Newcastle United have had a helter-skelter of a summer transfer window, and Eddie Howe’s side haven’t reached the end of the tunnel just yet.

Of course, the frenetic nature of this window doesn’t necessarily mean it’s been a poor one for the Magpies, even though a slew of transfer targets have slipped through Toon fingers, namely at centre-forward.

And so we have the Alexander Isak conundrum. Will the Sweden striker play in black and white two weeks from now?

If Newcastle stick to their guns and resist the player and Liverpool’s attempts, his threats of maintaining his self-ostracisation might seem somewhat shallow, for the 25-year-old would surely not jeopardise his career in such a manner, with Champions League football looming and a World Cup campaign looming on the horizon across the pond.

However, keeping Isak at St. James’ Park comes with the huge caveat that there is no telling what version – if any – will front Howe’s ship over the coming year.

That’s why sealing a move for Yoane Wissa is so important.

The latest on Yoane Wissa to Newcastle

Wissa was one of the most prolific forwards in the Premier League last season, scoring 19 goals across the term. Bryan Mbeumo often took the plaudits under Thomas Frank’s wing, but the DR Congo striker was every bit as effective.

Frank, now manager at Tottenham Hotspur, wants to sign Wissa before the closure of the transfer window, thus putting another spanner in the works for Howe.

Luckily, the 28-year-old is determined to sign for Newcastle this summer, having removed all Brentford affiliation from his social media footprint as he looks to seal his move to England’s North East.

A deal for Wissa has always been a separate entity when considering the fight to keep Isak on Tyneside.

That’s why – while Newcastle are prepared to keep their star striker at the club – plans are still being explored for a potential successor.

Newcastle consider rejoining transfer battle

According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle are willing to forgo their interest in Nicolas Jackson if it means Aston Villa secure the Senegalese’s services, because then they could re-enter the race for Ollie Watkins.

Villa have been hindered by the trammels of PSR this summer, but the public stance at Villa Park is that their 29-year-old talisman is going nowhere, even if they land Jackson from Chelsea.

However, this hasn’t stopped Newcastle from preparing to register their interest once again, though it would seem that Aston Villa are sticking to their £50m valuation.

Why Newcastle should sign Ollie Watkins

Despite the late advance of Tottenham, Wissa continues to keep his sights on Newcastle’s first team, and at some stage, Brentford are sure to ease their resistance.

Whatever happens, Newcastle must also put their focus into signing Watkins, for he would do a half-decent job at stepping in for Isak.

Described as “one of the best 9s in the world” by Statman Dave, Watkins has proven time and time again his expertise as a Premier League frontman, and that could remain so with a one-way trip to Tyneside at this later stage of his career, leading the line as Isak’s replacement, should that come to pass.

He has a good record against Newcastle: five goals and three assists across ten matches. Watkins blanked, however, last weekend.

Even so, it wouldn’t hurt to take from the Premier League a striker rich in potency when pitted against United, and fronting their team with him.

Last season, Watkins wasn’t at his best, but he still managed to finish the league campaign with a return of 16 goals and eight assists.

A willing runner behind defences and a combative forward with a wide breadth of ways to hurt opponents, Watkins would be the cream of a new crop of attacking talent at Newcastle, for sure.

While Wissa and Watkins could cohabit within Howe’s Newcastle frontline, it’s hardly controversial to suggest that the former might outrank the other. The Villan star has proven himself and then some in the world’s toughest league, and he’s also got more variation to his attacking game than the Brentford sharpshooter.

Indeed, as per FBref’s data, Watkins ranks among the top 3% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 19% for progressive carries per 90.

Quite the player. And he’s something of a star on the big stage too, boasting some pretty impressive individual records against the English top flight’s legacy ‘big six’.

As Howe looks to mastermind the latest success in his growing list of triumphs as Newcastle manager, there’s every chance that Watkins at the spearhead would allow Newcastle to reprise their place in the Champions League at the end of the season while competing for further slices of silverware, having gotten a taste for the big prizes during last season’s Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool.

