Opener completes the task of securing draw after rain wrecked day three
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay01-Aug-2025
Ben Compton made a career-best 221 for Kent•Andrew Miller
Kent 445 for 8 (Compton 221, Finch 54*) drew with Leicestershire 471 (Rehan 119, Patel 85) The Rothesay County Championship match between Division Two leaders Leicestershire and Kent at Canterbury ended in a draw, after the hosts reached 445 for eight on day four, trailing by 24 when bad light stopped play.Ben Compton hit a career-best 221 and Harry Finch made 54 not out, while Rehan Ahmed three for 134, but the chances of a positive result were effectively neutered on day three, when a mere 9.5 overs were bowled.Leicestershire remain top of the table, while Kent stay bottom.Conditions were significantly better on Friday morning but as soon as Kent passed the follow-on target of 321 a draw seemed inevitable.The nightwatch, George Garrett, survived 67 balls spread across days two, three and four but he was the first man out when he edged Logan van Beek to Louis Kimber for 10.The first shot of Ben Dawkins’ first-class career was a stylish drive that might have gone for four but for the slope, but he was out for seven, inside-edging Ben Green behind.Compton, 111 not out overnight, reached 150 in the penultimate over of the session when he cut Tom Scriven for four and Kent eased to 307 for four at lunch.Scriven subsequently had Joey Evison caught behind for 38, but an elegant sweep off Rehan saw Compton to 200. He took a single off Patel to pass his previous highest score of 217 and was finally out when he came down the wicket to Rehan and was stumped.Rehan then had Matt Parkinson lbw for two and Kent were 429 for eight at tea, after which Finch cover-drove Rishi Patel to bring up his half-century, but play was suspended at 4.40pm and both sides looked as eager as the umpires to shake hands on the draw.
أجرى هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة مؤتمراً صحفياً قبل مواجهة فريقه أمام سيلتا فيجو غداً على ملعب بالايدوس في الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم.
وبدأ فليك المؤتمر الصحفي بالحديث عن سيلتا فيجو في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “حالياً سيلتا فيجو في حالة جيدة، أربعة انتصارات متتالية، ربما يكونون في وضع أفضل منا، هذا ما تحدثنا عنه هذا الصباح وهذا المهم، نريد الفوز لأنه من المهم أن ندخل التوقف بثلاث نقاط إضافية”.
وأضاف عن الثقة التي تأتي من تحقيق النتائج الجيدة: “من المهم دائماً أن نحظى بثقة النادي، نحن بحاجة لمزيد من الثقة، رأينا ذلك في مباراة كلوب بروج حيث يكون خط دفاعنا عميق جداً في بعض الأحيان، المهاجمون متأخرون أكثر مما ينبغي، نحن بحاجة لنكون أكثر ترابطاً مع الكرة وبدونها، هذا ما ينقصنا، تحدثنا عن ذلك وآمل أن نؤدي بشكل أفضل وأنا مقتنع تماماً أن اللاعبين يعرفون ما يجب عليهم فعله”.
وسئل فليك عن خوض التدريبات المفتوحة على ملعب الكامب نو: “كان الانطباع الأول رائعاً، لا يصدق، يمكنك الشعور بتاريخ هذا الملعب العريق، عندما دخلنا الملعب ورأينا الملعب والجماهير، كان الأمر عاطفياً، وعشت شعورا رائعا، وسيساعدنا اللعب في هذا الملعب بالتأكيد وشعرت بذلك أمس، الجماهير أقرب لنا كثيراً مما كانت عليه في مونتجويك، هذا هو الأهم لمستقبل النادي، لقد قاموا بعمل رائع، تهانينا لكل من ساهم في نجاحه”.
أقرأ أيضاً.. ألفاريز يكسر صمته بشأن اهتمام باريس سان جيرمان وبرشلونة بضمه
وتحدث فليك عن عودة خوان جارسيا لتدريبات برشلونة الجماعية: “نحن سعداء جداً بتقدمه وسننتظر حتى فترة التوقف، وسيعود بعد فترة التوقف”.
