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Barcelona treasurer Ferran Olive has conceded that the club are "late" in rebuilding Camp Nou, admitting that the long-overdue renovation should have been started long ago. His comments came as Barca president Joan Laporta hailed the Spotify Camp Nou project as the "collective dream" of the club's fans, calling it a legacy that future generations will inherit.

• Barcelona inching closer to Camp Nou return

  Barcelona have officially received the green light to reopen the Camp Nou after months of delays, with the city council approving the Phase 1A occupancy permit that allows 27,000 spectators inside the renovated stadium. However, the club have opted to remain at the Lluis Companys in Montjuic for now, prioritising financial logic over nostalgia. According to club sources, it makes little sense to return to a partially reopened Camp Nou when Montjuic's larger capacity currently yields higher matchday revenue.

  The decision comes amid a crucial period for Barcelona's Espai Barca project, which continues to be one of the most ambitious infrastructural undertakings in European football. The club plans to eventually host 47,000 fans under Phase 1B, a step that would also allow UEFA approval for Champions League matches at the new stadium. Vice President Elena Fort has suggested that a grand return could coincide with the club’s 126th anniversary in late November, calling it "an ideal moment" for the homecoming.

  While many supporters were disappointed by the extended stay at Montjuic, the board insists that patience now will lead to much greater financial and sporting stability in the long term. The delay also allows more time for structural checks and technical validation of the renovated areas, ensuring the safety and quality standards required by both local and European authorities.

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  Camp Nou should have been rebuilt 'years ago'

  Barcelona treasurer Olive acknowledged during the General Assembly that the club had left it far too long to modernise its iconic home: "We should have built this stadium years ago; we're late. And we're doing it so we can compete with the best clubs in the world. We have €175 million ($204m) in stadium revenue [for 2024-25], and without doing anything, without building a new stadium, we'd be at €250m ($291m)[at Camp Nou], but we can reach €400m ($466m)wtih the new stadium."

  It underlines the project's vital role in the club's economic recovery. His remarks echoed those of  president Laporta, who described the new Spotify Camp Nou as a symbol of both unity and ambition.

  "Spotify Camp Nou…it is the collective dream of Barcelona fans and the legacy that future generations will have," Laporta said. "We have had the courage to reactivate this project that had been put on hold. The members have to see this dream come true and have to live it. We have worked tirelessly to obtain the permits from the city council that would allow us to return to the stadium. This permit arrived and I would like to extend a warm congratulations."

  Both Olive and Laporta reinforced that Espai Barca is about more than bricks and revenue, rather a statement of identity. The new stadium is intended not only to compete financially with Europe's elite, but also to preserve the club's essence by keeping the heart of FC Barcelona rooted in its historic home.

• Controversies surrounding Camp Nou financing

  The Espai Barca project, valued at nearly €1 billion ($1.17bn), has been one of the most scrutinised initiatives in Barcelona's modern history. Its construction contract was controversially awarded to Turkish firm Limak, despite the company reportedly scoring lowest in a technical evaluation against Spanish competitors Ferrovial and FCC. Limak's proposal demanded an upfront payment of roughly €200m ($233m) compared to just €12m ($14m) from other bidders, raising concerns about transparency and long-term financing. Club officials have since defended the decision, stating that Limak's plan best met the deadlines imposed by UEFA and the local government for completion.

  The goal remains to transform Spotify Camp Nou into a state-of-the-art football and entertainment complex capable of generating consistent revenue year-round. The finished structure will serve as the crown jewel of the Espai Barca ecosystem, which also includes a new Palau Blaugrana arena and improved training facilities.

  Off the pitch, Barcelona have strengthened their commercial backbone through an extended partnership with Spotify. The renewed agreement keeps the streaming giant as the club's primary sponsor until 2030 and extends naming rights for the stadium until 2034, ensuring consistent income during the reconstruction phase. The collaboration has been hailed as a perfect fusion of football and global entertainment culture.

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  When will Barcelona actually return to Camp Nou?

