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New Barcelona signing Marcus Rashford once called a Real Madrid icon the best he’s ever played against ahead of Nou Camp legend Lionel Messi.

Marcus Rashford signs for Barcelona from Man Utd

The forward has officially competed a season-long loan move to the Nou Camp from Manchester United, with Barca also having the option to buy Rashford in 2026 for an initial £26m next summer.

Rashford becomes the first Englishman to sign for Barcelona since Gary Lineker, who did so back in 1986. Taking the number 14 shirt number with the Catalan giants, Rashford has been quick to praise current Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, calling the Ballon d’or contender “one of the leading players in the world”.

“He is a very special talent, and for me, I feel definitely last season, he is one of the leading players in the world, if not the best. Everyone wants to play with the best, and there is a lot of talent in this squad. I am happy and eager to play with them on the pitch. Maybe I can help them, and for sure, they can help me. It is going to be exciting.”

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Rashford will also come up against England teammates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham in the El Clasico in 2025/26, with Barca looking to retain their La Liga title under Hansi Flick.

Games

426

Goals

138

Assists

77

Red cards

2

Trophies

6

Rashford calls Cristiano Ronaldo best he’s played against

Back in 2017 when talking to ESPN, relayed by Football 365, Rashford was asked for the best player he has played with or against.

Still just two years into his professional career, the attacker said Cristiano Ronaldo was the best he had came up against during his time at the Bernabeu. However, he also name-checked former Red Devils teammate Wayne Rooney, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi and Brazilian star Neymar.

Former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Brazil striker Ronaldo also got a mention from Rashford, highlighting his World Cup displays.

“Brazilian Ronaldo has had the biggest World Cup performances, I’d say. And his were among the most enjoyable to watch. There were a lot of top players who performed in the World Cup and went to another level.”

The 2024/25 season was a huge success for Leeds United, winning the Championship with 100 points and returning to the Premier League. It could have been easy for them to slip up again, especially after a summer in which they lost one of their most important players, Crysencio Summerville.

Following the disappointment of losing the playoff final, the Dutchman made the move to Premier League side West Ham United for £25m plus add-ons. It didn’t have much bearing on Leeds’ fortunes last season, but he was still a big loss.

There is always a desire to have players in the squad as talented as Summerville. And the Whites could be making a move for someone just like him this summer.

Leeds’ new winger target

Whilst Leeds certainly reinvested the money they got for Summerville last season, they never really brought in a direct replacement on a permanent deal. Well, that could all change this summer, if recent reports are to be believed.

Transfer Focus

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

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth, Daniel Farke’s side are said to ‘have spoken to’ the representatives of Feyenoord winger Igor Paixao over a possible move. Smyth reports that Leeds ‘presented the project to his camp this week’ in a bid to try and sign him.

There will be competition for the 25-year-old winger, however, with French outfit Marseille also eyeing up a move.

As for the price to sign Paixao, journalist Santi Aouna reported last month that Feyenoord could demand as much as £34m for his signature.

Why Paixao would be a good signing

Should the Whites agree a deal to sign Paixao this summer, he will join the club off the back of a fantastic season for Feyenoord. As football scout Antonio Mango says, he is a “major threat” going forward, which will certainly increase the potency of Leeds in the final third.

Indeed, analyst Ben Mattinson has noted that the in-demand talent has “similarities to Rodrygo”, referencing Paixao’s Real Madrid-based compatriot – a player who has scored 68 goals in 270 games for Los Blancos. That likeness also stems from Paixao’s “insane” ball-striking quality.

Unlike Rodrygo, Feyenoord man is yet to make his debut for the national team, but had a superb campaign for the Dutch giants last season. As the numbers on Sofascore highlight, he scored an impressive 18 goals and grabbed 14 assists in 47 games across all competitions.

With 26 of those goal involvements coming in the Eredivisie, Paixao also shone on the European stage, in the Champions League. The forward, who excels on the left-hand side, also bagged six goals and assists in Europe’s most prestigious club competition, including this stunning strike against Sparta Prague.