وتلقى فليك سؤالاً حول مقارنة فترته مع برشلونة بفترته مع بايرن ميونخ :”من السهل المقارنة وقول ما يسمعه الجميع، ولكن علينا النظر في الصورة العامة، لا أريد الحديث عن بايرن هنا، فزنا بالدوري في الموسم الثاني أيضاً، هذا ليس عذراً بل حقيقة، لدينا العديد من المصابين وهم كبار وأساسيين، ندير الأمور جيداً بأفضل ما نستطيع، نود الحصول عى نقاط إضافية لكننا لن نحصل إلا على نقطة واحدة في بروج، الآن نحن متأخرون بخمس نقاط عن ريال مدريد في الدوري وعلينا الاستمرار حتى مايو، الطريق لا يزال طويلاً، اللاعبون يدركون أن علينا تقديم أداء أفضل بكثير،من المهم أن يعودوا جميعاً ويكونوا في أفضل حالاتهم وسيساعدونا كثيراً، حتى ذلك الوقت علينا القتال”.
وعلق فليك على خط دفاع برشلونة: “إريك قادر على اللعب ومرتاح بالقناع، كوندي لم يكمل التدريبات بعد وهناك شكوك حول مشاركته غداً، لا أعتقد أنه سيشارك وسننتظر ونرى، لدي شكوك”.
وسئل فليك عن الموسم الماضي مقارنة بالموسم الحالي: “كان العام الماضي مختلفا ولعبنا بمستوى مختلف، تحدثنا بالفعل عن مباراة كلوب بروج والجميع يعلم ما نريد رؤيته على أرض الملعب، اللاعبون يفهمون ما أريد وعليهم إظهار ذلك، التحدث والتواصل وهذا ما أفعله، أمر مختلف لكن علينا أن نرى العمل ينعكس على أرض الملعب”.
وأتم فليك تصريحاته عن جافي: ” من الجيد الحديث عنه وعن كيفية مساعدته لنا، لكن هذا ليس خيار وارد الآن، الجميع يعلم مدى أهميته وشخصيته، وكل شئ، سأكون سعيداً عندما يعود لكن في الوقت الحالي علينا الانتظار”.
وأكمل فليك عن لامين يامال واستدعائه لمنتخب إسبانيا: “أطلب منه نفس الشئ عندما يلعب هنا، أن يعتنوا به، لقد تغير وأصبح أفضل بكثير الآن، يتدرب بشكل جيد حتى في صالة الألعاب الرياضية، يخضع لبرنامج علاجي يومي وهو أمر مهم لإصابته، نراه يستعيد أفضل حالاته لكنه لم يصل بعد لكامل لياقته، لا يزال يعاني من بعض الانزعاج وعلينا الاعتناء به، أعتقد أنهم يفعلون الشئ نفسه مع المنتخب ولم أتحدث مع جهازهم الفني حول عدد دقائقه”.
وأثارت أحد أسئلة المؤتمر الصحفي استغراب هانز فليك حول أهمية النجم في الفريق ليرد: “اللاعبين العظماء دائماً موجودون لكن الفريق هو الأهم وليس الأفراد، لم أفهم سؤالك”.
Given the very underwhelming start to the season the club have endured, Celtic supporters are demanding reinforcements when the transfer window re-opens in January.
During the summer, the Scottish Premiership champions did make 11 senior signings, albeit the arrivals of Marcelo Saracchi, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Sebastian Tounekti and Kelechi Ịheanachọ all came right at the end of the window, after the club had crashed out in the Champions League play-off round against Kairat.
Meantime, Brendan Rodgers’ side were beaten 2-0 by Dundee at Dens on Sunday, so are currently five points adrift current league leaders Hearts, who they face at Tynecastle in an eagerly-anticipated clash on Sunday.
In summary, supporters are not happy, chants of “sack the board” can be heard loud and clear at every game, so could a new signing or two this Christmas help lift the mood?
Celtic targeting January reinforcements
Last week, totally out of the blue, it was reported that Celtic were close to signing Bobby Clark for £6m; the 20-year-old midfielder is currently on loan at Derby County from RB Salzburg.
However, Rodgers told Sky Sports “I haven’t a clue where that has come from”, pretty emphatically shutting those rumours down.
