Sunderland’s rapid-fire business so far this summer has certainly entertained those watching on.

To date, the Premier League newcomers have welcomed in eight fresh faces that have cost an alleged £140m in total, with their ninth purchase now in the offing as a deal to bring in Marc Guiu on loan from Chelsea for the season edges nearer to being completed.

With Regis Le Bris also now tied down to a contract until 2028 in the Stadium of Light dug-out, this summer has been an extremely smooth operation for the most part, with Jobe Bellingham’s exit to Borussia Dortmund also swiftly forgotten about.

Guiu might not be the only striker addition signed off on before September’s looming deadline, however, as a deal to bring in an experienced free-agent forward might also be on the cards.

Sunderland made ambitious move for free agent

Sunderland could well be looking to add in more Premier League experience to their ranks, away from Guiu’s addition, with Granit Xhaka the only presence in their squad who has tasted the harshness of the division previously.

They have certainly tried to bring in some seasoned heads, with a new report from talkSPORT revealing that the Black Cats had lined up an ambitious play to bring Dominic Calvert-Lewin in on a free transfer, after his Everton contract had expired.

Unfortunately for Le Bris and Co., despite their obvious ambition being on full display, the injury-prone striker has decided to keep his options open for the time being, in the hope that a team higher up the Premier League standings decides to gamble on his free agent services.

After all, if he were to wrestle free of his injury concerns and get back to his Toffees goalscoring peak, he would be a real asset to Sunderland, or any other side, as the Wearside outfit potentially battle against the drop.

He could even become the Black Cats’ next iteration of Darren Bent, with Bent’s goalscoring exploits on Wearside somewhat slipping under the radar, much like Calvert-Lewin’s best days on Merseyside have been shoved to one side amid his constant issues in the treatment room.

How Calvert-Lewin could be the next Bent

Unfortunately, when strikers go off the boil, it often receives the most attention.

Bent’s playing days would unfortunately fizzle out by the time he was lining up for lowly Burton Albion in the Championship, but he will still be well remembered at the Stadium of Light for being an absolute menace at the peak of his powers.

Of course, his most infamous strike for the Wearside club would come against Liverpool in 2009, as a beachball inexplicably got involved with play, but he would score another 35 goals donning Sunderland red and white, away from this bizarre moment in isolation.

Bent would close out his esteemed career with 106 Premier League efforts next to his name. Calvert-Lewin is only 49 strikes shy of matching that bumper amount, despite being dismissed as an injury-plagued, wasteful presence in recent seasons.

The 11-time England international was even once viewed as a “monster” in front of goal – as he was labelled by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – for the Toffees before his career at Moyes’ side unravelled, with his output during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons in the top-flight seeing him bag a clinical 29 strikes.

Both the campaigns in question saw Everton comfortably sit in mid-table, but his reasonable seven goals during the 2023/24 season had a far more pivotal impact on proceedings, resulting in the Merseyside outfit surviving in 15th spot.

The concern will be whether or not Calvert-Lewin can wriggle free of those consistent knocks to be that same impactful presence for Le Bris’ men, with Guiu no doubt boosted subsequently by having such an experienced figure by his side as he learns and grows out on loan.

Bent’s goalscoring heroics for the Black Cats once upon a time enabled mid-table finishes in the Premier League to be a regular occurrence.

The Sheffield-born forward will hope he can offer up the same for his potential new employers as they boldly reenter the promised land.

Better signing than Xhaka: Sunderland make £26m "warrior" their top target

Sunderland is still interested in the prospect of landing this £26m star.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 6, 2025

Birmingham City and Chris Davies are now looking at signing an ex-Barcelona gem before the transfer deadline.

Birmingham City suffer shock EFL Cup defeat to Port Vale

The Blues were knocked out of the EFL Cup on Tuesday evening following a surprise 1-0 defeat to League One side Port Vale.

