Santiago Giménez’s future at AC Milan has become increasingly uncertain, even though his contract runs through 2029. Local reports suggest the Mexican striker may be nearing the end of his spell at San Siro, drawing interest from several clubs across Europe – including a surprising contender in the Premier League with Sunderland.
It would be fair to say that the atmosphere around Tottenham Hotspur is not a positive one at the moment.
Thomas Frank’s side might be sixth in the Premier League, but the performances so far this season have been hard to stomach, none more so than the one against Chelsea on Saturday.
Despite being at home, the North Londoners were utterly toothless, bereft of ideas, and the player who best encapsulated their dire display was summer signing Xavi Simons.
It’s still early in his Spurs career, but so far, the Dutch international has been a massive disappointment and should therefore be dropped for another young talent who could perhaps offer a little more urgency.
Simons' start to life at Spurs
Perhaps in part due to missing out on Eberechi Eze, there was a tremendous amount of excitement in the Spurs fan base when Simons was announced.
After all, he’s long been considered one of the most exciting young attackers in European football and, at one point, looked destined to join Chelsea.
Unfortunately, it would be fair to say that the 22-year-old has come nowhere close to justifying the hype so far this season.
In 12 appearances for the club, he has failed to score a single goal and has provided just one assist, which came in his first appearance, away to West Ham in gameweek four.
With that said, while that is a poor return, could it be that the former PSV Eindhoven gem is simply someone who starts seasons a little slower than most?
Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
For example, in his first 11 games for RB Leipzig last year, before he got injured, the Amsterdam-born gem managed to score three goals and provide two assists.
Likewise, the campaign preceding that saw the youngster rack up an even better tally of four goals and five assists in his first 12 matches, excluding the curtain-raising DFL-Super Cup.
Therefore, while it would be nice to say that Simons is doing what he does every season and will therefore eventually come good, that is not the case.
Therefore, Frank should keep him on the bench for now and look towards the academy for a temporary solution.
Spurs' Simons solution
With Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison still out, Frank could and probably should look to the likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar-Sarr to start ahead of Simons.
Chalkboard
However, there is another, far bolder option, one he could go with for the ‘easier’ games, or as a first option from the bench ahead of the Dutchman.
That option is Hotspur Way’s most exciting prospect since Mikey Moore: Luca Williams-Barnett.
Now, the first argument one might put forward here is that the Englishman is too young.
However, that would carry a lot more weight if the suggestion was to start the youngster in game after game, but that is not the case.
Instead, it might be worthwhile for Frank and the club to use the youngster as a substitute more often, and then potentially against the weaker teams, hand him a start.
After all, at 17 years old, he is two years older than Arsenal’s Max Dowman, and according to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, is “one of England’s best talents”.
Moreover, when you take a look at his form for the youth sides, it’s clear that he’s way beyond that level now and more than deserving of more senior football.
Williams-Barnett’s youth record
Team
U18
U21
Appearances
30
8
Goals
22
7
Assists
13
5
Goal Involvements per Match
1.16
1.5
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, in 11 games for the junior side this season, he has scored eight goals and provided seven assists, which is an average of 1.36 goal involvements every game.
Last season, he was even more effective, scoring 20 goals and providing 12 assists in just 23 appearances, which works out to an average of 1.39 goal involvements per game.
Ultimately, even if it is not from the start, Williams-Barnett has earned the right to play some meaningful minutes for Spurs this season.
Moreover, picking him over Simons could be the wake-up call the Dutchman needs to start playing to people’s expectations.
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3 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 3, 2025
Liverpool aren’t quite right this season. Despite an incredible summer spending spree that soared above anything that English football has seen before, Arne Slot’s side are struggling to recapture the verve of last season.
But for Liverpool to have completed an underwhelming start to their title defence and perch at the top of the table after six games, winning the first five before suffering defeat at Crystal Palace last weekend.
Many Redmen have struggled to find their finest form, but not all have flattered to deceive, with Federico Chiesa already looking leaps and bounds above the rarely-seen winger on the margins last year.
Chiesa's Liverpool resurgence
Liverpool hardly broke the bank after replacing Jurgen Klopp with Slot during the summer of 2024, only adding Chiesa to the ranks, and for a shrewd £12.5m fee at that.
