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One of the lesser-discussed NL West rivalries had its moment on Tuesday night, as things got heated between the Giants and Rockies during their game at Coors Field.

During the top of the first inning, before a single out had even been recorded in the game, Rafael Devers parked a ball into the right field seats off of Kyle Freeland. The two-run shot opened the scoring, and also seemed to open some emotions between the two sides.

It's unclear what prompted it, but Devers began shouting at Freeland while heading towards first base. He continued to shout at the Rockies pitcher once he reached the base, and from there, things escalated quickly. The benches cleared and punches were thrown from players on both sides, as a sea of players and coaches collided in the infield.

Have a look at the melee:

It certainly seemed to catch the broadcast off guard, as things went from a few choice words to some fisticuffs in the infield in a matter of seconds.

Devers was so enraged he didn't even round the bases after his two-run shot, instead getting into it with Freeland. Eventually, he was told to finish rounding the bases to complete his home run before play resumed.

After the dust settled on the skirmish, discipline was handed out by the umpires, and three players were ejected, including Willy Adames and Matt Chapman from the Giants, and Freeland from Colorado. Freeland was replaced on the mound by Antonio Senzatela.

England have defended their limited Ashes preparation ahead of the start of their warm-up game against the Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth on Thursday. The three-day match-up is England’s only match practice ahead of next Friday’s first Test at Optus Stadium, which assistant coach Marcus Trescothick described as “the way of the modern game”.Ashes tours have historically started with a series of warm-up fixtures between travelling squads and either domestic or invitational teams, but they have been greatly reduced in recent series as boards look to streamline schedules.England have largely eschewed warm-up fixtures since Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes took over as head coach and captain, preferring training camps and intra-squad matches, but have generally started series strongly. They have won all the first Test in each of their last five overseas tours, including in India, Pakistan and New Zealand last year.”It’s the way that the series are generally done – for us and for other opposition teams – around the world nowadays,” Trescothick told reporters in Perth on Tuesday. “With the volume of cricket that’s played [elsewhere], you don’t have the time for preparations like potentially playing two or three first-class games, which has happened in the past.”I think you generally roll with a prep game, or some facilities – whatever you have available – and you go from there. Of course, most of the guys have been playing in New Zealand for us. Some of the guys have come out from England, but it’s the way of the modern game nowadays.”Michael Vaughan, who opened the batting with Trescothick on England’s 2002-03 tour to Australia, has questioned the value in playing on a club ground which will “bounce really low” ahead of the first Test on an Optus Stadium which is expected to be fast with steep bounce.Related

• Stokes urges England players to go full throttle in intrasquad Ashes warm-up

• Marcus Trescothick: 'I want to see what franchise cricket is all about'

• Cummins ramps up bowling with eye on second Test

• The Australia selectors' aversion to risk might have boxed them into a corner

• Duckett: England evolving from being 'entertaining, reckless at times'

But Trescothick said England were “very happy” with their preparation: “We’ve had facilities here with the nets, and obviously then the nets out in the middle, and then we’ve got the preparation game here as well.”In my day, playing at the Waca was very unique and very different, but you prepare yourself for those sorts of changes in facilities and pitches as you go along. We’ll have three days of prep at Optus, just to get used to pitches and we go along with that, and we’ll go from there. We’re very happy at the moment.”Ben Duckett, who will open the batting in next week’s first Test, arrived in Perth last week and said that facing England’s fast bowlers in the nets has provided “pretty good” preparation following a white-ball tour to New Zealand.”I don’t know what the right answer is,” Duckett told the podcast. “We play a lot of cricket at the minute, and we’ve obviously just come off the back of our summer. We’re certainly not lacking any gametime.”I don’t make those plans, but I’m pretty happy getting ready in the nets. If we’re facing Jofra [Archer], Woody [Mark Wood] and those guys everyday, I think that will be pretty good prep.”England’s preparation has been heavily criticised by former players, with Ian Botham suggesting their slimline schedule “borders on arrogance”. It stands in clear contrast to Australia’s build-up, with 14 members of their 15-man squad for the first Test involved in the ongoing round of Sheffield Shield fixtures.

