McSweeney’s 199-ball innings ensured South Australia’s first innings deficit was just two runs

Alex Malcolm07-Mar-2025

Nathan McSweeney brings up a half-century•Getty Images

Nathan McSweeney showcased why he remains firmly in Test calculations with a gritty half-century in the face of some phenomenal seam bowling from Scott Boland and Fergus O’Neill who took nine wickets between them to leave Victoria and South Australia locked in a tight arm wrestle after two days at the Junction Oval.O’Neill took his fifth career five-wicket haul to maintain his outstanding Sheffield Shield record, while Boland claimed 4 for 53 with spells that were every bit the equal of the best he has shown at Test level, to bowl South Australia out for 283 and give Victoria a narrow two-run first innings lead. That advantage swelled to 48 as Campbell Kellaway and Marcus Harris batted impressively in the final hour of the day.Victory is crucial for Victoria if they are to maintain a realistic chance of making the Shield final.Related

South Australia target rare double after finding winning 'belief'

Kellaway holds firm amid Buckingham and Thornton four-wicket hauls

Their lead would have been more without McSweeney’s 199-ball 60 in very challenging batting conditions. He only struck six boundaries and had to defend and leave stoutly in the face of some high-quality bowling from O’Neill and Boland who delivered 38.4 of the 67.4 overs he was out there for.He began the day on 9 off 52 balls and was unable to gain any fluency early after Jason Sangha was adjudged lbw not offering a shot to O’Neill for 19.Jake Lehmann helped break the shackles with a breezy 40 off 43 balls that included two thunderous drives down the ground. O’Neill switched ends to break the 54-run stand, nipping one back from around the wicket to pin Lehmann lbw.McSweeney started to flow from there despite the loss of Liam Scott, who was also trapped plumb infront by an excellent Xavier Crone yorker. Scott’s front foot slid from under him to leave him on all fours as the finger was raised.McSweeney kept accumulating with the help of Harry Nielsen. But O’Neill’s accuracy was unrelenting. McSweeney eventually nicked a good length delivery on off stump to Blake Macdonald at slip who held the low chance.Nielsen and Ben Manenti then counterattacked against the old ball as Boland and O’Neill rested before the new one was due. The pair added 61 for the seventh wicket before Boland returned to remove them both in quick succession.Manenti flashed a drive against the second new ball and nicked to Macdonald at first slip. Boland then nipped one back through Nielsen’s gate from around the wicket to splay off stump in almost identical fashion to Conor McInerney’s dismissal on the first evening. But Nielsen’s 45 was vital in the context of the match.Brendan Doggett and Henry Thornton combined to frustrate Victoria, adding 34 for the ninth wicket before O’Neill switched ends again to take the final two wickets. He took a sharp return catch to remove Doggett for 19 before clean bowling Jordan Buckingham.It set up a tricky 16-over period in the evening session for Kellaway and Harris to negotiate. But the pair left and defended well against the new ball while rotating the strike impressively to give Victoria the chance to build a significant lead on day three.

Inglis-Carey stand breaks England before keeper’s maiden ODI hundred seals stunning chase

Danyal Rasool22-Feb-20252:04

Agar: Inglis controlled the innings, the rest could bat around him

By the time Australia’s fourth wicket fell, Josh Inglis had switched into declutter mode. There remained more than 200 runs still to get, the asking rate nearing eight, and there wasn’t too much batting to come. There was little time to regroup and consolidate, and at the same time little room for error.None of this, Inglis understood, would be helpful to worry about. “We were in and around the run rate to start off with, so that was a big help,” Inglis said after the game. “The partnership between Shorty [Matt Short] and Marnus [Labuschagne] was really important. They sort of set the platform there, got us off to a good start. And then me and [Alex] Carey, we didn’t really say too much out there. Carey is pretty quiet when he’s batting, so I think we were going pretty well. So, I just tried to not look at the scoreboard too much, [not] look at the run rate, just keep batting the way we were going.”Australia were in pursuit of what would be the highest chase in an ICC tournament, and despite his obvious talent, Inglis hasn’t had an ODI career of particular note yet. In 28 matches, he had scored 543 runs, averaging under 22, a quickfire 65 against West Indies in February 2024 his most significant ODI contribution. If Australia were to get close, he had to produce an effort little in his career so far provided reason to expect.Related