Would Watkins definitively prove to be an upgrade on Wissa? It would appear so. He’s got more about him, and even after a ‘poor’ campaign in the Premier League last year, the Three Lions star still managed to trail Wissa in his pomp by just three goals.

Newcastle have a problem in Alexander Isak. He has divorced himself from the Newcastle squad and appears willing to stay in isolation.

But with Watkins added to the fold, United would have what they need to attack the season. He’d certainly be an upgrade on Wissa, but given the two forwards would be competing alongside each other, that doesn’t really matter, does it?

Superior to Wissa & Watkins: The "next Gyokeres" is Newcastle's new target

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Matt Dawson

Aug 21, 2025

This Saturday, Spurs will have initially hoped to have paraded a certain England international by the name of Eberechi Eze around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Alas, the boyhood Gooner decided that Arsenal was for him and after the setback of Morgan Gibbs-White a few months earlier, Thomas Frank and Co were back to the drawing board once again.

They ultimately decided on Xavi Simons. The Netherlands international moves to north London from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £51m.

It was a risky play from Daniel Levy, largely because for a long time it looked as though Chelsea would bring him to Stamford Bridge. For once, however, Spurs got their man.

The task now is to bolster the forward line further.

What to expect from Spurs on transfer deadline day

With the arrival of Simons, it remains to be seen whether Spurs look at strengthening Frank’s options further.

They will certainly try to do so and have a number of attackers lined up already. Lucas Paqueta of West Ham has been mooted as a target but now appears to be on his way to Aston Villa instead.

Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman is another player Levy and the recruitment team could explore. The Nigerian has been pushing for an exit all summer long and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he finally got his move on deadline day.

Transfer Focus

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

There’s also the curious case of Morgan Rogers. Last week it was reported that Spurs had held exploratory talks over bringing the England international to north London. Yet, with a price tag of £80m, it’s an incredibly unlikely deal, particularly this late in the window.

Still, according to TEAMtalk, the ‘dream option for Spurs’ if they fail to secure summer target, Savinho, is indeed Rogers.

Villa have given the Lilywhites no indication that they are willing to sell but Spurs have been exploring the deal since Thursday.

How Morgan Rogers compares to Xavi Simons

After James Maddison suffered a horrendous ACL injury in pre-season, Frank knew he needed to add a new number 10, someone capable of scoring and creating in equal measure.

Maddison may not have been at his best last term but he did still find the net on 12 occasions, registering a further 11 assists in all competitions. Spurs needed someone capable of replacing that output and Simons certainly ticks a lot of boxes.

The 22-year-old scored 11 goals and supplied eight assists in 2024/25, nearly matching the output of Maddison.

Well, in Rogers, they’d secure a player capable of being elevated by Simons. In short, they’d be truly game-changing together.

Since leaving Middlesbrough behind for Aston Villa in January of 2024, the former Manchester City youth gem has been a revelation in the Midlands.

Last season, Rogers scored a Champions League hat-trick, earned his England debut and racked up a whole host of goal involvements.

It was a stunning 2024/25 campaign for the 23-year-old who bagged 14 goals and supplied 16 assists in all competitions. So, based on raw output, he’s an upgrade on the talented Simons but just imagine the thought of those two playing together. Frank’s attack becomes infinitely better overnight.

Goals

0.23

0.42

Assists

0.29

0.25

Key passes

1.47

2.13

Progressive passes

3.55

5.86

Progressive carries

3.29

3.56

Attempted take-ons

4.62

4.18

Successful take-ons

1.91

1.38

Successful take-on %

41.3%

33.%

Analysing the numbers further, we get a sense for the main similarities and differences between the two players.

Simons certainly looks a bit more creative, registering more progressive passes and managing more key passes throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Thus, he’d be a fabulous supply line for Rogers who could play on the left wing next to the Dutchman.

