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Aston Villa are stepping up their pursuit of fresh faces and could look to draw other suitors into a bidding war for a star who has already walked the walk in the Premier League.

Aston Villa look to bring in established arrivals

Most of the Villans’ signings so far have been with a developmental approach in mind, except Marco Bizot’s arrival from Brest, but that could now all be about to change as the window begins to heat up.

Reports have suggested Aston Villa are keen on bringing in Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson and they have made an enquiry to see whether they may be able to tempt him away from Stamford Bridge.

Speaking about his future, Alan Shearer believes the Senegal international could be on his way out of West London due to Joao Pedro and Liam Delap’s arriving at his current employers.

He explained: “As soon as Pedro came in and scored the two goals and [Liam] Delap’s already there, if there’s one person that’s going to be shifted out then my guess it would be Jackson.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if they’ve already offered him to other football clubs and they’ve enquired about it.”

Talks opened: Aston Villa now strong contenders for "phenomenal" £35m star

The Villans believe they can win the race for an attacking midfielder.

ByDominic Lund Jul 16, 2025

Toulouse defender Jaydee Canvot could join Aston Villa to strengthen their backline, and it is believed that Unai Emery and company are keen to force a deal through as soon as possible for the 18-year-old.

Contact has also been made to bring Conor Gallagher to the Villans, presenting an opportunity for the England international to make his Premier League return after a successful season at Atletico Madrid.

Now, Emery could be set to bolster his engine room further by sparking a bidding war for a star who could now be set to move from one of Europe’s top clubs.

Aston Villa to spark bidding war for Douglas Luiz

According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are making ‘concrete moves’ to sign Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, and they are said to be preparing a proposal to land the Brazil international, who could complete a sensational return to Villa Park.

Everton have submitted a loan offer with an option to buy the Rio De Janeiro-born man, while West Ham United are another interested party as the Serie A giants wait for the Villans and Co to launch a bidding war.

Douglas Luiz at Aston Villa – would he be a good signing?

Appearances

204

Goals

22

Assists

24

Labelled “underrated” by Paul Merson, Luiz has failed to set the heather alight at Juventus, and they are willing to sanction his exit, leaving the decision up to his camp based on the type of project he would be most tempted by at this stage in his career.

Taking away the emotional attachment for a second, Aston Villa could land a proven Premier League star who is capable of dictating tempo for a little over £30 million (loan fee and buyout option – £30.2 million), all-in, which would be a sound deal given their slim room to work with financially.

The wicketkeeper-batter will continue to play BBL and other franchise T20 tournaments

Andrew McGlashan29-Oct-2024Matthew Wade has announced his retirement from international cricket and will immediately transition into a coaching role with Australia for the T20I series against Pakistan next month.Wade was part of Australia’s side at the T20 World Cup in June and it had been expected that tournament would mark the end of his international career after he was overlooked for the tour of the UK in September. In March he had retired from red-ball cricket after Tasmania’s run to the Sheffield Shield final.Related

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Wade will continue to play in the BBL for Hobart Hurricanes and some franchise tournaments around the world. He will also now work with what is a reasonably youthful Australia T20I squad which will be coached by Andre Borovec while Andrew McDonald and his other assistants preparing for the Test series against India. Wade will also spend time with Australia’s coaching group during the ODI series in an unofficial capacity.”I was fully aware my international days were most likely over at the end of the last T20 World Cup. My international retirement and coaching has been a constant conversation with George [Bailey] and Andrew [McDonald] over the past six months,” Wade said.”Coaching has been on my radar over the last few years and thankfully some great opportunities have come my way, for which I am very grateful and excited.”Overall, Wade played 36 Tests, 97 ODIs and 92 T20Is for Australia between 2011 and 2024. He was a key figure in their T20 World Cup title in the UAE in 2021 where he became a finisher, hitting an unbeaten 41 off 17 balls in the semi-final against Pakistan.Finest hour: Matthew Wade was a star of Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup title•ICC via Getty Images”As my international career closes, I want to thank all of my Australian team-mates, staff and coaches,” he said. “I enjoyed the ride as challenging as it can be at international level. Without good people around me I would have never got as much out of myself as I did.”I also thank my family, mum, dad and sisters for the countless hours they put in over the years getting me to games and training.”Lastly to Julia and the kids. I can’t thank them enough for the sacrifices they have made for me to continue to pursue my dreams. No words can explain how grateful I am to them, none of this would have happened without their support.”Wade’s Test career ended in 2021, during India’s previous tour, after he had made a successful return to the side as a specialist batter for the 2019 Ashes where he scored two centuries. His last ODI also came in 2021 when he briefly returned to the team after a gap of four years during the tour of West Indies in the Covid period.”Congratulations to Matthew on what has been a wonderful international career during which his skill and versatility has made him an outstanding performer across all formats,” Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said.”I’m delighted he will add to his massive contribution by coaching the next generation of stars and also continuing to light up the Big Bash with the Hobart Hurricanes.”

