Tottenham Hotspur have made a new bid worth £43m to sign an attacking midfielder similar to former target Eberechi Eze.
Tottenham move on from Eze with 2-0 win at Man City
Spurs were dealt a major transfer blow last week when Eze decided to snub a move to Thomas Frank’s side in favour of heading to north London rivals Arsenal.
Eze actually phoned Gunners boss Mikel Arteta in order to return to his boyhood side, with Tottenham being forced to look at other attacking targets before the deadline.
However, on the pitch, Spurs put their Eze transfer blow behind them to seal an impressive 2-0 at Manchester City. First-half goals from Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha were enough for Frank’s side to make it two wins from two without conceding a goal.
Talking after the game, Frank was only interested in talking about those that had joined Tottenham.
“I think it’s fair to say that we’ve got a few questions about the transfer market yesterday – a lot about why not, and what if, and all that. What is 100 per cent sure is that we brought two top players into the club, (Mohammed) Kudus and Palhinha. Both of them performed very well, which I’m very pleased with.
“And Palhinha, wow. You know, sometimes players need confidence, and they need to be on top. “I actually don’t think he’s fully fit yet where I want him to be, but very pleased with his performance and he’s definitely helping the team.”
Asked if he had used the Eze situation as inspiration, Frank said: “I think that’s very, very easy – never ever use one word about anything that is not in our club.”
Tottenham hold talks to sign £40m+ UCL winner who Son called "incredible"
The Lilywhites are scrambling to attempt a late move.
1 ByTom Cunningham Aug 24, 2025
With Spurs not back in action until Saturday 30 August, Daniel Levy and co have plenty of time to make progress with a number of alternative targets, and it looks as if they are getting straight to work with one attacking midfielder.
Tottenham make improved Nico Paz offer
According to Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, Tottenham have made an improved offer for Como’s Nico Paz.
Spurs had an initial €40m (£34.6m) bid turned down, with those in north London now raising their offer to €50m (£43m). Como or Paz are yet to respond to Tottenham’s latest bid, with the Serie A side previously valuing the 20-year-old at €70m (£60m).
Di Marzio adds that Paz remains a top target for Tottenham, with talks continuing. Should the Argentina international sign for Frank’s side, they will be getting a talent called “incredible” by Lionel Messi.
Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid
Bruno Fernandes
Man Utd
Eberechi Eze
Arsenal
Morgan Gibbs-White
Nottingham Forest
Maghnes Akliouche
Monaco
As can be seen, FBref have also likened Paz to Eze and other star names in the last 12 months, making his potential move to north London one to watch before the deadline.
Aston Villa have now been approached over the signing of a “dominant” defender, who they have tracked for quite some time, according to a report.
Villa keen on new defender after signing Guessand
After selling Jhon Duran in the January transfer window, Villa were a little light on options in the striker department, but Unai Emery now has both Ollie Watkins and Evann Guessand to choose from at centre-forward, with the ex-OGC Nice man arriving for £30m.
Consequently, Emery now want to turn his attentions to strengthening at the opposite end of the pitch, especially considering Pau Torres is attracting interest from elsewhere, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr recently being named as potential suitors.
It could be wise to cash-in on Torres this summer, given that the Villans are well-known to be treading a fine line when it comes to PSR, and Saudi teams are arguably more willing to pay over the odds, with Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez recently joining Al-Hilal for up to £56.6m.
Aston Villa make approach to sign £22m attacker, may submit bid within days
The Villans have now made contact over a deal for an “incredible” player.
ByDominic Lund Aug 10, 2025
Should Aston Villa sell the 28-year-old, it may be a smart move to bring in a younger centre-back, with greater re-sell value, and they have now been approached over the potential signing of Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez.
That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states Villa are being kept informed about Ordonez, alongside a whole host of their Premier League rivals, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur also named as potential suitors.
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins in action with Club Brugge's JoelOrdonez
Emery’s side have been in contact over the highly-rated young defender for the past 12 months, but he is now closing in on a move to Marseille, which means they will need to move swiftly to hijack a deal, and it may take a bid of around €33m (£28m).
"Dominant" Ordonez could be fantastic signing for Villa
At just 21-years-old, the Brugge centre-back is still in the infancy of his career, but football talent scout Jacek Kulig believes he could go on to achieve great things, having likened the youngster to Real Madrid star Antonio Rüdiger.