When it comes to the greatest Chelsea players of the last 15 years or so, it’s impossible to look past Eden Hazard.

The Belgian wizard joined the Blues in the summer of 2012 and, over the next seasons, made 352 appearances, scoring 110 goals, providing 88 assists, and winning a host of trophies, including two Premier Leagues.

The international superstar was more than just output, though; he was an entertainer, someone who could make something of anything, and a legend of the league.

So, fans should be delighted about reports linking Chelsea to another superstar who could become their new Hazard.

Chelsea target their new Eden Hazard

The transfer window reopens in just over a month, and as a result, Chelsea are being linked with some seriously exciting players.

Transfer Focus

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

Porto’s Samu Aghehowa, for example, has been touted for a £79m move to Stamford Bridge, as has Nottingham Forest’s defensive powerhouse Murillo.

Yet, while both would improve the Blues’ squad and potentially the starting lineup, neither can be described as the next Hazard, unlike Vinícius Júnior.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are one of a few teams keen on signing the Real Madrid winger.

In fact, the report has revealed that, alongside Manchester City, the West Londoners are leading the race for the Brazilian’s signature, while Manchester United trail behind.

However, on top of the competition, the Blues will have to stump up a fee of up to £100m to secure the superstar’s signature.

It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Vini Jr’s immense ability, it’s one Chelsea should be all over, especially as he could be another Hazard.

Why Vini Jr would be another Hazard for Chelsea

Now, while Vini Jr obviously isn’t a carbon copy of Hazard, there are undeniable similarities between the two.

For example, in addition to sharing a position with him, the Brazilian is also a winger most would describe as an entertainer; he is not merely efficient.

In other words, the 25-year-old is more than happy to take on an opposition defender, is capable of scoring a myriad of goals and isn’t afraid of pulling off a trick or two, even if he sometimes gets heat for doing so.

While this is all obvious from simply watching the former Flamengo gem play, it’s also borne out in his underlying numbers.

For example, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and carries into the penalty area, the top 3% for successful take-ons, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, and more, all per 90.

Simply put, the São Gonçalo-born star is someone who wants to carry the ball into dangerous areas and is one of the very best at doing so.

With all that said, while Vini Jr has the entertainment side of Hazard to his own game, he’s also as, if not more, dangerous when it comes to backing that up with output.

Appearances

340

Starts

267

Minutes

24,291′

Goals

111

Assists

92

Points per Game

2.15

For example, in 340 appearances, for Los Blancos, totalling 24291 minutes, he has scored 111 goals and provided 92 assists.

That comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.67 games, or every 119.66 minutes, which is even more impressive when you consider his slow start in Madrid.

With numbers like those, and the fact he’s one of the few players in the world guaranteed to get fans on their feet, it’s hard to disagree with Ronaldo’s assertion that he is “the best player in the world.”

Therefore, while it will cost an arm and a leg, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign Vini Jr, especially as he could be their next Hazard.

Chelsea: Enzo Maresca provides major Cole Palmer update ahead of Arsenal

The Blues are set for a mouth-watering Premier League clash this weekend.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 28, 2025

Arsenal have made a blistering start to this season, and the theme of their success continues to be squad depth.

On Wednesday night, it was substitutes that made all the difference, as the Gunners beat Bayern Munich 3-1 in the Champions League.

Riccardo Calafiori set up Noni Madueke to score the go-ahead goal, before Gabriel Martinelli raced around Manuel Neuer to stroke home the clincher soon after, all three doing so off the bench.

In recent seasons, most notably last year, Arsenal’s title hopes have been derailed by injuries, simply not possession-requisite deputies, in terms of quality, quantity and sometimes both, to cope with key absentees.

Well, this time round, numerous key figures have been or are currently still sidelined, and this has not hampered the Gunners one bit, so do Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta now have their eyes set on further new recruits in January?

