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When it comes to Premier League academies, it’s hard to think of many as successful as Chelsea’s Cobham.

The sheer number of top-flight quality prospects that come out of the Blues’ youth set-up is frankly extraordinary, and while they wouldn’t admit it, likely the envy of many of their rivals.

For example, in Enzo Maresca’s current squad, you have the likes of Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah and even Jamie Gittens, who spent some time in West London as a youngster before moving back to Reading.

Another international-level star who cut their teeth in Chelsea’s youth ranks is Marc Guehi, and while some fans would surely love to have him back, the club’s already got an academy gem who’ll be an even bigger star.

Marc Guehi's failure to make it at Chelsea

Guehi joined Chelsea’s youth ranks at the age of eight and, after 11 years of hard work, was rewarded with his first professional contract in September 2017.

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However, first-team football was still a distant prospect, and even though he was named in a Premier League squad for the first time in May 2019, he wouldn’t make his competitive debut for the Blues until September, two years after signing his first contract.

He started against Grimsby Town in the Third Round of the League Cup and then in a defeat against Manchester United in the Fourth Round, which would be his final appearances for the club.

That January would see him make the first of two loan moves to Swansea City, where, over the following season and a half, the youngster would make 59 appearances before securing a £18m move to Crystal Palace in July 2021.

It might seem like Chelsea made a terrible mistake in selling the Englishman, but it made sense at the time, as he had no Premier League experience and the West Londoners had the likes of Thiago Silva, Antonio Rüdiger, Cesar Azpilicueta and more already in the squad.

Since moving to Selhurst Park, the Abidjan-born titan has made 161 appearances for the Eagles, in which he has scored nine goals, provided four assists, won the FA Cup and forced his way into the England set-up.

In all, leaving Chelsea has worked out for Guehi, and while some fans would understandably want him to return to Stamford Bridge, Maresca already has a player in his squad who could have an even brighter future.

The Chelsea ace who'll be a bigger star than Guehi

One of the significant advantages of Chelsea’s transfer policy in recent years is the number of incredibly talented youngsters they now have on their books.

However, in this instance, we’re talking about a Cobham graduate, someone who would’ve surely had a brilliant season if he hadn’t suffered an unfortunate injury last month: Levi Colwill.

There are a few reasons why we think the Blues gem will eventually surpass the Palace star, and one of them comes down to how they are viewed by the team and those in the know.

For example, while Guehi impressed with Swansea and was looked at as a talented defender, the West Londoners made it abundantly clear that they did not view him as a future superstar when they sold him to the Eagles.

In stark contrast, they made a concrete effort to keep the Southampton-born gem on the books, opting to loan him to Brighton & Hove Albion for the 22/23 season.

Moreover, they even rejected a £30m offer for the “world-class talent,” as described by scout Jacek Kulig, at the end of that campaign, which would’ve been £12m more than they got for Guehi.

The second reason the 22-year-old could end up being an even bigger star than the Liverpool target is that he already measures up to him very well when we have a look at their underlying numbers.

For example, the “elite” defender, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, comes out on top in certain important metrics such as passing accuracy, interceptions, carries, aerial duels won, shots blocked and more, all per 90.

Colwill vs Guehi
Statistics per 90	Colwill	Guehi
Passing Accuracy	89.3%	83.5%
Passes into the Final Third	4.23	3.91
Live Passes	69.1	48.9
Tackles	1.34	1.79
Tackles Won	0.97	1.00
Shots Blocked	0.71	0.68
Interceptions	0.94	0.82
Carries	46.3	33.6
Miscontrols	0.40	0.47
Dispossessed	0.23	0.53
Aerial Duels Won	2.34	2.00
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 PL Season

Moreover, while he does win fewer tackles per 90 than the Palace star, he attempts significantly fewer, meaning he actually has a higher success rate.

