أعلن الحساب الرسمي لجائزة الكرة الذهبية عدد النقاط التي حصدها النجم الدولي الإسباني لامين يامال، خلال فوزه بجائزة كوبا 2025 كأفضل لاعب صاعد للموسم الماضي 2024/2025.
وتعتبر هذه المرة الثانية التي يفوز نجم برشلونة ومنتخب إسبانيا كأفضل لاعب صاعد تحت21 عامًا في العالم بعدما توج بها الموسم قبل الماضي.
وكانت مجلة فرانس فوتبول قد أعلنت هوية الفائز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية “بالون دور” للعام 2025، مساء الإثنين الماضي في الحفل الذي أقيم بمدينة باريس عاصمة فرنسا.
وتنافس على الجائزة 30 لاعبًا، بينهم النجم المصري محمد صلاح، جناح فريق ليفربول الإنجليزي، بعد الموسم المميز الذي قدمه مع ليفربول.
اقرأ أيضًا | ديمبلي “ضعفه”.. عدد نقاط محمد صلاح في الكرة الذهبية 2025
وفاز الفرنسي عثمان ديمبلي بالمركز الأول في سباق الفوز بالبالون دور فيما جاء لامين يامال، نجم منتخب إسبانيا وبرشلونة في المركز الثاني، وفيتينا البرتغالي جاء بالمركز الثالث، بعدما توج مع باريس سان جيرمان ببطولات مميزة بجانب فوزه بدوري الأمم الأوروبية مع البرتغال.
وجاء ترتيب لامين يامال في جائزة الكرة الذهبية للرجال في المركز الثاني حاصدًا 1059 نقطة خلف الفرنسي عثمان ديمبلي الذي حصد 1380 نقطة.
وحصد لامين في جائزة “كوبا” 174 نقطة بالمركز الأول بفارق كبير عن منافسه ديزيريه دوي، لاعب باريس سان جيرمان والذي جمع 72 نقطة.
All the details of the second Men’s Kopa Trophy for Lamine Yamal! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/4h6sYEIY1K — Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) September 27, 2025
For the first time this transfer window, the transfer activity in through the door at Birmingham City seems to have slowed down.
After all, in the space of just a week recently, Birmingham had managed to welcome in the likes of Demarai Gray, Tommy Doyle, Kyogo Furuhashi, and many other star names to the camp, with some calm perhaps now needed to balance the books appropriately.
Still, when it comes to Chris Davies and Co., there might well be another sublime addition just waiting around the corner at any moment, with Birmingham not giving up all hope just yet that they can resign this midfield ace very soon, among other targets being chased after.
Birmingham still pursuing move for EFL ace
Reports do seem to suggest that the Blues will have to move on some bodies to be able to finance some more high-profile captures, especially if they want to be successful in landing Hwang Hee-Chan up top.
It was recently revealed that Birmingham had their eye on the Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker, but the £14m fee required to win his services – on top of his potential steep wage costs – has rendered this a deal that will be difficult to get over the line right now.
Kieran Dowell
There are more unwelcome obstacles in Birmingham’s way with other targets, too, with Kieran Dowell, who was expected to be surplus to requirements on his return to Rangers, now being utilised in pre-season under a fresh set of managerial ideas from Russell Martin.
A recent updated report from Birmingham Live does suggest that a permanent move could still be on the cards, with Davies once stating it would be “something we will have to look into” over arranging for the £16k-per-week star to come back to St. Andrew’s for good.
Whilst this has gone cold for the moment, Birmingham do have plenty of time on their hands to try and work out a deal, with Dowell perhaps a dream teammate for Kyogo to bounce off of as he grows accustomed to leading the line in the Championship.
Why Dowell could be a dream for Kyogo
Whilst the Japanese ace has proven himself to be a reliable goal machine in Scotland – as seen in his ridiculous tally of 85 strikes leading the line with venom for Celtic – he has never tested himself before in the challenging terrain of the EFL’s elite league.
