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The England star faces plenty of competition at the Gunners from Chloe Kelly, Olivia Smith and Caitlin Foord, but still has a big part to play

One can only imagine what Jocelyn Precheur, head coach of London City Lionesses, was thinking when Beth Mead came off the Arsenal bench last weekend and killed any chance of his team getting anything out of their first game in the Women's Super League. Just a few weeks prior, Precheur had spoken with the England forward about a potential move. Now, having decided to stay with the Gunners, here she was showing just why the club was interested, producing two assists within just 83 seconds of each other to put victory at the Emirates beyond doubt.

London City made a bigger splash in the summer transfer window than perhaps any other side in Europe – and certainly within England – by signing Grace Geyoro for a world-record fee on deadline day to cap several months of impressive business which had brought established names like Nikita Parris, Katie Zelem and Danielle van de Donk to the newly-promoted club. For a while, it looked like Mead would be added to that list, with the ambitious outfit, backed by the billions of Michele Kang, offering her a move that would surely bring with it more game time.

Off the back of a summer in which she largely played the role of substitute as England retained their European Championship crown, having also found herself on the Arsenal bench more often than not in the second half of last season, few would've questioned Mead's decision had she opted for a switch. But her incredibly impactful cameo on Saturday was evidence that she still has plenty to give in north London, as well as for England.

Getty ImagesCompetition for places

In some ways, Saturday's performance encapsulated Mead's 2025. Since Chloe Kelly's arrival at Arsenal at the end of the January transfer window, in a loan deal that would be made permanent this summer, the 30-year-old has struggled for consistent starts at club level.

Indeed, since Kelly's second Arsenal debut, Mead has started just six times for her club and has appeared as a substitute on eight further occasions. Kelly, meanwhile, has made 10 starts and three sub appearances. Only twice have the pair started together, with head coach Renee Slegers preferring to combine the two with the other wide options in her squad, rather than with each other.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMaking the most of minutes

Yet, despite her opportunities becoming more limited than she is used to, Mead has remained effective. She scored three goals and provided three assists in that period after Kelly's arrival last season, for an average of one direct goal contribution every 102 minutes, with the biggest of that half-dozen being her classy assist in the Champions League final, setting Stina Blackstenius up for the goal that made Arsenal champions of Europe.

Getty Images SportChanging roles

It was a similar story at Euro 2025. Mead went into that tournament with England as a starter, having featured from the get-go in each of the Lionesses' last five outings before the competition got underway in Switzerland. She'd justified her place, too, despite reduced minutes at Arsenal, producing three goals and two assists in that spell. When Sarina Wiegman picked her first XI of the tournament against France, Mead was in.

But it quickly became apparent that a change was needed to balance the England team out. After a flattering 2-1 loss in that opener, Wiegman moved Lauren James from the No.10 role to the right wing, meaning Mead dropped to the bench. Despite that, she would still play a crucial role in the Lionesses' second-successive continental triumph via impressive cameos off the bench throughout the knockout stages.

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Getty Images'Tough club to walk away from'

No senior player ever really wants to be a super-sub, especially not one with Mead's pedigree. It thus made total sense for London City to try and prise her away from Arsenal this summer, with more minutes sure to give her a greater shot of returning to that England XI. But it was always going to be hard for her part ways with the club she has grown into a superstar with over the last eight years, especially when she didn't have to.

"It’s a tough club to walk away from," Mead told last week. "When you’ve been somewhere this long it holds a very precious place in your heart. I have another year left on my contract, I still think I’m more than good enough to compete and be able to play in this team and I know I bring something different."

West Ham United’s pre-season schedule is now underway.

On Saturday, in a behind-closed-doors fixture in Zürich, the Hammers beat Grasshoppers 3-1; Andy Irving, Callum Marshall and Lucas Paquetá the scorers.

Next up for Graham Potter’s team, they’ve travelled stateside for the Premier League Summer Series, facing Manchester United in New Jersey this weekend, before games against Everton in Chicago and then Bournemouth in Atlanta.

With the start of the proper season fast approaching, will the Irons get their hands on a new attacking midfielder?

Latest on West Ham's transfer activity

Fair to say, West Ham supporters were not best pleased about the news that star winger Mohammed Kudus had joined fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur for £55m, the first player to make the controversial move since Scott Parker 14 years ago.

In terms of arrivals, the Hammers have bolstered their full-back options, signing El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague for a reported fee of £19m, while Kyle Walker-Peters has joined from Southampton on a free transfer.

Nevertheless, Kudus’ departure means Potter will be demanding new signings in forward areas, hence why Sébastien Vidal of Weekend Sports is reporting that West Ham “have opened initial talks” to sign Georgiy Sudakov from Shakhtar Donetsk.

They add that the “creative midfielder” is valued at around £30m by the 15-time Ukrainian champions, with the Hammers “looking to accelerate the deal” and finalise the move as soon as possible.

