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Newcastle United are upping the ante in search of a new striker and could now be set to further their pursuit of one of Europe’s prolific forwards, according to a report.

Newcastle United searching for a new striker or two

Eddie Howe has endured a transfer window that has yielded some frustration along the way when it comes to pursuing key targets, though the former Bournemouth boss will be certain he can end the market period on a high.

Alexander Isak’s potential move to Liverpool has yielded plenty of discussion over who his potential replacement could be, if a transfer were to come to fruition, alongside finding Callum Wilson’s successor.

Delivering a strong statement on the Sweden international, Howe has reminded Isak of his responsibilities in public fashion, even if he has since excluded the star from pre-season training.

He stated: “The player has a responsibility here to be part of a team and part of a squad, and you have to act in the right way. No player can expect to act poorly and train with the group as normal.”

Nicolas Jackson is one potential solution that Newcastle could utilise if he were to be offloaded by Chelsea. though it remains to be seen where he stands on the priority list.

Newcastle submit offer to sign "brilliant" ace who has same agent as Gordon

He would solve one of Eddie Howe’s problems.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 7, 2025

Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is also on the Geordies’ radar, as is Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, offering plenty of alternatives with Premier League experience that could step into the fold by the close of play.

Now, Newcastle could be set to add another option to that list who has caught attention across Europe this year due to his excellent goal return, according to David Ornstein.

Newcastle have Samu Aghehowa high on priority list

Taking to social media platform X, Ornstein confirmed Newcastle United are considering a move for Porto striker Samu Aghehowa as they probe the market to land a new number nine.

He stated: “Newcastle United considering move to sign Samu Aghehowa from FC Porto. 21yo FCPorto striker high among small number of options to bolster attack. No formal approach or guarantee it happens but Spain int’l liked by NUFC.”

Samu Aghehowa in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

45

Goals

27

Assists

3

Possessing the same strike rate as Isak last term, purely factoring in goals, Aghehowa has been labelled a “monster” by scout Jacek Kulig and is now appreciated in the corridors of power on Tyneside, even if no official approach has been made.

The Spain international outperformed his 14.07 Expected Goals total significantly last season, netting 19 times in the Portuguese top-flight, illustrating his ability to convert difficult chances.

With Isak looking set for the exit, Newcastle need someone who can replicate his impact, and Aghehowa may be a safe bet due to his recent exploits in a division that has a rich history of translating over to the Premier League.

Newcastle United have re-entered the race to sign a former Bundesliga Golden Boot winner in the summer transfer window.

Journalist drops new Wissa update

The Magpies now have less than two weeks left in the transfer window to sort out their transfer situation, in terms of both keeping hold of Alexander Isak and bolstering their attacking options. Predicting what will happen to Isak isn’t easy, with Liverpool yet to submit a second offer for the Swede, but journalist Criag Hope provided an update on the striker situation before Isak’s Instagram bombshell on Tuesday evening.

He states that Brentford striker Yoane Wissa remains Newcastle’s “banker” signing of the summer, and that the current star attacker won’t be going anywhere if they can’t agree a move for the Bees ace, which is supported by the statement released by the Magpies following Isak’s social media post.

It promises to be a dramatic few weeks at St James’ Park, regardless of what the eventual outcome is, and it is important that alternatives to Wissa are also looked at by the Magpies. Now, their interest in a former target looks to be back on the table, following a fresh claim.

Newcastle re-enter race to sign attacking star

According to an update from journalist Marc Mechenoua on X, Newcastle are back in the race to sign Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku this summer, along with Inter Milan. He is reportedly valued at £35m.

Nkunku’s pedigree is there for all to see, even though his time in a Chelsea shirt hasn’t been hugely productive, with only 18 goals in 62 appearances not the most earth-shattering return.

The 27-year-old is a three-time Ligue 1 champion from his spell at Paris Saint-Germain, while at Borussia Dortmund, he won the Bundesliga Golden Boot award back in 2022/23, netting 16 times in the competition.

