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Allrounder snaps up six-wicket haul to condemn visitors to heavy defeat

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-May-2025

Matthew Waite’s career best figures propelled Worcestershire to a rampant three-day victory over Essex in the Rothesay County ChampionshipThe home side rallied to 134 all out at Visit Worcestershire New Road, with Ethan Brookes’ valuable 38 the standout knock, setting Essex 336 to win the game. They were then blown away as Waite did the bulk of the damage with 6 for 19, enabling Worcestershire to claim a 225-run win.Worcestershire’s crucial victory keeps them in touch of the sides around them as the scrap in the bottom-half of Division One continues.After resuming day three on 58 for 5, the hosts began the morning session looking to add to their overnight lead of 259. Essex capitalised on a slow Worcestershire start, however, with Simon Harmer and Shane Snater sharing three wickets inside the first hour to reduce the hosts to 80 for 8.That brought Brookes to the crease, who, with a canny supporting role from Waite, eased his way into proceedings. Brookes expressed himself, those in Worcestershire colours cheering every run added, as together they stretched the lead past 300.Evergreen pro Harmer (21-5-37-4) returned the best figures for Essex, Snater and Jamie Porter claiming three apiece, as the home side closed out their innings on 134.Set an unlikely 336 to win, Essex’s chase fell apart, stumbling from 34 for 0 to 47 for 5. Charlie Allison and Noah Thain shared the highest score, each scoring 23, but on a dismal Essex card, only two other batters could muster double-figures as they were bundled out for a measly 110.Dean Elgar was the first to go for just 9, as he feathered an edge through to keeper Gareth Roderick off a rising Ben Allison ball. Just one run separated the wicket of Elgar and his opening partner Allison, when the impressive Waite accounted for his wicket in the same fashion.Tom Westley’s struggles continued when he was pinned in front by a nip-backer from Yadvinder Singh, and the Worcestershire bowlers tightened their grip further on the contest when Waite extended his fine form to remove Robin Das, who had failed to trouble the scorers for a ten-ball duck.When Waite bagged his sixth wicket of the match, the away side were left spiralling towards a heavy defeat, with Michael Pepper accounted for.Only two-overs into his spell, a loose Matt Critchley drive opened the door for Brookes to sneak through and grab a faint edge on the way into the gloves of Roderick, with a delivery that jagged back enough to ensure his keeper collected his eighth catch of the match.Waite, the stand-out performer across the match, grabbed the headlines as he collected the wickets of Snater, Harmer and Porter on his way to returning career best match figures of 9 for 53.Victory for Worcestershire saw them close the gap on the rest of the pack at the foot of the Division One table, while Essex will make the journey home knowing a trip to The Oval awaits them on Friday.

Manchester United are looking to build a squad capable of challenging for major honours under Ruben Amorim and could be set to up their pursuit of a midfielder in January, per reports.

Manchester United begin to take shape after transfer window

The transfer window has come and gone, leaving the Red Devils in a position to kick on after managing to secure several arrivals before the deadline earlier this week.

Coming in hours before the close of play, Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens joined the club for £18.2 million from Royal Antwerp and could face a baptism of fire in back-to-back Premier League fixtures against Manchester City and Chelsea.

Speaking about whether he could assume the number one jersey, Jay Motty of Stretford Paddock believes there is every chance the Belgian could get the nod over Andre Onana or Altay Bayindir.

He stated: “It was obvious we needed another option because neither Andre Onana or Altay Bayindir have covered themselves in glory.

“I know there’s a lot of pressure on a young goalkeeper coming in but hopefully he can rise to it because we knew we had to do something. I get that Emi Martinez has won a World Cup, but in the Premier League he can be erratic. Let’s not ignore his faults. With Lammens we don’t know if he’s going to be good enough for Manchester United, but there’s every reason to think he’s got a chance of that.”

With the Red Devils set to return for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba in 2026, their mission to build a talented squad appears far from finished, and they now have another midfield operator in their sights should the opportunity arise.