Transfer Focus

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

So, could he soon become the third Ukrainian to represent West Ham United, after current national team head coach Serhii Rebrov and the country’s second-highest goalscorer of all time, Andriy Yarmolenko?

How Georgiy Sudakov would improve West Ham

After spending three years in Metalist Kharkiv’s academy, Sudakov joined Shakhtar Donetsk as a 15-year-old, before making his senior debut in 2020, this coming off the bench during a famous Champions League victory over Real Madrid at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano no less.

Subsequently, the 22-year-old has accumulated 140 appearances for Shakhtar, scoring 35 goals and registering 24 assists, including netting against Barcelona, Young Boys and Stade Brestois in Champions League ties.

Despite being linked with a move away, Sudakov featured in both legs of his team’s Europa League qualifying victory over Ilves earlier this month, starting the first leg, a 6-0 demolition in Ljubljana; it’ll therefore be interesting to see if he’s involved in Thursday night’s second qualifying round match against Beşiktaş in İstanbul.

Having also already won 29 international caps, starting all three of Ukraine’s fixtures at Euro 2024, Sudakov has earned plenty of high praise.

Andy Jones of the Athletic labels him one of the ‘most exciting prospects’ and ‘brightest young talents’ in Eastern Europe, adding that he is a ‘versatile midfielder’ who operates best as a number ten, given that he is ‘technically gifted’ and poses ‘creative threat’.

Meantime, Shakhtar Donetsk sporting director Serhiy Palkin stated back in April that his star man “will definitely move to a top European club this summer”, with aforementioned national team manager Rebrov asserting that he has “a bright future”.

On top of this, analyst Ben Mattinson describes him as “exciting” and “unpredictable”, tipping him to replace Florian Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen. The 22-year-old German has just joined Liverpool for £116m, a Premier League record fee, so let’s assess how the duo compare.

Georgiy Sudakov vs Florian Wirtz 24/25 UCL comparison
Statistics	Sudakov	Wirtz
Appearances	8	9
Minutes	702	764
Goals	2	6
Assists	1	1
All statistics below are on a per-90 basis:
Shots	1.3	2.6
Shots on target %	40%	63.64%
Chances created	1.5	3.0
Passes	46.3	52.4
Pass completion %	83.1%	88.29%
Forward passes	11.2	9.8
Take-on success %	66.67%	46.15%
Touches	62.2	75
All statistics courtesy of Squawka

Of course, Wirtz does come out on top for the vast majority of statistics included, but this shouldn’t be too surprising, given that he is the one making a record-breaking move to the Premier League champions.

The caveat for the table above is of course the fact that Sudakov was playing for a Shakhtar Donetsk side who finished 27th in the gigantic Champions League table, winning only two matches, while Bayer Leverkusen ended up sixth with five victories to their name.

Nevertheless, Sudakov does have the edge when it comes to forward passes and take-on success %, and his numbers are pretty comparable to those of Wirtz across the board, especially in terms of chances created.

Thus, it is clear that the Ukrainian international is a player of vast potential and one West Ham should do everything in their power to get their hands on, before an even bigger European juggernaut comes calling.

Bowen 2.0: West Ham plotting offer for £6m star who “has got everything"

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By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 22, 2025

Patil and Reddy shared five wickets among them to restrict Pakistan to just 105

S Sudarshanan06-Oct-2024

Harmanpreet Kaur was back at No. 4, stroking a crucial 29•ICC/Getty Images

India’s net run rate (NRR) ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 game against Pakistan was -2.90. They had to win and win big against Pakistan for that to become positive and move up in the points table. On a hot afternoon in Dubai, though, India achieved only one of those tasks – beating Pakistan by six wickets to earn two points and open the account with a sluggish chase.The win was set up by Arundhati Reddy and Shreyanka Patil, who combined for five of the eight wickets Pakistan lost. Pakistan huffed and puffed to 105 on the back of Nida Dar’s 28. But on a slow, spin-friendly surface, Pakistan also used their spinners well and denied India the launchpad: they eventually got home in the 19th over with only five fours hit – three by Shafali Verma and one each by Harmanpreet Kaur and S Sajana, playing for the injured Pooja Vastrakar. Back at her familiar No. 4 spot after being promoted to one-down in the opening game, Harmanpreet was the only India batter with a strike rate over 100, in the top six.Pakistan show early intentOn the eve of the contest, Pakistan captain Fatima Sana spoke about using the power game to hit hard at their rivals. The openers tried to use their feet in a bid to walk the talk after Pakistan opted to bat. Gull Feroza tried to use her feet to counter Renuka Singh’s swing but was undone in the opening over. Muneeba Ali also used the crease so much that the runs hardly justify those. She used even the slightest of width to go over the in-field, like she did twice against Renuka inside the powerplay.Richa Ghosh took a stunner to dismiss Fatima Sana•ICC/Getty Images

