Losing Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona in the summer of 2022 was a bitter blow for Bayern Munich. The Pole had scored 344 goals in just 375 appearances for the club, after all. Replacing him was never going to be easy, but it ended up taking Bayern more than a year to find a worthy successor, as Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting rather unsurprisingly didn't exactly prove himself up to the task.
It's funny to think about it now, but there were those that questioned the decision to sign Harry Kane to belatedly fill the considerable hole left by Lewandowski in the Bayern attack. Club legend Lothar Matthaus felt that the €100 million signing from Tottenham, who had just turned 30, was "too old and too expensive". Now, though, the German says he doesn't "see a better striker in the world".
It, therefore, shouldn't come as that much of a shock to learn that Barcelona have come to the same conclusion as Bayern two years ago: that there isn't a better Lewandowski replacement on the market right now than Kane.
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Haaland too costly
Back in 2023, it was rumoured that part of the reason why Lewandowski wanted out of the Allianz Arena was Bayern's alleged attempt to convince Erling Haaland to move to Munich rather than Manchester that same summer. Lewandowski insisted that Norwegian No.9 had absolutely nothing to do with his desire to swap Bavaria for Barcelona, but it's nonetheless amusing to read reports that Blaugrana president Joan Laporta is 'obsessed' with signing Haaland.
It's obviously not going to happen – at least not yet. It's going to take at least another year for lever-pulling Laporta to balance the Blaugrana's books – let alone put them back in a position to sign the most valuable players on the planet. With a little more creative accounting, though, Barca could well be in a position to land Kane at the end of the season.
According to , the England captain has a €65m (£57m/$76m) buyout clause in his contract that can be activated next summer provided the striker notifies Bayern of his desire to leave by the end of January. The Bundesliga champions are, however, reportedly relaxed about the situation for the simple fact that Kane is currently content, on and off the field at the Allianz Arena.
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Best team in Europe
From a purely sporting perspective, things certainly couldn't be going any better for Kane and his club. Unbeaten Bayern have made a record-breaking start to their 2025-26 campaign and are presently top of both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. Kane is the principal reason why, having scored an utterly ludicrous 24 goals in just 18 appearances in all competitions – more than any other player in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.
The man himself may have had understandable misgivings about the size of Vincent Kompany's squad at the start of the season – but they've made light of the absence of Jamal Musiala through injury thanks to the exciting emergence of 17-year-old sensation Lennart Karl, Luis Diaz's incredible impact since joining from Liverpool and Michael Olise elevating his game to an even higher level after a wonderful debut season in Germany.
The net result is that Bayern are the best team in Europe at the moment – as they underlined by maintaining their 100 percent in the Champions League with a mightily impressive 2-1 victory over titleholders Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes during which they showcased both their attacking prowess and defensive diligence.
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Settled in Munich
Crucially, Kane's family are also loving life right now – and not just because he's enjoying the most prolific spell of his stellar career.
When he first made the move from his native London to Munich, there were external concerns over how Kane and his family would deal with the change of city, country and culture. However, Kane has repeatedly brought up just how "comfortable" he, his wife Kate and their children feel in Germany, where they are reportedly afforded more privacy than they were back in England.
"The way the people here welcomed us was extraordinary," the striker said earlier this year. "It touched us deeply as a family – not just me, but all of us. We love it. We truly appreciate every second."
In that context, one cannot but take Kane at his word when he says that he's even open to extending a contract that expires in 2027.
"We can certainly talk about that," he said in September. "I have almost two years left, so it's not like I'm in the final year of my contract and anyone is panicking. I'm fine. The club is fine. I think they're happy with me, and I'm happy with them. Those discussions can take place."
He doubled down on that when directly questioned about the Barcelona links ahead of his return to north London with Bayern on Wednesday when they face Arsenal in the Champions League, telling : "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me. I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern. There’s no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there’s contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it’s very unlikely that anything will change after this season."
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Edging towards the exit
There's no denying, though, that Kane would give serious consideration to a serious bid from Barca, who, for all of their financial troubles, retain an almost mythical status even among elite-level footballers. There are few more attractive destinations on the planet, and what No.9 wouldn't want to play in the same forward line as Lamine Yamal? All things considered, Kane would find an offer from Barca very difficult to turn down, particularly if they resolve their registration problems in 2026.