Finally, while Guehi is an exceptional centre-back, that is the only position we’ve seen him play, whereas the Cobham star has proven to be more than qualified to fill in at left-back when required.

Ultimately, while the former Blues star has excelled since his move south of the river, Colwill looks like he will be the bigger star in years to come.

Alongside Lopez: Chelsea join race for Barcelona gem with "infinite" talent

The Blues have set their sights on another Barcelona attacker…

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 8, 2025

Sunderland has the swagger of a team that is confident it can secure immediate survival in the Premier League.

With two league wins already under their belt, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats headed into the chaos of transfer deadline day with a bit between their teeth, culminating in three more signings entering the building to bump the summer spending up on Wearside to a huge £162m.

Bertrand Traore, Brian Brobbey, and Luthsharel Geertruida all joined the ever-rising ranks in quick succession, with Brobbey costing the most lavish fee on the window’s final day at a hefty £21.6m.

There will be pressure on the Dutchman’s shoulders to succeed from the get-go in the Premier League, having previously been a goal machine for his now ex-employers Ajax.

What Brobbey can offer Sunderland

While Leeds United and Burnley remained quiet on the deadline day, as the other top-flight newcomers, Sunderland showed they meant business once again by landing the 23-year-old’s signature.

Le Bris will be especially keen to work with yet another exciting raw talent, with the two-time Eredivisie winner once a much-talked-about starlet in Amsterdam, when collecting a staggering 80 strikes for Ajax at U17, U19, and U21 level.

He has since displayed that same lethal edge in the men’s game in the Netherlands, having tallied up 56 senior strikes for Ajax, before Sunderland came calling.

With Marc Guiu now back at Chelsea, having been recalled in the wake of Liam Delap’s concerning injury, Brobbey does feel like he’s a more than capable replacement for the Blues youngster, considering he already possesses the goalscoring prowess to be a success in a top division.

However, as is the harsh reality of football, not every standout purchase ends up going on to be a phenomenal success, with Sunderland never quite able to get the very best out of this former loan attacker, who is now amazingly worth more than the brand-new Black Cats marksman.

The ex-loan "maverick" now worth more than Brobbey

Sunderland fans must have been watching on with amazement at the sheer number of high-profile signings that were signed off on this summer, with the hardened Wearside masses still able to recollect their team’s dire days down in League One.

After their relegation from the top-flight was confirmed at the close of the bleak 2016/17 season, the Black Cats were stuck in the EFL mire right up until promotion was triumphantly clinched earlier this year, with a four-campaign stint in the third tier thrown into the mix.

Bizarrely, before firing home wonderful solo goals like this one for AFC Bournemouth regularly, Antoine Semenyo even called the Black Cats home during the midst of their depressing League One stay.

When Semenyo was shoved out on loan to Wearside from then parent side Bristol City, he was worth just an estimated £340k, as per Football Transfers. Now, even after never collecting a single goal or assist for the League One marooned side, he is worth far more as a Premier League regular for the Cherries.

Games played

93

Goals scored

24

Assists

11

Fee when joining

£10m

Transfer value now

£41m

Semenyo was hailed as a “dangerous” talent by his then Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson when the pair were together at the Stadium of Light, but nobody would have foreseen the rise he would then undergo, with the exciting Ghanaian now up to 24 goals and 11 assists on the South Coast, which has seen his value skyrocket.

According to Football Transfers, the Cherries “maverick” – as he has been dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson – is now worth in the region of £41m, which is a huge increase from his earlier £340k valuation when he was a wide-eyed forward on Wearside.

This is also around £20m more than Sunderland’s standout deadline purchase of Brobbey, with the Dutchman hopeful he can make wave similar waves in the Premier League shortly, albeit when donning the famous red and white strip that never quite suited Semenyo.