Jaheim Headley netted the only goal of the game, with Davies ringing the changes at St Andrew’s. Phil Neumann was the only player to keep his place in the side from the Championship victory over Oxford United, and talking after the game, the Blues boss said his side’s “normal rhythm and intensity” wasn’t there.

Attention quickly turns back to the league, with a trip to Leicester City on Friday evening, and behind the scenes, the club are also looking for one more signing before Monday’s transfer deadline.

Hendrie excited after transfer update on Birmingham and Oxlade-Chamberlain

Former Aston Villa midfielder thinks this will be a good transfer for inter-city rivals.

ByCallum Kemp Aug 21, 2025 Birmingham City looking to sign ex-Barcelona gem Mikayil Faye

According to Give Me Sport, the 11th and final Birmingham signing of the summer could be Rennes defender Mikayil Faye.

Capable of playing as a centre-back or as a left-back, Faye is someone who ‘fulfils the main criteria for the Blues’, with the club looking for someone who can cover for injured left-back Alex Cochrane.

Faye, formerly of Barcelona, had a €400m (£345m) release clause in his Nou Camp contract but signed for the Ligue 1 side on a permanent basis in 2024.

Since then, the Senegal international has made 12 senior appearances for Rennes, mainly as a centre-back.

Still just 21 years of age, Faye could be targeted over the coming days, however, GMS also state that Birmingham have alternative targets in mind.

أصدر نادي ريال مدريد بيانًا رسميًا منذ لحظات، والذي يتحدث عن الإصابة التي تعرض لها دين هويسن خلال الساعات الأخيرة، أثناء تواجده مع منتخب إسبانيا خلال فترة التوقف الدولي الجاري.

هويسن غادر معسكر منتخب إسبانيا صباح اليوم الأربعاء، وذلك عقب الإصابة التي تعرض لها والتي ورد أنها إصابة عضلية نتيجة إجهاد، بالتالي لن يلعب المدافع الشاب مع لاروخا أمام جورجيا وبلغاريا في تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة لبطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.

ويعتبر هويسن حجر أساس في تشكيلة نادي ريال مدريد، ويعول عليه المدرب تشابي ألونسو بشكل دائم، وكذلك الأمر بالنسبة للاعب الشاب مع منتخب إسبانيا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مدة غياب هويسن المتوقعة عن ريال مدريد.. وموقفه من الكلاسيكو

وقال ريال مدريد في البيان: ”بعد الفحوصات التي أجريت اليوم للاعبنا دين هويسن، والتي خضع لها من قبل الخدمات الطبية لريال مدريد، تم تشخيص إصابته في عضلة النعل”.

ولم يكشف ريال مدريد عن مدة غياب هويسن عن الملاعب، لكن الموثوقة آرانشا رودريجيز أفادت أن ابن الـ20 عامًا سوف يغيب عن الملاعب لمدة 15 يومًا.

وفي سياق متصل أفاد الصحفي الإسباني، سيرجيو كيرانتي، أن مدة غياب هويسن قد تصل إلى 12 يومًا فقط، مما يعني أنه سوف يكون جاهزًا لمواجهة ريال مدريد وبرشلونة في كلاسيكو الليجا المرتقب، ويوم 26 أكتوبر المقبل على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”.

Australia’s stand-in captain previously had surgery on the same elbow in 2019

Andrew McGlashan21-Jan-20250:46

Smith: Missing the 10k-run mark ‘hurt a little bit’

Steven Smith was fearful he had done significant damage to his elbow when he felt pain throwing in the BBL last week in what would been a major jolt to Australia’s plans in Sri Lanka.But after advice from a specialist Smith was cleared to join the training camp in Dubai where he arrived on Tuesday and is planning on resuming batting in the next couple of days. He is Australia’s captain for the two Tests in Galle with Pat Cummins on paternity leave.Related

