Harry Kane has reportedly emerged as Barcelona's top target to replace ageing striker Robert Lewandowski at the end of the 2025-26 season. Lewandowski is expected to depart Hansi Flick's side as a free agent when his contract with the Catalan giants expires next summer, with Barca considering triggering the £57m release clause in Kane's contract at Bayern Munich.
India’s preparations for the fourth Test in Manchester have taken a hit with two of their fast bowlers, Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh, picking up injuries that are likely to rule them out of the match. ESPNcricinfo has learned the selectors have decided to add Haryana fast bowler Anshul Kamboj as cover for the final two Tests of the five-match series.While Arshdeep hurt his bowling hand in his follow through during a training session in Beckenham on Thursday, Akash Deep has picked up a groin niggle. The fourth Test, which starts on July 23 at Old Trafford, is vital for both teams as India could either draw level with England or lose the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, in case there is a result.Related
India mull option of Jurel as keeper, Pant as batter
Chappell: Gill must define the sort of team he wants India to be
India 'leaning towards' playing Bumrah at Old Trafford
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had pointed out on Thursday that Arshdeep’s injury would impact India’s planning, and the team’s concerns have now deepened with doubts over Akash Deep. The right-arm quick played a key role in India drawing level in Birmingham with a 10-wicket match haul. In the next Test at Lord’s, he picked up just one wicket, struggling to find rhythm from the Pavilion End. He also walked off the field on the fourth afternoon to get some treatment, though it could not confirmed at the time what the issue was.At training in Beckenham, Akash Deep did not bowl or bat, but did fitness drills under the observation of trainer Adrian Le Roux. Whether the injuries are serious or not will only be known by Monday when India will have a media briefing, but both Akash Deep and Arshdeep travelled to Manchester from London on Saturday.Arshdeep Singh has suffered an injury to his bowling hand•Bipin Patel
As he started to bowl at training, Arshdeep, who is still uncapped in Tests, was heard saying: “I’ll bowl a lot today, cover all the work of a week, and then go and shop.” A little while later, though, he walked out and had his bowling hand taped. It could not be ascertained if he has received stitches, but Arshdeep would have counted himself in contention for the Old Trafford Test in case Akash Deep was ruled out.India now find themselves in a tight spot, and the question of Jasprit Bumrah’s participation in Manchester becomes more critical. Ten Doeschate had admitted that, with the with the series on the line, India would be “leaning towards” playing Bumrah in the fourth Test, but his selection would come down to several other factors including the weather in Manchester and the fitness of the other bowlers.Mohammed Siraj, the only India fast bowler to have played all three Tests in this series, has already bowled the most overs for the visitors and ten Doeschate said his workload would need to be carefully managed too. Prasidh Krishna, who played the first two Tests, is the other specialist fast bowler in the squad, apart from the bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur who played the first Test in Leeds.Kamboj, 24, is a stocky right-arm fast bowler who can be skiddy as well as hit the deck hard on occasion. He was part of the India A squad that played two unofficial Tests prior to the England Test series and picked up four wickets in the second match in Northampton, including twin strikes in one over in the second innings. Prior to that, Kamboj also shared an unbroken 149-run stand with Tanush Kotian in the same match, which ended in a draw.England lead the series 2-1 after their thrilling 22-run win at Lord’s, sealed in the final session of the final day.
Celtic were in action against Hibernian on Saturday, and one star caught the eye more than most for Brendan Rodgers on an occasion that ultimately ended in frustration.
Despite their best efforts, Celtic had to settle for a point at home to Hibernian on Saturday in a goalless draw mired by frustration due to their lack of potency in the final third.
Statistically, the Scottish Premiership holders racked up 26 shots and an Expected Goals tally of 3.00, per Fotmob. Nevertheless, some excellent stops from Raphael Sallinger and a host of missed chances meant a share of the spoils at Parkhead.
Opting not to criticise his players too much after a day where luck wasn’t on their side, Rodgers praised Celtic for their ‘dominant’ performance, also offering credit to Hibernian for their robust display. He stated via BBC Sport:
“I was happy with the performance. I think every metric in the game, we were dominant. I thought today our football was really good, we went through the pitch well but we just lacked that killer instinct in the box. But I also think they defended the box really well so we need to credit Hibs for that.”
Kelechi Iheanacho couldn’t convert his chances against Hibernian despite being heavily involved in attacking moves, while Arne Engels and Luke McCowan didn’t do enough to convince supporters they are worthy of a regular place in the engine room after rare starts.
Perspective is needed in light of the Hoops’ opportunity creation, but they are now two points behind Heart of Midlothian in the league standings as they now focus on facing Braga in the Europa League next Thursday.
Regardless, one Celtic performer did take his chance against Hibernian, earning praise from the manager after an impactful display on an otherwise forgettable afternoon.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Rodgers made his appreciation known for loanee Marcelo Saracchi after his ‘excellent’ performance against Hibernian.
Detailing his consistency in training, he stated via The Daily Record: “Marcelo was excellent with his attitude to the game and his confidence. He’s an experienced player having played at a high level.
|
Marcelo Saracchi’s performance vs Hibernian |
|
|
Chances created |
3 |
|
Passes completed |
84/90 (90%) |
|
Shots |
2 |
|
Passes into final third |
17 |
|
Recoveries |
6 |
|
All statistics via Fotmob |
|
“Working with so many South American players, it’s an obligation, they’re not timid, they’re aggressive and strong and very committed and when we have the ball, he wants to play forward and come into those nice spaces.
“He’s made a really good impact coming into training. That attitude I like. You need that personality at a club like this. Some can be overawed, and you have to be patient, but he was excellent.”
Ultimately, Saracchi was a shining light for Celtic and proved his worth as an able deputy to Kieran Tierney, who is still working to reach full fitness after his summer move from Arsenal.
The Uruguay international has made an impressive start to life at the club and supporters will be excited to see more of the left-back in weeks to come.
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.
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.
Chalkboard
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."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
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.
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 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.
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.”