They’d bounce off each other tremendously well, considering when it comes to dribbling and beating a player, Rogers is your man. He’s elite at taking players on and that’s rubberstamped by the fact that he completes over 40% of the dribbles he attempts.

Combine that with the ability to score goals and you certainly have one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe right here. It’s hardly a surprise that Villa presenter Kate Tracey has described him as a “superstar”.

That’s exactly what he is and if Villa could land a sensational coup in the remaining hours of the window, it would send out a huge message to their Premier League rivals. Just imagine Rogers and Simons in the same side. It’s a scary thought.

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Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have both been officially ruled out of the Champions Trophy. The two of them “are managing some ongoing injuries and haven’t come up in time for the Champions Trophy,” selection chair George Bailey said on Thursday.Australia have until February 12 to finalise their Champions Trophy squad, and they will have to make at least four changes to the initial 15-man squad they had named on January 13. Apart from Cummins and Hazlewood, they are also without Mitchell Marsh, who is grappling with a back injury and was ruled out of the tournament on January 31, and Marcus Stoinis, who announced on Thursday that he would be retiring from ODI cricket, removing himself from the Champions Trophy squad as a result after being selected in the original 15.February 12 is also the day when Australia play the first of two ODIs against Sri Lanka in Colombo. They have added three quicks, Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson and Ben Dwarshuis for those two games as well as legspinner Tanveer Sangha, spin-bowling allrounder Cooper Connolly and batter Jake Fraser-McGurk.Related

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It’s possible that two of the three quick bowlers could get into the Champions Trophy squad while Fraser-McGurk appears to be the like-for-like replacement for Marsh given he has not been bowling much recently in ODI cricket and was locked in to bat at No. 3. Connolly could be the replacement for Stoinis but there is now only one seam-bowling allrounder, Aaron Hardie, left in the current squad. Test allrounder Beau Webster has not been included among the additions to the Sri Lanka ODI squad.”While disappointing, it does present a great opportunity for other players to perform for Australia in a world event,” Bailey said.Cricket Australia said Cummins and Hazlewood would begin an “extended period of rehabilitation”. They are missing the ongoing Test series in Sri Lanka too. Both have IPL contracts with Cummins set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) again while Hazlewood is returning to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Whether they can play any part in the IPL ahead of the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June remains to be seen.Australia are likely to pick between Steven Smith and Travis Head to lead Australia in the two Sri Lanka ODIs and then the Champions Trophy.Prior to Thursday’s confirmation, Australia coach Andrew McDonald told SEN radio on Wednesday that Cummins was “heavily unlikely” to make the Champions Trophy which meant Australia would need a new captain with the ODI vice-captain Marsh also unavailable.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two that we’ve been having conversations with while we’ve been building out that Champions Trophy team along with Pat back home,” McDonald said.”They’ll be the two that we look at for that leadership post. They’re the two obvious ones. Steve has done a great job here in the [first] Test match. He’s done some good work in one-day international cricket across the journey as well. So it’s between those two.”Cummins skipped the Sri Lanka Tests to be at home for the birth of his second child, but he has also been nursing the ankle issue that had flared up after a heavy workload in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. Hazlewood is understood to be dealing with a hip issue after recovering from the side and calf injuries that made him miss three of the five Tests against India and the Test tour of Sri Lanka.The selectors might also have a challenge cobbling an XI together for the first ODI against Sri Lanka given that, apart from the missing players, there is only one travel day scheduled between the fifth day of the second Test and the first ODI, with ODI squad members Head, Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc all playing the Test match that is currently on in Galle. Starc would seem very unlikely to play in those two ODIs.

Barring some late jeopardy, Liverpool look to have signed their top summer target, Alexander Isak, from Newcastle United, having agreed a record-breaking £130m deal with the Tynesiders.