Should the Whites bring Paixao to Elland Road this summer, he would no doubt love to replicate the impact Summerville had at the end of his career for the club. The Dutchman also joined from Feyenoord as a youngster, and exploded in his final season as a Leeds player in 2023/24, before his big move to the London Stadium.

That season, in which Leeds lost the playoff final to Southampton, he won the Championship player of the year. The 22-year-old notched up a phenomenal 21 goals and ten assists in 49 games in all competitions, as per Sofascore.

Indeed, strikes from the Dutchman like this one against Norwich City were spectacular, and similar in many ways to Paixao’s in the Champions League last term, notably the power on the shot and angle from which it came.

To further see if the Brazilian can become the second coming of Summerville, we can compare their stats on FBref, using Paixao’s from this season and the former Leeds winger’s numbers from his final campaign at Elland Road.

They certainly stack up well against each other, with the 25-year-old Feyenoord star averaging 0.82 goal involvements and 0.53 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes. In comparison, the West Ham attacker averaged 0.72 goal involvements and 0.46 goal-creating actions each game for Leeds back in 2023/24.

Goals and assists

0.82

0.72

Key passes

2.19

2.88

Goal-creating actions

0.53

0.46

Progressive carries

4.33

5.04

Ball recoveries

3.35

3.78

Those stats suggest that, in fact, with the impact he could have in the final third, Paixao could well become the second coming of Summerville. He certainly has the goal and assist numbers behind him from this season.

For £34m, this looks like a good deal for Leeds. Farke’s side would be gaining a dangerous attacker who can have a real impact on their final third output, and finally be the Summerville replacement they were crying out for.

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ByDan Emery Jul 16, 2025

Sunderland had been outside of the Premier League for some time, but the Black Cats are now back and ready to leave their mark on one of world football’s most entertaining and exciting divisions.

Indeed, before achieving promotion in stunning fashion against Sheffield United at Wembley back in late May, Sunderland had been missing from the top-flight picture for a mammoth eight campaigns, with a miserable four-season stay in League One even coming their way, which further hammered home how the mighty had fallen.

Now, Wearside is back on the footballing map courtesy of Regis Le Bris being the heroic manager to finally break their promotion hoodoo, with plenty of near-misses over the last few years piling on the pain, before the sweet ecstasy of promotion could be fully lapped up.

However, the task at the Frenchman’s door now – alongside the other powers that be at the Stadium of Light – is to build a squad of players that’s worthy of staying put in the Premier League, to make all that hard graft worthwhile.

Already, the big bucks are being splashed to try and gift the Black Cats the best fighting chance at survival and beyond, with a lavish £50m forked out to snap up both Enzo Le Fee permanently, on top of Habib Diarra further bulking up the midfield spots for a club-record £30m.

Noah Sadiki has also cost Le Bris and Co. a sizeable £17.75m, while confirmation for the signing of Club Brugge’s Chemsedine Talbi also appears to be imminent, after a £20m agreement was struck.

More signings will be clearly required, and with that in mind, here is what Sunderland’s dream squad could look like if everything goes smoothly the rest of the summer.

The goalkeepers

Brand new number one at the Stadium of Light

Kicking off Sunderland’s dream squad is the goalkeeper position, and there could well be a new number one on Wearside this coming season.

Whilst Anthony Patterson was able to tally up 14 clean sheets in league action on the way to the Black Cats triumphantly reaching the big time, he could soon be demoted to a number two spot in the side, particularly if Sunderland do end up signing Djorde Petrovic.

It’s been widely reported that the Black Cats might be able to win the reserve Chelsea ‘keeper for around the £21.5m mark this summer, with that perhaps signifying a steal down the line, considering the agile Serbian is just fresh off a ten-clean-sheet season in between the sticks for Strasbourg.

Patterson would no doubt offer a safe pair of gloves as backup, but with Petrovic also flexing 31 games in the Premier League in the past – with seven clean sheets heading his way at Stamford Bridge – he might well be what Le Bris now desires as a first-team option.

Alongside the Englishman and the £21.5m buy, Le Bris would also have Simon Moore as an emergency option, with the 35-year-old keeping three clean sheets across his minimal Sunderland game-time to date.

