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Playing at their home ground for the first time in IPL 2025, Punjab Kings (PBKS) have chosen to bowl against Rajasthan Royals (RR). While conditions are something of an unknown in Mullanpur’s first game of the season, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer expected dew to have an effect.Bowling first for the second game in a row, PBKS made one change from their starting XI in their previous game, with Nehal Wadhera coming in for Priyansh Arya. Wadhera had come in as anImpact Sub in that game and scored an unbeaten 25-ball 43, but he nonetheless received a new cap before this game. Arya is on their subs bench, and could come in for the second innings.Sanju Samson was back as RR’s captain and wicketkeeper after a finger injury had restricted him to an Impact Sub’s role in their first three games. He was happy to be back after feeling “restless and helpless” watching his team from the dugout until now.Other than the captaincy going back to Samson from Riyan Parag, RR made one change from their previous game, with Yudhvir Singh coming into their pace attack in place of Tushar Deshpande, who was ruled out with a niggle.Rajasthan Royals: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Dhruv Jurel, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Yudhvir Singh, 11 Sandeep Sharma.
RR bench: Kunal Singh Rathore, Shubham Dubey, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash MadhwalPunjab Kings: 1 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 2 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 3 Nehal Wadhera, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Suryansh Shedge, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal.
PBKS bench: Priyansh Arya, Harpreet Brar, Pravin Dubey, Vishnu Vinod, Vijaykumar Vyshak

Both Sunderland and Leeds United have started their respective Premier League campaigns with confidence-boosting wins after tasting the sweet glory of promotion last season.

Leeds just about got over the line in the end in a 1-0 triumph over Everton, while Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats stormed to a mightily impressive 3-0 victory over a dejected West Ham United side who rolled over in the second half to gift the hosts a comfortable three points.

Up next, Sunderland travel to the only promoted outfit that didn’t pick up maximum points on the opening weekend in Burnley, ready to apply more salt to the Clarets’ wound on the road.

More new signings in through the door also look to be horizon at the Stadium of Light, as the positive mood on Wearside shows no signs of letting up.

Sunderland consider £17m swoop for striker

Despite such a rampant offering against the Hammers, Sunderland looks to be in the market again for some fresh attackers.

Reports suggest that a huge £27m bid has been lodged by Le Bris and Co. for the services of Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu, with a deal perhaps too expensive for Sunderland to finalise, owing to their rapid spending all summer long.

£17m could also soon be splashed on Ajax centre-forward Brian Brobbey, if other reports are to be believed.

As per Dutch outfit Algemeen Dagblad, it is being alleged that Sunderland are seriously considering a move for the homegrown Amsterdam attacker, who has been told he can depart his boyhood club to try and find a change of scenery.

That has alerted Stade Rennes, Stuttgart, and AS Roma, with Sunderland also in the mix.

Sealing a £17m deal for Brobbery to join the building might well see Sunderland try to replicate the success story of their Wilson Isidor deal, as another exciting – if slightly unknown to the average Black Cats supporter – attacker braces himself for a big move to English soil.

Why Brobbey can be the next Isidor

It’s fair to say the gamble to bring Isidor to Wearside has now more than paid off, with his stylish curled finish wrongfooting Mads Hermansen to seal a 3-0 win on the opening day.

Of course, he has other moments of quality in his back pocket, too, at the Stadium of Light, as the goal-hungry Frenchman helped himself to 13 strikes last season as Sunderland won that ecstatic promotion back up to the big time.

Isidor’s move has now gone down as a left-field switch that has worked perfectly for all involved, considering the 24-year-old initially arrived at Le Bris’ camp on loan as a relative unknown entity from Zenit St. Petersburg.

With only four goals next to his name from 26 appearances for the Russian titans, there would have been a lot of anxiety in the air surrounding him flopping.

Thankfully, that wasn’t the case, with Brobbey now attempting to follow in Isidor’s footsteps, after he experienced a shoddy 2024/25 campaign himself in the Eredivisie.