More recently, according to a report by Sports Boom, Celtic ‘have expressed an interest’ in re-signing Andy Robertson from Liverpool.
While the defender learned his trade at Queen’s Park and Dundee United, he was in the Hoops academy from 2003 to 2009.
The report adds that the Scotland captain is into the final 12 months of his £160k-per-week contract on Merseyside, so will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement come 1 January, but the Premier League champions may be willing to sell before then, ‘providing the price is right’.
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So, could the 31-year-old soon swap Anfield for Celtic Park?
Why Celtic could seal a bigger coup than Clark
Since joining Liverpool from Hull City for around £8m eight years ago, Robertson has been an absolute stalwart of the Reds’ success.
Right now, only nine men have made more Premier League appearances for Liverpool than Robertson, set to overtake Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Robbie Fowler in the next few weeks.
During the 254 appearances, the left-back has accumulated 56 assists, meaning he ranks among the very best defenders in Premier League history by this measure, as the table below documents.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
67
Andy Robertson
56
Leighton Baines
56
Antonio Valencia
52
Graeme Le Saux
44
Kieran Trippier
38
Kyle Walker
37
Andy Hinchcliffe
36
Ian Harte
36
César Azpilicueta
36
As the table documents, Robertson is behind only former partner-in-crime Alexander-Arnold in terms of Premier League assists by defenders, underlining his attacking prowess, with Liverpool legend, and former Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard labelling the duo “world-class”.
He has been such a key contributor at Liverpool for so many seasons, making his current predicament peculiar.
The Scotsman started 29 Premier League games last season, but hasn’t started any this time round so far, following the arrival of Miloš Kerkez from Bournemouth, despite the fact the Hungarian is yet to impress.
Speaking on Sky Sports following Manchester United’s shock victory at Anfield on Sunday, Jamie Carragher said that he thinks it’s “strange” that Robertson is “getting treated like Tsimikas”, where Kerkez is the undisputed first-choice and Robertson is a deputy, rather than even a rotation option.
If that continues to be the case, it appears pretty likely that he’ll be on the move in 2026, so could Robertson fulfill a lifelong ambition?
Born and raised in Glasgow, Robertson has spoken repeatedly about his desire to play for Celtic one day, having been released by the club as a 15-year-old, before going on to play for Queen’s Park and Dundee United.
In 2022, he stated that he’s “always dreamed” of representing his boyhood club, elaborating that “when you watch them and see a packed Celtic Park… as a fan you always have that dream”.
At international level, the 31-year-old now has 88 caps to his name, just three behind Jim Leighton, while chasing down Sir Kenny Dalglish’s all-time record of 102 that has stood since 1986.
Of course, the eternal dilemma for Scotland managers has been how does one get both Kieran Tierney and Robertson into the same side, a headache that could soon not only occur at Hampden, but three miles across the city at Celtic Park too.
Nevertheless, the addition of the national team captain would represent a major coup for the Hoops, with his Premier League experience and title-winning credentials far exceeding the undoubted promise of a player like Clark, one who previously struggled to make his mark after joining Red Bull Salzburg last summer.
With Celtic also already boasting similar talents to the Englishman, a deal for a figure like Robertson should well be the priority, helping to get supporters back on side, adding much-needed experience and quality to this struggling outfit.
Not just Yang & Scales: 18-touch Celtic dud must be dropped by Rodgers
Celtic suffered their first Premiership defeat of the season at Dundee on Sunday, and one flop, not Liam Scales or Yang Hyun-Jun, must be dropped.
Um técnico tarimbado e com aceitação do elenco. Esse foi o principal motivo da escolha da diretoria do Corinthians por Mano Menezes, contratado nesta quinta-feira (28) para assumir o lugar deixado por Vanderlei Luxemburgo, demitido na quarta-feira (27). Mas para que o negócio com o novo treinador fosse fechado, algumas arestas precisaram ser aparadas.
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No início da gestão, o presidente Duílio Monteiro Alves deu mais de uma declaração pública afirmando que Mano não trabalharia no clube enquanto estivesse à frente. O assunto foi levantado no contato inicial entre as partes e rapidamente resolvido.