Kulig describes the Ecuadorian as a “dominant” defender, which suggests he is strong in duels, but the starlet is also forward-thinking and very comfortable in possession of the ball, which is crucial for a modern-day centre-back.
Statistic
Average per 90 (past year)
Passes attempted
66.15 (87th percentile)
Pass completion %
91.6% (95th percentile)
Progressive passes
5.31 (94th percentile)
Despite his age, the Ecuador international already has a plethora of experience at first-team level, making 84 appearances for Club Brugge, including 12 in the Champions League last season, which suggests he may now be ready to test himself in the Premier League.
As such, it would certainly be exciting if Aston Villa were to pursue a late move for Ordonez, but they would have to move swiftly, given that Marseille are closing in on a deal.
Tottenham have now waved goodbye to the legendary Son Heung-min, who played his last game for the club against Newcastle in front of an adoring crowd of his native supporters in Seoul on Sunday.
Tottenham now in pole position to hijack Juventus in race for £70m+ star
The Lilywhites are still seeking attacking reinforcements.
3 ByTom Cunningham Aug 4, 2025
After coming to Spurs as a relatively unknown 23-year-old from Bayer Leverkusen, 10 years, 454 appearances, 173 goals and 101 assists later, Son departs for Los Angeles FC as both an heroic Lilywhites figure and their most influential player of the last decade alongside Harry Kane.
Almost immediately after Son donned the Tottenham jersey for a final time against Newcastle, Fabrizio Romano gave his trademark ‘here we go’ to the winger’s MLS switch.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Son didn’t even bother travelling back to the UK with Thomas Frank’s squad and instead parted ways in Korea, with the 33-year-old due to travel stateside for his LAFC medical ahead of an MLS record-breaking near-£20 million move (ESPN).
“I didn’t think I was going to cry at first,” Son said in an emotional final interview.
“But after hearing a few words from my teammates, leaving the club I’ve spent so much time with felt really tough. I felt really, really happy playing this match. Thanks to my fans, my teammates and also my opponents, I’ve had an unforgettable day.
“My career is not over yet, and I want to continue to bring (the fans) joy. I know I have more things I want to accomplish as a football player.”
Son rejected lucrative proposals from Saudi Arabia in favour of a move to America, and it is no coincidence that LA has the largest Korean population of any city outside of South Korea itself.
LA will act as a ‘home away from home’ for Son, with the attacker ultimately choosing that over the riches on offer in Saudi – which in itself speaks volumes of the man.
Back at Tottenham, attention turns to who could possibly do their best to replicate both Son’s leadership behind-the-scenes and his quality on the pitch.
Tottenham identify Ademola Lookman as alternative to Rodrygo
In the last fortnight, Spurs have been linked with an audacious swoop for Real Madrid star Rodrygo to fill Son’s shoes on the left, but they do have a ‘plan B’ option.
According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham have identified wantaway Atalanta star Ademola Lookman as another target to replace Son.
Atalanta's Ademola Lookman celebrates scoring their second goal with Atalanta's GiorgioScalviniand Atalanta's Matteo Ruggeri
The Nigerian famously dazzled with one of the most exceptional cup final performances ever witnessed last year, scoring a hat-trick against the previously unbeatable Bayer Leverkusen to both end their undefeated streak and win Atalanta the 2024 Europa League title.
Despite his star player status, things haven’t exactly been smooth between the 27-year-old and Atalanta, with Lookman now submitting a transfer request for this summer as he looks to push through an exit from the Serie A side.
TT reiterate news of the transfer request and write that Tottenham are plotting a potential move for Lookman to take advantage of the situation, coming after another impressive campaign where he bagged 20 goals and seven assists in all competitions.
Atalanta's Davide Zappacosta celebrates scoring their fifth goal with AdemolaLookman
Atalanta are demanding around £44 million to sell the player, which comes as a far cheaper deal than Rodrygo would be, but Spurs are now in desperate need of a new number 10 after James Maddison’s serious injury against Newcastle.
They’re also in the market for a new defender before deadline day on September 1, so it remains to be seen whether Tottenham can allocate funds towards a deal for Lookman or wait until January.