However, Chiesa arrived having been ravaged by injury problems in recent years at Juventus, and he spent the lion’s share of the 2024/25 campaign on the sidelines, either suffering from fitness issues or overlooked by Slot.
This year, however, he is looking to make up for lost time, already with two goals and two assists apiece across all competitions. So impressive has he been that there have been calls for the underperforming Mohamed Salah to be dropped, and for Chiesa to start from the right.
Hugo Ekitike
9
5 (1)
Mohamed Salah
9
3 (3)
Federico Chiesa
6
2 (2)
Alexander Isak
5
1 (0)
Cody Gakpo
9
1 (2)
Rio Ngumoha
5
1 (0)
The versatile Italian will play an important role across the term, but there’s another member of Slot’s squad who has fallen deeper into the fringes of the squad and is beginning to look like last year’s version of the 27-year-old.
Slot's new version of Chiesa
While Chiesa is enjoying a resurgence on Merseyside, Wataru Endo’s role at the club continues to become more and more insubstantial, having
Described by Liverpool correspondent David Lynch as being an “unsung hero” for Liverpool, Endo was instrumental in steering Klopp toward a trophy-winning crescendo at the Anfield helm, and he achieved cult status last year for his tough-tackling cameos in the dying embers of matches.
Having joined for about £16m from Stuttgart after Liverpool missed out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, both signing for Chelsea, the 32-year-old Endo has played a crucial role in getting this current Liverpool team off the ground, but he’s into the penultimate year of his contract and has sat as an unused substitute for each of his side’s past three top-flight fixtures.
Tenacious, industrious and a model professional, Endo remains a valued member of Slot’s squad, but it’s hard to see him earning many opportunities, with his quality on the ball admittedly limited.
Given Gravenberch came into his own last year and is now one of Liverpool’s most important players, even said by journalist Beth Lindop to be “on par with Salah and Van Dijk”, it doesn’t look like Endo will be earning a string of starts in the Premier League any time soon, with Slot sure to look for other ways to cover at number six, should the Dutchman fall to an injury.
With Stefan Bajcetic also waiting in the wings and boasting a confidence in receiving the ball, pivoting and progressing forward, there’s a sense Endo’s fringe role at Liverpool may become more peripheral still as the year goes on.
While Chiesa’s bounce-back across the opening weeks of the season serves as inspiration for any footballer looking to pick themselves up from the wayside, Endo is not a spring chicken anymore, and his big moments in Slot’s squad might trail behind him.
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ByAngus Sinclair Sep 30, 2025
The most valuable player on a pitch is a striker, and nowadays, being a world-class centre-forward is more than just scoring goals.
Starting the press without the ball and linking up play are also two important attributes, but more often than not, a striker is judged by their goal to game ratio.
Currently, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane are viewed as some of the best strikers in world football.
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ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025
Here is a list of 20 of the most iconic centre-forwards football has ever seen, factoring in longevity and consistency at the highest level, while also looking at their personal accolades and honours they have won.
20 Hristo Stoichkov
An all-rounded forward and the greatest Bulgarian player in history, Hristo Stoichkov kicks off the countdown.
The powerful left-footed striker was famously signed by Johan Cruyff at Barcelona when he was at the top of his game and made the Catalan giants even better.
Stoichkov won five La Liga titles at the Nou Camp and collected the Ballon d’Or in 1994 after picking up the 1994 World Cup Golden Boot.
19 Kenny Dalglish
Arguably Liverpool’s greatest ever player, Kenny Dalglish wasn’t just a goalscorer and could run games of a football as a centre-forward.
‘King Kenny’ starred in the 1970s and 1980s, scoring more than 200 goals and winning 24 trophies during an iconic career.
18 Gabriel Batistuta
Argentine powerhouse Gabriel Batistuta was a goalscoring machine in the 1990s for Fiorentina, outscoring every other Serie A player in that decade.
Named by Pele in the FIFA 100 list in 2004, Batistuta was known for his aerial ability and physical presence, but when he had the ball at his feet, he was an excellent dribbler and clinical in front of goal and had an unbelievable World Cup record.