Arsenal target a new attacker

Those who thought Mikel Merino up front had been confined to the past were very much mistaken, the Spaniard forced back into the emergency centre-forward role because, well, in recent weeks there haven’t been any other options.

Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyökeres remain sidelined, Martin Ødegaard, Madueke and Martinelli have all made their returns this week, but Leandro Trossard is a doubt for Sunday’s trip to Stamford Bridge after suffering a knock against Bayern, the severity of which is not yet known.

So, could Arteta request the arrival of a new attacker in January?

Well, according to reports in Spain, Arsenal are interested in signing Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund, with Manchester United also in the race to secure his signature.

They add that die Schwarzgelben value the German international at £75m, but could be under pressure to sell, considering that his contract expires in 2027, hence why there is ‘intensifying’ interest from the two Premier League giants.

So, could he become the 13th German to feature for Arsenal, following in the footsteps of Jens Lehmann, Per Mertesacker, Mesut Özil, Bernd Leno, Lukas Podolski and others?

What Karim Adeyemi​​​​​​​ would bring to Arsenal

After beginning his senior career at RB Salzburg, Adeyemi joined Dortmund in the summer of 2022 for €38m (around £33m), scoring 31 goals and registering 22 assists for the club to date.

Analyst Ben Mattinson praises his “electric pace” and labels him a “transitional monster”, which is possibly best demonstrated by this goal he scored in the Champions League against Graham Potter’s Chelsea at the Westfalenstadion​​​​​​​.

Meantime, according to the Bundesliga, he is one of the fastest players in the division’s history, reaching a top speed of 22.77 miles per hour, which would result in an £80 fine if he ran that fast up Holloway Road parallel to the Emirates.

He is very much a key player at Dortmund, as the table below documents.

Goals

5

2nd

Assists

3

2nd

Shots

31

2nd

Key passes

12

3rd

Shot-creating actions

39

2nd

Goal-creating actions

7

2nd

Big chances created

4

2nd

Attempted take-ons

54

1st

Successful take-ons

24

1st

Progressive carries

35

1st

Top speed

32.2 km/h

1st

Touches in box

65

1st

Average rating

7.31

2nd

The table underlines Adeyemi’s importance to Dortmund.

Only Serhou Guirassy has scored more goals, with wing-back Julian Ryerson the only player boasting better creative numbers, but Adeyemi is currently combining the two.

The attacker also leads the way at die Schwarzgelben for all the dribbling statistics as well as top speed, registering the most touches of any Dortmund player in the opposition penalty area.

This emphasises how he is currently able to combine all the things that make both Madueke and Bukayo Saka elite – the two players noted as among the five most stylistically and statistically similar players to Adeyemi among those in their position across Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

Madueke is a direct dribbler who is a major goal-threat, underlined by the fact that he ranked third in the Premier League last season for progressive carries and fifth when it came to touches in the attacking penalty box.

Saka meantime is the creator in chief, registering more shot-creating actions and big chances created than any other Arsenal player so far this season, despite a spell on the sidelines due to injury.

Well, right now, Adeyemi is able to combine all of these qualities into one, seemingly fulfilling his full potential at the age of 23, suggesting he would be an excellent addition to Arteta’s team and could be the man to fire them to that elusive first Premier League title since 2002.

Shades of Declan Rice: Arsenal expected to move for £80m "superstar"

Arsenal are ready to add the final flourishes on their high-flying squad.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 29, 2025

Jamie Smith joins Ben Duckett in sitting out T20Is with World Cup just six months away

Matt Roller08-Sep-2025England will go into their T20I series against South Africa without both Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith this week, prompting head coach Brendon McCullum to concede they must learn how to cope better with their busy international schedule.Duckett, Smith and Harry Brook have been ever-present for England across their 15 international fixtures to date this summer, and all spent August playing in the Hundred. All three players will miss next week’s brief tour to Ireland, and McCullum has prescribed an additional week’s rest for his ODI openers so they can “freshen up” ahead of a busy winter away.It means that Duckett and Smith will miss consecutive T20I series less than six months out from a World Cup in the format, when better planning would have seen them skip the ODIs instead. In their absence, Phil Salt – who missed England’s most recent T20Is on paternity leave – looks set to open the batting alongside either Tom Banton or Will Jacks.Related

