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تحدث محمود عبد الرازق شيكابالا، لاعب منتخب مصر ونادي الزمالك السابق، عن تعادل المنتخب أمام الكويت في مباراة الجولة الأولى التي أقيمت بينهما اليوم الثلاثاء، في كأس العرب 2025.

والتقى منتخبا مصر والكويت، في المباراة الأولى من افتتاح مشوارهما بدور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب المقامة في قطر.

وانتهى اللقاء بالتعادل الإيجابي بين المنتخبين، بهدف لمثله، حيث تقدم منتخب الكويت عن طريق فهد الهاجري وتعادل لـ مصر محمد مجدي أفشة.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة مصر في كأس العرب 2025 بعد التعادل مع الكويت

وقال شيكابالا خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “أهدرنا فوزًا سهلًا، محمد شريف لديه مشكلة في إنهاء الهجمات”.

وأضاف: “أنا لا أحب أن لاعب يمسك الكرة لكي يسدد ضربة الجزاء ولاعب آخر يأخذها منه، محمد النني كان سيسدد الكرة ولكن عمرو السولية أخذها منه ولا أحب ذلك، قلت أفشة سيسجل الكرة في وسط المرمى، صعبنا المباراة على أنفسنا جدًا”.

وأتم: “نحمد الله فرصة الكويت التي تصدى لها محمد بسام ولولا تعامله معها بشكل جيد المباراة كانت ستخرج بشكل غير جيد بالنسبة لنا”.

Liverpool’s Premier League win last season may have come as a surprise to many, especially after Arne Slot took the reins from the legendary Jürgen Klopp.

There’s little denying the Dutchman massively exceeded expectations at Anfield during his debut year, which may have heaped added pressure on his shoulders for 2025/26.

The Reds turned into the hunted rather than the hunters before a ball was kicked, but the £466m spending spree during the off-season only increased the size of the target on their backs.

However, it appears as though the 47-year-old could well be on borrowed time in the managerial role, after losing a remarkable six of the last seven league outings.

It remains to be seen how much time Slot will be given to transform the club’s fortunes, but the upcoming transfer window could present an opportunity to address some glaring issues.

Liverpool’s pursuit of new additions ahead of January

Over the last couple of days, Liverpool have been one of the clubs named in the pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson in the January window.

Slot will have had the opportunity to view the Englishman first-hand over the weekend, as the 23-year-old featured for 90 minutes in the 3-0 defeat at Anfield.

However, any deal would be yet another huge investment, as Sean Dyche’s side are currently demanding £100m for his services – with Manchester United also interested in the Englishman.

He’s not the only youngster currently in their sights, with Juventus star Kenan Yildiz another player being considered by the board ahead of the upcoming window.

According to Football Insider, the Reds are closely monitoring the progress of the 20-year-old, who has already racked up five combined goals and assists in his 11 Serie A appearances.

Their report also states that Arsenal are another side tracking the Turkish international, even though the Italian side are reluctant to offload one of their key players.

Why Liverpool’s latest target would be a better signing than Semenyo

Despite spending heavily in the summer window, Liverpool’s attempts to bolster their squad in January could come to fruition, which could see Antoine Semenyo move to Anfield.

The Ghanaian has been in tremendous form during the early stages of 2025/26, with the 25-year-old already netting six times in his first 11 outings for Bournemouth.

He’s also registered three assists, taking his total goal contributions this season to nine – with the Reds supporters able to witness his talents first-hand on Merseyside.

The winger netted twice in the Reds’ 4-2 victory at Anfield on the opening day, a performance that will no doubt have caught the eye of Slot and the hierarchy.

He currently has a £65m release clause in his deal at the Vitality, with other sides such as Arsenal and Manchester United also targeting a deal for his signature this winter.

However, Liverpool should look past a deal for Semenyo and place all their attention on Yildiz, with the Juve star undoubtedly a bigger star for the immediate and long-term future.

When comparing the pair’s respective figures from the ongoing campaign, the Turkish star has dominated in numerous key areas, many of which could help correct the recent slump.

Yildiz, who’s been dubbed “the best youngster in the world” by one analyst, has registered more progressive carries and passes per 90 – showcasing his ability to get the ball into dangerous areas.

He’s also been able to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst notching more key passes per 90 – arguably being the solution to the Reds’ creative woes.