17 Harry Kane
Harry Kane is one of the most clinical strikers around, and he’s been finding the back of the net on a regular basis for Tottenham, Bayern Munich and England since 2014.
In fact, Kane has scored 17 or more league goals in 12 successive seasons, and his goalscoring record is remarkable. Now England’s all-time top scorer, Kane may not have the trophies to match his individual brilliance, but he is more than just a goalscorer with an incredible passing range.
16 Karim Benzema
One of the most underrated strikers in recent times, Karim Benzema often hasn’t got the plaudits he’s deserved after starring at Real Madrid for 14 years.
Finally lifting the Ballon d’Or in 2022, Benzema has won 33 honours during his career and scored more than 350 goals during his time at the Bernabeu.
Whether it be in the air or with the ball at his feet, the Frenchman was a nuisance for centre-backs and was often overshadowed by a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.
15 Jimmy Greaves
Part of the England side that won the 1966 World Cup, Jimmy Greaves was nominated for the Ballon d’Or on six occasions in the 1960s and starred for Chelsea and Tottenham during his career.
A Spurs legend with two FA Cup triumphs, Greaves also won Serie A with AC Milan. He finished his career as the highest scorer in England’s first tier of football with 357 goals, highlighting how much of a prolific goalscorer he was.
14 Alan Shearer
The Premier League has been regarded as the best league in the world over time, so Alan Shearer, the divisions all-time top scorer, had to be in the list.
The Englishman netted 260 times in the English top flight for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, winning the title once.
Long range strikes, in the air or from the spot, Shearer could score any type of goal and came third in the 1996 Ballon d’Or.
13 Luis Suarez
Despite plenty of controversies during his career, Luis Suarez’s footballing ability at his peak for Ajax, Liverpool and Barcelona was incredible.
The Uruguayan has scored goals on a consistent basis for 20 years now and was named the IFFHS World’s Best Goalscorer in 2010, 2014 and 2016.
Suarez has proven he can score all across the world and his 2013/2014 season with Liverpool is arguably one of the best individual seasons the Premier League has ever seen.
12 Wayne Rooney
One of four English strikers on the list, Wayne Rooney is Man Utd’s all-time leading goalscorer and had every attribute an iconic centre-forward required. From physicality to pace and world-class technical ability, Rooney scored 253 times for the Red Devils and netted 53 times for England.
Dropping deeper in midfield throughout his career, Rooney was unstoppable in his prime as a striker, winning 16 major honours.
11 Josef Bican
Josef Bican represented both Austria and Czechoslovakia on the international stage and was one of the most prolific forwards during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.
Capable with finishing with ease with either foot, Bican scored more than 800 goals during his career despite making just over 600 appearances.
A ridiculous goal to game ratio, Bican has rightly gone down as a Slavia Prague legend.
Newcastle United took out their Premier League frustrations on Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Fresh off surrendering a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 to Arsenal in the top-flight to remain 15th in the top-flight standings, Eddie Howe’s Magpies went in for the kill against their shaken hosts, who might have expected a closer battle, considering they sit top of their own domestic league standings.
The travelling Toon contingent were treated to a goal-fest at the Joseph Marien Stadium, with Newcastle running out convincing 4-0 victors due to a whole host of standout performers, as Anthony Gordon continued his fine form in Europe’s elite competition versus Sébastien Pocognoli’s men.
Gordon's impressive performance in Belgium
Scoring last time out in the Champions League as a Marcus Rashford-led Barcelona narrowly beat Newcastle, Gordon picked up from where he left off at St James’ Park when making the trip to Belgium.
The England international hasn’t had the most vibrant of campaigns so far but was outstanding this week, with the tricky number ten a major thorn in the side of hosts all night long.
He notably completed five dribbles across the course of the one-sided contest. Still, despite his slick nature, it was his partner on the opposing right channel in Anthony Elanga who won the Toon the first of two penalties Gordon confidently put away.
Nick Woltemade had opened the scoring by this point. Still, just on the stroke of half-time, Gordon would essentially end the contest with his coolly dispatched penalty, which beat a helpless Kjell Scherpen, who had to fish another spot-kick out of the back of his net from the electric 24-year-old in the second half.