Brobbey’s senior record at Ajax
Season	Games	Goals + Assists
24/25	44	7 + 6
23/24	43	21 + 11
22/23	44	14 + 4
21/22	13	7 + 1
20/21	19	6 + 2
via Transfermarkt

Only four of Brobbey’s seven strikes last season would come in Dutch top-flight action, which is a notable drop-off when contrasted with his blistering exploits during the 2023/24 season, where a mammoth 21 goals and 11 assists would come his way from 43 contests.

The eight-time Netherlands international could well get back to his goalscoring best under Le Bris’ wing, knowing that Isidor has been transformed into a Premier League-capable attacker under the ex-Lorient boss’ tutelage.

Moreover, when the “prolific” attacker is purring – as he has been labelled previously by scout Jacek Kulig – he is a force to be reckoned with, as seen when powering home this thumping one-time finish against Heracles Almelo, which is reminiscent of Isidor’s split-second displays of quality in front of goal.

Further lauded as a “goal machine” by Kulig, this feels as if it could be a golden purchase if all goes to plan, as Sunderland attempts to scare more top-flight defences stiff with the addition of another clinical finisher.

An Adingra repeat: Sunderland submit huge bid to sign "unplayable" star

Sunderland aren’t done just yet with their excessive summer spending.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 19, 2025

Leeds United have been dealt an injury “blow”, with a £40,000-a-week star set for a spell on the sidelines.

Leeds start Premier League season with 1-0 win over Everton

The Whites made a perfect start to life back in the Premier League on Monday evening, beating Everton 1-0.

Summer signing Lukas Nmecha scored the winner from the penalty spot late on, with Anton Stach, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Lucas Perri all making their debuts from the start.

Since then, Leeds have brought in Noah Okafor to bolster their attacking options even further. The Switzerland international has cost the Whites up to £18m, something which Farke was delighted with.

“He has really good pace, he’s a really good dribbler, really good on the offensive one-on-one. A strong player as well. I don’t want to pressure him too much because he’s not played one game, so I’ll let him deliver before, but from his skills, he has more or less everything to impress, and it’s up to him.”

Incomings

From

Fee

Noah Okafor

AC Milan

£18m

Anton Stach

Hoffenheim

£17.4m

Jaka Bijol

Udinese

£15m

Lucas Perri

Lyon

£13.9m

Sean Longstaff

Newcastle

£12m

Gabriel Gudmundsson

Lille

£10m

Sebastiaan Bornauw

Wolfsburg

£5m

Louis Enahoro-Marcus

Liverpool

Undisclosed

Lukas Nmecha

Wolfsburg

Free

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton

Free

Okafor is in contention to make his debut against Arsenal this weekend, however, one Leeds star won’t be at the Emirates.

Farke confirms Ethan Ampadu injury “blow”

When asked about Ethan Ampadu’s condition after he was replaced following a heavy challenge in the second half against Everton, Farke revealed some “bad news” for the Leeds captain.

Their new Raphinha: Leeds could hijack late move to sign £32m "magician"

Leeds could pull off a last-minute hijack

1 ByJoe Nuttall Aug 22, 2025

Ampadu, on £40,000-a-week, actually set a new Leeds record outside the Don Revie era following Monday’s win over Everton.

It is now 25 consecutive league games without losing for the skipper, and he’ll be hoping to continue that run when he returns.

Wes Brown says Cristiano Ronaldo is “still better than a lot of strikers out there”, with the Portuguese “Superman” expected to keep going until he “breaks down”. There is no sign of the ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid star calling it quits any time soon, with the evergreen frontman still going strong with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr at 40 years of age.

• Another new contract? Never write Ronaldo off

  Ronaldo has committed to a new two-year contract in the Middle East that will take him beyond his 42nd birthday. If he remains in peak physical condition at that point, then there is every reason to believe that his record-shattering career will be extended somewhere.