The Sweden star, who scored 27 goals for the Magpies last season as they won the Carabao Cup, is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, and adds so much potential to a Liverpool side already feared by all.

FSG have got the big one over the line, but they remain intent on signing another top Premier League talent at the other end of the field.

Liverpool looking to sign Premier League star

Crystal Palace are locked in a last-gasp bid to sign Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back Igor Julio, thus strengthening and opening the door for Marc Guehi to sign for Arne Slot’s champions.

However, Oliver Glasner has made it clear that he wants the Three Lions star to stay at Selhurst Park, especially after Guehi’s spectacular goal in a 3-0 romp over Aston Villa on Sunday evening.

And if the Austrian tactician gets his wish, Liverpool might need to shift their focus, perhaps moving for another summer target in Nathan Collins, having entered the race for the Irish centre-half at the start of August.

Despite the late hour of the window, Liverpool could strike a shrewd deal in bringing the 24-year-old over, especially since he has proven himself dependable on the pitch and reliable on the fitness front.

What Collins would bring to Liverpool

Brentford signed Collins from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £23m in July 2023, and he has since proved his technical quality and ability to command from the rearguard, hailed by journalist Sam Tabuteau for being a “future leader”.

Collins might not be the flashiest or most exciting name that Liverpool have been linked with this summer, but there’s little question that he has what it takes to star for Slot’s side, challenging Ibrahima Konate for a place alongside skipper Virgil van Dijk.

Indeed, he’s deceptively progressive on the ball, athletic and mobile too. But more importantly, Collins is crisp and commanding in the duel, also keeping his error count on the low.

In many ways, he is like Van Dijk himself, with that comparison having been made in the past by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who noted that he is a “complete & dominant” defender.

PL 24/25 – Guehi vs Collins

Stats (* per game)

Guehi

Collins

Matches (starts)

34 (34)

38 (38)

Goals

3

2

Assists

2

3

Touches*

64.9

65.7

Pass completion

84%

86%

Big chances

5

3

Key passes*

0.5

0.3

Ball recoveries*

4.3

4.3

Dribbles*

0.4

0.3

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

2.0

Clearances*

4.6

5.8

Duels (won)*

4.9 (59%)

5.1 (61%)

Errors made

2

3

Data via Sofascore

It perhaps helps that Collins shares some of Guehi’s ball-playing ability, ranking among the top 8% of positional peers across the past 365 days for goal-creating actions per 90.

Given that Liverpool have already signed a prodigious youngster in Giovanni Leoni this summer, this could be the ideal, shrewd signing to dynamise and complete backline, evening out the squad’s balance, so to speak.

Collins was also the only outfield player to have featured across every minute of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, further underscoring his capacity to stand strong against the current and succeed in the role touted for Guehi down Anfield Road.

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For the record, Bangladesh (-0.443) finish the tournament above Pakistan (-1.087) on net run rate

Karthik Krishnaswamy27-Feb-20252:35

What’s holding Bangladesh and Pakistan back?

– Match abandonedPakistan and Bangladesh ended their disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaigns with a point each with the second successive match in Rawalpindi washed out. As on Tuesday, when the same fate befell the Australia vs South Africa game from Group B, the match was called off without even the toss taking place.Steady rain fell all afternoon at the stadium, with no opportunity for the covers to come off at any point. The match was called off at 3.27pm local time, just under an hour-and-a-half after the scheduled start time.This non-result was Rawalpindi’s last match of the tournament. Apart from the two washouts, it also hosted New Zealand’s five-wicket win over Bangladesh on February 24.Only one match now remains in Group A, with India taking on New Zealand in Dubai on March 2. It is a contest that will determine who finishes top of the group. Both teams are already through to the semi-finals.For the record, Bangladesh (-0.443) finished above Pakistan (-1.087) on net run-rate.Pakistan’s next assignment is a white-ball tour of New Zealand later this month, comprising five T20Is and three ODIs. Bangladesh, meanwhile, are set to host Zimbabwe for three ODIs and three T20Is.