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Smith’s scare came to the same elbow he had ligament surgery on in 2019 – which required lengthy rehab – and it was memories of that which were at the forefront of his mind at the SCG last Friday.Outlining how the problem occurred, Smith explained he had taken a catch off David Warner, flicked it back inside the rope and was then throwing the ball in when he felt the pain.”Straight away I thought ‘oh jeez, that hurt’,” Smith said. “That was a similar sort of feeling to when I ruptured my ligament back in 2019, so I was a little bit worried for a little bit. But scans showed fortunately my ligament is still intact, the one that I got repaired. I’ve got a little bit of muscle damage, and it’s a small millimetre of the ligament on the bone that’s doing something.Smith added he believes the issue may have stemmed from a blow he took on the shoulder from Jhye Richardson earlier in the BBL which left a significant bruise on his right shoulder and led to him adjusting his throwing technique to compensate.Steven Smith will lead Australia in Sri Lanka•Getty Images

While he has been cleared of major problems with the elbow, Smith may be limited in how much he can throw in the field although as he will largely be a close catcher in a series where spin is expected to dominate that shouldn’t be a huge issue.”In terms of batting I’m pretty comfortable I’ll be able to get into it and play with some tape on it,” he said.Smith will start the Sri Lanka series on 9999 Test runs having twice been dismissed within touching distance of the 10,000 landmark during the final Test against India at the SCG.The full Australia squad, minus injured left-arm spinnerMatt Kuhnemann, is now in Dubai with Beau Webster and Mitchell Starc having arrived yesterday alongside Smith. They are preparing at the ICC Academy on bespoke pitches to replicate conditions they expect to face in Sri Lanka.”I was watching a bit there and there was a lot of variation in the spin and some bounce as well,” Smith said. “That’s the reason we are here in Dubai, we are able to do what we want to do with these wickets, try and help guys develop game plans when it does get extreme. Guys are going to learn over this week and hold us in good stead for the tour.”An update on Kuhnemann’s availability is expected in the next couple of days after he underwent surgery on a compound fracture-dislocation in his right thumb suffered in the BBL last week.

After Daniel Farke publicly requested attacking arrivals more than once, Leeds United got to work on deadline day and even had a deal agreed to sign an impressive winger at one stage.

Although some will be disappointed that certain deals didn’t get over the line, it was still a busy summer at Elland Road. The 49ers got off to a rapid start, welcoming the likes of Jaka Bijol and then Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff, but soon found it more difficult when attempting to sign the attacking reinforcements that Farke requested.

In the end, the Whites were forced to settle for the 10 signings that they had completed and the £101m that the 49ers splashed out to welcome those additions. But it wasn’t for the want of trying.

Those at Elland Road attempted to solve their attacking problems with Igor Paixao early in the window before he joined Marseille. It was then a familiar story when chasing Facundo Buonanotte, who joined Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Both players would have made a difference to the current frontline and there’s no doubt that all involved at the club will be frustrated to have missed their targets.

Leeds launched late bid to sign "standout" star who was desperate to move

Daniel Farke wanted an attacking option.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 2, 2025

None more so, however, than Farke, who said before the season got underway: “We are not naive. We know that even in comparison to our Championship offence you could say that we are not much improved.”

Whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor have changed the German’s stance remains to be seen, but what certainly would have helped is if Leeds managed to get the late target that they were gunning for on deadline day.

Leeds had late deal agreed for Wilson

In one final blow on deadline day, Leeds had a deal agreed to sign Harry Wilson before Fulham pulled the plug, according to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs.

The Whites reportedly met their asking price before Fulham changed their stance and, by deadline day, wanted to re-negotiate. Even after Leeds’ improved offer that led to an agreement and subsequent deal sheet, however, the West London club called the transfer off. It was one last act to sum up a summer full of frustration for the 49ers.

It remains to be seen if the deal is revisited in January, but it would certainly be interesting to see him in a Leeds shirt. It wasn’t so long ago that the Welshman was silencing Elland Road with a goal and an assist to help Derby County on their way to play-off victory.