Australia and South Africa in battle to top the group

Brydon Carse ruled out of Champions Trophy with toe injury

Stats – Duckett's record knock eclipsed by Australia's record chase

Josh Inglis 120* seals record win for Australia

Duckett delivers but England fall flat again to put tournament on the line

In the immediate term, Carey and Inglis minimised risks while keeping the asking rate under control. Like Australia, England had opted for the security of a deeper batting order, and would have to compensate for it with part-time bowling. In just the second over after the partnership came together, Carey struck two fours of Livingstone, before Inglis launched him for six the following over. It balanced out the respectful caution they treated Adil Rashid with without falling too far behind.”We trained here at night for the last couple of days and it got really dewy around half past seven or eight o’clock,” Inglis said. “So, we sort of knew that was in our favour during the run chase and if we could take it deep enough it would be tough for the bowlers at the back end. It made life easier for us, the wicket skidded on beautifully and it really helped our run chase.”And we knew if we could get close enough with Maxi [Glenn Maxwell] still to come – we’ve just seen what Maxi can do and everyone’s seen it for a while now. So, to get close enough for him to be able to explode like that at the back end was probably in the back of our thoughts.”Inglis and Carey worked the run chase so expertly they didn’t necessarily need any explosions. They added 146 in just 116 deliveries, and by the time Carey holed out to mid-off, Australia just needed to stick with a similar rate of scoring.Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell celebrate Australia’s win•Associated PressThat fireworks came via Maxwell’s bat wasn’t especially surprising; he took the sting out of England’s two gun seamers in Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, scorching them for 31 in 11 balls. Inglis, however, wasn’t far behind, his last 36 coming off just 14 balls. It included a huge six over midwicket off Archer to bring up his hundred, and another one in the same region off Wood to seal the win.”Maybe under the circumstances [it’s my best innings]. It’s really special. I think in an ICC event, you want to have an impact and you want to help your team win a game, so maybe – I’ll reflect on that in the future.”Inglis’ personal history with England perhaps adds a further layer of intrigue to the story. He was born in Leeds and only moved to Australia as a teenager, and said as recently as 2022 that he still supported England at cricket. Those days, he said today, were “long gone now”.”It doesn’t matter who it’s against,” he said. “It’s a really tight, quick tournament. We knew how we started the World Cup in India last year and we weren’t able to get a good start, we knew you can’t work your way into this Champions Trophy. You’ve got to be right on it from the first game. So, I think that’s probably the most pleasing thing, to get a win on the board in game one.”And if there’s little doubt about Inglis’ loyalties now, the same couldn’t necessarily be said about the crowed. With 26,232 packed into the new Gaddafi Stadium, Australian and English flags were visible in roughly equal measure, and celebrations at each six or wicket, almost irrespective of who they came from. The quality and intensity of the game, without doubt the best of this tournament so far, meant the spectators’ attention was held right through the end, with few leaving before Inglis had struck the final blow.”I thought the atmosphere was amazing all day today. It’s obviously the new stands. I think the ground and the stadium looks amazing. To play tonight in front of a packed crowd was unbelievable and the noise at times was deafening, especially with the Mexican wave. I saw that going around a few times and it was a really nice crowd and good atmosphere tonight.”

Derby County are scouring the market for late reinforcements and find themselves at the front of the queue to bring an exciting attacker to Pride Park.

Derby County boss John Eustace discusses transfer aims

The transfer window is soon coming to an end and John Eustace is still looking to add one or two individuals to his side in order to bolster their depth for the bulk of the EFL Championship campaign.

In particular, bringing in a winger has become a key priority for the former Blackburn Rovers boss, who is hopeful he can recruit someone to offer a different dimension across the front three.

He stated in his most recent press conference: “That would be great. But if we don’t, there are no issues and we move on. The business that the club have done up to now has been good.

“You can see we’re making big strides forward. I think some of the players that are coming in might have surprised a few that they’ve decided to join Derby County, but that’s because we’re doing the right things. They know over the next two or three seasons it’s going to be a really exciting place to be.”

After acquiring Max Johnston and Lewis Travis, Derby are keen on a late deal for Chesterfield winger Armando Dobra, who is also attracting interest from a wealth of clubs in the EFL.

Derby County line up loan move for "special" 20 y/o Premier League talent

Their Championship rivals are also keen.

ByHenry Jackson Aug 19, 2025

Further arrivals are expected, and it may well become a scenario of waiting until deadline day, where players are widely available to move freely in order to claim regular minutes.

With time ticking ahead of the close of play, Derby may now be in pole position to land a talented attacker with plenty of experience at the top level.

Derby County in pole position to land Ben Brereton Diaz

According to Football League World, Derby are in pole postion to land Southampton attacker Ben Brereton Diaz despite plenty of interest in his services from clubs abroad and in England.