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

Liverpool agree record deal to sign Alexander Isak

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

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

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

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

Liverpool close to agreement for Premier League ace

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dayot Upamecano has reignited his dream of joining Real Madrid, telling his agent to push for a Bernabeu move when his Bayern Munich deal runs out in 2026. Faced with a repeat of the David Alaba transfer to the Spanish giants, the Bundesliga champions now face a familiar dilemma – meet his demands, sell early, or risk losing another cornerstone for free.

Upamecano pushes for Real Madrid move

The ex-RB Leipzing defender has reignited his long-standing ambition to join Madrid. According to , Upamecano has communicated to his agent that he is keen on securing a move to the Bernabeu when his Bayern contract expires in 2026. Madrid previously considered him before his switch to Germany, and with his dream still alive, he is positioning himself as a candidate for a future free transfer.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy Bayern fear history repeating itself

Los Blancos have developed a reputation for exploiting contract situations to sign top talent on free or reduced-price deals. Alaba joined from Bayern in a similar case, while Antonio Rudiger was snapped up for free from Chelsea. Trent Alexander-Arnold also let his Liverpool contract run down before he made the move, though Madrid had to pay a fee to get him before the Club World Cup. Die Roten are wary of falling into the same trap, particularly after the drawn-out Alphonso Davies saga earlier this year. The German champions remain reluctant to overcommit financially but risk losing another cornerstone of their squad without compensation.

The defender’s demands and Madrid’s stance

The French defender earns around €10 million (£8m/$11m) annually at Bayern but is reportedly seeking closer to €15m (£13m/$16m), a figure in line with Davies’ renewal. While Madrid’s current priorities lie elsewhere, they are monitoring his situation and view him as a viable option given his age, international pedigree and Bundesliga consistency. With 38 appearances last season, he remains a regular starter under Vincent Kompany, yet his wage push could test Bayern’s limits.

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Getty Images SportDecision time approaching in Munich

For the Bavarians, the decision is straightforward but urgent: extend Upamecano’s contract on improved terms, sell him before his value diminishes, or risk losing him for free in 2026. With Kompany reliant on defensive stability behind him, losing a first-choice centre-back could hit hard. Madrid may not move immediately, but if Bayern delay, Los Blancos could once again swoop in at just the right moment.

أثار سبرايل ماكركيس، الظهير الأيمن لنادي فيرينسفاروش المجري وصاحب الأصول المصرية، الجدل بتصريح مقتضب حول الأنباء التي ربطته بالانتقال إلى النادي الأهلي في الميركاتو الشتوي المقبل.

ويُعد سبرايل ماكركيس من أبرز اللاعبين في الدوري المجري خلال الموسم الحالي، حيث يتميز بقدرات دفاعية قوية وسرعة في الارتداد الهجومي.

اقرأ أيضًا | آخر مستجدات تجديد عقود الشحات وكوكا وعبد القادر.. وموقف ييس توروب

وفي تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات، رد سبرايل ماكركيس على ما تردد بشأن اهتمام الأهلي بالحصول على خدماته، رغم أن مصدر هذه الأنباء مصري بحسب الصحفي المجري، بور كارولي، عبر حسابه الرسمي بموقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيس بوك”.

وقال اللاعب: “لا أعلم ماذا سيحدث في المستقبل، أثق في الله”.

ورغم قِصر التصريح، إلا أنه فتح باب التكهنات حول إمكانية انتقال اللاعب إلى القلعة الحمراء، خاصة مع بحث الأهلي عن ظهير أيمن جديد لدعم صفوفه.

الجدير بالذكر أن الأهلي تعاقد مع محمد علي بن رمضان في الصيف الماضي من فيرينسفاروش أيضًا ولكن بعض مفاوضات طويلة وصعبة.