It's also clear that the Blaugrana are going to have to replace Lewandowski sooner rather than later. The Poland international is still scoring goals – no Barca player has scored more in La Liga this season (eight) – but he's 37 now and he's had three muscular issues since April, suggesting that his body is starting to betray him.
It certainly feels significant that talks have yet to begin over a new deal for Lewandowski, who will be out of contract at the end of the current campaign and free to talk to other clubs from January 1.
When asked about his next move while on Poland duty last week, Lewandowski admitted to reporters, "I still don’t know the answer. That’s why I’m not in a hurry. I’m at peace with myself, and that is the most important thing. Even if, for example, the club contacted me now, I still wouldn’t answer that question, because I also have to feel what’s best for me. But, for now, I’m calm, I’m not in a hurry and, at the moment, I don’t expect anything else."
The J&K fast bowler has been on an upward trend since the last season’s Ranji Trophy
Ashish Pant29-Aug-2025All the attention on the second day of the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy game between North Zone and East Zone was on Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, who are playing their last competitive match before heading off to the Asia Cup. But it was Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi, who made everyone sit up and take note by bagging a five-wicket haul, which included four wickets in four balls.”I had not seen Nabi bowl earlier,” Arshdeep said after the second day’s play in Bengaluru. “The first time I saw him was at the [North Zone] nets, and I think in his first ten balls, he must have taken some seven wickets. That’s when I realised, this lad is special. The ball comes out of his hand really nicely. The work he has put in in domestic cricket, everyone has seen it today. I think he will take a lot of wickets in the future as well.”The third session of the quarter-final between East Zone and North Zone was moving at a sedate pace. East Zone wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra had just been dismissed, but Virat Singh was looking fairly unhurried on 69, and having seen off long spells from Arshdeep and Harshit, would have harboured hopes of going to stumps unscathed.Related
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All that changed around 4.15pm when, in the 53rd over of the innings, Nabi decided to show why he finished the 2024-25 Ranji trophy season as the highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers.He first flattened Virat’s middle stump with a pacy length ball. The next delivery, he got one to skid through low and trapped Manishi, who shouldered arms, lbw. Mukhtar Hussain faced the hat-trick ball and got nowhere close to the sharp inducker that rattled his off and middle stumps. Hat-trick.That signalled the end of Nabi’s eighth over, but he was not yet done. On the first ball of his next over, he had Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal caught behind to become just the fifth Indian bowler to claim four wickets in four balls in first-class cricket. Not long after, Nabi trapped Mohammed Shami in front to claim his ninth five-wicket haul in just his 30th match.Nabi had figures of 0 for 23 in seven overs in his first spell; in his second, he returned 5 for 5 in 3.1 overs. East Zone, who were on 222 for 5 midway through the 53rd over, lost 5 for 8 in 22 balls to be bowled out for 230. Nabi’s spell helped North Zone take a 175-run first-innings lead and a firm grip on proceedings.”When we went into the tea break, the coaches told us that it’s all gone a bit flat, so they asked us to show some enthusiasm, and that’s what we did”, Nabi told ESPNcricinfo. “I am feeling very good. This is a rare record, four in four, but more importantly, I got my team a first-innings lead.”When I started my spell, I was bowling well. I beat the bat a number of times, and I felt I was a bit unlucky. I try and pick up wickets; if that doesn’t work, I try and contain the batters. Today, I just tried to put the ball in one place, and it worked. There was a nice breeze blowing across the ground in the evening and I got help from that.”The second day was not just about Nabi the fast bowler. In the morning session, he also smashed 44 in 33 balls, including four fours and two sixes, taking North Zone to safer shores after they had slipped to 308 for 7. He added 66 runs for the eighth wicket with Kanhaiya Wadhawan, with North Zone finishing on 405.Auqib Nabi