How Yildiz & Semenyo compare in 2025/26
Statistics (per 90)	Yildiz	Semenyo
Games played	11	11
Goals & assists	5	9
Passes completed	78%	69%
Key passes made	2.5	1.1
Take-ons completed	43%	42%
Carries into final third	3.1	1.8
Shot-creating actions	5.1	3.2
Crosses completed	4.1	1.2
Stats via FBref

The Juve sensation’s dominance over Semenyo is further reflected in his higher take-on success rate and carries into the final third per 90 – potentially being able to star in a number ten or left-wing role.

Other numbers, such as higher shot-creating actions and more crosses completed per 90, offer yet another reason why the 20-year-old is a bigger talent – but it’s unclear how much a move would set the hierarchy back.

His talents and versatility could make him a phenomenal option for Slot and Liverpool, with such a deal adding needed quality into the club’s frontline, which could help save Slot’s job.

Semenyo would also be a superb signing, but based on the aforementioned numbers, it’s evident that Yildiz would be the perfect player to try and resurrect the club’s recent dismal form in the Premier League.

Worse than Konate: Slot must drop 2/10 Liverpool flop who lost 100% duels

Ibrahima Konate was not the only culprit during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest.

2

By
Matt Dawson

Nov 23, 2025

Halfway through his press conference ahead of Pakistan’s Asia Cup opener against Oman on Friday, coach Mike Hesson was asked where he got the “courage” to openly comment about Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam’s shortcomings.Slightly taken aback by the question, Hesson asked for it to be repeated. This time, the question was toned down and Hesson’s response was measured.”Being honest about your assessment of players is pretty important,” Hesson said. “Coming from a place where you have no agenda is also very important. Looking at things objectively is important. I haven’t talked about anyone’s frailties.Related

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• First-timers Oman face in-form Pakistan

• Ind vs Pak: Suryakumar, Agha okay with aggression 'as long as it stays on the field'

• India, Pakistan training overlap spikes Asia Cup interest in Dubai

“What I have alluded to is the way the modern game is played and the strike rates required, particularly in good conditions. All players ask for from coaches is to be honest with them. That is the responsibility you’ve got. Just because you like a player or have a relationship with a player, it doesn’t mean you can’t be honest.”Having tackled that topic, Hesson was asked whether he is confident about Pakistan’s batting. Was Mohammad Haris their best bet in the lower order? Why were Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan inconsistent, and Hasan Nawaz not doing well? Do Pakistan’s batters struggle to pick spinners from the hand? The context was the challenge of Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, when Pakistan play India in Dubai on Sunday.”I don’t know where that has come from,” Hesson said about the perceived struggle against spin. “We have played against Rashid [Khan] and Noor [Ahmed]. We have played against possibly the best wrist-spin attack in the world [in the tri-series final on Sunday] on a [Sharjah] surface that has spun square and managed to score 75 more runs than the opposition. I’m not sure where that has come from.”Hesson then addressed the question about Pakistan’s young batting line-up.”It is very much a developing batting line-up,” he said. “There are a number of batters who can win you the game on their day, but they don’t have as many good days as you’d like at the moment. That is very fair. The thing for us is the sum of the parts as a batting group.”Every game bar one in Sharjah, we were probably 20 runs above par. Even though there are a number of players who didn’t do well on particular occasions, I’m more interested in what we end up with and how we get there. In the tri-series final, we got 140 when 120 was plenty on the pitch.”Then he was inevitably asked about being part of the great spectacle – India v Pakistan – as a coach for the first time. “Look I’ve certainly watched many games from afar with other teams or while commentating,” Hesson said. “Being part of a highly-charged event is going to be exciting. From my perspective, just like anytime you enter the final of a world event or whatever, it is about keeping everybody focused on the job at hand. That will be no different.”We know India are obviously hugely confident and rightfully so. But we are very much focused on improving as a team day-by-day and not getting ahead of ourselves. We are well aware of the challenge of the task ahead and we are certainly looking forward to it.”Mike Hesson has thrown his weight behind Pakistan’s ‘developing’ batting order•Getty Images