Granted, the £195,000-a-week Nkunku’s reputation isn’t arguably as great as it was a few years ago, but Eddie Howe may feel that he is the ideal manager to get the most out of him moving forward, with the Frenchman still in his prime years.

Chelsea submit £43m bid for defender who's "as good as Van Dijk and Saliba"

The Blues have now received a response after submitting an offer for a highly-rated centre-back.

ByDominic Lund Aug 18, 2025

If Isak leaves, Nkunku and one other striker would be ideal business, whether it is Wissa, Nicolas Jackson or someone else, but if the Newcastle marksman stays put, the Chelsea man may need to be the only addition if other deals don’t work out.

Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has been directly linked to the Barcagate scandal after police uncovered WhatsApp messages showing he monitored a paid social media campaign designed to attack rivals and even Pep Guardiola. Investigators allege Bartomeu concealed contracts, manipulated polls, and used fake accounts to boost his image before the 2021 elections.

Police reveal Bartomeu’s role in smear campaign

The Catalan police have confirmed that ex-president Bartomeu was fully aware of, and actively monitored, a paid social media campaign commissioned by Barcelona and involving a company called Nicestream during his presidency, as per a recent report by . The report also cited police reports, stating that the seized WhatsApp messages show Bartomeu receiving regular updates from adviser Jaume Masferrer on Nicestream’s activity, which included smear campaigns against rivals Joan Laporta, Victor Font, and even Pep Guardiola. Police allege Bartomeu deliberately concealed contracts and commissions from auditors and investigators.

AdvertisementFormer president's role in Barcagate

Investigators found 138 Nicestream reports on Bartomeu’s devices, though only around 20 were shared with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, the firm tasked with auditing the club after the scandal first broke in 2020. Police claim Bartomeu deliberately hid the most damaging documents, which detailed interventions designed to defame rivals, manipulate polls, and even monitor journalists critical of his leadership. Over €2.3 million was reportedly paid to Nicestream through split contracts, designed to avoid internal oversight. The funds, the report concludes, were used for Bartomeu’s “personal purposes and benefits.”

Attacks on Guardiola and Rivals

The police report highlights Nicestream’s strategy of deploying 226 fake accounts to shape online discourse. These included targeted campaigns to discredit Guardiola and his supporters due to his perceived closeness with Joan Laporta. Víctor Font was also the subject of an “action plan” intended to “inconvenience” him during his presidential campaign. At the same time, positive posts were generated in support of Bartomeu’s allies, including former president Sandro Rosell. Police note that Bartomeu even requested edits to his own images in reports, underscoring his direct involvement.

The ex-chief has consistently denied any wrongdoing, with Barca initially dismissing suggestions of smear campaigns. However, the newly recovered messages indicate that the former president not only approved of the campaigns but also attempted to obstruct internal investigations. When auditors requested full documentation, Bartomeu reportedly replied: “This audit is commissioned by the board, and the board will only make the findings public.” The Mossos conclude that Bartomeu was “reluctant to allow anyone to review the contract,” strengthening suspicions of a cover-up.

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Getty ImagesBarcagate probe deepens as Bartomeu awaits ruling

The report is now in the hands of Barca’s 13th investigating court, where the Barcagate case has been under review for over five years. Bartomeu, along with senior figures including Jaume Masferrer, remains under formal investigation following their 2021 arrests. Meanwhile, the Guardiola's City are focused on the pitch shifts to the Champions League clash with Napoli.

Earlier, Jansen picked up 6 for 52 to restrict Pakistan but a late burst has ensured South Africa do not rest easy overnight

