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With India vs England series renamed the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, he wanted to preserve the legacy of the former India captains

Sruthi Ravindranath19-Jun-2025Sachin Tendulkar wanted to ensure that the Pataudi name would remain wedded to India vs England men’s Test series. So together with the BCCI and the ECB, he came up with the idea that the winning captain be granted a medal in the former India captain’s honour.Previously, an India tour of England would involve them playing for the Pataudi trophy. But now, it has been renamed to Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, honouring Tendulkar and James Anderson. While taking pride in that, Tendulkar spoke of how he wanted to preserve the legacy of one of India’s greatest leaders.”I remember some time ago,” he told ESPNcricinfo, “when the Pataudi Trophy was retired by ECB and BCCI, and then a few months down the line, when I was informed about this – the trophy being named after the two of us – that came as a pleasant surprise. The call that I made immediately after that was to the Pataudi family and I spoke to them; [I] also spoke about keeping the Pataudi legacy alive, [and] said, ‘I’ll have some ideas. I will come back to you’.Related

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“I shared my thoughts with BCCI and ECB. I thought the outcome was very good. We decided that the Pataudi Medal of Excellence would be given to the winning captain because he was known for his leadership skills. The legacy is kept alive. I’ve always believed that someone who’s contributed to Indian cricket and cricket across the globe should always be respected and remembered.”The new trophy features imagery of Anderson and Tendulkar in action, along with their engraved signatures. They are the most-capped players in the history of Tests: Tendulkar played 200 matches, and Anderson 188.”It’s a reflection of our contribution to our respective nations in Test cricket,” he said. “I’ve played for 24 years, and Anderson played for 21 years. So both of us put together, it’s a substantial number of years – 45 years put together of international cricket, especially Test. That makes me feel happy. I know the appreciation is in a different way as naming the Trophy after us.””It’s a proud moment for me and my family to have this iconic series named after Sachin and myself,” Anderson said in a statement. “The rivalry between our two nations has always been something special – full of history, intensity and unforgettable moments.”To be recognised in this way is a real honour. I’m looking forward to seeing the next chapter unfold in England this summer. It promises to be compelling, competitive cricket – exactly what you’d expect from two great sides. This is elite sport at its finest.”Tendulkar, who first faced Anderson in Tests in 2006, said playing against the fast bowler was an “integral part” of his career, recalling the “challenging” times playing in tough conditions in England.”In 2003, I played against him in South Africa during the World Cup,” Tendulkar said. “In England, I played against him in 2007. But along the way, there have been many battles, and some ended up in a good result, some didn’t. But all in all, when you look back, you feel that I enjoyed those challenging moments, and that’s what one prepares for.”That journey was a beautiful [one], and in that, multiple experiences taught to me so much in life. And playing in England was an integral part of that, and Anderson was an integral part of it.”The first Test between India and England begins at Headingley on Friday.

Horror for the batters, fantasy for the bowlers – it was a mash-up of genres at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday night and it kept the viewer guessing. The climax went the way of Punjab Kings (PBKS) thanks to Nehal Wadhera’s sparkling unbeaten 33 off 19 balls. The heavy lifting, though, was done by their bowlers after Shreyas Iyer won the toss and put RCB in to bat in the rain-affected 14-overs-a-side affair.Arshdeep Singh bowled consistent lengths, Yuzvendra Chahal was back to looping the ball and looking for spin, and Marco Jansen used his height to good effect. Together, they reduced RCB to 42 for 7. RCB could have been bowled out for under 49, their lowest total, but Tim David’s 26-ball 50 not out ensured they nearly doubled that and that they weren’t bowled out.Related

• No respite for teams as PBKS and RCB brace for second bout in 48 hours

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Josh Hazlewood made a modest chase of 96 tougher than it seemed on a pitch that offered steep bounce. PBKS might have feared being hit by a comeback similar to the one they delivered to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) three days ago, but they didn’t rush the chase and were able to target bowlers in the end, which got them through.

