Harry Kane was left delighted with Bayern Munich's impressive 3-1 win against Chelsea in the opening fixture of the Champions League. The reigning Bundesliga champions opened their campaign by convincingly defeating the Club World Cup winners at Allianz Arena, with the England international scoring two goals.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is reportedly set for six weeks on the sidelines after Real Madrid confirmed the full extent of his new injury. The England international lasted less than five minutes on the pitch on his Champions League debut for Madrid as he was forced off with a muscle issue against Marseille on Tuesday. Dani Carvajal came on as a replacement but the Spaniard was later sent off for headbutting an opponent.
There are nerves in the air at Leeds United at the moment as the brand new Premier League season gets closer and closer by the day.
The newly promoted Whites have been very active in the transfer window so far, as seen in seven fresh faces joining Daniel Farke’s ranks this summer to date, but the German is still hesitant about his side’s top-flight acumen heading into the anxious opening run of matches.
In particular, the German is concerned about the options he has at his disposal up top, with both Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford out of his first-team plans.
Whilst adding in more depth up top looks to be crucial, Leeds wouldn’t say no to additions elsewhere, as a fresh midfielder is now also eyed up.
Before exploring further as to who Leeds could add to the midfield department, it’s clear that the Whites want more Premier League-capable striker options, and fast.
Beto, who Leeds were linked with earlier in the transfer window, has reportedly come back onto their shopping list as he weighs up moving away from Everton, with the Whites’ interest in Fulham ace Rodrigo Muniz also long-standing.
Away from the plethora of names filtering through in the centre-forward areas, Leeds have also been credited with interest in free agent midfielder Josh Brownhill, as per a new report by GIVEMESPORT.
The report further reveals that Everton is also trying to push through a deal for the ex-Clarets captain, but a tricky stumbling block has emerged for both parties.
The hurdle both sides will have to try and overcome is the spending power of MLS side Toronto FC, who are willing to offer the Manchester-born star a £100k-per-week deal to leave England behind for Canada.
It remains to be seen what Brownhill’s short-term future looks like, but if he does decide to relocate from Lancashire to Elland Road, over pastures new in Canada, he could be just what Leeds need in terms of an attacking outlet centrally, away from the more defensively sound members of the squad from the middle of the park.
Indeed, out of all the midfielders at Farke’s disposal, new £17.4m recruit Anton Stach is the most content with just sitting back and doing his defensive dirty work.
So much so, Stach can even line up as a centre-back if needed – as seen in his 16 career appearances from this part of the pitch – alongside the fact that the Whites number 18 singled out his “aggressive” nature as one key attribute to his game when speaking just after his move to Leeds had been confirmed.
|
Stach’s league numbers for Hoffenheim (24/25) vs Brownhill’s for Burnley (24/25) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat – per 90 mins* |
Stach |
Brownhill |
|
Games played |
30 |
42 |
|
Goals scored |
1 |
18 |
|
Assists |
2 |
6 |
|
Touches* |
66.8 |
52.1 |
|
Shots* |
1.2 |
1.6 |
|
Accurate passes* |
41.9 (83%) |
31.8 (82%) |
|
Key passes* |
0.9 |
1.2 |
|
Tackles* |
2.2 |
1.5 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
5.7 |
2.8 |
|
Total duels won* |
5.6 |
3.4 |
|
Stats by Sofascore |
||
The German’s aggressive approach on the pitch is certainly more evident when looking at the table above, with Stach greatly trumping Brownhill when it comes to tackles made, ball recoveries made, and total duels won per match last season in their respective leagues.
Having such a lively, fierce anchor in the side means Brownhill will be able to focus even more on his explosive attacking game at Elland Road, with the 29-year-old’s stunning output of 18 goals and six assists last season for Burnley clinching automatic promotion out of the Championship, alongside Farke’s title-winners.
With six goals and six assists already next to his name in the Premier League, too, both Brownhill and Stach could be components of a new-look midfield that just work alongside each other, as the EFL “superstar” – as he was once dubbed by former manager Lee Johnson – attempts to become a top-flight regular wearing Leeds white.