Sunderland in late contact to sign "intelligent" forward alongside Brobbey

The Black Cats mean business.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 1, 2025

Harry Kane broke another Bundesliga record when scoring two penalties in Bayern Munich’s crushing victory over Hoffenheim. England captain Kane netted a hat-trick in that contest – his second of the 2025-26 campaign – with a couple of efforts coming from the spot. The prolific frontman has never missed from 12 yards in the German top-flight – with 17 strikes converted.

• Kane yet to miss Bundesliga penalty

  That remarkable run has seen Kane rewrite the history books. He is the first player in Bundesliga history to successfully score 17 penalty kicks. His unblemished record was maintained in a 4-1 victory at Hoffenheim.

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  Can Kane hit 50 goals this season?

  Kane has claimed that he has no “limits”, with the Three Lions superstar refusing to rule out reaching 50 goals in a single campaign for the first time in his career. He is already up to 13 this season.

• Who Kane took penalty record from

  Hans-Joachim Abel has been overtaken in the penalty-scoring department, with Kane pulling level with the former Fortuna Dusseldorf, Bochum and Schalke star when scoring spot-kick No.16, before then moving into a league of his own.

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• Kane's first penalty for Bayern & his most recent

  Kane’s first Bundesliga penalty for Bayern was converted against Augsburg in August 2023, shortly after arriving from Tottenham, with a piece of history being made on that front just four games into his third season at the Allianz Arena.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has been dealt a recruitment blow, following news about a key attacking target.

Spurs are already no stranger to transfer mishaps this summer, and supporters will remember their famously botched move for Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White all too well.

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The 25-year-old, at one stage, was all set to undergo his medical at Hotspur Way ahead of a £60 million move, but Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis put a grinding halt to the transfer after believing Spurs made an illegal approach.

What followed was weeks of back and forth, an alleged second bid over his £60m release clause and repeated reassurances that Gibbs-White was still keen on a move to north London – only for the England international to pull an out-of-nowhere U-turn (Alasdair Gold).

Gibbs-White penned a club-record £150,000-per-week new deal at the City Ground, announcing the contract on Forest’s media channels with Marinakis looming over his shoulder – ending all hope of Tottenham signing the ex-Wolves star.

Despite how advanced the move was, it shows just how quickly things can change in any moment, and no deal is done until contracts are signed on the dotted line.

Losing out on Gibbs-White was made all the more heartbreaking when James Maddison collapsed to the turf in pre-season with an ACL rupture, with the England international expected to miss a large portion of this season as a result.

Spurs once planned to head into the new season with both Gibbs-White and Maddison at Frank’s disposal, but considering neither are available for the Dane, Tottenham have since intensified talks to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.

Reliable reports suggest that Daniel Levy has reached a verbal agreement for Eze as Palace actively scour the market for a replacement, which may be crucial before Oliver Glasner’s side give their final green light to the deal.

This is somewhat backed up by big-name outlets, like Sky Germany, who report that talks are very advanced.

With Eze on the verge of a move to N17, it is worth noting that Tottenham have also been in talks to sign Man City winger Savinho in a separate deal (Fabrizio Romano).

Tottenham dealt Savinho transfer blow after Man City decision

The 21-year-old, valued at around £60 million, would come in as a direct replacement for club legend Son Heung-min, but according to BBC Sport columnist and La Liga expert Guillem Balague, Tottenham may need to start looking elsewhere.

That is because Man City have now decided that Savinho is set to stay, despite his talks with Tottenham, and other reports suggest that Levy is already weighing up alternatives, like Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche.

Pep Guardiola may well be thrilled by this decision from Sky Blue officials, as the Spaniard is on record calling the Brazil winger an “extraordinary” player, whilst hoping that he remains at the Etihad Stadium for many years.

With a deal already edging closer to signing Jorrel Hato from Ajax, Chelsea have also now reportedly made their first contact to sign a fresh attacking reinforcement.

Chelsea closing in on Hato

As ever, Chelsea have welcomed several fresh faces this summer. As Enzo Maresca gears up for his second season in charge, he now has the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens at his disposal in what remains a squad filled to the brim with quality in depth.