Manchester United plotting new move for Conor Gallagher

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are plotting a January move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher and will consult several avenues to try and bring the former Chelsea star back to English shores. The Red Devils are considering a both loan with an option to buy and a permanent deal if circumstances align, with the La Liga giants willing to offload the England international to offer themselves financial flexibility in the market.

Conor Gallagher in the Premier League

Appearances

136

Goals

18

Assists

13

Viewed as the main candidates to offer him a route back into English football, United are moving ‘increasingly close’ to his signature, and it remains to be seen whether they can offer a package to match his demands.

Registering four goals and six assists in 53 appearances for Atletico Madrid, Gallagher imposed himself in La Liga last term by winning 110 duels, per Fotmob, although he has only started one match in 2025/26. Labelled “priceless” by Mauricio Pochettino despite Chelsea sticking a £50m valuation on him at the time, his experience in the top-flight speaks for itself, and it may only be a matter of time before the Cobham graduate returns to familiar surroundings.

The last seven days or so have been nothing short of a roller coaster for Arsenal fans.

It all started with the news that Kai Havertz had suffered another injury setback on Wednesday morning, which, after last season, felt like a real hammer blow.

However, by the end of the day, the fanbase was in dreamland, as the club were back in for the extraordinarily talented Eberechi Eze, and within a few days, he was being unveiled in front of a packed-out Emirates.

Yet, as if the Englishman wasn’t enough, the Gunners are now back in the market and appear to be closing in on another signing who could be looked at as a bit of an Eze repeat.

Arsenal target Eze repeat

With all the understandable excitement Eze’s arrival has whipped up over the last few days, it’s easy to forget that even before his arrival, Arsenal were having a great window.

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The additions of Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi could well be transformational for the starting lineup, and the likes of Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera have added some much-needed depth.

Yet, even with the seven signings made under Andrea Berta’s watch this window, the Gunners appear keen to add at least one more name to that list, someone who could be looked at as another Eze-type signing.

At least that is according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, who has claimed Arsenal are very interested in Piero Hincapie.

The respected journalist has revealed that the Bayer Leverkusen defender wants to leave the German outfit this month and that he is prioritising a move to the Emirates.

Interestingly, while the Ecuadorian international has a €60m release clause in his current deal – around £52m – the North Londoners are making efforts to reduce that fee to something “more realistic.”

Even then, this will likely be a costly deal, but personal terms are not expected to be any issue with reports on the continent noting that Hincapie and the Gunners have agreed a contract up until 2030.

Hincapie has proven he’d be more than worth it in recent seasons, especially as this would be another Eze-esque deal.

Why Hincapie would be another Eze

Now, don’t worry, it is not lost on us that Hincapie and Eze operate in very different areas of the pitch, and play the game in very different ways because of this.

However, their positions have little to do with why this deal could be another Eze-esque situation.

Instead, one of the main reasons why their arrivals would be somewhat similar is the fact that Tottenham Hotspur have been interested in both players this summer.

In fact, according to some reports, the Gunners’ bitter rivals have already been in contact with the Leverkusen star, and had him reasonably high up on their list of targets this summer.

So, if this is to be believed, then it would be another case of Berta and his team once again usurping the Lilywhites and moving in on someone they wanted to sign.

However, there are a few other similarities between the two players and their situations as well.

For example, like the former Palace star, the “Ecuadorian football legend in the making,” as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, is a regular member of his national team, and while he often plays at centre-back, he’s versatile enough that he can excel at left-back as well.

Bundesliga

116

10

Europa League

26

1

Champions League

14

1

DFB-Pokal

9

0

DFL Super Cup

1

0

Moreover, he’s currently a guaranteed starter in Germany, and, like the Greenwich-born star, played a key role in helping his team do something for the first time in their history when they won the league a couple of seasons ago.

Ultimately, even though it has somewhat come out of nowhere, Hincapie looks like he could be an excellent signing for Arsenal, and one that mirrors Eze’s arrival last week.

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Arsenal reach agreement to sign "explosive" attacking gem after Eze deal

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Liverpool have reportedly sealed a record deal to bring Alexander Isak to the club, but their business doesn’t appear to be done yet in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool agree record deal to sign Alexander Isak

After the 1-0 win over Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, the Reds were given another added bonus, with Isak’s £130m move to Anfield on the cards.