Reddy-powered India ‘turn’ the tideIn the absence of Vastrakar, who was out with a niggle, Reddy had to shoulder additional seam-bowling responsibility and was brought on in the fourth over of the game. Immediately she induced a false stroke, with Sidra Amin chipping one towards mid-off. In her next over, Reddy delivered the perfect blow, getting Muneeba to scoop one straight to short fine leg only for S Asha to grass a sitter. A couple of balls later, though, Reddy struck by having Omaima Sohail miscue one to mid-off.A few quiet overs saw Muneeba being stifled, and Patil pounced on the chance to get among the wickets. Anticipating a charge from the Pakistan opener, she threw one wider outside off, past which Muneeba walked and Richa Ghosh did the rest. Dar found it slightly tough to keep the scorecard ticking on her own and losing partners regularly did not help.Reddy first trapped Aliya Riaz in front – the DRS not coming to the Pakistan allrounder’s aid after Hawk-Eye showed it to be clipping leg – before Patil dismissed Tuba Hassan for a three-ball duck. Sana showed a bit of intent and struck successive fours off Asha but fell to a terrific catch by Ghosh. She looked to slog the legspinner out of the ground but Ghosh dived to her right to pluck a one-handed stunner. Reddy then bowled Dar to pick up her third.India’s strange chaseFor India to get their NRR in the positive, they had to overhaul the 106-run target in 11.2 overs. However, India endured a boundary-less powerplay, with Shafali and Smriti Mandhana struggling to put away spin. Mandhana hit some crisp strokes but found the fielders in nine of the ten balls leading to her dismissal. In a bid to break free, she chipped one tamely to backward point.On cue, Sana kept spin on for 13 of the first 15 overs. They frustrated Shafali with lack of speed, as a result of which, she missed putting some of the juicy full tosses away. India ended their boundary drought in the eighth over when Shafali welcomed Tuba with a pull through midwicket. She hit a couple of more fours before holing out to long-on.At the other end, Jemimah Rodrigues – batting at No. 3 ahead of Harmanpreet – kept manoeuvring the field and helping India inch closer. However, boundaries were hard to come by and, when India lost her and Ghosh off successive balls, it seemed Pakistan could do the unthinkable. Harmanpreet then almost saw India home in the company of Deepti Sharma. However, she sprained her neck while turning awkwardly to avoid being stumped and walked back retired hurt. Sajana then came out to hit the winning four that helped India maintain their upper hand over Pakistan in women’s T20Is.Reddy reprimandedIndia fast bowler Reddy has been reprimanded for breaching level one of the ICC Code of Conduct in the game on Sunday. She was found guilty and as a result, handed a demerit point.Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”The incident occurred in the 20th over of Pakistan’s innings, when Reddy, after dismissing allrounder Nida Dar, gestured in the direction of the pavilion.

Chelsea’s second signing of the summer is through the door. Last week, the Blues completed a deal for Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, activating his relegation release clause and bringing him to Stamford Bridge, beating the likes of Manchester United in the race for his signature.

Now, signing number two is also in the building for Enzo Maresca and his squad. Centre-back Mamadou Sarr has made the move to West London from their sister club, Strasbourg, who were one of the standout clubs in Ligue 1 last summer. The defender has signed with the club for eight years and could be in line to play in the Club World Cup.

Sarr might not be the only defender Chelsea sign this summer. They are already linked with another centre-back.

Chelsea’s next centre-back target

So, it seems clear that Maresca is intent on strengthening at the back this summer. After the addition of Sarr, the Blues seem likely to pursue another defender, although they might not be in before the pre-Club World Cup deadline on Tuesday.

Transfer Focus

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

According to a report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are set to make a move for Ajax and Netherlands international Jorrel Hato. They have reportedly ‘had contacts with Ajax in the last few days’ regarding a potential move for the Dutch talent.

Despite the contact and willingness to get a deal done, they will face stiff competition from Premier League rivals. Hato has ‘long been on the radars of both Arsenal and Liverpool’, with Newcastle United also showing interest.

They have all ‘asked for information on the player’ ahead of a potential summer move, which could cost as much as £42.3m.

Why Hato would be a good signing

Football scout Antonio Mango summed up just how good Hato is by describing him as “one of the best young talents in football”. Indeed, that is the kind of impression the 19-year-old has made during his short career so far.

Last season was a strong campaign by the talented young defender. He amassed 50 appearances for Ajax in all competitions, mainly playing as a left-back, but also slotting in at centre-back, a position in which he equally excels. He managed three goals and six assists in total.

To put into perspective the kind of player Chelsea are looking to sign, Hato was Ajax’s youngest ever captain back in November 2023, at the age of just 17. He has now skippered his boyhood club three times, showing incredible leadership at such a young age.

Hato might even be a better signing for Chelsea than their new defender Sarr. The 19-year-old France under-20 international is certainly an exciting addition, and impressed for Strasbourg under Liam Rosenior last season.