Of course, the £100k-per-week salary at Toronto might prove to be too tempting to turn down.
But, with steady teammates such as Stach next to him, Brownhill could shine as a gung-ho midfield presence up a division, as Leeds attempt to make survival less of a chore with entertaining displays.
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Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks to sign Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, as widely reported, and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has a price in mind.
Fabrizio Romano was among the reliable media outlets to confirm Spurs’ negotiations for Eze in a separate deal to their pursuit of Man City winger Savinho, with supporters now poised for a potentially exciting end to the transfer window.
“Understand Tottenham are also back in talks for Eberechi Eze in separate deal from Savinho,” wrote Romano on X.
“Spurs trying again for Eze while they work on Savinho, following Maddison injury and Son exit. Eze keen but deal depends on Palace as release clause expired.”
Interestingly, other reliable media sources differ with Romano about Eze’s £68 million release clause.
According to both talkSPORT and Standard Sport, the buy-out currently remains active and won’t expire until this Friday – potentially giving Levy and co a window of opportunity to trigger it and make Eze a Spurs player.
In a further bit of good news for Thomas Frank, who is in dire need of another creative attacking player after James Maddison’s ACL rupture, Eze is reportedly becoming open to joining Tottenham before the transfer deadline on September 1.
It is important to note that Frank’s side face stiff competition from north London rivals Arsenal, who have been in pursuit of the 27-year-old for well over a month after holding consistent talks with his representatives (Fabrizio Romano).
However, Arsenal currently have to make sales first (The Telegraph), and that may be stopping them from making a formal bid for Eze.
Their hesitancy could hand Spurs an advantage in the race for Eze, especially considering Levy and technical director Johan Lange were ready to splash £60 million on Nottingham Forest’s number 10, Morgan Gibbs-White, over a month ago.
According to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Tottenham have a minimum valuation for the England international and an ideal price they’re willing to pay, as Levy looks to strike a deal quickly.
Taking to X, Jacobs reports that Levy wants to pay a similar fee to their deal for winger Mohammed Kudus – around £55 million.
That being said, Palace have been clear in their demands to sell their star attacking asset.
Given Tottenham’s glaring need for another forward option, after losing Son Heung-min to LAFC, Maddison to injury and being forced to deal with Dejan Kulusevski’s continued absence, it is imperative that Levy pulls no punches here.
Eze appears set to cost a similar price to what they were more than prepared to pay for Gibbs-White, so the Lilywhites clearly have the necessary funds to meet Palace’s valuation.
He’d be worth every penny, too, having averaged more shots, key passes and successful take-ons per 90 than any other Palace player in the Premier League last term – all whilst racking up 14 goals and a further 11 assists in all competitions.
Eze can also play on the left-wing when required, and you can make a serious case that he’s exactly who Frank is crying out for.
Bayern Munich legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has admitted he still regrets missing out on signing Florian Wirtz, insisting the German star "would be better off at Bayern than at Liverpool". The former executive also reflected on failed attempts for Nick Woltemade after their public pursuit of the striker ended in him joining Newcastle from Stuttgart.
After submitting their offer, Sunderland could now receive a major boost in pursuit of their late transfer target amid reports that the selling club are now set to discuss his departure.
It’s already been a hectic summer for all involved at the Stadium of Light. As many as 12 fresh faces have arrived to join up with Regis Le Bris’ side, who are vying for survival at the first time of asking in the Premier League. But Sunderland aren’t done there. After suffering defeat at the hands of Burnley, a defensive reinforcement is still on the cards.
After losing Daniel Ballard to a groin injury against Burnley, it’s not a surprise that Sunderland have turned straight to the transfer market. Whilst the extent of his injury is yet to be revealed, the Black Cats will be keen to ensure that the drop-off in quality without their defensive leader isn’t so alarming.