The Blues haven’t quite wrapped up their summer business just yet, however. After showing the door to Noni Madueke, who joined London rivals Arsenal, and Saudi-bound Joao Felix, those at Stamford Bridge still have money to spend and have turned towards Hato as a result.

The 19-year-old left-back now looks destined to become the latest young talent to arrive in West London, as Chelsea continue to build one of the youngest squads in the Premier League.

Hato’s tender age is unlikely to stand in the way of first-team opportunities, though. The Dutchman already has plenty of experience on that front and even graced the Europa League for Ajax last season.

One of many to have praised Hato, Statman Dave recently told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Big Transfer Talk: “When you look at his stats over the season, we are starting to see a player who is very composed and creative. He could potentially go on a similar path to Trent Alexander-Arnold – that is the player I would liken him to in Europe.”

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Alas, it’s not just their backline that Chelsea still want to improve. The Blues have also reportedly made their first move to sign a Serie A star.

Chelsea make first approach to sign Weah

According to SpazioJ, Chelsea have made their first approach to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus, only for the American to turn down a summer switch to Stamford Bridge.

It’s not the first time that the winger has turned down the chance to join a Premier League club, either. Earlier this summer, reports emerged that he had handed Nottingham Forest the same answer that he has now given Chelsea and Tottenham. Just where his future now lies as a result is the big question.

Juventus are still willing to sell Weah for around €20m (£17m) ahead of next season, but it remains to be seen whether the likes of Chelsea come calling with a second attempt to convince the 25-year-old.

After scoring six goals and providing five assists in all competitions last season, former Juventus boss Thiago Motta took the chance to praise Weah – telling reporters: “I see him very well, the first thing for a full-back is to defend, be aggressive, win duels, and he is winning a lot of them. He is aggressive, he can still improve, I am very happy with what I see, and on top of that, he also manages to score goals.”

David Moyes has signed only three players for Everton this summer, but as the weeks progress, there will likely be several more making the move to Merseyside.

More importantly, however, is the news that Moyes managed to secure defender Jarrad Branthwaite down to a new four-year contract extension with the Toffees.

This could be crucial regarding Everton’s chances of breaking back into the top half of the Premier League table next season, especially with several clubs sniffing around the player.

It proves that the club are heading in the right direction, especially judging by the quality of their signings.

Carlos Alcaraz did spend time on loan at Everton last season, but his permanent move will improve Moyes’ midfield options.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin leaving the club upon the expiration of his contract, signing another striker or two was a key priority for the manager.

As such, a deal to secure the signature of Thierno Barry was completed a couple of weeks ago.

The centre-forward may have cost the Toffees around £27m from La Liga side Villarreal, but this may just turn out to be a wise piece of business.

Why Everton signed Thierno Barry

While Calvert-Lewin didn’t exactly bring goals to the side last season – scoring only three all season – losing a forward meant Moyes had to be active in the transfer market.

Barry was the player earmarked as a major target, and for good reason. Last season, the French starlet scored 19 goals and grabbed four assists for Villarreal across all competitions.

Furthermore, the striker also showcased his creative side by creating seven big chances for his teammates, proving that he offers much more than just a goal threat.

He played in the U21 European Championship for France this summer, scoring once for his country as they reached the semi-finals before bowing out to Germany.

Despite averaging just 37 minutes per game for France, Barry also created two big chances, averaged two shots per game and missed four big chances.

If given more of a chance in the team, he may have had a bigger influence, no doubt about that.

This all sets him up nicely for the 2025/26 season, where he will be taking on some of the finest defenders in the world.

Should Barry live up to his potential, Moyes may have unearthed a stunning talent who will certainly secure them a stunning profit in the coming years.

While a promising signing, the Frenchman wont be able to lead the Toffees’ frontline on his own, especially with the pressure to score plenty during his maiden season.