South Africa beat England and the rain to leave Cardiff 1-0 up

ECB chair says crammed Hundred schedule is 'short-term issue'

Bethell admits he 'probably should have played more' this summer

Bethell, Root tons, Archer four-for see England hand out record thrashing

England face a tight turnaround between the Ashes and the T20 World Cup this winter, interspersed with white-ball tours to New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Rob Key, England’s managing director, claimed last year that their upcoming schedule was “easing” when expanding McCullum’s role to cover white-ball cricket but it shows few signs of doing so.A one-day gap after the Hundred final meant that England’s players did not train together as a full squad ahead of Tuesday’s first ODI in Leeds, in which they were thrashed by seven wickets. ECB chair Richard Thompson acknowledged the crammed fixture list was an issue on Sunday, but admitted that it is unlikely to change significantly within the ongoing broadcast rights cycle.”The scheduling isn’t ideal,” McCullum said after England’s consolation win in Southampton. “That’s just the way it is and it’s not going to change, so we’re going to have to find ways to deal with it… We’re just going to have to find ways to be able to hit the ground running a bit quicker than what we did in this one.”I spoke to [Duckett] and I said, ‘I think you need to freshen up. You’ve played so much cricket and you’re such an influential player for us over the next few months.’ He’ll have a decent break at home, as will Jamie Smith… It gives the other guys opportunities, and it’s exciting, too. If we just rely on 11 players, then we’re not really going to be competitive.”One of those “other guys” is Sam Curran, who will bat in the top six against South Africa after winning a recall through his performances for Surrey and Oval Invincibles. McCullum has never previously picked Curran for one of his teams, and told him in an “honest conversation” over breakfast earlier this summer that he needed to “bang the door down” as a batter.”The message to Sam was that a lot’s come to you quickly and you’ve had a lot of success and a lot of fame, and a lot of things have fallen your way,” McCullum said, “but, of late, your performance had just tailed off a bit… With us resting both Jamie and Ben, it gives us the opportunity to bring Sam in and he’ll get his chance to bat in the top six.”England are expected to stick with the spin-heavy strategy they trialled against West Indies in June for this week’s series as they prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Curran will likely be their third seamer, with Jacob Bethell and Jacks supplementing Adil Rashid and either Liam Dawson or Rehan Ahmed as spin options.Bethell and Jacks acted as England’s fifth bowler in the ODIs against South Africa but their combined 10 overs in a tight defeat at Lord’s were hammered for 112 runs. McCullum said it was “really hard” to balance the side without a genuine allrounder, but has already spoken to Brook about how to give his part-time options “slightly more in their favour”.”We’ve just got to be a bit smarter with it… Utilising the big side of the ground, or also trying to set slightly more defensive fields,” McCullum said. “They don’t need to take 3 for 30 off 10 overs. They’ve just got to find a way to be able to create pressure and hold for a period so that our attacking guys can come in.”We won’t always be married to that [balance] but at the moment, we want to make sure that we’ve got that familiarity within our batting group – particularly in the middle order, as they adjust to some new roles so that they get more and more comfortable with how each of them is going to play.”McCullum said that England’s record 342-run thrashing in Southampton had provided them with “an incredible blueprint” in ODIs during an “oscillating” series. “We got hammered in the first one, we were within one blow in the second, and we dished out a pretty good performance in the third… It shows that there’s not a huge gulf between the two teams.”