Ultimately, Marco Silva didn’t want to lose his man and a player that he’s been full of praise of in the past. The former Everton boss told reporters last season: “He’s an important player and a very good player for us. Of course the feeling for him against Brentford is fantastic and he’s probably thinking right now, ‘why don’t I play against Brentford every week?’.”

Sunderland are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017 and have been splashing the cash under owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.

The Black Cats have Regis Le Bris to thank for taking them out of the Championship and back into the top flight, with their transfer record being broken on numerous occasions in 2025 as a result.

Related England legend said Sunderland star was the best he'd seen and as good as Owen and Figo

The Black Cats would love to have him back in their current squad…

Posts ByBen Goodwin Jun 4, 2025

But who tops the charts as Sunderland’s most expensive addition of all time?

Sunderland’s most expensive signings of all time

Rank

Player

Fee

Signed from

Year

1

Habib Diarra

£27m

Strasbourg

2025

2

Simon Adingra

£21m

Brighton

2025

3

Enzo Le Fee

£19.3m

AS Roma

2025

4

Chemsdine Talbi

£18m

Club Brugge

2025

5

Brian Brobbey

£17.3m

Ajax

2025

6

Noah Sadiki

£15m

Royale Union Saint-Gilloise

2025

7

Didier Ndong

£13.6m

Lorient

2016

=8

Granit Xhaka

£13m

Bayer Leverkusen

2025

=8

Asamoah Gyan

£13m

Rennes

2010

10

Steven Fletcher

£12m

Wolves

2012

11

Omar Alderete

£10.4m

Getafe

2025

=12

Jack Rodwell

£10m

Man City

2014

=12

Darren Bent

£10m

Tottenham

2009

14

Nordi Mukiele

£9.5m

PSG

2025

=15

Wahbi Khazri

£9m

Bordeaux

2016

=15

Craig Gordon

£9m

Hearts

2007

=15

Ricardo Alvarez

£9m

Inter Milan

2015

=15

Robin Roefs

£9m

NEC Nijmegen

2025

=15

Jozy Altidore

£9m

AZ Alkmaar

2013

20

Jeremain Lens

£8m

Dynamo Kiev

2015

Detailed look at Sunderland’s 10 most expensive signings… 10 Steven Fletcher £12m from Wolves

Experienced striker Steven Fletcher arrived at Sunderland in 2012 after taking his first steps in English football with Burnley and Wolves.

The Scottish forward was 25 at the time of his move and would go on to spend four years at the Stadium of Light. His final months on the books with the Black Cats saw him on loan at French side Marseille.

9 Asamoah Gyan £13m from Rennes

After starring for Ghana at the 2010 World Cup, Sunderland made Asamoah Gyan their record signing on deadline day ahead of the 2010/11 season.

The Black Cats signed Gyan to replace Kenwyne Jones, and he would go on to score 11 goals in 37 appearances, leaving a year later.

8 Granit Xhaka £13m from Bayer Leverkusen

Former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka returned to England with a move to Sunderland in 2025 from Bayer Leverkusen.

The Switzerland international helped Leverkusen win the Bundesliga in 2024 and cost the Black Cats an initial £13m which could rise with add-ons.

7 Didier Ndong £13.6m from Lorient

Sunderland’s record signing for nearly nine years was midfielder Didier Ndong, who cost the Black Cats just under £14m in August 2016.

The Gabon international struggled in England and was a part of the Sunderland side that were relegated in 2017, and he would then join Watford on loan in January 2018 as the Black Cats suffered back-to-back relegations.

Ndong was under contract until 2021 but his deal was terminated in 2018 after he failed to return to the club.

6 Noah Sadiki £15m from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise

One of a number of big-money signings in 2025 was midfielder Noah Sadiki, who cost £15m from Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

Sadiki was also wanted by fellow promoted side Leeds United but opted to choose Sunderland instead.

5 Brian Brobbey £17.3m from Ajax

Sunderland’s 2025 spending spree continued right up until the final hours, with Brian Brobbey arriving from Ajax.