It’s the start of a new era for Everton, in more ways than one.

Having waved goodbye to Goodison Park, their home since 1892, the Toffees will call Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock home from now on.

Their first match there will be a pre-season friendly against Roma on 9 August, before beginning their home Premier League campaign against Brighton & Hove Albion a fortnight later.

Meantime, in terms of the playing squad, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has departed as a free agent after making 273 appearances for the Blues, while it was confirmed on Wednesday that star centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite has signed a new five-year contract, which is a massive boost for David Moyes and his team.

So now, could their first new arrival of the summer be imminent?

Everton seeking more attacking firepower

With Calvert-Lewin having now departed, Mark Douglas of the i Paper is reporting that Everton are ‘close’ to signing Villarreal striker Thierno Barry for £27.5m.

The 22 year old Frenchman only joined el Submarino Amarillo from Basel just 12 months ago, but scored 11 goals in La Liga last season, with Beth Limb of Total Football Analysis praising his physical presence, noting that Barry ‘often towers’ above defenders, adding that he also ‘possesses some excellent off-the-ball movement’.

However, he is not the only striker on the Toffees’ radar because, as reported by Football Insider, the Blues are interested in signing Evan Ferguson.

They add that Brighton are looking to move on the Republic of Ireland international permanently this summer, placing a £28m price tag on his head, with Fulham and Nottingham Forest, as well as a few ‘leading European sides’, also monitoring the situation.

Transfer Focus

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

Ferguson has just endured a nightmarish loan spell at West Ham, seeing only eight appearances for the Irons after making the switch in January, starting only once, totalling a miserly 151 minutes.

This has seen his valuation plummet, so could a move to Merseyside revitalise his career?

Why Evan Ferguson would be a better signing than Thierno Barry

At the peak of his powers about two years ago, Evan Ferguson was one of the hottest prospects in world football.

His hat-trick against Newcastle in September 2023 made him the fourth-youngest player to bag a Premier League treble, behind only Chris Bart-Williams, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler.

Then-Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker even asserted that “I do see a hint of [Erling] Haaland about him”.

However, since then, Ferguson has scored just three club goals, enduring a 336-day goal drought before netting his most recent goal against Wolves in October, with Andy Naylor of the Athletic believing that injuries have massively hampered his development.

Nevertheless, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout still believes, at just 20 years old, he is a “big talent”, so let’s assess how he compares to Barry.

Season

Club(s)

Minutes

Goals

Assists

2024/25

Brighton &

West Ham

541

1

Zero

2023/24

Brighton

1,721

6

2

2022/23

Brighton

1,345

10

3

2024/25

Villarreal

2,441

11

4

2023/24

Basel

2,520

12

5

2022/23

Beveren

2.522

20

4

As the table outlines, while Barry’s raw statistics are more impressive, Ferguson possesses vastly more elite-level experience.

As recently as 2022/23, Barry was representing Beveren in the Belgian second-tier before his big breakthrough came with FC Basel, scoring 14 Swiss Super League goals for the RotBlau, but doing so in the 21st strongest division in the world, according to Global Football Rankings.

Barry was away with France at the U21 Euros last month, bagging the winner against Georgia in the 12th minute of injury time at Štadión pod Dubňom​​​​​​​ in Žilina, but was not a regular starter for Gérald Baticle’s side, as les Bleuets reached the semi-finals.

Ferguson, on the other hand, is a fully-fledged Ireland international, scoring five times for the Boys in Green to date, albeit, admittedly, Heimir Hallgrímsson does have slightly less talent at his disposal than Didier Deschamps.