The youngster played 28 games in all competitions, with all but one of those appearances coming in Ligue 1. It was certainly a successful season for the new Blues defender, who helped keep ten clean sheets in the top flight of France as his side qualified for the Conference League.

However, Hato managed to keep more clean sheets in an Ajax shirt than Sarr managed for Strasbourg under Rosenior. The Dutchman played his part in 14 clean sheets in the Eredivisie last term.

When looking at the underlying data on FBref from Hato and Sarr’s campaigns in 2024/25, there are further numbers which suggest the Ajax star is a better player than the new Chelsea man. For example, Hato averaged 2.78 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, compared to 2.39 each game for Sarr.

Progressive passes

4.17

1.98

Tackles and interceptions

2.78

2.36

Blocks

1.22

0.99

Ball recoveries

4.51

3.73

Aerial duels won

1.77

1.14

It seems as though, for a talent perhaps better than Sarr, £42.3m is a steal for Hato. He has all the tools needed to make it to the very top, and the fact that he has already captained Ajax at such a young age is even more of a reason to sign him.

With the Blues looking to bolster at the back, this is a fantastic option for Maresca’s side, which can definitely add quality and potential to their defensive options.

Chelsea contact £80m ex-Man City starlet who'd join with Jamie Gittens

The west Londoners are looking to sign multiple attackers.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 10, 2025

Arsenal have agreed to tie rising star left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly down to a new long-term deal, in what is a major boost for Mikel Arteta, but according to Fabrizio Romano, he’s not the only one poised to commit his future at the Emirates Stadium.

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Posts 2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 19, 2025

The teenage defender enjoyed a stellar breakout season over the course of 2024/2025, cementing himself as Arteta’s preferred left-back option with a string of impressive displays, which included excellent showings against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

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

He also scored his first senior goal for Arsenal during their 5-1 win over Man City, and his big-game displays have earned Lewis-Skelly an official nomination for this year’s PFA Young Player of the Year award.

Lewis-Skelly earned his first senior caps for England at international level along the way too, so you’d be hard-pressed to find another player who’s enjoyed the 2025 this young man has.

The versatile full-back/midfielder was so convincing, in fact, that Real started to express an interest in Lewis-Skelly amid their repeated links to fellow star Gunners defender William Saliba.

His contract was set to expire in 2026, which would’ve undoubtedly piqued Xabi Alonso’s interest further, but according to reliable media sources, Lewis-Skelly won’t be going anywhere any time soon.

The Athletic claim these fresh terms could see Arsenal’s sensation become “one of the best-paid young players in the world”, and you can argue this lucrative new pay-packet is very much deserved.

News of Lewis-Skelly’s extension comes as more welcome news for Arteta, who recently saw Gabriel put pen to paper on a new deal until 2029.

Talks are ongoing over more new contracts, with Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Leandro Trossard, and Ethan Nwaneri all set to be rewarded with new offers to remain in N5 for the foreseeable (Charles Watts).

Ethan Nwaneri set to sign new Arsenal deal with Myles Lewis-Skelly

According to Romano, Lewis-Skelly’s new contract could be immediately followed by Nwaneri penning new terms.

According to the reliable transfer journalist, it is merely a “matter of time” before Arsenal’s fellow PFA Young Player of the Year nominee also signs his extension, following Nwaneri’s own impressive campaign.

The 18-year-old became Arsenal’s youngest-ever debutant in 2022, and he’s followed up that early promise with an array of convincing outings across 2024/2025.

Nwaneri scored nine goals and notched more assists over 37 appearances in all competitions last term, and he’s likely to play an even more regular role in 2025/2026, as Arteta seeks to end the club’s long wait for a league title.

“That’s what we love about him – he’s very aggressive. Before that [goal], he had another action where he made the right choice, he went for it,” said Arteta after Nwaneri scored his first ever Champions League goal in January.

“He never [looks nervous], he’s so composed, calm and confident in his ability. At 17, scoring a really important goal in the Champions League is not very common.”

If Manchester United are to claim silverware for the third season in succession, then once again the Red Devils will largely have Bruno Fernandes to thank for that success, with the club’s talismanic skipper simply dragging his side to the Europa League final.

The 30-year-old has scored seven times in the competition this term – six of which have come in the knockout stages – alongside chalking up five assists, with the Portuguese’s ice-cold penalty notably kickstarting the stunning late comeback at home to Lyon.

Of course, as the captain of a side currently residing in 16th in the Premier League table, the playmaker is not exempt from blame. No player in the current squad is above criticism.

And yet, the murmurings surrounding a potential offer from Saudi Arabia for the former Sporting CP star have only served to reinforce just how vital Fernandes is to this struggling side. As Ruben Amorim put it, he is “one of the top players in the world”.

Perhaps the modern-day equivalent of the great Bryan Robson, a shining figurehead in a far from glorious era for United, Fernandes deserves to be part of a side truly challenging for Premier League and Champions League glory.