picked up four wickets in four balls•PTI “When you bat well, it helps build your confidence and carries it forward,” Nabi said. “It shows in your bowling and fielding. It [my innings] was crucial for the team. I work a lot on my batting. I practice a lot.”It’s been a sensational year-and-a-half for Nabi. Before the start of the 2024-25 Ranji season, he had 46 wickets in 20 matches. By the end of the season, he had almost doubled his tally. He picked up 44 wickets in eight matches – the second-most in the season – striking at 30.47, which included six five-fors. Nabi’s sensational form coincided with J&K qualifying for the Ranji knockouts for the first time in five years. While they narrowly missed out on a semi-final berth, the 28-year-old earned his maiden Duleep Trophy call-up.J&K recorded eight wins in last year’s Ranji season. One of those wins came against Mumbai, which had several international players in the XI, including former Test captain Rohit Sharma. Nabi took six wickets in that game, dismissing the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube and Shardul Thakur. It was a performance that gave Nabi plenty of confidence.”As a bowler, as a cricketer, that was a very important match for us,” he said. “Almost half of the Indian side was playing. The motivation is different when you bowl to good players. And we also had great preparation. Our board got us to Mumbai a week before the match to acclimatise to the conditions and that helped.”Nabi hails from Baramulla in Kashmir. His father is a teacher in a government school and one of his biggest supporters. But the cricket facilities in Baramulla are almost non-existent. The closest ground from his home is in Srinagar, over 50 kilometres away. Did that deter him at any point growing up? ” goal India matter nahi karta. [If your goal is to play for India, these things don’t matter],” he says. “It doesn’t matter if you have limited resources. You have to use them. You can’t make excuses. You have to keep improving if you want to play for your country. And that’s my goal… to wear the India whites.”
Visitors complete an innings victory in Brisbane, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-game Youth Test series
ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2025India Under-19s, led by centuries from Vedant Trivedi and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, followed by an eight-wicket match haul from D Deepesh, comfortably beat Australia Under-19s in Brisbane to take a 1-0 lead in the two-game Youth Test series.Quick bowler Deepesh, son of former Tamil Nadu cricketer Vasudevan Devendran, first took 5 for 45 to bowl the hosts out for 243, while left-arm seamer Kishan Kumar chipped in with a three-wicket haul. The only strong batting performance by an Australia U19s batter was No. 3 Steven Hogan’s 92, which came in 246 balls.India Under-19s then responded with 428 in their first innings. Suryavanshi set the tone with an 86-ball 113 that had nine fours and eight sixes. No. 4 Vedant Trivedi, the Gujarat batter, then top-scored with 140 with 19 fours. Khilan Patel, the allrounder from Gujarat, then struck 49 at a strike rate of 100 from No. 8 to ensure the visitors took a 185-run lead.Kishan and Deepesh then wrecked Australia U-19s top-order in their second innings, reducing them to 24 for 3. Khilan ran through the middle-order after that to take 3 for 19. A fighting 43 from No. 9 Aryan Sharma brought the deficit down before Deepesh took two of the last three wickets to finish with 3 for 16 himself.The two teams meet again in Brisbane for the last game of the tour on October 7.
يستعد منتخب عمان، لمواجهة نظيره جزر القمر، ضمن مباريات دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.
وكان منتخب عمان قد تعادل في المباراة الماضية سلبيًا مع المغرب، في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب، بينما خسر جزر القمر الجولة الماضية بثلاثية امام السعودية.
طالع.. محمد بن رمضان وعلي معلول يعلقان على خروج تونس من كأس العرب
ويقع منتخب عمان في المجموعة الثانية من كأس العرب، رفقة منتخبات جزر القمر والسعودية والمغرب.
ويحتل منتخب عمان المركز الثالث في مجموعته برصيد نقطة وحيدة، بينما يتذيل جزر القمر المجموعة بدون نقاط. موعد مباراة عمان وجزر القمر اليوم في كأس العرب
ومن المقرر أن يواجه منتخب عمان نظيره جزر القمر، في الساعة السابعة مساء اليوم الإثنين بتوقيت القاهرة والثامنة مساء بتوقيت قطر والسعودية، في الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة عمان وجزر القمر في كأس العرب
سوف تذاع مباراة عمان وجزر القمر، على قنوات beIN Sports HD ودبي الرياضية والشارقة الرياضية وعمان الرياضية والكويت الرياضية وقناة الكأس ومنصة شاشا الرقمية.
ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.
O Campeonato Brasileiro terminou dia 07 de dezembro. Mais do que quem foi campeão ou quem caiu, o que me saltou aos olhos foi a fotografia cruel dos 16 clubes que terminaram entre o terceiro e o décimo oitavo lugares. O futebol brasileiro entrou definitivamente na era da margem mínima de erro. Hoje, a distância entre disputar uma competição continental e ser rebaixado se mede em decisões microscópicas, imperceptíveis a olho nu.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasColunasGestão Esportiva na Prática: O novo vestiário do futebol: 30 empresas e um só clubeColunas22/10/2025ColunasGestão Esportiva na Prática: O novo mapa de poder no futebolColunas16/10/2025A ilusão do controle
Um exemplo didático desta temporada talvez venha do estado do Ceará. O Vozão passou praticamente todas as rodadas fora da zona de rebaixamento e caiu na última. Não, não foi acaso. Foi a soma de pontos desperdiçados, jogos controlados que escaparam e escolhas que custaram caro. O futebol não pune só a incompetência. Ele pune também a ilusão de controle.
A reação que não apaga o passado
Do outro lado está o Fortaleza. Fez uma segunda metade de campeonato impressionante, reacendeu estádio, torcida e discurso. Ainda assim, caiu. Porque o futebol não zera a conta emocional. Ele cobra o saldo final.
continua após a publicidadeUm livro que é reescrito todo ano
E é aqui que entra a minha provocação. O futebol é um livro de 365 páginas. Sempre com o mesmo enredo e os mesmos personagens. O que muda são os atores. Em todo ano há uma revelação, uma decepção, um gigante que tropeça, um pequeno que surpreende, um injustiçado, uma fava contada. A ilusão é achar que essas obviedades nos autorizam a errar. O sistema é previsível. A incompetência, não.
A anestesia da zona cinzenta
Esses dois casos escancaram uma realidade incômoda. Não existe mais zona de conforto na tabela. A faixa intermediária anestesia. Nem cai, nem chega. O problema é que hoje quem apenas se mantém está parado. A inércia é o primeiro passo do retrocesso.
continua após a publicidadeGestão analógica em futebol digital
Ainda há gestores pensando como se estivéssemos em 2005. Planejamento curto, orçamento aspiracional, elenco montado em sobras de mercado. O que antes era risco, hoje é suicídio competitivo. Detalhe não é azar. Detalhe é processo mal desenhado, governança frouxa e vaidade interferindo na técnica.
O calendário que muda tudo
Agora vem o segundo choque. A temporada de 2026 começará sob uma lógica inédita. Estaduais com no máximo 11 datas e o Brasileiro começando no primeiro trimestre. Em tese, evolução. Na prática, para muitos clubes, um teste de sobrevivência.
➡️ Gestão Esportiva na Prática: leia todas as colunas
Menos jogos no estadual significam menos bilheteria, menos vitrine, menos ativação comercial e menos margem de correção. Quem erra cedo, paga caro. Para clubes fora da elite financeira, isso pode significar eliminação precoce, colapso de orçamento e instabilidade técnica já no primeiro semestre.
Quando o tempo vira adversário
O Brasileiro começando mais cedo também muda tudo. Janela comprimida, pré-temporada encurtada, elenco sendo ajustado com competição valendo. Erro agora custa ponto. E ponto custa divisão.
O torcedor não interpreta, ele reage
Alguns dirigentes ainda se enganam dizendo que “o torcedor entende”. Não entende. Torcedor reage a desempenho. Se cai cedo no estadual, começa mal o Brasileiro e perde clássicos, o engajamento despenca. E sem engajamento, não há patrocínio que se sustente nem projeto que sobreviva.
O fim do improviso como estratégia
O que estamos vivendo não é só uma mudança de calendário. É uma mudança estrutural de lógica. O futebol brasileiro está sendo empurrado para trabalhar com eficiência, não mais com volume. Com método, não com improviso.
