengthening the forward line. United have been one of the poorest teams in the Premier League this season for taking chances and scoring goals, and Ruben Amorim knows that this will need to change if he is going to be successful at the club.

Juventus take "concrete steps" to sign "top class" £85k-a-week Man Utd ace

Is it the right time for him to move on?

By
Henry Jackson

May 5, 2025

Rasmus Hojlund has been a regular in the United team this season, but his lack of contribution in the final third means he could be on his way out the door this summer. According to a recent report, Serie A giants Juventus have taken “concrete steps” to sign Hojlund by making contact with the Denmark international. It doesn’t say how much United would want for Hojlund, but his departure would allow the club to bring in replacements, with two players already on their radar.

Wolves’ Matheus Cunha appears to be edging closer and closer to moving to Old Trafford this summer, as talks continue over personal terms and the structure of the transfer. Meanwhile, the Red Devils are also planning a bid to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, a player who could either play as a number nine or number 10.

This comes as United are also looking at possibly signing Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, who now has a release clause worth £30 million given the Tractor Boys’ relegation to the Championship.

Man Utd preparing cut-price offer to sign £55m+ striker Sesko

But the list of potential replacements for Hojlund does not stop there, as, according to Caught Offside, Man Utd are preparing to make an offer to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig this summer.

The report states that Leipzig have placed a value on Sesko of around €80–90 million, which is roughly £68-76 million. But United are looking to bring that fee down and are planning to make an offer in the region of €65–70 million, which is roughly £55-59 million. However, United are not the only team interested in Sesko, as Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are also preparing transfer offers.

It’s been reported that Arsenal are the team leading the race to sign Sesko, as they view the forward as the ideal addition to improve their forward line. However, it is not just English teams chasing the Leipzig striker, as teams such as Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also very keen on Sesko.

Benjamin Sesko’s RB Leipzig stats
Apps	85
Goals	39
Assists	8

Sesko, who has been dubbed a “quick” player, has been mightily impressive since joining Leipzig, and given how the campaign has gone for the German side this season, a move away for Sesko could be on the cards, given he will likely want to play at the highest level.

He could be a huge upgrade on Hojlund for Man Utd, as the 21-year-old has netted 43 goals in the last three Bundesliga seasons.

Liverpool are going to win the Premier League. However, the charged feeling about FSG’s transfer window preparations makes a firm comment on the view toward the wider campaign.

Exiting the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain in the round-of-16 was a bitter pill to swallow, and the following defeat at Wembley to hand the Carabao Cup over to Newcastle United was more distasteful still.

PSG deserved to win against Arne Slot’s side, and so did the Magpies. However, the Reds will no doubt be frustrated that they failed to get those jobs done.

Liverpool need to reinforce the fringes of their first-team squad this summer, need to pack Slot’s team with more quality and depth across the park.

One of the priorities heading into the off-season is replacing Darwin Nunez at the front of the ship, but with Trent Alexander-Arnold set to leave Anfield and join Real Madrid, more midfield creativity should be targeted too.

Liverpool need more midfield spark

Make no mistake, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch have been immense across the 2024/25 campaign, combining to lead Liverpool to the brink of a Premier League title, a job they will surely see over the line.

But autumn will arrive with a new footballing season and it’s crucial that tweaks are made to prepare Slot’s side for an expected title defence.

As you can see from the table below, Liverpool players are nowhere to be seen on the most amount of big chances created from Premier League centre-midfielders this season.

1.

Cole Palmer

20

2.

Declan Rice

16

3.

Youri Tielemans

15

4.

Bruno Fernandes

13

5.

Enzo Fernandez

12

5=

Bruno Guimaraes

12

7.

Mikkel Damsgaard

11

8.

Martin Odegaard

10

In fact, you’d have to trawl down to 12th to find Liverpool’s most creative midfielder: Szoboszlai, with nine big chances created. With Trent leaving, Mohamed Salah may well be tasked with upholding his enhanced creative virtues next year.

It’s times like these you wish Liverpool still had an attacking midfielder in the vein of Philippe Coutinho, the little magician, the brightest spark in a pre-Klopp world and the financial architect of Liverpool’s ultimate success of modern times.

However, goalscoring is still the Egyptian’s forte, and FSG would be wise to pack some more flair into their central ranks.

Liverpool make contact with new playmaker

Liverpool are set to spend, alright, and sporting director Richard Hughes seems to be putting out feelers to ascertain whether RB Leipzig would entertain the sale of Xavi Simons this summer.

That’s according to transfer insider Duncan Castles, who has revealed on the Transfers Podcast that Liverpool have enquired over Simons’ availability ahead of the summer market.