Winning nine ground duels for the cause as well, Gordon will hope he can put in an equally lively performance when Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest travel to Tyneside next in the Premier League, having yet to pick up a goal or assist this season in league action.
Amazingly, while Gordon did help himself to a brace, there was another Newcastle star who caught the eye even more.
Newcastle star proving he is now one of the best in the world
The Toon do have a lot of exciting players on their books at this moment in time who could easily slot into a lot of elite sides if given the chance to do so. Alexander Isak has now gone but Howe already has another talisman.
Sandro Tonali’s name instantly springs to mind in this regard, with one Toon-focused content creator after the final whistle had been sounded on the big win away at Union, going as far as to declare the energetic Italian as “world-class”.
Fortuitously collecting this assist when his effort was cleverly diverted home by Woltemade only tells a mere fraction of his tale in Belgium, with the relentless drive he has displayed in the Premier League in spades this season – with 3.7 ball recoveries averaged per league clash – on full display in Europe’s premier competition, too, winning four duels in total helping him to completely dominate proceedings centrally.
Tonali dictated the game throughout with 90 touches overall, which led to journalist Henry Winter declaring the 25-year-old as “incredible” for both his quality on the ball and also his unwavering stamina levels.
Minutes played
90
Goals scored
0
Assists
1
Touches
90
Accurate passes
64/72 (89%)
Total duels won
4/8
Off the back of another near faultless showing, it’s not completely absurd to say Tonali is one of the best in the world in his central midfield position, right now, with the constantly active number 8 clearly a vital cog capable of helping Newcastle through some treacherous clashes on stages such as the Champions League.
After all, if Ryan Gravenberch is in that conversation for Arne Slot’s Liverpool, Tonali should follow closely behind for Howe and Co.
Further hailed as being the “heist of the century” by Magpies-based journalist Thomas Hammond, with Tonali costing around the £55m mark to sign back in the summer of 2023 from AC Milan, Newcastle will hope they can continue to get the best out of their exceptional gem for many years to come, cautiously hoping they don’t fall victim to another Isak situation.
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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 1, 2025
Liverpool are enjoying the fruits of a bold transfer window while simultaneously trusting in their academy.
Under Arne Slot, the Reds have seamlessly balanced blockbuster arrivals with the promotion of youth talent, echoing the philosophy that served them well under Jürgen Klopp.
The summer business was headline-grabbing.
Florian Wirtz joined from Bayer Leverkusen for a British-record £116m fee, only for Alexander Isak to eclipse that figure with his £125m move from Newcastle on deadline day.
Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Geovani Leoni and Hugo Ekitike also arrived, while Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez and Jarell Quansah were among those to depart.
Despite those upheavals, Liverpool began their Premier League defence with three straight wins – 4-2 at home to Bournemouth, 3-2 away at Newcastle, and 1-0 against Arsenal at Anfield.
Slot has rotated his stars while showing a willingness to reward academy prospects. Against Newcastle, that faith paid off spectacularly when a debutant stole the headlines.
Rio Ngumoha: A star Rises
Rio Ngumoha had been on Liverpool’s radar for months before his 2024 switch from Chelsea’s academy, but few predicted the immediate impact he would make.
Introduced in the 96th minute at St James’ Park, the then 16-year-old marked his Premier League debut by scoring in the 100th minute – becoming the youngest goalscorer in the club’s history.
1
James Vaughan
16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days
2
James Milner
16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days
3
Wayne Rooney
16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days
4
Rio Ngumoha
16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days
5
Cesc Fabregas
17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days
Now 17, Ngumoha is regarded as one of England’s brightest talents.
A skilful and creative forward, he combines flair with composure beyond his years. His market value, via Transfermarkt, already stands at €10m (£8m), reflecting his rising reputation.
The England youth international had been gradually integrated into senior training last season, appearing on the bench in an EFL Cup tie against Southampton before making his professional debut in January’s 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley.
That appearance made him the youngest Liverpool player to start a first-team game, and the youngest to feature in the competition for the Reds.
Ngumoha’s rapid ascent has naturally drawn comparisons with other academy graduates who once carried a similar weight of expectation.
For Liverpool, there is a recent example that provides both inspiration and caution.
Liverpool's original Ngumoha
Kaide Gordon was once Liverpool’s golden boy, described by Klopp as a “special talent.”