As such, Chelsea’s Axel Disasi has reportedly emerged on their radar. The centre-back is part of the Stamford Bridge ‘bomb squad’ and doesn’t even have a place in Enzo Maresca’s dressing room as he continues to train away from the first-team. In desperate need of a move away, Sunderland would be an ideal option.
They’re not the only side interested, however. Battling alongside Sunderland, Bournemouth have also set their sights on the central defender and can offer a loan with an option to buy. Sunderland, of course, are not in a position to put a loan deal together, having already welcomed Marc Guiu on a temporary basis from the London club.
That said, Disasi is not the only name that those in Wearside have in mind. Reports are also suggesting that they’ve already tabled an offer to sign an alternative target.
According to reports in Italy, as relayed by Sport Witness, Bologna are now set to discuss the sale of Jhon Lucumi in a potential boost for Sunderland with their €30m (£26m) offer still on the table.
Although Bologna’s CEO, Claudio Fenucci, told reporters that the “timeframe for the offer didn’t materialise”, Sunderland have now been handed a glimmer of hope by reports claiming that the Italian club are already attempting to welcome Union Berlin’s Diogo Leite to replace Lucumi.
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What’s more, the defender’s agent has been far from private when it comes to detailing his client’s desire to leave the club, saying via Fabrizio Romano: “Last year we were asked to stay and we did so with great availability. This year, however, since the beginning of the season, the message has always been clear on both sides: if the right offer had arrived, Jhon would have had the possibility of a transfer.”
With less than a week to go until the window slams shut, Sunderland’s offer remains on the table and Lucumi’s stance seemingly remains the same. But whether the defender ends the summer as a Premier League player still remains to be seen.
Ruben Amorim can put his feet up and enjoy the international break knowing his job is safe for now after Manchester United enjoyed a surprisingly comfortable 2-0 win over Sunderland. Mason Mount struck early to get the Red Devils off on the right foot then Benjamin Sesko pounced after waves of pressure from the hosts, who deservedly won a third home game in a row.
United looked comfortable from the off and scored their earliest goal since Amorim's first game in charge at Ipswich 11 months ago when Mount trapped a cross from Bryan Mbeumo with his left foot then used his right to slot low into the net in the eighth minute. They continued to look at ease and were pushing for a second. Mbeumo and Amad were denied by good stops from Robin Roefs, who produced a tremendous save to tip a fizzing Fernandes strike onto the crossbar.
The second goal duly arrived just after the half-hour mark as United joined the new-found Premier League craze of scoring via throw-ins. Dalot lobbed the ball into the danger zone, Sunderland couldn't clear it properly and Sesko volleyed home from close range, scoring for the second game in a row.
United nearly shot themselves in the foot when Sesko stuck out a high foot defending a corner and appeared to strike Trai Hume in the head. Referee Stuart Attwell gave a penalty but overturned it on review, deeming that no contact had been made.
United took their foot off the gas a bit in the second half and Sunderland had a couple of half chances but debutant goalkeeper Senne Lammens impressed, guaranteeing Amorim a peaceful end to a game for once.
GOAL rates Man United's players from Old Trafford…
Steven Gerrard has fired a stern warning to full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold as the Liverpool legend revealed his own transfer links to Real Madrid when Jose Mourinho was managing the Spanish giants. Alexander-Arnold rejected a new contract from the Reds and parted ways with the club this summer to join Los Blancos for a meagre fee of £10 million ($13m).
The storm of the summer transfer window has passed, and Liverpool are now enjoying a welcome period through calmer waters as the first international break of the campaign takes centre stage.
Some might feel that the break came at the right time for Arne Slot’s Liverpool, who won the Premier League so confidently last year but have since undergone significant upheaval, something that showed across the opening matches of the campaign.
Liverpool produced a display of much greater solidity when beating Arsenal 1-0 at Anfield last weekend, and it’s worth stressing that while this new iteration of Redmen have their detractors, they have claimed nine points from nine and added Alexander Isak to their ranks on deadline day.