Nevertheless, it is clear that Ferguson has a higher ceiling than Barry, it is simply about rediscovering his potential from the Irishman’s point of view, so could he achieve this in an Everton shirt?

He’s certainly worth the gamble.

Calvert-Lewin upgrade: Everton advancing in talks to sign £34m striker

Everton are edging closer to signing a La Liga forward

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 1, 2025

There was also call-ups for opener Ishma Tanjim and left-arm spinner Sabikun Nahar

Mohammad Isam23-Jun-2024Bangladesh have brought back the experienced pair of Rumana Ahmed and Jahanara Alam after more than a year out of the squad for the Women’s Asia Cup starting next month.Though allrounder Rumana and seamer Jahanara have played 134 and 130 internationals, respectively, the Bangladesh selectors seemed to have moved on from them to build a relatively younger side. But it appears losing back-to-back T20I series to Australia (3-0) and India (5-0) recently has forced them into a rethink.Jahanara was the top wicket-taker in this season’s Dhaka Premier Division Women’s Cricket League (DPDWCL), with 25 wickets in nine matches, while legspinner Rumana took 17 wickets.”Rumana and Jahanara were out of the team for 12 months. We have to keep in mind that there is very little training facilities for our female cricketers, so it is to their credit that they held on to their fitness,” women’s chief selector Sajjad Ahmed said. “They performed very well in the Premier League. It is a good news for us that we can get their experience in our squad, which allows us to have a balanced squad.”There were also call-ups for opener Ishma Tanjim and left-arm spinner Sabikun Nahar, who are highly rated by the selectors.”Ishma Tanjim is a free-flowing opening batter. She plays some great shots,” Sajjad said. “She is technically very sound. She had a nearly 100 strike rate [in the DPDWCL], second-highest behind Dilara Akter. She made runs in some good matches, which prompted me to pick her. Sabikun Nahar is a left-arm spinner who can partner Nahida [Akter]. I feel her pace, variation and accuracy will release pressure on Nahida.”Bangladesh left out Habiba Islam, Fahima Khatun, Sobhana Mostary and Fariha Trisna from the team that played against India in May. Sajjad said that he is hopeful that this squad can get Bangladesh to the Asia Cup semi-finals.”I think we have a great prospect in the Asia Cup this year,” he said. “We open the tournament against Sri Lanka. If we win that game, we have a great chance of playing in the semi-final.”Bangladesh take on Sri Lanka on July 20, followed by matches against Thailand and Malaysia on July 22 and 24, respectively.Bangladesh squadNigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Dilara Akter, Rumana Ahmed, Ritu Moni, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Rubya Haider, Shorna Akter, Ishma Tanjim, Sabikun Nahar and Shorifa Khatun

Arsenal’s recruitment drive is becoming more interesting by the day, with news coming to light on their attempts to sign a highly-rated forward for Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal targeting new striker and winger this summer

The Premier League title eluded Arteta by a seismic distance last term, and sporting director Andrea Berta is working to back the Spaniard with new signings to reinforce the squad ahead of a more hopeful challenge next season.

Arsenal talks could advance in "next few days" as Berta eyes £59m signing

The Gunners have been in contact this week.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 5, 2025

The reasons behind Arsenal’s failed title bid come down to injuries and a lack of potency in the final third, with a plethora of key first-team players, including the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, all sidelined for extended periods throughout 2024/2025.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Gabriel Jesus’ ACL injury, sustained in an FA Cup defeat to Man United, also left Arteta without a senior natural striker for the majority of 2025. Mikel Merino was forced to play in an emergency striker role, and Berta will be determined to ensure Arsenal’s manager isn’t left so short of options next term.

Arsenal are currently working to discover the conditions of deals for both Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, who are fresh off impressive campaigns at Sporting CP and RB Leipzig respectively (BBC).

Meanwhile, extensive groundwork is being laid when it comes to Arsenal’s pursuit of a new wide option, with Real Madrid sensation Rodrygo reported as a top target for Berta. However, talks have currently stalled due to salary demands, prompting the north Londoners to weigh up alternatives (Florian Plettenberg).

According to BBC reporter Sami Mokbel, one of those was Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo.

The Cameroonian has enjoyed the season of his life under Thomas Frank, scoring 20 goals in all competitions, but it looks highly likely that Old Trafford will be his next destination.