Danyal Rasool28-Dec-2024The first Test match at Centurion is tantalisingly poised after Pakistan took three wickets in nine overs to leave South Africa wobbling at 27 for 3, still 121 runs away from the 147-run target that seals a win, as well as a place in the 2023-25 World Test Championship [WTC] final.After South Africa had bowled Pakistan out for 237, they needed a fairly comfortable 148 to secure victory, but an unerring spell of accurate medium-fast bowling from Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad was well rewarded. Aside from Aiden Markram, the South Africa batters were somewhat timid in their approach to the last few overs of the day, while Abbas and Shahzad targeted the pads. Abbas brought one to jag back in sharply into Tony de Zorzi for the first breakthrough.Pakistan’s reviewing was chalk and cheese from the previous innings, successfully overturning two lbw calls. Shahzad found similar seam movement from around the wicket to strike Ryan Rickleton on the front pad, viciously enough that it hit him in line despite the batter having moved well across.Having successfully overturned that one, Pakistan repeated the formula, with Abbas finding the right line and adequate sideways movement, which has seen him find bouts of high success. Tristan Stubbs took a step out of his crease but was beaten on the outside edge, and yet again Pakistan went up collectively for the umpire to turn them down. But Shan Masood signalled to go upstairs once more and was proven right again.One of Marco Jansen’s six wickets included Mohammad Rizwan•AFP/Getty ImagesEarlier in the day, Marco Jansen’s six-wicket haul had helped South Africa tighten their control over the game. He picked five wickets in the afternoon as Pakistan squandered a promising start following a rain delay that wiped out the morning session. He picked one more in the final session as the hosts returned to polish off the Pakistan tail after stubborn resistance from Saud Shakeel.Babar Azam and Shakeel put on 79 for the fourth wicket, with Babar reaching his first Test half-century in nearly two years, but holed out to deep point immediately after. Mohammad Rizwan was squeezed down leg as Pakistan crumbled around Shakeel.Persistent rain saw the game start an hour after the lunch break concluded, and Pakistan began by taking advantage of a bowling effort that was nowhere near its best. Shakeel and Babar each worked Kagiso Rabada away for four in the third over, and the runs flowed for the next half an hour. Twenty-three runs came off the next three, and though Babar still found himself beaten a few times, he was also finding the timing that in the past was so often a precursor to a big score.Corbin Bosch found that out when he missed his line twice and Babar helped himself to two fours, before a clip into the covers brought up his long-awaited half-century, his first in 20 innings. But he threw it away disappointingly, failing to get on top of a short and wide one from Jansen, Bosch barely having to move to send a devastated Babar on his way.Saud Shakeel’s struck an important 84•AFP/Getty ImagesJansen was finding the wickets that eluded him in the first innings, with Rizwan and Salman Agha falling cheaply. A brief stand between Shakeel and Aamer Jamal once more gave the impression Pakistan would go into tea six down, before Jamal lobbed a tame Dane Paterson bouncer straight to deep midwicket, and Naseem Shah helpfully nicking Rabada into the slips.Shakeel attempted to farm the strike post-tea and would enjoy some success as wayward bowling allowed for the odd boundary and comfortable late-over singles. A regal pick-up for six over midwicket was the highlight, but Pakistan’s penchant for gifting wickets to deliveries that did not merit them struck again when a knee-high full toss rapped into Shakeel’s front pad and effectively concluded Pakistan’s batting effort.It appeared to be the final nail in the coffin, but Pakistan’s bowlers have seen to it that South Africa do not rest easy overnight.

The mood around Nottingham Forest at the moment is surely one of confidence.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have managed to keep a firm grip on star man Morgan Gibbs-White, have Europa League football to look forward to, and are currently unbeaten in the Premier League from their opening two contests.

Of course, there is always the unwelcome distraction of Evangelos Marinakis’ enigmatic persona, with it being reported that Nuno and the Greek owner are currently on frosty terms.

Still, hopefully their feud can be sorted out soon, with Marinakis no doubt keen on a few more additions here and there this summer to further enhance the Forest ranks.

Forest close to securing deal for £10m star

Swatting aside talk linking Forest with a whole host of new managers, the Tricky Trees are also in line to snap up some last-minute purchases on the pitch.

Indeed, Mads Bidstrup is reportedly on their shopping list for a fee around the £17m mark, as more and more notable names are linked to the City Ground after splashing excessive wads of cash – £67.5m to be precise – on promising English duo Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee.

Transfer Focus

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

Defensive additions must also be seen as a priority, and Fabrizio Romano took to X recently to confirm that the Europa League competitors are in negotiations regarding Leicester City star Victor Kristiansen:

“Nottingham Forest are in club to club talks with Leicester City for Viktor Kristiansen. Deal on as exclusively revealed in July and now in progress.”