Moyes must now be looking to bring in another centre-forward ahead of the new season, one who could offer similar sort of qualities to those of Barry.

With this in mind, it appears the Scot is targeting a move for someone who shone in what was their debut season in European football.

Everton enquire about move for new striker

Moyes was keen on signing Evan Ferguson from Brighton and Hove Albion, but that ship has now sailed with the Irishman bound for AS Roma. Additionally, Nick Woltemade was also a target, but Bayern Munich were also keen on the German.

One striker who has been on the club’s list for some time is Hamza Igamane, who shone for Glasgow Rangers last season.

Indeed, it was after his performance against Tottenham Hotspur in December 2024 that initially saw the Toffees linked with the Moroccan.

While a January move was never in the question, it looks as though Igamane could be on the move this summer.

It looked as though Lille were closing in on the youngster, but according to reports on the continent, Moyes might well be back in the frame for him.

The report read: “LOSC Lille struggling in their negotiations with Rangers for Hamza Igamane. Despite a personal agreement with the Moroccan, the deal’s still on hold. In the meantime, Feyenoord entered the race. Everton and Udinese have also made enquiries.”

Rangers have placed a £20m valuation on one of their prized assets, but this shouldn’t be an issue to the Merseyside outfit.

Should Everton win the race, Igamane could turn out to be Barry 2.0 given their similarities on the pitch.

Why Everton must sign Hamza Igamane

Igamane certainly made his mark for Rangers last season. Across 46 games in all competitions, he scored 16 goals, including strikes against Celtic, Spurs and Nice.

It is no wonder several clubs are chasing his signature after his performances for the Gers, especially in Europe.

Metric

Premiership

Europa League

Goals

12

4

Assists

1

1

Goal conversion percentage

13%

29%

Big chances created

10

1

Shots per game

2.6

1.4

In the Europa League, Igamane recorded an impressive 29% goal conversion percentage, while also registering 1.4 shots on goal.

Ben Mattinson hailed his character last season, saying: “Hamza Igamane is such a Barclaysman type forward. Completely unpredictable, tonnes of flair and trickery. The type of player to try outrageous moves/shots just because.”

Interestingly, both he and Barry offered similar traits last season. According to FBref, both players performed well in front of goal, registering 18 and 20 goal contributions across both domestic and European competitions.

Elsewhere, the duo also registered similar figures when it came to shots per 90 (3.88 vs 3.02), shot on target percentage (39% vs 36%), goal-creating actions (4 vs 6 ) and successful take-ons (17 vs 18) last season.

This proves that the pair won’t just offer Everton a threat in front of goal, but that they can also create chances for others and are willing to take on opposition defenders on a regular basis.

With both Barry and Igamane in the same team, there is no reason why Everton can’t make the top half of the Premier League next season.

Indeed, if both players take to the top flight with ease, can a European place perhaps be secured also? It is a long shot, but Moyes has finally rejuvenated the club after years of stagnation.

Another striker is crucial. By bringing in Igamane, Moyes will be able to replicate his Barry masterclass.

Everton in contact to sign "fantastic" defender who pocketed Calvert-Lewin

The Toffees are in the hunt for defensive reinforcements…

BySean Markus Clifford Jul 21, 2025

Celtic are in need of a new option on the left flank ahead of the 2025/26 campaign to cover for the time that Portuguese winger Jota is going to be out for.

Brendan Rodgers’ side clinched the Scottish Premiership title in style with a 5-0 win away at Dundee United, but the left-sided forward hobbled off with a worrying injury in the first half.

It was then revealed after the game that Jota would be out for between six and nine months, setting a potential return date as late as February of next year.

The 26-year-old speedster returned to Parkhead in the January transfer window, from French side Rennes, and produced four goals and two assists in seven league starts in the Scottish top-flight before his injury.