Signed from Derby County in 2021 for £1m, he was earmarked for a swift breakthrough.
The right-winger wasted little time making an impression, debuting in an EFL Cup win at Norwich and scoring his first senior goal against Shrewsbury in the FA Cup.
A Premier League debut soon followed in 2022, and Gordon looked set to carve out a long-term role in Liverpool’s attack.
But progress stalled. Persistent injuries disrupted his momentum and halted his development at a crucial stage.
Last season brought loan spells at Portsmouth and Norwich in the Championship, intended to reignite his trajectory having not played in the Slot era to date. In fact, he’s not been seen in Liverpool red for 18 months.
While those experiences offered game time, they also highlighted the gulf between potential and consistency.
Gordon was linked with another temporary move this summer, but a deal failed to materialise, leaving him to fight for minutes at Anfield.
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Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Now 20, Gordon’s story serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of academy prospects. For every breakthrough like Ngumoha, there are setbacks like Gordon’s. The path from prodigy to first-team regular is rarely linear.
That juxtaposition makes Ngumoha’s situation fascinating. The youngster’s debut winner has elevated him into the spotlight, but Liverpool will be keen to manage his development carefully, avoiding the pitfalls that befell Gordon.
With Slot’s track record of nurturing talent, there is optimism that Ngumoha can continue his upward curve without being burdened by premature expectation.
Ngumoha may be Liverpool’s present and future, but his progression must be handled with care.
The contrast with Gordon illustrates both the opportunity and the risk of investing in youth.
For Slot, the challenge is to integrate Ngumoha while continuing Liverpool’s title defence – a delicate balancing act that could shape the club’s future as much as its present.
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ByAngus Sinclair Sep 4, 2025
Sunderland have seemingly mastered the art of making their home ground a fortress.
Indeed, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats are two wins from two at the Stadium of Light already early into the brand new Premier League season, but the Wearside outfit has stumbled to an unwelcome 2-0 loss – away from home comforts – when travelling to fellow newly promoted foe Burnley.
Crystal Palace is the next away test on the agenda for the top-flight newcomers, with Sunderland very much aware that they will have to stifle Jean-Philippe Mateta all match long if they stand a chance at a positive result on their travels to South London.
Mateta's heroics at Palace
While the Frenchman’s future looks to be somewhat in the air at Selhurst Park at the moment – with Leeds United reported to be looking at the 6-foot-4 striker – he will no doubt be raring to go in his bid to pick up more Premier League goals for the Eagles when the Black Cats come to town.
After all, the forceful attacker already has three goals next to his name this season in all competitions, with this confidently tucked away penalty last time out against Aston Villa helping Oliver Glasner’s men beat Unai Emery’s hosts with ease in a 3-0 victory.
Up to a hefty 49 goals in total for Palace, it will be up to the likes of new signing Nordi Mukiele to keep the Eagles’ goal machine quiet, with the imposing number 20 winning 12 duels last match against Brentford – on his debut no less – to restrict the visitors to just one strike.
Le Bris could also be tempted to switch up his personnel up top to try and unearth his own Mateta, with a goalscoring gem in the Frenchman’s ranks ready to be a hero once more to try and steer Sunderland to a much-needed away win.
Sunderland can unleash their very own Mateta
The former Lorient boss certainly has a wide array of options all over the pitch to choose from ahead of selecting his starting XI for the trip to Glasner’s side.
Indeed, he could well feel he needs to draft in Lutshurel Geertruida to try and keep Mateta at bay, alongside potentially feeling like Wilson Isidor is the best option in attack to try and gift his men a lofty, but skilful presence to lead the line, in a similar vein to the Palace number 14.
After all, despite not starting any of his team’s opening three top-flight contests, Isidor already has an impressive two league goals next to his name, with the 6-foot-1 attacker firmly pushing his previous wasteful performances for Sunderland to one side by scoring these two strikes, despite only being on the pitch for a combined 66 minutes.
Mateta has also managed to move on past any of his own criticism by becoming a heroic figure for Palace, having once just scored a weak eight goals across his first three seasons on English shores when primarily used as a substitute option. Now, much like Isidor at the Stadium of Light, he’s a beloved presence at Selhurst Park.
