With West Ham United scrambling to welcome the reinforcements they need to avoid the drop, they’ve reportedly been offered the chance to sign a Champions League-level striker.

Potter: "Hurting" West Ham need unity

It was another defeat for West Ham in midweek and arguably their most frustrating yet as they crashed out of the Carabao Cup to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Just when the Hammers looked on course to pick up a much-needed victory, Jorgen Strand Larsen struck twice late on to compile Graham Potter’s misery.

Things reached boiling point at full-time to make matters worse, with captain Jarrod Bowen caught in an ugly confrontation with a disgruntled fan in the aftermath. And whilst he has since apologised, there’s no denying that it summed up just where West Ham find themselves at this current point in time.

Potter also admitted that his side are “hurting” after how they’ve started the season and called for unity, telling reporters: “We’re all in pain so we need everybody to help. We need everybody’s support. We need to push forward and on to the next match.

“The team’s suffering at the moment, we all are, we’re all hurting. I can assure you no-one’s happy. Our supporters have been fantastic. They are hurting because of the results we’ve had and Jarrod obviously cares about the club and the team.

Their new Rice: West Ham now exploring move for £17m star after Magassa

The combative star would be an excellent signing for Graham Potter and West Ham.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 28, 2025

“It’s just an exchange of views by people who care. Everyone is hurting, rightly so because we haven’t had the results we’d like. Jarrod has been a fantastic captain and servant for the club.”

Those at the London Stadium are in need of a solution and with just three days left of the summer transfer window, reports are suggesting that they’ve been offered exactly that.

West Ham offered Boniface deal

According to GiveMeSport, West Ham have now been offered the chance to sign Victor Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen. The Nigerian striker stole the headlines for all the wrong reasons recently when he failed a medical at AC Milan to end any chance of that move taking place. Now back to square one, the Hammers could swoop in and offer the forward a last-gasp move.

Despite how desperate all parties are for Boniface to get his move away from Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham could still be forced to pay a premium price. Milan’s recent agreement was reportedly a straight loan with an option to buy worth as much as £21m and the German club are unlikely to change that demand.

For a player once described by Xabi Alonso as “powerful” and “quick”, however, West Ham would be wise to at least seal an initial loan move as the transfer window comes to a close.

In the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga, Royals tried just five bowlers against Titans, and no one apart from Jofra Archer made a mark

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-20252:07

Jaffer: Quality of RR’s squad after auction is questionable

Getting the team balance right has been a concern for Rajasthan Royals (RR) from the start of IPL 2025. Against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Wednesday night, the problem was that they didn’t give themselves a proper sixth bowling option. Or, at any rate, they didn’t throw the ball to the part-timers, Riyan Parag among them, despite Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande and Sandeep Sharma proving expensive, going at well over ten an over. RR “had to have a sixth bowling option,” Sanjay Bangar said after watching GT put up 217 for 6 and run out 58-run victors.”A wonderful wicket to bat on and the ball was coming on nicely. There was a little bit of pace and bounce which Jofra [Archer] exploited really well – [he was] the standout bowler,” Bangar said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut show. “But apart from him, just felt that Rajasthan Royals had to have a sixth bowling option to take a little bit of pressure away from the other bowlers. In such batting-friendly conditions, you certainly felt they were under the pump.”RR were without Wanindu Hasaranga for the game after he opted out owing to personal reasons. That was a blow, though his replacement, Fazalhaq Farooqi, went at 9.50, not bad in the circumstances. Archer was the most economical, at 7.50, despite bowling the 18th over. Crucially, no wickets fell between 2.1 and 9.6, that’s almost seven overs, and then again for 5.4 overs after that.Related

Samson backs himself to lead Royals youngsters to IPL glory

RCB look to continue super away run as RR finally find their way home

Sai Sudharsan and Prasidh lead GT to the top of the IPL table

Prasidh, the silent superstar in Titans' mix-and-match attack

Samson fined INR 24 lakh for RR's second over-rate offence

“I think they missed Hasaranga, somebody who could take wickets in the middle overs,” Wasim Jaffer said. “Theekshana, even though he took a couple of wickets [2 for 54], didn’t look like [he was] putting any pressure. He and Tushar [2 for 53] went for 50-plus, that cost them more than 100 runs in those eight overs.”If RR failed to get more wickets in the middle overs, the platform set as a result meant GT could go big at the end – they got 18, 13, 11, 14 and 16 in the last five.”We could have, maybe, given about 20 runs less, but I think they batted well. They had better partnerships than what we did. That’s why they got a total which was big,” Sairaj Bahutule, RR’s spin-bowling coach, said at the press conference. “T20 is a format where sometimes the execution doesn’t go the way you want it to. Obviously they had plans, but the execution didn’t happen the way they wanted.”The last few overs, the death overs, we could have done a bit better.”After RR’s second game of the season, there were questions around the wisdom of playing with exactly six batters despite the Impact Player rule. Parag was the captain then, and Sanju Samson was restricted as a batter because of his finger injury. After their last game, the win over Punjab Kings (PBKS), though, it seemed like, with all systems go, they were getting close to the perfect combination.1:10