Newcastle have remained stubborn for weeks, potentially refusing to sell the Swede for less than £150m and making him train on his own.

The signing of Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart has changed things, however, with the Magpies also pushing to sign Yoane Wissa from Brentford, and they have decided it is now best to sell Isak to Liverpool.

It is a stunning piece of business for the Premier League champions, assuming there are no late issues with the move, but another exciting update has also emerged regarding more transfer business.

Liverpool close to agreement for Premier League ace

According to the reliable Lewis Steele of The Daily Mail, Liverpool are edging closer to signing Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi alongside Isak, with an agreement getting closer all the time.

Steele also provided another update on the situation on Monday morning, with Palace owner Steve Parish set to make a key decision on Guehi.

“Marc Guehi latest for those asking: told last night an agreement was ‘getting closer’ and ‘good chance’ it happens. Right now, still waiting on sign-off from Steve Parish, with CPFC in for replacements. Oliver Glasner involved too, but hope of a £35m+£5m handshake.”

This is huge for Liverpool, with Guehi their leading centre-back option for some time, with added depth badly needed there, especially if Joe Gomez departs for AC Milan.

The 25-year-old showcased his quality with a brilliant goal in Palace’s 3-0 win away to Aston Villa on Sunday evening, while Joe Hart hailed him in an England shirt at Euro 2024 last year.

“Huge shoutout to Marc Guehi. I thought he was exceptional. He really stepped in and was really calm on the ball. I thought Guehi allowed John Stones to play his game. The more Marc plays, the better that [centre-back] partnership will get.”

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If Liverpool can get deals for Isak and Guehi done and dusted, it will round off a memorable summer in the transfer market, arguably giving them their best squad in many years.

A 5-0 win and the announcement of Eberechi Eze. Weekends don’t get much better if you’re an Arsenal fan.

This has been a spectacular window and it was capped off by Eze’s arrival last week, signing for his boyhood club, returning to the team that rejected him at the age of 13.

It’s a dream fulfilled. The smile on his face over the last week has been joyous. Very rarely have we seen a player so delighted to sign for the Gunners.

Yet, Andrea Berta and Co aren’t done quite yet. Anyone fancy another left-sided defender? Mikel Arteta, of course you do. The window wouldn’t be complete without one arriving.

Arsenal's transfer plans after signing Eze

Surprising news emerged at the beginning of the week that with Jakub Kiwior set to depart the Emirates Stadium, another defender could arrive.

That player is Bayer Leverkusen star, Piero Hincapie. One of the most exciting defenders in the game, Hincapie has proven himself to be a rampant threat when playing as a left-back, but also a pillar of solidity when playing as a centre-back.

This move would be the icing on the cake as far as Arteta is concerned, but despite a near £300m summer spend, more forwards are still on Arsenal’s radar.

Indeed, according to Caught Offside, the Gunners and Chelsea are monitoring Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman.

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

It’s reported that Lookman’s future in Italy is hanging by a thread after falling out with key figures at the club, thus opening up the possibility of a transfer in the remaining week of the window.

Inter Milan have been the most serious suitors for much of the summer but with no move forthcoming yet, a number of clubs in England have weighed up swoops.

Arsenal are said to be considering an approach, while Chelsea and Aston Villa are also interested in the £45m forward.

The two London clubs may hold an advantage. It’s claimed that Lookman has moved back to the English capital this summer.

Why Lookman could be Eze 2.0 for Arsenal

It’s safe to say that Eze and Lookman have enjoyed/endured similar journeys on their rise to footballing stardom.

Born a matter of months apart, both in London, the two 27-year-olds grew up in the capital and began their careers in a similar fashion.

While Eze was rejected by Arsenal, eventually going onto play in the academies at Fulham and Millwall, before he got his big break at QPR, it was in the EFL and London where Lookman was also first spotted, playing for Charlton Athletic.

While they caught their eye with trickery, it’s not been until the last few years that they’ve become talents worthy of playing for one of the Premier League’s biggest and best clubs.