Full list of goalkeepers: Djorde Petrovic, Anthony Patterson, Simon Moore

The defenders

Four new signings join Petrovic

Petrovic is unlikely to be the only first-team altering addition to Sunderland’s defence, as four more potential new signings join this bumper Black Cats squad.

However, irrespective of all this activity, Trai Hume should remain out in front as Sunderland’s main right-back – even as the challenge of the Premier League has the potential to eat players whole – with the Northern Irishman a blistering performer for Le Bris’ men last season when notching up nine goal contributions.

Daniel Ballard should also fancy his chances at being a starter in the heart of defence just based on this last-gasp header alone, but he did also win an imperious 4.6 duels on average per second-tier clash last season when fit.

This is where it gets interesting as Charlie Cresswell and Deja Caleta-Car are added into the mix in the centre-back areas to challenge both the aforementioned Ballard and Luke O’Nien.

Cresswell would cost around the £18m ballpark to obtain, which doesn’t feel like too steep of amount to splash on a top-flight-distinguished defender, considering the England U21 international is just fresh off collecting nine clean sheets in Ligue 1 action for Toulouse.

Alongside the ex-Leeds United centre-back, his £8.5m-rated Croatian counterpart would also provide some more tough competition to the likes of O’Nien – who isn’t getting any younger at 30 years of age – having shown off his top division qualities too with Lyon when averaging a 91% pass accuracy per league game last season.

The left-back spot should also be claimed by Black Cats regular Dennis Cirkin, who is the full package with 11 clean sheets and five goal contributions tallied up last campaign, but he would be pushed by two fresh faces in the form of Reinildo and Ishe Samuels-Smith.

Reinildo has 25 Champions League games under his belt and would be arriving on a free transfer, whilst Samuels-Smith would be joining on loan from Chelsea as a diamond tipped for big things, and he will be eager to kick on at a club renowned for polishing young gems.

Full list of right backs: Trai Hume, Timothee Pembele, Niall Huggins

Full list of centre backs: Daniel Ballard, Charlie Cresswell, Luke O’Nien, Duje Caleta-Car

Full list of left backs: Dennis Cirkin, Reinildo, Ishe Samuels-Smith

The midfielders

£43m star breaks Diarra's record fee

All the glitz and glamour of Sunderland’s busy window so far has centred on the midfield department, but Dan Neil will still fancy his chances at a concrete first-team spot in the Premier League.

After all, the homegrown Black Cats midfielder will be working his socks off if any basement battle arrives on Wearside, knowing how passionate the Stadium of Light masses can be, with two goals and three assists also under his belt on the way to promotion being sealed.

He will be joined potentially by a midfielder that cost even more than Diarra’s whopping £30m, with it being speculated that ex-Arsenal warrior Matteo Guendouzi could soon join the ranks for a colossal £43m to beef up the Black Cats centrally.

Guendouzi was an ever-present member of Lazio’s midfield last season, and for good reason, with one goal and three assists coming his way in the demanding Serie A. Whilst his price tag does seem steep, he also has 57 Premier League games already on his side with the Gunners.

Joining him in the middle of the park is Habib Diarra, who will be keen to be another gem unearthed from Ligue 1 by Le Bris, after creating a hefty nine big chances in the French top-flight across his 24/25 season, on top of his standout output of four goals and five assists.

He is likely to take up a central spot alongside either Neil or the expensive Guendouzi, whilst Noah Sadiki will offer up his services to Sunderland as a versatile figure – away from solely being a midfield spark – having even lined up as a full-back on occasion last campaign for Union Saint-Gillois.

Full list of midfielders: Dan Neil, Matteo Guendouzi, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki

The forwards

“Living legend” adds competition for Wilson Isidor

Last, but by no means least, we have arrived at the integral forward positions in Sunderland’s dream squad, with the Black Cats wanting to expose plenty of porous Premier League defences on the way to clinching survival.

Patrick Roberts might not be a spring chicken anymore on Wearside, but he has the ability on his day to cause defences distress, with a glowing collection of nine goals and 18 assists across his 145-game back catalogue.

Eliezer Mayenda’s flexible presence in Le Bris’ camp could be put to good use here in offering the Black Cats another body down their right flank, with five of his Sunderland career appearances coming here.