Bangar: Royals missed a sixth bowling option

That, curiously, is something GT aren’t even after. For them, flexibility is everything. “No one has a role,” assistant coach Parthiv Patel said, and anything can happen depending on how the pitch and other conditions look.”For our team, it’s about knowing the situation, understanding the conditions, and we felt we might need a fourth seamer in the second innings [so Kulwant Khejroliya came in as Impact Sub],” Parthiv said. “We are flexible as a team. We react to the conditions we see in front of us.”And then comes the execution.”Especially on a wicket like this, I thought every bowler came in and executed their plans really well. Obviously [Mohammed] Siraj is bowling really well; Prasidh Krishna has been phenomenal throughout the tournament; [R] Sai Kishore is probably the best spinner in this tournament, the way he has been bowling, how brave he is, bowling in difficult conditions.3:43

How can Rajasthan Royals get their team balance right?

“So after every game, you see a different bowler stepping up. Bowlers win you games. Obviously batters set it up.”Which didn’t happen for RR. Though, on the bright side, Archer has continued to sparkle after a terrible start to the tournament.”T20 is a game where you’re bound to make mistakes, and [if you] minimise your mistakes, you’ll be in a better position,” Bahutule said. “After that first game, he worked hand in hand with Shane Bond [the fast-bowling coach] and understood a few aspects about his bowling, and the way he has got back is purely due to his understanding of where he needs to improve, where are the areas, the lengths, the lines he needs to get better [at].”He’s a world-class bowler and obviously understood his areas of concern and he rectified it and he’s bowling in the best rhythm we have seen him.”

Paris Saint-Germain will attempt to prevent the injured Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from joining the Georgia national team after he was called up for their World Cup qualifiers. The French champions, already frustrated after Ousmane Dembele's recent injury on international duty, will attempt to prevent their star winger from travelling.

PSG show concern for Kvaratskhelia

PSG are heading towards another club-versus-country dispute after the injured Kvaratskhelia was named in Georgia's squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers. According to a report from Spanish outlet , the French champions will attempt to prevent their star forward from joining his national team as he recovers from a thigh injury.

AdvertisementKvaratskhelia called up despite thigh injury

Georgia coach Willy Sagnol included Kvaratskhelia in his squad for crucial matches, starting with a fixture against Spain on October 11. However, the winger is currently sidelined after picking up a thigh injury in last Saturday's Ligue 1 match against Auxerre. The problem forced him to miss the midweek Champions League clash with Barcelona, and he has also been ruled out of Sunday's trip to Lille. Medical reports suggest a recovery period of at least 10 days, making his availability for international duty highly unlikely.

Getty Images SportDembele dispute fuels PSG's frustration

PSG's firm stance is influenced by a recent negative experience during the September international break. The club alerted the French Football Federation (FFF) that Dembele was not fully fit, but the player was used by Didier Deschamps and subsequently suffered a thigh injury. That incident created a dispute between the club and the FFF and has made PSG particularly cautious about releasing players who are carrying injuries.

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PSG's stance on Georgia's 'crucial' qualifiers

While Georgia are keen to have their most important player available for what they consider vital qualifying games, PSG's medical staff are focused solely on his recovery. The Parisian club is expected to make contact with their Georgian counterparts to insist that Kvaratskhelia remains in the French capital to complete his rehabilitation. According to reports, the club's staff are not considering "any scenario other than him completing his recovery in Paris."