An ECB statement said that he is expected to bowl in the fourth innings, but it is unclear whether he will be fit to bat

Matt Roller13-Jul-2025

England are sweating on the fitness of their offspinner Shoaib Bashir after he damaged the little finger on his left hand on the third day of the Lord’s Test against India.Bashir sustained the injury when bowling to Ravindra Jadeja, who hit a powerful low drive straight back at him. While technically a caught-and-bowled chance, Bashir was struck firmly on the hand and immediately signalled up to the home dressing room that he had been injured, sustaining what appeared to be a dislocation. Joe Root completed his over.The England camp were initially hopeful that Bashir would be available to bowl in the evening session, but he instead sat along with their substitute fielders and did not take the field. He bowled on a practice strip ahead of the fourth day’s play, with heavy strapping on his fourth and fifth fingers, but it is unclear whether he will be fit to bat.An England statement on the fourth morning said: “Following his left little finger injury, Shoaib Bashir continues to be monitored and is expected to bowl in the fourth innings of this Test. A decision on whether he will bat in the third innings will be made in due course. His involvement in the fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford will be assessed at the end of the match.”Bashir has taken nine wickets at 59.44 in this series, including the wicket of KL Rahul on the third day at Lord’s. If he is not deemed fit to play in Manchester, England’s alternative spin options include Liam Dawson, Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed; Brendon McCullum has confirmed that Jacob Bethell is seen as a spare batter rather than a potential No. 8.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has revealed that record signing Alexander Isak faces a race against time to be fit for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Brentford after sustaining a groin problem in midweek. The Dutchman also confirmed that Jeremie Frimpong is sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Alisson Becker remains unavailable and Ryan Gravenberch faces a late fitness check.

• Isak yet to shine at Liverpool since £125m move

  Isak’s first few months at Liverpool have been turbulent, and his latest setback adds to the club’s growing injury concerns. The £125 million ($166m) signing was substituted at half-time in the Reds’ 5-1 Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt after complaining of groin discomfort. Slot later confirmed the issue was minor but admitted the Swedish forward will need to undergo a fitness test before the trip to Brentford.

  Isak’s injury comes at a crucial time as he continues to search for his first Premier League goal since joining Liverpool on deadline day. His start to life at Anfield has been hindered by a lack of pre-season conditioning after a chaotic summer exit from Newcastle United. The 26-year-old has featured in eight matches across all competitions, scoring once in the Carabao Cup and providing a single Premier League assist.

  The striker’s physical struggles are seen as a product of his disrupted build-up to the season. Having missed team training for large parts of the summer, Isak arrived short on fitness and rhythm. The groin complaint, a recurrence of a historical issue, has therefore forced Slot to balance the striker’s match involvement carefully to avoid further setbacks.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Slot delivers injury updates with Frimpong of deep concern

  Speaking ahead of the Brentford fixture, Slot gave an honest assessment of his squad’s fitness situation. "Alexander is not too bad. He is a question mark for the weekend so we will see where he is," the Liverpool manager said during his pre-match press conference.

  Slot then delivered less encouraging news on Frimpong, who was also withdrawn during the midweek win. "Jeremie Frimpong is not in a good place, he won’t play today, tomorrow or next week," he admitted. "Hamstring injuries so that is going to take a while."

  When pressed about potential returns elsewhere in the squad, Slot maintained a cautious tone. "He [Gravenberch] didn’t travel with us so today we are again but yesterday we had a day of travel so let’s see where he is," he said of his compatriot. "Alisson is going to take a bit longer, so we will be patient there."

• How will Liverpool cope with injuries?

  Isak’s transfer remains one of the defining moments of the 2025 summer window, with Liverpool smashing their own transfer record to lure him from Newcastle United. The deal was finalised after weeks of tense negotiations and player unrest, ending one of the most controversial sagas in recent Premier League memory. However, his early Liverpool career has yet to reflect the fee’s magnitude, largely due to ongoing fitness concerns.

  Frimpong’s situation compounds Liverpool’s challenges, particularly given his subdued start since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen. The Dutch right-back’s hamstring problem has ruled him out for multiple weeks, leaving a void in Slot’s attacking setup on the flanks. Meanwhile, Gravenberch, is battling to shake off an ankle issue that kept him out of the Frankfurt match.

  Adding to the list, Alisson continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined since late September. The Brazilian’s absence has tested Liverpool’s defensive consistency, with Giorgi Mamardashvili stepping in between the posts. The Reds’ injury concerns come amid a congested fixture schedule, which will see them play five games in 15 days.