With Forest in need of more options in this depleted position on the pitch, he could well be an ideal late capture for a modest fee around the £10m mark.

That’s before you even mention his close-knit relationship with new Forest ace Dan Ndoye at Bologna, which makes it even more of a dream deal to urgently seal.

Why Kristiansen would be a dream for Ndoye

While Ndoye has started like a runaway train in his new surroundings, with a goal and an assist coming his way from his opening two clashes on English shores, he would no doubt welcome a familiar face through the door in the form of the attack-minded Scandinavian.

After all, while the brand new £34m winger has started both of his Forest clashes to date on the right flank, he regularly lined up down the Dane’s regular left flank during his time with Bologna, with a healthy four goals and five assists coming his way from 35 appearances on this opposing channel.

Games

32

Goals scored

0

Assists

3

Touches*

60.4

Accurate passes*

38.8 (86%)

Big chances created

5

Total duels won*

2.9

Clean sheets

8

Kristiansen stood out as a strong performer all season long during Bologna’s 2023/24 heroics, which saw Vincenzo Italiano’s men finish in fifth spot, with three assists tallied up as an impactful attacking teammate next to Ndoye.

Amazingly, when they were selected together in the same XI, the pair only lost two clashes all campaign, with Kristiansen’s further knowledge of the Premier League – with two assists at the challenging level with the Foxes – making him, again, an interesting presence for the Swiss attacker to bounce off of.

With Kristiansen also being lauded as a “powerful” figure when first signing on the dotted line for Leicester by King Power Stadium great Iwan Roberts, it will be up to Nuno to get the very best out of the 22-year-old, even if he is just primarily used as a back-up figure next to the more consistent starter of Neco Williams.

When he is thrown into action, though, expect him not to look out of place, as another young and exciting talent who once called the Serie A home tries to shine in the Premier League, much like Ndoye.

Nottingham Forest prepare £17m bid to bring "silky" star to the City Ground

The Tricky Trees are looking to strike an exciting deal.

1 BySean Markus Clifford Aug 26, 2025

The series will be played from April 27 to May 11 in Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2025Sri Lanka will host India and South Africa for a women’s ODI tri-series in April and May, the SLC announced on Thursday. This tri-series was not part of the Future Tours Programme originally.Each team will play the others twice – making it four matches per team – before the top two teams play the final. The series will start with hosts Sri Lanka taking on India. All of them will be day games, played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo from April 27 to May 11.Sri Lanka are currently on a white-ball tour of New Zealand, while most of India’s players are participating in the WPL at home. Some South African players are also at the WPL. Until this tri-series was announced, South Africa’s next international assignment was a tour of the West Indies in June.This tri-series will give the three teams extra prep time in the lead up to the ODI World Cup in October this year in India.Sri Lanka are currently the Asia Cup champions, while South Africa had reached the semi-finals of the last ODI World Cup, in 2022, after knocking India out in the league stages. India are, however, the highest-ranked of the three at third – South Africa are fourth and Sri Lanka seventh – in the ICC ODI rankings.Sri Lanka women’s tri-series scheduleApril 27, Sri Lanka vs India
April 29, India vs South Africa
May 1, Sri Lanka vs South Africa
May 4, Sri Lanka vs India
May 6, South Africa vs India
May 8, Sri Lanka vs South Africa
May 11, final

Kylian Mbappe was seen storming down the tunnel after Real Madrid suffered a shock thumping at the hands of city rivals Atletico Madrid. The Frenchman did not wish to shake hands with his opponents, nor clap Los Blancos' travelling fans, opting to make a beeline straight to the dressing room. Keen to avoid interacting with anyone, Mbappe was visibly unhappy with the performance and result.