RCB almost get skittled

After being asked bat and with not 20 overs to play with, RCB looked to get off to a positive start. Phil Salt drove the first ball down the ground for four. Cross-batted and aerial shots were fraught with danger right from the start. Both Salt and Virat Kohli were out pulling, the former off a length ball and the latter to a shorter ball after walking down the pitch.Arshdeep, who came into this game with two powerplay wickets this season, doubled his tally.Rajat Patidar whipped Arshdeep and Xavier Bartlett for a four and a six over the leg side, while Liam Livingstone looked to end the four-over powerplay on a high. He charged at Bartlett and was out trying to slap a length ball, with Priyansh Arya running back from cover point to take the catch.RCB’s were reduced to 26 for 3. Jitesh Sharma swung at Jansen but was beaten both times and, in the following over, Patidar top-edged a pull off Chahal which landed safely at midwicket. Jitesh wasn’t as lucky next ball as he found deep backward square with a slog sweep.Two balls later, Krunal Pandya was the third batter out on the pull. He couldn’t extend his arms fully and feathered a shortish ball from Jansen onto his helmet and it popped right up for a caught and bowled. DRS helped PBKS as RCB were 33 for 5.1:52

Pujara: From ball one, David was on top of his game

Chahal, who was back to slowing down his speeds and teasing the batter, struck again by looping the ball wide of Patidar’s off stump and having him slash to long-off. RCB’s ploy to send in Manoj Bhandage as the Impact Player didn’t work as he was beaten on the flick by Jansen and dismissed lbw.Bhuvneshwar Kumar and David stitched a 21-run stand for the eighth wicket, taking RCB past fifty, before Harpreet Brar dismissed Bhuvneshwar and Yash Dayal off successive balls, leaving RCB at 63 for 9 in 11.5 overs.David then nailed a few expansive shots at the end. He went deep in the crease to pull Bartlett for two fours. He farmed strike to face the final over, bowled by Brar, and smashed three successive sixes, including one off a no-ball, to reach his fifty and lift RCB to 95 for 9.

PBKS can’t take off

The chase started with a few early jitters for PBKS. Prabhsimran Singh missed a scoop and a swipe off Bhuvneshwar in the first over. Arya then edged a cover drive off Dayal over first slip in the next over.A top edge off a swipe across the line from Prabhsimran off Bhuvneshwar fell safely at square leg to start the third. Prabhsimran connected with a couple of drives after that but miscued a flat-bat hit to mid-off when the bowler shortened his length. Arya was out in similar fashion off Hazlewood in the following over as PBKS were reduced to 33 for 2.Josh Inglis and Shreyas were happy to play out a couple of quiet overs and only go after poor balls. Krunal delivered a couple of those in the sixth over when he drove the ball into the pitch, allowing Inglis to pull and cut.2:46

Pujara: RCB need to find a way to get pitches in their favour

Hazlewood just too good

Hazlewood, though, used his height to generate extra bounce to dismiss both batters on the cut. The ball zipped off a length to have Shreyas caught behind. The one to Inglis was shorter and went off the top edge to deep third. PBKS were 53 for 4, needing 43 off 36 balls.Suyash Sharma’s attempt to bowl for wickets with a drop in pace and consistent lengths beat Wadhera four times when he was new to the crease. But the batter got a reverse between short third and backward point before plonking one over cow corner.Hazlewood continued to be unhittable and gave away just two runs off the tenth over. He banged the ball into the pitch and nearly had Shashank Singh caught behind on the cut. He finished for 3 for 14 in three overs.

Wadhera’s smooth finish

Suyash couldn’t build the pressure as he overpitched and Wadhera reached out and hit him over long-off. He then pierced the gap in the off-side infield with a scorching drive. Luck, too, went against RCB as a ripping legbreak beat Wadhera’s cover drive and the keeper to race to the boundary.The crowd tried to pump life into the game when Bhuvneshwar dismissed Shashank, but those hopes were dashed by Wadhera, who first picked up a shortish ball over fine leg for six and then slapped a length ball on the up through the covers.Marcus Stoinis, who replaced Glenn Maxwell for PBKS, finished the game with a cross-bat hit over long-on and handed RCB a hat-trick of losses at home in IPL 2025.

Newcastle United are reportedly expected to make a “full blown offensive” to sign a “strong” player when the January transfer window opens.

Hopkinson's message of thanks to Newcastle fans

The Magpies made a key off-field appointment during the international break, with David Hopkinson coming in as the club’s new CEO, hoping to play his part in a successful era at St James’ Park.

On Thursday morning, Hopkinson sent a message of thanks to the Newcastle supporters, showing his appreciation for the manner in which they have welcomed him into his surroundings.

“As I settle into my new role, I wanted to take a moment to extend a heartfelt thanks for the warm welcome I have received.

Since arriving last week, I have had so many conversations with people inside and outside the club. I’ve gained invaluable insights, and I’m looking forward to connecting and engaging with more of you in the weeks and months to come.