Bruno Fernandes’ 24/25 season in numbers

Competition

Games

Goals

Assists

Premier League

34

8

10

Europa League

13

7

5

FA Cup

3

2

1

EFL Cup

3

2

2

Community Shield

1

0

1

Total

54

19

19

Stats via Transfermarkt

First, however, major surgery is needed to strengthen the side around him…

Latest on Man Utd's transfer search

After the dismal Erik ten Hag-led transfer policy, which revolved around Eredivisie-based or Dutch imports, it would appear that the INEOS regime are seeking a change in tact this time around, amid reports that the club are ready to raid the Premier League for high-profile talents.

Indeed, the two leading candidates to arrive at Old Trafford this summer appear to be Matheus Cunha and Liam Delap, with the exciting pair – who have scored 27 league goals between them – looking set to depart Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town, respectively.

Aside from that duo, however, Football Insider are also reporting that Amorim and co are now in ‘pole position’ to sign Bournemouth sensation, Antoine Semenyo, amid the Ghanaian’s standout season on the south coast.

Transfer Focus

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

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As per the report, the chances of United landing the 25-year-old are ‘likely to be boosted’ if they secure Europa League glory next week, with the club potentially needing to fend off Arsenal and Newcastle United in the battle for his services.

This comes amid recent speculation which suggested that INEOS were willing to fork out £38m to sign the former Bristol City man, albeit with it yet to be seen whether the Cherries would accept anything less than their £60m asking price.

If United can win the race for the forward’s signature, he could represent the perfect addition to help revive Amorim’s limp forward line.

Why Semenyo could thrive at Man Utd

As the defeat to West Ham United showcased, this is a Manchester United side devoid of energy and athleticism. As Amorim himself admitted, there was a real “lack of urgency” from his charges.

A particular problem, something which the 40-year-old has also regularly pointed to, is the club’s struggles with ‘physicality’, a factor that has perhaps explained the difference between their success domestically and on the continent.

Bringing Semenyo into the fold could then go some way toward changing that dynamic, with the 25-year-old a simply explosive and electric presence in attack, having been described as “almost unplayable” at times by journalist Ed Aarons.

As former Bristol boss Nigel Pearson stated in the past, the 6 foot 1 ace is “very difficult to play against” due to his “pace and power”, having scored nine league goals this season while operating as a striker or on the flanks.

A player who can stretch a difference with a searing run in behind, Semenyo could then strike up a devastating partnership with that man Fernandes, with United’s “creative machine” – as hailed by Kevin De Bruyne – simply a master at picking out his teammates with a lofted or threaded pass to unlock a defence.

That was notably evident with regard to the Portuguese’s relationship with Marcus Rashford in the past, having jointly contributed to 26 goals alongside the Englishman, while notably providing six assists for his exiled teammate in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign.

Interestingly, Rashford is actually noted as a similar player to Semenyo among those in their position across Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref, thus further outlining that he has the attributes to potentially thrive in partnership with Fernandes next season.

While the captain’s long-term role in the side is yet to be decided, he is a creative weapon wherever he is deployed, be it as a number six or a number ten, having again topped the division this term for chances created (88).

All he needs now is teammates to properly thrive on those opportunities. Could Semenyo fit the bill?

Related Man Utd could sign £150k-a-week Aston Villa star if Bruno Fernandes leaves

He has enjoyed an outstanding season for his current team.

Posts 2 ByHenry Jackson May 12, 2025

2025 is set to be a year of mass overhaul in terms of Manchester City’s squad.

Numerous sky blue stalwarts are set to be moved on, while the Citizens have already spent big in the January transfer window to recruit younger players, with this forecast to be just the start.

So, with arguably the club’s greatest-ever player amongst those heading out the exit door, could Man City’s “best academy player” be poised to make an impact at first team level?

Kevin De Bruyne's Manchester City farewell

Following Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, Kevin De Bruyne now has just two matches left at the Etihad, hoping to depart by hoisting silverware aloft, ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Wembley.

The Belgian revealed last week that his departure was the club’s decision, stating that he was “a bit surprised” not to be offered a new contract, refusing to rule out the possibility of staying in Europe, perhaps even joining a rival Premier League club.

Jamie Jackson of the Guardian describes De Bruyne as Man City’s greatest-ever and most-decorated player, so he will certainly be a difficult man to replace, but do the Sky Blues have a youngster or two ready to fill his rather large void?

The Manchester City youngster who could replace De Bruyne

In recent weeks, James McAtee has seen his role increase in importance, starting Man City’s last two home games, scoring his first-ever Premier League goal for the club during the comeback 5-2 victory over Crystal Palace.

However, back in January, it was reported that the 22-year-old was unhappy with his lack of first team opportunities, pushing for a move to Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, who were very interested, but this move was blocked by Pep Guardiola.

Once again, James Ducker of the Telegraph is reporting that Nottingham Forest are now targeting a move for McAtee who, despite those recent starts, could be forced to move in search of more regular first-team action.

So, could it be a different Manchester City youngster who gets properly integrated into the first team picture?