Some signing, that. Liverpool fought tooth and nail across many weeks to sign the 25-year-old marksman, but they secured their quarry and have scored a major upgrade on Darwin Nunez.
Liverpool entered the summer transfer window with a single-track mind: they needed to sign an elite striker to lead Slot’s line.
It had been anticipated for a while that Nunez would be sold. The Uruguayan striker had struggled to kick on in Red across his three years at the club, with only 25 Premier League goals scored over his three campaigns, missing 53 big chances, as per Sofascore.
|
Nunez – Liverpool Stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Competition |
Apps |
Goals (assists) |
|
Premier League |
95 |
25 (16) |
|
Champions League |
17 |
5 (1) |
|
Carabao Cup |
13 |
2 (6) |
|
Europa League |
10 |
5 (1) |
|
FA Cup |
7 |
2 (2) |
|
Community Shield |
1 |
1 (0) |
|
Data via Transfermarkt |
||
For such a staggering transfer fee, initially £64m with a view toward an £85m total package, Nunez flattered to deceive. In fact, Liverpool never forked out the full sum, for the forward never hit his stride.
It bears testament to sporting director Richard Hughes’ skill that he sold Nunez to Al Hilal this summer in a deal rising to £57m.
And now Liverpool have signed Isak. The Sweden international has linked up with his countrymen over in Scandinavia and will no doubt relish the chance for this sojourn ahead of his new chapter on Merseyside.
It was an unsavoury transfer saga, to be sure, but one which ended in joy for Liverpool. Along with Hugo Ekitike, the Anfield side have landed a big upgrade at number nine, with Isak in particular capable of blitzing his positional competition over the coming years.
While everything has worked out now, Liverpool did actually have an original version of the Swede in their ranks before, but they sold the Premier League star for a comparatively small fee.
Indeed, Dominic Solanke never found his footing at Liverpool.
Liverpool signed a 19-year-old Solanke on a free transfer from Chelsea in 2017, and he went on to make 27 appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side, scoring his first and only goal on the final day of the 2017/18 Premier League season.
Liverpool did well to turn a big profit on the youngster, selling him to Bournemouth for £19m. This move proved instrumental for the England international, who honed his skills across the first and second tiers and eventually earned himself the big-money move he had been touted for all those years earlier.
The 27-year-old joined Tottenham Hotspur from Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth for a club-record £65m fee in 2024, coming off the back of a remarkable 19-goal campaign on the south coast, underscoring his improvement from talented hopeful to reliable Premier League frontman.
While it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Solanke since earning his switch to the capital, with injuries limiting him last season, he has established himself as a talented and versatile central striker, described as a “pressing monster” by reporter George Sessions.
In this way, he might be something like Isak, who was hailed last year as being “the best all-round centre-forward” in the league by pundit Ally McCoist.
Isak might not have kicked a ball for Liverpool yet, but he’s the benchmark, all right. Having proven himself over the past three years in the Premier League, it’s inconceivable that he would fall by the wayside.
Solanke, deceptively fast and just as powerful, isn’t in the same bracket, but he plays in a way that Liverpool have shown time and time again in recent years as being their stylistic preference at number nine.
FBref’s statistical data reveals that Solanke ranks among the top 17% of forwards across Europe over the past year for assists per 90, with his ranged approach to his game offering similarities to players such as Isak and Nunez (minus the latter’s profligacy).
That said, rarely have we seen Solanke chalk up numbers of the same calibre as Isak, with his dynamism lending itself to a fluid attacking role, but the jury still out as to his goalscoring ability down N17, having posted 16 goals and eight assists across 48 matches for the Lilywhites so far.
If he can stay fit, Solanke might hit some rather fluent form at Newcastle this season, though, with the Danish tactician previously outlining his capacity to shape physical and athletic strikers into phenoms. Just look at Ivan Toney.
Ultimately, Liverpool might have once felt that they could have got more from the sale of Solanke, whose potential was always clear but whose circuitous journey to the top precluded a more linear route, but they won’t care now.