The Black Cats acted quickly after Chelsea recalled Marc Guiu and spent more than £17m on the Dutch attacker.

4 Chemsdine Talbi £18m from Club Brugge

Promising winger Chemsdine Talbi also arrived at the Stadium of Light following Sunderland’s Premier League return.

The Moroccan international impressed for Club Brugge and signed a five-year deal.

3 Enzo Le Fee £19.3m from AS Roma

After helping Sunderland win promotion to the Premier League, Enzo Le Fee’s move to the Stadium of Light became permanent.

The obligation to buy the attacking midfielder from Roma set the Black Cats back just under £20m, with Le Fee signing a four-year deal.

2 Simon Adingra £21m from Brighton

After shining for Brighton & Hove Albion since 2023, winger Simon Adingra was yet another player who Sunderland splashed the cash on after returning to the top flight.

An Ivory Coast international, Adingra signed a five-year contract and there are also potential add-ons to increase an initial £21m fee.

1 Habib Diarra £27m from Strasbourg

Standing at the top of the charts as Sunderland’s record signing is central midfielder Habib Diarra.

The Senegal international captained at starred for Ligue 1 side Strasbourg at the age of 21, which resulted in the Black Cats pipping Leeds to a huge £27m transfer.

Shadab Khan returns to the T20I side as vice-captain, while Rizwan retains his ODI captaincy

Danyal Rasool04-Mar-2025

Salman Agha captained Pakistan to a 2-1 series win in Zimbabwe recently•ICC via Getty Images

Pakistan have shuffled the deck once more in an attempt to find the right T20I combination, dropping captain Mohammad Rizwan as well as Babar Azam for the five-match series in New Zealand.In the first squad announced since Pakistan’s ignominious exit from a home Champions Trophy, there are several changes, including the return of Shadab Khan – also appointed vice-captain, and the awarding of the T20I captaincy to Rizwan’s deputy Salman Agha. On the ODI front, Rizwan retains his captaincy, but Shaheen Afridi has been dropped.According to a PCB release, Mohammad Haris returns after an extended spell out of the national side, while Saim Ayub remains absent with the ankle injury he picked up in South Africa. Hasan Nawaz, the 22-year old wicketkeeper who has played just 21 T20s, is in the squad. Abdul Samad, the 27-year-old big-hitting batter who is also yet to play PSL cricket, comes in after a positive domestic T20 tournament showing. Quetta Gladiators batter Omair Yousuf earns a call-up as Pakistan pivot sharply away from their experienced batters in the format.Pakistan’s white-ball squads for their tour of New Zealand•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

There are fewer changes in the bowling department, with the make-up roughly the same as it was for their recent T20I series in South Africa. Afridi and Haris Rauf are part of the squad, but Naseem Shah – who last played T20Is against Australia in November – remains absent. Spinners Sufiyaan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed retain their places, while Khushdil Shah comes into the side.Related

Dissecting Pakistan downfall: What's the way ahead?

Pakistan face patchwork New Zealand in first test of their new T20 era

Agha promises 'fearless and high-risk' brand of cricket as Pakistan captain

Fakhar Zaman dismisses retirement talk, expects to be back 'within the month'

These changes bring an end to an unhappy, if brief, stint as T20I captain for Rizwan. He led Pakistan as full-time captain in just four completed T20Is, losing all of them. He was absent for the three T20Is in Zimbabwe, with Agha leading the team as Pakistan won 2-1.Babar’s absence, too, suggests Pakistan are once again looking to break free of the Babar-Rizwan combination at the top of the order. The duo have polarised opinion almost as soon as the combination was set up in 2020. Critics have panned them for being too-risk averse at the start in T20Is, but their reliability and consistency of run accumulation, set in contrast against an oft-misfiring middle order, had seen Pakistan continue to return to them.The ODI squad doesn’t include such drastic changes, except for the omission of Afridi. He was Pakistan’s best bowler in their ODI series wins in South Africa and Australia. Rizwan retains the ODI captaincy and Babar is in the squad, while Abdullah Shafique returns after being dropped for the Champions Trophy. Left-arm quick Akif Javed earns a maiden ODI squad selection while Sufiyaan Muqeem returns as well.Pakistan play five T20Is in New Zealand starting March 16, followed by three ODIs.Pakistan T20I squad: Hasan Nawaz, Omair Yousuf, Mohammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Salman Agha (capt), Irfan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyaan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Usman KhanPakistan ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (capt), Salman Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Irfan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.