“I’m also looking forward to getting out into the community in the coming weeks to meet more of you and understand what makes this region so special. My first impression is this is one united family, on and off the pitch. It is the people who make this football club so special and it is a privilege for me and my family to now be a part of it.

“I’m also truly excited about the future that lies ahead of us. My aim is to build on the tremendous work that preceded me with a renewed sense of alignment for everyone, helping us to grow and win together;. While I have seen, heard and felt your pride and passion at close hand in recent days, I strongly suspect it will be nothing compared to what I will experience at St. James’ Park in the coming days.”

Newcastle expected to push hard to sign £20m Serie A midfielder

In terms of Newcastle transfer news, a fresh claim from Radio Radio [via Sport Witness] says that Newcastle are expected to make a “full blown offensive” to sign Roma midfielder Niccolo Pisilli in January.

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The Magpies are looking to close a deal.

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It is stated that £20m could be enough to secure the services of the 20-year-old Italian, as Howe looks to boost his options in the middle of the park.

Newcastle and PIF were keen on Pisilli in the summer but didn’t make a move, however, we could see the Magpies go in for the midfielder in 2026, showing the owners mean business.

Pisilli is a talented young player who could be ideal for Newcastle, in terms of adding depth and being a superb long-term option with a high ceiling, being hailed by Roma legend Daniele De Rossi.

“Who impressed me? In-person, Pisilli. I didn’t know him well; he’s such a strong player. He’s still a youngster, but he made an impression on me. I’m guilty of not knowing him well.”

Niccolo Pisilli’s international stats

Caps

Goals

Italy

1

0

Italy Under-21s

15

1

Italy Under-20s

8

0

Italy Under-19s

9

3

Italy Under-18s

5

0

Pisilli has won one cap for Italy, as well as representing them across four different youth age groups, and if Newcastle strike a deal in January, it could pay off handsomely over time.

Giants coach Michael Klinger gave his team’s performance a ‘minus 20’ for their several missteps against Mumbai Indians

Vishal Dikshit14-Mar-2025Gujarat Giants (GG) had so many bloopers on Thursday night that it was hard to keep count. These errors – while fielding and running between the wickets – combined cost them the WPL 2025 Eliminator against Mumbai Indians (MI), who were sharp in the field, by 47 runs. Their coach Michael Klinger summed it up thus: “probably minus 20 to us [for the lapses] and plus 20 to them”.The big blow came before the game, when star allrounder Deandra Dottin picked up an injury just five minutes before the toss. She was bowling in the team’s warm-up session when a tendon in her knee flared up and she was in pain. Dottin, who had been dealing with the tendon issue during the tournament, was rushed to the dressing room for a check. The Giants management put her back on the field to give her a go, but as she ran in to try and bowl, she felt pain again, and realised she was not going to make it. She threw the ball at the plastic stumps in frustration. There were pats on her back, but there was no way for Giants to make up for her absence.”I’m certainly not a medical expert, but I’ve had some [tendon injuries] before when I used to play and it does get better as you warm-up, so we tried to give her another opportunity just to come out and see if she could [play], and she would have potentially liked to play as a batter only,” Giants coach Michael Klinger said after the game. “But we would have been a bowler short, so it was an obvious choice to bring Danny Gibson in for her as a direct replacement and I thought Danny did a great job tonight.Related