The CA Green vs CA Gold match had been organised to provide more long-form cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Mar-2025Katie Mack upstaged the women’s Australia A squad with an unbeaten century in a three-day red-ball warm-up game in Canberra for Australia’s emerging stars ahead of England A’s tour of the country.Mack made 102 not out for CA Green against CA Gold in the third innings of the match to help Green XI claim a 121-run win, with Australia A 50-over and four-day captain and new Australia T20I squad member Nicole Faltum also making 62, while offspinner Lilly Mills took seven wickets for the match including 5 for 28 to bowl Gold XI out for 127 on the final day.Mack, 31, stole the show despite being one of the few players in the game not selected in any of the three Australia A squads for the upcoming multiformat series against England A that will feature three T20s, three 50-over matches and a four-day match in Sydney.Mack and Faltum shared a 137-run stand in the third innings of the match to set up victory after Green had claimed a first-innings lead thanks to 62 from Sianna Ginger on day one and 5 for 31 from Georgia Prestwidge on day two. South Australian batter Emma de Broughe made 84 in Gold’s first innings to ensure the lead was only 34.But Mack and Faltum feasted in the third innings before Faltum declared to set Gold a chase of 249 on the final day. Ginger took two early wickets with the new ball to complete a strong all-round performance before Mills tore through the middle and lower order, taking five of the last six wickets to bowl Gold out. Charli Knott was the only Gold batter to pass 17 on the final day with 59.The Green versus Gold three-day match has quickly become an important part of the women’s domestic calendar in terms of giving emerging players valuable long-form experience. Georgia Voll, who made her Test debut in January, made an unbeaten 200 in the game last year, while Alana King took a four-wicket haul on the final day before destroying England in the Ashes Test at the MCG.Australia A squadsAustralia A T20 squad: Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Amy Edgar, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Heather Graham (capt), Charli Knott (vice-capt), Anika Learoyd, Rhys McKenna, Madeline Penna, Amy Smith, Courtney Webb, Tahlia WilsonAustralia A 50-over squad: Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum (capt), Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Charli Knott (vice-capt), Anika Learoyd, Amy Smith, Georgia Voll, Courtney Webb, Tahlia WilsonAustralia A Four-Day squad: Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum (capt), Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Charli Knott (vice-capt), Anika Learoyd, Lilly Mills, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia WilsonWomen’s Australia A v England A series26 March: First T20, 1pm, Hurstville Oval28 March: Second T20, 1pm, Hurstville Oval30 March: Third T20, 1pm, Hurstville Oval2 April: First 50-over match, 10:30am, Cricket Central, Sydney4 April: Second 50-over match, 10:30am, Cricket Central, Sydney7 April: Third 50-over match, 10am, Cricket Central, Sydney12-15 April: Four-day match, 10am, Cricket Central, Sydney

Big picture – RR’s balance, KKR’s middle order in focus

Guwahati has been an occasional home ground for Rajasthan Royals (RR) since 2023, but they’ve found little to cheer about here. RR have lost two of their three games here, while a fourth was a washout. But come Wednesday, there’ll be a different buzz because the city’s own Riyan Parag will captain RR – a historic occasion for the player and his state Assam.But Parag has a lot to ponder, more so after RR nearly conceded the highest IPL total ever against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The retained trio of Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer brought the batting muscle on a flat deck and rookie Shubham Dubey dazzled too, but when the bowlers leaked runs, Parag found himself out of options.He is designated as an allrounder, and would like to consider himself one too, but did not bowl, even though he tried Nitish Rana’s occasional offspin for one over. RR missed a genuine allrounder who could be their fifth or sixth bowler without sacrificing their batting.This isn’t an issue on good days, and RR have reached the playoffs in two of the last three seasons with a similar team balance, but on bad days it can leave them with nowhere to turn. A shuffle, such as finding a place for Wanindu Hasaranga or Parag trusting himself to bowl, could be the answer with their bowling looking to regain confidence.Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the defending champions, have versatile all-rounders aplenty. The defeat in their season-opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru won’t shift them from their 2024 template, but their old middle and lower-middle order – consisting of Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh – contributed very little as KKR endured a below-par finish with the bat.Like RR’s bowlers against SRH, this area won’t always be an issue for KKR, but twice in a row could put them in early trouble, with Mumbai Indians awaiting them at the Wankhede next.The contest on Wednesday will be all about two teams looking to iron out their problems and find their first points.Can Jofra Archer put behind him the nightmare of going for 76 runs in four overs?•Getty Images

New loyalties – Nitish Rana

From 2018 to 2024, Nitish Rana scored 2199 runs for KKR and became one of their senior players after being elevated to vice-captaincy. He was not one of the six players retained by the franchise after last season’s title and was signed by RR for INR 4.20 crore.

Team news and likely XIIs – Will Hasaranga come in?