In another world, James Trafford would be making an emotional and triumphant return on Saturday to Manchester City with Burnley as the Clarets' shot-stopping extraordinaire. But instead he will be watching his former side take on City from the bench, watching the recently crowned Yashin trophy winner Gianluigi Donnarumma keep goal instead.

Trafford was one of the hottest properties in the goalkeeping market after his record-breaking season with Burnley last year, conceding just 16 goals in the Championship and boasting a save percentage of 85 percent. He looked destined to move to Newcastle United and the Magpies would have been a fine destination for him, offering him Champions League football for the first time. But City, who he left for Burnley in 2023 without making a first team appearance, had placed a matching clause in the terms of his contract and it allowed them to equal Newcastle's bid and take Trafford back to the Etihad Stadium.

It was a surprise move but there was a certain logic to it from Trafford's point of view as Ederson was winding down his long spell at City with one year left on his contract and the No. 1 spot was up for grabs. But the Brazilian fast-tracked his exit to join Fenerbahce towards the end of the transfer window and City jumped at the opportunity to sign Donnarumma.

Now Trafford is competing with arguably the top goalkeeper in the world, who has been performing at the highest level for the last decade but is only 26. And after starting the first three Premier League games of the season, Trafford is now confined to the bench for league and European games, with games in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup likely to be his only source of minutes unless Donnarumma gets injured or his form dramatically declines.

With Trafford likely regretting his decision to return to City and reports emerging already of him seeking a loan move in January, GOAL takes a look at other transfer decisions which quickly backfired from the point of view of the player…

• Getty
  

  Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid to Barcelona, 2019)

  Antoine Griezmann made a real song and dance of his choice to resist the temptation of a move to Barcelona from Atletico Madrid in 2018, following in the footsteps of Lebron James and making a documentary called 'The Decision' in which he weighed up the pros and cons of joining Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou. He opted to stay at Atletico and signed a new contract. And that was where the matter should have ended.

  But after all that, Griezmann signed for Barca anyway just one year later, infuriating Atletico directors and supporters who thought the Frenchman had committed his entire career to them. Barca, meanwhile, were already suspicious of a player who had let them down a year before. Griezmann was weighed down by his €120m (£104m/$140m) transfer fee and flopped at Barca, struggling to combine with Messi and Luis Suarez. 

  In his first season he scored only nine La Liga goals, his worst tally in eight years and which remains the fourth worst of his career. The departure of Suarez only made things worse as the Uruguayan inspired Atletico to win the title. Griezmann returned to Atletico after two miserable years in which he won zero league titles and Barca were humiliated in the Champions League.

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• Getty
  

  Alvaro Morata (Juventus to Real Madrid, 2016)

  The Spanish striker's career had taken off at Juventus after leaving Real Madrid in 2014. He had scored his share of crucial goals, including to take the Old Lady to the Champions League final at Madrid's expense and to win the Coppa Italia final. But Real had inserted a buy-back clause in the terms of his transfer and they exercised it in 2016. 

  It must have been hard for Morata to resist the lure of returning to his boyhood club but a quick look at the world class quality in their attack, which included Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in their prime, should have told him that he was rarely going to be a starter back at the Santiago Bernabeu.