Only six of Australia’s Test stars have been named to play in the opening Shield round as the states try to navigate injuries and player management
Alex Malcolm04-Oct-2024
Marnus Labuschagne is set to play the first round•Getty Images
Australia Test batters Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh have been named for the opening Sheffield Shield round of the summer but Steven Smith won’t play for New South Wales with his batting position in the Test side yet to be determined.Despite not having any international commitments until November, only six of Australia’s incumbent Test XI will play for their states when the opening round of the Shield season begins on Tuesday while the injury toll from Australia’s limited-overs tour of the UK has continued with Cameron Green (back), Matthew Short (adductor), Sean Abbott (hamstring), and Aaron Hardie (quad) also missing the opening round.Smith, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have not been named in New South Wales’ (NSW) squad for their opening clash with South Australia but Nathan Lyon will play while Head and Alex Carey have been named for South Australia, although it may be Head’s only appearance in Shield cricket before the Test summer due to the impending birth of his second child.Related
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Smith, Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood are being set for the second Shield round against Victoria at the MCG, which is expected to be Scott Boland’s first match of the season for Victoria as he is being rested from the opening round while he builds up his bowling loads following off-season foot and knee problems. There is a chance, though, that Australia’s big three quicks might not play at all for NSW and will instead use the ODI series against Pakistan to build up for the India Test series.As expected, Green has not been named for Western Australia against Queensland due to his back injury and it is still to be determined how long he will be out for. Marsh has been named but is likely to play as batter only as he carefully builds up his red-ball bowling loads given Green’s injury. Hardie was also set to play as a batter only but has been withdrawn from the squad due to a quad issue.Western Australia have named Josh Inglis and Cooper Connolly for just his second first-class match. But Cricket Australia contracted quicks Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson are unavailable, while experienced seamer Joel Paris is also missing with a calf issue. Morris is a chance to play in round two for WA. Richardson is not expected to be available for Shield cricket until after the BBL as he is being carefully managed due to his recent injury history, although he has been named to play in WA’s Second XI against South Australia in Adelaide this week and will be under bowling restrictions. Mahli Beardman, who was a shock call-up to Australia’s ODI tour of the UK as a reserve player, is also playing in the Second XI match alongside uncontracted spinner Ashton Agar.Steven Smith could play the second Shield round•Getty Images
Glenn Maxwell is unavailable for the opening Shield round for Victoria but may play in the second against NSW with the Test tour of Sri Lanka on the horizon. Victoria captain Will Sutherland will miss the opening round as he is still managing a back issue despite playing and bowling in the opening two One-Day Cup games last week. Peter Handscomb will take over as Victoria captain. Riley Meredith returned to club cricket in Tasmania earlier than expected after suffering a side injury during Australia’s tour of the UK. He bowled seven overs on Saturday for Clarence but he was not named in Tasmania’s squad for the clash with Victoria. He should be fully fit to return in round two.The state teams are being severely challenged at present as they plan for the opening four rounds due to the huge injury toll among Australia’s contracted and fringe players and the scheduling of two Australia A-India A matches in late October and early November on top of the ODI and T20I series against Pakistan.The careful management of Australia’s Test stars and players on the fringes like Boland, Morris and now Hardie, combined with the injury toll that includes Green, Short, Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis (pectoral), Xavier Bartlett (side), Nathan Ellis (hamstring), and Spencer Johnson (side) means that most state teams will have major turnover in their XIs across the first month of the season.Western Australia squadSam Whiteman (capt), Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Josh Inglis, Matt Kelly, Mitch Marsh, Corey Rocchiccioli, Charlie StoboQueensland squadMarnus Labuschagne (capt), Jack Clayton, Liam Guthrie, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Jack WildermuthNSW squadOllie Davies, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Moises Henriques (capt), Sam Konstas, Nathan Lyon, Nic Maddinson, Jack Nisbet, Josh Philippe, Tanveer SanghaSouth Australia squadJordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Conor McInerney, Nathan McSweeney (capt), Lloyd Pope, Liam ScottVictoria squadPeter Handscomb (capt), Ash Chandrasinghe, Xavier Crone, Sam Elliott, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Cam McClure, Jon Merlo, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Mitch Perry, Tom RogersTasmania squadGabe Bell, Jake Doran, Kieran Elliott, Brad Hope, Caleb Jewell, Matt Kuhnemann, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Mitch Owen, Jordan Silk (capt), Charlie Wakim, Tim Ward, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
Ryan Mason currently has his West Bromwich Albion troops out at a pre-season camp in Austria ahead of the new Championship campaign getting underway next month.