Games played
46
Games started
34
Goals scored
14
Assists
2
Big chances missed
20
Yet, the former Zenit St Petersburg forward will be hoping he can replicate Mateta’s rise even more by becoming Sunderland’s trusted starter in the Premier League – away from being known solely as a man who saves the day from off the bench – with Eliezer Mayenda often getting the starting nod this season over the efficient number 18.
If he were to start against Palace and steer Sunderland to a rare away victory, this would surely be grounds for more opportunities from the get-go from then on.
After all, his well-rounded game as an ice-cold finisher, matched with his ability to be a “one man machine”, as labelled by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, could perhaps allow him to be a recognised Premier League star down the line, like the equally varied Mateta.
With Brian Brobbey also now available for selection, Le Bris is spoiled for choice.
But, he will hope he’s rewarded for gifting Isidor a possible start by his side picking up an away win for the first time this season, as they continue to try to navigate the early choppy waters of the Premier League without drowning under all the pressure.
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ByKelan Sarson Sep 10, 2025
South Australia’s bid to host the Sheffield Shield final at Adelaide Oval has been blocked by the AFL with the decider to be played at Karen Rolton Oval as it was originally scheduled.The South Australia Cricket Association and South Australia premier Peter Malinauskas had led a public push to play the final at Adelaide Oval after South Australia locked in hosting rights with a win over Victoria last Sunday.Cricket Australia had originally expected the final to be played at Karen Rolton Oval, starting on March 26, given the drop-in pitches had already been removed from Adelaide Oval for the start of the AFL season. But CA were happy to support Malinauskas and the SACA in their bid to stage the game at the iconic venue which would have required to match to be moved forward two days to start on Monday March 24 to allow for Adelaide Oval’s ground staff to drop a single pitch into the middle of the venue the day after an AFL game that will staged there on Saturday March 22.Related
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The AFL had initially stated it was open to cooperating to allow cricket to use the venue but that changed when concerns were raised about the condition of the playing surface for the footballers if a pitch was dropped in and then removed again on Saturday March 26, the day after the five-day final had been played, before another AFL game was set to take place on the ground on Sunday March 27.CA chief executive Todd Greenberg issued a statement expressing frustration that the final would not be played at Adelaide Oval.”We are disappointed South Australia has been prevented from hosting the Sheffield Shield final at Adelaide Oval,” Greenberg said.”The Sheffield Shield final is a significant event for Australia’s national sport, and we believe Adelaide Oval would have been the most appropriate venue.”I would like to thank Premier Malinauskas for his advocacy in this matter and his passionate support of cricket and the South Australia Cricket Association which made an extremely compelling case to host the final at Adelaide Oval.”March is a very important month for cricket including the Sheffield Shield and Premier and club cricket finals.”We will continue to work collaboratively at all levels to ensure cricket gains and provides appropriate access to shared venues across the country.”Malinauskas had earlier in the week told 5AA radio in Adelaide that his office had received a “galling” request from an AFL “entity”, likely one of the Adelaide based AFL clubs, for financial insurance cover in case an AFL player was injury due to the surface being unstable if the Shield final was staged at the ground.”We have received a request, it’s not from cricket, I won’t say what entity it is in footy,” Malinaskas said.”What I would say is we are asking for people to act rationally and pragmatically in the interest of fans.”I’ve got to say it’s a little bit galling that people are trying to use an opportunity to look after fans as an opportunity to slug the taxpayer and I won’t be having it.”I’m not naming any names, I’m just saying my government is not going to be giving cash so they get out of the way of something everybody thinks should happen.”The Shield final has not been hosted at a multipurpose venue in Australia since 2012 due to the encroachment of the AFL season into the month of March, which had notionally been a cricket month in Australia as Greenberg alluded to.South Australia is hosting their last home and away game at Karen Rolton Oval this weekend against Queensland while the Adelaide Crows will host their first AFL game of the season at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria are all vying for the other spot in the final as the final Shield round begins on Saturday.