  So it proved and although Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League and Morata scored 18 goals, he was never a regular player for Zinedine Zidane's side, starting 14 league games and just once in Europe. He left Madrid after just one season to join Chelsea, a move which turned out to be an even bigger disaster. He is now back in Italy at Como, the seventh club and 10th separate spell in a career where he never settled anywhere for more than two years.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United to Man City, 2022)

  Kalvin Phillips' transfer to City in the summer of 2022 made sense at the time, as the midfielder had honed his playing style at Leeds United under Marcelo Bielsa, one of Pep Guardiola's coaching mentors, and played a key role in England's run to the final of the European Championship a year earlier.

  But Phillips got off to a difficult start at the Etihad as he injured his shoulder in a friendly against Barcelona and needed to have surgery. Guardiola then questioned Phillips' lifestyle by accusing him of returning from the 2022 World Cup overweight and kept leaving him out of the starting line up, including when he rotated the rest of his squad for the FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United.

  Not even a three-match suspension for Rodri in the first half of the following campaign could help Phillips stake a claim for a regular role, and he left City for loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich Town having made just six starts in all competitions, three of which City went on to lose. Phillips' stock had been so badly damaged that there were no takers for him last summer, leaving him no choice but to return to City. He made a surprise return to action against Huddersfield Town in the Carabao Cup this week.

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• Hulton Archive
  

  Paul Gascoigne (Newcastle to Tottenham, 1988)

  Paul Gascoigne may have had many magical moments at Tottenham but his decision to move to Spurs over Manchester United is one of the great what-ifs in football. Gazza had given Sir Alex Ferguson his word and was all set to move to the Red Devils from boyhood club Newcastle but changed his mind and went to Spurs instead after they agreed to buy a car for his dad and a sunbed for his sister. 

  Gazza's career was famously destroyed by his alcoholism – plus some nasty injuries – and the popular perception is that Ferguson, who put an end to United's drinking culture when he took charge, would have straightened him out. The legendary manager later revealed that not signing Gascoigne was his biggest regret. "I think if we'd have got him, he would have had a great career, I really do. I'm not saying he didn't have a good career but he would have had a better career with us," he said in 2021.

  Gascoigne, however, disputes that. He told the Rest is Football podcast: "People always say it would have been different if I'd signed for Man United, he would have kept us under control. Well, Eric Cantona two-footed someone in the neck in the stands, Wayne Rooney went with a granny and Ryan Giggs went with his brother's wife. So, I might have fitted in."

Glasgow Rangers signed central midfielder Joe Rothwell to add some poise and class to their options in the middle of the park earlier this summer.

The English metronome joined on a permanent basis from Premier League side Bournemouth, after playing a part in Leeds United’s 100-point Championship title-winning season last term.

Unfortunately, though, Rothwell has yet to show his class on the pitch for the Light Blues. He was subbed off at half-time in the 6-0 hammering against Club Brugge and only played eight minutes off the bench against Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday.

Rangers eyeing move for new midfielder

The experienced ace may end up finding himself further down the pecking order after the deadline passes tonight, as the club have set their sights on another number six.

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 L’Equipe, Glasgow Rangers are one of the clubs interested in a deal to sign central midfielder Pierre Ekwah from Saint-Etienne today.

The report claims that Levante and Rangers are both keen on tying up a deadline day move for the French star, who wants to leave his current club after they were relegated from Ligue 1.

It states that the Light Blues are considering an approach to sign Ekwah, who joined Saint-Etienne from Sunderland for £5m this summer, if they are able to move a player on to make way for him, although it is unclear as to who that player would be.

What Pierre Ekwah could bring to Rangers

The former Black Cats man could be exactly what Russell Martin needs at the base of his midfield to improve the defence, as an instant upgrade on Rothwell.

Rangers have already conceded 17 goals this season, and failed to win any of their four matches in the Scottish Premiership, and signing a defensive midfield enforcer like Ekwah could provide the back four with the protection that they clearly need.