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A mudança de ideia por parte de Duílio tem a ver principalmente com a saída de Roberto de Andrade da direção de futebol, que aconteceu em março. Roberto, que também já foi presidente corintiano, não possui boa relação com Mano desde a época em que era diretor e o técnico estava na primeira passagem pelo Timão, entre 2007 e 2010.
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Em 2014, um mês após Mano Menezes acertar o seu primeiro retorno ao Corinthians, Roberto de Andrade pediu desligamento da diretoria. Duílio Monteiro Alves, que era diretor-adjunto, também pediu demissão na época. No fim daquele ano, Roberto venceu a eleição para ser presidente do clube alvinegro e como um dos primeiros atos da sua gestão demitiu Mano e promoveu a troca de Mano, trazendo Tite de volta.
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Ainda que as diferenças maiores tenham sido, desde o princípio, entre Roberto e Mano, Duílio embarcava na ‘confusão’ pela proximidade com o ex-presidente e diretor corintiano.
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Menezes, inclusive, não é o profissional que mais agrada o atual mandatário do Timão, mas o cartola entende que ele seja uma ‘bola de segurança’ no momento, onde há os objetivos de distanciar cada vez mais o Corinthians da zona do rebaixamento do Campeonato Brasileiro e, sobretudo, conquistar o único título da gestão, que é a Conmebol Sul-Americana, em que a equipe está na semifinal.
O grande sonho de Duílio era o retorno de Tite, mas, novamente, o técnico não sinalizou positivamente para voltar ao Parque São Jorge. Ainda analisando se voltará a trabalhar no Brasil nesta temporada, o profissional está em um momento diferente do que a equipe alvinegra, que tinha pressa para contratar um novo comandante a tempo do segundo jogo da semifinal da Sula, contra o Fortaleza, que acontece na terça-feira (3). O confronto de ida, realizado nesta semana, na Neo Química Arena, empatou em 1 a 1. O duelo decisivo será realizado na Arena Castelão, na capital cearense.
+ Próximos jogos do Corinthians: onde assistir ao vivo, datas, horários e calendário
A situação atual não é a primeira em que Duílio Monteiro Alves recorreu a Mano Menezes como alternativa para assumir o clube. Em abril, após a saída de Cuca, o treinador gaúcho foi procurado, mas estava empregado no Internacional e preferiu permanecer em Porto Alegre. Ele foi demitido do Colorado em junho e, depois disso, ficou disponível no mercado.
No entanto, o enfoque das procuras do Corinthians nesses dois momentos são diferentes. Na primeira, o objetivo era, também, conduzir uma espécie de ‘limpa’ no elenco que possui alguns atletas históricos, mas que já estão com idade avançada e longe dos grandes momentos. Agora, a ideia é ter um profissional cascudo e experiente para conduzir o time, pelo menos, até o fim do ano – ainda que o contrato tenha validade até dezembro de 2025, mas com eleição prevista para o dia 25 de novembro.
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Mano sabe que no caso da situação, que tem André Luiz de Oliveira, o André Negão, como candidato à presidência, uma vitória nas urnas significaria a manutenção do treinador, ao menos que o retrospecto não esteja agradando. Já no caso de triunfo de Augusto Melo, representante da oposição, a sequência do técnico seria repensada.