Pakistan have had a solid lead-in to the Asia Cup, having played five games over 12 days during the tri-series against Afghanistan and UAE in Sharjah. While the players had a day off on Thursday, Hesson had a close look at the pitch at the Dubai International Stadium.”This is very different to Sharjah in terms of the abrasiveness of the grass,” Hesson said. “We are playing on the same surface as the India vs UAE game. We have got the balance in the squad to deal with it. We have got plenty of multi-skilled players which gives us a bit of flexibility.”I don’t think this pitch is going to spin as much as Sharjah. And even yesterday [India v UAE match], when Kuldeep bowled, it didn’t spin a huge amount. But when you have wristspinners, the surface doesn’t matter as much.”The beauty of our side is we have got fine spinners. We have got Mohammad Nawaz, who has been ranked No. 1 since coming back into the side six months ago. And obviously we’ve got Abrar [Ahmed] and Sufiyan [Muqeem] do as well as they have. Saim Ayub is in the top 10 allrounders in the world and Salman Agha has hardly bowled.”We have got five seamers as well, which allow us to go for either air speed, change of pace or reverse swing depending on what the surface will provide.”

Aroldis Chapman is now a member of the Boston Red Sox but apparently, he almost joined the franchise nearly a decade ago.

The Red Sox and Chapman have agreed to a one-year deal worth $10.75 million. After that announcement, Zack Scott let loose with a little history about Chapman and the team. Scott was a member of Boston's front office from 2004 through 2020 and rose to the level of assistant general manager before leaving for the New York Mets.

On Tuesday, Scott took to social media and posted, "After 2015, we agreed to send Margot and Marco Hernandez to the Reds for Chapman, but it fell apart when we discovered disturbing details about his domestic dispute. We actually informed the Reds about it. We pivoted to Kimbrel, and Chapman went to the Yankees. I guess enough time has passed without incident for the Sox to be ok with it now."

It seems as if Chapman's domestic violence issues were a problem for the Red Sox in 2015 but aren't a big deal now.

In November of 2015, the Red Sox wound up sending Manuel Margot, Javy Guerra, Carlos Asuaje, and Logan Allen to the San Diego Padres for Kimbrel and he helped them win a World Series in 2018.

In 2024 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chapman was 5-5 with a 3.79 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, 14 saves in 19 opportunities and struck out 98 hitters while walking 39 in 61 2/3 innings.

Ashes rivals take two wickets each to seal five-overs-a-side contest

ECB Reporters Network via Rothesay05-Jul-2025Lancashire 55 for 2 (Lamb 21) beat Essex 47 for 7 (Cross 2-9, King 2-17) by eight wickets (DLS)Ashes rivals Kate Cross and Alana King equally shared four wickets to set Lancashire Thunder up for a convincing rain-affected Vitality Blast win over Essex Eagles at Emirates Old Trafford, keeping their Finals Day hopes alive.England seamer Cross and Australia legspinner King struck twice apiece in the space of 10 legitimate balls in the sixth and seventh overs of what turned out to be an eight-over Essex innings as they slipped to 38 for six and later totalled 47 for seven.A two-hour rain delay ravaged a fixture which both sides realistically needed to win to maintain hopes of a top-three finish, and it was Thunder who claimed the five points as they reeled in a revised 52-target in six overs thanks largely to opener Emma Lamb’s 21 off 17 balls.Thunder’s fourth win in nine games – this by eight wickets on DLS – means they leapfrog Essex into fifth place and are now 11 points behind third-placed Bears with five games left. Thunder face them in a crunch clash here tomorrow afternoon.Essex, meanwhile, lost for the sixth time in nine and have a mountain to climb.Thunder, who importantly won the toss and elected to bowl first, made a fast start with the ball either side of the two-hour delay from just after 11.20am.First of all, Essex reached 24 for two after five overs.Seamer Phoebe Graham was making her first competitive appearance of the summer for Thunder, and she struck in the fourth over when she uprooted the leg-stump off Lissy MacLeod as she aimed a heave across the line.Left-arm swing bowler Tara Norris then had the other Essex opener Lauren Winfield-Hill well caught low down at cover by Ailsa Lister following a miscue in the next. Only four more balls were bowled before play was halted.Then, upon the resumption, with an eight-overs per side game now in motion, Thunder struck four times in the first 10 legitimate balls back to all but end any realistic chance Essex had of winning, the visitors crumbling to 38 for six.King had compatriot Maddie Penna well caught low down at square-leg by Lister off a full toss before getting Cordelia Griffith caught behind cutting later in the sixth over.In the seventh, Cross uprooted Jo Gardner’s off-stump and had an attacking Eva Gray caught behind.Amara Carr was then run out off the final ball of the innings. Opener Winfield-Hill was the only Essex batter to reach double figures with 13.Eve Jones set Thunder on their way in the chase with an eye-catching straight driven boundary off Esmae MacGregor’s seam before dragging Gray’s seam to midwicket on 17 – 29 for one in the fourth.England’s Lamb hit three leg-side boundaries before being run out with only four runs required.While the Red Rose host the Bears tomorrow (1pm), Essex face league leaders Surrey at The Kia Oval (midday).