E aqui está a verdade que poucos gostam de encarar. Rebaixamento não é acidente. É consequência. Consequência de decisões empilhadas, diagnósticos mal feitos e de uma cultura que ainda resiste à profissionalização plena.
O campeonato acabou domingo. Mas o jogo real de 2026 já começou. E ele não vai perdoar quem insistir em jogar com as regras do passado.
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Felipe Ximenes escreve sua coluna noLance!todas as quartas-feiras. Confira outras postagens do colunista:
➡️O tetra que nasceu em 2012 ➡️O lado invisível da voz do torcedor ➡️O torcedor no centro do jogo ➡️ Espanholização reflete trabalho duro de Palmeiras e Flamengo?
Nothing sets the mood for playoff baseball quite like a Capital One ad.
As the Blue Jays were two outs away from their first World Series appearance since 1993, the Fox broadcast cut to an advertisement for Capital One, a move that did not gel well with the built-up tension for fans watching at home. Check it out below:
The importance of each pitch in playoff baseball, let alone in the ninth inning of Game 7 in the American League Championship series, is impossible to overstate. So viewers were not happy about the interruption, to say the least:
Toronto prevailed in the end, shutting the door on the Mariners in a 4-3 win thanks to George Springer's electric go-ahead home run in the seventh inning. Springer's dinger powered the Blue Jays to overcome homers from Seattle stars Julio RodrÃguez and Cal Raleigh earlier in the game.
Game 7 of the ALCS lived up to the hype despite the vibe killer of an ad during the ninth inning. Let's all hope Fox learns from its mistakes during the World Series, where the Blue Jays are off to meet the defending champion Dodgers in a Game 1 slated for Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
Postseason baseball is the best, with drama on each pitch. Let's keep it that way.
Bond, who replaces Daniel Vettori, played at Edgbaston for Warwickshire in 2002
Matt Roller05-Nov-2025Birmingham Phoenix have appointed Shane Bond as their new men’s head coach on a two-year deal. Bond, the former New Zealand fast bowler, will replace his compatriot Daniel Vettori, who is set to join the newly-rebranded Sunrisers Leeds as Andrew Flintoff’s successor.Bond is a highly-rated coach within the franchise world who has worked as an IPL bowling coach for the last decade, with both Mumbai Indians (2015-22) and Rajasthan Royals (since 2023). He has also previously worked as a head coach, with experience at Paarl Royals in the SA20 and Sydney Thunder in the BBL.His appointment marks the first major change at Phoenix under their new ownership model, with the franchise now run jointly by Warwickshire and the American investment firm Knighthead Capital, which also owns Birmingham City Football Club.James Thomas, who joined Warwickshire from Manchester City as performance director in June, has emerged as a key figure at Phoenix and ran the recruitment process for a new coach after Vettori’s departure.”We’re thrilled to appoint Shane as head coach,” Thomas said. “His elite coaching experience, proven success in global franchise leagues, and passion for player development will be a major asset.”Throughout a competitive selection process, his vision, tactical insight, and ability to build high-performing environments really stood out. He understands the demands of modern franchise cricket and what it takes to perform at the highest level.”Bond had a brief stint as an overseas player at Warwickshire in 2002, taking 12 wickets in four appearances, and said that he has a “strong connection to the club and the city of Birmingham” as a result.”I know what it means to walk out onto the Edgbaston pitch and represent the people in the stands,” Bond said. “I want to instil that into our players and create an environment which breeds success… I want my team to play a fearless, exciting brand of cricket which ultimately delivers success for the Birmingham Phoenix.”Bond’s appointment extends Phoenix’s New Zealand connection, with Vettori signing Trent Boult, Adam Milne and Tim Southee as his three overseas players last season. It remains to be seen whether any of them will return for 2026, with teams only permitted to make a maximum of four signings and retentions before the inaugural auction in March.There has already been significant movement among men’s Hundred coaches as new investors make their mark on the tournament: Andy Flower has joined London Spirit from Trent Rockets, Tom Moody has left Oval Invincibles for a global role with Lucknow Super Giants (including the Manchester franchise) and Flintoff has left Sunrisers after turning down a new contract.Vettori is expected to be confirmed as Flintoff’s replacement in the coming days, while former Hampshire coach Adi Birrell is set to take charge of Sunrisers’ women after coaching Southern Brave men in 2025.