Mbappe on target but Madrid hammered in derby

Mbappe was on the scoresheet again for Madrid after 25 minutes, cancelling out Robin Le Normand’s opener. Teenage sensation Arda Guler then put the away side ahead and on course to take a precious three points against Diego Simeone’s side, but Alexander Sorloth levelled just before the break. A rampant and Julian Alvarez-inspired Atletico then punished their rivals in the second half, scoring three unanswered goals to win 5-2 and leave Mbappe crestfallen. Angered with his side’s collapse, Mbappe went straight to the dressing room and did not bother showing any form of sportsmanship or grace in defeat. The defeat means Madrid have opened the door for Barcelona to take a lead at the top of La Liga and surrender their grip on the title race.

AdvertisementWatch the clipGettyAtletico continue to dominate the derby

Atletico have now gone six La Liga games against their bitter rivals without defeat and Mbappe is yet to taste victory in this fixture in the league. Los Blancos have triumphed over Atletico in the Champions League, but Simeone continues to be a thorn in Madrid's side, even with the French forward adding his eighth league goal of the campaign. Mbappe is arguably in the best form of his short Madrid career so far and only needed one chance to fire past Jan Oblak in the Atletico goal. Yet, his performances may go unrewarded should the Madrid defence continue to be so open. Alonso's side's capitulation against Atletico will no doubt set off alarm bells at the club, with a tight title tussle with Barcelona set to be won by the finest of margins. They were dealt a blow in their quest to strengthen their defence this week too, with key centre-half target William Saliba rejecting their approaches to seal a new long-term contract with Arsenal. The club have been linked also with a move for Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate, but signing the French defender before next summer may be difficult.

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Mbappe sulk suggests attitude problems persist

Following the final whistle, only Dean Huijsen, Raul Asencio and Gonzalo García stayed behind to applaud their fans in the away end. Mbappe has been accused of possessing a poor attitude and his rocky start to life in the Spanish capital was attributed to that very claim, but he had appeared to turn his mindset around earlier this year. The Madrid faithful will no doubt be disappointed to see their starman shirk away from the pitch in such a way following a humiliating defeat.

Before the game, manager Alonso had praised his players and insisted they were building strong foundations for success. The Spanish coach said: "The path is good. Because of the results and the way we’re doing things. We’ve been here for 51 days and there’s still a long way to go. We're building a solid foundation to be competitive in the Champions League, La Liga, and Copa del Rey. Many feel connected and engaged, which is important, but there are still things to improve. There are things we can do better. The path is good in terms of results and the way we're doing things. This is just the beginning, and we want to continue competing well."

However, following today's result, Alonso has been left far from happy, but remained positive. "It was a bad game, we didn't play well either collectively or under pressure, we weren't at the level we should have been," he said. "We're in a building phase, today is our first defeat and we have to draw conclusions from what happened but there are no excuses, we're hurt, it's a derby and a deserved defeat. We weren't on our game, we were lacking a gear and the defeat hurts."

Duckett’s ton went in vain as Inglis countered by pummelling a lacklustre England pace attack