Having watched Kent bat for nearly a day and a half to make 374, Lancashire produced a determined response in the long evening session at Blackpool to finish on 120 for one and leave this Rothesay County Championship match fairly evenly poised with two days left to play.Ben Compton’s 135 was the centrepiece of his side’s 374 but Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings put on 119 to give supporters a faint hope they might bat past the visitors’ score and give their bowlers a chance of forcing their team’s first Championship victory of the season on the final day.For their part, Kent’s supporters will have been encouraged by the departure of Jennings, who was lbw to Joey Evison for 49 three overs before the close, and by the help Jack Leaning extracted from this slow pitch, especially when bowling outside the two left-handers’ off stumps. It all suggests that this match between the bottom sides in Division Two could be set for a fascinating conclusion over the next two days.The morning began almost perfectly for Lancashire when James Anderson had both Leaning and Evison caught at short midwicket by Josh Bohannon inside his opening two overs.But having dismissed Leaning for four and Evison for a 12-ball nought, the home side enjoyed no further successes in the first session. Instead, Compton reached his fourth century of the season -and also his fourth against Lancashire – off 201 balls when he back cut Mitch Stanley to the rope.By lunch, the Kent skipper was unbeaten on 124 and Harry Finch was 28 not out. The pair had put on 60 for the sixth wicket and the second new ball, which was eleven overs old, was hitting the middle of their bats.That trend continued for the first 40 minutes of the afternoon session. But just at the point when it was tricky to see where Lancashire’s next wicket might come from, Anderson’s bowlers removed both batsmen, Finch, caught behind off Balderson for 52, and Compton, similarly snaffled by Hurst in the next over when nibbling at a ball from Green, for 135. The Kent skipper has batted 402 minutes, faced 296 balls and hit 15 fours and a six.Grant Stewart followed five overs later when his skier was caught at mid-off by Bohannon, whose third catch of the day also gave Mitch Stanley his maiden first-class wicket. Matt Parkinson perished to Wells’ leg spin for 11 but Wes Agar enlivened the play before tea by smashing three big sixes in his 41 before he was caught at long off by Stanley long-off Bailey.That wicket ended the Kent innings on 374 with the wickets spread among six bowlers. Balderson was the best and most successful with three for 54. Anderson took two for 51 and Green bagged two for 104 from 37 overs.Despite frequent appeals and a few near things Wells and Jennings batted with increasing confidence in the 38-over evening session, Wells reaching his fifty off 97 balls with seven fours and a six and finishing unbeaten on 57. Nightwatchman Tom Bailey was nought not out at the close

Liverpool slipped to back-to-back defeats in the Premier League for the first time under Arne Slot on Saturday when they lost 2-1 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

A last-gasp finish from Willian Estevao secured all three points for the home side in a game that they deserved to win with their front-foot approach.

More and more questions will be asked of the club’s recruitment work during the summer transfer window, as Florian Wirtz came on at half-time and failed to turn the game in Liverpool’s failure.

The Germany international arrived at Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen in a £115m deal in the summer, but he is still searching for his first goal contribution in the Premier League.

Wirtz lost six of his eight duels and created one chance in 45 minutes against Chelsea, per Sofascore, which shows that he struggled off the ball and did not add much to the team in possession.

Given that he came in from the Bundesliga for a gigantic transfer fee, there may be some comparisons drawn to the signing of Naby Keita from RB Leipzig, but that may not be fair.

Why Florian Wirtz is not the next Naby Keita

The Reds paid £52.75m to sign the central midfielder, who officially joined the club in 2018, from Leipzig, and he failed to live up to his price tag.

In five seasons at Anfield, Keita produced just 11 goals and seven assists in 129 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he did not provide consistent quality at the top end of the pitch.

He had scored 17 goals and provided 15 assists in 71 matches for Leipzig in Germany, which means that he was unable to translate his form from his previous club over to his time with Liverpool.