After not making a single league appearance under Will Still, the Chile international looks set to depart before Monday’s deadline and Finn Azaz’s arrival on the South Coast has pushed him further down the pecking order.

Labelled “fantastic” by Chris Wilder, Diaz has featured twice in the EFL Cup this term, and completed 17 outings in the Championship circa 2024/25, registering four goals and three assists.

Nevertheless, he is now in need of a new adventure and Derby are expected to ramp up talks over the weekend to find an agreement, which could offer Eustace a wide option that can also operate through the middle to satisfy his desire for offensive options.

Derby aren’t finished yet in the window and are making tracks on the recruitment front and will hope to seal a deal in the next couple of days.

يسعى نادي برشلونة لتمديد عقد لاعبه إريك جارسيا صاحب الـ24 عاماً الذي أصبح عنصراً أساسياً في فريق هانز فليك ولم يتبق سوى ثمانية أشهر في عقده الحالي.

وقد أشارت تقارير صحفية إلى أن تشيلسي يراقب وضع إريك جارسيا وعلى استعداد للدخول في محادثات لضمه، إذا لم تتقدم مفاوضات تمديد عقده مع برشلونة.

وقال جارسيا في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية حول محادثات تجديد عقده مع برشلونة: “هناك محادثات جارية ونأمل أن تثمر في أقرب وقت ممكن”.

وسئل إريك جارسيا حول إذا كان تفكيره الوحيد هو البقاء مع برشلونة بعد هذا الموسم ليرد: “نعم”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. فيرمين لوبيز ليس بينهما.. ثنائي برشلونة على رادار تشيلسي

وحول تولي هانز فليك مسؤولية تدريب برشلونة وإقناعه بالبقاء مع الفريق: “كانت نقطة التحول مباراة بنفيكا لأن سوق الانتقالات كان ما زال مفتوحاً لكن هذه المباراة غيرت كل شيء قليلاً، كنت ألعب أكثر في تلك المباريات، ولكن عندما تدخل بديلاً ضد بنفيكا وتسجل، يعود الفريق بقوة وهناك بعض المباريات التي لسبب ما تغير وضعك قليلاً، ومنذ ذلك الوقت عرفت كيف أستغل فرصتي وأحصل على ثقة المدرب”.

وتحدث جارسيا عن خسارتي برشلونة ضد باريس سان جيرمان وإشبيلية قبل فترة التوقف الدولي وأنها جاءت في وقت مناسب: “من الجيد أن ننقطع عن اللعب ونستريح لكني أرغب في اللعب مجدداً”.

وأردف: “ضد باريس عانينا في الشوط الثاني وركضنا كثيراً خلف الكرة وهذا ما يؤثر بالسلب علينا دائماً، لقد سجلوا ضدنا في آخر دقيقة، ضد إشبيلية هناك أمور واردة في كرة القدم، لقد سنحت لنا فرصتان حقيقيتان في الشوط الثاني ولو كانوا قد سجلوا لكنا نتحدث عن عودة أخرى، إذا نظرنا للأمر بموضوعية في الدقيقة 90، كانوا متقدمين بهدفين لهدف ولا داعي لتضخيم الأمر”.

وأكمل: “لا داعي للقلق، نعرف ما نحتاج لتحسينه ومنافسونا يعرفوننا أكثر، أنا من الذين يعتقدون أنه إذا قدمنا الأداء الذي نستحقه فسيكون من الصعب جداً على أي منافس أن يهزمنا”.

وعلق على رسالة فليك للاعبين حول الغرور والنجاح: “نحن نخرج من موسم فزنا فيه بثلاث ألقاب ونشعر بقدرتنا على الفوز مجدداً بناء على ما حققناه العام الماضي، لكن خصومنا يتحسنون ويعرفوننا أكثر، لا أعتقد أنها رسالة مباشرة لغرفة الملابس، نعلم أن لدينا ما يكفي من الكفاءة بفضل التعاقدات التي أجريناها لمعادلة أداء العام الماضي وتجاوزه”.

ودافع عن تكتيكات خط الدفاع المتقدم لبرشلونة وضغط الفريق وما ذكره كوبارسي أن المهاجمين لم يقدموا أداءً كافيًا: “يبدأ ضغطنا بالمهاجمين لكن لدينا أنواع مختلفة من المهاجمين، رافينها يساعدنا كثيراً في الضغط ولم يكن معنا لأسابيع للإصابة، لكن الأمر يشبه ما قلته، يسبب لنا خصومنا ضرراً أكبر بانطلاقات الخط الثاني فهم يستغلون المساحات، هذا شيء نعمل عليه بالفعل، لكنني سأعود لما قلته سابقاً، لقد تعرضنا لهزيمتين وكل شيء يتم المبالغة فيه”.