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• AFP
  

  Reds travel to Brentford this weekend

  Liverpool’s focus now shifts to maintaining momentum in domestic competition following their Champions League victory. A trip to Brentford presents an opportunity to end their three-match losing streak in the Premier League, but Slot will once again have to rely on squad depth to navigate the fitness issues. Isak’s condition will be closely monitored up to matchday, with the Swede expected to undergo a late fitness test before any final decision is made.

  Frimpong’s extended absence could open the door for Conor Bradley or Joe Gomez to feature at right-back, while Gravenberch’s potential return offers midfield reinforcement.

تقدم فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي، بالهدف الثاني، في مرمى سيراميكا كليوباترا، ضمن مباريات كأس السوبر المصري. 

ويواجه الأهلي نظيره سيراميكا كليوباترا، في نصف نهائي كأس السوبر المصري، على ملعب هزاع بن زايد، في نصف نهائي بطولة السوبر المصري. 

طالع.. أيمن يونس: هناك ثغرة في الأهلي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا

وتقدم الأهلي بالهدف الثاني، في مرمى سيراميكا كليوباترا، عن طريق اللاعب السلوفيني جراديشار، في الدقيقة 53 بعد تمريرة من أشرف بن شرقي. 

وتشير النتيجة إلى تقدم الأهلي على نظيره سيراميكا كليوباترا، بهدفين مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي تقام في الوقت الحالي على ملعب هزاع بن زايد. 

يذكر أن بطولة السوبر المصري ستقام في الفترة من 6 إلى 9 شهر نوفمبر الجاري بمشاركة الأهلي والزمالك وبيراميدز وسيراميكا كليوباترا.  هدف جراديشار في مباراة الأهلي وسيراميكا كليوباترا في السوبر المصري 

Newcastle United have splashed the cash under PIF in recent years, welcoming a number of European stars to St James’ Park. The spending spree has also worked, with the Magpies qualifying for the Champions League back in 2023 and again in 2025, while also winning the EFL Cup.

Football FanCast takes a look at the most expensive transfers of all time for Newcastle.

Detailed look at Newcastle's 10 most expensive signings…

10

Harvey Barnes

£38m from Leicester City

Winger Harvey Barnes was a long-term target for the Magpies, who eventually signed him from Leicester City for £38m after the Foxes were relegated from the Premier League in 2023.

Barnes had a brilliant individual campaign but couldn’t keep the club in the top-flight, instead signing a five-year St James’ Park deal. The Englishman arrived at the club with plenty of Premier League experience during his time with Leicester and has gone on to star in black and white.

9

Bruno Guimaraes

£40m from Lyon

What a signing. Sky Sports has Bruno Guimaraes’ fee at £40m in January 2022, and he was so good in his initial six month-spell that Newcastle could have sold him for double that last summer, with reports suggesting champions Manchester City could have been plotting a player-plus-cash deal to bring the midfielder to the Etihad Stadium.

Instead, they held onto the Brazilian, and that was certainly the right move. Bruno looks like one of the best midfielders in the Premier League right now and Newcastle will do well to find a better signing anytime soon.

8

Joelinton

£40m from Hoffenheim

Joelinton arrived for a club-record fee from Hoffenheim as the answer to Newcastle’s goalscoring woes in the summer of 2019. The £40m they paid, per The Guardian, always looked strange as the Brazilian had only scored seven times the previous season, while the most he’d ever managed was eight.

Thus, many joked about Joelinton during his early days on Tyneside, and it appeared Newcastle had made the wrong transfer as he finished his first campaign with two goals. However, it turned out they were just using him in the wrong position. After switching to a midfield role, the player looked transformed and now that £40m fee looks like a very good deal.

7

Jacob Ramsey

£43m from Aston Villa

Jacob Ramsey

6

Anthony Gordon

£45m from Everton

Sky Sports say Newcastle paid £45m for Anthony Gordon, which sounded like a lot at the time. However, the winger has now justified that fee and is one of the first names on the teamsheet.