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• Getty
  

  Goal & World Cup targets for CR7

  Brown, who worked alongside CR7 at Old Trafford, sees no reason for Ronaldo to consider retirement any time soon. He continues to chase down 1,000 career goals and is expected to lead Portugal into the 2026 World Cup next summer as captain of his country.

• The secrets of Ronaldo's longevity

  Ronaldo has been able to avoid serious injuries down the years, which has aided his longevity, and remains as hungry as ever to savour tangible success at domestic and international level. He has also never shied away from the fact that he revels in opportunities to create history.

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• Getty Images
  

  Why Brown believes retirement can wait

  With that in mind, Brown has told of the all-time great continuing for as long as he feels capable of making a decisive contribution on the field: “He is like Superman and he just doesn't stop. He doesn't break and he's achieving something that he's always wanted to do.

  “He's got the right mindset for it and he'll keep on going until he breaks down basically. Yes, the goals are not as quick and as fast nowadays, but he still scores.

  “He's still better than a lot of the strikers out there. Is he in his prime? No. But for him, luckily he's got that aura to keep going as well and he won't give up. He'll still believe he can score every game he goes into.”

Tottenham Hotspur are poised to wave goodbye to a key player this summer, and it would be a blow to manager Thomas Frank as the Dane gears up for his first full campaign in charge.

Paratici holds talks with £207k-a-week star's camp about joining Tottenham

The Spurs advisor has reached out to his representatives.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 31, 2025

Spurs are in the Far East right now on a pre-season tour of Asia, before returning to Europe for a clash against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Frank is getting a good look at his new squad, who’ve just taken on Arsenal in the first ever north London derby played overseas, but off the field, chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange are planning to reinforce the squad with new signings.

Specifically, Tottenham are working on an alternative to Morgan Gibbs-White after missing out on the Englishman in truly bizarre fashion.

Spurs were ready to trigger Gibbs-White’s £60m release clause and even booked a medical for the playmaker nearly three weeks ago (BBC), but Evangelos Marinakis blocked the transfer, threatened legal action and tied him down with a new £150,000-per-week deal.

A new number 10 is imperative, amid reports that Tottenham are not completely averse to selling James Maddison after a stop-start season (Ben Jacobs).

Spurs have also been linked with an ambitious move for Real Madrid star Rodrygo this week, as club legend Son Heung-min edges ever closer to ending his 10-year stay in north London.

The South Korea star has etched his name into Lilywhites folklore with 173 goals and 101 assists, not to mention a once-devastating partnership with Harry Kane, since his £22 million move from Bayer Leverkusen a decade ago.

However, with just one year remaining on his contract as a 33-year-old, his memorable spell could be drawing to a close, and Los Angeles FC are offering him a route out to the MLS.

GiveMeSport reported earlier this week that Son is close to agreeing personal terms with LAFC, and now CaughtOffside have provided another update.

Son rejects "lucrative" Saudi offer as talks advance with LAFC

According to their information, Son rejected a “lucrative” offer from Saudi Arabia to leave Tottenham earlier this summer.

LAFC are also now in advanced negotiations over the “sensational” signing of Son, on both the club and player side this time, but the move won’t be completed until after their pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Seoul for commercial reasons.

Talks have apparently accelerated in the last few days whilst entering a “critical” phase, so if all goes to plan, these next few days could be Son’s last in London.

This also comes despite Frank publicly suggesting the winger could stay.

“I think first and foremost, Son’s legacy here is remarkable. He’s been a fantastic player for Tottenham, he is a fantastic player for Tottenham,” Frank said about Son in a recent press conference.

“I see a player that can play a very good role here next season. He’s come in [for pre-season], very good mindset, trained very hard, pushed the players. So I’m excited about it.”

Glasgow Rangers supporters were able to see a number of their new signings in competitive action for the first time against Panathinaikos at Ibrox on Tuesday night.