Negotiations have now started between United and Brentford over Mbeumo, but there is still a glimmer of hope for Arteta.

Arsenal tried to sign Bryan Mbeumo before Man United decision

Mokbel reports that Arsenal had “big” interest in Mbeumo and tried to sign him, before the African gave priority to Ruben Amorim’s side. However, if a move falls through, the BBC reporter suggests Arsenal could be there to salvage a move.

“I think Bryan Mbeumo is probably going to be ending up at Man United. I think that probably will happen,” Mokbel told Highbury Squad on YouTube.

“But I do know that Arsenal had a big interest in him and have tried. I think perhaps what Man United put on the table may be more favourable than Arsenal, and I think that perhaps that might be why he’s chosen to go to Man United.

“If the Mbeumo deal, for whatever reason, didn’t happen, I would not be surprised to see Arsenal be there or thereabouts to try to pick up the pieces of that deal.”

Reports suggest Man United have bid around £55 million for Mbeumo, but given Brentford’s valuation is actually around £60 million, there is still work to be done there.

While the 25-year-old only has a year left on his contract, Brentford possess the option to extend it by a further year, meaning they can charge a much higher fee than what you’d expect.

While this season has been an incredibly tiresome one for the Tottenham Hotspur faithful, there’s a real chance it could now end in glory.

Thursday night saw Ange Postecoglou’s side beat Norwegian champions FK Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in the first leg of their Europa League semi-finals.

The scoring was opened by Brennan Johnson, who is now far and away the club’s top goalscorer, yet it would be fair to say he can be a player who splits opinion among fans and pundits alike.

That might explain recent reports that have linked the club with another free-scoring forward who could be even better than the Welshman.

Spurs' transfer targets

It’s no secret that Tottenham need to add more quality to the squad this summer, so before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other stars they’ve been linked to, like Jonathan David and Rayan Cherki.

Thanks to his contract running out at the end of the season, the former wouldn’t cost the club a penny in transfer fees, which could be simply sensational business, as in 46 appearances this year, he’s scored 25 goals and provided 11 assists.

Cherki, on the other hand, could cost up to £30m, but even that would be practically a bargain, as in 41 appearances, totalling 2894 minutes, the mercurial Frenchman has scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists for Lyon.

Transfer Focus

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

However, another name has now been thrown into the mix, one that should be familiar to Postecoglou: Daizen Maeda.

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Spurs are one of several teams interested in the Celtic star.

Moreover, alongside the Lilywithes, the report has revealed that Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool have all sent scouts to watch the dangerous forward this year.

The good news is that even though so many teams are interested in the Japanese international, he could be available for as little as £25m this summer.

It might not be a name that Spurs fans were thinking of before, but if Spurs can sign Maeda, they should; as if his record is anything to go off, he could be better than Johnson.

How Maeda compares to Johnson

So, the first thing to say is that while Maeda tends to play down the middle or off the left, he has got experience of playing on the right of a front three before, so it wouldn’t be a massive surprise to see him play there for Spurs.

In turn, this would put him directly up against Johnson for game time, so who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, when it comes to the most important metric of all for an attacking winger, their output, it’s the Celtic monster who comes out streaks ahead.

For example, in just 47 first-team appearances, totalling 3711 minutes, the Hoops’ prolific ace has racked up an unreal tally of 33 goals and 11 assists.

In other words, the Osaka-born “physical beast,” as dubbed by none other than Postecoglou, is averaging a goal involvement every 1.06 games, or every 84.34 minutes.

Appearances

47

46

Minutes

3711′

3077′

Goals

33

17

Assists

11

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.93

0.52

Minutes per Goal Involvement

84.34′

128.20′

In contrast, the Lilywhites flying Welshman has scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in 46 appearances, totalling 3077 minutes.

That means he’s currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.95 games, or every 128.20 minutes, and while that is undoubtedly impressive, it pales in comparison to the Japanese dynamo.

Ultimately, while it would be absurd to expect his output to completely carry over to a tougher league, Maeda has been so effective this season that he’d certainly be worth signing for Spurs, and there is every chance he’s better than Johnson.

Postecoglou must now axe Spence to start "titanic" Spurs star

The talented ace could be just what Spurs need tonight.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 1, 2025

Arsenal are now preparing a bid for a midfielder who has “enormous potential”, and they believe he would be a perfect fit for Mikel Arteta’s system, according to a report.