Tristan Lavalette22-Feb-20252:04

Agar: Inglis controlled the innings, the rest could bat around him

Ben Duckett provided the ruthlessness England so desperately craved for with a record knock of 165. But his heroics went in vain as Josh Inglis countered by pummelling a lacklustre England pace attack and powering Australia to the highest successful chase in men’s ICC tournament history.The first match at an ICC event in Lahore since March 1996 saw batting completely dominate this Champions Trophy blockbuster with little margin for error for the bowlers on such a benign surface.With a mixture of inventive strokes and meaty backfoot blows, England-born Inglis hit his maiden ODI century to finish unbeaten on 120 from 86 balls as Australia reached the target of 352 with relative ease in the 48th over. England’s bowlers struggled to handle the dew under lights, with Australia achieving their second-highest successful ODI chase after their 359 for 6 against India in Mohali in 2019.It was a bitter disappointment for England, who now face must-win games against Afghanistan and South Africa. They ultimately will rue falling a little bit short with the bat, but Duckett’s magnificent 165 off 143 was the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history. He received strong support from Joe Root, who made a crisp 68 in a third-wicket partnership of 158.Even though no other batter scored more than 25 runs, England still compiled the highest-ever total in the tournament and took full toll on the least experienced Australian attack at an ICC ODI event since 1983. They were without frontline quicks Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, while seam-bowling allrounders Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis are also missing.However, the result was not a fait accompli on this flat surface, with Australia boasting a deep batting line-up. Australia’s innings mirrored England’s with two early wickets after Travis Head and stand-in captain Steven Smith fell in the powerplay.Having blazed an unforgettable century the last time he was sighted at a 50-over ICC event, Head loomed as the key but on 6 his swipe hit the toe-end of the bat and Jofra Archer held a sharp return catch.Liam Livingstone dismissed Matthew Short for 63•Getty ImagesSmith could only edge to slip a hard-length delivery from speedster Mark Wood, who was in great rhythm and consistently hitting speeds of 150 kph. But Matthew Short and Marnus Labuschagne rallied with a 95-run stand as they took a particular liking to wayward quick Brydon Carse.Short overcame a lean run of form by superbly using the pace of England’s quicks but legspinner Adil Rashid bowled a brilliant spell in combination with Liam Livingstone that squeezed the batters.A frustrated Labuschagne hit a slow 70 kph legbreak from Rashid straight to cover before Short on 63 offered a return catch to Livingstone as Australia slumped to 136 for 4.But Rashid was taken out of the attack after his six-over spell, allowing Inglis and Alex Carey to settle. The pair showcased their strong form having each scored counterattacking Test centuries against Sri Lanka as they got on top of a struggling England pace attack.Carey sheepishly celebrated his half-century after hitting Rashid straight to deep midwicket only for Archer to drop a sitter. Inglis then whacked Archer for consecutive boundaries as the wheels started to come off for England.Just as Australia started to gain control, Carey hit Carse straight to mid-off with 70 still needed off 50 balls. But Inglis was unperturbed and mowed a six off Archer to reach his century in style.Glenn Maxwell was unstoppable before Inglis fittingly sealed victory with a six in a terrific victory for World Cup champions Australia, whose title hopes ahead of the tournament had largely been written off.Josh Inglis and Alex Carey put up a solid stand•Associated PressSmith elected to bowl after being swayed that dew would play a factor under lights as Australia stepped onto the field at an ICC event without their big three quicks for the first time in nine years.Australia’s considerably weakened attack was under immediate pressure on a road of a pitch. There was no Starc, but Australia were not short on aggressive left-arm quicks with Spencer Johnson, whose trademark golden locks had been shorn off, and Ben Dwarshuis handed the new ball.Dwarshuis was selected ahead of Sean Abbott, who had played in both of Australia’s ODI games in Sri Lanka, for match-up reasons although his two early wickets were mostly due to rash strokes.England’s reshuffled batting line-up didn’t go to plan initially. In a common bane for them, they went a bit hard early with Phil Salt falling in the second over after falling to clear the on-side as a high-flying Carey plucked a one-handed blinder of a catch to his right.It was a spectacular first-ever ODI catch for Carey as an outfielder and helped justify the decision for Inglis, the incumbent white-ball wicketkeeper, to retain the gloves.All eyes were on Jamie Smith, who batted at No. 3 for the first time in international cricket – and only the second time in his List A career – in a decision that forced Root, Harry Brook and Jos Buttler to shift down from their usual positions.Smith stroked a couple of gorgeous cover drives, before falling tamely to the on-side where Carey took a far easier catch on this occasion.England did not envision being 43 for 2, but they recovered quickly as Duckett and Root cashed in on errant bowling from Johnson and Dwarshuis. Duckett had started relatively slowly, but blasted a boundary off the last delivery of the powerplay as England moved to 73 for 2.Smith reverted to spin after the restrictions were eased but there was little turn on offer as Duckett and Root easily rotated the strike. Smith was fairly conservative with his tactics and deployed four sweepers.1:26