A four-wicket haul for fledgling seamer Phoebe Turner was followed by a brilliant a unbeaten 93 for New Zealander Suzie Bates as dominant Durham brushed aside Essex by nine wickets at the Banks Homes Riverside in their Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition opener.Turner, 21, was the standout bowler with 4 for 33 from eight overs as Essex, inserted, were bowled out for 177 inside 48 overs. Fellow seamer Grace Thompson also impressed with two wickets on her professional debut, while experienced leg-spinner Katie Levick struck three times.Essex recovered from 65 for 5 in the 20th over, with Jodie Grewcock contributing 31 and Sophia Smale 40. They shared a sixth-wicket 53, but it wasn’t enough in front of a 600-strong crowd at the start of the professional era of women’s cricket in the North East.Related
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Opener Bates is Durham’s first ever professional women’s overseas signing, and she led a composed chase with 14 fours in 103 balls. She shared a superb unbroken 173 with second-wicket partner and captain Hollie Armitage, who scored 64 off 87 balls. A five-point victory was sealed in the 33rd over.Turner was the leading wicket-taker in last season’s 50-over regional competition, striking 23 times for Northern Diamonds. She and Thompson – a tall 17-year-old rookie – set the tone as the Eagles slipped into early trouble.Thompson struck with the new ball when she trapped Jo Gardner lbw before Turner angled one across visiting captain Grace Scrivens and had the left-hander caught behind for 19, making it 46 for 2 in the 12th over.Turner then had Cordelia Griffith caught behind by England squad wicketkeeper Bess Heath, who claimed two catches and two stumpings. The same bowler had Lissy Macleod caught and bowled off a skied top-edge.In between, Abi Glen took a superb catch diving to her left at first slip to help Thompson remove Flo Miller as Essex slipped to five down.The half-century stand between Grewcock and Smale, under the Riverside floodlights, was accumulative.Levick removed both Grewcock and Smale stumped, leaving the Eagles 145 for 7 in the 42nd over.Levick then ousted Amara Carr for 21 and, courtesy of a catch at short third, helped Turner get Eva Gray as the tail was mopped up with 2.3 overs remaining.Levick and Thompson finished with 3 for 28 and 2 for 34 from their respective 10-over spells.Run-scoring on this pitch wasn’t completely trouble-free, and Kate Coppack’s seam trapped Emma Marlow lbw in the second over of Durham’s chase.But in 37-year-old Bates, a veteran of 348 all-format international appearances, and Armitage, Durham had the perfect combination to steer their ship.They calmed any early nerves early in their near 31-over alliance before becoming more expansive to extinguish Essex’s hopes.Durham reached 100 for 1 after 22 overs, by which stage a home victory was almost certain.Bates was strong on both sides of the wicket and reached her fifty off 68 balls moments later. Armitage then followed her to the same milestone off 75 to cap off the bonus-point success.
The Lewis family are making big plans behind-the-scenes at Tottenham, as ENIC prepare for life beyond chairman Daniel Levy.
Levy has been the face of Spurs’ day-to-day running for the last 24 years, and often the subject of real criticism, before Tottenham’s shocking announcement on Thursday last week that the 63-year-old resigned from his post as executive chairman.
While it was a technically a resignation of his own accord, the consensus is that ENIC pushed Levy out of the door, and it is even believed that the ex-chair didn’t find out he was going to resign until just hours before Tottenham made it official (The Times).
Levy was a polarising figure among the Lilywhites fanbase, often finding himself at the centre of mass ENIC protests towards the end of his tenure in particular, but it cannot be understated that he helped to transform Spurs into a financial powerhouse.
Real Madrid
£1.2 billion
Man City
£727 million
PSG
£700 million
Man United
£668 million
Bayern Munich
£664 million
FC Barcelona
£659.5 million
Arsenal
£621.5 million
Liverpool
£620 million
Tottenham Hotspur
£533 million
Chelsea
£474 million
Levy oversaw Tottenham’s move to their state-of-the-art new stadium and training facilities, which has gifted the club a far greater commercial appeal off the field, and you could even argue that they were more successful on the pitch in comparison to Sir Alan Sugar’s era leading Spurs.
However, the departure of Levy has now ushered in a new era for the north Londoners, with the Lewis Family’s restructuring of the board attracting serious investment interest from parties in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the USA (TEAMtalk).
ENIC’s owners are also determined to bring more success after Tottenham won their first major trophy in 17 years back in May.
Now, Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol has shared how they could be planning to do just that.
ENIC plot transfer statement in boost for Tottenham post-Daniel Levy
Speaking on Sky, Solhekol states that ENIC are plotting a cash injection into Tottenham, and this could be used on transfers to help them compete for silverware.
Thomas Frank could be set for an almighty boost by this message, as the Dane seeks to eventually transform Spurs into eventual Premier League challengers.