Indeed, over the last two campaigns, Eze has dazzled for Crystal Palace, scoring 25 goals and registering 17 assists in all competitions. He’s in his prime and the numbers showcase that.

2024/25

43

14

11

2023/24

31

11

6

2022/23

40

10

4

2021/22

19

1

1

2020/21

36

3

6

Lookman is cut from a similar cloth. He’s a “superstar” in the words of 90min’s Sean Walsh and has really exploded over the last two years in Italy. Who can forget his famous hat-trick that won Atalanta the Europa League in 2023/24?

Those are just three of 37 goals he’s scored in the last two seasons, years where he also supplied 17 assists for good measure too, the same number as Eze.

While the Nigeria international has predominantly played as a centre-forward in Serie A, like Eze, he’s capable of playing on either flank or behind the striker.

They’re dazzling with the ball at their feet too, the former Palace star notably ranking inside the top 15% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90 minutes and Lookman sitting among the best 6% of positionally similar players for progressive carries.

London-born, the same age, similarly versatile, explosive and in their primes, there is a lot to compare between the two players. Arsenal could do far worse than Lookman if they are on the hunt for even more firepower before the window closes.

Perfect for Saka: Arsenal submit bid to sign "complete" star after Hincapie

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Knocks from Gill and Pant and a quick cameo from Washington helped India resurrect their innings

Sidharth Monga02-Nov-2024The new and the old of India combined to leave New Zealand effectively at 143 for 9 in their pursuit to prevent their first-ever home whitewash in a series of three or more Tests. It wasn’t going to be an easy target on a pitch that has consumed 29 wickets in two days, but it was a comeback from the nightmare of the final 10 minutes of first day, which was reminiscent of earlier collapses in the series.Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant first resurrected the innings with a 90 and a 60, but it took a cameo of 38 off 36 from Washington Sundar to take India’s lead past 25 in the face of a resurgent Ajaz Patel, who took his second five-for in the city of his birth.The old firm of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja then combined to take seven wickets between them to prevent New Zealand from setting India a massive target on a crumbling pitch. Having lost his mantle as the new-ball bowler in second innings to Washington, Ashwin was instrumental in getting Jadeja to the favourable end and getting him his first wicket with a superb catch running back. However, a serene Will Young’s second fifty in the match and Glenn Phillips’ hitting made sure New Zealand had more than the bare minimum to bowl at.It was the youth that India were looking to at the start of the day having lost Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli cheaply again. Pant and Gill added 96 at better than five an over to arrest the rot that had set in in on the first evening. Pant, in particular, was severe, not letting the lead spinner Ajaz bowl at all. Overnight 1 off 1, Pant began as he meant to go. Ajaz was too full first ball of the day, which Pant push-drove straight of mid-off, who moved deeper after the boundary. To the second ball, Pant stepped out, and drilled it straight of that deep mid-off, who now moved to long-off. Gill joined him with an inside-out chip over extra cover in Ajaz’s next over.Ajaz Patel got into the action in the middle session of day two•AFP/Getty ImagesThen Pant played the lap shot for four to push forward short leg to behind square, promptly offering what could have been catches for the forward short leg the following two balls. It was Pant’s attacking mindset that had forced New Zealand to choose one of the two areas to man. Pant rubbed it in with two sixes in Ajaz’s next two overs.Gill didn’t want to be left behind. He tried to hit Phillips’ first ball of the day for a six but ended up skying it to long-on where the substitute fielder Mark Chapman gave him a reprieve. That turned his innings around. He proceeded to put his head down and only took the boundaries on offer. He was 45 off 57 when dropped, his remaining 45 came off 89 balls.Matt Henry dropped Rishabh Pant in the first session•BCCIMatt Henry dropped Pant too, but this miss cost New Zealand only seven runs as Pant fell lbw to a short ball from Ish Sodhi, who came on to bowl with only 84 runs left in the bank. Phillips, the unlucky bowler, was arguably the steadiest spinner of the three and was instrumental when Ajaz found his groove after lunch with a spell of 8.4-2-27-3.Ajaz had found the good length, the pitch started to misbehave even more, and the results followed. More than 10 overs went without a boundary, and brought the wickets of Ravindra Jadeja and Sarfaraz Khan, the latter for a duck at his home ground.Both of them fell to the forward-defensive without reaching the pitch of the ball. Gill decided he was not going to be a sitting duck. He upped his intent by taking on Phillips. However, Ajaz eventually got one to turn from a good length and take the edge for another catch to Daryl Mitchell at slip.After holding India together, Shubman Gill fell ten short of a hundred•AFP/Getty ImagesIndia were still 8 behind. Washington took over now, scoring 14 in a 20-run stand with R Ashwin and all of the 16 runs in the final stand with Akash Deep to take the lead past 25.Washington was given a bigger vote of confidence as he opened the bowling ahead of Ashwin, but it was Akash Deep whose around-the-wicket angle and seam movement got rid of another left-hand opener. India proceeded to operate with the combination of Washington and Ashwin, who got a wicket each, Devon Conway on the forward-defensive and Rachin Ravindra stumped trying to hit a six.Once the two right-hand batters, Young and Mitchell, got themselves in, all eyes went to Jadeja. Ashwin volunteered to have Jadeja bowl from his end, the end where Jadeja and Ajaz had taken wickets from. Rohit, though, wanted Ashwin to carry on bowling. The partnership swelled, ends were changed, and Jadeja got Mitchell out with more than just a hand from Ashwin, who ran back from mid-on to take a diving catch.Tom Blundell didn’t survive long, but Phillips hit three sixes in no time at all, two of them off Ashwin, who proceeded to pull out the carrom ball from his back pocket after a long time, knocking back the off stump. It was a surprise that top-order Test batters were not picking the carrom ball: even the accomplished and settled Young was out caught and bowled to one.Henry and Ajaz hit a six each, but Henry was bowled to an unplayable Jadeja delivery, which turned out to be the last one for the day.