وعلق على أسلوب اللعب تحت قيادة فليك: “الأمر محفوف بالمخاطر إذا لم تحسن التصرف، ولكن إذا أحسنت فإن معظم خصومنا يقعون في فخ التسلل، يرون مساحات واسعة تجبرهم على تمرير الكرة لكنهم يفعلون ذلك بسرعة كبيرة، نعلم أن علينا مواصلة التحسن لأن خصومنا يجدون طرقاً للتصدي، إنها طريقة لعب بشكل عام، لا تجدي نفعاً”.

وحول رحيل إينيجو مارتينيز: “إنه شخص يتمتع بكاريزما عالية ويساعد كثيراً في غرفة الملابس، هو قائد في الملعب ومن البديهي أن نفتقد أشخاص مثله”.

وسئل إذا كان يرى نفسه قائدًا لبرشلونة بعد رحيل إينيجو مارتينيز: “أمارس هذا الدور أكثر فأكثر، الناس قالوا لي إنهم يرونني قادر على ذلك، أنا قادر وإينيجو أصبح قدوة لي بعد أن رأيته يقدم أداءً رائعًا، إذا استطعت مساعدة الفريق بهذه الطريقة فأنا سعيد جداً”.

وحول تعاقد برشلونة مع ماركوس راشفورد: “مباريات البريميرليج تكون أكثر انفتاحاً وأكثر تبادلاً للهجمات، مما يمنح المهاجمين مساحة أكبر، ينتظرنا الخصوم في الخلف قليلاً ولن تكون هناك مساحة كبيرة في الخلف، راشفورد يتمتع بهذه القوة الانفجارية، والقدرة على خلق المساحات، هذا شئ مختلف قليلاً عما كان عليه هناك وهو يظهر أيضاً أنه خطير جداً في المواجهات الفردية، يمكنه مساعدتنا في العديد من المراكز، هو لاعب مهم للغاية ولديه هذه المرونة للعب في الجناح الأيسر والمهاجم والجناح الأيمن وهذا أمر مهم جداً لأي نادي”.

وأشاد جارسيا بزميله لامين يامال وطريقة إيقافه في التدريبات: “الأمر صعب للغاية، لديه موهبة وجودة، هناك ميسي وهناك يامال، لديه صفات متشابهة جداً، مع أنني لن أقول إنه يشبه ميسي لأنه في النهاية هناك ميسي واحد فقط”.

وسئل عن أكثر لاعب لم يحصل على حظه الكافي من المدح :”أعتقد أن فرينكي، وأعتقد أن فيرمين وأولمو، لاعبان يصنعان الفارق، يسجلان ويصنعان ويعملان بجد، يمكن لأولمو اللعب كمهاجم وهمي ويمكنهما اللعب معاً، هما لاعبان مهمان جداً لنا”.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is climbed the ratings list, but Lionel Messi is nowhere to be seen in the top batch of stars in the game

Standard

Standard Edition

• It's available across PC, PlayStation and Xbox
• Features over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leagues
• Experience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges

From

$69.99

Buy

Ultimate

Ultimate Edition

• Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self
•  You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slot
• Untradeable Icon Player item included

From

$89.99

Buy

+ Pre Order Bonus

Standard Edition + PO Bonus

• Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions
• Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career Players
• Will also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content

From

$59.99

Buy

Standard

Standard Edition

• It's available across PC, PlayStation and Xbox
• Features over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leagues
• Experience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges

From

$69.99

Buy

Ultimate

Ultimate Edition

• Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self
•  You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slot
• Untradeable Icon Player item included

From

$89.99

Buy

+ Pre Order Bonus

Standard Edition + PO Bonus

• Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions
• Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career Players
• Will also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content

From

$59.99

Buy

Standard

Standard Edition

• It's available across PC, PlayStation and Xbox
• Features over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leagues
• Experience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges

From

$69.99

Buy

Ultimate

Ultimate Edition

• Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self
•  You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slot
• Untradeable Icon Player item included

From

$89.99

Buy

+ Pre Order Bonus

Standard Edition + PO Bonus

• Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions
• Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career Players
• Will also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content

From

$59.99

Buy

EA Sports FC 26 will soon be splashed across screens all over the world, with the latest edition of the popular football video game being launched worldwide to fans on September 26, 2025. 