Therefore, he could well be daunted by the prospect of having to be the Blues’ leading man here, particularly as he’s coming into Davies’ camp off the back of a barren spell in France with Rennes and the fact that he’s been purchased for a fee around the excessive £10m mark.
Dowell’s career Championship numbers
Stat
Dowell
Games played
123
Goals scored
26
Assists
12
Big chances created
25
Sourced by Transfermarkt/Sofascore
Those nerves would surely be quelled knowing he has the likes of such a reliable Championship playmaker in the form of Dowell by his side, with the second-tier veteran notching up a hefty 26 goals and 12 assists across his last 123 outings in the division. On top of that, 25 big chances have also been created, which will be music to the ears of a poacher-like forward in Kyogo.
At the height of his goalscoring powers at Celtic during the 2022/23 season, which saw him net a blistering 27 Scottish Premiership strikes, the potent 30-year-old would only need to average a mere 13.3 touches per league game to cause said widespread damage, meaning he should become even more prolific if he latches onto plenty of Dowell’s defence-splitting passes to come.
Rangers midfielder Kieran Dowell.
Whilst they used to be divided across enemy lines in Glasgow, both Dowell and Kyogo might well form a dream partnership in the West Midlands very soon, with Davies even going as far as to describe the 27-year-old as “high quality” last campaign when he popped up with four assists from just 17 League One starts.
He might well have only scratched the surface of what he’s capable of at St. Andrew’s with his promising loan stint, with the Championship more his bread and butter, as Birmingham aim to potentially bring him back to take their new division by storm.
He'd be Kyogo 2.0: Birmingham looking at incredible deal to sign £14m star
Birmingham City could seal another ambitious deal very soon.
Arsenal and Tottenham are both monitoring highly-rated Swindon Town goalkeeper Anton Robinson, a 6ft 5in shot-stopper born in 2008. The teenager, already making waves in England’s lower leagues, has attracted interest from the north London giants, who are preparing to battle for his signature as he emerges as one of the brightest young talents in the country.
Arsenal & Spurs monitoring goalkeeper Anton Robinson
Robinson, 6ft 5in, already made EFL Trophy bench appearance
The teenager seen as rare talent with potential to reach elite level
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Robinson, who only turned 16 this year, has impressed scouts with his commanding presence and maturity. He recently featured on the bench for Swindon's senior team in an EFL Trophy clash, underlining his rapid progression. Both Spurs and Arsenal are keeping close tabs on his development as per TeamTalk.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Born in 2008, Robinson already measures a towering 6ft 5in and has been praised for his command of the penalty area. His early exposure to first-team football has only strengthened his reputation. Scouts believe he could develop into one of the most promising goalkeepers of his generation.
DID YOU KNOW?
Obviously, at the moment, both North London sides have a lot of quality in the goalkeeping department. Arsenal currently have David Raya as their main goalkeeper with Kepa Arrizabalaga as backup. As for Tottenham, they boast a strong starter in Guglielmo Vicario, and have Antonin Kinsky as his deputy.
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WHAT NEXT FOR ROBINSON?
Swindon will likely face pressure to keep hold of their prized prospect as Arsenal and Spurs weigh up moves. A decision may hinge on Robinson’s pathway to regular first-team minutes. For now, both clubs will continue tracking his progress closely.
Last summer, Celtic reportedly banked a joint-club-record fee of £25m for Denmark international Matt O’Riley when they sold him to Brighton & Hove Albion.
The 24-year-old maestro moved on from Parkhead after an exceptional return of 18 goals and 13 assists in 36 appearances in the Scottish Premiership during the 2023/24 campaign.
O’Riley provided a huge threat at the top end of the pitch, particularly as a goalscorer, and that earned him a big-money move to the Premier League last year.
The Dane’s departure meant that Brendan Rodgers did not have a natural goalscoring midfielder who could chip in with anywhere near as many as the left-footed star did.
Celtic lacked a consistent goal threat in midfield
The Hoops signed Arne Engels from Augsburg to ‘replace’ O’Riley and the Belgian did provide a threat at the top end of the pitch, ending the season with ten goals and 12 assists in all competitions.