A behind-closed-doors friendly match will take place between the Baggies and Dynamo Kyiv this coming Friday to officially get the second-tier side’s pre-season up and running, with Mason perhaps selecting brand-new £4.7m buy Aune Heggebo from the get-go to see what he’s made of in attack.
Mikey Johnston will also be linking up with the pre-season camp shortly, although this isn’t the planned-out route the ex-Celtic winger would have envisaged for himself this summer, as a move to Brazilian giants Flamengo, unfortunately, collapsed at the final hour.
The lowdown on Johnston's failed move to Flamengo
It was a deal that suddenly arrived from left field, but it had been reported that Johnston was going to move out to South America for a fee around the £5m region.
It’s stated that a move fell through – according to reports from Brazil – over concerns emerging over the Republic of Ireland international’s long-term availability fitness-wise, with Johnston prone to significant time out of the Baggies side through injury.
This will have come as a devastating blow to Johnston, considering it was rumoured that the 26-year-old was in line to earn a whopping £1.2m a year at his new Rio De Janeiro home, as opposed to banking £650k a year at the Hawthorns.
It remains to be seen whether the 5-foot-9 winger will be content with staying put at the Championship side after such an ordeal, with the potential loss of Johnston obviously hurting Mason and Co. after he fired home a promising three strikes in league action last season, even as West Brom’s promotion push fell to the wayside.
However, not all hope will be lost if Johnston does move on to another suitor down the line, especially if Mason can flex his past Tottenham Hotspur connections to land this rising North London talent to replace the outgoing Irishman.
Mason's dream Johnston replacement
West Brom has been a hotbed for some exciting, young talent from the Premier League in the not-so-distant past, with Romelu Lukaku once calling the Hawthorns his temporary sanctuary on loan away from parent side Chelsea.
Mikey Moore could be the next future star that gets his senior career up and running in style in the West Midlands, with reports last month speculating that the 17-year-old Spurs prodigy is being looked at by the new Baggies boss, having worked with the teenage sensation when coaching at the Premier League side.
He has already made a splash in the senior side at Thomas Frank’s men, with this sublime solo strike in Europa League action kickstarting his men’s career at Spurs, but he will be desperate for more long-standing first-team opportunities if a move to the Hawthorns is finalised.
Moore might well be ready to take over from Johnston down the left wing if given the chance to do so, with the 17-year-old’s main skills resting on his ability to play across a wide array of attacking positions – away from his blistering powers of picking up goals and assists for fun – including down the ex-Celtic man’s trusty left-hand side.
LW
18
4
6
AM
8
6
4
CF
7
11
4
RW
6
1
0
Indeed, when looking at the above table, it’s clear that Moore can shine all across the attacking positions. But, his preferred position does look to be on the left wing, with a stunning four goals and six assists coming his way here from 18 outings in the English capital.
Therefore, any gaping hole left behind by Johnston down the line could be effectively filled in by the “future superstar”, as he’s been referred to by football analyst Ben Mattinson previously.
After all, he has also been donned as “fearless” by Spurs teammate James Maddison recently, meaning he could take to the pressures of being one of West Brom’s main options here in his stride, with the troubling issue of Johnston wanting to move on resolved by this promising loan capture.
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Celtic are on track to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch this week with a deal for FC Nordsjaelland winger Benjamin Nygren moving closer.
Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claims that the Hoops are close to agreeing a fee with the Danish side for the Sweden international, in a move that is expected to cost around £2m.
The journalist states that there is a desire from all parties to get a deal over the line and that talks are progressing well, as Brendan Rodgers looks to add another forward to his attacking arsenal.
Nygren scored 15 goals in 30 matches in the Danish Superliga during the 2024/25 campaign, as a left-footed right winger, and could compete with Nicolas Kuhn for a place in the team next season at Parkhead.
The Swedish star may not be the only winger to arrive in Glasgow before the end of the summer transfer window, though, as they are also eyeing up a left-winger.