That said, the Frenchman will likely find himself behind 20-year-old Talbi, with the young winger registering 12 goals and assists last season for Brugge.

In the number ten spot, Chris Rigg’s moment to shine in the Premier League is finally here. Crazily, despite being only 18 years of age, Rigg is a household fixture of Sunderland’s starting lineups, with seven strikes next to his name from 72 clashes and counting. Adil Aouchiche could offer competition here, but this feels like Rigg’s position to master now.

As for the left flank, Sunderland already look extremely strong, with both Enzo Le Fee and Romaine Mundle at Le Bris’ disposal.

Le Fee delivered the goods last season when it mattered with two assists registered in the crunch playoff semi-final contests, whilst ex-Tottenham Hotspur sensation Mundle showed real glimpses of quality in the second tier, too, even as injuries took their toll, as seen in him collecting five goals from just 25 league outings.

Isidor’s numbers (24/25) vs Mikautadze’s (24/25)
Stat	Isidor	Mikautadze
Games played	52	47
Goals scored	13	17
Assists	2	9
Big chances missed (in the league)	20	11
Big chances created (in the league)	9	9
Stats by Sofascore

Sunderland’s firepower will be enhanced for sure in the striker slot, however, with Lyon star Georges Mikautadze now reportedly on their ever-growing summer shopping list. Valued at £21m, he could bring the Black Cats’ spending to almost £112m on these seven additional signings, even without factoring in the confirmed deals for Diarra and Sadiki, alongside Talbi’s impending arrival.

It’s clear to see why he’s the desired centre-forward target when assessing his far heftier goal tally across the 24/25 campaign when weighed up next to 13-goal hero Wilson Isidor, and with football talent scout Jacek Kulig even going as far as to label him a “living legend”, he could be a real fan’s favourite at the Stadium of Light to come.

Full list of left-wingers: Enzo Le Fee, Romaine Mundle

Full list of right-wingers: Chemsedine Talbi, Patrick Roberts, Eliezer Mayenda

Full list of number tens: Chris Rigg, Adil Aouchiche

Full list of strikers: Wilson Isidor, Georges Mikautadze

Shades of Cresswell: Sunderland now in advanced talks to sign £4m star

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By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 3, 2025

Celtic recently made another addition to their squad with the signing of versatile central defender Hayato Inamura from Japanese side Albirex Niigata.

The 23-year-old star, who can play as either a centre-back or as a left-back, has joined the Scottish giants on a four year deal ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Celtic supporters should not be expecting him to play week-in-week-out in the Scottish Premiership next season, though, as it has been revealed that the defender is a signing for the future.

When asked if he would be part of the first-team squad, Brendan Rodgers said: “No, he won’t be. He’s a part of the investment of the club.”

The head coach added that the Hoops will “see where he’s at as a young player and then it’s whether he stays with the squad or whether he has to go out on loan” during pre-season.

This means that fellow left-footed central defender Auston Trusty may be safe for now, after he endured a difficult first season at Parkhead last term.

Why Auston Trusty is in a difficult position at Celtic

Despite the fact that left-footed defender Liam Scales earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Celtic decided to pay a reported fee of £5m to sign left-sided centre-back Trusty from Sheffield United last summer.

£5m was a healthy sum of money to spend on a player who plays in the same position as a star who was named the best in his position in the division the previous season, which suggests that the club felt he would come in as an upgrade on Scales.

Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case as Trusty endured a frustrating first season in Glasgow, and ended the campaign as second-choice behind the Ireland international.

The American dud was an unused substitute in six of the last eight games, including the SFA Cup final, and that was because Scales significantly outperformed him.

24/25 Premiership

Auston Trusty

Liam Scales

Start

22

21

Clean sheets

10

14

Dribbled past per game

0.5x

0.2x

Clearances per game

4.0

4.8

Ground duel success rate

63%

68%

Aerial duel success rate

65%

74%

Error led to shot

4

1

Error led to goal

1

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Irishman was far more effective for Celtic in the Premiership than Trusty, with fewer errors and a higher success rate in duels, helping the team to keep more clean sheets in the process.

The £5m signing, who was criticised against Aberdeen in his most recent appearance, is in a difficult position at Parkhead, and it is one that could get even worse for him.