Samson, recovering following finger surgery, is set to be RR’s impact player again. They are unlikely to drop Jofra Archer despite his 0 for 76 against SRH, the worst IPL figures of all time, but could look at bringing in Akash Madhwal for his yorker-bowling capabilities. Since Maheesh Theekshana usually bowls in the powerplay and KKR have spin-basher Sunil Narine as opener, he could be swapped out for Hasaranga.Rajasthan Royals: 1 Sanju Samson, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Riyan Parag (capt), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Shubham Dubey, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Maheesh Theekshana/Wanindu Hasaranga, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi, 12 Tushar Deshpande/Akash Madhwal.KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane said after Saturday’s loss that he trusts his fast-bowling unit even if they are relatively inexperienced. They’ll most likely stay unchanged although Anrich Nortje is a potential replacement for Spencer Johnson if they think pace and short balls could make more of an impact than swing.Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Venkatesh Iyer, 5 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Vaibhav Arora.

The big question

It wasn’t that long ago that Hasaranga was the world’s No. 1 T20I bowler on the ICC rankings and he’s still at No. 4. He isn’t carrying an injury, so he was most likely left out for tactical reasons against SRH. Should RR find a way to involve Hasaranga?

In the spotlight: Dhruv Jurel and Quinton de Kock

Dhruv Jurel struck a 35-ball 70 against SRH, showing why RR trusted him with a retention and why he’s India’s current back-up T20I wicketkeeper, despite the wealth of options for that spot. RR look a bit short this season when bridging the gap between their top-order and lower-order hitters, and his role at No. 5 is important. He has superb T20 numbers against pace, as a strike rate of 162.56 would suggest, but he’s tended not to score as quickly against spin, going at 123.76 at this stage of his career. Against SRH, he fell to Adam Zampa and scored three runs off seven balls against the legspinner; how will he deal with the twin threats of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy?Last year, Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the highest run-scorer at the T20 World Cup, was named as opener in ICC’s ODI team of the year, and was a superb replacement for Phil Salt in the playoffs and final during KKR’s winning campaign. Despite this, KKR picked Quinton de Kock as their first-choice wicketkeeper-opener this season. It’s time for de Kock to come good on the opportunity, especially since he’s not had a good time since his international retirement. IPL 2024 was his second-worst of all time (average of 22.72 in 11 games), while he managed just 159 runs in 10 innings at the SA20. De Kock has a tendency to be hit-or-miss, and with another hit-or-miss opener in Narine at the other end, KKR would want some reliability from one end.Andre Russell will hope for a return to form after a low score against RCB•Associated Press

Key stats

• Archer has come into IPL 2025 on a poor run of form. When he keeps things quiet, he doesn’t get wickets. When he gets the wickets, he’s mightily expensive. In the 2024-25 season that just went by, Archer averaged 34.75 with an economy rate of 9.26.
• The average first-innings score in IPL games at the Barsapara Stadium is 180, with the team batting first having won twice and lost once.
• At 23 years and 133 days, Parag became the IPL’s fourth-youngest captain when he led RR against SRH. Virat Kohli (22y 187d), Steven Smith (22y 344d) and Suresh Raina (23y 112d) are the three above him on the list.
• Narine has a strike-rate of 191.30 against Sandeep Sharma (44 runs in 23 balls, one dismissal) but has been kept quiet by both Archer (9 off 13) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (3 off 8 with one dismissal) in the past.
• Hasaranga’s wrong’un makes him a compelling option for RR with Russell averaging only 9.25 against googlies in the IPL (since 2022) and striking at only 115.63, according to ESPNcricinfo’s data. Against legbreaks, though, he crunches them at 153.70 and averages 41.50.

Pitch and conditions

The last time a RR vs KKR game was scheduled in Guwahati, it was a washout, but Wednesday promises to be dry. The Barsapara Stadium has been excellent for batting with three scores in the 190s in the IPL. India once scored 237 for 3 here and South Africa struck 221 for 3 in response, so we could see the first 200-plus IPL score in Guwahati on Wednesday.

Next three fixtures

RR stay in Guwahati to face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) next on Sunday, March 30, before travelling to Mullanpur to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 5 and then to Ahmedabad where Gujarat Titans (GT) await them on April 9.KKR travel to Mumbai next to play MI on March 31, after which they return home for games against SRH on April 3 and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 6.