Newcastle United’s search for attacking reinforcements has defined their summer window, with Eddie Howe desperate to reshape his forward line before the transfer deadline.
The long-running uncertainty surrounding Alexander Isak has complicated matters, while Callum Wilson’s departure to West Ham has also forced the club into action.
The Magpies have already secured one marquee addition up front, with German striker Nick Woltemade set to arrive from Stuttgart in a club-record £69m deal.
The 23-year-old, who impressed at the U21 Euros, is viewed internally as the direct replacement for wantaway forward Isak.
The Swedish international has refused to reintegrate into Howe’s squad after Liverpool made an approach earlier in the summer.
Woltemade’s arrival marks a significant step forward for Newcastle’s recruitment drive, but the club are not finished yet.
Howe and his staff want a second new attacker before the window closes – and another target continues to make headlines as he pushes for a move to Tyneside.
Newcastle ready for next striker swoop
According to Ben Jacobs, Brentford forward Yoane Wissa has made his desire to move to St James’ Park clear and is actively “pushing to join Newcastle” after the Magpies had their most recent bid – £35m plus £5m in add-ons – rejected.
The lure of playing Champions League football is said to play a central role in the forward’s thinking.
Brentford are holding firm on their reported £50m valuation, but Newcastle are expected to return with an improved offer.
At 28 years old, Wissa does not fit the usual recruitment profile favoured by the club’s hierarchy, who typically target players aged 24 or under.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, his Premier League track record makes him an attractive option.
Last season he scored 19 goals and registered five assists in just 35 appearances.
Newcastle view Woltemade as the long-term successor to Isak, but Wissa is seen as the ideal replacement for Wilson, who has struggled with injuries over the past two campaigns.
The prospect of pairing the Bundesliga forward with the Brentford star excites Howe’s staff, who may feel the duo would represent a clear upgrade on Wilson and Isak.
Newcastle could be set to upgrade on Wilson & Isak
From a tactical standpoint, the potential combination of Woltemade and Wissa offers Newcastle something they lacked last season – consistency and availability.
Injuries to Isak and Wilson meant the pair missed 38 games between them in 2024/25, leaving Howe short of reliable attacking options.
By contrast, Woltemade and Wissa missed only seven matches combined, underlining their durability across demanding domestic campaigns.
The German striker brings physical presence at 1.98m, aerial dominance, and the ability to link play with intelligent hold-up work.
His Bundesliga return of 12 goals in 28 appearances last season demonstrates his effectiveness, but his underlying numbers point to even greater potential.
According to FBref, Woltemade averages 4.38 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes – more than double Wissa’s 2.13 – and completed 26.1 carries per 90, highlighting his tendency to drop deeper and progress the ball.
Wissa, by contrast, offers ruthless penalty-box instincts and movement in behind. He contributed 23 goal involvements in 25 league appearances last season, placing him among the most efficient forwards in the division.
While his shot-on-target percentage of 45.6% was slightly lower than Woltemade’s 50%, his ability to get into scoring positions consistently is a key asset.
Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade
His 1.27 shots on target per 90 closely matches the German’s 1.28.
In terms of progressive metrics, Woltemade edges it again, with 2.89 progressive passes per 90 compared to Wissa’s 2.07 and a passing distance of 58.8 metres against 49.9.
But Wissa makes up ground defensively, averaging more tackles (0.68 per 90) and matching the younger striker’s pressing intensity.
For Howe, the blend of attributes is what makes the partnership appealing.
Woltemade can act as the focal point – a target man capable of holding defenders and bringing teammates into play – while Wissa thrives as a secondary striker or inside forward, exploiting space with his acceleration and sharp finishing.
Together, they could provide Newcastle with a frontline as effective as any in the Premier League.
Stats – 2024/25
Stat
Yoane Wissa
Nick Woltemade
Matches Played
35
28
Goals
19
12
Assists
4
2
Progressive Carries
60
31
Progressive Passes
67
52
Source: FBref
The only concern is Wissa’s age profile and potential absence due to the Africa Cup of Nations in early 2026.
At 28, he does not represent a long-term investment in the same way as Woltemade, and his participation in AFCON could leave Newcastle short during a critical period of the season.