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“Deandra is a fantastic player and an impact player, so there’s no doubt when she doesn’t play last minute you lose a little bit.”Giants won the toss, and decided to chase keeping the dew in mind, even though teams batting first had won the last three games. They would have felt vindicated when Mumbai scored only 37 for 1 in the powerplay, but the smashing 133-run stand in just 77 balls between Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews deflated them. It didn’t help that the Giants fielders put down more catches (four) than they held (three), and misfielded plenty of times both inside the circle and at the boundary to leak runs. All of this added up to a daunting Mumbai total of 213.”We may have actually misread it [the conditions] slightly,” Klinger said about opting to bowl. “We actually felt the wicket had a little bit of tackiness in it when we saw it before the toss, and we thought it may have done a little bit with the new ball in the first innings or even just held and spun a little. But that wasn’t the case, it played pretty well.”But tosses in T20 cricket don’t win you games. In fact, it was soaking wet out there in the second half tonight, so probably would have been a lot easier bowling first than second. But when you’re defending a 200-plus score, then it puts a batting group under pressure, and that’s probably how we lost a lot of our wickets tonight.”Mumbai’s fielding was on point, starting with Matthews’ dive in the first over of the chase to remove Beth Mooney before her team-mates accepted the challenge of completing every run-out chance that came their way, and they got it right three times.Gujarat Giants suffered a huge blow when they lost Deandra Dottin minutes before the toss to injury•BCCI”Yeah, our fielding wasn’t great tonight,” Klinger said. “That was obvious for most to see. And I thought Mumbai Indians’ fielding was fantastic. They would have said the other night when they lost to RCB that they wouldn’t have been happy with their fielding either, so it does happen some nights. We would have liked to have put in a better performance in the field because, as I said, I think there was about a 40-run swing there. I thought probably minus 20 to us and plus 20 to them. And, you know, we lost by 47 runs. So sometimes that can be the big difference in in the game, but that’s okay, that happens.”After Mooney fell early, Harleen Deol was involved in a mix up and fell short. Not long after, Gibson was run out while trying to steal a second, and Kashvee Gautam paid the price of taking on Harmanpreet Kaur’s arm inside the 30-yard circle.”Yeah, a few run-outs in a run chase isn’t ideal as well, but you know that was going to be a tough ask, and we had to get a lot of things right in that chase and didn’t quite happen,” Klinger said.The right call at the toss, a fully-fit star allrounder in the XI, catches taken and runs completed, and who knows what the result might have been.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including Pulisic's third goal in four Milan matches

Never get bored of Christian Pulisic being good at football. Sure, there was all of the furor around his will-they-won't-they relationship with the USMNT last summer. But now, that seems to be behind everyone. Pulisic did his part of the national team in September, and has been in fine form for Milan. 

There were a couple of concerns after he came off the bench for a duo of fixtures. But that appeared to be little more than casual rotation as Pulisic went from the go Saturday. And he was magnificent throughout. The American took total control for Milan, scoring two and assisting a third as the managed a 3-0 win over Udinese.

Elsewhere, there were impressive performances. Malik Tillman bagged for Bayer Leverkusen, who are still finding their feet in the post Erik Ten Hag instability. Brendan Aaronson, too, looked more promising for Leeds.

The rest were a rather mixed bag. Josh Sargent struggled against Wrexham, as did Haji Wright against Leicester. Weston McKennie never made it off the bench for Juventus, and Antonee Robinson was left out of Fulham's matchday squad – heightening concerns after he underwent knee surgery in May.

GOAL looks at the major takeaways from this weekend's Americans Abroad.

• Getty Images
  

  Pulisic is who you think he is

  Pulisic tried his best to be team-first in the opening 30 minutes of AC Milan's match at Udinese. He put a would-be assist on a plate for Mexico international Santi Gimenez, only to see the striker fluff his lines in front of goal. Late in the first half, the American took over. He pounced on a rebound to give the Rossoneri a 1-0 lead.

  In the second half, Pulisic seized the game. The recipient of some nasty fouls in the first half, the 27-year-old responded with some physicality of his own. He bodied a Udinese defender in a duel in the box and found a wide-open Youssouf Fofana for a goal. Then five minutes later, Pulisic put the game on ice by taking advantage of a perfect touch in the box to score past Răzvan Sava at the near post. 

  Pulisic's brace puts him on three goals in the season, and he topped the Serie A golden boot race through Saturday's games. Expecting him to stay at the summit is perhaps unrealistic. He's not going to shoot 83 percent on target all season. But the winger is finding a strong fit as a striker in Max Allegri's 3-5-2 system. 

  “Scoring goals constantly, look at him," CBS Sports analyst Mike Grella said after Saturday's match. "Just gets his job done, hard worker. That sends a shockwave through the entire team… And the fact that Pulisic is setting that standard for AC Milan tells you where American football is going."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Tillman redeems himself

  Tillman received his fair share of criticism after Leverkusen's midweek 2-2 draw with FC Copenhagen. The American wasn't solely at fault for the Bundesliga giants' performance in the Champions League, but he certainly didn't help. He was hooked after just 51 minutes, and could have few complaints.

  That said, his redemption performance came in style Sunday. The U.S. midfielder was the player with the most attacking ideas for a curiously defensive set up Leverkusen. And he was rewarded for his forward intent with a goal.

  It was perhaps a slightly fortunate thing, a loose ball falling kindly to his right foot off an attacking miscue. He likely won't complain. Yet it wasn't enough on the day. Leverkusen lost focus late, and conceded a fairly dire late goal to struggling Borussia Monchengladbach, who scraped a stoppage time equalizer to see the spoils shared.