Given that he’s only 17 years old and yet to make his senior debut, Divine Mukasa may not be a name you’re familiar with just yet, but you surely will be soon, and these statistics emphasise exactly why.

Man City U18s

45

3,479

19

26

Man City U19s

9

495

Zero

4

Man City U21s

4

77

Zero

1

As the table outlines, Mukasa has been starring at under-18 level this season, with only Nicholas Oyekunle (Southampton), Lucá Williams-Barnett (Tottenham) and teammate Reigan Heskey having scored more goals in the U18 Premier League this season.

This has led to journalist Nassali Sandrah labelling Mukasa “the best academy player in Europe”, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout is impressed by his ‘passing, vision, ball control, creativity, dribbling and first touch’, all useful attributes!

So, while Mukasa may not be ready just yet to become a regular fixture in the Manchester City first team, he certainly appears to be a star in the making.

Even better than Costa: Pep has already sold "world-class" Man City GK

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ByBen Gray Apr 23, 2025

A big European club have joined the race to sign a Liverpool player who the Reds are willing to move on ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Busy summer on the cards at Liverpool with multiple exits possible

It promises to be a busy summer at Anfield, despite Arne Slot’s side being on course to lift the Premier League title over the coming weeks.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are all out of contract at the end of the campaign, with the former of the three looking on course to join Real Madrid in a free transfer.

Liverpool make contact to sign "world-class" £62m striker ahead of Arsenal

The Reds are now in the race to sign a “world-class” striker, having made the first move towards getting a deal done.

1 ByDominic Lund Apr 1, 2025

Van Dijk and Salah could follow the right-back out of Merseyside, however, Liverpool could also cash in on a number of players. Darwin Nunez has been linked with an Anfield exit, whereas Newcastle United have also made an offer worth more than £50m to sign Harvey Elliott.

Another player linked with a move away from Merseyside has been Federico Chiesa, who scored Liverpool’s consolation goal at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final last month.

Picking up £7.8m per year at Anfield following his move last summer, Chiesa has been of interest to Serie A side Lazio, with Liverpool ready to accept a loan offer for the Italian.

However, Lazio may not be able to afford his £150,000 per week salary, and it looks as if another Italian club has made their move for the attacker.

AS Roma make contact to sign Chiesa on loan from Liverpool

La Repubblica journalist Giulio Cardone, relayed by Sport Witness, shared a transfer update on Chiesa, this time involving AS Roma. He stated that Roma, who won the Europa Conference League in 2022, have made contact over a loan move for the forward, something Liverpool have been willing to approve.

Former Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri, now in charge in the eternal city, is the one who appears to be pushing for a deal.

“A mission that Ranieri has in mind is to regenerate Federico Chiesa. Contacts have already been initiated for the loan of the player from Liverpool to Roma. We will see if it is a negotiation that can develop and in what way.”

Chiesa has made close to 300 appearances in Italy for Fiorentina and Juventus, however, it hasn’t gone to plan in England with Liverpool.

Games

153

131

Goals

34

32

Assists

26

23

Minutes played

11,657

8,127

The 27-year-old has played just 387 minutes of action for the Reds, scoring twice and providing two assists in all competitions.

Now, with Liverpool and FSG ready to move him on in the summer, Chiesa could benefit from a loan move back to Italy for the 2025/26 season, making a transfer to Roma one to watch.

From being knocked out even before they knew it, they’re one game – and a little bit of luck – away from the playoffs

Shashank Kishore13-May-20244:04

McClenaghan: RCB’s whole bowling unit made contributions

Three weeks ago, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru fell one short of an epic chase at Eden Gardens, they slumped to their seventh defeat in eight games. Rooted to the bottom of the 10-team table then, you didn’t think a miracle was possible.Glenn Maxwell, their most prolific overseas allrounder, was woefully out of form. Their costliest pre-auction signing, Cameron Green, wasn’t clear about his role. Virat Kohli, their biggest brand captain or not, was under the spotlight for his post-powerplay slowdown. Faf du Plessis, the captain, was coming to grips with the challenges of juggling retirement with three months of franchise gigs.Andy Flower’s proven track record as coach – he has won titles as a coach in the PSL, CPL, Hundred, T10 League, ILT20 – is perhaps why he was signed in the first place. But the lack of a big Indian presence in the back room left you wondering if they had tactically erred many times over by not picking Mahipal Lomror in the middle order.Related