Emmanuel Fernandez was an unused substitute and Thelo Aasgaard missed the match through injury, but Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell, Djeidi Gassama, and Nasser Djiga all made their debuts for the Scottish Premiership giants.

Russell Martin’s side secured a 2-0 win in front of their home supporters to take a strong lead over to Greece next week, and new signing Gassama introduced himself with a bang by scoring the second goal shortly after coming off the bench in the second half.

The former Sheffield Wednesday forward brilliantly cut inside from the left flank to rifle a shot into the back of the net from range, and fans will hope that that goal is the first of many.

Whilst the likes of Gassama and Findlay Curtis caught the eye with their goals, there were also some Rangers players who struggled against Panathinaikos.

Kieran Dowell was one of those strugglers under the lights at Ibrox on Tuesday night, and it remains to be seen if he has a future in Glasgow beyond this summer.

Why Rangers should sell Kieran Dowell

The Scottish Sun reported earlier this month that the English attacking midfielder is one of a number of players who the club are looking to cash in on before the end of the transfer window.

Dowell spent the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan with Birmingham City in League One in England, after it was deemed that he was not good enough for the Gers squad in January, but he is now back in Glasgow and has been utilised by Martin.

The Rangers head coach opted to select Dowell as a starter against Panathinaikos on Tuesday, but the left-footed dud’s performance did not reward Martin for his faith in the former Norwich man.

A theme of the midfielder’s career at Ibrox to date has been a lack of conviction in the final third to really influence matches with goals and assists, which was the case once again.

Minutes played

75

Shots on target

0

Big chances missed

1

Key passes

0

Big chances created

0

Duels won

5/7

As you can see in the table above, Dowell failed to create any chances for his teammates and did not work the keeper with any shots in 75 minutes of action on the pitch for the Light Blues.

The 27-year-old flop has only scored two goals and produced two assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants to date, which shows that he rarely makes a difference in front of goal as an attacking midfielder or right winger.

Dowell has simply not done enough in a Rangers shirt to suggest that he should have a long-term future as a regular under Martin, and his performance on Tuesday did not change that.

This is why the club should be looking to move on from him this summer, and they could take a big step towards doing so by signing a replacement for him in the form of Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

Why Rangers should sign Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Earlier this month, it was reported that Martin is pushing the club to secure a loan deal for Crystal Palace youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi 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.

The Gers boss wanted to sign the English winger during his time in charge of both Swansea and Southampton, but failed, and is hoping that this will be the third time lucky in a loan swoop for the forward, who is valued at £10m by the Premier League side.

Rangers could finally replace Dowell and ensure that they can afford to move on from him this summer by signing Rak-Sakyi to be the left-footed right winger in the team this season.

The English dud operated as a right-sided attacker against Panathinaikos, in the role that Vaclav Cerny played during his time on loan at Ibrox next season, and the Palace youngster would be an ideal signing to come in and play in that position.

He is a left-footed winger who likes to cut inside onto his favoured foot to make things happen at the top end of the pitch, as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side.

The 22-year-old wing wizard racked up an eye-catching haul of 15 goals and nine assists for Charlton in the 2022/23 campaign, along with seven goals and two assists in all competitions for Sheffield United last term.

xG

0.32

Top 13%

Goals

0.36

Top 11%

xA

0.18

Top 22%

Assists

0.10

Bottom 46%

Chances created

1.51

Top 31%

Dribbles completed

2.44

Top 7%

Touches in the opposition box

7.69

Top 2%

As you can see in the table above, the Palace loanee shone in the final third in the Championship for the Blades, ranking highly among his positional peers in a host of key attacking metrics, as he scored goals and created chances at an impressive rate.

These statistics suggest that Rak-Sakyi, who was once dubbed “remarkable” by Roy Hodgson, has the potential and quality to come in and offer far more than Dowell has in the final third for the Gers, given that he scored more goals for Sheffield United last season than the English dud has managed in two seasons at Ibrox.