Get FC26 for 29% off nowShop now

One of the most fascinating and controversial aspects of the game is the player rating system, with keen gamers and even the players themselves arguing the toss over whether their ratings are true to reality.

The first batch of player ratings has been revealed – GOAL brings you the top-rated players on EA Sports FC 26.

Read more EA Sports FC 26 news

• Complete guide to EA Sports FC 26
• Full list of new ICONS in EA Sports FC 26
• EA Sports FC 26 stadiums list

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mohamed Salah | OVR: 91 | POS: RM | Liverpool

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Kylian Mbappe | OVR: 91 | POS: ST | Real Madrid

• Getty Images
  

  Ousmane Dembele | OVR: 90 | POS: ST | PSG

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Rodri | OVR: 90 | POS: CDM | Manchester City

Jos Buttler has resigned as England’s white-ball captain after their group-stage exit at the Champions Trophy, announcing on Friday that he will lead the side for the final time against South Africa in Karachi.England have already been eliminated from the Champions Trophy, after they lost their first two group games against Australia and Afghanistan. They prepared for the tournament with a trip to India which saw them win only one of their eight matches in Brendon McCullum’s first tour as white-ball coach.”I’m going to stand down as England captain,” Buttler said. “It’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the team. Hopefully somebody else who can come in alongside Baz will take the team to where it needs to be.” Harry Brook, Buttler’s vice-captain, is the early favourite to replace him.Buttler will continue to play for England, and said he wants to “get back to really enjoying my cricket”. He said: “The overriding emotions are still sadness and disappointment. I’m sure, in time, that will pass and I can get back to really enjoying my cricket, and [will] also be able to reflect on what an immense honour it is to captain your country and all the special things that come with it.”Related

• Ben Stokes declares he's ready for England return after hamstring surgery

• Rob Key: England would be 'stupid' not to consider Ben Stokes as ODI captain

• All-but-through SA hope to pile more misery on out-of-contention England

• McCullum: Buttler's successor will need 'right support' to lead rennaissance

• Decline and fall: England face up to scale of ODI rebuilding job

Buttler was appointed as Eoin Morgan’s successor in June 2022 and won the T20 World Cup in Australia later that year. But England’s results have declined sharply since and after three unsuccessful ICC events in a row – the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy – Buttler has decided to stand down.He hinted after England’s eight-run loss to Afghanistan on Wednesday – their ninth defeat in 10 white-ball games this year – that he would resign, saying he needed to “consider all possibilities” and work out whether he was “part of the problem or part of the solution.””It was quite clear that this tournament was going to be important: results-wise and for my captaincy,” Buttler said. “Two losses and being out of the tournament [was] a bit of a hangover of tournaments before. I’d just reached the end of the road for me and my captaincy, which is a shame and I’m sad about that.”With Brendon coming in only recently, I was really excited to work closely alongside him and hope for a very quick turnaround and to take the team forward. But it’s not quite worked out that way, so just feels like the right time for me and the team to have a change.”1:35

Buttler: ‘Right time for me and the team to have a change’

Buttler’s position came under increasing scrutiny after a sustained poor run of ODI form for England stretching back to the start of the 2023 World Cup. In defence of their World Cup title, England won just three group games out of nine and were the first team to be officially eliminated from the tournament. It began a run that has seen them lose 18 of the last 25 ODIs, including the two that put paid to their Champions Trophy campaign at the first hurdle.While he will likely go down as England’s best white-ball batter, Buttler’s ODI form, like that of the side he led, had been on a sharp downturn over the last 18 months. He averages 26.40 in his last 21 innings, with a strike rate of just over 100 – down from 115.97 over his ODI career. He managed starts in each of the two games this Champions Trophy, coming into the middle order while England had a platform to build off, but got out for 23 off 21 and 38 off 42.Brook is tipped to succeed him, though McCullum said England had not yet settled on a candidate. He praised Buttler’s leadership while saying he was “incredibly sad” to see him step down.”We’ve all seen over the last couple of years how much he’s invested in captaining his country and trying to get very best out of those guys around him,” McCullum said. “People forget that he literally won a World Cup only a couple of years ago, and that can never be taken away from him. It’s incredibly unselfish from Jos to step aside and to leave the post for someone else, and he’s still a huge player for us moving forward. I’m sure we will look at ways that we can get the best out of him in terms of his role, so he can have maximum impact as well.”Both Rob Key, managing director, England Men, and Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, paid tribute to Buttler’s time in charge.”Working with Jos has been a pleasure,” Key said. “He’s been dealt some tough challenges, but never once flinched trying to drive this team forward for the better. Nobody deserved that World Cup win in Australia more. I can’t wait to see him back in the ranks and at his best.”Gould added: “I’d like to thank Jos for all he has given in his two and a half years captaining England Men in white-ball cricket. Under his leadership, England became men’s T20 World Champions, and throughout his time as captain he has been a role model in the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch.”Jos is one of cricket’s all-time great white ball players. I’ve been lucky enough to follow his career from when he first came through as a youngster in Somerset, and I hope we still have many years to enjoy of him pulling on an England shirt.”