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You asked what more Vyshak Vijaykumar, who had dream figures of 4-0-23-1 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium against KKR, had to do to be considered regularly. Why wasn’t Anuj Rawat, one of your scouting picks from three years ago, far from assured of a spot in the XI despite proving his batting chops in the very first game at Chepauk, where RCB haven’t won in 15 years?The lack of a genuine spinner after the infamous calls around Yuzvendra Chahal first and Wanindu Hasaranga next left them scraping the sides for somebody who could turn his arm over. Karn Sharma, the most experienced of the lot, had played two games. You didn’t quite know if they trusted Swapnil Singh, 33 and barely with any IPL experience prior to this, enough.Rajat Patidar, who could’ve so famously been consigned to the sidelines if not for a mid-season injury to Luvnith Sisodia in 2022, was amid a form crisis that seemed to have blown over from the India-England Tests. He was a floater without a proper batting number, adjusting to the demands of the format while battling his own demons.In short, way too many pieces of the jigsaw, spread across corners RCB thought they’d never be able to access, needed to be pieced together for this dysfunctional outfit to once again compete, forget about conjuring magic.Rajat Patidar has been key to RCB’s turnaround•Associated PressYet, here we are, 13 games into the league phase, beginning to wonder if the stars are aligning. Is this their year? A question asked of RCB consistently every year pre-auction. Perhaps it wasn’t a legit enough debate this year, but they’ve shredded that theory to bits, and how! Essentially, way too many results had to go their way, along with them winning, of course, for RCB to even be in the conversation.Did they believe in this miracle? Their calculators, which they unfailingly dust back to life at this time every year, have been working overtime. There’s now a realistic possibility of them securing that fourth playoff spot from under Chennai Super Kings. Or maybe with some help from Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings, maybe they can edge out Sunrisers Hyderabad? There are so many possibilities.Who can understate luck amid all this? Sunday evening was meant to be a washout, one of those annual rituals that leave RCB fans tearing their hair out at times for the loss of a point, celebrating in jest at other times for salvaging one point. There was a 60% chance of thunderstorms. Three hours prior to the start, it rained in torrents for an hour.Miraculously, it cleared up for the entire duration of the game, to give RCB a chance of playing without looking at the DLS. And within an hour of the game finishing, the rain was back. Again in torrents, as if to say even the rain gods didn’t want to come in the way of this miracle.Kohli was out of the blocks in a jiffy – no look six swag and all that. Keenness to prove a point to those in the box? Who knows. Perhaps it was just the feeling of being unshackled and playing with a high tempo on a surface where RCB needed the extra runs to play for the net run rate. In any case, the change in intent has been marked. From going at 9.39 in the powerplay at an average of 34.69 in the first eight, they were now going at 11.10 while averaging 47.57 in the last five.Kohli was enjoying it so much that even his dismissal didn’t quite stir him. It elicited a cheeky sledge from Ishant Sharma, who broke the news of his India call-up many moons ago when they were room-mates, and they exchanged a friendly elbow nudge as he walked off. But while he was there, the hair-raising tempo was evident in his approach.Ishant Sharma celebrates the wicket of Virat Kohli•BCCIRCB were denied the Kohli show alright, but Patidar came out all guns blazing. Disdainfully treating Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, hitting them repeatedly into the stands. As luck would have it, he kept getting dropped too. Shai Hope grassed one at long-on, and Axar let one go at covers. Will Jacks got two reprieves, too. Axar had shelled one around the mid-on region and Tristan Stubbs misjudged one backpedalling at cover. It wasn’t just a slice of luck; they were having dollops of it.RCB had motored at 110 for 2 at the halfway mark, before the Capitals came storming back. Deliveries suddenly began to hold onto the surface, batters began going harder than before, and at times kept losing their shape. Mukesh Kumar was nailing his yorkers and Rasikh Salam was executing his cutters and back-of-the-hand variations from around the wicket. Khaleel Ahmed’s lengths were proving hard to get underneath.This gun all-Indian attack came about only because Anrich Nortje has far from been the threat he once was. And they’d found their mojo, spearheaded by Ishant, the smiling assassin. The end overs were perhaps the only passage when you genuinely wondered if RCB had let things slip. From looking good for 230, they had finished with 187.Yet, the gods were with them. David Warner nailed a slog sweep but found the lone man at the wide long-on boundary. Jake Fraser-McGurk, the first batter to hit three IPL fifties below 20 balls in a single season, began like a runaway train, hitting 21 off seven. You wondered if he was onto something, until you saw Yash Dayal’s palm come in the way of a rasping straight hit that deflected onto the stumps at the bowler’s end to run him out.How lucky could RCB get that they didn’t then have to see Rishabh Pant walking out to bat? Out suspended for poor over-rates, he was replaced by a nervous Kumar Kushagra, who was out to a wild Mohammed Siraj in-ducker. The umpire’s finger went up even before Siraj turned around to belt out an appeal.Hope flickered briefly for DC, but Green snuffed that out with a direct hit to run out Stubbs with a clean pick-up and throw back to the non-striker’s end. With Axar threatening a coup, there was a wisp of thunder, the rumbling of clouds gathering overhead. The winds picked up and you wondered if there was another twist.It wasn’t to be. The rains held off for RCB to conjure magic of the kind not many expected. Their batting tempo that was unlocked in despair – they found themselves chasing 277 and 232 back-to-back – will now possibly be a fascinating case study. On Saturday, it could be put to one final test against CSK.The stakes couldn’t have been higher. From being knocked out even before they knew it, they’re one game, and a little bit of luck, away from the playoffs.