Simons, only 21, is one of the most exciting young playmakers around and would command a £60m fee for Leipzig, who are fourth in the Bundesliga, to agree to part with him.

Why Liverpool must sign Xavi Simons

Simons would join a strong Dutch contingent on Merseyside that has demonstrated a knack for winning trophies over the past few seasons.

Adding his own brand of creativity, it could be just what Slot needs to consolidate his new-found elite status and win more silverware during the 2025/26 season and beyond.

Leipzig signed Simons from PSG last year for a €50m (£43m) fee after a productive initial loan spell. So far, he’s doing good, having been involved in 41 goals across 72 games for the German outfit.

As per FBref, Simons ranks among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for passes attempted, the top 11% for progressive passes and the top 18% for shot-creating actions per 90, emphasising the ball-playing ability that Liverpool would claim.

His data’s great, but watching Simons play should be enough by itself for Liverpool fans to subscribe to the notion of bringing him into the fold.

Silky and artful in his playmaking, the diminutive ace might prove to be Anfield’s next version of Coutinho, whose £142m sale to Barcelona at the start of Klopp’s reign acted as the spark to raise the team to the next level, for Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker were then brought in.

In his pomp, Coutinho was one of the best number tens in the world, commanding, influential and inventive. In Simons, Liverpool could finally return to the style of play before the Brazilian made the move to Spain, when he charged the Reds’ deadly frontline.

Looking at Coutinho’s statistics during that final half-campaign with Liverpool, you can see the similarities with Simons, both elite-level creators who aren’t afraid to get stuck in and drive the ball forward themselves.

Matches (starts)

14 (13)

21 (21)

Goals

7

9

Assists

6

5

Shots (on target)*

3.9 (1.2)

1.9 (0.9)

Pass completion

79%

84%

Key passes*

2.9

2.2

Dribbles*

2.8

1.3

Tackles*

1.9

1.5

Duels won*

5.6

5.4

While Slot won’t want to disrupt the harmony of Liverpool’s midfield trio, it’s clear that something different needs to be added to the mix, and there’s no one in the centre of the park currently who’s quite like Coutinho.

Described as a “superstar” in the making by analyst Ben Mattinson, Simons has all the properties needed to serve at an elite level as Liverpool’s new creative force.

With Alexander-Arnold leaving, there’s going to be a vacant spot for such a playmaker, one who could dynamise the midfield and add that bit of depth needed to truly unlock another layer to this wonderful Liverpool team.

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

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

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 18, 2025

Four members of RCB’s title-winning side in the XII, but who else make the cut?

Yash Jha05-Jun-202514:45

IPL 2025: Do both Pandya brothers get picked in the team of the tournament?

Sai Sudharsan

Inns 15 | Runs 759 | SR 156.17 | Ave 54.21 | 1×100/6×50Sai Sudharsan was comfortably clear atop the run-scoring charts, with only Suryakumar Yadav coming within 50 runs of his tally. His consistency was second only to Suryakumar – he scored at least 30 in 12 of his 15 innings, seven of them scores of 50 or more – and he did all that while having his fastest-scoring season: Sai Sudharsan’s strike rate of 156.17 was well ahead of his previous best mark of 141.40 in 2023.

Virat Kohli

Inns 15 | Runs 657 | SR 144.71 | Ave 54.75 | 8×50The season where he finally got his hands on the IPL trophy was a quintessentially prolific one for Virat Kohli – he topped 600 runs for the third straight campaign – but it’s the impact on results that saw him tower over the field. Each of Kohli’s eight fifties resulted in RCB wins; no other batter had more than four scores of 50+ in victories. Kohli tallied 584 runs in RCB’s 11 wins; no other batter had 450 runs in victories this season.Related

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Jos Buttler

Inns 13 | Runs 538 | SR 163.03 | Ave 59.77 | 5×50Jos Buttler thrived in his new role as No. 3 to complete Gujarat’s titanic trinity. This was his fastest-scoring IPL campaign, clearing the strike rate of 155.24 he achieved in 2018. Eight of Buttler’s 13 innings came in GT wins, and he crossed 30 in seven of them. Four of his five fifties in IPL 2025 came at a strike above 170 – including a 54-ball 97 not out to close out a 204-run chase versus Delhi Capitals.

Suryakumar Yadav

Inns 16 | Runs 717 | SR 167.91 | Ave 65.18 | 5×50Coming into the season on the back of a rare lean patch in T20Is, Suryakumar Yadav redefined consistency, scoring at least 25 in all 16 innings (a world record in men’s T20s). It’s no stretch to say he carried the Mumbai Indians batting – their second-highest run-getter, Rohit Sharma, was 299 runs behind Suryakumar. He finished with the most impact points for a player in IPL 2025; among 11 batters with 500+ runs this season, only two had a better strike rate.