Arne Engels
However, seven of his nine goals in the Premiership came from the penalty spot in his first year in Glasgow, which shows that he did not offer a huge threat from open play as a goalscorer.
Celtic’s goal threat from midfield
24/25 Premiership
Starts
Non-penalty goals
Arne Engels
21
2
Reo Hatate
24
9
Callum McGregor
29
8
Luke McCowan
12
5
Paulo Bernardo
11
2
Stats via WhoScored
As you can see in the table above, none of Celtic’s central midfielders hit double figures for goals last season, but they did spread the goals among them.
The Premiership champions are now reportedly one of the teams in the race to sign former Burnley star Josh Brownhill on a free transfer, and he could be their best central midfield signing since O’Riley.
Why Brownhill would be Celtic's best midfielder since O'Riley
The experienced midfield star would be an influential figure in the middle of the park for the Hoops, as he is fresh off the back of an exceptional campaign with Burnley in the English Championship.
His brilliant performances in central midfield helped the Clarets to earn promotion to the Premier League by finishing in second place in the league, as he showcased his ability to make a big impact in the final third.
Unlike the options Rodgers currently has in his squad, Brownhill has the potential to deliver O’Riley-esque numbers in front of goal after an 18-goal haul in the Championship.
Only three of those 18 goals came from the penalty spot, which means that he scored six more goals than the top-scoring Celtic midfielder at league level last term.
The 29-year-old star, who was lauded as “immense” by journalist Josh Bunting, could be the man to finally replace the prolific level of scoring that O’Riley provided when he was at Parkhead in the 2023/24 campaign.
Brownhill also made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game for his team, whilst no Hoops midfielder managed more than 2.0 tackles and interceptions per match, which suggests that the potential is also there for him to offer more to the team out of possession as a screening presence in front of the defence.
These statistics show that the free agent maestro has the qualities to be an exceptional addition to the squad on a free transfer, as he has the goalscoring and defensive capability to be the club’s best central midfield player since O’Riley left to sign for Brighton as a standout offensively and defensively.
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No Celtic midfielder has stepped up to take on the goalscoring mantle from the Dane in the past 12 months, but Brownhill’s form for Burnley suggests that he is the man to step up for Rodgers, which is why they must push to get a deal done for him in the coming days.
The Darwin Nunez era has come to an end. However Liverpool fans choose to remember it, they can’t argue that it wasn’t eventful.
The Uruguayan centre-forward arrived on Merseyside to much fanfare, with Jurgen Klopp having hand-picked the raw and powerful talent after his immense breakout year with Portuguese giants Benfica, scoring 34 goals across 41 matches in 2021/22.
That included an eye-catching performance against Liverpool in the Champions League, with goalscoring games against Barcelona and Bayern Munich preceding it.
When Nunez arrived, many thought he would follow in his footsteps of his countryman Luis Suarez. It was expected this maverick of a striker, oozing quality, would leave his mark on Merseyside.
But that wasn’t the case at all.
Why Liverpool had to sell Darwin Nunez
Nunez was given ample chance to make it work at Anfield, but ultimately, two of the finest modern coaches in Klopp and now Arne Slot have failed to unlock this enigma of a number nine.
At times a maverick, Nunez’s wastefulness and ability to get lost in the flow of matches ultimately led to his downfall, with Slot only starting him once in last term’s Premier League edition since Boxing Day. Across 47 matches in all competitions last year, the 25-year-old only scored seven goals.
And when Slot remarked that he “can’t accept if a player doesn’t give everything” following clear dejection when the striker missed a crucial chance against Aston Villa in February.
Darwin Nunez taps the Liverpool badge after scoring in pre-season against Athletic Bilbao.
It’s for these reasons that an initial £46m fee has been agreed with Al Hilal for the transfer of the South American, who is now expected to have a medical with the Saudi Pro League side.
Touted as a talisman, Nunez leaves with a share of fond memories but plenty of moments that left something to be desired. A replacement is needed.