Legspinning allrounder has only just turned 18 but ECB already keen to nurture his talent

Matt Roller29-Oct-2022Rehan Ahmed, the teenaged legspinning allrounder, took everything in his stride during a breakthrough 2022 season. He has already impressed in county cricket – last month, he recorded his maiden first-class hundred and five-for in the same Championship game – and played in the Hundred and for England Lions; Mo Bobat, the ECB’s performance director, says Ahmed has already been “inundated” with opportunities from franchises around the world.But next week, he expects to feel starstruck when he boards a plane to the UAE along with James Anderson for a training camp which will present him with an opportunity to break into England’s Test squad for their tour to Pakistan. “He’s played international cricket longer than I’ve been alive,” Ahmed, who was born in August 2004, says with a grin. “It’s crazy.”Ahmed is only 18 years old but is one of three spinners in the Lions training group that will spend November in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, along with Jack Carson and Liam Patterson-White. He will play against an England XI in a three-day friendly at the end of the camp, and a successful month could see him taken to Pakistan as a net bowler, or even a back-up spinner.Related

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“I am trying to stay in the present, not thinking too far ahead,” he says. “If they take me along to train with them, great; if not I will come back and train with Leicester. Personally, I feel mentally ready. They have not said ‘we are taking you’ or this or that, but I feel like I always have to be ready for that moment.”Ahmed has caught the eye with his quick, modern style of legspin, particularly in short-form cricket, but describes himself as “more of a batsman” and wants to become “a proper allrounder”. He spent the summer asking Paul Nixon and Claude Henderson, Leicestershire’s coach and director of cricket, to move up the order; in the final round of Championship game, he hit 122 off 113 from No. 5.He admits that he is cricket-obsessed. “I can’t go a day without picking up a bat or a ball,” he says. “It’s not possible.” During the Hundred, his Southern Brave coach Mahela Jayawardene told him to take a day off after seeing his insatiable appetite for training; he snuck in an early-morning session in the indoor school while Jayawardene wasn’t looking.He is also a keen cricket watcher, and thinks that England’s ultra-positivity suits his own game. “It’s the only thing I’m interested in, in my life,” Ahmed says. “I watched most of the Test matches this summer. It’s a great entertaining style and it’s not reckless either – just a very fun way to play cricket.

“My dad is from Pakistan and I have family there. It would mean the world to represent England in Pakistan. It would be great”

“I just never get sick of it, really. Even on a bad day, I’m like, so what? I just keep shadow-batting. I keep thinking about the game. People say sometimes it can get you mentally drained but as much as I try to not to, I just keep thinking about it. I just think it’s the best thing ever. I don’t really think of studies, movies, anything like that. It’s just cricket.”Perhaps that is no surprise: his father Naeem was an allrounder growing up in Pakistan but moved to the Midlands to work as a taxi driver. “He couldn’t really play cricket when he wanted to, so he wanted his sons to do it. He’d work long hours in the night and then take us to games in the morning. He sacrificed a lot for us, and my mum has been behind us the whole time.”Ahmed is one of three brothers and insists that Raheem, a left-arm seamer who has played for Leicestershire’s second XI and the eldest at 19, is the best player in the family, though his progress has stalled due to injury. Farhan, the youngest, is only 14, but bowled offspin for Nottinghamshire’s seconds this summer, with Luke Wood among his victims.Ahmed, who views himself as more of a batter, scored his maiden first-class hundred last month•Getty Images”He’s a proper cricketer,” he says of Farhan. “I don’t know why he’s an offspinner but you don’t want two legspinners in the same team. If we want to play for England, we’re going to have to do two different things. We have all had dreams about all three of us playing.”Clearly, England will have to take good care of him. “He’s someone we have a really high opinion of,” Bobat says. “He hasn’t played a huge number of games but he’s someone I’ve been speaking to quite a lot, trying to map out his winter. He’s in that category of player where he’s young, high-potential, and has done some things on TV that people get excited about.”Bobat is keen to find a balance between finding him opportunities in franchise cricket and ensuring he develops as a red-ball player. “I’ve already spent time with Leicestershire trying to map out a medium-to-long-term plan for him. English cricket has a real responsibility to manage him carefully.”Ahmed adds: “The ECB will try to do what’s best for me. I have a lot of trust in them.”If he does get an opportunity in Pakistan – in December, or in 2024 when England return for another three-Test series – it would be a special moment. “My dad is from Pakistan and I have family there, so I’ve been a few times,” he explains. “We’re from a place called Mirpur. Whenever I’ve been, I’ll go to the stadium and train and you’ll have a load of bowlers ready to bowl to you, and a load of batters ready to bat.”Every time I’ve been, it’s always been great: the way they look after you there is crazy. It would mean the world to represent England in Pakistan. It would be great.”