Celtic have interest in Norwegian forward
According to the Daily Record, Brendan Rodgers wants further attacking signings on top of the pending arrival of Nygren, with a couple of left-sided forwards on the club’s radar.
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The report claims that Norway U21 international Sondre Orjasaeter is one of the wingers being eyed up by the Scottish giants, as they look to add more quality to their frontline options.
It states that the Sarpsborg star, who is valued at £7m by his club, is a long-term target for the Scottish Premiership champions, alongside Royal Antwerp’s Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
This should be good news for the Hoops faithful because Orjasaeter would be a signing that is just as exciting as Nygren if they can get a deal over the line before the end of the window.
Why Sondre Orjasaeter is as exciting as Benjamin Nygren
Nygren is an exciting addition because of his impressive goal tally of 15 goals in 30 league games, but the 23-year-old has only provided three assists in his last 50 outings in the Superliga.
Orjasaeter may not be a winger who is going to score 15 goals in a season, which is why Nygren is particularly exciting, as he has only scored six league goals since the start of the 2024 Eliteserien campaign.
Benjamin Nygren and Alexander Isak celebrate together for Sweden.
However, the Norwegian starlet offers creativity as well as a goal threat from the left flank, and is two years younger than the Swedish forward at the age of 21.
Orjasaeter has created seven ‘big chances’ and delivered two assists in seven Eliteserien outings in the 2025 campaign to date, after he caught the eye in last year’s season.
xG
4.01
Top 26%
Goals
5
Top 18%
Shots on target
30
Top 1%
Assists
5
Top 16%
xA
6.31
Top 11%
Chances created
52
Top 11%
As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old starlet ranked very highly in the Norwegian top-flight as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side, and was let down by wasteful finishing from his teammates.
Orjasaeter, who was dubbed a “highly valued player” by Sarpsborg sporting director Hampus Andersson, is a winger who provides a decent goal threat, but also brings the ability to consistently unlock opposition defences with his creativity.
This is why he is as exciting as Nygren, despite the disparity between their respective goal outputs, because they could both offer a lot of quality at the top end of the pitch for the Hoops, albeit in different ways.
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ByDan Emery Jun 14, 2025
It is now down to the club to ensure that they get transfers over the line for both of these wingers in the coming days and weeks, to give Rodgers plenty to work with next season.
Manchester United restored some sense of pride on the final day of the Premier League season with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen, who scored from the spot, both got on the scoresheet to secure three points for the Red Devils after their disappointment in Bilbao.
Ruben Amorim delivered his speech to the supporters inside the ground after the full-time whistle and stated that Manchester United can overcome any situation and that they will strive to bring success back to the club next term.
United ended the 2024/25 campaign with no trophies added to the cabinet, and they will be without European football next season, which could also be seen as a potential positive to ease their schedule and allow them to focus on domestic success.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match
In order to get the club competing at the top of the table again, though, Amorim will need to be backed by the board to improve his squad, as the current players have simply not delivered enough on the pitch.
One player who should be replaced, as a regular starter at the very least, is centre-forward Rasmus Hojlund, who has not done enough to suggest that he can be relied on.
Why Manchester United need to replace Rasmus Hojlund
The Danish marksman arrived from Atalanta in the summer of 2023 in a deal that was reported to be worth up to £72m, which immediately put high expectations on the striker.
Rasmus Hojlund
However, Hojlund had only scored nine goals in the Serie A during the 2022/23 campaign and arrived at Old Trafford as a young striker with the potential to improve, rather than a ready-made star who was likely to hit the ground running.
Unfortunately, the 22-year-old attacker has not kicked on in the way that the club would have hoped for when they decided to splash a significant amount of money on his services two years ago.
Appearances
30
32
xG
7.64
5.24
Goals
10
4
Minutes per goal
217
506
Big chances created
0
4
Assists
2
0
As you can see in the table above, Hojlund had a fairly decent first year in the Premier League with a return of ten goals in 30 games, but he has regressed throughout his United career to date, scoring just four times in the league this season.
A return of four league goals and zero assists in 32 appearances is simply not good enough. Not good enough for the Red Devils, and not good enough for a striker who was signed for £72m two years ago.
Rasmus Hojlund
This is why Amorim must look to replace Hojlund as a starter, either with a player in the squad or by dipping into the summer transfer window. However, one player who may not come in to replace him is reported target Viktor Gyokeres.