  Tillman, after collecting the Man of the Match award, couldn't be blamed for that one whatsoever. Fellow USMNT midfielder Gio Reyna came off the bench for Gladbach, but was largely ineffective.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Aaronson finding his feet in Premier League

  Listen to pundits and Leeds' fervent fanbase and you'd believe Brenden Aaronson has no business getting Premier League minutes. And when the American got a brief cameo in season-opening win over Everton, his limited action appeared to confirm those sentiments. 

  Yet, five games into the season, the newly-promoted side is turning heads as they sit 11th with seven points. And more impressively, at least for USMNT fans, is that Aaronson is playing a role in that success.

  Part of that has come as a result of a role change for the 24-year-old. Aaronson has spent the majority of his career as an attacking or central midfielder, by manager Daniel Farke shifted him to a winger role this season. Aaronson has previously come under criticism for being just a runner during his time at Leeds, something he acknowledged to GOAL frustrated him at times.

  "It's definitely upsetting," Aaronson said last fall, "because I think, in moments, I show a lot of quality with the ball. I don't think a lot of people see that. People see my energy and that type of thing, and that's easy to see. You'll always see me giving 100 percent. That's something that I've always had."

  Yet, in the wing, being a runner while keeping his well-regarded work rate in the flank has given his team a valuable option on both attack and defense. He's not going to be confused as Vini Jr. anytime soon, but his willingness to do the little things, as he did against Wolves, opens up opportunities for Dominic Calvert-Lewis and Noah Okafor on the frontline. 

  On Saturday, Aaronson made 92 percent of his passes, connected on a cross, and made two key clearances in a 3-1 win. His versatility is proving to be an asset for Leeds.

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  Concern for Robinson and McKennie?

  Antonee Robinson was a surprise omission from Fulham’s squad in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Brentford, despite not appearing on the club’s injury report. Earlier in the season, his absence was attributed to working back from the injury that kept him out of the Gold Cup. But this time it appeared to be a healthy scratch.

  The reigning U.S. Soccer men's player of the Year has logged just 53 minutes in two appearances, raising questions for both club and country. Robinson, when fit, is one of the world's stronger left backs, and his role is critical for the U.S. heading into the World Cup.

  It’s unclear whether fitness concerns, transfer speculation – he was linked to Manchester United and Liverpool last year – or the emergence of Ryan Sessegnon at left back are influencing his lack of minutes.

  Meanwhile, Weston McKennie remained on the bench in Juventus’ 1-1 draw with Verona. Now in his fifth season, the midfielder has yet to secure a consistent starting role, though he has made 118 appearances for the club.

  With one year left on his contract, McKennie’s USMNT future could again hinge on whether he can carve out a more regular role.

“It was so good the first time we had to do it twice,” cried Chloe Kelly at full-time. Sarina Wiegman’s England Lionesses are Euro 2025 winners. For a successive continental competition, they are European champions.

It’s safe to say the women have put the nation through maximum levels of stress this summer, defeating Sweden on penalties, needing extra time against Italy, scoring in last-gasp fashion and then needing another shoot-out against Spain in the final.

Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey had given the World Cup winners the lead, though another Gunner in Alessia Russo hit back. Nothing could separate the two teams until two women who have already had plenty of clutch moments in this competition stood up to it.

Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly were the heroes in the shootout, with Kelly firing home the winning spot kick.

Cue mass celebrations, handshakes with Prince William and dancing on the podium. After victory in 2022, England had done it again.

Here are the best moments from the final…

3

Russo equalises for England

After Lauren James hobbled off in the first half with injury, it meant that woman of the hour Kelly was introduced on the left wing.

As usual, she made a phenomenal impact, not just scoring the winning penalty but supplying an inch-perfect cross for Russo to head home.

Speaking at full-time, Wiegman was utterly euphoric: “I can’t believe it. The word ‘team’ really describes who we are – a team. We said we can win by any means and that’s what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible. I just can’t believe it, but I have a medal around my neck and we have a trophy.

“It has been the most chaotic tournament on the pitch – all the challenges we had on the pitch against our opponents. From the first game it was chaos. Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible. Football is chaos.”

2

Spot-kick drama for England as Kelly wins it from the spot

It was Kelly who was entrusted with the late penalty against Italy in the semi-finals and although it was saved, she latched onto the rebound and found the net.