Leeds United are now closing in on a deal to sign another England international after already striking an agreement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a report has revealed.

Leeds pursuing another Englishman after Calvert-Lewin

Leeds have now decided to bring in Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer, upon the expiration of the 11-time England international’s Everton contract, although the 28-year-old wasn’t their first-choice striker target.

Indeed, with a deal for Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz perhaps being deemed unfeasible, the Whites have moved to bring in the former Everton man to lead the line next season, and he is vastly experienced at Premier League level, having scored 57 top-flight goals.

Having now secured the signing of a centre-forward, Daniel Farke can focus on strengthening other areas of his squad, and the manager remains keen on bringing in a new full-back, according to a report from Leeds United News.

It has now been revealed that Leeds are closing in on a deal to sign Leicester City’s James Justin, having recently advanced talks to bring the defender, who can play at right-back or left-back, to West Yorkshire.

Farke is keen to bring in a versatile defender, capable of covering on either side, meaning Justin fits the bill, while the fact he is homegrown is another benefit for the Whites.

Reports from elsewhere have revealed the 27-year-old could be available for the cut-price fee of just £6m this summer, following the Foxes’ relegation from the Premier League, but there could be competition for his signature, with Everton also keen.

Justin could be ideal option for Farke at full-back

Not only is the one-time England international versatile enough to play on either side, but he is also a well-rounded full-back, capable of making a real difference at both ends of the pitch.

The Leicester ace has been lauded as “adventurous” by pundit Tony Cascarino, and amassed four goal contributions for Leicester in the Premier League during the 2024-25 campaign, while he also has some stellar defensive attributes.

Offer made: Leeds tabled near club-record £34.5m bid to sign "revelation"

The Whites have now tabled a big offer for a forward.

1 ByDominic Lund Aug 13, 2025

Indeed, the Luton-born full-back has performed very well from a defensive point of view over the past year, and proved himself as a dominant force in the air.

Statistic

Average per 90

Interceptions

1.42 (87th percentile)

Blocks

1.48 (86th percentile)

Clearances

4.36 (96th percentile)

Aerials won

2.13 (97th percentile)

Farke is well-known to have deliberately set out to improve the average height of his squad this summer, in a bid to boost his side’s survival chances, and Justin’s aerial prowess, coupled with his ability in both boxes, could make the defender an ideal signing for Leeds.

Leeds United have made a surprise approach to sign a new striker who has won the Champions League.

Leeds want more attacking signings before the transfer deadline

The Whites fell to an embarrassing EFL Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday evening, with the Championship side fielding a team mostly filled with youngsters.

Daniel Farke, meanwhile, started summer signings Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, Sean Longstaff, Noah Okafor and Lukas Nmecha, however, Leeds were knocked out on penalties after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes.

After completing 10 senior signings, more attacking additions are wanted at Elland Road before the deadline, with journalist Graeme Bailey saying Leeds want a winger and number 10.

"Tough to take" – Leeds and Farke now given new injury blow to "key" star

It’s not good news for the Whites.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 27, 2025

With days remaining in the transfer window, it looks as if the 49ers Enterprises have turned to a new attacking target and have had a reply.

Leeds make surprise approach for Timo Werner

A versatile forward who appears to be on Leeds’ radar is former Chelsea and Tottenham striker Timo Werner.

According to reports in Germany, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds made a surprise approach to sign Werner from RB Leipzig. As well as those in Yorkshire, fellow promoted side Burnley have also been in contact to bring the German back to England, however, Werner has snubbed both Leeds and Burnley.

Werner also hasn’t entertained the possibility of moving to Italy, Turkey and Saudi Arabia and is under contract with Leipzig until 2026.

Games

Goals

RB Leipzig

213

113

Stuttgart

103

14

Chelsea

89

23

Tottenham

41

3

Germany

57

24

Scoring 177 senior goals during his career, Werner can play anywhere across the front three but struggled in the 2024/25 Premier League season, failing to score in 18 appearances.