Put simply, Rangers need more goal contributions from the right wing position, given the lack of quality that Dowell offers in that role, and that is why they should be pushing to bring Rak-Sakyi in to replace him.

That would then free up the space in the squad, with the likes of Gassama and Aasgaard also coming in the door, to allow the club to move on from the former Norwich and Everton man without worrying about how it affects the depth of the squad for the 2025/26 campaign.

Their own Lennon Miller: Rangers lining up deal to sign £2.1m "controller"

Rangers are reportedly interested in signing a teenage star who could be their own version of Lennon Miller.

ByDan Emery Jul 22, 2025

After missing out on all of their top targets so far this summer, Newcastle United are reportedly ready to step up their interest in a £50m star who wants to leave his current club.

Who Newcastle could target after Pedro failure

The Magpies have not hesitated to move for their targets this summer but, in return, clubs have been just as swift with their rejections. As such, Eddie Howe and PIF have been forced to watch on as Dean Huijsen, Bryan Mbeumo, Jarell Quansah and Joao Pedro all chose elsewhere in four frustrating blows.

So, where do they go from here? Seemingly back to the drawing board, Newcastle could yet return with a fresh offer for Anthony Elanga although their last was rejected without a rebuttal by Nottingham Forest. They could also set their sights on other targets in the hope of finally welcoming reinforcements.

That could be the likes of Samu Aghehowa, who would instantly make Pedro an afterthought or perhaps even RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons in what would be an excellent move in its own right.

Those at St James’ Park have options even if they’re not the targets that they initially prioritised this summer. Aghehowa would be a particularly impressive signing compared to the less clinical Pedro.

Whilst he’s not exactly cheap with a reported £85m release clause, the Porto forward would soon repay that hefty fee. Just last season, the Spanish international netted 27 goals in competitions – marking a debut campaign in Portugal to remember.

If Newcastle push on and welcome the 27-goal star as well as an impressive partner-in-crime worth £50m, then Howe will instantly have the attacking depth that he so desperately requires.

Newcastle ready to step up Elliott move

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Newcastle are now ready to step their move up to sign Harvey Elliott from Liverpool this summer. The talented midfielder is fresh from winning the Player of the Tournament award at the U21 Euros and is now keen to leave Anfield in pursuit of regular minutes.

He's better than Joao Pedro: Newcastle battling to sign "elite" £85m star

The Magpies are set to miss out on Joao Pedro.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 30, 2025

Valued at £50m by Liverpool, Newcastle – as ever this summer – will have to pay big if they want to land their target. Elliott’s potential is worth investing in, however, as he proved at the U21 Euros to help England secure victory.

A player who Arne Slot hasn’t found a role for at Anfield could quickly become a key man at Newcastle thanks to his potential and ability to play both within the frontline and in midfield.

Elliott rightly earned impressive praise at the Euros, including from England U21s manager Lee Carsley who described the 22-year-old as “outstanding” ahead of victory in the final against Germany.

Leeds United have now been hit with a worrying development as a key player is unhappy with the way contract talks are progressing, according to a recent report.

49ers chasing multiple transfer deals for Leeds

As with any team that is promoted to the Premier League, the Whites are expected to be in for a busy summer as they look to form a squad that is capable of doing what other promoted teams haven’t done in recent years, and that is staying in the Premier League. Daniel Farke and co. have managed to put together a very competitive Leeds team, but stepping up another level means the German will want more quality and depth.

Related He must go before Bamford: Leeds have told £11m flop he will now be sold

Leeds have told this flop that he must leave this summer, and the dud must go before Patrick Bamford.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery Jun 9, 2025

The Yorkshire side appear keen to strengthen the spine of their team, as it’s been reported that Leeds are chasing a deal to sign goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, who is seen as a replacement and upgrade on Illan Meslier. As well as looking to sign Fofana, the Whites are also interested in signing his teammate Himad Abdelli, who also plays for French side Angers. Abdelli is an attacking midfielder, and his potential arrival would bolster Farke’s creativity and midfield depth.