Shreyas Iyer (c)

Inns 17 | Runs 604 | SR 175.07 | Ave 50.33 | 6×50While Shreyas Iyer the captain transformed Punjab Kings’ fortunes, Shreyas Iyer the batter was a man on a mission, piling on an all-timer campaign – only two batters have scored 600+ runs in a season at a higher strike rate (Chris Gayle in 2011, Suryakumar Yadav in 2023). He was responsible for two of the best knocks of the season, both at Ahmedabad: 97* off 42 against Gujarat Titans to start the season, and 87* off 41 versus Mumbai Indians to take Punjab through to the final.2:28

Aaron: Kohli has been king of the castle for 18 years

Hardik Pandya

Mat 15 | Runs 224 | SR 163.50 | Wkts 14 | Econ 9.77This wasn’t really a season for allrounders: only three players tallied 200+ runs and 10+ wickets, and two of them – Sunil Narine and Ravindra Jadeja – didn’t have many wins to show. Hardik shouldered bowling responsibility early in the season in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, taking 10 wickets in his first four outings. His batting role was limited to being a finisher, and he chipped in with some cameos: 42 off 15 vs RCB, 48* off 23 vs RR and 22* off 9 in the Eliminator vs GT.

Jitesh Sharma (wk)

Mat 15 | Runs 261 | SR 176.35 | Ct/St 19/1Jitesh Sharma may not have been the most destructive finisher in IPL 2025, but when he blew hot, he really caught fire. His 40* off 19 took RCB beyond 200 and set up their first win over Mumbai Indians at Wankhede in a decade; he scripted the heist that ensured RCB’s top-two finish with an 85* off 33 versus LSG; his 10-ball 24 was pivotal in the title clash with Punjab Kings. He also had the most dismissals for any wicketkeeper.

Krunal Pandya

Mat 15 | Wkts 17 | Econ 8.23 | Runs 109 | SR 126.74Krunal Pandya started IPL 2025 with 3 for 29 against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, and ended it with 2 for 17 to clinch the final versus Punjab Kings. He was player of the match on both occasions. He also took 4 for 45 in RCB’s thrilling win over Mumbai Indians. Wickets, economy, impact – Krunal ticked all boxes. And while his batting wasn’t called upon much, he did hit a match-winning 73* against Delhi Capitals.2:13

Moody: Ridiculous how far ahead of the rest Bumrah is

Noor Ahmad

Inns 14 | Wkts 24 | Econ 8.2 | Ave 17.0The specialist spinner’s spot is the only one taken by a player whose team didn’t make it to the playoffs. Noor Ahmad was streets ahead of the competition: five wickets ahead of the next-most prolific spinner, and just one shy of the Purple Cap. Only three bowlers with 10 or more wickets struck more frequently than Noor, who took at least two wickets on six occasions.

Jasprit Bumrah

Inns 12 | Wkts 18 | Econ 6.67 | Ave 17.55Best economy for a bowler with 5+ overs this season. An economy of *7.5* at the death (no bowler with 10+ overs in the phase went at less than 8.8 per over). Seven innings where he went at less than six per over. Five hauls of at least two wickets. It’s no coincidence that MI’s season turned out the moment Jasprit Bumrah was back. If he’d played the entire season, the Purple Cap couldn’t have been too far away.3:15

IPL 2025 review: MI may need to get a good Indian spinner next season

Prasidh Krishna

Inns 15 | Wkts 25 | Econ 8.27 | Ave 19.52The Purple Cap went to Prasidh Krishna, who marked his return to the IPL after three years with a statement season. He had nine hauls of two or more wickets, and eight spells at less than seven per over. He took 11 middle-overs wickets, the most for a pacer. Prasidh also induced a higher percentage of false shots (41%) than any other pacer in IPL 2025. He made the most of the hard lengths but wasn’t a one-trick pony, as KL Rahul found out with one of the deliveries of the tournament.

Josh Hazlewood

Completing our pace attack is the serial winner who was the architect of RCB’s bowling transformation. Josh Hazlewood was one of only two bowlers to take at least five wickets in all three phases; he was metronomic in the powerplay (economy 7.27), probing through the middle (wicket every 10 balls), and delivered at the death (think 19th over of the chase at Wankhede). He exhibited his big-game chops in Qualifier 1, picking up 3 for 21 – in his first game in over a month.