Liverpool preparing bid for Nunez upgrade
As per Spanish sources, Liverpool are preparing a fresh bid for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, having seen an initial £110m offer rejected last week.
This has since been corroborated by Fabrizio Romano.
The press over in Spain believe that Liverpool are prepared to break the British transfer record that they set with the £116m signing of Florian Wirtz in June by pressing ahead with a move for Isak, who, aged 25, wants to join the Anfield side.
Everything hinges on the Magpies’ success in signing a replacement, and with Manchester United having won the race for Benjamin Sesko, uncertainty reigns with that one.
Why Liverpool want Alexander Isak
Having signed Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt for a £79m fee this summer, many observers might consider a record-breaking move for Isak somewhat superfluous on FSG’s part, but Liverpool are depleted up top in regard to numbers, and Isak would be the cream of the crop.
Ekitike and Isak
Not just a devastating goalscorer but an artful and athletic player, considered by his United teammate Nick Pope for being “like a wizard” on the ball, Isak is the real deal, and would be worth every penny as Slot looks to build and sustain a dynasty.
The £120k-per-week talent might even have enough talismanic aura about him that he steps up as Liverpool’s new inspiration, something that will weigh heavily on Slot’s mind as the 33-year-old Mohamed Salah enters the penultimate year of his journey on Merseyside.
Scoring 27 goals and supplying six assists for Newcastle last season, Isak certainly plays his role as the line leader with aplomb, and his goal against Liverpool to seal the Carabao Cup title at Wembley underscores his Steven Gerrard-esque quality, stepping up when his side need him most.
Gerrard had such desire and self-belief, and he had it in spades. The Liverpool legend is widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, having played 710 matches for the Reds, scoring 186 goals and supplying 155 assists for his teammates.
But he was often the man for the big occasion, chipping in with his biggest career hauls against some of Liverpool’s biggest rivals, with Newcastle, Chelsea, Man United, Everton and Arsenal all featuring prominently on that list.
Newcastle
27
10
8
18
Bolton
23
7
9
16
Man City
26
6
10
16
Everton
33
10
4
14
Man Utd
35
9
5
14
Arsenal
34
6
8
14
Aston Villa
27
13
0
13
Moreover, who could forget that FA Cup final performance, releasing a howitzer of a strike to force extra time against West Ham United in the 2006 FA Cup final.
The 45-year-old also inspired Liverpool’s historic Champions League triumph the year before, and stood proud as Anfield’s leader, through thick and thin, across the wide span of his unforgettable career.
Isak might not be cut from the same positional cloth, but the centre-forward has that rare quality that few players across the globe boast: the knack at grabbing games by the scruff of the neck and pushing his team forward, through to victory.
Steven Gerrard
He showed as much against Liverpool at Wembley only earlier this year, after all, while his record against the so-called ‘Big Six’ is also nothing to be sniffed at.
A man for the big occasion, the Swede has scored six times in five meetings with Spurs, four in six against both Chelsea and Liverpool, while also netting two apiece against both Manchester City and Arsenal, across six and five encounters, respectively.
Regarded by journalist Harry de Cosemo for having “hero status” on Tyneside, Isak could immortalise himself in Liverpool by completing a transfer to Slot’s side, adding not just world-class ability but a willingness to step up and lead.
Just like Gerrard did. Time and time again.