Quotes

“It’s been a journey. I was here when I was 17 years old. Most importantly, me being captain is secondary, but the trust that the management have shown in me, that’s one of the biggest points. That’s one of the biggest upvotes that I take personally as a player that they’re trusting me enough to lead the team and trusting me enough to make my own decisions.”
“Sport is about failing. You fail more often than you succeed. But for a champion like Russ [Russell], it must be weighing on his mind that he failed last game. He’s out to prove every single game. We are also hoping Russ would come really good on this game.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras, não é novidade para ninguém, vive uma de suas piores (se não for a pior delas) fases sob o comando de Abel Ferreira. O empate em 0 a 0 com o Internacional, no domingo (16), é mais um exemplo do que é o time nesse momento. Há um padrão, há jogadores de qualidade, mas as coisas já não funcionam como vinham funcionando nos últimos tempos. O principal problema, porém, parece ser o excesso de gols perdidos, que já era um defeito quando a fase era boa, mas agora ela não permite que o time se dê ao luxo de ter tantas chances desperdiçadas.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasVÍDEO: Abel Ferreira cutuca rival após eliminação do Palmeiras na Copa do Brasil: ‘Não sei quantos títulos ganharam’Palmeiras16/07/2023PalmeirasAbel se diz o maior culpado pela má fase do Palmeiras e resume momento: ‘Chegou a nossa vez de perder’Palmeiras16/07/2023PalmeirasATUAÇÕES: Veiga decepciona novamente, e Weverton segura empate do Palmeiras com o InternacionalPalmeiras16/07/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Diante do Inter, foram pelo menos três oportunidade claras perdidas. Sendo a principal delas ainda no primeiro tempo, quando Raphael Veiga teve o gol praticamente aberto para balançar a rede e chutou muito por cima do travessão. Seria o gol da vitória, pois a equipe colorada não fez grande partida e não ameaçaria a defesa palmeirense. Em um jogo difícil, em um campo que costuma ser hostil aos visitantes, não se pode deixar passar esses momentos de “matar” a partida. Se isso já é algo a se fazer nos dias bons, imagine então nos dias ruins.

Não é á toa que Gustavo Gómez, na entrevista pós-jogo, e Abel Ferreira, na entrevista coletiva, disseram que faltou eficácia ao time. É claro que a equipe não fez grande partida e esteve longe de sua atuação ideal, mas também ficou nítido que o ataque criou para sair de Porto Alegre (RS) com uma vitória na bagagem. E como o próprio Abel afirmou, não há muito o que explicar, faltou o gol e o gol poderia muito bem ter saído. Se não fosse dos pés de Veiga, poderia ter sido dos pés de Gabriel Menino ou da cabeça de Murilo. Mas ele não saiu.

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O desperdício de gols não é uma novidade desse time de Abel Ferreira. Não por culpa dele, é claro, mas durante essa “Era Abel” a equipe se caracterizou por criar um volume de oportunidades muito grandes, mas ao mesmo tempo desperdiçá-las na mesma proporção. São muitos e muitos jogos que o torcedor alviverde vai lembrar que as chances não foram convertidas e o time empatou ou perdeu, ou até mesmo deixou de golear. Acontece que na boa fase, no jogo seguinte isso já era corrigido e compensado, sem margem para críticas.

+ ATUAÇÕES: Veiga decepciona novamente, e Weverton segura empate do Palmeiras com o Internacional

Aqui, neste espaço de análise concedido pelo Lance!, muitas vezes isso foi comentado. Como no 3 a 1 diante do Emelec-EQU, na Libertadores de 2022. Em um jogo tranquilo, fora de casa, abriu 2 a 0 sem maiores problemas, mas passou a perder gols atrás de gols, até que o Verdão deixou o adversário encostar no placar. O que poderia ser uma goleada, se transformou em uma partida de apreensão, de desgaste, que só teve alívio no fim, com um gol ‘espírita’ de Breno Lopes. A fase era boa e a bola entrava em algum momento, algo que não acontece em 2023.

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Outra vez em que isso foi comentado nesta espaço foi na partida de volta contra o Tombense, pela terceira fase da Copa do Brasil de 2023, quando a ‘brincadeira’ de perder gols acabou sendo castigada. Depois de empilhar chances desperdiçadas, o time mineiro empatou no fim da partida e deixou o placar em 1 a 1. Já era um sinal de alerta para a temporada, mesmo sendo uma equipe reserva escalada por Abel. O ‘DNA’ desse Palmeiras tem nele uma certa displicência, um desperdício crônico. Isso, como já falado acima, era ofuscado nos jogos seguintes.

+ Abel se culpa pela má fase do Palmeiras e resume o momento: ‘Chegou a nossa vez de perder’

Nesta fase pós-Data Fifa, em que o Alviverde venceu apenas um dos últimos oito duelos, podemos citar vários deles em que chances clara foram criadas e o gol não foi marcado. Para não citar todos, a exceção seria o confronto de ida e volta contra o São Paulo, na Copa do Brasil, no qual nos dois jogos as chances foram muito escassas. Mas diante do Bahia, do Botafogo (com direito a pênalti perdido), do Athletico-PR, do Flamengo e do Inter, as chances estavam ali para serem aproveitadas. O futebol não perdoa esses desaforos, principalmente nas fases ruins.