That said, the contrast in availability compared to Wilson and Isak last season suggests he would still significantly boost squad reliability.
Newcastle have already strengthened across other positions – adding Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw and Aaron Ramsdale – but the club’s ability to truly challenge on all fronts depends on securing the necessary firepower.
Without a recognised striker, they struggled to convert chances in their opening fixtures against Aston Villa and Liverpool, with makeshift options failing to deliver in front of goal.
The pursuit of Wissa, therefore, is about more than depth. It represents Newcastle’s determination to build a balanced and reliable forward line for both domestic and European campaigns.
With Woltemade already in the building and the Brentford forward still pushing to make the switch, Howe could soon have the attacking options he needs to move on from the uncertainty of the Isak era.
Not Woltemade: Big-money Wilson upgrade has said yes to joining Newcastle
Newcastle could be closing in on the signing of a new striker at St James’ Park.
Aston Villa are on the verge of signing their first major signing of the transfer window with OGC Nice’s Evann Guessand. The deal is expected to be worth around £26m, plus more than £4m in add-ons.
Guessand has been with Ligue 1 side Nice since 2014 and rose through their academy to become a first-team player and earn himself a place in the Ivorian national team. Manager Unai Emery will be hoping that the goals and assists Guessand brings to the team will ensure they don’t have an end-of-season drop-off this time around, after the sale of Jhon Duran depleted their depth in the number nine position last term.
It won’t take long from Guessand’s debut for his versatility to be on full display for Villa fans. Last season, under Franck Haise, Guessand was utilised both as a centre forward and a winger. This fluidity in attack is similar to what Emery implemented in the latter half of last season with loan players Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.
However, with the previously mentioned loanees returning to their respective parent clubs, Villa are still somewhat shorthanded up front. Due to this, Emery has identified a new striker target to help rectify the situation.
Emery "eager" to reunite with Jackson
Caught Offside have reported that Aston Villa have identified Chelsea and Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson as an ideal target. Jackson previously worked with the Villa boss while the pair were at Villarreal.
With the departure of Duran and an exit for Ollie Watkins still on the cards this window, Villa need to strengthen their attack, and Jackson is seen as a possible solution. Caught Offside’s source stated that “Villa are among the clubs most keen on Jackson. Unai Emery is eager to work with him again after their time together at Villarreal”.
Aston Villa don’t have a clear run at Jackson presently, with Newcastle United having held “informal talks” with Jackson’s representatives and Juventus monitoring the situation in the event they sell Dusan Vlahovic.
An even bigger hurdle for Villa will be finances, with owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens potentially needing to sell to buy, according to the same report. If Villa can navigate the PSR hurdles and retain Watkins however, they could have a very dangerous attack on their hands.
2024/25 Stats
Watkins
Jackson
Guessand
Games Played
38
30
33
Goals
16
10
12
Assists
8
5
8
Xg per 90
0.53
0.5
0.32
Goals Per 90
0.55
0.41
0.42
Stats via: FBREF
All three players are averaging close to a goal every other game. Watkins is the best in this regard, but he is the oldest and most developed player; there is still plenty of time for Jackson and Guessand to match him.
While it may look like Jackson is massively underperforming against his Xg compared to the others, there is an explanation for this. When evaluating Jackson as a Manchester United target, The Athletic’s JJ Bull explained how Jackson’s Xg underperformance has been misinterpreted as him missing a lot of goals he should score, when in reality it’s distorted by him taking a lot of shots he shouldn’t take and often shooting too early.
These three players, alongside the other attacking options they have in the squad, could see Villa push for Champions League football once again and help the club away from its financial issues.