Whilst Wirtz has not had the goals and assists that he would have wanted by this point, the German star’s underlying numbers suggest that he is not on course to be the next Bundesliga flop, like Keita was.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder is doing the right things at the top end of the pitch, but needs something to go his way to start racking up goals and assists on a regular basis.

Goals

0

Bottom 3%

xG on target

0.83

Top 27%

Assists

0

Bottom 3%

xA

0.87

Top 18%

Chances created

11

Top 10%

Successful crosses

5

Top 16%

Touches in the opposition’s box

26

Top 14%

As you can see in the table above, Wirtz ranks highly among his positional peers for input, with chances created, xA, and xG on target, but the output, goals and assists, is not quite there yet.

If he continues to take high-quality shots and create chances for his teammates on a regular basis, the goals and assists will follow and he will not be deemed to be the next Keita at Anfield.

This is why Wirtz, who assisted Hugo Ekitike on his debut in the Community Shield, is not going to be the next Keita, because he is on the right path to becoming a success at Anfield.

However, there is another summer signing for Liverpool from the Bundesliga who may be in danger of becoming the next version of the Guinea international after a rough start to life on Merseyside.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Liverpool splashed out £29.5m to sign Netherlands international Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer in an attempt to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, who departed on a free transfer to sign for Real Madrid.

Unfortunately, the former Manchester City and Celtic full-back has had a difficult time of things since his return to English football, and is now in danger of becoming the new Keita.

Why Jeremie Frimpong may be the next Naby Keita

As aforementioned, the former Leipzig midfielder was a flop from the Bundesliga at Anfield as he failed to translate his attacking form in Germany over to the Premier League with the Reds.

Frimpong delivered 30 goals and 44 assists in 190 appearances in all competitions for Leverkusen during his time with the Bundesliga side, playing as a wing-back more often than not.

His output in the final third led the official Bundesliga YouTube channel to question whether or not the Dutch dynamo was the best attacking full-back in the world earlier this year.

Slot, however, does not play with traditional wing-backs, and Frimpong has found the transition back to playing as a regular right-back, which is the role he played for Celtic earlier in his career, a difficult one.

The 24-year-old star has found himself third in the pecking order at right-back at this moment in time, as he was an unused substitute in the defeat to Chelsea that saw Connor Bradley start the match and Dominik Szoboszlai end the game at right-back.

Frimpong, who was described as a “breathtaking” talent by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has only started one match in the Premier League so far this season, and has been an unused substitute on two occasions.

Appearances

3

Starts

1

Goals

0

Big chances created

0

Key passes

0

Assists

0

Ground duel success rate

44%

Aerial duel success rate

0%

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman has struggled on and off the ball in the top-flight so far this season, losing the majority of his physical duels whilst also failing to create a single chance for his teammates in three appearances.

The former Man City academy graduate was given an opportunity to start on the right wing against Galatasaray in the Champions League, but he ended the game with no goals, no assists, and seven out of nine duels lost, per Sofascore.

These statistics, in the Champions League and the Premier League, show that Frimpong has struggled with a new role and the increased physicality of English football, which is why he is in danger of becoming the next Keita.

Liverpool star slammed after fewest touches and "dire" display vs Chelsea

It was a hard watch at Stamford Bridge.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 5, 2025

Unless he is able to turn his form, in and out of possession, around in the weeks and months to come, the Dutchman may end up being the next Bundesliga flop at Anfield.

He might still be in the job, but it feels like time has run out for Graham Potter at West Ham United.

The Englishman has been the club’s manager since January, and instead of leading them into an exciting new era, the team have regressed under him.

He has overseen 25 games with the Hammers, winning just six, drawing five and losing a staggering 14, which has seen him amass just 0.92 points per game.

The situation is so dire now that there is a real chance of relegation unless something changes, so it’s probably a good thing West Ham are now linked with someone who could be their new Sam Allardyce.

West Ham target Potter replacement

With just how badly they’re playing at the moment, it is surprising that Potter is still in the West Ham dugout, but with the number of coaches linked with the club, that could soon change.

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One of the managers most heavily touted for a move, or in his case, a return to the club, is Slaven Bilic.

However, considering he hasn’t managed in a top league for around five years, we are unsure whether he’s the right option.

Nuno Espírito Santo, on the other hand, would be a seriously exciting appointment, but as he has only just left Nottingham Forest, we aren’t sure this is a move all that likely to transpire.