This means that the Hoops need another option on the left wing because they are unlikely to have Jota available for a large portion of next season, hence why they are keen on Royal Antwerp’s Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

Celtic are reportedly in talks with the Belgian Pro League club in an attempt to secure a deal to sign the left winger, who is valued at £5m, this summer.

What Balikwisha could bring to Celtic

The 24-year-old forward is a right-footed left winger, like Jota, which means that he could play a similar role within Rodgers’ tactical set-up next season.

Balikwisha’s form in the Pro League, when available, over the last two seasons also suggests that he has the potential to deliver both goals and assists from the left flank at a respectable rate.

Starts

27

12

xG

6.46

2.65

Goals

7

4

Big chances created

6

7

Key passes per game

1.5

1.6

Assists

5

3

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian talent has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in his last 39 appearances in the Pro League, which suggests that he could offer a decent threat at the top end of the pitch from a wide position.

This means that the potential is there for him to replace the goals and assists that they have lost through Jota’s injury, which is why he could be a solid signing for Celtic this summer.

However, Balikwisha’s own injury record over the years is a cause for concern because he has suffered a lot of injuries that have kept him out for significant lengths of time each season during his time with Royal Antwerp.

In the last four seasons, the 24-year-old wing wizard has missed a whopping 63 games through injury, and at least ten matches in all four campaigns, suffering eight separate injury issues in that time.

This suggests that Celtic would be gambling on his fitness by bringing him to Parkhead to replace their currently injured player, which is why it could make more sense to look in a different direction if another target becomes available.

Celtic's interest in Premier League winger

Earlier this summer, Football Insider reported that the Premiership champions were interested in a potential deal to sign Aston Villa forward Louie Barry to bolster their squad.

The outlet claimed that the Scottish giants were willing to explore either a loan or a permanent deal for the former Barcelona academy starlet 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.

They looked set to miss out on a deal for the 22-year-old talent when Hull City agreed a £3.5m fee to sign him permanently, only for the transfer to fall through after the Tigers were hit with a three-window embargo.

That transfer ban for the Championship side has put Barry back out on the open market and presented teams with an opportunity to snap him up, which means that he could still be an option for Celtic.

It remains to be seen, though, whether or not the Hoops are still interested in the English sensation, or if they would be willing to go in with an offer to sign him permanently at this point in the window.

Why Celtic should sign Louie Barry

Rodgers should seriously consider a swoop to sign Barry from the Premier League outfit before the end of the summer transfer window, though, because he has the potential to be an even better winger signing than Balikwisha.

Whilst his injury history is far from spotless, the English forward has missed fewer games (34) through injury in his career than Balikwisha (63), which suggests that he may be more reliable from an availability perspective.

The 22-year-old star’s form during his time on loan with Stockport County in League Two and in League One in the last two seasons also suggests that the potential is there for him to offer even more than Balikwisha at the top end of the pitch.

Barry produced nine goals and four assists in 20 League Two games in the 2023/24 season, before plundering 15 goals and two assists in 23 League One outings in the first half of last season.

xG

0.47

Top 5%

Goals

0.75

Top 3%

Shots on target

1.80

Top 2%

xA

0.21

Top 11%

Assists

0.11

Top 47%

Successful dribbles

2.70

Top 2%

As you can see in the table above, the Villa youngster was one of the best players in the English third tier last season at scoring and creating goals from a wide position, and was unfortunate not to have more assists to show for the xA that he created.

Barry, who was hailed as “electric” by reporter Sam Byrne, scored 24 goals, assisted six goals, and created 12 ‘big chances’ in his 43 appearances on loan at Stockport, which suggests that he has even more to offer in front of goal, particularly as a scorer, than Balikwisha.

The Belgian forward, as aforementioned, has scored 11 goals in his last 39 Pro League outings, which is not as impressive as Barry’s return in England is, whilst playing in the same position.

Therefore, Celtic and Rodgers could land an even better winger than Balikwisha by signing the Villa gem, who is two years younger, less injury-prone, and has more potential to explode as a goalscorer on the left flank.