The Championship title winners also have targets to strengthen their defence and forward line, with the 49ers lining up a move to sign Dara O’Shea from Ipswich Town.

Meanwhile, Leeds have made contact with striker Rodrigo Muniz over a possible move to Elland Road. The Fulham and Brazil forward is very much a wanted man this summer, and now the Whites have added him to their list of attacking options.

Daniel James contract update

But while the Whites look at bringing in new players, they are also hoping to keep hold of some of their best talents this summer. According to Alan Nixon, relayed by The Leeds Press, Leeds are struggling to reach a contract agreement with winger Daniel James.

That is because the Whites have offered the Welsh international a two-year deal, but James is looking for a longer contract offer, as he feels his performances over the last couple of seasons have earned him the right to a long-term deal.

James, who is one of Leeds’ biggest earners on a weekly wage of £50,000, has been at Elland Road since August 2021, joining from Manchester United. After his season on loan at Fulham, James has taken his game to the next level, scoring 25 goals in the last two Championship seasons combined.

Daniel James’ Leeds stats

Apps

123

Goals

29

Assists

22

Back in March, James put Farke’s management style as the reason why his form has been so impressive, perhaps showing why he is willing to commit his future to the club but on the right terms.

He told BBC Radio Leeds: “When he first come in, he put his arm around me and said what he wanted from me. We had a good relationship from the start, and it’s one I’ve tried to continue with.

“The way he sets up the team suits me down to the ground, and that’s where I get the benefits from.”

Leeds United might well have a reported £100m in the bank to spend on new players ahead of their Premier League voyage, but the Whites have plenty of talent already being organically grown on the youth pitches at Thorp Arch.

After all, even when Championship promotion was narrowly missed at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Archie Gray stood out as a homegrown gem, leading to a £30m deal with Tottenham Hotspur being agreed.

Moreover, if we move away from more recent examples with Daniel Farke at the helm, Marcelo Bielsa also had a huge part to play in Kalvin Phillips turning into an England regular, with the Leeds-born midfielder still eternally grateful to his hometown side.

Kalvin Phillips' unbelievable rise at Leeds

Nobody could have quite anticipated the unbelievable rise Phillips would enjoy at Elland Road, with the local starlet eventually leaving the comforts of West Yorkshire behind when a £45m move to Manchester City came to be.

Eight years prior to his big move to the Etihad, however, Phillips was a wide-eyed starlet attempting to cut his teeth with the Whites, with his first moment in the senior spotlight coming during the 2014/15 season under former youth coach Neil Redfearn.

The rest is now history for the 29-year-old, with those opportunities under Redfearn catapulting Phillips into a first-team regular, before Bielsa went on to refine the midfield battler’s game even more when he took over duties in the Elland Road dug-out.

By the end of his celebrated spell at Leeds, Phillips would notch up 14 goals and 13 assists from 234 total clashes, with his heroics also helping his beloved outfit gain promotion up to the Premier League under the eccentric South American.

Amazingly, there is another gem entirely of Leeds’ own making that has just tasted the glory of promotion, with the potential here for another new starlet to surpass Phillips and become an even brighter talent.

Leeds' finest young talent since Phillips

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old has experienced a lot of pain since exiting Elland Road, with only 31 first-team appearances coming his way at the Etihad to date, on top of other unmemorable loan moves just not working out, namely at West Ham and Ipswich Town.

So, who’s the next cab off the rank? Well, Harry Gray could well look up to Phillips and indeed his brother, Archie, when examining the potential for minutes at a first-team level.

Much like Redfearn before him with Phillips, Farke gifted the teenager his first ever senior clash in Leeds white at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, with his outrageous numbers in the youth set-up for some time now making this somewhat of an expected promotion.