Interestingly, another name has popped up, someone who would be a better fit than Bilic and more likely than Nuno: Sean Dyche.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the former Everton and Burnley boss is someone the club have been in contact with in case they fire Potter.

While he might not be the most inspiring choice, he is reportedly “itching” to return to top-flight management and could be just what West Ham need, an Allardyce figure, if you will.

Why Dyche would be West Ham's new Allardyce

So, it would be fair to say that describing someone as a club’s new Allardyce might not be the best way to make fans excited about a potential appointment.

Moreover, while he didn’t send them down, and did a far better job than plenty of their recent managers, the West Ham faithful weren’t particularly enamoured with Big Sam during his four years at the club over a decade ago.

However, with the club down in the relegation zone, morale at a considerable low in the fanbase and this season’s newly promoted sides looking dangerous, what the Irons need is stability and someone to ensure the worst doesn’t happen.

That is what the former England manager was a specialist at doing and what Dyche would be able to do if he was hired to replace Potter.

The “remarkable” manager, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Ally McCoist, was called in by Everton to save them from the drop in January 2023, and he did just that, before being replaced once the club was stable.

Sean Dyche’s PL career

Season

League position

24/25

16th

23/24

15th

22/23

17th

21/22

18th

20/21

17th

19/20

10th

18/19

15th

17/18

7th

16/17

16th

14/15

19th

Stats via Transfermarkt

That is why he could be an excellent option for the Hammers, as he could come in for this year, get the fans back onside, make the team more difficult to play against and then make way for a more progressive coach in the summer.

Moreover, even though he was brought in to save the Toffees from going down, the Englishman’s record there was far better than Potter’s is in East London.

Dyche vs Potter (recent jobs)

Manager

Dyche

Potter

Games

83

25

Wins

26

6

Draws

24

5

Losses

33

14

Points per Game

1.23

0.92

All Stats via Sofascore

For example, the former Burnley icon oversaw 83 games for the Merseysiders, of which 26 were wins, 24 were draws and 33 losses, resulting in a pretty decent points per game average of 1.23.

Ultimately, Dyche wouldn’t be the most inspiring of choices, but like with Allardyce back in the day, he’d be a safe pair of hands to ensure the worst doesn’t happen this season.

Related Bilic upgrade: West Ham approach "incredible" manager admired by Mourinho

The experienced manager would be a brilliant hire for West Ham United.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 22, 2025

Newcastle United have picked out a crucial double signing for manager Eddie Howe as their £50m bid for Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen was rejected on Monday.

Strikers still high on Newcastle's agenda

The Magpies’ summer has been dominated by striker news, not least their efforts to keep hold of Alexander Isak, with the Swede still trying to seal a move to Premier League champions Liverpool.

Newcastle missed out on signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig earlier in the summer, with Manchester United snapping him up instead, but a host of alternatives have been mentioned, including Juventus marksman Dusan Vlahovic in recent days.

Premier League pair Yoane Wissa and Nicolas Jackson are also considered genuine targets, with the former doing the same as Isak and refusing to play for his current club, but the primary target to emerge in recent days is Norway star Strand Larsen, who made his loan move to Wolves permanent this summer.

Regardless of what happens with Isak, Callum Wilson’s time at St James’ Park has come to an end and the Magpies must find a solution, but a £50m offer for the Norwegian was rejected on Monday.

Newcastle still targeting two striker signings

According to Football Insider, Newcastle and Howe want and expect to sign not one but two strikers this summer, with journalist Pete O’Rourke further explaining the situation amid the move for Strand Larsen, perhaps implying he will be joined by one of Wissa or Jackson.

This is going to be such a pivotal week for Newcastle, with so much potentially happening on the striker front, and it is a short period that could end up defining their season.

If Isak does leave, which doesn’t feel too likely currently, it is essential that two players are brought in, in order to make up for the gaping void that the 25-year-old would leave.

Should he stay put, however, the need for a couple of strikers would be lessened, assuming Isak can reintegrate with his teammates after being made to train alone by Howe.

Put bluntly, Newcastle’s summer has been something of a mess, including how they have handled the Isak saga, but it is imperative that they nail the next week or so.

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To lose Isak and not bring in sufficient replacements could be fatal, in terms of the Magpies kicking on in both the Premier League and Champions League, and the ideal outcome would be to see Isak remain at St James’ Park, with a top-quality option such as Wissa joining him as competition.