He was also criticised by former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou after the forward’s Europa League display against Rangers.

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds [in the squad], it [that performance] is not acceptable to me. I said that to Timo, he’s a German international.

“In the moment we’re in right now – it’s not like we’ve got many options – I need everyone to at least be going out there and trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.

“We need everybody, including him, to be contributing because we don’t have the depth to leave people out if they perform poorly. I expect a level of performance from some of the senior guys, and tonight wasn’t that.”

Werner is a Champions League winner, and at the age of 29, could have represented a solid signing, but it looks as if a transfer won’t be happening in the final days of the window.

After a disappointing season in 2024/25, Manchester City will be desperate to bounce back next term. Pep Guardiola’s side have been active in the summer transfer window, as they look to improve on their third-place finish and Champions League play-off elimination to Real Madrid.

There have already been six new faces through the door at the Etihad Stadium this summer. Rayan Cherki, his namesake Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders all joined before the Club World Cup, a competition City were dumped out of at the quarter-final stage. They’ve also added young talent Sverre Nypan, and goalkeepers James Trafford and Marcus Betinelli.

With two shot-stoppers already signed this summer, it seems that Guardiola wants to bring in a third.

Manchester City’s next summer target

It seems like it will be all change for City this summer between the posts. Two new faces are already signed, and Ederson could leave, with reports at the start of the month suggesting Galatasaray could pursue a move.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, City are lining up a move for another new goalkeeper, with Football Insider claiming they ‘are entering the race’ to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Gianluigi Donnarumma.

They have recently ‘expressed an interest’ in signing the Italian and Hugo Viana’s transfer team are now ‘exploring a move’ for the goalkeeper.

However, this will not be a straightforward deal to do. City are set to face competition from arch-rivals Manchester United, who are also interested in a move for the Euro 2020 winner. As for the fee, it was reported that as much as £43m would be enough to seal the deal for City in the coming weeks.

Why Donnaraumma would be a good signing

One of the heroes of PSG’s Champions League victory last season, Italian shot-stopper Donnarumma, is about to enter his peak years.

He is just 26 years of age, having first broken through for AC Milan back in 2015/16. Back then, he was described as a “phenom” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Last term, that ability shone through as PSG lifted their first Champions League title. He conceded just 43 goals in 47 games for the French giants, keeping 17 clean sheets in that time.

It is saves like that one against Leandro Trossard which led him to be nominated for the Yashin Trophy. Indeed, Donnarumma’s stats from the 2024/25 Champions League campaign are superb.

In 15 matches, he conceded 14 goals and had a save percentage of 72%.

Clean sheets

0.4

6

Goals conceded

0.9

14

Expected goals conceded

1xGC

15.7xGC

Saves

2.3

36

Save percentage

72%

72%

Accurate long balls

3.6

55

Goals prevented

0.11

1.69

Interestingly, too, there could certainly be similarities drawn between Donnarumma and former City maverick Mario Balotelli. The journeyman centre-forward was once described as a “crazy” character but “one of the nicest guys ever” by former teammate at the Etihad Stadium, Micah Richards.

Away from some of the controversy that followed the former Italy striker, he was an important player for City, helping them to win the Premier League in 2011/12.

That season, he bagged 13 goals in 23 top-flight games, and ended his career in East Manchester with 30 strikes in 80 appearances.

Already, the similarities are there to see. Two Italian superstars who have both been in the spotlight for a number of years. In fact, the word “crazy” was also used to describe Donnarumma, who said himself back in 2017 that he is “the most crazy one in the team”.

Of course, let’s not forget, Balotelli is also a former Milan player, just like the Italy goalkeeper. That further increases the similarities between the pair, with their careers potentially crossing over in many ways.

It is easy to see how Donnarumma could be the second coming of Balotelli. Both are strong characters who have dealt with the pressure of the spotlight and know a thing or two about winning.

City fans would surely love to have a character as big as Donnarumma in the dressing room, in what could be seen as a real throwback to Balotelli’s time at the club.

He's like Rodrygo: Man City make approach to sign "exceptional" £61m talent

As Manchester City target a move to sign Rodrygo, have they also entered the race, up against a rival, to sign a “fascinating” talent valued at £60m?

Aug 12, 2025

Liverpool won the Premier League at a canter last season, but significant changes across the past several months have left Arne Slot’s side looking somewhat imbalanced across the opening weeks of the campaign.

The Reds have relied on last-gasp winners against Bournemouth and Newcastle United in their opening matches of the term, shipping goals in both, though a glass-half-full perspective would suggest that Liverpool’s title-winning mentality is very much intact.