Celtic eyeing new left-sided defender

According to CelticWay, the Scottish Premiership champions are ‘considering’ a bid to sign Familicao central defender Justin De Haas this summer.

The report claims that the Hoops are weighing up an approach for the Dutch centre-back to bolster their ranks after Maik Nawrocki clinched a loan move to German outfit Hannover.

Transfer Focus

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

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It states that Celtic scouts have assessed De Haas during the summer transfer window, and the club are now plotting a potential swoop to bring him to Parkhead.

The 25-year-old defender, who is said to be attracting interest from several clubs across Europe, is valued at around £3m by the Portuguese club, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to pay that asking price.

Celtic should now press ahead with a deal to bring the left-footed defender to Parkhead in the coming weeks because he could send Trusty packing this summer.

Why this is bad news for Auston Trusty

This report of the club’s interest in De Haas is bad news for the USA international because it could mean that the former Sheffield United man is surplus to requirements in Glasgow, just 12 months on from his arrival.

As aforementioned, Trusty has already fallen behind Scales in the pecking order in the left-sided centre-back position because of his poor performances in the Premiership last term.

It then seems unlikely that Celtic would pay £3m to bring in another left-footed defender, who is 25 and in the prime years of his career, to be a third-choice option in that position, which is why this could spell danger for Trusty, as he may have to find a new club.

Whilst there is no reported suggestion yet that the American flop is likely to move on from Parkhead, the signing of De Haas could leave him with little game time behind two other players in his position, especially given that Rodgers has made it clear that he wants to play left-footers on the left and right-footers on the right at centre-back.

24/25 season

De Haas (Liga Portugal)

Trusty (Premiership)

Appearances

29

22

Goals

2

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.0

2.3

Dribbled past per game

0.3x

0.5x

Clearances per game

5.4

4.0

Error led to shot

0

4

Error led to goal

1

1

Penalties committed

0

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the £3m-rated colossus outperformed Trusty at league level last season, whilst playing in the Portuguese top-flight, by making more defensive interventions and fewer big errors at the back.

The 6 foot 4 giant, who has previously been described as “aerially dominant” by RangersJournal writer Kai Watson, could come in as another upgrade on the American dud, on top of Scales already being one.

This is why Trusty could be sent packing this summer because the arrival of a second left-footed centre-back who is even better than him could limit his game time next season and force the defender to consider his long-term future at Parkhead.

Of course, Rodgers could go against his preference and use a left-footed player as a back-up option to Cameron Carter-Vickers in the right centre-back role, but that would not be ideal for the left-footed Trusty either.

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Therefore, this latest development will not come as good news for the former Arsenal centre-back, who could find himself on the chopping block this summer.

West Bromwich Albion are now making moves to sign a new target, having registered their interest in a forward who Ryan Mason knows very well, according to a report.

Mason era underway at the Hawthorns

West Brom have arguably taken a risk by appointing Mason, given that his only experience as a senior manager has been as interim boss of Tottenham Hotspur, but the 33-year-old believes he is now ready for his first permanent role in the dugout.

While the young manager is yet to prove himself in the hot seat, he has certainly had the opportunity to learn from some top managers during his time at Tottenham, working under the likes of José Mourinho, Antonio Conte and most recently Ange Postecoglou.

That experience should stand the London-born coach in good stead to be a success at the Hawthorns, and the manager is now looking to put his own stamp on the squad he inherited by bringing in a player he worked with during his time at Spurs.

That is according to a report from Football Insider, which states West Brom are now making moves to sign Tottenham forward Mikey Moore, having registered their interest in the 17-year-old, alongside Championship rivals Birmingham City.

The Baggies are keeping close tabs on the teenager, and want to take him on loan next season, as there is a belief the youngster would be capable of being a stand-out player in the second tier, despite his age.

"Fearless" Moore has already built up first-team experience

With Tottenham suffering an injury crisis in the 2024-25 campaign, Moore was perhaps called upon more times than he would’ve expected, making 15 appearances in all competitions, during which time the starlet picked up one goal and two assists.