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The fast bowler returns to action for the first time since a side strain in September, and will spearhead Australia’s T20I attack against Pakistan
Tristan Lavalette12-Nov-2024The return of Xavier Bartlett will be a welcome sight for the national hierarchy hoping to shore up fast bowling depth with a gruelling Border-Gavaskar Trophy set to test the fitness of Australia’s frontline quicks.Bartlett has not been sighted in domestic cricket so far this season after a side strain cut short his white-ball tour of the UK in September. He has recently returned to local cricket in Brisbane and is set to play in the T20I series opener between a shorthanded Australia – missing their Test players – and Pakistan at the Gabba on Thursday.Showcasing immaculate upright seam positioning, enabling him to conjure menacing late swing with the new ball, Bartlett was the leading wicket-taker in last season’s BBL and a key in Brisbane Heat’s stunning title triumph.He subsequently claimed four-wicket hauls in his first two ODIs against West Indies and has taken 6 wickets from four T20Is at an average of 17.66.Bartlett has been on the hierarchy’s radar as they strive to build depth behind the big three quicks of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, who have been resilient over the years but face the tough challenge of five Tests against India within seven weeks.There have been fitness issues with Australia’s fringe quicks. Michael Neser suffered a hamstring injury in the recent Australia A-India A match at the MCG, while WA speedsters Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson have been working their way back through white-ball cricket. Scott Boland is Australia’s reserve quick for the first Test in Perth starting on November 22.Xavier Bartlett topped the bowling charts in the last BBL•Getty Images”Those main three [Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood] have been amazing for so long, unbelievable,” Bartlett told reporters in Brisbane. “Going forward there will be opportunities. Personally, the goal is always to try and play Test cricket for Australia.”There’s so much cricket and every time you get a chance to play for Australia it’s a childhood dream. Whether it’s [due to] people who are unavailable or available you just have to try to take your opportunity. And this is a great opportunity.”Everything is good [with my fitness]… champing at the bit to get out there.”Bartlett, 25, will be part of a second-string Australia team aiming to salvage some pride after their surprise ODI series defeat to Pakistan, which included successive thrashings in Adelaide and Perth.Australia’s batters had no answer for Pakistan’s four-pronged pace attack who relished favourable fast and bouncy conditions throughout the series. “They have been amazing, the last two games they only used four bowlers,” Bartlett said.”The 140 [kph] from both ends, been exciting to watch. They bowled some really great lengths and were really attacking. Hopefully we can emulate that. We’ve spoken about just trying to take wickets and try to make early inroads.”Bartlett is set to share the new ball with left-arm quick Spencer Johnson in a return in tandem for the pair who so often ignited Heat during their title run. Much like at Optus Stadium, the Gabba surface tends to be fast and bouncy but runs can flow quickly there in white-ball cricket.There has been stormy weather in Brisbane this week with showers forecast on Thursday. “It’s a really good cricket wicket, so it should make for entertaining cricket,” Bartlett said.While some eye-catching performances across the three-match T20I series could see Bartlett move up the pecking order of fringe Test bowlers, his Heat teammate Nathan McSweeney will make his debut in the first Test after being named as Usman Khawaja’s opening partner.”To see his journey from when we were about 11 or 12 [years of age] to where he is now, making his Test debut, it’s unbelievable – I’m absolutely stoked for him,” Bartlett said of McSweeney, who is from Brisbane but captains South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.”He’s worked so hard. I can’t wait to see him go out there and hopefully go well for Australia.”
Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla likened Shami’s red-hot return to a fairy-tale
Shashank Kishore14-Nov-2024
Mohammed Shami bagged a four-for on Ranji return•PTI
Three-hundred-and-sixty days after he last played competitive cricket at last year’s World Cup final in Ahmedabad, Mohammed Shami took the field for an official game on Wednesday, at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.On Thursday, the second day of the ongoing fifth round of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, Shami piqued significant interest, after going wicketless across ten overs on the opening day. Was he fully fit? Was his ankle troubling him? Was he bowling within himself? Was he able to bowl with full intensity?He may have cleared some of those doubts after returning figures of 4 for 54 to help Bengal take a sizeable 61-run lead against Madhya Pradesh that they stretched to 231 with five wickets still remaining by stumps. With the match not televised or streamed, you couldn’t have said if Shami was bowling with the intensity he’s known to unless you were at the venue. But those within the Bengal camp couldn’t be happier.Related
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ESPNcricinfo understands Bengal were advised to tread caution in handling Shami’s workload and not give him long spells. And every move of his over the last two days was keenly watched by Nitin Patel, head of the Centre of Excellence’s medical panel. Patel and his team have been asked to send a report to the national selectors and the team management after the match.Anustup Majumdar, the Bengal captain, revealed how Shami had been “desperate to return” after a long injury layoff. On Wednesday, when Shami asked him for the ball with a partnership brewing between Rajat Patidar and Subranshu Senapati, Majumdar couldn’t turn his back.Having bowled a first spell that read 4-0-16-0, Shami was brought back to have a crack late in the day. He bowled until close of play in a spell that read 6-1-18-0. It made Majumdar believe Shami wasn’t bowling like someone coming back from a year-long injury layoff.”It seemed like a big partnership was happening, but Shami asked me for the ball and said he wanted to bowl a new spell from the following over,” Majumdar told ESPNcricinfo. “He has proven how desperate he was to return to the field. It didn’t seem to me that he was returning from an injury.”A short snippet of Shami’s spell released by the BCCI showed him bowling off his usual run-up, hooping the ball around and troubling both the inside and outside edges. Three of his four wickets were bowled.