Gunners pursuing a midfielder

Arteta will undoubtedly be very pleased with Declan Rice’s performances recently, with the Englishman scoring two remarkable free-kicks to put the Gunners in a very strong position to reach the semi-final of the Champions League.

However, the manager is keen to strengthen his midfield even further this summer, with the Spaniard and new sporting director Andrea Berta looking to bring in a partner for Rice, and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi remains one of the key targets.

The north Londoners are set to trigger Zubimendi’s £51m release clause, having already reached an agreement on personal terms, but there is set to be stiff competition for the midfielder’s signature, with Real Madrid also keen.

Related Arsenal now among favourites to sign £39m forward after Sane blow

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 13, 2025

The Real Sociedad maestro is not the only La Liga midfielder on the shortlist, however, with a new report from Spain revealing Arsenal are now leading the race for Valencia’s Javi Guerra, who has emerged as a key player for the Spanish side this season.

Guerra’s performances have attracted the attention of some of Europe’s top clubs, but the Gunners are currently in the driving seat, and they are now preparing to make a considerable offer for his services.

Having closely followed the maestro’s performances, the north Londoners are convinced he would be a perfect fit for Arteta’s system, but it could be tricky to get a deal over the line.

Valencia are reluctant to sanction the midfielder’s departure, given his emergence as an important player, but there is an awareness it will be difficult to keep hold of him, amid widespread interest in his signature.

"Explosive" Guerra could has "enormous potential"

The youngster has established himself as a key player for Valencia this season, making 30 appearances in La Liga, during which time he has picked up two goals and three assists, and there are signs he could get even better.

Valencia director Miguel Angel Corona clearly believes the central midfielder is a future star, saying: “We are fully aware that we have a player with enormous potential for the future and the ability to perform at a good level now.”

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has also given an overview of the Valencia star’s abilities, while praising him for a solid display against Celta Vigo earlier this season.

Guerra could be an excellent addition for Arsenal in midfield, so it is exciting news they could soon formalise their interest by making a huge bid.

Shardul Thakur also hit the nets, with hopes of reclaiming his Test spot

Nagraj Gollapudi29-May-2025Karun Nair was still in IPL mode as he effortlessly reverse-swept any loose deliveries outside off from the spinners. Nitish Kumar Reddy stood half a yard outside the crease but was solid in both defence and punishing any delivery in the hitting zone. Shardul Thakur showed patience as he dealt with the seaming ball. And Abhimanyu Easwaran did not miss any scoring opportunities.With potential slots up for grabs for the first Test of India’s tour of England starting June 20, all four players will be looking to put on an impressive show in the first of the two unofficial Tests India A are scheduled to play against England Lions starting Friday in Canterbury. Thursday was the third consecutive training day for India A, with players free from IPL commitments linking up with the squad in England in batches this week.One of the key selection questions for India during the five-Test series in England concerns the allrounder’s position. Reddy had performed that role in the five-Test series in Australia, where he scored his maiden Test century in Melbourne, primarily making an impact as a batting allrounder. Having picked up an injury after the Australia tour, Reddy played IPL 2025, but has only resumed bowling in the last few weeks.Related

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On Thursday, Reddy looked the most fluent, playing the ball under his eyes, leaving with assurance most times, and driving both off the front and back foot. Also eyeing the allrounder position is Thakur, whose last Test was in December 2023 in South Africa. Having undergone a foot surgery last year, Thakur, 33, forced his way back into the Test squad on the back of a successful run with both ball and bat in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, helping Mumbai reach the semi-finals. Thakur has played four of his 11 Tests in England and has made impactful contributions in the two games he played during the 2021 tour.As for Nair, success against Lions will help him stake a claim for the sixth specialist batter’s position if India decide to play an extra batter alongside Ravindra Jadeja at No. 7 followed by an allrounder. While he last played a Test in 2017, Nair has had two prolific domestic seasons for Vidarbha. Nair has also played for Northamptonshire in the last few years and is coming off a few impressive performances in the IPL for Delhi Capitals.

Shardul Thakur shifts to red-ball mode in Canterbury pic.twitter.com/gupNHbp1Dh

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 29, 2025