Newcastle United made their biggest sale in the club’s history over the summer, in perhaps the biggest Premier League transfer saga of all time.
Liverpool signed Alexander Isak from the North Eastern side for a fee of £125m, which was a British record deal.
Controversy aside, that move represented the change Newcastle have undergone over the past few seasons, since their takeover.
The Magpies more than doubled their money on the Swedish striker, having paid £60m for him. The fact that they can sign expensive talent and flip them for profit shows the positive financial state of the club.
In fact, there are a couple of other Newcastle players who could be future £100m stars, including – but not exclusive to – Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.
Why Tonali & Guimaraes already are £100m stars
There is no doubt that Tonali and Guimaraes form one of the Premier League’s best midfield pivots. The Brazilian said it himself earlier this year, describing his partnership with the former AC Milan star as “one of the best midfields in the league.”
Newcastle’s number 39, Guimaraes, has already been valued at £100m by the club, and has previously had a release clause of that value.
Given his importance to the club, it’s easy to see why. The Brazil star has 21 appearances across all competitions and has ten goal involvements this term.
As for Tonali, the Italian is of equal importance to Eddie Howe’s midfield. He’s played 20 times this season, sitting at the base of their midfield and controlling the game, with Guimaraes operating just ahead of him.
Whilst there has never been an official report valuing the midfielder at £100m, it is clear he is a player worth that much.
Paul Scholes even said he is “better than Declan Rice,” with Arsenal paying £105m for the England star back in 2023. It is safe to assume Tonali can hit those heights.
However, it is not just Newcastle’s dynamic pivot who are future £100m stars at St James’ Park.
Newcastle’s latest future £100m player
Newcastle fans certainly adore the midfield, which Guimares says is among the Premier League’s elite. Tonali was lauded by one notable supporter earlier in the season as the “best” player he’s ever seen play for the Magpies.
It isn’t just Tonali, though, whom he heaped praise on. The content creator said Malick Thiaw is “a very strong contender for the best defender” he’s seen pull on that famous Black and White shirt.
Indeed, the German could easily earn a £100m price tag one day. His performances have been exceptional, as already alluded to, with scout Antonio Mango suggesting he was “one of the best signings of the summer.”
It is another example of a great investment from the Magpies, with Thiaw costing only £34.6m.
He’s cemented himself as Howe’s first-choice centre-back, playing 19 times in all competitions this term and even offering a threat from set pieces. Thiaw bagged twice against Everton in a 4-1 win last month.
Indeed, his stats reflect just how good a centre-back he is.
The 24-year-old averages 4.53 progressive passes and 3.81 aerial duels won per 90 minutes, ranking him in the top 17% and 15% of Premier League centre-backs, respectively.
Long pass accuracy
67.2%
92nd
Progressive passes
4.53
83rd
Progressive carries
1
85th
Ball recoveries
4.08
78th
Aerial duels won
3.81
85th
There is perhaps a case to be made that Thiaw is just as important to Howe’s side this term as Tonali and Guimaraes. He’s certainly played a similar number of games, completing 90 minutes in the Premier League ten times in a row now.
If the midfield duo are worth £100m, it is easy to see how that can be the case for Thiaw in the future.
He has all the attributes to go to the very top, and is highly rated by Newcastle fans and How alike. The German has been exceptional this season and will be hoping this form continues.
He's the next Bruno Guimaraes: Newcastle to launch move for £30m "monster"
Newcastle United could win themselves a future Bruno Guimaraes by making a move for this £30m ace.
Arsenal’s title aspirations suffered a crushing blow at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime as Emiliano Buendia’s stoppage-time strike completed a dramatic 2-1 turnaround for Aston Villa.
The Gunners’ remarkable 18-match unbeaten streak across all competitions has now come to an end, with Mikel Arteta’s side sent crashing back down to Earth.
Arsenal dominated possession throughout lengthy spells but ultimately paid the price for failing to convert superiority into goals, succumbing to Unai Emery’s tactical masterclass at a venue where Arsenal ironically boast their best away record in Premier League history.