Shubham Sharma, the captain, chopped on, while Saransh Jain was squared up and bowled by away late movement. Kumar Kartikeya was out nicking behind to an away-swinger, while Kulwant Khejroliya, the No. 11, was bowled playing down the wrong line. In all, MP lose 9 for 61 after cruising at 106 for 1.”Someone has come back after one year and has bowled 19 overs and taken so many wickets… what’s there to say,” Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla said. “He came into the match without doing any match simulation. Can you imagine? But obviously if he plays more, he will get better.””He bowled one six-over spell and one five-over spell. Players who bowl in the IPL don’t even know how to bowl more than four overs. He bowled the sort of spells fast bowlers are expected to. I have never seen a fast bowler come back so strongly after one year away. What he did today is like a fairy-tale.”With the Ranji Trophy giving way to the white-ball leg of India’s domestic season over the next couple of months, Shami won’t have any more competitive red-ball fixtures to prove his match readiness. Only time will tell if Shami will be on the plane to Australia to feature in a three-day warm-up fixture against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra between the first and second Test.
It’s no surprise to see Manchester United working tirelessly in the summer transfer window, especially after the dismal 2024/25 campaign which saw them break records for all the wrong reasons.
The Red Devils registered their lowest-ever Premier League finish since the division’s formation, notching just 42 points in their 38 matches – achieving another club-low tally.
Ruben Amorim will desperately be wanting added reinforcements to his first-team squad, needing strength and depth in numerous key areas if he is to be a success at Old Trafford.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match
The 40-year-old’s time in the role has failed to take off, unable to transform the situation after taking the reins from Erik ten Hag following his dismissal back in November.
With the window now fully underway, countless names have already been mentioned, with work needing to be made in the next few weeks to get the additions through the door.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions
Ollie Watkins has been a name massively linked with a move to United this window, with the 29-year-old costing a fee in the region of £60m during the off-season.
A move would hand Amorim the centre-forward he desires, potentially being a key talisman given his record of 17 goals across all competitions for Aston Villa last season.
However, another name that has been constantly touted with a move to Old Trafford is Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, with a deal edging ever closer, according to Fabrizio Romano.
He claims that the Red Devils are advancing talks to land the 25-year-old’s signature this summer, with a transfer expected to be completed by the end of next week.
The journalist also states that despite the delay, the Cameroonian only wants a move to the Theatre of Dreams, but his £65m asking price will need to be met for any agreement.
Why United’s £65m target would be a better signing than Watkins
There’s no denying that Watkins would be an excellent option for United this summer, with his goalscoring prowess in the Premier League crucial in the club’s hunt for success.
The Englishman has registered 75 top-flight goals for Unai Emery’s side, breaking the record and being their highest-ever goalscorer in the competition.
However, as previously mentioned, he would cost a pretty penny, as is expected from a striker in England, with talismen in this country always commanding a higher price tag.
There’s no denying his goalscoring ability, but at 29, he’s undoubtedly coming into the back end of his career at the top level, with no resale value coming from their big-money investment.