Much like Mason, a move to the Championship could be ideal for the left-winger, as it would provide him with the opportunity to get more first-team experience, and there are signs the starlet could be capable of making a real impact at the Hawthorns.

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James Maddison was left impressed by what he saw from his teammate last season, with the England international saying: “[He has] that young, fearless mentality and you never want to take that away from him. He’s a young kid, a brilliant lad, a lovely boy. He takes in information, and he’s got bags of ability.”

Moore clearly has a lot of potential, and West Brom will be hoping that the opportunity to work under Mason will help them win the race for the forward’s signature, despite the interest from Championship rivals Birmingham.

Alexander Isak’s form in the 2024/25 campaign for Newcastle United has been sensational. Around a month ago, at the end of April, Jamie Carragher described the Swede as the “best striker in the Premier League right now”, and looking at the numbers, it is not hard to see why.

In 33 games in the English top flight, the striker has scored 23 goals and grabbed six assists. He has featured for 2,684 minutes in the Premier League, leaving him with an extraordinary average of one goal every 116 minutes.

With Isak’s superb form, it is no surprise Newcastle are looking to bolster his attack and bring him even more support in forward areas ahead of next term.

Newcastle’s latest attacking target

There might not be a more eye-catching signing to go along with Isak and winger Anthony Gordon in the Magpies’ attack than Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens. It has been an impressive campaign for the Englishman, and he could well leave the Bundesliga this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

According to a report from former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown, in conversation with Football Insider, Newcastle ‘are working on a move to sign’ the young winger this summer. Brown confirmed that the North Eastern side have ‘had scouts watching him this season’ and could now swoop in to sign him.

Surprisingly, although Gittens is a player with high potential, this is a deal that could come cheap.

A report from talkSPORT last month claimed he is valued at just £35m by Dortmund. However, they also link Chelsea to a move for the winger, meaning Newcastle might face strong competition.

Why Gittens would be a good signing

It has been a strong campaign for Gittens, despite a tough time of it as a team for Dortmund. Described by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley as “England’s best winger in 24/25”, the 20-year-old has certainly made a difference at times in that famous Black and Yellow shirt.

In 48 games this season across all competitions, Gittens has managed to find the back of the net on 12 occasions and has also created five goals for his teammates. In total, 12 of those goal involvements have come in the Bundesliga.

However, if there was one game where Gittens really showed what he can do, it was away to Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage. The former Manchester City academy man impressed against the La Liga giants, executing an incisive counter-attack to give his side a 2-0 lead.

One thing that really stands out about Gittens is his ability with the ball at his feet. He is a fantastic ball carrier, deadly in one-vs-one scenarios and confident in taking a defender on and beating him in those situations.

In fact, the stats on FBref from the Bundesliga season show just how good he is when carrying the ball. For example, Gittens averages 5.73 progressive carries and 3.9 successful take-ons per 90 minutes, both of which rank him in the top 1% of wingers in the Bundesliga.

Take-ons attempted

8.67

99th

Take-ons completed

3.9

99th

Progressive carries

5.73

99th

Carries into final third

2.84

94th

Carries into penalty area

3.19

99th

Well, Newcastle will be hoping that Gittens can replicate Isak’s impact at St James’ Park. Just like the young England U21 star, Isak was formerly a Dortmund player, where he made 13 appearances but only scored once.

However, his impact in the North East has been colossal, proving that you can certainly make a fine transition from Germany to English football.

108 games and 62 goals later, he is, as Carragher said, one of the stars of the Premier League, and a far better player than he was at Dortmund all those years ago.

Newcastle would surely love for Gittens to replicate that sort of impact. He could well become the second coming of Isak, that is to say, a former Dortmund player who has a fantastic impact on the North Eastern club.

At just £35m, Gittens seems like a bargain, and this feels like a move Newcastle must do, to further elevate their attack.