Up she stepped again for the winning moment in Basel on Sunday and she was never going to miss. Indeed, she didn’t, slamming the ball home.

Speaking after that moment, the Arsenal forward was on cloud nine. Kelly told the BBC: “I’m so proud of this team, so grateful to wear this badge and so proud to be English. I was cool, I was composed, I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. I don’t miss penalties twice.

“It’s unbelievable, it’s not just this team it’s the staff behind us. Twenty-three players and all the staff behind us. Sarina Wiegman has done it again. It’s unbelievable. It’s going to be crazy. I hope the whole of England comes out to support us and show the love to all these girls because they deserve it.”

1

England players party hard into the night

Prince William, snow angels in the confetti, tears of joy, a dancing Kelly, it was all happening in the aftermath of England’s victory.

Hampton commented that “this team is just unbelievable” while captain Leah Williamson barely had the words, summing things up well; “it’s just total disbelief,” she said.

Quite. Two European Championship wins in four years is some going. Long live this Wiegman rein.

It must feel like Christmas Day every day for Arsenal fans at the moment.

Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta have already sealed the signings of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga, and look set on spending even more.

Noni Madueke has reportedly passed his medical, and a deal has been agreed for Valencia’s promising centre-back Christian Mosquera.

On top of all of that, Viktor Gyokeres could be announced as an Arsenal player at any point this week, and if reports are to be believed, the club are closing in on another international who’d be his dream ten.

Arsenal target dream ten for Gyokeres

After years of looking for an out-and-out nine to lead the line for them, Arsenal have settled on Gyokeres.

Transfer Focus

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

The Swedish international has been linked with the club in prior windows, and even looked to be second-choice behind Benjamin Sesko at one point this summer, but finally, a deal has been agreed for the Sporting star.

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Gunners will pay an initial fee of £55m for the 27-year-old, with £9m coming in the way of performance-related add-ons.

It feels like a good deal for someone who’s scored goals for fun over the last two years, and now it looks like the North Londoners are trying to bring in an attacking midfielder who’ll get even more out of him.

At least that’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who reported for Football Insider that Arsenal are still very much interested in Eberechi Eze.

O’Rourke has revealed that the Gunners are closing in on the Crystal Palace star, and that they would be willing to pay his full £68m release clause to get the deal done.

However, due to FFP and PSR concerns, they will not be able to pay it all upfront, and are therefore in talks with the South Londoners over paying it in instalments.

It’d still represent a serious investment from Arsenal, but Eze has proven he’d be worth it, and he’d also be the perfect ten for Gyokeres.

Why Eze would be Gyokeres' perfect ten

It might sound simplistic, but as Gyokeres is quite traditional in the sense that he does most of his work in the penalty area, one of the key reasons he’d love playing with Eze is that he’d be able to get the ball to him.

For example, he can move the ball up the pitch with his dribbling, as FBref ranked him in the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers for successful take-ons in the Premier League last season and the top 11% for general shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Crucially, he also makes things happen when he gets into dangerous areas, as he racked up 14 goals and 11 assists in just 43 games last season.

That was a far better return than the Gunners’ current first-choice attacking midfielder, Martin Odegaard, who racked up 18 goal involvements in 45 games.

In short, the Sporting star will be able to play ahead of the Palace ace, safe in the knowledge that he’ll be provided with a regular supply of chances, and even have the opportunity to turn provider himself at points.

Finally, what is one of the main drivers behind the former Coventry City star’s desperate desire to join the North Londoners this summer?

It’s to have the chance to win the biggest prizes in the club game, and the English “superstar,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, proved that he’s the man for the big occasion last season.

He scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then the final of the FA Cup, so Gyokeres would surely feel confident that his creative midfielder would perform at his very best in the crunch games and not let him down.

Ultimately, while it’d be another massive outlay, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Eze this summer, as he’d be a brilliant addition to the squad and someone who could help get the best out of the Swedish goal machine.

Alongside Gyokeres: Arsenal now in "very advanced" talks to sign £17m ace

The Gunners are closing in on a deal to sign a “magnificent” player.

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 14, 2025

Liverpool are having quite the transfer window. Hugo Ekitike has scarcely been welcomed aboard the Reds’ pre-season tour in Asia and already sights have been set on Alexander Isak.

The Newcastle United striker has long been FSG’s dream target at number nine, and having informed the Magpies of his desire to explore a move away from St. James’ Park, Liverpool are ready to make their move.