As a result, Mbeumo would be a better option for the Red Devils this window, offering a more expensive option, but younger and more impactful given his form in recent times.
When comparing his stats to those of Watkins from the 2024/25 campaign, he’s managed to massively outperform him in numerous key areas, subsequently demonstrating the talent he possesses.
Mbeumo, who has been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, has registered more combined goals and assists, along with a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – handing the United side the added threat they’ve been lacking in front of goal.
Games played
38
38
Goals & assists
27
24
Shot on target accuracy
44%
43%
Progressive carries
3.4
1.9
Progressive passes
3.7
1.1
Key passes made
1.9
0.8
Take-on success
47%
24%
Carries into final third
1.8
0.7
He also registered a higher tally of progressive passes and key passes per 90, potentially having the tools to offer other attackers the chance to improve their own tallies.
The Brentford star has further impressed by notching a higher take-on success rate, whilst making more carries into the final third – having the ability to thrive with the ball at his feet.
Whilst £65m may appear to be a hefty sum, it’s one that would hand the side an added threat, whilst offering a better option than fellow transfer target Watkins.
If he can replicate his form at Old Trafford, Mbeumo will certainly be a key addition, with the club hopefully finally landing their man given their long-standing pursuit of the attacker.
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With the 2025/26 Premier League campaign closing in, Everton are reportedly pushing to sign the defensive midfield reinforcement that they’ve been in search of ahead of rival clubs.
Moyes "desperate" to get Everton business done
It’s been a mixed summer for Everton so far. Whilst they’ve done well to get deals over the line for Thierno Barry, Mark Travers and, most recently, Bayern Munich youngster Adam Aznou, there’s still plenty of work to be done.
Just two weeks before the Premier League season gets underway, David Moyes once again saw his side lose out to Premier League opposition in their pre-season tour of America and took the time to reveal his frustration over the lack of incomings in the aftermath.
Money isn’t the problem, either. Earlier reports indicated that The Friedkin Group are able to spend as much as £150m this summer if they see fit and, as such, targets such as James McAtee and Douglas Luiz have threatened to steal the headlines.
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The Toffees even reportedly submitted a loan offer to sign the latter, but any potential deals still seems a long way off – forcing those in Merseyside to look towards fresh alternatives.
Everton pushing to sign Florentino Luis
According to journalist Gianluigi Longari, as relayed by Sport Witness, Everton are now pushing in the race to sign Florentino Luis ahead of Leeds United and Burnley. The Benfica midfielder could now be granted an exit following the arrival of Richard Rios, leaving the Toffees to take full advantage to land a player they’ve long admired.
Praised for his “superb work rate” by scout Jacek Kulig in 2023, Everton should go all out to ensure that they don’t miss out on the fresh opportunity to sign Luis this summer.
At 25 years old, he’s at the peak of his powers and would provide Moyes with an ideal replacement for Abdoulaye Doucoure. In one move, Everton could forget all about Luiz and land a younger alternative.