Knight: The way Duckett rotated strike put Australia under pressure

Duckett showcased his improved prowess of hitting down the ground by targeting Maxwell straight and he reached his half-century in style with a horizontal bat shot off Johnson.Root was making it look easy, not fussed about hitting boundaries but smartly working the gaps to reach his half-century off 56 balls. He had a perfect opportunity to end a long ODI century drought stretching to the 2019 World Cup as England eyed a total in the high 300s.But Root got tied down by legspinner Adam Zampa, was was in the midst of a good spell, and missed a rare attempted sweep to fall in a tight lbw after an unsuccessful review. Australia fought back through Zampa, whose subtle variations proved effective and accounted for Brook with Carey taking another terrific catch after a diving effort running backward at point.Seamer Nathan Ellis also utilised his noted defensive skills and conceded just 51 runs off his 10 overs – the only bowler with an economy of under six.England feared letting slip a great platform just like they did against Australia at Trent Bridge last September. But Duckett held things together and blasted consecutive boundaries off Johnson to reach his third ODI century.He punched the air in celebration, but did not waver in his concentration despite being clearly fatigued. Duckett’s brilliant innings finally ended in the 48th over when he was trapped lbw by the legspin of Labuschagne, who was preferred over Johnson at the death and finished with 2 for 41 off five overs.Archer hit a flurry at the death, but his mood soured later in the night.

The Real Madrid attack hummed on Tuesday evening, as Kylian Mbappe bagged a brace and Vinicius Jr also scored to lift Los Blancos to a comfortable 4-1 win over Levante. Xabi Alonso's men have now won six out of six in the Spanish top flight.

Madrid probed and prodded, forcing Levante goalkeeper Mathew Ryan into a handful of smart saves. But he could do nothing about the opener, a fine trivela poke into the far corner from Vinicius. Franco Mastantuono added a second shortly after, beating his man and lashing into the roof of the net. 

They might have had one or two more before the break, only for Ryan to intervene. Levante got themselves back into it, however. A fortunate deflection saw the ball float over Thibaut Courtois and into the path of Etta Eyong, who nodded home from close range. Mbappe eased things, though. He converted a penalty on the hour mark to make it three, and added a fourth soon after – putting whatever fears remained to bed. 

This was once again a little scruffy around the edges, but Madrid are piecing things together, and look a solid side ahead of the Madrid derby this weekend.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Ciutat de Valencia…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (7/10):

Made a couple of nice saves. Unfortunate to concede thanks to some pretty evil spin. 

Raul Asencio (5/10):

A rare start as a converted right back. Didn't cover his man on the Levante goal.

Dean Huijsen (7/10):

Excellent in the first half, a little shakier in the second. Young and still learning. 

Alvaro Carreras (7/10):

Interesting to see him used as a center back. Mostly held his own, and looked far more comfortable when Los Blancos shifted to a back three. 

Fran Garcia (6/10):

Scampered up and down the left, but his final ball could have been a little cleaner. 

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Federico Valverde (6/10):

A bit quieter from the Uruguayan. Assisted but wasn't particularly involved in play. 

Dani Ceballos (7/10):

A first start of the season for a midfielder who most thought would leave. Paced things well in a holding role. 

Arda Guler (7/10):

Not his most involved game. Disappeared for long stretches, but then woke up by providing a ridiculous assist for Mbappe.

GettyAttack

Franco Mastantuono (7/10):

Missed a couple, then took his first goal for the club really nicely. Another solid showing. 

Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

Was relatively quiet for an hour before coming alive. Scored twice and made the game his. Excellent so far this season. 

Vinicius Jr (7/10):

Scored a wonderful goal to mark a welcome return to form. Loose here and there, though, as he works his way back to his best. 

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GettySubs & Manager

Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

Broke up play effectively, moved it around. 

Jude Bellingham (6/10):

Could have scored soon after coming on, but fluffed his lines. A few nice moments on the ball. 

Eduardo Camavinga (N/A):

No time to make an impact. 

Rodrygo (N/A):

Also didn't have enough time to contribute much.

David Alaba (N/A):

Likewise was only on for a bit of cardio.

Xabi Alonso (8/10):

Rotated heavily once again as he tried to find the right configuration. It didn't always work, but Madrid leaned on their stars to ease to a win. 

Arsenal’s performance against Liverpool was a strange one.

As Arne Slot mused at full time, if you played the same match another ten times, eight results would see a draw, the Reds would win once and the Gunners would win the other.