Aston Villa have not had the best of starts to the 2025/26 campaign, having picked up just one point from their opening three Premier League fixtures, yet to break their duck.

There was an acceptance from Unai Emery and the powers that be that the summer transfer window would weigh heavily on the club after missing out on Champions League football following a contentious final-day defeat at Manchester United.

However, a late flurry of activity indicates progress and promise. Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliot completed deadline-day loan moves; Victor Lindelof joined on a free transfer after his deal with Man United expired.

The late moves salvaged Villa’s frustrating summer, especially since Monchi and Damian Vidagany have retained the services of the most talented first-teamers.

Aston Villa have kept their best players

In August, Aston Villa sold Jacob Ramsey to Premier League rivals Newcastle United for a £43m fee. A poignant one, for sure. However, the sale of the homegrown talent has turned pure profit for the club, and perhaps played a role in securing a series of late-window additions.

Loan deals for Marcus Rashford, Axel Disasi and Marco Asensio came and passed, but the likes of Ollie Watkins and John McGinn remain at Villa Park after offers from divisional competition were resisted.

Watkins might not be coming off the back of his best season, but he still notched 17 goals and 14 assists across all competitions, while McGinn’s leadership, energy and presence within the dressing room are factors not easily replaced.

While the opening weeks of the campaign have felt somewhat stale, the mixture of fresh quality and abiding experience emphasises the club’s capacity to challenge in the Europa League and push for a high finish in the Premier League.

These players will play important roles this season, but none more so than Morgan Rogers, who was exceptional last season and might be viewed as the talisman of Emery’s project.

How Morgan Rogers' market value compares

Last month, Rogers was named the PFA Young Player of the Year for the 2024/25 Premier League season. The honour bears testament to his extraordinary strides in such a short time, only joining Villa from Middlesbrough in the Championship in January 2024.

The 23-year-old earned opportunities across the second half of the 2023/24 season in the Premier League, but it is last year that he truly came into his own, scoring 14 goals and supplying 16 assists across all competitions, including a haul of 19 goal contributions in the league alone.

He scored a hat-trick against Celtic in the Champions League and bagged a consolation goal as Villa were knocked out against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, with pundit Jamie Carragher hailing him as an “unstoppable” force.

The Lions might have started the campaign without much of a roar, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Rogers will be among the driving forces when Emery does create a winning formula for the months ahead.

Athletic and enterprising, no matter the tactical role handed to him, Rogers typically plays in a forward-thrust central midfield berth or out on the left flank, where his pace and power allow him to take on defenders and split lines.

Left winger

93

24 (10)

Attacking midfield

48

14 (10)

Right winger

43

9 (17)

Centre-forward

23

7 (4)

Young he may be, but Rogers has already led a storied career, developing his talents in the EFL after first looking for success within Manchester City’s packed youth academy.

The exciting part is there’s still so much for the England international to give, so much potential as yet untapped.

Senior figures at Villa feel Rogers has the potential to become one of the very best in the Premier League, defining the coming years for Emery’s side and perhaps fetching a transfer fee to rival that of Liverpool’s Alexander Isak, who joined the champions from Newcastle United for a British record £125m fee on deadline day.

One of the most dangerous strikers in the world, Isak’s name has come to be feared in English football, and he has made incremental progress across his three terms on Tyneside. Rogers, too, has shown the signs of bit-by-bit development, and could find himself stretching into even loftier conversations with another knockout year under Emery’s wing.

Indeed, as per CIES Football Observatory, Rogers has been valued at £99m, whereas Isak actually comes in at a smaller price: £89m.

Of course, this doesn’t paint an accurate picture in actuality, since Isak has just moved to Merseyside for a record-breaking fee. Still, it underscores the Three Lions star’s potential to develop into a star of a similar stature, having made such impressive progress across just one full season in the top flight.

Isak, 25, wasn’t refined when leaving Real Sociedad and arriving at St. James’ Park in 2022, but his years under Eddie Howe’s tutelage have shaped him into a superstar. So the parallels can be found with Rogers at Aston Villa.

Whether Aston Villa succeed in nurturing Rogers toward a world-class level remains to be seen, but there’s no question that he has the skills and passion to achieve just that.

Already considered by leading data and analytical site in CIES Football Observatory to have a projected value above that of Liverpool’s new striker (though take that with a pinch of salt, given Isak’s actual price), Rogers is the Midlands outfit’s biggest star, and many feel the best is still to come.

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