The left-arm spinner had a recurrence of knee soreness after the India series
AAP14-Dec-2024
Sophie Molineux will miss the three ODIs across the Tasman•Getty Images
Australia have a fresh injury concern ahead of the Ashes with Sophie Molineux ruled out of the women’s ODI tour of New Zealand with a knee injury.Already sweating on the fitness of captain Alyssa Healy and her sore knee, Australia suffered more bad news on Saturday in the form of Molineux’s injury.Related
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The finger-spinner has battled knee issues this summer, missing some WBBL games with the Melbourne Renegades to manage pain in the joint.She played in the last two of Australia’s 3-0 series sweep over India, but pulled up sore following the last victory in Perth on Wednesday.It means she will now skip all three ODIs against New Zealand this month, with bowling-allrounder Heather Graham to take her spot four weeks out from the Ashes.The games double as the team’s last before next month’s multi-format Ashes series, where Australia will aim to retain the trophy for a fifth straight time.”Sophie Molineux has been withdrawn from the NZ Series due to knee soreness,” Cricket Australia said in a statement. “Heather Graham will join the squad in New Zealand on Tuesday, following Tasmania’s Women’s National Cricket League matches against New South Wales in Hobart.”Georgia Wareham would be the most likely player to come into Australia’s XI for the first ODI against New Zealand on Thursday, after she was left out of the final two games against India.In better news for Australia, Healy is at least a confirmed attendee on the New Zealand trip. Australia’s captain missed the three ODIs against India through her own knee injury, after also missing the end of the T20 World Cup with a foot issue.Healy’s return will create a potential headache for selectors given Georgia Voll’s impressive start to her international career against India.Voll made scores of 46 not out, 101 and 26 while deputising for Healy at the top of the order, after a breakthrough WBBL with the Sydney Thunder.But Voll is at risk of being squeezed out of the ODI side in New Zealand, with Healy expected to slot back into opening alongside Phoebe Litchfield.It means the only way Voll would remain in the first-choice XI is if selectors opt to bat her down the order and make the bold call of leaving out a more established player.
Paul Collingwood says England have not given up hope of pulling off successful chase
Matt Roller17-Oct-2024
Salman Agha made a vital contribution as Pakistan’s lead grew•Getty Images
Salman Agha pledged that Pakistan will put every effort into securing a first home Test win in “God knows how many years” after England lost two late wickets on the third evening in Multan. England need 261 more runs on a worn, re-used pitch to take a 2-0 series lead, while Pakistan require eight wickets to set up a decider in Rawalpindi.Pakistan ripped up their long-term plans after their innings loss in the first Test, making four changes and packing their side with spin options after opting to re-use the same strip for the second week in a row. Salman admitted that he was anticipating a difficult week after so much upheaval, but said he was impressed by his team-mates’ response.”To be honest, I was thinking, ‘It is going to be hard,'” Salman told Sky Sports. “There was a lot of changes – and big changes. But the way the team has gelled, and the way the new guys have come in and we’ve welcomed them [has been great]. They come in and they are chipping in.Related
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“Look at Sajid [Khan]. He took seven wickets and scored important runs. And then you will see Noman Ali. He came and took wickets, and scored important runs. I think it’s very good for Pakistan cricket, the way they came and gelled in and contributed. That’s amazing.”England, meanwhile, face a tough chase in challenging conditions, and their assistant coach Paul Collingwood said that pulling off a win in pursuit of 297 would be an even greater achievement than their victory last week. “I think it would, under the circumstances and the conditions that we’ve been given,” he said.”The amazing thing is now there’s still hope, and there’s only hope because of the amazing things that these guys have done in the past… You look at that first Test in India [in Hyderabad], I don’t think anybody had given us any hope of going on to win that one, but someone like Ollie Pope goes out and makes a double [196]. They are capable of doing amazing things.”We’ve got to be realistic. It’s effectively the ninth day that wicket’s being played on tomorrow, and as we can see, it’s doing plenty for the spinners. There’s lots of cracks there… [But] we all know if you get on a roll and get a partnership going, anything can happen. It’d be one hell of a chase. It’s something that we’ll obviously relish and try to go for.”Pakistan have not won a home Test match since they beat South Africa in February 2021, with four draws and seven defeats since then, and have lost all six of their Tests in the last 12 months. Salman said that ending those streaks would be “very important” and that Pakistan would give everything on the fourth day.”It’s going to be massive, because we haven’t won a Test match at home for… I don’t know, God knows how many years now,” he said. “It’s going to be a very, very big thing for us. We will make sure we will put all the efforts there and make sure we win this game, because that’s very important for us.”