What happens next is unclear, but there’s no question that FSG’s ambitions are to stay atop this mountain Arne Slot’s squad have scaled.

And, would you believe it, there’s more to come before September is upon us.

Liverpool lining up Isak partner

While it might seem fanciful that Liverpool could welcome a few more attacking additions having now announced the £79m signing of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ekitike, there remain a few more cards the club can play.

Namely, with Bayern Munich set to lodge their second bid for Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez still anticipated to leave Merseyside in the coming weeks, there’s little question that FSG could authorise a big-money move for another versatile forward.

So then, as per TEAMtalk, Liverpool are still tracking Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon as FSG continue their large-scale rebuild, though the Magpies would want as much as £100m if they were to sell.

Still, Gordon is of a long-standing interest to the Anfield side, having left their academy as an 11-year-old and come close to a transfer last summer.

Why Liverpool should sign Anthony Gordon

Gordon, 24, is an out-and-out winger, though he can also play in a more central berth when required. In this way, he could be the perfect replacement for Diaz, who is looking more and more likely to leave for Germany in the coming weeks.

Anthony Gordon – Career Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Left winger

124

26

29

Right winger

53

8

8

Attacking midfield

21

13

2

Centre-forward

16

5

1

Stats via Transfermarkt

But more importantly, he could be Isak’s dream teammate at Liverpool, linking right back up with his Magpies dance partner on the left flank, supplying him with assists and seeing the favour returned.

A tenacious, hard-working winger, the Three Lions star is known for his versatile attacking approach and his high-speed running, capable of stretching lines and drawing defenders away for number nines like Isak and inside forwards like Mohamed Salah to find space and strike on goal.

And while he’s not renowned for his prolificness, the one-time Everton starlet has still notched 21 goals and 22 assists across all competitions over the past couple of seasons, making good on the praise that he is an “exceptional” forward, as has been said by football scout Antonio Mango.

This brand of football might also play into Wirtz’s hands (or, more precisely, his feet), for the German midfielder’s first-class playmaking could be directed down multiple avenues with two athletic talents in Isak and Gordon ahead of him.

Wirtz’s silky ball-carrying skills combine with an inborn creative flair which would elevate any talented forward, central or wide, across the globe.

Indeed, the 22-year-old ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for passes attempted, the top 7% for goal involvements, shot-creating actions and progressive passes, and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

However, with a pairing such as Gordon and Isak, who have already crafted such seamless synergy, this could be a truly remarkable frontline, eclipsing the talented attacks of rivals across the continent.

Gordon, to whom Isak is “the best in Europe”, loves playing with such a dynamic and intelligent striker who is also a devastating marksman. Isak, after all, scored 27 goals and supplied six assists for his teammates last season, with movement and off-the-ball work making him so much more than just a goalscorer.

They couldn’t, could they? If Liverpool do manage to pull off this extraordinary double deal, the Reds would not only have one of the most talented and in-sync offensive duos in world football, but they would Wirtz lingering behind to feed them sharp balls with frightening consistency and style.

Scary hours for the rest of the Premier League.

Related Could be a bigger talent than Ekitike: Liverpool ready to bid for £51m ace

Liverpool aren’t done yet in the summer transfer window.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 23, 2025

Arsenal remain in ongoing talks over a potential summer deal for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, with the Slovenian now making an “unusual” demand as he ponders a move to the Premier League.

Arsenal in discussions for £85m Serie A star as "close" circle contacted

The north Londoners have a number of targets they’re exploring.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 20, 2025

Sesko is one of sporting director Andrea Berta’s two prime centre-forward targets, alongside Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, and the Italian has apparently laid groundwork over both deals as he works to discover which one would be most doable (BBC).

This is the way Berta operates when it comes to recruitment, and more striker targets like Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké or Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins could still come back into play (Graeme Bailey).

Arsenal have held “concrete” talks over a move for Sesko for weeks, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, but the 22-year-old could end up costing as much as £85 million, with the Gunners currently unwilling to meet Leipzig’s financial demands.

Sesko’s agent, Elvis Basanovic, also told GiveMeSport this week that the forward’s potential exit this summer is far from a foregone conclusion.

“It can be next week, or next year, or in 3 years,” Basanovic said.

“Even if there may be – or will be – a strong desire of the player to move to a certain club, we will never force or blackmail RB Leipzig. I believe this is not the right way, because the way you actually exit from the club shows your values. Values that you are bringing into a new club.”