In four outings in the Premiership this season, Rothwell has averaged 2.0 tackles and interceptions per game and only won 50% of his physical duels, per Sofascore, which does not suggest that he is a defensive powerhouse.

Appearances

29

Pass accuracy

88%

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.6

Error led to goal

0

Duel success rate

57%

Duels won per game

5.0

Aerial duel success rate

71%

As you can see in the table above, Ekwah has the potential to offer more to the team out of possession by making more tackles and interceptions and winning a higher percentage of his duels with opposition players.

Ekwah, who Tony Mowbray claimed could do “amazing” things with his feet, also ranked within the top 34% of midfielders in Ligue 1 for progressive passes (5.29) per 90, which shows that he is also adept at playing forward passes to spark attacks.

This means that he is not only a defensive monster who can break up play, but he can also play with the ball and build attacks, which is important in a Rangers team that want to dominate and win games consistently.

Overall, Ekwah’s performances in a greater league, one of the major leagues in Europe, suggest that he would be a significant upgrade on Rothwell in the number six position and go a long way to improving the team’s worrying defensive issues.

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عدد مارينكو جورينديك المدير الرياضي السابق لفريق أوجسبورج الألماني، مميزات الدنماركي ييس توروب مدرب النادي الأهلي الجديد، الذي كان يقود الفريق الألماني خلال الموسم الماضي.

وقال جورينديك خلال تصريحات لبرنامج “هاتريك” المذاع على قناة “أون سبورت 2”: “توروب مدرب رائع، ويعمل بجد، وعمل لأعوام كثيرة في الدوريات الكبرى، وأيضًا مع أوجسبورج الألماني، فهو فعلاً مدرب يستحق كلمة مدرب أو مدير فني على أعلى مستوى من وجهة نظري”.

وأضاف: “عملت معه وأعرفه منذ 15 عامًا، وعمل ودرب في أقوى الدوريات الخمس الأوروبية، أستطيع القول، أقوى 10 فرق في الدوريات الكبرى، وأعرفه جيدًا، فهو شخصية لديها السلطة القوية الحكيمة في التعامل مع اللاعبين، يتحمل دائمًا المسؤولية، ودائمًا ما ينشر الطاقة الإيجابية مع فريقه ومع العاملين معه، يستطيع العمل على صنع الحماس، ودائمًا يعمل على تحفيز اللاعبين وتقويتهم، ويجعلهم دائمًا جاهزين لأي تحدٍّ”.

طالع | ييس توروب: الخطيب حدثني عن تاريخ الأهلي.. وشعرت بعظمة هذا النادي

وواصل: “هو دائمًا إنسان يسمع، ولديه الكثير من المرونة في التعامل، نستطيع العمل معه بكل حب، فدائمًا ما نجلس سويًا ونستعد دائمًا لأي سوق انتقالات، هذا ما يؤدي دائمًا إلى نجاح الخطة والاستراتيجية التي يضعها النادي وأضعها أنا كمدير رياضي للنادي، فدائمًا ما نساعد بعضنا في تحقيق ذلك بنجاح”.

وأكمل: “في الأيام الأخيرة تواصلت مع توروب، وتحدثنا عن النادي الأهلي، هو يعلم أنه نادٍ كبير جدًا في إفريقيا، ودائمًا ما يسعى إلى تحقيق بطولات، أرى أن شخصية توروب تناسب تمامًا النادي الأهلي، وحكى لي ما حدث وما دار بينه وبين رئيس النادي الأهلي”.

وأتم: “أنا واثق تمامًا فيه، وأعلم جيدًا أنه حضّر نفسه بشكل جيد لهذه المهمة الجديدة، ويعلم تمامًا مدى قوة النادي الأهلي، وأنه نادٍ كبير وعظيم، وهو مستعد لهذه المهمة الجديدة”.

الأهلي كان قد أعلن بشكل رسمي، تعيين المدرب الدنماركي ييس توروب، مديرًا فنيًا للفريق لمدة عامين ونصف.