The allrounder underwent back surgery in October and was ruled out of the entire home season
AAP09-Jan-2025Australia hope to have Cameron Green back available for the World Test Championship final, while preparing for him to return as a batter only.Green posted a video of himself running on social media on Wednesday, almost three months after undergoing season-ending surgery on his back.Chief selector George Bailey confirmed on Thursday he was “very hopeful” Green would be available to play at Lord’s against South Africa.Related
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Green is due to undergo further post-operation scans next month and is expected to be back batting in May. He will have to wait longer to bowl, potentially after Australia’s three-Test tour of West Indies in June and July.Green’s return adds further questions to Mitchell Marsh’s chances of extending his Test career, after he was left out of Australia’s 16-man squad for Sri Lanka.While Beau Webster retained his spot after an impressive debut in Sydney, Marsh will be left to wonder when his next Test will come at age 33.But Bailey suggested there was still potential for Marsh to return to the team in next summer’s Ashes, after his impressive return to the team against England in 2023.
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“I don’t necessarily see it as the end of the road for him,” Bailey said. “I think Mitch at his best and with a longer-term view of potentially what the Ashes may look like and what England may throw at us there.”He’s got a skill set that suits there, not taking away from the fact that at some stage clearly we’re going to have the return of Cameron Green as well into the team. But unlike some, I’m probably not as glass half empty around where that leaves Mitch.”Webster’s selection comes after he hit 57 and an unbeaten 39 in Sydney, but his ability to shoulder a heavy workload with the ball could also be crucial in Asia.He also bowled offspin for the majority of his career before turning to medium pace during Covid, but Bailey said it was unlikely his tweakers would be called upon in Sri Lanka.Instead, Travis Head can provide support to Australia’s spinners Matt Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy, who could both feature as frontline spinners in the XI alongside Nathan Lyon.”[Webster’s spin] probably wasn’t something that came up as a factor in selection,” Bailey said.”I think we’ve got plenty of spin options there. It’s a nice fourth or fifth bow for Beau to have up his sleeve, but I don’t necessarily think that we’ll be heading down that path.”
West Ham United have now made an approach to sign an “exciting” striker, who has been likened to former Arsenal man Olivier Giroud, according to a report.
With Michail Antonio set to leave this summer, despite undergoing rehabilitation at West Ham, Graham Potter will need to bring in a new striker, and Callum Wilson is now closing in on a move to the London Stadium, having agreed personal terms.
Wilson is available on a free transfer, upon the expiration of the Englishman’s Newcastle United contract, meaning he would be a low-risk addition to the squad, but there are likely to be some justified concerns over the striker’s injury record.
The 33-year-old has suffered persistent injury problems at Newcastle, meaning he was unable to score a single Premier League goal last season, so there are doubts over whether the veteran forward would be a good acquisition for the Irons.
|
Season |
Games missed |
|
2022-23 |
9 |
|
2023-24 |
28 |
|
2024-25 |
29 |
There may also be concerns about Wilson’s age, considering the Hammers are well-known to have had the oldest squad in the Premier League last term, and the ex-Newcastle striker is arguably in the twilight years of his career.
As a result, it would make sense to pursue a younger striker alongside Wilson, and a new report has revealed that West Ham have now made their first move to sign a new centre-forward.
Indeed, according to a report from Football Insider, the Hammers have now made an approach to sign FC Metz striker Idrissa Gueye, but there is likely to be stiff competition for the 18-year-old’s signature.
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Within England, the likes of Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion have enquired over a deal for Gueye, while there is also plenty of interest from abroad, with giants Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund joining the race.
Amid the widespread interest in the teenager’s signature, Metz are hoping to receive a fee of around £17m, meaning he would be a relatively low-cost addition to Potter’s squad.
Scout Ben Mattinson clearly believes the starlet could go on to achieve big things, having lauded him as “exciting”, and the Metz ace has already started to catch the eye in Ligue 2.
Metz achieved promotion to Ligue 1 last term, and the one-time Senegal international made a real impact, amassing five goals and one assist in 17 appearances during the regular season.
Metz director has also spoken fondly of the Senegalese gem, likening him to former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, who remains the all-time leading goalscorer for the France national side.
West Ham could certainly do with bringing in a young striker this summer, given that Niclas Füllkrug is now 32-years-old and Antonio is set to exit the London Stadium, and Gueye could be an exciting long-term addition to Potter’s squad.