Hosts build on 204-run first-innings lead through fifties from Young and Williamson
Alan Gardner14-Dec-2024
Will O’Rourke dismissed Harry Brook first ball as New Zealand took control•Getty Images
Seddon Park may not be one of the more intimidating arenas in world cricket – even more so when there is a stuffed camel wearing a skipper’s cap stood at one end. But it has been a stronghold for New Zealand’s Test side and they won all the major skirmishes on day two against England, as they looked to bring an end to a run of four consecutive home defeats.It began with a ticklish last-wicket stand between Mitchell Santner and Will O’Rourke, which kept England in the field through the first hour of the day while they attempted to wrap up the innings. Come the close, Kane Williamson was walking off unbeaten having notched his 12th 50-plus score in Hamilton, as the hosts made solid progress in pushing on towards an impregnable position.In between, Santner and O’Rourke combined once again to rip the guts out of the England innings – that after Matt Henry had dispatched the head. O’Rourke produced a searing spell of unsettling bounce, sharp movement and 145kph/90mph pace, eliminating Nos. 3, 4 and 5 on the England card – including the top two batters in the world, according to the ICC’s rankings – in the space of eight deliveries. Santner broke the recovery stand between Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes in his first over, before Henry returned to dock the tail as England completed a grisly collapse of 8 for 66.The only member of New Zealand’s four-man attack who did not find himself in the wickets was Tim Southee, the “Sexy Camel” whose impending retirement explains the dromedary mascot. He will likely get another chance to go out on a high note, although his side’s unexpected dominance did imperil the chances of Southee reaching another landmark. With 100 Test sixes in his sights, surely someone in the New Zealand think tank will ensure he goes in to bat at some point on Monday.As England’s hopes of a 3-0 series sweep dwindled during the evening session, Young and Williamson adding 89 for the second wicket after Tom Latham had been induced into chopping on by Gus Atkinson, it appeared as if the Bazball reboot had hit another bump in the road. While they had fought their way out of difficult first-innings positions in Christchurch and Wellington to take an unassailable 2-0 lead, here they fell in a heap to concede a 204-run deficit.This time there was no blazing Harry Brook knock to bail them out. Perhaps he had used up all his luck when scoring match-turning hundreds in each of the first two Tests – but when he departed first ball in the 16th over, New Zealand surely felt the game swing decisively their way.O’Rourke was the catalyst. The 6ft 4in quick had bowled impressively without significant rewards in the series but, on the ground where he claimed a nine-wicket haul on debut earlier this year, produced a brilliant spell after lunch that left England 82 for 5 and reeling.He initially worked Jacob Bethell over with a back-of-a-length attack; when the ball was then pitched up, Bethell’s hard-handed drive flew to backward point. Brook fell to the in-ducker, perhaps a touch unlucky as he defended down into the ground, only for the ball to bounce up and flick off the leg bail. The result was the first golden duck of his career, and the first time that he had been dismissed by a New Zealand bowler for less than 50.Will Young and Tom Latham settle into New Zealand’s second innings•Getty Images
In O’Rourke’s following over, once again the combination of bounce and movement back in did for Joe Root, as his late cut flew straight to Young at backward point.A sprightly recovery stand of 52 in 13 overs between Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes followed, only for Santner to remove both within the space of three deliveries. Pope had counterpunched effectively for the third Test in a row, only to prop forward limply and divert an edge to slip. In Santner’s next over, Stokes fell lbw when missing a slog-sweep.The procession continued, as Henry returned to the attack and induced a tame lob to mid-on from Atkinson. Brydon Carse squeezed a return catch back to Santner and when Matt Potts was caught throwing the bat at Henry, England had lost their last five wickets in five overs for the addition of nine runs. A total of 143 all out was England’s lowest in the first innings since their first outing under Brendon McCullum in June 2022.Henry’s opening spell had seen him maintain his hold over Zak Crawley, dismissing him for the fifth time in as many innings. England made a fast start in reply to 347, reaching 32 for 0 in fours overs as Southee was once again dealt with unceremoniously – and Crawley even succeeded in scoring his first runs of the series off Henry.But it was brief respite. From the third ball Henry bowled to him, Crawley could only manage a leading edge that was scooped up one-handed in the bowler’s follow-through. Crawley hung around for the third umpire to check but replays quickly confirmed fingers under the ball, bringing his record to five runs and five dismissals from 22 balls faced off Henry in the series. In the same over, Henry sent back Duckett with a ball that seamed in to hit his back leg in front of middle stump.That mini-session was the antithesis of what had gone before, as Santner and O’Rourke frustrated England while adding 32 runs to the overnight score in 15 largely untroubled overs. With the field spread for Santner, the pair were happy to tick along – the most excitement arguably coming via O’Rourke’s inside edge to fine leg that brought him his first boundary in 19 innings as an international cricketer.O’Rourke had been given out caught behind off Atkinson in the seventh over of the day, only for Ahsan Raza to have to overturn his decision when technology proved the ball had flicked the trouser leg. Potts eventually ended a cat-and-mouse contest with the first ball after drinks, but the tone for the day was set.