  With the city council's Phase 1A permit secured, Barcelona are now focused on receiving the more expansive Phase 1B approval, which would allow 47,000 fans to attend matches at the renovated Camp Nou. Club vice president Elena Fort remains optimistic, stressing that the process is mainly administrative and that the works themselves are already complete.

  Once approved, the club's long-awaited return could coincide with a marquee fixture around its November anniversary. Financially, the coming months will be decisive. The club aims to capitalise on future stadium revenues, expected to jump from €175m to as much as €400m annually once the venue is fully operational. That increase could be transformative for Barcelona, who are still recovering from years of financial turmoil and strict La Liga spending controls.

Everton have been blessed with some standout attacking talents over the years.

Stars such as Tim Cahill, Romelu Lukaku, and Richarlison remain as beloved hall-of-famers to this day, with the current crop at David Moyes’ disposal in the form of Jack Grealish and many others giving these past heroes a run for their money.

Indeed, Grealish has already tallied up an outrageous four assists donning his new Everton blue, finally released from the shackles that held him back at Manchester City.

However, there is a different star in the exciting attacking ranks that could well be Moyes’ modern-day take on Steven Pienaar, with the South African winger yet another revered figure on Merseyside from the Scotsman’s first distinguished reign in charge.

Down memory lane: Pienaar's heroics at Everton

While Pienaar did line up for some gigantic clubs during his career, such as Ajax and Borussia Dortmund, the Johannesburg-born attacker is more well-known for his stints on Merseyside.

The nimble and slick forward would go on to amass a mammoth 229 games for the Toffees across two permanent spells, with a sublime 26 goals and 45 assists also coming his way to cement himself as one of the club’s most recent greats.

Moyes would become so enamoured by the skilful former Ajax man that he would bring him to Sunderland during his doomed stint on Wearside, with the well-travelled boss even dubbing him a “terrific” asset to have back in 2012.

Pienaar’s reputation for routinely bamboozling Premier League defences for fun down the flanks does draw some obvious similarities to Grealish, but there’s another Toffees ace strutting his stuff under Moyes and he’s a similarly vibrant source of entertainment.

The £22m "match-winner" who is Everton's new Pienaar

Of course, Pienaar is remembered with extreme fondness when delving into nostalgia based on Everton being a force to be reckoned with during large parts of his stay.

Indeed, during his breakout 2008/09 offering of ten goal contributions, the Merseyside outfit would finish in a sensational fifth spot in the final Premier League rankings.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

On top of that, the Pienaar-led side would also fall at the final hurdle in the FA Cup against Chelsea, losing 2-1 to the Blues at Wembley to finish as runners-up.

History could well repeat itself now, with the good days looking like they’re returning to the blue half of Liverpool, courtesy of Iliman Ndiaye wrongfooting defenders galore – much like Pienaar – with the goals also there to back up his tricky displays.

While Grealish is, of course, stealing most of the headlines, Ndiaye has also proven himself to be a bright spark for Moyes’ men during the early stages of the campaign.

Indeed, his two goals in league action to date have steered the Toffees to an early fifth position, the same spot Pienaar and Co. managed to reach way back in 2009.

Sheffield United

88

22 + 14

Marseille

46

4 + 5

Everton

41

13 + 0

Everton has really relied on the Senegalese forward’s magic since he sealed a switch from Marseille to Merseyside last summer, with a weighty 13 strikes next to his name from 41 total contests also helping his lowly team beat the drop last season, before embarking on a far more positive adventure under Moyes.

However, much like Pienaar needed the warmth of Goodison Park to come his way after a zero-goal stint in Germany, it’s clear that Ndiaye also needed the confidence boost of a return to England to regain his mojo after a forgettable stay in France, with the £22m-rated star now even being heralded as a “match-winner” for his consistent quality to create something from nothing by ex-Everton attacker Aaron Lennon.

Pienaar was also often lauded, too, for his split-second moments of genius, having been noted as being an “influential character” to have around by former teammate Phil Neville.

The dream will now be that Ndiaye can keep up this sparkling individual form to secure a top-half finish or even more for the Toffees, as an exciting new dawn at the Hill Dickinson Stadium continues to breed more optimism.