However, Mohamed Salah has been among those to suggest that the tweaks could have had an effect on the Anfield side, the Egyptian King acknowledging that the likes of Arsenal have strengthened considerably over the off-season months.

If Liverpool hope to defend their league title and push for silverware across further fronts, it’s vital that one or two more faces are welcomed through the door, with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak still a priority for sporting director Richard Hughes and co.

Liverpool's last-minute plans

The fight to sign Isak and complete Liverpool’s frontline has gone on and on this summer, but it appears to be coming to an exciting head for Slot’s outfit, with the Magpies having this week signed Stuttgart’s promising striker Nick Woltemade for a club-record £69m fee.

24/25

42

27

6

23/24

40

25

2

22/23

27

10

3

Isak scored 27 goals across all competitions for United last season, winning the Carabao Cup and sealing Champions League qualification.

Liverpool might have landed a top attacking talent in Ekitike, but they have sold Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, and Isak would come with the guarantee of world-class output in the final third across the duration of the season and beyond.

A deal was reportedly agreed in the late hours of Sunday evening and, at long, long last, the Swede is set to move to Anfield.

It’s a deal worth £130m according to some reports, and it’s a signing that more than puts Liverpool in the driver’s seat for winning the top-flight.

However, Isak isn’t the only Premier League star on FSG’s radar at this late stage, with someone at the other end of the pitch anticipated to join in the coming days.

Liverpool submit late proposal

As per Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have submitted an official proposal for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, having fought to sign the England star over the past several weeks.

Palace have resisted the Reds’ attempts to land the defender, who has entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park, but chairman Steve Parish has moved to sign replacements and the signs suggest Guehi is on the brink of sealing his move to Merseyside.

FSG have offered £35m flat for the 25-year-old, looking to close the deal with the view that Ibrahima Konate has entered the final 12 months of his deal and has yet to strike new terms with the Anfield side.

Why Liverpool need to seal late Guehi move

Liverpool signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma for £30m earlier in August. The 18-year-old defender is regarded as one of the great talents of his age bracket and has been integrated right into the first-team fold.

However, too much expectation can wear on an up-and-coming prospect, and adding Guehi to the mix would ensure that the Reds have enough depth in the rearguard to challenge across multiple fronts this season.

Matches (starts)

34 (34)

17 (14)

Goals

3

1

Assists

2

0

Touches*

64.9

46.9

Pass completion

84%

89%

Key passes*

0.5

0.1

Ball recoveries*

4.3

2.0

Dribbles*

0.4

0.2

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

1.7

Clearances*

4.6

3.6

Duels (won)*

4.9 (59%)

2.5 (61%)

Errors made

2

1

Given the need for such a player and the probability that any deal would be finalised on deadline day, Guehi could even prove to be Liverpool’s finest last-minute signing since Luis Suarez way back when, with the Uruguayan striker joining from Ajax for around £23m in January 2011 after Fernando Torres left for Chelsea.

One of the greatest forwards in Premier League history, Suarez scored 82 goals and laid on 32 assists across all competitions, playing 133 times for the Reds.

Guehi, who is 25, could lead a similar legacy, albeit adding different positional value to Slot’s version of Liverpool.

Hailed as a “monster in defence” by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, the Three Lions talent might not be directly replacing one of the club’s star members of the backline, but Konate’s long-term future is in doubt, and Virgil van Dijk will soon meet the twilight years of his illustrious career.

And like Suarez, Guehi is more than what his position suggests he might be skilled in. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for through balls and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90.

Such is the capacity of his skill set. Though Guehi would fetch a sizeable figure for one approaching free agency, Liverpool feel that his experience, quality and potential yet to be reached make for a compelling piece of business, should they get it done.

Suarez might not have played the prime years of his career Liverpool but he certainly left his mark on the Premier League, almost single-handedly dragging Brendan Rodgers’ side in 2013/14 to the league title.

Guehi would find a squad of greater depth and talent upon arrival in the coming days, and would hope to go one better and claim the prized trophy.

Liverpool have strengthened across the park this summer, and with deals for Isak and Guehi wrapped up before the end of the transfer window, few could deny that FSG will have equipped Slot with everything he needs to take last season’s success, solidify it, and use it as a springboard for another sustained period of success.

Higher ceiling than Isak: Liverpool ready late approach to sign £80m star

Liverpool are eyeing a move for a Premier League star man, amid their pursuit of Alexander Isak

2 ByWill Miller Aug 31, 2025