Para completar, é preciso lembrar que os principais jogadores como Dudu, Rony, Veiga e outros não passam por boa fase. Muito do que tentam não tem dado certo e a sorte também parece estar caminhando longe dos lados palmeirenses. Por isso é que nesses momentos é preciso concentração, foco e capricho máximos para converter as chances em gols. Quantos desses jogos citados poderiam ter sido resolvidos com a eficácia em dia? É preciso ter respeito pela má fase, o luxo que se tinha para perder gols não existe mais.

+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Campeonato Brasileiro

Newcastle United will hope to challenge for silverware once again this season after lifting the Carabao Cup last term, even in the wake of Alexander Isak’s high-profile rebellion at St. James’ Park and ultimate transfer to Liverpool.

Isak cost a pretty penny when arriving from Real Sociedad in a club-record £63m deal in 2022, but he has since lined the pockets of the owners, contributing toward a period of newfound success and joining Liverpool for a British record £125m fee.

In Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, Eddie Howe has a few new forwards with enough talent to lead the line with confidence through the Premier League and Champions League seasons, though it might be a tall order to expect them to hit the same heights as the Sweden striker from the beginning.

Newcastle's tough task replacing Isak

Wissa has plied his craft in the Premier League for four years, joining Brentford from Lorient in France, and he struck a new level of form last year, scoring 19 league goals and being praised by Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam for his “sensational” ability in front of goal.

However, Wissa isn’t on the same level as Isak, who didn’t just bang them in for the Tynesiders but played with such smoothness and creativity too, with pundit Ally McCoist even hailing him as the “best all-round centre-forward”.

Woltemade arrives with potential, but he’s not Isak. Howe’s Newcastle system is steeped in efficient and slick transitional play, and that requires a striker both intelligent and coaxing a big chance into being and then deadly with the finishing touch.

League Stats 24/25 – Wissa vs Woltemade
Stats (*per game)	Wissa	Woltemade
Matches (starts)	35 (34)	28 (17)
Goals	19	12
Assists	4	2
Shots (on target)*	2.6 (1.2)	1.8 (0.9)
Big chances missed	17	11
Pass completion	79%	72%
Big chances created	3	8
Key passes*	0.8	1.3
Dribbles*	0.4	1.1
Ball recoveries*	2.3	1.9
Tackles + interceptions*	0.8	0.5
Duels (won)*	3.4	4.4
Data via Sofascore

The jury is out for both of them, however, Newcastle once had a number nine who has proven their quality at the very highest level in the Premier League and may well have been a success in Howe’s current title-challenging team.

Newcastle sold their original Isak

A decade ago, Newcastle signed young centre-forward Ivan Toney from Northampton Town. He was 19 at the time and considered one of the most underrated prospects in England.

It didn’t work out for the England international, who left for Peterborough in League One in a mere £500k deal before unearthing his prolific potential in front of goal, leading to destructive displays with Thomas Frank’s Brentford, with the manager hailing him as “a monster”.

With Posh, he enjoyed a mighty time of it, scoring 49 in 94. With the Bees, he was even better, netting 72 in 141 outings.

Indeed, after four loan stints while a Newcastle player, the 29-year-old has now realised his capacity to thrive as one of the most physical and threatening forwards in the business, with his tall frame and clever link-up play certainly reminiscent of Isak at the front of Howe’s set-up.

He might not have the same high-speed running as Isak, but Toney is unquestionably a striker of merit, versatile and confident in creating for his peers.

Toney’s clinical performances in the Saudi Pro League, having joined Al-Ahli for £40m in 2024, are merely a continuation of his consistent success in the Premier League, and while there are those who begrudge his decision to leave for the riches of the Gulf, there’s no question that he’d still make the cut at a team like Newcastle.

He scored 30 goals for Al-Ahli last season, and also with a five-goal return in his trail this season, so Toney actually outscored Isak last season, having previously hit 36 Premier League goals across three terms with Brentford.

While it would have been unreasonably expensive to sign Toney this summer, there’s no doubt that the previous Toon regime blundered with this one, and that a young Toney within the current project might have found the perfect environment to have realised his plentiful talents.

He's outscoring Woltemade: Newcastle must regret selling the original Wissa

Newcastle could do with this striker’s quality after selling Isak to Liverpool.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 2, 2025

Nottingham Forest are now into their fourth season of Premier League football after qualifiying for the Europa League during the 2024/25 campaign.