Indeed, across just 18 appearances for both the U18s and U21s to date, the forward has bagged a deadly 11 strikes, living up to his billing as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation,” in the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson.

1. Tom Elliott

16 years, 2 months, 25 days

4

2. Aaron Lennon

16 years, 4 months, 7 days

43

3. Harry Gray

16 years, 6 months, 13 days

1

4. James Milner

16 years, ten months, 6 days

54

5. Neil Aspin

16 years, ten months, 8 days

38

It’s rather frightening how ahead Gray already looks with his development, considering it would take Phillips a number of seasons before he was fully settled into first-team life.

With the new Thorp Arch sensation, however, he looks ready to already make an impact to keep his blistering goal record at youth level up.

Nobody can accurately predict what the future holds for Gray, but if he can continue to learn and grow under the tutelage of Farke, he could one day be an even bigger sale than Phillips, and perhaps even solidify himself as more of a Premier League worthy talent than his counterpart ever managed.

Time to go: 49ers must axe Leeds ace who's played even less than Schmidt

The Leeds United man who played less than Isaac Schmidt should be let go this summer.

ByDan Emery May 8, 2025

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers isn’t hanging around with the summer window around the corner and could now turn his attention to a surprise target, per reports.

Celtic's summer window is beginning to take shape

The Bhoys are well on course for the Scottish Premiership title and may seal their fate this weekend if they emerge victorious against Kilmarnock followed by Aberdeen defeating Rangers 24 hours later.

Unfortunately, Celtic missed their chance to guarantee league glory after a surprise defeat to St Johnstone last Sunday. However, Brendan Rodgers will know that misfortune will just be a minor setback en route to domestic glory.

With all that said, what does it mean for the reigning champions’ prospects come the window? On the face of it, the Hoops appear to be proactive at an early stage.

Augsburg midfielder Elvis Rexhbecaj is said to be on Celtic’s radar and could be available for £3 million. On the same token, long-term target David Strelec is attainable for £4.2 million as potential competition to Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah across the frontline.

The fee could stretch to £5.9 million with add-ons, though Celtic would have no problem in paying a premium amid their rude financial health. On the flip side, that could prove to be a downside when negotiating for particular targets.

Celtic may lose "very good" £16k-p/w star amid surprise escape route offer

Celtic could offload a number of stars this summer ahead of next campaign.

BySean Markus Clifford Apr 8, 2025

Nevertheless, there is little time to waste with Champions League qualifiers kicking off in the early part of next season. Rodgers will know his side need to be ready if they have designs on securing a spot in the league phase.

Stocking up on talent, the Irishman has now turned his attention to a surprise target who could bolster the ranks ahead of 2025/26.

Celtic look to strengthen goalkeeping ranks with Martin Dubravka

According to Chronicle Live, Celtic have taken an interest in Newcastle United’s Martin Dubravka amid his uncertain future at St James’ Park due to rumours linking James Trafford with a move to the North East.

Coming as a surprise, the Bhoys could now pursue the Slovakia international despite already having Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo between the sticks. The latter has filled in recently due to his counterpart being ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Martin Dubravka vs Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo – domestic league

Martin Dubravka – Premier League

Save percentage rate

70.9%

Clean sheets

5 in 10 appearances

Goals conceded

12

Kasper Schmeichel – Scottish Premiership

Save percentage rate

77.3%

Clean sheets

19 in 30 appearances

Goals conceded

20

Viljami Sinisalo – Scottish Premiership

Save percentage rate

83.8%

Clean sheets

1 in 2 appearances

Goals conceded

1

Labelled “excellent” by Tom Heaton, the 36-year-old has racked up nearly 180 appearances for Newcastle United and earns £40,000 per week on the books at his current employers.

Observing the financial realities that come with PSR regulations in England, Dubravka may be a fairly straightforward sacrifice if Celtic want to deal for the veteran stopper.