The defeat allows Man City the opportunity to reduce the gap at the summit to just two points, piling pressure on Arteta’s men as they navigate a mounting defensive injury crisis.
Villa deservedly seized the initiative in the 36th minute when Matty Cash powered home from the back post, meeting a deflected cross with a thunderous half-volley that caught David Raya flat-footed.
Arsenal to "directly contact" £88m forward about joining after talks with his reps
Arteta apparently wants to sign him in January.
ByEmilio Galantini 7 days ago
The right-back’s spectacular finish rewarded Villa’s aggressive pressing and energetic start, with Arsenal struggling to establish their usual rhythm against Emery’s well-drilled side.
Arteta responded decisively at the interval, introducing Leandro Trossard and Viktor Gyokeres for the ineffective Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino. The Belgian substitute needed just seven second-half minutes to justify his manager’s faith, pouncing on a loose ball after Emiliano Martínez could only parry Bukayo Saka’s initial effort.
Trossard’s predatory instincts breathed life into Arsenal’s challenge and appeared to shift momentum decisively towards the visitors.
Emiliano Martínez
7.8
Declan Rice
7.7
Matty Cash
7.5
Boubacar Kamara
7.5
Martin Odegaard
7.2
via WhoScored
Arsenal dominated proceedings thereafter, pinning Villa deep inside their own territory while creating numerous opportunities to snatch victory.
Declan Rice orchestrated attacks from deep despite struggling with the calf complaint that nearly ruled him out, while Saka tormented Villa’s left flank repeatedly. Noni Madueke came agonizingly close late on, firing into the side netting when well-positioned at the back post.
However, Emery’s inspired tactical substitution proved decisive.
Buendia’s introduction for Cash in the 85th minute pushed Villa into a more aggressive attacking configuration, with Lamare Bogarde dropping to right-back. The Argentinian playmaker delivered the killer blow deep into stoppage time, reacting quickest to a scramble inside Arsenal’s penalty area and firing home emphatically to send Villa Park into raptures.
The defeat represents a significant setback for Arsenal’s title ambitions, particularly given the circumstances surrounding their performance.
Arteta’s side controlled vast stretches of play, registered more shots and dominated possession statistics, yet left the Midlands empty-handed.
Villa’s victory extends their remarkable home form to just one defeat in their last 25 league matches at Villa Park, underlining the fortress mentality Emery has built there.
The result lifts Villa within three points of Arsenal while maintaining their challenge for Champions League qualification, perhaps even the title itself.
Mikel Arteta confirms Cristhian Mosquera blow after Aston Villa defeat
With William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes already sidelined, the loss of Cristhian Mosquera to injury against Brentford forced Jurrien Timber into an unfamiliar centre-back role alongside Piero Hincapie.
Reports have suggested that Mosquera faces several weeks out through injury, and that’s now been confirmed by Arsenal’s manager.
Speaking after the match, Arteta said that the 21-year-old faces a significant spell on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury against Brentford, stating the layoff is ‘much more’ than they initially expected.
The Spanish defender underwent tests on Friday, with initial assessments already suggesting a potential absence of six to eight weeks.
Arteta described Mosquera’s situation as “more complicated” when addressing the media ahead of kickoff, acknowledging the injury represents another substantial blow to Arsenal’s already weakended defence heading into the congested festive schedule.
For the north Londoners, it is yet more bad news after what was a gutting defeat in the Midlands.
Liverpool are in uncharted waters, with these deep fathoms threatening not only the future of Arne Slot, who won the Premier League a matter of months ago, but that of Mohamed Salah, one of the greatest players in the club’s history, too.
Where is the respite? At the moment, Liverpool can’t catch a break, fumbling a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 at Leeds United on Saturday after previously drawing against well-worth-their-money Sunderland at Anfield. All told, the Reds have won only two of their past ten league fixtures, losing six.
But Liverpool have sculpted this disaster themselves. They have patented a startling ability to wreak havoc on their own progress, with tactical imbalances sparking crises of confidence, sparking mutiny.