Why Man Utd may not sign Viktor Gyokeres
Despite working with the United boss at Sporting, the Sweden international may not be a realistic target for the Premier League giants this summer after they failed to secure European football.
Prior to the Europa League final, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano suggested that moves for Victor Osimhen and Gyokeres could be taken off the table by a failure to land a Champions League place due to financial limitations.
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The reporter said: “He loves Gyokeres and Gyokeres loves Amorim, for sure. But for Man Utd we say it for [Victor] Osimhen and for Gyokeres too – it depends on the budget, how much they can invest, how much they can spend and what happens with European football.”
Sporting’s star number nine has been linked with Liverpool and Arsenal, who will both be in the Champions League next season, which could make it incredibly difficult for United to outbid them or convince the striker to pick a move to Old Trafford over playing European football.
Failing to sign Gyokeres would be a shame, given that the 26-year-old star has scored 96 goals and provided 28 assists in 101 matches for Sporting, but Amorim could forget about Hojlund and the former Coventry City ace by unleashing Kobbie Mainoo in a new role.
The new role Kobbie Mainoo should play for Man Utd
Whilst this may sound like a crazy idea at face value, playing a central midfielder up front as an alternative to signing a striker with 96 goals in 101 games, it is a tactical move that could make sense for United in the short-term.
Teams have been successful in the past without having a natural number nine who scored 20-plus goals. Roberto Firmino, for example, only scored more than 12 Premier League goals in one of his seasons at Liverpool, and they won the title and the Champions League during his time there.
The Brazil international was so effective for Jurgen Klopp because he brought technical quality and ingenuity in a false nine role, which was perfectly complemented by having two inside forwards, in Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, who could deliver goals on a regular basis.
Mainoo, who was described as a “generational talent” by Hojlund, is a technically excellent footballer who can offer similar qualities to Firmino in that role, and United are reportedly closing in on Matheus Cunha, who would be perfect to play alongside the England international as part of a Klopp’s Liverpool-esque front three.
Appearances
33
25
Starts
29
19
xG
8.63
0.77
Goals
15
0
Big chances created
13
4
Assists
6
0
As you can see in the table above, the Wolves star has the goalscoring and creative quality to be a terrific addition as one of the number ten options behind the striker, which could make him the Salah or Mane to Mainoo’s Firmino.
Whilst the United star’s haul of zero goals and four ‘big chances’ created may not immediately catch the eye, he did create those chances in just 19 starts whilst mainly playing as a central midfielder, and the star showcased his composure and quality in the box against Lyon int the Europa League.
Mainoo scored three goals from just 0.89 xG in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, which suggests that he does have the potential to finish chances efficiently, and he would have more opportunities to find the back of the net whilst playing as a false nine.
Therefore, United could forget about Hojlund and Gyokeres by unleashing the academy graduate in a new role next season, utilising his technical quality and intelligence to combine with the goalscoring quality that Cunha and Bruno Fernandes can provide behind him.
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This could be a cost-effective, short-term, solution to Amorim’s Hojlund problem, due to the financial blow of missing out on Europe, and save the club from having to spend money on a less-than-ideal striker alternative to their big targets, which could set them up to go big on a new number nine next year if they work their way back into European football.
Like all clubs of their size and with their history, Chelsea have had some incredible players represent them over the years.
Moreover, those players have often formed brilliant duos, such as Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba and John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho.
Another pairing that enjoyed immense success during their time at Stamford Bridge was Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, who played 107 matches together, averaged two points per game and won two Premier League titles.
So, fans should be excited that the club might be able to recreate a partnership similar to that one with the sensational Estêvãoand one of Cobham’s most promising gems.
Estêvão's start to his Chelsea career
There has long been plenty of hype around Estêvão and the kind of player he could develop into.
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In fact, just a few months before Chelsea signed him, respected analyst Ben Mattinson labelled the teenage phenom a “future Ballon d’Or winner.”
Of course, there is still a long way to go before that could happen, but so far this season, it would probably be fair to say that the young Brazilian has met, or even exceeded, expectations.
For example, in 17 appearances, totalling just 740 minutes, he has already scored five goals and provided one assist.
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.83 games, or more importantly, every 123.33 minutes.