The Reds do fork out an eye-catching amount when it comes to salaries, though. In fact, their annual payroll stands at £93,210,000 with an average yearly wage for a first team player standing at just under £3m. Here’s Nottingham Forest’s best-paid players from the 2025/26 season. All earnings are based on reports via Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Rank

Player

Gross pay per week

Gross pay per year

1

Douglas Luiz

£135,000

£7,020,000

2

Oleksandr Zinchenko

£120,000

£6,240,000

3

Morgan Gibbs-White

£110,000

£5,720,000

4

Nikola Milenkovic

£105,000

£5,460,000

=5

Chris Wood

£90,000

£4,680,000

=5

Callum Hudson-Odoi

£90,000

£4,608,000

7

Dan Ndoye

£85,000

£4,420,000

=8

Ibrahim Sangare

£75,000

£3,900,000

=8

Murillo

£75,000

£3,900,000

10

Dilane Bakwa

£70,000

£3,640,000

11

Neco Williams

£65,000

£3,380,000

=12

Arnaud Kalimuendo

£60,000

£3,120,000

=12

Ola Aina

£60,000

£3,120,000

14

Omari Hutchinson

£55,000

£2,860,000

=15

Ryan Yates

£50,000

£2,600,000

=15

Taiwo Awoniyi

£50,000

£2,600,000

=15

Igor Jesus

£50,000

£2,600,000

18

Nicolo Savona

£45,000

£2,340,000

=19

Willy Boly

£40,000

£2,080,000

=19

Elliot Anderson

£40,000

£2,080,000

=19

John Victor

£40,000

£2,080,000

=19

Matz Sels

£40,000

£2,080,000

=19

James McAtee

£40,000

£2,080,000

=24

Nicolas Dominguez

£35,000

£1,820,000

=24

Cuiabano

£35,000

£1,820,000

=24

Jair Cunha

£35,000

£1,820,000

=24

Morato

£35,000

£1,820,000

28

Angus Gunn

£30,000

£1,560,000

29

Omar Richards

£15,000

£780,000

30

Zach Abbott

£12,500

£650,000

31

Tyler Bindon

£5,000

£260,000

Here's a detailed look at Nottingham Forest's top 10 earners… 10 Dilane Bakwa £70,000 per week

One of many to sign for Nottingham Forest in 2025, Dilane Bakwa arrived at the City Ground after impressing in France with Strasbourg.

The winger signed a five-year deal with the Reds on deadline day, earning £3.64m a season.

9 Murillo £75,000 per week

Murillo has proven to be an excellent signing for Nottingham Forest after joining back in 2023.

A number of European giants were circling for the Brazilian defender, however, he signed a new improved five-year deal to stay with Forest in 2025.

8 Ibrahim Sangare £75,000 per week

Ibrahim Sangare was Forest’s record signing when he joined from PSV Eindhoven in 2023, signing a five-year deal worth £75,000 per week.

The Ivory Coast international only made 17 Premier League appearances in his first full campaign and 13 in his second season, though.

7 Dan Ndoye £85,000 per week

Dan Ndoye signed for Nottingham Forest from Serie A side Bologna after the Reds qualified for the Europa League.

Costing around £34m, the Switzerland international signed a five-year deal and is in line to recieve a total of £22.1m in wages during his time at the club.

6 Callum Hudson-Odoi £90,000 per week

Winger Callum Hudson-Odoi also picks up an eye-catching £90,000 per week, with Forest landing the attacker from Chelsea for an initial £3m in 2023.

That has proven to be a shrewd signing so far, with the Englishman chipping in with numerous goals and assists with his direct play.

5 Chris Wood £90,000 per week

Chris Wood initially joined on loan from Newcastle United in 2023, with that move becoming permanent months later after Forest remained in the Premier League.

The New Zealand international has used all of his experience to become first choice and is now the club’s all-time record scorer in the Premier League.

4 Nikola Milenkovic £105,000 per week

2024 signing Nikola Milenkovic swapped Fiorentina for Forest and was a regular during his first season at the City Ground alongside Murillo.

The Serbia international is under contract until 2029.

3 Morgan Gibbs-White £110,000 per week

Arguably one of Nottingham Forest’s most important players, Morgan Gibbs-White has gone from strength to strength after swapping Wolves for Forest following the club’s promotion to the Premier League.

He nearly signed for Tottenham in 2025, however, at the last minute, signed a new improved contract at the City Ground on £110,000 per week.

2 Oleksandr Zinchenko £120,000 per week

Oleksandr Zinchenko signed for Forest late in the 2025 summer transfer window after the club submitted a deal sheet just before the deadline.