Salah’s flaming interview at Elland Road will go down in the history books, and though FSG have since underlined their faith in Slot’s stewardship, the severity of this crossroads cannot be understated.
The latest on Slot's Liverpool future
Slot is in an unenviable position, with Salah’s outburst proving the latest and most damaging in a long line of mishaps since the summer.
While FSG retain the faith in the 47-year-old, who led Liverpool to the Premier League title last year after Jurgen Klopp stepped down, there’s an acceptance that results are needed quickly if something is to be salvaged from this campaign.
The fact of the matter is that Slot’s Liverpool started wobbling well before the end of the 2024/25 campaign, and he now needs to show that he can sort out the defence and restore balance to the team. He needs to show that quickly.
Arne Slot at Liverpool (2024 vs 2025)
2024
#
2025
27
Games
52
23
Wins
26
3
Draws
10
1
Losses
16
2.66
PPG
1.69
73
Goals scored
91
27
Goals conceded
69
Data via Transfermarkt
Liverpool are in big bother, and though FSG have been steadfast in their backing of the Dutchman, their leniency will only stretch so far, especially when there is such an exciting successor for Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes to consider.
Liverpool could hire Slot upgrade
Last week, it was reported that FSG have been considering Julian Nagelsmann as a candidate to replace Slot, should the Reds coach be sacked, though they will face a tough task in wrestling him away from the German national team, especially with the 2026 World Cup looming large.
Nagelsmann, 38, is among the world’s finest young coaches, having managed Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich in his homeland.
Would he be willing to park his international ambitions? Probably not. That’s why it’s anticipated he could be lined up ahead of the start of next season, meaning Liverpool would need to find an interim boss if Slot is dismissed before the end of the term.
What Nagelsmann would offer Liverpool
Nagelsmann has been described as the “best young coach in Europe” by journalist Josh Bunting, and though he’s the junior of practically all of the game’s standout managers, he’s hardly inexperienced, with a keen tactical mind that could be the remedy to a Liverpool team who have fallen by the wayside.
Bayern's Julian Nagelsmann
This is a fluid and interchangeable tactician. Nagelsmann employed a counter-pressing system at Leipzig before changing to a more dominant playing style at the Allianz Arena. He recognises the quirks and whims of the players at his disposal, and he crafts a system that caters to his troops.
Journalist Kai Iliev has even named him a “world-class manager” for his ability to fix a range of flaws within Germany’s national set-up. Now they are contenders. Now they believe again.
Liverpool could do with a bit of that, right? The appointment of Nagelsmann might even play into keeping Salah at the club; with the Egyptian King’s relationship under Slot having broken down, something has to give.
Liverpool, of course, will now back Salah over Slot. To do the contrary would result in anarchy. But this latest splinter in an outfit splitting wide open is not the root cause. Slot’s system is in a tailspin, and if he cannot establish form and fluency quickly, he will find that he has exhausted all the credit in the bank, and Edwards and Hughes will be forced into making a tough call.
The German coach’s principal 4-2-3-1 set-up would accommodate new signing Florian Wirtz and allow Salah to arc inwards once more and find passages into the danger area. This season, the 33-year-old has only posted five goals and three assists across all competitions.
Who could have expected this when Liverpool lifted the Premier League title? Salah was not the main man but the author of his long-term outfit’s illustrious success.
It’s not controversial to suggest that many, many Liverpool supporters would be dejected if Salah were to leave this winter, and it would be sure to put more than just a dampener on Slot’s reign at the Anfield helm.
If results do not continue over the coming weeks – with Salah off to AFCON after Liverpool host Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this weekend – FSG will have to face the reality of theirt spiraling situation and make a change.
Could that prompt Salah to stay? Working under Nagelsmann on Merseyside, it just might, though whether the Reds are able to keep the African legend appeased and reach a decision that would see him remain at the club he has served so well over the past nine years remains to be seen.
In any case, this is a staggering, stomach-sinking situation, one that nobody could have foreseen, and Liverpool’s powers that be need to make sure an upswing is found – quickly.
Sell him before Salah & Konate: FSG must bin Liverpool's "major issue"
Liverpool have collapsed this season, and some tough decisions need to be made.