التقى ليفربول بقيادة الهولندي آرني سلوت، نظيره كريستال بالاس، عصر اليوم، السبت، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وخسر ليفربول لأول مرة في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هذا الموسم أمام كريستال بالاس بنتيجة 2/1، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وظهر ليفربول بمستوى سيئ للغاية في المباراة إذ لم يكن في المستوى المطلوب خلال أحداث الشوط الأول من المباراة التي شهدت فرصًا كبيرة ضائعة من لاعبي كريستال بالاس.

اقرأ أيضًا | موعد مباراة ليفربول القادمة بعد الهزيمة أمام كريستال بالاس في الدوري الإنجليزي

ولم يفز ليفربول في آخر 3 مواجهات أمام كريستال بالاس إذ تعادل مرة وخسر مباراة كأس الدرع الخيرية ومباراة اليوم.

بتلك النتيجة توقف رصيد ليفربول عند النقطة 15 في صدارة جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”، فيما ارتفع رصيد كريستال بالاس إلى النقطة 12 في الوصافة. رجل مباراة ليفربول وكريستال بالاس في الدوري الإنجليزي

وحصد مدافع كريستال بالاس مارك جويهي جائزة رجل المباراة وحصل على أعلى نسبة تصويت من الجمهور بمقدار 27% متفوقًا على إيدي نكيتاه أقرب منافسيه والذي حصل على 21%.

At long, long, long last, Arsenal have their striker. The Gunners have arguably needed one for the last two years, but after several months of searching, the answer has arrived.

On Saturday evening, they announced the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres who put pen to paper after signing for around £64m.

It ended a saga that became rather toxic, particularly at the Sporting end. Gyokeres reportedly told his former employers that he’d never play for the club again after a breakdown in relations.

The Swede felt that the Portuguese side had broken the agreement they had that he could be sold for a particular fee.

Anyway, the attacker has finally got away from Lisbon and will now call London his home, bringing with him an abundance of goals. He scored 54 times in 52 outings throughout 2024/25.

Had that move fallen through, then Andrea Berta did have other options.

Arsenal's striker options this summer

Before Berta decided to go all in on Gyokeres, Slovenian powerhouse Benjamin Sesko was widely thought to be Arsenal’s number one choice.