In fact, Gordon’s displays during his first full season with the Magpies resulted in him being linked with a move away from the club. Instead of leaving, though, the Englishman signed a fresh long-term Newcastle deal towards the end of 2024.

5

Yoane Wissa

£55m from Brentford

On what was a dramatic deadline day in the summer of 2025, Yoane Wissa signed for Newcastle with 30 seconds to spare before the window slammed shut.

A long-term Newcastle target, Wissa pushed for a move to the Magpies from Brentford, costing £55m and taking the number 9 shirt at St James’ Park.

4

Anthony Elanga

£55m from Nottingham Forest

Newcastle’s early summer signing in 2025 was Anthony Elanga, who cost £55m after an impressive few years at Nottingham Forest.

The pacey right-winger contributed to four goals in five games against the Magpies for Nottingham Forest, which may have caught PIF’s eye.

3

Sandro Tonali

£55m from AC Milan

Sandro Tonali arrived in a high-profile transfer from AC Milan in 2023, however, months after Newcastle splashed the cash, the Italy international was suspended for ten months following illegal betting charges.

The midfielder returned in 2024, and since then, Magpies supporters have seen why the club were willing to spend £55m on his signature, with Tonali a regular in the starting lineup.

2

Alexander Isak

£60m from Real Soceidad

The arrival of Alexander Isak was a coup for Newcastle and a true statement that they wanted to sit at the top table. The Swedish striker was one of the top young strikers on the planet and few questioned the £60m fee in 2022, as reported by the BBC.

However, the summer of 2025 changed everything between Isak and Newcastle, with the forward going on strike, looking to sign for Liverpool. He got his wish, with the Magpies recieveing a British record £125m fee for Isak from Liverpool.

1

Nick Woltemade

£69m from Stuttgart

Prior to Isak’s departure, Newcastle broke their transfer record by signing young German forward Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart.

After starring at the U21 European Championships, Woltemade was linked with the likes of Bayern Munich but instead moved to St James’ Park in a deal worth £69m.

Even after winning four games from four in the Premier League, there’s still a number of problems that Liverpool have to solve and one star has just clapped back at fans with one issue that he has.

Liverpool unbeaten but unconvincing

Some will say it’s the sign of champions, others will claim that it’s unsustainable. Arne Slot’s verdict will be that the best is yet to come from his side, who have needed four late winners to keep the only 100% record still going in the Premier League.

It was unexpected heroes Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha against Bournemouth and Newcastle United and then it was Dominik Szoboszlai’s spectacular free-kick which sealed all three points against title rivals Arsenal. The trip to Burnley, meanwhile, was billed as routine before proving to be anything but. This time it was Mohamed Salah who stepped up to score late on from the spot.

Whilst the Reds struggled to break Burnley down going forward, there’s no denying that they were once again imperious defensively. Although the Clarets handed them a simple job, both Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate deserve praise for how they took full control.

Gary Neville’s incredible Salah claim from 2019 has come back to haunt him

He has had a shocker with this one.

ByHenry Jackson Sep 16, 2025

Konate, in particular, has been back to his best in recent displays following a tough opening to the campaign. It’s the type of form that may quiet down any talk about his contract and he’s now hit back at fans with the “problem” that he has.

Konate hits back at Liverpool fans after recent form

With his poor form coinciding with his contract saga in games against Bournemouth and Newcastle, Konate received his fair share of criticism. Since then, however, he has been as dominant as ever and has earned praise as a result.

Feeling how quickly the mood of fans can change, Konate hit back on social media, responding to a Liverpool fan page by saying: “The problem is some of you forget to quick. Only after 2 games.”

Dubbed “tremendous” by Micah Richards last season, there’s no debate that Konate is one of the best defenders in the Premier League and someone that Liverpool must do everything to keep.

As things stand, with less than 12 months remaining on his current deal, the Reds are facing a Trent Alexander-Arnold repeat as Real Madrid continue to sniff around. The last thing that Anfield chiefs need is for another star man to jump ship on a free deal.