The Ukraine international is on a season-long loan from Arsenal, with Forest paying him over £6m in wages for the year.

1 Douglas Luiz £135,000 per week

Another loanee at the City Ground and Nottingham Forest’s top earner is midfielder Douglas Luiz, who will pick up more than £7m in wages from the Reds.

The Brazilian made the move back to the Premier League from Juventus, and there is an obligation to make a move permanent if conditions are met.

No play possible on third day with Derbyshire on the ropes but well set to save the game

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay21-Apr-2025

Darren Lehmann, Northants head coach, was happy with his side’s application during the three available days of the contest•Getty Images

Rain ruined any chance of a positive result on the final day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match between Derbyshire and Northamptonshire at Derby.The players arrived at the County Ground to find the hover cover already in place and the rain got steadier throughout the morning.Going into the fourth day, the state of the game was that Derbyshire were nine runs ahead with seven second innings wickets in hand but the pitch was playing well and the loss of the first session made it difficult for either side to push for a win.With the rain set in and no prospect of an immediate improvement in the weather, the umpires took the decision to abandon the game following a post lunch inspection.Looking back over the contest, Derbyshire head of cricket Mickey Arthur said: “It was disappointing. It wasn’t the standards we’ve delivered over the course of the season so far.”We’ve got away with this one and certainly our skills weren’t at the level that we all expect. There were some good performances and you can never fault the effort but I thought we were just off it in terms of our skills.”I thought day one we were exceptional and then from day two we started playing catch up and that was disappointing. We are a team that wants to play on the front foot and we were playing on the back foot from lunchtime on day two and that’s not where we want to be.”Northamptonshire head coach Darren Lehmann said: “It hasn’t gone our way with the weather, Derbyshire played well yesterday and I thought it was an excellent game.”The pleasing thing is we are playing a really good team-based game. I was pleased with the batters yesterday that they scored so quickly to take the game on and give us more overs.”From a bowling point of view I thought we were probably a little bit down in the first innings when Derbyshire got 300 and it was a 220 wicket I reckon so we were just a little bit short there but we caught everything and gave ourselves a chance to win the game which is all we can do and ask for.”

Chelsea are already planning to move for a marquee player in 2026 as one of their prime targets, and he has a special connection with the club’s director of professional football and scouting, Joe Shields.

Enzo Maresca’s side enjoyed a productive transfer window, even making a £3 million profit despite spending £285 million on new signings.

Joao Pedro

Noni Madueke

Jamie Gittens

João Félix

Jorrel Hato

Djordje Petrovic

Liam Delap

Lesley Ugochukwu

Dario Essugo

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Mamadou Sarr

Renato Veiga

Estevao

Armando Broja

Kendry Paez

Carney Chukwuemeka

Alejandro Garnacho

Mathis Amougou

Basir Humphreys

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Marcus Bettinelli

Christopher Nkunku

Nicolas Jackson (obligation to buy)

Alfie Gilchrist

Lucas Bergstrom

Ben Chilwell

Chelsea’s seismic £288 million income just from player sales has seriously contributed towards navigating the Premier League’s PSR loss threshold, which stipulates that clubs are permitted a loss of £105 million over a rolling three-year period.

With the transfer windows in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Portugal and Mexico still open, according to FIFA, there is also still time for Chelsea to offload the likes of Raheem Sterling, who’s on a reported £325,000-per-week, and defender Axel Disasi.

Saudi side Neom SC are said to have made a £17 million bid for Disasi, but it is unclear whether Chelsea will accept this low-ball proposal or if the Frenchman himself would reconsider leaving Europe.

Offloading the likes of Disasi and Sterling may well be crucial to partly fund what would be a marquee 2026 move for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.

The England international, who is valued at around £80 million right now by Unai Emery’s side, was Villa’s standout star of 2024/2025 with 14 goals and 16 assists — including contributions in big games against the likes of PSG, Tottenham and Man City.

A deal for the 23-year-old will be extremely difficult, and despite some contact from Spurs before the deadline on Monday, Villa were in absolutely no rush to sell their prized asset during the last window.

Chelsea "just waiting" to sign Morgan Rogers amid Joe Shields connection

According to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea have their eyes on Rogers ahead of a potential move next year, and they have a secret weapon in the form of Shields.

The former Middlesbrough sensation is likely to be one of the next biggest Premier League names to leave their clubs in 2026, especially considering Villa’s well documented issues when it comes to navigating PSR.

If Chelsea is his next port of call, there is no denying Rogers would be a stellar signing.