They’ve been looking at the RB Leipzig striker for the best part of 18 months but things unravelled over the summer of 2025.

Indeed, according to the Athletic, it looked for all the world as though Sesko would be their first choice this summer. In March, Jason Ayton, Edu’s interim successor, was going to head to Germany in a bid to make headway on a deal. But, towards the back end of that month, the dynamic changed after Berta’s arrival at Arsenal.

That trip to Germany was canned and Gyokeres’ name came into contention with Berta a big fan of the player. With support from the owners, the club decided to explore the conditions of both deals.

Unfortunately, Sesko’s salary expectations and associated commission meant that the cost of any deal was too high. Consequently, they focused on Gyokeres and here he is.

Via The Athletic, also considered this summer was Ollie Watkins but they had reservations over his age. Former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez was also on the agenda.

Indeed, the Atletico Madrid star’s name was discussed behind the scenes before they focused their attention on Gyokeres. That was probably a smart move considering some reports valued the Argentine at around £142m this year.

Still, he’d have been a remarkable signing had the club gone in that direction instead.

How Viktor Gyokeres compares to Julian Alvarez

While the Sesko move fell apart due to finances, the Gunners will be enormously content with the deal to bring Gyokeres to the Emirates Stadium.

Lavish fees have been spent in England this summer and you only need to look at the £79m fee Liverpool have paid for a project striker in Hugo Ekitike to know what Arsenal have got a better bargain here.

The Portuguese top-flight will have its doubters but the hierarchy in north London have paid just over £60m for a player who bagged 50 plus goals last season.

Even if he scores half that number in Arsenal colours this forthcoming campaign, he will have been a good signing. After all, Mikel Arteta’s men just need goals. For the first time since the 1923/24 campaign, no player in red and white scored double figures in the league. Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz endured lengthy injury spells but it makes for grim reading nonetheless.

There are some concerns surrounding the tactical fit of Gyokeres in this Arsenal team. We’re not attempting to bash this move, he’s a great signing, but despite the Swede’s power and height – he stands at 6 foot 2 – only around 12.5% of his shots came with his head and he didn’t score a single header in the league last term.

If Gyokeres finds a way to over 20 goals next season then few will care how they come but it does explain why Arsenal were looking at other options too, notably Alvarez.

Premier League-proven, the World Cup winner has been described as a “monster” by Argentine journalist Pablo Gonzalez and remarkably as “the best forward in the world” by reporter Roy Nemer.

His stock is incredibly high and his numbers in Spain last campaign demonstrate why. While Alvarez’s goalscoring record paled in comparison to Gyokeres, he did find the net on 29 occasions and at a higher level too. He also registered eight assists in all competitions.

While concerns surround Gyokeres’ ability to translate his form in Portugal to the Premier League, there will have no such doubts about Alvarez. He’s already dazzled for Manchester City at this level.

Goals

0.49

1.07

Assists

0.21

0.27

Shots

2.90

3.72

Pass success %

78%

72%

Key passes

1.88

1.81

Passes into penalty area

3.38

0.79

Progressive passes

3.40

1.87

Shot-creating actions

3.94

4.50

Progressive carries

2.50

3.89

In 2023/24, his final campaign under Pep Guardiola, the 25-year-old netted 19 goals and assisted 14, demonstrating that he is the complete package.

He’s also been there and done it all despite his age. He’s won the English top-flight on two occasions, he’s won the FA Cup, he’s won the Champions League, he’s won Copa America twice and of course, he’s got his hands on the World Cup trophy.

Despite being 25, Alvarez has quite the CV and there is no doubt that he’d have really taken Arsenal to the next level under Arteta’s wing.

Still, with Gyokeres, a 50-goal striker arriving through the door, few can complain when the club’s main problem last term was scoring goals.

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Sunderland have now made an approach to sign an international defender who has 25 Champions League appearances to his name, reporter Ben Jacobs has revealed.

Black Cats set to have money to spend after Bellingham sale

Despite the Black Cats securing promotion to the Premier League in dramatic fashion at Wembley, Jobe Bellingham decided to forge a similar path to his brother by opting to move to Borussia Dortmund, in what was a club-record £32m deal.