Celtic could sign their new Van Dijk in a star who once silenced Gyokeres

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ByDan Emery Jul 10, 2025

The West Indian top three of Stafanie Taylor, Hayley Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle ensured a triumphant end to a challenging tour of Sri Lanka, as they anchored a six-wicket win in the third and final T20I in Hambantota to complete a come-from-behind 2-1 series win.Campbelle remained unbeaten at the end on a 30-ball 41 as West Indies chased down a target of 142 with just one ball to spare. The margin of victory however belies the control the visitors exuded in the chase.Taylor and Mathews put on a 60-run opening stand in just 48 deliveries, after which Matthews paired up with Campbelle for a 44-ball 51-run stand. When Matthews fell, trapped leg before attempting to swipe one from Kawya Kavindi across the line, the West Indies were on 111 for 2.With the requirement at roughly run-a-ball, Campbelle navigated the remainder of the chase expertly. The late wickets of Chedean Nation and Aaliyah Alleyne in the 18th and 19th overs conjured some late drama – both dismissed trying to hit out – but some smart running in the final over when just six runs were required ensured there were no further blips.Earlier, having put Sri Lanka in to bat, West Indies got off to the ideal start dismissing Vishmi Gunaratne off just the second ball of the innings, the aggressive 18-year-old top-edging an attempted pull of Chinelle Henry.Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama however responded well to the early setback with a partnership of 55 off 54, before Samarawickrama chipped one back to Afy Fletcher. This was followed by a 25-ball stand of 34 between Athapaththu and Kavisha Dilhari, but then Athapaththu would also fall, caught excellently in the deep by Shamilia Connell – making up for her drop of the same batter a short while earlier.Athapaththu’s wicket in the 14th over and Dilhari’s (26 off 22) in the 16th – caught brilliantly by a leaping Henry at mid-off – fell at inopportune moments for the hosts, just as they might have been looking to accelerate.Some late blows from Ama Kanchana and Nilakshi de Silva pushed the total to 141, but Player of the Series Matthews and co eventually made light work of what could have been a tricky chase.

Celtic are in the market to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch during the summer transfer window, having already added defender Kieran Tierney to the group.

The Hoops are reportedly closing in on the signing of Sweden international Benjamin Nygren from FC Nordsjælland to add to Brendan Rodgers’ attacking arsenal.

In the 2024/25 campaign, the left-footed star, who usually plays on the right wing, scored 15 goals in 30 matches in the Danish Superliga for his club.

This suggests that the 23-year-old forward could provide a good goal threat for Rodgers on the right flank next season, if he can adapt to Scottish Premiership football.

Celtic keen to sign another winger

Nygren may not be the only wide option added to the Hoops squad before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September, though, as they are also eyeing a left-sided attacker.

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 journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Celtic remain interested in a deal to sign Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha ahead of next season.

The reporter claims that the deal has slowed down in recent weeks, but that all parties, including Royal Antwerp and the Belgian dynamo, are keen for the 24-year-old forward to sign for the Hoops before the window closes.

Tavolieri adds that the Pro League side are demanding a fee in the region of £5m for their star winger, and it is now down to the Scottish giants to stump up the cash to get this deal done.

Why Balikwisha would be as exciting as Nygren for Celtic

If the Scottish giants can wrap up a move for the Belgian wing wizard in the coming days or weeks then he would be a signing that would be as exciting as the pending addition of Nygren.

As aforementioned, the Swedish star is an exciting purchase for the Hoops because of the potential he has to deliver goals on a regular basis from the right wing for Celtic.

Balikwisha, meanwhile, is a winger who carries a dual threat on the left flank as someone who can both score and create goals at a fairly impressive rate, albeit he is coming off the back of an injury-laden year that restricted him to just 12 starts in the Belgian top-flight.