Furthermore, the Franca-born superstar in the making has also already shown an ability to thrive and score in the club’s biggest games.
For example, he came on against Liverpool a couple of months ago and scored the winner and then, against Barcelona this week, he scored the all-important second goal to take the game away from the Spanish side.
Finally, on top of the output, the former Palmeiras prospect also passes the eye-test with flying colours, as Hazard did; he’s a tremendously fun footballer to watch, and it feels like something is going to happen with a ball at his feet.
Now, as if one young superstar in the making wasn’t enough, Chelsea also have a goalscoring machine in the academy who could become Estêvão’s Costa.
The Cobham gem who could be Estêvão's Costa
As always seems to be the case, Chelsea have plenty of seriously exciting youngsters coming through the academy at the moment, with chief among them, and the player who could form a game-breaking partnership with Estevao, being Shumaira Mheuka.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion prospect joined the Blues’ youth setup in 2022 and, in the time since, has become one of the most promising strikers in academy football.
Now, that might sound hyperbolic, but his output over the last couple of years proves that it very much is not.
For example, despite being just 16 at the start of last season, he ended the campaign with 11 goals and three assists in 30 appearances across the u18s and u21s.
Yet, while that is an impressive return, he’s taken another massive step forward this year.
So far, the Birmingham-born monster has scored 13 goals and provided three assists in 13 appearances for the junior sides, totalling 1,067 minutes.
Appearances
63
Goals
34
Assists
9
Goal Involvements per Match
0.68
That means the prolific number nine is averaging 1.23 goal involvements every game, or one every 66.68 minutes, which is surely a rate of return that warrants him getting more first-team action this season.
It’s not just at club level where the youngster is making a name, though: in 20 appearances for England’s u19s, he has chalked up a huge tally of 14 goals and three assists.
With numbers like these, it’s not hard to see why respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has described the youngster as “the future of Chelsea and English football.”
Ultimately, while it might not happen this year, Chelsea need to play Estevao alongside Mheuka at some point, as they could end up being the club’s new Hazard and Costa.
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Heat, who dropped crucial catches in the field, were all out for 149 in response to Scorchers’ 172
AAP12-Nov-2025A trademark Beth Mooney masterclass century set up Perth Scorchers for a 23-run win over Brisbane Heat to get their WBBL season up and running.Mooney made a scintillating 105 off 73 deliveries to power the Scorchers to 172 for 3 at Allan Border Field. Heat, who dropped crucial catches in the field, were all out for 149 in 19.1 overs. Mooney finished the match as she started it with a brilliant direct hit at the non-striker’s end to run out Nicola Hancock.Mooney was at her composed best from the get-go. She was particularly severe on the leg side initially, where she flicked several deliveries to the fence with consummate ease. She brought up her half-century off 42 balls without breaking stride before upping the ante in an innings that included three sixes. A straight six off Jess Jonassen was sublime, as was a ramp to the boundary off Nadine de Klerk that went straight over wicketkeeper Georgia Redmayne’s head.She took to the first over of the power surge, flipping a six off Nicola Hancock in an over that went for 21 runs.”I probably just went through different phases. I was hitting it really nicely early and then was trying to hit it a little bit hard through the middle and then came good towards the end,” Mooney told AAP.”In those innings you have to hang in there when it is getting a bit tough. I thought Brisbane bowled really well, Lucy Hamilton in particular in the surge. It just showed if you bowled in the right areas it was tough to score. We managed a decent score and held them off at the end.”Mooney received outstanding support from opening partner Katie Mack (31) in an 89-run opening stand. She was dropped on 32 by Charli Knott when she splayed a drive towards third man.Mack was put down at slip by Annie O’Neil first ball off Lucy Hamilton and then again by Knott at short fine leg when on 19 from the bowling off Jess Jonassen. Paige Scholfield (22) came to the crease and continued the momentum.In reply, the big-hitting Grace Harris – playing her first match of the campaign for the Heat after recovering from a calf injury – made 46 off 30 balls before being bowled.Jonassen was then run out without scoring in a horrible mix-up with Knott (32), and it was 4-84. It was always going to be a bridge too far from there despite big hitting from West Indies powerhouse Chinelle Henry (39 off 23).In the end it was Mooney who owned the match at a venue she knows so well.