Even so, they missed out on millions, and having since paid a premium for a young Benfica prospect named Nunez, a bit more time invested in Solanke might have seen him become a star under Klopp and now Slot’s wings.
He has Isak-like qualities, after all.
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Tottenham Hotspur’s qualification for the Champions League at the end of the 2024/25 campaign was a superb achievement, handing the fanbase a reason to be positive after a dismal season.
Playing up against some of Europe’s elite will hand a generation of supporters memories to last a lifetime – not to mention the financial benefits to the football club.
Such funds have allowed the board to back Thomas Frank in the transfer market, subsequently landing the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons in recent months.
The duo cost upwards of £100m during the recent window, but will inject needed quality and talent into the frontline in the Lilywhites’ hopes of building on their Europa League triumph.
Both players made their European debuts for Frank’s side in last night’s clash against Villarreal, but how did they fare in the 1-0 triumph on home soil?
Dutch international Simons started his second game for Spurs last night, but doing so once again in a slightly unnatural left-sided midfield role – rather than his preferred number ten position.
However, he still managed to produce some admirable numbers, completing three passes into the final third and completing two out of the three long balls he attempted.
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The 22-year-old also managed to make three interceptions and made three recoveries out of possession – showcasing the impact he had at both ends of the pitch.
As for Kudus, he continues to go from strength to strength for the Lilywhites, producing yet another impressive performance against the LaLiga side in North London.
The Ghanaian international completed two successful take-ons, along with a 50% cross completion rate, arguably being the side’s most potent threat throughout the encounter.
He further managed to impress by completing 86% of the passes he attempted, but like Simons, also offered a workman-like display out of possession, making six ball recoveries.
Despite the showings of the aforementioned duo, one other first-team member managed to trump them both and produce a first Champions League appearance to remember in the triumph.
Spurs’ recruitment over the last couple of years has been sensational – as seen by the recent displays produced by big-money additions Kudus and Simons.
However, the groundwork has been laid in years gone by, even making stellar additions even before Frank took the reins from now Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou.
Such additions allowed the Aussie to claim European glory last time around, with Frank hoping to achieve similar success in the near future, given the talent at his disposal.
Not all of the signings made have had to result in huge sums being spent, as demonstrated by the bargain £8.5m deal to land Lucas Bergvall from Djurgarden last summer.
The 19-year-old may still be working his way into the spotlight, given his tender age, but he’s already become a crucial cog within the Lilywhites’ first-team over recent months.
He’s already racked up over 50 senior appearances for the North London outfit, with last night one of his most impressive showings since his move from Sweden.
The teenager started at the heart of the side last night, arguably being the most impressive talent within Frank’s side as they kick-started their Champions League campaign.
|
Bergvall’s stats against Villarreal |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
89 |
|
Touches |
31 |
|
Pass accuracy |
80% |
|
Dribbles completed |
50% |
|
Blocks made |
1 |
|
Recoveries made |
1 |
|
Fouls won |
2 |
|
Match rating |
8/10 |
|
Stats via FotMob |
|
Bergvall, who was labelled as a “superstar” by Spurs writer Mitch Fretton, featured for 89 minutes, making 80% of the passes he attempted, whilst also completing 50% of his dribbles.
Such numbers highlight the threat he posed with the ball at his feet, not to mention the ball he whipped into the box that was fumbled by Luiz Junior, which resulted in the only goal of the game.
The Swede also made one block and one recovery, offering an excellent box-to-box option at the heart of Frank’s side during the European triumph in North London.
As a result of his display, Bergvall was handed an 8/10 match rating by the Daily Express’ Jack McEachen, whilst also claiming the Man of the Match award – further highlighting his superb display against the Yellow Submarine.
Such a display has made him a key component of Frank’s first-team squad, with the sky truly being the limit for the sensational teenage talent.
If he can continue on his current development path, there’s no reason as to why he can’t be one of the first names on the teamsheet – potentially offering a better addition than big-money signings, Kudus and Simons.
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