Everton sold "world-class" talent who's now playing like Grealish & Gordon

Everton could have used a player of Grealish and Gordon quality in their new-look team…

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 4, 2025

Benfica boss Jose Mourinho made an astonishing intervention during the Champions League clash with Chelsea after Portuguese fans started hurling objects towards Enzo Fernandes. Mourinho stepped in as drinks bottles rained down from the away section in the Shed End, pleading with his supporters to behave as they vented their fury at their former player, who left Benfica in controversial circumstances back in January 2023.

Getty Images SportJose plays peacemaker

Mourinho intervened after the travelling fans began hurling objects from the away end towards Fernandez. He left his technical area and walked down the touchline towards the away end, waving his arms above his head, then made a calming gesture, pleading with Benfica fans to behave. The Benfica faithful were still fuming over the circumstances surrounding Fernandez's departure in 2023, which saw him force through a move to Chelsea for £106 million ($142.7m) after spending just six months at Estadio da Luz. There was little to cheer for the Portuguese supporters, who watched their side lose 1-0, courtesy of an own goal from Richard Rios. 

AdvertisementMourinho makes plea to fansBenfica chief furious with Fernandez

Fernandez suffered abuse from Benfica fans for refusing to remain in Portugal after Chelsea met the release clause in the contract he had signed from River Plate in his native Argentina. Following his departure, Benfica president Rui Costa made a number of revelations about the circumstances around his exit. Costa said: "Enzo Fernandez did not want to stay at Benfica. He didn't give us any chance. I did my best, I'm sad, but I'm not going to cry for a player who didn't want to stay. When Chelsea arrived, it was really impossible to change his mind. During deadline day we found an agreement to sell Enzo to Chelsea in the summer but he didn't want to stay. From the moment Enzo realised (Chelsea would pay) the value of the clause it was unrelenting. We tried to insist, but the player did not show any openness to continuing at Benfica. I proposed to Chelsea that he stay until the summer for a lower value, but the player did not want to continue at Benfica – and this is when everything changed."

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Getty Images SportTimid return for the 'Special One'

Mourinho's return to west London was the much-hyped story of the night, but there were no fireworks at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea ground out a 1-0 win in a game that was short on clear chances and quality. The Blues' former boss was given a warm welcome from Chelsea fans, who are still grateful for his two trophy-laden spells in charge of the club, during which they landed three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups. But the Portuguese ultimately suffered defeat at his old stomping ground. After the match, Mourinho said to : "This team is a team that is building confidence, and of course, to come here to concede, you could lose balance, you could lose emotional control, you could think that we are not well, and we are going to change and then destroy everything. They kept stable, they play the game. We tried. It's not enough, but as a coach that arrived 10 days ago, it's a positive feeling."

Another Frenchman could lift the Ballon d'Or by following the Ousmane Dembele blueprint. Indeed, according to Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus, Michael Olise has the potential to become the first Ballon d'Or winner from Die Roten after 45 years. The 23-year-old has been exceptional since arriving from Crystal Palace in 2024 and is reportedly set to be offered a new deal.

• Olise, Bayern's new hero in town

  Bayern legend Mathhaus has no qualms that Olise can emulate Dembele by winning the Ballon d'Or next year. Since arriving from Palace in a move worth £52 million (€60m/$70m), Olise has been among the best attackers in the world. He was nominated in the top 30 for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, where he deserved to finish much higher than 30th position. 

  His numbers for the Bavarian giants have been staggering. Including the Club World Cup, the Frenchman has seven goals and five assists in twelve competitive matches. Overall, he has already been involved in 50 goals in 62 matches for Bayern (24 goals, 26 assists).

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  Matthaus wants Olise to take a leaf out of Dembele's book

  Matthaus spoke highly of Olise in an interview with . "He has everything an outstanding footballer needs. I see no limits for him. And the example of Ousmane Dembele shows that a winger can become a world-class footballer," said the 64-year-old. "It always depends on the success of the team, especially in the Champions League – but yes, I believe Olise can [win the Ballon d'Or]."