It was a tight game. Arguably neither side really deserved to take all three points home.

Yet, in title races, you need moments of magic. Dominik Szoboszlai was the man who provided it for Slot and Co in the Premier League on Sunday, striking home a sweet free kick.

Arsenal were craving a moment of similar spice but despite spending nearly £300m, they lacked that moment. It’s safe to say it’ll take time for everything to come together with so many new faces vying for a place in the team.

So, fresh off that 1-0 defeat at Anfield, is there anything for Arsenal to wrap up on deadline day?

Arsenal's transfer deadline day plans

As far as incomings are concerned, it’s unlikely Arsenal will be too busy during Monday’s deadline day.

That said, we are still awaiting official communication that Piero Hincapie will sign from Bayer Leverkusen.

The Gunners have been in talks to sign the defender over the last few week and it was widely reported that he was undergoing a medical on Sunday.

That move will pave the way for Jakub Kiwior to depart the Emirates Stadium and he could be followed out the door by Oleksandr Zinchenko – linked with Marseille – and Reiss Nelson who, is wanted by Fulham.

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Eberechi Eze may well have signed but there is still a craving for a left winger and that was rubber-stamped on Sunday.

Gabriel Martinelli began the game on the left flank but was hauled off on the 70th-minute mark having had one of his poorest games for the club.

The Brazilian was dominated by makeshift right back Szoboszlai, notably failing to register a shot, a key pass or complete a dribble.

So, how can Arsenal solve that issue?

How Arsenal can solve their Martinelli problem

Cast your minds back to the 2022/23 campaign. The Gunners are at their free-flowing best. Grant Xhaka is patrolling things from the middle of the park, Gabriel Jesus is dazzling up top and Oleksandr Zinchenko is inverting from left-back.

Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Martinelli were also combining to create one of the best attacks in the division. All three of them scored 15 goals throughout the campaign.

Since then, it’s been a tale of woe for him with the Gunners. He’s really struggled to replicate that form and the start to 2025/26 has been no better.

FFC handed the Brazilian a 3/10 rating for his efforts in Merseyside and it was justified for a complete lack of involvement. The forward is full of energy and pace but lacks end product, largely due to his indecisiveness when he gets the ball in and around the penalty area.

Minutes played

70

Touches

15

Accurate passes

6/7 (86%)

Key passes

0

Shots

0

Dribble attempts

0

Crosses

0

Duels won

2

What Arsenal need is something different on that side of the pitch. Eze came on for the last 20 minutes and immediately looked a better asset, very nearly scoring.

But, if Arteta wanted to axe Martinelli for good, then signing a new winger would certainly go down a treat on deadline day.

Much of the summer’s chatter has been about Real Madrid’s Rodrygo but another player who could be on the market late on is Rafael Leao, valued at £86m.

Reports on Sunday suggested that Tottenham Hotspur were actually looking at doing a deal for the Portuguese, albeit it would be a very challenging deal to do this late in the window. Arsenal have previously been linked but it’s not known whether they still retain an interest.

So, why would he be a good signing? Well, the 26-year-old has notably been described as “one of the best left wingers in the world” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

The Milan winger has cultivated a reputation as one of the most exciting forwards in the game, scoring 12 times and also providing 13 assists in all competitions throughout last season. One year prior, the electric speedster scored 15 and managed 14 assists, showcasing why he’s so highly rated.

His style of play would also captivate the masses at the Emirates. Back in 2022, Milan coach Stefano Pioli said that “Leao reminds me a lot of the early Thierry Henry.”

Like the Arsenal legend, Leao boasts a quick and long stride pattern. He favours the left channel and he’s a monster if you allow him to cut inside.

Over the last year, the Milan attacker ranks among the best 4% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, via FBref. To put that into context, Martinelli ranks among the best 25%, lagging behind Leao by some distance.

To put it simply, the Portugal international is better than Martinelli.

He has a level of incisiveness, a level of directness that simply isn’t there with the Brazilian. Signing him late in the window, particularly if they beat Spurs to his signature, would be one quick way to move on from their troubled number 11.

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