The departure will no doubt be disappointing for Regis Le Bris, given that the 19-year-old was a crucial player last season, making 43 appearances in all competitions, but there should now be additional funds to bring in a suitable replacement this summer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Tommy Doyle is one of the players who has been earmarked as a potential replacement for Bellingham, but central midfield is not the only area in which Le Bris is looking to strengthen, having also set his sights on a new left-back.

Aston Villa’s Alex Moreno was identified as a potential target earlier this week, following the Spaniard’s return from a loan spell with Nottingham Forest, and Sunderland have now made an approach to sign a different left-back, namely Atletico Madrid’s Reinildo.

That is according to Jacobs, who took to X to reveal that a number of clubs have come forward to sign the Atletico defender, with Leeds United and Forest making approaches of their own, while clubs from Saudi Arabia and Turkey also retain an interest.

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The 31-year-old’s contract is set to expire after the upcoming Club World Cup, potentially opening the door for a move to the Stadium of Light, and given that he currently earns around £13k-a-week, wages shouldn’t be too much of an issue either.

"Talented" Reinildo needs to leave Atletico this summer

The Beira-born defender is still at an age where he should be playing regular first-team football, but that has not been the case at Atletico Madrid for quite some time, having been benched for all of the Spanish side’s La Liga games since the end of March.

As such, the Mozambique international needs to move on this summer, and the Stadium of Light could be an attractive destination, given that the Black Cats have returned to the Premier League.

There are also some indications the left-back could be a savvy signing on a free transfer, considering Le Bris would be bringing in a player with a lot of experience at the top level, having made a total of 25 appearances in the Champions League.

Once described as a “talented” player by Zach Lowy, Reinildo could be a solid addition to the Sunderland squad this summer, but there may be some justified concerns that he is now past his best, given that Atletico were willing to let his contract run down.

Newcastle United have now submitted a significant bid for an “incredible” player, with Eddie Howe of the belief he would be a perfect fit in his midfield, according to a report.

Newcastle pushing for the Champions League

Regardless of whether Newcastle secure Champions League football, the 2024-25 season will always be remembered fondly by fans, having finally ended their 70-year wait to win a major honour, but they still remain in a strong position to seal a top-five finish.

The Magpies are sitting pretty in fourth place, two points clear of Nottingham Forest with just three Premier League games left to play, although their remaining fixtures are on the more difficult side, with matches against two direct rivals now on the horizon.

It could prove to be a difficult task, but should Howe’s side qualify for Europe’s elite competition, they should be able to attract some top players in the summer, with the likes of Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah and Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo believed to be of interest.

According to a report from Spain, Newcastle are also interested in a new midfielder, having submitted a €25m (£21m) bid for Girona maestro Yangel Herrera, who they are now determined to win the race for.

Atletico Madrid and top-five rivals Nottingham Forest are also interested in signing Herrera this summer, but the Magpies have now taken a firm step towards securing his signature, having put a strong offer on the table.

Howe believes the Venezuelan would fit perfectly into his side, and the manager is looking to introduce some additional quality into an already impressive midfield, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali attracting interest due to their performances this season.

Newcastle identify "incredible" £65m Prem forward as ideal summer target

The Magpies have expressed an interest in signing a Premier League attacker this summer.

By
Dominic Lund

May 6, 2025

Herrera could be "incredible" signing for Newcastle

While Howe is not short on top-quality midfield options, there are clear signs the 27-year-old is a well-rounded midfielder, who could play an important role for the Magpies in a potential Champions League campaign next season.

The central midfielder has caught the eye in front of goal for Girona this term, registering four goals and three assists in La Liga, including a well-taken headed effort against Celta Vigo back in September.

Not only that, but the former New York City FC man impressed with his tackling ability in the early stages of his career, while also catching the eye due to his pass-success rate in the final third during the 2023-24 campaign.

Lauded as an “incredible player” by journalist Zach Lowy, there are plenty of signs that Herrera could be a success at a major European club, so it is a promising development that Newcastle have now made a concrete approach.