• Premier League waiting for Olise's return?

  At the end of August, speculation arose about Olise's long-term future. The 23-year-old is said to have an exit clause in his contract that could allow him to return to the Premier League as early as next summer, preferably to Liverpool as Mohamed Salah's successor. Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked, too.

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  Bayern set to reward Olise with new deal

  That is why Die Roten are keen to secure an early contract extension with Olise in the near future. He is currently under contract with the club until 2029. According to information from , there is already internal discussion at Munich about keeping Olise beyond that date. It is even conceivable that talks about this could begin during the course of this season. However, no contact has yet been made with Olise and his agent.

Up until yesterday, this summer was shaping up to be pretty much perfect for Chelsea.

Enzo Marsca’s side looked brilliant on the pitch, and the board were making excellent additions to the squad off of it.

However, it’s now been confirmed that Levi Colwill has suffered an ACL injury and will miss the majority of next season.

The only good news is that there is still time for the club to bring in a replacement, and while they’ve been linked with Marc Guehi in the past, reports suggest they are looking at someone else entirely.

Chelsea target Guehi alternative

Chelsea have been linked with Guehi for quite some time now, with serious reports touting him for a move back to the club as far back as last summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Those stories have remained fairly constant this summer as well, with some claiming that the Englishman could be available for a fee of around £43m.

However, while the Crystal Palace star could be a smart signing in the current circumstances, it now looks like the Blues are eyeing another international defender to replace Colwill.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Chelsea are interested in Ronald Araujo.

The report has revealed that the Uruguayan defender is someone who has been discussed by the West Londoners and is now seen as ‘one of the main options’ to come in and strengthen the backline.

Interestingly, despite renewing his contract in January, the story claims that Barcelona would be willing to let the 26-year-old leave this summer for a fee of around €50m, which is about £43m.

While that’s still a lot of money, this feels like a transfer worth pursuing for Chelsea, especially as Araujo could be the perfect replacement for Colwill.

Why Araujo would be a great signing

So, there will be some of you out there who might make the point that Chelsea have only just signed Jorrel Hato, and so there is surely no need for another defender to come in and cover for Colwill.

However, while that is a fair point and we have no doubt the Ducthman will develop into a future superstar, he’s still just 19 years old and has no experience of playing in a top-five league.

Therefore, instead of placing an immense amount of pressure on the teenager and potentially hampering his long-term development, it makes far more sense to go out and sign a proven defender who has played at the highest level for some time now, someone like Araujo.

Araujo’s Barça record
Appearances	175
Starts	141
Minutes	12926′
Goals	10
Assists	7
Points per Game	2.15
La Liga Titles	2
Copa del Reys	2
Super Cups	2
All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, the defensive “monster,” as dubbed by analyst Raj Chohan, has made 175 appearances for Barcelona, of which 141 have been starts, and he’s racked up a pretty good tally of ten goals and seven assists in those games.

Moreover, he’s helped the Catalans win two La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and two Spanish Super Cups, so he would bring a real know-how to Stamford Bridge that’s been lacking in recent years.

On top of his impressive experience and record, the Rivera-born titan can also play as both a centre-back and a right-back, meaning he’d give Maresca some extra tactical flexibility.

Finally, the 6 foot 2 ace is more than just a defensive wall, as he’s got several seriously impressive attacking underlying numbers to his name.

According to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals and goals plus assists, the top 2% for goal-creating actions from shots, the top 4% for non-penalty expected goals and the top 9% for total progressive carrying distance, all per 90.

Ultimately, losing Colwill is a massive blow, but Chelsea can help mitigate that blow by going all out and signing Araujo this summer.

He'd be unplayable with Simons: Chelsea agree terms with £40m "superstar"

The dynamic international could develop into something special at Chelsea.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 8, 2025

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

Wade to retire from first-class cricket after Sheffield Shield final

Rizwan announced white-ball captain; Babar, Afridi, Naseem return for Australia tour

Australia Test players rested for T20Is against Pakistan with captain to be named

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.