The Royal Antwerp star had scored seven goals and provided five assists in 33 outings in the division during the 2023/24 campaign, before a disrupted season this term.

Starts

12

28

Goals

4

15

Assists

3

2

Goals*

0.31

0.53

xA*

0.22

0.21

Assists*

0.23

0.07

Chances created

1.99

1.62

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian star’s performances in limited minutes this season suggest that he has the potential to offer more to the team as a creator than Nygren does.

Balikwisha, who was described as “creative” by analyst Will Glavin, can consistently create high-quality opportunities to assist his teammates, whilst still offering a threat as a goalscorer.

Therefore, Celtic could have a good balance on the flanks as they would have Nygren to provide a huge goal threat and Balikwisha to be the main creator, whilst both players can also chip in with assists and goals respectively.

This means that both wide players are exciting in their own right, as they offer quality in different departments, and that is why Hoops fans should be excited by the prospect of both stars ending up at Parkhead this summer.

Bigger blow than Kyogo: UCL club in talks to sign "breathtaking" Celtic ace

Celtic are in talks with a European team over a deal for one of their star players.

ByDan Emery Jun 23, 2025

Newcastle United rode into the summer transfer window on the crest of a wave, having finished the 2024/25 campaign as Carabao Cup champions, also sealing their place back in the Champions League after finishing fifth in the Premier League.

All told, Eddie Howe will be a happy man after his side’s success, but the onus is now on improving across the next few months ahead of the fresh term, when expectations will be heightened.

Efforts have certainly been made at this early stage to go from strength to strength. As per The Telegraph, the Magpies have singled out England centre-back Marc Guehi and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, although the latter has reportedly chosen he wants to join Manchester United.

A right-sided forward is still at the top of the agenda, and Newcastle might just have identified the perfect man for the job.

Newcastle open talks for new right winger

No, it’s not Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga, although the 23-year-old is admired by senior Newcastle officials.

Transfer Focus

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Instead, the man of the moment could be West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus, with The Athletic revealing talks have been held among senior Magpies officials to ascertain the potential of a summer signing.

Kudus has an £84m release clause in his Hammers contract and is expected to leave east London this summer.

After a difficult campaign, however, it’s thought Graham Potter’s side would be open to a more agreeable £65m fee.

Why Newcastle should sign Kudus

Kudus only scored five times in the Premier League last season, also assisting three goals, but he hit four goal contributions across his final eight appearances, and presents one of the most menacing profiles out there.

Though Elanga, Newcastle’s other top wide target, chalked up six goals and 11 assists across the league campaign, Kudus may yet hit a new level of prolific progress, which would see him soar away from the Tricky Trees star’s capacity.

Despite his struggles, the Ghana international has still maintained his ball-carrying quality across the past year, with Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku the only man to produce a greater regularity of successful dribbles.

This metric is further underscored by data-driven site FBref, who recorded that Kudus ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion, and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.

And you’d think that Howe could restore Kudus’ finest level. When comparing his 2023/24 campaign, under David Moyes’ wing, against Elanga’s at Forest over the past year, it becomes a little clearer that Kudus’ ceiling stretches higher.

Matches (starts)

33 (27)

38 (31)

Goals

8

6

Assists

6

11

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.5)

1.2 (0.6)

Pass completion

84%

78%

Big chances created

5

9

Key passes*

0.8

1.3

Dribbles*

3.8

0.7

Ball recoveries*

6.4

2.3

Tackles*

2.0

0.5

Duels won*

8.5

3.0

Given that Forest would be looking to bank in excess of £50m for the sale of Elanga, it might be more worthwhile to invest in a star such as Kudus, who, when at his rip-roaring best, has been regarded as a “generational talent” by those such as journalist Gary Al-Smith.

The dream XI Newcastle can build: No Gordon; Joao Pedro & £120m trio sign

Newcastle are looking to make sweeping changes as they step back into the Champions League.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 10, 2025