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Iyer to lead India A in multi-day matches against Australia A

Kumble and Vettori see big potential in 'clever' Harsh Dubey

But Dubey was determined not to let the bowlers dominate. He worked Shams Mulani through midwicket early in his innings and then drove him through covers to move to a run-a-ball 26 before lunch. Precise in his footwork, front and back, Dubey’s handling of the spinners stood out. He barely hit a shot in the air but found the gaps with ease.When Tushar Deshpande went short, Dubey pulled him off the front foot through midwicket. When Tanush Kotian went marginally leg side, he swept him fine. By the time Dubey reached his half-century, off 62 balls, Central Zone were just 11 runs shy of taking the lead.”When I was batting, I only had the first-innings lead in my mind and how I could cross that [West Zone’s total],” Dubey said. “I have always had a positive mindset. I was trying to find gaps, collect boundaries so that other things become easy for me. I thought if I played with a defensive mindset, there were chances I would hit one ball in the air. My plan was not to let the bowler settle and try not to let him target just one spot.”Dubey’s 75 off 93 balls wasn’t his only noteworthy performance. He also picked up three wickets, playing an important part in restricting West Zone to 438. On a surface which wasn’t aiding spin, Dubey relied on his pace variations and changes in lengths to keep the batters from dominating.”I believe more in classical left-arm spin,” he said. “I try to vary the pace and deceive the batsman with spin and pace. When the wicket is playing well, then obviously you can’t bowl at the same pace, it becomes easy for a batsman to score runs. I just try to vary my pace, and bowl with a plan in mind. So that keeps running in the back of the mind.”Dubey averages 20.99 with the ball and 24.03 with the bat in first-class cricket. While he started his career as a batter and later developed his left-arm spin, he doesn’t want to label himself as a batting or bowling allrounder. “,” he says. [Whatever I am doing first after the toss, I’ll choose that].Harsh Dubey picked up three wickets as well•PTI It’s this dual role that earned Dubey a place in the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad late into the IPL 2025 season as a replacement player for R Smaran. He had moderate returns – five wickets in three matches at an economy of 9.80 – but caught the eye of Daniel Vettori and Anil Kumble, who were impressed by his consistency.”I was at home at that time and was not expecting a call-up at all,” Dubey said. “The IPL was almost done and SRH had four matches left. I got a lucky break. Yes, there was some crowd pressure. But the one positive thing about me is that I don’t look at the batsman. I think about how to put the ball in the right area and how to execute my plan.”Dubey made his Ranji Trophy debut in December 2022, but 2024-25 was his first full season for Vidarbha. He isn’t doing anything different now from when he first started, he says, but feels the clarity around his role has helped him in the last year.”I think I have got better opportunities,” he said, “And I now have a lot more clarity about my role, my ability, and what I can do on the ground. So I think it’s a mix of clarity and the right opportunities at the right time.”We play a lot more red-ball cricket [in Vidarbha]. I think because of that, our basics are very good. My base has been very good since childhood, and I am getting the results now.”

Halfway into IPL 2023, ESPNcricinfo Identifies the best performers after factoring in the context and match situation

S Rajesh26-Apr-2023T20 was originally meant to be a young man’s game, but one would scoff at that notion seeing the top performers of IPL 2023. The leading run-scorer is Faf du Plessis, who’ll turn 39 in July; the third-highest score this season is the unbeaten 99 from Shikhar Dhawan, who is 37; with a 30-ball cut-off, the batter with the highest strike rate (199.04) is Ajinkya Rahane, who’ll turn 35 in June; the leading wicket-taker for Mumbai Indians is 34-year-old Piyush Chawla.All of these players are among the top seven in terms of the top impact players at the halfway stage this season, according to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, a performance rating system which takes into account the context and match situation for each batting and bowling display.ESPNcricinfo LtdWith 405 runs at a strike rate of 165.3, there is no doubt that du Plessis has been the stand-out batter of the tournament. He is also at the top of the MVP list, collecting 71.2 impact points per match. Each of his five 50-plus scores got more than 75 impact points, which is an illustration not just of consistent run-scoring, but also of maintaining a terrific strike rate.Dhawan has unfortunately missed three games due to injury, but his unbeaten 99 off 66 is arguably the top batting performance of the tournament, especially since it came out of a total of 143, and the other batters collectively scored 38 off 54. That is reflected in his impact score of 161.05 for that innings, the highest impact points for any player in a match this season. It’s marginally higher than Venkatesh Iyer’s 51-ball 104 in a relatively high-scoring game against Mumbai Indians.