New updates are coming to light by the day, with journalist Duncan Castles now lifting the lid on something pretty unique that Sesko and his representatives are asking for to join Arsenal.

Benjamin Sesko makes "unusual" demand in Arsenal transfer talks

Speaking on The Transfers Podcast, Castles reports that Sesko wants a release clause in his possible Arsenal contract, explaining why this is a pretty special demand given the circumstances of this transfer.

“I understand that Sesko is asking for an exit clause on any deal he agrees with Arsenal, and he would like that release clause to be set at just 20% increase on whatever price they end up paying for him,” said Castles.

“It’s quite unusual to ask for something like that when you’re moving from, let’s say a second-tier European club to one that is perceived as a first-tier club and one of the most financially affluent clubs in European football and I think it’s unlikely that Arsenal would agree to a deal on those terms.”

There appears to be some way to go for the north Londoners to make any significant progress in negotiations for the ex-Red Bull Salzburg sensation, and taking into account his fairly modest goal return of 21 in all competitions last season, it is perhaps wise for Berta to consider turning more attention towards Gyokeres.

The Swede is believed to be very keen on a move to Arsenal (Fabrizio Romano), and his sensational goal return of 54 during 2024/2025 helped Sporting to their first domestic double in 20 years.

Gyokeres’ rumoured price tag comes in at around £80 million, according to The Times, so Arsenal would still need to stump up serious cash, but the 27-year-old may be worth that investment in the long run.

Arsenal face the prospect of losing a “big player” for Mikel Arteta in the next few weeks, as it is believed he’s now keen to leave the Emirates, and one club has already made an “official move”.

Arsenal players on the way out this summer

A good portion of Gunners squad members are already poised to end their time at N5, including some pretty considerable names.

£359k-per-week striker would join Arsenal "immediately", Berta wants him

He’s apparently very keen.

ByEmilio Galantini May 24, 2025

Brazilian Serie A side Flamengo, who’ve agreed to sign Jorginho from Arsenal, are now set to formally land the Italy international before their Club World Cup campaign begins on June 17, with Arteta’s side green-lighting his earlier-than-anticipated exit (Fabrizio Romano).

Left-back Kieran Tierney is also set to re-join Celtic after shaking hands on a pre-contract with the Scottish champions, as was confirmed all the way back in February. The left-back scored in his last ever game for Arsenal against Southampton on Sunday, after getting the starting nod from Arteta, with Tierney signing off on his north London career in style.

Some reports in Italy claim that left-back Nuno Tavares is on his way to Lazio on a permanent deal, with the Serie A side paying around £4 million for him after an impressive debut season at the club overall – even taking into account the Portuguese’s injury problems over the second half of 24/25.

Albert Sambi Lokonga is also very likely to leave again this summer after spending this season on loan at Sevilla, and there are still questions surrounding the future of star midfielder Thomas Partey.

The Ghanaian recently entered talks with Arsenal over a new deal, indicating his willingness to stay, but it is far from a guarantee, with some sources believing that the £200,000-per-week midfielder would have to take a pay-cut (ESPN).

Arteta, for his part, is very keen on the 31-year-old extending his stay, after what has arguably been his finest season at Arsenal since joining from Atlético Madrid in 2020.

“Yeah, in regards to Thomas, consistency-wise, it’s been his best season,” said Arteta when quizzed about Partey’s future.

“I think the way he’s played, performed, his availability has been exceptional, and he’s a really important player for us.”

Thomas Partey keen to leave Arsenal as Besiktas hold talks

Now, as per Turkish news website Fanatik, the midfield general is actually becoming more tempted by the exit door.

They report that Partey is eager to leave Arsenal and start the next chapter of his career, and Besiktas are the first club to make an “official move” for him. The Süper Lig giants apparently held “positive” talks with Partey’s main representative, and he is top of Besiktas’ list of targets.

Depending on terms, the far east of Europe could be a tempting landing spot, and this isn’t the first time that clubs from Turkey have been linked with a move for Partey, as he reportedly attracted interest from the Turks and Saudi Arabia last year.

Called a “big player” by Arteta, Partey has proved that time and time again throughout this term with some exceptional midfield displays, and his injury problems have now also become a thing of the past.

Losing such an experienced and proven member of the Arsenal squad would undoubtedly come as a blow, especially on a free, so it is unlikely that Andrea Berta will give up easily when it comes to tempting him with an extension.